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Former SC Department of Commerce Manager Joins New Carolina Staff
2007-06-27

New Carolina – South Carolina’s Council on Competitiveness has hired Beth Pierce Meredith, SCCED, formerly with the South Carolina Department of Commerce, to facilitate the growth and development of key industry clusters in the three-county Charleston region. Identified in a 2005 report prepared by economic development consulting firm Angelou Economics and commissioned by the Charleston Regional Development Alliance and funded by a grant from the BCD Council of Governments, the clusters include the biosciences, aerospace, automotive, creative industries and advanced security. Meredith will work based out of North Charleston, South Carolina, at the offices of the BCD Council of Governments.

Three years ago, multiple business organizations and government entities formed

S.C.’s Council on Competitiveness to implement a long-term economic strategy focused on industry clusters, and on raising South Carolina’s per capita income. Over 50 leaders from all over the state are on the Council board, which is chaired by Ed Sellers, chairman and CEO of BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina.

Meredith worked in Columbia as a community development manager in the Community and Rural Development division for the South Carolina Department of Commerce before joining New Carolina. She is a graduate of the South Carolina Economic Developers' School, and received the South Carolina Certified Economic Developer designation in 2006.

“Beth joins New Carolina at just the right time. The Charleston Region has been ready to grow the clusters identified in the Angelou study, and we are glad to provide direction to build and nurture them,” says Council Executive Director George Fletcher.  “Beth is ideal for this role: She’s a self-starter, with expertise and enthusiasm that fit well with the Council. We welcome her to the New Carolina team.”

Meredith has held leadership roles as executive director for both the South Carolina Economic Developers' Association (SCEDA) and the Coastal Conservation Association of South Carolina. She is an Alumni Association Board Member at the College of Charleston, where she received her BA. Meredith began in her new role on June 1st.

“It’s an exciting opportunity to work with New Carolina.  Developing these Charleston regional clusters will add value not only to the area, but also to the entire state’s economic development efforts through cluster-focused support of existing business and the recruitment of new business,” said Meredith.

The Council has identified 13 statewide clusters for South Carolina, in varying stages of development:  Apparel, Agribusiness, Automotive, Aviation, Composites, Distribution Services, Engineering, Hydrogen/Fuel Cells, Medical Devices, Recycling, Nuclear, Textiles and Tourism.

Together with partners, S.C.’s Council on Competitiveness is driving the movement towards a New Carolina—a South Carolina with a brighter future and a competitive, winning economy. The focus is on a strategy to play to the strengths of the state’s core industries, emphasize education, and build an environment that fosters innovation.  For more information, visit www.newcarolina.org.

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