WhosOnTheMove SC: Recent Episodes
Alan Cooper
One of America's most legendary vehicle brands is making its comeback, and it's happening in South Carolina. Join us as Clarice Henderson of Scout Motors shares the latest from Blythewood, where the new Training Center is open, more than 800 Midlands residents are already part of the team, and production of the first validation vehicles is set to begin as the company moves toward launching its all-new electric Scout trucks and SUVs. Discover how Scout Motors is reviving an American icon while creating thousands of jobs and helping shape the future of manufacturing in the Palmetto State.
The Mary Black Foundation in Spartanburg, SC is turning 30 this July.As an independent grantmaking organization that aims to improve the health and well-being of the people and communities of Spartanburg County, Mary Black Foundation has invested more than $74.5 million into the Spartanburg community during the past 30 years.
In this episode, we speak with Chris White, President and CEO of Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE), about the airport's continued transformation and its growing impact on the Midlands. Recent projects include a major terminal energy initiative featuring a solar canopy, microgrid, and battery storage system, a multi-million-dollar expansion of the airport's security checkpoint, and a complete overhaul of food, beverage, and retail offerings with new national brands and upgraded passenger amenities. Chris shares how these investments are positioning CAE for the future while creating a better travel experience for the region.
Karen's story is a remarkable example of the American dream—from launching her company in a spare bedroom in 2013 to building one of the Midlands' most respected independent real estate firms while staying true to her family's entrepreneurial roots. In our conversation, she shares why investing in people, preserving community, and giving back have become the foundation of her success—and why those values matter more than ever in today's rapidly changing business landscape.
Nancy Parr, a 36-year Westinghouse employee, serves as the environmental protection manager at the company’s Columbia SC Fuel Fabrication Facility, one of the largest nuclear fuel facilities in the world. Located in Hopkins since 1968, the 1,200 employees produce fuel pellets, rods, assemblies, and components that support 10% of U.S. electricity generation.
Mount Pleasant, SC-based White Leaf Provisions is bringing a European approach to organic baby and family food to families across the United States. Founded by Keith and Meghan Rowe, the company combines regenerative farming practices with some of the world's strictest food safety standards, producing its products in Italy and Chile. As the brand continues to expand nationally, White Leaf is proving that high-quality, nutrient-dense food made with clean ingredients can also be convenient and accessible for busy families.
Jessica is a storyteller and strategic consultant helping early and growth-stage companies position themselves in the hearts and minds of their audiences through the ancient art of a good story. She makes the car that Jessica makes the case that the companies that thrive in this next era will be the ones investing in what AI can't replicate: culture and human-to-human connection.
Backed by a $500,000 Google grant, GSSM is launching a groundbreaking AI Educator Initiative that will help teachers across South Carolina integrate artificial intelligence into classrooms and prepare students for the jobs of the future. Through a statewide AI Teacher Institute, Faculty Fellows program, and free curriculum resources, GSSM is positioning South Carolina at the forefront of AI literacy and workforce readiness.
Jeff Ruble and Kate Bugby are the leadership team of the newly formed Columbia Area Development Partnership (CADP) in South Carolina. Launched in July 2025, CADP serves as Richland County’s economic development engine – uniting public and private partners to drive long-term community prosperity. The CADP has been a key force behind the Columbia region's transformation over the past decade, helping create jobs, attract investment and strengthen the area's competitiveness.
What’s behind Spartanburg SC's remarkable growth story? In this episode, we sit down with Allen Smith and Katherine O'Neill of OneSpartanburg, Inc. to unpack a record-setting 2025 and explore what’s attracting billions in investment and new jobs to the region. From its ranking as a top 10 fastest-growing metro in the U.S. and the second fastest-growing in South Carolina, to the strategy behind the success, we ask: what’s the “magic” fueling Spartanburg’s momentum?
O6 Afterschool is celebrating 10 years of impact, helping public school students across South Carolina build confidence and succeed through hands-on, engaging academic support. Founded by former South Carolina Governor and U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley, the Original Six Foundation has grown the program from a small pilot to a statewide initiative reaching more than 1,000 students. The milestone will be marked May 8 at the Columbia Museum of Art, bringing together students, educators, and community leaders to reflect on a decade of opening doors.
The Pickle Yard is bringing a whole new level of energy to the Upstate—where pickleball, padel, great food, and good company all come together in one place. With courts, simulators, a vibrant patio scene, it’s designed for everything from competitive play to laid-back nights out. Get ready—this is where the good times (and your next favorite hangout) begin.
Opening in 2026, Trueline is Greenville’s next-generation live music and entertainment venue, built for both artists and fans. Founder and CEO Michael Grozier, co-founder of House of Blues, brings over 30 years of experience in creating unforgettable experiences. Trueline combines cutting-edge design, technology, and hospitality to redefine how audiences connect with music and culture.
Backed by one of the largest appropriations in the college’s history from the South Carolina Legislature, MTC is accelerating its response to the state’s widening skills gap across high-growth industries. The investment positions the college to significantly expand the pipeline of job-ready graduates prepared to seize emerging, high-wage opportunities—including those created by Scout Motors. As the official education and training partner for the Scout Motors production center, MTC collaborated with company leaders to launch a new Electric Vehicle Engineering Technology program and strengthen four additional programs, ensuring students are equipped for the next generation of EV careers.
CEO of Central Carolina Community Foundation, is leading one of South Carolina’s most impactful philanthropic organizations at a pivotal moment for community investment. Since stepping into the role in July 2024, Mjartan has brought deep statewide leadership experience and a sharp focus on innovation, capacity-building, and measurable impact. Under her leadership, the Foundation is expanding its reach—from transformational grants and scholarships to pioneering initiatives like AI training for nonprofits.
Jess MacCallum, President of Professional Printers in Columbia, SC, recently published a 60-page, self-guided leadership workbook inspired by real-world experience helping his daughter turn around a six-person salon where trust was low and clients were leaving. Those practical conversations became The DAM Leadership Workbook, which focuses on three action-based fundamentals: Direct, Align, Manage. Designed specifically for micro-organizations with fewer than 12 people, the workbook provides usable tools for leaders who need immediate results.
Kamber Parker Bowden, CEO and founder of Generational Performance Solutions (GPS), brings more than 50,000 hours of research on generational and workforce dynamics to today’s evolving workplace. In September 2025, she published her debut book, The Generational Advantage: How to Lead, Communicate, and Drive Performance Across Generations, translating her research into practical tools and strategies leaders can use immediately. The book positions Kamber as a leading voice on how organizations can successfully manage and motivate four generations working together for the first time in history.
Elected to Camden City Council in November 2024, Sheheen is focused on crafting a bold and authentic vision for Camden’s future - one that celebrates its rich history while positioning it as a thriving small Southern town where people want to visit, live, and invest. His mission centers on hospitality and tourism, highlighted by exciting new developments such as a 50-room boutique hotel on Main Street, expanded opportunities for downtown living, and continued investment in landmarks like the Revolutionary War Visitors Center.
In this episode, we speak with Christina Lock, an entrepreneur, leader, human resources executive, and public speaker with a proven track record of building companies and shaping talent strategies. As the Founder and CEO of Catch Talent, Christina leads the delivery of technical recruiting services for growing technology, creative, and government contracting companies, and brings a unique perspective on what it takes to build strong teams in a competitive market. The company is based in Charleston, SC.
Charleston’s longest-running holiday show returns for its 30th season with an all-new musical spectacular. The Charleston Christmas Special brings together top singers, dancers, and musicians for a high-energy celebration. With 11 performances Dec. 12–21 at Charleston Music Hall, it’s a holiday tradition for all ages.
Heritage Landcare, now led by the second generation of the McLeod family, has delivered professional landscape services across South Carolina since 1986. The company partners with commercial clients to provide reliable landscape maintenance, installation, and stormwater management grounded in safety, sustainability, and quality. With recent expansion into the Charleston and Greenville markets, Heritage continues to grow its legacy of trusted service statewide.
Greenville’s newest luxury bridal boutique, The Bridal Loft, has officially made its debut after opening for appointments in late August and celebrating with a grand opening event on October 23. Located in The Village of West Greenville, the boutique brings a modern, elevated bridal experience to the Upstate with a curated collection of designer gowns — no private labels, ever. Brides can expect intentional, pressure-free appointments designed to feel as memorable as the dress they find.
The South Carolina Arts Commission is bringing its services closer to home through new regional hubs designed to connect residents with grants, staff assistance, programming, and partnerships right in their own communities. These six hubs make it easier than ever for artists and organizations to access support, guided by local SCAC team members who live and work in each region. In FY25, the SCAC invested more than $12.5 million in grants and programs that reached all 46 counties, supporting 106 artists, 310 arts providers, and 261 arts learning opportunities statewide.
The Center for Innovative Leadership combines Furman’s world-class academic expertise with the insight of leading business experts and coaches to help develop strategic leaders, creative problem-solvers, and innovators ready to navigate today’s complex challenges. The Center now offers a high-quality, flexible professional certification program designed for aspiring leaders across virtually every sector.
Studio 2LR, Inc. is an award-winning architecture and interior design firm based in Columbia, South Carolina. Dedicated to design excellence, the firm brings passion and creativity to each project, crafting environments that inspire and engage. In 2025, they are celebrating their 20th anniversary.
Alita is a healthcare technology company focused on harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to transform post-acute and senior care. Its AI-powered agent automates admissions, intake, and hiring processes, engaging families and job seekers around the clock so providers can spend less time on paperwork and more time delivering care.
The Boyd Innovation Center in Columbia, SC recently named Sam Herskovitz as its new Executive Director. With more than a decade of experience scaling enterprise SaaS products and guiding startups to successful exits, Sam brings proven leadership to Columbia’s hub for high-growth, high-tech innovation.
Efferent Labs, founded by entrepreneurs Bill Rader and Dr. Spencer Rosero, was born out of a deeply personal mission to transform medical research. The company’s groundbreaking Living Informatics platform delivers real-time, in vivo cellular data through advanced biosensors and AI-driven analytics, giving researchers unprecedented insight into drug responses as they happen.
Charles & Associates, a trusted name in home repair and remodeling for more than 32 years, serves Greenwood, Greenville, and the Lakelands with licensed, bonded, and insured expertise. Recently named to the 2025 Best of South Carolina list in the Construction & Remodeling Contractors category, the company offers everything from handyman services to complete renovations. This July, Charles & Associates expanded its offerings with new Design-Build Renovation services.
Nature at Work is a statewide platform that helps employers, educators, and communities integrate nature into the way we work, live, and lead. Founded in South Carolina, the initiative connects organizations to nature-based strategies, providers, and partnerships that support healthier people, stronger communities, and more resilient ecosystems. Learn more at www.natureatworksc.org.
global digital needs agency | gdna (often stylized “g/d/n/a”) is a fast‑growing cloud-native consultancy and AWS Premier Partner based in Charleston, SC. Founded in 2022, gdna blends human ingenuity with technical excellence to help startups, SMBs, and enterprises build scalable, secure, and cost‑effective digital solutions
Ritedose has unveiled a new 225,000-square-foot distribution and logistics center at Performance Park in Columbia, SC, boosting its capacity to handle over 2 billion doses annually. The facility is part of an $81 million investment that has already created 100 new jobs and supports the state’s thriving life sciences industry. An $11 million lab is also in the works, set to break ground in fall 2025 to support early-stage pharmaceutical innovation. This major expansion highlights Ritedose’s continued leadership in sterile drug manufacturing and commitment to growth in South Carolina.
Based in Greenville, SC, Tindall Architecture Workshop is a husband and wife team based in Greenville, SC, focused on inspiring residential architecture and unmatched service throughout the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida.
The mission at Data Moose is to help non-profits make the world a better place, by providing direct access to actionable data in a secure environment.
Colmbia, SC-based Qwerky.ai is a cutting-edge technology firm that's pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence and changing the way we interact with machines. Founded by Chris Thibeault and Evan Owen, Qwerky.ai is the culmination of their passion for innovation and their desire to make a meaningful impact on the world. With a strong foundation in research and development, Qwerky.ai is committed to delivering exceptional AI-powered solutions that are not only effective but also intuitive and user-friendly. From natural language processing to machine learning, the company's expertise spans a wide range of disciplines, making it an ideal partner for businesses and organizations looking to harness the power of AI.
Legacy Digital Media, founded in 2023 by Q Moldrik, is a boutique full-service digital marketing agency based in Mount Pleasant (Greater Charleston), South Carolina with national reach . Rooted in community-driven storytelling and creative strategy, Legacy Digital specializes in holistic brand-building—from captivating content creation and social media management to paid advertising, email campaigns, SEO, website development, and reputation management.
Serving the Greenville, South Carolina area, Grass Nerds offers a professional, passionate approach to lawn care. The team understands that maintaining a healthy, vibrant lawn requires more than just effort—it takes expertise, consistency, and a true love for the craft. Grass Nerds is committed to delivering top-tier service and an exceptional customer experience, helping clients enjoy outdoor spaces that are both functional and beautiful. As their name suggests, lawn care isn’t just what they do—it’s who they are.
EdVenture children's museum in Columbia, SC is now embracing a multi-generational audience, as children who visited in the early 2000s return with kids of their own for tactile, interactive, and fun experiences. In 2025, this hands-on approach to learning is more valuable than ever. Discover what’s ahead for Columbia’s EdVenture Museum in the coming years.
This fall there will be new private school opening in Greenville, SC, King’s Classical School. King's was founded by members of St. Paul’s Anglican Church to serve the families of Greenville seeking a classical, biblically faithful education. Their mission is to provide excellence and virtue in one united learning experience.
Recognized as the Talent Retention Expert of the year by the International Association of Top Professionals, named as one of the Top 20 Business Leaders by Valiant CEO Magazine, Dr. Troy Hall is an award-winning talent retention consultant, international speaker, author of multiple bestselling books and an International Development Educator.As the founder of Cohesion Culture™, Dr. Troy has dedicated his career to establishing a cycle of culture wellness in the corporate and professional sphere. His consulting and executive coaching engagements are built on the strategic framework of Cohesion Culture™, making the concepts of belonging, value, and shared commitment easy for organizations to adopt and implement.
Kim Smith is a sought-after speaker, author, with 18 years of executive leadership experience in top healthcare systems—including Duke Medicine, Tenet Healthcare, and MUSC Health. In 2023, she founded Health Evolve Technologies with a vision to help birthing women manage their heart health, diabetes, and stress with the support of a digital care team.
Cathy Rigg, founder of the Columbia-based brand marketing firm Riggs Partners, has published her debut novel, THAT WHICH BINDS US (Keylight Books, June 2025). Set in the mountains of Southwest Virginia where Rigg’s family roots run deep, the historical fiction follows five lives intertwined during the Civil War. This first novel marks a return to Rigg’s creative roots and a powerful new voice in Southern storytelling.
Founded in 2008 and based in Greenville, South Carolina, this award-winning PR firm has built a reputation for delivering impactful, earned media coverage across television, print, and digital platforms. Known for blending Southern hospitality with a sharp media strategy, the firm consistently secures national attention for its clients. With a focus on storytelling and journalist outreach, it continues to stand out in the competitive world of public relations.
GCM is an award-winning agency that helps businesses and organizations leverage off-the-shelf AI to save time, boost efficiency and grow revenue. Co-founded by Emma and Zach Giglio, GCM delivers hands-on training and AI integration that makes cutting-edge technology accessible and actionable.Named Summerville’s 2023 Small Business of the Year, GCM has trained and presented to thousands nationwide, turning AI into a game-changer for small businesses and associations. Learn more at www.whoisgcm.com.
Jonathan Yantis, the co-founder and CEO of QuicksortRx, is a Charleston, SC native who turned his early passion for technology into a transformative career in healthcare. QuicksortRx Inc. was founded with a vision to enhance efficiency in hospital pharmacy supply chains.
Shaw Circle is a promising new fintech startup that is located at Charleston Digital’s Flagship @ Charleston Tech Center. Shaw Circle, a private institutional fund management company, was officially formed in 2021 by four recent graduates of the University of South Carolina’s prestigious Finance Scholars Program and is already turning heads.
In February, Coldwell Banker Caine announced Amanda Hamet as President. Hamet, a stalwart of one of the Upstate’s largest residential real estate firms, joined Coldwell Banker Caine in 2014 and has served as Broker in Charge for both the Greenville and Anderson offices, as well as VP and Sales leader, and as SVP of Sales. A long-standing leader in the Upstate, Coldwell Banker Caine is a division and the legacy brand of The Caine Company. Since 1933, The Caine Company has been locally-owned and operated, delivering exceptional service and building lasting relationships. Now, represented by three divisions, The Caine Company includes Coldwell Banker Caine, as well as KDS Caine, a leader in commercial real estate, and Caine Hayes Insurance, the company’s insurance division.
After successfully founding and exiting his web and app design company, netGALAXY Studios, Larry Collett started looking for his next ventures. His new company is Automation Captain with a mission to help companies automate their internal marketing, sales and operations through the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI).He is also the owner of the AI consulting firm, Larry.Collett.com and he and his wife have also started The Larry & Rebecca Collett Foundation, a nonprofit creating leadership, education, and faith-based synergy around the world.
Seven Victory Fitness Collective has opened in the heart of downtown Greenville. Located in a beautifully appointed space on the lower level of the Daniel Building at 301 North Main Street, Seven Victory Fitness Collective is uniquely tailored to provide a holistic approach to health and wellness, helping members achieve fitness goals in a supportive, personalized environment.
The Charleston-based company has developed client engagement software with a simple-to-use mobile app that helps attorneys better engage with their clients. The mission of Case Status is to mission to radically transform the way law firms engage with their clients. In August 2024, South Carolina Research Authority’s investment affiliate, SC Launch Inc., invested $250,000 in Case Status. Case Status became an SCRA Member Company in 2023 and an SC Launch Inc. Portfolio Company with this investment.Case Status was recently named in the top 10% of fastest-growing companies on the prestigious Inc. 5000 list. Companies on the 2024 list are ranked according to the percentage of revenue growth from 2020-2023.
Voterheads is a South Carolina-based technology company that provides monitoring of local government public meetings nationwide. Recently, Voterheads announced, with help from a recent grant from the Knight Foundation Fund at Central Carolina Community Foundation, the expansion of its free newsletter service throughout Richland County in the Midlands of South Carolina. Covering public meetings in the entire Columbia metro area, this initiative helps ensure residents have access to what is being voted on and discussed at local public meetings, such as councils, and planning commissions.
Chris Davis and Jon Sears, longtime business partners with over 30 years of combined hospitality experience, have built a reputation for creating some of the city's most beloved dining spots. Owners of Hendrix, Jake’s, and multiple commercial properties, they saw a unique opportunity in 2021 to carry on the legacy of No Name Deli. Now, with the grand opening of a second location in Forest Acres in November 2024, they’re bringing this iconic eatery to even more fans.
Located at 912 Lady Street in Columbia, South Carolina, Farmers Market Xchange by Toms Creek Farms opened its doors on September 1, 2023. The market operates Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., offering coffee, bread, meats, cheese, and more. Hot lunches are served Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring dishes made with the freshest, natural, and organic ingredients sourced from Toms Creek Family Farm and trusted suppliers cultivated over decades of partnerships.
We love stories about entrepreneur founders of non profits. Chamber Music Charleston (CMC) was founded in 2006 an organization dedicated to developing the audience for classical music through chamber music concerts and educational performances of high artistic quality by musicians of the Lowcountry. In February, they will be introducing their 20th anniversary season.
In October, Revelry Brewing Company celebrated its 10 year anniversary with a Block Party at its Conroy Street location. Revelry also toasted a decade of impacting the local community through its partnership with farm to school non-profit, The Green Heart Project. Since 2014, the partnership has generated more than $210,000 benefiting the organization’s garden-based experiential learning projects and school garden program.
After 15 years of transformative leadership, Melanie Huggins reflects on her journey as the Executive Director of Richland Library system in Columbia, SC, where she redefined what a library can be. From making the system fine-free and securing millions in funding to spearheading groundbreaking programs like "Let’s Talk Race," Melanie has left an indelible mark on the community. She also talks about what she sees as the future role that libraries can play in the community.
United Way of the Midlands is excited to introduce the Campaign for Good, a significant initiative inspired by an extraordinary $10 million donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. This campaign aims to match the generous contribution by rallying community support to reach our goal of matching Scott's $10 million gift with local contributions, funding programs that address key challenges in education, employment, healthcare, and housing. United Way sees this as an opportunity to strengthen its long-term mission to create generational change in the Midlands.To date, the community has raised over $9 million dollars.
Discover the latest initiatives at Charleston Parks Conservancy, where exciting projects like the Charleston Trees program and South Carolina's first-ever food forest are transforming local parks. These new efforts are bringing sustainable landscaping and fresh, local produce to the community, creating greener spaces for everyone to enjoy. It's all about deepening the mission of the organization - safeguarding, nurturing, and enhancing the parks, and, connecting people with their parks.
You have your local barber, your local pediatrician, but what about your local farmer? This reality is possible for Carnes Crossroads, a vibrant and growing residential community nestled in Goose Creek, South Carolina. In this interview, Carnes Crossroads’ first-ever Farm Director Christopher Burtt gives an inside look into the community’s unique Agrihood concept plans, which will include 12+ acres of farm, a farm store, and an event barn, creating a farm-to-doorstep experience for current and future residents.
Matt Foster, CEO of NOAH Property Management, brings a wealth of experience from both the real estate sector and community leadership, having served on multiple influential boards throughout South Carolina. NOAH Property Management was founded to offer tech-forward, affordable housing solutions that empower residents earning 60-80% of the Area Median Income (AMI). Managing 23 apartment communities with over 3,550 residents across the Greenville-Spartanburg region, NOAH goes beyond conventional property management with initiatives like flexible payments, deposit alternatives, and credit-building opportunities.
Stephanie A. Rainey, Esquire, is an experienced attorney specializing in federal government contracts, procurement, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion consulting. With a background in public service and a clerkship under South Carolina’s Chief Justice Donald W. Beatty, she brings unique insight to complex contracting challenges. As the managing attorney of Stephanie A. Rainey, LLC, she helps clients navigate legal obstacles, secure business certifications, and achieve their corporate goals.
Lowcountry Land Trust--a 50l(c)(3) nonprofit organization--permanently protects land throughout coastal South Carolina that is foundational to the area's ecosystem and residents' quality of life. Having conserved over 162,000 acres of land since its founding in 1986, Lowcountry Land Trust is one of the largest local land trusts in the United States. More information about Lowcountry Land Trust is available at www.LowcountryLandTrust.org.
Founded in Charleston in 2016, Lowcountry Kettle is the first potato chip company in South Carolina and specializes in crafting all-natural, Southern-inspired kettle chips. Their unique product line currently consists of the following delicious flavors in 2oz. single serve bags: Spicy Pimento Cheese, State Fair Fried Pickle, Holy City Red Wine Vinegar & Sea Salt, Bloody Mary, Mustard BBQ Sauce, Carolina Reaper, Sea Salt. The brand’s newly unveiled Carolina and Clemson Sea Salt bags are the first officially licensed collegiate chips in the state of South Carolina. Lowcountry Kettle can be found in many retailers, including Whole Foods, Publix, Harris Teeter, Lowes Foods, The Fresh Market, Enmarket, and Parkers Kitchen. For more information, visit https://www.lowcountrykettle.com.
For 38 years, Hood Construction has been a trusted name in the South Carolina construction industry, delivering projects with a focus on integrity, client satisfaction and "Building It The Right Way." Founded by Mark Hood in 1986, the company has grown into a team of over 100 professionals, each with specialized training and experience. From healthcare to historic renovations, Hood Construction's commitment to quality and timely delivery has earned them a loyal base of repeat customers.
After working for a large law firm in elder law, Lisa Hostetler Brown decided to set out on her own in order to create a law firm that offered a more personalized approach addressing customer's needs. She started with a small team, and has now grown to serve the entire state of South Carolina, from locations in Irmo (Midlands), Simpsonville (Upstate), Bluffton and Charleston (Lowcountry), LawyerLisa, LLC (LawyerLisa) focuses on elder law, long-term care planning, asset protection, probate avoidance, trust and estate planning, and life care planning; delivering comprehensive planning with a personalized approach.
Kitchen Sync is a soulful neighborhood restaurant offering farm-fresh, scratch-made fare served with extraordinary hospitality. Owned by the brother/sister team of Kevin Feeny and Karin Farrell and her husband John, Kitchen Sync is the culmination of a shared dream of owning and operating a restaurant that embodies their passion for food, friends and community. Kitchen Sync operates under an ecologically-minded blended value business model that focuses on people, planet and profit. When Kitchen Sync first opened in 2016, it placed significant emphasis on the “planet” part of the ecology equation, obtaining the nation’s #1 ranking as an independently owned Green-certified restaurant (and still retains that title today).
Yachtail embodies an escape to the sunny, carefree days you crave with the refreshing flavors of real pineapple juice, grapefruit, and cranberry flavors. A sparkling vodka cocktail in a can, Yachtail makes no compromise on premium ingredients.The official company name is Boat Drink Beverage LLC and was founded by Kelly and his wife, Emily.
Kristin Cobb, the Executive Director at Harbison Theatre at Midlands Technical College, talks about the 2024-2025 season. The season officially kicked off on September 6 with a performance by Cody Webb, a country music star who has over 14 million streams. This season, you can see shows by America’s Got Talent comedians and illusionists, the South Carolina Ballet, the SC Jazz Masterworks, Columbia Children's' Theatre, Grammy-nominated singers and bands, nationally recognized dancers and more!
The SC JAZZ MASTERWORKS ENSEMBLE is composed of eighteen of the finest jazz musicians, soloists, and bandleaders from across the Carolinas.The Ensemble's 2024-25 concert series kicks off on October 26 at Harbison Theatre featuring Jazz organist Mike LeDonne. Learn more about the incredible 5 nights of jazz on their website - scjazz.org.
Brittany Grabski is the director of marketing for SeamonWhiteside, a leading site firm throughout the Carolinas. Founded in 1985, the company places a strong focus on professional development, mentorship, and resources, including its Women’s Initiative. The firm maintains a strong philanthropic commitment through volunteering and giving back to communities and causes in the markets that it serves.
In May, Angel Holmes, an experienced PR and events professional, established a new organization called “Like Minded CHS,” specifically for female founders in Charleston, SC.This organization is a beta chapter for the Like Minded Collective and Like Minded OC based in Orange County, CA. The aim is to provide a platform where like minded female founders can come together to amplify their voices, build personal relationships, and thrive in business.
SCACED is the state's trade association and funding intermediary for Community Development Corporations, Community Development Financial Institutions, and grassroots economic development organizations. Since his time with SCACED, Bernie helped shepherd the growth of the community economic development movement in South Carolina from 4 organizations to over 100, growing SCACED’s membership to over 200 nonprofits and organizations.
After almost 16 years helping to transform affordable homeownership in our community, Monroe Free will be retiring as President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County this December.Under his leadership, Habitat Greenville has been honored for its service to the community earning awards from the Greenville Chamber of Commerce and the SC Association of Nonprofit Organizations; expanded into Laurens County; started a Black Home Ownership program in 2023; added a second ReStore; began a robust home repair program; and celebrated its 300th and 400th homes built.
Mario Brown, a Greenville, SC native and co-founder of Affordable Upstate, has been pivotal in reimagining affordable housing. Through N.O.A.H. Property Management, an Affordable Upstate initiative, Brown has launched economic mobility-focused programs that ease economic burdens and enhance accessibility. His innovative approach not only uplifts the Greenville community, but also sets a new benchmark for dignified and accessible housing solutions.
NP Strategy is a strategic communications firm composed of former journalists, communications professionals, political insiders, and public relations executives. NP Strategy is a wholly owned subsidiary of Maynard Nexsen, a 550-attorney national law firm with 24 offices from coast to coast, providing NPS access to deep relationships across the United States.
The Columbia Museum of Art announced in April that it had been selected as a recipient of a $75,000 grant that will support the revitalization of Boyd Plaza to create a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere through placemaking programming and interactive art. And, on Memorial Day, they are launching 'Free Summer at the CMA', a new endeavor that offers all residents of South Carolina free general admission to the museum through Labor Day.
Lily Pad began in 2022, thanks to a dream by Greer, SC residents Benjamin and Jennifer Tice. As active foster parents in the Upstate, the Tices wanted to give vulnerable foster youth a soft place to land. Lily Pad creates stunning before-and-after transformations within DSS offices across the state, creating living room-like settings for children and youth awaiting foster placement and giving them a place to comfortably rest, play games, do homework, and distract themselves from the difficulties of their everyday life. Lily Pad has transformed 19 spaces in South Carolina and hopes to create a Lily Pad in all 46 counties in South Carolina over the next few years.
Sarah Frick has been in the yoga and fitness industry for 16 years. After opening and operating two successful power yoga studios for 10 years in Charleston, South Carolina, Sarah sold both at the peak of their success to rebrand not only her fitness concept but herself.The Works a Sweat Studio by Sarah Frick are soulful fitness studios located in Charleston, SC and Mount Pleasant, SC with sister studios The Works Cycle and The Works Renew. The Works believes that in sharing our stories we heal each other and ourselves.
Charleston-based designer, Cassidy Caulk, is the creative force behind Kindred Label, a brand for women by women. With a passion for fashion and a business degree from the College of Charleston, Caulk’s entrepreneurial mindset and determination set the stage for the birth of Kindred Label. A self-taught cobbler at the age of 24, Caulk meticulously designed and engineered the first prototype by hand, setting the foundation for the brand's ethos of innovation and quality. The patented technology is now displayed in each Kindred Label sandal design to blend fashion and functionality.
Tim Gardner is the owner of Lula Drake Wine Parlour on Main Street in Columbia, SC. The story behind the discovery of the location, coming up with the name Lula Drake, and the journey to becoming nationally recognized by the James Beard Foundation is nothing short of magical. Lula Drake is a 2024 James Beard for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program and a 2023 nominee for Outstanding Hospitality.
The City of Columbia, SC has had the 'Eor' syndrome for too long, according to Mayor Daniel Rickenmann. In office as the Mayor since January 2002, Daniel Rickenmann is on a mission to get the City to stop defining itself in terms of what it is close to (the mountains and the sea) and to start building on what we are. We couldn't agree more! How can we help?
More than 24 million people in the United States live with chronic lung diseases such as COPD or asthma. Amanda Clark is a registered respiratory therapist passionate about bringing innovative solutions to this problem. She has founded several companies in the health care space. Her most recent company, PulManage, is a digital health company that has developed a platform for chronic lung disease which pairs with FDA-approved lung-function devices.
SC currently ranks 37th in the country in terms of sustainability. An organization that is looking to improve that ranking is Sustain SC. Recently, they released their Roadmap to Sustain SC highlighting seven specific areas, or accelerators, that offer a path forward for collective actions that will establish South Carolina as a leader in sustainable economic development. The key? Collaboration between commerce and commerce and conservation.
Meet the Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Vicious Biscuit, George McLaughlin. In 2017, George McLaughlin embarked on a new culinary venture with partner Michael Greeley called Vicious Biscuit. They opened their first location in Mount Pleasant, three days before Christmas, during COVID. It was an instant success! Skip ahead a few years and this month Vicious Biscuit is opening a location in Columbia, and has ambitious plans for franchising the brand over the next several years.
"Life changing, community changing work". The Excel Center is a tuition-free, in person public charter high school for adults. It’s designed to remove barriers to education, meet the needs of adults, and empower individuals to achieve their goals, and it helps students get ready for life after high school. It is currently operating the Tri-County area of South Carolina and looking to expand its model to other areas of the state.
Hotel Trundle opened its doors in April 2018 and is located at 1224 Taylor Street in downtown Columbia, South Carolina. They have rewritten the rules of Southern hospitality with a unique blend of curated guest experiences and services, good old-fashioned thoughtfulness, and an eclectic, 20s-era Art Deco style.Recently, Rita and Marcus opened a new block of rooms located on Main Street, just around the corner from the original, flagship hotel, called the Flutter Wing.
Fork and Plough is a local favorite restaurant in Greenville, SC, situated in the heart of Historic Overbrook. Open 7 days a week, Fork and Plough offers dine-in and carry-out options as well as event catering and holiday pre-orders. With ingredients sourced primarily from local and regional producers, their menu changes twice daily so you'll always have something new to try.
Barbara Rackes is often remembered for her years in the women’s apparel industry, where she built a $10 million company doing business in three southeastern cities and employing more than 100 people. She also founded The Rackes Group, a website development and IT company. In 2018, Rackes co-founded SC Women in Leadership (SC WIL). Its mission is to encourage women to step up and lead corporations, boards, and governments.
Bob Moran has spent the last 24 years as a leader in the tennis community. Under Bob's leadership, the Credit One Charleston Open was named the WTA 500 Tournament of the Year in 2022 and 2023. He serves as the America’s representative on the WTA Tournament Council and is a Board Member of the WTA Foundation.The 2024 Credit One Charleston Open is taking place March 30 - April 7 on Daniel Island.
R&R Resolute Staffing Firm, headquartered in Greenville, S.C., is a woman owned employment agency specializing in contract, contract-to-permanent, and direct hire positions for all types of businesses in Upstate, South Carolina. R&R Resolute Staffing's processes, personnel and customer service deliver the highest quality standards in the industry. Although this is a young company with a first time entrepreneur, this is a leadership message that needs to be heard!
In March of 2024, Scout Motors announced that were investing a record-setting $2 billion to establish a manufacturing operation in the Columbia, SC region. They will be building all-electric trucks and rugged SUVs in the same tradition that made the original Scout an American icon. The company’s investment into this region has the potential to create 4,000 or more permanent jobs. We chatted with Dr. Jan Spies, the Chief Production Officer at Scout Motors about their decision to locate in the Midlands of South Carolina and how they are looking to engage and hire talent right here in the Midlands. Spies is leading manufacturing of Scout Motors’ vehicles and is overseeing the launch of its new Production Center.This conversation ties in nicely with the recent 2024 Elevate Midlands Report that was recently published. The report analyses Columbia, SC's long-term trends and compares them directly to trends in other cities in the Southeast region.
Brice Smith is the founder, president and CEO of Greenville, SC -based InvestiNet, a tech-forward accounts receivable management firm that began developing machine-learning applications over 10 years ago to streamline the collections process. He formed the company in 2011 after noticing that there was a need for a new type of debt resolution provider.
As the executive director of the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV), Kevin Shwedo has ABSOLUTELY transformed and streamlined that department. Kevin is also the Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army, and he is a retired U.S. Army infantry officer (Colonel) among other executive-level leadership achievements.
In 2018, the husband and wife team of Brian and Nicole Cendrowski opened their neighborhood brewery, Fireforge Crafted Beer, offering award-winning, small-batch, culinary-inspired beers from their tasting room in the heart of downtown Greenville, SC. Great beer. Great food. In a cool space. Sounds good to me!
"What I want to do is talk about the good things in Columbia." Boyd Plaza. Boyd Island. The Boyd Innovation Center. The upcoming pedestrian bridge across the Broad River. Boyd Passage on the Palmetto Trail. These are just a few of the impactful projects that the Boyd Foundation has been involved with over the past decade.
In American, and in South Carolina, we have great doctors, great hospitals, and great research universities. Yet, in a recent Nielsen poll, over 70% of Americans said they are dissatisfied with the health care system. Dr. Spence Taylor and his team at Integral Leaders in Health is determined to fix that, to revolutionize medical care into a balanced environment that meets the needs of the individual patient by focusing on their outcomes.
Camp Cole is a camp located in the Midlands of South Carolina that is dedicated to providing a transformative experience for kids with chronic illnesses, disabilities and life challenges. Named in memory of Cole Sawyer, an 11-year-old boy who lost his battle to cancer in 2004, one of the camp's co-founders is Cole's older sister, Kelsey. It's an incredible story of two decades of determination and entrepreneurship to turn a vision into a reality.
Paige DiTommaso is a wellness and epilepsy coach, speaker, social worker and also a fitness coach. She is on a mission to help her customers bridge the gap between physical and mental health by providing the space and tools to help them grow and achieve their goals, no matter their circumstances.
In 2014, following a job loss as an engineer and a stage 3 cancer diagnosis, Ben felt the call to begin recruiting for the industries in which he had developed a passion for. Nearly 7 cancer free years later this mission continues with the establishment of Better Than Found.
James Jordon, the president, and founder of Jordon Construction Company (JCC) and Jordon Development Company in Greenville, SC brings more than two decades of experience to the construction and development industries. He has seen much success in his career, but also has struggled at times. It's because of this that he is a strong advocate for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
This year's edition of the The Charleston Literary Festival 2023 is just around the corner. It runs from November 3-12 in Charleston, SC, at downtown historic venues, and will feature appearances by Margaret Atwood, Claire Keegan, Jonathan Green, and many, many more.With an emphasis on featuring award-winning authors, the Festival is committed to providing audiences with a forum for engaging with new ideas and experiencing the transformative power of great literature.
Finally, a permanent destination on the river for enjoying high quality, casual food and drink in the shade -- and it happens to be an authentic German biergarten. Located in Canalside overlooking the water, Bierkeller Columbia is here.
Slightly North Of Broad - affectionately known as S.N.O.B. - lies in the heart of downtown Charleston. With Chef Russ Moore at the helm, the S.N.O.B. menu changes daily, showcasing the tastes and flavors of the Lowcountry. Just off historic East Bay on the corner of Faber Street, S.N.O.B has been welcoming local and visiting guests for the past three decades.
Hear from Jill Smith, founder and CEO of Jill Smith + Associates Counseling about her entrepreneurial journey as she recently celebrated two incredible business milestones — opening a new, expanded downtown Columbia office and commemorating 20 years of serving the Midlands. Jill's intentional approach to her work and business growth have been critical to her success.
From DJ to real estate developer, the remarkable entrepreneurial journey of Racquel Collier, founder of Caliber Real Estate.
In the past couple of years, South Carolina has moved from number 31 in the nation in terms of broadband adoption in the country to number 6. Meet the Director of the South Carolina Broadband Office (SCBBO), Jim Stritzinger.
Founded in 2021, the mission of Women Confidence Builders is to educate, mentor, disciple, and empower all women while building confidence and creating inclusivity. They believe that by investing in the next generation of female leaders, we can create a brighter, more equitable future for all.
Hank AI is a healthcare technology company dedicated to revolutionizing the way medical providers get paid. Their mission is simple: reduce the cost of healthcare reimbursements, making it more efficient and accessible for all.
Hank AI embodies Jack's deep expertise and unwavering dedication to healthcare advancement.
(https://hank.ai/)
Founded in 1985 by Kay and Jim Thigpen, Trustus Theatre boasts two performing venues with the Thigpen Main Stage and the Trustus Side Door Theatre. The theatre and the Trustus Company endeavor to deepen the experiences of their artists and patrons by producing works that examine humanity in the 21st Century. The theatre’s goal is to select challenging scripts that will start and nurture dialogues that promote discussion within the community with productions that are brought to life through dynamic storytelling and inventive designs.
Rebel Rabbit’s line of beverages, which the company calls “high seltzers,” contain hemp-derived Delta-9 THC. The beverages are alcohol-free, but provide a similar feeling of relaxation and enjoyment without the dehydrating effects or next-day hangover of alcohol. Rebel Rabbit products are on shelves at select retail stores in 12 states and available online nationwide.
Dawn Darby and Susan Abell had each been seeking programs for their sons with cerebral palsy and could only find those innovative services hours away from Columbia. They both thought the Midlands could do better so in March of 2008, they formed The Therapy Place as a nonprofit, 501(c)3.
The vision from the start has been to see that all children with special needs will have every opportunity to pursue their goals, realize their dreams and reach their full potential. In addition, every parent or caregiver of those children will be provided with information, resources and encouragement in order to best support his or her child.
In 2008, they served 8 children. Today, over 170 children come to The Therapy Place every week.
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Columbia-based architecture, interiors, and planning firm Garvin Design Group celebrates its 20th anniversary on June 26, 2023. Scott Garvin established his firm in the historic Gervais Place building following many successful years practicing architecture in Greenville and Columbia. Corporate partners Terry Buchmann, Mark Timbes, and David Sickinger joined Scott within the firm’s first few years. Twenty years later, Garvin Design Group has grown to include 21 team members, amassed more than $1 billion worth of project experience, and garnered more than 60 awards.
Liberty Fellowship is a community of 330 leaders who make a lifelong commitment to creating a better future for all people in South Carolina. It is the only state-based leadership development program of its kind in the U.S. The program requires the completion of five multi-day seminars over 18 months in the U.S. and abroad in addition to the execution of an individual impact venture.
Incora Health is a Greenville-based startup that has patented a smart earring that tracks biodata without interrupting the user’s activities or sleep. The wearable accurately tracks core body temperature using machine learning and artificial intelligence, which provides women with reliable biometrics to help meet their maternal and wellness goals.
In March, integrated marketing agency Bright+CO announced the launch of its sister company OrangeWIP (Work In Progress), a multimedia company that equips equips entrepreneurs, founders, and innovators to make their next move and their next important connection. Its free, hyper-local, original, ad-clutter-free content supports local entrepreneurial ecosystems while fueling both local and regional economic growth.OrangeWIP also offers a naked view of entrepreneurs and innovators through its digestible how-to guides, “Hello Chaos” podcast, social chatter wall, resource directory, localized event calendars and more.
2023 marks the 25th anniversary of CreateAthon, a 24-hour creative marathon during which Riggs Partners provides pro bono marketing services for Midlands- and Upstate-area nonprofits.Cathy Monetti and Teresa Coles started this in 1998 as a way to use their talents and skills in support of the greater Midlands community.But, the remarkable thing is that CreateAthon is now much, much bigger than just a South Carolina event. Today, CreateAthon partners with over 100 organizations across the country to deliver this pro bono, marathon model to use - all for the betterment of their local communities. CreateAthon has helped over 2,000 non profits.
On April 1, 2023, Alabama-based Maynard Cooper & Gale and Carolinas-based Nexsen Pruet officially merged to become one national law firm: Maynard Nexsen. The firm now consists of more than 550 professionals operating out of 23 offices coast to coast in the United States. This merger combines two firms focused on further expansion in high-growth, high-opportunity markets, bolstered by the increased depth and breadth of client service offerings.
I was made aware recently about a new construction project that was taking place at North Greenville University in South Carolina. The university is renovating an existing building into their new College of Business and Entrepreneurship. I have to admit that I was not very familiar with North Greenville University. I was determined to change that, and set up a visit to talk about the project.During my visit to the university, I was also offered the opportunity to sit down with university president, Dr. Gene Fant. He is the eighth president of North Greenville University; a leader in Christian higher education and a prolific writer.
Boone J. Hopkins, Ph.D. was announced as the twelfth president of Converse on February 25, 2022 by the Converse University Board of Trustees. Dr. Hopkins has been a dedicated member of the Converse community since 2012.This is a story about a strategic shift at an institution of higher learning, about a historical women's college making the decision to go co-ed.
Cyberwoven is a digital strategy, design, and development firm committed to creating online experiences that are unique, intuitive, and seamlessly connected with the marketing, sales, and operating strategies of our clients. Cyberwoven has successfully launched more than 1,000 websites and digital campaigns throughout its 22-year history for clients in a diverse range of industries.
Cyberwoven is a digital strategy, design, and development firm committed to creating online experiences that are unique, intuitive, and seamlessly connected with the marketing, sales, and operating strategies of our clients. Cyberwoven has successfully launched more than 1,000 websites and digital campaigns throughout its 22-year history for clients in a diverse range of industries.
Founded in 2005 by Lee Deas, Obviouslee offers full service marketing including marketing strategy, brand development, event marketing, public relations, digital marketing, social media management, graphic design, media buying, content marketing, and photography/video production.In July 2021, the acquisition of Groundswell PR, a leading outdoor and active lifestyle public relations company. It's a cool 'growth through acquisition' story.
Based in Greenville, SC, Medpoint partners with medical device, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology companies to achieve and maintain global compliance in the areas of quality assurance, regulatory, and clinical affairs. Before joining Midpoint as its CEO in 2021, David Orr previously spent 26 years leading engineering development, operations, and product commercialization for medical device startups and global enterprises.The company is implementing an aggressive five year growth strategy.
Palmetto Moon EVP/Chief Brand Officer Amber Dube is leading Palmetto Moon through its incredible rise. The brand is celebrating 20 years from its humble start as a family-owned mall kiosk, expanding to operate 37 store locations in 6 states, with more planned in the future. At a time when most retailers are shrinking their store footprint, the team's business savvy has guided Palmetto Moon's enhanced in-store experience for all ages while also growing its online inventory. The team at Palmetto Moon has also played a critical role in hand-picking emerging local makers and top trending Southern labels to help springboard their brands.
Founded in 2010 by Debi Schadel and Tracie Broom, Flock and Rally: Integrated Communications & Marketing is a full-service, woman-owned creative agency that offers a range of services to clients across the South and beyond. Its offerings include research, branding, strategy and planning, implementation services in marketing, public relations, social media and production management as well as traditional and digital advertising.As it has grown through the years, the company has always maintained a culture of inclusiveness as well as a laser focus on its mission: to rally the community around great ideas. In September 2022, longtime regional business leader Merritt McNeely was named chief executive officer (CEO) of Flock and Rally.It's a great story of two entrepreneur founders finding the courage and confidence to step away from the day-to-day operations of their company to move into strategy roles.
The Rev. Stacey Mills has a decades-long track record as a bridge builder in the Upstate community. He is the Senior Pastor at Mountain View Baptist Church, which is spearheading the neighborhood transforming Parish House project. He also is an Assistant Vice Chancellor with USC Upstate; serves as the Greenville Racial Equity and Economic Mobility (REEM) Commission executive director and is chairman of the Greenville Health Authority.
https://www.parishhousecdc.org/
How do you lead a police force of over 700 uniformed officers and 140 non-sworn personnel in challenging times? In a time of escalating gun violence and in the era of the post George Floyd unrest and in the wake of the May 2020 protests and riots? We asked that question to the 2021 National Sheriff of Year, Sheriff Leon Lott.
Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach Services operates two campuses – one on Johns Island and the other in the Eastside Community of downtown Charleston. Their mission is to build equitable communities and empower individuals to reach their full potential by providing basic and emergency needs, education, employment and health services.
Michael Smallwood is an actor, writer, director, and teacher. A College of Charleston alumnus, he is a core ensemble member of PURE Theatre in Charleston, having joined in 2011. Recently, Michael was one of four artists who were awarded a $10,000 fellowship from the SC Arts Commission. The award recognizes artists who exhibit "hard work, exceptional ability, and dedication to their discipline."
When Max Berry, Wes Lyon and Katie Lyon searched for a high-quality American flag to fly at their homes, they all encountered the same problem - finding a high-quality American flag that was made in the USA. Frustrated, they decided to take matters into their own hands, launching Allegiance Flag Supply in Charleston, SC in 2018.
It's an incredible story about patriotism, American manufacturing rebirth in the textile industry, managing rapid growth, and figuring out how to make "the highest quality American flag in the world".
Last week, the City of Columbia hosted a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for the newest business in the Vista district, Boku Kitchen and Saloon. Boku is an Asian and ramen themed restaurant that offers a family friendly atmosphere. Their menu includes a wide variety of Asian cuisine including wok dishes, noodles/ramen, soups, salads, and more.
The owner of Boku, Michael Duganier, has also brought two other restaurants to Columbia, Publico at Bull Street (which opened this year). And Publico Kitchen & Tap in Five Points. Both Publicos offer Latin-Asian inspired dishes like tacos, quesadillas, and burritos – as well as ramen dishes, poke bowls, sushi, and many other flavorful selections. Both have fabulous outdoor spaces that are dog friendly.
Did you know that food security in the United States was improving prior to the pandemic? That trend has unfortunately been reversed.
Nick Osborne has been at the helm of the Lowcountry Food Bank since December 2020. He came to the organization with more than 30 years of professional experience as a leader in international development and humanitarian operations within the non profit sector.
The goal? Reduce food insecurity by 25% over the next five years. The strategies? Learn more about they plan on achieving that goal here.
Brig. Gen. Patrick R. Michaelis grew up in a military family and was commissioned into the Army in 1993. He has held numerous positions of leadership in the Army and has also had deployments in Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. Michaelis was also an Assistant Professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York where he taught leadership and management in the Department of Behavioral Sciences.
In the summer of 2022, he became Commander at Fort Jackson in Columbia, SC. Fort Jackson trains 60 percent of all the Army’s basic combat training load.
North Charleston Dental Outreach has operated for over 20 years seeing hundreds of patients and rendering over $400,000 a year of free dental services to the community. In December 2021, they broke ground on a new location in North Charleston. The goal? Triple the number of patients and expand services.
Dr. Tonya Matthews was announced as President and CEO of the International African American Museum (IAAM) in March 2021. She is an experienced executive, thought leader and educator. She is also the founder of The STEMinista Project, a national initiative that inspires middle-school girls to consider careers in STEM. She is also is a published and performing poet.
The IAAM will explore the diverse journeys and achievements of Africans in the Americas and their descendants in South Carolina, the United States, and throughout the African Diaspora.
Erick Arbé is a PGA Professional, Founder of Golf Web Design and has been in the web industry since 2008. He is a full stack developer and has built hundreds of websites for clients around the globe, from Fortune 500 companies, startups, colleges, and everything in between. He is currently the owner of Arbé Digital with his wife, Danielle.
Erick is also the owner of a new venture called Willio, software solution designed by lawyers and software engineers to allow you to create, edit and store your will and other estate planning documents.
P3 Group was founded in 1996 in Germany. P3 is an international operations consulting company with a footprint in manufacturing and extensive experience along the automotive supply chain.
In 2019, Walter Kaufmann was tasked with building P3 USA, Inc. based out of Greenville, SC.
Entrepreneur John Warren talks about his new company, GEM Mining, that he recently co-launched in Greenville, SC with five other founding partners. John also founded, scaled, and sold Lima One Capital. He also ran for Governor of South Carolina.
The Flyway Companies is made up of four Charleston-based companies consisting of real estate, development, construction and property management and focuses on adaptive reuse projects across the Southeast with developments in Nashville, Savannah and the Lowcountry.
One their most recent projects is The Refinery, an urban development located on Charleston’s upper peninsula at 1640 Meeting Street Road. The mixed-use destination is designed for a work and play lifestyle with retail, hospitality, office space and special event venues, as well as an outdoor music amphitheater. The plan for the amphitheater is to host local, regional and national performing arts acts year-round. It comfortably holds 1,500 people.
https://flywaysc.com/
This past summer, Danny Dorsel was appointed as president of The South Carolina Governor’s School for Science + Mathematics(GSSM). His ties to the school run deep as he is a member of the school’s first graduating class in 1990. That first graduating class consisted of 128 students. Today, through its various programs, GSSM serves over 4,000 students across the state. Strategy? Can the school double that impact across South Carolina over the next decade?
https://www.scgssm.org/
Print Your Cause is a print and e-commerce solutions company that is based in Charleston, SC. They handle the ordering, printing, storage and fulfillment for a huge portfolio of products, branding and print options. They offer an online store that makes it easy and risk-free to order custom branded products directly. They key is being able to print on-demand with the aid of their software solution.
The company has grown its revenue 10x in three out of the past four years.
Cason Development Group is a commercial real estate development firm focused on projects in the Columbia area as well as tenant-focused development outside Columbia. Early projects included key investments in Cottontown (Warmouth, Indah Coffee and Circa) and they now have over 30 projects on the go. "What excites me is that our team is really motivated to continue to add value to Columbia."
Paul Ryll is the owner of three companies - Oscar Mike Appraisals Group, he is the co-founder of Oscar Mike Mobile Appraisals; he has just launched an innovative app that is set to disrupt the residential appraisal industry, and... he is also a successful restaurateur who has recently launched a new fast-causal Mediterranean concept, Parsley & Mint.
A former United States Marine, Paul holds a Master of Science of Real Estate and Infrastructure from Johns Hopkins University and is currently pursuing his master’s degree from The Culinary Institute of America.
Today we are going to speaking with Lasenta Lewis-Ellis, the President and CEO of LLE Construction Group, LLC located in Columbia, SC. LLE Construction Group provides general contracting, project and construction management, and facility maintenance and management to school districts, charter and private schools, as well as commercial businesses.
In addition to her professional ventures, Lasenta is dedicated to community service and mentorship. She has been the Entrepreneur in Residence at Richland Library and has partnered with three local business owners to host “Beyond the Lemonade Stand Entrepreneur Camp for Girls” during the summer months.
In late October, the CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, announced that the company will no longer be called Facebook, but rather, Meta. The goal? Bring together the company's apps and technologies under one new company brand. Bring the metaverse to life and help people connect, find communities and grow businesses.
In this podcast we talk with Lori Moylan, Public Policy Manager at Meta about what was announced at Facebook, an explanation of what the metaverse is, and why it matters to individuals and businesses.
In July 2021, Charleston Tennis, LLC announced Credit One Bank as the new title sponsor of the WTA 500 tennis tournament hosted in Charleston, SC. The tennis tournament will celebrate its 50th year April 2-10, 2022 at the newly renovated and modernized Credit One Stadium.
Wingard’s Market grew out of Margie and Judson Wingard’s hobby of a love of plants and their desire to help others enjoy them just as much as they did. Today, as they are about to celebrate their 55th anniversary, owners Wally Steinhauser and Delores Wingard Steinhauser are preparing the nursery for a bright future. They recently expanded their Gift Shoppe, they have plans for a larger fresh market, and they remain committed to being one the top local garden centers in the country.
Wingard’s Market joined the ranks of the horticulture industry’s top local garden centers when it was named one of Today’s Garden Center magazine’s Revolutionary 100 Garden Centers for 2015 and named one of the Top 100 Garden Centers by Garden Center Magazine in 2017.
Maintaining your company vision during COVID-19 has been challenging for all businesses, especially for restaurants. Yet, this is exactly what Kristian Niemi and his team at Bourbon and The Black Rooster have done. The result is the creation of the Bourbon Lounge and courtyard, and importantly, momentum moving into the future.
Blumer CPAs has mentored creative entrepreneurs towards growth for over two decades. They do this through metrics (helping entrepreneurs and nonprofit leaders know their accounting and tax numbers), financial advisory, and their own internally-developed growth models for service-based companies.
Thriveal is a network of CPA firms in the United States and Canada whose main purpose is to support firm owners as they learn how to become better business owners and to lead them to understand the important role that innovation plays in the accounting profession.
Scott Newitt and Jim Irvin met through the wine business, became friends, and then decided to go into business together and open a distillery in Charleston, South Carolina.
Scott and Jim's first product, a muscadine wine flavored vodka named Firefly, met with modest success. The product that they came up with in 2008, Sweet Tea Vodka, literally blew up. Within several months of launching Sweet Tea Vodka, they went from orders for a couple hundred cases a week, to over 8,000.
Shelly is a retired veteran and served on Air Force Two. After leaving the Air Force, Shelly was committed to protecting the United States and did this through cyber security. In 2020, she founded Waite SLTS, a cyber security firm that focuses on finding and fixing vulnerabilities to protect its customers and partners.
Shelly is also passionate about helping others and has collaborated with some other NEXT Greenville Founders to support a program for high school children to teach them about cyber security and leadership.
After trying different recipes at cookouts with family and friends, Monique and her husband Chevalo Wilsondebriano created a hamburger marinade that blew their guests away. The burgers were so good that they decided to try and sell them and formed the Charleston Gourmet Burger Company.
Monique is originally from New Jersey and founded this company in Charleston, South Carolina. She credits the local Charleston entrepreneurial community as one of their keys to success. .
Founded in the beautiful and historic city of Charleston, SC, Poe Group Advisors is the premier accounting practice intermediary firm in the industry.
With practices located throughout the U.S. and Canada, the company is known for its seamless process approach to facilitating the buying and selling of CPA firms.
For nearly a century, Columbia International University (CIU) has educated people from a biblical worldview to impact the nations with the message of Christ. Today, they continue that effort, offering 19 undergraduate majors, graduate and seminary programs, professional certificates, and convenient online programs for working adults.
We kick off the renewal of the Entrepreneur Minute in the Upstate with an interview with the CEO and co-founder of ChartSpan, Jon-Michial Carter. ChartSpan is a company based in Greenville that has attracted over $30M in venture funding and in 2021, they are the largest, managed service provider of chronic care management programs in the United States.
Karen Jenkins is the president and CEO of KRJ Consulting, a full-service consulting firm providing companies and their employees with the skills and resources to become more committed to their performance, empowered to effect change and be prepared for the journey ahead. She is an entrepreneur dedicated to giving back to the community. In 2020, she was named the entrepreneur-in-residence at the Richland Library in Columbia, where she used her expertise in financial literacy and leadership counsel to serve the needs of Richland County.
HI Mark Capital is a new Charleston-based venture fund launched by Herbert Drayton III. Over the past 15 years, Herbert has founded, bought, and sold a dozen companies in the software, healthcare, IT, and training sectors. The aim of his latest venture, HI Mark Capital, is to raise a $15 million fund for Black, brown, and women-owned businesses, an ownership group that is underrepresented in the Southeast in part because of challenges to accessing capital.
The health care delivery system in this country and in this state is complex and involves a lot of moving parts. Elected officials are often required to make decisions on a variety of issues that affect health both directly and indirectly.
Today's conversation is with Maya Pack, the Executive Director of the South Carolina Institute of Medicine & Public Health (the SC IMPH). They are a non profit organization established to help inform policy in South Carolina to improve health and health care. They provide members of the South Carolina General Assembly with clear, evidence-based health policy information in a nonpartisan manner.
Located in Greenville, Ryan Beasley Law represents people facing charges in state and federal courts throughout Upstate of South Carolina, from drunk driving and drug possession to serious felony offenses. Their background defending clients in the local courts enables them to provide game-changing representation in a person's hour of need.
The key to their success is that they have developed strong relationships with people at all levels of the criminal justice system.
Vigilent Labs is a Vigilent Inc. company established in 2019 to provide unique solutions to the detection, identification and assessment of health and bio-threats to the healthcare community. In October 2020, Vigilent Labs announced that the it is investing more than $104.6 million and will create over 400 new jobs at its state-of-the-art COVID-19 test manufacturing facility in the Charleston Navy Yard.
Vigilent Labs is a big story for the Charleston region and for South Carolina.
Sustain SC is an organization that is setting the table for conversations between businesses and local stakeholders, so that sustainability investments can be made in South Carolina — benefiting both our economic and natural resource infrastructures. - https://www.sustainsouthcarolina.org/
In 2009, Bill Mitchell began tailoring clothes in his parents basement on his mothers sewing machine. As he entered his final year at Clemson University, he gained a reputation for tailoring clothes and after lots of practice created a pair of jeans from scratch. Within one year, he had a waiting list of 400 people waiting for something unique.
Today he is the entrepreneur behind Billiam Jeans and has expanded his line of customers fitted clothing. He is looking to invest in technology to automate and speed up the process of custom fitted clothing. He is someone to watch out for as he seeks to put Greenville back on the map in the textile industry.
Charlton Singleton is a member of the Grammy award winning band Ranky Tanky, has his own touring ensemble, is artistic director and conductor of the Charleston Jazz Orchestra, is organist and choir director of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Charleston and was named inaugural artist-in-residence at the renovated Gaillard Center in Charleston. In 2021, he received the South Carolina Governor’s Award for the Arts (Artist Category).
https://www.rankytanky.com/
From humble beginnings, the AHA has grown into the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. Lizzie Smith, who at age four had open heart surgery, is now the Director of Development at the AHA and gearing up for the annual Midlands Heart Walk on Saturday, March 27.
The Historic Charleston Foundation was founded in 1947 with a broad mission of historic preservation of one of the most unique cities in North America. Today, historic preservation has evolved into more than a movement to simply save historic buildings. The Foundation has broadened its scope into balancing the needs of modern society with protecting the sensitive fabric of the historic district.
An interview with visual artist Susan Klein. Susan is an Associate Professor of Art at the College of Charleston. She has exhibited her work both nationally and internationally.
In the Fall of 2020, Susan was one of 100 individual artist grant recipients handpicked by the esteemed Pollock-Krasner Foundation. The Pollock-Krasner Foundation is a leader in providing financial resources to both emerging and established international visual artists, allowing them to focus on creating new work.
Many IT companies come in with big promises, a good start, and then disappear until you have problems. Eric Hester founded Umbrella with the idea of creating something different in the Managed Service Provider (MSP) space. He wanted to focus on people and relationships. Umbrella, which is located in Simpsonville, SC, is focused on working alongside you in =our business, constantly evolving your technology - they truly have a mission of helping your business thrive.
In this conversation, we sit down with Laurens Mayor Nathan Senn to learn about the challenges of being mayor and some of the exciting things happening in Laurens.
Optus Bank was founded 100 years ago by visionary African American leaders who established Victory Savings and Loan to provide access to capital to individuals and business excluded from the banking system. Today, the bank is now called Optus Bank, but the focus remains the same. It is a community bank whose mission is to close the wealth gap created by systemic disparities in the financial industry.
Over the past three years the bank has more than tripled in size. In 2020, Bamk of America took a 5% equity stake in the bank, and in February 2021, Wells Fargo announced equity investments in six African American Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs) as part of its pledge to invest up to $50 million in Black-owned banks, including Optus Bank in Columbia.
One thing we know from 2020 is that there is a rising tide of consciousness in our society today, resulting in the very real need for businesses to lead with greater purpose and intention.
That’s why two marketing and communications firms with a shared commitment to social consciousness have joined forces to create the Responsible Brand Toolkit. The two companies are Riggs Partners in based in Columbia, South Carolina and verynice, based in Los Angeles California.
Teresa is the president of Riggs Partners.
You can find the toolkit at - https://www.responsiblebrand.com/
With hemp now legal to grow and process in 46 states, and 33 states with legal medical marijuana programs, the domestic marketplace confronts one big challenge: a broken supply chain connecting farmer’s fields to end-users. Hempgrid aims to fix that business problem.
in 2020, Green Cloud Technologies, a Greenville-based cloud technology solutions provider was one of 63 South Carolina-based companies included in the Inc. 5000… Here is the remarkable thing. Green Cloud has been on this list every year since 2016.
Fifteen years ago, Columbia Opportunity Resource (COR) was founded in Columbia, SC with the following goal: attract, retain and motivate talented people in the region. This week, COR is celebrating its 15 year anniversary by unveiling a brand refresh including refocused mission and vision statements.
Greenville Women Giving was founded in 2006 with a vision that women can collectively make a real difference in their local communities. Today, GWG has become the largest. women’s, collective giving organization in the country. Mary and Susan are two of the four Co-Chairs of Greenville Women Giving in 2020-2021.
There is a new restaurant in downtown Charleston. Bumpa’s is in a great location at 5 Cumberland Street in the heart of the French Quarter.
Brothers Dan and Conor Sullivan started working on a business plan for their first ever restaurant. As fate would have it, all of those years of intense planning led to an opening date in the spring of 2020 during a global pandemic. The opening was put on hold.
After a reset to prepare for the realities of COVID-19, Bumpa’s opened in June. It’s a beautiful, space with a great vibe. They promise a warm greeting and service that will make you feel like home, and never keep you waiting. They promise a bar that their grandfather, Bumpa, would have been loved.
There have been a lot of milestones in the progress of Columbia, South Carolina's Main Street over the past twenty years, and many who have contributed to this transformation. One of them is Matt Kennell, the President and CEO of the City Center Partnership.
In this interview with Matt Kennell, we look at the past, the present reality of 2020 and future of Columbia, SC’s Main Street district. Despite the pandemic, over $200M of construction is taking place in the downtown area.
Since its founding in 1996, Home Works has grown to $1 million a year organization with locations in Columbia, Charleston, Greenville, Aiken and Lake City. They provide home repair services to low income homeowners while mentoring youth in the process. In 2019, Home Works repaired 174 homes across South Carolina. - https://homeworksofamerica.org/
John Pursley is a senior lecturer in English at Clemson University. He was recently awarded a fellowship by the South Carolina Arts Commission in support of his latest project, a book-length poem that reflects on tumultuous change in America.
Pursley, who is also director of the Clemson Literary Festival, was one of only two writers to receive the $5,000 fellowship for the 2021 fiscal year.
MIRCI is a full-service behavioral healthcare organization celebrating 60 years serving the Midlands. Its mission is to create pathways to recovery for individuals who are experiencing or at risk of mental illness and/or homelessness. Their programs and services are effective at transforming lives and they also make good business sense. In 2019, MIRCI programs resulted in $6.8M savings in reduced cost to state agencies and local hospital networks in the Midlands.
We thank our sponsors of this series, the Sisters of charity Foundation and NP Strategy.
Author Sarah Blackman is the director of creative writing at the Fine Arts Center, an arts-centered public high school in Greenville, South Carolina. Her poetry and prose have been published in a number of journals, magazines, and anthologies.
Her short story collection, Mother Box, was the winner of the Ronald Sukenick Innovative Fiction prize and was published by FC2 in 2013. Her novel, Hex, came out with the same press in 2016.
Tanya Wideman-Davis is the co-artistic director of Wideman/Davis Dance and is also on faculty at The University of South Carolina as an Assistant Professor Tanya has had an extensive career as a dancer, choreographer, teacher and collaborator. Her most recent work is entitled 'Migratuse Ataraxia', a show that combines elements of dance, antebellum architecture, the visual arts, history, and where the evening finishes with a curated dinner.
Local Midlands non profit, FoodShare South Carolina, has been awarded a five-year grant to improve South Carolinians’ access to fresh, healthy food as a step toward decreasing the impact of diabetes in the state. The BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation awarded a total of $11.6 million to four organizations as part of Diabetes Free SC, an initiative to address disparities in diabetes care. Recognizing a healthy diet is essential for the prevention and management of diabetes, Diabetes Free SC will provide support for FoodShare South Carolina with the goal of ensuring access to fresh fruits and vegetables to all the citizens of the state.
The life sciences touch on a lot of industries that are at the forefront of the battle against the corona virus. Several great South Carolina companies and how they are adapting to the challenges, and opportunities presented by the pandemic. www.scbio.org
We first interviewed Casey Welch when he was starting a company based in Charleston, South Carolina called STEM Premier. That was in 2013.
Since then, the company has changed its name to Tallo and in 2020, the company reached an important milestone. Today, over one million students and professionals showcase their skills in their online profile. The Tallo app assists students in designing a career pathway, educators in recruiting top talent to their schools, and employers in developing a stable, continuous talent pipeline.
For more information, visit www.tallo.com.
Patrick Rice is currently studying music at Furman University. He grew up in a musical family that played bluegrass music and his first musical instrument was the banjo. The finger picking style of the banjo led him to a fascination with professional finger style guitar players who could incorporate melody, bass and rhythm into their playing. He shifted his focus to the classical guitar.
In late June 2020, Patrick will be releasing four original bluegrass songs.
The 2019-2020 season marks Morihiko Nakahara’s 12th season as Music Director of the South Carolina Philharmonic and 17th season as Resident Conductor of the Spokane Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, Nakahara serves as Director of Orchestral Studies at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. In addition to his wide-ranging activities with these orchestras, Nakahara will also guest conduct the Portland Symphony (ME) as well as the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra during the current season.
This week Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced new products to help small businesses. It is no secret that small businesses have suffered damaging effects during the the COVID-19 recession. Nearly one third of small businesses have gone out of business in these difficult times.
Diana Doukas, Policy Manager at Facebook, talks about Facebook Shops, Live Shopping, and Loyalty Programs that are designed to help small businesses join and succeed in the digital economy.
Heather MacQueen Jones is an oil painter living in the Charleston, South Carolina area. She paints both en plein air as well as in her studio. She paints for fun and she also does commissioned work. She loves to work one-on-one with people to find powerful memories and to replicate that memory into artwork. Two of her areas of focus for subject matter are waves and clouds.
Senior Resources is a non-profit organization that coordinates services and provides resources for seniors in the Columbia, SC region. As senior citizens continue to be at-risk of COVID-19 spread, we chatted with Andrew Boozer, the Executive Director of Senior Resources, to talk about the mission and programs at Senior Resources and how, with the help of its partners, they are adjusting to meet the challenges of 2020.
Sweetgrass baskets are a 1,000 year old art form that originated on the West Coast of Africa. If you have ever been to the Charleston area, you might have seen sweetgrass baskets weavers along Highway 17 north of the city, or perhaps in the downtown Charleston Market. It was in the Charleston Market that I interviewed Corey Alston, a fifth generation sweetgrass basket weaver from Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.
Southern Way Catering was founded in 1982 by Jimmy Stevenson. It began as a small company with deep Southern Roots, and in 2020, it a company that has grown to 200 employees, 70 of whom are full-time. Their core business is providing catering to events. At the end of March, all events in South Carolina were canceled because of the Coronavirus.
Last week, Southern Way announced a partnership with the Ready Response Meals platform to bring a new way of providing food to the essential workers that need to work to keep our communities safe and supplied with critical goods and services.
We chatted via Zoom with Jesse Bullard about this new partnership and other ways that the company is adjusting its business during the pandemic.
Amos Hoffman is originally from Israel. He lived in New York for ten years playing jazz with many of the city’s great jazz musicians. In 2014, Amos and his wife moved to Columbia, SC where he has been a big part of the growing local jazz scene. In this episode you will hear Amos playing both jazz guitar as well as the middle Eastern instrument, the oud.
Kirkland Smith is a classical painter who began creating assemblages of post-consumer waste almost by accident. She was looking for a way to highlight the problem of consumerism in an environmental landscape contest. To paint and its effects in a disposable society, she decided to use the waste as her paint.
Tom McNally, Dean of Libraries and Miranda Bennett, Associate Dean for Collections at the University of South Carolina talk about the remarkable renovation to Level 4 of the Thomas Cooper Library. At lot of books went into storage and a lot of cool furniture came in. The renovation was designed in partnership with student government and provided by local company, McWaters.
In November 2019, Ranky Tanky was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Regional Roots Music Album for Good Time. In January 2020, this South Carolina-based band, won a Grammy. Ranky Tanky takes a modern approach to the traditional sounds of Gullah music which derives from the culture and traditions of the West African slaves of the sea islands of South Carolina, Georgia and North Carolina.
Furman Innovation and Entrepreneurship develops entrepreneurial leaders – regardless of major or discipline – and grows a campus culture of innovation. Through events, programs, workshops, mentoring and competitions, they help emerging entrepreneurs move from idea to concept to sustainable business.
Mark Rapp is a jazz musician who hails from Florence, South Carolina. After working and playing in New Orleans, New York and Europe, he returned to the capital city Columbia with a goal of building the local jazz scene. He is the the founder of ColaJazz.com, a great resource for musicians and jazz lovers alike.
In early November 2019, local Columbia, SC-based company, REI Automation announced that it was being acquired by a German company, The Hahn Group. REI is an incredible local business story. The company experienced steady growth over the past 30 years and at the time of acquisition had 80 employees and $25 million in revenue. In 2019, REI Automation was listed on the Inc 5000 Fastest Growing Companies in America.
Sterling is a neighborhood of Greenville, South Carolina that has deeply contributed to the city’s history and culture. At the heart of Sterling neighborhood was Sterling High School. Historically, Sterling was the social and economic heart of African-American community.
Today, the Sterling Land Trust, formed in 2010 by local residents and also Sterling High School alumni, is working to assist the neighborhood in land ownership, asset and wealth creation, and building community.
Charleston Wine + Food’s largest initiative is an annual festival that takes place in Charleston, South Carolina. The 15th installment of the festival will take place March 4-8, 2020 and will feature over 100 unique culinary experiences.
We have all heard about the important link between dental health and overall health. There is an organization that is celebrating its 60th anniversary of providing critical dental care in the Midlands, the Children’s Dental Clinic. The organization is an amazing product of partnerships between public and private entities, city and county governments (both Richland and Lexington)and other local agencies.
There is tremendous momentum in the life sciences in South Carolina. It is now the fastest growing segment of the innovation economy in the state. There are well over 600 life sciences companies in South Carolina. October 29-31, SCBIO is hosting SCBIO 2019, one of the Southeast’s premier life sciences conferences, showcasing leadership in innovation and advancement from pharma and medtech to biomaterials, bioag and health IT.
On October 1, 2019, the Autism Academy of South Carolina, a Columbia-based nonprofit that serves children with autism - rebranded to honor its founders, Lorri Unumb and her husband, Dan Unumb. The Unumbs founded the Autism Academy in 2010 after searching the Midlands of South Carolina for a center to provide high-quality services for their son, Ryan, after he was diagnosed with autism.
Andy is originally from Richmond, Virginia and moved to Charleston seven years ago. Seeing that were a number of investment bankers who had relocated to the Charleston area, he decided to pull together this talent in a firm that was focused on collaboration and teamwork. The result is a unique investment bank that is located in Charleston, SC.
Kopis is a Greenville, S.C.-based technology firm focused on providing software and cloud solutions to businesses and state agencies in the Southeast. With a growing team of over 40 employees, Kopis is one of the fastest growing software companies in South Carolina.
The Lowcountry Land Trust has protected more than 143,000 acres through conservation easements. Their goal in this calendar year is to increase that number to 150,000 acres. Preserving the natural landscape of the Lowcountry for over 32 years.
Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation is located in Cayce, South Carolina. They are a global leader in manufacturing generic respiratory medications and also contract manufacturing.
Southern Current is a diversified solar energy provider that is located in Charleston, SC. They have developed large scale solar facilities across the United States for utilities. They have also provided solar solutions to both commercial and residential customers in the South East US.
As part of their strategy in 2019, they formed Southern Current DG, a brand of South Current that is focused on growing their commercial and residential sides of the business.
Out the tragedy at Mother Emanuel A.M.E. Church, The Charleston Forum began in 2016 as a group of local leaders who wanted to provide an outlet to discuss race across many different topics.
SCRA is tasked with helping to build South Carolina's innovation economy. We talked with Bob Quinn about how the organization executes on that mission and for his assessment on the state of innovation in SC.