Charleston Reporter

The Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce is honored to recognize Bernie Mazyck, President and CEO of the South Carolina Association for Community Economic Development, with the 2024 Joseph P. Riley Leadership Award. Named after one of the region’s most notable and popular leaders, the late father of former Mayor Joe Riley, the Joseph P. Riley award was initiated in 1992 by the Charleston Metro Chamber. This prestigious award recognizes an outstanding leader who has, through a lifetime of leadership, committed to making the community a better place to live, work, and do business. The recipients of this award are dedicated to serving and strengthening the Charleston community. The Honors, to be held on May 22 at The Cedar Room, will celebrate Bernie’s lifetime of achievements, along with recognizing seven outstanding members of our region’s business community.

"Since November 1, 1998, Bernie Mazyck has served as the first President and Chief Executive Officer of the South Carolina Association for Community Economic Development. SCACED is the state’s trade association and funding intermediary for Community Development Corporations, Community Development Financial Institutions, and grassroots economic development organizations. Through its network of members and partner organizations, SCACED strives to improve the quality of life for poor families and communities by providing innovative and sustainable solutions to low-wealth communities in South Carolina. SCACED achieves this through capacity building of community-based organizations, attracting public and private capital to local community economic development organizations, as well as influencing the public policy process that benefits poor and marginalized people in South Carolina."

"Since his time with SCACED, Bernie helped shepherd the growth of the community economic development movement in South Carolina from four organizations to over 150. Under Bernie’s leadership, SCACED and its member organizations developed projects valued at over $150 million, with an economic impact in South Carolina of over $350 million. Through SCACED’s members and partners, over 1,000 families purchased their first home, CED organizations created over 6,000 jobs, and thousands of families built wealth in rural and distressed community in South Carolina. Bernie also served as the chief architect of the passage of the South Carolina Community Economic Development Act. This landmark piece of legislation authorizes the South Carolina General Assembly to provide grants, loans, and tax credits to certified community economic development organizations in South Carolina. This is the only piece of legislation that provides state support directly to community-based organizations working in poor and rural communities of South Carolina."

"On December 8, 2022, Bernie was appointed as Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond’s Charlotte Board and served a one-year term that concluded at the end of 2023. Prior to his appointment as Chair, Bernie had served on the Federal Reserve of Richmond’s Charlotte Board since 2019 and served on the Federal Reserve of Richmond’s Community Development Advisory Council."

"Bernie is a graduate of Charleston Southern University with a BS in Biology, and of the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia with a Master of Divinity degree, with a concentration in Ministry with the Poor. In 2000, Bernie completed the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at the John F. Kennedy School at Harvard University. Bernie is the 2004 recipient of the Order of the Silver Crescent from former Governor Mark Sanford and the 2014 recipient of the Order of the Palmetto from former Governor Nikki Haley. The Order of the Palmetto is the state’s highest civilian honor for service to the state. Recently, Bernie received the Diane Sterner Leadership Award in 2020 and the Community Leadership Award from the SC Commission for Minority Affairs."

"Interested in celebrating this year’s recipients and becoming a sponsor of this year's Honors? Contact Kelly Killeen-Haupt at kkilleen-haupt@charlestonchamber.org"