Hugh Thompson Rice, Jr., (Tom), has been a resident of Horry County since he was 4 years old.   His first job was working as a bus boy at Akel’s at age 12.

Tom attended the University of South Carolina where he completed both his undergraduate and graduate studies in the top twenty percent of his class.  He earned a B.S. in accounting (1979), a M.S in accounting (1982) and a Juris Doctrate (1982).  Tom received the American Jurisprudence Award in Trusts and Estates, and was certified by the Supreme Court of South Carolina as a specialist in Tax Law, Estate Planning, and Probate Law.

After graduation, Tom was employed by Deloitte and Touche as a Certified Public Accountant, specializing in business and individual tax planning.  In 1984, Tom took a position with the Van Osdell Law Firm in his native Myrtle Beach where he earned and continues to hold an AV (Preeminent) rating by Martindale Hubble.  In 1997, Tom established his own practice, the Rice & MacDonald Law Firm.

Over the years, Tom has served our community through his involvement in many charitable and social organizations including:

• Myrtle Beach Haven Homeless Shelter
• Blue Ribbon Committee to Study Emergency Services, City of Myrtle Beach
• Boy Scouts of America
• Grand Strand Sertoma Club
• Ocean View Foundation
• Trinity Episcopal Church
• YMCA
• Horry County Probate Court Advisory Committee
• Myrtle Beach Board of Zoning Variances
• Leadership Grand Strand, VIII
• SC Department of Natural Resources
• York Place

Currently, Tom is of counsel at Rice, MacDonald, & Hicks Law Firm.  He resides in Myrtle Beach where he remains involved in various community activities. In his free time, he enjoys fishing, hunting and spending time with his wife, Wrenzie, and his 3 grown sons.