An influential and impactful family, the DeWorkens, have made a home and deep roots in

the Greenville community. With a love for their city, the family works to be a part of the growth

and beauty of the city. John and Sunnie’s children, Hatch, Townsend, and Cotton Sims, fondly

say “home downtown,” an innocent and loving tribute to the family’s connection to the heartbeat

of the town and their weekly hikes downtown.

John grew up in Michigan, where his mom was a middle school librarian and his father a

school administrator. Sunnie is a South Carolina native, having grown up close by in

Greenwood. She was a state champion tennis player and went on to become captain of the

nationally ranked Clemson Women’s Tennis team. When asked how they met, they responded:

      Almost twenty years ago, John was working at the Greenville Chamber of Commerce as

      the vice president of public policy and communication. He needed help to create

      a coalition of chambers of commerce in the Upstate to consolidate the area’s

      influence in the General Assembly.

      Unfortunately, John lacked a real go-getter to help get the organization established.

      During the interview process, John received a phone call from Sunnie’s former

      Clemson political science professor, Dr. Dave Woodward. His words were

      simple and short: “If you don’t hire Sunnie Harmon, you’re an idiot.” With that,

      she was hired.

      Sunnie and John, along with other leaders in the Upstate put together the Upstate

      Chamber Coalition. Two years later, Sunnie, who comes from an entrepreneurial

      family, convinced John to start a business with her, which became LobbySC, a

      state-level, pro-business government relations firm. And the rest is history – they

      have been in business for 14 years and married for almost 10. John says this is

      the best decision of his life. He says Sunnie is his rock in everything that he does.

They still own LobbySC. Sunnie loves her work because of the fierce competition and

challenges it presents. John enjoys the ability and possibility to shape policy that will foster more jobs and economic development for the State of South Carolina. John is also on the Greenville City Council. Additionally, Sunnie is on the Colonel Elias Earle Historic District Association Board of Directors and the Artisphere Board. They are a large part of the Greenville community and work hard toward bettering the city for its citizens.

The couple now lives on Earle Street, enjoying the easy walk downtown. They say,

“Earle Street is the most special street. Our neighbors are like family, and our kids love going up and down the street to knock on neighbors’ doors for visits.” Earle Street has a community

association that organizes events throughout the year for the entire family. Some of the

DeWorkens’ favorites are the Derby Party, Fall Picnic, and Halloween!

The DeWorkens often venture to the Saturday Market and to local restaurants such as

Asada, Community Tap, The Commons, and The Anchorage. Sunnie and John have built a

beautiful life in the heart of the city, growing their family and their love. Sunnie describes John

as focused, driven, loving, and compassionate, while John describes her as a devoted mom,

spontaneous, competitive, loving, and thoughtful. Each member of the DeWorken family is a

wonderful and essential part of their tight unit. Their oldest, Hatch (6) attends Stone Academy.

They say he loves soccer and riding his bike, “but would probably drop everything to go

fishing.” Townsend (4) also enjoys riding his bike and anything and everything that involves a

ball. Their youngest, Cotton Sims (2), loves swimming, attending The Little Gym, riding her

scooter, and anything her big brothers do. Of her, Sunnie says, she “seems to be running the

house. She is always keeping her ‘boys’ in line, whether it is rounding them up for dinner or

telling them it is time to clean up.”

During the warm months, the family is outdoors swimming in the pool and traveling.

Hatch has already been to nine countries. Two years ago the family traveled to France, and last

year they spent time touring San Diego. This summer they journeyed to England and Wales and are planning to travel to Croatia, Slovenia, and Greece this upcoming year. Even though having young children on these trips can be challenging, they say it is so worth it and makes every day an adventure.

The arrival of fall brings the family to the stands of the Clemson Football Stadium. They

are loyal fans, cheering on their Tigers all season. John and Sunnie are both Clemson alumni.

John has received three degrees from Clemson, and Sunnie has received two. The family enjoys watching the Tigers and says fall is for college football.

As winter arrives and the family transitions to the holiday season, they look forward to

going to Sunnie’s mom’s house in Greenwood. Every Christmas Eve, Santa arrives for anyone

who spends the night- children and adults! They also look forward to the Holiday Stroll in their

neighborhood, where Santa comes to visit.

All year, the family loves Greenville. They enjoy the hustle and bustle of downtown and frequent

all the pocket parks, Unity Park, and Falls Park. They enjoy the opportunity to walk to their

favorite spots that the city offers, delighting in the fun so close to their residence. This city is

truly their home. They look forward to their future adventures traveling the world and enjoying

their home.