Authentic: Joel Lourie

To this issue’s Fig Authentic, Joel Lourie, philanthropy is simple. It’s about “seeing needs and taking action,” whether that’s through a monetary donation, volunteering, or civic leadership. 

Joel enacted this philosophy throughout his 18-year tenure in the South Carolina State Legislature, following in the footsteps of his father, Senator Isadore Lourie, who advocated for working people and built a bridge between Black and White communities during the Civil Rights Movement. Both his father and his mother, Susan—who was incredibly active in the community in her own right—shaped Joel’s outlook on public engagement and the tremendous impact even just one person can make.

During his own time in the state legislature, Joel put in the work—treating his role as a true office job. He showed up at the South Carolina State House each day, working a nine-to-five and leading the charge on several bills aimed at creating lasting change: increasing insurance coverage on treatments for children with autism, mandating the use of seatbelts in vehicles, and reducing instances of underage smoking and drinking.

When he felt that chapter was complete, he began the next, founding Lourie Life & Health. With offices in Greenville, Columbia, and Myrtle Beach, LLH connects South Carolinians with a wide range of health insurance, life insurance, and Medicare plans. Always local and free from pressure, Joel and his team are ethically bound to work in their clients’ best interests at no cost to them—and Joel wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Lourie Life and Health, to me, is just an extension of my work in the legislature,” Joel says. There, he continues his legacy of creating affordable access to health insurance, all the while giving back to the community through their company volunteer program, Lourie Lends a Hand.

For the past three years, the LLH team has visited a South Carolina non-profit each month, putting in several hours of work wherever they’re needed. The group rotates each month, with several members from different divisions within the company taking a paid day out of the office to volunteer. 

Over the years, they’ve volunteered everywhere from the Palmetto Place Children & Youth Services (our 2025 Social Mission) to the Ronald McDonald House and United Ministries in Greenville. Joel’s only criteria for selecting participating non-profits: “Where can we take half a dozen people and make a difference?”

Lourie Life & Health donates to over 50 non-profits across South Carolina annually, but to Joel, the Lourie Lends a Hand program is just as important as a financial donation.

“I think it’s important to give more than just money; to give time, to give work, to be ambassadors for this non-profit community.” he shares.

Whether he’s serving in the South Carolina State Senate or leading his company, Joel does just that every single day.

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