Greenville Hall of Fame
Jody Bryson
CEO
South Carolina Technology & Aviation Center (SCTAC)
Since 2007, Jody Bryson has led the transformation of SCTAC into South Carolina’s largest and most successful business park with a $6.1 billion annual economic impact.
SCTAC has the distinction of being the Global Home of the Lockheed Martin F-16; the site of ITIC, South Carolina’s World-Class Automotive Proving Ground; and home to more than 100 automotive, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing companies.
A first-generation college student, Bryson feels strongly about providing educational opportunities for everyone. A former longtime board member of Greenville Tech Charter High School, he was awarded the school’s highest honor. He is currently serving a third consecutive four-year appointment to the board of trustees of Francis Marion University.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Clemson University and a Master of Public Administration from the University of South Carolina. He is a member of the executive committee of Upstate SC Alliance, a graduate of Leadership South Carolina and Leadership Greenville, and a Riley Institute Fellow.
SCTAC recently celebrated its 60th anniversary, and leading up to the anniversary, the center began a building program that includes renovations and repairs to the aviation facilities and infrastructure, as well as construction of a new three-mile highway speed track at SCTAC’s automotive proving ground and the redevelopment of the Steel City area of the park.
Bryson says his goal for the next three years is “to have these transformational projects completed by the end of 2027, which will further strengthen our automotive, aerospace and advanced manufacturing ecosystem.”
Matthew Caldwell
Market President
Bon Secours St. Francis Health System, Greenville
Matthew Caldwell joined Bon Secours in Greenville in April 2019 after serving as president of Mercy Health — Springfield since December of 2016.
In his role at Bon Secours, Caldwell oversees operations, quality, service and growth goals for the St. Francis Downtown and St. Francis Eastside hospitals and the health system’s medical campus, which includes St. Francis Millennium and St. Francis Cancer Center.
Caldwell started his health care career in nursing, and has worked in critical care, the recovery room, orthopedic post-operative care, and as a case manager.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas, and a master’s degree in health care administration from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Prior to his tenure with Mercy Health, Caldwell served as CEO of Tennova Healthcare Lebanon in Lebanon, Tennessee, for four years. He also was CEO of Dallas Regional Medical Center in Texas and worked at other Texas hospitals in roles ranging from vice president of patient care support to chief nursing officer to chief operating officer.
Jessica Donan
EY Greenville Managing Partner
Ernst & Young LLP (EY US)
As managing partner of EY Greenville, Jessica Donan works to cultivate robust client relationships as she steers the strategic direction of EY in South Carolina.
Donan also holds the role of the Americas Assurance Advisory Services Leader for the Industrial Products Sector, in which she spearheads the expansion of EY Climate Change and Sustainability Services, Financial Accounting Advisory Services, and Forensics Services within the sector.
She holds several academic degrees, including a bachelor’s from University of Memphis and a Master’s in Accountancy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is also a Certified Futurist from the Futures School.
Community engagement is important to Donan, who chairs the board of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce and serves on the boards of REEM GVL, United Way of Greenville County, and the International Women’s Forum Carolinas.
Donan’s proudest accomplishment is her role in leading the EY Greenville office and the Americas Industrial Products Sector Assurance Advisory. “Through these positions, I have had the opportunity to make a significant impact on our clients, our people, and the community. I am particularly proud of the strides we have made in promoting transparency and trust in financial reporting.”
She says her secret to success is “a combination of continuous learning, building strong relationships, and maintaining a resilient mindset. I believe in the power of collaboration and leveraging diverse perspectives to drive innovative solutions. Staying adaptable and open to new opportunities has also been crucial in navigating the ever-evolving business landscape.”
Alan Ethridge
Executive Director
Metropolitan Arts Council
Alan Ethridge joined Greenville’s Metropolitan Arts Council in 2004, beginning as director of marketing and development, and moving into the role of executive director in January 2006.
The Metropolitan Art Council was founded in 1973 and is the only organization in Greenville working to support every discipline of the arts, providing support to both arts organizations and individual artists.
A 1982 graduate of Vanderbilt University, Ethridge has served on the board of directors for VisitGreenvilleSC and the board of governors for the Greenville Chamber of Commerce. He is a current board member of Artisphere and serves on the board of advisers for the Department of Visual Arts at Greenville Tech.
In 2010, he received the Excellence in Arts Leadership Award from the Chamber of Commerce and the Peace Center for the Performing Arts, and in 2018, Ethridge was awarded the Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Governor’s Award for the Arts. This award is given to an individual in recognition of outstanding contributions to the arts in South Carolina.
Ethridge says South Carolina’s strengths are its diversity of landscape, the “can-do attitude of its citizens,” and a great climate for business.
His goal for the next three years is to grow MAC’s Endowment to the Art from $3.2 million to $7.5 million. “All of us at MAC are also focused on expanding our grants program every year,” he says.
Sean Hartness
CEO
Hartness Construction and Hartness Development
As CEO of Hartness Construction and Hartness Development, Sean Hartness oversees projects that include Hartness, an innovative mixed-use, urban community featuring homes, restaurants, office space, specialty retail, work-live spaces and more.
Hartness Development also recently launched Crescent Startup Community, is a large-scale mixed-use Innovation District that provides a space for startups, entrepreneurs, and the development of innovative ideas and projects.
Hartness leads a team of planning, design, construction, real estate, and finance professionals who create an array of legacy projects that aim to create new solutions for the challenges of the 21st century.
A 1992 graduate of the University of South Carolina, Hartness is an emeritus trustee at Furman University and serves on the Furman University Real Estate Board and the Triple Tree Board.
Past community involvement includes serving on the boards of the Greenville County Art Museum and the Peace Center for the Performing Arts.
Hartness says his goal for the next three years is to continue growing Hartness Development’s footprint in the Upstate with meaningful and responsible projects that positively impact people’s lives, and to work on projects like the village center in Hartness and Crescent SC on Poinsett Highway to enhance the quality of life for Upstate residents and businesspeople.
He says the secret to success is “get started. So often, good ideas never come to fruition because of concerns about all that might not work out. But for anything to work out, you must first get going.”
Randy Jackson Sr.
President/Principal, First Merchant Services, LLC
Executive Director, Phillis Wheatley Community Center
Randy Jackson Sr. holds two important positions: He is president of First Merchant Services and executive director of the Phillis Wheatley Community Center.
First Merchant Services, LLC, founded 20 years ago, provides personalized processing solutions to businesses across North America with products designed to process many types of payments including debit and credit card transactions.
The company also provides check guarantee services and payment gateway services for internet merchants.
In his role with Phillis Wheatley Community Center, a nonprofit that has helped individuals and families achieve self-sufficiency for 105 years in Greenville County, Jackson manages such programs and services as afterschool enrichment and senior health and wellness. Phillis Wheatley Community Center’s facilities include a newly refurbished gymnasium, an information technologies classroom, and a community library.
A University of South Carolina graduate, Jackson said he credits much of his success to his childhood involvement with the Phillis Wheatley Community Center and has embraced the opportunity to give back to the community by serving as the organization’s executive director.
Jackson says his secret to success is staying focused and “keeping my eyes on the prize.”
His proudest accomplishment, Jackson said, is “being part of an organization that has made an impact on the lives of others. An organization that truly puts others before self.”
Mark O’Halla
President and CEO
Prisma Health
Mark O’Halla was named president and CEO of Prisma Health, which is South Carolina’s largest not-for-profit health care organization, in 2019.
O’Halla came to Prisma Health from Michigan-based McLaren Health Care, which operates 15 hospitals, where he served as executive vice president/chief operating officer beginning in 2014.
O’Halla holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from the University of Toledo in Ohio and a Master’s of Business Administration from the William E. Simon Graduate School of Business at the University of Rochester in New York.
As the chairman of the South Carolina Hospital Association Board of Trustees, O’Halla championed the implementation of a state-directed payment plan for health systems in South Carolina, ensuring access to care for vulnerable populations, while also supporting the financial stability of health care organizations.
O’Halla is a board member of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, America’s Essential Hospitals, and the South Carolina Hospital Association. He also is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Under O’Halla’s leadership, Prisma Health has undertaken expansions and new projects, including the integration of Tennessee-based Blount Memorial Hospital and a new $138 million inpatient behavioral health hospital, both in 2024. The inpatient behavioral health hospital, set to begin construction in spring 2025, will eventually replace Prisma Health’s 65-bed Marshall I. Pickens Psychiatric Hospital.
Beth Paul
General Manager
Bon Secours Wellness Arena
As general manager of Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Beth Paul oversees the arena’s vision and manages its 30-year Capital Improvement Plan and long-term financial obligations.
Paul has spent much of her career at the arena, starting in 1999, soon after the then-BI-LO Center opened. She worked as accounting manager until 2001, when she left to work at an arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Paul returned in 2005 and in 2015, was named general manager.
Her work with the venue has led to numerous awards, both locally and on an industry level.
Bon Secours Wellness Arena is known for its events, but Paul also sees it an important connector for the community. In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Paul opened the arena as an emergency medical shelter and partnered with local nonprofits and vendors to support food distribution efforts.
In addition to her work managing the arena, Paul holds an officer position on the board of directors for VisitGreenvilleSC.
She says her goal for the next three years is “to continue to provide a variety of concerts and events that excite people to come build great memories with us! By beginning renovations outlined through our Master Plan, we are envisioning a more vibrant and unique destination for residents and visitors to our community.”
Paul says she’s proud of being part of the arena’s continued success. “Being a part of the arena has provided me opportunities to bridge the power of live entertainment with the critical needs of the Upstate.”
Greenville 50 Most Influential People
Gail Awan, Ph.D.
President and CEO
Urban League of the Upstate
Gail Awan, Ph.D., has served as president and CEO of the Urban League of the Upstate since 2021, leading the organization’s mission to empower African American communities and underserved individuals across a 10-county region in South Carolina.
Awan spearheads several transformative initiatives, including The McClaren Institute for Health & Quality of Life in Greenville, The Jane Edna Hunter Empowerment Center in Anderson, and Studio 9.22 — a talent hub fostering the creative economy in entertainment. Awan serves on the boards of the South Carolina Commission on National and Community Service and the Polk County Film Initiative.
Bruce Bannister
Partner, Bannister, Wyatt, & Stalvey, LLC
Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives
Bruce Bannister is a partner at Bannister, Wyatt, & Stalvey, LLC, focusing his law practice in the areas of family law, real estate law, and eminent domain.
Bannister has served in the South Carolina House since 2005. He represents Greenville County’s District 24 and chairs the House Ways and Means Committee.
He was a member of Leadership Greenville Class XXVI, serves on the Family Law Bench Bar Committee, and chairs the Criminal Law Subcommittee. He has served on the Peace Center board since 2009.
Meghan Barp
President & CEO
United Way of Greenville County
As president and CEO of United Way of Greenville County, Meghan Barp partners with civic, business, and nonprofit leaders in the Upstate to ensure that 86,000 in-need families in Greenville County have the best shot at success.
A frequent presenter on philanthropy, she also provides consultation to corporations and other organizations.
In 2022, she received the Buck Mickel Leadership Award for her impact in the Greenville community and for providing visionary leadership to critical community issues. In 2024, Barp received the Visionary Leadership Award from The Community Foundation of Greenville.
Mike Baur
Chair and CEO
ScanSource Inc.
Mike Baur is a co-founder of ScanSource, Inc. a hybrid distributor connecting devices to the cloud and accelerating growth for channel partners across hardware, software as a service (SaaS), connectivity and cloud.
Baur has served as president of ScanSource from its inception until 2000, when he was named CEO. He has been a member of the board of directors since 1995, serving as chair of the board since February 2019. Baur’s philanthropic efforts include instituting the employee-led ScanSource Charitable Foundation early in the company’s history.
Kevin Bryant
Managing Director
Marsh
Kevin Bryant is managing director, U.S. & Canada Public Sector & Education Leader at Marsh, the world’s largest insurance broker and risk adviser.
With over 35 years of insurance brokerage experience, Bryant was named one of Consulting Reports’ “top 50 government consultants” in 2023.
Bryant was also recognized by Marsh as their industry leader of year in 2023. A graduate of Furman University, he began his career with Mass Mutual, achieving Life Member status for the Million Dollar Roundtable. In 1997, Bryant joined Marsh to establish its first South Carolina-based employee benefits practice.
Fernanda Ceva
Executive Director
European American Chamber of Commerce (Carolinas)
Attorney Fernanda Ceva works in international taxation, project management, and compliance.
Fluent in Portuguese, German, English, and Spanish, she relocated from Europe in 2022 to join the European American Chamber of Commerce as executive director.
After less than two years working in the United States she was honored by the Corporate Counsel Business Journal as one of their “50 Women to Watch.” She serves on the board of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, attended Furman’s Diversity Leaders Initiative, and is part of the 2024-2025 class of the Port Ambassador Program.
Paul Clark
Managing Director
VentureSouth
As managing director of VentureSouth, Paul Clark identifies and evaluates investment opportunities and works with entrepreneurs to develop their businesses. He also serves as the general partner of the seven VentureSouth angel funds that co-invest alongside the active angel investors.
Under his leadership, nearly $100 million has been invested in over 100 companies throughout the Southeast. Clark is responsible for the Upstate Upstarts, a 2024 investment project particularly focused on technology entrepreneurs in the Upstate.
Halsey Cook
President and CEO
Milliken & Company
Halsey Cook joined Spartanburg-based Milliken & Company, which specializes in textile and performance materials, commercial floor coverings, and more, in 2018. Cook leads a team of 8,000 associates in 70 plants and offices.
Prior to joining Milliken, Cook was president and CEO of Sonepar USA, president of Legrand Electrical, and president of Carrier Corporation’s Residential and Light Commercial division. He has more than 30 years of experience in the electrical and HVAC markets. He is also an independent director of Southwire Company, a global wire, cable, and tools manufacturer based in Carrollton, Georgia.
Dr. Amy Curtis
Medical Director
Gibbs Cancer Center
Dr. Amy Curtis, medical director of Gibbs Cancer Center and research institute, is a radiation oncologist, clinical researcher, and the principal investigator for the Upstate Carolina National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program. She champions access to groundbreaking clinical trials, with a special focus on reaching underserved communities.
Curtis serves on leadership teams for national cancer studies, including the TMIST trial, and contributes to improving care for advanced head and neck cancers. A graduate of UNC Chapel Hill, she completed training at Baylor College of Medicine and Duke University.
Ashley Prickett Cuttino
Office Managing Shareholder
Ogletree Deakins (Greenville)
A Greenville resident for over 20 years, Ashley Prickett Cuttino has dedicated her career to partnering with area businesses. She specializes in providing advice and counsel to management to help companies have the most productive workforce and to minimize personnel issues. She has served as past president of the South Carolina Women Lawyers Association and the YWCA and serves as general counsel of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce.
A Clemson University graduate, she earned her law degree at the University of South Carolina School of Law.
Taylor Davis
CEO
NHE
Taylor Davis began working for NHE, a multifamily and HOA property management company and developer of affordable housing, at the age of 13. The son of the company founders, he worked onsite at its elder communities, becoming a full-time employee in 1995.
His positions have included community manager, regional property manager, comptroller, vice president of operations, and now president. He purchased the company in 2017. As president, Davis leads a team of over 450 employees to focus on business objectives, develop strategic partnerships, establish standard setting initiatives and create a stable business environment.
Heath Dillard
President and CEO
VisitGreenvilleSC
As head of VisitGreenvilleSC, Heath Dillard oversees the $2.4 billion visitor economy in Greenville. Previously, he spent 10 years with the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority leading the organization’s strategic planning, community goal setting, and strategy implementation.
Under Dillard’s direction VisitGreenvilleSC has led in rebranding efforts, securing the largest event yet: the 2028 U.S. Bowling Congress’ Open Championship.
Dillard is “incredibly proud” of the more than $250,000 and 1 million pounds of supplies delivered by Greenville’s hospitality community to neighbors in North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
Stephen Edgerton
President and CEO
The Caine Companies
Stephen Edgerton has served as president and CEO of The Caine Companies, which includes the residential brokerage Coldwell Banker Caine, KDS Caine Commercial Real Estate and Caine Hayes Insurance for nearly 20 years. He joined Caine as chief operating officer and began evolving the then-75-year-old firm.
Under Edgerton’s leadership, The Caine Companies’ footprint significantly expanded across the Upstate, reviving historic Main Street properties. Edgerton serves as a board member for the United Way of Greenville and is a two-term board member of Artisphere, serving on the executive committee.
Carol Elliott
General Manager
MetroConnects
Carol Elliott is the general manager of Metropolitan Sewer Subdistrict, also known as MetroConnects, a special purpose district providing wastewater collection service in Greenville.
Elliott, who was named general manager in 2017, brings 40-plus years of experience in the wastewater industry.
Prior to her work at MetroConnects, Elliott provided sanitary sewer design for private development and public utilities through her employment with various engineering and surveying consulting firms. In 2020, Elliott led MetroConnects’ regionalization efforts which merged seven wastewater collection districts in Greenville County.
Ford Elliott
CEO of Contender Development
Blackstream
Real estate developer Ford Elliott has nearly 20 years’ experience in development, construction, business acquisitions and running multiple businesses.
As founder of Blackstream, he has led his team to over $1.5 billion in active development. The firm sells over $700 million in real estate annually and has over 350 team members, and has formed partnerships with businesses including Marriott, Hilton, Christie’s International Real Estate, and Meritage Homes. An advisory board member of Synovus Bank, Elliott has been named Christie’s Affiliate of the Year, as well as the RealTrends Emerging Leaders Award.
Robert Engelhorn, Ph.D.
President and Chief Executive Officer
BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC
Robert Engelhorn, Ph.D., became president and chief executive officer of BMW Manufacturing in 2021, after a decade with BMW. He first worked for BMW Group at the Munich and Regensburg plants in Germany and then moved to the BMW Brilliance Automotive joint venture in China in 2016. While in that position, Engelhorn led the technology and production division for the Dadong and Tiexi plants.
Engelhorn serves on the board of directors for Autos Drive America and is a board member for the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southern United States, Inc.
Sam Erwin
Executive Vice President and Director of Regional Banking
First Horizon Corporation
As executive VP and director of regional banking for First Horizon Corporation, Sam Erwin has responsibility for all commercial, retail and private banking.
Erwin joined First Horizon in 2016. Previously, he served as chairman, president, and CEO of The Palmetto Bank in Greenville. He subsequently served as regional president with United Community Bank after The Palmetto Bank was acquired by United Community Bank.
He is a board member of the Federal Reserve in Charlotte and the Business Development Corporation of South Carolina, and a board member and vice chair of The Hollingsworth Funds.
Hollis “Chip” Felkel
CEO
The Felkel Group
Hollis “Chip” Felkel is a communications strategist and public affairs consultant who provides strategic counsel, advocacy and guidance to Fortune 500s, privately held companies, and national issue-based organizations.
In his earlier career, Felkel served in roles in over 100 political campaigns, including the presidential races of George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. Felkel’s views on politics and policy have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, among other publications. Felkel is the founder of the RAP Index, a stakeholder engagement platform and a partner of Rising Tide Development Strategies.
Chris Fincher
Regional Vice President of Commercial Banking
TD Bank
Chris Fincher, who joined TD Bank in 2019, leads a team of bankers who work with companies and small businesses across the Upstate. Fincher partners with multiple lines of business within TD Bank and has led numerous community partnerships to benefit and help propel the Upstate’s continued growth. His past experience includes serving as regional vice president for Wells Fargo in Greenville as well as several positions at Wachovia in Charlotte.
Fincher is a board member of Artisphere, TreesUpstate, and the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, and is board chair for Metropolitan Arts Council.
Audrey Frey
Senior Managing Director
CBRE
With more than 25 years of experience, Audrey Frey has a passion for mentoring the next generation of real estate professionals. Frey is senior managing director and market leader for CBRE’s South Carolina business.
She oversees business operations and drives the market’s growth strategy for all advisory service lines of business, including leasing, sales, debt and structured finance, valuation, and property management for CBRE’s Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville offices. She has served in leadership roles within Atlanta’s Commercial Real Estate Women chapter and as a director on the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors.
Jay Haas
Professional Golfer
Players Group Inc.
Jay Haas first became interested in golf through his uncle, Bob Goalby, who won the 1968 Masters tournament.
Haas, who played on the NCAA championship team at Wake Forest University, has won nine PGA Tour events and has played on three Ryder Cup and two Presidents Cup teams.
In 2015, Haas captained the Presidents Cup team at the tournament in Seoul, South Korea, where his son Bill won the deciding point in the final pairing. Haas describes his son’s triumph as “my all-time best moment in my golf life.”
Bennie Harris, Ph.D.
Chancellor
USC Upstate
Bennie L. Harris, Ph.D. – driven by his mission to inspire and develop young people to change the world – became the fifth chancellor of the University of South Carolina Upstate on July 1, 2021.
Before becoming chancellor of USC Upstate, Harris held significant roles at Washington State University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, DePaul University, Lipscomb University, and Morehouse School of Medicine. At USC Upstate, he introduced a transformative value proposition and strategic priorities, leading to initiatives like the Reimagine Upstate Summit and the Spartanburg Promise Scholarship program.
Justin Hawkins
Region Executive, South Carolina Greater Georgia
Wells Fargo & Company
Justin Hawkins is the region executive leading Wells Fargo consumer and small business banking operations across South Carolina and Greater Georgia. Hawkins manages 125 bank branches and $30 billion in deposits.
He is responsible for representing Wells Fargo in all aspects of the community, including philanthropic giving.
A 21-year company veteran, Hawkins previously served as the area president of the Upstate market, and has held multiple leadership positions with Wells Fargo, including financial center manager, service leader, district manager and regional sales and marketing manager for South Carolina.
Cliff Holekamp
Co-Founder and Managing Director
Cultivation Capital
Cliff Holekamp is co-founder and managing director of Cultivation Capital, one of the most active early-stage venture capital firms in the United States. Holekamp has been named one of the top 100 early-stage investors in the United States and the top angel investor in South Carolina.
Holekamp founded a chain of health care centers, and was Professor of Practice and Academic Director for Entrepreneurship at Washington University in St. Louis where he led the entrepreneurship program at the Olin Business School to being ranked No. 1 in the world.
Matt Hollander
General Manager
Greenville Convention Center/Oak View Group
Matt Hollander became general manager of the Greenville Convention Center in April 2023 about six months after his company, Oak View Group, assumed management of the facility.
His 35 years’ experience in the venue management profession includes senior management and executive leadership roles in Florida, Oregon, Massachusetts, New York and Georgia. He earned his master’s in public administration from Florida Atlantic University and is a Certified Venue Executive. Hollander also serves as chair of the International Association of Venue Managers Certification Board.
Boone Hopkins, Ph.D.
President
Converse University
Boone J. Hopkins, Ph.D., is the 12th president of Converse University. He moved to Spartanburg to be an assistant professor of theater at Converse in 2012.
Hopkins’ goal is to lead Converse in its pursuit of becoming a thriving institution that champions its people, places, and programs and serving as a driving economic force in the region.
His leadership at Converse and in the community has included serving as chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance, Dean of the School of the Arts, Senior Associate Provost for Student Success, and interim provost and president.
Jackson Hughes Jr.
Owner and CEO
Hughes Commercial Properties
Jackson Hughes founded Hughes Commercial Properties in 1996, but he has spent nearly five decades in the industry, dedicating his career to creating thoughtful and impactful real estate development in the Southeast.
Hughes has built a diverse portfolio of office, retail, and industrial properties, including the redevelopment of the 300 E. McBee Ave. building, now home to Prisma Health and soon to house Lima One Capital.
Under Hughes’ leadership, Hughes Commercial Properties has developed over 300,000 square feet in the North of Broad district, including the EP+Co building and the City of Greenville’s Broad Street Garage.
Cal Hurst
President
Southern First Bank
With over 16 years of banking experience, Cal Hurst has served as president of Southern First Bank since 2022. HIs prior role at the bank was that of chief banking officer. HIs experience includes positions at RBC Bank, PNC Bank and TD Bank. He has served as the chair of the Greenville Chamber Board, a board member and volunteer with United Way, and is a past chairman of United Way’s Greenville County Campaign.
Hurst also volunteers at First Presbyterian Church and Furman University, where he earned a BA in Business Administration and Economics.
Will Huss
CEO
Trehel
Will Huss serves as CEO of Trehel, one of the region’s premier privately owned general contractors overseeing large-scale construction projects across various industries within a 90-mile radius of Greenville.
Huss assumed the role of CEO in 2007 after joining Trehel 10 years prior. In 2024, Huss and his team launched Trehel Tailored Homes, combining decades of residential construction experience with a focus on luxury homebuilding and high-end renovations.
Huss serves on the boards of United Ministries, the Greenville Chamber’s Accelerate Leadership Council, and the Greater Area Parkinson’s Society in Greenville.
Babette Jones
Owner
Babette B. Jones (Allstate) Agency
With a career spanning over two decades, Babette Jones has provided insurance service for 24 years for families in the Greenville area. An entrepreneur as well, Jones is the founder and CEO of Six Nineteen Spirits LLC, a beverage company specializing in ready-to-drink cocktails and mocktails.
She also serves as the senior director of development for the Greenville Tech Foundation, supporting Greenville Technical College and its students. Raised by her mother, Jones also had a grandmother who took care of 54 foster children – imparting the importance of compassion, generosity and community.
Joel H. Jones
Chief Executive Officer
Renewable Water Resources (ReWa)
Joel H. Jones is the CEO of Renewable Water Resources (ReWa), a regional wastewater treatment and collection utility that provides services for more than 500,000 residents in the Upstate of South Carolina. As CEO, Jones plays a critical role in supporting the area’s future and protecting its environmental purity. He has more than 30 years of experience in the industry.
He serves as an affiliate of the American Water Works Association (AWWA), Water Environment Federation (WEF), and Water Environment Association of South Carolina (WEASC).
James Jordon
President and Founder
Jordon Construction Company
James Jordon, who has more than 22 years of entrepreneurial experience, both leads his business and prioritizes community involvement.
Jordon Construction Company is a HUBZone certified, minority-owned business specializing in commercial construction that entails private, public and government projects.
His company’s projects include Fort Jackson, Greenville-Spartanburg Airport, and the multi-family Greenville Urban League Senior Housing community.
Jordon is passionate about mentoring youth, and his honors include being selected as the March of Dimes Person of the Year in Real Estate and Economic Development.
Tony Kouskolekas
President
Pelham Medical Center
Tony Kouskolekas serves as president of Pelham Medical Center, part of Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System. Pelham Medical Center is a 48-bed acute-care hospital.
The hospital has achieved the Healthgrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award for three consecutive years and was named among the top 5 percent in the nation for outstanding patient experience.
Kouskolekas is heavily involved in the community, serving on the boards of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, Greer Development Corporation, Greer Middle College Charter High School board of directors, and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society – GA/SC Chapter.
Jaxon Lang
President and Chief Executive Officer
AFL
Since 2023, Jaxon Lang has been president and CEO of AFL, a global manufacturer of fiber optic cable, components, and conductor accessories. His previous role was AFL’s chief operating officer.
Before joining AFL, Lang held executive leadership roles in the telecommunications industry, including serving as president of FiberRise Communications, which now is ENTRUST Solutions Group.
An environmental engineering graduate of Northwestern University, Lang earned an MBA from the University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Management. He holds a patent for telecommunications and network equipment design.
Shannon Lavrin
City Manager
City of Greenville
Shannon Lavrin was appointed city manager of Greenville in June 2023 and is the first woman to hold this position.
A graduate of University of Kentucky and Tennessee State University, Lavrin began her time with the city of Greenville in 2018 as a development planner. She went on to work as planning director and city manager before assuming her current role.
In one of her first major assignments, Lavrin worked with community stakeholders to develop the GVL2040 Comprehensive Plan, the document that laid the groundwork for the city’s zoning code overhaul.
Dr. Phyllis MacGilvray
Dean
University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville
Dr. Phyllis MacGilvray, dean of the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, is the first Lifestyle Medicine board-certified physician to lead an American College of Lifestyle Medicine platinum-certified medical school.
MacGilvray served as senior associate dean for academic affairs at the School of Medicine Greenville from 2022 to 2024, where she oversaw all aspects of undergraduate medical education, lifestyle medicine, and SOMG’s Primary Care Accelerated Track program.
She has held leadership roles at various institutions, including Eastern Virginia Medical School, Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune, and the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Mark Masaschi
Senior Partner
KDS Caine
As senior partner at KDS-Caine, Mark Masaschi leads investment and development for the company, facilitating sales and acquisition of income-producing properties. The primary focus is on the NNN retail and the billion-dollar redevelopment of County Square downtown.
For 20 years, Masaschi has built a network of contacts that allows him to be a connector and problem-solver for clients. He has had a CCIM designation since 2001, and he orchestrated Mast General Store coming to Greenville.
In 2007, he co-founded D&M Holdings and made a multi-state, fee-development agreement with CVS/Pharmacy to expand market share.
Billy McGee
Chief Executive Officer
Gallivan White Boyd
As chief executive officer and partner of Gallivan White Boyd’s Greenville office, C. William McGee’s primary areas of practice include business and commercial litigation, products liability, toxic and mass torts, drugs and medical devices, trucking litigation, and professional negligence litigation.
For more than three decades, McGee has defended a variety of business disputes, mass tort, catastrophic injury claims, and professional negligence matters in both federal and state courts. He is frequently called upon to advise clients during catastrophic accidents and has experience leading all aspects of post-accident investigations.
Brian McKay
President/CEO
Spero Financial FCU
Brian McKay began his career with Spero Financial (formerly SC Telco Federal Credit Union), Greenville, South Carolina in 2004. Since 2007, he has been a part of the executive leadership team, holding positions such as COO, EVP, and in April of 2020, was named president and CEO. His banking career began with First Citizens Bank in Columbia.
McKay serves on the board of trustees at Anderson University and chairs its finance committee, is executive officer of the Carolinas Credit Union League, and vice chairman of the Langston Charter Middle School board of directors.
Patrick Michaels
CEO
Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands SC
With 31 years at Goodwill, Patrick Michaels has been motivated by seeing people build skills, increase their self-esteem and achieve financial independence through employment. Following his graduation from Central Washington University, he served four years with the United States Army.
Michaels joined Goodwill as the director of Goodwill Industries of the Yakima Valley in Washington and worked with Goodwill Industries in other states before coming to South Carolina in 2007. Under his leadership GIUMSC has implemented a wide variety of new programs, including those targeted to help military veterans, returning citizens, and young people find employment.
Bob Morris
President
The Community Foundation of Greenville
As head of The Community Foundation of Greenville since 1999, Bob Morris has helped to support area charities with planned gifts and donor-advised funds. In the past 10 years the organization has distributed between $12.5 million and $25 million to public/private partnerships and nonprofit agencies to support affordable housing, conservation, education, arts, health and human services.
Part of the steering committee that started OnTrack Greenville, Morris also helped to launch Greenville Women Giving, which led to $900,000 in Impact Investments with the Greenville Housing Fund.
Trish Pagan
Vice President, F-16 Programs and Greenville Site Lead
Lockheed Martin
Trish Pagan is responsible for overall leadership, strategic direction, performance, and growth of the F-16 product portfolio in her role as a Lockheed Martin VP. Pagan also leads the more than 1,900 person operation in Greenville, which is the global home of the F-16.
Pagan joined Lockheed Martin 2000 as a financial analyst on the U.S. Navy P-3 Aircraft Program and worked her way through the organization to lead the P-3 modification business area. Throughout her 24-year career at the company, Pagan has held various leadership roles, including director of strategic airlift and maritime missions.
Scott Pancoast
Founder & CEO
Zylö/Atticus Pharm
Scott Pancoast is an investor-turned CEO who founded Zylö, a developer of technology for the pharmaceutical industry based in Greenville.
Recently, he also became a co-founder and executive chair of Atticus Pharma as well. While chief executive officer at Lpath from 2005-2014 Pancoast’s team took the company public, forged alliances with pharmaceutical companies, raised $150 million in investor capital, partnerships and grants. Prior to that as executive vice president at WSIS, he managed a portfolio of venture startups. At Chemed Corporation Pancoast held a number of roles, including president of the Midwest division.
Eric Perreault
CEO
Kiyatec Inc.
Eric Perreault has 30 years of experience in medical sales and marketing, with a focus on diagnostics.
As CEO of Kiyatec Inc., a position he assumed in 2024 after previously serving as company president, he demonstrates leadership in the functional oncology space, overseeing sales, marketing, and operations. His previous roles include senior vice president at LumiraDx and chief commercial officer/GM at Lumos Diagnostics.
In those roles, Perreault, a graduate of Rhode Island College, helped expand market share, establish international distribution networks, and drive significant revenue growth.
Michelle Seaver
President, Greenville/Spartanburg/Cherokee Counties
United Community Bank
Serving as president of United Community in Greenville, Spartanburg and Cherokee counties, Michelle Seaver directs the bank’s strategic growth in these markets. She opened United’s first branch in South Carolina and helped influence and oversee moving headquarters from Georgia to Greenville.
Seaver is actively involved in her community, sitting on multiple bords including Prisma Health, Artisphere, Greenville Chamber, SC Jobs and Economic Development Authority, Charity Ball of Greenville, and the South Carolina Bankers School. Additionally, she is a graduate of Leadership Greenville Class ’24.
Liz Seman
Vice Chair
Greenville County Council
A Greenville resident since 1999, Liz Seman has enjoyed a career marked by leadership roles with various nonprofits, including the American Red Cross, Hands on Greenville, and Meals on Wheels. She brought her leadership skills to Furman University in 2013 as the executive director of corporate engagement and currently serves as chief of staff and liaison to the board of trustees.
As vice chair of Greenville County Council, Seman has represented District 24 since 2008. She chairs the Roads, Infrastructure, and Public Works Committee and is vice chair of the Finance Committee.
Allen Smith
President/CEO
OneSpartanburg Inc.
Allen Smith has led OneSpartanburg, a consolidated business, economic, tourism and talent development group since 2014. Since then, OneSpartanburg Inc. has recruited $12 billion in new investments and 17,438 new jobs through 243 projects through 2023.
Smith’s “Power Up Spartanburg” campaign has also engaged almost 2,000 small businesses, creating 177 jobs and leading to $8.7 million in contracts. In April of 2024 he launched “Re: Degree,” a county-wide effort to engage residents who had attended college but hadn’t completed a degree. The initiative resulted in 67 new higher education enrollments.
Max Stewart
President and Chief Executive Officer
Greenville Area Development Corporation
Max Stewart was appointed the president and CEO of the Greenville Area Development Corporation in July 2024. Founded in 2001 by Greenville County Council, GADC is at the forefront of enhancing Greenville’s quality of life and prosperity through strategic economic development.
Before joining GADC, Stewart was the vice president of economic development for a Florida corporation, and he was instrumental in creating an aviation industry sector. He served as the president of the World Affairs Council of Central Florida and worked on U.S. Department of State exchange programs like the Fulbright Scholars.
Elizabeth O. Temple
Chief Executive Officer
Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
In January 2025, Elizabeth Temple finished her nine-year term as chair and CEO of Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP and will now serve as chair emeritus, working with clients on corporate governance and related matters. Womble has enjoyed tremendous growth during this period.
During Temple’s tenure, Womble has added offices in nine cities around the U.S., and on Jan. 1, 2025, Womble combined with Lewis Roca to create a powerhouse firm of more than 1,300 attorneys in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Eric Weissmann
Executive Director
NextGEN
Eric Weissmann is an expert in entrepreneur ecosystem building and was on the founding team of Cintrifuse and a leading voice in StartupCincy, before he became executive director of NextGEN, a Greenville-based organization that focuses on economic development through fostering entrepreneurship and innovation.
His previous professional life included corporate marketing at the Walt Disney Company.
Weissmann has this advice for starting a new business: “The first thing any startup should figure out is whether there’s a customer or not. Too often, people come up with solutions for problems for which there’s no market.”
