Dedicated To Our Community
As Richard Hagins grew up in Savannah, Georgia, his grandfather — Rev. Amos E. Hagins — told him that the best way to live is to give. "The getting always comes later."
That's a philosophy that Hagins, now a resident and entrepreneur in Greenville, has taken to heart.
And while that philosophy was instilled in him by family, it was reiterated by his stint in the military, which wasn't — at first — his chosen career.
His burning desire, he says, was to go to college. The military was an avenue for achieving that goal. "Once I got in (the Navy), I truly enjoyed the feeling of being twice the citizen, the protector," he says.
And once enlisted and surrounded by the many different diverse cultures that are represented in our Armed Forces, he saw a need to reach back and give back.
"It became a passion of mine," he says, "to make a difference."
PUTTING DOWN GREENVILLE ROOTS
It was the Navy that brought Hagins to Greenville. He was looking for a post close to his hometown of Savannah, and Greenville was the closest.
Once here, the family — Hagins, his wife Priscilla and their three daughters Euleta (27), Ashley (23) and Richelle (15) — were taken with the city. "We really love the area," he says, and the obvious planning that went into transforming the downtown into such a vibrant, family-friendly destination was a draw as well.
Hagins was looking for something to do other than corporate America after his 20-year career with the Navy. Once again, his grandfather provided a guide.
The elder Hagins had started a church supply store in Savannah with the goal of better supplying the minority churches in the area. The younger Hagins assumed the helm of the company in the early '90s, and shortly after his retirement, Hagins and Priscilla closed the Savannah store and opened Universal Church Supplies and Gifts in Simpsonville in 1999.
The company still operates under Priscilla's direction. But around 2003, "It was really clear to me I had to think about where I was going to make a difference," Hagins says.
So, drawing on his work and military experience, Hagins and two partners launched Universal Supplies and Services on February 14, 2003.
At the time, Universal Supplies offered facility support services. Through the years, though, its offerings have expanded to encompass its original plan and added general contracting, as well.
"We've been pushing ever since," Hagins says.
In addition to the change in offerings, both the ownership and the name changed. Hagins is now the primary owner, and the company's name is now US&S.
Change has been good for the company, which Hagins says is hiring and contributing to the economy. In addition to its Greenville offices, the company also boasts locations in Kings Bay, Georgia, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
BUILDING COMMUNITY
At the same time that Hagins was growing his business, he was also giving back to his adopted hometown. He served on the boards of the Simpsonville and Mauldin Chambers of Commerce and was also a member of the Greenville Hospital's Hillcrest Hospital advisory board. Through those activities, he was asked by the governor to become the Commissioner of Minority Affairs (Fourth District) and at the same time was asked to serve on the board for The Blood Connection, "another area that focused on volunteerism."
He was then asked to join the S.C. State Port Authority, for which he is now treasurer.
All of these activities go back to what his grandfather taught him: give without worry of getting.
For the community to progress and prosper, he says, it's going to take all of us. "... I can't sit on the sidelines," Hagins says, "and not be part of that progress."
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
"I love living in Greenville," Hagins says. "I plan to stay here. I see my business growing rapidly and becoming a force throughout South Carolina."
To be in a position to be able to give back to your community is a position that Hagin enjoys and strives to be in. He's always looking for organizations through which he can make a difference. And that difference doesn't have to be just money; time can be just as important, valuable and change-making.
"[When] you're given success, it's not just for yourself," he says.
"I believe in people," he says. "I believe in volunteerism."
In addition to dedicating his time to his business and his community, Hagins also believes strongly in family.
"I'm a family man," he says, one with strong convictions and faith. He and Priscilla will celebrate their 29th anniversary in July, and he has hopes that his eldest (Euleta, who recently completed Leadership Greenville and is Business Development Manager at US&S) may one day succeed him in his role with the company.