Author: Bryan Beck

The University of South Carolina College of Arts & Sciences Institute for Southern Studies today announced Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation CEO Lou Kennedy as the 2023 honoree of the McNair Conversations on the American South.

As a part of honoring Kennedy, Dr. Smith, Director of the Institute, will interview the business leader live, before an audience at the USC School of Law, Karen J. Williams Courtroom, for a podcast associated with the event on Wednesday, March 1 2023 at 6PM.

“I am grateful to be recognized by the university I love, and I look forward to joining Dr. Smith and audience participants for a wonderful discussion about all of the great progress South Carolina continues to make,” said Kennedy. “Nephron is a source of pride for me, and I employ many lessons I learned growing up in the American South, and at Carolina, every day as a CEO. Sharing this experience is something I cannot wait to do during my discussion with Dr. Smith.”

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Dr. Mark Smith Will Interview Kennedy Live, Before Audience About Leading a Growing Company in the American South

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The University of South Carolina College of Arts & Sciences Institute for Southern Studies today announced Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation CEO Lou Kennedy as the 2023 honoree of the McNair Conversations on the American South. 

As a part of honoring Kennedy, Dr. Smith, Director of the Institute, will interview the business leader live, before an audience at the USC School of Law, Karen J. Williams Courtroom, for a podcast associated with the event on Wednesday, March 1 2023 at 6PM.

“I can’t think of anyone more deserving and better suited than Lou Kennedy for this honor,” said Dr. Smith. “I look forward to discussing what it takes to succeed in business – in particular at a life sciences company in the aftermath of a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic – with a university alumnus who has proudly supported Carolina and its causes for many years. I invite students and members of the community to attend what promises to be a memorable event.”

Every year, the Institute for Southern Studies in the College of Arts & Sciences hosts The McNair Conversations on the American South.  Made possible by the generosity of the late South Carolina Governor, Robert Evander McNair, the McNair Conversations are a live podcast interview honoring individuals who have made a lasting and significant contribution to the American South.  They are recorded in front of an audience and broadcast on the Institute’s highly successful Take on the South podcast series.

Kennedy has led Nephron to unprecedented growth. Nearly 2,000 full time and part time employees strong, counting interns and apprentices, Nephron produces more than 1 billion doses of life-saving medications each year.  Kennedy has been widely recognized for her achievements in business and civic leadership.

During the pandemic, Governor McMaster appointed Kennedy to the state’s COVID-19 advisory and recovery team.

“I am grateful to be recognized by the university I love, and I look forward to joining Dr. Smith and audience participants for a wonderful discussion about all of the great progress South Carolina continues to make,” said Kennedy. “Nephron is a source of pride for me, and I employ many lessons I learned growing up in the American South, and at Carolina, every day as a CEO. Sharing this experience is something I cannot wait to do during my discussion with Dr. Smith.”

Kennedy is the recipient of the Order of the Palmetto – South Carolina’s highest civilian award – and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in public relations from the University of South Carolina.

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Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation and CEO Lou Kennedy generously committed a major cash and in-kind gift to the Lexington District One Educational Foundation this year and, in doing so, supported a variety of needs in Lexington District One.

First, Nephron donated $3,600 to provide grants to students who are enrolled in the Pharmacology for Medical Careers class at the Lexington Technology Center. This is the sixth year of these Pharmacology Grants, which have been instrumental to students who wish to take the class, but who otherwise could not afford the $300 course fee. As a result of Nephron Pharmaceutical’s kindness, all seniors who are interested are able to explore the field of Pharmacology and learn career skills that could lead to future jobs in the pharmaceutical or medical fields.

Second, Nephron Pharmaceuticals is kindly sponsoring two Educational Foundation special events during 2023 with a gift of $6,000. Nephron’s generous donation towards these events will ultimately be a huge help to Lexington District One students, teachers and families, since all foundation events enable the organization to support the district needs via the grants offered each year.

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By Rickey Ciapha Dennis Jr.
rdennis@postandcourier.com
Jan 12, 2023 

After suspending in-person activities for two consecutive years because of COVID-19, South Carolina’s largest celebration honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. resumes its physical celebration this year in the Holy City.

“After the last 24 months, it’s a pleasure to see you all here,” said LaVanda Brown, executive director of the YWCA Greater Charleston, during the Jan. 12 breakfast held annually to honor the civil rights leader. “This feels like a family reunion.”

The 51st annual Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration welcomes people from across the state this week for a multi-day program honoring the legacy of world-renowned civil rights figure. The celebration began Jan. 8 with a worship service. Organizers hosted the MLK Breakfast Summit, formerly known as the Annual MLK Business and Professional Breakfast at the Charleston Gaillard Center.

Hundreds of community and business leaders, and elected officials attended the breakfast as businesses and city leaders emphasized the need to continue King’s fight for equality.

Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg said the city is making important strides in the area of racial reconciliation, highlighting the city’s Human Affairs and Racial Conciliation Commission, formed last year as an effort by city officials to confront racism in Charleston’s history and present.

“We are a vibrant city, but we are striving to advance the principles of equality and opportunity while at the same time advancing the quality of life of our citizens and growing our economy,” Tecklenburg said.

Business professionals spoke about the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion in the workforce.

The breakfast’s keynote speaker was Lou Kennedy, CEO and owner of Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corp. The company dubs itself as a national leader in manufacturing opioid-free drugs for pain, producing 1 billion doses of life-saving medication.

Kennedy said one her goals when relocating Nephron from Orland to West Columbia several years ago was maintaining a diverse labor force. Today, Nephron has employees hailing from 50 different countries, she said. 

“We don’t want to just talk the talk,” Kennedy said. “We do walk the walk.”

Tecklenburg said employers struggled amid the pandemic to hire employees. Given the difficulties, the mayor challenged those in the room to hire or mentor 1,000 youths in 2023. The city led a similar effort several years ago in helping to get just over 850 youths hired or mentored, and Tecklenburg hopes to exceed that number this time around.

“We want to inspire, mentor and enrich our youth in our community,” Tecklenburg said.

The event honored those who are currently blazing trails for the next generation.

Maxine Smith, former CEO of the Trident Urban League, was presented with Joseph P. Riley Jr. Vision Award, named for the city’s former mayor.

Currently, Smith is doing outreach for the state Department of Transportation’s Interstate 526 Lowcountry Corridor West project, which is projected to impact four minority neighborhoods in North Charleston.

The Rev. DeMett Jenkins, the International African American Museum’s Lilly director of education and engagement for Faith-Based Communities, will receive the Harvey Gantt Triumph Award at the Jan. 15 ecumenical service.

Charleston’s MLK celebration was founded by YWCA Greater Charleston and first held in January 1972 — one of the first such tributes to King in the nation. The annual MLK Breakfast Summit was added in January 2000 in partnership with former Mayor Joe Riley and the city of Charleston. Today, the celebration hails itself as the largest tribute to King in South Carolina, attracting thousands of celebrants each year.

Last year, amid continuing impacts of the pandemic, the YWCA filmed a parade route starting from The Citadel and traveling around Hampton Park that was then aired on television.

This year, members of the public are invited to watch marching bands, parade floats and dancing groups as more than 100 organizations participate. The Jan. 16 parade will run from Burke High School to Marion Square.

The centerpiece of the celebration is the Jan. 15 MLK Ecumenical Service, where the Rev. Dr. Herbert L. Temoney, presiding elder of the Santee District of the Seventh Episcopal AME Church Central South Carolina Annual Conference, will be the keynote speaker.

Healthcare mergers and acquisitions are expected to rebound in the Southeast in 2023, and the Carolinas stand to be a premiere arena for that activity, JDSupra reported Jan. 11.

Growth of life sciences industry

South Carolina leads the region in life science employment gains with a 7.7 percent increase versus to a 4.6 percent increase across the Southeast as a whole. The life sciences industry in South Carolina generated a $25.7 billion annual economic impact as of February 2022. On December 2, Nephron Pharmaceuticals opened a $100 million nitrile glove manufacturing facility that will bring an estimated 250 new jobs to the state.

LEXINGTON COUNTY, S.C. (WACH) — 400,000 square feet, and expected output of 2.5 billion medical gloves each year, and thousands of jobs provided, that’s what leaders say about Nephron’s new Nitrile Facility.

Hundreds of people gathered Wednesday to cut the ribbon on the Pharmaceutical plant’s new glove facility.

The purpose of the facility is “To be able to produce PPE’s in a critical care crisis, in our county, Lexington county,” according to said Senator Nikki Setzler.

To read the entire story from WACH 57 and watch video, click here.

Nephron Nitrile, a new company in West Columbia that produces nitrile gloves, held the grand opening of its manufacturing facility on Wednesday, Dec. 7.

The ceremony attracted leaders from the Midlands as well as around the state, including Governor Henry McMaster, Lt. Governor Pamela Evette, Commerce Secretary Harry Lightsey and state Senator Nikki Setzler.

Lou Kennedy, owner and CEO of Nephron Pharmaceuticals, was inspired to launch Nephron Nitrile in 2021 because of the pandemic-related supply chain shortages and high prices for the gloves, which are an important component of personal protective equipment used by health care workers, food service employees and others. The new plant will enable people to get gloves made here in the U.S. rather than relying on supplies from China and India.

The gloves are produced at the Kennedy Innovation Complex, Nephron’s facility in the Saxe Gotha Industrial Park.

The plant currently only has one manufacturing line up and running but eventually as many as 14 will be in operation, company officials said. Nephron Nitrile will eventually be able to produce 2.5 billion gloves a year and employ 250 people.

Producing the gloves also involves other companies from around the state. The molding forms for the gloves are made by CeramTec, a ceramic and medical technology company with North American headquarters in Laurens.

Nephron Pharmaceuticals produces and manufactures generic inhalation solutions and pre-filled, sterile syringes through its 503B Outsourcing Facility. Its CLIA-certified lab, which conducted COVID-19 testing for its employees and workers at neighboring businesses, ran low on PPE as the pandemic disrupted global supply chains.

WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) – State leaders gathered in West Columbia for the grand opening of Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation’s new plant. The Nephron Nitrile plant is the first in the country to produce American-made, medical-grade first-in-class nitrile gloves. 

Nephron Nitrile is an expansion of Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation and its an investment of more than $100 million in the Midlands and will bring at least 250 jobs to the area. 

“Yesterday in Florence we announced a plant that will build batteries for BMW. Ladies and gentleman that brings the capital investment in South Carolina along with this one which was announced earlier – up to December 6th – at over $6 billion dollars, that is a record,” says South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster.

CEO Lou Kennedy says the plant will produce around 2.5 billion gloves a year. Nephron’s goal is to reduce America’s dependence on foreign sources of life saving products. 

“We saw our glove prices go from $3.00 to $30.00 during the pandemic and that was if you could find them. So for us to have some control of the supply, help out with the supply chain right here on the east coast where the large part of our population is in the U.S is a good thing,“ says Kennedy. 

Nephron Pharmaceutical Corporation isn’t done yet says Kennedy, there are plans to open another business across the street. “We already make life saving breathing medication, we make all manner of drugs that are on the drug shortage list, injectable drugs, now we are going to make gloves, and our next business will be to make our own syringes.”

InnoVision Awards named winners in six categories at its recent awards celebration.

The awards recognize innovation in South Carolina annually through its InnoVision Awards program. The InnoVision finalists and winners reflect both the strength of the innovation economy in —and across — South Carolina, an InnoVision news release stated.

Here are the winners:

• The Dr. Charles Townes Individual Achievement Award: Lou Kennedy, CEO and Owner, Nephron Pharmaceuticals

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