Stewart Kidd Graduates from SCEDA Institute

December 2, 2019

Alex Clark, CMP
Director of Marketing & Communications
South Carolina Department of Commerce
(803) 737-1998
aclark@sccommerce.com
www.SCcommerce.com

For Immediate Release
December 2, 2019

COLUMBIA, S.C. - The S.C. Department of Commerce (S.C. Commerce) and S.C. Economic Developers' Association (SCEDA) today announced that 49 state and community leaders have graduated from a statewide economic development training program, the S.C. Economic Development Institute (Institute).

"As South Carolina has transformed into a global leader in the economic development arena, teamwork has been key," said Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt. "The success the state has enjoyed in recent years can, in large part, be attributed to the remarkable amount of collaboration that takes place within our borders. Programs like the Institute help ensure that our team is knowledgeable, innovative and united."

A collaborative effort between S.C. Commerce and SCEDA, the program is designed to arm participants with innovative development approaches for implementation in local communities. The program features a highly-interactive curriculum, allowing participants to obtain greater hands-on economic development learning experience.

Now in its 29th year, the Institute consists of quarterly, two-day sessions that are hosted in various locations throughout the state. In addition to the final session, which took place in Spartanburg, sessions were also held in Bluffton, Clinton and North Augusta. During the sessions, attendees gained insight into issues relating to: leadership and communication skills; community development; business and industrial development; and product development. On November 8, as the final session concluded in Spartanburg, 49 local leaders received certificates of completion.

The Institute is open to individuals from a wide variety of organizations and entities, including city, town and county councils; local economic development practitioners; county economic development boards; county school boards; regional economic development boards; utility companies; and local and state government employees. The 2020 program includes sessions in Beaufort, Lake City, North Augusta and Orangeburg.

More information on this training program can be obtained by visiting www.sceda.org or contacting SCEDA at (803) 929-0305.

2019 South Carolina Economic Development Institute gradutes, listed alphabetically by last name:

Steve Aldrich, Union County Development Board

Mary Anderson, Chesterfield County Council       

Sonja Barkley, S.C. Department of Commerce

Moses Bell, Fairfield County Council

Clay Bishop, Hampton County

Curtis Boyd, Darlington Downtown Revitalization Association

Jeff Carroll, Laurens County Council

Lisa Claxton, Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A.

Russell Cornette, Town of Summerville

Todd Cullum, Lexington County Council

Amy Dixon, Dorchester County Economic Development

John Elliott, Oconee County Council

Victoria Fowler, SC Department of Employment and Workforce

William Freeman, Town of Kingstree

Clarence Gilbert, Fairfield County Council

Amy Graham, S&ME Engineering

Ron Hanna, Berkeley County Economic Development

Dwayne Hatchett, Spartanburg Economic Futures Group

Emile Hegarty, City of Greenville

Morgan Holcomb, Oconee Economic Alliance

Mallory Hollis, Upstate S.C. Alliance

Jeff Humphries, Union County Development Board

Kostas Ioannidis, S.C. Small Business Development Centers

Hillary Johnson, Marion County Economic Development Commission

Hope Jones, Florence County Economic Development Partnership

Whit Kennedy, M.B. Kahn Construction Co. Inc.

Stewart Kidd, Kershaw County Economic Development Office

Jason Knudsen, City of Simpsonville

Emory Langston, Lower Savannah Council of Government

Jill Longshore, S.C. Department of Commerce

Amanda Lucas, Apprenticeship Carolina

Stephen Murray, City of Beaufort

Devin Parks, Conway Chamber of Commerce

Katherine Pendergrass, Union County Development Board

Harriett Rucker, Newberry County Council

Kyle Sox, Spartanburg Economic Futures Group

Connie Spencer, Chesterfield County Economic Development

Kevin Szostak, Greater Summerville/Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce

Charlotte Tallent, McCormick County Chamber of Commerce

Tiffany Tate, Upstate S.C. Alliance

Norris Thigpen, S.C. Department of Commerce

Elizabeth Tranter, Horry County

Mike Tyler, Town of Jonesville

Tim Van Pelt, Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corporation

Adam Wagoner, SC Department of Employment and Workforce

Ralph Watson, Chesterfield County Council          

Zach Wiley, SC Department of Employment and Workforce

Jermaine Whirl, Greenville Technical College

Graduate not pictured is Lisa Rock of the Darlington Downtown Revitalization Association.

About S.C. Department of Commerce

As South Carolina's leading economic development agency, the Department of Commerce works to recruit new businesses and help existing business grow. S.C. Commerce has recruited world-class companies to South Carolina such as BMW, Boeing, Continental, Giti Tire, LPL Financial Holdings, Mercedes-Benz Vans, Samsung, Toray and Volvo Cars and also supports startups, small and existing business, innovation and rural development initiatives. S.C. Commerce partners with the S.C. Technical College System via readySC to support workforce training and recruiting, and with the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce, which provides worker training and employment opportunities within the state. With a strong international footprint, the Palmetto State was among the top in the nation for attracting jobs through foreign investment on a per capita basis in 2018 - extending its streak of top five finishes since 2011. Additionally, the state has won the Gold or Silver Shovel Award from Area Development magazine every year since 2011; and, in 2017, the state was recognized as Business Facilities' State of the Year. For more information, visit www.SCcommerce.com.