John M. Powell of West Union has been appointed by Gov. Mark Sanford to the South Carolina Commission for Disabilities and Special Needs.

Powell represents the 3rd Congressional District, which includes Abbeville, Aiken, Anderson, Edgefield, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Oconee, Pickens and Saluda counties.

The commission is the governing body of the state Department of Disabilities and

Special Needs, the agency that provides services to people with mental retardation and related disabilities, autism, traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury and related disability.

Powell, a Realtor/owner of Powell Real Estate and president of Upstate Subways, was appointed to the Oconee County Disabilities and Special Needs Board in 2006 and served until his appointment to the state commission. Powell charted the development of the Tribble Recreation Park while on board.

A longtime activist in community affairs, Powell served two terms on the Walhalla City Council, was chairman of the Board of (then) Oconee Memorial Hospital, served on the Oconee County School Task Force and was chairman of the Walhalla High School Advisory Council.

Powell is a member of the Oconee Business, Industry, Education Partnership; the Oconee Alliance; and the Ministry of Men, Oconee County.

He is a past member of the Tri-County Technical College Foundation Board and now serves on the Business Advisory Board and is currently a board member of Welcome Wesleyan Church. He has been president of the Seneca Sertoma Club, the Walhalla Chamber of Commerce and is past president of the Tri-County Board of Realtors, where he received the Realtor of the Year award.

Powell received his degree from Tri-County Technical College in business marketing and is a graduate of Walhalla High School.

He is married to the former Joyce James, and they have four children and three grandchildren.