Chamber honors man who empowered Rock Hill’s vision

Joe Lanford will often remind folks he helped put a roof over Rock Hill’s downtown – and then helped tear it down.

He says both decisions were right. The roof ultimately help protect downtown buildings. Taking the roof off allowed the buildings to be renovated – some of them by Lanford himself.

On Thursday, the York County Regional Chamber of Commerce honored Lanford with its Lifetime Business Achievement Award. The award was for far more than the downtown roof.

Projects throughout the city bear Lanford’s stamp as he served as city manager from 1979 to 1993.

Among them are:

▪ Cherry Park, the city’s first first-class park

▪ Creation of the Rock Hill Economic Development Corp. and the Airport, TechPark and the Waterford business parks, giving Rock Hill’s economic development efforts a boost.

▪ Construction of Dave Lyle Boulevard, linking downtown to Interstate 77.

▪ Part ownership in the Piedmont Municipal Power Agency

But what Lanford is most remembered for was his role in the comprehensive efforts to transform Rock Hill called “Empowering the Vision.”

“Empowering the Vision” helped change the city’s image by focusing on education, arts and culture, infrastructure, gardens and greenways, businesses and historic preservation.

The vision was developed with lots of community input and relied on the combined resources of the city, York County, Winthrop University, York Technical College and the Rock Hill Economic Development Corp.

The plan resulted in the construction of a new City Hall, public arts projects and an expanded economic development effort.

After retiring as city manager, Lanford formed Urban Strategies, LLC, and then Lanford and Associates. He briefly returned to municipal service, serving the interim supervisor of the city’s planning department.

In awarding Lanford the lifetime business achievement award, the chamber said his efforts over 27 years have a “vital link between civic improvements, sound government, esthetic appeal and economic development.”

Other awards presented Thursday were:

▪ Citizenship and Service Award: Chet Miller has led referendum drives in York County and Rock Hill for alcohol sales in 2006, 2008 and 2012 and the recent $90 million York County facility bond referendum. His leadership in the referendums has resulted in job growth and increased local and state tax revenue, the chamber said.

▪ Fort Mill Area Business Person of the Year: Dehler Hart, president of Springland Inc. of Fort Mill, which holds a multifamily and commercial real estate portfolio in York and Lancaster counties. He is also president of L&C Land Holdings which owns and develops industrial land in Chester and Lancaster counties.

▪ Rock Hill Area Business Person of the Year: John Barnes Jr., executive vice president of marketing and business solutions for Comporium Inc, a diversified communications company providing voice, video, data, wireless, security and advertising services. Barnes also holds several patents.

▪ Tega Cay Business Person of the Year: Andrew Vinson, BB&T small business banker for Chester, Lancaster and York counties, working with business owners out of eight locations. After earning a master’s degree from Winthrop, Vinson has worked with BB&T since 2008.

▪ Small Business Person of the Year: Donna Medley, president and CEO of the CovRing Day Spa in Rock Hill which she opened in 2009 with the goal of giving people a place to escape from the everyday hustle and bustle of life.

▪ Small Business Achievers: Greg and Subrina Collier, owners of the Yolk Restaurant in Rock Hill; Mike Geddings, owner of Panther Heating, and Cooling and Geothermal in Rock Hill; and Samantha Krieghauser of the Adult Enrichment Center of Fort Mill.

▪ Chamber Ambassador of the Year: Jeri Chandler, president of Dat-A-Syst in Fort Mill, has been a chamber volunteer for more than 25 years.

This story was originally published February 11, 2016 at 10:19 PM with the headline "Chamber honors man who empowered Rock Hill’s vision."