Spartanburg's Russell Booker and area businesses honored at OneSpartanburg celebration

Bob Montgomery, Spartanburg Herald-Journal
Updated ·3 min read

When Russell Booker retired three years ago from his job as superintendent of Spartanburg District 7 schools, he didn't ride off into the sunset.

Instead, Booker started a new chapter as chief executive officer of the Spartanburg Academic Movement.

SAM seeks to reduce educational gaps "to see our children not only going to college but persisting and finishing college, to retaining our talent here in Spartanburg," Booker told a large audience at OneSpartanburg, Inc.'s 2023 annual celebration.

For his education leadership, the chamber presented Booker with its highest honor, the Neville Holcombe Distinguished Citizenship Award.

"Let's keep flowing together and keep moving Spartanburg forward because we have a lot of work to do," said Booker, who in 2020 also received another high honor — the Order of the Palmetto.

Booker cites 2 influential books

At the Sept. 28 event at Indigo Hall in Spartanburg, Booker talked about boosting educational outcomes in Spartanburg on multiple fronts: early childhood education, post-secondary enrollment, and retaining talent.

He said two books influenced him greatly in recent years: "Halftime: Moving from Success to Significance" by Bob Burford; and "The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life" by David Brooks.

He said "Halftime" talks about the transition into the second half of one's life; and "Second Mountain" talks about devotion to community and the stages of community building. It mentions Spartanburg as an example of successful community building, he said.

"When life is going well, it's going well in Spartanburg," Booker said. "It is because the influences are flowing together and reinforcing one another. I can assure you if the foundation had not been laid in this community for us to be flowing the way we're flowing, none of this success that we're experiencing would happen."

OneSpartanburg lists top achievements of the year

OneSpartanburg President and CEO Allen Smith and outgoing OneSpartanburg Chairman Phil Feisal highlighted achievements in the city and county over the past year.

OneSpartanburg, Inc., hosted its 2023 Annual Celebration event highlighting business and local community leaders accomplishments over the past year. The event was held at Indigo Hall in downtown Spartanburg on Sept. 28, 2023. Allen Smith, President & CEO of OneSpartanburg, Inc., talks about the impact of the awardees' work in the community.
OneSpartanburg, Inc., hosted its 2023 Annual Celebration event highlighting business and local community leaders accomplishments over the past year. The event was held at Indigo Hall in downtown Spartanburg on Sept. 28, 2023. Allen Smith, President & CEO of OneSpartanburg, Inc., talks about the impact of the awardees' work in the community.

Achievements include:

➤ OneSpartanburg's launch of Power Up, a $6 million small and minority business development initiative.

➤ The Johnson Group's plans for a $250 million project near West Main Street that includes space for multifamily housing, offices, and a Minor League baseball stadium.

➤ BMW has announced an electromobility plan and high-voltage battery assembly facility in Woodruff.

➤ $3.2 billion in new investment by companies announced in 2022 and $464 million so far for this year.

➤ Time Bicycles' decision to build a carbon fiber bicycle manufacturing plant along the Saluda Grade Trail in Landrum.

➤ Milo's Tea Company has broken ground for a new plant to brew and bottle beverages in Spartanburg County.

➤ The announcement of 125-plus sports tourism events with a $25 million economic impact in 2023 in Spartanburg County.

OneSpartanburg, Inc., hosted its 2023 Annual Celebration event highlighting business and local community leaders accomplishments over the past year. The event was held at Indigo Hall in downtown Spartanburg on Sept. 28, 2023.
OneSpartanburg, Inc., hosted its 2023 Annual Celebration event highlighting business and local community leaders accomplishments over the past year. The event was held at Indigo Hall in downtown Spartanburg on Sept. 28, 2023.

Other OneSpartanburg award winners named

Besides Booker, other award winners announced by OneSpartanburg include:

➤ Shelly Wildenstein, owner of Signs and Designs, the James B. Thompson Small Business of the Year, for growing her business from a one-woman operation to a team of six and helping other small businesses establish themselves.

➤ The City of Woodruff, Mayor Kenneth Gist, and City Manager Lee Baily received the Economic Champion Award for recruiting locally-driven investment and projects like the BMW battery plant.

➤ Jon Woodsby, director of Spartanburg County Parks received the Elaine Harris Tourism Champion Award for bringing in more visitors and sports events to Spartanburg County.

OneSpartanburg, Inc., hosted its 2023 Annual Celebration event highlighting business and local community leaders accomplishments over the past year. The event was held at Indigo Hall in downtown Spartanburg on Sept. 28, 2023.
OneSpartanburg, Inc., hosted its 2023 Annual Celebration event highlighting business and local community leaders accomplishments over the past year. The event was held at Indigo Hall in downtown Spartanburg on Sept. 28, 2023.

➤ Laura Ringo, executor of PAL (Play, Advocate, Live Well), received the Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award for her commitment to Spartanburg County's trail system and improving health outcomes for residents through bolstering the county's outdoor amenities.

➤ Spartanburg County Administrator Cole Alverson received the Chairman's Award for his dedicated leadership in making the county a better place to live and do business.

➤ Kay Bishop, owner of Sparkle City Balloon Boutique, received Minority-owned Businessperson of the Year, for turning a passion for event organization and decor into a successful small business.

➤ Emma McDaniel, associate at McDaniel & Company, a commercial real estate firm, received the Young Professional of the Year, for her professional growth and commitment to helping young professionals better connect to Spartanburg.

Bob Montgomery covers Spartanburg County politics and growth & development. Reach him via email at bob.montgomery@shj.com.

This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Russell Booker, business leaders honored by OneSpartanburg at meeting