What does trust look like in action?
Sometimes, it looks like showing up when no one is watching. Sometimes, it looks like doing the right thing even when the right thing takes a little more time. And sometimes, it looks like a room full of businesses, students, community leaders, and changemakers gathered together to celebrate integrity in motion.
Southern Energy Management (SEM) is honored to share that we have been named a 2026 Torchbearer by Better Business Bureau of Eastern Carolinas.
This recognition celebrates BBB members that demonstrate a strong commitment to integrity, transparency, trust, and ethical business practices. For our team, that makes this milestone especially meaningful. Since 2001, SEM has worked to improve the way people make and use energy, and we have always believed that how we do the work matters just as much as the work itself.
From helping homeowners go solar, to supporting builders and developers with better-performing buildings, to partnering with businesses on cleaner energy solutions, our mission has always been rooted in providing outstanding service.
Celebrating Businesses That Lead With Trust
We are proud to be recognized alongside 23 other companies across North Carolina that are helping strengthen the way businesses show up for their customers, teams, and communities.
A big congratulations to our fellow 2026 Eastern Carolinas Torchbearers:
- Air Experts Heating and Cooling
- Artisan Quality Roofing
- Atlantic Tire & Service
- Gil-Man Florist
- Pro-Coat Paint Services
- Apex Cary Insurance
- Wake County Home Buyers
- Anita’s Marketing Concepts
- Bilingual Communications
- Eco Pro Mulch & Erosion Control
- Parkway SleepHealth Centers
- MD Handyman Services
- Insight Pest Solutions
- Premier Flooring & Design
- AGRU America, Inc.
- Career Development Resources
- Creative Ways Cleaning, Inc.
- Flamingo Rides
- Gutter Protection Services
- Inlet Fencing & General Contracting
- Mark Burlinson Communication Coaching
- MGA Travel
- Pound Real Estate Partners
It is energizing to be in the company of organizations that are choosing to lead with honesty, accountability, and care.
A Night of Recognition, Reflection, and Inspiration
SEM’s Laurie Colwander (Director of Multifamily Services & Co-Owner) and Alyssa Hardbower (Marketing Director) accepted the award on behalf of our team at the BBB awards celebration, hosted at Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh.
The evening brought together business leaders from across the region who share a common belief: doing business the right way still matters. It was a chance to celebrate transparency, ethical leadership, and the kind of community trust that is built one decision, one customer interaction, and one follow-through at a time.
And while receiving the Torchbearer recognition was a proud moment for SEM, one of the brightest parts of the evening came from the scholarship award winners. Their stories, goals, and vision for the future were a powerful reminder that the next generation of leaders is already stepping forward with courage, creativity, and purpose.
Why This Recognition Matters to SEM
Being named a BBB Torchbearer is a meaningful reflection of how each person on our team shows up and lives out our core values:
- Seeking solutions instead of getting stuck
- Never settling instead of defaulting to the status quo
- Shifting from “have to” to “get to”, even when tasks get tough
- Investing in the greater good, prioritizing our impact on others
- And remembering to enjoy the journey along the way
It recognizes not just one person or one business channel, but the collective effort of a team that cares deeply about people, planet, and the promises we make.
We are honored to carry this torch, and even more excited about our journey ahead.