Business Noteshttp://andersonobserver.com/business-notes/en-US2010-07-30T02:07:17ZSquarespace Site Server v5.11.5 (http://www.squarespace.com/)United Way Awards Dinner Honors Volunteershttp://andersonobserver.com/business-notes/2010/5/3/united-way-awards-dinner-honors-volunteers.htmlEditor2010-05-04T02:24:51ZThe United Way of Anderson County held its annual meeting on Thursday, April 29, 2010 at the Hilton Garden Inn. During the evening several volunteers and organizations were recognized and thanked for their participation during the annual campaign and the United Way fiscal year. Campaign Chair, Ben Hagood of Carolina First Bank, thanked the campaign cabinet and volunteers for helping to raise, $1.660,756 during this year’s campaign to match the amount raised last year. AnMed Health was recognized as having their best campaign year ever, raising $417,678, almost a 4% increase over last year. In recognizing companies and organizations with the highest giving per capita, Duke Energy with 100+ employees had a per capita gift of $249.33; Blue Ridge Security with 51-99 employees had a per capita gift of $276.42 up from $257.22 last year and also had 100% employee participation.  With 26-50 employees, John S. Rainey Generating Station had a per capita gift of $317.30 up from $286.42 last year. Maynard’s’ Home Furnishings rounded out the top campaigns in the 2-25 employees category with a per capita gift of $472.61 up from $432.17 last year.  Pat Patrick of Attaway, Inc. was recognized as the incoming campaign chair for 2010-11.

The D. Kirk Oglesby Award of Excellence was presented to Dr. Frankie O. Felder for leading the Imagine and Neighborhood Project in Belton that took a $5,000 United Way grant and with an army of 127 volunteers and three months of Saturday’s turned it into over $75,000 of community impact through improvements to 25 homes and properties in the Zion Street neighborhood. 

For their company having 100% employee participation in the campaign, their management team’s involvement in various areas of United Way and for providing their printing services to United Way at “rock bottom prices”, Attaway, Inc. was presented with the Spirit of Anderson Award.

The new slate of officers was also installed at the meeting:

Pat Joye, Chair of the Board of Directors; Mary Gay Drake, 1st Vice Chair; Rev. Jim Thomason, 2nd Vice Chair; Brian Johnson Treasurer.

During the meeting, the 2010 leadershipNEXT Fellows were recognized. This is the largest leadershipNEXT class ever, with 32 Fellows. The participants are: Chad Allen, Southwood Middle School, Anderson School District Five; Lauren Barnett, AnMed Health; Clint Bates,Suggs Johnson, LLC; Wes Billingsley, Elliott Davis, LLC; Vernita Boone, Anderson Interfaith Ministries; Tracy Bowie, Anderson Interfaith Ministries; Nedra Brown, AnMed Health; Rey Castro, Cross Country Home Services; Stephanie Collins, AnMed Health; Lacey Councill, Doclink; Jason Craddock, Bank of Anderson; Meredith Driver, First Citizens Bank; Erin Fann, City of Anderson; Jennifer Hardin, Pharm. D., AnMed Health; Nicole Hatten, Publix Supermarkets; Kristen Jordan, IMPACT!; Brooks Keys, Palmetto Insurance; Lorin Larason, AmeriCorps - Anderson School District Four; Brian Little, AnMed Health; Mandy Long, Carolina First Bank; Michael Mance, Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce; Julie Morrison, AnMed Health; Danielle Norris, SENIOR Solutions; Farrah Norris, AmeriCorps - Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate; Marie Peace, Harris Carpets/Flooring America; Matthew Perkins, Law Office of Matthew A. Perkins, LLC; Melissa Powell, Anderson Free Clinic; Ashley Pruitt, Hospice of the Upstate; Blythe Smith, DHEC, Region 1 Public Health Office; Imani Smith, AmeriCorps, United Way of Anderson County; Tiffany Watkins, IMPACT!; Dr. Joel Williams, Clemson University.

Michael Cunningham, Director of Communications with AnMed Health and Founding member of leadershipNEXT was the featured speaker for the evening. He compared the participants in leadershipNEXT to a battery…When left alone, it is a simple battery with a lot of stored up energy and a lot of potential. But, when put in the right infrastructure it becomes an energy source to light a path. Putting the battery in a flashlight, he illustrated the importance of LeadershipNEXT as it harnesses and utilizes the energy of its Fellows as they light pathways in the community.

]]>Massage Therapist Returns to Andersonhttp://andersonobserver.com/business-notes/2010/4/21/massage-therapist-returns-to-anderson.htmlEditor2010-04-22T02:57:34ZBarbie Jackson, LMT, nationally certified therapist, recently returned to Anderson after being in Atlanta for the last several years. She is located within Aesthetic Solutions at Medicus (Anderson Eye & Ear Associates) in their Greenville Street office in Anderson, and also in their Greenville office off Pelham Road. Barbie has 14 years experience in clinical and sports massage. She also has a mobile massage therapy practice. Services include: deep tissue massage, reflexology, sports massage, pre-natal massage, couple massage, TMJ, and stretch therapy. Ms. Jackson explained, “It’s important to find a therapist with experience in injury, neuromuscular or corrective care if you intend to seek improvement in performance or increased range of motion due to recent injuries or previous surgery. I want to be able to share my clinical knowledge and spa services with you.” For additional information visit: Barbiejackson.com

]]>AnMed Health Selects Allscripts Electronic Health Recordhttp://andersonobserver.com/business-notes/2010/4/6/anmed-health-selects-allscripts-electronic-health-record.htmlEditor2010-04-06T22:12:46ZAnMed Health Selects Allscripts Electronic Health Record for 100 Employed and Affiliated Physicians

CHICAGO and ANDERSON, S.C., April 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Allscripts (NASDAQ:MDRX) announced today that AnMed Health, a 573-bed health system located in Upstate South Carolina, has selected the Allscripts Electronic Health Record (EHR) solution to enhance the quality of patient care, improve patient communications, and better manage the cost of care delivery.

"AnMed Health is committed to bringing the future of healthcare to patients in Upstate South Carolina by providing our physicians with access to the information they need, when they need it most, via a connected electronic health record," said John Miller, Chief Executive Officer of AnMed Health. "Allscripts gives our providers the ability to connect to one another and to other providers throughout the region, leading to further integration, better coordination of care, and ultimately improved outcomes for our patients."

]]>Apryl Hanson Joins Blytheco, LLChttp://andersonobserver.com/business-notes/2010/3/10/apryl-hanson-joins-blytheco-llc.htmlEditor2010-03-11T03:46:57ZLeading Sage business partner Blytheco, LLC is pleased to welcome Apryl Hanson to the Blytheco team as Director, Customer and Partner Strategy.

Apryl has more than fifteen years of management experience with the software industry, including serving as Director of Partner Programs and Development and Director of Sales at Sage. Most recently she was Director of Sales and Marketing with Attitude POSitive, Inc., a retail software company, where she oversaw successful customer loyalty, sales training, and marketing alliance programs. Apryl’s role at Blytheco will be to manage and continue to develop the company’s partner programs; develop and manage the company’s survey and customer loyalty programs; and assist the sales management team to more effectively reach the existing customer base. She will report directly to Stephen Blythe, Chief Executive Officer.

“We are pleased to have an industry expert like Apryl join our team,” said Stephen Blythe. “Her experience and expertise in optimizing the customer experience across all levels of the organization will help us to continue to position Blytheco as a valued resource to both clients and the Sage partner community.”

]]>Wachovia Wells Fargo Gives Local Community Grantshttp://andersonobserver.com/business-notes/2010/1/10/wachovia-wells-fargo-gives-local-community-grants.htmlEditor2010-01-10T22:51:41ZTwo Anderson groups – The Good Neighbor Cupboard and the Anderson County Volunteer Firefighters for the Children’s Burn Fund – were recognized today with $1,000 grant to each as part of the first Community eople in Picture from Left to right: Chris Corley, Mgr Wachovia Store on Clemson Blvd James Reed, Direct of Good Neighbor Cupboard Lauren Taylor representative for Anderson County Volunteer Firefighters Children’s Burn Fund Bridget Wood, Mgr Wachovia Store on Greenville St Christopher Corley Store Manager North Hills, AndersonPartners program for Anderson.  The program was celebrated at Wachovia’s Greenville Street Store on December 17, 2009.

Through the program, branch employees selected groups that are delivering important services in the Anderson community.  The Community Partners program came about as a result of combining Wachovia with Wells Fargo, noted Bridget Wood and Chris Corley, Wachovia’s store managers for Greenville Street store on Hwy 81 and North Hill store on Clemson Blvd. The grants all came from the Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation.  Across Anderson, Wachovia serves customers at four locations.

The Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation is a private foundation that provides grants to eligible 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations to support the following focus areas:  Education, Community Development, Health/Human Services, Arts/Culture, Civic and Environment.  The mission of the Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation is to build strong and vibrant communities, improve the quality of life, and make a positive difference.

]]>Carolina First/Michelin Loan Programhttp://andersonobserver.com/business-notes/2009/9/2/carolina-firstmichelin-loan-program.htmlEditor2009-09-02T16:42:13ZCarolina First tapped as banking partner for low-interest loan program

GREENVILLE, S.C., -- Michelin will officially begin accepting applications for low-interest business loans today as the company opens the doors of its Michelin Development Upstate office. Located at the NEXT Innovation Center near downtown Greenville, the office will serve as the hub for Michelin's new economic development program to provide funding and business expertise to socially and economically disadvantaged businesses throughout the Upstate.

Michelin also announced Carolina First as the banking partner for the program, which will begin with an initial funding amount of $1 million from Michelin North America.

"Michelin is keenly aware of the impact that small- and medium-sized businesses have on creating quality jobs and improving our state's economy," said Dick Wilkerson, chairman and president of Michelin North America. "Michelin Development Upstate is designed to give these companies a boost that enables them to take the next step toward growth in a challenging economic environment. We were pleased to find an eager partner in Carolina First to help administer the program as we reach out to socially and economically disadvantaged businesses across the Upstate."

Carolina First will work with the Michelin Development Upstate Steering Committee, a group of Upstate business and civic leaders, to review loan applications for the program. Once an application has been approved by the Steering Committee, it will go to Carolina First for their normal financial due diligence. Loans will be available at $10,000 and up.

"Carolina First is proud to assist Michelin with this program, which demonstrates a shared commitment to supporting businesses in our communities," said Mike Spitzmiller, Upstate market president of Carolina First. "We applaud Michelin for the considerable investment it continues to make in the Upstate and across South Carolina, as well as for providing an outstanding model for corporate responsibility."

 ]]>We Want Your Business Newshttp://andersonobserver.com/business-notes/2009/9/2/we-want-your-business-news.htmlEditor2009-09-02T13:34:22ZSend local business news here.

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