SC Ranks 19th in CNBC Best States for Business Rankings

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In the 2024 version of CNBC’s annual America’s Top States for Business Rankings, South Carolina ranked 19th overall. Since being ranked 39th overall in 2021, South Carolina has improved its ranking by 20 spots with a 36th overall ranking in 2022, a 27th overall ranking in in 2023, and this year’s 19th overall ranking. The rankings measure each state on 128 metrics in 10 key categories of competitiveness like infrastructure, workforce, economy, quality of life, etc.

The categories in which South Carolina excels include infrastructure (11th), economy (12th), and cost of doing business (10th). The state also made tremendous improvements in its workforce rankings, jumping from a ranking of 31st in 2023 to 17th in 2024.

More information on South Carolina’s performance in this year’s CNBC rankings can be found here and here.

Sword of Truth To Host Free Networking Power Mixer

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Sword of Truth will host a free networking Power Mixer on Tuesday, July 30th at 6pm. Sword of Truth is located at 1125 West Evans Street in Florence.

This event will serve as the kickoff to the Sword of Truth’s IOccupy Conference. Listen to community leaders while connecting with like-minded professionals seeking meaningful relationships.

For more information, click here.

Chamber’s Emerging Leaders Participate In Education And Leadership Development Session

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The Florence Chamber’s Emerging Leaders Summer Institute held their Education and Leadership Development session on July 24th.

The class started the day with breakfast at The Eastern Carolina Community Foundation. Then they toured the FMU Performing Arts Center which was hosted by Bud Simmons. Later the group moved on to tour the Florence County Museum.

The group also saw informative presentations from Hannah Davis with the City of Florence and Doris Lockhart, CEO of Spherion.

To see more photos from the day, click here.

Food Lion Will Soon Open At Florence Mall

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Food Lion will soon open at Florence Mall’s former Piggly Wiggly location.

Food Lion is expected to open at Florence Mall in August, according to a company spokesperson. It will operate from one of the largest anchor locations at the shopping center after a year of renovations.

The company plans to hold a ribbon-cutting and grand opening at its new location in August, Food Lion Corporate Communications Specialist Lisa Crawford said in an email.

Story from the Post & Courier Pee Dee.

To read the full story, click here.

HopeHealth Welcomes New Provider

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HopeHealth welcomes Hallsy Kellar, MS, LPC-A, to HopeHealth on Palmetto Street, where she provides counseling services.

She received a Bachelor of Arts Psychology degree and a Master of Science Clinical/Counseling degree from Francis Marion University in Florence, South Carolina. She completed an internship as a counselor at Fuller Life Strategies. She is a member of Phi Theta Kappa International Honors Society, Carolinas Region Membership Alpha Pi Chi Chapter, and the International Psychology Honor Society (Psi Chi). She is involved in the community, participating in the First Friday Homeless Connect, and as a case manager at Lighthouse Ministries.

Chamber’s Annual Membership Luncheon Set For September 25

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The Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce has announced its guest speaker for the 2024 Annual Membership Luncheon set for Wednesday, September 25. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Robert Engelhorn, president and CEO of BMW Manufacturing, LLC. in Spartanburg, SC.

Engelhorn joined the BMW Group in 2011 and occupied various positions at plants in Germany and later moved to the BMW Brilliance Automotive (BBA) joint venture in China, where he led the Technology and Production division for the Dadong and Tiexi plants. In 2018, Engelhorn took over as director for BMW Group Plant Munich, where he prepared the plant for production of the all-electric BMW i4. In 2021, Engelhorn became President and CEO of BMW Manufacturing in Spartanburg.

Since 1992, the BMW Group has invested more than $13.3 billion in its South Carolina operations. As part of a multi-year partnership, BMW and AESC in Florence will supply technology-leading battery cells to be used in the next generation electric vehicle models produced at Plant Spartanburg.

BMW Manufacturing is one of the largest BMW Group plants in the world, assembling more than 1,500 vehicles each day. Over half of its vehicles are exported to around 120 global markets, making BMW the largest automotive exporter by value in the United States for nine consecutive years.

The program will include the announcement and presentation of the Business Person of the Year award, which is sponsored by First Bank.

The luncheon will be held at the Florence Center, doors will open at 11:30 a.m. and the program begins at noon. Registration is $40 for members, $50 for non-members and $475 for a reserved table of 8.

To register online, click here.

Florence Getting More Walking And Biking Trails

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Florence is getting more walking and biking trails. Here’s where you can try them out.

The city is in the midst of a $1 million project to extend the Rail Trail, Florence’s premier walking trail. And it’s preparing to almost double the size of the High Hill Creek Bike and Run Park.

The trail extensions are part of continued efforts to improve the amenities in Florence, Assistant City Manager Clint Moore said.

“It is just a another part of that quality of life component that we need to help attract and retain quality employers and also retain and attract all the employees that we need,” he said.

Story from The Post & Courier Pee Dee.

To read the full story, click here.

FMU Kelley Center To Host Entrepreneur & Small Business Networking Event

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The FMU Kelley Center is excited to host another evening of networking and collaboration at our Entrepreneur & Small Business Networking Event! This free, in-person event will take place on Thursday, August 22 from 5:30 to 7:00pm at the University Place Building (142 N Dargan St) in Downtown Florence.

Whether you’re a seasoned small business owner or just starting out, this event is the perfect opportunity to connect with other entrepreneurs, exchange ideas, and build valuable relationships in a casual and friendly environment.

Attendees will also be able to learn about the services and programs offered by local organizations such as the FMU Kelley Center, SCORE, the SBDC, and the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce as well as tour the available office spaces offered through the Kelley Center’s Incubation program.

Expand your network, gain insights from experienced professionals, and discover new opportunities to grow your business. From startups to established ventures, everyone is welcome to attend and share their stories, challenges, and successes.

To register, click here.

Registration Open For BMW Supplier Diversity Xchange

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Registration is now open for BMW’s 2024 nationally recognized Supplier Diversity event on Thursday, August 29th in Greenville, SC. The event bridges the gap and driving innovation through educational seminars and intentional networking. There is no cost for this event, which includes lunch and a keynote speaker.

For more information, click here.

HopeHealth Celebrates National Health Center Week

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HopeHealth will celebrate National Health Center Week from August 4-10 with employee appreciation activities, advocacy efforts, community events, and more.

National Health Center Week is held every August to bring awareness to the importance of community health centers like HopeHealth. The celebration includes contributions from community health centers throughout the country, highlighting their missions and accomplishments while encouraging support for local centers.

This year’s theme is “Powering Communities Through Caring Connections,” focusing on connecting communities with health centers and elected officials. Employee and patient appreciation activities will be held throughout the week, and employees will be encouraged to take selfies and share them with the #NHCW24 hashtag during Social Media Day on Friday.

For more information, click here.