Four Furman graduates among Greenville’s ‘Best & Brightest 35 and Under’

On Sept. 25 at the Greenville ONE Center, Greenville Business Magazine honored 37 outstanding young professionals in a ceremony presented by Furman University and sponsored by Countybank. Among “The Best & Brightest 35 and Under,” were four Furman alumni: Kate Dabbs ’09, Drew Dezen ’12, Nick Hollstegge ’07 and Monty Turner ’11.

Prior to the awards ceremony, the 37 standouts,  who were selected by three judges from a pool of 117 nominees, were featured in the September issue of Greenville Business Magazine. In a nod to baseball and Fluor Field, the magazine offered a rookie card glimpse into each winner’s career and community accomplishments. We borrow a few stats from the Furman players who are hitting it out of the park.

Kate Dabbs ’09. Photo by Nill Silver, Greenville Headshots. Courtesy of Greenville Business Magazine.

Kate Dabbs (age 30): Dabbs offers her take on leadership and how it has evolved in the almost 10 years since graduating Furman as a political science and English double major. As director of marketing and operations at Coldwell Banker Caine, she sees leadership as a “minute-by-minute choice” to do the hard thing—to maybe have that difficult conversation at work—which will ultimately make for a “happy and harmonious workplace.” Running parallel to her duties at work are her responsibilities related to carefully selected organizations like the Junior League in Greenville where she volunteers with Meals on Wheels. She also serves on the Capacity Building Grants Committee for the Community Foundation, and volunteers as a loaned executive for the United Way of Greenville County.

Drew Dezen ’12. Photo by Nill Silver, Greenville Headshots. Courtesy of Greenville Business Magazine.

Drew Dezen (age 29): After graduating Furman with a communication studies degree in 2012, Dezen took off to far-flung Sydney, Australia, to work for Major League Baseball International where he was exposed to a wide range of duties. Fully equipped as a utility player, Dezen moved back to Greenville in 2014 to work at family business Jeff Dezen Public Relations. At the firm, he is responsible for strategic planning, client management and new business development. Dezen says he is inspired by the community leaders who have used their talents to build a strong economic foundation for his native city. A passionate animal advocate, he is a founding board member of Partners in Animal Care.

Nick Hollstegge ’07. Photo by Nill Silver, Greenville Headshots. Courtesy of Greenville Business Magazine.

Nick Hollstegge (age 33): A baseball recruit from Cincinnati, Ohio for the Paladins, Hollstegge never imagined he would end up in making a living in Greenville. After a brief time in Atlanta following graduation, the political science major went to bat for the industrial group at The Furman Company, now CBRE. He advises clients on real estate transactions like repurposing textile mills for mixed-use projects. In fact, he is part of the team working on Judson Mill, whose redevelopment is projected to add $75 million to the local tax base and provide 100 jobs. About living in Greenville, Hollstegge said, “It’s hard to imagine being anywhere else.”

Monty Turner ’11. Photo by Nill Silver, Greenville Headshots. Courtesy of Greenville Business Magazine.

Monty Turner (age 29): Turner joins the ranks of many who come to Greenville on what they thought would be a short-term basis. Having traversed the globe from Johannesburg, South Africa, Turner came to Furman to study business and play on the Furman Rugby team. Now, as senior consultant for Global Location Strategies, he advises industrial manufacturers on site selection. He gains satisfaction knowing he’s had a hand in bringing thousands of jobs and billions of dollars of capital investment to communities. And the bonus for trekking across the world to Greenville? One might call it a grand slam— a world-class education, a wife and new baby, and, said Turner, “a job that gives me the opportunity to improve the community around me.”

Learn more about the Greenville Business Magazine’s Best & Brightest 35 and Under.