Aug 17, 2015 | News
Upstate, SC [August 17, 2015] – Ten at the Top (TATT) will focus the third Our Upstate Vision Forum of 2015 on the topic of Growing Economic Vibrancy in Downtowns and Rural Communities. The September 22nd forum, to be held at USC Upstate in Spartanburg, will feature Ed McMahon, Senior Fellow for Sustainable Development with the Urban Land Institute (ULI), as the keynote speaker.
McMahon leads ULI’s worldwide efforts to conduct research and educational activities related to environmentally sensitive development policies and practices. He is also a senior staff adviser for ULI’s Building Healthy Places Initiative, and is a sought-after speaker and thinker on health and real estate.
McMahon’s presentation “The Economics of Uniqueness” will focus on the idea that communities who are not able to differentiate and distinguish themselves from others have no competitive advantage. The forum will also include presentations from the Lower Savannah Council of Governments and the town of Pendleton to highlight work being done to use built environment and community initiatives to increase vibrancy and sense of place to better set the region apart.
This forum is a part of the Shaping Our Future Speaker Series in partnership with Upstate Forever, Ten at the Top, the Riley Institute at Furman University, the Greater Greenville Association of Realtors and the Upstate SC Alliance. The goal of the series is to inspire dialogue regarding the connections between land use decisions, transportation options, housing choices and quality of life. This is also the third event in Upstate Forever’s 2015 Active Living Event Series sponsored primarily by the Mary Black Foundation. The series is designed to encourage community dialog about policies and infrastructure to support active, healthy communities.
The forum is being held from 3:00-5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 22nd at USC Upstate – Sansbury Campus Life Center (800 University Way, Spartanburg, SC 29303) with a networking reception to immediately follow the forum. The cost to attend is $10 and advance registration is required. Register at www.tenatthetop.org. For more information call 864.283.2313.
Greenlink Transit will also be providing complimentary transportation for any interested guests to and from Greenville. The bus will depart from Greenville County Square (301 University Ridge, Greenville, SC) at 2PM and return at approximately 6:30PM.
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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Jul 6, 2015 | News
Upstate, SC [July 6, 2015] –Ten at the Top (TATT), a non-profit organization created to foster collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that enhance economic vitality and quality of life in South Carolina’s Upstate region, has released its 2015 Mid-Year Report. Through the first six months of 2015, the organization conducted 57 regional forums, meetings, presentations and programs with 2,004 participants from across the Upstate region. This marks the busiest six month stretch since the organization started its full-time efforts in 2010.
“This has been the busiest six month period for Ten at the Top,” said Executive Director Dean Hybl, “but I think it has also been our most successful in terms of seeing long-term regional efforts starting to take shape and make an impact across the Upstate.
“More leaders from across the region are recognizing the importance of building partnerships that grow capacity and maximize resources. Continuing to grow this spirit of collaboration and cooperation will have a tremendous positive long-term impact for the region.”
Among the regional engagements have been 32 committee or task force meetings with more than 500 individuals currently participating on Ten at the Top task forces and committees or as TATT Board Members.
One of the primary roles of Ten at the Top is to connect stakeholders from across the Upstate region to grow relationships and identify opportunities for cross-jurisdictional and cross-sector collaboration. The current focus of TATT’s volunteers and regional partners include the following initiatives:
• Building a regional Child Well-Being Network of providers, volunteers and elected officials to help ensure that all children have optimal opportunities to achieve success
• Supporting the development of a regional Food System Strategy focused on building local capacity around the primary areas of food production, processing and market
• Developing a consistent regional message around the WorkKeys Workforce Development initiative
• Creating regional “How To Guides” to help communities enhance their community vibrancy
In addition, so far in 2015 Ten at the Top and other partners have hosted three regional forums, two Upstate Elected Officials Meetings and the first-ever Upstate Superintendents & School Boards Meeting. The topics for these sessions have included transportation & infrastructure, education and land use development patterns. TATT also started the “Getting to Know the Upstate” Bus Tours in 2015 and more than 50 people have participated in day-long trips to Greenwood and Union. Additional trips are planned later this year to Laurens and Oconee.
The full Ten at the Top Mid-Year Report is available on the TATT web site.
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Jun 22, 2015 | News
Upstate, SC [June 22, 2015] – Applications are now being accepted for the 2015 Hughes Investments Elevate Upstate Community Vibrancy Grants, which are designed to provide communities in the Upstate with seed money to help develop a local initiative that promotes community or economic vibrancy. The grant program was established in 2013 by Ten at the Top (TATT) utilizing a funding commitment from Phil Hughes and Hughes Investments Inc. In 2015 two grants will be awarded with each project receiving up to $5,000 in grant support.
Organizations eligible to apply for the funding support include neighborhood associations, civic or community based organizations, non-profit organizations or local governments that are committed to developing and implementing programs designed to increase local vibrancy in communities within the Upstate.
In 2014, the second year of the program, grants were awarded to Let’s Keep Travelers Rest Beautiful to implement a series of ‘Before I Die’ Walls in the community and to Main Street Laurens to begin Finally Friday on the Square, a monthly celebration of music in historic downtown.
Applicants must be located in and do their work within communities in one of the ten Upstate counties: Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg, or Union. Successful proposals for projects funded with Elevate Upstate grants should be able to clearly demonstrate how the implementation of the initiative that they propose will benefit and provide vibrancy in the local community. These proposals may seek to produce a physical result, such as a mural, sculpture or signage that will increase the vibrancy and sense of place within a community, or implement the first of a reoccurring or annual event or program that helps grow vibrancy within a community.
The applications are now available on the Ten at the Top website (https://tenatthetop.org/elevate-upstate-grants). Interested candidates are asked to complete an interest form by August 1st and the completed applications are due by September 15th. Interest forms and completed applications can be sent to Dean Hybl (dhybl@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 build regional trust 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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May 26, 2015 | News
Upstate, SC [May 26, 2015] – Ten at the Top (TATT) will focus the second Our Upstate Vision Forum of 2015 on the topic of Innovation and the Changing Landscape of Healthcare. The June 2nd forum will feature the President and CEO of the South Carolina Hospital Association, Thornton Kirby, as the keynote speaker. In addition, the session will
include panel discussions focused on “Advances and Changes in Care Process” and “Innovations in Medical Sciences”.
Thornton Kirby has served as the President and CEO of the South Carolina Hospital Association since 2005. In that role he interacts with hospital CEO’s, physicians, state and federal legislators, agency heads, business leaders, and educators to represent our state’s hospital community.
The Upstate region is focused on being recognized today and into the future as a leading place for healthcare and innovation. Panelists who will share on some of the things happening across the region include:
Advances and Changes in Care Process:
Howard Einstein: Principal, Rosenfeld Einstein
Dr. David Isenhower: Chief Medical Informatics Officer, Self Regional Health System
Dr. Saria Saccocio: Chief Medical Officer, Senior Vice President/Medical Affairs, Bon Secours St. Francis Health System
Dr. Angelo Sinopoli: Vice President of Clinical Integration and Chief Medical Officer, Greenville Health System
Innovations in Medical Sciences:
Michael Bolick: Chief Executive Officer, Selah Genomics
Matt Gevaert: Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Kiyatec, Inc.
Dr. Melanie Thomas: Associate Center Director for Experimental Therapeutics, Gibbs Cancer Center
The forum is being held from 3:00-5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 2nd at The Crowne Plaza (851 Congaree Road, Greenville, SC 29607) with a networking reception to immediately follow the forum. The cost to attend is $10 and advance registration is required. Register at www.tenatthetop.org. For more information call 864.283.2313.
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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Apr 13, 2015 | News
Upstate, SC [April 13, 2015] –Ten at the Top (TATT), a non-profit organization created to foster collaboration and planning in South Carolina’s Upstate region, has announced its new board members for the 2015-2017 term. They join existing members to form the governing board for the 10-county non-profit organization.
New members of the Ten at the Top Board of Directors are:
Ann Angermeier, Upstate Workforce Investment Board
Paul Cain, Oconee County Council
Pamela Christopher, Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce
Brett Dalton, Clemson University
Teri Gilstrap, Anderson County Economic Development
Cindy Hopkins, Greater Easley Chamber of Commerce
John Lummus, Upstate SC Alliance
Denise Manley, United Way of Greenwood & Abbeville Counties
Lisa McWherter, Southern Wesleyan University
David Owens, Mayor, City of Pickens
David Pitts, Laurens County Council
Bob Romine, WSPA-TV
Walker Smith, Bon Secours St. Francis Health System
Jeanne Ward, GHS Oconee Medical Campus (founding board member returning to active role)
Evans Whitaker, Anderson University
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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Mar 27, 2015 | News
Upstate, SC [March 25, 2015] – Ten at the Top (TATT) will focus the first Our Upstate Vision Forum of 2015 on the topic of Transportation and Infrastructure. The April 9th forum will feature former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell to discuss how and why it is crucial for regions across the country to overcome the failure to act when it comes to investing in transportation and infrastructure.
After 34 years of public service, including 24 as an elected official, Governor Rendell continues to pursue many of the same issues he was passionate about while serving as Mayor of the City of Philadelphia (1992-2000) and Governor of the State of Pennsylvania (2003-2011). His commitment to making America a cleaner, more efficient place and to fostering investment in our nation’s crumbling infrastructure remains strong. Among his current endeavors, Governor Rendell serves along with former Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger as co-chairs of Building America’s Future, a bipartisan coalition of elected officials dedicated to bringing about a new era of U.S. investment in infrastructure that enhances our nation’s prosperity and quality of life.
The program will also include Greg DiLoreto, former chairman of the American Society of Civil Engineers, who will share some examples of communities across the country who are working collaboratively to address their transportation challenges. In addition, Keith Scott from Electric City Transit and Mark Rickards from Greenlink will provide a local view on transit opportunities and challenges here in the Upstate.
This is the first of the Ten at the Top/Our Upstate Vision Forums for 2015 and also is serving as the kickoff of a four-part Shaping Our Future Series that is being coordinated through a partnership that includes Upstate Forever, the Upstate SC Alliance, the Riley Institute at Furman University, the Greater Greenville Association of Realtors, Ten at the Top and other organizations, serving as partners for specific programs within the series, to look at issues impacting current and future growth in the Upstate.
The forum, which is open to the public, is being held from 3:00-5:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 9th at The Greenville Marriott (1 Parkway East, Greenville, SC 29615) with a networking reception to immediately follow the forum. The cost to attend is $10 and advance registration is required. Register at www.tenatthetop.org Registration deadline is April 7th. For more information contact Ten at the Top at 864.283.2313.
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 build regional trust 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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