Ground
Homeowners paid an average 15.1% down payment, which means more a ordable mortgages and faster equity.
“We are returning an American icon to production and we couldn’t have more powerful partners to do it.”
— Scott Keogh, CEO of Virginia-based Scout Motors
Vicious Biscuit, the fast-casual breakfast concept with a focus on biscuit creations, is set to open this spring at 3246 Forest Drive in Forest Acres.
Vicious Biscuit has amassed a following of brunch fans with its menu of biscuit inventions and Southern hospitality, according to a news release. The restaurant touts menu items like The Vicious, The Fat Boy, Hen Solo and The Animal Farm.
“We are thrilled to bring Vicious Biscuit to Columbia,” Vicious Biscuit CEO and co-founder George McLaughlin said in the release. “This vibrant city is a perfect match for our brand’s lively energy and unique spin on Southern classics. Above all, our team is committed to delivering unparalleled service to our guests. We can’t wait to welcome Columbia locals and visitors, and caution them that our over-the-top menu may cause extreme mouth-watering.”
Vicious Biscuit’s soon-to-open Columbia location holds a special place in the brand’s growing portfolio: it was there that co-founder George McLaughlin opened his first franchise location of McAlister’s Deli, launching a career as a restaurateur and developer, according to the release. In 2004, McLaughlin opened The Original Italian Pie, housed in the exact location that Vicious Biscuit is now set to occupy more than two decades later.
“It’s an immense privilege to serve the community whose support was so instrumental in my formative years,” McLaughlin said. “Coming back to Columbia is truly a full-circle moment for me on the path from franchisee to franchisor. I’m excited to return to these familiar roots, and for our local guests to feel equally at home at Vicious Biscuit.”
Baked up as a Charleston-born business in 2018, Vicious Biscuit’s success propelled a rise as the brand expanded from its Mount Pleasant flagship to additional locations in South Carolina and across state lines.
Fresh off its five-year milestone, Vicious Biscuit currently operates six locations in three states, with its seventh being the Forest Acres spot. Coinciding with its corporate development, the brand also recently awarded 38 franchise units in Utah, Florida, Ohio, Mississippi, Indiana, Louisiana, Alabama and Tennessee, according to the release.
Columbia
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Ground has officially been broken on the massive site where Scout Motors will manufacture electric SUVs and pickup trucks in the future.
Scout officials joined South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, other officials from state and Richland County government and the town of Blythewood, and many local visitors for the Feb. 15 event.
“We are returning an American icon to production and we couldn’t have more powerful partners to do it,” said Scott Keogh, CEO of Virginia-based Scout Motors. “When we were looking for partners to work with, the answer was clear and that is why we are here in Blythewood and in South Carolina. We want to celebrate this powerful moment here in a place which is a great place to live, get an education, build a career and do business.”
The groundbreaking came just shy of a year after Scout announced its $2 billion investment in Richland County in March 2023. The 1,100-acre site for the future Scout plant is located at 501 Blythewood Road in the southeastern quadrant of Richland County’s industrial park off Interstate 77.
The project is expected to create an estimated 4,000 jobs and officials hope to begin production by the end of 2026.
South Carolina Secretary of Commerce Harry Lightsey told the crowd it was “hard to believe” that the project had come so far in under a year.
“A year ago we were locked down in closed-room sessions figuring out how we could be competitive for Scout, and we accomplished it,” Lightsey said. “This is one of those moments that make a generation.”
Lightsey called Scout “the embodiment of our new brand: from launch to legacy.”
McMaster praised the speed of the Scout deal’s completion, and described how the company looked at more than 70 sites nationwide before choosing Blythewood.
Richland County Councilwoman Jesica Mackey noted plans to provide child care and attainable housing for future Scout employees, and described how the project emerged on “a large wooded tract owned by local farming families” that was purchased by Richland County. Margaret Swygert, one of the original owners of the site, was present with son Wayne Swygert.
“Today we can look back at years of work packed into 14 short months to bring Scout here,” Mackey said. “We are committed to work with Scout to make sure this is a collaborative success for Blythewood, Richland County and the region as a whole.”
Besides Keogh, company officials on hand included Christian Vollmer, a member of the extended executive committee for production and logistics at Volkswagen, and Jan Spies, chief production officer for Scout Motors.
Scout vehicles were originally produced by International Harvester from 1960 to 1980, and were the world’s
first utility vehicles suitable for both off-road and standard road travel. The brand is owned now by Volkswagen.
Spies noted that the new facility will “not be one of our grandfather’s factories,” but instead is planned to feature cutting-edge technology in all facets of production, from the assembly line to the body and paint shops. He also described plans to make the plant as environmentally friendly as possible, including efforts to work toward carbon neutrality and the use of efficient energy.
He also described collaboration with local and state officials to construct a new exit off Interstate 77 which will enable employees and suppliers to access the plant without adding extra traffic to Blythewood Road, and plans to build a new railroad spur that will allow supplies and finished vehicles to travel by rail in order to cut down on over-the-road truck traffic.
“There is nothing more exciting than building a new factory brick by brick,” Spies said.
Spies said officials predict that when the plant eventually reaches peak production, it will produce 200,000 electric SUVs and pickup trucks annually.
With a big land purchase in hand, The Ritedose Corp. is launching a major expansion that will boost its workforce to more than 600 employees.
The investment — including the recent purchase of 105 acres from the Midlands Technical College Enterprise Campus in northeast Richland County — will bring the company’s total investment in a four-year multi-phase project to $81 million, according to a news release from the company.
When complete, the campus will house nearly 500,000 square feet of space dedicated to the manufacturing, packaging and distribution of pharmaceuticals. Ritedose is the largest sterile contract development manufacturing organization in the country, specializing in advanced Blow-Fill-Seal technology, the company says.
Groundbreaking will take place in the next few weeks, the news release stated, and the company will rename the property “Ritedose Performance Park.”
The first building on the newly acquired property will be a 225,000-square-foot central distribution and logistics center. The land is contiguous to the Carolina Research Park off Farrow Road in Richland County, home to Ritedose’s corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility at 1 Technology Circle.
“There continues to be a nationwide surge in demand for the medications we produce — especially for respiratory diseases,” Ritedose President and CEO Jody Chastain said in the release. “The volume of medications we’re producing has surpassed 1.5 billion doses annually, and we expect to produce more than 2 billion doses annual-
ly in the coming years. Our production of ophthalmic medications has also rapidly increased due to demand from cutting edge ophthalmic drug developers. I’m incredibly proud of our team for working hard and smart to meet the needs of millions of patients across the United States and doing it with absolute integrity and excellence.”
The company started with 16 acres when it first broke ground in 1995. In all, the Ritedose campus now comprises about 138 acres of land in northeast Columbia.
“When the Midlands Technical College Commission created the Enterprise Campus years ago, commissioners envisioned this property as a catalyst for workforce and economic development in our community. We are pleased that vision has now come to fruition,” MTC President Ron Rhames said in the release.
Included in the expansion plans is a one-mile nature walking path for employee wellness that will meander along nine acres
of protected wetlands, the release stated. The addition of the facility will add more than 100 jobs to Ritedose’s workforce. The company has hired 79 employees since announcing growth plans in December 2022 and plans to hire about 70 more as the expansion project moves forward, according to a spokesman for the company.
The average salary and benefit package for employees can total up to $90,000 a year, the release said.
“We are proud to be an employer of choice in the Midlands and draw talent from our backyard as well as all over the country due to our reputation for producing high-quality products for the patients we serve,” Chastain said in the release. "Since our last expansion in 2018, we have seen nearly 50% growth in manufacturing and sales, and we are projecting an annual double-digit growth for the foreseeable future — in part due to the development of new product lines. We are
the manufacturer of multiple medications for different diseases, many of which are in clinical trials that will significantly expand our portfolio and improve the quality of life for millions of patients once approved by the U.S. FDA. Our team is excited about this expansion, as well as our accelerated trajectory that will help us serve even more patients.”
The Ritedose Corp. produces sterile, single-dose medication, serving the contract development manufacturing, generics and 503B outsourcing markets. The company’s customers range from small startups and retail pharmacies to large pharmaceutical companies, wholesalers and hospital systems.
The company’s process guides the development of molecules from clinical trials to commercialization of branded and generic inhalation and ophthalmic medications and compounding single-unit dose syringes, the release stated.
Ritedose is online at Ritedose.com.
Barnes & Noble opened a new Columbia bookstore on Wednesday, March 6, at 6090 Garners Ferry Road in The Shoppes at Woodhill shopping center, alongside Target, World Market and Party City.
The bookstore opened with author B.B. Alston cutting the ribbon and signing copies of his books, according to a news release. The new location showcases the design seen in the most recent Barnes & Noble store openings. The new bookstore will also feature a B&N Café.
“Barnes & Noble returns to Columbia after the shortest of departures when Richland Mall closed for demolition,” Barnes & Noble James Daunt said in the news release. “We are especially pleased to retain a brick-and-mortar bookstore in a community when, for the last 20 years, closure was almost certain to mean its permanent loss. Better still, we now open very beautiful bookstores and the new Columbia Barnes & Noble is both stunning and expansive.”
Barnes & Noble says the company is enjoying a period of tremendous growth thanks to a strategy to hand control of each bookstore to its local booksellers. The company is experiencing strong sales in existing stores and has been opening many new stores after more than 15 years of declining store numbers, the release stated. In 2023, Barnes & Noble opened more new bookstores in a single year than it had in the whole decade from 2009 to 2019. The bookseller expects to open more than 50 new stores in 2024.
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome our longtime customers into their brand-new Columbia Barnes & Noble,” store Manager John Garvin, Barnes & Noble bookseller of nine years, said in the release. “Over the past 26 years we’ve developed so many close relationships with our customers, and we know they’ll be just as excited to see their favorite booksellers again, now in a beautiful new bookstore.”
Two Columbia breweries have joined to create a parent company that looks to strengthen the craft beer industry in South Carolina.
Peak Drift Brewing Co. and Columbia Craft Brewing Co., both based in Columbia, have joined forces under the establishment of a new parent company for regional breweries, Craft Brew Inc., according to a news release.
The company is expected to strengthen the craft beer industry in the Midlands and throughout South Carolina, the release stated.
Craft Brew Inc. was formed through joint efforts from both brewery management teams and was established to be a holding company of multiple brands, the release stated. It will serve as a onestop shop for craft breweries and beverage companies that want to scale up their production, directly print their cans in-house and utilize resources within a family of brands where economies of scale are created.
“Peak Drift is forming strategic partnerships for long-term success,” Jordan Styles, owner and chief executive officer, Peak Drift, said in the release. “We are committed to industry collaboration and the creation of Craft Brew Inc. will help cultivate the security of craft beer in South Carolina.”
Craft Brew Inc. will begin with two brands under its name and has plans to add more breweries into this alliance in the future, according to the release. The focus is to keep each brand identity but to grow the Craft Brew Inc. name corporately. Currently, Craft Brew Inc. distributes products statewide in South Carolina and exports to the United Kingdom.
“We’re thrilled to be a part of the Craft
Brew Inc. family and we look forward to growing our footprint and creating amazing products for craft beer enthusiasts everywhere,” Richard Strauss, former managing member, Columbia Craft, said in the release. “This partnership will further develop the region and industry by continuing to position South Carolina as a leader in producing award-winning craft beer.
Peak Drift’s partnership with Columbia
Craft started in 2023, when Peak Drift began partner brewing select Columbia Craft beer at its 25,000-square-foot production facility, according to the release.
As Craft Brew Inc. continues to expand its family of brands, the individual brand identities of the breweries and management teams will remain in place. Columbia Craft will continue to operate its taproom located at 520 Greene St. in Columbia.
Mauldin & Jenkins, a provider of assurance, tax and advisory services, has merged of CFO Navigator, a specialized firm providing tailored financial guidance to growing businesses and nonprofit organizations in the metro-Atlanta area.
With a shared commitment to helping clients leverage their financial data, the merger of CFO Navigator represents a significant milestone in expanding Mauldin & Jenkins’ capabilities in its Client
Accounting and Advisory Services practice, according to a news release.
Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
CFO Navigator has built a reputation for guiding organizations beyond traditional bookkeeping, empowering them to use its financial data to actively navigate their businesses, the release stated. By offering a combination of financial insight and business foresight, CFO Navigator focuses on helping companies that have outgrown their current financial capabilities by designing and offering solutions to help them understand their financial data to make the
best decisions for their business.
“CFO Navigator’s expertise in providing financial guidance complements our mission to deliver comprehensive solutions to our clients,” said Mauldin & Jenkins’ Managing Partner Hanson Borders in the release. “We look forward to integrating CFO Navigator into our CAAS service offerings to equip clients with a better understanding of their financial data.”
In addition to the merger, Robert Stephens, and founder of CFO Navigator, will join Mauldin & Jenkins to lead the service offering in the Firm’s CAAS practice, the release stated. In his position, Stephens
will play a pivotal role in leading the firm’s efforts to design and build scalable financial capabilities for its clients, ensuring they have the tools and financial insights needed to achieve their goals.
“I am beyond excited to have the fractional CFO services developed over the past 15 years be integrated into Mauldin & Jenkins,” Stephens said in the release. “I think combining our two firms makes for a perfect match, both in service offering and culture, and I couldn’t be happier. I’m looking forward to creating even greater value for the companies and nonprofits seeking to navigate the numbers that drive their business.”
ABy Jason Thomas jthomas@scbiznews.comproduce supplier is expanding its presence in Richland County.
McEntire Produce is continuing the development of its state-of-the-art facility in Richland County with a $26.2 million investment that will create 40 new jobs, according to a news release.
The company will upfit its existing facility located at 2040 American Italian Way in Columbia with automation advancements that will improve production capacity.
“The McEntire family is pleased to further invest in its Richland County manufacturing facility,” McEntire Produce President and CEO Carter McEntire said in the release. “The investments planned over the next five years
will improve the capacity, enable customer expansion and create more jobs for South Carolinians.”
Operating in Richland County since 1938, McEntire Produce is a family-owned fresh produce processor, repacker and wholesaler, according to the release. The company also handles the general processing of lettuce, tomatoes, onions and coleslaw mix for numerous fast-food restaurants.
Operations will be phased in over five years.
“McEntire Produce’s expansion will create more agribusiness jobs for South Carolinians and more opportunities for South Carolina farmers,” South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers said in the release. I’m glad to see this respected, multi-generational local business solidifying its commitment to our state.”
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Publication Date: June 28, 2024 |
Advertising Deadline: June 12, 2024
SC Biz News has long been a proud supporter of women in business.
Our inaugural Empowering Women event last month recognized 33 companies and organizations elevating women in the workplace across South Carolina. Honorees were recognized during an event headlined by Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette at the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Columbia, attended by more than 150 people. You can read profiles of Empowering Women honorees in a special section inside this edition.
Our Women of Influence awards have recognized hundreds of high-achieving women for their career accomplishments over the years.
At last year’s South Carolina Manufacturing Conference and Expo, we
hosted the inaugural Manufacturing Mavens awards, which honored 10 women making an impact on South Carolina’s manufacturing industry. The recognition event was preceded by an all-female panel discussion moderate by Catherine Hayes of the South Carolina Research Authority.
And we also provide a platform for women to share their expertise by serving as thought leaders in our stories and on our virtual panel discussions.
So we are pleased to continue to highlight Women Who Lead in our community by offering this special advertorial platform for companies to
Lisa Muzekari, P.E. Principal/Department Manager
What leadership traits have served you well? And on the flip side, what have you learned that tends to hold women leaders back?
What leadership traits have served you well?
A leadership trait that has served me well is to be responsive. Being responsive is a key leadership trait because it facilitates effective communication, builds trust, enhances problem-solving abilities, boosts employee engagement, supports adaptability, informs decision-making, promotes a positive culture, and contributes to client satisfaction. Responsiveness is a crucial leadership trait that involves the ability to react promptly and effectively to the needs, concerns, and changes for clients and within an organization or team.
Having a clear vision of what you want to achieve is a good place to start. Communicating that vision to the team and having them help set the strategy is next. As a leader, you are only as good as your team. It is important to build them up and give them the necessary tools to be successful. Delegation and accountability are key leadership traits to accomplish that. I also lead with humility. I am the fi rst to say any accomplishment is a team effort. I am not solely responsible for the wins, and I want my teams to know their importance to me and the organization. Positivity is also important. Leading with a “can-do” and “how can we” approach is far more rewarding and more energizing than a negative approach to challenging situations. Finally, I believe in leading with empathy, which creates the emotional connection to help the team thrive.
What are some key strategies to help others achieve a more prominent role in their organization or career?
Office: 1501 Main St., Suite 400 Columbia, SC 29201
Mentors are extremely valuable resources for women in leadership. I wish I had a strongfemale mentor much earlier in my career. Itcan be hard to see a career path, let alonehow to know you are taking the right steps to accomplish it. Seeking out a mentor in a position or similar position to what you aspire to be is a great step. I have had the privilege to be a mentor to many nurses who want o elevate into management or executive leadership roles. I fi nd it rewarding to share my experiences, the good and the bad, and provide guidance in goal setting and strategies to meet those goals. If someone asks what my greatest accomplishment as a leader is, it’s not what I have done, but who I have infl uenced and helped to achieve their goals.
muzekari.l@tandh.com
803-451-6781
www.thomasandhutton.com
A professional organization provides the avenue to meet fellow professionals and develop relationships that will last a lifetime. Through those relationships you will find mentors and resources that can prove to be invaluable. The same holds true through being involved in your community. Find your passion outside of your professional life and apply that in a manner that not only benefits your community but also benefits you. Once again, this is an avenue through which relationships will be developed. Through both avenues, these relationships will help you throughout your career and personal life.
What valuable career lesson or lessons would you like to share with others?
What are some key strategies to help others achieve a more prominent role in their organization or career?
Building credibility as a leader is important. This partially comes through education and experience. I have found, though, credibility is built more strongly through actions – implementing evidence-based processes that successfully achieve metrics; how you interact with other leaders in the organization; and how you connect with staff at every level. People need to see how you lead, respect that leadership style, and be willing to follow you as a leader. There are many different ways this can be accomplished. But the three I have found to be the most effective are visibility, honesty and transparency. When people know who you are and see you lead with integrity, that credibility will certainly translate into career advancement.
What key resources have you sought out to help you lead your company/organization?
As a female engineer starting out in a predominantly male career field, one of the top pieces of advice I can offer to professional women is to seek out a Sponsor and Mentor in your career field and in life. Having a mentor provides guidance and support. They can share their experiences from navigating their career and can provide insight to help others navigate their career paths. A Mentor is able to provide constructive feedback and can provide insight from their own experiences in life and in their career. They can provide the encouragement needed to help set goals and achieve them.
Become involved in professional organizations and in your community.
What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?
Never give up on your dream, even if you stumble and fall along the way. Every leader has made their share of mistakes. Women tend to internalize those missteps, which can be paralyzing. This is where another key leadership trait comes in – resilience. Leadership is as much about our losses as it is our successes. Learning how to regroup, dig in, and fi ght your way back up from a misstep is one of the most valuable lessons because that is when you really become more solutionoriented. Don’t think you have to do that alone. It is humbling to ask for help. I promise you will also be stronger for it.
Throughout my career I feel my ability to make an impact in my firm and with my clients is based on the relationships I have been able to form. My goal was to be that trusted advisor that my co-workers and clients depend on. Being there to help with any project, offer my advice, experience, or expertise is my goal. By being available and dependable, I am making a difference. Relationships and our cultivation and nurturing of them are important in all aspects of life, whether that be our family life or professional life.
What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?
It’s the advice I give to my own children – set goal and don’t stop until you get there. There will be bumps along the way, but they will make you better. Know who has your back and don’t be afraid to lean on them for help. Be bold, be strong, and be you. ●
If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then you are an excellent leader.
What leadership traits have served you well? And on the flip side, what have you learned that tends to hold women leaders back?
Since our start as a professional recruiting firm in 1999, we have learned the ins and outs of what make employees and organizations successful – that’s why we’ve evolved from a hiring firm to a full-service, workplace strategy partner. HTI walks beside employers to create custom talent strategies that align HR and business needs through employee and organizational efficiency, labor stabilization, and employee engagement. If it has to do with people at work – HTI has you covered.
My role as head of TA & OD aligns closely with what we practice as an organization. My group focuses on identifying the right talent for our needs –people that align with our goals, our values, and share our passion for people. On the OD side, my group prioritizes a wide range of training and development opportunities for our employees. We practice what we preach – we want HTI to be a place people want to work.
Having a clear vision of what you want to achieve is a good place to start. Communicating that vision to the team and having them help set the strategy is next. As a leader, you are only as good as your team. It is important to build them up and give them the necessary tools to be successful. Delegation and accountability are key leadership traits to accomplish that. I also lead with humility. I am the fi rst to say any accomplishment is a team effort. I am not solely responsible for the wins, and I want my teams to know their importance to me and the organization. Positivity is also important. Leading with a “can-do” and “how can we” approach is far more rewarding and more energizing than a negative approach to challenging situations. Finally, I believe in leading with empathy, which creates the emotional connection to help the team thrive.
What are some key strategies to help others achieve a more prominent role in their organization or career?
What leadership traits have served you well? And on the flip side, what have you learned that tends to hold women leaders back?
My relationship building skills have been important in my growth as a leader. I always strive to create authentic relationships with the people I work with, and in turn, that leads to deeper trust and open, honest conversations. Despite typically having great insight into the perspective of others as well as being able to deliver information more intentionally, I believe women are often held back by not feeling comfortable speaking up and voicing concerns. Being able to anticipate objections or concerns is extremely helpful when rolling out things like new company initiatives or organizational changes. And as the head of TA and OD, these traits and practices are critical to the success of our employees and our organization as a whole.
Mentorship is so important to women in the workforce these days. Do you mentor other women through a specific program? Or did you have a mentor that was inspirational to you?
Building credibility as a leader is important. This partially comes through education and experience. I have found, though, credibility is built more strongly through actions – implementing evidence-based processes that successfully achieve metrics; how you interact with other leaders in the organization; and how you connect with staff at every level. People need to see how you lead, respect that leadership style, and be willing to follow you as a leader. There are many different ways this can be accomplished. But the three I have found to be the most effective are visibility, honesty and transparency. When people know who you are and see you lead with integrity, that credibility will certainly translate into career advancement.
Early in my career, I was fortunate to be mentored by an incredible woman in our organization. She was a positive influence who taught me so much about the job, but also how to navigate and cultivate relationships at work. But even more important than that, I was able to watch her as she climbed the corporate ladder while simultaneously growing and caring for her family. Having the opportunity to work closely with her solidified my desire to do the same.
What key resources have you sought out to help you lead your company/organization?
While HTI does not currently have a mentorship program specifically catered to women, we do conduct leadership programs that prioritize mentor relationships. Mentorship of any kind is imperative for growth and more importantly, seeing and understanding different points of view. We cannot grow as leaders leaning only on our own experiences.
Mentors are extremely valuable resources for women in leadership. I wish I had a strongfemale mentor much earlier in my career. Itcan be hard to see a career path, let alonehow to know you are taking the right steps to accomplish it. Seeking out a mentor in a position or similar position to what you aspire to be is a great step. I have had the privilege to be a mentor to many nurses who want o elevate into management or executive leadership roles. I fi nd it rewarding to share my experiences, the good and the bad, and provide guidance in goal setting and strategies to meet those goals. If someone asks what my greatest accomplishment as a leader is, it’s not what I have done, but who I have infl uenced and helped to achieve their goals.
Over the past two years, what as a woman have you learned regarding work/ life balance?
What valuable career lesson or lessons would you like to share with others?
I have always struggled with a healthy work-life balance and have seen myself looking at this much differently since the pandemic. In years past, I put so much pressure on myself to do EVERYTHING – and to do it all really well. As a result, my lack of balance deeply affected my family and while I may have been physically present at home, I was not really there…my mind was on work and the laundry list of things I had to do. I have learned that to excel at my job and as a mother and wife, I have to set boundaries and diligently work to be an active participant in both parts of my life. To be quite honest, I still struggle with this, but continue to work daily to be more intentional with my time. You cannot pour from an empty cup, and I can promise you that overcommitting yourself and going 1,000 m.p.h., 24/7 is not sustainable – it will catch up with you. Don’t get to that point. Define boundaries and stick to them!
What is one quote or phrase you refer to when you need inspiration?
Never give up on your dream, even if you stumble and fall along the way. Every leader has made their share of mistakes. Women tend to internalize those missteps, which can be paralyzing. This is where another key leadership trait comes in – resilience. Leadership is as much about our losses as it is our successes. Learning how to regroup, dig in, and fi ght your way back up from a misstep is one of the most valuable lessons because that is when you really become more solutionoriented. Don’t think you have to do that alone. It is humbling to ask for help. I promise you will also be stronger for it.
What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?
I do my best to live by these and use these often in my training at work: “Live by the golden rule and do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Treating others the way you want to be treated seems like such a simple concept but is often easy to forget when we are blazing through our days without intention. Simple acts of kindness – a smile, a ‘thank you’, holding the door open – affect people more than you may realize. It’s when we are too buried that we forget to smile, we lose sight of the small wins, and we obliviously let doors slam in people’s faces. Take a second to slow down, and you’d be surprised at how your treatment of others changes.
It’s the advice I give to my own children – set goal and don’t stop until you get there. There will be bumps along the way, but they will make you better. Know who has your back and don’t be afraid to lean on them for help. Be bold, be strong, and be you. ●
“It is not what you say, it is how you say it.”
This saying goes back to what I noted earlier that I believe a lot of women possess the ability to more intentionally, gracefully, and tactfully deliver information. Again, taking a moment of pause, slowing down for a brief second, allows you to communicate much more effectively.
What leadership traits have served you well? And on the flip side, what have you learned that tends to hold women leaders back?
What leadership traits have served you well? And on the flip side, what have you learned that tends to hold women leaders back?
As a leader, I have built my personal brand and professional career on my integrity - being honest, trustworthy, and delivering results to both internal and external customers. I am genuinely curious and passionate about learning, embracing change, and adapting quickly. I try to lead by example, empower my team, and support their growth, expressing gratitude for their work and giving credit when due.
Throughout my career, I have embraced a participative leadership style, hiring professionals with complementary strengths and leveraging their expertise to gain buy-in and reach an informed decision more likely to succeed.
Having a clear vision of what you want to achieve is a good place to start. Communicating that vision to the team and having them help set the strategy is next. As a leader, you are only as good as your team. It is important to build them up and give them the necessary tools to be successful. Delegation and accountability are key leadership traits to accomplish that. I also lead with humility. I am the fi rst to say any accomplishment is a team effort. I am not solely responsible for the wins, and I want my teams to know their importance to me and the organization. Positivity is also important. Leading with a “can-do” and “how can we” approach is far more rewarding and more energizing than a negative approach to challenging situations. Finally, I believe in leading with empathy, which creates the emotional connection to help the team thrive.
What are some key strategies to help others achieve a more prominent role in their organization or career?
Women struggle when they adopt a leadership style that isn’t authentic to themselves. Although it’s important to adapt your communication style to your audience, successful women leaders uphold their own principles and stay true to their vision despite organizational pressures.
What are some key strategies to help others achieve a more prominent role in their organization or career?
Go where your values and skillsets are celebrated, not tolerated. Start building your professional network and personal brand early in your career to curate business relationships and expand your sphere of influence. What you lack in knowledge and skill, make up for in attitude and a commitment to learn. Seek opportunities for thought leadership and accept increasing responsibility. Demonstrate your leadership capabilities regardless of your title – lead from where you are. Keep a journal – when you’re in a position of power and influence, implement positive change. Plan your course, but be open to unforeseen opportunities.
Building credibility as a leader is important. This partially comes through education and experience. I have found, though, credibility is built more strongly through actions – implementing evidence-based processes that successfully achieve metrics; how you interact with other leaders in the organization; and how you connect with staff at every level. People need to see how you lead, respect that leadership style, and be willing to follow you as a leader. There are many different ways this can be accomplished. But the three I have found to be the most effective are visibility, honesty and transparency. When people know who you are and see you lead with integrity, that credibility will certainly translate into career advancement.
What key resources have you sought out to help you lead your company/organization?
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What valuable career lessons or lessons would you like to share with others?
Mentors are extremely valuable resources for women in leadership. I wish I had a strongfemale mentor much earlier in my career. Itcan be hard to see a career path, let alonehow to know you are taking the right steps to accomplish it. Seeking out a mentor in a position or similar position to what you aspire to be is a great step. I have had the privilege to be a mentor to many nurses who want o elevate into management or executive leadership roles. I fi nd it rewarding to share my experiences, the good and the bad, and provide guidance in goal setting and strategies to meet those goals. If someone asks what my greatest accomplishment as a leader is, it’s not what I have done, but who I have infl uenced and helped to achieve their goals.
Lead decisively and communicate and implement change with conviction. Women who tend to overanalyze and doubt their decisions waste energy and distance themselves professionally from strong (men) leaders. Institute a statute of limitations on frustration, anger, or regret – indulge your emotions privately for a specified period and then let them go and accept the situation.
What valuable career lesson or lessons would you like to share with others?
What advice would you give the next generation of female leaders?
Never give up on your dream, even if you stumble and fall along the way. Every leader has made their share of mistakes. Women tend to internalize those missteps, which can be paralyzing. This is where another key leadership trait comes in – resilience. Leadership is as much about our losses as it is our successes. Learning how to regroup, dig in, and fi ght your way back up from a misstep is one of the most valuable lessons because that is when you really become more solutionoriented. Don’t think you have to do that alone. It is humbling to ask for help. I promise you will also be stronger for it.
Build a highly effective team that accomplishes its objectives, demonstrating your leadership and strategic value to the organization. Be a people leader - develop your team to seek new career opportunities and encourage movement while being attentive to developing your succession plan. Authentically embrace diverse backgrounds, education, age perspectives, and ideas to empower your associates and to find more holistic solutions to business challenges. Foster the intrapreneurial spirit to attract and retain women innovators and encourage experimentation and risk among your colleagues to investigate new approaches and implement novel solutions. Embrace technological advances that provide value to your customers, improve operations, and/or reduce costs to impact the organization favorably.
What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?
Mentorship is so important to women in the workforce these days. Do you mentor other women through a specific program? Or did you have a mentor that was inspirational to you?
It’s the advice I give to my own children – set goal and don’t stop until you get there. There will be bumps along the way, but they will make you better. Know who has your back and don’t be afraid to lean on them for help. Be bold, be strong, and be you. ●
Mentoring and coaching women provide an opportunity to share tribal knowledge and to develop valuable capabilities of future leaders. But I’m a strong believer in reciprocal mentoring, where women early in their careers can exchange their ideas, talents, and technology savvy with more seasoned women leaders who, in turn, impart their organizational strategy, career choices, and lessons learned. This provides a more balanced relationship and taps into the strengths of professionals across their career journey.
Recognizing how diversity and inclusion drive innovation in the company culture, AFL has established an employee resource group for women, and a 20-week course designed to support the professional development and leadership skills of women working in production.
The company, which manufactures and installs fiber optic cables, created a scholarship fund for women in the trades and boasts a vice president voted into the Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame.
Women on staff regularly appear in top industry publications, reflecting their importance in the company. AFL also supports financially numerous women-specific organizations, like the Julie Valentine Center, GirlUp and the local domestic violence shelter.
AFL is proud to be recognized for our commitment to empower women in our organization and community.
Training, mentoring and providing pathways to leadership positions for women are how Anchor Heating and Air actively promotes women in its company. In a traditionally all-male industry, Anchor has worked to develop female representation on its staff, eliminate bias, provide equal opportunities and inspire the next generation of women in the world of HVAC.
It has developed a comprehensive training plan to prepare female employees for all the positions in the company. That includes technical and customer service training on-thejob and off-site. The company encourages female employees to join Women in HVAC and Lady Titans, and pays all membership fees.
Why is the company so attuned to women’s empowerment? Its owner is Stephanie Postell, a 20-year veteran of the industry who brought her daughter into the business.
As an institution of higher learning whose student body is 60% female, Furman University is empowering women with high-quality education. The senior leadership is majority women, and the university provides programs for women in leadership development and fundraising. Its Women’s Leadership Institute offers mentorship, networking, and skill-building activities aimed at fostering leadership skills and advancing the careers of women professionals.
How about fostering women in STEM? Furman does that too, with its Women Who Code chapter, providing students networking opportunities with professionals in tech. Or, for the liberal arts-inclined, the major in Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies explores gender-related issues. Even the women’s basketball team gets involved; their own mentoring program pairs team members with professionals in the community.
With a workforce that’s 93% female, helmed by a female president, Banker Exchange is attuned to the needs of women. The company actively participates in community initiatives that support women and families, and sponsors women-centric professional organizations. Its commitment to hiring and promoting women is deeply ingrained in its organizational ethos. That is exemplified by a president who is fostering a culture where women’s professional growth is a priority. The result: one woman on staff now sits on the board of the national industry association for like-kind real property exchanges.
Looking forward, Banker Exchange is committed to increasing the representation of women in decision-making roles, in part by expanding mentorship programs.
Because its CEO and co-founder has first-hand experience with the challenges facing women in tech, Berlogix is committed to empowering women to articulate their vision, command attention, and leave an indelible mark on the world. Lisa Berry learned early on how women must think more strategically to break through the glass ceiling in tech.
The company was designed intentionally to help women break through the barriers of the male-dominated tech field. Many of the issues facing women in the field persist, inspiring the company’s commitment to empower women. It recently established an initiative that coaches women on gaining confidence and step into their leadership potential.
Furman University’s Women’s Leadership Initiative is designed to help women enhance their leadership skills, deepen their understanding of emerging topics, lead high-performing teams and innovate with purpose –all while cultivating meaningful professional connections.
LEARN MORE AT FURMAN.EDU/WLI
Sometimes empowering women involves avoiding situations that disempower them. At The Abernathy hotel, working mothers have access to a lactation room, and can bring their children to work if their scheduled child care falls through.
That’s not all, of course, just a reflection of the company’s commitment to the women on staff. The Abernathy offers a robust professional development program that matches women seeking guidance with mentors who share career goals, interests and areas of expertise. Pairs train together to define goals and establish communication guidelines. Built into the program is outside networking opportunities.
The company participates in the local Chamber’s monthly Women in Business events. Other tools the company employs to empower women are unconscious bias training, diversity goals and metrics, and a structured interview and hiring process to eliminate subjective decision-making.
One of the few female-owned commercial real estate brokerages in South Carolina, Carolina Retail Experts is committed to leaving the ladder down for women seeking careers in the field. A diamond sponsor of Commercial Real Estate Women Charleston, the company has hired and promoted women, who now fill eight of the nine staff positions. Nationally, women comprise about three in nine employees in the industry.
Two of the founders of the brokerage have been honored here before as Charleston’s Women of Influence and they’ve both served on the board of the women’s real estate industry group. They are demonstrating that gender is not an issue by leading one of the top performers in the business, more than doubling the number of transactions in the last two years.
CharlotteBergerPR must be doing something right. First its namesake founder earned inclusion on the Charleston Regional Business Journal’s 40 People to Watch Under 40 list. Then she was named a Woman of Influence in South Carolina. Now we honor her company for empowering women – in just its fourth year of business.
A woman-owned PR agency, its dozen staff members are all women, save for the founder’s husband, who has mastered the term, “yes, dear.” Employees getting pregnant is no problem for the firm, whose owner gave birth last year and whose team of young women are all in their child-bearing years. It offers generous benefits to new moms. The team also sports a roster of supported non-profits, including a domestic violence shelter.
Employee-owned Choate Construction employs more women and enjoys more women in senior leadership positions than the industry average. That’s the result of a dedicated effort to foster an inclusive and equitable environment.
Choate established a Women in Construction Employee Resource Group to ensure equal opportunities for training and career advancement. Its programs include skill-building workshops, leadership training, and seminars on topics such as negotiation skills, work-life balance, and career advancement strategies.
The company recently increased its maternity leave policy to allow what it says is “additional time to heal and bond with our newest members of the Choate family.”
Choate’s Leadership Development Initiative is designed to prepare women for leadership roles. Thirty-three women have graduated from the program.
Asmall non-profit financial services organization like CommunityWorks doesn’t have the resources to create employee resource groups and offer generous maternity leave policies. But it can still make a positive impact in the lives of women.
First, the agency is staffed mostly by women, with a leadership team that is four-fifths female.
Staff have participated in trainings provided by the Furman Women’s Leadership Initiative and individual staff members are encouraged to join affinity groups in the community that empower women, people of color and so on.
CommunityWorks is a place where women take care of each other. Recently, a banking industry veteran on staff organized a quarterly tea for female co-workers to discuss opportunities to support each other in their professional roles inside the organization and personal roles outside of it.
Cosmic Energy Co. produces women’s empowerment alongside its natural soy candles, supporting female artisans and entrepreneurs, fostering economic independence and creating a positive impact on women’s lives. Through its products and self-care guidance, the company strives to contribute to the overall elevation of women.
Cosmic Energy exhibits its commitment to empowering women by investing in tailored professional development initiatives for its majority-female staff, like workshops and trainings to enhance their skills and knowledge.
A minority- and woman-owned business, owner Tara White and her tribe have twice earned the “City Market Women in Business” award from the City of Charleston.
Awoman-founded and owned company, the recruiting firm Forge Search boasts a team that is 80% female. That staff represents diverse backgrounds, many of them mothers juggling career and family. In a male-dominated industry, they enjoy opportunities to learn, grow and advance at Forge Search.
You may have heard CEO Rhiannon Poore speak at one of many events in the Greenville area on women’s career issues, or seen her volunteer her time and mentorship to younger women seeking to follow in the footsteps of role models like her.
Forge Search is proud to offer female employees the opportunity for life-changing financial success, while providing flexibility and intentional work-life balance.
Another woman-owned and majority operated business, Grace Outdoor Advertising empowers women by working with other women-owned businesses and offering its own employees maximum flexibility in work. The staff – three-quarters women – set their own schedules and work remotely when needed. That provides for the work-life balance that so many mothers crave.
Competing against the behemoth national billboard company, Grace offers affordable outdoor advertising options to small, local firms, which are disproportionally women-led. Grace’s CEO, Diana Stevenson, helped form SC Women in Leadership, which encourages women to act like a mom but think like a CEO.
What could be more male-dominated than the local chamber of commerce? The Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce is seeking to change that dynamic. If empowering the business community is your business, that is not possible without empowering the 52% of the community that women comprise. The Chamber recognizes that women’s social, psychological and spiritual satisfaction – in addition to their economic success -- is critical to the success of the greater Sumter area.
That is why it developed See Her Empowerment, or SHE for short, a program providing leadership development, personal and professional growth opportunities and valuable connections among women in business. Its signature event, SHE Shines, celebrates the brilliance of women in business.
Imperial Perfection makes it easy to be a daughter, wife, mother and dedicated employee all at the same time. The small commercial cleaning company supports work-life balance by offering flexible work arrangements, parental leave and childcare assistance. They offer part-time and reduced hours so employees can dedicate more time to their children while maintaining employment.
This is particularly useful because Imperial Perfection employs several single mothers who provide the entirety of care to their children. Flexible scheduling allows employees to fashion their work hours around their children’s school schedules.
The company has plans to create employee resource groups to provide women and other groups of employees with opportunities for mutual support, mentoring and networking.
Providing custom-built solutions and services for organizational learning and development, Human Potential Advisors is a woman-owned business that’s all about helping women realize their full potential and value. The company provides all-women’s classes and women-only retreats, and its founder, Traci Newkirk, offers her pro bono services to women’s groups. She’s even led woman-only book clubs on topics specifically geared towards the challenges that women commonly face, personally and professionally.
Newkirk empowers the women with whom she does business as well, encouraging them to stretch and grow. She has encouraged and entrusted one employee to venture into services beyond her normal scope of practice. And she is, of course, a legendary mentor by the very nature of her work, earning hosannahs like this – “I can’t recommend her enough!”
The Increasing H.O.P.E. Financial Training Center is a one-stop shop of non-profit financial services to underserved communities in the Charleston area. Increasing HOPE empowers everyone by creating financial freedom and stability for its client families.
The agency operates one of the state’s three Women’s Business Centers, providing 1,000 hours of counseling and training to hundreds of budding entrepreneurs and business owners. It has enabled the startup of 22 women-led businesses, the creation of 23 added jobs and the procurement of nearly $1 million in capital. Founded and run by women, the agency offers tangible empowerment to women and minorities, fostering financial independence, personal success and growth.
In the male-dominated commercial real estate business, InLight Real Estate Partners is building something different. Nearly 20% of its team is women, and a recently instituted mentorship program inside the firm is designed to boost that figure. Mentoring creates a ladder for women in the firm to pull each other up into management ranks. Its monthly women-only staff luncheons facilitate collaboration and support among women on staff and creates a flow of communication between female staff and management.
Testifies one female staffer: “I have never not felt heard, listened to, or valued, which I am forever grateful for.”
Infinity Marketing was founded by a man most influenced by his mother and grandmother, and that has inspired Tony Williams to elevate women in the workplace just as women have elevated him in his life. Two-thirds of the company’s senior leadership team is female, reflecting an ethos that diversity in strengths, perspectives and approaches is crucial for success.
Infinity’s philanthropic efforts are a testament to its commitment to women’s empowerment. It is actively engaged through both financial and volunteer resources in the work of the Julie Valentine Center, which offers confidential services to survivors of abuse. Infinity’s own support of female staffers promotes healthy families, offering fully paid maternity leave and flexible scheduling to mothers.
What better way to empower women than to give them an educational path to success? That is the work of the Lowcountry Graduate Center, a woman-led organization collaborating with College of Charleston, MUSC and The Citadel to provide tailored graduate programs and professional development courses that cater to the specific needs and aspirations of women professionals.
The organization has set ambitious future goals to further empower women at the workplace. To achieve them, it plans to expand the range of programs and courses that specifically address the challenges and opportunities faced by women professionals.
Female professionals have an advocate at the Lowcountry Graduate Center in the form of its director, Dr. Jessica Carter, herself honored among the 2023 SC Women in Business.
The daughter of New York City’s first female engineer is the owner of Musical Innovations, and Tracy Leenman runs her company the same way she was raised – to offer women maximum opportunities for growth and success. Employees are whistling a happy tune, as some of them have risen to key positions in the company and in the music industry beyond as a result of their mentoring.
Musical Innovations works with local, state and national industry organizations to provide training for its staff, to strengthen their skills and develop their professional networks.
Mentoring women should be at the heart of the company’s work: Leenman credits two women in the industry for mentoring her and helping her erect a successful business.
If you happened to attend the Women in Manufacturing South Carolina conference in 2023, you might have noticed a gaggle of women from Safe Rack LLC, the fall protection and safety equipment manufacturer. That’s because Safe Rack throws its full support behind this event and involvement by its employees. The company sponsors several of the conference’s signature events, sends employees to its professional development programs and funds attendance at chapter events.
The company is committed to mentoring and promoting women within its ranks. In fact, one staffer promoted several times from machine operator to production supervisor was nominated by Safe Rack as a national Woman of Excellence in Metal Forming and Fabricating, an honor for which she was chosen.
By providing full-time athletic trainers and sports medicine providers, PlaySafe USA is ensuring that women, especially in underserved communities, have access to quality sports healthcare. That promotes safe sports participation and encourages more women to pursue careers in sports medicine, a field traditionally dominated by men.
PlaySafe conducts specialized training sessions and workshops to enhance the skills of women in sports medicine and focuses on inclusive hiring practices that actively seek out women. The result: women run the company, serving as CEO, COO, CFO and senior athletic training supervisor. With a staff that’s 62% female, they don’t just PlaySafe, they Play Fair.
In the male-dominated tax and accounting field, Sage Growth Advisors stands out as a woman-owned and staffed company. The firm has established a woman-centric culture that eliminates the shame many people feel in their relationship with money.
When you walk into Sage’s offices, you won’t see any stuffed suits or hear condescending talk. The financial advisors at Sage talk about combatting imposter syndrome – the feeling many women harbor that they’re not good enough or don’t have the skills to succeed.
Company founder Debbie Choi says, “I love to offer my clients a judgement-free zone where we set aside emotions and beliefs about money and focus on financial growth and success.”
One of the nation’s 10 largest banks, TD Bank demonstrates its commitment to advancing gender equity in the workplace. Among its many efforts are an LGBT and Women Mentoring program; its Addressing Bias course in South Carolina that explores the unconscious bias faced by women in the workplace; and its Women at TD Allies program helping company leaders understand how to empower women. The bank also launched a Parenthood Journey intranet site last June to help employees plan their transition from, and return to, the office following maternity leave.
Banking is not a traditional bastion of women’s empowerment, yet nearly half TD Bank’s board of directors is women and it has several initiatives to hire and promote women intentionally. Forbes took note, naming TD Bank of one the best places to work for women.
There is a lot of talk these days about increasing the number of women in science. The South Carolina Aquarium is making that happen, by inspiring interest in conservation, animal sciences and earth sciences. It boasts an all-female Sea Turtle Care Center and veterinarian teams. Last year, three-quarters of staff promotions went to women.
The featured speaker at last year’s gala was a world-renowned biologist, oceanographer, explorer and author, Dr. Sylvia Earle. The event highlighted the many ways the aquarium serves as a hub of inspiration and opportunity for female professionals in the STEM field and beyond.
Branding is a smart business practice. In honor of all our fellow female business leaders, we're o ering a special Ladies-Only Promo rate on ALL engagements initiated before July 2024.
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The equipment rental company United Rentals takes ownership of an inclusive, empowered work community where employees return to their families at night better than when they arrived.
United has established a Women United employee resource group, designed to support inclusion through networking, education and career opportunities. The company and the resource group support a non-profit that provides services to victims of sex trafficking. Specifically, United Rentals helps find safe places to stay for survivors under the age of 21.
Forbes took note of United’s efforts and named it one of America’s Best Employers for Women this past year.
The branding company Todem Brands doesn’t just empower women; it is all women, from the founder and CEO on down. Chief brander Rehm Galloway is a business owner, wife and mother of two who understands the unique personal and professional challenges of balancing motherhood and the workplace. She has made a habit of hiring and developing women in her small firm and carving out a path for mothers to thrive. The staff is not just a creative team but a mutual support system.
The Greenville Chamber named Todem its favorite small business of 2022 and the publication Women We Admire named Galloway one of the top 50 women leaders in South Carolina this past year.
In Greenville County, as everywhere, women are far more likely to experience poverty than men are. United Way of Greenville County’s 2-1-1 resource line connects callers with resources in the community. 80% of calls come from women.
The non-profit’s Jobs to Career Scholarship program has helped 50 women transition from paycheck-to-paycheck jobs to family-sustaining careers in computers, healthcare, manufacturing and more.
The Women United collective harnesses the power of philanthropic women. 500 of them gathered for the Women’s Summit last year to learn and grow together.
United Way of Greenville’s staff is two-thirds female, and it takes care of them too. It offers flexible work schedules, family leave and paid time off, and a vigorously inclusive promotion policy. All of the promotions within the agency last year went to women.
When a company’s president, chief operating officer, three quarters of its board of directors and its last seven hires have all been women, there isn’t much question about its commitment to empowering women.
That’s Wagner Wealth Management, a company so committed to its team members’ family lives that it offers 12 weeks of maternity leave with full pay and allows pregnant employees to attend doctors’ visits without taking sick time. Two thirds of the women currently on staff have been promoted from other positions.
Wagner believes encouraging work/life balance is good for employees as well as for the company. It encourages employees to flex their time when they need to care for themselves or family members.
There isn’t much mystery about the place of women’s empowerment with a company named Women Confidence Builders. They’re the passion igniters and soul connectors who organize dynamic gatherings for women, in their own words, “weaving a tapestry of knowledge, mentorship and empowerment.”
The company has built an online platform for women – breakingbarriersforum.com – through which women are finding jobs with companies that intentionally hire and support women. In its first week, the forum connected six women with new jobs and business opportunities.
Over the past two years, Women Confidence Builders has awarded 23 high school scholarships to girls from Spartanburg Academic Movement and Anderson Career & Technical Center. Mark your calendars: its Women’s Success Expo is March 6, with 35 breakout sessions featuring women elevating women.
In Weston & Sampson’s three South Carolina offices, women comprise 40% of the staff, and 40% of the leadership positions, unusually high figures for an engineering and architecture firm. That reflects the company’s commitment to hiring and elevating women, not just inside its offices but in the industry as well.
Weston & Sampson employs several professional development programs that facilitate the desires of women to increase their skills and earn promotions, and a pair of employee resource groups focused on women.
The firm’s hiring and promotion procedures are vetted for transparency and reliance on performance metrics, rather than subjective factors like gender, race, sexual orientation, etc. These are just some of the way in which Weston & Sampson works to create an equitable and inclusive workplace that empowers and elevates women.
The very mission of Women Talk Construction is to promote women in the construction industry and other non-traditional careers. Through a podcast with 13,000 downloads across the globe, Women Talk Construction reaches an audience that is 71% decision-making owners and executives.
Started by two women in the business celebrating diversity and promoting the field to others, Angela Gardner and Christi Powell offer a popular blog and resources for women in the areas of job searching, networking, business loans and more.
Showcasing the journeys of women in construction and related fields, they trace a number of pathways that those behind them can travel to find fulfillment and success.
LISTS: General Contractor, Page 27 | Enginerign Firms, Page 28
Architect Dale Marshall remembers an era when Columbia’s Main Street was a great place to go if you needed to buy a wig, but didn’t offer much else that was memorable.
The capital city’s main drag was home to at least six different wig shops in the late 1980s, peppered in among banks, offices and other mom-and-pop stores that populated the street after large department stores that had once made the street a shopping mecca for the capital city’s residents either closed or relocated to malls on the city’s outer ring.
That was the era when Marshall, who was born in the Pee Dee’s Chesterfield and grew up in eastern North Carolina, came to Columbia to start an architectural firm, Architrave, with his late uncle Allen Marshall.
That firm, founded in 1987 and currently celebrating its 35th anniversary, now has offices in both Columbia and Charleston. Allen Marshall’s son Bill Marshall is now executive vice president and primarily handles the firm’s projects in the Lowcountry, while Dale, the firm’s president, is based in Columbia, where he works primarily on Columbia projects alongside architect Justin Washburn who joined the practice in 2014.
Residential construction and historic preservation are two of the firm’s specialties, which are based around a commitment to fulfill a client’s goals while also paying attention to the character and history of the surrounding community, Marshall said.
Preservation of historic buildings while transforming them into something that can be used in the present day helps to make a neighborhood or city distinctive and memorable, and it’s part of what has helped to fuel the massive change Marshall has seen in Columbia over the last 35 years.
“Columbia is a fantastically more interesting town than it was back then,” he said “Back then, the buildings were here in downtown Columbia but the infrastructure didn’t feel like a vibrant place. You could stand on Main Street and count the wig shops, and there were only a few wellknown restaurants. Finlay Park didn’t exist. Now, the phenomenal change that’s taken place has drawn people back downtown, and the Congaree Vista area has emerged. There are people wanting to live downtown, there’s something like 40 restaurants in the area and there are things to do.”
Marshall, now Architrave’s president, had a hand in the historical restoration that transformed one of those Main Street buildings that housed a wig shop. His firm has also been responsible for several similar
radical transformations around the state. Some of the firm’s notable historic preservation projects in the Midlands include:
The Canal Dime Savings Bank, 1530 Main St. in Columbia, a three-story Romanesque style building with a granite facade and red barrel tile roof. Originally built around 1892, it was purchased by Eckerd Pharmacy in 1936 and remained a pharmacy until 1987. It last operated as a wig shop before Architrave renovated the property in the late 1990s for residential and commercial use for owners Ray and Patz Carter, with a coffee shop on the lower level, an office on the main level and condominiums on the two upper floors. In recent years, the main level has been home to the South Carolina chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
The Old Newberry Hotel, at the corner of Main and Caldwell streets in Newberry, dating to 1877. When Architrave started work on the block-long project in 2017, the upstairs of the building had stood as an abandoned shell for more than 50 years. The firm worked on making the entire building usable, including replacement of the missing balcony along Caldwell Street. Their renovation took two years and transformed the property into nine apartments, five retail spaces, offices and an event
venue. The project was driven by the stewardship of Joe and Mary McDonald, who purchased the building and committed to making it a publicly accessible venue that included shops.
The Shannon Smith Stuckey House, 1422 Laurel St. in Columbia. Dating to the late 19th century, this residence had been divided into a two-level duplex. In the early 2000s, Architrave completely restored the house for use as a law office, making every effort to restore windows and other ele-
ments to match the original design. The project included a small addition on the structure’s rear side.
While historic preservation has been a major focus for much of its existence, Architrave currently is focusing much of its work on highly customized residential designs that combine traditional and historic South Carolina styles with modern design. Examples of their work in this sec-
Streams Development and Century Development Partners have revealed plans to construct a 300unit market-rate apartment complex in Columbia.
The $94.5 million development plan was approved during a third reading in February by the Richland County Council as part of the Commercial Development Program it operates in collaboration with the city of Columbia, according to a news release. The city approved the plan at a prior meeting on Jan. 23. The investment will create a total of 10 new full- and part-time jobs, as well as hundreds of construction jobs.
The Streams at Earlewood is planned for 301 Sunset Drive just outside of the historic Earlewood community and will feature a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, as well as ample parking in a 520-space parking garage and 42 surface lot spaces, subject to planning departments’ design approvals, the release stated. Alex Dmyterko, CEO at Streams Development, said numerous factors contributed to the selection of the site, such as proximity to the North Main development corridor, the ability to construct a large-scale property so close to the city center, and the opportunity to increase the availability of housing and
neighborhood choices in the area.
“There hasn’t been a modern development of this type in years,” Dmyterko said in the release. “We are excited about the transformative impact that this development can bring to the community, as we work towards final investment decisions.”
Developers also plan to incorporate modern lifestyle amenities into the complex, such as a swimming pool, dog park and EV charging stations, the release stated. The 8.46-acre site was purchased by Central Baptist Church of Columbia and originally used as a shopping center in the 1960s.
“The support our teams have received has been vital in fulfilling the long-standing vision of Central Baptist Church and SVN Blackstream to revitalize the River Drive Corridor. We are grateful for the collaboration and assistance from the city of Columbia and Richland County,” said Brent Chitwood, SVN Blackstream managing director, in the release.
Commitments to provide modern, accessible residential options is a focus for both Richland County and the City of Columbia, according to the release.
“Richland County welcomes the con-
struction of The Streams at Earlewood,” said Richland County Council Chair Jesica Mackey in the release. “The multimillion-dollar development project brings new growth to historic downtown with the creation of new jobs and living amenities. It also underscores Council’s continued commitment to economic development.”
Upon determination of final investment decisions, construction on the complex is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2025, with completion slated for the first quarter of 2027.
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From health care facilities and schools to infrastructure projects, retail centers and mixed-use developments, construction remains strong across the Midlands. The next few pages feature a sampling of area projects undertaken by local architects, engineers and contractors.
Rendering/Seed Architecture
2717 Devine St.
Columbia
Developer/owner: 2717 Devine Street
Architects: Seed Architecture
General contractor: Cohn Corp.
Engineers: Vaught Engineering, Neel-Schaffer
Estimated completion date: April 2024
Project description: Cohn Corp. is partnering with local investors to renovate a two-story multitenant office building. The project comprises complete renovation of the interior, building systems, and façade, giving a customized experience for the future tenants.
Developer/owner: Cooperative Electric Energy Utility Supply (CEEUS)
Architects: Seed Architecture, Columbia
General contractor: McCrory Construction, Columbia
Project manager: MBM Consulting, Piedmont
Engineers: MECA, Columbia (mechanical, plumbing); GWA, Columbia (electrical); Mabry Engineering Associates, West Columbia (structural); Thomas & Hutton, Columbia (civil)
Estimated completion date: Third quarter 2024
Project description: McCrory is upfitting this 247,000-square-foot, two-story spec building to serve as the new headquarters, warehousing, and distribution space for CEEUS. The design will feature high-end finishes, a glass storefront, and a grand entrance. The project includes significant modifications to the remainder of the building, which will be used primarily for warehousing. Plans call for full MEP and includes a new elevator, two new pre-engineered buildings for storage, and construction of a separate entrance road.
Class A Office Building Epting Lane
260-D Epting Lane
West Columbia
Architects: Studio 2 LR, Columbia
General contractor: Pyramid Contracting, Irmo
Engineers: WK Dickson, Columbia (civil)
Estimated completion date: December 2024
Estimated total cost of project: $20 million
Columbia Presbyterian Church 1700 Huger St, Columbia
Developer/owner: Columbia Presbyterian Church
Architects: Catalyst Architects, Lexington
General contractor: Hill Construction Co., Columbia
Estimated completion date: July 2024
Project description: The former Cogdill Carpets building will soon be the new home of Columbia Presbyterian Church. The 42,000-square-foot renovation includes a sanctuary that seats up to 700 people, a children’s ministry area, office space and dedicated space to utilize for ministry partners throughout the week.
Project description: The structure is a 67,000 -square-foot, three-story, Class A office building.
Class A Office Building Wholesale Lane
428 Wholesale Lane
West Columbia
Architects: Studio 2 LR, Columbia
General contractor: Pyramid Contracting, Irmo
Engineers: WK Dickson, Columbia (civil)
Estimated completion date: July 2024
Estimated total cost: $40 million
Project description: The structure is a 150,000 -square-foot, three-story, Class A office building.
The Courtyards at Lowman, Phase II
2101 Dutch Fork Road
Chapin
Developer/owner: Lutheran Homes of South Carolina, Irmo
Architects: RLPS Architects, Lancaster, Pa.
General contractor: McCrory Construction, Columbia Engineers: Engineering, State College, Pa. (MEP); Snell Engineering Consultants, Sarasota, Fla. (structural): Reese Hackman Civil Engineers of Columbia, Columbia (civil)
Project description: McCrory is building a second phase of independent-living apartments at the Lowman Homes in Chapin. The apartments are arranged around a central courtyard designed with a lush landscape; featured are livable porches to enhance outdoor recreation and interaction among neighbors. The neighborhoods include four one-bedroom and 14 two-bedroom apartments, ranging from 740 to 1,018 square feet, along with two community rooms.
Extra Space Storage
748 W. Main St. Lexington
Developer/owner: 803 Lexington Storage
Architects: Heyward & Woodrum
General contractor: Boyer Commercial Construction
Completion date: January 2024
Project description: This project converted the old Kmart in Lexington to a 103,000-square-foot self-storage facility.
Finlay
930 Laurel St. Columbia
Developer/owner: City of Columbia
Architects: Stantec and LS3P, Columbia
General contractor: Mashburn Construction, Columbia
Engineers: Buford Goff & Associates, Columbia (MEP); Chao & Associates, Columbia (survey, site, structural and civil)
Project description: Finlay Park, Columbia’s 18-acre urban park, continues construction as part of a $22 million revitalization project. Plans include retaining the iconic spiral fountain with a newly renovated central pond. LS3P, a subconsultant to Stantec, provided architectural services for the new buildings and renovations, including a stage, splash pad structure, amenity shelter, renovations to the existing ranger station and restroom.
From small shops to multi-use buildings — if it’s a part of your plan, we can bring it to life. As the region's most reviewed commercial construction contractor, we're here to help every step of the way. With over two decades of experience, our team specializes in full-service retail, restaurant, religious, automotive, industrial, office and athletic builds.
Hardscrabble Storage Facility
5041 Hardscrabble Road
Blythewood
Developer/owner: PRWP HCH 803 Storage, Columbia
Architects: Heyward & Woodrum
General contractor: Boyer Commercial Construction
Estimated completion date: Summer 2024
Project description: The Hardscrabble Storage Facility project consists of sitework and construction of a new 108,000-square-foot storage building.
150 Sunset Court
West Columbia
Developer/owner: Lexington Medical Center, West Columbia
Architects: LS3P, Columbia
General contractor: Landmark Builders of South Carolina LLC, Columbia
Engineers: Buford Goff & Associates, Columbia
Timmerman Structural Engineering Group, West Columbia
Estimated completion date: Summer 2024
Estimated total cost of project: $17 million
Historic South Carolina Supreme Court Building Renovations
1231 Gervais St.
Columbia
Developer/owner: South Carolina Department of Administration, Columbia
Architects: GMK Associates Architectural Division, Columbia
General contractor: Leitner Construction Company of the Carolinas, Rock Hill
Project manager: GMK Associates Architectural Division, Columbia
Engineers: GMK Associates Engineering Division, Columbia (MEP); WM Building Envelope
Consultants, Chapin (roofing system design)
Estimated completion date: Fall 2024
Estimated total cost of project: Approximately $3.4 million
Project description: Originally serving as Columbia’s main post office from 1921 to 1966, this neoclassical style building was acquired by the state for use as the Supreme Court of South Carolina and later listed on the National Register. GMK led the design efforts for various building envelope renovations — roof systems, window systems, general exterior waterproofing, and refurbishment — in accordance with relevant state historic preservation and local historic preservation guidelines.
Project description: In this public/private partnership, the University of South Carolina is partnering with Lexington Medical Center to expand its School of Nursing programs. This is the second graduate medical education building on Lexington Medical Center’s West Columbia campus, the first of which opened in 2023. The three-story 52,000-square-foot facility will accommodate 800 students with a variety of educational spaces, including simulation labs, mock clinical spaces, and oversized classrooms.
Maxcy Gregg House
1518 Richland St.
Columbia
Developer/owner: Avant Holdings
Architects: Studio 2LR, Columbia
Project manager: Avant Holdings, Columbia
Estimated completion date: June 2024
Estimated total cost of project: $500,000
Project description: Full historic restoration to the Maxcy Gregg House, circa 1841 and on the National Register. The approximately 5,500-square-feet building sits on .35 acres and includes a carriage house, all for Class A offices. The project encompasses restoring heart pine floors and original plaster walls, high ceilings with molding, wavy glass windows throughout, renovated kitchenettes, all new plumbing and HVAC systems, new code compliant stairs in the rear plus an ADA ramp, and original porch, patio and balcony restoration.
Mungo Office Headquarters
441 Western Lane
Irmo
Architects: Garvin Design Group
General contractor: Cohn Corp.
Engineers: Belka Engineering Associates (electrical); Mabry Engineering (structural); Civil Engineering, Columbia (civil)
Estimated completion date: January 2025
Project description: Cohn Corporation is working to build a new state-of-the-art headquarters for Mungo Homes. The 20,250-square-foot building is an additional structure adjacent to its current building. In addition to the new office building, site and parking modifications are being made and the existing pre-engineered metal building is being renovated for a new training center for the company. The expansion of Mungo Homes will allow the creation of 40 new jobs.
Phase II Stier Supply
303 Bellinger Lane
Gaston
Developer/owner: Terrain Leasing 303
Architects: G3S Architecture + Design
General contractor: Boyer Commercial Construction
Estimated completion date: July 2024
Project description: This project consists of an 85,000-square-foot addition for Stier Supply’s Gaston location.
Pontiac Elementary School
500 Spears Creek Church Road Columbia
Developer/owner: Richland School District Two, Columbia
Architects: Goodwyn Mills Cawood, Columbia; ADC Engineering, Columbia (landscape architect)
General contractor: Harper General Contractors, Greenville
Engineers: Swygert & Associates, Cayce (mechanical and plumbing); Buford Goff & Associates, Columbia (electrical); ADC Engineering, Columbia (structural); Goodwyn Mills Cawood, Columbia (civil)
Estimated completion date: July 2024
Estimated total cost of project: $13 million
Project description: The project includes a one-story addition with a new media center, art and music classrooms, and associated support spaces. Non-load-bearing walls in the existing Montessori classrooms are being demolished and replaced with new walls, ceilings, and flooring
to create larger classroom spaces. Other upgrades include converting the old media center into a multipurpose gym. Exterior work includes extending the car-rider line drive loop and adding new canopies connecting portions of the building.
Presbyterian Communities
Columbia Skilled Nursing Facility Renovations & Additions
700 DaVega Dr.
Lexington
Developer/owner: Presbyterian Communities of South Carolina
Architects: McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture
General contractor: Boyer Commercial Construction
Estimated completion date: Spring 2024
Project description: This is phase five of construction for The Columbia Presbyterian Community. This phase includes interior renovations to the existing facilities resident rooms and hallways.
Publix Supermarket at Trenholm Plaza
4860 Forest Drive
Columbia
Developer/owner: Publix Supermarket, Lakeland, Fla.
Architects: Little Diversified, Charlotte
General contractor: McCrory Construction, Columbia
Engineers: Brandt Engineering, Midlothian, VA (MEP); Little Diversified, Charlotte (structural)
Estimated completion date: Third quarter 2024
Project description: For this expansion McCrory Construction is adding nearly 11,000 additional square feet to the footprint of the 38,000-square-foot Publix at Trenholm Plaza. The resulting store will be just under 50,000 square feet and will get a complete interior renovation as part of the project. The area sees heavy daily traffic, which requires extra care and caution to keep shoppers safe and the worksite clean. The store will remain open during the project.
Pvolve
2140 Pickens St.
Columbia
Developer/owner: Pvolve Development
Architects: DXU architects
General contractor: Cohn Corp.
Engineers: Neville Engineering
Estimated completion date: April 2024
Project description: Cohn Corporation is upfitting the 2,300-square-foot tenant space for Pvolve in the ground floor retail space of the Bennet in the Bull Street District. Pvolve will have a large group session studio, a studio for private one-on-one sessions, locker rooms, and a retail area. Pvolve is a holistic fitness studio with locations in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, with 35 other locations in development.
Developer/owner: RWG Properties, LLC
Architects: 1x1 Design, Columbia; KBS-Landscape Architects, Columbia (landscape architecture)
General contractor: Kirk Commercial Construction, Columbia
Engineers: Mabry Engineering Associates (structural)
Estimated completion date: Spring 2024
Project description: Known as the Barton House, this historic structure was moved from Bull Street to its current location in the early 1980s. After their recent purchase, the owners began a rehabilitation of the existing structure while seeking Bailey Bill protection and tax incentives. When completed, the interior and building systems will have been completely renovated, while large portions of the existing structure and layout remain intact and accessibility is improved.
Estimated completion date: May 2024
Project description: The Riverbanks Zoo Komodo dragon exhibit project includes the demolition, sitework and construction of a new holding exhibit for the zoo’s three Komodo dragons.
Renovation to 2218 Devine Street
2218 Devine St.
Columbia
Developer/owner: Colonial River Club
Architects: 1x1 Design, Columbia
General contractor: Kirk Commercial Construction, Columbia
Engineers: Mabry Engineering Associates
Estimated completion date: Spring 2024
Sam’s Club
733 Fashion Drive
Columbia
Developer/owner: Sam’s Club, Bentonville, Ark.
Architects: SGA Design Group, Tulsa
General contractor: McCrory Construction, Columbia Engineers: MPW Engineering, Tulsa (electrical, mechanical, plumbing); Johnston Burkholder Associates, Kansas City, Mo. (structural)
Project description: This is a 138,677-square-foot interior and exterior renovation to the Sam’s Club located at the Village at Sandhills. Project scope includes selective demo, new shop-in produce and dairy coolers, and new refrigerated cases. Work also includes furnishing miscellaneous steel, joist reinforcements, a millwork and trim package, metal-stud framing and drywall, interior painting, fire protection modifications, and MEP upgrades. The store will remain open during construction.
Project description: Under new ownership for the first time in almost 40 years, this building underwent a renovation that tackled a number of areas to rehabilitate and update it. The front porch, previously enclosed in an earlier renovation, has been reopened, creating a more distinct front entry. At the rear, a small addition and relocation of stairs is planned to better connect the two levels while increasing accessibility.
500 Wildlife Pkwy
Columbia
Developer/owner: Riverbanks Zoo and Garden
Architects: Jumper, Carter, Sease Architects, West Columbia
General contractor: Boyer Commercial Construction
Shop Road Ventures
211 Shopline Dr.
Columbia
Developer/owner: Shop Ventures
Architects: Davis Architecture
General contractor: Cohn Corp.
Engineers: Harvey O. Lucas Jr., PE; Vaught Engineering; HB Engineering; Timmerman Structural Engineering Group
Estimated completion date: 2027
Project description: This existing industrial site serves as a gateway to Columbia at Interstate 77 and the corner of Shop Road and Beltline Boulevard. A group of local investors purchased this site, which will be transformed into a new industrial business park that will help serve the
Midlands market. Cohn Corp. is renovating eight buildings totaling nearly 350,000 square feet on approximately 80 acres. Buildings 4 and 9 have been completed and construction is active on Buildings 5, 6, and 7.
State Street Renovation and Revitalization
1301 State St.
Cayce
Developer/owner: Pyramid Contracting
Architects: Davis Architecture, Columbia
General contractor: Pyramid Contracting, Irmo
Estimated completion date: June 2024
Estimated total cost: $1 million
Project description: Commercial renovation and revitalization of an abandoned historic building for restaurant, retail, and office space.
tor include the historic University Hill renovation in Columbia and the Moon Tide residence on Kiawah Island.
Beyond architecture, community service and a commitment to historic preservation plays a significant role in Architrave's mission. Dale serves on the Vista Guild Board of Directors as well as Historic Columbia’s Preservation Committee. He also chairs Historic Columbia’s Preservation Design Awards Committee and previously served on the city of Columbia’s Design/Development Review Commission.
Meanwhile, Bill is a consultant for several architectural review boards in the Charleston area and formerly served on the cty of Charleston’s Commercial Corridor Design Review Board. In addition, Justin served as president of the Vista Night Rotary Club and as a member of the Columbia Museum of Art Contemporaries Board.
Over the years, Architrave has received numerous accolades, including multiple Best of Houzz awards and recognition from the Historic Columbia Foundation and The American Institute of Architects.
Dale Marshall sees his work with Architrave as part of a larger mission to grow the economic and residential quality of life in Columbia and Charleston while also preserving the things that make both cities memorable. By focusing on their unique architecture and ways of life, the cities can simultaneously maintain a sense of history while also growing to meet the needs and wants of a new era of residents
The Warehouse on Miller 1104 Miller Ave.
Columbia
Developer/owner: MGN Development Group, Columbia
Architects: Phase One, Columbia
General contractor: CNC Contracting
Project manager: Massey Engineering, Columbia Engineers: Massey Engineering, Columbia (MEP, civil and structural)
Estimated completion date: March 2024
Project description: This project revitalizes an existing block-and-steel building utilizing a modernized identity and functional floor plan. A new ADA bathroom and office addition will allow for the placement of the required elements to run a business while maintaining the expansive openness that the building’s engineered steel frame allows. The exterior and lot include new paving, parking, and landscaping; an adjacent laydown yard behind fence also is accessible to the interior via a side garage door.
and business owners.
Preserving the past while focusing on the future has been a key element of transformation in locations around the state in recent years.
One of the biggest motivators for preservation over the past 30 years has been the Bailey Bill. Passed by the state legislature in 1992, the landmark legislation gave local governments the option of granting property tax abatement to encourage rehabilitation of historic properties. After
the legislation was amended in 2004, the cty of Columbia’s council adopted a local amended version of the bill in 2007.
The effectiveness of preservation in making a city’s downtown area distinctive is evident when you look at the difference between the downtown areas of Charleston, Columbia and Charlotte, Marshall said. Charleston’s charm is obvious. The peninsula, with its huge array of carefully preserved buildings, offers both residents and visitors a downtown walking experi-
ence few cities can match – leading it to be consistently named one of the country’s hottest tourist destinations and also spurring out-of-staters to move there.
Columbia, although nowhere near Charleston on the preservation scale, has succeeded in preserving enough historic downtown buildings to make the area distinctive and memorable. Massive urban redevelopment projects like the BullStreet District are preserving historic structures while also constructing livable urban communities that will attract a more diverse group of residents and businesses.
And then there’s Charlotte. While it’s a bustling big city, most of its city center is taken up with skyscrapers and high rises populated by banks, financial corporations and other companies. High-rise apartment buildings are also multiplying rapidly. It’s busy, but doesn’t offer much that is visually distinctive or memorable — the downtown area looks like dozens of others in many respects.
While Columbia will likely never be as big as Charlotte, a focus on promoting and preserving what makes the city unique will likely fuel economic development for the future — and likely blot out the memories of when Main Street was the home of all those wig shops.
“I think there’s a been a super conscious recognition in the Midlands in recent years of how preservation can be a driver for growth,” Bailey said. “Preservation is a huge community asset. These unique buildings we have here in downtown Columbia are part of what makes Columbia unique and memorable.”
The USC Region of the South Carolina Small Business Development Center network has brought in Lorie Graham as a business consultant. She provides resources to entrepreneurs who would like to start a new business or expand an existing business in Newberry County. Graham received her undergraduate education at Marshall University. She completed continuing education in medical terminology and the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators’ drug d iversion advanced programs. In addition, she earned certifications from Reid Investigation and Interrogation and Clear National Investigator. Graham started her career as a litigation liability analyst and served in various other roles, including as an investigator for the S.C. Labor, Licensing and Regulation office.
Natalye Jackson , Hood Construction’s v irtual design manager, received the Executive Spotlight Shining Star Award at the 68th annual National Association of Women in Construction Conference. She is the association’s chair of professional development and the recording secretary and is involved in the education and nomination committees. In 2023, Jackson received the 2022 Future Leader of the Year Award for the South Atlantic Region.
Mashburn Construction has promoted five team members in its Columbia and Charleston locations. Logan Parker is now project manager; he graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in engineering and is based in Charleston. Lucas Rodenberg is now assistant superintendent, also in Charleston. He has a degree from Clemson University in c onstruction s cience management. Tim Schultz has been promoted to Charleston yard and equipment manager; he has also served in a superintendent role. Chris Sinclair is now a Columbia project manager; he has a degree in
business administration from USC. Nick Wilson has been promoted to assistant superintendent.
LS3P has named Esperanza “Espy” Harper as its innovation leader. She had been a senior medical planner with LS3P for the past five years. As innovation leader, Harper is responsible for leading LS3P’s efforts in researching and developing transformative ideas and unique solutions. Harper’s 2024 quarter one goals include establishing an innovation pipeline, hosting “Fire Starter Sessions,” and promoting practice improvements. Harper earned her Six Sigma Green Belt from Villanova University and earned a Master of Architecture from the University of Michigan.
The Lexington Chamber and Visitors Center presented its Mike Till Impact Award to Mike Crapps , First Community Bank CEO. The recognition is in memory of Mike Till, a past chairman of the chamber’s board of directors. Crapps, a co-founder of First Community Bank, has served as its CEO, as well as on its board of directors, since opening the bank in 1995. Crapps has served in a variety of leadership roles, including on the boards of the South Carolina Bankers Association, Saluda Shoals Foundation, American Cancer Society and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. He currently serves on the Clemson University IPTAY board of directors, Midlands Business Leadership Group executive committee, and the Business Development Corp. executive committee.
Certified Elder Law attorney Lisa Hostetler Brown , of LawyerLisa, has been selected to receive the Gold Compleat Lawyer Award given by the University of South Carolina’s Joseph F. Rice School of Law. She will receive
the award at the school’s annual Compleat Awards reception in April in Columbia.
Gibbs Leaphart , a member of Robinson Gray law firm, has been certified by the South Carolina Supreme Court’s Board of Arbitrator and Mediator Certification as a Circuit Court mediator. The certification empowers Leaphart to serve as a neutral and impartial communicator between parties to encourage and facilitate resolution of a dispute without an adversarial proceeding. Mediation is a voluntary process. Leaphart practices in the area of workers’ compensation. He has represented employers, carriers and self-insured employers since 2005. He has practiced before the state trial courts, appellate courts and South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission. He is a board member of the South Carolina Employers’ Advocacy Association, as well as a member of the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Educational Association and the National Workers’ Compensation Defense Network. He also serves on the board of SoundBites, a local nonprofit. Leaphart earned a bachelor’s degree from Wofford College, graduating cum laude, and received his juris doctor from the USC School of Law.
Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd’s Kathleen Muthig has been elected to serve a threeyear term on the Columbia Chamber of Commerce board of directors. Active in both the legal industry and local community, Muthig has served in several volunteer roles, including on the boards for the Prisma Health Cancer Center and Junior League of Columbia, as well as the Richland County Bar Association Advisory Committee and U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of South Carolina Local Rules Committee Chair. She is a 2020 graduate of Leadership Columbia. Muthig focuses her practice on commercial real estate, including development, financing, commercial leases and related real estate transactions. She also has experience representing financial institutions and commercial landlords in state court and bankruptcy court litigation. Muthig is recognized as a Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch (20212024) for Administrative/Regulatory
Law, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Litigation-Banking Finance. She was also named one of South Carolina Super Lawyers 2023 Rising Stars for Real Estate Law.
Ronald T. Scott has been elected as a shareholder in Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd’s Columbia office. His practice focuses on public finance, local government and economic development matters. Scott serves as bond counsel to housing developers for low-income housing projects assisted through state and federal tax credits. He also serves as general counsel and issuer’s counsel to local public housing authorities, which act as conduit issuers for private activity housing revenue bonds. Scott advises municipalities and counties on a variety of matters related to public finance, real estate, planning, zoning, contracts, ordinances, regulations and the Freedom of Information Act.
Knight’s Companies has promoted Andy Stevenson to business development manager for Knight’s RediMix; he had been area manager for Knight’s Redi-Mix in the Midlands. Stevenson is responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with economic development professionals and industry organizations within the 19 counties that Knight’s Redi-Mix serves. Stevenson has more than 30 years of experience in the industry, and nearly seven years of service with Knight’s Companies.
NP Strategy is expanding its social media team with the addition of Ryal Curtis as a senior director.
Curtis joins NP Strategy after 10 years with BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, where he served as social media manager and the company’s first social media strategist.
Graham Jackson Harper Muthig Stevenson CurtisHe also spent two years in communications at the University of South Carolina and nearly seven years with a marketing and social media agency in Raleigh. Curtis graduated from Michigan State University. He is a graduate of Leadership Columbia and Leadership South Carolina and previously served on the board for the Columbia Opportunity Resource, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Columbia, and the American Marketing Association, Columbia chapter. In 2015, he was recognized on the “20 Under 40” list awarded by The State newspaper.
Make-A-Wish South Carolina has elected Meredith Dial , marketing manager for Dial Grimm and Rupert, to the chapter’s board of directors. Dial serves on the development committee for the chapter and has hosted wish celebrations for several local wish kids. She has also made it a mission to help fund wishes for the chapter and recently hosted Wine Down for Wishes, a Columbia event that raised more than $13,000. Dial is a graduate of the University of South Carolina.
Youth Corps has appointed Caryn Pumphrey as its new executive director. Pumphrey has nearly 20 years of experience in local nonprofit philanthropy and management. She has a bachelor’s in music education from the University of South Carolina and a Master of Arts Administration from Florida State University. She began her career with the Cultural Council of Richland & Lexington Counties and has also been a part of teams at Girl Scouts of South Carolina – Mountains to Midlands, the University of South Carolina, Edventure Children’s Museum, and, most recently, The Free Medical Clinic.
President of the 2024 board of directors for Crew Midlands-SC, the local chapter of Crew Network, is Elizabeth Riley, marketing manager for Colliers South Carolina. This year’s board also includes Marie Dieckmann, president-elect (CBRE); Lindsey Yarborough, immediate past president (Mashburn Construction); Lindsay Medlin, treasurer (Bauknight Pietras & Stormer); Alli Morgan, secretary (Lillibridge Healthcare
Services); Kelly King, sponsorship chair (Miller Knoll); Boo Moca, membership chair (Wilson Kibler); Dee Deberry, programs co-chair (Blew & Associates); Meg Syms, programs co-chair (Garvin Design Group); Amanda Merchant, communications co-chair (Callaway Construction); Abbie Thielke, communications co-chair (McMillan Pazdan Smith); Lauren Greene, chapter champion (First Citizens); Molly Campolong, at-large (Robinson Gray); Margaret Clarkson, career outreach co-chair (LS3P); and Ellianna Shipp, career outreach co-chair (Phase One).
Trinity Partners has named Peyton Bryant managing partner for the Columbia office. Bryant will succeed the company’s South Carolina founding partner, Bruce Harper, and will assume the day-to-day overall operational responsibilities and broker-in-charge duties while continuing to source new opportunities for the firm’s brokerage and property management divisions. He joined Trinity Partners in June of 2022 and had been serving as partner and director of business development. Harper will continue to serve on Columbia’s executive committee and will lead the firm’s continued strategic geographic growth throughout South Carolina. He will also focus on development and investment opportunities and continue to conduct brokerage business for his clients.
Colliers South Carolina’s Maryanne Grinnell has been promoted to marketing coordinator and Cooper Belle has been hired as marketing assistant in the firm’s Columbia office. Grinnell supports property marketing and business development efforts for Colliers’ Retail Services Team in the Columbia office. Additionally, she works with the firm’s four South Carolina offices on the development and implementation of social media strategies. Grinnell also serves on the company’s annual United Way giving campaign committee. Belle will assist with the marketing and industrial brokerage teams in Columbia by creating marketing materials and executing property marketing strategies through graphic design, digital marketing and content creation. Grinnell and Belle are both graduates of the University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business with Bachelor of Science degrees in business administration with a concentration in Marketing.
Fifteen years ago this month, I joined the staff at the newly formed South Carolina Public Health Institute. In 2011, SCPHI evolved into what is now known as the South Carolina Institute of Medicine & Public Health. When I came to the institute, I found a team of passionate people, rallied around a shared mission of improving public health in South Carolina. As a state, we have experienced numerous natural disasters that have affected the health of South Carolinians — on a generational scale. Many of our rural hospitals have closed their doors over the years, straining an already overburdened acute care system.
We have been through a pandemic that has forever altered the way we view health and health care delivery in our state. And although we have experienced extraordinary challenges, we remain optimistic about the future and are more committed than ever to improving the health of our state.
We have made great strides toward improving public health in our state, including:
Establishing our Health Policy Fellows Program. In 2013, we designed this program to provide education and technical assistance on health policy issues to members of the General Assembly in a nonpartisan manner. To date, more than 70 members have participated in the program. With each cohort IMPH ushers in a group of legislators who are well equipped to make decisions related to the health of their constituents and the larger population of our state.
Proposing policy changes that could accelerate our state’s behavioral health and long-term care systems’ ability to respond to the growing need for services. This work was the first of the newly formed IMPH.
Envisioning and defining a health care workforce for the future, to support new models of care delivery that contribute to population level health improvements. This work included new and emerging roles across physical and behavioral health systems and identified growth opportunities before COVID caused a crisis within the health workforce.
Working with partners like the South
Carolina Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services to provide opioid settlement fund strategies for communities across the state. We presented this work alongside the governor and attorney general to support communities as they make critical decisions to best support their friends and neighbors.
Supporting efforts to fight chronic diseases and promote healthy lifestyles, understanding that the environments in which families live have significant impact on their ability to make healthy choices. For example, we are currently working with Williamsburg County on land design to maximize opportunities for active transportation.
Establishing the Social Isolation Taskforce, which brought together professionals, providers and patients to address a new kind of public health emergency — the growing prevalence of isolation among our state’s older adults. The USC Office for the Study of Aging at the Arnold School of Public Health has formed an inclusive, ongoing coalition, South Carolina’s Operation to Confront Social Isolation and Loneliness (SOCIAL Aging), to keep this work alive.
None of this work would be possible without the IMPH Board of Directors
and staff. As the heart of our organization, they work diligently to prioritize our state’s most pressing health issues and develop solutions for action. My predecessor, founding Executive Director Kester Freeman Jr. continues to infuse his passion into the organization, reminding us to never slow down.
I want to also give my thanks to the many partners IMPH has worked with over the years. Through a spirit of collaboration, determination and hard work, we have made strides toward a healthier future for South Carolinians.
As I reflect on the last 15 years, I find myself excited and energized for the future, and I cannot wait to see what the next 15 years will bring for IMPH and South Carolina.
Maya Pack is the executive director of the South Carolina Institute of Medicine and Public Health.
“This is a celebration for us. To come together with a whole bunch of people that we know, manufacturers themselves, people in the ecosystem, and the chance to connect with new manufacturers. We just love it!!”
- Andy Carr, SCMEP“We love this conference. We’ve been a proud partner and sponsor since its inception. It brings together a lot of credible manufacturers.”
- Quinn Gains, Choate Construction