HopeHealth celebrates its’ 25th anniversary

WHERE WE’RE GOING: THE NEXT 25 YEARS
by: Carl Humphries, CEO HopeHealth

When I first arrived to HopeHealth in 2000, I was one of only six employees. In a 3,000 square foot office, we provided HIV/AIDS services to nearly 400 clients per year. Fast forward fifteen years later and you will find an organization that looks a bit different than the small grassroots non-profit that started 25 years ago. HopeHealth now occupies twelve buildings across the state. We provide community health center services in three counties and HIV/AIDS services in twelve counties across South Carolina. We have nearly 300 employees and serve approximately 35,000 patients a year with a budget over $50 million. It is hard for me to comprehend at times.

Occasionally someone will ask the question, “How did you do all that in such a short period of time?” I think there are a few ways to answer that. First and foremost, we believed. We trusted in a power greater than ourselves to guide and lead us and God has truly blessed our faith. Second, we rejected mediocrity. We hired team members that pursue excellence and that pursuit has led to success. Finally, we took some risks. We tried some things that were a little out of the box. We failed here and there. Ultimately, those risks and failures aided us in our growth and helped us accomplish more in the long term.

What will the next 25 years look like? I’ll be honest, I have no idea. I do know that we will aggressively pursue solutions to the health problems that plague the citizens of the counties that we serve. We will find new and innovative ways to reach people that are disenfranchised by the system. We will focus on quality and begin sharing data with the community that demonstrates the difference we make in the lives of our customers and the impact that has on the community. We will strengthen our commitment to prevention, understanding that many of the health care problems that plague our loved ones can be avoided if we better educate ourselves about the importance of exercise, nutrition and healthy lifestyle modifications. We will work hard to strengthen our already strong relationships with our area hospitals and other community partners, realizing that real and lasting change will come faster if we work together and depend on each other. I’m humbled by what the team members at HopeHealth have accomplished and I’m excited to see what God has in store for us over the next 25 years!

Thank you all for 25 incredible years!

Florence’s ACS has software clients around the world

Photo/Article Credit: Joe Perry, Morning News

“FLORENCE, S.C. – When Marvin Owen returned to his hometown in 1983 to work as a programmer for what was then known as Computer Dimensions, the burgeoning software company had six employees and 60 clients.

Today, ACS Technologies employs 390 people – 270 in Florence – and has 50,000 clients all over the country. Globally, it has clients in 16 countries across Europe and Asia and has 250 clients in Canada that use software for churches designed, tested and produced on the company’s Dunbarton Drive campus.

“We put Florence on the map as far as the church world,” said Owen, the company’s 61-year-old president. “It’s kind of unique for a small town like this.”

 Just getting started

Owen earned a computer science degree at Furman University and recalls using an IBM 1130 computer that was only available to students after 10 p.m. when the school was done for the day. Solving math problems and playing chess matches on the keypunch computer stoked his desire to learn more and helped him decide on a career in programming. He also saw the need to gird his technical know-how with a structured sense of the business world and earned an MBA at Wake Forest University.

After grad school he found working for a multi-faceted consulting firm out of Charlotte to be less than ideal. It was very high pressure, he said, and overly aggressive. While he did have several solid years of learning various computer systems and how they interfaced with hospitals, he decided he wanted to change jobs and started looking at what might be open back in the Pee Dee.

“I thought, let me check my hometown,” he said. “I saw Computer Dimensions and called at the right time. They wanted someone to run the programming side … they were just getting started.”

Founded by Harris Rogers, Tom Rogers, Billy Campbell, and the Rev. Iverson Graham, the tech start-up looked at a church’s database and the bookkeeping side of things to develop what was known as an automated church system, which soon became the name – ACS. It struggled at times, but Owen said the founders believed in the company and provided key financial backing in lean times.

“By the mid-’80s it was financially stable and it kept growing,” Owen said. “For the longest time it was organic growth, selling to churches.”

A series of acquisitions in the 1990s expanded the company’s brand recognition and reach with offices in Arizona, Washington state and a regional hub in Greenville with 10 programmers.

“Our original mission was to provide software for churches, pastors and the computer person – that’s still the mission today,” he said.

There are some schools that ACS Technologies count as clients, but 95 percent of its customer base is churches.

“It’s a niche market,” he said, but with 320,000 churches in America, “it’s a big market.”

With service to 70 different denominations, ACS is known now as a leading provider able to provide constant support as the robust marketing and sales arms works to explain the newest cloud-based product, Realm.

“It’s another great growth opportunity – moving to the cloud. “With our new product, 4,000 churches are using it and we’re getting more market share.”

Read more of this article here:

Brewery coming to downtown Florence, $180k in incentives coming from city

Article/Photo Credit: Matthew Robertson, Morning News

“FLORENCE, S.C. – Florence’s blossoming downtown is about to get an extra boost of culture with a new brewery and pub team planning to open shop on North Dargan Street.

City officials say the pub developers probably will start construction within the next month, with progress ramping up after the holidays.

In its Monday meeting, the Florence City Council unanimously approved a $180,000 incentive package for the project.

Florence Mayor Stephen J. Wukela said the brewery and pub will be an investment of about $550,000 in downtown.

He said after analysis, city staff determined an incentive package would be very beneficial considering the revenue that probably will be generated by the new business.

“This is, I think, a very significant step for downtown Florence,” Wukela said. “There are a variety of periodicals that show the benefit of a craft brewery in growing downtowns. Many would say that one of these existing in an emerging downtown is an indicator that downtown is in fact redeveloped. This is a great thing.”

The group responsible for development has yet to be named. Officials said the brewery will be located at 121 and 123 North Dargan Street. That’s a part of the Kress Corner revitalization project.”

SCNow Web Article – Brewery coming to downtown Florence, $180k in incentives coming from city

Carolinas Hospital System Names New CEO


FLORENCE, SC, November 9, 2016 – Gary Malaer has been named the new chief executive officer of Carolinas Hospital System effective January 1, 2017. This is a promotion for Malaer who comes to Florence from 298-bed Wuesthoff Medical Center-Rockledge in Rockledge, Fla. He first joined Wuesthoff as COO in April 2015 and was promoted to CEO in October 2015.
“Carolinas Hospital System has a strong tradition of providing compassionate, quality care for patients and I look forward to supporting the physicians, nurses and other caregivers who make a difference each day,” said Malaer.

Malaer brings nearly 20 years of healthcare leadership experience working at hospitals in Texas and Florida. During his tenure at Wuesthoff, the hospital saw continual improvement in patient experience and quality metrics which led to growth in their ER, robotics surgeries, urology, neurosurgery, electrophysiology/atrial fibrillation and cath lab. He is deeply committed to working together with the medical staff, hospital employees, volunteers and board of trustees to build quality care and service.

“Clearly, Gary brings tremendous skills and experience to this role,” said Edward C. Floyd, Chairman, Board of Trustees for Carolinas Hospital System. “We are confident he will build upon our strengths as we continue providing quality healthcare services for our community.”

Malaer has been active in the communities where he has lived by fund raising for charities and serving on boards including Cocoa Beach Chamber, Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund and American Heart Association. A native Texan, he earned his bachelor’s degree from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacagdoches, Texas and MBA in health services management from the University of Dallas.

Ribbon Cutting: Fit, Fun, Flavors

 

The Florence Chamber welcomed our newest member, Fit Fun Flavors, with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, November 8th. Fit, Fun, Flavors is a local business owned by Chef Sherry Dailey.  Sherry is a passionate and experienced personal chef excited to introduce healthy, great food to those with busy lifestyles or those seeking to make lifestyle changes.

For more information, contact Sherry Dailey at chefsherryf3@gmail.com or by calling her at 803.609.3969. Visit her on the web at cheff3.com.

City of Florence to demolish old Quonset hut near downtown

Article/Photo Credit: Joshua Lloyd, Morning News

“FLORENCE, S.C. – One of Florence’s notorious landmarks is set to be demolished in the coming months.

The dilapidated Quonset hut, the semi-circular tin building near the railroad tracks at the corner of Barringer and Pine streets in East Florence, has been scheduled for hazardous waste cleanup, then demolition.

City officials announced the plan Tuesday as part of the continuing downtown revitalization and urban neighborhood redevelopment.

 The movement to remove the blighted property was spearheaded by Councilwoman Pat Gibson-Hye Moore, who called the building a monstrosity and an eyesore for East Florence.

“I’ve been nagging for years to get this done and now it’s finally happening,” she said. “This is for the benefit of others, the benefit of this community. I’ll be happy to see it gone because it’s a hazard to this community.”

The property was formerly owned by CSX Railroads. It caught fire in October 2014.”

Read more of the article here:

SCNow Web Article – City of Florence to demolish old Quonset hut near downtown

B. Nance holds ribbon cutting in Florence

Article/Photo Credit: Joe Perry, Morning News

“FLORENCE, S.C. – B. Nance Fine Gifts hosted a Thursday morning ribbon cutting after recently joining the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce.

Since opening the doors in mid-July, proprietors Jill Blaker and her daughter Danielle Blaker Nance have watched their clientele grow along with their offerings.

“We’ve added a lot of lines and a picked up a ton of new merchandise for Christmas,” Nance said. “We have a line of loungewear, some luxury pajamas that are doing really well.”

 Lounge cardigans have also been popular, though the focus remains on gifts and not clothing. The baby gifts are perfect for showers and first birthdays, Blaker said, and they’re both excited to move next year into a location almost next door with a footprint expanded by 1,000 square feet.

Before the new location opens its doors in 2017 , a visit to the market in Atlanta will provide a whole new selection of gifts and home accessories.

“We’ll have almost a brand-new store,” Nance said.”

Read more of the article here:

SCNow WebArticle – B. Nance holds ribbon cutting in Florence

 

Carolina Canners breaks ground for new production line

Photo/Article Credit: SCNow.com

“CHERAW, S.C. –Carolina Canners, Inc., an independent Pepsi bottler and production cooperative, hosted a ground breaking ceremony on Oct. 25. Employees, business partners and state and local dignitaries manned golden shovels during groundbreaking ceremonies for Carolina Canners’ $45-million, 45,000-square-feet plant expansion in Cheraw.

Expected to create 40 new jobs within the coming year, the new hot-fill manufacturing line will be used primarily to produce the Pepsi-Lipton Tea Partnership’s fast-growing Pure Leaf, a premium iced tea brewed from real tea leaves.

 Operating in Cheraw since 1968, Carolina Canners has expanded its South Carolina operations multiple times over the last 40 years. The facility specializes in bottle injection molding and features two bottle-filling production lines, two can-filling production lines and a fountain syrup production line. The company also serves as a joint purchasing agent for many of the region’s Pepsi bottlers.”

What to Expect When You Apply for FEMA AID

South Carolina Survivors Urged to Register for Disaster Assistance

Homeowners and renters in three more South Carolina counties – Berkeley, Charleston and Chesterfield – are now eligible to receive Individual Assistance from FEMA to help them recover from flooding caused by Hurricane Matthew.

Individual Assistance is also available to homeowners and renters in these 21 counties: Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Calhoun, Clarendon, Colleton, Darlington, Dillon, Dorchester, Florence, Georgetown, Hampton, Horry, Jasper, Lee, Marion, Marlboro, Orangeburg, Sumter and Williamsburg.

Assistance can include money for temporary rental assistance and essential home repairs for primary homes, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help survivors recover from the effects of the disaster.

Survivors can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362. Disaster assistance applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing should call 800-462-7585 (TTY); those who use Video Relay Service may call 800-621-3362. The toll-free numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available.

For additional information, please visit the FEMA news release by clicking here.