Dec. 2, 2016 UBJ by Community Journals

DECEMBER 2, 2016 | VOL. 5 ISSUE 49

THE RETURN OF

HAYWOOD ROAD

ONE OF GREENVILLEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SIGNATURE COMMERCIAL STRIPS GETS A MUCH-NEEDED REBOOT

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TOP-OF-MIND AND IN THE MIX THIS WEEK

| THE RUNDOWN | 3

VOLUME 5, ISSUE 49 Featured this issue: Will 55 Camperdown project be relocated? ..................................................................4 QuikTrip plans move forward in Greenville’s West End .......................................12 Overtime rule injunction: What you need to know ...............................................20

AVX Corp., a global manufacturer of tantalum capacitors with headquarters in Fountain Inn, is eyeing potential acquisition targets in the electronics industry. The company currently has no debt and $1.1 billion in cash, cash equivalents or short-term securities. Read more on page 8. Photo by Will Crooks

WORTH REPEATING “If we wanted to buy [Kemet], we would have bought it by now. We’re not interested.” Page 8

“If you’re charging $10 for a plate of fried pasta … I mean, come on.” Page 9

“The redeveloped areas have sidewalks. Right now, they’re sidewalks to nowhere.” Page 13

VERBATIM

On a record Black Friday “Black Friday may have just dethroned Cyber Monday's position as the largest online shopping day of the year.” Tamara Gaffney, principal analyst and director of Adobe Digital Insights, on the online sales record — $3.34 billion — set the Friday after Thanksgiving.

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12.2.2016

of The Kessler Enterprise Inc., couldn’t be reached for comment. The boutique hotelier plans to open the Grand Bohemian on the banks of the Reedy River in the spot the Wyche firm is located.

“THE JEWEL OF GREENVILLE”

Mayor White calls the site of the proposed 55 E. Camperdown Way project “a tight spot.”

City, others involved in effort to relocate the controversial 55 Camperdown project DAVID DYKES | STAFF

ddykes@communityjournals.com

aying Falls Park is

“sacred ground,” Greenville Mayor Knox White indicated efforts are underway to relocate a planned development near the historic Main Street bridge and the Reedy River Falls. The project at 55 E. Camperdown Way would include a new building for office and retail development, but it has generated such concern that the Southern Environmental Law Center, working with the Carolina Foothills Garden Club, opposes it. White said there has been “a lot of activity behind the scenes” in recent weeks as development projects start to take shape along the river and the park area. “Any development around the park would have to be done with the greatest of care,” White said. “All the parties involved have understood that, I’m glad to say.” In the last few weeks, attention has shifted “to finding a way for the building [at 55 E. Camperdown Way ] to be relocated, and the city has expressed interest in purchasing that property that was in question on that site,” the mayor said. No agreements have been reached, he said.

“We are not there yet in terms of discussions with the developer and other people involved, but I think the attitudes are right,” White said.

“A TIGHT SPOT” The property involved is a sliver of land near Reedy River Falls and the historic Main Street bridge. “It’s a tight spot,” White said. “That’s one of the difficulties here. There’s an element of sort of forcing a building into a very tight spot.” The city owns property along the river, “but somewhat surprisingly for everyone we discovered we did not own as much along the river as we thought we did,” White said. “It’s been troubling to us for some time” that the sliver of land isn’t part of the park property, he said. City officials have discouraged two hotel projects there in the last couple of years, White added. A larger mixed-use development — known as Camperdown, at The Greenville News site — is proceeding just up the street, and city officials envision that project, along with 55 E. Camperdown Way, as part of a proposed East Gateway District. Brody Glenn, president of Centennial American Properties and developer of both projects, couldn’t be

reached for comment. The Wyche P.A. law firm, which is selling its building above the falls to a boutique hotel developer, the Kessler Collection, had contemplated moving to 55 E. Camperdown Way and has been part of the ongoing development discussions. “Wyche was approached about the location initially proposed for Centennial, and evaluated it along with a variety of other options,” said Maurie Lawrence, chair of Wyche’s executive committee. “Wyche made the decision to rule out the location proposed for Centennial as an option for its future home. The firm is continuing to assess the other options it has been considering, and is committed to choosing a location that aligns with Wyche’s legacy of visionary leadership in our community.” White said he didn’t believe opposition to 55 E. Camperdown Way would affect plans for Kessler’s planned Grand Bohemian hotel at the Wyche site. “We’ve been in touch with them,” White said. “The only thing that really bears on this will be — we’ve told them this — that obviously just as in this case sensitivity to the river is important, and that raises issues like setbacks from the river that they’ll have to be attentive to as well.” Richard Kessler, chairman and CEO

Meanwhile, the Southern Environmental Law Center, working with the Carolina Foothills Garden Club, has opposed the building proposed at 55 E. Camperdown Way. “Today, the signature of Greenville and the symbol of our civic spirit is in view from the pedestrian bridge of the falls and the historic Main Street bridge,” Frank Holleman, senior attorney for the SELC, said in a letter to city officials. “Indeed, this area is the site where Greenville was first founded,” he wrote to City Manager John Castile and City Attorney Michael Pitts. “This is a public asset of immeasurable importance. It is also an environmental and water resource that is fragile and that requires constant attention and serious protection to preserve it both in the near term and for future generations. This is much too valuable a resource to treat routinely or to lose.” The proposed building, Holleman wrote, “will despoil this resource in an irreparable way.” The garden club in large part is responsible for the park and the bridge at Reedy River Falls that Holleman called “the jewel of Greenville and in many ways the most valuable physical asset the city has.” “This is the accomplishment that our city leaders, our community leaders and our economic development officials cite as the embodiment of what makes Greenville special,” Holleman wrote. “And this is what our visitors, our neighbors and our citizens cherish about downtown Greenville and the civic spirit of our community.”

OPPOSITION AND APPROVAL The city’s Design Review Board has approved with conditions a certificate of appropriateness for a revised project at 55 E. Camperdown Way The board granted approval to Wakefield Beasley and Associates for a four-story mixed-use building on property bounded by the Main Street bridge, Japanese Dogwood Lane, the Reedy River and the Bowater parking garage.

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| REDEVELOPMENT | 5

“Falls Park is ‘sacred ground.’ All are working to relocate the building and preserve the green along the river.” Greenville Mayor Knox White, via Twitter

The DRB approved the certificate of appropriateness with conditions that developer Centennial American Properties submit final site design for final approval; the project comply with city stormwater requirements; public easement to the river is provided; and a balcony be incorporated into the southwest corner of the building at its Main Street level. The 55 E. Camperdown Way project sparked controversy when it was first proposed. Opponents of the original plan said the building was too big for the site and were concerned about its impact on the river. The new plan modifies the building footprint to provide a more open pedestrian access to the river and scales back a planned ground-level restaurant space. The facade was moved further

from the bridge and angled to open views of the river. The ground-level facades were changed to include more glass, and at least portions of all three arches of the bridge will be visible to pedestrians on the trail by the river and likely from the Liberty Bridge. Evergreen trees now obscure the third arch. The first level of the office tower will have the same elevation as the sidewalk on the Main Street bridge. “Overall, the massing of the building, the revised building footprint and the revised building elevations appear to meet the applicable design standards,” city staff members said in their recommendation. “The design is an improvement from the original proposal.” A dozen people spoke against the proposal at a recent DRB meeting, while

Opponents believe the new building (outlined in red above) will spoil the view from the Main Street Bridge. one supported it. Most of the opponents expressed concern about how the building would affect Falls Park and the river, a key component in the revitalization of downtown. The DRB approved the certificate of appropriateness with a 4-1 vote with Mitch Lehde voting against. In his letter, dated Nov. 11, Holleman said the City Council “wisely put in place” a buffer requirement for the Reedy River. It requires a 50-foot buffer along the river and bars construction of the proposed building or any other within that buffer, Holleman said. The city should deny any request by the developer to get the project ap-

proved under an exception to the buffer rule, he said. “This building will encroach upon the riparian buffer of the Reedy River,” Holleman said. “The Reedy River has been and is one of the most abused rivers in South Carolina. Greenville has received deserved praise for its attempt to reclaim the Reedy, to restore it and to make it a central asset of the city.” The city, he said, risks losing its reputation “for wise decisions that respect our natural resources and risks instead making decisions that will cause its citizens and its visitors to question the judgment and wisdom of our city leadership.”

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6 | ENTREPRENEURSHIP |

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12.2.2016

New co-work space opens in the West End ANDREW MOORE | STAFF

amoore@communityjournals.com Bandwagon founder Harold

Photo by Will Crooks Ben Moore, left, and Harold Hughes, right, founders of The Collective at Society Hall

Hughes and Ben Moore, founder of tForm and Parametric, have spent the last year growing their businesses from scratch and learning the ins and outs of entrepreneurship. But now they’re helping others do the same. The two entrepreneurs have partnered and opened a co-working space to promote collaboration among startups and freelancers. The space, which is called The Collective at Society Hall, is located at 504 Rhett St. in the West End. “We want to be part of the next wave of entrepreneurs. Part of that is building companies. So we’re providing that collaborative environment where entrepreneurs and creatives can help each other and also create a community,” Hughes said. “We want Greenville’s companies homegrown, and we want driven people together.” The Collective offers members about 2,000 square feet of mixed-used space,

including 19 workspaces for individuals and companies, two meeting rooms with video and phone conference capabilities and a common space for special events. The rustic industrial-style space also includes bike storage, a kitchen and a fitness center with a treadmill, stationary bike, free weights and locker rooms. Members and regular guests can lease parking spaces throughout the West End. The space also offers several membership plans, which range from $375 month-to-month plans to $300 yearly plans. Nonmembers can purchase a $20 pass that allows them to use the space from 7 a.m.–8 p.m. for one day. The space is open from 5 a.m. to midnight for members. “We’re urging a lot of people to buy our yearly plans, because we want them here more often. We want them to feel like they’re missing something if they’re not here regularly,” said Moore. “We’re creating an inclusive, collaborative environment that could really boost entrepreneurship in Greenville.”

Photo by Will Crooks The co-work space includes 19 workspaces, two meeting rooms and a common area.

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The Collective is rooted in entrepreneurship. Last year, Hughes and Moore became friends through the Founder Institute, which helps entrepreneurs further develop their business plans. After graduating, Hughes launched Bandwagon, an online marketplace for sports tickets, and Moore launched tForm, a company that produces thermoformed packaging. In June, Hughes and Moore attended an entrepreneurship conference and discussed their growing pains. Moore was about to launch his second business, Parametric, and Hughes’ Bandwagon team had grown to eight people. Both needed more office space to accommodate their growth. In August, Hughes and Moore began searching for a space where they could collaborate with one another and other entrepreneurs. They found Society Hall, a newly renovated building that also houses advertising agency Up&Up and commercial real estate investment group RealOp. The duo signed their lease in October. “Society Hall has put us on the opposite end of other co-work spaces in downtown, which is a real advantage,” Hughes said. “I’d say we’re on the rising tide of the co-working trend.” There are about five co-working spaces in or around downtown Greenville. That includes The Wheelhouse and Textile Hall, which just opened this year. The Collective is the only co-working space in the West End. That fact has garnered the space a lot

of interest so far, according to Hughes. Since opening in November, the space has gained nine members from various industries, including graphic design and technology. “It’s been great for me, because I was working from home before. Harold and Ben have really created a community here. They even let us help name the space,” said Alex LaCasse of MTN LLC, a Greenville-based video production company. “It’s just been really impressive.” Hughes and Moore have big plans for The Collective. The duo is currently hosting free community events on the second floor of Society Hall. The monthly events are open to the public and geared towards startups. For example, Greenville technical innovation leader Wes Johnson recently discussed starting a successful on-demand service startup within Michelin. Future speakers include MapQuest founder Barry Glick and others. In addition, Hughes and Moore are weighing their options as their space continues to fill up. “We may have to occupy some open spaces throughout town, but we’re not looking outside Greenville,” Hughes said. “We’re too focused on creating the city’s first Fortune 500 Company right now.” The Collective is now offering tours and allowing interested companies and freelancers to use the space for free every Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through January. For more information, visit thesocietyhall.com.

| ENTREPRENEURSHIP | 7

8 | MANUFACTURING |

Fountain Inn’s AVX is searching for companies to buy RUDOLPH BELL | CONTRIBUTOR

rbell@communityjournals.com

Kurt Cummings, AVX’s chief financial officer

AVX Corp., a global manufacturer of electronic components with headquarters in Fountain Inn, is sitting on top of a billion dollars and searching the world over for companies to buy. There’s one place it’s not looking, however, and that’s 5 miles north along Interstate 385, to the Simpsonville headquarters of one of its competitors, Kemet Corp. Kurt Cummings, AVX’s chief financial officer, said AVX and Kemet are the world’s top two manufacturers of

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INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

tantalum capacitors, electronic components that go in virtually everything with a circuit board. Trying to combine the two companies would likely raise anti-trust issues, he said. “If we wanted to buy [Kemet], we would have bought it by now,” Cummings told UBJ. “We’re not interested.” What AVX is interested in, he said, is growing by acquisition, and it’s eyeing potential acquisition targets in the electronics industry with complementary technology.

“I was in Taiwan a couple of months ago talking to one company, going to Europe next week to talk to another company,” Cummings said. “So we want it to happen. We just have to find the right partner.” Financing an acquisition shouldn’t be a problem for AVX, which has no debt and $1.1 billion in cash, cash equivalents or short-term securities, according to Cummings. He said all but about $200 million of the $1.1 billion is held by AVX subsidiaries in Europe and Asia, and AVX would incur a tax liability between 12 to 14 percent if it tried to bring the money to the United States. If AVX bought a U.S. company, Cummings said, it might consider consolidating the acquired company’s manufacturing to its 130-acre complex along I-385 in Fountain Inn, where it employs about 350 people at its global headquarters, its North American warehouse and in limited research and manufacturing. The Fountain Inn complex is one of 20 AVX locations in 11 countries. Worldwide, the company employs more than 10,000 people and makes billions of capacitors every year, most of them tiny. They go in everything

12.2.2016

AVX ON PAPER • $1.1 BILLION in cash, cash equivalents or short-term securities

• NO DEBT • $327.5 MILLION net sales in Q2 2016

• 300,000-SF facility in Fountain Inn and expanding

• $61.8 MILLION gross profit • 72% owned by Kyocera Corp.

from laptop computers and smartphones to cars and planes, wind turbines, medical devices, locomotives and military satellites. AVX sells the capacitors to original equipment makers such as Samsung, contract manufacturers such as Benchmark Electronics and distributors of electronic components such as Avnet and Arrow Electronics. AVX also makes electronic connectors, mostly for the auto industry, and resells connectors and capacitors made by Kyocera Corp., a Japanese company that owns 72 percent of AVX.

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| MANUFACTURING / RESTAURANTS | 9

“If we wanted to buy [Kemet], we would have bought it by now. We’re not interested.” Kurt Cummings, AVX CFO

« AVX was based in Myrtle Beach

until 2010, when it was invited to move its headquarters to the Fountain Inn complex by Kyocera, which had acquired the complex when it bought another Japanese company, Mita, out of bankruptcy. AVX plans to spend about $15 million improving the complex’s infra-

structure over a four-year period, Cummings said. Among the improvements so far is 80,000 square feet of additional space, for a total of 380,000, a “clean room” assembly line and a research lab, said Ken Brown, the facility’s general manager.

Elev8 to serve farm-fresh fast food ARIEL TURNER | CONTRIBUTOR

aturner@communityjournals.com The concepts of farm-fresh and fast food don’t usually go together, but two recent Greenville transplants are hoping to change that. Certified nutritionist and fitness trainer Jonathan Willis, often recognized around town for his many tattoos, and his fiancée, Kaylee Gonzalez, started the Elev8 Next Level Nutrition meal delivery service on Jan. 23 of this year to provide farm-fresh, locally sourced healthy meals to people who don’t have the time to cook but want to eat right. After a successful eight months selling subscriptions and delivering meals to local gyms, Willis says they are expanding their concept to a recently renovated dry cleaner property at 860 S. Church St. that has a drive-thru window. They hope to begin cooking in the kitchen by mid-December and open the 1,526-square-foot, 40-seat restaurant to diners by mid-January. The rustic farmhouse design will include a completely open kitchen, counter service and coolers full of premade items for guests to grab and take with them. Those items will be available at the drive-thru as well. Diners will also have the option to order from a limited menu of freshly made items while they wait. “All of our vegetables are from local farms, and all of our pasta and marinara sauce are made locally," Willis

says. He hopes to start a local food revolution with organic, farm-fresh food that people can afford with the accessibility of McDonald’s. “We’re not gonna charge you $16 for a kale salad,” he says. “If you’re charging $10 for a plate of dried pasta… I mean, come on.” Drinks will include teas and infused waters and absolutely no sodas, Willis says. “If you want a Coke, you can go down to the Kangaroo and get one and bring it back, but that’s not what I’m about,” he says. Willis moved to Greenville in 2015 in part because Gonzalez was finishing a degree at Clemson University, but also because he saw the opportunity to launch the concept he’d been working on. “There’s nothing like this here, “ he says. “Greenville is the perfect location for this because it has the home, local feel of Asheville with the upscale feeling of Charleston.” Willis says another one of his main goals through the expansion is to create a revenue stream for local farms by creating more demand. Elev8 will rotate its menu items based on local farms' crop availability. Willis is currently talking with the City of Greenville about hosting an off-season farmers market in the restaurant parking lot, and he also plans to host other community events and partner with nearby South Ridge apartments.

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Advanced Ceramic Coatings opening new facility in Spartanburg County TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF

tanderson@communityjournals.com Spartanburg County’s specialty chemicals sector has landed another high-flyer. Hickory, N.C.-based Advanced Ceramic Coatings (ACC), a joint venture between Ohio-based GE Aviation and Turbocoating Corp. of Italy, announced Monday it will invest $15 million to build a new 62,500-square-foot facility at Hillside Enterprise Park in Duncan and create 50 jobs. Local officials identified ACC as the company seeking incentives under the economic development project codenamed “Project Door.” The facility will be constructed on a piece of property at 1191 Howell Road within the 84.5-acre park owned by Indianapolis-based developer Scannell Properties. ACC's site is near a 77,000-square-foot facility that will soon be occupied by German

automotive supplier Brose North America Inc. ACC said the plant, which is expected to be open by the third quarter of 2017, will produce advanced coatings for GE’s high-temperature ceramic matrix composite (CMC) components in its jet engines. “Duncan and Spartanburg County offered the right mix of skilled employees and resources to help ACC expand its production capabilities over the next few years,” said Scott Hayes, general manager of ACC, in a statement. “GE and Turbocoating will invest more than $15 million in equipment, and the new facility will employ around 50 people by 2022.” The company said it anticipates it will begin hiring for the new positions during the second quarter of 2017. It encouraged job applicants to email ACCcareers@advanced-ceramic-coatings.com. “That’s a great team they’ve put

together,” said Spartanburg County Councilman David Britt. “We welcome them with open arms … [Hillside Enterprise Park] is a great asset. We are very fortunate to have a developer like Scannell interested in Spartanburg.” ACC was formed two years ago. GE said the joint venture was part of its push to create a supply chain that would allow it to produce more CMCs. In October 2014, the company opened a new CMC factory in Asheville, N.C. According to GE, CMCs are made of silicon carbide ceramic fibers and ceramic matrix and enhanced with proprietary coatings. They are lighter and more heat resistant than metal alloys, the company said. ACC is the latest specialty chemical company to find a home in Spartanburg. In October, Italian manufac-

“That’s a great team they’ve put together. We welcome them with open arms.” David Britt, Spartanburg County Councilman

for Economic Development has approved job development credits and a $250,000 Set Aside grant to Spartanburg County to assist with real property improvements for the project. Garrett Scott, Givens Stewart and Brockton Hall of Colliers International represented Scannell in the

I-8

I-85 BU

WELLFORD

Westgate Mall

HIGHWAY 29

I-8

FUTURE ADVANCED CERAMIC COATINGS FACILITY

turer Ritrama announced its plan to invest $85 million to build a 350,000-square-foot plant at Tyger River Industrial Park and create 150 jobs. “We’re very pleased to welcome Advanced Ceramic Coatings to the park,” said Joel Scannell, managing director of Scannell. “They are a great fit and an example of the kinds of companies we hope to attract to the park.” The S.C. Department of Commerce said the state's Coordinating Council

transaction, while Brent Woodruff of CBRE in Atlanta represented the joint venture. “We are fortunate as a brokerage team and as a community to have the developers the ilk of Scannell Properties to support the opportunities presenting themselves that offer our citizens better jobs, increased tax base and diversification of our current industrial community,” said Scott. For more, visit geaviation.com or turbocoating.com.

12.2.2016

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| MANUFACTURING | 11

The new Learning Solutions Center will have a 46-seat classroom, light pillars that mimic outdoor light, a “green” wall of plants grown under Hubbell lights and other state-of-the-art technologies.

Hubbell’s new Learning Solutions Center nearly complete TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF

tanderson@communityjournals.com Hughes Hubbell Lighting is nearing completion of a renovation project at its corporate office in Greenville County that it expects will increase the number of visitors it attracts to the Upstate each year. The four-story, 185,000-square-foot facility visible from Interstate 85 at 701 Millennium Blvd. is the headquarters for the global lighting company’s operations, marketing, sales, customer service, warranty, finance, design and engineering. On Jan. 11, 2017, the company will unveil its new 25,000-square-foot Learning Solutions Center at the heart of the $41 million headquarters building completed in 2007. The latter building houses 550 employees. “This is very exciting for us,” said Mike McCullough, director of public

relations for Hubbell Lighting. “Greenville and the Upstate are at the center of lighting education. We are extremely proud to show people what we can do and at the same time have a positive economic impact on the community.” The company has not disclosed its investment in the project, although McCullough said it is “significant.” The LSC has been a feature of the main office since 2007 and typically brings in about 1,000 visitors each year. McCullough said the facility hosted 10,000 agent, specifier, contractor and distributor customers during its lifespan. The LSC has supported more than 1,000 classes and 80,000 hours of continuing education credits. He said the renovation has the potential to increase the LSC’s capacity and will provide the company with ample, flexible space to show off a full

range of its products and services. The project includes an additional 46-seat classroom, light pillars that mimic outdoor light by shifting from warm to cool in harmony with human circadian rhythms and a “green” wall of plants grown under Hubbell lights. A retail room, medical room and an outdoor room will enable the company to show off some of its high-end solutions. There will also be space for visual light communication demonstrations and other state-of-the-art technologies. “We want to show what we’re doing that is going beyond what a normal light fixture can do,” said Anne Suggs, a lighting solutions specialist for Hubbell Lighting. Hubbell Lighting is one of the four business groups of Connecticut-based Hubbell Inc. The other groups include commercial/industrial, construction/ energy and power systems.

The company can trace its roots back to the late 1800s when its founder, Harvey Hubbell, started developing tooling and equipment. Hubbell’s early patents in the lighting industry included a pull-chain lamp socket and separable plug and receptacle. A few of those products are on display at Hubbell Lighting’s headquarters. In 2004, Hubbell Lighting announced it would move its corporate office and about 235 jobs from Spartanburg County to Greenville. The building, designed by Spartanburg-based McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture, has a Silver certification under the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design (LEED) rating system. For more information, visit hubbelllighting.com.

12 | SQUARE FEET |

UBJ

REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

CINDY LANDRUM | STAFF

12.2.2016

clandrum@communityjournals.com

QuikTrip buys West End liquor store property, construction to start in January AJ WHITTENBURG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

THE KROC CENTER

“One of the things we don’t want is unaffordable apartments. That’s the biggest negative for us, because it is literally changing the neighborhood.” Rev. Vardrey Fleming, West Greenville Community Association president

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Fair market value for parcel: $125,230 (Greenville County property records)

The Oklahoma-based convenience store chain QuikTrip bought the 0.31-acre corner lot that housed Mansour’s Liquors for $1.5 million, according to Greenville County property records. The property is the final piece of land needed for their new store at North Markley and Academy streets. Construction should start in early January, said QuikTrip spokesman Mike Thornbrugh. “We’re ready to move forward with the project,” he said. The store should be open in early summer if the weather cooperates. While obtaining the liquor store property wasn’t a do-or-die proposition for the controversial project, the Rev. Vardrey Fleming, West Greenville Community Association president, said it was an added benefit for the neighborhood. “Having a liquor store in a community is certainly not a good thing,” he said. The project generated controversy when it was first proposed, with the West Greenville Community Association supporting the project because of QuikTrip’s history of hiring local residents and others saying the store was not the best use of a prime piece. Opponents said the QT didn’t conform with the city’s comprehensive plan for a gateway to downtown, would create school safety and traffic issues, would result in the removal of historic trees and would harm views of the mountains from downtown Greenville. But residents of the area said they were more

A QuikTrip on North Markley and Academy streets is expected to open early summer 2017. concerned that more high-rise apartments would be built rather than the convenience store. “One of the things we don’t want is unaffordable apartments,” said Fleming. “That’s the biggest negative for us, because it is literally changing the neighborhood.” A divided City Council in February approved a zoning change necessary for the project to happen. One of the arguments made against the QT development was a 2012 proposal by Spinx Company to build a neighborhood market and convenience

store along Buncombe Street on the former Gene’s Restaurant property. The council voted against rezoning in that case. Spinx, a locally owned convenience store chain and a QT competitor, demolished its store on Pendleton Street and is building a new one on that site. The store, less than a half-mile from the QT property, will include a community garden in partnership with the Feed & Seed organization. Village of West Greenville artists will design a sign on the property.

THE RETURN OF HAYWOOD ROAD

ROAD REBOOT

| COVER | 13

When national chains started leaving Haywood Road for Woodruff Road a few years ago and shoppers followed, some called it the death knell for Haywood as one of Greenvilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading commercial corridors.

WRONG. Words by Cindy Landrum | Photos by Will Crooks

14 | COVER |

UBJ

THE RETURN OF HAYWOOD ROAD

“Just a few years ago, a lot of people worried about the future of Haywood Road. That day is over,” said Greenville Mayor Knox White. “Haywood offers a retail alternative to Woodruff Road, and that is a good thing for managing our growth.” Buoyed by the opening of Haywood Mall in 1980, Haywood Road emerged as one of the region’s primary retail corridors. National chains located in the mall and nearby shopping centers. Two movie theaters located there, too, offering the latest blockbusters and dollar movies. The area languished in the early 2000s, however, with no significant new commercial developments and the closing of stores in the shopping centers that were already there. During

that time, the city invested heavily in downtown and Woodruff Road, which was becoming one of the retail hot spots in the Upstate. “Haywood Road had been neglected,” said Greenville architect Joe Pazdan, whose family owns land along Haywood Road. A group of business and property owners raised $40,000 — half the money needed — for the city’s master plan. The 2009 plan called for beautification projects, buried power lines and more walkable streets. Gross sales in the city’s Haywood Road corridor slumped to

$501,084,490 in 2010 after the some big-box retailers relocated to Woodruff Road or closed their doors altogether during the recession. Some said it was only the beginning of the end. “We weren’t going to let that master plan, like so many master plans, sit on a shelf and collect dust. We knew that there was still life around the Haywood Road corridor and interest from retailers,” Pazdan said. As the economy improved and the city and stakeholders along Haywood invested in the corridor, the picture started to change. New, highly sought-after national retailers such as

12.2.2016

Apple and restaurants like The Cheesecake Factory opened in the mall. Tracy Ramseur, development coordinator with the city of Greenville’s economic development department, said mall management has told city officials that Cheesecake Factory restaurant sales are far exceeding expectations. Sarah Brocker, the mall’s director of marketing, would not comment on the mall’s vacancy rate or performance of tenants, but she did say that the mall is “doing very well occupancy-wise and its tenants are extremely pleased.” New junior anchor stores opened in renovated existing shopping centers. In 2015, total gross sales rose to $720,071,626, behind only downtown and Woodruff Road, both of which contain more acreage. “Haywood continues to be one of

12.2.2016

upstatebusinessjournal.com

THE RETURN OF HAYWOOD ROAD

HAYWOOD ROAD TOTAL GROSS SALES Total Gross Sales (2015) $720,071,626 Average Sales (2006-15) $589,975,532

800M 700M 600M 500M 2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

our primary retail corridors,” said Ramseur. “Prior to doing the Haywood Road master plan [in 2009], we didn’t have any major significant investment on Haywood. That’s changed.” Beautification work by the city has changed the way Haywood Road looks. Utility lines have been buried from Interstate 385 to Kanpai of Tokyo through the city’s undergrounding program. With the utility lines gone, the city made improvements to the Haywood-Woods Crossing intersection, adding sidewalks, decorative pavers and mast arms for traffic signals and street signs. New decorative streetlights have also been installed. Pazdan said making Haywood Road more walkable is important to connect the residential development in the area to shopping and to connect shopping areas to one another. “The redeveloped areas have sidewalks. Right now, they’re sidewalks to nowhere. But we hope they’ll eventually connect and make that area walkable,” he said.

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

In addition to the city’s investment, the private sector invested in Haywood’s rebirth as well. Across the street from the mall, the space where Toys R Us and Circuit City had been were redeveloped and junior anchors Designer Shoe Warehouse, TJ Maxx, Jo-Ann Fabrics and Burke’s Outlet took their places. Grill Marks just announced in October that they were expanding to Haywood Mall, opening in summer 2017. The Galley Shopping Center invested in façade improvements. But retail is not the only new development on Haywood. Haywood Reserve Apartments, a 292-unit development by Daniel Corporation, is now leasing units. Haywood Ridge Park, an office-flex space development by Central Realty Holdings, is also planned. What likely won’t come to Haywood Road is a grocery store, something city officials had pushed for, Ramseur said. “That area didn’t make sense for them. They didn’t think there was enough single-family housing in that area. They said

people will go grocery shopping on their way home from work, and people who work on Patewood aren’t going to drive to Haywood Road to get home.” White said he’d still like to see sidewalks and more sign conformity to further the corridor’s walkability and aesthetics. Pazdan said he expects Haywood to continue to be a viable commercial area as more people decide to forego the traffic gridlock on Woodruff Road for Haywood Road’s easier access from Interstate 385 and Laurens Road. “On Haywood Road, even in the height of the holiday shopping season, you can get around. Woodruff Road is a nightmare,” he said. “We think Haywood will capitalize on that and renewed investment from the city and the private sector.” Some of the Haywood Road master plan recommendations have yet to be implemented. Consultants recommended turning Haywood and Mall Connector roads into tree-lined boulevards with sidewalks and building an amphitheater for family entertainment on 25 areas near Fluor Corp.’s campus. Other ideas included creating a public art program for the area and increasing tourism efforts to include outdoor festivals and concert series. But there are areas on Haywood Road the city can’t do much about — at least right now. Part of Haywood Road — from Laurens to the Chili’s restaurant — are not in the city limits. That stretch includes the lots that are used to sell Christmas trees. But White said the city hopes to see that section annexed in the future so it can be upgraded, too.

2013

LET'S GO SHOPPING 1968

McAlister Square, the first mall in South Carolina, opened on South Pleasantburg Drive

1970

Belltower Mall opened

1974

Belk-Simpson department store added to McAlister Square

1978

Greenville Mall opened on Woodruff Road

1980

Haywood Mall opened at Haywood Road and Interstate 385

1981

Fire destroyed part of McAlister Square

1984

Belltower Mall closes

1987

County Square opened in old Belltower Mall space

1995

Haywood Mall expanded, Greenville Mall repositioned as a high-end mall

1999

Belk-Simpson McAlister Square location closed and Upton’s folded

2001

COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS*/YEAR (2012-15) 2012

| COVER | 15

2014

2015

McAlister Square purchased by Greenville Technical College and its foundation to house the University Center Greenville, a consortium of six universities offering degree programs.

#VALUE

VALUE

#VALUE

AUGUSTA STREET

$3,371,780

$1,241,193

$5,115,838

$18,273,429

DOWNTOWN

$47,951,602

127

$57,863,326

$84,347,101

103 $89,065,986

HAYWOOD ROAD

$8,564,326

$14,298,250

$16,812,585

LAURENS ROAD

$2,017,929

$8,974,457 INFO 2 18 $3,418,272

$6,384,195

$12,207,195

PLEASANTBURG DRIVE

$2,213,708

$2,882,379

$1,526,921

$10,373,849

Magnolia Park Town Center proposed for Greenville Mall site

WOODRUFF ROAD

$19,304,630

$23,793,559

$22,600,735

$10,702,173

2014

*Values represent calendar year-end totals for commercial building permits additions, alterations and new construction. Source: City of Greenville

2006

Cabela’s opens in Magnolia Park

16 | MILESTONE |

UBJ

A TRIBUTE TO OUR LONG-LASTING ENTERPRISES

12.2.2016

RELATIONSHIP GOALS Strong partnerships are the foundation of Carolina Holdings’ successful 30-YEAR HISTORY ALLISON WALSH | CONTRIBUTOR

Bill Misiaveg, Mike McNicholas and Britt Goodson of Carolina Holdings. Photo by Will Crooks.

he word “relationships”

comes up a lot in conversations at Carolina Holdings Inc. Relationships. You will hear it from the principals, the architects, engineers and contractors that help bring their development projects from blueprints to brick-and-mortar facilities and the national, regional and local retailers that bring those developments to life. Those relationships are with key leaders and community members in cities throughout the Southeast and they are with one another, as a small team doing big work.

Over the last 30 years, Carolina Holdings has overseen 5.5 million square feet of development — including 80 CVS drugstores in the Carolinas and Tennessee and a 1-million-square-foot shopping center in Nashville — and is currently responsible for the leasing and management of 2 million square feet of property. Impressive numbers by any measure, but particularly when one considers the staff number is only nine. “We have been able to do the kind of business we do by having very close affiliations with a number of other companies,” says Mike McNicholas,

who founded the Greenville-based real estate company in 1986. “There are architectural firms in town that we’ve done over 100 projects with.” The very first of these projects was Butler Square in Mauldin, a 75,000acre shopping center completed in 1987 and anchored by a BI-LO grocery store that still stands today. “Harper Corporation built that first project at Butler Square, and they’re still building things for us 30 years later,” says Bill Misiaveg, who oversaw the leasing and management of Butler Square through another company and eventually came on board at CHI in

early 1989. “I can look on our wall [of photos of past projects] and there’s the Barnes & Noble over on Haywood Road. Joe Pazdan and Brad Smith of McMillan Pazdan Smith — that was their first Pazdan Smith project that they did, over 20 years ago. Part of our story is their story, and vice versa.” Just as important as these partnerships is the responsibility of being good stewards in the communities in which CHI does business, according to Britt Goodson, who joined Carolina Holdings in 1990 but worked with them on their Florida projects almost from the company’s inception.

LANDMARKS IN RELATIONSHIPS

1986

Carolina Holdings begins

1987

First developments — a 75,000-SF BI-LO-anchored shopping center in Mauldin and a 55,000-SF office building for MCI/Dunlop Slazenger

1990

Crosspointe Plaza, 120,000-SF shopping center adjacent to Haywood Mall in Greenville

1995

CVS Drugstore National Preferred Developer Program — 80 freestanding drugstores in South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee

1997

BI-LO on Woodruff Road, Greenville, and Orchard Ridge, a 100,000-SF office development in Orchard Park, Greenville

12.2.2016

upstatebusinessjournal.com

A TRIBUTE TO OUR LONG-LASTING ENTERPRISES

Carolina Holdings worked with architects Joe Pazdan and Brad Smith on the Barnes & Noble on Haywood Road in Greenville. “We’re throughout the Southeast, so we’re in a lot of communities. One of the things we take very seriously is trying to be a part of that community, because we’re there for a long time,” Goodson says. “One of us is over there at least every other week and we know a lot of the local residents, certainly a lot of the city leaders, and our job for our retailers is to take that responsibility and make it work, because at the end of the day they are in the business of selling things to the people that live around them.” One local example of that community-driven focus is a 20-acre piece of property currently under development in the Five Forks area of Simpsonville.

The project, slated to open in early 2017, will be anchored by a 53,000-square-foot Lowes Foods grocery store and include a fuel center, Starbucks and several other restaurants and retail shops. The development will also play host to a number of office buildings, including a 35,000-squarefoot medical office building. McNicholas acknowledges the inclination of people who live in an area to resist further development, but also asserts the reality that change is inevitable. He says he and his team made a concerted effort through multiple channels to understand the needs and desires of the community and have incorporated those into the plan to

Crosspointe Plaza, a shopping center adjacent to Haywood Mall, was constructed in 1990. build what he terms “an absolutely beautiful development.” “We’re embedded in the community; we raised our children in the community; we have favored charities that we’ve been a part of, invested in, been on the boards of for many years. So when we go out there and talk to the neighbors, we’re one of them. A number of our people live out in this area. So it’s not something that we don’t have firsthand experience with,” he says. “We know what it’s like when someone tries to do something; you want it to remain like it was forever — and who can blame anybody for that? But that’s not going to be the case. It is going to change, so why not make it as good as you can

Townhomes on Hampton Avenue in downtown Greenville, built in the early 2000s.

2005

Carolina Holdings selected by the Greenville Tech Foundation as asset manager for McAlister Square

2006

Providence MarketPlace, approximately 1 million-SF shopping center in Nashville

2010

Richmond Centre, 600,000-SF shopping center in Richmond, Ky.

| MILESTONE | 17

possibly make it?” Change will one day come to Carolina Holdings, too, as McNicholas and Misiaveg are near retirement age, but McNicholas is confident the company’s legacy is secure. “We’ve got younger people sitting out there doing great work on our behalf, and they’ll be the guys in 10 years, 20 years, along with Britt, that are running this place,” McNicholas says of David Winburn and Robert Martin and the rest of the Carolina Holdings team. “They have the same sort of commitment to the company, and to each other. So the company’s in good hands.”

The Carolina Holdings team

2013

New Holland Marketplace, 150,000-SF development in Gainesville, Ga.

2015

Merchant Pointe Center, 150,000SF development in Nashville, Tenn.

2016

Village Market East, 150,000-SF shopping center in Woodruff Road, and Ridley Pointe, 85,000 SF in the Nashville area

18 | DIGITAL MAVEN |

THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF BUSINESS

UBJ

12.2.2016

Cutting the cord The impact of wireless charging By LAURA HAIGHT president, portfoliosc.com

What do smartphones, tablets, laptops, electric cars and buses all have in common? They all have to be plugged in. And despite the rapidly changing growth of new technology, that’s a limitation that has slowed down some groundbreaking developments. A survey by the National Research Council included a lack of a widespread charging infrastructure as one of the key obstacles to more extensive adaptation to plug-in electric vehicles (PEV). Since that survey, nearly two years ago, the infrastructure has expanded. You can find vehicle charging stations in all the Greenville parking garages, for example. But there is still uncertainty and inconsistency, known as “range anxiety.” But what if you could recharge your car while you drive? Dynamic charging lanes have been tested with electric buses in South Korea and are under development for a major project in Great Britain. This is just one significant advance being studied for what is generally known as wireless charging, which incorporates concepts like “magnetic resonance” and “inductive coupling.” Last month, global leaders in wireless power from research firms to consumer industries met in Seattle for an annual summit to discuss technology advancement, new product development and industrial and infrastructure applications. Like dynamic charging lanes, all wireless power applications involve electric current running through a coiled wire transmitter that produces a localized magnetic field. The systems utilize magnetic resonance, which essentially makes the roadbed a charging system for a suitably equipped electric vehicle. If you have an Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy or an electric toothbrush, you are already experiencing some of the early iterations of what could be a truly disruptive technology. Your device rests on a substrate but does not have to plug directly into anything to charge. The next step? Untethered charging simply by being within a specific radius of a transmitter.

BetaMax vs. VCR Remember the early days of TV recordings? OK, maybe not. But you still probably know what a VCR was, while you likely haven’t heard of BetaMax. The two competing standards vied for consumer love. BetaMax lost. The same thing is happening now with wireless charging between Qi and PM. We don’t know who the winner will be, but we do know that Apple has adopted Qi; Samsung is throwing in with PMA. And there are now dual-mode chips that incorporate both standards.

Why does wireless charging matter when we are surrounded by a vast infrastructure of electricity? Let’s start with the availability of outlets. I can’t speak

Dynamic, wireless charging lanes have been tested with electric buses in South Korea and are under development in Great Britain. for you, but just to power my office, I need three power strips and another couple of outlets to handle the computer, the second monitor, the task lights, the chargers for my phone and tablet, the cordless phone, WiFi router, television, Apple TV, wireless headphone charger and shredder. Whew. That sounds like a lot of stuff, but it’s probably no different from your house. Traveling requires lugging a bag full of plugs and chargers, and perhaps a power brick, to ensure you can keep all your devices charged. Legacy battery technology is also problematic. Battery life is based on a certain number of charging cycles. Over time, batteries degrade, reducing the amount of charge they can hold and increasing the number of charges needed to keep going. The more charging you have to do, the shorter the life cycle. Your phone’s battery is probably good for 300-500 charges. If you have to charge every day, your phone’s life expectancy is about a little more than 18 months.

and around Boston and in the U.K.

Power, we need more power

The 2018 BMW i8 is said to include inductive charging capabilities. No word yet on the sticker price, but this year’s model is upwards of $141,000. So you figure it out.

Researchers, startups and manufacturers are stepping up their efforts. Global revenues for wireless power transmitters and receivers are expected to rise past $12 billion by 2020, up from $750 million in 2014, according to TechCrunch (goo.gl/9QaaTK). Uses for wireless power, coupled with demand, go far beyond cellphone users. The Internet of Things is driving much of consumer demand as the home automation product segment balloons.

There are already some mainstream businesses getting out in front of wireless charging. STARBUCKS partnered with Powermat two years ago. The company launched free wireless charging, via inductive plates embedded in the tables, at 200 San Francisco cafes and recently expanded to 14 stores in

AIRPORTS are a hot spot for frustrated travelers feeling powerless. So Verizon partnered with Qi to put some 800 wireless charging stations in the nation’s largest airports. But with wireless charging typically slower than traditional plug-ins, it may be more effective for topping off. The kiosks, however, do offer entertainment options, i.e. commercials, while you are waiting. IKEA has introduced a line of furniture that has embedded wireless charging, including a lamp with the induction coil, a bedside table with a built-in pad and more. KUBE SYSTEMS, maker of a universal technology called the PowerKube, has partnered with Marriott International, so you may expect to see wireless charging solutions in your hotel room in the not too distant future.

While it is easy to see this as consumer goods advance, significant development and testing is underway by medical technology companies working on the next generation of implantable devices. Cardiac patients, for example, waiting for transplant may be on an LVAD (left ventricular assistance device), which keeps blood pumping to the heart through internal and external technology. THORATEC, a medical device company, is now working with wireless tech on the potential of a fully implanted LVAD that could even potentially be a permanent device, like a pacemaker. Technology freed from outlets, bricks, cables and adapters to make us truly mobile? That would really be powerful.

12.2.2016

upstatebusinessjournal.com

NOTES FROM THE BEST TALKS YOU MISSED

| THE TAKEAWAY | 19

Fred Monk on the quest to bring international companies to the Upstate: “There are only so many elephants that we can go after.”

Future of economic development relies on ‘Landing Pad’ strategies By JOHN LUMMUS President and CEO, Upstate SC Alliance

Event: Upstate SC Alliance Q4 Board Meeting Who was there: 40 members of the Upstate SC Alliance Board Speakers: John Lummus, Upstate SC Alliance president and CEO; Fred Monk, S.C. Department of Commerce Theme: Economic growth and foreign-direct investment

Historically, industrial recruitment has focused on the size and scope of a project, with capital investment and job creation parameters determining the level of government support available to a company seeking to locate in South Carolina. Looking to the future, however, the S.C. Department of Commerce and its allies in economic development recognize the growth potential for an established foreign company looking to ease in with sales and marketing or technology development. That value has driven the state’s new Landing Pad strategy, which aims to position South Carolina as a welcoming environment for established overseas companies looking to make a soft entry into the American market and notify businesses of all sizes that the Palmetto State is open for business. Establishing a soft landing ecosystem is also a strategy outlined in the Upstate Regional Foreign-Direct Investment Plan released by the Upstate SC Alliance in spring 2016. “In this new economic world, there are only so many elephants that we can go after,” Fred Monk, senior advisor for international strategy and trade with the

S.C. Department of Commerce, recently said to members of the Upstate SC Alliance Board of Directors. “There are a lot of companies that we do not know about that are in countries that we visit with some regularity who can be prime economic development prospects here.” The Landing Pad program is dependent upon support and engagement from regional economic development alliances and local economic developers, Monk added. “The Department of Commerce is the intake, and really, the alliances are the implementers, and in the end, it is the local economic developers who have to foster these new clients.” The Upstate SC Alliance has worked directly with small international projects in the past, such as in-tech Automotive Engineering LLC, a Munich-based provider of integration testing for automotive manufacturers that located to CU-ICAR in 2013. The company has since relocated to Greer and employs a team of engineers and technicians throughout the country. Discussions among the state Department of Commerce about how best to serve these businesses were prompted by prospecting meetings with established companies in India, Monk said, where several business leaders expressed a mix of interest and uncertainty in entering the United States market. “These aren’t incubator companies; they are established companies with real money and real interest,” Monk said. “But their challenge is they are afraid of the U.S. market, they don’t have people here, they don’t have an office here. So why don’t we help them to get established? Encourage them to set up a sales office. Encourage them to establish a distribution center, and then if they can establish a distribution center, maybe they can place a manufacturing facility here.”

The program is inspired by the Wallonia Foreign Trade and Investment Agency (AWEX) Welcome Centers in Belgium, and Monk said Indian and Chinese businesses who have had success in their home countries are most likely to use the program. Monk said it is important to distinguish between domestic incubator programs and the needs of a Landing Pad company. Domestic business incubators, such as NEXT and the Spartanburg Community College’s Center for Business and Entrepreneurial Development, offer some of the support that these businesses may need, such as affordable rent and flexible terms. But these companies require services beyond the scope of startups, such as cultural mentors who can offer housing assistance, connect with translation services or help navigate processes like applying for a driver’s license or establishing accounting practices. And while most manufacturing-centered economic development projects are better suited for less developed areas where land is abundant and affordable, urbanized areas may be a better fit for these foreign-owned firms as they engage in marketing and building sales relationships. This alternative approach to economic development also opens the door to emerging industries, such as bioscience and associated research and development. The Department of Commerce is also generating a business resource guide and working alongside organizations such as the Upstate SC Alliance to identify international business support services within each region. For more information on the Landing Pad program, contact the S.C. Department of Commerce’s Division of International Strategy & Trade at GrowfromSC@SCCommerce.com.

20 | YOUR MONEY |

UBJ

NEWS AND TIPS FOR YOUR PERSONAL BOT TOM LINE

12.2.2016

The overtime rule has been blocked. Now what? By LEE YARBOROUGH President, Propel HR

Nationwide, employers had been

Carol Haynsworth Kilby The Rock House Antiques

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Banking

Insurance

Mortgage

Investments

Trust

thinking of Dec. 1 with a mixture of dread and resignation. In 2014, President Obama directed the Labor Department to update the Fair Labor Standards Act. The result was a new rule that raised the salary cap, below which all workers must receive overtime pay, from $455 a week ($23,660 annually) to $913 a week ($47,476 annualized). Businesses have been preparing for months to implement the changes to the white-collar overtime exempt regulations. This change was expected to affect more than 4 million workers in every industry. However, it would have the greatest impact on nonprofit organizations, retail and hospitality. A coalition of 21 states, including South Carolina, and business groups sued the Department of Labor arguing that the new FLSA rule would hurt many businesses, as well as state and local governments, due to the substantial increase in employment costs and that the DOL did not have the authority to make this change to the salary cap. On Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2016, a federal court judge in Texas agreed with the 21 states and issued a preliminary injunction that temporarily blocks the implementation and enforcement of this new overtime exempt rule. Federal Judge Amos L. Mazzant III concluded that the Labor Department exceeded its authority by raising the salary cap, and his ruling also questioned the right of the DOL to impose a salary cap at all. The Labor Department strongly disagreed with the decision, and at this point the Labor Department will most likely appeal to the Fifth Circuit. However, they may drop the appeal after the Trump administration is in office. Legislative action could also surface with a Republican Congress and president in place in January. There is no Magic 8-Ball that can predict what will happen. This injunction does not provide any certainty for the future, and it does not necessarily

mean that the new rule will be gone forever, either in its current form or in some revised form under new administration. So what are employers to do now? Some employers may decide to move forward with the changes they have implemented. Employers have been strategizing for months and made changes based on the regulations to increase employee wages or change status to non-exempt. Many of these companies will continue with this strategy since this has already been communicated to employees. Some companies may decide that it makes business sense to suspend, alter or reverse those changes pending a final decision. Proper communication is vital, and any such decisions should be made in accordance with any applicable state and/or local notice requirements. Reversing decisions could cause morale issues among employees who would have benefited from the ruling. It is important to get human resources involved in the communication to workers. There was confusion among employers concerning the initial ruling, and now the injunction adds to that confusion. Therefore, specific communication to employees is important and must be handled properly to foster positive employee morale. The rule was going to be a hardship for many small employers, but it was also intended to update a rule that hadn’t been touched in a dozen years. Therefore, this injunction will bring about mixed responses. The uncertainty that surrounds this injunction will lead to concern among employees as well as employers. It is imperative that employers communicate effectively to their staff, in particular those who were going to be affected. Explain the judicial decision, review with the individuals in question and take this time to evaluate your company’s compensation plans. While the courts are reviewing this decision, take time to plan your path forward and determine how your business will be prepared for what comes next.

12.2.2016

upstatebusinessjournal.com

MOVERS, SHAKERS AND DISRUP TORS SHAPING OUR FUTURE

| INNOVATE | 21

Degrees of Success The collaboration between business and education has never been more critical

By JANE LAYTON Academic Program Director, Clemson University MBA Program

When the business and education worlds collaborate, innovation and growth emerge. Organizations do not have to rely just on internal talent when they can leverage a pool of talented professionals and researchers found in MBA classrooms. Most importantly, partnering with graduate programs to build curricula that address industry needs is a sure way to expand the pool of professionals with relevant skills needed for your organizations. There are more than 10,000 working professionals earning a graduate degree in the state of South Carolina alone, not including full-time students who also have extensive professional experience. Chances are, your organization has employees currently earning their MBA or an MS degree and are in classrooms with those representing other Upstate organizations. In downtown Greenville, almost 70 percent of Clemson’s MBA professional students have more than five years of experience, and over 30 percent have more than 10 years of experience. These students are in classrooms where companies such as GE, Michelin, Fluor, Hubbell Lighting, Milliken, GHS, Fidelity Investments and BMW, among many others, are represented. Watching these great minds challenge and learn from each other is absolutely invigorating. When the Clemson MBA program was building a business analytics concentration, more than 35 companies came to collaborate with professors and the program to create a curriculum that would address the common skill gap that is seen and felt by all. The bridge that connects decision-making skills and understanding of analysis necessary for all managers was missing. Understanding what the industry needed and connecting that with the talent

found at Clemson University has resulted in a unique concentration that benefits organizations across the state. There can also be a cross-pollination effect from university and corporate alliances in addition to the obvious student/business benefits. We observed this during Clemson’s study abroad with the University of Oxford, which is an international business strategy course featuring site visits with

Organizations do not have to rely just on internal talent when they can leverage a pool of talented professionals and researchers found in MBA classrooms. industrial companies in the U.K. Students toured and had boardroom discussions with four SMEs and were then tasked with proposing growth opportunities for those companies. Students identified a potential partnership between two of the firms. One of the companies had a deep history making insulation products for the automotive industry, while the other was focused on bespoke wiper solutions for locomotives. Both companies had been in operation for more than 50 years and were located 50 kilometers away from each other, but because they were focused on different industries, there were no lines of communication. Students identified that some of the newer insulation developments could serve well as acoustic barriers for locomotives. The group presented to both owners the idea of combining one firm’s deep knowledge of locomotive design and procurement process with the technology advantage of the other. From this simple presentation, a collaborative effort was born

ARE YOU A MILLENNIAL:

and both companies discovered an opportunity for a new revenue stream. It took a small group all the way from Greenville to bring two U.K. companies that were only 50 kilometers apart together. Bringing a skilled — yet fresh — set of eyes free from paradigms can have a profound effect.

The beneﬁts of business and education collaboration are endless, but to summarize a few: • Both parties feed off each other to stay current and competitive in the market. • Current and future hires utilize their experience and classroom knowledge to learn through real-life projects and provide implementable solutions. • Innovation emerges when businesses partner with graduate schools to get a new and unique perspective through the eyes of a diverse student population.` • Business partners can help shape the programs that their employees participate in.

We are grateful for the opportunity to have seen innovation happen in boardrooms when students and executive managers collaborate, and in classrooms when business partners and graduate programs design educational programs that solve for industry-wide needs. If you haven’t considered such partnerships in the past, perhaps you will in the future. You don’t have to start big; even your willingness to be a guest speaker will be of great benefit to the students. And who knows: Maybe you’ll learn something new from the class as well.

LEADER / EXECUTIVE /ENTREPRENEUR?

A special leadership development competition for the millennial generation. Tell us why YOU deserve a year of executive business coaching with Manfred Gollent.

LEADERS TOMORROW

22 | ON THE MOVE |

UBJ

PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS

PROMOTED

HIRED

12.2.2016

PROMOTED

FRED GILMER III

ROBERT THOMPSON III

JUDY BOYLE CHUN

MADI NALLEY

JEANNE MORRISON

Promoted to executive vice president and senior lender of Southern First Bank. Gilmer’s leadership role will expand to encompass the company’s loan portfolio in all four markets: Greenville, Columbia, Charleston and Raleigh, N.C.

Promoted to executive vice president and Greenville regional executive at Southern First Bank. Thompson’s leadership role will include the growth and performance of the entire Greenville market.

Named chief implementer at EDTS. Formerly from Honolulu, Hawaii, and a current resident of Aiken, Chun most recently served as CEO Chair for Vistage International. At EDTS, Chun will oversee human capital development, finance, operational alignment and process enhancement across all aspects of the rapidly growing organization.

Joined Infinity Marketing as a graphic designer. Nalley is a graduate of Anderson University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in graphic design. Previously, Nalley worked as a graphic design contractor for Infinity.

Promoted to digital coordinator with Infinity Marketing. Morrison plans and executes digital marketing strategies for Infinity’s clients. Morrison earned her bachelor’s degree in advertising from the University of South Carolina.

HOSPITALITY Hall Management Group has named Jennifer Mortazavi the new general manager and Samuel Dominguez the new executive chef at Halls Chophouse Greenville. Mortazavi will be overseeing all areas of operations and guest services at the riverfront restaurant, while Dominguez will spearhead menu development and manage the culinary team. Mortazavi has more than a decade of restaurant experience in the food and beverage industry, including most recently serving as wine director at Halls Chophouse in Charleston. Having previously worked in every service position at Slightly North of Broad, she was then promoted to management before being transferred to High Cotton and eventually Halls Chophouse. Dominguez, originally from Chaco, Argentina, is a graduate of the Instituto Cervantes in Bolivar. Dominguez has more than 15 years of experience as a chef.

MARKETING Complete Public Relations was honored with two Gold Awards and two Honorable Mentions in the 2016 MarCom Awards. MarCom recognizes outstanding creative achievement by marketing and communications professionals. Complete Public Relations earned a Gold Level Award in the Newspaper Placement category for a Sunday front-page article in The Greenville News on Computer Director Outlet. It also earned Gold in the Column Writing category for a piece in the Upstate Business Journal titled “What’s Greenville’s Pitch.” The firm earned Honorable Mentions for its weekly blog about all things Greenville, dubbed “The Buzz,” and for the Complete Public Relations website, which it updated earlier this year. BRIGHT+CO Marketing’s CEO, Jennifer Sutton, was named one of the 50 most creative CEOs to watch by Insights Success Magazine. Sutton has a diverse marketing career that covers more than 25 years of experience with brand

management, strategic planning, media buying and planning, digital architecture and market research and analysis.

LAW Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart P.C. has been named a “Law Firm of the Year” for the sixth consecutive year in the 2017 edition of the U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” list in the labor law – management category. Only one law firm in each practice area receives the “Law Firm of the Year” designation. Additionally, Ogletree Deakins’ Greenville office earned metropolitan “First Tier” practice area rankings in seven categories: commercial litigation, employee benefits (ERISA) law, employment law – management, labor law – management, litigation – environmental, litigation – ERISA and litigation – labor and employment. Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP’s Greenville office earned metropolitan “First Tier” practice area rankings in seven categories in the 2017 edition of the U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms”: commercial litigation, corporate law, employee benefits (ERISA) law, legal malpractice law – defendants, litigation – construction, personal injury litigation – defendants, product liability litigation – defendants, professional malpractice law – defendants, real estate law, tax law and trusts and estates law. Jackson Lewis P.C.’s Greenville office earned metropolitan “First Tier” practice area rankings in three practices in the 2017 edition of the U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms”: employment law – management, labor law – management and litigation – labor and employment. The firm was also named the national 2017 Law Firm of the Year in the employment law – management category.

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

12.2.2016

upstatebusinessjournal.com

TECH AFTER 5 The monthly Tech After 5 networking meeting Nov. 16 at Pour Lounge in Greenville. The next event is Dec. 21. Learn more at techafterfive.com.

INSIDE THE UPSTATEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NETWORKING AND SOCIAL SCENE

| SOCIAL SNAPSHOT | 23

24 | THE FINE PRINT |

UBJ

BUSINESS BRIEFS YOU CAN’ T MISS

Just like you… We get the job done.

12.2.2016

Fluor to help develop energy centers in Ohio Fluor Corporation announced that the company signed a memorandum of understanding with Clean Energy Future LLC to provide development support for the Trumbull and Oregon Energy Centers natural gas, combined-cycle stations in Ohio. As part of the agreement, Fluor will provide initial permitting and development support services for the projects. After the projects have received all permits and regulatory and financial approvals, Fluor will provide engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning services for both of the power stations. “We are honored to be selected by Clean Energy Future for this new natural gas development,” said Chris Tye, president of Fluor’s Power business line. “Fluor is a leader in the gas-fueled business demonstrated by the design and build of nearly 50,000 megawatts of gas-fueled power stations over the past 20 years.” Fluor will support permitting and project development over the next year with construction scheduled to begin in early 2018. The projects are currently planned to begin commercial operations in 2020.

Girl Tribe Pop Up expands to Greenville

Join our roster of satisfied clients. 36 Stono Dr. - $470,000 - Stone Lake 14 Parkside Dr. - $360,000 – North Main 108 Ware St. - $307,000 – Downtown 220 Randall St. - $302,000 – North Main 35 Conestee Ave. - $509,000 - Augusta Rd. 101 Westminster Dr. - $385,000 - Augusta Rd. 203 Rockwood Dr. - $393,000 - Augusta Rd. 927 S. Main St. Unit 406 - $335,000 - Downtown 927 S. Main St. Unit 201 - $340,000 - Downtown 602 Summit Dr. - $325,000 - North Main 27 Oregon St. - $435,000 - Augusta Rd. 103 Edisto St. - $637,500 - Augusta Rd. 39 Windfield Rd. - $399,000 - Parkins Mill 28 Bartram Grove - $640,000 - Chanticleer 2012 Cleveland St. Ext. - $580,000 - Parkins Mill 221 Babbs Hollow - $610,000 - Collins Creek 113 Cureton Street - $447,500 - Augusta Road

D L O

BUYSELLGVL.COM THOMAS CHEVES 864.201.0006 tcheves@cbcaine.com STEVE MUSSMAN 864.316.6569 smussman@cbcaine.com

JAMIE OUZTS 864.617.5307 jouzts@cbcaine.com

Girl Tribe Pop Up, a mobile retail concept, is expanding from Charlotte to Greenville at the Southern Bleachery at Taylors Mill on Saturday, Dec. 3, from 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Girl Tribe Pop Up is a collection of more than 50 women-owned local businesses that come together for one day to create the ultimate girls’-day-out shopping experience. Boutiques, designers, jewelry makers, kids boutiques, calligraphers and artists will be on site as well as local brews, coffee, food trucks and snacks. Vendors include Augusta Twenty, J.Britt Boutique, J. Ervan Jewelry, Adorned Fox, Southern Sparrow, Evelyn Henson and Pink Social. General admission from noon to 5 p.m. is free. Tickets to the VIP Hour from 11 a.m. to noon are $5. For more details, visit girltribepopup.com.

SCRA’s SC Launch program announces new Upstate client companies As part of its ongoing mission to foster high-tech economic growth in South Carolina, SCRA announced the recent acceptance of six client companies from the Upstate into its SC Launch program. Client companies are accepted into the economic development program to receive mentoring and other support services and may also be eligible to receive grant funds or investments. Upstate-based companies include the following: Arkiver helps organizations and families preserve stories from the past and use them to shape the future. It has developed powerful web and mobile apps to curate all types of digital content and works with clients to deploy these heritage assets in creative ways to influence behaviors and achieve strategic objectives. Avaris BioTech LLC develops technology to noninvasively and quantitatively monitor bone fracture healing to inform physicians and patients when it is safe to bear weight and monitor implanted medical device infections. Avaris has been awarded a $25,000 Academic Start-up Assistance Program grant to support its efforts. Caiman is an innovation engine that develops mobile device connectivity and charging hardware. They are currently scaling their completed product suite of charging accessories that uses wireless charging technology. Medical Beam Laboratories LLC is a Clemson University spinoff company that was founded by a small group of medical physicists, engineers and entrepreneurs. They are dedicated to fighting health disparities worldwide by applying the results of their research toward the development of innovative technologies and strategies for stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). They are developing a dedicated SRS device for the veterinary market that will ameliorate the lives of pet cancer patients. Medical Beam Laboratories Inc. was awarded an Aca-

12.2.2016

upstatebusinessjournal.com

THE FRESHEST FACES ON THE BUSINESS LANDSCAPE

| NEW TO THE STREET | 25

Open for business 1

1. The Greenville practice of Cherry Bekaert LLP moved to the newly constructed 110 E. Court St. Cherry Bekaert will be among the first tenants in the new building and will occupy approximately 14,500 square feet of office space within the 137,000-square-foot building. Photo provided

2. Pet Supplies Plus recently opened at 2801 Wade Hampton Blvd. in Taylors. Learn more at petsuppliesplus.com.

WE MAKE VISUALLY COMMUNICATING YOUR BRAND STORY AN EXPERIENCE YOUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;LL WANT TO REPEAT. view our story

Photo provided

CONTRIBUTE: Know of a business opening soon? Email information to aturner@communityjournals.com.

ÂŤ

demic Start-up Assistance Program grant valued up to $25,000 to support their efforts in testing, design, patent filing and federal compliance. Patrona Medical LLC designs and develops innovative wireless solutions for Urinary Catheter Products that predict and prevent Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI). The company aims to significantly reduce the number of fatalities due to Hospital Acquired Conditions (HAC), which impacts more than 13,000 American lives each year, and to allow health care providers to recoup hundreds of millions of dollars of CMS reimbursements lost annually. PursuitAlert LLC is a patented mobile warning system that alerts the public of an active police pursuit or emergency response by a participating law enforcement agency. Both the hardware and software are patented and the accompanying smart phone app is free to the public.

i p s o c re at ive.co m

26 | #TRENDING |

UBJ

INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

OVERHEARD @ THE WATERCOOLER RE: CHURCH ST. FARM-FRESH FAST FOOD CONCEPT, ELEV8, TO OPEN JANUARY

> Josh Edgar “I order meals from this company. They are REALLY good! I can’t wait for their restaurant to open.” > Jake Tubbs “Congrats Jonathan Willis!” > ELEV8 Next Level Nutrition “Then the ‘Farm-Fresh Freak Show’ comes to town. Well here we go, our ﬁrst of ﬁve magazine articles in the next two months :). One is a NATIONAL publication.” > Helen Meyer Sherman “ELEV8 Next Level Nutrition is bringing something new to the #yeahTHATgreenville dining scene.” > Nikki Darnell Beachley “So proud of both of you! Congrats friend!”

>> CONNECT WITH US We’re great at networking. LINKEDIN.COM/COMPANY/ UPSTATE-BUSINESS-JOURNAL FACEBOOK.COM/ THEUPSTATEBUSINESSJOURNAL @UPSTATEBIZ

@CWHaire

@daviddykes

@AndersonTrev

@melindagyoung

@andrewmooreGVL

@EPietras_CJ

@clandrum

@jerrymsalley

NOVEMBER 25, 2016

EST

1663

BUSINESS BEER THE

GETTING SERVED S.C. laws may hamper distribution efforts

IN IT TOGEis THER the rule Collaboration s for Upstate brewer

ROAD TRIPS brings in profits Beer tourism s from curious drinker

SE SOON? APOCALYPbeers, Too many craft too little shelf space

12.2.2016

BIZ BUZZ

Distilled commentary from UBJ readers

> Brewery 85 “We are happy to announce that we are working with ELEV8 Next Level Nutrition and these folks to put our beer in some of their recipes.”

| VOL. 5 ISSUE 48

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

>> WEIGH IN @ THE UBJ EXCHANGE Got something to oﬀer? Get it oﬀ your chest. We’re looking for expert guest bloggers from all industries to contribute to the UBJ Exchange. Send posts or blog ideas to dcar@communityjournals.com.

> Dee Brooks “That’s so, so awesome!!!!!”

The Top 5 stories from the past week ranked by shareability score

>> 679 1. Church St. farm-fresh fast food concept, Elev8, to open January

>> 190 2. The region claims its space as a beer tourism destination

>> 148 3. BlackStream joins global network for Christie’s International Real Estate

>> 100 4. Knox White: Proposed Falls Park oﬃce building may be moved

>> 78 5. The Craft Beer Apocalypse?

> Amanda Marie Nixon “Cant wait!!” > @minton_april “Very cool! Wish more businesses would recycle already developed spots instead of tearing down virgin green space #upcycle.”

RE: REVAMPED LAURENS ROAD BOJANGLES’ TO FEATURE A BISCUIT THEATER > Trish Oconnell “I worked at Dunkin Donuts on Wade Hampton in the mid ‘70s while in high school. They had a window to watch also. Same location, new building.”

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAILS Follow up on the Upstate’s workweek in minutes. Subscribe to our emails & receive The Inbox – our weekly rundown of the top 10 local biz stories you need to know – as well as breaking news alerts. It’s the best way to stay informed on the go. >> upstatebusinessjournal.com/email

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12.2.2016

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DATE

EVENTS YOU SHOULD HAVE ON YOUR CALENDAR

EVENT INFO

WHERE DO I GO?

HOW DO I GO?

Black Sheep Farm Corporate Day

Black Sheep Farm Fountain Inn 1-5 p.m.

Cost: Free For more information: 301-5325; blacksheepfarmsc@yahoo.com

Upstate S.C. Alliance luncheon with Australia’s Trade & Investment Commission

Upstate S.C. Alliance Fifth Floor Conference Room 124 Verdae Blvd., Suite 503 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m.

Cost: Free For more information: RSVP by Dec. 1 at bit.ly/2fYboMJ

Business Planning for the Small-Business Owner

NEXT Innovation Center 411 University Ridge 6–8 p.m.

Cost: $19 For more information: piedmontscore.org/workshops/ register/274/

Upstate SC Alliance Annual Holiday Drop-In: Investors Only

Crowne Plaza Greenville 851 Congaree Road 5–7 p.m.

Cost: Free For more information: RSVP by Dec. 1 at bit.ly/2fhGv2n

Pulse Holiday Party

Revel 304 E. Stone Ave. 5:30-8 p.m.

Cost: Free for members; $15 for nonmembers For more information: bit.ly/2eGYrXT

Friday

12/2 Tuesday

12/6 Tuesday

12/6 Wednesday

12/7 Wednesday

12/7

| PLANNER | 27

CONTRIBUTE: Got a hot date? Submit event information for consideration to events@upstatebusinessjournal.com. DIRECTOR OF EVENTS & ACCOUNT STRATEGY Kate Madden

PRESIDENT/CEO

ART & PRODUCTION VISUAL DIRECTOR

Mark B. Johnston mjohnston@communityjournals.com

Will Crooks

UBJ PUBLISHER

Bo Leslie | Tammy Smith

Ryan L. Johnston rjohnston@communityjournals.com

EDITOR

Chris Haire chaire@communityjournals.com

MANAGING EDITOR

Jerry Salley jsalley@communityjournals.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Emily Pietras epietras@communityjournals.com

STAFF WRITERS

Trevor Anderson, David Dykes, Andrew Moore, Cindy Landrum

OPERATIONS Holly Hardin

ADVERTISING DESIGN CLIENT SERVICES Anita Harley | Jane Rogers

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Kristi Fortner

HOW TO CONTRIBUTE STORY IDEAS: ideas@upstatebusinessjournal.com

EVENTS:

DIGITAL OPERATIONS MANAGER

onthemove@upstatebusinessjournal.com

MARKETING & ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVES Nicole Greer, Donna Johnston, Annie Langston, Lindsay Oehmen, Emily Yepes

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

1997 Jackson Dawson launches motorsports Division 1993

1990 Jackson Dawson

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1998 1998 Jackson Dawson moves to task industrial Court

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

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

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

him going and growing his business over the years. He is passionate about giving back and outreach to non-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

JANUARY 13 THE MARKETING ISSUE Getting the word out in Greenville, Spartanburg and beyond.

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

November 1, 2013 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal 21

20 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal November 1, 2013

AS SEEN IN

NOVEMBER 1, 2013

Kristy Adair | Michael Allen

events@upstatebusinessjournal.com

Danielle Car

UBJ milestone

1988

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

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JANUARY 27 QUARTERLY CRE ISSUE The state of commercial real estate in the Upstate.

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UP NEXT DECEMBER 16 THE BUSINESS OF DOGS The care, training and feeding of our best friends.

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

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