McCumbee is St. Patrick’s Day parade grand marshal

Jeri Lorraine McCumbee was born and raised in Horry County and graduated from Green Sea Floyds High School. She is the daughter of Toni Phillips and Bobby McCumbee. She grew up in the farming world of tobacco, a major crop when she was a child. After graduation, she attended Spartanburg Methodist College. There was no keeping the salt out of her hair, so she returned to the coast.

Of course, the only jobs for young people on the beach in the 80’s were the tourist and restaurant industries. Jeri worked at several iconic businesses including Crazy Zacks, The Farmer’s Daughter and Tony’s Italian restaurant.

After having her daughter, Jessica, she decided a career was her next goal. She started working at Access Medical Center in 1992 and would go on to become a partner in 2003. Working with patients and coming from a rural area, Jeri was always aware of those in need. She began her volunteer roles in 2000 working with the boys and girls homes in North Carolina at Christmas. Soon after she joined the North Myrtle Beach Woman’s Club. Being a part of the woman’s club has been a core part of her life. She was selected to the executive board where she served as first vice president from 2010-2014. She was named chair of the fundraising and means committee in 2003. She created and developed the “Purses with Purpose” charity event which has been the club’s most successful and profitable fundraiser. She is celebrating the eighth year of this event, raising over $325,000 in the past seven years. This money has allowed the NMB Woman’s Club to support 35 nonprofit organizations including giving scholarships to North Myrtle Beach High School students. Jeri was named the General Federation of Women’s Clubs Volunteer of the Year in 2017. She is currently in her second term as Coastal District vice president.

Jeri also served on the North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce board, executive board and then went on to be the chairman of the board in 2016 as well as the chair of the Chamber Foundation. This role gave her an opportunity to meet and work with business leaders, government leaders and community members. She co-chaired the Building North Myrtle Beach 2.0 campaign and helped the Chamber raise funds for marketing and diversifying the economy as well as funds for the Foundation. Those Foundation dollars were used to support nonprofit groups and give scholarships to deserving students at Horry Georgetown Technical College. She also supported and helped raise funds for the Ride 3 Program to help extend Highway 31 and repair roads in Horry County.

Close to her heart is the need for medical care in our area, so when asked to serve as co-chair for the Loris Seacoast fundraising efforts, of course she said yes. She was co-chair and then chair of all of the hospital galas that raised money for indigent patient care, the Children’s Pediatric Rehab Center, furnishings for the nursing home/rehab facility in Loris, 3D mammography equipment and the remodeling of the OB department at Loris to name a few. During this time a merger with McLeod was just what the hospitals needed to expand and grow our physician base and access to a larger medical healthcare system. Jeri was asked to serve on the newly created Foundation Board and she gladly accepted this role. Not only do they advise and assist with fundraising efforts, they review and distribute funds to grant requests from departments within the hospital for equipment, money and training that is not always in the operational budget. As part of this, Jeri serves on the golf tournament committee which is now the fundraiser for the Foundation. She also serves on the community partners committee that invites community members to get engaged with the McLeod Hospital system and how the hospital works. She attended and graduated from the first McLeod Seacoast Fellows program in 2017. She was named McLeod Health’s Volunteer of the Year in 2016.

Jeri’s current endeavor is chairing the Carolina Music in the Park benefit concert to raise funds to build a domestic violence shelter in Horry County. When the mayor of North Myrtle Beach asked you to help with such an important project, how do you say no. So plans are underway for a country music concert at the North Myrtle Beach Sports Complex on Oct. 17, 2020, with all the proceeds going to the Family Justice Center of Georgetown to build a shelter in Horry County. This is a business owners, government officials, civic organizations and community members event. All are coming together for the betterment of our community and to help women and children who have no where to turn.

Throughout her 28 years at Access Medical Center in North Myrtle Beach she has served on several advisory boards at Horry Georgetown and Miller Motte Technical Colleges. She regularly hosts medical students in her office providing the much needed training that young people must get before entering the workforce.  Her office has worked with several fundraising efforts over the years to assist flood victims, children with cancer, the homeless and those with no healthcare.

Jeri’s reward in life is helping others succeed and flourish. She loves the North Myrtle Beach community and is so proud to be part of its success and growth. She has raised five girls here and now four grandchildren with a new one due in August.

Mother, Nana, business owner and philanthropist keeps this woman on the move.

Jeri McCumbee will serve as the grand marshal for the North Myrtle Beach St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 14, beginning at 8:50 a.m. and traveling down Main Street.