COR welcomes Chase Heatherly, anticipates active second half of 2018
June 19, 2018
Columbia Opportunity Resource welcomed to its board of directors Chase Heatherly, Publisher and Advertising Director for Free Times, Columbia’s alternative weekly newspaper. COR’s board of directors oversees both administrative and programming responsibilities for the organization – responsibilities for which Heatherly’s professional background is well-suited.
At Free Times, Heatherly serves as the head of the organization, with emphasis on advertising sales, business development, marketing and events, and standard business operations. He also leads Spurs & Feathers, the glossy monthly magazine produced in partnership with USC’s Gamecock Club donor program. Between these two products, Heatherly leads a staff of 15 full-time employees plus more than two dozen freelance writers and contractors. Since arriving at Free Times in April 2017, Heatherly has reenergized the staffs of both products and has steered the team through exciting growth and new ventures. Free Times’ advertising revenue is up 14% on average YOY. Readership is up both in print and online. Additionally, Chase has led the team to create five new events in a year’s time; most notably the inaugural Columbia Food and Wine Festival in April 2018 in partnership with the Five Points Foundation.
Heatherly came to Free Times with a wide range of past newspaper and media experience serving communities such as Anderson, Greenville, Asheville and Columbia. His past and current board appointments include Rotary Club of Greater Anderson, the Anderson Arts Center, the Junior Leadership Anderson Advisory Board, the Anderson County Museum Advisory Committee, Project Talitha Cumi (Honduras), Rotary Club of Columbia, and, most recently, the boards for both Columbia Opportunity Resource (COR) and the Columbia Museum of Art Contemporaries. He is a graduate of Leadership Anderson (2016) and is soon to be a graduate of Leadership Columbia (2018). He firmly believes that local media should be at the core of nonprofit advocacy and philanthropy within a local community.
Heatherly is a 2013 graduate of Anderson University, receiving a B.S. degree in business marketing and management. While at AU, he received the Anderson Independent Mail’s ’20 Under 40’ Emerging Leader Award; the youngest person to ever receive the award and the only recipient to ever be awarded while still an undergraduate student. Upon graduation, he was given the AU President’s Award, which is presented one member of each graduating class who exemplifies outstanding leadership, academic excellence, and service to others.
COR connects talented professionals in the greater Columbia area to diverse and meaningful networks for leadership, service and fun. Heatherly and COR’s board of directors anticipate a busy second half of 2018, as each of the organization’s signature programs offer events for both members and the general public.
Activate – COR regularly offers after-hours mixers to encourage networking and connecting between individuals and organizations. The next Activate event is Midlands Meet Up at the Ballpark 3.0, June 21 on the Berm at Spirit Communications Park. Tickets may be found at https://fireflies5.streamlineticketing.com/group/event/meetup/
Table for Six – COR also offers emerging leaders the opportunity to connect with business leaders and mentors in a casual environment, joining them for a meal at a local restaurant. Table for Six events are themed. The July 19 dinner features Women in Leadership.
Emerging Columbia – COR keeps the community aware of local and regional growth through bi-annual panel discussions concerning the city’s economic drivers.
Time for Art – COR’s signature annual social event is Time for Art, a gala that invites guests to bid on artwork produced by local artists. The twist: Instead of bidding with dollars, purchasers bid the number of hours they are willing to volunteer in the community in exchange for taking home the painting or sculpture! Time for Art returns this winter.
About COR
COR | Columbia Opportunity Resource connects talented professionals in the greater Columbia
area to diverse and meaningful networks for leadership, service and fun. COR is a 501(c)3
nonprofit organization.
COR is managed by a board of directors led by Jeff Lawler, Interim President; President-elect
Amy Beth Franks; Andrew Saleeby, Immediate Past Chair; Secretary Lynn Luc; and Lindsay
Medlin, Treasurer.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ColumbiaOpportunityResource/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ImpactColumbia
