Wednesday, September 20, 2023 11:00am – 1:30pm 2023 Honorees
Senator Gerald Malloy
Senator Scott Talley
Representative Patricia Henegan
Representative Phillip Lowe
Chief Pete Parr
On behalf of Conservation Voters of South Carolina’s Board of Directors and staff, I welcome you to the 2023 Green Tie Awards Luncheon. Today, we celebrate the unwavering commitment of our honorees to safeguard South Carolina’s air, land, and water at the Statehouse and in their own communities. Thank you, Senator Gerald Malloy, Senator Scott Talley, Representative Patricia Henegan, Representative Phillip Lowe, and Chief Pete Parr for your leadership in protecting our state’s precious natural resources and the people who live here.
This year, CVSC celebrates our 20th Anniversary. After two decades, it is inspiring to reflect on how far we have come:
• Our staff has grown from two to 14.
• We’ve built coalitions in the conservation community and beyond to unite and amplify the voices of South Carolinians at the Statehouse.
• We’ve invested over $900,000 to elect leaders who will champion our environment and we have held them accountable for protecting our flowing rivers, family farms, and vast forests.
• We have worked to educate lawmakers and communities about the natural connection between people and the environment, encouraging our legislature to pass laws that make energy cleaner and more affordable, to take action when our drinking water is contaminated, and act swiftly to combat the impact that the changing climate is having on our state.
I would like to extend a personal thank you to the businesses and individuals who make CVSC’s work possible through generous sponsorship of the Green Tie Awards Luncheon and personal contributions. Your investment in CVSC’s work demonstrates that protecting South Carolina’s environment is a priority for business leaders and voters alike. Together, we send a powerful message to the State House that conservation leadership matters.
I hope you have a wonderful time today. Thank you for your support!
Susan Hilfer Chair, CVSC Board of Directors
E S A L U T E Y O U
Arnold M. Nemirow energyRe
Deer Park
ETHERO Truck + Energy
Audubon SC
Blue Granite Water Company
Bold South Strategies
Builders Supply Company
Coastal Conservation League
Coca-Cola Consolidated
Cypress Creek Renewables
Horry County
Solid Waste Authority
BlueCross BlueShield of SC*
Boeing*
Cherry Street Energy
The Francis Marion Hotel
Furman University
Greenville Water*
Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, PA
McCall Environmental
Nelson Mullins
Alder Energy Systems
Alliance for Transportation Electrification
BGW Solutions
Drive Electric Columbia
Ducks Unlimited
Electrification Coalition
Fox Rothschild, LLP
Gullah Geechee
Chamber of Commerce
Google Maynard Nexsen and NP Strategy
First Tuesday Strategies
Renewable Water Resources
Sonoco*
Sound and Images
South Carolina Water Utilities, Inc.
Sustain South Carolina
Upstate Forever
Watershed Consulting Group
Robinson Bradshaw
Senior Golfers of America
SC Association for Community Economic Development
Southern Environmental Law Center* Sunrun
Trust for Public Land
Wyche, PA
The Gallivan Group*
Harper General Contractors
Naturaland Trust
SC Health Professionals for Climate Action
SC Native Plant Society
Eve Moredock Stacey
Sustaining Way
Timberlake Communications*
WeGOJA Foundation
Susan Hilfer, Chair, Beaufort
Paul Agnew, Due West
Marian Brailsford, Charleston
Bruce Cole, Columbia
Sue Doran, Columbia
Greg Gregory, Lancaster
Ben Johnson, Rock Hill
Kevin Kay, Easley
Millie Knowlton, Washington DC
Lauren McClary, Mt. Pleasant
Willie Morgan, Clarks Hill
Chynna Phillips, Columbia
Mark Robertson, Columbia
Harry Shealy, Aiken
Libby Smith, Charleston
Taylor Speer, Greenville
Mike Young, Columbia
Cynthia Powell, Chair, Myrtle Beach
Emma Ruth Brittain, Myrtle Beach
Michael Brown, Greenville
Ken Harvin, Summerton
Arnold Nemirow, Charleston
Ann Warner, Columbia
John Tynan, President
Zach Bjur, Land, Water, and Ocean Project Manager
John Brooker, Energy Project Director
Jalen Brooks-Knepfle, Energy Project Manager
Meagan Diedolf, Senior VP of Policy and Government Relations
Emily Doscher, Development Manager
Kate Durand, Communications Manager
Rebecca Geigel, Finance Manager
Katie Welborn Hagan, Political Director
Alan Lee, Government Relations Manager
Kendra Mallett-Brunson, Senior VP of Collaboration and Impact
Meredith McNeely, Senior VP of Development and Operations
Evan Renshaw, Energy Policy Associate
Mateo Trujillo, Energy Project Manager
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Senator Gerald Malloy grew up on a farm in Chesterfield County. He was the first in his family to attend college and graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1984 before earning a law degree from the School of Law in 1988. He has been a practicing attorney in Hartsville since 1990 and began his service in the South Carolina Senate in 2002. Today, he serves on the Judiciary Committee, among others.
During his 21 years of service in the General Assembly, Senator Malloy has been a consistent leader committed to protecting South Carolina’s air, land, and water. Senator Malloy has advocated for low-cost clean energy reforms, invested in land protection with a bold vision and strong funding allocations, advanced clean water efforts, stood in firm opposition to offshore drilling, and has fought to hold polluters accountable for the clean-up of toxic pollution throughout South Carolina. His leadership has helped build a better future for his constituents in the Pee Dee as well as citizens across the state. Senator Malloy is dedicated to his community and this work has earned him a 98% lifetime score on CVSC’s Conservation Scorecard.
Senator Malloy married his wife, Davita, in 1987 and has four children: Donovan, Jonathan, Jordan, and Morgan. He is the past president of the South Carolina Trial Lawyers Association, Chairman of the Hartsville Recreation Commission, and serves on the Hartsville Downtown Development Board, among many others.
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Senator Scott Talley was born and raised in Spartanburg, South Carolina. In 1999, he graduated from Wofford College before obtaining his law degree from the University of South Carolina in 2002. He served in the House of Representatives from 2001 to 2008 and was later elected to the Senate in 2016. Senator Talley’s dedicated service made him a trusted member of the General Assembly, able to work alongside House members and his colleagues to advance meaningful legislation.
Over his years of service in the General Assembly, Senator Talley has been a consistent champion for South Carolina’s environment. As a member of the Judiciary Committee, he has advocated for a market-based approach to advancing clean energy which will lower costs for ratepayers and protect our air, land, and water. This culminated in the introduction of the Energy Independence and Risk Reduction Act (EIRRA) in 2023 which builds on the legacy of the bipartisan South Carolina Energy Freedom Act. The EIRRA advances a free-market approach to state energy policy by focusing on increasing competition within South Carolina’s monopoly utility system, customer choice, reliability, and clean energy access.
Senator Talley is a devoted family man who enjoys the outdoors with his wife, Kelly, and his three sons. He has a thriving legal practice and he is the former Vice President of the Tyger River Foundation, which restores and protects the Tyger River Basin in Spartanburg.
Representative Patricia Henegan was born in Fairmont, North Carolina. She graduated from Francis Marion University with a Masters Degree in Education, and she continued her education at Winthrop University and South Carolina State University. Representative Henegan is a retired educator and assistant superintendent. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2015.
Representative Henegan is a devoted public servant and past chairwoman of both the Legislative Black Caucus and the General Assembly Women’s Caucus. She has been a steadfast champion for the environment for the benefit of her constituents and nearly every South Carolinian. This work is reflected with a 92% lifetime score on CVSC’s Conservation Scorecard. Most recently, Representative Henegan helped to champion an effort to support and protect Rosenwald Schools. Her deep personal connection to these schools and her respect for the communities in which they stand led her to sponsor a bill that declared February 28th as Rosenwald School Day. When funding was needed for the Rosenwald Network study, she worked with other legislators to ensure it made it into the budget.
Representative Henegan is a pillar in her community and has served in a number of roles, including as a Board member for the Marian Wright Edelman Public Library Board, and the CareSouth Carolina Board. She is happily married to her husband, Ronald, a mother of two, and a grandmother to four.
Representative Phillip Lowe was born in Thomasville, Georgia, and is a physical therapist in Florence, South Carolina. He attended the University of South Carolina and Francis Marion University. He is a past member of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Board, where he chaired the committee that oversaw the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division.
Representative Lowe was elected to the House of Representatives in 2007 and currently serves as the chair of the Criminal Justice Subcommittee of House Ways and Means. As subcommittee chair, Representative Lowe oversees appropriations to the Conservation Bank and the Department of Natural Resources. Over the years, he has fought for unprecedented amounts of funding to go to these agencies for land protection, water planning, and habitat protection. Representative Lowe has repeatedly noted the importance of keeping South Carolina’s natural habitats pristine so they can be enjoyed for decades to come. This year, he also introduced and championed the Conservation Enhancement Act, which would grant the Conservation Bank a reliable source of funds for land protection.
Representative Lowe comes to conservation as an avid sportsman. He is a member of Ducks Unlimited and the Blue Water Fishing Club. He has three children and enjoys experiencing the outdoors with them.
Chief Pete Parr was born in Cheraw, South Carolina, in 1949. As a child, Parr spent his days fishing, running around with friends, doing chores, attending church, and listening to the stories his parents told about their family, the Pee Dee Indian people. In 2005, after years of traveling the country as an ironworker and earning his Divinity Degree in the Lutheran Church, Parr returned to his home state and officially joined the South Carolina Pee Dee Indian Tribe.
As a member of the Tribe, and later as Chief, Parr fostered relationships with groups and individuals that would be instrumental in helping forge the tribe’s future. In 2011, Parr donated a small piece of property to the tribe and, for the first time since 1774, the Pee Dee Indian Tribe held community land. His generosity and vision inspired countless others, resulting in the donation of facilities and additional property. Today, the Pee Dee Indian Tribe holds over 90 acres of community land in McColl, South Carolina.
Chief Parr has a deep understanding of the connection between our land and the people that live there and he has worked tirelessly to protect our environment for future generations. Partnering with conservation nonprofits in the region, Parr has created environmental education opportunities on the Pee Dee Tribe land to help others understand the important role South Carolina’s wetlands and forests play in our ecosystem, flood mitigation, and migration patterns.
Chief Parr’s impact extends far beyond South Carolina’s Pee Dee region. He travels across the country to support conservation efforts, raising awareness of the impacts that overdevelopment and water contamination can have on a community. He has spoken out about the need to take action to simultaneously address climate change and environmental justice. He has engaged the Pee Dee Tribe and others in efforts to reduce energy burdens on rural communities throughout South Carolina. Chief Parr believes we are all stewards of our earth's natural resources which can and should be shared. He has spread a message of abundance over scarcity, recognizing that when one person or community benefits, we all benefit.
Chief Parr is a prime example of the difference one man can make in a community, in a state, and in the world.
2022: Senator Ronnie Sabb (D, Williamsburg)
2021: Senator Sandy Senn (R, Charleston)
2020: Senator Tom Young (R, Aiken)
2019: Senator John Matthews (D, Orangeburg)
2018: Senator Tom Davis (R, Beaufort)
Senator Marlon Kimpson (D, Charleston)
2017: Senator Thomas McElveen (D, Sumter)
2016: Senator Nikki Setzler (D, Lexington)
2015: Senator Brad Hutto (D, Orangeburg)
Senator Joel Lourie (D, Richland)
2014: Senator Greg Gregory (R, Lancaster)
2013: Senator Wes Hayes (R, York)
2012: Senator Ray Cleary (R, Horry)
2011: Senator Vincent Sheheen (D, Kershaw)
2010: Senator Chip Campsen (R, Charleston)
2009: Senator John Courson (R, Richland)
Senator Phil Leventis (D, Sumter)
2022: Speaker of the House Murrell Smith (R, Sumter)
2021: Representative Marvin Pendarvis (D, Charleston)
Representative Shannon Erickson (R, Beaufort)
2020: Representative Beth Bernstein (D, Richland)
Representative John King (D, York)
2019: Representative Nathan Ballentine (R, Richland)
Representative Mandy Powers Norrell (D, Lancaster)
2018: Representative Peter McCoy (R, Charleston)
2017: Representative Joe Neal (D, Richland)
Representative Gary Clary (R, Pickens)
2016: Representative Weston Newton (R, Beaufort)
Representative Doug Brannon (R, Spartanburg)
2015: Representative Murrell Smith (R, Sumter)
Representative Bill Clyburn (D, Aiken)
2014: Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter (D, Orangeburg)
2013: Representative Chandra Dillard (D, Greenville)
Representative Walton McLeod (D, Newberry)
(House Conservation Leadership Continued)
2012: Representative Paul Agnew (D, Abbeville)
Representative Laurie Funderburk (D, Kershaw)
2011: Representative Robert L. Brown (D, Charleston)
Representative Mike Pitts (R, Laurens)
2010: Representative Joan Brady (R, Richland)
Representative Vida Miller (D, Georgetown)
2009: Representative Bill Herbkersman (R, Beaufort) Representative James Smith, Jr. (D, Richland)
2019: Dr. J. William F. (Billy) Holliday (Myrtle Beach)
2018: Angela Viney (Spartanburg)
2017: Dr. Dave Hargett (Greenville)
2016: Rudy Mancke (Columbia)
2015: C. Thomas Wyche (Greenville)
2014: Anne Springs Close (Fort Mill)
2013: Richard Watkins (St. Matthews)
2012: The Honorable Ernest “Fritz” Hollings (Charleston)
2010: Jimmy Chandler (Georgetown)
2009: The Honorable John W. Drummond (Greenwood)
2022: Phillip Kilgore (Greenville)
2021: Kelly Thorvalson (Charleston)
2020: Marilyn Hemingway (Georgetown)
2019: Peg Howell (Pawleys Island)
2017: Mayor Billy Keyserling (Beaufort)
2016: Frank Holleman (Greenville)
2015: Brad Wyche (Greenville)
2014: Bob Guild (Columbia)
2013: Dana Beach (Charleston)
2011: Jane Lareau (Mt. Pleasant) and Nancy Vinson (James Island)
2010: Harry Dalton (Rock Hill)
2009: The Honorable Harriet Keyserling (Beaufort)
12-hour hickory-smoked beef brisket
chopped and served with hickory hoisin sauce and pickled sweet onions
Served with assorted sauces and relishes
Butternut squash, sourdough, and feta cheese stuffed chicken roulade
Farfalle pasta, oven roasted grape tomatoes, sweet red peppers, kalamata olives, feta cheese, banana peppers, fresh herbs, capers, and red wine pickled onions in balsamic, basil, and scallion mayo
Four cheese béchamel baked into macaroni with a layer of roasted cream cheese and panko topping
Asparagus, turnips, butternut squash, brussels sprouts, and sweet peppers, roasted in oil and shallot vinaigrette
Roasted and smashed red potatoes, roasted goat cheese, fresh dill, and caramelized onions
Baby arugula, baby spinach, butter green lettuce, and fresh herbs with feta, pickled vegetables, and dried fruit in smoked mustard and honey vinaigrette
Tomato and feta stuffed focaccia, herbed focaccia, and pimento cheese drop biscuits
Cheddar chipotle straws
Protecting the world’s most valuable resource: WATER
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