After 28 years in the family business, learning and improving managerial skills, day to day operations, and customer service standards, we have started our own venture. Common Threads Embroidery aims to assist customers in improving their branding and marketing through apparel embellishment and functionality.

Jocassee Designs is a family owned business started by my father Shelley Blount and his partner, Ed Edwards in 1985. We have grown from a single 12-head embroidery machine to over 30 embroidery machines totaling 288 heads.I started with the company after 4 years in the US Army (82nd Airborne) and have worked in all areas of the business starting in shipping, moved into digitizing and the machine setup process, was involved in outside sales for a few years, and eventually took over the management of our largest customer, TaylorMade-adidas Golf. During my first few years with the company, I also completed my BA work at Wofford College, graduating in 1995.

Entered the military in Febuary 1988. Completed basic training at Fort Dix, NJ in April 1988. Completed advanced individual training in Nuclear/Biological/Chemical Weapons training at Fort McClellan, AL in August, 1988. Completed individual Paratrooper school at Fort Benning in September 1988. Assigned to Bravo Co., 407th Supply and Transportaion Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC in October 1988. While assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division participated in Market Garden III, a division wide combat simulation training exercise as well as training missions at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, CA and the Joint Readiness Training Center in Fort Chaffee, AR. Individually completed the Primary Leadership Development Course and Basic Non-commissioned Officer Couse. In December 1989, participated in Operation Just Cause (Panama invasion) and in August 1990 was part of the initial deployment to Saudi Arabia as part of Operation Desert Shield. Remained in Saudi Arabia/Iraq until the end of hostilities in March 1991.