Feb 8, 2016 | News
Greenville, SC [January 8, 2016] – Ten at the Top (TATT) will host the PIQUE, an event focusing on the collaboration and connection of young professionals in the ten county Upstate, which includes Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg, and Union counties. The March 7th program, to be held in downtown Greenville and will feature three workshops, a panel discussion on regionalism and community involvement, and several networking opportunities.
The millennial generation (ages 21-39) is quickly surpassing the Baby-Boomer generation and they will soon be our leaders. By offering valuable career and personal development opportunities, the PIQUE will open the doors of opportunity for future leaders of the Upstate to gather in one place to share ideas and discuss how to work collaboratively for the future.
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. The PIQUE hopes to foster collaboration and bridge the gaps between young professionals and the Upstates top executives.
Workshops such as “How to Market Yourself on Social Media” “Executive Networking,” and “How to Serve on a Board” will each be led by experts on the respective topics. Executives from a variety of fields across the Upstate including but not limited to Small Business, Education, Finance, Nonprofit, Government, and Community are participating in the PIQUE to answer questions and make connections with the future leaders of the Upstate.
The event is being held from 2:00-5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 7th at the Clemson One Building (1 N Main St, Greenville, SC 29601) with a reception to immediately follow that will include craft beer tastings, local food, and the opportunity to network. The cost to attend is $26 and space is limited. Register at www.thepique.org. For more information, contact Ashley Downing at 864-283-2317 or adowning@tenatthetop.org.
About Ten at the Top
Comprised of public, private and civic leaders from across the ten-county Upstate South Carolina Region, Ten at the Top was created to connect and encourage regional collaboration through data-driven research and regular convening of leaders and citizens to address key issues facing the region. Ten at the Top works with regional partners to foster collaboration and strategic planning to enhance the economic vitality and quality of life for Upstate residents both today and as the region continues to grow. For more information, visit www.tenatthetop.org.
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Jan 6, 2016 | News
Upstate, SC [January 7, 2016] –Ten at the Top (TATT), a non-profit organization created to foster collaboration and planning in South Carolina’s Upstate region, has announced its officers for 2016-2017.
Serving as officers for Ten at the Top for the next two years will be:
Chair: Hank McCullough, Senior Manager – Government Relations, Piedmont Natural Gas
First Vice Chair: Sue Schneider, General Manager, Spartanburg Water
Secretary: Terence Roberts, Mayor, City of Anderson
Treasurer: Erwin Maddrey, CEO, Maddrey & Associates
Development Co-Chairs: Rick Danner, Mayor, City of Greer & Jim Shew, Director, National Accounts at BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina
Immediate Past Chair: Carol Burdette, Chief Professional Officer, United Way of Anderson County
The TATT Board of Directors is composed of public, private and civic leaders from across the 10-county Upstate region. TATT board members are charged with representing the region and their community in fostering trust and collaboration across the region on issues of regional significance, serving as an advocate for regional thinking within their specific city or county, assisting TATT in engaging elected officials, business and community leaders, and supporting general organizational functions.
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Jan 4, 2016 | News
Upstate, SC [January 4, 2016] –Ten at the Top (TATT), a non-profit organization created to foster collaboration and strategic planning in South Carolina’s Upstate region, recently completed the busiest year since the organization was incorporated in 2009. During 2015, TATT conducted 102 regional forums, meetings, presentations, workshops and programs with more than 3,250 participants from across the Upstate region.
Since 2010, TATT has conducted 520 regional engagements with more than 26,000 total participants. The previous high-mark for engagements during a year was 97 set in 2013.
Illustrating TATT’s role as the Upstate’s regional convener and connector, 372 different businesses and organizations had representatives participating on TATT committees or task forces and/or providing funding support in 2015.
“There are a lot of businesses and organizations doing great things to make the Upstate a leading place to live and do business,” said TATT Executive Director Dean Hybl. “Through Ten at the Top, organizations and leaders from across the region are connecting with others working on similar issues with the goals of minimizing duplication, increasing collective capacity and growing collaboration and regional networks.”
TATT currently leads 24 task forces and committees where stakeholders from across the region are working together on regional opportunities to address issues including workforce & skill development, transportation & infrastructure, senior needs, education, air quality, child well-being and community vibrancy.
Notably, the Child Well-Being Network was formed in 2015 to ensure every child in the Upstate has an optimal opportunity for success. Four regional work groups focused on specific elements of child well-being are starting work in 2016 with the ultimate goal of having eight different work groups focusing on building regional capacity around elements of child well-being.
Also, in partnership with Feed & Seed, local farmers and others focused on growing local food capacity in the Upstate, the Regional Food System group has been working to build capacity at the product, process and market stages.
For the first time in 2015, TATT hosted “The Upstate Bus Tour… Getting to Know Our Neighbors.” Participants spent a day learning about economic development, education, community revitalization efforts, and more in Greenwood, Union, Laurens, and Oconee counties. Each county included unique stops, presentations, and information to highlight the county. Spending a day immersed in each county provides participants from across the region the opportunity to learn more about the strengths and challenges in the other counties within the Upstate.
In addition, TATT hosted four regional forums and partnered with other regional organizations to host two Upstate Elected Officials Meetings and two other Shaping Our Future forums. These regular sessions provide an opportunity for city, county and state elected officials and business leaders to come together to discuss key regional issues.
In 2016, Ten at the Top will continue the Upstate Regional Forum Series with two forums, each focused on a key issue impacting the Upstate region. In addition, the second Upstate Regional Summit will be held on September 13th at the TD Convention Center. The first summit, held in 2014, included more than 800 participants from across the Upstate. The topic for the 2016 forum is “Creating a Leading Region.” TATT will also continue the Upstate Bus Tours and host the first regional young leaders summit.
Information about TATT task forces, committees, upcoming events and how to become involved is available at www.tenatthetop.org.
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Nov 30, 2015 | News
Upstate, SC [November 30, 2015] – Phil Hughes, the President of Hughes Investments and a long-time supporter of community vibrancy efforts in the Upstate, has been recognized as the 2015 recipient of the Welling Award for Collaboration, which is presented by Ten at the Top (TATT) in honor of the organization’s founding chairman Irv Welling.
Welling presented the award to Mr. Hughes at the Our Upstate Vision/Ten at the Top Regional Forum on November 19th.
“What I would like to do more than anything if I possibly can, is to make this region good enough where my kids will want to come back.” Hughes said. “Thank you so very much for this honor.”
The Welling Award is given to recognize individuals, businesses, or organizations whose actions have demonstrated a sustained commitment and effort to developing and fostering regional collaboration(s) that work strategically to make the Upstate one of the best places to live, learn, do business and raise a family.
“He’s [Phil] not someone who does anything without doing it fully. He’s been a very strong contributor and supporter of all our efforts,” Welling said. “He’s put his money where his mouth is. He has made contributions that have helped throughout the whole region in various substantive ways.”
In 2013, Hughes started the Elevate Upstate Community Vibrancy Grants Program, which provides funding support to communities across the region to help them grow the sense of place and local vibrancy within their communities. Over the last three years, 12 communities have received grants totaling $43,000 in support.
Hughes is a founding board member of Ten at the Top and has served as a member of the Executive Committee. He also currently serves as the South Carolina Chairman for the Urban Land Institute (ULI).
Ten at the Top is a regional collaboration organization focused on promoting collaboration, partnerships and strategic planning across the Upstate on issues that impact economic vitality and quality of life in the ten-county region. Welling served as chairman of Ten at the Top from its founding in 2005 through 2011.
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Nov 23, 2015 | News
Upstate, SC [November 23, 2015] – Ten at the Top (TATT), an organization created to enhance economic vitality and quality of life across the Upstate by fostering collaboration and strategic partnerships has announced the recipients for the 2015 Hughes Investments Elevate Upstate Community Vibrancy Grants.
The program, which began in 2013, annually provides “seed funds” to support vibrancy initiatives in communities across the Upstate region. There were 26 applications for the 2015 grants and five finalists gave brief presentations before the selections were made during the Our Upstate Vision Forum on November 19th.
The commitment from Phil Hughes and Hughes Investments is to annually provide two grants of $5,000 each. However, for 2015, Hughes provided an additional $5,000 with the third grant being split amongst two communities.
The two $5,000 recipients are:
celebrate agriCULTURE: Greenwood – The Arts Council of Greenwood County plans to celebrate national farmers market week with several activities: tailored pieces of art to exhibit and family fun day focused on our agricultural heritage, cooking demonstrations, etc. throughout the six week celebration.
Music at the Museum: Greenville – In a partnership between the Children’s Museum of the Upstate and the Furman University Partners in the Arts Program, student and faculty ensembles will perform a series of mini concerts.
Two other finalists will receive $2,500 towards their project:
Art in the Park: Woodruff – The Woodruff Living Arts Festival will be a downtown event which will bring art to life in the Upstate.
Walkable Cultural District: Spartanburg – The Art Partnership (TAP) in collaboration with the Spartanburg Arts Museum (SAM) aims to create a temporary public art installation to uniquely launch the newly designated Spartanburg Downtown cultural District.
“The goal of the Elevate Upstate program is to get communities thinking about what types of initiatives or programs might help spark vibrancy within their area and then provide some seed money to get some of them started,” said Hughes Investments President Phil Hughes. “In the three years we have done this program, I have been amazed by the great ideas and passion of communities across the region to grow their vibrancy and sense of place. It was a real challenge to narrow the field to five finalists and to select the recipients.”
Nov 9, 2015 | News
Upstate, SC [November 9, 2015] – Ten at the Top (TATT), an organization created to foster collaboration, partnerships and strategic planning across the Upstate, has announced the finalists for the 2015 Hughes Investments Elevate Upstate Community Vibrancy Grants.
The five finalists were chosen from a total of 26 applications submitted for the two grants available in 2015. Hughes Investments is contributing $10,000 per year to the program with two recipients each year receiving $5,000 to support a new vibrancy initiative in the Upstate. The program began in 2013 in conjunction with a series of Community Vibrancy Workshops hosted by Ten at the Top.
“The goal of the Elevate Upstate program is to get communities thinking about what types of initiatives or programs might help spark vibrancy within their area and then provide some seed money to get some of them started,” said Hughes Investments President Phil Hughes. “In the two years we have done this program I have been amazed by the great ideas and passion of communities across the region to grow their vibrancy and sense of place. It was a real challenge to narrow the field to five finalists.”
During the Ten at the Top Regional Forum on November 19th the five finalists will each provide a brief overview of their initiative before the two 2015 recipients are selected and announced. The cost to attend the forum is $10, prior registration is required. The forum will be held from 3-5 pm at the Greenville Marriott. To register go to www.tenatthetop.org.
Here are the five finalists (applying organization and project name):
Art in the Park: Woodruff – The Woodruff Living Arts Festival will be a downtown event which will bring art to life in the Upstate.
Greer Made – A new project designed to honor Greer’s history and revitalize the maker’s spirit of our community, Greer Made will focus on highlighting companies and products that are made right here in the Greer area.
celebrate agriCULTURE: Greenwood – The Arts Council of Greenwood County plans to celebrate national farmers market week with several activities: tailored pieces of art to exhibit and family fun day focused on our agricultural heritage, cooking demonstrations, etc. throughout the six week celebration.
Music at the Museum: Greenville – In a partnership between the Children’s Museum of the Upstate and the Furman University Partners in the Arts Program, student and faculty ensembles will perform a series of mini concerts.
Walkable Cultural District: Spartanburg – The Art Partnership (TAP) in collaboration with the Spartanburg Arts Museum (SAM) aims to create a temporary public art installation to uniquely launch the newly designated Spartanburg Downtown cultural District.
The selection committee for the Elevate Upstate Grants Program includes Phil Hughes (President, Hughes Investments), Ingo Angermeier (SmartPulse), and Terence Roberts (Mayor, City of Anderson).
