There was excitement in the air at the Provlus ribbon cutting ceremony on August 18 in downtown Manning. The technology services company celebrated the official opening of their new location in one of Manning’s most historical buildings. Each of the speakers at the event played a big part in making Provalus a reality in Manning. Vice President of Facilities and Operations at Provalus, Will Ruzic, welcomed the guests and introduced each of the speakers. Though Covid delayed the building’s production and caused hardship, the team who worked together on the project did not become discouraged.
Ruzic said, “Manning never backed down. We worked together through two years of unprecedented times and were able to get to the other side of that. That, and many other reasons, is why we chose the city of Manning for this location.”
Ruzic also explained that Provalus believes in building offices in rural areas in order to provide jobs and stimulate the economy of those areas. He mentioned that small towns like Manning have certain good qualities like loyalty, innovation, and drive. He said, “The building behind me represents the heart of who we are.”
Mayor Julia Nelson was the next speaker at the event. She expressed that it was a great day for Manning, and that she believes the company will benefit the community. She openly welcomed Provalus to Manning, and thanked them for their choice. “Our council bought into the idea of starting a retail strategy for economic development,” she said. She informed the audience that the purchase and development of the new Provalus building involved doing things that had never been done before.
“For the first time in history of City of Manning government, we purchased a building, what is now Provalus. That small step of faith and the purchase of the building is where things began.”
Chair of County Council, Dwight Stewart, Jr. also spoke of Manning’s history. He told the story of Mr. Alderman, who originally owned the building. Alderman’s businesses was called “Alderman’s 20 in 1,” and it was one big store with twenty smaller shops inside of it. It is thought to be a precursor to a mall.
Stewart closed his speech by remarking, “Sometimes you just have to step out in faith, and when you do that you may be rewarded.”
House Representative Kimberly Johnson focused on the inclusivity and diversity of Provalus during her speech.
“This is the one company that might please everyone in the crowd today. Because your website says you’re 100 percent American. One of my favorites, it says you’re 56 percent women. What we know makes our country, our state, our county, our city, our school district, our businesses great, you have a 26 percent diversity rate.”
She also described the impact that Provalus will make on Manning by inspiring other businesses to follow their lead.
“Because Provalus has invested in this area, with a focus on getting these jobs that used to be sent offshore, because we have the confidence that we can provide this year, a lot of that money, a lot of that history, a lot of those businesses, they’re going to follow your lead, they’re going to be part of a great team that we see representing here today.”
Secretary of Commerce, Harry M. Lightsey III was the last speaker of the event before the closing remarks. He assured the crowd that the people of Manning would provide great service to Provalus.
Lightsey said, “The mission of the South Carolina Department of commerce is to create economic opportunities that increase choices for all South Carolinians. I can’t think of a better example of fulfilling both our mission and our vision than what Provalus is doing here in Downtown Manning.”
During his closing remarks, Ruzic thanked many of the board members involved. He thanked Central Carolina Technical College for being the temporary home for Provalus while their new building was being built. Most importantly, he thanked all of the employees of Provalus for their hard work and dedication to the Manning branch of the company.
