What does it look like when a local business treats community impact as the real bottom line? We sit down with Ken French of Crews Subaru at the Mount Pleasant Business and Community Expo to unpack a hands-on approach to giving that runs deeper than sponsorship logos and ad copy. Ken shares nine years of presenting sponsorship with the Chamber Expo, the roots of a family-driven dealership, and the decision to measure success by the smiles that come from service days, not sales charts.
You’ll hear vivid moments from Surfers Healing at Folly Beach—kids with autism inching toward the ocean, trusting pro surfers, and riding back in with joy that fills the shore. Ken walks through partnerships with the Ronald McDonald House, Make-A-Wish, and a network of animal shelters across the Lowcountry, showing why Crews Subaru doesn’t pick one cause for optics but commits to many where presence matters. He also explains how team members get involved, from river cleanups to in-showroom wish reveals, turning everyday work into meaningful memories and a durable culture.
We also get into Subaru’s Love Promise and its five pillars—love to care, help, pets, earth, and learning—and how October’s Subaru Loves Pets month and National Make A Dog’s Day spotlight “less adoptable” animals who deserve a home. Ken is candid about stepping back from day-to-day operations while leaning into the role that gives him energy: community work. In a relationship-driven city like Charleston, the payoff comes later, and that’s the point—do the right thing first, let trust do the rest.
If you care about purpose-led business, corporate social responsibility that feels real, and the power of local partnerships, this conversation will stick with you. Follow, share with a friend who loves Charleston or rescue pets, and leave a review to tell us which nonprofit we should feature next.
Presenting Sponsor: Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce
Studio Sponsor: Charleston Media Solutions
Expo Podcast Sponsor: @PollenSocial
Production Sponsor: RMBO.co
Design Sponsor: DK Design
Committee:
Kathleen Herrmann | Host | MPCC Immediate Past President | Mount Pleasant Towne Centre
Mike Compton | Co-host | Marketing Chair | RMBO.co
Rebecca Imholz | Co-host | MPCC Executive Director
Amanda Bunting Comen | Co-host | Social ABCs
Ben Nesvold | Co-host | In-coming President | Edward Jones
