JUNE 12, 2015 | VOL. 4 ISSUE 24
A NEW GATEWAY TO DOWNTOWN The NorthPointe project could turn Stone Avenue into Greenville’s most vibrant corridor
WORLD-CLASS LAWYERS DEEP local ROOTS EXPERIENCE THE WYCHE difference wyche.com/difference
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| EDUCATION & SOCIAL MEDIA | 3
CoderDoJo aims for young techies Greenville Tech receives $22,500 grant from Duke Energy Foundation for after-school program CINDY LANDRUM | STAFF
clandrum@communityjournals.com Information technology ranks 11th out of 16 career cluster choices among students in grades 8 through 12. Manufacturing ranks 14th. That doesn’t bode well for Greenville’s economy. But Greenville Tech wants to help change that through a CoderDoJo, a free after-school program designed to introduce middle school students to coding, website development, applications, programs and games and to allow them to explore technology in informal, creative and sociable
environments. Greenville Tech got a $22,500 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation for the program. “We need to expand the pipeline of future workers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and advanced manufacturing,” said Mary Locke, assistant dean in Greenville Tech’s business and technology division. “A lot of students and their parents are not familiar with how much technology is involved in manufacturing.” The problem is especially acute among female and minority students. Only 32 percent of manufacturing
workers and 46 percent of information technology workers in Greenville County are female. CoderDojo is a network of free, volunteer-led, independent community-based programming clubs for youth. It has 550 clubs in 55 countries. A Greenville Tech faculty member will supervise the program. Teachers for each class will be from the college’s faculty. Volunteer coaches will assist them. Locke said a total of 280 students from four Greenville middle schools would participate over the course of four semesters. The program will begin in the fall.
Locke said organizers aim to attract both boys and girls and will recruit students from lower-income neighborhoods so they see expanded career opportunities. As part of the program, all of the students will learn about the educational path they should follow in high school in order to get those IT and advanced manufacturing jobs, Locke said. The curriculum will focus on coding as well as introduce students to robotics and gaming. The program will feature project-based classes and allow students to develop their own projects around topics they find interesting.
Study shows risks, rewards of social media Political posts may help and hurt job seekers experiment included someone who attended college in Occasional Facebook status Colorado, a state updates about success at work could population roughly help you land a new job. A post on split between those LinkedIn about your personal politics who identify as may help too, as long as hiring manRepublican or agers share your politics. Democrat. Otherwise, you may never get an Political posts interview. that took a position New research by a Clemson Univeron legalizing marisity researcher shows the risks and juana impacted Clemson researcher Julie Wade authored a 350-page research paper, “Social rewards of social media when looking whether a potential Media and Hiring: How Does New for a job. The research shows that hiring manager Technology Change an Old Game?” sharing positive information about an liked the person individual’s professional success has with the social value, while sharing personal politics media profile, futher factoring in Different studies show up to 90 may hurt or help. whether to call that person for an percent of hiring managers will Julie Wade, a member of Clemson’s interview. review social media posts of job Social Analytics Institute, now a vis“When posting anything publicly on candidates, increasing the need for iting professor in the department of a social media site, it’s important to employees to be aware of the sensibusiness and economics at the Uniremember that we might be reaching tivity of what they post. Some hiring versity of South Carolina – Upstate, an unintended audience, including managers request access to individadvises professionals to remember that [hiring] managers,” Wade said. uals’ social media accounts prior to posts on social media could influence The business academic still believes offering a job. whether they land the next job. professionals can leverage social media Wade’s experiment involved using “When a hiring manager views what to impress current and potential Clemson’s Social Analytics Institute you have posted on a website like employers, if used with savvy and to create eight different social media Facebook, they’re really only getting grace. profiles on Facebook and LinkedIn. “In many ways, you have control To make the profiles over the impression you make upon appear authentic, “When posting anything publicly on a social media site, it’s important to remember that fictitious profiles others,” she said. “Sync up the different we might be reaching an unintended audience, including [hiring] managers.” social media platforms you’re on to were created over a Clemson University researcher Julie Wade six-month period. project an image of consistency and professionalism.” Each profile in the
ROBBIE WARD | STAFF
rward@communityjournals.com
a ‘snapshot’ of who you are as a potential employee,” Wade said. “With such limited information, political statements can really jump out to employers and might distract them from your professional qualifications, so don’t let them do that.” Wade said she resists posting about politics on her Facebook and LinkedIn profile accounts. She also encourages people who use social media to familiarize themselves with each platform’s privacy controls, which limit how users can view individual posts. Plenty of anecdotal information exists about individuals getting fired for posting embarrassing information; however, the university researcher’s 350-page dissertation is among the first academic research to examine how political posts on social media can impact hiring.
4 | THE RUNDOWN |
TOP-OF-MIND AND IN THE MIX THIS WEEK
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06.12.2015
VOLUME 4, ISSUE 24 Featured this issue: Graham pitches economic benefits of expanding immigration 5 eDocHome offers virtual health care connection 14 Markley Row plans win conditional approval 24
MONEY SHOT: Last week, the Greenville Drive held its Greenville Chamber of Commerce Night at Fluor Field as the Drive hosted the Kannapolis Intimidators. Between innings, members participated in activities, including a tug-of-war. See more on page 28.
WORTH REPEATING “How is it that we’re spending more money on health care and not living as long and we don’t have the same quality of life that other nations do?” Page 8 “Why can’t you offer your customers 24-hour support? Why can’t that 24-hour support be staffed by singing chickens? Those chickens may leave a mess, but wouldn’t your customers have fun in the meantime?” Page 11 “She kind of rolled her eyes, but when she hung up, she said she needed it for herself and everyone she knew.” Page 14
VERBATIM
TBA A new planned development called Renaissance Place is in the works for Pleasantburg Drive across from Bob Jones University in Greenville. The proposed project could contain a Goodwill store, Waffle House, dental office and potentially a medical office. Look for Tootsie’s Children’s Shoes to open in July at 1803 Augusta St., in the Capers Place shopping center.
On Uber “I’ve got to tell you, if this goes away, we’re setting back tourism in South Carolina, we really are.” State Rep. Jim Merrill of Charleston, as the House voted down changes that the state Senate had approved to a bill that would allow Uber and other ride-sharing services to operate in South Carolina. Lawmakers will revisit the debate when they reconvene for three days next week.
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INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
| GOVERNMENT | 5
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham announced his candidacy for president last week in Central, S.C.
Graham wants to expand immigration BENJAMIN JEFFERS | STAFF
bjeffers@communityjournals.com Presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham wants to expand the number of legal immigrants coming to the country. “To those who want to limit legal immigration, I don’t know where they’re coming from. We’re having a declining population,” he said after speaking to members of the Upstate Chamber Coalition at a luncheon Monday. His plan would create a program for people to enter the country for six to nine months to work in industries struggling to find workers. The work permits would be provided only to companies that first sought to fill open jobs with American citizens. The nation is facing a shortage of workers in the future, Graham said. “So when you advertise for an American worker and you can’t find one … you can bring in temporary workers. That’s a win-win for us all,” he said. “What hurts the American worker is when you pay an illegal immigrant
“So when you advertise for an American worker and you can’t find one … you can bring in temporary workers. That’s a win-win for us all.”
under the table in cash,” he said, “so you want to stop illegal immigration. And for businesses to grow in this country, down the road, they’re going to have to have access to labor.” Certain industries have a hard time finding labor, he said. “Meatpacking, agriculture – it’s just hard to find native-born work.” Much of Graham’s speech to the chamber focused on the economy. “Bipartisanship has got us in $18 trillion in debt, and it’s going to take bipartisanship to get us out,” he said. He proposes flattening the income tax, eliminating many deductions, raising the retirement age by one to two years and means testing benefits. As the three-term senator seeks the presidency, he faces competition from a crowded field of other Republican challengers. “My biggest obstacle is getting better known. It’s not my ideas,” he said. Graham has traveled to Iowa and New Hampshire to boost his image in the two early voting states. Political experts say Graham’s chances for making a strong run for the presidency depend on performing well in those two states. If he succeeds in Iowa and New Hampshire, they say, he has a good opportunity to win the primary in South Carolina, a historically important state in winning the Republican nomination.
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6 | INSURANCE |
INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
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06.12.2015
SC insurers ask for double-digit premium rate increases APRIL A. MORRIS | STAFF
amorris@communityjournals.com Health insurance companies providing plans in South Carolina through the Health Insurance Marketplace are requesting double-digit rate increases for 2016 – from about 14 percent to more than 50 percent in some cases. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires companies seeking 10 percent or higher increases to submit their rates for review by the state or federal government. According to the federal Department of Health and Human Services, the rate increases are starting points and could change as the result of the Marketplace competition and review process. Health insurance companies say rates are increasing due to a variety of factors, increased utilization of health care, rising healthcare costs, the failure of Medicaid and Medicare to reimburse the full cost of care, forcing hospitals to shift the difference onto private insurers, and utilization of new, more expensive tech-
nology. REQUESTED RATE INCREASE BY SC HEALTH INSURANCE MARKETPLACE PROVIDERS In addition, Source: Healthcare.gov, June 9, 2015 RATE two federal INCREASE NUMBER programs that COMPANY PLAN REQUEST AFFECTED were helping to Aetna Health Inc. HMO On-Exchange CB Individual 28.58% 5,000 defray the cost Aetna Health Inc. POS-PD (COV) Individual 33.6% 28,000 to insurers are expiring or Aetna Health Inc. POS On-Exchange (COV) Individual 30.9% 28,000 changing in Aetna Health Inc. Coventry POS Small Group 13.84% 5,000 2016: reinsurConsumers’ Choice CC PPO Individual 18.45% 70,398 ance and risk Health Insurance Co. corridor. The Coventry Health & Coventry Carolinas SC Group 14.39% Fewer than reinsurance Life Insurance Co. PPO Small Group 500 p r o g r a m Time Insurance Co. 2016 Individual Medical Plan 53.23% New product worked to sta (QHP-qualified health plan) bilize premiTime Insurance Co. 2016 Individual Medical Plan 51.64% New product ums in the inTime Insurance Co. 2016 Small Group Plan 15.36% New product dividual market and outside of United Healthcare Life Insurance Co. 2015 Off- exchange individual 19.58% 4,109 the Marketplace. Under the program all health insurance issuers $90,000 and $250,000, a change tainty. and third-party administrators had from 50 percent of claims between Rate increases are currently under to pay a fee to support payments to $45,000 and $250,000 in 2015. review, and the public can comment individual market issuers that cover The risk corridor program ends in on the rate increase requests at conhigh-cost individuals. The program 2016 and shares gains and losses sumers@doi.sc.gov or call 1-800-768will reimburse insurers 50 percent between plans and the federal gov3467. To view rates, visit ratereview. of the cost for claims between ernment to mitigate pricing uncerhealthcare.gov.
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| LEADERSHIP & REAL ESTATE | 7
22 selected for Liberty Fellows Class of 2017 STAFF REPORT
A fighter pilot, an award-winning novelist and the state’s attorney general are among a group of 22 “standout leaders in the business, government and nonprofit sectors” who will join the Liberty Fellowship as the class of 2017. The Liberty Fellowship is a statewide leadership program founded by Anna Kate and Hayne Hipp, Wofford College, and the Aspen Institute. The program recruits proven leaders from diverse fields and over a two-year period, immerses them in four seminars. Participants explore what makes a “just society” and through the program, develop strategies to solve problems leaders face in South Carolina. In addition, Liberty Fellows interact with Fellows from the Aspen Global Leadership Network in locations such as South Africa, Jordan, India, and China. Finally, Liberty Fellows are paired with a mentor and commit to a personal leadership project focused on the state.
“When I consider these Fellows individually, I see women and men who know what they want and deliberately go after it. There’s no sitting on the sidelines, waiting on someone to lead,” said Hayne Hipp. “While this propensity to make things happen has served them well in their careers and community engagement, imagine the potential for South Carolina as they work collectively for the good of the state.” The 12th class of Liberty Fellows includes:
Charleston
Wim Kellett, co-owner, Piedmont Hospice; partner, The Conservation Process, Mount Pleasant
Matthew Van Patton, president and CEO, Levity LLC, Greenville
Tally Parham Casey, shareholder, Wyche, P.A.; Lt. Col., U.S. Air Force Reserves, Columbia
Heather Mitchell, president/architect, The Boudreaux Group, Columbia
Letitia Verdin, circuit court judge, 13th Judicial Circuit, Greenville
John D. Montgomery, V.P. of real estate, Pacolet Milliken Enterprises Inc., Spartanburg
Alan Wilson, attorney general, State of South Carolina, Columbia
Christine Crawford, owner/operator, D&G Management, North Augusta Nate DaPore, president, CEO and founder, PeopleMatter, Charleston
Brice Hipp, board chair, Upstate Forever; yoga instructor, Southern Om, Greenville Melanie Huggins, executive director, Richland Library, Columbia George C. Johnson, partner, Johnson, Toal & Battiste, P.A.; general counsel and licensed funeral director, Leevy’s Funeral Home, Columbia
Sean Dogan, pastor, Long Branch Baptist Church, Greenville
Rose Buyck Newton, executive officer, vice chair of the board and V.P./marketing officer, Bank of Clarendon, Bluffton
Stanfield Gray, founder and CEO, DIG SOUTH Interactive Festival,
Mandy Powers Norrell, attorney and partner, Norrell & Powers Norrell
LLC; member, S.C. House of Representatives, Lancaster Ted Pitts, CEO and president, S.C. Chamber of Commerce; Major, S.C. Army National Guard, Columbia Ben Rex, CEO, Cyberwoven, Columbia Cheryl Stanton, executive director, S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce, Columbia Michel Stone, author, Spartanburg
Teresa Wilson, city manager, City of Columbia Stephen J. Wukela, attorney, Wukela Law Firm; mayor of Florence For more information, visit libertyfellowshipsc.org.
Colliers forms office brokerage team the quality of leasing and property marketing service that Jake and Brantley bring to the table.” Colliers International has Shaw has years of experience announced the formation of a leasing and marketing office and new office brokerage team that industrial properties, including will serve the Upstate market. new development, rehab projBob Shaw, a vice president ects and existing buildings. ANDERSON and principal of the Greenville Jackson recently joined location, and brokerage associColliers International and has ates Jake Jackson and Brantley an extensive background in Anderson comprise the team, brokerage, finance and develwhich “will offer a unique opment. He has worked with combination of real estate exmajor clients including Lehman perience that will provide adJACKSON Brothers, Allstate | Esurance ditional depth and performance and BMW. for Colliers’ clients,” the Anderson has extensive excompany said in a press release. perience in property marketing. “We at Colliers are excited Prior to becoming a brokerage about this combination of associate, Anderson worked as talent and what it will mean to marketing coordinator for SHAW our market,” said David Feild, market Colliers for three years, and her expepresident for the Colliers Greenville rience includes commercial property office. “It’s not every day that you can marketing across South Carolina. The new office team will be located get the depth of expertise and market in Greenville. knowledge that Bob offers paired with SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF
sjackson@communityjournals.com
8 | HEALTHCARE |
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116 South Main Street, Greenville SC 29601 | 864.373.7300 TheNoseDive.com Lunch and Dinner, Monday - Saturday | Sunday Brunch
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06.12.2015
Forum tackles challenges in health care system Fee-for-service model may no longer be effective, say speakers ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF
aboncimino@communityjournals.com
South Carolina Hospital Association president and CEO Thornton Kirby would be the first to say the state of health care can look a bit alarming. For instance, Americans spend more on health care than many of their developed nation peers, but live significantly shorter lives and are less healthy on their way to early deaths, he said at a Ten at the Top Healthcare Forum held last week at Crowne Plaza in Greenville. “How is it that we’re spending more money on health care and not living as long and we don’t have the same quality of life that other nations do?” he said, speaking to a packed room of nearly 100 business leaders, health care professionals and local leaders. “This is a challenge that we have to engage. We can’t avoid it, we have to talk about it and figure out why.” Many challenges and structural issues in our health care system today can be traced back to what the system was originally intended for, Kirby said. Efforts to reduce runaway inflation during World War II, for example, introduced limits on salaries, which prompted employers to attempt to draw workers with non-wage benefits such as health insurance. The result was an employer-sponsored health insurance precedent that differed from the more common, government-involved health insurance model in other developed countries, he said. “It doesn’t necessarily work perfectly. It’s not necessarily how you as a group would probably have conceived of how policy was created for the nation, but that’s how we got it,” he said. “It has a
“We have long paid for what we refer to as volume, the number of procedures done. We really ought to begin paying for how well the health care system manages a patient’s health.” Greenville Health System Vice President of Clinical Integration and Chief Medical Officer Angelo Sinopoli
lot less government controls on it than most systems … which means there’s probably more of a profit motive opportunity in ours than in ones that are strictly government-operated.” But the current profit model for providers is a fee-for-service model, said panelist David Isenhower, the chief medical informatics officer for Self Regional Health System. Providers care about the ultimate quality of service to their patients, but they only get paid for services, which misses the opportunity to focus on other aspects of care, he said. “The payment model has to shift from fee-for-service over to some portion of the value to the providers being fees for other things,” said Isenhower, who sat alongside Rosenfeld Einstein Principal Howard Einstein, Bon Secours St. Francis Health System Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs Saria Saccocio, and Greenville Health System Vice President of Clinical Integration and Chief Medical Officer Angelo Sinopoli. “Most practitioners I talk to actually want to get back to the practice of care,” said Sinopoli. Alternative payment methods could be attractive options because they can boost overall better outcomes, Sinopoli said; rather than doing mounds of paperwork, providers could focus on the reason they chose health care as a profession. “We have long paid for what we refer to as volume, the number of procedures done,” he said. “We really ought to begin paying for how well the health care system manages a patient’s health.” Despite problems, Kirby said he remains optimistic about the potential for improvement with South Carolina’s – as well as the country’s – health care system. “The trends in our state are very much focused on improving where we have structural flaws,” he said. “Your leaders in this state are not only focused on quality of care and driving it. They’re successful at it.”
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CycleBar set to open Upstate workout studios SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF
sjackson@communityjournals.com CycleBar, an indoor cycling facility that offers a high-energy workout in a concert-like atmosphere, will be opening multiple locations in Greenville over the next 18 months. Franchisees Eric Skoloff and Keith Boettiger have signed an agreement to open a series of CycleBar studios. Skoloff, a longtime Greenville resident, has more than 20 years of experience in corporate sales and management in the medical device industry. Boettiger has more than 20 years of executive leadership experience in the medical device industry. “Greenville has a love for fitness like few other cities around the country, and CycleBar will only add more excitement and overall passion in the marketplace,” said Skoloff. CycleBar offers a pay-per-class model, with no membership necessary. Concierge service and amenities include free towels, water bottles, showers, lockers and shoes. The classes take place in a CycleTheatre and are led by CycleStar instructors who take participants through a 50-minute ride. The CycleTheatre features tiers for 50 bikes plus LED lighting, widescreen graphics and stateof-the-art audio with a DJ booth. Riders can also track performance data with CycleStats and can download music used in the class session. After class, riders cool down with fresh fruit and enhanced water, while aromatherapy helps guests relax throughout the facility. “CycleBar goes far beyond a workout,” says Boettiger. “It is an immersive, thrilling, communal experience. We want CycleBar to become a lifestyle habit for the entire community. This is a place for men and women, families, teens and teams. It is a great place for everyone to meet their fitness goals.” The Greenville CycleBar locations have not yet been determined. For more information, visit cyclebarfranchise.com.
INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
| RETAIL | 9
Mobile Payments It’s the way of the future . . . the very near future . . . And it’s coming faster everyday. Your customer’s walking-around-money is about to grow some legs. The number of customers with smartphones already exceeds the number who carry cash. Will your business stay in stride?
29
The number of Nelson Mullins attorneys in the firm’s Mobile Payments practice group.
1 trillion
The number of corporate clients that Nelson Mullins attorneys have assisted in creating or implementing mobile payments solutions, including by addressing data privacy and security issues.
$
50
+
The projected volume of mobile payments in 2015.
13
+
The number of federal agencies that regulate mobile payments. Many of these regulations apply not only to banks and money service businesses, but also to merchants and third party vendors.
150+
The number of virtual currencies that have been launched in the last several years (one of which is Bitcoin).
30%
The number of consumers who used mobile payments to pay for purchases during the 2014 holiday shopping season.
48
%
The number of consumers who cited data security as their number one concern when using a mobile payments platform in a recent Federal Reserve study.
“The foundation is in place — are you going to let it happen or are you going to make it happen.” (Mike Abbot, CEO if Softcard at Money 2020)
Merchants say they are investing in mobile apps, and 74% of those merchants say they will invest in apps that enhance the consumer’s shopping journey in some way. “Merchants will be focused over the next decade on how what they do and with whom they do it can deliver incremental revenue.” (Karen Webster, CEO, Market Platform Dynamics)
93%
Why pay extra for the inconvenience of out-of-state attorneys, when we have brought so much large market experience home to the Upstate? For further information, contact NEIL GRAYSON (864) 250-2235 neil.grayson@nelsonmullins.com
BRAD RUSTIN (864) 250-2320 brad.rustin@nelsonmullins.com
www.NelsonMullins.com 104 S. Main St., #900, Greenville
10 | DIGITAL MAVEN |
THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF BUSINESS
UBJ
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06.12. 2015
How much is that blog photo worth? By LAURA HAIGHT, president, portfoliosc.com A picture is worth a thousand words. And maybe thousands of dollars as well. Today’s communications are often driven less by language than by visual images – photos in blog posts, on Web pages, Instagram, Facebook and, of course, videos. You may write a brilliant blog post, but readership will lag without a strong photo to draw attention to it. Statistics on various websites say 85 percent of blog post photos are being used illegally and subject to fines for copyright infringement. I can’t prove that number, but I don’t doubt it either. There are many ways you could be violating the law and not even realize it. But ignorance will not be an excuse when Getty Images, iStock or a photographer comes after you for infringement. And don’t think you’re too small to be noticed. Small businesses and even nonprofits are squarely in the sights of image licensing agents. For grins, you can Google “Getty Images Letter” and you’ll find story after story – from companies maybe like yours – of lawsuits, fines, negotiations and, ultimately, payments over unlicensed use of images. Those payments can run anywhere from a few hundred dollars to several thousand.
There are many ways you could be violating the law and not even realize it. But ignorance will not be an excuse when Getty Images, iStock or a photographer comes after you for infringement.
Securities are offered through SANDLAPPER Securities, LLC (“SLS”), a registered broker-dealer with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and Member of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). Investing in securities whether public or private involve risks including but not limited to the potential loss of some or all of your investment dollars. You should review any planned financial transactions that may have tax or legal implications with your personal tax or legal advisor. Past performance is no guarantee of future results, and investments are not FDIC insured.
Rather than dwell on how widespread the problem is, let’s focus on how to make sure you are doing the right thing and how to fix a problem you may already have. Obviously, one of the best ways is to subscribe to a service. Getty Images and iStock are the biggest and the most expensive. With most of the big services, plans are set up so you can download a certain number of images a month. That’s great if you are a designer. But if you’re a small business writing a couple of blog posts a month, you don’t need that expansive a service. For us, there are services like 123rf.com, which is one of the few that enable you to buy credits and use them at any time. Still, that won’t cover you completely. There may be photos that are limited to non-commercial use, or editorial use, or additional expenses to use a photo for sales purposes, such as in ads. Even if you purchase a photo, you can still be subject to infringement charges if you violate explicit use exceptions. You can find free photos that are licensed for public use. One way is from Creative Commons, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to enable the sharing and use of creativity and knowledge through free legal tools. They have developed a series of free, easy-to-use copyright licenses that offer a standard framework for sharing creative content. License limitations vary, so you need a general understanding of the legal use of each. For example, some licenses permit use with attribution, meaning you must cite the source of the photo. Others allow
BY THE NUMBERS:
85%
Percentage of images used online without permission, many without attribution to the rightful source. Source: IMGembed
only non-commercial use. Still others limit derivative versions, meaning that you can’t manipulate the image with your logo, text or other artwork; you must use it as is. Learn about the licenses and what they mean: goo.gl/eTRg2B. And you can use their search engine (goo.gl/o1kZTy) to search for photos, videos and text by license type through a number of services including Google Images, Flickr and YouTube. Are you thinking you should go back and review the photos on your website (or ask your website developer for proof of licenses)? Good thought. If you find you have unlicensed photos, you should definitely remove, replace or purchase them. But don’t think that will protect you from the long reach of Getty Images or other major photo services. There are services that crawl the Internet and capture copies of Web pages. I found 14 archived versions of my portfoliosc.com website going back to 2010 on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine (goo.gl/xQNd6). Those archives are crawled by Getty’s (and others’) bots in search of their photos. And there are plenty of stories of websites hit with fines, fees and lawsuits for use of photos they had already removed. Remember, your website, your blog and your Facebook page are legally your responsibility. When copyright infringement is at issue, it’s you and not your designer or marketing agency that will be fighting the lawsuit and stuck with the bill. Laura Haight is the president of Portfolio, a communications company that helps small business make the most of the fusion of emerging technology and communication.
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MOVERS, SHAKERS AND DISRUP TORS SHAPING OUR FUTURE
| INNOVATE | 11
Business the Muppet way Four lessons from Jim Henson about keeping the heart and soul alive in your enterprise By ALRINTHEA F. CARTER, academic advising director, Clemson MBA
In the opening scene of “The Great Muppet Caper,” Kermit and Fozzie descend onto a city street and immediately launch into a large song-anddance number about how they are in a movie that promises adventure, romance and a charming tale of twin brothers who can only be told apart because the bear wears a hat. As the people of the city dance and sing to a thrilling climax, a large explosion happens in the background. This explosion has nothing to do with the plot and doesn’t even involve the main characters. It was simply put there because Jim Henson thought explosions were funny, and really, why not? By being willing to be ridiculous simply for the fun of it, Jim Henson mastered the art of combining education, cheerful explosions and edgy innuendo in a way that appealed to children and adults, while inspiring childlike wonder in both. He revolutionized children’s educational programs because he was willing to include those explosions alongside the colorful dancing numbers and letters. As with any new and innovative practice, Henson had to adjust his business principles to fit the chaos of the Muppet stratosphere while still protecting intellectual property and increasing profits. Adopting the following Henson values will allow you to keep your business or idea growing while maintaining the heart and soul needed to make a meaningful contribution to your community.
Henson was a voracious collector of new ideas and concepts. He was interested in how children learn and
2. FIND A BETTER WAY TO SAY “NO” In production meetings, when his performers and staffers would introduce a new idea that he didn’t think would work, Henson wouldn’t immediately shut it down with a “no.” He would famously say, “Hmmm... interesting. But what if we did it another
You never know just how far you can push an idea if you limit yourself to the safe options. Continue to ask yourself “Why not?” Why can’t you offer your customers 24-hour support? Why can’t that 24-hour support be staffed by singing chickens? Those chickens may leave a mess, but wouldn’t your customers have fun in the meantime? way?” This creates a working atmosphere of collaboration. Instead of being a boss handing out directives, he was willing to work in the trenches alongside his team to take an idea and shape and push until it became something wonderful, or “lovely,” as he would say when an idea would finally fit his vision. Your next great idea is out there, but if you aren’t able to share the ability to create it you’ll find yourself in a rut and not see the benefits of fresh eyes. Of course, Miss Piggy doesn’t follow this suggestion, but she’s a diva. It’s understood that she shouldn’t be questioned anyway.
3. NO ONE IS LEFT BACKSTAGE In “The Muppets Take Manhattan,” the cast of “Manhattan Melodies” grows to include all the Muppets and Monsters included in the (spoiler!) successful return of Kermit’s memory. At the opening of the show, when Fozzie wonders if their new friends should watch from the back, Kermit proclaims, “What? No! No, they cannot watch the show from backstage. That’s it! That’s what’s been missing from the show! That’s what we need! More frogs and dogs and bears and chickens and – and – whatevers! You’re not gonna watch the show, you’re gonna be in the show! Come on, everyone!” Remember the people who got you where you are at this point in your career. This goes beyond your mom and dad, though they are great, I’m sure. Your team – the pigs and frogs and big yellow birds – are Photo courtesy of Chris Hsia
1. HAVE CHILDLIKE CURIOSITY
retain new information. He found that children had the ability to consider a new idea with a candor and openness that adults had learned to suppress. Imagine a big red button. A child wouldn’t question whether the outcome of pushing this button would be good or bad, but rather enjoy the feeling of possibility making something – anything – happen. You never know just how far you can push an idea if you limit yourself to the safe options. Continue to ask yourself “Why not?” Why can’t you offer your customers 24-hour support? Why can’t that 24-hour support be staffed by singing chickens? Those chickens may leave a mess, but wouldn’t your customers have fun in the meantime?
the ones supporting your vision, challenging you to push outside your comfort zone, applauding your successes, and co-learning from your mistakes. When you earn the accolades that are sure to come (because your business is amazing), don’t leave your cast of characters backstage to watch you accept the statue. Drag them right on stage with you to share in the glory. Show off the “frogs” who created that viral campaign. Give credit to the “whatevers” who improve your supply chain processes.
4. EMBRACE THE WEIRD “It all ends in one of two ways: Either someone gets eaten or something blows up.” Henson wrapped his lessons in absurdity. Sure, the lesson may get waylaid by pigs in space or a frog with amnesia or a monster that eats your cookies before you can explain what they are, but in the end the message was delivered in a way that made you remember. Early in Henson’s career he created short films for IBM. These videos featured new products and company updates and were meant to break up the monotony of long meetings. A video featuring a new line of word processors had scenes of exploding piles of paper interspersed with scenes of prior means of recording information, all flashed at frantic pace. At the end of the video, you don’t necessarily remember what was contained in those scenes, but you got the sense that IBM was at the forefront of disrupting what was already familiar. Sure, they could have had smiling secretaries unboxing shiny new processors. But where’s the fun in that? In the end, it’s not what you say, but how you say it that people will remember. BOOM!
12 | OPINION |
UBJ
MOVERS, SHAKERS AND DISRUP TORS SHAPING OUR FUTURE
|
06.12. 2015
Legislative dysfunction Why the business community is disappointed in the South Carolina Statehouse By TED PITTS, president and CEO, South Carolina Chamber of Commerce I ran into a colleague last week, a business leader who has been deeply engaged with the South Carolina General Assembly and the political process for the past three decades. As we lamented the lack of progress during the past six months at the Statehouse, we couldn’t help but talk about the apparent disconnection between some elected officials, particularly in the Senate, and regular South Carolinians. As the leader of the state’s largest broad-based business organization, my job at the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce is to lead the organization that serves as the unified voice of business, working alongside employers and others to make our state more competitive. Business leaders are faced with tough decisions every day, and they must take action. Their employees’ livelihoods depend on it. It is not an option to “do nothing.” So why do our elected officials, who handle the state’s business (and in many ways the quality of
South Carolinians are now left with more than 2,000 bridges in disrepair and almost one-third of primary and interstate highways in poor or mediocre condition. Our rural roads have crept up to be the second deadliest in the nation, and our interstates continue to see more and more congestion. On June 4, the South Carolina General Assembly adjourned sine die for the first half of the two-year legislative session. The business community is extremely disappointed that the No. 1 issue facing the state was put off again for another year. It looks like the General Assembly may allocate one-time dollars toward infrastructure when they take up the supplemental appropriations bill on June 16, which is better than nothing. The South Carolina Chamber has called on the General Assembly to spend at least half of that expected surplus on infrastructure. One thing is for sure: The business community is getting a clear picture on which legislators we can count on to address the issues facing our state’s It is not an option to “do nothing.” So why do our elected officials, competitiveness and the who handle the state’s business, think it is okay to kick problems safety of our citizens and down the road over and over again without finding a solution? which legislators we can’t.
life of South Carolinians), think it is okay to kick problems down the road over and over again without finding a solution? South Carolina’s business community and its citizens were clear on the No. 1 priority they wanted legislators to address this year: finding comprehensive and sustainable funding for our state’s crumbling infrastructure. Critical to economic development, safety, tourism, agribusiness and quality of life, the business community has been urging legislators for many years to work together on a long-term plan. I have to commend the House’s efforts, led by Speaker Jay Lucas and Rep. Gary Simrill, on passing an infrastructure funding package early in the legislative session by a vote of 87-20. What is truly disappointing about the 2015 session is the inaction in the Senate. With four proposals on the table and two months left in session, the South Carolina Senate failed to debate and vote on an infrastructure bill. With no progress,
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NEWS
| QUARTERLIES | 13
Quarterly Reports JPS acquired, announces second quarter Anderson-based composite materials manufacturer JPS Industries agreed to be acquired by White Plains, N.Y.-based industrial firm Handy & Harman Ltd. and its parent company, Steel Partner Holdings, for $11 per share in June. The transaction comes after Handy & Harman increased its unsolicited tender offer several times over the last few months, and after it rejected an unsolicited tender offer of $10 per share in February. Terms for the agreement include a 30-day period in which JPS can encourage and facilitate any alternative transaction proposals. JPS also announced second quarter earnings for the three months ended May 2, 2015, which included 2.3 percent net sales increase to $44.9 million and 3.9 percent gross profit increases to $7.9 million compared to the same quarter last year. Net income dropped dramatically over the same period, falling 87.3 percent to $1.3 million from $9.8 million. Net income fell due to $1.2 million in non-recurring costs related to Handy & Harman, while net income last year included a $7.9 million boost related to the disposition of the JPS Urethane division. Headquartered in Greenville, JPS Industries manufactures sheet and mechanically formed glass and aramid materials for highly engineered products from its three manufacturing locations in Anderson and Slater, S.C., and Statesville, N.C.
World Acceptance 10K, Sandy McLean retires Greenville-based loan company World Acceptance Corp. CEO Sandy McLean announced plans to retire this year after 11 years as CEO and 26 years with the company. The firm’s current COO Janet Lewis Matricciani will replace McLean as CEO effective Sept. 30, 2015. “I have been extremely privileged to be a part of the World Acceptance team for these many years and to have worked with so many talented and dedicated colleagues in order to grow our company and position it for future success,” said McLean. “I feel that this is the appropriate time to move forward with our succession plan, and I look forward to supporting Janet and the company in a smooth transition and thereafter enjoying my retirement and other interests.” McLean was at the helm last year when the company received a Civil Investigative Demand from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau concerning possible violations of consumer-protection laws. The company has reported continual cooperation with investigators concerning the demand. World Acceptance reported a 4 percent increase in net income to $110.8 million for the year ended March 31, 2015, with a 1.8 percent increase in total revenue to $610.2 million. The number of branches increased 3.9 percent from 1,271 to 1,320 branches operating in 15 states and Mexico. World Acceptance targets individuals with limited access to consumer credit sources with short-term small loans, medium-term large loans and related credit insurance products.
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14 | JUMPSTART |
COMPANIES BLAZING A TRAIL IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP
UBJ
|
06.12. 2015
EDOCHOME – HOW IT WORKS Customer or business enrolls in the program Completes medical history Contacts telemedicine provider via telephone or video app U.S. board-certified doctor licensed in patient’s state calls patient back Doctor recommends treatment and can issue a prescription for certain conditions MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP COST: $15-$30
Chris Cole and Linda Cowart, founders of eDocHome.
The online doctor is in
eDocHome offers virtual connection to health care providers APRIL A. MORRIS | STAFF
amorris@communityjournals.com
hospital. I was looking to solve this problem and discovered telehealth.
Did you try the service yourself? Four years ago, a request from a friend sent Chris Cole on a path to discovering telemedicine technology and founding his own Greenville-based company to provide telemedicine services: eDocHome. Since its launch in 2013 with partner Linda Cowart, the business has grown and is poised to launch more services this summer. Cole spoke with UBJ about his company’s growth and what’s next.
How did the company get started? A friend of mine owned an ambulance company and when his EMTs would go out to a rural home, if the person didn’t want to go to the hospital, the EMTs couldn’t make them go. He lost three or four hours of EMT time and asked if I could find a way to have a doctor call the person to tell them they need to go to the hospital. Not because he would have a billable account, but because the person really needed to go to the
I had a sinus infection and set up a teleconference. When I hung the phone up, I said, “I cannot believe it was this simple.” That started the whole journey of eDocHome. While collecting information and researching, I connected with [telehealth services provider] Teladoc. I approached them and it has been a great, great relationship.
A person who cannot get an appointment with his primary care provider may go to a walk-in clinic or urgent care center. How is eDocHome different? When you’re sick, you don’t want to get dressed
and go out to the urgent care center … you don’t want to be in the room with a lot of other sick people. It’s making access more convenient to talk to a doctor when you need one. We never want to replace anyone’s primary care physician … at the end of the consultation, our physician will ask if the member wants the information shared with their primary care physician.
Describe how you connected with your partner, Linda Cowart. I’ve known Linda for many years; [she suffered from] a chronic sinus infection and bronchitis. And being a CFO, she would make a doctor’s appointment and have to cancel. I asked her to call the number and have a doctor call her back. She kind of rolled her eyes, but when she hung up, she said she needed it for herself and everyone she knew. She had great insurance, but just didn’t have the time to miss three or four hours of work because of a sinus infection – it was going to cost everyone a lot of money. She asked, “What do we need to do to start this as a business?”
In addition to individuals, eDocHome is available for businesses. How does it help employers? First by reducing sick time. If an employee has a child with pinkeye, they may be out several days … because they may be having trouble getting to their doctor’s office, and productivity goes down. With eDocHome, utilization of [employer’s] health care decreases because employees are seeking care through telehealth. We have shown that we can reduce employees’ use of urgent care by 42 percent, primary care by about 35 percent and emergency room utilization by about 11 to 15 percent. That’s tremendous savings of health care costs for the employers.
How has the business grown since 2013? We are closing in on two exciting years. There are consumers and employers in 48 states and we have thousands of members. We experience >>
upstatebusinessjournal.com
COMPANIES BLAZING A TRAIL IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP
| JUMPSTART | 15
>>
30 percent growth or more every month and we’ve got some huge employers coming onboard this month. We should double the size of our membership this month.
How has eDocHome been received by other health care providers? We have spoken to local hospitals and it is being received more positively. In the beginning, physicians saw us as their competition. However, if a patient calls and cannot get an appointment with a provider, after two times that doctor has lost that patient. We’re trying to educate hospitals and physicians that they can use our service after hours or as a backup to keep this patient in goodwill with them. Several hospital systems offer virtual health care services … more hospitals are also partnering with telehealth companies.
How have you financed the business? At this point we are debt-free and very solvent. We have enough capital in place that we have to reach about 50,000 members before we seek additional investment.
What’s next? We just added dermatology and behavioral health counseling. It [behavioral health] is for people to talk about issues in their life that cause stress, not for chronic conditions. We had the most calls in December during the holidays. In July, we are launching a campus health 24/7 program. A college student anywhere can now access a health care provider from their smartphone, laptop or any phone anywhere. This is going to give parents a great peace of mind. If there’s one thing that I think will change health care in the next five years, it’s telemedicine and telehealth.
WHEN IS A WORKERS’ COMPENSATION CLAIM COMPENSABLE? Carefully evaluating workers’ compensation claims everyday work site, that employee must prove he is crucial in helping your company save money and or she was injured while actively engaging in the prevent fraud. Workers’ compensation is simply a form furtherance of the employer’s business. There is a of insurance that offers employees medical coverage special provision called the “coming and going in the event they are injured during a work-related rule,” which maintains that benefits are denied for function. Depending on the state of residence, it may injuries received when traveling to or from work. also give compensation for disabilities sustained or Additionally, injuries arising out of transit from one cover rehabilitation costs so the employee can return work site to another, for instance when traveling to to the workplace quickly and smoothly. visit clients, are compensable. This provision also TOM requires that the actions leading to the injury of the Workers’ compensation is crucial to protecting BATES employees, but it is often a source of contention among VICE PRESIDENT/COO employee in question be prompted by the aspiration to further the employer’s business interests. employers because it comes with considerable gray areas. When is a claim compensable? How do we identify a Resulted in Impairment and/or Lost Wages fraudulent claim? How do we report a claim, and should we The injury or illness in question must cause the employee to be report all workplace injuries no matter how serious? This piece impaired in some way and lose wages from not being able to is designed to help you determine when — and if — an injury complete his or her tasks completely. It is also a compensable is covered by workers’ compensation. incident if the injury or illness results in impairment but without Requirements lost wages, or vice versa. The claim must meet all five of these requirements in order to Identifying a Fraudulent Claim be compensable. Let’s examine each individually: Studies commonly show that roughly 90 percent of all workers’ Happened to One of Your Employees compensation claims filed are legitimate. However, it is still important as an employer to watch for these red flags that The first requirement is in place to ensure it is your employee may indicate a fraudulent claim: filing the claim, not an independent contractor or vendor who works for themselves or a third party. Even if the incident occurs - Filing multiple claims on your property, unless it is someone who works directly for - Longer absences than anticipated by the employee, you, the claim is not compensable. combined with an unwillingness to return to work Resulted in an Injury or Illness - Unwillingness to be assigned to other, lighter jobs within the Injury is not the only thing that can potentially be covered company or to complete partial duties by workers’ compensation. Illnesses could also qualify as a - Constantly missing medical appointments compensable claim, but only if they are related directly to the - Employee will not provide date, time or location of the job. The illness also must be caused directly by the working incident that caused injury conditions to be covered in a workers’ compensation policy. - Employee has no recollection of services provided for For example, a miner’s contraction of black lung would be related medical bills compensable in all states. However, an employee in an Lack of witnesses to an accident or incident office with a coworker who smokes would not be eligible - Employee cannot produce specific information about the for workers’ compensation for treatment of illness due to nature of the injury secondhand smoke. - Employee has a history of short-term employment Arose Out of Employment If any of these red flags occur, it by no means makes the claim This requirement means there must be a direct connection automatically fraudulent – these are simply guidelines to keep between the injury and the desire or attempt to further the employers proactively evaluating the legitimacy of a workers’ employer’s business. If the employer benefits in some way, compensation claim. whether monetarily or otherwise, from the employee’s activity, then the claim meets this qualification. Occurred in the Course and Scope of Employment Proudly Representing The employee must be at work when the injury occurs. This includes any place or location mandated or expected by the employer. So when an injury occurs at the employee’s physical
“If there’s one thing that I think will change health care in the next five years, it’s telemedicine and telehealth.” Chris Cole, founder of eDocHome
28 Global Drive, Ste 102, Greenville 29607 • 864-527-0424 • insurancegreenvillesc.com
16 | THE TAKEAWAY |
UBJ
NOTES FROM THE BEST TALKS YOU MISSED
|
06.12.2015
Keeping Greenville great Jane Robelot on leadership, legacies and the importance of saying “Hey, y’all” By RANDY COOPER,
principal, Carolina Creative
“If you love this town, then you’re saying you love Mayor Knox White and Minor Mickel Shaw and Seabrook Marchant and Carl Sobocinski, Dick Riley and Betty Farr and Vivian Wong and David Wilkins, and so many other countless people whose names you will never know.”
Seabrook Marchant, founder and president of The Marchant Company, welcomed Jane Robelot, a two-time national Emmy-winning broadcast journalist and Peabody Award recipient, as the keynote speaker at the company’s quarterly breakfast on May 14. In her address, Robelot praised the legacy of Greenville’s business and community leaders for their vision in building a city of international repute. Robelot upheld the city’s welcoming attitude toward emerging young leaders, considering them key to Greenville’s continued success. MAKING IT A Greenville native, Jane Robelot started her broadcasting career in the Upstate, reporting on Clemson football, basketball and other sporting events as well as hard news. She covered the aftermath of Hurricane Hugo and the visit of Prince Charles, the Democratic and Republican conventions of 1988, and Pope John Paul II’s historic visit to Columbia. In 1990 the CBS network recruited Robelot to report for the CBS-owned station in Philadelphia. In 1995, CBS News promoted her to its headquarters in New York City to co-anchor “CBS Morning News.” Less than one year later, the network named Robelot co-anchor of “CBS This Morning.” While at CBS, Robelot covered several groundbreaking stories, including the Oklahoma City bombing, death of Princess Diana and Pope John Paul II’s trip to Cuba. COMING HOME Robelot met her husband, Mario DeCarvalho, an award-winning combat cameraman and veteran of the political trail, while working at CBS News. Robelot and DeCarvalho were married in Greenville in 1998. In 2000, they moved to Atlanta with their baby, George. But after four years in which Robelot served as the principal anchor of the CBS affiliate in Atlanta, it was Portuguese-born DeCarvalho who said, “It’s time to move home… to Greenville.” Robelot said, “We realized that we wanted to raise EVENT: The Marchant Company Quarterly Breakfast WHO WAS THERE: Greater Greenville community leaders SPEAKER: Jane Robelot, co-owner of Carolina Zoom Productions and special projects anchor, WYFF-TV PRESENTING: Keeping Greenville Great: The City’s Legacy of Leadership
Seabrook Marchant and Jane Robelot.
our son in this town.” Even more than sweet tea and Duke’s mayonnaise, it was the people of Greenville who brought Robelot and DeCarvalho home – passionate, hardworking, community-minded and, above all else, friendly people like the business and community leaders present for Robelot’s address, as well as the many who came before them. “So many people love Greenville, and I tell them, if they say they love Greenville, then they’re really saying they love former Mayor Max Heller and Buck Mickle, they love C. Dan Joyner and Virginia Uldrick,” Robelot said. “If you love this town, then you’re saying you love Mayor Knox White and Minor Mickel Shaw and Seabrook Marchant and Carl Sobocinski, Dick Riley and Betty Farr and Vivian Wong and David Wilkins, and so many other countless people whose names you will never know.” Robelot credited Greenville’s dedicated business and community leaders for the city’s emergence as a destination of national and international renown – this was the central theme of her address. A LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP Robelot attributed both her own success and the success of the city to the longtime commitment of Greenville’s leaders to strengthen education in order to uplift the city’s young people, a commitment reflected by Greenville’s presence on Forbes’ Best Cities for Young Adults list. In Robelot’s case, Greenville’s culture of encouragement started at home. “I have the best parents in the world,” she said. Robelot was also bolstered
by her Greenville County Public School education. She thanked her many teachers for providing her with the critical foundation needed to advance her career. Just as her parents and teachers had done, Greenville’s business and community leaders served as a support system to Robelot. Recalling the encouragement she received from Greenville leaders as she began her broadcast career, at WCCP-AM and WFBC-FM, Robelot said, “That’s how Greenville’s leaders still see the future of this town – in the new young faces.” PERPETUATING THE LEGACY For Robelot, the city’s tradition of embracing new young leaders, while staying committed to a forward-thinking vision of families and faith, explains why, even amidst its international rise to prominence, Greenville has remained a warm and welcoming place. And, said Robelot, continuing to foster new talent remains a key to both preserving Greenville’s heritage and sustaining its growth. “Let’s keep Greenville great,” Robelot concluded. “Let’s make a pledge to continue to honor those who have gone before us – and our leaders of today – by continuing their legacy of love and encouragement … By never letting a stranger walk past you without giving them a good ol’ Greenville ‘Hey, y’all!’”
DETAILS Seabrook Marchant also provided an overview of recent real estate market activity. Marchant compared 2015 market numbers with 2014 benchmarks, reporting several encouraging local trends. These included a nearly 24 percent increase in closed sales and an almost 4 percent rise in the average sales price of homes.
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18 | COVER
UBJ
NorthPointe could revitalize ‘critical gateway’
|
06.12.2015
PROJECT PARTNERS Central Realty ECI group Davis Architects
$60M mixed-use project planned for 2017 completion SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF
sjackson@communityjournals.com Stone Avenue is set to become Greenville’s fastest growing new corridor with a $60 million mixed-use project called NorthPointe, to include a 53,000-square-foot grocery store, 282 apartments and roughly 30,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space at the vacant corner of Stone Avenue, North Church Street and Wade Hampton Boulevard, across from Canal Insurance. Rece Morgan, president and CEO of Central Realty Holdings, which is owned by the same family that owns Canal Insurance, said they expect to be in a position to announce the grocery store tenant in mid-summer. Several other sources say it’s a Harris Teeter but could also be a Lowes Foods, Publix or possibly a Wegmans. “This will be a true mixed-use development,” said Morgan. Residents will be able to walk to grocery shopping, restaurants and other retail. Some restaurant space will have outdoor seating. Plans are to attract a “best in class” mix of fast-casual, sit-down and takeout restaurants and boutique retail, he said.
BUILDING ON CURRENT SUCCESS
«
REDNERINGS PROVIDED
Bill Runge, partner with Collett, a commercial real estate company that will be handling marketing and leasing for NorthPointe, said the general strategy will be to complement the North Main neighborhood by providing a balance of best-in-class boutique retail and restaurants. “The project will be an integral part of Stone Avenue and we want to build upon the success of what is already there – a prime example being the Universal Joint,” he said. Specific uses and categories of retail and restaurants are yet to be defined, but Runge stressed the team has taken considerable time to analyze “what’s there and what will be a complement to the overall neighborhood and market.” Interest in the project has
COVER | 19
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been high and energetic, Runge says, and he hopes to be able to make some definitive announcements in the near future. He also said on-site parking is an important piece in the development and the goal is to create a place where “folks will want to come, park and stay for a while.” He sees a growing trend to try to create more reasons for shoppers and people to stay on site.
“A CRITICAL GATEWAY” A 2014 Wade Hampton Boulevard survey conducted by the Greenville Planning Commission shows that 1,600 respondents in neighborhoods such as North Main, Overbrook, Stone Lake and Vista Hills want additional retail and restaurants, including national brands, along with a high-end grocery store and pharmacy nearby. “This is a critical gateway to downtown,” said Greenville City Councilwoman Amy Ryberg Doyle. “This corner is one of the key areas in the Stone Avenue Master Plan.” In addition to the 10-acre site at Wade Hampton Boulevard and Stone Avenue, the planned development that Central Realty will present to the city includes the former Capri’s restaurant location on Stone Avenue (across the street from the proposed development) and two buildings that contain a frame store and music shop on Wade Hampton Boulevard. Central is teaming up with ECI
BY THE NUMBERS
53,000 282 30,000 SF high-end grocery store
apartments with five-stories
(approx.) SF of retail and commercial on the ground floor with apartments above
6-floor 600 parking deck
parking spaces
Group, another family-owned company out of Atlanta, to develop the apartment portion of the project. Central Realty and ECI Group are already co-developing another apartment complex in Savannah, Ga. Apartments will be predominantly studio, one and two bedrooms with some three-bedroom units available,
said Morgan. Apartment amenities will include two courtyard areas, a swimming pool and a skybridge that will connect upper parking levels to apartments.
NEIGHBORHOOD ACCESS The project has taken about a year since the concept was first discussed and is “about 95 percent done” as far as pre-construction activities that need to take place, said Morgan. Discussions are ongoing with city officials and the state Department of Transportation about the repositioning and closure of roads and meetings with neighborhood associations, which will be held in June and July. A major piece of the project will be the closure of Column Street between Stone Avenue and Wade Hampton Boulevard and realignment of the road, traffic signals and crossings at Wade Hampton Boulevard and Stone Avenue. Morgan said several traffic studies have been done and he believes the changes will increase traffic flow in the area. “We are going to be sensitive to the roadwork and site construction to have the minimal impact on traffic,” he said. “Our commercial partners understand good urban design, and we will work with their design team to provide neighborhood access to the many surrounding neighborhoods,” said Councilwoman Doyle. “This density in housing is needed to bring
NORTHPOINTE TIMELINE JUNE/JULY – Neighborhood meetings, ongoing discussions with DOT and city officials LATE JULY – Obtain traffic permits AUGUST – Submit DRB, Planning Commission and Zoning paperwork FALL – Bring project in front of City Council FALL – Begin road and utility construction EARLY JANUARY 2016 – Close Column Street MID-SPRING 2016 – Deliver pad sites for construction APRIL 2016 – Construction begins on buildings SUMMER 2017 – Anticipated completion the mixed-use retail on to Wade Hampton Boulevard and the North End. The developers have worked with the city for several years to find the right anchor tenant for the neighborhood.” NorthPointe will also be easily accessible for walking traffic with the new street crossovers, said Morgan. The developers are also looking at accommodating bicycle and golf cart NORTHPOINTE continued on PAGE 20
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06.12. 2015
NORTHPOINTE continued from PAGE 19
REDNERINGS PROVIDED
parking, having valet parking options and possibly even a trolley stop and a connection into the Greenville Health System Swamp Rabbit Trail system. The parking deck will rise six stories, but Morgan said due to the elevation changes of the property and taking advantage of grade drop, it will “seem more like three stories” without going underground. Central Realty will work with the city to create “a gateway point” at Church Street and Wade Hampton Boulevard. “All along we have stayed focused on the Stone Avenue Master Plan and fitting the design in with the surrounding neighborhoods,” said Morgan. “We want people to have a comfortable place to come shopping, eat lunch and dinner, and live.”
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MAY 29, 2015
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HARVEST PROFITSING
In th agribusi e Upstate and ness h statew but ther as been on th ide, e e’s still room to upswing – grow
GREER GROWS
UP
High
A new MASTER PLAN sets the vision for one of the fastest-growing cities in South Carolina
2015 i t y c o m m u n s j o u r n a l t i o n p u b l i c a
Georgia Belle
INDU LGE IN SAVANNA H’S MAJ ESTIC GAR DENS , ARC HITEC TURE & FOO D
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22 | ON THE MOVE |
UBJ
PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS
HIRED
PROMOTED
PROMOTED
HIRED
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06.12.2015
HIRED
Julia Bankert
Kevin McPhee
Joe Strayer
Gerry Cox
Andrew Bolen
Named private events director at the Commerce Club. Bankert most recently held the same position at Club LeConte in Knoxville, Tenn. She has five years of experience in event coordinating and has worked extensively with multiple wedding planners and creating custom menus.
Named assistant general manager of the Commerce Club. McPhee has been the club’s service director for three years and in the hospitality industry for over 40 years. He is currently teaching online for two universities in the area of hospitality management.
Named senior vice president and general manager at Integral Solutions Group division of J M Smith Corporation. Strayer will oversee the company’s general management and day-to-day operations. He joined the corporation in 1996 when he worked at the QS/1 division as a hardware technician.
Named manager of commercial pool sales and service activity at Hot Springs Pools & Spas. Cox has 40 years of experience in the construction industry and will work with developers, general contractors, architects and landscape designers focused on the commercial building sector.
Hired as a mechanical engineer at KTM Solutions. Bolen has a background in business management and a degree in mechanical engineering. He will assist in services to the aerospace, automotive, and machine/ automation industries.
COMMUNITY The Children’s Museum of the Upstate recently hired Stacey Krause as education services manager and Jessica Hayes as public programs manager. Krause has 14 years of expe-
rience as a teacher in Greenville Country Schools. She will lead the museum’s field trip programs and professional development programs for educators. Hayes previously supervised program staff and oversaw delivery of public programs,
Training Leaders. Building Careers. Supervisory Certificate Management & Leadership Certificate Classes begin in July 2015.
Take the Next Step. Call Genell Owens at (864) 250-8094 or visit www.gvltec.edu/business-organization to register. Ask for a 10% discount when you register for all six courses in a certificate series.
field trips, special events and camps at Discovery Place KIDS.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT The Greenville Area Development Corporation (GADC) appointed Jim
Burns, Scott Case and Robbie King to its board of directors. Burns is a Greenville County Councilman representing District 21. He is also director of development for Central Realty Holdings. Case is a CPA with more >>
upstatebusinessjournal.com than 20 years of experience at several accounting firms, a corporation and a law firm. He serves as the Greenville County auditor. King is the corporate accountant for Lakeview Golf Club Inc., where she has organized several charity golf tournaments.
VIP – NAMED
Summer Camp Lessons for the Workplace On Sunday, my husband and I drove our oldest daughter to summer camp. This is her 7th summer at camp and it will be her home for the next 3 weeks. I went to the same camp for 12 years, so camp is truly in her blood. As a camper, counselor and now a mom of a camper, I have seen up close the many benefits of camp.
DEVELOPMENT O’Neal Inc. hired Jill Hensley as procurement expeditor and Daniel Longmire as electrical engineer. Hensley has more than 15 years of onsite purchasing, receiving, and expediting experience, working with CH2MHill. Longmire has more than three years of electrical engineering experience, working with Schneider Electric.
EVENTS Liquid Catering named Sydney Reinhardt and Emily Neal as interns. Reinhardt is a University of Wisconsin student graduating in December 2015 with a degree in communication arts. Neal is a Greenville native and recent graduate from Vanderbilt University with a degree in communication studies and studio art. She previously interned with the Euphoria Festival and TK PR.
FINANCE Blue Ridge Bank promoted Chase Todd, Donna Martuccio and Kay Moore as branch managers. Todd, manager of the main office in Walhalla, joined the bank in July 2014 and also serves as assistant vice president and customer service representative. He has more than three years of experience in the banking industry. Martuccio, manager of the branch office in Walhalla, has worked at the bank since August 2012. She has more than seven years of experience in community banking. Moore, manager of the Bountyland office, has been with the company since October 2010 and also serves as vice president and loan officer. She has 35 years of community banking experience. The Palmetto Bank received two awards for small business lending efforts from the Business Development Corporation (BDC) and Certified Development Corporation (CDC). The bank received both the South Carolina Capital Access Program (SC CAP) Top Participating Lender Award and the South Carolina State Small Business Credit Initiative CAP (SSBCI
| ON THE MOVE | 23
Each summer, I get a little “campsick” as I sit at my computer and day dream about the mountains. Camp songs ring through my head and I yearn for days full of swimming, climbing, crafts and an actual rest hour after lunch.
Leonard L. Castiglione Named CEO of Ob Hospitalist Group. Castiglione has 23 years of health care service experience. He most recently served as CEO of Florida Gulf to Bay Anesthesia Holdings LLC in Tampa, Fla., and previously held a variety of senior executive positions with US Oncology for more than a decade. CAP) Top Participating Lender Award.
MARKETING/PR Infinity Marketing promoted Caroline Hallman to integrated marketing coordinator and Ryan King to production coordinator and transitioned Chris Sweeney to analytics coordinator. Hallman joined the company as a media assistant in 2014 and was then promoted to media coordinator. King began in 2011 as a graphic designer. He is now responsible for graphic design, project management and pre-production oversight for clients. Sweeney began as a media assistant in 2010. He has also served as a media coordinator and media buyer.
TECHNOLOGY/IT The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) elected Mary Ellen Grom to its board of directors. Grom is vice president of U.S. marketing for SYNNEX Corporation. She will help the organization advance industry growth through educational programs, market research, networking events, professional certifications and public policy advocacy. CONTRIBUTE: New hires, promotions & award winners may be featured in On the Move. Send information and photos to onthemove@ upstatebusinessjournal.com.
LEE YARBOROUGH
As adults, it is easy to get complacent, especially in our work life. This summer, I encourage you to apply the lessons of summer camp to your business.
• Try something new. Camp revolves around trying things that you wouldn’t try at home. Whether a new work strategy, a new product line or a new vendor, now is the time to take that risk. • Trust. If you have ever been rock climbing, then you understand the meaning of trust. You must trust the leader, the equipment and yourself. This same level of trust is essential in your business. • Follow the chore chart. Each cabin has a chore chart that instructs campers of their daily cleaning duty. If everyone does their job according to the chart, the cabin will be clean. Does your business have current job descriptions? Do your employees understand the full scope of their job? • Honor tradition. Successful camps celebrate the past while constantly looking towards the future. Campers sing the same campfire songs that previous generations sang while adding new songs to their repertoire. Businesses should operate that way as well. Honor past successes, learn from past mistakes and continuously look forward. • Take a break from the high tech. For the next three weeks, my daughter will not have access to anything electronic. Although this can be difficult, I challenge each of us to take technology breaks this summer. Encourage more actual conversation and less email. More client visits and fewer texts. Focus on genuine human connections and watch your business grow. And the most important lesson of all, have fun! My daughter returns from camp each summer a little wiser, stronger, and more mature. Yet, in her mind, camp is just FUN! Wouldn’t work be better if it was a little more fun?
669 N. Academy Street, Greenville, SC 864.679.6055 | 800.446.6567 | www.propelhr.com
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PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS
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UBJ
REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION
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Construction begins at Joe’s New York Pizza in Clemson SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF sjackson@communityjournals.com @SJackson_CJ
Construction is now officially underway for the Joe’s New York Pizza restaurant at Clemson after a groundbreaking ceremony took place. The new restaurant will be located at Patrick Square, a 173-acre traditional neighborhood development with
single-family, condominium and townhomes centered around a town square. Joe’s New York Pizza will be located next door to Rick Erwin’s Clemson restaurant at 104 Thomas Green Blvd. The 6,000-square-foot, 150-seat restaurant will have a large outdoor dining patio and will be a second location for owners John and Cheryl Roberts who have owned a successful Seneca location since 2011. In keeping with the original location, the main
dining area will offer views into the pizza prep area and oven. New additions for the Patrick Square location include a separate bar, private dining room and takeout counter. The menu will include pizza (of course) along with sandwiches, salads and subs in “a family- and wallet-friendly environment,” according to a press release. The new restaurant is expected to open fall 2015.
Markley Row plans win conditional OK A reimagined Markley Row project by developer Ron Rallis gained conditional approval last week from the City of Greenville Design Review Board. Plans call for 10 townhomes, five buildings with two townhomes each, located at 101-109 N. Markley St. in the West End’s warehouse district. Each three-story home will be approximately 3,100 square feet and have several floor plans to choose from with three or four bedrooms, master suites, rear-entry garages, two laundry rooms, top-of-theline appliances, a design package, multiple porches
including a rooftop deck and 10-foot swivel front doors. Prices will begin in the $900,000 range. A traffic arm at the rear driveway access will keep parking private and ensure drivers don’t try to use it as a “cut-through.” The DRB said that the materials, which include brick and lap siding, and the overall design is fine, but the applicants need to work with city staff and two DRB members informally to ensure the turning radiuses into the rear-entry garages are sufficient and that the DRB guidelines for “activation,” pedes-
trian activity and connection to the street are met. City staff has already recommended approval of the project. Plans for the original project approved last year had called for six luxury single-family homes in a gated community. The project will also be reviewed at the June 18 Planning Commission meeting to subdivide the five existing lots into 10 lots. If approved, construction is set to begin on the first two buildings as soon as permits are obtained.
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REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION
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Marleylilly plans 69,400 SF HQ in Greer feet of office space will be used to accommodate its e-fulfillsjackson@communityjournals.com ment service. The building is @SJackson_CJ designed to potentially increase warehouse space by Last week, Marleylilly, an online 60,000 square feet as the company boutique specializing in monocontinues to grow. grammed clothing, jewelry, bags, and The exterior of the warehouse gifts, announced plans to build a new portion is a mixture of tilt-up concrete headquarters in Greer. UBJ was able construction with architecturally deto obtain a sneak peek of the new tailed panels, said architect Brad building: Benjamin. The office portion will The new headquarters will be feature extensive glass with metal 69,400 square feet on 14 acres of land panels and either brick or stone. and will house Marleylilly’s producSite grading at 300 W. Phillips Road tion, processing and distribution opis beginning now with construction erations. Within that, 11,000 square
SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF
expected to begin in mid-to- late July. The new headquarters should be completed in 2016. The Greenville County-based company was established in 2010. Marleylilly sells monogrammed merchandise from Marleylilly.com and non-personalized boutique apparel from its sister e-commerce site, Mondaydress. “When we began monogramming on a sewing machine in our living room five years ago we never dreamed we would be blessed with an opportunity like this expansion project,” said Marleylilly owners Chad and
PROJECT PARTNERS ARCHITECT: Radium Architecture, Brad Benjamin & Scott Kilgore
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Harper Corporation INTERIOR DESIGN: ID Studio Interiors CIVIL AND LANDSCAPE ENGINEERING: Seamon,Whiteside & Assoc. Kelly Owens in a statement. “Moving every six months to accommodate unexpected growth is a struggle for any growing business, but it has been a reality for us since 2010. Our dedicated staff deserves this beautiful new facility, and we cannot wait to see the looks on their faces when we open the doors in 2016. We are excited for what this expansion means to the Upstate, but we are most excited to welcome new employees to the Marleylilly family.” The $10 million investment is expected to create 69 new jobs over the next five years.
Sponsored Content The
Layout
The Cely Way: Proudly Building Communities and Relationships since 1948 Explained by Cely Construction A
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Cely Construction completed the approximately 46,000 SF Corporate Headquarters for GHS in June of 2014. The project consisted of a Design Build partial demolition and renovation of specific areas of the SunTrust building on McBee Avenue in downtown Greenville. Each office in the building featured 8â&#x20AC;&#x2122;-3â&#x20AC;? stained mahogany doors with a glass side vision panel. Stained mahogany wood base board was installed throughout the building. We replicated the existing building standards matching with equal or higher quality materials. In addition we maintained these features throughout all new construction areas. All existing walls were repainted and all new floor finishes were installed.
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Cely collaborates closely with all our clients, developing a detailed understanding of their specialized needs and vision. While maintaining the highest standard of excellence we also coordinate every project as if we were working in a hospital or medical facility with patients and staff present. All work on this project was performed while GHS and other tenants occupied portions of the building during all phases of construction.
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The project lasted 16 weeks and included a complete demolition and renovation of the corporate administrative suites; additional renovations to existing restrooms, demolition of existing mail room and construction of offices in its place, and an addition of a break room, restrooms, and closets were also included. New offices were constructed and work stations moved on 3 floors with card access storefront added.
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Many unique features were incorporated in the new design. The main feature was the state of the art executive board room which included stained mahogany walls and base, motorized window shades, LED dimmable lighting system in the ceiling, new floor covering, an audio/video system with a motorized retractable projection screen, with offsite remote camera and projection capabilities and an adjacent kitchenette area.
Cely Construction Company Headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina prides itself on our 67 year history. Cely is a design build commercial construction firm that serves the construction needs of Education, Healthcare, Industrial, Manufacturing, Commercial and Religious institutions, and Pre-Engineered building resources in both North and South Carolina. Cely is an award winning firm, recognized for exhibiting excellence in quality, safety, diversification, community involvement, merit shop support, environmental standards, and project management. Our firm was founded on the principles of hard work, faith, discipline, and respect. We have earned a community wide reputation of providing unparalleled QUALITY construction services.
NEW TO THE STREET | 27
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Open for business 1.
1. Dreckman Family Chiropractic recently opened at 717 NE Main St., Simpsonville. Hours are Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and 3-6 p.m., and Friday, 9-11 a.m. For more information, visit dreckmanfamilychiropractic.com or call 864-757-9901.
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2. 2. Nick of Time Shipping & Moving Supply Store recently opened at 110-C East Butler Road, Mauldin. Hours are Monday-Friday, 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m., and Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. For more information, visit nickoftimesupplies. com or call 864-2524699. 3. Staymobile recently cut the ribbon at 121 E. McBee Ave., Greenville. Hours are Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., and Sunday, noon-6 p.m. For more information, call 864-509-0220 or visit staymobile.com/greenville-sc. 3.
Photos provided
CONTRIBUTE: Know of a business opening soon? Email information to bjeffers@communityjournals.com.
28 | THE FINE PRINT |
UBJ
BUSINESS BRIEFS YOU CAN’ T MISS
Scio Diamond’s pink diamonds reach retail market The lab-grown pink diamonds by Scio Diamond Technology Corporation are now available as finished gemstones. Scio Diamond gems are being tested in a national marketing program through Helzberg Diamonds, the fourth-largest jewelry retailer in the U.S. Scio Diamond produces lab-grown rough diamonds between 3 and 5 carats Renaissance Diamonds Inc. processes, cuts and polishes the jewels. The two companies then sell the finished diamonds, in sizes from 1/2 carat to 2 carats and larger, to retailers through a joint venture, Renaissance Created Diamonds. The diamonds are certified by the International Gemological Institute (IGI). “We want to provide consumers with a choice in selecting diamonds that satisfy their preferences and needs,” Gerald McGuire, CEO of Scio Diamond, said in a release. “Our highly controlled laboratory setting produces brilliant gems for fine jewelry, so lab-grown diamonds are a new option for today’s savvy shopper.” The company creates high-quality, Type IIa single-crystal diamonds in a controlled laboratory setting. Scio Diamond said lab-grown diamonds and mined diamonds are chemically, physically and optically identical.
SCRA Applied R&D lands $1.25B agreement The National Spectrum Consortium (NSC), managed by SCRA Applied R&D, entered into a
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06.12.2015
five-year, $1.25B, Section 845 Prototype Other Transaction Agreement (OT) with U.S. Army Contracting Command-New Jersey (ACC-NJ). This agreement enables SCRA, acting on behalf of the NSC, to execute and administer the efforts for this program. The consortium will mature technologies that assist in improved electromagnetic spectrum awareness, sharing and use; experiment to better inform the best allocation of equipment for public and private objectives; validate new innovations to increase trust among the spectrum of stakeholders; and develop policies to ensure new technology does not outpace the appropriate guidance for its best use. NSC will support government and industry needs to promote collaboration among government, industry and academia, aligning with the National Information Technology R&D/Wireless Spectrum R&D Senior Steering Group’s mission. The group will work to meet the increasing demands for using the existing electromagnetic spectrums.
Mortgage firm buys into Greenville, Columbia markets Bellwether Enterprise Real Estate Capital LLC entered into an agreement to acquire the assets of Capital Advisors Inc. The acquisition will add more than $1 billion in annual loan volume and $1.75 billion in servicing to Bellwether, bringing the firm’s total annual loan volume to more than $4.5 billion and its servicing portfolio to $10.2 billion.
GREENVILLE CHAMBER DRIVE NIGHT The Greenville Chamber celebration at Fluor Field kicked off with a pregame reception for the new 2015 investors in the Drive’s 500 Club. The private pregame reception featured a Ballpark Buffet sponsored by BlueCross BlueShield of SC . CONTRIBUTE: Got high-resolution photos of your networking or social events? Send photos & information for consideration to events@upstatebusinessjournal.com.
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upstatebusinessjournal.com
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INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
| NEWS | 29
The transaction is subject to Bellwether board approval and is expected to close at the end of the month. Capital Advisors, which has been What’s Your Backup Plan? in business since 1994, is headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., and has Losing power for even a few hours can offices in Greenville and Columbia, mean thousands of dollars lost in revenue as well as Atlanta; Birmingham, Ala.; to your business. Generac revolutionized Memphis, Tenn.; and Greensboro and Raleigh, N.C. Capital Advisors the commercial generator market with the will take on the Bellwether name at first standby generators powerful enough closing, and all of its business practo back your entire business without the tices and quality of service will remain the same. cost of expensive configured systems. Ned Huffman, president of BellSTAY OPEN FOR BUSINESS… “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” wether, said in a release, “This acHave a backup plan for power! – Benjamin Franklin quisition will help strengthen our market share in the Southeast and beyond, further positioning us to Typically achieved with a Lockup,a go home become the best and the most reh Typically achieved with a Lockup, go home generator that provides and wait for the spected mortgage banking company s generator that provides and wait for the power to a limited number power to return. in the United States.” 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 • Profitability at risk and shutdown computers (864)2 • Profitability at risk s and shutdown computers • Missed customer safely PO • Missed customer ORDERLY safely POBOX BO deadlines ORDERLY • No revenue NO STANDBY Greenvi deadlines • No revenue NO STANDBY Green SHUTDOWN • Security Risk • Potential profits loss SHUTDOWN • Security Risk • Potential profits loss POWER POWER • Checkout remaining • Checkout remaining customers customers South Carolina was recognized as Using a generator Using a generator Business operations a 2015 Investment Project of the Year Business operations that provides power that provides power continue as if there was by Area Development magazine for w a continue as if there was to essential circuits s to essential circuits no outage attracting Giti Tire to Chester no outage so your business so your business • Maintain revenue stream Country. e a m • Maintain revenue stream can stay open. can stay open. • Profits are protected Giti Tire is the 10th-largest tire • Profits are protected • Business can stay • Business can stay • Gain new customers company in the world and is estab• Gain new customers open open • Become known as a LIMITED FULL lishing its first North American • Become known as a • Generate revenue LIMITED FULL • Generate revenue reliable business in the manufacturing facility in South Care reliable business in the • Profits are protected OPERATIONS • Profits are protected OPERATION OPERATIONS community OPERATION olina. The $560 million investment community • Loses are reduced • Loses are reduced will create 1,700 jobs and manufacture 30,000 tires daily.
Attention Upstate
State recognized for bringing in Giti Tire
Bringing the company to the state helped earn a Gold Shovel award from the magazine. The award recognizes states that have created a large number of high-value-added jobs and investment. Upon receiving the award, Gov. Nikki Haley said, “South Carolina is on the move and the world has taken notice. Companies know that if we build their product in South Carolina we build it well and with pride; that paired with our loyal workforce is always a recipe for success. We want to congratulate Team South Carolina for all of their hard work and success, but we are just getting started.”
OUR OURBUSINESS BUSINESSIS IS PROTECTING PROTECTING YOURS YOURS
Give Giveus usaacall callTODAY TODAYtotoschedule scheduleour ourPower PowerPro Pro Professional for your FREE onsite assessment! Call Professional for your FREE onsite assessment! Call (864)232-5684 (864)232-5684or orlog logon ontoto www.CarolinaCommercialGenerators.com www.CarolinaCommercialGenerators.comfor formore moreinfo. info.
30 | PLANNER & SOCIAL SNAPSHOT | DATE
INSIDE THE UPSTATE’S NETWORKING AND SOCIAL SCENE
UBJ
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06.12.2015
EVENT INFO
WHERE DO I GO?
HOW DO I GO?
Comprehensive Small Business Start-Up Workshop
Hughes Main Library, 25 Heritage Green Place, Greenville, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Cost: $69, $25 for each additional participant from same company Register: piedmontscore.org/workshops/register/162
Commerce Club Investment Club Meeting Participate in the “Fantasy Stock Market”
Commerce Club, 55 Beattie Place, 17th Floor, Greenville, 5:30 p.m.
Register: 864-232-5600
GSATC Learning Lunch: Sustain Ability. How to Obtain, Sustain and Retain your Top Talent
Embassy Suites 670 Verdae Blvd., Greenville, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Cost: $25 Register: bit.ly/gsatc-june2015
Tech After Five Networking for tech entrepreneurs
Pour Lounge, 221 N. Main St., Greenville, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Cost: Free Register: bit.ly/taf-june2015
NEXT Capital Series Learn about how to raise capital from angel investors
NEXT Innovation Center, 411 University Ridge, Greenville, 4-5:30 p.m.
Cost: Free Register: bit.ly/capital-series-june2015
6/25
Networking with a Twist Monthly speed networking event
Commerce Club, 55 Beattie Place, 17th Floor, Greenville, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Register: 864-232-5600
Thursday-Friday
SCMEP Supply Chain Workshops Learn about risk management plans and how to capture total cost in a supply chain
SCMEP Business Learning Center, 37 Villa Road, Suite 500, Greenville, 9 a.m.-3 p.m
Cost: Free Register: bit.ly/supplychain-june2015
Friday
iMAGINE Upstate Transportation Hack-A-Thon Rapidly conceive, design and prototype uses of open data relating to transportation
CU-ICAR AutoPark, Campbell Center, Greenville, 6-8 p.m.
Cost: $20 Register: bit.ly/hack-a-thon2015
Simpsonville Chamber Legislative Lunch Speakers: Greenville County councilmembers
Events at Sapphire Creek, 401 N Main St., Simpsonville, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Cost: $15 Register: bit.ly/legislative-lunch-june2015
Saturday
6/13 Tuesday
6/16 Wednesday
6/17 Wednesday
6/24 Thursday
6/25-26 6/26 Monday
6/29
CONTRIBUTE: Got a hot date? Submit event information for consideration to events@upstatebusinessjournal.com.
GREER CHAMBER FIRST FRIDAY More than 280 attended the Greer Chamber’s First Friday event, featuring U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy.
CONTRIBUTE: Got high-resolution photos of your networking or social events? Send photos & information for consideration to events@upstatebusinessjournal.com.
upstatebusinessjournal.com
A QUICK LOOK INTO THE UPSTATE’S PAST
| SNAPSHOT | 31
This photo of the west side Main Street from Court Street to McBee Avenue taken in the early 1940s shows a new Belk’s building where the Poe Hardware store once stood. Belk’s was founded by William Henry Belk and John Montgomery Belk of Charlotte in 1888. The first Greenville store was opened in 1916 as Belk-Kilpatrick. In 1923 physician William D. Simpson, from Abbeville, bought the local partnership. The name was then changed to Belk-Simpson. The First National Bank relocated from its former corner location, a restaurant in this photo, to a new art deco building completed in the 1930s where Belk’s first building had been located.
Historic photo provided
Greg Beckner/Staff
Today TD Bank occupies what was once home to the First National Bank of Greenville
Historic photograph available from the Greenville Historical Society. From “Remembering Greenville: Photographs from the Coxe Collection” by Jeffrey R. Willis ART & PRODUCTION
IN THIS WEEK’S ISSUE OF UBJ? WANT A COPY FOR YOUR LOBBY?
ART DIRECTOR Kristy Adair OPERATIONS Holly Hardin PRESIDENT/CEO
Mark B. Johnston mjohnston@communityjournals.com
UBJ PUBLISHER
Kristy Adair, Tammy Smith
Ryan L. Johnston rjohnston@communityjournals.com
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MANAGING EDITOR
STORY IDEAS:
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Ashley Boncimino, Sherry Jackson, Benjamin Jeffers, Cindy Landrum, April A. Morris, Robbie Ward
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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 Executive Editor Susan Clary Simmons at ssimmons@communityjournals.com to submit an article for consideration.
Kate Madden
DIGITAL TEAM Emily Price, Danielle Car
UBJ milestone jackson Marketing Group’s 25 Years 1988 Jackson Dawson opens in Greenville at Downtown Airport
1988
1997 Jackson Dawson launches motorsports Division 1993
1990 Jackson Dawson acquires therapon marketing Group and moves to Piedmont office Center on Villa.
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with a majority of them utilizing the general aviation airport as a “corporate gateway to the city.” In 1997, Jackson and his son, Darrell, launched Jackson Motorsports Group. The new division was designed to sell race tires and go to racetracks to sell and mount the tires. Darrell Jackson now serves as president of the motorsports group and Larry Jackson has two other children and a son-in-law who work there. Jackson said all his children started at the bottom and “earned their way up.” Jackson kept the Jackson-Dawson branches in Detroit and others in Los Angeles and New York until he sold his portion of that partnership in 2009 as part of his estate planning. The company now operates a small office in Charlotte, but its main headquarters are in Greenville in a large office space off Woodruff Road, complete with a vision gallery that displays local artwork and an auditorium Jackson makes available for non-profit use. The Motorsports Group is housed in an additional 26,000 square feet building just down the street, and the agency is currently looking for another 20,000 square feet. Jackson said JMG has expanded into other verticals such as financial, healthcare, manufacturing and pro-bono work, but still has a strong focus on the auto industry and transportation. It’s
Chairman larry Jackson, Jackson marketing Group. Photos by Greg Beckner / Staff
Jackson Marketing Group celebrates 25 years By sherry Jackson | staff | sjackson@communityjournals.com
Solve. Serve. Grow. Those three words summarize Jackson Marketing Group’s guiding principles, and according to owner Larry Jackson, form the motivation that has kept the firm thriving for the past 25 years.
Jackson graduated from Bob Jones University with a degree in video and film production and started his 41-year career in the communications industry with the U.S. Army’s Public Information Office. He served during
Vietnam, where he said he was “luckily” stationed in the middle of Texas at Fort Hood. He left the service and went to work in public affairs and motorsports at Ford Motor Company in Detroit. After a stint at Bell and Howell, where he was responsible for managing Ford’s dealer marketing and training, the entrepreneurial bug hit and he co-founded Jackson-Dawson Marketing Communications, a company specializing in dealer training and product launches for the auto industry in 1980. In 1987, Jackson wanted to move back south and thought Greenville would be a good fit. An avid pilot, he
learned of an opportunity to purchase Cornerstone Aviation, a fixed base operation (FBO) that served as a service station for the Greenville Downtown Airport, providing fuel, maintenance and storage. In fact, when he started the Greenville office of what is now Jackson Marketing Group (JMG) in 1988, the offices were housed on the second floor in an airport hangar. “Clients would get distracted by the airplanes in the hangars and we’d have to corral them to get back upstairs to the meeting,” Jackson said. Jackson sold the FBO in 1993, but says it was a great way to get to know Greenville’s fathers and leaders
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2003 motorsports Division acquires an additional 26,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space
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 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
JULY 17: TRAVELERS REST The small town making big waves.
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
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