LIBERTY — Sealevel Systems hosted the Leadership Pickens County class of 2016 on Feb. 2.

The afternoon kicked off with a presentation from John Lummus, president and CEO of Upstate SC Alliance. His core message was that the 10 counties are working together as a region to recruit economic development.

Lummus noted that the region has what it takes to be successful.

“A diverse range of companies are drawn here by our favorable tax rates, market accessibility and the quality and availability of our workforce,” Lummus said. “Supporting this is our dedication to research and innovation, including R&D facilities for Michelin, Fuji and General Electric and research centers that support the automotive, life sciences, plastics and photonics industries. And it’s all set in a region where the cost of living is about 10 percent lower than the national average and cultural and recreational opportunities cater to a diverse range of tastes.”

The 10-county region of the Upstate SC Alliance has a population of more than 1,409,634 with 551,556 total households. Eighty five percent of the workforce has a high school education or higher.

The quality of education and work ethic makes the Upstate one of the fastest growing in the country, Lummus said.

The leadership class was treated to presentations from Tom O’Hanlan, CEO of Sealevel Systems, on what formulates economic development and Earle Foster, senior vice president of sales and marketing, gave an overview of Sealevel products.

The class was given a tour of the facilities hosted by Bobby Richardson, director of operations, and Greg Harrison, senior hardware engineer.

Bobby Richardson, director of operations at Sealevel Systems, gives members of Leadership Pickens County a tour of the facility.
https://www.theeasleyprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_sealevelpickenlshipBobbyRichardson.jpgBobby Richardson, director of operations at Sealevel Systems, gives members of Leadership Pickens County a tour of the facility. Courtesy photos

Earle Foster, senior vice president of sales and marketing, gave an overview of Sealevel products.
https://www.theeasleyprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_sealevelpickenlshipEarle-Foster.jpgEarle Foster, senior vice president of sales and marketing, gave an overview of Sealevel products. Courtesy photos

John Lummus, president and CEO of Upstate SC Alliance, discussed the 10-county area that makes up the Alliance.
https://www.theeasleyprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_sealevelpickenlshipJohnLummus.jpgJohn Lummus, president and CEO of Upstate SC Alliance, discussed the 10-county area that makes up the Alliance. Courtesy photos

Staff Report