If you’ve spent the time we hope you have with this week’s special issue of UBJ, you’ve learned something new about the eight charter winners of our annual Who’s Who awards – and been reminded again of what an impact they have had on the Greenville community.
We won’t shy away from the obvious: You’ve probably seen most of these names before. Most of this inaugural class are people whose shelves are cluttered with awards and hardly need the PR associated with yet one more. We anticipate that will be less the case next year. But as others have noted in these pages, these winners are winners because they take service above and beyond their professional roles.
When our panel sat down to select this year’s winners, they had a very specific set of criteria. Each Who’s Who winner had to have made an economic impact on the Upstate, and had to go beyond the strict confines of their job descriptions – traveling the extra mile to make a difference. Who’s Who winners would never be off the clock. When they’re not in the office, we look for them to be out in the community, making connections and doing whatever they can to make the Upstate a better place to live, work and play. They’re willing to invest in their city.
Greenville is an entrepreneurial city, with an unparalleled gift for pairing government and private enterprise in progressive ways that have made downtown a showcase and won the city national acclaim. And this spirit has spread throughout the Upstate.
Who’s Who winners are also not afraid to get out of their comfort zones, to walk out of the well-worn paths that others in their industry or life position have worn down before them. They know that to make positive change, we’ve got to get a conversation started between people who wouldn’t ordinarily be in the same room. How do we get the Poinsett Club crowd to talk with the millennial professionals in PULSE, for instance? That’s where we learn. That’s where we grow.
So who will be in the Who’s Who class of 2015? That’s up to you. Keep your eyes and ears open for those who are out in the community outside of office hours, putting their resources and time behind making their town greater – walking the walk, not just talking the talk. Better yet, get out and do it yourself. We’ll see you here next year.
