Jud Hub names community director

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The Judson Mill Community Innovation Hub, Judson’s newest collaborative space for non-profits, mission-driven profits, small businesses and social entrepreneurs, has named James Westman Abbott as community director.

The Judson Mill Community Innovation Hub, Jud Hub for short, is a member of Founded Communities, an impact-driven coworking management and consulting firm that works with community leaders, policy makers, private developers and universities to use innovation spaces and programming as a means for economic and community impact, according to a news release.

In his role, Abbott will be responsible for leading the community of social innovators at Judson Mill and beyond, the release said.

Abbott will work with community leaders in Greenville to collaborate on resources, events and programming that will benefit the neighborhood and the nonprofit membership at Jud Hub. He also will oversee the 18,000-square-foot space and serve as main point of contact for collaborating or leasing space.

“I am excited to be part of this community investment,” Abbott said in the release. “Our Jud Hub family will be about collaboration, creativity, community and compassion for others. On a higher level, we will be about developing mission, purpose and identity as we create impact for our Judson Mill neighbors and surrounding Greenville community.”

Abbott comes to the Jud Hub after serving The Salvation Army Area Command of Greenville for the past 14 years.

"We are fortunate to have James as the new director for Jud Hub because he has the perfect balance of non-profit and for-profit experience,” Jess Porta, chief strategist of Founded Communities, said in the release. “This community is made up of non-profits and scaling small businesses so understanding both worlds is essential. James has an incredible passion for helping people and we look forward to seeing the unique programming and resources he will develop as director."

The Jud Hub is set to open this month and will be home to the recently announced CommunityWorks Learning Center. Membership at the Jud Hub includes access to high-speed Wi-Fi, common coworking spaces, classroom spaces, conference rooms, huddle rooms, phone booths and beer and coffee on tap.