March 6, 2015 UBJ

MARCH 6, 2015 | VOL. 4 ISSUE 10

Keeping up with the metros A rising tide lifts all boats: When MSAs compete, the whole region wins, say economic experts - Page 16

ES SOUTHEAST SUCC

S

upstatebusinessjournal.com

NEWS

RealOp Investments launches real estate investment fund

| FINANCE | 3

Stay in the know.

ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

aboncimino@communityjournals.com Greenville-based

RealOp

Investments (ROI) has launched the ROI Real Estate Opportunities Fund, targeting commercial real estate assets across the Southeast.

While not unique to the larger national market, a fund such as this is unique within Greenville, said RealOp partner and Chief Investment Officer Kyle Putnam.

RealOp is aiming to raise $20 million in equity from accredited investors, which would translate to roughly $50 million in buying power for the fund. Assets will include value-add and opportunistic retail, office and industrial properties, he said.

“We’re going in with a property day one that’s already making money with investors,” said Putnam, The fund would be seeded with a 40,000-square-foot property in Charleston, he said.

Putnam said the primary target markets will include Greenville, Charleston, Columbia, Raleigh, N.C., Jacksonville, Fla. and Savannah, among others. The firm’s experience and relationships allow it to uncover unique deals not generally available to the public, while focusing on the

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Upstate Business Journal

Kyle Putnam Photo provided

Southeast allows Greenville-based RealOp representatives to closely monitor assets in person via a day’s drive, he said.

“Diversification is a big driving factor in why people want real estate as a component to their investment portfolio, as it is typically noncorrelated to the stock and bond market,” Putnam said. “We are committed to building long-term relationships with our investors and assisting them in creating and sustaining wealth through strategic real estate investments.”

Fund assets will range from $1 million to $10 million in purchase price, and will have a five-year hold period for each property.

Based in Greenville, RealOp Investments has more than $70 million in owned and managed assets.

SHERRY JACKSON | Staff | sjackson@communityjournals.com

Uncle Junebug’s launching Village location Uncle Junebug’s, a retail store in western North Carolina, is opening a second location in the Village of West Greenville. The new 2,000-squarefoot space will be adjacent to Mac Arnold’s on Pendleton Street.

Uncle Junebug’s will feature upcycled furniture, home goods, small gifts and its own skin-care selection.

Owner David Hawkins is an Easley native and calls the new store a “homecoming.” He’ll be splitting his time between the Greenville location and the Woodfin, N.C. store.

Hawkins says he “is really excited to open the doors” and plans to feature local artists’ wares. “I love being able to tap into all of the amazing talent that Greenville inspires,” he said.

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Uncle Junebug’s is planning a May 1 opening.

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4 | THE RUNDOWN |

TOP-OF-MIND AND IN THE MIX THIS WEEK

UBJ

|

03.06.2015

VOLUME 4, ISSUE 10 Featured this issue: Craig Gaulden Davis’ Scott Powell is one to watch GroupHab makes rehab a team effort Johnson plans $20M Spartanburg hotel

14 20 25

MONEY SHOT: Sections of a large crane sit on flatbed trailers off of Academy Street near downtown Greenville. Cranes over downtown signal a new development; this crane would be the third currently in use in downtown. Photo by Greg Beckner.

WORTH REPEATING

TBA

“It’s a lot more affordable to run and grow a company in Greenville than it is in New York or San Francisco. … I don’t see any reason for us to go to the Northeast or the West.” Page 10

Look for a new Bojangles to begin construction soon at the corner of Highway 101 and I-85 in Greer.

“I watched ‘The Brady Bunch,’ and he was an architect, and he had a really nice house, a maid and a great family, so I thought, ‘Hey, I’ll do this.’” Page 14 “One of the things to remember is there are 49 other states, and they’re all good at this.

There’s nobody that’s bad at it.” Page 16

Greenville County Council passed an inducement resolution Tuesday for “Project Meadowlark,” a county business looking at a corporate headquarters expansion.

VERBATIM

On a Top 10 downtown “Since the 1970s, city leaders in Greenville, S.C., have pushed for renewal of the city’s downtown area. Their continual effort, patience and push has paid off.”

Livability.com, ranking Greenville fourth among small to midsize cities in its list of Top 10 Best Downtowns 2015.

Read more at bit.ly/ livability-greenville.

upstatebusinessjournal.com

NEWS

Lowes Foods to enter Greenville market in 2016

EVENTS

Roasting Bob Hughes

SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF

sjackson@communityjournals.com Lowes Foods, a grocery store chain based in Winston-Salem, N.C., announced last week that it plans to enter the Greenville market in 2016.

The chain intends to invest money in rebranding existing stores, building new stores and evaluating strategic marketplace opportunities, officials said.

Before entering a market, the Lowes team polls potential customers in that market regarding the services and products they would most like to see, said Tim Lowe, president of Lowes Foods. Greenville customers stressed healthy living, local and natural products, he said.

“We feel like we can help fulfill a need, and [Greenville] is a natural fit for us,” Lowe said.

He said Lowes Foods offers a variety of “shopping experiences,” ranging from online ordering and personalized shopping via “Lowes Foods to Go” to the Pick & Prep area, which allows shoppers to pick out fruits and vegetables to be cut and prepared by an on-site sous chef. In the Beer Den, shoppers can get growlers filled with local on-tap beers, and SausageWorks provides different flavors of locally made sausages from Lowes Butchery.

“We try to do everything in a way where custom-

ers will really enjoy the shopping experience,” Lowe said.

The Lowes team is evaluating several different sites in the greater Greenville area, but no specific locations have been determined at this point.

“We want to be thoughtful about where we enter,” Lowe said.

Lowes Foods will assess opportunities for both retrofitting existing buildings and building new sites. Store footprints usually range from 30,000 square feet to 58,000 square feet, with an average of 48,000 square feet. Plans call for the first area store to open in late spring or early summer 2016.

“We don’t consider coming into a market and opening just one store,” Lowe said.

Lowes Foods was founded in 1954, employs nearly 9,000 people and operates 97 full-service supermarkets in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

“We’re excited about coming to the Greenville market,” Lowe said.

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| RETAIL | 5

Bob Hughes is getting roasted on March 14.

Hughes, president of Hughes Development Corporation, will be the butt of jokes from friends and colleagues at the third annual Greenville Roast by the Ronald McDonald House.

The event will be at the Hyatt Regency downtown.

Cocktails start at 6 p.m., and the dinner and roast begin at 7 p.m.

The panel of roasters includes Merl Code, former professional football player; Hayne Hipp, private investor and former CEO of Liberty Corporation; Cecil Nelson, president of Hughes Commercial Properties; Jackson Hughes; and Bo Aughtry, president of the commercial division at Windsor Aughtry Co. All proceeds will support Ronald McDonald House.

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6 | SERVICES |

UBJ

NEWS

|

03.06.2015

‘Putting Greenville on the map’ BENJAMIN JEFFERS | STAFF

bjeffers@communityjournals.com Kelly Marshall, owner of We Shot That LLC and a professional photographer for more than 10 years, recently transitioned from shooting weddings and portraits to more of a niche area: creating virtual tours of businesses for Google.

Google Business View works much like the popular Street View on Google Maps. But rather than seeing only the outside of businesses, viewers can go inside.

Marshall creates the tour by setting up a tripod in different areas throughout the business and taking photos from 360 degrees at each location. Afterward, she selects the best shots and uploads them to software provided by Google that stitches the photos together.

She says she does only minimal editing to the photos because the images are not supposed to distort the businesses’ appearance. “So whenever you see a tour, you can really know that is what is looks like inside,” she said.

Jason and Julia Scholz, owners of Stella’s Southern Bistro, recently asked Marshall to create a tour for their business. Choosing to do the tour “really was an easy business decision to make,” Jason Scholz said. “It’s got … a sense of permanence about it.” The couple liked the fact that anyone searching for their business on the popular search engine could instantly get an inside view.

Interimcares.com

Various photos taken around Clemson Memorial Stadium as part of We Shot That’s Google Business View tour.​ Photo provided

Meric Gambel, director of business development for We Shot That, said the tours typically cost businesses about $650, though prices range from $350 to $2,000.

Google doesn’t pay We Shot That for creating the tours, nor do businesses pay Google to put the tours online. We Shot That charges a onetime fee to create

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the tour, upload it to Google and help the business owner embed the tour on a website or Facebook page. We Shot That also produces royalty-free images for businesses.

Marshall started training to create Business View tours back in 2012 after Google representatives contacted her in a search for professional >>

upstatebusinessjournal.com

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| SERVICES | 7

Memorial Stadium.

Google representatives chose that tour out of the thousands of Business View tours published throughout North America.

For the tour, Marshall said she spent a week snapping an estimated 7,00010,000 photos throughout the stadium, getting behind-the-scenes looks at places fans can’t usually go, such as Left to Right: Google Trusted Photographer Kelly Marshall photographs one of the dishes available at Stella’s Southern Bistro in Dabo Swinney’s office, Simpsonville for Google Business View. Marshall was the first Google Trusted Photographer in South Carolina; Kelly Marshall’s award the president’s box from Google for her work on the Google Business View of Clemson’s Memorial Stadium; Meric Gambel with We Shot That. and the weight room.

The whole process Photos by Greg Beckner took about a month to complete, Marshall said. “It was Chicken. We’re looking for the cool factor,” he said. >> photographers. She launched her business in a very tedious job—but very rewarding too,” she said. early 2013, and now creates virtual business tours Marshall has made a name for herself as a Google full time.

Gambel said We Shot That is “putting Greenville on the map” by showcasing interesting businesses in the area.

He acts as a scout for businesses and looks for ones that have an “awesome” ambiance and are locally owned.

“We’re not going to Applebee’s and Church’s

Trusted Photographer. She is listed on Google’s website as the top-performing photographer in the state. And Gambel said in the two years they’ve been in business, We Shot That has done over 600 total tours in South Carolina.

But one tour stands out among the rest.

Marshall recently won the Most Creative Tour Award for 2014 for the tour she did of Clemson University’s

ENGAGE See some of Kelly Marshall’s Google Business Views • Memorial Stadium, Clemson: goo.gl/hBPF6I • Stella’s Southern Bistro: goo.gl/maps/F3Qzj Find more at weshotthat.com/see-inside

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NEWS

| RESTAURANTS | 9

Joe’s New York Pizza coming to Clemson

C C

Rendering Provided.

SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF

sjackson@communityjournals.com Construction is set to begin next month on Joe’s New York Pizza at Clemson’s Patrick Square, a 173acre traditional neighborhood development with single-family, condominium and townhomes centered around a town square.

The 6,000-square-foot, 150-seat restaurant will have a large outdoor dining patio and be located next door

THE LATEST

to Rick Erwin’s Clemson restaurant.

Joe’s New York Pizza at Clemson will be a second location for owners John and Cheryl Roberts, who have owned the successful Seneca location since 2011.

The menu will include pizza along with sandwiches, salads and subs in an affordable, family environment, say the owners.

The new restaurant is expected to open in time for Clemson’s 2015 fall football season.

SHERRY JACKSON | Staff | sjackson@communityjournals.com

McMillan Pazdan Smith settles in at Claussen building

D D

McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture has relocated its Greenville offices to the former Claussen Bakery building at 400 Augusta St. The firm now occupies 16,000 square feet on the second floor of the newly renovated 1930s building.

“This transition has resulted in a work environment that is practical, functional and creative,” said Joe Pazdan, managing principal. “We think it’s just the first of many in a high-growth neighborhood that is quickly becoming revitalized.”

The primary studio workspace is designed as an open floor plan that references the feel of an industrial factory line. Within this long, linear space, the original 19-foot ceilings and exposed trusses help create an open, light-filled

bay that drives organic interaction among teams, Pazdan said. Running parallel to the studio bay is a series of private offices, conference rooms and support space.

The 1950s portion of the original structure received a slightly different treatment, with a separate color scheme including windows framed with the firm’s signature yellow, exposed concrete, and a two-story trellis accenting the main entrance. The patio layout mimics the railroad tracks.

Six additional commercial tenants will occupy the first floor, which is currently under construction.

10 | TECHNOLOGY |

UBJ

NEWS

|

03.06.2015

A Voice for the future of social media Twitter meets YikYak in Clemson MBA student’s startup ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

aboncimino@communityjournals.com Your daily interactions represent an ever-evolving social network based on where you are and what you’re doing – and your social network should do the same, says Clemson MBA student Ryan DeMattia.

Enter Voice, which DeMattia describes as a hyperlocal, geography-based Android and iPhone app that creates micro social networks based on a user’s location, skipping the tedious process of individually adding network connections via a self-generating public local feed. Voice lives in the space between complete anonymity based on location and username-based social networks that span continents, said DeMattia, who started working on the concept in December 2013.

A Massachusetts native, DeMattia has spent the last decade in South Carolina and hit upon the idea while studying political science as an undergraduate at Clemson. More recently, he spent the last four years working for startups in Houston, Tokyo and Adelaide, Australia.

“I had this realization that I was in a room with all of these people, and we definitely had something in common because we’re all in the same room, but we’re not connected via social media,” he said. “It kind of allows people in

the same way for them to mingle in person, they can mingle on social media.”

Voice has helped people with compatible goals find each other at networking events as well as been a public forum for local activities and funny observations, DeMattia said. One proposed use includes connecting concertgoers to each other and to traveling performers, who otherwise would have to request to follow each attendee in each new city.

“It interacts with the whole audience,” DeMattia said. Users can specify the distance range of their post from a few yards to a few blocks. “It’s almost as if the feed generates itself to whatever the user is doing,” he said.

So far, the app has around 1,500 active users in 26 countries with concentrations of users in Greenville and New York, he said.

While DeMattia admits many similar applications are out there, he says Voice is a combination of the best pieces of its competitors, particularly by not constantly tracking users’ locations and only letting users see the latest 100 posts in the specified radius.

“We think that while it is a busy space to be in, we’re kind of ahead of the curve,” he said. “There’s a few other local apps like Whisper, but a lot of them focus on the anonymous aspect. What we wanted to do is deliver some of that benefit without all of the

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upstatebusinessjournal.com problems that anonymity causes.”

Some of those problems include bullying and harassment, he said. The app has the added bonus of only showing a certain number of posts.

“It’s not like Facebook or Twitter where your employer can look back,” he said. “Basically to see the message, you need to be in the right place at the right time.”

The commercialization plan involves hyperlocal ads and direct offers that target users with “powerful, in-the-moment marketing right at the point of desire,” he said. “Why should I see an ad for a product that’s irrelevant to me or across town when I could find something close to me, when I want it?”

DeMattia – who cofounded the company with Dr. Joseph Louro, who serves as CEO – started with a seed round of $280,000 in investment last year that funded the app’s development and preliminary marketing. This year, the duo plans to raise $1.5 million through connections in New York and locally, steering clear of West Coast and D.C. money, he said.

DeMattia said to expect further updates during the spring. “As the team grows and expands, I want to do it right here in town. The other kicker is it’s a lot more affordable to run and grow a company in Greenville than it is in New York or San Francisco…I don’t see any reason for us GO ONLINE to go to the Northeast voicetheapp.com or the West.”

NEWS

THE LATEST

| TECHNOLOGY | 11

SHERRY JACKSON | Staff | sjackson@communityjournals.com

Harvest Moon to open in April Harvest Moon Baby Food will open its doors the first week of April in space shared with Naked Pasta at 1286 Pendleton St. in the Village of West Greenville.

The company offers fresh, organic and sustainably grown fruits and vegetables for its baby food, with most ingredients sourced from local farmers. Look for free sample events and test kitchen days closer to opening.

Travinia shuts down Woodruff Road restaurant Travinia Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar on Woodruff Road closed its doors this past weekend. The eatery ended its 12-year run with a Facebook post saying its owners had sold to a “new and different restaurant,” but did not provide additional details. Travinia has 12 other locations throughout the Southeast, with a new restaurant scheduled to open March 30 in Lexington, Ky.

Color Clay Café owner retiring Paint-your-own-pottery studio Color Clay Café, located on East North Street in Greenville, announced its owner and manager, Mary Margaret Dragoun, is retiring after 15 years.

The business has been purchased by Paula McNear and Michele Smeal, a mother and daughter from Simpsonville. No major changes are planned at this time, they said.

“The past 15 years have been a great experience,” Dragoun said. “Even through the challenges of two recessions, it’s been a privilege to serve families with activities that bring so much joy.”

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12 | WORKING WELL |

UBJ

GOOD HEALTH IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS

|

03.06. 2015

Stronger as a team

Your workplace’s wellness initiative starts with assembling the right committee

By EMILY O’SULLIVAN,

corporate wellness specialist, SC Hospital Association’s Working Well Initiative

When it comes to creating a comprehensive workplace wellness initiative, building a wellness committee is an essential component. Forming a wellness team can take your organization’s health improvement efforts to the next level by establishing a system for assessing, planning, implementing, maintaining and evaluating wellness programs, policies, benefits and incentives for your employees.

Wellness teams are a critical part of creating a culture of wellness for several reasons.

First and foremost, teams create synergy. A team approach encourages unity, ownership, and cohesion by inviting input and involvement from employees with different skills and perspectives. A team can go further faster than any individual can alone.

Secondly, wellness committees spread the responsibility of imple-

menting programs and activities among a group, so that the weight of the initiative does not fall solely on one token “wellness person.”

Thirdly, wellness committees serve as a vehicle to develop and execute a clear plan of action.

Lastly, wellness teams create sustainability. By establishing a permanent, active, prominent committee to keep things moving forward, wellness initiatives are much more likely to survive things like leadership changes, staff turnover, and budget cuts.

Now that we have established the “why,” let’s discuss the “who.” Wellness committees should be diverse and representative, meaning that they include employees at all levels and from different areas of the organization, including front-line workers, middle management and senior leadership. This is critical in order to gain buy-in from key players in the organization and ensure that employ-

ees at all levels feel included in the decision-making process.

The team should be large enough to be truly diverse and representative, but small enough to be productive.

Key stakeholders including staff from human resources, communications and marketing, food services, health and wellness, occupational health and safety, finance, as well as general workers from across the organization, should be formally appointed to the committee. Ideally, a member of senior leadership should also serve on the committee or have close communication with the team to ensure they are involved in the planning and communication of wellness efforts.

A team approach encourages unity, ownership, and cohesion by inviting input and involvement from employees with different skills and perspectives.

A team can go further faster than any individual can alone.

Also, as counterintuitive as it sounds, it is beneficial to include employees who don’t have a particular interest in wellness—or even the naysayers. It is dangerous to include only health enthusiasts in your committee because you will miss out on gaining input and support from those who need wellness the most.

Most importantly, you should look for influencers in your organizations. Who are the individuals in your organization, regardless of their title, that other employees will listen to and follow? Identify the folks who have strong relationships and influence in your company and ensure that they have a seat at the table.

This is critical to creating momentum and changing culture.

Once committee members are identified and formally appointed, their roles and responsibilities should be clearly defined and communicated.

Creating clarity is essential for motivating action.

Member roles can include: serving as role models for health in the organization and community; serving as advocates for wellness programs and policies throughout the organization; and empowering others to engage in health

improvement to reach their fullest potential personally and professionally.

Member responsibilities can include: assessing employee needs and interests on a regular basis; planning and implementing initiatives, communicating activities; and evaluating efforts.

Finally, let’s discuss the qualities that make a wellness team great. First, they should meet on a regular basis, meaning at least monthly or bimonthly, to keep team members motivated and wellness efforts moving forward. Additionally, team members should have wellness formally written into their job descriptions. This ensures that a portion of their time is allocated to health and wellness and ensures that it remains a fundamental priority for the individual and the organization.

It is also imperative that the wellness committee has a clear leader—someone with vision, passion and a desire to help and bring out the best in others. Each and every wellness team meeting should have a formal agenda to focus meetings, provide organization and create clarity.

Strong wellness teams also align with the activities of other committees and groups in the organization, such as Health and Safety or Employee Relations, and combine efforts when appropriate. This promotes inclusion and collaboration and helps to weave wellness into the fabric of the organization.

Lastly, the wellness team should be promoted throughout the organization to demonstrate that employee health and wellness is a top priority. An update from the wellness committee could be included as a standing agenda item at every full staff meeting, or the leader of the wellness committee could play a part in every new hire orientation.

At the SC Hospital Association, our credo is “we are stronger together than apart.” I think this speaks beautifully to the value of teams, specifically wellness teams, and the powerful difference they can make in promoting health in your organization.

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MOVERS, SHAKERS AND DISRUP TORS SHAPING OUR FUTURE

| INNOVATE | 13

The untapped reserves that will keep us competitive We can broaden the talent pipeline by encouraging minorities and women to pursue computing Add it all up, and the United States could be headed for a cliff. Companies will either associate professor, Clemson have to fill STEM jobs with a more diverse University School of Computing workforce, or leave them unfilled.

Of course, no one is more affected by the The information revolution has connected lack of diversity than minorities and nearly 3 billion people through the Internet, put women. As a nation, we’re cutting huge computers in our pockets, and could soon even drive chunks of the populace out of some of the our cars for us. Computers have transformed virtuhighest-paying and in-demand jobs. ally every aspect of modern life, and the pace is The salary potential for graduates with quickening. bachelor’s degrees in computer science and It’s clear that we need more tech-savvy graduates engineering ranked seventh highest among across the nation and in South Carolina. Companies college majors with an early career salary are already having difficulty filling all the jobs that of $66,700 and a mid-career salary of require computing expertise. As more businesses $112,600, according to a recent report from open, the state’s demand for programmers, systems Payscale.com. analysts and information technology managers will Maybe even more important is that continue to grow, from the Upstate’s automotive computing offers some of the most rewardindustry to Charleston’s “Silicon Harbor.” ing work on the planet. With expertise The only way we will remain competitive is to use in computing, you can make a feature all of our available assets. The good news is that we film, teach job skills in virtual reality and have a historic opportunity to access untapped redesign apps that help users stay healthy serves. We can broaden the pipeline that supplies and save money. The possibilities are talent to the workforce by encouraging minorities virtually endless. and women to pursue the lucrative, plentiful and But it all begins with preparing a diverse rewarding jobs that could await them in computing. pool of students before they enter the Clemson University professor Alison Leonard uses a motion Increasing diversity is the right thing to do for a workplace, and we have some work to do. capture suit in her research on engaging students in lot of reasons, but one of the most powerful is spelled Fewer than a fifth of undergraduate computer programming. out in the nation’s shifting demographic trends. degrees in computer science go to Consider this: women. Racial and ethnic minorities • The number of racial and ethnic minorities rose receive only 28 percent of bachelor’s more than 90 percent during the 2000s, and degrees in STEM fields.

The possibilities are virtually endless. But it all begins the population of white males is aging.

We can begin to reverse the trend by with preparing a diverse pool of students before they • Women occupy almost half the jobs in the paving new pathways that lead students to enter the workplace, and we have some work to do.

United States economy, but hold fewer than a computing as early as elementary school. quarter of jobs in science, technology, engineerLegos and robots work well for some stuPhotos provided ing and math (STEM). dents, but we need to broaden our efforts. can tell stories by manipulating images of themselves, • On top of all that, foreign nationals have had My colleagues and I have found encouraging recordings of their own voices and images they find difficulties securing visas since the attacks of results through dance in our work at a Greenville on the Internet. It’s a great primer to learn compuSept. 11, 2001. elementary school. We have students try dance moves tational thinking, but the storytelling also helps build in real life and then self-awareness and empathy. program a computer As people become more self-aware, they come character to do the same to understand themselves better and develop a moves. While part of our greater ability to empathize. These are the building goal was to encourage girls blocks for forming healthy relationships in a to learn computational diverse workplace. thinking, we have found I’m also excited about the new Dr. Phinnize J. that the activities have Fisher Middle School, the first middle school in energized both male and Greenville County to base its curriculum on science, female students. technology, engineering, arts and math. Adding arts It is also important that to the STEM mix will help reach a more diverse we begin teaching stustudent pool. dents the skills they will We’ve taken a few baby steps, but our work is just need to do well in a more getting started. As we move forward, we should diverse workplace. support new and innovative programs that help My collaborators and I bring everyone to the table to solve our world’s most Shaundra Daily performs alongside her virtual character. Daily designs innovative new technologies that bring together sensors have had success with pressing challenges. and machine learning with theories of human learning.

Scratch, a free program for Too much is at stake to leave entire groups behind. ages 8 and up. Students Diversity is our competitive advantage.

By SHAUNDRA DAILY,

14 | WHO’S WHO: ONES TO WATCH |

WHAT YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT PEOPLE YOU NEED TO KNOW

Scott Powell Vice president, Craig Gaulden Davis SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF sjackson@communityjournals.com An award winning architect and vice president at Craig Gaulden Davis, Scott Powell volunteers his professional expertise to help meet children’s educational needs. He previously served as president of the Greenville chapter of the American Institute of Architects and currently serves as president of the South Carolina Chapter of the Council of Educational Facilities Planners International. Powell is also one of only two architects who serve on the planning committee for the South Carolina facilities department for the State Board of Education. He has been with CGD for 21 years.

Why did you become an architect?

Well, I really enjoyed art and math, and my teachers kept telling me I should become an architect. I didn’t know any architects, but I watched “The Brady Bunch,” and he was an architect, and he had a really nice house, a maid and a great family, so I thought, “Hey, I’ll do this.” [laughs] Little did I know it wasn’t quite like that. I never really considered anything else.

POINTS OF INTEREST: Age: 50 Education: Bachelor of Science in Design from Clemson University, 1987 First job: Cashier at Sears at Westgate Mall in Spartanburg for three years Family: Married 26 years to Pam; sons Alexander, 19; and Carter, 17 Best advice: The golden rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” Hobbies: Basketball, sports, reading, exercise and running Book just finished: John Grisham’s latest novel Grew up: In Boiling Springs, just outside of Spartanburg

“I would have a hard time sitting in a cubicle doing the same thing every day. Every day is a different experience.”

Scott Powell

UBJ

|

03.06.2015

What do you like the most about your job?

The good thing about architecture is even though it’s hard, for someone who’s creative it does allow you an outlet, and you’re always doing something different. I would have a hard time sitting in a cubicle doing the same thing every day. Every day is a different experience.

Even though I’ve done some churches and office buildings, I tend to focus mostly on schools and parks and recreation. It’s fun to see kids and their reactions to the spaces. And to get to sketch an idea and draw it and get to see it come to life—that’s the most rewarding part.

You are very involved in education. Is there anything you would change in the school system or an issue you are passionate about?

I think people don’t really appreciate how we are affected by our environment and that spaces can inspire children to learn. Instead of focusing on cost or maintenance or what’s easiest to clean, think, “What is best for the child?” Children learn best from naturally lit environments, so it’s important in design to have as many windows as possible.

Ideally, classrooms should be designed to how the teachers teach and how the children learn. Teachers who teach in a team environment could have open walls and spaces. Project-based learning really requires a different classroom setup where kids can work in small groups.

Also, hard surfaces might not be best. Studies have found that children can’t learn as well because of all of the background noise, and carpets may be a better option.

What is your favorite project that you’ve done and why?

That’s like picking your favorite child.

One of my favorites is the A.J. Whittenburg School. It’s just a unique program and we got to work early on with the superintendent and really designed the building to be a learning tool.

There are several features of the building that allow the children to learn. Photo panels and a green roof to learn about stormwater management. There was also the community aspect by bringing people in.

Scott Powell, principal and vice president, Craig Gaulden Davis.

Photo by Greg Beckner

What current projects are you working on?

I’m currently working on some schools in Anderson Districts 1 and 2, renovations at Westside High School and some schools in Berkeley and Charleston counties. I’m also doing a Starbucks at the library at Lander University and some renovations at Legacy Charter School. There’s a lot of stuff going on right now.

What are your future plans or goals?

My youngest child graduates in a year and a half, and I’ve been asking myself that question quite a bit lately. I can see myself pursuing local politics in the future.

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16 | COVER

UBJ

METRO COMPETITION, REGIONAL VICTORIES Greenville-Spartanburg may compete with other MSAs, but regional success transcends political boundaries ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

aboncimino@communityjournals.com

While economic development is inherently competitive, regional economic success is the rising tide that lifts all boats, according to economic development leaders. Charlotte’s relationship to surrounding communities—both in South Carolina and North Carolina—is one of mutual benefit, said Morgan.

“We share a workforce,” he said. “Over 100,000 people commute to Mecklenburg County [which includes the Charlotte MSA] from other counties every day, and there are residents in Mecklenburg County that travel as well to other counties.”

A $1.1 TRILLION MEGAREGION South Carolina shares economic development resources such as educational institutions, infrastructure, large employers and recreational opportunities with neighboring states, making it and its neighbors attractive for development, said Clemson University College of Business and Behavioral Science Dean Emeritus Bruce Yandle.

“Everyone says, ‘I wish I had something like that exciting going on in my backyard,’ and the truth is, we do.”

Bruce Yandle, Clemson University College of Business and Behavioral Science Dean Emeritus

When two Charlotte companies hopped the border last June—bringing a minimum of 2,200 jobs to the Palmetto State—at least they stayed local, according to Charlotte Chamber of Commerce CEO and President Bob Morgan.

“These are Charlotte companies, they belong to the Charlotte Chamber, underscoring the reality that business doesn’t stop at city, county or state lines,” said Morgan, referring to the decisions by financial services firm LPL Financial and health care consulting company Lash Group to relocate headquarter operations over state lines. “Those political boundaries don’t really mean anything when it comes to business.”

For example, the Greenville-Spartanburg metropolitan area benefits by being located directly between Charlotte and Atlanta, Yandle said. The 10 South Carolina counties lining I-85 between the two cities have seen higher employment and population growth than the rest of the state, he said.

At $1.1 trillion in GDP, the Char-lanta megaregion is the third-largest economy in the country and is comparable to the southern California-Silicon Valley region, he said. “The Char-lanta economy is a vibrant economy relative to the rest, and has been for the last few years,” said Yandle. “Everyone says, ‘I wish I had something like that exciting going on in my backyard,’ and the truth is, we do.”

“GOOD ENVIRONMENT” FOR MANUFACTURING, AUTOMOTIVE Part of the region’s momentum stems from growth in certain economic clusters, particularly manufacturing and

UCTCESSUS CCESS ASETASS SSOOUTUHTEH

|

03.06.2015

automotive, according to S.C. Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt.

“Not all suppliers in South Carolina serve any of our existing OEMs in the state,” he said. “Some of them serve OEMs from other states. We’re just a good environment.”

Current projections indicate the U.S. auto industry will grow to 18 million units annually during the next five years, which is 2 million more cars that have to be made and sold, said Hitt. As volume increases, suppliers will find it more cost-effective and efficient to move closer to their customers, many of whom are located in the Southeast, he said. Each new and expanded company reinforces talent pooling in the region, or the idea that some employees will only move to a region for a job if they know they can find a similar one nearby if they want to, he said.

“Like everything in life, there are sort of waves of success and momentum, and some states have positive momentum—which we do right now—and some states have lost momentum, but they’ll be back,” said Hitt. “One of the things to remember is there are 49 other states, and they’re all good at this.

There’s nobody that’s bad at it.”

THE GREATER REGIONAL GOOD On one level, economic development is a zero-sum game where one entity wins and another loses, but that doesn’t mean collaboration is counterproductive, said Greenville Area Development Corporation President and CEO Mark Farris.

“There’s an opportunity for us to marshal resources as a group to do together on a national level what we could not do alone.”

Mark Farris, president and CEO, Greenville Area Development Corporation “Economic development is inherently competitive, but that does not mean we cannot cooperate towards the greater goal, which is the benefit of the region,” said Farris, who previously served in a similar role for York County. “Our first priority is to the community in which we live and work. We are p a i d >>

COVER | 17

upstatebusinessjournal.com

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Educational attainment for adult population 25 & older, some college or higher (Source: Moody’s Analytics 2012)

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Bob Morgan, president and CEO, Charlotte Chamber of Commerce “When I first got in the business … it was a longer-term proposition in terms of talking with a client,” he said. “Now, if you don’t have what they want, you won’t see them. If you do, they’ll contact you and you have two hours.”

Companies have complicated matrices and ranking systems on their own to help them prioritize and compare different locations, which causes incentives to play a greater—but not the greatest—role in the process, Farris said.

Today, most companies prioritize labor, he said, but everything varies per company. “If a corporate headquarters values quality of life, then it’s unlikely for them to put a 500,000-square-foot office building in the middle of the country,” he said. “However, if a manufacturing company’s goal is ultimately to lower their cost of operations, then the field is wider.”

The Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport—as well as other airports and intermodal hubs in the region— are examples of regional assets, along with Greenville’s downtown area, he said. “There’s an opportunity for us to marshal resources as a group to do together on a national level what we could not do alone.”

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“Those political boundaries don’t really mean anything when it comes to business.”

Unemployment rate by MSA (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Dec. 2014)

sti Au

>> to win projects. Having said that, I think there’s an opportunity to partner for the greater good.”

Part of the industry’s competitive nature stems from changes in economic development itself, where the digital revolution has given companies more control, he said. When companies know exactly what they’re looking for, firms have to make sure their area stays on the list for as long as possible and hope they’re one of the finalists before companies will contact them, he said.

Megaregions in the US (Source: Citylab)

Population (millions)

Economic output

Bos-Wash

56.5

$3.75 trillion

Chi-Pitts

41.8

$2.3 trillion

Char-lanta

22

$1.1 trillion

So-Cal

21.8

$1 trillion

So-Flo

15

$750 billion

Nor-Cal

13

$900 billion

Tor-Buff-Chester

16

$600 billion

Dal-Austin

12

$700 billion

Hou-Orleans

10

$750 billion

Cascadia

10

$600 billion

Phonenix-Tuscon

5

$250 billion

Denver-Boulder

4.2 million

$256 billion

18 | THE TAKEAWAY |

UBJ

NOTES FROM THE BEST TALKS YOU MISSED

Capital ideas Hagen Rogers with Watermark Advisors shares insights on preparing to sell a company or raise equity capital

By SATU ROGERS| CONTRIBUTOR On Feb. 19, a group of South Carolina business owners gathered in a half-day seminar to hear expert advice on investment banking—specifically, how to prepare well for selling a company or raising equity capital for growth. Hagen Rogers, executive managing director of Watermark Advisors, shared insights from his 18-year career in investment banking.

“There are key attributes you’ve got to have to make your company or equity capital sellable,” Rogers said. “These are certain inputs that have to be there … that make the story of your company so appealing to prospective buyers or investors that they become enthusiastic about buying or investing in the company.”

Rogers leads Watermark Advisors, a 12-year-old Greenville-based investment banking firm that provides a comprehensive approach to mergers and acquisitions. The approach is intended to improve the dismal success rate of a typical acquisition, in which only 20-30 percent of companies achieve a positive return on their acquisition investments.

Below are a few of the takeaways about how to prepare well for selling a company or raising equity capital for it.

A VALUATION IS VALUABLE Business owners benefit from receiving a valuation on their company because otherwise they will underor overestimate the value of the firm, which can lead to either leaving millions on the table when selling the company or not being able to sell at all because the company’s expectations are too high and not realistic. Yet business owners typically do not get a valuation because they already have a number in their heads about the company’s value, upon which they are fixated.

be sold or invested in—business owners need to start by validating that the business’s strategy is current, realistic and executable. Great strategy paired with strong execution drives the health of a business.

Strategy has three key elements: 1. Vision—do you know where you want to go in the next five years?

2. Road map—how do you plan to get there?

3. Resources—what mix of human, technological and financial capital will put the road map into practice?

PEOPLE SKILLS For a business owner to build the best team, the most important skill is to be able to mobilize the team to the vision. That means that he or she articulates the vision well; the vision inspires the team; and the team is equipped with clear, tangible milestones and resources for how to get there.

SPEND TIME TO SET UP STRINGENT PROCESSES A business owner needs to implement a stringent and frequent enough system of oversight, tracking, and monitoring of the company’s processes and performance metrics to optimize its resources. This includes, for example, tracking of each employee’s hours, money paid to fix computers, and time spent on a project.

It takes time to set up these systems, but if not done, the business will fall behind the competition.

In fact, lack of process and procedures is one reason

WHERE: Poinsett Club, Greenville SPEAKER: Hagen Rogers, executive managing director, Watermark Advisors WHO WAS THERE: Business owners from Greenville and across South Carolina private companies are sold at a discount. Also, can the business owner leave for a week and the systems of the business run smoothly without the leader’s shadow? If so, your process and procedures likely are impressive.

MOMENTUM SUMS IT UP When all the other seven key areas are in good order, the company will experience momentum.

Employees experience it in positive energy among team members. When buyers or investors observe true, tangible momentum, their emotions get involved. This will result in a premium paid in an investment banking transaction, meaning the company will sell for a higher price or be more effective in raising equity capital.

Watermark periodically organizes similar events to educate the business community about its area of expertise. Other classes include a Master Class in Mergers and Acquisitions for acquirers, and How to Build Your Company’s Strategy Map, which is led

by Vanderbilt professor and strategy consultant Dr. David Furse. More information is available at watermarkadvisors.com.

“These are certain inputs that have to be there…that make the story of your company so appealing to prospective buyers or investors that they become enthusiastic about buying or investing in the company.”

Hagen Rogers, executive managing director, Watermark Advisors

1. The company’s strategy 2. Market positioning 3. People 4. Process and procedures 5. Culture 6. Financial results 7. Innovation 8. Momentum

DO NOT NEGLECT STRATEGY In positioning your company for the market—to

03.06.2015

EVENT: “Raising Equity Capital or Considering Selling Your Company?

How to Prepare Well: A Morning with Watermark Advisors”

FORMULA FOR SUCCESS No matter who the buyer or investor is, they will be making their decision about buying or investing based on eight key areas:

A business owner needs to have his or her company excel in each to have a successful outcome in selling the company or raising equity capital.

|

Hagen Rogers speaking at “Raising Equity Capital or Considering Selling Your Company? How to Prepare Well: A Morning with Watermark Advisors”

INNOVATIVE

CLEMSON MBA’S CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE IS ENRICHED

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www.clemson.edu/mba · 864-656-3975

20 | JUMPSTART |

UBJ

COMPANIES BLAZING A TRAIL IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP

|

03.06.2015

HEALING, TOGETHER GroupHab combines physical therapy and group fitness Patrice Hazan, physical therapist and founder of GroupHab in Simpsonville, leads a class. Group Hab offers classes for wellness and prevention for individuals with chronic conditions, arthritis, Parkinson’s and osteoporosis, as well as balance and fall prevention and general wellness and fitness. Photo by Greg Beckner

APRIL A. MORRIS | STAFF

they agree and have seen [this happen] over and over again. There is truly a gap in the continuum of care. I thought, “Why not group therapy? Why is everything individual?”

it’s so fun. They want to get better. You can’t overlook the social aspect, especially for those with conditions like Parkinson’s disease who get a sense of support from the group setting.

Patrice Hazan is a physical therapist trained

What does GroupHab offer?

We have classes for anyone who might need balance and fall prevention along with those with chronic conditions or health concerns like arthritis, osteoporosis or Parkinson’s disease. Everyone gets an assessment to determine deficiencies, and so we know what to target. Many of our clients are senior citizens and they feel more comfortable coming here rather than exercising in a typical gym environment.

We also play familiar music and pay close attention to the beats per minute (BPM). My background in physical therapy is helpful in leading group exercise to emphasize safety and flow in a safe manner.

What’s next for GroupHab? I would love to see physical therapy group exercise as part of nationwide options for patients. This is a unique concept. I’ve talked with the American Physical Therapy Association about the model and they are very excited about it. I hope this is something that would continue to grow and be part of a physical therapy clinic. Patients could ease into group therapy from individual therapy.

How is your model different from other group exercise?

Combining physical therapy with group fitness allows patients to progress. This model is different from a typical exercise class because it includes an evaluation, is medically based and I can modify the exercises. It does not replace individual physical therapy, however.

Osteoporosis: stronger bones, better balance

amorris@communityjournals.com

in gerontology, and has worked as a fitness instructor. Her new business, GroupHab, combines fitness and therapy to create a model offering what she calls group physical therapy exercise. Her studio, filled with weights, balls, bands and other fitness gear, also features adaptive equipment for those with chronic conditions and limited motion.

Hazan began the business in a shared space in Fountain Inn and moved to a dedicated space in Simpsonville earlier this year. She recently sat down with UBJ to discuss the discovery process.

“As a physical therapist, I thought we could take the lead on wellness rather than just working post-injury. … There is truly a gap in the continuum of care.”

Patrice Hazan, GroupHab How did you decide to combine your skill sets?

As a physical therapist, I thought we could take the lead on wellness rather than just working post-injury. Many patients are discharged with a home exercise program and either end up not doing it or can’t progress. When I talk to other therapists,

What is your favorite part of the work?

It is so positive. I’ve only been doing this a short time and I’ve actually seen people getting better— exercise works. This is such a no-brainer because

SAMPLING OF CLASSES: Well fit cardio and strength Quick and Agile balance challenge Interval challenge Steady as you go Aerobics and functional strengthening Arthritis: strengthen and stretch

FIND IT: GroupHab: Group Physical Therapy Exercise 845 NE Main St., Simpsonville GroupHab.com

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22 | ON THE MOVE |

UBJ

PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS

APPOINTED

AWARDED

AWARDED

TENURED

|

03.06.2015

HIRED

John Clark

Paul Mashburn

Elnora Stuart

Mary Jane Farmer

Berry Ponder

Named vice president of endowment at the YMCA of Greenville. Clark has 17 years of law experience. He previously served as board chair of the David YMCA in Ohio, a member of the Endowment Committee of the YMCA of Central Stark County, Ohio, and chairperson for the Strong Kids Annual campaign.

Awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award presented

by Clemson University’s Department of Construction Science and Management.

Mashburn is president of Mashburn Construction. He serves on the Associated General Contractors of America’s board and he is on the Carolinas Chapter Board of Directors.

Awarded the William S. Moore II Palmetto Professorship. Stuart, an associate dean in the George Dean Johnson Jr. College of Business and Economics, is the second person to receive the honor. The professorship was established to promote student services for business students in the Spartanburg community.

Awarded tenure by the board of trustees at Spartanburg Methodist College. Farmer joined SMC as an adjunct faculty member in 2003 and has held the position of professor of psychology since 2006. She was previously an adjunct faculty member at Monroe County Community College and Henry Ford Community College.

Named project manager at Mashburn Construction’s Greenville office. Ponder has more than 15 years of experience in the construction industry. He previously served on the Greenville County Planning Commission and was a reserve deputy sheriff for both Richland and Spartanburg counties.

DEVELOPMENT The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) awarded the Custom Home Builder of the Year Award to Gus Rubio, founder of Gabriel

Builders. Rubio was nominated by the Home Builders Association (HBA) of Greenville.

The Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) named Chuck Wynings as a PCI Fellow, and the

Hannah Barfield Healthcare Recruiter

Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE) honored Danny Faucette with the IIE Fellow Award. Wynings serves as vice president and general manager of the Virginia division of Spartanburg-based Tindall Corporation and is a licensed professional >>

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upstatebusinessjournal.com

PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS

| ON THE MOVE | 23

MARKETING/PR

VIP

Infinity Marketing promoted Sarah Steele Banks to senior marketing coordinator and Tim Collins to production supervisor. Banks joined Infinity in 2013 as a marketing coordinator. She works closely with the manufactured homes, restaurant and hospitality and health care teams. Collins joined Infinity in 2011 as a production coordinator. He manages estimates, workflow and billing for the creative and production department. Collins also oversees more than 30 vendors.

MEDICAL The Gibbs Cancer Center & Research Institute hired Caio Rocha Lima and Melanie Thomas as physicians. Rocha Lima will serve as medical director for medical oncology and associate center director for translational research. He received his medical degree and completed his residency in Brazil. He has special interests in gastrointestinal and thoracic oncology. He was a program leader at University of Miami in gastrointestinal and drug development in oncology. Thomas will serve as the associate center director for experimental therapeutics. She received her medical degree from Boston University School of Medicine and completed her residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center at Harvard Medical School. Thomas has special interests in clinical research of gastrointestinal malignancy, specifically liver, bile duct and gallbladder cancers.

Roy D. Jones Named treasurer of the Palmetto Bank. Jones is an executive vice president and will continue to serve as CFO. He joined Palmetto in 2010 as chief accounting officer.

He is a certified public accountant with 24 years of combined financial services and public accounting experience.

>> engineer with more than 27 years of experience in the precast, prestressed concrete industry. Prior to joining Tindall in 1999, Faucette worked for Burlington Industries. He is currently chair-elect of IIE’s Industry Advisory Board and a member of the Industrial Engineering Curriculum Advisory Board at North Carolina State.

Join Greenville for the greenville 3rd annual Healthy Workplace Conference & Cocktail Reception making the healthy choice the easy choice

at T.D. Convention Center Thursday April 23 • 1-6 pm Included in Registration: • Educational breakout sessions on worksite wellness • Vendor expo on worksite wellness • Cocktail reception

Is your business healthy?

Nominate your business for the 2015 LiveWell Healthy Workplace awards! Applications are accepted through March 31.The application link can be found at livewellgreenville.org

CONTRIBUTE: New hires, promotions & award winners may be featured in On the Move.

Send information and photos to onthemove@upstatebusinessjournal.com.

Attendees register at: www.lwgworkplaceconference2015.eventbrite.com Tickets are only $25 if purchased by March 27th Vendors register at: www.lwgworkplaceconference2015vendor.eventbrite.com

move. Inside Proterra’s next big

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UBJ

REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

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New homes set for Judge’s Alley SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF sjackson@communityjournals.com @SJackson_CJ

Pre-sales have begun on Judge’s Alley, Highland Homes’ new eight-home subdivision within the Alta Vista neighborhood in Greenville.

The new homes will be located on Cromwell Avenue, just off Augusta Street. Homes will have small yards, be four to five bedrooms and range from 3,000 to 3,300 square feet. Each home will be a “semi-custom” build with the ability to work with Highland Homes’ new design center to select “very nice finishes,” said Patrick Franzen with Highland Homes.

The large homes and designs make “the floor plans perfect for generational family living,” he said.

The close proximity to I-85, downtown and hospitals, along with the ability to walk to Augusta Street shops, restaurants and the Harris Teeter planned for Lewis Plaza, are the main amenities, Franzen said.

Prices will range from $650,000 to $800,000.

Renderings provided.

Gary Player makes play for Beattie House An application for a zoning

Photo by Greg Beckner

24 | SQUARE FEET |

exception has been filed with the City of Greenville for the former Fountain Fox Beattie House on Bennett Street in Greenville.

The application was filed by Black Knight International, the umbrella corporation for golf legend Gary Player’s organization, which is in negotiations to purchase the property from the city.

The group is requesting to convert the circa-1834 house into an office for its business and to convert some of the existing parking space into a garden. The entry point from Church Street would also be closed off.

Black Knight says it would continue “to ensure the integrity of the home is improved and preserved” in its application.

The former tenants of the home, the Greenville Woman’s Club, disbanded last year after 66 years and turned the historic home back over to the City of Greenville Parks and Recreation Department.

Scott Ferrell, president of Gary Player Design, declined to comment, saying “we have not closed on this transaction; therefore we have no comment at this time.”

The application will be reviewed at the March 12 Board of Zoning Appeals meeting.

upstatebusinessjournal.com

REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

Johnson plans $20M hotel in downtown Spartanburg

| SQUARE FEET | 25

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for downtown Spartanburg on the corner of Main Street and Daniel Morgan Avenue.

Developer George Dean Johnson Jr. and OTO Development, a Spartanburg-based hotel development and management company, announced plans to build the hotel last week and received first-reading approval by Spartanburg City Council.

In the agreement, the city of Spartanburg would contribute $750,000 in streetscape improvements, provide “best efforts” to designate the project site as a multi-county industrial/ business park to achieve a 50 percent property tax abatement for 20 years, agree to let OTO purchase city-owned property at the site for $1, and restrict economic development incentives for any other select service hotel for a period of three years from the project’s date of opening.

OTO Development would need to construct a hotel with 100 rooms or more, affiliate the hotel with a national brand, make a capital project investment of at least $18 million and open the hotel for business by Sept.

30, 2017.

“In evaluating several alternatives for hotel sites in Spartanburg, it was clear that the right choice for the market is to be in the heart of our community,” said Corry Oakes, CEO of OTO Development. “One of the most positive examples of the city of Spartanburg’s vision and leadership has been the focus on revitalizing our urban core. This new hotel will become an important part of the energy and vitality of downtown.”

OTO has more than $1 billion in urban new development projects in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Manhattan, south Florida and Washington, D.C. Brand partners the company has worked with in the past include Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott and Starwood.

“We have been waiting for the right opportunity to develop a hotel in Spartanburg, where we live and work,” Oakes said.

The hotel site will consolidate property previously purchased by Johnson with the land, which is currently occupied by Event Rentals.

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Event Rentals will relocate to a new home on West Main Street.

Johnson, a Spartanburg native, has a long history of development in Spartanburg. In addition to bringing several corporate headquarters to downtown Spartanburg with partners, including OTO Development, Johnson Development, Pure Barre and American Credit Acceptance, Johnson has invested nearly $60 million over the last 15 years to build four buildings representing more than 330,000 square feet of office space. The George Dean Johnson Jr. College of Business and Economics (“The George”) at USC Upstate is named for him.

“The downtown area has grown into a remarkably vibrant social and cultural scene, and we want to fuel that growth by making it even more accessible to visitors,” Johnson said. “This hotel’s location will provide a springboard from which visitors will experience the local businesses, restaurants, art galleries and shops downtown, as well as participate in the many community events held throughout the year in Morgan Square.”

Johnson said OTO Development wants the hotel “to be a sophisticated complement to the artistic and entrepreneurial fabric that makes our downtown area so unique.”

Additional details are being finalized and will be shared in the coming weeks, he said.

and avid cyclist Wendy Lynam is expanding her boutique lodging collection with the addition of two new vacation rental properties.

Lynam opened the eclectic, cycling-focused, six-bedroom Swamp Rabbit Inn in June 2014 after seeing a need for a European-style inn in downtown Greenville.

Now she has added The Swamp Rabbit Cottage at 198 Willard St. and The Swamp Rabbit Lodge at 790 Roe Ford Road.

“We have seen a lot of interest in lodging that offers an alternative to traditional hotels,” said Lynam. “We cater to people who like a more adventurous travel experience, who like to mingle, prepare their own meals and gather as groups.”

The Swamp Rabbit Lodge is a mid-century modern ranch with “‘Jetsons’ room themes” and a mix of modern IKEA and vintage ’50s furniture, said Lynam. There are two bunk rooms and three guest

Bunk room at the Swamp Rabbit Lodge

The Swamp Rabbit Cottage

rooms with common areas inside and out. The lodge sits on 12 acres right outside the north gate of Furman University at the base of Paris Mountain and feet from the GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail.

The Swamp Rabbit Cottage is a remodeled one-bedroom mill house that sleeps five in the Village of West Greenville. “I bought this house because I love the history of the mill villages in Greenville. It sits in the path of a proposed central park along the Reedy River that is part of the city’s master plan, much like our award-winning Falls Park in downtown Greenville,” Lynam said.

The cottage is a few feet off the GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail and perfect for those needing a small, short-term, furnished house, she said.

Along with lodging, the Swamp Rabbit Inn offers a bike shed outfitted with eight city bikes for rent, and ride-up maintenance for cyclists from bike mechanic and inn manager Robin Rouselle.

For more information, visit swamprabbitinn.com.

Photos provided

26 | THE FINE PRINT |

BUSINESS BRIEFS YOU CAN’ T MISS

Knights Apparel to be acquired

by Hanesbrands Spartanburg-based Knights Apparel Inc. entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Hanesbrands Inc. The transaction will combine Knights Apparel, a seller of licensed collegiate apparel, with Hanesbrands. The transaction is subject to antitrust review and other customary closing conditions and is expected to close early in the second quarter of 2015.

Joe Bozich, CEO of Knights Apparel, will continue with Hanesbrands in his leadership role for the business across retail channels.

He said in a release, “Hanesbrands is the perfect partner and owner for Knights Apparel. The company understands our business and they bring strengths and capabilities that will make us an even better service provider for our brands and retail partners.”

Knights Apparel’s Alta Gracia business subsidiary will not be a part of the transaction and will remain independent.

Knights Apparel is owned by Merit Capital Partners, a Chicago-based private equity fund, company management, and other outside minority investors.

Guggenheim Securities LLC acted as exclusive financial advisor to Knights Apparel and Vedder Price PC served as legal counsel.

Selah Genomics and GHS enter four-way collaboration Selah Genomics, an EKF Diagnostics subsidiary, is entering a four-way collaboration with Greenville Health System, DecisionQ Corporation and BD Technologies. The collaboration is expected to last 18 months and aims to improve the treatment of colon cancer patients.

If successful, a full clinical trial is planned to validate the research in a community-based setting, with the goal of “significantly improving” the prognosis for patients by bringing center of excellence expertise to any clinical setting.

Selah Genomics will first determine the genetic profiles of samples from colon cancer patients with known outcomes provided by GHS’s Institute for Translational Oncology Research.

DecisionQ will train its artificial intelligence decision support algorithm to analyze the genetic data together with clinical annotations to provide a system that supports improved clinical decisions in the treatment of colon cancer patients.

The research project is being funded by BD Technologies in return for the first opportunity to license the technology should the collaboration prove a success.

“This tool will allow local doctors to leverage information to make clinical decisions based on expertise only previously available at academic centers of excellence in the U.S., hopefully leading to significant improvements in patient outcomes,” Michael Bolick, CEO of Selah Genomics, said in release.

ChartSpan raises $2M in funding Greenville-based ChartSpan Medical Technologies raised almost $2 million in a second round of capital funding to build the firm’s engineering, distribution and marketing teams.

The company participated in The Iron Yard Digital Healthcare Accelerator in 2013, raising $1 million in post-accelerator funding and topping iTunes charts

UBJ

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03.06.2015

as one of the most downloaded medical apps in the country.

The new capital will be used to build the engineering, distribution and marketing teams at ChartSpan, which will be housed in the company’s new headquarters at the recently announced NEXT on Main facility in downtown Greenville. Since relocating to Greenville from Texas, the company has added 17 new jobs.

ChartSpan is an iPhone and iPad app that lets customers request, manage and send electronic health records. The app converts paper health care records to digital data with no manual entry and then extracts the data and populates each user’s electronic personal database.

The company plans to release an Android version of the app in the next few weeks.

“We wanted to change the way patients access their medical data, and that’s exactly what we’ve done,” Jon-Michial Carter, ChartSpan CEO and cofounder, said in a release. “We are moving the balance of patient data into the hands of consumers. We are excited about our future in Greenville.”

Clemson conference will discuss “smart grid” tech Energy experts from around the world will gather at Clemson University next week to exchange the latest ideas about “smart grid” technology that is opening the door to more green energy and helping more customers generate and sell their own power.

Utilities and conservation groups recently came to an agreement on net metering, a compensation plan for customers who send power to the grid. Last year’s Distributed Energy Resource Act also gave a boost to solar energy.

Delegates from 19 nations are expected to attend the 14th Clemson University Power Systems Conference from March 10-13. Dr. David Ortiz, deputy assistant secretary in the Department of Energy, will be a featured speaker.

Attendees at the conference will include business executives; professionals and experts in the electric power industry; and researchers in government and academia.

Experts will discuss the future of a century-old electrical grid that needs a steady, predictable flow of electricity to operate without blackouts. “Smart grid” technologies allow experts to control a more unpredictable flow of Dr. Kumar Venayagamoorthy energy into the grid.

“Sustainable smart grid Photo provided technologies are absolutely essential to bringing us into the 21st century,” said Dr. Kumar Venayagamoorthy, the conference’s general chair, Clemson’s Duke Energy Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and director of the Real-Time Power and Intelligent Systems (RTPIS) Laboratory. “This conference will allow

upstatebusinessjournal.com

BUSINESS BRIEFS YOU CAN’ T MISS

| THE FINE PRINT | 27

us to enrich our collective knowledge so as to improve the art of modern power and energy systems engineering.”

For more information, visit psc.rtpis.org.

Greenville downtown ranked in Top 10

by Livability TOP 10 BEST DOWNTOWNS, 2015 1. Pittsburgh, Penn.

2. Minneapolis, Minn.

3. Indianapolis, Ind. 4. Greenville, S.C. 5. Salt Lake City, Utah 6. Alexandria, Va. 7. Fargo, N.D.

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8. Lincoln, Neb. 9. Somerville, Mass.

10. Evanston, Ill. Among small to midsize cities, Livability.com recently ranked Greenville as having one of the Top 10 Best Downtowns 2015. The Upstate city was included as No. 4 on the list because of its growing downtown population and entertainment options along with arts and cultural attractions, according to a release.

Greenville also had a high “Walk Score,” based on walking routes to destinations such as grocery stores, schools, parks, restaurants and retail.

The 20601 ZIP code has the highest Walk Score at 54 out of 100.

The listing also cites Falls Park, the urban historic districts, friendly local business owners, multinational corporations drawing international residents, Fluor Field, The Peace Center and The Children’s Museum of the Upstate as boons to downtown.

“We’re really in a new golden age of American downtowns,” said Livability editor Matt Carmichael in a release.

“Throughout cities large and small, the energy and resources focused on restoring Main Streets and urban cores is paying off.”

IT is the lifeblood of every organization today.

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28 | NEW TO THE STREET |

THE FRESHEST FACES ON THE BUSINESS LANDSCAPE

UBJ

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03.06.2015

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

Tee Time Therapy recently opened as a mobile business based in Simpsonville.

Tee Time is an on-site physical therapy company focused on golfers. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit teetimetherapy.com or call 317-840-0879.

CONTRIBUTE: Know of a business opening soon?

Email information to bjeffers@communityjournals.com.

GIVE | GET | GROW

entor onday

Each month, UBJ presents an opportunity for the business community to step up, get engaged and start mentoring. We hope our readers will spend some time over the weekend thinking about how they can be ready to jump in next week with Mentor Monday.

OPPORTUNITY: Mentor a student in a Greenville County elementary, middle or high school.

from another country, low academic performance, or behavioral problems.

ORGANIZATION: Mentor Greenville

Mentoring makes an investment in the future. By spending just 30 minutes to one hour each week with a student and showing your interest in his or her life, you can help identify the gifts and talents of a child, provide that child a sense of hope and vision, and increase the likelihood this young person will graduate from high school and become a contributing member of society.

COMMITMENT: Breakfast or lunch once a week with one student for one school year (September-May) IDEAL FOR: Adults 21 and older with a desire to help students achieve their potential and discover their strengths.

WHAT IT’S LIKE: While having lunch (or breakfast) once a week at school, you can support a child by being a positive and consistent presence in his or her life.

Sign up today: UpstateBusinessJournal.com

WHY YOU’RE NEEDED: A child may need a mentor for many reasons— a death in the family, a divorce in the family, a single-parent household, poverty, a move from one school to another, a move

The reasons are many. The needs are undeniable. Mentors can make a difference.

LEARN MORE: mentorupstate.org and facebook.com/mentorgville CONTACT: Alise Brown, director of mentor development, abrown@ frazeecenter.com

30 | PLANNER |

EVENTS YOU SHOULD HAVE ON YOUR CALENDAR

UBJ

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03.06.2015

DATE

EVENT INFORMATION

WHERE DO I GO?

HOW DO I GO?

Friday, March 6

First Friday Leadership Series Topic: Business growth and how to scale a product company Speaker: Nathan Bond, cofounder and director of business development, Rifle Paper Co.

Clemson at Greenville ONE 1 N. Main St., Greenville 5:15-7 p.m.

Cost: Free Register: bit.ly/first-friday-march2015

Monday, March 9

Anderson Angel Network Interest Meeting Learn about plans for 2015

The Bleckley Inn 151 E. Church St., Anderson, 5:30-7 p.m.

Cost: Free Register: /bit.ly/aan-march15

Wednesday, March 11

Upstate SC Alliance Annual Meeting Speaker: Lynn Good, president and CEO of Duke Energy

Spartanburg Marriott 299 North Church St., Spartanburg 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Cost: Free for investors, $35 for non-investors Register: bit.ly/upstate-alliance2015

Tech After Five Network with technology professionals

Pour Lounge 221 N. Main St., Greenville, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Cost: Free Register: bit.ly/taf-march2015

Tuesday, March 17

Small Business Success Series Topic: Technology: A Businessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Friend Speaker: Randy Oneal, CCT Business School

Comfort Suites Simpsonville, 3971 Grandview Drive, Simpsonville 8-9:30 a.m.

Cost: Chamber members $39, nonmembers $49 RSVP: 864-862-2586

Wednesday, March 18

Summit on IT 2015 Information technology in South Carolina and how it impacts industry, education, policy and capital

IT-oLogy 1301 Gervais St., Columbia, 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

Cost: $20 Register: bit.ly/it-summit2015

Wednesday, March 18

GSA Technology Council Learning Lunch Topic: Why You Should Begin with the End in Mind

Embassy Suites 670 Verdae Blvd., Greenville, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Cost: $25 Register: bit.ly/gsa-march2015

Wednesday, March 18

Anderson Angel Network Interest Meeting Learn about plans for 2015

The Bleckley Inn 151 E Church St., Anderson, 5:30-7 p.m.

Cost: Free Register: bit.ly/aan-march2015

Thursday, March 19

Digital Marketing Lunch and Learn Topic: Easy SEO Wins for Your Website

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

Cost: Free Register: bit.ly/lunch-and-learn-march2015

Thursday, March 19

USGBC Upstate Winter Social Connect with like-minded industry leaders

Barleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tap Room 25 W. Washington St., Greenville 6-9 p.m.

Cost: Free Register: bit.ly/usgbc-march15

Friday and Saturday, March 27-28

iMAGINE Upstate Transportation Hackathon Organizations and citizens conceive, design and prototype uses of open data relating to transportation

CU-ICAR 4 Research Drive, Campbell Center, Greenville

Cost: $10 early bird, $20 general admission Register: bit.ly/iu-hackathon2015

Friday, March 27

Spartanburg Angel Network Lunch Topic: Understanding investment term sheets for startup companies

The Iron Yard 151 S. Daniel Morgan Ave., Spartanburg noon-2 p.m.

Cost: $30 Register: bit.ly/sa-march2015

Saturday, March 28

Entrepreneurship and Social Good Demo Day Watch 10 Wofford College students pitch businesses or social good projects to win $20,000 in cash and prizes

Michael S. Brown Village Centr N. Church St., Spartanburg, 5-9:30 p.m.

Cost: Free, includes dinner and cash bar Register: bit.ly/wofford-event2015

Saturday, March 28

Comprehensive Small Business Start-up Workshop Help for entrepreneurs looking to start a business or nonprofit

Hughes Main Library 25 Heritage Green Place, Greenville 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

Cost: $69, $25 for students Register: piedmontscore.org/workshops/register/145

Tuesday, March 31

Beer & Napkins Meetup Topic: Exploring Makers Tools

The Community Tap, 205 Wade Hampton Blvd., Greenville More info: bit.ly/beer-napkins-march15 6 p.m.

Wednesday, April 1

DesignThinkers Design Workshop Topic: Workplace Design and the Bottom Line

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

MAIN EVENT:

Wednesday, March 11

Cost: $10 Register: bit.ly/designthinkers-april2015

CONTRIBUTE: Got a hot date? Submit event information for consideration to events@upstatebusinessjournal.com.

upstatebusinessjournal.com

A QUICK LOOK INTO THE UPSTATE’S PAST

| SNAPSHOT | 31

Not long after Furman University moved to Greenville, the Baptist Convention voted to establish a female college under the same board of trustees. Classes began at Greenville Female College on a limited scale in 1855. The first full session was in 1856. Construction of the college’s main building was begun in 1858, with the additional wings added later. It provided space for classrooms, offices and dormitories. In 1914 the name of the institution was altered to Greenville Woman’s College.

During the Depression, matters of finance dictated that GWC become the Woman’s College of Furman University.

Photo by Greg Beckner

The college moved north to the consolidated campus where it is located today in 1961. The former site of the Greenville Woman’s College is home to Heritage Green and the Children’s Museum of the Upstate, the Greenville County Museum of Art, Greenville Little Theatre, Hughes Main Library of the Greenville County Library System, the Upcountry History Museum and the Museum and Gallery at Heritage Green.

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

DIGITAL STRATEGIST

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

PRESIDENT/CEO

Mark B. Johnston mjohnston@communityjournals.com

UBJ PUBLISHER

Ryan L. Johnston rjohnston@communityjournals.com

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

ART DIRECTOR Whitney Fincannon OPERATIONS Holly Hardin ADVERTISING DESIGN Kristy Adair, Michael Allen

1997 Jackson Dawson launches motorsports Division 1993

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

>>

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

>>

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

1998 1998 Jackson Dawson moves to task industrial Court

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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