Darlington resident promoted to Associate Vice President at FDTC’s Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing and Technology
Tressa Gardner
Tressa Gardner has been named Associate Vice President of the Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing and Technology (SIMT) at Florence-Darlington Technical College. Tressa and her husband Phillip, a Francis Marion University professor, live in Darlington.
At the SiMT, Tressa connects business, industry, inventors and entrepreneurs to the advanced technical resources of the facility’s six business units, to increase innovation, expand capabilities, and improve efficiency and time to market.
The SIMT specializes in the development of 3D content: 3D virtual and augmented reality interactive simulations are used by industry for marketing and training simulations. The SiMT’s extensive Additive Manufacturing, also known as 3-D printing, capabilities support aerospace, automotive, medical device, advanced manufacturing and research and development in 28 states and 13 countries.
Tressa earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics degree from Francis Marion University and a Master of Arts in Economics from Clemson University. She joined FDTC in 2003 and served as Project Manager and Co-Principal Investigator on numerous National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education (ATE) and S-STEM grants to Florence-Darlington Technical College.
In 2013 Tressa joined the SiMT as Director of Business Development. She serves on the boards of Florence Regional Arts Alliance and Pee Dee Speech and Hearing Center and is a member of the Rotary Club of Darlington, where she served as President.
