Greenville Tech Foundation Honors Three Local Entrepreneurs

GREENVILLE, SC – The Greenville Tech Foundation honored three local entrepreneurs for their accomplishments in business and contributions to the prosperity of Upstate South Carolina at the Entrepreneurs Forum Gala on Sept. 25.

“This year’s honorees have made a significant impact on Greenville’s vibrant economy,” said Bob Howard, president of the Greenville Tech Foundation. “The gala was a great opportunity to thank these leaders for their commitment to Greenville. I’m pleased that so many community members were able to join us in celebrating this year’s honorees.”

The Greenville Tech Entrepreneurs Forum was created to provide resources and advice for Greenville Technical College as it builds programs to educate and train the new workforce and the next generation of entrepreneurs in the Upstate. Since its inception in 1998, this event has recognized 89 community business leaders who have helped transform Greenville into the thriving business community it is today.

Jon McClure, Mark Johnston, Michael Bolick

 

The 2014 honorees were:

Michael Bolick, Co-founder and CEO, Selah Genomics Inc.

Michael Bolick was a senior executive with a Greenville based pharmaceutical research and development firm when he attended InnoVenture in 2006. He was so inspired by a presentation on carbon-based quantum dots that he licensed the nanotechnology from Clemson University and founded Selah Technologies to develop Selah Dots into a tool to help doctors see cancer during surgery.

Bolick graduated from North Carolina State University with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and was named a Fellow in the Liberty Fellowship in 2011. He has been very involved with the community, serving as Founder and then Chairman of South Carolina BIO, as an Advisory Board member for the Greenville Chamber’s Next initiative and for the University of South Carolina’s NanoCenter. He also currently serves as a Deacon at Woodruff Road Presbyterian Church.

 

Mark Johnston, Founder and CEO, Community Journals

A self-proclaimed “serial entrepreneur,” Mark Johnston set out in 1999 to deliver a product that would better serve local advertisers and readers. The Greenville Journal was the result, a weekly community newspaper focused on providing local news and a targeted platform for local advertising. With the Journal’s success, Johnston was emboldened to expand. Over the course of 15 years, Johnston has continued to evolve his product offerings with At Home Magazine, TOWN Magazine, and theUpstate Business Journal joining the Greenville Journal in the Community Journals portfolio. In addition, Johnston has actively promoted the Upstate with coverage in Community Journals publications and events like Altitude, Fashion on the Town, the Charitable Giving Awards, and the Who’s Who Awards. Under Johnston’s leadership, Community Journals has donated a total of over $4 million of advertising and services since 2001.

 

Jon McClure, ISO Poly Films

In 1997, McClure founded ISO Poly Films, Inc., based in Gray Court, SC, and he served as the company’s Chief Executive, until selling the company earlier this year. Under his leadership, ISO Poly Films grew into a major player in the plastic films industry, with two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities – one in South Carolina and another in Vancouver, Wash. ISO Poly grew to 160 employees, produced more than 100 million pounds of film and generated $115 million in sales in 2013. McClure’s strong leadership earned the company the distinction of being named to the Dun & Bradstreet and Entrepreneur Magazine’s “Hot 100” Small Businesses list for two consecutive years.  In addition, Ernst & Young named McClure “Entrepreneur of the Year of the Carolinas,” and the Governor of S.C. presented him with the Ambassador Award for Economic Development. In addition, McClure has served on the Board of Directors of the Flexible Packaging Association for over a decade while also serving on the Society of Plastics Industry, Southeastern Board of Directors.

 

In addition to recognizing the three entrepreneurs, the Greenville Tech Foundation also saluted the college’s student body.

“Our students are representative of this community. We have students that range from ages 18-80 whether they are working on degrees or diplomas, all are working towards a brighter future. They are the reason Greenville Technical College exists and we felt it was appropriate to honor our students,” said Howard.

 

About Greenville Tech Foundation 

Greenville Tech Foundation, Inc., established in 1973, is a non-profit corporation separate from Greenville Technical College but operating for the benefit of the college. Greenville Tech Foundation provides financial support to the college and students beyond that which can be obtained from state and local funding sources. The Foundation is governed by a board of directors comprised of recognized Greenville County leaders in business, industry and the professions.