News

The Berkeley County Chamber of Commerce celebrates its 2023 Leadership Berkeley Graduating Class

(Berkeley County, SC) – On November 16, the Leadership Berkeley class of 2023 celebrated a successful year and completion of the program at a graduation luncheon at the Greeting House in Summerville, SC.  The 2023 Leadership Berkeley class kicked off their ten-month long program in February 2023.   The program designed to expose businesses and area leaders to the opportunities and challenges facing our community and by promoting and fostering leadership creates a strong and diverse pool of community

Trident Technical College to hold presidential search public forums

Nov. 28, 2023 … The Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) has been selected to assist Trident Technical College with its presidential search process. The college began the search process after its long-time president, Dr. Mary Thornley, announced her retirement effective June 1, 2024. ACCT’s assistance will include providing support with the development of a presidential profile and recruiting highly competitive candidates. ACCT has conducted over 750 community college searches and brings a

TRIDENT MEDICAL CENTER EARNS SECOND CONSECUTIVE ‘A’ HOSPITAL SAFETY GRADE from LEAPFROG GROUP

Trident Medical Center’s Patient Safety Grade Reflects Top National Performance  (Charleston, SC), November 14, 2023 –Trident Medical Center has earned a second consecutive “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit watchdog that sets standards for excellence in patient care. Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on more than 30 national performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as

Leadership Berkeley Completes Community Class Project 2023

(Berkeley County, SC) – Each year, The Berkeley Chamber’s Leadership Berkeley graduates select a class project.  The project is directly related to circumstances or wishes of the community that the class has recognized through the participation in the Leadership Program. This year’s Leadership Berkeley Project highlighted the needs for displaced and underprivileged children in the Berkeley County area by partnering with Jean’s Angels in packing 500 backpacks with essentials, such as food and hygiene kits

FSIoffice Announces Berkeley County Chamber of Commerce Benefit Program

(BERKELEY COUNTY, SC) – FSIoffice, one of the nation's largest independent office supply dealers, announced today the signing of an agreement with the Berkeley County (SC) Chamber of Commerce that offers members savings when purchasing office supplies, office furniture, and cleaning and breakroom supplies.  “The Berkeley Chamber is thrilled to offer this member saving program to our members,” said Elaine Morgan, Berkeley Chamber of Commerce CEO. “Managing a workplace is more complex than ever so businesses

2023 Berkeley County Election Schedule & Voter Registration Information

Deadlines Approaching for Municipal Elections   MONCKS CORNER, S.C. – (Tuesday, September 19, 2023) To vote in South Carolina, state law requires a person to register to vote at least 30 days prior to an election. This election cycle there will be no countywide offices of Berkeley County on the November ballot. However, there will be municipal elections in the Town of Moncks Corner, Town of Jamestown, Town of Summerville, and portions of City of Charleston located within Berkeley County. View the full

Trident United Way Announces New Leadership Hires

Astad, Johnson and Reams to join the organization this month   North Charleston, SC- Trident United Way (TUW) is thrilled to announce three new leadership hires who will join the organization this month: Vice President of Institutional Funding, Director of Health and Director of United for ALICE. Ilze Astad will become the Vice President of Institutional Funding, leading the organization’s grant proposals and compliance planning. This is a new role for Trident United Way as we look to diversify funding

Trident Technical College President Mary Thornley Announces 2024 Retirement

“It is with deepest gratitude and humility I submit this retirement letter. I realize I will never be ready to leave, so I must leave Trident Tech without being ready.” With these words, Trident Technical College President Mary Thornley announced her retirement effective June 1, 2024, during a meeting of the college’s Area Commission Sept. 26.   Thornley is the college’s fifth and longest-serving president. She began her 50-year career at the college as an adjunct instructor in 1973. She became a

Global Paint Manufacturer Celebrates New Facilities with Oktoberfest Groundbreaking Event

WHY: Choate Construction Company is building new logistics and warehouse facilities for Mankiewicz Coatings, facilitating the paint manufacturer’s growth at its North Charleston campus. Plans for the two-story logistics facility include space for logistics and shipping operations as well as an office and training space. WHAT: Groundbreaking Ceremony followed by Oktoberfest Celebration, with 500+ guests from all over the world encouraged to wear traditional lederhosen and dirndls to fully immerse

Choate Construction Company Celebrates Topping Out at Palmetto Coast Industrial Park

CHARLESTON, SC, September 13, 2023 - Choate Construction Company celebrates the major milestone of structural steel and concrete completion on two distribution facilities for Edgewater Ventures in North Myrtle Beach’s Palmetto Coast Industrial Park. In honor of the individuals whose hard work and dedication are driving these projects forward, Choate Construction held a trade partner appreciation event to commemorate the “topping out” of the Pepsi Bottling Ventures (PBV) distribution facility and an adjacent

Summerville Medical Center closer to opening Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Summerville, SC  – Imagine having to travel 35+ minutes each day to visit your newborn – for weeks. That’s what new parents in Summerville, N. Charleston and surrounding communities have been doing for decades and it’s why Summerville Medical Center is excited to announce they’re closer to receiving Certificate of Need (CON) approval to elevate to a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). “We’re committed to ensuring that families don’t have to travel far from home to receive compassionate care,”

Home Telecom Celebrates Relocation of Customer Service Teams to New Office

MONCKS CORNER August 24, 2023 — Home Telecom, driven by their commitment to provide an exceptional customer experience, has relocated their current Customer Service Center from their corporate headquarters at 579 Stoney Landing Road in Moncks Corner to a new location less than a mile away at 551 Rembert C. Dennis Blvd. The heart of the move comes in response to Home Telecom’s extraordinary growth. To bolster that growth, both their support and customer service divisions required more space to ensure the

Trident Tech offering tuition-free enrollment for fall and spring semesters

July 27, 2023 … Trident Technical College will offer tuition-free enrollment to eligible South Carolina residents for both fall semester 2023 and spring semester 2024, covering all the college’s 150-plus programs of study. The free tuition initiative is part of the college’s continuing commitment to make higher education accessible to all area residents. This is the second year the college has offered tuition-free enrollment for all its programs. Trident Tech President Mary Thornley said it could be the

Home Telecom to Match a New $6.2M ReConnect Grant; Over $12M Investment to Bring High Speed Internet

MONCKS CORNER June 27, 2023 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced that Berkeley County is one of the beneficiaries of the Biden administration’s $65 billion Internet for All initiative. The purpose of this initiative is to connect all Americans to high-speed internet. Local award-winning internet company Home Telecom will match a $6.2 million U.S.D.A. ReConnect grant, bringing the total project investment to $12.4 million. The initial project will connect nearly 4,000 residents, 49

Choate Construction Delivers Newest Senior Living Center to Summerville

CHARLESTON, SC, May 30, 2023 – Choate Construction Company partners with Seasons Living and Studio+ to deliver Wildcat Senior Living to the residents of Summerville. As the first South Carolina location, Wildcat Senior Living brings a new style of senior living to the Cane Bay area, featuring 144,000-SF of independent and assisted living spaces, a memory care facility, full-service kitchen, and much more. “It has been a privilege to work alongside our talented trade partners in bringing this stunning new

Coldwell Banker Commercial Atlantic Hosting Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at New Indigo Shopping Center

Keith Summey, Mayor of North Charleston and Other Dignitaries Expected to Attend WHO: Coldwell Banker Commercial Atlantic is pleased to welcome Hardy World, LLC, sponsor of the New Indigo Shopping Center, with Mayor Keith Summey of North Charleston and other members of the local business community to the ribbon cutting of its new Shopping Center, Indigo. This event will be hosted by Brent Case, CCIM, President and Broker in Charge of Coldwell Banker Commercial Atlantic of North Charleston. Hardy

The Village at Summerville Celebrates National Senior Health & Fitness Day®

Local Organization Part of National Event to Promote Healthy Lifestyles for Older Adults – 2023 Theme: “Move More to Do More!” Summerville, SC — The Village at Summerville will join an estimated 1,000 local groups to celebrate the 30th Annual National Senior Health & Fitness Day (NSHFD) on Wednesday, May 31st, 2023. As an official host site, The Village at Summerville will hold a mini Health Fair, fitness and health seminars on May 31st from 10am to 2pm. The Village at Summerville will join with an

Serendipity Labs Coworking Opens Second Charleston-Area Location

With demand growing, international flexible office provider expands with a free-standing 26,000sf location (Charleston, SC, Feb 23, 2022) . . . Serendipity Labs, Inc., the leading international flexible office provider, announced today its second Charleston-area location is welcoming its first members on March 15th at 700 Nexton Square Drive in the master-planned live-work-play community of Nexton. The opening for the New York-based company builds on the success of its first Charleston-area location in

Elbit Systems of America, Choate Construction Celebrate Ribbon Cutting at Palmetto Commerce Park

CHARLESTON, SC, May 9, 2023 – Elbit Systems of America and Childress Klein Properties partner with Choate Construction Company to construct a 175,500-SF manufacturing facility in Palmetto Commerce Park in support of the international technology company’s expansion into South Carolina’s industrial community. To commemorate the completion of this project, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held on May 8th with esteemed guests in attendance. “Working with our talented trade partners, Childress Klein, and the Elbit

Summerville Medical Center announces $66.8 million inpatient project

Summerville, SC  – Summerville Medical Center is honored to announce a $66.8 million 56-bed inpatient project designed to meet the needs of the growing Lowcountry community. This project marks a significant milestone for the hospital, which has invested over $200 million in the past decade to expand their facility, services, and team so that families can receive excellent care close to home. Once completed, the inpatient project will increase Summerville Medical Center’s licensed bed count by 40 percent

Choate Construction Company Promotes Michael Sutton to Director of Preconstruction

CHARLESTON, SC, April 18, 2023 - Choate Construction Company is pleased to announce Michael Sutton has been promoted to Director of Preconstruction in Charleston. After 7 years with Choate Construction and more than 15 years garnering valuable industry experience in corporate, industrial, entertainment, government and many other market sectors, Michael’s expertise and leadership will continue to serve Choate’s preconstruction team in pursuit of operational excellence on behalf of its clients. “The

Swamp Fox Agency Announces Third Office Grand Opening with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

(BERKELEY COUNTY, SC) — The Berkeley Chamber of Commerce will be celebrating a ribbon cutting ceremony to honor Swamp Fox Agency on their third location in Moncks Corner on Friday, April 21, followed by a grand opening event on Saturday, April 22.  Residents and businesses are welcome to celebrate with the Swamp Fox Agency team in officially launching the newest office. Swamp Fox Agency was established in 1986 in Moncks Corner and specialized in commercial insurance.  With over 35 years in business, the

Trident Workforce Development Area Incumbent Worker Training Program - Deadline Extended

The deadline for submission of the application is April 13, 2023, by 2:00 pm.  Incumbent Worker Training funds (IWT) in the amount of $50,000 are being made available under provisions of the Workforce Innovations and Opportunity Act.   The Incumbent Worker Training (IWT) Program provides funding to help cover the costs of training needed to retain a competitive workforce. Such training is meant to assist with expansion, new technology, retooling, new services/product lines, and/or new organizational

BLACK WOMEN ARE NEARLY THREE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO DIE FROM PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS

Summerville Medical Center Aims to Educate and Empower Women to Take Control of Their Health and the Health of their Baby During Black Maternal Health Week (April 11 –17) Summerville, SC (April 7, 2023) –The U.S. still has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the developed world. Nationally, Black women are nearly three times as likely to die from a maternal cause as white women. The National Center for Health Statistics reports that in 2020, the maternal mortality rate for Black women was 55.3

SUMMERVILLE MEDICAL CENTER ANNOUNCES OPENING OF $10.5 MILLION SURGICAL EXPANSION

Investing in Surgical Services for the Growing Lowcountry Community Summerville, SC (March 20, 2023) – Summerville Medical Center is excited to announce today’s opening of a $10.5 million surgical services expansion to provide the growing community across Dorchester and Berkeley Counties with greater access to surgical care in their own backyard. “This investment is driven by patient and physician demand for our services,” explained Maury Baker, Summerville Medical Center’s Chief Operating Officer.

Trident Workforce Development Area Incumbent Worker Training Program Funding Available 3/2023

Incumbent Worker Training funds (IWT) in the amount of $50,000 are being made available under provisions of the Workforce Innovations and Opportunity Act.   The Incumbent Worker Training (IWT) Program provides funding to help cover the costs of training needed to retain a competitive workforce. Such training is meant to assist with expansion, new technology, retooling, new services/product lines, and/or new organizational structuring, or to be used as part of a layoff aversion strategy. As a result, IWT is

Choate Construction Company Breaks Ground on Pepsi Industrial Facility

CHARLESTON, SC, March 3, 2023 - Choate Construction Company partners with Edgewater Ventures to bring Pepsi Bottling Ventures’ (PBV) newest distribution facility to North Myrtle Beach. The start of construction was celebrated with a groundbreaking ceremony at the Palmetto Coast Industrial Park, with esteemed guests in attendance. “The partnership, dedication, and collaboration that has led up to this groundbreaking ceremony is absolutely cause for celebration,” says Tim Heichelbech, Vice President and

Trident Workforce Development Area Incumbent Worker Training Program Funding Available: Deadline March 6, 2023

Incumbent Worker Training funds (IWT) in the amount of $50,000 are being made available under provisions of the Workforce Innovations and Opportunity Act.   The Incumbent Worker Training (IWT) Program provides funding to help cover the costs of training needed to retain a competitive workforce. Such training is meant to assist with expansion, new technology, retooling, new services/product lines, and/or new organizational structuring, or to be used as part of a layoff aversion strategy. As a result, IWT

Home Telecom Hits Another Historical Milestone

MONCKS CORNER, SC February 7, 2023 — Local award-winning technology leader Home Telecom is celebrating a giant milestone in their almost 120-year history, hitting 40,000 customers in January. This milestone is significant in that they’ve successfully doubled their subscriber base over the past seven years. Home Telecom began offering internet service to Berkeley County customers in 1995, but nationally, it would be 1999 before internet connectivity became mainstream. Even then, only one-third of U.S.

Berkeley Chamber Celebrates Grand Opening of Renewal Therapeutics

(BERKELEY COUNTY, SC) — The Berkeley Chamber of Commerce will be celebrating the Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Renewal Therapeutics on January 5, 2023, at 4:00 p.m. Renewal Therapeutics is a wellness center offering Lifestyle Medicine that offers non-invasive, holistic treatments that support total health. Dr. Elizabeth Harvey, Owner & Operator, has spent over 20 years learning, educating, and working with people across the globe to optimize health. Their unique team of experts provides

Disaster Recovery Centers Opening to Help Hurricane Ian Survivors