GADC names officers, adds three directors to board

The Greenville Area Development Corporation (GADC), charged with promoting and enhancing quality of life in Greenville County by facilitating job growth and investment, has named Don Erickson as Chairman of its Board of Directors for 2021-2022. Joining him as officers are Beverly Haines as Vice Chair, Chad Tumblin as Secretary, and Barry Leasure as Treasurer.

Simultaneously, the GADC has announced that prominent business leaders Joy Hemphill, McNeil Epps and Councilman Stan Tzouvelekas have been appointed by Greenville County Council to three-year terms on the Board, beginning July 1, 2021. In addition, Beverly Haines was reappointed to the Board by Council, which also voted to expand the Board by one seat to include the permanent addition of the County Auditor as a Board member. Scott Case is Greenville County’s current Auditor.

“Since 2001, GADC efforts have contributed more than $55 billion in economic impact to Greenville County and accounted for over 30,000 jobs, working closely with other economic development organizations, chambers of commerce, the private sector and state and local governments to realize these incredible results,” said Chairman of Greenville County Council Willis Meadows. “County Council appreciates these talented leaders who help to guide our County’s economic development efforts in attracting and growing industry and enterprise here, while increasing per capita income, capital investment, and opportunity for all members of the community.”

Mr. Erickson is a retired executive with more than 35 years of experience in the Aerospace and Defense industry, most recently serving as General Manager and Site Director of Lockheed Martin’s 500-person site in Greenville that provides aircraft sustainment, modification and production services. In addition, he was instrumental in bringing the new F-16 Production Line to Greenville. He is an active and engaged member in the community supporting Greenville Tech, Habitat for Humanity, and the March of Dimes, and holds a Bachelor of Industrial Engineering degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Ms. Haines is a healthcare consultant and the former President and Chief Nursing Officer of the Patewood Hospital and Medical Campus of the Greenville Health System (now Prisma Health). A registered nurse, she previously served as Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Health System in Pittsburgh, PA. Ms. Haines holds a master’s degree in Nursing Education with emphasis in Nursing Administration from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Duquesne University. Long active in civic and industry circles, she has actively served in leadership roles with such organizations as the Peace Center, Greenville Women Giving and the Greenville Chorale. She is a graduate of The Riley Institute at Furman University’s Diversity Leaders Initiative.

Mr. Tumblin is an experienced construction and land acquisition manager, serving as General Land Manager for NVR, Inc., the parent company of Ryan Homes. Active in the Upstate community, he has served on the Greenville County Planning Commission as both director and Chairman, as well as director and Chairman of the Northwood Little League Board. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Urban Studies, Planning & Administration from the College of Charleston.

Mr. Leasure is Managing Partner of the GreerWalker CPAs Greenville office. He has more than 30 years of experience providing tax and business advisory services to clients of all sizes across a wide spectrum of industries, and has experience consulting international companies as well as domestic. He primarily focuses his practice on the construction, property management and real estate development industries including developers, owners, brokers, and investors. He is active in numerous professional organizations including the Urban Land Institute, CFMA South Carolina, and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and its South Carolina chapter. As a volunteer, he is active with the Peace Center, United Way of Greenville County, and a Board Member of Upstate Alliance.

Mr. Epps is a commercial real estate broker with NAI Earle Furman, a leading commercial real estate firm in the Upstate. He primarily focuses his practice on Office space in Greenville. He serves as a member of the Greenville Legislative Delegation Transportation Committee (GLDTC). He is a Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM), an active member of the Greater Greenville Association of Realtors, and a member of Leadership Greenville Class 46. Mr. Epps holds a B.A. degree in Political Science from Presbyterian College, and an MBA from Clemson University.

A medically retired U.S. Navy veteran, Mrs. Hemphill has spent over 10 years assisting and advocating for veterans in various capacities. She previously worked for the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce as a Veterans Workforce consultant before transitioning to her current role as a Vocational Rehabilitation counselor for the State of South Carolina. Mrs. Hemphill is a board member for the Greenville Economic Development Board, and currently serves as Regional Director (SE Division) for Psi Zeta Phi Military Sorority. A service officer for Disabled American Veterans, she holds dual master’s degrees in Human Services Counseling and Criminal Justice from Liberty University, along with B.S. degrees in Healthcare Management from St. Leo University and in Psychology from the University of Sedona.

Mr. Tzouvelekas currently serves the team at RealtyLink in the role of Land Acquisitions and Sales and has spent over three decades in the residential and commercial real estate industry. A University of South Carolina graduate, he is a past President of the America Hellenic Educational Progressive Associations (AHEPA) where he led efforts to obtain federal grants to provide affordable housing apartments for seniors. A past board member of Team Greenville and a graduate of Leadership Greenville class XXVI, he is Board Chairman for Christian Learning Centers of Greenville County. Elected to Greenville County Council representing District 22, he serves on the Public Safety and Human Relations committees, as well as the Public Works and Infrastructure committees. He is an active community volunteer with Meals on Wheels and several other organizations.

Mr. Case is a Certified Public Accountant with more than 30 years of professional experience in the areas of tax and finance, having worked at an international accounting firm, as Tax Director for a major corporation, at a major national law firm, as CFO for multiple companies and in a variety of finance and tax roles as a consultant. Mr. Case previously served on Greenville County Council where he authored Greenville’s first biennium budget and led the County to a Triple A credit rating. Currently, Mr. Case serves as the elected Auditor of Greenville County and is a member of the South Carolina Association of CPAs, the American Institute of CPAs, and the Government Finance Officers Association. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from Bob Jones University and a master’s in Accountancy from Clemson University.

Departing the GADC Board of Directors at the end of their respective terms with appreciation for their contributions and service were outgoing GADC Directors Roy Chamlee, County Councilman Ennis Fant, and Je’Varus Howard.