On Friday, Aug. 7, the Greenville Chamber kicked off its four-part Intracommunity Visit, bringing together 75+ local leaders to talk about the Big Bets that could shape Greenville by 2050. Senior Product Editor Danielle Johnson was in the room and will be documenting her experience from now through the end of the program in November, but we wanted to share three of the most impactful quotes she took with her from day one:

Ryan Lee, Greenville President of Novant Health, on why they — as one of Greenville’s newest companies — took a Big Bet on Greenville

“Greenville has all the fundamentals. It’s a growing population base. It has a proven track record with our peers of attracting and growing the workforce. It has a cost of living that allows for all demographics to thrive. And there was an unmet healthcare need that allows us an opportunity to provide care in a bit of a different way. So when we think about Big Bets, we think about Greenville. It’s an area that needs more healthcare access, and it’s an opportunity for us to carve out how we take care of patients and provide healthier futures for tomorrow.”

John Intile, Vice President of Gas Power Engineering at GE Vernova, on how Big Bets for businesses benefit everyone

“If you think about Greenville, it’s known for building big things. Not just in the past or present, but certainly in the future. You’ve got major technology companies here investing in the workforce but also in the community. As businesses thrive, so does the community.”

Gage Weeks, President and CEO of Hollingsworth Funds, on the importance of Big Bets creating opportunity for all

“We’re only going to be as strong as the opportunities that people have in our community. There are real economic, financial, and cultural consequences for our community if we don’t open our eyes a little bit more. How we grow and develop place in our community in the future is extremely important, and I think we need to be more intentional in how we do that. Place is very much a determinant of where you end up and earning potential later in life, so we have to think about the places that we are developing and redeveloping with intent… There’s a lot of opportunity for us to figure out how you mix in and plan ahead of time for affordability, transportation and connectivity, childcare opportunities, and living wage job creation.”