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Diamond Hill Plywood’s Jim Ramsey Elected Chairman

of Darlington County Economic Development Partnership

Progress Energy’s Mindy Taylor Elected to Partnership Board

March 23, 2009

DARLINGTON, S.C. – March 23, 2009 – The Darlington County Economic Development Partnership today announced that Jim Ramsey, president of Darlington, S.C.-based Diamond Hill Plywood Company (DHP), has been elected chairman of the Partnership’s board of directors. Ramsey replaces Goz Segars of Segars Realty of Hartsville, S.C.

“Jim is a veteran Darlington County business leader who has taken an active role in marketing and pursuing new business activity and job development in the county,” said Segars, adding that he is leaving the board to spend more time on his business interests. “I’m leaving the board in good hands, with a new executive director and strong board leadership.”

In addition to being president of DHP, Ramsey is executive vice president of Darlington Veneer Company. Over the past 60 years, Diamond Hill Plywood has established itself as a major wholesale distributor of building material and construction products to the retail and industrial market segments. The company, with a network of nine sales and distribution centers in Georgia, Virginia, Tennessee, the Carolinas (and a reload center), serves a customer base throughout the Southeast.

A resident of Darlington, Ramsey has served on the Partnership’s executive committee and previously was chairman of the Darlington County Development Board. In addition, Ramsey serves on numerous other boards in Darlington County and the state. His involvement includes Darlington Kiwanis Club, South Carolina Trucking Association, Florence-Darlington Technical College Board and the Carolinas Hospital System Board.  In addition, he serves as a reserved Deputy Sheriff with the Darlington County Sheriff’s Department. He is a graduate of St. John’s High School in Darlington and Charleston Southern University.

“Expansion of existing businesses and recruitment of new industry into Darlington County must remain a priority especially during these tough economic times. The Partnership remains focused on working collaboratively with public and private interests to protect existing jobs and develop opportunities for new

jobs for our residents,” said Ramsey. “I want to thank Goz for his leadership during the initial development of the Partnership and know he will remain active in future economic development activities in the county.”

In addition, Mindy Taylor, manager, community relations for Progress Energy Carolinas, Inc., has been elected to the Partnership board. In her capacity at Progress Energy, Taylor is responsible for overseeing community relations programs, corporate contributions, employee involvement, issues management and public relations for the 13-county region served by the utility.

A graduate of Clemson University with a B.S. degree in economics, Taylor joined Progress Energy in 1985 in residential and commercial sales in Rockingham, N.C. She was promoted to area manager for a six county area in North Carolina and South Carolina and in 1997 to manager, community relations for South Carolina. She is a graduate of Leadership South Carolina and currently serves on the board of directors for the North East Strategic Alliance, Florence-Darlington Technical College Foundation, Sumter Chamber of Commerce, Florence Downtown Development Corporation, South Carolina Community Development Association, South Carolina’s Coalition for Mathematics and Science, and on the New Journal editorial board.

About the Darlington County Economic Development Partnership

The public/private economic development partnership was established by Darlington County Council and is supported by Darlington County, the communities of Darlington and Hartsville and businesses and associates that are members of Darlington County Progress, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation. The Partnership’s also works with regional, state and federal agencies in securing available grants and other financial assistance for business and industrial growth.