Greenville CEOs Dedicate Habitat House

On Thursday, June 21, 2017, 23 of Greenville’s CEOs put the finishing touches on their latest project – the construction of a new home for the Nivens family. This home is Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County’s fifth CEO build, an annual event that unites companies from across business sectors to fund and construct a home for a Greenville family making between 30 and 60 percent of the Area Median Income. Each executive‘s company supports the build through both financial sponsorship and volunteer hours.

The Nivens’ home is the culmination of a journey that homeowner Brad Nivens has undertaken over the past 10 years as a recovering substance abuse addict. He quit drugs and began seeking custody of his two sons. The month the Nivens family moves into their home will be Brad’s tenth year, “clean.” Brad’s sons are both affected by autism, so the home was built with several accommodations. These include a privacy fence surrounding the backyard, as well as a custom-built sensory room that can be used when the boys feel overstimulated. As a participant in the Habitat program, Brad Nivens completed 200 hours of sweat equity and 25 hours of homeownership preparation classes.

Dick Wilkerson, Michelin Chairman and President (retired), has chaired the project since its inception in 2013. This year’s participants include AFL Global; Bon Secours St. Francis Health System; Complete Public Relations; Ethox Chemicals, LLC; Fluor Corporation; GBS Building Supply; Greater Greenville Association of Realtors; Greenville County Redevelopment Authority; Greenville Health System; Greenville Technical College; Home Builders Association of Greenville; JHM Hotels; Lockheed Martin; Meritage Homes; REWA; SC Telco Federal Credit Union; Southern Fried Green Tomatoes; The Blood Connection; The Marchant Company; United Way of Greenville County; Urban League of the Upstate; and Wal-Mart Distribution Center.

“Sustainable community growth begins with a stable home environment for every family,” said Monroe Free, President & CEO of Habitat Greenville. “We are fortunate to have a business community in Greenville that understands the need to build communities from the ground up, just as they build their companies. We are proud to partner with these great organizations.”

To become involved with the 2018 CEO Builds, contact Barbara Martin at (864) 370-1458 .