West Carolina Annual Meeting highlights brand unity, community commitment, and progress in bridging South Carolina’s digital divide
August 14, 2024
Abbeville, SC—West Carolina celebrated progress, community engagement, and enhanced customer experience at its 2024 Annual Meeting, where it unveiled a new brand honoring its legacy name.
Held on August 12 at the Abbeville Civic Center, the 72nd Annual Meeting attracted nearly 200 members and guests. Board Chairman Wes McAllister introduced the updated brand, stating, “Our logo has changed, and we’ve returned to our legacy name: West Carolina. This represents our history, future, communities, and unity. We are one West Carolina.”
Three board seats were filled:
- Jane Stone, Area 3 – Donalds
- Eric McCall, Area 5 – Antreville/Lowndesville
- Wes McAllister, Area 8 – North McCormick
McAllister highlighted the cooperative’s new brand values: “Take care of each other, serve with heart, be the area’s biggest fan, work the dream, and show up right. Our promise? We’ll be there.”
CEO Jeff Wilson discussed the cooperative’s growth, including its expansion into new areas and the anticipated milestone of reaching 50,000 customers. “Our fiber network now extends to parts of Greenwood County, the city of Newberry, and Columbia County, GA. We’ve made significant strides in connecting the Upstate, building 1,200 miles of fiber this past year with 6,000 more planned.”
Wilson also emphasized West Carolina’s Customer Experience Initiative, which aims to enhance the customer journey through continuous improvements. “We’ve revamped our website, improved mapping for easier tracking of construction, and increased communication,” he said.
West Carolina’s WiFi X service, offering advanced security and control, was highlighted as a recent innovation. “WiFi X puts you in control of your home WiFi, enabling speed tests, guest networks, and parental controls,” Wilson explained.
The meeting also underscored West Carolina’s community impact, including support for the Freshwater Coast Community Foundation’s Abbeville Promise Program. McAllister praised local businesses for their contributions to the community, saying, “Our brand honors the magic of our area. Together, our possibilities are limitless.”
