Feb. 20, 2015 UBJ

FEBRUARY 20, 2015 | VOL. 4 ISSUE 8 COMPLIMENTARY

THE PROFESSIONAL

PEOPLE PERSON Ray Lattimore of Marketplace Staffing found his passion in helping people make connections Page 11

upstatebusinessjournal.com

NEWS

| STARTUPS | 3

Wofford startups count down to pitch day JENNIFER OLADIPO SENIOR BUSINESS WRITER

joladipo@communityjournals.com Wofford College now has 10 finalists in its Impact and Launch contest that aims to make entrepreneurs out of undergrads. The community chose two of these finalists through online voting. The finalists will compete for cash prizes and in-kind support services in a public pitch event March 28.

Five of the students are working on businesses focused on making a significant social impact, while the other five have more traditional business models.

“We believe that there is no better time to go after a dream than while in college, where you have an amazing network of supporters and resources to help you along the way,” said Jeremy Boeh, assistant director of The Space to Launch in Wofford’s

ENGAGE MAR

28

Wofford College’s Entrepreneurship and Social Good Demo Day

Stay in the know on Twitter.

Follow us today: @UpstateBiz

March 28, 2015 5-9:30 p.m. wofford.edu/impactlaunchcomp #InLComp15

Mungo Center. The Space is the school’s entrepreneurship hub.

The finalists range from an “impact” organization, Let’s Band Together, which offers private music lessons to needy children, to “launch” company Swell Vision, a maker of bamboo fashion accessories.

Boeh said the program is reaching beyond the school. “Courtney Shelton, director of The Space, and I are beyond humbled at the continued support from the community,” Boeh said. Community members have provided mentorship, FINALISTS: in-kind prizes and feedback for the competition, IMPACT FINALISTS he said.

The panel of judges in Wofford Artisan Market cludes Rob Glander, a blog featuring artists in Wofford former executive with community Barclay’s Banks and JP Get Moving Campaign Morgan Chase, and Deepa encouraging healthy lifestyles in schoolchildren Subramaniam, director of product at charity: water, Let’s Band Together offers private music lessons to needy a New York-based nonchildren profit that delivers safe Learn More Do More drinking water in develophelping those in difficult situations ing countries. earn degrees Five of the competition Farah Kindergarten finalists participate in helping children to start learning Impact, Wofford’s fourfrom an early age year scholarship program where students develop LAUNCH FINALISTS projects that impact the world around them. Stu Sea Island Seasonings dents learn project manspice blend for meats, seafood and agement and other skills vegetables that are applied to new or Swell Vision ongoing projects each year. bamboo fashion accessories and apparel Scholarships average about Brand Hype $5,000 per year. online marketing platform Details about finalists Wee Celebrations birthday and corporate party experiences and other participants can be found at wofford.edu/ plate.O universal phone cases impactlaunchcomp.

HISTORIC DOWNTOWN GREER 222 Trade Street, Greer, SC • 864.877.6525

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4 | THE RUNDOWN |

TOP-OF-MIND AND IN THE MIX THIS WEEK

UBJ

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02.20.2015

VOLUME 4, ISSUE 8 Featured this issue: 10 Wofford startups prepare to pitch 3 Where are SC’s insurance rates headed?

5 Charlotte developer stakes out Simpsonville territory 14

MONEY SHOT: A container ship is off-loaded and reloaded at one of the Port of Charleston’s two container ship terminals. South Carolina saw a record year for exports in 2014, and the Upstate SC Alliance is working on a plan to help Upstate companies maximize their export potential. Read more on page 8.

Image provided by the South Carolina Ports Authority

WORTH REPEATING

TBA

“We believe that there is no better time to go after a dream than while in college.” Page 3

A new 3,847-square foot Zaxby’s restaurant is slated for the corner of McCarter and South Main streets in Fountain Inn. Construction is expected to begin in mid-March.

“I went away to live in New York for four years and saw at the major corporations there was no diversity.

They all looked alike at the top. So I wanted to go home to South Carolina and start my own corporation.” Page 11 “We made one turn onto Main Street in Greenville and that was it.” Page 14

Look for Cool Mama’s Ice Cream Shop to open March 2 along the GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail in Travelers Rest.

VERBATIM

On the big freeze “We got walloped.”

Deputy Chief Taylor Jones of the Anderson County Emergency Services Division, on this week’s winter storm that left more than 100,000 without power and shut down businesses and government facilities statewide, as reported by WSPA-TV.

CORRECTION: An article in the Feb. 13 UBJ, “Health innovations abound in the Upstate,” incorrectly stated that Gibbs Cancer Center is in Spartanburg; it is in Greer. The article also failed to make clear that Gibbs Cancer Center is currently the only facility in the Upstate with the CyberKnife robotic radiation tool.

Another article, “Fleet physicians,” omitted the location of EmergencyMD: 2498 N. Pleasantburg Drive, Greenville.

We regret our errors.

upstatebusinessjournal.com

NEWS

| INSURANCE | 5

Health insurance rate improvement uncertain in SC JENNIFER OLADIPO | SENIOR BUSINESS WRITER

joladipo@communityjournals.com

Studies are showing that average health insurance costs saw record low increases from 2014 to 2015, yet it is uncertain how well that trend is reflected in South Carolina. What’s more, the state could rank among the top five most expensive if the Supreme Court ends subsidies provided through the federal healthcare exchange, according to one study.

The extent of the slowdown in rate increases varies depending on which data researchers considered.

Numbers from the National Council of State Legislatures (NCSL) show average premiums remained flat nationwide, compared to an increase of about 10 percent annually from 2008 until the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010.

NCSL found that premiums across South Carolina still increased 10 percent from 2014 to 2015.

However, NCSL found that the most popular silver-level, mid-cost plans increased by only 3 percent.

Compare that with findings from the Kaiser Family Foundation that said rates for the lowest-cost bronze-level plan in Columbia decreased by 0.4 percent. They dropped by 6.9 percent when tax credits, or subsidies, were included, Kaiser said.

South Carolina consumers, then, will only expe-

million enrollees in the 37 states using the federal rience the lower premium increases depending on which plans they choose, how much they make, and exchange. Subsidies are made available to enrollees where they live. with incomes between 100 Subsidies in the form of tax percent and 400 percent of

BY THE NUMBERS: credits also have a huge effect the federal poverty level. on the price of plans pur“At the end of the day, Average bronze plan premium for chased through the federal health insurance premiums 40-year-old nonsmoker in federal exchange states exchange. Without them, are driven by factors [such South Carolina would be the as] how frequently residents > Average national premium: fifth most expensive state, of South Carolina use services, according to HealthPocket, and what services do they use, which produces online health and factors like smoking and insurance rate comparisons. obesity,” said the study’s > South Carolina: HealthPocket compared author, Kev Coleman. “The bronze plans on the federal subsidy helps consumers but exchanges. Across the still gets paid by taxpayers.”

Coleman said costs did rise country, subsidies reduce Average bronze plan deductible in premiums by 76 percent, and dramatically as a result of the federal exchange states they are available to 87 Affordable Care Act because > Average national deductible: percent of recent enrollees people with poor health and through the federal exchangpre-existing conditions es, HealthPocket said. could no longer be denied coverage, and because beneThe Supreme Court is set > South Carolina: to review a case this year that fits including mental health, challenges the legality of pediatric and substance abuse those subsidies, potentially rehabilitation were made Source: HealthPocket affecting about about 5 mandatory for all plans.

$294 a month $331.61 $4,828

$4,914.04

6 | THE LATEST |

RETAIL AND HOSPITALITY UPDATES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED

UBJ

|

02.20.2015

Coffeshops open doors; bookstore plans construction SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF

sjackson@communityjournals.com Downtown coffee aficionados now have a new place to get their fix. Methodical Coffee is now open at the Bank of America building in downtown Greenville.

M. Judson Booksellers, a new bookstore planned for the historic Greenville County Family Courthouse space beside the Westin Poinsett on Greenville’s Main Street, has applied for construction permits and is awaiting approval from the city. Owners expect to be open this summer.

The artisan coffee bar offers a sampling of different coffees from around the world.

Espressos, cappuccinos and prohibition cocktails (coffee and tea-based cocktails with no alcohol) will also be on the menu.

Fewer delays. Fewer headaches.

In Simpsonville, java lovers will be able to get their cup of joe at the newly opened Exchange Co. coffee bar and bakeshop. Owners Michael and Roxanne Bacaro also plan to use the venue to raise awareness for foster and adoption needs in the community.

In keeping with that cause, the coffee beans come from Murfreesboro, Tenn.-based Just Love Coffee Roasters, which donates a portion of its proceeds to adopting families, nonprofit organizations and the arts. Baked goods are prepared in house and include a selection of sweet and savory crepes.

A grand opening celebration is planned for Saturday, Feb. 21, with live music in the evening and giveaways throughout the day.

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Has your relationship manager introduced you to multiple points of contact across multiple departments at the bank? Have senior leaders, including credit partners, been to your office or visited your real estate? High performing relationship managers invest significant time advocating your relationship deep into their financial institution. Gaining access to key leaders who have in-depth knowledge and an understanding of your business can be a priceless benefit of a successful banking relationship.

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8 | MANUFACTURING |

UBJ

NEWS

|

02.20.2015

Ports, exports to drive Upstate growth Upstate SC Alliance plan aims to help companies maximize global potential ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

aboncimino@communityjournals.com An increasingly global focus will drive Upstate manufacturing growth, according to speakers at the South Carolina Manufacturers Conference held in Greenville this month.

“Few companies are maximizing their global potential,” said Elizabeth Feather, director of research for the Upstate SC Alliance, who is working on a detailed export plan for the region. “The most resilient organizations are those that export.”

While U.S. manufacturers that exported saw 37 percent increases in revenue growth during the last few years, those that did not saw 7 percent drops in revenue, Feather said. “Export markets offer growth opportunities for Upstate companies.”

Using data from the Brookings Institution, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the U.S. Census, the organization is pushing for a regional export strategy that will help Upstate firms tap into the power of export markets, she said.

“We’ve done a market assessment demonstrating that while the Upstate’s export performance is generally good … it masks an underlying weakness that should be looked at now,” Feather said.

While the Upstate has a fairly diverse set of export

industries that includes South Carolina saw a strengths in transportation record year for exports in equipment, machinery and 2014, increasing by 13.1 chemicals, it is underperpercent to $29.7 billion in forming in others, such as goods shipped, according to engineering and architecturthe U.S. Department of al services.

Commerce. Increasingly Greenville was recognized large ships with higher

by Forbes as the nation’s sixth container capacity, as well as best hub for engineering, she increased efficiency in said. “We want that to be reloading and unloading cargo, helped establish the record. flected in our exports.”

The plan – to be released “We are the fastest growing at the Upstate SC Alliance major port in the country,” annual meeting in March – said Ellenberg, who said will include suggestions for larger ships require deeper Elizabeth Feather, director of research, Upstate Alliance promoting an export culture and wider ports, a challenge and building a referral pipethe S.C. Ports Authority has Photo Provided been working on for a decade. line, as well as participating “It’s taken us 10 years to in trade missions and investdo a study to be allowed to dredge 52 feet,” he ing in outreach initiatives and global partnerships. said, referring to the $509 million Port of Charleston Part of maximizing export potential relies on investing in the state’s export infrastructure, which project that would deepen the port to 52 feet includes intermodal transport but is not limited to from its current 45 feet. “By 2019, the deepening the Greer inland port and the port of Charleston, project … will make us the deepest port on the U.S. said S.C. Ports Authority Economic Development east coast.” and Projects Senior Vice President Jack Ellenberg.

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upstatebusinessjournal.com

MOVERS, SHAKERS AND DISRUP TORS SHAPING OUR FUTURE

| INNOVATE | 9

Make way for ducklings For students with disabilities, leaving the nest means engaging the workforce in a new interactive way

By SHARON BELLWOOD, director of student disabilities services, Greenville Technical College

While watching a PBS “Nature” special on ducks, I was struck by how caring and nurturing the mother ducks were to their offspring. From the unstable little hatchlings with damp, matted feathers to the fluffy, downy little ducklings, the mother duck organized her brood into an efficient little team.

The majestic sight of this matriarch as she floated down the river with her family in sync belied the fact that she would, in less than two months, kick them all out of the nest and make them get to work building their own lives.

Three of the eight little fellows had “issues.” One was not nearly as tall as the others, one had extra-wide webbed feet and another had a bill that looked something like a forked tongue. I assumed “survival of the fittest” comments would follow, punctuated by a poetic pause for sadness, but this was not the case.

The narrator detailed how these ducks used their differences to their advantage. The shorter duck learned he was adept at gathering food from rocks close to running water because his feet were closer to the surface of the water. The duck with the wider webbed feet learned he could literally “walk on water” due to the extra surface space afforded him by his condition and thus placing him closer to coveted prey such as frog eggs and larger insects. And most impressively, the duck with the forked bill was able to hold on to larger fish that would wedge between the space notched in his bill, affording him a catch of the day that would feed him for a week.

While I am surely anthropomorphizing the duck population, I couldn’t help but draw a comparison between my newly found heroes of the natural world and students I work with in the community college setting. What struck me the most was the guts it took for the mother duck to kick all her fledglings out of the nest.

When it comes to students with disabilities, there is a tendency to perpetuate an insular environment well beyond the point it is supportive, especially if the goal—as it should be—is to equip them to join the workforce with a self-supporting career.

Certainly, Special Education services in elementary and secondary education provide a framework to address the needs of developing students with disabilities. Leaving the nest would not even be an option without these early supports.

But since leaving the nest is a viable option for students with disabilities, what is their next step?

It takes the guts of a mother duck to realize that exiting the nest means addressing the environment in a new interactive way. The community college setting provides a rich and rewarding opportunity for disabled students to develop in an environment of discovery and challenge that can equip them for the independence we all crave when we leave childhood.

Participating in classes and exploring career options in real-life settings is the hallmark of the community college mission. Students with disabilities are exposed to the same classroom and

college experiences as their non-disabled peers— maybe at a slower pace or with a guided combination of classes, but it is the same experience. Students find their unique gifts and how they fit into a much broader environment.

The community college setting is uniquely poised to provide a transition for students with disabilities into the workforce and a career. A math class becomes a venue to learn problem-solving. Add another class or two and the critical skills of organization, planning and prioritizing begin to take shape. Work on a group project in a history class and team-building and negotiating skills emerge. Join a student club or attend a Student Activities event and friendships take shape, a sense of humor develops and an identity outside of the disability grows. These are the skills business and industry value and use to develop and grow a company. These are the skills that can only be acquired outside the nest.

The bottom line is we don’t have one person to waste. We don’t have one person who is unable to contribute. All that is needed is to open the door of potential and allow students with disabilities to take the risk. Even though there will be times when they fall down or fail, they also get up, try again—maybe even again and again—while all along building the skills of perseverance and tenacity.

That’s the workforce that gets things done.

That’s the workforce of the future. That’s life outside the nest.

We don’t have one person to waste. We don’t have one person who is unable to contribute. All that is needed is to open the door of potential and allow students with disabilities to take the risk.

‘It’s all about

LEADERSHIP’ For 19 years, Ray Lattimore, founder of Marketplace Staffing, has leveraged his love for helping connect people with jobs

JENNIFER OLADIPO SENIOR BUSINESS WRITER joladipo@communityjournals.com Ray Lattimore says he tends to look at things from the larger perspective, whether that is taking a historical view of leadership, or considering the whole person behind a single action. He works to make sure that attitude is reflected in Marketplace Staffing Services, the staffing and human resources company he founded 19 years ago.

Marketplace receives up to 200 applications a week at two offices in Greenville and one in Spartanburg. Lattimore said South Carolina might be the nation’s biggest user of staffing agencies, yet even in that competitive field he finds the work relaxing. He says there’s nothing he’d rather do than connect people with jobs.

LATTIMORE continued on PAGE 12

12 | FOUNDERS |

UBJ

THE PEOPLE WHO BUILT THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE BUILDING THE UPSTATE

LATTIMORE continued from PAGE 11

Lattimore grew up in Greenville’s Nicholtown neighborhood. Basketball scholarships helped him become the first person in his family to graduate from college. He says a transfer to a college where chapel was mandatory four days per week greatly affected his outlook on life and other people.

He started his company after 15 years in an IT position with MetLife. In the years since, Lattimore has participated in nearly every leadership program in the state from Leadership Greenville to the Liberty Fellowship, and serves in leadership positions with the United Way and Greenville Technical College.

He says those activities reflect his dual passions: education and economic development.

Lattimore recently started using Facebook so that he can “know how everything hangs together.” He hasn’t really attempted Twitter, but he whips out his Uber car service app in seconds. He says the kind of thinking behind Uber’s business model is just what he’d like to see more of—innovative, ambitious, and filling a great need.

What drew you to the staffing business?

My background is actually IT, but when one of my professors asked me to come back and teach at Greenville Tech, I fell in love with teaching. I had a blended classroom of recent high school graduates and people returning to the workforce. They were all bright and made good grades, but they didn’t know how to get a job, write a resume or dress or interview.

I wanted to do a company that teaches people how to dress for success and get the job they really want. I started Marketplace Services, helping about four or five students. Some people heard about it and wanted to hire my students, so I said, “You know what?

I need to be compensated for this.”

What important lessons have you learned in the past 19 years?

Number one is there’s no substitute for work ethic.

Number two: education is a continual learning process. I was working in a major corporation, and they put you in this pigeonhole and put blinders on you and say, “Don’t look this way or that way. Do what I tell you do to and this is how much I’m going to pay you.” I just wanted something where I could grow, where I could learn about accounting and finance and customer service, where I could write proposals and go out and meet new clients, and work with a wonderful staff where we all grow and learn together.

|

02.20.2015

MY ADVICE Ray Lattimore,

founder, Marketplace Staffing Services There’s no substitute for work ethic.

I have a problem with failure due to lack of effort. If I give it 100 percent and I fail, then I’ve done the best that I could do. But if I fail and don’t give it 100 percent, then shame on me.

God doesn’t give anybody all the pieces to the puzzle.

He forces us to work together. So, I like having a very diverse staff. I learn a lot from them.

One of the things I dislike is politics.

I think it clouds the issues and gets in the way.

What parts of owning your own business forced you to stretch yourself?

I had to bone up on accounting. I knew revenue and expenditures, but I didn’t know anything about P&L statements or cash flow analysis. So I went back and took some accounting courses. The other thing was writing proposals. In a classroom you learn a lot about theory, but you have to apply that to the real world. The way we do business in South Carolina is different from the way you’d do business in Manhattan. The way you do business as an African-American male is probably going to be different from a majority male. So what works best for you?

What parts came naturally?

Just meeting people. I love everybody.

What do you mean by “love?”

I was a good basketball player and had gotten a lot of passes in high school and junior college. So when I transferred to Central Wesleyan and they required you to attend chapel four days a week, I tried to avoid it. Another player tried that and got kicked out of school, so I went.

upstatebusinessjournal.com

THE PEOPLE WHO BUILT THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE BUILDING THE UPSTATE

| FOUNDERS | 13

“The way we do business in South Carolina is different from the way you’d do business in Manhattan. The way you do business as an African-American male is probably going to be different from a majority male. So what works best for you?”

RAY LATTIMORE Education: B. A., business administration, Southern Wesleyan University (formerly Central Wesleyan); A.A., computer technology, Greenville Technical College; A. A., marketing, Greenville Technical College; A.A. liberal arts, Spartanburg Methodist College Career: MetLife, Carolinas-Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council, Marketplace Staffing Services Community involvement: Chair-elect of United Way, board of Greenville Technical College Now Reading: “Surrounded by Geniuses”

by Alan Gregerman

When you’re in chapel four days a week, reading your Bible and singing the hymns and fellowshipping, you learn how to love people and be loved by people.

And it doesn’t matter where they come from. I’m probably one of the few people who can separate a person from his or her actions. Being a murderer doesn’t give me a reason not to love you or to be your friend.

You’ve done just about every leadership program in South Carolina. What’s your take on leadership programs?

I’ve also done them at Dartmouth College and Stanford University. I don’t think any organization will be successful without a great leader. Leaders set the tone, culture, and strategy. If you look at great teams like the San Antonio Spurs, the New England Patriots or New York Yankees, it’s all about leadership.

That being said, I went away to live in New York for four years and saw at the major corporations there was no diversity. They all looked alike at the top. So I wanted to go home to South Carolina and start my own corporation.

I truly believe in the great leaders of the world.

Whether they got into trouble or not, whether you’re talking about Obama, Bush, Clinton, Thurgood Marshall, Martin Luther King, Gandhi or Machiavelli—studying great leaders is a passion of mine.

Who is a great leader?

In my mind the greatest leader in America was Thurgood Marshall. Do you know Thurgood Marshall won 29 out of 32 cases he argued before the Supreme Court? He totally changed the landscape.

14 | SQUARE FEET |

UBJ

REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

|

02.20.2015

70-home Villas of West Georgia slated for Simpsonville Charlotte developer New Style Communities plans to make Upstate its “home away from home” SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF sjackson@communityjournals.com @SJackson_CJ 85

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franchisee of Ohio-based Epcon Communities, is launching its first home community in the Upstate with the Villas of West Georgia.

The subdivision, located along West Georgia and Stenhouse roads in Simpsonville, will have approximately 70 homes, according to plans. All homes will be brick, have two- to three-bedroom floor plan options and will feature garages, crown moldings, wide doorways, zero-entry showers, maple cabinets, granite countertops, hardwood floors and stainless steel appliances.

Homes will also include large side courtyards that are fenced for privacy. “It’s the best outdoor palette to work with in the market,” said Brock Fankhauser, principal of New Style Communities.

The main feature of the community will be maintenance-free living, meaning the homeowners association dues will take care of all exterior maintenance and landscaping. The concept has “universal appeal,” whether it’s a first home or for anyone not wanting to spend their weekends doing yard work, Fankhauser said. The community will also have “a pronounced community gathering area,” he said.

The average sales price is expected to be in the $300,000 range, and homes will range from 1,650 to 3,000 square feet.

Thirty of the lots are already developed, and New Style Communities expects to begin construction in March with a launch event scheduled for March 19. The first homes should be completed in late summer or early fall.

Epcon Communities is the 36th largest builder in the U.S. and is currently located in 31 states.

Fankhauser said his company has been building in the Charlotte market for more than 15 years, but this is the company’s “first taste of the Upstate.”

“We wanted to expand our footprint from the Charlotte area,” he said. “We made one turn onto Main Street in Greenville and that was it.”

Other developments in the Upstate for the company are already in the works. “This is not going to be one community for us; there are others right behind it,” Fankhauser said.

“We plan on Greenville being our home away from home.”

E Standing Springs Rd

Charlotte-based New Style Communities, a

DEVELOPER: New Style Communities ARCHITECT: Epcon Communities MARKETED BY: CBC Caine

Davenport Rd

Rendering Provided.

upstatebusinessjournal.com

REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

Virginia Beach company acquires Butler Road shopping center

| SQUARE FEET | 15

THE INBOX Stay in the know with UBJ’s free weekly email.

Photo provided by Business Wire

The Butler Square shopping center in Mauldin on West Butler Road, anchored by BI-LO, has been acquired by Virginia Beachbased Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust.

The company will purchase the property for $9.4 million, or approximately $114 per square foot, using a combination of cash and bank debt.

“Butler Square is a strong example of the assets in our property portfolio,” said Jon Wheeler, chairman and CEO of Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust. “Butler Square is located in Greenville County, one

of the fastest-growing communities in South Carolina and the North American headquarters of several major corporations. We expect the property to be immediately accretive to the company’s earnings and view this acquisition as another opportunity to demonstrate how we acquire ‘necessity-based’ retail-focused properties located in growing secondary and tertiary markets.”

The 82,400-square-foot center was built in 1987 and renovated in 2011. It is currently 100 percent leased. BI-LO, Dollar Tree, Cato Fashions and Sally Beauty Supply are among the current tenants.

Vista adds 6 communities to management portfolio Greenville-based Vista Capital Management Group, a property and asset management company, has recently been selected as the management agent for six apartment communities, including five in the Upstate.

The addition of the 660 new units means the company plans to hire 20 new on-site personnel and invest $330,000 in capital improvements and maintenance upgrades for the properties, said Frank DuPree, president and CEO. This brings Vista Capital’s total Upstate portfolio to 16 properties and 1460 units.

“This new business keeps professional property management at the local level instead of going to a national company,” said DuPree. “It also expands our base and our presence in the Upstate.”

VISTA’S PROPERTIES NOW INCLUDE: GREENVILLE— Mulberry Court Apartments, 42 units GREENVILLE— Jamestown Pointe, 134 units

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MARCH 6 5:15 PM

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16 | ON THE MOVE |

UBJ

PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS

HIRED

RECERTIFIED

HIRED

HIRED

|

02.20.2015

HIRED

Frank Kearney

Gina Turcotte

Robin B. McFall

Jonathan Bolt

Micah McDade

Named vice president of sales at Tandem Innovative Payment Solutions LLC. Kearney joins Tandem after serving as a senior sales director at Elavon Inc., overseeing business in five states. At Tandem, Kearney will help grow revenue and add talent in South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida and Alabama.

Recertified as a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE). Turcotte is director of advancement for St. Joseph’s Catholic School.

Individuals with the CFRE credential have met a series of standards, which include tenure in the profession, education, fundraising achievement and commitment to service to not-for-profit organizations.

Named director of Bridge to Clemson and transfer programs at Clemson University. McFall worked in the Tri-County Technical College English department for more than 25 years and was appointed head of the department in 2004 and interim dean of the Arts and Sciences Division in 2013.

Named account executive at EDTS. Bolt has experience in business-to-business sales customer service and support with organizations including Robert Half Technology and TJS Incorporated. He will provide sales and client development support for customers across the Southeast.

Named marketing director for the Peace Center for the Performing Arts. McDade will be responsible for all marketing and sales efforts for single-night performances at the Peace Center. He most recently served as associate director of marketing and communications at Dallas Theater Center in Texas.

BIG JON’S BEER CENTRAL STATION The Growler Station on Augusta Street is now Big Jon’s Beer Central Station.

Jon Richards, employee and Ciceronecertified beer server, recently purchased a controlling interest in the business and is rebranding. Richardson has led Greenville Brew Tours of local breweries and teaches miniclasses in the West End storefront.

CAROLINA BAUERNHAUS LAUNCHES FUNDRAISER Anderson’s Carolina Bauernhaus brewery is slated to open in May and on Feb. 16 launched an Indiegogo fundraiser to build a taproom that will feature reclaimed wood and artisan ironwork. According to the fundraising site, the brewery’s goal is $25,000 to construct a bar and purchase items such as tables, stools, walk-in cooler and plumbing. The fundraiser is scheduled to run until April 2. carolinabauernhaus.com

EDUCATION The Riley Institute at Furman University named Tracy Waters as assistant research director, David Fleming as senior researcher and Alexis Sprogis as research specialist for the Center for Education Policy and Leadership. Waters manages the comprehensive evaluation of the Middle Grades Initiative. She previously served as research and grants manager for the United Way of Greenville County, and has helped plan and implement data collection for several research studies. Fleming is an assistant professor in the political science department at Furman. At the Riley Institute, he is involved in program evaluation design and quantitative analysis. Sprogis joined the Riley team in 2008 and assists with data collection, instrument and report creation, research logistics, and database compilation associated with several research projects. iMAGINE Upstate named Meredith Cox, Katia Dauhanosava, Maggie Elliott and Ashli Lagaly as interns. Cox will assist in event coordination and social media management. She is a junior at Clemson University pursuing a communication studies degree and is the acting vice president of the Public Relations Student Society of America. Dauhanosava will focus on marketing and fundraising. She is a mar-

keting major at Clemson and has experience in marketing research and international relations. Elliott will support public relations and community outreach efforts. She is a senior studying communications at Clemson. Lagaly will help in event coordination. She is a senior business management major at Clemson.

FOOD SERVICE Food Lion has named Rhonda Mauldin as its 2014 Store Manager of the Year. Mauldin, who is the store manager of the Food Lion at 1004 W. Georgia Road, Simpsonville, was selected from a group of more than 1,100 store managers across the company. She also received Progressive Grocer’s Top Women in Grocery award for the store manager category in 2014. Mauldin has worked in the grocery store industry for nearly 30 years.

MARKETING/PR Infinity Marketing hired Peyton Fish and Hilary Powell as media assistants and Christy Gordon as a copywriter. Fish works with the grocery and retail team while Powell assists the manufactured housing team. Fish previously worked at Adventure Ad Agency as a social media manager. Powell pre-

CONTRIBUTE: New hires, promotions & award winners may be featured in On the Move. Send information and photos to onthemove@upstatebusinessjournal.com.

upstatebusinessjournal.com

PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS

| ON THE MOVE | 17

viously worked at Flourish as a public relations and marketing intern.

Gordon previously worked as a proofreader and copywriter for Ashley Furniture Industries.

Engenius hired Anna Beam as premium services coordinator. Beam will coordinate the firm’s specialized services, including content marketing, e-mail marketing and social media management.

MEDICAL The 7th Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office awarded Kelli Clune the Bill Barnet Service Above Self Award for her care of crime victims during difficult times and her ability to effectively testify during criminal court proceedings. Clune is the coordinator for the Spartanburg Medical Center (SMC) Forensic Nursing program. Clune has worked for eight years with adult abuse victims and six years with children.

Greenville Health System recently welcomed the third class of its Medical Scholars Program, which educates participants about the changing healthcare environment. Class members include: Marty Bauer, managing director, The Iron Yard; Michael Bolick, CEO, Selah Genomics; John Boyanoski, owner, Complete Public Relations; Craig Brown, president and owner, The Greenville Drive; Matt Dunbar, managing director, Upstate Carolina Angel Network; Monroe Free, president and CEO, Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County; Matt Gevaert, CEO and co-Founder, KIYATEC; Rob Hoak, regional president, TD Bank; Hasker Hudgens, senior pastor, The Equipping Center Church; Tammy Johnson, owner, Liquid Catering; John Kimbrell, executive vice president of operations, Greenville Chamber of Commerce; Marianne Pierce, senior associate academic dean, Furman University; Joe Schofield, director of portfolio management, Capital Design Associates; Julio Sotero, pastor of Hispanic ministry, Redemption World Outreach Center; Tom Strange, senior director, St. Jude Medical; Brett Wright, interim dean, Clemson University; and Hubert Yarborough, vice president of business development, Propel HR.

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18 | THE FINE PRINT |

UBJ

BUSINESS BRIEFS YOU CAN’ T MISS

TD Bank building certified as LEED Gold The TD Bank Contact Center building, which opened in March 2013 in Greenville, has been certified LEED Gold by the U.S. Green Building Council.

The building was slated to achieve LEED Gold when TD first purchased it from The South Financial Group, but the standards for the gold rating changed.

TD Bank therefore made extra investments to ensure the campus would reach its target. All three buildings on the campus now have a LEED Gold certification rating.

The environmentally friendly features of the building include: Motion-sensor lights in all rooms Low-flow toilets Carpeting made from recycled material Recycled asphalt in parking lots Local products bought and used for construction and design.

DoC awards grants to Upstate companies The South Carolina Department of Commerce is awarding $2.6 million in funding to 19 organizations—five of which are in the Upstate.

The Department of Commerce said the grants will further innovation, entrepreneurship and technology-based economic development.

The South Carolina Innovation Challenge solicits proposals for projects that focus on fostering technology-based economic development, entrepreneurship and innovation in South Carolina communities through university collaboration, local government participation or public-private partnerships.

The department received almost 60 grant submissions totaling $10.5 million in requests. Cities, county offices, chambers of commerce, universities, incubators and accelerators applied for funding.

A project could be awarded a maximum of $250,000 in grant funds, with a required dollar-for-dollar match of non-state-appropriated funds.

The Greenville Chamber of Commerce received $250,000 for the NEXT Ecosystem Acceleration.

The City of Anderson received $125,000 for the e-Merge @ the Garage program, which is the city’s technology and entrepreneurship center.

The City of Spartanburg received $50,000 for Project Hub, a community tool share and meeting space.

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02.20.2015

The Pickens Revitalization Association received $50,000 for the Pickens Innovation Center, which is a Clemson University Technology Villages program.

The South Carolina Biotechnology Industry Organization received $100,000 for the SCBIO Life Science Startup in a Box.

Real estate company Redfin opens in Greenville National real estate brokerage firm Redfin opened in Greenville this week.

Redfin agents are paid based on customer satisfaction reviews rather than on commission.

The company hired Greenville resident Jim Brown as the local real estate market manager. He most recently worked for ERA Wilder Realty.

“Three of the things I’m most passionate about are Greenville, real estate and customer service,” Brown said. “I’m confident that Greenville’s progressive community will embrace Redfin’s easier, smarter and less stressful way to buy and sell homes.”

KeyMark purchases New Jersey company Liberty-based software company KeyMark Inc. purchased systems integrator Document Conversion Associates (DCA).

Based in New Jersey, DCA is a value-added reseller of document imaging, document capture and optical character recognition (OCR) technologies.

“KeyMark and DCA have similar philosophies about innovative document management and automation technologies,” Jim Wanner, CEO of KeyMark, said in a release. “We … both have strong relationships with the top vendors in the document management market.”

DCA’s employees will be integrated into KeyMark’s organization, and its New Jersey office will be established as KeyMark’s Northeast Region Office. As part of the purchase, Weston Knowles, DCA president, will become KeyMark’s regional sales director in the Northeast.

Financial terms of the transaction are undisclosed.

105.9 FM 1330 AM

upstatebusinessjournal.com

BUSINESS BRIEFS YOU CAN’ T MISS

| THE FINE PRINT | 19

GWB opens Charleston office

SC is top motor vehicles, tires exporter

Law firm Gallivan, White and Boyd P.A. (GWB) has opened a new office in Charleston.

The firm now has offices in Charleston, Columbia, Greenville and Anderson, as well as Charlotte, N.C. GWB named Mikell Wyman as a partner and Blakely Molitor as an associate. Both will practice out of the new office.

“As a business and commercial defense firm, Charleston has always been a high priority for the future growth of our firm,” said firm CEO C. William McGee in a statement. “We look forward to expanding the services that we provide to our clients throughout both of the Carolinas.”

State exports climbed 13 percent to $29.7 billion during 2014, and South Carolina was the top U.S. exporter of completed passenger motor vehicles, tires, synthetic staple fibers and ball or roller bearings and parts, according to data from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Export sales of completed passenger motor vehicles grew 21 percent to $9.2 billion, making it the state’s top exported commodity for 2014.

The state imported $37.7 billion during 2014, according to the data.

Gov. Nikki Haley said that increases in exports—the fifth consecutive year of breaking export records—was due to the state’s “world-class” workforce and business-friendly climate.

Currently, 54 percent of job openings in the state are for critical-needs jobs, while only 28 percent of South Carolinians posses the skills to fill those jobs, according to the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce. Critical-needs jobs are those requiring more education than a high school diploma but less than a four-year degree.

China remained South Carolina’s top export partner with $4.23 billion in export sales in 2014. Other top partners included Germany, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Algeria, Australia, Japan, Belgium and South Korea.

Community Loan Fund aims for $5M in development projects A statewide nonprofit hopes to expand offerings in the Upstate by deploying $5 million in flexible, low-rate capital for community development projects this year.

Based in Charleston, the S.C. Community Loan Fund changed its name and broadened its reach last year, providing $550,000 in loans for Upstate projects to date, said Patrick King, the organization’s assistant director.

Loans from the S.C. Community Loan Fund have lower fees, lower interest rates and offer more than traditional loans, said King.

Loans are available for projects in specific focus areas, such as affordable housing, food and essential services access, neighborhood facility quality and availability, employment opportunities, projects that attract additional investment and opportunities to strengthen communities.

King said the nonprofit financed a $200,000 loan to Greenville-based Community Works Carolina, which then used the capital to finance affordable housing projects in the Upstate.

The $1.6 million Northside Initiative food hub project in Spartanburg also received $350,000 in financing, and is expected to support 25 jobs within two years. The healthy food hub opened last year and includes a community garden, kitchen, café and farmers market.

The S.C. Community Loan Fund will hold a mandatory application and information workshop on Tuesday, Feb. 24, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Hughes Main Library in Greenville. The workshop is required for those intending to apply during this funding round.

More information is available at sccommunityloanfund.org.

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20 | NEW TO THE STREET |

THE FRESHEST FACES ON THE BUSINESS LANDSCAPE

UBJ

|

02.20.2015

Open for business

1

1. Anderson Federal Credit Union opened a new branch at 2116 Highway 81 North, Anderson. Hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.

Drive-thru hours are extended through 5:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday.

For more information, visit andfcu.com.

2 CONTRIBUTE: Know of a business opening soon?

Email information to bjeffers@communityjournals.com.

2. W.M. Hair Designs recently opened at the Calhoun Historic Lofts at 402 N. Main St., Anderson. Hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

For more information, visit bit.ly/wm-hair.

Photos provided

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EVENTS YOU SHOULD HAVE ON YOUR CALENDAR

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 20

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 24

FINANCIAL SERVICES BIZ BOWL Star Lanes, 740 S. Pleasantburg Drive, Greenville; 6-8 p.m.

Team bowling competition to raise money for Junior Achievement programs

UPSTATE FOREVER FOREVERGREEN AWARDS LUNCHEON Embassy Suites, 670 Verdae Blvd., Greenville; 11:30 a.m.

SPEAKER: Gus Speth, National Resources Defense Council cofounder

COST: $500 per team

RSVP: lacey@ crawfordstrategy.com or 864-232-2302

REGISTER: susan.spencer@ja.org or 864-312-6419

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 26

MONDAY FEBRUARY 23 PIEDMONT SCORE SMALL BUSINESS START-UP WORKSHOP NEXT Innovation Center, 411 University Ridge, Greenville; 6-8 p.m.

SPARTANBURG CHAMBER ANNUAL CELEBRATION Spartanburg Marriott, 229 N. Church St., Spartanburg; 5-8:30 p.m.

COST: Chamber members $75, nonmembers $100

COST: Free

RESGISTER: bit.ly/ spartanburg-celebration2015

REGISTER: bit.ly/ score-feb2015

UPSTATE WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY LUNCH AND LEARN

COST: $17.50 REGISTER: uwitsc.com

TUESDAY MARCH 3 SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS SERIES Comfort Suites Simpsonville, 3971 Grandview Drive, Simpsonville; 8-9:30 a.m.

TOPIC: Networking: How It Can Increase Your Sales SPEAKER: Meredith Noon, BNI COST: Chamber members $39, nonmembers $49

The Community Tap, 217 Wade Hampton Blvd., Greenville; 6-8 p.m.

Media professionals will share challenges and experiences in their respective fields of storytelling COST: $15 REGISTER: bit.ly/beer-and-napkins

WEDNESDAY APRIL 1 DESIGNTHINKERS DESIGN WORKSHOP

FRIDAY MARCH 6 FIRST FRIDAY LEADERSHIP SERIES Clemson at Greenville ONE, 1 N. Main St., Greenville; 5:15-7 p.m.

TOPIC: Business growth and how to scale a product company SPEAKER: Nathan Bond, cofounder and director of business development, Rifle Paper Co. COST: Free REGISTER: bit.ly/ first-friday-march2015

RSVP: 864-862-2586

OpenWorks, 2 N. Main St., Greenville: noon-1 p.m.

TOPIC: Workplace Design and the Bottom Line COST: $10 REGISTER: bit.ly/ designthinkers-april2015

THURSDAY APRIL 16 DIGITAL MARKETING LUNCH AND LEARN Clemson at Greenville ONE, 1 N. Main St., Greenville; noon-1 p.m.

TOPIC: Blogging for Business: Best Practices and Other Advice COST: Free REGISTER: bit.ly/ lunch-and-learn-april2015

TUESDAY MAY 12

MAIN EVENT: TUESDAY FEBRUARY 24 BEER AND NAPKINS: STORYTELLING ACROSS PLATFORMS

REGISTER: bit.ly/ wofford-event2015

Spice of India, 15 Market Point Drive, Greenville; 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

TOPIC: Conflict Management and Influence

| PLANNER | 21

THURSDAY MARCH 19 WORKPLACE LAW BREAKFAST SERIES

DIGITAL MARKETING LUNCH AND LEARN

Westin Poinsett Hotel, 120 S. Main St., Greenville; 8-9:30 a.m.

Clemson at Greenville ONE, 1 N. Main St., Greenville; noon-1 p.m.

TOPIC: First Step Towards Success: Recruiting, Interviewing, and Hiring the Best Applicantsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Legally

TOPIC: Easy SEO Wins for Your Website

COST: Free REGISTER: bit.ly/ law-breakfast-march2015

WEDNESDAY MARCH 4 DESIGNTHINKERS DESIGN TALK OpenWorks, 2 N. Main St., Greenville; noon-1 p.m.

TOPIC: The Best Story Wins: Storytelling as a Solution Design Tool COST: $10 REGISTER: bit.ly/ dt-feb2015

COST: Free REGISTER: bit.ly/ lunch-and-learn-march2015

WORKPLACE LAW BREAKFAST SERIES Westin Poinsett Hotel, 120 S. Main St., Greenville; 8-10 a.m.

TOPIC: Daily Decisions: Best Practices For Managing Your Existing Workforce COST: Free REGISTER: bit.ly/ breakfast-series-may2015

SATURDAY MARCH 28 ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND SOCIAL GOOD DEMO DAY Michael S. Brown Village Center, N. Church St., Spartanburg; 5-9:30 p.m.

Watch 10 Wofford College students pitch businesses or social good projects to win $20,000 in cash and prizes COST: Free, includes dinner and cash bar

CONTRIBUTE: Got a hot date?

Submit event information for consideration to events@ upstatebusiness journal.com.

22 | SOCIAL SNAPSHOT |

INSIDE THE UPSTATE’S NETWORKING AND SOCIAL SCENE

UBJ

|

02.20. 2015

SC MANUFACTURERS CONFERENCE The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce hosted the fifth annual South Carolina Manufacturers Conference last week at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Greenville. Topics included the national manufacturing agenda, South Carolina’s energy future, the Upstate Regional Export Plan, a National Labor Relations Board update, workforce development, tax reform and financial trends facing manufacturers.

Photos provided

CONTRIBUTE: Got high-resolution photos of your networking or social events? Send photos and information for consideration to events@upstatebusinessjournal.com.

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upstatebusinessjournal.com

A QUICK LOOK INTO THE UPSTATE’S PAST

| SNAPSHOT | 23

Furman University moved to Greenville County in 1851 and occupied a site on a hill above the Reedy River purchased from Vardry McBee. Construction of the main building on the new campus began in 1852 and was completed in 1854. The Charleston architecture firm of Lee and Hall was commissioned to design the building. The result was the most architecturally significant building in Furman’s history. Designed in the Italianate style popular in the Victorian era, the main hall consisted of a central section flanked by an east wing and bell tower. Richard Furman Hall was named in honor of the clergyman who had been instrumental in founding the institution. The bell tower would become an enduring symbol of the university. A replica was erected in the lake at the new campus.

Photo by Greg Beckner

d His toric photo provide

Furman University moved to a new campus 6 miles north of Greenville in 1958. The former site, home to the school for over 100 years, would become a shopping mall, later purchased by Greenville County and known today as County Square. Closer to the Reedy River behind County Square is the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities.

Historic photograph available from the Greenville Historical Society.​ From “Remembering Greenville: Photographs from the Coxe Collection” by Jeffrey R. Willis

MARKETING & EVENTS

IN THIS WEEK’S ISSUE OF UBJ? WANT A COPY FOR YOUR LOBBY?

MARCH 20: INTERNATIONAL ISSUES How the Upstate does business with the rest of the world, and vice versa.

Kate Madden

DIGITAL STRATEGIST PRESIDENT/CEO

Mark B. Johnston mjohnston@communityjournals.com

UBJ PUBLISHER

Ryan L. Johnston rjohnston@communityjournals.com

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

UBJ milestone

UBJ milestone jackson Marketing Group’s 25 Years 1988 Jackson Dawson opens in Greenville at Downtown Airport

Emily Price

1988

>>

with a majority of them utilizing the general aviation airport as a “corporate gateway to the city.”

In 1997, Jackson and his son, Darrell, launched Jackson Motorsports Group. The new division was designed to sell race tires and go to racetracks to sell and mount the tires. Darrell Jackson now serves as president of the motorsports group and Larry Jackson has two other children and a son-in-law who work there. Jackson said all his children started at the bottom and “earned their way up.”

Jackson kept the Jackson-Dawson branches in Detroit and others in Los Angeles and New York until he sold his portion of that partnership in 2009 as part of his estate planning.

The company now operates a small office in Charlotte, but its main headquarters are in Greenville in a large office space off Woodruff Road, complete with a vision gallery that displays local artwork and an auditorium Jackson makes available for non-profit use. The Motorsports Group is housed in an additional 26,000 square feet building just down the street, and the agency is currently looking for another 20,000 square feet.

Jackson said JMG has expanded into other verticals such as financial, healthcare, manufacturing and pro-bono work, but still has a strong focus on the auto industry and transportation. It’s

ART & PRODUCTION ART DIRECTOR Whitney Fincannon OPERATIONS Holly Hardin

1997 Jackson Dawson launches motorsports Division 1993

1990 Jackson Dawson acquires therapon marketing Group and moves to Piedmont office Center on Villa.

Chairman larry Jackson, Jackson marketing Group. Photos by Greg Beckner / Staff

Jackson Marketing Group celebrates 25 years By sherry Jackson | staff | sjackson@communityjournals.com

Solve. Serve. Grow. Those three words summarize Jackson Marketing Group’s guiding principles, and according to owner Larry Jackson, form the motivation that has kept the firm thriving for the past 25 years.

Jackson graduated from Bob Jones University with a degree in video and film production and started his 41-year career in the communications industry with the U.S. Army’s Public Information Office. He served during

Vietnam, where he said he was “luckily” stationed in the middle of Texas at Fort Hood.

He left the service and went to work in public affairs and motorsports at Ford Motor Company in Detroit.

After a stint at Bell and Howell, where he was responsible for managing Ford’s dealer marketing and training, the entrepreneurial bug hit and he co-founded Jackson-Dawson Marketing Communications, a company specializing in dealer training and product launches for the auto industry in 1980.

In 1987, Jackson wanted to move back south and thought Greenville would be a good fit. An avid pilot, he

learned of an opportunity to purchase Cornerstone Aviation, a fixed base operation (FBO) that served as a service station for the Greenville Downtown Airport, providing fuel, maintenance and storage.

In fact, when he started the Greenville office of what is now Jackson Marketing Group (JMG) in 1988, the offices were housed on the second floor in an airport hangar.

“Clients would get distracted by the airplanes in the hangars and we’d have to corral them to get back upstairs to the meeting,” Jackson said.

Jackson sold the FBO in 1993, but says it was a great way to get to know Greenville’s fathers and leaders

>>

2003 motorsports Division acquires an additional 26,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space

1998 1998 Jackson Dawson moves to task industrial Court

also one of the few marketing companies in South Carolina to handle all aspects of a project in-house, with four suites handling video production, copywriting, media and research and web design.

Clients include heavyweights such as BMW, Bob Jones University, the Peace Center, Michelin and Sage Automotive. Recent projects have included an interactive mobile application for Milliken’s arboretum and 600-acre Spartanburg campus and a marketing campaign for the 2013 Big League World Series.

“In my opinion, our greatest single achievement is the longevity of our client relationships,” said Darrell Jackson. “Our first client from back in 1988 is still a client today. I can count on one hand the number of clients who have gone elsewhere in the past decade.”

Larry Jackson says his Christian faith and belief in service to others, coupled with business values rooted in solving clients’ problems, have kept

2009 Jackson Dawson changes name to Jackson marketing Group when larry sells his partnership in Detroit and lA 2003

2009-2012 Jackson marketing Group named a top BtoB agency by BtoB magazine 4 years running

him going and growing his business over the years. He is passionate about giving back and outreach to non-profits. The company was recently awarded the Community Foundation Spirit Award.

The company reaffirmed its commitment to serving the community last week by celebrating its 25th anniversary with a birthday party and a 25-hour Serve-A-Thon partnership with Hands on Greenville and Habitat for Humanity. JMG’s 103 full-time employees worked in shifts around the clock on October 22 and 23 to help construct a house for a deserving family.

As Jackson inches towards retirement, he says he hasn’t quite figured out his succession plan yet, but sees the companies staying under the same umbrella. He wants to continue to strategically grow the business.

“From the beginning, my father has taught me that this business is all about our people – both our clients and our associates,” said his son, Darrell. “We have created a focus and a culture that strives to solve problems, serve people and grow careers.”

Darrell Jackson said he wants to “continue helping lead a culture where we solve, serve and grow. If we are successful, we will continue to grow towards our ultimate goal of becoming the leading integrated marketing communications brand in the Southeast.”

2011 Jackson marketing Group/Jackson motorsports Group employee base reaches 100 people

2008 2012 Jackson marketing Group recognized by Community Foundation with Creative spirit Award

pro-bono/non-proFit Clients American Red Cross of Western Carolinas Metropolitan Arts Council Artisphere Big League World Series The Wilds Advance SC South Carolina Charities, Inc. Aloft Hidden Treasure Christian School

CoMMUnitY inVolVeMent & boarD positions lArry JACkson (ChAirmAn): Bob Jones University Board chairman, The Wilds Christian Camp and Conference Center board member, Gospel Fellowship Association board member, Past Greenville Area Development Corporation board member, Past Chamber of Commerce Headquarters Recruiting Committee member, Past Greenville Tech Foundation board member David Jones (Vice President Client services, Chief marketing officer): Hands on Greenville board chairman mike Zeller (Vice President, Brand marketing): Artisphere Board, Metropolitan Arts Council Board, American Red Cross Board, Greenville Tech Foundation Board, South Carolina Chamber Board eric Jackson (Jackson motorsports Group sales specialist): Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club Advisory Board

November 1, 2013 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal 21

20 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal November 1, 2013

AS SEEN IN

NOVEMBER 1, 2013

ADVERTISING DESIGN Kristy Adair, Michael Allen

Susan Clary Simmons ssimmons@communityjournals.com

CLIENT SERVICES

MANAGING EDITOR

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Anita Harley, Jane Rogers

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DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA

Jerry Salley jsalley@communityjournals.com

Kristi Fortner

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Jennifer Oladipo

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Ashley Boncimino, Sherry Jackson, Benjamin Jeffers, Cindy Landrum, April A. Morris

INTERNS

Amanda Cordisco, Natalie Walters

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EVENTS:

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LINKEDIN: Upstate Business Journal

MARCH 27: WHO’S WHO 2015 Meet the latest class of professionals to look out for and look up to.

APRIL: GREEN BUSINESSES How are Upstate companies going green while making green?

Got any thoughts? Care to contribute? Let us know at ideas@ upstatebusinessjournal.com.

events@upstatebusinessjournal.com

NEW HIRES, PROMOTIONS, AND AWARDS: onthemove@upstatebusinessjournal.com UBJ welcomes expert commentary from business leaders on timely news topics related to their specialties.

Guest columns run 700-800 words.

Contact Executive Editor Susan Clary Simmons at ssimmons@communityjournals.com to submit an article for consideration.

publishers of

Copyright ©2015 BY COMMUNITY JOURNALS LLC. All rights reserved. Upstate Business Journal is published weekly by Community Journals LLC. P.O. Box 2266, Greenville, South Carolina, 29602.

Upstate Business Journal is a free publication. Annual subscriptions (52 issues) can be purchased for $50. Postmaster: Send address changes to Upstate Business, P.O. Box 2266, Greenville, SC 29602.

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Jessica Traber, DVM Cleveland Park Animal Hospital

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