Eugene Ashmore, a quiet man in the background, keeps the Phillis Wheatley Center functioning
- Charles Reams 1
- Nov 19
- 2 min read
The man behind the scenes makes everyone else look good.
How?
They have a fully functional building to hold board meetings, luncheons, festivals, and sporting events.
Nobody thinks about the air conditioning, heating, or plumbing until there is a problem. Then everybody cries for Gene, affectionately called Zip.
Better still, Zip maintains a good schedule so there are few, if any, shutdowns of the vital systems.
At age 69, this Greenville native no longer moves fast; it's all planning and regular maintenance that keep him ahead of the game.
How did he get the nickname "Zip"?
He says with a shy smile, Back in the day, I was pretty fast while playing basketball. And the nickname stuck.
Zip is proud that his building remains a suitable venue for essential meetings.
Zip’s affinity with Phillis Wheatley started when he was about 12 years old. It was his favorite haunt. He played various sports, but basketball was a good fit for his skill set. He was the guy to watch, his peers said.
How did the center help Zip?
Zip is quick to say that the center built character, kept him off the streets, and gave him peace of mind.
How did Zip learn the skills of building maintenance?
He worked at the Greenville Housing Authority for years, supervising two complexes. He says he learned his craft by watching others.
He retired from driving a truck for Greenville Office Supply. He also laid carpet while working for his uncle during the week, and on the weekend, he worked for himself, earning extra money.
Zip says, I’ve been working at the center for 13 years. As the building's superintendent, he keeps things straight.
Zip says he knows who to call when he encounters technical problems. He coordinates repairs and keeps things flowing, he says with pardonable pride.
There is no competition here. Everyone is glad that Zip is on the job.
