Category: Press Release

Pickens, SC – April 14, 2025 – Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, a member-owned distribution utility providing power to nearly 74,000 members who live in rural communities in Anderson, Oconee, Pickens, Greenville and Spartanburg counties, today announced the results of their 2025 Annual Meeting. The drive-thru Annual Meeting is held to officially elect board members who are nominated during the District meetings.

The following matters were voted upon at the April 10th Annual Meeting drive-thru at the Pickens and Oconee campuses by 6,384 members.

The report of the Cooperative Board and Management
A resolution by the Board to amend the Cooperative’s Bylaws

Spencer Dalton was reelected for Pickens Seat 4 and Kenneth Southerlin was reelected for Greenville/Spartanburg Seat 1. Gresham Barrett, who served in the U.S. House of Representatives for eight years, was newly elected for Oconee Seat 2. All three ran uncontested.

The business portion of the meeting can be viewed here.

###

About Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative

For nearly 85 years, Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative has provided power to people who live in rural communities in Anderson, Oconee, Pickens, Greenville and Spartanburg counties. Serving more than 72,000, the member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution utility is committed to its mission of “service second only to safety.” Looking to the future, Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative will continue to dedicate itself to safely electrifying the lives of its members.

For more information about Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, visit www.BlueRidge.coop.

Greenville, SC – Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands South Carolina (GIUMSC) has announced an exciting new venture, Goodwill at the Trail, a reimagined shopping and community experience at their newly renovated Haywood Road location, directly connected to the iconic Swamp Rabbit Trail. This unique destination blends Goodwill’s mission-driven impact with exciting new retail concepts and community services – and is launched in tandem with the inspiring Goodwill Legacy Wall Brick Campaign.

Goodwill at the Trail is not just a store – it’s an experience. Shoppers and trail-goers alike can explore three unique concepts under one roof:
• Auten’s Loft – A curated boutique offering high-quality, specialty items all at thrift prices.
• SecondStory – A cozy thrift bookstore stocked with thousands of titles.
• A New Retail Store- A refreshed, modernized Goodwill shopping space built around sustainability and discovery.

More than just a shopping destination, Goodwill at the Trail will also be home to the Upstate Resource and Opportunity Center (ROC) – a comprehensive hub for training, career navigation, and wraparound services that help individuals find meaningful, life-changing employment.

“Goodwill at the Trail represents the next step in our evolution – one where our mission and retail experience connect more deeply with the community,” said Pat Michaels, President & CEO of GIUMSC. “We are creating something entirely new for our 16-county footprint – a space that invites people in, supports their goals, and allows them to be part of something bigger. This new opportunity connects Goodwill to the growth of the Upstate community by offering a one-of-a-kind thrifting destination where people can access the new Swamp Rabbit Trail before or after they help others by donating or shopping at our stores.”

To mark this milestone, GIUMSC is inviting the community to quite literally become part of the legacy through the Goodwill Legacy Wall Campaign. For a recurring monthly gi

The brand new “Chimera Corp Saga” at Escape Artist Greenville brings together three of the most celebrated escape rooms in the country —”Castle Flüffendor, “Dark Lullaby,” and “Help Wanted” — into an immersive, 3-hour experience featuring a never-before-seen bonus chapter.

All three rooms have earned honors from the prestigious Top Escape Rooms Project Enthusiasts’ Choice Awards (TERPECA), with “Castle Flüffendor” ranking #2 in the U.S. (#38 in the world), “Dark Lullaby” at #6 in the U.S. (#54 in the world), and “Help Wanted” at #21 in the U.S. (#118 in the world). Now, these acclaimed narratives are playable as a single saga that will challenge, thrill, and surprise players in ways they never imagined.

The Chimera Corp Saga is more than just an escape room trilogy—it’s a narrative-driven journey that raises the bar for immersive entertainment.
Enthusiast Matthew Stein, writer for the notable Room Escape Artist blog, said “‘The Chimera Corp’ saga is truly phenomenal, easily establishing Escape Artist Greenville as one of the top escape room companies in the world (and amongst my all-time favorites, of 700+ escape rooms I’ve played in 13 countries!)…Each of these games is a showstopper, filled with joy and delight, tension and fear (but all very tasteful and approachable), and boundless creativity. Plus, the actors were all so talented and fun to play with!” With cutting-edge design, engaging live actors, and unforgettable storytelling, this experience promises to captivate first-time players and seasoned enthusiasts alike.

The Chimera Corp Saga has been underway since Escape Artist Greenville announced the opening of their Hampton Station location in 2021.

About Escape Artist Greenville
Known for its innovative storytelling, high-quality design, and engaging live actors, Escape Artist Greenville is a premiere immersive entertainment venue offering thrilling, interactive escape room experiences in Greenville, SC.

GREENVILLE, S.C. – One of the region’s premier chiropractic offices got a brand refresh and updated website thanks to the work of The Rock It! Co.

Lawson Chiropractic Wellness Center has been serving the Upstate community since 2004. Located on the corner of Pelham Road and Highway 14 in Greenville, Dr. Scott Lawson focuses on offering convenient and affordable chiropractic care and pain relief. The new website for Lawson Chiropractic Wellness has been thoughtfully redesigned to enhance the user experience and strengthen connections with customers.

The rebrand comes as Lawson Chiropractic Wellness Center celebrates its 20th anniversary.

“We strive to get you in as quickly as possible and then give you the time and attention you deserve—as well as the chiropractic treatment to bring you relief,” Lawson said. “We like to get to know each patient from a holistic standpoint in order to provide the expert, personal care that gets results.”

Highlights of the website redesign include:

Modernized Design & User Experience
Sleek, responsive design optimized for mobile and desktop devices.
Intuitive navigation and improved layout for seamless browsing.
Enhanced visuals and branding that reflect the practice’s personality and values.

Enhanced Service Information and Scheduling
Clear and detailed descriptions of chiropractic services and wellness offerings.
Integrated online booking system for easier appointment scheduling.

Customer Engagement
Embedded contact forms and clickable phone and email links for direct communication.
Testimonials and success stories highlighted to build trust and credibility.

Accessibility
Clear fonts, contrasting colors, and easy-to-navigate content.

(Greenville, SC) The Greenville Chamber continues to strengthen its commitment to talent and leadership development with the promotion of Benedicte Axboe and the addition of Dorien Dickey and Garland Crowley to its team. These strategic moves enhance the Greenville Chamber’s ability to support local organizations in attracting, developing and retaining talent.

Benedicte Axboe has been promoted to TalentRiseGVL Director. Since joining the Chamber in March 2023 as a Career Navigator, Benedicte has played a key role in launching and growing TalentRiseGVL. This program helps working-age adults achieve post-secondary educational attainment. In 2024 alone, TalentRiseGVL engaged 164 participants, assisted 56 individuals in enrolling in programs and saw 12 earn a certification or credential. In her new role, Benedicte will lead the team and set the strategic direction for the program’s continued growth and impact.

Garland Crowley has been hired as a TalentRiseGVL Career Navigator. In this role, Garland will work directly with individuals to support their educational attainment goals, helping them access the resources needed to advance their careers.

Dorien Dickey has joined the Greenville Chamber as LaunchGVL Director. LaunchGVL, a partnership between the Chamber and Greenville County Schools, connects high school juniors and seniors with paid, work-based learning opportunities. Dorien experience in staffing and internship development will support his efforts to partner with area organizations to expand the program’s reach.

“Talent attraction and development remain top priorities for local businesses, and we are committed to ensuring our Investors have access to the resources needed to build a strong workforce,” said Carlos Phillips, President/CEO of the Greenville Chamber. “With these strategic team additions, we are strengthening our ability to support employers and individuals in navigating career pathways and workforce development opportunities.”

For the 34th consecutive year, Carolina Handling has been named a Dealer of Distinction (DOD) by The Raymond Corporation, a global provider of best-in-class material handling equipment and intelligent intralogistics solutions.

The DOD award recognizes the top performers among Raymond Solutions and Support Centers throughout North America. Carolina Handling, the exclusive Raymond Solutions and Support Center for the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama and Florida’s Central time zone, also received two Diamond Elite awards for attaining the highest market share among all Raymond dealers for Class I forklifts at 30.1 percent and highest market share for combined Class I-III forklifts at 34.7 percent.

Being named a Dealer of Distinction is based on points scored in categories covering virtually all areas of the business including sales, service, parts, rentals, leasing, power and intralogistics solutions. The award signifies a company’s strength in the marketplace and operational excellence that drives growth and continuous improvement.

“Carolina Handling’s continuing recognition as a Dealer of Distinction is a testament to our ongoing ability to adapt to the changing needs of our customers and the material handling industry’s significant shift toward automation,” said Carolina Handling President CEO Brent Hillabrand. “Our associates embrace that shift and approach it with a growth and continuous improvement mindset.”

As technology in the material handling industry advances, Carolina Handling continues its movement from a forklift-only provider to an end-to-end intralogistics solutions company offering a broad range of consulting, connected technologies, material handling equipment and service to support the growing and changing needs of the industry.

A leading material handling integrator, Carolina Handling earlier this year received the 2025 Most Valuable Partner (MVP) Award from the Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association (MHEDA).

Greenville, South Carolina, April 7, 2025— Red Oak Land Works, the Civil Construction company owned by Red Oak Developers, has added Alec Knope to their team as a Construction Manager. Knope is a Greenville, SC native, is CEPSCI Certified and has extensive survey, site construction and civil experience. Alec is also trained in takeoff and civil engineering software.

“We are fortunate to have someone with Alec’s experience and knowledge to join our team. Alec brings a strong construction background and will be Red Oak Land Works’ onsite manager for growing our site work portfolio.”, said Owner, Brad Skelton.

About Red Oak Developers

Red Oak Developers is a full-service developer with a mission to design and create residential communities and commercial developments that promote a healthy lifestyle and the preservation of the natural environment. A veteran-owned company, Red Oak Developers achieves goals by combining vast experience with a long-standing network of professional relationships. With a full-service approach, Red Oak Developers can rapidly move a project from site selection to acquisition/entitlement and project management/construction to delivered product.

For more information, visit https://www.redoakdevelopers.com/

GREENVILLE, SC (April 7, 2025) – Endeavor Workspace’s spring C&C on April 30th is all about marketing Greenville. Attendees will get a master class on collaboration and smart selling – from a brand and a key partner who work so well together, the results are extraordinary: VisitGreenvilleSC and their PR partner Taryn Scher of TKPR.

Together, they’ve gained national and international accolades for Greenville, increased tourism, landed big conferences, and of course, NCAA & SEC tournaments. Anyone looking to get the most out of collaborations with clients, vendors, teammates (and even family members) – this one’s for you. They’ll show off some of the creative, impactful work they’ve produced together, and the inside scoop on how they work hand in hand to succeed. It promises to be fascinating and educational for anyone at any level of business.

Dillard is the President & CEO for VisitGreenvilleSC, Greenville’s official destination marketing organization and leader of Greenville’s $2.4 billion visitor economy. Over the past year, VisitGreenvilleSC has led the rebranding efforts for tourism marketing, helped lead the industry to another record performance, and secured the largest event to ever be held in Greenville, the 2028 U.S. Bowling Congress’ Open Championship. VisitGreenvilleSC contributes more than $1 billion annually to Greenville’s local economy, while also helping to improve the quality of life for its residents.

Scher started TKPR in 2008 and has spent the past 16 years building the award-winning public relations firm specializing in the travel and hospitality industries. Located in Upstate SC, Scher is known for delivering “New York Results” with a touch of Southern charm to her clients. Her clients have been seen on The Today Show, Good Morning America and CBS This Morning, and have been featured in Travel & Leisure, O the Oprah Magazine, Better Homes & Gardens, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and many more.