Category: Press Release

Fulton & Barr Co-Founder Johnnie Fulton is Honored by the South Carolina Bar
The South Carolina Bar and University of South Carolina Established “Memory Hold the Door”

Greenville, S.C. – June 26, 2024 – The late Johnnie Dodenhoff Fulton was recently recognized by the “Memory Hold the Door” committee established by the South Carolina Bar and the University of South Carolina. The Committee strives to preserve for the inspiration of future generations the high ethical and professional standards of past leaders of the legal profession – by acclaiming and extolling their virtues.

“For Johnnie to be honored this way by the South Carolina Bar association and USC Law shows just what a remarkable attorney and accomplished businesswoman she was,” said Andrew Barr, co-founder of Fulton & Barr Law Firm. “She fought on behalf of workers’ rights for more than three decades. Her passion for her work was genuine, as was her love of life and family. Being her partner and friend was a privilege.”

A graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law and a member of the South Carolina Bar Association since 1981, Fulton successfully practiced law for more than 35 years, specializing in litigation in the areas of Workers’ Compensation Law and Social Security Disability Law.

Fulton was highly involved in her community, volunteering her time in the service of groups that promote the fair treatment of workers and disabled people, and working to elect candidates who support the rights of South Carolina workers. Her written work on workers’ compensation law was published multiple times, and she taught classes and conducted seminars on the topic.

“Every client mattered to mom on a very personal level. She enjoyed working with her fellow attorneys, and believed that she could make a difference in people’s lives,” said Valerie Fulton, an attorney at Fulton & Barr. “I’m thrilled the South Carolina Bar has recognized her achievements, and I know she’d be honored by this prestigious recognition.”

The South Carolina Bar’s “Memory Hold the Door” Committee identifies and selects individuals worthy of inclusion. The lawyers remembered, therefore, represent a true Honor Roll of the legal profession, selected by their fellow lawyers as best exemplifying the qualities of integrity, professionalism and skill required of the Bench and Bar.

About Fulton & Barr
Fulton & Barr is a small but robust law firm offering the infrastructure and support of a larger firm combined with the personal attention typically seen only in solo practices. With more than 40 years of combined experience practicing law in South Carolina, Johnnie Fulton and Andrew C. Barr specialize in worker’s compensation, personal injury, car accidents, product liability, social security disability and more. To learn more visit, https://fultonbarr.com.

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GREENVILLE, S.C. – When Caroline Giguere and Francie Todd woke up two Fridays ago, they knew it was going to be a big day.

KIND of the Upstate, the nonprofit they founded in 2020, had been selected for a feature story on TODAY WITH HODA & JENNA, and they would be interviewed to tell why and how this agency that promotes children understanding the differently abled came to be.

But then there was a twist. After the interview, the TODAY team told them they needed more footage. They rode in a SUV with darkened windows and were driven clandestinely to the Greenville Textile Heritage Park. That’s where almost 200 of their family, friends and supporters decked out in white T-shirts with the KIND logo on them were waiting with a surprise celebratory party.

Why the party? JOHNSONVILLE, maker of sausages and brats, gave them a $45,000 check to aid KIND’s efforts to educate young children and encourage them to include others and nurture all forms of differences and disabilities amongst their peers. The Grill Dads, social media stars and spokesmen for JOHNSONVILLE, helped grill up brats and sausages. 

And all of it was captured on video completely with Todd and Giguere being met with massive cheers when they arrived on scene. Their segment aired on Friday, June 21, ending a whirlwind two weeks for KIND of the Upstate.

“We are deeply grateful for this generous donation, which will significantly amplify our efforts and impact. With this support, we can continue to bring awareness to all about disabilities and build a stronger community together,” Giguere said.

The story of how KIND and TODAY connected begins with Susan Bryant, a family friend of Giguere. She submitted KIND’s story for a segment called Friday Feature Families on TODAY.

“Susan submitted such a compelling pitch, complete with heartwarming stories from us that we were accepted,” Todd said. “The show’s producers then reached out to us and we just told them everything we have done.”

The KIND board quickly came together to maximize this opportunity, each person bringing a unique set of skills and experiences.  Board member Leah Stoudenmire, of The Rock It! Co., used her decades of event and marketing experience to pull together a comprehensive marketing campaign in less than five days — coordinating with the TODAY team and gathering attendees to ensure the event’s success.

“What a dream come true for KIND of the Upstate and our founders. This experience has shown us what we can achieve when we come together with a shared purpose. We are deeply grateful for the initial outreach of a dedicated supporter going out on a limb, the generous donations that made this all possible and for the support and dedication of everyone involved,” Stoudenmire said.

About KIND of the Upstate:

KIND of the Upstate is a non-profit organization founded on the principles of promoting kindness toward all children. The organization works with area schools to hold KIND DAYS, in which they teach the importance of inclusion through multiple learning experiences and resources. Their goal is to educate young children on the importance of embracing and celebrating our differences in order to make all children feel like they belong. Learn more at kindoftheupstate.org.

Bryan Ballentine, Founder of Ballentine Capital Advisors, recently attended a national industry conference with Financial Independence Group and won the Rising Star Award!
This prestigious honor is given to an advisor who has excelled in business, community involvement, and professional reputation. Bryan’s commitment to engaging with multiple teams and offerings truly defines partnership and growth. Join us in congratulating Bryan Ballentine on this well-deserved recognition!
About Ballentine Capital Advisors
At Ballentine Capital Advisors we seek to serve our clients wealth needs through providing premier advice and service in wealth management. We seek to passionately and empathetically provide the highest standard of fiduciary care, always putting our partner’s clients’ best interest before our own.
About Bryan Ballentine
Bryan is the president and founder of Ballentine Capital Advisors. As a Certified Financial Planner and Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor℠, Bryan’s passion lies in helping his clients navigate their financial life and helping them to ultimately achieve their greatest financial goals. With 25 years of experience, he guides his clients based on the principles of objectivity, independence, and client-centered financial planning, focusing extensively on retirement and investment issues such as retirement income planning, IRA rollovers, employer qualified plans (401k, 403b, profit sharing, cash balance, etc.), investment management, and tax planning strategies. Today, Bryan works with a select private client group and certain businesses to provide independent advice and services regarding retirement and investment planning. Bryan believes strongly in the management of individual behavioral mistakes that are often made in traditional financial and investment planning.

PRIORITY ONE SECURITY ANNOUNCES NEW CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
New enhanced user website provides an experience for customers.

Greenville, SC – Regionally based Priority One Security is announcing the launch of its new website and a comprehensive rebranding of its services, signaling a significant commitment to enhancing its digital presence and aligning its offerings with its ever evolving industry standards of technology.

The newly launched website is designed to generate new business, enhance the customer experience, and define Priority One Security’s total range of services. With improved navigation and more engaging content, the website aims to attract potential clients to its various Residential and Commercial products and services. We offer many additional services such as Vehicle Gates & Entry Systems, Home Network Solutions, Smart Home & Automation Solutions, and Commercial AV Solutions. The customer experience is expanded.

The new website now offers features such as online bill payment, service and sales requests, and account history reviews. Additionally, a Resource Page has been added, featuring How-to Videos, manual downloads, popular app links, and a section listing alarm ordinances by municipalities to help customers stay current with their alarm permits. This strategic update demonstrates Priority One Security’s commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction. Furthermore, Priority One has implemented additional customer support features including text and email confirmations. Customers will now receive notifications confirming service appointments and tech enroute notifications, informing them when a technician is on the way.

“The new website has been a large project that included feedback from our sales team and customers,” shared the VP of Sales & Marketing, Bill Francis, Jr. “We are excited to share the news with all of our customers and see how consumers engage with our new features.”
This rebranding and digital enhancement reflects Priority One Security’s dedication to staying at the forefront of technology, the security industry, and continually improving the customer experience.

priority1security.com
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About Priority One Security
For over twenty years, families and businesses across the Southeast have trusted in Priority One Security to keep their homes and businesses protected and connected. Offering personalized service that routinely goes above and beyond, Priority One leverages today’s technology and utilizes the highest quality products from trusted brands. Learn more about Priority One Security by calling 888-407-SAFE or by visiting www.Priority1Security.com.

Carolina Handling, the exclusive Raymond Solutions and Support Center for South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Florida’s central time zone, broke ground today on a new 267,000-square-foot facility in Pickens County, South Carolina.

Scheduled to open in spring 2025, the new building at 3800 Calhoun Memorial Highway in Easley will consolidate Upstate operations of the Charlotte, NC-based intralogistics company, bringing together the warehouse and office space from four area facilities under one roof.

Founded in Charlotte in 1966, Carolina Handling opened an office and training center on River Road in Piedmont in 1972 that today serves as the company’s rebuild facility. A second Carolina Handling building opened on River Road in 2013 to house offices, training facilities and a customer experience center. In 2015, the company opened an Equipment Distribution Center on Piedmont Highway in Piedmont, South Carolina as a regional hub to better serve customers across the Southeast. And in 2018, the company added a warehouse on Michelin Court near Donaldson Center.

Carolina Handling’s new facility at Speedway Industrial & Technology Park will feature 237,000 square feet of warehouse space to accommodate technician bays for new, rental and renewed equipment, as well as parts, distribution and logistics operations. Another 30,000 square feet will house offices, meeting and training space and a customer experience center.

“Carolina Handling has experienced extraordinary growth in the past few years, and we expect that trend to continue in 2024 and beyond,” said Carolina Handling President & CEO Brent Hillabrand. “This new facility helps position us for the future and allows us to realize large economies of scale by bringing our operations across the Upstate region of South Carolina under one roof.”

Carolina Handling continues its evolution from a forklift-only provider to an end-to-end intralogistics solutions company offering a broad range of consulting, connected technologies, automation systems and service to support the growing and changing material handling needs in warehouses and distribution centers. Along with forklifts and a full range of warehouse equipment, the company offers design, engineering and implementation services to help customers achieve more space, speed, safety and efficiency with integrated automation technologies, many of which will be showcased in the new facility’s customer experience center.

The first tenant at Speedway Industrial & Technology Park, Carolina Handling has partnered with architect COR3 Design LLC, civil engineering firm Seamon Whiteside and Evans General Contractors on the design and construction of its new regional facility.
Speedway Industrial & Technology Park is being developed by Realty Link, LLC.

ABOUT CAROLINA HANDLING

Founded in 1966, Carolina Handling is among the Southeast’s leading integrated material handling solutions providers and the exclusive Raymond Solutions and Support Center for North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Florida’s Central time zone. The company provides lift trucks and automation solutions for manufacturers, warehouses and distribution centers, along with parts, racking, storage, lighting and dock and door equipment.

Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Carolina Handling operates branch offices in Atlanta, Georgia, Birmingham, Alabama, Greensboro, North Carolina, Raleigh, North Carolina and Greenville, South Carolina, and an Equipment Distribution Center in Piedmont, South Carolina. The company has more than 800 associates.

For more information, visit carolinahandling.com.

For Immediate Release

Effective June 3rd, 2024, Dr. Luke Henry’s article, “Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression in Post-Traumatic Syringomyelia: A Case Report”, has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Contemporary Chiropractic, a peer-reviewed scientific journal. A 48-year-old woman suffered chronic, worsening neck pain, numbness and tingling down both arms, and headaches being rear-ended in an automobile accident. These symptoms interfered with reading, driving, using a computer, exercise, and prolonged sitting at her job, and she suffered sleep disturbance. MRI revealed syringohydromyelia, a fluid-filled cyst at the cervical and upper thoracic spinal cord, disc bulging and degeneration at multiple levels and foraminal stenosis. The patient tried many treatments without relief, including medications, acupuncture, physical therapy and epidural steroid injections. Decompressive surgery was recommended but the patient desired to avoid surgery. Two months of treatment using nonsurgical spinal decompression and low-level laser therapy resulted in marked reduction in pain and disability and her condition remained improved long-term. Researching non-drug and non-surgical options for spine pain is important because there is an opioid-epidemic in the United States and many patients desire to avoid the risks associated with spine surgery or are not good surgical candidates. Nonsurgical spinal decompression is a relatively new treatment option that uses computer technology to distract the spine and reduce pressure on discs and nerves. Dr. Henry has previously written articles on decompression as a multifaceted chiropractic approach for difficult cases. He speaks nationwide Fetterman Events, a provider of chiropractic continuing education. Dr. Henry is a member of the South Carolina Chiropractic Association Palmetto Club and practices on Pelham Road in Greenville.

The Journal of Contemporary Chiropractic is available at https://journal.parker.edu/

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GREENVILLE, S.C., June 18, 2024 – TD Bank, N.A., today announced that it and the TD Community Development Corporation (TDCDC), a wholly-owned subsidiary, together provided a $2 million New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) allocation and a $5.99 million tax equity investment to fund a new shelter for victims of domestic violence operated by Safe Harbor of Greenville, South Carolina.

Additional funders include a $10 million NMTC allocation from SC Community Loan Fund and a $6.5 million NMTC allocation from The Innovate Fund. The M Peters Group is developing the new 45,722-square-foot center, which will include a restorative shelter and co-locate Safe Harbor’s existing support services currently spread across multiple buildings throughout the area. The new building will increase Safe Harbor’s annual capacity from 275 to 375 individuals served. Construction is expected to be complete in April 2025.

“The construction of our 45,000-square-foot new shelter facility not only will triple our capacity and put all of our services under one roof, but also will allow the colocation of partner agencies that serve our clients, thereby facilitating their recovery and healing,” said Danny Varat, CEO of Safe Harbor. “It will be the only one of its kind in South Carolina and one of the few in the United States. We truly appreciate M Peters Group, TD Bank, the SC Community Loan Fund and The Innovate Fund, which made this unique and transformative project possible.”

Safe Harbor is a non-profit offering a continuum of services for survivors of domestic violence and their children in Greenville, Anderson, Pickens and Oconee counties. Its services include a 24/7 help line, emergency shelters, counseling, case management, transitional housing, parenting classes, group support and more.

“TD is proud to collaborate with these organizations to support the development of Safe Harbor’s new, comprehensive facility for vulnerable community members,” said Will Richter, Relationship Manager, TD Community Development Corporation.

TD Bank recently introduced its three-year, $20 billion Community Impact Plan, a blueprint for providing underserved communities and populations with banking products, services and overall support to help expand economic opportunity and stability to all. A core component of the Community Impact Plan is providing an estimated $7.5 billion in community development lending and investment, and the Safe Harbor project represents one of the bank’s first commitments in this area.

The Innovate Fund (TIF) is a Community Development Entity that uses NMTCs to serve communities in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. TIF has received $288 million in NMTCs to support its mission of transforming communities through the creation of quality jobs and improvement of health and wellness outcomes for the region’s low-income residents.

SCCLF is a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution focused on advancing equitable access to capital. Since 2004, the SCCLF has provided more than $94.3 million in lending on community development projects throughout South Carolina. SCCLF has received $85MM in NMTCs allocation since 2018.

Engenius, a leading website and digital marketing agency based in Greenville, South Carolina, is proud to announce the launch of Engenius Gives. Building upon a sixteen-year legacy of supporting local nonprofits with over $500,000 in support, Engenius Gives will support a local nonprofit with a pro bono website strategy, design, and build.

Quotables:
“At Engenius, we believe in the power of giving back to our community. Nonprofits do incredible work, and we want to support their missions by ensuring they have the best digital presence possible,” said Chris Manley, Founder & CEO of Engenius.

RELEVANT DETAILS:
– Eligibility: Local 501(c)(3) nonprofits serving the Upstate area are eligible to apply for the Engenius Gives pro bono website build.

– Stability: In operation for a minimum of 3 years, with an established plan and mission, and consistent leadership, and a plan to use this website to advance the organization’s mission.

– Application Process: Interested organizations can apply through the Engenius website.

– Applications are open from June 18, 2024, to July 31, 2024.

– Timeline: The selected nonprofit will be announced in September.

For more information about the Engenius Gives program or to apply, please visit engeniusweb.com/engenius-gives.

About Engenius
Engenius is a website and digital marketing agency serving businesses through design, strategy, optimization, service and support, and by driving traffic for websites. Based in Greenville, SC, Engenius has over fifteen years of experience working with hundreds of businesses and organizations to build, optimize, and support their websites. Served by a team of passionate professionals, Engenius’s clients routinely point to the company’s responsiveness, proactivity, genuine care, systems-based approach, and personable nature as the reasons they work with Engenius long-term. Learn more by visiting engeniusweb.com.

Oasis Animal Hospital and Emergency Center, a locally owned and operated concierge veterinary practice and ER serving the Greater Greenville area’s dogs and cats, announced affordable pet dentistry services with no unexpected costs, offering teeth cleaning for one low price to eliminate unforeseen expenses associated with treating oral health problems. Oasis promises more affordable and transparent costs for high-quality pet dental care and a comfortable experience during a time that can be financially and emotionally stressful for pet owners.

A pet’s oral health is an important part of their overall wellbeing including heart, kidney, and respiratory health. Oasis strives to make essential dentistry services more attainable and manageable for owners without compromising on the exceptional level of care that the practice is known for. Pet dentistry services at Oasis include an affordable comprehensive dental cleaning and evaluation at a low cost of $300. This price includes the highest standard of care for pre-op bloodwork, anesthesia, IV catheter, dental x-rays, teeth cleaning, dental charting, and teeth polishing. Oasis’ team is highly trained in dentistry, and following the expert cleaning they will review the pet’s x-rays and pre- and post-cleaning pictures with the client and review what was found during the routine procedure. If any follow up extractions are needed, the consultation will provide a detailed plan outlining cost so there is no financial surprise. This consultation will also provide any additional recommendations such as biopsies or even a referral to a dental specialist depending on what the evaluation shows.

Teeth cleaning appointments can be made online at oasisvets.com or by calling (864) 288-4000. Oasis Animal Hospital and Emergency Center is located at 11 W Pointe Blvd in Mauldin for general practice and after-hours ER for dogs and cats. To learn more, visit oasisvets.com, call (864) 288-4000 or follow along @oasisanimalhospitalsc.

About Oasis Animal Hospital and Emergency Center:
Oasis Animal Hospital and Emergency Center is a locally owned and operated concierge veterinarian practice and ER serving the Greater Greenville area’s dogs and cats. A high-end facility and operation built on compassion and community connections, Oasis provides the highest standard of care treatment plans and an unwavering commitment to helping clients and providing pets with the very best care possible. Oasis Animal Hospital is located at 11 W Pointe Blvd in Mauldin. The general practice and wellness is open Monday – Friday 8:00am – 5:30pm. Daytime and after-hours urgent care and emergency is open 8:00 am – midnight, seven days a week. Visit oasisvets.com, follow along @oasisanimalhospitalsc, or call (864) 288-4000 to learn about our services, team, and unique approach to pet care.