GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Soapstone Preservation Endowment, a public charity created for the sole purpose of protecting and promoting the history and legacy of the Liberia Community and Soapstone Baptist Church in the mountains of Pickens County, has launched The Partnership Challenge.
The Partnership Challenge seeks at least 100 businesses, churches, individuals and families who provide a one-time $3,000 or greater tax-deductible gift, or $1,000 per year over three years, in support of the Endowment’s mission. The program is designed to help the organization amass a $500,000 perpetual endowment by December 2025.
“The story of Soapstone, founded by freed slaves almost 160 years ago, captured the attention and hearts of people from across the region and around the world when the great-granddaughter of the community founders used her cooking skills to keep the doors of the small mountain church open. Often referred to as the ’miracle of the fish fry,’ Mable Owens Clarke and her team of volunteers fed thousands of people for ten Saturdays each year, 22 years running as a means to generate funds,” said Carlton Owen, the chairman of the Endowment.
The church mortgage has been paid, the site is forever protected by a conservation easement held by Upstate Forever, but with Mable in her early eighties and a church membership of fewer than a dozen, the monthly fish fries are no longer a viable option. Thus, in June 2022, the Soapstone Preservation Endowment was chartered to fill the void by establishing a means to relieve the small congregation of the burden of protecting the historic site, which was once used by the Cherokees as a mine for materials to make cooking utensils, and then for more than 150 years as the center of a vibrant African American community, including a one-room school and church.
Long Branch Baptist Church, an African American church in nearby Greenville, was among the first to join The Partnership Challenge.
“Soapstone Baptist Church holds a part of all of our history…the good, the bad, the beautiful, and the stained,” said Pastor Sean Dogan. “Our support uplifts unity and hope for our future. This project gives us a reflection of the past, but also shines a great light to guide us into our tomorrow. It is our hope that others will join in this journey of helping to preserve, protect, and to continue to proclaim a story of faith, fellowship, and community.”
Burr & Forman, a large law firm with roots in the Upstate, also responded to the call.
“When we learned of Soapstone’s story, the decision to help protect it was an easy one,” said Mike Burns, a partner in the firm. “Supporting the communities in which we live, and work is at the core of our firm’s culture, and we are honored to be a partner to the Endowment.”
With the support of friends, foundations, and areas businesses, the Endowment already has amassed a total of nearly $150,000, 30% of its goal.
For more information go to www.soapstonepe.org.
Author: epidevelopment
FUEL, a Greenville, S.C.-based brand building agency, is accepting applications until January 17 for its FUEL for Good Grant program for the first half of 2024. As part of its commitment to community service, FUEL selects local nonprofits each year and provides pro bono marketing services, enabling them to further their missions and address important needs in the Greenville community.
To qualify, applicants must be based in Greenville County, S.C., serve the local community, hold a valid 501(c)(3) certification, and have a clearly identifiable need for marketing assistance. Nonprofit organizations meeting these requirements are encouraged to complete an online application at www.fuelforbrands.com/fuel-grant by the January 17 deadline.
In its fifth year, the FUEL for Good Grant program allows the agency’s team to collaborate and dedicate strategic marketing and branding expertise to help local nonprofits with specific marketing challenges. To date, FUEL has awarded the grant to 14 local nonprofits and donated hundreds of hours providing services ranging from logo refreshes and rebrands to social media campaigns and collateral development.
Following an internal review of the grant applications, FUEL will select the winner and begin work in February. For more information or to apply for the FUEL for Good Grant program, please visit www.fuelforbrands.com/fuel-grant or contact Meredith Kinsey at meredith@fuelforbrands.com.
About FUEL
Founded in 2011, FUEL is a brand building agency that creates and implements strategies that help companies to rise above the noise and generate demand. Its team of talented, senior-level thinkers, designers, writers, and creators ignite brands’ full potential through thoughtful and strategic marketing plans, purposeful design, compelling content, and well-orchestrated campaigns. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., FUEL drives results for companies in a variety of industries throughout the Southeast region, from real estate and hospitality to manufacturing and nonprofit. For more information, visit fuelforbrands.com.
Marsh Bell Construction the extensive renovation of the Margaret Mills Cubbage Child Development Center on the Cleveland Street campus of Greenville Technical College. The 10,000 square-foot facility provides full day-care services for the Greenville Tech faculty, students and the surrounding community. The scope of work includes grading and drainage; demolition of existing cabinetry and flooring; replacement of exterior windows and doors; partial roof replacement; installation of new cabinetry; new flooring, plumbing fixtures and interior / exterior lighting fixtures; full interior painting. Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC) is the architect. The project is expected to complete in the Spring of 2024.
“This projects really says a lot about Marsh Bell as a company,” according to CEO Paul Westberry. “We take great pride in developing lasting relationships with organizations that bring so much value to their communities. Every project is a unique collaboration between client and builder, along with our design and trade partners, to maximize the property’s functionality and long-term community impact.”
GREENVILLE, S.C.— Lima One Capital’s Christian Groomes has been recognized as one of the leading strategic superstars by earning a place in the 2023 Mortgage Global 100.
The Mortgage Global 100 list spotlights outstanding professionals worldwide who have led the mortgage industry as role models for colleagues and trusted partners for their clients amid 2023’s market.
Now in its fifth year, this formidable list of the biggest names in the mortgage industry was put together by Mortgage Professional America (MPA) and its sister publications, Canadian Mortgage Professional, Mortgage Introducer, Mortgage Professional Australia, and NZ Adviser. The list includes 100 mortgage industry titans across the globe, including 24 from the United States.
A Senior Sales Manager with Lima One Capital, Groomes is an Upstate native and a graduate of Clemson University graduate, where he also played football. He joined Lima One in 2018. Earlier this year, he was named a Top Emerging Star by Scotsman Guide.
Groomes attributes his success to his focus on building relationships. “What has really pushed us over the edge is truly just getting to know people, getting to know their businesses, what they’re wanting to do, and why they’re wanting to do things,” Groomes said. “I don’t want to be transactional. I want to be a trusted adviser and partner because when we do loans for people, we’re also an extension of their business, and I am there for them.”
About Lima One Capital:
Since its inception in 2011, Lima One Capital has funded over $8 billion in loans for real estate investors who are building, improving, and stabilizing neighborhoods across the nation. Lima One’s core loan products are New Construction loans for ground-up construction, in-fill, specs, and model homes; Fix and Flip, a 13-month bridge loan for investors who are buying, renovating, and selling properties; Rental property and portfolio loans for purchasing or refinancing residential rental properties; and Multifamily bridge lending for the purchase, rehab, or refinance of 5+ unit multifamily properties. For more information, visit limaone.com.
GREENVILLE, SC — High Spirits Hospitality venues and staff earned five well-deserved in the 2023 Best in Business Awards.
The Best in Business awards recognized companies and individuals from around South Carolina that bring success to the Palmetto State’s business community. Winners were announced in the December issue of Greenville Business Magazine, Columbia Business Monthly and Charleston Business Magazine.
The honors for High Spirits Hospitality include:
Best Chief Diversity Officer, Krista Hauschild – Gold
Best Venue, Events at Judson Mill – Gold
Best Catering Services (Liquid Catering) — Gold
Best Food and Beverage Company – Silver
Best Hospitality Business – Silver
“This has been a challenging few years for the hospitality industry,” said Tammy Johnson, CEO and founder of High Spirits Hospitality. “But we have survived due to a lot of hard work, determination and commitment to providing amazing service. These awards highlight that dedication.”
About High Spirits Hospitality:
High Spirits Hospitality is the parent company of five independent brand companies: Liquid Catering, Events at Judson Mill, Bravo1 Protection, The 405, and High Spirits Events. What started as a small bartending service has grown into a thriving South Carolina-based company with more than 150 employees, more than 35,000 square feet of real estate, and scores of awards and accolades. High Spirits Hospitality is a 100% woman-owned business with the single vision of being the go-to provider for event and security services. Learn more at www.highspiritshospitality.com.
GREENVILLE, S.C. –Wagner Wealth Management has won Best Financial Planner in the Post and Courier Greenville’s inaugural Readers’ Choice contest.
During the voting period, more than 6,000 local Greenville County residents cast their votes for their favorite local businesses, services, spots, and more.
This adds to a recent streak of Wagner Wealth and its staff members winning top honors in the past few months including being named The Greenville Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Month in September; the company being named Best of the Upstate for wealth management firms by the Greenville News; Mimi Edwards earning a SC Best In Business Bronze Award for top Chief Operating Officer in the state, and Hayden Turlington being named of Greenville’s Best and Brightest 35 and Under list as well as being named the Chamber’s Young Professional of the Year.
“Being voted Best Financial Planner by the community is an honor,” said Dan Wagner, founder and CEO of Wagner Wealth Management. “We’re proud of all of the hard work that we do, and it’s always great to be recognized for that.”
About Wagner Wealth Management:
Wagner Wealth Management specializes in helping individuals and companies reach their personal and professional goals. Wagner Wealth Management currently oversees more than $500 million in total client assets; their experience is diverse, exceptional, and ready to work. The firm has offices in Anderson, Greenville, and Seneca. Learn more at www.wagnerwealthmanagement.com.
Securities offered through Arkadios Capital. Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services through Wealth Management Advisors, LLC. Arkadios Capital and Wealth Management Advisors, LLC, are not affiliated through any ownership.
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Rebuild Upstate, a local nonprofit dedicated to preserving safe and affordable housing for individuals and families in need, celebrated its wildly successful A Toast to Home event earlier this month.
Guests of A Toast To Home enjoyed culinary delights from Smoke on the Water and Liquid Catering, all while networking with community members and local businesses who share a passion for affordable housing. Throughout the night, guests contributed to the noble cause of preserving the homes of low-income families of the Upstate by bidding on silent auction items. In total, the evening raised nearly $65,000, enough to repair 6 homes or complete 26 individual repair projects.
More than 190 were in attendance at the celebratory occasion, held in The Foundry at Judson Mill. The night was sponsored by: Southern First Bank, ServPro of West Greenville & Anderson, and Furman Capital Advisors.
Rebuild Upstate CEO Jake Beaty states: “With each repair we complete, one more person can sleep easier, knowing they will remain in their homes for a little while longer. Your contributions will transform the lives of many Upstate neighbors by keeping them safe, warm, and dry this year and beyond.”
Rebuild Upstate is committed to keeping low-income homeowners safe and living in dignity with home repairs and accessibility improvements in existing houses and neighborhoods. Home repairs can range from small plumbing fixes to roof and floor replacements. Accessibility improvements range from installing grab bars and railings for vulnerable populations to building wheelchair ramps for those with disabilities.
About Rebuild Upstate:
Rebuild Upstate serves low-income homeowners with repairs and accessibility improvements to create safe, livable housing in existing homes and neighborhoods in Greenville, Anderson, Pickens, and Oconee counties. Its team envisions a community where everyone has the opportunity to live a life of dignity in a safe home environment in order to maintain and foster strong, sustainable communities. Learn more at www.rebuildupstate.org.
Greenville, S.C. – Trehel is excited to announce that Keith Poole has a new role as company partner. Poole will maintain his role as president and chief operating officer and become a co-owner of Trehel alongside Chief Executive Officer Will Huss. As partners, Huss and Poole will collaborate on projects and initiatives while fine-tuning the overarching vision and strategic direction of Trehel.
“Keith becoming a partner of Trehel is a natural next step in his career, which includes a nearly 20-year tenure and progression of roles within our company,” said Huss. “I am confident that our joint partnership will support Trehel’s bright future as we consider what’s next for our team and clients.”
Poole began his career at Trehel in 2005, serving as vice president of resources. He was promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer in 2009 and named company president in 2020. Prior to joining Trehel, Poole owned and managed SafeCon Inc., a business consulting practice with an emphasis on construction risk management, human resources and operations.
Within the community, Poole serves as a board member of Greenville Tech Foundation, a commissioner for the Pelham Batesville Fire Department and a member of the Greenville Chamber finance committee, in addition to volunteering as a Guardian Ad Litem.
“I look forward to working alongside Will in this new capacity,” said Poole. “There are many exciting opportunities ahead for Trehel, and I am honored to help lead our team as we continue to grow while simultaneously enhancing our culture and continuing to deliver the best results possible for our clients.”
About Trehel
At Trehel, we guide our clients through the entire building process, saving them money, time, and frustration. We explore multiple construction possibilities with the project team and help our clients select the best solutions. Our involvement extends beyond a pricing service; we actively explore building methods and options as a collaborative team approach that will add value and lead to a successful building experience. In addition, Trehel is committed to regional public service and community involvement, a tradition that spans more than four decades.
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Reedy Reels adds two to its team
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Two experienced members of the South Carolina film community are joining the team at Piedmont Natural Gas Presents Reedy Reels: The Greenville Festival.
Tim Driscoll will be the Program Manager and Rhodes Farrell will serve as the Community Engagement Manager. Both are charged with expanding the depth and excellence of the three-day film festival being held March 22-24, 2024 at the S.C. Children’s Theatre.
Since 2018, Farrell has owned Scenic Rhodes Production, a commercial and creative videography company. A co-founder of Film Bar Monday in Greenville, Rhodes’ work has been honored with a Best Music Video honor at Carolina Film Fest and an Indie Grant recipient from The South Carolina Film Commission and Trident Technical College.
Driscoll is an award-winning director and producer who has created content for Sony PlayStation, YouTube, 3M, and ViewSonic. His short films have screened at festivals all over the world including: Fantastic Fest, BiFan, Sitges and Nashville. In addition to filmmaking, Driscoll is the program director for the Jacksonville Film Festival, and co-founder of the Jacksonville, and Greenville’s Film Bar Mondays; where he has helped bring more than 200 short films to screen.
“We believe Rhodes and Tim will help make 2024 the best Reedy Reels yet,” said Matt Foster, co-founder of the festival.
About The Reedy Reels Film Festival: The Greenville Film Festival:
Piedmont Natural Gas Presents Reedy Reels: The Greenville Festival is an independent film festival promoting the appreciation of the art of film-making while generating support for independent filmmakers in the Upstate. The Reedy Reels Film Festival is a non-profit organization that supports the education and appreciation of filmmaking. Learn more at www.reedyreels.com.
Three Greenville leaders have been selected for Liberty Fellowship’s Class of 2025. The Fellowship brings together a small group of established leaders with a wide range of thought, professions, geographic locations, and lived experiences. Through a rigorous 18-month process, each Class member will be challenged to understand and embrace their varying perspectives with a growth-oriented mindset.
The Greenville leaders are:
-George Campbell, Partner, Campbell Teague, LLC, and General Partner, Broad Street Group
-Bern DuPree, Director, Furman Capitol Advisors, and Shareholder, NAI Earle Furman
-Neetu Patel, Vice President, Sycamore Investment Group
“Leaders operate in a continually changing landscape and are required to respond swiftly to market forces,” said Ann Marie Stieritz, president and CEO of Liberty Fellowship and a Fellow from the Class of 2016. “This group of dynamic leaders will be a wonderful addition to our global and statewide networks who work together to foster collaboration, innovation, and sustainable growth.”
Liberty Fellowship selects a new Class every two years. Each leader selected received at least one nomination, was interviewed twice, and ultimately selected from a pool of more than 400 nominations.
The other members of the Class of 2025 are:
-Ashley Cheek, Pastor and Head of Staff at First Presbyterian Church of Hartsville (Hartsville)
-Grayson Dorr, Senior Project Manager, Advanced Technology International (Moncks Corner)
-Elizabeth Fly, Director of Resilience and Ocean Conservation, The Nature Conservancy (Charleston)
-Margaret Furniss, Vice President of Brand Experience, Beemok Hospitality Collection (Charleston)
-Jonathan Grzyb, Founder and Managing Partner, Phoenix Holdings Partners (Charleston)
-Mena Mark Hanna, General Director and CEO, Spoleto Festival USA (Charleston)
-Jamilla Harper, Chief Operating Officer, Metanoia Community Development Corp. (North Charleston)
-Lana Kleiman, Executive Director, Charleston Legal Access (Mount Pleasant)
-Maurie Lawrence, Vice President of Sustainability and Associate General Counsel, Milliken & Company (Spartanburg)
-Estee Perlmutter, Advanced Practice Nurse, Liberty Doctors (Charleston)
-Alyssa Richardson, Founder and CEO, Develop South Carolina LLC (North Charleston)
-Allen Smith, President and CEO, OneSpartanburg, Inc. (Spartanburg)
-Kim Smith, Founder and CEO, Health Evolve Technologies, LLC (Irmo)
-Ashely Teasdel, Deputy Secretary, South Carolina Department of Commerce (Columbia)
-Jarrod Tippins, Pharmacist and Owner, The Pharmacy (Florence)
-Maj. Christopher D. Turner, Field Artillery Officer, South Carolina Army National Guard (Beaufort)
-Guang Ming Whitley, Assistant Professor of Law, Charleston School of Law; Chair, Lattice Climbers; and Council Member, Town of Mount Pleasant (Mount Pleasant)
-Gillian Zettler, Founder, G. Zettler Collective (Mount Pleasant)
The Class of 2025 will begin their Liberty Fellowship experience with a series of five, multi-day seminars in South Carolina and abroad in March 2024. Each Class member will also be required to create an impact venture that establishes positive change for future generations in South Carolina.
Upon successful completion of the initial program, the Class of 2025 will join 330 leaders in the Liberty Fellowship South Carolina Network and 3,500 leaders in the Aspen Global Leadership Network. Through these two networks, they will have lifelong opportunities for engagement and access to an influential group of colleagues and mentors.
Learn more about the Class at https://libertyfellowshipsc.org/21-south-carolina-leaders-selected-for-the-class-of-2025/.
FAST FACTS
-The Class of 2025 is the 17th Class of Liberty Fellows since the organization was established in 2004.
-Each Class member is required to complete five seminars in the United States and abroad and an individual impact venture to become a Liberty Fellow.
-A new Class of Liberty Fellows is selected every two years from a pool of more than 400 nominees.
-There are 330 Fellows in the Liberty Fellowship South Carolina Network. 76% of the network is from the business sector, 12% are from the nonprofit sector, and 12% are from the public sector.
-There are more than 3,500 leaders in the Aspen Global Leadership Network from more than 60 countries.
About Liberty Fellowship
Liberty Fellowship is the only state-based Fellowship program of its kind in the United States. The Fellowship activates individual leaders through a deeper understanding of a just, free and equitable society; serves as a convener for bringing together diverse perspectives to advance civil discourse; and provides infrastructure for taking action. There are 330 Liberty Fellows working collectively across South Carolina. Learn more at www.libertyfellowshipsc.org/.
About The Aspen Global Leadership Network
The Aspen Global Leadership Network’s (AGLN) is a growing, worldwide community of more than 3,500 high-integrity, entrepreneurial leaders from over 60 countries who share a commitment to values-based leadership and to using their creativity, energy and resources to tackle the foremost societal challenges of our times. Because of their demonstrated accomplishment and abilities, they have been selected to join one of 13 geographic or sector-specific AGLN Fellowships around the world. Fellows convene annually at the AGLN’s flagship event, the Resnick Aspen Action Forum. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org/agln.