Mar 11, 2020 | Press releases, Staying on Top, Uncategorized
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.
Jan 16, 2020 | Staying on Top, Uncategorized, UpstateVibe365
In 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed into law a federal holiday honoring Martin Luther King, Jr., and it was observed for the first time on January 20, 1986. In 
1994, Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act, officially designating the holiday as a day of service—or, as the slogan says, “a day on, not a day off.”
Across the Upstate, communities are offering opportunities for service, along with other events that honor the legacy of Martin Luther King.
Spartanburg has a lot going on, with the City of Spartanburg sponsoring a Unity Week Celebration and the United Way of the Piedmont is serving as a repository for local organizations needing volunteers for MLK Day projects—once you click the link, you’ll see more than 30 service projects that you can sign up for.
United Way of Anderson has shifted their day of celebration and service to Saturday the 18th for their Dream Day—come with a group, and you’ll be paired with a partner organization that needs volunteers. Plus all participants will get a t-shirt!
Area colleges and universities also have plenty of opportunities for students to serve, as well as programs for the community to participate in: check out the events at Furman, Clemson, Greenville Tech, Lander University, Limestone College, and Anderson University.
Check out our calendar, too, for service opportunities and other MLK celebrations!
Jan 8, 2020 | Staying on Top, Uncategorized, UpstateVibe365
It’s a new year, and here’s a resolution suggestion for you: why not explore the Upstate and find something fun to do in a county you don’t get to very often?
Upstate Public Art, Studios, Galleries, Gardens & Historic Sites Map
The UpstateVibe365 calendar is a great resource for events across the Upstate, but in case you haven’t scrolled down to the bottom of the newsletter in a while, we also have resource maps for arts & culture sites as well as outdoor activity and recreation (and other things too, like resources for seniors and children; schools, colleges, and universities; local government offices; and the upstate business ecosystem).
Want to see what there is to do in Abbeville or Laurens County? Zoom in on the county to see what’s there. Want to find a museum or gallery you haven’t visited before? Just uncheck the categories you don’t want to see, and the categories you do want will be left on the map, making it easy to find what you want.
Upstate Performance Venues and Festivals
There are so many categories of arts and culture sites in the Upstate that we had to split them up into two maps! The first one contains historic sites, public art, green spaces/arboretums/gardens, gallery & exhibit spaces, museums, studios/workshops, and public landscape/fountains. The second contains indoor and outdoor performance venues, events and festivals, creative industry & cultural organizations, and farmers markets.
Some of those categories may not be what you immediately think of when you think of the arts—but taken together, they make Upstate communities more vibrant—drawing visitors, but also creating a place where people want to live. And if you think most of these places are concentrated in Greenville and Spartanburg, you may be surprised when you take a look at the maps!
Upstate Natural Beauty and Resources Map
If getting into the great outdoors beyond a city park is more your style, the Upstate Natural Beauty and Resources Map has got you covered—with public parks, trails, historical landmarks, farms, camping sites, birding locations, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, and other recreational areas. Whatever your outdoor interest, the Upstate delivers plenty of opportunities to explore.
So choose an event from the calendar, find a point of interest you never knew was there, or visit one of the many downtowns in our ten counties. You’ll find that there truly is something happening 365 days a year in the Upstate—and don’t forget to document your Upstate adventures on Instagram, using #UpstateVibe365!
Jan 7, 2020 | Press releases, Staying on Top, Uncategorized
Upstate, SC [January 6, 2020] – Ten at the Top (TATT) has announced the addition of Michael Hildebrand as the first Director of the Upstate Mobility Alliance, which has been created following the Connecting Our Future Mobility initiative.
A two-year effort coordinated by Ten at the Top that brought together transportation providers, business leaders, and nonprofit representatives around the issue of mobility in the Upstate, Connecting Our Future included the development of the Upstate Mobility Vision and identified a number of opportunities for collectively supporting mobility efforts across the region. Formation of the Upstate Mobility Alliance was a key recommendation provided during the process.
The Upstate Mobility Alliance Director will be a prominent voice illustrating the valuable role mobility plays in the overall success of the Upstate while also promoting collaboration and community investment around mobility initiatives. He will lead the daily operation of the Upstate Mobility Alliance, coordinate the efforts of the Alliance leadership team and strategic task forces, and work to advance the vision for improved transportation and mobility in the Upstate.
“We are excited to have Michael Hildebrand join our Upstate Mobility Alliance team,” says Keith Scott, director of Anderson’s Electric City Transit and co-chair of the Upstate Mobility Alliance’s leadership committee. “He will be a prominent voice illustrating the valuable role mobility plays in the overall success of the Upstate, while also promoting collaboration and community investment around mobility initiatives. Michael is highly motivated, engaging, and able to build connections with a wide range of stakeholders. The Upstate Mobility Alliance is looking forward to Michael helping us take our initiative to the next level of success.”
Though not a native of South Carolina, Hildebrand has spent his entire adult life in the region. He began a career in law enforcement with the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, working from a beat cop to the Lieutenant of Public Affairs. After fifteen years of service, Michael transitioned into the healthcare field, working as the Chief of Staff and Communications Director for the Greenville Health System, later Prisma Health. Additionally, Michael served as the President of the Greenville Health Authority and is on the board of the International Ballet. Hildebrand holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and an MBA in international management from Columbia Southern University.
About the Upstate Mobility Alliance
The Upstate Mobility Alliance is a coalition of public, private, and community partners who are committed to fulfilling the Upstate Mobility Vision. This vision is that the Upstate will be a vibrant and connected region, where transportation policy and investments promote innovation, sustainable development, and economic prosperity for all residents and businesses. The ultimate success for the Alliance will be an Upstate region with greater access to transportation choices for all residents and easy movement of people and goods across the region. Membership in the Upstate Mobility Alliance is open to any individual or organization in Upstate SC that shares the vision of creating a more vibrant and connected region.
For more information please visit www.UpstateMobilityAlliance.org.
Sep 25, 2019 | Elevate Upstate, Staying on Top, Uncategorized, UpstateVibe365
In 2018, Union’s Piedmont Physic Garden applied for an Elevate Upstate grant to help pay for a unique kind of festival: an art and music festival, but one that focuses on conservation and environmental awareness. For the first time in the five years that Hughes Investments had been awarding the grants, in addition to the winning projects, the PCC was awarded a matching grant of $3000 for the festival—and that was the impetus for raising the remaining funds ($1500 each from Union City Council and Union County Council) and getting the community behind the project.
Coie Switzer, director of the Piedmont Physic Garden, says, “We want to thank Ten at the Top and Hughes Investments for giving The Environmental Art and Music Festival its start. The $3,000 matching grant gave us the boost we needed to start this positive community vibrancy initiative in Union.”
In addition to the Piedmont Physic Garden, six other groups have come alongside to partner in this endeavor: USC-Union, Union County Tourism, Union County Arts Council, Union County Historical Society, Union Carnegie Library, and Union County Chamber of Commerce. The fruits of their labor will be realized this weekend, with the first-ever Environmental Art and Music Festival.
The festival celebrates Union County’s natural beauty and culture. It will take place in the heart of historic downtown Union, SC. The Vendor Village will take place on the campus of USC-Union’s Patrons Park, including food trucks and a mix of craftsmen, artists, and others whose works are based on sustaining natural products and resources. Click here to read more about it, from Linda Wilburn Weber of the PCC.
The festival will also include art exhibits at USC-Union’s Main Building, the Union County Museum, the Piedmont Physic Garden, the Union County Arts Council gallery and the Union Carnegie Library in addition to a Main Street Arts Stroll.
FREE outdoor music concerts will be held on Friday and Saturday nights at USC-Union’s Patron’s Park.
Schedule of Events
THURSDAY, SEPT. 26th Union County Arts Council 2019 Annual Art Exhibition Award Ceremony & Opening Reception @USC-Union Main Building 6 PM
FRIDAY, SEPT. 27th (All-DAY W/ EVENING CONCERT)
Vendor Village @ USC-Union’s Patrons Park 10 AM – 5 PM
UCAC 2019 Annual Art Exhibition @ USC-Union’s Main Building 10 AM – 5 PM
Sculpture Exhibit @ Piedmont Physic Garden 10 AM – 5 PM
Children and Teen Art Exhibit @ Union Carnegie Library 10 AM – 5 PM
Art Exhibit featuring Eola Dent at Union County Museum 10 AM – 5 PM
Art Exhibit featuring Thomas A. Tucker at UCAC Gallery 10 AM – 5 PM
Main Street Art Stroll 10 AM – 5 PM
Free Family-Friendly Bluegrass Concert featuring Tri County Express @ USC-Union’s Patrons Park 5 PM – 7 PM
Free Rock Concert featuring Dazed Renegade @USC-Union’s Patrons Park 7 PM – 9 PM
SATURDAY, SEPT. 28th (ALL-DAY W/ EVENING CONCERT)
Vendor Village @ USC-Union’s Patrons Park 10 AM – 5 PM
UCAC 2019 Annual Art Exhibition @ USC-Union’s Main Building 10 AM – 5 PM
Sculpture Exhibit @ Piedmont Physic Garden 10 AM – 5 PM
Children and Teen Art Exhibit @ Union Carnegie Library 10 AM – 5 PM
Art Exhibit featuring Eola Dent at Union County Museum 10 AM – 5 PM
Art Exhibit featuring Thomas A. Tucker at UCAC Gallery 10 AM – 5 PM
Main Street Art Stroll 10 AM – 5 PM
Live Music featuring Jordan Lawson 12 PM – 2 PM
Free concert featuring Nashville musician and Grammy nominated songwriter, Robert Arthur and Union band, QUEST @ USC-Union’s Patrons Park 7 PM – 9 PM
Sep 6, 2019 | Press releases, Staying on Top, Uncategorized
Position Title: Upstate Mobility Alliance Director
Status: Full-time, salaried, exempt position
Location: Office located in Greenville, South Carolina, but scope is the 10-county Upstate
Application Deadline: September 27, 2019
Who We Are:
Ten at the Top (TATT) is a regional organization that works to develop strategic partnerships and enhance the collective capacity across the 10-county Upstate South Carolina region on issues that impact economic vitality and quality of life.
In June 2017 TATT began convening a group of transportation service providers in the Upstate with the ultimate goal of enhancing the movement of people and goods across the region. This effort now includes public, private and nonprofit partners.
Over the last two years, the group has developed the Upstate Mobility Vision, identified specific mobility themes, and a set of actionable strategies to support the vision.
The first actionable strategy is to develop the Upstate Mobility Alliance, which will serve as the convening and coordinating entity for advancing the Upstate Mobility Vision. The Alliance includes interested stakeholders from the public, private and non-profit sectors and has a leadership team as well as four task forces.
Whom We Seek:
The Upstate Mobility Alliance Director will be a prominent voice illustrating the valuable role mobility plays in the overall success of the Upstate while also promoting collaboration and community investment around mobility initiatives. The successful candidate will be highly motivated, engaging, and able to build connections with a wide range of stakeholders. The Upstate Mobility Alliance Director is an external facing position, but will also have responsibility for program and task force management.
Ideal Experience:
As the lead staff member for the Upstate Mobility Alliance, the Director will have an interest in advancing mobility issues across the Upstate region. Additional requirements include:
- Minimum of five years of full-time experience at a management or supervisor level
- Proven track record of consensus building as well as developing and implementing initiatives that address specific objectives
- Experience in public speaking and articulating an organization’s mission and vision
- Ability to manage multiple projects or initiatives simultaneously
- Knowledge of South Carolina’s Upstate region with specific understanding of mobility and transportation in the region being desired, though not required
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office products (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
- Understanding of general government processes
- Knowledge of existing grants or other funding sources for transportation in South Carolina
- Experience writing briefings, strategy documents, initiative summaries and related materials
- Well organized and detail-oriented
- Bachelor’s Degree
Key responsibilities:
The Upstate Mobility Alliance Director will be a staff member of Ten at the Top and report to the TATT Executive Director. Responsibilities include:
- Lead day-to-day operations of the Upstate Mobility Alliance
- Coordinate the efforts of the Alliance Leadership Committee and Task Forces, to include: organizing meetings, working with the co-chairs on meeting content, facilitating meetings, and leading follow-up and next steps
- Participate in external mobility meetings and serve as the primary spokesperson representing the Upstate Mobility Alliance
- Conduct presentations and regular updates on the Upstate Mobility Alliance to interested stakeholders across the Upstate
- Develop and implement strategies to increase awareness of and participation in the Upstate Mobility Alliance
- Coordinate regional mobility events developed as part of the Upstate Mobility Alliance
- Build relationships with key stakeholders within the mobility network across the Upstate
- Project management of task force initiatives
- Communicate with the Ten at the Top Executive Director and Board of Directors on the progress of the Alliance
- Participate in fundraising activities to support the Alliance as needed
- Write reports, white papers, summaries and support material
- Provide content for and support the web site and social media platforms
- Write and coordinate the mailing of correspondence to funding partners and stakeholders across the Upstate
- Other duties as assigned
Personal Characteristics:
The successful Upstate Mobility Alliance Director candidate should be:
- An individual who believes in working across jurisdictional and stakeholder boundaries to address issues that impact our region
- Eager and able to learn, understand and work on a broad array of issues; reflective, with strong conceptual, critical, and creative thinking abilities
- Approachable, knowledgeable, and able to develop meaningful relationships with diverse stakeholders
- Comfortable receiving input from many sources and able to analyze and formulate disparate information into a sound, well-organized plan
- Professional with a demeanor demonstrating empathy, humility, respect, good judgment, cultural sensitivity and flexibility to represent the Alliance in diverse forums and organizational relationships
- Able to serve as both a “leader” and a “doer” in working with the leadership team and task forces to produce results-oriented outcomes\
- Flexibility to travel across the Upstate and participate in occasional evening meetings and events
Compensation:
Ten at the Top offers a competitive salary and benefits package including health insurance, paid vacation & holidays and a cell phone stipend. The expected salary range for this position is $75,000-$90,000, but will be finalized based on the experience of the selected candidate.
Application Process:
Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter to Dean Hybl, Executive Director, Ten at the Top at dhybl@tenatthetop.org. Resume and cover letter must be received by September 27, 2019. In your cover letter, please address the following questions: 1. Based on the job description, why are you a good fit for this position? 2. What appeals to you about being involved with achieving the vision of the Upstate Mobility Alliance? We anticipate conducting initial phone interviews with selected candidates followed by in-person interviews. Candidates will be notified by email of our acceptance or decline to schedule an initial phone interview by October 14th.
