SC Council on Competitiveness to Host ‘SC Aerospace Night’ With Greenville Drive
July 26, 2021
A night planned around industry celebration, education, and networking with in-game features and pre-game reception
The SC Council on Competitiveness initiative, SC Aerospace, along with the Greenville Drive, will host the inaugural ‘SC Aerospace Night’ on Friday, July 23rd when the Upstate’s minor league team takes on the Greensboro Grasshoppers. South Carolina Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette will throw the first pitch.
Sponsors for the event include ACL Airshop, Lockheed Martin, Champion Aerospace, Stevens Aerospace & Defense Systems, Solar Atmospheres, Upstate SC Alliance, and South Carolina Technology & Aviation Center.
The evening will begin with an invitation-only VIP reception sponsored by ACL Airshop, with invited industry guests. The program will feature remarks from South Carolina Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette, SC Aerospace Director Stephen Astemborski, and industry updates from ACL Airshop President & CEO Steve Townes. The pre-game VIP reception will be followed by in-game industry highlights, sponsor videos, and giveaways all themed around the aerospace industry in South Carolina.
“We are extremely excited to celebrate the aerospace industry, and even more excited to do so at iconic Flour Field, surrounded by those that make our industry great,” says SC Aerospace Director Stephen Astemborski. “Our 2020 Impact Study proves we have a lot to celebrate around the state, and we want to use this event to honor those industry leaders and employees, as well as educate the public on the incredible work being done and value being brought to the Palmetto State.”
“Aerospace Night is the most exciting addition to the Drive’s 2021 schedule and we’re extremely excited to host such a unique & impactful event at Fluor Field – both this year and for years to come”, said Jeff Brown, Vice President of Marketing & Community Partnerships with the Greenville Drive. “The aerospace industry is flourishing in our community and across South Carolina, and we can’t wait to use Drive baseball & Fluor Field to shine a light on the leaders, companies, and organizations most responsible for its success.”
As reported in the 2020 SC Aerospace Economic Impact Study produced by The Council, the aerospace industry has a 28.8-billion-dollar total economic impact in the state, and employs more than 136,000 South Carolinians (direct and indirect). There are also more than 400 aerospace companies, and over 35 aero-specific education and workforce training programs here in the Palmetto state, a figure the Council hopes to educate the crowd on July 23rd.
The game will feature an informational booth from Lockheed Martin, producers of the F-16 Fighting Falcon that is made in the Upstate, and a fly-over by Prisma Health’s Medical Helicopter. The Council plans to expand these events across the state in the coming years.
For more information, visit scaerospace.com. To purchase tickets or become a booster, visit greenvilledrive.com.
About the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness
The South Carolina Council on Competitiveness is a nonpartisan, business-led, nonprofit organization that drives South Carolina’s long-term economic growth by supporting the state’s key industry clusters and providing the research, network, and resources that industry clusters require to thrive. Learn more at www.sccompetes.org.
