Featured Mentors

Howard Daniel

Howard Daniel
Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Howard Daniel a shareholder with Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. In the community Daniel has extensive experience in assisting business in their relocation plans and served as Vice Chair of Economic Development for the Greenville Chamber of Commerce in 2003 and 2004.  Daniel served as Chairman of the Chamber in 2007.  Daniel is vice president of the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Governors School for Science and Mathematics Foundation.

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F. Ben Haskew, CCE

Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce
Ben Haskew is the president and CEO of the Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce, and currently serves on the following boards: Convention and Visitors Bureau; Commerce Club; Blue Ridge Council, Boy Scouts of America; Community Foundation; Greenville Forward; Carolina Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (CACCE); and, American Chamber of Commerce Executives Foundation (ACCE). In addition, Haskew serves on the USC Upstate Business School’s and the University Center’s Board of Advisors. He serves as the treasurer for the CACCE and the United Way liaison for the Blue Ridge Council, Boy Scouts of America. He and his wife Terresa have three children and two grandchildren.

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Tim Justice

Rescom Construction
Timothy R. (Tim) Justice is Chief Executive Officer for Rescom Construction, Greenville’s leading specialty contractor for commercial renovations and tenant upfits.  In this capacity, he heads a staff of 30 people and is responsible for the company’s business development, asset management, financial analyses and strategic planning.  Mr. Justice and co-owner Joe McLaughlin, established the company in 1989. For the past ten years, Mr. Justice has been heavily involved in the community and civic activities, locally, regionally and nationally. He has recently been elected 2009 Chairman of the Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce.  This comes after years of service to the Chamber, including as a Director, twice Vice Chair of Economic Development, Vice Chair of Membership and Chair of Advantage Greenville for three years.

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Phyllis Martin

YWCA of Greenville
With more than 12 years experience in non-profit leadership, development, and management, Phyllis Martin specializes in helping NPOs optimize both their mission and vision by strategically aligning human capital, core values, and purpose with tactical business objectives.  Most recently, Martin has helped turn around the YWCA of Greenville, a local non-profit organization with ties to both regional and national organizations, by assisting with the development and implementation of a three year strategic plan.  Martin is currently a member of Greenville Professional Women’s Forum, a Board Member for Greenville County First Steps, Genesis Homes, and the YWCA of the Southeast Region.  She serves on the Executive Committee of the YWCA of the Southeast Region and was recently named as a member of the Board of Governors of the Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce. 

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Gene Smith

Greenville County Recreation District
Gene Smith joined the Greenville County Recreation District (GCRD) in 1991, and currently serves as the executive director. Prior to working with the GCRD, Smith was the parks and recreation director for the City of Mauldin. He enjoys golfing, fishing, walking, reading and watching Clemson athletics. He is married to Linda Allen, and has two daughters: Lindsay Smith and Melissa Windham.

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Russell Stall

Greenville Forward
Russell is making a difference in Greenville through Greenville Forward and with board memberships on the Greenville Chamber, Metropolitan Arts Council, University Center, Project Host, and the Junior League Advisory Committee.  He is currently Chairman of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Greenville and has recently been voted as one of Greenville Magazine’s “Most Influential” (38th) and “Most Influential Non Profit Leader” (4th). His wife Susan is an active community leader in her own right, and their sons Hampton and Harrison attend Southside High School IB and the Sterling School/Charles Townes Center.

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Irv Welling

Irv Welling III, CPA is the firm chairman emeritus, shareholder of the Greenville Office for Elliott Davis. He has practiced public accounting for more than 35 years with concentration in several arenas including real estate, medical/healthcare and manufacturing and distribution. His involvement with client engagements includes Visioning, strategic business planning, consultation on general corporate matters, estate and trust planning, and personal wealth management. 

As Chairman of the Firm from 1994 - 2003, Irv has overseen the growth and expansion of Elliott Davis from a small South Carolina company into one of the largest middle market accounting and consulting firms in the United States. He has championed the diversification of the firm’s capabilities into numerous industry specialty groups, and directed the addition of technology, wealth management and international services affiliates. 

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Ann Wright

American Red Cross
Ann Wright joined the Red Cross in 1984, and has been with the chapter ever since, currently serving as chief executive officer. Ann is active in the Upstate of South Carolina and is the Past-President of the Leadership Greenville Alumni Association, the Board of Regents for Leadership Greenville, the Greenville Professional Women’s Forum. She is the winner of the 1998 Distinguished Leadership Award given by the National Association for Community Leadership - one of only 73 recipients nationwide.  She was included in the National Register’s “Who’s Who in Executives & Professionals” 2003-2004 edition. She won the 2003 Distinguished Alumni Award from Leadership Greenville. She is married to Doug, and they have 4 children: Andrew, Jeremy, Jennifer, and Colby.