12

That make
a difference

The
Greer Citizen
August 9,

2017
2 THE GREER CITIZEN PAGE LABEL WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2017

O Index of Recipients
ne person can make a difference, 12 That Make a Difference
and everyone should try.
John F. Kennedy spoke these words decades
ago, and they are still true today. Part of his legacy
was to convince people that public service was
worthwhile and necessary.
Brian Brigham.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Keith Kelly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
We live in a great city and in a great country, and
there are many who go about their everyday lives
working and making a difference in the lives of
others, often unnoticed.
Ed Driggers.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Tony Kouskolekas.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
In this special section, we recognize 12 people
in Greer who are making a difference in our
community. These men and women do more
than talk about making a difference, they do make
Mark Essex.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Chuck Langston.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
a difference.
They go beyond their jobs to give back to our
community and beyond, and for this we are
grateful. These individuals show us by their
Candice Good.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Jessica Monroe.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
actions how to make a community great.
We hope you enjoy these stories and if you have
the opportunity, please take time to thank these
individuals for making a difference in our
Junior Holder.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Cristy Ray.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
community.
Like these individuals, your life is your message
to the world, so why not choose to make sure its
inspiring.
Jennifer Jones.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Rosylin Weston.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Steve Blackwell
Publisher

Influences Winning them over

As Im getting older, Im really looking Connection Once people get to Greer, they realize
up to strong women who are satisfied I consider Greer the dash when what a great town it is and they want to
with their lives. Its encouraging to youre talking about Greenville and stay. - Brian Brigham
hear about powerful women who went Spartanburg.. - Rosylin Weston
through hell in life and came out the
other side. - Jessica Monroe

Best advice
Worth Repeating Standing on shoulders
There are numerous others who
have been instrumental in making
this community a fascinating place to
Try your best to not judge work, live, and worship. - Jennifer Jones
anybody because theres Making a difference
only one person qualified
to do that. - Keith Kelly Everybody can make a difference
in their community and it doesnt Food
take a lot of time. Just be kind and
help others. - Candice Good Weve got some great
Diehard local restaurants in Greer. You
dont have to go far to find
Ive been offered jobs all around Determination them. - Chuck Langston
if Id be willing to move, but I just There were plenty of times
never would. I was just born and early on in the business where
raised in Greer and I guess Ill die I couldve quit, but we just stuck
in Greer. - Junior Holder with it. - Mark Essex
7WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2017 PAGE LABEL THE GREER CITIZEN 3

New storefront sets the standard on Trade Street

BY BILLY CANNADA
EDITOR
When Brian Brigham located
her business on Trade Street in
2015, she was joining a revitaliza-
tion trend that would lead to full
occupancy downtown.
During her two years in Greer,
the Greenville native has com-
pletely renovated a location at 201
Trade St., which is now known as
The Galleries of Brian Brigham.
I used to come (to downtown
Greer) and buy from a little couple
that had a shop on the other side
of the street, Brigham said. It
mightve just been a little end ta-
ble or something small, but I al-
ways checked them out. Its funny
to think now, here I am.
I grew up not even liking old
stuff, she said. But, when you
start dealing with it and finding
out the history and making dis-
coveries, thats when it becomes
addicting. Its a fun challenge to
mix antiques with modern de-
signs. I love showing people how
they can combine old and new,
and still make it look awesome.
Brigham is one of eight siblings,
but growing up in a big family
wasnt as hard as it might seem,
she said.
It was awesome, Brigham said.
Wed all shag together every Sun-
day in the living room. We fought
like cats and dogs, but the older
you get, the more awesome it is. I
love being with them. Everybody
lives here, so we get together of-
ten.
In 1990, after establishing a
presence in downtown Greenville,
Brigham opened her own busi-
ness.
Everywhere I went, I had to
move, she said. As I continued to
look for places, Greenville just be-
came more unaffordable. Thats
when I decided to make the move
to Greer, and I fell in love with it.
Growing and maintaining a
business has required a lot of pa-
tience and has led to plenty of
new relationships.
I like to develop a relationship
with people, because if you dont
know them, the decorating you
do will probably never be satisfac-
tory, she said. It would be my
taste and not theirs, and it needs
to be their taste. I really strive to
make the things that we do fit in
with their lifestyle and personality.
The downtown location offers
services such as: estate sales, dec-
orating and interior design.
Greer is even better now than
when I came here, Brigham said.
The traffic is picking up more and
more. Its like another Landruma
destination place for those that
might be wanting to visit Green-
ville. Once people get to Greer,
they realize what a great town it is
and they want to stay.

Brian Brigham
A graduate of Wade Hampton
High School, Brighams education
is in nursing. It wasnt until after
The Galleries of Brian Brigham
school that she realized she had a
knack for design.

Guiding Greer through transformation and growth

BY BILLY CANNADA
EDITOR
As Greer continues to grow, so
do the duties of its City Adminis-
trator, Ed Driggers.
The Lancaster native has been
serving the community for more
than 15 years, and making a dif-
ference has essentially become
part of his job description.
Youve got to be completely
committed, Driggers said. You
have to be committed to the com-
munity, committed to the team
that you work with, and believe in
what youre doing. It becomes
part of who you are. If youre go-
ing to make a difference, youve
got to want to make a difference.
where more people like being
here? Whatever those things are, it
has to be an intentional effort.
Through projects such as the
Community Master Plan, Greer has
seen significant change during
Driggers tenure.
To be a part of the redevelop-
ment of our downtown area, and
anchoring that with the park, our
city hall, police and courtsthose
are improvements that will be
here decades after Im gone, he
said. Downtown has been one of
the best examples of growth. Sev-
enteen years ago when I came
here, we were maybe at 30-40 per-
cent occupancy in our downtown
buildings. Today were at 100 per-
cent occupancy. It has just been a
I am a public servant and that is the
career that Ive chosen...You try really
hard to do the right things.
He was absolutely one of the the career that Ive chosen. As a
most intelligent people Ive ever public servant, it is our role to pro-
known. He was just the kind of vide services, and quality of life, to
person who could solve a prob- the people that are our residents.
lem. He did so much for others, You try really hard to do the right
and thats how he spent his life. things, Driggers said.
As the city administrator con- When I get to the end of my ca-
templates his own impact on the reer, Ill be able to look back and
community, he hopes to be able say I had the opportunity to have
to look back and take pride in some involvement in this, or this,
what has been accomplished. or this. Its very satisfying to say,
I am a public servant and that is theres a piece of me in that.

How do we make this a better
community? How do we make it a
better place? How do we make it
safer? How do we make it more
beautiful? How do we make it
Ed Driggers
huge transformation.
Over the years, Driggers has
drawn inspiration from his father,
City of Greer
Bill, who was a police officer and
U.S. military veteran.
HELLO, Greer .
Weve always been your neighbor . . .
Now, were family.
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As your community bank, we focus on what matters you!

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2017 PAGE LABEL THE GREER CITIZEN 5

Business owner finds success in downtown Greer

BY BILLY CANNADA
EDITOR
When Mark Essex saw his busi-
ness take off more than 10 years
ago, he decided to plant both his
home and work life in Greer.
Essex is the President and CEO of
Netalytics, a software develop-
ment company with a focus on
creating solutions for the behavior
health care industry.
Netalytics is best known for the
development of a complete soft-
ware package for opiate addiction
treatment facilities called Metha-
soft.
He and his wife, Karen, located
the business in downtown Green-
What started out as four to six
people has grown to about 27, he
said. Its been an interesting task
because, up until the last two
years, the opioid epidemic wasnt
really in the mainstream. During
the first few years, I didnt sleep
very well because of the financial
side of things, but now that weve
gotten into more stable territory, I
can step back and say How do we
take this to the next level?
The couple has since construct-
ed a new home downtown and
renovated a building for office
space.
While its been interesting to
see it grow, it still has a lot more
room to grow, he said.
Essex said he has always been a
self-starter.
In school, I was always the guy
that was trying to please every-
body, he said. My dad was a really
hard worker, and thats probably
the main thing that has stuck with
me. There were plenty of times ear-
ly on in the business where I
couldve quit, but we just stuck
with it.
The Clemson graduate saw Net-
alytics expand to 640 facilities and
service thousands of users nation-
wide.
When youre starting a busi-
ness, youve got to put everything
into it, Essex said. When other
people are taking a day off, you
wont always be able to do that.
As he and his wife look forward
to the future, Essex said he has
been encouraged by the citys plan
to further develop downtown
Greer.
The city leadership has been
spot on, he said. When you look
at The Greer Development Corpo-
ration and the Partnership for To-
morrow, that shows forward think-
ing. Weve got a plan for growth
and, for me, thats a huge benefit.
My hope is that we continue to
push for a more beautiful, pedes-
trian-friendly city. I hope they con-
tinue the things that they are do-
ing with the Master Plan and that
folks continue to buy into that.

ville in the early 2000s, but moved
it to Greer in 2005.
From an office on Trade Street,
Mark continued to develop Neta-
lytics while Karen started a local
artist gallery, Sorelles.
Mark Essex
There are companies that are
running their business using the
product that we built, Essex said.
Netalytics
Thats been a real accomplish-
mentseeing that form from
scratch.

New community bank, same familiar faces

BY BILLY CANNADA
EDITOR
Countybank launched its new
Greer branch earlier this year, and
Candice Good is one of the people
working behind the scenes to make
sure it becomes a local success.
Good has 12 years of banking ex-
perience, previously working in
Branch Operations and Training for
Greer State Bank.
When Good saw the opportunity
to serve as Countybanks Greer Mar-
ket Administrator, she welcomed
the chance.
Countybank wants to be the
Main Street bank. We want to be in
the heart of downtown in all the
markets we serve, Good said. We
State Bank after her senior year in
high school while in college.
I chose to stay in banking be-
cause, when youre a community
bank, you really get to see how
what youre doing helps people,
she said. Anything from a home
mortgage to a checking account
youre there for the customer
throughout all phases of their life.
Now, Good works in an office
with five other Countybank repre-
sentatives as the group focuses on
getting the new branch off the
ground. The bank plans to locate at
300 Trade St.
Were kind of a family, she said.
We live in Greer and we are pas-
sionate about this special town. Its
a humbling experience to watch a
long hours and days, but we all
took the job with the goal of mak-
ing this a wonderful community
bank in Greer. Thats what we be-
lieve were doing. We may all have a
specific title, but right now were
doing whatever it takes to get the
job done.
Good said successful banking re-
quires a focus on relationships.
You have to think about the cus-
tomer and make sure everything
you do has a positive impact on
them, Good said. We really focus
on having the customer at the fore-
front of all of our decision making.
Her work ethic comes from her
parents, Michael and Terri Good.
They instilled hard work in me,
Good said. My dad always
preached that you should do things
right the first time so that you dont
have to go back and do them
again.
Outside of work, Good serves as a
member of the Greer Community
Ministries Board of Directors.
Its eye opening to see how
many people they impact each
week, Good said. You get to see
the highs and lows in peoples lives.
Its so neat to see someone that has
received help come back and want
to help others. I fully believe in their
mission and thats what makes me
want to be involved with GCM.
Everybody can make a differ-
ence in their community and it
doesnt take a lot of time. Just be
kind and help others.

want to be approachable and do
things in the community that have
a positive influence on the great
people of Greer.
Good began working at Greer
Candice Good
branch open and grow. It just
doesnt happen overnight and re-
quires a lot of work behind the
Countybank
scenes.
We all knew it was going to be
 July 26, 2017
CEO,
Bank is proud to recognize our President and
The Board of Directors of CBL State Savings ce in our Gree r Com munity.
lve That Make A Differen
Jennifer Tompkins Jones, as one of The Twe
g from
graduated from local schools. After graduatin
Jennifer is a Greer Native who attended and Adm inist rativ e
work at CBL as a Loan Officer and
Presbyterian College in 2000, she came to year s sinc e we
we had someone special. In the 17
Assistant. It did not take long before we knew of this year , she
ue to the banking industry. In January
hired her, she has demonstrated talents uniq
and CEO of our 110-year-old organization.
was selected to be only the ninth President
essional
essful banker means being active in local prof
Jennifer understands that part of being a succ a long
ership Greer Program. This was the first in
organizations. In 2002 she completed the Lead the Board
has been active. They include four years on
list of community organizations in which she ber of the
of the Greer Station Association, and a mem
of Regents of the Greer Chamber, a member currently
of the Greer Partnership for Tomorrow. She
Oversight Committee and Board of Trustees On a gran der scale , she was
Action Committee.
serves as a member of the Chambers Political thes e orga niza tions exis t to
Banker of the Year. All of
selected as the 2016 South Carolina Young plac e to live and work .
to make it a family friendly
promote Greers economic development and
Jennifer.
There is no better ambassador for Greer than
successfully
continued to enhance her banking skills by
Professionally, she has not stood still but has king at the
ol and the Graduate School of Ban
completing the South Carolina Banking Scho ciation,
e member of the South Carolina Bankers Asso
University of Colorado, Boulder. As an activ its Boa rd of
ng Bankers Division and a member of both
she currently serves as Chairman of the You
Directors and State Legislative Committee.
Board of
essional organizations. She has served on the
Jennifers spare time is not limited to prof work on
munity Ministries. She has volunteered to
Directors and delivered meals for Greer Com ol Improve-
President of Chandler Creek Elementary Scho
Habitat for Humanity projects. She is Past Church.
ership positions at Greer First Presbyterian
ment Council and has served in several lead
Jennifer
raising a family. As thrilled as we are to have
Finally, Jennifer has done all this while also . Jenn ifer is no exce ption,
all of us family comes first
as our President and CEO, we know that for busi ness , in the com munity,
. Jennifer is a true leader in
and we admire her for her dedication to hers
the CBL family.
and at home, and we are proud she is part of
Congratulations, Jennifer!

Ralph W. Johnson, III

Chairman
CBL State Savings Bank

Street, Greer, SC 29651

PO Box 388, Greer, SC 29652 | 229 Trade
54 | Fax: 864.879.2037
Web: CBLgreer.com | Phone: 864.877.20
Member
FDIC
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2017 PAGE LABEL THE GREER CITIZEN 7

Serving up hard work and commitment for 61 years

BY BILLY CANNADA
EDITOR
Whether its at the grocery store
or in the stands of a Friday night
game, youve probably run into Ju-
nior Holder if you live in Greer.
Born and raised in Pelham, Hold-
er has now lived in the area for 61
years. He is 1974 graduate of Greer
High School and a 19-year employ-
ee of Greer Quality Foods, where
he serves as manager.
The career path came by chance.
To be honest, I was just hunting
a part-time job while I went to
school, Holder said. Next thing I
know, Im working full-time at Bi-
Lo during high school. I was going
to take a year off after high school
before going to college, and Im
just born and raised in Greer and I
guess Ill die in Greer.
He is the son of Dave and Francis
Holder and the grandson of Min-
nie and Dennis Grubbs.
All they ever did was work hard
and if you were around them, you
worked hard, Holder said of his fa-
ther and grandfather. They proba-
bly had more to do with my work
ethic than anybody else.
Holder worked at Bi-Lo for 17
years before moving to Quality
Foods.
Theres been a lot of change,
Holder said. Greers a whole lot
bigger place now. It used to be
you knew everybody you saw, but
now you dont.
The community has changed,
and so have the hours in his work
week.
Years ago, Id work 60 or 70
hours a week all the time, Holder
said. I had to slow up on that
some. Thats just the nature of the
beast though. In this business, you
work weekends and holidays
whatever youve got to do.
Throughout his work in Greer,
Holder has had the opportunity to
support churches, nonprofits and
schools.
For a good cause, we try to do
anything we can, Holder said. A
lot of times, some of the smaller
churches just want to fill their pan-
tries and things like that. If Ive got
something on sale, Ill suggest it
and it saves them money. I dont
lose anything by doing that, nor
do I make a lot of money, but
things like that help people.
He is also a committed member
of the Greer Touchdown Club.
I still try to support all the local
schools as much as I canGreer,
Blue Ridgeall of them, he said.
Ive always been a fan of Greer
football. I never got a chance to
play because I worked all the time,
but my son and grandson have
played so I enjoy it.
For Holder, making a difference
means staying committed, which
is what he has tried to do for years
with his employees.
I dont know if Im much of a
difference maker, but if Ive had an
impact anywhere, its probably on
the people that have worked for
me over the years, Holder said.
Some of them wont like me, but

Davis Holder, Jr.

still on that year off. 90 percent of them will. You just
I like Greer and the people in
Greer, he said. Ive been offered Greer Quality Foods try to work well with people.

jobs all around if Id be willing to

move, but I just never would. I was

Leading the way at CBL State Savings Bank

BY BILLY CANNADA
EDITOR
As the first female President
and CEO of Citizens Building and
Loan, Jennifer Jones has been
part of the banks mission in
Greer for quite some time.
During her 17 years with CBL,
Jones has helped the bank in-
crease loans by 35 percent and
total assets by 32 percent, even
during periods such as the eco-
nomic downturn in 2008.
Jones said CBL has had contin-
ued its success in Greer for more
than 100 years by committing to
local residents, updating tech-
nology, investing in employees
and funding the CBL Founda-
tion, which provides assistance
for local nonprofits and students.
We are continually research-
ing industry trends, analyzing
potential impacts of economic
forecasts, and evaluating cus-
tomer needs. Although we be-
lieve CBL has a good thing go-
ing, we strive to not become
complacent, as there is always
room for improvement, she said.
Customers needs change. Cur-
rently, we are paying close atten-
tion to ensure every transaction
is conducted in a professional,
welcoming, secure, and expedi-
tious mannerto enhance cus-
tomer experience by focusing on
the details.
Jones draws inspiration from
her grandmother, Jean Bridger,
who became a role model for
the bank president at an early
age.
There are no words to de-
scribe this exceptionally strong,
independent and active person,
she said. She moved three small
children from England to Ameri-
ca in 1969 and immediately em-
braced the American culture by
weaving her children into a new
education system, learning the
language differences and under-
standing the different govern-
ment structure. She is 86-years-
old and volunteers at numerous
charitable organizations, sings in
her church choir, and plays ten-
nis every day regardless of the
temperature. She continually
demonstrates to me life is too
short not to do what you enjoy.
The Greenville native said she
enjoys spending time with exist-
ing or potential customers to
provide them lending or deposit
options which may best suit
their needs, along with finding
ways to serve the community.
She hopes to continue to
make a difference in Greer, like
many that have come before her.
There are numerous others
who have been instrumental in
making this community a fasci-
nating place to work, live, and
worship, she said. I learned from
these individuals to be obser-
vant of surrounding needs, re-
spect and cultivate others opin-
ions, focus on organization, pay
attention to detail and allow oth-
ers to have ownership in the task

Jennifer Jones
CBL State Savings Bank at hand. I have also learned not
to over-commit myself, but be
involved in areas in which I have
a passion.
Meet Chuck Meet Ed Meet Keith Meet Candice Meet Tony Meet Mark
President; Langston Black Real Estate City Administrator; City of Greer Lead Pastor; His Vineyard Greer Market Administrator; Countybank President; Pelham Medical Center President/CEO; Netalytics
Hometown: Whiteville, NC Hometown: Lancaster Hometown: Easley Hometown: Greer Hometown: Auburn, AL Education: Hampton Park Christian School, Clemson
Family: Wife Brenda; Children Megan, MacKenzie; Family: Wife Christy; Children Kathryn, Mary Moore Family: Wife Debbie; Sons Dwight, Graham, John Family: Parents Michael and Terri Good Family: Wife Leah; Sons Nick, Aidan, Sam University (Computer Science, 1993)
Graddaughter Emory Education: MBA Winthrop University; BA in Public Education: Anderson University, Southern Weslyan Education: USC Upstate Education: Auburn University (Industrial Engineering) Hobbies: Golf, fishing, camping

Education: UNC Wilmington; CCIM Real Estate
Designation (Held by five percent of realtors in US)
Favorite movie: Hoosiers
Favorite restaurant: Riveras, Strip Club 104, The Clock
Currently reading: The Little Red Book of Selling
Role model: Dad, Charlie Langston
12
Relations USC-Columbia; Associate in Science in Business University Favorite food: Macaroni and cheese, queso Favorite band: U2, Led Zeppelin Favorite music: 80s Music
Administration USC-Lancaster Influences: Father, William Dwight Kelly Bucket list: Visit Italy, Meet Dolly Parton Favorite food: Steak Favorite restaurant: The Strip Club 104, Riveras
Favorite artist: Jimmy Buffet Favorite music: Bluegrass Favorite TV show: Fixer Upper Currently reading: Gifted Hands Currently reading: Barbarians at the Gate: The Fall of RJR
Favorite food: Steak Favorite TV show: Andy Griffith Role model: Lysa TerKeurst Role model: Father, Costas Kouskolekas Nabisco
Guilty pleasure: Expensive wine
Role model: Father, Bill Driggers

What a difference make

Meet Cristy
Founder/Executive Director; Greer Farmers Market
Hometown: Johnson City, TN
Children: Lucy, Henry, Harrison, Lilly
Education: Spartanburg Day School (1995), University of
South Carolina, Winthrop University, Wofford College (BA
in English)
Hobbies: Hiking, karate, exercise, cooking, reading
Favorite band: Rolling Stones or The Beatles
Favorite Foodies food: Scandinavian Bread Cheese
Bucket list: Travel
Meet Jennifer
President/CEO; CBL State Savings Bank
Family: Husband Walden; Children Carter, Eliza
Education: Greer High, Presbyterian College, South
Carolina Bankers School, Graduate School of Banking
Colorado
Favorite music: Country
Favorite food: Chicken Philly from old Calabash
Restaurant
Meet Rosylin
VP of Communication; Greenville Spartanburg Intl. Airport
Hometown: Sumter
Family: Husband Jeff; Children Nelson, McKenzie
Education: University of South Carolina (Broadcast
Journalism)
Last movie I saw: Girls Trip
Hobbies: Doing voiceover work, volunteering
Role model: Father, Marion Atkinson
Meet Junior
Manager; Greer Quality Foods
Hometown: Greer
Hobbies: Watching football, golf at Greer Country Club
Favorite music: Country
Favorite food: Hotdog or hamburger
Favorite TV show: Blacklist or Old Westerns
Bucket list: Go to Super Bowl
Meet Brian Meet Jessica
Owner; The Galleries by Brian Brigham Founder; Saved By The Heart
Favorite music: Beach music Husband: Nathan Monroe
Favorite food: Any. Theres not a lot I dont like. I dont Education: Hampton Park Christian School, Wade
need to go to expensive places or anything like that, but I Hampton High School, Greenville Technical College
do love meat. I also enjoy cooking if I get the time. Bucket list: Travel
Hobbies: I do this all the time. I really do. This is my main Favorite musician: Whitney Houston
thing. Im a workaholic. Favorite food: Authentic Hispanic food
Good book: Love Warrior and Carry on Warrior by Milton
Movie: Star Wars
TV Show: Nashville
AN AWARD
THAT BENEFITS
ALL OF US.
At Pelham Medical Center, weve designed a facility our employees are

committed to and where they feel empowered to excel. Our doctors, nurses and

staffs passion creates a higher quality of care for our patients. And thats a win for all

of us. Come see us at our best, call 864-530-6000 or visit PelhamMedicalCenter.com.

Congratulations to Pelham Medical Centers Tony Kouskolekas for being

selected as one of the 2017 12 That Make A Difference honorees.

2
0
1
7

2 YEARS IN A ROW!
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2017 PAGE LABEL THE GREER CITIZEN 11

Celebrating 12 years at His Vineyard

BY BILLY CANNADA
EDITOR
When Pastor Keith Kelly plant-
ed His Vineyard 12 years ago, he
had a small idea of the kind of dif-
ference the church could make.
Weve had the opportunity to
minister to people who have had
no previous church background,
and weve been able to minister
to individuals who have been
hurt by some experience in the
church, he said. Through all of it,
weve just tried to let folks know
that this is about Jesus.
Since then, the ministry has
grown, and so has Kellys faith.
It has been a major faith boost-
people invested in us.
Originally from Easley, Kelly said
church planting was never really
something that had been on his
radar.
Even though we had never
dreamed to be a part of a church
plant, we really felt compelled by
the opportunity, Kelly said. Other
than accepting Christ and marry-
ing my wife, His Vineyard has
been the most unregrettable ex-
perience of my life.
Along with pastoring His Vine-
yard, Kelly has been the Chaplain
for the Greer Police Department
since the 1990s.
The two things I want to spend
the rest of my life doing are pas-
As the church grew, so did His
Vineyards need for meeting
space. After several moves, the
church decided to construct a
building six years ago.
We had several banks that
wouldnt even set up a meeting
with us about a mortgage, and I
dont blame them. But, Citizens
Building and Loan did, and we
were able to borrow $1.5 million,
Kelly said. As of two weeks ago,
we were able, by the grace of
God, to retire that mortgage.
Were just so thankful and in many
ways, we feel like this is a whole
new chapter.
Were looking forward to go-
ing forward.
Kelly, who has three sons, said
he wants his work to leave a last-
ing impact on his community and
family.
What matters to me is the leg-
acy that Im going to be able to
leave for my sons one day, he
said. As much as I love this com-
munity and my church family, I
cant even begin to tell you how
much I love my sons. I want to
leave them a legacy that will en-
able them to not ever be
ashamed of the fact that they had
a dad who poured his life into
other people.
The life we live is going to de-
termine the legacy we leave.

er and builder, he said. Down
through the years, all the support
weve received has been a con-
stant reminder for us to reach out
and help in other ministries. We
have to invest in people because
Keith Kelly
toring His Vineyard and working
as the police chaplain, he said.
That ministry has helped me stay His Vineyard
strong in my church ministry. It
just keeps you in touch with the
real world.

Providing quality care with a mission

BY BILLY CANNADA
EDITOR
Pelham Medical Center has seen
substantial growth since Tony
Kouskolekas took over as President
in 2012.
The hospital will be nine years
old in October and weve experi-
enced explosive growth during
that time period, Kouskolekas said.
Weve got a great team here with
a bunch of good leaders and a
great staff.
During that stretch, Pelham
Medical Center has achieved the
designation of being one of the
Best Places to Work for two con-
secutive years.
We want to have a great culture
to none, Kouskolekas said.
Success, however, starts with
quality care, Kouskolekas said.
Weve got great physicians, so it
starts there, he said. Weve done a
lot in the communitytrying to
get involved in the right things. We
want to let people know who we
are and where were located, and
weve got a community outreach
team that has spread our net very
wide.
Greer is a place where anybody
can flourish to the extent that they
want to.
Although Pelham Medical Cen-
ter has continued to strive forward,
the health care industry is current-
ly in a state of uncertainly.
Health care is a complex enter-
Greer is a place where anybody can
flourish to the extent that they want to.
prise, Kouskolekas said. Theres so
much regulation and change oc-
curring right now. The Affordable
Care Act is still the law of the land,
although there are some attempts
to change that, which creates a lot
of uncertainty. Were seeing in-
creased volumes (of people), but
lower payments each time. The
amount we get paid continues to
decrease, but were delivering the
same level of services. Thats prob-
ably the most difficult part.
Kouskolekas said he and his
team will remain committed to do-
ing the right thing.
Everybody in health care is
called to do the right thing and
take care of people, he said. You
want to do all things with a certain
quality. You have to make money
in any organization to fund your
mission, but if you dont have a
mission, you wont make money.
Making a difference means get-
ting involved in your community in
a variety of ways. Whether its with
the Chamber of Commerce, the
church or some local nonprofit,
there are a lot of ways to make a

Tony Kouskolekas
here, and if you do that, you can difference in the community and
accomplish all the other things you
want to do. You can deliver great
Pelham Medical Center in the lives of others.

service, great quality and you can

be financially secure. The culture
that weve created here is second
QF
Greer
UALITY
OODS
508 North Main Street
(across from Bonds Career Center)

877-4043

When you think

Greer Quality Foods,
you think of Junior Holder!
We are proud of your service
and extend our thanks to the
others being recognized for making
Greer the great community that it is.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2017 PAGE LABEL THE GREER CITIZEN 13

Meeting a need in an expanding Greer community

BY BILLY CANNADA
EDITOR
Nearly three decades ago, Chuck
Langston saw Greers potential and
decided to invest.
A North Carolina native,
Langston partnered with David
Black in 1992 to start a commercial
real estate company that is still a
thriving part of the community to-
day.
We believed that this area was
getting ready to see some radical
transformation, Langston said.
There was a need for that type of
service, so we set out to try to fill it.
The business started just after
BMW announced the addition of a
Greer manufacturing plant. Since
and become even more than Id
imagined back in 1992, Langston
said. Weve seen growth in every
facetresidential, industrial, com-
mercial, retail. We have very good
jobs available for our young peo-
ple here. If you think back 25 years
ago, when a kid graduated, you
pretty much had to move to Char-
lotte or Atlanta to find work. Now,
thats not the case. You can start
and end your career in Greer if
thats what you choose to do.
That growth is something
Langston anticipates will continue.
We are poised to have another
growth spurt as more and more
people are discovering what a
wonderful place this is to live, he
said. Greer is probably one of the
most giving and helping commu-
nities that Ive ever been involved
with.
Although hes done business
with a number of clients through-
out the years, Langston said its the
relationships that matter most.
The most important part of this
whole business are those relation-
ships you build, he said. We look
at each of our clients as a relation-
ship, not just a one-time transac-
tion. Some of my best friends to-
day are people that started as cus-
tomers and became friends. Thats
what has made our life here
sweetthe relationships weve
made.
Langston, who bought Blacks
portion of the business four years
ago, said he will continue his ef-
forts of making a difference
through real estate for as long as
possible.
At the end of the day, you won-
der about your time and whether
or not it has made a difference.
Have we impacted the lives of peo-
ple? Have we helped them along
the way? Thats definitely some-
thing that I strive to do, and a lot of
times, that may have nothing to do
with real estate, Langston said. I
know a number of people have im-
pacted my life over the years, and I
just want to be able to do that
same thing for others.

Chuck Langston
then, the German car company has
expanded the Upstate location to
become the biggest in North
Langston-Black Real Estate
America.
In my mind, Greer has grown

Offering a refuge for local animals

BY BILLY CANNADA
EDITOR
When Jessica Monroe started
Saved By The Heart six years ago,
she did so with a singular mis-
sion: to help as many animals as
possible.
Since then, the organization
has done just that, assisting ani-
mals with special needs and ma-
jor medical trauma.
We see some that have been
hit by a car. Others may have
been abused, Monroe said.
Even though it has evolved, we
always try to keep the main fo-
cus on education and helping
out our community.
Monroe was in the business of
animal rescue for 10 years prior
to the creation of Saved By The
Heart. A self-identified cat per-
son, Monroe houses as many as
35 pets at a time in hopes of
helping them find a permanent
home.
Theyre all mine until they
leave to go somewhere else,
Monroe said. I only have a very
small handful that I wouldnt let
go anywhere. I know that I cant
rescue more unless I place ani-
mals that I already have, so I
want to do as much of that as
possible.
I dont necessarily have the re-
sources to help everybody that
comes to me looking for assis-
tance, but I try to point them in
the right direction, she said.
There are a lot of programs that
are out there and available to
folks.
The Greenville native has al-
ways had a passion for four-
legged furry companions.
Ive always been an animal
lover, she said. In second grade
when they asked what I wanted
to be when I grew up, veterinari-
an was always the answer. Ive
never not had a pet.
Monroe saw the need for
Saved By The Heart grow after
the economic troubles in 2008.
Close to 70 percent of the
population are pet owners, she
said. When we saw the econo-
my fall, animals were being left
on the street. They were being
turned into shelters faster than
ever. People just get into prob-
lems with their animals.
At Saved By The Heart, yes we
serve as an animal rescue, but
were still all about helping the
people in the community. A lot
of times folks have just gotten
into a situation that is difficult, so
thats where we want to step in
and make a difference, she said.
Monroe, who also operates an
events planning business, WING
Strategies, says making a differ-
ence is tiring but rewarding
work.
If I sleep, Im so happy, she
said. I stay really busy, but I dont
know what I would do with my-
self if I wasnt busy.

Jessica Monroe
I love the community that is
Saved By The Heart the downtown area.
P
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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2017 PAGE LABEL THE GREER CITIZEN 15

Putting the focus on local farmers, products

BY BILLY CANNADA
EDITOR
When Cristy Ray saw the need
for a Farmers Market in downtown
Greer two years ago, she didnt
wait around for someone else to
solve the problem. She decided to
act.
Now, Ray owns a growing small
business at The Depot, where a
Famers Market can be found each
Thursday from 4-7 p.m.
Economically, it looked like a
Farmers Market would do well
here, so I immersed myself in re-
search, she said. As I pursued it,
nobody told me no, so it all just fell
into place.
Farmers Markets are never cash
cows. Youre not going to make a
lot of money doing them, Ray said.
What they do is grow a culture
and facilitate economic develop-
ment within the town.
In addition to the market, Ray
also started a specialty grocery
store, Foodies Farm Shop, at 300
Randall St.
Once youre in the food indus-
try, you never really get away from
it, she said. With the Farmers Mar-
ket coming down to The Depot, it
just seemed natural to have the
shop here. The two kind of pull
each other.
As people move toward a diet
consisting of whole foods, they
dont necessarily want to drive a
long way to get what they need,
It always seemed like Greer was on
the cusp of changing, and I loved that.
Ray said. Ive found that people I had a multitude of teachers
want to support local, and youre who pushed me to be better than I
certainly doing that by coming was, Ray said. I was an average
here. student that never really put much
Originally from Tennessee, Ray thought into the future. As I got
also spent time in Illinois and Italy older, those teachers saw some-
before relocating to the Upstate in thing in me that I didnt see. Also,
the summer of 1993. when I look at my mom and all
Greer was where I used to meet shes doneIf I had a role model it
my friends from Spartanburg. It would be them.
was the halfway point, she said. It As her dreams for the Farmers
always seemed like Greer was on Market continue to grow, Ray
the cusp of changing, and I loved hopes she is meeting a need and
that. It had a beautiful downtown establishing lasting relationships
area and the people were so along the way.

Cristy Ray
friendly, so I began wondering People want to connect, she

Greer Farmers Market how I could create a job for myself

here.
Ray said shes drawn inspiration
said. We live in an age where ev-
erything is cyber driven and peo-
ple live in isolation. But theres still
from a number of teachers and a desire for personal relationships.
family members through the years.

Chamber chair gives back while gaining trust

BY BILLY CANNADA dertaking. It has definitely brought
EDITOR a sense of accomplishment along
the way.
Greenville-Spartanburg Interna- Weston came to Greenville in
tional Airport hardly resembles the early 1980s, establishing a
what it was when Rosylin Weston background in sales and radio
came on board in 1999. news reporting before transition-
Ive seen a lot of changes, she ing to public relations. She worked
said. with the Greenville Transit Authori-
We went through an interest- ty for 10 years and the Greenville
ing time after 9/11. The aviation in- Health System for two, before ulti-
dustry and our relationships with mately settling down at GSP.
air travel changed, Weston said. I Over the years, I think Ive posi-
was here through the creation of tively impacted the airport image,
homeland security and TSA, so be- and thats important because
ing able to share with people who thats my job, she said. I think the
have to fly what the rules and reg- community feels comfortable with
ulations are, and figuring out a me and Ive developed a certain
way to help them maneuver level of trust with people. That
through that, has been a big un- makes a difference because peo-
ple have to trust the one who is
delivering information, whether
its good, bad or otherwise.
What keeps me here is the fact
that the job is always different. I
touch several areas throughout
the airport, so it stays very inter-
esting. I get to do the things that I
enjoy every day.
Weston has found ways to vol-
unteer and get involved in the lo-
cal community over the past 20
years in the Upstate. dash. Were between Greenville
Giving back to the community
in which I live has always been im-
portant to me, she said. I grew up point between those two commu-
in a household where service to
your community was the price
you paid for the life that you have,
so Ive always found ways to par-
merce Executive Board Chairper-
son.
A lot has happened in Greer,
she said. I consider Greer the dash
when youre talking about Green-
ville and Spartanburg. People
think the beginning and the end
are the most important things, but
what really makes anything worth-
while is what you do between the
beginning and the endthe dash.
I equate that to Greer. Were that
and Spartanburg and I think weve
proven that were the connecting
nities. We make the difference and
we make the connection.
While she advocates volunteer-
ing and community involvement,

Rosylin Weston
ticipate somehow.
GSP International Airport Weston currently serves as the
Greater Greer Chamber of Com-
Weston said perhaps some of her
most important work involves rais-
ing awareness and support for
breast cancer research. She was di-
agnosed with the disease in 2015.
 The Greer Citizen
is proud to honor
12 That Make A Difference
in the community where they live, work and play.
Brian Brigham
Ed Driggers
Mark Essex
Candice Good
Junior Holder
Jennifer Jones
Keith Kelly
Tony Kouskolekas
Chuck Langston
Jessica Monroe
Cristy Ray
Rosylin Weston

We celebrate your accomplishments.