Tag: Economy

Lt. Governor presents engraved plate to Palmetto Synthetics

BY MICHAELE DUKE Williamsburg Hometown Chamber Director

Originally published in The News on Sep 27, 2023

Local industry, Palmetto Synthetics, has been producing thermoplastic fibers to companies across the globe since 1997. On September 13, owners Henry and David Poston were recognized by Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette for their 25 years of leadership in the textile industry. Palmetto Synthetics produces materials that are used in a myriad of applications such as military grade clothing and inside automobiles. The industry is also celebrating six expansions since opening. Evette toured the facility and presented the men with a brass plate engraved with the Department of Commerce and Governor’s Seal.

“I love talking about new businesses, but I also love talking about businesses that have been here so long that have created a family and a culture and a reputation in rural areas that are not rural anymore,” said Evette. “They are continuing to grow, and we are needing more and more people in our great state that want to be a part of our manufacturing framework.”

Leading the recycling and sustainability industry for over 25 years, Palmetto Synthetics is supportive of our community and workforce pipeline through initiatives such as the Apprenticeship Carolina program.

They could have started their company anywhere but chose Kingstree because of the people. “It didn’t take very long to decide where to build because part of the reason is the good people,” said Henry Poston. “We can talk about all the good that we’ve done but without the people here we wouldn’t be here”.

Lt. Gov. Evette was elected on November 6, 2018. Evette is an advocate of getting kids between high school and college into the workforce through programs such as Apprenticeship Carolina, which Palmetto Synthetics is involved in. Evette is also a champion of “Grab A Bag”, a campaign through Palmetto Pride, that encourages communities to pick up litter. In August, she was awarded the 2023 Recycling Impact Award for demonstrating leadership in recycling, resource conservation, and sustainability in the U.S.

SC lieutenant governor promotes STEM education as key to attracting tech industry

by Michael Owen – originally published by WPDE on September 14, 2023

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE) — South Carolina is pushing to be an attractive destination for tech companies, and our state’s Lieutenant Governor said the key is being a national leader in stem education.

Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette visited the Grand Strand today to speak at a tech conference.

She was the host speaker Wednesday at the SC Decoded Conference in North Myrtle Beach.

She said that having these types of jobs and education resources available is crucial to our area if we want the younger generations to stay here.

The Lieutenant Governor also said that while Myrtle Beach has always been routed in hospitality, it’s now expanding into a new industry.

“With DC Blox announcing they’re coming to Myrtle Beach, basically bringing transatlantic fiber in here and being a data center. So, what that’s saying is this is the area you want to be in if you’re going to be in the cyber computer science arena,” said Lt. Gov. Evette.

In order to keep attracting those companies and providing future generations with jobs, Evette said education is the key.

“We have an opportunity. There are great choices in this field, and we as a state, want our kids to stay here. We’re looking out into the future that we are educating our kids for the jobs of the future,” she said.

In 2018, just 43% of all high schools in South Carolina offered computer science courses. Now 93% offer them, which is number two in the country.

She said we need to introduce kids to stem fields at earlier ages.

“It’s never too young. You know I first learned here in Myrtle Beach about STEM and STEAM doing robotics. They start them out very young with Legos getting the dexterity to put things together to create and build and they continue to ramp that up each year,” said Lt. Gov. Evette.

The leader of FIRST Robotics competitions in South Carolina tells me they have kids as young as four years old participating.

“When you go look at kids, they’re using technology. They’re using their iPads. They’re using all these resources and sometimes it’s just to have an environment they can relax in. What we try to do is flip that brain the other way and say how can we actually show the kids how to build that app,” said Chris Cortez, FIRST South Carolina. He added, “They’re using encoding skills that we teach them to build those apps. So they can actually understand at a fundamental level of actually how this comes to be.”

Cortez said FIRST wants to give all kids the opportunity to be introduced to STEM fields and have mentors to be able to help guide them in the industry.

“We also want to empower the students that are in our programs, and future members of our programs to stay in the state of South Carolina. There are great opportunities here and we are going to help build that economic boom of those STEM leaders with our programs,” said Cortez. He went on to add, “When they say there’s great jobs here, we want to be a part of that and say we’re helping build those opportunities for those kids to be successful for those businesses. So those businesses can come here and say ‘You know what there is a great workforce here.’ ”

The Lieutenant Governor agrees that equipping students with the right resources will be crucial to continued expansions into STEM careers for South Carolina. It’s not just kids she wants to be educated either. She also wants to see more veterans use scholarship opportunities to live in South Carolina and enter the STEM field. 

“We know that cyber is the future, technology is the future, and we want to make sure that we equip all South Carolina students with the knowledge that they need for these amazing careers,” said Lt. Gov. Evette.

Many tech companies were on hand for the meet and greet style event with speakers on topics like A.I. and cyber security.

ISRI awards South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette with 2023 Recycling Impact Award

Originally published August 17, 2023 by Recycling Product News

The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) has awarded South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette with the 2023 Recycling Impact Award.

The award, presented during the NLGA’s 2023 annual meeting in Des Moines, Iowa, is presented annually by ISRI in partnership with the National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA), honouring a lieutenant governor demonstrating leadership in recycling, resource conservation, and sustainability in the U.S.

“Throughout her life, Lt. Governor Evette has been a champion of recycling initiatives, making an immeasurable impact on South Carolina,” said ISRI President Robin Wiener. “A true steward of the recycled materials industry and a dedicated public servant, she has demonstrated leadership in support of policies that recognize how valuable, high-quality recycled materials can support America’s sustainable supply chain. It is an honour to present her with the 2023 Recycling Impact Award, highlighting her contributions to critical recycling efforts.”

The granddaughter of a steel mill worker, Lt. Gov. Evette learned early on about the recycled material industry’s role as part of the global manufacturing supply chain. During her time in office, she has leaned on her experiences, along with her entrepreneurial background, to lead one of her key initiatives, ‘Grab A Bag SC’, a statewide effort encouraging communities across the state to pick up litter and recycle.

“This award serves as a collective reminder that every instance of recycling, regardless of its scale, truly impacts our communities and the pride we hold for them. Industries in our state count on recycled plastics this isn’t just an environmental issue but also a business issue,” said Lt. Gov. Pamela S. Evette. “I look forward to continuing to lead the charge against litter in South Carolina and hope this inspires others to take part in a recycling initiative in their community.

“The impact of our industry touches every aspect of life, from protecting the environment to ensuring the health of the manufacturing supply chain and supporting our communities through well-paying jobs,” said Mark Fredrickson, ISRI member and area manager of the South Carolina-based Commercial Metals Company (CMC) who presented Lt. Gov. Evette with the award. “Lt. Gov. Evette understands the importance of recycled materials. We are grateful for her support of our industry and the core values of ISRI’s member companies.”

‘She Means Business’ spotlights Lt. Gov. Evette

Originally published by The Lancaster News on August 14, 2023

Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette was the keynote speaker at the “She Means Business” last Thursday at Catawba Falls Events Center.

She discussed how being a woman and business owner influences her political decisions at the Aug. 10 Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce event, which drew about 300 people.

The night included a cocktail hour, dinner and dessert, a welcome speech by Angelica Figueroa with Sharonview Federal Credit Union, an introduction by Scott Broome with MUSC Health — Lancaster Division and a gift from Beckee Garris with the Catawba Nation.

Evette’s background

Evette is South Carolina’s second female lieutenant governor out of the 93 in the state’s history. She is the second in command to S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster.

She is also a mother of three and owner of Quality Business Solutions, a payroll, HR and benefits services firm. She is from Travelers Rest, SC.

Evette started work as an accountant after college and then started her business. She grew it to the size of a national company, and decided to jump ship to politics through the advice of three friends.

“Those three women did a ton to get me on the path that I’m on,” Evette said. “I met the governor (McMaster), and he asked me to run as his lieutenant governor.”

“So, not only am I the first female Republican lieutenant governor, but I’m the first lieutenant governor ever elected with a governor,” she said. “Lots of firsts — it’s almost a dream when you think I’ll be in the history books for all these things. It’s so cool and so surreal.”

Evette has served as lieutenant governor for five years, and was reelected last year. She was sworn in for her second term in January. Evette said she has spent the majority of her time helping businesses around the state, including cutting taxes, create a thriving page1image54573072

her time helping businesses around the state, including cutting taxes, create a thriving environment for businesses to excel and “creating the workforce of tomorrow.”

Focus on education

“As a mom, I have three children of my own, and education is really important,” Evette said. “I think we just have to make sure that our kids know how to think for themselves, that they can critically think and that we’re giving them the tools they need.”

Evette said that no matter what she accomplishes in her career, her biggest accomplishment is her children being healthy, happy and stable. She said her success with Quality Business Solutions, coupled with her political trailblazing for women, has given her the opportunity to leave a legacy for her children to follow.

During her speech, Evette highlighted her three focus areas for political policy: businesses, education and post-COVID economic stabilization and success.

Under her watch with McMaster, teachers received the highest pay raise for teachers on the East Coast this year — a $2,500 salary raise and a $2,500 bonus.

Evette also discussed the need to change society’s view of trade schools and technical colleges, as not every student thrives in a four-year college environment. She encouraged guests to change the negative narrative around non-traditional higher education, and highlighted the amazing jobs boosting the S.C. economy from trade and technical schools. Her son attended Greenville Technical College, and Evette said she is proud to support technical colleges in the Legislature and her personal life.

McMaster and Evette implemented $75 million in workforce scholarships statewide. “We want to make sure everyone has a quality job, a self-sustaining job,” she said.

Evette also highlighted the importance of getting children to start working at an earlier age, because those lower-level jobs support small businesses and teach fiscal responsibility. Evette emphasized how pro-business she and the governor are, noting that South Carolina is fourth in the nation for women-owned businesses.

“I want to thank you all so much, and thank you to the chamber for what you do,” Evette said. “We couldn’t do what we do without you helping keep our businesses thriving and growing.”

“I love talking about South Carolina’s fingerprints,” she said. “I love talking about our amazing South Carolina spirit.”

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Pamela Evette: South Carolina’s Lieutenant Governor & a TR Local

Lt. Governor Pamela Evette sat down with Lacey Eibert Keigley with Travelers Rest Here. During the interview they discussed Evette’s service to the state, her priorities, her values, her family, and living in Travelers Rest. 

Please find an excerpt below. Access the full story here.

Pamela Evette has served as South Carolina’s Lt. Governor for the past four years (with a recent re-election for four more years) and she lives in Travelers Rest. She and her husband have raised their family on a farm in TR for the past twenty years or so. The family home and farm are next door to their business and when she’s not traveling throughout the state in her official capacity, you can definitely find her at home with her husband and three children and her 94 year old mother who also lives with the family.

“Everybody knows everybody,” Evette shared about TR. “That’s the beauty of small towns.” We joked about the added benefit of raising kids in small towns. “Yes, we really bonded over that,” Evette laughed. “I mean, in a small town, as a kid, all the parents knew one another. If you did something two blocks away, your parents probably knew about it before you got home.”

Her family’s farm is an operating horse farm and Evette said she still enjoys riding. “In fact, not long after I was sworn into office, I rode a horse in the Aiken Christmas Parade.”  We shared a few stories of falling off horses, something we’ve both experienced and would rather not experience again, particularly as women over forty. As far as we both know, she’s the only female elected official in South Carolina to ride a horse in a parade – and, more importantly of course, Evette is the first female Republican Lieutenant Governor in our state of South Carolina. We’re proud she’s a local – and she’s proud to be one too.

Of course, TR continues to grow and to change – and has changed dramatically during the history of both Evette’s family life here and her personal and professional career. “Back when I moved here, downtown wasn’t really a downtown. It’s been so encouraging to see how everything has grown. The wonderful history that wraps around everything,” Evette said.

She believes the growth of Travelers Rest reflects the growth of the entire state. “I think the revitalization of the Main Street here in Travelers Rest is mirrored all over Main Streets in South Carolina.” She’s proud of TR – and we are too. Evette said she frequently talks about our shared small town’s growth and improvements. “The vision of the small shops, the Farmer’s Market – they’ve done a great job going back to their roots and finding their heritage. People are yearning to connect to that. It’s the best last stop before you go to the mountains.”

[…]

I found Evette to be sincere and direct. She cares about South Carolina, its economy, its diversity, its people.

“I want our kids to be proud South Carolinians, to be so proud of being from South Carolina,” she shared. “I talk a lot to people about South Carolina’s fingerprints. Sometimes we can take it for granted – how great this place is. For example, we are building more BMWs than anywhere in the world. That’s our fingerprints. We’re building boats in Charleston. Our fingerprints. We are building planes. Fingerprints of South Carolina. We make pharmaceuticals in the midlands that go all over the world. South Carolina fingerprints. I want to explain to our kids how proud they can be of where they live, how our South Carolina finger prints are all over.”

Grab a Bag SC: Statewide Litter Pickup Challenge Started by Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette

“Litter prevention is about citizens taking ownership of their neighborhoods and making sure that trash is put in its place before it can become litter. But while there is still litter, we must pick it up. Citizens, governments and business industries all have a part to play in changing the culture that leads to litter.” – S.C. Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette

Grab A Bag SC is a statewide litter pickup challenge inspired by South Carolina Lt. Governor Pamela Evette’s own experience picking up in her home community and even during her family vacations. 

It encourages South Carolinians to grab a bag, rally friends and family, put on safety gear and head outside for a chance to enjoy the outdoors while making a difference in their communities. The campaign is usually kicked off with an event every spring in coordination with a local Keep South Carolina Beautiful affiliate.

Litter pickup events are a great way to build relationships among families, neighbors, employees and elected officials. This is an inexpensive way to improve the esthetics of neighborhoods because litter is considered a gateway crime that negatively affects quality of life and community safety.

We encourage participants to sign up for Grab A Bag SC in their own community by visiting PalmettoPride’s Events page. Safety precautions are advised. After you’ve picked up your bag, challenge three friends to do the same. Just tag them on your favorite social media platform using #GrabABagSC.

Read the press release from the inaugural #GrabABagSC event in November 2019.

SC Candidates for Lieutenant Governor Debate

By Mary Green, WCSC Live 5 News, October 12, 2022

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCSC) – Two of the candidates every South Carolinian will see on their ballot squared off Tuesday – less than a month before Election Day.

Current Republican Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette and Democrat Tally Parham Casey debated tonight in Columbia – making their cases to earn your vote.

The debate marks the only time the two women vying to hold South Carolina’s second-highest office are meeting on the debate stage – about two weeks before early voting opens across the state and four weeks ahead of Election Day.

Republican incumbent Pamela Evette and Democratic challenger Tally Parham Casey opposing each other for a job that’s main purpose is to be able to step in the governor can’t serve.

Evette – an Upstate businesswoman and South Carolina’s first female Republican lieutenant governor – is seeking to keep her job for another four years alongside Gov. Henry McMaster.

“We’ve made South Carolina better for our children and our children’s children,” Evette said.

Casey – an attorney and the first-ever female fighter pilot in the South Carolina Air National Guard – is on the ballot with former Democratic Congressman Joe Cunningham.

“Joe Cunningham and I want you to have more freedoms, not less,” Casey said.

The two women shared their goals for the limited power the lieutenant governor holds.

“I see the role as lieutenant governor for me as the opportunity to be both an ambassador and an advocate,” Casey said.

“When third-graders come through and walk through the capitol, I love that they see a woman in this position, to let girls know that nothing holds them back,” Evette said.

In the first major election following the overturn of Roe v. Wade – opening the doors for states to decide the legality of abortion within their borders – the candidates were split on what that should look like in South Carolina.

“In 2021, we passed a bipartisan heartbeat bill. We all proudly signed that bill. That bill is something I stand behind,” Evette said.

“If it were up to me, I would go back to the precedent set by Roe v. Wade, which was the law of the land for the past 50 years,” Casey said.

They also explained their campaign’s views on how to respond to the opioid epidemic, support South Carolinians with mental health needs and improve the state’s schools.

“The governor and I are very clear that we stand behind school choice,” Evette said.

“We want to make sure that our public schools are fully funded for the first time. They haven’t been fully funded since the 2007-2008 school year,” Casey said.

And in about two weeks – is the only debate currently scheduled between the two candidates for governor, McMaster and Cunningham.

That’s set for Oct. 26.

Watch the full debate on scetv.org.

DEW and Lt. Gov. Partner Through Youth PSA

Originally posted on SCDEW Website October 10, 2021

S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce and Lt. Governor Pamela Evette partner to share the number one thing employers are looking for when hiring and how to learn it

Columbia, SC – The S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) in partnership with Lt. Governor Pamela Evette is touting the long-term benefits of softs skills that can be learned by young people through their first jobs. South Carolina employers report that one of the most critical requirements they seek in applicants are soft skills, and the public service announcement released by the Lt. Governor and DEW aims to help parents understand the importance of soft skills and the opportunity for their child to learn them through a first job, while still in school.

“In my time visiting businesses of every size and type throughout the state, I hear the same message over and over – the best employees are the ones that have soft skills, and there aren’t enough of them,” said Lt. Gov. Evette. “People need to have the experience from a basic part-time job as a young person to help them learn these important skills which build the foundation to a successful lifelong career, no matter what field they pursue.”

Soft skills are very different from work skills. Soft skills include things like strong communication, digital literacy, problem-solving, teamwork, the importance of attendance, following rules and more. Work skills are the experience or training in a specific type of job like accounting for financial jobs, driving for trucking, delivery and distribution, or medicine for nursing. Without soft skills, individuals will have a hard time excelling, even with exemplary work skills. Soft skills help a person’s work skills shine.

“The purpose of the PSA is to help parents understand that first-time employment is not all about money. I think people do not realize how many soft skills are learned on a job. As a young person works for a business and is responsible to someone outside of the family, they are accountable for their time management, their appearance and their communication. The skills they learn on a job are invaluable and by learning them at a young age, while in school, they will be better prepared for future employment and success,” said DEW Executive Director, Dan Ellzey.

The PSA also encourages parents to think beyond the common misconceptions of a first job. There are many employers in the state from retail to manufacturing to hospitality to distribution that have flexible schedule options and open positions for people to learn specific works skills on the job. Evette says, “I hear from employers across the state that they are willing to be flexible with students as early as middle school through college. They are willing to train on the job and offer competitive pay.”

SC Works has created a webpage that offers resources and guidance for parents to learn more and share with their children. Parents, teachers and community mentors are encouraged to share these resources with youth in their homes and communities and look at local options for first employment. To see the PSA, visit scworks.org/youth.

DEW is a core partner in the SC Works centers located throughout South Carolina that leverages the state’s workforce system by providing services such as career guidance, job referrals, and testing and training to meet the needs of jobseekers, employers and those looking to further their careers. The professionals in the SC Works centers can connect parents and their children with local employers who are actively hiring young people.

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