Retiring President/CEO Ben Haskew was honored with an award that will be presented annually to recognize Upstate leaders who display progressive visions and a partnership approach to responsible growth in the upstate.
The event featured a special tribute to retiring Chamber President/CEO Ben Haskew and the passing of the gavel from 2015 Board of Directors Chair Julie Godshall Brown, to 2016 Chair David Lominack, South Carolina Market President at TD Bank.
The meeting featured the presentation of the following 2015 annual awards:
Arts Leadership
Susan and Tom O’Hanlan and their company Sealevel Systems, Inc.for their long-time commitment to enhancing and strengthening arts organizations in the upstate.
ATHENA Leadership
Anne Ellefson, Deputy General Counsel for Academics & Community Affairs at Greenville Health System, for serving as a leader for women and community throughout her career.
Buck Mickel Leadership
Recognized eight NEXT entrepreneurs fortheir time, talents and experiences to launch and nurture NEXT.
• Peter Barth, The Iron Yard
• Michael Bolick, Selah Genomics
• Ken Brower, NWN Corporation
• Matt Gevaert, Kiyatec
• Andrew Kurtz, Kopis
• Scott Millwood, Hitachi Solutions (formerly Customer Effective)
• Jeff Papenfus (posthumously), Northgate Labs
• Peter Waldschmidt, Gnoso
Max Heller Neighborhood Improvement
• CommunityWorks, noting especially their commitment to fostering the financial futures of under served families through financial education, lending, and investing.
Minority Business of the Year
• Professional Healthcare Services. With 17 years of healthcare experience, the company offers an array of professional, cost-effective healthcare solutions for both large and small companies, industrial workforce, insurance carriers, government and state agencies, non-profit organizations and individuals. President and Owner Doris Haley accepted the award.
Business of the Year
• Worthwhile,a leader of the software development community in Greenville and the southeast region since their founding in 1994. Worthwhile CEO Dan Rundle accepted the award.
Chairman’s Award
• Phillip Kilgore, a shareholder with Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Stewart., Kilgore helps shape strong business advocacy agendas working towards state infrastructure funding, improved workforce training and a strong business climate.
Leadership Greenville Distinguished Alumni
• Reid Lehman, a graduate of Leadership Greenville Class 15. For 30 years, Lehman served as President/CEO of Miracle Hill Ministries. Now, in his 41st year of service, Lehman continues to expand Miracle Hill’s outreach, starting and strengthening Christian homeless shelters and addiction recovery centers in the southeast.
Young Professional of the Year (tie)
• Mike Pennington
An entrepreneur who has been an integral part of Rhino Concessions and FunnelDelicious. He was 2015 Chair of the Greenville Chamber’s Pulse Young Professionals and serves on Youth Leadership and Opportunity Greenville Committees, and the Board of Advisors.
• Dante Russo
Executive Producer and Founding Partner of SC Insurance Brokers. He is a member of the Chamber’s Pulse Young Professionals Advisory Council and Leadership Greenville Alumni Advisory Council, and is a graduate of Leadership Greenville’s Class 38.
Inaugural F. Ben Haskew Collaboration Award
The Chamber’s leadership presented retiring President/CEO Ben Haskew the award that will be presented annually to recognize Upstate leaders who display progressive visions and a partnership approach to responsible growth in the upstate.
Haskew has served the Greenville Chamber as President/CEO for 12 years and is closing in on a 40-year career in the chamber industry. He was instrumental in attracting the likes of major businesses to the upstate - BMW, Southwest Airlines and Hubbell Lighting. He played an integral role in significant projects such as Fluor Field, home of the Greenville Drive, USC School of Medicine Greenville, and Carolina Panthers Training Camp.