Apr
02
2025
From The Blog
Meet Board Director Phil Walpole
SERVICE TERM: 2025 – 2028
The statements below were provided when Phil ran for the board in 2025.
Vision
My vision for Kiawah Island is simple. My father was raised just a few miles from here on Sunnyside Farms. I have been visiting Kiawah Island since the mid-60s as a small boy when the only homes were on Eugenia. The owners each had a key to the gate where the security gate is now. We would drive the sandy roads to Bass Creek and catch fish with our cane poles. We would drive on the beach and fish in the surf. I have seen the island develop over the years and I appreciate how the resort and developers have kept the natural beauty which provides a unique vacation destination for many and a beautiful background for homes for others. We purchased a villa, our first piece of property in 2012, a lot in 2016 and then our current home in 2017. We chose Kiawah like many of you as a 2nd home location and now in retirement as our primary home for these reasons. I would like to give back to the community for all this island offers to me and my family.
I would like to serve on the board to help maintain this place we now call home. My experience of running a company and managing the finances has given me insight that I feel will be beneficial to serving on the KICA Board. We should strive to remain efficient in how we manage our association while maintaining the outstanding service the employees provide us on a daily basis. I pride myself in being one who can see the whole picture, isolate the problem, zero in on what needs to be done to correct the situation and then get it done collaboratively.
Professional Work History & Education
I graduated from Clemson University with degrees in Civil and Mechanical Engineering. I am a Professional Engineer licensed to practice in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia. I began my own HVAC construction company in 1993. The company is now operated by my son based in Greenville, SC specializing in HVAC and Process Piping in large industrial projects.
Key Issues
I am most passionate about preserving the serenity and beauty of Kiawah Island which is enjoyed by all. From the golf courses, the beach, the river, the wildlife, the trees and nature surrounding us, we live on a beautiful and unique island. I have traveled to other communities playing in golf matches and I can attest that there is no other place like Kiawah. The combination of our amenities and the blend with nature makes Kiawah unique and special to me. Security and access to the island are areas that I feel need to be looked at for ways to improve. I know I can work with members of this community and the others on the board to come up with a solution that provides secure access for all. Transparency and communication from the board to the community should continue to be a priority and area for improvement.
Value to the Board/Community
I have an extensive background of over 30 years in designing and installing complex mechanical systems on a range of industrial projects. Coordinating the efforts and solving problems of all trades involved with a job to complete a first-class project for a new owner is very satisfying. My experience working through these projects to come to mutually agreeable terms and conditions for all parties involved has given me first-hand knowledge of the importance of working together for the desired end result. With this background, I plan to bring a cooperative spirit with common-sense solutions to any challenge that the board may be presented with. Being a good and smart steward of finances has helped my company to survive lean economic times. I will strive to do the same with decisions that involve our community finances.
My wife Janice and I live here full-time. We have three grown married children and eight grandchildren that love to come and visit us at Kiawah. All 16 of us love this island, the amenities and all it has to offer. We want to see it continue to be a place we all love to call home. I would be honored to represent Kiawah Island property owners and serve on the KICA Board.