In The Know

Lima One Capital, CEO Honored

Lima One Capital of Greenville scored a double win at the recent National Private Lenders Association Conference in Austin, Texas. Jeff Tennyson was named CEO of the Year, and the company was named Capital Provider of the Year by the country’s leading association of private lenders.

Lima One was honored for its strong performance in 2023; the company is on track for record originations in 2023 and surpassed $8 billion in lifetime originations this year.

As CEO, Tennyson led Lima One Capital to record originations, the announcement of a new corporate headquarters in Greenville, and the launch of strategic technology upgrades and two new sales channels.

Under Tennyson’s leadership, Lima One has been recognized as one of America’s Fastest Growing Companies on the Inc. 5000 list, a Top Workplace, and a Best Place to Work. Tennyson is a two-time HousingWire Vanguard winner, most recently in 2022.

Lima One was founded in 2011 and has funded over $8 billion in loans for real estate investors who are building, improving, and stabilizing neighborhoods across the nation. Lima One’s core loan products are new construction loans for ground-up construction, in-fill, specs, and model homes; Fix and Flip, a 13-month bridge loan for investors who are buying, renovating and selling properties; rental property and portfolio loans for purchasing or refinancing residential rental properties; and multifamily bridge lending for the purchase, rehabilitation, or refinance of multifamily properties with five or more units.

Bridge City Coffee Wins Award

Bridge City Coffee at 1520 Wade Hampton in Greenville has been named Roast Magazine’s 2024 Micro Roaster of the Year. Bridge City was selected from competitors around the world.

The mission of Bridge City is to build value in people while never compromising the quality of its product, according to a statement. The company uses beans from coffee farmers across the globe.

Leon Levine Foundation Grants $40,000 To Habitat Greenville

Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County received a $40,000 grant from the Leon Levine Foundation, the philanthropic organization created by the founder of Family Dollar Stores.

After retiring from Family Dollar in 2003, Leon Levine began building the Leon Levine Foundation with a mission to create a permanent, measurable and life-changing impact throughout the Carolinas. The foundation also honors Sandra Levine. The foundation has awarded grants to hundreds of nonprofits, charities and clinics throughout North and South Carolina since its inception in 1980.

“It’s a huge honor to be thought of as deserving of a grant like this, to know that others recognize the hard work that we’re doing,” said Monroe Free, President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County.

Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County opened its doors in 1985 to bring families, community partners and volunteers together to construct affordable, energy-efficient homes that help families build stability and self-reliance. As of May, Habitat Greenville had completed the construction of 405 homes.

Triumph Staffers Take New Roles

The Greenville Triumph Soccer Club has restructured its sales and revenue department. Two senior staff members will take on additional duties as the organization prepares for its sixth season of men’s professional soccer and third season of the women’s pre-professional team, Greenville Liberty.

Scott Columbia will move to the role of Senior Vice President of Sales and Revenue Strategy. He joined the team in February to oversee corporate partnerships; he will now oversee strategy and forecasting for revenue streams, and also oversee management and growth for revenue-generating personnel, including ticketing, merchandise and corporate partnership roles.

Stacey Wise, Senior Director of Ticketing, will take on analytical and data management with a focus on increasing revenue generation and improving staff efficiency and productivity. Wise has been with the organization since Triumph’s inaugural season in 2019.

Triumph Expands Ticketing Staff

The Greenville Triumph and Greenville Liberty Soccer Club has added three team members to its front office staff. Jake Tomlinson, Christian Brookshire and Kylie Nelson have been named account executives in the sales department.

They will be responsible for selling new season tickets, group tickets, themed single-game packages, and season renewals for the Triumph and Liberty. They will work as a team to achieve goals and provide customer care.

Tomlinson has played baseball and golf. He graduated from Clemson University. Brookshire has a background in marketing and sales. She is a 2017 graduate of Clemson University. Nelson, a Division 2 lacrosse player, is a senior at North Greenville University and will graduate in December. She has had marketing and sales internships.

The front office expansion comes as the club announces that it will return to Furman University for the 2024 season.

Barbara Stone Foundation Receives $30,000 Grant

The Barbara Stone Foundation received a $30,000 grant from Power:Ed, the philanthropy of the S.C. Student Loan Corp. The grant will be used to expand the UP (Upward Professionals) Employment Initiative, which helps people with disabilities to achieve successful employment

Barbara Stone Foundation works to address systemic issues that limit hiring and earning for people with disabilities and inappropriately place individuals in day programs when they are capable of work.

The nonprofit and business partnership also explores professional development opportunities and workforce shortages, said Lara Ceisel, Executive Director of the Barbara Stone Foundation.

The initiative includes a pre-employment program, focused on skills; employment support services; and a year-long professional development class.

S.C. Student Loan and Power:Ed are proud to help boost economic independence and opportunities for work-capable adults in the Greenville area, said Power:Ed Executive Director Claire Gibbons.

Since 1991, the Barbara Stone Foundation has provided funds to improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities, including developmental disabilities, head and spinal cord injuries, and autism.

Power:Ed creates opportunities for South Carolina’s youth and adults by supporting low-income, minority and first-generation students; improving access to college; and creating pathways to employment.

Sage Auto Interiors Partners To Deliver Leather-Alternative

Sage Automotive Interiors in Greenville has partnered with a U.S.-based startup, NFW, which produces a plastic-free, plant-based leather alternative for car interiors.

Sage Automotive Interiors is part of the Asahi Kasei Group. NFW is a global provider of innovative materials for automotive interiors. The partnership is a step toward supporting global automotive OEMs in reducing the environmental impact of automobiles.

NFW is based in Peoria, Illinois, and was founded in 2015. It has developed the only platform capable of producing precision-engineered, all-natural, zero-plastic, foam and textiles to replace animal and petrochemical-based materials.

Sage Automotive Interiors develops, manufactures and sells functional materials used in automobile interiors. Since its acquisition by Asahi Kasei in 2018, Sage has strengthened its business in Europe and China.

“The cooperation with NFW will enable Asahi Kasei and Sage to assist global automakers in reducing the environmental burden of their cars,” said Dirk Pieper, Chairman of the Sage Automotive Interiors Board of Directors and Lead Executive for the development and growth of Asahi Kasei’s overall automotive product offering.

Working with NFW is part of Asahi Kasei’s “Care for Earth” investment framework. Asahi Kasei has committed to investing $100 million worldwide in early-stage startups that aim to solve environmental issues.

WIN Spotlight On Food Drive

The Women's Impact Network, hosted by the Simpsonville Area Chamber of Commerce, will meet from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Nov. 7. This month’s sponsor is Weichert, Realtors - Shaun & Shari Group. The featured organization is the Holiday Food Drive.

The event features coffee, networking with fellow women in business, and giving back to the community. Guests are encouraged to bring non-perishable and canned foods for the Holiday Food Drive.

Mojave Chooses Anderson For Manufacturing Plant

Mojave Energy Systems, founded to change the nature of air conditioning, will soon begin manufacturing its ArctiDry product in Anderson.

Mojave's liquid desiccant technology uses half the energy and 20% less refrigerant than comparable HVAC products to provide buildings with fresh, cool, dry outdoor air.

In September, Mojave won a $2.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to support manufacturing scale-up and pilot projects. Mojave has selected Anderson as the location for operations. Mojave will invest more than $4 million and create at least 200 manufacturing jobs over the next five years.

"Mojave is in a position to create U.S. jobs while lowering its customers' energy expenses and climate impact," said Phil Farese, Mojave's CEO.

The S.C. Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved Mojave's project as part of its Enterprise Program, which makes Mojave eligible for job development credits and employment training. Anderson County has granted Mojave access to its business incubator and tax incentives.

"Anderson County's labor market, real estate availability, and proximity to major highways and the Greer Inland Port were factors in our selection process," said Robert Fancher, Mojave's Vice President of Manufacturing. "It is exciting to see technology that originated in a U.S. R&D lab transfer into a manufacturing facility in South Carolina."

Mojave's patented ArctiDry technology uses a salt solution to pull water from the air. The Mojave system can drop into existing HVAC infrastructure. The commercial rollout of the product is slated for January.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: In The Know