Business Upstate
NOVEMBER 30, 2012
J OURN A L
Balancing Act While restaurants are thriving downtown, Greenville hopes to bring more retail to Main Street Page 14
Infrastructure spending lags page 4
Uniting nations page 10
A family affair page 18
UBJ 6
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Students pitch business ideas at USC’s version of Shark Tank
Statehouse Report
Business is smokin’
The real spitir of giving
Local retailers stay busy on Black Friday
By Andy Brack contributor
By Jenny Munro contributor
By Cindy Landrum staff
By Charles Sowell staff
Greg Beckner/Staff
Adalyn Johnson, 11 months, gets her first chance to visit with Santa at Haywood Mall.
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Greenville hopes for ONE more downtown retail push
SC jobless rate drop ‘welcome news’
Digital Maven Video calling: Do you ooVoo?
SC feels effects of truck driver shortage
By Charles Sowell staff
By Laura Haight contributor
By Jenny Munro contributor
By Cindy Landrum staff
2 Upstate business | NOVEMBER 30, 2012
UBJ worth repeating
28%
“I predict in another year, we’ll no longer have to recruit retail for downtown.” Greenville Mayor Knox White, on efforts to fill Main Street’s vacant storefronts.
Major roads in the state that are in poor or mediocre condition, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers.
1,954,801
Employed people in South Carolina in October, up 14,705 from September. The unemployment rate was 8.6 percent, down from 9.1 percent.
$11.2 billion Amount spent in stores on Black Friday.
“My family basically went on strike and said, ‘We’re not done here yet.’” Former BMW executive Clemens Schmitz-Justen, on what prompted him to stay in the Upstate and found CSJ & Co. instead of transferring to another facility.
“Respect is earned. I learned that from my dad.” Michael Stathakis, restaurateur, on the best advice he ever received.
“The problem is we just don’t have enough funds to do all the work that needs to be done.” John Edwards, District 4 commissioner at the SC Department of Transportation, on DOT’s attempt to address road infrastructure problems in the Upstate.
A better read on local business.
Every Week. Everywhere. Submit story ideas to: ideas@upstatebusinessjournal.com | Advertising Information: 864.679.1200 NOVEMBER 30, 2012 | Upstate business 3
UBJ
Infrastructure spending lags in Upstate By Jennifer Oladipo | contributor
The specter of significant road infrastructure problems lurks in the background of any serious discussion about growth in the Upstate. In addition to water and waste issues, 23 percent of bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete and 28 percent of major roads are in poor or mediocre condition. At the same time, vehicle travel on South Carolina’s highways
increased 41 percent from 1990 to 2007, according to the most recent report card from the American Society of Civil Engineers. Starting next year, $1.2 billion in federal infrastructure money will come to South Carolina over a two-year period. The majority of it is intended to improve U.S. highways and interstates. For 2013, $169 million of that is earmarked for surface transportation projects on state and local roads and $40 million for highway safety. Another $11 million is intended to reduce congestion. At the same time, state funding remains inadequate, said John Edwards, District 4 commissioner at the South Carolina Department of Transportation. “The DOT’s tied to a budget that was established in 1987,” he said, referring to the inadequacy of a static 16.8 percent fuel tax that is the department’s primary source for funding. He lamented that the flat rate does not keep pace with rising costs. Rick Todd, president and CEO of the South Carolina Trucking Association, said federal funds will not solve the problem. He sees increasing efforts to shift infrastructure responsibility to states,
and infrastructure spending will be a part of the overall budget cuts that are bound to happen. “A lot of folks have come to expect that Washington is going to provide the lion’s share of interstate funding, but I just don’t know that that’s going to be the case going forward,” Todd said. Interstate highways 85 and 26 are on everybody’s radar. Among Upstate roads badly in need of attention, Edwards noted Poinsett Highway and Washington Avenue, a key street connecting White Horse Road to the Greenville Hospital System. He said bridges were
also overdue for repairs. Some of the responsibility for infrastructure in the Upstate falls on GPATS, the Greenville-Pickens Area Transportation Study. The organization plans and prioritizes federally-funded transportation projects such as rebuilding the interchange at I-85 and I-385 and widening part of 85. It also receives some state funding, and was recently directed by the DOT to put 20 percent of its funds toward repaving roads next year. At the same time, GPATS’ coverage area is increasing, and there’s no word yet on whether state funds may
by the numbers
16.8% 20% 23% 28% 41% The amount of the static fuel tax that is the SCDOT’s primary source for funding.
4 Upstate business | NOVEMBER 30, 2012
The amount of funding the DOT recently told the Greenville-Pickens Area Transportation Study they had to put toward repaving roads next year.
The percent of bridges that are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.
The percentage of major roads that are in poor or mediocre condition.
The percentage by which vehicle travel increased on South Carolina’s highways from 1990 to 2007.
UBJ politicians just like everything else.” Each region has been too focused on its own concerns, forgetting about the interconnectedness of the road system, said Todd. Bad roads are bad for the numerous businesses statewide that depend on semis and smaller specialty trucks, he said, listing problems that included poorly designed interchanges and intersections and striping and lighting that need improvement for safe travel at night or during rain. Edwards expects the upcoming inland port in Greer to bring more attention to the Upstate, and that interstate highway issues will figure prominently in the next
increase accordingly, said John Owings, GPATS development services/ transportation planning manager. “We’ll try to look and see if roads in or near [federally funded] projects will qualify for repaving to get a little more bang for the buck,” Owings said. Edwards said funds available through the South Carolina Transportation Infrastructure Bank (SCTIB) haven’t made it to the Upstate in years. He and many oth-
ers maintain that the infrastructure bank’s priorities are entirely political. “We haven’t had a project done by the SCTIB in the Upstate in 13 years,” Edwards said. “So what that means is we don’t have the political power to bring that stuff back this way. We don’t have the longtime legislators that [Charleston] has got. “On the commission, we try to look at the overall state plan, and that’s what we try to do through the state plan, but we get calls from the
gubernatorial race. He said a plan to widen I-85 to eight lanes is still on the drawing board, and the engineering might be complete by next summer, but other problems are continuously being addressed. “We’re improving every day. We’ve got a paving cycle. We’re repaving and rehabbing roads all the time. The problem is we just don’t have enough funds to do all the work that needs to be done,” Edwards said. He also noted that last year’s funding scandals badly damaged SCDOT’s image, and so wise spending on infrastructure is paramount in regaining public confidence. Contact Jennifer Oladipo at joladipo@communityjournals.com.
Photos by Greg Beckner
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UBJ
Students pitch business ideas in USC’s version of
6 Upstate business | NOVEMBER 30, 2012
UBJ ▲
For entrepreneurs, competition highlights importance of planning and raising money
By Cindy Landrum | staff
Ideas for new businesses can come from almost everywhere – but a good idea doesn’t necessarily translate into a good business or a successful entrepreneur. “The act of going through the research and putting a plan together really tells you if you have a business opportunity,” said Dean Kress, associate director of the University of South Carolina’s Moore School of Business’ Faber Entrepreneurship Center. USC’s entrepreneurial challenge, “The Proving Ground,” forced contestants to do just that. Finalists had five minutes to pitch their ideas in a “Shark Tank”–style business competition and prove their worthiness to the judges – who were not as “sharklike” as the millionaire and billionaire judges who often make the TV show’s budding entrepreneur contestants cry. Students from the Upstate competed in “The Proving Ground” and three were on teams that made the finals of the competition. Two of the three winning teams had students from the Upstate. The winning teams won prizes ranging from $5,000 to $15,000, money they can use to pay for market research and other costs to bring their products closer to the market. The winners also get space and resources at the USC Columbia Technology Incubator, guidance from the USC Office of Technology Commercialization and mentoring from the Center for Technology Innovation and the Faber Entrepreneurship Center. Ideas pitched in the finals included technology to help small businesses handle human resource challenges; an Internet resource to connect Korean stu-
dents with native English-speaking tutors; a nonprofit that tells stories of people living in poverty who need low-cost medical treatment and provides a way for people to help pay for it; the creation of antimicrobial paints for medical facilities using nanotechnology; technology for photo studio management; a company that builds portable kitchens that offset carbon credits to reforest areas such as the Andes; and a bicycle-sharing program for college campuses. Chris King, a senior business student from Greenville, was one of three team members pitching hoVee, the network of shared bicycles located on college campuses that students could access for a small membership fee. Although the idea wasn’t one of the winners, King and the rest of the team members will benefit from the experience, Kress said. “They need that planning, that interaction with prospective cus-
The Watsi team makes their award-winning presentation for a fundraising Web site for medical issues.
Photos courtesy Darla Moore School of Business
Proving Ground’s entrepreneurial awards recognized the myBuddy team for its Web-based English tutoring services.
tomers. They need to figure out what their costs will be,” Kress said. “There’s just no substitute for that.” The idea for Watsi, the nonprofit that provides people a way to help pay for low-cost medical treatment for the poor and winner of the competition’s biggest prize, came when one of the team members saw a woman walking the aisle of a bus in Watsi, Costa Rica, begging people for money to pay for her son’s medical treatment. One of Watsi’s team members is Hall Todd from Spartanburg. “It feels awesome,” said Howard Glenn, the International MBA student who made the presentation for the team at “The Proving Ground” finals. “It is really rewarding after a year and a half of work with teammates who are living across the country.” Glenn said the team’s next goal is to raise more money. “A year from now I see us meeting all of our investment goals and having a full team and changing the nonprofit industry,” he said. Getting to pitch their business ideas in the competition is good
practice for the future entrepreneurs, Kress said. “It’s something they’ll be doing in real life whether they’re trying to get financing through a banker, a venture capitalist or their parents,” he said. The winner of the Innovista Innovation Prize – which includes $10,000 – was myBuddy, an Internet language resource to connect students with tutors via Skype that would be funded by teacher subscriptions, e-books and a percentage of tutoring fees. Each of the four team members, including Jamie Weneck of Spartanburg, took turns making the case for the market appeal of the project. Ryan Nielson, one of the firstyear International MBA students, developed the concept in 2007. The group furthered the idea as a team project for the IMBA program and plan to use the prize money for market testing in Korea and to develop software. But their first order of business will be to a write a paper that’s due for their IMBA class. Contact Cindy Landrum at clandrum@communityjournals.com.
NOVEMBER 30, 2012 | Upstate business 7
UBJ statehouse report
Photos courtesy of South Carolina Living.Magazine
Veterans hold the South Carolina flag during a ceremony on April 11, 2012, at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.
THE REAL SPIRIT OF GIVING The stories of the men The co-ops, which and women who served in identified some 300 World World War II come alive War II veterans in the in a new book offered by towns they serve across The Electric Cooperatives the state, became the first of South Carolina. organization in South After the Japanese Carolina to adopt a whole By Andy Brack pounded Pearl Harbor flight. On April 11, they on Dec. 7 almost 71 took 100 veterans, each years ago, more than 16 million matched with a guardian for the Americans were in the armed forces. day, to Washington on the historic The overwhelming majority served trip. Over the summer, another 100 outside of the limelight. They served joined other Honor Flight trips. And with honor because it was their duty in September, the co-ops sponsored to do the right thing for the country. another full flight of vets for the “When they returned to civilian ultimate memorial experience. life, they went on to quietly raise Each veteran on the maiden April families and build a nation that had no journey is featured in the new book equal,” said Mike Couick, president by the co-ops, “Honor Flight: April and CEO of the state’s organization of 11, 2012.” Today, they’re in their late 19 electric co-operatives. 80s or early 90s. Last year on the 70th anniversary With memories from retired of the Pearl Harbor attack, the co-ops Conway farmer and businessman partnered with Honor Flight of South Aubrey M. Anderson (“If anyone Carolina, a Columbia-based group tells you he wasn’t scared, he was that honors World War II veterans never there”) to retired Darlington by taking them to the nation’s capital insurance adjuster Johnnie J. Young to visit major memorials. (“I wouldn’t trade any time in my life 8 Upstate business | NOVEMBER 30, 2012
for the time that I served”), it would be the understatement of the year to say the stories in the book are aweinspiring. Former Florence Congressman Ed Young, a fighter pilot in the U.S. Army Air Force in the Pacific, flew almost 200 combat missions and “never got hit,” which he attributed to the U.S. having better airplanes. During the war, South Carolinians went to all corners of the world – to the fighting fields of Europe to farflung islands in the Pacific. They saw service in the Battle of the Bulge, on D-Day in France, on ships attacked by kamikazes and in northern Africa. Tomie L. Gaines Sr. of Greenville, a medic in a segregated unit in the European theater, visits schools to tell children about the war. “Some of those little kids ask you some questions you just can’t answer,” he said in the book. “There’s a few thing that, being a medic, I just can’t talk about.” Sumter business leader Charles L. “Flop” Shaw received minor shrapnel
wounds in a firefight near Anzio. “Lord knows, you’d never want to do that again,” recalled Shaw. “But let me say this: I’m glad I did my part, and there’s no question I’m glad we won.” The co-op book, available for $29.95 from the organization, also features photos of the veterans, all clad in honorary red jackets, at memorials across Washington, D.C. They told stories and remembered friends who didn’t make it. They smiled, snapped pictures, made new friends and quietly reflected. And they inspired their guardians as they explored throughout the day. When they flew home at the end of the day, they got a big, warm reception in Columbia. It was, as many surely will tell you, a day to remember for a time not to forget. The co-op’s Couick encourages people to buy the book – not necessarily to keep, but to inspire others. “I wish people would buy the book and donate it to a school,” he said, still awed months later by the April trip. “These stories need to be remembered.” Now that we’re in the holiday time of year saddled between giving thanks and giving to our loved ones, remembering and honoring those who helped make our country great – from World War II vets to those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan – has a new sense of urgency thanks to this book. Andy Brack, publisher of Statehouse Report, can be reached at brack@ statehousereport.com
UBJ
Local retailers stay busy on Black Friday By Jenny Munro | contributor
Shoppers were out in droves on Thanksgiving weekend, but the spending is no longer concentrated on Black Friday – it now includes Thanksgiving Day through the Monday after the holiday. Actually, nationwide sales on Black Friday – the day after Thanksgiving and the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season – were down slightly, although foot traffic in stores was up 3.5 percent on that day, according to ShopperTrak. “I was out on Friday, but I kept Thanksgiving for my family. I figured I wouldn’t lose anything by not shopping on that day,” said Janice Weaver, a Greenville mother of three. “I found some good deals, but I think the bargains will continue right up to Christmas. Stores need to sell.” National consumer confidence in November rose to 73.7, up from 73.1 percent a month earlier, according to The Conference Board, a private group that surveys economic data. The Consumer Confidence Index reached its highest level since February 2008. Local stores reported shoppers were out and spending money over the weekend. “Sales were excellent,” said
Mary Nase, general manager of Mast General Store in downtown Greenville. “It was much better than last year.” She said Friday was “definitely” the store’s busiest day, partially because many of the larger chain stores opened on Thursday. People had shopped the big-box stores on Thanksgiving so “they came downtown to shop on Friday. I had people waiting at the door when I opened.” Morgan Garrell, store manager of Chelsea’s Ladies Clothing in Greenville, agreed on the exciting start to the holiday season. “Sales were up. We did great,” she said. “Customers like to come to us because they know they’ll get oneon-one service.” She said Friday is typically the busiest day for the store, located in The Shops at Greenridge. But “Saturday was a busy day.” “From here on out, we expect to be busy,” she said, adding the weekend was a strong start for Chelsea’s holiday season. Besides Thursday sales, 27 percent of consumers nationally shopped online on Thanksgiving while 47.5 shopped online on Friday, according to National Retail Fed-
by the numbers
$11.2 billion
total spent in stores on Black Friday, down 1.8 percent from 2011
247 million
shoppers visiting stores, a Black Friday record, up 9.2 percent from 2011
73.7%
national consumer confidence, up from 73.1 percent a month ago
eration estimates. And the biggest online sales day was expected to be the Monday after the holiday. Saturday has become the day to shop locally and small as the national Small Business Saturday, sponsored by American Express, continues strong, store owners said. Still, Black Friday was a big day with $11.2 billion spent in stores, although it was a decline of 1.8 percent, estimated ShopperTrak. A record 247 million shoppers visited stores and websites over the four-day weekend starting on Thanksgiving, up 9.2 percent from last year, according to a survey of 4,000 shoppers that was conducted by research firm
BIGinsight for the trade group. “The mall was crowded,” said Jerry Robinson, a Taylors resident who went looking for jewelry for his wife. “I don’t know how much buying there was, but the people were out.” He decided he would shop at the mall but order his purchase online. “I wanted to see it in person first,” he said “It’s important. But I can get the best deal on the Internet.” Another big winner in the holiday season will be gift cards, one of the hottest gifts this year, according to the National Retail Federation. A survey indicated more than 81 percent of shoppers expect to purchase at least one gift card, with the total spending on the cards reaching $28.79 billion. “Retailers are pulling out the stops this year to make their gift cards personal, convenient and desirable,” said Matthew Shay, NFR president and CEO. Contact Jenny Munro at jmunro@communityjournals.com.
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UBJ focus: where are they now
Uniting NATIONS ▲
With CSJ & Co., former BMW exec Clemens Schmitz-Justen helps companies communicate internationally
Clemens Schmitz-Justen, formerly with BMW, now runs his own company, CSJ Schmitz-Justen & Company.
From head of manufacturing at
How did you come to the Upstate?
What does CSJ & Co. do?
Greer’s BMW production facility
I was with BMW for almost 18 years and came to Greenville in 1993 with the opening of the plant. I became president of BMW Manufacturing in 2004 and brought the family here, staying in that role until 2007. Instead of being transferred to another facility by the company, my family basically went on strike and said, “We’re not done here yet.” Greenville is a great place to live, so that’s why we stayed here. I worked with Clemson University on their international programs until we were ready to set up CSJ & Co.
I founded the company in 2009 and work in three different capacities. I serve on various boards of family-owned companies in the U.S., Germany and Mexico. We also do strategic consulting, for example, for German companies looking to set up in the U.S. They need someone who can speak their language. We also help American businesses going to Germany to set up acquisitions and due diligence – they also want somebody in Germany who they can talk to. Executive search is also a component of our work.
to international programs at Clemson University and now his own company, CSJ & Co., Clemens Schmitz-Justen is maintaining international relations in the Upstate. By April A. Morris | staff
10 Upstate business | NOVEMBER 30, 2012
>>
UBJ focus: where are they now “We stayed in Greenville because it’s such a welcoming community and what has happened here in the 19 years since I’ve been here has been outstanding.” to have a new project. Awareness of these differences is the first tool to overcome difficulties.
How do you balance working between the U.S. and Europe?
>>
How was the experience of launching CSJ & Co.?
I travel a good bit and I actually have an American partner, Frank Linden, in Stuttgart, Germany. He speaks to all the German businesspeople locally and has that kind of network and I do the same here. We also do many transatlantic projects.
It’s fascinating to do this in America as a guest of the country, as a foreign investor. I believe that convincing people that you are a relevant partner is easier in America than it is in Europe where things are more regulated, confined and categorized.
Is what you do at CSJ & Co. similar to your work with BMW or Clemson? Not at all. Before working with BMW, I was a consultant. What counts now is my experience as a manager of a sizeable outfit and international tradition. I’ve worked in the U.S., South Africa and Germany before coming here. What do you enjoy most about your new endeavor? The fascinating thing about consulting is that you deal with such a wonderful diversity of people, styles, cultures and enterprises. I totally enjoy this type of diversity in my work.
What’s a surprising facet of your work? Being an intercultural coach is part of my job, too. Just because people are able to speak the same languages doesn’t mean that they leave the conversation with the same images in their heads. There are stereotypes and they simply point out the difference: Germans think that Americans are frivolous and Americans think Germans are boring – but there is a reason for this. German culture is a very retrospective culture and they believe it’s important to look back at what you have accomplished. To Americans, it’s important to be on a mission,
The Americans have to learn that there are other places in Germany for good food than just the Hofbraeuhaus, and the Germans have to learn that shrimp and grits is not dangerous – depending on where you go, they can be somewhat spicy, and that’s definitely not part of the German diet. How is your schedule different from factory or academic life? I don’t have a lot of free time as this is a new career for me and I love what I do. When you do what you like, you don’t sense the wear that it takes. Here, when I do business with German clients, I do it at 4 a.m. if need be – to be available before lunchtime for them. Then I can walk the dog before I do local projects; it’s a magic degree of freedom. Is there anything you miss from the BMW plant? The humming of the machinery behind the wall. The humming behind the wall indicates the pulse of the factory. By the sound you can tell if they are running smoothly or if they are out of synch.
Are you here to stay? We stayed in Greenville because it’s such a welcoming community and what has happened here in the 19 years since I’ve been here has been outstanding. We have another home in Germany, but it is amazing how you can really become part of a community and feel at home in two places. The real question is where our two sons are going to settle. How do you spend your free time? Spending time with the family is what I like. Being part of seeing them (my sons) become more of who they are and who they have always been, but more sharply focused, is a wonderful experience.
timeline
1993:
Came to Greenville for construction of BMW plant
2004:
Became president of BMW Manufacturing in the U.S.
2007:
Worked with Clemson University on its international program
2009:
Formed CSJ Schmitz-Justen & Company LLC
NOVEMBER 30, 2012 | Upstate business 11
derrick richardson and grady mccomb – co-owners of huntin’ camp bbq and grill
Jump Start Entrepreneurship is everywhere
business is ▲
SMOKIN’
Huntin’ Camp serves up coastal barbecue in the Dark Corner By Charles Sowell | staff
Derrick Richardson was raised in Travelers Rest before going off to join the Navy. After serving, he was making a very good living as a firefighter in Georgetown when his stepfather, Grady McComb, superintendent of Table Rock and Poinsett reservoirs for the Greenville Water System, called. McComb asked Richardson if he’d be interested in starting a restaurant – a mountain hunting camp of a restaurant. Richardson was willing, and the Huntin’ Camp 12 Upstate business | NOVEMBER 30, 2012
BBQ and Grill was born on the edge of the Dark Corner on U.S. 25 near Highway 11.
What brought you back to the Upstate? I came back five or six years ago. My dad and the rest of the family had talked about coming back up here and building a restaurant, so here we are. My dad said he had the land, and he said if we were willing to give it a go he was willing to kick in.
>>
The Huntin’ Camp BBQ and Grill in Travelers Rest.
Photo by Greg Beckner
UBJ entrepreneur
UBJ
new to the street Zanti Power Yoga recently opened in Greenville and offers heated and non-heated vinyasa power yoga to all levels. Along with a full schedule and a variety of classes, the studio will be equipped with locker rooms, showers and all amenities.
>>
How long did it take you to build the restaurant?
It took a little more than two years for us to build it. We’ve been open four years and three months now. People would drive by and see us and some of them would stop and ask what we were doing. Mostly they wanted to know when we were going to open. Business was good from the start.
And then the great recession hit. Yes, it did. Honestly, if we’d known what we know now, I don’t think we would have done it. So many restaurants have gone under in this thing. We’re doing OK, but the business is nothing like it was early on.
This is Georgetown County barbecue, isn’t it? It’s Williamsburg, Horry County barbecue. Mostly you find the vinegar-based barbecue along the coast. As you come farther inland you run into the mustard and ketchup-based sauces. I’ve heard people say we serve North Carolina sauce. Technically, we serve coastal barbecue. In the old days people along the coast were always looking for a way to preserve large quantities of meat, and vinegar worked. Smoking the vinegar into the meat worked even better. That was the start of barbecue in this part of the world.
You put a little bit of yourselves in the food you make? We do, but more importantly our employees take working here as seriously as if it were their own place. They’re all local people (from
around the Dark Corner). Not only do they work together, they play together. They pitch in and help each other out when things get hard. One waitress will tell another to take the floor today so they make enough money and then they’ll come in the next day and make hers.
How has the recession affected your business? When we first opened up we had about eight, but that quickly ramped up to 20-25 people working for us here. The way things are now, we’ve got 10-15 employees. At the worst of the recession, we were down 50 percent on our business. Now we’re up and down. We can come in on Tuesday and think we’ve got a slow day and then be just smoking all day. On Friday and Saturday, when we ought to be working hard, things are dead.
Glorified Health & Rehab recently opened in Greenville. The company provides a wide range of skilled nursing and rehabilitation services for short-stay recovery, as well as ongoing supportive services for individuals requiring long-term care.
So the Wall Street streak hasn’t helped you much. (Laughing) No, we ain’t rich enough to play that game. Wall Street? I hope it’s a street in Greenville County. No, seriously, we’ve had offers. We have customers tell us about buildings over in North Carolina and in South Carolina. When we originally started, we were thinking about expanding into Anderson and Asheville. Frankly, about 60 percent of our business comes from North Carolinians who are on their way to Greenville. I guess they like eating here and want to have us closer. Contact Charles Sowell at csowell@communityjournals.com. NOVEMBER 30, 2012 | Upstate business 13
UBJ cover story
Greenville hopes for ONE more downtown retail push ▲
As more retailers flock to downtown, city hopes for more businesses on side streets
By Cindy Landrum | staff
Greg Beckner/staff
For years, Greenville has had to actively recruit retailers to come to its revitalized downtown. It began more than a decade ago, when Mayor Knox White coldcalled John Cooper, the owner of the North-Carolina based Mast General Store, and told him about a building the city owned on Greenville’s Main Street that had been a retail landmark since the late 1800s, most notably as the “old Meyers-Arnold.” It was a year later before Mast decided to buy the building and open up shop in Greenville. Retail on Main Street took another major step when Anthropologie announced plans last year to open a store in the $100 million ONE development on the corner of North Main and Washington streets. And with construction on ONE nearing completion, city officials
hope a new wave of retail will fill the few remaining vacant storefronts on Main Street and help retail spill over onto downtown’s side streets. “I predict in another year, we’ll no longer have to recruit retail for downtown,” White said. Anthropologie expects to open its doors in the ONE development in mid-2013. Across the street, the renovated Hyatt hotel will have three retail spaces – two will be filled by yetto-be announced regional specialty shops new to Greenville, and the other is still open. With these openings will come revamped public spaces that city officials and downtown merchants and restaurateurs hope will bring even more people to Greenville’s Main Street. “I don’t think people realize how big 2013 is going to be for downtown,” White said. “It’s going to be like a whole other downtown.”
>>
NEED A BANNER everything for your office…
14 Upstate business | NOVEMBER 30, 2012
UBJ cover story
>> The missing piece
For the most part, retail has been the missing piece in downtown’s amazing transformation. “Retail is always the last to come,” White said. Ayers Leather has been a mainstay on North Main for 62 years, and owner Deb Ayers Agnew prides herself on the store’s customer service and quality of the merchandise. Other specialty stores dotted Main Street as well. For many years, however, restaurants far outnumbered retail on Main Street. “Retail can never survive without a restaurant base,” Agnew said. “We’ve got a nice restaurant scene and a nice bar scene downtown and both of those are important to us even though they do much of their business during the times we’re closed. But it reminds people to come downtown to shop. Our windows are very important to us.” Agnew welcomes Anthropologie. “We now need – and have been granted – a national chain that will up the interest of people who are not familiar with the local people,” she said. “I think that will put us on the map as a retail center.” Unlike some cities, Greenville doesn’t have a target percentage of retail vs. restaurants for downtown, said Nancy Whitworth, the city’s economic development director. “That only works when you’re the only game in town,” she said. “And downtown is not the only game in town in Greenville.” Haywood and Woodruff roads
are within short drives of downtown and have their own strong points as far as retail centers. Haywood is home to the mall, and Woodruff has a collection of national chains and regional stores that has made it one of the region’s top retail areas.
Knowing what works
While the city doesn’t have a “true retail strategy” for downtown, it does know what works there, said Tracy Ramseur, development director. “The reason Mast General Store has been popular is because it appeals to a broad base of people and is family-oriented,” Ramseur said. “We encourage retailers that are family-friendly and that tourists and residents both can enjoy.” Stores that sell gift items, apparel and shoes – items people can carry around with them – also do well, she said. Some of the newest retailers in downtown have locations elsewhere. Charleston Cooks, a Charlestonbased kitchen retail store that offers cooking classes, looked for a Greenville location for two years before opening on a corner location earlier this year. A Clemson printing company owns Southern Fried Cotton, a T-shirt shop. And Custard Boutique opened its second location – the first is in Savannah – in the West End. West End Treasures, a gift and furniture shop, opened a store in the West End and has available parking, something vastly impor-
tant to a retailer selling large items, Ramseur said. West End Treasures has a location in Pickens as well and caters to folks who live in the Cliffs developments, she said. “We’re trying to attract a variety of retailers,” Ramseur said. “We want the destination retailers, but it’s really important that we keep local retail here as well. Those are what make us different. We want to create a balance, a unique mix that is attractive to daytime office workers as well as local residents and tourists.”
“More retail brings more shoppers. It’s as simple as that. And as a business owner, I need other retail here.” Robin Bylenga, owner of Pedal Chic
‘I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else’
Robin Bylenga, owner of Pedal Chic, a women’s bike shop and activewear boutique on South Main Street, said she didn’t consider any other locations but downtown for her store. “My business model sits really well with downtown,” she said. “When you come downtown, you want to see unique and different.” She said having a shop on Main Street is not easy, especially with festival street closures and parking issues. Some times the festivals
benefit her store; most of the time they do not. Still, “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” she said. Having more stores downtown benefits everybody, she said. “More retail brings more shoppers. It’s as simple as that,” she said. “And as a business owner, I need other retail here.” Agnew said clothiers are always a welcome addition, especially those with merchandise in a moderate price range and those who cater to the more mature customer. “We’ve got a lot of retired people with money to spend, but they have a hard time finding everyday clothing,” she said. Agnew said she doesn’t think some of the other things most talked about for downtown – a bookstore and a department store – are really the best fit for downtown. “Bookstores are struggling right now, and I don’t think a department store is what customers need downtown. I think Mast serves that purpose well now and is wellsuited for downtown,” she said. White said he could see a specialty film movie theater and a bookstore that is more than books in downtown. Ramseur said she sees two opportunities for more retail downtown – on the key side streets of Washington Street, Coffee Street, McBee Avenue and Laurens Street and in the West End on Main between Augusta and the baseball stadium. Contact Cindy Landrum at clandrum@communityjournals.com. 864.233.5346 www.gos1.com
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NOVEMBER 30, 2012 | Upstate business 15
UBJ
SC JOBLESS RATE DROP ‘WELCOME NEWS’ Unemployment rate drops to 8.6 percent By Charles Sowell | staff
South Carolina led the way nationally in job creation, according to data released by the state Department of Employment and Workforce and the federal government. The drop in the jobless rate, from 9.1 percent to 8.6 percent, was the largest in South Carolina in four years. “(This) announcement marks the state’s lowest unemployment rate in nearly four years, as well as the second consecutive month that the unemployment rate has continued a steady decline,” said DEW Executive Director Abraham J. Turner. “While this is certainly welcome news, DEW will continue to work diligently with businesses as it remains steadfast and focused on its efforts to put South Carolinians back to work.”
>>
Unemployment in the Upstate County È
16 Upstate business | NOVEMBER 30, 2012
Oct. ’12 Sept. ’12 Oct. ’11
Greenville 6.4 6.6 7.9
Ç
Pickens 7.4 7.3 8.5
−
Anderson 8.0 8.0 9.4
È
Spartanburg 8.1
8.3
10.0
−
Laurens 8.3 8.3 9.7
È
Oconee 8.4 8.6 9.5
Ç
Greenwood 9.6
Ç
Abbeville 9.9 9.2 11.2
È
Cherokee 10.5 10.6 12.7
È
Union
12.8 12.9 16.4
È
State
8.6 9.1 10.2
9.5 11.0
Source: SC Dept. of Employment and Workforce
UBJ >>
The number of unemployed decreased over the month by 10,814 to 183,024. While the number of employed individuals climbed by 14,705 to 1,954,801, the labor force saw a modest increase of 3,891 to 2,137,825. Since October 2011, the unemployment rate has fallen 1.5 percent. Nationally, the unemployment rate moved slightly higher from 7.8 percent in September to 7.9 percent in October, primarily driven by an increase in the labor force of 578,000 people. Approximately 410,000 more people found work; nearly 170,000 more people began searching and were unable to find work during the month. Eighteen months ago, the difference between the South Carolina unemployment rate and the nation’s was one and half percent, said Clemson economist Bruce Yandle. The gap is smaller today. Yandle said the state is in a stronger position than the nation as a whole partly because of its manufacturing strength. For the second consecutive month,
“(This) announcement marks the state’s lowest unemployment rate in nearly four years, as well as the second consecutive month that the unemployment rate has continued a steady decline.” DEW Executive Director Abraham J. Turner
UNEMPLOYMENT DATA FOR UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA Anderson Period
Civilian Unemployment labor force Employment Unemployment rate (%)
October 2012
81,445
74,966
6,479
8.0
September 2012
80,850
74,374
6,476
8.0
Greenville Period
Civilian Unemployment labor force Employment Unemployment rate (%)
October 2012
223,677
209,290
14,387
6.4
September 2012
221,506
206,962
14,544
6.6
Pickens Period
Civilian Unemployment labor force Employment Unemployment rate (%)
October 2012
57,821
53,524
4,297
7.4
September 2012
57,099
52,929
4,170
7.3
Spartanburg Period
Civilian Unemployment labor force Employment Unemployment rate (%)
October 2012
135,132
124,132
11,000
8.1
September 2012
134,674
123,504
11,170
8.3
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, SC Dept. of Employment and Workforce
the industry gaining the most jobs in the state was government (5,100 jobs, 1.49 percent), with continued increases in local and state education services. Other industries with added jobs were trade, transportation, and utilities (1,900 jobs, 0.54 percent); financial activities (1,300 jobs, 1.33 percent); education and health services (1,200 jobs, 0.53
percent); and construction (900 jobs, 1.2 percent). These job gains were due to growth in trade as the holidays approach, and more demand for private educational and specialty trade contractor services. Over the month, jobs were lost in the leisure and hospitality (-400 jobs, -0.19 percent) and information (-200, -0.74 percent)
sectors due to seasonal declines for accommodation and food services in the coastal areas and less demand for publishing and distribution of information. The mining and logging, manufacturing, and professional and business services sectors were unchanged over the month. Contact Charles Sowell at csowell@communityjournals.com.
Shop Local. It Matters. BehindTheCounterONLINE.com NOVEMBER 30, 2012 | Upstate business 17
UBJ professional: who’s who
michael, george. and chris stathakis, founding family of the epic curean
A family affair ▲
Stathakis clan teams up for new venture
By Leigh Savage | contributor
If there’s one thing the Stathakis family knows, it’s how to run a restaurant. George Stathakis, 65, learned from his father, and George’s sons, Michael and Chris, followed in their father’s footsteps. “We don’t know how to do anything else,” Michael said. While Michael has been busy running Stax Billy D’s in Spartanburg and Chris has been presiding over Stax Seafood Grill near Haywood Road, George has spent the last two years relaxing at his farm in Landrum and playing golf. (The Stathakis family sold their share of Stax Omega, Stax Bakery and the now-closed Stax Peppermill in 2010. 18 Upstate business | NOVEMBER 30, 2012
Stax Original at Cherrydale, which George opened in 1975, is now owned and operated by George’s brother, Frank Stathakis, and his family.)
silverware, real preserves, homemade bread, homemade desserts. We’ve added a great wine list and a large selection of beer. So it’s all-purpose and very family-friendly.
But those quiet days as a retiree are harder to come by now, as George is pitching in at The Epic Curean, the new restaurant owned by his sons. We caught up with George and Michael and talked about food, friends and the family business.
George: What I like is it brings our previous restaurants together. When you think of breakfast, you don’t usually think of a dinner restaurant, but we want to do a really nice breakfast, a great lunch, and an upscale dinner that gives the whole family a choice. One can have crusted grouper, one can have a po’ boy and another can have an omelet. There are a lot of options.
Tell us about the new restaurant. Michael: We wanted to bring back some old favorites, from the original Stax and some items from the Peppermill menus, along with some new stuff. I was a sous chef at Brennan’s Restaurant in New Orleans, so there is a touch of that. We have gorgeous
How did you come up with the name? Michael: The word epicurean is a Greek word for one who is a devotee of fine food and drink, after the Greek god Epicurus.
>>
UBJ professional: who’s who >>
I was reading one day and I saw the first four letters of that word, “epic,” which is another Greek word meaning very impressive. I thought I would make a play on words.
learned that from my father, and then again from a conversation 30 years ago with the owner of the Windows on the World restaurant (in New York City). I never forgot it.
George, how do you feel
Michael: Respect is earned. I learned that from my dad. Also, he related the restaurant business to me this way: Every time we open the door, it’s like putting on a theater production. The curtain opens when the door unlocks. It takes everyone working together, wanting to make everything right, and offering consistency – consistent quality, consistent service.
about your sons following in your footsteps in the Upstate restaurant scene? What did you try to teach them?
George: It’s very gratifying. I wish their grandfather was around to enjoy it as well. It goes back to my family’s beginnings, to the late 1930s. The No. 1 thing is they have the personality. That’s not just with customers but with employees. They know what it’s like to be the dishwasher or cook and they appreciate the people who work those positions. Plus, they are both excellent cooks. They know that when you make
a dish, it needs that extra bit of flavor. They know more about that than their old man does.
Were you glad to come out
of retirement to pitch in?
“We’ve seen people coming in we’ve known for 20 years, and it’s like a day hasn’t gone by. We’re excited to reestablish ourselves in Greenville as a family unit.” – Michael Stathakis
George: My sons are quite capable, but I was very pleased when they asked me to get involved. They’ve worked with me in the past, but we’ve never opened a restaurant together. My original plan was to be retired, but this has become a source of enjoyment. I started a new life in Landrum, with horses and a farm, and now I can enjoy that but also enjoy the business aspect that I frankly missed.
Michael, what did you
learn from your father over the years?
Michael: He’s the world’s greatest mentor. I couldn’t ask for a better teacher and father. He instilled in me a good work ethic and a sense of community. I’ve been involved with many charities, and I got that from him. Plus being a people person, caring about your customers, caring about your employees and believing in what you do.
What is the best advice you’ve received? George: Pay attention to details. Every day in business, you’ll have 5,000 problems. The more of those problems you tackle, the more successful you’ll become. I
How have people been responding since you opened as The Epic Curean in October? George: It’s been very rewarding. I didn’t realize how many friends I had! People have written me, people I haven’t seen since back in the 1960s. Michael: It’s a great location, on Woodruff Road but not too far down, and now we can cater from there, including catering breakfast. So we have a whole new segment to offer to businesses. But we’ve seen people coming in we’ve known for 20 years, and it’s like a day hasn’t gone by. We’re excited to reestablish ourselves in Greenville as a family unit. Contact Leigh Savage at lsavage@communityjournals.com.
NOVEMBER 30, 2012 | Upstate business 19
UBJ digital maven
Video calling:
Do you ooVoo? A friend and former colleague is a sales manager for a regional marketing firm. Managing a sales force of seven spread out across the Southeast presents many management challenges – some of which technology can address, By Laura Haight and some it can’t. Working with telecommuting employees or a mobile workforce provides many opportunities, but it can be a management challenge. How can you supervise the work of people you rarely see? How can you efficiently share information when you don’t have your team in one place? How do you overcome the barriers to personal relationships that technology can sometimes throw down? Team meetings are one way that a group comes together. But phone calls just don’t cut it. People need to see each other to develop some sense of who they are. And from a management perspective, being able to see people when you are meeting makes a big difference in your perception – and theirs. Equipping, supporting and managing remote employees require the right tools, a commitment to communication and an open mind. But a major part of that is the difference between hearing someone’s voice and seeing his face. I work with many clients and affiliates who are outside this area and am frequently on remote meetings. When I am on an audio call, I have a tendency to multitask: answer a quick email, review my calendar, check my daily to-do list. But not if I am on a video call. Then my attention is riveted to the screen and to the speaker. I tend to take more notes, ask more questions, and participate more. As a manager at a Fortune 500 company, I had two key staffers who telecommuted. One was in Phoenix, one was Indianapolis. Had we had such accessible video technology at the time, I know our working relationships would have been better and our team would have felt more connected. So when my friend asked for recommendations on the best ways to conduct remote team meetings, it got me thinking about what remote teams need and what services best provide them. As is often the case in technology, no one service has all the tools. Remote meetings for teams need five things: • Clear group video and audio • Screen sharing • File transfer • Call recording • Mobile applications 20 Upstate business | NOVEMBER 30, 2012
Add-ons that can be useful include speaker indicators so the video of the speaker comes to the forefront or is highlighted in some manner. In large group calls, it’s helpful to see clearly who is speaking. Also useful is the ability to add someone who is just on the phone and doesn’t want to use a video camera (such as someone driving or in a low-service area) to a video call. The list: Skype: Like Google, this stalwart has become both a proper name, a noun and a verb. (Planning to Skype with your mom this weekend?) But they did pioneer the service that other companies are now jumping on – and in some cases improving. For group video, you need to have a premium account at a cost of $10 per month or $5 per month for a 12-month commitment that includes screen sharing and file transfer. Third-party apps can add in the ability to record calls, and Skype has mobile applications for iOS, Android and Windows phones. Skype has a new tool called Manager for Business that lets you manage your staff’s Skype profiles, assign capabilities and services and monitor their use. ooVoo: I just like saying the name, but it’s also a full-featured tool for group video. On a PC you can have up to 12 video streams (six on a Mac) for free. But if you want to layer in the screen sharing, call recording and file transfer, you will need a premium account for $30 per year. ooVoo has a mobile app for iOS and Android phones and tablets. A few extras include the ability (even in the free account) to create your own video chat room and then embed a widget on your Web page, Facebook fan page or any other source. If you
are a customer service organization or want to create an immediate connection between a client and sales, the ability to click on a link and go right into video chat with them may be a nice offering. Google+ Hangouts: I admit to being one of a large number of people who don’t quite get Google+. But Hangouts are a cool feature once you and your attendees figure out how to get them started and to join. This was surprisingly unintuitive, and a group of pretty smart and savvy people had trouble joining the first time. Hangouts are free and can have a capability of having 12 people online. You and those you want to hang out with must have a Google+ account and you must be in each others’ circles. Screen sharing and file transfer are available tools and there are hacks and other tools to enable call recording. A key to any video meeting, regardless of the service, is to make sure you are on a strong network. All the bells and whistles in the world will not make up for poor bandwidth, distorted images or freezing video. Your time needs to be spent working, not making your meeting work. Maybe you use other tools – I am sure there are plenty out there. I’d love to know what they are. Leave a comment on Facebook/thedigitalmaven or email me at laura@portfoliosc.com. And look for this week’s question on Facebook: Are you a consumer or a creator? Laura Haight is the president of Portfolio (www.portfoliosc.com), a communications company based in Greenville. She is a former IT executive, journalist and newspaper editor.
UBJ commercial development NC burger chain opens Brewery first SC franchise One of Charlotte’s favorite burger joints, Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar, will land on Woodruff Road in the near future. Plans call for a 3,500-squarefoot restaurant and a 600-square-foot patio that will comfortably seat 170 diners. The eatery’s first franchise location is the ultimate result of two years of work positioning the restaurant for expansion through franchises. Frank Scibelli and Dennis Thompson, the Charlotte founders, say construction is to begin this month. The franchise owner is CPR Burgers, a group made up of Charlotte cardiologist Richard Miller and partners Curtis Rowan and O.P. Ponce. The Bad Daddy’s in Greenville will be in
85 ends search for new site
Magnolia Park on Woodruff Road, close to Interstate 85. It is expected to open in summer 2013. In addition to the first franchise location, Bad Daddy’s will open two Research Triangle stores early next year. Those restaurants are company-owned, but a company spokesperson says plans for more franchised locations are already in the works. Company officials say Bad Daddy’s decor “finds the perfect balance between industrial and comfortable.”
dealmakers
Langston-Black Real Estate Inc. represented Camp Cole Family Trust in the purchase of a 6,500-square-foot building at 119 N. Main St., Greenville. The seller, Llyn Strong, signed a three-year leaseback on the first-floor space, where she will continue running Llyn Strong Jewelry.
After a more than sixmonth search, Brewery 85 has purchased nearly seven acres of land to construct a new 10,000-15,000-squarefoot craft brewery in the Upstate. The brewery is keeping mum on the location in order to reveal it later to fans through a social media contest, “The Hunt for Brewery 85.” Helmed by Will McCameron and Jeremy Caldwell, both home brewers and formally trained brewers, the facility is slated to
produce Southern Pale Ale, Yeoman’s Brown Ale, (864) Weizen and Great Danish Ale. According to McCameron, design work for the facility that will emulate a West Coast brewery, “clean, streamlined, wide-open and easy on the eyes,” is going on now. McCameron says he hopes to be brewing by fall 2013, just in time for Oktoberfest. For more information, visit www. brewery85.com.
The building had been listed for more than two years, said Philip Whisnant, the agent who represented the Cole family. The original listing agent was Lil Glenn. The sale process took about three to four months once the family was willing to buy both the business space and the approximately 4,000-square-foot living space above. Charles and Paola Cole of Los Angeles chose the building as a residence in order to be closer to family who live in the region. There are currently no specific plans for the building when Strong’s lease ends.
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UBJ
SC feels effects of truck driver shortage Country could lack 250,000 drivers in 10 years South Carolina falls in line with the rest of the nation when it comes to a shortage of commercial truck drivers on both local routes and over-the-road routes, experts said. Currently, the country faces a shortage of about 25,000 commercial truckers, said Rick Todd, president and CEO of the South Carolina Trucking Association. In 10 years, that shortage could be as high as 250,000 drivers. The longdistance hauling sector faces the most difficulty in finding drivers. “Carriers and fleet executives have begun expressing concern about their ability to identify and hire qualified professional drivers,” Bob Costello, chief economist with the American Trucking Associations, said in a recent industry report. Brian Chambers, department head of Greenville Technical College’s truck driving program, said, “Companies that used to attract experienced drivers from other companies are begging for drivers. They’re recruiting entry-level drivers from us.” That’s a change from four years ago when the economy tanked and recruiters weren’t calling at Greenville Tech or anywhere else, he said. Industry problems include a retiring Baby Boomer generation of drivers, company owners who are uncertain about the future economy, and increasing costs, Todd said. They’re also concerned about increasing regulations the
Greenville Tech student John Sloan operates one of the school’s tractor-trailers at the Donaldson Center driving range.
22 Upstate business | NOVEMBER 30, 2012
Photos by Greg Beckner
By Jenny Munro | contributor
Greenville Tech truck driving instructor Donnie Duncan, left, helps student Aaron McAlister with his pre-trip inspection.
industry is facing. The lifestyle of OTR drivers can also make them hard to recruit. The economy “has picked up a little bit and freight has picked up,” he said. “There is an increasing difficulty in finding qualified drivers,” a difficulty faced by all skilled professions. Even more drivers will be needed as companies gain the confidence to expand, buy new equipment and hire new employees, he said. Currently, private fleets and less-thantruckload carriers may have some difficulty hiring drivers, but the bulk of the shortage was confined to long-haul, over-the-road truckload carriers, Costello said. “On average, trucking will need to recruit nearly 100,000 new drivers every year to keep up with demand for drivers, with nearly two-thirds of the need coming from industry growth and retirements.” Trucking jobs don’t require a college degree and pay good money, with average salaries ranging from the mid-$40,000s to the mid-$50,000s, Todd said. And drivers who do everything right can draw in the $70,000 to $80,000 range. While the training to become a truck driver is not that difficult, it can be hard to qualify because applicants must be drug-free, physically able to handle the job, be willing to adapt to the lifestyle and have good personal character. Also,
generally drivers must be 21 to drive across state lines and have two years of experience to be covered by insurance, he said. Enrollment for Greenville Tech’s spring truck driver courses is still open, Chambers said. The courses begin in January, with the day classes lasting for nine weeks and the evening for 15 weeks. Tuition for Greenville County students is $2,009 while out-of-county students pay $2,165 and out-of-state students pay $3,965. In-state students can apply for up to $1,140 in lottery scholarship funds. Also, many companies will reimburse students for their tuition costs. Applications are accepted on Mondays at the college’s truck driving facility at SC TAC. “We give students a concrete foundation to build on,” Chambers said. “We teach fundamentals, principles and techniques of driving.” “There are jobs out there” and students can tap into them from on-campus presentations, recruiters and magazines that list job openings, he said. “I’ve never had a student who completed the course who couldn’t get a job. It might not immediately be the job they wanted, but it was a job.” Contact Jenny Munro at jmunro@communityjournals.com.
UBJ on the move
hired
hired
certified
honored
honored
Ashley Rudisill Forbes
Kyle Driggs
John Adair
Dr. Bryce Nelson
Joe M. Barron, PE
Recently joined the Turner Padget Law Firm. She will concentrate her practice in the area of workers’ compensation. After obtaining a B.A. from Duke University, she received her Juris Doctor from Wake Forest University School of Law where she served as managing editor of the Journal of Business and Intellectual Property Law.
Recently joined South Carolina Bank and Trust (SCBT) as branch manager and assistant vice president. He has more than eight years of experience in banking and was previously a branch manager of a bank in Greer.
Technology consultant with TSAChoice, Inc.; recently earned a sales certification through TSAChoice’s business partner, Mitel. With Adair’s certification, all of TSAChoice’s VoIP sales team, voice engineers, and customer service department have now earned the 2013 Mitel Sales Professional certification.
Medical director of pediatric endocrinology at Greenville Hospital System Children’s Hospital; recently named the 2012 Pediatrician of the Year. This is an annual peernominated award for dedication to patient care and excellence. Nelson was recognized for his commitment to his patients and for being a strong leader, teacher and researcher.
Engineer for CCAD Engineering of Greenville; along with the South Carolina Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers, has won the ASCE’s national History and Heritage Citation for 2012. The award is for Barron’s presentation made at the S.C. Section meeting in Columbia last year on the history of civil engineering in South Carolina.
ACCOUNTING
• SuggsJohnson LLC, a CPA and business consulting firm based in Anderson, recently added Carey Scott as senior manager on the rapidly growing firm’s tax team. Scott joins the firm after more than a decade of experience with Ernst & Young’s Atlanta and Greenville offices, where he developed significant expertise working on tax issues impacting owners, developers and operators of commercial, residential and industrial real estate.
INSURANCE
• Herlong Bates Burnett recently hired Merritt Willimon as the life & health manager and Danielle White as the commercial account manager.
LAW
• The American Bar Association and the Environmental Protection Agency recently named Wyche PA an official Climate Challenge
Partner, which is a distinction given to law firms that have taken steps to become better environmental and energy stewards.
MANUFACTURING
• T&S Brass, a manufacturer of plumbing and foodservice equipment, recently received a New Product Innovation Award from the American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE) for the company’s EC-3122-HG abovedeck electronic sensor faucet with hydrogenerator. The EC-3122 is the newest above-deck electronic sensor faucet model in T&S’s ChekPoint sensor faucet line.
SPORTS
• The Greenville Drive recently announced the appointment of Kyle Krebs as the vice president of ticket sales, Eric Anastasi as facilities manager, Cameron White as media relations manager, and Levi Palmer as manager of ticket operations. Krebs joins the Drive after spending
the past three seasons as a senior sales executive with the Lexington Legends, the South Atlantic League affiliate of the Houston Astros. Anastasi joins the organization after graduating from Curry College in 2012 with a degree in management with a concentration on sports management. White joins the Drive full-time after spending the past two summers as an intern in the team’s media relations department. Palmer comes to the Drive organization after spending three and a half years with the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL in the Premium Services Ticket Operations department.
TECHNOLOGY
• South Carolina Technology and Aviation Center (SCTAC) recently hired Rachel Croft and Samantha Warren as public relations representatives. Croft and Warren are both juniors in communication studies at Clemson University. Croft has held internships with the South Carolina Military Museum and Mad Monkey Productions. Warren has served as a campus representative for College Book Renter, welcome leader for Clemson University and sailing instructor with YMCA.
movers and shakers
• The South Carolina College All-Star Bowl recently hired Jodie Abbinante as its director of sales and marketing. Abbinante has worked with the Arena Football League’s Cincinnati Jungle Kats, and most recently as director of sales for the Hampton Inn at the Greenville Airport.
If you have new hires, promotions, award-winners, or any stand-out employees that you would like to feature in On The Move... just send us the information & a photo.
onthemove@ upstatebusinessjournal.com
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PLANNER Thursday November
30
International Center of the Upstate, 2nd Annual Winter Glühwein Party (German Holiday Party) Riverwood Farm Clubhouse, 74 Reddington Drive, Greer; 6:30-10 p.m. $20 for members, $25 for non-members.
UBJ social
3
Monday December
CEO Best Practice Forum NEXT Innovation Center, noon-1:30 p.m. Invitation only for NEXT member CEOs. Contact Brenda Laakso at blaakso@nextupstatesc.org.
4
Tuesday December
Spartanburg Healthcare Network Meeting Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce, 105 North Pine St., Spartanburg; 10:30 a.m.-noon. Speaker: Dr. Charles Fogarty, MD, principal investigator, Spartanburg Medical Research. Must be members of the Spartanburg Chamber and a healthcare provider. No charge to attend. Contact Meric Gambel at mgambel@ spartanburgchamber.com or 864-594-5030.
5
Wednesday December
PULSE December Social-Annual Report to Members Hilton Greenville, 45 W. Orchard Park Drive, Greenville; 5-8:30 p.m. Speaker: Former U.S. Secretary of Education and Governor of South Carolina Richard “Dick” Riley. Cocktails and light hors d’oeuvres served. Free admission & only open to PULSE members. 6th Annual MBE Summit Greenville Marriott, One Parkway East, Greenville; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tickets: MBE: $50, Corporate: $75. Register at carolinasmsdc.org.
Chamber of Commerce November Business After and hosted by Atchison
6
Spartanburg Young Professionals – First Thursdays Brickhouse Pizza, 103 Daniel Morgan Ave., Spartanburg; 5:30-7 p.m. Open to Spartanburg Young Professionals and guests. Contact spartanburgyoungprofressionals@ gmail.com. Optimize Your SEO Clemson at the Falls, 55 East Camperdown Way, Greenville; 9-11 a.m. In partnership with Engenius Web Development. Discusses what search engine optimization really means. Open to the public. Cost: $29. Contact Leslie Armstong at armstr3@clemson. edu or 864-370-1545. Friday December
The Spartanburg Area
Hours event was presented
FemCity Greenville Holiday Social Event Denim Salon at Beija-Flor, 1803 Augusta St., Greenville, 4:30-7:30 p.m Cost: $20 for members, $40 for non-members. Members can also bring a friend for free. Register at www.femfessionals.com/FemCities/Greenville/ Calendar.htm. Thursday December
SPARTANBURG AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUSINESS AFTER HOURS:
Transport. The event featured catering by Kerri Bell of Simply Celebrate Catering and prizes from Wasabi Spartanburg and BMW. Co-sponsorship was by ServiceMaster Clean, Spartanburg; Pro-Source, Spartanburg; Wolff Industries Inc.; and Pivotal IT.
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First Friday Leadership Series Clemson at the Falls, 55 East Camperdown Way, Greenville; 5:30-7 p.m. Speaker Pete Selleck, chairman and president of Michelin North America. Free and open to the public. Contact Pris Foster at priscif@clemson.edu or 864-656-5802. Launch Pad competition Clemson at the Falls, 55 East Camperdown Way, Greenville; 2-4 p.m. More information at www.clemson.edu/centers-institutes/spiro/ launchpadsc/index.html
Submit your event: events@upstatebusinessjournal.com
Photos provided
UBJ social
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Greenville FURMAN BUSINESS BREAKFAST:
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Building upon the success of the Atlanta Furman Business Breakfast, Furman alumni recently launched Greenville’s own Business Breakfast series at the Upcountry History Museum. This series will bring together members of the Furman and Greenville business communities for informative panels and speakers as well as fellowship and networking. At the first breakfast held earlier this month, Greenville’s city manager, John Castile (class of 1989), discussed “What’s Next? Charting Greenville’s Future.” Some of the Furman alumni attending the first Greenville Furman Buisness Breakfast were:
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1) Ryan Clark; 2) Doug Webb, left, and Ron McKinney; 3) Kathy McKinney; 4) Leo Fackler and Nick Reinhardt; 5) Courtney Warren, left, and Blair Zeimetz; 6) Blair Biggerstaff, left; 7) Clair Bray, left, and Will Moorhead, center; 8) Blaine Hart and Myada El-Sawi; 9) Gary Tompkins, left, and John Barker; and 10) Matt Alexander, left, and Millard Williamson.
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UBJ snapshot how it was
Cancellation Shoe Mart was in the building that Soby’s now occupies when David Williams and Carl Sobocinski purchased the space in 1997. This spot on Main Street has also been a liquor store, a cotton warehouse and a furniture store. Soby’s opened on Nov. 7, 1997, and the space has gone through many renovations over the past 15 years. Today Soby’s still stands and is owned by Carl Sobocinski.
how it is
Upstate
Business J OURN A L
HOW TO REACH US 148 River Street., Suite 120 Greenville, SC 29601, 864.679.1200 Copyright @2012 BY COMMUNITY JOURNALS LLC. All rights reserved. Upstate Business Journal (Vol. 1, No. 4) 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. Visit www.UpstateBusinessJournal.com. Postmaster: Send address changes to Upstate Business, 148 River St., Ste 120, Greenville, SC 29601. Printed in the USA.
26 Upstate business | NOVEMBER 30, 2012
PRESIDENT/Publisher Mark B. Johnston mjohnston@communityjournals.com Senior Vice President Alan P. Martin amartin@communityjournals.com UBJ Associate Publisher Ryan L. Johnston rjohnston@communityjournals.com eXECUTIVE Editor Susan Clary Simmons ssimmons@communityjournals.com Assistant editor Jerry Salley jsalley@communityjournals.com
Marketing Representatives Lori Burney | Mary Beth Culbertson Kristi Jennings | Donna Johnston Pam Putman
MarketinG Katherine Elrod Marketing & EVENTS Kate Banner Billing Shannon Rochester PrODUCTION Holly Hardin
staff writers Cindy Landrum | April A. Morris Charles Sowell
Client Services ManagerS Anita Harley | Jane Rogers
SENIOR BUSINESS writer Dick Hughes
ADVERTISING DESIGN Michael Allen | Caroline Reinhardt
contributing writerS Jenny Munro | Jennifer Oladipo Jeanne Putnam | Leigh Savage
BUSINESS STORY IDEAS ideas@upstatebusinessjournal.com
EDITORIAL INTERN Shelby Livingston Design LEAD Kristy M. Adair photographer Greg Beckner photo EDITOR Gerry Pate
NOTICE OF BUSINESS/SOCIAL EVENTS events@upstatebusinessjournal.com IDEAS, FEEDBACK, OPINIONS opinions@upstatebusinessjournal.com
UBJ the takeaway
Business for breakfast
EVENT: Inaugural Greenville
5. Establishing an Infrastructure for Future Growth: “If you build it, they will come.”
Furman Business Breakfast
WHO WAS THERE: A sold-out audience of 100 Furman alumni and friends
“No one wants to cut a ribbon on a waste or sewer line but those kinds of things are important to support future growth.” ICAR is a perfect example as the next “hot residential site.” “We must provide the infrastructure necessary to support anticipated future growth.”
SPEAKER: Greenville City Manager John Castile
TOPIC: “What’s Next? Charting Greenville’s Future”
Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day, but when you use it to network with Furman alumni and established business leaders – Mom would be more than proud. Which is why Furman’s Alumni Association and a team of volunteers were excited to launch the inaugural Greenville Furman Business Breakfast on Nov. 16. The first event, at the Upcountry History Museum in downtown Greenville, featured a keynote address by Greenville City Manager John Castile, a member of the Furman class of ’89. Castile’s speech focused on the future of the City of Greenville. Throughout his remarks, the city manager emphasized seven key focus areas outlined below that Greenville must carefully examine to find success in the coming years.
1. Population: Embracing Diversity Greenville’s population is growing extremely rapidly, and changing just as fast. The influx of international businesses is just one example of population change. “We must respond to this growth with more diverse special events, with more opportunities for people who are different.”
2. Housing: “Stepping stones for everyone.” “There must be room for everyone. The City of Greenville is
6. Constant Strategic Planning “Max Heller’s strategic vision set the stage for Greenville becoming the destination it is today. You can’t help but think about what we have created. ‘Downtown’ is where everyone goes – that is real sense of place. But someone must be coming up with the next great idea, take risks, and share their wealth with others.”
7. Educating and Retaining Talented Work Force
keynote speaker john castile, greenville’s city manager
often looking to see where we can put workforce housing to blend in to a point where everyone has an opportunity. Stepping stones for everyone must exist.”
3. Protecting Quality of Life “We want you to have the best quality of life possible when not at your jobs. We want to become a walkable community with trail spurs from the Swamp Rabbit linking to communities and establishing connectivity. We want our kids to be safe and we want our
downtown to be well protected.”
4. Incubating Businesses: “We want Greenville to be the place of choice for businesses.” “Walter Davis [Co-CEO of Certus Bank] chose Greenville because he wanted to do for Greenville what the banking industry did for Charlotte. If strong businesses are part of the community, they want to make it the best community possible. We want to support and incubate the next big thing.”
Numerous higher education centers are partnering with the City of Greenville for medical schools, graduate programs, and more, including Greenville Tech’s next wave of industrial light manufacturing that will be working closely with the private sector to change the industry. “You must show everyone working for you that they are part of it all; show them they are part of the bigger picture.” The next installment of the Greenville Furman Business Breakfast will take place on March 8 and focus on the topic of Greenville’s new medical school. Updates and registration opportunities will be available online, via alumni.furman.edu. – Kate Hoffler Dobbs (Furman ’09)
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UBJ
Less than an inch. The difference between off and on. For you, there is no in-between. Just today’s deals and deadlines. Clients to email and copies to make. You don’t think about all that goes on behind that switch. Because we do.