June 15, 2018 Upstate Business Journal by Community Journals

INSIDE // SPROUTS OPENS IN SIMPSONVILLE • YOUNG OFFICE CELEBRATES 65 YEARS

JUNE 15, 2018 VOL. 7 ISSUE 24

AHEAD OF THE TREND GREENVILLE CHAMBER YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR GABRIEL COGGINS CO-OWNS THE STATE’S ONLY KAVA BAR

Photo by Will Crooks/Upstate Business Journal

Sleek yet spacious. Functional starts with fun. The compact GLA packs some sizable surprises. Its sensible footprint conceals a cabin that’s generous with legroom, headroom and luxury. And while it’s solid and strong, it also slips through the wind efficiently and quietly. Starting at $33,400.

The 2018 GLA 250 SUV

339/mo.

FOR A 36 MONTH LEASE

$339 FIRST MONTH’S PAYMENT $2,553 CAPITALIZED COST REDUCTION ACQUISITION FEE $795 $3,687 CASH DUE AT SIGNING

Offer Ends July 2, 2018

CARLTON MOTORCARS www.CarltonMB.com (864) 213-8000 2446 Laurens Road | Greenville, SC 29607

*Advertised 36 months lease payment based on MSRP of $36,195 less the suggested dealer contribution resulting in a total gross capitalized cost of $34,546. Dealer contribution may vary and could affect your actual lease payment. Includes Destination Charge and Premium 1 Package. Excludes title, taxes, registration, license fees, insurance, dealer prep and additional options. Total monthly payments equal $15,204. Cash due at signing includes $2,553 capitalized cost reduction, $795 acquisition fee and first month’s lease payment of $339. No security deposit required. Total payments equal $15,552. At lease end, lessee pays for any amounts due under the lease, any official fees and taxes related to the scheduled termination, excess wear and use plus $0.25/ mile over 30,000 miles, and $595 vehicle turn-in fee. Purchase option at lease end for $20,269 plus taxes (and any other fees and charges due under the applicable lease agreement) in example shown. Subject to credit approval.

TOP-OF-MIND AND IN THE MIX THIS WEEK

| THE RUNDOWN

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 24 Featured this issue: Young Office’s 65 years of workspace magic............................................................12 It’s a job candidate’s world........................................................................................... 20 Facebook’s latest blunder............................................................................................. 22

Young Office, which is celebrating its 65th anniversary this year, has become a leader in designing progressive and functional workspaces in the technology-driven 21st century. Its new showroom in Greenville displays the many possibilities for a variety of workspaces. Read more on Page 12. Photo by Will Crooks/Upstate Business Journal

WORTH REPEATING “We’re seeing products being embedded into furniture because it helps with that collaborative dialogue, and then also it’s got to be flexible because it’s going to be changing.” Alita Webster, Page 12

“Election season to PR hacks like me is what Fashion Week is to designers.” John Boyanoski, Page 23

VERBATIM

On German cars “ Economists say Trump is missing two key points: German automakers have opened big factories in the United States, dramatically reducing their need to import cars. Plus, targeting German carmakers would hurt American workers and the U.S. economy.” Charles Riley, of CNN Money, on President Donald Trump’s recently reported statement to French President Emmanuel Macron that there are “too many German cars” in the U.S. BMW Plant Spartanburg produced more than 400,000 vehicles in 2017, and 70 percent were exported to other countries. 6.15.2018 | upstatebusinessjournal.com

NEWS |

INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

RETAIL

Sprouts Farmers Market opens first SC location in Simpsonville ANDREW MOORE | STAFF

amoore@communityjournals.com Upstate shoppers now have another choice for fresh groceries. Sprouts Farmers Market has opened its newest store at 2200 Woodruff Road in Simpsonville. The 30,000-square-foot store is the first in South Carolina for the Phoenix-based grocery chain and one of approximately 30 new stores to open nationwide. The company plans to hire about 150 employees locally, according to a news release. “Sprouts’ knowledgeable and friendly team members are the hallmark of our stores,” Sprouts chief operations officer Dan

Sanders said in a statement. “We’re excited to meet our new neighbors in Simpsonville and introduce them to our fresh, natural, and organic products at value prices across the store.” Founded in 2002, Sprouts carries healthy, fresh, organic produce, meat and seafood, bulk items, vitamins and supplements, a deli with freshly prepared entrees and sides, dairy, a bakery, natural body care items, and more. In addition to thousands of natural, organic, and gluten-free groceries, shoppers can find more than 2,300 Sprouts Brand items, which meet strict ingredient standards while delivering excep-

Sprouts Farmers Market carries healthy, fresh, organic produce, meat and seafood, bulk items, and other products. Photo provided

tional quality at a lower cost, the release said. Sprouts has also committed to a “zero waste” threshold by 2020, as defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Sprouts Food Rescue program donates unsold and edible groceries, including fresh produce, from its stores and distribution centers to food banks in all of its markets. Local relief agencies pick up this food, which

would otherwise go to waste, and distribute it to families in need. In 2017, Sprouts donated an estimated 23 million pounds of product, equivalent to 19 million meals. Food that is not fit for human consumption is either composted or sent to cattle ranches through Sprouts’ Food Waste to Farms program.

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UBJ | 6.15.2018

INVESTMENTS

TRUST

INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

| NEWS

WORKFORCE

Duke Energy grant supports workforce training in Cherokee County ANDREW MOORE | STAFF

amoore@communityjournals.com The Duke Energy Foundation has awarded a $30,000 grant to the Spartanburg Community College Foundation to help high school seniors and individuals pursuing a GED through Cherokee County Adult Education achieve training and gain employment. About 22 percent of Cherokee County’s population over the age of 25 has no high school diploma or GED, according to a news release. The grant will help fund a partnership between the Cherokee County School District, the Cherokee County Adult Education program, and Spartanburg Community College to identify students to participate in the Operation Workforce Training program. “We hear from commercial and industrial customers all the time about the shortage of skilled individuals for positions in general in-

dustry in the Upstate,” said Rick Jiran, vice president for community relations for Duke Energy. “It is critical to support programs like this that build a pipeline of qualified workers for the businesses that call our region home.” Students enrolled in the Operation Workforce Training program will receive 65 hours of training. The program is designed to train 25 students starting this summer with the goal of placing 25 program participants in full-time employment or enrolling in additional educational opportunities by March 2019, the release said. “This is one of those programs where students can build their path,” said Dr. Quincie Moore, superintendent of Cherokee County School District. “They can begin with training and employment and pursue their degree once they have career experience. It can be a real game changer for them.”

To ensure that students are learning skills that translate into jobs in the regional economy, the program partners with two local employers, Hamrick Mills and Ply Gem. Both companies will provide plant tours for program participants, as well as formally interviewing and hiring those who successfully complete the program. “At Ply Gem, we focus our recruiting efforts in Cherokee County; therefore, we want our citizens to have every opportunity available to make them successful when they begin employment with us. This is what the program and grant can accomplish,” said Trudy Hood, human resources manager at Ply Gem. Cherokee County industries interested in participating as Operation Workforce Training employers, or students interested in the program, should contact SCC’s Daryl Smith at 864-206-2702 or smithd@sccsc.edu.

| Just a Step Oﬀ Stone Creating a new vibrant pedestrian neighborhood off Stone Avenue

864.235.6317 | crhrealestate.com The intersection at Stone Avenue, North Church Street and Wade Hampton is undergoing a transformation into Downtown Greenville’s next highly coveted walking neighborhood community. NorthPointe will feature both residential and retail opportunities – shops, cafes, and an anchor grocer – to serve the entire North Main District.

BY THE NUMBERS 1 GROCERY STORE 284 APARTMENT UNITS 22,000 COMMERCIAL SQ. FT. 100 STEPS OFF STONE AVE. 800 PARKING SPACES UNLIMITED COMMUNITY To learn more about NorthPointe, visit

northpointesc.com

6.15.2018 | upstatebusinessjournal.com

Can you spot the differences at your NBSC branch?

In the coming weeks, you will see some new things at NBSC. While you may not notice them all right now, banking with us across the Southeast will be easier than ever. There is one difference we think you’ll notice right away. Can you spot it in the pictures above?

is now ANSWER: It’s your banker’s nametag, because soon NBSC will become Synovus. Banking products are provided by Synovus Bank, Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.

NEWS |

INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

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MANUFACTURING

Local electrical apparatus company bought by Ohio Transmission Corporation Crimson Electric Inc., headquartered in Duncan, has been acquired by Ohio Transmission Corporation, the company announced on June 6. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, OTC is an industrial service provider and distributor. Owned by Charles and Debbie Wilson, Crimson Electric specializes in the repair and testing of AC/DC motors, servo motors, pumps, and gear reducers. The company has been providing electrical apparatus service since 1954. “Crimson Electric’s service focus provides a great opportunity to expand OTC’s geographic and product areas to better serve all of our customers,” said Phil Derrow, president and CEO of OTC. “We have wanted to include electric motor repair in our product portfolio for many years and are excited to be able to do so with such a great company that has a long history of providing top-notch service to help their customers achieve success.” Crimson Electric will continue to be operated by current local management under the same name with the owners staying through the transition of ownership. The acquisition of Crimson Electric will include it becoming a division of OTP Industrial Solutions, which provides technical sales and service for industrial automation, motion control, fluid power, pumps, spray finishing, sealant and adhesive application, and power transmission systems and products. “As part of the OTP family, Crimson Electric will offer more resources, products, and services to our customers,” Charles Wilson said. “Our team, which is staying on, brings a wealth of knowledge to the motor repair industry by reducing interruption of operations for our customers, reducing downtime, and providing value-added services and products.” After acquiring Crimson Electric, OTC now has 35 locations throughout the South, Southeast, Midwest, and Northeast regions, along with 14 service shops with an existing workforce of more than 900 employees. “Our customers continue to look to us for full-service solutions, and Crimson Electric can take care of everything from electrical apparatus repair to machine work, and they have an extensive product inventory of motors, parts, gear reducers, and controls,” said Rob Webb, president of OTP Industrial Products. –Melody Wright UBJ | 6.15.2018

INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Santee Cooper approves $3.6M in loans for Laurens County industrial parks

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The Laurens County Development Corp. has been awarded a $3.25 million loan from Santee Cooper to construct a 75,000-square-foot industrial building. The building will be located within Hunter Industrial Park at the intersection of Interstate 385 and U.S. Highway 221 in Laurens, according to a news release. The park is owned by the Laurens Commission of Public Works, a municipally owned utility that provides the park with power, natural gas, and water service. A primary source of LCPW’s electricity is the Piedmont Municipal Power Agency, which receives a portion of its power needs from Santee Cooper. LCPW has previously invested $2.5 million into this park through land purchase, construction of roadways, and water and wastewater improvements. The city of Clinton has also received a $385,500 grant from Santee Cooper for road improvements at the Clinton 26 Commerce Park. The grant represents 50 percent of the project’s cost, with matching funds coming from the Clinton Development Corp. and the Laurens County Development Corp., according to a news release. It will allow the park’s roadway to be extended 975 feet, which will open up an additional 90 acres of property for industrial development. Operating in its sixth year, Santee Cooper’s Economic Development Loan Program acts as a resource for localities served by Santee Cooper and the state’s electric cooperatives or municipal customers to help those localities build spec buildings and other infrastructure attracting new industry. More than $80 million has been loaned through the program, according to a news release. Sigmatex in Orangeburg County, Wyman-Gordon in Dillon County, and Coca-Cola Consolidated in Jasper County are among the companies located in buildings these loans helped finance. “Promoting economic development is an integral part of Santee Cooper’s mission,” said Pamela Williams, Santee Cooper’s senior vice president of corporate services, in a statement. “Our economic development programs have helped South Carolina attract major manufacturers to the state, growing the job market for our residents and boosting the economy. We believe we can help Laurens County continue to build on that record.” –Andrew Moore

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SQUARE FEET |

REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

ARIEL TURNER | STAFF

FRONT ROW

aturner@communityjournals.com |

@arielhturner

June Design Review Board Urban Panel

The June 7 public hearing of the City of Greenville Design Review Board Urban Panel was lengthy as applicants sought to receive approval before the annual July break. Five items of new business, two items for advice and comments, and one item for informal review put the meeting at just less than two and a half hours. The only item garnering almost no discussion and unanimous approval was the application for a certificate of appropriateness for a walk-up Bank of Travelers Rest ATM at 219 E. Washington St. Three-sided signage for the tower on the corner of Academy Street and 201 W. McBee Ave. was also approved as submitted after a brief discussion. The remaining items were approved with conditions or will receive approval after meeting with planning staff for further adjustments.

The building next to the Army Navy Store, located at 656 S. Main St., will have its glass block windows removed and replaced with single hung windows. Repainting the façade and restoring the rear fire escape are among the other planned renovations. Rendering provided by McMillan Pazdan Smith

ST. FRANCIS SIGNAGE The size of the monument signs proposed by St. Francis for its Eastside Campus were taller than the city’s sign ordinance allows, and the DRB Urban Panel upheld the decision by planning staff to not approve them as submitted. After hearing from St. Francis officials and a Greenville Health System architect, who was opposed to the size of the signs, all of the panelists agreed the signs were well-designed but too tall. An application for a certificate of appropriateness was approved with the condition that the height be shortened from nearly 18 feet to 14 feet.

656 S. MAIN ST. Making its second appearance within the year at the DRB, the building next to the Army Navy Store is set to undergo a facelift after receiving approval for a certificate of appropriateness. According to the plans submitted, the glass block windows will be removed because they are not original to the building and replaced with single hung windows closer to what would have been there originally. Rob Couch with McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture says the plan originally was to recycle the glass block, but after further research, it was discovered that the blocks were 10

UBJ | 6.15.2018

not, in fact, original to the 1919 version of the building. Accordion wall windows will also be installed to activate the streetscape; the façade will be repainted; the rear fire escape will be restored; and the original masonry openings for windows will be reopened on the rear. Panelist Robert Benedict expressed his concern with the plan to remove the glass block. “I’m excited that it’s finally being adaptively reused, but I do have a little bit of heartburn over the removal of the character-defining elements,” he said. Benedict’s was the only dissenting vote of the four panelists present.

320 FALLS ST. A lengthy and detailed discussion of the design changes to the Camperdown develop-

ment’s previously approved multifamily component resulted in several suggestions from the panel. The applicant, John L. Knutsson for Daniel Corp., will need to address the suggested changes and meet with planning staff and two members of the DRB to receive approval. While the DRB members all agreed that the new layout of the individual units — resulting in an overall footprint change — was much better, they had some concerns that will need to be addressed before receiving final approval. Items requiring attention include the proportion of the brick colors used to break up the monotony of the long walls, the plain design of the plaza-level retail spaces, and the parapet at the top of the building. Each individual tenant for the retail spaces will be required to submit its unique design for approval.

REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

| SQUARE FEET

Design items requiring attention for 320 Falls St. include the proportion of the brick colors used to break up the monotony of the long walls, the plain design of the plaza-level retail spaces, and the parapet at the top of the building. Rendering by Wakefield Beasley & Associates

ADVICE AND COMMENTS Both projects submitted for advice from the panel prior to being considered for rezoning by the planning commission received positive feedback. They had both been presented informally at the March DRB meeting, and changes were made based on the suggestions given then. A mixed-use redevelopment of 600 E. Washington St. by the Burgess Company was modified to activate the street, create a walkable environment with a pedestrian-friendly plaza, and save as many of the nearby mature trees as possible. “Very successful project,” said panelist Mitch Lehde. “For being a modular structure, you’ve got a lot of nice elements.” A senior living community by Solomon Development Services at Butler Avenue and Buncombe Street was also revised based on previous feedback. “It’s a vast improvement over what you had before,” said panelist Bogue Wallin. The main suggestion was to consider using masonry materials to upgrade the overall look.

INFORMAL REVIEW

A walk-up Bank of Travelers Rest ATM at 219 E. Washington St. received a certificate of appropriateness.

An informal review of the future J.McLaughlin storefront at 207 N. Main St. will require the applicant to make changes to the proposed canopy since signage is not allowed on canopies on Main Street. At first, panel chairwoman Carmella Cioffi was unsure about the proposed blue color on the aluminum frame surrounding the windows, but after learning the process to change the color wasn’t as labor-intensive and costly as she thought it would be, she was positive about the addition of more color to Main Street. 6.15.2018 | upstatebusinessjournal.com

MILESTONE |

A TRIBUTE TO OUR LONG-LASTING ENTERPRISES

S I X T Y- F I V E Y E A R S Y O U N G Young Office celebrates 65 years of creating workspace magic WORDS BY MELODY WRIGHT PHOTOS BY WILL CROOKS

Thomas R. Young III, CEO, and Thomas R. Young IV, president, of Young Office

When the family-owned Young Office first began offering its commercial office supply services in 1953, the term “creative workplace” hadn’t been coined yet. Now as Young Office celebrates 65 years as a commercial interiors company with showrooms in Greenville, Spartanburg, and Asheville, N.C., it has become a leader in designing progressive and functional workspaces in the technology-driven 21st century.

THE FAMILY BUSINESS

The company has stayed in the family all 65 years — in fact, for four generations now with its current president, Thomas R. Young IV. Great-grandfather Thomas R. Young Sr. bought the Calhoun Office Supply of Spartanburg in 1953, later changing the name to Young Office Supply. After serving in the Korean War, the next generation, Thomas R. Young Jr., joined Young Office. The current CEO, Thomas R. Young III, joined the company after graduating from The Citadel in 1974. Thomas R. Young IV also joined Young Office after his Citadel graduation in 2002.

Young Office offered a variety of services to meet the needs of their clients at the time, primarily commercial office supplies. In its early days, Young Office was also a large Frigidaire company that taught people how to use modern technology of the ’50s — electric ice makers and stoves.

a real-life office, classroom, or hospital, this means ingraining the technology into the walls and furniture. Young Office’s new showroom in Greenville, which opened this year, displays the many possibilities for a variety of workspaces.

THE NEXT STEP

For Young Office, success is measured by happy customers and a wide selection of products for its diverse client base. “Whether it’s a startup company or a Fortune 500 company, a small doctor’s office or health care system, a home office or a university, we really have selections that work in all of those areas,” Young says. The ability to evolve with current trends in design and technology is a key aspect of what makes Young Office successful. Alita Webster, director of sales, says that Young Office’s services five years ago are totally different from today’s due to ever-changing technology. “So, we’re seeing products being embedded into furniture because it helps with that collaborative dialogue, and then also it’s got to be flexible because it’s going to be changing,”

Now, Young Office takes pride in partnering with Steelcase, the largest commercial office furniture manufacturer in the world. Since it became a Steelcase dealer in the early ’70s, Young Office has received the Steelcase Premier Partner award since 2013, which is given to the best-performing dealers. “It’s a team effort, and it’s a measurement across the company from quality controls, sustainability, community impact, customer experience, financial stability — everything,” Thomas R. Young IV says. “It’s a good way to run your business; it’s not an easy thing to do.” To take furniture to the next level, Steelcase partnered with Microsoft to co-create places and devices that drive creativity in the workplace. In

THE FLEXIBLE SERVICE

YOUNG continued on PAGE 14 12

UBJ | 6.15.2018

A TRIBUTE TO OUR LONG-LASTING ENTERPRISES

| MILESTONE

LOCAL YOUNG OFFICE CLIENTS

UNITED COMMUNITY BANK

“Young Office has been an invaluable local partner for us as we have grown in Greenville. Their team consistently exceeded our expectations as they guided us through each phase of our project, including space planning and design, project management, delivery, and installation. Their dedication to customers makes it easy to see why they are celebrating this milestone today,” says Lynn Harton, CEO of United Community Bank.

Project details: Located on 125 E. Broad St., United Community Bank worked with Young Office to achieve a more contemporary look, including a 30,000 square feet complete upfit with Steelcase furniture. Boundary screens and layered storage were added to a traditional office layout with lighter finishes and clean lines incorporated to achieve a more contemporary aesthetic. Young Office helped with sound masking, office signage, space planning, and design services. Photo provided by Greenville Federal Credit Union

COLDWELL BANKER CAINE

“Coldwell Banker Caine has enjoyed a decades-long relationship with Young Office. As our business has grown and changed, Young Office has been a consistent partner taking us to the next level in our workspaces. Our spaces are a vital element of our culture and value proposition, and it is crucial to have a team in place who shares that vision,” says Stephen Edgerton, president and CEO of Caine Company.

Project details: Young Office helped Coldwell Banker Caine create a more collaborative space that provides versatility and customization in the workspaces it calls home. From an old warehouse building in Spartanburg to the headquarter office in Greenville built on a traditional large office setting, Young Office achieved Coldwell Banker Caine’s vision for bringing the community into the buildings through the renovations and furniture installations. “Young Office brought our vision to life and listened well to the elements that we found most important,” Edgerton says. “There is a trust between us that they will make it happen no matter what it takes.”

GREENVILLE FEDERAL CREDIT UNION

“We have worked with Young Office since 2007 when we built our new branch on Pelham Road. We have partnered with them ever since as we renovated member support areas as well as the full-scale branch renovations that you see today. We have been very happy with the results,” says Paul Hughes, president of Greenville Federal Credit Union.

Project details: Greenville Federal Credit Union worked with Young Office to create a warm, welcoming, and comfortable branch lobby for its members to experience. In conjunction with Steelcase, Young Office designed office functionality to match the credit union’s new service model. “Their designers and installers did a fantastic job of making our vision a reality,” Hughes says. “We feel we definitely achieved that with Young Office’s help.” 6.15.2018 | upstatebusinessjournal.com

MILESTONE |

A TRIBUTE TO OUR LONG-LASTING ENTERPRISES

THE CONSTANT VALUES

YOUNG continued from PAGE 12

OFFICE CULTURE 1953 Great-grandfather Thomas R. Young Sr. bought Calhoun Office Supply in Spartanburg and later changed the name to Young Office Supply. 1972 Young Office became a Steelcase dealer. 1974 Thomas R. Young III joined Young Office upon graduating from The Citadel. 1989 The Greenville office was opened. 2002 Thomas R. Young IV joined Young Office upon graduating from The Citadel. 2006 Young Office sold the office supply division. 2014 Young Office assumed Western N.C. market as a Steelcase dealer and opened the Asheville, N.C., office. 2018 The company kicked off its 65th anniversary and opened a new showroom in Greenville.

Webster says. “In two to three years, it’s going to change.” Although technology drives the workplace, some clients still want analog options for meeting spaces for interacting and exchanging ideas in a more conservative approach. Young Office offers products that meet clients’ specific needs for their personalized workspaces. “Everybody went to one extreme where they thought that they needed to go to totally open, but all job functions don’t adapt to that,” Webster says of office trends. “So, we’re seeing more of a blend and really talking to our customers about what the expectation is and how they want to use the space.” An aesthetically pleasing workspace serves a purpose far greater than simply looking nice. It drives creativity, aids productivity, and helps fill jobs. “The more attractive an employer can make their space, the more attractive it is to come to work there, and they’ve got a much better chance at retaining that talent,” Young says.

While its mission and vision changes as the company evolves, one thing remains the same — the Young Office core values. “We add value, build relationships, earn loyalty, be responsible, and act with integrity,” Young says. “Those have been the foundation of us for as long as I can remember.” The team members of Young Office are critical to its success, and they are important for the future success of the company, Young expresses. “Our experience, our team, and the longevity of our team being together, I think, is a big advantage,” he says. Not making the products itself but representing a lot of other companies, Young Office delivers an experience to its clients. That experience is shaped by each team member. “It doesn’t end with us once we deliver furniture,” Webster says. “It’s that longstanding relationship after.” Staying on top of the latest and greatest products available, Young Office invests in its teams, processes, and strategies to provide its clients with comfortable, functional, and adaptable work environments.

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COVER |

GABRIEL COGGINS & THE KAVA KONNECTION

With The Kava Konnection, Gabriel Coggins has created a hub for community and socialization

A DIFFERENT SIP WORDS BY ARIEL TURNER | PHOTOS BY WILL CROOKS

bout 20 minutes before The Kava Konnection co-owner Gabriel Coggins sat down to talk about winning the 2018 Young Entrepreneur of the Year award presented by CommunityWorks and the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, he took a shot to help with a little bit of anxiety he was feeling. But it wasn’t the typical liquor variety. Rather, he downed 4 oz. of kava, an earthy beverage made from the ground root of the Piper methysticum plant native to the South Pacific known to have a calming, anti-anxiety effect without the sensory-numbing of alcohol. Coggins, 26, holds the distinction of opening the first and only, for now, kava bar in South Carolina. He says within the first year he was in the black, and over the last three years, he has continued to see sales grow, requiring him to hire four more employees in addition to his mother, Debbie Coggins, who is also his business partner. Coggins says he is incredibly grateful for receiving the Young Entrepreneur of the Year award, which was presented on May 1, after being the 2017 runner-up. “It helps kinda further solidify the legitimacy of what we’re doing,” Coggins says. And he wonders how long the tiki-decorated The Kava Konnection, which he opened at 1540 Wade Hampton Blvd. in September 2015, will be the only kava bar in the state. “Literally the only kava bar in South Carolina still, which is mind-boggling to me, because left and right I’m hearing about it in state after state, every other state. I mean, North Carolina is pushing like 10 now,” he says. But he hopes maybe the second location will also be his. 16

UBJ | 6.15.2018

“We are the only ones here for now. As we continue to get this baby more and more self-sufficient, which is an ever-growing process, then that’s our plan to shift gears to somewhere else,” Coggins says. A series of difficult life events led the skateboarding and guitar-playing entrepreneur to this business venture in a way he describes as the biggest, serendipitous blessing. When Coggins was 15, his father died. The black acoustic guitar Coggins keeps at the bar for impromptu jam sessions was a gift from his father, which is why, even though it’s not a great instrument, he’s held on to it. Eventually, Coggins began working in a local pizza shop, and the well-publicized demons of the restaurant industry found him. “I was definitely in an abusive, suppressive mindset of suppressing emotions instead of dealing with them,” he says. Already dabbling in alcohol use and suffering from sports-related injuries and back pain, Coggins began using drugs to offset the pain and numb his emotions and anxiety. It worked for a while — from 2009-2011 — until he began experiencing intense digestive issues. When he told his mother, she took him to the hospital, where a urinalysis revealed the substance abuse. He’s maintained his sobriety since that day. Coggins sought out treatment for his resulting physical ailments at Garner’s Natural Life store, and finding he enjoyed the environment, he eventually became an employee and a manager. There, he also discovered the benefits of kava supplements for his anxiety, and it had such an overwhelmingly positive effect on his life that he began brainstorming with his mother about the potential of starting a business.

Coggins had previously attended Greenville Technical College for one year with the intent of transferring to the University of South Carolina and majoring in international business with a minor in Arabic. Already fluent in Spanish from his Colombian background, picking up Arabic after two semesters at Tech came easily. But then his personal and health crisis caused him to change course. Business, however, was something he still wanted to pursue, and after discovering the health benefits of kava, and then experiencing the community of drinking kava at an Asheville, N.C., kava bar, he knew he’d found his next venture. “We saw that there was a social aspect,” he says. “To not feel terrible, not feel impaired. We felt that that idea was a necessity across the board.” After it became clear he would not be returning to college, Coggins approached his grandmother about using the remainder of his college fund she had set aside to launch his business. She agreed, with one stipulation — that Debbie Coggins be his business partner. Once that agreement was finalized, the two began selling drinkable kava at farmers markets, outdoor concerts, and other such festivals to introduce the foreign drink to Greenville and to gain a following. They did that for a year and a half before opening the brick-and-mortar location. “At that point in time, we were so apprehensive,” Coggins says. “We were even dabbling with the idea of maybe doing a primarily mobile business. We really saw, the more research we looked into, we saw that the kava bar environment and even the consumption of kava is conducive to the socialization, and this style of seating where it’s very communal, where we finally kicked the nerves and just made the leap.”

“ We are the only ones here for now. As we continue to get this baby more and more self-sufficient, which is an ever-growing process, then that’s our plan to shift gears to somewhere else.”

6.15.2018 | upstatebusinessjournal.com

COVER |

GABRIEL COGGINS & THE KAVA KONNECTION

Soccer Lessons My youngest daughter is a soccer fanatic. She plays the sport, watches the sport, and idolizes the players. Her room is decorated with posters of the U.S. Women’s Soccer team, which has won three Women’s World Cup titles, four Olympic gold medals, and countless other titles. The team has consistently been ranked as No. 1 or 2 in the world rankings for 20 years. Women’s soccer has become a sensation and it’s many wins have made the franchise financially successful. The U.S. women’s team has dramatically outperformed the men’s team which is currently ranked 28th in the world, yet the pay disparity between male and female players is huge. The players of the women’s team have been very vocal about this disparity and their activism led to a new contract being signed last year which narrowed the wage gap among players. However, despite this victory for soccer, wage disparity between men and women is evident across all occupations. In 2017, women earned 82% as much as men according to the Pew Research Center analysis. That means that a woman performing an equal job would have to work an extra 47 days to earn what a man did in 2017. The gap is even larger for women of color: black women are paid only 65 cents and Hispanic women are paid only 58 cents on the dollar.

The Kava Konnection offers an environment that is conducive to gathering and socialization. Biweekly coloring nights and open-mic poetry nights often draw 50-plus customers.

Why does this disparity still exist? • Women are often the predominant family caregivers which can lead to interruptions in career and can have an impact on long-term earnings. • Women tend to go into women dominated occupations such as education and nursing which do not pay as much as more male dominated field like engineering. • Men are more likely to negotiate for higher salaries than women. Yet, regardless of these factors, there are still some unexplained factors that make up this gap such as discrimination and societal norms. Interestingly, education levels do not help narrow this gap. Women are more likely to graduate from college and more likely to receive graduate degrees than men, yet they are still paid less. In fact, according to the Economic Policy Institute, women with advanced degrees earn less than men with college degrees and straight out of college, women make $4 less than their male peers. I never played soccer, yet when I watch my daughter from the sidelines, I am proud of her determination and proud of the role models that she has found in the U.S. Women’s Soccer team. I believe strongly that when my daughters enter the workforce, they should be paid equal to men for equal work. The players on the U.S. Women’s team fought tirelessly to narrow the pay gap in soccer and their hard work has helped push changes among other sports. Our daughters deserve a future free of wage disparity.

Lee Yarborough President

669 N. Academy St. Greenville, SC 29601 propelHR.com Info@propelHR.com 800–446–6567

From 2015 to 2017, Coggins says their sales doubled, requiring him to hire four employees to keep up with the demand. That has affected net earnings, but sales are still increasing, with this past March being the most profitable month so far. To accommodate the growing business, the hours of operation will soon be increasing to Tuesday-Saturday, 2 p.m.-2 a.m., as more customers are looking for a midday shot of kava. Coggins attributes the growth to a few factors. First, he has very little food waste, keeping his costs low. While the ground kava root sourced from the South Pacific isn’t cheap, it can remain in dry storage indefinitely. Once it’s processed with water into the liquid form, it has about a five-day shelf life, but the staff processes only what they know they’ll use for the next couple days. The fruit used in the blended beverages is frozen, eliminating the potential for fresh produce spoilage. Secondly, he’s honed in on the customer demographic. Whereas Coggins previously thought his target consumers would be the yogis and CrossFitters, it turns out 20-somethings, many of whom are in the service industry, are looking for the socialization of a bar without the alcohol. And thirdly, working on publicizing their weekly events has been worth the effort of maintaining the large chalkboard event calendar just inside the entrance and training customers to notice it. Biweekly coloring nights that alternate with open-mic poetry night are both a big hit. Poetry night regularly draws 50-plus customers. Coggins makes his case for those new to kava to give it a shot: “If you’re coming here and you’ve worked a long shift at whatever your job is, whether it’s restaurant or professional or anything in between, and you’re stressed and you would normally go home and have a whiskey or go to a bar and have a whiskey, or have a glass of wine or a couple beers, come here and have a couple kavas, socialize for a couple hours, and keep working if you have to, but then not be inebriated,” he says. “Go home and have an awesome night’s sleep and wake up and feel relaxed and ready to go the next day — no hangover. A lot of it, though, is breaking through that initial barrier.” UBJ | 6.15.2018

STRATEGIES FOR HONING YOUR PROFESSIONAL SKILLS

| PROFESSIONAL

How employers can attract, engage, and retain veterans By ROBYN GRABLE founder, Service to Civilian

According to the latest report from the Department of Defense, there are more than 50,000 active duty military service men and women here in the state of South Carolina. Of those, 10 percent will leave the military each year. But will they stay in South Carolina? Additionally, 240,000 will separate from the military outside of South Carolina. And we certainly want them to relocate here. So what can employers do to attract veterans, engage with veterans, and retain veterans?

ATTRACTING VETERANS • VALUES: Veterans are values-driven. While certain candidates might not even look for how a company displays or demonstrates their business values, a veteran definitely will. To attract veterans, go beyond posting your mission statement and values on the company website. Clearly show how your company is acting consistently with those values and how you interact with the community, support your employees, and operate the business. • VETERAN RESOURCE GROUP: Gather a group of current employees who are veterans and conduct a “stay” interview with them. Ask questions like, “How did you find us?”, “What brought you to our company?”, and “What makes you stay?” Veterans are a tight unit and they will talk to other veterans. Get them talking about how great it is to work for you. • TRAINING: Train your HR team and the hiring managers to understand the Military Occupational Specialty (MOS), or jobs of the candidates you seek to attract. Each branch of the military is unique, with different training requirements. However, the end result is the same. All veterans leave the service with the skills and qualities that your company is seeking. Train your staff to understand military occupations and the skills associated with that expertise.

ENGAGING VETERANS • ONBOARDING: Welcome the veteran starting with your new hire packet. Include a letter from the CEO, president, and their new manager welcoming the veteran employee to the company. Provide a list of available resources your company has to support them throughout

their career at the company. Assign a mentor (ideally another veteran employee) and introduce them to other veterans on their new team or department who can assist them in getting settled into the job. • GUIDANCE: Veterans are very resourceful. This doesn’t mean they don’t need assistance. Provide the names and phone numbers of people in the company who they can reach out to for guidance. Veterans understand “chain of command,” so clarify what that looks like and who to go to for concerns or assistance. • PURPOSE: This is one of the hardest struggles in a veteran’s transition to civilian life. A company can show a veteran employee purpose in several ways. Place veterans in training or coaching positions. Even if they are new to the company, they will learn quickly and they will lead. Create military relations managers with the sole responsibility to help those transitioning from the military to the company. Provide opportunities for the veterans (and all employees) to do community work. Offer paid volunteer hours, have a Habitat for Humanity build day, or sponsor a local nonprofit, for example.

RETAINING VETERANS: • FAMILY SUPPORT: When someone commits to serve their country, they don’t do it alone. Their spouse, children, and extended family take that journey with them. When they return from active duty — whether they served four or 34 years — the family is still an important part of their career. When they transition to a civilian career, their family is there to help them reintegrate. Companies who invite the family to gatherings, company events, and recognition celebrations show the veteran employee that they

recognize how important family is in their successful civilian career. • LEADERSHIP: Leadership is a foundational value and skill developed in the military. At every level of the military, from the moment the uniform goes on, to the day they leave, they are taught how to lead, why leadership matters, and the importance of driving towarda mission and caring for their units. In their civilian careers, veterans often seek to lead or be led in similar ways: ascribing to a high set of values and principles, complete accountability and responsibility for actions, and caring for others. Your veteran employee is a natural problem-solver, trained to overcome obstacles. Encouraging your veteran employee to innovate, brainstorm, and give their opinion shows that you recognize their skills and leadership. • SKILLS ALIGNMENT: When someone joins the military, they are trained on numerous things they will rely on and deploy such as the culture, systems, strategies, and tactics. Their extensive training ensures they can effectively defend and protect as they do their work. Those skills carry forward to a civilian career but are often difficult to define or project. Hiring veterans into any business must include offering tools and training to ensure their skills are aligned with their career choice. The cost of training a workforce that is predisposed to learning new skills and behaviors is definitely worth the investment. veteransASCEND, a revolutionary system that matches veterans to employers, will be launching soon. To learn more, visit www. servicetocivilian.com, call 864-580-6289, or email info@servicetocivilian.com. 6.15.2018 | upstatebusinessjournal.com

PROFESSIONAL |

STRATEGIES FOR HONING YOUR PROFESSIONAL SKILLS

A whole new world of hiring: it’s a candidate’s market By SHAWN KINARD recruiting and branding specialist, Godshall Professional Recruiting and Staffing

A whole new world. A new, essential point of view. Candidates tell us no. Or they want to go. Or say we’re only dreaming. Sadly, the new world Aladdin sang of is much different than the hiring world we’re experiencing right now. I’ve been in the recruiting and staffing industry for almost six years now. I started at Godshall in 2012 when the economy was still recovering from the recession. Recruiters would make an offer, and candidates would jump at any opportunity they could get. Even a recent HR graduate from Anderson University like myself was ecstatic to be offered a temporary receptionist role! Today, it’s a different story. Recently, we had a candidate who was presented with three job offers and turned down all three. Why? Because it’s a candidate’s market. They are in control. If they want more, they’re fighting for more. They know the ball is in their court.

So what do you do to adapt to this new world? Here are a few tips:

1 2

Compensation needs to stay competitive. A cashier associate at a fast food restaurant should not make more than an administrative assistant with a four-year degree. Yet many companies are making offers where that is the case. Sure, the administrative job offers a better longterm career path, but candidates today don’t see it that way. A competitive salary shows you value your employees and what they have to offer. Don’t drag the interview process out. We live in a fast-paced society. We want and expect things now. The hiring process is no different. Candidates are over having a first interview on a Monday, not hearing from the client until Friday, and setting a second interview for the following Friday. Just typing that last sentence was too drawn out for me! Keep it simple, quick, and efficient. We understand there are some circumstances you can’t control. For example, if you know the hiring manager is going to be out of town, stay engaged with the candidate throughout the process. Let them know they are a top contender and share anything you can offer on why they should wait out for your position.

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Stop looking for THE ONE. You’re never going to be able to find the absolute perfect candidate for the role because there isn’t one. Every person is different, so every skillset is different. Just because Sally only has five years of accounts payable experience versus the required seven doesn’t mean you need to immediately write her off. She could bring other valuable skills to the table that the previous employee didn’t have. Instead of seeking 100 percent of the skillset, try to find a more reasonable amount. Figure out the needs of the job versus the wants and focus on those. UBJ | 6.15.2018

STRATEGIES FOR HONING YOUR PROFESSIONAL SKILLS

| PROFESSIONAL

You make things just right for your customers. We do the same for your business.

Be open to the “job hoppers.” As a millennial, I personally have many friends who would fit in the hopper category. But I know they’re talented, hardworking, and loyal. They just had some extenuating circumstances they couldn’t control: husband was relocated; the company closed; the job didn’t turn out to be what it was presented as; the environment was hostile, etc. So next time you see a resume with four job changes in the past eight years, take the time to ask the reasons for those changes before you dismiss it.

When it comes to helping grow your business,

Be flexible. Many candidates searching for a new job are currently employed. That means they only have time to interview during lunch if you’re close or after work. Be mindful of their time if they’re on a lunch break and make sure to offer times outside a normal 8-to-5 schedule. Otherwise, you may be losing valuable talent.

bank and a small one – so you get the services

5 6

Remember, you’re being interviewed, too. With the options that employees have today, companies need to make sure they are attracting and “wooing” these candidates while screening them at the same time. Share all perks the company offers with the candidate. If I have two job offers from one company offering a competitive compensation package, great benefits, free gym membership, and half days on Fridays, while the other just hands me an offer letter, which do you think I would accept? Sell the candidates on your company. These may not be all the changes companies need to make, but they will highly improve your chance of recruiting talented candidates. It’s time we embraced this tight candidate’s market and do what needs to be done. Are you ready? 6.15.2018 | upstatebusinessjournal.com

or keeping your everyday operations running smoothly, our bankers are dedicated to getting things just right for you. That’s because we’re the sweet spot between a big you need, with the service you need, too.

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DIGITAL MAVEN |

THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF BUSINESS

Facebook teaches us yet again that technology is a tool, not a toy By LAURA HAIGHT president, portfoliosc.com

41.9 percent of Facebook users say the Cambridge Analytica news changed their behaviors on Facebook, and 74.4 percent said it affected how they used other social media sites.

It’s hard to know where to start, hard to know what to say. Once again, Facebook can’t seem to get out of its own way. Some of its problems both known and new this week are of its own making, and some are just, well, like your mom said, the company you keep.

Let me catch you up on what’s happened in just a few days last week.

JUNE 3: It was just recently on April 10 that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg donned an actual suit and testified before the Senate. Zuckerberg’s testimony was more a sin of omission: He insisted that Cambridge Analytica’s access was cut off in 2015 when the company began prohibiting developers from collecting info from the friends of users. But he neglected to clarify that a whole group of device makers — Apple, Android, BlackBerry, Samsung, Microsoft, and more — were exempt from those rules. So it came as a surprise last week that Facebook’s device partners — about 60 of them — have continued to have access to user data. That spigot was turned off just in March, but it remains unclear whether partners in the U.S. and abroad still have your personal data under their control. They were not supposed to… but we know how that goes (see Cambridge Analytica). JUNE 6: Under grilling from a committee of

Parliament, the former head of Cambridge Analytica, Alexander Nix, admitted he lied in previous testimony. Yes, CA did get information about roughly 87 million Facebook users from Global Science Research, a third-party firm that developed the quizzes used to gain access to Facebook users’ personal info and, importantly, the information about all their connections as well. So, the three-minute distraction of determining what ’40s movie star you are most like is the gift that kept giving for you and all the hundreds of your friends.

JUNE 7: In May, Facebook experienced a glitch. Just a little problem, one that turned the default sharing setting of 14 million users to public. In IT development, there is a joke: 22

UBJ | 6.15.2018

“It’s not a bug; it’s a feature.” And that’s what Facebook is saying about this incident: that they were testing new features and… oops... a setting got changed. If you were one of the 14 million people affected, you may have received a Facebook notification late last week.

JUNE 7: The Atlantic reported that concerned users are backing off the Facebook experience — and maybe off the entire social media train. The results come from a survey the publication conducted in conjunction with the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Living Online Lab at the University of Michigan. A few key points: • 78.8 percent of respondents are very or somewhat concerned about the privacy of their information on social media sites.

• Eighty-two percent are self-censoring — stopping themselves from posting something they want to share because of privacy concerns — what they post online.

• 57.9 percent of respondents who use Facebook “mostly distrust” or have “no trust” in Facebook’s efforts to protect their information.

• 41.9 percent of Facebook users say the CA news changed their behaviors on Facebook, and 74.4 percent said it affected how they used other social media sites.

• Some really bad news for social media: People seem less committed to the importance of social media in their lives. 70.9 percent said losing Twitter would have no effect on them. 59.9 percent had a similar view of Instagram. 81.2 percent felt no real need to have LinkedIn. 53.8 percent could do without Snapchat. 80.9 percent nixed YouTube and, finally, 92.1 percent Pinterest users would be just fine without it. Facebook definitely had a stronger hold on people’s interests, with a mere 31.4 percent being ho-hum about a world without it. Some really interesting security reports also came out this week. One reported that one-third of businesses know they will be hacked but would rather pay when it happens than invest in security. Another report found that globally two-thirds of companies are planning to move to the cloud, but as many as 80 percent cite a skills gap and employee “resistance” are holding them back. What does all this mean? Well, it seems to illustrate a systemic problem that goes beyond social media to our use of technology in every sphere of commerce and communication: We want the tech, but we don’t want to learn how to use it or to be held responsible for our part in protecting our own sensitive data. We talk about this all the time, you and I. So it’s hard to know what to say. Again. Technology is a tool, not a toy. Treat it with respect, and learn how to use it safely, before you cut your hand off and find that blaming the chainsaw manufacturer for not making the warnings clearer is cold comfort.

STAYING ON MESSAGE WITH YOUR CLIENTS AND YOUR COLLEAGUES

VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE FOR ME VOTE ME

What I learned from political attack ads in 2018

With about a week to go in every election, I By JOHN BOYANOSKI start collecting the president, Complete PR various pieces of media that get jammed in my mailbox every afternoon. Not because I read them to learn about candidates. That would be pointless. I enjoy them because I like to study the various designs that the campaigns come up with. Not going to lie. As soon as I see the little white mail van stop on my block, I am like a kid on Christmas morning. What kind of crazy stuff will be coming in the mail today? Ooh, an attack ad. Ooh, that guy made a 12-page newspaper and mailed it! Ooh, my bank statement. Oh, wait, that isn’t that exciting. Election season to PR hacks like me is what Fashion Week is to designers. We are seeing the best of the best and the worst of the worst all at the same time. We are seeing future trends and colossal failures. However, as someone who has worked on campaigns in the past (I always say I am going to quit, but I end up doing them) from the public relations side, I am also always a little disheartened by these mailers. There is a ton of effort put into these things. There is a ton of money spent on these things. There is a lot of creative effort that goes for nothing. And 99 percent of it is forgotten. Never looked at. Never read. Except by people like me who review them for subtle signs of what political PR folks are thinking may be working. So here is what I saw this year that hopefully will guide you when you decide to run for office in the future. POLITICAL continued on PAGE 24 6.15.2018 | upstatebusinessjournal.com

| COMMUNICATE

Historical photo courtesy of Greenville County Historical Society & Photographs from the Coxe Collection.

Historical photo courtesy of Greenville County Historical Society & Photographs from the Coxe Collection. Historical photo courtesy of Greenville County Historical Society & Photographs from the Coxe Collection.

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COMMUNICATE |

STAYING ON MESSAGE WITH YOUR CLIENTS AND YOUR COLLEAGUES

POLITICAL continued from PAGE 23

There are no standard sizes. I don’t think I got one piece of mail that measured the same size as another one. It used to be political mail was two sizes: small and oversized. This year, I got pieces that were trifold, 14-by-20, one that resembled a paint brochure, four-page magazines, and the 12-page, full-sized newspaper. Seriously, someone took the time to create a newspaper and mail it out. Conclusion: It’s smart to stand out, but hokey doesn’t work. Everyone was an outsider. OK, not everyone, but it seems like every candidate’s mailer I got touted their outsider status. So many outsiders. It’s like an S. E. Hinton book. If they are so outside and telling me how bad the inside is, why do you want to be inside? Conclusion: Outsider status doesn’t work when everyone is an outsider. Come up with a new word. Heck, if one person wrote, “not an insider,” that would have been interesting. Blurry photos. I noticed several attack ads that used blurry and darkened photos of the person they were trying to “ding” with the ad. This was actually a good idea. It shows their opponent as subtly shady. That was smart. Conclusion: 2018 will be the year of the blurry photos. Mark it down.

Fewer guns. South Carolina seemed to buck a trend of having Republican candidates posing with guns. I say “seems” because there were no guns I saw in the last week of the campaign. Doesn’t mean there weren’t guns showing up before. Conclusion: Not sure. After some recent backlash about guns being used in campaign videos in other states, local campaigns may have shied away. However, there are still a lot of guns being shown in social media ads. And now I have to wait until Halloween season for the next round of mailers as candidates gear up for November. John Boyanoski is the president of Complete PR, a full-service public relations firm located in Greenville that handles media relations, crisis communications, governmental affairs, and social media. Learn more at www.completepr.net. And he approved this message.

Wacky websites. This was a first that I noticed. Candidates created websites whose sole purpose is to cut down another opponent. And then they put that information on a mailer. It may have happened before locally, but I noticed it twice this year. To be honest, I then tracked down the website. Conclusion: The gloves are off now. I see everyone doing this in the next election cycle. Heck, we have another few weeks in this cycle. It may be happening now.

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UBJ | 6.15.2018

PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS

PROMOTED

HIRED

PROMOTED

| ON THE MOVE

HIRED

JEFF HOFFMAN

KRISTIN DENNIS

WILL KOMAR

EMILY MOSELEY

ALAN GRUBBS

Has been promoted to chief growth officer of EP+Co. Hoffman previously served as SVP, director of business development. Hoffman has been at EP+Co for 16 years and has in-depth knowledge of the company, its clients, and the industry.

Has joined FUEL as digital analytics/SEO specialist to its digital marketing team. Dennis is an industry veteran who has served in several key roles at a variety of national accounts, including E*TRADE New York and HBO, New York.

Has been hired as a summer public relations intern for the Aviation Center (SCTAC). He will assist with internal and external communications and PR assignments for the technology park located in Greenville County. Komar is originally from Columbia and is a rising senior at Clemson University studying management and economics.

Has been promoted to manager of public relations at Crawford Strategy. Moseley joined Crawford Strategy in 2014 as a public relations account manager. She has more than 10 years of experience in the field. Moseley is originally from Chicago and attended Wake Forest University.

Has been hired as community manager at Endeavor. Grubbs will be responsible for day-to-day operations and facilities management, member relations, technology, and event logistics support. He brings years of experience in technical management, creative development, and client relationship management to support the needs of Endeavor’s members.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYNNEX Corporation was announced No. 169 on the Fortune 500 List of Largest Companies. The Fortune 500 list ranks the largest private and public U.S. companies based on their prior year’s annual revenue. SYNNEX reported $17 billion in revenue for its 2017 fiscal year, a 21 percent year-over-year increase. SYNNEX advanced 29 positions from last year.

PRESENTS

CONTRACTOR SERVICES GreenWood Inc. was recently presented with the Lighthouse Beam Safety Award by BB&T Insurance. This is the eighth consecutive year the company has been presented this award. The award is presented to companies that achieve excellence in safety performance in their organization.

HOSPITALITY Two OTO Development employees won top honors for sales and leadership within the Hyatt brand’s select-service portfolio. Daniel Crangle received a Hyatt Leadership Award for Select Service Revenue Management and Osman Keskin won a Hyatt Sales Award. They were selected amongst colleagues from across the Americas. Crangle was named Hyatt Franchise Revenue Manager of the Year, and Keskin was tapped as HY-ACHIEVER during the brand’s Global Sales Summit Awards Dinner in Orlando, Fla. Crangle is regional director of revenue management at OTO Development, a Spartanburg-based Johnson Management company that owns and operates select service hotels in 13 states as well as Washington, D.C. In this role, Crangle supports Hyatt Place Chicago/ Downtown –The Loop, the property where Keskin serves as director of sales.

Contribute: New hires, promotions, & award winners may be featured in On the Move. Send information and photos to onthemove@upstatebusinessjournal.com.

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INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

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THE WATERCOOLER 1. Westone nears completion; tenants aim for June to August openings

2. J.McLaughlin apparel retailer to take over former Ten Thousand Villages space

3. Report: Local startups created 261 jobs, raised over $22.8M in new capital in 2017

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4. Former Office Depot location to redevelop into body shop

5. Santee Cooper approves $3.6M in loans for Laurens County industrial parks

Topside Pool Club 600 S. Main Street, Greenville, SC 29601

Wednesday, June 27 5:30pm to 7:00pm Network, Network, Network

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EVENTS YOU SHOULD HAVE ON YOUR CALENDAR

DATE

| PLANNER

EVENT INFO

WHERE DO I GO?

HOW DO I GO?

Topside Pool Club 600 S. Main St. 5:30-7 p.m.

Cost: Free

UBJ PUBLISHER

6/27

Business On Tap

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Tuesday

Greenville Chamber of Commerce’s Netnight (nonprofit community)

Avenue 110 E. Court St., Suite 600 5:30–8 p.m.

Cost: $25 investors, $50 general For more info: www.bit.ly/2JQfIct; 864-631-6596; nikawhiteconsulting@greenvillechamber.org

7/10

Clemson MBA Info Session

Clemson MBA at Greenville ONE 1 N. Main St., 5th floor 5:30–7 p.m.

Cost: Free. Registration required. For more info: www.bit.ly/2M4YvxV

STAFF WRITERS

Wednesday

Cindy Landrum, Andrew Moore, Sara Pearce, Ariel Turner

7/11

Greenville Chamber of Commerce’s Small-Business Owners Forum

Greenville Chamber 24 Cleveland St. 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

Cost: Free. Registration required. For more info: www.bit.ly/2Je7nU1; tjames@greenvillechamber.org; 864-239-3728

MARKETING & ADVERTISING DIRECTOR OF SALES

Friday

7/20

Clemson MBA Program’s Innovative Leadership Series: Jonathan Parker

Clemson MBA at Greenville ONE 1 N. Main St., 5th floor noon–1:30 p.m.

Cost: Free and open to the public For more info: www.bit.ly/2Ltt1QC

Tuesday

8/7

Ten at the Top’s Connecting Our Future

TD Convention Center 1 Exposition Drive 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

Cost: $25 For more info: www.conta.cc/2kPv2LX; anottingham@tenatthetop.org

TuesdayWednesday

Ogletree Building (Aug. 28) & TD Convention The Greenville Chapter of the Society Center (Aug. 29) - 300 N. Main St., 500 (Oglefor Human Resource Management’s tree); 1 Exposition Drive (TD Convention Center) REthinkHR 7:30 a.m.–4:45 p.m.

Wednesday

Mark B. Johnston mjohnston@communityjournals.com Susan Schwartzkopf susans@communityjournals.com

MANAGING EDITOR

Emily Pietras epietras@communityjournals.com

ADMINISTRATIVE EDITOR

Heidi Coryell Williams hwilliams@communityjournals.com

7/10 Tuesday

COPY EDITOR Rebecca Strelow

Emily Yepes

MANAGER OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Donna Johnston

MARKETING REPRESENTATIVES Heather Propp, Meredith Rice, Caroline Spivey, Liz Tew

CLIENT SERVICES

Anita Harley | Rosie Peck | Jane Rogers

ART & PRODUCTION VISUAL DIRECTOR Will Crooks

LAYOUT

8/28-8/29

Cost: Aug. 28: $100 members/nonmembers; Aug. 29: to July 1: $150 members/$175 nonmembers; to Aug. 15: $175 members/$200 nonmembers For more info: www.greenvillehr.org/meetinginfo.php

Bo Leslie | Tammy Smith

VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS

UP NEXT

ADVERTISING DESIGN

JUNE 29 LEGAL ISSUE

Holly Hardin

Kristy Adair | Michael Allen

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Kristi Fortner

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onthemove@upstatebusinessjournal.com UBJ welcomes expert commentary from business leaders on timely news topics related to their specialties. Guest columns run 700-800 words. Contact managing editor Emily Pietras at epietras@communityjournals.com to submit an article for consideration. Circulation Audit by

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1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

UBJ milestone

UBJ milestone jackson Marketing Group’s 25 Years 1988 Jackson Dawson opens in Greenville at Downtown Airport

JULY 27 COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE ISSUE

1988

Chairman larry Jackson, Jackson marketing Group. Photos by Greg Beckner / Staff

Jackson Marketing Group celebrates 25 years By sherry Jackson | staff | sjackson@communityjournals.com

AUGUST 3 FINANCE ISSUE Got any thoughts? Care to contribute? Let us know at upstatebusinessjournal.com/submit.

1997 Jackson Dawson launches motorsports Division 1993

1990 Jackson Dawson acquires therapon marketing Group and moves to Piedmont office Center on Villa.

Solve. Serve. Grow. Those three words summarize Jackson Marketing Group’s guiding principles, and according to owner Larry Jackson, form the motivation that has kept the firm thriving for the past 25 years.

Jackson graduated from Bob Jones University with a degree in video and film production and started his 41-year career in the communications industry with the U.S. Army’s Public Information Office. He served during

Vietnam, where he said he was “luckily” stationed in the middle of Texas at Fort Hood. He left the service and went to work in public affairs and motorsports at Ford Motor Company in Detroit. After a stint at Bell and Howell, where he was responsible for managing Ford’s dealer marketing and training, the entrepreneurial bug hit and he co-founded Jackson-Dawson Marketing Communications, a company specializing in dealer training and product launches for the auto industry in 1980. In 1987, Jackson wanted to move back south and thought Greenville would be a good fit. An avid pilot, he

learned of an opportunity to purchase Cornerstone Aviation, a fixed base operation (FBO) that served as a service station for the Greenville Downtown Airport, providing fuel, maintenance and storage. In fact, when he started the Greenville office of what is now Jackson Marketing Group (JMG) in 1988, the offices were housed on the second floor in an airport hangar. “Clients would get distracted by the airplanes in the hangars and we’d have to corral them to get back upstairs to the meeting,” Jackson said. Jackson sold the FBO in 1993, but says it was a great way to get to know Greenville’s fathers and leaders

with a majority of them utilizing the general aviation airport as a “corporate gateway to the city.” In 1997, Jackson and his son, Darrell, launched Jackson Motorsports Group. The new division was designed to sell race tires and go to racetracks to sell and mount the tires. Darrell Jackson now serves as president of the motorsports group and Larry Jackson has two other children and a son-in-law who work there. Jackson said all his children started at the bottom and “earned their way up.” Jackson kept the Jackson-Dawson branches in Detroit and others in Los Angeles and New York until he sold his portion of that partnership in 2009 as part of his estate planning. The company now operates a small office in Charlotte, but its main headquarters are in Greenville in a large office space off Woodruff Road, complete with a vision gallery that displays local artwork and an auditorium Jackson makes available for non-profit use. The Motorsports Group is housed in an additional 26,000 square feet building just down the street, and the agency is currently looking for another 20,000 square feet. Jackson said JMG has expanded into other verticals such as financial, healthcare, manufacturing and pro-bono work, but still has a strong focus on the auto industry and transportation. It’s

2003 motorsports Division acquires an additional 26,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space

1998

2009 Jackson Dawson changes name to Jackson marketing Group when larry sells his partnership in Detroit and lA 2003

1998 Jackson Dawson moves to task industrial Court

also one of the few marketing companies in South Carolina to handle all aspects of a project in-house, with four suites handling video production, copywriting, media and research and web design. Clients include heavyweights such as BMW, Bob Jones University, the Peace Center, Michelin and Sage Automotive. Recent projects have included an interactive mobile application for Milliken’s arboretum and 600-acre Spartanburg campus and a marketing campaign for the 2013 Big League World Series. “In my opinion, our greatest single achievement is the longevity of our client relationships,” said Darrell Jackson. “Our first client from back in 1988 is still a client today. I can count on one hand the number of clients who have gone elsewhere in the past decade.” Larry Jackson says his Christian faith and belief in service to others, coupled with business values rooted in solving clients’ problems, have kept

2009-2012 Jackson marketing Group named a top BtoB agency by BtoB magazine 4 years running

him going and growing his business over the years. He is passionate about giving back and outreach to non-profits. The company was recently awarded the Community Foundation Spirit Award. The company reaffirmed its commitment to serving the community last week by celebrating its 25th anniversary with a birthday party and a 25-hour Serve-A-Thon partnership with Hands on Greenville and Habitat for Humanity. JMG’s 103 full-time employees worked in shifts around the clock on October 22 and 23 to help construct a house for a deserving family. As Jackson inches towards retirement, he says he hasn’t quite figured out his succession plan yet, but sees the companies staying under the same umbrella. He wants to continue to strategically grow the business. “From the beginning, my father has taught me that this business is all about our people – both our clients and our associates,” said his son, Darrell. “We have created a focus and a culture that strives to solve problems, serve people and grow careers.” Darrell Jackson said he wants to “continue helping lead a culture where we solve, serve and grow. If we are successful, we will continue to grow towards our ultimate goal of becoming the leading integrated marketing communications brand in the Southeast.”

2011 Jackson marketing Group/Jackson motorsports Group employee base reaches 100 people

2008 2012 Jackson marketing Group recognized by Community Foundation with Creative spirit Award

pro-bono/non-proFit Clients American Red Cross of Western Carolinas Metropolitan Arts Council Artisphere Big League World Series The Wilds Advance SC South Carolina Charities, Inc. Aloft Hidden Treasure Christian School

CoMMUnitY inVolVeMent & boarD positions lArry JACkson (ChAirmAn): Bob Jones University Board chairman, The Wilds Christian Camp and Conference Center board member, Gospel Fellowship Association board member, Past Greenville Area Development Corporation board member, Past Chamber of Commerce Headquarters Recruiting Committee member, Past Greenville Tech Foundation board member David Jones (Vice President Client services, Chief marketing officer): Hands on Greenville board chairman mike Zeller (Vice President, Brand marketing): Artisphere Board, Metropolitan Arts Council Board, American Red Cross Board, Greenville Tech Foundation Board, South Carolina Chamber Board eric Jackson (Jackson motorsports Group sales specialist): Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club Advisory Board

November 1, 2013 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal 21

20 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal November 1, 2013

AS SEEN IN

NOVEMBER 1, 2013

Order a reprint today, PDFs available for $25. For more information, contact Anita Harley 864.679.1205 or aharley@communityjournals.com

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