With three weeks until Ten at the Top hosts its Upstate Regional Summit, “Re-Checking Our Reality,” the event has drawn more than 65 sponsors and 800 expected attendees from all 10 counties of the Upstate. The organization has released its slate of confirmed panelists for the event, which is being held on Tuesday, Sept. 16, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the TD Convention Center in Greenville.
WSPA-TV anchor Amy Wood will be emcee of the summit. Glenda Hood, former mayor of Orlando, Fla., former Florida secretary of state, and founding partner of strategic consulting firm triSect LLC, will be keynote speaker.
Hood will discuss collaborative efforts in other regions across the nation and globally, and what the Upstate can do to ensure it remains competitive in the global economy while also continuing to enhance the quality of life for local residents, said event organizers.
Opening Session: 9-10 a.m.
- Amy Wood – Anchor, WSPA (emcee of the summit)
- Carol Burdette – Board Chair, Ten at the Top and Chief Professional Officer, United Way of Anderson County
- Irv Welling III – Founding Board Chair, Ten at the Top
- Neal Workman – Immediate Past Board Chair, Ten at the Top and Chairman of the Board, Trehel Corporation
- Sue Schneider – Second Vice Chair, Ten at the Top and CEO, Spartanburg Water
- Dean Hybl – Executive Director, Ten at the Top
Breakout Sessions: Idea Generation Exercise 10:00-11:45 am, Panel Discussions 10:50-11:45 am
Breakout Session: Community Vibrancy
- Knox White – Mayor, City of Greenville
- Suzette Cross – Executive Director, Blue Ridge Arts Council
- Abe Goldberg – Professor, USC Upstate (moderator)
Breakout Session: Economic & Entrepreneurial Vitality
- John Warner – President, Innoventure
- A. J. Kramer – Commercial Relationship Manager, TD Bank
- Gustavo Nieves – Government Affairs Director,South Carolina Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
- Erin Ouzts – Director, Center for Innovation and Business Engagement, USC Upstate
- Jim Price – Member, Nexsen Pruet (moderator)
Breakout Session: Human Potential
- Stan Means – President, Elder Source Senior Ministries
- Peggy Baxter – Community Advocate
- Zach Eikenberry – Chairman, NEXT High School
- Paul Corbeil – Vice Chairman, Oconee County Council (co-moderator)
- Karen Burgess – President, Brown Mackie College (co-moderator)
Breakout Session: Sustainable Growth
- Fred Cartwright – Executive Director, CU-ICAR
- Stephanie Monroe – City Administrator, City of Woodruff
- Scott Park – Principal Planner, Greenville County Department of Planning and Code Compliance
- Barry Nocks – Professor, Graduate Program in City and Regional Planning, Clemson University (moderator)
Breakout Session: Natural Beauty & Resources
- Phil Hughes – President, Hughes Investments
- Kevin Laird – Engineer, Goodwyn Mills & Cawood
- Ed Bruce – Lead Engineer, Duke Energy
- Dyke Spencer – Executive Director, Powdersville Water (moderator)
Luncheon: 12:00 – 1:30 pm
- Fred Cartwright – Executive Director, CU-ICAR
- Glenda Hood – Partner, triSect LLC (keynote speaker of the summit)
- Hank McCullough – First Vice Chair, Ten at the Top and Senior Manager of Government Relations, Piedmont Natural Gas
Additional speakers and panelists will be confirmed before the summit, organizers say.
