Chamber Honors Young Professionals

First Row (Left to Right) - Holly Brown, Lonza; Mary Lyle Cathcart, Self Regional Healthcare; Caroline Chappell, Piedmont Technical College; Lesley Lane, Greenwood Communities and Resorts, Inc. | Second Row (Left to Right) - R. T. “Wells” Dunlap V, Countybank; Geoff Rhyne, Wesley Commons; Lucas McMillan, Lander University

​Connect Young Professionals, an initiative of the Greenwood SC Chamber of Commerce, hosted its 10th annual Greenwood Under 40 Stars awards program and celebrated seven young professionals who are making an impact in the greater Greenwood area.

Connect YP represents more than 70 young professionals. The program is dedicated to engaging and empowering young professionals to become future leaders by providing personal and professional development opportunities through programming, networking and civic involvement.
 
According to CYP Chairman Matt Reynolds of Herald Office Solutions, “This award recognizes emerging leaders for their personal and professional accomplishments, as well as their commitment to serving others in our community.”
 
“Cultivating and recognizing leaders is a key strategic initiative of the Greenwood SC Chamber,” said Chamber CEO Angelle LaBorde.  “In addition to our signature Leadership Greenwood program and Women’s Leadership Council, we are delighted to sponsor the young professionals program and feel it adds significant value for its members, and also for their employers,” she said.
 
“CYP solicited nominations from throughout the community and the response was tremendous,” stated LaBorde.  Nominees did not have to be CYP members in order to be eligible, and a “Blue Ribbon” panel of judges, independent of the CYP organization, was recruited to evaluate all nominations and choose the award recipients.  “Again, this year, the judges had a formidable task of selecting from an excellent pool of nominees,” she said.

Congratulations to this year's honorees!
Holly Brown, Lonza
Mary Lyle Cathcart, Self Regional Healthcare
Caroline Chappell, Piedmont Technical College
Rufus “Wells” Dunlap, V, Countybank
Lesley Lane, Greenwood Communities & Resorts
Samuel Lucas McMillan, Lander University
Geoff Rhyne, Wesley Commons