Team at Outside Brands continues its Lowcountry legacy

By Leslie Francis CONTRIBUTOR

Mike Overton is a well-known business and community leader in the Lowcountry. From humble beginnings as a windsurfing school in 1979, Outside Brands has grown into a dynamic four-division business with operations in South Carolina and Georgia.

Driven by a mission to enrich lives by connecting people to exceptional places, products and experiences, Outside Brands offers fully customized group travel services, team-building programs, activities and specialty retail.

That mission drives forward this successful business and Overton has been known for his entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to environmental preservation for more than 40 years.

In 2014, Overton founded The Outside Foundation, a 501(3)(c) nonprofit organization that is dedicated to promoting outdoor recreation, environmental preservation, and protection. As a board member of the Foundation, he remains committed to fostering a love of nature in young people and advocating for the protection of our planet’s natural resources.

Nowhere is this more evident than at Page Island, which is owned and operated by Outside Brands. Page Island is a 40-acre chain of hammock islands tucked between Daufuskie Island, Hilton Head Island, Savannah, and Palmetto Bluff. The secluded location offers the opportunity for guests to unplug from the “real” world and be truly immersed in the tidal salt marsh environment.

Those lucky enough to have experienced this magical place can confirm that Overton not only talks the talk but also walks the walk in environmental preservation. Page Island is a testament to his deep-rooted commitment to the environment and he is truly in his element as he hosts private events, cruises and kayak tours at this special destination.

Overton’s commitment to the environment is demonstrated through multiple

Please see OUTSIDES on page 35A

• Dr. Ellen Malphrus of the University of South Carolina Beaufort has won the Carolina Trustees Professorship Award, in recognition of her outstanding work as an educator, author, and scholar. The Carolina Trustees Professorship is a prestigious award presented annually by USC-Columbia to recognize excellence in teaching, research and service.

Each year, a faculty member at one USC system institution receives this award for service to their disciplines, peers, students and communities. This is the fourth year in a row that USCB has won the Carolina Trustees Professorship for System Campuses.

Dr. Malphrus is a Professor of English and Writer in Residence at USCB. Her critically acclaimed novel “Untying the Moon” (with foreword by Pat Conroy) is among her many