South Carolina’s manufacturing sector is powered by extraordinary people — visionary executives, hands-on plant managers, innovative facilities professionals, and the partners who support them all. The inaugural SCBIZ Operational Excellence in Manufacturing Awards, held during the SC Manufacturing Conference & Expo, was created to find them, honor them, and tell their stories.
Nominations are open now through August 3. Categories span Sustained leadership, C-suite leadership, plant operations, facilities management, supply chain, workforce development, technology innovation, and more. Finalists will be celebrated at an exclusive luncheon on November 4 at the Greenville Convention Center — At the SCMCE in front of South Carolina’s most influential manufacturing audience.
Nomination Deadline: August 3, 2026
Application Deadline: August 17, 2026
Save the Date
Wednesday, November 4, 2025
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Greenville Convention Center
1 Exposition Dr, Greenville
Operational Excellence in Manufacturing is part of the South Carolina Manufacturing Conference and Expo.
If you have questions about this awards event, please email [email protected]
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who can be nominated? Any manufacturing professional or organization that operates in South Carolina’s is eligible.
Who can submit a nomination? Nominations may be submitted by peers, supervisors, direct reports, or the nominee themselves. The full application must be completed by the nominee.
What is the nomination deadline? Nominations are open now through August 3, 2026.
What happens after a nomination is submitted? Nominated candidates will be invited to complete a full application by August 17, 2026. Finalists will be selected by judging panel and notified ahead of the event.
What is the application deadline? August 17, 2026.
How are finalists selected? All nominations are evaluated by an judging panel across six criteria: operational impact, innovation and continuous improvement, safety and compliance excellence, people leadership and culture, community and economic impact, and resilience and adaptability.
Are finalists expected to attend the luncheon? We strongly encourage all honorees to join us on November 4, 2026 at the Greenville Convention Center — the luncheon is a celebration of your achievement and a wonderful opportunity to be recognized in front of South Carolina’s most influential manufacturing audience. We understand that schedules don’t always allow it, but we do hope to see you there!
How do I secure a table for my guests? Sponsorship is the only way to reserve a table, and it comes with exclusive benefits including the right to use the event logo and high-impact multimedia marketing opportunities. To explore levels and benefits, please contact your account manager or email [email protected].
Are individual tickets available? Due to limited capacity, individual tickets will only be released after the sponsorship deadline. To be notified when they become available or to learn more, please email [email protected].
I have a question not answered here. Who do I contact? Please reach out to your account manager or email [email protected] for sponsorship inquiries, or [email protected] for general event questions.