The South Carolina Senate confirmed Thomas S. (Tom) Mullikin, Ph.D., J.D., as director of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) in a unanimous vote Wednesday. He was then sworn into office by Senate President Thomas C. Alexander.
Mullikin assumes the top post at SCDNR, serving as the agency’s chief administrator at the direction of the seven-member Natural Resources Board. He replaces Robert H. Boyles Jr., who has retired after more than 30 years of service to the agency.
“Serving our state as the Director of the Department of Natural Resources for one of the most beautiful places on earth is the honor of a lifetime,” Mullikin said. “I grew up hunting, fishing, hiking and diving across the Palmetto State. Our hunters and anglers were the original conservationists, and we will work together with incredible state leaders and great professionals in SCDNR to ensure that we protect these natural resources for future generations.”
Mullikin served as chairman of the South Carolina Floodwater Commission, to which he was appointed by Gov. Henry McMaster. He is a seasoned environmental attorney who has studied environmental issues worldwide. In addition, he has a joint appointment as a research professor at the University of South Carolina and Coastal Carolina University’s School of Coastal Environment. An avid outdoorsman, he has logged certified scuba dives in every ocean on Earth and has summited more than 20 mountains including peaks on every continent.
“Dr. Mullikin is the right person at the right time to lead the next chapter at SCDNR,” Board Chairman Norman Pulliam said. “The Board is grateful to the Senate for confirming his appointment and grateful to Director Boyles for his years of service and leadership. We look forward to working with Dr. Mullikin to further the agency’s mission to be the principal advocate for and steward of the natural resources of our great state.”
In addition to his environmental and outdoor experiences, Mullikin is a decorated retired senior military officer, having served with the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps, U.S. Army Reserve, where he was the international legal officer and assistant staff judge advocate attached to an element of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. Mullikin retired as major general/commander of the S.C. State Guard.
Mullikin is a native of Camden, where he and his wife, Virginia Ann, reside. They have four children and five grandchildren.