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DRC Ventures Partners with ELYSIAN to Celebrate 10 Years of Women Inspiring Women at Star-Studded Celebration

Originally published by EIN Presswire on May 13, 2025

SPARTANBURG, SC, UNITED STATES, May 13, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ — DRC Ventures, in collaboration with ELYSIAN, co-hosted a powerful celebration this past weekend to honor ELYSIAN’s 10th anniversary. Held at the private estate of ELYSIAN Founder, Publisher, and Filmmaker Karen Floyd, the exclusive retreat welcomed more than 200 influential women from around the globe for a day of connection, inspiration, and impact.

At the heart of the celebration was Dr. Christina Rahm, Founder and CEO of DRC Ventures, who played a pivotal role in the event’s success. Through her leadership and vision, she helped shape several cornerstone initiatives, including one of the day’s most compelling highlights — a deeply moving conversation with Atifete Jahjaga, the first female President of Kosovo.

The event brought together an extraordinary group of thought leaders, philanthropists, entrepreneurs, and changemakers aligned with ELYSIAN and DRC Ventures’ shared mission: to empower women and drive meaningful global progress. Distinguished attendees included:

President of Kosovo Jahjaga
Anita Zucker, Philanthropist and former CEO, The InterTech Group
Edna Morris, Chairman of the Board, Tractor Supply Company
Dr. Alveda King, Chair, AFPI Center for the American Dream
Itai Madamombe, Founder and CEO, OCEANIX
Prominent political leaders from across South Carolina and beyond

As a key strategic partner in ELYSIAN’s evolution, Dr. Rahm has been instrumental in launching the Aspiring Women initiative, a bold new program dedicated to mentoring and supporting women under 35 on their path to leadership.

“It is an honor to lead the Aspiring Women of ELYSIAN. We have so much to accomplish for the world and for one another,” said Dr. Rahm. “I stand alongside powerful women like Karen Floyd to pursue peace, purpose, and progress. The next 10 years hold extraordinary promise, and together, we will shape a future defined by unity, innovation, and unstoppable strength.”

The centerpiece of the day was Dr. Rahm’s intimate and thought-provoking interview with President Jahjaga, who shared powerful insights on women’s leadership, post-conflict resilience, and the global importance of investing in women.

“Investing in women is investing in the future of individuals, families, communities, and entire nations,” said President Jahjaga. “When women rise together, they don’t just break barriers, they build a better future.”

The retreat also featured a series of expert-led panels on topics including business, global politics, STEM, and creative industries. Dr. Rahm shared her insights across multiple sessions, further amplifying the day’s mission of empowerment and innovation.

A key moment of the celebration included the recognition of over 70 exceptional women with awards across diverse fields, a testament to ELYSIAN and DRC Ventures’ commitment to elevating female excellence.

Guests left inspired, including Martha Wiedemann, Associate Director of the iconic Badrutt’s Palace Hotel in St. Moritz, Switzerland:

“I felt I was in the presence of greatness,” said Wiedemann. “This event energized me to reflect on how I, too, can contribute to this remarkable journey.”

South Carolina Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette also praised the collaboration:

“As a woman in leadership, it is truly inspiring to witness the impact of this partnership and the powerful network it is building for women who are transforming every sector,” said Evette.

The day concluded with a celebratory toast, marking not just a decade of ELYSIAN’s impact, but the enduring partnership between DRC Ventures and ELYSIAN, a union committed to nurturing leadership, fostering community, and driving global change.

“This gathering reflects the powerful synergy between DRC Ventures and ELYSIAN,” said Karen Floyd. “Dr. Rahm’s visionary leadership has expanded our global reach and deepened our mission. Together, we are amplifying the voices of women who are mentoring, leading, and creating a legacy of transformation.”

DRC Ventures’ collaboration with ELYSIAN underscores its broader commitment to empowering women through philanthropy and innovation. Through ELYSIAN Impact and related initiatives, the organizations have helped distribute more than $16 million in support of causes advancing women, children, animals, environmental sustainability, and service.

To learn more about DRC Ventures, visit www.drc-ventures.com
For more about ELYSIAN, visit https://readelysian.com

SC Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette visits North Augusta to unveil new clinic

by Rakish Lenon. Originally published by WJBF News Channel 6 on 5/12/2025

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. (WJBF) – South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette visited North Augusta on Monday for the grand opening of the newest Augusta Oncology Multispecialty Clinic location.

The clinic, located on 150 Bluff Avenue, North Augusta, S.C., will provide both chemotherapy and radiation services on site.

“As people look where they want to call home, they want to look for things like quality of life, they want to look for things like good medical care, they want to look for services and that’s what you have here,” said Lt. Gov. Evette. “So this will definitely put this area on the map, people coming here to make sure if they’re gonna ground roots, this is where they want to be.”

“We can give chemotherapy and radiation therapy in one facility,” said Traci Duffie, CEO of Augusta Oncology Multispecialty Clinic. “We can do diagnostic imaging, we have CT scanners, we have pet CT scanners, so we can take care of the whole person going through this journey.”

The clinic is part of the Beacon Bluff Development Project to help transform downtown North Augusta.

$19M early childhood education center being constructed in Spartanburg County

By Chris Lavender. Originally posted by The Post & Courier Spartanburg on May 8, 2025

DUNCAN — A $19 million early childhood education facility will soon take shape, providing additional resources in a rapidly growing section of Spartanburg County.

On schedule to open in August 2026, the 44,500-square-foot Middle Tyger Education Center at 101 S. Danzler Road will sit across from Duncan Elementary School.

The project is possible through a partnership involving SEW Eurodrive, Spartanburg County School District 5, Spartanburg Academic Movement, Middle Tyger Community Center and the S.C. General Assembly.

The school district donated 13 acres for the new center.

Lt. Gov. Pam Evette stopped on May 7 at SEW Eurodrive in Wellford to speak on the new center and efforts statewide to boost early childhood education.

“There’s also a lot of work gone into providing school choice, and education remains a top priority in South Carolina,” Evette said. “The new center for early childhood education being developed for this community at large will be a template and model, and I am hoping to talk about it all over the state with other businesses.”

The new center will have 17 classrooms and serve up to 260 children ages 6 weeks through 4K. The new center will create 25 jobs.

Middle Tyger Community Center Executive Director Haley Grau told The Post and Courier the new center will help expand the district’s current model.

“We want to make sure that we can keep serving children and provide high-quality child care,” Grau said. “This is going to be incredible for our workforce. We just want to make sure people can work and have child care.”

The average cost for child care annually in the area is about $14,000 annually or $300 per week. The new center is expected to alleviate the financial strain of child care on families in the region.

SEW Eurodrive is among the project’s supporters. The company is a global private industry that manufactures gearboxes.

“SEW Eurodrive is proud to invest in the future of this community by supporting the Middle Tyger Education Center,” said Rainer Blickle, vice president of SEW Eurodrive USA. “We believe strongly in the mission of MTCC and in the power of early education to uplift families. This project will have a lasting impact not only for our employees’ families, but for the broader economic and social health of the region.”

Former state Rep. Rita Allison, who attended a media conference at SEW Eurodrive, spoke about the new center’s innovative partnership.

“The center is going to be an economic development tool,” Allison said. “There are so many places in our state that need this model with the school district, Middle Tyger Community Center and businesses coming together with all their talents.”

The site at the corner of East Main Street and South Danzler has been cleared of trees for the new center, and construction should start in late 2025.

Grau said children with disabilities and living in poverty are prioritized in the center’s child care program enrollment process. The two-story facility will also include space for future expansion and playgrounds.

Spartanburg Academic Movement has committed $500,000 for the project. Grau said the General Assembly earmarked $3.5 million for the project.

World’s largest rubber duck makes splash in Myrtle Beach

By Haleigh West. Originally posted by ABC 15 News WPDE on May 8, 2025

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE) — You’re one lucky duck if you’re in Myrtle Beach this weekend, because you have the chance to see the world’s largest rubber duck!

Measuring in at 60 feet tall, known as “Mama Duck,” this is her first visit to South Carolina. Although the YMCA of Coastal Carolina said she was created right outside of Hilton Head.

She waddles around the country, making quite the splash to promote National Water Safety Month.

After Thursday morning’s hour-long inflation, Myrtle Beach Mayor Brenda Bethune and South Carolina Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette said we can help prevent drowning, especially when the weather warms up.

“And we’re sitting on the beautiful beaches, the Intracoastal, and a city pool, or our own pool, everybody together, keep your eyes up, put your phones down. Because it takes all of us to keep our children and our friends safe,” said Lt. Gov Pamela Evette.

If you are walking through the Burroughs and Chapin pavilion, you’ll see signs with water safety tips and a QR code for resources. Mama Duck will inflate every morning between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., and you can visit on Thursday, Friday and Saturday until 8 p.m. and until 3 p.m. on Sunday.

Gov. Henry McMaster, Lt. Gov Pamela Evette speak at Myrtle Beach Classic

by Julia Richardson, originally published May 7, 2025 by WMBF

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) – Although the first official day of the Myrtle Beach Classic featured a pro-am with a lot of favorite celebrities, some familiar faces in South Carolina politics also stopped by the Dunes Club.

Gov. Henry McMaster and Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette spoke to the media Wednesday afternoon, joined by other local and state leaders.

McMaster emphasized the importance of the classic putting Myrtle Beach, and South Carolina as a whole, on the map, not just economically, but in image as well.

“To have these magnificent golfers from all over the world who go anywhere is a great thing because we all learn something from it,” said McMaster.

Evette touched on the rise in sports tourism in South Carolina and how the Classic has helped contribute to it.

“Whether you’re down in Hilton Head or you’re here in Myrtle Beach and you see the beautiful greens, and you see the wonderful ocean, you see the light house at Harbortown, and it just makes you want to come here, so it’s got an amazing economic impact for our state,” said Evette.

SC governor visits Grand Strand ahead of 2025 ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic

by Joe Wedra, originally posted May 7, 2025 by My Horry News

State officials and government leaders, including S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster and Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette praised the 2025 ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic and its impact at a press conference at the Dunes Golf and Beach Club on Wednesday, May 7.

McMaster and Evette were joined by others, like Sen. Luke Rankin and Myrtle Beach Mayor Brenda Bethune, as a part of an official event to kick off the tournament.

Evette said the event is a major boost to the state, helping attract even more fans to the area through the media exposure the tournament brings.

“The first thing they want to do is sit down, get in front of their computer, book a room and come here to play golf, right here in South Carolina and right here in Myrtle Beach,” Evette said. “This is our second year of this tournament, and it’s a very exciting time.”

McMaster praised the Myrtle Beach area as being a welcoming place to host a PGA Tour event. A key talking point amongst tournament leaders for the past several months has been the “overdue” nature of the PGA Tour coming to Myrtle Beach.

“That’s 60 miles of unbroken white sand,” McMaster said, gesturing to the oceanfront view beyond the Dunes Club ballroom. “They call it the Grand Strand. You can’t find it anywhere else… all kinds of things have attracted people here for years and years. It’s always the people and it’s always the place.”

Evette said the event is a major boost to the state, helping attract even more fans to the area through the media exposure the tournament brings.

“The first thing they want to do is sit down, get in front of their computer, book a room and come here to play golf, right here in South Carolina and right here in Myrtle Beach,” Evette said. “This is our second year of this tournament, and it’s a very exciting time.”

McMaster praised the Myrtle Beach area as being a welcoming place to host a PGA Tour event. A key talking point amongst tournament leaders for the past several months has been the “overdue” nature of the PGA Tour coming to Myrtle Beach.

“That’s 60 miles of unbroken white sand,” McMaster said, gesturing to the oceanfront view beyond the Dunes Club ballroom. “They call it the Grand Strand. You can’t find it anywhere else… all kinds of things have attracted people here for years and years. It’s always the people and it’s always the place.”

Rajput said celebrities like Kevin Costner and Kurt Russell enjoyed playing in the Wednesday pro-am event, and have already indicated that they would like to be apart of the event in 2026.

Tracy Conner, interim president and CEO of the Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce, said at Wednesday’s press conference that the current contract with the PGA Tour is through 2027 and that conversations will begin this fall about “extensions and other opportunities.”

Evette said the Classic, and the game of golf as a whole, continues to have a significant positive economic impact for the state. All leaders at Wednesday’s press conference seemed to indicate that the event has a very realistic chance of sticking in the area for years to come.

“I think it is unlimited, the amount of economic impact it has and the draw that it has, bringing people to South Carolina,” Evette said of the tournament’s benefits.

Tournament play begins on Thursday at the Dunes Club and will continue throughout the weekend with the final round taking place on Sunday.

$19 million childcare campus coming to Spartanburg County

by Sacarlett Lisjak, originally posted May 7, 2025 by WSPA

SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) — Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette was in Spartanburg County on Wednesday, highlighting a new education development coming to the Duncan area.

Evette toured global manufacturing company SEW Eurodrive’s facility, but she also came to talk about an investment made by the company.

“What we really wanted to talk about first and foremost is on top of their exceptional product, quality and workmanship is what they are doing for this community and using their philanthropy dollars to come together to help early childhood development,” Evette said.

SEW is helping to fund a new early education campus for local family resource facility, known as Middle Tyger Education Center.

“They are taking their treasures and making a center for early childhood development that isn’t just for their employees but for the community at large,” Evette said.

The goal is to address the shortage of early childhood education resources in the area.

“We know that childcare comes at the center of a healthy thriving family, and we are in the midst of a childcare desert. There is not enough high-quality early care in education to meet our industry and residential demands,” said Haley Grau, th executive director of Middle Tyger Community Center.

The center, once completed, will span more than 44,000-square-feet; sitting on approximately 13-acres of land donated by Spartanburg School District 5.

State and local officials said the development will go a long way to alleviate the demand for early childcare in the area.

“We can expand our early care in education program, that is daily childcare, from 60 slots to 285 slots, not just 5 classrooms but 17 classrooms,” Grau said.

Middle Tyger Community Center said the new building will offer the most infant to one-year old slots in the state.

The project is estimated to cost $19 million and is expected to open in August 2026.

South Carolina skilled trades: A call for hands-on talent

By Destiny Kennedy, originally published by WMBF on May 7, 2025

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) -Local leaders and organizers highlight the growing need for skilled workforce in the trades industry.

Join us as we speak with the Horry Georgetown Home Builders Association about the importance of getting people involved in the skilled trades.

South Carolina Lieutenant Governor, Pamela Evette stopped by to discuss the rising demand for skilled trades and the steps the state is taking to support workforce development.

We even spoke with Horry Georgetown Technical College and BELFOR about their hands-on training programs that are preparing students for careers in trades.

If your interested in a career in skilled trades, visit Horry Georgetown Home Builders Association’s website here.

Grand Strand Today airs weekdays at 11 am on WMBF News.

Vance Touts ‘Technology of the Future’ on Display in South Carolina Steel Plant

The vice president rejected claims that U.S. trade policies are geared to ‘bring back jobs of the past,’ citing Nucor operation as ‘jobs of the future.’

By John Haughey, originally published May 1, 2025

Vice President JD Vance didn’t have new trade deals to announce, nor did he address trade negotiations or changes to President Donald Trump’s tariff regime during his May 1 tour of Nucor’s steel plant outside Huger in Berkeley County, South Carolina.

Instead, he came to the 62-acre, 30-year-old plant 35 miles north of Charleston to celebrate the Trump administration’s first 100 days, calling it “the beginning of the industrial renaissance in the United States of America.”

“A ‘golden age of American manufacturing’ started 100 days ago, and we’re building it right here at Nucor Steel in South Carolina,” Vance said after touring the plant, which employs 1,000 workers and 350 contractors.

Vance was accompanied by South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin.

Zeldin said federal agencies “should be doing nothing but helping American manufacturing,” not building regulatory roadblocks.

“We believe we can both protect the environment and grow the economy. We choose both,” Zeldin said.

He noted the EPA in March initiated “the largest deregulatory action in the history of the United States of America” to boost energy development and foster a domestic “manufacturing renaissance.”

Those early moves—including 25-percent tariffs on steel and aluminum—are important for domestic heavy industry, Nucor CEO Leon Topalian said.

Under the new administration’s policies, “Nucor will continue to invest and grow this company … ensuring our nation has the strongest and most diverse steel and steel products available anywhere in the world,” he said.

In a Feb. 10 executive order, Trump reinstated his “full” 25-percent tariff on all steel imports imposed during his first administration.

The tariffs are authorized under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which gives the president the capacity to adjust imports to “protect national security.”

While President Joe Biden lifted Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs on certain countries, such as Japan and the United Kingdom, he retained most and expanded those against steelmakers in China.

Vance dismissed criticism of the president’s tariffs and trade policies from people he said “ought to know better.”

The president’s policies “do a very simple thing—rebalance trade in favor of American workers and American businesses, instead of foreign workers and foreign corporations.”

State of Domestic Steel

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, America’s iron and steel industry produced 81 million tons of “raw steel” in 2024 with an estimated value of $120 billion, a 10 percent decrease from $132 billion produced in 2023.

U.S. steel production ranks fourth globally behind China, India, and Japan.

China dominates the market, producing 1,000 million tons annually, accounting for approximately 54 percent of global trade, according to the World Steel Association.
The Department of Commerce’s U.S. International Trade Administration reports the U.S. imported 26.2 million metric tons of steel worth $33 billion in 2024, a 2.5 percent increase in imports from 2023.

Its data show 2024 steel imports from 79 nations. U.S. buyers purchased $7.7 billion in steel from Canada, followed by Brazil ($4.5 billion), Mexico ($3.3 billion), and South Korea ($1.9 billion).

In 2014, there were 150,000 people employed in the U.S. steel mills, and another 70,000 working in foundries, who produced $113 billion in steel, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
An IBISWorld April 2025 report documents 80,713 employees and 235 U.S. steelmaking businesses in 2024. It projects a $4 billion 2025 decline from 2024’s $139.6 billion in U.S. steel revenues.

This trend must end, Vance said, calling the Nucor tour a “meaningful stop” for him because his grandfather, “the man who raised me,” worked 40 years as a welder at Armco Steel in Middletown, Ohio.

Yet, he said, “I’ve actually never had a tour of a steel mill” until viewing Nucor’s plant, where the control room is “like a spaceship.”

“I felt like Homer Simpson,” Vance said.

“What it made me realize is this technology … We use this term [and] we think about it as iPhones in our pockets … But technology is happening right here at a steelmaking facility in Newport, in Berkeley, in South Carolina. That is the technology of the future.”

He then refuted claims that Trump “wants to bring back the jobs of the past.”

“I don’t think anything could be further from the truth. I don’t see the steel mill jobs in the past,” he said.

“I see the steel mill jobs in the future. I see technology allowing us to do something today that my grandfather, God love him, wasn’t doing 40 years ago at Armco Steel in Middletown, Ohio.”

Nucor, Cleveland-Cliffs, Carpenter Technology, Commercial Metals Company, Steel Dynamics, and U.S. Steel are the largest American steel producers.

Nucor, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, was established in 1897. It is North America’s largest steelmaker and recycler.

According to the company, it employs more than 32,000 Americans in 300 sites, including nine operations with a 2,500-worker payroll in South Carolina, integral to the 500 companies associated with auto manufacturing in the state.

“Every year, Nucor produces about 25 percent of the steel consumed in the United States at our 26 steel mills,” Topalian said.

Nucor reported $30.7 billion in 2024 sales, an 11 percent decline in revenues from 2023, the company reported in its 2024 Annual Report. Meanwhile, it enjoyed a 10 percent boost in production over the first three months of 2025, it says.

Vance did not address what Trump may decide regarding the purchase of U.S. Steel by Japan-based Nippon Steel.

Before leaving office in January, Biden issued an order prohibiting the $14.1 billion acquisition. Trump also opposes the sale.

Supporters, which include local United Mine Workers unions in the Pittsburgh area, say the deal would elevate U.S. Steel from being the world’s 16th largest steelmaker to being part of the globe’s third-largest steel producer.

Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel have filed a lawsuit challenging Biden’s decision.

Despite his misgivings, in an April 7 presidential memorandum, Trump directed the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to review the proposed sale “to assist me in determining whether further action in this matter may be appropriate.”

By mid-to-late May, the committee will provide “a recommendation … describing whether any measures proposed by the parties are sufficient to mitigate any national security risks.”

From The Epoch Times
Evette praises YMCA’s impact during visit

By Brandon Roberts, Originally posted by The Summerville Journal Scene on April 27, 2025

Lt. Gov. advocates for youth programs, small businesses, public-private partnerships

South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette visited the Summerville Family YMCA at The Ponds on April 24 to discuss the YMCA’s role in the community and emphasize the importance of local partnerships.

During the one-hour tour, YMCA CEO Joe Debney highlighted the organization’s community-focused initiatives, such as drowning prevention programs, outreach efforts, and partnerships with local businesses, nonprofits and elected officials.

“Every single time I have heard her speak, she stresses the importance of small business, public-private partnerships and nonprofits,” Debney said. “Not only here in South Carolina, I’ve seen her do this at the national level with the YMCA.”

Evette expressed her strong support for the YMCA’s work, particularly its effect on youth and seniors. She praised the organization’s programs that teach soft skills to high school students and provide seniors with opportunities to stay active and socially engaged.

“I am a huge champion of the Y, and for so many reasons,” Evette said. “First and foremost, because of the impact you’ve had in your community, not just with young people.”

She also shared her enthusiasm for the YMCA’s historical connections to prominent figures such as Ronald Reagan and Walt Disney.

“Ronald Reagan’s first job was being a lifeguard at the Y, and Walt Disney lived at the Y while he was sketching out his characters,” she said. “All these amazing people who did such impactful things have such a strong connection to the Y.”

Evette also highlighted the YMCA’s role in fostering youth involvement in government, pointing out the Youth in Government program led by the Y.

“It is so important for us to get our younger generation involved in government,” she said, referencing the increased awareness of state government processes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to discussing the YMCA’s contributions, Debney recognized local partnerships that strengthen the organization’s impact. The visit underscored the YMCA’s commitment to community health and its role as a resource for Summerville residents.