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James McQuilla, M.B.A.

             Senior Partner

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James is CarriageStone’s Senior Partner.  James is President of the Orangeburg County (SC) Chamber of Commerce, where he works to promote the benefits of living, working, and recreating in Orangeburg, South Carolina.  In this role, James’ focus is on promoting community and business collaborations across all sectors and enhancing economic development through strategic outreach initiatives. With a dynamic 33-year career as a sales professional, management executive, and small-business entrepreneur, James has worked as a senior level executive, with verifiable year-after-year success achieving revenue, profit and business growth objectives within start-up, turnaround, and rapid change environments.  His multi-faceted career includes leadership roles in industries such as higher education, medical practice management, pharmaceutical sales, federal government contracting, and non-profit administration.  James has served at Executive Director of the Greater Columbia (SC) Community Relations Council, a principal in the consulting firm, Butler-Allen Holdings, LLC, Vice President of the construction contractor, MINCO, and a territory pharmaceutical representative for Wyeth Pharmaceuticals (now a division of Pfizer).  James has extensive experience and a deep understanding of critical business drivers in multiple markets and industries.  As the Chief Executive Officer of Professional Buyers Advantage, LLC ("PBA"), James created a multi-million-dollar SBA certified government contracting firm that amassed more than 300 prime federal contracts over a ten-year period.   Prior to PBA, James worked in the financial services industry as a Registered Representative at Lincoln Financial Group, Inc. and as Managing Partner and Chief Investment Strategist for the financial planning firm, ATR Group, LLC.  James has served as a trusted advisor to CEO’s, boards, investors, C-suite executives, and seasoned entrepreneurs with a focus on the intersection of strategy, organization systems, process improvements, and leadership to drive and sustain results.  Active in many civic and community organizations, James served as a member of the board of directors of the Columbia (SC) Chamber of Commerce, the Columbia (SC) Housing Development Corporation, and the Richland County (SC) Sheriff Department’s Citizens Advisory Council.  In 2009, James was appointed by South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford to the Board of Visitors of his alma mater, The Citadel, where he distinguishingly served until 2013.

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EDUCATION

Winthrop University

MBA, Management, 1994

Rock Hill, South Carolina

The Citadel: The Military College of South Carolina

BS, Business Administration, 1988

Charleston, South Carolina 

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