INVESTOR UPDATE FEBRUARY 2015
MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT WWW.CHARLESTONCHAMBER.NET OR CALL 843.577.2510
DRIVING GROWTH. Becoming a world-class metropolitan region. CONTENTS Letter from Leadership
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Innovation 2 Talent 4 Advocacy 6 AGC Investors
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4500 Leeds Avenue, Suite 100 North Charleston, SC 29405 www.charlestonchamber.net p: 843.577.2510
Dear Accelerate Greater Charleston Partner: Great businesses, leading-edge organizations and dynamic metro areas all have one thing in common – a passionate drive to improve. As part of Accelerate Greater Charleston, you, our valued investors and partners, ensure that the most important facets of our region are at their competitive best. Four years ago, we collectively agreed that as a metropolitan area we need to up our game in strategically positioning three core areas – talent, innovation and advocacy – as drivers for our region’s future success. All Accelerate Greater Charleston efforts have been geared to ensure that our communities are able to provide optimal settings for the support and growth of our businesses and citizens through new and dramatic partnerships and programs in these focus areas. Talent stands at the center of our metro’s requisite resource and asset mix demonstrated by the tremendous growth of our regional economy and by the ongoing retirement of our “baby boomer” generation workforce. This AGC Investor Update captures the phenomenal growth and success of our public high school systems’ Career Academy programs. Curriculum in 10th, 11th and 12th grades for STEM Engineering and Manufacturing, Health Sciences, Culinary Arts/ Hospitality and Business and IT/Software is being absorbed by your future workforce. Twentythree AGC-supported Career Academies, 82 business partners, hundreds of teachers and thousands of students are partnering to assure that future graduates are career-ready. Bringing business innovation knowledge, assets and resources to bear for new and scalable entrepreneurs is at the heart of the AGC-sponsored Catalyst Center and the Chamber’s international trade training efforts. Budding, mature and internationally-focused entrepreneurs are attaining competitive success much faster due to the opportunity to rapidly marshal the capital, intellectual and mentor ingredients required to build a successful business. The right business environment is the fertile ground that every business needs for success in today’s globally competitive economy. AGC-supported advocacy efforts are differentiating our region from in- and out-of-state metro competitors. Impressive 2014 lobbying wins and an aggressive 2015 slate of advocacy priorities ensures our region’s success as a ripe setting for business. Thank you for your on-going AGC partnership, your support and your leadership. Whether you are at the helm of a private sector company, a forward-thinking elected official or an inspired entrepreneur, you are leading the way to our region’s future. Respectfully yours,
Laura G. Varn 2015 Chair of the Board Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce
Bryan S. Derreberry President and CEO Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce
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INNOVATE TO CATALYZE DYNAMIC AND FAST-PACED BUSINESS SUCCESS Building a thriving economy to secure our region on the global commerce stage is made possible through Accelerate Greater Charleston. Catalyst Center in Full Swing Since its opening in August of 2014, the Catalyst Center (located on the 2nd floor of the Charleston Metro Chamber) has been well received by the business community both as a resource center and as an off-site meeting venue. As the region’s space for entrepreneurs and scalable small businesses, the Catalyst Center provides numerous benefits for both Chamber members and non-members. Chamber member organizations may use the Catalyst Center in various ways – as a place to work between meetings; as a meeting facility; and as a program and information resource for business growth. The Catalyst Center holds up to 50 people for a private, informal meeting. The Inspiration Room, with conference table and white board, seats up to 14 people, and the Mentor Room provides a small space for meetings of up to four. The Catalyst Center offers entrepreneurs and scalable small business owners valuable resources. By joining the eCrowd, entrepreneurial businesses that are not yet ready to become Chamber members receive access to programs, events, networking and other benefits aimed at starting, growing and innovating a business. Upcoming programs include the Small Business Innovation Workshop, Inspiration Lunches and more. View more information at catalystcenterchs.com and visit the Chamber to see this dynamic new space. Jo Ann Miksa-Blackwell, Entrepreneur and Small Business Director The Chamber welcomes a new addition to the team – Jo Ann Miksa-Blackwell, Entrepreneur and Small Business Director. In this new position, Jo Ann leads the Chamber’s entrepreneurial and small business advancement efforts as well as directing and managing the programs, services and assets of the Catalyst Center. Jo Ann will also liaise on behalf of the Chamber with small business and entrepreneurial organizations and assist in growing the Charleston metro region’s entrepreneurial footprint. Jo Ann brings over 20 years of business management experience to her role, along with a career in entrepreneurial support, development and leadership. Prior to joining the Charleston Metro Chamber she served as the Director of Entrepreneurship for Mountain BizCapital (Asheville, N.C.) where she worked for more than 10 years. She earned her Masters of Entrepreneurship and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at Western Carolina University. Meet Jo Ann during your next visit to the Catalyst Center.
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“SINCE WE COMPLETED THE PROGRAM, GEL LABORATORIES WAS AWARDED A CONTRACT FOR WORK IN CANADA THAT’S GENERATED OVER $100K OF REVENUE.” Mac Hodgson, Vice President, The GEL Group, Inc.
Companies Entering International Trade The region’s export economy is growing as a result of strategic training and support provided by the Charleston Metro Chamber and World Trade Center Charleston. Eleven companies completed the Export Training Program in 2014, and a new group is scheduled to begin the program in February, with another session to be offered in the summer. Companies that have successfully completed the training are reporting success in their export progress. One company has secured $112,000 in export sales, and another has secured over $2 million in pending transactions with other countries. The four-day intensive program provides individualized training with a nationally acclaimed trainer and exporter, and results in the development of a customized export plan for a fraction of the cost of other export training programs. Additional value is experienced through ongoing mentor relationships and the support of customized market research services provided through the College of Charleston International Business School interns who are matched to each program participant. In addition to the expertise acquired for international trade during the training programs, the companies participating have enjoyed the collaborations and relationships developed through the training process.
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TALENT FUELS SPEED TO IMPLEMENTATION AND ENHANCED PRODUCTIVITY Accelerate Greater Charleston works to provide our region’s employers with a highly skilled, work ready talent pool. Expanding Academy Partnerships Generate Creative Learning Experiences With over 82 Career Academy Partners in place throughout the metro, creative experiences are igniting students’ career interests. Here are just a few examples of businesses and educators collaborating in fun and innovative ways: Breakfast with Business Timberland STEM and Summerville STEM were the first in the region to implement Breakfast with Business, a deliberately informal breakfast for seniors held in December. Academy Partners and their employees were invited to breakfast, joining students entering into their last semester of their senior year – a heady time with much anticipation and trepidation. Conversations heard throughout the breakfast tables centered around questions such as, “What are your plans for next year?”, “Have you applied to any schools?” and “What do you want to do after high school?”. Students felt comfortable asking career and higher education questions in the informal environment. Feedback from Academy Partners was positive, encouraging the event to be repeated for juniors in the spring. Breakfast with Business will become a Career Academy staple event. Bridge Walk The success of the first Career Academy Bridge Walk in the 2013/2014 academic year launched what is now a tradition for Summerville and Timberland High Schools’ Project Lead the Way engineering classes. Led by Kenneth Canty of Freeland Construction, student groups walked and studied the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge between Charleston and Mt. Pleasant with engineers and inspectors answering questions along the way. SRC Job Shadows Scientific Research Corporation (SRC) is hosting 21 Goose Creek STEM students for an intensive five-day job shadow experience. Students, in groups of seven, complete a mock interview, experience a business meeting, have actual work assigned and complete an exit interview on the last day. This is by far the largest and most detailed job shadowing experience provided by our Career Academy Partners. SRC is also hosting the 2nd Annual Career Deep Dive for Goose Creek STEM students. Hats off to all our creative Career Academy Partners!
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Creating Interest in Computer Science As the region works to create demand and momentum for computer science classes in schools, a new course has been launched to attract students from area high schools and middle schools to computer programming in a fun new way. The course – Introduction to Computing and Programming Utilizing Raspberry Pi – is a hands-on class that teaches students how to tinker with a computer and make gadgets of their own such as an LED dog leash, a temperature sensor or a camera. Course “teachers” come from area companies including Boeing, SPAWAR, IT-ology and more. The course is hosted by the Charleston Metro Chamber’s Regional Computer Science Advisory Board and IT-ology. Raspberry Pi is a low-cost, credit card-sized computer that plugs into a monitor and uses a standard keyboard and mouse. It allows people of all ages to explore computing, learn programming and do everything that can be done on a desktop computer. With Raspberry Pi, students learn and understand how computers work in fun ways, prompting their interest and excitement in continued classes in IT. Raspberry Pi courses will be offered on a quarterly basis initially, increasing to monthly as demand grows. Raspberry Pi clubs are also forming in schools, generating increased interest in IT careers. Metro Leadership Visits Richmond, VA When a group of private sector business leaders join together to visit a metro area and learn first-hand about their successes and challenges, opportunities ignite for the Charleston region. And that’s what is expected with the 2015 Metro Leadership Visit, which will take place May 12-14, as business leaders travel to Richmond, Virginia with a brief stop in Washington, D.C. This year’s trip will deliver more of what Chamber travelers come to expect from this immersion into another region’s progress, viewed through infrastructure, talent and industry lenses. There are many parallels between Charleston and Richmond. The two cities are steeped in history, and at the same time are growing innovation and entrepreneurialism toward a global economy. Populations are on the rise in each metro area, forcing regional leaders to focus on transportation infrastructure improvements and key industry collaborations. Talent development is on everyone’s minds, including the development of existing talent to be workforce ready, as well as the need to attract and retain for the future. The Chamber’s Metro Leadership Visits seek to accomplish two things: • Provide an exclusive experience to deepen bonds between the dynamic regional leaders who play a significant role in shaping the Charleston region • Enhance our region’s future performance by embracing actions we can import, using lessons learned to advance the Chamber’s key priorities Accelerate Greater Charleston works to ensure a progressive and entrepreneur-friendly business environment and one way to achieve this is by viewing the designs of others and then, working to improve upon them. Business leaders are urged to participate in this year’s Metro Leadership Visit and take part in molding our region’s future.
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ADVOCACY IS CENTRAL TO ADVANCING OUR REGION’S PROSPERITY Accelerate Greater Charleston’s advocacy efforts are designed to guarantee our region’s sustainable and prosperous growth. Charleston Young Professionals Create Visioning Plan More than 75 leaders from CYP and the community came together in the fourth quarter of 2014 to determine the top advocacy issues for young professionals in the Charleston region – and beyond. This led to the creation of the CYP Visioning Plan, a one-year strategic plan driven by CYP, to position this network of more than 1,100 young professionals to work alongside the Charleston business community to advance regional issues. Their top issues pertain to infrastructure and education – which they will tackle in three ways: 1. P artner with young professional organizations state-wide to launch a social media-driven grassroots campaign focused on improving the roads in South Carolina. 2. Mobilize CYP to support responsible growth. 3. I ncrease involvement in mentoring. (Including the AGC goal of strengthening STEMrelated fields. CYP will work with Trident Technical School’s scholarship recipients to provide mentors.) A CYP Visioning Committee has been formed to execute the plan; short-term and long-term goals have been established and activities are already underway. Watch this growing army of young professionals as they work to advance our region and provide grassroots efforts for our advocacy platform. Motor Fuel User Fee is a Top Priority The Charleston Metro Chamber’s 2015 Legislative Agenda was unveiled at the January Legislative Reception with over 400 business professionals and legislators in attendance. The Legislative Agenda outlines the top legislative priorities on the local, state and federal levels that the Chamber will advocate for in the South Carolina General Assembly. The agenda is formed based upon the Chamber membership’s top legislative priorities – issues that impact every business and organization in our region. The Chamber works on behalf of the membership to advocate policies and legislation that contribute to the growth and prosperity of our region.
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The 2015 state-level priorities are focused on two areas: Talent and Infrastructure. With the $41 billion shortfall in infrastructure funding needed to improve the state’s highways and bridges, it is critical that the motor fuel user fee is raised and indexed to fill the revenue gap. This can be done by raising the fee 25 cents, which would keep our state in line with our regional neighbors and ensure continued economic development that is at risk with the current infrastructure problems. While other funding solutions are being discussed, none have the means to generate the revenue needed now, which will only prolong the monumental inadequacies faced by our transportation system.
Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce 2015 Legislative Agenda State Priorities: Infrastructure
• Raise the motor fuel user fee by 25 cents per gallon and index the fee for inflation
Talent
• Secure $41 million needed in state funding to build the Aeronautical Training Center at Trident Technical College • Pass needed legislation to grant University of Charleston R1 status
Federal Priorities: Economic Development
• Reauthorize Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) for five years and encourage passage of trade agreements to help expand export trade • Support reauthorization of the U.S. Export-Import Bank
Military Base Retention and Expansion
• Lobby the Department of Defense to re-evaluate its decision on the location of Africa Command to Joint Base Charleston
Regulatory
• Advocate against an over-burdensome regulatory environment for business from agencies and organizations such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Labor Relations Board
Talent
• Lobby Congress for comprehensive immigration reform
Transportation and Infrastructure
• Support continued funding for the Post 45 Charleston harbor deepening project • Support passage of a new federal highway authorization bill
Local Priorities: Transportation and Infrastructure
• Advance the Chamber’s 18 infrastructure priorities for our region including: - completion of I-526 - Glenn McConnell Extension • Support expansion projects for the Port of Charleston including the completion of the cruise terminal and Post-45 Harbor Deepening • Support the Berkeley Charleston Dorchester Council of Government’s I-26 Alt plan recommendations
Regulatory
• Reform local government processes to expedite approvals for business • Work with local municipalities to streamline the development process reducing the time and costs to the developer and consumers • Actively advocate the mission of the Partnership for Responsible Growth coalition and its call for local governments to honor their zoning and development regulations in considering and siting new residential, commercial, office and industrial development projects • Adopt a regional action strategy to address the region’s housing affordability issue
Talent
• Implement a regional Career Awareness Campaign to showcase high demand occupations to build the needed talent pipeline - Engage business with local college career offices to work to retain local college graduates in the region • Support the Tri-County Cradle-to-Career Initiative • Support the development and expansion of Career Academies in all area public high schools • Expand Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) curriculum at all levels in K-12
Entrepreneurs/Small Business
• Support the expansion of offerings for entrepreneurs including incubators, accelerators and others to provide the needed support base for continued entrepreneurial development throughout the region • Increase entrepreneurial programs in Information Technology and Biomedical at area colleges and universities
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THANK YOU AGC INVESTORS Abi Angel
Cooper River Partners
Adams Outdoor Advertising
CresCom Bank
AECOM
Daimler Vans Manufacturing LLC
ALCOA Mt. Holly
Dale Carnegie Training of SC LLC
Anderson Insurance Associates LLC
Daniel Island Company, Inc.
Avison Young
Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP
Baker Motor Company
Dunhill Staffing Systems
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
East Cooper Medical Center
BB&T
Elliott Davis Decosimo LLC
Benefitfocus
Francis Marion Hotel
Bently World Packaging
Go To Team
BERCHTOLD Corp.
Greg Barrett
Cady Nell West
Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd PA
CB Richard Ellis Carmody
Hendrick Automotive Group of Charleston
CC&T Real Estate Services
Island Realty
CCCS International
Jay Werth
Chad Woods
Jessica Jackson
Charleston Branch Pilots Association
John Osborne
Charleston County
John Rizzo
Charleston Defense Contractors Association
Johnson Controls
Charleston Water System Chernoff Newman Choate Construction Company City of Charleston City of North Charleston Clawson and Staubes, LLC Colin Ross
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Jules Deas III K&L Gates LLP KapStone Charleston Kraft LLC Laura Alberts Tasteful Options Life Cycle Engineering Limehouse Produce Co. Lowcountry Residential Builders LLC
LS3P ASSOCIATES LTD
Scientific Research Corporation
Maverick Southern Kitchens
SCRA
Maybank Properties LLC
Seamon Whiteside + Associates
McKesson Corporation
Seidler & Associates LLC
McRae Hamer
Showa Denko Carbon, Inc.
Medical University of South Carolina
Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP
Meridian Energy & Environment LLC
Solvay
Moody CPA’s & Advisors LLC
South Carolina Aquarium
Mount Pleasant Waterworks
South Carolina Federal Credit Union
Mungo Homes
South Carolina Ports Authority
MWV
South State Bank
NAI Avant
SteelFab of South Carolina
Nexsen Pruet LLC
Stubbs-Muldrow-Herin Architects, Inc.
Nucor Steel
SunTrust Bank
O.L. Thompson Construction Co.
TD Bank
Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart
The Beach Company
Pegasus Steel Premier Logistics Solutions PURE Rawle Murdy Residence Inn by Marriott - Charleston Riverview
The Boeing Company The InterTech Group Inc. The Post and Courier Town of Mount Pleasant Trident Health Trident Technical College
Richard Guerzon
WebsterRogers LLP
Robert Bosch Corp.
Wells Fargo
Roper St. Francis Healthcare
Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice LLC
Santee Cooper
Young Clement Rivers LLP
SCE&G
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Thank you for reviewing this Accelerate Greater Charleston Investor Update and for your ongoing support of our region’s metro advancement plan.
P.O. Box 975 Charleston, SC 29402-0975 www.charlestonchamber.net