Ten at the Top Upstate News
April 3, 2018 - Volume 9, Issue 4
Register Today:
Upstate Bus Tour Heading to Spartanburg County on April 18th
Only 10 Spots Still Available!
Join Ten at the Top as The Upstate Bus Tour... Getting to Know Your Neighbors makes our next stop in Spartanburg County on April 18th.

We had a great trip to the City of Spartanburg in 2016, but there is quite a bit happening in other parts of the county, so we are taking the bus back to Spartanburg to check out some other great parts of the county as well as getting an update on all that is happening in the largest city in the county.

The tour will start with a visit to the Inland Port. Next stop is The Heirloom Company in Campobello. Both the City of Landrum and the City of Inman are doing great things to build a sense of place in their downtowns and we will have the opportunity to explore both communities. The day will conclude with a return to the City of Spartanburg for an update by Johnson Development and a tour of the new A.C. Hotel.

The cost of the tour is $25 and is limited to 33 participants. Only 10 spots are left, so be sure and reserve your seat today.

TATT Executive Director's Quarterly Report:
2018 First Quarter is Busiest Ever for TATT Capacity Building Initiatives
When we went around the Upstate last year talking with board members and funding partners about how Ten at the Top could move to the “next level” both around our role in strengthening the Upstate and in stabilizing and growing our involvement and funding base, there was one very clear theme and directive. We needed to figure out how to maximize our limited staff resources to focus on collaborative capacity building regional initiatives that supported our mission of enhancing economic vitality and quality of life in the Upstate.

So, at the beginning of 2018 we moved fundraising and marketing from a full-time staff position to an agency contract and made the focus of both of our full-time staff members other than myself to be around program and initiative management.

Looking at just the first quarter of 2018, the results have been even more impactful than even I could have imagined. In the first three months of the year, we are actively engaged in nine regional capacity building initiatives focused around elements of the five driver areas of Ten at the Top.

In terms of the number of regional engagements and participants, this has been the busiest quarter for TATT since we started in 2010. During the first three months of 2018, TATT conducted 29 regional engagements with 1,486 total participants. In addition, as part of our role as a regional connector, TATT staff regularly attend events and initiatives led by other organizations across the Upstate so we have a greater understanding of who is engaged around what issues and opportunities. Through the first three months of 2018, TATT staff have attended 38 outside events, including at least one in every county in the region.

Ten at the Top Announces Upstate Regional Summit Speaker, Theme and Sponsor Opportunities
Nationally recognized author, speaker and business consultant Polly LaBarre will be the keynote speaker for the 2018 Upstate Regional Summit, hosted by Ten at the Top and presented by BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, on September 25th at the TD Convention Center.

The 2018 Summit, with the theme "Winning the Future", will provide a unique opportunity for business, community and civic leaders, as well as interested stakeholders from across the region to share ideas and discuss how to work collaboratively to ensure the Upstate region continues to enhance the economic vitality and quality of life for all residents. This will be the third Upstate Regional Summit conducted by Ten at the Top with the 2014 and 2016 events each engaging more than 800 leaders and stakeholders from across the Upstate.

“Ten at the Top is an organization that is focused on redefining our future as a collaborative Upstate,” Sue Schneider, Ten at the Top’s Board Chairman, said. “But a future to match our vision requires lots of work in the present tense. We’ve named our next summit ‘Winning the Future’ for that very reason. We’re focused on success and the work we must do today to achieve our vision for tomorrow."

Because most attendees are sponsors or sponsor guests, leaving only a limited number of general admission tickets, the best way to guarantee a spot for you and members of your company or organization is through an event or table sponsorship. There are also only limited spaces in the B2B Expo still available.

Please click here to check out all the event and table sponsorship opportunities available. Sponsorships must be secured by July 1st to ensure inclusion in all promotional material.

Polly LaBarre
Young Professionals and Community Leaders Connect at PIQUE 2018
The 3rd Annual PIQUE: Young Leaders Elevating the Upstate Summit, presented by ScanSource, was held on March 22nd at Southern Bleachery in Taylors with more than 275 young professionals and executives from across the region in attendance.

Focusing on the collaboration of young professionals (ages 21-40) in the ten counties comprising the Upstate community, PIQUE aimed to create an opportunity for young professionals to connect with one another across the Upstate, engage with Upstate business and community leaders and gain valuable personal and professional development opportunities as they will soon become regional leaders.


Upcoming Events and Programs
Upstate Alternative Capital
Providers Luncheon
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
TATT Office

Join other Upstate alternative capital providers for lunch to network with your peers and hear from Mark Cooter of Cherry Bekaert to learn about the implications of new tax reform as it relates to access to capital issues for small businesses in the region.


Entrepreneur Support Providers Meeting
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
11:30-1:30 p.m.
TATT Office

In 2018 the Entrepreneur Support Providers Network will continue efforts to identify and grow the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in the Upstate region. The first meeting on April 11th will focus on continuing to grow awareness of available resources and identifying gaps within the network and support system in the region. The group is open to representatives from organizations that provide support to small business owners and entrepreneurs in the Upstate.

Stay Connected with Upstate Initiatives & Resources

Check out the TATT YouTube Channel for archives from meetings, presentations and events hosted by Ten at the Top. The Channel also includes videos of the Elevate Upstate Grant recipients and other TATT initiatives.


TATT volunteers have developed a number of interactive regional asset maps. Check out links to regional resources below.





Trying to find out what is happening across the Upstate? The Upstate Information Hub Comprehensive Calendar has links to more than 600 events and activities happening across the region.


Ten at the Top
29 Regional Engagements in 2018
1,486 Participants in 2018
733 Regional Engagements since 2010
34,767 Participants since 2010
On the Calendar

Be sure and put these 2018 TATT events
on your calendar:

Entrepreneur Support Providers Workshop: Building the Network
April 11, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
124 Verdae Blvd., Suite 202
Greenville, SC 29607

Pizza and Beer Redefined with
Jerry R. Youkey, M.D.
(Pizza and Beer is reserved for funding partners and board members only)
April 17, 5:00-7:00 p.m.
GHS Medical School
607 Grove Rd
Greenville, SC 29605

Ten at the Top Bus Tour to Spartanburg
April 18, 8:15 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Spartanburg, SC

Upstate Alternative Capital Providers
April 24, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
124 Verdae Blvd., Suite 202
Greenville, SC 29607

Shaping Our Future Continuing Education Workshop: The Intersection of Land Use, Communities, & Social Equity
May 3, 5:00-7:00 p.m.
124 Verdae Blvd., Suite 503
Greenville, SC 29607

Become a TATT Supporter

As a non-profit organization, TATT relies on funding partners and event sponsors to help sustain our regional mission. During the year TATT hosts several exclusive events to provide board members & funding partners additional opportunities to network and build regional contacts. If you are not already a TATT supporter, please check out our 2018 Partner & Sponsor Packet to become engaged. Contact Dean Hybl for questions or more information.



Ten at the Top is a regional non-profit organization with the mission of fostering collaboration and partnerships across the Upstate around issues that impact economic vitality and quality of life.
Ten at the Top | 864-283-2315 | info@tenatthetop.org| www.tenatthetop.org