Cristina Paredes
Executive Director, SC NEXUS
Cristina Paredes is the Executive Director of SC Nexus for Advanced Resilient Energy, South Carolina's Regional Technology and Innovation Hub (TechHub). She brings a wealth of experience in economic development and strategic leadership to her role, driving innovation and resilience in the state's energy sector.
Cristina Paredes is a seasoned economic development professional with over two decades of experience in leadership and consulting. Throughout her career, she has spearheaded policy development and initiated projects to drive economic growth and community development. Most recently, as a Senior Consultant at VisionFirst Advisors, she guided clients through strategic business expansion and location decisions, enhanced economic competitiveness, and navigated local government processes. With a deep understanding of economic development dynamics, Cristina excels in managing complex programs and navigating priorities effectively.
As the Director of the Tallahassee-Leon County Office of Economic Vitality, Cristina played a pivotal role in steering the community through its most significant economic growth phase, a feat that earned her national recognition. Her oversight of major expansion projects, such as the Amazon Robotics Fulfillment Center and Danfoss Turbocor’s new manufacturing and research facilities, resulted in the creation of over 2,900 new jobs. Cristina's commitment to diversity and economic inclusion was evident in her certification of 300 minority and women-owned businesses, which in turn enhanced business opportunities for nearly 2,000 employees.
Cristina's collaboration with university partners at Tier I research institutions and business leaders has bolstered recruitment, expansion, and commercialization efforts in the applied science industry. She worked with community leaders to secure U.S. Commerce Economic Development Agency funding for a regional innovation laboratory and small business funding, demonstrating her ability to develop collaborative structures and policies that expedite technology deployment. Under her leadership, her office earned 12 state, national, and international awards.
Cristina is committed to continuous learning and professional development. She is currently pursuing a Master of Legal Studies degree from Texas A&M College of Law, specializing in Environmental and Energy Law and Policy. She also holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s in public administration from Florida State University. Cristina has a Certificate in Economic Development from the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute. She is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).
In 2021, Cristina’s contributions to economic development were recognized when Consultant Connect named her one of North America’s Top 50 Economic Developers. The Tallahassee Democrat also acknowledged her as one of 25 Women to Know. In 2022, she was honored with the Pinnacle Award from 850 Magazine, a testament to her significant impact on business and community development across the North Florida region.
Outside of her professional endeavors, Cristina is a person of diverse interests. She finds joy in staying active, whether it's through running, playing golf, keeping score at baseball games, or cheering for her alma mater, the Florida State Seminoles.
Patrick Jarvis
Chief Financial Officer
Patrick Jarvis joined the SC Department of Commerce as the Chief Financial Officer in July 2023, bringing over 15 years of experience in state government finance. Prior to joining Commerce, Patrick was the Chief Financial Officer at the SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.
A Certified Government Finance Officer, he has also served in finance management roles with the SC Attorney General’s Office, SC State Treasurer’s Office and SC Department of Agriculture.
Patrick is a native of South Carolina and a graduate of the University of South Carolina. He lives in Columbia, with his wife and two children.
Kelly Coakley
Director of Marketing and Communications
Kelly Coakley joined the South Carolina Department of Commerce as Director of Marketing and Communications in July 2022. She brings more than 10 years of experience guiding and leading communications and marketing efforts for state government agencies.
Kelly comes to S.C. Commerce from the South Carolina Department of Administration (Admin), where she served as the Director of Strategic Communications for more than six years. During her time with Admin, she led the initiative to establish South Carolina’s first ever state government recruitment brand, SC Careers. She also collaborated with multiple state agencies to build out content to launch the state’s COVID response and revitalization website and social media — accelerateSC.
Kelly’s additional experience includes working as a Communications Coordinator for Lexington School District One and as the Public Information Director for the South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA). While at SCDA, she helped market and launch the Fresh on the Menu campaign, which encourages South Carolinians to choose restaurants that utilize Certified SC Grown produce and products.
Kelly is passionate about delivering effective communications and marketing strategies, as well as engaging internal and external audiences through storytelling — an art she crafted while working in television news for 13 years.
During her time in news, Kelly produced newscasts and reported for the FOX affiliate in Louisville, Kentucky, where she covered the Kentucky Derby and the deployment of troops from Fort Campbell to the War on Terror. She also covered stories and anchored newscasts for the NBC affiliates in Greenville and Columbia, South Carolina, including traveling to the Gulf Coast to cover the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the nation’s capital to tell the story of World War II veterans visiting the World War II monument for the first time.
Kelly graduated cum laude from Stephen F. Austin State University, located in Nacogdoches, Texas, with a Bachelor of Arts in radio/television and a minor in political science. She is also a Certified Public Manager.
Kelly, her husband and their daughter call the Midlands of South Carolina home.
Doug Foster
Chief Information Officer
Doug Foster joined the South Carolina Department of Commerce as Chief Information Officer, leading the Office of Information Management and Technology (IMT), in November 2023. He brings more than 30 years of IT leadership experience in higher education, consumer products, chemical manufacturing and consulting.
Doug comes to S.C. Commerce from the University of South Carolina where he served as the chief information officer for more than six years. His career includes notable accomplishments in developing and implementing IT governance structures, enterprise portfolio management, and business relationship management.
He holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix and a master's degree in Technology Leadership and Innovation from Purdue University. A graduate of the Center for Creative Leadership's Leadership Development Program, he has certifications in IT Service Management and Project Management, and also serves as a founding member of the South Carolina Chapter of the Society for Information Management.
Doug lives in Lexington with his wife and has two adult children.
Mark Hendrick
Director of Governmental Affairs
As director of Governmental Affairs, Mark Hendrick leads the South Carolina Department of Commerce’s public policy strategy, working closely with both state and federal legislative agencies, representatives and partners.
An experienced governmental affairs professional, Mark brings over 13 years of experience in government relations, public policy and public relations to the S.C. Commerce team. Previously, Mark has served other South Carolina agencies that are key to statewide workforce and economic development growth. Most recently, Mark played a key role in the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce COVID-19 agency response and in-step coordination with the South Carolina state legislature. In his role as legislative liaison, Mark has built strong working relationships with the state’s General Assembly, Congressional delegation, Governor’s Office, local governments and various business groups.
A Conway, S.C. native, Mark holds a bachelor’s degree from Clemson University. Mark is active in the community, serving in volunteer leadership roles for nonprofit and international service organizations. He and his wife live in Chapin with their three young sons.
Chantal Fryer
Director of Business Services
Chantal Fryer serves as the Director of Business Services with the SC Department of Commerce.
Chantal has been with the agency for over 15 years and most recently served as Deputy Director for the Business Services division. Business Services provides the “service after the sale” to companies across the state. In her role, she oversees existing industry, recycling, supplier outreach, small business, innovation, trade, disaster preparedness and workforce resources to assist companies large and small.
Providing authentic leadership with sustainability in mind, she previously served as director of Commerce’s Recycling Market Development growing South Carolina recycling markets in the state’s $13 billion recycling industry. Chantal has more than 20 years of state government experience, and her prior experience includes working for the South Carolina Energy Office focusing on alternative fuels and energy efficiency, the Governor’s Office working in the Executive Office and Cabinet Affairs programs as well as with the Budget and Control Board’s Executive Director’s office assisting with sister-state relationships as well as the Board’s mentoring program.
Chantal received her Master’s in Public Administration from the University of South Carolina. She holds Certified Public Manager and Certified Recycling Professional credentials.
Chantal resides in Lexington with her husband and two daughters. She hails from the coast, and on any long weekend, you can find her enjoying a day at a beach in the Carolinas.
Annie Caggiano
Director of Global Business Development
Annie Caggiano was promoted to Director of Global Business Development in April 2024. With nearly 20 years of economic development experience, Caggiano brings a knowledge base informed by utility, university, state and county perspectives. She has worked with companies from many industries, with an emphasis on automotive manufacturing and corporate headquarters, helping to recruit more than $2.1 billion and 10,000 jobs to the state.
In January 2023, Caggiano marked the start of her second tenure at S.C. Commerce when she rejoined the agency as a business recruitment manager. Prior to returning to the GBD team, Caggiano spent the previous three years in the Upstate of South Carolina serving as the president of the Oconee Economic Alliance, leading its industrial real estate product, and business recruitment and retention efforts, and as director of business recruitment for the Upstate SC Alliance.
Her other experience includes time at the Central SC Alliance, where she served as director of research; as senior project manager for Santee Cooper; as assistant director for Richland County; and as an S.C. Commerce project manager.
Lori Adler
Director of Human Resources
Lori Adler joined the SC Department of Commerce as human resources (HR) director in April 2016. A seasoned HR professional, Adler has worked in a variety of industry sectors throughout her 25-year career, including hotel, banking, wireless communications and government.
Prior to joining SC Commerce, Adler served as assistant HR director at the SC Budget and Control Board for three years and HR director for the County of Lexington for 10 years. During her time at the county, Adler redesigned self-funded health insurance plans; opened an on-site health and wellness center; and designed a new classification and compensation structure, policies and administration process.
With professional certifications from both the Society of Human Resources Management and World at Work, Adler is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Stout, where she obtained an undergraduate degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management. She also has a Master’s degree in Human Resources Development from Webster University.
Adler is a member of the national Society of Human Resources Management, as well as the organization’s Columbia chapter. Additionally, she is a past president of SC Compensation and Benefit Professionals.
Karen B. Manning
Chief Legal Counsel
Karen Manning joined the SC Department of Commerce as the agency’s general counsel in December 1998 and since that time has been responsible for all legal issues affecting SC Commerce. Karen works closely with the Secretary of Commerce and other members of the executive staff to provide legal advice with respect to agency administration and activities.
Prior to joining SC Commerce, Karen practiced law with Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP in the area of complex commercial and computer software litigation as well as drug and medical device products liability litigation. During her tenure at Nelson Mullins, Karen also worked in-house at Policy Management Systems Corporation, now CSC Corporation.
A Columbia native, Karen is a graduate of the University of Virginia’s College of Arts & Sciences and McIntire School of Commerce Business Institute. She later received her law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law.
Christopher Huffman
Director of Business Incentives and Community Development
Chris Huffman joined the SC Department of Commerce in 2008 as the Chief Financial Officer and served in this role until 2023. In his current role, he is director of South Carolina’s business incentives programs and provides oversight for statewide resources and initiatives that help build resilient communities. He has been a Certified Public Accountant since 1997.
Chris is a native of South Carolina and a graduate of Clemson University.