States of confusion: Public policy in limbo By Bill Settlemyer This is a strange time in American political life. A majority of Americans tell pollsters that the country is “headed in the wrong direction,” and the desire for “change,” whatever that means, is certainly in the air as the presidential primaries continue to narrow the field for both parties.
Calendar FEB. 19: Center for Women series. 6-8 p.m. at Center for Women office, downtown. Topic: Human Resource Issues. Speakers: Nancy Bloodgood, attorney with Young Clement Rivers, and Caroline Kidston, human resources manager at Blackbaud. Registration required. Cost: $20 for members; $25 for nonmembers. Information: 843-763-7333 or go to www.c4women.org.
Accolades & More Wild Dunes Resort received the Silver Award for Web marketing from The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International during an award ceremony on Jan. 28 in New York. The award recognizes Wild Dunes’ new design of its Web site, www.wilddunes.com. Wild Dunes partnered with E-site Marketing, a Bethesda, Md.- based Internet marketing firm, and locally based Rawle Murdy on the redesign.
People in the News Robert M. Craig III has joined Berenyi Inc.’s design team as a civil designer for land development projects. Prior to joining Berenyi, Craig worked for American Engineering Consultants Inc. as a CAD drafter technician. Kathy Dawson and Elizabeth Horn have joined Stephen Herlong & Associates Architects. Dawson joined the firm as the office manager and is also responsible for bookkeeping. Horn joined the firm as an interior architecture and design intern.
Utility spent $650K to promote coal, green power By Molly Parker Last fall, Santee Cooper paid a Charleston public relations firm $650,000 to play up its green initiatives and sell the need for a new coal-fired power plant in rural Florence County.
Toll roads: Highway robbery or a path to progress? By Molly Parker Gather up your spare change. Cash-strapped states across the nation are turning to pay-as-you-go toll roads to fund the upgrade and expansion of aging and overtaxed interstates and highways.
Mount Pleasant hoping for second post office By Kathleen Dayton The line snakes along a dividing rail, an S-shaped row of humanity making its patient way to the counter. People shift from foot to foot as they wait their turn.
Carter keeps the lights on in South Carolina By Molly Parker In his early college years, Lonnie Carter took a job at the Edisto Electric Cooperative, where he had a laundry list of chores, the most difficult being the collection of delinquent electric payments from customers.
Endowed chairs program closer to reauthorization By Dan McCue Lawmakers in Columbia are a step closer to reauthorizing the use of S.C. Education Lottery funds to strengthen research and create endowed professorships, intended to enhance the state’s economy, at South Carolina’s major research universities.
Chamber caught off guard by new immigration bill By Molly Parker The S.C. Chamber of Commerce is threatening to pull its support of an immigration bill making its way through the Statehouse in protest of a proposed amendment that it says could shutter businesses without due process.
The form, function and formula of success By John Carroll One of television’s newest comedy shows features Frank Caliendo doing celebrity impressions. He’s talented and funny, covering everyone from sitting and former presidents to John Madden and Jerry Seinfeld. Caliendo captures facial expression, body language and speech patterns to provide a similar and humorous interpretation.
When economic times get tough, smart marketers get tougher By Elizabeth L. Boineau It’s pretty difficult these days to find someone who doesn’t seem to feel the effects of the economic downturn. Of late, weaker real estate and financial markets, along with a falling dollar, escalating prices at the pump and lower consumer spending, are signs of a possible recession. But hold on. The numbers don’t say we’re there yet, though economic forecasters are making good sport of it and the media is sensationalizing a story that strikes fear in the hearts of many.
From forests to philanthropy By Kristen Poland George Stevens had been coming to Charleston for 25 years before he finally became a resident two years ago. His wife, Kathryn (Kit) Matthew, is a fifth-generation Charlestonian whose grandmother was the first woman elected to Charleston City Council.
Roaring 20 winner: International Public Works LLC Consistent quality, sound planning and a maturing staff have been the keys to International Public Works LLC’s growth and success. Between 2005 and 2006, the company’s revenue increased 181%.
Reaching the top tier: By Kristen Poland Angel Postell’s first public relations job was not technically in public relations at all. Knowing it would be challenging to find a traditional public relations job right out of college, Postell accepted an administrative assistant position with an architectural firm in Florida, on the condition that they would allow her to experiment with marketing and public relations for the company in addition to doing her administrative work.
