Southern Carolina Alliance Celebrates 30th Anniversary, Spotlights Allendale Regional Wins

SouthernCarolina Alliance celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2026 and, according to Bluffton Today reporting on SCA, said the seven-county South Carolina Lowcountry region secured $531.7 million in capital investment and 1,144 new jobs in 2025. Allendale County is listed among the seven counties SCA serves, placing it inside the footprint of those regional results even though county-by-county figures were not published in the reporting.

SCA Chairman Steve Murdaugh framed recent activity as momentum from one year into the next in the alliance’s February newsletter. “As we ended 2025 with announcements and expansions in Colleton, Bamberg, Beaufort and Hampton counties, 2026 kicked off with a major economic development project announcement in Bamberg County,” Murdaugh wrote, adding, “As SCA reflects this year on our 30 years of service to the counties of our region, we look forward to what's to come as our region remains a hub for investment and job creation.”

Founded in 1996, the nonprofit SouthernCarolina Alliance identifies attracting, retaining and expanding business investments as its primary goals, with a stated sector focus on automotive, aerospace and manufacturing. Bluffton Today and SCA materials list the counties served as Beaufort, Hampton, Jasper, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell and Colleton, a geographic span that ties Allendale formally to the coalition’s anniversary messaging and to the 2025 totals.

Bluffton Today’s account said “several companies are expanding or establishing operations across the seven-county Lowcountry region,” language that underpins the $531.7 million and 1,144-job totals but stops short of naming firms or allocating dollars and roles by county. The article also linked SCA’s 2025 recruitment work to a broader milestone for rural economic development, referencing “S.C. 2025 Industry Recruitment” as a marker of progress for the region’s rural economies.

On social media, SCA used a #BoardMemberMonday campaign to highlight governance and stakeholder ties during the anniversary. A Facebook post noted the yearlong board spotlight and specifically featured Representative Robby Robbins, described in the post as representing South Carolina’s 97th District and as a partner in the law firm of Thurmond Kirchner & Timbes. Robbins commented on the post, “Thank you guys for all you do to bring jobs to District 97 and the lower I-95 region of SC!” and user Judy S Bridge added, “Congratulations to SCA and thanks to Rep Robbins for his tireless dedication and service!” The Facebook capture displayed engagement text reading literally: “All reactions: 27 2 8 Like Comment Most relevant.”

Regional outlets including HereHiltonHead framed the 30th anniversary as a milestone and noted “major announcements planned for 2026,” reinforcing SCA’s role in attracting investment across the Lowcountry. For Allendale and neighboring counties, the headline numbers signal scale: $531.7 million and 1,144 jobs concentrated somewhere in the seven-county area. Local economic development officials and county leaders now await the county-level breakdowns and company names that Bluffton Today and SCA have not yet provided to determine how, and when, specific projects will translate into workers hired and tax base expanded in Allendale County.