Notable war vet, businessman to run for Richland County Council

Joseph "Joe" Walker III, a notable Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran and businessman, has filed as a candidate for Richland County Council's District 6, now held by Greg Pearce.

Pearce, who has represented some of Columbia's more upscale neighborhoods since 1998, announced his retirement last month. Walker will run in the June 12 Republican primary.

Walker, 36, served in the U.S. Army and the S.C. National Guard from 2004 to 2012, leading troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. He received both the Bronze Star and Purple Heart and was featured in the 2016 HBO Documentary “Only the Dead See the End of War.”

Presently, Walker owns 19 Marco's Pizza restaurants in Richland, Lexington and Sumter counties, three Orange Theory Fitness locations, three Carolina Mattress and Furniture stores, the third-party marketing firm, Direct Print and Marketing, and the third-party general contracting firm, J.P. Contract Solutions.

“Richland County is a special place, and it’s critical we have leadership in place that can direct the growth of our county, open new economic markets and create a better future for all citizens,” Walker said in a news release. “As a private citizen who’s concerned about the future of our county, I’m ready to take my record of service to the next level and help even more people in Richland County.”

Walker is making his first bid for public office. He said that, if elected, he would work to make it easier to open a business in the county, as well as protect tax dollars, improve public safety and ensure transparency and accountability in county government.

Walker was named Young Professional of the Year by Columbia Metropolitan in 2016 and the Veteran Business Person of the Year by the Small Business Administration in 2016. He also was included in the annual 20 under 40 list by The State newspaper in 2015.

A 2000 graduate of the Hammond School, Walker earned his bachelor’s degree in business economics in 2004 from Wofford College in Spartanburg. He and his wife, Haley, have four children.

This story was originally published March 19, 2018 at 4:37 PM with the headline "Notable war vet, businessman to run for Richland County Council."