Nominations Surge for South Carolina's Fastest Growing Company Honors

Greenville, SC, July 13, 2010 – Despite a still-recovering economy, online nominations are flooding in from across the Palmetto State for South Carolina’s Fastest-Growing Companies 2010, the annual program recognizing the state’s top-performing private and publicly-owned companies. 

Now in its ninth year, the exclusive ranking honors the achievements of fast-growing companies for their numerous contributions to the state’s economy.  Entry deadline for this year’s competition is July 31, 2010, and the entry form is available online at www.thecapitalcorp.com.  There is no cost to participate in the program.

Organizers have received dozens of entries in the past two weeks from across South Carolina, according to program director Cristina Schleifer of The Capital Corporation, presenting sponsor of South Carolina’s Fastest-Growing Companies.  “We believe that the slight adjustments made to the ranking criteria -- allowing organizations with soft numbers in 2009 due to the economy’s downturn to be measured on their growth from 2007 through 2009 – has encouraged many businesses to step up and compete for honors.”

The program annually recognizes a diverse assembly of businesses from across the state among its winners, with 2010 entries already received from industries including advertising, construction, financial services/insurance, industrial services, information technology, manufacturing, logistics and distribution, professional services and transportation.  Direct Source Imports of Mount Pleasant was the state’s fastest-growing company in 2009. 

In this year’s competition, companies will be judged on growth in gross revenues (or assets, if a financial institution) and full-time employment over a two-year period, noted Schleifer, rather than just a one-year timeframe.  “Our ranking evaluates change in revenue or assets, and full-time employment, between year-end 2007 and year-end 2009, helping organizations with a history of growth to compete and perhaps win Fastest-Growing Companies honors.”

To be eligible for honors, nominees must complete the nomination form, available online at www.thecapitalcorp.com, and provide three years of revenue/asset and employment information and basic company information.  Nominations may be submitted by companies directly or by third parties, and will be evaluated for completeness and ranked by a review panel from The Capital Corporation based solely on responses received.

The Top 25 companies will be honored at the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Summit on Nov. 11, 2010 at Wild Dunes Resort near Charleston, S.C.

Presented annually by The Capital Corporation, South Carolina’s Fastest-Growing Companies is co-sponsored in 2010 by Dixon Hughes, PLLC, the largest accounting firm based in the Southern U.S.; by SC Biz News, LLC, and the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce.

To learn more about South Carolina’s Fastest-Growing Companies, or to nominate your organization, visit www.thecapitalcorp.com or contact Cristina Schleifer at (864) 672-8400. 

About Dixon Hughes: Dixon Hughes is the largest accounting firm based in the Southern U.S. and ranks among the nation’s top 20. With a staff of over 1200 located in eight states, the firm provides a wide array of assurance, tax and consulting services to clients of all sizes. For more information, visit www.dixon-hughes.com.