Michael O'Tuel

     E.M. O'Tuel Cotton Co.

     Bennettsville, South Carolina

Michael O’Tuel was elected to the Board of Directors of Beltwide Cotton Cooperative in 2004. A native of Bennettsville, South Carolina he has for the past 38 years been Vice-President of E.M. O’Tuel Cotton Company, Inc. and owner-operator of Michael O’Tuel Farms.   Michael’s father, Mr. E.M. O’Tuel, started the merchandising business in the 1940’s and is still going strong at the age of 88.  In 1956 the family expanded the business and acquired the gin and warehouse which became O’Tuel Gin and Marlboro Warehouse Inc. Michael jumped into the thick of things early and by the age of 14 was hauling hand picked cotton to the gin as an afternoon job in the fall after school.       

Following his graduation from Wofford College in 1967, O’Tuel rejoined his father in the family business and soon began acquiring land which was used to grow cotton, soybeans and corn.    

As a cotton producer and ginner, O’Tuel has served as a director of the Southern Cotton Growers and Southeastern Ginners Association and has been President of the Marlboro county Farm Bureau and director of the South Carolina Farm Bureau. He has been a Marlboro Conservation District Commissioner serving as Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer at various intervals since 1969. He was awarded recognition as Conservationist of the Year by his district in 1976.

Community service has been an important part of O’Tuels life. For many years he juggled business and family time to serve as Captain for the Marlboro Rescue Squad and was instrumental in implementing 911 Emergency Services in Marlboro County. He received the Distinguished Service Award – “Man of the Year” from Bennettsville Jaycees in 1976. O’Tuel served as President of the Bennettsville Jaycees, the United Fund of Marlboro County and the Bennettsville Rotary Club where he is a Paul Harris Fellow. He is also and active member of the First United Methodist Church where he has served in many leadership capacities.   

O’Tuel has been a loyal supporter of Wofford College serving on both the Alumni executive Council and the Parents Advisory Council. He acted as Class Agent of the Class of 1967 during major capital campaigns from 2000 to 2004.

Michael and his wife Terri are parents of four children. Their oldest son, Ellis, works with his father in the family business. Other children are son Darin of Atlanta and daughters Emily of Charlotte, North Carolina and Laura O. Slaughter of Roswell, Georgia.  The O’Tuel’s are known to travel to interesting places and these days spend a lot of their spare time visiting their four grandsons.