Ten at the Top Executive Director Report – 2021 Mid-Year

Jul 21, 2021 | Staying on Top

Dean Hybl, Executive Director of Ten at the Top

As we reach the midway point of 2021, I think the saying “everything old is new again” seems to be quite appropriate.

After spending a year communicating virtually, interacting in-person is finally on the way back. Though it seemed a bit strange and uncomfortable at first, in recent weeks in-person gatherings have become more frequent and it has definitely been nice to handshake, fist-bump and hug after a year of focusing on not being on mute when talking during a virtual meeting.

Please click the image to see an enlarged graphic.

While we are starting to gravitate back to familiar territory, we certainly must remain diligent in relation to the ongoing threats from the COVID-19 pandemic.

If the last 16 months have taught me anything, it is that every situation is fluid and what seems set in stone today could be wiped out like a sandcastle on the beach by tomorrow.

As a non-profit focused on building regional capacity through collaboration and development of community partnerships, the last 16 months has certainly included logistical challenges, but also has proven to be a fruitful time for the development of partnerships that could have long-lasting impact in addressing key Upstate issues.

Since the pandemic began in March 2020, TATT has utilized multiple communication platforms to connect people, organizations and communities to resources and information. As a result of this intentional focus, TATT has engaged with more people through electronic communications and virtual platforms than in any previous period in the history of the organization.

In addition to focusing on connecting people to information, TATT has also continued to convene stakeholders from across the region to address issues impacting economic vitality and quality of life in the region.

During the first half of 2021, this focus has resulted in a number of specific community successes as well as deployment of regional resources and initiatives that are helping build capacity in multiple areas.

These include:

• Upstate Entrepreneur Ecosystem: Launched the Start-Grow Upstate regional website that serves as a searchable repository for services for someone looking to start or grow a business in the Upstate.
• Upstate Mobility Alliance: Supported efforts by Greenwood County to start on-demand public transit service in the county. Service began on July 1st.
  • Also working with Abbeville County and Cherokee County on developing public transit and Spartanburg County on ride-sharing program.
  • Launched new MOVE neighborhood program to promote multi-model mobility options within communities in the Upstate. Currently conducting pilot program in West Greenville.
• Upstate Professional Planners: Completed an analysis of the state-mandated comprehensive plans for the 10 Upstate counties as well as the cities of Greenville and Spartanburg.
• Creating a Safer Upstate: Coordinated “Have a Safe Summer” end of school year student-law enforcement engagements at 11 schools across the Upstate
  • Conducting a Survey of Upstate Police Departments to get inventory of Community Outreach efforts across the region.

There is no doubt that much has changed across our communities, state, country and globe over the last 16 months, but one thing that has not changed is the importance of working collaboratively to address issue that have components that are larger than can be addressed by individual communities, organizations or businesses. As we look forward to the second half of 2021, TATT will continue to cultivate a multi-teared approach where we use in-person meetings, workshops and activities, virtual meetings and electronic communications platforms to convene, connect and continue to grow the collective capacity of the Upstate region.

Transforming Communities Through Education

Jul 21, 2021 | Staying on Top

Galen DeHay, Ph.D., President of Tri-County Technical College

At Tri-County Technical College (TCTC), we use the transformative power of education to create opportunity for all. Our student success mission equips us to do this work, and we have the partnerships to provide our students equitable opportunities to meet their career and life aspirations. Simply put, we are our community’s college.

As our community’s college, we strive to be a solutions provider and to work collaboratively with others to solve our communities’ most pressing needs. Right now, one of our region’s most pressing needs is to recruit, educate and train a diverse pool of law enforcement officers.

To meet this need, the S.C. Technical College System partnered with the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy to develop the Police Pre-Academy Training Certificate. The new 14-week certificate program, which launches this fall, aims to increase the education level of law enforcement officers and create a new workforce pathway for the profession.

There are many benefits to having a college-educated police force. For example, college prepares police officers for the challenges they will face in the diverse and multicultural communities they serve. As a result, studies show officers are less likely to use force as a first option.

Second, colleges help students develop creative problem-solving skills. These types of skills lead to better community-oriented policing. So, instead of responding to crime only after it occurs, law enforcement officers are able to proactively develop solutions to the underlying causes of public safety problems.

Attending college can also lead to more intercultural awareness. Being exposed to other cultures enables students to develop an appreciation for and openness to diversity, which helps law enforcement officers in particular better relate to their community.

And, lastly, policing is complex. Those in charge are tasked with managing million-dollar budgets, operating training academies and overseeing hundreds of personnel. Strong leaders who can bring about meaningful change in their communities are needed now more than ever, and colleges are known to create the kinds of experiences that enable students to learn what it means to be a leader. 

In short, our state’s technical colleges are in a unique position to help law enforcement acquire the skills they need to not only do their job to the best of their ability but to build trust with the communities they are sworn to serve and protect.

Technical colleges like Tri-County are also in a unique position to bring diverse groups of people together to proactively discuss community issues and emerging law enforcement topics. Over the past eight months, we have initiated conversations between community leaders and law enforcement officials in Anderson County, Oconee County and Pickens County. We are also working with the Creating a Safer Upstate initiative to develop a series of community forums in the tri-county region that will allow residents and local law enforcement officials to come together and have a dialogue about what’s working well and what needs to be improved. If successful, these community forums could be replicated in other parts of the Upstate.

We are encouraged by the conversations we have had so far with community leaders and law enforcement officials and believe that the Upstate is on the right path to creating a safer community, a community where we work together to solve problems, a community where people respect and value the lives of all residents and law enforcement officers. These are goals we all share, and they are goals that can be achieved through the transformative power of education.

Galen DeHay, Ph.D., is president of Tri-County Technical College, a public, two-year community and technical college serving Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties in South Carolina. He is the fourth president to lead the college, which boasts the highest student success rate among two-year colleges in the state and ranks in the top one percent nationally for successful student transfers to four-year colleges and universities.

TATT Chat Recap – July 15, 2021

Jul 15, 2021 | Staying on Top

Special Guest Speaker

Emily Felt, SC Director of Energy Policy, Duke Energy

View a video recap here.

View the presentation here.

Resource Update

Brandon Worley, Executive Director, Upstate-Carolina Adaptive Golf, spoke about the Program:

• Established in Oct 2018
• What started as a college project has become a full program.
• Training at Clemson U; got some students involved.
• Started our first clinic in July 2019 at Top Golf
• Build camaraderie, socialization.
• Veterans, adults, and children
• Started with 4-5 participants; now 46 participants.
• Well over 50 trained volunteers.
• Provide opportunities to help others discover their opportunities.
• Mostly GVL, some in Clemson and Anderson
• We are pushing to Spartanburg (Mary Black Fdtn)
• We will work with anyone with physical limitations.

*Read Brandon’s article about the program here.

Learn more about the Program: https://ucagnow.org/

Michael Hildebrand, Director, Upstate Mobility Alliance, featured a few exciting projects ongoing:

• Greenwood started their new transportation service; 5 mi radius around Greenwood, mostly medical transports.
• Abbeville has sent a grant request in; hoping to start a service (mostly medical) as well.
• Also in Greenwood, they are discussing how van pools can attract and retain workers.
• Spartanburg is also doing great work with van pools. The city voted in June to use funds for a 2-year pilot program. They are recruiting companies now.

*Learn more about the Upstate Mobility Alliance: https://www.upstatemobilityalliance.org/

TATT Chat Recap – Events are Back!

Jun 25, 2021 | Staying on Top

Guest Speaker: Beth Paul, General Manager, Bon Secours Wellness Arena

View meeting recording here.

The Well is excited to be scheduling many events for the Upstate community. During the shutdown, they re-engineered the facility for safety and developed processes and policies for reopening.

With CARES funding from Greenville County, they created contactless ticketing, purchased PPE, increased the air quality, reimagined the live event experience, and redeveloped their business plan.

They served the community through graduations and hosted the first professional sports team (The Swamp Rabbits hockey team) to restart.

The future holds a diverse line-up of music, comedy, sports, family events, wrestling with a focus on the Latin and Black events. They forecast 120 events this year with a $60M impact on the region, not including Bassmasters and the NCAA tournament.

Regional partners are intrinsic to their success with many conversations and mutual decisions made in conjunction with The Greenville Drive, the Triumph, and the Peace Center.

There are many challenges in workforce development and the close nature of touring, gas prices, and supply chain issues.

Q: What is the current capacity?

A: From 25% in November, they have gradually increased to 100% today with the first potential full house in December with Eric Church.

Q: What are some air quality adjustments that were made?

A: Ionization through air handlers, pushing more fresh air, and developing zones for different areas.

Q: Are acts considering coming here or not, due to the pandemic?

A: Possibly, they are excited about new acts like Banda MS from Mexico on August 6. They have run out of dates already due to spreading out genres, for example, they plan 25 days between country acts.

Start-Grow Upstate Presentation

Please contact Erin Ouzts, Director of the Upstate Entrepreneur Ecosystem with questions or to schedule a demonstration for your organization.

Resource Update

Aileen Gallagher, Phoenix Center and The Family Effect

Greenville Country Center on Drug Abuse

In patient detox

Medical detox

Outpatient detox

They have psychiatrists from Prisma Health

Serenity Village – residential center for mothers

Over 60% of their clients are uninsured, no one is ever turned away even if they cannot afford to pay.

The Family Effect – They handle all the financial donations and volunteers.

Next month they will announce scholarship for outpatients who cannot afford treatment, it is a public fund.

Mobile prevention unit – mobile unit that can travel to educate people.