Community leaders awarded at Spartanburg Annual Celebration

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One Spartanburg Inc. saluted more than 20 of the community’s movers and shakers and toasted its title as the 2021 U.S. Chamber of the Year at its Annual Celebration Tuesday.

The event, hosted at the Chapman Cultural Center, also recognized business, economic and tourism development achievements throughout 2021. Last year’s celebration was virtual.

“Recent challenges have emphasized our community’s greatest strengths — resiliency and an unmatched ability to work together. Both have led to historic accomplishments,” Allen Smith, OneSpartanburg Inc. president and CEO, said in a news release. “Today’s momentum is also made possible by yesterday’s planning which is why we were delighted to share a bit about the future and the process to build the OneSpartanburg Vision Plan 2.0.”

One Spartanburg Vision Plan 2.0 spans four years from 2022 to 2026, and, according to previous reports, uses data and survey feedback to determine how to best boost quality of life in the region and the county’s competitiveness on the job, talent and investment fronts.

To create the report, Broad Ripple Strategies led a 49-person steering committee through four planning phases over a six-month period. Halsey Cook, president and CEO of Milliken; Bruce Holstein, president and CEO of Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System; and Geordy Johnson, CEO of Johnson Development Associates, served as the committee’s co-chairs.

“With a data-based plan and the support of our public and private partners, the potential of our community is more promising than ever,” Smith said in the release.

The event’s 2021 award winners include:

• S.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Don Beatty was recognized for his career of public service, especially his commitment to education, leadership, his hometown and the state. He was presented the Neville Holcombe Distinguished Citizenship Award.
• Blue Moon Specialty Foods was honored as the James B. Thompson Small Business of the Year.
• Senator International was honored with the Economic Champion Award for its growth in Spartanburg County’s logistics and supply chain sector.
• Play. Advocate. Live Well, formerly known as Partners for Active Living, was named the Elaine Harris Tourism Champion of the Year.
• Doug Smith was recognized for his leadership and advocacy on behalf of Spartanburg with the Chairman’s Award.
• Lee Close, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Spartanburg, and Gloria Close, executive director of the Citizen Scholars program, were honored with the Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award.
• The Spartanburg City Council was recognized as the Inclusion Advocate of the Year.
• Dr. Cortella Wilkes, CEO of Legacy Healthcare Advantage, was recognized as Minority-Owned Businessperson of the Year.
• Lyle Bridgers, business solutions specialist with Comporium, was named the Ambassador of the Year.
• Daniel Craig, attorney and partner with Johnson, Smith, Hibbard & Wildman, was honored as Young Professional of the Year.

Teachers of the Year included:

• Spartanburg District 1: Joanna Vaughn 
• Spartanburg District 2: Michelle Monroe
• Spartanburg District 3: Lisa Dunagin
• Spartanburg District 4: Steve Ramey
• Spartanburg District 5: Jeri Hollis
• Spartanburg District 7: Tiffany Anderson
• Spartanburg Day School: Joy Dunfee
• Spartanburg Prep School: Tara Williamson
• High Point Academy: Jecoliah Whittaker
• S.C. School for the Deaf and the Blind: Leslie Borton