South Carolina's Silver Crescent Foundation Adds Four Business Leaders to Board

PRLog (Press Release) - Jan. 30, 2013 - The Silver Crescent Foundation, the South Carolina non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the vitality of South Carolina's manufacturing industry and educating citizens about rewarding career opportunities in manufacturing, has elected Greg Hillman, Fran Jones, Sam Patrick and Ken Scarlett to three year terms on its board of directors.

“Each of these individuals brings a wealth of experience, knowledge, and achievement in business and manufacturing-related activities to this board.” said Tony Smith, president of the Silver Crescent Foundation. “It is our good fortune to have their combined leadership and experience coming to bear on the initiatives that will increase the visibility of South Carolina’s manufacturing economy and encourage current and future generations of South Carolinians to consider rewarding careers in manufacturing.”

Greg Hillman is Director of SC Launch, Inc., a private 501(c)(3) affiliate of SCRA and a key program of SCRA's Technology Ventures Division.  Since joining SCRA in 2007, Mr. Hillman and the SC Launch Team have reviewed hundreds of technology company applicants, ushered over 200 candidates successfully into the Program as Clients and mentored the 55+ Portfolio companies in the program to obtain initial, follow-on or external funding.  Prior professional roles include those of corporate executive, technical management and system engineering with Computer Sciences Corporation Consulting Division, DuPont, Photopolymers and Electronic Materials Division, Cincinnati Bell, Electronic Data Systems, and as founder and CEO of Integrated Business Solutions, Inc. as well as service in the USAF.  He holds a B.A. in Management from Park University and an M.B.A. in Economics and Finance from the University of Utah.

Fran R. Jones is Vice President of Administrative Services for Bridgestone America’s new $900 million Off Road Tire Plant in Aiken, South Carolina.  She began her Bridgestone career in 1990 at a green field tire manufacturing start-up in Warren County, TN. With Bridgestone she has held positions including Human Resources Service Leader for the Aiken PSR Plant, Vice President, Human Resources & Talent Management for BATO North America as well as Vice President, Human Resources Business Partners before assuming her current position.  In her current capacity, Fran is responsible for the human resources, community and government relations, training and development, transportation services, and contractor management for the new plant.  She holds a B.A. in Management and Human Resources and an M.B.A. from Trevecca University in Nashville, and is a member of the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) holding both PHR and GPHR certifications.

Sam Patrick is President of Patrick Marketing & Communications, Inc. of Greenville.  His varied marketing career includes time with both national advertising agencies and in corporate marketing, including work with some of America’s best-known brands including DOW, Publix Super Markets, SouthTrust Corporation/Wachovia, Datastream Systems, and State of South Carolina Tourism.  He is active with the American Advertising Federation, South Carolina Association of CPAs, Association for Accounting Marketing, Senior Action of Greenville County, Greenville Area Development Corporation, and numerous economic development organizations across the Palmetto State.  He holds a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Georgia.

Ken Scarlett is President and CEO of Scarlett Surveys International, The Survey Company®.  Since 1985, Mr. Scarlett has built Scarlett Surveys to be a worldwide leader in the employee engagement survey and management consulting industry serving Fortune 1000 companies, and has authored or co-authored numerous articles, white papers and books pertaining to Employee Engagement and Engagement Leadership. Scarlett Surveys celebrates 50 years in business having surveyed over 15 million employees worldwide with their best practice AER™ Employee Engagement Survey System which ensures business sustainability and leadership excellence. Ken  is an active member of the Society for Human Resource Management  (SHRM)  past chairman of the Greenville County Education Task Force, and past member of the Leadership Greenville Board of Regents.  He holds a B.S. in Business Management from the University of South Carolina.

The new directors join returning directors including Gary Foster, President of Automation Engineering Corporation; Shirley Johnson, manager of Contract Compliance & Controls for SCANA; Oscar Prioleau, retired from Prioleau Steel; and Michael Rose of Bridgestone Firestone.  

“We are pleased to have these four leaders join our organization as we strive to promote the continued importance of manufacturing in South Carolina, and to encourage more young people to consider careers in manufacturing,” said Silver Crescent Foundation Board Vice Chair Mike Rose. “Their interest in young people and concern for developing the state’s future workforce supports our mission, and we welcome them to the board.”

The Silver Crescent Foundation promotes manufacturing excellence, vitality and career opportunities across South Carolina through events including the annual Salute to Manufacturing (http://www.salutetomanufacturing.org/), sharing of best practices, camps, scholarships and grassroots school involvement. The Foundation is committed to helping people of all ages and backgrounds discover manufacturing as a preferred career choice to help build a solid economic future. To learn more, visit www.silvercrescentsc.org.

The Silver Crescent Foundation collaborates with nonprofit organizations, business leaders, institutions of higher learning and public school systems to help young people understand the fundamental connections between engineering and technological innovation and a high standard of living. By encouraging young people to pursue math and science studies so they may become the manufacturing leaders of tomorrow, the Foundation is trying to ensure the state's workforce pipeline will remain filled with the highly skilled workers South Carolina needs to remain competitive.  Learn more at www.SilverCrescentSC.org.

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