MAY 25, 2018 | VOL. 8 ISSUE 21
Stacy Brandon, Bank of America’s Upstate South Carolina market president, is striving to make financial lives better
CHECKS AND BALANCES
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
3 CHEERS FOR YEE-HAW BREWING CO. KEYMARK’S DIGITAL MANAGEMENT NEW VILLAGE RETAILERS
Will Crooks / Upstate Business Journal
GAME DAY. LAKE DAY. ANY DAY. Located on scenic Lake Hartwell in Clemson, Lakeside Lodge offers a unique experience combining the amenities of a high-end resort with the benefits of condominium ownership and rental potential.
NOT JUST ANOTHER HOTEL. NOT JUST ANOTHER LAKE HOUSE. THE BEST OF BOTH. LAKESIDE LODGE CLEMSON.
Construction Begins Summer 2018 Visit our Sales Center at 906 Tiger Blvd. in Clemson PROUD PARTNER OF THE CLEMSON TIGERSâ„¢
864-775-5550 | WWW.LAKESIDELODGECLEMSON.COM
TOP-OF-MIND AND IN THE MIX THIS WEEK
| THE RUNDOWN
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 21 Featured this issue: New Village retailers on Pendleton..............................................................................4 When you should (or shouldn’t) write a book........................................................17 The IT support your business needs.........................................................................19
WORTH REPEATING
Stephen Middleton, Cameron Boland, Jim Wanner, Jami Mullikin, and Dan Christie of KeyMark. Will Crooks/Upstate Business Journal
“I didn’t want to move out of the Village. I’ve seen it grow so much.” Sarah O’Dell, Page 4 “We are the guys behind the scenes making sure everything runs efficiently.” Jim Wanner, Page 6 “Convenience is an enemy of security.” Frank Mobley, Page 18
ANNOUNCED
Sidewall in Spartanburg
KeyMark, a company headquartered in Liberty, is a leading enterprise information management solutions provider in a rapidly changing environment. The company helps take workflow digital, meaning it digitizes paper-heavy industries. Since 2005, KeyMark has experienced 461 percent growth and has absorbed or acquired six other companies since 2006. Read more on Page 6.
Earn More by Saving More! 13 Month Certificate Special
Balances < $25,000 $25,000 to < $75,000 $75,000 to < $200,000 $200,000 or more
1.50% APY* 1.75% APY* 2.00% APY* 2.10% APY* www.sctelco.com | (800) 922-0446
Sidewall Pizza announced May 22 it is expanding into Spartanburg, with a new location planned to open closer to the New Year on the first floor of the underconstruction Montgomery Building at 187 N. Church St.
*Annual Percentage Yield. The promotional rates are available for regular certificates, IRA certificates and business certificates beginning 05/01/2018. Rate of 1.50% is based on having a balance of less than $25K. Rate of 1.75% is based on having a balance of $25K to <$75K. Rate of 2.00% is based on having a balance of $75K to <$200K. Rate of 2.10% is based on having a balance of $200K or greater. A minimum opening deposit of $500 is required. Early withdrawal fees could reduce earnings on the account. Rates may change without notice. This credit union is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration.
300 Mills Avenue - Greenville | 601 Verdae Boulevard - Greenville | 3237 Wade Hampton Boulevard - Taylors | 118 Brushy Creek Road - Easley | 130 N. Town Drive - Spartanburg
5.25.2018 | upstatebusinessjournal.com
3
NEWS |
INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
RETAIL
New Biz on the Block New Village of West Greenville retail locations set to open in June
The Mod Vape & Vibe will be taking over the former The Wheel location on Pendleton Street. Irina Rice/Upstate Business Journal ARIEL TURNER | STAFF
aturner@communityjournals.com The recent Village of West Greenville revitalization to this point has hinged largely on artists studios and some standout restaurants, with a few retail spots in the mix. That’s about to shift as nearly a dozen more retail tenants have signed leases along Pendleton Street. One of them, interior design studio Dwell Chic, at 1296B Pendleton St., scrambled and managed to open for the May First Friday festivities after only a few days in the new space. Rakan Draz of Avison Young represented the landlord in the transaction. Sarah O’Dell of Dwell Chic moved to the Village into the back of the former bank building at 1279 Pendleton St. in May 2017. When she was looking for a larger, more visible loca-
4
UBJ | 5.25.2018
tion with more storage space, she didn’t have to look very far. “I didn’t want to move out of the Village,” she says. “I’ve seen it grow so much.” The new 1,250-square-foot storefront also gives O’Dell additional storage space and the ability to grow and rotate her retail offerings. The other retailers along Pendleton are set to open within the next month or so. The redeveloped Mutual Home Store of Greenville property at 1256 A-G Pendleton St. will be home to the majority of them. Retailers with storefronts on the recently constructed sidewalk include RockerBelles boutique, Savereign plant shop, Beautiful Demise T-shirt store, and Van’s Chocolates. The newly announced locations for the Village Grind coffee shop and Carol’s Ice Cream are located in the same stretch. Behind 1256 B and C are six smaller spaces that open into a
common hallway and share one entrance. Included among those tenants are Luxe Lashes, The Mailroom Barber & Shop, and Common Studios photography studio, which will be used primarily by Community Journals, publisher of the Greenville Journal and Upstate Business Journal. The owner of the Mutual Home property, Branwood Properties LLC, is currently in negotiations with a restaurant user for the first storefront, 1256A, says Ryan Johnston, a member of the ownership group responsible for leasing and the former publisher of Upstate Business Journal. Savereign owner A.J. Arellano is moving his plant design studio from Railside Studios on Lois Avenue around the corner to a more visible location with more space for customers after having been in the previous location for five months.
INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
“I can’t sell out of a studio as much as I wanted to,” he says. The new space at 1256C Pendleton will give him the opportunity to showcase other local artists on a rotating monthly basis, host workshops, and expand home goods retail offerings. The end cap of the Mutual Home Store property will house Van’s Chocolates, which will be the second retail location for the chocolatier that provides 95 percent of the chocolates sold at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C., according to owner Will Ralston. Down a block at 1288 Pendleton St., The Mod Vape & Vibe shop will open in the 1,100-square-foot former The Wheel music venue. Pam Burriss, the former owner/stylist of Urban Evolution Salon in Atlanta, is returning to Greenville after 19 years to open The Mod Vape & Vibe,
| NEWS
which is named after the center part of a vaping device, as well as an attitude and style that will be focused on including the community. “So much has changed, and I am excited to be a part of The Village,” she says. “We are planning on having a few outdoor music parties in our green space to attract folks to this fantastic new area.” Retail and restaurant spaces along Pendleton are still available, including the former We Took to the Woods candle manufacturing location, Tipsy Music Pub, SE Center for Photography, the Graphic Cow on the corner of Pendleton and Lois Avenue, and the just-recently-announced Shindig Furnishings at 11 Lois Ave.
Dwell Chic opened its new location the first week of May. Irina Rice/Upstate Business Journal
IT’S PLANE SIMPLE
MORE NONSTOPS • CONVENIENT PARKING LESS HASSLE • LOW FARES
100 OVER
TOTAL D NONST AILY OPS
7%
CH THAN CEAPER HA ON AVE RLOTTE RAG E*
www.gspairport.com *Average one way fare plus Passenger Facility Charge in each of GSP’s top 50 markets per USDOT for 12 months ending June 30, 2017.
Branwood Properties LLC is currently in negotiations with a restaurant user for 1256A Pendleton St. Irina Rice/Upstate Business Journal 5.25.2018 | upstatebusinessjournal.com
5
NEWS |
INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
CEO Jim Wanner has led KeyMark, named among Inc. magazine’s top 500 companies, since 1996.
TECHNOLOGY
Next-Level Tech KeyMark is helping paper-heavy industries digitize their workflow WORDS BY MIKE MCMILLAN PHOTOS BY WILL CROOKS
6
UBJ | 5.25.2018
You may not understand what KeyMark does, but you’ll have no problem understanding how this company from Liberty has grown so rapidly.
In fact, this company thousands of miles from Silicon Valley is on the cusp of the tech industry and has even been poaching customers from Washington State, the home of Microsoft. So what does KeyMark do? According to marketing director Greg Aiken, it helps take workflow digital — in other words, the company helps digitize paper-heavy industries. It’s a leading enterprise information management solutions provider in a rapidly changing environment. “We’re the mortar connecting the bricks,” said Cameron Boland, vice president of operations. “We understand our clients’ businesses more than they do.” Jim Wanner, the company’s founder and chief “expectations” officer, has steered the ship since 1996, leading the company to be named among Inc. Magazine’s top 500 companies, and has consistently earned awards from customers — one actually having changed the parameters of the award so KeyMark wouldn’t win each year. “We are the guys behind the scenes making sure everything runs efficiently,” he said. The company first got involved with software space automated data entry — the ability to read machine print and handwriting on paper. It closed on a number of deals, including customers like Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia. “We realized there might have been more in the industry than just automated data entry,” Wanner said. Over the years, they partnered with companies like Watermark and Highland Software, opening the door to business process automation. They worked with a number of other partners on the capture side, including a company that developed a process to capture documents much faster. KeyMark realized the need for enterprise form management. Forms InMotion, one of the company’s core products, centralizes forms in a single place, making them easily accessible. The software helps not just in centralizing forms, but in allowing for ease of form completion, making notes, and getting signatures. The company serves financial services, government, health-care, and commercial customers. It has a contract to work with many agencies within South Carolina. But the clientele extends far beyond the Palmetto State. KeyMark has sold aggressively outside the area. Wanner said marketing its products outside the region forced the company to be better than everyone. In addition, KeyMark has employees in 13 states and in Canada. Wanner said one of the great assets of the company has been hiring bright graduates from Clemson University, as well as alumni from Furman University and Southern Wesleyan University. The company also has a strong internship program, with seven starting this summer. “We have a lot of highly skilled people,” he said.
INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
| NEWS
KeyMark has been in the Pickens County Commerce Park for 13 years and recently moved to its new facility next door. The state-of-the-art facility has 60 employees but could hold as many as 120.
Those skilled people, along with Wanner’s leadership, have helped drive the company’s 461 percent growth since 2005. It has absorbed or acquired six other companies since 2006. Another metric of the company’s success has been its Net Promoter Score. It has ranked 96 on a scale from -100 to 100. The score measures the willingness of customers to recommend a company’s products or services. It has even beaten upstart electric automaker Tesla’s score. The company has been a part of the Pickens County Commerce Park for 13 years. In that time, KeyMark has been integral to the community, having recently moved to its new facility next door. The state-of-the-art facility has 60 employees but could hold as many as 120. As the company grows, it must contend with an ever-evolving industry that Wanner said is in the middle of tremendous change. KeyMark is growing to content services, and systems integration technology will be the next core technology. Much like Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite, the pricing is also evolving to a monthly fee rather than buying a program or application outright. “We’re in a transition phase,” Wanner said. “Our future is extremely bright.”
KeyMark is growing to content services, and systems integration technology will be the next core technology.
The platforms the company is working with will ensure affordability of its products to small and medium-sized businesses. They promise cost-effective solutions to problems. Pickens County has been a strong partner with KeyMark, selling the land to KeyMark for its newest facility. In turn, the company has reached back out to the community and Clemson University. Wanner has been on Clemson’s computer science advisory board, and he’s been giving real-world advice on how the university can tailor its curriculum.
Meanwhile, the company has been invested in 10 local schools; even D.W. Daniel High School didn’t have a computer science program five years ago. Wanner said the company is carrying the banner for students to see there’s a future for them in computer science, including the number of careers that are available around technology companies. They hope to inspire students, even those in schools where free lunches cover as much as 90 percent of the student body, that they can grow to be successful thanks to technology-based careers in local companies. Wanner said the key to maintaining the company’s level of success has been the people. His goal, he said, was to train them, to give them a place where they can thrive. Boland said the company is always willing to invest in technology and equipment for any employee, whether it be a standing desk, extra monitor — or two — or any software he or she might need. “There are no real roadblocks to performance,” he said. “The goal is to grow, and to grow here.”
5.25.2018 | upstatebusinessjournal.com
7
NEWS |
INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
WORKFORCE
Don’t the Keys Don’t Give theKeys Keys Don’tGive Give Away Away the to to Your (Online) Castle toYour Your(Online) (Online) Castle Castle How manyof of these“Password “Password Reset” questions How many Reset” Questions How many ofthese these “Password Reset” Questions cana ahacker hacker learn about Facebook? can learn about youyou fromfrom Facebook? can a hacker learn about you from Facebook?
• What is your mother’s maiden name? - What name? - Whatisisyour yourmother’s mother’s mainden mainden name? • What is the name of your first pet? - Whatisisthe thename nameof of your your rst - What rst pet pet • What was your first car? What was your rst car? - What was your rst car? was your - What Whatwas was your rstfirst job?job? - •What your rst job? - What Whatelementary elementary school did you elementary school didattend? you attend? - •What school did you attend?
Thisinformation information can can be used toto This be used THIS INFORMATION BE USED TO hack your onlineCAN accounts. hack HACKyour YOURonline ONLINEaccounts. ACCOUNTS. INTELLI-NET provides our customers with multiple
INTELLI-NET provides our customers with INTELLI-NET provides ournothing customers with multiple layers of protection, but is guaranteed 100%. layerstraining of protection, but nothing is layers of emphasize protection, but nothing is guaranteed 100%. So,multiple we and diligence on the part guaranteed So, weand emphasize and ofwe ouremphasize clients.100%. So, training diligencetraining on the part diligence on the part of our clients. of our clients.
If you feel that your company lacks the security and training to help stop these targeted attacks, IfIf you feelneeded thatyour your company lacks security feel that company lacks thethe security andand contact INTELLI-NET. training neededto tohelp helpstop stopthese thesetargeted targeted attacks, training needed attacks,
contact INTELLI-NET. contact INTELLI-NET.
703 Laurens Rd, Greenville SC 29607 www.intellinet-sc.com 703703 Laurens Rd., SC 29607 864-241-5401 Laurens Rd,Greenville Greenville SC 29607
www.intellinet-sc.com | 864-241-5401 www.intellinet-sc.com 864-241-5401
Jobs Are Brewing New Keurig facility to bring $350M of capital investment and 500 jobs to Spartanburg County ARIEL TURNER | STAFF
aturner@communityjournals.com Keurig Green Mountain Inc. (Keurig), a leader in specialty coffee and single-serve brewing systems, has announced plans to construct a new, state-of-the-art roasting and packaging facility in Spartanburg County. The company is projected to bring $350 million of capital investment and create 500 new jobs. “South Carolina’s favorable business environment, skilled workforce, and unparalleled infrastructure offer a recipe for success,” said Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt. “I’m excited to welcome Keurig to Team South Carolina, and we look forward to seeing the difference these 500 new jobs will make in the community.” Located in the Tyger River Industrial Park in Moore, the company’s new production facility will primarily house coffee roasting and packaging for Keurig’s single-serve K-Cup® pods, along with the potential to support beverage distribution and warehousing in the future. “The Keurig Green Mountain business continues to grow,” said Richard Jones, chief supply chain officer of Keurig Green Mountain. “As we plan for the future, we’re pleased to locate our newest facility in Spartanburg County to support our growth. We view the region’s talented employee base and attractive business environment as the right place to invest.” The Coordinating Council for Economic Development has approved job development credits related to this project, as well as a $3,850,000 grant to Spartanburg County to assist with the costs of site and infrastructure improvements. “We are very excited that Keurig Green Mountain Inc. has chosen Spartanburg County as the location to establish a start-of-the-art operations facility,” said David Britt, chairman of Economic Development Committee of Spartanburg County. “The Economic Futures Group, along with key allies at our local utilities, county planning and development, our property development partners at PacoletMilliken, and the S.C. Department of Commerce enjoyed working with the Keurig team on this great opportunity.” With a history dating back to 1981, Keurig’s products are used in 25 million homes throughout North America. More than 50 leading global coffee, tea, and cocoa brands have partnered with Keurig, offering customers approximately 500 varieties. UBJ | 5.25.2018
INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
| NEWS
24/7 POWER To Keep Your Business In Business
GSP had a sixth consecutive month of increased passenger traffic in March. Will Crooks/Upstate Business Journal
TRANSPORTATION
Keep Moving GSP passenger, cargo traffic continued to climb in March Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport announced Monday, May 14, it saw a sixth consecutive month of increased passenger traffic in March. GSP said it served 179,897 passengers during the month, a more than 8 percent increase compared with 166,453 during March 2017. For the year, the airport’s passenger traffic is up nearly 8 percent to 479,675 flyers, compared with 445,596 during the first three months of the previous year. GSP said its passenger numbers are more than 3 percent higher than the national average, according to Airports Council International-World. And its airline load factors are more than 84 percent, which the airport described as “strong.” “The growth that GSP is experiencing is the result of the convenience that people find in traveling to and from our airport,” said Dave Edwards, president and CEO of GSP, in a statement. “It highlights the trust that passengers and the business community have in us. We appreciate these relationships and are constantly working to exceed our customers’ needs and expectations.” GSP said its cargo traffic also increased again in March to more than 5,658 tons, a nearly 42 percent increase compared with more than 3,988 tons during the same month of the previous year. Year-to-date, the airport’s cargo traffic has jumped more than 33 percent to 14,026 tons, compared with 10,515 tons during the same period of 2017. “We are excited to see our cargo traffic numbers climb,” Edwards added. “Cargo growth supports the Upstate’s economy and contributes to the region not only being one of the top places in the country for manufacturing but a key location for international business.” -Trevor Anderson
Emergency Power Units • Professionally Installed • Around-the-Clock Service • Financing Available
A Service of Blue Ridge Electric Co-op 5.25.2018 | upstatebusinessjournal.com
1-800-240-3400 blueridgegenerators.com
SQUARE FEET |
REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION
ARIEL TURNER | STAFF
aturner@communityjournals.com |
@arielhturner
Yee-Haw Brewing Co. set to open by end of June in Keys Court
Rather than bringing in an already established complementary concept, Yee-Haw chose to create its own restaurant they’re calling Eats at Yee-Haw that will offer a full menu of elevated bar food designed to pair with the 20 or so beers on tap. Rendering by McMillan Pazdan Smith
By the end of June, Yee-Haw Brewing Co.
will open in Keys Court at 307 E. McBee Ave., Greenville, more than a year after the brewery from Johnson City, Tenn., was announced. Joe Baker, Yee-Haw partner, says the delay was mostly due to not wanting to rush the process. “We weren’t in a hurry,” he says. “It was more important for us to get it right.” Getting it right meant reworking the initial plans. Originally, the seven-tank brewing system was going to be located in the 4,402-square-foot taproom space closest to McBee. The smaller, 2,286-square-foot space facing the courtyard was going to be a restaurant of some sort. Cyclebar sits between the two. The previously planned uses are now swapped, with the brewing system occupying the smaller space and the restaurant and taproom occupying the larger. “The time taken here is to our benefit,” Baker says. “We’re providing the community with a quality experience.” The restaurant component was the biggest change to the plans. Rather than bringing in an already established complementary concept, Yee-Haw chose to create its own restaurant 10
UBJ | 5.25.2018
they’re calling Eats at Yee-Haw that will offer a full menu of elevated bar food designed to pair with the 20 or so beers on tap. “We’re trying to make stuff we like to eat with beer, and offer stuff that tastes good but also a really good, healthy meal,” Baker says. “Leaving here and feeling good about what you had to eat is important.” The menu includes a balance of the healthy, such as the salmon salad operator Sean Freeman calls a “cyclist’s dream of refueling” because of the fats and proteins, and the not-so-healthy, like fried green tomatoes or the loaded smashed, then fried, potatoes. A highlight of the menu for Freeman is the chargrilled wings that are brined for 24 hours with liquid smoke before they are convection steam baked and finished on the grill. “They’re never fried and so tender,” Freeman says. Baker says the smaller brewing system will serve as an innovative laboratory for them, allowing their brewers to be more creative and make smaller batches of “crazy funky” beers. “We’re participating in the innovative vibe of
the city and allowing ourselves to expand and grow in the Southeast,” he says. Yee-Haw is currently hiring between 70-75 staff members for the Greenville location. The taproom and restaurant, with painted exposed brick and an industrial feel in keeping with the style of the building, will seat roughly 100 inside between the large U-shaped bar, booths along the back wall, and tables in the center. The 10,000-square-foot patio will seat as many, if not more, depending on the day. Plans for the patio include a large fire pit under the awning and a stage on the back of the property facing McBee. As soon as the AV engineers can figure out how to filter the sharp sun glare, a large-screen TV will be installed above. Baker says they’ll likely roll out artificial turf so people can lounge comfortably in the grass and have plenty of corn hole and similar games for people to play. He says the goal all along has been to provide a place for families to have fun and feel comfortable. “Greenville’s such a great town to be in,” Baker says.
REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION
ARIEL TURNER | STAFF
aturner@communityjournals.com |
Daniel plans Legacy Haywood luxury apartments for Haywood Road area
| SQUARE FEET @arielhturner
Legacy Haywood will feature 244 one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom apartment homes. Rendering by Wakefield Beasley & Associates
Daniel, a Southeastern real estate development, management, and investment firm, announced recently they have closed on 11 acres of land and will be breaking ground on a new luxury apartment community off of Haywood Road in Greenville named Legacy Haywood. Located adjacent to Fluor (Daniel) Enterprises, 100 Fluor Daniel Drive, the name — Legacy Haywood — is a tribute to Daniel’s company legacy, which started in Greenville. The development firm is headquartered in Birmingham, Ala. “Our team is thrilled to begin work on another apartment community in Greenville,” said Justin Weintraub, executive vice president of Daniel. “Fueled by a dynamic employment base, world-
class culinary scene, and unrivaled natural amenities, we look forward to delivering another luxury community to one of the Southeast’s most vibrant markets.” Construction is scheduled to start immediately, with the first units delivering in spring 2019. Legacy Haywood will feature 244 one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom apartment homes. The apartments will include high-end finish packages with community amenities such as a resort-style pool with a sundeck, outdoor fireplace with lounge seating, pet spa and park, coffee bar/ internet lounge with Apple workstations, stateof-the-art cardio and weight training center, and detached garages.
The community was designed by Wakefield Beasley & Associates; the general contractor is CF Evans; the equity partner is Mesa Capital Partners; and the construction financing is provided by Synovus Bank. Legacy will be Daniel’s second apartment community to develop in Greenville. The company developed Haywood Reserve in 2016 and has since sold the property. Daniel also recently announced it will be closing within 30 days on the 217 apartments that will sit atop retail and office space along Falls Street of the under-construction Camperdown development. Developer Centennial American Properties will retain ownership of the retail and office component.
Ultimate corporate events @ the newest & largest track in sc Rev Up Your Next Corporate Event! The Upstate’s ideal meeting facility for groups for 10 to 500.
Ready to race?
COMPANIES & TEAM BUILDING! Private conference rooms hold up to 85 classroom style
Exit 60 off I-85 – 961 Berry Shoals Rd., Duncan
go.racelmk.com/event • 864-207-4255 5.25.2018 | upstatebusinessjournal.com
11
COVER |
STAC Y BRANDON OF BANK OF AMERICA
For Bank of America’s Stacy Brandon, banking is about helping people and building relationships
By Trevor Anderson
hen most people think about banks, they imagine checking accounts or loans. For Stacy Brandon, banking is the instrument that has inspired her life’s passion — helping people. Brandon, a 56-year-old native of Greenville, has served as Bank of America’s Upstate South Carolina market president for the past three years. She is responsible for 350 employees, 24 financial centers, 76 ATMs, three Merrill Lynch offices, and one U.S. Trust office, and is the face of the Charlotte, N.C.-based global bank’s presence in one of the fastest-growing of its 93 markets across the U.S. So how did a girl who grew up off Augusta Road near Donaldson Center find herself in such an important role at one of the world’s largest financial institutions? The answer is simple. She earned it. But Brandon’s career success has also
12
UBJ | 5.25.2018
helped her to become one of the region’s most influential leaders, male or female. First, let’s talk about her. Warm, confident, cordial, and down-toearth are all adjectives that apply to Brandon. She’s as comfortable navigating the upper floors of Bank of America’s headquarters building off North Main Street in downtown Greenville as she is socializing with folks on the streets below. “How did I get into this role? You get asked to do it,” Brandon said. “It’s really about who has the leadership mentality. … I’ve always believed in servant leadership. I’m not looking for the spotlight. We’re doing this interview so you’ll know about Bank of America. I guess I am Bank of America to the community.” Brandon is one of three children of Bill and Rita Burch. She has two brothers. She graduated from Southside High School, where she served as president of a diverse student body.
When it came time for her to choose a career path, Brandon decided to pursue calculus and physics because, she said, they were the most challenging for her. Brandon attended the South Carolina Honors College at the University of South Carolina. She majored in finance and economics. She said she decided to focus on business because of her love for people. Brandon kicked off her career by entering a multidisciplinary commercial training program with the former Bankers Trust of South Carolina in Columbia. After that bank became part of North Carolina National Bank (NCNB), Brandon continued working there and served in a variety of roles. NCNB became NationsBank and eventually Bank of America. In 1988, Brandon and her husband, Joel Brandon, a middle school teacher of U.S. history at St. Joseph’s Catholic School, decided to move back to Greenville.
STAC Y BRANDON OF BANK OF AMERICA
| COVER
On her market president role “At Bank of America there are 93 markets. What that means is our CEO, Brian Moynihan, believes there ought to be one person in each community to which the community can look. … I’ll figure out what you need and I’ll find the right person to help you get [where you want to go]. The market president is responsible for driving our responsible growth strategy.”
Will Crooks / Upstate Business Journal 5.25.2018 | upstatebusinessjournal.com
13
COVER |
STAC Y BRANDON OF BANK OF AMERICA
The couple has two children, a daughter, Blaine, 30, and a son, Dylan, 26, who both live in Greenville. Brandon replaced Andy Douglas as Bank of America’s Upstate market president in July 2015. Outside of the bank, Brandon is involved in the community. She serves as a board member of the Greenville Tech Foundation. She has held leadership positions at several organizations, including the Upstate Chapter of the American Red Cross, Greenville County March of Dimes, Pendleton Place Children’s Shelter, the S.C. Chamber of Commerce, Greenville Chamber, Emmanuel’s Hammer, and the Upcountry History Museum. In her spare time, Brandon loves hiking in the mountains, reading, and gardening. “Being the market president, I know so many people,” Brandon said. “I’m connected with so many people. It gives me a lot of satisfaction to kind of pay that forward and connect other people.” “That’s one of our things [at Bank of America],” she added. “We talk about making financial lives better through the value of financial connection. That’s internally. But I think, in the community, we make lives better when we connect people
C L E M S O N
U N I V E R S I T Y
to organizations where they can find their passion. And that’s what we need. We need one-on-one connections in our community to make things better.” Now, let’s talk about Brandon’s role at Bank of America. The bank has what it calls its “eight lines of business,” Brandon said. Four of them are focused on consumers, three are business, and the last one is institutional. Brandon said the institutional line relates to investment managers, big foundations, and people who need access to trading and very high-level products. Most of that work is done out of the bank’s offices in New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles. The consumer and business lines are the ones that apply to the Upstate. Brandon said the consumer lines encompass Bank of America’s financial centers and things like checking accounts or car loans. The bank also has what it calls its Merrill Edge. That’s its retail consumer platform for investments. “It can be self-directed, online, however you want to do that,” Brandon said. Bank of America’s third consumer line in the
M B A
P R O G R A M
On being a banker in the Upstate “If you look at the data, we are in one of the most exciting, fastest-growing, coolest places in the whole country. … We have a good, diverse economy, too. The other cool thing about my job is I have so many different clients. None of them really do the same thing. I get to learn about their business, what makes them successful, and figure out how we can help them.”
We’re building a better future.
Yours.
There’s a big, beautiful expansion on the horizon. With more independent living options, more dining and more ways to enjoy life. Groundbreaking Fall 2018.
To learn more, call 864.485.9714.
DATE:
TIME:
TUES. JUN. 5 5:30 - 7:00 PM
PM
One Hoke Smith Blvd., Greenville, SC 29615 RollingGreenVillage.com Independent Living | Assisted Living | Memory Care | Rehabilitation | Skilled Nursing
14
UBJ | 5.25.2018
STAC Y BRANDON OF BANK OF AMERICA
On leadership “I’ve always been involved in leadership. I was student body president at my high school, president of my sorority. I’ve been president of pretty much every board I’ve ever been on. I just gravitate toward that. I’m really careful about what I take on because I’m very passionate about doing it the right way. … A lot of people might just get on a board to say they’re on a board. I’m never on more than two boards at a time. It’s just not fair to the organization.”
region is led by its full-service financial advisory teams at its Merrill Lynch offices in Spartanburg, Greenville, and Clemson. The fourth line is U.S. Trust, a private wealth management office in Greenville that works with wealthy families to help them manage intergenerational wealth, trusts, estates, assets, and other things. “[Consumer lines are] the people side of our lines of business,” Brandon said. “We cover the affluent all the way to the average everyday person.” On the business side, Bank of America serves small businesses with annual revenues of $5 million or below. Brandon said those businesses fall more into the consumer category. “We consider that part of our consumer business because with most small businesses the owner is the business,” she said. “We really have to integrate around that person.” That means that really the first of the bank’s business lines applies to business with revenues from $5 million up to $50 million. The second line is middle-market banking, which Brandon said is really where her day-today duties reside.
| COVER
“My clients are $50 million up to $2 billion [in revenue],” she said. “And they can be anywhere kind of in the Upstate, from North Carolina and into Georgia along the I-85 corridor.” She said her job includes helping those companies with loans, retirement plans for their employees, managing deposit accounts, and other tasks. The last group is Bank of America’s global corporate and investment banking team. “They’re going to handle your $2 billion and above, Fortune 500, BMW, Michelin kind of guys,” Brandon said. “So all of those people are represented in our community,” she added. “Even though we are a very large organization, for us, local is important. Behind every single one of those lines of business is a person. A person who is meeting with a business owner or consumer that needs a checking account or a credit card.”
WHERE GIVING BACK DOESN’T COST A DIME. Partnering with The Blood Connection to host a blood drive is a great way to: Rally your company or school around a cause that saves millions of lives each year. Demonstrate leadership. Promote teamwork. Engage employees. Encourage students. Fulfill a civic responsibility. And it won’t cost you anything, except time. #idonateblood #isavelives #givelife
Sharing Life, Saving Lives
864.255.5000
TheBloodConnection.org 5.25.2018 | upstatebusinessjournal.com
15
Presented by
Join us in Spartanburg! Conversations with UpstateProfessionals
The Standard 1802 Drayton Road, Suite 140, Spartanburg, SC 29307
Wednesday, May 30th 5:30pm to 7:00pm Network, Network, Network
Drop in and networkâ&#x20AC;Ś
ďŹ rst drink is on us.
STAYING ON MESSAGE WITH YOUR CLIENTS AND YOUR COLLEAGUES
| COMMUNICATE
So, you want to write a book. Don’t (yet). By JENNIFER OLADIPO owner, X Editorial
There’s something in the air, and I suspect it’ll stick around longer than the pollen. It seems like an inordinate number of people are deciding that now is the time to write a book. Not just any book, but THE book. You know, the one that’s been writing itself in the back of your mind for decades. The one your friends have been coaxing out of you. The one that’s currently an unorganized mess of Microsoft Word files or handwritten notes. In the past few months, book aspirations have been divulged to me by colleagues, clients, and, last week, a server at a downtown restaurant. She wasn’t even my server. To all of them I say, do it. Maybe. Consider three things first.
1
KNOW THYSELF
What is your motivation? Does this book really need to exist? Maybe you have mustshare lessons learned from overcoming a major challenge. Maybe you’ve amassed useful knowledge or perfected some solution others could use. Or, maybe it’s a pure business imperative: Books still carry a certain gravitas that can be just the thing for marketers looking for instant authority. None of these motivations is inherently more valid than another. But, before you impose your book onto the world, be sure you understand why. It’s OK if the writing process itself helps you come to that understanding, but clarity must come at some point. The proof is in the pages, and your readers will be harsh judges if they have to work too hard to figure out what you’re trying to tell them.
2
KNOW THINE AUDIENCE
Why would somebody else read the thing? As much of an investment as it takes to write your book, there’s also a hefty investment on your reader’s part. In a Snapchat WhatsApp world, it’s not enough that you showed up to share. Your readers, whether they’re aware or not, seek some kind of change when they pick up your book. They want new perspective, insights, capabilities, or superpowers. They want to feel or know something new and valuable.
So, develop as clear a picture as possible of whom you’re writing for. A company history, for example, might be a great marketing piece for potential customers, or a rallying point for a growing or changing staff. Could it be an audience of one? I recently encouraged somebody writing a persuasive book to write for just one person in his life who espoused the attitudes he wants to help change. Know whom you’re writing to, and it will be easier to decide what to put in, and what to leave out.
3
FIND THE DRAMA
I have a library of slim volumes written by people I know and even love. Some were great reads. Others … I’ll never know if they managed to get interesting. Where the authors (I think) intended a deep exploration, I experienced a slog through a swamp of anecdotes and details. No story ever materialized, so they lost me. Look, this is why reality TV has so many writers and producers on staff. Human beings need heroes and villains and plot twists. We need plots, at least. We want to read about bad days and bad choices. You don’t have to bear your soul, but do spill some guts on the page. At the same time, you’ll likely have to exclude several details to create a comfortable pace for your readers. Here’s how to decide: When you think of a detail that makes you
uncomfortable, write it down. If it’s on your LinkedIn or Facebook profile, leave it out. Your motivations, your audience, and the need for drama are starting points and will come up at every stage of the process. If you’ve still got a book in you after wrestling with these prerequisites, give it a go. Also, see them as guides rather than constraints. They’re not meant to stifle your voice, but ensure your story is heard loud and clear. NO BOOK? DO THIS. If you can’t work out your motivation, audience, and story but still need to share, here are some alternatives. • Your material might make an engaging 30-minute talk. • Long-form magazine articles remain popular, and they’re easy to share. • A multimedia microsite lets you boost fewer words with images and more. • Shows designed to last only a handful of episodes are increasingly popular. • Enough said. Jennifer Oladipo is the owner of X Editorial, an integrated marketing company. More details at www.xeditorial.com.
5.25.2018 | upstatebusinessjournal.com
17
THE TAKEAWAY |
NOTES FROM THE BEST TALKS YOU MISSED
Cybersecurity is serious business By SHAWN KINARD recruiting and branding specialist, Godshall Professional Recruiting and Staffing
What: Godshall Seminar — Cybersecurity is
Serious Business: Protecting Your Company’s Most Valuable Asset
Where: May 4 at 310 University Ridge, downtown Greenville
Who was there: Julie Godshall Brown
(moderator); Frank Mobley, CEO of Immedion LLC and Ashley Cuttino, shareholder of Ogletree Deakins (speakers); and clients and friends of Godshall Professional Recruiting and Staffing
It’s tax season, and your boss emails you asking you to send the W-2 file ASAP for review. It looks like every other email you’ve received from your boss. So being a good employee, you send it right over. Later in the day in polite conversation, you acknowledge that you’ve sent it and ask whether anything else is needed. Cut to your boss’s blank face that clearly illustrates she did not send you said email. Your precious company files have just been hand-delivered on a silver platter to a hacker by a well-meaning and conscientious employee. Sound familiar? After hearing in the news and reading numerous articles about cybersecurity, including “Getting Your Staff to Take Cybersecurity Seriously,” in which author Ian Pearson referenced “the biggest security flaw there is: the human factor,” Julie Godshall Brown was inspired to host a seminar on this critical topic. There’s a cold fact we all need to accept: “Convenience is an enemy of security,” Immedion CEO Frank Mobley explained. Many breaches are unintentional: Emails from unknown senders are opened, Outlook auto-fills the wrong email address, security protocols are not enforced when working from home; the list goes on.
These are the three most common IT breaches affecting businesses today: Ransomware: Someone takes over and locks down your system and demands money. This can happen to companies of all sizes. Viruses: Typically happens because protection software is not up to date.
18
UBJ | 5.25.2018
Fake emails: Usually from a familiar email address asking to send money, move cash around, send confidential information, etc. About 80 percent of security breaches can be easily prevented with a few simple procedures:
• Create a security-conscious environment
Mobley and Ogletree Deakins shareholder Ashley Cuttino went on to say that if a company knows it’s been breached, the first step is to bring in IT to shut everything down and get in recovery mode. Because there are legal responsibilities associated with a breach of private information, including notice requirements, companies should contact their lawyers, as well.
and educate your employees on scams.
• S et up firewalls. • Limit who has access to vital information. •E ncrypt files on the front end. •K eep virus software current. •A dd extra layers of security such as dual-factor identification.
•D on’t be a data hoarder. •M ake sure your vendors also protect client info.
•H ave unique passwords for all sites.
Godshall, a locally owned recruiting company for more than 50 years, hosts seminars relating to business every quarter to further educate themselves, the community, and companies across the Upstate. Godshall Professional Recruiting and Staffing specializes in executive recruiting, career placement, and consulting for companies and independent job seekers in South Carolina. For more information, visit www.godshall.com.
THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF BUSINESS
| DIGITAL MAVEN
A Guide to IT Support What does your business need, and when? 4. Independent consultant or virtual CIO By LAURA HAIGHT president, portfoliosc.com
Technology is the central gear without which pretty much all business functions would come to a standstill and most business goals could not be met. Just think of the panic you and your team go into when the power goes out or your internet access drops off. Despite this, many businesses go without professional IT support. Sometimes that works out OK, for a while. But eventually, growing businesses need more than a good user to manage and maintain their tech assets. The questions: what do I need, and when do I need it?
THERE ARE FOUR TYPES OF TECH SUPPORT YOUR BUSINESS COULD BE USING: 1. The Good User If you are a pretty small business with just a few employees, chances are you have relied on the expertise of one of those employees for basic help like small-scale troubleshooting, software installs, and basic user support. 2. Internal full-time IT staff Eventually, your good user is going to run up against the limits of their abilities or their time, or both. You may decide to add a fulltime IT staff. Usually, you’ll start with a single employee reporting to a non-IT department (most often finance or operations). 3. Outsourced IT There are many flavors of this, but for small businesses just starting to realize they need more than The Good User, most often the one-or-two-person “IT Guy” (or girl) companies will be your first stop. Many times, these small companies are owned and run by excellent IT professionals who can offer a wide range of services from systems implementation and management to hands-on tech support. However, as in all fields, not all are created equal. Some can hurt your business, either by errors of omission because they don’t know what they don’t know, or errors of commission because they lack the expertise or the humility to admit it.
This is a hybrid model where a consultant provides the higher level of expertise, management, planning, strategic budgeting, etc., and then directs/manages your local IT employee(s) or managed service providers (MSPs). They are the bridge between your operational leadership and hands-on technologists who execute plans and provide support. The last decade has turned the IT field on its head. Mobile technology, the growth of the cloud, the rise of a social media culture, the maturity of the internet of things (IoT), and the hacking/cyberattack industry are all relatively new challenges that have changed the skills and expertise businesses need to have in their IT departments.
cles run anywhere from three to seven years. Most companies keep equipment significantly longer. But software demands, end-of-life OS, and changing business needs often dictate the true end of life. Even in smaller businesses, IT leadership needs to see that day coming and plan/prepare for what’s next. • A big feature for MSPs is often that they can manage many clients on standard platforms remotely. They do not have to be in your office to monitor and maintain your software and services. That’s true to a point, but I would not want to entrust my business security and operational functionality to someone I never saw and rarely talked to. Much can be done remotely, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t expect proactivity.
• Smaller businesses need more technology to help compete against the larger, better-capitalized competition. It is less likely that technology is going to be hardware sitting in your office and more likely it is going to be software delivered as a cloudbased service.
• I like to see the MSP stop in my office periodically to talk to the staff and see how things are going. And to have regular meetings with the business leadership to find out what is happening in the business, understand new directions, anticipate technology responses, and offer guidance on projects. You can’t do that remotely. And businesses — especially those without strong technology backgrounds among their C-suite — really need that.
• I can’t think of a good reason for any small or medium-sized business to take on the responsibility of having an on-premise server. This is bad news for techs who got certified in networks and client-server designs. But the fact is you can do more for less money and far less risk by moving to cloud-based alternatives. That said, a lot of you do have servers. But these are not set-it-and-forget-it devices. They need constant management, security updates, patches, fixes, and oversight. If you have servers on site, you need accountable professionals to support them.
• Moving to the cloud is more than just storing your files in different locations, although it can be just that simple to start. But you could miss big opportunities to increase productivity, reduce expenses, and streamline operations if you aren’t able to see the collaborative opportunities. Traditional IT staff are the geeks who live to master the equipment. If it’s got a chip in it, they are lovingly attentive. But with people, not always so much. By the same token, IT leaders may not be the people you want setting up your authentication scheme either.
•Planning technology purchases and system implementations is an important job and requires a leader who can not just figure out where you are, but where you need to be in two, five, or seven years. Hardware lifecy-
No matter where your business starts out, if you’re growing, you are outgrowing your technology. Eventually, you will need a higher level of IT support to ensure you are really getting the bang for your technology buck.
LET’S LOOK AT A FEW IT BASES BUSINESSES AT ALL DIFFERENT LEVELS OF MATURITY AND SIZE WILL WANT TO HAVE COVERED.
5.25.2018 | upstatebusinessjournal.com
19
ON THE MOVE |
PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS
HIRED
NAMED
PROMOTED
HIRED
HIRED
KAREN GURGEW
ABBIE TAYLOR
JANE FINNEY HALL
GEORGE BUELL
TERRANCE HAWES
Has joined Synovus/NBSC as a private wealth advisor serving the Upstate area. Gurgew is from Hendersonville, N.C., and has more than 30 years of experience in the banking industry. Gurgew previously worked with Wells Fargo in Greenville. Gurgew attended Blue Ridge College, Mars Hill College, and Appalachian State University.
Has been named public relations and social media intern for Greenville Area Development Corporation for summer 2018. Taylor is currently a junior at Clemson University majoring in management with a travel and tourism minor. Taylor will graduate in May 2020.
Has been promoted to vice president of strategy and integration at Infinity Marketing. Hall has more than 20 years of experience in advertising and has helped evolve the agency during her time there. Hall was previously in her role of strategic advisor for more than four years.
Has joined National Restaurant Properties in Greenville. Buell spent 25 years in hospitality operations management in Charleston before relocating to Greenville. Prior to that, Buell managed restaurants and lodging properties in Newport, R.I.
Has been hired by the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce as talent & economic inclusion coordinator. Hawes is native to Spartanburg and has been heavily involved in the community for some time. Hawes previously served as assistant manager for Best Cash LLC and earned his B.A. in music business from Full Sail University in 2015.
LIFE SAFETY INDUSTRY
VIP DOUG ERWIN Doug Erwin has been announced as vice chairman and chief brand officer of the ownership group bringing a United Soccer League (USL) D3 team to Greenville beginning in May 2019. Erwin will help to create the soccer team’s branding and oversee the marketing and public relations efforts, as well as merchandising and social media. Erwin will work with Greenville Pro Soccer President Chris Lewis and Chairman Joe Erwin to create the team and the community surrounding it. Erwin previously worked as managing director at Endeavor, a co-working space. “I am thrilled to take on this new challenge, which blends my love for soccer with my passion for developing and promoting the brand and message of a great product,” Erwin said. “I’m excited about building a fan base around this team in a culturally diverse and enthusiastic community that has an insatiable appetite for the sport.”
20
UBJ | 5.25.2018
Robert Few was awarded the prestigious Sara E. Jackson Memorial Award by the Electronic Security Association. The award recognizes an ESA volunteer who has exhibited exceptional leadership on an ESA committee, professional group, task force, or board.
MARKETING Infinity Marketing is celebrating its 25th anniversary. The agency has evolved over the years to include the full spectrum of creative and digital services that mix traditional media and the growing digital landscape.
WORKPLACE T&S Brass has been named the South Carolina Top Workplace for 2018 by Integrated Media Publishing, publisher of Greenville Business Magazine, Columbia Business Monthly, and Charleston Business Magazine. The honor is based on employee survey responses and recognizes employee engagement and workplace culture.
Contribute: New hires, promotions, & award winners may be featured in On the Move. Send information and photos to onthemove@ upstatebusinessjournal.com.
NEW FACES OF BUSINESS
| NEW TO THE STREET
Open for business 1
1. Comfort Keepers has opened a Greenville location at 1200 Haywood Road. Learn more at greenville-180.comfortkeepers.com.
2
2. Elevations Cabinetry and Design recently opened a new location at 711 Congaree Road. Learn more at elevationsbygbs.com.
3
4
4. Coastal Carolina National Bank has opened a Greenville branch at 11 N. Irvine St. Learn more at myccnb.com.
5
5. Giggles Drop-in Childcare has opened a new location at 3620 Pelham Road. Learn more at gigglesdaycareinc.com.
6
6. The Dressing Room South has opened a location at 716 South Main St., Suite B, in downtown Greenville. Learn more at dressingroomsouth.com. 3. Blues Boulevard Jazz has opened its doors at 300 River St., #203. Learn more at bluesboulevardjazzgreenville.com.
CONTRIBUTE: Know of a business opening soon? Email information to aturner@communityjournals.com. 5.25.2018 | upstatebusinessjournal.com
21
#TRENDING |
INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW / NEW FACES OF BUSINESS
THE WATERCOOLER 1. New Gather GVL tenants announced
TOGETHER, A BETTER WAY FORWARD. 2. Kentwool celebrates 175 years
3. Greenville startup to open $10M data center for cryptocurrency mining
4. New Keurig facility to bring $350M of capital investment and 500 jobs to Spartanburg County
5. More than 14,000 SF leased so far in 2018 at Pelham at Hyland
FROM THE GREENVILLE JOURNAL, RE: GREENVILLE’S NEWEST PARK, ONCE A PLACE OF DIVISION, WILL BE A PLACE OF UNITY “Greenville is rocking it with the plans for the new Unity Park! Love love love the plans!”
Sally Eastman
“This is awesome! Love seeing Greenville continue to grow in the right ways!”
Eric Bonini
“Other than the name, are there specific ways that the city will be acknowledging the history of the area? Plaques/ statues/etc.?”
Rita Woods
B ET TE R WAY #2
Evaluation & Explanation Are you processing the best way to spend the least amount of money? At Tandem, we will look at your process and make sure you’re working most efficiently. As the only company in the Upstate with Certified Payment Professionals, we can also recommend and facilitate loyalty programs or gifts cards that work best for your business.
*The Top 5 stories from last week ranked by Facebook reach
DIGITAL FLIPBOOK ARCHIVE The layout of print meets the convenience of the Web. Flip through the digital editions of any of our print issues, and see them all in one place. upstatebusinessjournal.com/ past-issues
INSIDE // NEW GATH ER
MAY 18,
2018 | VOL. 8 ISSUE
GVL TENAN TS
• MICHELI N’S BIG HO NOR • TH E FUTURE
OF NAFTA
20
it’s quite the yarn
175 ye ars of ken twool
GET THE INBOX
Will Croo
ks / Ups
tate Bus
iness Jou
rnal
Follow up on the Upstate’s workweek. The Inbox – our weekly rundown of the top 10 local biz stories you need to know. upstatebusinessjournal.com/email
ORDER A PRINT SUBSCRIPTION Style & substance are not mutually exclusive. Order a year of UBJ in no time, and we’ll deliver every week. upstatebusinessjournal.com/subscribe
CONNECT
We’re great at networking.
LINKEDIN.COM/COMPANY/UPSTATE-BUSINESS-JOURNAL FACEBOOK.COM/THEUPSTATEBUSINESSJOURNAL
728 N Pleasantburg Drive, Greenville (864) 672-1570 | tandempayment.com Tandem Innovative Payment Solutions LLC is a registered ISO of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Concord, CA.
@UPSTATEBIZ UBJ | 5.25.2018
EVENTS YOU SHOULD HAVE ON YOUR CALENDAR
UBJ PUBLISHER
Mark B. Johnston mjohnston@communityjournals.com
| PLANNER
DATE
EVENT INFO
WHERE DO I GO?
HOW DO I GO?
Tuesday
Greenville Chamber of Commerce’s Upstate Chamber Coalition Republican Gubernatorial Debate
Furman University 3300 Poinsett Highway 7–9 p.m.
For more info: www.bit.ly/2FT5KW0; 864-239-3748; kbusbee@greenvillechamber.org
Wednesday
Greenville Chamber of Commerce’s 4th Congressional District Candidate Forum
Hughes Library 25 Heritage Green Place 6:30–8 p.m.
Cost: Free For more info: www.bit.ly/2Kvn7Pr; 864-239-3748; kbusbee@greenvillechamber.org
Wednesday
5/30
Upstate Business Journal’s Business on Tap
The Standard 1800 Drayton Road, Spartanburg 5:30–7 p.m.
Tuesday
6/12
USC Darla Moore School of Business Information Session
USC Moore School Greenville Classrooms 201 Riverplace, #300 12:30–1:30 p.m.
Cost: Free For more info: www.bit.ly/2IcVcFS
Tuesday
Greenville Chamber of Commerce’s Netnight (nonprofit community)
Avenue 110 E. Court St., Suite 600 5:30–8 p.m.
Cost: $25 investors, $50 general For more info: www.bit.ly/2JQfIct; 864-631-6596; nikawhiteconsulting@greenvillechamber.org
5/29
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Susan Schwartzkopf susans@communityjournals.com
MANAGING EDITOR
Emily Pietras epietras@communityjournals.com
ADMINISTRATIVE EDITOR
5/30
Heidi Coryell Williams hwilliams@communityjournals.com
COPY EDITOR Rebecca Strelow
STAFF WRITERS
Cindy Landrum, Andrew Moore, Sara Pearce, Ariel Turner
Cost: Free For more info: https://goo.gl/WAa1VA
MARKETING & ADVERTISING DIRECTOR OF SALES Emily Yepes
DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Donna Johnston
MARKETING REPRESENTATIVES Heather Propp, Meredith Rice, Caroline Spivey, Liz Tew
CLIENT SERVICES
Anita Harley | Rosie Peck | Jane Rogers
ART & PRODUCTION VISUAL DIRECTOR
7/10
Will Crooks
LAYOUT
Bo Leslie | Tammy Smith
VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS
UP NEXT
ADVERTISING DESIGN
JUNE 1 INNOVATION ISSUE
Holly Hardin
Kristy Adair | Michael Allen
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Kristi Fortner
HOW TO CONTRIBUTE STORY IDEAS:
upstatebusinessjournal.com/submit
EVENTS:
events@upstatebusinessjournal.com
NEW HIRES, PROMOTIONS, AND AWARDS:
onthemove@upstatebusinessjournal.com UBJ welcomes expert commentary from business leaders on timely news topics related to their specialties. Guest columns run 700-800 words. Contact managing editor Emily Pietras at epietras@communityjournals.com to submit an article for consideration. Circulation Audit by
IN THIS WEEK’S ISSUE OF UBJ? WANT A COPY FOR YOUR LOBBY?
1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
UBJ milestone
UBJ milestone jackson Marketing Group’s 25 Years 1988 Jackson Dawson opens in Greenville at Downtown Airport
JUNE 29 LEGAL ISSUE
1988
>>
JULY 27 COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE ISSUE Got any thoughts? Care to contribute? Let us know at upstatebusinessjournal.com/submit.
1997 Jackson Dawson launches motorsports Division 1993
1990 Jackson Dawson acquires therapon marketing Group and moves to Piedmont office Center on Villa.
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
>>
with a majority of them utilizing the general aviation airport as a “corporate gateway to the city.” In 1997, Jackson and his son, Darrell, launched Jackson Motorsports Group. The new division was designed to sell race tires and go to racetracks to sell and mount the tires. Darrell Jackson now serves as president of the motorsports group and Larry Jackson has two other children and a son-in-law who work there. Jackson said all his children started at the bottom and “earned their way up.” Jackson kept the Jackson-Dawson branches in Detroit and others in Los Angeles and New York until he sold his portion of that partnership in 2009 as part of his estate planning. The company now operates a small office in Charlotte, but its main headquarters are in Greenville in a large office space off Woodruff Road, complete with a vision gallery that displays local artwork and an auditorium Jackson makes available for non-profit use. The Motorsports Group is housed in an additional 26,000 square feet building just down the street, and the agency is currently looking for another 20,000 square feet. Jackson said JMG has expanded into other verticals such as financial, healthcare, manufacturing and pro-bono work, but still has a strong focus on the auto industry and transportation. It’s
2003 motorsports Division acquires an additional 26,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space
1998
2009 Jackson Dawson changes name to Jackson marketing Group when larry sells his partnership in Detroit and lA 2003
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
2009-2012 Jackson marketing Group named a top BtoB agency by BtoB magazine 4 years running
him going and growing his business over the years. He is passionate about giving back and outreach to non-profits. The company was recently awarded the Community Foundation Spirit Award. The company reaffirmed its commitment to serving the community last week by celebrating its 25th anniversary with a birthday party and a 25-hour Serve-A-Thon partnership with Hands on Greenville and Habitat for Humanity. JMG’s 103 full-time employees worked in shifts around the clock on October 22 and 23 to help construct a house for a deserving family. As Jackson inches towards retirement, he says he hasn’t quite figured out his succession plan yet, but sees the companies staying under the same umbrella. He wants to continue to strategically grow the business. “From the beginning, my father has taught me that this business is all about our people – both our clients and our associates,” said his son, Darrell. “We have created a focus and a culture that strives to solve problems, serve people and grow careers.” Darrell Jackson said he wants to “continue helping lead a culture where we solve, serve and grow. If we are successful, we will continue to grow towards our ultimate goal of becoming the leading integrated marketing communications brand in the Southeast.”
2011 Jackson marketing Group/Jackson motorsports Group employee base reaches 100 people
2008 2012 Jackson marketing Group recognized by Community Foundation with Creative spirit Award
pro-bono/non-proFit Clients American Red Cross of Western Carolinas Metropolitan Arts Council Artisphere Big League World Series The Wilds Advance SC South Carolina Charities, Inc. Aloft Hidden Treasure Christian School
CoMMUnitY inVolVeMent & boarD positions lArry JACkson (ChAirmAn): Bob Jones University Board chairman, The Wilds Christian Camp and Conference Center board member, Gospel Fellowship Association board member, Past Greenville Area Development Corporation board member, Past Chamber of Commerce Headquarters Recruiting Committee member, Past Greenville Tech Foundation board member David Jones (Vice President Client services, Chief marketing officer): Hands on Greenville board chairman mike Zeller (Vice President, Brand marketing): Artisphere Board, Metropolitan Arts Council Board, American Red Cross Board, Greenville Tech Foundation Board, South Carolina Chamber Board eric Jackson (Jackson motorsports Group sales specialist): Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club Advisory Board
November 1, 2013 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal 21
20 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal November 1, 2013
AS SEEN IN
NOVEMBER 1, 2013
Order a reprint today, PDFs available for $25. For more information, contact Anita Harley 864.679.1205 or aharley@communityjournals.com
EVENTS: Submit event information for consideration to events@upstatebusinessjournal.com
publishers of Copyright ©2017 BY COMMUNITY JOURNALS LLC. All rights reserved. Upstate Business Journal is published weekly by Community Journals LLC. 581 Perry Ave., Greenville, South Carolina, 29611. Upstate Business Journal is a free publication. Annual subscriptions (52 issues) can be purchased for $50. Postmaster: Send address changes to Upstate Business, P581 Perry Ave., Greenville, South Carolina, 29611. Printed in the USA.
581 Perry Avenue, Greenville, SC 29611 864-679-1200 | communityjournals.com UBJ: For subscriptions, call 864-679-1240 UpstateBusinessJournal.com
5.25.2018 | upstatebusinessjournal.com
23
A SMALL CHANGE CAN MAKE A BIG IMPACT
CASH FLOW INSIGHT∑ IS ANOTHER SMALL CHANGE THAT CAN HELP GROW YOUR BUSINESS. As a business owner, you realize it’s often the little things that make the biggest difference. That’s why you’re always looking for smart ways to make your business better. Cash Flow Insight is an easy-to-use online tool that can help you improve how you manage your business’s cash flow.
PNC CASH FLOW INSIGHT SM PNC.COM/BIGIMPACT 855-762-2361
OPEN A BUSINESS CHECKING ACCOUNT WITH CASH FLOW INSIGHT • SWITCH TO PNC WITH OUR QUICK SWITCH KIT Cash Flow Insight requires a PNC business checking account and enrollment in PNC Online Banking. $10 monthly fee applies for Cash Flow Insight when you sign up with a business checking account. $10 monthly fee is waived with a Business Checking Plus or Business Checking Preferred account. For supported accounting software and other details, call 855-762-2361 or visit pnc.com/cashflowinsight. Cash Flow Insight is a service mark of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. ©2017 The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. All rights reserved. PNC Bank, National Association. Member FDIC