SC COMMERCE - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Director
• Division Director
• Director of Global Business Development

Annie Caggiano was promoted to Director of Global Business Development in April 2024. With nearly 20 years of economic development experience, Caggiano brings a knowledge base informed by utility, university, state and county perspectives. She has worked with companies from many industries, with an emphasis on automotive manufacturing and corporate headquarters, helping to recruit more than $2.1 billion and 10,000 jobs to the state. In January 2023, Caggiano marked the start of her second tenure at S.C. Commerce when she rejoined the agency as a business recruitment manager. Prior to returning to the GBD team, Caggiano spent the previous three years in the Upstate of South Carolina serving as the president of the Oconee Economic Alliance, leading its industrial real estate product, and business recruitment and retention efforts, and as director of business recruitment for the Upstate SC Alliance. Her other experience includes time at the Central SC Alliance, where she served as director of research; as senior project manager for Santee Cooper; as assistant director for Richland County; and as an S.C. Commerce project manager.

Job Titles:

• Division Director
• Member of the Leadership & Directors Team
• Board Member for SCBIO
• Deputy Secretary of Commerce

Ashely Teasdel was promoted to Deputy Secretary of Commerce in November 2021. Working alongside Secretary of Commerce Harry Lightsey, Teasdel helped lead the agency's efforts that resulted in South Carolina receiving record-setting capital investment in 2022. Complementary to the state's recruitment efforts, Teasdel has supported the agency's strategic programmatic scope including South Carolina's electric vehicle competitiveness strategies; private-public collaboration to advance business sustainable development goal achievability; the inaugural S.C. Innovation Month; and an increased focus on the state's diplomacy to strengthen research and trade relations. Previously, Teasdel served as director of S.C. Commerce's Business Services division, which focuses on small business development, existing industry support, supplier outreach, emergency management and recycling market development. In her tenure as director, Teasdel was instrumental in the launch of support resources for start-ups and existing companies; accelerated the use of industry B2B platforms; managed an initiative to build minority business engagement; developed ally outreach for effective coordination of small business support for more sourcing needs; and led the agency's COVID-19 response efforts. Prior to joining S.C. Commerce in 2015, Teasdel spent almost a decade in the banking sector, focusing on small business advisory support and development within South Carolina. She served in a variety of roles including financial center management, small business advisor and commercial lending. Teasdel serves as a board member for SCBIO, the life sciences organization representing South Carolina's "fastest-growing industry" with an economic impact of nearly $26 billion, as well as the SC Economic Developers Association and the South Carolina Jobs-Economic Development Authority. Teasdel holds a bachelor's degree in business administration and management from Charleston Southern University and a master's degree in business administration from Southern Wesleyan University. She is a graduate of the BB&T Leadership Development Institute in Winston-Salem, N.C., the South Carolina Economic Development Institute and the South Carolina Certified Public Managers Program. She lives in Irmo with her husband and two daughters.

Job Titles:

• Director of Business Services
• Division Director
• Member of the Leadership & Directors Team
• Director of Business Services With the SC Department of Commerce

Chantal Fryer serves as the Director of Business Services with the SC Department of Commerce. Chantal has been with the agency for over 15 years and most recently served as Deputy Director for the Business Services division. Business Services provides the "service after the sale" to companies across the state. In her role, she oversees existing industry, recycling, supplier outreach, small business, innovation, trade, disaster preparedness and workforce resources to assist companies large and small. Providing authentic leadership with sustainability in mind, she previously served as director of Commerce's Recycling Market Development growing South Carolina recycling markets in the state's $13 billion recycling industry. Chantal has more than 20 years of state government experience, and her prior experience includes working for the South Carolina Energy Office focusing on alternative fuels and energy efficiency, the Governor's Office working in the Executive Office and Cabinet Affairs programs as well as with the Budget and Control Board's Executive Director's office assisting with sister-state relationships as well as the Board's mentoring program. Chantal received her Master's in Public Administration from the University of South Carolina. She holds Certified Public Manager and Certified Recycling Professional credentials. Chantal resides in Lexington with her husband and two daughters. She hails from the coast, and on any long weekend, you can find her enjoying a day at a beach in the Carolinas.

Job Titles:

• Division Director
• Member of the Leadership & Directors Team
• Director of Business Incentives and Community Development
• SC Department of Commerce in 2008 As the Chief Financial Officer

Chris Huffman joined the SC Department of Commerce in 2008 as the Chief Financial Officer and served in this role until 2023. In his current role, he is director of South Carolina's business incentives programs and provides oversight for statewide resources and initiatives that help build resilient communities. He has been a Certified Public Accountant since 1997. Chris is a native of South Carolina and a graduate of Clemson University.

Job Titles:

• Chief Information Officer
• Division Director
• Member of the Leadership & Directors Team
• South Carolina Department of Commerce As Chief Information Officer

Doug Foster joined the South Carolina Department of Commerce as Chief Information Officer, leading the Office of Information Management and Technology (IMT), in November 2023. He brings more than 30 years of IT leadership experience in higher education, consumer products, chemical manufacturing and consulting. Doug comes to S.C. Commerce from the University of South Carolina where he served as the chief information officer for more than six years. His career includes notable accomplishments in developing and implementing IT governance structures, enterprise portfolio management, and business relationship management. He holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix and a master's degree in Technology Leadership and Innovation from Purdue University. A graduate of the Center for Creative Leadership's Leadership Development Program, he has certifications in IT Service Management and Project Management, and also serves as a founding member of the South Carolina Chapter of the Society for Information Management. Doug lives in Lexington with his wife and has two adult children.

Job Titles:

• Division Director
• Member of the Leadership & Directors Team
• Secretary of Commerce

Harry M. Lightsey III was appointed by Governor Henry McMaster to serve as Secretary of Commerce in June 2021. Since his confirmation, Lightsey has led the agency's globally competitive recruitment strategy for South Carolina's evolving target industries. Notably, through partnerships with state and allied economic development leaders, South Carolina achieved historic recruitment in 2022, announcing $10.27 billion in capital investment. During Lightsey's tenure to-date, Commerce has secured some of the largest, most pivotal economic development deals on record. Key announcements include emerging battery materials closed-loop supply chain developer Redwood Materials' $3.5 billion investment in Berkeley County; Scout Motors' $2 billion investment in Richland County, reviving a classic American automotive brand as an electric vehicle; Albemarle Corporation's $1.3 billion investment to create a lithium hydroxide processing facility in Chester County; and BMW Manufacturing's $1.7 billion investment, expanding Plant Spartanburg production capabilities to accommodate electric vehicle production. Lightsey leads the agency with an open and collaborative approach, working alongside the state's executive and legislative leaders to align South Carolina's economy for sustained, long-term growth. As part of this approach, the agency offers a breadth of complimentary services to enable all South Carolina businesses to remain nimble, innovative and successful. The agency also retooled its site selection program, LocateSC, to ensure economic development stakeholders can easily navigate the state's available inventory and demographic data. A fixture in South Carolina's business community for decades, Lightsey served in top executive leadership roles for major corporations in South Carolina and across the nation. Notably, he served as the president of BellSouth Telecommunications for South Carolina prior to the company's merger with AT&T, afterward becoming president for AT&T's Southeast region. Following his 26 years in the telecommunications industry, Lightsey joined the General Motors Corporation where he directed the legacy automaker's federal government affairs operation, as well as the emerging technologies, OnStar and infotainment divisions. He has also served as a member of the board of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank in Richmond, Virginia. Lightsey is a 1978 graduate of Princeton University, and a 1981 graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law. Lightsey, a native of Columbia, S.C., is married with two adult children.

Job Titles:

• Chief Legal Counsel
• Division Director
• Member of the Leadership & Directors Team

Karen Manning joined the SC Department of Commerce as the agency's general counsel in December 1998 and since that time has been responsible for all legal issues affecting SC Commerce. Karen works closely with the Secretary of Commerce and other members of the executive staff to provide legal advice with respect to agency administration and activities. Prior to joining SC Commerce, Karen practiced law with Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP in the area of complex commercial and computer software litigation as well as drug and medical device products liability litigation. During her tenure at Nelson Mullins, Karen also worked in-house at Policy Management Systems Corporation, now CSC Corporation. A Columbia native, Karen is a graduate of the University of Virginia's College of Arts & Sciences and McIntire School of Commerce Business Institute. She later received her law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law.

Job Titles:

• Director of Marketing and Communications
• Division Director
• Media Contact
• Member of the Leadership & Directors Team
• South Carolina Department of Commerce As Director of Marketing and Communications

Kelly Coakley joined the South Carolina Department of Commerce as Director of Marketing and Communications in July 2022. She brings more than 10 years of experience guiding and leading communications and marketing efforts for state government agencies. Kelly comes to S.C. Commerce from the South Carolina Department of Administration (Admin), where she served as the Director of Strategic Communications for more than six years. During her time with Admin, she led the initiative to establish South Carolina's first ever state government recruitment brand, SC Careers. She also collaborated with multiple state agencies to build out content to launch the state's COVID response and revitalization website and social media - accelerateSC. Kelly's additional experience includes working as a Communications Coordinator for Lexington School District One and as the Public Information Director for the South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA). While at SCDA, she helped market and launch the Fresh on the Menu campaign, which encourages South Carolinians to choose restaurants that utilize Certified SC Grown produce and products. Kelly is passionate about delivering effective communications and marketing strategies, as well as engaging internal and external audiences through storytelling - an art she crafted while working in television news for 13 years. During her time in news, Kelly produced newscasts and reported for the FOX affiliate in Louisville, Kentucky, where she covered the Kentucky Derby and the deployment of troops from Fort Campbell to the War on Terror. She also covered stories and anchored newscasts for the NBC affiliates in Greenville and Columbia, South Carolina, including traveling to the Gulf Coast to cover the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the nation's capital to tell the story of World War II veterans visiting the World War II monument for the first time. Kelly graduated cum laude from Stephen F. Austin State University, located in Nacogdoches, Texas, with a Bachelor of Arts in radio/television and a minor in political science. She is also a Certified Public Manager.

Job Titles:

• Director of Human Resources
• Division Director
• Member of the Leadership & Directors Team
• Member of the National Society of Human Resources Management

Lori Adler joined the SC Department of Commerce as human resources (HR) director in April 2016. A seasoned HR professional, Adler has worked in a variety of industry sectors throughout her 25-year career, including hotel, banking, wireless communications and government. Prior to joining SC Commerce, Adler served as assistant HR director at the SC Budget and Control Board for three years and HR director for the County of Lexington for 10 years. During her time at the county, Adler redesigned self-funded health insurance plans; opened an on-site health and wellness center; and designed a new classification and compensation structure, policies and administration process. With professional certifications from both the Society of Human Resources Management and World at Work, Adler is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Stout, where she obtained an undergraduate degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management. She also has a Master's degree in Human Resources Development from Webster University. Adler is a member of the national Society of Human Resources Management, as well as the organization's Columbia chapter. Additionally, she is a past president of SC Compensation and Benefit Professionals.

Job Titles:

• Division Director
• Member of the Leadership & Directors Team
• Director of Governmental Affairs

As director of Governmental Affairs, Mark Hendrick leads the South Carolina Department of Commerce's public policy strategy, working closely with both state and federal legislative agencies, representatives and partners. An experienced governmental affairs professional, Mark brings over 13 years of experience in government relations, public policy and public relations to the S.C. Commerce team. Previously, Mark has served other South Carolina agencies that are key to statewide workforce and economic development growth. Most recently, Mark played a key role in the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce COVID-19 agency response and in-step coordination with the South Carolina state legislature. In his role as legislative liaison, Mark has built strong working relationships with the state's General Assembly, Congressional delegation, Governor's Office, local governments and various business groups. A Conway, S.C. native, Mark holds a bachelor's degree from Clemson University. Mark is active in the community, serving in volunteer leadership roles for nonprofit and international service organizations. He and his wife live in Chapin with their three young sons.

Job Titles:

• Chief Financial Officer
• Division Director
• Member of the Leadership & Directors Team
• SC Department of Commerce As the Chief Financial Officer

Patrick Jarvis joined the SC Department of Commerce as the Chief Financial Officer in July 2023, bringing over 15 years of experience in state government finance. Prior to joining Commerce, Patrick was the Chief Financial Officer at the SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. A Certified Government Finance Officer, he has also served in finance management roles with the SC Attorney General's Office, SC State Treasurer's Office and SC Department of Agriculture. Patrick is a native of South Carolina and a graduate of the University of South Carolina. He lives in Columbia, with his wife and two children.