I took a road trip to our state capital this week, a 100-mile drive down Interstate 385, to see Greenville founders and their companies recognized as the fastest growing in the state. From the mom-and-pop shops to the multimillion-dollar corporations, businesses are thriving in South Carolina.
That growth was on display at the SC 50 Fastest Growing Companies 2022 awards luncheon, presented by The Capital Corporation. Out of the 50 businesses recognized, 40 percent (more than 20!) represented the Greenville area.
Business owners held their trophies with pride, taking photos in front of a giant banner, with the words “SC 50 Fastest Growing Companies.” Trying to highlight all the Greenville companies with photos and video was hard to keep up with! . It’s no surprise, with all of the innovation and growth happening FROM HERE.
To top it off, five of the top ten businesses are based in Greenville. Those include Jordon Construction at number 10, Diversified Medical Healthcare at number eight, Itrust Wellness Group at number four, Luxor Scientific at number three and the top spot, Industrial Project Innovation (IPI) as the number one fastest growing business in the state.
“I think the most important thing, of course, are our clients in South Carolina,” says Nicole Sterling, Marketing Manager for IPI. “Our people, we live by our core values, which are performance, integrity and family and community, and we truly strive to integrate that into the work that we do in the communities that we serve.”
“Personally, it means a lot,” says Scott Wheelock, project manager for IPI. “We just have a history of working in the state. And a lot of us, you know, live and work here.”
Being proud to live and work in the state of South Carolina was a common sentiment among presenters, including Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette, who spoke briefly during the luncheon.
“That’s what’s so important about what you do,” Evette explained. “Because the way to put South Carolina on the top of the list is with economic development. South Carolina’s fingerprints are all over the globe. Be proud of what we’re doing here. This is the best state to live, work and raise your family.”
Alex Garcin receives accolades from Lieutenant Gov. Pamela EvetteMichelin North America Inc., headquartered in Greenville, SC, received the 2022 SC Economic Impact Award. Alexis Garcin, President and CEO of Michelin North America, was the keynote speaker and spoke highly of Michelin’s nearly 50-year history in the US.
“As of today, South Carolina is the number one tire state and we are proud of our industry’s presence,” says Garcin. “It’s the place where beyond a business, it’s a pleasure to tie the personal relationships and this matters. This makes a difference. It made a difference 50 years ago and you can count on me and on Michelin that we will remain the company, the people, that will continue to make a difference and to care about South Carolina.”
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Loren Thomas
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