Since November 1, 1998, Bernie Mazyck has served as the first President and Chief Executive Officer of the South Carolina Association for Community Economic Development. SCACED is the state's trade association and funding intermediary for Community Development Corporations, Community Development Financial Institutions, and grassroots economic development organizations. Through its network of members and partner organizations, SCACED strives to improve the quality of life for poor families and communities by providing innovative and sustainable solutions to low-wealth communities in South Carolina. SCACED achieves this through capacity building of community-based organizations, attracting public and private capital to local community economic development organizations, as well as influencing the public policy process that benefits poor and marginalized people in South Carolina.
Since his time with SCACED, Bernie helped sheppard the growth of the community economic development movement in South Carolina from 4 organizations to over 150. Under Bernie’s leadership, SCACED and its member organizations developed projects valued at over $150 million, with an economic impact in South Carolina of over $350 million. Through SCACED’s members and partners, over 1,000 families purchased their first home, CED organizations created over 6,000 jobs, and thousands of families built wealth in rural and distressed community in South Carolina. Bernie also served as the chief architect of the passage of the South Carolina Community Economic Development Act. This landmark piece of legislation authorizes the South Carolina General Assembly to provide grants loans and tax credits to certified community economic development organizations in South Carolina. This is the only piece of legislation that provides state support directly to community-based organizations working in poor and rural communities of South Carolina.
Bernie is a graduate of Charleston Southern University with a BS in Biology, and of the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia with a Master of Divinity degree, with a concentration in Ministry with the Poor. In 2000, Bernie completed the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at the John F. Kennedy School at Harvard University.
Currently Bernie serves on the following Boards: Past Chairman of the National Alliance for Community Economic Development Associations (Washington, DC), Assets and Opportunity Network Steering Committee (Washington, DC), Rural Innovators Learning Group (Washington, DC), Rural Resource Coalition of South Carolina, South Carolina Community Capital Alliance, Alliance for Healthier South Carolina, Center for Heirs Property Preservation, SC Translational Research Advisory Board of MUSC, Connectional Ministries of the United Methodist Church of South Carolina.
Bernie is the 2004 recipient of the Order of the Silver Crescent from Governor Mark Sanford and the 2014 recipient of the Order of the Palmetto from former Governor Nikki Haley. The Order of the Palmetto is the state’s highest civilian honor for service to the state.

Amber Stewart is a Program Director for the South Carolina Association for Community Economic Development (SCACED)

In her role at SCACED, Amber oversees the Community Development Institute Training program, CIF grant program, SC Department of Commerce CED Certification Program, and the CD Tax Credit program. She also supports the President with Policy initiatives. Amber also plays a critical role in planning SCACED’s annual conference, Opportunity SC, which is the largest comprehensive community development convention and forum in South Carolina.

Prior to joining SCACED, Amber worked for Department of Social Services right out of college. “Seeing the constant systemic barriers parents faced to provide for their children encouraged me to pursue my master’s in social work specializing in Social, Community, Economic Development to advocate for families and communities,” said Amber.

After growing up in Clinton, Missouri, Amber completed her undergraduate at Missouri State University and received her Master of Social Work from the University of South Carolina in 2017. She first started working at SCACED as an intern while earning her master’s degree and was hired full-time after graduation in 2018. She also participated and completed Francis Marion University’s Fred R. Sheheen Non-Profit Leadership Institute.