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Thursday, May 23, 2012

The Riley Institute at Furman presented the ninth annual Upstate Diversity Leadership Awards Dinner on Thursday, May 23, 2013 at the TD Convention Center in Greenville. Presented by Bon Secours St. Francis Health System, the event was hosted by the Riley Institute and Greenville Chamber along with support from other Upstate chambers including Anderson, Greer, Simpsonville and Spartanburg. More than 600 Diversity Leaders Initiative (DLI) alumni and other community members were in attendance.

This year’s keynote speaker was Dr. Baxter Wynn, Minister of Pastoral Care and Community Relations at First Baptist Greenville. Dr. Wynn is a graduate of Wofford College and received his Master of Divinity degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary as well as a Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling from Wake Forest University. He earned his Doctor of Ministry degree from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Philadelphia.

Baxter is a recipient of the Urban League’s Humanitarian Award in recognition of his role in the community-wide effort to adopt a Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday in Greenville County.

Baxter has served in leadership positions on numerous local boards including United Way of Greenville, alliance for Quality Education, Community Foundation, the Urban League of the Upstate and Greenville Forward. He also has served as Campaign Chairman for the McCall Hospice House and Chairman of the United Way Palmetto Society. He currently is a member of the Furman University Board of Trustees.

Baxter and his wife, Paula, have two grown sons and daughters-in-law, David and Alison Wynn and Hanes and Kim Wynn.

Awards were presented to recognize four individuals, two organizations and one K-12 school for their outstanding achievement in promoting diversity in the Upstate.

2013 Award Winners:

  • Calder D. Ehrmann Outstanding Individual: Marie Majarais Smith, program manager and bilingual victim advocate, South Carolina Immigrant Victim Network (award sponsored by Juan Johnson Consulting and Facilitation, LLC)
  • Outstanding High School StudentBremond “Bre” Byrd, South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities (award sponsored by BI-LO, LLC)
  • Outstanding College Student: Alyssa Gillis, Furman University (award sponsored by Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System)
  • Outstanding Non-Profit OrganizationBon Secours St. Francis Health System (accepted by Camilla Hertwig and Maxim Williams; award sponsored by BMW Manufacturing Co.)
  • Outstanding BusinessTD Bank (accepted by Rob Hoak; award sponsored by Clemson University)
  • Outstanding Contribution to International DiversityDavid Esch, Steering Committee member, Upstate International (award sponsored by TD Bank)
  • K-12 School: William “Bill” T. Wylie Valued Lives Award for School Excellence in DiversityMerrywood Elementary School (accepted by Debra Green; award sponsored by Michelin North America)