John Darby leads The Beach Company, which celebrated its 80th anniversary in January 2025. With more than 700 employees, the Charleston-based real estate firm continues expanding across the Southeast, including the recent opening of The Charles, a luxury waterfront residential community in historic Charleston.

Darby earned his Bachelor of Science in business administration with a concentration in finance from The Citadel, where he later received an Honorary Doctorate of Business degree. He serves on several boards including The Citadel Real Estate Foundation, Palmetto Business Forum and Mother Emanuel Memorial Foundation.

In 2025, Darby received the Joseph P. Riley Leadership recognition from the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce. The Darby family was honored in 2014 as Outstanding Philanthropists by the Lowcountry Association of Fundraising Professionals.

“Treat your team members like family & encourage debate. Consider every challenge as an opportunity,” Darby said.

Married to his high school sweetheart for 40 years, Darby raises Belted Galloway beef cattle and enjoys the music of John Prine, Bob Dylan and James Taylor.

Taylor Davis leads NHE, a residential real estate company with 450 employees, navigating an industry transformed by technology and artificial intelligence.

Davis’s path to leadership began with manual labor during high school summers, working for his father in the South Carolina heat. Those experiences shaped his understanding of hard work and commitment. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Furman University, including three months studying abroad in Spain.

Davis said he defines success as “having a positive impact on other people’s lives,” a philosophy reflected in his extensive community involvement. He serves on the First Baptist Church Greenville Foundation, the NAHMA Educational Foundation and the Greenville Affordable Housing Coalition Steering Committee. Previously, he was board member and treasurer of CommunityWorks.

In 2021, Davis received the Top Individual Leadership Award across all large companies in South Carolina. His leadership approach follows advice from his father and mentor: surround yourself with people who are smart, hard working and passionate about their work.

Brent Gibadlo serves as senior vice president of land and housing for Brookfield Residential, overseeing Nexton’s development as it reached the milestone of 3,500 residential home sales and celebrated groundbreaking for the Medical University of South Carolina Nexton campus.

A College of Charleston graduate with a bachelor’s degree in arts, Gibadlo earned his master’s degree in business administration from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. Under his leadership, Nexton earned 2025 Master Planned Community of the Year recognition from the South Carolina Building Industry Association.

“Happiness does not depend on what you have or who you are; it solely relies on what you think,” he says.

His first job at Jersey Mike’s taught him that no role is too small to influence organizational success and that great businesses are built one interaction at a time.

Gibadlo serves on the Charleston Regional Development Alliance board and holds Urban Land Institute full membership.

Amanda Hamet became Coldwell Banker Caine’s first female president in February 2025, leading the residential real estate firm through industry challenges including affordability pressures, limited inventory and sweeping structural changes from the National Association of Realtors settlement.

A Clemson University graduate with a master’s degree in business administration and bachelor’s degrees in psychology and art from Virginia Tech, Hamet previously served on the South Carolina Association of Realtors Forms Committee for nine of the last 10 years, including a term as chair in 2024.

“The best advice I’ve ever received in my career is to meet people where they are,” she says, emphasizing understanding each person’s unique perspective and potential.

Her first position as youth counselor for girls removed from their homes by the state taught her that trust forms the foundation of every relationship, shaping how she approaches leadership.

Hamet has also served on the Greater Greenville Association of Realtors and Greenville Literacy Association boards. Under her leadership, Coldwell Banker Caine opened an Anderson office in the restored Main Street Post Office, earning South Carolina Historic Preservation recognition.

Joan Herlong leads Herlong Sotheby’s International Realty, a residential real estate firm with more than 50 employees. A University of Virginia graduate with a degree in English Literature, she has built a reputation for client-focused service.

In October 2025, Herlong planned and hosted the inaugural Carolinas Networking Event, bringing 250 Sotheby’s International Realty agents from over 40 U.S. affiliates to Greenville to showcase the region and properties.

Her leadership has been recognized with multiple honors, including 2024 Women in Business from Greenville business magazine and 2023 Most Influential from the same publication. She is an alumna of the 47-week Anywhere ASCEND program for brand leaders.

“For me, I achieve success every time a current or past client goes out of their way to recommend me to a new client,” Herlong said.

She serves on the board of Greenville Free Medical Clinic and previously held leadership roles with Artisphere, Leadership Greenville Board of Regents, and Hughes Academy PTA.

Tiffany Johnson-Wilson leads Johnson & Wilson Real Estate Co., a federally certified woman- and minority-owned firm that is the only 8(a) and HUBZone-certified real estate company in the nation. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship and Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Charleston Southern University and completed training in mediation and legal studies, becoming a certified South Carolina state mediator.

Johnson-Wilson founded Hope for Homes, a nonprofit that reinvests profits from real estate transactions into affordable housing and tiny home construction for essential workers. Following Hurricane Katrina, she led construction of 100 homes in 100 days, earning the Honorary Colonel Award from the Governor of Alabama.

In 2024, she received Female Small Businessperson of the Year recognition from the U.S. Small Business Administration for South Carolina and Emerging Leader recognition from the Greater Summerville/Dorchester County Chamber.

She also serves as Councilwoman for District 2 in Summerville and on boards including Lowcountry Local First.

Danny Joyner leads Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices/C. Dan Joyner Co., a family-owned real estate company his father established in 1964. Joyner’s first experience with the business came in high school during the early 1980s, when he cut grass and painted rental homes for the company’s Property Management Division.

As president-CEO since February 2010, Joyner oversees more than 375 real estate professionals serving Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson and surrounding Upstate South Carolina communities. The full-service firm has maintained market leadership in the region for over 20 years with billions of dollars in real estate experience, often holding double-digit market share over its closest competitor.

The company’s affiliation with Berkshire Hathaway, recognized by Fortune Magazine as the world’s third most respected brand, complements its continued family ownership and operations. Under Joyner’s leadership, the firm donated to more than 64 charitable organizations last year and has raised over $1 million for the United Way.

Kyle Keene earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and an MBA from The Citadel. His career began at Firehouse Subs, where he learned the value of hard work and teamwork.

As founder and principal of Keene Development Group, Keene focuses on thoughtful design, high-quality construction and community-centered growth in Greenville’s residential real estate sector. The company recently began construction on Biltmore Walk, a collection of luxury townhomes near downtown Greenville, and continues work on The McDaniel, a residential project near Cleveland Park combining timeless architecture with walkable urban living.

“The best advice I’ve ever received is that luck is a direct correlation to hard work,” Keene said, emphasizing preparation and persistence as keys to success.

Keene brings an artistic sensibility to development, with an eye for design that drives his attention to detail. His approach centers on building lasting value through strategic partnerships and innovative solutions.

Recent recognitions include GSA Business Report Forty Under 40, Best & Brightest – 35 & Under, Talk Greenville’s 10 Most Stylish and Palmetto Power 20.

Seabrook Marchant, a lifelong Greenville resident and Clemson University graduate, has dedicated most of his career to helping clients achieve their home-buying and selling dreams. After earning his degree in textile management from Clemson and completing two years of active duty with the U.S. Army, Marchant went into real estate, eventually founding Marchant Real Estate in 1993.

Throughout his career, Marchant has held numerous leadership positions within the real estate industry. He served as president of both the Greater Greenville Association of REALTORS and Greenville Multiple Listing Service, and was named 1981 REALTOR of the Year. He also served as secretary and treasurer of the South Carolina Association of REALTORS and chairman of the South Carolina REALTORS Political Action Committee. In 2009, the National Association of REALTORS designated him “REALTOR Emeritus.”

In September 2020, Gov. Henry McMaster presented Marchant with the Order of the Palmetto, the state’s highest civilian honor, recognizing his extraordinary lifetime service and achievements. Marchant Real Estate is a full-service real estate company serving upstate South Carolina and North Carolina.

Kenneth Marolda serves as co-president and property manager of Marolda Enterprises, bringing extensive academic credentials including a master’s degree in community planning policy and design from the College of Charleston, a graduate certificate in historic preservation from Clemson University, and a certificate in entrepreneurship essentials from Harvard Business School Online.

Marolda identifies housing affordability and rising maintenance costs as interconnected challenges, advocating for “Missing Middle” housing and zoning code reforms to increase incremental density and mixed-use development.

“Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance,” he says, a principle guiding both professional and community work.

His community leadership includes co-founding West Ashley Connects, where he led creation of neighborhood character appraisal reports and coordinated disaster relief following the Palms Apartment fire. He co-founded CHS4Ukraine, completing three courier trips to Poland and distributing hundreds of thousands of dollars in humanitarian aid.

Marolda serves on the City of Charleston Zoning Code Rewrite Citizens Advisory Panel and chairs Synagogue Emanu-El’s Tikkun Olam Community Service Committee.

His first property management job in New York City taught him that respect is earned through tackling difficult tasks and viewing challenges as opportunities for growth.

Barb O’Steen brings more than 30 years of industry experience to her role at Greystar, a global real estate company with more than 28,500 employees worldwide. Her career in the residential real estate sector has been shaped by hands-on learning rather than formal education.

O’Steen has demonstrated significant leadership within the National Apartment Association, serving on the Global Outreach Committee for 10 years and chairing it in 2025. She also contributed to the NAA Education Committee for two years. Her eight-year tenure on the Triangle Apartment Association Board of Directors included serving as president in 2015 and immediate past president in 2016.

O’Steen began her professional journey in the food and beverage industry, an experience that taught her the value of hard work and service. “All relationships are built on trust and communication,” O’Steen said. Today, she defines success as supporting her team and ensuring they are highly functional and satisfied with the firm. Outside work, O’Steen enjoys saltwater fishing, both inshore and offshore.

Michael C. Scarafile serves as president and CEO of Carolina One Real Estate Services. Scarafile earned his Bachelor of Arts from the College of Charleston before obtaining his juris doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law.

Scarafile leads a residential real estate company with 150 employees. His leadership in the industry has earned recognition from Charleston Regional Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 and multiple rankings by the Swanepoel Power 200 which recognizes the most powerful leaders in residential real estate. Charleston Business Magazine also named him one of the city’s 50 most influential people.

Beyond his corporate responsibilities, Scarafile serves as 2026 Heart Walk Chairman for the American Heart Association and trustee for the Trident Technical College Foundation. His professional philosophy reflects lessons learned from his first job washing dishes at a seafood restaurant on the Isle of Palms, where he discovered the importance of hard work.

When defining success, Scarafile said, “Making a difference and impact in the lives of those that you come in contact with.” This commitment extends to his personal life, where he has coached the MPFC Landsharks youth soccer team for the past five years, demonstrating his dedication to mentoring the next generation both professionally and personally.

Sharon Wilson earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of South Carolina before beginning a career that included lifeguarding, leading tour groups in Charleston, banking and coordinating advertising for Carolina Ford dealerships. These early experiences revealed her strength as a hands-on people person and salesperson.

As President and Broker-in-Charge of Wilson Associates, Wilson leads a 40-person residential real estate firm that has seen productivity increase 39% over the past year. The company recently launched several high-end luxury developments as exclusive sales partner, including Norden on Stone, Leach Street Commons and 98 E. McBee.

Wilson’s leadership has earned recognition including America’s Top 100 Real Estate Agents, the 2023 South Carolina Business Icon recognition and the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World Diamond Award. She serves on the South Carolina Association of Realtors Professional Standards Board.

Wilson’s approach reflects advice from her father: “If you lose a deal but you did the right thing, you still win. Operating with integrity and kindness is the highest goal and the greatest reward in life.”