The Jr Leadership Class of 2020 enjoyed their over night retreat at Camp Bob Cooper. The class has 26 students from not only public and private schools in Florence County, but home school institutions as well. This programs is a partnership between Francis Marion University, The Clemson Extension, and the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce.
Here’s to a great year of helping to build Leaders!
From Staff Reports
The Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations for the 2019 Business Person of the Year.
Area business and community individuals can submit names of those individuals who have managed a successful business with a record of responsibility toward employees, customers and members of the community, said the chamber.
“We are extremely fortunate to have so many local business owners and leaders that have previously been recognized as the business person of the year,” Florence Chamber President, Michael Miller said. “They have helped set the standard for our future leaders and business owners. Making this list of noteworthy individuals is an important acknowledgement within our community.”
Last year’s recipient was Schipp Johnston, the owner of Crown Beverages in Florence. The award is sponsored each year by Wells Fargo and presented at the Chamber’s Fall Membership Luncheon. This year’s luncheon will be held on Oct. 10 at the Florence Center. Florence Mayor Stephen J. Wukela will be the keynote speaker.
To be eligible for the Business Person of the Year Award, the person must be an accompanying business member of the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce and be associated with a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation or professional practice in the Florence area. Elected officials and employees of government or not-for-profit organizations are ineligible, unless they are also involved in business and meet all other eligibility requirements.
To submit a nomination or for more information, email or call Susan Farver at sfarver@flochamber.com or 843-665-0515. The deadline for submission is Aug. 23.
To view the full story on SC Now, click here.
by VIP Magazine
39 Years in Business
Last month King Cadillac Buick GMC celebrated 39 years in business. While the foundation of the business has always been to offer the highest quality vehicles at the best prices, owner Reamer B. King also understood the importance of being an integral part of the community. This included joining the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce where the business has been a member since infancy.
Back in 1984, when the company was just starting out, there were 26 employees. These days the dealership is a vital part of the community by employing 104 people. Employee’s positions range from the sales department, service department, parts department, and administration. One important observation to note is the lack of turnover within the company. “We invest in our employees, making sure they have the best and most current training to accommodate our customer’s needs,” says Woody Truluck, King’s Vice President, and General Manager. With the demand for service technicians continuing to rise, being a dedicated employer is key. Woody goes on to say that the majority of their employees have been with the company for more than 10 years, many of those being there for more than 25 years. “This also has a positive effect on our customers. When they come in for oil changes and checkups, it’s comforting to them to see the same faces. Our customers have grown to trust the men and women in our service department.”
Reamer B. King and Woody Truluck believe that they are the best dealership around and they know that’s due to their award-winning team. Every person on the team contributes to their success.
This month the Florence Chamber chose King as their business of the month because of them being a superior role model in the business community.
For more information on King, visit them online at www.kingflorencegm.com and www.kingcadillacsc.com.
To view the full story in VIP Magazine, find a copy at many of our local Florence businesses or read it online here.
by Ardie Arvidson
All Ways Caring HomeCare is rebranding and to let people know more about its transition it joined the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce. A ribbon cutting was held on Thursday morning at 960 Pamplico Highway.
Formerly ResCare HomeCare, All Ways Caring HomeCare is part of the BrightSpring Health Services.
Molly Hawkins, branch manager, said All Ways serves 11 counties in the Pee Dee area with nine branches in South Carolina. It provides home care in 24 states.
Hawkins said the health care provider offers private-duty, veterans, and community long-term care, as well as disability and special needs care, workman’s comp and family-support voucher care.
She said All Ways joined the chamber to work in the community and let people know it is in the community.
“The name change reflects the transformation of the home care organization which has been providing services for more than 20 years as ResCare HomeCare,” according to an announcement from BrightSpring. “All Ways Caring HomeCare will offer care for more than 20,000 individuals across the country, delivering quality, compassionate and highly individualized care and support that helps seniors stay at home – all while maximizing their dignity, privacy and independence.”
“We are so excited to introduce All Ways Caring HomeCare,” said Rexanne Domico, president of home health and neurotherapy. “As home health care needs evolve, we’re creating the best operating model in the industry to enhance the quality of care we provide.”
All Ways Caring has the capability to offer short-term care, seasonal help and long-term care, Domico said.
“We care about our patients,” Hawkins said. “They are like extended family.”
For more information, contact Molly Hawkins at 843-629-0794.
To read the full article on SC Now, click here.
by Ardie Arvidson
The Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce will host a Community Healthcare Update Breakfast on Friday, September 20, at the Florence Center.
The chamber typically hosts two legislative breakfast information sessions each year at which three representatives are asked to speak about what is happening in their area of government, said Mike Miller, president of the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce.
“We do one in the fall and one early spring,” he said. “This time we decided that we would have the program positioned toward our area’s largest business category: medical and health care.”
“The hospitals employ thousands just in Florence County, not including their satellite locations throughout the region,” Miller said. “Along with their growing services, we also have many other medical service providers in the region that are substantial contributors to our employment base. Altogether we have a very large category of employment that has the responsibility of medical services for most of a seven-county area. It seems logical to ask our health care leaders what is happening today that is critical to health care advancement and what does the future hold in each of their respective operations.”
The speakers for the program:
Each will touch on what’s new on the health care horizon and discuss today’s trend in area health services.
Doors will open at 7:30 a.m. The program will begin at 8 a.m.
The program is open to the community and all area business leaders. It is being made possible by First Reliance Bank and Signature Wealth Strategies.
Breakfast tickets and registration are $20 per person and available by calling the Chamber of Commerce at 843-665-0515 or by using the registration link on the chamber’s website at flochamber.com/events.
To read the full article on SC Now, click here.
by Ardie Arvidson
An air ambulance crew from AirMedCare Network landed its helicopter Tuesday afternoon at the Florence Airport at the FBO station, 500 S. McCall Blvd. for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate AirMedCare Network joining of the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce.
Chamber ambassadors showed their support by participating in the event.
Pastor Eugene Park Sr. of Mullins and the Rev. Steven Curry Gallego of Cross and Crown Lutheran Church in Florence spoke and prayed.
Chris Frye is the base manager of the air ambulance medical transport located in Sumter. He said they have been in this area for 3½ years. The medical transport has been in operation for 36 years, he said. The transport has seven helicopters and one airplane in South Carolina. They are spread throughout the state in Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Sumter, Mullins, Charleston and Walterboro.
In Sumter there are four pilots, one full-time mechanic, three nurses and three paramedics, he said.
Frye said they are in the business of transporting people to trauma surgery units to help save lives.
They arrived in Florence in a Bell 407.
Lionel Grant, the membership sales manager for AirMedCare Network, cut the ribbon. He said they have a membership plan where a household can join as one to take care of out-of-pocket expenses when being flown by an AMCN provider. You don’t have to be a member of their plan to be transported by the service. A yearly or monthly fee is charged. With a membership, members of a household receive ID cards and stickers for their drivers’ licenses.
“Their first job is to save lives,” Grant said.
AirMedCare Network is one of the largest air medical membership networks in America. It provides coverage across 320 locations in 38 states, including Alaska and Hawaii.
To view the full article on SC Now, click here.
by Ardie Arvidson
Barbers and Blades Barber Shop, LLC was joined by Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce ambassadors for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday morning, denoting its membership into the chamber.
The barbershop opened in April 2018 at 352 W. Palmetto St.
Owner Shkari Deon Ham said his step-father is a member of a chamber of commerce and encouraged him to join, and his cousin, a barber in Hartsville, is also a chamber member.
“I thought it was a good idea,” he said.
Ham said he learned to cut hair at the feet of his grandmother and practiced on his grandfather, starting around the age of 13.
Ham said owning his own shop was a dream of his.
He served in the military before deciding to pursue his dream by attending Thompson & Son Barber College in Florence.
Ham previously worked at Thompson Master Hair Care.
He said he is located on a very business street, where they accept walk-in traffic.
Business has been good, he said.
There are two barbers at the shop other than Ham. Joining in the celebration on Monday were Dion Grant and Robert Tozzi.
Ham said each has his own specialties.
Stylists Jamela Broaddus-Franklin and Vicki Moore were also on hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“I was born here in Florence but raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina,” Ham said.
Cuts vary in price depending on styles and services. Hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Visit the shop’s Facebook page for individual phone numbers and to make appointments.
To read the full article on SC Now, click here.
From Staff Reports
With much celebration, a host of supporters and a live radio remote broadcast, On The Go cut the ribbon and joined the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce Thursday morning.
Owned and operated by Johnny and George Rishmawi, the shiny new convenience store is on Alligator Road near the intersection with Knollwood Road.
“We like the location and we thought it was a nice place to put a nice store for the community,” Johnny Rishmawi said.
In addition to gas, a spacious parking lot and other features usually found at convenience stores, there is more.
“Our kitchen is breakfast, lunch and dinner every single day from 5:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.,” Richmawi said. “We cook home cooking country food — fried chicken and pork chops and barbecue ribs and meatloaf. We cook different food every day.”
The store is open 24/7.
To read the full story on SC Now, click here.
The Chamber’s 18-member Emerging Leaders Summer Institute class learned about Education and Leadership Development in Florence today.
The class visits included Florence Presbyterian Community, The Florence County Public Library, and The Carolinian.
Presenters included Doris Lockhart of AccuStaff and Ray Reich of Florence Downtown Development.
by Matthew Christian
Condos could soon be coming to North Dargan Street.
Florence Downtown Development Manager Ray Reich said Tuesday that a developer was working with the city to purchase the former L.B. Small’s Used Furniture location at 141 N. Dargan St. with the intention of tearing the existing building down and building something, most likely condominiums on the site. He was not at liberty to give the name.
“There’s a group that’s going to acquire the building,” Reich said. “The city acquired it. The group will tear it down and renovate it.”
Property tax records indicate the city purchased the property on Oct. 4, 2018, for $499,999.
Reich said ultimately the final use for the property would be condominiums but there is the possibility that the bottom floor could be turned into a commercial development.
Reich added the existing structure needed to be torn down because its roof had collapsed and the structure was “pretty nasty” inside.
A roof collapsing is a serious issue for a building like the one at 141 N. Dargan St. because when the building was built, the roof was designed to hold the walls in place. Without the roof, the building becomes more likely to fall down.
According to property tax records, the structure was built in 1915.
Reich added that construction would likely have begun already on the project but for high construction costs.
The development of condos joins two other projects currently underway in the 100 block of North Dargan Street.
To the right of 141 North Dargan St. at 151 North Dargan St. is property owned by Barefoot Child Properties LLC.
Reich said that property would be turned into a commercial area downstairs and another condominium where the owner of the limited liability company, Dr. Mark Stokes, intends to reside. Reich estimated that this project was around three-fourths of the way done.
One building to the left of the 141 N. Dargan project at 135 N. Dargan St. is the property owned by Terrence Thomas through ASK Investments LLC that will be the location of two apartments, a roof-top bar, and The Lost Cajun Seafood restaurant.
To read the full article on SC Now, click here.
