INSIDE // REMEMBERING CAROLINE REUTTER • BRAINS ON FIRE PLOTS A MOVE • BIG INDUSTRIAL NEWS FOR SPARTANBURG
AUGUST 4, 2017 | VOL. 6 ISSUE 31
CLEAN SLATE Former felon Jerry Blassingame and the Greenville Chamber make a pro-business case for getting ex-cons back into the workforce
THE RUNDOWN |
TOP-OF-MIND AND IN THE MIX THIS WEEK
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 31 Featured this issue: First Look: Growler Haus opens in the Village.......................................................6 Greenlink wants six Proterra buses............................................................................9 Multiuse project planned for Spartanburg’s eastern gateway.........................12
With the City of Greenville set to purchase the 55 Camperdown site and the developers behind the Grand Bohemian hotel planning to help create a new gateway to Falls Park — both located on the eastern side of the Reedy River — the area could experience a transformation every bit as stunning as the Riverwalk side of the Reedy. Photo by Will Crooks
WORTH REPEATING “Pretty soon we didn’t have any room in the car for kids because it was full of cakes. Caroline decided that she was going to make them herself.” Page 6
“You’ll feel like you’re on vacation — even if it is just for an hour.”
VERBATIM
On second chances “Criminal justice shouldn’t end at incarceration. It should end at restoration.”
Page 8
“I know many, many business people who hire folks who have records, but they hire them fully knowing what their record is.” Page 14
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Gov. Roy Cooper, D-N.C., quoted in the News & Observer, regarding a new North Carolina law that standardizes expunging the records of certain nonviolent offenders.
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Automotive sector news: Rudolph Logistics Group to open first US warehouse in Spartanburg The company said the new building is LEED certified and is “the first in the market to offer 36-foot clear heights and 54-by-50-foot column Spartanburg County’s automotive spacing, providing a tremendous adsector has attracted another internavantage to tenants.” tional logistics provider. “A higher roofline and wider aisles Germany-based Rudolph Logistics gives tenants more flexibility by inGroup announced last week it plans creasing cubic volume and racking to invest $18 million to establish its efficiency,” said Massie Flippin, vice first U.S. warehousing operation in a president and market officer for 171,600-square-foot speculative, or Liberty in the Mid-Atlantic, in a “spec,” building at Caliber North statement. “For comparison, in a Business Park near Greer. similar size warehouse with 32-foot The company said it anticipates 150 clear heights and 50-by-50-foot jobs will be created as a result of its column spacing, you can store about move into the facility at 2988 Green 6,200 pallets of product. At Caliber Road less than 1 mile from BMW North, you could store more than Manufacturing Co. 8,000 pallets. It is tremendously “Spartanburg County is one of the cost-efficient for our customers.” most dynamic business locations in The company said its development the U.S.,” said Torsten Rudolph, team included MCA Architecture, managing partner of Rudolph LogisblueWater Design, and Harper Contics Group, in a statement. “Starting struction. It said it plans to develop a here offers great opportunities for us second, 94,500-square-foot building and the customers we serve. They can to complete the park. now benefit from our long-term expeLiberty Property Trust said in May rience as a specialist in all logistical it plans to develop a second tasks related to the automotive sector 94,500-square-foot building beside with this new location in a key manRudolph Logistic’s Group’s facility. ufacturing region.” “We are very pleased to welcome Founded in 1946, Rudolph Logistics Rudolph Logistics Group to SpartanGroup has 4,500 employees at 40 burg County,” said Carter Smith, exlocations worldwide, according to the ecutive vice president of the Spartancompany’s website. burg Area Chamber of Commerce’s The Upstate Business Journal anEconomic Futures Group. “That area nounced in June the company had offers proximity to I-85, the inland leased the building owned by Liberty port, and the airport. We think they Property Trust, adjacent to Liberty’s will have tremendous success.” Caliber Ridge Business Park. Rudolph Logistics Group said Future Rudolph it “develops and provides comLogistics vprehensive solutions for a wide Hig hwa range of industries,” with an y 10 1 “emphasis on the automotive and J Verne Smith Parkway transportation sectors.” BMW The company said it would GSP begin hiring for new positions in October. “We are ecstatic to have them Caliber North Business Park here,” said Spartanburg County I-85 Councilman David Britt. “It’s another statement to the world TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF
tanderson@communityjournals.com
RUDOLPH LOGISTICS GROUP’S ANNOUNCEMENT FACTS: • Germany-based Rudolph Logistics Group’s first U.S. facility.
• Rudolph Logistics Group said it will begin hiring in October. • Spartanburg County Council approved first reading of incentives on July 17 under deal codenamed “Project Pollux.”
• Located in Liberty Property Trust’s 171,600-square-foot building at 2988 Green Road in the Caliber North Business Park in Spartanburg County.
• Liberty said it plans to build a 94,500-square-foot facility next to Rudolph Logistic Group’s building at Caliber North.
• Company expects to create 150 jobs.
that [Spartanburg] county is the best place to live, work, and play. We have the best transportation system in the
country. The inland port is the cherry on top. If you’re looking to do logistics, then Spartanburg is the place for you.”
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NEWS |
INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
LEGACY
The Pursuit of Perfection Spartanburg entrepreneur whose signature cake was featured in ‘The Help’ passes after battle with cancer TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF
tanderson@communityjournals.com
Caroline Ragsdale Reutter possessed the skills of a great baker. But her kindness, warmth, energy, and determination were ingredients the late entrepreneur used to grow her Spartanburg-based venture Caroline’s Cakes and leave a lasting impression on the community she loved. Reutter lost her battle with ovarian cancer on July 15, in Houston, Texas. She was 66. She is survived by her husband, Charles Ernest “Chick” Reutter III, and her two sons, Charles Ernest Reutter IV and Richard Ragsdale Reutter, and his wife, Eleanor Cole Boyle, all of Spartanburg; and two brothers, Thomas Smith Ragsdale III and his wife, Suzy, and Charles Schall Ragsdale and his wife, Emily, both of Georgetown, Washington, D.C. “She lit up a lot of lives,” Chick said. “We would often discuss one of the businesses she loved — Starbucks. She regarded Howard Schultz as a near deity,” he adds. “He used to say that Starbucks’ business was not in coffee, but in bringing people together. And that’s the way she felt about her business.” Caroline Reutter was born March 13, 1951, in Charleston, S.C., to Carol Schall Ragsdale and the late Thomas Smith Ragsdale Jr. She grew up in Lake City, S.C., and was educated at Ashley Hall in 4
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Charleston and Mt. Vernon College in Mt. Vernon, Mo. In 1972, Caroline was living near Washington, D.C., and serving on then-President Richard Nixon’s Pay Board, when she met Chick in Georgetown. The couple married May 4, 1974, in Lake City.
The first cake Caroline’s passion for baking was passed down by her mother and grandmother, her husband said. However, it was a lady in her hometown that provided her with the curiosity to pursue the caramel cake recipe that propelled Caroline’s baking career. “When Richard was born, her mother brought us a caramel cake made by an old lady from Lake City,” Chick said. “Every time we went to Lake City, our friends would ask us to bring them back a cake. Pretty soon we didn’t have any room in the car for
kids because it was full of cakes. Caroline decided that she was going to make them herself.” Caroline began making cakes in the kitchen of the couple’s home in Annapolis, Md. Chick said she could make eight cakes per day. She would leave the cakes on a joggling board and wicker sofa on the front porch of their home, and later a freezer in the garage, for customers to pick up. She trusted her customers to leave their money in a red tin. “In 18 years, not once did anyone stiff her on a cake,” Chick said. “That’s the kind of respect people had for her passion.” He remembered the first big order his wife received. “The phone rang and it was the U.S. Trust Co., which was a part of Charles Schwab, now Bank of America,” Chick said. “They wanted to give out cakes as a corporate Christmas gift. She asked them how many and they said 2,000. She said, ‘Sure!’ And then we went off and figured out how to do it. It showed me that there was extreme interest in this cake.” The couple used the momentum from that sale to build out a commercial kitchen in their basement. They later leased a space, but Chick knew they would have to look for something bigger. “She outgrew that space the day she moved in,” he said. And then came Hollywood.
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In 2015, the company was named the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce’s James B. Thompson Small Business of the Year. “When we notified Caroline of her recognition, her immediate reaction was to provide cake, at no charge, for the 600 guests.”
Reutter’s signature caramel cake
A chance encounter Chick said his wife had read Kathryn Stockett’s 2009 novel “The Help.” As the novel was being adapted into a screenplay for the 2011 film that was an Oscar nominee for Best Picture in 2012, Caroline was discussing the movie with fans online. She began conversing with a woman who turned out to be actress Octavia Spencer. Spencer was set to play the part of Minny Jackson in the film. In the novel, Stockett referenced a caramel cake that the Minny character made. Spencer called Caroline, and the two women quickly became friends. “She started pumping out cakes, sending them to Steven Spielberg, Octavia Spencer, Chris Columbus, and everyone else involved in the film,” Chick said. Caroline won the film’s leadership over. Her signature seven-layer caramel cake, comprised of moist yellow cake layers and caramel icing, was featured in the film. “One never knows what impact something like this might have, but for us, it is fun,” Caroline said in a statement just a few days before the 84th Academy Awards in February 2012. “We are just having a great time playing with this little company, coming up with new and sometimes crazy ideas,
and getting to know more great people across this great country. So I hope you are all enjoying this ride with us.”
The return home It was also in early 2012 that the Reutters relocated their business to Spartanburg. Chick said the decision was made in 2011 after a close friend of the family introduced them to his cousin, Spartanburg businessman George Dean Johnson Jr. “We went off on a trip with George and Susu. When we came back, George called up Caroline and asked her, ‘Why don’t you come down to Spartanburg?’” Chick said. “That snowballed into us coming down here.” The couple then received a call from former Gov. Mark Sanford, who also asked them to make the move to South Carolina. They even received incentives under the economic development project codenamed “Project Sugar,” which was led by Spartanburg businesswoman Martha Albergotti, Chick said. “South Carolina really rolled out the red carpet for us,” he said. Caroline’s Cakes moved into a 25,000-square-foot facility at 925 Beaumont Ave. behind the Pinewood Shopping Center. In 2015, the company was named
the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce’s James B. Thompson Small Business of the Year. “When we notified Caroline of her recognition, her immediate reaction was to provide cake, at no charge, for the 600 guests,” said Allen Smith, president and CEO of the Spartanburg Chamber. “That was Caroline.” Other local business leaders also spoke highly of the impression Caroline made on the community. “Caroline was a devoted mother who built a national brand,” said Geordy Johnson, CEO of Spartanburg-based Johnson Development Associates and son of George Dean Johnson Jr. “She showed her customers comfort, warmth, and hospitality. She was an entrepreneurial role model.”
Caroline’s legacy The Reutters’ youngest son, Richard, joined the company 13 years ago. Their eldest, Charles, came on board a few years ago. “People knew almost everything about my mom,” Richard said. “The way she carried herself and lived was outward.” Both men said they were grateful for the time they were able to spend with their mother and plan to continue operating the company. “It’s what she would have done,”
Charles said. “There are some nerves at play, but we’re already into the brainstorming phase and getting ready for the holiday season.” Charles said the 2016 holiday season was the first time his mother was not present, as she had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and was receiving treatment. “She will always be with me,” Richard said. “I’m looking forward to getting back to baking cakes and doing what she would have wanted us to do.” Chick remembered that one of the things his wife enjoyed most was baking cakes for charities across the country to sell. “Caroline was so proud of how much she was able to give back,” he said. Charles said the company has about 15 employees. That number doubles during the holiday season. The company’s menu has grown from its original seven-layer caramel cake to include a wide variety of cakes, entrees, and gift items. Chick said there is room for growth at the Spartanburg facility, and the family has no plans to leave anytime soon. “The definition of support is here in Spartanburg,” Richard said.
8.4.2017 | upstatebusinessjournal.com
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FIRST LOOK |
A SNEAK PEEK AT NEW LOCATIONS IN THE UPSTATE
Growler Haus features a 2,400-square-foot interior space and 800-square-foot partially covered patio. Photo by Will Crooks
Open Haus First Look: Growler Haus opens in the Village of West Greenville ARIEL TURNER | STAFF
aturner@communityjournals.com The newest addition to the growing Village of West Greenville restaurant scene opened July 28. Growler Haus Village, located at 12 Lois Ave., across from Shindig Furnishings and next to the Village Wrench bike shop, joins restaurants the Village Grind, Golden Brown & Delicious, and the Anchorage, with Kuka Juice and Neo Burrito planned to open later this summer. Construction and permitting delays typical in a growing market pushed Growler Haus Village’s proposed opening back from the first quarter of 2017 until now. Founder Craig Kinley owns locations in Anderson, Fountain Inn, and downtown Spartanburg. The 2,400-square-foot completely renovated indoor space and an 800-square-foot partially 6
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covered patio are decorated with remnants of projects in the Village and reclaimed materials from around the Upstate. Thrifted sofas and armchairs provide soft seating throughout; reclaimed church pews act as banquette seating for custom tables along the center wall; and the bar seats 12 in front of a half-length glass garage door. Total, there’s seating for about 90 inside. A full-length roll-up door opens onto the patio, which will eventually seat upwards of 40 people when the custom tables are completed. A chalk wall colorfully decorated by Grey Thompson depicts key Village features – the water tower at Brandon Mill, the mill itself, and a brief history of the area. The chalk art also contains hidden “GH” pairings. Guests who photograph them and tag Growler Haus Village on social media will be entered for a $25 gift card. The main feature – the 32 taps – line the back left
wall. A second and smaller set of taps is located in the right side of the space near the kitchen. That space will be used for private parties or to accommodate heavier weekend crowds. Most of the beer will be local or regional, Kinley says. A small-plate menu made for snacking while relaxing with a cold one will change seasonally.
Growler Haus Village 12 Lois Ave. Monday–Thursday, 3–11 p.m.; Friday–Saturday, 11:30 a.m.–midnight; closed Sunday growlerhaus.com
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With seating for 90 inside, the Growler Haus features a chalk wall colorfully decorated by Grey Thompson, 32 taps in the main bar, and a second and smaller bar near the kitchen. Photos by Will Crooks.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Industrial park planned near GSP, BMW RUDOLPH BELL | STAFF
rbell@communityjournals.com
Greenville developer Mark Cothran gambled on the Upstate’s industrial property market over the past two years and won the bet. Now he’s rolling the dice again. Cothran built two industrial buildings off of Pelham Road — a total of 200,000 square feet of space — without first having signed leases in hand. Those buildings promptly filled up with tenants at the corner of Pelham and Logue Court near ScanSource Inc. Now Cothran plans more speculative development two intersections away along Interstate 85. He said he plans to build a 163,000-squarefoot industrial building along I-85 near the intersection of Brockman McClimon Road and complete it by next summer. It’s the first of several multi-tenant industrial buildings he plans on about 65 acres along I-85 for a total of 600,000 to 800,000 square feet of space. What he’s calling the Global Commerce Park would rise along Clear Springs Court between
High
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J Verne Smith Parkway
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I-85 Brockman McClimon Road
NEW DEVELOPMENT
Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport and BMW Manufacturing Co., but on the other side of the interstate. The South Carolina Inland Port, a freight-handling facility operated by the South Carolina State Ports Authority, is 7 miles away. Cothran says he’s still “massaging” plans for the development. “I have a good idea of what I want to do, but nothing’s settled one way or the other,” he said. The Greer Commission of Public Works said it plans to provide sewer service to the property with the help of a $500,000 grant from the
S.C. Department of Commerce and the Appalachian Regional Commission. The Greer utility also said the new service would benefit 1,200 acres that GSP owns and intends to develop. Dave Edwards, GSP president, said the sewer service could be helpful in the future, but right now there’s no airport project that it would affect. Randall Bentley, a principal in the Greenville office of Lee & Associates, a commercial real estate brokerage, is handling leasing at the planned industrial park. Bentley said he’s received calls in just the past two weeks from three out-of-state brokers looking for available industrial properties ranging in size from 150,000 square feet to 300,000 square feet. “The demand is extremely good, and supply is limited,” said Bentley, who’s been a commercial real estate broker in the Greenville area for more than three decades. Companies that leased space in Cothran’s buildings off of Pelham Road include Silvercote, a provider of building insulation, and Henry Schein, a distributor of supplies for dentists, doctors, and veterinarians. 8.4.2017 | upstatebusinessjournal.com
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NEWS IN BRIEF |
INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
The new Travelers Rest cocktail bar Rocket Surgery was originally going to be a barbecue restaurant; that restaurant will now be down the street. Photo provided by Sidewall Pizza.
RESTAURANTS
Sidewall Pizza owners to open Rocket Surgery cocktail bar in TR On Monday, the owners of Sidewall Pizza announced the identity of their mystery project next to the Tasting Room and Farmhouse Tacos in Travelers
www.CarltonMB.com (864) 213-8000
Rest, a new cocktail bar called Rocket Surgery. Located at 164D S. Main St., the new spot will also offer snacks, full meals, and brunch — and the best part is, it will open in two to three weeks, says coowner Andy O’Mara. “We’re not long-time chefs,” says O’Mara, who lives within walking distance of downtown TR. “We just
want to create a great place for people to hang out.” The Rocket Surgery space was initially supposed to house a barbecue joint the Sidewall owners had previously announced. But after going through all of the permitting and planning for the 146 S. Main St. location, O’Mara says the Martha’s Hardware property at 21 S. Main St. became available. Shortly after, the owners decided Martha’s was a better fit for the barbecue concept, which should open later this year. O’Mara says he and his partner, Loren Frant, are fans of craft cocktails, but they haven’t yet had a chance to enter that world because Sidewall Pizza sells wine and beer only. In addition to spirits, Rocket Surgery will have fewer than eight beer options – all bottled or canned – and a limited number of wines. The name Rocket Surgery is a combo of the common phrases “rocket science” and “brain surgery.” “It’s something silly I would say,” O’Mara says. O’Mara’s cousin, Casey O’Mara, who moved from New York to TR, will head the cocktail program. The restaurant is actively hiring, Andy O’Mara says. They will be using Sidewall staff to fill in any holes. Rocket Surgery will seat 55 indoors
and is designed to have more of an adult feel than the family-friendly Sidewall, but the cocktail bar will not be a white tablecloth kind of place. O’Mara also plans to have outdoor patio seating at some point, but not until they’re ready for it. Initially, Rocket Science will be open Thursday through Monday at 5 p.m. for dinner, with brunch offered on Saturday and Sunday. The original Sidewall Pizza is located at 35 S. Main St., Travelers Rest. Other locations are in Greenville at 99 Cleveland St. and 3598 Pelham Road, which opened earlier this spring and is still operating on temporary hours. — Ariel Turner
Larkin’s Restaurants announces new Italian restaurant in former Playwright location Larkin’s Restaurants has announced a new restaurant concept this fall in the former Playwright space at RiversEDGE, 401 River St., in downtown Greenville. The new concept, Limoncello, will bring an Italian dining experience based on owner Larkin Hammond’s Italian roots.
2446 Laurens Road Greenville, SC 29607
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“I love Italian food. I grew up on it,” says Hammond, who also owns Larkin’s on the River, Larkin’s Catering & Events, and Grill Marks in Greenville. “When I was young, my Italian family would sit around the dinner table for hours. No one spoke English, of course.” Limoncello will serve authentic Italian food from the region of Italy where Hammond’s grandparents and mother grew up, she says. The menu will be developed by Larkin’s executive chef Alex Castro and Larkin’s COO Bob Munnich, whose background is also Italian, from hundreds of Hammond’s grandmother’s recipes. Hammond says they will be looking for a chef to take over once the menu is developed. “We are creating a real Italian experience complete with an outdoor piazza,” Hammond says. “Our guests can step away from the streets of Greenville for a moment and enjoy lunch or dinner in a park-like setting. You’ll feel like you’re on vacation — even if it is just for an hour.” Renovation plans for the 6,000-square-foot space call for getting rid of the former Irish pub concept and constructing the piazza outside on the current patio. Ownership is currently
working on the piazza design. “It will take some time and we will not open until the food and atmosphere are perfect,” Hammond says. The former Playwright Pub, owned by Jason Fletcher’s High Street Hospitality Group, was rebranded Broad and River Pub in January but closed permanently in March. Phil Hughes of Hughes Investments Inc., the development’s owner, says once vacated, the space received a lot of interest from numerous parties. “It’s a great reflection of the magnetism of downtown Greenville,” he says. After running the numbers, the Larkin’s concept seemed the best business decision. “They know how to operate a good restaurant,” Hughes says. Hughes, who also spent an extended time in Italy, says he’s especially excited for this concept. This will be the second Italian restaurant concept owned by a Greenville restaurant group to open this year in a Hughes Investments development. Jianna, a 5,800-square-foot modern Italian restaurant owned by Table 301 Restaurant Group, opened in Falls Park Place March 7. —Ariel Turner
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Ritrama announces additional $15M investment Italian adhesives manufacturer Ritrama announced last Thursday it will sweeten its investment in Spartanburg County. The company said it will add $15 million to its previously announced $85 million investment in its North American headquarters. The facility is currently under construction off Highway 290 in Greenville-based Pacolet Milliken Enterprises’ Tyger River Industrial Park South. In January, Ritrama confirmed the facility will create 150 jobs. The company did not say last week whether it planned to increase that number with the additional investment. The company said the facility is designed to be Ritrama’s most modern and productive plant worldwide. It will utilize the latest coating technologies and advanced robotics for internal logistics and packaging. The company originally said the facility will be 350,000 square feet, but it was not made clear last week if Ritrama plans to add more space with the increase in its investment in the more than 37-acre site. At its monthly meeting on July 17, Spartanburg County Council approved an amendment to the company’s incentives package. The deal included special source revenue credits up to $1.5 million for at least 5 years, with yearly increments of up to 30 percent. “We are extremely pleased that Ritrama is already looking to grow and has chosen Spartanburg County as the location for its North American headquarters,” said Spartanburg County Councilman David Britt in a statement. “Our community, region, and state are dedicated to providing the support to help them continue on a path of success.” Founded in 1962 in Italy, Ritrama is a privately owned manufacturer, seller, and distributor of commodity and specialty self-adhesive materials. The company serves more than 50 countries and operates facilities in Europe, North America, Latin America, and Asia. In October, Ritrama said in a statement it planned to open the facility during the fourth quarter of 2017. The opening date of the facility has not been disclosed. “We at Ritrama are excited about expanding our North American manufacturing footprint in Moore, S.C.,” said Ricardo Rink, CEO of Ritrama, in the October statement. “Both Spartanburg
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County and the state of South Carolina have been very supportive to work with during this process, and we are looking forward to being part of the community and bringing new jobs to our highly automated, state-of-the-art factory.” — Trevor Anderson
TRANSPORTATION
Greenlink aims to deploy six Proterra buses Greenlink, Greenville’s bus service, hopes to start using battery-powered buses made in Greenville by Proterra in about two years. It all depends, however, on whether it can secure about $5.6 million from the Federal Transit Administration. Greenlink has sought federal funding to buy battery-powered buses many times before without success. Its latest application for federal funds, however, differs from previous ones. The application that Greenlink filed last month marks the first time it has tried to tap an FTA program called Low-No that’s designed to promote low-emission or no-emission vehicles such as the buses Proterra makes at its local factory. Clemson’s bus service, Clemson Area Transit, or CATbus, was awarded nearly $4 million through the program last year and is using the money to buy 10 battery-powered buses on top of the six it already operates. Greenlink hopes to procure six Proterra buses. September 2019 is the earliest they could be deployed under Proterra’s manufacturing schedule, according to Gary Shepard, who runs Greenlink as public transportation director for the City of Greenville. He said Greenlink is allowed to specify a particular bus manufacturer when applying for funds under the Low-No program. Buying Proterra buses is a “winwin-win,” Shepard said. Greenlink gets the replacement buses it needs, he said, and a local manufacturer lands new business at the same time. In addition, he said, Greenlink will pollute less with Proterra buses because they don’t have emissions and save energy costs because Proterra buses are more energy-efficient than diesel-powered buses. Greenlink is promising a “local match” valued at nearly $1.4 million as part of its application for the federal funds. NEWS continued on PAGE 10 8.4.2017 | upstatebusinessjournal.com
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NEWS IN BRIEF |
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MANAGEMENT
NEWS continued from PAGE 9
More than $500,000 of the match is cash from the state government, a private foundation called Hollingsworth Funds, and other private sources, Shepard said. He said the balance of the match would be in-kind contributions from Proterra — bus chargers and possibly a bus — depending on how much federal funding is approved. A spokesman for the FTA said the agency is expected to award more than $55 million in Low-No funds later this summer. Proterra is based in Burlingame, Calif., but Greenville is home to the biggest of its two factories as well as its vehicle engineering. The company, which moved to Greenville as a startup in 2010, has sold more than 400 buses to 38 different transit agencies in 20 states, according to Greenlink’s application to the FTA. In Clemson, CATbus has taken bids from three electric bus makers — Proterra, New Flyer, and BYD — said Keith Moody, the bus service’s interim general manager. “We have a couple more meetings scheduled” before a decision is made about which bus brand to buy, he said. He said the 10 new electric buses will be deployed on routes serving Clemson University. CATbus already operates six Proterra buses on Seneca routes. —Rudolph Bell
J M Smith Corp. announces two executive appointments Spartanburg-based J M Smith Corp. last week announced its board confirmed Philip J. Ryan III as chief financial officer and treasurer. Ryan will succeed James “Jimmy” C. Wilson Jr., who will retire Oct. 1 after 30 years with the company. Kevin Welch, president of J M Smith Corp.’s Integra LTC Solutions division, will maintain his existing role and assume the new role as J M Smith’s chief technology officer. “These appointments are significant steps on the path towards leadership excellence and operational excellence,” said Alan Turfe, chairman and CEO of J M Smith Corp., in a statement. “Both Phil and Kevin are highly respected experts in their fields. Their passion for our organization and their vision for moving it forward are impressive. I am looking forward to working with them in their expanded roles.” According to Grant Thornton’s South Carolina 100 list, J M Smith Corp. is the third-largest privately held company in South Carolina behind No. 1 ranked Spartanburg-based Milliken & Co. and Intertech Group Inc. and Affiliates. J M Smith provides supply services and technology to pharmacies, institutions, local government agencies, and businesses across the U.S. through its affiliates, Smith Drug Co., Integral Solutions Group, RxMedic Systems, QS/1, Integra LTC Solutions, and Burlington Drug Co.
Ryan will be responsible for the finances of each of the company’s affiliates and corporation as a whole. Vice presidents of finance for each of J M Smith Corp.’s companies will report to him. The company said Ryan joined J M Smith Corp. in 2011 after a successful career with Sealed Air Corp. During his tenure at J M Smith, Ryan was a key member of a team that handled the acquisitions of Radiate in Charleston, Integra, and Burlington Drug Co. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Lehigh University and an MBA from New York University. Ryan is also a certified public accountant. Welch will oversee the development of new technology within J M Smith Corp. and be responsible for streamlining the process of bringing technology to market. He became part of J M Smith when the company acquired Integra in 2015. Welch has earned degrees in mathematics, computer science, operations research, and engineering management from Stanford University. He has held senior management positions at Genentech, Symantec, and Microsoft. J M Smith Corp. said Welch has designed and developed many industry-leading software applications and systems. “J M Smith provides innovative technology to the market,” Welch said in a statement. “The role of a CTO is to ensure that we are positioned to continue to have a technological edge. I am looking forward to this new challenge.” —Trevor Anderson
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Brains on Fire moves to the Village of West Greenville The marketing and creative agency Brains on Fire announced July 25 that it has closed on two adjoining properties at 1249 and 1257 Pendleton St. in the Village of West Greenville. Following extensive renovations, the company plans to move in at the beginning of 2018. The properties sit between the Village Grind on the western side and Sixpence Salon and Spa to the east. Together, they total 5,333 square feet. Brains on Fire is working with McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture on the design of the new space. Brandy Amidon, Brains on Fire CFO for 12 years, says the interior design is about 50 percent complete, and they have not yet reached a consensus on making the two storefronts one in appearance or not. The interior will remain one singular space regardless. The 25-plus creatives will be leaving their current home, the Innovate building at 148 River St., and work out of the Village of West Greenville’s Atlas Local co-working space from August to December. “We were in the Innovate building for 16 years, and at the beginning it was still a part of downtown that was rough,” Amidon says. “We were able
McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture is designing Brains on Fire’s new 5,333-square-foot space in the Village of West Greenville. Photo by Will Crooks
to be a part of that story. We contributed a lot to the growth of the area.” Amidon says after leasing their current location for many years, owning a space had become a priority for the whole team.
While the interior will be one singular space, the outside may remain two storefronts.
“We didn’t want it to be generic,” she says. “We wanted it to have purpose and to be a part of the community as it grows.” The Village of West Greenville is currently being redeveloped, adding new restaurants like GB&D, the Anchorage, and Growler Haus; revitalizing the Brandon Mill property; and fostering a growing arts community. The neighborhood is also home to Community Journals, the parent company of Upstate Business Journal and the Greenville Journal. Unlike Brains on Fire’s completely open workspace, the new location will have distinct work areas and a variety of workspaces, all circling around a central multiuse creative space, which is something Amidon says they were looking for. “You’re in front of everybody all day long, and sometimes you don’t want to be,” she says of the current space. McMillan Pazdan Smith is using the building’s unusual interior layout as inspiration for the final design.
“The existing building is made up of several sections that were constructed at different times, all with their own floor levels and quirkiness,” says Cary Perkins, architect and associate of McMillan Pazdan Smith. “We’ve used this to set up some order to the space. The plan lays out loose zones of different space types — cozy, open, noisy, quiet — for various types of work. These are arranged around the Creative Lab and gathering space at the heart of the office. Collaboration and individual work can happen anywhere, but most importantly, there are options and flexibility.” The center creative space may be open to the public as Brains on Fire seeks to work with the community. “We don’t want to cut ourselves off from the community,” Amidon says. She says the team, many of which work remotely on certain days of the week, will use the next five months working from Atlas Local to acquaint themselves with their new neighbors.
8.4.2017 | upstatebusinessjournal.com
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SQUARE FEET |
REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION
Multiuse project headed for downtown Spartanburg TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF
tanderson@communityjournals.com The eastern gateway to downtown Spartanburg’s central business district could soon be transformed. Greenville-based developer Centennial American Properties plans to construct a two-story, more than 19,000-square-foot multiuse building at the southeast corner of East Main and South Pine streets. The building will be anchored by Georgia-based United Community Bank’s Spartanburg headquarters branch, which would relocate from its existing space at 101 W. St. John St. at the Spartan Centre in downtown. Construction is expected to begin later this year, developers said. The development will replace seven properties encompassing 1.7 acres, including the Sub Station II at 453 E. Main St. and the iconic Simple Simon eatery at 109 S. Pine St.
Guy Harris, a partner with Spartanburg-based Spencer/Hines Properties, who is credited as being the “visionary” for the project, said developers will work with Spartanburg attorney Jim Spears to incorporate a portion of his property at 117 S. Pine St. to allow access into the center of the development. Harris said the multimillion-dollar deal has been several years in the making. “I feel complete excitement and some relief,” he added. “There were so many moving parts and speed bumps to overcome. To see some redevelopment come to this part of town is tremendous. This development bookends what’s happening on the other side of town with the new AC Hotel. It’s going to change the face of this intersection.” During the past several months, downtown Spartanburg has continued to attract interest from Greenville developers and business owners. A few examples include the $10.5 million renovation of the historic Aug.
The 19,000-square-foot property will be anchored by United Community Bank’s Spartanburg headquarters branch. Rendering by Equip Studio
W. Smith building by Greenville-based Blue Wall Real Estate, the $29 million redevelopment of the Montgomery building by Greenville developer James Bakker, and the new Level 10 restaurant by Greenville restaurateur Rick Erwin that will be atop the $20 million, 10story, 114-room AC Hotel. While Centennial American Properties has worked on several quality projects in Greenville and other parts of the country, this is its first in Spartanburg. United Community Bank will occupy 5,000 square feet on the building’s first floor and about 2,500 square feet of mezzanine space on the second floor. The intersection has been an area of
concern for the city for several years. Three aging hotels, a FedEx Kinko’s, and the Corners of Main and Pine shopping center are located near other corners of the intersection. Conceptual drawings of the property showed the building will be positioned a few feet back from the sidewalk along East Main and Pine streets with a 101space parking lot behind the facility. The city of Spartanburg’s Downtown Urban Code calls for new buildings in that area to be constructed adjacent to the sidewalk with parking behind. Harris said developers will present the plan to City Council on Aug. 14 and the city’s Design Review Board on Aug. 16.
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UBJ | 8.4.2017
STAYING ON MESSAGE WITH YOUR CLIENTS AND YOUR COLLEAGUES
| COMMUNICATE | 13
Think Before You Speak
Are political conversations derailing employee productivity? By CARLIE BOESE Branch manager, Accountemps
This year has proven to be politically dynamic and precarious. To seek clarity, solidarity, or any number of self-gratifying solutions, we’re often motivated to process the news aloud with those in our vicinity, including colleagues. Unsurprisingly, it turns out that political conversations at the office can become contentious, disrupting productivity and damaging professional relationships. According to a recent Accountemps survey of over 1,000 office workers across North America, more than half of workers reportedly feel that talking politics in the office can get heated and offend others. So who is more likely to voice their opinion in the office? Fifty-two percent of workers age 18 to 34 said that discussing politics at work helps keep them informed, and 31 percent have gotten into an intense discussion with a co-worker over political differences. While it’s nice to take a break from work to talk about worldly topics, unchecked conversational habits can cross a delicate line. However, there are plenty of effective ways for employees and managers to maintain appropriate boundaries when it comes to discussing politics.
Reminders When Discussing Politics at Work • Do speak with tact. It’s important to phrase opinions carefully to avoid offending anyone. Take care to express ideas and thoughts in a way that doesn’t come across as judgmental toward your colleagues. • Do know when to walk away. If the discussion becomes confrontational, change the subject or express your preference to keep political chitchat outside of the workplace. Remember that what you say to a colleague outside of work regarding political observations may cause them to form a false impression of you at work.
• Don’t debate or lecture. Try to approach the conversation in a lighthearted manner, if you must indulge in political talk. Instead of focusing on hot-button issues about political topics, limit yourself to general comments or try to change the subject. • Don’t bring up politics. Often, the best thing to do is not to bring up politics at all. Instead, talk about what you did over the weekend, if you are looking forward to the holidays, or other nonpolitical news.
Navigating Distractions The top reason workers lost productivity during the most recent election cycle was by engaging in non-work conversations. It’s best to avoid political gossip altogether, and there are ways to stay out of office banter if you’re pressed for time:
Set the tone from the top that it’s OK to have differing views and learn to respect others’ opinions. A discussion about politics is just that — an exchange, not a debate. OK to have differing views and learn to respect others’ opinions. A discussion about politics is just that — an exchange, not a debate. Managers must embrace the varying viewpoints of their teammates and colleagues. While it’s common for workplace chatter to include topical events, it’s best to avoid divisive topics that can become highly emotional. If you’re
unexpectedly drawn into a distracting exchange of political views, bow out gracefully and let the other person know you have to attend to a project. Regardless of where you work, some conversations will get intense. While you can’t control other employees’ actions, you can control your own.
• Set aside time at the beginning of your day to think about what you need to accomplish. With looming deadlines, you are less likely to socialize. • Take breaks at scheduled times to jabber with co-workers. If the conversation turns controversial, take this as a cue to return to work. • Politely let co-workers know you have deadlines to meet, and they won’t expect you to engage in office banter.
New to the Office? Before delving into political discourse with colleagues, first consider the consequences of the conversation and don’t feel pressured into sharing your views. Additionally, steer clear of making assumptions about what people believe — you may be surprised. Lastly, consider the environment — do the remarks come up during lunch or happy hour? Even if the environment is casual, the dialogue could get dicey, and it’s best to tread lightly.
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Lead by Example As a manager, it is best to use caution when discussing politics with co-workers. Set the tone from the top that it’s 8.4.2017 | upstatebusinessjournal.com
13
COVER |
THE ISSUE OF EXPUNGEMENT
THE CASE FOR
EXPUNGEMENT The pro-business argument to erase the arrest records of some felons WORDS BY RUDOLPH BELL
F
or people with criminal records, finding a job can be hard. Their job applications may go straight to the trash bin if they truthfully answer a question about whether they were ever convicted of a felony. It usually doesn’t matter if the conviction was a drug charge or some other kind of nonviolent crime decades ago when they were young and impressionable. They don’t get the chance to explain. For years, sympathetic lawmakers and social justice activists have proposed changing South Carolina law to make it easier for people to have certain crimes expunged from their records. But those bills could never overcome the law-and-order argument of the opposition. None passed. Enter the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, which began lobbying in favor of expanding expungement for the first time this past legislative session. The chamber’s president, Carlos Phillips, formerly worked for the chamber in Louisville, Ky., at a time when it was leading a campaign to pass similar legislation. That bill ultimately became law thanks in part to the support of Republican Gov. Matt Bevin. In South Carolina, Phillips and the Greenville Chamber took up an argument used in Kentucky: They reframed the debate as a workforce issue, arguing that expanding the range of crimes eligible for expungement would make thousands of people more employable at a time when many businesses find it hard to find enough workers. That argument takes on more potency at a time when employers face the tightest labor market since the 1990s. According to the state Department of Employment and Workforce, South Carolina’s unemployment rate was 4 percent in June, the lowest rate since December 2000. “We can give folks a second chance, and we can provide a larger pool for employers to choose from, and that’s a win-win,” Phillips said. In taking up the issue, the Greenville Chamber sought a united front from the state’s business community. 14
UBJ | 8.4.2017
It lined up support from the Upstate Chamber Coalition, an alliance of 11 chambers to which it belongs, as well as the S.C. Chamber of Commerce and the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce. The Greenville Chamber also worked on legal language with the S.C. Law Enforcement Division, which had opposed previous bills. Chamber involvement made a “huge difference,” according to Ashley Thomas, an attorney with the S.C. Appleseed Legal Justice Center, a Columbia organization that advocates for low-income residents. Thomas, who has lobbied for expungement bills for four years, said the business community was never involved in any meaningful way until this year. “It’s been mostly law enforcement and prosecutors and folks like me who look at it from a systemic poverty issue,” she said. Once the chambers got involved, “all of the negative voices were a little bit more muted,” she said. “It was very interesting to watch for somebody who’s been fighting this fight for a while.” The chambers succeeded in getting their bill through the House by a vote of 103 to 0. The measure stalled in the Senate, however, amid concerns by Sen. Karl Allen, a Greenville Democrat who doesn’t think it goes far enough. Still, Jason Zacher, vice president for business advocacy at the Greenville Chamber, said he thinks the bill stands a good chance of passing next year. “It has lots of support in the Senate,” Zacher said. “I think we can get it across the finish line next year.” The bill favored by the chambers would expand expungement possibilities for first-offense drug possession, whether it’s marijuana, cocaine, or methamphetamine. Offenders could apply for expungement following three years of good behavior. SLED would continue to keep a record of their crimes, but it would not be available to employers or the general public. Violent crimes are not covered, nor are drug dealing and driving under the influence of alcohol. Allen, the senator from Greenville, knows the
In South Carolina, Phillips and the Greenville Chamber took up an argument used in Kentucky: They reframed the debate as a workforce issue, arguing that expanding the range of crimes eligible for expungement would make thousands of people more employable at a time when many businesses find it hard to find enough workers. Carlos Phillips. Photo by Will Crooks
THE ISSUE OF EXPUNGEMENT
expungement issue well, having chaired a legislative committee that studied it. He said the chamber-backed bill would not help the people most in need of expungement, because those people usually have more serious crimes on their records, especially drug dealing. Allen said he wants to make sure all stakeholders are part of the discussion, which he said didn’t happen this past legislative session. “The chamber is one stakeholder,” Allen said. “They are a very important stakeholder, and we need their support, but they are not the only stakeholder who has an interest and a voice.” Expanding the range of crimes eligible for expungement beyond those included in the chamber-backed bill could prove to be politically problematic. Laura Hudson, executive director of the S.C. Crime Victims’ Council, a Columbia nonprofit that advocates for crime victims, said she would fight any proposal to allow expungement for more serious crimes. She said Allen favors expungement for carjacking “and all kinds of dangerous things.” “Law enforcement and crime victims fight every one of those bills because we know they are a threat to public safety,” Hudson said. She said she doesn’t buy the chambers’ argument
| COVER
ON THE AGENDA The Upstate Chamber Coalition is an alliance of 11 Upstate chambers of commerce with the mission of influencing public policy to benefit the business community. Lobby positions the coalition plans to take during the 2018 state legislative session include the following: • Oppose a bill to repeal South Carolina’s right-to-work laws (H. 3029). • Oppose a bill similar to North Carolina’s so-called bathroom bill (H. 3012). • Support a bill to expand the existing job development tax credit to cover certain service-related facilities (H. 3725 and S. 404).
• Support a bill to streamline and standardize the business license fee processes of local governments (H 3650). • Support a bill to prohibit local governments from designating industrial facilities as public nuisances, as long as the industrial facility is complying with environmental laws and existed before a change
in land use (H. 3653 and S. 323). • Support a bill to continue and expand income tax credits for affluent individuals who invest in South Carolina startup companies (H. 4035 and S. 588).
Sources: Upstate Chamber Coalition, scstatehouse.gov
that expungement is a workforce issue. Businesses have a right to know about the criminal records of those they are thinking about hiring, Hudson said, and they can make their own decisions
about whether to give job applicants a second chance. “I know many, many business people who hire folks who have records, but they hire them fully knowing what their record is,” she said.
Jerry Blassingame. Photo by Will Crooks
THE
ADVOCATE For more than a decade Jerry Blassingame has been leading the charge to get an expungement bill passed Greenville minister Jerry Blassingame was stunned 12 years ago when a retailer rejected him for a seasonal job after checking his criminal record. A decade earlier, at age 27, Blassingame had been convicted of selling cocaine for a second time. He had served his time and, after getting out of prison, had launched a ministry to help ex-offenders. He had also obtained a pardon from the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services. It restored his
right to vote, but, unbeknownst to him at the time, it had not washed the felony convictions from his record. After learning that his past mistakes still followed him, Blassingame joined efforts to change South Carolina law and give former convicts more opportunities to have crimes expunged from their records. He traveled to Columbia three times to testify on behalf of one expungement proposal. After more than a decade, however, he’s still waiting for a bill to pass. ADVOCATE continued on PAGE 16
8.4.2017 | upstatebusinessjournal.com
15
COVER |
THE ISSUE OF EXPUNGEMENT
“I’ve poured my heart into people’s lives, and they have changed. People thought I couldn’t change.” ADVOCATE continued from PAGE 15
Blassingame says he wants to change the law not just for himself but for the former prisoners he helps through his Greenville-based ministry, Soteria Community Development Corp. It operates a 12-bed facility in Travelers Rest for men re-entering society after serving time in prison. Blassingame said the ministry begins working with its clients before they leave prison and provides them with a range of services, including job training, financial education, and mentoring. In addition to being executive director of Soteria, Blassingame pastors a small congregation where he says former prisoners can feel comfortable. Blassingame says he’s living proof that people convicted of serious crimes can become productive members of society. “I’ve poured my heart into people’s lives, and they have changed,” he said. “People thought I couldn’t change.”
The 50-year-old Greenville native became a Christian after getting a 20-year sentence in 1995. He came up with the plan for his ministry while still in prison. His former wife filed for divorce while he was serving time in McCormick Correctional Institution. Blassingame married his current wife, Stephanie Blassingame, while still behind bars. He made parole in March 1999 after serving just 3 1/2 years of his 20-year sentence. The minister considers his early release a “miracle,” since he had violated the terms of his parole after his first cocaine conviction. “I was really not supposed to go up at that time,” he said. After leaving prison, Blassingame had planned to finish a two-year degree in architectural engineering that he had previously started at Greenville Tech and go on to Clemson University for a four-year
1 0 1
degree in architecture. He dropped the plan, however, after realizing that he wasn’t eligible for a license to practice architecture because of his convictions. Later, he got a certificate in correctional ministries from Wheaton College in Illinois, with an emphasis on re-entry. He also completed a yearlong leadership training program offered by JustLeadershipUSA, a New York nonprofit organization dedicated to cutting the U.S. prison population in half. Blassingame says he supports a bill backed by the Greenville Chamber to expand expungement opportunities, even though it wouldn’t cover someone with drug-dealing convictions such as himself. “Let’s get something passed,” he said. “We can go back in a year or two years and get a little more.”
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UBJ | 8.4.2017
PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS
HIRED
HIRED
ELECTED
HIRED
| ON THE MOVE
AWARDED
BRANDON RUDY
ELIZABETH MCCOOL
DR. RANDY VOGENBERG
JOHN “JAY” ASHWORTH JR.
MIKE HEAD
Joined O’Neal Inc. as a business development manager. Rudy has more than 10 years of business development experience. He previously worked for WIKA Instruments and Flowserve Corporation. He earned his MBA from Louisiana State University and bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Joined Bannister, Wyatt & Stalvey as an attorney, bringing experience in both family and real estate law with an emphasis in high-value closings. McCool graduated magna cum laude from the University of South Carolina Honors College with a Bachelor of Science in business administration. She received an MBA from Gardner Webb University and a law degree from the University of South Carolina.
Elected and recently installed as president of The Rotary Club of North Greenville for 2017-2018. Vogenberg is principal of the Institute for Integrated Healthcare and lead collaborator and co-founder for the National Institute of Collaborative Healthcare headquartered in Greenville. He serves on editorial review boards and holds multiple academic appointments as a nationally recognized expert on innovative health benefits and care quality.
Joined Scott and Company LLC as a senior in the firm’s assurance and advisory services department. Ashworth’s experience includes conducting audits and reviews for a variety of industries, including manufacturing companies, auto dealerships, city and county governments, employee benefit plans, and nonprofits. He holds a Bachelor of Science in business administration from the University of South Carolina and studied accounting at Lander University.
Recognized as the 2017 SC Young Advisor Team (YAT) Leader of the Year award by the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFASC). Head is a graduate of Clemson University, works for Head Financial Group, and focuses on employee benefit and individual life and health insurance solutions. He specializes in self-insured and wellness strategies for small employers looking to combat rising health care costs.
Financial Services Northwestern Mutual - Greenville, a leading financial services firm offering insurance and investment solutions, welcomed seven Upstate college students as summer interns to gain valuable financial planning experience in the Greenville office. Austin Mattison, Brandon McCray, Patrick Schiess, and Diamante Sullivan are seniors at Clemson University. Tucker Genal is a senior at Furman University. Matthew Wallace and Ben Duval are seniors from Anderson University. Utility Audit Solutions received the Greenville Chamber’s July 2017 Small Business of the Month Award. Utility Audit Solutions, founded in 2008 by now-president Mark Basanda, has performed hundreds of audits for corporations, nonprofits, and municipalities. On average, they have found errors and overcharges that resulted in refunds, ongoing savings, or both for over 80 percent of their clients. Since their fee is contingent on results, they assume all the financial risk. Henry McGee, a member of New York Life’s Agents Advisory Council (AAC), has been elected to the AAC’s Executive Committee. Founded in 1946, the AAC is a group of 24 New York Life agents elected by their peers. The executive committee consists of six AAC members — chosen by the AAC at large — who represent the AAC when meeting with senior executives of the company. Together, they develop and implement ideas that will benefit families and businesses in their local area.
Leadership Development The Greenville Chamber’s Leadership Greenville program has accepted 57 participants for its 44th class. Participants were selected based on a thorough application process including essays, professional resume, and community involvement. Leadership Greenville is the Chamber’s 10-month leadership development program designed to help develop informed, committed, and qualified leaders for Greenville County. By taking an intensive look into the issues affect-
ing the area, Leadership Greenville prepares and motivates participants to provide quality, dynamic leadership. Russell Smart recently received the Boy Scouts of America’s highest honor, the Silver Buffalo Award. He was recognized for his significant contributions to improving the program quality of the Boy Scouts of America on a national level and for his dedicated leadership in planning and directing the programs of the National Jamboree at the new site of the Summit Bechtel Family National Reserve.
Health and Medicine Manuel Casanova, M.D., a researcher at GHS and faculty member at the USC School of Medicine Greenville, along with researchers from Duke University and the University of Miami School of Medicine, won the first-ever Frontiers Spotlight Award for their study of brain augmentation and its impact on human super-intelligence. Their research, titled “Augmentation of Brain Function: Facts, Fiction, and Controversy,” is a collection of nearly 150 scientific articles covering all aspects of brain augmentation. The research award comes with a $100,000 prize that will be used to facilitate an international scientific conference on brain augmentation in 2018 at the SwissTech Convention Center in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Facilities Management Corley Plumbing Air Electric recently welcomed 11 new employees to their team: Gage Cannon, Aaron Bryson, Ronnie Nolan, and Melvin Green in the HVAC division; Eric Badillo, Tim Gentry, and Raymond McGowan as electricians; Josh Hall as warehouse staff; Dale Johnson as plumber; Jason Bunch as comfort specialist; and LaShara Free as customer service representative. CONTRIBUTE: New hires, promotions, & award winners may be featured in On the Move. Send information and photos to onthemove@upstatebusinessjournal.com. 8.4.2017 | upstatebusinessjournal.com
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#TRENDING |
INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
THE WATERCOOLER Social Chatter
RE: DRIFT FLOAT & SPA TO OPEN THIS FALL IN GREENVILLE’S MAIN + STONE DEVELOPMENT
RE: FIRST LOOK: GROWLER HAUS VILLAGE OPENS FOR LUNCH JULY 28
“This sounds like an interesting new concept!”
John Kelly
Heather Young
RE: LARKIN’S ANNOUNCES NEW ITALIAN RESTAURANT IN FORMER PLAYWRIGHT LOCATION “Love that we’ll have a lovely Italian piazza in downtown… great name too!”
Karen Mascaro
RE: WITH A NEW REDESIGN, WELLS FARGO CENTER HOPES TO DRAW THE PUBLIC INTO ITS LOBBY “Wish they were redoing the underwhelming fountain in the courtyard. I have seen more water come out of a faucet.”
John Boyanoski
“Looks great!”
RE: THE DESIRE TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY IN THE SAME PLACE IS TRANSFORMING THE UPSTATE
“Clinton and Greenwood face similar challenges that Greer does, and that is connecting downtown with what has become the main corridors of the area. Greer may have an easier time, considering the area is booming with manufacturing and it’s between [Greenville and Spartanburg]. Greer and Taylors also have a plan for a biking trail.”
Ethan James Price
“How can we in the Lakelands take advantage of this opportunity? … What I mean is strategic planning to revitalize the central business districts of communities like Clinton and Greenwood and nearby neighborhoods, especially the old mill villages. … Might the towns Clinton or Greenwood figure out how to position themselves as viable alternatives to the congestion already happening along the 385 corridor and south of Woodruff Road, for example?”
Austin Trousdale
JULY 21,
2017 | VOL. 6
PIPE DR EAMS
ISSUE 29
From a succes simple, crea sful Ki tive id ckstar ea to a the DI Y stor ter campaig y of M aker Pi n, pe
TOP 5: 1. Multiuse project headed for downtown Spartanburg’s eastern gateway
2. Drift Float & Spa to open this fall in Greenville’s Main + Stone development
DIGITAL FLIPBOOK ARCHIVE
The layout of print meets the convenience of the Web. Flip through the digital editions of any of our print issues, and see them all in one place. upstatebusinessjournal.com/past-issues
INSIDE // 24-7 DI NE APPARE R OPENS IN DO L THE DR COMPANY CO WNTOWN GR EENVIL IVE HO URTS TH LE NOR BO B HUGH E COWBOYS ES David and
Kelly Schlitt er Photo of Maker Pip by Wi ll Crookse
3. With a new redesign, Wells Fargo Center hopes to draw the public into its lobby
GET THE INBOX 4. Spartanburg entrepreneur whose signature cake was featured in ‘The Help’ passes after battle with cancer
CONNECT We’re great at networking. LINKEDIN.COM/COMPANY/ UPSTATE-BUSINESS-JOURNAL
5. Brains on Fire moving to the Village of West Greenville *The Top 5 stories from last week’s issue ranked by page views
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EVENTS YOU SHOULD HAVE ON YOUR CALENDAR
PRESIDENT/CEO
Mark B. Johnston mjohnston@communityjournals.com
UBJ PUBLISHER
Ryan L. Johnston rjohnston@communityjournals.com
DATE
EVENT INFO
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Thursday
Nonprofit Alliance: Budgeting & Cash Flow Management Best Practices
Caine Halter YMCA 721 Cleveland St. 8–9:30 a.m.
Cost: Free for investors, $10 for noninvestors For more info: bit.ly/2uIyrCs; 864-239-3728
GSHRM HR Management Conference
Hyatt Regency 220 N. Main St.
Cost: $175 nonmembers, $150 members, $50 pre-conference workshop For more info: greenvillehr.org
Pulse Village Block Party
Lawn of The West Village Lofts at Brandon Mill 25 Draper St. 5:30–8 p.m.
Cost: Free, registration required For more info: bit.ly/2tNDTzX; 864-239-3730; eaustin@ greenvillechamber.org
Black Business Expo
Calhoun Bridge Center 214 Butler St., Clemson 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
For more info: 864-247-1257 or 864-506-1057
Wednesday-Friday Greenville and Spartanburg Chambers’ Joint Intercommunity Leadership Visit
Hughes Development Corporation and Johnson Development Associates
For more info: Greenville: 864-239-3729; Spartanburg: 864-347-6080; mmann@greenvillechamber.org, wrothschild@ spartanburgchamber.com
Tuesday
TD Convention Center 1 Exposition Drive 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
Cost: $35 investors, $50 noninvestors For more info: bit.ly/2sUsFdd; 864-239-3727; nwhite@greenvillechamber.org
8/10 Tuesday-Wednesday
8/22-8/23
EDITOR
Chris Haire chaire@communityjournals.com
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Emily Pietras epietras@communityjournals.com
Thursday
8/24
DIGITAL OPERATIONS MANAGER Tori Lant tlant@communityjournals.com
STAFF WRITERS
Trevor Anderson, Rudolph Bell, Cindy Landrum, Andrew Moore, Ariel Turner
MARKETING & ADVERTISING VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES David Rich drich@communityjournals.com
Saturday
9/9
9/27-9/29
ACCOUNT MANAGERS
Jonathan Bowden, Donna Johnston, Stephanie King, Rosie Peck, Caroline Spivey, Emily Yepes
ART & PRODUCTION VISUAL DIRECTOR
| PLANNER
11/14
ATHENA Leadership Symposium
Will Crooks
LAYOUT
Bo Leslie | Tammy Smith
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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
1988
CLIENT SERVICES
Anita Harley | Jane Rogers
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Kristi Fortner
1997 Jackson Dawson launches motorsports Division 1993
1990 Jackson Dawson
acquires therapon marketing Group and moves to Piedmont office Center on Villa.
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SEPTEMBER 15 THE REGIONAL ISSUE
Chairman larry Jackson, Jackson marketing Group. Photos by Greg Beckner / Staff
Jackson Marketing Group celebrates 25 years By sherry Jackson | staff | sjackson@communityjournals.com
Solve. Serve. Grow. Those three words summarize Jackson Marketing Group’s guiding principles, and according to owner Larry Jackson, form the motivation that has kept the firm thriving for the past 25 years.
Jackson graduated from Bob Jones University with a degree in video and film production and started his 41-year career in the communications industry with the U.S. Army’s Public Information Office. He served during
Vietnam, where he said he was “luckily” stationed in the middle of Texas at Fort Hood. He left the service and went to work in public affairs and motorsports at Ford Motor Company in Detroit. After a stint at Bell and Howell, where he was responsible for managing Ford’s dealer marketing and training, the entrepreneurial bug hit and he co-founded Jackson-Dawson Marketing Communications, a company specializing in dealer training and product launches for the auto industry in 1980. In 1987, Jackson wanted to move back south and thought Greenville would be a good fit. An avid pilot, he
learned of an opportunity to purchase Cornerstone Aviation, a fixed base operation (FBO) that served as a service station for the Greenville Downtown Airport, providing fuel, maintenance and storage. In fact, when he started the Greenville office of what is now Jackson Marketing Group (JMG) in 1988, the offices were housed on the second floor in an airport hangar. “Clients would get distracted by the airplanes in the hangars and we’d have to corral them to get back upstairs to the meeting,” Jackson said. Jackson sold the FBO in 1993, but says it was a great way to get to know Greenville’s fathers and leaders
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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
STORY IDEAS:
ideas@upstatebusinessjournal.com
AS SEEN IN
OCTOBER 13 THE DESIGN ISSUE
EVENTS:
industrial Court
2009 Jackson Dawson changes name to Jackson marketing Group when larry sells his partnership in Detroit and lA 2003
2009-2012 Jackson marketing Group named a top BtoB agency by BtoB magazine 4 years running
him going and growing his business over the years. He is passionate about giving back and outreach to non-prof 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 lients 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 nit inVolVeMent nitY in olV inV olVe VeMent & 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
HOW TO CONTRIBUTE
2003 motorsports Division acquires an additional 26,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space
1998 1998 Jackson Dawson moves to task
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
NOVEMBER 1, 2013
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19
DID YOU KNOW?
BUILDING A REGION THAT BUILDS THE FUTURE
Greenville is not developing workforce fast enough to fill critical jobs. We need to increase our talent pool and exposure to opportunities.
GREENVILLE CHAMBER ACCELERATE
is working on talent strategies to help close the workforce gap.
IDENTIFIED TALENT STRATEGIES: 1.
INCREASE EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT TO IMPROVE EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES:
1 10 IN
Greenville HS diploma holders is unemployed
2.
1 30 IN
Greenville adults with a Bachelor’s degree is unemployed
REMOVE BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT:
5,000+ IN 5 years Individuals released back into Greenville County from the Dept. of Corrections
ACCELERATE
83.9%
OF ELIGIBLE INMATES AND NON-VIOLENT OFFENDERS WILL BE RELEASED FROM SC FACILITIES WITHIN 5 YEARS
By removing barriers and increasing employment opportunities, these individuals become contributing members of society and tax burdens are reduced.
Accelerate is Greenville’s private sector-fueled economic development initiative, designed to prepare our community for tomorrow.
ACCELERATEGREENVILLE.COM