Howard was born in Houston, Texas, on January 28, 1958. He graduated from Greenville High School in 1976 and earned a Bachelor of Science in Building Construction from Clemson University in 1980. In 1986, his first son Mark was born, followed by his daughter Allison in 1987. A devoted father, husband, and friend, Howard started his own commercial painting company, Mecklenburg Paint, at age 31, building it from scratch and treating clients with respect. He and Liz married in 1994, and their son Ben was born in 1997. Liz became majority owner of Mecklenburg Paint in 2009, making it a Woman-Owned Business. Howard passed away on July 29, 2018, after a two-year battle with cancer. He created lasting memories with clients, friends, and family. An outdoor enthusiast, he enjoyed fishing, hunting, golfing, hiking, biking, skiing, and traveling. Known for his beautiful smile and kind personality, he was a dedicated Clemson Tigers fan. We all miss him dearly and appreciate the incredible support from 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.

“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.”

Howard Etheredge

Mecklenburg Paint Company Founder