Mar 17, 2020 | News
With schools, organizations, businesses and many others canceling events and altering schedules due to the COVID-19 virus, having access to reliable and timely information as well as details about available resources is critical.
Though our current health crisis calls for “social distancing” to keep the virus from spreading, it does not mean that it is a time to stay within our geographic and stakeholder silos. To the opposite, this is a time for coming together to help lift each other up and ensure that everyone across the Upstate (and of course our entire nation and globe) is able to withstand this crisis by having the information and resources they need.
We really are “stronger together” and are very fortunate here in the Upstate that we have many non-profits, local governments, businesses, and institutions working to ensure that resources are available to help everyone get through this public health crisis.
In our role as a regional connector, Ten at the Top is working with local entities to try to compile and maintain a repository of links to information individuals, businesses and institutions may need regarding the latest cancellations, available community resources, and health information.
The page lists national, state, and regional resources, with tabs for each of the 10 counties of the Upstate. Here is a direct link to the Upstate COVID-19 Information Repository.
We will continue to update the page with additional links as they become available. If your organization has a resource or information link specifically related to the COVID-19 response, please send it to Sharon Purvis (spurvis@tenatthetop.org).
Mar 11, 2020 | News
Due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19, Ten at the Top (TATT) has made the decision to postpone their signature young professional event, 
Pique, until June 15th. It was originally scheduled for March 23rd. The event will still be held at the Huguenot Mill and Loft in downtown Greenville, with ScanSource as the presenting sponsor, and local author Sallie Holder as the keynote speaker.
Ticket sales were suspended late Monday afternoon after the decision was made to postpone, but now that a new date has been confirmed, tickets are once again available for sale. Attendees who have already purchased tickets will be issued a refund if they are unable to attend at the later date; those who have tickets and do still wish to attend do not need to take any further action.
The event focuses on connecting young professionals across the Upstate, giving them opportunities to network as well as to hear from experts on topics that are relevant to their working lives.
In this 5th year of Pique, the program will feature 3 breakout panel sessions along with executive roundtables, a LinkedIn Lounge, and keynote speaker Sallie Holder. Additionally, there will be plenty of opportunity for networking, sharing ideas, and discussion of future collaboration.
During each of three breakout sessions, attendees will have four choices: one of two panel sessions, the executive roundtables, or the LinkedIn Lounge, sponsored by AFL, where they will have an opportunity to have a professional headshot done.
There will be three panels, each running twice to give attendees the option of hearing them all if they choose. The first, “Negotiating Your Best Career,” will focus on knowing what to ask for in order to achieve professional goals; in the second, “Community Engagement: Building Your Career Outside of Your Office,” panelists will talk about how community engagement can help you become a well-rounded and outward-thinking individual; and the third, “Conflict Management: Effective Communication for a Peaceful Workplace” touches on a topic that can be challenging at any age.
For many young leaders who want to make an impact on their local community, one major barrier is having access to current decision makers who are helping shape the region. Pique hopes to foster collaboration and bridge the gaps between young professionals and the Upstate’s top executives through the executive roundtables that have been a very popular feature of past Pique events.
Local author Sallie Holder will be the keynote speaker. Her book, Rock Middle: The Roadmap from Empty Success to True Fulfillment, was released in January, and copies will be available for sale at the event.
A graduate of Vanderbilt University and the University of South Carolina Law School, Holder previously served as an attorney at Ogletree Deakins Law Firm and lives in Greenville. She coined the phrase “Hitting Rock Middle™” and the revolutionary BE BOLDER strategy to help people create their biggest, boldest, most successful careers. In addition to her recently released book, Sallie is a dynamic speaker who leaves audiences with the tools they need to make the changes they desire. She’s an expert on leadership, teams, change management, mindset, and motivation.
Following her talk, attendees will head to the reception, which will once again be catered by Cribbs Catering.
Registration and networking begin at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, June 15th, at Huguenot Mill and Loft (101 West Broad Street, Greenville, SC 29601), with the event beginning at 2:00 p.m. The reception will begin at approximately 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased here. For more information, visit the website or contact Sharon Purvis at spurvis@tenatthetop.org.
Mar 6, 2020 | News
by Dean Hybl, TATT Executive Director
At our 10th anniversary luncheon in November, I proposed that as TATT moves into our second decade, we need to enhance our approach to collaboration and growing the collective capacity in the Upstate by not only convening, connecting and incubating, but also by starting to “ignite” projects that have the potential to positively impact economic vitality and quality of life in the Upstate region.
As an example of that enhanced philosophy, we announced the creation of the Upstate Mobility Alliance along with an $825,000 grant from the Michelin Corporate Foundation to support mobility in the Upstate.
Because Ten at the Top is a long-term strategic regional capacity builder and not an immediate programmatic service provider, once an actionable plan has been incubated through TATT’s collaborative process, a subject-specific partner must be found to lead and fund long-term implementation. This often results in a delay as projects attempt to move from incubation to action while resources are identified.
To help combat that challenge, we are creating an “Ignition Fund” that will allow TATT to help jump start an effort and showcase it for future funding and partners. The ignition process will ultimately be faster, more efficient, and more impactful.
The fund will be controlled by a committee of the TATT Board of Directors, who, in consultation with organization staff, will have the discretion to provide funds to projects that have gone through TATT’s collaborative process and are at a stage where they are in need of funds to advance. The funding allotments will be determined based on project needs, anticipated impacts, and long-term ownership plans.
The goal for the dedicated fund is to raise $300,000 over three years ($100,000 per year) above TATT’s general operating budget. I am pleased to announce that we have kicked off the fund with a generous $10,000 contribution and are excited about this new opportunity to impact economic vitality and quality of life in the Upstate.
If you would like to learn more about helping TATT ignite the Upstate please click here or feel free to contact Dean directly to set up a time to get together.
Mar 4, 2020 | News
Jessica Miserendino
Developing a successful and fulfilling career takes years of intentionality and patience. The journey demands boldness, drive, and the faculty to find the joy in your day-to-day work. For better or worse, there’s no direct formula or pathway, but rather innumerable opportunities to advance yourself each step of the way.
An often overlooked resource when it comes to professional growth actually comes from outside the workplace. When looking for that next stepping stone in your career, consider getting involved within your community to take advantage of all of the professional and personal growth development options available. The Upstate is brimming with opportunities for personal growth that may be outside one’s normal work environment. Volunteering with local nonprofits is a great way to fulfill personal passions and goals, contributing to an overall sense of purpose and growth. Moreover, representing your company by serving on a nonprofit’s board can create networking opportunities and open doors to sharpen your leadership experience and public speaking.
Ken Peterson
Many also find that it’s helpful to surround themselves with like-minded individuals. Within your company, you may choose to find a mentor who can help you navigate your organization, as well as the ins and outs of the industry. As someone who has more experience than you, your mentor can help ensure you’re on the right trajectory, introduce opportunities for growth, and advocate on your behalf.
Others find that it’s helpful to speak with people closer to their own age. That’s one reason companies in the Upstate have recognized the benefits of young professionals groups, or community- or company-sponsored groups that allow for social engagement, professional development, and community involvement. These groups afford their members growth opportunities, allowing collaboration and creativity to flourish as each individual member is encouraged to contribute to the overall goal of the group. For example, Ten at the Top hosts an annual event called Pique that facilitates a gathering of Upstate young professional groups in order to “pique their interests for impacting our community and region.”
Not only do community engagement groups and mentorships like these allow you to strengthen your professional skills, but they provide a way to explore your interests. In doing so, you may discover passions or talents you weren’t aware of. They may inspire you to pursue an advancement you weren’t sure was right for you, or even to forgo a pay increase and move laterally within your company to develop a new skillset. In some cases, people may even switch industries in order to advance themselves and follow their passions. Regardless, exploring opportunities for growth requires a level of vulnerability and a leap of faith, but keep in mind that personal fulfillment should grow alongside professional advancement.
It’s also important to realize that not all companies have defined career paths, and in navigating yours, don’t wait for it to be outlined for you. Be clear with your managers about what you want, but don’t rush into a role just because the pay is greater or the title more “impressive.” Understand from your managers and mentors how they got to where they are, and meanwhile, become an expert in the job you have. If you fail to focus your energy in the right place, you may tarnish your reputation in your own role.
As you work to advance yourself, remember that your career isn’t just about the destination. Remain open to new possibilities and unexplored avenues, be bold in your dreams and your asks, and remember that the people most apt to help you are in your own backyard and workplace.
For more details about Pique, click here.
Ken Peterson is Senior Director of Human Resources at Greenville-based ScanSource, Inc. with 18 years of Human Resources experience and 12 years of Operations experience. He will be serving as a panelist at this year’s Pique young professional conference.
Jessica Miserendino is Import Manager at Duncan-based AFL and serves on the board of directors for Ten at the Top. She has also served as Professional Development committee chair for AFL’s Young Professionals group for the last 3 years.
Feb 28, 2020 | News
by Dean Hybl, Executive Director, Ten at the Top
The beginning of a new decade always provides an opportunity to look ahead and forecast what issues and opportunities are on the horizon.
As we exit a decade that began with 11+ percent unemployment in South Carolina and enter one with an unemployment rate under 3 percent, there is no
College students training at BMW Manufacturing
question that our priorities and areas of focus for 2020 and beyond will be quite different than they were ten years ago.
Over the last couple of years, we have started to see a shift from a primary focus on attracting jobs for available workers to developing, attracting and retaining talent to fill available jobs. We also now must place greater emphasis on reducing the barriers to employment for people living in the Upstate who are unemployed or under-employed.
There are many barriers impacting the ability for some residents to succeed, but below are three of the primary ones:
- Transportation/Mobility
- Education/Skill Training
- Cost of Housing outpacing wage increases
While all three of these issues are critical and justifiably have many Upstate entities working to mitigate them, at Ten at the Top we have spent the last two years working most specifically around bringing together stakeholders from across the region to address issues around transportation and mobility.
It is estimated that 6% of all households in the Upstate (roughly 37,000 households) have no access to a vehicle. In Greenville County alone, 24% of all residents (roughly 125,000 people) reported that they have some challenges with securing dependable transportation to get to jobs, school or other locations.
With the unemployment rate now near a record low, this barrier to employment doesn’t just impact the individuals that do not have access to transportation, it impacts the entire Upstate economy.
Over the last decade the Upstate secured more than $17 billion in new corporate investment. The jobs created through that investment are a significant reason for our current low unemployment.
If we are to continue to grow the economy in the Upstate, removing lack of transportation as a barrier for potential employees is critical. In addition, mitigating congestion, regular road maintenance and enhancing the general movement of people and goods across the Upstate are other elements that must be addressed to holistically improve mobility in the region.
While studying the challenges here in the Upstate and looking at the approaches in other communities across the country, one thing has been certain: there is no silver bullet to fix transportation and mobility issues.
Instead, there is a need for a multiple front approach with different elements of mobility each playing a vital role in reaching success.
An essential action was taken in 2017 with the increase of the state gas tax to help ensure there is sufficient funding to repair and maintain roads within the state. However, that was simply the first step towards improving mobility.
Improving public transportation, providing regional transportation connectivity, utilizing technology to mitigate congestion and increasing opportunities for alternative transportation such as biking and walking are among the other elements needed to improve mobility and increase access to transportation.
Upstate Mobility Alliance Director Michael Hildebrand
One recommendation that came out of our study of mobility was the need for a convening group to connect the many different mobility efforts happening across the region. That has led to the creation of the Upstate Mobility Alliance, which officially began efforts in January following the hiring of Michael Hildebrand as the Alliance Director.
The role of the Mobility Alliance is to help continue to grow collaboration amongst the more than two dozen entities that play a role in the movement of people and goods across the Upstate so that we are maximizing the limited resources within our region and leveraging the capabilities of all who are part of our mobility spectrum.
As a sign of what is possible when we work together and our corporate partners invest in our region, the Michelin Corporate Foundation has committed $825,000 to enhance mobility in the Upstate through a grant awarded to the Upstate Mobility Alliance and Greenlink to help support increased access to public transportation.
It is our hope and expectation that this will be just the first of many announcements in the near future of how we can leverage public-private partnerships to reduce access to transportation as a barrier to economic success for all individuals and businesses in the Upstate.
Check out the Upstate Mobility Alliance (www.UpstateMobilityAlliance.org) to learn how you can become involved in enhancing mobility in the Upstate.
Feb 26, 2020 | News
The month of March is Upstate International Month, with events across the Upstate celebrating various aspects of cultures across the world—from food to 
film to festivals. The events range from large ticketed events at the Peace Center and other venues to smaller, more intimate gatherings, so there’s something for everyone to explore.
All told, there will be around 100 events hosted by 50-60 businesses and organizations throughout the month of March. The host organizations partner with Upstate International, using the UI branding and theme (“Fun on a Global Scale!”) for their events, which UI then promotes.
The events are meant to highlight the beautiful diversity that exists among various cultures around the world, but Upstate International as an organization exists, in part, to shine a spotlight on the ethnic diversity that exists right here in the Upstate.
“As we enter into the 8th consecutive year of our month-long celebration each March, we are delighted by the continuing participation of our regular event hosts while excited by new partnerships and new events,” says UI executive director Tracie Frese. “The longevity of our UI Month is proof of its value.”
This year’s kickoff fundraising event is a sold-out international murder mystery night, “Murder on a Train” on February 28th—but even if you didn’t manage to snag a ticket to that event, there will be plenty of opportunities to celebrate UI Month.
Here is a sampling of the events:
Check out Upstate International’s calendar for a full listing of all of the UI Month events, as well as the UpstateVibe365 calendar.
