February 12, 2016 UBJ

Page 1

FEBRUARY 12, 2016 | VOL. 5 ISSUE 7

Ode to

JOY Joy Bailey looks back on 40 years as a pioneering woman in real estate Page 16


The nominees are...

...up to you.

2016 Categories:

THE YOUNG GUN THE CLOSER

THE LEGEND

THE BOSS

THE WILD CARD

THE COMPANY

THE ENTREPRENEUR

UPSTATEBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM/WHOS-WHO


02.12.2016

|

INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

upstatebusinessjournal.com

| INVESTMENTS | 3

Upstate pulled 31% of state capital investment

|

29601

|

864.561.4031

|

info@parkplaceonhudson.com

s

en

ck

le

Pi

vil

be

ion

Ab

Un

d

nw

oo

ee

ee

on

Gr

Oc

ee

ok

er

Ch

rso

n

s

de

en

An

ur

La

nv

ee

Gr

Sp

ar

tan

bu

rg

ille

www.parkplaceonhudson.com

billion in capital investment last year, more than 31 percent of the state’s $4.2 billion in total capital investment for 2015, according to data from Upstate Business Journal and SC Department of Commerce. Upstate counties also accounted for 34 percent of jobs recruited last year, or 5,867 of the state’s total 17,280 recorded recruitment. The 2015 state totals dropped from last year, and fell behind totals for 2013 and 2011, according to SC Department of Commerce news releases. The department posted 2014 capital investment totals of $5.01 billion and 19,020 jobs, which was the third-highest for the state. The largest deals for the state included Volvo Car Group and Mercedes-Benz Vans, with capital investments of $500 million each, while the largest between the 10 Upstate counties was the $104.4 million DollarTree project in Spartanburg and Cherokee Counties. The top three grossing counties by announced and unannounced investment dollars were Spartanburg, Greenville and Laurens counties respectively, though top job creation counties were Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson counties respectively.

Greenville, SC

Upstate counties drew in more than $1.3

The manufacturing sector accounted for 56 2015 ED DEALS IN $ BY COUNTY Announced Unannounced percent of new jobs, $500M which totaled 9,680 in 2015, and for $3.6 billion $450M – or 86 percent – of the $400M total state recorded capital investment for $350M the year. Service-sector $300M projects such as warehouse and distribution $250M operations accounted for $200M 44 percent of jobs recruited, according to an $150M SC Department of $100M Commerce news release. Existing industry ex$50M pansions represented the $0 majority of capital investment and job creation in 2015, a change from 2014 in which the location or relocation of new companies to the state led in both “While South Carolina continues to be a leader in the categories. International sources accounted for 56 manufacturing renaissance, our economy truly is thriving percent of capital investment and 37 percent of new in multiple sectors,” stated Secretary of Commerce Bobby jobs, while 29 percent of total new jobs were created Hitt. “Cultivating a healthy, diverse economy in all in rural counties with Tier III or Tier IV designations. communities across South Carolina is critical.” |

aboncimino@communityjournals.com

104 S. Hudson Street

ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

xperience in old Greenville. ience in Greenville’s coveted West End District? A place at once steeped in the

thoroughly forward-thinking in its conception and vision for the future. A place

s storied downtown setting, and also points the way to a dynamic, one-of-kind-

best of both worlds: a rich heritage and a modern living experience, all bound

igned, original townhomes.

A new living experience in old Greenville. GRANITE COUNTERTOPS | HARDWOOD FLOORS | GARAGE PARKING NEARBY PARKS & RECREATION | OUTDOOR LIVING SPACE | KROC CENTER MEMBERSHIP

www.parkplaceonhudson.com 104 S. Hudson Street | Greenville, SC | 29601 864.561.4031 | info@parkplaceonhudson.com

What if there was a vibrant, new living experience in Greenville’s coveted West End District? A place at once steeped in the history and charm of old Greenville, and yet thoroughly forward-thinking its conception and vision for the future. A place that celebrates all that has come before in this storied downtown setting, and also points the way to a dynamic, one-of-a-kind-lifestyle that’s altogether unique. This is the best of both worlds: a rich heritage and a modern living experience, all bound together by a collection of 24 thoughtfully designed, original townhomes.

Renderings and Plans presented are illustrative and shall be used for general information purposes only. Actual layout, room dimensions, window sizes and locations and steps to grade vary per plan and are subject to modification without notice.


4 | THE RUNDOWN |

TOP-OF-MIND AND IN THE MIX THIS WEEK

UBJ

|

02.12.2016

VOLUME 5, ISSUE 7 Featured this issue: NEXT Manufacturing opens for business Recap: February Greenville DRB Urban Panel Deb Sofield’s public speaking rules of the road

10 14 15

MONEY SHOT: Work on the I-85/I-385 gateway interchange officially started Friday with a groundbreaking ceremony for the $231 million project, attended by SCDOT Secretary Christy Hall and other local officials. Hall said 220,000 vehicles use the interchange daily. With the changes that SCDOT is making, she said, the interchange will have the capacity to handle 350,000 vehicles daily. Work is set to conclude at the end of 2018. Photo by Benjamin Jeffers

WORTH REPEATING

TBA

“I’ll bet there are others like me who have workshops at home and no one to play with.” Page 11

Two new “escape room” businesses are in the works. Upstate Escapes at 701 Pendleton St. expects to offer four themed rooms, while Escape Artist at 217 E. Stone Ave. will feature one room with different adventures.

“I was going to take all the women who were being told they can’t do this and bring them under my wing. And we’re going to go forward together.” Page 16 “The media is not in the business to report accurate information that you can use to make informed decisions about your portfolio. They are only in the business to generate more views and clicks.” Page 18

VERBATIM

On mistakes “We all make mistakes, but yet it’s all about how you rebound from that mistake, rather than giving up.” Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, in a 2015 interview with the Charlotte Observer.


02.12.2016

|

INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

upstatebusinessjournal.com

| ASKED & ANSWERED | 5

Asked & Answered IS A CHICK-FIL-A COMING TO AUGUSTA STREET? CARROLL L N TINDAL AVE NO, AT LEAST NOT IN THE NEAR FUTURE. HOUSTON ST

JONES AVE JONES AVE

IS P LZ

@UpstateBiz

T

MEL

VILL E

AVE R

DR D.

RE

RO OK W

RE

EL EW

A

LEW IS D

DR RD EEN

AZ

LEWIS D

NB

maps4news.com/©HE

PL

ABE

VE

Upstate Business Journal

ST

EA VE C ON EST E

WE E KE O

IE A

South Carolina United States Greenville

S

EL S

VE

GU ST A

RS

L E DR EA G

LU PO ST

H EE A

AVE

CATEEC

AU

CAPERS ST

GROV ER D

PR

E AV

ST

W

SS TI EN

CRESCENT AVE

Stay in the know.

SE VIE

ST

HU RC H

SC

W.

possible Chick-fil-A coming to Augusta Street. So is it a possibility? In October 2015, Cummings, Ga.-based Core Property Management purchased approximately 1 acre fronting Augusta Street from Conestee Avenue to Aberdeen Drive, where Vaughn Russell and other business are currently located. John Graham with Core Property Management told UBJ the company is working with current tenants on relocation over the next 12-24 months. After that, the plan is to raze the existing buildings and redevelop the site into a new retail center. He was not able to comment on possible tenants, including Chick-fil-A. No plans have been submitted for a Chick-fil-A, said Michael Kerski, city of Greenville planning and development manager. “When and if they do, it would require a neighborhood meeting and a public hearing and a vote at the Board of Zoning Appeals, as drivethrough restaurants in C-2 zoning require a special exemption permit,” Kerski said.

R WOOD

Rumors have been swirling for years about a

BILTMORE DR

asked answered

Core Properties bought the one acre fronting Augusta Street from Conestee Avenue to Aberdeen Drive. A property where they’ve said a Chick-fil-A is not coming to right now.

TheUpstateBusinessJournal


6 | DEVELOPMENT |

UBJ

INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

|

02.12.2016

Poinsett Corridor could see entrepreneurship hub, hotel in coming years

maps.google.com

ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

aboncimino@communityjournals.com The emerging Poinsett Corridor

Final Reductions Up To 75% Off OXXFORD, SAMUELSOHN, SOUTHWICK, COPPLEY, PETER MILLAR, ROBERT TALBOTT, ALLEN EDMONDS, BILLS KHAKIS, SCOTT BARBER AND MORE.

“Purveyors of Classic American Style” 23 West North St. | Downtown Greenville 864.232.2761 | rushwilson.com

could support more rental housing, a tech and entrepreneurship district, and even an upper midscale hotel in the coming years, according to a new market analysis commissioned by the Greenville Revitalization Corp. In the wake of new activity such as the 11-acre Greenco Beverage distribution center – and several years after launching a coalition to revitalize the corridor – the report highlights what advocates have been saying for years, say stakeholders: Things are happening in the Poinsett Corridor. In 2011, the corridor emerged as an underutilized community asset, and a movement grew to begin the process of revitalization, said Shannon Herman, director of the project for the county and assistant to the county manager. Since then, the corridor has seen more community planning in nearby neighborhoods, the demolition of the old Piedmont Shirt Factory to make way for development, and the introduction of beautification and walkability measures to create a sense of place for businesses and residents. “The question was, ‘This used to be the hub of town – what happened?’” she said. For potential developers and in-

vestors, “This minimizes the guesswork.” A Hollingsworth Funds grant partially funded the study, which identified four key opportunities in the retail, hotel, industrial and rental housing markets, and presented four development nodes along the corridor. Researchers highlighted the area’s key location – just miles from downtown, beginning at Poinsett Highway and Rutherford Road running north – and the area’s skilled workforce left from its history as a textile hub. “We’re trying to develop something unique,” said GRC CEO Douglas Dent, who noted the ongoing street improvements and small-scale retail would continue to build a sense of community. “There’s a lot of real activity happening right now.” Unemployment has come down from 15 percent years ago, and the corridor no longer lives up to its previous reputation as a crime-ridden area, said David Doser, a board member of both the Greenville County Redevelopment Authority and its nonprofit development arm, the Greenville Revitalization Corp. “What this gives us is a little more legitimacy,” he said, noting that the reputation has been hard to shake. “Once Greenco starts construction, things will pick up. … I think there’s a bit of a stigma right now.” >>


02.12.2016

|

upstatebusinessjournal.com

STUDY HIGHLIGHTS HOTELS Two motels along the corridor offer a total of 44 rooms, but these properties are old and “well below the quality of facility which would be preferred in the Corridor,” according to the study. Researchers found that hotel room demand grew 66 percent from 2009 to 2014, while supply grew 16 percent during that same period, and is expected to hit 32 percent in 2016. Major hotel traffic generators could be downtown Greenville and Furman University visitors, especially when price is a factor.

TECHNOLOGY & ENTREPRENEURSHIP DISTRICT With the plethora of incubators, co-work spaces, startups and small businesses, the Poinsett Corridor could fill the need for high-quality, affordable industrial, R&D and flex space for growing businesses, according to the study. The nearby NEXT Manufacturing Center, for example, is expected to house four to six high-growth companies that will likely need to ‘graduate’ in the coming years.

RETAIL While the corridor has a significant inventory of restaurants, hair and nail salons, convenience stores and clothes care businesses, the study identified 37 retail categories with significant gaps between supply and demand, both for area residents and outside consumers. The study highlighted additional hardware stores, garden/nursery centers, large furniture stores, specialty electronics & appliance stores, and specialty apparel stores, among others.

RENTAL HOUSING With new developments on the way and a growing Greenville population, the corridor can take advantage of its proximity to downtown and employment hubs with marketrate rental housing near its southern gateway and close to community amenities such as Poe Mill Neighborhood Park and the proposed trail and park in New Washington Heights.

INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

| DEVELOPMENT | 7


8 | RESTAURANTS |

UBJ

INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

|

02.12.2016

GB&D in the Village to offer ‘approachable, classic food’ SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF

sjackson@communityjournals.com The Village of West Greenville will soon have a new restaurant offering breakfast and lunch. GB&D, which stands for Golden Brown and Delicious, will feature fast-casual American food and is planned to open in April, depending on construction build-out of the space formerly occupied by Lily Pottery on Pendleton Street. Owner Andy George, along with two investors, has been planning for the restaurant for more than a year. While this is George’s first business venture, he said he’s been working in restaurants for more than three years and cooking his whole life. “I live nearby and really like the Village. It has great potential,” said George. “It’s a place where you can do something you want to do without being an

established chain. For other businesses to work, someone has to come to the area and take the risk.” The 1,500-square-foot space will accommodate about 49 seats including tables and a large farm table and window bar, George said, as well as exposed brick walls and whitewashed wood, along with local artwork and an open kitchen. A door will link GB&D and The Village Grind, a coffee shop next door operated by George’s sister, Lindsey, to allow customers to easily flow from one business to the other. GB&D will offer counter service, meaning you order your food and then sit down. George calls it “classic food done really well,” and says the menu will be chef-driven using locally sourced food whenever possible.

Breakfast will include breakfast sandwiches, baked goods, oatmeal, granola, bagels and croissants. Lunch will feature sandwiches, salads, burgers and braised meats. Everything on the menu, including the bread and granola, will be made in-house. GB&D will also offer vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options, and some menu items will be available as “grab-and-go.” George says they will also cater events and have space to accommodate private parties. GB&D will be open each First Friday and may eventually open for dinner, depending on customer demand. Already planned are special dinners once a month with themes such as a build-your-own-noodlebowl, dim-sum night and family-style fried chicken dinners. For more information, visit eatgbnd.com.

Bake Room to offer wholesale goods SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF

sjackson@communityjournals.com The smells of fresh baked bread and pastries will soon fill the air in the Village of West Greenville when the

Bake Room opens in a few weeks. Owner Wade Taylor said the approximately 1,150-square-foot space at 1296 Pendleton St. is small but functional. A German deck oven will be the heart of the bakery, churning

out artisan-crafted naturally leavened breads and breakfast pastries such as croissants, brioche and danish. The Bake Room will use organic ingredients as much as possible and source flour locally from local flour mills, he said. Taylor expects to open first as a wholesale shop, selling his baked goods to local restaurants and businesses and taking special orders. As the business gets up and running, he hopes to add retail hours, maybe one or two days a week, and plans to be at a few farmers markets this spring. “I want to be creative in the way I get my product in front of the people,” he said.

Taylor started out as a line cook in college and then gained baking experience at the Persephone Bakery in Jackson, Wyo. He has family in Greenville and moved here recently after seeing a need for freshly crafted breads in the market. He chose the Village because it’s “a good location, good people and a bright future. There are a lot of neat things happening in the Village.” Social media accounts and a website are still in the works. For more information, call 864-735-8539 or email scbakeroom@gmail.com.


02.12.2016

|

INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

upstatebusinessjournal.com

| TRANSPORTATION | 9

SC Auto Week goes statewide ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

aboncimino@communityjournals.com This year’s Upstate-based SC Auto Week is going statewide with events in Charleston and Columbia, with the aim of promoting and growing one of the state’s largest industries. The weeklong schedule caters to industry professionals, students and the general public, and will include the 5th Annual S.C. Automotive Summit, a robotics competition, manufacturing plant tours, a supplier matchmaker program and a car show featuring everything from classic cars to electric vehicles and monster trucks. “For SC Auto Week last year, we were admittedly focused on the Upstate because it was a pilot,” said Catherine Hayes, executive director of the South Carolina Automotive Council, the organization behind SC Auto Week. This year’s summit theme is “Connectivity, Collaboration and Innovation,” and will highlight speakers working on indusCatherine Hayes, executive try-disrupting compadirector of the South nies and leaders, she Carolina Automotive Council said. “The concept of

being disruptive, of changing things in ways that its never been done before, it’s really important for any industry but also very important for the automotive industry. You have to change with it.” Momentum for the industry has grown in the last few years as new companies enter the state and existing firms expand, said Hayes. The event sold out on sponsorships this year, and Hayes expects nearly 30 percent of attendees to come from out of state, a shift from last year. “We’ve always tried to appeal to out of state, but this year we have a lot of interest,” she said. “There’s just a lot of energy because there’s so many changes and new companies coming.” Summit speakers cover topics such as connected vehicles, cyber security, 3D printing, the internet of things, big data and others, she said. For more information, visit SCAutoWeek.com.

SC AUTO WEEK MONDAY FEB. 22

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 24

Daimler Vans Plant Tour

Automotive Innovation Power Breakfast

Where: Daimler Vans, Ladson, S.C. For: Manufacturers and Business Community

TUESDAY, FEB 23 Manufacturer’s Showcase with 30 manufacturers and Tier 1 & 2 suppliers Where: MC2, Greenville For: middle school, high school, technical college, university undergraduate and graduate students

All Girls Auto Know: Career opportunities in SC’s auto industry Where: MC2 and CU-ICAR, Greenville For: middle school girls

SAE Women driving the industry: networking and panel from leaders at General Motors, BMW Manufacturing Co., Roush & Yates Racing Engines, and SC DHEC. Where CU-ICAR, Greenville For: Professionals and students

Where: TD Convention Center, Greenville For: Professionals

Automotive B2B Supplier Matchmaker

Where: MC2, Greenville For: Manufacturers and technical service providers only

5th Annual SC Automotive Summit

Where: Varying locations, Greenville For: Professionals

IngeniousSC : Technology preview

Where: MC2 For: Manufacturers & potential investors

Daimler Vans Plant Tour

Where: Daimler Vans, Ladson S.C. For: Students, parents and teachers

ITIC Ride & Drive

Where: International Transportation Innovation Center, SCTAC, Greenville For: Professionals

THURSDAY, FEB. 25 TO SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27 13th Annual Palmetto Regional Robotics Competition Where: Myrtle Beach, S.C. For: Teams of professionals and young people

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26 Daimler Vans Plant Tour

Where: Daimler Vans, Ladson, S.C. For: Technical College and University Students

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27 Cars & Coffee of the Upstate

Where: Michelin North America, Greenville For: Open to the public More Information: SCAutoWeek.com


10 | STARTUPS |

UBJ

INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

|

02.12.2016

NEXT Manufacturing Center announces 3 tenants, open for business ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

aboncimino@communityjournals.com The Next Manufacturing Center in West Greenville finished its first round of renovations and welcomed its pioneer tenants to the niche co-working space early this year. Its first phase transformed 20,000 square feet of abandoned warehouse into a gleaming, white-walled canvas, already 70 percent leased. The second phase will cover the remaining 15,000 square feet at 400 Birnie St., preceded by a grand opening in early March. “The goal is to create a space and environment for high-potential manufacturers… and support them as they grow and hopefully build corporate headquarters here,” said project developer Russ Braasch, who hopes to partner with local firms and schools to make the project a true community asset. The first three tenants include a new division of Master Power Transmission, South Carolina technology firm Hoowaki, and the first site for Greenville-based makers group Synergy Mill. Braasch predicts six to seven initial tenants for the first phase, and hopes the variety of firms will use the space to share ideas and bolster an innovative community. “We could do one to three tenants, which would make leasing easy, but that’s not the idea,” he said. The mission dovetails with the business model as well, he says, as the first

phase “has to be fully leased to break even,” he said. “We’re in good shape. We’re confident in the mission.” The first phase covered process utilities, the HVAC system, renovated restrooms, new heaters, shoring up building structure, installing a security system with video cameras and key fobs, building-wide wireless Internet, polished concrete floors and putting up dividing walls. Braasch also installed a glass table using metal beams found in one of the building’s storage bays and brought in cleanlined furniture to accent the space.

The second phase will cover the remaining 15,000 square feet, and will start with scraping paint off of 330 windowpanes in the ceiling well to provide natural light. Tenants will have access to the city

and Greenville Health System Swamp Rabbit Trial by bike along Birnie Street, which will soon include bike sharedlane markings (“sharrows,”) sidewalks, street beautifications such as trees, and a gateway sign for West Greenville.


02.12.2016

|

upstatebusinessjournal.com

INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

| STARTUPS | 11

Business Lessons from India In December, I had the wonderful opportunity to spend three weeks in India. I fell in love with the country and I’ve tried to incorporate some of the lessons I learned from the Indian culture into my own life and business. Here are some insights that I gleaned from my trip:

Synergy Mill to offer creative space ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

aboncimino@communityjournals.com Greenville-based craftsmen, tinkerers and hobbyists will find a new home at Synergy Mill, a Greenville-based makerspace in the west corner of the Next Manufacturing Center. Founders Doug Cone and Joey Loman plan to use a more traditional co-work model to offer creative space, educational opportunities and business development support for local makers. Their space will include tools for woodworking and metalworking at the beginning, with plans to add machining, 3-D printing and other capabilities for makers in the area. Monthly adult memberships will start around $65 and include security access, classes and access to tools, while monthly residencies will have the added benefit of established workspaces for longer-term projects, said Loman. Loman and Cone began developing Synergy Mill in 2014, but the idea grew out of the Greenville Makers Group, which began in 2012 and had 25 members before petering out. “We’ve been trying to build a makerspace for years now, and basically we just ended up saying, ‘We’re not getting any traction, so let’s do our own thing over here,’” said Cone. “What we really want to be all about is not the tools and technology, but the access to people and knowledge.” Their associated MeetUp group, Greenville SC makerspace, has

reached over 200 members and draws new people for every event, which indicates traction and a broad level of interest in the community, said Cone. Loman and Cone have chosen to focus on educational, business development and workforce themes with a community of skilled makers, and hopes to foster innovation and collaboration with other tenants in the Next Manufacturing Center. Community-led classes will build skills, while the presence of more experienced workers can give members a sounding board for potential business ventures. “I think right now is the right time to do this, with the interest in making and repurposing, and of course with the base of manufacturing in Greenville,” Loman said. “We really want to stick to, this is a room where you can learn and… collaborate with people on interesting ideas.” Both Loman and Cone say they’re lifetime makers, and hope the permanent space will help build visibility of the movement in the region. Cone says his interest began at three years old when he took apart and reassembled a tape player from his parents, while Loman says he’s always found a community with people interested in tinkering. “I’ll bet there are others like me who have workshops at home and no one to play with,” said Loman. “Let’s build something cool.” Find more information at SynergyMill.com.

LEE YARBOROUGH

• Tradition matters. People in India honor their culture through dress, rituals and customs. Business is often conducted while sharing a cup of tea and honoring unique traditions. Businesses in the U.S. can learn from this approach. It’s important for us to slow down, get to know each other and respect the unique business culture of our customers, vendors, and employees.

• A land of entrepreneurs. With 1.3 billion people in a capitalist country, you are bound to see ingenious ideas for making a living. Americans think of India as the land of outsourcing but it’s also the land of mom-and-pop businesses. I was impressed by the industrious nature of the people I met and by the honor given to everyone who works hard. We all need to embrace our entrepreneurial spirit no matter what our job title may be. • Color is vital! I was greatly inspired by the colors of India. Color triggers emotions but too often in the West we ignore color and default to monotones. Color says “look at me” and does not allow you to hide. In business, we need to accept that it’s okay to be more “colorful.” We can be a little flashy and vibrant and still be respected in our professions. Also, a more colorful culture can help ease workplace stress. • Put the Pedal to the Metal. A car ride in India is a unique, and often terrifying, experience. There are very few traffic rules and lanes barely exist. Cars enter roads without stopping to check for oncoming traffic and the other cars just better be prepared to get out of the way. Horns are used as warning signals and are essential for a safe arrival. But as chaotic as it is, it works. For businesses to meet our goals, maybe we could learn a few things from Indian drivers: plow straight ahead, honk your horn to announce your plan and always play offense. On my desk I’ve placed a picture of my husband and me riding an elephant in India. This picture is a daily reminder of my wonderful trip and the lessons I learned. It’s a colorful picture with beautiful scenery in the background. We have smiles on our faces and my hands are tightly gripping the seat. Riding an elephant was not like riding a horse. It was bumpy, uncomfortable and at times scary. Yet, it was also fun, rewarding and absolutely worth the effort. Sounds just like running a business!

669 N. Academy Street, Greenville, SC 864.679.6055 | 800.446.6567 | www.propelhr.com


12 | SQUARE FEET |

UBJ

REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF

sjackson@communityjournals.com |

Self-storage facility planned for Laurens Road A

60,000-square-foot

CO

M

W FOR D

SH

AL

LO

RD

RD

IC O

AH

PI

ML

GL

LE

IN

HI A

RD

T

HA YW

OO D

IT E S

EVELYN A VE

WA

EY D

R

IN

AM R D

KINGH

BL

BU C

RD

W EM

D SR REN LAU

A AVE

PR

IN GS

WEM BLEY RD

VIN TA GE A

VE

ME RD CubeSmart self-storage facility is R RC TON I AL D HAL planned for the former Palmetto Home and Garden building at DR 2422 Laurens Road in Greenville. S The new storage facility will W LO W IL K LN reuse the existing building with REE EL C DON DR RD AUR L FF improvements made to the exteriRU D O WO or with new paint, awnings, AMBER DR lighting, plantings and signage. CAR OL The furniture and interior décor store closed in December. Gowe r Park The storage facility will be developed and owned by 2422 R .D PL ES Laurens LLC and feature 460 T. BY K M R RD TD climate-controlled units and K E L L ET secure boat, RV and vehicle maps4news.com/©HE RE storage. A June 2016 opening is planned, said a source involved in the project. ly 51,000 facilities with 2.6 billion rentable square CubeSmart is ranked as the fourth-largest owner feet, out of which the top 10 operators collectively and operator of self-storage facilities in the United own approximately 16 percent of the aggregate States, according to the Self-Storage Almanac. In the rentable square footage market share, according to U.S. the self-storage industry consists of approximateCubeSmart’s website. South Carolina United States Greenville

|

02.12.2016

@SJackson_CJ

Atlanta company buys 2 Spartanburg complexes for $60.9M Atlanta-based real estate developer The RADCO Companies has purchased two Class-B apartment communities in Spartanburg for $60.9 million. The properties, formerly named Chartwell at North End and Chartwell Oak Forest, have been renamed Willows at North End and Parkside at Laurel West, respectively. RADCO plans to spend an estimated $6.4 million on upgrades to the two properties which have 700 units in total. Upgrades will include amenity spaces, landscaping, paths and interior finishes, the company said in a release. RADCO owns 15,077 multifamily units in eight states, including five properties in the Upstate.

K I C K O F F Y O U R Y E A R AT T H E C O M M E R C E C L U B

Host Your Business Meeting

Grow Your Social & Business Network

• Convenient downtown location with unparalleled 360 degree views of Greenville and the Blue Ridge Mountains

• Over 1,000 members and hosts a complimentary, weekly Thursday Night Networking to connect

• Beautifully appointed private rooms that accommodate 2 to 400 guests • State-of-the-art A/V equipment and complimentary WiFi

Email Julia for Event information julia.bankert@clubcorp.com

• 50% dining at the Commerce Club, complimentary golf & dining at over 200 reciprocal Clubs • Fun and unique events for young executives, foodies, executive women, philanthropists, emerging leaders, and more!

Email Stephanie for Membership information stephanie.page@clubcorp.com

17th Floor One Liberty Square, 55 Beattie Place Overlooking Downtown Greenville 864-232-5600 • commerce-club.com


02.12.2016

|

upstatebusinessjournal.com

SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF

REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

sjackson@communityjournals.com |

| SQUARE FEET | 13 @SJackson_CJ

Residence Inn slated for The Point on Woodruff Road A new seven-story, 138-room Residence Inn by Marriott Hotel is coming to The Point at Woodruff Road and I-85 in Greenville. The hotel will be on 2.7 acres across from the Whole Foods shopping center on Carolina Point Parkway. The former Boyles Furniture building on the property will be demolished, but the adjacent former Thomasville furniture store building will remain as separate from this project, said Leif Busby, principal at Windsor Aughtry, the developer of the project. Residence Inn by Marriott will have all of the expected amenities including a hospitality suite, meeting rooms, pool, outdoor grills and fire pit and complimentary breakfast, said Busby. “The growth of ICAR, retail and activity on Woodruff Road and interstate visibility is what attracted us to this area,” said Busby. “This will be the only Marriott product in this submarket of Greenville.” Construction is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2016 and take approximately 18 months. Windsor Aughtry is also developing the new Embassy Suites at Riverplace in downtown Greenville, which will have a Ruth’s Chris Steak House and rooftop bar. That hotel is slated to open in August.


14 | SQUARE FEET |

SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF

FRONT ROW

UBJ

REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

sjackson@communityjournals.com |

|

02.12.2016

@SJackson_CJ

Greenville Design Review Board Urban Panel, February meeting

Is new project activity beginning to slow down? Maybe. Or maybe it’s just winter and everyone is busy with the multitude of projects already in progress. Either way, the February Design Review Board Urban Panel meeting had only one item on the agenda with a couple of informal reviews. FLOURNOY DEVELOPMENT, DISTRICT WEST This application is to install a bladetype sign at the District West apartment complex on Reedy View Drive (just off Academy Street). Even though the proposed sign is not within normal sign guidelines, city staff said they felt it would “fit in with the size and scale of the building.” The DRB agreed, saying the sign was really an “architectural element instead of a sign” and approved the application. CAMPERDOWN PROJECT As Centennial American Properties and contractor Trehel get ready to

start work on the first office building and parking structure of the Camperdown project (a.k.a. the Greenville News site), a preliminary rendering of the apartment building and parking garage for the project was reviewed informally by the DRB before the design arrives for formal consideration in March. Centennial propose a mixture of glass and brick materials for the 12-story apartment building, with retail on the ground level and a pool for the apartments above the new parking garage. The city has been working with the applicant to encourage a more modern design for the building, said Michael Kerski, planning and development manager for the city of Greenville. DRB members said the rendering still looks like “one big building” and they would like to see more volume and variations on the design. However, board members agreed a good job has been done on the selection of materials.

Rendering of the apartment building and parking garage for Camperdown Project

Rendering by Wakefield Beasley & Associates

Did your new bank merger come with new fees for paper statements? Then stop by any of our four local GrandSouth branches to hear about all of the services we offer with no fees including; paper statements, instant issue debit cards, internet banking, internet bill pay, mobile banking, and mobile deposit. Get the most out of your money with GrandSouth Bank. To learn more, stop by any of our local branches or connect with us immediately at www.GrandSouth.com.

EXPERIENCE the GrandSouth Difference.

The parking garage also needs more work on the corners to activate it for pedestrians, said the DRB. The garage will be owned by Centennial American Properties. DRB member Danielle Fontaine said she would like to see some sort of “sculptural quality” on the garage walls that face Fall Street. HOTEL ACROSS FROM FLUOR FIELD Also up for informal review was an application to demolish the existing building and surface parking lot for a hotel on the former Elgin auto property across from Fluor Field. The proposed Homewood Suites Hotel will be built by Cary, N.C.-based Parks Hospitality Group. Right now, city staff says the design doesn’t meet the setbacks required in the West End or the new retail requirements the city just adopted requiring mixed-use projects to include retail on the ground level. The DRB says it would like to see more modulation of materials and vertical modulation and to make the street level more inviting. This application is also set to be formally reviewed at the March DRB meeting.

Proposed blade-type sign at District West apartment complex on Reedy View Drive Rendering by DeNyse Companies, Inc.


02.12.2016

|

NOTES FROM THE BEST TALKS YOU MISSED

upstatebusinessjournal.com

| THE TAKEAWAY | 15

DEB SOFIELD’S PUBLIC SPEAKING RULES OF THE ROAD By MARION MANN Marketing Director, Greenville Chamber

Deb Sofield is a dynamic keynote speaker, author of “Speak Without Fear: Rock Star Presentation Skills to get People to Hear What You Say,” and president of her own executive speech coaching company, which trains women and men for success in speaking, presentation skills, media and message development in the U.S. and abroad. An entertaining speaker, Sofield engages the audience, makes them think, keeps them laughing and interacting with each other – but most importantly she teaches them how to be more intentional for maximum impact with our presentations. These are a few of the Rules for the Road Sofield shared with the audience. Lighten up – keep a relaxed face The most important time is the first two minutes of your introduction – early in a speech, folks listen to what they “see” more than what they “hear.” Smile, gesture and begin the process of eye contact with a few friendly folks. WHAT: Greenville Chamber Women at Work Presentation: “15 Rules for the Road for Public Speaking & Presentation” featuring Deb Sofield WHEN: Jan. 28, 2016 WHERE: The Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center, Greenville WHO WAS THERE: 200+ women professionals

APR

13

NEXT MEETING: Wednesday, April 13, INFO: greenvillechamber.org

• Your hands give you away. If you get nervous, try pressing your fingertips together. It’s certain to be better than having your hands in your shallow pockets or arms across your chest. • Be comfortable with what you wear. Your clothes should not be more interesting than you are. Take up space Powerful people take up physical space. Use large gestures and illustrate what the words are saying. Don’t shrink up in the room, or you will be overlooked. • Love the skin you’re in. Don’t let your physical appearance hold you back. Embrace it and move on. It’s not about size, it’s about presence. • Keep your head level (literally) – not cocked one way or the other, and be careful not to bob it up, down or around. Have a single concept in mind This is not the time for multiple messages or meandering. Have a clear, concise message with no more than three points and a definitive ending. • The brain thinks in threes. Sofield’s three are: 1. Be accurate and clear 2. Be impartial 3. Be interesting • Attention spans are short. Whittle your speech down over and over until you can get your point across succinctly. Open the floor After the presentation is finished, open the floor to questions from the audience and answer them. Acknowledge with graciousness every member of the audience who approaches you after the speech. Sofield told a story about a speaker who she wasn’t

super excited to see, but who ended up blowing her away with her story and presentation. Unfortunately, afterwards, when so many members of the audience wanted to thank and engage with her, the speaker shut down and looked over their heads. So, in the end it didn’t matter what a great speech she gave, as all these folks would remember is her standoffish demeanor. Bonus notes • Your introduction matters. Be intentional about what you want the person introducing you to say. Keep it short (nobody ever asked Sofield for a longer intro to read), and include points that speak to your credibility. • Take charge of the room. If it’s hot, get someone to turn the air down, etc. Allow for coffee and bathroom breaks – nobody has ever asked for less of those. • Some folks are easily offended. If you don’t know everyone’s name, don’t say anyone’s. And if something’s not funny to everyone, just don’t say it.

WE’LL HELP YOU GET THERE.®

BECAUSE YOUR GOALS MATTER. You have goals. Ours is helping you achieve them. To learn more, contact: Ry Hudnall, Insurance and Financial Services 2507 Wade Hampton Boulevard, Suite 210, Greenville, SC 29615 864-787-8092 • rhettgrimes@financialguide.com • southcarolina.massmutual.com LIFE INSURANCE + RETIREMENT/401(K) PLAN SERVICES + DISABILITY INCOME INSURANCE + LONG TERM CARE INSURANCE + ANNUITIES

MassMutual Financial Group refers to Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. (MassMutual) and its affiliated companies and sales representatives. Local sales agencies are not subsidiaries of MassMutual or its affiliated companies. Insurance products issued by MassMutual (Springfield, MA 01111) and its subsidiaries, C.M. Life Insurance Co. and MML Bay State Life Insurance Co. (Enfield, CT 06082). CRN201611-166305


16 | MILESTONE |

No limits

UBJ

A TRIBUTE TO OUR LONG-LASTING ENTERPRISES

|

02.12.2016

After 40 years of firsts, Joy Bailey sees a bright future for Joy Real Estate LAURA HAIGHT | CONTRIBUTOR

Joy Bailey, center, with (from left) husband David Bailey, daughter Pam Bailey McCoy, granddaughter Brittany Pike and son Craig Bailey, all of whom work at Joy Real Estate. Photos by William Crooks

Nothing seems to deter Joy Bailey. At 70, the owner of Joy Real Estate has thrived, both personally and professionally, through the trials of discrimination, economic upheaval and technological revolution. Opening her real estate business in the late ’70s, Miss Joy (as even her son and business associate, Craig, calls her) faced an interest-rate roller coaster that has never been equaled. In 1975, when Joy Real Estate opened its doors, interest rates lolled at around 8 percent. By 1978, they were up to nearly 12 percent. And in 1980, they reached nosebleed heights of 21.5 percent – a level never seen before or since. What a time to start a business that would rise or fall based on people being able to get financing to

make large purchases. But it didn’t stop Miss Joy. “I didn’t fathom it was a problem. What others see as a problem, I see as just a speed bump. Something we have to get past. We found creative ways to get owner financing,” she recalled. During the more recent recession, Bailey found the same perseverance and aggressiveness helped her steer her business successfully through more rocky shoals. “We really didn’t suffer that much [during the recession],” she says. “It’s your mindset. If you think there’s no business out there, then there is no business out there.” This sheer will to succeed has been instilled in her son, Craig, her daughter, Pam, and granddaughter Brittany, all of whom work with her.

“We aren’t afraid of failure,” says Craig Bailey, managing broker, “because we know we can make it back. We may get knocked down, but we recover and get back up.” The most important thing he learned from his mom? “To fearlessly lean into opportunity, if it’s worth going after.” STARTED BY A FLUKE And so it has been for Joy Real Estate. The brokerage is the largest independent real estate agency born and based in Greenville County. Eighty brokers strong, the company had $72 million in sales volume in 2015 and sold 434 units. Joy Bailey fell into real estate through a fluke of >>


02.12.2016

|

upstatebusinessjournal.com

JOY BAILEY Founded Joy Real Estate in 1975 First woman president of the MLS and Greater Greenville Association of Realtors First woman Realtor of the Year

JOY REAL ESTATE 80 brokers $72 million in sales volume in 2015 Sold 434 units

>>

a sale in 1970: With no license and no agency, “I sold a house without the people ever going inside.” A local banker told her she should be in real estate, but her efforts to get a job with a local agency were met with discrimination. “We don’t hire women,” she was told. “But I didn’t let it hold me back.” She went to night school, earned a license and “eventually found someone to hire me.” “She won’t tell you this,” interjects Craig Bailey, “but when she first started the company, she would only hire women.” “I was going to take all the women who were being told they can’t do this and bring them under my wing. And we’re going to go forward together,” Joy Bailey said. Fifteen years later, she and her husband and business partner, David, bought the agency in a “friendly” deal from the broker who first turned her away. Bailey’s accomplishments in her industry have been a series of firsts: First woman president of the MLS and Greater Greenville Association of Realtors. First woman Realtor of the Year. Is she a feminist? “Not at all,” she says. “I like to instill confidence in women.” It seems that about the only thing that gets her

A TRIBUTE TO OUR LONG-LASTING ENTERPRISES

ire up is excuses. “If I have a problem, it’s a lack of patience for people who are not willing to work and better themselves. Wasted talent? Oh my goodness gracious, I cannot stand it.” GROWING MARKET Although she’s comfortable with the new technology that has been developed to fuel the industry, she isn’t married to it. Technology is a tool, but it takes a backseat to relationships and customer service, Bailey says. She has encyclopedic knowledge of the market and near-instant recall of it. She asks where you live and can immediately throw out a couple of key stats about your home and its value on the market. She jokes that she’s awful with names, but can remember the floor plan of just about any home she’s ever sold. Both Baileys are excited about the Greenville real estate market. Joy Bailey cites reports that 2,000 new jobs were created in the county in 2015. That job growth coupled with the popularity of new downtown developments predict a strong 2016 and beyond, she says. A surprising trend is the number of cash sales being made by millennial buyers, Joy Bailey notes. “I’ve had more cash deals in the last two years than I’ve had in the previous 40,” she says. Millennial buyers are reluctant to put their money into a turbulent market and are putting cash in the safer investment of real estate, she says. The agency, with Craig Bailey taking on more of the management and business duties, sees unlimited potential growth fueled by a strong market, strategic partnerships and the “untapped” international market. Joy Bailey attributes much of her success to great mentors, and she’s giving back by providing that mentorship to others. “The good Lord has a plan for me to help others,” she says. But helping is not coddling. Not in Miss Joy’s book. “If you want a raise, make more calls. Real estate is a no-limit business. There’s no limit to what someone can do.”

| MILESTONE | 17

“If I have a problem, it’s a lack of patience for people who are not willing to work and better themselves. Wasted talent? Oh my goodness gracious, I cannot stand it.” Joy Bailey, owner, Joy Real Estate

By the book In 1974, David Bailey sat down with a business ledger and some sharpened pencils. It was well before calculators and computers, he said, so he charted out the business plan for Joy Real Estate on graph paper and an accountant’s ledger. “He spelled out the goals we had to meet to stay in business,” Joy Bailey says. The first year, 1975, David Bailey said they had to make $5,000 or they would have to move on to something else. He mapped out a one-year, five-year and 20-year plan and monitored and updated it monthly, writing in totals that he added up by hand. “It’s astonishing,” says Joy Bailey, ”to look back at this now.” They made their goal in 1975 and have exceeded goals ever since. Recently, David Bailey, affectionately referred to by some as the “man behind the curtain,” retired the book. “We’ve about used that plan up,” he says.


NEWS AND TIPS FOR YOUR PERSONAL BOT TOM LINE

UPSTATEBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM/WHOS-WHO

NOMINATE ONE NOW.

KNOW A YOUNG GUN?

18 | YOUR MONEY |

UBJ

|

02.12.2016

Navigating early-year stock volatility By BRIAN BOUGHNER CFA, CMT, Parallel Financial Partners

It’s only February, and 2016 has already brought us much pain when it comes to investing in the equity markets. Here are three important points to consider navigating through this volatile time. 1: The price of admission for investing in stocks is that there will be periods of losses. So why do we own stocks? Because over longer periods of time, they have consistently grown in worth while outpacing inflation. Owning stocks means you own companies that are in the business of creating value, employing people and generating profits. However, it’s people with emotions that run these companies and own these stocks. So there are also times where stock prices experience volatility. And when that volatility is pointed to the downside, it’s no fun for anyone. However, we don’t own stocks for very short periods of time. We own them for longer periods. We typically will not buy equities for a client if their time frame is less than 10 years. Looking at the chart below, you can see that since the late 1920s there have only been two periods where owning stocks over a 10-year period resulted in losses. So remember to not lose sight of the “big picture” when owning equities. 2: Investing in stocks without a plan is like wandering in the desert. It rarely ends well. There are two types of plans you need. The first is a contingency plan. While over longer periods of time investing in stocks tends to produce positive returns, you still need a plan to deal with extreme downturns. During times when stocks are dropping, utilizing stop-loss levels on your stock

positions or adjusting your asset allocation to less volatile assets are examples of this. Having a plan in place here also eliminates the risk of making an emotional decision and selling at the lows of the market, which so many investors tend to do. The second is your overall financial plan. How does your investment in stocks fit into the overall financial goals you are trying to reach? Whether retirement, paying for college, or a house down payment, all of your investments need to help you reach your goals. I’m amazed at the number of investors who lack an overall plan and have no idea where they are at when it comes to reaching their goals. A trusted financial advisor can certainly help you here. A plan determines how you should be invested and how your investments help you reach your goals. 3: The media does no favors for you, the investor. Do headlines with the words: “Market Mayhem” “Stock Carnage” or “Stock Market Bloodbath” bring any clarity or meaningful analysis to what is happening in the markets? Or do they feed on the investor’s emotions of fear? The media is not in the busi-

ness to report accurate information that you can use to make informed decisions about your portfolio. They are only in the business to generate more views and clicks. They will use whatever means necessary to do this and most of the time that entails over-sensationalized headlines. I recently read the headline “Oil below $30, $15 could be next.” Now, I know for sure the author has no way of knowing where the price of oil will go. But this headline will scare people into clicking it because of its extreme prediction of where oil may end up. It’s also no coincidence that the headlines get the most outlandish near market turns. Near market tops, headlines are typically broadcasting the brightest and best, and the sky’s the limit. Near market bottoms, all you read is blood in the streets and that the worst is yet to come. In the end, turn off your TV, and shut down any streaming real-time notifications you get about the status of the markets. If you absolutely have to read something, I recommend the good ol’ Wall Street Journal. So as we enter another volatile time already here in 2016, accept the price of admission for investing in stocks, make sure you have a plan – and please, please, please, turn off the media emotional roller coaster of noise.


|

upstatebusinessjournal.com

MOVERS, SHAKERS AND DISRUP TORS SHAPING OUR FUTURE

| INNOVATE | 19

Partner, ipsoCreative

A good friend of mine, who leads operations at a video production company, recently asked me how much time and overall involvement they should invest in their brand’s social media presence. It’s certainly a relevant question given the ubiquity of social media in our lives. But it raises some interesting subsequent questions regarding the real value of social media in the B2B (business-to-business) realm. Here are three observations I shared with him: 1: Social media doesn’t have a return on investment for all businesses. An individual’s personal interests in social media rarely cross over to influence their business interests. Despite the belief commonly held by social media strategists (whose bottom line depends on the promotion of social media’s value), humans compartmentalize their use of various social media platforms. This is especially true in a B2B context where there is a lack of overlap between consumer goods and social media. When you stop to think about it, it makes sense that the buying decisions of those in B2B would hardly be influenced by brand presence on social media. With the possible exception of LinkedIn, social media doesn’t allow for the transmission of desired trust or borrowed trust that is a primary ingredient in B2B transactions; price points are generally higher than consumer goods, and organizational risk is much higher than in the consumer realm. If I buy a pair of shoes online and they don’t work out, I am inconvenienced. If I am a buyer for a retailer and make a decision to buy shoes for my stores and that buying decision doesn’t work out, people’s livelihoods could potentially be at stake.

2: Social media kills and fattens, most often in that order. This observation could be its own exploration, but essentially social media tends to kill the unique perceived value of products and services by commoditizing them (“perceived” is a key word here because I don’t think the actual value diminishes per se, just the market’s perception of that value). The double-edged sword of social media is that it allows brands to present to the world. On the other side, social media allows brands to see what every other brand is doing. Effectively, social media platforms have established a global scale environment for copycats to have free reign. This is what causes the commoditization. Brands most often begin by imitating other brands’ content. That then often turns to imitating other brands’ products or services. Eventually, there are enough brands that so closely resemble one another that the consumer considers their offerings to be commodities. Commodity status forces brands to sell on price or forces brands to adapt in order to no longer be perceived among the commodities. In this way social media can then benefit those brands as they differentiate themselves and once again use social media to communicate their brand presence to the world (again, mostly in the consumer world, not the B2B world). However, the cycle has a tendency to repeat itself, which depending on your perspective may or may not be a bad thing. 3: Social media is approaching the average life span of a mosquito. The rate of social media innovation, adoption and attrition is steadily accelerating. It was once unthinkable for anything to match Facebook’s user growth. But then Twitter came along. Then Pinterest came along. Then Instagram. And just when you thought

there was little left to innovate in terms of social media, Periscope and Snapchat entered the landscape. Interestingly, it’s really only the early adopters of new platforms that generate the most return on investment because the white noise overwhelms folks very quickly as the adoption curve becomes shorter. The problem this poses for brands is the expense and risk associated with early adoption. No one can foresee which new platforms will hold true potential for return on investment. So, if your brand doesn’t have the deep resources to experiment like Coca-Cola or Nike or Procter & Gamble, then it can be a very risky pond to swim in. So what’s a non-Fortune 500 brand to do about investing in social media? 1: Don’t buy into the hype of social media. It’s not a panacea for a brand’s survival or expansion. Be cautious and perform your due diligence in determining what might make sense for your brand’s digital marketing efforts, especially in the B2B realm. 2: Potentially double down on what’s gotten you to where you are so far. If your business is already established, then some combination of factors has led to that. Carefully and honestly assess those things. The time-tested truths that sustainable brands have depended on still apply. Lasting brands have compelling narratives. Tell that story whether on social media or not. Don’t assume you are missing the boat because of a lack of social media investment. 3: Focus on creating great online content and let social media organically compliment it. Social media platforms are really just rivers that content travel on. The platform is not the thing that matters. Content is the thing that matters. And great content conveys little snippets of the broader brand narrative. Focus on that, and the strategic use of social media (if any) will then make sense.

Social media platforms are really just rivers that content travel on. The platform is not the thing that matters. Content is the thing that matters.

NOMINATE ONE NOW.

By BRENT WARWICK

KNOW A COMPANY?

Three reasons to be skeptical of social media

UPSTATEBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM/WHOS-WHO

02.12.2016


KNOW A CLOSER?

UBJ

VOICES FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, HEARD HERE

NOMINATE ONE NOW. UPSTATEBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM/WHOS-WHO

20 | OPINION |

|

02.12.2016

Lack of competition at the root of rising drug costs By CARRIE LUKAS InsideSources.com

Experts keep telling us that the economy is improving, but that’s not how it feels for too many Americans. Politicians frequently lament stagnating wages and too few jobs – big problems, to be sure – but downplay another common financial concern: increasing costs that make it difficult for people to get by. More than half of Americans surveyed for a recent Pew Trust analysis reported worrying about their finances during the past year and feeling financially insecure. Topping their list of worries was a lack of savings and not having enough money each month to pay the bills. Some categories of expenses were causing the most sleepless nights. No surprise that for parents of kids under 18, paying for college was their biggest worry, plaguing 73 percent of parents in this poll. Health care is another big concern. Forty-two percent of those surveyed by the Kaiser Family Foundation reported it was difficult to afford health care, and those with lower incomes faced the biggest challenge. Rising health insurance premiums under Obamacare are part of this story. The New York Times warned this summer, “Health insurance companies around the country are seeking rate increases of 20 percent to 40 percent or more.” That’s thousands of dollars extra that families will have to come up with next year, and these increases come on top of years of steady hikes in premiums. Americans are even more worried about affording prescription drugs. In fact, this tops the list of health-care concerns for many Americans. People looking at tiny pills understandably wonder why they cost so much. Of course, it’s not the ingredients that make up any tablet that drive up the price tag. Rather, the price is set to recoup the considerable investment in research, development and testing

that comes before the drug could be brought to market. And those costs are huge: According to the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development, the process of developing and gaining approval for a new drug on average costs a staggering $2.6 billion. And that’s for the average drug. Some are even more expensive to develop, and therefore even more costly. For example, many drugs in the news these days are biological drugs, which are created from living cells. The good news is that they are curing deadly diseases; the bad news is that they are so expensive that they can be unaffordable for many patients. But there’s more good news. Competitors can enter the market after a drug maker’s patent expires, which helps bring costs down and expand access. For biological drugs, this competition comes after a 12-year exclusivity period and in the form of biosimilars, which are essentially like the generic drugs that compete with chemically based medicines. We are currently witnessing how this competition process succeeds. In the past few months, the first generic counterparts to biological drugs made it to market. The Federal Trade Commission estimated biosimilars would

DEFINED Biosimilar: A biologic medical product that is almost an identical copy of an original product manufactured by a different company. Biosimilars are officially approved versions of original “innovator” products, and can be manufactured when the original product’s patent expires. be between 10 percent and 30 percent less expensive than their brandname counterparts. As a result, drug makers facing this new competition are cutting prices. Analysts estimate this will reduce spending on biologics by more than $40 billion over the next decade. This is savings I have seen firsthand in Europe, where biosimilars were on the market 10 years ahead of the United States. An IMS Health study examined competition in Europe, and from 2006 to 2013 the median reduction was 35 percent. This competitive process ensures that more people have more access to better treatments and cures, but also preserves businesses’ incentive to invest in the development of the next round of life-saving cures. U.S. policymakers ought to take this European lesson to heart. After all, the lack of meaningful competition is also what drives up the cost of health insurance premiums, as onerous government regulations restrict companies’ ability to offer unique products and services to consumers. In fact, bad government policy that distorts the market is at the heart of many of our most pressing financial concerns, including soaring college costs and housing prices. Better policies and creating real competitive markets are the best way to bring down prices – and ultimately help give American families more piece of mind. Carrie Lukas is the managing director of the Independent Women’s Forum (iwf.org).


|

upstatebusinessjournal.com

THE FRESHEST FACES ON THE BUSINESS LANDSCAPE

| NEW TO THE STREET | 21

Open for business 1

1. His Therapy LLC recently opened at 3921 S. Highway 14 Suite A, Greenville. For more information, visit histherapy.net or call 864-534-1780. 2. Mill Village Market recently opened at 8 Lois Ave., Greenville. The market offers locally grown produce and regionally sourced foods. For more information, visit millvillagefarms.org. 3. Community Management Partners LLC recently opened at 213 E. Butler Road, Suite E2, Mauldin. For more information, visit hoapartner.com.

NOMINATE ONE NOW.

KNOW A BOSS?

2

3

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

UPSTATEBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM/WHOS-WHO

02.12.2016


22 | ON THE MOVE |

UBJ

PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS

APPOINTED

02.12.2016

HIRED

APPOINTED

Lisa A. Hemond

Jonathan Brashier

David Jones

Bryan P. Kelley

Kelly Carson

Named senior development director at the Chapman Cultural Center. Hemond previously served as director of development for Spartanburg’s Hope Center for Children. She is also a board member with Business Professional Women, chairperson for National Philanthropy Day with the Piedmont Chapter of Fundraising Professionals and a 2013 alumna of Leadership Spartanburg.

Named to the 2016 VisitGreenvilleSC board of directors by McKibbon Hotel Management. Brashier is the general manager at the Aloft Greenville Downtown hotel. He has more than 20 years of hotel management and operations experience with brands such as SpringHill Suites, Residence Inn and Courtyard by Marriott.

Named to the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce board of directors. Jones has served as executive VP and CMO for Jackson Marketing, Motorsports & Events, where he oversees the agency’s marketing and communications activities, strategic planning and the company’s business development team.

Named a shareholder of Elmore Goldsmith P.A. Kelley has been with the firm since 2009 representing general contractors, subcontractors, developers and owners, among others. He was previously an assistant solicitor in Spartanburg and also serves on the Council of South Carolina Construction Law Section of the South Carolina Bar.

Named senior relationship manager at TD Bank. Carson has more than 20 years of experience in the banking industry and has held several positions at TD Bank such as commercial credit manager and middle market portfolio manager, among others. She also volunteers at Girl Scouts of South Carolina.

Let’s do something that matters today.

ELECTED

|

PROMOTED

127TH ANNUAL MEETING PRESENTED BY

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2016 TD CONVENTION CENTER 5:30 PM — RECEPTION 6:00 PM — DINNER AND PROGRAM

Featuring SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER

Beverly Wyse Vice President and General Manager Boeing South Carolina

DIAMOND SPONSOR

Join the Greenville Chamber to celebrate the progress of our business community and its innovative leaders, and take a look through the lens of the Chamber’s new vision and goals for the year ahead.

For sponsorship and event details, visit www.greenvillechamber.org.

>>


02.12.2016

|

upstatebusinessjournal.com

VIP

John R. Decker Promoted to director of equity at Greenwood Capital Associates LLC. Decker is the CFA, principal owner of the firm and the portfolio manager for the GCA Small Cap portfolio. He has 15 years of experience in the financial services industry and was previously a senior equity analyst/ portfolio manager at Systematic Financial Management.

THE FRESHEST FACES ON THE BUSINESS LANDSCAPE

COMMUNITY The Greenville Revitalization Corporation elected Sean Hartness and Steven Bryant as board members. Hartness has served on the Furman University board of directors, the Peace Center board, and is a member of the Society of International Business Fellows. Bryant is a local Chick-fil-A franchise owner and was previously a plant manager for Exxon. The GRC also re-elected Wil Brasington as board chairman, Kelley Hice as treasurer and Amy Dunn Coleman as secretary, as well as David Doser and Joe Erwin. Greenville Family Partnership added the following three members to its 2016 board of directors: Christine Butterfield from Keller Williams Realty, Roy Davenport from i9 Sports and Mike Guyton, M.D., at the Greenville Health System.

and has held positions such as assistant superintendent and residential and commercial property adjuster.

LEGAL Steve Sumner Law Firm earned Martindale-Hubbell’s highest rating for the fifth consecutive year for 2016. Sumner was also named to the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers. His staff was recognized with the Client Distinction Award for 2015 by lawyers.com and martindale.com. The award is based on client review ratings.

MARKETING/PR Jeff Dezen Public Relations (JDPR) hired Jennifer Gilewski as account executive. Gilewski previously served as PR and trade practices director for the Better Business Bureau of the Upstate. JDPR also added Mary Ogle, a senior at the University of South

| NEW TO THE STREET | 23

Carolina Upstate, and Katie Shuell, a senior at Furman University, as interns for the company’s Spring 2016 Executive Management Assistance Program. VantagePoint Marketing hired Amy Clarke Burns as market development manager and public relations specialist. Clarke Burns, a graduate of Presbyterian College, has more than nine years of communications experience in journalism and social media fields.

RESTAURANTS Rick Erwin’s Nantucket Seafood received the Four Diamond Restaurant Award by the AAA/CAA. The award recognizes restaurants that meet standards for distinctive fine dining with creative preparation, skillful service and upscale ambience. This is the fourth Four Diamonds award the restaurant has earned.

DEVELOPMENT Mashburn Construction hired Danny Ponder as a superintendent. Ponder has more than 40 years of experience in construction, previously owned his own construction company

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

From lenders to developers, we represent Greenville. With our experience in real estate, business and commercial law, we pride ourselves in bringing a business perspective to your transactions. We represent sellers, purchasers, lenders, and developers in a variety of real estate matters, including the sale, purchase, lease, development, and financing of residential, commercial, and industrial properties.

R E A L E S TAT E Carroll H. (“Pete”) Roe, Jr. James H. Cassidy Amber Glidewell

T R A N S AC T I O N S | T R I A L S | S O L U T I O N S 1052 North Church St. | Greenville, SC | 864.349.2600 | RoeCassidy.com

ROE-1043-UBJ Ad-RealEstate_8.75x5.055_2.1.indd 1

2/1/16 8:12 PM


24 | THE FINE PRINT |

UBJ

BUSINESS BRIEFS YOU CAN’ T MISS

|

02.12.2016

Scio receives 28th patent for lab-grown diamonds

National Land Realty expands into Arkansas and Louisiana

Scio Diamond Technology Corporation, which produces lab-grown diamonds, received its 28th U.S. patent for its process to grow diamonds that are chemically, physically and optically identical to mined diamonds. The newest patent is for Gemstone Production from Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) Diamond Plate and was granted on Jan. 5, 2016. Scio Diamond’s patents facilitate the company’s future opportunities to produce diamond material for potential industrial applications, according to a release. “This is the latest addition to our extensive patent portfolio, which ensures broad intellectual property protection for our industry-leading diamond manufacturing processes,” said Gerald McGuire, CEO of Scio Diamond. “Our exclusive processes allow us to grow brilliant, beautiful diamonds that are identical to mined diamonds that grew beneath the earth for centuries.”

Greenville-based National Land Realty, a full-service land brokerage company, is merging with a brokerage run by Jeramy Stephens, a land specialist based in Stuttgart, Ark., expanding into Arkansas, Louisiana and the Memphis area. The company currently has operations in Tennessee, Mississippi, Texas and the Great Plains. “With this merger, we are continuing to increase the scope of our operation for the benefit of our land sales and investment customers,” said Jason Walter, CEO of National Land Realty. “Thanks to our recent merger with Aaron Graham’s Land Pros Realty, we are attracting the attention of national land brokerage leaders, and we’re thrilled to be joining forces with Jeramy Stephens.” National Land Realty focuses on land sales from timberland, farmland, hunting estates, plantations and residential estate properties.

Are you looking to do something different than traditional investing?

• Are you looking for investment property solutions for a 1031 exchange? • Are you an accredited investor looking for sophisticated investment solutions to round out your otherwise diversified portfolio? • Are you looking for solutions to help you mitigate taxable liabilities?

Fluor awarded sweet gas plant project in Canada

GrandSouth completes $12 million capital raise

The Cutbank Ridge Partnership selected Fluor Corporation to execute engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) for Saturn 15-27 Phase 2 Sweet Gas Plant Project near Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada. Fluor booked the undisclosed contract value in the fourth quarter of 2015. The project is part of the Cutbank Ridge Partnership Program to develop natural gas and natural gas liquid (NGL) production, with three similar projects. Fluor is currently executing the EPCM for all three projects. The new facilities will receive sweet gas (natural gas that does not include significant amounts of hydrogen sulfide), remove water and hydrocarbons, chill and compress the gas to meet transmission pipeline requirements and recover NGL from the gas streams. The plants will have the capacity to process a combined additional 800 million cubic feet of gas per day.

GrandSouth Bancorporation announced a successful $12 million capital raise through the issuance of common stock. “We are pleased to announce the completion of a capital raise that will support our continued growth,” said Mason Y. Garrett, GrandSouth Bancorporation’s chairman and CEO. “There was a great deal of interest in both the local and institutional investor markets in our company and the prospects for profitable growth in the Upstate region of South Carolina. We believe that we have a great opportunity for growth ahead of us.” FIG Partners LLC, an employee-owned broker/dealer based in Atlanta, assisted in raising the new capital from existing shareholders, as well as local and institutional investors. GrandSouth’s wholly-owned subsidiary, GrandSouth Bank, operates four branch offices in Anderson, Fountain Inn, Greenville and Greer, and a floor plan lending division out of a separate facility in Greenville.

Legal Eagle expands services with acquisitions Legal Eagle, an Upstate litigation support firm for more than 20 years, has agreed to acquire Cannon Court Reporting of Greenville and Freelance Reporting Services of Spartanburg, both providers of court reporting and video deposition services. “We are thrilled to join forces with not just one — but two — of the most established and respected court reporting firms in the Upstate. We want the local legal community to have access to high-quality court reporting and video depositions that are essential to effective litigation,” said Adam Shirley, president of Legal Eagle. “This acquisition expands our presence in the Upstate and demonstrates our commitment as a full-service litigation support provider.”


02.12.2016

|

upstatebusinessjournal.com

BUSINESS BRIEFS YOU CAN’ T MISS

GreerMade initiative to promote local products

| THE FINE PRINT | 25

ested in making products.” To receive certification, products must be 60 percent made in Greer, said Owens. The website lists eight certified products already – including the BMW X Series and the BIN112 Southern Comfort Burger – but Owens hopes to add hundreds, if not thousands more in the future. Even the website is made locally, from the professional photos and web design to the logo itself, he said. “It can’t be a restaurant that gets frozen products and then puts them together here. The ingredients have to be from the local area,” he said. “On the manufacturing side, they have to be assembled or sourced from the local area.” After going live late last week, Owens said GreerMade recorded 10,000 views on its Facebook page and more than 500 views of its YouTube video by Monday afternoon. The certification is open to non-chamber members, and he hopes to connect those companies to students enrolled in local schools, career centers and technical colleges. “I think this is something that is going to be another tool for our industry for battling that perception problem,” said Owns. “We’re really focusing on that pride that people take in making products … whether it’s a bowtie or a BMW.”

The Upstate now has a new “Buy Local” campaign, this time under the GreerMade certification from the Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce. Similar to “Made in USA” or “Certified SC Grown,” the GreerMade label aims to showcase locally built or crafted products, and already extends to BMWs, bowties and bourbon. “We have a history right here in Greer of making things… and that future is in jeopardy if our students don’t continue that,” said Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Mark Owens, who said certified companies will have opportunities to showcase products to future employees through workshops, trainings and in-school visits. “It’s a multi-pronged attack on getting people inter-

This announcement does not constitute an offer to buy or sell securities. Such offers may only be made to qualified accredited investors via Private Placement Memorandum. Investments should be considered highly speculative and involve a degree of risk including the potential for complete loss of principal investment. This announcement does not supersede the PPM. Securities offered through SANDLAPPER Securities, LLC (Member FINRA/SIPC) an affiliate of Sandlapper Capital Investments, LLC, the Sponsor/Manager of the Offerings. You should review any planned financial transactions that may have tax or legal implications with your personal tax or legal advisor. Accredited Investors must meet certain levels and standards as defined in SEC Rule 501 of Regulation D. Go to www.sec.gov for full rule and definition.

Contact Us Today: Trevor Gordon, CEO (864) 679-4701 ext. 101 tgordon@sandlappercapital.com

2015

www.SandlapperCapital.com

Roaring Twenties Award: South Carolina’s 4th Fastest-Growing Company Real Estate Forum Magazine: One of 2015’s Fastest-Growing Companies

NICB Summit focuses on fraud in SC Organized fraud rings are active in South Carolina, taking advantage of the state’s lack of resources to investigate and prosecute insurance fraud. That was the message that some 150 law enforcement personnel, insurance industry representatives and elected officials heard at the annual insurance fraud summit in Greenville last week. The summit, organized by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) and the South Carolina Insurance News Service (SCINS), focused on the need for

additional resources and legislative remedies to fight the growing insurance crime problem in the state. Citing NICB statistics that show South Carolina ranked seventh in the nation in suspected staged accidents, Attorney General Alan Wilson urged the passage of HB 4339 to help stem the problem. “Fraud and crime, like water, follow the path of least resistance,” said Wilson. “I believe it is incumbent on us this year as we move forward to try to direct some more resources and legislation toward combating insurance fraud.” South Carolina currently allocates $200,000 a year in funds for investigation and prosecution of insurance fraud, which is the lowest of all 50 states.

GREENVILLEJOURNAL

FEBRUAR Y 5, 2016

COM GREENVILL EJOURNAL. Friday, February 5, 2016 Vol.18, No.6

| VOL . 5 ISSU E6

COMPLIM

ENTARY

UNDER T

athome

OUNTER C E H T D BEHIN

HE TOW

Hampt on to a ce Station deve ntury-o ld Wes lopment bring t Greenv s ille wa new vision rehous e

WINTER 2015

tribut

ing

PANIES M O C L A C LO

Andre

w Huan

g/Con

s one ille get Greenlvook at thebbigigtop last under the see page 32 guys T EWAR OL ST Y CAR PHOTO B

®

NEW EXHIBIT! 15, 2016

JANUARY 16-MAY

play trivia, U.S. attractions, Come see popular r America hy, and discove explore geograp together as a family.

board, design of the game logo, the distinctive Reserved. Pursuit®, the associated USA. All Rights Hasbro, Inc. Trivial Pawtucket, RI 02861-1059 in collaboration with 1981, 2015 Hasbro, Children’s Museum by the Betty Brinn used with permission. exhibit was created of Hasbro and are A 50-State Adventure wedges are all trademarks The Trivial Pursuit®: tokens, and scoring trivia cards, game

SOME OF

E SOUTH UPSTAT GET A ND

ER

- p. 18

2015

a

i t y m u n c o m l s r n a j o u o n at i l i c p u b

AtHome_W

inter2016_C

over_Final.

indd 1

®

TCMUpstate.org

Develop me Poinsett nt beginning alo Corrido r … p. 3 ng

Selah partn new ge ers with GH S on netic tes t … p. 8

communityjournals.com Meet the five Who’s who will decid Who … e p. 14


OVERHEARD @ THE WATERCOOLER Distilled commentary from UBJ readers

RE: NEW PRESIDENT OF ERWIN PENLAND LEAVING COMPANY > Eddie Mattison “Congratulations to Joe on his new assignment!”

|

02.12.2016

BIZ BUZZ The top 5 stories from last week’s issue ranked by shareability score

>> 362

1. New president of Erwin Penland leaving company

>> 293

2. 100,000 SF Hampton Station coming to West Greenville’s ‘Water Tower District’

> Jackie Kahle “Chick-fil-A...a very lucky company! #lovethatjoe”

>> 229 3. Who’s next for Who’s Who?

>> 160

> Cynthia Saracino “Nicely done UBJ!”

4. Vivian Wong launches lifestyle brand for Chinese market

Barbara Maxwell Houston > “Please bring back the carrot & raisin salad!” > Jim Sobeck “Doesn’t anyone honor their commitments anymore? They’re going to be better off without him if this is the kind of character he has.” > Kerry Lightner “They may want to halt construction on their new building dtown. Something is not right.” > Joanna Seracy Reese “Uh oh. This doesn’t bode well.” > Johannes Van Tuyl “great job. lots of chicken treats between meals. :)” > Jessica Hutchinson “HR succession planning nightmare.”

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

@ssimmons830

@SJackson_CJ

@jerrymsalley

@BenDavidJ

@clandrum

@theladylety

UBJ

INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

>> 82 5. Concentrix to expand campus

>> WEIGH IN @ THE UBJ EXCHANGE

FEBRUARY 5, 2016

| VOL. 5 ISSUE 6

UNDER THE TOWER ent brings new vision Hampton Station developm e - p. 18 Greenville warehous to a century-old West

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 eprice@communityjournals.com.

Andrew Huang/Contributing

26 | #TRENDING |

along Development beginning 3 Poinsett Corridor … p.

RE: WHO’S NEXT FOR WHO’S WHO? > Eleven Events, LLC “Who are the game-changers here in our great city?!?” > Ryan Johnston “Who do you know in the local business community that deserves a little pat on the back for their achievements? Nominate them now.” > Ryan Heafy “Who’s next for #WhosWho2016? Meet the panel of community leaders helping Upstate Business Journal recognize its third class of game-changers. Nomination for the 2016 Who’s Who begin today: http://bit. ly/1miDcKO” > Susan Dejanovic, Realor, The Yukich Team – Allen Tate Realtors “Exciting stuff. #yeahthatgreenville”

GHS on Selah partners with 8 new genetic test … p.

decide Meet the five who will Who’s Who … p. 14

DIGITAL FLIPBOOK ARCHIVE >>

COMPLIMENTARY

The layout of print meets the convenience of the web: flip through the digital edition of any of our print issues at >> upstatebusinessjournal. com/past-issues

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

ORDER A PRINT SUBSCRIPTION Style & substance are not mutually exclusive. Our print issues look great in waiting rooms, lobbies and on coffee tables (where they age well, too). Order a year of UBJ in no time, and we’ll deliver every week. >> upstatebusinessjournal.com/ subscribe

UPSTATEBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM


02.12.2016

|

upstatebusinessjournal.com

DATE

Tuesday

2/23

WHERE DO I GO?

HOW DO I GO?

Comprehensive Small Business Start-up Workshop

Greenville County Library, Hughes Branch 25 Heritage Green Place, Greenville 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

Cost: $69 (second person, same company, $25) Register: piedmontscore.org/workshops/ register/212

SAE and SAWF Women Driving Industry Forum and networking event for male and female professionals and students

CU-ICAR 5 Research Drive, Greenville 4-6:30 p.m.

Cost: $30 SAE or SAWF members, $40 nonmembers, $10 students Register: bit.ly/sawforum

Greenville Chamber Annual Meeting Speaker: Beverly Wyse, vice president and general manager of Boeing, S.C.

TD Convention Center One Exposition Drive, Greenville 5:30 p.m.

Cost: $85 investors, $150 non-investors Register: bit.ly/anmeeting-jan2016

MESH Event: Bio and Health Innovation 101

Brewery 85 6 Whitlee Court, Greenville 6-7:30 p.m.

More info: bit.ly/mesh-feb2016

SC Automotive Summit IngeniousSC! Preview the latest commercial-ready technologies

Michelin Conference Center 517 Michelin Drive, Greenville 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Cost: $150 members, $195 nonmembers Register: bit.ly/ingenioussc-feb2016

The Makers Summit A creative small business conference

Clemson One Building 1 N. Main Street, 7th Floor, Greenville

Cost: $265 Register: makerscollective.org/themakerssummit

Wednesday

2/24 Friday-Saturday

3/4-5

| PLANNER | 27

EVENT INFO

Saturday

2/20

EVENTS YOU SHOULD HAVE ON YOUR CALENDAR

CONTRIBUTE: Got a hot date? Submit event information for consideration to events@upstatebusinessjournal.com. ART & PRODUCTION

IN THIS WEEK’S ISSUE OF UBJ? WANT A COPY FOR YOUR LOBBY?

ART DIRECTOR

FEB. 19 THE TRANSPORTATION ISSUE Getting around in a growing region.

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

PHOTO COORDINATOR/LAYOUT PRESIDENT/CEO

Mark B. Johnston mjohnston@communityjournals.com

UBJ PUBLISHER

Ryan L. Johnston rjohnston@communityjournals.com

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Susan Clary Simmons ssimmons@communityjournals.com

MANAGING EDITOR

UBJ milestone

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

Tammy Smith

1988

ADVERTISING DESIGN Kristy Adair, Michael Allen

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

OPERATIONS Holly Hardin

1997 Jackson Dawson launches motorsports Division

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 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

MARCH 18 THE TECH ISSUE Local technological innovations and revolutions.

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

CLIENT SERVICES Anita Harley, Jane Rogers

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Kristi Fortner

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

Jerry Salley jsalley@communityjournals.com

HOW TO CONTRIBUTE

STAFF WRITERS

ideas@upstatebusinessjournal.com

TWITTER: Follow us @UpstateBiz

EVENTS:

FACEBOOK: TheUpstateBusinessJournal

Ashley Boncimino, Lety Good, Sherry Jackson, Benjamin Jeffers, Cindy Landrum

CONTRIBUTING WRITER Melinda Young

DIGITAL TEAM Emily Price, Danielle Car

MARKETING & ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVES Nicole Greer, Donna Johnston, David Kabrin, Annie Langston, Lindsay Oehman, Emily Yepes

STORY IDEAS: events@upstatebusinessjournal.com

NEW HIRES, PROMOTIONS, AND AWARDS:

DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA

LINKEDIN: Upstate Business Journal

APRIL 15 INVESTING 101 Funding and finance. Got any thoughts? Care to contribute? Let us know at ideas@ upstatebusinessjournal.com.

onthemove@upstatebusinessjournal.com UBJ welcomes expert commentary from business leaders on timely news topics related to their specialties. Guest columns run 700-800 words. Contact Executive Editor Susan Clary Simmons at ssimmons@communityjournals.com to submit an article for consideration.

DIRECTOR OF EVENTS & ACCOUNT STRATEGY Kate Madden

UP NEXT

Circulation Audit by

publishers of

Copyright ©2016 BY COMMUNITY JOURNALS LLC. All rights reserved. Upstate Business Journal is published weekly by Community Journals LLC. 581 Perry Ave., Greenville, South Carolina, 29611. Upstate Business Journal is a free publication. Annual subscriptions (52 issues) can be purchased for $50. Postmaster: Send address changes to Upstate Business, P581 Perry Ave., Greenville, South Carolina, 29611. Printed in the USA.

581 Perry Avenue, Greenville, SC 29611 | 864-679-1200 | communityjournals.com UBJ: For subscriptions, call 864-679-1240 | UpstateBusinessJournal.com



Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.