Category: Press Release

Leona Theron, a judge of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, will be the keynote speaker at Furman University’s 2026 MLK Community Breakfast.

The breakfast begins at 8 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 16, in the Younts Conference Center on Furman’s campus. The program features performances by the Furman University and Clemson University gospel ensembles, with remarks from Furman President Elizabeth Davis, Joeph Vaughn Scholar and health sciences major Amiya Young ’26 and Director of Community Relations, Outreach and Impact Chandra Dillard.

Each year, Furman invites the community to join students, faculty and staff in honoring Martin Luther King Jr. Tickets are available for $50 per person and $400 for a table of eight. Registration is requested by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 13.

Proceeds support the Furman Black Alumni Council Scholarship. This year’s theme is “Building the Beloved Community through Democracy and Discourse.”

Theron will join Furman students, faculty and staff the day before for a fireside chat at 5 p.m. Jan. 15 in the Watkins Room of the Trone Student Center for the Cultural Life Program “Law and Leadership Worldwide: An Evening with Justice Theron.”

In 1999, Theron was appointed to the KwaZulu-Natal Division of South Africa’s High Court, becoming the division’s first Black, female judge and the youngest judge in the country. In 2010 she became the youngest member of the Supreme Court of Appeal, before being appointed a justice in the country’s highest court in 2017.

Theron is known for her leading judgments and defense of women’s rights, as well as her work in administrative law and children’s rights. She’s received numerous awards for her contributions to the development of justice in South Africa, and is a sought-after speaker, globally. She’s also an avid hiker who has summited Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa.

The MLK Breakfast is one of several Furman events honoring King’s legacy. Learn more at https://tinyurl.com/4j2naeuy.

Greenville, SC (January 5, 2026) – The Upstate SC Boat Show is back and bigger than ever. Celebrating 55 years as the region’s premier boating event, the show will take place January 22–25, 2026 at the Greenville Convention Center, transforming winter into “summer in January” with the latest boats, gear and family fun.

Visitors can explore an incredible lineup of fishing boats, pontoons, speed boats, ski boats, cruisers, and personal watercraft, alongside the newest boating gear, accessories, and must-have products to kick off the season.

Daily drawings will lead up to the Grand Prize Giveaway on Sunday, January 25 at 2 PM. One lucky winner will walk away with a Lake Life Prize Package valued at over $5,000. Attendees can earn extra entries by visiting dealer booths throughout the show.

Big O Dodge will showcase the latest Dodge trucks with towing power, offering onsite test drives for attendees.

This year’s theme, “Red, White & Boats”, will be brought to life with live broadcasts from iHeart influencers across WSSL 100.5, WESC 92.5, The Lake 102.5, and FOX Sports 104.9, setting the vibe all weekend long.

Additionally, guests can enjoy classic summer favorites: hotdogs, burgers, BBQ and specialty cocktails at The Captain’s Bourbon Bar.

Top regional dealers include: Master Docks, Watersports Central, Shred the Gnar, JC Sports, Eclipse Marine, Long’s Marine, Captain Dave’s Boating World & Strickland Marina, 72 Marine, Gotcha Covered Marine, Palmetto Boat Center, Lee’s Marine, Gunnells Marine Unlimited, Marine Max, Lake Greenwood Marine & Powersports, N&C Marine, Boathouse of Seneca, Performance Powersports, Viking Marine, Keowee North Marine, Kroeger Marine, LakeEze and Lincolnton Marine.

Ticket prices are $10 for adults and $9 for students (ages 13-18), seniors (ages 60+) and military. Children 12 and under are admitted free, making this a perfect family outing. Parking is $10.

Mothers and children who are residents of The Dream Center’s Opportunity Village in Easley were treated to a holiday celebration on Friday, December 19. The event, called the ‘Dream Big Holiday Bash,’ was hosted by Carolina Handling, the exclusive Raymond Solutions and Support Center for North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Florida’s central time zone and a Pillar Partner of the Greenville Swamp Rabbits.
The afternoon featured appearances by the Swamp Rabbits mascot Stomper, who took photos with families. Swamp Rabbits players John Parker-Jones and Jacob Modry attended the event and participated in games, including street hockey, with the children. The players and Stomper also decorated holiday ornaments with the families and helped the children shop for a special gift to surprise their mother with on Christmas morning.
“This event created so much joy for our moms and kids,” said Rebecca Dennis, Opportunity Village Program Director at The Dream Center. “Seeing the Swamp Rabbits players take time to play, decorate, laugh and help our children choose gifts for their mothers made our families feel so special. We are incredibly grateful to Carolina Handling and the Swamp Rabbits for making this such a memorable experience.”
The Dream Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that serves individuals and families in need with a focus on empowerment and long-term stability. Opportunity Village is a year-long, faith-based residential program.
With a philanthropic focus on supporting the homeless population and people in need in its current fiscal year, Carolina Handling associates have contributed more than 2,200 volunteer hours, supported at least 13 nonprofit organizations and donated more than $30,000 to local organizations across the company’s five-state territory. The company, which will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2026, selects a different philanthropic focus each fiscal year.

The Barbara Stone Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on supporting, and creating, visionary and creative programs for individuals with disabilities, is hosting the second annual Disability Service Provider Expo on January 20, 2026 at Bon Secours Wellness Arena from 11:30 a.m – 1:00 p.m. The Disability Service Provider Expo is a program of Greenville CAN, a signature initiative of the Barbara Stone Foundation, and is designed to connect forward-thinking employers with the tools, resources and partners needed to hire and support employees with disabilities.

The Disability Service Provider Expo will showcase service providers who regularly work with individuals with disabilities and are focused on finding suitable employment opportunities through pre-screening applicants to best meet the employer’s needs by expanding their talent pool.

“Employers can make their businesses more diverse, inclusive, and accessible by strengthening or creating new relationships with various service providers, and finding underutilized talent,” said Melissa Sanders, Greenville CAN Program Manager. “The Disability Service Provider Expo builds on Greenville CAN’s mission to remove barriers for individuals with disabilities and is structured like a reverse job fair, where employers can engage directly with a variety of service provider organizations.”

The event is free, and companies, businesses and organizations interested in hiring individuals with disabilities should register to attend the Disability Service Provider Expo before the January 13, 2026 deadline. Lunch will be provided. For more information or questions, contact Melissa Sanders at melissa@barbarastonefoundation.org.

Bank of America has named Homes of Hope as its 2025 Neighborhood Builder® for its work to build mixed-use development communities, providing affordable, energy efficient homes and offering workforce development programs for construction-related employment opportunities.

As a Neighborhood Builder, Homes of Hope is awarded a $50,000 grant over two years, leadership training and the opportunity to connect with nonprofits in a peer network.

“Homes of Hope delivers a unique model for helping advance economic mobility in the Upstate, by creating affordable housing alongside workforce development and life skills training opportunities for our neighbors,” said Stacy Brandon, President, Bank of America Upstate South Carolina. “Through our Neighborhood Builders program Homes of Hope will receive flexible funding and comprehensive leadership training to enhance its work as the largest nonprofit developer of single-family affordable housing in South Carolina.”

Homes of Hope began in 1998, with a two-fold mission of providing affordable homes for families, while also helping men restore their lives through sobriety and construction training opportunities. This new grant funding will help scale affordable housing production, sustain high quality workforce development training, and help cover rising operational costs.

“Across South Carolina, families are being priced out of safe, affordable housing, while employers struggle to find qualified construction workers, said Don Oglesby, President and CEO, Homes of Hope. “For men overcoming addiction, rebuilding their lives can feel nearly impossible without guidance and opportunity. Homes of Hope stands at the intersection of these challenges: providing stable homes for families and equipping men with the skills, training, and support they need to reenter the workforce and rebuild their lives. The Neighborhood Builders Award strengthens our ability to continue this critical work and we are grateful for this partnership.”

When the audience at commencement hears Carver Blassingame’s name on December 18, a graduate will step forward and proudly receive the diploma he’s worked years to achieve. A few minutes later, the same name will be called again, and although the audience may think there’s some mistake, a second handshake will take place, marking another degree conferred. Father and son, Carver and his namesake, Carver Blassingame, III, will don navy robes, walk across the stage to the cheers of family, and graduate from Greenville Technical College (GTC) together.
For Carver, this achievement is a long time coming. He graduated from high school in 1998 and walked straight into a job at the restaurant supply company where his Dad worked, throwing orders on a pallet jack and taking home an impressive salary for a recent high school graduate — $55,000 a year.
Carver remained in that job for 12 years, until the company shut its doors. After that, he found a part-time position with Grainger, an industrial supply company, completing the familiar tasks of sorting products and loading trucks. Grainger, however, relies on a superhighway of intelligent conveyors. When those conveyors in his area of responsibility broke down, Carver discovered that he had a knack for troubleshooting and repair, something that the maintenance staff appreciated. They suggested that he take his natural talent for maintenance back to school and enroll at Greenville Tech for a degree in Mechatronics.
After completing the Mechatronics program, Carver added a bachelor’s degree in advanced manufacturing technology from Greenville Tech, the only two-year college in the state to offer education at that level. And he encouraged his son to enroll at GTC, where he earned a degree in Mechatronics and is continuing in the bachelor’s degree. Carver’s younger sister, Carletta, is graduating with a CNC degree, making three members of the family to graduate together and changing the family dynamic to be focused on education.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (December 17, 2025) – The Truliant Foundation recently held its inaugural Founders’ Dinner to thank donors and honor organizations that are helping fulfill its mission to uplift and transform member communities.

The event was attended by about 150 guests. It gathered Foundation contributors and event sponsors who are providing support for the Foundation through charitable giving, collaboration and meaningful partnerships.

The focus of the evening was a celebration of the donors who helped to establish the Truliant Foundation and also the accomplishments of four community partners and their organizations, through the first presentation of the Truliant Foundation’s People Helping People Spotlight awards. This year’s honorees included:

• Gina Bridges, director of the STAR Center at the Greenville Technical College in Greenville, S.C. The STAR Center’s primary focus is helping students in a dignified way meet their basic needs. With the help of the Truliant Foundation, STAR has been able to expand its food security efforts and financial wellness programs – barriers that can threaten a student’s academic success.

In 2025, the Truliant Foundation supported more than 120 nonprofits in Truliant member communities in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia by providing more than $525,000 through the Foundation’s charitable giving programs.

Established in 2023, the Truliant Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity with a purpose to lift up and transform Truliant member communities through charitable giving, collaboration, and meaningful partnerships. The Foundation strives to be a catalyst for growth for established nonprofits seeking the support and guidance they need to flourish and spark positive change in their communities. The Foundation also provides college scholarships to Truliant members and relief funds to Truliant employees facing unforeseen personal hardships. Learn more or donate at Truliant.org/Foundation.

NAPA VALLEY, CA – Lima One Capital recently closed a $23.8 million loan to fund construction of 15 high-end homes in an infill development in Wine Country.

A renowned Bay Area builder with decades of experience in the area came to Lima One for funds to develop new homes on a 5.8-acre in-town lot in Napa County, California. Based on the quality of the sponsors and the uniqueness of the opportunity, Lima One provided a ground-up construction loan for all 15 homes in the development. Lima One’s top originator, Josh Schwartz, had funded loans for the builders before and brought the opportunity to the company.

“Wine Country is a highly desirable area to live thanks to wineries, spas, hiking trails, and more, but it has very limited new home inventory,” Schwartz said. “We saw this as a rare opportunity we wanted to partner on.”

Lima One’s strategic accounts team, construction management experts, and credit review committee thoroughly vetted the deal to ensure it was soundly underwritten. Lima One completed this process in three months, ensuring that the loan closed as soon as the builders had all the municipal approvals needed to put shovels in the ground.

“Our goal is to be the lender of choice for all of the top builders across the country.” Lima One Capital President and CEO Josh Woodward said. “I very much enjoyed spending time with this incredible team and visiting this wonderful site, and we look forward to seeing these properties come to life.”

The homes will be available in three different models. They are scheduled to be complete and available to the market in 2027.

Leading marketing and communication firm JDPR has promoted two former Executive Management Assistance Program (EMAP) interns to full-time positions. Isabel Matos has been promoted to account executive, and Kaitlyn Turnell has been hired as an assistant account executive. The success of these two young professionals exemplifies that of JDPR’s long-standing internship and further demonstrates the agency’s dedication to developing talent.

Matos joined JDPR as an intern in August 2022 and was hired as an assistant account executive in August 2023. Matos has assisted in product launches for power equipment and golf brands, supported media outreach for five clients at the 2025 PGA Show, has been influential in building and expanding paid media programming for Verizon, and has helped expand JDPR’s tracking and reporting services through her ability to analyze and distill complex data. Additionally, Matos co-manages JDPR’s EMAP internship. Prior to joining JDPR, Matos was a collegiate golfer at Southern Wesleyan University where she earned her bachelor’s in communication and media studies.

Turnell joined JDPR’s EMAP internship in August 2025 after graduating from Clemson University with a bachelor’s in economics and double minor in communication and art. Turnell came to JDPR with expertise in social media management, editing, graphics and writing. As part of her internship, Turnell supported JDPR’s lifestyle and golf clients through creative ideation, tracking and reporting. In her full-time position, she will support JDPR’s outdoor power equipment clients and take on a larger role with JDPR’s lifestyle clients.

“We are lucky to attract top talent through our internship, and even more fortunate when we get to continue working alongside EMAP students,” said Drew Dezen, agency director.

JDPR saw continued growth throughout 2025 and looks to celebrate the agency’s 35th anniversary in 2026. Learn more at jdpr.com.