AUGUST 2, 2013
Rising Tides
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E n k om AVy Ba e fr e SE n it r i s f f ic E mu her er o L L om on r n E d C ts co H i t e f le c k t o IC Un t re es M w en ’s d e N s id l l e r e e pr t
In the last two years, Greenville’s Confluence Watersports has become a world-leading kayak maker—and is looking for new shores to conquer
Volume II, Issue XXX
August 2, 2013
WORTH REPEATING
Sculpture at GSP is decorated in hard hats and safety vests, a reminder to passengers and visitors to the airport of the construction taking place there. Photo by Greg Beckner
“Water sports is a seasonal business; and like they say in Texas, ‘You can only shoot while the ducks are flying.’” Sue Rechner, CEO of Confluence Watersports, on the seasonal nature of the industry
Brendan Buttimer, interim executive director of the Hub City Farmers’ Market, on Spartanburg’s Healthy Food Hub, expected to open in 2014.
“I enjoyed being a secondshift proof-operator; it was so much fun. You sat at a big machine, fed in a check and typed the dollar amount. It encoded the bottom of the check. This was when the checks actually traded hands about 20 years ago.” Michelle Seaver, president of United Community Bank, on her favorite job while training as a teller. “Technology creates a perfect storm where managers or owners who don’t understand it hire staff or contractors to manage it, but then don’t know enough to assess whether any of it is working.” Laura Haight, the Digital Maven, on the need for Web analytics.
26 VERBATIM
On Upstate Business Ethics… “From sponsoring the ‘Paddle It Forward’ initiative that keeps used boats on the water, to promoting research and development for a boat recycling program and partnering with groups dedicated to the protection of waterways and open access for paddlers, Confluence Watersports also shines with strong business ethics.” The Martha Stewart’s Living blog, visiting Greenville makers as part of its “American Made Series.” Other businesses profiled included Loggerhead Apparel and Dark Corner Distillery. Read the entire blog at bit.ly/marthaingvl. For more on Confluence Watersports, see our cover story on page 12.
2 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL August 2, 2013
TBA The Vault, a Charleston retailer that sells retro college and pro sports apparel, is headed to 213 North Main St. in the former Ballew and Scott space. Expect a Nov. 1 grand opening after “massive renovations”… West Greenville is poised to unveil its new brand identity (hint: it all hinges on community)… Photo by Greg Beckner
“A lot of people have been working to make this a success. This is a really exciting time.”
In Pursuit of...
UBJ News Craig Gaulden Davis Names New Associates craig gaulden davis, an architecture, planning and interior design firm founded in Greenville in 1957, recently announced the naming of John Hansen, Charles Gunning, Andrea Kuhfuss, Stuart Stenger and Gwinn Harvey as associates. Hansen is a graduate of Clemson University, who joined the firm in 1997 and serves as a project director focusing on civic, education, religious and commercial projects. He is a leader in sustainable design and currently serves as the Southeast Regional Chair of the U.S. Green Building Council, representing nine states. Gunning is a graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design, who joined the firm in 2003 and serves as
a project director focusing on education, civic and hospitality projects. Kuhfuss is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, who joined the firm in 2005 and serves as the director of interior design. She currently serves as the 2013-2014 president of the IIDA Carolinas Chapter (International Interior Design Association). Stenger is a graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design, who joined CGD in 2006 and serves as a project director focusing on library, civic and hospitality projects. Harvey is a graduate of Clemson University, who joined the firm in 2007 and serves as a project director focusing on civic, education and commercial projects.
Bounce Files Chapter 7 Bankruptcy greenville public relations company Bounce, which handled the tourism promotion account for South Carolina from 1979 to 2012, has filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition, with liabilities totaling $3.27 million. The filing, made by Bounce CEO and sole shareholder Carlos Jimenez, shows total assets for the company are $55,845.90. The $3.27 total liabilities include $13,687.16 in secured claims held by creditors and approximately $3.26 million in unsecured nonpriority claims held by creditors. The unsecured nonpriority claims include more than $155,000 spent on ads for the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. Bounce still owes $366,000 to the tourism department itself, the filing shows.
Bill Leslie founded the Bounce Agency in 1959 as Leslie Advertising. At one point, it had office space on downtown Greenville’s Riverwalk, employed 50 people and reported gross receipts of $18.5 million in the fiscal year that ended in March 2010, GSA Business reports. Layoffs in 2012 reduced the staff to seven, including Jiminez. That year, the agency told the state tourism department that it could no longer service the promotions account it had managed for more than 30 years. Also in 2012, Bounce lost major accounts with The Cliffs Communities and Carolina First Bank, which became TD bank, Jiminez told reporters at the time. Jimenez and his attorney, Randy Skinner, did not return telephone messages from reporters seeking comment.
Is it happiness? We all take actions everyday that move us forward or back in our lives. We are all changing, and some of these changes we like and want. Some changes we would like to do without. Our actions have effects, and the more aware and present we are, the more likely we will get what we say we want. Financially we are always getting a little richer or a little poorer. We spend or save. Sometimes we spend on things that are useful and necessary that facilitate our personal growth, our health, our families or our community. Sometimes we let money go in ways that don’t help anything. Everyone actually does know how to become financially independent. All you have to do is save more than you spend, rinse and repeat. If you can do without a little luxury, you will create more utility for your future self. Saving money or investing sounds great, but what about having to do without something or waiting for something you want? An old cliché is that we spend our treasure where our heart is. Another way of saying this is that if you understand where you spend your money and your time, you will understand what is important to you. There are a lot of details when you consider saving money. You could use mutual funds, stocks, exchange traded funds, bonds, or other options. Are you fully utilizing your employer’s retirement options? You could invest in domestic companies or put your money in international instruments. You could pay down your debt or save for the kids’ college educations. You might invest in real estate or buy a vacation home. Some people choose to start a business and work towards their own interests rather than working for others. If you look at what you do and who you spend your time with, you will find what is most important to you. We might suggest starting there when considering how much to save. Something else to consider is economic sustainability. If your lifestyle has to change significantly upon retirement because your assets won’t support your current spending in retirement, you might consider gradually making some changes along the way to increase savings. With some thoughtful consideration and prudent action, most everyone can achieve their goals. Good financial planning is really about taking care of you and those closest to you - whatever life gives you in the future. Christopher A. Brown, CPA, PFS has been helping people plan and manage their money since 1995. Give us a call at 864-233-0808 or visit us online at www.falegacy.com.
August 2, 2013 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal 3
UBJ NEWS Duke Agrees to Lower Rate Increase duke energy agreed to reduce its latest rate hike request by about half, lowering the number from $220 million to just over $118 million. After “hours of negotiation,” in the words of a Duke spokesperson, the company reached an agreement with the Office of Regulatory Staff (ORS), which had calculated the proposed reduction. The Eastern division of Wal-Mart and Sam’s stores, the S.C. Energy Users Committee and the S.C. Small Business Chamber of Commerce were the other parties involved. The request, filed in March, met with a flurry of protest from businesses. The settlement follows a pattern of asking for more and settling for less that has occurred since 2009, when the utility sought its first rate hike in nearly two decades. The current settlement calls for increases to take place over two years, and the company would not ask for another before September 2015.
Businesses would see a significantly lower increase. For small businesses that would mean an increase of 2.29 percent the first year and 1.13 percent the second year for a total of 3.42 percent, well below the proposed 14 percent. The increase for large industries would be 7.73 percent, down from the 14.4 percent that was originally proposed. That is, 5.24 percent the first year and 2.29 percent the second year. Residential rates would increase about 8.16 percent. Duke has requested that the proposed increases go into effect in September. Frank Knapp, president and CEO of the Small Business Chamber, said he was pleased with the changes. He had testified that the proposed increase has small businesses paying rates at 116 percent of the overall rate of return Duke had requested, while other classes of customers were within plus or minus
10 percent. Knapp said, “It was obvious from the word ‘go’ that [the requested return on equity] was excessive.” Worse yet, small business was subsidizing that excess, he said. Under the new settlement terms, small businesses will be paying less than a quarter of what was originally requested. To offset the lower increase the first year, Duke agreed to use $45 million from its Cost of Removal Reserve, the funds set aside to remove assets once they have been retired. The company has also agreed to use $1 million in shareholder contributions to support public education initiatives and senior outreach. An additional $2.5 million will fund assistance programs for low-income customers, as well as manufacturing competitiveness grants, economic development, education or workforce training programs. Details of how exactly the funds would be used were not available at press time.
Duke reached a similar agreement in its home state, North Carolina, last month. Under the terms of that deal, Western North Carolina customers will see a $235 million increase over two years. It will be contributing $10 million to assist low-income customers in that state. The return on equity allowed in that case was the same, 10.2 percent. The deal awaits review and approval by the Public Service Commission of South Carolina (PSCSC), which has the final word on the settlement. The evidentiary hearing began Wednesday in Columbia. The company said the agreement allows Duke to begin recovering the capital investments already made and maintain its strong financial position. Duke said the majority of the current request is due to capital investments made in the electrical system, including two new power plants, the Dan River natural gas plant in Eden, N.C., and the Cliffside Steam Station in Mooresboro, N.C.
Coldwell Banker Caine Celebrates Anniversary, Promotes Key Personnel coldwell banker caine recently celebrated the organization’s 80th anniversary with a Summer Celebration at Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR). According to a press release from the real estate company, “staff and agents from across the Upstate attended the event, which focused on recognizing the success of the firm’s agents, sharing plans for its future and announcing new promotions and partnerships that will enhance its leadership team.” The Halter family, who has owned and operated the company
since it was founded, announced that Brad Halter was promoted to the role of chairman. Also promoted were Stephen Edgerton and Amanda Jones. Edgerton, who has been with Caine Company for over five years serving as chief operating officer, has been promoted to president and CEO. Jones, who currently serves as broker-incharge of the Greenville office, was promoted to executive vice president of sales. In addition, local entrepreneur Steve Spinks, president and CEO of the Spinks Company, has joined the company as a member of the
4 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL August 2, 2013
board, but will not have an operating role at Caine Company. “With these new partnerships and promotions, we really are preparing our organization for the next 80 years of success,” said Halter. “We’re evolving the resources and support for our agents, and at the same time, we’re strengthening the commercial side of our business. I’m just so proud to see that the plans my late father Frank and I talked about over the last few years – plans that lay the foundation for our company’s continued growth and success – are finally coming to fruition.”
Amanda Jones
Stephen Edgerton
Brad Halter
Photos provided
By Jennifer Oladipo | senior business writer joladipo@communityjournals.com
UBJ NEWS BBB Details Complaints Both sides get stronger voice By Jennifer Oladipo | senior business writer joladipo@communityjournals.com
this week the better business Bureau (BBB) of the Upstate joined offices around the country in listing detailed complaints online. They will be accessible through its free BBB Business Reviews directory service, which provides profile and rating information on companies. Whereas complaints previously only listed the business category and method of resolution, the new listings will include the text from consumer complaints, the initial business response, and any subsequent business and consumer correspondence. Names, contact information and invoice or contract information will be excluded, however. “We think the new reporting is a win-win for consumers, businesses and the BBB,” said Vee
Daniel, president and CEO of BBB of the Upstate. “Publishing complaint details will allow consumers to make up their own minds about how the complaint was handled. It also provides businesses an opportunity to share their side of the story as well as demonstrate exemplary customer service.” The nationwide change is in response to consumer feedback, yet also gives responsive businesses an opportunity to show how they have actively tried to resolve issues, BBB said in a statement. Daniel said in a release that more than 84 percent of complaints filed through BBB of the Upstate are resolved each year. About 17 percent of complaints are either unresolved or unanswered, meaning that one of the parties did not respond.
Chart Source: BBB of Upstate South Carolina
UPSTATE’S TOP 3 COMPLAINTS OF 2012 1
2
3
COLLECTION COMPANIES
AUTO DEALERS
ROOFING CONTRACTORS
1,107
287
113
Systems: 914 Agencies: 193
Used: 152 New: 135
Nature of Complaints: Customer service tactics; Customers not understand the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
Nature of Complaints: Complaints regarding contracts
Total Complaints Received in 2012:
Nature of Complaints: Warranty Issues
4,189 August 2, 2013 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 5
UBJ News
Spartanburg Announces Healthy Food Hub spartanburg’s northside is about to get healthier food choices. A brand new Healthy Food Hub is expected to open January 2014, complete with a community garden, a kitchen, café and the relocation of the Hub City Farmers’ Market from its existing location on Magnolia Street. The $1.6 million project will be located on Howard Street, between Milan and Vernon streets, addressing what’s considered to be a “food desert,” or an area that does not have access to fresh fruits and produce. “There is nothing else like this in the area,” said Brendan Buttimer, interim executive director of the Hub City Farmers’ Market. The Northside development project has been a longtime team effort between the City of Spartanburg, The But-
terfly Foundation, the Mary Black Foundation, The Northside Development Corporation and The Hub City Farmers’ Market. The city will be donating the land to Northside Development, who will develop and lease the property. The Butterfly Foundation will run the community kitchen and café, while the Hub City Farmers’ Market will run the retail market and Saturday Farmers Market. Spartanburg City Council last week approved a first reading on deeding the land over, and a second reading is expected to pass at the next council meeting on Aug. 12. The Butterfly Foundation, a community development organization that provides assistance for housing, job readiness and culinary training, was instrumental in working with
6 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal August 2, 2013
the Cancer Institute to secure a $545,000 grant. The community kitchen will host cooking classes and other food demos while the café will focus on healthy meals at affordable prices, said Buttimer. The community garden/urban farm will be about an acre with an edible garden, compost and canning demo area. “There will be a lot of emphasis on education so the community can come in and see what they can do with a small urban space,” said Nikki Smith, Hub City Farmers’ Market manager. They also plan to have a greenhouse and hoop house to grow produce during the winter months and hope to include chickens and chicken coops. Fruits and veggies grown at the urban farm, along with products
from other local farms, will be sold at the new retail market. The retail market will be open six days a week, year-round, and will give residents an outlet to shop when the seasonal farmers market is not being held, said Smith. Affordability is key, she said. “We will offer very affordable, very healthy items geared to residents of the Northside.” The Food Hub, especially the café, is also expected to draw customers from nearby Wofford College and the new Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine. The groundbreaking is expected just as soon as all of the financing and city council appropriations are secured. “A lot of people have been working to make this a success,” said Buttimer. “This is really an exciting time.”
Rendering provided
By sherry Jackson | staff sjackson@communityjournals.com
UBJ DIGITAL MAVEN
By LAURA HAIGHT
You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know but You Really Need to Know
• Several small-business owners I know have no idea at all how much traffic their website gets or what areas of the website are most viewed. • I recently saw a very nice glossy mail piece that used a QR code. I scanned it for the additional material and it went instead to the website where they created the QR tag itself. • A client of mine was surprised to learn that photos on their website had been replaced with empty boxes with big X’s through them. Along with these lost links, a quick perusal of their Web page showed employees no longer at the company – one of whom had actually been fired.
If your website designer didn’t provide analytics, ask for them. If they balk at doing it, get someone else. One way or another, if your website isn’t working, you need to know it. These are smart, savvy businesspeople, but like many non-technology business execs they have assets they don’t understand (“because we just have to have a Facebook page”). To make sure your technology works for you and not against you, here are a few things to pay attention to. What is behind the curtain? Make sure to check that all the links on your website go to the right places, and that your website is not linking to something that might be considered inappropriate by your customers. If you use some new tech, like QR tags (these aren’t all that new, but seem to be popping up more), make sure they work. If you don’t know how to scan the QR tag on your ad or direct mail piece, learn. I don’t consider this micromanaging; more like trusting, but verifying. After all, whose business is it anyway? Read your own stuff? Even if you have a “brochure-style” website with fairly static content, you want
to visit it periodically to make sure everything is still working. Are all the photos still there (a change in a hosting service or directory could make these break), does the video still work, is your “About Us” page still accurate? And what about Facebook? Even if you have a staffer or consultant doing your postings, it doesn’t absolve you from the bestpractice of seeing what they are posting in your company’s name. The last thing you want is a customer saying: “I couldn’t believe you posted that on Facebook!” Is our website effective? Many small businesses – especially those with few staffers – have used templated online services to create their own websites. Or they may even have hired a website company or freelancer to build their sites. No matter. What does matter is how well is it performing. For that, you must have analytics. I can hear some of you grousing that you can’t afford that. But the good news is that Google Analytics is free and it
provides plenty of information to satisfy the needs of businesses large and small. In fact, 57 percent of the top 10,000 websites in the country use Google Analytics. If your website designer didn’t provide analytics, ask for them. If they balk at doing it, get someone else. One way or another, if your website isn’t working, you need to know it. How much and how often? Get an analytic report once a month and look at five key statistics: • Unique visitors (the actual number of people coming to your site) • Page views (how many pages are they reading while on your site – a measure of engagement) • Bounce rate (the number who quit your site without going to any other pages – usually a sign of a lack of engagement) • Time on site (the total amount of time a visitor spends) • Top content pages (where are visitors going – by extension, where are they not going). “Provable deniability,” “ignorance is bliss” or “you don’t know what you don’t know”. Whatever you want to call it, it’s not good for your business – and you don’t have to be a geek or a gizmo to learn these basics. Got a question or comment about this or any other tech topic? Go to facebook.com/thedigitalmaven and post it for discussion.
Laura Haight is the president of Portfolio (portfoliosc.com), a communications company based in Greenville that leverages the power of technology and digital media to communicate effectively with clients, customers and your staff. She is a former IT executive, journalist and newspaper editor.
8 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL August 2, 2013
Photo by Greg Beckner
business executives seem to fall into two general categories: those who micromanage and those who trust implicitly. I’m sorry to say that I am a micromanager, because I learned early on that in most cases (certainly not all), people just do not follow through. At least not unless they know there’s at least a chance that you are watching. Technology creates a perfect storm where managers or owners who don’t understand it hire staff or contractors to manage it, but then don’t know enough to assess whether any of it is working. You just have it. Recently, it’s become clear to me that this can be a big problem:
A STEP AHEAD
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It’s time to start planning for Spring 2014. Apply Today. clemson.edu/mba ∙ 864-656-8173
UBJ INNOVATE
Seize the Day for a Transportation Revolution we live in a world that is increasingly connected all the time. Cisco calls this the Internet of Everything, which will generate $14 trillion in value over the next decade. The Upstate is poised to become a global leader in a specific aspect of the Internet of Everything – sustainable connected, multimodal transportation – if we have the will. Imagine your car connects automatically with the next stoplight so that the light is green when you go through the intersection. Not idling unnecessarily at the intersection conserves fuel, puts less carbon in the air, and saves you time. Your car is also connected to the public safety infrastructure, so if you have a problem, the police or the emergency medical system is notified automatically. You can even find out if the restaurant close by has a table and then make a reservation. Now imagine that we had a robust system of clean Proterra buses throughout the Upstate. On a smartphone you call a vehicle that comes to your home and takes you to the meet the bus. At the stop closest to where you work, another vehicle is waiting for you to go the last mile or so. That entire multi-modal experience is managed seamlessly through one smartphone app. For many people, that sure would beat sitting on the interstate or Woodruff Road during their daily commutes. Greenville County Councilman Fred Payne is our passionate, tenacious champion for a more efficient personal rapid transit system in Greenville. Recently he hosted a transportation leader he met through InnoMobility, Corey Cloth-
ier from COMET. Corey is working with the U.S. Army’s Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center to develop autonomous vehicles. His first demonstration project is the Wounded Warrior Campus at Fort Bragg. The wounded soldier barracks are roughly 400 meters from a hospital on one side and a cafeteria on the other. Some soldiers have physical disabilities and aren’t mobile. Others go through intense physical therapy or take such strong medications that while they can walk to their appointments, they can’t walk back. The Wounded Warrior Campus will provide on-demand personal transit through autonomous golf carts that operate at a top speed of 8 miles per hour. Soldiers call the
vehicles via a cellphone to take them where they need to go. The soldiers get out of the vehicle, which automatically returns itself to the pool to await the next soldier’s call, eliminating parking hassles. Once this limited demonstration project is up and running, it’s easy to imagine it expanding to all of Fort Bragg, perhaps at speeds up to 25 miles per hour. From there, it’s not too great a leap to imagine a system of autonomous vehicle throughout the Fayetteville, N.C., area. Actually, what is exciting about Corey’s visit is he was here to discuss the first community demonstration project being in Greenville. He met with leaders at CU-ICAR and with business and political leaders that were very interested in how to partner with Corey.
An autonomous vehicle in use at London’s Heathrow Airport.
An autonomous vehicle system aligns well with a number of Greenville assets. CU-ICAR’s Project Green is a state-of-the-art wireless test track at SC-TAC that could be used for testing the system. Perhaps a good demonstration location would be connecting the Verdae Master Planned Urban Community with the CU-ICAR campus nearby. Perhaps the wounded warrior campus concept could be implemented at a Greenville Health System campus. Maybe autonomous vehicles could connect the NEXT Innovation Center on Cleveland Street with Main Street downtown and on to the co-work space by the railroad station on Washington Street. Recently, GM said they were very closely watching Tesla, which makes a high-end electric sports car. Tesla may be a good competitor to GM, but a high-end innovation won’t disrupt the car industry. The existential threat to GM is the fellow who makes an autonomous vehicle system work over 400 meters on an Army base, then incrementally improves the system until it works across an entire small city. Some people may decide that this system is so effective and convenient for them that they don’t need to own a car, or perhaps only need to own one car instead of two. A small competitor that seems so small and immature that it doesn’t warrant much attention is how the automotive industry will be disrupted, like many industries before them. For the stars to align to make Greenville a global leader in the emerging sustainable, connected, multi-modal, personal transit industry, we need the will and the leadership that Greenville has demonstrated in many catalytic projects in the past. This will be a focus on InnoMobility 2012 on November 6 and 7. Carpe diem.
John Warner is CEO of InnoVenture, whose global Web platform helps people with big ideas attract needed customers, capital, talent and technology. InnoVenture.com partners include major corporations, universities and entrepreneurial companies regionally and around the world.
10 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL August 2, 2013
Photo provided
By JOHN WARNER
UBJ News
Report: SC Economic Outlook Mixed By sherry Jackson | staff sjackson@communityjournals.com moNthly UNemploymeNt rate (UNadJUsted)
CharaCteristiCs of UNemploymeNt iNsUraNCe Claims By iNdUstry Industry Groups with Largest Number of Claims - June 2013
Past 13 Months 10 Unemployment Rate (Percentage)
Accommodation and Food Services Administrative and Support and Waste Management Health Care and Social Assistance Manufacturing Retail Trade
a new report released last week by the South Carolina Department of Commerce shows that unemployment has climbed while building permits have declined, but residential sales continue to improve. Statewide, the average weekly number of initial claims filed for Unemployment Insurance (UI) increased 5.1 percent last month, reaching 4,572. Spartanburg saw a 21 percent increase due to significant plant layoffs or closures announced
8 6 4 2 0
0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16%
in June, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Greenville saw a slight decline, of 5 percent or less, in initial UI claimant activity. So where does the Palmetto State place overall in unemployment? In June, South Carolina ranked No. 14 out of 51, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In the Southeast region, South Carolina’s rate remained lower than Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina
Jun 2012
Jul 2012
Aug 2012
Sept 2012
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and Tennessee. Eleven states experienced decreases in their unemployment rates, 28 states saw increases, while 11 states and the District of Columbia remained unchanged. Over the year, the largest declines in the unemployment rate were noted in California and Nevada, dropping by 1.8 points or more. By comparison, South Carolina’s rate has declined by 1.2 points from a year ago. Overall, employment gained 10,100 jobs, a 0.5 percent increase across the state. The private sector contributed an increase of 17,100 positions while
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the government shed 7,000 jobs, mostly seasonal teaching positions. Retail, professional and business services, transportation and warehousing sectors were all up. In real estate, the number of residential closings last month climbed 13 percent compared to a year ago. The declining number of foreclosures in the state, down 24 percent compared to last year, has reduced the supply of available homes on the market. As inventory tightens, real estate values in South Carolina have gained ground. The median home sales price in South Carolina increased 3.1 percent last month and is now at the same level seen in 2007 before the recession. Building permit activity in South Carolina is up more than 20 percent and construction industries have added 3,700 jobs in the last year.
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Chart Source: SC Department of Employment and Workforce
GReenville CounTy SouTH CARolinA
SouTH CARolinA uniTed STATeS GReenville CounTy
Photo by Greg Beckner
Finished kayaks are stored in the warehouse of Confluence Watersports prior to shipping.
AnnuAl OutdOOr reCreAtiOn eCOnOmy
Hitting tHe
rApids
nAtionAl $646 billion in consumer spending 6.1 million direct American jobs $399 billion in federal tax revenue $397 billion in state and local taxes
south cArolinA $18 billion in consumer spending 201,000 in direct South Carolina jobs $4.7 billion in wages and salaries $1 billion in state and local tax revenue
north cArolinA $19.2 billion in consumer spending 192,000 in direct North Carolina jobs $5.6 billion in wages and salaries $1.3 billion in state and local taxes
GeorGiA
A world leAder in kAyAks, Greenville’s confluence wAtersports hopes for future success in diversity
$23.3 billion in consumer spending 231,000 direct Georgia jobs $7 billion in wages and salaries $1.4 billion in state and local taxes
By dick huGhes | contributor dhughes@communityjournals.com
floridA
C
onfluence watersports has been on a fast run since moving to Greenville less than two years ago to expand, upgrade and consolidate its paddle sports manufacturing. It has become an undisputed world leader in rotationally molded kayaks, surpassing its main competitor in sales, revenue and profits. With business strong, Confluence is looking to add to the manufacturing space it initially leased at the cavernous TV picture tube plant on Mauldin Road that Hitachi abandoned in 2007. Its accessory divisions of water-protective clothing, paddles and other water recreation gear are, as with its boats, growing rapidly. In a strategy that could lead to a larger presence as a headquarters in Greenville, the company is “100 percent” committed to acquisitions to diversify beyond water sports. Sue Rechner, CEO, said a foothold in other outdoor segments makes sense to capitalize
$38.3 billion in consumer spending 329,000 in direct Florida jobs $10.7 billion in wages and salaries $2.5 billion in state and local taxes
on growing interest in outdoor activities, even out cash flow, make fuller use of production resources and stabilize its investment in a trained workforce.
looking Beyond water sports
“water sports is a seasonal business; and like they say in Texas, ‘You can only shoot while the ducks are flying,’” said Rechner. “We sell boats all year round, but the real peak in our season is about 16-24 weeks. It is not good to bring someone on, spend a lot of money training them, and then have to potentially release them after the season closes down to the lower point.” Rechner said the 20 or so potential acquisitions Confluence has done due diligence on so far have not worked out “because they weren’t good matches or we didn’t win because they are typically auctioned.” (continued on page 14)
August 2, 2013 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal 13
tennessee $8.2 billion in consumer spending 83,000 direct Tennessee jobs $2.5 billion in wages and salaries $535 million in state and local taxes
virGiniA $13.6 billion in consumer spending 138,000 direct Virginia jobs $3.9 billion in wages and salaries $923 in state and local taxes
kentucky $8.4 billion in consumer spending 105,000 direct Kentucky jobs $2.5 billion in wages and salaries $552 million in state and local taxes Source: Outdoor Industry Association
(continued from page 13) As a test, Confluence took two contract jobs for unrelated companies to fill production downtime but found it “too dumb-downed” for the more sophisticated and perfectly finished work it does for kayaks, “probably one of the most difficult, if not the most difficult, to mold.” Confluence has “the broadest offerings” in kayaks of any company, and 99.6 percent of them are made in the Greenville plant. A small number of composite-material kayaks are made in Eastern Europe, where Confluence moved production from China to get “significantly better” quality for about the same price.
about 10 percent of its production. The company also sees “significant opportunity” for expanding accessory lines. In late 2010, it acquired Bomber Gear, a brand of specialty water-protection clothing that is designed in Greenville but made overseas. In addition, it has a division for paddles and another for “everything from paddles to safety equipment.”
Getting Under One Roof
Covering All Sales Channels
“we cover everything from a $399 kayak to a $3,000 kayak, and we cover all functionality from flat water up to class five whitewater and ocean,” Rechner said. “We service just about every retail channel.” National retailers like L.L. Bean, REI and Eastern Mountain Sports sell Confluence brands. Confluence also makes boats for Bean under its branding. Independent specialty stores catering to outdoor enthusiasts are major retailers of premium brands built for the particular water types typical to the local geography. She said North America accounts for “the largest part of our growth … but we’ve seen some really strong growth in Australia and Japan. This past year, we’ve had real good growth in Europe. Given the economic challenges Europe has had, that’s positive.” The company exports
in november 2011, confluence moved from three buildings in Easley into the Hitachi building, leasing 300,000 of its 549,000 square feet and committing to spend up to $15 million for new automation equipment and to add 72 employees to its workforce of 425 over five years. Rechner said Confluence temporarily leases an additional 150,000 square feet in the building during its peak production periods and is “moving toward needing a good chunk of that permanently.” By substantially investing in automation, Rechner said, Confluence is able to produce more boats with fewer workers, making for a more productive workforce at “roughly the same” level as two years ago. For example, she said, a new rotational molding oven brought on line late last year does the work of five, each of which had an assigned crew. In addition to having space for growth and being able to upgrade production, the move is paying off with “intangible benefits of being under one roof” for communications and offering more local amenities for employees, Rechner said.
“If we don’t have national parks in 10 years, we won’t have an outdoor industry. You don’t want to stop it if it is one of the few things in the world that is growing right now.” Sue Rechner, CEO of Confluence Watersports
Photo by Greg Beckner
the company, which grew revenue by 5-8 percent annually in the five years before the move, has continued that growth and last year surpassed its major competitor, Johnson Outdoors of Racine, Wis., in size. Confluence is privately held and does not publicly disclose financial data, but Rechner said Confluence does “substantially better on the top and bottom lines” than Johnson. Johnson Outdoors, which is publicly traded, reported revenue of $412 million and net income of $10 million in its fiscal year ended Sept. 29, 2012. “Based on what I know, we are the largest rotomolder of kayaks in the world,” said Rechner. “Johnson and we are the largest, and the next largest is half our size.” The majority owner of Confluence Watersports is American Capital, a Maryland-based private equity firm. In 1998, American Capital acquired Confluence Holdings of Trinity, N.C., third largest kayak maker. In 2005, it acquired majority interest in Watermark Paddlesports of Easley, second largest, for $19 million, merging the two in Easley.
14 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal August 2, 2013
Photo by Greg Beckner
Outdoing Its Chief Rival
Kayaks undergo final assembly on the assembly line at the Confluence Watersports plant in Greenville.
no national Parks, no Industry “We are an industry that is growing, and we are still growing, and that bodes very well in the world of finance to have industries and companies that grow despite economic hard times.” Sue Rechner, CEO of Confluence Watersports
confluence is a member of the outdoor Industry Association (OIA) that is active in promoting outdoor recreation and lobbying local, state and federal governments for the protection of outdoor space, including the national park system, which is under siege because of federal budget cuts. “If we don’t have national parks in 10 years, we won’t have an outdoor industry,” Rechner said. “You don’t want to stop it if it is one of the few things in the world that is growing right now.” The OIA last year released a first-ever study of the economic impact of outdoor recreation and this year broke it down to show the impact by state. The report documents consumer spending annually of $646 billion nationally on outdoor recreation, creation of 6.1 million jobs, $399 billion in federal tax revenue and $39.7 billion in state and taxes. In South Carolina, the industry annually generates $18 billion in consumer spending, 201,000 jobs, $4.7 million in wages and salaries and $1 billion in state and local taxes. “It is very large, and it is powerful,” said Rechner. “The beautiful thing about this reporting is now it gives us this data to go to local, state and federal representatives to get them to fund supporting outdoor recreation infrastructure.” She recognizes that preserving and expanding public outdoor recreation space will require a public-private partnership because of the “seismic shift the recession caused” to government resources. “We are an industry that is growing, and we are still growing, and that bodes very well in the world of finance to have industries and companies that grow despite economic hard times,” said Rechner.
paddlesports Continue Healthy Growth Paddlesports are enjoying “healthy growth, and this includes kayaks,” according to sales data compiled from manufacturers by the Outdoor Industry Association. Total annual sales in dollars have increased each year by near or more than 10 percent since 2010, the earliest year for which data is available. 2010
$162.5 million 2011
$183.3 million (up 12.8 percent) 2012
$199.9 million (up 9 percent)
“Sales this year are looking very good, and we expect kayak sales to shows very strong growth,” said Avery Stonich, director of communications of OIA. “Americans make outdoor recreation a priority in their daily lives even in times of economic hardship. We found that outdoor recreation spending increased an average of 5 percent a year from 2005 to 2011.”
Photo Pprovided hotos provid e
d
ceO’S MISSIOn IS TO GeT KIDS OuTDOORS Sue RechneR WAnTS to help encourage kids to get off their duffs and get outside to do something. As ceO of confluence Watersports, Rechner combines personal passion for outdoor activities with her job for sure, but also as a mission to get kids engaged in outdoor recreation. “The growth is just not happening on the participation side we would like to see,” Rechner, who is also a board member of the Outdoor Foundation.
The foundation’s “primary mission is to get youths into the outdoors, period, whether it is hiking, biking, hunting, fishing, camping, whatever it is,” she said. It’s a commitment confluence shares independent of the foundation. Recognizing that inner-city kids in particular have little or no opportunity to get beyond paved streets, Rechner went to Greenville Mayor Knox White to get “pointed in the right direction” to award $3,000 to a
group that could make it happen. “Within a day, I had five options,” including Live Well Greenville, which led her to the Momentum Bike club, which is affiliated with clemson’s Institute on Family and neighbood Life and its Building Dreams Mentoring Program. David Taylor, executive director of the cycling club, said confluence’s Paddle Grant would fund taking 30 underserved children for 30 hours of cycling, hiking, backpacking,
climbing and kayaking over a weekend. The program is still in planning, but Taylor hopes it can take place as early as this fall or as late as spring. “This kind of partnership makes a real difference for underserved kids,” he said. Rechner said confluence also would like to “form alliances with the Greenville health System to help us get more kids outside and reduce the propensity of the growth in obesity.”
August 2, 2013 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal 15
UBJ PROFILE I Can’t Imagine Being Anywhere Else
Michelle Seaver, president of United Community Bank, worked her way up from a teller’s desk – and says she still has much to learn By APRIL A. MORRIS | staff amorris@communityjournals.com
“Stay true to your inner compass: what you know is right. I always felt like I made decisions based on what, in my core, I knew was the right thing to do.”
Photo provided
Michelle Seaver
16 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL August 2, 2013
miChelle seaver has Called the Upstate home for more than
25 years, and after years in the banking business, she’s recently moved into the president’s seat at United Community Bank. She talks about how she worked her way through the ranks from a summer job as a teller to president of an expanding bank. What was your journey from graduation to president?
I started as a summertime teller when Carolina First only had five branches. I worked there throughout college; Mack Whittle gave me a great opportunity. After college, I started in their management training program. I was a branch manager for the Cleveland Street office and then manager of Greenville main. I later worked in private banking/ wealth management for Wachovia. Then I moved back to Carolina First because of those relationships that stayed strong. I started the Carolina First private banking group, at first an offshoot of the commercial team. I was most recently director of private banking for the North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia footprint. Post-merger with TD Bank, I was the regional wealth leader for the Carolinas.
What was one of your favorite jobs during training?
I enjoyed being a second-shift proof-operator; it was so much fun. You sat at a big machine, fed in a check and typed the dollar amount. It encoded the bottom of the check. This was when the checks actually traded hands about 20 years ago.
told me then that I would be a bank president someday, I wouldn’t have believed them. Now, I can’t imagine being anywhere else.
What was a game-changing moment in your career?
I remember the exact moment when I got a phone call from Mack Whittle asking me to lead the private banking business at The South Financial Group. I was so honored and knew I could do the job, but I just couldn’t believe it was actually happening.
Can you share a valuable piece of advice that you’ve picked up along the way?
Stay true to your inner compass: what you know is right. I always felt like I made decisions based on what, in my core, I knew was the right thing to do. If you stay true to that direction, you’re better off.
Who are your mentors?
What do you have yet to learn about your business?
There have been many along the way. Certainly my parents. My dad has taught me so much though his career at different times. I may not have wanted to hear the advice at that time, but it resonates. And Lynn Harton, our COO, is a great mentor.
What is something you really enjoy about your job?
You do a lot of volunteer work, in addition to helping with your children’s sports teams. What is work that some people may not know that you do?
In banking, there is always something to learn, because regulatory issues are constantly changing and our customers’ needs are always changing. I really enjoy private banking. I love helping people achieve their goals and plan through life – whether it’s paying for a college education or buying a house. I love to help them figure out a way to achieve their goals. They are all very big for each individual person.
What is difference between the future you saw for yourself 10 and 20 years ago and the life you are living/ work you are doing today?
I was always so excited about the job I was working at the time that I never could really imagine the next step. Looking back, if someone had
I was in charge of ice cream sales at Beck Academy, and that sounds so simple, but it was great. We were part of the sixth-grade class, the “freshman class,” and it really helped us develop a relationship with the school.
What is a fulfilling aspect of your volunteer work?
I like to see the results of the hard work. I was on the board for the SC Children’s Theatre and it’s so much more than productions. And to see that in my child’s school was so rewarding. Artisphere is a year’s worth of hard work pulled off in one weekend. It’s so exciting to see what the end result is. I think that’s the deep roots of my accounting education.
The Basics: michelle seaver alma maTer University of South Carolina service Seaver serves as member of the board for Greenville Health System, board treasurer for Greenville Arts Festival, board treasurer for Greenville Women Giving, treasurer for Artisphere, and board member of Greenville Community Foundation.
New digs In addition to moving into the president’s job at a new bank, Seaver and family recently moved about a half-mile away into a new home – only two doors away from her sister. Family Married to David Seaver. Michelle met David while working at Carolina
First, but he now works in real estate. They have daughters Kaitlyn, 13, and Caroline, 10. Seaver splits her time supporting Kaitlyn’s soccer and volleyball and Caroline’s cheerleading. Family coNNecTioN Seaver’s family is originally from Mississippi. Her parents now live in Greenville and her sister and family moved to the area three years ago.
“My world is so complete here in Greenville.” David’s parents and other family members also live in the Upstate. Her brother-in-law, Art Seaver, is in the banking business with Southern First. PerFecT weekeNd “Going to the lake – you feel like you’re in a different world. I love the peaceful nature of it.”
August 2, 2013 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal 17
UBJ SQUARE FEET
Colliers Expands in SC By Sherry Jackson | staff sjackson@communityjournals.com
colliers international, a global commercial real estate company with offices in 62 countries, has opened the Colliers Valuation & Advisory Services Group (CIVAS) in Charleston. Frank Hammond, president of Colliers International in Greenville, says that this service will provide “a wonderful enhancement of our services platform to our clients throughout the Upstate.” Colliers is the largest third-party manager of commercial real estate in South Carolina with a portfolio exceeding 8 million square feet of office, industrial and retail properties. CIVAS provides its clients exper-
tise in the valuation of commercial properties with emphasis on financial analysis of income producing assets, including multi-family, hotel, office, industrial and retail properties in addition to land and subdivision valuation. “Our valuation and advisory services are designed to deliver insight into a property’s fundamentals, its competitors and the overall market dynamics affecting value – now and
in the future,” said Hammond. Curtis (Curt) S. McCall Jr. will serve as the managing director of the Valuation & Advisory Services Group. McCall brings 25 years of experience in the real estate field as an investor, owner, appraiser and developer. Jerry Gisclair, regional managing director, said “the addition of Charleston and the team’s expertise in South Carolina is a very important component of our growth in the Southeast. The area is strategic with the economic growth associated with the expanding port development and related manufacturing companies throughout the Carolinas.” Colliers was established in South Carolina in 1906 and in Greenville in 1998. They currently have nine agents, two property managers and two administrative staff at their Greenville location.
DEALMAKERS SPENCER/HINES PROPERTIES ANNOUNCED: Guy Harris recently sold 14871489 W. O. Ezell Blvd., Spartanburg, for $3,250,000.00. The property is a 36,000 +/- SF retail location sitting on 3.4 acres of land on Spartanburg’s West Side, just around the corner from the Dorman Center. Swamp Rabbit Brewery and Taproom is anticipating opening in late November or early December in its 2,800 SF building located at 26 South Main St. in Travelers Rest. The location will offer serving samplers, pints and growlers, as well as a 500 SF beer garden. They will also allow daily tours of the indoor taproom. For more information, visit facebook.com/ swamprabbitbrewery.
The holidays are just around the corner... DECEMBER 2013 - Commerce Club Holiday Events Dates Sunday
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The right place for all of your holiday events. Think of us for your next... Corporate Celebration · Client Appreciation · Luncheon · Winter Wedding...and more. From small private dining rooms to our newly renovated ball room, we’re ready to accommodate your parties of 2 to 500 guests.
18 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL August 2, 2013
55 Beattie Place | 864.232.5600 commerce-club.com
Southern First
UBJ quarterlies Denny’s overall, franchises continued to perform better than companyowned stores as the company moves its stores to franchises. System-wide same-store sales increased 0.6 percent, comprised of a 0.7 percent increase at domestic franchised restaurants and a 0.5 percent decrease at company restaurants. The company opened 11 new franchised restaurants and closed 10, bringing total restaurant count to 1,690. Revenue from those franchises and licenses increased 0.7 percent to
$33.7 million compared with $33.5 million in the same quarter of 2012. Company restaurant sales dropped 9.2 percent to $82.8 million after 24 company restaurants were sold to franchises last year. Denny’s continued its buy-back of shares and franchises and generated $11.1 million of free cash flow mostly used to repurchase 1.7 million shares for $9.4 million. Interest expense was $2.5 million as a result of a $27.8 million reduction in total gross debt over the last 12 months and lower interest rates under the company’s refinanced credit facility.
southern first bancshares, holding company for Southern First Bank, announced record increases for the second quarter of 2013 ending June 30. The quarter began with a name and charter change for the holding company’s subsidiary, to Southern First Bank from Southern First Bank N.A when the bank converted from a national bank charter to a South Carolina state bank charter. Increases came from loan balances, which jumped 11 percent to $687.5 million compared to $618.9 million in 2012. Core deposits also increased 11 percent to $474.3 compared to $426.6
million in the same period the previous year. Net interest margin rose slightly, showing continued positive results from investments. The figure was 3.70 percent, compared to 3.69 percent for the prior quarter, and 3.61 percent for the second quarter of 2012. The primary driver of the increased net interest margin is the $68.6 million growth in loan balances during the past twelve months, combined with the 36 basis point, or 0.36 percent decrease in the cost of interest-bearing liabilities. Non-interest expenses also rose for the quarter, climbing to $5.3 million from $4.7 in 2012.
DeNNY’s (NasDaq: DeNN)
southerN First BaNcshares, iNc. (NasDaq: sFst)
reveNue
reveNue
Q2 2013 $116.5M
Q2 2012 $124.7M
+/-6.5%
Q2 2013 $8.01M
Q2 2012 $7.12M
Net iNcome Q2 2013 $6.2M
Net iNcome
Q2 2012 $4.6M
+/34.7%
Q2 2013 $1.3M
DiluteD earNiNgs per share $0.07
Q2 2012 $815,000
+/59%
DiluteD earNiNgs per share +/40%
World Acceptance Corp. world acceptance corporation (WAC) reported a record increase in diluted earnings per share for the first quarter ending June 30. In the first quarter, the small-loan consumer finance company repurchased about 413,000 shares. Combined with the 2.6 million shares repurchased during fiscal 2013, the company has reduced its weighted average diluted shares outstanding by 11.2 percent compared with the same period in the previous year. In February the board agreed to allow the repurchase of an additional $25 million in shares on top of a $75 million buy-back approved last November.
+/12.5%
In addition to income and revenue increases (see chart), interest and fee income increased 11.0 percent to $128.0 million from $115.3 million during the quarter due to continued growth in loan volume and expansion of offices. The company has been expanding into Mexico, which accounted for 7 percent of revenues during the fiscal year 2013. Changes in the regulatory climate in the United States could lead to “increasing reliance on Mexico” as the company’s “only viable expansion or growth strategy,” the company said in the amended year-end report filed July 19.
+/92%
$0.25
Gross loans outstanding increased 9.6 percent to $1.1 billion, but insurance and other income dipped 1.4 percent to $17.3 million compared with the first quarter of
the previous fiscal year. The provision for loan losses – funds set aside to cover potential losses – increased 21.5 percent to $28.7 million.
WorlD acceptaNce corporatioN (NasDaq: WrlD) reveNue Q1 2013 $145.3M
Q1 2012 $132.8M
+/9.4%
Net iNcome Q1 2013 $23.1M
Q1 2012 $22.6
+/2.2%
DiluteD earNiNgs per share $1.63
+/14.7%
August 2, 2013 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal 19
UBJ THE FINE PRINT
ZF Transmissions to Add 450 Jobs in Laurens County the opening of zf transmission’s first U.S. passenger car transmission plant will bring 450 jobs and a $175 million investment, the company announced last week. The company said in a release that the new plant will be its third expansion in four years, and will bring the company’s total investment to more than $600 million in South Carolina. By 2016, the number of employees is expected to increase from 1,200 to 1,650, according to the company. ZF Transmissions Gray Court LLC manufactures eight-speed automatic transmission (8HP) and the world’s first nine-speed automatic transmission (9HP), which the company says cuts fuel consumption up to 19 percent when compared with a standard six-speed transmission. Previously, the eight-speed automatic transmission was only manufactured in Saarbrücken, Germany. The 950,000-square-foot plant is expected to produce 1.2 million transmissions annually.
The company also plans to expand on the existing capacities of its German 8HP plant. By 2016, a total of around 1.4 million square feet will be available so customers can be adequately served. “We are honored to present the U.S. home of the automatic transmission,” said CEO Dr. Stefan Sommer, at the official plant opening in Gray Court last Friday. “This is an important step toward bridging the distance to our customers and having an even better opportunity of accessing North America, the most important foreign market for us.”
Serrus Launches Entrepreneur Lecture Series some of the leading businesspeople in the community will share their expertise as part of a three-month lecture series hosted by Serrus Capital Partners. The series will feature weekly presentations from thought leaders from finance, marketing, education, retail and other sectors. They will discuss topics such as financing, operations, business plans and buying property. The program will “rely on grassroots-based curriculum to inspire innovation and encourage individuals to develop ventures that benefit the local community,” the company said in a statement. The series is a follow-up to last year’s Ecoplosion summit held at CU-ICAR, which focused on entrepreneurship, real estate and economic development. Leighton Cubbage, a partner at Serrus Capital Partners, said in the release, “the Successful Entrepreneur Series aims to gather the top thinkers in the Upstate, drawing on their expertise and wisdom to share insights with up-and-coming entrepreneurs. This is a tremendous
learning opportunity for all involved, and I’m confident that this will become a growth engine for the Upstate community.” Speakers include Cubbage, Matt Dunbar of Upstate Carolina Angel Network and Reuben Montalvo of Señor Wraps Restaurant Group. The program will meet weekly beginning on Aug. 27 and will run until Dec. 15. Registration is free and limited to 75 people. Participants in the series will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the program. For more information and to register, visit successfulentrepreneurship.com.
Leighton Cubbage
the greenville-based environmental engineering firm recently gained recognition for an innovative groundwater contamination pilot project. It was featured on the cover of Pollution Engineering magazine and at an international conference. The project that drew international attention and recognition involved the development of an
innovative remedy to groundwater treatment. Combining the novel use of two typically incompatible remediation technologies at one site – chemical reduction and chemical oxidation – the solution was considered cutting-edge and provided efficient and successful results, including reduced cleanup time. It was designed in collaboration with
20 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL August 2, 2013
remediation contractor GeoCleanse International. George Y. Maalouf, vice president and director of assessment, remediation and compliance for Rogers & Callcott, and Dan Bryant of GeoCleanse International Inc., were asked to present the findings of the
project at AquaConsoil 2013, an international conference on Groundwater-Soil-Systems and Water Resource Management in Barcelona, Spain, which highlights top scientific achievements worldwide.
Photos provided
Rogers & Callcott Recognized Nationally, Internationally
Clemson Students to Unveil Concept Car automotive engineering students from Clemson University will unveil their next-generation Mazda North America-sponsored concept vehicle Monday at the Center for Automotive Research Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City, Mich. Called Deep Orange 3, the vehicle will be showcased with body panels designed by students at the Art Center of Design in Pasadena, Calif. Students will discuss the vehicle’s engineering concepts, and representatives from Mazda and the Art Center will be on hand to discuss the unique collaboration that led to the concept vehicle, the third generation of the Deep Orange concept. It was developed in collaboration with multiple automotive companies.
The automobile features a unique hybrid powertrain that automatically chooses front-, rear- or all-wheel-drive; a loadbearing structure based on innovative sheet-folding technology patented by Industrial Origami; and a groundbreaking 3+3 seating configuration in sports car architecture, Clemson said in a release. As part of the graduate automotive engineering program at CU-ICAR, students are required to create and manufacture a new vehicle prototype. The program provides students with experience in vehicle design, development, prototyping and production planning. Each year, a prototype vehicle is developed with a new market focus and technical objectives.
Verizon Gives $10,000 to Anderson Interfaith Program
Photos provided
Doug Curry of Verizon Wireless presents a check to Kristi King-Brock, executive director of Anderson Interfaith Ministries, surrounded by AIM staff.
verizon foundation has selected Anderson Interfaith Ministries to receive a $10,000 grant for its Women and Children Succeeding (WACS) program. WACS provides intensive case management and financial assistance to mothers who wish to return to school, overcome poverty and establish self-sufficiency. “South Carolina has one of the highest rates of women living in poverty in the country,” said Vernita Boone-Brown in a release. “The Women and Children Succeeding program was built on the philosophy that education is the means to breaking generational poverty for women and children, and this
grant from Verizon will allow us to offer assistance to more women this year.” Anderson Interfaith Ministries provides a case manager to each program participant for guidance, support and accountability. Participants are required to maintain 12 credit hours and a 2.5 GPA, as well as serve one hour of community service for every $100 of support they receive. “WACS has been AIM’s most successful program to date, and we’re proud to support it,” said Doug Curry, Verizon Wireless leader in Anderson. “Verizon is committed to investing in programs that improve quality of life for residents of South Carolina.”
August 2, 2013 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal 21
UBJ ON THE MOVE APPOINTED
Fred Bender Named associate regional dean for the Greenville campus of the South Carolina College of Pharmacy. In this role, Bender, who is director of pharmacy at Greenville Health System, will serve as the primary representative and administrator of the South Carolina College of Pharmacy at GHS.
APPOINTED
William R. “Will” Johnson Named president of the South Carolina Bar Young Lawyers Division (YLD) and chairman of the Leadership Columbia Alumni Association. Johnson, an attorney with Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, has served as secretary-treasurer and president-elect of the YLD and was named the state’s Young Lawyer of the Year in 2010.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT:
Commerce Club, a member of the ClubCorp family of clubs, recently announced that executive chef Chris Kirtner has been selected for ClubCorp’s Top Chefs of 20122013 and awarded with a weeklong trip to The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Napa Valley, Calif.
EDUCATION:
Lourdes Manyé, Furman University modern languages professor, was recently elected to a two-year term as president of the North American Catalan Society (NACS), a group committed to advancing the study of Catalan language and culture. Manyé has been serving as treasurer of the organization since 2007. She joined the Furman faculty in 1995. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Universidad
HIRED
Jeffrey M. Neuman Recently joined GMK Associates Inc. as director of marketing. Neuman comes to GMK, an architectural, engineering and consulting firm, from Genesis Consulting Group, where he was the director of marketing and member of the civil engineering and economic development firm’s startup team since 2006.
Autonoma de Barcelona and a master’s and doctorate from the University of South Carolina. The University of South Carolina Upstate recently appointed Faruk Tanyel as director of continuing education. Tanyel is a professor of marketing in the George Dean Johnson Jr. College of Business and Economics and has been on the faculty since 1981. He teaches marketing, economics and business strategy. USC Upstate also promoted Deryle Hope to director of the Center for International Studies. Hope came to USC Upstate in 2007 as associate director of international studies. In addition, he has assisted with numerous initiatives in support of graduate program development and student recruitment, continuing education and precollege academic programs.
22 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL August 2, 2013
HIRED
HONORED
Caroline Larocque Schoen Named general manager of High Cotton Greenville. Schoen graduated from St. Lawrence University with a degree in economics and French and then went on to receive her MBA from Northeastern University. She has worked for Club Med, the Miami Children’s Museum, and Nordstrom.
The Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics Foundation recently announced the following new board members for the 2013-2016 board of directors term: The Honorable Bruce W. Bannister Jr. of Bannister and Wyatt LLC; John Emerson of Michelin North America; and Sanders Lee of CH2M HILL. The GSSM Foundation supports GSSM by giving voice to its needs, providing supplemental funds to augment its programs and informing the public of its accomplishments and contributions to the quality of life and economic prosperity of South Carolina.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT:
The City of Simpsonville announced the addition of Andrew Guest, Christopher Brewer, Sandra Murphy and Adam Semanski as patrol officers for the Simpsonville Police Department; Faith Scruggs
Steven Epps Received the Charter Business Pulse Volunteer Award for July. Epps is a member of the PULSE Social and Connects Committees. He earned both a B.S. and MBA from Clemson University. He is currently the vice president of Triton Custom Woodworks, a Greer-based firm that manufactures cabinetry and furniture for commercial and high-end residential markets.
as a revenue clerk/team leader; and Til Shipman as a purchasing clerk.
MEDICAL:
Greenville Health System announced that the South Carolina Chapter of the American College of Surgeons recently presented Spence M. Taylor, a vascular surgeon, the chapter’s Most Honored Surgeon Award. The award was given during the 2013 South Carolina/North Carolina Chapters of the American College of Surgeons Annual Meeting. In addition, John Mateka, executive director of supply chain management at Greenville Health System, received the Al Cook Leadership Award from the South Carolina Society of Healthcare Materials Management. It is the highest honor bestowed by the association and is given in memory of Al Cook, an active member and leader of the state and national association.
APPOINTED Carol HasBrouck Browning Carol HasBrouck Browning is the new executive director of the Greenville Literacy Association. She replaces Jane Thomas, who retired after fifteen years of service to the organization. Browning most recently served as the executive director of BI-LO Charities Inc. In her prior position, she managed the BI-LO Charity Classic, the largest one-day charity golf tournament in the United States, with over 1,300 golfer participants and the direct distribution of charitable grants of over $3 million annually. A graduate of Boise State University, Browning has also completed additional executive studies at Cornell University. Her past community involvement included service on the board of directors for the Greenville Literacy Association, where she served as president in 2011, as well as holding director positions with Junior Achievement and Trout Unlimited. She is a 2010 graduate of Leadership Greenville and currently serves on the board advisory council of SC Telco Federal Credit Union.
Bon Secours St. Francis Health System recently welcomed physician Neerja Bhardwaj Arya to the Bon Secours Medical Group. Arya is board certified in geriatrics, internal medicine, and hospice and palliative medicine, and has a master’s in public health.
REAL ESTATE:
NAI Earle Furman recently welcomed Alex Campbell to its brokerage team. Campbell is joining the Greenville office of NAI Earle Furman and specializes in industrial and logistics real estate. He previously worked for Conway Southern Express, a regional LTL carrier, and served as vice president of business development at Rodgers Builders.
TECHNOLOGY:
Upstate Web design and development company Engenius recently
added Charlie Harrison as a junior account executive. Harrison joins Engenius from ScanSource and before that was an intern with the Upstate SC Alliance.
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
We’re not a BIG bank. We’re a better bank. Offering the capabilities of a “BIG” bank with the
local knowledge and personal service you deserve.
New hires, promotions and award winners can be featured in On the Move. Send information and a photo to onthemove@ upstatebusiness journal.com.
Greenville 864.233.6915 Powdersville 864.335.4804
www.PinnacleBankSC.com August 2, 2013 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 23
UBJ New to the Street 1. the Grounds Guys recently held their ribbon-cutting in Spartanburg. They offer commercial grounds care, residential yard care, landscape design, landscaping, fertilization and pesticides, irrigation, outdoor lighting, and snow and ice control. For more information, call 864431-9890 or visit spartanburg. groundguys.com.
2. JoAnn Fabric and Craft recently opened at 840 Woods Crossing Road, Greenville.
Photos provided
For more information, visit joann.com or call 864-987-9440.
24 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal August 2, 2013
UBJ PLANNER FRIDAY AUGUST 2 FIRST FRIDAY LUNCHEON Greer City Hall, 301 E. Poinsett St., Greer; 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Speaker: Anissa Starnes, Constant Contact Cost: $10 for Greer Chamber members, $15 for non-members Register at: greerchamber.com
MONDAY AUGUST 5 GCS ROUNDTABLE The Office Center at the Point, 33 Market Point Drive, Greenville; 8:30-9:30 a.m. Speaker: Myles Golden Topic: What’s Your Brand? Call Golden Career Strategies at 864-5270425 to request an invitation
TOASTMASTERS BILINGÜE University Center, Auditorium Room 204, 225 S. Pleasantburg Drive, Greenville; noon Contact: jeff@ alfonsointerpreting.com
TUESDAY AUGUST 6 SPARTANBURG HEALTHCARE NETWORK Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce, 105 North Pine St., Spartanburg; 10:30 a.m.-noon Speakers: Dr. Jon Snipes and Addison Choi Topic: Modern Day Electroshock Therapy There is no cost to attend, but please RSVP.
Contact: Meric Gambel at 594-5030 or mgambel@spartanburg chamber.com
NONPROFIT ALLIANCE Greenville Chamber, 24 Cleveland St., Greenville; noon-1:30 p.m. Cost: Free to Chamber members who are executive directors of area nonprofits or their designates; $20 for non-members. Lunch will be provided at no charge Call: 864-242-1050
INTRODUCTION TO PULSE Greenville Chamber, 24 Cleveland St., Greenville; 5:30-7 p.m. Open to anyone wanting to learn about PULSE. Light refreshments will be served. Contact: 864-239-3743
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 7 FEMCITY GREENVILLE CONNECTION LUNCHEON The Westin Poinsett, The Card Room, 120 S. Main St., Greenville; 11:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m. Speaker: Janet Christy, business counselor Topic: Four of the key entrepreneur characteristics that can enhance your whole life Cost: $30 for members, $45 for non-members. Includes a tasting from Palmetto Olive Oil. Register at: bit.ly/femcity
MANUFACTURERS ROUNDTABLE Bosch Rexroth Corp., 8 Southchase Court,
Fountain Inn; 12:30-1:30 p.m.
THURSDAY AUGUST 8
Open only to Greenville Chamber of Commerce members who are part of the Manufacturers Roundtable. Includes tour of facility. Only 25 spaces available. Contact: 864-239-3714
WOMEN IN BUSINESS CONFERENCE
BREWMASTERS
Speakers: Gloria Shealy, first female president of the National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC); Linda O’Bryon, president and CEO of South Carolina ETV; Monique Honaman, Atlanta-based author; Mary Helen Dunn Wade, managing director, Russell Reynolds Associates; Betsy Fleming, president, Converse College; and Erin Ford, Upstate SC Alliance, business recruitment officer.
Commerce Club of Greenville; 55 Beattie Place, Suite 1700, Greenville; 6:30 p.m. Featured Beers: Golden Fleece Belgian Pale Ale, Ellida IPA, Smoking Mirror Porter, and Kaldi Coffee Stout Cost: $20 per person for Commerce Club members, $24 per person for nonmembers. Please bring exact change or plan to use a credit card. Dress Code: Business casual. Jeans are OK, but please no shorts, gym wear, sweats, tennis shoes, tank tops or caps. Commerce Club members and nonmember guests are welcome. RSVP with your name and how many attending at 864-232-5600 or commerce-club.com
FURMAN LIFE LONG LEARNING INSTITUTE Furman University, Younts Center, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Topic: Straight Talk: Healthcare Reform in S.C., Obamacare in S.C., Beyond Debate to Implementation Cost: $35 for the series for OLLI members or $15 a session, For information: 864-294-2998 or furman.edu/olli
Converse College, 580 E. Main St., Spartanburg; 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Panelists: Hope Blackley, Katherine Hubbard, Elaine Harris, and Jan Scalisi, and Michael Fluegge, The Joint Place; and Leah Kent, Massage Envy. Cost: $50 per person Contact: Rochelle Williams at 864-5945032 or rwilliams@ spartanburgchamber.com
BOOKS & BUSINESS CARDS
SMALL BUSINESS MATTERS
SOCIAL SECURITY AND RETIREMENT READINESS SEMINAR
Greenville Chamber, 24 Cleveland St., Greenville; 8-9:30 a.m. This event is open to those with an interest in small business, largely dedicated to the overall health of small business in our economy. Cost: Free to attend. Light breakfast will be provided. Contact: 864-242-1050
Appalachian Development Corporation, 3531 Pelham Rd., Ste. 100, Greenville; 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Cost: $10 with dessert For more information: scwbc.net/events/upstate
Stax Grill, 850 Woods Crossing Road, Greenville Speaker: Evelyn Butler, Allstate Personal Financial Rep Cost: Free, but must have ticket to attend Contact: Evelyn at 864-292-6825
UBJ SnapShot A Peek at GSP Renovations last week gsp airport allowed a sneak peek behind the walls where renovations are ongoing. The $115 million project is expected to be completed in 2016. Improvements include the addition of a baggage carousel for a total of three ready in early 2014. Glass facades in the lobby will make better use of natural light, and the security area will be centralized to just one checkpoint instead of two. Retail and food offerings will be expanded. These and other changes are expected to more than double the airport’s capacity from the current 900,000 annual enplanements (passengers boarding) to 2 million. clockwISE fRoM top lEft: workers are building a protective wall around a freshly installed baggage carousel at the GSp baggage claim area to protect it while other work is finished in the area; work continues on the terminal at GSp; part of the construction going on at the GSp terminal; kenneth wilkerson with piedmont Mechanical uses a torch to heat insulation so the insulation will contract around a pipe, part of the work going on at the Greenville Spartanburg airport’s terminal.
SEnIoR buSInESS wRItER Jennifer Oladipo pRESIDEnt/publIShER Mark B. Johnston mjohnston@communityjournals.com ubJ aSSocIatE publIShER Ryan L. Johnston rjohnston@communityjournals.com EXEcutIVE EDItoR Susan Clary Simmons ssimmons@communityjournals.com ManaGInG EDItoR Jerry Salley jsalley@communityjournals.com
contRIbutInG wRItERS Dick Hughes, Jenny Munro, Jeanne Putnam, Leigh Savage EDItoRIal IntERnS Cynthia Partridge, Keith Sechrist aRt & pRoDuctIon aRt DIREctoR Richie Swann photoGRaphER Greg Beckner pRoDuctIon Holly Hardin
26 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal August 2, 2013
MaRkEtInG & aDVERtISInG MaRkEtInG REpRESEntatIVES Lori Burney, Mary Beth Culbertson, Kristi Jennings, Donna Johnston, Pam Putman MaRkEtInG & EVEntS Kate Banner DIGItal StRatEGISt Emily Price
how to contact uS StoRy IDEaS: ideas@ upstatebusinessjournal.com
bRanD StRatEGISt Austin Hafer Copyright @2013 BY COMMUNITY JOURNALS LLC. All rights reserved. Upstate Business Journal is published weekly by Community Journals LLC. 148 River Street, Suite 120, Greenville, South Carolina, 29601. Upstate Business Journal is a free publication. Annual subscriptions (52 issues) can be purchased for $65. Postmaster: Send address changes to Upstate Business, 148 River St., Ste 120, Greenville, SC 29601. Printed in the USA.
EVEntS: events@ upstatebusinessjournal.com
nEw hIRES, pRoMotIonS, awaRDS: onthemove@ upstatebusinessjournal.com
Photos by Greg Beckner
Staff wRItERS Sherry Jackson, Cindy Landrum, April A. Morris
Groundbreaking at Sirrine Stadium. The construction of Sirrine Stadium, which began in 1935, was a cooperative effort on the part of the city of Greenville and Furman University. A large sum was contributed by Furman University alumni through the efforts of alumnus J.W. Sirrine. A large federal grant was also made through a Works Progress Administration program. At first designated as a municipal stadium, the playing field and stands were on Furman University land. After all the construction bonds were retired in 1946, the stadium came into full possession of the university. After struggling with an underground stream and flooding, Morris-McKoy Building Company completed construction of the stadium in the fall of 1936. The first game played on the new field on Oct. 31, 1936, saw Furman defeat Davidson College. Following the official dedication on Nov. 14, 1936, Furman went on to beat the University of South Carolina. Bob (Robert B.) King captained the Furman team in 1936. In this photo from the groundbreaking, Cleveland Street can be seen in the background. After Furman moved to its new campus in 1958, Sirrine Stadium gradually declined into disrepair. In 1981 Sam Francis spearheaded a campaign to raise $650,000 to buy the property from Furman and transfer ownership to the Greenville County School District. Almost 20 years later, a group calling itself Sirrine 2000 coordinated the raising of funds to completely renovate the historic sports facility. Historic photograph available from the Greenville Historical Society From “Remembering Greenville: Photographs from the Coxe Collection,� by Jeffrey R. Willis Photo Provided
Today, work is being done to get ready for the upcoming football season. Photo by Greg Beckner
August 2, 2013 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 27
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