Gene Moorhead is well equipped with education and experience to lead the mission of the Upstate Piedmont Chamber of Commerce.
Moorhead grew up in Cherokee County, attended Central Elementary School and graduated from Gaffney High in 1957 where he was Commencement Speaker, King Teen, Senior Superlative, inducted into the Gaffney High Hall of Fame, served on the Student Council and the Senate, and was a SC Boys State Representative.
He departed Gaffney at age 18 to attend college and was away for 35 years with a varied career of business and international travel. Moorhead is a member of the Class of 1961 of Clemson University and the Class of 1962 of Limestone College. He also did additional work at Wofford College and Shorter University and his education includes over 200 semester hours in engineering, mathematics and science. He was accepted into Air Force OTC and assigned to Communications/Electronics.
He taught chemistry & physics and coached tennis at the Darlington School in Rome, GA. Three years was spent as a Systems Equipment Engineer with AT&T in Atlanta, GA. He spent 20 years with the Dow Chemical Co. where he had sales and marketing assignments in Pharmaceuticals, Consumer Products and Organic Chemicals. Notable assignments with Dow include brand management of Saran WrapTM and Dow Bathroom Cleaner where he traveled 49 states and Canada.
His career includes salesman, sales manager, director of marketing, professional model and actor, teacher, coach, and professional jazz & pit musician.
After returning to Gaffney in 1992, he commuted into Charlotte where he was director of marketing for an international fine chemicals manufacturer. In this capacity he traveled internationally and did business in 20 countries with companies such as Merck, Pfizer, Abbott Labs, Novartis, Hoffman LaRoche, Dow Agro Science, CIBA and Parke Davis.
He has lived and worked in Rome, GA; Atlanta, GA; Durham, NC; Chapel Hill, NC; Charlotte, NC; Richmond, VA; and Indianapolis, IN. Over 2 million air miles were logged in his travels.
In his marketing career, he has worked in collaboration with top advertising agencies such as J. Walter Thompson in Chicago; Della-Famina-Travisano in New York; W.B. Doner in Detroit; Workshop West in Hollywood, CA. BBD&O and Needham, Harper & Steers in New York.
After a 15 months retirement, he spent 2+ years with the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce where he was successful in creating new programs, upgrading office resources, and increasing the member benefits.
Moorhead is active in the community and serves in the following capacities:
- Gaffney Rotary Club Board of Directors
- Cherokee Technology Center Advisory Board
- Spartanburg Community College-Cherokee Advisory Board
- Spartanburg Community College-Spartanburg Advisory Board
- Limestone College President's Advisory Council
- United Way of the Piedmont Cherokee Advisory Board
- Cherokee County 2010 Census Committee
- Cherokee County Airport Committee
- Cherokee County Community Indicators Advisory Committee
- Upstate Workforce Investment Board Advisory Committee
- President, Clemson Jungaleers Alumni Group
- Clemson University Class of 1961 50th Reunion Planning Committee
- Clemson Alumni Council
- Community Care Hospice Board
- Instructor at Spartanburg Community College