Junior Achievement of Greater South Carolina & Junior Achievement of Upstate South Carolina to Merge
Staff Report From South Carolina CEO
Wednesday, April 29th, 2020
Junior Achievement of Greater South Carolina and Greenville-based Junior Achievement of Upstate South Carolina have announced their intention to consolidate effective July 1, 2020. The consolidation will create one state-wide organization and allow both entities to increase their impact on students, businesses and communities across the state by leveraging relationships and resources with donors, educators and businesses. These organizations served a combined 24,406 students last year across 41 South Carolina counties and look to significantly increase that impact with the merger.
The consolidation will secure the brightest possible future for both organizations in their mission to assist the youth of SC to own their economic success and be prepared for the workforce of the future. The combined organization, to be called Junior Achievement of Greater South Carolina, will have districts in the Upstate, Midlands and Lowcountry. Each district will maintain its own Board of Directors, with representatives from each district Board also serving on the combined Junior Achievement of Greater South Carolina Governing Board.
Last December, Junior Achievement of Upstate SC President Connie Lanzl announced her decision to retire at the end of June after ten years in the position. “After assessing all organizational options, the boards of both organizations agreed that consolidating into one South Carolina entity is the best path to enhance the reach and impact of JA across the entire state of South Carolina,” said Upstate Board Chair Gary Bernardez.
Current JA of Greater S.C. President Casey Pash will serve as president and chief executive officer of the combined organization. “We are confident that bringing these two strong and thriving organizations together will create unprecedented opportunities to make a positive difference across the state of South Carolina in terms of providing the skills students need for their future success, offering employers a better prepared workforce, and partnering with school districts to develop supplemental educational experiences to help students be career ready,” said Pash.