Clemson president named to business forum executive committee

Clemson University President James P. "Jim" Clements has been elected to the executive committee of the Business Higher Education Forum, a national organization dedicated to increasing collaboration between the business community and higher education for workforce development and economic competitiveness.

BHEF, the nation's oldest organization of senior executives, is composed of more than 50 leaders of Fortune 500 companies, national education associations and major colleges and universities. The group is committed to improving workforce competencies and career-readiness — particularly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education — and supporting educational innovations that enhance critical thinking, analytical reasoning and the ability to work in multicultural teams.

In addition to his service on the BHEF, Clements serves as chairman of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, member of the board of the American Council on Education (ACE), member of the Council on Competitiveness and co-chair of the U.S. Department of Commerce National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Accounting

Longstanding accounting and QuickBooks professional Georgia Mueller has been named office manager at Graydon Thompson LLC, an Upstate-based accounting firm.

Mueller has more than two decades of experience in office administration, accounting and small business services, and is based in the firm's Greenville office. A graduate of King's College in Charlotte, she also has completed additional accounting coursework at Virginia Commonwealth University. She has prior professional experience with a major national accounting organization and an Upstate CPA firm, as well as service in the engineering and construction industries.

A native of Rock Hill and current resident of Greenville, Mueller will manage day-to-day operations of Graydon Thompson's Greenville headquarters as well as provide payroll support, QuickBooks consulting, and accounting and bookkeeping services to a broad range of small and midsized organizations.

Design and Construction

O'Neal Inc., a Greenville-based design and construction firm, has promoted Tony Masters to vice president of procurement, hired James Guffey as process department head and hired Mike Hooper as senior engineer.

Masters will lead a group that offers purchasing, tracking, and expediting services associated with project execution and construction. He joined O'Neal in 2013 and has more than 30 years of procurement experience in the construction industry. Masters earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Clemson University and is a certified purchasing professional.

The promotion coincides with O'Neal's 40th Anniversary and recent operations expansion announcements.

Guffey has more than 20 years of engineering experience, having worked with such consulting firms as Penta and on the client side for pulp and paper and chemical producers. He earned his bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from North Carolina State University and is a registered professional engineer in North Carolina and Virginia.

Hooper has more than 15 years of engineering experience, both on the client and EPC consulting sides. He earned his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of South Carolina and is a registered professional engineer in South Carolina.

Economic Development

Upstate SC Alliance, the public/private economic development group designed to market and brand the Upstate South Carolina region, has hired Jeff Henson for the position of research specialist. In this role, he will assist in the creation and maintenance of regional databases, the collection of statistical data and research, the compilation of requests, and other support services. He works directly with Elizabeth Feather, director of research, in positioning the Alliance as the go-to resource for research in the Upstate.

Henson is a graduate of Furman University where he received a degree in business administration. He previously held positions in real estate and finance with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services | C. Dan Joyner Realtors, Residential Capital Corp., CBRE and Stonehenge Holdings. He has his South Carolina real estate license and CCIM designation.

Education

Alison Hague joins Sylvan Learning Centers of the Upstate as center director of enrollment, with a special focus on business development and marketing. Hague is responsible for enrollments in the Greenville market and territory development and training throughout the Upstate, identifying new business opportunities and to expand the business at the local level.

Hague will partner with the Upstate's Director of Educational Operations, Joan Russell, to manage day-to-day operations, increase marketing activities within schools and the surrounding community, and support each of the Upstate centers in their drive toward educational integrity.

Hague brings 20 years of high tech and telecom sales and education background to Sylvan with companies like Oracle, Verizon, France Telecom, BellSouth and Unisys. She obtained her bachelor's degree in economics from Colgate University and her MBA in entrepreneurship from Kennesaw State University where she subsequently established onsite MBA programs at major corporations in the Atlanta area.

Real Estate

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner, Realtors said David Crigler will work as the broker-in-charge of the downtown office, which has five residential sales professionals. Located in the historic West End, C. Dan Joyner, Realtors' downtown office will be co-located with the company's Commercial Division at 24 Vardry Street.

Rhett Brown, a graduate of the College of Charleston, brings more than 20 years of expertise to the office. A Greenville native, Brown has experience from appraisals and mortgage lending to on-site builder sales and general real estate. Her credentials include certified new home sales professional, Fine Homes International and Short Sale & Foreclosure designations.

A Cleveland, Ohio, native, Chris Rodriguez has lived in the Upstate for several years. Rodriguez brings a background in sales, marketing and sales management, as well as local real estate experience, to the company's Downtown office. She also holds certification as a relocation specialist.

Jo-Ann Rutledge, a longtime Upstate resident, is a graduate of both the University of South Carolina and Clemson University. Rutledge has local real estate expertise, as well as collaboration and negotiation skills obtained through years of consulting and entrepreneurial endeavors.

A graduate of Greenville High School and Wofford College, Kirby Stone also joins the office as an experienced sales associate. Stone's background in residential real estate, banking and retail sales augments her knowledge of the area as an Upstate native.

With more than 20 years of real estate experience in the Greenville market, Iris Wainright has substantial industry and area knowledge. Her credentials include accredited buyer's representative, certified residential specialist, graduate Real Estate Institute and Leading Real Estate Company member.

Retail

Anderson Mall named Phil Alldredge as its new general manager. The announcement was made by Michael Merrow, regional vice president of Simon Property Group.

As general manager, Alldredge will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of Anderson Mall including leasing, operations, security, office management, budgeting, tenant relations and marketing.

Alldredge, originally from Oneonta, Alabama, has more than 30 years of experience in commercial real estate. Most recently, Alldredge was general manager at Citadel Mall in Charleston. Previously, he was vice president of property management for Starmount Company in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Anderson Mall, serving the Anderson, Clemson, Greenville and Lake Hartwell areas, features more than 50 retail stores including Belk, Dillard's, JCPenney, Sears, American Eagle Outfitters, Bath & Body Works, Chico's and Victoria's Secret.

Regular hours are 10 a.m.- 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 12:30 p.m.-6 p.m. on Sundays. For more information, call (864) 225-3195 or go to www.andersonmall.com.