Bernie Mazyck named 2024 Joseph P. Riley Leadership Award Recipient
May 20, 2024
The Charleston Metro Chamber announced that Bernie Mazyck, President and CEO of SCACED, will be honored with the prestigious Joseph P. Riley Leadership Award at The Honors on May 22. Through his years of leadership, Bernie has proven to be an outstanding leader who is dedicated to enhancing our community.
Named after one of the region’s most notable and popular leaders, the late father of former Mayor Joe Riley, the Joseph P. Riley award was initiated in 1992 by the Charleston Metro Chamber. This prestigious award recognizes an outstanding leader who has, through a lifetime of leadership, committed to making the community a better place to live, work and do business. The recipients of this award are dedicated to serving and strengthening the Charleston community.
Since 1998, Bernie Mazyck has served as the first President and Chief Executive Officer of the South Carolina Association for Community Economic Development. SCACED is the state’s trade association and funding intermediary for Community Development Corporations, Community Development Financial Institutions, and grassroots economic development organizations. Through its network of members and partner organizations, SCACED strives to improve the quality of life for poor families and communities by providing innovative and sustainable solutions to low-wealth communities in South Carolina.
Since his time with SCACED, Bernie helped shepherd the growth of the community economic development movement in South Carolina from four organizations to over 150. Under Bernie’s leadership, SCACED and its member organizations developed projects valued at over $150 million, with an economic impact in South Carolina of over $350 million. Through SCACED’s members and partners, over 1,000 families purchased their first home, CED organizations created over 6,000 jobs and thousands of families built wealth in rural and distressed communities in South Carolina.
In 2022, Mazyck was appointed as Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond’s Charlotte Board and served a one-year term that concluded at the end of 2023. Prior to his appointment as Chair, Bernie had served on the Federal Reserve of Richmond’s Charlotte Board since 2019 and served on the Federal Reserve of Richmond’s Community Development Advisory Council.
Bernie is a graduate of Charleston Southern University with a BS in Biology, and of the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia with a Master of Divinity degree, with a concentration in Ministry with the Poor. In 2000, Bernie completed the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at the John F. Kennedy School at Harvard University.
Among many remarkable accomplishments, Bernie is the 2004 recipient of the Order of the Silver Crescent from former Governor Mark Sanford and the 2014 recipient of the Order of the Palmetto from former Governor Nikki Haley. The Order of the Palmetto is the state’s highest civilian honor for service to the state. Recently, Bernie received the Diane Sterner Leadership Award in 2020 and the Community Leadership Award from the SC Commission for Minority Affairs.
Mazyck will be celebrated for his lasting impact on our region at The Honors on May 22, preceding. The Chamber will also recognize other outstanding business leaders and organizations who are doing exceptional work in our region with Honors Awards.
Previous winners of the Joseph P. Riley Leadership Award include Helen Hill (2023), Jim Newsome (2022), Dr. David Cole (2021), Dr. Jairy C. Hunter (2019), Len Hutchison (2018), Perry Keith Waring (2017), W. Brian Moody (2016) and Thompson E. Penney (2015).
For additional information on The Honors or to purchase tickets, visit charlestonchamber.org/honors .
About the Charleston Metro Chamber
With approximately 1,600 member organizations representing 160,000 professionals, the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce serves as the collective voice of the business community, and a catalyst for regional economic advancement and member success through Talent, Advocacy, Leadership and Business Development. Visit charlestonchamber.org
