GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Dr. Tom Barton, the only president in Greenville Technical College's 46-year history, will step down on Friday.

Barton, 79, was honored Thursday night at a retirement dinner at the Carolina First Center.

When Barton was named to be the first head of Greenville Tech in 1962, the school had a single building and 800 students.

As he departs, the college has 15,000 students and four different campuses across Greenville County.

He is also the longest serving head of any community college in the nation.

Greenville Tech is the third-largest college in South Carolina, after Clemson and the University of South Carolina in Columbia.

Before he began his career in Barton was a football standout at Clemson.

"Tom Barton came on the scene as the first president of the first technical college in South Carolina during a very important transition period," former South Carolina Gov. Richard Riley said. "When you think of Greenville Tech, you think of Tom Barton."