E-mail a friend.

Matthew Madden

Mary Douglas Neal Hirsch

by: Amber Teague '10

October 2, 2009

Matthew Madden ‘04 and Mary Douglas Neal Hirsch ‘01 have recently been named to Greenville Magazine's "Best & Brightest 35 & Under" list for 2009. The list identifies 35 exemplary Greenville businesspeople under the age of 35 who are leaders in their professional careers and in the community.

Madden, ranked nineteenth on this list, is a manager in the tax department at Elliott Davis, a regional accounting firm in the southeast. The business administration major while at PC provides tax services to businesses in the real estate industry.

“PC's liberal arts education really helps students gain a solid base understanding of a variety of subjects,” Madden said. “This has been particularly helpful for me in needing to understand a wide range of client's business models and the industries they operate in.”

Madden also volunteers with Professionals United for Leadership and Social Enrichment, the United Way, and History Makers of the Upcountry History Museum, and serves on PC's Young Alumni board.

When at PC, Madden served as treasurer for Theta Chi fraternity and was also actively involved with the accounting club and the Society for the Advancement of Management. He studied abroad with the business department at Oxford University in England during the summer of 2002 and went on to receive a master’s in accounting from the University of Georgia in 2005.

Hirsch, ranked fourteenth on the list, is the Downtown Development Manager in the City of Greenville Economic Development Department. The St. Matthew United Methodist Church member is involved with several non-profit or charitable organizations, including Main Street Events, Junior League of Greenville, March of Dimes, and the Urban Land Institute "Young Leaders" Group. She also serves on PC's Young Alumni board.

Hirsch says PC professors provided an example for her.

“They treated me with great respect, and they believed in my future,” Hirsch said. “I am so thankful to them for the difference they made in my life and for the help they gave me in establishing my foundation. I saw the example they provided and wanted to be a good person like them.”

While at PC, Hirsch majored in business administration and management. She participated in Student Volunteer Services projects and served as the SVS volunteer coordinator for two years. Hirsch was a member of Society for the Advancement of Management (SAM), Omicron Delta Kappa, and Alpha Delta Pi sorority. She, like Madden, studied abroad in Oxford, England.

Madden and Hirsch join John Otten ’95, a Greenville CPA, on the list of PC alumni named to Greenville Magazine’s Best and Brightest list.

“PC always emphasizes the importance of serving and being involved in the community,” Madden said. “This is probably why PC alumni have always represented the college well in their careers. There are many deserving alumni in the Greenville area who have received this honor, and I expect that trend to continue in the future.”