On Tuesday, September 30, the Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation (BCEDC) hosted its inaugural “Prosperity in Practice” event — a gathering of economic development leaders from across South Carolina who share a deep connection to Beaufort County. The program highlighted how collaboration, innovation, and strategic investment can create lasting prosperity “from launch to legacy.”

BCEDC Executive Director John O’Toole opened the session with a presentation titled “Prosperity at Home: Beaufort County’s Path to Growth.” He explained that BCEDC’s work focuses on three primary goals: attracting capital investment, creating quality jobs, and strengthening relationships with the businesses that call Beaufort County home.

O’Toole reviewed BCEDC’s results after eight years of teamwork and dedication, presenting an impressive scorecard:

• $849 million in investments
• 3,223 jobs created
• $58,670 average compensation
• 102 projects completed
• 1.3 million square feet of real estate developed
• $31.8 million in incentives from state partners (including $1.5 million from BCEDC)

“It’s a delicate balancing act when an area experiences the kind of exponential growth we have. We want to make sure that we’re building communities, not tearing them apart. People do business with people — and we work tirelessly in collaboration with many great partners to build bridges and lasting relationships.” – John O’Toole

O’Toole recognized BCEDC’s trusted partners, including the South Carolina Department of Commerce, the Don Ryan Center for Innovation, the Beaufort Digital Corridor, BlacQuity, and on the workforce development side, the Beaufort County School District, Technical College of the Lowcountry, and University of South Carolina Beaufort.

He went on to highlight several notable projects BCEDC has supported, such as CS Instruments headquarters, Spartina 449, Project Cloud at Hilton Head Airport, and expansions with Novant Health, MUSC, and Beaufort Memorial Hospital, along with Project Laundry, the Cove (Don Ryan Center for Innovation) and many other exciting ventures.

O’Toole emphasized the importance of Business Retention and Expansion (BRE).

“It costs ten times more to get a new customer than to keep one. Eighty percent of your investment growth and new jobs will come from companies already in your community.” – John O’Toole

The event also featured a panel discussion moderated by Hannah Hall, bringing together a distinguished group of economic development professionals from across South Carolina:

• James Chavez, President & CEO, South Carolina Power Team
• Gilleon Frieson, Rural Program Manager, South Carolina Department of Commerce
• Gregg Robinson, CEO, Florence County Economic Development Partnership
• Sandy Steele, President & CEO, P.W.S. Ventures of SC, Inc.

Gilleon Frieson opened the discussion by focusing on community and rural development. He noted that Beaufort County is in a strong position to attract business and industry compared to many rural counties that face challenges such as high unemployment and limited infrastructure.

“We go through a SWOT analysis — identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for each community. Every rural community in South Carolina is unique. Each has assets that could spark growth. When a potential company drives through a community, they conduct what we call the ‘windshield test.’ They want to see if it looks like a place that’s thriving — with jobs, childcare, great schools, and healthcare. Local leaders must come together with county and state resources to identify those strengths and opportunities and figure out how to turn them into wins.” – Gilleon Frieson

Sandy Steele followed, emphasizing that economic development is a “team sport.”

“It’s about collaboration — building partnerships with all the players who bring resources to the game. You have to know the teammates because often you don’t have much time to prepare. When a call comes in from a prospect, you must be ready and know who to reach out to. Without coordination and teamwork, you’re just a great quarterback with no one to throw to.” – Sandy Steele

Steele also underscored the importance of business retention and expansion as a measure of economic health.

“When your companies are expanding, it means they feel supported, nurtured, and heard. It’s a key hallmark of economic development — one we should value even more.” – Sandy Steele

Gregg Robinson built on that theme, noting that every community needs the right leadership to succeed.

“We may compete with each other within South Carolina, but we’re also competing every day with Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida. We must do an exceptional job of setting ourselves apart. Companies that locate here have often evaluated a hundred other communities before choosing us.” – Gregg Robinson

Robinson highlighted the critical role of small business in economic success.

“Small business thrives because of industry. For every dollar generated by manufacturing, six to seven dollars go to small business. Look at Hyundai in Georgia, Boeing in Charleston, and BMW in Greenville — those major OEMs need a strong supplier base close by. Beaufort County can absolutely serve those suppliers. The key is being prepared to capture that network over the next decade — ensuring local services, leadership, and infrastructure are ready to support them.” – Gregg Robinson

James Chavez, the final panelist, stressed the importance of infrastructure and preparedness in attracting new industries. As head of the South Carolina Power Team, he represents the state’s 19 electric cooperatives, which offer energy rates about 9% lower than the national average and a diverse mix of energy sources attractive to manufacturers.

“We work with communities to assess what infrastructure is already in place and to identify potential sites and partners. We analyze transportation — roads and rail — and, most importantly, electric power. Power capacity is the number one topic right now. If a site lacks infrastructure, the community must commit to building it. And we at the Power Team will be at the table to help ensure those infrastructure needs are met.” – James Chavez

In closing, Gilleon Frieson shared a quote from football legend Deion Sanders, once one of the NFL’s greatest defensive backs.

“Deion Sanders was asked what the key to his success was, and he said, ‘Most defensive backs go where the ball is — I go where the ball is going.’ That’s exactly what we have to do in economic development. Growth is already happening; we can’t just focus on where it is now. We must focus on where it’s going.” – Gilleon Frieson

Use the arrows above to see more images of the Prosperity in Practice event.