APRIL 7, 2017 | VOL. 6 ISSUE 14
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
VOLVO
REACHES FROM LOWCOUNTRY TO UPSTATE
Marion Crawford’s
Big Adventure The team at Crawford Strategy sets its sights beyond the Upstate
MADDOX
TRANSFORMER
CHARGES UP IN SIMPSONVILLE
DUKE BRANDS COMES HOME TO DOWNTOWN GREENVILLE
TOP-OF-MIND AND IN THE MIX THIS WEEK
| THE RUNDOWN | 3
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 20 Featured this issue: County councilmen sue County Council .........................................................................5 Maddox Industrial Transformer is more than meets the eye ............................12 Duke Brands’ new downtown Greenville spread .....................................................20
Duke Brands, a private holding company whose portfolio currently includes Duke Foods (formerly Duke Food Productions) and Duke Sandwich Company, officially launched on Wednesday. The company will operate out of two floors in the newly constructed Falls Park Place building in downtown Greenville. Read more on page 20. Photo by Will Crooks.
WORTH REPEATING “None of this would have happened if the chairman had agreed to work the thing out with us.” Page 5
“It’s tough to teach out of a textbook. You need to learn by doing.” Page 9
“So, technically, Congress prevented you from getting enhanced privacy. Feel better now? Me neither.” Page 22
VERBATIM
On the liquor license law “The licensing limits do not promote the health, safety, or morals of the state, but merely provide economic protection for existing retail liquor store owners.”
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S.C. Chief Justice Jean Toal, in the Supreme Court’s opinion striking down a law limiting companies to three liquor sales permits. The decision could lure more bigbox chains — such as Total Wine & More, who challenged the law — into the state.
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GOVERNMENT
Asked about his road plan, McMaster offers no specifics
Gov. Henry McMaster. Photo by Will Crooks
RUDOLPH BELL | STAFF
rbell@communityjournals.com Gov. Henry McMaster didn’t provide any details when asked during an appearance in Greenville about his plan for fixing South Carolina’s crumbling roads and bridges. The Republican, who faces voters in 2018, did reiterate his previously stated opposition to a tax hike and criticized the current system for handling road money. McMaster was in Greenville on Wednesday, March 29, to speak at the annual meeting of the Upstate SC Alliance, the regional economic development organization. Asked by UBJ to provide specifics of his plan for fixing the state’s road network, McMaster said South Carolina has no single plan now, with various entities and officials allocating the available money. “We need to be sure that we’re spending the money properly, that it’s going to the right place, going to priorities, and I believe if we do that, we can fix the roads,” he told reporters at the TD Convention Center. “We’ve got 4
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some money now, and we’ve got more coming in. I think we can fix the roads without raising taxes on the hardworking people of South Carolina.” Asked for his reaction to McMaster’s comments, Woody Willard, a Spartanburg real estate appraiser and broker who is chairman of the state Department of Transportation Commission, said he didn’t know what the governor was talking about when he referred to additional road money coming in. Willard said the only additional road money he knows about is what has been proposed in House and Senate bills. “I’m just not sure where he’s coming from,” Willard said. Willard also said the Department of Transportation has told lawmakers exactly what it would do with any additional funding it gets. The DOT has estimated that it needs more than $1 billion more in annual funding to bring the road network to a good condition. Chambers of commerce across the state have been lobbying for additional road funding for several years, while the state chapter of Americans for Prosperity, an advocacy group funded
“We need to be sure that we’re spending the money properly, that it’s going to the right place, going to priorities, and I believe if we do that, we can fix the roads.” Gov. Henry McMaster
by the billionaire Koch brothers, has fought the proposed main source of new funding, an increase in the state’s 16.75 cents-per-gallon gas tax. Earlier this year, the House voted overwhelmingly to provide about $530 million more a year for roads, in part by raising the gas tax by 10 cents a gallon over five years. In the Senate, legislation has been proposed to raise an additional $800 million a year, in part through a 12-cents-a-gallon hike in the gas tax. But on Wednesday, March 29, senators didn’t muster enough votes to
ensure the bill would be debated, a move that drew a rebuke from the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce. “Each day that senators waste by refusing to take up the roads bill costs lives and money,” Chamber President Ted Pitts said in a statement. “The people of South Carolina deserve better and expect more — they want the Senate to do its job, follow the House’s lead, and make a long-term investment in our decaying roads and decrepit bridges that we can all celebrate.”
INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
COUNCIL
Greenville County Council may repeal supermajority rule RUDOLPH BELL | STAFF
rbell@communityjournals.com For more than 12 years, Greenville County Council has bound itself by a special rule of council regarding new taxes or fees: Any increase requires approval of a “supermajority” of nine out of 12 council members. The rule hasn’t been much of an issue because there’s always been enough growth in the tax base to allow county government to expand year by year without increasing taxes. Now, however, the rule — called the “Taxpayer Protection Provision” — is at the center of a lawsuit three council members have filed against the very council they sit on. And some council members are wondering whether it’s time to drop the rule — a change that can be made with a simple majority of seven votes. The dispute began with a proposal to impose two new fees. One fee — a flat $14.95 a year on each parcel of real property — would raise money for a new telecommunications system for emergency personnel. County officials say the fee amount would drop once the upfront cost of four radio towers is paid for after five years, though they can’t say by exactly how much. The other fee is a $10 increase in the existing road maintenance fee, which motorists pay each year when they renew their license plates and which has been set at $15 for the past 25 years. County officials say they will use some of those funds to meet a requirement for a local match if the State Transportation Infrastructure Bank accepts their request for $168 million in state money to pay for five major road projects, including one to relieve traffic congestion on Woodruff Road. As council was voting on the new fees, County Attorney Mark Tollison called into question whether the supermajority rule applied, saying there was a state law that addressed local government fees and courts have held that state laws take precedence over local rules, according to council members.
Acting on Tollison’s advice, council approved the new fees at third reading on March 7 by a simple majority of seven votes. Fee opponents cried foul. They obtained a legal opinion from the state Attorney General’s Office that contradicted Tollison, finding that the council should have abided by the supermajority rule when voting on the fees. After that, fee opponents went to County Council Chairman Butch Kirven in hopes of arranging another vote but didn’t get what they wanted. So they sued. County Council members who sued are Willis Meadows, Joe Dill, and Mike Barnes. “None of this would have happened if the chairman had agreed to work the thing out with us,” Meadows said. Kirven said it’s his duty as chairman to decide how the council should proceed when there’s a difference of opinion in what the law requires. Tollison declined to comment. Also suing Greenville County Council and Greenville County are Dill’s wife, Deirdra Dill, and state Reps. Mike Burns, Bill Chumley, Garry Smith, and Dwight Loftis. The plaintiffs contend the council should have abided by the supermajority rule when voting on the fees. They also give 14 reasons why the ordinance imposing the fees violates their constitutional right to due process and other constitutional rights. They want the ordinance declared invalid and for the county to pay their attorney fees and court costs. The plaintiffs are represented by Greenville attorney Robert Childs III, who used to be the county’s lawyer and now represents the City of Travelers Rest. Meanwhile, Kirven is arranging another vote on the fees, this time putting each fee into a separate ordinance. He said council was to vote this Tuesday on a motion to refer the ordinances to its Committee of the Whole. That committee was also scheduled to vote Tuesday on whether to repeal the supermajority rule. 4.7.2017
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| NEWS
NEWS |
INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
Jim Newsome, president and CEO of the S.C. Ports Authority, gave the keynote address at Spartanburg Community College’s inaugural Economic Visionaries awards banquet.
INFRASTRUCTURE
SC Ports leader: Inland Port attracting large development projects TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF
tanderson@communityjournals.com The rising flow of goods and materials hrough the Port of Charleston could lift the Upstate’s fortunes in the coming years, South Carolina’s top ports official told a group of Spartanburg business leaders last Thursday night. Jim Newsome, president and CEO of the S.C. Ports Authority, gave the keynote address at Spartanburg Community College’s inaugural Economic Visionaries awards banquet held at the Spartanburg Marriott.
Newsome told the crowd discount retailer Dollar Tree’s 1.5 million-square-foot distribution center in Cowpens is just the first of many large economic development projects that will be attracted to the region
by the agency’s inland port in Spartanburg County. “I think we’ll see a lot more in the future,” he said. “We exist to invest in assets that will help us serve the state of South Carolina and this very important region.”
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Newsome said the Port of Charleston is the nation’s ninth largest port in terms of volume, ahead of other ports in Miami; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Boston; and New Orleans. The port handled a record 2 million 20-foot equivalent units, or TEUs, in 2016. Its volume increased 45 percent between 2011 and 2016, making it the fastest-growing port in terms of percentage growth in the U.S. during that period. Newsome said a handful of large manufacturing companies, including several based in the Upstate — BMW Manufacturing Co., Michelin North America, International Paper, and GE — account for 10 percent of the state’s container volume. He said the inland port near Greer, which enables goods to be shipped overnight by rail between the Upstate and Port of Charleston, has completed 108,000 rail lifts since it opened in November 2013. “I thought we could do that in five years. We’ve done it in three,” Newsome said. Newsome said the expansion of the Panama Canal, consolidation of major
shipping lines, and the introduction of larger shipping vessels position the Port of Charleston for future growth. A deepening of Charleston Harbor from its current 45-foot depth to 52 feet will enable the port to accommodate ships carrying up to 14,000 TEUs. It would also make it the deepest port on the East Coast, Newsome said. During the next five years, the state and S.C. Ports Authority plan to spend $2.15 billion on several projects. The allocations include $770 million for the first phase of the Hugh K. Leatherman Sr. Terminal expansion; $40 million to build a new inland port in Dillon County; $560 million for infrastructure and IT projects; $300 million for the harbor deepening; $200 million for an access road for the Leatherman terminal; and $289 million for a new dual access intermodal railhead. Newsome said the S.C. Ports Authority participated in efforts to attract Swedish automaker Volvo to Berkeley County. “An automotive company is not going to locate where there’s not a good port,” he said. Newsome also cited a 2015 econom-
| NEWS
From left: Henry Giles, president of Spartanburg Community College, presents the 2017 Economic Visionary awards to Terry Mallard of Broad River Electric Cooperative, Charles Atchinson of Atchinson Transportation Services, Bob Hart of The Timken Company, and Max Metcalf of BMW Manufacturing. ic impact study by the University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business that showed the port supports $53 billion in annual economic activity statewide; supports 10 percent of the state’s gross domestic product; generates $914 million in annual state tax revenue; and is responsible for $10.2 billion in annual labor income. After Newsome’s speech, SCC officials
honored four Upstate companies — Broad River Electric Cooperative in Gaffney, Atchison Transportation Services in Spartanburg, Timken Co.’s Tyger River Plant in Union, and BMW Manufacturing Co. in Spartanburg County — as Economic Visionaries based on their business vision and commitment to education, the environment, and their communities.
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NEWS |
INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
MANUFACTURING
BMW's US sales increase 3.5 percent in March TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF
tanderson@communityjournals.com Sales of two BMW models produced in Spartanburg County — the X3 and X5 — helped push the automaker’s U.S. business to a 3.5 percent increase in March.
BMW of North America LLC reported Monday it sold 36,002 vehicles during the month, compared with 34,795 vehicles in March 2016. For the first quarter, the company’s U.S. sales were 81,933 vehicles, an increase of six-tenths of a percent compared with 81,452 during the same
BMW MARCH 2017 SALES Model
3/17
3/16
+/-
X3
6,395
4,476
X4
395
X5
YTD 2017
YTD 2016
+/-
+42.9% 13,569
10,211
+32.9%
689
-42.7%
1,473
-39.7%
4,896
3,617
+35.4% 12,072
10,043
+20.2%
X6
630
635
-0.8%
1,644
-7.1%
BMW light trucks
12,316
9,417
+30.8% 28,057
23,371
+20.1%
888 1,528
X models made in Spartanburg
Increased sales of the BMW X3 and X5 models, produced in Spartanburg, helped boost sales last month. period of the previous year. “With the arrival of spring, thoughts naturally turn to new cars and March gave us a nice boost as our Sports Activity Vehicles, the X3 and X5 in particular, continue to drive the growing demand,” said Bernhard Kuhnt, president and CEO of BMW of North America, in a statement. “Our new BMW 5 Series is just breaking into what is a difficult market for sedans, but orders are solid and with two more variants on their way, we are optimistic for the months ahead.” Sales of the X3 and X5 trended upward during the month and for the
first three months of the year, while the X4 and X6 trended downward. BMW’s light trucks division, which includes all of the X models made in the Upstate, recorded nearly a 31 percent increase in March and are up more than 20 percent during the first quarter, according to the company. Meanwhile, BMW’s brand division sales increased 3.3 percent during the month and are up 1.5 percent for the year. Its MINI brand division sales increased 4.7 percent in March, but are down 5.4 percent during the first quarter.
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INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
| NEWS
EDUCATION
CU-ICAR announces new endowed chair TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF
tanderson@communityjournals.com Clemson University announced Wednesday the appointment of Robert Prucka as the Kulwicki Endowed Chair in Motorsports. Prucka is an associate professor in the department of automotive engineering at Clemson’s International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) in Greenville. His primary focus will be on leading a team of graduate students and industry sponsors in developing a next-generation Rallycross car for the ninth installment of CU-ICAR’s vehicle prototype program, Deep Orange. The position is named after the late NASCAR Driver Alan Kulwicki, who was killed with three others in a small
plane crash in 1993 near Blountville, Tenn. Prucka, 38, originally of Monroe, Mich., grew up a fan of NASCAR. Kulwicki was one of his favorite drivers. Among those killed in the plane crash was Mark Brooks, 26, the son of former Hooters restaurants chairman Robert H. Brooks. Before his death in 2006, the elder Brooks, a Clemson alumnus, provided the funding for the university to create the Kulwicki Endowed Chair and the Brooks Institute for Sports Science. Zoran Filipi, chair of Clemson’s Department of Automotive Engineering, said Prucka has also used motorsports to boost interest among middle and high school students for science,
Dr. Robert Prucka checks the sensors on an engine in a lab at Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research. technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. Prucka joined Clemson in 2008. He previously served as director of the Brooks Institute for Sports Science. “I love it,” Prucka said. “Deep Orange is a shining star, an example of the right way to educate students for industry. Cars are not four wheels and a steering wheel. They are a mobile electronics platform with
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advanced powertrains and miles of wire. … They have the complexity of an airplane, and it’s tough to teach out of a textbook. You need to learn by doing. With Deep Orange, you teach them by building a vehicle.” As part of the project, marketing students working under associate professor Jennifer Siemens will look for new ways to make Rallycross more exciting to viewers.
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INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
MANUFACTURING
The impact of a new Volvo factory in the Lowcountry is likely to spread to the Upstate RUDOLPH BELL | STAFF
rbell@communityjournals.com Recent company announcements suggest the Upstate may wind up getting a significant portion of the economic impact of a Volvo Cars assembly plant that’s under construction in the Lowcountry. At least three automotive suppliers — Gestamp, Lear Corp., and Plastic Omnium — have announced plans to supply the first Volvo plant in America from the Upstate. All three launched operations along South Carolina's Interstate 85 corridor years ago to make parts for the BMW assembly plant between Greenville and Spartanburg.
Auto industry experts said it’s not surprising they chose to expand in the Upstate rather than launch new operations closer to the Berkeley County site where Volvo is scheduled to start making its S60 sedan in late 2018. Fred Cartwright, a former General Motors executive who is now executive director of Clemson University’s International Center for Automotive Research in Greenville, said suppliers might prefer to be closer to the customer that offers the most business. In South Carolina, that’s more likely to be the BMW plant, where the volume has grown steadily for more than 20 years and now exceeds 400,000 cars a year. Volvo, by contrast, said its South
Carolina plant will have the capacity to build no more than 120,000 to 150,000 cars a year. Dennis Braasch, a Greenville-area executive who has helped manage the construction of auto assembly plants around the world, said suppliers may not have enough business from Volvo at this point to justify the expense of a new plant in the Lowcountry. That could change as Volvo’s production grows, he said. Gestamp said business from Volvo and BMW is the reason it’s adding 130 jobs and 305,000 square feet to its metal-stamping plant in Union. The plant will employ about 600 workers, including more than 100 contract laborers, inside 835,000
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square feet when the expansion is complete, a spokesman for the Spanish company said. Lear said it would spend $7.7 million expanding its plant in Duncan, which it said is scheduled to start making seats for Volvo in 2018 while continuing to make seats for the BMW X3 and X4. The plant will have enough capacity for the Volvo work because it’s scheduled to stop making seats for BMW’s X5 and X6 in 2018 and 2019 respectively, said Joel Elsesser, director of financial planning and analysis and investor relations for Southfield, Mich.based Lear. Plastic Omnium said it’s building a new plant in Greer to supply exterior painted body parts to the Volvo plant
INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
| NEWS
A worker finishes a part at the Gestamp metal-stamping plant in Union. The plant plans to add 130 workers to prepare for supplying a new Volvo plant in the Lowcountry. Photo by Jack Robert
as well as the BMW plant and a Mercedes plant in Alabama. The Paris-based company said in a news release that the Greer plant is ex-
pected to begin production in mid 2018 and will be its “pilot 4.0 plant.” Plastic Omnium didn’t respond to emails requesting additional informa-
tion, and it wasn’t clear how its plans for the Greer plant fit with the future of its existing operation in Anderson County. Jim Nichols, a spokesman for Volvo
Cars in New Jersey, said the company doesn’t comment on its supplier network, though individual suppliers may make their own announcements.
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JUMPSTART: MADDOX TRANSFORMERS |
COMPANIES BLAZING A TRAIL IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Maddox Industrial Transformer HEADQUARTERS: Simpsonville, S.C. FOUNDED: 2015 SPECIALTY: Transformers and electric equipment FOUNDERS: Camden Spiller, Randall Maddox, Heath Blundell, Stuart Jackson FACILITIES: Simpsonville and Georgetown, Texas, with plans for a West Coast location in 2018
2017 EARNINGS ESTIMATE: $7–8 million
l l a C u o Y s y u G e ‘Th ’ t u O e r A s t h g i L e h t n e h W S BY JACK H | PHOTO S L A W N O ALLIS WORDS BY
ROBERT
Camden Spiller and Heath Blundell are now in their third year after starting up Maddox Industrial Transformer. 12
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COMPANIES BLAZING A TRAIL IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP
another way we have all those lessons learned and the history of a more established team.” Maddox Industrial Transformer reconditions electrical transformers for commercial and industrial application. They service and sell pad-mount, substation, and dry-type (not cooled by oil or fire-resistant liquids) transformers, customizing units to take voltage from the distribution lines and step it down to a usable voltage that meets each customer’s specific need. Short lead times are where they shine, and how they’re able to indirectly compete with big names like GE, Cooper, and ABB.
In addition to its Simpsonville facility, Maddox has a plant in Texas and warehouses throughout the country.
C
amden Spiller got his
start in the electrical transformer business at the age of 17, when he answered an ad in the local newspaper of his Texas hometown. He quickly showed a knack for process improvement, and over the next 17 years would work his way up to minority partner in Sunbelt Transformer, a company founded by Randall Maddox in 1981. Spiller relocated with the company several times, eventually landing in South Carolina to open a location in Simpsonville. After Maddox retired, the company was sold to an outside investment firm. “I involuntarily exited at that time,” Spiller says. “My plan was to stay on and ride it out and try and be a part of a turnaround, and that was not in the cards. It was a blessing, though, that — starting in the business as young as
| JUMPSTART: MADDOX TRANSFORMERS
I did — I was able to kind of reach that low early enough to recover with some experience and some relationships that allowed us to regroup in what’s turned out to be a very successful way.” Spiller’s first call was to Maddox, who agreed to partner with him to pivot his turnaround plan into a new business plan. Next Spiller called on Heath Blundell, a former colleague who was serving as national operations director for the old company, to run operations for the new venture. And then Stuart Jackson, who was able to provide a ready-made facility for Maddox Industrial Transformer to set up shop. “We’re starting our third year now, so we’re a startup in a lot of ways. We’ve got a clean slate, a lot of zeal and energy. Everything’s fresh and new,” Spiller says. “But then we’ve been working together for about 20 years. So in
Maddox strives to make sure all of its reconditioned equipment meets ANSI and IEEE standards for new equipment.
A key component of Maddox Industrial Transformer’s success is the ability to anticipate customer needs and maintain a stable of transformers that can be tweaked and out the door within 14 to 16 hours of receiving the distress call. This is where Randall Maddox brings his more than 35 years of industry experience to bear. Semi-retired, Maddox splits his time between Greenville and Tucson, Ariz., and handles equipment purchasing for the new company that bears his name. Spiller says Maddox Industrial Transformer will soon begin scouting locations in Washington state, with plans to have a West Coast facility up
Maddox technicians are skilled fabricators as well as knowledgeable electricians.
“We try and position ourselves as the guys you call when the lights are out and you need something quick,” Spiller says. They accomplish this with a team of three technicians, also former colleagues, who wear a lot of hats. “Not only are they fabricating, they have electrical knowledge of transformers. They test them, and they paint them,” Blundell says. The facility has an on-site test lab that ensures the reconditioned units meet all ANSI and IEEE standards for new equipment. Maddox Industrial Transformer warranties its equipment for three years, but expects it to serve another 40. “That’s probably easy to gloss over, but it’s really one of the most critical parts of rebuilding any kind of equipment, is testing it back to its originally manufactured standard,” Spiller says. “This test lab allows us to go through the same testing standards that it comes right off the factory floor with.”
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and running by the third quarter of 2018. The company also has a location in Texas, in addition to several warehouse facilities across the country, and Spiller feels confident these three locations will allow Maddox Industrial Transformer to serve the entire United States without overextending. “There’s so much overhead in these businesses. It’s not the kind of thing you could start in your garage,” he explains. “It’s major capital, major infrastructure, so your overhead can really outrun your revenue if you don’t watch it.” Spiller and Blundell are watching it, and what they’ve seen instead is revenue outrunning their expectations. Maddox Industrial Transformer is on track to meet and exceed their goal of $7 million for this year; Spiller says they will regroup at the end of the quarter and likely up that estimate to $8 million. “We set what we believe are bold goals,” Blundell says. “And then we blow past them,” adds Spiller.
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C-SUITE |
MARION CRAWFORD
For Marion Crawford,
Business Is Personal Teamwork and relationships have driven Crawford Strategy’s success throughout the region. WORDS BY LAURA HAIGHT | PHOTOS BY WILL CROOKS
I
n August 2015, Marion Crawford took a hunting trip to Africa. She had set her sights on bagging big game with bow and arrow. Husband William Crawford is an enthusiastic and accomplished hunter and Marion is the daughter of a hunter. But her hunting experience was limited to nabbing some quail with a shotgun — once. Entering uncharted territory, she began preparing more than a half-year ahead of time. First came a weight-training class that she needed to develop the strength to sufficiently draw the bow. That was followed by four or five months of regular target practice in the yard of her Greenville home. In between, she watched videos and otherwise diligently prepared herself for the trip and the hunt. On their final day in Mozambique, with no trophy in the bag, Marion reached for a rifle. “I had never shot a rifle,” she says, and was “never really taught how to shoot.” Ahead of her, a small herd of impala ran past. “They scatter fast, because they can scent you.” But one stopped and fatefully looked back. “Shall I do it?” Crawford asked. “And I did it. And there you have it.” Crawford, president and CEO of Crawford Strategy, describes it as “a big adventure in my life.” But it is also a glimpse into how she attacks a challenge: focus on it, devour all the information you can about it, learn from and build relationships with people who are successful at it. And, when necessary, take a chance.
THE BIG PICTURE It’s a strategy that has lasted throughout her career, from internships with NBC and the BBC, through the news department at WSPA-TV and the sales team at
ScanSource, and ultimately to the marketing and PR fields and founding her own company. Last month, Crawford Strategy celebrated its seventh year as a full-service agency offering advertising, marketing, PR, and website services to its clients. Crawford and three staffers hung up the CS shingle in Greenville on March 15, 2010. Today, there are 25 staffers and nearly two dozen clients. One of her clients, United Community Bank, is helmed by Lynn Harton, a close friend of the Crawfords well before he took over UCB. While at UCB, Harton eliminated the marketing department and signed on with CS. Harton identifies the “big difference” between CS and other Greenville firms as its “holistic, strategic approach” and the ability to “grasp the big picture.” For UCB, it was important to develop a brand focus that covered the Southeast, not just Greenville. That’s included developing enterprise-wide brand standards, implementing and executing media relations across UCB’s four-state footprint, and building an on-demand marketing library accessible to all 100 branches. Harton says they make a “conscious effort” to keep a separation between their friendship and work. “We have such great trust in each other that I’m confident that will never be an issue,” Harton says.
IT TAKES A TEAM No successful entrepreneur or leader is truly a lone wolf. It takes a team to get things done. That’s integral both to Crawford’s success and the enjoyment she derives from it. “Team” comes up frequently in conversation. “Our strategy is all about our team. How do you add the right team and select the right people?” she says. “I tell my CRAWFORD continued on PAGE 16
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“I constantly want to be the best I can be. I’m always doing something to learn more — not just for me but for the company, too.” MARION CRAWFORD
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The Crawford File
“Our strategy is all about our team. I tell my team I have two families:
my personal family and my work family.” MARION CRAWFORD
CRAWFORD continued from PAGE 14
team I have two families: my personal family and my work family.” The importance of team grew considerably in her view in March 2014 when the loss of a large client forced Crawford into a layoff. The experience, which still seems to affect her, crystallized for her “how important my people were.” Crawford, who says, “I always try to learn through everything,” asked herself, “How do I grow from this?” Her answer was to bring in a professional development coach, who is now a regular part of the CS culture. There are programs on leadership, work styles, strategies, and monthly questioning “rounds” with the boss. The questions are consistent (What’s working well? What are areas for improvement? Do you have someone you want to recognize? Do you have the tools you need to do your job? Do you have any tough questions for me?), and Crawford expects honest, constructive answers. “It took effort to go out and spend the money to do that,” she admits, “but it was critical. And has been a consistently positive piece of our puzzle.” The development of the team has been an important business strategy. She actively recruited the talent she needed to pursue bigger regional clients, notably bringing in Andy Windham, COO of a Memphis marketing firm and a 25-year industry veteran, as senior vice president for client strategy. Crawford credits Windham’s contacts and relationships with getting them introduced to North Myrtle Beach and Southern Wesleyan University, for whom Crawford Strategy has handled marketing efforts.
LEARNING IS A QUEST, NOT A PASTIME Learning is “in my DNA,” says Crawford. “I constantly want to be the best I can be. Read a book, listen to a podcast, try to take a class,” she says. “I’m always doing something to learn more — not just for me but for the company, too.” After reading Simon Sinek’s book “Start with Why” — and asking her entire staff to do the same — she found her “why” was “to learn, grow, have fun, and help others do the same.” Jim Collins’ “Good to Great” 16
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helped her identify qualities in herself and her company that differentiate good companies from great companies. Focus is important to Crawford, so she pictures racehorses with blinders on. “They don’t get distracted by what’s going on around them. If they continue to look ahead, they’ll run better. Whenever there is something around me that I perceive as a distraction, I remind myself that I have to keep my blinders on and look ahead.” Learning is delivered in many forms, often wrapped up in Crawford’s complex mentor/friend/ client relationships. Nowhere is that more evident than with Greenville’s grande dame of PR, Sandra Linning. Linning is Crawford’s mom’s best friend, so when Crawford decided to go into PR, she turned to Linning for advice. Linning invited her to join her PR firm to get a feel for the business in 2008, then reversed roles and sold the firm to Crawford in 2010, signing on as a partner with CS. “She is a quick study and a great communicator,” says Linning, now retired. “She always leaves a meeting asking, ‘Is there anything else I can do to make you successful?’” Noting the growth in CS over the past seven years, as well as Crawford’s community activities, personal values, and family, “She exceeds all my expectations,” Linning says. Crawford, in turn, has created a brag-book of “Sandy Linning Lessons.” “She would refer to many clients as ‘my friend,’” reads Lesson 11. “It is such a nice feeling to work with, and for, people that I also call friends.”
GREENVILLE AND BEYOND Crawford maintains a busy portfolio of personal commitments, as well. She currently serves on the boards of the Peace Center, the Urban League of the Upstate, and the Cancer Center of Greenville County, and is a past president and board member of Artisphere. Henry Horowitz, Artisphere founder, cites her listening abilities, sense of urgency, and responsiveness as the most significant contributions she brought to the “hands-on” organization. “She was very strategic,” Horowitz says, “and ran the board like a
Education: BA, University of Virginia, 1989 Family: Husband William Crawford Jr.; children Brawley, McKoy, and MC. William, Brawley, and McKoy are all accomplished musicians. Marion has seen two of her children perform at Carnegie Hall on separate occasions. What’s in her office? It’s no bigger than anyone else’s and is filled with mementos and family photos. A pair of sneakers is tucked away next to a treadmill desk, where Crawford can work and go 2.5 mph at the same time. Early ambitions: “When I was young, I wanted to be Jane Pauley,” Crawford recalls. This led her to an externship for the BBC in New York City and an internship with NBC’s “Today” show. On the air: In 1990, Crawford took a job as a news assistant at WSPA-TV in Spartanburg. There she met Jane Robelot, who she credits as being one of the four major influencers in her life. Learning of her interest in being an anchor, Robelot gave her advice that has stuck through the years: “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.” That paid off on Jan. 16, 1991, when — untested but appropriately dressed — she was tagged to cut into live programming and announce the start of the Gulf War. Tech boom: She left WSPA in July 1991 to focus on family, and in 1993 she joined the sales department at ScanSource. CEO Steve Owings became a mentor. “I learned a valuable lesson when I started to realize that everyday results mattered,” she says. Lasting influence: Sandra Linning has been a significant influence on Crawford’s life, and the Crawford Strategy annual MVP award —the Sandy Linning Excellence Award — honors that relationship.
company.” He credited that approach with “adding a lot of value” and raising Artisphere’s rating on the list of Top 10 festivals in the U.S. to seventh during her term. In 2012, Crawford help create Ice on Main, a project she executed in partnership with UCB, Windsor/Aughtry (neighbor and friend Bo Aughtry is a founder), and the city of Greenville. With it she brought together both her interest in enhancing the city’s profile, serving clients, and growing the business. As the marketing partner, CS needed all the tools in the toolbox — fundraising, media relations, marketing, and a massive social media presence and buzz. CS’s successful campaigns have grown Ice on Main into a well-known and highly anticipated >>
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Gregg O’Neill, VP and creative director; Marion Crawford, president; Andy Windham, senior VP of client strategy; and Andrea Stegall, senior VP of operations, are the team at the top of Crawford Strategy.
What They Said “She listens extremely well. The key thing in any client relationship is listening and spending the time to really understand us.”
Lynn Harton, United Community Bank “They showed the ability to listen and immerse themselves in those unique characteristics that are North Myrtle Beach.” George Durant, North Myrtle
Beach Chamber of Commerce
“She always leaves a meeting asking, ‘Is there anything else I can do to make you successful?’”
Sandra Linning
>>
seasonal experience, and as a side note have earned CS eight national, international, and state awards. Success in Greenville has been fulfilling, but Crawford has a broader vision. “We’ve grown beyond Greenville,” says Crawford, pointing to two diverse regional clients: The North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce and the Haywood County (N.C.) Tourism and Development Authority. George Durant, vice president for tourism development at the North Myrtle Beach Chamber of
Commerce, had never heard of CS before receiving its response to their RFP for a new marketing partner. North Myrtle Beach was seeking “fresh thought without preconceived notions.” What Crawford found was an opportunity to create a branding and marketing profile for a destination that both benefits from its proximity to one of the premier vacation destinations in the country while at the same time distinguishing it as something different. “They responded to our challenge to push the envelope from a technology standpoint,” Durant says, noting that CS changed the marketing mix to 70 percent digital/30 percent traditional print/radio/ TV. The deliverables so far have included a new visitor app, streaming website content, and a significant “maximizing” of social media. Durant is an experienced marketer himself and knows that great ideas come easily, but “bringing them to light is hard.” He offered praise for CS’s ability to commit to a process, listen and absorb information, and produce verifiable results. “Beautiful, award-winning marketing is not as important as key performance indicators,” he says.
FAMILY FIRST Crawford’s business demands a lot of her time, but family always comes first. She gets up early — sometimes before 5 a.m. — to get a start on work, but is generally home to cook dinner by 6 p.m. Crawford “loves to cook,” but wears out by the end of the week, often opting for takeout.
When her kids were young, she made a conscious effort to keep work in the office because “I didn’t want them to think of me as always working,” she recalls. She stayed home for years when her children were young, and when her mother fought breast cancer. And she credits her husband with keeping her centered personally and on track professionally. With so much on her plate, there must be some things she just says “no” to. “I would like to exercise more, to spend more time with friends than I do,” she admits. “And I don’t watch television. I don’t turn it on. I don’t even know where the clickers are.” If she could have anything, she says, it would be more time. Time to mentor and give back as others have given to her. Time to spend with her family. Time to write a book, for which she has several ideas. “I have books in me,” she states. What is her greatest achievement so far? “Figuring out the delicate balance of being the best mom I can be, the best wife I can be, and the best business owner I can be. Because those are the most important to me.”
More Online
See more photos and highlights from Marion Crawford’s life and work at upstatebusinessjournal.com.
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Swing for a Million Dollars! April 28 – April 29 Eagle Zone Golf
Improvement Center Pelham Road, Greenville
Take your shot at making a hole in one in the finals and win $1,000,000! $500 prize each day for being closest to the pin and a chance to win a million dollars.
Friday, APRIL 28, 9 AM - 9 PM Saturday, APRIL 29, 9 AM - 5 PM FINALS, APRIL 29, 6 PM - 7 PM
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
PROCEEDS BENEFIT
w w w. l a u r e n s e l e c t r i c . c o m
A Lifespan of Autism Services
864.683.1667 DETACH AND REDEEM
Million Dollar hole-in-one
shootout
Laurens Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Buy One Bag, Get One FREE! That’s 24 balls for only $10. To redeem this coupon, present it at the event site. C O N T E S TA N T L I M I T E D T O O N E C O U P O N P E R D AY C O U P O N H A S N O C A S H VA L U E
Use this coupon during early bird hours, Friday 9-11 and Saturday 9-10 and receive two bags free with one bag purchase. Greenville Journal
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Laurens Electric offers golfers a sh t at $1 million Come to the Eagle Zone Golf Improvement Center on Pelham Road in Greenville, Friday, April 28 and Saturday, April 29 for a chance to win $1 million in Laurens Electric Cooperative’s and Touchstone Energy’s® 15th Annual Hole-In-One Shootout. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Project Hope Foundation.
Project Hope Foundation, whose mission is to lead the way in providing a lifespan of services for the autism community through programs that: Help families, Open minds, Promote inclusion and Expand potential. Serving individuals of all ages effected by autism, from those most severely impacted to those with Asperger’s Syndrome, providing family support, Applied Behavior Analysis therapy, education, training, social groups and adult programs.
Million Dollar
10 players will qualify each day by being closest to the pin to compete in the finals, when participants have a chance of winning one million dollars by shooting a hole-in-one. Qualifying times are Friday, April 28 from 9 a.m.–9 p.m. and Saturday, April 29 from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. The finals will follow on Saturday at 6 p.m.
hole-in-one
shootout
Laurens Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Event proceeds to benefit the Project Hope Foundation
Other prizes include $500 each day to golfers with shots closest to the pin, and during the finals, $1000 to the golfer closest to the pin, $500 for the second closest, and $250 to third. Laurens Electric is dedicated to improving the quality of life of the citizens in the upstate and in the communities the cooperative serves. All proceeds from the Hole-In-One Shootout will benefit the
PROCEEDS BENEFIT
A Lifespan of Autism Services
Every dollar spent at the hole-in-one event is a dollar that will go to support the Hope Project Foundation; it’s a fantastic way to contribute to the community and have a great time in the process.
For more information about the Hole-In-One Shootout, visit the co-op’s web site at www.laurenselectric.com. Laurens Electric Cooperative a Touchstone Energy Cooperative, serves 54,000 member-owners in Laurens, Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Newberry, Union and Abbeville counties.Since 1939, the co-op has been dedicated to being the provider of choice for energy and related services in the Upstate.
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Giving back to the community we serve is one of our core values. Laurens Electric Cooperative, Inc.
2016 Million Dollar Hole-In-One winners: Tony Golembesky of Simpsonville (left) won $1,000 for the closest-to-the-$1 million-hole shot. Tom McIntyre (center) placed 2nd and won $500, followed by Brandon Fowler (right), who took home $250.
Laurens Electric’s volunteers bag and pick up balls at the 2016 Million Dollar Hole-In-One Shootout. Use the attached coupon at this year’s event and buy one bag and get one free, that is 24 balls for $10.
SQUARE FEET |
REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION
Duke Brands returns to downtown Greenville ARIEL TURNER | STAFF
aturner@communityjournals.com On its 100th anniversary, one of Greenville’s oldest companies has announced a new name and is returning to its roots with a new location downtown a block away from its original home. President and CEO Andrew Smart announced Wednesday the official launch of Duke Brands, a private holding company whose portfolio currently includes Duke Foods (formerly Duke Food Productions) and Duke Sandwich Company, which will operate out of two floors in the newly constructed Falls Park Place building in downtown Greenville. “This family-run business has been a part of the fabric of our city for 100 years,” said Greenville Mayor Knox White. “We look forward to seeing what its leaders have in store for the next 100.” Duke Brands’ completed headquarters at 600 S. Main St. is located on the third and fourth floors, totaling 12,000 square feet, above Table 301’s newly opened Italian restaurant Jianna on the second floor. Lululemon, an athletic-wear retailer, is on the street level of Falls Park Place. The original Duke Sandwich Company manufac-
turing factory was established just down the street from the new headquarters by founder Eugenia Duke inside what is now known as the Wyche Pavilion on the banks of the Reedy River. Duke Brands’ holdings — Duke Foods and Duke Sandwich Company — do not include Duke’s Mayonnaise, which Eugenia Duke sold to C.F. Sauer in 1929 and is still produced in the Mauldin plant. Eugenia Duke’s sandwich business was taken over by the Smart family in 1964. Andrew Smart, who grew up in the family business, launched Duke Food Productions, an industrial food manufacturer of branded and private-label products, on his own in 2006. In December 2016, he acquired full operation and control of Duke Sandwich Company, which had previously been run by his mother, Cheryl Smart. Duke Foods was planning to acquire a new manufacturing plant in Bonham, Texas, to open in the second quarter of 2017, but pulled out in late 2016 to focus on its South Carolina operations. It has an existing 80,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Easley that produces ready-to-eat dips, salads, salsas, and fresh and frozen bakery products for grocery chains and restaurants nationwide. Moving forward, Smart says his team will focus on
The newly launched Duke Brands, headquartered at Falls Park Place, includes Duke Foods and Duke Sandwich Company. the acquisition of additional customer service-driven businesses in a variety of industries. The company plans to announce at least two new business units this year. In 1917, Eugenia Duke started selling her signature spread sandwiches to local drug stores, textile mills, and World War I soldiers stationed at Camp Sevier. Her success led to the establishment of the original manufacturing factory. To honor Eugenia Duke and the example she set for female entrepreneurs, company and city leaders have announced plans to establish a permanent memorial in downtown Greenville to share Eugenia’s inspirational story for generations to come. “Eugenia Duke was a true pioneer, laying the foundation for a company that continues to thrive today at a time when she didn’t even have the right to vote,” said Smart. Plans for the memorial are in the beginning stages and still require approval from City Council, but organizers say it will be prominent.
New office building planned at 122 Westfield St. ARIEL TURNER | STAFF
aturner@communityjournals.com Initial
Independent Living Patio Homes • Independent Apartment Homes Assisted Living • Memory Care • Rehabilitation • Skilled Nursing
1 Hoke Smith Blvd., Greenville 864.987.4612 • www.RollingGreenVillage.com
plans
Rendering by Croft Architecture 20 22
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for
a
new
three-story, 12,000-square-foot office building at the corner of Westfield and Gibbs streets have been released. The project, titled 122 Westfield Street, is located within walking distance of the Kroc Center and the GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail and sits on the edge of the planned City Park site. Renderings from Croft Architecture include a parking lot with 18 spaces. Central Realty Holdings (CRH) has owned the land for about 40 years and just recently released the plans for the office building. They are currently looking for
potential tenants, said Todd Hardaway of CRH. CRH is currently quoting potential tenants a rate of $22–25 per square foot with spaces available ranging from 2,000–12,000 square feet. Hardaway said construction will begin as soon as 50 percent of the space is leased. If construction begins by midsummer, as is planned, tenants could move in by the end of the year, Hardaway said.
REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION
Kuka Juice moves to Village of West Greenville ARIEL TURNER | STAFF
aturner@communityjournals.com Kuka Juice is moving from its home at 101 Falls Park Drive to the former Knack Studio retail location, 580 Perry Ave., in the Village of West Greenville. They plan to open late July. Co-owner Samantha Shaw says moving from 380 to 1,250 square feet will allow them to expand their menu to include more salads and smoothies, as well as bring their food production on-site rather than using an offsite commercial kitchen. Also, with Happy + Hale, which provides a similar menu, moving in less than a block away from the current Kuka Juice location, moving where their offerings would be unique made sense. “We wanted to separate from downtown, so we were looking on the outskirts,” Shaw said. “We’re really excited to see the growth in the Village.” Rakan Draz and John Odom of Avison Young represented Kuka Juice in the lease of the new space.
| SQUARE FEET
DIGITAL MAVEN |
THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF BUSINESS
Nothing But Net What’s the impact of the privacy rule rollback — and what’s next? By LAURA HAIGHT president, portfoliosc.com
The internet is becoming the 21st century’s answer to the airplane. Flying used to be an experience. You dressed up, you approached the flight with anticipation, you were treated to white-glove service… and they frequently lost your luggage. OK, it wasn’t perfect. But it wasn’t the overstuffed, peanut-package-hoarding, nightmare of a flying bus ride that it is today. So it may be with the internet. So much promise, so much opportunity. And so much greed. First came the pop-ups, then the auto-playing videos, then the relentless advertising of items you were only casually glancing at months ago. And, of course, the scams and cybercrimes. Nevertheless, we persisted. Because the internet has become an essential part of our lives, similar to the phone company.
In fact, just like the phone company. Last week’s congressional vote to rescind a privacy rule probably will have less impact than we might have feared. But it is only the first salvo in a battle that could rage throughout the current administration’s term.
Who’s in charge here? The now-repealed Broadband Privacy Rule regulating ISPs had not really taken effect yet, so the impact is less than was feared at first. So, technically, Congress prevented you from getting enhanced privacy. Feel better now? Me neither. Nor should we, because one reason the rule was deemed unnecessary was that the Federal Trade Commission already had jurisdiction over privacy protection. But, according to an analysis by Tech Crunch, the Federal Communications Commission took over that responsibility in 2015. So technically
neither the FCC nor the FTC have responsibility for making and monitoring privacy rules for ISPs. Until some provision is made to fix that — and if these privacy rules are reinstated (a big if) — ISPs have a lot of leeway, and internet users have little recourse. Some argue, what’s the diff? Most of us already choose to give away a ton of information on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media sites. But the operative word is “choose.” Additionally, those apps only have access to what you do while you are using the app. Your ISP (think Verizon, AT&T, or Charter) sees it all. And now they can sell it all also, which makes us all more vulnerable to ransomware. When hackers can buy your browsing history, what are the odds there will be something there you don’t want your spouse or your boss to see? And they didn’t even have to hack into your computer to get it. There’s not much you can do, either. The Electronic Frontier Foundation offers an add-on for Chrome, Firefox, and Opera browsers that “encrypts your communications with many major websites.” Called HTTPS Everywhere, the utility doesn’t work quite everywhere and isn’t without some bugs, but it’s a start. Another idea gaining traction is a good old-fashioned VPN (Virtual Private Network). Fortune has reported that the vote and near certainty of presidential approval has businesses reconsidering VPN technology. VPNs, however, are not for the technophobe. There are software and hardware flavors with software being cheaper and less secure, and hardware being more expensive and more complicated, but much more protected. For a business that doesn’t have a VPN, this is probably a good time to look at one. But for home users, the adage “you get what you pay for” may ring painfully true.
Is net neutrality doomed? And this latest news is really only the vanguard. Next up on the digital communications/privacy agenda is net neutrality. Most of us didn’t really understand this when it came up in first 22
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came up in 2014 or was approved in March 2015. When the FCC approved the net neutrality rules, this column called it a victory for small business and for innovation. The current chairman of the FCC, Ajit Pai, however, was no fan and voted against it. The issue is agnostic accessibility to the internet. What if startup developers were required to pay a premium to get decent bandwidth for their apps or websites? What if businesses’ accessibility to internet tools was determined based on their size, market penetration, and budget? Critics of the 2015 decision say those are scare tactics, but the public seems to be behind them. The FCC received more than a million public comments on the rule, the vast majority approving the strict nondiscrimination rules and an open, neutral internet. Its repeal is not a slam-dunk, but certainly Trump and Pai have signaled their intention. On the positive side for consumers, a 2016 federal court decision has plopped down a couple of hurdles for the FCC to get over. It declared that the internet and high-speed internet service can be considered a utility, as essential to American life as power and telephone service.
Security is essential Our lives have moved online, our business is conducted online, and our operational systems — hydroelectric power dams, electric grid routing, nuclear power plants — are all controlled by systems that are now part of a massive digital grid. Accessibility, reliability, and security are not political footballs; they are as essential as water from the tap, or power from a light switch. Despite our insatiable hunger for bandwidth, the U.S. has still not cracked the Top 10 in global internet connection speed (we’re 14th with an average of 17.2 Mbps, according to Akamai’s quarterly report for Q4 2016). Who’s No. 1? South Korea. The FCC had best be ready to be tested. By the courts and by the innovators and small businesses demanding access, speed, reliability, and security from what is one of our most critical public utilities.
MOVERS, SHAKERS, AND DISRUP TORS SHAPING OUR FUTURE
| INNOVATE
Just because it’s new doesn’t mean it’s innovative keep it long enough to come out with the next newer, better, faster product. Notice what is reduced in this concept? The idea of something being “useful” beyond the short
By BRENT WARWICK CEO, ipsoCreative
The trouble with our current cultural notions of innovation is that we equate “new” with “innovative.” Attend almost any trade show, read the latest tech-focused magazine, or even just walk the aisles of your local big box retailer, and you will notice there’s a continual stream of “innovative” products. However, if you take just a few minutes to consider what is being offered as innovative, you will quickly notice the term “innovative” has largely been reduced to meaning “new.” Companies realize that consumers are so enamored by the idea of the “new” that they will spin even the slightest change into the realm of innovation. And it’s not just low-end brands that attempt to make these sorts of marketing stretches. Even the remarkably pioneering Apple Inc. suffered criticism last year when they released a new set of pioneering iPhones that were low on technological advances and high on minor aesthetic changes such as gold and rose gold. It wasn’t always this way. Innovation was once born out of necessity, not out of marketing differentiation. So what happened?
The notion of planned obsolescence If you are not familiar with the notion of planned obsolescence (which in my experience is actually true for a large percentage of folks outside of product development and marketing), give it a quick Google search and read the history of it. Essentially, the idea of making a product with an artificially limited useful life precipitated the eventual need for continual differentiation in the marketplace. Couple that with a post-World War II standard of living unmatched in human history and you have a recipe for a consumer product arms race. Everything must be newer, better, faster in order to catch a consumer’s attention and hopefully
term.
Is it useful? Here’s where our current notion of innovation falls short of being truly innovative. Just changing the color of a product, making it in a variety of sizes, or changing the packaging isn’t innovation. Aesthetic variations, slight functional tweaks, and improved presentation aren’t necessary per se. They may be appreciated by consumers and help products get noticed. They may even help sales. They may help present a veneer of innovation, but people don’t need them. The mark of true innovation is usefulness. True innovation is born out of necessity and is therefore useful to meet a real need. And true usefulness doesn’t have a short-term expiration date. Solutions that meet real needs last for a while. Now it must be noted that with the ever-increasing rate of technological development, the standard of something lasting in the long term is changing rapidly. However, the same logic still applies even if the time frame is somewhat condensed. The fundamental questions remain the same. Is there a real need? Is the product useful in meeting that need? Will the product last long enough to provide a reasonable return on my investment in it? We may feel that we need that new Bluetooth-enabled coffee grinder with its corresponding downloadable app so that it can track my sleep patterns and automatically grind my coffee beans as I awake, but does that meet a real need or merely represent an enhanced convenience?
Real innovation serves the greater good To be clear, just because something is new doesn’t mean it isn’t worthwhile. There’s just a distinction to be made between a clichéd notion of innovation
Is there a real need? Is the product useful in meeting that need? Will the product last long enough to provide a reasonable return on my investment in it? that’s merely functionally synonymous with “new” and an authentic notion of innovation that means a new way of meeting a real need with a useful solution. A good litmus test for where something falls in this spectrum is a simple question of whether a product, process, or service serves the greater good. Sometimes that greater good serves all of humanity like innovations in cancer treatment, clean water, or renewable
energy. Other times, that greater good is smaller in scale and serves an individual community. But, always, if something truly serves the greater good, it is necessarily useful. So if you want to foster actual innovation, give substantial consideration to whether what you are creating is useful. And if it’s useful, will it be useful beyond an artificially limited amount time? That’s the true mark of innovation.
The Mauldin Cultural Center has become a hub for arts in the Upstate, providing an ever-expanding lineup of festivals, live performances, arts education and community events.
RAILROAD CONCERT SERIES / FRIDAYS, MAY 5-26 Featuring musicians offering up a heady mix of bluegrass, Americana and folk every Friday night in May. And the best part? All tickets are FREE of charge. BEACHIN’ FRIDAYS / FRIDAYS, JUNE 2 - JULY 14 We’ll be playing all of your favorite beach hits and more! Bring your dancing shoes, lawn chairs and blankets – it’s gonna be a long, fun, Southern night! BE WELL MAULDIN MARKET / SATURDAYS, JUNE 3 - AUGUST 26 Saturdays are reserved for fresh produce, delicious baked goods, crafty wares, and healthy activities! Sponsored by Bon Secours St. Francis Health System.
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ON THE MOVE |
PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS
HIRED
CHARNER CAROLINE CREECY Joined BRIGHT+CO Marketing as integrated media specialist. Prior to joining BRIGHT+CO, Creecy worked as senior communications manager at The Cliffs. Creecy received her Bachelor of Arts degree in public relations from the University of South Carolina’s School of Journalism. She is currently working toward earning a Master of Arts degree in communications through Queens University of Charlotte’s online program for working professionals.
HIRED
HIRED
SUSAN MURPHREE
LISA YERRICK
EMILY WATROUS
Hired to serve as the Upstate business development representative at BunnellLammons Engineering Inc. (BLE). A Greenville native, May attended Winthrop University and holds a BS in business management with a marketing concentration and an MBA. He will be responsible for leading strategic business development opportunities related to geotechnical and construction materials testing for BLE.
Joined Coldwell Banker Caine as a residential sales agent. Prior to joining Coldwell Banker Caine, Murphree was a selfemployed interior decorator experienced in making a house a home. Her decorating expertise and ability to interpret her clients’ visions make her an excellent addition to the Spartanburg office, where she will help her clients achieve their real estate dreams.
Joined Miracle Hill as vice president of collaboration and engagement, a newly created position aimed at further developing community partnerships and increasing volunteer engagement. Yerrick joins Miracle Hill with more than 30 years of experience in a mixture of nonprofit work and has extensive background in developing programs and services to meet the needs of diverse populations.
Joined Southern First Bank as executive vice president, human resources. Watrous previously worked at FLUOR Corporation for 15 years in HR and talent development leadership positions. Earlier, she worked as vice president at Bank of America for five years. Watrous graduated from Clemson University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and holds a master’s degree in human resource development from Webster University.
EARLE HARDING IBERIABANK announces that Earle Harding has joined the company as senior vice president, commercial relationship manager. Harding, a native of Greenville, was previously commercial banking group manager of United Community Bank, formerly The Palmetto Bank, where he held several key executive positions throughout his successful 37-year banking career. Prior to his joining Palmetto Bank, he held a variety of management and officer positions with larger financial institutions. He is a graduate of Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn., with a bachelor of arts in economics and business administration, a 1986 graduate of The National Commercial Lending School in Oklahoma, and 1998 graduate of The Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University. He is active in the community, having served The Salvation Army in Greenville command and the Greenville Kiwanis Club. He also served on the South Carolina Bankers Association Federal Legislative Committee.
INSURANCE Jennifer Hincapie, CIC, CRM, CBIA, was recently named vice president of The Furman Co. Insurance Agency. During more than 24 years in the insurance industry, Hincapie has earned and maintained the designations of certified insurance counselor, certified risk manager, and commercial builder insurance associate. Her extensive expertise as a commercial insurance broker and her consistent record as one of the top sales leaders in the market have made her a respected leader in the industry. Hincapie will handle commercial accounts UBJ | 3.17.2017
HIRED
PRESCOTT D. MAY IV
VIP
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HIRED
throughout the Upstate, bringing her expertise to the Seneca office. Her work focuses on all forms of real estate, including development, ownership, and management, in addition to working with nonprofits and educational endeavors.
MARKETING Jackson Marketing, Motorsports & Events, South Carolina’s second-largest integrated marketing communications and events agency, received three Gold and three Silver ADDY Awards during the 2017 awards competition hosted by the American Advertising Federation (AAF) Greenville. Jackson scored two Gold ADDYs for the 2016 Big League Baseball World Series held annually in Easley, and one for Greenville Literacy Association’s “Spoiler Alert” campaign created for the association’s annual Really Good, Really Big, Really Cheap Book Sale. The Gold award winners will automatically move on to district competition. Additionally, Jackson received Silver ADDYs for The Big League World Series “Cracked Windshield” and “Dead Bird” campaigns and for Smithfield Foods’ “Win the King’s Car” promotion.
TRANSPORTATION The Greenville Transit Authority (GTA) board of directors elected the following officers for 2017 at its January meeting: Addy Matney, chair; David Mitchell, vice-chair; Matt Carter, treasurer; and Gary Shepard, secretary. Matney is the senior executive consultant/vice president of community relations for TM Public Relations. Mitchell is the founder of Talent Management Solutions and a member of the Greenville Chamber’s inaugural Minority Business Accelerator Program. Carter is a commercial and industrial real estate broker and is a member of the West End Merchants Association Board of Directors, the Bank of Travelers Rest Community Board, and the Greenville Board of Realtors’ Commercial Steering Committee. Shepard joined Greenlink as the director of public transportation in November 2016. CONTRIBUTE: New hires, promotions, & award winners may be featured in On the Move. Send information and photos to onthemove@upstatebusinessjournal.com.
| NEW TO THE STREET / THE FINE PRINT
PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS
Open for business
IT’S PLANE SIMPLE
1
MORE NONSTOPS • CONVENIENT PARKING LESS HASSLE • LOW FARES
OVER
95
Photo provided
1.sbHR recently opened at 3 Caledon Court, Suite A-2. sbHR is a veteran-owned, small-business HR company. Learn more at www.sbhrnow.com.
2
TOTAL D NONST AILY OPS Detroit
Chicago (O’Hare)
NYC (LaGuardia) Newark
Philadelphia
Washington (Dulles & Reagan)
GREENVILLE/SPARTANBURG
Charlotte
1 ST CONNE OP CTIONS
TO OVE R 200 CIT IE WORLD S WIDE
Atlanta Dallas/Fort Worth
Orlando/Sanford Tampa/St. Petersburg
Houston (Intercontinental)
Fort Myers/Punta Gorda
Fort Lauderdale
Will Crooks / staff
2. Barista Alley, a specialty coffee shop and smoothie bar, opened at 125 E. Poinsett St., Greer, on March 31. Learn more at baristaalley.com. CONTRIBUTE: Know of a business opening soon? Email information to aturner@communityjournals.com.
NEARLY
7%
CHE THAN C APER HAR ON AVE LOTTE RA GE
State’s construction unemployment rate among lowest in US Associated Builders and Contractors recently released its latest state-level construction unemployment rate estimates. South Carolina’s construction unemployment rate in January was 6.4 percent, fourth lowest in the country and well below the national January rate of 9.4 percent. Since these industry-specific rates are NSA (not seasonally adjusted), it is most accurate to evaluate the national- and state-level unemployment rates on a year-over-year basis. This year South Carolina recorded its second lowest January rate, after last January’s 6.2 percent, going back to the beginning of the January estimates in 2000. 4.7.2017
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upstatebusinessjournal.com
Domestic Round Trip Fares (exclusive of all taxes & fees except passenger facility charges) Source: U.S. DOT Period: 12 months ending Q1 2016
www.gspairport.com
#TRENDING |
INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
THE WATERCOOLER Social Chatter RE: BI-LO, SPINX PART WAYS ON LOYALTY PROGRAM “They are going to use Exxon Mobil now and using a Plenti card instead of the BI-LO bonus card... I’m hoping I get used to the change.”
Christin Campana
RE: NEW EVENT VENUE, THE RUTHERFORD, TO OPEN THIS SUMMER “$3,400 on Saturdays. Wow.”
Liz Daly-Korybski “Excited to do an event here! Looks like a beautiful space.”
RE: SEVEN DECADES IN THE MAKING “Boom... this is what success looks like. Beyond blessed to be a part of the Roebuck Buildings Co., Inc. team.”
Kyle Clark
“The proposal to move it to Greenville is basically a bribe to the senators in the fed to sign off on selling a bunch to a Middle Eastern country (forget which one but a quick Google search will find it).”
Mike French
RE: IF LOCKHEED MAKES THE F-16 IN GREENVILLE, WHO’S GOING TO BUY IT? “I’d prefer an A-10 on station over head. Longer dwell time, just makes me happier. Of course the F16 has a valid role and lots of foreign customers.”
Drew Bishop
“There are dozens of our allies around the world who are already flying F-16s and are considering buying more. With newer upgraded avionics and electronics, it’s still one of the most capable multirole aircraft in the world.”
Brian Bishop “Yeah, a lot of false bravado around this ‘win.’”
Robert A Moore
Ragini Patel
CONNECT We’re great at networking. LINKEDIN.COM/COMPANY/UPSTATEBUSINESS-JOURNAL
FACEBOOK.COM/ THEUPSTATEBUSINESSJOURNAL
Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 845
1 Annual st
Community & Veteran
Easter Egg Hunt Saturday, April 15 at Noon 2725 Anderson Rd., Greenville
@UPSTATEBIZ
TOP 5:
*The top 5 stories from the past week ranked by shareability score
1. New event venue, the Rutherford, to open this summer 2. Officials: NCAA had at least a $3.6 million impact on Greenville 3. If Lockheed makes the F-16 in Greenville, who’s going to buy it? 4. BI-LO, Spinx part ways on loyalty program 5. Seven decades in the making
DIGITAL FLIPBOOK ARCHIVE
MARCH 31,
The layout of print meets the convenience of the Web. Flip through the digital editions of any of our print issues, and see them all in one place. upstatebusinessjournal.com/past-issues
(with proof of service or Purple Heart) Chance to win 1 of 3 larger prizes (per age group) – Over $500 in prizes
Rain date April 22 @ Noon • facebook.com/MOPH845Greenville 26
UBJ | 4.7.2017
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LAN DING LOCK HEED
IF TH E
THE COM F-16 LO PAN O Y CA KS LIK E NC LOSE A GO
A D FOR G SPIN INSIDE THIS ISSUE EAL R IN THEENVIL X E PE LE RSI TOB AN GULF NEW GIG AT Y S T CHERR A Y BEK AERT NSE LL NC THE EFF A A ECT OF
Veteran & Active Duty Military – 1 FREE ADMISSION Purple Heart Recipients – 3 FREE ADMISSION
ISSUE
FUELPE RKS CH ANGING
Carolina Academy Baseball Field
Open to ages 1 (walking) thru 17 – Free for Adults $4 per child – Family Rate (up to 5 kids) $12
2017 | VOL. 6
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EVENTS YOU SHOULD HAVE ON YOUR CALENDAR
DATE
EVENT INFO
WHERE DO I GO?
HOW DO I GO?
4/11
Business After Hours: Drayton Mills Lofts
Drayton Mills Lofts 1800 Drayton Road, Spartanburg 4:30–6:30 p.m.
Cost: Free to members For more info: bit.ly/2mlIGcK, 864-594-5000
Tuesday
Business After Hours at The Children's Museum
Children's Museum of the Upstate 300 College St. 5–7 p.m.
Cost: Free to members/investors For more info: bit.ly/2mMoIs5, 864-239-3742, lwoodward@ greenvillechamber.org
Basic Small Business Start-Up
Greenville Library Augusta Road Branch 100 Lydia St. 6–8 p.m.
Cost: Free
Friday Forum featuring Sheriff Will Lewis
Greenville Hilton 45 W. Orchard Park Drive 8–9:30 a.m.
Cost: $15/members; $25/nonmembers For more info: 864-239-3728, tjames@greenvillechamber.org
Clemson University's Men of Color Summit: Tickets available now
TD Convention Center 1 Exposition Drive 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Cost: $329 (thru 4/15) For more info: clemson.edu/ inclusion/summit, menofcolorsummit@clemson.edu
Tuesday PRESIDENT/CEO
| PLANNER
Mark B. Johnston mjohnston@communityjournals.com
UBJ PUBLISHER
Ryan L. Johnston rjohnston@communityjournals.com
EDITOR
Chris Haire chaire@communityjournals.com
4/11
MANAGING EDITOR
Jerry Salley jsalley@communityjournals.com
DIGITAL OPERATIONS MANAGER Tori Lant tlant@communityjournals.com
Thursday
4/13
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Emily Pietras epietras@communityjournals.com
STAFF WRITERS
Trevor Anderson, Rudolph Bell, Cindy Landrum, Andrew Moore, Ariel Turner
Friday
4/21
CONTRIBUTING WRITER Sherry Jackson, Melinda Young
MARKETING & ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVES Nicole Greer, Donna Johnston, Annie Langston, Lindsay Oehmen, Rosie Peck, Caroline Spivey, Emily Yepes
ART & PRODUCTION VISUAL DIRECTOR Will Crooks
LAYOUT Bo Leslie | Tammy Smith
OPERATIONS Holly Hardin
Thursday-Friday
4/274/28 UP NEXT
IN THIS WEEK’S ISSUE OF UBJ? WANT A COPY FOR YOUR LOBBY?
APRIL 28 CRE QUARTERLY ISSUE The state of commercial real estate in the Upstate.
1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
UBJ milestone
jackson Marketing Group’s 25 Years
>>
Chairman larry Jackson, Jackson marketing Group. Photos by Greg Beckner / Staff
Jackson Marketing Group celebrates 25 years
Kristy Adair | Michael Allen Anita Harley | Jane Rogers
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Kristi Fortner
By sherry Jackson | staff | sjackson@communityjournals.com
MAY 19 THE INTERNATIONAL ISSUE Upstate, meet the world. World, meet the Upstate.
HOW TO CONTRIBUTE STORY IDEAS: ideas@upstatebusinessjournal.com
EVENTS: events@upstatebusinessjournal.com
NEW HIRES, PROMOTIONS, AND AWARDS:
JUNE 2 THE BUSINESS OF FOOD Good eats mean good profits.
onthemove@upstatebusinessjournal.com UBJ welcomes expert commentary from business leaders on timely news topics related to their specialties. Guest columns run 700-800 words. Contact managing editor Jerry Salley at jsalley@communityjournals. com to submit an article for consideration. Circulation Audit by
Got any thoughts? Care to contribute? Let us know at ideas@upstatebusinessjournal.com.
1997 Jackson Dawson launches motorsports Division 1993
1990 Jackson Dawson
acquires therapon marketing Group and moves to Piedmont office Center on Villa.
ADVERTISING DESIGN CLIENT SERVICES
UBJ milestone
1988 Jackson Dawson opens in Greenville at Downtown Airport
1988
Solve. Serve. Grow. Those three words summarize Jackson Marketing Group’s guiding principles, and according to owner Larry Jackson, form the motivation that has kept the firm thriving for the past 25 years.
Jackson graduated from Bob Jones University with a degree in video and film production and started his 41-year career in the communications industry with the U.S. Army’s Public Information Office. He served during
Vietnam, where he said he was “luckily” stationed in the middle of Texas at Fort Hood. He left the service and went to work in public affairs and motorsports at Ford Motor Company in Detroit. After a stint at Bell and Howell, where he was responsible for managing Ford’s dealer marketing and training, the entrepreneurial bug hit and he co-founded Jackson-Dawson Marketing Communications, a company specializing in dealer training and product launches for the auto industry in 1980. In 1987, Jackson wanted to move back south and thought Greenville would be a good fit. An avid pilot, he
learned of an opportunity to purchase Cornerstone Aviation, a fixed base operation (FBO) that served as a service station for the Greenville Downtown Airport, providing fuel, maintenance and storage. In fact, when he started the Greenville office of what is now Jackson Marketing Group (JMG) in 1988, the offices were housed on the second floor in an airport hangar. “Clients would get distracted by the airplanes in the hangars and we’d have to corral them to get back upstairs to the meeting,” Jackson said. Jackson sold the FBO in 1993, but says it was a great way to get to know Greenville’s fathers and leaders
>>
with a majority of them utilizing the general aviation airport as a “corporate gateway to the city.” In 1997, Jackson and his son, Darrell, launched Jackson Motorsports Group. The new division was designed to sell race tires and go to racetracks to sell and mount the tires. Darrell Jackson now serves as president of the motorsports group and Larry Jackson has two other children and a son-in-law who work there. Jackson said all his children started at the bottom and “earned their way up.” Jackson kept the Jackson-Dawson branches in Detroit and others in Los Angeles and New York until he sold his portion of that partnership in 2009 as part of his estate planning. The company now operates a small office in Charlotte, but its main headquarters are in Greenville in a large office space off Woodruff Road, complete with a vision gallery that displays local artwork and an auditorium Jackson makes available for non-profit use. The Motorsports Group is housed in an additional 26,000 square feet building just down the street, and the agency is currently looking for another 20,000 square feet. Jackson said JMG has expanded into other verticals such as financial, healthcare, manufacturing and pro-bono work, but still has a strong focus on the auto industry and transportation. It’s
2003 motorsports Division acquires an additional 26,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space
1998 1998 Jackson Dawson moves to task industrial Court
also one of the few marketing companies in South Carolina to handle all aspects of a project in-house, with four suites handling video production, copywriting, media and research and web design. Clients include heavyweights such as BMW, Bob Jones University, the Peace Center, Michelin and Sage Automotive. Recent projects have included an interactive mobile application for Milliken’s arboretum and 600-acre Spartanburg campus and a marketing campaign for the 2013 Big League World Series. “In my opinion, our greatest single achievement is the longevity of our client relationships,” said Darrell Jackson. “Our first client from back in 1988 is still a client today. I can count on one hand the number of clients who have gone elsewhere in the past decade.” Larry Jackson says his Christian faith and belief in service to others, coupled with business values rooted in solving clients’ problems, have kept
2009 Jackson Dawson changes name to Jackson marketing Group when larry sells his partnership in Detroit and lA 2003
2009-2012 Jackson marketing Group named a top BtoB agency by BtoB magazine 4 years running
him going and growing his business over the years. He is passionate about giving back and outreach to non-prof non-profits. The company was recently awarded the Community Foundation Spirit Award. The company reaffirmed its commitment to serving the community last week by celebrating its 25th anniversary with a birthday party and a 25-hour Serve-A-Thon partnership with Hands on Greenville and Habitat for Humanity. JMG’s 103 full-time employees worked in shifts around the clock on October 22 and 23 to help construct a house for a deserving family. As Jackson inches towards retirement, he says he hasn’t quite figured out his succession plan yet, but sees the companies staying under the same umbrella. He wants to continue to strategically grow the business. “From the beginning, my father has taught me that this business is all about our people – both our clients and our associates,” said his son, Darrell. “We have created a focus and a culture that strives to solve problems, serve people and grow careers.” Darrell Jackson said he wants to “continue helping lead a culture where we solve, serve and grow. If we are successful, we will continue to grow towards our ultimate goal of becoming the leading integrated marketing communications brand in the Southeast.”
2011 Jackson marketing Group/Jackson motorsports Group employee base reaches 100 people
2008 2012 Jackson marketing Group recognized by Community Foundation with Creative spirit Award
pro-bono/non-proFit / Clients lients American Red Cross of Western Carolinas Metropolitan Arts Council Artisphere Big League World Series The Wilds Advance SC South Carolina Charities, Inc. Aloft Hidden Treasure Christian School
CoMMUnitY nit inVolVeMent nitY in olV inV olVe VeMent & boarD positions lArry JACkson (ChAirmAn): Bob Jones University Board chairman, The Wilds Christian Camp and Conference Center board member, Gospel Fellowship Association board member, Past Greenville Area Development Corporation board member, Past Chamber of Commerce Headquarters Recruiting Committee member, Past Greenville Tech Foundation board member David Jones (Vice President Client services, Chief marketing officer): Hands on Greenville board chairman mike Zeller (Vice President, Brand marketing): Artisphere Board, Metropolitan Arts Council Board, American Red Cross Board, Greenville Tech Foundation Board, South Carolina Chamber Board eric Jackson (Jackson motorsports Group sales specialist): Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club Advisory Board
November 1, 2013 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal 21
20 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal November 1, 2013
AS SEEN IN
NOVEMBER 1, 2013
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EVENTS: Submit event information for consideration to events@ upstatebusiness journal.com
Copyright ©2017 BY COMMUNITY JOURNALS LLC. All rights reserved. Upstate Business Journal is published weekly by Community Journals LLC. 581 Perry Ave., Greenville, South Carolina, 29611. Upstate Business Journal is a free publication. Annual subscriptions (52 issues) can be purchased for $50. Postmaster: Send address changes to Upstate Business, P581 Perry Ave., Greenville, South Carolina, 29611. Printed in the USA.
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