Category Archives: #yeahthatgreenville

Y2MAKE: Creating our Future Through Advanced Manufacturing

ManTech-2016-Eventbrite-Logo

Y Manufacturing?

We are in the midst of a manufacturing renaissance, especially in the Southeast. The Upstate has a seasoned workforce, however with the increase of new technologies and approaches to manufacturing including additive and robotics, the requisite skills needed in science and engineering have also increased. How do improve this knowledge gap? How do we get more interested in manufacturing especially the Y and Z generations? How do we tap into the large number of engineers in SC to help?

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My #WomenLeadGVL Story

Strong and determined women have inspired me since childhood. From my wife, mom,  and my grandmother (see 7 Things I learned from my Grandmother) to two of the  most impactful bosses of my career, I’ve personally learned and grown through the mentorship and guidance of women. Regrettably, until lately I have not given much back.

My company Beer and Napkins started with the philosophy of diverse ideas, diverse environment, and diverse people. Yet our board of advisors was made up of close friends and colleagues… and they were all men. This imbalance was painfully apparent after I shared our company with a colleague and she pointed out the lack of a diversity on our board. Furthermore, after coming across a New York Times article by Sheryl Sandberg and her call to action for men “It’s time for men and women alike to join forces in championing gender parity”, my genuineness was challenged. Did I really believe in a diverse group? Though we touted diversity I was not living it! The profound awareness of my inattentiveness to inequities prompted a drive to lead by example. After deep reflection, my business partner Tony Miller and I assessed our current situation and realized we needed to take action.

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Sheryl’s #leanintogether inspired me to use our resources, talents, and Beer and Napkins platform to support women in leadership and entrepreneurship. #WomenLeadGVL was born. It was a way of locally honoring women who have contributed to our growth.  We took few key actions to set in motion our vison.

  • Our #WomenLeadGVL initiative was started to support and encourage women in leadership and entrepreneurship through meetups, events, and other projects.
  • We diversified our board adding two talented women agreed to become part of our organization. Both Pamela Wood Browne and Veronica Schoell have enriched our organization with ideas and support as we grew. They have embraced our #WomenLeadGVL initiative and progressively moving our organization forward.
  • Started a video campaign for #WomenLeadGVL. Here are a few inspirational words from Greenville SC women entrepreneurs and leaders:

June McCreight, COO of Coba Enterprise Management

https://www.facebook.com/BeerNapkins/posts/940076262720355

Amy Roe, Fountain Inn Chamber of Commerce

https://www.facebook.com/BeerNapkins/posts/939000449494603

 Jordana Megonigal, Publisher of Business Black Box

https://www.facebook.com/BeerNapkins/posts/935223486538966

Kimberly Carroll, Director of Unusual Circumstances English for Life

https://www.facebook.com/BeerNapkins/posts/934214186639896

Veronical Schoell, Business Coach and Leader in the upstate automotive industry

https://www.facebook.com/BeerNapkins/posts/933734806687834

This is just a start and we have much more to do! Women have worked hard for their current place in leadership positions, equal pay, and entrepreneurship. On this Labor Day and the future, I ask you to reflect on all the women who have contributed to your growth in your career and life and I challenge all men and women to use their resources, talents, and skills to support women’s personal growth, leadership, and entrepreneurship. We encourage you to use our #WomenLead__ and replace the last three letters with your community and spread the encouragement.

Phillip A. McCreight, MHRD, SHRM-SCP
Founder
Beer and Napkins, LLC
M 864-430-0903
[email protected]
www.beerandnapkins.com
Have Ideas for Engaging Women in Leadership and Entrepreneurship share here https://beerandnapkins.imaginethat.io/womenleadgvl  #WomenLeadGVL

CAKE&WHISKEY: A #WomenLeadGVL idea mixer

Wednesday, August 12th 6:30 pm  at Human Technologies, Inc. 105 North Spring Street
Greenville, SC 29601

As part of our #WomenLeadGVL initiative we will be having a dynamic collaboration withCake and Whiskey Greenville Group!  Ashley Clark and Veera Gaul will be sharing their entrepreneurial story and how they started Cake in Whiskey in Greenville!  And yes cake and whiskey will be served! Heavy hors d’oeuvres and craft beer will also by available.

Ashley Clark is a 2012 graduate of Clemson University and the co-owner/operator of Kilwins Chocolates, Fudge & Ice Cream in downtown Greenville, SC. In addition to running the business, Ashley is very active in the community. She serves as the Co-Chair of Downtown Greenville Holiday Happening, volunteers as a Girls on the Run SoleMate, is an Area Organizer for CAKE&WHISKEY. She is also an Associate Commissioner with Greenville Count Soil & Water Conservation District and is the Area Chairman for Ducks Unlimited. Ashley is married to Landon Clark, who is Manager of Production at the store. Together, they enjoy volunteering at The White Horse Academy, a residential treatment center for boys age 13 to 17. There they coordinate special events, care for the organic garden, and teach a weekly class on personal finance. When she isn’t working or volunteering, Ashley enjoys spending time with her two black Labrador Retrievers, Dex and Mac.

Veera Gaul is a trained chef whose passion for food led her into the hospitality business and further into higher education at Johnson & Wales University — known for its culinary and hospitality programs. She began at JWU as a graduate student and went on to be a faculty member, assistant dean, vice president of operations for the Providence campus and Provost overseeing all academic programs and faculty. Veera is a “people-person” who had responsibility for an $87M instructional budget and over 500 full time faculty over four campuses across 6 colleges and schools.

She left JWU in March of 2013 and decided to join her husband Joe Gaul, in his entrepreneurial venture. Together, they own Oil & Vinegar a “culinary gift shop” concept in Downtown Greenville that brings together specialty olive oils, vinegars and a wide range of international foods and ceramics in a Mediterranean-style store.

She co-chairs Downtown Greenville Holiday Happening, is the Area organizer for CAKE&WHISKEY, and volunteers with Loaves & Fishes.

Our board members Pam Wood Browne and Veronica Schoell will also be sharing our crowdsourced ideas for engaging Women in Leadership and Entrepreneurshiphttps://beerandnapkins.imaginethat.io/womenleadgvl

This event is a celebration of Women Leaders and Entrepreneurs but open to all guests.

Thanks to our Sponsors Human Technologies, Inc., Six and Twenty Distillery, and Birds Fly South Ale Project

Parking is availabe near HTI for $5 or the Riverstreet Parking Garage

For more information contact Phil McCreight or Tony Miller 

Beer and Napkins Event- RiverReConnect: ReConnecting People to Rivers Initiative

RiverReConnect: ReConnecting People to Rivers Initiative

Tuesday, June 9th, 6:00pm – 8:00pm  The Community Tap, 217 Wade Hampton Blvd, Greenville, SC 29609 (864) 631-2525

Upstate Forever Staff Members Nancy Eisen Fitzer and Heather Bergerud Nix will present key initiatives in education and engagement to cultivate a stronger appreciation for our limited water resources and a fascination with the ecological richness of Upstate SC water resources and rivers.  Several projects will be highlighted including Blueway Mapping and Upstate Adopt-A-Stream. We will follow the presentation with an ideation session targeting these two projects.

Limited to 30 Attendees

(Tickets include choice of craft beer and pizza will be served)

About our Presenters

Nancy Eisen Fitzer has been with Upstate Forever since 2005. Her responsibilities include producing our newsletters, maintaining this website, researching and writing other publications, and monitoring state legislation.
Nancy has a masters degree in City and Regional Planning from Clemson University, a B.A. in biological anthropology from Harvard, and also studied natural resource management and rainforest ecology in Australia. Her previous experience includes organizing community service projects in partnership with schools, parks, and shelters in Columbia for City Year, a national youth corps program.Nancy lives in Greenville with her husband, Matt, and three children.

Heather Bergerud Nix joined the Upstate Forever staff in 2007 and is the Director of the Clean Air & Water Program, where she leads a variety of advocacy and outreach efforts. Heather received her B.S. in Biology from Winthrop University. Before joining Upstate Forever, Heather was a project manager at an environmental consulting firm. Her main focus was wetland delineation and permitting, construction site inspections, and industrial facility inspections. Previously, Heather gained a variety of experience working at Glacier National Park in Montana, a chemical manufacturing facility in South Carolina, and onboard commercial fishing vessels in the Bering Sea.
Heather is thrilled to be able to use her technical knowledge and background to help further positive changes in the Upstate. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, gardening and traveling.

 For more information contact Phil McCreight or Tony Miller