October 23, 2015 UBJ

OCTOBER 23, 2015 | VOL. 4 ISSUE 43

A WHOLE NEW CLEMSON For more than $469 million, the school transforms with its largest campus renovation project in 50 years - pg 12

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| BANKING | 3

BNC completes CertusBank branch acquisitions

EMERGENCY

POWER

FOR YOUR

BUSINESS

The former CertusBank branch on Augusta Street in Greenville has been rebranded as a BNC Bank.

Sherry Jackson/Staff

ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

aboncimino@communityjournals.com High Point, N.C.-based BNC Bancorp expanded its Upstate presence by completing its acquisition of seven CertusBank locations across Greenville, Spartanburg, Easley, Greer and Mauldin. Announced in June, the acquisition represented $175 million in deposits and $188 million in loans and boosted BNC Bancorp’s presence from two to nine Upstate locations, operating as BNC Bank.

BNC Bancorp is the parent company of $5.4 billion-asset Bank of North Carolina, which operated 12 banking locations in South Carolina before the acquisition. The deal included the transfer of around 35 previous CertusBank employees, bringing BNC’s Upstate count to around 50, said Bank of North Carolina Upstate Regional President Ed Stein.

Stein said the deal gives the bank the chance to build out its commercial, mortgage and investment divisions.

While Stein said some marketing

efforts would include building awareness of the BNC brand in the Upstate, the primary focus at present is to carry out a smooth transition, serve and retain existing customers and continue to pursue new ones.

The original acquisition agreement included the seven branches, $284 million in customer deposits and $210 million in loans, according to coverage from Upstate Business Journal. The finalized figures were slightly lower at $175 million in deposits and $188 million in loans “We’re pleased to close this transaction with Certus and look forward to ‘delivering more’ to each and every one of our new customers,” said BNC Bancorp President and CEO Rick Callicutt in a statement. The employees of Certus will be retained as employees of the Bank of North Carolina.

Headquartered in High Point, N.C., Bank of North Carolina operates 64 banking offices in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina, with its Virginia and South Carolina locations operating as BNC Bank.

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4 | THE RUNDOWN |

TOP-OF-MIND AND IN THE MIX THIS WEEK

UBJ

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10.23.2015

VOLUME 4, ISSUE 43 Featured this issue: Recap of Greenville Planning Commission meeting Linda Long navigates 25 years in travel industry What’s the next move for the Federal Reserve?

10 16 20

MONEY SHOT: Last week, Clemson University celebrated the opening of a $10 million addition to Freeman Hall. This three-story addition is among the first major projects to be completed since the start of Clemson’s building boom around campus. Read more on page 12. Photo provided.

WORTH REPEATING “We need to be thinking about how to design private places in cities the way we’re thinking about public places in cities.” Page 8 “I was working 85 hours a week for a straight salary and I thought, if I’m going to work this hard, I might as well be doing it for myself.” Page 16 “When you have people who are leaving their jobs, that’s an indication as to how they feel about the job market.” Page 20

TBA Rumors of a Cheesecake Factory coming to Greenville are swirling again. Panera Bread is moving to its own building outside Haywood Mall, leaving an open restaurant space at the mall. Neither Haywood Mall nor The Cheesecake Factory will confirm… yet.

A developer is seeking a rezoning near Eastminster Presbyterian Church and Southside Christian School to build 86 singlefamily homes on about 30 acres. Greenville County Council will consider on Nov. 2.

VERBATIM

On the low unemployment rate “South Carolina is doing well. We are growing at a higher rate now than we grew on an average before the recession began.”

Joseph Van Nessen, research economist at the University of South Carolina, commenting to the Associated Press on the state’s 5.7 percent unemployment rate, its lowest level since the days of the recession in 2008.

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| TRANSPORTATION | 5

SC Ports Authority means $26.7B for the Upstate ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

SHIPPING NEWS

aboncimino@communityjournals.com

$26.7 billion

More than half of the S.C. Ports Authority’s 2014 economic impact was concentrated in the Upstate, clocking in at $26.7 billion in economic output, 95,000 jobs and $5.2 billion in labor income, according to a study by the University of South Carolina’s Moore School of Business.

The figures imply that one in eight Upstate jobs can be attributed to the ports authority, along with $461 million in annual tax revenue from Upstate activity alone, according to the study. Comparatively, the S.C. Ports Authority generates a $6.3 billion economic impact in the Lowcountry and 23,000 jobs, or 11.9 percent of the authority’s total statewide impact.

The authority also claimed responsibility for a portion of the success of the manufacturing and automotive clusters in the Upstate, some of which use the Greer-based Inland Port, as part of its supply chain and distribution channels.

“The ongoing success of South Carolina’s automotive cluster – a primary driver of statewide economic growth since 2010 – is largely due to the SCPA,” according to a study summary provided by the ports.

“In the last three years alone, the dollar volume of total cargo exported from SCPA port facilities sourced

Upstate impact of S.C. Ports Authority in 2014

95,000

Upstate jobs created

$5.2 billion Upstate labor income

at South Carolina businesses in transportation equipment manufacturing increased from 33.0 percent to 40.9 percent.”

The study analyzed the total economic impact associated with port operations and port users during the 2014 calendar year. The impact study includes business activities at S.C. Ports Authority facilities

$461 million

annual tax revenue from Upstate jobs Souce: S.C. Ports Authority

in Charleston, Georgetown and Greer, as well as business activities of port users that require the port facility to be completed.

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6 | FITNESS |

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10.23.2015

Burn Boot Camp launches Greenville site New fitness facility geared towards women opens on Pelham Road SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF

sjackson@communityjournals.com After living with a host family while playing minor league baseball with the San Francisco Giants organization, Devan Kline discovered that helping his host mom lose 45 pounds would lead to a new career.

Kline says the “transformative” experience led him to launch Burn Boot Camp in Charlotte in 2012.

Now, the company has more than 10 locations in the Charlotte area and launched its own franchise concept this February.

Burn Boot Camp Greenville, which opens this week at 215 Pelham Road, is the first location in the Upstate. Head trainer and recent Clemson graduate Ara Amirkhanian will lead the program at the new location. Classes will be held six days a week. While most are geared towards women, some co-ed classes will be offered.

Amirkhanian, who played soccer at Clemson, says Kline’s philosophy

is what attracted him to the concept. “The training is intense and the environment is a huge part of that.

It’s very positive, very measured and results-driven.”

The fitness facility has a soft floating floor, similar to gymnastics mats, and offers a child care center.

GBB also has its own supplement line called After Burn Protein, which is a cold-pressed, grass-fed, whey product flavored with Stevia.

To kick things off, Burn Boot Camp Greenville is offering a 30-day free trial. Amirkhanian says more than 1,000 people are already signed up, mostly from Facebook advertising and word of mouth.

Another franchise location will also be opening soon in Anderson. For more information, visit Greenville.burnbootcamp.com.

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8 | URBAN DESIGN |

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10.23.2015

Cities are growing, but so is need for innovation BENJAMIN JEFFERS | STAFF

bjeffers@communityjournals.com Both the young and the not-so-young are choosing urban lifestyles and moving to the city.

Panelists at an urban design forum in Greenville last week said while millennials are moving to cities as a way to find community, retiring baby boomers are downsizing, ditching their cars and moving to urban centers where they can easily connect with people and amenities.

“Citizens are seeking connectedness,” said Ginny Stroud, City of Greenville community development administrator.

As cities see a higher influx of residents than in years past, developers and city planners are wrestling with ways to create places that are enjoyable to live.

Parks and public spaces are one of the ways to create a better living environment, panelists said.

Last week’s forum was connected with Greenville’s recent win of the silver medal in the Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence, a biennial award celebrating transformative places distinguished by physical design and contributions to the economic, environmental and social vitality of America’s cities.

Greenville was a finalist among 55 applicants and was recognized for the impact of Falls Park on helping improve the community and making downtown a place for people of different socioeconomic backgrounds.

The flipside to making a city more appealing is the accompanying growth in housing prices, pan-elists said.

“The conundrum of successful turnarounds is less affordable housing,” said forum moderator Dana Souza, Greenville director of the Parks, Recreation and Sustainability Department.

While Greenville has a program of buying property and then using that for affordable housing, such initiatives won’t be enough to meet the growing demand for affordable housing among working professionals, said Simeon Bruner, a founding partner of Bruner/Cott Architects and Planners in Cambridge, Mass.

Bruner said the city needs to find a way to incentivize the private sector to build affordable workforce housing.

“Then we can get some volume going,” Bruner said.

Inclusionary zoning and getting developers to create complexes filled with small apartment units could be a couple of ways to increase the volume of affordable housing, he said.

He said the Boston housing market responded well

to a similar challenge, building 500-square-foot apartments that were affordable by virtue of their small size.

Tim Keane, commissioner of the Department of Planning and Community Development for Atlanta, said Southern cities especially have a problem with trying to maintain a suburban lifestyle in an urban setting by keeping the same amount of parking and unit size and type.

“The area for innovation in this country – and especially in the South – around architecture and urban housing is vast,” Keane said. “We need to be thinking about how to design private places in cities the way we’re thinking about public places in cities, that are around a different kind of lifestyle and really address this issue of density.”

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SC unemployment lowest since February 2008 STAFF REPORT

South Carolina’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 5.7 percent from 6.0 percent, recording its lowest level since February 2008, according to a report released this week by the state Department of Education and Workforce (DEW).

This is the fourth consecutive month in which the rate has declined, DEW said.

Employment hit a new high with 2,121,326 people working, rising 7,092 from August to September, according to the report. The number of unemployed individuals decreased by 6,607 to 128,508, the lowest level since April 2008. The labor force showed little change, increasing slightly by 485 to 2,249,834, DEW said.

From September 2014 to September 2015, the number of people working rose by 62,548, while the level of unemployed decreased by 15,848 people. The labor force grew by nearly 46,700 individuals in the last year, the report said.

Nationally, the unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.1 percent.

15,848

number of people by which the level of unemployed decreased from September 2014 to September 2015 in South Carolina “We continue to be encouraged with our improving economy as more South Carolinians are working and providing for their families than any time in our history. Equally exciting is the fact that there are still more than 65,000 jobs available across the state,” said Cheryl Stanton, executive director of the Department of Employment and Workforce, in a statement.

“While it is important to celebrate this, we recognize that there are people who recently have been displaced from their jobs due to the flooding disaster,” she said. “Our focus has turned to helping those individuals get back to work.”

View the full report at sces.org.

SC boosts abandoned, historic building credits ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

aboncimino@communityjournals.com Developers working with certified historic structures or qualified abandoned structures now have more incentive options due to recently passed amendments to state laws. Specifically, developers working with historic structures can now claim a 25 percent tax credit – more than twice the original 10 percent tax credit – and the abandoned building tax credit can now be applied to insurance premium taxes.

Introduced in 2013, these tax credits were designed to offset rehabilitation costs for developers that might not otherwise rehabilitate these structures.

If developers elect the 25 percent

credit for historic structures, the law caps out at $1 million per building, and the credit must be taken in equal installments over a three-year period starting with the year the property is placed in service.

The abandoned building credit cannot exceed $500,000 for any taxpayer in a year, and must also be taken in equal installments over three years. Unused credit can be carried over for five years.

The amendment also included a definition of “state-owned abandoned building,” defined as a project consisting of a building or buildings that have a combined size of more than 50,000 square feet that have been abandoned for five years, and that most recently belonged to the state, or an agency, instrumentality or political subdivision of the state.

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| WORKFORCE & DEVELOPMENT | 9

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REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF

sjackson@communityjournals.com |

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@SJackson_CJ

October Greenville Planning Commission meeting

FRONT ROW

With only six items on the October agenda

Fairforest Way - Existing Zoning

and two of those requesting postponement, this month’s Planning Commission meeting was a rarity – not only in terms of meeting time (a short 30 minutes) but also in meeting place. It turns out the city of Greenville wasn’t spared from the torrential rains a few weeks ago after all. The downpour caused a leak in the roof of City Hall, forcing all meetings to be held in smaller conference rooms in the building. City staff did a fine job in making a first-floor conference room an ad hoc Planning Commission meeting venue.

An application for a new subdivision on 4.9 acres at 226 E. Parkins Mill Road and Parrish Court and a final development plan for a mixed-use development at Church and Wakefield streets were the two items that requested postponement until the November meeting. Both postponements were granted.

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43 TALLULAH DRIVE This application was to rezone a portion of the Ave property from R-9, single-family residential district, to R-6, which is also single-family residential. The owner of the property wants to add a small parcel of land to his backyard and therefore increase the property value. The PC approved and this will now go before City Council.

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We had an update to this project in last week’s UBJ (bit.ly/UBJ-court-view). The PC heard two applications: one for a subdivision, the other for a multifamily development. The project is located at Gibbs and Mayfield streets and is taking two existing lots and turning them into 16 townhomes.

Changes to the design from the initial Design Review Board review included adding more depth to the back of the units and a driveway to allow for fire access and grading. Walk-up stairways were added to the front of the townhomes to provide “visual interest.” Michael Kerski, the city’s planning and development manager, said in the meeting that he would like to “give credit to the engineers and architects as this [the new design] was light-years away from where it was.” Both applications were approved.

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FAIRFOREST WAY This application was also to request a rezoning of 7.8 acres at the southwest corner of Cavalier Drive and Fairforest Way. For some reason, when the property was originally zoned, a small portion was

Rendering of Court View Townhomes

zoned as OD, Office & Institutional, while the rest of the property is zoned as S-1, Service District.

Currently the property is vacant, but the owner is wanting to sell and it would need to be rezoned before anything can be built on it. The owner agreed to provide a 30-foot buffer and restrict all access to the property from Cavalier Drive for the existing townhome community located near the property.

The PC approved, and the request will move on to City Council.

That’s it. Hopefully November will bring us several new projects to look over as we get into the end-ofyear scramble.

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REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF

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@SJackson_CJ

‘Build to compete’

Clemson’s massive campus renovation aims to support growing student and city populations Clemson University is currently undergoing a massive transformation – to the tune of more than $469 million – with its largest campus renovation project in the past 50 years.

Last year, Clemson trustees approved capital funding for several major projects as part of its 2020

roadmap, a 10-year strategic plan to “build to compete – facilities, infrastructure and technology” to support its growing student and city populations.

Each project is funded a little differently, with a mix of bonds, trusts, private donations, operating revenues and capital projects budgets.

Highlighted below are just some of the projects that will transform the Clemson campus in the next few years. From new athletic facilities, new student housing and renovations to existing structures, Clemson’s campus will forever be changed for decades to come.

Renderings provided

Freeman Hall

Douthit Hills

Description: Addition to existing building (including a third story) that includes 15 faculty offices, two large student spaces, three conference rooms, four offices for administration and an auditorium with seating for 100. The auditorium also includes four cameras to enable distance learning. The building is LEED certified at the silver level.

Description: Residential village and central hub to house upperclassmen as well as freshmen in the Bridge to Clemson program. The housing portion of the project will provide 970 beds for upperclassmen and 700 beds for students in the Bridge to Clemson transfer program at Tri-County Technical College. The new Douthit Hills complex will also have a dining hall, and plans are to move the Barnes and Noble bookstore to the new student hub area on the first floor.

Size: 21,000 square feet Cost: $10 million Completion: Completed with ribbon-cutting held last week

Stadium WestZonePhase III Description: Includes a new, wide pedestrian walkway that will create a more fan-friendly and inviting way to navigate through the mid-level of the WestZone to other areas of the stadium.

WestZone will also include a dramatic focal point with an oculus, a circular opening in the center of a wall. The pedestrian bridge extends through the Oculus to allow an easier and more direct connection from the WestZone to the north and south.

Size: 70,000 square feet Cost: $8 million Completion: Completed

Size: 80 acres Cost: $212 million Completion: estimated Fall 2018

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REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF

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College of Business and Behavioral Sciences (CBBS) Description: Clemson trustees recently announced the College of Business and Behavioral Science will become two separate academic units.

Beginning July 1, 2016, the College of Business will be created and the behavioral sciences will become part of another new college, the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences. A new building will be constructed to replace Sirrine Hall, which was built in 1938. The new building will have larger community spaces and a first-floor grand hall to house business and related programs and provide space for outreach and research institutes.

With its glass façade, high ceilings and open floor plan, the building will create a modern learning experience and resemble a corporate headquarters.

It will also offer amenities of modern business structures that allows for team production, creativity and 24-7 innovation.

Renderings provided

Watt Family Innovation Center

Description: Four-story innovation incubator made possible in part by a gift from the Watt family of Kennesaw, Ga. It will connect students, industry partners and state-of-the-art information technology to take ideas from concept to marketplace.

Size: 70,000 square feet Cost: $30 million Completion: Estimated spring 2016

Size: 186,000 square feet Cost: $ 5 million (concept and design work) Completion: estimated 2018-19 school year

Barnes Center Description: The Sheep Barn, which was built on campus at the turn of the century and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, will be renovated to become the Barnes Center, a place for student activity and engagement. The Barnes Center will provide a social destination for students.

Size: 3,935 square feet Cost: $2.3 million Completion: estimated 2016 CLEMSON continued on PAGE 14

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CLEMSON continued from PAGE 13

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Littlejohn Coliseum Description: Littlejohn Coliseum, Clemson’s event venue and basketball arena, is undergoing a major renovation that will offer 8,500 seats (including 500 that are premium level), coaches’ offices, new weight and locker rooms, recruitment gathering spaces and video-editing and theater areas.

Size: 250,000 square feet Cost: $70 million Completion: estimated late fall 2016

Memorial Stadium/aka Death Valley/Stadium Suites Description: Includes complete suite renovations including concourse and club areas, a new football operations facility and significant upgrades to the tennis complex along with the construction of a letter-winner’s area and meeting space.

Size: 180,000 square feet Cost: $25 million Completion: Completed

Renderings provided

Doug Kingsmore Baseball Stadium Description: Three-story addition to Clemson’s baseball venue that will include locker rooms, a lobby, team areas, training rooms, a player’s dining area, meeting space, a gallery, catering kitchen, laundry, coaches’ offices, and a player’s lounge. The facility will be integrated into the existing first baseline spectators’ stands and will add a viewing platform at the highest level. The project will also move both the home team and visitor’s dugouts closer to the first and third baselines and add approximately 150 seats to the stadium.

Advanced Technological Education Center Description: This new building will house the Clemson University Center for Workforce Development (CUCWD), including the National Science Foundation-funded Center for Aviation & Automotive Technological Education using Virtual E-Schools and the Department of Labor and Economic Development Administration (EDA) centers run by CUCWD within the College of Engineering and Science. The facility will provide space for enhanced public-private collaboration in the areas of advanced manufacturing and engineering where students, industry, state agencies and educational institutions will have access to digital learning tools, equipment, curriculum and faculty expertise. CUCWD will occupy approximately one-third of the building.

The remaining two-thirds of the facility will provide flexible workspaces for programs that are complementary to CUCWD. Size: 24,000 square feet

Size: 20,000 square feet

Cost: $2 million

Cost: $ 8.8 million

Completion: estimated early 2017

Completion: Completed

Core Campus Description: Located behind the Edgar A. Brown University Union, this is one of the largest projects underway. Core Campus will replace some of Clemson’s oldest student facilities – including Johnstone residence hall, built in the 1950s.

Johnstone’s redesign will include 700 beds of housing designed for freshmen and a new 1,000-seat dining hall with retail options that will replace the current Harcombe dining hall. It will also be the new home of the Calhoun Honors College.

Size: 260,000 square feet Cost: $96 million Completion: Estimated fall 2016

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16 | MILESTONE |

A TRIBUTE TO OUR LONG-LASTING ENTERPRISES

Enjoying the journey Linda Long Travel navigated 25 years in a changing field 25 YEARS

LEIGH SAVAGE | CONTRIBUTOR

from Greenville Technical College with an associate degree in secretarial science when she was sent on a job interview.

“I didn’t want to go to the interview, but they told me it was part of the curriculum,” she said. She was hired on the spot as the bookkeeper at Fortson Travel.

For the next 17 years, she learned every aspect of the travel business, spending time as bookkeeper and then working in corporate travel, vacations and groups. By 1990, “I was working 85 hours a week for a straight salary and I thought, if I’m going to work this hard, I might as well be doing it for myself,” she said. “Also, I was turning 40 that year, so I realized that if I was going to do it, this was the time to do it.”

Linda Long Travel opened its doors on May 18, 1990, first in a rented location at Morgan Manor and then a year later at the current location on Laurens Road. It typically takes a travel agency about seven years to turn a profit, Long said, but she hit that mark within six months. “I didn’t try to solicit business away from Fortson, but I did put an ad in the paper every single week letting people know I had opened my own agency.”

While she estimates Greenville is home to more than 50 travel agencies now, only a handful were in operation at the time, and many of her steady clients were eager to make the move with her – a loyalty many maintain today.

“I’ve been in this business for 42 years, and I’ve been doing trips for some people for more than 40 years,” she said. “As people get older, they do longer and more exotic trips like Antarctica.” >>

Photo by William Crooks

In 1973, Linda Long was about to graduate

Linda Long

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big following,” she said.

TWISTS AND TURNS Though her business experienced immediate NEVER VANILLA success, she faced many ups and downs over Her favorite aspect of the years, including the advent of technology, the field – its constant changes in air travel and the transformation of travel variety – can often be the after 9/11. most difficult. “Some Though the recent recession put a damper on days, I’m ready to open an travel, nothing has approached the profound effect ice cream store that sells that occurred after the 2001 terrorist attack, when only vanilla,” she joked. she returned $92,000 to customers who were canEach client and each trip celing trips she had spent a year planning. “That’s is different, and the travel hard on a small company,” she said. “I had already environment and predone all of the work, but I had to refund everything, ferred vendors are conso we lost all of the commissions.” She recovered stantly changing. thanks to a bank loan and a lot of hard work.

To keep up with the Another change occurred in 1996 when airlines industry, she and her staff stopped paying commissions, leading Long to halt of five often complete her corporate travel business to focus on vacation webinars and other conand group travel. tinuing education.

“We used to deliver about 100 airline tickets per The team also follows up day,” she said. The 10 percent commission paid by with each customer to the airlines made it worthwhile, but when that was get feedback. “That helps taken away, she knew it was time to halt the service. for the next customer,” Corporate travel was quick and simple, but she found she said. her company’s specialty on leisure and group travel Though technology has allows her team to take advantage of their in-depth transformed the business, knowledge on leisure destinations.

Long views the changes Another challenge she had to navigate is the cyas largely positive, and clical nature of the travel business, with the vast said even her youngest majority of trips booked between January and June. and most tech-savvy She found a way to maintain volume during the slower months by creating trips designed with Clemson fans in mind. She and her husband Dennis – both longtime fans – take groups to away games in cities such as Boston, Louisville, Ky., and Tallahassee, Fla., with many of the same fans attending each year. She has even taken 120 fans to watch Clemson play in the Mirage Bowl in Tokyo and booked 1,700 Rebecca Crow, Linda Long and people for a trip to the Gator Cynthia Masters in 1990.

Bowl in 1995. “Clemson has a

A TRIBUTE TO OUR LONG-LASTING ENTERPRISES

TRAVEL TIMELINE

1973

Graduates from Greenville Technical College; starts as bookkeeper at Fortson Travel

1974

Begins planning trips to Clemson bowl games

May 18, 1990 Opens Linda Long Travel

1991

Moves to current location on Laurens Road

1991

Takes 120 Clemson fans to Tokyo for the Mirage Bowl

1995

Books 1,700 for a trip to Jacksonville, Fla., for the 1995 Gator Bowl

1996

Halts corporate travel to focus on vacation and group

2001

Following 9/11, returns $92,000 to customers cancelling trips

2015

Celebrates 25 years in business

Some of the group trips enjoyed by clients of Linda Long Travel.

| MILESTONE | 17

clients have learned that they can’t always rely on what they read on the Internet.

“The young people don’t want their honeymoons messed up, so they come to us,” she said. “You can’t really tell what a place is like by looking at a picture.”

The Internet does allow travelers to narrow their focus. “They might come in with three options instead of 12,” she said. Her list of preferred suppliers for common destinations has been honed over the decades and is constantly updated with client feedback, allowing her to steer customers to reliable and highly rated hotels, restaurants and tour companies.

She said another advantage of working with an agent, as opposed to booking on a website, is quick access to an expert who can let you know about any rules or regulations in advance. She has many non-clients call wanting help with airline refunds, or people who booked online and didn’t know they needed their birth certificate to go on a cruise or didn’t know their passport had to be valid for six months after their return date.

“If they had gone through a travel agent, we would have told them that, and we could give them options,” she said. “Our product is our knowledge, and we don’t take that lightly.”

At 66, with 42 years in the travel industry, Linda Long said she’s old enough to retire, but “I don’t think my customers would let me. As long as I’m healthy and can do what I do, I’ll keep doing what I’m doing.”

18 | GUEST |

UBJ

MOVERS, SHAKERS AND DISRUP TORS SHAPING OUR FUTURE

|

10.23.2015

SC joins crowdfunding crowd New rule permits equity crowdfunding in South Carolina

By NEIL GRAYSON AND MIKE JOHNSON

issued its proposed rules for Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP equity crowdSouth Carolina recently joined funding.

With the SEC moving slowly 27 other U.S. states or jurisdictions in on federal crowdfunding rules, many permitting crowdfunding through the states are choosing to bypass the SEC sale of securities in capital-raising and adopt their own crowdfunding transactions to both accredited and laws. Until the SEC completes its non-accredited investors. regulations to allow equity crowdfundPrior to this new South Carolina ing to non-accredited investors, this rule, you could donate to your favorite form of raising money remains illegal cause or startup business through a if done on a nationwide basis. website and get a T-shirt or maybe a However, if you are a South Carolina signed poster by a movie star, but you business and interested in equity could not invest in the stock of your crowdfunding to non-accredited infavorite startup. This is because federal vestors on a local basis, you now have and state securities laws prohibit the some options. sale of securities, like stock and certain The South Carolina Intrastate Ofpromissory notes, unless those secuferings Exemption (Crowdfunding) rities have been registered with the Rule 13-206 creates an exemption for government or are exempt from regcertain crowdfunding transactions in istration.

South Carolina, including the sale of It has been more than three years stock in South Carolina businesses since Congress passed the JOBS Act, through a website. and almost two years since the SEC

THANKS TO YOU AND YOUR COMPANY THAT ATTENDED

HELD AT O’NEAL, INC. If you would like to know more about what Rebuild Upstate does in your community visit us at www.rebuildupstate.org

Thank you to our sponsors: VENTI: Starbucks GRANDE: BRIGHT+ CO Marketing Consortium TALL: BNC Bank, Tom & Ashley Bates Family Fund, MTN Creative Services, FUSION Audio & Video MEDIA: Upstate Business Journal, Complete PR

General overview of the new South Carolina Crowdfunding Rule: • For-profit businesses may raise up to $1 million annually.

• Businesses must be formed and based in South Carolina.

• Only South Carolina residents may purchase the securities and be solicited. » Prior to any offer or sale, the business must obtain from the prospective purchaser documentary evidence that the investor is a South Carolina resident.

• An offering placed on a publicly available website or actively promoted on social media and viewable by out-of-state residents is impermissible under the rule.

• A notice/form must be filed with the state, along with a $300 filing fee. » Where advertising will be used, the notice must be filed five days before advertising commences.

• The capital-raising transaction must comply with federal Section 3(a)(11) and SEC Rule 147.

• Non-accredited investors may invest no more than $5,000 in one business. There is no limit for accredited investors.

• The business must believe the purchasers are purchasing for investment (as opposed to purchasing for purposes of immediately reselling or distributing the securities).

• Commissions for raising capital may be paid only to registered broker-dealers – i.e., a business cannot pay a “finder” or “consultant” a commission for arranging a sale of stock unless that person has the appropriate licenses and registrations.

• All funds received from investors shall be deposited into a bank or depository institution authorized to do business in South Carolina, and all of the funds shall be used in accordance with representations made to investors.

• Investment companies and “public” SEC companies may not use the rule.

• The rule cannot be used by “bad actors,” such as persons found guilty of securities fraud.

Businesses considering taking advantage of the new South Carolina crowdfunding rule should seek the counsel of professionals experienced with South Carolina and U.S. securities and corporate finance laws.

Conducting a crowdfunding offering through a website involves complex rules and regulations, the violation of which can result in civil sanctions and criminal prosecution.

The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA), a voluntary association devoted to investor protection and whose membership consists of 67 state, provincial and territorial securities administrators in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, has published an Investor Advisory on Equity Crowdfunding (bit.ly/crowdfunding-advisory), which should be read by those considering investing in crowdfunding securities or raising capital through a crowdfunding offering.

10.23.2015

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upstatebusinessjournal.com

MOVERS, SHAKERS AND DISRUP TORS SHAPING OUR FUTURE

| INNOVATE | 19

First-generation students may need extra support

By KAREN MORROW Manager, Student Success Center, Greenville Technical College

Everyone needs a sense of belonging. Nowhere is that more critical than on a college campus, where it can make all the difference in whether a student stays in college and succeeds.

Success for a student means success for the entire community. One graduate in a family leads to more. The graduate is ready for employment, and if he or she has been involved in student organizations and activities along the way, that graduate brings other skills to the job that result in a better team member and leader.

According to studies conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, students who enter college with risk factors are much less likely to earn a degree. Those who wait to attend college after graduating from high school, study part-time, work full time, support themselves, have children, are single parents, or have earned a GED are likely to leave college without a degree. Some of those risk factors are associated with characteristics including being the first in a family to attend college.

First-generation students are entering a foreign world without familial guidance. Instead of a parent who understands the importance of completing the FAFSA, paying the application fee, and meeting with an advisor, they are navigating the system without that support. The Online

Journal for Workforce Education and Development reports that half of all college students today are first generation.

Low-income, first-generation students are four times more likely than others to leave higher education after the first year.

With practically everything in their family backgrounds indicating that they don’t belong on a college campus, first-generation students need to find that sense of belonging and find it fast.

Studies show that the first 30 days will determine whether a student stays in school and finishes.

It’s not just the individual who is at risk. When the first person in a family succeeds in college, others follow.

Many times, we see a student encouraging a parent or sibling to enroll, so once that first person has navigated new waters, the path becomes easier for everyone. It also sets a new expectation. In many families, there’s no doubt that college is what happens after high school. When a first-generation student enrolls in college and graduates, he or she can change the dynamic for the next generation while pulling the previous generation along, too.

How can we make sure that every student, first generation or not, feels a sense of belonging on a college campus? By giving them a place to get information, a place where they can find out about the resources and opportunities that can make their experiences better. Sometimes that outreach effort can be as simple as an

email from someone with no agenda, checking on how things are going, or it can be a place to go where a friendly face is waiting to answer what may seem like a very basic question.

Parents, especially those unfamiliar with college, need a place to connect, too. They need advice on being involved in the student’s life while also affording that college student some space in which to become independent.

In “Leaving College: Rethinking the Causes and Cures of Student Attrition,” Vince Tinto writes that not engaging a student is issuing that student an invitation out the door. The invitation, he says, can’t be the same for everyone. Rather it should be customized to fit the need.

At Greenville Technical College, we’re working to create a sense of belonging through the Student Success Center we opened in February. We’re functioning as a support system for students, a place where someone will ask a student a question and then a second or third question on top of that,

to find out what’s going on and to provide the help needed.

Let’s say, for example, that a student comes to us and shares that his grade in a class is suffering. We may suggest that the student speak to the instructor outside of class. We can help that student learn to understand and navigate the responsibilities and expectations while at the same time stepping up to be a self-advocate. This may sound basic, but for someone who’s new to college and whose family is also unfamiliar with that environment, it’s simple advice that can make a big difference.

There are so many resources and opportunities available to students at our college. Our office works to connect them with answers and opportunities for engagement. We know that each time a student finishes college, the family wins, and the community wins, too. Want to learn more? Connect with the Greenville Technical College Student Success Center by emailing belong@gvltec.edu.

Personal Interests Drive Family's Philanthropic Support Devotion to their city spurred Millie and Wilson Wearn to establish a simple plan to benefit their most cherished personal interests.

864-233-5925 • www.cfgreenville.org

20 | THE TAKEAWAY |

UBJ

NOTES FROM THE BEST TALKS YOU MISSED

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10.23.2015

‘How do we get there?’

Tim Quinlan from Wells Fargo Securities discusses the Fed’s next move, and what’s in store for the U.S. economy

By CAROLYN FARR SHANESY Director, University Communications, USC Upstate

Economist Tim Quinlan said that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates in December. He also discussed the state of the U.S. economy and what indicators are driving the economy.

When will the Federal Reserve look to raise rates?

This is where the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee sees the fund at the end of the year and the next three years. With the last three meetings there is a bias toward lower rates for a little bit longer.

The Fed looks to be more concerned with an economic slowdown. The futures market is trading at a level that they are not quite convinced they see the levels the Federal Reserve does at this time. But there looks to be a deliberate effort being made by the FROMC to convince everyone that they will raise rates by December.

What is going to drive the Federal Reserve?

The number of job openings is at a 35-year high right now. Looking at the numbers of layoffs versus EVENT: Wells Fargo Speaker Series WHERE: The George Dean Johnson Jr. College of Business and Economics, USC Upstate WHO WAS THERE: 50+ members of Spartanburg business community, faculty, staff and students from USC Upstate.

SPEAKER: Tim Quinlan, vice president and economist, Wells Fargo Securities

people who quit a job made some people excited. When you have people who are leaving their jobs, that’s an indication as to how they feel about the job market.

In terms of wage growth, when people are sticking around and you aren’t giving them a raise year after year, maybe you aren’t giving them raises unless there are certain incentives. Why would you give them more if they are content with what they have?

Weak wages are a hotly debated topic right now.

Wages are weak because labor productivity has been weak. But you also have to look at if labor productivity is being adequately measured.

There is a recovery in housing in the aggregate, as households have almost recouped the value lost in homes during the recession. Houses may vary, but in general home prices are getting pretty close to their pre-recession level.

If you’ve safely invested you’ve more than recouped what was lost, and that is what helps drive consumer spending. The debt situation has improved. The cost of financing has really improved. So when the Fed lowers rates, the cost of carrying your debt is the lowest it’s been in 30 years.

Where is the U.S. economy headed?

We are on about a 2 percent growth trajectory.

This is largely a reflection of global economic outlook, and now that we are closer to the Feds raising rates, the effect that has on consumer spending.

The growth has been disappointing. But how do we get there? You get some help from the housing market – residential construction and housing sales, consumer spending, the outlook for business spending.

New home sales and existing home sales are running a little bit higher, so that’s positive. In terms of residential construction activity, we will get to about a long-term average of between 1.25 and 1.5 million.

Each year I talk to National Association of Home Builders; most builders’ idea of normal is at the fastest pace. But there’s a big gap between the household formation that we’ve got and the average since 1960.

Some of it is 20-somethings living at home with Mom and Dad. We call that pent-up demand.

What have millennials experienced in this economic cycle?

Looking at median earnings by age group, 24-34, the people at the lower end of the earning spectrum aren’t making as much. Millennials have the unfortunate circumstance of having graduated into a difficult economy and as a result, their lifetime earnings are negatively impacted. Millennials are having to spend a lot more on shelter and transportation costs because this comprises a larger share of their net income. But this group also spends more than any other age group in food away from home.

What’s happening in the Carolinas?

Unemployment in North Carolina and South Carolina is an indication of a strong job market. We have people who are showing up in South Carolina who just don’t have jobs. There has been growth across the state in work such as trades/skilled labor, construction, transportation, utilities, etc.

ENGAGE Home prices didn’t overheat in South CaroNOV Wells Fargo lina, but with that being Speaker Series said, for the amount of growth in the state, we “The Zappos Mission: should be building about To Live and Deliver WOW” 26,279 houses a year.

That has fallen to less Keynote speaker: Erica than 10,000 in some Javellana, Zappos Insights months. The net positive BMW Classroom, George is that 16,000 people are Dean Johnson Jr. College of moving in the Palmetto Business and Economics, State each year; areas in USC Upstate the Midwest would kill for that kind of populaTickets: $10 tion growth.

4

uscupstate.edu/wellsfargo

22 | ON THE MOVE |

PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS

APPOINTED

HIRED

UBJ

HIRED

HIRED

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10.23.2015

ELECTED

Luanne Runge

Jon Deaver

Dale Carver

Tamela Spann

Boyd B. Nicholson Jr.

Named executive director of Liberty Fellowship. Runge served as associate executive director since 2014.

Previously, she was a shareholder with Gallivan, White & Boyd, practicing in the areas of business litigation, health care and malpractice.

Named executive chef of Bay One Brasserie in Greer.

Deaver has more than 10 years of experience as a chef.

He previously served at Larkin’s on the River, Cru Catering of Charleston and Lake Lanier Tea House in North Carolina.

Named business development director for Bravo1 Protection. Carver has worked in business-to-business sales, customer relationship management and business development for several Fortune 500 companies. He will oversee sales and account management processes.

Named manager of strategic initiatives for Hollingsworth Funds Inc. Spann has more than 20 years of experience in philanthropy, government affairs, community outreach and teaching. She most recently worked for the Mary Black Foundation as program specialist for early childhood development.

Named to the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce board of directors for the 20152016 term. Nicholson is a managing director at the Greenville office of Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd. He leads the firm’s Management Committee and works in the areas of public procurement, local government law and construction law.

COMMUNITY

Gagne is president and owner of the Attorney Offices of Thomas Gagne P.A. Gagne has been in practice since 1997 and handles personal injury cases only.

Better Business Bureau of the Upstate named Thomas Gagne as a member of the board of directors.

RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF THE CAROLINA'S

Red Shoe Society Presents THE

Greenville Royale 11.13.15 7-11 pm Clemson ONE Featuring The Sound Committee

DEVELOPMENT Michael Howard rejoined O’Neal Inc. as a senior project manager.

Howard has more than 25 years of experience with process manufacturing construction projects. He most recently served with Walbridge Construction.

REAL ESTATE RealOp Investments hired Julian Nexsen as acquisitions manager for the Southeast. Nexsen most recently served as a financial analyst with RCG Ventures in Atlanta, where he maintained internal financial tracking and valuation models for all of the company’s owned properties.

CBRE Group Inc. hired Marcus Cornelius to its industrial services team. Cornelius has more than 18 years of experience in the commercial real estate business. He previously served as a brokerage professional at Liberty Property Trust and Colliers Arnold.

TECHNOLOGY The ASM International board appointed Jon Tirpak as president.

Tirpak is a senior program manager for SCRA Applied R&D’s Advanced Materials Division. He also serves as the executive director of the Forging Industry Association – Department of Defense Manufacturing Consortium and as senior program manager of the Defense Logistics Agency’s PRO-FAST program.

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

Food Drink Dancing

BENEFITTING THE RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE 11.13.15

SPONSORED BY

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, OR TICKETS VISIT: RMHC-CAROLINAS.ORG

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10.23.2015

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upstatebusinessjournal.com

THE FRESHEST FACES ON THE BUSINESS LANDSCAPE

| NEW TO THE STREET | 23

Open for business 1

Advancing Women’s Leadership and Corporate Board Service 1. ProVest Wealth Advisors recently cut the ribbon at its new building at 223 East Blackstock Road, Spartanburg. Hours are Monday-Thursday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., and Friday, 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. For more information, visit provestwealth.com.

November 17, 2015 7:30am - 9:30am (Breakfast Event)

2. Carolina Nephrology recently opened at 1410B John B. White Blvd., Spartanburg.

The company offers patient kidney care. For more information, visit carolinanephrology. com.

TD Convention Center 1 Exposition Drive Greenville, SC 29607

2

Keynote Speaker Karen Kaplan Chairman & CEO, Hill Holliday

CONTRIBUTE: Know of a business opening soon?

Email information to bjeffers@communityjournals.com.

FIRST FRIDAY LEADERSHIP SERIES PRESENTS

ERIC DODDS Partner, CMO The Iron Yard

NOVEMBER 6 5:15 PM

1 North Main Street 5th Floor Attending First Friday is free, but space is limited!

Register at www.FirstFridayEricDodds.eventbrite.com Sponsorship generously provided by:

Registration www.GreenvilleChamber.org $25 for Investors $35 for Non-Investors Contact Nika White 864-239-3727 Nwhite@greenvillechamber.org Presenting Sponsor: ATHENA International is a non-profit organization that seeks to support, develop and honor women leaders. For more information please go to www.athenainternational.org or call 312.580.0111.

24 | FINE PRINT |

BUSINESS BRIEFS YOU CAN’ T MISS

Sandlapper raises $4.6M for land deals

Sandlapper Securities LLC raised about $4.6 million for two land deals on behalf of Webb Creek Management Group LLC, a Georgia-based firm that provides consultative services to individuals and company landowners seeking alternative uses of their property to maximize return.

About $2.4 million went to acquire West Lake Investments LLC, a securitized land deal of 37.39 acres of unimproved land in Fulton County, Ga., and approximately $2.2 million went to acquire Sycamore Fork Investments LLC, a securitized land deal of 1,171.49 acres of unimproved land in Clay County, Tenn.

Sandlapper Securities Founder and CEO Trevor Gordon said in a release, “Each of the prospective uses for the acquired land provided great potential for investors, but the most significant benefit to present itself has been through the conservation of the land.”

Sandlapper Securities and Webb Creek Management Group are currently working on another $2.25 million raise for Lion’s Gate Investments LLC, a 170-acre tract of unimproved real estate located in Haralson and Carroll counties, Ga.

Worker training grants available in 3 Upstate counties The WorkLink Workforce Development Board is accepting applications for the Incumbent Worker Training (IWT) program.

IWT grants – available for businesses in Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties – allow employers that have at least one employee to upgrade the skills of their current workforce through reimbursable training services and expenses.

Employers must be current on all South Carolina state tax obligations.

Employers who are awarded training funds must support the SC WorkReady Communities Initiative by recognizing the WorkKeys National Career Readiness Certificate and pay wages of at least $10.50 per hour.

Training cost per individual will also be a consideration and all approved trainings must be completed by June 30, 2016.

Complete program guidelines and applications are available by contacting Patty Manley, WorkLink business services representative, at 864-646-1515 (TTY: 711) or pmanley@worklinkweb.com. Applications and guidelines can also be accessed online at http://worklink.scworks.org/news.php#371.

Completed applications should be mailed to Patty Manley, SC Works Clemson Comprehensive Center at East Park, 1376 Tiger Blvd., Suite 102, Clemson, SC 29631 or emailed to pmanley@worklinkweb.com. All applications must be postmarked or received via email by Nov. 4.

Charleston startup expands to Upstate

Charleston-based entrepreneur consulting firm Think Ideally expanded to the Upstate market with its second office.

Founded in January 2015, Think Ideally touts itself as a “one-stop shop” for startup consultant services and for companies interested in entrepreneurial-based skills programs for employees.

The Greenville office will include two employees, Chief Development Officer Jared Hartzell and Chief Engagement Officer Ryan Heafy, both of whom worked on STEM festival Imagine Upstate in Greenville last year. The company plans to announce its Greenville office location within the next few weeks, said Heafy.

Founders Cara Florence and Nicole Young will remain in the Charleston office, while the Greenville office will focus on development, government relations, strategic partnerships and building the firm’s national corporate and academic initiatives.

“In our first 10 months, we have grown to five portfolio companies, numerous startup and corporate clients and have projected revenues of seven figures by

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10.23.2015

the end of 2015, doubling our first years’ business goals,” said Florence. “Nicole and I are very proud of the company we have been able to build thus far, but with this incredible and rapid growth, we saw a need for another office in order to better serve our clients.”

Fluor gets adhesives project in UK

Cytec Industries Inc. selected Fluor Corporation’s United Kingdom operation, Fluor Limited, for the engineering, procurement and construction management of the expansion of a high-performance adhesives manufacturing facility in Wrexham, North Wales.

Fluor booked the undisclosed value of the contract in the company’s third quarter of 2015.

Fluor recently completed the front end engineering design for the new facility at Cytec’s operations site at Wrexham Industrial Park, which also houses the company’s European headquarters for research and development.

The new facility will produce extreme-demand adhesives used in the aerospace industry, for which Cytec is a leading supplier.

An integrated engineering team located in Fluor’s offices in the U.S., India and the UK will execute the project.

Downtown Greenville gets media office of aviation firm Tempus

Aviation conglomerate Tempus plans to grow its media and marketing division from downtown Greenville.

The eight-person office will handle everything from logo development to advertising for six Tempus divisions, including Williamsburg, Va.-based public entity Tempus Applied Solutions and Denver-based private entity Tempus Aircraft Sales & Service, according to Greenville-based Tempus Marketing and Media Vice President Jack Bacot.

Bacot helped launch TEMPUS Magazine in Greenville in 2013, and will now lead the Greenville division downtown.

Tempus previously operated a business development and sales office from the Stevens Aviation area of Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport in Greer, said Bacot, but that office closed around a year ago. The media and marketing division will occupy around 2,500 square feet on the second floor of the Bank of America building at 101 N. Main Street, and will house eight employees once renovations have finished, he said.

Founded in 2007, Tempus is a conglomerate of aviation companies serving corporations, governments and individuals.

TATT Oconee bus tour open to public

Ten at the Top (TATT) is conducting an Upstate Bus Tour to Oconee County on Nov. 5.

The bus will leave from the TATT office in Greenville at 8:30 a.m. and return by 4:30 p.m. and is open to anyone interested in learning more about the Upstate region.

Participants on the bus tour will see and learn about things happening in Oconee County, including their efforts to enhance economic development, job growth and workforce development.

A tour of the Duke World of Energy and lunch at the Chattooga Belle Farm will also be part of the program.

The tour is limited to only 33 participants. Cost for the day is $25, including transportation, program and lunch. Register by contacting Ashley Downing at 864-283-2317 or adowning@tenatthetop.org.

Reservation deadline is Nov. 3.

JOIN THE GREENVILLE TECH FOUNDATION AS WE HOST A CONVERSATION WITH

CARLOS GHOSN CHAIRMAN & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE RENAULT-NISSAN ALLIANCE

11.16.15 6:00pm Cocktail Reception • 7:00pm Dinner TD Convention Center T H IS EVENT WILL F UN D ST UD EN T SC HOL A R S H I P S A N D OTH E R C R I TI C A L N E E DS FO R G R E E N V I LLE T ECHNI CAL CO LLEGE.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WORKFORCEDEVELOPMENTSALUTE.ORG OR LACEY@CRAWFORDSTRATEGY.COM.

WORKFORCEDEVELOPMENTSALUTE.ORG

26 | #TRENDING |

UBJ

INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

OVERHEARD @ THE WATERCOOLER

> Alpha Property Management “If your haven’t been to TR, you need to.

This town is awesome!” > Donna Moody Davis “I’m sure they will be beautiful but just a little pricey.” > Caleb Ready “This is perfect! Just what TR needs!” > Ethan James Price “Knew it was only a matter of time.

Unbelievable how far TR has come in a short amount of time. #DiscoverTravelersRest #yeahTHATgreenville” > Pat Grissinger, Realtor “This should be beautiful!” > Adrienne Ola Hawkins “I heard TR needs some more homes... they don’t look modern... or really urban... hope these designs get updated!”

RE: SPARTANBURG LEADERS RALLY FOR 5-YEAR VISIONING PLAN > Troy Gregg upstatebusinessjournal.com “Need more handicapped parking on Morgan Square. Need sidewalk from golf course to Main Street. Need park benches on recently finished Main Street. Could use additional coffee shop downtown. Decorate window fronts on empty buildings. The things the city has already done are excellent; especially the old non-working water fountain next to Denny’s being turned into a nice planter.”

>> 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

@amorris_CJ

10.23.2015

BIZ BUZZ

Distilled commentary from UBJ readers

RE: DOWNTOWN TR TO GET NEW URBAN HOMES, TOWNHOMES

|

OCTOBER 16, 2015

| VOL. 4 ISSUE 42

WOMEN’S WORK

Barbara League For more than 50 years, women has led the way for Upstate — and the next in manufacturing up pg 14 generation is on its way

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

>> WEIGH IN @ THE UBJ EXCHANGE Got something to offer?

Get it off your chest.

We’re looking for expert guest bloggers from all industries to contribute to the UBJ Exchange. Send posts or blog ideas to eprice@communityjournals.com. > John Warner “Spartanburg won’t get anything innovative from Market Street Services. They’ll get the same old broken economic development model that has delivered declining wages relative to the rest of the country for the past 15 years. The Greenville Chamber engaged Market Street about decade ago. What a waste of resources.

There are plenty of people in the Upstate who understand the future, from John Moore at NEXT to Matt Dunbar at UCAN to Phil Yanov at Tech After Five to Peter Barth at the Iron Yards to Leighton Cubbage at Successful Entrepreneurship. Spartanburg would have been much better off engaging one or more of them.” > Alpha Property Management “Good news for Spartanburg.”

RE: GET READY FOR WOMEN IN MANUFACTURING > Phillip McCreight “Great examples of women in manufacturing #womenleadgvl” > Greenville Technical College “Julia, a graduate of GTC’s mechatronics program, wasn’t intimidated by being one of only a few females in her classes and encourages women to pursue careers in advanced manufacturing. #GTCPride #WomeninManufacturing #MfgMonth” > @JaneEasler “At Milliken, women are already leaders in manufacturing!”

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

>> 1,316

1. Downtown TR to get new urban homes, townhomes

>> 623 2. Get ready for women in manufacturing

>> 356 3. FIRST LOOK: Growler Haus – Fountain Inn

>> 327 4. Spartanburg leaders rally for 5-year visioning plan

>> 131 5. Michael Kors to open at Haywood Mall

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAILS Follow up on the Upstate’s workweek in minutes.

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

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UPSTATEBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM

10.23.2015

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upstatebusinessjournal.com

DATE Friday

10/23 Wednesday

10/28

WHERE DO I GO?

HOW DO I GO?

SBDC Workshop Topic: Are You Building a Business that Could Be Sold?

Clemson at ONE 1 N. Main St., Greenville 9 a.m.-noon

Cost: $29 Register: piedmontscore.org/workshops/ register/200

Downtown Greenville’s Expected Growth Update Discuss what is new and planned in the commercial and residential markets Speaker: Brad Halter, Caine Company chairman

Commerce Club 55 Beattie Place, Greenville 5:30 p.m.

Register: 864-232-5600

Susan G. Komen “Pink Tie Power Guy” Fundraiser and Cocktail Party

On the Roxx 734 S. Main St., Greenville 6-9 p.m.

Cost: $20 at the door More info: komenscmm.org

Women @ Work Networking Social

Poinsett Club 807 E. Washington Street, Greenville 6-8 p.m.

Cost: $10, Chamber investors, $15 non-Chamber investors Register: bit.ly/womenatwork-oct2015

Family Business Planning Workshop Address the issues that prevent family businesses from surviving to the next generation

Commerce Club 55 Beattie Place, Greenville 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Register: 864-232-5600

10/29

10/30

| PLANNER | 27

EVENT INFO

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DIRECTOR OF EVENTS & ACCOUNT STRATEGY Kate Madden

1997 Jackson Dawson launches motorsports Division 1993

1990 Jackson Dawson acquires therapon marketing Group and moves to Piedmont office Center on Villa.

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with a majority of them utilizing the general aviation airport as a “corporate gateway to the city.”

In 1997, Jackson and his son, Darrell, launched Jackson Motorsports Group. The new division was designed to sell race tires and go to racetracks to sell and mount the tires. Darrell Jackson now serves as president of the motorsports group and Larry Jackson has two other children and a son-in-law who work there. Jackson said all his children started at the bottom and “earned their way up.”

Jackson kept the Jackson-Dawson branches in Detroit and others in Los Angeles and New York until he sold his portion of that partnership in 2009 as part of his estate planning.

The company now operates a small office in Charlotte, but its main headquarters are in Greenville in a large office space off Woodruff Road, complete with a vision gallery that displays local artwork and an auditorium Jackson makes available for non-profit use. The Motorsports Group is housed in an additional 26,000 square feet building just down the street, and the agency is currently looking for another 20,000 square feet.

Jackson said JMG has expanded into other verticals such as financial, healthcare, manufacturing and pro-bono work, but still has a strong focus on the auto industry and transportation. It’s

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

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

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

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

Vietnam, where he said he was “luckily” stationed in the middle of Texas at Fort Hood.

He left the service and went to work in public affairs and motorsports at Ford Motor Company in Detroit.

After a stint at Bell and Howell, where he was responsible for managing Ford’s dealer marketing and training, the entrepreneurial bug hit and he co-founded Jackson-Dawson Marketing Communications, a company specializing in dealer training and product launches for the auto industry in 1980.

In 1987, Jackson wanted to move back south and thought Greenville would be a good fit. An avid pilot, he

learned of an opportunity to purchase Cornerstone Aviation, a fixed base operation (FBO) that served as a service station for the Greenville Downtown Airport, providing fuel, maintenance and storage.

In fact, when he started the Greenville office of what is now Jackson Marketing Group (JMG) in 1988, the offices were housed on the second floor in an airport hangar.

“Clients would get distracted by the airplanes in the hangars and we’d have to corral them to get back upstairs to the meeting,” Jackson said.

Jackson sold the FBO in 1993, but says it was a great way to get to know Greenville’s fathers and leaders

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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

NOV. 20: THE TALENT ISSUE Where is the next generation of workers coming from?

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

Anita Harley, Jane Rogers

Jerry Salley jsalley@communityjournals.com Ashley Boncimino, Sherry Jackson, Benjamin Jeffers, Cindy Landrum, April A. Morris

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

1988

Holly Hardin

CLIENT SERVICES

MANAGING EDITOR

UBJ milestone

OPERATIONS

Ryan L. Johnston rjohnston@communityjournals.com Susan Clary Simmons ssimmons@communityjournals.com

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

UBJ milestone

DIGITAL TEAM Emily Price, Danielle Car

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