1/17/08

Roveri takes the helm at F.E. DuBose
By Jerriod Grizzle

JERRIOD GRIZZLE/Manning Times

John Roveri is the new director of the F.E. Dubose Career Center at Central Carolina Technical College campus in Clarendon County. He replaced Dr. Tim Hardee who is now the president of the entire system.

“It’s very hands on and I find it very easy to transition to new technology. It is a very instructive tool,” said John Roveri, speaking of his passion for technology. “I look forward to working with technology, you could say it is in my blood.”

Roveri was promoted to the position of campus director at the F.E. Dubose Career Center at Central Carolina Technical College in 2007 after serving as assistant director of the center since 2005. He replaced Dr. Tim Hardee who has moved to the main campus in Sumter where he serves as president of the entire college.

The transition from assistant director to director is something that Roveri said was not difficult.

“The only real difference is that the buck stops here. You are responsible for making decisions regarding curricula, finances and making decisions for everyone,” he said.

Roveri said one thing he does to ease the decision making process is to always make sure the decisions he makes are in the student’s best interests.

“Some of the best and worst decisions in the students’ minds are made in this office but if you know you have their best interests in mind you will always do the right thing,” he said.

Roveri’s duties include instructional leadership for the teachers, curriculum development, teacher evaluations, and student services for area high school students in Clarendon County.

A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Roveri credits his faith with helping him on a day-to-day basis with everything he does as well.

“My faith is my driving force and for my family. My family is priority number one,” he said. “God is looking out for me.”

Roveri is a graduate of Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in education in 1986 and his Master of Arts degree in technology in 1990.

He taught industrial arts for five years at the high school in his home town of Maple Heights, Ohio.

Roveri’s love of sports led him to be the assistant football and softball coach there.

“It is something inside of me that I have always loved,” he said.

As a student at Maple Heights, Roveri played catcher for the baseball team.

“A lot of people always asked me why I wanted to be a catcher but I loved it and I loved being in every play of the game.

Later Roveri was captain of his high school football team. He played center.

“Again I loved it, because I was involved in almost every play of the game and got my hands on the ball,” he said.

In 1991, Roveri moved to Rock Hill, S.C. where he completed his principal’s certification at Winthrop University.

Roveri worked as an industrial technology teacher at Sullivan Middle School in the Rock Hill School District. He was also an assistant coach for the eighth grade wrestling team.

He transferred to Rock Hill High School where he taught pre-vocational classes and coached football and baseball for four years.

In 1997, he became the assistant director of the Applied Technology Center where he provided instructional leadership for seven years.

In 2004, he became the director of the Sumter County Career Center until 2005 when he became the assistant director of the F.E. Dubose Career Center.

“There was a person on the board at the Sumter location who was interested in having me and I could not pass it up. It is an honor to work here and always will be,” he said. “I have that passion for technology.”

Roveri is a member of the South Carolina Association of School Administrators, the South Carolina Association for Career and Technology Administrators, the National Education Association, the International Technology Education Association, the Masons, the Shiners and is a Rotarian in the Manning Rotary Club. He is also the Scout Master of Troop 331 in Sumter.

He is a certified South Carolina Industrial Technology Education Instructor, Secondary Principal, Secondary Supervisor and a Vocational Center Director.

In his down time, Roveri says his favorite hobby is home renovation.

“I love all aspects of construction. I like to see my progress by the end of the day. It is a form of self-reward,” he said.

Roveri’s other hobbies include watching college football and professional baseball.

“I’ve got to go with where I grew up, my favorite team is the Ohio State Buckeyes,” he said.

With all his achievements, Roveri said life is all about spending quality times with his three sons, Johnny, Joseph and Frankie.