News Summary
OneSpartanburg, Inc. held its annual celebration, themed “A Season of Impact,” to honor local leaders and businesses for their contributions to Spartanburg County’s growth. The event showcased award recipients and community initiatives, highlighting a commitment to economic development and quality of life enhancement. Notable awards included the Neville Holcombe Distinguished Citizenship Award and the James B. Thompson Small Business of the Year Award, celebrating achievements in business, tourism, and community service.
Spartanburg, SC – OneSpartanburg, Inc. celebrated its 2025 Annual Celebration, themed “A Season of Impact,” to reflect on the achievements and advancements within Spartanburg County. This yearly event featured a recognition ceremony honoring local community leaders and businesses that play a significant role in promoting the county’s initiatives.
The celebration provided a platform for OneSpartanburg to showcase the numerous accomplishments and collaborative efforts made throughout the year. Allen Smith, President & CEO of OneSpartanburg, emphasized the importance of this gathering in highlighting community progress and the vital contributions of local stakeholders.
Highlights of the Awards Ceremony
Among the notable awards presented, the Neville Holcombe Distinguished Citizenship Award was bestowed upon David Britt for his three-decade-long service on the Spartanburg County Council. Britt’s leadership in economic development has been instrumental in securing over $10 billion in investments and creating nearly 9,000 jobs in the region.
The James B. Thompson Small Business of the Year award was awarded to the Morgan Square Hospitality Group, owned by Brian Greene and Kevin Moore, acknowledging their significant contributions to the local economy.
AFL received the Economic Champion Award for their impressive $155 million expansion that has added 155 new jobs in Spartanburg. The Elaine Harris Tourism Champion Award went to Chad Greene, who has been influential in driving growth in Spartanburg’s sports tourism through the Diamond Classic Fastpitch initiative.
Kathy Sinclair, Chief Human Resources Officer at Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System, earned the inaugural Talent Champion Award for her efforts in creating more local internship opportunities. Additionally, Brenda Lee Pryce was honored with the Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award as the first Black woman elected to the S.C. Legislature from Spartanburg County.
The Chairman’s Award was given to State Senator Roger Nutt for his extensive public service career, despite his recent announcement of resignation due to health issues. Furthermore, the Charles E. Atchison, Sr. Minority-Owned Business of the Year was awarded to Pudd’N, a business created by Sedrick Posey utilizing a family recipe.
Dr. Midas Hampton, Executive Director of Strategic Spartanburg, was recognized as the Young Professional of the Year, while outgoing Executive Board Chair Avi Lawrence and incoming Executive Board Chair William Gray were acknowledged for their leadership roles.
Community Initiatives and Programs
The event also revealed the new Leadership Spartanburg program, which will commence its 46th class, designed to connect professionals with community leaders over a nine-month leadership development period.
OneSpartanburg also launched Project 100, a new initiative aimed at enhancing child care availability by adding 100 new child care seats in Spartanburg County. This program comes with a funding commitment of $200,000 sourced from various local organizations, including $75,000 from Power Up Spartanburg and $100,000 from the Mary Black Foundation.
The initiative seeks to address the challenges faced by working parents due to a lack of affordable child care, which is recognized as a significant barrier to workforce participation. Child care centers interested in the program must submit applications for capital improvement investments by mid-to-late May.
Conclusion
Through these awards and community initiatives, OneSpartanburg aims to foster economic growth and improve quality of life in Spartanburg County while ensuring that the needs of the expanding workforce are met, particularly by enhancing child care accessibility. The Annual Celebration illustrated the collective effort of the community in driving progress and highlighting the importance of collaboration among various stakeholders.
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Additional Resources
- Greenville Business Magazine
- Go Upstate
- Greenville Journal
- Post and Courier
- Upstate Business Journal
- Wikipedia: Spartanburg County, South Carolina
- Google Search: Spartanburg community initiatives
- Google Scholar: Spartanburg economic development
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Spartanburg
- Google News: Spartanburg awards ceremony
Author: STAFF HERE SPARTANBURG
The SPARTANBURG STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HERESpartanburg.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Spartanburg, Spartanburg County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as the Spartanburg International Festival, Spartanburg ArtWalk, and motorsport events at Spartanburg Speedway. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce and the Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System Foundation, plus leading businesses in manufacturing and textiles that power the local economy such as BMW Manufacturing and Milliken & Company. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREAiken.com, HEREBeaufort.com, HEREChapin.com, HERECharleston.com, HEREClinton.com, HEREColumbia.com, HEREGeorgetown.com, HEREGreenwood.com, HEREGreenville.com, HEREHiltonHead.com, HEREIrmo.com, HEREMyrtleBeach.com, HERENewberry.com, HERERockHill.com, and HERESpartanburg.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into South Carolina's dynamic landscape.
