Junior Leadership Florence County Kicks Off With An Opening Retreat

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The 2023-2024 Junior Leadership Florence County 4-H Program traveled to Camp Bob Cooper this week for their successful opening retreat! The group enjoyed rock climbing and swimming in Lake Marion while bonding with team building, leadership development designed for high schoolers, and of course, s’mores.

The students will reconvene in August for a social bowling event, and the monthly sessions begin in September with Education Day.

The JLFC program is made possible through the partnership of Clemson Extension 4-H, Francis Marion University, and the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce, as well as the involvement of the Florence County community.

Thank you to Camp Bob Cooper for our stay and to Florence School District Two for providing transportation for the students.

To see more photos from the retreat, click here.

All Clean P.W.R.G LLC Holds Ribbon Cutting

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Matt and Maci Williams from All Clean P.W.R.G LLC cut the ribbon thus joining the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce.

All Clean P.W.R.G LLC was started in 2003 and is dedicated to helping their customers return their homes to a state of beauty. As the owners of All Clean P.W.R.G Matt and Maci have a passion for bringing beauty and restoration to all the properties of their customers. Their trained hard-working teams use their attention to detail and on-the-job experiences to ensure a rejuvenating transformation, treating customer’s property as if it were their very own. They are committed to maintaining the highest standards of service and quality by using up-to-date commercial-grade equipment and safe cleaning techniques, in doing so, they can ensure damage-free cleaning to their customer’s plants and property. All Clean’s goal is to be the number one pressure washing company in Florence County and surrounding areas. Matt stated, “We hope to accomplish this by having a reputation for excellent customer service and giving honor and praise to God allowing us to do what we love.”

To read the full story, click here.

Emerging Leaders Summer Institute Kicks Off

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The 2023 Emerging Leaders Summer Institute class kicked off their summer sessions with a meet and greet on June 10th and a retreat on June 11th.

The retreat was facilitated by: Pivot10 Results. Florence City Councilman Chaquez McCall also spoke to the group about City progress and leadership.

To see more photos from the retreat, click here.

Florence MRI & Imaging Holds Ceremonial Ribbon Cutting

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Mary Smith, Georgia Collins, Lindsay Streett, Cheri Horton, and Joanne Cox, from Florence MRI and Imaging joins the Chamber of Commerce with a ceremonial ribbon cutting at their facility located at 805 S. Irby St.

Florence MRI & Imaging has been a trusted part of the Pee Dee medical community for over 20 years. They are an independent outpatient radiology testing facility with a focus on customer service. Their high-quality radiology services include 1.5T high-field wide-bore MRI, CT, Ultrasound and X-ray.

At Florence MRI & Imaging you don’t have to sacrifice quality for cost!

To read the full story, click here.

SolveIT Technology Holds Ribbon Cutting

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Jeff Bazen, owner of SolveIT Technology, along with his family, staff, and Chamber ambassadors, joins the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce.

SolveIT Technology is a company to help empower businesses through seamless technology solutions. If you are you searching for an IT services partner that understands the unique challenges and opportunities your business faces in today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, SolveIT Technology is here to revolutionize the way you leverage technology to drive growth, efficiency, and success. At SolveIT Technology, they pride themselves on being at the forefront of cutting-edge IT solutions, delivering tailored strategies that align with your business objectives and propel you towards a competitive edge. Their dedicated team of seasoned IT professionals is equipped with the knowledge, expertise, and passion to transform your technology landscape into a powerful enabler for your organization’s success.

To read the full story, click here.

SC to Receive $551 Million For Broadband Expansion

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The Biden Administration has dedicated $42.45 billion to its Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program as part of the “Internet for All” initiative. This initiative is a nationwide effort to ensure all Americans have access to affordable and reliable high-speed internet service. South Carolina is set to receive $551.5 million of these funds. In response to the news, South Carolina Broadband Office Director Jim Stritzinger stated, “Today was a historic event, and we are incredibly grateful for the additional resources to expand our workforce and deliver high-speed internet access to even more homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions throughout South Carolina.”

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has estimated that about 119,580 households and small businesses in South Carolina do not have access to high-speed internet. While the BEAD funds will help, South Carolina lawmakers and Governor McMaster have already implemented a plan to expand broadband access across the state. Last year, they allocated $400 million from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to broadband infrastructure. Stritzinger also added “We’re in great shape in South Carolina. We’re moving quickly and we have a lot of financial resources right now. So we’re not waiting for BEAD, we are making ARPA money come to life on a daily basis right now.”

More information about how South Carolina is implementing their plan to expand broadband access click here.

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) Data

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The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recently released its’ Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) for the fourth quarter of 2022. The number of jobs across South Carolina was up by 76,164 in Quarter 4 of 2022 at 2,215,145 compared to 2,138,981 in Quarter 4 of 2021. In addition to an increase in the number of jobs, the number of establishments across the state also grew by nearly 9.8 percent over the course of the year, from 155,780 to 171,043. Following suit, the average weekly wage for workers in these jobs rose by 1.6 percent, from $1,101 to $1,119.

Measurements show the two sectors that saw the strongest growth trends were Professional and Technical Services (+13,911) and Accommodation and Food Services (+12,683). On the other side of that spectrum, the weakest sector was Administrative and Waste Services (-7,926). The counties in South Carolina with the largest employment increases over the year were Charleston (+13,478) and Greenville (+11,760), while the county with the largest decline was found to be Marlboro (-947). Out of the 46 counties in the state, 32 experienced average weekly wage increases and all but 6 saw the total number of businesses increase.

Job Openings Were Down In May But Worker Shortage Continues

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Employers may be pulling back on hiring in anticipation of a slowing economy, but the labor market remains tight. Job openings were 9.8 million at the end of May, 496,000 below their April level.

‌Why it matters:

  • Employers still face a serious worker shortage. There are 3.7 million more job openings than unemployed workers.

‌By the numbers:

  • ‌Openings increased in educational services (45,000), state and local government education (37,000), and federal government (24,000).
  • Openings decreased in health care and social assistance (285,000), finance and insurance (139,000), and other services (78,000).

    For more information, click here.

Washington Night In Columbia 2023

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Washington Night gives members of the South Carolina business community the chance to speak with federal lawmakers face-to-face about the crucial issues affecting business. This is an exclusive experience to collaborate with your Members of Congress and hear their take on the political landscape, as well as hear your thoughts about federal policies. The program is presented by the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce. Tickets and registration is available by clicking below.

Date: August 17, 2023

Time: 4:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Location: Pastides Alumni Center at University of South Carolina

900 Senate Street Columbia, SC 29205

To register, click here.

Southeast Experiencing Significant Wealth Migration

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In the past two years, the Southeast has had roughly 2.2 million people move to the region from other parts of the country. Six of the fast-growing states in the South – Florida, Texas, Georgia, North and South Carolina, and Tennessee – are contributing more to the national GDP than the Northeast for the first time in history. This shift occurred during the pandemic and there are some who believe that it will not return to the previous position. Based on data from the Internal Revenue Service, the influx of new residents into the Southeast brought about $100 billion in new income in 2020 and 2021, while the Northeast lost roughly $60 billion in that same time period. In addition, the region has accounted for more than two-thirds of all job growth across the United States since 2020, which almost doubled its pre-pandemic share.

In addition to individuals moving south, businesses and corporations are also moving. States and cities in the Southeast have offered cash and tax incentives that make it worthwhile for them to relocate. Warmer weather, lower taxes, looser regulation, and cheaper housing have always brought in companies and retirees, but the South is now seeing this on a much bigger scale. As JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon told Bloomberg TV, “We now have more employees in Texas than New York state.”

South Carolina is seeing the effects of the recent wealth migration in both individuals and corporations. Employment in the Charleston metro area grew by 5.9% last year, which was twice as fast as the national average. The state also saw a record $10.1 billion worth of capital investment from companies planning to locate or expand in the state in 2022. In addition, SC’s GDP has increased to over $226 billion, an increase from $221 billion the previous year.