A native Greenvillian, Phil swore he would leave for college and explore the world. He wound up 12 miles north at Furman University where he outkicked his coverage by dating Cary Copenhaver. He has had the joy of doing life with her as almost empty-nesters with 4 kids along the way in their 30 years together.
For much of his adult life, Phil has been a pastor in Presbyterian Churches. He hung around long enough and paid his tuition on time to earn a Doctor of Ministry degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 2017. As Chaplain at Guest & Brady, he offers a ministry of presence, perspective, and prayer. He also leads the Care Team which focuses on serving and celebrating Guest & Brady team members, their families, and the wider Greenville community.
In his spare time, Phil enjoys long walks with Cary on the Swamp Rabbit Trail, college football in Death Valley, spending time outside cycling and landscaping, camping out in local bookstores with a cup of coffee and stack of magazines, and finding good deals at area thrift shops.