Greenville Magazine - August 2008 - (Page 26) rob ambrose Vice President and Marketing Manager Yardiac.coM As a principal of a growing small business, Rob Ambrose is no stranger to jumping right in and getting his hands dirty. In fact, he wears many hats at Yardiac.com, a premier lawn and garden and outdoor living e-commerce Web site, from heading up advertising efforts to shipping out products. He believes in taking the initiative to create progress and the mantra that “Quitters never win, and winners never quit.” Nowhere is this more evident than in the professional and community success he’s molded with his own hands. Ambrose is motivated by wholeheartedly doing what he loves and then witnessing the tangible products of his labor. Under his family’s guidance,Yardiac. com has become one of the nation’s leading outdoor living retailers and twice recognized as one of South Carolina’s Fastest Growing Companies. And, Ambrose takes the same passionate approach to bettering the Greenville community, coaching youth sports at the YMCA and donating time and financial support to multiple area schools and local charities. from left to right: elizabeth fletcher, Bobby caples and Jeremy cass richard K. Blackwell director of inVestor and Public relations, the uPstate alliance Richard Blackwell doesn’t have to look much further than his own backdoor for inspiration, counting his wife as his rock and always remembering his parents’ advice to “remain true to who you are.” Born and raised in the Greenville area, Blackwell enjoys the satisfaction of giving back to hometown residents as well as working to position the Upstate for greater economic success. A long-term career goal is to help investors and corporations locate interests in the Upstate in order to better local quality of life. Outside the office, he supports a variety of charitable organizations, including A Child’s Haven, The Alliance for Quality Education, 26 Greenville MaGazine | aUGUST 2008 Greer Community Ministries and the Boy Scouts of America Blue Ridge Council. Likewise, he holds civic positions in The Greenville Chamber of Commerce Legislative Committee and Advantage Greenville, and serves as Chair of the Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce Business Affairs Committee, founding member and past chair of the Leadership Greer Alumni Association, Director of the Greer Chamber of Commerce Foundation Board and founding member and Community Service Chair for IGNITE Greer. Bobby Caples executiVe and PrograM director, Youthbase Bobby Caples remembers the exact moment he became an adult. “I distinctly remember the process of realizing that I was a peer in the adult community – that I could contribute and participate like anyone else.” Three years ago 28-year-old Caples started participating in a big way by founding YouthBASE, a non-profit organization providing therapeutic after-school, evening and summer support for at-risk children with behavioral and academic difficulties. He’s enjoyed creating relationships with local pastors, arts leaders and business leaders, although his main motivation is seeing children succeed. For Caples, being a leader means being a servant and balancing big visions with humility. When he’s not impacting the lives of Greenville’s youth, he’s usually traveling, cooking or cruising around town on his scooter. http://Yardiac.com
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