PTC Facilities Director Enthused About College's Master Plan

When Fujifilm in Greenwood began downsizing in 2021, Wayne Shirley faced the loss of a workplace everyone dreams about. He had spent more than three decades with the company, was promoted through the ranks, earned two degrees, and even met his wife working there. What were the chances he could find such career happiness and satisfaction again? 

“Once I started at Fuji, it was like a family. Everyone there was really close. I spent 33 years there, and so did my friends,” he said. “What really made it special was the people.”

When Fuji offered to extend Shirley’s employment in a high-profile position as a project manager working for the Fuji headquarters out of New York, he at first accepted. But it just wasn’t the same. The new job required him to travel to other locations in the U.S., which gave him less time to be with his wife, Becky, and four children. It gave him less time to be involved in his place of worship, Lighthouse Baptist Church, where he also teaches Sunday School. And it gave him less time to occasionally coach soccer and basketball. 

“I was always into sports. In school, I played football and wrestled, so it’s kind of funny that I coached soccer and basketball — two sports I had never played!” Shirley said. “I coached all my kids through Little League, YMCA, and even assisted at Greenwood Christian School with the basketball team.”

When Shirley learned of the Facilities Director opening at Piedmont Technical College in Greenwood, he couldn’t not apply. 

“It wasn’t something I planned,” he noted. Yet, last year, Shirley became one of the newest members of the PTC family. His timing was impeccable, depending on one’s perspective. The Greenwood native and Navy veteran arrived on campus as multiple, major capital projects were getting underway, including an overhaul and updating of the Self Conference Center, a new Health Science building, a large expansion of the Medford Family Event Center into the Family Life and Conference Center, and advanced manufacturing facilities planned in Saluda and Edgefield counties. That project list could be daunting to anyone but not to Shirley.

“I see this as an opportunity. I can begin hiring and reorganizing existing staff, turning this into something even better,” he said. “I did a lot of building and remodeling projects at Fuji. … I am here to help transform this place as we expand. I get to be part of something really great!”

Shirley held several titles at Fuji over the years. His most recent was Facilities Engineering Manager/Project Manager. One of Fuji’s employee benefits was tuition assistance for college, and Shirley grabbed the opportunity. “I am a college junkie,” he said. “I like going to school.” 

He earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Southern Wesleyan University and his Master of Science degree with an emphasis in counseling from Bob Jones University. Why counseling?

“I realized that one of my strengths was being able to connect with people individually,” he explained. His knack for helping individuals understand issues from a different perspective, all centered around growth, inspired Shirley to begin practicing talk therapy counseling. He and his wife, Becky, together provide marriage and family counseling through their church. 

Shirley is excited about the college’s proactive facilities master plan. 

“At Fuji, we built one building after another, one at a time. Something fresh was always on the horizon. Dr. Rivers’ vision for growth is so in line with what I enjoy. It’s centered around people, and we are changing lives. … 
“The world today needs so many technically skilled people. It’s thrilling to be part of putting these buildings together and helping supply these people to industry. I just came from Fuji, where we needed highly skilled people. At PTC, they can get a quality education and graduate with no debt.”

Shirley, whose father once attended PTC, is proud to be employed at the college.

“PTC has always been a good option,” he said, “but we are now making it into a GREAT option.”