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SOUTHERN CHARMER

Stacy Cureton's home is in South Carolina, and so is her heart.

by Jim Morgan

It's a balmy Friday afternoon in late summer, and Stacy Cureton is out of the office. More precisely, she's outdoors, surrounded by the century-old magnolias and shady oaks that frame The Inn at Merridun, an authentic antebellum mansion in Union, South Carolina. Given the humidity, Stacy is staying remarkably cool. Still, she admits having some misgivings about how she looks to the camera lens facing her.

"I am so not a model," she disclaims. "I never like how I look in pictures." The nearest ancient oak seems to nod its branches in a show of solidarity. "Do people ever really like pictures of themselves?" she wonders aloud. "I can't remember ever hearing someone say, 'Gee, I look fantastic in this picture!' I don't think that happens very often."

An account manager at RL Hudson's Southeast Sales & Distribution Center in nearby Greer, Stacy wields a candor that makes her good at her job. Her customers know that, when they call, they can always count on getting the straight story. But her forthrightness is balanced with friendliness and a desire to excel, all of which combine to make Stacy a genuine southern charmer.

BORN GROWN-UP Born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina, Stacy embodied calm and confidence from an early age. "She was very well-behaved," says an unabashedly biased source, her mother Frieda. "She's an only child, and she was always very independent and mature, a born grown-up. I remember asking her once if she'd like a little brother or sister. She thought about it, then said, 'No, I like things just fine the way they are.' I had to laugh."

Active in cheerleading, softball, and dance while growing up, Stacy steered clear of the typical teenage turmoil. "As a hairdresser," confides Frieda, "I hear all about the troubles that other people's children get into, but, honestly, it's hard for me to relate. Stacy was never a problem."

"It wasn't that I was perfect," Stacy clarifies with a laugh. "Or even that I was trying to be. It was just that mom and I were so close that she knew me too well. I couldn't really get away with anything!"

DEDICATED MOM Two decades later, Stacy is mom to two children of her own. Well, not children exactly; daughter Cassey is a freshman at the University of South Carolina, and son Joshua is a sophomore at Wade Hampton High School in Greenville. As you might expect, Stacy is as proud as she can be of both.

"Cassey heading off to college was a big moment," she says, moisture manifesting at the corners of her eyes. "She's only an hour or so away, but just the idea of her out there finding her way in the world makes me so proud. And Josh is the best son a mom could ever have. Between his paintball league and his in-line hockey, he keeps me running!"

"Mom is selfless," says Cassey. "She gives up so much just so my brother and I can do what we want. She would do anything to make the people close to her happy. If she is involved in something, she is always dedicated and dependable. That's why I know that, no matter what it is I need, she'll be there."

Stacy's dedication is evident even to those beyond her immediate family. "Stacy is a wonderful mother," agrees former co-worker and longtime fan Jim Moore. "She displays more caring and giving than any other person I've ever met in my life. And she shows persistence to always see things through, whether at home or at work."

TEAM PLAYER Stacy's persistent nature has served her well in her role as account manager for RL Hudson. Having joined the company in the summer of 2000, Stacy is part of a seven-person team in Greer. Her primary responsibility is facilitating the accounts of Territory Manager Steve Brockman. He has plenty of praise for Stacy's attitude and effectiveness.

"Stacy gets along with everyone: customers, suppliers, and fellow employees," says Steve. "We all love working with her, especially her customers. On more than one occasion, Stacy has worked on Saturday to help a customer with an expedited delivery or some other special situation. Her dedication to our company and our customers is one more reason RL Hudson has continued to grow."

Fellow Account Manager Susan Vick agrees wholeheartedly. "Stacy was such a tremendous help when I started at RL Hudson," Susan says. "She was always willing to answer my many questions, and she was extremely helpful during my recent maternity leave. She stepped in and took over my responsibilities so that I could be with my baby and not worry about whether things were taken care of at work."

"It's like a mutual admiration society around here," jokes Stacy. "But truthfully, we all like and respect each other. We're all on the same page when it comes to our customers; we all want them to be as successful as possible. It's a matter of company pride."

HEART IN THE SOUTH Pride also figures prominently in Stacy's devotion to her home state. Shown the photos in which she is standing in front of the Inn at Merridun, Stacy exclaims, but not over how she looks. She'll later admit, under direct questioning, to being pleased, but her first reaction, characteristically enough, is to point out how beautiful the 150-year-old mansion behind her looks.

"That's the type of beauty we have in abundance here," she reflects. "Stately homes, and rich history. For me, there's something about this part of the country that just feels so right. The people are wonderful, and the area is beautiful. You can go two hours in one direction and be in the mountains, or two hours in the other direction and be at the beach. You can't get that everywhere!"

But when it gets right down to it, Stacy's happiness has more to do with biography than with geography.

"This is my home," she nods. "It's where I belong, where I feel most content and most comfortable. This is where my heart is."