MARCH 21, 2014
TIGERTOWN
BOOM
An artist’s rendering shows the planned renovations to Clemson’s Memorial Stadium.
On campus and in the city, Clemson is experiencing an unprecedented renaissance in construction
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UBJ DEVELOPMENT
Play Ball “Drive Business Downtown” set for May 13 Elliott Davis and the Greenville Drive recently announced the fourth annual “Drive Business Downtown: A Celebration in the Heart of Greenville,” teaming Upstate businesses together in one of the largest networking opportunities of the year on May 13 at Fluor Field. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in networking before the Drive’s game against the West Virginia Power. The event will also feature special appearances by community and business leaders, on-field games, and other activities. Additionally, the celebration
will include the Greenville chapter of Harvest Hope, a statewide nonprofit organization that works to provide quality foods to people in Greenville who are struggling with hunger. “Drive Business Downtown has consistently proven to be one of the best networking opportunities in Greenville,” said Rick Davis, managing shareholder of Elliott Davis. “It is our hope that this event continues to provide a unique setting for local business professionals to meet, connect and develop new opportunities for growth. For more information, call the Greenville Drive sales office at 864-240-4507. For event updates and information, search #DBDowntown on Twitter.
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March 21, 2014
UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 3
Volume 3, Issue 12
March 21, 2014
24 JHP Architecture and Urban Design, Dallas
MONEY SHOT: Artist’s rendering of the future South Ridge development at South Church Street and University Ridge. Construction of the project started this week with a ceremonial groundbreaking.
WORTH REPEATING
TBA
“Have you actually seen those investments? Your light doesn’t shine any brighter; the light doesn’t come on any faster when you flip the switch.”
With Walgreens already there, it had to happen. Word is CVS will begin construction in May on a new store at the corner of Faris and Augusta roads. Look for a full-service pharmacy, health and beauty departments, food, general merchandise and digital photo processing, to open in November…
Clark Gillespy, president of utilities operations for Duke Energy South Carolina, on the invisibility of investments that improve infrastructure and service.
“Instead of annoying 100 percent of customers, you’ll only annoy maybe five percent.” Bill West, chairman and CEO of Ellipsis, on the unobtrusiveness of his company’s bot detection software for websites.
“Though I bought it in midlife, it’s not a crisis.” David Sudduth, executive director of community and government affairs at Greenville Health System, on his Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail motorcycle.
4 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL
March 21, 2014
Blues Boulevard is expanding with two Atlanta locations this year, and is looking to Dallas, Charlotte and Birmingham…
VERBATIM
On Best Bike Destinations… “The swath of 6,000-foot peaks in the Carolinas has winding roads, great food and incredible views. In other words, it rivals anything overseas.” Outside magazine, naming the Blue Ridge Mountains (with several stops in Greenville County) as the runner-up for Best Bike Destination in its 2014 Travel Awards. The winner: Scotland.
UBJ FINANCE
World Acceptance Corp. Under Federal Probe By Jennifer Oladipo | senior business writer | joladipo@communityjournals.com
World Acceptance Corp. alerted shareholders last week that it is under investigation by a federal consumer regulatory agency. In a March 13 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Greenville-based company said that it had received a Civil Investigative Demand (CID) from the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The company revealed in its filing that the agency said in the CID, “[t]he purpose of this investigation is to determine whether finance companies or other unnamed persons have been or are engaging in unlawful acts or practices in connection with the marketing, offering, or ex-
tension of credit” in violation of the Consumer Financial Protection Act, the Truth in Lending Act or any other federal consumer financial law. The Truth in Lending Act regulates numerous activities including advertising, oral disclosures of interest rates and limitations on rates. The investigation will determine whether action against the company would be in the public interest. World Acceptance Corp. said in its statement that the company believes its marketing practices are lawful and it is in the process of responding to “broad requests for production of documents, answers to interrogatories and written reports related to loans made by the Company and
numerous other aspects of the Company’s business.” The company does business as World Finance, making short- and medium-term loans to consumers at hundreds of locations in the United States and Mexico, charging rates as high as 90 percent. Its marketing practices to its mostly low-income borrowers have come under public scrutiny in the past year. Investigations by national media outlets, including the investigative website ProPublica and business news radio show “Marketplace,” called into question the company’s practice of bundling insurance products with loans, which allows it to legally increase interest rates above state limits. Such
activities can more than double already high interest rates. The company could not be reached for further comment. A CFPB spokesperson said investigations are not public and declined comment, but the agency has announced probes of other short-term lenders as well, including payday lenders CheckSmart. World Acceptance’s stock took a significant hit and has continued to decline since the disclosure. Several law offices have announced investigations of potential claims on behalf of the company’s investors, especially focused on shareholder purchases made during February and March 2014.
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UBJ
ENERGY
Landfill Gas Power Facility to Open in Union County By Jennifer Oladipo | senior business writer | joladipo@communityjournals.com
The Upstate’s second trashpowered energy facility is set to begin construction in June in Union County. Pacolet Milliken Enterprises Inc. announced last week that its subsidiary, Lockhart Power, plans to develop a new landfill gas (LFG) facility that will harness and use methane gas from decomposing landfill material to generate electricity. Lockhart Power Company has formed a wholly owned subsidiary called Lockhart BioEnergy LLC to develop and own the facility, which will power two 1,600-kilowatt generators, enough energy for 2,000 homes. The electricity will flow to the grid, its output initially purchased by Duke Energy. The renewable energy facility will be located at the Republic Services Inc. Upstate Regional Landfill near Cross Anchor in Union County. Lockhart operates a similar facility in Wellford in partnership with Spartanburg County. In addition to power generation, landfill gas from that site is used in a Milliken & Company plant in Inman. “Before it was publicly announced, the project was referred to as Project Midas because it turns trash into figurative gold,” said Bryan Stone, chief operating
A gas well in Lockhart Power Company’s Wellford, S.C. facility collects landfill gas to be pumped to the facility.
officer of Lockhart Power, in a statement. “We have proven with our Wellford renewable energy project that this type of generation is not only feasible but effective and economical. This project represents the sixth renewable energy facility we have developed or purchased
during the last several years, and materially supports our corporate environmental sustainability mission by continuing to allow Lockhart Power to generate more than 99 percent of its power from renewable energy resources.” As the material in landfills decompose, this process produces methane gas, a greenhouse gas 20 times as potent as carbon dioxide. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, LFG facilities reduce emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change and improve local air quality.
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“We are pleased to partner with Lockhart Power and Pacolet Milliken to make productive use of the naturally occurring methane produced by the landfill, which is currently flared, or burned,” said Jamey Amick, area president of Republic Services. “Any time a waste material can be harnessed to produce energy, it’s an incredible opportunity.” Officials said the project will employ about 15 to 20 people during the construction phase, and Lockhart Power will provide permanent staff after that.
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UBJ EMPLOYMENT
Haley Touts SC Employment Numbers
DEW reports drop in unemployment, but other stats show younger workforce losing ground By Joe Toppe | staff | jtoppe@communityjournals.com
As of January 2014, the State of South Carolina experienced a drop in its seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the eighth consecutive month. A report issued by the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) showed a record 2,030,996 were employed statewide the first month of the year. January’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 6.4 percent was an improvement from the previous month’s 6.6 percent. With more than 2 million employed statewide in January and an estimated 138,268 out of work, the Palmetto State saw an increase of 22,127 jobs from the same time last year. More than 2 million of the state’s residents have been employed since November 2012, while January marks just the second month since 2001 the unemployment rate was lower than the national rate. Statewide, nonfarm employment rose by 37,400 seasonally adjusted jobs from January 2013 to January 2014 with Leisure and Hospitality experiencing the greatest increase at 9,500 jobs. The Upstate also experienced a rise in nonfarm employment during the same time as Greenville witnessed the largest surge in employment with 7,800 jobs.
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NONFARM EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY, SEASONALLY ADJUSTED STATEWIDE – JANUARY 2014
Source: SCDEW
DECEMBER 2013 TO JAN. 2014
INDUSTRY
JANUARY 2013 TO JAN. 2014
JAN. DEC. JAN. # % # % 2014 2013 2013 CHANGE CHANGE CHANGE CHANGE
Total Nonfarm Employment
1,916,700
Construction
1,921,500
80,500
1,879,300
82,200
-0.25%
79,600 -1,700 -2.11%
Manufacturing
227,800 227,900 222,200
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities
366,300
367,300
-4,800
357,700
37,400
1.95%
900 1.12%
-100 -0.04% 5,600 2.46% -1,000
-0.27%
2.35%
Information
26,300
26,200
26,300
Financial Activities
94,500
95,700
94,400
-1,200
-1.27%
100
0.11%
Professional and Business Services
243,000
241,900
239,400
1,100
0.45%
3,600
1.48%
Education and Health Services
221,600
221,200
216,400
400
0.18%
5,200
2.35%
Leisure and Hospitality
229,300
229,800
219,800
-500
-0.22%
9,500
4.14%
71,900
72,800
70,400
-900
-1.25%
1,500
2.09%
Other Services Government
100 0.38%
8,600
0 0.00%
351,800 352,800 349,300 -1,000 -0.28% 2,500 0.71%
Both Spartanburg and Anderson saw an improvement over the last year as Anderson added 3,600 jobs and Spartanburg added 2,700. In a statement issued Monday, Gov. Nikki Haley said the news was a testament to the hardworking people of South Carolina and is the direct result of the state’s strategic efforts to expand business. Although statewide seasonally
adjusted numbers highlight a growing workforce, researchers at the Brookings Institution showed South Carolina’s younger demographic losing ground. The Greenville-Mauldin-Easley metro area was ranked eighth among the 10 metro areas with the lowest employment rates for young adults aged 20-24, with a 54.2 employment rating. The Brookings research also showed the Upstate was not alone in the bottom 10. The Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC metro area ranked third worst for employment rates for young adults, with a 55.6 rating. While the DEW report indicated more South Carolinians were
working, the report also revealed that all but three counties had seen an increase in their unemployment rate not seasonally adjusted. Of the 46 South Carolina counties, only Allendale County, Hampton County and Jasper County reported a drop in their unemployment rate not seasonally adjusted. “More South Carolinians are out of work and giving up on trying to find jobs,” said Sen. Vincent Sheheen’s campaign manager, Andrew Whalen. The economic reality in South Carolina is the average family income is shrinking and a staggering number of people have dropped out of the workforce entirely, he said.
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UBJ
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Upstate SC Alliance Taps Lummus as New CEO On Monday, the Upstate SC Alliance announced the selection of John Lummus as its new president and CEO. The announcement comes after a four-month search process begun in November 2013 after former CEO Hal Johnson announced his resignation. Lummus begins his new role April 7, the Alliance said. “We are excited for the breadth of experience that John brings to the Upstate SC Alliance,” Jim Evers, chairman of the Upstate SC Alliance Executive Committee, said in a statement. “With his knowledge of both the organization and region, we are confident he will hit the ground running.” Lummus now serves as the vice president of economic and institutional advancement for Tri-County
Technical College, a position he has held since 2006. Prior to that post, he served four years as director of the Anderson County Office of EcoLUMMUS nomic Development. Alliance officials praised his depth of experience in fundraising, economic development and governmental affairs, noting Lummus has served on the boards of the South Carolina Economic Developer’s Association, the Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce and the Upstate SC Alliance. Lummus told UBJ he has stayed active in the economic development
community through his work at Tri County Tech, working with Anderson, Oconee and Pickens County economic development officials as well as the South Carolina Economic Development Association. As president and CEO of the Upstate SC Alliance, Lummus will oversee the organization’s marketing and business development strategies and play the lead role in building consensus and relationships amongst its many stakeholders. He will also oversee all aspects of the Upstate SC Alliance operations, setting the tone and expectations for performance within the organization, officials said. Lummus said he is looking forward to learning the needs of each community and various businesses in the Alliance, and sees a great opportuni-
ty to focus on recruiting that serves the Upstate’s existing businesses. “I have been a strong advocate of the Upstate SC Alliance since its inception in 2000,” Lummus said in a statement. “It is my distinct honor to now have the opportunity to work alongside its talented staff and dedicated leadership in order to take the Upstate of South Carolina and this Alliance to the next level.” Johnson resigned in December to become chief development officer at commercial real estate firm NAI Earle Furman, a role created specifically for him. Jennifer Miller, the Alliance vice president and an eight-year veteran of the organization, has served as interim CEO since Johnson’s resignation.
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UBJ
Photos by Greg Beckner
View additional photos online at www.upstatebusinessjournal.com
RETAIL
What shoppers will see when they come in Cabelas’ main entrance.
Sneak Peek: Cabela’s Cabela’s, located in Greenville’s Magnolia Park Shopping Center, will open its doors on April 3. With this store, there are several firsts, according to general manager Jack Patty, including a sign at the entrance reading “Welcome to Cabela’s Greenville, SC.” Until this new location, the company has never put the city’s name on a sign. Another first can be found in the fishing department, where a painted mural displays where each taxidermy fish’s habitat is. Additionally, the store features maps of nearby parks for hiking and camping destinations as well as photos taken in those locations. Prior to the opening, UBJ got a sneak peek of the store – here are some of the highlights outdoor enthusiasts across the region can look forward to.
A T-shirt designed for the Greenville store’s grand opening
Near the back is a large display of animals and a touch-screen display for shoppers to learn about the animals.
A wolf on display.
In the camping section, the wall is decorated with maps of local outdoor attractions.
A men’s clothing display. Each section of the store is marked by large signs, making navigating the store easy.
Rainbow trout display in the fly shop section.
White tail deer on display.
March 21, 2014
UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 9
UBJ REAL ESTATE
| MANUFACTURING
Market Normalization, Moderate Investor Activity Shape February Residential Numbers By Sherry Jackson | staff | sjackson@communityjournals.com
Continued market normalization and moderate investor activity is what fed the statewide residential real estate market, according to the February 2014 statewide residential real estate market report released last week by South Carolina Realtors (SCR). New listings in South Carolina decreased 5.1 percent to 8,943. Pending sales were down 6.0 percent to 4,497. Inventory levels shrank 4.1 percent to 44,472 units. Prices moved higher as the median sales price increased 5.3 percent to $152,931. Days on market were down 8.3 percent to 121 days. Absorption rates improved as month’s supply of inventory was down 13.1 percent to 8.6 months. The report highlights four factors that
might be contributing to some market turbulence of late. Weather, interest rates, fewer distressed properties and less investor activity can all affect the market numbers. “But the spring market is upon us and there is plenty of reason for optimism,” says the report. Pending sales in South Carolina were up 11.3 percent overall. The price range with the largest gain in sales was the $300,001-and-above range, where sales increased 21.2 percent. The property type that lost the least inventory was the single-family segment, where it decreased 3.5 percent. That amounts to 8.4 months’ supply for single-family homes and 9.4 months’ supply for condos. In the Greater Greenville area, the
FEBRUARY S.C. RESIDENTIAL NUMBERS: NEW LISTINGS – 8,943 – DOWN 5.1% PENDING SALES – 4,497 – DOWN 6.0% INVENTORY LEVELS – 44,472 UNITS – DOWN 4.1% MEDIAN SALES PRICE – $152,931 – UP 5.3% DAYS ON MARKET – 121 DAYS – DOWN 8.3%
number of homes sold was 581 for February 2014 compared to 542 in February 2013, representing a 7.2 percent increase. Spartanburg was also up 2.3 percent from 216 homes sold in February 2013 compared to 221 sold in February 2014. The median price of homes in the
Greater Greenville area rose 6.3 percent from 143,000 to $151,950 from February 2013 to February 2014. In Spartanburg, the median price decreased 5 percent from $117,900 in February 2013 to $112,000 in February 2014, according to the report.
BMW Reports Record Global Sales Greer-built X3 deliveries add to banner February for automaker By Joe Toppe | staff | jtoppe@communityjournals.com
Global sales recorded for February were the best ever for the BMW Group, and the Greer-built X3 played a major role with a 15.5 percent increase in deliveries, company officials say.
February sales for the BMW Group automobiles saw an increase of 5.6 percent over February of last year, with 141,093 vehicles delivered. The BMW X3 model delivered more than 3,000 additional vehicles to >>
BMW GROUP SALES IN FEBRUARY 2014 BMW GROUP AUTOMOBILES In February 2014 141,093 Compared with previous year +5.6% Up to/including February 2014 273,999 Compared with previous year +6.6%
BMW 124,839 +8.6% 242,017 +8.9%
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>> customers the first two months of 2014 compared to last year, with 23,980 total vehicles delivered. Sky Foster, department manager for BMW Manufacturing, said the continued success of the BMW brand should be celebrated in the Upstate.
“The models made in the Spartanburg plant continue to be in high demand around the world,” she said. The BMW brand experienced an overall increase of 8.6 percent over February of last year, with nearly 125,000 vehicles delivered to customers. Year-to-date, the BMW brand has seen an increase of 8.9 percent, with 242,017 vehicles delivered compared to just 222,211 delivered over the same period last year. The BMW 5 series also played a key role in February sales, with an improvement of 11.4 percent from the previous year and an increase of more than 5,500 delivered vehicles. Ian Robertson, member of the BMW board of management, said the innovative new models coming out this year, such as the 2 Series Active Tourer and 4 Series Gran Coupé, will give the automaker the momentum to keep growing in 2014.
The report also included February’s numbers on BMW Motorrad and MINI. BMW Motorrad improved 18.3 percent from the same time last year, with 8,098 delivered vehicles, while the MINI experienced a decrease in sales
of 13.8 percent. The company is assigning the decrease in MINI sales to the model’s changeover with the new version, which will go on sale in mid-March.
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March 21, 2014
UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 11
UBJ INNOVATE
By JOHN WARNER
Building Communities of Excellence A few years ago, John Limroth from Austin, Texas, came to the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CUICAR), where he earned the first Ph.D. and then found a job at the Michelin Americas Research Company. Clemson bioengineering Ph.D. Matt Gevaert started a company, KIYATEC, to commercialize advanced three-dimensional cell culture plastic ware and cell-based diagnostics. Clemson has become an innovation engine for the Upstate, with faculty who are preeminent scholars attracting some of the best and brightest students from around the world. About 20 Clemson faculty and students are presenting their research and entrepreneurial activities at the
Madren Conference Center on Tuesday, April 22. Afterwards, industry and university leaders will discuss how to organize Communities of Excellence to capture the economic benefits of attracting, educating and retaining top talent. The event is free, and registration and other information can be found at ClemsonInnovation.InnoVentureConference.com. Greenville has a long history of catalytic projects that are public-private partnerships. The renaissance of downtown was kicked off when Max Heller convinced the Hyatt to build a hotel in a city that had seen better days. Later, Dorothy Peace’s vision led to one of the finest off-Broadway theatres in America. Anna Kate and Hayne Hipp provided funds for the spectacular Liberty Bridge in Falls
We need a new series of catalytic projects to organize industry, entrepreneurial, economic development and government partners in Communities of Excellence to deepen the Upstate’s pool of world-class talent. Park that has become the iconic image of Greenville. Fluor Field is a great venue for baseball, and West Greenville is blossoming with artists. Catalytic projects with Clemson are providing the talent to fuel Greenville’s rejuvenation. The answer to former President Jim Barker’s question, “If Clemson were in Greenville, what would we do different?” is CUICAR. Former MBA director Caron St. John, recognizing that the MBA program needed to be in an urban
area to thrive, jump-started the process that led to the Clemson’s graduate business programs at ONE Place. Bioengineering department chairwoman Martine LaBerge, one of the university’s most entrepreneurial faculty members, championed the Clemson University Biomedical Engineering Innovation Campus (CUBEInC) at the Greenville Health System’s Patewood campus. We need a new series of catalytic projects to organize industry, >>
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UBJ INNOVATE >> entrepreneurial, economic development and government partners in Communities of Excellence to deepen the Upstate’s pool of worldclass talent growing around Clemson’s academic Centers of Excellence. What drives Communities of Excellence, and how do we know when we are successful? Grow academic research. The best partnership between the university and industry is academic researchers doing what they do best – research and education – that attracts top students who earn advanced degrees and transfer knowledge from the university to industry through employment, where they become industry researchers doing what they do best: applied research and commercialization. Neither the university nor industry is outside their comfort zone. There is a virtuous flow of resources into the university and talent into industry. Retain top students. We’ve invested millions of dollars in university facilities that attract some of the best students in the world to come here for an education. Right now, too many graduate students must leave to find a job. We need to help them build strong relationships with industry while they are in school, so their best career opportunities are here. Recruit headquarters and R&D facilities. We need to use the strong base of top talent we are developing as a magnet to recruit headquarters and R&D facilities. We need to update our economic development incentives and the metrics of capital investment and jobs designed to attract branch manufacturers. Michelin is the model we can replicate. We recruited Michelin branch manufacturing facilities, which were followed by a global R&D facility, which made it compelling to build the Michelin North American Headquarters here. Now Michelin has launched an incubator at CU-ICAR,
sc.edu
where Koyo Bearing also has a distinctive R&D facility. We need to fill the CU-ICAR campus with their peers. Develop support for startups. Many top students are passionate about commercializing their research in startup companies. Bioengineering professor John DesJardins leads a senior design class exposing students to entrepreneurship. Professor Dee Kivett teaches a similar design class at CU-ICAR. Ph.D. candidate Breanne Przestrzelski cofounded The Design and Entrepreneurial Network (The DEN) to help convert the best of these student ideas into startup companies. Associate Dean Greg Pickett led the creation of the Clemson MBA in Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Communities of Excellence are broad ecosystems around the university that include industry and economic development professionals, investors, and political leaders working together to drive talent-based metrics that take the region’s economy to the next level. These metrics include the growth of academic and industry research, which attract corporate headquarters and R&D facilities and spin out startup companies, which create the professional jobs that retain the best and brightest talent with advanced degrees. This innovation engine drives broad economic growth throughout the community.
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March 21, 2014
UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 13
UBJ PROFESSIONAL
By HUNTER FREEMAN
Protecting Your Brand What it takes to stop trademark infringement may be changing A company’s brand can be one of its most valuable assets. A good brand creates customer awareness regarding the company, which in turn allows the company to create a positive perception in the minds of its customers. Ultimately, a good brand creates customer loyalty, which adds significant value to the company. According to Interbrand, in 2013, Apple’s brand was valued at $98.316 million, while Google’s brand was worth $98.291 million and Coca-Cola’s $79.213 million. Trademarks play a key role in creating a good brand. By protecting their marks from infringement, trademark owners are able to protect their reputation and goodwill as well as their investment in growing their brand. Preventing infringement can also protect your sales by keeping your identity clearly separate from your competitors, thus allowing customers to more easily find you. And policing your trademark prevents dilution of the mark and is essential for protecting the purchasing power of the mark. One of the best mechanisms for protecting your trademark against continued infringement is a court-ordered injunction mandating that the infringer cease using the infringing mark. One of the most powerful types of injunctions that can be granted is a preliminary injunction, issued at the beginning of a trademark infringement suit, requiring the alleged infringer to cease use of the infringing mark during the entire pendency of the lawsuit. Obtaining a preliminary injunction allows the trademark owner to prevent any further use of the infringing mark even before it has proven that it is going to win the lawsuit. More importantly, a preliminary injunction prevents any further harm to the trademark owner’s brand while giving the trademark owner a great deal of leverage over the infringer during the lawsuit. A preliminary in-
junction allows the trademark owner to greatly alter its competitor’s business activities from the very beginning of the lawsuit. Also, the court’s willingness to order the infringer to discontinue use of the infringing mark before hearing the entire case often indicates that the infringer is not likely to receive a favorable outcome in the lawsuit. For these reasons, trademark owners who obtain preliminary injunctions are often able to quickly resolve the lawsuit in a very favorable manner. Ordinarily, a party seeking a preliminary injunction must show that: 1. The party is likely to succeed on the merits of its case. 2. The party is likely to suffer irreparable harm (i.e., harm that cannot adequately be quantified or compensated with monetary damages) in the absence of preliminary relief 3. The balance of equities tips in favor of the party. 4. An injunction is in the public interest.
For decades, trademark owners routinely satisfied the second factor through a presumption of irreparable harm that they enjoyed after proving a likelihood of success on the merits. The theory was that trademark infringement constituted reputational damage that could not be remedied by money. Unfortunately, trademark owners seeking preliminary injunctions may be subjected to a different standard of proof in 2014. The Ninth Circuit recently became the first federal appeals court to unequivocally reject the long-established presumption of irreparable harm in trademark infringement cases. Other Circuits may
14 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL
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soon follow. The Ninth Circuit’s decision in Herb Reed Enterprises v. Florida Entertainment Mgmt. eliminated any presumption of irreparable harm and required the trademark owner to submit evidence that it would likely be irreparably harmed by the continued infringement of its trademark. As it turns out, irreparable harm may be hard to prove, as reputational damages are often hard to quantify and remedy. The Herb Reed decision relied upon a 2006 Supreme Court decision, which altered the landscape of preliminary injunctions for intellectual property cases by rejecting the presumption of irreparable harm that had been customarily applied in the patent context. In eBay Inc. v. MercExchange LLC, the Supreme Court explained that a permanent injunction should not automatically follow a patent infringement determination but instead should only be awarded if the four-factor test referenced above warrants such relief. The Supreme Court again emphasized the importance of the four-factor test in 2008 when it stated that a party seeking an injunction must show that irreparable harm is “likely” rather than “possible.” Following eBay, some district courts have continued to apply the presumption, while others have not. At least one federal court within the Fourth Circuit (the circuit in which the District of South Carolina is located) has eliminated the presumption of irreparable harm that has been traditionally applied. Other courts, like the Middle District of North Carolina, have stated that “in the absence of any indication from the Fourth Circuit to the contrary, the court will not discard the commonly-applied presumption of irreparable harm in preliminary injunction proceedings involving a trademark infringement claim.” To date, neither the Fourth Circuit Court
of Appeals nor the District of South Carolina have addressed whether the presumption of irreparable harm in trademark injunction cases is still valid in light of eBay. Until they do, it is uncertain whether the presumption of irreparable harm will be applied to injunction requests made in South Carolina. If your primary goal as a trademark owner is to enjoin any further use of an infringing mark, you may want to come to court prepared to present evidence that irreparable harm is likely to result from the continued infringement. Regrettably, neither the eBay or Herb Reed decisions address what evidence would be sufficient to prove a likelihood of irreparable harm. The only guidance provided is that “[e]vidence of a loss of control over business reputation or damage to goodwill could constitute irreparable harm.” In the author’s view, evidence of a likelihood of irreparable harm could include evidence of irate customers, a lack of quality control by the infringer, tangible threats to market share, frayed vendor relationships, or the infringer’s inability to pay monetary damages. While it may be difficult to obtain this evidence, you may need to gather it quickly, as one court in this Circuit refused to find irreparable harm due to the plaintiff’s one-year delay in moving for an injunction. If, however, you are a defendant trying to avoid an injunction, you should rely heavily on the eBay and Herb Reed decisions and point to any evidentiary deficiencies or conclusory remarks in the plaintiff’s case for an injunction.
Hunter Freeman is an intellectual property attorney at McNair Law Firm who specializes in helping businesses navigate and resolve complex corporate disputes, especially those involving intellectual property.
UBJ FORWARD
By SHELLEY ROBBINS
Lessons From Carmel What Upstate cities can learn about downtown development from one Indianapolis suburb Those familiar with bicycle and pedestrian advocacy usually invoke cities on the west coast, such as Portland and San Francisco, when they need a proven example of the benefits of building bike/ped infrastructure. Upstate Forever, however, recently took a different approach. We brought the mayor of an unlikely Indianapolis suburb called Carmel to Spartanburg and Greer. There we explained how investing in downtown infrastructure that encourages active living and de-emphasizes the automobile has resulted in well-managed population growth as well as that town being named Money magazine’s No. 1 Best Place to Live in America in 2012. Mayor James Brainard took office in 1996. As he campaigned, he noticed that the citizens of Carmel didn’t even agree where their downtown actually was – there was no cohesion. He quickly realized this confusion would never foster economic development. Using Paris as a model of urban planning, he worked to change that. Carmel didn’t have a lot of assets to work with – there was no charming old downtown building stock, no river, no mountains, no waterfall. Carmel is in the middle of flat cornfields. But once upon a time, Paris was also flat and uninteresting, with only a smallish brown river. The attraction of Paris today, however, is not its natural features, but rather its built environment. The heart of the city is built to attract and hold the attention of pedestrians. Brainard replicated this philosophy. Buildings were limited to four or five stories – a scale comfortable for pedestrians. Retail space and galleries were located on the first floor, apartments and condominiums above, and parking below ground in garages. Sidewalks
are wide to accommodate outdoor dining and European-style plazas are common. Carmel didn’t have water so they built water – a large fountain and reflecting pool anchors an area where the city’s residents gather for outdoor concerts and festivals. Parks and open space grew from 40 acres to 800 acres within their 49 square miles. Bike trails and multi-use paths run right through downtown, bringing residents in to town for dinner and shopping without the need for a car. Brainard realized, as many planners and elected officials are realizing, that cars don’t spend money – people spend money. The key to a vital downtown economy is getting people out of their cars. The neighborhoods connected to downtown by trails also benefit. Homes within a half-mile of the Monon Trail, a 22-mile rail trail connecting Carmel to Indianapolis, sell for an average of 11 percent more than similar homes farther away. For downtown businesses, a Portland study found that while business patrons on bikes spend less per trip than those in cars, they spend 24 percent more per month. Most importantly, however, might be how bicycle and pedestrian invest-
ments attract both intellectual and financial capital to towns. According to Mayor Brainard, young job seekers previously found a job and then moved wherever that job took them. Today, our young talented professionals choose first where they want to live and then find a job once they get there. Young white-collar workers increasingly want to live in urban areas with lifestyle amenities they enjoy, and they often look at the bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure as it relates to downtown. Money follows talent, and an increasing percentage of venture capital investment is choosing urban ZIP codes over suburban ones. For example, 92 percent of San Diego venture capital flocks to the urban core over the suburbs and 73 percent of Boston venture capital does the same. The health benefits are also clear. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, people who ride a bike regularly use 32 percent fewer sick days, have 55 percent lower health costs, and experience up to a 52 percent increase in productivity compared to their more sedentary colleagues. Boosting business activity and residency downtown also has taxpayer benefits – all of the other infrastruc-
Upstate Forever is a nonprofit, membership-based organization promoting sensible growth and the protection of special places in the Upstate region of South Carolina. For more information, visit upstateforever.org. March 21, 2014
ture, such as water and sewer lines, fire departments and police stations, are already in place. According to Brainard, residential developments miles from existing services often do not have a high return on investment in terms of tax dollars. Municipalities spend far more investing in new services and infrastructure than they recoup in property taxes. In 1996, when Mayor Brainard took office, Carmel’s population was around 31,000, a little larger than Greer today. Carmel’s population 18 years later is 85,000 – larger than the city of Greenville! Median household income is $116,874, compared to $46,438 for the rest of Indiana. Median home values are $303,400, more than double the state median of $122,400. Carmel also ranks ninth on Forbes’ latest list of Cities Creating the Most Tech Jobs. And it all started with investment in a walkable, bikable downtown that pulled people out of their cars. As Upstate cities prepare for growth, we need to look no further than an Indiana cornfield to learn how to maximize this opportunity. Shelley Robbins is a program associate in the Sustainable Communities Program at Upstate Forever. For more information, contact her at srobbins@ upstateforever.org or 864-327-0090.
UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 15
By Claire Rozeman, Smoak Public Relations
UBJ THE TAKEAWAY
Powering Through the Storm Duke Energy’s Clark Gillespy shares how the company worked to keep the lights on in rough weather to deliver reliable, affordable and increasingly clean electricity to their 715,000 South Carolina customers. As the largest electricity utility provider in the nation, customer service and safety are paramount, especially during storms like the recent Winter Storm Pax, which blew through the Southeast last month.
EVENT: The Marchant Company Quarterly Breakfast WHO WAS THERE: Greenville community leaders SPEAKER: Clark Gillespy, Duke Energy South Carolina president of utilities operations TOPIC: Becoming an “Expectation”
Clark Gillespy, the president of utilities operations for Duke Energy South Carolina, spoke at the Marchant Company Quarterly Breakfast and focused on Duke Energy’s efforts
The Impact of Pax On Feb. 11, 2014, Winter Storm Pax began bombarding the Upstate, but Duke Energy had begun mobi-
$24,995
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lizing technicians and power units two days ahead of the winter storm forecasts. Teams were sent to areas
that company meteorologists determined would be hardest hit by the storm. A Mutual Assistance Program allowed the company to recruit other Duke Energy crews in the Midwest and Florida to help restore power to Duke Energy S.C. and N.C. customers. But Gillespy explained that the process of returning power to a home or neighborhood is a time-consuming and sensitive procedure. Removing one tree that has interrupted a power line could take upwards of 30 >>
UBJ THE TAKEAWAY THE INBOX Stay in the know with UBJ’s free weekly email.
>> minutes, and Duke Energy’s service territory had almost 7,000 trees down as a result of the storm. Unsung Heroes of the Storm Gillespy hailed the line technicians and vegetation management teams as the real heroes during storms such as Winter Storm Pax. Crews typically begin their days at 6 a.m., sometimes working 16-hour days in order to restore power to those without electricity. Safety is Duke Energy’s highest priority when making repairs during and after a storm, so all technicians are required to get eight hours of sleep each night. Gillespy said Duke Energy deployed more than 1,000 vehicles and pieces of equipment during Winter Storm Pax, and cautioned the audience that one of the greatest dangers for their crews is people driving on unsafe, icy roads.
Become an Expectation Gillespy says, “I wake up every morning thinking how best to compete with companies like
Alabama Power and Georgia Power.” He explained that the utilities industry is one of the most capital-intensive industries, and Duke Energy has made significant investments in order to continue offering superior infrastructure and service, especially during storms like Winter Storm Pax. Gillespy told the group, “Have you actually seen those investments? Your light doesn’t shine any brighter; the light doesn’t come on any faster when you flip the switch.”
Although customers may not see these capital investments, Duke Energy customers can expect the light to turn on 99.97 percent of the time when they flip the light switch. In Gillespy’s words, “We’ve become an expectation, which is a really good thing.”
The Marchant Company is a locally owned real estate company that has been in business for more than 20 years. With more than 200 years of combined experience in the Greenville and South Carolina real estate markets, the Marchant Company offers a full line of services including: sellers’ agent, buyers’ agent, bank owned (REO) services, relocation packages, property management and real estate investment services.
Sign up today: UpstateBusinessJournal.com March 21, 2014
UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 17
UBJ PROFILE
POLICY AND PLANNING David Sudduth meshes passions for finance and people
U
By April A. Morris | staff amorris@communityjournals.com
Upstate native and Greenville Mayor Pro Tem David Sudduth professes his love for numbers, public policy and finance and talks with the Upstate Business Journal about his path from a naval petty officer to executive director of community and government affairs at Greenville Health System. How did you decide on health care finance? After graduating high school, I attended Bob Jones University for a year because my mother wanted me to go. But I didn’t do well because I wasn’t ready to commit to four-year education and didn’t know what I wanted to do. I was one of those people who really didn’t know what they wanted to do career-wise. Through a friend who had joined, I got a call from a Navy recruiter. It sounded like a really interesting option, so I went into the Navy and stayed on active duty four years. It was the DAVID SUDDUTH best decision I ever made. I served on the USS Richmond K. Turner, a missile cruiser, as a dispensing clerk. It was like being a banker and financial advisor for 420 guys – I was essentially in charge of their finances. I chose the smaller ship >>
“I really enjoy public policy – not everyone enjoys public policy.”
Photo by Greg Beckner
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Sudduth enjoys riding his Tequila Sunrise orange metal flake HarleyDavidson Heritage Softail motorcycle.
ships while at the same time helping to address some of the financial health care issues that any health care provider is going through, especially with the Affordable Care Act. I also enjoy the collaboration at GHS. I don’t have a problem being a leader, but I just as much enjoy being a member of a team.
Photos Provided
because I was the only clerk and learned all aspects of the job. That time gave me perspective not only on my career, but on government affairs and world affairs.
Why health care? My mother was studying to be a nurse, and my wife, Kathy, is a pediatric neurology nurse. Health care was always intriguing to me. While I was studying financial management at Clemson, I took electives in health care finance because that was really what I wanted to do.
How did your career evolve? My first job was with Greenville Hospital System in 1991. There I learned firsthand the importance of networking and relationships. I essentially had to sell myself to the decision makers and started with an entry-level job in accounting. I moved to finance after a year. I wasn’t looking to make a change, but in 1996, the CFO of St. Francis contact-
ed me and asked me to help create a finance department. It was almost like starting my own small business. In 2010, I took on the government affairs role, too. Over the years, the government affairs part took up more of my time. Now I’m back at GHS. It was much like the opportunity that took me away from GHS at first.
What gets you out of bed in the morning? I’m one of those strange people: I really enjoy finance, but I really enjoy people. This role gives me the opportunity to build community relation-
FAST FACTS • Sudduth’s nearly 21-year-old triplets, Emily, Haley and John, are all students at Clemson. The three also share a car. • Sudduth enjoys lake fishing and has traveled to Turkey, England and Israel. He wants to return to Israel for another visit.
EXPERIENCE: Pro Tem, City of Greenville (2005-present)
“It’s Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy,” by Capt. D. Michael Abrashoff. I like it because it talks about taking ownership. There’s no better example of taking ownership than the captain of a ship. I also love to read biographies and find out what inspires and motivates people. I’m especially interested in reading about people who have their priorities in order.
What’s your idea of work-life balance? It was easy to prioritize because we have triplets. You pretty much have to have both parents on deck. They were born in 1993 and for the first year and a half, we pretty much dropped off the face of the Earth – it was like we were in the Witness Protection Program. They were in the NICU for a time while I worked at GHS, so when they were in the hospital, I could spend time with them and bring my work into their room.
What’s on your bucket list? I’m a frustrated golfer and I’ve always wanted to go to the British Open. In 2015, it’s at St. Andrews in Scotland, and we’re going for about two weeks.
What is something people don’t know about you?
March 21, 2014
OCCUPATION: Executive director of community and government affairs, Greenville Health Sytem
– City Councilman and Mayor
What is your favorite business book?
>>
THE BASICS: DAVID SUDDUTH
– Administrative director of
finance and governmental affairs, Bon Secours St. Francis Health System (1996-2013)
– Financial analyst, Greenville
Hospital System (1991-1996)
– Petty Officer 2nd Class, United States Navy (1982-1986)
EDUCATION: Clemson University (B.A. in financial management; MBA) FAMILY: Wife, Kathy; triplets Emily, Haley and John, 20 BESY ADVICE: Be yourself. “My father said that all the time. He said too many people waste time trying to be someone else. I really recognize the value in that because in a team, everyone has different talents and perspectives and when you bring that together, it has the potential to create a really powerful group.”
I love riding my Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail motorcycle. It’s a custom color: Tequila Sunrise orange metal flake, which changes color in the sunlight. I’ve had it about a year and a half. I’ve always wanted one, but with young triplets, there were always other priorities. Though I bought it in midlife, it’s not a crisis.
UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 19
Photos by Greg Beckner
Members of the Ellipsis Technologies management team (from left) Vice Chairman Peter Waldschmidt, President and COO Matt Dunbar, Chairman and CEO Bill West and Chief Technology Officer Andrew Kurtz.
BOT OR NOT?
Ellipsis targets “human presence” on the Web By JENNIFER OLADIPO | senior business writer | joladipo@communityjournals.com
J U M P S TA R T 20 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL
Rather than make website visitors prove they’re human, Ellipsis wants companies to use Human Presence technology to figure that out automatically.
March 21, 2014
Bill West, Ellipsis chairman and CEO, said the company studied more than 80 million actions of Web users to create software that can tell the difference between human and botnet traffic >>
>>
within milliseconds. This vastly reduces the need for Turing tests – those codes, math problems, images and other devices people often must solve to prove that they are human, he said. Ellipsis – named after the “…” used to signify missing text – pitches its software as a chance to “win the arms race” in Web security, arguing that machine-learning algorithms can stay one step ahead of bot evolution. West is also a managing partner with The Atlantic Partners, which acquires and sells underperforming companies on behalf of private equity firms. He sat down with UBJ to explain the company’s product and plan.
“We were trying to do something that was totally nonintrusive. Instead of annoying 100 percent of customers, you’ll only annoy maybe five percent.” Bill West
TURING TEST: Named after British computer science pioneer Alan Turing, the Turing test is a test of a machine’s ability to exhibit intelligent behaviour equivalent to, or indistinguishable from, that of a human. Many websites use similar tests to ensure that they are being used by a human, not an automated bot.
HOW WAS ELLIPSIS FOUNDED?
It was an Atlanta company called Pramana, and actually funded by UCAN [Upstate Carolina Angel Network]. It was abandoned, basically nothing more than software. We moved about a year ago. We liked what they did but didn’t like the way they did it. Atlantic Partners is one of the owners, along with the other three founders on the management team, UCAN and other investors. We bought the intellectual property, and put all Greenville talent on it to get it working. We rewrote virtually all of their code.
HOW DID YOU GATHER A TEAM TO REVAMP THE PRODUCT?
I worked in the various high-tech groups in town, so I knew who was capable of handling this kind of deal. We had the choice of hiring a staff, but everybody we have has their own company. I thought we could put a part-time a team together that’s really some of the most talented people in town. They were also involved in the initial analysis when looking at the software. Peter Waldschmidt, vice chairman, is brilliant working on design, data collection and algorithmic models. Andy Kurtz is CEO of ProActive technology, a premier programing shop in the area. His crew, led by Kelly Summerlin and Rob Hall, built the data collection processes. We got financial guidance from Matt Dunbar at UCAN. The Atlantic Partners provided overall strategy and oversight.
WHAT NEED DOES HUMAN PRESENCE MEET? Unwanted botnet traffic is a problem. Attackers come in with bots and scrape information from websites. There’s also click fraud [bots clicking on ads to generate revenue]. Bots are on track to waste nearly $10 billion of advertising dollars spent in 2013. But 3 percent of Web users log off immedia t e l y when they
Members of the Ellipsis Technologies management team (from left), Andrew Kurtz, Peter Waldschmidt, Matt Dunbar and Bill West, hold a meeting at the NEXT Center in Greenville.
run into Turing tests. More than 30 percent fail on the first attempt to solve the puzzle. We were trying to do something that was totally nonintrusive. Instead of annoying 100 percent of customers, you’ll only annoy maybe five percent. Then we also wanted painless, simple installation for site owners. It’s a single line of JavaScript that can be installed in less than a minute.
WHO’S YOUR TARGET MARKET?
HOW DOES IT WORK?
There will be some staffing up, then we’re going to market mid-March. We’ve gotten inquires to buy from west and east coast companies. An exiting plan was there from the beginning. We’re seeking partners for distribution, investment or acquisition.
We’ve studied the time it takes people to press a key, move the mouse around the form, other data points. We can detect in milliseconds whether or not we have a bot. We give businesses a free report to know if they have a bot problem or not. If there is a problem, more detailed reporting is available for a fee. (Full disclosure: The Greenville Journal was one of the beta sites.)
Real estate, periodicals and blog sites that have lots of content are vulnerable. So are online ticketing companies that deal with bots that are scalpers. Those are easy. When you get into banking it’s a little more complex, and we can do that, too.
WHAT’S THE NEXT STEP?
WHERE DID THE NAME ELLIPSIS COME FROM?
I guess when we were all sending emails back and forth to each other in the early stages, I noticed that everyone was using the ellipses, like there was more to think about. I thought, that’s definitely something a human would do, and not what a bot would do.
March 21, 2014
UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 21
Artist’s rendering of the proposed Watt Family Innovation Center.
COVER STORY Artist’s rendering of the new Douthit Hills complex.
B U I L D I N G
CLEMSON With several new construction projects in the works, Clemson is poised for growth on campus and beyond
C
By Sherry Jackson | staff | sjackson@communityjournals.com
Clemson, like many areas across the Upstate, is experiencing a construction activity renaissance. On the Clemson University campus, many major projects have recently gotten the green light from the board of trustees. New student housing projects, a new visitors center, new educational centers and upgrades to athletic facilities are all currently in the works. In the city of Clemson, several mixed-use communities are underway – all to support the growing student and city population.
“BUILDING TO COMPETE” ON CAMPUS
Last month, Clemson trustees approved several capital projects including new and renovated housing, athletic and other student-support facilities in accordance with Clemson University’s 2020 road map, a 10-year strategic plan in which one of the objectives is to “build to compete – facilities, infrastructure and technology.” “Clemson is in better financial health than it was before the recession,” said trustee Bill Hendrix, chairman of the finance and facilities committee. The $116 million core campus develop-
ment project is one of the largest projects underway. The project will replace some of Clemson’s oldest student facilities, including Johnstone residence hall, built in the 1950s. Johnstone’s redesign will include 700 beds of housing designed for freshmen and a new 1,000-seat dining hall with retail dining options that will replace the current Harcombe dining hall, said Doug Hallenbeck, associate vice president for student affairs and executive director for university housing and dining. Design work is almost complete, after which the project will go to the state of South Carolina for final approval. Hallenbeck anticipates it being completed fall 2017. The core campus project will also include a new student-athlete academic enrichment center to be funded by athletics revenues and private gifts. This will allow the university to use the current 26,000-square-foot Vickery Hall, currently being used for academic support associated with student-athletes, for additional academic space. The trustees also approved revised plans for a $212 million complex on the Douthit Hills site. The housing portion of the project will provide 980 beds for
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upperclassmen and 750 beds for students in the Bridge to Clemson transfer program at Tri-County Technical College. The new Douthit Hills complex will also have a dining hall, and plans are to move a Barnes and Noble bookstore to the new student hub area on the first floor. Douthit Hills is currently in the planning stage, said Hallenbeck, who hopes it will be completed in 2018.
UPGRADED FACILITIES FOR THE TIGERS
The Clemson University trustees also gave approval late last year to a series of
“Clemson has grown so much from just a college town years ago into a bustling community. Families and businesses are moving to the area, and it’s really growing.” Rick Erwin
proposed athletic facility capital projects. Those include upgrades to Doug Kingsmore Stadium, the third phase of the WestZone complex at Memorial Stadium, and a rebuilt basketball arena at Littlejohn Coliseum. Littlejohn Coliseum, Clemson’s event venue and basketball arena, will undergo “major renovations” with $70 million approved towards the project. It will include 8,500 seats – 500 at premium level – coaches’ offices, new weight and locker rooms, recruitment gathering spaces and video-editing and theater areas. “It could be a very different place in just a few years,” said Gerald Vander Mey, director of university planning and design. Renovations may also include excavation and a redesigned coliseum bowl that will be “more theatrical in nature and more intense,” said Vander Mey. “We’re going to amp it up.” Renovations are expected to be completed in late 2016. At Memorial Stadium, a.k.a. Death Valley, complete suite renovations are planned, including concourse and club areas, a new football operations facility and significant upgrades to the tennis complex, along with the construction >>
>>
of a letter-winner’s area and meeting space. Vander Mey said the suites haven’t been touched in about 35 years and that visitors can expect the space “to really change.” An oculus, a circular opening in a wall, is also part of the redesign of Memorial Stadium. “It’s really a design expression for the stadium,” said Vander Mey. Doug Kingsmore Stadium, Clemson’s baseball venue, is getting an $8 million addition. Vander Mey said that new player facilities, locker rooms, exhibition space and offices are all part of the upgrade to the north side of the stadium. “It will be the first time the team has really had a home besides the stadium itself,” he said. Design work is currently underway and a construction manager has been selected. Construction is expected to start soon and be completed late 2015. Vander Mey said the university will start also planning a new 70,000-squarefoot football operations facility at the WestZone later this year. “Clemson has consistently been in the forefront of athletic facilities and accommodations for our student athletes,” director of athletics Dan Radakovich said. “These projects provide a road map to continuing Clemson’s tradition of excellence in our facilities.”
SHOWCASES AROUND CAMPUS
The $30 million Watt Family Innovation Center is set to break ground on March 28. Located just south of the library, the building will be a new 40,000-square-foot, highly flexible environment designed with the latest technology, said Vander Mey. “It will be a lot of glass and will really be a showcase,” he said. Science, engineering and technology teaching and research will be housed there. Freeman Hall, which has seen a lot of different uses over the years, is getting a 25,000-square-foot addition along with a new face. Vander Mey hopes it will become “the new focal point of that part of campus.” Freeman currently houses
“Most downtowns in our area with the exception of Greenville and Clemson are dying.” Tom Winkoop the Industrial Engineering department. Planning is also underway at the Clemson Outdoor and Recreation Center located on the beach at Lake Hartwell. New student changing rooms and lockers along with classroom areas will “improve the site and make it much more useful,” according to Vander Mey. Later this year, Vander Mey also hopes to start planning a new 170,000-square-foot business and behavioral sciences building for those that are currently located in Sirrine Hall. “It will have IT technology like nothing else,” he said. Plans also call for a new visitors center facility for the 50,000 prospective students, parents and other guests who visit the campus annually, allowing for redirected use of the current Class of 1956 Visitors Center. The Sheep Barn, which was built on campus at the turn of the century and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, will be renovated to become the Barnes Center, a place for student activity and engagement, thanks to a $1 million gift from the Barnes family to honor its patriarch. Four generations of Barnes family members have received Clemson diplomas. “Students want and need a welcoming, accessible and inclusive place to connect on campus in a positive Clemson environment,” said Gail DiSabatino, vice president for student affairs. “As a vibrant student hub on campus, we can meet these needs while preserving and honoring Clemson’s rich and honorable agricultural history through the restoration of this great venue.” The university has also put together conceptual plans for a new fraternity/
Artist’s rendering of The Pier student housing project.
sorority village located on the Thornhill Village site. Hallenbeck said that project is “on hold for the time being.”
MORE GROWTH IN THE CITY
In the city of Clemson, mixed-use projects are leading the charge with an emphasis on student housing. Last month, the City Council approved the Dukes Centre, which was met with opposition from some local residents over concerns about neighborhood impact. It’s important for communities to embrace change, said developer Tom Winkopp. “Most downtowns in our area with the exception of Greenville and Clemson are dying,” he said. Construction on the $30 million mixed-use Dukes Centre (named for the family that owned the land) on College Avenue will begin later this year. There will be 17,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor, a 491-space parking garage and 293 units for student housing on the five- and six-floor buildings. Winkopp is also developing The Pier, another student housing project that began in 2008. It’s currently in phase three of the project, which will add another 100 bedrooms, said Winkopp. The Pier, located at the former J. P. Stevens plant, features cottage homes on Lake Hartwell and is located 2.5 miles from the Clemson campus. The mixed-use development will have 20 acres of green space, a clubhouse with pool, sand volleyball, basketball, golf simulator, cinema room, a workout facility, tanning beds, coffee bar and event room. The community will also eventually have a town center with additional retail and restaurants and is expected to be completed in 2020. Closer to campus, the Campus View apartments, being developed by Charleston-based McAlister Development Company, are expected to be completed in August 2014. The private luxury student housing community is located on 2.11 acres at 100 Daniel Drive, directly across the street from Clemson’s campus, overlooking Tillman Hall and Bowman Field. The six-story building will consist of 107 apartments, 352 beds and 172,000 total square feet. Campus View will include a 327-space parking deck with direct access to the building on each level and 10,500 square feet of retail space on the ground floor along Earle Street.
PROJECT PARTNERS: CLEMSON CORE CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT: VMDO Architects, Charlottesville, Va. Sasaki Associates, Watertown, Mass. Stevens & Wilkinson, Columbia, S.C. The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company DOTHUIT HILLS DEVELOPMENT: The Boudreaux Group, Columbia, S.C. Clark Nexsen, Charlotte, N.C. Ayers Saint Gross, Baltimore DOUG KINGSMORE STADIUM: DP3 Architects, Greenville, S.C. Land Planning Associates Inc., Easley, S.C. Precision Turf LLC, Lilburn, Ga. MEMORIAL STADIUM: LS3P Associates, Greenville, S.C. (West End Zone Final Phase) AECOM, Greenville, S.C. (suites feasibility study) RFQ out for selection of final design team LITTLEJOHN COLISEUM PROJECT: Craig Gaulden Davis, Greenville, S.C. (feasibility study) RFQ out for selection of final design team WATT FAMILY INNOVATION CENTER: Perkins and Will, Atlanta FREEMAN HALL: Lord Aeck Sargent, Atlanta DUKES CENTRE: Tom Winkopp Realtor Developer, Clemson, S.C. THE PIER: Tom Winkopp Realtor Developer, Clemson, S.C. CAMPUS VIEW APARTMENTS: McAlister Development Company, Charleston, S.C. PATRICK SQUARE: Developers Patrick Square LLC include principals of JMC Communities; Torti Gallas and Partners, Silver Spring, Md.; and Lew Oliver Inc. of Whole Town Solutions, Roswell, Ga. Rick Erwin’s Clemson design by Craig Gaulden Davis
CLEMSON continued on PAGE 25
March 21, 2014
UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 23
UBJ SQUARE FEET
Clemson Downs Plans $9M Expansion By Sherry Jackson | staff | sjackson@communityjournals.com
The Clemson Downs retirement community had a groundbreaking ceremony this week kicking off a $9 million expansion with two new facilities. “The Downs” has been a Clemson mainstay since opening in 1980. It’s the only Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in Clemson and sits on 38 acres in a neighborhood environment. The project includes a new memory care building and a skilled nursing expansion to provide private rooms in a
“resident-centered care” model, said Clemson Downs. The two-story memory care building for dementia and Alzheimer’s care will include 32 private rooms. Residents will receive dedicated care tailored to their specialized needs on a round-the-clock schedule. “People who experience the effects of cognitive decline respond best to a specialized environment that addresses the challenges they face each day,” said Dr. John LeHeup, Clemson Downs’ executive director. “There is great need in our area for a focused approach to all details
of a patient’s care, from accommodations and food service to exercise and special program considerations. Our new memory care unit will provide that high level of care in a dedicated, ‘purpose-built’ environment.” Also included in the project is an expansion of Clemson Downs’ current skilled nursing facility to include 16 private rooms with 24-hour personalized care. The site will also feature expanded space for special programs and events. “Throughout Clemson and the surrounding area, we continue to see strong
demand for private skilled nursing residences, and so we decided to provide a level of care not currently available on this scale,” said LeHeup. Clemson Downs is one of the largest employers in the town of Clemson with more than 100 employees. The expansion is expected to add more than 40 permanent jobs and bring more than $4 million of annual economic impact to the area. Construction on the projects will be done in stages and is expected to be completed within one year.
Beach Co. Begins Construction on South Ridge Construction has started on South Ridge, a 360-unit mixed-use multifamily property at South Church Street and University Ridge, announced South Ridge Investment LLC, an affiliate of Charleston-based The Beach Company. The Beach Company officials are emphasizing location, noting the development is “situated between the highly desirable Augusta Road neighborhood and the unique urban parks of downtown Greenville.” Mayor Knox White and City Councilwomen Lillian Brock Flemming and Jil Littlejohn joined company personnel for the groundbreaking ceremony this week, along with representatives from First Tennessee Bank and Creative Builders Inc. The property will include buildings from three to five stories with 10,000
From left: Alan McMahon with The Beach Company; Bonnie Hammers and Dean Griffith with First Tennessee Bank; Darryl Reyna with The Beach Company; City Councilwoman Lillian Brock Flemming; Charles S. Way, chairman of The Beach Company; Mayor Knox White; John Darby, president and CEO of The Beach Company; City Councilwoman Jil Littlejohn; Will McCauley, president of Creative Builders Inc.; Dan Doyle with The Beach Company; Dexter LeCroy, Ron Pottorff and Tyler Civils with Creative Builders Inc.
square feet of retail and commercial space, as well as a 400-space parking garage at the center of the property. “The variety of floor plan options, high level of interior finishes, and extensive luxury amenities are what will make
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South Ridge attractive to both renters and those who have typically purchased,” said Dan Doyle, vice president of development at The Beach Company, in a statement. “Greenville’s trend toward an urban lifestyle and the unique attri-
butes of this property will create a new alternative to home purchase.” The general contractor for South Ridge is Creative Builders Inc., of Greenville, with construction financing provided by First Tennessee Bank. Construction is estimated to take two years to complete, with the first phase of apartments expected to be available for occupancy in early 2015. Designed by JHP Architecture and Urban Design of Dallas, the apartments will offer floor plans ranging from studio “soft-lofts” to three-bedroom flats. Amenities include gourmet kitchens, 9- to 12-foot ceilings, a commercial-quality fitness center, a courtyard saltwater pool, and the parking garage. An animated “fly-through” of the project is available at Southridgeliving. com.
UBJ SQUARE FEET
AMECO to Expand HQ in Greenville By Sherry Jackson | staff sjackson@communityjournals.com
AMECO, a mobile equipment and tool supplier owned by Fluor Corporation, is expanding its world headquarters and operations center on Anderson Road in Greenville with a new three-story, 37,000-square-foot office building. Construction is already underway and is located adjacent to AMECO’s current building. Tracy Cook, vice president of global operations for AMECO, said the existing building will continue to serve as the company’s Southeast operations center with some modifications made to service bays and warehouse space. “AMECO has been on a nice trajectory over the past several years,” said CLEMSON continued from PAGE 23
Campus View will offer spacious, fully furnished two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments, with each bedroom featuring its own private bathroom. Each apartment will include a spacious living room and a full kitchen with granite countertops and high-end appliances. Community features include a pool with a sundeck and grilling areas, a fitness center, common area study rooms, and an activity room where students can meet and relax. Patrick Square, a planned community, is already underway. Located three miles from Clemson University, the development will include a lake house overlook-
Cook. The company is “heavily involved” in providing services for ongoing oil, gas and chemicals project work in the U.S. Gulf Coast and Canada. “The growth of our company over the last 10 years has outpaced the current building capacity that we have utilized as a multipurpose facility (office space and warehouse/service bays) for the last 20 years,” Cook added. AMECO corporate and back-office employees will move over to the new building along with other regional and functional groups that are currently on Fluor’s main campus. The new facility will initially accommodate 125 of the Greenville-based
employees with a growth capacity of another 50 employees, said Cook. The building was also designed to achieve LEED certification and will feature collaborative workspaces and a more open work environment. “Fluor designed and engineered the building with lots of glass to get sunlight into even the inner spaces of the facility,” said Cook. AMECO also chose not to have any corner offices, opting instead to utilize those areas as conference rooms or open collaboration spaces. “We were pretty strategic on how we placed our offices so teams could collaborate and work together.” The new building will also incorporate state-of-the-art technology includ-
Artist’s rendering of the new Dothuit Hill complex.
ing the community’s stocked lake, pool, town center, parks and community garden. Greenville restaurateur Rick Erwin, whose Rick Erwin Dining Group includes
Greenville’s Rick Erwin’s West End Grille, Rick Erwin’s Nantucket Seafood, and Rick’s Deli and Market, broke ground l a s t
ing a glass telematics room that will assist in tracking and monitoring the status of equipment. “We can pull up a piece of equipment anywhere across the globe and look at the health of the machine and see if it needs maintenance,” said Cook. A 40-person training classroom to continue ongoing development of employees will also be included, and the building “could accommodate other Fluor business units if needed in the future,” said Cook. The building is expected to be completed in summer 2014 and is being constructed by Yeargin Potter Shackelford Construction of Greenville.
week on its fourth restaurant, Rick Erwin’s Clemson, in the Patrick Square Town Center. “I am extremely excited about extending our restaurant family to Clemson, a place that is close to my heart,” said Erwin in a statement. “Clemson has grown so much from just a college town years ago into a bustling community. Families and businesses are moving to the area, and it’s really growing. We are more than happy to be a part of it.”
“Clemson could be a very different place in just a few years.” Gerald Vander Mey
March 21, 2014
UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 25
UBJ THE FINE PRINT
Upstate Launches Survey to Identify Exporting Barriers The Upstate SC Alliance, the Global Cities Exchange core team, and other economic development organizations across the region have teamed up and launched an online survey, the results of which will be used later this year in the development of a regional export plan to help build the Upstate’s export capacity. The survey is part of a market assessment for the Upstate’s participation in the Global Cities Exchange, a four-year program of the
Global Cities Initiative, a joint project of the Brookings Institution and JPMorgan Chase. The core team is looking for input from business services providers, manufacturers and support organizations regarding their current level of exporting activity, the export-related challenges they face, and the policies and measures they think could encourage further growth in exporting. All information gathered through the
survey will remain confidential. “This survey is critical to get an accurate depiction of the needs of local companies. The strategies that develop as a result of our market assessment will allow us to work with our partners to build new tools for companies in our region, tools
Five Guys to Open First Greer Location Colliers International recently announced that national restaurant chain Five Guys Burgers and Fries will open its first Greer location and seventh
overall in the Upstate in late 2014. “Greer has been on our map for a while as far as where we wanted to go,” said Kevin Griffith, one of the Five Guys franchise owners. “Greer is a growing area and we were just waiting for the right site. That 1 1/2-mile strip is a growing area. We are excited to go there.” The lease of a new outparcel building at Suber Commons, located at the intersection of Wade Hampton Blvd. and Suber Road, was brokered by J.P. Scurry and Scottie Smith of Colliers International.
that will assist them in reaching higher levels of competitiveness,” said Elizabeth Feather, core team leader for the Upstate’s participation in the Global Cities Exchange, in a release. Upstate companies of all sizes and types may access the survey at upstatescalliance.com/goglobal. For more information, contact Elizabeth Feather by email at efeather@upstatealliance.com or by phone at 864-283-2306.
CertusBank Expands to Lowcountry Greenville-based CertusBank recently opened its first Lowcountry location in a 3,756-square-foot branch located at 174 Meeting St. in downtown Charleston. The new branch also includes more than 14,000 square feet of additional office space. CertusBank also plans to expand with a new branch in downtown Columbia at the corner of Lady and Main streets within the next month.
APPLY NOW FOR
LIVEWELL GREENVILLE’S 2014 Healthy Workplace Awards • Recognizing Greenville’s Healthiest Organizations • Useful benchmarking and planning tool • Join us for lunch on April 24 at Greenville’s TD Center to recognize and celebrate our award winners! • The online application is open now through March 31: http://10.selectsurvey.net/livewellgreenville/
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UBJ THE FINE PRINT
AVX and Motorola Solutions Expand Ethical Sourcing AVX Corporation and Illinois-based Motorola Solutions recently announced an expansion of a program that will allow it to source conflict-free tantalum, a manufacturing material that has been used to fund decades of conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The program, Solutions for Hope, will expand to the Province of North Kivu, a conflict-prone area of the DRC. It was launched in the DRC’s Katanga province in July 2011. The program allowed for a “closed pipe” supply model to
be created to cover mines, smelters, capacitor manufacturers and end users. The platform allows for tantalum, a material used to manufacture capacitors in electronic products, to be used in Motorola Solutions and AVX products without the involvement of illegal armed groups. Tantalum is derived from coltan, a prominent mineral in the DRC. “AVX is dedicated to achieving the highest standards for conflict-free supply chains using innovative and reliable methods that
preserve and protect human rights around the globe,” said Willing King, deputy general manager – tantalum, AVX Corporation, in a release. “AVX has been and will continue to be a corporate leader and partner to establish groundbreaking practices that set an example for other companies to reach the goal of a conflict-free supply chain without victimizing
the innocent.” “Building a conflict-free mine in the heart of eastern Congo is both a tremendous and courageous step in an area where deadly armed groups roamed just a year ago,” said Sasha Lezhnev, senior policy analyst for the Enough Project, in a release. “Motorola Solutions, AVX and MHI deserve serious praise for making this happen. We look forward to seeing concrete benefits for Congolese miners and communities from the project, as we have seen from other clean mines in the region.”
Blacks Electrical Supply Consolidates Greenville Locations Blacks Electrical Supply will move its headquarters and distribution center and relocate its downtown and Woodruff Road locations. Blacks has been at the Westfield Street location for 60 years, but will move to a distribution center near the intersection of I-85 and I-385. The company will sell its current downtown property, which is a part of an announced apartment project by Flournoy Devel-
opment. “We’ve been approached many times over the years about selling our downtown location,” said Craig Owens, president of Blacks, in a release. “Our company has now grown to the point where moving makes sense strategically. Moving our distribution center and warehouse to the I-85/I-385 intersection lets us better serve our customers at all four of our stores, as well as at future locations we have
Breakfast
Lunch
planned in the Upstate. We’re positioning ourselves to continue growing and thriving.”
Additionally, Blacks’ downtown counter will move to the Poinsett Highway corridor on Goldsmith Road. Also relocating to the new distribution center will be Blacks’ Woodruff Road counter, currently located at 304 Rocky Creek Drive, and its Lighting Showroom activities. Blacks will continue to operate its branches in Easley and Seneca and plans to announce additional upstate locations later this year.
Coffee Pastries Corporate Delivery March 21, 2014
UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 27
UBJ ON THE MOVE HIRED
HONORED
HONORED
Mark Shands
Steve W. Sumner
Dr. Rajendra Singh
Named operations manager of SummitMedia LLC for its four stations in Greenville-Spartanburg. Shands will supervise programming and operations of 107.3 JAMZ (WJMZ), HOT 98.1 (WHZT), 97.7 Chuck FM (WJMZ HD-3) and X 98.5 FM (WJMZ HD-2).
Given the Better Business Bureau of the Upstate’s Applause Award. Sumner is a DUI attorney. Each quarter, BBB’s Local Advertising Review Program (LARP) recognizes a local business in BBB’s 10-county service area for adhering to BBB’s Code of Advertising guidelines.
Received the 2014 SPIE Technology Achievement Award. Singh is a professor at Clemson University whose research has helped advance the manufacture of computer chips and solar cells. SPIE is the international society for photonics and optonics.
VIP – HIRED TIM STROM Joins Greer State Bank as senior vice president and mortgage director. Strom joins the bank with more than 30 years in banking with expertise in all facets of residential mortgage lending from origination to servicing and residential construction/ development lending.
CONSTRUCTION/ ENGINEERING: O’Neal Inc. recently hired Al Kapp and Korey Rendo as process engineers, and Martin “Cody” Branton as estimator. Kapp has more than 30 years of process engineering experience, working with GE and Liquid Systems, and most recently Project Integration. Rendo has more than 15 years of process engineering experience, working with GE in both New York and South Carolina. Branton has more than five years of estimating experience, working with Shaw Group and The Roberts Company. FINANCIAL SERVICES: Wagner Wealth Management recently welcomed Jeff Herman as an equity partner. Herman has more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry, holding positions as client advisor, sales representative, sales manager and chief distribution officer for various firms including Dreyfus Investments and AXA-Equitable Life Insurance.
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HONORED
William R. “Will” Johnson Received the SC Lawyers Weekly Leadership in Law Award. Johnson is an attorney with Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd. He is also the current president of the South Carolina Bar Young Lawyers Division and a member of the International Association of Young Lawyers (AIJA).
PROMOTED
PROMOTED
Lisa Kent
Paula Nichols
Promoted to controller and compliance officer of taxadvantagegroup. Kent has been with taxadvantagegroup for four years serving as NMTC compliance manager. She has more than 20 years of tax experience.
Named Wells Fargo’s business banking relationship manager for the South Carolina market covering Spartanburg, Cherokee and Union counties. Nichols previously held positions as a SBA business development officer and business banking credit analyst, both with Wells Fargo.
Taxadvantagegroup recently hired Anthony Cox as NMTC program manager. Cox previously worked for The Fieldstone Group, a real estate development firm. He is also a former news and sports reporter for CBS and FOX affiliate television stations in Upstate South Carolina. Wagner Wealth Management has hired Stefanie Wilson as its new operations manager. Wilson is currently seeking her Bachelor’s of Accounting after returning from a year of teaching abroad in Seoul, South Korea. At Wagner, she is helping prepare the Wagner VIP Market Update series and assisting with groundwork for new office locations. LEGAL: Gallivan, White & Boyd, P.A. (GWB) recently announced that John T. Lay was elected as president-elect of the SC Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). Lay is a shareholder at GWB and has been active with the ABOTA as treasurer on its board of directors.
REAL ESTATE: Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer recently welcomed Jake Jackson to its Greenville office as an office sales and leasing specialist. Jackson brings over four years of commercial real estate experience in the Carolinas & Georgia, and was previously with CBRE Furman Co. Spectrum Commercial Properties recently announced that broker-associate Brent L. Freeman has celebrated his fourth anniversary with the company. Freeman has more than 30 years of real estate experience and is a graduate of Furman University.
New hires, promotions & award winners can be featured in On The Move. Send information & photos to onthemove@ upstatebusinessjournal.com.
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Golfsmith recently held their grand opening at 1025 Woodruff Road, Suite F103, in Greenville’s Magnolia Park shopping center. The store hours are 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Monday-Saturday, and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, visit golfsmith.com or call 864-297-0194.
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HIT Crossfit, located at 616B Cox St. in Simpsonville, recently held their ribbon cutting. The location offers classes at 5:15 a.m., 9 a.m. and noon on Mondays-Tuesdays and Thursdays-Fridays with their gym open 4:30-6:30 p.m. Other gym hours are: 4:30-7 p.m. on Wednesday and 9:30 a.m. on Saturday. For more information, visit hitcrossfitsc.com, email hitcrossfit@gmail.com or call 864-449-0628.
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Blarney Stones, located at 107 E. Curtis St. in Simpsonville, recently held their ribbon cutting. The store carries sterling silver Celtic rings, earrings and necklaces; handmade jewelry; Celtic mood rings, Celtic handbags and other gifts. Store hours are Wednesday-Friday from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. For more information, call 864-607-7689 or email blarneystonesceltic @gmail.com. 1
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UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 29
GOT A HOT DATE?
UBJ PLANNER FRIDAY MARCH 21 SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS’ FORUM Greenville Chamber of Commerce, 24 Cleveland St., Greenville; 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. SPEAKERS: Michael Mino, PropertyBoss Solutions (moderator); Terry Weaver, Chief Executive Boards International; Myles Golden, Golden Career Strategies Inc.; John Tripoli, Northwestern Mutual Financial Network; and Adam Anderson, Palmetto Software Group TOPIC: Predictable Revenue COST: Free to attend. Open only to Greenville Chamber members with drinks provided. Attendees are asked to bring lunch. CONTACT: 864-242-1050 REGISTER AT: greenvillechamber.org NORTH GREENVILLE ROTARY CLUB The Poinsett Club, 807 E. Washington St., Greenville; 12:30-1:30 p.m. COST: Free to attend,
Contribute to our Planner by submitting event information for consideration to events@upstatebusinessjournal.com
lunch $16 CONTACT: Shanda Jeffries at 864-968-2319 or sjeffries@flynnwealth. com
MONDAY MARCH 24
GREENVILLE EAST MEETING
Ballroom, Greenville; 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Open only to PULSE members
CityRange, 615 Haywood Road, Greenville; 12:30-1:30 p.m.
COST: $50 per Greenville Chamber member, $75 for nonchamber members
CONTACT: 864-239-3743
INFORMATION: facebook.com/ GreenvilleEastRotary
CONTACT: Jennifer Powell at jpowell@ greenvillechamber.org by noon on March 24 to register
CONTACT: president@ greenvilleeastrotary.org
GCS ROUNDTABLE The Office Center at the Point, 33 Market Point Drive, Greenville; 8:30-9:30 a.m. SPEAKER: Tripp James TOPIC: What The Chamber Can Do For You
AVOIDING ROADBLOCKS & PITFALLS Courtyard Marriott, 115 The Parkway, Greenville; 5-7:30 p.m. SPEAKERS: Chet Chea, Collins & Lacy Attorneys; Karen Winters, Winters & Smith Associates LLC; and Linda Bristol, JB Watts Co. Inc.
Call Golden Career Strategies at 864-527-0425 to request an invitation REPORT TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY
COST: $30 per person
Piedmont Club, 361 E. Main St., Spartanburg; 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
REGISTER AT: scwbc.net
Refreshments will be served.
SPEAKER: Sen. Lindsey Graham CONTACT: 864-594-5000 REGISTER AT: spartanburgchamber. com ROTARY CLUB
CONTACT: Janet Christ at janet@scwbc.net or 864-244-4117
TUESDAY MARCH 25 22ND ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL EVENT Hyatt Regency, 220 N. Main St.,
NXLEVEL FOR ENTREPRENEURS USC Upstate, The George Business College, Room 270, 160 E. St. John St., Spartanburg; 6-9 p.m. FEE: $195 for 6 weeks CONTACT: Beth Smith at es2@clemson.edu REGISTER AT: clemson.edu/centersinstitutes/sbdc
WEDNESDAY MARCH 26 PULSE LEADERSHIP LUNCHEON Hilton Greenville, 45 W. Orchard Park Drive, Greenville; 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. SPEAKER: David Esch, chair of International Task Force, Vision 2025, Greenville Forward and member of the Upstate International Steering Committee
REGISTER AT: greenvillechamber.org YOUNG PROFESSIONAL TOASTMASTERS Commerce Club, 55 Beattie Place, Greenville; 6 p.m. COST TO VISIT: $5 to cover meeting space and one drink at the bar INFORMATION: visit yptm. toastmastersclubs.org
THURSDAY MARCH 27 BUSINESS NETWORK INTERNATIONAL Southern Fried Green Tomatoes, 1175 Woods Crossing Road, Greenville; 8-9:30 a.m. SPEAKER: Shannon Harvey, Allstate TOPIC: How to Protect Your Finances from Accidents and Cancer COST: Free to visitors REGISTRATION: Invitation required CONTACT: Shanda Jeffries at sjeffries@ flynnwealthy.com or
864-968-2319 UPSTATE WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY (UWIT) City Range, 615 Haywood Road, Greenville; 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. SPEAKER: Brenda Laakso, vicepresident of NEXT TOPIC: Woman Leadership in a Growing Global IT Company COST: $17.50 in advance, $20 at the door CONTACT: Jill Rose at 864-908-0105 or uwitsc@gmail.com MANUFACTURERS ROUNDTABLE Greenville Health System, 701 Grove Road, Greenville; 3:30-5 p.m. COST: Free to Greenville Chamber members, $15 for guests Includes lunch and development tour of Greenville Health System. CONTACT: Darlene Parker at 864-239-3706 REGISTER AT: greenvillechamber.org
Growth and improvement in every direction. A land-use program committed to the legacy of carefully considered, responsible, sustainable, and environmentally sensitive growth and development.
Learn more...www.GSP360BeyondtheRunway.com 30 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL
March 21, 2014
UBJ SNAPSHOT
Historic photo available from the Greenville Historical Society. From “Remembering Greenville: Photographs from the Coxe Collection,” by Jeffrey R. Willis
PHOTO PRO VID ED
Today the Mauldin Building is gone. The corner building is home to the Murasaki Sushi Restaurant.
This view of South Main and West Washington streets from the early 20th century illustrates the type of buildings being put up on Main Street during this period. At the far left is the Efird Building; next to it is a two-story building that was the first location of Greenville’s Quality Show Store, Patton, Tilman & Bruce. The three-story building on the corner is the Mauldin Building, which had projecting glassed-in bays on the Washington Street side. Various offices occupied the top floors. In the corner store is Doster Brothers and Company Drugs, owned by J.B. Bruce and brothers J.T. and O.L. Doster. The building was also home to the New York Shoe Shine Parlor and the Savoy Soda Fountain. Photo by Greg Beckner
PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER Mark B. Johnston mjohnston@communityjournals.com UBJ ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Ryan L. Johnston rjohnston@communityjournals.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR Susan Clary Simmons ssimmons@communityjournals.com MANAGING EDITOR Jerry Salley jsalley@communityjournals.com
SENIOR BUSINESS WRITER Jennifer Oladipo
ART & PRODUCTION
STAFF WRITERS Sherry Jackson, Cindy Landrum, April A. Morris, Joe Toppe
PRODUCTION MANAGER Holly Hardin
CONTRIBUTING WRITER Jeanne Putnam PHOTOGRAPHER Greg Beckner MARKETING & ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVES Kristi Jennings, Donna Johnston, Annie Langston, Lindsey Oehman, Pam Putman MARKETING & EVENTS Kate Banner DIGITAL STRATEGIST Emily Price
HOW TO CONTRIBUTE
ART DIRECTOR Kristy M. Adair
STORY IDEAS:
ADVERTISING DESIGN Michael Allen, Whitney Fincannon UBJ welcomes expert commentary from business leaders on timely news topics related to their specialties. Guest columns run 700-800 words. Contact Executive Editor Susan Clary Simmons at ssimmons@communityjournals. com to submit an article for consideration. Copyright @2014 BY COMMUNITY JOURNALS LLC. All rights reserved. Upstate Business Journal is published weekly by Community Journals LLC. P.O. Box 2266, Greenville, South Carolina, 29602. Upstate Business Journal is a free publication. Annual subscriptions (52 issues) can be purchased for $65. Postmaster: Send address changes to Upstate Business, P.O. Box 2266, Greenville, SC 29602. Printed in the USA.
March 21, 2014
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UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 31