Lowcountry Honorees Among 2026 OneSouth Carolina Award Winners
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Riley Institute at Furman University honored a Lowcountry organization and leader during the Riley-Wilkins OneSouthCarolina Awards Dinner on January 13, 2026, which recognizes outstanding contributions to South Carolina’s civic, economic, and social progress.
The Center for Heirs’ Property (CHP) received the 2026 OneSouthCarolina Partners in Progress Award for its landmark collaborative work advancing land retention for historically underserved families across the state. William “Bill” Finn of Charleston was honored with the Riley-Wilkins OneSouthCarolina Civic Leadership Award, and South Carolina Representative Neal Collins (R–Pickens & Greenville) received the Riley-Wilkins OneSouthCarolina Legislative Leadership Award.
The awards dinner was preceded earlier in the day by the Building OneSouthCarolina Forum, which featured representatives from CHP alongside key partners and collaborators. The forum highlighted CHP’s comprehensive approach to addressing heirs’ property challenges through legal services, education, and sustainable land stewardship, and explored how cross-sector partnerships can expand generational wealth and community resilience statewide.
Founded in 2005 to help historically underserved families secure clear legal title to inherited land, CHP has become a national leader in addressing heirs’ property—a widespread and persistent barrier to land retention and generational wealth.
Since its founding, CHP has provided free advice and education to more than 6,200 clients, delivered direct legal services to over 2,680 individuals, assisted more than 650 families owning over 40,000 acres of land, resolved more than 400 land titles valued at over $30 million, and drafted more than 2,200 simple wills through community wills clinics.
Civic award winner Bill Finn was honored for his decades of executive experience and board leadership, which have helped shape both South Carolina’s economy and its nonprofit landscape. He spent more than 50 years at AstenJohnson, a global manufacturer of specialty fabrics, serving as chief executive officer and later chairman.
Today, Finn chairs the board of Turn90, a nonprofit organization supporting formerly incarcerated men and the 2024 OneSouthCarolina Partners in Progress Award recipient, and serves in leadership roles with the SCETV Endowment, the College of Charleston School of Business, and other statewide organizations.
“Together, this year’s honorees reflect the power of leadership rooted in service, collaboration, and long-term commitment to South Carolina’s growth and betterment,” said Bryan Boroughs, executive director of The Riley Institute. “Our hope in issuing these awards is that our winners might inspire others to join or emulate the good work these honorees are doing for people and communities across the state.”
About the Riley Institute at Furman University
The Riley Institute equips current and emerging leaders with the tools and networks needed to address pressing social challenges and advance inclusive progress. Its OneSouthCarolina initiatives and awards celebrate leadership that strengthens communities and drives meaningful change across South Carolina.
About the OneSouthCarolina Awards & Events
The Riley Institute’s OneSC awards and events celebrate the vibrancy of South Carolina, derived from its myriad cultures, traditions, and perspectives; honor the leadership that has provided vision for our state; and summon attendees to understand and address our core challenges and commit themselves to moving our state forward through collaborative action across differences.
