A Lifelong Learner and Leader: Celebrating Steve Padgett’s Journey at CCC
When you meet Steve Padgett, for the first or fiftieth time, you are always greeted with a big smile and a firm handshake. You immediately recognize an energy and passion in him. You can’t help but think to yourself that this guy never stops.
Now, after more than 60 years of working and two distinct careers, Steve has finally decided that it’s time to slow down. At least he’s going to try. His first attempt at retirement lasted only two years, which was fortunate for Cleveland Community College, as he ended up here, first as a part-time instructor and then as director of the Small Business Center.
Before discovering his second career at the College, Steve had already built an impressive one in the world of technology.
Steve’s first career began when he was 19 years old, working with computers that looked nothing like what we use today. Over the decades, working for several different companies, he witnessed and worked through the incredible evolution of computer technology, eventually retiring from Bridgestone Firestone in 2007.
After two years of retirement, Steve realized he needed more to do. He knew the College offered classes that might help him find a new hobby, so he decided to check it out. “I came to Cleveland Community College looking for a purpose,” he said. “I thought maybe I’d take up a craft hobby—pottery or woodworking, something like that. That’s about all I knew about the College at the time.”
However, an encounter with Dr. John Lattimore, then the dean of Business Technologies, redirected Steve from becoming a student to teaching. Lattimore knew that Steve had an MBA and years of industry experience. He invited Steve to help launch a new entrepreneurship program as a part-time instructor. “I looked at the material and told him, absolutely. I’d love to,” he recalled.
In 2015, when the Small Business Center director retired, Steve was asked to consider stepping into that role, and he did. “I didn’t think I’d be here this long,” he said with a laugh. “But I fell in love with it.”
As director, Steve has guided countless aspiring and established small business owners across Cleveland County. His approach has always been rooted in humility and collaboration. “I tell every client who comes in, ‘I don’t have all the answers, but I’ll help you find them,’” he said. Through the Center’s network of specialists in marketing, accounting, law, and more, Steve ensured that clients received expert, personalized guidance at no cost to them.
Additionally, Steve aimed to attract small businesses to Cleveland County and its small towns. He chaired the committee that brought the Certified Entrepreneurial Community designation to Cleveland County, working closely with municipalities across the area to foster a supportive environment for small businesses. He continues to attend town and county meetings, staying connected with local leaders and helping strengthen the bridge between CCC and the broader community.
A lifelong learner at heart, Steve says one of the most rewarding parts of his work has been continuing to learn alongside his clients. “I’ve been learning ever since I got here 10 years ago,” he said. “That’s what has kept me energized.”
As for what comes next, Steve says he’s not rushing into any big plans. “For the first six months or so, I just plan to sleep late on Monday mornings.”
Steve’s remarkable career and his many contributions to the College, the Small Business Center, and the entrepreneurs of Cleveland County will leave a lasting legacy.