Connecting Community
Irmo Town Councilman, Gabriel Penfield, sometimes feels like Johnny Cash when he sang, “I’ve been everywhere, man.” Indeed, he has. His life began in New Orleans, Louisiana. In the winter of 1985, when Penfield was just five, the family moved to Landrum, South Carolina. He remembers climbing out from the back seat of their little red Chevette and seeing snow for the first time, recalling that he immediately felt at home. While growing up in the shadow of Hogback Mountain, he remembers being embraced by the foothills. He said, “Being raised in rural South Carolina was truly a gift. The small-town community, a sense of belonging, and neighbors looking out for each other shaped me profoundly.”
Over the years, with his dad’s support, Penfield engaged in sports. He earned his permit, had a girlfriend, and followed a curfew. By his senior year in high school, he had evolved from the quiet, last picked for kickball to the class Homecoming King. He describes that experience as wanting to fit in, wanting to be “part of the tribe.” He shared, “Everything that I do on council is about making a place for people to have a seat at the table, being part of the community. And I will always cherish that.”
Collaboration, teamwork, and helping people are evident in everything he does—whether as a councilman or business owner.
Entering Public Office
Penfield’s journey into public service was sparked by a frustrating issue with a broken water pipe in his yard that lasted 18 months before resolution. Former Irmo Mayor Libby Green, recognizing his strengths as a doer and problem solver, suggested he run for Irmo Town Council. As a Councilman, Penfield’s natural gifts as a leader and an advocate for others would serve his community well. He was elected to the position in February of 2024.
Penfield owns Relational Wealth Management, where he has provided retirement and financial planning advice for 23 years. He was also the Co-founder of Tribal Coffee Company, Poore House Furnishings, Parking Lot King, and Mavericks Cigars.
As a new candidate, Penfield was surprised to learn how low voter turnout is. Irmo’s rich history, diverse culture, and beloved events like the Okra Strut show how deeply residents care for their town. Yet in many elections, fewer than one in ten voters participated, leaving decisions to a small fraction of the community. Loving Irmo means not only celebrating it but also helping choose the leaders who protect and shape its future. Elections such as our school board influence our children’s education, and those elected for town council help name the committee and board members that influence how money is spent on roads and other infrastructure.
Penfield embraces the challenges of navigating a sometimes frustrating and slow government system while accommodating the needs of constituents. He recognizes there are sometimes confusing boundaries between state agencies. He says, “Without order, we devolve into chaos. So, we have to have systems.” However, he believes leadership has no boundaries against communication, so agencies should at least talk to each other. Resourcefulness, persistence, and problem-solving skills go a long way towards getting problems solved.
Servant Leadership
Penfield is a lifelong learner and carries a deep conviction to help his neighbors. Whether in his career or his position as Councilman, Penfield puts people first. He has studied the author John Maxwell for 23 years and applies much of what he has learned.
He mentions the “bystander effect,” where individuals are less likely to offer help to a victim when other people are present. “Human nature can fall into the ‘bystander effect,'” he said. “If I notice I’m experiencing a lack of action, and I see no one else is doing anything, I’ve decided that’s a cue for me—or someone like me—to get involved. That might include making myself available to help people in Western North Carolina after this year’s fires or purchasing a chainsaw to cut trees for residents after last year’s hurricane.”
He says, “The family I came from didn’t have a lot of resources, but they’ve always been benevolent and always tried to help people in the community. Now that I’m in the position that I am, I’m going to pay it forward.”
He aims to create a concierge-level local leadership, where everyone is treated like a valued neighbor. He wants to wake up every day knowing that leaders don’t take lightly the residents who put their families under the town police and fire protection. “They could live anywhere, but they came to live in our town. We’re proud of that. We’re going to wake up every day and make this a better place to live than it was yesterday,” he said.
Connected at the Heart Level
No biography of Penfield would be complete without mentioning his sense of humor and propensity for sharing famous quotes. Consequently, a listener has to stay on their toes when talking with Penfield. He says his mother had an “extreme sense of humor,” so he comes by it honestly. His dad gave him his work ethic. When his dad passed away, the pastor asked everyone for one word that would capture his essence. He was a kind and generous man who was at different times a truck driver, an ex-marine, and a football player. The edifying word he offered was “authentic.” His dad was the same man at every instant, something his son admires and recognizes, that it takes courage to put yourself out in the world and risk rejection.
His parting message? “Love your neighbor as yourself. Often, it seems like it takes a national catastrophe, or something on the outside of our humanity, to pull us together. But we don’t need to wait for calamity to be connected at the heart level. At the end of the day, most people want to feel valued as a part of a community. Together, we can continue to enjoy Irmo as a place where every resident feels seen, heard, and proud to call home.”