Four key takeaways from Greenville Chamber's annual meeting.

Education and working together were popular themes at the Greenville Chamber of Commerce's 134th annual meeting on Tuesday, which also featured a panel discussion of area executives and a presentation of awards.

Chamber CEO Carlos Phillips said at the event at the Greenville Convention Center that the county's educational attainment rate has increased 10 percentage points since 2009, with 49% of 25-64-year-old residents possessing high-quality credentials and degrees.

However, he said, many peer and aspirational communities have much higher rates, resulting in higher incomes, increased wealth, and greater economic mobility.

"We will charge forward on our path in accomplishing 60% educational attainment in Greenville County in order to grow incomes and our economy," said Phillips. "To paint a clear picture, by 2030 we will need 20,000 more quality credentials and degrees in our community."

This will require maintaining strong partnerships with K-12 schools, colleges and universities as well as providing students with real-life workforce skills with local businesses, Phillips added.

"If you leave with only one takeaway, please make it this: Greenville is better, stronger, and greater when we achieve together," said Phillips. "We achieve nothing alone and without partnerships.

A panel discussion featured Clemson University President Jim Clements; University of South Carolina President Michael Amiridis; Prisma Health president and CEO Mark O'Halla; and Danya Trent, Lockheed Martin's vice president of F-16 Programs and Greenville site general manager.

Here are four key takeaways from the discussion:

Clements: Clemson University and Prisma Health have partnered to tackle the nursing shortage in the Upstate and AI-enabled devices in health care, in addition to working with Lockheed Martin on advanced laser systems, which is crucial to the country's military defense.

"Partnerships are key for us, and they are key for our students," said Clements.

Trent: Lockheed Martin planted roots in Greenville about 38 years ago and is now the global home for the F-16 the "backbone" of the U.S. Air Force, and provides security and deterrence for 25 U.S. ally countries around the world. Lockheed Martin moved its F-16 line from Fort Worth, Texas, a few years ago and now have six countries who have ordered the new advanced F-16 they will be building 148 of these for those six countries and expect to build more than 300 over the next few years. With all this growth...

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