United Community Bank announced that Melinda Davis Lux has joined the company’s executive leadership team as executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary. 

Davis Lux will be a member of the leadership team and responsible for the company’s legal and governance matters. She has more than 20 years of experience advising clients as a corporate and M&A attorney.

Davis Lux joins United from Womble Bond Dickinson in Greenville, S.C., where she was a partner and served as a global board member of Womble Bond Dickinson International. Davis Lux holds a Master of Laws in Taxation from the New York University School of Law, a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School, an MBA from Clemson University, and a Bachelor of Arts from Wellesley College.

Davis Lux has served on the board of directors of Upstate International and World Affairs Council, the Greenville Symphony, the Greenville Small Business Development Corporation, and Greenville County First Steps. She is a graduate of both Leadership Greenville and Leadership South Carolina and a Liberty Fellow. 

United Community Banks, Inc. (NASDAQ: UCBI) is a bank holding company headquartered in Blairsville, Georgia, with executive offices in Greenville, South Carolina. 

 Burns & McDonnell announced the addition of veteran engineering, construction and business development professional Lori Jones in its South Carolina, office. 

She has more than 20 years of engineering, construction and business development experience working with a wide range of public and private sector clients. Throughout her career, she has led several large-scale projects in the Southeast, including a $400 million greenfield chemical processing facility in Tennessee.

The Greenville Symphony Association announced the appointment of its new director of development, Christine DeMint. She succeeds Linda Grandy, who retired in September 2019.

DeMint will be responsible for and oversee all fundraising program initiatives and development, including its current endowment campaign, as well as donor relations and cultivation. 

A University of South Carolina business graduate, DeMint was a marketing manager responsible for a $40 million business unit with a large, international manufacturing company based in Charlotte.

 GreenWood, Inc., an integrated maintenance, construction and workforce solutions provider, announced the hiring of Dean Swartout as the new site manager at the Honeywell Aerospace Facility in Greer, SC.  

In this role, Dean manages the GreenWood team responsible for machinery preventive maintenance, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) implementation, industrial hygiene support, process waste-water treatment, plant engineering project support, and safety. The facility is a major center and dedicated aerospace manufacturing hub for Honeywell’s machining, special processes, and maintenance, repair and overhaul services for both commercial and military aircraft. 

Dean brings 25 years of aerospace and industrial manufacturing experience in maintenance, operations, project management, quality engineering, lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and safety.

Prior to joining GreenWood, he spent several years at BMW in project management and quality engineering roles.   

Dean earned a business degree in management from Columbus State University in Georgia and holds the VDA 6.X Quality Management System certification, an extension of ISO 9001.

The Women’s Leadership Institute (WLI) of Furman University recently recognized the following Class of 2020 graduates:

•        Nenna Akpaete-Culliver, Michelin North America

•        Rafaela Baranzano, Fitesa

•        Emily Baulig, Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands, SC

•        Amie Blankenship, LS3P

•        Lauren Briles, Primrose School of Greenville and Midtown Greenville

•        Caitlin Buckingham, Furman University

•        Katy Davenport, CommunityWorks

•        Tara Eaker, City of Greenville

•        Jade Fountain, United Ministries

•        Chelsea Fulton, The Write Way

•        Anita Garrett, Re-Connect

•        Janice Garrett, Phenix Engineered Textiles

•        Melissa Halliburton, BringFido

•        Merianna Harrelson, Garden of Grace United Church of Christ

•        Lucy Henry, First Sun EAP Alliance Inc

•        Leigh Holcomb, Learn2Learn Cognitive Coaching

•        Sarah Huet de Guerville, Gordian

•        Qena Jennings, Public Education Partners

•        Julia Jeter, Michelin

•        Tamiko Jiles, Fitesa, Inc.

•        Brenda Laasko, NEXT

•        Angelica Lozano-Alonso, Furman University

•        Laura Macpherson, Ideally

•        Jessica McCoy, Brasfield & Gorrie, LLC

•        Charlotte McDavid, Greenville County Schools

•        Bibianna Michalska, Fluor Enterprises, Inc

•        Alison C. Miller, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.

•        Amy Mirabelli, Michelin

•        Halle Price, BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC

•        Tricia Sellers, Job Impulse

•        Jenna Spencer, AssistPro, LLC

•        Katie Thompson, Table 201 Restaurant Group

•        Shelly Waite, Waite SLTS

•        Catherine Watt, EduForum

•        Andrea White, Greenwood District #50

•        Sheila Zirlin, Fitesa

The WLI aims to enhance leadership skills and form a collaborative, lasting network of relationships among executives and senior managers from diverse disciplines and backgrounds in corporations, law, government agencies, educational institutions and nonprofit organizations.

Brokers from Coldwell Banker Commercial Caine’s Greenville and Spartanburg offices recently represented the following area real estate transactions from the months of January and February:

Sales

Spartanburg:  Tim Satterfield of Coldwell Banker Commercial Caine represented Maria L. A. Rabeiro (Seller) in the sale of a +34,000 SF industrial building on +4.14 acres at 1201 Union St., to 1201 Union Street, LLC (Purchaser).

Spartanburg:  Tim Satterfield of Coldwell Banker Commercial Caine represented Kapasi Investments, LLC (Purchaser) in the purchase of a +1,296 SF retail building on +0.22 acre at 368 W. Main St., from Moneyline Properties, LLC (Seller). 

Spartanburg:  Tim Satterfield of Coldwell Banker Commercial Caine represented Samuel D. Garrett, Trustee (Seller) in the sale of +11.75 acres at Candlewood Dr., to David Rex Shields and Patricia Diann Shields (Purchasers). 

Lyman:  Pete Brett, CCIM, David Sigmon, CCIM, SIOR and Matt Vanvick, CCIM of Coldwell Banker Commercial Caine represented Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (Seller) in the sale of a +2,687 SF retail building on +1.69 acres at 250 Spartanburg Rd., to Cooper Ràe, LLC (Purchaser).

Leasing

Greenville:  Pete Brett, CCIM, David Sigmon, CCIM, SIOR and Matt Vanvick, CCIM of Coldwell Banker Commercial Caine represented Infinity Marketing (Sublandlord) in the subleasing of a +5,500 RSF office space at 874 S. Pleasantburg Dr., to IMI Resort Sales, LLC (Subtenant).

Greenville:  Pete Brett, CCIM, David Sigmon, CCIM, SIOR and Matt Vanvick, CCIM of Coldwell Banker Commercial Caine represented Rick Erwin Dining Group, LLC (Tenant) in the leasing of a +3,351 SF office space at 850 S. Pleasantburg Dr., from Ramsay Warne, LLC (Landlord).

Greenville:  Pete Brett, CCIM, David Sigmon, CCIM, SIOR and Matt Vanvick, CCIM of Coldwell Banker Commercial Caine represented Mountain City Land & Improvement Co., LLC (Landlord) in the leasing of +3,784 additional SF of office space at Innovate, 148 River St., Suite 222, to Synterra Corporation (Tenant).

Greenville:  Sammy DuBose of Coldwell Banker Commercial Caine represented Verdae Properties, LLC (Landlord) in lease renewal negotiations with Old Time Pottery, Inc. (Tenant) for +109,956 SF of retail space at Marketplace Shopping Center, 2425 Laurens Rd.

Fountain Inn:  Pete Brett, CCIM and T. Cox of Coldwell Banker Commercial Caine represented 100 North Main, LLC (Landlord) in the leasing of a +1,056 SF retail space at 101 Trade St., to Timothy Cutter (Tenant).

Spartanburg:  Pete Brett, CCIM, David Sigmon, CCIM, SIOR and Matt Vanvick, CCIM of Coldwell Banker Commercial Caine represented Summit 24, LLC d/ba Tropical Smoothie Café (Tenant) in the leasing of a +1,800 SF retail space at 1490 W. O. Ezell Blvd., from 1490 Ezell, LLC (Landlord).

Spartanburg:  Tim Satterfield of Coldwell Banker Commercial Caine represented Mary Black Foundation, Inc. (Landlord) in lease renewal negotiations with Spartanburg Academic Movement – SAM (Tenant) for +1,950 SF of office space at 349 E. Main St., Suite 101.

Spartanburg:  Tim Satterfield of Coldwell Banker Commercial Caine represented M. H. Thompson Real Estate (Landlord) in the leasing of a +5,000 SF industrial flex space at 357 South Ave., to Planet Connections, LLC (Tenant).

 Lakeside Lodge Clemson announced that Echo Bostrom has been named assistant general manager of the luxury condo hotel while Savannah Russell has been named special events director.  

As assistant general manager, Bostrom will help recruit, train and manage Lakeside Lodge’s team, oversee day-to-day operations, assist with sales and marketing efforts, and maintain high customer service standards across the property.

She has worked for Southern Resort Group for the last six years and held numerous managerial positions at The Residences at Biltmore in Asheville, NC, including front office, group sales and rooms division manager.  Bostrom lives in Seneca.

Russell oversees group and event sales and management, including meetings, large private dining, weddings, receptions, room blocks and more.  Russell is a graduate from Clemson University with a bachelor’s degree in parks, recreation and tourism management. 

Lakeside Lodge Clemson has 118 residences with a mix of studio, 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom condos on Lake Hartwell.

Coldwell Banker Caine recently recognized its top producing agents in property sales and listings from February through the Circle of Excellence program. The Circle of Excellence distinction is awarded to agents within the company’s offices throughout the Upstate – and celebrates $1 million in listing or closing volume, or four units listed or closed.

 Circle of Excellence agents include:

• Beth Beach

• Brian Hurry

• Chelsi McCoy

• Dave Beech

• Donna Morrow

• Drew Torres

• Greg Norris

• Heidi Putnam

• Helen Hagood

• Holly West

• Hunter Hurst

• Jacob Mann

• Jake Dickens

• Jennifer Simms

• Jennifer Wilson

• Kiersten Bell

• Kimber Roberts

• Mary Jo Ochylski

• Monica McKiernan

• Renade Helton

• Rhonda Porter

• Sally Ballentine

• Sandy Moffitt

• Stephanie Burger

• Steve Babb

• Suzanne Cook

• Virginia Hayes

Coldwell Banker Commercial recently named Coldwell Banker Caine’s Brad Halter the recipient of the Halter/Case Leadership Award. The award honors Caine Halter, the late owner of Coldwell Banker Commercial Caine, and the late Ray Case, owner of Coldwell Banker Commercial Atlantic International in Charleston. Caine Halter was Brad’s brother and mentor.

Each year the Halter/Case Leadership Award is given to an individual who embodies a positive attitude, professional aptitude and exemplary leadership. 

Brad Halter has been with Coldwell Banker Caine for nearly 42 years. A third-generation Realtor, holding his license since 1978, Brad took over leadership responsibilities of Coldwell Banker Commercial Caine after his brother’s passing in 2007. Brad now sits as the chairman of Coldwell Banker Caine with a particular focus on the growing commercial team. A Greenville native, he is active in community outreach both personally and professionally. Throughout his career he has served on many boards, including the Cancer Society of Greenville, the Greenville Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Board of Governors for the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Greenville Association of Realtors, Greenville’s Board of Zoning Appeals, and more. 

Beth Meade Leavitt, a science and engineering teacher at Wade Hampton High School in Greenville,  won an Educator Achievement Award from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the world’s largest technical society for aerospace professionals.

The award includes a $5,000 grant for Wade Hampton High School.

Leavitt, a teacher for 20 years, is receiving the award “for believing that with the right tools and mentors all students can become STEM literate with the confidence they can solve any problem encountered.”

 Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, Inc. announced Kevin Laird as executive vice president of engineering. Laird joined the architecture and engineering firm in Birmingham in 2005 and moved to Greenville, S.C., in 2007 to open its first office in the state. He has continued to lead GMC’s South Carolina operations and was elected to serve on the company’s board of directors in 2018.

As executive vice president, Laird is responsible for managing the firm’s entire engineering division, which includes oversight of approximately 180 employees in offices throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee. He succeeds Burt Hankins, who announced he would step down from the EVP role at the end of 2019. 

 GMC has completed several projects in the region, including the Clemson University Football Operations Complex, Clemson University Softball Complex, Anderson Regional Joint Water System Lake Hartwell Water Treatment Facility Ozone Addition, Laurens County Water & Sewer Commission Lake Greenwood Water Treatment Facility, Greenville Water – Water Resources Master Plan, and the Aiken County Public Service Authority Horse Creek Water Pollution Control Facility Upgrades.  

Laird is a graduate of both Leadership Greenville and Leadership South Carolina and was named one of Greenville Business Magazine’s “Best and Brightest Under 35” in 2010. 

He graduated from Clemson University with bachelor’s degrees in civil engineering and crop, soil and environmental science, in addition to earning a master’s degree in civil engineering from Auburn University. He is a registered professional engineer in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama.

 In addition, the firm appointed Yann Cowart, vice president of sports architecture, to the board of directors. He joins the 2020 board alongside Chris Engel (chairman), Cedric Campbell, Kevin Laird, Freddie Lynn, Galen Thackston and Lee Walters.

 Financial advisor Brian Fitzsimmons recently joined Foster Fitzsimmons Wealth Management of Raymond James, member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC, located at 112 Haywood Road according to Beach Foster, managing director, investments. 

Fitzsimmons grew up in Greenville and graduated from Clemson University before receiving a commission in the United States Marine Corps. He served for eight years as an infantry officer with multiple deployments, including three years with the Special Operations Command-Central in Tampa. 

 First National Bank, the largest subsidiary of F.N.B. Corporation (NYSE: FNB), said it has hired David Carpenter as senior vice president, commercial banker, in the Bank’s South Carolina Region.

 In his role, Carpenter serves as a relationship manager for middle and upper-middle market clients in Greenville and across upstate South Carolina, providing access to FNB’s suite of corporate banking products and services such as International banking, mezzanine finance and treasury management.

With more than 25 years of financial services experience, the majority spent in Greenville, Carpenter recently was a senior commercial relationship manager with HomeTrust Bank and has also held commercial banking management roles at other financial institutions including Fifth Third Bank, BB&T (now Truist) and Bank of America. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

FNB entered South Carolina through its acquisition of Yadkin Financial in 2017 and recently announced the expansion of its Commercial Banking services across upstate South Carolina in 2019.