MARCH 17, 2017 | VOL. 6 ISSUE 11
IT'S TIME TO
QUIT TALKING AND START VOTING A TALK WITH TED PITTS, CEO OF THE SC CHAMBER
Photo by Will Crooks
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TOP-OF-MIND AND IN THE MIX THIS WEEK
| THE RUNDOWN
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 11 Featured this issue: First Look: Greer’s Barista Alley..................................................................................8 Myles Golden: A legacy of connections.....................................................................14 Buzzwords: Are they hurting your business?.........................................................18
Myles Golden is inducted into the Quarter Club after earning a quarter of a million dollars for the Ivan Allen office supply company in the mid ’70s. Golden, who died last month at age 76, leaves behind a legacy of involvement in several Upstate organizations, including the Rotary Club. Read more about his life and work on page 14.
WORTH REPEATING
TBA
“I think it’s just a Republican governor working with the Republican caucuses in both bodies, Look for an trying to make sure that a bill that passes has the announcement kind of support it needs to carry the day.” Page 4
“We needed a competitive edge — a place with no fryers, a place where you can go right from work to whatever comes next in your day or night without smelling like that place you just left.” Page 8
of a new cowork space coming soon to Greenville’s east side.
VERBATIM
On chatting with Zuckerberg “He asked them about their experiences here, what it’s like to live in South Carolina, what he should do or see or eat before he leaves.” Christina Vandiver, spokeswoman for the S.C. Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, recapping the highlights of the conversation between Facebook entrepreneur Mark Zuckerberg and students at the Greenville school on Sunday, March 12, as reported by the Greenville News.
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Q&A |
TED PIT TS, S.C. CHAMBER CEO
Ted Pitts talks roads The SC Chamber CEO hopes this is the year the legislature finally takes action WORDS RUDOLPH BELL | PHOTO WILL CROOKS
T
ed Pitts was a commercial real estate broker, Army captain in Afghanistan, member of the state House from Lexington County, and chief of staff for former Gov. Nikki Haley before becoming CEO of the S.C. Chamber of Commerce in January 2015. On March 8, he stopped by UBJ’s offices and talked about a variety of topics, including whether the General Assembly will approve more road funding as the state chamber and others want. The interview took place a week after the House approved — by a veto-proof majority — raising $600 million more a year for roads in part through a 10-cent hike in the gas tax over five years. So what’s at the top of Ted Pitts’ mind? Adequate funding for roads and bridges is an issue that everybody can agree has to be addressed. We need our political leaders to have the courage to be able to address it. I guess I’m hopeful that this year is the year that it ultimately gets done, and we get a long-term, sustainable solution that puts South Carolina’s infrastructure in a place that doesn’t inhibit any future economic growth because I think we’re at that point right now.
You’re thinking if we don’t do something, it’s going to hurt economic development? Yeah. We’ve got a world-class port that we ought to be very proud of. But as we look at the congestion and the condition
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TED PITTS, S.C. CHAMBER CEO
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of the interstates that go in and out of South Carolina’s port system, then we’re at a point where we can’t continue to ignore the issue. You look last year at the I-85 project that [began] as a resurfacing project and then they had to stop it and it’s a reconstruction project. The state’s infrastructure could be our largest asset, the taxpayers’ largest asset. Our roads and bridges belong to the taxpayers. We need our political leaders to adequately maintain that infrastructure.
You were in the House eight years and worked for the governor. You understand the reticence to raise taxes, right? Right, and I tell you the business community does not want to raise taxes. The business community wants a more favorable tax climate. But when you look at the way we fund infrastructure — the gas tax, the last time it was addressed, was in 1987. And the reason that’s the funding source that’s most talked about is because the people that use the roads are actually paying for it. … It also allows those out-of-state motorists to pay for their share to maintain our infrastructure.
In the Senate, do you expect Sen. Tom Davis to filibuster again? I don’t know that he’s going to filibuster, but he’s going to take the time and make the Senate listen to his points on the issue. And I think the Senate obviously will respect his right for some amount of time to allow him to talk. Hopefully, at some point they realize that it’s time to quit talking and start voting, start doing the job the taxpayers sent them to do.
We have a new governor. How do you think he’s going to come down on the issue? We’ve had conversations with Henry McMaster, and the business community is very familiar with Henry and comfortable with him being governor. He has a long, distinguished record in government and the business community respects him. I don’t know exactly where the governor’s going to be. … We think ultimately in order to get a bill through, it’s going to have to have supermajority support, regardless if the governor signs it or vetoes it. So ultimately, our goal in the Senate now
TED PITTS: THE BASICS
Age: 45 Hometown: Lexington, S.C. Alma Mater: Presbyterian College Jan. 2015-present: President and CEO of S.C. Chamber of Commerce
Prior experience:
• Legislative aide and chief of staff to Gov. Nikki Haley • State representative from Lexington County • Commercial real estate broker, Newmark Grubb Wilson Kibler, Columbia
is to get that two-thirds vote that’s needed. We’re told they’re going to vote the last week of March.
Are you expecting a veto-proof majority in the Senate? That’s the goal. I think it’s key. I think if we don’t have a veto-proof majority, it’s probably tough to ultimately get the bill to become law.
Really? Why? Because McMaster’s going to veto? I think if you don’t have the majority of the Republican caucus supporting this in the Senate, you’re likely to have a Republican governor veto the bill.
Because he’s got to face the voters in two years? I think it’s just a Republican governor working with the Republican caucuses in both bodies, trying to make sure that a bill that passes has the kind of support it needs to carry the day.
What’s your sense for what’s happening in the Senate? I think there will be a conversation about tax relief. Right now the House bill doesn’t have any tax relief in it. … I think the Senate will continue to have conversations about whether tax relief is part of the plan and what it looks like. I think a lot of conversation will revolve around that.
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| Q&A
NEWS |
INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
NICE PLACE TO VISIT
Spartanburg's tourism study highlights several positive gains TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF
tanderson@communityjournals.com A banner year for tourism in Spartanburg County was confirmed last week. The Spartanburg Convention and Visitors Bureau (SCVB) unveiled its latest tourism study, which showed positive gains in hotel occupancy, room demand, room rates and revenue, unique website visits, and hospitality tax revenue. According to the SCVB’s report, average hotel room occupancy increased from 69 percent in 2015 to 74 percent in 2016. It was the first time the county’s occupancy rate has been higher than Greenville (73 percent) and four other counties that are comparable, including York, Georgetown, Beaufort, and Florence. Total room demand increased 7.6 percent during the year to more than 898,000. Spartanburg’s average room rate in 2016 was $83.65, according to the study. That is a 7.5 percent increase compared with $77.74 in 2015. Total room revenue was $75.4 million for the year, a 16 percent increase compared with the previous year. The report showed the SCVB’s website saw a 48 percent increase in unique visits in 2016. The increase
for 2015 was 54 percent. Hospitality tax revenue in the county increased by 3 percent in 2016. The city’s hospitality tax revenue grew by 6 percent. The increases were a new record for the city and the county. The numbers complement the study introduced early this month by the state Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism during the S.C. Governor’s Conference on Tourism and Travel held in Spartanburg. That study showed tourism had a more than $390 million impact on Spartanburg in 2015 and placed the county at seventh among all of the state’s 46 counties in terms of economic impact by tourism. “It’s very nice to see it confirmed,” said Chris Jennings, executive vice president of the SCVB. “This speaks to the importance of data. It confirms that it has been a pretty good three years for Spartanburg and the whole state.” Jennings said he would like to see the county’s hospitality tax revenue grow a little faster, but overall he was happy about the results. He also said the SCVB won’t rest on its laurels. “We’re riding a pretty good wave right now and I hope it continues,” he said. “It means people are enjoying our great assets, facilities, and events. But we’re always thinking about what’s next.”
V A R I E D I D E A S W I T H A C O M M O N S P I R I T.
Provided by The Spartanburg Convention and Visitors Bureau
Reclaiming a creative community to last. Visit www.taylorsmill.community to learn more.
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INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
OVER
95
GROWTH
BMW supplier Gestamp investing $129M to expand Union County operations TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF
tanderson@communityjournals.com One of Union County’s two BMW suppliers plans to expand. Madrid, Spain-based Gestamp announced last week it will spend $129 million to grow its operations in the county and create 130 jobs. Gestamp’s existing facility is at 1 LSP Drive in the Union Commerce Industrial Park off Highway 176 across from Spartanburg Community College’s Union County Campus. The investment will include a 123,000-square-foot addition to the company’s existing plant. Gestamp has also signed a lease on a spec building at 2 LSP Drive that
| NEWS
was constructed by the county and sold in 2016 to industrial developer Agracel Inc. for $1.5 million. Sources familiar with the project said Agracel is in the process of expanding the building from 60,000 to 182,000 square feet as part of its agreement with Gestamp. “This new project multiplies our size in South Carolina with a remarkable investment that shows how committed we are with our future operations at the Union County plant,” said Jeff Wilson, CEO of Gestamp North America, in a statement. “The United States is a strategic market for us, where we have six plants in five different states, and we want to grow in this country with the major car
TOTAL D NONST AILY OPS
manufacturers. This is an important step forward.” Gestamp said the expansion will help it serve Spartanburg County-based BMW Manufacturing Co. and the new Volvo plant in Berkeley County. The company said it specializes in the development and production of metal components for automotive structural systems. It operates 98 manufacturing plants, with 10 more under construction, and boasts a workforce of 34,000 associates worldwide. Based on the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce's most recent labor market data for December, 130 new jobs would have the
gspairport.com
potential to lower Union County's unemployment rate by a full percentage point to 3.7 percent. Gestamp established its Union plant in 2009 after purchasing the former LSP facility, which opened in 2007, from Laepple AG. During the past eight years, the company has continued to expand its physical footprint and workforce. The plant has grown to about 700,000 square feet and its workforce to about 400, comprised of 291 full-time employees and some temporary workers. Union’s only other BMW supplier, Gonvauto, a sister company of Gestamp, operates a facility nearby at 1725 Jonesville Highway.
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FIRST LOOK |
INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
BARISTA ALLEY
Brewing up in downtown Greer
ARIEL TURNER | STAFF
aturner@communityjournals.com Greer resident Andrew Carter has been patiently awaiting this announcement since May 2016: Barista Alley will be open by the end of the month. Located at 125 E. Poinsett St. in downtown Greer, the specialty coffee shop will join the growing retail and restaurant presence in the area. Barista Alley, which Carter has literally been building with his own two hands (check out the copper-topped bar he hammered), is what he calls a “third-wave” coffee shop, which means 8
UBJ | 3.17.2017
it’s part of a movement to produce high-quality coffee as an artisanal foodstuff, like wine, rather than a commodity. Practically speaking, it means the coffee menu will have only between five and seven specialty drinks. And to keep it local, Carter will be serving only Greenville-roasted Methodical Coffee, rather than Charleston’s King Bean Coffee Roasters and 1000 Faces Coffee in Athens, Ga., with whom he had previously partnered. “I’m excited to have their coffee here, keeping it in the community,” Carter says.
He will also serve smoothies and smoothie bowls (like a smoothie but layered with yogurt and granola), using local produce, but again, will keep it limited so quality doesn’t suffer. Circa Doughnuts will also be available. The interior features wood tones and leather couches and can seat up to 75, which Carter admits would be tight. Outdoors in the shared alley with Abbott’s Frozen Custard will be a bar top with a garage-door window to the inside, along with tables and chairs. The space will be set up to accommodate live music performances. Carter’s favorite feature of the inte-
rior space is a private meeting room that will eventually be soundproofed. “How many times have you gone to a coffee shop for a meeting and you couldn’t hear yourself?” Carter asked, rhetorically. Carter is also providing 100-megabit internet to allow his guests to stream and download with ease. Carter plans for Barista Alley to be open Monday through Saturday, 6 a.m.–10 p.m., and Sunday noon–6 p.m. Follow Barista Alley on Facebook for the official opening.
INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
| FIRST LOOK
Owner Andrew Carter made the copper bar top by hand.
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NEWS |
INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
SMOOTH MOVES
Two Tropical Smoothie Café locations to open ARIEL TURNER | STAFF
aturner@communityjournals.com The Greenville area’s first two Tropical Smoothie Cafés will open within a week of each other. A Woodruff Road location across from Trader Joe’s in the Woodruff Shopping Center launches March 18, while the Five Forks Simpsonville location near Lowes Food is in business March 25. “The overwhelming response has been more than we expected, and we haven't opened our doors yet,” says Five Forks co-owner Bill Ruby. “I truly believe there are some folks out there who may actually be more excited than we are. The big challenge has been answering the drive-by, ‘when are y'all opening?’ question.”
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Tropical Smoothie Café opens in Woodruff Shopping Center on March 18. Photo by Jack Robert Photography
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| NEWS
With menu items including smoothies, flatbreads, and wraps, Tropical Smoothie Café is considered a healthier alternative to fast food. Photo by Jack Robert Photography
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Woodruff Road location owner John Wickey has experienced similar customer reaction at his location. “So many of the transplants to the area are bringing their love for the brand with them,” he says. “Ever since the signs went up, people have been calling, stopping by, and just can't wait for us to open.” The restaurant chain, whose motto is “Eat Better. Feel Better,” is considered a healthier alternative to fast food. “We felt strongly that it would resonate with the Upstate customer looking for a healthy, fast dining alternative in a fun, relaxed atmosphere,” Five Forks
co-owner Greg Powell says. “We also think that Tropical Smoothie Cafe will be particularly attractive to the many young active families in the Upstate.” Menu items from smoothies to flatbreads to wraps can be customized for particular dietary needs, such as vegan and gluten-free. Ruby says another aspect he and Powell considered when they sought to open a restaurant was what today’s workforce would want. “We needed a competitive edge — a place with no fryers, a place where you can go right from work to whatever comes next in your day or night without smelling like that place you just left,” Ruby says.
IMPRINT!
So what are the owners’ must-trys? Wickey says for smoothies, he loves Avacolada and the Acai Berry Boost. His favorite wrap is the Buffalo Chicken, but the Chicken Pesto flatbread is a strong contender. Powell says to go with the Chia Banana Boost Smoothie with Peanut Butter or the Chipotle Chicken Club flatbread. Ruby’s go-to smoothie is the Detox Island Green with whey protein, and he’s also a fan of the Chicken Pesto flatbread. Tropical Smoothie Café’s hours are 7 a.m.–9 p.m. Visit tropicalsmoothiecafe.com for the whole menu.
Friday, April 7, 2017 9am to 5pm
Gunter Theatre at the Peace Center $75 per ticket Ideas Worth Spreading at: www.TEDxGreenville2017.eventbrite.com
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NEWS IN BRIEF |
INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
Insurance lot. This is not your typical league-bowling destination, Dozier says. In fact, he suspects serious bowlers may not have much interest in the space designed as much for enjoying bites and libations as it is for the sport itself. Revel caterer Good Life Catering will provide the bowling-themed menu offerings, which will be prepared upstairs in the kitchen and then transferred via dumbwaiter to the bowling alley below. The menu will also feature craft cocktails.
BOWLING
Stone Pin bowling alley almost ready to roll The long-rumored boutique bowling alley under the former Handlebar at 304 E. Stone Ave. in Greenville is about a month and a half away from opening. Located in the basement of the renamed event space Revel, Stone Pin Company is on target for a May 1 projected opening date after a project with the Charlestonbased bowling alley, The Alley, didn’t pan out last year. Co-owner Howard Dozier, who also
owns Revel, Pour Lounge, and Comedy Zone, bought the concept from The Alley. “There’s something nostalgic about pins crashing with music playing in the background,” Dozier says. The more traditional bowling alley concept at Stone Pin has morphed into a rustic steampunk setting, with six state-of-the-art lanes Dozier describes as “interactive and social” and a large dining and bar area in the center, splitting the space in half. Stone Pin has its own entrance on the ground level separate from Revel with parking available in the neighboring Canal
The rustic industrial décor using reclaimed wood and various metals was designed and fabricated by TreeHugger Customs, which also transformed Revel’s interior. Dozier says he wanted both levels of the building to have similar aesthetics. —Ariel Turner
SELLING THE TIGERS
Clemson University announces partnership with JMI Sports Last Tuesday, Clemson University announced a new partnership between its athletics department and JMI Sports, a San Diego-based full-service collegiate marketing firm.
The agreement aims to build on the strategic expansion of Clemson athletics’ multimedia and corporate sponsorship. And it includes expanded inventory and new digital and social media opportunities. Financial details of the eight-year partnership were not disclosed. Other news outlets reported the deal was worth $68 million. “Clemson is an outstanding institution with a top-tier athletic department, and we are honored to be selected as their partner,” said Erik Judson, co-founder and CEO of JMI Sports, in a statement. “Our team will work tirelessly to deliver tremendous results in every aspect of this partnership.” In a statement, Clemson said JMI will assist in building the university’s brand and expanding its fan base across South Carolina, the Southeast, and the nation, leading to significant new revenues and enhancing the experience for fans. JMI specializes in helping universities capitalize on their marketing potential through the development and management of comprehensive marketing programs and innovative digital products. The company’s clients include
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INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
area and to 41 the number of hotels in its entire portfolio.
ophthalmology, podiatry, and pain procedures will be performed, GHS said.
The hotels that JHM bought are a 119-suite Residence Inn and a 123-suite Springhill Suites, both on the Ashley River at Ripley Point in Charleston. Terms of the deals were not disclosed.
A multispecialty physician office will also be onsite for physicians performing gastrointestinal and general surgery.
JHM said in a news release that it is also developing a 127-room TownePlace Suites scheduled to open in North Charleston in late summer. JHM already owned three hotels in the Charleston area: The Charleston Marriott, the Courtyard Marriott Waterfront, and the North Charleston Marriott. —Rudolph Bell
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the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Auburn University, the University of Kentucky, the Boston Red Sox, the Cleveland Indians, Duke University, the Cincinnati Reds, the San Jose Earthquakes, the San Diego Padres, the Golden State Warriors, the Southeastern Conference, and several others. “This partnership will benefit both our campus and our athletics department, and creates new collaboration opportunities throughout the Clemson community,” said Clemson Athletics Director Dan
Radakovich in a statement. “The new eight-year agreement is a significant step forward from the previous athletics-only arrangement.” —Trevor Anderson
| NEWS IN BRIEF
The health system said the center provides space for more services to be added over time. Construction has already begun. “This new center will make surgery even more convenient for GHS patients living in Spartanburg County,” said Wendell James, GHS regional chief clinical officer for Greer and Spartanburg, in a statement. “GHS has offered a number of services in Spartanburg over the years and adding surgery meets an important need.”
HOSPITAL
GHS will soon open a new 20,000-squarefoot MD360 center at 2400 Highway 9 in Boiling Springs.
HOTEL, MOTEL
Greenville Health System has announced it will open a surgery center in April at 1413 John B. White Sr. Blvd. in Spartanburg.
Greenville-based JHM Hotels said it has bought two hotels and is developing a third in the Charleston area.
The 4,120-square-foot GHS Surgery Center-Spartanburg will occupy the entire strip center the health system purchased in April 2016 for $2.9 million, according to property records.
The health system operates a Children's Hospital Outpatient Center in Spartanburg, which it opened in 2015 at North Grove Medical Park.
JHM growing its Charleston hotel portfolio by three
The deals will bring to six the number of hotels that JHM will own in the Charleston
GHS will open a surgery center in Spartanburg in April
It also has a Children's Hospital Night Clinic in downtown Spartanburg and a few other offices in the area. —Trevor Anderson
It will include two operating rooms where gastrointestinal, general surgery,
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LEGACY |
MYLES GOLDEN
Myles Golden getting tackled during a high school football game in 1958.
THE NET WEAVER Myles Golden left a legacy of connections throughout the Upstate SCOTT PFEIFFER | CONTRIBUTOR
Myles Golden loved connecting people and leveraging his network to benefit others. He got to do that not only in his role as a career transition and development coach at Golden Career Strategies, but also as a longtime Rotarian, church member, and consummate networker. Golden, who died in February at age 76, believed that people were good and really wanted to help each other, given a chance. He built a life and a career on those beliefs.
THE ENCORE CAREER Born in Milledgeville, Ga., in 1941, Golden’s career as a coach arose from personal experience. Golden Career Strategies, the business he started and ran with his wife, Ann, was what Golden called his “encore career.” His first career was at office supply company Ivan Allen, where he went from sales 14
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Golden Career Strategies staff
to president of a subsidiary over 35 years. In 1998, when Staples acquired Ivan Allen, Golden found himself out of a job in his mid-50s. Golden went to a nationally regarded career placement firm for help in finding his next career. Career transition assistance then was not personal. “They took an hour to wipe your tears, make you a basic resume, pat you on the back, and say, ‘Good luck,’” said Deborah Hawkins, an integrative coach and a friend and business associate of Golden. Golden saw a better way. “Myles saw he could leverage his deep network to benefit people who were in transition,” Hawkins said. “He would give people the personal service he couldn’t find himself.” From his frustrations with outsourcing after his career at Ivan Allen, Golden Career Strategies was born.
‘ANYONE CAN PUT ANYTHING ON A RESUME’ The first step in Golden’s career coaching was to conduct assessments, something that hadn’t been done for him. “Many people would come to him thinking they were all wrapped up,” Hawkins said. “Their world had ended. ‘I’ve been doing that job for 30 years; I can’t do anything else.’” The assessments reminded clients that they were good at things. It opened their eyes to possibilities. It was, Hawkins said, the foundation that Golden’s success was built on. The assessments also served to validate the resume. “Anyone can put anything on a resume,” Golden would say. By doing neutral assessments, Golden could help people build resumes that were powerful and real. It also
helped Golden help them. “He could reach out to his incredible network and tell his client’s story and know he was telling the truth; he had the data to show it,” Hawkins said.
NETWEAVING Golden’s greatest asset, though, was his network. He was a natural networker. “Myles loved connecting people,” said Pam Wessel, business relations director at Greenville Health System who coached and did business development at Golden Career Strategies for eight years. “He made connections between people even when there was no direct benefit to him.” It was a practice Golden called “netweaving” — making connections between others, as opposed to “networking” for himself. The payoff was personal. “The most gratifying thing in his life was what he often referred
«
MYLES GOLDEN
| LEGACY
GOLDEN HUMANITARIAN
Golden’s charitable works spanned decades: U.S. Air National Guard President, Rotary Club of Greenville President, Greenville Metropolitan YMCA President, Athens, Ga., United Way Governor of Rotary District 7750 Chairman of Rotary Club District Youth Exchange Host father to more than 30 Rotary Youth Exchange Students Rotary International Paul Harris Society Fellow Rotary International Bequest Society Member and Major Donor
Various scholarship committees for international and local students United Way Budget Review Committee Greenville Society of Human Resource Managers International Coach Federation Board of Governors of The Commerce Club Advisory committees for University of South Carolina, Greenville Technical College, and The University Center Board of Visitors Deacon, First Baptist Church of Greenville and member of the Carson Sunday School Class
Myles Golden was named Governor of the Rotary District 7750 in 2007.
“He was kind, he was a sage, he was a mentor, he was a friend. Most of all, though, he was a genuinely sweet man.” Phil Yanov, founder of the GSA Technology Council
«
to as the ‘emotional dividends’ he earned through helping others,” remembered Golden’s son, Greg, in his father’s eulogy. “Myles was masterful at connections,” Hawkins said, “and he was always working behind the scenes to help others, especially his clients.”
MR. ROTARY Of course, Golden had those connections and love for connecting long before he started Golden Career Strategies. It may have been the secret sauce that made Golden Career Strategies work, but it was a sauce decades in the making. It began with Rotary International. “Myles was Mr. Rotary,” Hawkins said. Golden was president of the Rotary Club of Greenville, a Rotary district governor, and an International Paul Harris Fellow. Golden, along with Ann, worked tirelessly for Rotary International “to promote world peace through global understanding,” Golden's son Clark said in his eulogy of his father. Rotary was “the way they chose to express their humanity.”
Myles Golden with a Rotary scholar from Thailand. The Goldens’ Rotary service revolved particularly around making global connections through children. Together, they set up exchange programs, found host families, and hosted numerous students in their own home. “Promoting world peace through connecting young people from all over the world was the perfect marriage of Dad’s networking abilities and his humanitarian desire to promote world peace,” Clark remembered. Rotary was not the master connector’s only charitable work. He was active and served in leadership roles in the United Way and at First Baptist Church of Greenville. After being diagnosed with lymphoma, he didn’t disappear into the disease; he used his connections to raise thousands of dollars for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. “He was kind, he was a sage, he was a mentor, he was a friend,” said Phil Yanov, founder of the GSA Technology Council and its Tech After Five networking event where Golden was a regular. “Most of all, though, he was a genuinely sweet man.”
LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED Golden’s program to aid people in career transition was built around networking. After assessments to gain insight and boost confidence, the clients went through intensive, personal modules that involved coaching in resume writing, interviewing skills, and, of course, mastering networking. “Myles had different ideas about how to do these things,” Hawkins said. “He didn’t see a resume as a list of accomplishments — it had to tell a compelling story.” In the end, though, networking was key. “Myles saw our role as supplementing our client’s networking,” Wessel said. “Myles believed that many clients had let their networks wither over the course of a long career. We gave them the benefit of our network while helping them rebuild their own.” Golden believed networking was something anyone could do, and it was never too late to start. “Start small, he would say,” Wessel said. “Talk to
people, get to know their stories. Above all, never let the network down.” Golden lived that rule. “We would go to a networking event nearly every night of the week,” Wessel remembered. “There were so many, I had to make a spreadsheet to keep up. Eventually, I said, ‘We have to publish this for people.’” Together, they did, and ConnectGreenville.com was born, another legacy Golden leaves behind that will continue, under Yanov’s leadership, to aid others in their quests to connect. “It was a great thing that Myles and Pam did, and I’m happy to continue it, because I think it helps people,” Yanov said. Golden’s work as a coach and his humanitarian service touched thousands of lives, in Greenville and around the world. “He was a Greenville icon who left an amazing legacy,” Wessel said. “He was one of my favorite people.”
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SQUARE FEET |
REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION
TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF
tanderson@communityjournals.com |
@AndersonTrev
Rendering by McMillan Pazdan Smith
Developer completes purchase of Aug. W. Smith Building in Spartanburg Last week, Greenville-based
A chain-link fence was placed around the building earlier this month. Wallin said construction will begin immediately and the project should be completed by the end of the year. “We’re super excited about it,” Wallin said. “We’ve spent about as much time planning it, and getting approvals and financing, as we will constructing it. We’re excited about Spartanburg. It has a lot going on especially in downtown. … We think we will be well-positioned. It will be a good project for downtown and for us.”
developer Blue Wall Real Estate, through its subsidiary Good Wall Aug Smith LLC, completed the purchase of the 91-year-old Aug. W. Smith building at 174 E. Main St. for $920,000, according to property records. Bogue Wallin, principal of Blue Wall, said the company plans to invest $10.5 million to redevelop the building at the corner of Liberty and East Main streets across from Denny’s Plaza into 45 luxury apartments and two ground-level retail spaces.
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Plaza on Main housed Converse Deli’s downtown café concept and a Mexican-Mediterranean eatery. It also had a coffee and pastry café that was operated by Broadway Bagels. In 2013, First South Bank took ownership of the building through a deed in lieu of foreclosure from Northern Belles LLC. It has remained empty since. In November, City Council approved a development agreement with Blue Wall. The city’s Design Review and Historic Architecture Review boards approved the developer’s building plan, which was designed by Spartanburg-based McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture, the following month. Andrew Babb with NAI Earle Furman represented First South Bank, while the developer represented itself in the transaction. On Tuesday, Feb. 28, Greenville-based developer BF Spartanburg finalized its purchase of the 93-year-old Montgomery Building at 187 N. Church St. from Cypress Lending Group for $680,000. The Aug. W. Smith and Montgomery buildings' redevelopment will bring a combined 117 new apartment units to downtown.
Wallin said the project will include the construction of two additional floors on top of the existing building, which will bring it up to seven stories, including a basement. There is potential for a third retail space on the basement level facing Dunbar Street at the rear of the building, he said. The mix of apartments will include 27 one-bedroom units, 16 two-bedroom units, and a pair of two-story lofts. Rents will be between $1,050 and $2,000 per month. Wallin said residents will be able to enjoy “gorgeous” views of downtown and the mountains from outdoor balconies. He said the city has promised to provide 60 spaces in the Dunbar Street parking garage that residents will be able to use for a fee. The Aug. W. Smith building is named after the department store it housed beginning in the 1920s. It became Bishop’s Furniture in 1983. When Bishop’s Furniture closed in 2009, the building sat vacant for two years before it attracted an indoor art market, Plaza on Main, which was fashioned after Woolworth Walk in Asheville, N.C.
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MOVERS, SHAKERS, AND DISRUP TORS SHAPING OUR FUTURE
| INNOVATE
Green Days Upstate innovators are taking the lead in eco-innovation
By BLAINE CHILDRESS F
Spring clearly asserted itself in February this year. There were about a dozen days with highs in the 70s and at least one reaching 80 degrees. But just a few decades ago, February yielded a very different, bitterly cold experience to a Southerner like me. The climate is changing – quickly and steadily. The seas are becoming warmer and more acidic. Global emissions of carbon dioxide have increased almost 50 percent just since 1990. Deforestation and burning fossil fuels are damaging the ecosystem. The technology response to higher greenhouse gas emissions and dwindling natural resources may be seen daily. Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels that generate clean electricity are not only evident along I-85 in front of the BMW Zentrum, but increasingly on the rooftops of residential houses. Significant sustainability innovations are thriving in South Carolina. Hubbell, the largest manufacturer of residential lighting in North America, is steadily advancing innovations in energy-efficient LED lighting. And as previously reported in this magazine, Greenville inventor Jerry Barber is realizing his vision of using a wheel-mounted wind turbine to produce electricity. Rather than more familiar blade-and-hub turbines, Barberwind Turbines employ a rim-driven generator that continues to literally redefine the electrical power
landscape. Meanwhile, Proterra is promoting clean air by building electrically powered buses that compete with diesel and compressed methane. These eco-friendly technologies are significant. But what is being done to address solid waste? The landfill along Highway 29 is among the tallest man-made structures in Spartanburg County. And this mountain grows steadily larger. While a majority of it is food and other urban waste, a portion of the mountain’s content is postindustrial and residential polymer plastic derived from petroleum, whose value should be reclaimed. Leigh Fibers, in Wellford, could be appropriately described as a sustainability pioneer. For about 100 years, Leigh has applied sustainable product engineering to reclaim and repurpose polymer waste. Its history is grounded in transforming textile waste into branded and specialty products that are sold worldwide. Since its beginning, Leigh has diverted more than 14 billion pounds of textile waste and byproducts from landfills. Leigh also operates ICE Recycling in Lake City, S.C., which reprocesses postindustrial polymer waste, corrugated paper, and metals for Southeast and Mid-Atlantic companies. The company provides both on-site waste-stream management as well as off-site reprocessing services. One Leigh division, SmartVista, has recently introduced a product and a delivery system that is so innovative
SmartVista’s SpillArmor system allows emergency responders to fully deploy 100 feet of multistranded absorbent barrier within 30 seconds. that it was recognized with a 2016 InnoVision Technology Award. SmartVista reprocesses polymeric and textile waste and incorporates this into a high-value, specialized emergency response system. The resulting SpillArmor RDS system converts polymer waste into a rapidly deployed absorbent “boom.” The clever dispensing method (think of a parachute or a rope bag) allows 100 feet of multistranded absorbent barrier to be fully deployed within 30 seconds. SpillArmor utilizes netted flat absorbent recycled fiber bundles that wind into a helix while being deployed. Their innovative specialty fiber braid permits a rope-like structure to maintain a stable 5-inch diameter while it is being dispensed. Moreover, the twisted braidlike formation enhances hazardous spill absorption into the center.
Unlike previous heavy bulky absorbent booms, the SpillArmor duffle bag-like system weighs less than 17 pounds, and can be readily stored on fire trucks and other emergency vehicles. Previous absorbent media were too bulky to keep on fire trucks, but the new Leigh system permits first responders to contain dangerous spreading flammable or chemical spills within seconds of arrival. Leigh technology therefore may be viewed as supporting environmental stewardship by both repurposing solid waste, as well as by protecting communities and waters from the spread of spilled hazardous and flammable liquids. Human activity is impacting Earth’s ecological balance, but local companies are responding with innovative solutions that are addressing significant sustainability challenges.
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3.17.2017
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COMMUNICATE |
STAYING ON MESSAGE WITH YOUR CLIENTS AND YOUR COLLEAGUES
Buzzword Kill Why industry jargon may be hurting your website traffic By MICHELLE THOMPSON Digital Marketing Strategist, Crawford Strategies
Three hundred and one redirects. Title tags. CPMs. Have I lost you yet? If you aren’t in the search-engine marketing field, you likely have no idea what these terms mean. To you, it’s just jargon. As a business professional, the use of industry acronyms and colloquialisms can quickly become second nature. However, it’s important to remember that customers are not necessarily thinking or searching in those same terms. Here are a few basic tips to ensure your website speaks to your customers, rather than your peers, and gets found in online searches.
DEVELOP A CUSTOMER MENTALITY
Think about your customers. How much do they really know about the products or services you provide? How likely are they to be familiar with product IDs or industry acronyms? Search engines like content that is relevant and offers value. If your website does not contain content that clearly speaks to your customers, they will leave. When this happens, it can be particularly harmful to how search engines view your website. When a customer finds a webpage through an online search, visits that webpage, and then quickly leaves without taking any action, it is known in the digital marketing world as a “bounce.” Search engines see bounces as a sign that a webpage is not offering quality content. Enough bounces, and a webpage will begin to lose rankings in search results.
KEYWORD RESEARCH IS KEY
It’s not enough to simply guess how your customers are thinking. You need to do your research. Google offers two different tools to gain insights into the exact words or phrases your customers are using (known as keywords or key phrases).
Creative Solutions
Google Trends allows you to see how keywords are trending over time. The first is Google Trends (google.com/trends). With Google Trends, you can see how interest is trending for keywords over time and drill down into data on a granular level. Not only is this a great tool for gaining insights into how your customers’ thinking progresses over time but also it’s extremely useful for coming up with timely blog posts. The second is Google’s Keyword Planner (adwords. google.com/KeywordPlanner), a free tool that is great for comparing the popularity of industry-specific terminology against common terms. In order to use Keyword Planner, you will first need to have a Google AdWords account. However, you do not need to create or run any paid campaigns to use the tool. With Keyword Planner, you have the option of typing in your own search terms or having the tool crawl a webpage on your website (or a competitor’s website) to come up with ideas. You can then get the average monthly search volume for all keywords and phrases in your list. Pro tip: The higher the monthly search volume is for a keyword, the more competitive it is and the harder it will be to rank in search results. If you are just starting out, avoid going after broad or competitive keywords, which are difficult to rank for. For faster results, focus on gaining ground for keywords specific to your products or services and where competition is lower.
It’s not enough to simply guess how your customers are thinking. You need to do your research. Once you understand how your customers think and search online, use that information to create unique, relevant content that contains the information they are looking for and answers their questions. If you can do this, you will be well on your way to having a website that both search engines and your customers love.
commercial real estate. property management. site selection.
for 31 years
Not every deal is a slam dunk. In fact, that open-and-shut deal is a rarity. After thirty years in the business, NAI Earle Furman knows how to get creative and make the pieces come together for our clients and our business. Creativity combined with unmatched resources – both local and global – gives NAI Earle Furman clients a powerful advantage in any real estate climate. our business is doing what’ s best for yours.
That’s what you get when you choose NAI Earle Furman.
.com 18
UBJ | 3.17.2017
greenville • spartanburg • anderson
INSIDE THE UPSTATE’S NETWORKING AND SOCIAL SCENE
| SOCIAL SNAPSHOT
VOICE OF BUSINESS The Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce hosted S.C. Treasurer Curtis Loftis at its quarterly Voice of Business Brunch last Friday at the Spartanburg Marriott.
Chad Hardin Technical Recruiter
We’ve already met your next employee.
Godshall Professional Recruiting and Staffing specializes in executive recruiting, career placement, and consulting for businesses and job seekers in South Carolina. Our technical services team has more than 34 years of combined experience in placing qualified candidates in areas such as Information Technology, Engineering and Manufacturing. Let us find the perfect fit for your employment needs. Professional • Finance • Technical • Healthcare sccareersearch.com • 864-242-3491
3.17.2017
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upstatebusinessjournal.com
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ON THE MOVE |
PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS
HIRED
HIRED
HIRED
HIRED
HIRED
KATIE BELILES
DOUGLAS PETERSON
ZOE BIZINOS
KELLY LONG
PEYTON BURKE LEWIS
Hired as an account coordinator for Flourish. Through her position, Beliles will assist with project management for multiple integrated marketing as well as event-specific clients. Her coming aboard brings Flourish’s client service team to a total of 11. Hailing from Orange County, Calif., she is a recent graduate of the University of Alabama’s College of Communication and Information Sciences.
Joined SVN BlackStream in January as an associate advisor. Peterson specializes in office property sales and leases. He previously analyzed debt and equity securities transactions and provided accounting support for MetLife in Atlanta until their operations were relocated to Tampa, Fla. Later he developed and produced feature films in Los Angeles.
Joined SVN BlackStream in February as an associate advisor specializing in retail. She graduated from Jacksonville State University in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in business management and a minor in human resources. In spring 2015, she was named the “Outstanding Management Graduate in CCBA.” She has recently earned an MBA.
Joined Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group. She has more than 20 years of experience and specializes in construction, mortgage purchases, and refinances. Long has a Bachelor of Science in business administration from the University of South Carolina and an MBA from North Greenville University.
Joined BRIGHT+CO as a client services lead, where she will head up the account and project teams to provide strategic oversight and manage client relationships. Prior to joining BRIGHT+CO, Lewis worked for several Greenville advertising agencies over the past 18 years. Lewis received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Furman University.
VIP PAUL CONSTANTINE Paul Constantine, president of ScanSource POS and Barcode for U.S. and Canada, was named a 2017 CRN Channel Chief. The executives on this annual list represent top leaders in the IT channel who excel at driving growth and revenue in their organizations through channel partners. Channel Chief honorees are selected by CRN’s editorial staff based on their professional achievements, standing in the industry, dedication to the channel partner community, and strategies for driving future growth and innovation. Constantine has worked at ScanSource since 1999.
Marketing Infinity Marketing has received seven Service Industry Advertising Awards. More than 1,900 entries were received in this year’s SIA Awards. A national panel of judges evaluated and rated entries in eight groups and 26 categories. Infinity Marketing won top honors with three gold awards, one silver award, three bronze awards, and one merit award.
Nonprofits Harvest Hope Food Bank-Greater Greenville Branch has welcomed four new members to its advisory board. These four community members are Felicia Baca of EYP; Louise Mariani of General Electric; Taylor Speer of Turner, Padget, Graham and Laney P.A.; and Kathy Wilson of Costar Group.
Law Two Upstate lawyers have been recognized for their practice by “South Carolina Lawyers Weekly.” Robert S. “Trey” Ingram III and M. Kevin McCarrell of SML will be presented the “Leadership in Law Award” at an awards ceremony on March 24 at the Francis Marion Hotel in Charleston. Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart P.C. announces that Greenville shareholders Buddy Daniel and Fred Suggs have been named to the BTI Client Service All-Stars 2017 list. Attorneys recognized on the BTI Client Service All-Stars 2017 list are the end result of more than 310 in-depth, independent interviews with legal decision makers at the world’s leading organizations. The only way to become a BTI Client Service All-Star is for corporate counsel to single out an attorney for client service exceeding all others. No attorney can lobby to be added to list, there is no self-submission process, and law firms cannot provide names of clients to be contacted.
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UBJ | 3.17.2017
CONTRIBUTE: New hires, promotions, & award winners may be featured in On the Move. Send information and photos to onthemove@ upstatebusinessjournal.com.
| NEW TO THE STREET / THE FINE PRINT
PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS
Open for business 1
Presented by
1. The Tutoring Center Greenville opened at 215 Pelham Road, Suite B202. Learn more at greenville.tutoringcenter.com. Photo provided
2
Conversations 2. Waterstone on Augusta recently opened at 1004 Augusta St. Learn more about the senior living community at waterstoneonaugusta.com. Photo provided CONTRIBUTE: Know of a business opening soon? Email information to aturner@communityjournals.com.
High Spirits Hospitality combines four Upstate event groups Local entrepreneur Tammy Johnson has announced the official formation of High Spirits Hospitality, the parent company to her four companies: Liquid Catering, The Old Cigar Warehouse, Bravo1 Protection, and High Spirits Events. “This is an exciting new chapter in our history,” said Johnson, who serves as the chief executive officer for High Spirits. “We started out as a small bartending company working out of my garage, and have grown into a business with 19 full-time employees and more than 70 part-time employees.” The four brands under High Spirits Hospitality provide beverage services, an event space, hospitality-driven security for business and events, and events production.
Dominion Senior Living announces Anderson location Dominion Senior Living has announced plans to bring its first senior living community to South Carolina. A faith-based company, Dominion Senior Living of Anderson will break ground soon and is targeted to open about a year after. The 44,000-square-foot community will accommodate 84 residents. 3.17.2017
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UBJ welcomes expert commentary from business leaders on timely news topics related to their specialties. Guest columns run 700-800 words. Contact managing editor Jerry Salley at jsalley@communityjournals. com to submit an article for consideration. Circulation Audit by
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
1998 Jackson Dawson moves to task industrial Court
>>
APRIL 14 THE PERSONAL FINANCE ISSUE Keeping your bottom line top of mind. APRIL 28 CRE QUARTERLY ISSUE The state of commercial real estate in the Upstate.
Got any thoughts? Care to contribute? Let us know at ideas@upstatebusinessjournal.com.
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
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2003 motorsports Division acquires an additional 26,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space
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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
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-profnon-prof its. 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 lients 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 nit inVolVeMent nitY in ol inV olV V Ve eMent & 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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