Courtesy of The State
The South Carolina Hospitality Association is recovering from the black eye suffered from the embezzlement of nearly $500,000 by a former staffer, its new leaders say.
"There has been a lot of change," Chairman Rick Erwin of Greenville said. "We're getting there."
The changes near final adoption are part of the organization's effort to restore credibility with its nearly 1,500 members, lawmakers and the public.
Turmoil has surrounded the group since the death of Tom Sponseller, the executive who largely created it, and the subsequent discovery of the missing money.
Accounting and legal fees associated with the effort could cost as much as $150,000, Erwin said.
Correcting the mistakes is crucial for the group -- a coalition of lodging and restaurant interests -- that is a key player in the state's $14-billion-a-year tourism industry.
"We've learned a valuable lesson," said Bobby Williams, an association leader who is chief executive officer of the Lizard's Thicket restaurants. "We're all re-energized."
