Willie Jolley: "Make 2012 your best year ever!"

I had the chance to attend an event featuring best-selling author and award-winning motivational speaker Willie Jolley on Monday night.  When a friend invited me to the event, I wasn't sure that I would get more than the experience of hearing a guy perform his routine to collect a check.  Oh, how wrong I was.

Willie Jolley speaks at Greater
Columbia Chamber of Commerce,
January 23, 2012.
Photo: The Woolfolk Group LLC

Speaking to a group at the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce, Jolley shared some of his experiences in life that helped him achieve multi-national success out of an initial setback and offered sincere inspiration on how his audience can do the same to make 2012 their best year ever.

Throughout the presentation, sponsored by the Greater Columbia Community Relations Council, Jolley referenced what has become his trademark mantra-- "A setback is a setup for a comeback!"  Using his own setbacks as examples, Jolley outlined how those experiences helped him develop a strategy-- based on vision, decision, action and desire-- that continues to lead him to achieve his dreams and he emphasized that his VDAD strategy can help everyone do the same.

The Race to be First: Social Media's Slippery News Slope

There are lessons we all can learn from the handling of information concerning the death of legendary Penn State football coach Joe Paterno.  Coach Paterno died on Sunday morning following a two-month battle with lung cancer.  Unfortunately, several news organizations prematurely reported Paterno's passing on Saturday night based, ultimately, on unconfirmed information first posted by a student media website on the Penn State campus.

Onward State claimed it had multiple sources who confirmed Coach Paterno's death and posted the news online around 8:45 pm Saturday.  CBS Sports gave the story viral life by posting a Paterno obituary on its website, seemingly based on information from the Onward State post.

Many organizations and individuals followed suit, tweeting and re-tweeting links to the CBS story on Twitter and posting on Facebook.  (I'm guilty of both.)  Here in Columbia, the mis-information found its way into coverage of the GOP primary as news anchors paused to announce the "breaking news" that Joe Paterno had died.  In all cases, ti would seem that everyone trusted (assumed) that CBS had vetted the information and that it was accurate.  We learned how wrong that we were when Paterno's sons took to Twitter to let everyone know the rumors of their father's death were premature.

Tre’ Tailor announces “Relax, It's Ok 2b Single" Valentine's Day Gala

Media personality Tre’ Tailor and Relax, It’s Ok 2b Single are busy planning a weekend of events designed to give local singles reasons to come together over Valentine’s Day weekend.

The group will host its first Singles Gala on Saturday, February 11 from 7:00pm until midnight at the Brookland Baptist Banquet and Conference Center in West Columbia, South Carolina.  The event will feature heavy hors d’oeuvres, a panel discussion and live music by The Reggie Sullivan Project.

Alex English joins Sacramento Kings coaching staff

Friday the 13th proved to be very lucky for Columbia native, former Gamecocks star and Basketball Hall of Fame member Alex English.  English is joining the coaching staff of the NBA's Sacramento Kings.

In announcing the hiring, recently appointed head coach Keith Smart described English as a great addition to the staff and someone who will be good for everyone on the team, especially the Kings' younger players.  "He was an elite player in this league for a long time and is a very good coach. When he talks, they'll listen," said Smart.  "We're trying to surround ourselves with the right people that fit our basketball team who have the ability to teach our guys and also have a firm hand to get them walking in the right direction as young men."

Farewell to a Family Friend

James B. Fritz
1927-2012

The Woolfolk Group was saddened to learn of the death of Mr. James B. "Jimmy" Fritz of Southfield, Michigan on Tuesday, January 3, 2012.  Mr. Fritz was a retired funeral director and long time friend of TWG President and CEO Mike Woolfolk's family.

Fritz was born in 1927 in Washington, Pennsylvania and his family moved to Detroit, Michigan when he was six months old.  Except for a tour of duty in the U.S. Army after World War II, Fritz worked in the funeral business founded by his father in 1937.

"Mr. Fritz was good friend to my father and I got to know him and his daughter, Christina, when Dad called upon the Fritz Funeral Home to handle my grandparents' final arrangements," said Woolfolk.  "I'll always remember Mr. Fritz for his kind, warm and caring demeanor as he helped us all deal with our grief.  Years later, he helped us with arrangements for my mother's father."

Protecting Homeownership

COLUMBIA, SC-- Author and financial empowerment coach Karen R. Jenkins is among several local experts promoting the upcoming Rally for Homeownership in Columbia, South Carolina.  The rally is scheduled for Thursday, January 12 at 12:30pm on the North Steps of the State Capitol.  The National Association of Home Builders, the Homebuilders Association of South Carolina and the Homebuilders Association of Greater Columbia are among several sponsors behind the rally.