The Greenville Chamber held its 134^th Annual Meeting on Tuesday, February 28^th at the Greenville Convention Center. The event, presented by TD Bank, featured the Chamber’s vision for the future, recognition of Chamber volunteer leadership, and presentation of annual awards.

Greenville Chamber President/CEO Carlos Phillips laid out the Greenville Chamber’s plans for the year ahead and urged attendees to work together to meet the evolving needs of Greenville’s growing community.

The event, emceed by WYFF4's Destiny Chance, also included a panel discussion about the future of the Upstate workforce featuring Dr. Jim Clements, Clemson University President; Dr. Michael Amiridis, University of South Carolina President; Mark O’Halla, Prisma Health President and CEO; and Danya Trent, Lockheed Martin Vice President of F16 Programs and Site Lead of the Greenville Facility.

Annual awards were presented to the following Upstate leaders:

The Ambassador of the Year Award, sponsored by AFL, recognizes an individual for outstanding service in their role as a Greenville Chamber Ambassador. This year’s award was presented to Adam Reitz, a dedicated and enthusiastic Ambassador since 2021. Adam is a technology consultant for TSAChoice and is also highly involved in the Greenville Chamber’s Young Professionals program.

The ATHENA Leadership Award®, sponsored by Hughes Agency, honors individuals who assist women in reaching their full leadership potential; demonstrate excellence, creativity and initiative in their business or profession; and, provide valuable service by devoting time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in the community. The 2022 ATHENA Leadership Award® was presented to Liz Seman for her service as Chief of Staff and Liaison to the Board of Trustees at Furman University as well as for her fifteen years of service on Greenville County Council.  

The Buck Mickel Leadership Award, sponsored by Duke Energy, honors those who have had a dramatic impact on the community by playing a leadership role in solving critical community issues, strengthening the community or providing visionary leadership to a major community development project. The 2022 Buck Mickel Leadership Award was awarded to Meghan Barp for her role as President and CEO of United Way of Greenville County and as co-founder of Greenville’s Racial Equity and Economic Mobility Commission.

The 2022 Chairman’s Award, sponsored by Ogletree Deakins, was presented to Scott Millwood, co-founder of Deal Strategies. Millwood was recognized for his outstanding leadership of Greenville’s entrepreneurial ecosystem as the Managing Partner of the NEXT Founder Fund and as the current board chair of NEXT.

The F. Ben Haskew Collaboration Award, sponsored by Furman University, recognizes Upstate leaders who display progressive visions and a partnership approach to responsible growth in the Upstate. The 2022 award was presented to Dr. Keith Miller in recognition of his leadership as the President of Greenville Technical College and for his outstanding advocacy for accessible educational attainment.

The Leadership Greenville Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes a Leadership Greenville Alum who has made outstanding civic and community contributions. The 2022 award, sponsored by Prisma Health, was presented to Gavin Axson, a graduate of Leadership Greenville Class 41. Gavin was recognized for his community development efforts and for his professional accomplishments during his 20-year tenure at Brasfield and Gorrie.

The Max Heller Neighborhood Improvement Award is given annually to an organization or individual that has shown exemplary efforts toward improving the lives of those in Greenville. The award is named in honor of former Greenville Mayor Max Heller, who spearheaded numerous efforts over the years to improve the quality of life for all citizens of Greenville County. The 2022 award, sponsored by BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, was presented to United Ministries. For more than 50 years, United Ministries has empowered individuals in Greenville to achieve both economic and psychological mobility through various resources and programs.  

The Minority Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Bank of America, is presented to a local, independently and minority-owned company that has been in business for a minimum of three years and is a graduate of the Minority Business Accelerator program. The 2022 award was presented to Mance Multimedia. President & CEO Michael Mance works with clients across the Upstate to build recognition and credibility through marketing, advertising, design and production services.

The 2022 Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Trehel Corporation, was presented to The YoPro Know. The YoPro Know, led by Kamber Parker, serves as a bridge between ambitious young professionals and the progressive businesses who want to recruit, engage, and retain them.

The Young Professional of the Year Award, sponsored by Michelin North America, is designed to recognize an individual between the ages of 22 and 39 for his or her involvement in the community. The 2022 award was presented to Hayden Turlington, financial advisor at Wagner Wealth Management and Advisory Council member for the Greenville Chamber Young Professionals.