Bergamo, Italy | Kortrijk, Belgium | Greenville, SC, USA | Tianjin, FTZ, PRC | Vadodara, Gujarat, India

About Greenville Sister Cities

At the close of World War II, international relationships had suffered and the global environment was tense. Responding to this tension, President Dwight Eisenhower proposed his “People-to-People” idea which stressed that developing personal, international relationships between people at all levels of society would rejuvenate global ties, lessening the chance of future world conflicts.

The National League of Cities was formed in the 1950s to put Eisenhower’s ideas into practice. Due to enormous growth and popularity of the mother organization, Sister Cities International (SCI) was established as a separate non-profit group in 1956. Today, SCI works to develop international relationships which promote cultural understanding and stimulate economic development.

In 1984, SCI’s Greenville chapter was formed to pursue Eisenhower’s dream of a peaceful planet. In today’s world, Eisenhower’s words are as crucial as ever.

Leadership Team

  • President  – Craig Lundgren
  • Vice President 
  • Secretary  –
  • Treasurer  – Stephen Shaughnessy
  • Communications

City Program Directors

  • Bergamo, Italy – Josie Williams; Tamar Zwerdling
  • Kortrijk, Belgium – Stijn Van de Velde
  • Tianjin, Free-Trade Zone – Zhigang Tian
  • Clermont-Ferrand, France

Life Members

  • Jack Parillo

In Memoriam

  • Roger Varin, Sr.
  • Clarence Buurman
  • Tom Sowden

Board Members

  • Hank Hyatt, Greenville Chamber of Commerce
  • Kevin Howard, City of Greenville
  • Yuji Kishimoto, Professor Emeritus Clemson University
  • Jenny McGrady, Beck International Academy
  • Alka Bhavsar

Affiliate Members

  • Tracie Frese – Upstate International
  • Jane Cahaly – SC Sister Cities International
  • David Esch – Design Thinkers Group
  • Julie Horton – Director of Governmental Relations, Greenville County Schools