Pictured are staff members at Great Clips and Easley Chamber members there to congratulate them.

Great Clips of 5115A Calhoun Memorial Highway was selected as the Easley Chamber of Commerce’s business of the month by the board of directors. Great Clips of Easley has distinguished itself by sponsoring a Golf Tournament at Smithfields in May where $8500 was raised for the United Way of Pickens County. Additionally, $4000 was raised from the local Great Clips group of eight shops to contribute to the United Way.

Also, Great Clips is one of the sponsors for the recent Miracle Hill Cycling Challenge held this June in which over $100,000 was raised for Miracle Hill Ministries. “Like many of the chamber members, Great Clips contributes much to the community charitable organizations and deserves this recognition,” stated Kent Dykes, President of the Easley Chamber.

Front row are: Scott Buckhiester, Rhonda Duncan, Cheryl Bork, Scott Bork of DunBurks. Additionally in photograph are Easley Chamber ambassadors and directors.

DunBurk’s Premier Events is June 2010 Business of the Month

The board of director of the Easley Chamber of Commerce voted DunBurk’s Premier Events as business of the month for June 2010. This is in recognition for the successful Easley Spring Fling, the Music on the Market series, and the July 4th celebration they organize for the city. DunBurks volunteered the coordination of the Fox 21 television “town takeover” in April. DunBurks is also the site of the monthly Easley Chamber luncheons.

Easley Combined Untilities

Pictured are employees of Easley Combined Utilities headed by Joel Ledbetter, General Manager, and Easley Chamber of Commerce Directors and Ambassadors

The Greater Easley Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors voted unanimously to select Easley Combined Utilities as Business of the Month for May. The American Public Power Association awarded Easley Combined Utilities the RP3 (Reliable Public Power Provider) designation achieving the Platinum level in the program. Out of approximately 2,000 electric utilities that are APPA members, there are only 154 who are RP3. This platinum level designation means that Easley Combined Utilities has met 90-99% of the four specifically required areas: safety, work force development, system improvement and reliability.

Manager Blake Pittman and some of his employees stand behind the banner along with some Easley Chamber members

The Greater Easley Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors voted unanimously to select Applebee’s Restaurant in Easley as Business of the Month for April. Applebee’s manager Blake Pittman stated, “Applebee’s accomplished a lot last year in contributing and helping various programs and charities. We raised over $13,000 in contributions alone at the Easley Applebee’s for the Make-a-Wish Foundation. We also held several pancake breakfasts, car washes, cooking & catering events that totaled over $40,000 in additional help to our community. We feel very prideful about these accomplishments. We are also the Training Store for Applebee’s in the upstate of South Carolina and are one of the highest volume stores in the southeast,” stated Blake.

Front row from left behind the banner are employees Patty Finley, Sarena Elgin, Cyndie McCreight, Sue Spellman & Patricia Lewis. Second row behind banner are Patti Seymore Terry Harrington (Branch Manager), Travis Barbare, Terri Hendrix and Brian McKay

SC Telco Federal Credit Union entered into the Easley market in 2008 by acquiring the Anderson Federal Credit Union branch located at 118 Brushy Creek Road, where they continue to serve our community today. SC Telco has over 34,000 members and $184 million in assets. Including their Easley location, SC Telco serves the entire state of South Carolina through 8 branch locations, 40 additional shared branching locations, and over 28,000 surcharge free ATMS throughout the United States.

From left behind the banner are Christa McDonald, Alfred Robinson, Anna Mauldin, Lori LaBrash, Steve Culbertson, Chris Robinson, Richard Holcombe, & Lynn Hammett

The Greater Easley Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors selected Robinson Funeral Home as the Business of the Month for February. Robinson Funeral Home was recently awarded the 2009 Business of Integrity Award for Customer Service by the Better Business Bureau Education Foundation and BBB Board of Directors of the Upstate South Carolina. The company has demonstrated high ethical standards of behavior toward customers, vendors, and employees, along with having a history of strong ethics in the workplace. By displaying marketing and advertising strategies that reflect a true representation of the product, Robinson Funeral Home has also been recognized by the community and their industry for sound business practices.

“Robinson Funeral Home has been a very long time member of the Easley Chamber of Commerce and has been a great support over the years and we commend Robinson Funeral Home for this prestigious award from the Better Business Bureau,” stated Kent Dykes, President of the Chamber.

From the left in the center are manager George Velissaris & owner Larry Velaetis surrounded by their staff members and Easley Chamber members

The Greater Easley Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors selected Silver Bay as the Business of the Month for January. Silver Bay has been a supportive Easley Chamber member since they opened a restaurant in Easley. This past Thanksgiving Silver Bay received special recognition in the community. The restaurant served a traditional Thanksgiving meal to over 1500 customers free of charge. Each year they hope to give back to the community and to their customers. They feel their customers are an extension of their own families and they want to say “thank you” for supporting them throughout the year

In the center from the left are Mac Lawton (Owner), Miss Easley 2010 Maegan Garner and Todd Merriss (General Manager), along with employees of Dixie Lumber Co and Easley Chamber members

The Board of Directors of the Greater Easley Chamber of Commerce selected Dixie Lumber Company, 1320 E. Main Street in Easley, as Business of the Month for December. A long-time Easley Chamber member Dixie Lumber Company, an employee-owned company, has been serving Easley and the surrounding areas for over 50 years. “Our employees are very proud to have been selected and are honored by this award,” stated Todd Merriss, General Manager. “We are guided by a strong foundation of Christian values. We continue to support appropriate civic, educational, and business activities that encourage positive growth for all individuals, stated Merriss.
http://www.dixielumber.net/

Pictured from left behind the sign are Kudzu staff members Heather Dobbins, Mykal Nix, Jaime Fincannon, Will Jones (owner), Tommy Keef, Jim Constance, Sean Thornton (owner), Chi Hunter, Lindsay Ritter

The board of directors of the Easley Chamber of Commerce has selected Countryside Village as the business of the month for October 2009. Countryside Village is celebrating its 25th anniversary of opening in Easley.
The village is owned by Emeritus Communities which is the second largest retirement living center in the United States. Countryside Village is home to 275 senior residents and employs 125 people in Pickens County. It has twenty nine (29) buildings on 46 acres of land just off highway 8 south of Easley.

“In slow economic times Countryside Village is proud to have provided continuous employment to its staff and great service to its residents,” stated Vickie Given, community relations director of Countryside.

From left are: Easley Chamber ambassador – Terry Harrington, Countryside Village staff: Vickie Given, Bonnie Rust, Patricia Gordon, Sandra Armstrong, Brandon Hair-Director, Fatima Anderson, Beverly Payne, Shane Edens, Yasmin McMullen, Chamber ambassador – Pam Jeter