Willis named Florence chamber’s Business Person of Year

FLORENCE — Former Florence Mayor Frank Willis said that, when he was named Business Person of the Year by the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce, he hadn’t been so surprised since his wife accepted his marriage proposal.

His wife, Marguerite Willis, surprised him again Thursday, when she traveled from her job at a Columbia law firm to see her husband receive the award.

Willis was honored during the chamber’s State of the City and County Luncheon at Florence Civic Center.

“I’ve sat in these luncheons many times before and seen the people who’ve been awarded Business Person of the Year, and I always wished I might be considered in that kind of company,” he told the crowd at Thursday’s event.

In 1974, Willis took over his father’s business, Willis Construction, which he sold in August 2008 to Columbia-based contractors C.R. Jackson Inc.

Since then, he’s established Willis Consulting, which focuses on helping businesses, and has become a senior consultant for engineering firm BP Barber and Associates, he said.

Willis was first elected as mayor in 1994 and served until 2008. He previously had served as chairman of the Florence County Economic Development Commission and Florence County Progress.

The chamber also awarded its Chamber Champ of the Year to Mike Singletary of Crown Beverages to recognize Singletary’s contributions to the chamber.

Singletary has served on the chamber’s board of directors and supported chamber events including Florence County Legislative Day, the May Fly Air Show and the Chamber Golf Classic. He is also a Leadership Florence graduate.

During their respective speeches Thursday, Florence Mayor Stephen J. Wukela and Florence County Council Chairman K.G. “Rusty” Smith used bits of Chinese wisdom and symbolism to paint the picture of a bright future as the result of hard work and sacrifice.

Wukela described the Chinese depiction of hell, where starving guests at a banquet table must feed themselves using chopsticks that are four feet long. In the Chinese depiction of heaven, however, the guests use the chopsticks to feed each other.

“I have been mayor for 11 months, and I have experienced both Chinese heaven and hell,” he said.

The city’s potential for growth is threatened by a “historic greed and mistrust” that divides the city, Wukela said.

“This greed and mistrust has, in the past, left us unwilling or unable to feed each other and fulfill our promise,” he said.

He continued, however, to say city council compromised on a budget including funding for a new fire station, a no-kill animal shelter, park improvements and downtown parking.

The budget includes a 4-mill tax increase that will go into effect in the upcoming fiscal year; the increase will add up to less than $3 a month on a $100,000 property, Wukela said.

Wukela also pointed out the city’s action to deal with abandoned, blighted properties that began within the first 100 days of his administration. Florence County Council is considering its own ordinance to deal with “nuisance” properties, as well. Wukela said this shows a “new spirit of cooperation” between the city and county.

Smith said Florence County is the nation’s No. 5 county in being conducive to attracting industry.

“Industry will go where they are invited, but they will stay where they are appreciated,” he said.

The county has recently recruited companies such as Monster and H.J. Heinz Co. and is working on incentives for North Carolina-based Materials Innovation, an advanced-materials company.

“I can tell you Team Florence is not afraid to slip on a pair of overalls and go to work,” Smith said.

That “team” includes local government leaders and employees, businesses, schools and residents, he said.

Smith also cited growth at Florence Regional Airport, with enplanements up 57 percent each year; new and improved parks and recreation facilities; expansion and enrollment increases at Francis Marion University and Florence-Darlington Technical College; and improvement of major highways through a 1-cent sales tax.

“We’re building a pathway for transportation into the future,” he said.