June 9, 2022
Columbia Chamber Graduates 61 Midlands Leaders
Chamber Spotlight, Leadership Columbia, Press Release
Columbia Chamber Graduates 61 Midlands Leaders
61 Participants in the Chamber’s Leadership Columbia Program Honored at Graduation Ceremony
On Tuesday, June 7, 2022 at the Columbia Museum of Art, the Columbia Chamber and the Leadership Columbia Advisory Board (LCAB) honored 61 graduates of the Leadership Columbia program. The Class of 2022 completed an orientation, a retreat, 10 class days and a class project with Transitions Homeless Center. Since its inception in 1972, Leadership Columbia has graduated over 2,000 leaders across the Midlands.
“For the past 49 years, Leadership Columbia has consistently provided the Midlands with dynamic leaders who are passionate about inspiring change in the community,” said Carl Blackstone, President and CEO of the Columbia Chamber. “The project the Class of 2022 has completed for the Transitions Homeless Center has set up future clients for success.”
In addition to presenting each graduate with a commemorative plaque, the Columbia Chamber and Leadership Columbia Advisory Board honored Nic Collins with Wolseley Industrial Group, with the Glenn Jacobus Award, an award given each year to a class member who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to the class project and truly embodies the role of a servant leader.
The Leadership Columbia Class of 2022:
| Dana | Austin | South Carolina Department of Education |
| Briana | Bateman | Office of United States Senator Tim Scott |
| Fran | Boyd | Renaissance Collegiate Academy |
| Daniel | Branham | W.O. Blackstone & Co., Inc. |
| Paige | Bryant | Foundry Commercial |
| Pamela | Bynoe-Reed | The COMET – Central Midlands Transit |
| Shawn | Caraballo | Palmetto Place Children and Youth Services |
| Nic | Collins | Wolseley Industrial Group |
| Ken | Corning | The Camp Cole Foundation |
| Coleman | Davis | Cypress Commercial & Investment Real Estate |
| Helen | Dennis | Experience Columbia SC |
| Lauren | Eckstrom | Oliver Gospel Mission |
| Mary Cothonneau | Eldridge | Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. |
| Angela | Emerson | Courtyard By Marriott – Cayce |
| Karlin | Ferguson | MUSC Health Kershaw Medical Center |
| Donnie | Fetner | Hood Construction Co., Inc. |
| Kim | Fuller | Central Carolina REALTORS® Association |
| Benjamin | Gaston | Midlands Technical College |
| Maureen | Grewe | UofSC – Office of the Dean of Students |
| Quantina | Haggwood | Richland County School District One |
| Chad | Hardaway | UofSC – Office of Economic Engagement |
| Jona’ | Hodges | The Law Firm of Carl B. Grant, P.A. |
| April | Jackson | Palmetto GBA |
| Caroline | Jackson | McGriff Insurance |
| Lonnie “Jimmy” | Jarvis | Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina |
| Alex | Johnson | Commercial Metals Company |
| Chandler | Jordan | South Carolina Council on Economic Education |
| Ebony | Kelly | City of Columbia |
| Casey | Kemmerer | Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina |
| Sarah | Landholt | Truist |
| Casey | Link | Colonial Life |
| Sherryl | Linkous | South Carolina Air National Guard |
| Adriane | McGillis | SSOE|Stevens & Wilkinson |
| Travis | McNeal | Oliver Gospel Mission |
| Kristina | Palmer | Columbia Museum of Art |
| David | Porth | Colonial Life |
| Kirsten | Pratt | South Carolina Technical College System |
| Crawford | Prezioso | Colliers International |
| Bradford “Jack” | Robinson | Thompson Turner Construction |
| Eric | Schelble | United Community Bank |
| Lindsey | Shealy | Cure Sanfilippo Foundation |
| Kelly | Simmons | Empowered To Win Consulting |
| Rhonda | Sims | The F.R.E.D. Team |
| Lincoln | Skalla | Diesel Laptops |
| Walker | Sojourner | Columbia Development Group, LLC |
| Richard “Blake” | Stancil | Thompson Turner Construction |
| Isabel | Steen | United Way of the Midlands |
| La’Jessica | Stringfellow | Robinson Gray Stepp & Laffitte, LLC |
| Meg Southern | Syms | Garvin Design Group |
| Eric | Tatum | Dominion Energy |
| Jonathon “David” | Thompson | South Carolina Air National Guard |
| Adam | Vance | Sound & Images, Inc. |
| Aubrey | Wall | St. Peter’s Catholic School |
| Courtney | Watson | FoodShare SC |
| Lee Ann | Watson | South Carolina Human Affairs Commission |
| Cliff | Weatherman | Owen Steel Co. |
| Sarah | West | Find Great People |
| James | Williams | Sullivan Management |
| Ebony | Young | Shifting Solutions Consulting LLC |
| Lester | Young | Path2Redemption |
| Matthew | Zackon | Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP |
“There is a reason why the Chamber’s Leadership Columbia program is the region’s premier leadership development program,” said Shayla Merritt, 2021-2022 Leadership Columbia Advisory Board Chair. “From the world-class speakers to the unique program opportunities, each class walks away with a better understanding of what makes Columbia, SC so great. The level of dedication that this year’s class showed was truly unmatched. To say that they have left an impact would be putting it mildly. The work they accomplished together and the relationships they made are only a few of the achievements I hope they take with them. As we look to next year, the Board looks forward to cultivating a new group of leaders with the incoming Class of 2023.”
Leadership Columbia would not be possible without the support of the generous 2022 sponsors.
Leadership Columbia Presenting Sponsor:
BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina
Program Sponsors:
Coca-Cola Consolidated
Columbia Metropolitan Magazine
Class Day Sponsors:
Aflac
Columbia Museum of Art
Hood Construction
M.B. Kahn Construction
Peak Drift Brewing Company
Southern Way Catering
SSOE | Stevens & Wilkinson
Thompson Turner Construction
In-kind Sponsors:
Photo Bomb SC
Sound and Images
View PhotoBomb SC Graduation Clips
In August, the Columbia Chamber will announce the Leadership Columbia Class of 2023, which will be the 50th class in the program’s history.
About Leadership Columbia
Founded by the Columbia Chamber in 1972, Leadership Columbia strives to provide the community with an enduring source of diverse leaders who are prepared to serve their region. The 10-month skills-building program, aims to identify and motivate emerging community leaders; provide an educational experience with a strong emphasis on social and community awareness; and challenge participants to apply their talents within their community while providing an opportunity to become involved. The program focuses on showing the candidates an in-depth look at critical issues facing the Midlands.
For more information on Leadership Columbia, visit www.ColumbiaChamber.com or contact Leah Kelly at leadershipcolumbia@columbiachamber.com or (803) 733-1146.
About Columbia Chamber
The Columbia Chamber is a private, non-profit, Partner-driven organization comprised of 1,200 business enterprises, civic organizations, educational institutions and individuals in Calhoun, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lexington, Newberry and Richland counties. The Columbia Chamber serves as the voice of its Partners and the business community at large on matters of economic, educational, social, cultural and political concern, as well as supports and promotes the success of its Partners through networking, professional development, advocacy and leadership. The organization has represented the interests of the local business community since 1902.
To become a Partner or to learn more about the Columbia Chamber, as well as its events, programs and initiatives, visit www.ColumbiaChamber.com.