Howard Jay Etheredge
Founder of Mecklenburg Paint Company, Inc.
January 28th, 1958 - July 29th, 2018
Howard and Liz Etheredge, CEO of Mecklenburg Paint Company, Inc.
Howard was born in Houston, Texas. He graduated from Greenville High School and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Building Construction from Clemson University. He became a proud father with the birth of his son Mark, followed two years later by his daughter Allison.
A devoted father, husband, and friend, Howard founded Mecklenburg Paint at the age of 31, building the company from scratch and treating every client with genuine respect. He and Liz married a few years later, and their son Ben arrived soon after. In 2010, Liz became the majority owner of Mecklenburg Paint, officially establishing it as a Woman-Owned Business.
Howard passed away in 2018 after a courageous two-year battle with cancer. He created lasting memories with clients, friends, and family, who remember him for his kindness, warm smile, and unwavering integrity. An avid outdoorsman, he loved fishing, hunting, golfing, hiking, biking, skiing, and traveling—and he was a passionate Clemson Tigers fan.
We miss him dearly and remain deeply grateful for the tremendous support from our clients and friends.
Annual Scholarship
In 2021, Mecklenburg Paint Company established the Howard J. Etheredge ’80 Memorial Scholarship Endowment at Clemson University. This fund provides scholarships to students studying Construction Science and Management (CSM). The Clemson University Scholarship Office will select recipients based on university policies, and the scholarship is for students pursuing a degree in CSM at Clemson University.
Howard had a big heart and would be so proud that his company and family support these programs.
Howard with his daughter, Allison, and his son, Ben, tailgating at a Clemson Football Game. One of the activities he loved the most!
“We built our business on relationships of trust, quality work and service.
We are family owned and operated, dependable, loyal and honest.
We give back to our community and have a wonderful team.”
Mecklenburg Paint Company, Founder
