FDTC 5000 Building Walkway Construction Set to Launch in February

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Construction on Florence-Darlington Technical College’s (FDTC) 5000 Building walkway will get underway on Monday, February 7.

The highly anticipated construction project is expected to be completed by August 15, just prior to the Fall 2022 semester; however, the speed of the project will be largely dependent upon weather and other unforeseen factors. The walkway that leads from the upper parking lots and into the 2nd and 3rd floors of the 5000 Building has been inaccessible due to structural damage.

All offices in the 5000 Building will stay in-place throughout the duration of the construction project. The Student Life Department will hold its events in other various buildings on campus. Due to the construction, parking and access points to the 5000 Building will be modified.

2022 Outlook Luncheon

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The featured speaker for the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce annual Outlook Luncheon on Wednesday, March 16th will be S.C. Secretary of Commerce, Harry M. Lightsey, III.

The luncheon will be held at the Florence Center with the program beginning at noon.  Doors will open at 11:30 a.m.

The South Carolina Department of Commerce works with statewide partners, including our local economic development groups, to advance business services and create industry opportunities in the Pee Dee region and the state of South Carolina. Mr. Lightsey will talk about what the forecast is for our region and the state in the coming years.

The business luncheon will include the announcement of the Small Business Person of the Year, which is sponsored by Dedicated Community Bank, and the Public Servant of the Year, which is sponsored by Francis Marion University. The Chamber’s Ambassador of the Year will also be recognized.

Community and local business leaders are invited to attend. Make your reservations early since this program can sell out in advance of the event date. Tickets will not be sold the day of the program.

Tickets are $30 for chamber members, $40 for nonmembers and $450 for a reserved table of eight.

To register online, click here.

First Bank to Host Business After Hours

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The Florence Chamber invites you to join us for an after-hours event hosted by First Bank. Come out on Thursday, March 31st from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. located at 1270 W Evans St for great food, drinks, and networking. Be sure to bring lots of business cards!

To register online, click here.

2022 Winter Legislative Breakfast

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The Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce’s Winter 2022 Chamber Legislative Breakfast will be held on Friday, February 25th.  Michael Callahan, President of Duke Energy, SC will be the keynote speaker at the event. Doors will open for the breakfast at 7:30am and the program will begin at 7:50am.  Individual tickets are $20 for members. Reserved tables of 8 are available for $180. This program is made possible by Duke Energy and Signature Wealth Strategies. Come join us and learn more about the future of energy in South Carolina.

The breakfast is open to the public. All those attending must register prior to the event. Room seating is limited. Attendees must wear face coverings.

To register online, click here.

Consistently HR LLC Holds Ribbon Cutting with Florence Chamber

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Consistently HR LLC celebrated joining the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce with a ribbon cutting on Thursday, January 20th  in the James Allen Plaza. Chamber staff and ambassadors joined owner DaShonda Foxworth in cutting the ribbon.

Consistently HR LLC provides human resource services for organizations and small businesses that can’t afford a full time HR department, Foxworth said.

To read the full story, click here.

Are You Ready to Start Your Own Business?

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In this economy, it’s more important than ever to plan for success.

Join this FREE Virtual Workshop presented by a certified SCORE mentor on Tuesday, January 25th at 12:00-1:00 p.m. It will cover all the important aspects you need to consider when planning to start a business and guide you through the process to help you decide if you’re ready.

Some of the topics covered:

  • Your personal traits
  • Testing the business concept
  • Developing a marketing and business plan
  • Financial considerations
  • Resources available to report your success

After registering below, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

https://score.tfaforms.net/17?EventID=a105a000005qamK

Young Professionals of Florence Kicked Off 2022 with a Networking Social

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YP had such a great time at their kickoff networking event at SPC Credit Union on Thursday, January 20th!!! Special thanks to SPC for hosting a wonderful event and to everyone who attended!

New Beginning Health and Wellness Center Celebrates New Location

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A New Beginning Health and Wellness Center celebrated its relocation with a Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting on Monday, January 10th.

The center offers a variety of services for its customers.

“I study a lot of blood cells to determine what might indicate nutritional insufficiencies, make nutritional suggestions,” said Dr. Diane Chapman, a microscopist.

The center also offers ionize detoxes that pull toxins from the body through the feet, body sculpting, medical massages and nutritional products.

The center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be reached at 843-621-0194. It is at 1354 Celebration Blvd., Florence.

Barefoot Cuts the Ribbon, Joins Florence Chamber

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William Barefoot, surrounded by his family and ambassadors from the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce, cut the ribbon on Tuesday, January 10th for his new business, William R. Barefoot CPA LLC, as he joined the Chamber.

The event took place in the FMU’s University Place Gallery, located in the same building as Barefoot’s practice.

“I worked for a regional firm in the Florence area for over 23 years and last year decided to go out on my own and help small-business owners and individuals with their accounting and tax services,” Barefoot said.

“I offer business advisory services, accounting services, QuickBooks consulting and tax planning and consulting,” Barefoot said.

Barefoot is at 142 North in FMU Place and Kelly Center Incubator and Business Development Center on the second floor. His phone number is 843-823-3602 and his office hours are Monday through Friday 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. and 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Saturday.

SC Industry Sectors Saw Economic Growth in 2021

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Despite the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, at least two major industry sectors in South Carolina saw significant growth last year.

“Despite persistent industry challenges in 2021, consumer demand for our products remained strong,” said Anders Gustafsson, vice president of the Americas for Volvo Cars, which builds the S60 sedan at a $1.2 billion manufacturing campus in Berkeley County.

German automaker BMW, which builds its X-model SUVs in the Upstate, saw a 20.8 percent jump in North American sales in 2021 compared to the previous year, to 336,644 vehicles.

Hotels in the Palmetto State took a hard hit because of COVID-19 in 2020, but they didn’t perform quite as poorly as lodgings in the U.S. overall. Hotel occupancy nationwide that year was 44 percent, and revenue per room dropped 46 percent year-over-year.

But from March through August 2021, South Carolina outpaced the U.S. on occupancy and room rates. The state’s lead was largest in April when hotels in South Carolina were filling about 68 percent of their rooms versus 58 percent across the United States. Revenue per room in South Carolina that month was also more than $20 higher than the U.S. figure.

To read the full story, click here.