DECEMBER 6, 2013
CREDIT U NION
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They’re outpacing banks on several fronts, but impending tax reforms could change the landscape significantly for S.C. credit unions
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UBJ UP FRONT
Celebrate Them Now By Emily Price | digital strategist | eprice@communityjournals.com My momma’s been heavy on my mind lately: These winter celebrations of gratitude and giving are my second go-round in her absence, and we’ve recently spent a good bit of time here at UBJ defining our Who’s Who brand, articulating the qualities of the ideal Who’s Who candidate and sorting through nominations. Upon her passing in March 2012, I told my brother it was important for me to pen a tribute for someone to read at her service. “Of course,” he said, “I will, too. But I will read my own.” “How will you be able to do that?!” I asked, astonished. An attorney with his own firm in downtown Greenville, whose passion is arguing cases in a courtroom, he responded, “I don’t know, but she dedicated much of her life and resources to helping me become a professional communicator, so it’s the least I can do to honor her.” I had recently obtained a master’s
degree in professional communication, so I could hardly refuse my brother’s undeniable logic. We both addressed a large crowd of mourners on the many ways our mother shaped us – as people, community participants, academics and professionals. That day we delivered heartfelt testimonies with nary a tear, and with a level of eloquence and poise only inspired by such an acute and profound realization of legacy. It was beyond evident how our mother, an educator, affected who we are, and our professional identities are a large part of us. My mother climbed the vocational ladder from English professor to associate provost. She loved to teach others how to write, which is itself a tool of knowledge, discovery, empowerment and self-expression. I would argue there is no greater gift to give than the respect and mastery of language. A passing in the writing community is, predictably, met with an outpouring
of words that are particularly impassioned and poignant, and many contacted us to express their gratitude for her impactful role in their histories. Gardner-Webb University dedicated the Gayle Bolt Price School of Graduate Studies to her, an honor almost always reserved for past graduates or top-level donors. A scholarship fund was created in her honor. First Baptist Greenville named a Sunday school class and classroom after her. Then I somehow stumbled into the role of college professor myself, and not a day passes when I stand at that podium that I not only feel, but live her influence. She is the definition of a Who’s Who, and her legacy is lived in many ways. For that I am grateful. I only wish that these tributes were not so often postmortem. Why wait to celebrate those who guide us? Why vocalize our appreciation for the selfless givers at times so exclusive as the holidays, or their
GAYLE BOLT PRICE physical exits from this world? Why wait to articulate our abundance of gratitude to those who have impacted us – intellectually, professionally or otherwise? Do it now. Until Dec. 16, take the opportunity to nominate a Who’s Who at upstatebusinessjournal.com/whoswho.
Kay Biscopink, CPA, Shareholder Eric Schmid, CPA, Shareholder
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December 6, 2013 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 3
Volume II, Issue XLIX
December 6, 2013
6
WORTH REPEATING “Credit unions, I believe, do serve a purpose. We don’t hate them. We’re all trying to serve our market.” Tricia Springfield, retail banking executive at The Palmetto Bank
“It’s not always about the job. It’s as much about the challenge and where you have the chance to do your work. Bloom where you are planted, but bloom on fertile soil.”
VERBATIM
On Collegiate Beauty…
“I’m sorry, I was looking for Gandalf.” Buzzfeed, noting the Middle-Earth-like appearance of the Furman bell tower, in naming the university one of ten “uniquely stunning college campuses from around the world.” (bit.ly/buzzfeed-furman)
Jim Terry, CEO of Hollingsworth Funds, on keeping balance in one’s career
“Not one single person has said anything negative about Greenville. They don’t even go, “yeah, but…” I’ve never heard people rave about a police force before.” Chet Green, the new general manager at High Cotton, on what surprised him about Greenville
TBA
Patrons of High Cotton will find views of the Reedy River and South Main Street from their tables.
Watch for an announcement soon from a Greer manufacturer looking to open new markets in the oil, gas and heavy industrial arenas, adding jobs and millions in capital investment… 4 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL
Greenville will soon have fro-yo on the go. Sweetly-Twisted, South Carolina’s first self-serve frozen yogurt truck, is set to hit the streets this weekend… December 6, 2013
Greenville native and former NFL player David Jones plans to open a new sneaker boutique on Mills Avenue in early 2014. Word is it will showcase street wear, athletic wear, denim and accessories…
Word is Greenville County’s economic development team has been delving deep into the county’s economic development strategies and overall competitiveness. Expect an update soon on new initiatives…
Special Thanks to our Chairmen’s Circle Investors DIAMOND INVESTORS
PLATINUM INVESTORS Fluor Corporation Greenville Journal SummitMedia Wells Fargo
BB&T of South Carolina BMW Manufacturing Co. City of Greenville The Cliffs Communities, Inc. GE Power & Water The Greenville News Michelin North America Sempra US Gas & Power TD Bank
SILVER INVESTORS
Acumen IT Ernst & Young, LLP AT&T South Carolina First Federal Bank BI-LO, LLC Furman University BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Gallivan, White & Boyd, P.A. Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative Greater Greenville Association of Realtors Bob Jones University Greenville County Council Canal Insurance Company Greenville First Bank Clemson University GSA Business/SC Biz News Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP Harper Corporation Elliott Davis, LLC
BRONZE INVESTORS
Grainger 3M Company Greenville Technical College AFL GreenWood Inc. Athene Annuity Hilton Greenville Baldor Electric Company Honeywell Bank of America House of Raeford - Columbia Farms Bank of Travelers Rest Hubbell Lighting Bausch & Lomb Hughes Investments Bon Secours Wellness Arena/Centerplate Jain Chem, LTD Breakaway Honda Kemet Corporation Buffets, Inc. - Ryan’s Division Kolbenschmidt Pierburg Inc. Coldwell Banker Caine Marriott Greenville CompX Security Services McMillan Pazdan Smith Group Architects CountyBank Mitsubishi Polyester Film Inc Day & Zimmermann International, Inc. Morgan AM&T Deloitte & Touche Nexsen Pruet, LLC Ellcon-National Nutra Manufacturing Faurecia Interior Systems Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. First Citizens Bank & Trust of SC The Palmetto Bank FOX Carolina - WHNS TV The Furman Co. 24 CLEVELAND ST. GREENVILLE, SC 29601 864-242-1050
24 CLEVELAND ST. GREENVILLE, SC 29601
864-242-1050
GOLD INVESTORS
Bon Secours St. Francis Health System Cryovac Sealed Air Corporation Duke Energy Carolinas LLC Greenville Business Magazine Greenville Health System SunTrust Bank
Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. Hughes Development Corp. Hyatt Regency Greenville Laurens Electric Cooperative Inc Lockheed Martin Milliken & Company The Spinx Company Inc. Thornblade Club Westin Poinsett Hotel Womble, Carlyle, Sandridge & Rice Perrigo of S.C. PNC Bank Prudential C. Dan Joyner Co. REALTORS Regions Bank Resurgent Capital Services Sage Automotive Interiors ScanSource, Inc. Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP South Carolina Bank & Trust Southwest Airlines SYNNEX Corporation Table 301 Restaurant Group Ultra Tan USC Upstate Verizon Wireless Virginia College Windsor Aughtry Windstream Communications Wyche, P.A. Zaxby’s Corporation WWW.GREENVILLECHAMBER.ORG
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UBJ RESTAURANTS
by the Purveyors of Classic American Style
Hiding in Plain Sight High Cotton works to put its best faces forward By Jennifer Oladipo | senior business writer joladipo@communityjournals.com Although High Cotton has anchored a prominent chunk of real estate in downtown Greenville since 2007, the people behind the restaurant haven’t been as visible as they would like. Greenville is a community that knows its restaurant owners better than its chefs and managers, but High Cotton’s new general manager Chet Green and executive chef Adrian Carpenter have been tasked with changing that. Green has worked for large and small companies in the Northeast, and Carpenter developed his career in Colorado and Oregon. At four and six weeks on the job, respectively, they sat down with UBJ to discuss their vision for their piece of the Maverick Southern Kitchens group.
SHOE CARE 411 You can tell a lot about a man by the shoes he wears. You can tell if he has pride in the way he looks. You can tell if he is on his game. You can tell if he is attentive or misses details in the things he manages. A well maintained pair of shoes is just another outward sign that you have what it takes to be successful. Maintaining you shoes is as important as cleaning, pressing and repairing your suit. Maintaining your shoes consists of polishing and daily touch up and brushing; keeping shoe trees in your shoes; and replacing the soles and heels when needed. How do you polish your shoes? First, wipe down your shoes with a damp cloth to remove dirt and residue. Then use a wet welt brush to clean the welt. Allow the shoes to air dry. Apply a small amount of polish (Kiwi paste wax or Meltonian shoe cream or other similar brands) with a soft cloth and rub it into the leather, reapplying until you have covered both shoes. Use the welt brush to apply the polish into the welt. Allow the polish to dry. Then remove the excess polish by brushing the shoes with a horsehair brush and buff to the desired shine. The last step is to apply sole-edge dressing. Be careful with lighter colored shoes not to get the edge dressing on the uppers in that it will stain them permanently. Then let the edge dressing dry before wearing the shoes.
What are your big plans for Greenville?
CG: The opportunity to come back to South Carolina, where I’m from, is a great thing for me. But it was also a big thing for me to get back to working with people who I liked and respected and could learn from every day. In my interview I saw Adrian nodding in agreement with a lot of what I was saying. Coming back to a smaller company, I feel like we have a chance to be the premier restaurant in Greenville. I think that although people in Greenville like the fact that [president Dick Elliott] brought a Maverick Southern restaurant here from Charleston, they want this place to stand on its own.
One of the most important parts of the daily care of your shoes is the use of nonvarnished, cedar shoe trees. Cedar shoe trees will extend the life of your shoes by drawing perspiration and moisture from the shoes and returning your shoes to their original shape. The best time to use the shoe trees is right after you have worn your shoes. Put the trees in the shoes right then. By not using trees, your shoes will curl up at the toes and eventually crack at the crease points. Your shoes are a focal point of business dress. They can complement or detract from your look. Always be sure to put your best foot forward…shine your shoes!
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6 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL
December 6, 2013
J13
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AC: I’ve had it on my radar for quite a while to get back to the South. I see the Southeast as an opportunity to grow in the culinary and hospitality community. New York, Chicago and San Francisco are developed and will keep doing what they do. What I see for Atlanta, Greenville and Charleston is a real opportunity to land on the map. The Southeast is the one place in the culinary and hospi-
“Not one single person has said anything negative about Greenville. I’ve never heard people rave about a police force before.” Chet Green (above)
tality world that’s continuing to grow and has an opportunity to step up and become something special. We are close to the Appalachian Mountains and I’d like to see a little bit more representation of the foothills in the food.
What did you bring back from your years out west?
AC: Farm-to-table has been alive out there longer, so bringing those ideals home and helping with that movement. There’s a lot of opportunity in Greenville. There are a lot of farmers, foragers and purveyors out there who need someone to kind of help lift them up and put them on the map, if you will. There’s also the west coast style, which brings a little bit cleaner, more >>
UBJ RESTAURANTS >>
natural flavors into the food.
active in those kinds of things and be vocal and seen. I think it’s important.
How will you connect better with the community?
AC: Through relationships – with the food community, business owners and the everyday citizen. It’s not easy. It takes a lot of work to go out and greet neighboring businesses, the folks at Starbucks, the security guard in the parking garage, charities – all these things that have an impact on people. Getting out in the community takes a lot of effort. DC: I really think from all my past endeavors that the business that we’re in, the hectic and frenetic pace at which we go sometimes doesn’t lend itself well to 8 a.m. chamber meetings. I think that kind of keeps restaurateurs from being better connected. So in January I certainly look to get
Being so new, what’s your sense of how people see High Cotton?
CG: I think they see us as one of the top restaurants in Green-
“There are a lot of farmers, foragers and purveyors out there who need someone to kind of help lift them up and put them on the map.” Adrian Carpenter
ville. I think the only negative is that there has been a different GM here and there, and they’re looking to come in and have that “Cheers” effect and that stability in the both of us. Mr. Elliott wants people to recognize me when I walk down the street.
Any surprises so far?
AC: There are a lot of little hidden parts of Greenville. A lot of ethnic areas to check out, different foods and cuisine. You can see it developing all over the place. CG: Not one single person has said anything negative about Greenville. They don’t even go, “yeah, but…” I’ve never heard people rave about a police force before. They don’t have to convince me, though: I just adapt. Move, change, adapt.
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12/3/13 10:21 AM December 6, 2013 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 7
UBJ ECONOMY
SC Leading Index Reached 6-Year High in October By Sherry Jackson | staff | sjackson@communityjournals.com The South Carolina Leading Index (SCLI) marked three consecutive months of improvement and reached a six-year high in October, closing the month at 101.24, according to the November South Carolina Economic Outlook Report issued by the S.C. Department of Commerce. An SCLI value above 100 indicates improving economic conditions for the state over the coming three to six months, said David
Clayton, director of research for the commerce department, in the report. The report covers economic indicators in employment, unemployment and real estate. Strong stock market performance and an increase in the average manufacturing workweek pushed the SCLI higher in November, while a 10.5 percent increase in initial claims for unemployment insurance and a 9.1 decrease in building permits for new residen-
tial construction dampened the gain. The housing market slowed in its pace of improvement with the volume of residential real estate closings falling 4.3 percent, according to the report, and the median South Carolina home sales price declined 2.9 percent. However, the year-over-year gains in
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the housing market are still evident, said Clayton, with a 5.2 percent increase in closings compared to 2012, a 3.3 percent increase in median sales price over the year, and a hefty 34.1 percent increase in building permits. The report shows that the number of foreclosures has fallen by 18 percent, indicating a dramatic >>
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UBJ NEWS >>
improvement. Employment in the construction industry has also improved over the year, adding 4,900 jobs. Overall, the Charleston and Greenville markets have shown the most significant gains in home sales prices and closings, said Clayton. The report shows the labor market displayed strong gains in October, both on the private employment side with 4,100 jobs added in S.C. and 5,500 government jobs. October saw a 10.5 percent increase in the weekly average number of initial claims for unemployment insurance (UI), following a 9.3 percent decrease in September. Compared to 2012, initial UI claims were 9.0 percent lower than the same time last year and 21.4 percent lower than two years ago.
HomeTrust Rebrands BankGreenville The BankGreenville location at 499 Woodruff Road underwent a makeover this week that gave it the look of its new parent company, HomeTrust Bancshares. The institutions announced in May an agreement for the Asheville-based HomeTrust to acquire BankGreenville. The deal was set to close in the third quarter of 2013,
creating a combined company with
about $1.7 billion in assets. HomeTrust Bancshares Inc. was advised in the transaction by Keefe, Bruyette and Woods as financial advisor and Silver, Freedman & Taff LLP as legal counsel. BankGreenville was advised by Banks Street Partners LLC as financial advisor and Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP as legal counsel.
Westside Comprehensive Plan Presented After several months of planning, Connections for Sustainability debuted the final presentation of a comprehensive plan for Greenville’s Westside this week. The consulting and planning team
led by Lawrence Group showed what key areas such as Washington and Hudson, Newtown, West Greenville and Pendleton Street could look like in the future. For more information, read the com-
plete story in this week’s Greenville Journal.
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December 6, 2013 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 9
UBJ INNOVATE
By JOHN WARNER
Transforming Public Education Jobs in our economy are polarizing into relatively high-skill, high-wage jobs and low-skill, low-wage jobs reflected in the increasing wage gap. South Carolina has led the nation in public education accountability, and there has been sustained improvement in student performance over the past decade or so. Despite this, business leaders are crisscrossing the state saying that even if operated as designed, the public education system is obsolete, and too many South Carolina students are ill served. The rate of improvement must accelerate to meet the 21st-century needs of our state. TransformSC is a business-led initiative to promote the transformation of public education. An international education leader invited to S.C. this fall, Sir Ken Robinson, noted that the form of public education prevalent all over the world was designed to produce workers for the industrial revolution. Even the most successful students are often not prepared for a globally connected economy that places a premium on creativity and innovation. Worse, some talented students who do not fit the one-size-fits-all approach to education emerge from the system convinced they aren’t smart, which haunts them the rest of their lives. Current South Carolina public education accountability relying on highstakes, end-of-the-year tests reflects this industrial model of education. The
THE SOUTH CAROLINA PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM, AND THE ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM THAT SUPPORTS IT, SHOULD BE TRANSFORMED AS FOLLOWS:
» Learning must be personalized to each student, including project-based learning
» Real-time diagnostic assessments » Technology-infused instruction
Photo Provided
Learning must be personalized to each student, including project-based learning, real-time diagnostic assessments, and technology-infused instruction. system provides no feedback to students and teachers throughout the year. It focuses exclusively on testing facts, which results in teaching to the test that drives out subjects like the arts where students learn to think critically and creatively. The system assumes that all students are at the same level at a given age, and that an individual student is at the same level in all subjects. High-stakes, end-of-the-year tests too often result in high anxiety, frustration and burnout among teachers who feel they are not respected as professionals. The current system of accountability is inadequate to ensure that students are prepared with the knowledge and skills required for their success. To transform public education, we must transform accountability. Educa-
10 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL
December 6, 2013
tion entrepreneurs emphasize they need the freedom to innovate. Educators in existing public schools emphasize they need the same flexibility offered to alternatives. The General Assembly should adopt a new accountability system that relies primarily on assessments during the year that provide real-time data to students and teachers to improve their performance. It should balance assessments of facts, such as multiple-choice tests, with professional assessment by teachers of higher-order thinking skills, such as the evaluation of artistic works or science projects. The accountability system should provide flexibility for a student to advance through the standards at an individual pace. This new accountability framework would provide existing public schools
the real-time data and the flexibility to significantly improve their performance. This framework would not require existing schools that have made considerable investments in systems and training to radically change the way they operate overnight. At the same time, it would empower education entrepreneurs, including those in existing public schools, to transform education by creating radically new forms of personalized, technology-enabled learning, while continuing to meet state standards. In a sentence, the South Carolina public education system, and the accountability system that supports it, should be transformed as follows: Learning must be personalized to each student, including project-based learning, real-time diagnostic assessments, and technology-infused instruction. Personalizing learning allows students to advance through the standards at an individual pace, allowing advanced students to move faster and students requiring more time to master earlier standards before moving on to later ones. Perhaps initially, most classrooms would be managed much as they are now. Merely loading an existing classroom with technology likely will yield marginal improvements at best, because it doesn’t fundamentally change the way the classroom is managed. It is easy to imagine more radically personalized, technology-infused education, where teachers facilitate learning for individual students progressing at a pace appropriate to each student in each subject. Students develop higher-order thinking skills through activities such as artistic works or science projects, which teachers professionally assess using rubrics to ensure consistency. NEXT High School is an example of a new model of education being developed around project-based learning. For teachers to become the empowered professionals they need to be >>
UBJ MANUFACTURING
Income Jumps at SC Banks By Jennifer Oladipo | senior business writer joladipo@communityjournals.com
GE Signs $700M Turbine Deal With Saudi Arabia By Jennifer Oladipo | senior business writer | joladipo@communityjournals.com
GE announced that it has signed a nearly $700 million contract with the state-owned Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) that includes gas turbines manufactured in Greenville. The 7F-5 combined-cycle gas turbines will be manufactured at GE’s facility in Greenville in addition to steam turbines and generators from GE’s Schenectady, N.Y., facility. The contract also includes two service agreements covering planned maintenance on the units for a fixed period of eight years. The turbines will support large, combined-cycle power plants that will generate more than 3.8 gigawatts of electricity. “We chose GE once again for our largest project because of their advanced technology, which features proven efficiency performance,” said Ali Albarrak, president and CEO of SEC, in a news release. “In addition, GE technology has the ability to respond to dramatic daily changes in power demand while maintaining high levels of fuel efficiency in line with the
>> to transform education, most of the assessments should provide real-time data to teachers and parents so appropriate support can be provided to improve student learning. To the degree possible, summative data required by administrators and policy makers should be derived from these assessments during the school year. High-
growing power resource needs of our country.” Shipment of GE’s equipment is expected to begin at the beginning of 2015. In September GE won three contracts totaling $2.7 billion, most of which was for gas turbines produced in Greenville. Other significant projects that have come through the GE plant include the production of 22 9E gas turbines for Iraq in 2008, and 30 7EA gas turbines for Saudi Arabia in 2009.
“GE technology has the ability to respond to dramatic daily changes in power demand while maintaining high levels of fuel efficiency in line with the growing power resource needs of our country.”
The latest quarterly report from the Federal Insurance Deposit Commission (FDIC) shows third-quarter 2013 income at South Carolina-based banks is up 34.7 percent from the same quarter last year. The banks reported aggregate net income of $167 million for the quarter, up from $124 billion the previous year. They outpaced national commercial banks and savings institutions, which reported a 3.9 percent dip in aggregate net income from $37.5 billion to $36.0 billion in the third quarter of 2013. “This is the first year-overyear decline in over four years, and it is mainly attributable to a $4 billion increase in litigation expenses at one institution,” said Martin Gruenberg, FDIC chairman, in a release. “Had it not been for that, the upward trend in earnings would have continued.” Reduced mortgage activity also contributed to the drop
“This is the first year-over-year decline in over four years” MARTIN GRUENBERG
in net operating revenue as higher interest rates affected mortgage refinance and other activity. “This decline was largely driven by the increase in medium- and long-term interest rates that occurred in the second quarter,” Gruenberg said. The report showed improving health in the banking industry, with fewer institutions reporting quarterly losses, fewer failed banks, and moderate growth in lending. Also, the number of banks on the FDIC’s “Problem List” dropped from from 553 to 515 during the quarter. Because credit unions are insured by the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund, they are not included in the report.
ALI ALBARRAK
stakes, end-of-the-year tests should be reduced to the absolute minimum necessary. A strong and growing consensus has formed among parents, educators, business leaders and community ad-
vocates that South Carolina public education must be transformed, not merely be improved, to adequately meet the needs of students. We all look forward to the day when
visitors from across the country and around the world come to South Carolina to study what is widely recognized one of the world’s best public education systems.
John Warner is CEO of InnoVenture.com, a global Web platform helping people with big ideas attract resources they need. He is also a member of the SC Education Oversight Committee, responsible for overseeing public education accountability in the state.
December 6, 2013 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 11
UBJ GUEST COLUMN
By ELIZABETH FEATHER
How Globally Fluent Is the Upstate? “Global fluency” isn’t a phrase that comes up every day in business conversation, but it is something that the Upstate is doing very well. According to a recent study by the Brookings Institution, the Upstate is one of the nation’s most “globally fluent regions.” In a nutshell, that means we are an area that is ready and able to recruit international business. That is important for our region because global integration, the expansion of a global consumer class, and the rise of urban areas as the engines of global economic growth have ushered in a new era that demands more global engagement from America’s city and regional leaders.
A new era demands more global engagement from America’s city and regional leaders. Brookings listed 10 traits that globally fluent regions need to possess:
• A culture of knowledge and innovation
• Leadership with a worldview
• Opportunity and appeal to the rest of the world
• A legacy of global orientation
• International connectivity
• Specializations with global reach
• Ability to secure investment for strategic partnerships
• The ability to adapt to global dynamics
• Government as a global enabler
• A compelling global identity.
Those traits all resonate in the Upstate, but it was specialization with a global reach that drew the most attention from Brookings. Our 10 counties include more than 375 international companies that represent 31 countries, including Germany, Japan, China, Italy, Korea and France. Those are big numbers, and they are supported by employee data. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, South Carolina is tied for fourth in the nation in the percentage of people employed by foreign-based companies. While the three letters BMW are what most Upstate residents >>
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December 6, 2013
UBJ GUEST COLUMN >> think about when it comes to foreign investment, here is just a smattering of what other companies are located here: Adidas, BASF, Electrolux, Freightliner, Fujifilm, Robert Bosch Group and Siemens. This influx did not happen overnight, nor did it happen without reason. One of the main goals of the Upstate SC Alliance is to tell the economic development story of our region to the rest of the world. The Upstate does not stand alone on steel and concrete infrastructure. Upstate cities have sister cities in Bergamo in Italy, Carrickfergus and the Western Isles in the United Kingdom, Kortrjik in Belgium, and the Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone in China. These sister cities help foster an international expansion of ideas and cultures.
season’s greetings and happy new year! T
HANK YOU to all my wonderful clients with whom I have had the opportunity to build relationships. It has been an honor and a privilege to help you achieve your dreams. I am committed to another banner year of long-lasting friendships and results.
In addition, the International Center of the Upstate was established in 1998 to offer a multitude of services designed to promote cross-cultural understanding among local and international residents of the Upstate. This includes language classes, an Upstate professionals’ network, newcomers’ groups and a relocation program. Our region’s international programming is aided by the Michelin French School, which is accredited by the French Ministry of Education and provides French-only classes for high school students, as well as weekend schools geared for educating Chinese, Korean, Japanese and German students. All of these pieces combined are making the Upstate a more attractive place for international investments, which strengthens our place
in a global economy and creates a more interesting and comfortable
place to call home, no matter where you were born.
Elizabeth Feather is the marketing research manager of the Upstate SC Alliance, a nonprofit organization made up of public and private investors aimed at promoting economic growth. Additional information is available at upstateSCalliance.com.
EXPERT COMMENTARY FROM LOCAL BUSINESS LEADERS The Upstate Business Journal welcomes expert commentary from business leaders on timely news topics that relate to their specialties, especially little-known but significant issues they feel are pertinent to business readers. Our guest columns run 700-800 words and we welcome supporting art that will help explain your points graphically. Please contact Executive Editor Susan Clary Simmons at ssimmons@communityjournals.com if you are interested in submitting an article for consideration.
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December 6, 2013 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 13
UBJ PROFILE ‘The Fruit of the Labor’
L
After 38 years in banking, Jim Terry applies his work ethic to leading the Hollingsworth Funds By SHERRY JACKSON | staff | sjackson@communityjournals.com
Looking out the window of his fifth-floor office on Verdae Boulevard, Jim Terry can see new homes being built at Verdae and bustling businesses along Laurens Road. Roper Mountain is in the backdrop and the expansive views of the city are amazing. It’s all part of a $290 million, 1,100-acre empire built by John Hollingsworth and now entrusted to Hollingsworth Funds, a charitable support organization, which Terry serves as president and CEO. Terry says the goal of the foundation is to give away money and continue to build funds to increase the giving. In 2013, Hollingsworth Funds contributed $6.1 million dollars in grants to Furman University, the Greenville YMCA and 69 other nonprofit organizations within Greenville County. “That’s the fruit of the labor,” says Terry. Terry grew up in a textile city in Rockingham, N.C. Both of his grandfathers were in textiles and thought maybe he might follow in their footsteps. But Terry was more interested in business and marketing. He went to the University of North Carolina and set off on a career in the banking industry that spanned 38 years before making a career change that brought him to Hollingsworth Funds. Terry had banked with Hollingsworth in the past and says he “knew the complexities of Mr. Hollingsworth’s operations and companies.” So when Irvine T. (Buck) Welling Jr., who had served as chairman and president of Hollingsworth Funds since the organization’s inception in 1964, became ill, the company brought Terry in, initially to work with Welling and then transitioning to his role as CEO and president.
“I worry about the next generation. How will they be able to be successful? I worry about the lack of ethic in everything we touch and what it has cost us.” 14 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL
PHOTOS BY GREG BECKNER / STAFF
How did you decide on a career in banking?
did some financial consulting for a little while.
I kept waiting to see what I really wanted to be, and after about 38 years in banking, I figured out I wanted to be a banker. The job gives you about 60 percent content and 40 percent opportunity, so I always tried to do the things I liked to do and wanted to do within the framework of the job. I was very fortunate to work with and for some very gifted peopled. At one time I thought it would be fun to be in human resources to train and attract talent, so I always stayed very active in that aspect of the company.
Who was your mentor?
What would have been a second career choice?
What about work ethic?
I probably would have gone into sales. I also had thought it would be fun to have a hardware store with hunting supplies on one side and antiques on the other side to bring my hobbies together. I also
December 6, 2013
There are too many to enumerate just one or two. There were high school football coaches, a minister at church, people that I work with and for, and customers I had where I learned about their process and studied their leadership success. I don’t want to say that I gleaned and plagiarized, but I was fortunate to meet some very talented people along the way and was able to figure out what I liked best and least. Just watching the best of the best and emulating them.
My grandfathers, on both sides, spent 50 years each in the textile mills and had a very strong work ethic. My parents also worked, and my dad taught me that work was a responsibility. The ethic of that came from them. Oddly enough, a lot of the >>
THE BASICS: JIM TERRY ALMA MATER University of North Carolina
HAS LIVED IN North Carolina, Florida and South Carolina
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 38 years in banking, 18 years at Carolina First Bank and 20 years with First Union Bank
HOBBIES Hunting, antiquing, photography
FAMILY Wife Sandy, daughter Ashley and son Jay, three grandchildren – Charlie, Molly and Ellis – and dog Penny
>> strengths and beliefs come from people you work with, and if you pay attention, it makes you become a better manager and worker. What was the most rewarding part of your career? In the mid 1980s, I was chosen to go to Florida to head up a tax squad for First Union Bank in preparation for interstate banking. I got to choose talented people to go with me and set up shop. It was the most challenging and exciting opportunity in my career. I was Daniel Boone and it was fun. But after a few years, I saw my young family wasn’t sharing in that excitement. I learned the lesson that
there has to be balance. It’s not always about the job. It’s as much about the challenge and where you have the chance to do your work. Bloom where you are planted, but bloom on fertile soil.
How did you end up in Greenville? In 1986, I was actually at the airport headed from Florida back to a job in Charlotte when I got a call from a bank that had just acquired another bank in Greenville, asking if I wanted to be part of the leadership team there. I had been to Greenville before and knew it was a pretty neat spot, so I spent the next day driving around Greenville and then called my wife and asked her what she
BEST ADVICE RECEIVED? 1. “Always answer what you feel and know and is backed by your belief. That way you can remember what you said.” 2. “Also, if you work hard, you get awfully lucky.”
thought about living in Greenville, S.C. She said, “As long as they have big oak trees, I’m in,” and that’s how we ended up here.
lack of ethic in everything we touch and what it has cost us.
What keeps you up at night?
What does the legacy of the Hollingsworth Funds look like in 10, 20 years?
A couple of things. Our parents and other previous generations always had the adage that they wanted more for their kids that what they had – whether that’s opportunity or wealth or whatever. I want that for my kids and I worry about the next generation – that’s my grandkids now – and how they will be able to pull that off. How will they be able to be successful? What will be the predicators of success and wellness? I’m not sure that it’s hard work anymore, and I worry about the
To date we’ve probably gifted $45 million dollars or so, and I’m hoping that we will continue to gift more and more money. And not to only act as good stewards of the assets but also to be supporters, allies and collaborators to those organizations that we help. As an entity, we want to continue to grow the gift and make sure the monies we are giving are doing a bigger job and have a greater impact as a result. We want to gift those assets in a thoughtful, provocative and supportive way.
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CREDIT UNIONS
ON THE
RISE
COVER STORY By Jennifer Oladipo | senior business writer joladipo@communityjournals.com
Post-recession, credit unions are gaining ground – but banks are hoping that new tax legislation will tip the balance back
C
Credit unions have seen remarkable growth in recent years, outpacing banks by multiple measures. The nonprofit entities stepped up their game just as banks were suffering major losses and clamping down on lending as a result of the recession. Increasing assets and public support put credit unions in a favorable position, but this year’s promised tax reform, which threatened to strip their federal income tax exemption, has them on the defensive. Banks, feeling like credit unions have overstepped their boundaries, are lobbying hard to make sure that change happens.
CONSUMER ACTION
In 2011 a nationwide campaign made the banks-versus-credit union debate a brighter spot on consumers’ radar. “Bank Transfer Day,” which encouraged people to move their money out of banks and into credit unions, was fueled partly by a backlash against increasing banking fees and a lingering belief that banks were to blame for the financial crisis. A Los Angeles art dealer started that campaign, but a South Carolina credit union took the ball and ran with it. South Carolina Federal Credit Union of North Charleston trademarked the one-day
event to create a never-ending “Every Day is Bank Transfer Day” slogan. The South Carolina Credit Union League (SCCUL) then encouraged credit unions statewide to take up the slogan.
CREDIT-UNION WIN
A year later, more than half of credit unions surveyed by the National Association of Federal Credit Unions (NAFCU) had gained new members who expanded their memberships beyond the required share account because of the grass-roots movement. Those new members not only opened share, or savings, accounts, but also took out real estate, credit card and auto loans. Steve Fowler, president of the SCCUL, said credit unions are even refinancing student loans these days.
16 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL
December 6, 2013
Yet even before Bank Transfer Day, credit unions saw a dramatic rise in membership and loan activity. “Credit unions did well during the downturn because they weren’t making the types of loans that caused the problems,” Fowler said, echoing a common argument. According to the American Bankers Association, banks in South Carolina grew 4.73 percent in the decade from 2002 to 2012, while credit unions grew 7.57 percent. A big part of that growth came from increased business lending, which increased significantly in 2008. Credit unions are asking
Congress to help them expand on that growth by raising the cap on commercial lending. They are lobbying for an increase from 12.25 percent to 27 percent of assets, though they’ve been
>> fighting and losing that particular battle for several years.
PERSISTENT TENSIONS
The fact that credit unions don’t pay federal income taxes has been a sore spot for banks, even more so as credit unions expand their services. This tension has been underlying the banking industry since credit unions were given an income tax exemption in 1937 that continued even after similar institutions had their tax exemptions revoked in 1951. Today, a few credit unions are as large as major banks in their markets, such as Founders Federal Credit Union, which at $1.6 billion in assets is the state’s fourth-largest depository institution. Still, credit unions have restrictions that banks don’t, such as limits on their net worth and total assets, specific collateral requirements on loans, and caps on the number of branches they can operate. They’re also limited to serving only their members, though banks say those membership requirements are too loose. Fowler said he was concerned that the draft tax reform legislation now moving through congressional committees makes no mention of tax exemption for credit unions. But the disparity has received more attention as banks try to regain their footing post-recession. Credit unions began heavily lobbying Congress in advance of expected tax reform legislation. So did banks.
“Credit unions, I believe, do serve a purpose. We don’t hate them. We’re all trying to serve our market.” Tricia Springfield, retail banking executive, The Palmetto Bank
GO FIGURE 1,541,000
credit union members in S.C.
$94,027,000 state, local and foreign income taxes paid by S.C. banks in 2012
$19,613,000
estimated income tax revenue from taxing credit unions
-$257,677,000 net annual economic impact of credit union taxation in S.C. Source: South Carolina Credit Union League
VALUE CLAIMS
for every $1 gained in income tax. They are counting their often-lower rates on loan products, higher rates on savings products and the moderating effect they have on bank pricing. “Credit unions, I believe, do serve a purpose,” said Tricia Springfield, retail banking executive at The Palmetto Bank. “We don’t hate them. We’re all trying to serve our market. We have less restrictions and more capacity, so I do think there is a space for all of us. There are a lot of businesses that need a dollar amount that they can’t provide.”
SAFE FOR NOW
As the year comes to a close, issues such as the government shutdown, debt crisis and Affordable Care Act health insurance roll-out have detracted Republicans’ attention from their pledged tax overhaul. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp had planned to hold a committee vote by October, but this
“Really, when you get right down to it, it’s not that much of a competition because we’re limited in who we serve and who we can’t,” Fowler said. What’s more, credit unions provide immeasurable community benefits, he continued. In South Carolina, credit unions worked with banks to tackle predatory lending and Steve Fowler, president of the South increase financial literCarolina Credit Union League acy, he said. Credit unions have backed legislation such as immigration reform, which won’t month political news outlets affect their bottom line but is an began to report that tax reform important issue to many of is unlikely to occur in 2013. The coming election year might even their members, he said. Plus, credit unions say push the issue to 2015. Credit unions had ramped up the math on removing the their lobbying and public “Don’t tax exemption just doesn’t Tax My Credit Unions” camwork. The amount of revenue gained from paign in anticipation, but they taxing them is far out- appear to be safe for now – from weighed by the costs to Congress, at least. Other financonsumers, they say. cial institutions will surely Fowler said in South Car- continue to monitor their olina, credit union growth, and show no plans to members lose about $10 relax any time soon.
“Credit unions did well during the downturn because they weren’t making the types of loans that caused the problems.”
INFOGRAPHIC BROUGHT TO YOU BY
December 6, 2013 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 17
UBJ SQUARE FEET
Renderings provided by McMillan Pazdan Smith
Final Approval for Stone and Main By Sherry Jackson | staff sjackson@communityjournals.com
ning our second mixed-use community in the downtown Greenville market,” said Alan McMahon, development associate at The Beach Company. “It will have a Main Street address and is located on one of the most visible corners in Greenville.” The plans call for 116 of the units to be one-bedroom, along with 45 studio apartments, 44 two-bedroom and 21 three-bedroom. There will be a community pool, clubhouse and fitness center. Public spaces, trees and wide sidewalks will also be incorporated. “This site, along with our site on Church Street and University Ridge, both offer the opportunity to live in one of the most acclaimed downtowns in the Southeast and in the country,” McMahon said. The plans show a “Fresh Foods” sign, and the company hopes to attract a neighborhood market. The Beach Company hopes to break ground in late summer or early fall 2014 and construction will take approximately 18 months to complete.
NORTH MAIN STREET
EAST STONE AVENUE
Greenville City Council gave final approval last week for a new mixed-use development at the corner of Stone Avenue and Main Street. Plans show several threeand four-story buildings that will have a total of 226 units, 336 parking spaces and 21,175 square feet of retail space. Charleston-based developer The Beach Company and Greenville architects McMillian Pazdan Smith made some modifications to the initial plans after getting input from key neighborhood leaders, holding public meetings and reviewing the Stone Avenue Master Plan. Modifications included more brickwork, flattening the roofline and reducing one of the buildings near an existing residence to two and a half stories. The mixed-use development will replace a now-vacant 4.5-acre lot owned by the Collins family. Flats and some retail will front Rowley Street, but the bulk of the retail space will be at Stone and Main. “We are very excited to be plan-
ROWLEY STREET
UBJ SQUARE FEET Commission to View Laurel Woods II Plans By Sherry Jackson | staff | sjackson@communityjournals.com Plans for Laurel Woods II, a new 330-unit apartment community on Fairforest Way near I-85 and Laurens Road, are scheduled to go in front of the Greenville County Planning Commission on Dec 12. The 23.4-acre development is planned by Edward Rose and Sons, a privately held real estate development and management company headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. The company has completed more than 80,000 dwelling units since beginning in 1921. Prior to 1965 the majority of the construction work was in the area of single-family homes. Since then
the concentration has shifted towards multifamily construction with over 65,000 units built. Approximately 57,000 of these multifamily units are managed and retained by the company. The company already owns Laurel Woods Apartments at 250 Fairforest Way in Greenville. According to plans, the development will have nine buildings with 198 one-bedroom units and 132 two-bedroom units. There will be a community clubhouse, swimming pool and bicycle racks. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2014
Rendering provided by Dorchen/Martin Associates
DEALMAKERS LEE & ASSOCIATESGREENVILLE ANNOUNCED: Randall Bentley and Bill Durrell facilitated the lease of a +/- 2,468 SF office at 198 Roper Mountain Ext., Suite B, Greenville, for MRC (Metabolic Research Center) Inc. MRC of Upstate Carolina Inc. will be relocating from Woodruff Road. Randall Bentley represented the landlord in the lease of a +/-
3,515 SF office at 1 Marcus Drive, Suite 103, Greenville, for Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart P.C. (Ogletree Deakins) This location will be used for the company’s Information Technology group. Bill Durrell facilitated the lease of a +/- 1,500 SF office space at 150 Milestone Way, Suite A, Greenville, for the relocation of a Better Way Wellness Center. Randall Bentley
Rendering provided by James Cagle
Embassy Suites Planned for RiverPlace By Sherry Jackson | staff | sjackson@communityjournals.com Greenville may be getting yet another hotel downtown. This time it’s a 156-room Embassy Suites Hotel at RiverPlace. Windsor/Aughtry Company announced the development as part of plans to expand RiverPlace. Developer Bob Hughes and the city expect to complete an expansion of the current city parking structure to add an additional 300 spaces and a three-building extension that will include additional condos, office space and the new Embassy Suites hotel. Last week, City Council approved spending the $13 million needed for the expansion of the parking garage. The hotel is expected to have two restaurants, one at the lobby level featuring highend, fine dining overlooking the Reedy River and another rooftop venue that will offer city views and a lighter-fare menu. The rooftop setting will also have capacity for private functions. Banquet facilities, a business center and
represented the landlord and David Newton represented the tenant in the lease of a +/-3,810 SF flex space at 160 Congress Blvd., Suite D, Duncan, to HomeChoice Partners Inc. Randall Bentley represented the landlord in leasing a +/-4,046 SF flex space at 48 Brookfield Oaks, Suite C, Greenville, to 4Balance Fitness. COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCED: Guy Postal represented
exercise facility are also part of the hotel plan and guests at the hotel will enjoy access to the only year-round indoor pool in downtown Greenville. “We believe that offering the only all-suites hotel within or announced in downtown Greenville, combined with this premier location and the Embassy’s very strong leisure following, will provide the very best lodging addition possible for Greenville’s downtown guests’ needs,” said Paul C. “Bo” Aughtry III, principal of Windsor/Aughtry. The Windsor/Aughtry Company also owns the Courtyard Marriott and Hampton Inn hotels downtown but isn’t concerned about such close proximity. Aughtry said the company’s existing hotels do not have the larger meeting and banquet capacity of the Embassy. “This hotel brings a strong, synergistic addition to our downtown lodging portfolio,” he said. The hotel is expected to open in 2016.
Prometric Inc. in the leasing of 1,798 SF of office space located at 37 Villa Road, Suite 200, Greenville.
in the lease renewal of 2,400 SF of retail space located at 8590 Pelham Road, Suites 15-17, Greenville.
Will Nelson represented Pelham Falls Venture in the leasing of 1,920 SF of retail space located at 996 Batesville Road, Suite 7, Greer.
Richard Barrett represented the Thomas Center in the lease renewal of 2,387 SF of office space located at 111 Smith Hines Road, Suite C, Greenville.
Will Nelson represented Anderson Commons in the lease of 1,625 SF of retail space at 3320 N. Main St., Suite C, Anderson. Will Nelson represented Pelham Falls Venture
Will Nelson represented Pelham Falls Venture in the lease renewal of 3,600 SF of retail space at 996 Batesville Road, Suites 1 & 2, Greer. Richard Barrett
represented R&J Investments in the renewal lease of 4,000 SF of flex space located at 524 Brookshire Road, Suite D, Greer. Bob Shaw represented Randstad Professionals in the lease renewal of 4,267 SF of office space located at 110 W. North St., Suite 200, Greenville. Richard Barrett represented R&J Investments in the sale of 18,000 SF of industrial space at 1825 White St. Ext., Anderson.
December 6, 2013 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 19
By Claire Rozeman, Smoak Public Relations
UBJ THE TAKEAWAY
Talking Shop With Local Entrepreneurs Randy Dobbs shares secrets to transformational leadership A group of 75 local entrepreneurs gathered on Greenville Tech’s campus to hear Randy Dobbs, a 28-year GE veteran and current CEO of Matrix Medical Network, which provides one-on-one health assessments, speak about his experiences as an entrepreneur and business owner. Dobbs began his presentation to the inaugural class of the Successful Entrepreneurship Series saying he’d like to talk to them about his failures and stating firmly, “You’re either a victim of your circumstances, or you make the most out of your circumstances.”
“Good experiences come from good judgment, but good judgment only comes from bad experiences.”
Dobbs recognizes that most careers are a product of learning from things
“You’re either a victim of your circumstances, or you make the most out of your circumstances.”
Photos Provided
that went wrong. After graduating from Arkansas State University and completing a four-year apprenticeship as a tool room machinist, Dobbs admits that he had a string of bad jobs. Working under leaders who didn’t embrace his same leadership style inspired Dobbs to write “Transformational Leadership: A Blueprint for Real Organizational Change,” which was published in 2010.
ees want to be a part of. “It’s like running for office,” Dobbs says. “You’re really asking your employees, ‘Are you with me?’” Dobbs concedes that a complete culture reform is difficult, but that leaders must shape the vision for the company. According to the title of one of his blog entries on dobbsleadership.com, Dobbs believes that good leaders don’t just manage change, but lead it.
“Leaders are disruptors seeking solutions.”
“A business is either getting better or getting worse.”
Dobbs’ “secret sauce recipe for success” focuses on three objectives: Bring in the right people, build the right processes and apply technology to those processes, driving efficiency and productivity. To ensure a successful transformation, leaders must solicit employee buy-in. Loyalty can be earned through communication and embracing a culture that employ-
Using this road map of improving people, building processes and adding technology, companies can create a culture that drives success. “This is not magic,” he says. “Productivity and earnings are driven by data, and companies can make change last by monitoring progress through metrics.” Referring to himself as a “change
monster,” Dobbs knows that his method will attract employees willing to change and scare away those who aren’t. But he credits the success of transformational leadership and ultimately, the success of his career to never, ever giving up.
EVENT: Successful Entrepreneurship Series Presentation WHO WAS THERE: 75 members of the inaugural Successful Entrepreneurship Series TOPIC: Transformational Leadership SPEAKER: Randy Dobbs, CEO of Matrix Medical Network
An evolution of Ecoplosion, the Successful Entrepreneurship series is a program developed by industry influencers and experts. The series’ curriculum aims to inspire innovation and encourage individuals to develop ventures that benefit the community. Thought leaders representing a continuum of markets share their experiences, testimony and insight, and offer proven advice on how to successfully foster business ventures. Topics include marketing, social media, financial and accounting basics, human resources, leadership and international business. For more information, visit successful-entrepreneurship.com.
20 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL
December 6, 2013
UBJ NEW TO THE STREET 1
2
1. Greer Family Dental Care recently held their ribbon cutting at 1494 W. Wade Hampton Blvd., Suite D, in Greer. For more information, call 864-655-5870 or visit greerfamilydentalcare.com.
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2. Glendale Outdoor Leadership School’s (GOLS) TreeTop Adventure Trail high challenge course recently opened at 270 Wheeling Circle in Glendale. The TreeTop Adventure Trail offers a zip line and large swing and other adventurous activities. For more information, visit setgols.org, call 864-529-0259 or email gols@setgols.org.
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December 6, 2013 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 21
UBJ ON THE MOVE HIRED
HONORED
HONORED
PROMOTED
Kurt R. Budelmann, M.D.
Diane Gluck
Dr. Amy Picklesimer
John Mininger
Joined Bon Secours St. Francis Health System as part of its Woodward Medical Center. Budelmann received his medical degree from SUNY Health Science Center in Syracuse, N.Y. A specialist in internal medicine, he is board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine.
Honored with the Susan Eison Spirit Award, which recognizes individuals who have demonstrated a longterm commitment to the fight against cancer. Gluck is involved with Greenville County Medical Alliance, Greenville Family Partnership, Healing Journeys, Integrative Oncology Steering Committee, South Carolina Cancer Alliance and Within Reach.
Received the CommUnity Hero Award at the national Centering Health Institute (CHI) Conference. Presented by WellCare Health Plans Inc., the award honors individuals who utilize best practices to improve health in their communities. Picklesimer is the medical director of the Greenville Health System’s Centering Pregnancy program.
Promoted from video producer to senior producer at Jackson Marketing Group. Mininger has been with JMG since 2004 and has more than 10 years of production experience in both location and studio shooting throughout the U.S.
22 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL
December 6, 2013
CONSTRUCTION/ ENGINEERING: O’Neal Inc. recently hired Lena Poulos as procurement specialist. Poulos has more than 10 years of professional construction support experience, including procurement, estimating, and project administrative assistance. She has worked with such companies as THS Constructors and Turner Construction.
LEGAL: The S.C. Bar Young Lawyers Division (YLD) has named Jessica Christophillis and Amanda Gallivan of Christophillis & Gallivan, PA; Ashley Forbes of Turner >>
UBJ ON THE MOVE >>
Padget Graham & Laney, PA; and Anna Hamilton of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP as Stars of the Quarter award recipients for their contributions to the Backpack Drive Committee. The awards are given quarterly to YLD members who exemplify dedication to public service and YLD initiatives. Members of the Backpack Drive Committee coordinated supply drop-off locations and donation events, solicited volunteers and spread awareness of the project throughout the state.
MARKETING/ PUBLIC RELATIONS: Jackson Marketing Group recently added Ben Adams as art director and John Wilhite as interactive developer. Adams joins JMG with more than three years of agency experience, including previously serving as a graphic design intern at JMG in 2011. Wilhite most recently served as a database developer/administrator with Clemson University’s Center for Optical Materials Science and Engineering Technologies (COMSET).
MEDICAL: Bon Secours St. Francis Health System recently announced additions to the St. Francis Physician Services board of directors. Steven Newman, M.D., is an at-large physician board member and member of the Network Growth and Development Committee and a family medicine physician at Poinsett Family Practice. James Wallace, M.D., is chairman of the Network Growth and Development Committee and board member and family medicine physician at Mile-
stone Family Medicine. Thomas Baumgarten, M.D., is chairman of the Finance and Contracting Committee and board member and orthopedic surgeon at Piedmont Orthopaedic Associates. Ranna Naidu, M.D., is chairman of the Patient Care and Credentials Committee and board member and family medicine physician at Woodward Medical Center. Stacy Bizzell, M.D., is chairwoman of the Technology and Informatics Committee and board member and internal medicine Physician at Woodward Medical Center. Greenville Health System recently announced that Sarah Covington-Kolb, CenteringPregnancy coordinator, received the CommUnity Hero Award at the national Centering Health Institute (CHI) Conference. Presented by WellCare Health Plans Inc., the award honors individuals who utilize best practices to improve health in their communities. Covington-Kolb was honored for her work in improving maternal health and lowering the rate of pre-term births through the CenteringPregnancy program at GHS and in furthering the program’s success across South Carolina.
TECHNOLOGY: Engenius recently welcomed Catie Buckingham as a project and account Manager. Buckingham graduated with honors from Winthrop University with a bachelor’s degree in social work. She has worked for several nonprofit agencies, including the Julie Valentine Center and Fellowship Greenville.
MOVERS & SHAKERS New hires, promotions and award winners can be featured in On The Move. Send information & photos to
onthemove@upstatebusinessjournal.com. December 6, 2013 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 23
UBJ THE FINE PRINT
Currahee Club Membership Grows Lake Hartwell’s 1,200-acre private gated country club community Currahee Club recently announced that its membership has grown to more than 180 member families, signing up more than 150 in the past 12 months. “One year ago we repositioned our membership offerings to create golf and social resident and non-resident memberships,” says Ron Hakala, membership manager,
in a release. “We started with only 24 members and today we have over 180 and are still growing with additional new members expected to sign on before the year end. We created a more affordable program that fits the needs of more types of family households and now offer a much broader selection of activities other than just golf.” The Currahee Club recently completed a $2.5 million Sports
Core Care Medical Sees Geographic, Operational Expansion Core Care Medical announced expansion into new markets, along with growth inside the company. The company is currently based at the Small Business Incubator at Spartanburg Community College’s Tyger River campus. The company has established client bases in medical markets throughout South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi and Florida. In addition, the company welcomed Jason Ratliff to the South Carolina Core Care Sales Team. “Core Care is steadily expanding our footprint across the Southeast, and we look forward to adding more states to our list of sales territories,” stated Nils Bouwmeester, co-founder of Core Care Medical, in a release. “The expertise of our sales team is pivotal in the success of our company and its clients.”
24 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL
Amenity Club and Campus that features tennis, fitness, pool, playground, basketball, volleyball, community garden, bocce ball, Tiki Bar and grille and poolside dining at Canoe’s restaurant. In addition to the amenities, the club has hiking trails and a lakefront park as well as a mountain golf course, which was recently rated by Golfweek Magazine as the No. 42 Best Residential Course in America.
Downtown Retailers Launch ‘Holiday Happening’ Campaign More than 70 downtown businesses will participate in a Downtown Greenville Holiday Happening to promote downtown shopping and dining from Dec. 13 through 22. Participating businesses include clothing stores, restaurants, art galleries, hotels, jewelry and toy stores, and various downtown attractions. Most participating businesses will have extended store hours from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. on Dec. 13, 14, 20 and 21 as part of the program. Retailers also hope to lure shoppers with a passport book intended to encourage visits to multiple businesses. Shoppers will receive stamps from retailers, and with six stamps they can enter a drawing to win one of several prize packages. Passports will be available at the participating stores and at the Visitors Center located in City Hall, 206 S. Main St. Completed passports can be turned in at the Visitors Center, the Emporium, the Beaded Frog or Mast General Store. The drawing for the prize packages will take place on Dec. 23, and winners will be notified by email within 24 hours. For more information, visit downtownholidayhappening.com.
December 6, 2013
Welcome to our Team!
UBJ THE FINE PRINT
Jonathan Mullikin
Jonathan@marchantco.com 864.449.4132
Materials Sciences Corp. Adds Greenville County Manufacturing Operation Pennsylvania-based Materials Sciences Corporation (MSC), a designer and manufacturer of composite materials and structures for government and industry, will establish a new manufacturing operation in Greenville County, investing $1 million and creating 23 new jobs. The company purchased and will renovate about 13,000 square feet of space in a former textile manufacturing facility located near SC-TAC. MSC has developed custom com-
posite materials for clients in the defense, commercial, energy and recreation sectors. The company has 40 employees, including 30 engineers in the existing operations in Pennsylvania and Mississippi and is recognized worldwide for its development of spe-
cialty algorithms that simulate and predict composite performance. The company said hiring information will be released soon for positions including experienced loom technicians, advanced materials engineers, project managers, CNC and computer-controlled cutter operators, and quality assurance personnel, plus sales, marketing and administrative support roles. Interested candidates may email their resumes in confidence to hr@ materials-sciences.com.
SC BlueCross, BlueChoice Customers Can Keep Plans 1 Year BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina and BlueChoice HealthPlan of South Carolina recently notified the state’s Department of Insurance that they will allow one-year renewals for non-grandfathered individual and small group policy holders’ plans. “The state’s Department of Insurance stepped up with quick and decisive guidance. Allowing our non-grandfathered members the option of renewing their existing plans for one year is the
right thing to do. The additional choice supports our members by giving them more time to prepare for ACA (Affordable Care Act)-related changes in the marketplace,” said David Pankau, BlueCross president and CEO, in a release. In addition, BlueCross is sending out letters this week to its non-grandfathered members while BlueChoice is contacting its affected members during this same period. Eligible BlueCross and BlueChoice customers who want
to keep their current health care coverage do not need to do anything at this time. A grandfathered plan is an individual or small group policy in which the person or persons were enrolled in before March 23, 2010, when the ACA was signed into law. A non-grandfathered plan was purchased after that date and/or does not include the broad spectrum of benefits required by the ACA.
Clint Miller
Clint@marchantco.com 864.395.3421
Jen Ryan
Jen@marchantco.com 864.404.0183
We proudly welcome Jonathan, Clint and Jen to the Marchant Company. We look forward to working with them and are confident they will have long and successful careers as part of our growing family of REALTORS®.
864.467.0085
WWW .M ARCHANT C O . COM
December 6, 2013 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 25
GOT A HOT DATE?
UBJ PLANNER
Contribute to our Planner by submitting event information for consideration to events@upstatebusinessjournal.com Road, Taylors; 6:30-8:30 p.m.
FRIDAY DEC. 6 2013 LEGISLATIVE OUTLOOK BREAKFAST
Attendees share tips, discuss the latest news and enjoy the company of other Macintosh users.
Spartanburg Marriott, Azalea Ballroom, 299 N. Church St., Spartanburg; 7:45-9:30 a.m.
TUESDAY DEC. 10 BUSINESS BEFORE HOURS
COST: $25 per Spartanburg Chamber member and $40 per non-member. CONTACT: Jim Thomas at jthomas@ spartanburgchamber. com or 864-594-5020 REGISTER: spartanburgchamber.com FIRST FRIDAY LUNCHEON Greer City Hall, 301 E. Poinsett St., Greer, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. COST: $10 for Greer Chamber members, $15 for non-members CONTACT: Katie at katie@ greerchamber.com HOLIDAY DROP IN
Commerce Club, 55 Beattie Place, Greenville; 7:30-9 a.m. COST: $8.50 for those who pre-register or $12 at the door. at burka2@clemson.edu REGISTER: firstfridaywatrous. eventbrite.com SPARTANBURG YOUNG PROFESSIONALS & YOUNG LAWYERS HOLIDAY DROP-IN Main Street Pub, 252 W. Main St., Spartanburg; 7-9 p.m. Complimentary drinks and food. Attendees are encouraged to bring crackers and/or peanut butter for Mobile Meals.
Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce, 111 Trade St., Greer; 4-6 p.m.
FOR INFORMATION: sypspartanburg.com
REGISTER: greerchamber.com
GCS ROUNDTABLE
FIRST FRIDAY LEADERSHIP SERIES Clemson at the Falls, 55 E. Camperdown Way, Greenville; 5-7:30 p.m. SPEAKER: Dave Watrous, senior director of global strategic development, Fluor COST: Free CONTACT: Amy Burka
MONDAY DEC. 9 The Office Center at the Point, 33 Market Point Drive, Greenville; 8:30-9:30 a.m. SPEAKER: Doug Stout, The Entrepreneur’s Source TOPIC: Are You Entrepreneurial? CONTACT: Golden Career Strategies at 864-527-0425 to request an invitation
26 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL
WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP ROUNDTABLE
IMPORTANT: Only open to Chamber members.
Clemson at the Falls, 55 E. Camperdown Way, Greenville; noon-1 p.m.
CONTACT: Lorraine Woodward at 864239-3742 or if you are a Commerce Club member, contact Dot Drennon at ddrennon@ greenvillechamber.org
SPEAKERS: Gail DePriest, Elizabeth G. Rasor, Beth Veach, Sharon Day, Erika Cannon, Becky McCrary and Valerie Miller CONTACT: Amy Burka at burka2@clemson.edu FOR INFORMATION: calendar.clemson. edu/event/womens_ leadership_roundtable CEO BEST PRACTICE FORUM
WEDNESDAY DEC. 11
INFORMATION: yptm. toastmastersclubs.org
SPEED NETWORKING EVENT
THURSDAY DEC. 12
Costco, 1021 Woodruff Road, Greenville; 7-9:30 a.m.
2013 ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE BREAKFAST
Open to all Upstate Chamber members to hear Port Authority officials speak on the Inland Port.
Westin Poinsett Hotel, 120 S. Main St., Greenville; 7:30-9 a.m.
Refreshments will be served.
COST: $25 for Chamber members, $100 for non-members CONTACT: Elizabeth Edwards at 864-239-3748 or eedwards@ greenvillechamber.org
GSA TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL LEARNING LUNCH
REGISTER: greenvillechamber.org
SPARTANBURG HEALTHCARE NETWORK
Embassy Suites Hotel, 670 Verdae Blvd., Greenville; 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
UPSTATE WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY ANNUAL HOLIDAY LUNCHEON
Spartanburg Chamber of Commerce, 105 N. Pine St., Spartanburg; 10:30 a.m.-noon
WOMEN’S CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON
Featuring the American Lung Association and the American Cancer Society.
Ryan Nicholas Inn, 815 Holland Road, Simpsonville; 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
REGISTER: spartanburgchamber.com
COST: $25 per person, includes meal INFORMATION: Payment and registration required by Dec. 9 at noon to the Mauldin Chamber of Commerce at 864-297-1323.
SPEAKER: Scott Millwood, CEO of Customer Effective
ROOST,220 N. Main St., Greenville; noon COST: $15.50 for lunch and should be paid through uwitsc. com by Dec. 10. Will have a chocolate gift exchange CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE Simpsonville Chamber of Commerce, 211 N. Main St., Simpsonville; 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free to attend
MAC USERS GROUP
GREENVILLE (DOWNTOWN) ROTARY MEETING
Grace Baptist Church, Choir Room, 5020 Old Spartanburg
Westin Poinsett Hotel, 120 S. Main St., Greenville; noon
December 6, 2013
cover meeting space and one drink at the bar
RSVP TO: Lisa Lanz at 864-297-2578 or w01005mbr@ costco.com
NEXT Innovation Center, 411 University Ridge, Greenville; noon-1:30 p.m.
IMPORTANT: This is a member- and invitation-only event.
FOR INFORMATION: greenvillerotary.org
YOUNG PROFESSIONAL TOASTMASTERS Commerce Club, 55 Beattie Place, Greenville; 6 p.m. Cost to Visit: $5 to
RSVP TO: Jennifer Richardson at jrichardson@ simpsonvillechamber. com or 864-963-3781 REGISTER: simpsonvillechamber.com
UBJ SNAPSHOT
Historic photo available from the Greenville Historical Society.
In this photograph taken in the 1930s, area news carriers are being treated by their newspaper companies to a live performance of The New York News Boys’ Band at the Carolina Theater located on North Main Street. One of the distinctions between the Carolina Theater and other downtown theaters was the Carolina’s ability to accommodate live stage performances in addition to motion picture presentations. The tall projection at the rear of the theater facilitated scenery changes. The Carolina’s interior (lower left) was the most elaborate and largest on Main Street. It had a seating capacity of 1,218. Its size, glistening chandeliers and large stage flanked by impressive balconies gave it the aura of an opera house.
HISTORIC PHOTOS PROVIDED
Today the Ogletree Building occupies the former site of the Carolina Theater.
CURRENT PHOTO BY GREG BECKNER / STAFF
SENIOR BUSINESS WRITER Jennifer Oladipo STAFF WRITERS Sherry Jackson, Cindy Landrum, April A. Morris PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER Mark B. Johnston mjohnston@communityjournals.com UBJ ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Ryan L. Johnston rjohnston@communityjournals.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR Susan Clary Simmons ssimmons@communityjournals.com MANAGING EDITOR Jerry Salley jsalley@communityjournals.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dick Hughes, Jenny Munro, Jeanne Putnam, Leigh Savage
MARKETING & ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVES Lori Burney, Kristi Jennings, Donna Johnston, Annie Langston, Pam Putman MARKETING & EVENTS Kate Banner DIGITAL STRATEGIST Emily Price
INTERN Benjamin Jeffers PHOTOGRAPHER Greg Beckner ART & PRODUCTION ART DIRECTOR Kristy M. Adair PRODUCTION MANAGER Holly Hardin ADVERTISING DESIGN Michael Allen, Whitney Fincannon
Copyright @2013 BY COMMUNITY JOURNALS LLC. All rights reserved. Upstate Business Journal is published weekly by Community Journals LLC. 148 River Street, Suite 120, Greenville, South Carolina, 29601. Upstate Business Journal is a free publication. Annual subscriptions (52 issues) can be purchased for $65. Postmaster: Send address changes to Upstate Business, 148 River St., Ste 120, Greenville, SC 29601. Printed in the USA.
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December 6, 2013 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 27
building a future
Grand Opening Celebration Please join us for the grand opening of CertusBank’s flagship branch located at One North Main Street.
Friday, December 6 • 11 am - 2 pm Enjoy lunch, prizes and entertainment throughout the day.
Join the conversation #CertusONE
to help our community grow and prosper At CertusBank, we are committed to changing banking for the better because it makes our community better. We invite you to join us as we celebrate the opening of our flagship branch in Downtown Greenville. Meet our teammates, enjoy lunch on us and learn more about our innovative solutions.
CertusBank.com/OneMain
CertusBank, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal housing lender. ©2013 CertusHoldings, Inc. All rights reserved. CertusBank, N.A. is a trademark of CertusHoldings, Inc.