Clemson Extension agents inducted into Lever Hall of Fame

The Extension Service helps farmers, youth and just about everyone else across the United States lead more productive lives. On May 31, four leaders from Clemson University joined the Clemson Cooperative Extension Service A. Frank Lever County Extension Agents Hall of Fame.

The 2025 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony took place at Clemson’s T. Ed Garrison Arena. Those honored were Charles Davis, who worked with programs in Calhoun, Orangeburg and Richland counties; Russell Duncan who worked with programs in Clarendon, Florence, Marion and Williamsburg counties; Howard Hiller, who worked with programs in Allendale, Pickens and Oconee counties; and Thomasina Tyler, who worked with programs in Jasper County.

Clemson Lever Hall of Fame Class of 2025

Charles Davis

Charles Davis started working with Extension in October 1979 as a row crop agent with South Carolina State University’s 1890 Research and Extension. In 1984, he joined Clemson Extension, serving as county extension director, lead agent, multi-county agent and distinguished county agent.

Davis helped on many committees and programs. He also started a recycling program for pesticide containers in his county and helped develop a peanut farming program in Calhoun County.

Tom Dobbins, Clemson Extension director, praised Davis for always being ready to help.

“Charles always did whatever was needed to move Clemson Extension forward,” Dobbins said. “He was my ‘go-to’ person. I could call him anytime, day or night, he’d give me honest answers, even if they weren’t always what I wanted to hear.

“One time, he reminded me, ‘I don’t work for you. I work for my farmers. That’s why I do what I do.’ Charles always worked hard to make life better for everyone around him.”

Davis worked with Extension for 44 years. People knew him well. Whenever he went to the grocery store, people would stop him to ask questions about plants, flowers and insects. He always took time to talk to them.

“That’s what we do as Extension agents,” Davis said. “We help people.”

Russell Duncan

Russell Duncan isn’t afraid of challenges. This helped him become a successful county agent.

Duncan’s work with Clemson Extension began in 1983. His first task was helping tobacco farmers improve their crops. He convinced them to switch fertilizers from 3-3-9 to 6-6-18 and to use less nitrogen. This change saved farmers money, improved tobacco quality and got them better prices.

He also held demonstrations for corn, cotton and soybean farmers. Duncan showed farmers new corn types, how to better grow cotton and plant soybeans that resist pests.

Along with agent Charles Davis and Clemson professor Ralph Franklin, Duncan started the Santee Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) program in the early 1990s. This program continues to help advisors keep up to date with new farming information.

“Russell was trusted by farmers,” said Phil Perry, former Saluda County Extension agent and a member of the Lever Hall of Fame. “He always gave farmers the latest research to improve their farms and protect the environment. He brought Clemson University to the farmers of Clarendon, Florence, Marion and Williamsburg counties and beyond.”

Duncan also worked in community development, precision farming and youth programs like 4-H.

“Working with Extension was very rewarding,“ Duncan said. “ I am happy to have been given an opportunity to help people.”

One of Duncan’s former students, Cody Simpson, was recently named the South Carolina director for the USDA Farm Service Agency by President Donald Trump. Simpson made a surprise visit to the ceremony to thank Duncan.

“You’ve inspired many people, including me,” Simpson said. “Your work has greatly helped our counties, state and country. You deserve to be in the Lever Hall of Fame. Congratulations!”

Howard Hiller

Howard Hiller’s dedication to helping others began when he joined the U.S. Army in 1969. He served two years before continuing with the U.S. Army Reserve, eventually retiring as a sergeant major.

Hiller also served his community through Clemson Extension. One of his first jobs was scouting cotton fields, checking plants for insects, diseases and other problems.

“Rowland Alston taught me how to scout cotton,” Hiller said. “It was both challenging and rewarding. That was just one of the many great experiences I had while working with Extension. It seems my time as an Extension agent passed quickly because I enjoyed it so much.”

From 1971 to 2018, Hiller worked in several roles, including 4-H agent and agriculture agent in Allendale and Oconee counties. He also served as Extension associate agent and County Extension director in Pickens County, helping with agriculture, natural resources and leadership programs.

John Ridley, a former Clemson Extension horticulture specialist, said Hiller helped start a training program for new beekeepers in Oconee County. This program taught people how to care for honeybees and even led to a youth beekeeper program.

“Bees are important because they help pollinate crops,” Ridley said. “Howard understood this and was a huge help to farmers and beekeepers. His hard work made Clemson Extension a valuable resource for farmers throughout our state.”

Thomasina Tyler

Thomasina Tyler served in the Clemson Extension Service from 1971 to 2001 in Jasper County. She was the first full-time African American County Extension agent for Clemson.

During her three decades of service, Tyler helped develop and produce many state and national 4-H winners. She also developed and implemented Project LEARN – a comprehensive curriculum that focuses on enhancing self-esteem, promoting healthy habits, enriching academic skills and fostering cultural and environmental awareness for at-risk youth in Jasper County.

Under her leadership, Jasper County has an effective 4-H program that reaches up to 1,500 youth per year.

During her time with the Clemson Extension Service, Tyler served as acting Jasper County Extension director, participated in the Palmetto Leadership Program and was chair for the Family Relations and Human Development Extension program. She retired as one of 15 distinguished county Extension agents.

Since retiring, Tyler has served as a chaperone for 4-H’ers going to the National 4-H Congress. In addition, she has provided support to state winners receiving national recognitions for their achievements.

Her son and former 4-H’er, Lowell Tyler, spoke at the ceremony.

“When I think of my mom, I think of a person who is committed to serving her community, someone who is kind-hearted with a determined spirit and someone who is a true advocate for developing and providing opportunities for young people,” Lowell Tyler said. “During her 30 years of service, she established, implemented and led various programs for youth and adults to learn, grow and develop.

“My mom poured herself into her 4-H’ers. As a result of her guidance, her 4-H’ers earned many 4-H state and national awards, while gaining skills and confidence that would prepare them for life.”

Although retired, Thomasina Tyler continues her passion for working with youth.

“I am honored and grateful to accept this distinguished award,” she said. “It is a privilege to have been able to work with an organization such as Clemson Extension. Working as a 4-H agent has been a cornerstone of my service and source of my passion.

“I will continue to invest in our youth to help ensure a stronger, brighter future for us all.”

For more, see Lever Hall of Fame Inductees.

The Extension impact

Chalmers Mikell, assistant director of the South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation’s government relations division, said Extension agents devote a lot of time to their work, often sacrificing personal time and time with their families.

“Today is a special time as we recognize a few of the giants in the Extension field,” Mikell said. “Being an Extension agent is a calling. It’s not a 9-to-5 job. Extension agents put in a lot of time and make sacrifices in order to serve.”

Dobbins thanked all Clemson Extension agents for their contributions, noting teaching, research and Extension are the three pillars of the national land-grant university system.

“The expertise of our Extension agents is enhanced by research from our College and research stations, and is linked to the needs of our state’s citizens, which include their well-being, the economy and the environment,” he said.

Matthew Holt, dean of Clemson’s College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences, says committed agents are key to a strong Extension Service.

“My experience with Extension started when I was a kid on a farm in Indiana,” Holt said. “My brother and I were in 4-H, and Extension was a big part of our lives.”

Holt praised Frank Lever, who helped create the Cooperative Extension Service.

“Mr. Lever made a real difference by starting Extension to help people,” Holt said. “It’s a great honor for these agents to be recognized for helping South Carolina.”

The son of a farmer, Asbury Frank Lever understood the value agriculture had on a community. In fact, he understood it so well that he co-authored the Smith-Lever Act of 1914 which established the Cooperative Extension Service at state agricultural colleges.

Lever was a U.S. representative from South Carolina who, with Senator Hoke Smith of Georgia, authored the Smith-Lever Act of 1914 that created Extension to take research-based agricultural and food-science knowledge from colleges and universities and put it in the hands of working people.

Stephen Lever, the great-grandson of A. Frank Lever, said his great-grandfather loved helping people through public service.

“Extension is the greatest kind of education,” Stephen Lever said. “My great-grandfather believed this and I know he’s smiling right now.”

The A. Frank Lever Hall of Fame was created in 2014 to celebrate 100 years of the Cooperative Extension Service. The hall of fame honors the careers of “longtime, front-line county agents” whose service had an important economic impact on the communities they served.

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