Laurens County Chamber

News & Events


  • Photo Piedmont Technical College Offers Night Welding Classes in Laurens CountyIn late 2009, Piedmont Technical College and Laurens District 55 formed a partnership to offer classes in the PTC welding program at night in Laurens County. The program currently offers Gas & Arc Welding, Arc Welding II and Print Reading beginning at 5:15 p.m. each evening Monday through Thursday. Classes are taught at Laurens 55 High School. The classes are being offered to Laurens residents as an alternative to driving to the Greenwood campus. Read More


PRTC Retail Store
New Retail Center Opens A large crowd braved the snowy weather on March 2 to help Piedmont Rural Telephone Cooperative celebrate the grand opening of their new retail center at The Shoppes at Wal-Mart next door to the Wal-Mart Super Center in Laurens. Mayor Sharon Brownlee of Laurens and Mayor Randy Randall of Clinton were on hand to bring greetings from their respective communities as well as members of the PRTC management staff who explained the process of opening the new center and all of the new technology offered to customers.

  • Photo Chamber Member Dinner Slide Show A sell-out crowd filled the Mabry-Smith-Yonce Center on the campus of Presbyterian College on February 18 for the 32nd annual Laurens County Chamber of Commerce Member Dinner. The evening included award presentations and an interesting keynote address by the Honorable Joseph P. Riley, Mayor of Charleston. The night was sponsored by Clinton-Newberry Natural Gas Authority, Laurens County Health Care System, Laurens County Water and Sewer and Piedmont Rural Telephone Cooperative. Click here to view a slide show from the dinner.

  • Owings Historical Marker Dedication Dr. Rembert Owings, 102, assists Sarah Jane Armstrong and Dianne Culbertson of the Gray Court-Owings Historical Society at the unveiling of a historical marker at the Francis Rapley Owings home in the Owings Community on February 23. The marker tells the story of the Owings family and their arrival in Maryland from Wales and their eventual settlement in the area with now bears their name. Dr. Owings is the grandson of Francis Rapley Owings (1840-1920), the man for whom the community is named. The marker stands in front of the Owings home on Old Laurens Road where Francis Owings lived from the Civil War until his death.

  • Presbyterian College Board of Trustees approve faculty promotions Presbyterian College Board of Trustees approved four faculty promotions during its winter meeting in February. Read More


  • Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy names thirteen to pharmacy advisory council The Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy has named thirteen members to an advisory council that will help guide the direction of the new school. Read More


  • Hastings Named President of Fountain Inn, SC Chamber of Commerce Upstate real estate executive John R. Hastings, Sr. has been named President of the Fountain Inn Chamber of Commerce, effective March 1, 2010. Hastings succeeds outgoing president Maria Bentley, who is retiring from the position to spend additional time with her family after serving six years in the position. Read More


  • Fisher Barton South Carolina Inc. Announces Expansion in Laurens County The South Carolina Department of Commerce and Laurens County recently announced that Fisher Barton South Carolina Inc. will expand its facility in Laurens County. The $2 million investment is expected to generate 15 new jobs. Read More


  • Celebrate Home Based Businesses A large group was on hand February 3 at the Laurens County Chamber of Commerce as the organization celebrated the official ribbon cuttings for two home based businesses that recently signed on as members. Chamber president and CEO Greg Alexander welcomed J & J Pest Control (top) and Palmetto Pressure Washing and Window Cleaning, both of Laurens, praising small business for the tremendous role they play in the success of the local economy. Laurens City Council members Johnny Bolt and Richard Griffin were on hand to bring greetings on behalf of Mayor Sharon Brownlee.
J&J Pest Control
Jamie Gault, owner of J & J Pest Control, offers treatments for fire ants, termites, spiders and roaches as well as moisture control and CL-100 letters. He can be reached at 864-982-4720. Palmetto Pressure Washing
Billy Templeton owns Palmetto Pressure Washing and offers commercial and residential services for homes, driveways, patios, decks and fences as well as professional window cleaning. He can be reached at 864-871-2757.
  • American Services Hires Ric Barnett American Security, a division of American Services, has hired Ric Barnett as Emergency Management Coordinator specializing in catastrophic planning, safety and risk assessment audits. Read More


  • Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy Reaches First Accreditation Milestone
    The American Council for Pharmacy Education(ACPE) has granted the Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy pre-candidate accreditation status, which will allow the school to admit its first class for the fall of 2010. Read More


  • Humane Society & Clinton Animal Hospital offer special cat spay surgery prices
    Dr. Jennifer Dixon of Clinton Animal Hospital and Laurens County South Carolina Humane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals announce a partnership effort to provide spay surgery for 60 female cats at the special reduced price of $25 per cat. This price includes a Rabies shot and the spay surgery. The price for feral cats is $20 for spay and Rabies vaccine. Read More


Kim's Salon
  • A large crowd of well wishers was on hand for the ribbon cutting at Kim's Salon on Main in Laurens on January 25 hosted by the Laurens County Chamber of Commerce. Owned and operated by Kim Putman, the salon currently has two stylists and hopes to grow to five. They offer all hair care services as well as waxing and manicures. Putman was welcomed by Chamber president and CEO Greg Alexander and words of support were offered by Laurens Mayor Sharon Brownlee and Main Street Director Jonathan Irick. The salon is located at 101 West Public Square in the historic Bank of Laurens building which has stood on the Court House Square for more than a century.


  • Love BAHA crowd of nearly 140 Chamber members were on hand for Business After Hours on January 7th hosted by George Love, CPA. Love recently relocated his offices to a newly remodeled location on Laurens Street next door to the Laurens County Advertiser in Laurens after being located on the historic Court House Square for a number of years. Members enjoyed a delicious assortment of refreshments, took tours of the new offices and met Love’s new and long time staff members.


  • United Way and Senior Options to Offer Bags of Love for Valentine’s Day United Way of Laurens County and Senior Options are teaming up again to provide Bags Of Love to Meals on Wheels recipients in Laurens County. Local businesses and community members are encouraged to participate by collecting Bags Of Love to be distributed with meals on Wednesday, February 10th. Read More Here


  • AMIkids Piedmont’s students raise funds for Haiti Relief Fund The students, staff and volunteers of AMIkids Piedmont have been moved to action by the recent devastation in Haiti. AMIkids’ students are raising funds for the American Red Cross’s Haiti Relief Fund by service oriented work for donations. Students will be available until February 6th. Read More Here

  • American Red Cross Pledges Initial $1 Million to Haiti Relief Send a $10 Donation by Texting ‘Haiti’ to 90999.  The American Red Cross through our national network, is sending money, supplies and staff to Haiti to support relief efforts there after yesterday’s earthquake, which caused catastrophic damage and loss of life. According to reports, as many as three million people may have been affected by the quake, which collapsed government buildings and caused major damage to hospitals in the area. Read More Here


  • Mike GardnerMike Gardner SelectedAmerican Services, Inc. is proud to announce that Mike Gardner, President of Hospital Operations for American Security, has been selected as chairman of the South Carolina Chapter for The International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety. The IAHSS is the world’s leading organization specializing in healthcare security and safety. With a proven 35 year track record, IAHSS has certified over 20,000 healthcare security and safety personnel to tackle the special needs of healthcare institutions. Gardner ranked as Upstate Commander for the South Carolina Highway Patrol with 25 years of law enforcement experience and is currently Director of Hospital Security for American Services, Inc. Headquartered in Greenville, American Services is one of the largest contract security, janitorial and staffing companies in the Southeast with a local satellite office at 305 Jacobs Highway in Clinton.


  • Ambassadors HonoredAmbassadors Honored Zeke Benjamin (Third Quarter) of Firmin Ford and Wyatt Wilson (Fourth Quarter) of ReMax Property Professionals, center, were honored as Ambassador of the Quarter by the Laurens County Chamber of Commerce during the December Board of Directors meeting. Ambassadors volunteer their time to assist the Chamber by calling on existing members, recruiting new members, supporting Chamber functions and serving on various special events committees. Points are earned throughout the quarter and are used to determine the quarterly and yearly award winners. Pictured with Benjamin and Wilson are Jay Peay, left, chairman of the Chamber's Board of Directors, and Greg Alexander, president and CEO of the Laurens County Chamber of Commerce.


  • Small Business HonoredSmall Business Honored John Woodside, center, owner of Clinton True Value Hardware, accepts the Small Business of the Quarter award from the Laurens County Chamber of Commerce. As the fourth quarter winner, True Value joins the other three quarterly honorees in vying from the Robert M. Vance Small Business of the Year to be named February 18 at the Chamber's annual membership meeting. Pictured with Woodside are, left, Jay Peay, chairman of the Chamber's Board of Directors, and Greg Alexander, president and CEO of the Laurens County Chamber of Commerce.


  • 2009 News Archive
  • 2008 News Archive
  • 2007 News Archive
  • 2006 News Archive