Sumter Plant Manager leads life-saving Heart Walk campaign
October 23, 2025
Brandon Boyd mobilizes Sumter’s corporate leaders to build community of lifesavers as chair of American Heart Association Heart Walk
Brandon Boyd, plant manager at Carolina PEC, is stepping up in a big way, as the 2025 Chair of the American Heart Association’s Sumter Clarendon Heart Walk. He’s leading a powerful movement to turn our community into a nation of lifesavers.
With heart disease still the #1 killer in Sumter and across the country, Boyd is teaming up with business and community leaders to help raise funds, boost CPR training, and most importantly, save lives. The Heart Walk is more than just a walk — it’s a year-round campaign aimed at fighting cardiovascular disease and teaching people how to respond when a cardiac emergency strikes.
“We want to build a future where every home has someone who knows CPR,” said Boyd. “Just imagine how many lives could be saved if more people were prepared to act in those critical moments.”
The American Heart Association, celebrating over 100 years of saving lives, is putting a major spotlight on CPR. And for good reason – 9 out of 10 people who suffer cardiac arrest outside of a hospital don’t survive. But if CPR is given right away, their chances of survival can double or even triple.
That’s why this year’s Heart Walk is all about action. Under Boyd’s leadership, companies across Sumter and Clarendon are joining forces to support the Association’s Nation of Lifesavers™ initiative — a bold effort to double survival rates from cardiac arrest by 2030.
“The Heart Walk is our chance to take real action on a serious issue,” said Christina Darby, director of the Sumter Clarendon Heart Walk. “With Brandon leading the way, we’re building a movement that brings CPR training to more people and inspires our community to step up when lives are on the line.”
The Sumter Clarendon Heart Walk is happening on Saturday, November 1, at the Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce, 32 E Calhoun Street. Over 500 walkers are expected to join the cause — walking to honor survivors, remember loved ones, and help fund lifesaving research and education.
Want to get involved?
Whether you’re a business leader, team organizer, or just someone who wants to make a difference, now’s the time to act. To join or sponsor the Heart Walk, email [email protected] or visit www.SumterClarendonHeartWalk.org.
Together, we’re not just walking — we’re saving lives.
About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, on Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.
