Florence Police Chief Allen Heidler named Public Servant of the Year

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Florence Police Chief Allen Heidler is the 2021 recipient of the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce and Francis Marion University Public Servant of the Year award. Florence Mayor Teresa Myers Ervin presented the second annual Public Servant of the Year award to Heidler at the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce Outlook Luncheon held Wednesday, March 17th at the Florence Center.  The award was created in 2019 by the chamber and Francis Marion University to honor a chamber member from the nonprofit or government sectors. The inaugural award was presented to Florence-Darlington Technical College interim President Ed Bethea. Myers Ervin said she considered it to be a great honor to present the award to Heidler.

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Lt. Governor Pamela Evette Addresses Business Community at Chamber’s Outlook Luncheon

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South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette says she never thought a glass ceiling existed that prevents women from advancing in their careers. Evette, South Carolina’s 93rd lieutenant governor, provided the keynote address at the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce Outlook Luncheon held Wednesday, March 17th at the Florence Center.  After her speech highlighting the state’s response to COVID-19, Evette was asked about the the status of women in politics and her feelings on the state of the glass ceiling.

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Dr. Lesley Kirby is Florence Chamber’s Small Business Person of the Year

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Dr. Lesley Kirby, owner of Lifetime Hearing in Florence, was named the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce’s 2021 Small Business Person of the Year on Wednesday, March 17th during a luncheon at the Florence Center. The award, given annually, is sponsored by Dedicated Community Bank.

“As we take a moment to recognize one small-business owner, let us congratulate all small-business owners who have survived the challenges of the past year,” said Ken Jackson of Re/Max Professionals and member of the Chamber Board of Directors.

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The Animal Doctor Opens on South Cashua Drive in Florence

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The Animal Doctor on South Cashua Drive in Florence held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, March 9th hosted by the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce to celebrate its opening and membership in the Chamber. Chamber ambassadors joined the staff of The Animal Doctor for the ceremony. The Animal Doctor opened Feb. 1 at 191 S. Cashua Dr. in Florence.

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The Blood Connection Hosts Ribbon Cutting

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The Blood Connection (TBC), a Greenville-based community blood center, officially opened a donation center in Florence on Tuesday, March 3rd with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.  The ribbon cutting was hosted with the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce. Its ambassadors joined the staff of The Blood Connection and others in the community for the celebration.  The newly renovated donation center includes a spacious waiting area, screening rooms, a four-bed donor room and refreshment area, all equipped with brand new equipment and furniture.

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We Are Sharing Hope SC Joins Florence Chamber

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We Are Sharing Hope SC, South Carolina’s Organ and Tissue Services, celebrated joining the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, March 4th with a ribbon cutting in the courtyard at the Chamber in downtown Florence. Six members of the organization were joined by Chamber ambassadors for the ribbon cutting.  The nonprofit organization was founded in 1984 with the hope of advancing organ, eye and tissue donation transplantation and research in South Carolina. We Are Sharing Hope SC, has offices in three locations in South Carolina — Charleston, Columbia and Greenville.

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IntelAssist Holds Ribbon Cutting With The Chamber

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A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Tuesday, February 16th at the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce to celebrate the new membership of IntelAssist Inc.  Cutting the ribbon was Chris Stokes, the Director of Product Management. Taking part in the celebration was his wife, Ashley Stokes, Chamber ambassadors and Chamber staff.  IntelAssist was founded in 2007. IntelAssist is an offshore staffing business that hires people from the Philippines to fill positions such as nurses and other health care positions, engineers, construction industry and other jobs with highly trained individuals, Stokes said. He said they staff U.S.-based companies with educated and experienced professional employees in the Philippines.

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Retired Educator and Healthcare Organization Receive Marion Medallion Awards

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A revered educator and community leader and a nonprofit health care organization — one dedicated to equal education for all children, the other dedicated to providing equal health care for all, regardless of ability to pay — were honored on Friday, February 26th as recipients of the 2021 Marion Medallions. Retired educator Allie Eugene Brooks Jr. of Florence and Florence-based nonprofit health care provider HopeHealth were recognized for their service to the community. The ceremony was held at the FMU Performing Arts Center.

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SC Vaccine Supplier Starts Upstate Production In May

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As part of the company’s $114 million global expansion at six facilities in Europe and the United States announced in January, Pall Corp. selected Spartanburg as its newest biopharma manufacturing base. The $30.2 million investment at the 816 Berry Shoals Road site in Duncan, formerly known as “Project Stone,” is expected to create 425 jobs and start production in May, according to a news release.

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SC Tourism Revenues Down $5.2 Billion

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South Carolina’s tourism revenues have dropped by $5.2 billion since February 2020, a 43% decrease year-over-year, according to data from Tourism Economics, a global tourism research and consulting company. For the week of Oct. 25-31, state visitor spending dropped 32% to $99 million compared to the same week in 2019. That was a $3 million decrease from the week ending Oct. 24. The state’s recorded hotel occupancy for the week ending Oct. 31 was 45.6%, 1.2 percent points above the national average, S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism said in its weekly update. Anderson County led the state at 72.7%, most likely because of visitors for Clemson University’s home football game.

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