Brighten the future of the ‘Love Where You Live’ mural

 The Love Where You Live mural in Downtown Spartanburg has become a local landmark and a symbol of Spartanburg, attracting residents and visitors alike for photo-ops. OneSpartanburg is proud to invest in an effort, led by artist Stephen Long, to revitalize the wall so it can continue to serve as a point of community pride for years to come.

 OneSpartanburg is contributing matching donations, up to $2,000, to fully fund the $4,000 needed to strip old paint from the mural and repaint it, bringing back the mural's brightness.

 Visit https://www.gofundme.com/love-where-you-live-mural to donate!

Bill Owens

Chesnee High School head football coach Bill Owens announces resignation 

Wednesday morning, February 6th, Chesnee High School Head Football Coach Bill Owens announced to his players and coaches that he would not be returning for the upcoming season. Owens said he made his decision in order to pursue other opportunities.

“I greatly appreciate the FAITH that was placed in me when I was hired just over a year and a half ago. It was a great pleasure to have had the chance to lead the program and work with the players, coaching staff, and the CHS Administration the past two seasons,” Owens said. “I have enjoyed watching our athletes grow both as football players and as young men. It is my prayer that what we have instilled in them will carry over in their lives far past the playing field. I wish the best for Eagle football program as they get set to begin preparations for a new season.”

Chesnee High School Principal Tom Ezell said he greatly appreciates Owens time leading the Eagles.

“Coach Owens was a great role-model for our student-athletes and cared for them deeply,” Ezell said. “We wish him the very best in the next chapter of his life.”

The search for the Eagles next head coach will begin immediately said Superintendent Lance Radford.

“Chesnee is a wonderful community full of supportive families that deeply love the Eagles Football Program,” Radford said. “We think this position will attract high quality applicants, and we will hire the best Coach for our students and the Chesnee Community.”

Converse interior design students’ work on exhibit at Spartanburg Co-op 

Students and recent graduates who majored in interior design at Converse College will showcase their work at West Main Artists Co-op in the exhibit “Interiors from Studio 211,” through March 2, giving the public an in-depth look at what it takes to design livable, functionable, and desirable spaces in buildings.

Much of work was based on well known buildings in Upstate South Carolina.

The exhibit of eight students’ work will be open for public viewing Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is no admission fee to see this exhibit, which is one of three exhibits during February. The exhibits’ receptions will be Thursday, Feb. 21, 5 to 9 p.m., during the city’s monthly ArtWalk. The students, their professors, and the other exhibiting artists will be there to meet and greet, and to discuss their work.

West Main Artists Co-op is one of Spartanburg’s leading arts agencies. It is a nonprofit agency, supported mainly through sales, memberships, donations, and grants. The converted church houses about 30 studio spaces, three public art galleries, an art boutique that sells members’ creative works, a working printery, two stages, and a ceramics studio. Locally made art is displayed abundantly throughout the entire three-stories building. For more information about West Main Artists Co-op, please visit the facility or visit online at WestMainArtists.org

The Advisory Council supports and advocates for UES, which provides working adults the opportunity to earn a degree from Furman University.

UES engages business community with Advisory Council

Furman University’s Undergraduate Evening Studies (UES) has announced the new members of its 2019 Advisory Council, which supports and advocates for the program that provides working adults the opportunity to earn a degree from the university.

The group, which was first formed in 2017, met on Jan. 31.

Members of the Council include Upstate business and community leaders, as well as Furman alumni and instructors. During the meeting, members will review UES programs, course formats, enrollment and community engagement. A new Advisory Council is convened every other year.

UES director Beth Crews sees the Advisory Council as crucial to the effectiveness of the program, saying, “Through our Advisory Council, we expand awareness of the exceptional degree programs Furman makes available to adult learners. We cultivate and deepen relationships, and solicit informed input from employers. Students then gain greater access to mentors and advocates, who ultimately help shape academic programs and inform learning outcomes.”

The newly announced members of the 2019 UES Advisory Council are:

Betsy Anthony

Chief Operating Officer

Find Great People

Paul Batson (’73)

President & Owner

Batson Accounting & Tax P.A.

Jay Blankenship

Regional Workforce Advisor

SC Department of Commerce

William Bridges (’75)

Retired

The Graham Foundation

Phil Corbett

Content Analytics Leader

IBM

Doug Dorman

Retired

Greenville Health System

Ramona Farrell

Director

Greer Walker CPAs & Advisors

Robyn Grable

Founder & CEO

Veterans Ascend

John Harvey

Vice President, Worldwide Human Resources

ScanSource

Anthony Herrera

Executive Director, Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Furman University

Dean Hybl

Executive Director

Ten at the Top

Linda Jameison

Assistant Vice President, Student Success and Engagement

TriCounty Technical College

Douglas Kim

Principal

Douglas Kim Law Firm

Robin Knox

Human Resources Director

Nutra Manufacturing

Carol Kunkel (’99)

Inside Sales Director

ABB

Mark Loftin (’17)

Senior Manager, Data Governance & Management

TD Bank

David Lucero

Program Coordinator & Instructor

Greenville Technical College

Sara Montero-Buria

Manager, Community Engagement & Strategy

Hispanic Alliance

Johannes Mutzke

Co-Owner, Blue Ink Strategies LLC

Global Innovation Council Chairman & Chief of Staff

Michelin, North America

Jamie Patterson

Director of Career Services

Clemson MBA Program

Jamie Rhyne (’11)

Plant Manager

Orbis Corporation

Ansel Sanders (’10)

President & CEO

Public Education Part-ners

Jokeitha Seabrook

Director of Community & Partner Relations

United Way of Greenville County

Evan Slavitt

General Counsel

AVX

Shaun Wagner

IT Manager

Greenville Hospital System

Paul Wickensimer

Clerk of Court

Greenville County Court

Fuyao North American launching new Greenville County processing center

Columbia - Fuyao North America Inc., a venture of China-based Fuyao Glass Industry Group Co. Ltd. (Fuyao Group), is launching a new processing center in Greenville County. The company's $16.1 million investment is projected to create approximately 70 new jobs.

Since 1987, the Fuyao Group has been producing high-quality automotive glass for original equipment manufacturers and aftermarket suppliers. Operating as one of the largest producer of automotive glass worldwide, the company holds more than 300 patents and manufactures four million glass car sets in the United States annually.

Fuyao North America Inc. will be establishing a new, 182,000-square-foot processing center with light production capabilities at 110 Milacron Drive in Fountain Inn, S.C. Hiring for the new positions is projected to begin this quarter.

"Today marks another chapter for our company as we invest in this new Greenville County processing center. We are thankful for the assistance we have received from the state and county governments, and we look forward to making a difference in the local community," stated Fuyao North America Inc. General Manager Dan Martin.

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster added, "We're excited to welcome Fuyao North America to the South Carolina business community. Any time a company chooses to call South Carolina home, it's a testament to our great workforce and business-friendly environment. The 70 new jobs will have a big impact in Greenville County."

"We are ecstatic that Fuyao North America has chosen the city of Fountain Inn as the location for its new processing center. We look forward to having another international company in the Diamond Tip of the Golden Strip," added Fountain Inn City Administrator Shawn Bell.

The Coordinating Council for Economic Development has awarded a $100,000 Set Aside grant to Greenville County to assist with costs associated with the project.