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Columbia Business Monthly

Ed Mullins Named 2018 United Way Humanitarian Of The Year

Oct 29, 2018 11:23AM ● By Kathleen Maris
United Way of the Midlands will honor Edward W. Mullins, Jr. as the 2018 Humanitarian of the Year award recipient at United Way’s annual Humanitarian of the Year Dinner and Award Ceremony on Thursday, February 21, 2019 at the University of South Carolina Alumni Center.

The Humanitarian of the Year Award is given each year to individuals who clearly demonstrate extraordinary leadership in philanthropic and human services. It is the highest single honor of philanthropic achievement in the Midlands.

“The Humanitarian of the Year Award is an occasion for us to come together and celebrate the tireless efforts of our community’s most prolific philanthropists, and I’m thrilled that this year’s recipient is Ed Mullins,” said Andy Folsom, chairman of the United Way of the Midlands Board of Directors. “We look forward to the opportunity to celebrate his tremendous impact on the Midlands.”

Mullins recently retired after 58 years with Nelson Mullins, where he was among the firm’s leaders who began the growth that would lead to offices in other cities and states, an expansion of legal practice areas, a more diverse work environment, and a significant commitment to pro bono and community service. The firm now consists of 770 attorneys in 25 offices in 11 states and the District of Columbia.

"Ed will be remembered as a razor-sharp litigator with an encyclopedic knowledge of the law who brings out the best in others,” said U.S. District Court for South Carolina Judge Joe Anderson, himself a recipient of the United Way of the Midlands Humanitarian of the Year Award. “It's been said that what you leave behind is not what's engraved on stone monuments, but what has been woven into the lives of others. Ed's been a strong gold thread in the brilliant tapestry of our lives."

Whether mentoring young lawyers and encouraging them to engage in community service or giving his personal time, talent, and treasure to organizations like United Way of the Midlands, Mullins always made giving back to his community a priority.

“Ed Mullins has been a champion for United Way and our community for many years,” said United Way President and CEO Sara Fawcett. “We are delighted to have the opportunity to recognize him for his generosity, his passion, and his commitment to making the Midlands and the state of South Carolina a better place for everyone.”