October 21, 2009
2 - Wednesday, October 21, 2009
T
he Summerville Journal Scene’s 2009 Women2Watch builds on the previous two years of Women in Business. Although the name of the publication has changed, the content continues the tradition of honoring 10 women who are community leaders. This year’s featured women represent many different types of work and commitment. All impact the quality of life that the residents of the Greater Summerville area enjoy. From politics and healthcare to music and dining, these women have succeeded
Women 2 Watch
in making an impact by the way they have chosen to spend their work lives. Their service to others and dedication to the welfare of their fellow citizens is apparent. Honorees from the previous two years were: PJ Johnson, Alex Kassing, Barbara Dunning, Babette Hamilton, Georgia Toney, Candy Pratt, Kay Phillips, Jenny Horne, Sharon Laney, Diane Walker, Rita Berry, Lauren Bethea, Vi Matheny, Deb Campeau, Jill Henry, Monica Karam, Vicki Ellis, Kristin Sagliocco, Kathy Randall and Holly Patterson.
Debbie Miler
pg. 4
Kelly Williams
pg. 6
Cristy Sanders
pg. 7
Naomi Nimmo
pg. 8
Lynn Haney-Singleton
pg. 8
Becky Ford
pg. 9
Jan Parsons
pg. 10
Tiffany Provence
pg. 11
Toni Fivecoat
pg. 12
Annette Young
pg. 13
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Women 2 Watch
Wednesday, October 21, 2009 - 3
Thriving in a challenging economy, T
he Yoga Loft has made a name for itself as one of Summerville’s women owned and operated businesses. Located in downtown Summerville for the past 5 years, The Yoga Loft has recently joined forces at its North Gum street location with massage therapists, chiropractors, and pilates instructors, to provide Summerville’s premier wellness facility. Darcy Jaskwhich, BSN, RYT, and founder credits the Yoga Loft’s sustained growth to a business model centered on quality and individual attention rather than high numbers and rapid expansion.
her four children and a husband of 20 years do keep her on the go, Jaskwhich makes time for her deep desire to share an approach to health and wellness that has been so important to her life. “It has been my continued practice of yoga that enables me to even begin to try to find balance within the crazy pace of today’s lifestyle. In addition, I get to spend my days with people who are working toward the same goals, balances, wellness, fitness, and joy in the face of challenges,” she said. “5 years ago, I had no intention of opening my own studio. I still had children in preschool, and had never owned a business. I didn’t even really e-mail much then!” she said with a laugh.
“We offer small classes, in an intimate, deeply relaxing environment. Our teachers possess incredible quality and training,” said Jaskwhich. “Our intention is to provide instruction that allows people to make progress at their own rate while achieving maximum benefits.” Beyond instruction in a wide variety of styles of Yoga and mat Pilates classes in the classical tradition, the Yoga Loft offers a serene and unique locale in the heart of Summerville.
“I just wanted to start small, provide varied classes with the opportunity for lots of personal attention, and a also place for local teachers to continue their study of yoga. So far, it keeps working!” she said.
The Yoga Loft now has 8 teachers, and averages 16-18 classes per week. There is truly something for everyone at the Yoga Loft. There are larger fast paced classes, quiet restorative classes, and small classes for beginners. “Some people are surprised to find out there is a high quality studio in town, and honestly that is ok with me,” Jaskwhich asserts. “I am delighted that our growth and quality have remained on pace with each other, and that first and foremost we provide a wonderful wellness experience for so many who come for a whole host of reasons. This isn’t just a workout- some people come mid-divorce, others are having serious health challenges or are post-injury. Some come just to find out what the yoga buzz is about.” Jaskwhich feels confident that regardless of the reason that brings students to the Yoga Loft, they all find relaxation, strength, and an improved sense of well being in a beautiful and serene environment.
“There is a wonderful community of people here that come as much for the classes as for the developing friendships and inviting environment,” Jaskwhich explained. Like many female business owners, Jaskwhich balances a busy family life. While
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4 - Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Women 2 Watch
Debbie Miler BY STEFAN ROGENMOSER The Journal Scene
Debbie Miler is the owner, operator and broker of a property management business and she says the multi-tasking involved makes her job ideal for a woman. The business is called Miler Properties, which opened its doors in 1986 when it managed about 60 properties, Miler says. Miler Properties has grown tremendously and now manages close to 600 properties, she says. A lot of the company’s business comes from military families, she adds. “We manage property for homeowners,” Miler explains. The business, located at 625 Old Trolley Rd., works mostly with singlefamily homes by helping owners find tenants and helping tenants find residences, she says. “We have a lot of really nice homes. When we put a home on the market it’s clean. “A lot of people can’t sell their homes, but property managers can,” Miler says. “Because the market is so slow, I have to be a liaison between the owner and tenant.” While working as a negotiator she can — in the right situation with the right amount of compassion — convince property owners to waive late fees when tenants can’t make rent
on time, she says. “It’s not black and white anymore. We don’t just look at credit scores. Because of the economy we look at the whole picture.” The company does business throughout the tri-county, but the majority of their business is in Summerville, Miler says. One of Miler Properties’ duties is taking maintenance calls and hiring local businesses to make repairs on its properties. Miler is enthusiastic about her employees (her “girls,” as she calls them) because they’re hard-working, put in long hours, work with pride and do their jobs well, she says. “I love all the people I work with.” She also works with her husband Dickie Miler, who is the company’s realtor and broker. Miler herself works about 60 hours per week by bookkeeping, collecting rent and mailing checks and deposits, she says. “On the 10th of every month I get in my car and travel to every bank in the tri-county area,” she jokes. Miler Properties has accounts all around the world, including owners in Japan and China who have American bank accounts, Miler says. She uses email to stay in touch with farSee MILER Page 14
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Women 2 Watch
Wednesday, October 21, 2009 - 5
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6 - Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Women 2 Watch
Kelly Williams BY ROGER LEE The Journal Scene
Kelly Williams has been an entrepreneur since she was 10. “I grew up knocking on doors, asking people if they needed their car washed or pine cones picked up and getting paid for it,” Williams said. “That led into baby sitting as I got older and any other jobs I could find. I’ve always been driven to take care of myself and make my own living.” Her entrepreneurial instincts have served her well since she and her husband opened their own in-home care agency in 1998. Under her guidance as the agency’s president, AllCare Living Services has become a leader in the field. Williams now has more than 20 years of experience in home health care to draw on and that has paid dividends, particularly recently. Over the last few years, the agency has grown by more than 30 percent. Williams says even the sluggish economy hasn’t appreciably slowed the demand for the company’s services. She didn’t always plan to be involved in health care, but that is where fate and her heart took her. As she graduated from high
Congratulations Becky!!!
school, she graduated from odd jobs here and there to a full-time position as a receptionist at a law firm. She attended night school, getting a degree in business. That led to an administrative job with the state’s home care division and then to a position with a national home health care provider. However, she found she didn’t always like the approach many home health care providers take. Thinking there might be a niche to serve and she might be able to help more people, Williams ventured out on her own. “I saw a lot of needs that weren’t being met,” she said. “With a big company and corporate rules, there were a lot of times we would tell people we couldn’t help them when I felt we could.” That’s why in addition to providing home medical services, AllCare Living is willing to help seniors and disabled people in other ways. “Basically, we want to help people stay in their homes if they don’t want to live in a nursing home,” Williams said. “We want to give people options and help them however See WILLIAMS Page 14
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Women 2 Watch
Wednesday, October 21, 2009 - 7
Cristy Sanders The Journal Scene
Cristy Sanders has been the general manager of Summerville’s Holiday Inn Express since June 2004. In those five years, and her 12 in the hotel industry, she’s met countless customers, built strong bonds with co-workers and contributed greatly to make Exit 199 more welcoming. And she still has time for a hobby. The Holiday Inn Express has the largest meeting space in Summerville, making it a prime destination for civic and corporate meetings. The hotel hosts chamber of commerce events, legislative luncheons and wedding receptions on a regular basis along with BET (Black Entertainment Television) standup comedy shows each quarter, Sanders says. “It’s an asset to the hotel to have a meeting space that size,” Sanders says. “It’s a great asset to offer the community. You’re going to get out of the community what you put into it. What I can do for them, they can do for me.” She has the same dedication to customers by making them feel like they’re coming home and calling many repeat customers by first name, she says. “The people you meet are phenomenal. You make lasting memories and
no two days are alike,” Sanders says. With 123 rooms, the hotel is the largest off Exit 199, Sanders says. There’s also a heartshaped outdoor pool that is open year-round. Being a hotel manager isn’t a typical woman’s job, and sometimes comes with its challenges. “When I’m dealing with vendors they think they can pull one over on me . . . but they don’t.” Sanders says you must be aggressive in an environment that’s open 24/7/365 by finding the right people and making sure they enjoy their work. She also wants to help guide employees up into higher positions, Sanders says. She says the Holiday Inn company puts herself and her staff of 30 through rigorous training to meet service standards. “Don’t be afraid of hard work, long hours. You have to be a people person, you have to be strong and flexible,” she advises. Sanders once trained and rode horses professionally, but wild horses couldn’t drag her away from becoming a hotel manager. She got “burned out” by the equestrian life seven days a week, she says, so she got a job as a front desk clerk at a St. George hotel. Sanders still rides and trains horses and See SANDERS Page 14
SJ07-186893
BY STEFAN ROGENMOSER
SJ07-186901
8 - Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Women 2 Watch
Naomi Chaitkin Nimmo BY MICHAEL TANNEBAUM The Journal Scene
Summerville Community Orchestra Executive Director Naomi Chaitkin Nimmo likes to tell people she’s lived two lives. In her first life, which lasted 30 years, Nimmo, who has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music, was a renowned pianist who toured the country, recorded music and taught piano. Currently in her second life, defined by her work as an arts administrator, Nimmo is now the behind the scenes maestro of the Summerville Community Orchestra. Nimmo, who moved from California to Charleston five days after Hurricane Hugo, was executive director of the Flowertown Players for 15 years before recently assuming the job with the orchestra. Nimmo’s work with the orchestra revolves around fundraising, marketing, finance, and day-to-day operations. She’s passionate about her work because she thinks highly of her product. “You can’t work for something you don’t believe in and I believe very strongly in this orchestra because they are who they say they are,” Nimmo said. “We say we’re the best community orchestra in a small town in a small state. We know who we are and we love
Lynn Haney-Singleton BY MICHAEL TANNEBAUM The Journal Scene
Years before she graduated from the Medical University of South Carolina with a degree in nursing, Lynn Haney-Singleton was well on her way to learning the ropes of the profession. As a child not yet 10 years of age, HaneySingleton, now Summerville Medical Center’s Chief Nursing Officer, would help care for her disabled aunt. “I recall very vividly helping her by giving her baths, making sure she got her medicines and meals on time and doing the things that every good nurse does,” Haney-Singleton said. “I was young, but I was inspired.” That inspiration carried over to HaneySingleton’s schoolwork as well. HaneySingleton remembers that as a young student she dressed a doll in a nurse’s uniform for an assignment in which children were asked what they would like to be when they grow up. “I’m called to be a nurse and I’m called to the ministry of health,” Haney-Singleton said. “I definitely believe it’s a God-given talent for me.” It’s nearly 10 years to the day that Haney-
Singleton gave birth to her first child at Summerville Medical Center and although that memory of the hospital is one of her fondest, she says every day provides her with unforgettable moments. As chief nursing officer, Haney-Singleton oversees about 300 nurses at Summerville Medical Center. She makes it her responsibility to help them both personally and professionally. “My goal every day is to make sure my people have what they need to take care of the patients appropriately,” Haney-Singleton said. “My number one priority is to make sure every patient gets the right care, at the right time, every time.” She has held her current position for about two years and although it entails mostly administrative duties, the staff nurse in Haney-Singleton sometimes emerges. “Occasionally I’ll go to the emergency room and start an IV or make a patient more comfortable,” Haney-Singleton said. “I miss it in a sense, but because I can do it at will and still have that patient contact, it fulfills a need for me.” Haney-Singleton believes her role in the See SINGLETON Page 15
who we are.” This year, the orchestra has eight performances and because they don’t have a permanent venue, it’s up to Nimmo to secure locations. She advocates that all people should hear the orchestra perform on at least one occasion. “Orchestral music is a genre that is such a meaningful and beautiful part of culture that everyone should be at least exposed to it,” Nimmo said. “It’s like only eating American food and never having tasted French food.” The orchestra has about 40 members consisting of students as well as adults who played in an orchestra or band in high school or college and remember how much fun it was, Nimmo says. “They may be amateurs, but they have the opportunity to make great music with the right conductor and we have that in Alexander Agrest.” Between her two lives, Nimmo worked for five years as a bookkeeper, accountant, and tax manager for an accounting firm. “The only thing I knew about being a bookkeeper was that it’s the only word in the English language with three consecutive double letters,” See NIMMO Page 14
Women 2 Watch
Wednesday, October 21, 2009 - 9
Becky Ford BY JENNY PETERSON The Journal Scene
Becky Ford’s job is to keep Dorchester County a viable and attractive community. As Deputy Director with the county’s Department of Economic Development, Ford encourages companies to locate in the county and bring their high-paying jobs to the area. At the same time, she’s also equipping residents with the skills they need to work at local companies, whether they are new or wellestablished. “If we have skilled workers, high-paying jobs will come,” Ford said. “I like that I have the ability to help the community and enhance quality of life by nurturing industry.” Ford works with a team of people within the Economic Development Department to get companies to choose Dorchester County as their home. “A lot of it operates under the radar. I think the value of an existing industry program is often overlooked,” Ford said. A big part of any area’s appeal to companies is whether or not the area has a skilled job force, Ford said. It’s important to teach residents necessary job skills, so companies will have a large pool of qualified employees to
choose from, Ford said. “The Job Center is set to train the (local) job force in a 90-day plan,” Ford said. “(It) lets people in the doors and (allows them to) earn income quickly.” Ford worked at the Berkeley-CharlestonDorchester Council of Governments for 10 years before moving to the county position. She said more women are involved with key business decisions than ever before. “There are a lot more female executives as well as females in influential positions,” Ford said. In order to attract companies to the area, it’s important to keep high school students in the community once they complete their education, Ford said. Part of her job is to show students about the job opportunities right in their own backyard. “We want to expose them to what we have here,” Ford said. “The most rewarding (thing) is to see the industry’s commitment to invest in their labor force.” In today’s uncertain economy, it’s important not only to attract businesses but also keep established industry in the area, Ford said. “We see companies making hard decisions See FORD Page 15
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10 - Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Women 2 Watch
Jan Parsons BY ROGER LEE The Journal Scene
If the technology existed to test such things, it would surely reveal that Jan Parsons has YMCA coursing through her veins. Parsons, the branch director for the Summerville Family YMCA downtown facility, has been part of the Y family since she was 14 years old. She took a part-time job with a YMCA in Indiana as a teen and landed her first fulltime job with the Y back in 1975. For the most part, she has been with the organization since. Her Y career was interrupted on two occasions – when she went to college and when her husband took over as the executive director of the Summerville Y and the board decided it could present a conflict of interest for her to work for him. “After I got my teaching degree, I went right back to the Y and continued my fitness career,” Parsons said. “I still teach fitness classes because it puts me face to face with the members, which I enjoy. When my husband and I moved here, I worked at an athletic and fitness club on Dorchester Road. Then in 1989 they allowed me to return to the Y as health enhancement director.”
Parsons took a position at the downtown facility when it opened and was named the branch director in 2005. Under her guidance, the facility has grown to include two weight rooms, two cardio rooms and two aerobics rooms, as well as a gymnastics center, heated aerobics pool, child watch area, tween room, infant room and community room. An estimated 800 people come through the facility each day. Parsons is responsible for keeping the facility running, keeping those people happy and supervising the Y staff. It’s a lot to manage and often requires 10 to 12hour days, but Parsons isn’t complaining. “The Y is my life,” she said. “It’s all I’ve ever done. It’s all I know, so that’s what I do and I enjoy it. This is a business, but it is a fun business. It’s my job to make sure the members are enjoying themselves and building relationships in this building and to let them know when they aren’t here, we miss them.” Her position requires her to deal with everything from building maintenance to fitness instruction to childcare. Which is one of the things she likes about it. “One of the reasons I didn’t go into teaching is because at the Y you get to work with all See PARSONS Page 15
I am proud of all the 2009 Women to Watch Award Recipients. Thank you for what each of you do for your community. You all work hard to make Summerville a better place to live. Congratulations on your great honor. You deserve the highest praise!
SJ07-186903
SJ04-188478
2008 Award Recipient
Women 2 Watch
Wednesday, October 21, 2009 - 11
Tiffany Provence The Journal Scene
Tiffany Provence has a hand in every aspect of her law firm, right down to the rugs. “I’m still the one who vacuums the floor because I like it to be completely clean,” she said. Provence is Provence Messery LLC’s managing partner but also its cleaning crew, landscaper, Webmaster, and bookkeeper, she said. Since transitioning from the Dorchester County Probate Court bench to private practice in November 2008, Provence has followed a simple maxim: “If my name’s on it, I want to control it.” “As an attorney, you are the advice you give, you are the outcomes, and if your client is not happy, then you are no different than a defective product,” she said. Provence, 37, spent more than a decade as the county’s probate judge. She watched so many attorneys practice in court, she said, she found herself wanting to participate in the action instead of looking on from the sidelines. “When I made the decision to leave the probate court, the economy was not what it is, so it’s been scary,” she said.
Provence finds comfort, however, in the fact that her firm is slowly growing, thanks in part to word-of-mouth and relationships with other law firms. Since starting the firm she has brought on her stepfather James Messervy as a partner. The firm now has a third attorney on staff and two paralegals. Provence practices probate and wrongful death law. She also practices family law and mediation, as does Messervy. The remainder of his practice is civil and criminal law. Provence said she draws on his three decades of legal experience — “I can go to the Internet or I can just go ask him,” she said — but she keeps tabs on the latest technology and updates in the law. The type of law she practices is “high-emotion,” she said. “People usually aren’t bawling at a real estate hearing.” As much as Provence likes control, she had more of it when she was a judge, at least when it came to setting her schedule, she said. She’s not the one who chooses hearing dates anymore, and her schedule depends on her clients’ needs. She said she still spends the same amount of See PROVENCE Page 15
SJ04-188476
BY DAVID BERMAN
SJ04-189317
12 - Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Women 2 Watch
Toni Fivecoat BY JENNY PETERSON The Journal Scene
Toni Fivecoate has found a way to perfectly blend her passion for cooking, her Italian heritage and the members of her family into a successful business. Three years ago, she opened Tomatoes, an authentic Italian restaurant on Old Trolley Road. Armed with notebooks of passed-down family recipes and a drive for creating a warm and friendly atmosphere, Fivecoate has found a way to serve up hearty dishes while making everyone who walks in the door feel like family. “I try to meet all the regulars personally when they walk in the door,” Fivecoate said. “It gives it a more ‘family’ feeling.” Almost every aspect of the restaurant reflects the involvement of her own family — from the red sauce recipe handed down from her great-grandmother to the current chefs in the kitchen, namely her three sons. She designed the modern, comfortable interior herself while her late husband built the interior walls, shelves and partitions that hold bottles of wine and piping hot bread. Fivecoate started cooking authentic Italian dishes at age 14, in New York, where she
grew up. Her grandparents on both sides were born in Naples, Italy, and Fivecoate said she perfected her own Italian dishes when her grandmother moved into her house. “She would say, ‘who needs a teaspoon? Show me your hands. Use half a handful of this, half a handful of that,’” Fivecoate recalls. All the recipes at Tomatoes are family recipes, cooked to order, just like they’re done at home. In fact, she makes the sauces by hand every day, and a pleasant garlic aroma greets patrons when they walk in the door. When she first opened the restaurant, the special tomatoes she wanted to use for her recipes weren’t available in the local area. Using a substitute was not an option. “I don’t change (tomatoes); (I use) what my great-grandma used,” Fivecoate said. For a while, she had the tomatoes shipped in from New York, until they became available locally. How she started the restaurant also involves her family. After working her whole life in the food and beverage industry, Fivecoate and her late husband found themselves in the Summerville area considering a new venture. See FIVECOAT Page 15
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Women 2 Watch
Wednesday, October 21, 2009 - 13
Annette Young BY DAVID BERMAN The Journal Scene
Men outnumber women in the S.C. General Assembly nine to one, making the percentage of women lawmakers in Columbia the lowest of any state legislature in the country. In other words, a woman running for state office doesn’t just have to beat her opponents — she has to beat the odds. Rep. Annette Young, now in her 10th consecutive term in the House, has been doing that since 1991. Today she is ninth in seniority among the House’s 124 members. “I’m a voice at the table, not someone just coming in the room, and I’m proud of that,” she said. Young is first vice chairman on both the ways and means committee and the ethics committee. She holds a leadership position in the Republican caucus, helping to set its agenda. In 1995, she became the first female House Majority Leader in the state’s history, she said. Young’s interest in politics dates back to when she was a young girl, “but never did I think I’d be running for office.” Born in Carthage, Miss. to a family with seven children, Young, 57, grew up poor. Her father was a truck driver and her mother plucked chickens. “It made me understand that I had to work hard and not getting a college degree, I had to work even harder,” she said. Young planned to continue her education after graduating from Stall High School in North Charleston, but a department store chain offered her a job as a buyer. She soon was flying to places
like New York City to buy from clothing manufacturers. It was on an airplane that she met Roger Allen Young. What started as a chance encounter led to marriage, the birth of two children and the creation of their landscaping business Lawn-OGreen. During the Lawn-O-Green years, Young was a full-time mom and an active volunteer in her children’s schools. She supported her husband’s dream of running his own business and he encouraged her to run for the House 98 seat, she said. “We succeeded because we never gave each other reasons to fail,” she said. In 1993, just two years after Young won the seat, Roger died. She decided to sell the business they had started together. “I just didn’t have the time be a mom, be a legislator and run a business with 50 employees,” she said. With help from two of her sisters, Young raised son Robert, now 32, and daughter Kristina, now 29, while continuing her career in Columbia and also running Young Enterprises, which leases commercial warehouse space in Dorchester County. Young has experienced firsthand the challenges of balancing the political and the personal. She said women with strong platforms can win in South Carolina, but getting them to run is the difficult part. “Most women have to work these days to keep up with the needs of their family,” she said. “You really have to want to serve and you need that support.”
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SJ07-186915
14 - Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Women 2 Watch
MILER
WILLIAMS
SANDERS
NIMMO
away clients. Miler Properties works with and has a “good reputation” with realtors. Because of their high-quality standards, the company often receives referrals from realtors, Miler says. “We have a good product. We make sure pricing is competitive with the market. And we’re open Saturday, so we get a lot of weekend customers.” Miler Properties currently has about 80 homes available for rent. “We have a lot of houses on the market. The market is really strong. We haven’t seen a lot of slowdown.” Miler says she loves being able to help owners get tenants and loves to get tenants into nice homes. Miler received a fashion merchandising degree from the Art Institute of Atlanta, where she did very well, she says. She wanted to open a boutique but saw a greater need in offering quality housing. All in all, Miler sees her business as a ministry of sorts, she says. “I’m doing something that’s needed for the owner and the tenant.”
we can whether they need medical assistance, help shopping or cooking, or companionship.” Williams and her company are involved with various charitable and community related endeavors. She is particularly active with the Summerville Rotary Club and Women’s Auxiliary Rotary Club. She has served on the Rotary Board of Directors for three years and is the incoming Summerville Rotary Club President. She also spearheaded the club’s entrepreneurial summer training program at Pinewood Preparatory School. “It’s a youth leadership program that teaches kids about starting their own business and things such as developing business plans,” she explained. Williams said the part of the business she enjoys most is that it allows her to meet a lot of people. “As we’ve grown, I’ve realized I can’t do it all myself anymore so the piece I have kept is the interviewing,” she said. “I love that interaction. I enjoy talking to people not just about their needs and how we can help them, but also about other things. I get to hear war stories and all about people’s lives.” Williams and her husband Skip recently celebrated their 23rd wedding anniversary. They have two daughters, age 12 and 16. The family attends St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.
owns four of them at her farm in the small town of Dorchester. Sanders also sits saddled on as vicechair of the North Summerville Area Council, which started in January 2009. Although she remains modest about it, Sanders is heavily involved in getting Exit 199 cleaner to make Summerville more inviting. “We’re definitely a tourist destination and it doesn’t look like one . . . Peoples’ perception of what they see is going to influence where they stay.” Sanders wrote a letter to S.C. Secretary of Transportation Buck Limehouse explaining why Summerville’s exit needs embellishment. She says she got the idea from the beautification process she saw while working in St. George. She also saw clean exits in for Newberry and Manning when she toured with horses. Her hotel won the Journal Scene’s Reader’s Choice Award for Best Hotel in 2008. The Holiday Inn Express is located at 120 Holiday Dr.
Nimmo said with a smile. “But I knew I wanted to get back into music.” Electing to jump back into the arts scene and assume a background role, Nimmo went back to college and received an M.B.A. degree in arts administration. Her current job doesn’t call for her to play an instrument, but Nimmo still sits down at the piano occasionally. “Musicians are born with music in their souls and (some) have a choice to develop it or not,” Nimmo said. “If you’re a true musician, you don’t have that choice. You have to develop it. You have to play music.” As executive director, Nimmo says her goal is to see that there is a full house for each performance. Last year, the orchestra held nine performances, seven of which were free. With the state of the economy, Nimmo says the orchestra cannot offer as many free performances this year because the number of sponsors has waned. Nevertheless, Nimmo believes people will continue to attend performances this year because music fulfills an innate desire. “Music is an integral part of people’s lives,” Nimmo said. “The arts do not put food in anybody’s mouth, but they do feed the soul and that’s what we’re here to do.”
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he mission of the Greater Summerville/ Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce is to create a pro-business environment throughout the Greater Summerville/Dorchester County and surrounding areas. Their vision is to serve as the voice of business and to provide valued-added benefits to their Chamber members. The Board of Directors, Chamber staff and member businesses proudly support the women entrepreneurs in our community who are creating jobs, hope and opportunity. These women play a major role in our economy, and the Chamber recognizes them for their contributions and is here to assist them in growing their businesses and in the realization of their dreams. It is understood that the main reason a member joins the Chamber is to improve their business. Sought after member benefits include networking, advertising opportunities, access to training and other resources, but the most important benefit is listed as having a voice in community issues. The Chamber remains steadfastly committed to providing these benefits in such a way that the value of membership is clear to every single member.
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THE GREATER SUMMERVILLE/DORCHESTER COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE STAFF: Rita Berry President/CEO Melissa Williams Director of Tourism Marie McLeod Membership Account Executive Joann H. Brooks Executive Assistant Jennifer Shockley Special Events Coordinator Susan Worthy Accounting Terry Prospero Visitor Center Receptionist Fay Bell Visitor Center Receptionist
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Women 2 Watch
Wednesday, October 21, 2009 - 15
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PROVENCE FIVECOAT from page 11
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community is about more than only caring for the people who come through Summerville Medical Center’s doors – it’s about preparing the community’s future leaders. “I like to tell young people about how important it is to make the right choices so you don’t have to spend time undoing bad decisions,” HaneySingleton said. “I tell them that regardless of race, creed, color or gender, if you can conceive it, you can achieve it.” Haney-Singleton says she’s happy with the path her life and career have followed and she trusts that whatever her future holds is part of a bigger plan. “If I could go back in time, there’s not a thing I would do differently,” HaneySingleton said. “And I remain open to whatever God wants me to do.”
every day about their operations and labor force,” Ford said. If a company is struggling financially, Ford is happy to put the owners in touch with other industries to share ideas and find ways to succeed. She said being a woman has allowed her to thrive in that area. “As women, we think about certain situations and (try) different problem solving (techniques),” Ford said. “We absolutely look at more than one answer or outcome.” When an area has a booming business community, everybody wins, Ford said. Residents have highpaying job opportunities, and companies don’t have to look far for quality and skilled employees. “We look at industries that are expanding and identify (job) opportunities,” Ford said. “That’s the whole reason that we’re here. Providing skilled jobs is important in quality of life and longevity (of employment).” The Pennsylvania native recently bought a house in downtown Summerville and plans to renovate it with her husband and two daughters. “It’s important to be a role model for my daughters — to show how to give back to the community,” Ford said. “It’s important that I demonstrate that commitment.”
ages,” she said. “You get to work with people of all abilities, shapes, sizes and colors. I get to go from helping a toddler with gymnastics to teaching a fitness class with a member who is 87.” When it comes to dealing with staff, Parsons likes to stick to the basics. “When you hire good people and train them well, everything takes care of itself,” she said. “I just make sure they know that the open door policy I have for members also applies to them. I’m always willing to talk about things. I’m very proud of our programming and our staff. They are dedicated to making our facilities the best and to serving the community. That makes my job easy.” Parsons and her husband moved to Summerville in 1988. They have two sons, ages 25 and 28.
time with her family, but she often works late into the night as a result. Provence’s family helps her relate to various aspects of family law, she said lightheartedly. She and her husband, Dorchester County Coroner Chris Nisbet, have one biological son, an adopted daughter and Nisbet’s son from a previous marriage. They also have custody of Provence’s half-sister. Provence will soon return to probate court, albeit on an interim basis. With the retirement of Penny Merriman, Provence will serve as associate judge. She will handle the court’s therapeutic division and also volunteer as the first judge for the county’s upcoming drug court, she said.
“This was like a passion of mine, (but) I was afraid to start a restaurant,” she said. With support from her husband and her father, she decided to follow her dream. “I didn’t open it to get rich. I want to pass (the restaurant) down to my kids, and (they will) pass it down to their kids.” The Ladson resident describes Summerville as a town with a family-friendly atmosphere. She said she received an overwhelming outpouring of support after her husband’s death last year. “I think we have a great customer base,” Fivecoate said. Her favorite dishes at Tomatoes are ones that incorporate her special red sauce — or, gravy as the Italians say. She said she is thinking about bottling her sauces and offering them for sale. The restaurant also offers catering, involving events both at the restaurant and off-site. Fivecoate is well known for her generosity — both on the plate and off — and can be seen at the restaurant seven days a week laughing with customers and taking a heartfelt interest in their lives. She said opening Tomatoes is truly a dream come true.
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16 - Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Women 2 Watch
■ The Holiday Inn Express - Summerville is a newly redesign hotel featuring 123 attractive guest rooms. Each room is appointed with state of the art 32" flat screens TVs, microwaves and refrigerators, our Simply Smart bedding collection, and includes our deluxe Express Start Breakfast. ■ The hotel is also host to over 3500 square feet of flexible meeting space with seating for up to 200 guests. Our professional sales staff can guide everything from wedding receptions and baby showers to service training and business meetings.
Holiday Inn Express ■ Summerville ■ Stay Smart. 120 Holiday Drive ■ Summerville ■ 843.875.3300 www.hiexpress.com/summervillesc SJ07-186907