MAY 15, 2015 | VOL. 4 ISSUE 20
THE UPSTATE
BY DESIGN Sage Automotive Interiors and a host of other local companies are changing the future of design in surprising ways - Page 16
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NEWS
| ENERGY & MANUFACTURING | 3
Duke begins coal ash cleanup in Anderson County ROBBIE WARD | STAFF
rward@communityjournals.com Next week, a fleet of trucks will start hauling 1.4 million tons of coal ash from Duke Energy’s W.S. Lee Steam Station plant in rural Anderson County, a $75 million effort seen as a win for environmentalist groups concerned about chemical contamination of the bordering Saluda River. Instead of continued threats of contaminants such as mercury, cadmium and arsenic entering the nearby river, the Charlotte, N.C.-based utility company has made arrangements to move the byproduct to a landfill in Northeast Georgia, thanks to an agreement with the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. Duke Energy has said it planned to move the coal ash to a more permanent location than the unlined areas in the 696-acre site in Belton. Outcry from environmental groups Save Our Saluda and Upstate Forever, assisted by the Southern Environmental Law Center, helped to persuade Duke Energy to file plans with state regulators in December to remove the coal ash. Duke Energy representatives held an open house at the Williamston Town Hall last week to hear from the communities near the W.S. Lee power plant site. The utility mailed invitations to roughly 6,000 people who live within a few miles of the former coal energy site. “It’s a good thing,” said Melanie Ruhlman of Save Our Saluda, who attended the public event. “The coal ash was our top issue last year.” Duke Energy has contracted with Waste Management to remove the ash. Trucks are expected to make
power plant when it opened in 1951 and waited at the Williamston Town Hall last week with others to take a shuttle bus to view the ash removal site. The pending large-scale operation has created new worries from nearby residents. “I’m concerned about them keeping it quiet and all of that coal ash,” McCuan said. In letters mailed to area The W.S. Lee Steam Station in Pelzer, one of Duke Energy’s residents, Duke Energy two coal-fired generating facilities in South Carolina. stated that truck routes Photo by Greg Beckner/Staff balanced safety with cost about 150 trips daily, each load filled with 22.5 to 23 and impact to people in the area. ton of coal ash. This phase of the project will take up Along with coal ash removal, Duke Energy conto three years, said Ray Mangrum, director of remetinues to dismantle two of the three former coal-prodiation and construction for Waste Management. ducing units at the Anderson County site. One unit At the open house, Mangrum stood where heavy was converted to natural gas production. Also on equipment will begin loading the ash for removal the site, the company plans to begin construction and described the precautions Duke will take to this summer on a 750-megawatt natural gas-fired prevent coal ash flying out of trucks en route to the combined cycle facility, set to open in late 2017. Georgia landfill. The process includes adding a liquid This multi-year phase of coal ash removal plan mix to the ash, keeping it from spreading during will still leave about 61 percent of the ash at the site. transport. Erin Culbert, a Duke Energy spokeswoman, said no “It will be a very clean operation,” Mangrum said. set plan exists yet for the rest of the coal ash; however, The company will monitor air quality both upwind options include creating a lined landfill on the site and downwind about a dozen times an hour, he said. in compliance with federal and state regulations. If tests show too much ash in the air, hauling will Updates on the ash removal and other projects delay until the ash dust settles. are available at duke-energy.com/wslee. Local resident James McCuan, 85, toured the
Economist: Volvo impact much more than $500M ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF
ashley@communityjournals.com Volvo’s Berkeley County operations could mean much more than 4,000 jobs for the state, according to University of South Carolina economist Joey Von Nessen. “When I hear 4,000 jobs coming in from Volvo, I see a much larger number because the automotive cluster has a well-established footprint in our state,” said Von Nessen, who is a research economist with the university’s Moore School of Business. The clear example is BMW, which has far exceeded its 1992 pledge of 2,000 jobs and $600 million in capital investment. The company directly employs more than 7,600 people for labor income of $677 million, but indirectly supports 23,000 more jobs, according to the Moore School’s annual economic impact study of the German company. “They basically under-promised and over-delivered,” said Von Nessen. Volvo announced plans Monday to invest $500 million in building its first U.S. factory in the
Charleston region, a deal that could include a $204 million incentive package to bring 2,000 jobs over the next decade and up to 4,000 jobs by 2030. But those jobs and investment are from Volvo alone, and don’t include the economic impact of local suppliers that can now manufacture for, sell to and service Volvo activities, Von Nessen said. “When a company comes into South Carolina, where do they buy their supplies? Where do they get their inputs?” he said. “We have to consider the ripple effects due to the economic multiplier effects in the supply chain.” Volvo – which manufactures vehicles from two plants in Europe and two in China – began importing cars to the U.S. in 1955. The Berkeley plant will take the company from automotive importer to domestic manufacturer, the company said in a news release. Volvo cited access to international ports and infrastructure, labor force, attractive investment environment and high-tech manufacturing experience behind its decision. The state’s workforce training program for qualifying companies, ReadySC, will be
helping Volvo find and train workers for the plant. “You’re going to see a positive impact universally on the port,” said Von Nessen. “Volvo is trying to increase their U.S. market here, but it’s a global automotive market. … Export-oriented manufacturing has been a major boon for South Carolina, particularly in the last five years.” Challenges for the future will clearly include road infrastructure maintenance, as well as maintaining investment in workforce development efforts. “Workforce development is going pretty well right now, but that’s something we can’t take for granted,” he said. “Improving those programs and making sure we’ve got opportunities for South Carolinians to take advantage of those jobs coming in is crucial.”
4 | THE RUNDOWN |
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05.15.2015
Change on the menu at High Cotton Selah begins international sales of cancer test New condos planned for RiverPlace
6 8 24
TOP-OF-MIND AND IN THE MIX THIS WEEK
UBJ
VOLUME 4, ISSUE 20 Featured this issue:
MONEY SHOT: Indigo Pine East is the entry of the Clemson University team participating in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2015. The project was
constructed on-site and in 10 days at the South Carolina Botanical Gardens at Clemson, the same amount of time allowed in the decathlon. See the story on page 20.
WORTH REPEATING “For 16 years, I’ve been fighting to show I’m not a criminal. I’m someone who made a bad decision.” Page 7 “It’s kind of ironic. We get it just outside of Cooperstown, N.Y., so we get it from where everybody hopes one day they’re going to be.” Page 18 “Buildings are low-hanging fruit. We can make a bigger difference in the world by improving building design and construction than by anything else.” Page 20
TBA Word is an “undisclosed specialty grocer” new to the market may be coming to a new shopping center at Woodruff Road and Five Forks. Pending approvals, opening day is slated for late 2017. Simpsonville is going to the dogs. The new PetSmart on Grandview Drive is holding its grand opening May 16, while the new Petco on Harrison Bridge Road is scheduled to open at the end of May.
VERBATIM
On why Volvo chose SC “One of the main criteria for us was infrastructure. … South Carolina has people who know the industry, can work in the factory, and who understand our business.” Lex Kerssemakers, president and chief executive of Volvo Cars of North America, on the company’s decision to build its first U.S. factory in South Carolina, as quoted in the New York Times.
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NEWS
| FINANCE | 5
Furman startup gets $515k in statewide angel funding ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF
ashley@communityjournals.com Greenville-based kinesthetic learning startup ActivEd is taking its next steps, this time receiving $515,000 in angel investment from six groups across the state with a $1 million funding cap. Born out of published research from Furman University Professor Julian Reed, ActivEd has developed an online tool for teachers to integrate multisensory learning into their classrooms. The angel investment will allow ActivEd to further build out the company’s first product – a kindergarten-through-second-grade tool called Walkabouts – as well as expand their sales reach among educators, said co-founder Matt Ferebee. “The investment takes us further from a friends and family round to mature the company from the product side,” said Ferebee, who said Walkabouts targets a field of 80,000 public school candidates. “The biggest barrier is there are teachers and educators out there that just don’t know about it.” Ferebee said the company plans to
incrementally add programs for third, fourth and fifth grade, but will continue to build out and sell Walkabouts for now. More than 60 members participated in the investment, representing Greenville-based Upstate Carolina Angel Network, Columbia-based Capital Angels, Spartanburg Angels and Asheville Angels, as well as investment from The Palmetto Fund that co-invests alongside those groups. Angel investors from Anderson Angels and Charleston-based Lowcountry Angel Network may join in the future, said South Carolina Angel Network Director Paul Clark. The investment was the first from recently-formed Spartanburg Angels, and also represented one of the first state-wide syndicated investments,
which is unusual for angel groups, said Clark. The syndicated approach allows angel groups to more efficiently vet potential investment companies, and can also help startups save time and have more access to capital, he said. “The angel group would typically do a pretty extensive vetting process,” he said. “But in this one, one group can use the previous group’s vetting to make it more efficient.” Clark said ActivEd was unique in that it uses movement to help students understand concepts, rather than simply using movement as a break from learning. “There were some people that do fitness for kids, and some people that do education, but none that we found that do teaching through actual movement,” he said. “In the next five years, the goal is for them to be selling their product in 10,000 schools across the U.S.” South Carolina Research Authority invested $200,000 in ActivEd through its SCRA Technology Ventures’ SC Launch program in October, but previously was funded by friends and family, said Ferebee. Other team
10,000
number of schools targeted as potential customers nationwide
80,000 public school candidates targeted by Walkabouts
$200,000
amount invested by South Carolina Research Authority through its SCRA Technology Ventures’ SC Launch program in October members include Brewster Crosby and Dayton Johnson, as well as a network of independent sales representatives and partners.
6 | HOSPITALITY |
UBJ
NEWS
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05.15.2015
Lunch opening and other plans for High Cotton SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF
sjackson@communityjournals.com Interior renovations, changes to the menu and possibly opening for lunch may be some of the changes in store for Greenville’s High Cotton as the Hall Management Group assumes ownership. What won’t change is the name and staff, said 40-year hospitality industry veteran Bill Hall. Hall Management Group, owned by Hall and his two sons, Billy and Thomas, announced the purchase earlier this month of High Cotton Charleston, High Cotton Greenville, Slightly North of Broad in Charleston and Old Village Post House in Mount Pleasant, all previously owned by Maverick Southern Kitchens. Hall said he first met Dick Elliott, president and founder of Maverick
Hall family Photo courtesy of Hall’s Chophouse
Southern Kitchens, when Elliott was running for mayor of Charleston earlier this year and asked for Hall’s assistance. One thing led to another and Hall said he purchased the restaurants because they were “a turn-key operation.” Hall Management Group will retain Maverick Southern Kitchens’ director of operations David Marconi, executive chef Frank Lee and general managers Jill Maynard, Peter Pierce, Katie Hajjar and Chet Green. Hall said the Maverick Kitchens branding will be replaced with Hall Management Group but for now, High Cotton Greenville’s name will not change and the same staff will
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“We want to be a part of the community.” Bill Hall, Hall Management Group remain in place. The new owners plan to update the eight-year-old restaurant’s interior with new carpeting, painting and décor, and work with the staff and possibly tweak the menu a little. Hall said his Charleston restaurants are “oriented to the business community” and he wants to bring more of that to Greenville, possibly by opening High Cotton for lunch during the week. “We want to be a part of the
community,” he said. Hall also said he hopes to expand in Greenville in the future but has no definite plans yet. His restaurant group is also looking to expand into the Columbia and Myrtle Beach markets. Hall Management Group also owns Halls Chophouse in Charleston and Rita’s Seaside Grille at Folly Beach.
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NEWS
| WORKFORCE | 7
Navigating re-entry
Task force addresses challenges of former inmates entering workforce ROBBIE WARD | STAFF
rward@communityjournals.com Encouraging employers to hire people with criminal backgrounds will be the focus of a Greenville Chamber event Tuesday, May 19. South Carolina State Department of Corrections data shows one in every 10 inmates released from fiscal year 2010 to 2014 returned to Greenville County, or 5,646 residents. Spartanburg County has similar numbers with 5,061 during the same period. In a letter, Greenville Chamber President and CEO Ben Haskew and
“For 16 years, I’ve been fighting to show I’m not a criminal. I’m someone who made a bad decision.” Jerry Blassingame, Greenville Re-entry Task Force Chariman
Greenville Re-entry Task Force chairman Jerry Blassingame shared reasons why local employers should consider attending the breakfast meeting at the Greenville Commerce Club. “One of the biggest factors in a person’s success on probation, parole or some other form of community supervision is a job,” the letter stated. “The economic implications to the Upstate are significant when ex-offenders are not able to earn income.” Blassingame, 48, CEO of the nonprofit community development corporation SOTERIA, knows firsthand the challenges of former inmates looking for work. He was one of them. He was sentenced at age 27 to serve 20 years in prison for selling drugs. However, Blassingame was released on parole early in 1999 after serving 3 ½ years. “For 16 years, I’ve been fighting to show I’m not a criminal,” he said. “I’m someone who made a bad decision.” He started the nonprofit organiza-
By the numbers
1 in 10
inmates released from fiscal year 2010 to 2014 returned to Greenville County, or
5,646 5,061
residents. Spartanburg County has similar numbers with
during the same period. tion to help recently released inmates transition from prison life to becoming productive citizens. Along with housing assistance, SOTERIA provides assistance with financial literacy, education, employment opportunities
and counseling. The forum next week will include two panel discussions, one each of leaders with businesses and another with nonprofit organizations. Topics addressed include how assisting former inmates can lead to safer communities, improve local economies and best practices when considering hiring someone with a criminal record. The event is held in partnership with the Greenville Society for Human Resource Management; Greenville County Workforce Development; the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services and Miracle Hill Ministries. Nika White, vice president for diversity and inclusion at the Greenville Chamber, said about 80 business leaders and workforce re-entry supporters plan to attend the breakfast. “The focus for this forum is to invite employers to think more intently about re-entry efforts and how they can help,” White said.
8 | HEALTH CARE |
UBJ
NEWS
|
05.15.2015
Typing the tumor Selah Genomics announces launch of colon cancer test for international sale APRIL A. MORRIS | STAFF
amorris@communityjournals.com Selah Genomics announced this week that its PrecisionPath molecular test for cancer will begin sales internationally. The PrecisionPath Colon test, which helps physicians analyze a tumor’s genetic information, is the first slated for market, Selah said. The PrecisionPath test allows oncologists to learn the DNA profile of a tumor and use that data to select the most appropriate drug for treatment. For longer than a year, Greenville Health System has been profiling data from patients willing to participate and creating a bio repository database, said Selah Genomics CEO Michael Bolick. This will be the first time that the information is used to guide treatment, he said. The colon-specific test was chosen due to existing guidelines on how oncologists should use genetic information to treat advanced-stage colon cancer patients. This “clinical utility” is a factor in making the case for cost reimbursement from health insurers and Medicare, according to Selah.
“We are thrilled to have it priced low enough that everyone can have access to it.” Selah Genomics CEO Michael Bolick
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Oncologists nationwide could submit tissue samples to Selah Genomics, where the DNA would be extracted and profiled using a sequencer at GHS’ Institute for Translational Oncology Research (ITOR). Selah has committed to a seven-day turnaround time for analysis for the $975 test. This affordable price point, coupled with the results time frame, will help the test attain broad adoption for clinicians in community-based cancer treatment. “We are thrilled to have it priced low enough that everyone can have access to it,” said Bolick. The technology was developed with ITOR, where Selah Genomics bases
its research lab. The test is not subject to FDA approval because the lab is under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and overseen by a medical director, Bolick said. “Building on our recent announcement, which utilizes and leverages PrecisionPath Colon in a four-way collaboration to create personalized medicine decision support tools with GHS and industry partners Becton Dickinson and DecisionQ, we see an immediate opportunity to advance clinical care in ways that were only hoped for within the last decade,” Bolick said in a release. This is the first technology to be released through the Greenville Health Research Development Corporation (RDC), which was created by GHS to help shepherd research and technology developments to the clinical setting. Revenue generated by the RDC will be routed into GHS’ research and education, according to RDC executive director Sam Konduros. Selah Genomics is planning future release of tests for lung and breast cancer, among others. The molecular diagnostics company was founded in 2006 to commercialize technology licensed from Clemson University and is the U.S. subsidiary of UKbased EKF Diagnostics.
For more on the collaboration between Selah Genomics and GHS, see the op-ed by Michael Bolick and Sam Konduros on page 6 in this week’s Greenville Journal.
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NEWS
| ENTREPRENEURS | 9
Shark Tank Keys to Investor Funding (and how it relates to Real Estate)
From left: DirtJockey cofounders Jonathan Hairgrove (COO), Josh Lewis (CEO) and Adam Hodges (CTO).
DirtJockey breaks the funding mold Startup snags $625,000 in funding from Bay Area investors, but plans to stay in Upstate ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF
ashley@communityjournals.com Greenville entrepreneur Josh Lewis landed in San Francisco in January with an empty appointment book, 200 shot-in-the-dark emails and no return ticket. Four months later, his company DirtJockey closed its first funding round with $625,000 in early-stage investment, or 25 percent more than the goal amount, he said. “It was definitely a rough thing to fly out there without a permanent plan,” said Lewis, the company’s CEO and one of The Iron Yard’s first graduates. “After having not much luck here, we decided that if we wanted to raise money, we would have to go to San Francisco.” But being an unknown in Silicon Valley has its challenges as well, said Lewis, who cofounded the company with COO Jonathan Hairgrove and CTO Adam Hodges. The big break, he said, was finding a lead investor who
WHAT THEY DO DirtJockey helps heavy equipment dealers manage their inventories, which currently exist almost exclusively on pen and paper.
could both introduce and vouch for the team. Fritz Lanman – a wellknown investor in Square and Pinterest, among others – was that advocate.
“Technology has largely skipped over it, and the people in the industry itself aren’t very techsavvy, so you don’t see them solving it themselves.” Greenville entrepreneur Josh Lewis “It was definitely because of our lead investor giving us connections,” Lewis said. “Being from Greenville, not having a track record of doing a successful startup before, a lot of people are looking for a lead investor’s judgment of us.” Today, DirtJockey helps heavy equipment dealers manage their inventories, which currently exist almost exclusively on pen and paper. One of their first customers, for example, brought two tubs with several hundred legal pads and notebooks containing every contact and inventoried product, he said. “Technology has largely skipped over it, and the people in the industry itself aren’t very tech-savvy, so you don’t see them solving it themselves,” he said. Used heavy equipment sales
are a multi-billion dollar industry, he said, but it’s one technologists and developers rarely see or understand. “A lot of them use email marketing or Post-it notes,” said Lewis. “Nobody has really tried to solve the problems that dealers have.” Part of the fundraising challenge for DirtJockey was explaining the market’s problem, but another part – the riskier part – was admitting they wanted to stay in Greenville, said Lewis. Many investors prefer their companies to relocate to their area. For Greenville’s investment market, the problem is twofold when it comes to fundraising. Investors need to understand and see the potential for technology startups in order to feel comfortable investing, but the Upstate offers very few examples, said Lewis. This means early-stage investment is hard to come by, he said. Startups that can’t find funding in the Upstate then have to follow their investors, perpetuating the vacuum of successful startup examples. “We want to be that example, and our investors are OK with that,” Lewis said. Many of DirtJockey’s early customers are local to the region. “Once we explained our reasons for staying in Greenville – the low cost of living, for example – they were OK.”
Recently, I had the opportunity to spend time with Shark Tank star and entrepreneur Kevin O’Leary (aka Mr. Wonderful). He shared some insights into behind the scenes happenings on the show and Dan Hamilton some tips on entrepreneurship and business growth. Among the most interesting tips he shared were what he found to be the three most common elements for businesses getting funding on the show. Kevin has found that the entrepreneurs that received investment were: 1. Able to articulate their opportunity in 90 seconds or less. 2. Able to successfully convince investors they were the right team to execute the business plan. 3. Aware of their numbers and had a comprehensive understanding of their business model. These three keys are also applicable to hiring a real estate agent to sell your home. When you interview an agent to list and sell your home, he should be able to articulate his unique value proposition in 90 seconds or less. What separates him from the other 2300 plus agents in the market. He also must successfully convince you that he and his team can execute the plan to get your home sold for top dollar. Does he have a track record of success with homes similar to yours? Last, an agent needs to know his numbers and have a comprehensive understanding of the local market and how to use those numbers to effectively sell your home. For more information on how my team consistently outsells 99% of Greenville agents, contact me at 864-527-7685 or mygreenvillehome.com
864-527-7685 MyGreenvilleHome.com Each Keller Williams Realty Office is Independently Owned and Operated
10 | DIGITAL MAVEN |
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| ENERGY | 11
Sempra shutters Greenville office after 3 years ASHELY BONCIMINO | STAFF
ashley@communityjournals.com Less than three years after staking out its regional headquarters, Sempra U.S. Gas & Power will shutter its Greenville office in July, taking the bulk of its 21 employees to operations in Houston and San Diego. The company – a subsidiary of San Diego-based Sempra Energy – came to Greenville in 2012 to be closer to regional customers and lead new business development in the area, according to an archived news release. Now, leaving Greenville is part of a strategic decision, stated Sempra U.S. Gas & Power media contact Steve Schooff in an email. While the company will still support its tri-state market customers, moving back west “will better position the company to capture new market opportunities,” he said. The company will be vacating just under 18,000 square feet of Class A office space of the fourth floor of RiverPlace, a prominent downtown mixed-use development. Most of the company’s 21 local employees will relocate by July 31 to San Diego or Houston to remain within Sempra Energy, Schooff said. Three employees have chosen to stay in the area with different firms.
18,000 SF the estimated amount of square feet in the Class A office space of the fourth floor of RiverPlace that will be vacated with the move
Gov. Nikki Haley said Sempra’s Greenville operations would “create 40 new jobs,” according to her 2012 statement. The regional headquarters was aimed at targeting Sempra’s regional assets, such as the natural gas distribution and storage facilities in Alabama and Mississippi. Customers served by the Greenville office will now be supported from Houston,
“Over the past two years, Sempra U.S. Gas & Power has increased its focus on the development of large natural gas midstream infrastructure projects, and we believe the relocation will better position the company to capture new market opportunities.” Steve Schoof, Sempra U.S. Gas & Power
said Schooff. “Over the past two years, Sempra U.S. Gas & Power has increased its focus on the development of large natural gas midstream infrastructure projects, and we believe the relocation will better position the company to capture new market opportunities,” stated Schooff. City of Greenville Economic Development Director Nancy Whitworth said the city is reaching out to Sempra, but the most important thing for a company is that they’re successful wherever they are. “We obviously would love to have them stay, and we always want to know for what reason [they leave],” Whitworth said. “We always want to know what the issues were and if there is something we need to address.” While many companies are recruited to the Upstate, Sempra’s own consultants found and recommended the area back in 2012, said Tavia Gaddy, a project manager with the Greenville Area Development Corporation. “It wasn’t just Greenville in the mix,” Gaddy said. She didn’t have records of Sempra accepting economic incentives to open the regional headquarters. “We hate to see them go because they’re such a great company,” she said. “But sometimes it’s just beyond our control.”
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UBJ
THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF BUSINESS
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05.15.2015
Linking up with LinkedIn tunities with LinkedIn that you may be missing.
By LAURA HAIGHT, president, portfoliosc.com A networking event is going on right now. You’ll find the C-level leaders of most of the companies in your area there, as well as a lot of colleagues and potential resources for you. Not only will you have the chance to learn a lot about them, but you’re also invited to provide them information about yourself and your business, as well as insights you’ve gained over the years in your specific area of expertise. Now, who wouldn’t go to that? It seems disingenuous to suggest that an online networking marketplace with 350 million users is underutilized, but given its potential, I think you can make that argument about LinkedIn. It’s stated goal is to have 3 billion users (Facebook currently has 1.44 billion), and while the site been growing significantly in the past few years, it has a way to go. Among social media sites, LinkedIn ranks 7th behind Facebook, QQ (No, I never heard of it either), What’sApp, QZone, Facebook Messenger and WeChat. I imagine a lot of us would say, “I do have a LinkedIn profile, thank you very much. That is checked off my list!” Consider that the average U.S. user spends 17 minutes per month on LinkedIn. Having a profile and making the best possible use of the opportunity are two different things. So let’s take a look at three oppor-
1. Telling your story. LinkedIn is not a resume service, and yet a lot of people treat it that way. Pick any 10 people you know and check their profile. I’d be surprised if eight of them have not diligently and accurately listed every position on their resume. Don’t do that. LinkedIn doesn’t require it and it doesn’t help you. Tell your story instead. Not many networking relationship engines give you as much leeway, so take advantage of it. What should your story include? What are you passionate about? How did you experience it, how did you get better, what experiences shaped you and your business? Leave out the things that don’t work in your story. You don’t have to mention the 8 months that you spent selling cars if it doesn’t advance your story or promote what you currently do. In fact, it can actually hurt you to include jobs/titles that you don’t have good references for. 2. References are very important. Make sure you have references for any position you break out on LinkedIn. This works in your favor and will improve the number of times you come up in relevant searches. On the other side, however, having positions with no references actually works against you. If you feel really strongly about including a position and you cannot
profile and become another asset. This is a great way to get your ideas and expertise front and center. The more you contribute content that other members engage with, the more LinkedIn will promote your content and profile. Here’s how long-form posts work: https://goo.gl/ ML4OQS. More than other social media sites, perhaps, LinkedIn values information and influence, not sales and marketing. Leave the self-promotion at home and let your ideas speak for you.
get any references for it, weigh the benefit vs. the risk before adding it. 3. Exhibit your expertise. You know those emails you get every day from LinkedIn publicizing content from “people in your network”? That could be you. The key is to write and publish long-form posts, similar to a blog post, via your LinkedIn profile. These articles should tackle topics of interest to your industry or relevant to something going on in the news. They are generally original content, not just posting articles or recasting others’ content. A popular post that touches a nerve can reach thousands of readers while building your credibility. Those posts stay on your
4. Be interesting. If there were one word to describe LinkedIn, I would use “interesting.” Are you interesting? What are you interested in? Do my interests and yours dovetail? What can I learn by reading some of the things you have found interesting? Like most social media, you get out of LinkedIn exactly what you put into it. For just a bit of focused effort, the opportunities to grow your professional footprint are much higher. Connect with Laura Haight, the president of Portfolio, on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ laurahaight). Portfolio is a communications company that helps small business make the most of the fusion of emerging technology and communication.
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STRATEGIES FOR HONING YOUR PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
| PROFESSIONAL | 13
The canine corporation What can dogs teach us about employee and vendor management? More than you might think By CONNIE CLEVELAND, founder, Dog Trainers Workshop All I ever wanted to be was a dog trainer. Over the years, I helped clients learn about their new puppies and their rescues, coached competitive obedience dogs, trained service dogs for veterans and the disabled, and worked to save the lives of dogs labeled “aggressive.” I began to see that the principles I was applying to dogs often apply to my clients, my employees and my vendors. One of the most important principles dogs teach us is to distinguish between their nature and their behavior, and learn to accept the one, while recognizing that we can
change the other. At Dog Trainers Workshop, we try to work to change a dog’s behavior, not the nature of the dog. In other words, we try to use “action” words more than “being” words. Once a dog is labeled “shy” or “aggressive” or “abused,” it’s much more difficult for a handler to imagine a change in the dog’s behavior. But if we focus on a dog barking at the sound of the doorbell, or a dog guarding his food bowl, we are more likely to focus on the behavior and seek to change it. The same is true with people. We can almost always change how we act; we can’t change our DNA, our basic personality or our past. The challenge for all of us is to be able to tell the difference between nature and behavior. One of my students had a lovely miniature poodle that she was competing with in the sport of obedience. In the introductory levels, the dog had earned a perfect 200 score. She had gone to national tournaments and placed, and was halfway to her obedience championship. This lovely little dog was accurate, attentive and very pleasant to watch. The owner took the dog to a nationally renowned trainer who owned Labradors. The trainer announced that speed, animation and exuberance were desirable, and was openly critical of the poodle because the dog was not fast or flashy enough. My student returned to class and told me she wanted to teach her dog to go faster. In the language of “gaits,” she wanted the dog to gallop, instead of trot. I balked, saying, “She is lovely; trotting is well within the rules, her nature is not to be that fast or reckless while she is performing – why does she need to gallop? You are at risk of trying to make her someone she is not.” Nevertheless, for the next six weeks, I watched as the owner hurried the dog,
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constantly insisting that her speed increase. At the end of that period, she called me and asked if she could come meet with me. When she arrived, she said, “I hate this dog,” and burst into tears. “When did you start hating her?” I asked. It was only a moment before she replied, “When I decided she needed to gallop.” How often do we try to make employees better at their weaknesses instead of spending time letting them learn to be even better at their strengths? My office manager is a perfect example of this. I hired her out of the back room of another animal care establishment. Her outgoing and friendly nature made her a perfect fit as my “director of first impressions.” Her personality was wasted while she was caring for and training animals; her real value is in customer service. And further, that’s what she enjoys! The difficulty comes when we evaluate effort, which has to do with behavior. I expect my introverted employees to greet customers with a smile and act as if they have plenty of time to meet their needs. And I expect my outgoing employees to pay attention to the details that my customers bring to their attention. I expect a poodle to stop barking at the door, and accept a visitor coming into my home, as I would expect a Labrador to do so. Those are behaviors that dogs of any personality are able to control. However, the poodle would fight the urge to leave and hide in another room; the Labrador would fight the urge to jump up on the guest. So what do we do when an employee or client or vendor disappoints us? I’ve learned to first ask myself if I’m disappointed in a changeable behavior, or a less-changeable nature. If my disappointment is rooted in another person’s nature, than the problem lies squarely with me. Dogs are an entirely different species. But, in the end, I don’t think they’re all that different from us. Over the years, I’ve learned from dogs about my own character, gifts and limits. But I’ve also recognized that dogs teach me about other people too. And along the way, I’ve become a better business owner, employer and leader.
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14 | THE TAKEAWAY |
UBJ
NOTES FROM THE BEST TALKS YOU MISSED
|
05.15.2015
‘Show up, get engaged, find commonalities, and you’re started’ Natalie Madeira Cofield on the importance of collaborating to advance multicultural leadership By MORGAN SHERARD,
communications coordinator, Greenville Chamber
WHAT: The Greenville Chamber’s ACE Diversity Leadership Symposium WHEN: April 23, 2015 WHERE: TD Convention Center FEATURE PRESENTATION: “Collaborative Relationships to Advance Multicultural Leadership” with Natalie Madeira Cofield WHO WAS THERE: 400+ members of Greenville’s business community PRESENTING SPONSOR: Bon Secours St. Francis Health System
When open, honest relationships are built upon authenticity, these relationships possess the power to inspire confidence and success. Such has been the example set forth by the 2015 ACE Leadership Symposium keynote speaker, Natalie Madeira Cofield, who spoke on the importance of forging collaborative relationships to advance multicultural leadership. Cofield has carved a niche for herself as an entrepreneur, advocate and thought leader on all things business and diversity. She is the president and CEO of the Greater Austin Black Chamber of Commerce. She is also the founder of the Austin Black Technology Council and Walker’s Legacy, a professional collective that promotes the career advancement, skill sets and networks of women in business. WHY IT MATTERS “We can’t have a conversation about diversity until we really understand what it is and what it means,” said Cofield. There are a number of different variables; it isn’t just black and white. And with multiculturals accounting for $3 trillion in spending power in 2014, this transitions from a conversation on diversity to one of business. “This just makes good business sense,” says Cofield. When multiculturalism becomes the fabric of how you do business, it can be leveraged as a growth mechanism. Cofield points out that there are “15 times more sales when you add race as a variable within your quotient” and “workplace diversity is among the most important predictors of a business’ sales revenue, customer numbers and profitability,” according to various studies. She adds that this is the “important backdrop and context” before beginning the conversation. BUILDING COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIPS Social capital is essential to building sustainable relationships. Cofield defines this as “the ability to
have someone do something for you or with you as a result of a relationship.” Building relationships depends on equal parts likability, professional respect, admiration for the whole person, and an intertwining of personal and professional lives. It is imperative that the relationship exist despite business affiliations. “If you get a new job and the phone stops ringing, those weren’t real relationships.” Cofield provided four steps to building meaningful, diverse, and collaborative relationships: 1. Ask. Create safe spaces for people to get answers to the questions they’re asking. The responsibility falls on both sides. Furthermore, sometimes the only way you’ll be invited is if you ask, and sometimes, “you might have an invitation because someone couldn’t tell you no,” jokes Cofield. 2. Find commonality. “How many missed opportunities have you had because you didn’t start a conversation with who you are as a person?” When networking, lead off with who you are – more than just what you do. From Cofield’s own experiences, when she began a conversation only with what she did, it was either starting because she wanted something or ending because the two could find nothing in common. 3. Be authentic. “There’s a way to be humbly assertive and confident,” says Cofield. Respect yourself, and acknowledge that you are right where you’re supposed to be, so be there confidently. She adds, “People become interested in the uniqueness of you. Sometimes it’s a surprise to folks and sometimes it’s an inspiration.” What authentic traits make you unique? 4. Proactively engage. “Show up, get engaged, find commonalities, and you’re started!” Learn to be comfortable with someone dismissing you. Many of the events Cofield attends in Austin are heavily populated with millennial white males in technology. She could either “shy away from that or walk in
and start talking.” She chooses the latter. “Sometimes when I’m networking, I’ll assert myself in the middle of a conversation.” This philosophy has worked well for Cofield, who was named the 2013 Technology Diversity Evangelist Partner of the Year by Google. CONTINUING THE DIVERSITY DIALOGUE Following her presentation, the floor was opened for questions with Cofield and Dr. Kinneil Coltman, chief diversity officer at Greenville Health System, moderated by Greenville City Councilwoman Jil Littlejohn: On building relationships with people you don’t like: • Take them to coffee or lunch to get their backstory. You can disagree with someone more eloquently when you know their backstory. There’s usually a big disconnect between people’s intentions and the impact. • If someone said something offensive, reaffirm the value of the relationship and have a private conversation. Go out of the office because it’s easier to realize that you are two human beings. On leading diversity up, when you aren’t at the top: • Be the person who supports others, no matter your rank. • It’s OK to carry the diversity flag. On setting goals: • Plan and prepare, but be open to possibilities. Have goals, but don’t have too many plans. • Get clear on the daily activities you enjoy and want to do, even if it isn’t your job. Just be happy.
1
Planning Ahead
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16 | COVER |
UBJ
THE DESIGN ISSUE
|
05.15.2015
Weaving design and function Sage Automotive Interiors works to create finest fabrics APRIL A. MORRIS | STAFF
amorris@communityjournals.com Whether the color of a woman’s fingernail polish blends or contrasts strikingly with her clothing – an indication of her generation – is the sort of minute detail designers at Upstate-based Sage Automotive Interiors automatically ponder. This level of analysis goes into the process for creating the seating fabrics, door panels and headliners that Sage manufactures for automobile interiors used worldwide. Durability could be the watchword for auto cloth design. While wear is a consideration, business manager Sidney Locke says Sage also analyzes emerging trends in products, consumers and markets ranging from less than one year to 30 years. Consumer and trend analysis combine with the need for a cloth to withstand spills and resist water along with safety, weight, sustainability and cost, he said. As vehicles become more autonomous, the interior becomes “more of an entertainment area than
a cockpit,” Locke said. The company draws on more than 50 years in fabric production as the former Milliken & Company’s automotive body cloth division, founded in 1948, that spun off on its own in 2009. The company now has 16 manufacturing facilities in 11 countries, including plants in nearby Abbeville and Spartanburg. The team is currently working to win business for the 2018-19 model year. Technology, the economy and major global shifts are all design influencers, said Sage design manager Julie Jacobs, noting that “one drives the other, but it’s also not linear.” Just as the iPhone was transformational technology, “We want to create those revolutionary technologies that really affect how people are living in their cars,” she said. In addition to monitoring consumers and trends, Sage designers talk with auto manufacturer customers to determine commonality. “We can experiment with some things that are not market-ready and ask our customers what they think
A mood box at Sage Automotive Interiors.
– and if we get agreement and consensus with certain OEMs, we go back and fund that project with all we have and make it reality,” Jacobs said. The advantage of having manufacturing facilities nearby is that plant engineers can utilize labs to make sure a fabric’s looks will hold up to use and abuse, she said. She can also request “something lighter or something softer” and the engineers can make it, she said.
INSPIRATION FOR INNOVATION
Sidney Locke, Sage Automotive Interiors’ director of strategic marketing and communication, talks about how lifestyle trends, both long-term and short-term, impact the design process.
Instead of plunging into designing a product right off, the team conducts research and can then provide data and proof of a trend, Jacobs said. “What does the consumer think and want, and what’s important in their life and how are they living?” A client’s product planners, marketing and engineering have to buy into the concept presented because the product is so highly engineered, she said. “Good design starts more like a research paper.” When it comes to discerning what drives consumers, the team identified that adventure, leisure and fantasy are all connected via escapism, said Jacobs. Designers work in Brazil, Europe, Japan and China, and are familiar with local trends, she said. “We do regional vetting and determine global similarities.” Inspiration for a cutting-edge product can come from anywhere, Jacobs said. “Everything doesn’t have to be reinvented, you can look to history to inform you.” She cites Nike using a 200-year old weaving technique for a new shoe upper. Current fashion is also influential, she said. “There’s nothing better than going into a Prada store.”
«
upstatebusinessjournal.com
« STITCHING IT ALL TOGETHER
A wall in one area of Sage’s offices at CU-ICAR is covered with photos of American trucks (one of Sage’s large markets), that also features pictures of potential users: farmer, contractor, outdoor enthusiast and weekend recreational driver. Alongside them are photos of textures and colors that could serve as inspiration for the truck’s fabrics. Designers also must think about a user’s entire lifestyle, Jacobs said, pointing out a “mood box” similar to a bookshelf filled with sports equipment, clothes, books and photos: inspirational items about the user of their products. Products from other industries can also inform design: A pair of lacrosse gloves is similar to Sage’s products in that they must be functional, durable and look good, Jacobs said. “There are certain things that never go away… in automotive there will always be these currents. There’s always going to be sporty, luxury, practical. The specific subtleties of those general areas change over time.” As Sage continues to grow, customers want to see more, she said. “They want total interior coordination. We used to just design beautiful fabrics. Now our designers must think more holistically about their design.” Locke agreed, noting one customer requested a “European menswear look” to their product. Putting all the pieces together is becoming increasingly important, said Jacobs, holding up a mini seat that shows how the fabric wraps around the distinctive shape and complements other parts of a vehicle’s interior. “I’ve been doing this almost 25 years and I’m not bored,” Jacobs said. The work is sometimes like predicting the future, she said. “Then how do you take it all the way down to the yarn?”
THE DESIGN ISSUE
| COVER | 17
FINE FABRICS ES ESSENTIALS: treatment that makes fabric stain-resistant, static reducing and odor-resistant FXC: waterproof, rain-resistant, fast drying and bacteria-resistant GREEN MACHINE: Thinking about sustainability in 2003 led to the introduction of 100-percent sustainable seat covers in Ford Fusion and Focus vehicles in 2012. The 2015 aluminum-bodied Ford F-150 truck uses polyester fiber derived from recycled plastic bottles. LIKE LEATHER: Sage is developing a product customers have been clamoring for: leather-alternative materials that have the aesthetics of fabric.
“We want to create those revolutionary technologies that really affect how people are living in their cars.” Sage design manager Julie Jacobs
“They want total interior coordination. We used to just design beautiful fabrics. Now our designers must think more holistically about their design.”
GLOBAL REACH Sage products are featured in:
Sage Automotive Interiors Design Manager Julie Jacobs talks about how fabrics work together in a given design.
Chrysler Dodge Fiat Ford GM Honda Hyundai Jeep Kia
Mazda Nissan PSA Peugeot Citroën Renault Suzuki Toyota Volkswagen
18 | COVER |
UBJ
THE DESIGN ISSUE
|
05.15.2015
Baseball bat company anchors their design in quality wood BENJAMIN JEFFERS | STAFF
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bjeffers@communityjournals.com When Eddie Rollins started designing baseball bats, he wasn’t planning on one day trying to sell them to major league players. In fact, he didn’t even plan to sell the bats for money. When his son Matthew was playing baseball as a teenager, Eddie looked at a wooden baseball bat and figured he could make one. He’s been crafting wood products for most of his life, so adding a baseball bat to his repertoire seemed like an easy thing to do. “I didn’t think it’d be as difficult as turning anything else,” he said. Soon, Matthew’s friends started asking for bats and Eddie accommodated them too. Now, years after Matthew’s baseball career ended in the minor leagues due to injury, the father-son duo has created Anchor Bat Company, and is looking to make it to the big leagues. The design of the bat starts with the type of wood. Matthew said they use maple wood, which they source from a place near the National Baseball Hall of Fame. To gain a competitive advantage, Matthew said the Anchor duo focus on selling only top quality bats made from grade-A wood instead of producing a larger quantity of lower quality ones. “It’s kind of ironic. We get it just outside of Cooperstown, N.Y., so we get it from where everybody hopes one day they’re going to be,” he said. Out of a pallet of hundreds of pieces of wood, only several dozen may be acceptable to use for the bats they make, Eddie said. Eddie said the design of the bat “makes all the difference,” so he must be very careful in crafting each bat. Using calipers, he will measure the entire length of the bat to make sure it meets the specification of each player. Some players like a flared handle while others prefer a larger knob at the end.
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“It’s kind of ironic. We get it just outside of Cooperstown, N.Y., so we get it from where everybody hopes one day they’re going to be.” Matthew Rollins
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Others may ask for a wider barrel or handle. Besides creating the bat, the company made a conscious effort to design an easily recognizable logo, so people would instantly know what type of bat a player was using. Matthew said entire Internet sites are dedicated to discovering the equipment players are using, so he wanted a symbol that was universally recognizable. Plus, the anchor logo symbolizes the Christian faith he and his father share, being anchored in God, he said. Anchor is banking on a major league contract to increase its already growing business. The company recently signed a deal with Valley League team Charlottesville Tom Sox in Virginia, and individual baseball players request tailor-made bats as well. By next year, Matthew said, the company hopes to win approval from the MLB to sell baseball bats to major league players. The application for licensing costs about $14,000 dollars, and a $10 million insurance policy on top of that, he said. Even younger players are increasing using wooden bats, Matthew said. He’s seen a growth in the wooden bat market over the past several years, with youth leagues trending toward using wooden bats over aluminum ones. The company is a small operation out of a garage in Taylors, right now – but is one major league contract away from explosive growth, Matthew said.
1. Eddie Rollins with Anchor Bats uses a metal tube to “bone” a bat. The process makes the bat more dense and, as a result, stronger. The term “bone” comes from the old days when players would use animal bones to do the same thing. 2. Each bat made at Anchor Bats gets branded with the company’s logo. 3. Anchor Bat display in the company’s travel trailer. 4. All Anchor Bats get the company logo on the side of the bat. 5. Mathew Rollins, left, and his father Eddie in the wood shop of Anchor Bats.
upstatebusinessjournal.com
THE DESIGN ISSUE
| COVER | 19
Hometown design heroes SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF
sjackson@communityjournals.com Greenville-based architectural companies don’t always stay in our home town. They branch out and work in communities across the Southeast, the U.S. and some, across the world. For our design-themed issue, we take a look at a project outside of our normal comfort zone.
FOREST PARK BRANCH LIBRARY – CRAIG GAULDEN DAVIS Forest Park, Ga., is located nine miles southeast of Atlanta and, like many cities across the U.S., is experiencing revitalization. Craig Gaulden Davis designed the new Forest Park Branch Library to fit in with the Main Street redevelopment which has brick-paved sidewalks, improved landscaping, and pedestrian lighting. The previous library was cramped, offered little natural light, and had limited views. By contrast, the new 16,000-square-foot facility is bright and spacious, and was designed to preserve and take advantage of mature hardwood trees on its site.
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20 | COVER |
UBJ
THE DESIGN ISSUE
|
05.15.2015
Solving the efficient, sustainable and affordable housing puzzle Clemson’s Indigo Pine house features new structural design
APRIL A. MORRIS | STAFF
amorris@communityjournals.com Thanks to more than 150 Clemson
Innovation was important because the building sector uses huge amounts of energy, said Schwennsen. “Buildings are low-hanging fruit. We can make a bigger difference in the world by improving building design and construction than by anything else.” To further reduce the project’s carbon footprint, the house design will be emailed rather than a finished house shipped to the Solar Decathlon competition site in Irvine, California, she said. A local manufacturer will cut the puzzle-like pieces and the Clemson team will construct Indigo Pine West before the Oct. 8 competition.
University students and professors, aspiring homeowners may one day order a complete house online, receive it in flat boxes and assemble it with just the help of a few friends or family members. Indigo Pine is what students have dubbed a home prototype, which uses interlocking pieces of plywood that fit like a jigsaw puzzle and are held together without nails or screws. For the Photos by Greg Beckner/Staff past two years, students from five schools within Clemson have been working on Indigo make it almost a do-it-yourself home where you receive EMPOWERING THE OWNER Pine for the U.S. Department of Energy and Nationthe parts that you need and follow the assembly manual Traditional construction is not designed to capial Renewable Energy Laboratory’s 2015 Solar Deand put it together yourself,” she said. talize on the capacities of a homeowner to put in cathlon competition. The house has no interior walls, creating an sweat equity to reduce cost, Harding said. “Usually Students from 20 universities and colleges were adaptable layout, Dias said. Double-sided cabinet a homeowner was reduced to helping paint.” challenged to design, build and operate solar-powunits fitted into the floor act as dividers and may If a system was designed where a homeowner ered homes that are also attractive, affordable and feature storage space on one side and kitchen cabicould reduce a cost like framing, they could afford energy efficient. nets on the other, she said. to purchase an environmentally friendly item like a Indigo Pine, named for a traditional Palmetto “If you’ve had the same floor plan for several years more efficient water heater, he said. State crop and a renewable construction source, is and you want to change it, instead of tearing out The Clemson system’s safety could also reduce a 1,000-square-foot home made up of 1,500 interload-bearing walls, all you have to do is take down insurance or workman’s compensation for a contraclocking pieces. Instead of stick-built construction, your cabinets,” she said. tor, he said. No electricity is needed on site for initial the project created a new structural system, called “There’s a lot of flexibility within a very simple construction, which chips away at another cost. sim[ply], that eliminates the carbon footprint assoenvelope,” Harding said. The house features solar Harding said he sees the Indigo Pine design filling ciated with using a nail gun for construction and is panels on the roof, energy-efficient panel siding and an affordable housing need, creating a contractor stronger than a stick-built home, said Clair Dias, the quintessential wraparound Southern porch, he demand and an economic opportunity. architecture graduate student and project manager. said. “The porch becomes the real customized part,” The process was tested for seismic loads like those allowing an owner to personalize the design to parDESIGN IN THE REAL WORLD experienced in California and for hurricane winds ticular use and region, from the coast to the mountains. At the unveiling of the East coast version located like those felt in South Carolina, she said, “and it’s Construction does not require heavy machinery in the SC Botanical Gardens, Dias called the project hitting home runs on all fronts.” and the tools necessary range from small hand tools “a microcosm of the real world” where students faced The plywood pieces are precision-cut at a manuto one skid loader, said Kate Schwennsen, director the same problems that professionals faced: budgets, facturer with CNC (computer numerical control) of the school of architecture. The construction is industry partners, management, marketing, modmachinery to produce the best fit. The builder then easier, faster and safer than traditional methods, eling, fabrication and weather delays. “Imagine how uses a hand tool to fasten stainless she said. Students worked hard on much we can accomplish because we learned these steel zip ties through small holes finding “what works well in South lessons now rather than five years after graduation.” in the sheets, said Dan Harding, Carolina” with regards to efficienBlouin said professors were gratified to “see how the associate professor in the archicy, using readily available materistudents were able to organize themselves as a team and tecture school. als to make it affordable and really behave like professionals.” Architecture students The pieces are cut from plywood aesthetically appealing, said who would normally create drawings, make models and no larger than four-by-eight feet, Vincent Blouin, architecture stop there had to go one step further and build the house, making them easy to handle. professor in the department of he said. “And it’s not just twice as complicated, it’s more Building the house requires a few materials science and engineering, like 1,000 times more complicated.” people or you can recruit a crowd, Harding said he teaches students “that design is Harding said. “You can deal with APPROACHING NET-ZERO a verb, that it’s an action and not really an object… it intimately with you and your Indigo Pine will use very little everything that is designed is subject to change based family, but on the other hand, it electricity or fuel during construcon critical analysis. We have to ensure that we’re could take on a real community tion and is already performing at looking at the great problems [first] so that we come barn-raising capacity.” high-efficiency, Harding said. At up with the great design solutions.” Dias said the students “really a rough-framed stage without tried to make all the pieces fit toinsulation, the house was tested WANT TO SEE MORE? gether as intuitively as possible” so Indigo Pine East is assembled for air infiltration and numbers using interlocking pieces Additional photos online at the house will literally fit in a flat instead of traditional methods exceeded those of finished homes, UpstateBusinessJournal.com box for shipping. The goal is “to using nails and screws. he said.
upstatebusinessjournal.com
THE DESIGN ISSUE
| COVER | 21
More than just round, black circles on a car BENJAMIN JEFFERS | STAFF
bjeffers@communityjournals.com “Some people just think of tires as tires. We think of them as a technological advancement to a car,” Michelin product category manager Brandon Sturgis said. Though many people may see tires as round, black things needed to drive a car, Michelin design coordinator Ben Ebel said, “A tire is an incredibly complex device.” Tires must not only meet a plethora of specifications from different automakers, but they must meet government regulations in the United States and internationally. “You’ve got to check all the boxes. You’ve got to make sure the tires can go everywhere,” Sturgis said. Michelin alone has a team of about 25 designers across France, North America and Japan. Ebel said large amounts of money are dedicated to research and development of tires. One recent design he was able to complete is a tire that evolves as it gets older. As the tread on the tires wears down, grooves in the tire widen to help clear water from the tire. The result helps ensure the tire can still get good traction even though the tread is reduced. That tire is just one of hundreds of designs on the market. Different tires have different functions, and Ebel said changing one component such as
traction of durability or a tire affects all the other components. The company can also use different types of rubber on the inside and outside of the tire to help with various handling aspects. A tire with an asymmetrical design used for sports cars has larger tread blocks on the outside of the tire face to make more surface area to grip the road. However, on the inside it has more grooves to clear away water. An all-season tire will have more “biting edges” to grip slick surfaces like snow or ice. “The tires have a huge effect on the way the car handles,” Sturgis said. Some design components like grooves are easier to see. But others must be observed more closely, such A model of the new Michelin Premier LTX tire illustrates as sipes, thin slits in the tire tread to how the tread pattern evolves as the tire wears down. improve handling. Even sipes have evolved recently. Instead of just vertical slits, developers created an interconnecting design that increases the life of the tire. Because of all the components that go into designing a tire, Ebel said consumers should not just spend “30 minutes on the weekend” looking for the cheapest tires, but instead need to focus on what they are personally looking for a tire to do to help them handle a car. Ebel said, “From a tire perspective we want to make sure we make a tire that complements [the cars].” At the end of the day, he said, “The only thing touching the road is your tires.”
“Some people just think of tires as tires. We think of them as a technological advancement to a car.” Michelin product category manager Brandon Sturgis
Michelin Premier LTX
The tread of a Michelin XDN 2 truck tire is designed with a very deep tread pattern for long life.
Michelin alone has a team of about 25 designers across France, North America and Japan.
Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 3.
22 | COVER |
UBJ
THE DESIGN ISSUE
|
05.15.2015
Community values guide Greenville’s architectural design By RONALD E. GEYER AIA, NCIDQ, Principal of Good City Architects, Greenville, S.C. In a 1986 meeting at Greenville’s City Hall, a volunteer team unveiled the first “Design Guidelines” for Greenville’s central business district. That year, the reconstruction of Main Street was in its infancy, and the Hyatt Regency and Fall for Greenville were celebrating their fourth birthdays. Design work on the Peace Center was just beginning. Amid the back-and-forth discussion almost 30 years ago on the design guidelines’ details – “Should materials be restricted? Could we say more about windows?” – a larger question arose: Should we have any kind of rules at all about design? One camp thought constraints of any kind would stoke petty arguments and douse serious investment. In cities with big, speculative real estate markets like Charlotte and Atlanta, architecture is as much about advertising as place. By contrast, most Greenville buildings and development were the work of local people. The projects might be less daring, but local people building for local use were less likely to make mistakes. But as word got out about what Greenville was becoming, it was reasonable to expect that future investors and architects might not know us as well. Greenville couldn’t afford not to have a point of view about design. When articulating such expectations, it’s tempting to get bogged down in land use and brick color. In our firm’s work with churches, we often ask and help answer bigger questions: Where did we come from and why are we here? Where are we going? How will we get there? Understanding context and values and motives aren’t esoteric concerns of spiritual people, they’re the key to designing anything of value. The demonstrations in Cairo and Kiev showed us, in dramatic fashion, that architecture, culture, and politics are inseparable from physical context. Each responds to the geometry of the land, the resources it offers, and the habits it fosters. When a
building grows from a particular place, it tends to be made in the image of that place. In South Carolina: A History, University of South Carolina historian Walter Edgar discusses the effect of wide, flat terrain on the Lowcountry’s industry, culture and social structure. The Upstate’s rugged topography, moving water, thick woods, and clay soil required and rewarded small-tract farming, self-reliance and an entrepreneurial instinct. The places we like best roll with the landscape and seem to be made of things that fit in our hands, like wood and brick and stone. “Places” have been described as spaces to which we’ve attached a story. We sometimes call this tradition, but it’s more personal than that. We consider a church sanctuary “spiritual” only because we encountered God there (or in a place like it). Tiger
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fans think of Death Valley as exciting because of the contest of the day and because of the contests of the past. Guidelines are useful, but can only regulate geometry and surface. Buildings that we simply observe, rather than inhabit, are harder to invest with meaning. It’s good to expect buildings to invite public and passers-by to spend time inside. Geography and tradition are the foundation, but not the limit, of what’s possible or appropriate. Designers know that great solutions either fit or fight the rules. Ever heard that form follows function? It’s a lie. We routinely pursue passion over practicality. Ever skip a meal to be with a loved one? You’re guilty. Greenville’s always had a kind of certainty that problems can be solved and great things were possible if enough good people showed up. The buildings we admire have enough confidence to pursue more than the minimum. We should expect buildings to speak to our aspirations. The best design of all, though, doesn’t single-mindedly pursue its own ends. It exercises decorum, an understanding of where it stands, geometrically and socially, in its relationship with the city. There are fine buildings in the Upstate’s flourishing downtowns – some old, some new, some just conceived – that don’t look alike (nor should they). It’s a good thing, since we who reside in the bumpy part of the state tend to mistrust anything that limits personal freedom. But individuals connected by shared beliefs or politics or rules alone, without the need to be neighborly, tend to misbehave. The places we love are populated by buildings and people that play well together. That much we expect.
Ronald E. Geyer, AIA, NCIDQ, is Principal of Good City Architects, LLC, in Greenville. While with another firm, Geyer designed the Peace Center of the Performing Arts and St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral in downtown Greenville.
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24 | SQUARE FEET |
REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION
UBJ
|
05.15.2015
8 new condos proposed for RiverPlace SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF sjackson@communityjournals.com @SJackson_CJ
Developer Tom Croft is working on a proposed new project which will include eight new condos at RiverPlace III in downtown Greenville. The project, not yet named, will include a new four-story building that will be in between the new Embassy Suites hotel and the existing Terrace at RiverPlace building at 220 RiverPlace. Condos will also be built on top of the new city parking garage and one of the wings of the hotel. The condos will range from 3,000 to 3,500 square feet and there will be two units per floor. Each home will have two balconies, direct elevator access, highend finishes and a rooftop terrace. The designs from Atlanta firm Cooper Carry will go in front of the June 4 Design Review Board meeting.
Grocery store set to anchor Davis Crossing A new 45,780-square-foot grocery
F ROAD
April A. Morris contributed to this story
DAVIS CROSSING PD (MAJOR CHANGE) SITE PLAN
WOODRUF
store is slated to be an anchor at the new 15.92-acre Davis Crossing shopping center at Woodruff and Lee Vaughn Roads. Details on the grocery store chain have not yet been released. It was rumored to be a new concept store from Food Lion, but a representative from Food Lion confirmed that the company is selling the land and has no plans to build a store at that location. Plans show the grocery store would have five gas pumps in front of the center. Two additional retail spaces, 4,500 square feet and 7,500 square feet respectively, would be available with an outdoor courtyard area with seating in the middle rounding out the plaza. Public improvements would include sidewalks and turn lanes along with seven acres of open space along Gilder Creek with walking trails and a bike path. Development on the shopping center hinges on a major change to the planned development zoning by Greenville County as the property is currently zoned as residential. A public hearing is scheduled for May 18 with the first reading by County Council on May 19. The project will need to go through three readings. If approved, the center is expected to open late 2016 or early 2017.
LEE V
AUGH
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upstatebusinessjournal.com
REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION
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Pendleton Street Baptist Church approved for rezoning SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF sjackson@communityjournals.com @SJackson_CJ
Pendleton Street Baptist Church, located across from Fluor Field and a downtown Greenville fixture since the 1890s, received final approval this week to rezone its property at 1100 S. Main St. and 8 Perry Ave., from C-3, regional commercial district,
to C-4, central business district. City Council passed the zoning change by a narrow 4-3 vote. Lillian Brock Flemming, Jil Littlejohn and Gaye Sprague voted against it. “I think this change is too abrupt from one of our lowest zoning uses,” said Sprague. The new zoning is actually more restrictive but allows a higher density for possible future development. C-4 zoning also does not require a minimum 10-foot front setback that is required with C-3 zoning.
Church leaders said the new zoning provides them with “the most flexibility” and said their intent is “to stay on the property but reformat it.” Several “suitors” have expressed interest in the property, especially with its easy access to parking. Church officials said that nothing specific is currently planned and the congregation would first vote on any potential plans. Robbie Ward contributed to this story
LISTED: Pacolet Milliken properties Pacolet Milliken Enterprises has listed six major tracts of land in the Upstate that encompass TE 2,900 acres, with the SI IR potential for 12 DA A million square feet of – ON industrial T IN development. CL CLINTON The land has been – SYCAMORE for sale for a while, but Pacolet Milliken recently decided it could use the help of brokerage services. The company hired industrial sites by the South Garrett Scott, Givens Stewart and Carolina Department of Brockton Hall of Colliers Commerce as project-ready sites. International to market the Each tract is available for sale, properties. build to suit or possible joint So far, the amount of activity venture equity. All are vacant and and interest has been “very contain no buildings or structures. refreshing,” Scott said. “Properties The properties can accommodate of this size, ranging from 130 to facilities of more than 1.5 million 830 acres, with access to all square feet or multiple buildings utilities, are increasingly of 250,000 to 500,000 square uncommon in the Upstate.” feet. Asking price is $47,500 per All properties are certified acre.
TRI SITE 1
TRI SITE 2 TRIP – SOUTH
TRIP – NORTH
NAME: Clinton – Adair Site ADDRESS: I-26 & SC-72 PROPERTY SIZE: 779 acres
NAME: Tyger River Industrial Site 1 ADDRESS: Moore-Duncan Hwy (290) PROPERTY SIZE: 737 acres
NAME: Clinton – Sycamore ADDRESS: I-26 & SC-56 PROPERTY SIZE: 385.42 acres
NAME: Tyger River Industrial Site 2 ADDRESS: Moore-Duncan Hwy (290) PROPERTY SIZE: 83 acres
NAME: Tyger River Industrial Park – North (TRIP-North) ADDRESS: Moore-Duncan Hwy (290) & Anderson Mill Rd PROPERTY SIZE: 827 acres
NAME: Tyger River Industrial Park – South (TRIP-South) ADDRESS: Moore-Duncan Hwy (290) & Center Point PROPERTY SIZE: 41 acres
The Judson Mill
MIXED-USE REDEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY One-of-a-kind assemblage comprised of 36 acres near downtown Greenville was recently assigned to Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer to exclusively represent for sale. This is a rare opportunity for a transformative impact to Greenville.
thalhimer.com (864) 370 8155
For more information:
BRIAN YOUNG brian.young@thalhimer.com
Sponsored Content The
Layout
Anderson University G. Ross Anderson Jr. Ca Designed by DP3 Architects
www.dp3architects.com | PEO
A
A d C s P d s t a d p
B
C
THE FRESHEST FACES ON THE BUSINESS LANDSCAPE
ampus Center Campus Center
| NEW TO THE STREET | 27
Open for business
OPLE PLACES PURPOSE PEOPLE PLACES PURPOSE
Anderson University selected DP3 Architects to provide Anderson University selected DP3 Architects to provide design services for the new G. Ross Anderson Jr. Campus design services for the new G. Ross Anderson Jr. Campus Center. “It will be one of the best and most attractive Center. “It will be one of the best and most attractive student centers in the South,” said Anderson University student centers in the South,” said Anderson University President, Dr. Evans Whitaker. The project involves the President, Dr. Evans Whitaker. The project involves the design of 80,000 square feet of space including a 600design of 80,000 square feet of space including a 600seat seat campus dining facility, 400-seat multi-purpose campus dining facility, 400-seat multi-purpose theater, bookstore, banquet hall, fitness center, student theater, bookstore, banquet hall, fitness center, student activity areas, and a global media center. DP3 Architects activity areas, and a global media center. DP3 Architects designed a space flexible enough to allow forfor future student designed a space flexible enough to allow future student population growth and multiple programming options. population growth and multiple programming options.
B
Two-story lobby withwith monumental stairs lobby monumental stairs A Two-story and and two two fireplaces fireplaces B 400-seat 400-seat auditorium andand movie theater auditorium movie theater
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C 600-seat 600-seat dining venue dining venue
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1 1. Holseberg Construction & Restoration recently opened its new headquarters at 726 C Lowndes Hill Rd., Greenville. The company specializes in renovations, remodels and insurance restorations. For more information, visit hcrsc.com.
2 2. Bright + Co recently opened at 118 Williams St., Greenville. The company specializes in public relations and marketing. For more information, visit brightcomarketers.com. 3. Thomas & Hutton recently opened at 304 N. Church St., Greenville. The company provides civil engineering and civil related services to public and private clients. For more information, visit thomasandhutton.com.
DD
3 CONTRIBUTE: Know of a business opening soon? Email information to bjeffers@communityjournals.com.
28 | COVER |
UBJ
THE DESIGN ISSUE
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05.15.2015
Before and after McMillan Pazdan Smith transforms old Claussen Bakery into modern office space The second floor of the former Claussen Bakery Building at 400 Augusta St. before renovation (below, left). The second floor after renovation (below, right). The firm moved into its new 16,00-square-foot home in late February. By choosing to re-use the original structure, the firm was able to preserve the historic integrity and unique character of the 1930s industrial space, while still giving the building a fresh, contemporary upgrade, including a complete modernization of the building’s systems.
Before photos by Jeff Hammond/Traveling Light Photographry; After photos by Greg Beckner/Staff
An old freight elevator and empty floor space on the second floor before renovation (far left). After renovation, the elevator was converted into storage space while a new staircase, constructed next to the former elevator, connects the first and second floor. In the open space beyond, a series of private offices, conference rooms and support space run parallel to the open studio bay. This section of the former bakery was constructed in the 1950s and received a slightly different treatment during renovation (immediate right). A separate color scheme, including windows framed with the firm’s signature yellow, and exposed concrete mark the section of the building constructed in the 1950s (far right). Below: A break room featuring a table made with wood recovered form the bakery. Below, center: The lobby reception area of the new office, with conference rooms beyond. Below, right: Signage in the new McMillan Pazdan Smith offices.
upstatebusinessjournal.com
PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS
ELECTED
PUBLISHED
AWARDED
HIRED
| ON THE MOVE | 29
APPOINTED
Tod Hyche
Michael P. Hoenig
Sandra Eksioglu
R. Mark Chapman
Justin Hawkins
Named South Carolina state chair-elect for the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. Hyche will be responsible for planning and coordinating the southeast regional meeting and managing the state membership committee, among other duties. He is partner in charge of Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP’s Greenville office.
Published as one of the authors of an article in The American Journal of Orthopedics. The article features the biomechanical comparison of hamstring tendon fixation devices for anterior ligament reconstruction (ACL). Hoenig is a doctor with Orthopaedic Associates, PA.
Awarded the ASEE Southeastern Section Outstanding Mid-Career Teaching Award from the American Association of Engineering Education. Eksigolu, an associate professor at Clemson University, wrote “Developing Spreadsheet-Based Decision Support Systems Using Excel and VBA for Excel” with other collaborators.
Named senior vice president and community banker at NBSC. Chapman has 34 years of banking experience. He most recently worked for Wells Fargo. He has served with United Way of Greenville, Greenville Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis of Greenville and South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts.
Named community banking area president of the Upstate Market for Wells Fargo & Company. Hawkins will oversee 490 Retail and Small Business Banking team members located in 40 stores. He joined Wachovia in 2003 as a financial center manager and transitioned to other positions when Wells Fargo acquired the bank.
ARCHITECTURE/DESIGN Radium Architecture named Anthony Wohlers as an intern architect. Wohlers is a 2015 graduate of Clemson University’s Masters of Architecture Program + Digital Ecologies. He has been involved with the Clemson team participating in the U.S.
PROUD TO ANNOUNCE OUR PARTNERSHIP
GLOBALLY RECOGNIZED BRANDS MAKING A DIFFERENCE AND IMPACT IN THE UPSTATE
together
Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon 2015, a competition to design a innovative, affordable home. LS3P hired Brian Price as a project manager and Emily Schulte as an intern architect. Price has
20 years of experience in commercial, retail, medical, ecclesiastical and multi-family residential designs. Schulte previously worked at an architecture firm in Key West, Fla. OTM continued on PAGE 30
30 | ON THE MOVE |
UBJ
PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS OTM continued from PAGE 29
05.15.2015
VIP – HIRED
FINANCE
Are You Ready for ACA Reporting?
Ali Succop joined Herlong Bates Burnett as a commercial customer service representative. Succop received her sociology degree from the University of South Carolina and previously worked for Allstate in Columbia.
Obamacare has been a political hotbed since day one, and whether we like it or not, the law is already in effect. 2015 is the critical year for American employers. Now is the time to put controversy aside and work towards compliance.
HOSPITALITY The Cliffs promoted Richard Dunn to cycling coach of the health and wellness team and Chris Shelnut to leader of the new corporate membership program. Dunn will work directly with professional cyclist George Hincapie to enhance ridership experience by creating new programming and events for members. Shelnut has 22 years of club management and strategic planning experience.
The Employer Mandate of the Affordable Care Act became effective in 2015 for businesses with 50 or more full-time equivalent employees (FTE). Even though certain employers with 50-99 FTE’s received a one-year delay, this delay is only available for the employer mandate, and NOT the reporting requirements. Reporting requirements for ALL employers with more than 50 FTE’s are in effect for 2015. The IRS released the final tax forms in February. The forms are not easy and require data to be reported that many companies may not already be tracking.
LEE YARBOROUGH
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R. Craig McCoy Named CEO of the Bon Secours St. Francis Health System in Greenville. McCoy has more than 20 years of health care experience. He most recently served as CEO of Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital. He was also CEO of Paradise Valley Hospital and vice president professional services at Oconee Medical Center.
HOUSEHOLD SUPPLIES
Here are 6 steps to take to make sure your company is compliant with the ACA:
Aunt Fannie’s, Inc. named Monica Nassif to the board of directors. Nassif founded and launched Mrs. Meyers Clean Day and Caldrea.
1. Work with your trusted advisors. Consult with your PEO, attorneys, accountants, HR staff, payroll providers, and insurance advisors to determine a course of action.
HR
2. Analyze your control group status. Do not just assume your status because the rules are complicated. Your company may be a part of an aggregated group and may be required to report even with less than 50 FTEs. Ask for advice on this and review annually in case of any changes.
Hire Dynamics promoted Lisa Lopez to operations manager in its Greenville branch. Lopez will oversee the daily operations of the in-house recruiting team and assist with training and development. She has been with the company since 2012 and has more than nine years of experience in the staffing industry with an emphasis in recruiting, client services and outplacement.
3. Organize your documents. As an employer, you may have to prove that you offered employees coverage. Take the time now to document all insurance elections and waivers and file systematically. The time spent now will be worth it if there is a future audit. 4. Review your systems. You may have multiple systems to track the different ACA requirements. Try to combine this data into one system.
downey provides strategic direction and marketing expertise to clients, including Henny Penny, T&S Brass and Bronze Works and Saia LTL Freight. McElhannon serves as key project manager for those accounts. Vanvick manages marketing projects and executes strategic initiatives for the Scotsman Ice Systems, A.J. Antunes & Co., Michelin Ag and Nason accounts.
CONTRIBUTE:
5. Monitor Monthly. Do not wait until January to work on the tax form. Data has to be captured monthly and you should begin this process now.
MARKETING/PR VantagePoint Marketing promoted Angie McEldowney to senior account manager, Collin McElhannon to account executive and Virginia Vanvick to senior account executive. McEl-
6. Review outsourcing options. A good PEO or HR Outsourcing company can assist you with this complicated law. The peace of mind you gain by having a partner like Propel HR on your team is priceless.
New hires, promotions & award winners may be featured in On the Move. Send information and photos to onthemove@upstate businessjournal.com.
If you thought Obamacare might actually go away, it is time to take your head out of the sand. There is too much work to be done before the end of the year.
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Clemson student’s ice company wins startup competition Clemson University MBA student Josh Luetkemeyer won $7,500 for his business plan pitch at the DIG South conference in Charleston. Luetkemeyer pitched his startup company Standard Ice, which creates premium cubes that last longer than regular ice and produce a less watered-down drink. DIG South is an annual conference that draws more than 200 presenters and 1,500 attendees from across the country. Luetkemeyer was one of eight student/early-stage entrepreneurs selected to compete in front of a panel of experts and a live audience. He is the second student in a row from Clemson’s MBA in Entrepreneurship and Innovation program to win first place in the business-plan pitch competition. Luetkemeyer’s company designed a method to freeze cubes while filtering air, impurities and contaminants out and balancing the minerals and Ph factor for better flavor. The finished cubes are two inches in diameter and last eight to 13 minutes longer than the same volume of scooped ice. The company currently sells the cubes at specialty liquor stores in the Upstate and is looking to actively expand nationally by selling the product to large chains.
CertusBank CEO resigns CertusBank chairman, president and CEO John Poelker resigned from his position following recent heart surgery. Brad Kopp, chairman of the board for CertusHoldings Inc., said in a statement, “John worked tirelessly during his time with CertusBank to reposition the company as a traditional community bank. Following his recent heart surgery, he needs to focus his time on recuperating fully. John’s teammates and the CertusBank board of directors are grateful for his service and wish him well.” Poelker joined CertusBank in April 2014. The board named Len Davenport as interim CEO. Most recently CertusBank’s chief investment officer and treasurer, Davenport has been with the bank since 2011. “I am humbled by this opportunity to lead CertusBank,” Davenport said. “It has been an honor to work with John Poelker and I wish him a speedy recovery. I appreciate the support from CertusBank’s Poelker teammates and leaders as we work to push forward and implement the strategy developed by John and the board of directors.”
Allen Tate gives $100k to local arts Allen Tate Realtors recently contributed more than $104,000 to local arts and cultural programs and United Way agencies through its Tate Cares
BUSINESS BRIEFS YOU CAN’ T MISS
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giving campaign. This year’s campaign marked the third year for Tate Cares, a combined event to support cultural initiatives and the United Way. The Tate Cares umbrella also includes FUNday, an event held each fall to raise money for public education. “Tate Cares gives our agents and employees the opportunity to plan their annual giving commitment to benefit organizations that dramatically impact the quality of life in our communities. We’re so pleased with the generosity that has been shown by our Realtors and staff,” Pat Riley, Allen Tate Company president and COO, said in a release.
Nonprofit gets $30k grant to revitalize Spartanburg neighborhood The Arts Partnership of Greater Spartanburg (TAP) was awarded a $30,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to design, site and construct artlets in the city’s Northside neighborhood. Artlets are public structures designed to encourage people to be creative in their community. They were conceived as places with a platform approximately eight to 10 feet in diameter and supporting a moveable vertical fence about six feet high. TAP President Jennifer Evins said in a release, “This project develops woodworking and design skills for residents, opportunities to learn urban planning strategies, and creates neighborhood portals for artistic enjoyment and appreciation.” Currently, the City of Spartanburg is embarking an extensive redevelopment plan to revitalize Northside. TAP is pushing to use the arts as a means for social and economic change in the neighborhood. Through its grant-making to thousands of nonprofits each year, the NEA promotes opportunities for people in communities across the United States to experience the arts and exercise their creativity. This grant to TAP is in the second major grant announcement of fiscal year 2015. The NEA will make 1,023 awards totaling $74.3 million nationwide in this funding round.
Crawford Strategy wins 8 awards Crawford Strategy recently won two Mercury awards and six Silver Wing awards at the annual Mercury Awards ceremony held by the South Carolina chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (SCPRSA). The eight honors won by Crawford represented the highest total number of awards by any entrant in this year’s awards. The agency received Mercury Awards for the agency’s work for Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport’s (GSP) WINGSPAN campaign and for the United Community Bank Ice on Main. Crawford’s Silver Wing awards were in the categories of media relations, print newsletter, social media, blog and external website. “At Crawford Strategy, we use a variety of engaging and creative methods to help tell our clients’ stories,” Marion Crawford, president and CEO, said in a release. “It is always nice to be acknowledged by our industry peers for work that delivers results for our clients. We have a talented team of professionals and I am glad to see their outstanding work recognized.”
FINE PRINT continued on PAGE 32
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BUSINESS BRIEFS YOU CAN’ T MISS
Venture Capital & Angel Investing Venture capital and angel investing drives U.S. job creation and economic growth by helping entrepreneurs turn innovative ideas and advances into products and services that change the way we live and work.
100
Average number of venture capital transactions closed by Nelson Mullins in each of 2012, 2013 and 2014
35
Number of Nelson Mullins attorneys in 8 offices across the East Coast who focus on emerging growth, venture capital and angel investing
200
Number of emerging growth and venture capital stage companies represented by Nelson Mullins across the East Coast
$173 MILLION Amount of venture capital invested in South Carolina companies since 2012*
$
10.7
Amount of money invested last year in seed and early stage companies in the U.S. by venture capitalists
billion Venture capital is about capturing the value between the startup phase and the public company phase
213
Total number of venture capital deals closed last year in the Southeast *As of 4Q14
Why pay extra for the inconvenience of out-of-state attorneys, when we have brought so much large market experience home to the Upstate? NEIL GRAYSON (864) 250-2235 neil.grayson@ nelsonmullins.com
BO RUSSELL (864) 250-2313 bo.russell@ nelsonmullins.com
MIKE JOHNSON (864) 250-2365 mike.johnson@ nelsonmullins.com
www.NelsonMullins.com
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05.15.2015
FINE PRINT continued from PAGE 31
Power tool company investing $85M in Anderson Techtronic Industries (TTI), a design and manufacturing company for power tools and equipment, is investing $85 million to expand its Anderson County operations. The investment is expected to create at least 216 jobs over a five-year period. The company’s brands include Milwaukee, AEG, Ryobi, Homelite, Hoover, Oreck, Vax and Dirt Devil. The company employs more than 20,000 workers worldwide. “International investment continues to drive our economy, providing opportunities for South Carolinians in all corners of our state. I congratulate Techtronic Industries and our Upstate community on this milestone announcement and look forward to the continued success of this partnership in the years to come.” S.C. Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt said in a release. To expand its Anderson County operations, TTI will construct a 1.3 millionsquare-foot distribution, assembly and reconditioning center. The new distribution center will be constructed near the I-85 / S.C. Hwy. 81 interchange. The facility is expected to be completed by the end of the second quarter of 2016. The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to the project.
ProActive changes name, expands to Charleston Greenville-based software consulting firm ProActive Technology has changed its name to Kopis and is expanding to the Charleston market. As part of the branding change, Kopis staff will be moving into a 4,000-square-foot space at the NEXT Innovation Center, Andrew Kurtz, the firm’s CEO, said. The company currently has 25 employees and has grown 10 percent this year. Kurtz said he expects the company to grow 20 percent by the end of the year. The company also created Kopis >>
upstatebusinessjournal.com
>> Cares, which donated $6,000 to NEXT High School. The donation will be the first from an Upstate company in a NEXT High School fund that will be used to give students access to technology at home. Kopis provides services for clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies to successful startups. T h e company hired Trevor Strange to serve existing and new customers in the Charleston region as business development manager.
BUSINESS BRIEFS YOU CAN’ T MISS
| THE FINE PRINT | 33
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Roy Metal Finishing named top shop in US
Typically achieved with a Lockup,a go home h Typically achieved with a Lockup, go home generator that provides and wait for the s generator that provides and wait for the power to a limited number power to return. mb e power to a limited number power to return. of circuits. • No revenue of circuits. • No revenue generation • Allows you to save data generation a • Allows you to save data (864)23 Roy Metal Finishing (RMF) has • Profitability at risk and shutdown computers (864)2 • Profitability at risk s and shutdown computers been named the best finishing shop in • Missed customer safely PO • Missed customer ORDERLY safely POBOX BO the U.S., according to an industry deadlines ORDERLY • No revenue NO STANDBY Greenv deadlines • No revenue NO STANDBY Green SHUTDOWN benchmarking survey conducted by • Security Risk • Potential profits loss SHUTDOWN • Security Risk • Potential profits loss POWER Products Finishing magazine, a trade POWER • Checkout remaining • Checkout remaining publication that has covered the incustomers customers dustry since 1938. Using a generator Using a generator The magazine conducted an extenBusiness operations Business operations that provides power that provides power sive benchmarking survey that anacontinue as if there was wa continue as if there was to essential circuits s to essential circuits lyzed a company in several different no outage no outage so your business areas, including Current Finishing so your business • Maintain revenue stream ea m • Maintain revenue stream can stay open. Technology, Finishing Practices and can stay open. • Profits are protected • Profits are protected • Business can stay Performances, Business Strategies and • Business can stay • Gain new customers • Gain new customers open Performances, and Training and open • Become known as a LIMITED FULL • Become known as a • Generate revenue LIMITED FULL Human Resources. Only the top 50 • Generate revenue reliable business in the e reliable business in the • Profits are protected OPERATIONS shops were named a Products Finish• Profits are protected OPERATION OPERATIONS community OPERATION community • Loses are reduced ing magazine ‘Top Shop’ based on a • Loses are reduced scoring matrix of those four criteria. “RMF has established itself as one of the best finishing operations in the industry,” said Tim Pennington, editor of Products Finishing magazine. “The criteria we used was very stringent and only the finishing shops that excelled in all four areas made the list. They are in rare air when it comes to finishing operations.” RMF operates three locations in the Upstate and offers a wide range of corrosion-resistant coatings to the automotive, heavy truck, recreational and industrial vehicle markets. “We are extremely excited and pleased to be named Products Finishing magazine’s ‘Top Shop’,” said John Pazdan, president of RMF. “Our employees and management team have worked very hard to be the best in the industry, and to provide our customers with quality service.”
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34 | PLANNER |
EVENTS YOU SHOULD HAVE ON YOUR CALENDAR
UBJ
|
05.15.2015
DATE
EVENT INFO
WHERE DO I GO?
HOW DO I GO?
Monday
Startup Ideation Bootcamp Intensive startup workshop to improve ideas, develop new ideas and recruit potential co-founders
NEXT Innovation Center, 411 University Ridge, Greenville, 6 p.m.
Cost: Free Register: fi.co/courses/40211
Shaping Our Future Speaker Series Topic:The Dollars and Sense of Development Patterns Speaker: Joseph Minicozzi, principal of Urban3
The Crowne Plaza, 851 Congaree Rd., Greenville, 3-5 p.m.
Cost: $10 Register: bit.ly/shaping-future-may2015
Small Business Start-up Workshop
Spartanburg Community College, 1875 East Main St., Duncan, 6-8 p.m.
Cost: Free Register: piedmontscore.org/workshops/register/169
Investment Club Kickoff Meeting Learning how to analyze and evaluate a company
Commerce Club, 55 Beattie Place, Greenville, 5:30 p.m.
Register: 864-232-5600
Tech After Five Networking for technology professionals
Pour Lounge, 221 N. Main St., Greenville, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Cost: Free Register: bit.ly/taf-may2015
Executive Leadership Series peaker: Mayor Knox White
Commerce Club, 55 Beattie Place, Greenville, 5:30 p.m.
Register: 864-232-5600
GSATC Learning Lunch Topic: How Silicon Valley is Making Startup Success in Greenville
Embassy Suites, 670 Verdae Blvd., Greenville, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Cost: $25 Register: bit.ly/GSATC-may2015
InnoVision Series Topic: Data Breaches and Cyber Security
McNair Law Firm, P.A., 104 S. Main St., Suite 700, Greenville, 3:30-5 p.m.
Register: ahalpin@mcnair.net or 864-271-4940
5/29
Friday Forum Breakfast Topic: The 7 Practices of Exceptional Business People
Embassy Suites, 670 Verdae Blvd., Greenville, 8-9:30 a.m.
Cost: Chamber members $15, nonmembers $20 Register: bit.ly/fridayforum-may2015
Tuesday
Our Upstate Vision Forum Topic: Innovation and the Changing Landscape of Healthcare Speaker: Kirby Thornton, South Carolina Hospital Association CEO
The Crowne Plaza, 851 Congaree Rd., Greenville, 3-5 p.m.
Cost: $10 Register: bit.ly/regional-forum-june2015
Thursday-Saturday
Talented Tenth Conference Young minority professionals from the Upstate connect with business and civic leaders across the Southeast
Hyatt Regency, 220 N. Main St., Greenville
Cost: $50 Register and more info: bit.ly/talented-tenth2015
5/18 Tuesday
5/19
Wednesday
5/20 Thursday
5/21 Friday
6/2 6/4-6/6
CONTRIBUTE: Got a hot date? Submit event information for consideration to events@upstatebusinessjournal.com.
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THE EASIEST WAY TO TRAVEL. For over 50 years, GSP International Airport has helped our local economy take flight. With convenient parking, shorter lines and more direct flights to the places you need to be, your choice in travel is close to home.
THINK GSP FIRST. GSPairport.com
upstatebusinessjournal.com
A QUICK LOOK INTO THE UPSTATE’S PAST
| SNAPSHOT | 35
Historic photo provide d
▼ The 1882 mill was renovated and is now part of the Peace Center complex.
▲ In 1882 the Huguenot Mill began operations on West Broad Street. Constructed of red brick, the mill’s most distinctive feature was a tower in the Italianate style. The mill organizers were Charles E. Graham and Charles H. Lanneau. Lanneau also served as the first superintendent. The origin of the mill’s name is not clear. It is speculated that Lanneau’s Huguenot descent was the source. In 1910 the Huguenot Mill was acquired by the newly formed Nuckasee Manufacturing Company, under the presidency of Frederick W. Symmes. In 1929 Union-Buffalo Mills took over operations. Subsequently the building was used by several textile companies. By the 1980s it was abandoned and in danger of demolition.
Historic photograph available from the Greenville Historical Society. From “Remembering Greenville: Photographs from the Coxe Collection” by Jeffrey R. Willis ART & PRODUCTION
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Kate Madden
DIGITAL TEAM Emily Price, Danielle Carr
1997 Jackson Dawson launches motorsports Division 1993
1990 Jackson Dawson acquires therapon marketing Group and moves to Piedmont office Center on Villa.
>>
with a majority of them utilizing the general aviation airport as a “corporate gateway to the city.” In 1997, Jackson and his son, Darrell, launched Jackson Motorsports Group. The new division was designed to sell race tires and go to racetracks to sell and mount the tires. Darrell Jackson now serves as president of the motorsports group and Larry Jackson has two other children and a son-in-law who work there. Jackson said all his children started at the bottom and “earned their way up.” Jackson kept the Jackson-Dawson branches in Detroit and others in Los Angeles and New York until he sold his portion of that partnership in 2009 as part of his estate planning. The company now operates a small office in Charlotte, but its main headquarters are in Greenville in a large office space off Woodruff Road, complete with a vision gallery that displays local artwork and an auditorium Jackson makes available for non-profit use. The Motorsports Group is housed in an additional 26,000 square feet building just down the street, and the agency is currently looking for another 20,000 square feet. Jackson said JMG has expanded into other verticals such as financial, healthcare, manufacturing and pro-bono work, but still has a strong focus on the auto industry and transportation. It’s
Chairman larry Jackson, Jackson marketing Group. Photos by Greg Beckner / Staff
Jackson Marketing Group celebrates 25 years By sherry Jackson | staff | sjackson@communityjournals.com
Solve. Serve. Grow. Those three words summarize Jackson Marketing Group’s guiding principles, and according to owner Larry Jackson, form the motivation that has kept the firm thriving for the past 25 years.
Jackson graduated from Bob Jones University with a degree in video and film production and started his 41-year career in the communications industry with the U.S. Army’s Public Information Office. He served during
Vietnam, where he said he was “luckily” stationed in the middle of Texas at Fort Hood. He left the service and went to work in public affairs and motorsports at Ford Motor Company in Detroit. After a stint at Bell and Howell, where he was responsible for managing Ford’s dealer marketing and training, the entrepreneurial bug hit and he co-founded Jackson-Dawson Marketing Communications, a company specializing in dealer training and product launches for the auto industry in 1980. In 1987, Jackson wanted to move back south and thought Greenville would be a good fit. An avid pilot, he
learned of an opportunity to purchase Cornerstone Aviation, a fixed base operation (FBO) that served as a service station for the Greenville Downtown Airport, providing fuel, maintenance and storage. In fact, when he started the Greenville office of what is now Jackson Marketing Group (JMG) in 1988, the offices were housed on the second floor in an airport hangar. “Clients would get distracted by the airplanes in the hangars and we’d have to corral them to get back upstairs to the meeting,” Jackson said. Jackson sold the FBO in 1993, but says it was a great way to get to know Greenville’s fathers and leaders
>>
2003 motorsports Division acquires an additional 26,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space
1998 1998 Jackson Dawson moves to task industrial Court
also one of the few marketing companies in South Carolina to handle all aspects of a project in-house, with four suites handling video production, copywriting, media and research and web design. Clients include heavyweights such as BMW, Bob Jones University, the Peace Center, Michelin and Sage Automotive. Recent projects have included an interactive mobile application for Milliken’s arboretum and 600-acre Spartanburg campus and a marketing campaign for the 2013 Big League World Series. “In my opinion, our greatest single achievement is the longevity of our client relationships,” said Darrell Jackson. “Our first client from back in 1988 is still a client today. I can count on one hand the number of clients who have gone elsewhere in the past decade.” Larry Jackson says his Christian faith and belief in service to others, coupled with business values rooted in solving clients’ problems, have kept
2009 Jackson Dawson changes name to Jackson marketing Group when larry sells his partnership in Detroit and lA 2003
2009-2012 Jackson marketing Group named a top BtoB agency by BtoB magazine 4 years running
him going and growing his business over the years. He is passionate about giving back and outreach to non-profits. The company was recently awarded the Community Foundation Spirit Award. The company reaffirmed its commitment to serving the community last week by celebrating its 25th anniversary with a birthday party and a 25-hour Serve-A-Thon partnership with Hands on Greenville and Habitat for Humanity. JMG’s 103 full-time employees worked in shifts around the clock on October 22 and 23 to help construct a house for a deserving family. As Jackson inches towards retirement, he says he hasn’t quite figured out his succession plan yet, but sees the companies staying under the same umbrella. He wants to continue to strategically grow the business. “From the beginning, my father has taught me that this business is all about our people – both our clients and our associates,” said his son, Darrell. “We have created a focus and a culture that strives to solve problems, serve people and grow careers.” Darrell Jackson said he wants to “continue helping lead a culture where we solve, serve and grow. If we are successful, we will continue to grow towards our ultimate goal of becoming the leading integrated marketing communications brand in the Southeast.”
2011 Jackson marketing Group/Jackson motorsports Group employee base reaches 100 people
2008 2012 Jackson marketing Group recognized by Community Foundation with Creative spirit Award
pro-bono/non-proFit Clients American Red Cross of Western Carolinas Metropolitan Arts Council Artisphere Big League World Series The Wilds Advance SC South Carolina Charities, Inc. Aloft
JULY 17: TRAVELERS REST The small town making big waves.
Hidden Treasure Christian School
CoMMUnitY inVolVeMent & boarD positions lArry JACkson (ChAirmAn): Bob Jones University Board chairman, The Wilds Christian Camp and Conference Center board member, Gospel Fellowship Association board member, Past Greenville Area Development Corporation board member, Past Chamber of Commerce Headquarters Recruiting Committee member, Past Greenville Tech Foundation board member David Jones (Vice President Client services, Chief marketing officer): Hands on Greenville board chairman mike Zeller (Vice President, Brand marketing): Artisphere Board, Metropolitan Arts Council Board, American Red Cross Board, Greenville Tech Foundation Board, South Carolina Chamber Board eric Jackson (Jackson motorsports Group sales specialist): Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club Advisory Board
November 1, 2013 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal 21
20 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal November 1, 2013
AS SEEN IN
NOVEMBER 1, 2013
Anita Harley, Jane Rogers
Susan Clary Simmons ssimmons@communityjournals.com
STAFF WRITERS
jackson Marketing Group’s 25 Years 1988 Jackson Dawson opens in Greenville at Downtown Airport
1988
Michael Allen
Ryan L. Johnston rjohnston@communityjournals.com
Jerry Salley jsalley@communityjournals.com
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