SCEDA Presents Economic Development Awards at Annual Conference
May 22, 2009
COLUMBIA, SC – May 22, 2009 – The South Carolina Economic Developers Association (SCEDA) presented several awards and scholarships during the organization’s annual conference, held earlier this month in Myrtle Beach.
The SCEDA Ally of the Year Award went to Deepal Eliatamby of Alliance Consulting Engineers in Columbia.
Eliatamby was commended for promoting the statewide site certification program and for his extensive involvement with SCEDA activities.
Eliatamby was also recognized for his “innovation, problem solving expertise, [and his] sense of professional urgency to the projects he is working. He gives his time freely to make South Carolina a better place to work and live. He has played a major role in helping many companies choose to locate their business in South Carolina.”
The SCEDA Local Developer of the Year Award went to Jim Alexander of the Oconee County Economic Development Commission.
Alexander was honored for his leadership in helping to establish Oconee’s first industrial park and his work on the development of the 400-acre Golden Corner Industrial Park. He was also instrumental in establishing the Oconee Alliance.
Alexander was also recognized for being “dedicated to working with others to improve the quality of life, the business climate and the job opportunities in Oconee County.”
The SCEDA Distinguished Service Award recognizes exemplary efforts in the field of professional, economic and community development in South Carolina. The award went to Peter Arnoti of the Colleton County Economic Alliance (CCEA).
Arnoti was commended for his work as the executive director of CCEA, a newly formed public / private economic development corporation. He has secured almost $3 million in outside funds for the organization. Arnoti previously directed economic development efforts in Greenwood County, where he secured $2.3 billion in manufacturing investments, 4,700 jobs and established South Carolina’s first biotechnology incubator program.
SCEDA also presented several economic development scholarships. These scholarships help offset registration, transportation, lodging, and other costs associated with various economic development courses available in South Carolina and at the University of Oklahoma.
Steve Bowles of Abbeville County Development Board received the Truman H. Safford Basic Economic Developer Course Scholarship.
Karlisa Parker of Chester County Economic Development received the Sloan W. Gable Economic Development Institute Scholarship.
Sharon Gundrum of Anderson County Economic Development Office received the Howard Folkman South Carolina Economic Development School Scholarship.
SCEDA also announced its new leadership team and board members at the recent conference:
John Lummus and Buddy Bateman
President: Buddy Bateman, AT&T
Past President: John Lummus, Tri-County Technical College
Vice President: April Allen, O’Neal Inc.
Secretary: Heather Simmons Jones, Anderson County Economic Development Office
Treasurer: Jennifer Noel, Upstate South Carolina Alliance
Board members: (new) Teresa Powers, Newberry County; Edward Kluiters, Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd; Jeff McKay, North Eastern Strategic Alliance; (returning) George Wolfe, Nelson Mullins; John Truluck, Clarendon County Development Board; Stan Williamson, Santee Electric Cooperative.
About SCEDA
The South Carolina Economic Developers Association exists to enhance the professional development of its membership and to advocate economic development to benefit the citizens of South Carolina. SCEDA’s strives to 1) enhance the reputation and credibility of and position the organization as the economic development authority in South Carolina through effective internal and external communication, 2) provide ongoing educational opportunities that enhance the professional and personal development of SCEDA members, and 3) actively involve SCEDA in the influencing of critical economic development policy leading to sustainable statewide prosperity.
