Dean Faile, President & CEO, York County Regional Chamber

In an interview with Invest:, Dean Faile, president of York County Regional Chamber, identified advanced manufacturing, healthcare, and hospitality as poised for significant growth, shared the need for revising the tax structure in South Carolina to lighten the load on businesses, and how they work to foster a robust leadership culture in York County.

What standout initiatives or programs have had a particularly positive impact on the York County community over the last year?

The work we are doing in the workforce space is truly groundbreaking. We are one of only eight organizations in the country selected for the Employer Provided Innovation Challenge (EPIC). Through this initiative, we have received funding for our RIPEN platform, which connects businesses to higher education partners. We collaborate with local businesses to identify their challenges, then present these challenges to college classes. Students, working in teams, research and develop solutions, which they then present back to the companies. This process not only connects students with companies but also provides them with critical hard skills and real-world experience. Companies, in turn, get to test potential future employees.

We recently completed our initial pilot session with Clinton College and Comporium Communications, and the success has been so notable that the U.S. Chamber is flying our students, professor, and a team member to D.C. for a presentation. Additionally, we have been granted an extension to continue this initiative for the next three years. This effort underscores our commitment to connecting employers directly with higher education and fostering a robust talent pipeline.

What areas of business development do you see as the most promising in the coming year?

The advanced manufacturing space continues to lead our sector, and we are doing well there. However, we need to focus more on advanced, high-tech spaces to address global challenges. York County is well-positioned for this, with strong connectivity, universities, and proximity to Charlotte and its international airport.

The healthcare sector is also set to expand significantly, driven by high growth and the need for more healthcare providers. The expansion of our university footprint, including the new Laurel Institute campus in Fort Mill, supports this. Laurel Institute, with four campuses, including in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, which opened its first Southeast campus last year, focusing on healthcare.

In hospitality, we are reaching capacity with our motels and need additional facilities. Sports tourism is thriving, with ESPN covering unique sports events in Rock Hill monthly, including cornhole, BMX, and disc golf. We also cannot overlook Carowinds, the only amusement park in the Carolinas, which is a major attraction.

These sectors – advanced manufacturing, healthcare, and hospitality – are poised for significant growth in York County. The finance sector in Charlotte also influences our corporate offices, adding to our economic landscape. 

What strategies have been effective in attracting new members, and do you expect your membership to continue to grow in 2024?

We hired a new director of organizational advancement to lead our membership growth. We actually have two organizations in one. Our chamber of commerce and our chamber foundation, a 501(c)(3) that leads many of our leadership programs. 

In the first half of 2024, our membership has grown back to pre-pandemic numbers, and revenue has exceeded those levels. We are seeing positive growth overall. Our programmatic and event activities are strong and moving in the right direction, reflecting the broader growth in York County.

What are some of the regional advocacy efforts you are involved in?

Advocacy is a cornerstone of a chamber’s work. Without involvement in legislative affairs, a chamber cannot be effective. The No. 1 challenge for us in York County is the tax structure of South Carolina. Since the passage of Act 388, business and commercial properties have been carrying a heavier burden for public education. Businesses now pay over 60% of the cost for K-12 operations because Act 388 removed the homeowner cost of public education from property taxes. This is beneficial for homeowners, but it places a significant strain on businesses, especially in a border county like ours.

For example, for a developer to build a daycare in York County, the property taxes alone will cost parents an additional $550 per year, per child, compared to Mecklenburg County. This extra tax burden, before the business collects its first dollar, is substantial. We recently had a ribbon-cutting for a school in Fort Mill with 200 kids. That translates to an extra $110,000 a year just to cover property taxes.

This is becoming a critical problem as all four school districts in our area — Fort Mill, Rock Hill, York, and Clover — are experiencing rapid growth. While bonds can be used to build new schools, who will pay for staffing these schools, which makes up 75% of the operational costs? All of this burden falls on commercial property taxes. This pressure is driving rental rates for retail and restaurant properties in York County to levels rivaling Uptown Charlotte, with small retail businesses paying $35 per square foot.

To address this, we need the state of South Carolina to analyze and restructure its tax system. We need a more balanced, fair and equitable tax system, which is essential for remaining competitive in the future. This remains our No. 1 focus.

What is the nonprofit management certificate program that the chamber offers, and why is it important?

We are very proud of our nonprofit management certification program, now in its 16th year. Initially run by Winthrop University, this program is now led by our vice president of talent and workforce development, Celeste Tiller. Housing it under our umbrella has provided greater flexibility to grow.

This year, we had 41 participants who benefited from high-quality coursework and a substantial number of class hours. Running a nonprofit is unique and differs from running a business. Often, nonprofit leaders are personally affected by the issues their organizations address, and while passionate, they need to understand governance, finance, legal implications, and more. Our program equips them with these skills, taught by field experts like certified public accountants and nonprofit attorneys.

The program costs around $35,000 to $40,000 annually but we only charge $500 per participant. We bridge the financial gap through grants and additional funding, ensuring the program’s continued success and impact.

What are some key challenges that you are noting across the various sectors and how are you addressing them?

Key challenges include the need for robust leadership development across various sectors. We now offer four distinct leadership programs. In addition to the nonprofit certification, we have the traditional Leadership York County program, which focuses on community awareness, and Leadership Core, a management certification program aimed at enhancing skills for emerging and current management leaders. Our leadership director customizes these programs to meet specific company needs, and we offer both cohort sessions and individual company courses.

We have partnerships in the works, including a collaboration with Winthrop University to develop an Honors College focused on leadership development. The curriculum will use FranklinCovey content, similar to our programs. Additionally, Rock Hill School District is the first in South Carolina to be a Leader in Me school district, emphasizing leadership development from K-12. This comprehensive approach, from K-12 to higher education and into the workplace, aims to cultivate a strong leadership culture in York County.