College names 2019 Economic Visionaries

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Spartanburg Community College has named four companies 2019 Economic Visionaries for transforming the Upstate economy — AWL Automation LLC, Lockhart Power Co., Polydeck Screening Corp. and Duke Energy.

“Tonight, we honor four economic visionaries — companies and leaders who embrace the future with imagination, wisdom and energy to make an enterprising and lasting impact on our community resources. Just look anywhere in the Upstate and you will see phenomenal and unprecedented growth," said Henry C. Giles Jr., Spartanburg Community College president, in a news release. "Thanks to new companies moving to the area, companies increasing their workforce and companies expanding operations, our communities and our economy are thriving and poised for a strong and prosperous future.”

Per Blohm, managing director of AWL Automation LLC, said, in the release, “Spartanburg’s continual development as a center of economic growth and stability provides a unique opportunity to showcase our decades of industry experience in a way that benefits everyone around us.”

Bryan Stone, president of Lockhart Power, cited his company’s investment of time, expertise and money “in dozens of community and educational initiatives as well as charitable endeavors which strengthen and sustain our communities.”

"Being selected as an economic visionary is a great honor, not just for our leadership, but for the entire Polydeck family who works day in and day out to creatively, sustainably and effectively achieve our goals," said Peter Freissle, president and CEO of Polydeck Screening Corp., in the release.

Kodwo Ghartey-Tagoe, president for Duke Energy in South Carolina, said “for more than a century, we have worked in partnership with state and local authorities to attract business investment and jobs to this state, and those efforts successfully continue today."