SPARTANBURG- Wade E. Ballard, a partner with the national labor and employment law firm of Ford & Harrison, has been elected Chairman of the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce. Ballard has been on the Chamber’s Board of Directors for four years and previously served as its Vice Chairman and head of the Governmental Relations Committee. He will officially assume the role as Chairman in January 2008.
“We are extremely excited that Wade has accepted the invitation to lead the business community’s premier organization in 2008,” said David Cordeau, President and CEO of the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce. “Wade has deep experience with the Chamber; he is highly regarded in the Upstate and has the leadership qualities which enhance the Chamber’s goals. Given the Chamber’s energetic program, Wade is a perfect fit.”
Wade Ballard represents management in labor and employment matters in the courts, in arbitration and before government agencies at the federal, state and local level. He counsels businesses on the entire range of workplace issues and frequently conducts management training and continuing legal education on employment law, wage and hour law and other issues of concern to employers and the bar.
Ballard has been certified by the Supreme Court of South Carolina as a Specialist in the area of Employment and Labor Law and is a former member and past chairman of the South Carolina Supreme Courts Employment and Labor Law Specialization Advisory Board. He is AV® Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell and is listed in The Best Lawyers in America and Chambers USA. Ballard received his B.A. from Wofford College and his J.D. from Duke University School of Law.
“The Chamber of Commerce is a vital asset to Spartanburg and is a central component in this county's efforts to broaden and strength our community,” Ballard said. “During my tenure as Chairman, I hope to continue building on the work of my predecessors, attracting new business and promoting economic growth for our city.”
The Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce is a private, not-for-profit organization that represents more than 1,600 businesses. The Spartanburg Chamber’s mission is to: Provide a common voice for the business community; Create an enhanced quality of life for all citizens; Serve as a catalyst for economic development; Partner in marketing Spartanburg County; Join with government, education and area organizations to continue in moving this community forward.