Congaree Home Center was established by my grandfather and grandmother, Lester and Jerri Newton. I am the third generation of Newtons that own and operate Congaree Home Center. Lester and Jerri started Congaree Home Center, Inc. in 1991. They started this company so that they could have something to do while they were semi-retired, and here it is 17 years later and they have built a successful company with a solid foundation that is going to last another 17 years and that I am proud to be a part of.

Congaree Home Center named "Best in the Industry": Lester Newton, Jerri Newton, Art Newton, Stacey Newton

To give you some insight on the owner, Lester Newton: he's a man with the biggest heart and would bend over backwards twice for anyone, yet he is stubborn and a true business man—and to me the smartest businessman I know. He believes that you always do the best you can; you treat others the way you want to be treated, and always do what’s right. At the age of 73, I have seen my poppa go to customers’ homes and plant Crape Myrtle trees with his tractor. I have seen him spend all day with his tractor raking and backfilling in 90-degree weather around a the home of a customer who couldn't afford it elsewhere. And I have seen him feed his animals on his farm at 10 p.m. so that his customers could be 100% satisfied and taken care of no matter what time he arrived home. Lester saw a need in the Columbia area for a dealership to provide quality built homes at affordable prices, and a company that would treat people with respect and honesty.

A year after opening, Art Newton, my father, joined the company after being in truck and car sales for over 10 years. Art is another owner and has been a huge part of Congaree since its beginning in management and in sales. Art is very involved in the MHISC (Manufactured Housing Institute of South Carolina), where he has served as President and is currently a chair member.

I joined the company after I graduated from LSU in 2001, and, as I learned the family business, I came to understand how much effort my grandfather and father put into making sure that their customers were happy and 100% satisfied with both the service they received and the quality of their home.

Our service manager, Judy Brown, has been with us since 2004. She diligently works to keep our customers taken care of and makes sure that all their service issues are handled in a timely and professional manner.

Again I am so lucky to be able to work with my father, my grandfather, my grandmother and the Congaree Home Center family as we learn and grow every day. This company was started on the belief that you must treat everyone like they are a part of your family, and we want each of our customers to feel like they have been treated like they are a part of our Congaree Home Center family.

	Stacey Newton Congaree Home Center