INSIDE // 50 YEARS FOR GREENVILLE FEDERAL CREDIT UNION • CREW UPSTATE AWARD WINNERS
MARCH 23, 2018 | VOL. 8 ISSUE 12
art in
Leather
Armin Oehler’s German family tannery led to a Greenville-based shoe design company
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TOP-OF-MIND AND IN THE MIX THIS WEEK
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 12 Featured this issue: Carolina Code School opens in NEXT Innovation Center...................................3 New event venue near Falls Park...............................................................................10 Southern Om Hot Yoga opens in Greenville’s West End.................................... 11
Carolina Code School offers a 12-week full-time web development immersive course to prepare college students and working professionals for a career in software development. The course, which costs $13,999, will be offered six times a year and accommodate up to 20 students per cohort. Read more on Page 3. Photo by Will Crooks
WORTH REPEATING “Is there still a demand to renovate older mills into housing?”
VERBATIM
On Toys “R” Us
Robert Dunn, Page 10
“Schoolteachers had difficulty getting loans from a regular bank or any other institution.” Jesse Bowens, Page 16
“Though ‘select’ is the term that is frequently used … a better description of what is really happening is ‘elimination.’” Michael Trotter, Page 22 2
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“Walmart had a better online experience. Target had a better online experience. They lost online and they didn’t adapt.” Jim Silver, toy industry analyst, on where Toys “R” Us’ business plan faltered. Last week, the company announced it was closing or selling all stores in the United States. It filed for bankruptcy in September.
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TECHNOLOGY
New coding school opens in Greenville ANDREW MOORE | STAFF
amoore@communityjournals.com A new coding school has opened at the NEXT Innovation Center in downtown Greenville. The school, which is known as Carolina Code School, offers a 12-week full-time web development immersive course to prepare college students and working professionals for a career in software development — no coding experience required. The course, which costs $13,999, will be offered six times a year and accommodate up to 20 students per cohort. Those accepted into the course will study the basics of front-end and back-end web development for eight weeks and then focus on a programming language (Java, JavaScript, Ruby, etc.) of their choice. Carolina Code School is the first of several economic development programs organized by Build Carolina, a Greenville-based nonprofit “dedicated to building talent initiatives to support innovative companies across the Carolinas.” Peter Barth, founder and CEO of The Iron Yard, launched the nonprofit earlier this year and currently serves on the board of directors alongside Eric Dodd, former chief marketing officer at The Iron Yard, and John Moore, CEO of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce’s NEXT program. Leila King, former director of communications at The Iron Yard, has been hired to serve as executive director. “Our goal is to prepare students with the skills they need for careers in software development,” Barth said. “We’re not only going to teach them the basics of coding. We’re going to make sure they can actually apply what they’ve learned outside of the classroom.” Barth added that students who complete the course will have the opportunity to enter a
“ We have so many innovative and forward-thinking companies right here in our community, and our mission is to support those companies by helping to fill our area’s talent gaps.” –Leila King, executive director of Build Carolina
career support program, which provides four additional weeks of the curriculum along with support throughout the career search process. Financing will be available. Carolina Code School has also partnered with Greenville Technical College to offer academic credits to students who graduate from the 12-week coding course. Students can apply to receive credit for courses like web programming, DHTML and JavaScript, relational database, and introduction to information technology, according to King. “It takes the commitment of the entire community and innovative opportunities like this partnership to build a talented workforce
Photo by Will Crooks
and to position the Upstate for success,” said Dr. Keith Miller, president of Greenville Technical College. “We are pleased to partner with Carolina Code School, which will offer a much-needed pathway to employment in software development and engineering and serve as a key part of the economic growth of our region.” The first courses will be held on April 2 and May 14, according to King. They will be led by Joel Taddei and Mady Chapman, both former instructors with The Iron Yard. Those who are interested can apply at carolinacodeschool.org.
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Greg Arscott was at a University of Maryland football game in 2007 when he got the call he’d been waiting for. It turned out to be the call that changed his life. “I answered the phone and it was my dad,” said Arscott, 34, originally of Canada. “He said, ‘You’re moving to Greenville.’ And I said, ‘Where?’” Arscott, his older brother, Jeff Arscott, and their father, John Arscott, are co-owners of The Pete Store LLC, a dealership franchise for Texas-based Peterbilt Motors Co., a Paccar company. The franchise boasts 14 locations and 450 employees in Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Virginia, and South Carolina.
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“I got the call on a Saturday, and on Sunday I was in Greenville,” said Greg Arscott, who serves as the company’s vice president and dealership manager. “I was young. I just wanted my shot. … I immediately fell in love with Greenville. I called my wife, who at the time was my fiancé and was headed into her wedding shower, and said, ‘Honey, this is home. I’ve found our home.’ She said, ‘I’ll call you back.’” In November, Arscott’s company opened a new $13 million, nearly 50,000-square-foot full-service dealership on 17.5 acres at 199 Freeman Farm Road in Spartanburg County. The new location is off Exit 60 near the intersection of Interstate 85 and Highway 101, just south of BMW Manufacturing Co. Arscott said the dealership is the result of the relocation of The Pete
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Greg Arscott stands beside his company’s 2016 Peterbilt “Dealership of the Year” award. Photo by Trevor Anderson
Store’s former dealership in Piedmont — the same store that brought him to the Upstate a decade ago — and the establishment of the company’s Southeast headquarters, which is housed in the new location. Sales, parts, service, finance, and leasing operations are all housed beneath its roof. “A couple of years ago, we started talking about the future,” Arscott said. “We had our Southeast headquarters in Knoxville. We were able to consolidate our marketing, IT, HR, administration, and support staff into this location.”
“ Our vision for this was to make it a bit of an oasis. When you’re on the road, it’s nice to be able to have a place to relax.” –Greg Arscott
The building has 20,000 square feet of office and showroom space, a parts warehouse with $1 million worth of merchandise, and a climate-controlled service area with 21 bays. Parked in the showroom is a fully restored 1945 Peterbilt 354 HDT that Arscott salvaged from the company’s dealership in Richmond, Va.
Customers can park their vehicle beneath a large portico that protects them from the elements and walk inside to check in at the service desk. A customer lounge features comfy furnishings, a TV, and even a laundry and a shower area. “Our vision for this was to make it a bit of an oasis,” Arscott said. “When you’re on the road, it’s nice to be able to have a place to relax. We also offer free breakfasts and lunches to drivers.” In addition to offices, the facility has an employee lounge and a training facility. Arscott said the dealership currently employs 49 people. He anticipates that number will grow to 60 before too long and eventually up to 100. The dealership’s construction began in 2016, the same year The Pete Store earned a Peterbilt “Dealership of the Year” award. Arscott said the facility services clients that range from local to national companies. The young owner said he is excited about the dealership’s location, which he referred to as the “intersection of commerce in South Carolina.” “It’s been very rewarding,” Arscott said. “We’re very happy about our position in the market. We’ve already noticed an increase in our business.”
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PRESENTING SPONSOR
CREW Upstate announces annual award winners CREW Upstate is the networking and business development organization of choice for successful commercial real estate professionals in Upstate South Carolina. The mission of CREW Upstate is to influence the success of the commercial real estate industry by advancing the achievements of women. Founded in 2010, CREW Upstate has grown to over 75 members and counting — welcoming women and men from a broad range of real estate disciplines across the Upstate. CREW Upstate provides support to its members through business development, leadership development, industry research, and career outreach. Portraits by Will Crooks.
Dealmaker: Kimberly Baily
CREW Upstate Awards Dealmaker: A CREW Upstate member who receives this award exemplifies quality work and performance in their field via transaction volume, groundbreaking deal size, or another industry achievement. The award winner proves to be a producer, connecter, manager, or trailblazer, and an individual that displays excellence, resourcefulness, collaboration, and industry best practices. Career Advancement for Women: A CREW Upstate member who receives this award exhibits CREW Network’s mission to advance the achievements of women in commercial real estate. The award recipient has impacted one or more women by equipping them with skills or confidence to advance in their careers through new opportunities. Rising Star: A CREW Upstate member who receives this award reached a milestone or unique career success. Under the age of 35, this recipient is someone to watch in the future. This person approaches tasks with ambition and intuition to create something new or unique; providing services, developing products, or improving practices by organizing, developing, or innovatively using available recourses. The Rising Star recipient shines brightly. Development Impact: Recent projects within one of four categories (office, retail, industrial, or multifamily) are honored with this award when they significantly and measurably impact the community in a positive way. These real estate projects help transform and revitalize the built environment as well as the community, reaching far beyond the project boundaries. –Melody Wright
2018 COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE AWARDS
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The 2018 Dealmaker Award winner, Kimberly Bailey, has worked in the construction industry with Brasfield & Gorrie for 12 years. As a CREW Upstate member since 2015, Bailey currently serves as the CREW Upstate Secretary for a second year. Bailey earned a Bachelor of Science in building construction and is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accredited Professional. As project manager in the Greenville office, Bailey strives to satisfy clients and promote the growth of the female presence in a predominately male industry. Leading and supervising many prominent projects, Bailey is managing the $35 million Camperdown project, a mixed-use development in the heart of downtown Greenville.“[The Camperdown project] is a complex project that has required me to manage a lot of moving parts, including relationships with multiple owners, subcontractors, and vendors,” Bailey says. “I have had to be flexible, resourceful, and innovative in order to be successful.” Bailey uses innovative thinking to solve problems, and she collaborates with all key stakeholders involved in the project. “I am inspired by the increasing number of females in construction. Women have a lot to offer this industry, and the numbers are starting to reflect that,” she says. “I hope that I can be an example to young women interested in careers and leadership positions that have not typically been filled by women in the past.” –Melody Wright
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Development Impact: City of Greenville Public Works
Development Impact: Aug W. Smith Building
Career Advancement for Woman: Jayne McCall
The 2018 Development Impact Award winner, the new City of Greenville Public Works Campus, required the collaboration of several CREW Upstate member companies including DP3 Architects, the City of Greenville, Harper Corporation, PMC Interiors, and Seamon Whiteside & Associates. The project resulted in an award-winning, state-of-the-art campus. Mike Murphy, director of Public Works, says the new campus is truly amazing and attributes the success to the perseverance and dedication of all involved. “The new facility, constructed under the Construction Manager at Risk process, is an environmentally compliant facility designed to accommodate public works operations for the next 50 years,” Murphy says. “The City, DP3 Architects, and Harper Construction worked as partners to bring this project in under budget and months ahead of schedule.” The $19.7 million, 33-acre campus houses six of the nine divisions under the public works umbrella (administration, fleet services, solid waste, stormwater, wastewater, streets/sidewalks) in over 100,000 square feet of space. A full-service truck and auto wash with a covered fueling station is also included. Future phases of the project will include relocating building services and engineering services as well. “We are all inspired by the feeling that what we do on a daily basis means something and is important in the quality of the lives of the citizens we are dedicated and honored to serve,” Murphy says. “We want to do our jobs with the least amount of intrusion possible and be as efficient as tasks, time, and weather permit. Our new Public Works Campus helps us do just that.” –Melody Wright
The award for development impact was given to the Aug W. Smith building restoration project in downtown Spartanburg. The collaboration of several CREW Upstate member companies including McMillan Pazdan Smith and Harper Corporation led to the purchase and redevelopment of the historic building named after the department store it housed beginning in the 1920s. Aug W. Smith department store closed in 1981 and was passed around between various owners since then. In 2013, the building was foreclosed, and it had remained vacant until recently. The property originally included 45 luxury apartments and two ground-level retail spaces. The project added two floors to the existing structure, which brought the total floors to seven, including the basement. There is also the potential for a third retail space on the basement level facing Dunbar Street. Patty Bock, economic development director for the City of Spartanburg, said that the building is a historic landmark of downtown Spartanburg and is strategic to revitalizing the area. “This is a really important catalyst north of Church Street and will transform that area, as most development has been south of Church Street,” Bock said. The newly renovated building preserves many of the historic features of the original architecture and provides a space in a growing Spartanburg downtown that is walkable to more than 30 restaurants and bars, urban parks, and downtown retail and events. –Robert Hull
Jayne McCall is the vice president of the Hughes Development Corporation and has been honored with the award for Career Advancement for Women. When she first moved to Greenville with her family in 1982, she saw a sign advertising Hughes Development. Later in her life, she worked temporarily for the director of the Furman-Clemson MBA program at Furman University. The director later recommended McCall when a position at Hughes opened. “Never in my wildest imagination could I have ever dreamed that I would spend 35 years building a career with the same Hughes on that sign that I used to see when my family visited Greenville,” McCall said. When starting at Hughes, McCall focused on learning the commercial real estate development industry. “Not only for the purpose of my hired position but simply for pursuing opportunities to do more,” McCall said. “I was mentored by the best and was taught both the importance of the little details and the vast complexities of commercial real estate.” Since then, McCall has had over 30 years of significant impact. She currently leads a division that manages over 230,000 square feet of medical office space in nine buildings, and over 1.9 million square feet of office and retail space. “I have been extremely blessed to be a part of Hughes and the opportunities to add my contributions to its decades of successes,” McCall said. –Robert Hull
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SPONSORED CONTENT
Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative Consistency and service have been cornerstones for Blue Ridge Electric for 78 years, and counting. In that time, the cooperative team has provided electricity to thousands of customers or members across the Upstate, while maintaining stability at the top of the organization. Earlier this year, Jim Lovinggood became just the third president and CEO the cooperative has had since its establishment in 1940. From 1982 to 2018, Charles Dalton served as the leader of Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative. The second employee he hired was Lovinggood, who went on to become vice president of engineering for the cooperative and was named president and CEO 35 years later. “It feels like I’ve done just about everything here,” says Lovinggood, who started out doing inspections, mapping, and drafting more than three decades ago. “I’ve evolved through the organizational structure and have spent a great deal of time in different departments.”
“It’s not just a job – it’s a calling. It goes beyond just a paycheck and a career. We take it personally when people need to get their power back on.”
Blue Ridge is a memberowned, not-for-profit electric-distribution utility that services more than 65,000 people in the Upstate. That’s quite a jump from the 1,680 people it was serving when it began more than 75 years ago. Supplying service to Anderson, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens, and Spartanburg counties, Blue Ridge has been a part of the Upstate community as it has grown into what it is today.
“We have 7,000 miles of distribution lines,” Lovinggood says, noting that the knowledge and experience accumulated about the area are essential to Blue Ridge’s success. “We know where everything is located and how all those pieces interconnect.” Blue Ridge has provided electricity to people in the state’s most-challenging terrain since long before electricity was universally present in residential areas. Since then, the cooperative has developed a reputation for excellent member service and reliability, which can be attributed to the great people at Blue Ridge Electric. “It’s the culture,” Lovinggood says, noting that the company
has long-term employees who have grown with the business, some still on the job after 35 or 40 years. “We talk about this all the time. It’s not just a job—it’s a calling. It goes beyond simply a paycheck and a career. We take it personally when our members are without power.” With a highly-trained and professional workforce, Blue Ridge has maintained a strong focus on safety. In dealing with a dangerous product in sometimes treacherous terrain, Lovinggood consistently emphasizes safe work practices to his employees, alongside the commitment to deliver quality service to members.
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PRESENTING SPONSOR CREW continued from PAGE 7
“The key is a combination of safety and efficiency. We supply a dangerous product, and so we have to be careful; but when emergencies strike, we’re going to get people’s electricity back on as quickly as we can.” He notes that Blue Ridge is a knowledge-based utility, using analytics and new technologies to provide electric service more efficiently and safely to those residing in the Upstate. However, it’s the commitment to the organization’s values that has created a positive and successful culture at Blue Ridge Electric. Lovinggood says, “Throughout my 35-year career at Blue Ridge, the values of integrity, accountability, innovation, and commitment have been at the core of all we do.” In addition to keeping the lights on for members, Blue Ridge has been giving of itself to the community for decades. Its employees have invariably been involved with community events and charity functions, which led them to create their own fundraiser. “We’ve always given back. We’ve been active in the community for a long time,” says Lovinggood. “We found ourselves at an event almost every weekend, so we decided to host something of our own.” Blue Ridge Fest, now in its 21st year, is an annual fundraiser held at the cooperative’s headquarters in downtown Pickens. It includes the Upstate’s KNOW THE FACTS largest classic-car cruise-in FACT 1: Blue Ridge Electric began by and a Beach Night show and inheriting 1,680 customers from the dance that attracts as many South Carolina Rural Electrification as 5,000 attendees and up Authority. to 600 vintage vehicles from across the Southeast. The FACT 2: The cooperative has 160 fundraiser benefits local employees and utilizes a number of charities in the cooperative’s contract crews in its line construction service area and has raised and maintenance programs. more than $2.5 million for human-help agencies FACT 3: Cooperatives, also called “coin Anderson, Greenville, ops,” now serve 1.3 million people in Oconee and Pickens South Carolina, which constitutes about counties. This year’s Blue one-third of the state’s population. That Ridge Fest is scheduled for number is greater than that of any other Friday, May 4. utility operating in the state.
FACT 4: Cooperatives have built, and are maintaining more miles of power lines than those of all the state’s other electric utilities combined. Even so, coops manage to operate at a comparative cost, in spite of the disadvantage of earning smaller revenues per mile of power line. They are able to do this by doing business on a not-for-profit, cost-of-service basis. As member-owned utilities, cooperatives ultimately return to members any margins earned in a given year. These refunds serve to reduce electricity costs for those members.
As Blue Ridge Electric continues its charitable work, it has embarked on a new era as Jim Lovinggood has taken the reins from Charles Dalton. “As we look to the future, it’s my plan to build on the legacy Charles has cultivated over his nearly four decades of service. We’ll continue to focus on serving our members as efficiently and effectively as possible.”
Rising Star: Alison Hollstegge Alison Hollstegge, market leader for CBI, received the Rising Star award. Hollstegge graduated from Furman with a degree in communications studies in 2009 and then acquired a master’s in interior design at Savannah College of Art & Design in 2012. From there, Hollstegge worked as a sales consultant with CBI, an interior solutions provider offering workplace strategy and furniture solutions to a wide range of clients. Hollstegge was then promoted to market leader in 2015 at the age of 27. As Market Leader, Hollstegge obtained a lot of responsibilities; her primary role is to manage the Greenville office, which includes developing business strategy, managing profitability, promoting thought leadership, planning events, and managing projects and design. Hollstegge achieved a 20 percent increase in profitability from 2016 to 2017. She attributes much of her proactive habits back to her athletic youth. “I grew up an athlete, and played D1 volleyball at Furman University,” Hollstegge said. “I attribute much of my success thus far to the skills I developed on the court: teamwork, dedication, and attitude. I learned the value of goal-setting and the importance of healthy competition. Apart from work, Hollstegge is involved in many community activities. She is the CREW Upstate Sponsorship Committee Chair for a second year, works with a third-party business coach, and is a member of CBI’s internal Leadership Training Program. “Like most things in life, you get out what you put in,” Hollstegge said. –Robert Hull
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REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION
ARIEL TURNER | STAFF
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Vintage Now Modern opens new event venue near Falls Park Vintage Now Modern, 631 S. Main St., Greenville, has expanded its business with a new wedding and corporate meeting venue next to Falls Park in the garden level of the same building. The Venue at Falls Park, located in the former Postcard From Paris event space, is 4,000 square feet and can accommodate up to 150 guests for weddings, cocktail parties, fundraisers, or corporate events.
Co-owner Debra Weaver said when space became available, it was the next logical move for the business to take it over. The entrance to the venue faces Falls Park and is less than 75 feet from a side entrance to the park. Parking is available on site in the private parking lot. Tony and Debra Weaver’s two businesses now occupy 14,050 square feet of business space on Main Street and are seeking additional space to further expand. Visit thevenueatfallspark.com for booking information.
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Historic Southern Weaving property listed at $1.95 million The Southern Weaving Company facility at 1005 W. Bramlett Road, Greenville, has hit the market at $1.95 million with a total of approximately 192,328 square feet for sale only, adding to the running list of historic industrial textile facilities to be shuttered in the Greenville area. The textile production facility, listed by the Stump Corporation as a “great investment property with future tenancy or redevelopment potential,” consists of five buildings — two older manufacturing plants about 70,000 square feet each, one modern warehouse at 46,500 square feet with high ceilings, an office building at 6,500 square feet, and a storage building at 3,500 square feet. The property deed lists Southern Weaving Company as the first recorded owner on May 13, 1924. The property marketing brochure lists the years the buildings were built in the range of 1940-1980. The facility is less than a mile from Woodside Mill, the former cotton mill that has been
annexed by the city of Greenville and planned for a multimillion-dollar mixed-use redevelopment. Robert Dunn, broker with the Stump Corporation, says there are currently two demo/salvage companies, one local and one from Maryland, that are interested in the property who would potentially scrap and demo the older buildings and reposition the newer building for lease. “Is there still a demand to renovate older mills into housing?” he asked, suggesting that as a possibility for this property. On Aug. 15, 2017, Southern Weaving Company was acquired by Oppermann GmbH, a global manufacturer of textile webbing products. It was announced then that Oppermann GmbH would continue to serve webbing markets from its existing production facility in Piedmont, while undergoing a plant expansion capable of merging the Greenville Southern Weaving Company production within the next year.
REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION
ARIEL TURNER | STAFF
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Southern Om Hot Yoga opens second location in the West End Southern Om Hot Yoga’s second location at 1116 S. Main St. in Greenville has opened in the West End at the intersection of Main Street and Perry Avenue behind the Nachmann Norwood & Parrott office and steps away from the under-construction mixed-use development The Greene. The original Southern Om studio that opened in 2010 is located next to Whole Foods Market on Woodruff Road. Both are owned by Pace Beattie, who says he wasn’t necessarily looking for a second location when this new space became available but it seemed like a good opportunity. The space was formerly the home of Zanti Power Yoga
before the studio merged with Soul Yoga in 2017. Beattie, who did much of the handyman work in the renovation, consulted with a feng shui expert for the interior design of the new location, choosing design elements that she recommended to be in line with a yoga practice, such as moving the front desk to the side to keep the line of sight open from the front door, rounding the corners of all of the blonde-wood custom millwork to minimize harsh angles, and adding mirrors on particular walls to extend the sightline. The West End space has two studios — one is the Moon studio, which is kept at between 80-90
NAI Earle Furman’s Multifamily Division closes $14.7 million portfolio Greenville-based NAI Earle Furman’s Multifamily Division arranged the $14.7 million sale of Park Fairfax Apartments and Colonial Place Apartments, a 274-unit portfolio located in Charlotte, N.C. Tony Bonitati, Kay Hill, and Bern DuPree arranged the transactions on behalf of the sellers, Fairfax Holdings LLC and Springmont Holdings LLC. Cedar Grove Capital based out of New York acquired the portfolio and was not represented in the sale. Park Fairfax is an apartment community constructed in 1971 and consists of 46 one-bed-
degrees, and the Sun studio, which is heated up to 105 degrees. “We like to teach classes hotter than what they used to here, so what we ended up doing was
putting up these heat panels,” Beattie says, pointing to the 30 infrared heat panels suspended from the ceiling. “So not only do they make the ceiling look a little bit softer and easier, they put out heat as well.”
Beattie says it took him a month to hang all of the rectangular panels, which required about 600 threaded rods, bolts, and washers. “It was mind-boggling,” he says. The majority of classes are held in the Sun studio, while some of the flow, yin, and children’s classes are held in the Moon studio. Like the Woodruff Road location, offerings include heated classes in both static and vinyasa flow styles, along with new classes such as Ashtanga primary series, southern stretch (a restorative yoga practice), southern yin, kids yoga, and hot pilates. Classes are offered seven days a week. Times range from 6 a.m.-9 p.m.
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room units and 92 two-bedroom units. Colonial Place Apartments, constructed in 1974, consists of 96 one-bedroom units and 40 two-bedroom units. The two properties are contiguous to one another and feature community amenities such as a pool, clubhouse, and playground. The properties averaged 95 percent occupancy at the time of sale.
TOTAL D NONST AILY OPS
7%
CH THAN CEAPER HA ON AVE RLOTTE RAG E*
www.gspairport.com *Average one way fare plus Passenger Facility Charge in each of GSP’s top 50 markets per USDOT for 12 months ending June 30, 2017.
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MANUFACTURING
United Tool and Mold Inc. to expand with $11M facility in Pickens County ANDREW MOORE | STAFF
amoore@communityjournals.com Easley-based United Tool and Mold Inc. announced its plans on Tuesday, March 13, to invest $11.1 million in a 60,000-square-foot facility in Pickens County. The company, which builds and repairs plastic injection and blow molding machinery, said the facility would be constructed at the Pickens County Commerce Park. It is expected to create 17 jobs. “We chose Pickens County in 1995 to start United Tool and Mold, and we are very appreciative of the support from the S.C. Department of Commerce and Pickens County leadership to help us increase our footprint in Pickens County. Their willingness to help us expand our opera-
tions, rooted in this community, is the main reason why we are choosing Pickens County again,” said H. Scott Phipps, United Tool and Mold Inc. president, in a news release.
United Tool and Mold Inc. has three locations across the Southeast, including operations in Duncan and Easley. The Easley facility features the company’s main office and is a comprehensive provider of mold-servicing needs. UTM also offers a service-on-site program
that brings employees to customer facilities to work on molds still in the press. This service has been upgraded to include a mobile laser welder and a fully equipped service van. “United Tool and Mold has been a member of the Pickens County family for 23 years. This expansion is a testament to their partnership and desire to be a strong leader in our community and to their commitment to excellence on a global scale,” said Pickens County Council chairman Roy Costner. The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved a $75,000 Set Aside grant to Pickens County to assist with the costs of building construction. Those interested in joining the United Tool and Mold team should contact tonya.hinson@ utminc.com for more information.
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Neo Burrito’s typical industrial utilitarian look was modified to complement its historic building’s exposed brick, wood beams, and old advertisement. Will Crooks/Upstate Business Journal
RESTAURANTS
Neo Burrito opens March 23 after numerous delays ARIEL TURNER | STAFF
aturner@communityjournals.com DHEC inspections delayed Neo Burrito’s planned March 19 opening until March 23. But beginning at 7 a.m. on Friday, those $1 breakfast tacos will be ready to go, president and COO Walter Godfrey says. The 50-seat, shotgun location at 1268 Pendleton St. in the Village of West Greenville has been much anticipated since it was announced in January 2017. Construction, including having the sidewalk in front of the store ripped out and replaced, and other permitting delays complicated the process. “Neo Burrito set its sights on the Village of West Greenville towards the end of 2016 and signed the lease in January of 2017,” Godfrey says. “The search for a location in Greenville began in 2015 with Rakan Draz and John Odom from Avison Young, and we explored possibili-
ties on Pelham, Woodruff, Augusta, and South Main Street before discovering the gem of the Village. The community, surrounding restaurants, and art studios made me feel at home and reminded me of where Neo began in West Asheville in 2009. Zak Yancey, CEO and founder of Neo, loved the area as well and was excited to begin this venture.” Godfrey designed the restaurant and worked with H2E Construction to build it out. “We wanted to conserve the historic nature of the building with the exposed bricks, wood beams, and old advertisement, so we modified our typical industrial utilitarian look to fit the space,” Godfrey says. Features of the space that make it unique to the Village: a sketch of the storefront by Village artist Kate Furman is featured in the mezzanine portion of the dining room; Taylor Beck, a Village local and the first Neo Burrito Greenville hire, created the chalkboard art and menus featured
at the entrance; and the brick walls once coated in tar were uncovered after 25 hours of work with a grinder, and the pattern depicts a mountain range. Godfrey says Neo also wants to source ingredients from as many local farms as possible. “We have reached out to Reedy River Farms and other local farms desiring to form long-standing partnerships with farmers in the Greenville area,” he says. “We would love to connect with additional local farmers we may have overlooked and encourage them to come by the store and introduce themselves or reach out to us at westgvlneo@gmail.com.” Neo Burrito currently has 11 employees and is still hiring. Hours of operation are Monday–Saturday, 7 a.m.-9 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
3.23.2018 | upstatebusinessjournal.com
13
NEWS |
INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
COLUMN
The Spark Happenings in Upstate Biz with Trevor Anderson Many times during the past few years, Upstate business leaders have uttered the phrase, “This isn’t your granddaddy’s manufacturing,” to describe next-generation industrial operations cropping up across the region. If the trend isn’t evident enough in the higher level of investment by new and expanding global manufacturers, increased wages, and higher demand for skilled labor, one needs to look no further than the plants themselves. The landscape has continued to become populated by clean, sparkling facilities fueled by technology, efficiency, and the pride and expertise of the hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of associates they employ. One good example of the new class of companies that have flocked to the Upstate is Canada-based Magna International’s $37 million, 255,000-square-foot seating plant in Spartanburg County that will celebrate its grand opening on March 26. The state-of-the-art facility, developed by Charlotte, N.C.-based SunCap Property Group and recently acquired by Oregon-based Ernie’s Pride, is at 3042 Highway 290 in Moore.
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UBJ | 3.23.2018
It is perched on more than 20 acres of Greenville-based Pacolet Milliken Enterprises’ Tyger River Industrial Park. The plant, Magna’s fourth production facility in South Carolina, is gearing up to begin producing seat assemblies for Spartanburg County-based BMW Manufacturing Co.’s X5, X6, and X7 models. Some BMW associates refer to those models as the “Boss,” “Beast,” and “President,” respectively. Production will begin ramping up in July for the official start of production, or SOP, expected for Aug. 1. Steve Salvatore, plant manager for the Magna facility, said the program’s total capacity is 1.5 million units for 7.5 years. At full capacity, the plant will likely run two shifts and produce about 700 seats per day. Magna has already hired about 220 associates for the facility, Salvatore said. The plant could eventually employ more than 600 people. Salvatore said his employees will manufacture some of the “most complex” seats ever produced. Those seats have a range of options, including USB ports, massage functions, lumbar support, and more. “I’m proud of what our team has accomplished so far,” Salvatore said. “We’ve had a lot of successes. But we aren’t successful yet. We know our SOP is in five months and we aren’t taking anything for granted.” Salvatore, originally of Canada, has worked for Magna for 23 years. His time with the company has included stints in Italy, Canada, and Tennessee, with eight different Magna divisions. Although his previous position with Magna was a plant manager position in Tennessee, Salvatore said this is the first new plant he has managed. The company entrusted him to come up with the new Spartanburg County plant’s design. And design he did. Under construction is an automatic storage and retrieval system with the capacity for 1,380 pallets that will enable the plant to supply seats
INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
in the exact sequence they need to be sent out. The production floor and warehouse areas are climate controlled, which means employees can stay cool in the summer and warm during the winter. The facility has 14 bay doors, 32-foot-tall ceilings, and LED lights that have motion sensors. Lights above the assembly line are angled to prevent shadows. A recruitment center has been established at the plant. Salvatore said the company is hiring for a variety of positions. He said pay starts at about $15 per hour and previous manufacturing experience isn’t a prerequisite. The facility will not employ temporary workers. And even a high school diploma or GED, which are typically required by most companies, are not necessarily vital to prospective employees, Salvatore said. “I’m looking for energy and attitude,” he said.
State Rep. Mike Forrester, R-Spartanburg, and director of economic development for Spartanburg Community College, called Magna and other manufacturing operations recently launched by Brose and Kobelco “game changers” for Spartanburg County and the Upstate. For 150 years, manufacturing has been vital to the region’s economic growth and culture. As of December, the Upstate was home to more than 1,800 manufacturers, including about 4 60 foreign companies, according to Upstate SC Alliance. Advances in technology, the rising demand for quality and efficiency, and other factors, have pushed many of those companies to redefine what manufacturing means in the 21st century. The bottom line: Opportunities for Upstate residents to pursue rewarding careers in manufacturing appear to be more bountiful than ever before.
| NEWS
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MILESTONE |
A TRIBUTE TO OUR LONG-LASTING ENTERPRISES
F
or Greenville Federal Credit Union, much has changed since its creation in 1968 and only a $45 deposit to savings. But not everything has changed. Over the past 50 years, GFCU’s commitment to providing low fees and quality service to its members has remained the focus. In honor of its Golden Anniversary, GFCU will celebrate with a year of special events, their continued service to the community, and thanks and giving.
The Beginning
Banking With the Community Greenville Federal Credit Union celebrates Golden Anniversary by reflecting on history and giving back MELODY WRIGHT | EDITORIAL INTERN
mwright@communityjournals.com
Above: GFC relocated to Wade Hampton Boulevard in 1985. Right: In 2016, GFC built and opened a fully operational branch inside Greenville High to serve students and staff during school hours while providing a real-world learning environment for financial education. Photos provided
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“It came out of nine schoolteachers getting together and saying, ‘Well, we need something to help our teachers,’” says board member Jessie Bowens. “School teachers had difficulty getting loans from a regular bank or any other institution.” The original purpose of the credit union was to provide affordable credit and banking services at a low cost to its employees. The group agreed to create Greenville Educators Federal Credit Union and held its first official meeting at the Greenville High School library. The credit union was officially launched on Nov. 22, 1968, when the Bureau of Federal Credit Unions granted it with its official Charter and Organization Certificate. Credit union membership was open to employees of the Greenville County School District. “It came at a time when it was really needed,” charter member Allan Clark says. “Some folks who had money put it in, and others like me needed it and borrowed it. In fact, I was the first person to borrow at the credit union.”
The growth
The credit union’s first location was 209 Choice St., now the location of the Greenville County School District office, and it relocated several times. Branches were eventually added and moved, and now the credit union has four full-service branches in Greenville, Greer, and Mauldin. “It makes it very easy for teachers or members of the credit union to get credit,” charter member Kenneth Childs says. “And it grew very rapidly.” Beginning with only educators as members, the credit union continued to grow, which led to expanding its services to colleges. Through the years, the charter was amended to include employees of Shannon Forest Christian School, North Greenville University, Furman University, the Greenville County Library, Central Wesleyan College, Mitchell Road Christian Academy, and Washington Avenue Christian School. Changing its name to Greenville Federal Credit Union in 1983, the credit union was on its way to broadening their services to more members of the community. In 2001, the credit union opened membership to anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in Greenville County.
A TRIBUTE TO OUR LONG-LASTING ENTERPRISES
“We serve our members; our members are the credit union,” Bowens says. In 2007, the credit union added commercial services and a contact center for full-service phone support to better meet Greenville’s needs. And 10 years later, a multiyear building and renovation project update was completed to enhance the four credit union locations. Compared to traditional banks, the credit union offers lower fees and more personalized service to its members. “Each member has equal ownership and one vote, regardless of how much money they save or have with the credit union,” says Matthew Tebbetts, vice president of marketing and communications. “Consumers that use their credit union as their primary financial institution save more than $300 a year in fees, service charges, and better rates with deposits and loans,” Tebbetts says, explaining the many benefits of a not-for-profit credit union. Despite astounding growth in the past 50 years and their field of membership surpassing 28,000 members, GFCU sticks to its mission of being a “community-responsible financial institution providing the highest quality of service and financial education to all our member-owners.”
The service
Since the beginning, GFCU has emphasized giving to, rather than taking from, the community. Supporting children and educators in the area through outreach initiatives, GFCU members and employees dedicate time and resources to partner with various local organizations. Some of those organizations include Children’s Miracle Network/Greenville Health System Children’s Hospital, Communities in Schools of Greenville, Compass of Carolina, Generation Group Homes, Goodwill Industries, Greer Relief, Junior Achievement of Upstate SC, Kiwanis Club, Rotary International, SHARE, and Victory Junction Gang Camp. “Our credit union has helped raise money for the Children’s Hospital totaling more than $400,000. We are close to completing a $150,000 Children’s Hospital project with other credit unions,” Tebbetts says. “We are very proud of our involvement with our community.” The credit union also invested in the implementation of a student-run branch at Greenville High School in 2016. “This unique partnership between our credit union, Greenville County Schools, and Greenville High was created to help provide financial literacy and personal financial management for students in the high school,” Tebbetts says. “These important life skills will benefit these students well into their futures.”
The future
GFCU plans to continue serving Greenville. As a big part of its Golden Anniversary celebration, the credit union has established Thanks and Giving Grants (T&GG) to provide funding for community programs located in Greenville. “The Thanks and Giving Grants program allows us to celebrate our history by making a significant and lasting investment back into the community where we have called home for 50 years,” President Paul Hughes says. GFCU will select five recipients to each be awarded the $10,000 grants to directly benefit and support education, improve child welfare, and increase community and economic assistance or relief in the local community. “As the credit union grows, we continue to look for better ways to provide the highest quality service and financial education to all our member-owners,” Tebbetts says. “We are now focused on delivering a much more member-focused delivery system within our branches after significant investment and improvement in our electronic services.” In most ways, the future of GFCU will look the same — continued commitment to helping members live more rewarding lives. “It’s just hard to believe that we have come from that one classroom to where we are now,” Bowens says. “And I think it’s just starting,” Clark adds.
| MILESTONE
THE CREDIT UNION IS FOUNDED 1968 1973
1995
1976
1999
1977
2000
Relocates its offices to the Sullivan Center on Wilkins Street
Opens a third branch on Main Street in Greer in the State Farm Office
Employees of Shannon Forest Christian School included
Relocates its Greer branch to its current building on Church Street in Greer
Employees of North Greenville College included
1978
Employees of Furman University and The Greenville County Library included
2001
Surpasses $50M in assets. The credit union updates its logo and branding.
1981
Employees of Central Wesleyan College included
1982
Converts to an online computer system that enables transaction histories and day-to-day account balances. The credit union begins offering Money Market Certificates, CDs, and Christmas Club accounts.
1983
Name formally changes to Greenville Federal Credit Union
1984
Employees of Mitchell Road Christian Academy and Washington Avenue Christian School included
2007
Opens a fourth branch on Pelham Road in Greenville. The credit union adds Commercial Services and a Contact Center for full service phone support.
2008
Surpasses $100M in assets
2016
Builds and opens a fully operational branch inside Greenville High School to serve the students and staff during school hours, and provide curriculum and a real-world learning environment for financial education.
2017
1985
Relocates to Wade Hampton Boulevard
1989
Relocates its Mauldin branch to its current building on Tanner Road in Mauldin
Opens a second branch on Tanner Road in Mauldin in the original Laurens Electric Cooperative office
Completes a multiyear building and renovation project update and enhance all four stand-alone locations. The credit union’s field of membership surpasses 28,000 members.
3.23.2018 | upstatebusinessjournal.com
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COVER |
ARMIN OEHLER
Photo provided
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UBJ | 3.23.2018
ARMIN OEHLER
Heart & Sole Armin Oehler’s upscale shoe designs showcase a ‘love of leather and love of creativity’ WORDS BY JORDANA MEGONIGAL
| COVER
n a stately home just off the busy thoroughfare of Woodruff Road, an empire is growing. You would never think, with its brick façade and welcoming wreath, that this would be the hub of a design enterprise, but then again, you might be surprised that the German-born engineer Armin Oehler ended up a designer, at all. Along the fireplace are samples of his designs; all shoes, in this case — a man’s Oxford, a new denim-accented sneaker, a boot with accents of tweed, a buckled dress shoe called the “Charleston,” and another, saddle-colored shoe aptly named the “Greenville.” These exact designs were recently shown at New York’s Fashion Week: Men, a feat punctuated by the fact that the design brand of Armin Oehler is really only about 18 months old. Born in Stuttgart, Germany, Oehler grew up in the family business — one of the many tanneries that dotted Germany’s landscape at the time. Founded in 1823, the tannery had already been passed down from his grandfather to his father, who in turn allowed his three children to choose their own paths in life, while at the same time teaching them the ins and outs of the leather business. Oehler’s path was not to be the tannery, however, and so he took an internship in Milwaukee at a manufacturer that just also happened to build equipment for tanneries. Because leather providers are directly linked into the automotive industry, he remained peripherally involved in the business, while following his own path into automotive engineering and manufacturing. A few years later, he found another internship with an automotive supplier based out of Greenville before finally settling into the area as an engineer. Still, Oehler notes, he was left restless, without a creative outlet. “Growing up I was very crafty. I played with leather and scrap just to test things out,” he says. “I loved seeing art in the leather.” With his family tannery as a much-needed connection, he began to design shoes with the help of his brother, who was still back in Germany. They based their origins in the European market, with a small shop next to the family tannery selling the footwear. By 2016, Oehler had waded even deeper into design, and with his wife’s support, he decided to focus his efforts full time on the U.S. market. “This is my passion and this is my connection back to my family, being so far away,” Oehler says of his decision to leave automotive and engineering and focus only on design. “It just came to the point where we’re doing more and more and it takes more and more time away from family — you have to let go of something.”
SHOES continued on PAGE 20
3.23.2018 | upstatebusinessjournal.com
19
COVER |
ARMIN OEHLER
“For a boutique retailer in a city like Greenville or like Charlotte or Charleston, they are competing with a lot of online shopping, so they are looking for the brands you’re not going to find in a Nordstrom. This is not a mall shoe.” –Armin Oehler
Photo by Paul Mehaffey 20
UBJ | 3.23.2018
SHOES continued from PAGE 19
In the U.S., his designs were different; while some of his designs are based on a traditional style, they may get a twist with material or color — a tweed upper or a denim inlay, for example. In other cases, traditional styles are thrown out the window and Oehler designs a style from scratch. On all his shoes, he uses a Goodyear Welt sole, adding quality and longevity to the creativity of his designs. “We feel like our style is less boxy and a little more fashionable,” Oehler says. Through it, he adds, he is able to add a “love of leather and love of creativity” to each design. Almost immediately, Oehler began visiting apparel shows and soliciting requests from boutique shops. While the initial response was hesitant — “a lot of brands in the industry pop up and then they are gone,” Oehler explains — soon retail stores like Smith & James and Rush Wilson began placing orders. Today, around 40 stores across nine states feature Armin Oehler in their offerings. While Oehler would eventually like to expand the brand’s offerings — they already offer belts manufactured down the street from the family tannery in Germany — the main focus is on their current retail locations. “At the moment, the main focus is to stay with the boutique retailers and to support them,” Oehler says. “For a boutique retailer in a city like Greenville or like Charlotte or Charleston, they are competing with a lot of online shopping, so they are looking for the brands you’re not going to find in a Nordstrom. This is not a mall shoe.” Beyond the desire to stay true to his retail family, Oehler has a long-term vision for the Armin Oehler brand and expects to be immersed in the business for the near future. “There are a lot of options, and there are things in my mind we need to do, but we first have to establish this a bit more, and that takes time,” he says. “We’re on the cusp, especially since things are really starting to run, to being able to run a lot of different angles. So we’re going to be putting a lot more energy into this.”
NOTES FROM THE BEST TALKS YOU MISSED
| THE TAKEAWAY
Pursuit of Excellence Cultivating courage is essential for entrepreneurs By DR. NIKA WHITE president and CEO of Nika White Consulting LLC
What: Honoring African-Americans in Commerce, an empowerment event and award ceremony Where: Commerce Club of Greenville Who Was There: 180 entrepreneurs, notable community leaders, and professionals Feature Presentation: Carlo White, president and CEO of White Holdings
The Commerce Club, which is both a symbol of and active site for Greenville’s business community, was the perfect setting for a luncheon that celebrated the accomplishments of four African-American-owned companies, as well as entrepreneurial achievement in the African-American community at large. The companies recognized were Antioch Group, Cornerstone Salon and Spa, Memoirs Fine Catering and Event Planning, and HD Auston Moving Systems. Before that, Carlo White focused a rousing keynote message on the courage entrepreneurship demands. White, a serial entrepreneur, owns a holding company whose portfolio has included insurance and trucking companies, as well as Nika White Consulting, a diversity and inclusion consultancy. Whatever the nature of the business, White said, the challenges that shake a business owner’s courage remain the same. With a turn of phrase and animated manner that frequently had the audience laughing, White talked about the creative ways African-Americans tend to deal with the enormous amount of risk involved in starting a business. “While regrouping during the recession, I would retreat to the Commerce Club. I stood right here and said to myself, ‘This is where you belong, right here at the top of the city, 17 floors up. … Now go on and get back down to where you are so you can get up here.’” White stressed that entrepreneurs must remain courageous not only for themselves, but for the family and community members who are watching their journey. Especially within the African-American community, facing challenges inspires others, while giving up can discourage them.
Carlo White, president and CEO of White Holdings, focused his keynote message on the courage entrepreneurship demands. Photo provided.
“It’s mentally taxing, but every day you get up and you do it. And that takes courage,” White said. “Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said we need to build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear. So, it takes one, two, three, this room of all of us to build a dike of courage in our community to help us meet the challenge of the day.” He added, “If you want to put them on a scale of contagion, fear is way more contagious than courage.” The talk laid out three practices that help entrepreneurs refuel their courage, enabling them to meet any new challenge. APPRECIATE YOUR START THROUGH COMMEMORATION To commemorate means to recall and show respect. When the work becomes difficult, it presents an opportunity to go back to your beginnings and appreciate how you got to the place you are today. Coming from a family that was supported through his father’s entrepreneurship, White looks to his own youth spent watching his father persevere through tough business times. Whatever the spark that ignited the journey, recalling it can keep the fire burning in trying times. EMBRACE STRUGGLES THROUGH COLLABORATION Most organizations experience constant tension between cash flow and personnel needs. Owners
can get stuck thinking such struggles are unique, when in fact they’re just a part of doing business. Yet, there exist numerous resources designed to help, and entrepreneurs need to seek out those partnerships. Resources from the local Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to the minority-empowering Carolinas-Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council expand networks, offering free or affordable help overcoming common business obstacles. RECOGNIZE SUCCESS THROUGH CELEBRATION White encouraged the audience to see success in every accomplished goal, rather than view it as an endpoint. Celebration can be as simple as recognizing what you’ve accomplished by the end of the day, taking time to fully enjoy that moment. Even if you’re inclined toward big, audacious goals, it’s important to find opportunities to celebrate along the tumultuous path to achievement. Celebratory moments, alone or with others, keep courage closer to the surface, where it will be needed again sooner or later. The event closed with an announcement of the $5,000 James E. White Sr. African American Business Accelerator Grant, sponsored by Carlo and Nika White of White Holdings and named after Carlo’s father. Applications are now open at http://www.nikawhite.com/events/african-american-business-accelerator-grant/. 3.23.2018 | upstatebusinessjournal.com
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FORWARD |
WHAT ’S NEXT FOR THE UPSTATE, AND HOW WE’LL GET THERE
Site selection or site elimination Which term is the most accurate? A term that is often utilized within the founder, economic developBearing Resources Inc. ment community really isn’t the best description of what is actually occurring: site selection. You may read or hear about a company that is considering this part of the state for a new business operation. The report you may hear is, ABC Company is “selecting” a site. The economic development community is also guilty of propagating the term that isn’t the most accurate, as there are even entire businesses whose reason to exist in the first place is to assist a company with deciding on a new location. The individuals that work for such a company are called site-selection consultants. Though “select” is the term that is frequently used in the economic development vernacular, a better description of what is really happening is “elimination.” For example, once a company determines it needs to establish a new operation, it issues what is called a request for proposal (simply asking for prospective sites to be submitted to the company). This solicitation is referred to as a RFP, which is also a frequently used term by many other industries. As a result of the RFP being issued, the company may receive hundreds of responses. However, the job at hand is to select only one. Therefore, the company, maybe with the assistance of a site-selection consultant, begins to narrow down their choices, so it is actually looking for a reason to “eliminate” several sites. By MICHAEL TROTTER
The sites are narrowed down to three or so via this “elimination” process. It’s important to note that at this point in the process each of the remaining sites will work for the company. It is now that the term “select” may be more appropriate. When a company decides to establish a new operation, there are numerous reasons why an area may be eliminated. Each year, Site Selection magazine, a magazine dedicated to the economic development industry, implements a poll and asks why a site may be eliminated. In the most recent survey, they asked corporate real estate executives why a site may be eliminated. ased on their feedback, the following were top factors B for deciding on a location:
Workforce skills – Does the area have sufficient labor to support the company’s operation?
State and local taxes – Are the taxes competitive with other locations being considered?
Transportation infrastructure – Can incoming raw materials
as well as finished product and employees travel to and from the location unencumbered?
Utility infrastructure - Are water, sewer, electric, natural gas,
and communications utilities in the immediate area adequate for supporting the company’s new operation?
Land or building costs and supply – Is the cost of the site or building a reasonable price?
Permitting and regulatory structure – Is the local and state
permitting and regulatory environment conducive to operating a business? Is it a friendly environment, or are they “anti-business”?
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UBJ | 3.23.2018
When the magazine also asked site-selection consultants the same questions they had asked of corporate real estate executives, their list was very similar, but they also added incentives to the list. For example, the availability of incentives at the state and local level is also an important factor for deciding on a location. Incentives can be very important early in a site investigation. Another way of saying it is, does the state and local municipalities even offer economic development incentives? Yet another important factor is the state’s economic development strategy. For example, does the state have a central economic development organization, and are they good to work with? The next time you hear or read about a company that is considering this area for a new business operation, it’s important to realize the process described above takes quite a while, perhaps even a couple of years. It’s not a quick process. Michael Trotter is the founder of Bearing Resources Inc. Prior to founding Bearing, Michael enjoyed a 22-year career at Duke Energy, which included a managerial role within Duke Energy’s Economic Development organization, where he was responsible for economic development efforts in North Carolina’s Charlotte area, the Triad, and the Research Triangle.
THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF BUSINESS
| DIGITAL MAVEN
Business Intelligence: The road is paved with data, data, data By LAURA HAIGHT president, portfoliosc.com
If you’ve been in business for a cycle or two, you’ve already learned one crucial lesson: Studies and reports are where good ideas go to die. It’s not that research isn’t important. It’s that the end result of the research can’t be … well, you know … the research. A new survey of 400 “business intelligence” analysts, commissioned by Narrative Science, one of the top two players in natural language generation (NLG), sought to identify the barriers to deeper, more solutions-oriented information.
HERE’S WHAT IT FOUND: • The majority of analysts’ time is spent gathering information with little time left for analyzing its meaning. • That leads to a problem: The majority of business executives (64 percent) complain that their reports lack context — focusing on the what and not the why. • Visualization hasn’t really hit the C-suite of these businesses yet. Most execs say that the most common analysis they receive comes in a spreadsheet. The other methods? Written in a document, in an email, on a dashboard, or in a presentation. Of course, Narrative Science wants readers to hop on the NLG train. And that may not be a bad move. For the uninitiated, NLG is a subset of artificial intelligence. NLG engines scan data sources, process information, and then — using language processing skills — write stories and reports based on the data using language indistinguishable from a human author. Many of the news stories and sports and financial reports you read every day have been written by NLG/ AI engines going back nearly a decade. But I think there are three areas that present barriers or opportunities (depending on whether you are a glass-half-full or glass-half-empty kind of person) to small and medium-sized businesses that want to capitalize on a technology revolution that seems to favor the handful of very large corporations. First, what is “business intelligence” anyway? The definition: utilizing technology tools, digital
and analog practices, and applications to gather, analyze, and present business information. Its goal is to support better decision making, goal setting, and planning. Whether you know it or not, your company is using business intelligence already. But maybe — as the Narrative Science survey suggests — not as fully as you could be.
DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH DATA TO BE USEFUL? Many small businesses and nonprofits are stuck in an analog world, burdened by legacy processes they just can’t let go of, or — and this seems worse in my view — digital processes that they don’t capitalize on. There are two major reasons you can’t get great business ideas and solutions out of the data you have. One, you don’t have enough of it. There are many places where digital information can be gathered that often go overlooked — presence at events, visits to your website, social media interactions. Even e-newsletter subscriptions can be more useful than just sending out a weekly touch-base/sales email if you maximize the information a subscriber might give you. Two, you don’t integrate all your data sources to build a complete picture.
DO YOU REPORT OR ANALYZE? This gets to the heart of the survey we started with. It’s important to know how many people went to your website, responded to a Facebook ad, came into the store because of a sales email, or signed up for your newsletter. And it’s critical to know what products or services sell best through which sales channel, which products are most popular among which demographics. But that’s reporting. Analyzing comes from one of two directions: Either the data you are gathering show you a clear path your business can/ should take, or you determine in advance what your goal is and amass specific data in that pursuit.
DO YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED? Two things really matter in this space: the data points and the expertise (whether from tech or humans) to interpret them. Small businesses have one big advantage over big ones: They can be nimble. They don’t have a mind-numbing hierarchy to run plans through, and it doesn’t take months to get a decision on a problem you were having months ago. The first thing a small business with some
Analyzing comes from one of two directions: Either the data you are gathering show you a clear path your business can/should take, or you determine in advance what your goal is and amass specific data in that pursuit. cash might think of is buying a system or a service, and there are a lot of them. Nearly all of them, however, require significant human interaction in setup and maintenance. You can’t just sit down on day one and pull up your dashboard analytics. For a small business, a lot can be done with the data you have and a good business analyst who is given the time and objective to analyze, not just report. NLG tools like Automated Insights, Arria, and Narrative Science can take over a lot of the basic reporting functions. Arria is more of a developer’s toolkit, which makes it a bit more complex. But if you have a programmer on staff, you can probably develop it into a highly customized AI app. The two others offer a scalable set of solutions for businesses of all sizes and budgets. Don’t assume these tools are out of reach. Consider soft-dollar ROI. Here’s one: Many companies — some I’ve worked for — devote all or a large part of a staffer’s time to the reporting and distribution of sales and commission reports. That involves accessing information from one system, pulling it into another (usually a spreadsheet), running calculations, comparing results, and on and on. NLG can do that in the time it takes to fire up your laptop. Whatever path you choose to business intelligence has to be paved with data, data, data. Find all those overlooked analog interactions — paper forms, disconnected databases, and unmonitored interactions — and make digital conversion Job No. 1. 3.23.2018 | upstatebusinessjournal.com
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PROFESSIONAL |
STRATEGIES FOR HONING YOUR PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
Red Flags in Your Business Strategy By MANFRED GOLLENT founder, QLI International
Is your business strategy up to par? When have you done the last “deep dive” into a strategic planning process? Do you have a clear picture in your mind as to where your company should be say five years from now? Is all of this properly documented to communicate with your stakeholders? Well, there is a diversity of factors that may have rendered your business plans either partially or completely obsolete. These factors could be rooted in macroeconomic events, significant changes in technology, or societal trends, to name a few. Here are five potential red flags that should give you pause to evaluate if one of your most important leadership tools needs mending. our corporate vision no longer Y inspires hope, passion, or enthusiasm A Japanese proverb best visualizes that scenario: “Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare.” Without a meaningful destination, how can you effectively lead? Your organization is essentially living the nightmare. hanges in the marketplace have C invalidated your current strategy’s key assumptions If the assumptions you based your strategy plan on are no longer current, you need a new plan. Without an intentional response to marketplace changes, your ability to grow and innovate will be restricted. Let me paint a simple picture: You may be the best typewriter repair shop in your market, but your opportunities to sustain or grow your business are extinct. he value proposition ceased to T resonate in the minds of prospective customers Constant requests for price concessions are the norm today. It’s still not a good sign having to listen to the five dreaded words: “Your Price is Too High.” I nnovation and new opportunities have faded away An effective strategic thinking process will stimulate and energize new ideas for meeting current and future customer needs. 24
UBJ | 3.23.2018
If the assumptions you based your strategy plan on are no longer current, you need a new plan. Without a intentional response to marketplace changes, your ability to grow and innovate will be restricted.
Consider the critical difference between innovation and creativity. Innovation involves applying a creative idea to a current business challenge. Without clarity of direction, innovation disappears. ew threats have surfaced, and your N organization is not ready to respond Are competitors out there who could potentially put you out of business within the next year? Is there a more pertinent reason to take new look at your strategic plan? Entrepreneurs, business owners, and executives are taking many measures to thrive in any given economic environment. Why do they often fret over tough decisions to make sure that they are the right ones? What is it that gives them sleepless nights going over the numbers to figure out yet another way to reduce cost and progress in business? A documented strategy plan is the ticket… There is one logical answer which may have been deliberately or instinctively on their mind: “The situation will change, and I want to be in a good position when that point in time comes.” While we do not know for sure how fast and furious any changes in the economic environment may be, there will be changes. STRATEGIC PLANNING IS TEAMWORK! How about the business, services, and production processes used in your organization? When was the last time you went through with a cycle time analysis? How do you objectively measure and assure that your processes are the best they can be? If you do not look at those details with the necessary professional approach, you may be wasting money and resources right now. A Cycle Time Reduction process can save big money and create a significant competitive advantage.
There is a little book called “10.5 Reasons Why Leaders Fail” written by a good friend of mine, David Herdlinger, and the 10.5th reason is manifested by the fact that many leaders don’t ask for help. Do not fall into this trap; ask yourself relevant questions and venture out to get expert help. The best questions are most often especially those that may give you an uncomfortable feeling, taking you to outside of your comfort zone. Find ways to measure things. There are always possibilities to find a good approach to measure. Only then will you be able to identify how something is (or is not) working according to your plan. Peter Drucker stated, “Only what is measured gets done.” And he is certainly correct with this assessment which has also been the case during my 30+ years as a corporate executive and tends to be true with my coaching clients, too. Get ready for the next curve on your road to success and be prepared in the most professional way you can be. “Right now” is always the best time to do something about the preparation, you will have to make the time instead of waiting to “find the time!” Not having the time could have one main reason – you have not prepared the way you could have…. A well-thought through strategy plan is the foundation for a successful, sustainable business! Manfred Gollent, CBC, MBA, is an executive business coach and founder of QLI International, which specializes in a range of executive coaching, group coaching, team building, and strategic planning services for individuals, teams, and companies.
PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS
HIRED
RECOGNIZED
HIRED
HIRED
| ON THE MOVE
HIRED
KAITLYN HUDSON
MATTHEW B. EDWARDS
ANDREW VAN
JIMMY BUDDENBERG
CARTER MEADORS
Has been hired as the creative director of Complete Public Relations. Hudson is a Greenville native and previously worked as an intern for CPR in 2012. Hudson is a graduate of Newberry College and joined the firm in February 2015.
Has been recognized by the South Carolina Supreme Court as a certified specialist in estate planning and probate law. Edwards is a shareholder of Thomas, Fisher, Sinclair & Edwards P.A. Edwards is a graduate of the University of South Carolina Law School and the University of Florida Levin College of Law Graduate Tax Program.
Has been hired as the investor relations manager for the Greenville Chamber. Van brings previous experience from the real estate industry, where he served as a Realtor at The Haro Group of Keller Williams Realty.
Has been named the director of the firm’s cybersecurity and risk advisory services practice at Elliott Davis. Buddenberg recently served as senior vice president of Atos. He graduated from Muskingum University with a degree in mathematics and computer science.
Has joined the South Carolina Children’s Theatre as the new grants manager. Meadors has more than 15 years of experience in nonprofits including a number of Upstate nonprofits. Meadors is a graduate of Hollins University and has previous experience at the Cancer Survivors Park Alliance, Greenville Women Giving, Legacy Charter School, and Greenville Symphony Orchestra.
VIP LINDSEY WYATT Greyrock Accounting has promoted Lindsey Wyatt from the director of client services to shareholder. Wyatt is a registered CPA who earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Clemson University. She joined Greyrock in 2012. Founded in 2008, Greyrock offers a wide range of services, including accounting and financial reporting, financial strategy and analysis, tax return preparation, and payroll administration. “By far my favorite thing [about my work] is how much I love the people — both the Greyrock team and our clients,” Wyatt says, “Everyone on the Greyrock team is truly passionate about their work and that translates to our clients. Greyrock wants to make a difference in our clients’ lives and companies, and that makes me proud of the work I do here.”
EDUCATION The Top 10 colleges and universities that offer online degree programs have been announced for South Carolina. The analysis is by OnlineDegrees.com
and used data from the National Center for Education Statistics. The colleges and universities are as follows in ascending order: Anderson University, Clemson University, University of South Carolina, College of Charleston, Citadel Military College of South Carolina, Winthrop University, Columbia College, Coker College, Southern Wesleyan University, and North Greenville University.
TEXTILES The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) and the American Fiber Manufacturers (AFM) announced a merger of the two organizations effective April 1, 2018. The merged organization will be called National Council of Textile Organizations and the current NCTO president and CEO, Auggie Tantillo, will continue in that position.
FINANCE Lynn Faust, senior vice president of investments with the Faust-Boyer Group of Raymond James, was among the Raymond James-affiliated advisors named to the Forbes list of Best-In-State Wealth Advisors.
INSURANCE GreenWood Inc. has been awarded the Affinity Insurance Risk Control Gold Award for success in safety and claims management. The Gold level award is reserved only for companies in the top 1 percent of all member companies, which GreenWood ranked fourth overall out of 440.
CONTRIBUTE: New hires, promotions, & award winners may be featured in On the Move. Send information and photos to onthemove@upstatebusinessjournal.com. 3.23.2018 | upstatebusinessjournal.com
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NEW TO THE STREET/#TRENDING |
THE FRESHEST FACES ON THE BUSINESS LANDSCAPE/INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
Open for business 1
THE WATERCOOLER 1. Grace Hill establishing HQ in downtown Greenville, creating 53 jobs
2. The Spark: Happenings in Upstate Biz with Trevor Anderson
3. Chestnut Living owners to open home for spring market
1. WineXpress recently opened at 202 Scuffletown Road in Simpsonville.
4. Gather GVL names Greenville Beer Exchange as taproom operator
1 5. Cooper Standard Automotive finds new warehouse space after tornado
*The Top 5 stories from last week ranked by Facebook reach
DIGITAL FLIPBOOK ARCHIVE MARCH 16,
2. KidZone has opened for business at 21 Orchard Park Drive in Greenville. Learn more at www.kidzoneupstate.com.
The layout of print meets the convenience of the Web. Flip through the digital editions of any of our print issues, and see them all in one place. upstatebusinessjournal.com/ past-issues
11
THE BU SINESS OF
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GVL • CHE STNUT LIV ING’S SIM PLE
WAY OF LIFE Ryan Oates
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CONNECT 3. Pedal Chic has reopened at its new location at 250 River Place, Suite B, in Greenville. Learn more at www.pedalchic.com.
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@UPSTATEBIZ
EVENTS YOU SHOULD HAVE ON YOUR CALENDAR
PRESIDENT/CEO
Mark B. Johnston mjohnston@communityjournals.com
DATE
EVENT INFO
WHERE DO I GO?
HOW DO I GO?
Thursday
Greenville Chamber of Commerce’s Pulse Breakout Breakfast
Aloft Greenville Downtown 5 N. Laurens St. 7:30–9 a.m.
Cost: Free for members, $25 for nonmembers For more info: www.bit.ly/2owr9xv; eaustin@ greenvillechamber.org; 864-239-3730
TD Convention Center 1 Exposition Drive April 12: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. April 13: 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
Cost: $179 general, $50 high school students, $100 high school chaperones, $50 Clemson University students For more info: www.clemson.edu/inclusion/ summit/; menofcolorsummit@clemson.edu
3/28
UBJ PUBLISHER
Ryan L. Johnston rjohnston@communityjournals.com
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Susan Schwartzkopf susans@communityjournals.com
| PLANNER
Thursday-Friday Clemson University’s Men of Color National Summit
4/12-4/13
MANAGING EDITOR
Emily Pietras epietras@communityjournals.com
ADMINISTRATIVE EDITOR
Heidi Coryell Williams hwilliams@communityjournals.com
Tuesday
Greenville Chamber of Commerce’s Gubernatorial Lunch series feat. Gov. Henry McMaster (R)
Greenville Marriott 1 Parkway E 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
Cost: $40 investors, $80 general admission For more info: kbusbee@greenvillechamber.org; www.bit.ly/2EFDFF1
Sunday
Greenville Chamber of Commerce’s Upstate Chamber Coalition Democratic Gubernatorial Debate
Furman University 3300 Poinsett Highway 7–9 p.m.
For more info: www.bit.ly/2DEg1Dq; kbusbee@greenvillechamber.org; 864-239-3748
Thursday
Greenville Chamber of Commerce’s TD Convention Center Upstate Diversity Leadership Awards 1 Exposition Drive Dinner 5.–8 p.m.
Cost: $85, $60 student admission For more info: www.bit.ly/2FVD3I7; 864-271-0718; katies@hughes-agency.com
Tuesday
Greenville Chamber of Commerce’s Upstate Chamber Coalition Republican Gubernatorial Debate
For more info: www.bit.ly/2FT5KW0; kbusbee@greenvillechamber.org; 864-239-3748
4/17
COPY EDITOR Rebecca Strelow
STAFF WRITERS
Trevor Anderson, Cindy Landrum, Andrew Moore, Sara Pearce, Ariel Turner
4/22
MARKETING & ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Emily Yepes
MARKETING REPRESENTATIVES John Clark, Donna Johnston, Jonathan Maney, Heather Propp, Meredith Rice, Caroline Spivey, Liz Tew
CLIENT SERVICES
Anita Harley | Rosie Peck | Jane Rogers
ART & PRODUCTION VISUAL DIRECTOR
5/24 5/29
Furman University 3300 Poinsett Highway 7–9 p.m.
Will Crooks
LAYOUT
Bo Leslie | Tammy Smith
VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS Holly Hardin
ADVERTISING DESIGN
Kristy Adair | Michael Allen
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Kristi Fortner
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MAY 4 COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE ISSUE
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
1988
1997 Jackson Dawson launches motorsports Division 1993
1990 Jackson Dawson acquires therapon marketing Group and moves to Piedmont office Center on Villa.
>>
JUNE 1 INNOVATION ISSUE
Chairman larry Jackson, Jackson marketing Group. Photos by Greg Beckner / Staff
Jackson Marketing Group celebrates 25 years By sherry Jackson | staff | sjackson@communityjournals.com
JUNE 29 LEGAL ISSUE Got any thoughts? Care to contribute? Let us know at upstatebusinessjournal.com/submit.
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
>>
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
2003 motorsports Division acquires an additional 26,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space
1998
2009 Jackson Dawson changes name to Jackson marketing Group when larry sells his partnership in Detroit and lA 2003
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
2009-2012 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
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publishers of Copyright ©2017 BY COMMUNITY JOURNALS LLC. All rights reserved. Upstate Business Journal is published weekly by Community Journals LLC. 581 Perry Ave., Greenville, South Carolina, 29611. Upstate Business Journal is a free publication. Annual subscriptions (52 issues) can be purchased for $50. Postmaster: Send address changes to Upstate Business, P581 Perry Ave., Greenville, South Carolina, 29611. Printed in the USA.
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3.23.2018 | upstatebusinessjournal.com
27
CREW U P S TAT E
2018 COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE AWARDS
Join us for an evening honoring CREW Upstate Award Recipients. (See catagories below)
THURSDAY, MARCH 22nd GENEVIEVE’S at The Peace Center | 5:30 - 7:30PM Purchase tickets at: crewupstate.org/events CAREER ADVANCEMENT FOR WOMEN DEALMAKER RISING STAR DEVELOPMENT IMPACT
THANK YOU SPONSORS PRESENTING SPONSOR
AWARD SPONSORS