Latest Edition: September 2015

News from Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate
Sullivan named CEO of BBBSU
On May 1, 2015 Mr. Lamont Sullivan was named CEO
of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate. Sullivan
began his new role just as he celebrated 12 years of
service at BBBSU.
Lamont Sullivan,
CEO
According to Sullivan, “it has been a fast twelve
years and much progress has been made in
reaching out to more children in the Upstate. I
appreciate every family, volunteer and employee
that’s ever been a part of this program.” BBBS serves
six Upstate Counties—Greenville, Spartanburg,
Anderson, Pickens, Oconee, and Laurens with
operations presently centered in Anderson,
Greenville and Spartanburg.
BBBS Upstate’s mission is to help children in need
reach their potential through professionally
supported one-to-one mentoring relationships with
measurable impact. The fundamental principle
behind the program is that a mentor can change a
child’s life in so many positive ways.
BBBS Upstate has grown over the last 12 years and
now serves 700 children annually. The goal for the
next 3 years is to increase the number of children
served to 1,000. With Sullivan’s experience and
passion for youth and mentorship, BBBSU is very
excited with the direction we are heading!
Congratulations Lamont!
Golf Fore Kids Sake
On Friday, August 14th, BBBSU supporters were
invited to tee off at our first annual “Golf Fore Kids
Sake” golf tournament held at The Preserve at
Verdae in Greenville, SC.
CEO Lamont Sullivan shared, “Big Brothers Big
Sisters of the Upstate expresses our sincerest
thanks to The Bill & Connie Timmons Foundation
for their tremendous support of our program”.
He added that the funds allow us to offer one of
the most important virtues any non-profit can
offer, the chance to say thank you! “Without
these partners we could not do the great work of
mentoring upstate youth, so the least we can do
is give our supporters lunch and a free round of
golf”. Thank you to all who participated!
In This Edition:
Match stories
2
Pep Rally
3
Board Bios
4
Board Bios
5
Board Bios
6
Board Bios
7
Anniversaries
8
Big News
Page 2 of 8
Two years, two brothers, lots of firsts
Lee and Deshaun at
Fort Sumter summer
2015
When little brother Deshaun
joined BBBS two years ago,
he was quiet and didn’t
smile very much. He was in a
loving home but was missing
a positive male influence.
Enter Big Brother Lee and
things have never been the
same!
Deshaun and Lee have
embarked on quite a few
firsts-Deshaun has attended
his first football game, as
well as has gone to the
beach and whitewater rafting
for the first time. But more
importantly, Deshaun improved
his grades enough to play
football last year for his middle
school for the first time. And
now he is smiling ALL of the time!
Thank you Lee for your
dedication to BBBS and your
little brother! We feel confident
that when Deshaun graduates
and attends his first college
class, Lee will be right by his side
cheering him on!
Family ties
Grandmother Darlene knows the
importance of mentorship firsthand.
After seeing the impact BBBS had on
her two sons, she decided to enroll
her grandchildren recently.
Molly and Janiyah at
Clemson University
“Do you have 6
hours a month
that you can
devote to a little
brother or sister to
help them reach
their full
potential?”
Janiyah has been matched for
several months to Big sister Molly and
though shy when she first met her, by
the end of their first outing they had a
dance off and Janiyah even made
her sister a card! These two have
become fast friends and are doing
great!
Darlene’s other granddaughter
Jamani got a big surprise when she
met her big sister for the first time-it
was her kindergarten teacher from
last year! Jade Jenkins, program
specialist, shared “Grandma
mentioned our program to teacher
Margo and she fell in love with the
idea of becoming Jamani's Big
Sister”.
Another neat twist is that Margo’s
husband decided to become a Big
Brother to Jaylen, Darlene’s
grandson. Big sister Margo and Big
Brother Kyle recently took all of the
kids to the Back to School Bash in
August.
We can hardly wait to see what all
these matches achieve-thank you to
the Bigs and to Darlene for making
such a positive impact!
Want to start something BIG?
Did you know that just by being in a
successful match for one year our
kids are:
49% less likely to use drugs
52% less likely to skip school
33% less likely to strike someone
Our youth also improve
academically, socially, as well as
have more confidence and a better
attitude toward school.
At BBBSU we are in need of mentorsespecially Big Brothers! Do you have
6 hours a month that you can devote
to a little brother or sister to help them
reach their potential? Or know of
someone who would make a great
volunteer? Please contact us at
[email protected] or
864.542.9328.
Page 3 of 8
Big News
Ready for some football? Come out to
our 7th annual Pep Rally Nov. 19th!
Carolina and Clemson fans have a
unique opportunity to support their
team while helping a child reach his
or her full potential. The 7th annual Big
Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate
Carolina/Clemson pep rally
presented by DHM Adhesives will be
held on Thursday, November 19th,
2015, to get geared up for the big
game between the Gamecocks and
the Tigers.
The fundraiser is from 6 pm-10 pm at
the Huguenot Loft, 101 W. Broad
Street in Greenville, with all proceeds
benefitting BBBS Upstate. The pep rally
will feature food from Café Verde,
The HI-LO Smoke Company, Chick-FilA of Pelham Road, Chicken Salad
Chick, Seasons of Mauldin, and
Universal Joint. There will also be a DJ
spinning crowd pleasing dance
music, as well as silent and live
auctions, and game highlights
throughout the night. Individual tickets
cost $50 and sponsorships are
available. We’d like to thank our
generous sponsors already on board
for this year’s signature event:
American Security, BMW
Manufacturing, T&S Brass and Bronze
Works, Inc., and Vital Care EMS.
Please contact Lamont Sullivan at
[email protected] or log
onto www.bbbspeprally.com to
reserve your spot and preview
auction items.
Big Brothers Big Sisters is the oldest,
largest, and most effective youth
mentoring organization in America.
BBBS Upstate helps children reach
their full potential through
professionally supported one-to-one
relationships with measurable impact.
BBBS Upstate has served the upstate
since 1970 and serves more than 600
children ages six through 18 every
year in Greenville, Spartanburg,
Anderson, Pickens, Oconee and
Laurens counties.
Consistency is key!
Sidni and Laura of Anderson county
have been matched for a little over
two years now. They have done so
many different things together and
the little sister excitedly looks forward
to each outing they have!
made. Thank you to Big sister Sidni for
all that she’s done and we are proud
of little sister Laura!
Sam Mullinax shares that “It has been
great to watch this match grow and
hear the excitement in Laura’s voice
when she talks about some of their
past experiences as well as what she
hopes to do in the future”. Sam
shared that Laura used to be very shy
but when spending time with her at
the recent back to school bash, she
was amazed at the progress she’d
Sidni and Laura on a
recent outing
Bigs and Littles
at Greenville’s
Back to School
Bash Aug. 15th
Page 4 of 8
Board Bios
Meet Our Board of Directors
Zach Bartness
Our Board Chair
Zach Bartness has
been a mentor for
over 7 years and
his little brother is
now a senior in
high school. Thank
you Zach for all
you do for BBBSU!
Zach Bartness is the Principal for
Shared Alliance Insurance, Inc.,
a local independent property
and casualty insurance
brokerage. He is currently the
Board of Directors Board
Chairman and has been on the
Board for about 4 years now.
Zach has been a "Big" to a
young man for 7 years and his
"Little" is now a Senior in high
school. Zach has been in the
insurance industry for 9 years, is
a graduate of Clemson
University, and an advocate for
helping at risk youth. He is originally
from Atlanta before moving to the
Greenville area.
Dana Becker
Dana Becker has served on the
Board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the
Upstate for more than 3 years. She
has spent her professional life
dedicated to improving the lives of
adolescents and young adults both
through 10 years of work in the higher
education field and work for the past
7 years at the South Carolina
Campaign to Prevent Teen
Pregnancy. Dana teaches 10th &
11th grade girls at her church and
has served on the Board of Visitors for
Converse College and the Youth
Advisory Council for the Upstate
Workforce Investment Board. Dana
lives in Boiling Springs, SC.
Travis Waters
In addition to
being a big
brother for many
years, Travis has
been an integral
part of the Pep
Rally fundraiser.
Thank you Travis!
Travis has been a Big Brother for the
past seven years, and on the Board
of Directors for two. Living in
Simpsonville for the past 13 years, he
grew up nearby in Ninety Six SC. He
and his wife Tricia have three children
ages 4 and 19 months (twins). He
works as the Global Sales Director for
WESCO Distribution, and travels
frequently. He is a graduate of
Clemson University with degrees in
Chemical Engineering and a Masters
of Business Administration. His
hobbies are golf, stock trading,
sports, and running. His goal with the
Board is to help drive the financial
stability and growth of the overall
organization so that the BBBS Upstate
will be a viable entity for years to
come.
Board Bios
Eryn Rodgers
Eryn Rogers is the morning reporter for WSPA-TV/Channel 7. She
joined the board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate in
February of 2015. Prior to moving to South Carolina, Eryn did
volunteer work with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana
and was on the board for a non-profit
that offered counseling services to families and children who
were the victims of abuse. Eryn has worked in the news industry
for four years and won a Midwest Emmy for a documentary she
filmed and produced on youth Chicago gang life. She is a
native of Atlanta.
Chris Smith
Chris Smith was born and raised in Spartanburg SC and obtained a
Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of SC and a Master’s of
Science in Human Resources Management from Troy University. He
currently serves as the Human Resources Manager with Kroger
Manufacturing in Anderson SC and is also the Chair of the Diversity
Program at Kroger, overseeing 32 manufacturing facilities throughout
the country. In addition to being a national member of the Society of
Human Resources Management, Chris has also earned the distinction of
Diversity Fellow at the Furman University Riley Institute.
Chris is very involved in his community, serving also on the Board of
Directors for the Urban League of the Upstate and on the United Way
African American Leadership councils in both Greenville and Anderson
County. Chris is also a state committee member of the South Carolina
Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals Summit.
Our next edition will highlight the bios of the following
board members:
Beth Harrison, Bill Groves, Christopher Arthurs, John Sulau,
Kevin Brinson, and Lenny Gaines.
Thank you for all that you do for BBBSU!
Big News
Board Bios
Page 6 of 8
April Kelly-Drummond
April Kelly-Drummond is the director of corporate diversity at Denny’s where she works to develop programs and
initiatives to further the company’s corporate commitment to diversity. Her work with organizations such as the
Tom Joyner Foundation, the National Urban League, the Rainbow Push Coalition, the U.S. Pan Asian American
Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation and multiple others, have helped build awareness for and
solidify Denny’s position as an industry leader in diversity. Ms. Drummond began her career at Denny’s as an
executive assistant and throughout her 20 years with the company has worked her way through the ranks into
her current role. Her philanthropic work with Denny’s and Share Our Strength’s ‘No Kid Hungry®’ campaign has
helped raise more than $2.3 million to date. Her leadership in multiple diversity initiatives and community relations
programs at Denny’s has been widely acknowledged by civil rights leaders, community groups and publications
including Fortune Magazine, Hispanic Business, Family Digest and Latino Magazine.
Horace Butler
Horace Butler is a manager at BMW Group, where he managers all IT Operations in the Americas; he
oversee the Application and Infrastructure Operations for five countries with Sales Offices, Financial
Services and Manufacturing Plants. In his career with BMW he has lead and been involved in several
global projects/ strategic alignments.
Horace is a native of Greenville, SC and he passionately extends his leadership talent to the community
where is heavily involved with the church he attends. He has taught personal financial courses in the
community for more than 10 years. He works extensively with the United Way of the Piedmont and Big
Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate.
His wife Lynn Butler is a teacher in the Greenville County Schools System. Their union has produced 3
children and Horace enjoys playing golf and listening to music.
He attended South Carolina State University and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer
Science. Horace believes in coaching and mentoring leaders to successful careers.
Lakessa Wright
Lakessa Wright is a Sr. Sales Executive with Milliken & Company. She joined the board of Big Brothers Big
Sisters of the Upstate in September of 2013. Lakessa has worked at Milliken for 16 years holding several
positions in Chemical and Textile manufacturing with the last 10 years in Chemical Sales and Sales
Management. She is a native of Charleston, SC.
Board Bios
Big News
William Timmons
William Timmons is an attorney and entrepreneur living in Greenville, SC. In four years with the 13th Circuit
Solicitor’s office, he has prosecuted crimes including murder, white-collar crime and domestic violence.
Concerned that domestic violence victims were not being well-served by the court’s processes, he helped
create a centralized CDV court for criminal domestic violence cases in Greenville County. Because of this
work, he has been appointed to the Governor’s Criminal Domestic Violence Task Force. Timmons has
launched and run successful small businesses, including Swamp Rabbit CrossFit, Timmons & Company, LLC,
and Southern Tide. He is a partner in two new ventures, Soul Yoga studio and Vin& Zen, a restaurant and
event venue. A native of Greenville, Timmons attended George Washington University, where he earned a
degree in International Affairs and Political Science, and the University of South Carolina, completing his law
degree and at the same time, earning a Master’s in International Studies. A lifelong and active member of
Christ Church, Timmons also serves his community as a board member for Pendleton Place for Children and
Families, the American Red Cross, the Upstate Heart Ball, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate. He is a
proud Big Brother to a young Greenville resident.
Brionna Jones
Brionna Jones is the Community Relations Coordinator-Upstate for Absolute Total Care, one of SC’s Medicaid
Health Plans. Her role serves to organize, attend, and/or participate in special events and promotions
advocating ATC as a health plan. She serves as a spokesperson for ATC at meetings and special events. She
develops and implements outreach and marketing activities, campaigns, and strategies in the Upstate to
promote ATC and healthy living. She establishes and maintains effective relationships with local, state, and
federal agencies, non-profits, and other organizations who serve the low-income demographic.
Prior to residing in the upstate, Brionna lived in Augusta, Georgia where she worked in the Resident Services
Department for the Augusta Housing Authority. Brionna has served the low-income population through her
different roles for over 5 years. She is on the Marketing Committee for PULSE, Greenville Chamber’s Young
Professionals program and was recently selected as SC Black Pages Top 40 under 40.
Celebrations!
Big News
Match anniversaries September-November
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Samantha Mullinax
mullinaxs@bbbsupstate.
com
864.965.0505
Greenville:
Lamont Sullivan
sullivanl@bbbsupstate
.com
Andrea Boudin
boudina@bbbsupstate.
com
Jade Jenkins
jenkinsj@bbbsupstate.
com
864.242.0676
Spartanburg:
Charlene Cheeks
cheeksc@bbbsupstate.
com
Allison Caulk, editor
caulka@bbbsupstate.
com
Dana Bertolino
bertolinod@bbbsupstate.
com
864.542-9328
www.bbbsupstate.com
Congratulations to the following Bigs
and Littles as they celebrate their
program anniversaries this fall:
Arianna/Brittany 9/3/2009
Karianna/Sarah 9/4/13
Keith/CJ 9/5/14
Sidni and Laura 9/9/13
Bob and Caleb 9/9/13
Shauna/Lee 9/13/11
Michael/Larry 9/17/14
Sabrina/Quantasia 9/17/14
James/Jesse 9/17/14
Alex/Timothy 9/26/12
Juan/Adam 9/26/12
Ashton/Kyle 10/2/13
Shonna/Aniyah 10/2/12
Kelly/Tomondra 10/7/09
Lee/Deshaun 10/9/13
Meghan/Mariah 10/10/13
Danielle/Fatima 10/13/10
Emily/Kwen’ijha 10/16/12
Joshua/Phillip 10/17/13
Brittany/Samare 10/18/12
Isaiah /William 10/21/10
Brandon/Jaylan 10/23/13
Carol/Trinity 10/25/12
Brianna/Aliyah 10/28/14
Zack and Amir/11/1/12
Malissa and Allyiah 11/1/12
Nytarian/Larry 11/2/11
Savannah/Katie 11/4/13
Sarah and Sarah 11/5/12
Sydney and Ayrika 11/10/14
Kevin/Ray 11/12/09
Breanna/Katie 11/16/12
Kadence/Nicole 11/18/13
Lucille/Olivia 11/19/13
Stacie and Olivia 11/26/14
Derrick and Jared 11/26/14
Casey/E’Averi 11/26/13
We would like to wish the following Bigs a
Happy birthday!
Brian Sanders
William Cantrell
Tiffany Fowler
Sidni Ramos
Ashley Booth
Kwa’shun Jackson
Stacy Poock
Gaela McGinnis
Herbert Blassengale
Nicholas Graham
Asheley Sullivan
Cody Herring
Lorianne Frattini
Eugene Wilkes
Keri-Anne MaCaulay
Kevin Boone
Lee Morgan
Shane Williams
Dawn Pryor
Kent Giguere
Jon Colbert
Jerry Wesley
Chelsea Thompson
Faneisha Ragin
Courtney Crandell
Megan Huffman
John Merritt
David Croxton
Katie Lybrand
Gary Upham
Olivia Devore
Adam Black
Angel Samples
Brent Gillett
Tyara Rucker
Jonathan Vaughn
Rhonda Goforth
Margo McMackin
Amy Richards
Tiffany Goforth
Meghan Hubbard
Daboyous Mosley
Casey Frick
Makeya Kinard
Darrell Neely
Carol Cannon