South Carolina Manufacturers and Commerce names leadership team

South Carolina Manufacturers and Commerce, a combination of the previous South Carolina Manufactures Alliance and South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, announced its senior staff.

Heading the organization as president and CEO will be Sara Hazzard, who also served as president and CEO for SCMA. SCMC said the merger of the two groups was official on Jan. 1.

“We set out to find the right team for the right time, and we found it,” Grant Burns, SCMC chairman of the board, said in the release. “These champions will work hard every single day — with stakeholders and policymakers alike — to make sure SCMC demonstrates it has the firepower needed to make a difference for businesses, employees and families. We can’t wait to get started.”

Joining Hazzard is Sunny Philips, vice president of member relations, strategy and programming; Cynthia Bennett, vice president of commerce councils and philanthropy; Amy Tinsley, vice president of manufacturing councils and secretary to the board; Will Frierson, vice president of government affairs; and Susan O’Neal, vice president of finance, operations and administration.

SCMC said the team’s purpose will be to advance pro-growth and pro-jobs policies from manufacturers to small businesses and families.

“An expanded organization calls for an expanded team, and we have an all-star lineup of leaders who members of the business community, lawmakers and other stakeholders have known as the best of the best for years,” Hazzard said. “This group — one with a depth and breadth of experience from both of the organizations that consolidated to become SCMC — will speak with one, clear voice for our members. That is invaluable.”

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