Join other CEOs and business leaders in South Carolina who are building great businesses for a greater purpose.

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It can be lonely at the top, but it doesn’t have to be.

We know leaders limit their potential when they lead from isolation. But, when surrounded by trusted advisors with a common goal and a biblical worldview, they can maximize performance and energize cultures. With faith as the foundation, this powerful group of peers meet in an exclusive, confidential forums in Greenville, the Midlands, and Upstate Carolina to have their questions answered and their answers questioned.

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Chairs

Business Forum Leaders in the South Carolina Area

GRANT EDWARDS

Grant’s business leadership experience includes owning/operating a successful specialty retail business for 20+ years. Through this experience, Grant gained a…

GRANT EDWARDS

Grant’s business leadership experience includes owning/operating a successful specialty retail business for 20+ years. Through this experience, Grant gained a special understanding of the interaction between personal and professional responsibilities and the importance for business owners to balance them. Additionally, Grant brings experience in residential/commercial real estate sales and investments and was a real estate broker for nearly 2 years in NC. He also has had experience in mergers and acquisitions through a brief stint with an M&A firm in Houston, Texas which focused on mid-sized industrial companies. For the past 13 years, Grant has served numerous business owners/CEOs and Key Players in Upstate and Midlands SC as a C12 Chair. This experience allows Grant to cross-pollinate best practices across the 30+ firms that he currently serves. Grant has been happily married for 39 years and has 3 adult children. He has known the Lord since childhood and has been active as a church elder, Bible teacher, and counselor. Grant earned a B.S. degree from the Kenan-Flagler Business School of the University of North Carolina, an MBA from North Greenville University, and a Doctor of Business Administration from Walden University. His experience as an entrepreneur, coupled with years of experience in ministry and education, enables him to be both an encourager and supporter of business owners as they operate their businesses for Christ. He currently resides in Greer, SC with his wife Debbie.

JOE PATRICK

As an accomplished leader and business executive, Joe is passionate about helping companies achieve purpose-driven, sustainable success through improved strategies,…

JOE PATRICK

As an accomplished leader and business executive, Joe is passionate about helping companies achieve purpose-driven, sustainable success through improved strategies, market development and operational excellence. He currently leads three CEO Boards and two Key Player Boards as a C12 Chair, as well as co-manages the C12 South Carolina Upstate & Midlands region. Joe first discovered and grew this passion in his family’s brick company (Southern Brick Company) before participating in its sale. He then honed a broad range of skills working from 1996-2011 with a stellar international brand & multibillion-dollar private company (VELUX). His time with VELUX also included a life-changing year in Copenhagen, Denmark, working in a group overseeing companies in Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the US. Joe was Vice President: Operations at OOBE Uniforms & Apparel, Inc., a provider of retail and custom apparel for brands including Chick-fil-A, Hendrick Automotive Group, and BMW Manufacturing. He has also helped start, fund or advise several companies with family and friends along the way. He is currently a Director on the Board of Fortis Riders and a founding partner of Wilderness Capital LLC. After Joe graduated from Erskine College with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, he earned his MBA from Clemson University with concentrations in marketing and finance. His post-graduate business education also includes completion of The Moore School of Business at USC Mid-Level Management Program, as well as a customized International Management Program from MANNAZ for high potential VELUX managers conducted outside Paris, France by leading international business school professors. Joe finds deep satisfaction in serving others in his community. He serves as Chairman of the Board for the American Red Cross Palmetto Region in the Upstate of South Carolina and has mentored through Mentor Upstate. He lives in Greenville with his wife, Emily, and three children. He is an ordained ruling elder at Greenville Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church and served as Session Vice Moderator. He has previously been a member of the Erskine College & Seminary Board of Trustees, where he also served as its Chairman.

DAN GRIFFIN

Over his 30-year professional career, Dan Griffin has focused his attention and energy on delivering this mission: Influence People to…

DAN GRIFFIN

Over his 30-year professional career, Dan Griffin has focused his attention and energy on delivering this mission: Influence People to Impact Results. During his early career, Dan served in senior church leadership and healthcare sales and administration. Over the past 12 years, Dan has leveraged his skill as an innovative problem solver in organizations ranging from small, family companies to large, multi-national companies as a seminar leader, organization strategy consultant, and executive coach. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biblical Studies from Piedmont International University, an MBA from the University of South Carolina Moore School of Business, and an M.S. in Organizational Development from the Jindal School of Management at the University of Texas in Dallas. Blending his unique experiences and educational background allows Dan to weave research-based innovations with real-life experiences that breathe life into organizations. Blending research-based principles with real-life experiences, Dan leads executives into the discovery and implementation of transformational actions that breathe life into their organizations. Dan and his wife, Melodie, are blessed with 4 children, Jonathan, Meredith (her husband, Joshua), Abby, and Savannah. Dan and Melodie live in Lexington and are active members of Mount Horeb United Methodist Church where Melodie serves as the Director of Traditional Music.

JEFF WILSON

After having started a small business of his own and since providing executive sales leadership to both an established company…

JEFF WILSON

After having started a small business of his own and since providing executive sales leadership to both an established company (40 years old) and an early-stage start-up company, Jeff realized his passion of developing high performance sales organizations. His industry experience includes retail sales, pharmaceutical sales, medical services, B2B sales and service, software sales, and business consulting.

In his most recent career as a sales consultant, he participated in a Discipleship course with some of his peers.  It was during this time he realized his calling to add discipleship to his business interactions.  His 30+ years of sales leadership and sales training has equipped him for his role as a C12 Chair.

Jeff is married to Julie (Swicord) Wilson and they have 3 sons, Benjamin and twins, John & Lucas.  He attends Buncombe Street UMC and has served on the Staff Parish Relations Committee.

He holds a B.S. degree in Marketing from Clemson University.

Rian True

Rian True, President of Carolina CoverTech, shares how a powerful group of peers around the C12 table has added value for him and his leadership team.

Abe Varughese

Meet Abe Varughese, C12 South Carolina Member and CEO of Merit Technologies. Abe shares how C12 members identify with and shoulder each other’s burdens, thus creating a less stressed and better leader.

Todd Hyneman

Todd Hyneman is a C12 South Carolina Member and President of Total Comfort Solutions. Todd shares that you will be challenged to look at things differently and “there are voices here that help me accept those challenges as growth opportunities.”

Ben Fields

Meet Ben Fields, C12 South Carolina Member and President of Operators Unlimited, Inc. Ben shares that God is faithful and that once you realize you are just a steward it changes your perspective. Ben believes C12 is an excellent vehicle for positive transformation in both business and personal growth. Learn more about Ben’s experience in the video below and consider how C12 Group can help you leverage the incredible power of peers at C12southcarolina.com.

Jennifer Paradis (Signatures Apparel)

Jennifer Paradis, CEO & Owner of Signatures Apparel, shares how joining C12 in February of 2020 was extremely impactful to prepare her company to succeed during the pandemic, but it didn’t stop with her. Daniel Holden and Annie Bryant also share about how C12 has encouraged and equipped them from their time in the Key Players Forum.

Brittany Zeller (Tiny Feet)

Brittany Zeller, owner of Tiny Feet, shares how God used tragedy for good in her life as she began a journey as a business owner, her C12 brothers and sisters encouraging her along the way.

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Resources

Growth through Education

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Strategic Planning Guide 2022

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Contending for Talent: Keep Your Edge With Creative Development

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9 Must-Do Roles for a Christian CEO

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