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Columbia Business Monthly

Rosylin Atkinson Weston

Mar 09, 2020 04:45PM ● By Kiki Wooley

Rosylin Atkinson Weston was born in Sumter County South Carolina and educated there in the public schools. She went onto study at the University of South Carolina and received a BA Degree in Journalism Broadcast in 1979.

She began her career as a Radio News Reporter at a small AM station in Columbia, SC. She also worked at the Columbia Urban League as the Director of a Scattered Site Housing Program. From there she took a job as a Sales Representative for Xerox Corporation and it was this position that lead her to Greenville, a place she has called home for more than 35 years. Over the years, she has worked for WFBC Radio, the Greenville Transit Authority, Greenville Hospital System and the Greenville Spartanburg Airport District (GSP).

Rosylin spent 19 years at GSP from 1999 – 2018 serving as the airport’s official spokesperson and the Vice President of Communications. It was in this role she became a familiar face and a comforting voice to residents throughout the Upstate as she helped introduce the general public to the Office of Homeland Security - TSA and the new rules and regulations associated with the simple act of flying. Along the way she also kept Upstate residents informed about what was happening at GSP from crisis situations to passenger growth, to new airlines/new service, to the start of regularly scheduled international cargo service and the 6 -year, $127 million terminal renovation program called WINGSPAN.

Instilled with the belief that service to others is the price you pay for the life you live, Rosylin finds time to volunteer and give back to the community. Some of the many boards she has served on and honors received through the years include;

• The Phillis Wheatley Association
• Big Brothers/Big Sisters Women’s Guild
• The First Steps Board of Advisors
• Senior Action Board of Advisors
• South Carolina Children’s Theater Board
• Greenville Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors
• Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors (Chairman, 2017)
• Euphoria Board of Directors
• Ten At the Top Board of Directors
• South Carolina Aviation Association (President – 2009)
** 1 of only 2 women to ever serve as President and the only African American
• Diaper Bank of the Carolinas Advisory Board
• Graduate – Leadership Greenville (Greenville Chamber of Commerce)
• Graduate - The Diversity Leaders Initiative (DLI) (The Riley Institute -Furman University)
• Communicator of Year Award - South Carolina Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America
• Amy K. Stubbs Women of Achievement Award – Given by the Greenville YWCA
• New Business of the Year Award presented to RAWeston Communications, LLC by the Minority Economic Development Institute, Inc.

After leaving GSP in May of 2018, Rosylin opened RAWeston Communications, LLC in July. Founded on the principals of honesty, integrity and transparency, RAWeston Communications delivers public relations counsel and strategic communications services to a select number of clients throughout the Upstate.

In addition to running RAWeston Communications, Rosylin is focusing her attention on motivational speaking. Diagnosed with Stage III Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (Breast Cancer) in April 2015 Rosylin has endured 2 surgeries, 8 rounds of chemotherapy and 33 rounds of radiation. Today she is cancer free and considers herself a Breast Cancer Conqueror rather than a Breast Cancer Survivor, standing on the promises found in Psalms 27. Rosylin’s personal battle to conquer cancer along with the professional challenges of climbing the workforce ladder required that she tap into her inner strength, that energy that lies within us all. It is the strength she calls her “Steel Magnolia”.

Rosylin believes that knowledge is power and therefore, she is committed to sharing her story wherever and whenever she can in hopes that it will help others who happen to find themselves on the receiving end of one of life’s many curve balls and needing to find their own…….Steel Magnolia.


Provided by Ava Smith.