Category: Press Release

Nonprofit Will Receive $50,000 in Grant Support and Virtual Leadership Training to Advance Economic Mobility in the Upstate

GREENVILLE – Bank of America today announced Rebuild Upstate as the 2023 Neighborhood Champion® awardee for their work advancing economic mobility and building up underserved neighborhoods in the Upstate. Through this multi-year grant funding and leadership training for the nonprofits’ leadership, programs and services addressing critical home repairs and preservation for low-to moderate income homeowners will be able to expand across Upstate South Carolina. Without these repairs, existing homeowners would be forced to seek housing elsewhere that they can’t afford or face homelessness.

As part of the bank’s Neighborhood Builders program, one of the largest philanthropic investments into nonprofit leadership development in the nation, Neighborhood Champions provides funding and leadership training to nonprofits that are advancing economic mobility and building up underserved neighborhoods.

Through the program, Rebuild Upstate will receive the opportunity to participate in virtual leadership training delivered by experts in the nonprofit sector on topics like human capital management, increasing financial sustainability and storytelling and a $50,000 grant over two years.

Rebuild Upstate helps tackle the affordable housing crisis by enabling longtime Upstate residents to remain in the homes they already own. Over the organization’s 17-year history, Rebuild Upstate has served over 1,470 homeowners with critical repairs and safety/accessibility modifications. This new grant funding will help expand the nonprofit’s home repair and ramp programs. This grant will support and cover the operating and program expenses for up to ten homes and nearly 40 repair projects or home ramps.

“We are honored to be this year’s recipient of the Neighborhood Champions grant. This grant is transformational in helping us to serve low-income homeowners who cannot afford repairs otherwise,” said Jake Beaty, CEO of Rebuild Upstate. “Everyone deserves to live in a safe and healthy home that they can afford. We’re grateful for Bank of America’s commitment to advancing economic mobility and responsible community growth.”

The invitation-only program is highly competitive, and nonprofits are selected by a committee comprised of community leaders and past awardees. Five nonprofits have been selected as Neighborhood Champions in the Upstate since 2019, with the bank investing $250,000 into these local nonprofits collectively.

“Rebuild Upstate leads the way in helping our neighbors remain in their homes by providing the critical repairs and improvements needed to make daily life safer and easier,” said Stacy Brandon, president, Bank of America Upstate. “Bank of America is pleased to support this unique approach to affordable housing through flexible funding and leadership training to benefit the nonprofit’s long-term success and make a lasting impact for these families in our community.”

Since 2004, Bank of America has invested more than $300 million in nearly 100 communities across the U.S., partnered with more than 1,600 nonprofits, and helped more than 3,000 nonprofit leaders strengthen their leadership skills through the Neighborhood Builders and Champions program.

Bank of America
Bank of America is one of the world’s leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 68 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 3,900 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs and award-winning digital banking with approximately 57 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom and register for news email alerts.
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DP3 Architects has been named the 2023 Firm of the Year by AIA South Carolina, an organization of the American Institute of Architects. The award recognizes notable achievements in design excellence, contribution to the profession of architecture, and continuity of service to the public. This recognition is considered the highest honor that AIASC can bestow upon a South Carolina architectural firm.

“We are honored to receive this recognition from AIA South Carolina” said Brian Thomas, Principal & CEO of DP3 Architects. “While this award may have our name on it, it is really the partnership that we have had with our clients that has allowed us to produce designs that we are proud of. This award honors them as well as our 3 founding principals and the nearly 200 team members throughout the years who have helped to build the firm to what it is. As we near our 40th anniversary we look forward to continuing to create meaningful spaces that have a positive impact on our community.”

Established in 1984, the DP3 Architects founding principals sought to create a firm of designers that shared a passion for the craft and a spirit of collaboration. Firm leadership has since expanded to include Principals Brian Thomas, Meg Terry, Ben Urueta, and Michael Pry. Now a team of 35, the firm has retained that creative spirit and a shared value around the philosophy of “Architecture by Team” – a belief and commitment to everyone having a seat at the table to solve problems and deliver transformative designs that connect people and enrich communities. From the very beginning, DP3 Architects’ focus has and continues to be on positively impacting communities. The firm strives to model civic engagement within the industry and beyond through participation, membership, sponsorship, and donation of our time and services.

For DP3 Architects, this award celebrates the firm’s project design work, our dedication to our clients, and a supportive culture created and enjoyed by our team members.

“We are exceptionally grateful to be the recipient of the AIA South Carolina Firm Award,” said Meg Terry, Principal & CMO of DP3 Architects. “This recognition is a coveted industry and professional acknowledgement that speaks to both the culture and the group of talented design professionals that made this award possible.”

About AIA South Carolina:
AIA South Carolina is a membership association working to advance the architecture profession in South Carolina. Through advocacy, leadership development, education, and resources, the organization supports architecture professionals throughout the state in designing a better world. www.aiasc.org

Greenville, SC. – A dynamic transformation is underway at the former Dollar General store on Poinsett Highway in Greenville South Carolina, as it undergoes a remarkable redevelopment into a multi-suite commercial space.

The former Dollar General site, located at 114 Poinsett Highway, will soon be reborn as Poinsett Corners, a center for office and retail space. This project will result in four spacious suites, totaling 7,676 square feet of modern workspace designed to meet the diverse needs of businesses and retailers alike.

Furthering the project, the adjoining spaces at 110 and 112 Poinsett Highway will also undergo interior and exterior renovations. Radio Room, currently occupying 110 Poinsett Highway, will be relocating in January 2024 and the space will be available for lease.

The redevelopment project is a testament to the ongoing growth and vitality of the Poinsett corridor, offering a prime location for local entrepreneurs, retailers, and professionals to establish or expand their businesses.

John Parker with Broadstreet Partners states “We are thrilled to introduce Poinsett Corners to the market. It’s truly at a gateway into Greenville, featuring historic charm and modern amenities.”

The Broadstreet Partners brokerage team of John Parker and Ryan Koop are leading the marketing efforts. For more information or leasing inquiries, please contact John Parker, 864.266.3309 or john@broadstreetcre.com.

Linda Lovely, the local author of eleven mysteries and thrillers, explores the potential perils of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in her new novel, A KILLER APP. The mystery features an AI-savvy villain, the Chameleon. By hacking, scouring social media for would-be pawns, and creating deepfakes, the Chameleon can ruin reputations, rip off unsuspecting heirs, and even orchestrate murders without leaving the house.
A KILLER APP is the third book in Lovely’s HOA (Homeowner Association) Mystery series set in the South Carolina Lowcountry.
New York Times bestselling author Joseph Finder gives the new mystery a thumbs-up review: “Lovely delivers solid plotting and vivid characters, but a memorable villain with an ingenious and all-too-plausible criminal technique are what sets A KILLER APP apart.”
What prompted Lovely to create this villain?
“In 2021, I watched an AI demo showing how easy it was to create a deepfake video of President Obama,” Lovely says. “Had I not known the result was fake, I’d have sworn it was real. The voice, the mannerisms were spot on. No tells.
“That started me thinking—what if an AI expert used those skills to settle personal scores?” she adds. “In A KILLER APP, my heroine Kylee Kane, a retired Coast Guard investigator, consults with an HOA Management firm that has a dozen clients. So, my imagination immediately zeroed in on ways AI could figure in neighborhood feuds, and I dived into research mode.”
Lovely’s AI research hasn’t ended as she continues to read about new developments. While the author believes AI can offer major benefits in fields ranging from health care to the environment, she’s concerned about how it may transform industries, including publishing.
Lovely notes the Authors Guild has filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of the many authors who recently discovered their books have been used to train AI. Lovely is one of those authors.
“These copyrighted books were used without permission or compensation,” she explains. “As a result, some authors have already seen AI-created books written in their style and offered online. One worry is that cheap AI-generated books will flood the market and crowd out human creators. Another is that AI rip-offs may turn off disappointed readers. Narrators, translators, book cover artists and editors face similar AI challenges.”
While A KILLER APP doesn’t explore these publishing concerns, it does give readers a glimpse of how bad actors might use AI to harm and scam. The novel is published by Level Best Books and is available in paperback, ebook and audio formats.

It’s a holiday classic that almost didn’t make it from book to screen but for a friendship forged during World War II. In its Southeastern debut, “A Very Grinchy Christmas,” the newest exhibition opening Saturday, November 4, 2023, at the Upcountry History Museum – Greenville County, outlines the backstory of one of the most watched animated made-for-television specials of all time.

Written in 1957, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” by Ted Geisel, otherwise known as Dr. Seuss, gave readers the story of the small-hearted creature who “lived just north of Whoville” and vowed to stop Christmas from coming, only to realize at the end that “maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.” Though many had wanted Geisel to turn the story into an animated special, it wasn’t until 1966 that he consented when acclaimed animator Chuck Jones made a personal appeal to him. Geisel and Jones had served together during WWII in the U.S. Army’s First Motion Picture Unit, so Geisel entrusted the project to his friend.

Turning the short book into a 25-minute animated special required the gifted animator of Looney Tunes fame to utilize all of his skills to transform characters, backgrounds, and scenes into a moving storyline complete with narration, music, and color. On December 18, 1966, 3.8 million people tuned in to CBS-TV to witness the birth of this transformation from page to small screen.

Featuring over 150 original animation cels, backgrounds, and ephemera from private collections, this exhibition illustrates Jones’ approach to adapting the story for the screen as he unleashed a riotous array of vivid colors to depict settings and characters. On display from Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, through Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, “A Very Grinchy Christmas” offers a behind-the-scenes look at the originality of both Geisel’s and Jones’ talents, as well as their combined skills in telling a story about the spirit of giving and the indomitable power of optimism.

The Upcountry History Museum is located at 540 Buncombe St., in Greenville, S.C. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Sunday from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. For more information, call 864-467-3100 or visit www.upcountryhistory.org.

Fireforge Crafted Beer co-founders Brian and Nicole Cendrowski to speak at Endeavor’s Collaborators & Cocktails November 16th

GREENVILLE, SC (October 31, 2023) – Endeavor, the coworking and office space community in downtown Greenville’s ONE tower, announces that Brian and Nicole Cendrowski, co-owners of Fireforge Crafted Beer will speak at its final Collaborators & Cocktails speaker series of 2023 on November 16th from 5:00 – 7:15 p.m.

Having recently celebrated the 5th anniversary of one of Greenville’s most loved and home-grown brands, Brian and Nicole will share how their professional and personal journeys merged, the science and the instinct of making the decision to follow this dream, and how they’ve made it uniquely their own.

The neighborhood brewery, located on E. Washington St., opened in June 2018 with six beers on tap and a goal “to create the greatest beer drinking experience in the world.” Five years later, Fireforge offers more than 20 in-house brewed beers and other craft drinks, as well as a variety of locally-inspired food options. In 2023, the brewery took home a gold, silver, and bronze medal in the World Beer Championships, the most prestigious beer competition in the world. Game Time Decision, Novemberfest, and Day on the Lake were the three beers recognized for their exceptional taste and quality.

“Whether you are a Fireforge fan, a craft beer lover in general, or simply looking to learn from fun and candid leaders who’ve built something extraordinary, there’s truly something for everyone in hearing about their challenges, milestones, victories, pivots, and ultimately growth,” says Joe Erwin, president of Endeavor.

Co-sponsoring this event are:
• AFL, an international manufacturer providing end-to-end fiber optics and telecommunications solutions to the energy, service provider, enterprise, hyperscale, and industrial markets as well as several emerging markets, with products in use in over 130 countries.
• Bank of Travelers Rest, Member FDIC, has served the people of Greenville County since 1946. Customers experience the conveniences of a full-service financial institution while enjoying the personalized service of their community bank. With offices in Travelers Rest, Marietta, Taylors, Berea and in the City of Greenville, Bank of TR offers additional services through their Customer Support Center, ATMs, Online Banking, Mobile Banks and Saturday hours.

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.

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About Endeavor
Endeavor is a membership-based coworking community for creative and entrepreneurial professionals, as well as corporate teams and business travelers. Endeavor’s premium location in the ONE Development in Greenville, SC provides members with state-of-the-art work and meeting space, and uniquely, surrounds them with a diverse array of peers who offer a broad range of services and experience. Training opportunities, networking events and business consulting are available for the professionals who call Endeavor home every day, as well as business team members across the region. Endeavor has been recognized as the winner of the Coworker Member’s Choice Award for Greenville, SC. For more information, visit endeavorgreenville.com.

GREENVILLE, S.C. – How prepared is your company for 2025, when GenZ and Millennials will make up more than half of the American workforce?

If the answer ranges from not at all to barely, then The YoPro Know has a solution for you. It is offering its first online Masterclass, Attracting & Retaining Young Professional Talent in a Digital World, aimed at helping business owners, hiring managers, human resources, marketing teams and other C-Suite leaders to learn the best talent retention and recruitment tactics aimed at the younger members of the workforce.

The four-part online program focuses on how to better recruit, retain, and strategically develop them as they grow into the future leaders of your workforce will have lasting impacts on your business from financials to productivity, said Kamber Parker, founder of The YoPro Know. Each session lasts between 10 and 15 minutes. Register here: https://yoproknow.com/masterclass/

The YoPro Know is an innovative consulting group that is changing the way businesses engage with young professionals. It draws on its exclusive content and knowledge base to help business leaders better attract young professionals using digital branding and culture. The YoPro Know also hosts a podcast called The Great Retention.

Earlier in 2023, The YoPro Know released The State of Young Professionals Today, a groundbreaking look into how employees under age 39 perceive, internalize, share, and relate in a work environment often defined by people generations older than them. The report was created after thousands of interviews with young professionals in more than 65 white-collar and blue-collar industries.

“Our services have been crafted through thousands of interviews with young professionals in various industries across the country over the past five years,” Parker said. “The future of your workforce begins with recruiting, retaining and developing YoPros. We can help you build and be that bridge.”

About The YoPro Know:

The YoPro Know’s mission is to help businesses develop the future leaders of our workforce through research, education, and recruiting and retention consulting. Based in Greenville, S.C. with a national community, The YoPro Know promotes success in the workplace by being a bridge between ambitious young professionals and progressive businesses, who want to recruit, engage and retain them. Learn more at www.yoproknow.com.

Clemson, S.C. — Eric Newton Real Estate has broken ground on Maverick Hills, a 517-bed student housing development located near the Clemson University campus in South Carolina. The property will offer cottage and townhome units in a mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom configurations with bed-to-bath parity. Shared amenities are set to include a resort-style swimming pool with lounge seating; clubhouse; full-service coffee bar; study rooms; 24-hour fitness center; courtyard for outdoor games; dog park; pickleball and basketball courts; and ‘The Rock’ community center. The project is scheduled for completion in fall 2025.

Three Greenville leaders have completed the requirements to become a Liberty Fellow. They now join a diverse and interconnected group of 330 leaders in the Liberty Fellowship South Carolina Network and 3,000 leaders in the Aspen Global Leadership Network. Through these two networks, Fellows will have lifelong opportunities for engagement and access to an influential group of colleagues and mentors.

The new Liberty Fellows from Greenville are:

Shontavia Johnson, associate vice president for entrepreneurship and innovation, Clemson University

James Jordon, president, Jordon Construction Company

E. Smyth McKissick, IV, president and CEO, Alice Company

The Liberty Fellowship experience brings together a small group of leaders who may not otherwise know or interact with one another into a Class. Each Class is selected to contain a wide range of thought, professions, geographic locations, and lived experiences. Through a rigorous 18-month process, each Class member is challenged to embrace their varying perspectives as they build upon each other’s strengths.

Other members of the Class of 2023 are:

Amy Barch, executive director and founder, Turn90

Gary Brewer, South Carolina House of Representatives District 114

Chase Glenn, executive director, Alliance for Full Acceptance

Teresa Goodman, executive director, Community Initiatives, Inc.

John Gordon, president & CEO, Leroy Springs & Company, Inc.

Michael Lalich, president and founder, Lowcountry Labor Company

Dominik Mjartan, president & CEO, Optus Bank

Brooke Mueller, senior director of government relations and public affairs of mid-atlantic states, Southeast and Puerto Rico, Walmart, Inc.

Tiffany Roberts, market vice president – clinic operations, CenterWell Senior Primary Care

Aparna Polavarapu, associate professor, University of South Carolina School of Law, and executive director and founder, South Carolina Restorative Justice Initiative

Tommy Preston, Jr., global vice president, ethics, The Boeing Company

Seema Shrivastava-Patel, chair, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control

Sarah Simmons, founder and CEO, CITY GRIT Hospitality Group

Megan Stifel, chief strategy officer, Institute for Security and Technology

Laura Ullrich, senior regional economist, South Carolina and North Carolina, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

Rochelle Williams, vice president of strategy and programs, Mary Black Foundation

QUOTES

“South Carolina must have highly effective leadership to navigate the increasing interdependence of businesses, technologies, communities and nations, and we must have collaboration to foster sustainable growth,” said Ann Marie Stieritz, president and CEO of Liberty Fellowship. “These 19 individuals bring unique perspectives, skills and leadership to our state. We are thrilled to welcome them officially as Liberty Fellows to our networks here in South Carolina and across the world.”

“Being a part of the Liberty Fellowship has reshaped my perspective on leadership. The challenges I faced not only molded my skills but also ignited a deeper passion for community service. To me, becoming a Liberty Fellow means committing to a lifelong journey of growth, collaboration, and impact.” James Jordon, CEO and president, Jordon Construction Company. 

“Liberty Fellowship granted me two profound gifts. First, I gained a wonderful network of friends and colleagues from around the globe. Many have radically different worldviews, but all are people of goodwill.  Second, I achieved a deeper understanding of the thorniest issues facing society today using the wisdom of great texts, both ancient and contemporary,” said E. Smyth McKissick, IV, president and CEO, Alice Company. 

“During my experience with the Liberty Fellowship, I witnessed the remarkable impact of this dynamic community of leaders who are committed to driving positive change in the state. I formed invaluable relationships with individuals who share a passion for making a difference in South Carolina and beyond. I completed the foundational seminar series with a renewed sense of commitment to positively impacting South Carolina’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, and I look forward to supporting the work of others in the Liberty Fellowship South Carolina Network and the Aspen Global Leadership Network,” said Shontavia Johnson, associate vice president for entrepreneurship and innovation, Clemson University. 

FAST FACTS

1. A new class of Liberty Fellows is selected every two years from a pool of more than 400 nominees.

2. Anyone can nominate a Liberty Fellow.

3. To become a Liberty Fellow, each individual selected must complete five seminars in the United States and abroad and an individual impact venture.

4. Of the 330 Liberty Fellows in the South Carolina network, 87% remain in the state.

5. 76% of Liberty Fellows are from the business sector; 12% are from the nonprofit sector; and 12% are from the public sector.

ABOUT LIBERTY FELLOWSHIP

Liberty Fellowship activates individual leaders through a deeper understanding of a just, free and equitable society; serves as a convener for bringing together diverse perspectives to advance civil discourse; and provides infrastructure for taking action. The Fellowship is a nonpartisan, nonsectarian, nondogmatic organization which operates as an independent 501c3 organization. Learn more at libertyfellowshipsc.org.