Category: Press Release

GREENVILLE, SC — Whether you’re envisioning a stunning wedding reception, an unforgettable birthday bash, or an elegant corporate function, High Spirit Hospitality’s Venue Showcase is the perfect opportunity to explore event spaces and find the inspiration you need to turn your event dream into a reality.

The Venue Showcase will be held Sunday, January 19 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Events at Judson Mill, 701 Easley Bridge Road, and The 405, 405 Westfield Street. This exclusive showcase is completely free to attend, but people are asked to RSVP (www.greenvillevenue.com/venue-showcase.html ) to secure their spot for this fantastic opportunity to kick-start their event planning journey.

Highlights of the Venue Showcase include:

· Tour the stunning event spaces: Experience firsthand the charm and versatility of these premier venues, beautifully decorated and ready to host any type of event. From intimate celebrations to grand gatherings, these spaces are designed to cater to people’s unique needs and style.

· Meet top event vendors: Network with talented local event vendors who specialize in everything from catering and florals to photography and entertainment. Get expert advice and inspiration to make your event truly unforgettable.

· Sip champagne and enjoy a fun atmosphere: Celebrate the excitement of planning your event with a glass of champagne in hand. Enjoy the lively atmosphere, mingle with other guests, savor light bites from the area’s best caterers, and get ready to start planning your dream event.

· Get tons of event inspiration: Both venues will be decked out in full event style, offering endless ideas and inspiration for your big day. Whether you’re envisioning a classic, modern, or themed celebration, you’ll find plenty of ideas to spark your creativity.

Featured event professionals include: Affluent Affairs | Bravo 1 Protection | Celesia Faith & Co | Collective Beauty | Cotton Rouge & Company | Couture Cakes of

DP3 Architects is happy to announce that Rhonda White has stepped into a new leadership role as Community Studio Leader. In her new role, Rhonda will oversee the firm’s community projects, bringing her extensive experience, innovative vision, and commitment to delivering successful projects to clients.
Rhonda has been an integral part of DP3 Architects for over 25 years. Her leadership has been marked by her dedication to fostering collaboration and delivering designs that enhance the communities they serve. Since being named an Associate of the firm in 2022, her new promotion to Studio Leader reflects her outstanding contributions to the firm’s success and her ability to inspire excellence across project teams.
Mike Pry, who previously led the Community Studio, will continue to play an integral role as “Principal-in-Charge” of the studio. His ongoing involvement ensures continuity and strategic oversight, reinforcing the firm’s commitment to delivering high-quality designs for its community-focused projects.
“We are thrilled to see Rhonda step into this leadership role,” said Mike Pry. “Her passion for community-centric design and her deep understanding of our client’s needs make her the ideal choice to lead the studio forward. I look forward to supporting her as we continue to achieve great things together.”
DP3 Architects has a longstanding reputation for creating designs that bring people together, and the Community Studio has been a cornerstone of this mission. Under Rhonda’s leadership and Mike’s continued guidance, the studio is poised to further its impact on communities across South Carolina.

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Commercial real estate thought leader, Racquel Collier, will focus her 2025 speaking engagements on the Third Place concept.

As the founder and CEO of Caliber Real Estate while serving on numerous boards, Collier has developed a career as a business and community leader in Greenville in the past few years. With that focus on business and community engagement, came a passion for the concept of Third Places in economic development.

Third Places are the social spaces beyond home (first place) and work (second place) where people gather, connect, and engage with their community. These welcoming environments, such as cafes, parks, coworking spaces, and libraries, serve as hubs for interaction, fostering relationships and a sense of belonging.

The focus on more speaking engagements both local and national coincides with launch of her new brand and website, www.racquelcollier.com.

Collier has become an in-demand speaker on the topic in the last year on top of her volunteering in the community including serving as Chairwoman of The Greenville Housing Authority Board, being a graduate of Leadership Greenville, and being named one of Greenville’s Best and Brightest Under age 35.

Some of the groups and events she has spoken to include the Citizen’s Planning Academy, Clemson University Entrepreneurial Launch Pad event, the Greenville Women’s Executive Luncheon, the 2024 The Association of Public Treasurers of the United States & Canada and the New Jersey Planning and Redevelopment Conference.

About Racquel Collier:
Racquel Collier is a thought leader in third places—spaces where community, culture, and connection thrive. She partners with communities, businesses, and developers as a speaker, trainer, and consultant for vibrant communities. Learn more at www.racquelcollier.com.

Gateway Named Beneficiary of The Spinks Family Foundation’s 2024 Giving
Greenville, SC – January 6, 2025 — Gateway is honored to be one of the Spinks Family Foundation’s 2024 charitable giving beneficiaries. One of the Foundation’s key areas of giving is mental health, which aligns with Gateway’s mission of enhancing the lives of adults living with severe and persistent mental illness by offering opportunities for them to lead vocationally productive and socially satisfying lives.
The Spinks Family Foundation awarded $1.2M to 153 local organizations. Of the beneficiaries, Gateway was one of five organizations to receive funds raised specifically from the 2024 Spinx Charity Golf Classic.
“We are incredibly grateful for the support of the Spinks Family Foundation and their recognition of the work we’ve been doing around mental health for 40 years and counting,” said Randy Redlinger, Executive Director of Gateway “These funds will help us continue to empower individuals living with mental illness in the Upstate, providing the resources and community they need to thrive.”

GREENVILLE, S.C. — January 6, 2025 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Interim HealthCare proudly announces Melissa “Missy” Warner as the Paraprofessional of the Year, an award given annually to one paraprofessional nationwide who exemplifies the company’s core values.

Since joining Interim HealthCare of the Upstate a year and a half ago, Warner has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to her clients’ well-being, consistently putting their needs first. Known for her integrity and proactive attitude, she has taken the initiative to attend additional training classes, learning new skills that elevate the quality of care she provides.

One of Warner’s personal care clients shared, “I’m so glad Missy is being recognized for her dedication, kindness, and commitment to make everyone’s lives better. I appreciate everything she does for me; great cook, makes sure I’m changed often, showered, dressed appropriately, and gets me to my doctors’ appointments on time. I have had other caregivers in the past, but Missy understands what a caregiver truly is.”

Patti Lewis, Director of Personal Care for Interim HealthCare of the Upstate, added, “Melissa truly cares about her clients, and it shows in everything she does. Her work ethic, compassion, and dedication make her a standout member of our team. We are incredibly proud to have her represent our agency.”

Warner’s recognition reflects Interim HealthCare’s commitment to excellence, highlighting the profound impact she’s made on her clients and the organization.

About Interim HealthCare of the Upstate and Midlands
Since 1979, Interim HealthCare has provided high-quality, in-home healthcare services across South Carolina. Guided by its mission to “honor God through the enrichment of human life,” the organization consistently delivers compassionate care, earning a 4-star quality rating.

GREENVILLE, SC – Tickets go on sale tomorrow as the Greenville Jewish Film Festival’s Pop-Up Movie series returns Sunday, February 9 at 4 p.m. at the Camelot Cinemas with the Israeli film – Running on Sand.

Nominated for the Israeli Academy Award for Best Film, Running on Sand is a feel-good tale of mistaken identity. Aumari, a young Eritrean refugee in the process of being deported, is mistaken for a professional soccer player being brought to Israel to help save the struggling Maccabi Netanya team. Despite having no soccer experience, he plays along and somehow manages to reinvigorate the floundering squad. Amid their quest for victory, he finds himself falling for the team owner’s daughter and worrying his identity will be uncovered.

“The movie hits the sweet spot between a truly light-hearted comedy and a real drama, with engaging characters you care about and funny situations, but with a strong narrative and a heartfelt message about treating people with respect, no matter where they are from,” according to an article by Hannah Brown in The Jerusalem Post.

Running on Sand will be screened on Sunday, February 9 at 4 p.m.at the Camelot Cinemas in 48 E. Antrim Drive, Greenville. Tickets go on sale January 7, and can be purchased here
(https://greenvillejewishfilmfestival.com/pop-up-movies/). Adult tickets are $18 and student tickets are $14. Both include popcorn and a drink. Students can email info@greenvillejewishfilmfestival.com for a discount code.

“In an area where diverse voices are sometimes underrepresented, bringing Jewish cinema to Greenville creates space for reflection and the celebration of shared human experiences,” said Caroline Warthen, co-chair of the Greenville Jewish Film Festival. “Running on Sand has both humor and heart, and sheds light on the challenges faced by refugees.”

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Lima One Capital, the nation’s premier lender for real estate investors, has hired mortgage industry veteran Patrick Journy as its Chief Financial Officer.

Journy has 15 years of accounting and finance leadership in the mortgage industry and has served in C-level financial roles for both mortgage lenders and mortgage REITs since 2018. He will lead Lima One’s Accounting, Treasury, Financial Planning and Analysis, and Capital Markets groups.

“I am very excited to join Lima One and look forward to collaborating with the talented leadership team to support the company’s growth and financial success,” Journy said.

Journy joins Lima One from Angel Oak Mortgage REIT, Inc., where he served as Chief Accounting Officer and managed more than $2 billion in assets while overseeing SEC reporting, asset management, and REIT compliance. Journy previously held CFO roles at JFQ Lending and Mortgage Assets Management.

Among his career accomplishments are:

· Standing up an FHA- and GSE-approved operating entity from
scratch in six weeks to facilitate the acquisition of a $15B mortgage servicing rights platform.

· Leading the implementation of Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX)
compliance with a two-person accounting team, with no reportable deficiencies six months after a full redesign of all accounting operations.

· Successfully managing the implementations of four general
ledgers and two financial planning platforms across his career.

· Leading the implementation of a warehouse bank optimization
platform that reduced loan funding costs by more than 30bps.

Since its inception in 2010, Lima
One Capital has been recognized as the nation’s premier lender for real estate investors and has funded over $10 billion in business purpose real estate loans.

GREENVILLE, SC (January 6, 2024) – Endeavor Workspaces welcomes local entrepreneur duo, Ryan Heafy and Ryan Johnston of 6AM City for a special Collaborators & Cocktails event on January 23rd. CEO Johnston and COO Heafy will partake in an “insider conversation” that promises to be especially fascinating for founders and the start-up/venture capital community, marketers, collaborative colleagues and company leaders looking for insight and lessons. Rather than a formal presentation, Johnston and Heafy will answer questions in the moment – resulting in an especially candid and insightful program.

Johnston and Heafy founded 6AM City in 2016 with just GVLtoday, and is now active in 26+ markets across the country, with 1.5 million subscribers and more than 125 employees. It is the fastest-growing local daily newsletter company in the United States, with more big things on the horizon. Johnston and Heafy will set the pace in this segment, discuss growth through change, and share their insights into inventing a whole new way of doing business. 6AM City’s session will be a highlight for GVLtoday fans, entrepreneurs and anyone in the startup/venture capitalist ecosystem.

Important event details:
• Networking 5:00 – 5:45 p.m., followed by presentation and Q&A beginning at 5:45. The event will conclude with networking until 7:15 p.m.
• Seating is limited. To attend, request an invitation at Endeavor@EndeavorGreenville.com (no walk-ins).
• Event is free to Endeavor members. Non-member tickets are $30, cocktails included.
• Endeavor is located at 1 N. Main Street in the ONE tower overlooking One City Plaza.
• This event was originally scheduled for October 1, 2024, but was rescheduled in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

Escape Artist Greenville has been honored with multiple TERPECA awards including the #2 escape room in the US (#38 in the world) for their newest game “Castle Flüffendor.” The TERPECA Awards, often referred to as the “Oscars” of the escape room industry, celebrate innovation and excellence in escape room design. This year, over 1,350 voters across 37 countries, all with extensive experience in the industry, cast their ballots for the top escape rooms in the world. Voting closed on November 30 and the final list of top rooms was announced on December 21.
Escape Artist Greenville also won TERPECAs for their games “Dark Lullaby” (#6 in the US/#54 in the world), “Help Wanted” (#21 US/#118 world) and “The Starlight Motel” (#22 US/#127 world). Escape Artist Greenville is the only company with four escape rooms in the top 25 in the US. No other company has more than two.
Enthusiast Sharan Gill, who has played over 3,000 escape rooms, was selected to present the TERPECA for Castle Flüffendor at the awards ceremony on December 21st. About Castle Flüffendor she said: “[Castle Flüffendor] has a mix of quick satisfying solves along with more complex and nuanced puzzles, all wrapped up in the most uniquely adorable, humorous, and creative game world I’ve ever seen. A joy from start to finish.” Sharan traveled from London, UK to the play the game with her team in September of this year.
Escape Artist co-owner Will Rutherford says “Castle Flüffendor is the largest project our team has ever attempted. We worked with over a dozen local writers, artists, actors, and craftspeople to make this dream a reality. It’s great to hear that our guests can feel the results of that collaboration.”
The TERPECA Awards celebrate the best in the industry and serve as a trusted guide for escape room enthusiasts worldwide.