Category: Press Release

Proud Mary Theatre Company will present the Tony Award-winning musical Falsettos for six performances only October 29-30 in Spartanburg and November 5-6 in Greer.
With music and lyrics by William Finn and a book by William Finn and James Lapine, Falsettos marks the Upstate premiere of this 2016 Broadway revival about a dysfunctional New York family in the late 1970s.
Completely sung-through with almost no dialogue, Falsettos is directed by veteran Upstate director John Fagan (Upstate Shakespeare Festival) with music direction by Laura Thomason (USC Upstate adjunct professor), choreography by Broadway performer Michael McCrary, costumes by Samantha Jemmott, and produced by Sandy Staggs, Proud Mary Theatre Artistic Director.
With modern classics such as “Four Jews in a Room Bitching,” “My Father’s a Homo,” “I’m Breaking Down,” “I Never Wanted to Love You,” “Falsettoland,” “Love is Blind” and more, Falsettos concerns a married Jewish man who leaves his wife for a younger guy, his wife marrying their shrink, the son’s Bar Mitzvah, and the arrival of AIDS.
Falsettos stars Brady Coyle-Smith (The Boys in the Band) as husband/father Marvin; DeAna Earl (of Centre Stage, Spartanburg Little Theatre, Glow Lyric Theatre and more) as wife/mother Trina; Josh Begelman (Fun Home, Saturday Night Live, WandaVision) plays their young Jason; Andy Lecture (Fun Home) is the other man Whizzer; John Carino (Upstate Shakespeare Festival) as the psychiatrist Mendel; and Samantha Elyer (Fun Home, The Laramie Project) and Hannah Searcy (Fun Home, Spartanburg Little Theatre’s The Little Mermaid, and Bright Star at Tryon Little Theater) play the lesbian neighbors Dr. Charlotte and kosher caterer Cordelia.
SEATING IS VERY LIMITED DUE TO COVID. We are social distancing the audience and MASKS ARE REQUIRED by Proud Mary Theatre Company.
All tickets are $25.|
Visit proudmarytheatre.com or call (864) 202-6555 for more info.
Friday & Saturday, October 29-30 @ 7:30 pm
Saturday, October 30 @ 2 pm
SPARTANBURG VENUE TBA
Friday & Saturday, November 5-6 @ 7:30 pm
Saturday, November 6 @ 2 pm
Greer Center for the Arts, 804 Trade Street in Greer

FUEL – a Greenville-based marketing agency offering a full suite of strategy, creative, branding, advertising, and PR services – is pleased to announce that president and COO Meredith Kinsey has been appointed to the Upstate American Heart Association board of directors for a three-year term. As a board member, she will contribute to the association’s efforts to increase community awareness and engagement, raise critical funds, and drive awareness to support initiatives to fight against heart disease and stroke in the Upstate.

“We’re excited to have Meredith join our board of directors and look forward to her contributions as a marketing professional and someone who has a passion for our work in the community,” said Kelly Wilkins, executive director of Upstate American Heart Association.

Kinsey brings more than 25 years of experience in marketing and leadership to her board position. “I lost my dad to congestive heart failure as a complication of diabetes, and I strongly believe in the lifesaving role the American Heart Association plays in raising awareness about heart disease and stroke and promoting health and wellness,” Kinsey said. “I’m honored to join a team of community leaders and working together to improve health and encourage healthy lifestyles in the Upstate.”

With a strong commitment to serving the community, Kinsey has held leadership positions for other local nonprofits, including the Cancer Survivors Park Alliance, American Diabetes Association, and Greenville Health System’s Children’s Hospital (now Prisma Health). Kinsey earned her M.B.A. from Clemson University and holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of South Carolina with honors from SC Honors College.

(GREENVILLE, SC) — September 30, 2021 — Joyner Commercial, the Commercial Division of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner Realtors®, is pleased to announce that its commercial office at 230 Buist Avenue has been selected to receive the 2021 Commercial Revitalization Award from the Greater Greenville Association of Realtors.

The owner of record, Slate Group Assets, LLC, is owned by the families of Matt Carter and Patrick Szmurlo who are also brokers for the Commercial Division. As owners and occupants of the building, Carter and Szmurlo, wanted to create an open, warm, work atmosphere for their fellow agents. “Danny Joyner basically gave us free reign to make something good happen”, says Carter, the Broker in Charge for the Commercial Division. “We are all thankful our little industrial chic project turned out so nicely.”

The building, built in 1953 for electrical engineering company Huntington & Guerry, had been for sale for many years because sometime after it was built, zoning was put in place in the area, and it was zoned multi-family despite being a textile era office and warehouse. Previous re-zoning attempts and plans to demolish the building or to build multi-story structures had not been well received by the neighborhood. Over the years, the warehouse at the entrance to Buist Avenue from Rutherford had become an eyesore and attractive nuisance.

Fortunately, Carter was able to work with the City to allow the building to be considered grandfathered for office use.

Carter and Szmurlo updated the roof, HVAC, restrooms, parking lot, doors and windows. They replaced warehouse style metal doors with glass roll-ups which are open during nice weather. The original style and construction of the semi-historic structure was embraced and preserved. Tall, plank ceilings remain exposed.

Much of the work was completed while Joyner Commercial occupied the building making it somewhat of a team effort. Grey concrete flooring was colorfully stained to a copper tone by C. Dan

Joyner agent volunteers. Between phone calls, interior columns of concrete brick were hand stained by the office manager to look like clay brick. A textile themed 1,960 sf mural was commissioned for the exterior of the building from John Daso who completed the painting over the summer. Daso’s mural pays homage to Greenville’s textile history and nearby Brutontown Community as well as to the building’s first and only other occupant of the building, Huntington & Guerry. Former employees of the electrical contractor visit regularly to see the changes.

While the updates made were primarily cosmetic, the impact is obvious.

Criteria for the Revitalization Award is based on the potential impact to a particular community through investment of time and money into a property as determined by the GGAR’s Revitalization Committee and a panel of independent judges. Over the past sixteen years, more than 380 applications have been considered.

Other commercial projects considered this year which received high marks were Trehel Corporation’s corporate office at 914 Pendleton Street and Carolina Moves at 455 Congaree Road. The Residential Revitalization 2021 award went to 106 Smythe Street with an honorable mention going to Joshua’s Way, a cooperation between Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County and Homes of Hope. Former recipients of the GGAR Revitalization award include Hampton Station, the Swamp Rabbit Inn, Westone on Stone Avenue, The Lofts at Mills Mill, and others.

About 30 agents work out of the Buist Avenue office, and BHHS C. Dan Joyner has begun upfit renovations on another office near the Haywood Mall with plans to complete by spring of 2022.

Link to before and after photos and additional information: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1QLRHTNHM3W3OfzKhmsSWgoD8jevAPIb-

SVN | Blackstream is pleased to reveal their new commercial retail division – the first of its kind in Greenville. As Greenville and surrounding areas have expanded, so has the demand for retail property. SVN | Blackstream recognizes this need and have since formed a dedicated duo to serve as specialized retail advisors.

Dustin Tenney and Daniel Holloway felt there was a void in the market for a team that is hyper-focused on retail brokerage. They firmly believe that the best commercial advisors are those who specialize in an asset class rather than generalize across multiple sectors. As a top producing team along with their special knack for retail, the official Reedy River Retail at SVN | Blackstream was formed. The Reedy River Retail team specializes in retail investment sales, landlord representation and tenant representation.

Tenney and Holloway have played an integral role in several notable retail developments in the last few years. They oversaw the redevelopment and leasing of The Junction at Downtown Airport, as well as the historic redevelopment of Burdette Central in Simpsonville. Their most recent project is Hammett Street Market, a 30,000 square foot food hall which is planned to connect to the Swamp Rabbit Trail. They also work with noteworthy tenants such as Dunkin’ Donuts, Tipsy Taco, and Brixx Wood Fired Pizza.

SVN | Blackstream is one of the fastest growing commercial real estate firms in the Upstate. Having excelled in the local commercial sector, Blackstream affiliated with SVN in 2014 joining an exclusive global network. SVN | Blackstream now operates franchises in Greenville, Columbia, Charlotte and Charleston with over 50 Advisors. They provide commercial real estate services to local and regional property owners, investors, and national investment funds.

Media Contact:
Michelle Sagan
media@ndss.org
301-728-0447

Local Contact:
Jacob Pickett
(864) 637-8249
jpickett@probitasaac.com

GREENVILLE RESIDENT TO BE FEATURED IN TIMES SQUARE

Miles Gregory Pickett To Help Kick Off Down Syndrome Awareness Month In Unique Annual National Down Syndrome Society Video Presentation

NEW YORK (September 13, 2021) – Miles Gregory Pickett of Greenville, SC, will appear in the bright lights of Broadway on Saturday, September 18, as part of the annual National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) Times Square Video presentation. The one-hour video of roughly 500 photographs includes children, teens and adults with Down syndrome from all 50 states. These collective images promote the value, acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome in a very visible way.

The photo of Miles was selected from more than 2,100 entries in the NDSS worldwide call for photos. His photo will be shown on two JumboTron screens in the heart of Times Square, thanks to the support of ClearChannel Outdoor. The presentation will be live-streamed on the NDSS Facebook page from 9:30-10:30am ET on September 18.

Miles Pickett’s picture will be on the JumboTron between 10:10 and 10:20 . He is pictured in a lite color long sleeve shirt looking up at the camera. With his beautiful Auburn-red hair and his steel blue eyes gazing into the lens, the photo offers a glimpse of the happiness and splendor of which children with DS bring to this world. For more photos please follow Miles and our family on IG @homiewithachromie.

The Times Square Video presentation kicks off the flagship Buddy Walk® which has taken place in New York City since 1995 as part of the National Buddy Walk Program. Buddy Walk events are held in hundreds of cities across the country, as well as select international locations. This year’s New York City Buddy Walk will one again take place virtually due to ongoing complications caused by COVID-19. Information about the NDSS National Buddy Walk Program and the NYC Buddy Walk on September 18, is available online at www.ndss.org

About NDSS

The National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) is the leading human rights organization for all individuals with Down syndrome. NDSS envisions a world in which all people with Down syndrome have the opportunity to enhance their quality of life, realize their life aspirations and become valued members of welcoming communities. Founded in 1979, NDSS supports and advocates for the Down syndrome community by focusing on three key areas of programming: Resources & Support, Policy & Advocacy and Community Engagement. Within these focus areas NDSS engages in various activities, events and programs such as the National Advocacy & Policy Center, which seeks to create systemic change through engaged advocacy; the National Buddy Walk® Program, which honors and celebrates individuals with Down syndrome in local communities across the world and other initiatives that provide support, informational resources and community engagement opportunities for individuals with Down syndrome and those who support them. Visit www.ndss.org for more information about NDSS.

About the National Buddy Walk® Program

Since 1995, the National Buddy Walk Program has been the premier Down syndrome awareness, advocacy and peer-to-peer fundraising program in the world. It was created by the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) to promote acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome and to raise funds for local and national incentives to support the Down syndrome community. Today, more than 200 Buddy Walk events take place in cities across the country and in select international locations. To learn more and find a Buddy Walk near you, visit www.buddywalk.org.

SENECA, SC, August 30, 2021 – BASF in Seneca, SC recently donated school supplies to Blue Ridge Elementary School and Grace’s Closet. Items donated include 450 pencils, 275 notebooks, 225 packs of crayons, 100 glue sticks, 100 erasers, 65 pairs of child safety scissors, pencil pouches and pencil boxes.
Blue Ridge serves elementary school students in the Seneca area, while Grace’s Closet serves students in all Oconee County schools with the mission to help them build self-confidence to succeed and provide them basic resources like food, clothing, school supplies and hygiene items.
“Our team members at BASF in Seneca demonstrated their generosity by exceeding our initial goals for the amount of school supplies we hoped to collect, and we are delighted to support students in our area as they begin this school year,” said Elba Lizardi, site director for BASF in Seneca.
BASF is growing its team. Hourly compensation starts at $19.50/hour and increases with experience. For more information, visit www.basf.us/sc. BASF and Grace’s Closet are members of the Keowee Key Community Partnership.
About BASF
BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has approximately 17,000 employees in North America and had sales of $18.7 billion in 2020. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.com/us.
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. More than 110,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €59 billion in 2020. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at http://www.basf.com.

GREENVILLE, S.C.—Lima One Capital has promoted Rob Parsley to Director of Business Development and added Jhonny Mejia and Aidan Mosher to its Business Development team.

Parsley joined Lima One Capital in January 2019 as a San Diego-based Business Development representative and most recently spent a year serving as the Regional Sales Manager of the company’s Western Division. In his new role, Parsley will focus on growing Lima One’s national business development team by enhancing production of existing sales reps and by hiring reps in additional markets across the country. A graduate of Point Loma Nazarene University, Parsley has spent more than 25 years in the lending industry.

Mejia earned his bachelor’s degree from California State University of Fullerton and has worked as a sales consultant helping real estate investors for several years. He will focus on lending to California investors and will be based in Orange County, California.

Mosher earned his bachelor’s degree from University of Texas. Before joining Lima One, he worked in real estate and real estate investment lending. He will serve as a Regional Business Development Manager focused expanding Lima One Capital’s team and business in Texas, and will be based in Austin.

“As our company continues to experience record growth, it’s important for us to enhance our business development team to serve real estate investors across the country,” said Josh Craig, Lima One’s Chief Revenue Officer. “Aidan and Jhonny are great additions in important markets, and Rob will continue to show great leadership in helping us hire and coach more great business development professionals around the country.”

About Lima One Capital
Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Lima One Capital, the nation’s premier lender for real estate investors, finances borrowers who are building, improving, and stabilizing neighborhoods across the nation. Lima One’s core loan products are Residential Transition Loans (FixNFlip), 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 using the best suite of rental loans in the industry; Multifamily bridge lending for the purchase, rehab, or refinance of 5+ unit multifamily properties; and New Construction loans for ground-up construction, in-fill, specs, and model homes. For more information, visit limaone.com.

Shepherd Hotels, a boutique hotel development and hospitality group aimed at increasing the employment futures of individuals with intellectual disabilities in the hospitality industry, is collaborating with Avocet Hospitality of Charleston, South Carolina to open the first Shepherd Hotel in Downtown Clemson, South Carolina.

The Shepherd Hotel will offer guests an upscale experience through the hotel’s uplifting design, the Delish Sisters restaurant, “tasty food made with love,” the elegant indoor/outdoor Thomas Bar overlooking College Avenue, and the hotel’s rooftop event space.

“This partnership with Avocet Hospitality allows our current one hotel concept to leverage a deeply talented hospitality organization that shares our values,” says Rick Hayduck, Shepherd Hotels Co-founder. “With Avocet’s help, The Shepherd Hotel will deliver an upscale, inspirational lodging and dining option to the Clemson community that welcomes visitors from all over the country.”

Avocet Hospitality, owner/operator of the nationally recognized Vendue Hotel in Charleston, South Carolina has taken an investment position in The Shepherd Hotel, Downtown Clemson, a new-build, 67-room upscale hotel on College Avenue. Avocet will assist with pre-opening and ongoing hotel and restaurant operations.

Both organizations share a commitment to the Clemson community and the desire to decrease the extraordinarily high unemployment rate for people with disabilities. “We could not be more excited to work with the co-founders of Shepherd Hotels, Rick Hayduk and Rich Davies as well as the entire Shepherd Hotel team to bring this purpose-driven hotel to life. One of our core beliefs is that a hotel must tell a story and be authentic. Nothing is more authentic than providing real and lasting employment opportunities for people with disabilities.” adds Jon Weitz, Founder and President of Avocet Hospitality.

The Shepherd Hotel, Downtown Clemson is expected to employ over 40 individuals with intellectual disabilities between the hotel and restaurant operations constituting about 40% of the total hospitality team. Students and alumni of ClemsonLIFE™, a program at Clemson University that prepares young men and women with intellectual disabilities for competitive employment and independent living, will use the hotel as both a training site and a long-term employment opportunity. The hotel is expected to open in Spring 2022.