CommerceofChamberCarolinaSouththeofpublicationA2022ASCEND
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FEATURES
13 THE 2021 LEGISLATIVE VOTING RECORD How State Representatives Voted on the Issues 24 LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE Green Envy: Inside the Biggest Golf Championships in South Carolina 35 THE 2021 LEADERSHIP AWARDS Three South Carolina Leaders in Profile 46 TOURISM Counter Culture: Exploring the Gullah Geechee across South Carolina DEPARTMENTS 5 LETTER FROM THE CHAIR 7 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT 10 LEGISLATIVE RECAP 31 EDUCATION & WORKFORCE A Review of the SC HBCU STEM Program 32 DIVERSITY & INCLUSION Diversity Council Launches Toolkit for Employers 43 HUMAN INTEREST 52 EXPORTS A Deep Dive Into SC Ports Expansion 54 CITY PROFILE North Augusta: A Riverside Retreat 57 GIVING PROFILE Blackbaud: Helping Good Take Over 60 SC BUSINESS WEEK 61 MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Working Together for the Better: Inside Zeus Industrial Products 64 HEALTHCARE Made in America: The Opening of Nephron Nitrile 66 BE PRO BE PROUD 68 AFTER THE EVENT SC Chamber Recognizes the Best Places to Work in South Carolina 71 2022 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2022 Issue South Carolina Chamber of Commerce 1301 Gervais St., Suite 1100 Columbia, SC 29201 800.799.4601 ASCEND is a publication of the President & CEO Bob Morgan Chief Revenue Officer Kelly Wolf Executive Vice President of Public Policy, Affiliates & of Counsel Swati Patel Chief Diversity Officer Cynthia Bennett ASCENDPublishedMagazineby The Brand Copyrightthebrandleader.comLeader©2022bytheSouth Carolina Chamber of Commerce and The Brand Leader. All foreign and U.S. rights reserved. Contents of this publication, including images, may not be reproduced without written consent from the publisher. Published for South Carolina Chamber of Commerce by The Brand Leader.
OUR MISSION
SC Market President TD Bank
OUR VISION
2
DR. CYNTHIA WALTERS — DIVERSITY COUNCIL CHAIR Corporate Director of Inclusion Prisma Health
S.C. Chamber of Commerce EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
MIKE CALLAHAN — CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE
State President, South Carolina Duke Energy
BRYAN HAMRICK — HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE CHAIR Director, Human Resources Zeus Industrial Products, Inc.
Managing Shareholder, Greenville Office Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
TOMMY LAVENDER — ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNICAL COMMITTEE CHAIR Member Nexsen Pruet, LLC
JAMES D’ALESSIO — CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE
ROGER SCHRUM — CHAIRMAN’S NOMINEE PAC CHAIR Vice President, Investor Relations & Corporate Affairs Sonoco
LINDSAY LEANARD — MANUFACTURING COMMITTEE CHAIR Director, State & Local Government Operations Boeing Company
BEN REX — INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION COMMITTEE CHAIR CEO Cyberwoven, LLC
KATHY HELMS — EDUCATION & WORKFORCE
DEE DEE HENDERSON — CHAIRMAN’S NOMINEE Executive VP of Clinical Operations Agape Care South Carolina
SAM KONDUROS — CHAIRMAN’S NOMINEE President & CEO Vikor Scientific/KOR
KIM WILKERSON — CHAIRMAN SC Market President and Managing Director Bank of America
MIKE SHETTERLY — GENERAL COUNSEL
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE CHAIR
BOYD JONES — LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR Executive VP, Director Middle Market Banking Synovus
TIM ARNOLD — PAST-CHAIR President & CEO Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company
CHRIS BARRAS — TAX COMMITTEE CHAIR Executive Director Ernst & Young LLP
Shareholder Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
BOB MORGAN President & CEO SC Chamber of Commerce
WILL WHITLEY — 2ND VICE CHAIR Director of State, Local Government & Community Relations Michelin NA, Inc.
To strategically create and advance a thriving, free-market environment where South Carolina businesses can prosper.
KELLER KISSAM — CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE President & CEO Southeast Energy Group, Dominion Energy
Vice President of Government Affairs BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina
DAVID LOMINACK — CHAIR ELECT/MEMBERSHIP CHAIR
Make South Carolina the best place in the nation to live, work and do business.
THOMAS RHODES — SMALL BUSINESS COMMITTEE CHAIR President Rhodes Companies
CHRIS STORMER — TREASURER Shareholder Bauknight, Pietras & Stormer, P.A.
214175-8-2021
BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.
RISING TO THE CHALLENGE
Since 1946, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina has helped South Carolinians navigate many challenges. Our security, strength and stability have allowed us to stand tall in the face of adversity. And that’s not going to change. Whatever challenges arise, we’ll face them together. SouthCarolinaBlues.com
I am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside the dedicated South Carolina Chamber Board of Directors and staff to tackle the issues most critical to South Carolina’s economy and our State’s business community.
AS WE REFLECT UPON 2021, it is more important than ever to show gratitude for one another. I am fortunate and thankful for those who have worked hard every day to make our State even better. Thank you for your commitment and passion for making South Carolina the country’s best place to live and work.
A LETTER FROM THE CHAIR
It is our continued privilege to support the people and economy of South Carolina. Over a third of our grants at Bank of America are directed to educational programs and workforce development to help people succeed—in school, in financial health and in being prepared to enter the workforce.
Diversity and racial equality continue to be a fundamental priority across the State of South Carolina. The need for real progress on racial and economic equality across our State has been underlined by the impact of the coronavirus on communities of color. Doing more can take the form of an individual voice advocating for equality, a community coming together to feed those in need, or a business drawing on its resources and expertise to help create a better, more sustainable world for its employees, those they serve, and society at large. We all have a role to play in helping move communities forward. At Bank of America we have committed $1.25 billion over the next five years to advance racial equality and economic opportunity.
By working together, we can make the biggest impact. I look forward to serving as your chair as we collaborate to make a difference in the lives for the people of our great State.
South Carolina President, Bank of America Chair, South Carolina Chamber of Commerce
Letter
Bank of America is a dedicated member of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, and we have served individuals and businesses throughout South Carolina for more than 130 years. We bring our range of resources to local communities with the goals of helping customers and clients lead better financial lives. Our commitment encompasses all aspects of our business by driving responsible growth and advancing economic mobility through key partnerships to help individuals find long-term paths to success. Throughout the State, Bank of America has deployed millions of dollars to over 120 local organizations that focus on addressing issues fundamental to economic mobility and social progress.
As a business community we also need to raise awareness around mental health. So many people deal with mental illness in silence and experience panic, denial, blame and shame. We all have people working with us who are dealing with mental health issues in their families, and we need to speak up and address access barriers, help fight stigma, and advocate for a care continuum.
South Carolina business leaders took advantage of resources and learned to adapt their businesses to navigate through the pandemic. Now, we must recommit, consider new strategies, and continue to grow and achieve together. We see great things ahead for this coming year, and I am honored to be the incoming 2022 chair of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce.
Leadership in these times calls for each of us to set high standards. The South Carolina Chamber’s goal is to create the best business climate for South Carolina businesses to prosper.
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VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Peter Lamotte SR. VP Chernoff Newman – CHS Office
Tom Foster
SR. VP AND COO, NUCLEAR & ENVIRONMENT Amentum
VP/GENERAL MANAGER Enterprise Holdings
Doug Callender
VP INDUSTRIAL AMERICAS Sonoco
Mark Hart VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Carolina Panthers
MARKET EXECUTIVE Wells Fargo
Tim Arnold Colonial Life
Ben Rex CEO Cyberwoven, LLC
Chris Stormer
Pamela Williams
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, SC COMMERCIAL BANKING Bank of America
Deedee Henderson Agape Care Gregg Hendrix CEO The SEFA Group, Inc.
Brad Wright PARTNER Burr Forman McNair
MANAGING PARTNER Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP
Boyd Jones
David Lominack T.D. Bank
Thomas Anderson
Jennifer McQuesten
Thomas Komaromi GENERAL COUNSEL Samsung
Randy Lowell PARTNER Willoughby & Hoefer, P.A
Bernie Hawkins PARTNER Nelson Mullins
Cynthia Walters CORPORATE DIRECTOR OF INCLUSION Prisma Health
Paul Patrick EXEC. VP FOR BUSINESS AFFAIRS & CFO College of Charleston
Colonial Life
Murphy Monk PRESIDENT Local Chamber, Greater Hartsville Chamber of Commerce
EXECUTIVE VP, DIRECTOR MIDDLE MARKET BANKING Synovus
Bryan Derreberry CEO Local Chamber, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce
CO-PRESIDENT McCall Farms Inc.
Steve Smith
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Ernst & Young LLP
Ben Breazeale
Robert Alexander
Stuart MacVean PRESIDENT & CEO Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC
VP OF DEVELOPMENTCAREERSERVICES
Will Whitley Michelin
Tim Norwood PRESIDENT Bistro Holdings, Inc.
Mike Carrouth PARTNER
John T. Lay SHAREHOLDER Gallivan, White & Boyd
Chris Verenes PRESIDENT/CEO Security Federal Bank
MEMBER ASSURANCE AND ADVISOR SERVICES Scott and Company LLC
Darren Wright
Ryan Dukes OWNER Blue Marlin
Matt Puckett SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Gallagher
Rita Berry
Local Chamber, Greater Summerville/ Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce
Carl Blackstone
Mike Callahan Duke Energy
Fatima Perez
Dr. Marilyn Fore
VP OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS Zeus Industrial Products, Inc.
SC REGIONAL PRESIDENT Truist Bank
Kuger Schurm Sonoco
ADMINISTRATOR NHC Healthcare, Laurens
Willette Burnham Williams CHIEF EQUITY OFFICER MUSC
EVP, GENERAL COUNSEL AND SECRETARY Century Aluminum Company
Richard Shaffer
John DeZee
Angela O’Neal DIRECTOR Nextra Soutions
Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands
S.C. Chamber of Commerce BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EXECUTIVE GOVERNMENTDIRECTOR,AFFAIRS Bridgestone Americas
Woody Swink
INTERACTIVE DIRECTOR The Brandon Agency
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Coroplast
PRESIDENT & CEO
SR. DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS FOR SC Charter Communications
Dave Solano
REGIONAL MANAGER, STATE GOVT. AFFAIRS Koch Industries
Bob Morgan SC Chamber
James D’Alessio
Rickie Shearer
SHAREHOLDER Bauknight, Pietras & Stormer, P.A.
Lindsey Leonard DIRECTOR, STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS Boeing Company
Hal Stevenson
Jarrett Martin PRESIDENT MAR-MAC Industris, Inc
Courtney Herring REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS CVS
DIRECTOR, HUMAN RESOURCES Recruiting Solutions (Varner)
Mike Shetterly Ogletree, Deakins
James Harrell
Rob Godfrey
Dean Faile PRESIDENT York County Regional Chamber of Commerce Terrance Ford DIRECTOR OF LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS AT&T
Greg Taylor
SR. VP, GROWTH MARKETS & ENROLLMENT
Nick McNeill
Mike Brenan
Mark O’Halla PRESIDENT & CEO Prisma Health
VICE PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina
William McKinney SHAREHOLDER Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd P.A.
Richard Bhola
Tommy Lavender MEMBER Nexsen Pruet, LLC
Kathy Helms SHAREHOLDER
MANAGING DIRECTOR, SOUTH CAROLINA CBRE South Carolina
CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Grace Outdoor Advertising
Steven E Nail Anderson Univeristy
Chris Barras
Jeremy Migliara PRINCIPAL, STATE & LOCAL TAX PRACTICE LEADER Elliott Davis
Sam Konduros Vikor Scientific
SR. VICE PRESIDENT FOR CORPORATE AFFAIRS NephronCorporationPharmaceuticals
PRESIDENT & CEO Columbia Chamber of Commerce
Horry-GeorgetownTechnicalCollege
Keller Kissam PRESIDENT & CEO SOUTHEAST ENERGY GROUP Dominion Energy
Adam Hatcher GENERAL COUNSEL MAU (Management Analysis & Utilization)
James C Clements Clemson Univeristy
Kim Wilkerson BOA
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER CHEMICAL DIVISION Milliken & Company
First Citizens
Bob Paulling PRESIDENT & CEO Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative
Charles Johnson PRESIDENT Corsica Technologies
Chris Gullott
Dr. Forest E. Mahan PRESIDENT Aiken Technical College
Tim Timmons
Jeff Trenning
Bryan Hamrick DIRECTOR OF HR Zeus Industrial Products, Inc.
Carlos Phillips PRESIDENT & CEO Local Chamber - Greenville Chamber
Kevin Lindler SR. VP/REGIONALEXECUTIVEBUSINESS
Fisher Phillips
Herb Dew CEO Human Technologies
Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Thomas Rhodes PRESIDENT Rhodes Companies
CHIEF PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER AND GENERAL COUNSEL Santee Cooper
South Carolina is one of the fastest growing states in the nation. From my very first day at the Chamber, it has been clear to me that South Carolina, now more than ever, needs a strong business community to shape the future of our state. Our vision at the SC Chamber is for South Carolina’s economy to be the most vibrant in the United States, creating opportunity and prosperity for all. Our mission is simply to be the leading voice for business in South Carolina.
We are bringing businesses together in the Palmetto State to make an impact through coordinated legislative strategies, training opportunities and networking events. With a unified voice throughout the state, we can make the biggest impact.
A LETTER FROM THE CEO
I believe a chamber of commerce should be about the promotion of free enterprise to make the world a better place. This work begins with a team of professionals who are committed to the fundamental mission of serving as the leading voice for business. It is made possible by investors and volunteers who support our mission.
The Chamber is working on optimizing our opportunities in areas like the quarterly economic performance dashboard. We also are working on ways to improve on the workforce labor strategy which is the number one challenge facing businesses in South Carolina. In the coming years we also are looking to reenter events to bring people together again. Our membership also is growing, and more businesses are engaged in the work of the Chamber. South Carolina’s economy is creating an opportunity and prosperity for all. We also are supporting business by helping them be as prepared as possible to protect the health of their workers during this crisis.
ON APRIL 1, 2021, I had the privilege of beginning a new chapter in my career as the President and CEO of the SC Chamber of Commerce.
I look forward to continuing to serve as your President and CEO.
Bob Morgan
Bob Morgan President & CEO South Carolina Chamber of Commerce
Letter
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In 2020, the SC Chamber and many local chambers spearheaded efforts to pass a South Carolina Hate Crimes Bill, after Speaker Lucas formed the “House Equitable Justice System and Law Enforcement Review Committee” to study this issue, among other criminal justice reforms. At that time, South Carolina was just one of three states in the nation without a hate crimes law. Representative Wendell Gilliard sponsored H.3620 on the first day of session in January, and in an historic move for South Carolina, the House of Representatives passed the bill in a resoundingly bi-partisan manner in early April. The Senate Judiciary Committee passed the bill by a vote of 13-10 in May but with only a few days of session left, the Senate did not take action on the bill. The SC Chamber will continue to advocate for final passage of H.3620 in 2022.
The SC Chamber and our partners, including many local chambers and fellow pro-business associations, saw several notable victories this year, many of which were on legislative priorities included on our 2021 Competitiveness Agenda. Some of our 2021 legislative victories include:
2020, the SC Chamber and fellow business associations worked together on deploying a major grassroots, public relations, and lobbying effort to pass a bill in 2021. As a result S.147 was sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey and signed by the Governor on April 28.
Legislative Recap
Last year, teachers did not receive the annual “step increase” because the legislature did not pass a new budget and instead, operated under a continuing resolution due to concerns about COVID-19’s effect on the State’s economy. Early this session, legislators retroactively implemented that annual pay bump for the 2020-2021 school year via legislation introduced by House Speaker Jay Lucas. (An additional step increase for school year 2021-22 was included in the new budget as well.)
Most years, our State legislature takes steps to conform our State tax code to the federal Internal Revenue Code (IRC). This year, the legislation (H.4017, introduced by Representative Gary Simrill) took steps specifically to exclude forgiven Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for South Carolina income tax purposes. It also excludes $10,200 of unemployment compensation for a taxpayer with less than $150,000 in federal adjusted gross income.
South Carolina COVID-19 Liability Immunity Act S.147
THE 2021 LEGISLATIVE SESSION saw a return to some muchwelcomed normalcy after a roller-coaster, on-again-off-again session in 2020 due to COVID-19. This year (the first year of a two-year session) moved at a rapid pace for the entire duration of session from January 12 through May 13. Bills that had been on track to move forward in the process last year had to start over, so the need to handle both old and new priorities meant a packed agenda for both the House and the Senate.
Buydowns Excluded from Gross Income Act 18 of 2021
individual (owner/partner) level. Introduced by Senator Sean Bennett, S.627 is revenue neutral and restores the full SALT deduction to SC’s pass-through businesses.
Hate Crimes Bill H.3620
2021 10
LEGISLATIVE RECAP
Early in the pandemic in 2020, calls for limited and temporary immunity from COVID-19 liability for businesses who acted in good faith to follow public health guidance emerged as companies faced never-before-seen levels of uncertainty. Having laid the groundwork for a strong advocacy campaign in
Tax Bills
The General Assembly passed H.3726, a bill introduced by Representative Jay West, which specifies that these discounts, or “buydowns,” are in fact, not subject to sales tax when received by the retailer.
In 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) imposed a $10,000 cap on the amount of state and local taxes (SALT) South Carolinians could deduct on their federal returns. This cap hurts businesses organized as “pass through” entities and “S” corporations that pay taxes on business profits at the
This bill had been in the pipeline in 2020 but was sidelined due to COVID-19. S.271, introduced by Senator Scott Talley, reauthorizes the Abandoned Buildings Tax Credit (a 25percent income or property tax credit for developers of a property which was at least 66 percent vacant for the past five years) until December 31, 2025.
In 2020, the SC Department of Revenue issued SC Revenue Ruling #20-3 and Information Letter #20-35 stating that discounts that are passed on from a manufacturer/ distributor to a retailer would be subject to sales tax.
Tax Conformity Act 87 of 2021
Education & Workforce Development Bills
Retroactive Teacher Step Increase Act 3 of 2021
SALT Tax Parity Act 61 of 2021
Abandoned Buildings Tax Credit Act 21 of 2021
The Palmetto Fellows Scholarship is the State scholarship with the largest award for our highestachieving students to use at four-year higher education institutions in South Carolina. Introduced by Representative Sylleste Davis, H.3017 allows these same high-achieving students to take their Palmetto Fellows Scholarship to two-year and technical colleges in South Carolina in addition to four-year institutions in the State.
Palmetto Fellows Scholarship for Two-Year Colleges Act 36 of 2021
Ten million in non-recurring funds were allocated to continue paying for the “Broadband Infrastructure Program”, originally created with Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act funds to provide grants to internet service providers to build and complete broadband infrastructure projects in underserved areas.
Schools of Innovation Act 20 of 2021
The need for increased accountability for severely underperforming school districts has been an ongoing priority for the SC Chamber, including as part of the 2019-2020 Comprehensive Education Reform Bill (which ultimately was stalled in early 2020 as the pandemic shut down the legislative session.) Introduced by Senator Greg Hembree, S.201 allows the State Department of Education to develop a tiered system for providing technical and other assistance, professional development, and monitoring for underperforming schools, as well help them develop a turnaround plan. If the school or district is chronically- underperforming (unsatisfactory for three consecutive years), the State Superintendent of Education can impose a state-of-education emergency and assume management of the district.
SC Ports Authority
For the Port to remain competitive long term, the State needs to invest in both near dock rail, and an inner harbor barge system for the Port, which is currently the only major East Coast port without another dock rail, and an inner harbor barge system will help mitigate road impacts from containerized rail transport. Of the $550 million needed for the projects, the legislature appropriated $200 million to get the work started.
Curbside pickup of beer, wine, & liquor
Accountability for Underperforming Schools Act 44 of 2021
Fiscal Year 2021-22 State Appropriation Priorities Broadband
Electronic Notary Public Bill Act 85 of 2021
We appreciate all of our partners as well as the Governor, legislative leaders, and legislators on both sides of the aisle who supported these business-critical issues. This year’s progress would not be possible without their strong support.
Adapting to a New Way of Doing Business
Legislative Recap
Three million in recurring funds were allocated to create a Statewide Broadband Office (within the Office of Regulatory Staff). The Broadband Office does not have regulatory authority and is designed to be a coordinating body.
COVID-19 made it quite obvious that the State needs to allow for modernization of many business processes. Introduced by Senator Scott Talley, S.631 allows for electronic notarization of documents in South Carolina. While this bill does not authorize remote notarization, allowing a notary public to notarize documents virtually, it does allow for an electronic signature to be used, eliminating the need for a paper copy. Both the signer and the notary still must be physically present at the time of signing. The SC Chamber will continue to work with our partners to advance legislation to have South Carolina join the majority of states that have remote notarization.
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Be Pro Be Proud
Introduced by Speaker Jay Lucas, H.3589 changes current law by allowing school districts, by a twothirds vote of the school board and final approval by the State Board of Education, to have multiple “Schools of Innovation” (formerly known as “Schools of Choice”) which operate in part with private sector funds and fewer public regulations. Currently, three school districts operate schools under this model: Charleston, Pickens and Spartanburg. Meeting Street Spartanburg and Meeting Street at Burns and Brentwood in Charleston have seen notable and rapid improvements in student achievement.
By a 2020 executive order, the Governor authorized retailers to offer curbside pickup of beer and wine during the pandemic. While legislation was introduced by Representative Russell Fry (H.3575) to make this temporary practice permanent, the bill did not pass before the end of the regular session. A budget proviso was also introduced to allow curbside pickup of beer, wine and liquor through the end of the next fiscal year, but did not survive in conference committee.
Last year, the Associated Industries of SC Foundation (AISCF) and the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) unveiled “Be Pro Be Proud South Carolina”— a mobile workshop housed in a double-expandable tractor trailer intended to address the skills gap by showcasing in-demand, skilled trades to students around the State. AISCF includes the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, the South Carolina Trucking Association, Carolinas AGC, Home Builders Association of South Carolina, and the Forestry Association of South Carolina, which raised private funds to upfit and maintain the truck. DEW administers the program with a $642,500 appropriation, which was approved and funded for another year.
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South LegislativeCarolinaVoting Record
Record
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IN AUGUST 2021, the South Carolina Chamber started a new tradition of sharing legislative voting records with its members and recognizing legislators with pro-business voting records. Instead of a Legislative Scorecard, the Chamber has developed an online Legislative Voting Record with the purpose of educating the business community on each legislator’s votes on legislation aimed at improving South Carolina’s business climate. The voting record will also be used as part of the new process to select our legislators of the year awards.
Voting
Davis R √ √
Jeffrey A. “Jeff” Bradley R √ √ √ √
Garvin D √ √ √ X Gil Gatch R √ √ √ √ Leon D. “Doug” Gilliam R √ X √ √ Wendell G. Gilliard D √ √ √ X Jerry N. Govan, Jr. D √ √ √ NV Patrick B. Haddon R X X √ √ Kevin Hardee R √ √ √ √ Christopher R. “Chris” Hart D X √ √ NV Jackie E. “Coach” Hayes D √ NP NP NP Rosalyn D. Henderson-Myers D X √ √ NV Patricia Moore “Pat” Henegan D √ √ √ X Voting Record First Name Last Name S.147LiabilityCOVID H.3620 Hate Crimes Bill H.3017FellowsPalmetto2-YrInstitutions H.3589 Schools of InnovationParty RecordVoteHouse 14
Terry Alexander D √ √ √ √
Bruce W. Bannister R √ √ √ √ Linda “Lin” Bennett R √ NV √ √ Beth E. Bernstein D √ √ √ X Bart T. Blackwell R √ √ √ √
Wendy C. Brawley D X √ √ X
Victor M. “Vic” Dabney R √ X √ √
Joseph S. Daning R NP √ √ √ Sylleste H. √ E. √
√ Chandra
Fry R √ √ √ √ Craig A. Gagnon R √ X √ NP
R. “Cal” Forrest R √ X √ √ Russell
Kambrell H.
Merita A. “Rita” Allison R √ √ √ √ Carl L. Anderson D √ √ √ X Lucas Atkinson D √ √ √ NV
Nathan Ballentine R √ √ NV NV
Paula Rawl Calhoon R √ X √ √
Thomas C. “Case” Brittain R √ √ √ √
Bobby J. Cox R √ X √ √ Westley P. “West” Cox R √ √ √ √ Heather Ammons Crawford R √ √ √ √
R NV √ √ √ Raye Felder R √ √ √ √ Kirkman Finlay III R √ NV NP √
William H. Bailey R √ √ √ √
Jerry T. Carter R √ √ √ NV
Micajah P. “Micah” Caskey IV R √ NV √ √
William M. “Bill” Chumley R √ X √ √ William “Bill” Clyburn D X √ √ X Gilda Cobb-Hunter D X √ √ X
William Scott Cogswell, Jr. R √ √ NV √ Neal A. Collins R √ √ √ √
James Mikell “Mike” Burns R √ X √ √ Joseph M. “Joe” Bustos R √ √ √ √
Bruce M. Bryant R NP √ √ √
Shannon Smith Erickson
X Jason Elliott R √ √ √ √
Justin Bamberg D √ √ √ NV
Dillard D X √
Cally W.
√ √ NV √ √ √ √ √ √ NP √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NV √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NV NP X √ NV NV NV √ NV NV √ NV √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NV √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NP √ √ X √ √ √ NV √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NV NP √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NV √ √ NV √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ X √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NV NV √ NP √ NP √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NP √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ X √ √ NV NV √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NV √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NP NV √ √ NP √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NV √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ X √ √ NV √ √ NV √ √ NP √ √ NV √ √ √ √ √ X √ √ √ √ √ X √ NV NV NV √ √ √ √ √ √ X NV NV √ √ √ √ X NV √ NV NV √ √ NP NP √ √ √ X √ √ √ √ √ X √ √ √ √ √ Voting Record S.201 Accountability for UnderperformingSchools S.627 SALT Tax Parity H.3726 Buydown Bill S.271 BuildingsAbandonedTaxCredit S.631 E-Notary Bill H.4100 Budget Bill RecordVoteHouse 15
Annie E. McDaniel D √ √ √ √
Chris R.
Moss R √ X √ √ V. Stephen “Steve” Moss R NP X √ √
James H. “Jay” Lucas R √ √ √ √
X
Murphy R √ √ √ √ Chardale
John Richard C. King D NP √ √ X
Richard “Rick” Martin R √ NV √ √ Krystle N. Matthews D X NP √ X
Murray D X √ √ X
J. Newton R NP √ √ NV
Nutt R √ X √ √ Melissa
Ott D √ √ √ X J. Anne Parks D NV √ NV NV
Marvin R.
Moore R √ √
Pendarvis D √ √ √ X
Morgan R √ √ √ √
Thomas E.
Michael F. C.
Rivers, Sr. D X NV NV X Leola
Seth C.
William G. “Bill” Herbkersman R NV √ √ √
Dennis C.
Rose D √ √ √ X Voting Record RecordVoteHouse First Name Last Name S.147LiabilityCOVID H.3620 Hate Crimes Bill H.3017FellowsPalmetto2-YrInstitutions H.3589 Schools of InnovationParty 16
Sandy N. McGarry R √ X √ √
Robinson D √ √ √ X
Timothy “Tim” A. McGinnis R √ √ √ Cezar E. McKnight √ √
√ Adam
Roger A. L. L.
Steven Wayne Long R √ X √ √ Phillip D. Lowe R NV √ √ √
X JA Moore D NV √
Jonathon D. Hill R X X √ √
D X NV
R √ √ √ √
Kimberly O. Johnson D X √ NV X Stewart O. Jones R √ NV √ √
Lee Hewitt R √ √ √ √
Donald R. “Ryan” McCabe, Jr. R √ X √ √ John R. McCravy III R √ X √ √
Leon Howard D √ √ √ X Chip Huggins R √ NV √ √
Brandon Michael Newton Wm. Weston
Oremus R NP X √ √ Russell
“Tommy” Pope R √ √ √ √
Max T. Hyde, Jr. R √ √ √ √ Joseph H. Jefferson, Jr. D X √ √ X
√
Jeffrey E. “Jeff” Johnson R √ √ √ √ Jermaine L. Johnson, Sr. D X √ √ X
Roger K. Kirby D √ √ √ √
David R. Hiott R √ X √ √
Thomas R. “Randy” Ligon R √ √ √ √
William M. “Bill” Hixon R √ NP √ √
Robert J. “RJ” May R √ NV √ √
Lonnie Hosey D X √ √ X
Travis A. √ M.
Wallace H. “Jay” Jordan R √ √ √ √ Mandy W. Kimmons R √ √ √ √
Josiah Magnuson R √ X √ √
Voting
√ NV √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ X √ √ √ X NP √ NV √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ X √ √ √ NV √ X √ NV √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ X √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ X √ √ √ √ √ X √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ X √ √ √ NV √ √ √ NV √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NV √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NV √ NV √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ X NV √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ X √ √ √ NV NV X √ √ √ √ √ √ X √ √ NV √ √ NV NV √ √ √ √ NV √ √ √ √ √ √ NV √ √ NV NV X √ √ NV NV √ √ √ NP √ √ NV √ √ √ NV √ X NP √ √ √ √ √ NP √ √ √ √ NP √ √ √ NV √ √ NP NV NV √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NP √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NV √ NV NP √ X √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NV √ X √ √ √ √ √ NV √ √ NV √ NV NP √ √ √ √ √
Record RecordVoteHouse S.201 Accountability for UnderperformingSchools S.627 SALT Tax Parity H.3726 Buydown Bill S.271 BuildingsAbandonedTaxCredit S.631 E-Notary Bill H.4100 Budget Bill 17
J. Todd Rutherford D √ NV √ X William E. “Bill” Sandifer III R √ √ √ √ J. Gary Simrill R √ √ √ √ Garry R. Smith R √ X √ √ G. Murrell Smith, Jr. R √ NP √ √ Marvin “Mark” Smith R √ √ √ √ Leonidas E. “Leon” Stavrinakis D X √ √ √ Tommy M. Stringer R NV X NV √ Bill Taylor R √ X NV √ Deon T. Tedder D √ √ √ X Anne J. Thayer R √ X √ √ Ivory Torrey Thigpen D NV √ √ X Ashley Trantham R NP X √ √ J. David Weeks D NV √ √ X John Taliaferro “Jay” West IV R √ X √ √ Elizabeth “Spencer” Wetmore D √ √ √ X William W. “Will” Wheeler III D NP √ √ X W. Brian White R √ X √ √ William R. “Bill” Whitmire R √ X √ √ Robert Q. Williams D √ √ √ X Shedron D. Williams D X NP √ X Mark N. Willis R √ NV √ √ Christopher S. “Chris” Wooten R √ √ √ √ Richard L. Yow R NP X √ √ √ 89 79 115 81 NP 9 5 2 2 NV 8 11 7 9 X 18 29 0 32 Total 124 124 124 124 Voting Record RecordVoteHouse First Name Last Name S.147LiabilityCOVID H.3620 Hate Crimes Bill H.3017FellowsPalmetto2-YrInstitutions H.3589 Schools of InnovationParty 18
NV √ √ NV √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NP √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NV √ NV √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NP √ NV NP NP NP √ √ √ √ √ X √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NV √ √ X NV √ √ NV √ NP √ √ √ √ X √ NV √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NP √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NV √ √ √ √ √ √ NV √ X √ √ √ √ √ X NV √ √ NV √ √ √ √ NP NP √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NP √ √ √ √ 78 104 114 100 100 108 9 5 2 5 4 6 12 15 8 19 19 4 25 0 0 0 1 6 124 124 124 124 124 124 Voting Record RecordVoteHouse S.201 Accountability for UnderperformingSchools S.627 SALT Tax Parity H.3726 Buydown Bill S.271 BuildingsAbandonedTaxCredit S.631 E-Notary Bill H.4100 Budget Bill 19
√ 40 13 44 43 NP 2 0 2 2 NV 1 0 0 1 X 3 10 0 0
Scott Talley R √ √ √ √ Ross Turner R √ √ √
Tom Young R √ √ √ √
Karl B. Allen D √ √ √
Brian Adams R √ X √ √
George E. “Chip” Campsen III R √ √ √ √
Shane R. Martin R NP √ √ A. Shane Massey R √ X √ √
Sandy Senn R √ √ √ √ Nikki G. Setzler D √ √ √
Mike Fanning D √ √ √ Mike Gambrell R √ √ √ Billy Garrett R √ X √ √
Richard A. “Dick” Harpootlian D X √ √ √
Marlon E. Kimpson D X √ √ √ Hugh K. Leatherman, Sr. R √ √ NP
Total 46 23 46 46
Daniel B. “Danny” Verdin III R √ √ √
Ronnie W. Cromer R √ √ √
Margie Bright Matthews D NP √ NP NP
Brad Hutto D √ √ √ √
Kent M. Williams D NV √ √
Michael Johnson R √ X √ √ Josh Kimbrell R √ X √ √
Harvey S. Peeler, Jr. R √ √ √ Luke A. Rankin R √ √ √ √ Rex F. Rice R √ X √ √
Darrell Jackson D √ √ NV
Lawrence K. “Larry” Grooms R √ √ √
John L. Scott D √ √ √
Katrina F. Shealy R √ √ √ Vernon Stephens D √ √ √ √
Thomas D. “Tom” Corbin R √ √ √
Sean M. Bennett R √ √ √
J. Thomas McElveen III D √ √ √ Mia S. McLeod D X √ √ √
Greg Hembree R √ √ √
Ronnie A. Sabb D √ √ √ √
Penry Gustafson R √ X √ √
Thomas C. Alexander R √ √ √
Thomas C. “Tom” Davis R √ √ √
Richard J. Cash R √ X √ √
Dwight A. Loftis R √ X NP √
Voting Record RecordVoteSenate First Name Last Name S.147LiabilityCOVID H.3620 Hate Crimes (JUDICIARYBillONLY) H.3017FellowsPalmetto2-YrInstitutions H.3589 Schools of InnovationParty 20
Wes Climer R √ X √ √
Stephen L. Goldfinch R √ √ √
Gerald Malloy D √ √ √ √
Kevin L. Johnson D √ √ √
NP √ √ NP √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
√ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ X √ √ √ X √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NV √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ X √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NP NP √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NP √ √ NP √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ 42 45 43 42 45 43 3 0 3 3 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 3 46 46 46 46 46 46 Voting Record RecordVoteSenate S.201 Accountability for UnderperformingSchools S.627 SALT Tax Parity H.3726 Buydown Bill S.271 BuildingsAbandonedTaxCredit S.631 E-Notary Bill H.4100 Budget Bill 21
√ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
NP √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NP √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
√ √ NP √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
√ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ NP X √ √ √ √ √ √
√ √ √ √ √ √
√ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
X √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
• South Carolina must lower the individual income tax and reduce property tax burdens on business.
• South Carolina had 186,000 open jobs as of October 2021. The South region, which includes South Carolina, has the highest open jobs rate in the nation.
• South Carolina must adopt policies to help address workforce gaps and fill critical need careers, including supporting workforce reskilling initiatives, improving teacher recruitment and retention, and expanding workforce housing attainability.
• Many states emerged from the pandemic with robust revenues and recognized opportunities for tax relief. In 2021,16 states enacted laws to reduce their individual income tax rates last year.
• Many industry sectors are facing unprecedented workforce challenges leading to reduced hours of operation, slower operations, and shutdowns.
Address Workforce Challenges
• The Institute for Legal Reform ranks South Carolina’s lawsuit climate 37th in the nation. South Carolina’s legal costs are 2.5% of state GDP and $2,802 per household.
Improve SC’s Legal Climate
Every day you run your business and every day policymakers at the Statehouse make decisions that impact it. As the state’s premier business advocate, the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce is a recognized and respected voice at the Statehouse.
With thousands of members representing every major industry sector, the Chamber’s diverse business policy initiatives converge upon one goal: a vibrant South Carolina economy. Ensuring that business has a voice in the legislative process, we work with local business leaders to identify critical issues, at the table as legislation is drafted, and in the halls of the Statehouse as bills are debated. As South Carolina continues to grow, the General Assembly has the opportunity to unleash our state’s full potential by embracing these proposals.
• In South Carolina, a plaintiff can seek damages from one defendant even if other defendants are at the same level or more at fault.
2022CompetitivenessAgendaStrengthenBusinessTaxClimate
• South Carolina needs to base fault on a fair share of liability, not the deepest pocket.
• South Carolina has the highest marginal income tax rate (7%) among all states in the South. The Tax Foundation ranks South Carolina 31st in the nation for overall business tax climate, 33rd for individual income tax and 36th for property tax.
• South Carolina businesses pay 68% of all property taxes collected, placing the state 11th highest in the nation by that metric.
• South Carolina has its largest number of teacher vacancies since 2001.
• South Carolina businesses are paying for many of these costs through high liability insurance premiums, as well as litigation costs.
• South Carolina businesses have changed how they operate their businesses long-term in the pandemic environment.
Support Criminal Justice Reforms
• South Carolina should adopt policies to improve second-chance hiring of non-violent ex-offenders.
Invest in Infrastructure
• Over 400,000 South Carolinians do not have access to broadband.
• South Carolina’s business community supports policies to achieve environmental protection without unnecessarily hindering economic development and business growth.
• South Carolina is now one of just two states in the nation without a hate crimes law. Meanwhile, hate crimes in South Carolina have increased.
• South Carolina must adopt policies that allow businesses to improve safe and remote business and consumer transactions.
• South Carolina must finish the job and pass a hate crimes law.
• South Carolina must invest more in roads, bridges, water and sewer, and broadband to meet basic needs.
• South Carolina maintains the 4th largest state highway system in the nation and has the 10th fastest population growth rate.
Support Pro-Business Environmental Policies
• South Carolina must ensure that state agencies are responsive to business needs and must also maintain a pro-business regulatory environment.
Adapt to New Ways of Doing Business
24
Love Where You Live Inside the Biggest Golf Championships in South Carolina
By Michael Baliker | Angela McSwain | The PGA of America
Love Where You Live
As one of the top destination locations for a great game of golf, South Carolina is no stranger to the fairway. When paired with gorgeous weather and hundreds of courses to choose from, the game of golf becomes a Southern staple.
25
It’s no wonder, then, that golf is one of the reasons that people really love the Palmetto state. From the RBC Heritage to the Palmetto Championship, South Carolina is a haven for great tournaments and a great game on the green.
The Foundation’s signature event, the Congaree Global Golf Initiative (CGGI), is held at Congaree Golf Club each summer and dozens of underserved and ambitious students get to learn at one of the best courses. Students are outfitted with new equipment and meet with academic consultants who guide them through the college admission process, SAT and ACT strategies, and other skills to help them succeed at the high school and college level.
The curiosities of golf fans around the world were immediately piqued. Congaree has quickly earned several national accolades since it opened in 2017. The Tom Fazio design was voted Golf Digest’s “Best New Private Course” in 2018, as well as being named the best golf course built during the decade of 2010-19. More recently, Congaree debuted at No. 39 in Golf Digest’s America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses in May.
Built on sandy soil and dotted with vast live oaks, Congaree was unlike anything PGA TOUR players have witnessed.
IN EARLY MARCH 2021, it was announced that the RBC Canadian Open, a mainstay on the annual PGA TOUR schedule, would not be contested for the second year in a row due to logistical concerns posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Founded by entrepreneur Dan Friedkin and the late Houston Texans owner Bob McNair, Congaree was created with a philanthropic mission at its core. The club does not have any members or initiation fees; instead, it invites ambassadors to donate to the Congaree Foundation and help the club reach its goal to provide resources for educational and vocational mentorship opportunities that shape the lives of underserved and ambitious youths who share a passion for golf.
Congaree Golf Club, which opened its doors in 2017, might have been the best kept golf secret in the state. While the likes of Harbour Town and Kiawah Island are well-publicized, Congaree’s unique course and inspiring mission were stories waiting to be told.
As for the tournament itself, it was a coming-out party of sorts, with 22-year-old South African Garrick Higgo claiming the title in just his second-ever PGA TOUR tournament.
On a more localized front, the Foundation works closely with community partners, including Lowcountry Food Bank and Boys & Girls Club of Jasper County. The Foundation also sponsors youth golf instruction for students at RidgelandHardeeville High School and Polaris Tech Charter School.
Jim Nantz of CBS might have said it best as he concluded the trophy ceremony on Sunday evening: “Each year, people come to discover South Carolina. Well, the world of golf has made its own discovery here this week in Garrick Higgo.”
26
In just a few short years, the Foundation has helped more than a dozen students earn $2.2 million in scholarship money to attend college through the CGGI. Sixty-eight students have gone through CGGI. Of those who have graduated high school, 27 have gone on to play college golf.
“It’s different, especially for a course in South Carolina,” said Dustin Johnson, who teed it up in the tournament as the world’s number 1 golfer. “There’s not really any rough, but the fairways are very firm. The course, it’s just a neat course to play. It’s something different. We don’t really play golf courses that look like this very often.”
The Palmetto Championship at Congaree
But with the support of the state of South Carolina and the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, as well as the leadership at Congaree, the Palmetto Championship at Congaree was born. It became the third of three PGA TOUR events held in South Carolina in 2021 within the span of nine weeks.
As the TOUR rallied to find a replacement event in a short 90 days for the week of June 7-13, a club located five miles off Exit 28 on I-95 in Ridgeland, South Carolina raised its hand.
Love Where You Live
At no other time in recent history have people’s lives changed more than in the past 15 months. After 53 years of tradition, with the RBC Heritage providing significant community support, there has been no other time when it has mattered more.
Students from area high schools, including the president of Model United Nations, the principal cellist in Hilton Head High’s award-winning orchestra, student government leaders, and outstanding athletes will soon enter into the business community and be the drivers for change and prosperity. They are among the impressive list of 2021 Heritage Scholars. These are our community’s future leaders, who will succeed us and continue the legacy that we have so proudly and profoundly built for more than 50 years.
Love Where You Live
For a moment in time through RBC Heritage week, the international window reveals our corner of the world — an island that houses one of the players’ favorite stops on the PGA Tour. It’s a beacon of what we pridefully call home all year, and we wholeheartedly welcome friends and fans to join us in our tradition. Some of our loyal Plaid Nation ambassadors have been to all 53 tournaments. Of our more than 1,200 volunteers, there are multigenerations of family members who step up every year and have done so for decades, making it a part of their own personal family history. →
27
The RBC Heritage hits 54 years in South Carolina
The Heritage Classic Foundation’s charitable giving programs, Birdies for Charity and Champions Fore Charity, enhance the lives of families and individuals across the state. It has never been more evident how much civic, social, and humanitarian good is fueled by the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing.
Since 1987, more than $45.8 million has been distributed to nearly 100 nonprofits state-wide. This year, the Heritage Classic Foundation distributed donations generated by a program called PLAID PLEDGE to food banks throughout South Carolina. One particular charity, Deep Well, provided a full week of groceries to nearly 400 Hilton Head Island residents to combat food insecurity for people who were uncertain where their next meal was coming from. Plaid Nation is the driver of our community impact, improving thousands of lives across South Carolina.
EACH YEAR, the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing leaves a special mark in the history books as South Carolina’s only annual PGA TOUR event. This year’s memory of Stewart Cink clinching his third RBC Heritage title (following his wins in 2000 and 2004) with his 25-year-old son as caddie gave us a reason to celebrate with fans near and far in an otherwise unconventional year.
Despite this success, uncertainty still existed when looking ahead to 2021. How might the event play out for spectators, hospitality clients, and South Carolina businesses hoping to capitalize on an influx of visitors? After the New Year, the three-month build schedule required to host tens of thousands of spectators at The Ocean Course was quickly approaching.
In the ensuing weeks and months, our team worked tirelessly to create a Championship experience that would respect the on-going health emergency and make spectators, volunteers, players, and staff feel comfortable on-site at the Championship. In consultation with state and local authorities, we felt like a strong plan had been established. Finally, when May approached, we were ready. →
We are grateful to all who were able to carry out the tradition this year. Our Plaid Nation fans made it possible to get the charitable engines back up and running. They supported critical educational initiatives and enhanced the quality of life and economic vitality for our great state of South Carolina. We look forward to the 54th RBC Heritage with you April 11-17, 2022, when we’re able to welcome everyone back to our famed Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island and keep the traditions going strong.
The legacies are endless as the RBC Heritage tradition gets richer with each passing year. What started as a little-known Lowcountry treasure has grown into a coveted spot, drawing tourists from around the globe, generating an estimated $102 million economic impact annually to the state and a leaderboard featuring some of the world’s best golfers.
In contrast to 2012, the two-plus-year planning process — which is typical for a PGA Championship — was quite different leading into 2021. Less than one week after launching volunteer and ticket registration programs, the COVID-19 pandemic hit home, and just like everyone else, we found ourselves working remotely, doing the best we could to move forward with planning.
Generating $193M in estimated economic impact statewide, the 2012 PGA Championship has been remembered as much for its impact off the golf course as it is for being the site of Rory McIlrory’s second major championship. Broadcast globally to 500 million homes and attended by 200,000 spectators each year, the PGA Championship provides a tremendous platform to host communities, cities, and states.
In August 2020, we hosted the first major golf championship since the COVID-19 pandemic. Postponed by three months, the 2020 PGA Championship was conducted without spectators and with strict health and wellness protocols in place. In the end, the 102nd PGA Championship was a tremendous success and by far the most unique in our long history.
IN 2014 IT WAS ANNOUNCED that the PGA Championship, one of four major championships in men’s golf, would return to Kiawah Island Golf Resort’s famed Ocean Course. The announcement, delivered by PGA of America leadership, Kiawah Island Golf Resort President, Roger Warren, and then South Carolina Governor, Nikki Haley, came less than three years after the Palmetto State hosted its first-ever golf major, the 2012 PGA Championship at The Ocean Course.
Love Where You Live 28
In February, with COVID-19 impacts still being felt worldwide, the decision was made to reduce the number of daily spectators to 10,000. With every day of the Championship having previously sold out, the decision did not come easily.
The 2021 PGA Championship at Kiawah’s Ocean Course
As soon as the Championship began, it was hard to think about anything other than the action inside the ropes. After all, this is a major, and with 99 of the world’s top 100 players at The Ocean Course, we were ready to identify the best.
Sunday’s leaderboard which featured a final pairing made up of two-time PGA Champion, Brooks Koepka and 2005 PGA Champion, Phil Mickelson, produced drama, excitement and intrigue. What more could you ask for?
In the end, 50-year-old Phil Mickelson became the oldest, and arguably most unlikely major champion in history. A fan favorite, Phil put on a show with age-defying 300-plus yard drives and a signature bunker hole-out on the par-three fifth.
29
It’s a beacon of what we pridefully call home all year, and we wholeheartedly welcome friends and fans to join us in our tradition.
Love Where You Live
As remarkable as Phil’s win was, the 2021 PGA Championship will be remembered for more than his improbable victory. Whether it’s the breathtaking views of the South Carolina Lowcountry, the true Championship test, the extraordinary times, or a combination of it all, this was a Championship that’s impact cannot be measured, but will be felt for years to come.
• Georgia Southern
• TD Bank
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, unfortunately, like other initiatives, our one-on-one interaction with students ceased. But we found strong virtual options, adjusted, and continued the program. When we were able to spend time together in person, students practiced strong social distancing measures.
of Commerce’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities or HBCU STEM program, completed its third year of providing students professional development opportunities and interaction with some of South Carolina’s most influential businesses in the STEM space (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).
Year three produced even more opportunities for the HBCU students, with businesses including Nephron, Samsung, TD Bank, Dominion Energy, and more offering internships. One student even scored two internships — one for the summer and one for the fall. This student may continue his career with the company once he completes his internships. Businesses including Version, Google, Eaton, and Boeing participated in mock interview sessions with students.
INTERVIEWSGRADUATINGRETURNING
— Dr. Donald Walter, Professor of Physics - Physics Academic Program Coordinator, South Carolina State University
I am ecstatic to let you know that I have officially accepted the employment position at Nephron Pharmaceuticals as a formulation technician. Thank you for your assistance through the HBCU STEM Program for making this possible for me. I really do appreciate the hard work and advocating you all have done for the program. Please continue your good work.
• Florida A&M
A Review of the SC HBCU STEM Program
GRADUATE SCHOOLS
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The HBCU Stem program exposes and creates lasting partnerships with businesses, internship opportunities and even future careers for participants. The program’s professional development section is purposeful and relatable, focusing on important topics like interview skills, communications skills, presentation prep and soft skills. Valerie Green of the Career Cluster Consortium was instrumental in the professional
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YEAR 3
• YMCA
• Naval Information Warfare Center U.S. Air Force – Officer
Education and Workforce
GOING STRONG
SUCCESS STORIES
JOBS FOR SENIORS
• Georgia
I want to thank you and the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce for your hard work with the HBCU-STEM program. We appreciate being a part of the program and are especially happy with the that one of our graduates, Makeiba Lewis, has accepted a job with Nephron Pharmaceuticals as a formulation technician. This success is directly attributable to you and the program for arranging the tour and interview with this company for Makeiba and the other students as well as the professional training they received.
INTERNSHIPSSUMMER
— Makeiba Lewis, Physics student and two-year participant of the HBCU STEM program
• MUSC
Want the toolkit? Visit www.scchamberdiversitytoolkit.com
On December 15, 2020, the Council was pleased to launch the Diversity Toolkit on its website. Today, businesses across South Carolina have direct access to tools and resources to assist them in starting a diversity program or enhancing their current initiatives.
The South Carolina Chamber’s Diversity Council continues to be very intentional in its work. It’s mission, to encourage, support and educate employers who are building inclusive workplace environments, as they seek to value and strengthen diversity, is critical to fostering a positive business climate in the Palmetto state.
A New Set of DiversityTools:Council Launches Toolkit for Employers
As diversity and inclusion topics continue to grow, the Council began discussing the need for a toolkit type of resource to assist any company with its diversity and inclusion efforts. Specifically, research found that South Carolina businesses are interested in recruiting and retaining more diverse talent. After much planning and internal work, the Council enlisted a variety of expert practitioners from the Palmetto State to share best practices and other helpful advice under the leadership of Dr. Cynthia Walter, Director of Diversity and Inclusion for Prisma Health.
EACH YEAR, the Council is pleased to present an Excellence in Workplace Diversity Award to an outstanding company in South Carolina. The award recognizes significant contributions to the advancement of the state through diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. The criteria to be considered for selection includes diversity initiatives, effectiveness and applicability/replicability, and any South Carolina company can apply!
Diversity and Inclusion 32
The Council utilizes many opportunities and avenues to educate Chamber committees and members on diversity efforts. The Council serves as a resource for South Carolina businesses and works alongside the Chamber’s events team to develop programming and professional development on diversity and inclusion. Finally, the Council is responsible for the sound fundraising and delegation of the Diversity Foundation funds.
Call toll free: 888-845-6887 Email:Employers.DoctorsCare.comSales@DoctorsCare.comWith more than 50 locations across the state, your employees have unparalleled access to our high quality health care services. Protecting your most valuable resources. Contact us today about our on-site wellness solutions. Employer Health Services Doctors Care provides occupational medicine and corporate wellness to more than 2,500 companies in South Carolina. We help employers reduce costs through efficient in-center scheduling and on-site service support, driving productivity through convenience. | Occupational Health – DOT Physicals – Drug Screens – Workers’ Compensation – Pre-Employment Physicals – Injury Care – Physical Therapy – PPD/TB Gold Tests – OSHA (CAOHC) Hearing Screenings Contact your Employer Health Services representative today to discuss custom options for your needs. Ryan Martin DeveloperBusiness Upstate (864) 516-1274 Jonathan Pent DeveloperBusiness Midlands (803) 726-0477 Danielle Hickson Corporate Health and Wellness Manager HealthCorporate&Wellness (803) 726-3134 Kitty Howell Director of Business Development Grand Strand and Lowcountry (843) 238-4520 | Corporate Health & Wellness On-Site Services – Flu Shot Clinics – Biometric Screenings – Drug Screens – Health Coaching & Education – On-site Rapid COVID-19 Testing – On-site Medical Centers – On-site VaccinesCOVID-19
Leadership2021Awards PRESENTING THE 35
HOWARD COKER
Business2021Person
President and CEO of Sonoco
OF THE YEAR
It was uncharted water...no one had ever dealt with anything of this magnitude.
“The first thing we did was we created a COVID task force that originally met twice a day, every day, seven days a week, made up of our executive committee, our head of safety, our head of global security and several members of our HR chain,” he said. “It was uncharted water…no one had ever dealt with anything of this magnitude.”
“hotspot.” Both situations could be detrimental to not only the health of the company, but the stability of its employees and the needs of its consumers.
Their first priority as a company was the safety of their employees. Because of their Asian and South American operations, they were able to get a first-hand look at how the virus was spreading, and how others were reacting, which offered them insight on how they would be able to keep running without a lot of risk to the company’s workers. Once safety was addressed, Coker and his team designed a tiered system to identify which of their locations needed the most attention—whether that was because they were the only source for a certain product, or they were in a COVID
“Equally as hard is when you have a 200-person facility that all of a sudden doesn’t have any orders because you're serving a market that's been negatively impacted,” Coker said. “How you manage through a crisis like that also is important.”
2021 Business Person of the Year
In February 2020, Howard Coker took the helm as President and CEO of Sonoco, the largest publicly traded company headquartered in South Carolina.
But just as difficult as keeping up with growing demand in a pandemic world were the sites where demand died off.
“If you come to this complex, this is the foundation of the company; it's where we started in 1899,” Coker said. But the announcement was not without its critics. “I got a bit of feedback and possible criticism from the external community, you know, ‘Why now? Why are you doing this at this point in time?’ We decided—after a lot of debate—when times are tough and you have the power to make a difference strategically to the company, you need to go in and do it. And, that was a decision we made.”
However, an entire career moving through the ranks of the company couldn’t have prepared him for what happened next. After only a few weeks of getting his feet under him in the new position, COVID pulled the rug out from under him.
Running any company through the beginnings of the pandemic wasn’t easy; managing 20,000 employees across the globe and over 200 site locations was even harder. But Coker, with 35 years of experience at Sonoco—most recently serving as the Senior Vice President of the Global Industrial Paper Packaging arm—was up to the challenge.
That decision—to invest in the company and the employees themselves—has paid off exponentially.
“I get asked, ‘Well, you've only done one acquisition in the last eight or nine months, you know…what's next?’ And I say, ‘You don't understand.’ We spent a lot of money investing with great returns. And, the risk level of betting on your own team members to execute on a project are a lot less than being in a hurry and trying to just keep making acquisitions.”
“If we have a plant in Tennessee that is not in a hotspot— maybe there’s only one case in that community—we have to bring in standards of protection at the same level as a hotspot, because if that plant goes down it is going to create ripple effects throughout the market,” he noted.
In the middle of all this, however, Coker had other things on his mind, as well. In April 2020, Sonoco’s Board of Directors announced Project Horizon—a $115 million investment into the Hartsville plant, which not only would modernize it, but would transform the location into the largest and lowest cost producer of recycled paperboard in the world.
Growing up in Hartsville, S.C., Coker had started working at Sonoco as a teenager, doing odd jobs like sweeping out rail cars or working in the recycling center, but at that time wasn’t sure that he wanted to follow a career there. After graduating with degrees from Wofford College, and then Wake Forest, he started back with the company as a shift supervisor in Virginia. As his career grew, he worked across the globe—from Singapore to Texas, Ohio and Indiana. In the early 2000s, he made his way back to Hartsville. About two decades later, he was selected to succeed Robert Tiede as the President and CEO.
Today, with the pandemic easing, there’s no sign of Sonoco taking a break. The Hartsville location—though delayed due to COVID-19—should be completed in 2022, and as the world recovers, Sonoco’s 300-plus sites will keep churning. Per Coker, there are “a lot of tremendous opportunities.” One simply has to be willing to find them.
By April, the world had shut down.
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At the same time, the company was seeing a demand unlike anything it had ever experienced before. While the company is known as the largest global producer of paper cans, their product line includes all forms of packaging—everything from the containers for Oreos and single serve macaroni and cheese to temperature-safe vaccine transport and even large appliance wrapping. That made the shutdown—and the subsequent cultural shifts that occurred because of it—a perfect storm of demand for Sonoco products.
Public2021Servant OF THE YEAR CONGRESSMAN JAMES E. CLYBURN U.S. House of Representatives
he wondered how to get South Carolina’s more rural communities involved in the state’s top industry—tourism—and thought heritage tourism was a way to do just that. So, he picked up and pushed forward legislation from fellow South Carolinian Butler Derrick, which would eventually result in the classification of South Carolina’s National Heritage Corridor, an area that runs the Western length of the state. Then, he succeeded in establishing the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, celebrating the unique island culture that stretches across the South’s coastal islands.
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“They all told me that South Carolina was too small to have two heritage corridors, but I was able to make the case that it wasn't just about South Carolina, because Gullah was a culture in North and South Carolina, and Geechee was the same culture in Georgia and Florida,” he said. “So it wasn’t just about South Carolina—it was a four-state deal. And it passed.”
There are 500 such counties in the United States; around a dozen in South Carolina—many of which are in Clyburn’s district. This type of legislation seems to feed directly into Clyburn’s overall legislative goals.
At the age of eight, he became enthralled by Harry Truman's vice presidential race, fascinated by the fact that an ordinary guy who didn't go to college and had failed in business dared run against an elite New York prosecutor. At the age of 15, his mother took him to the Sumter courthouse to observe the black attorney Matthew Perry in the famous father Civil Rights case, Nash v. Sumter Chapter of NAACP. By the time he reached college at South Carolina State University, he helped organize some of the first sit-ins in South Carolina. And as he built his fledgling teaching career in Charleston, he ended up as a campaign manager for St. Julian Devine, who would become the first African American member on Charleston City Council since Reconstruction.
More recently, in 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic spreading across the country and federal monies being dispersed to help ease the burden on American families and businesses, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi approached Clyburn with an offer: to chair the House subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, providing centralized fiscal accountability similar to the way Truman did after World War I. Clyburn accepted, later quoting Alexis de Toqueville: “The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults.”
Those fault lines are many, but he noted that many are connected to the same issue: a lack of quality internet access across the U.S.
This love of history is deeply engrained in him, interlaced with a fascination for current events that started as a young boy, when his parents’“rules” required him to recount a current event every night before bed. When the local paper—The Sumter Daily Item—was delivered each afternoon, he’d scour it for information to report back. Even at a very young age, he became use to digesting information on news—and politics.
“We cannot build back better unless we are able to have telehealth or telemedicine. Children are not going to be able to function adequately unless we have online learning. Businesses are not going to be productive if you don't connect them to the rest of the world via the internet,” he said. “I think that if you look at where we are, there are certain things that we've got to do. And I've been using my position with this committee to respond to all of the things that I see that we need to repair in our system, and that's why I've been so big on this broadband.”
Representative James Clyburn is a history enthusiast.
Then, in 1993, Clyburn was elected to Congress, representing South Carolina's sixth district, which covers a wide swath of land that encompasses much of the Lowcountry. Since that point, he’s continued to look for opportunities to forward issues that matter to those in his district, but has in turn pushed forward issues that matter to those across the United States.
“My dad used to tell me all the time, ‘Anything that has happened before can happen again.’ He was always telling me that, and I believe it to this day,” he said, recounting his connection to history. “I'm informed by history. I studied it almost daily. And sometimes I'll see something happen around me and wonder about the historical context of it, or what the history of it is. I’ll go to the internet and try to find out whether or not there's any backstory to it, because I believe that if I can figure out if something like this happened before, I can find out how it was overcome. What happened? That's it with me.”
“What I try to do,” he said, “is get legislation that can be significant to my ‘base’ but impactful forever.”
2021 Public Servant of the Year
It was a four-state deal. And it passed.
“Now that, to me, is what COVID-19 gives us an opportunity to do,” he said. “COVID-19 has unveiled some tremendous fault lines in our system.”
One of those such issues, the 10-20-30 Persistent Poverty Plan, passed under President Obama. In it, Clyburn proposed that at least 10 percent of all appropriated funds should go into counties where 20 percent or more of the populations have hit the persistent poverty level for 30 years—meaning that the majority of the county had been at the poverty level for at least two out of the last three years.
“Having just had my 81st birthday, I guess it's time for me to start thinking about what I want on my tombstone,” he said. “I've told my daughters that I want it to be printed on my tombstone: ‘He did his best to make the greatness of this country accessible and affordable for all.’ That's what drives me.”
Another such area of legislation is the preservation of historic buildings—and especially those on historically black colleges and universities. After a study turned up 712 historic buildings that were otherwise shuttered across 106 HBCUs across the country, he set out to find funding to restore them. Encouraged by success,
Through it all—and even with fellow legislators calling him “Jim Broadband”—Clyburn remains steadfast in his goals to positively grow and impact South Carolina.
Jasper2021Freedom AWARD Brigadier General MILFORD BEAGLE, JR
He first came as an Army cadet, after joining ROTC as student at South Carolina State University. Having grown up in Enoree, South Carolina—a small town in Spartanburg County—Beagle was 17 the first time he asked to join the military. Back then, his father was a truck driver and his mother a factory worker; he was an athlete, learning discipline and sportsmanship on the field. But when he brought home the paperwork, his mother said no.
“I brought all the paperwork home and my mom says, ‘I'm not going to sign it for you; you're going to go to college.’ And being blue collar, you know, there wasn’t a lot of money for college, but we were okay and we figured it out,” Beagle remembers.
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Orangeburg to Fort Jackson for training, seeing the location for the first time as one who would learn from what was being taught there.
Brigadier General Milford Beagle has been to Fort Jackson numerous times over the course of his career.
To be the commander of Fort Jackson and to be from South Carolina was very unique. And I think I'm the second to do so.
“When they told me what they did, I said that kind of appealed to me and they said, ‘Well, you probably couldn't make it,’” he said. “So, I took that as a challenge and said, I'm going to join next semester.”
“Out of the many installations that we have in our army, it’s very rare that you get to command an installation in the State where you grew up. You really don't see it,” he said. “So to be the commander of Fort Jackson and to be from South Carolina was very unique. And I think I'm the second to do so; General Abraham Turner—who also was a South Carolina State graduate—was the first. He was the first AfricanAmerican and South Carolinian, and then I was the second.”
Brigadier General Milford Beagle, Jr. returned to Fort Jackson in 2018 in a different capacity. A century after Walter Beagles served at the installation, Beagle once again joined it—this time as its 51st commanding general. According to Beagle, it was a rare occurrence, and an honor.
He did, but what he didn’t expect was to connect with his new position as a cadet. He spent weekends traveling from
Over the course of the next few decades, Beagle would rise through the ranks from a commissioned officer. He deployed once to Afghanistan; twice to Iraq. He served as a captain in the Old Guard at Arlington, learning the history and honoring the fallen. In 2014, he once again found himself at Fort Jackson, commanding one of the basic training brigades, then to Fort Drum in New York.
He wasn’t the first in his family to be at Fort Jackson, however. His great-grandfather, Walter Beagles (they dropped the "s" from the name some time after), was there in 1918, serving in the labor battalion and in World War I. It was a historical pinpoint that Beagle had no idea how it would impact him later in life.
In college, he ran track, and made friends with some from the school’s ROTC. On somewhat of a “dare”, he said, he ended up joining, too.
2021 Sgt. William Jasper Freedom Award
When they told me what they did, I said that kind of appealed to me and they said "Well, you probably couldn't make it." So I took that as a challenge.
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While it’s a little further south than he may be used to, Morgan’s energy for the position — and for all its potential — is palpable. New Era:
A Chat with Bob Morgan
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When he left the Charlotte Chamber a few years ago, it may have seemed his path in the Chamber of Commerce world was over, but after only a few years, he’s back in the role again—taking on the position of President and CEO of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce in April of 2021.
After 11 years of serving in various capacities — both at the Charlotte Chamber and its neighbor, the Gaston Chamber of Commerce — Morgan returned to the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce as CEO, completing the circle of his career in business growth and economic development under the Chamber mantle.
BORN IN ROME, NEW YORK, where his father was stationed in the Air Force, Morgan made his first move south when he was around six, and his father took a position as a police officer in Charlotte. After growing up in the area and then graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill, he found himself in the political arena, serving in political campaigns like that of Congressman Alec McMillan. Realizing that business drove most of the conversations happening in the Queen City, he soon jumped at the chance to join the local chamber of commerce as a lobbyist before moving into economic development, where he’d help recruit businesses, corporate headquarters and whitecollar jobs to the Charlotte area. Along the way, he met his wife, Meg, and ended up with two sons — Jack and Robert.
With an energy that only can be described as “contagious,” Bob Morgan is willing to tell anyone in his orbit about how great South Carolina is. Of course, this is something you’d expect out of the new President and CEO of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, but the energy Morgan has for the Palmetto State — even across a digitized Zoom screen made necessary by the COVID-19 pandemic — betrays his own roots, deep in the Charlotte region. A
differently — different than just the old style of ‘Go recruit companies.’ The talent war that we’ve been told for many years is here. Sure, it has been exacerbated by the pandemic, but it is a reality that’s going to be with us for a long time.”
“I think it’s a very opportune time for someone like myself to step into this role and say, ‘Okay, let’s turn this organization from playing defense to playing offense,’” he says. “Let’s get back to the business of bringing people together. Let’s continue to be the strong voice and advocate that we are for public policies that are going to help us to grow into the future.”
“There’s no secret that the number one issue facing virtually any business in South Carolina right now is labor, and the answer is multifaceted,” he says. “We have to do a better job of educating our citizens and growing our workforce to grow the organic talent potential that exists. We have to increase workforce participation. We also have to think of economic development
This focus on real issues facing South Carolina businesses is how he hopes to make significant impact in measurable areas, but Morgan also realizes that the most important aspect of his new position is to create a unified voice for business, and champion a path forward on behalf of the businesses of the State. And after the past year, with many businesses and organizations still weighed down with pandemic response and a focus on survival, it’s the perfect time to refocus on growth.
“When you grow up in Charlotte only 10 miles from the state line, you have a certain familiarity with South Carolina,” Morgan notes. “You’re vacationing at Myrtle Beach; you’re camping on the Yorktown with the Boy Scouts; you are learning to play golf and finding your way to places like Kiawah and the great golf courses of the Upstate. And when you’re in the Chamber world, you’re in professional association with so many good local chambers that are here in South Carolina.”
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And while there’s a lot to sell in South Carolina — from the port, to the low unionization rate, to the research stemming from the two flagship universities of Clemson and the University of South Carolina — he knows that there also are challenges that need to be addressed. Infrastructure has long been a focus for the State’s economic development leaders, as has the split between focusing on recruitment versus homegrown businesses. But above it all, he notes, right now there is a different challenge that needs to be addressed head-on, and quickly: the available workforce within the State.
There is a different challenge that needs to be addressed headon, and quickly: the available workforce within the state.
“I start with familiarity; I know that South Carolina is a better economy and a better place than it is perceived to be, generally,” he says. “As an economic developer for almost 30 years, I have both competed against South Carolina, but have also sold the Carolinas collectively.”
It would seem, then, that Morgan’s own background was uniquely crafted for his new position, giving him a perspective broad enough to see the big picture, and a focus tight enough to make a true impact.
Descendants of enslaved Africans who labored on the rice, indigo and cotton plantations along the coast of Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas, the Gullah Geechee people were selected for this hard labor because of their knowledge and skill cultivating rice in West Africa. As they toiled under the extreme conditions of slavery, and weathered the elements of the ever-changing and geographically isolated sea islands, their unique traditions with African origins were born.
ON THE WINDSWEPT SEA ISLANDS of South Carolina’s coast, there is a rich cultural tradition consistently preserved, shared and celebrated by the Gullah Geechee people— from their fresh-from-the-garden and fresh-from-the-sea cuisine, to their distinctive and dynamic Creole language, to their sweetgrass weaving craft that has been passed from generation to generation. If you’re a novice to South Carolina history, you may be surprised by the number of “Southern” traditions with deep Gullah roots.
Exploring the Gullah Geechee across South Carolina
As you explore the Lowcountry, you’ll easily spot traces of the Gullah Geechee—from the handwoven sweetgrass baskets sold at the Charleston City Market and along scenic byways, to the shrimp and grits and other “Southern” staples available on most Lowcountry restaurant menus.
First published in 1936 by New York postman Victor Green, the original Green Book was an African American travel guide to safe harbors and welcoming establishments across the United States, printed until the mid-1960s. The Green Book of South Carolina is a contemporary homage featuring tourism destinations that impart a new Southern experience, sharing the compelling story of African American heritage in the Palmetto State.
For an immersive trip into Gullah Geechee living history, take your adventures a step further using the Green Book of South Carolina—the first mobile web travel guide to African American cultural sites across South Carolina—which was created by the South Carolina African American Heritage Commission as a guide to discovering and celebrating enriching cultural experiences.
Still today, their descendants carry on the Gullah Geechee history, food, arts, language and culture—a culture that invites you to experience their iconic heritage.
Tourism
In 2022, the first hard copy of the Green Book of South Carolina will be available for purchase thanks to a collaboration between Hub City Press, the nonprofit WeGOJA Foundation (established by the South Carolina African American Heritage Commission) and the International African American Museum. Inside, it features more than 100 places with significant ties to the Gullah Geechee.
To get your next trip started on the right path, here are a number of locations you may want to explore.
The cotton trade spurred the growth of the slave population on Daufuskie Island from 1805-1842, and ruins of slave houses and archaeological sites remain from this period. The island was largely abandoned during the Civil War but many former slaves returned during Reconstruction, reoccupying slave houses and building churches, schools, and meeting places. In the early 20th century, the population swelled to almost 1,000, with oysters, logging, and trucking providing jobs. By the 1940s and 1950s, outside competition had caused many to leave the island and search for jobs elsewhere, leaving the population in 1980 at fewer than 75 people.
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Daufuskie Island Historic District Accessible by ferry from Broad Creek Marina at 18 Simmons Rd. Daufuskie Island
McLeod Plantation Historic Site
McLeod Plantation Historic Site features a plantation house and a fully intact row of extant slave dwellings. In 1860, 74 slaves lived in 26 cabins on this Sea Island cotton plantation. Five of those wood frame slave cabins remain today. During the Civil War the plantation served as unit headquarters for Confederate forces. When they evacuated Charleston in February 1865, the 54th and 55th Massachusetts Volunteer Regiments and other Union regiments camped onsite. The McLeod Plantation House served as headquarters for the Freedmen’s Bureau for the James Island district during Reconstruction. The Sankofa Burial Site of our African Ancestors features nearly 100 graves of former inhabitants. McLeod Plantation offers guided tours about African American life from slavery to freedom.
This house, built in 1930, is typical in materials and methods of construction of those built on the sea islands from the end of the Civil War to the mid-20th century. It was built on land bought by William Simmons (c. 1835-1922), who was born a slave and served in the 21st US Colored Infantry during the Civil War. His granddaughter Georgianna Jones Bryan built this house in 1930 for her brother. It illustrates everyday life and the persistence of Gullah culture in an African American farm community. It was renovated in 2010-11 as the Gullah Museum of Hilton Head Island.
Beach City Rd. (NE of int. Co Rd. 333 & Co Rd. 334) Hilton Head Island
Penn School was founded in 1862 by northern missionaries and abolitionists who came to South Carolina after the capture of the Sea Islands by Union troops. The site and its collection of historic buildings were venues for education, the preservation and interpretation of sea island culture, and a strategy meeting for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. before his March on Washington in 1963. In January 2017, Penn Center and other historic sites in Beaufort County were declared the nation’s first Reconstruction Era National Monument by President Barack Obama. In 2019, the monument was officially recognized as a National Park.
Mitchelville Site
16 Penn Center Cir. E. St. Helena Island
187 Gumtree Rd. Hilton Head Island
After Hilton Head’s fall to Union forces in 1861, this town was planned for the area’s former slaves and named for General Ormsby M. Mitchel.
It was developed into neatly arranged streets and Ľ-acre lots. The town had elected officials, a church, laws, taxes and a school for children, and was home to about 1,500 residents in 1865. The village continued relatively intact until the 1870s and was abandoned by 1890.
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Former Home of William Simmons: Gullah Museum of Hilton Head
Penn Center Historic District / Reconstruction Era National Historical Park
325 Country Club Rd. James Island
a step further
take adventuresyour
The Green Book of South Carolina is the first mobile web travel guide to African American cultural sites across South Carolina
Tourism 49
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Gadsden’s Wharf
3380 Ashley River Rd. Charleston
Drayton Hall
340 Concord St. Charleston
Gadsden’s Wharf is the last and most important disembarkation point for enslaved Africans in North America. Completed in 1772 by slave labor, the wharf was most active between 1783 and 1808 when an estimated 100,000 African men, women, and children arrived and were sold into slavery. The 840-foot wharf, at the time the largest in North America, could accommodate up to six ships at once. It stretched between today’s Calhoun and Laurens Streets and from the harbor to East Bay Street. Visitors to the wharf today will see the South Carolina Aquarium, Gadsden’s Borough Park, the Charleston Maritime Center, and the National Park Service’s visitors’ center from which ferries carry passengers to historic Fort Sumter. There are a series of waysides that interpret the historical significance of Gadsden’s Wharf, the work of the noted blacksmith Philip Simmons, and contributions of the civil rights activist Septima Clark. Gadsden’s Wharf is the future home of the International African American Museum.
Historic Drayton Hall near Charleston is renowned for its architectural sophistication and high standards of preservation, and is quickly gaining attention for its interpretation of African American life and contributions from 1738 to the Civil Rights era. The plantation offers guided tours that focus on rice production, plantation life, the African American cemetery (the oldest documented cemetery still in use) and African American contributions to the development of Charleston.
Mansfield Plantation Slave Street
Boone Hall Plantation
Nine slave houses still remain at Boone Hall and form one of the few remaining slave streets in the state. The houses date from 1790 to 1810, and two of them display exceptional brickwork and feature diamond shaped patterns unusual in South Carolina. The nine slave houses are survivors of approximately 27 slave houses at Boone Hall, and the nine survivors are believed to have been for house servants. Tours of the slave houses are available at Boone Hall Plantation and Gardens.
This rice-producing plantation was established in the 18th century. Records show that by 1860 there were over 100 slaves that planted 235 acres of rice at Mansfield. Six slave houses and a slave chapel remain. In 2004, descendants of owner, F. S. Parker, opened a bed & breakfast inn on the site. a
1776 Mansfield Rd. Georgetown
1235 Long Point Rd. Mt. Pleasant
There’s always something new to discover in South Carolina. For more trip ideas and travel information to plan your next getaway or adventure, visit DiscoverSouthCarolina.com, or visit greenbookofsc.com to plan your full itinerary of Gullah sights to see across the South Carolina lowcountry. Take
Trip! This story was created in partnership with the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism and the Green Book of South Carolina. Location descriptions were provided courtesy of the Green Book of South Carolina. 51
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By Liz Crumley, Manager, Corporate Communications, South Carolina Ports Authority DEEP DIVE INTO SC PORTS
As the only new container terminal planned in the U.S. until 2030, the state-of-the-art terminal is a huge competitive advantage for SC Ports— as it is for the businesses around the state and beyond that rely on a global supply chain to be successful. For reference, the Leatherman Terminal can handle 700,000 containers filled with goods,
WHEN OPERATIONS LAUNCHED AT HUGH K.
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LEATHERMAN TERMINAL in March 2021, South Carolina effectively became the only state in the country to open a greenfield port container terminal in more than a decade. Thus, the opening of Phase One of South Carolina Ports’ Leatherman Terminal marks a truly historic and monumental achievement.
The ability to efficiently handle more cargo and bigger ships is crucial for the Port of Charleston to remain a top 10 U.S. container port, as companies looking to establish a South Carolina distribution center or expand existing man ufacturing operations need a port that can efficiently move raw materials and finished products to market.
With the support of the S.C. Legislature, SC Ports looks to invest $550 million to develop an inner-harbor barge concept that will move containers between port terminals, and a near-dock, rail-served cargo yard that will increase rail competitiveness. The Navy Base Intermodal Facility will provide near-dock rail for Leatherman Terminal; it will be served by two Class I railroads to swiftly move more cargo for customers. "Strategic investments in port infrastructure are crucial to remain competitive as a port and as a state,” Newsome said. “Port capacity sets the stage for continued economic success, with port operations supporting one in 10 jobs in South Carolina, and those jobs paying 32 percent higher than the average state wage.”
THE NEED FOR INFRASTRUCTURE
"Our impressive Charleston Harbor Deepening Project is made possible through our great partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District, and the unwavering support of Governor Henry McMaster, the S.C. Legislature, the Congressional delegation, several administrations and our thriving business community,” SC Ports COO Barbara Melvin said. “The willingness of our business leaders to back our infrastructure needs makes harbor deepening and port enhancements possible, creating more economic opportunity for South Carolinians.”
Exports
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“Our strategic investments are proving beneficial as we handle unprecedented cargo volumes in support of our cus tomers,” Newsome said. “Our ability to handle this amount of cargo is thanks to our incredible port team, broader maritime community and logistics partners who work every day to keep freight moving in South Carolina. As challenges abound in the supply chain, SC Ports remains focused on enhancing infrastructure and providing efficient operations for those who depends on us to do business.”
and can accommodate a 20,000-TEU vessel, which is among the largest on the water today. It adds more capacity for cargo and an additional berth for ships at a time it is most needed as car go volumes continue to boom at unprecedented levels . Fortunately, with the support of South Carolina business leaders and elected officials, SC Ports has invested more than $2 billion in recent years to prepare for the influx of cargo growth and retail imports seen today. “As the only port in the country with new terminal capacity, SC Ports has the ability to handle the growing cargo volumes and rising retail imports coming through the Port of Charleston,” SC Ports President and CEO Jim Newsome said. “We have been highly focused on delivering world-class in frastructure at the right time.” In addition to opening Leatherman Terminal this year, work is ongoing to densify and modernize the bustling Wando Welch Terminal to handle more fully-load ed, mega container ships. New ship-to- shore cranes and hybrid rubber-tired gantry cranes have been deployed to swiftly
As the only new container terminal planned in the U.S. until 2030, the state-of-the-art terminal is a huge competitive advantage for SC Ports.
All these investments tie in seamlessly with the Charleston Harbor Deepening Project, which is on track to achieve a 52-foot depth in 2022. This depth will make Charleston Harbor the deepest on the East Coast, capable of handling mega container ships any time, during any tide.
KEEPING FREIGHT MOVING
move containers on terminals. Additionally, an expansion of Inland Port Greer is underway to handle more cargo at the rail-served inland port in Upstate South Car olina.
The pandemic truly showed the need for well-run ports and fluid supply chains as communities and households needed supplies, and then again as buying habits shifted more toward retail, dramatically increasing imports to the U.S.
SC Ports handled more containers than ever before in fiscal year 2021, moving 2.55 million TEUs, which is a 9.6 percent increase year over year. SC Ports saw 253,981 vehicles roll across the docks, while rail-served Inland Port Greer and Inland Port Dillon set cargo records with a combined 192,844 rail moves. Business continues to boom with longtime customers, such as BMW and Michelin. SC Ports is now moving cargo for mega retailers, such as Walmart, which is building its nearly threemillion-square-foot retail distribution center near the port. Business and port growth go hand-in-hand in South Carolina.
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Riverside Village makes it even more significant to the community. As Riverside Village has come to life with a baseball park, high end apartment complexes, Sharon Jones amphitheater, a riverfront hotel, retail and restaurants, an old-fashioned and charming downtown North Augusta has remained largely unchanged. On one hand, that’s how much of the North Augusta community prefers it—as a modest, easygoing community that treats each other like family. But it’s also a community that has suddenly transformed into an
ORTH AUGUSTA’S SMALL-TOWN CHARM and its welcoming character are some of the main reasons residents enjoy living in the area. With convenient access to big-city amenities just a short drive away, citizens know they have an outstanding quality of life that’s hard to beat.
AUGUSTA
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By Terra L. Carroll, CCEC, IOM, President/CEO, North Augusta Chamber of Commerce
One of North Augusta’s most valuable resources is the Savannah River, which serves as the boundary between South Carolina and Georgia. While the waterway is already important in terms of infrastructure,
A Riverside Retreat
The Greeneway takes you from the riverfront, into the city and through our neighborhoods. Formerly a railway of the Central Georgia Rail System, the Greeneway—named after former North Augusta Mayor Thomas Greene—is approximately 13.5 miles and attracts more than 20,000 visitors per month to bike, hike, run or skate on the area’s most dynamic trail. Riverview Park Activities
entertainment hub while also offering some of the best trails, views and food in the area. SRP Park is at the center of the entertainment district, and home of Green Jackets Baseball (a Minor League Baseball team of the Low-A East and the Low-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves).
From historic neighborhoods to riverfront houses and condominiums, real estate options are affordable and abundant. The median home value of approximately $165,000 and a cost of living of more than 11 percent lower than the national average makes it possible for approximately 87 percent of the population of 24,000+ people to own their Educationhome.isa
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priority for North Augusta residents, who readily support investment in public schools through progressive tax initiatives. With 92 percent of North Augustans having attained at least a high school education (more than 36 percent have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher), North Augustans have remained staunchly committed to the betterment of local schools and facilities.
The city is healthy and growing, with new development.residential
N O R TH AU G U ATS
North Augusta attracts new companies with national and international presence while at the same time supporting small business owners and entrepreneurs. Both big and small industry work together to promote a healthy economy. SRP Federal Credit Union is North Augusta’s largest employer and serves 100,000 members. Other companies that have chosen North Augusta as their home include Allnex (polyresin manufacturer), Halocarbon, AmbioPharm, and Bridgestone Tire Plant in Graniteville. Less than 20 miles from the Cyber Center at Fort Gordon, North Augusta is poised to become a start-up hub for tech and IT, and
SRP Park has become a gathering point for entertainment throughout the year, from Masters Week concerts, the Craft Beer Festival, Palmetto Peach Half Marathon, 10K and 5K, and Border Bash, just to name a few.
Brick Pond Park, located next to Riverside Village, is a 40-acre wetland that invites visitors of all ages to enjoy its serene atmosphere, whether it’s relaxing under the park’s scenic pavilion or spending the day canoeing or fishing.
new commercial investment is evident throughout. Coupled with a vibrant business community, a great location within a major metropolitan area, quality education, exceptional healthcare offerings and a quality workforce, North Augusta is ready for the future.
The City of North Augusta has proudly presented the Jack-O-Lantern Jubilee for more than 35 years. This annual, free, and family centric festival is held in downtown North Augusta on Georgia Avenue. This one-day event includes over 100 arts and crafts vendors, live music, a variety of foods and beverages, amusement rides, inflatables, and even costume contests.
With unlimited resources for family, friends and visitors to enjoy, North Augusta is booming with a population growth of nearly 14 percent since 2010. (World Population Review, 2021)
Hometown Center, along the Greeneway path, spans an impressive 120,000 square feet featuring an array of exercise space and opportunity. Multiple fitness areas, a four-lane indoor walking track, six regulation-size high-school basketball courts and two racquetball courts are accompanied by lockers and showers, concessions and meeting rooms. This site becomes the center of the city’s main attraction when the NIKE Peach Jam—the nation’s premier tournament for the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League—and NIKE Nationals come to town every summer.
With unlimited resources for family, friends and visitors to enjoy, North Augusta is booming, with a population growth of nearly 14 percent since 2010.
South Carolina is manufacturing America’s washing machines.
Samsung is running daily to facilitate the supply of washing machines across the country. Newberry County is critical to keeping the supply chain moving in home appliances. Thank you to our incredible employees and the state for their continued support and efforts.
Samsungishiring!
We’re Blackbaud — the world’s leading cloud software company powering social good, and we’re here to help good take over.
We serve millions of people in more than 100 countries around the world in their efforts to advance social good. Our mission is to power an Ecosystem of Good® that builds a better world, and our more than 3,000 employees — including many based in our world headquarters in Charleston — focus on this each and every day. We also enthusiastically participate in this Ecosystem of Good through partnership, giving, volunteering, and ensuring that the way we operate helps good take over.
By: Rachel Hutchisson, Vice President, Global Social Responsibility, Blackbaud
Founded on a shared-value concept of helping nonprofits leverage technology, our mission and corporate commitment allow us to attract a diverse range of passionate employees, who help us serve social good organizations — through both our business model and our corporate philanthropy — and enables those social good organizations to reach their own missions.
Leading uniquely at the intersection of technology and social good, we provide cloud software, services, expertise and data intelligence that empower and connect people to drive impact. Our solutions are purpose-built for the unique needs of the social good community, which includes nonprofits, higher education institutions, K–12 schools, healthcare organizations, faith communities, arts and cultural organizations, foundations, companies and individual change agents.
TakeH4elpingGoodOver
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THIS HIGHER PURPOSE guides everything we do, from the way we serve our customers, to the way we create employee experiences, to the ways we give back to our communities and operate sustainably. This year, Blackbaud celebrates 40 years in business, and although a lot has changed in four decades, one thing remains the same — since day one, our company has been 100-percent focused on social good.
We helped our customers raise funds for important causes, like the late Captain Sir Tom Moore, who set a goal of walking 100 laps in his garden before his 100th birthday to raise money for NHS Charities Together, which supports the UK’s National Health Service — ultimately raising an astounding £38.97 million and creating a lasting legacy around the globe. We released new technology to help customers address their unique needs during the pandemic — like creating a virtual prayer wall capability for churches to engage their congregations remotely.
We continued fostering our culture of giving back, which resulted in 92 percent of employees volunteering over 100,000 hours, and 25 percent of employees serving on social good boards or committees. We expanded the company’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) program to proactively measure and report on non-financial measures that our key stakeholders — employees, customers, community and investors — care about. We also donated funds to disaster relief efforts and increased the company’s matching gift benefit by 30 percent for all employees.
We owe our success and our impact to the people who make our company what it is. We are so proud to have the best, brightest and most passionate team of employees around the world. We’re committed to continuing to innovate as our customers’ trusted partner for cloud solutions to help them achieve more good, now and always.
Focusing on innovation and being a partner to our customers — and the end results of our customers’ work — is critical to why we exist. It is with pride that we continue our 40-year history of engaging as a funder through direct corporate gifts and employee-led grants programs, as well as employee-focused funding, which includes volunteerism grants, matching gifts and more. The more our people engage in and understand the world of social good, the better they can serve our customers…and the more they evolve as citizens of the world. We feel it is our job to set that example as well as taking care of our own community, as we did by investing $1 million to help build the International African American Museum in Charleston, SC.
Over the last year, as COVID-19 struck our customers and communities and our country faced racial injustice, Blackbaud stepped up to rethink change and power good in a variety of ways.
Giving Profile
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We quickly transitioned all employees to remote work and announced a new workforce strategy to support flexible work moving forward. We hired our first Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Michael B. Moore, who will support the company’s ongoing initiatives, including unconscious bias and respect at work workshops, as well as leading Blackbaud’s Global Diversity and Inclusion Council and supporting our nine employee affinity groups, which connect people with similar interests and identities to further diversity and inclusion within the company.
Business Week Assistant Company Advisors
Business Week
BUSINESS WEEK: JULY 17-22, 2022
WE’RE BACK IN BUSINESS!
Atty. Sam Johnson speaking to students
Business Week will resume in July 17-22, 2022 at the University of South Carolina. Follow the SC Chamber on social media to find out when applications open, or contact Cynthia Bennett at Cynthia.bennett@scchamber.net to learn more.
ACROSS SOUTH CAROLINA, there are hubs of activity in manufacturing—from automotive, to medical technologies and even aerospace. And while suppliers of these companies dot the landscape of the state, one company sits as a nexus to South Carolinian industry, providing high-performance tubing for applications such as airplane wiring harnesses, automotive sensors, and medical catheters.
Many coming through the Midlands may be familiar with Zeus Industrial Products, which boasts a facility in Gaston prominently visible off of I-26. But far fewer understand the depth of the roots that the company has spread throughout the Palmetto State, in which seven out of their 11 locations throughout the world are located.
As the story goes, Tourville’s efforts to move south began with a letter.
Zeus’ beginnings in South Carolina started about fifteen years after its founding back in 1966, when Frank P. Tourville, Sr. started his own extrusion company in Raritan, New Jersey. After growing the company significantly in the Garden State, he looked to expand.
Working Together. For the Better. ZEUS INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS
INSIDE
“Mr. Tourville wanted to expand the business and decided that the Sun Belt was the best location,” relates Jennifer McQuesten, Vice President of Corporate Communications for Zeus. “So, he sent a letter to different Chambers of Commerce in the South. Orangeburg responded immediately and the Governor sent
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“There are two things that make Zeus special: our people and our products,” McQuesten says. When you’re out on the manufacturing floor making some of the world’s smallest tubing—thinner than a human hair—you put great care into ensuring that it’s the highest quality because it could
South Carolina has been very supportive of manufacturing companies like Zeus; they've created an environment that has allowed Zeus to grow significantly.”
Now, 40 years later, Zeus has thrived, and South Carolina has benefited. More than anything else, Zeus has become a significant name in fluoropolymer extrusion, with a focus on tubing for catheter components for medical, which comprises a large percentage of their business.
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a plane to pick Mr. Tourville up. After a convincing pitch from a group of local business leaders, Mr. Tourville knew he had found the right home for Zeus in Orangeburg.”
At that point in 1981, Tourville began the expansion in Orangeburg, purchasing an historic 1897 Santee Cotton Mill tall enough to fit their 35-foot tall vertical extruders. A year later, they started 10 employees on a single shift in the building. Not long after that, the Raritan, New Jersey company officially moved its headquarters to Orangeburg, South Carolina.
– Jennifer McQuesten VICE PRESIDENT OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS
“South Carolina has been very supportive of manufacturing companies like Zeus; they've created an environment that has allowed us to grow into a global organization,” McQuesten says. “In turn, Zeus has created a workplace that's very friendly to its employees. We put people first and that's why so many South Carolinians make Zeus their home for decades.”
end up saving someone’s life. Our competitors may try to replicate the very difficult work we do, but they’ll never be able to match up with our incredible team of hard-working and dedicated people.”
Today, with sites across the United States—in South Carolina, New Jersey, Tennessee and California—as well as in Ireland and China, Zeus is a true force in their industry. And even though their founder, Frank Tourville, Sr., passed earlier this year, his legacy is the more than 2,000 employees worldwide who will continue on with his vision of “Working Together; Doing it Better.”
protective coverings for sensors used in cars. For this reason, Zeus boasts an impressive list of clients around the world, including Boston Scientific, Boeing, BMW, Tesla and even NASA.
In addition to the medical components manufactured by the extruders at Zeus—which, incidentally, are custom designed and built by the company itself—you may also find wiring harnesses used in airplanes, or
BMW Plant Spartanburg is proud to have produced over 5 million vehicles. We are committed to quality and innovation as we continue to produce the Ultimate Driving Machine. To learn more, please visit us at bmwusfactory.com
BMW Plant Spartanburg is proud to have produced over 5 million vehicles. We are committed to quality and innovation as we continue to produce the Ultimate Driving Machine. To learn more, please visit us at bmwusfactory.com
BMW PLANT SPARTANBURG.
OVER 5 MILLION VEHICLES PRODUCED AND STILL GROWING.
more than 400,000 square feet of space in the Kennedy Innovation Complex— represents an investment of more than $100 million in the Midlands. The plant will generate 250 jobs for the area.
DURING A CELEBRATION ATTENDED
company, Nephron develops and produces safe, affordable generic inhalation solutions and suspension products. The company also operates an industry-leading 503B Outsourcing Facility division which produces prefilled sterile syringes, luer-lock vials, IV bottles and IV bags for hospitals across America, in an effort to alleviate drug shortage needs. Nephron launched a CLIA-certified diagnostics lab last year where it tests people for COVID-19 and administers vaccinations. Nephron Nitrile—which will be headquartered in
The opening of Nephron Nitrile
BY STRATEGIC PARTNERS, business leaders and public officials, Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation CEO Lou Kennedy and Governor Henry McMaster announced the opening of Nephron Nitrile, a plant that will produce Americanmade, medical-grade nitrile gloves.
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“This is a historic day for our company, and, we believe, for South Caro lina,” said Kennedy. “Over the course of the last year, we have poured every bit of creativity, energy and resources we have at our disposal into doing our part, as a proud Made-in-America manufacturer, to respond to an
CEO Lou Kennedy and Governor Henry McMaster announced the opening of Nephron Nitrile, a plant that will produce American-made, medical-grade nitrile gloves.
The announcement is the latest Nephron expansion on the sprawling company campus located at SaxeGotha Industrial Park in Lexington County. A West Columbia, S.C.-based
unprecedented crisis. Nephron Nitrile is the latest part of our ongoing effort to make South Carolina the nationwide example for effectively responding to America’s needs, this time by shoring up the domestic supply chain.”
Kennedy and the governor, along with the entire Nephron team, have made reducing the American dependence on foreign sources of critical health carerelated items, such as personal protective equipment (PPE) and lifesaving medications, a top priority. Kennedy joined the governor in April when he announced an executive order to safeguard South Carolina from supply chain disruptions, such as those caused by countries
“After last year’s supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, I announced a new initiative aimed at expanding recruitment efforts of pharmaceutical and medical supply manufacturers in the Palmetto State. Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation’s continued investment in South Carolina and our people will go a long way toward creating much-needed independence in this industry. This great company continues to show that we have the talent and the ability to do anything we put our minds to, right here in South Carolina.”
like China, experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic by working to manufacture even more essential, life-saving products in South Carolina.
“Lexington County is beyond excited to say congratulations again to Nephron Pharmaceuticals,” said Lexington County Council Chairman M. Todd Cullum. “The county is enthusiastic about this announcement as much or more than the company’s original announcement to locate in Lexington County. Their investment in hard assets and jobs is second to none in South Carolina. Nephron’s partnership with Lexington County has been tremendous in helping to improve the quality of life in our county and the region. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for this extraordinary company.”
Last July, Kennedy announced an investment of $215 million for Lexington County, bringing 380 new full-time jobs to the area by 2024, and adding new office, warehouse and vaccine production space. This announcement included the establishment of the Kennedy Innovation Complex, home of Nephron Nitrile, and these projects are ahead of schedule. Since relocating company headquarters to Lexington County from Orlando, Nephron has invested more than a half billion dollars in the region, creating almost 2,000 full and part time jobs.
is
our ongoing
Nephron Nitrile the latest part of effort to
make South Carolina the America’sexamplenationwideforeffectivelyrespondingtoneeds.” “ 65
Now, just months later, Kennedy and her team at Nephron are stepping up once again. In doing the work on the front end of the announcement to secure partnerships with trusted companies to provide raw materials, machinery and technology, Nephron is in position to make a significant dif ference in bolstering the PPE supply chain by early 2022.
American Healthcare
“It is critical that South Carolina lead the charge in bringing the production of life-saving medications and supplies back home to the United States,” said Governor McMaster.
BE PRO, BE PROUD RAISES WORKFORCEGENERATION’SNEXT
Did you know?
TO THE STREETSTO THE STREETS
Over 24 percent of South Carolina’s current skilled professionals are at or near retirement age! We believe that by changing how South Carolinians think about the job opportunities provided by skilled professions, we can inspire today’s youth and lead them, and our state, down the path to prosperity.
IT’S NOT AN EXAGGERATION to say that you’ve probably never seen anything like the Be Pro Be Proud Truck before. Rolling down the South Carolina highways and byways, this 18-wheeler is literally a classroom on wheels. The Be Pro Be Proud Truck takes hands-on learning to a new level, offering twelve modules for students, parents, and guidance counselors to interact with and learn about skilled trades.
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Thank you to our partners: • SC Trucking Association • SC Homebuilders • Forestry Association of SC • Carolinas AGC Since September 2020, the Be Pro, Be Proud truck has seen: Visitors 7,474 Tour Stops 123 Cities 70 2021 Numbers (from July 19 – September 16) Number of Students Who Visited the Truck 1,394 Number of Other Visitors 272 Number of Tour Stops 22 Number of Cities 20 67 Workforce
While the 2021 events calendar looked different than any previous year, we were grateful to be back in person for a few events, and were happy to host a number of robust virtual events earlier in the year.
After the Event 68
For more information on upcoming events, visit: scchamber.net/events
After THE Event
After the Event
Washington Night
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Every year the SC Chamber recognizes the best places to work in South Carolina. This year we were able to have the event back in person.
Our annual Washington Night was hosted in person in downtown Columbia. CongressmanvirtuallyinNorman,Mace,Graham,CongresswomanSenatorandCongressmenRice,andWilsonattendedperson.WewerejoinedbySenatorScottandClyburn.
Best Places to Work
After the Event
Annual Summit
The 2021 Workforce Development Symposium was held in Greenville with more than 200 attendees. In addition to touring the Be Pro Be Proud Truck, the event featured expert panels and speakers on diversity and inclusion, apprenticeships, affordable housing and second chance hiring.
The Chamber’s annual meeting and signature event was held in person at the Sanctuary at Kiawah Island in November. Along with honoring our business leader of the year, public servant of the year and the Boeing veteran awards, this year featured an oyster roast and several networking opportunities.
Workforce SymposiumDevelopment
SMALL BUSINESS DAY AT THE CAPITAL
SC SHRM STATE CONFERENCE IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE SC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
April 19: Columbia
May 18: Columbia
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January 12: Columbia
JULY SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 71
WASHINGTON NIGHT
INAUGURAL WOMEN’S SYMPOSIUM
BUSINESS SPEAKS
BEST PLACES TO WORK AWARDS
August 18: Columbia
CYBERSECURITY SUMMIT
May 24: Charleston
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SYMPOSIUM
September: Myrtle Beach
October 4: Greenville
August 4: Columbia
May 4: Columbia
BUSINESS WEEK
SPOTLIGHT AGRICULTUREON AND FORESTRY
July 17-22: Columbia
Mr. Boyd Jones Synovus Bank
Mr. Sam Konduros Vikor Scientific
Mr. John T. Lay Gallivan, White & Boyd, P.A.
Mr. Marc Gombeer Volvo Car U.S. Operations
Mr. Paul Patrick College of Charleston
Mr. Hal Stevenson GraceAdvertisingOutdoor
Mr. J. Christopher Barras Ernst & Young LLP
Mr. Stuart MacVean Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC
Ms. Courtney Herring CVS Health.
Mr. Bryan Hamrick Zeus Industrial Products, Inc.
Mr. Tom Foster Amentum
Mr. Thomas Anderson Wells Fargo
Mr. James Harrell Sonoco
Mr. P. Mason Hogue, Jr. Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP
Mr. J. David Jameson Aiken Chamber of Commerce
Mr. Ben Rex Cyberwoven, LLC
Mr. Rob Godfrey NephronCorporationPharmaceuticals
Mr. Michael Brenan Truist
Mr. John J. Dampier Southeastern Freight Lines
Mr. Richard Shaffer Colonial Life
SC Chamber of Commerce
Mr. Tim Arnold Colonial Life
Mr. Greg Taylor Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP CPAs
Mr. Herb Dew Human Technologies Inc.
PAST 39 YEARS OF CHAMBER LEADERSHIP
Mr. Paul Mitchell South Coast Paper Bob Morgan SC Chamber of Commerce
Mr. Darren Wright Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands SC, Inc.
Mr. Brad Wright Burr Forman McNair
Ms. Kathy Helms, Esq. Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Mr. Jeff Trenning Bank of America
Mr. Richard Bhola Scott and Company LLC, Certified Public Accountants
Mr. Peter LaMotte Chernoff Newman
Mr. Mark S. O’Halla Prisma Health Upstate
Mr. Paul R. Sparks RealOp Investments, LLC
Mr. Will Whitley Michelin North America, Inc
Mr. Jeremy Migliara Elliott Davis, LLC
Mr. Michael Carrouth, Esq. Fisher Phillips
Ms. Willette WilliamsBurnham-PhD Medical University of SC
Mr. Robert “Bob” Paulling Mid Carolina CooperativeElectric
Ms. Pamela J. Williams Santee Cooper
Mark Hart Carolina Panthers
Mr. Matt Puckett Gallagher
Ms. Fatima Perez Koch Companies Public Sector, LLC
Ms. Dee Dee Henderson Agape Care
Mr. James D’Alessio BlueCross BlueShield of SC
Mr. Jarrett Martin Mar-Mac Industries, Inc.
Mr. W. Thomas Lavender, Jr. Nexsen Pruet, LLC
Mr. Steve B. Smith CBRE South Carolina
Mr. Thomas Rhodes Rhodes Companies
Mr. Thomas G. Komaromi Samsung
Mr. Dave Solano Enterprise Holdings
Ms. Jennifer McQuesten Zeus Industrial Products, Inc.
Mr. Virgil Miller Aflac Group
Mr. Charles K. Johnson Corsica Technologies
Mr. Steve Spinks Spinx Company, Inc.
Mr. Rickie L. Shearer NationalCorporationHealthcare
Mr. Michael Shetterly, Esq. Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Mr. Nick McNeill Brandon Agency
Mr. Ben Breazeale Charter Communications
Dr. Cynthia Walters Prisma Health Midlands
Ms. Ashley Holbrook Boeing Company
Ms. Kim Wilkerson Bank of America
Mr. Christian Stormer Bauknight, Pietras & Stormer, P.A.
Mr. Kevin Lindler First Citizens Bank & Trust Company
Mr. Joseph D. Clark, Esq. Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A.
Mr. Woody Swink McCall Farms Inc.
Mr. John Harvey Ineos
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Mr. Randy Lowell Willoughby & Hoefer, P.A.
Mr. Timothy Norwood Bistro Holdings, Inc. Victors Steaks Wine Seafood
Mr. P. Rodney Blevins Dominion Energy
Mr. Terrance Ford AT&T
Mr. Roger Schrum Sonoco
Mr. David Lominack TD Bank, N.A.
Mr. Gregg Hendrix SEFA Group, Inc.
Mr. Ryan Dukes Blue MarlinCateringSignature
Mr. Doug Callender Milliken & Company
Mr. Robert Alexander Coroplast Tape Corporation
Mr. Darrell Scott NextEra Energy, Inc.
Mr. Michael P. Callahan Duke Energy
Dr. Forest E. Mahan Ph.D Aiken Technical College
Life is anything but
expected That’s why we’re here. We provide benefits that your employees want for those unexpected moments in life, whether that’s an accident, illness or injury. Our plans not only help cover what regular insurance doesn’t, but we also help employees make informed choices and proactively look for ways to pay when they get sick or injured. Colonial Life. Keep Unexpecting®
Insurance products are underwritten by Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company, Columbia, SC. ©2020 Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company. All rights reserved. Colonial Life is a registered trademark and marketing brand of Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company. 8-20 NS-369880 ColonialLife.com Injury | Illness | Dental | Vision | Life
