OCTOBER 2, 2015 | VOL. 4 ISSUE 40
PROTECTING
HOME FIELD
Tech startup Bandwagon could be just the ticket for sports fans
ADVANTAGE
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INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
Chicken Salad Chick opening third Greenville location SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF
sjackson@communityjournals.com Chicken Salad Chick, a fast-casual restaurant with locations on Augusta Street and Pelham Road, will be opening its third Greenville location in spring 2016. The new 2,600-square-foot location will be on Garlington Road at the Woodruff Road intersection, directly in front of the Entercom radio station complex. The Auburn, Ala.-based restaurant has been rapidly expanding throughout the Southeast and features a “customfit” chicken salad experience, with 15 original flavors to choose from, as well as gourmet soups, side salads and freshly baked desserts. Franchise owners Michelle Singleton and Julie Beville of Sing Bev Hospitality LLC own the two existing Greenville locations along with restaurants in Summerville, Lexington and Columbia, S.C., and two in
Charlotte, N.C. The partners have purchased the rights to 18 other locations throughout the Carolinas and North Georgia. “The city of Greenville has truly embraced Chicken Salad Chick and we couldn’t be more thankful,” said Beville. “Now, to be able to add a third location with such great exposure is exciting and will give Greenville residents a chance to have their chick fix regardless of where they are.” The Woodruff Road location will feature a drive-thru similar to the Pelham Road location.
Mitsubishi Polyester plans $100M plant expansion STAFF REPORT
Mitsubishi Polyester Film Inc. is investing $100 million to expand its Greer operations. The investment will include the installation of a polyester film production line. Mitsubishi said it intends to use this line to support the growth of its business in both the U.S. and overseas markets. The company expects to complete the investment by the third quarter of 2017. The plant employs more than 500 workers engaged in the development, manufacturing and sales of a variety of specialty films used in industrial, packaging and electronics applications.
“This expansion further enhances our ability to support our customers and markets with value-added low-cost solutions, while at the same time providing employment for the more than 500 families that depend on our business for their livelihood,” Bill Radlein, president and COO of Mitsubishi Polyester Film America, said in a release. The company’s first Upstate plant opened in 1964 and has grown its footprint from 95,000 square feet upon its inception to nearly 1 million square feet today.
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4 | THE RUNDOWN |
TOP-OF-MIND AND IN THE MIX THIS WEEK
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VOLUME 4, ISSUE 40 Featured this issue: Lessons learned from M&A Hub City Co-op begins construction VidiStar scores big in health care software
9 13 14
MONEY SHOT: Greenville Tech President Keith Miller signs the beam prior to the topping out ceremony at the Center for Manufacturing Innovation. See story on page 10.
WORTH REPEATING “The mission No. 1 for every startup is not to get a check from the local doctor, it’s to secure the lead investor.” Page 8 “Don’t just grow for growth’s sake. You’re impacting lives.” Page 9 “The Great Recession was a resource depletion problem masquerading as a financial crisis.” Page 16
TBA Look for a new Jet’s Pizza location coming soon to Mills Avenue, next to the Cork & Tap in Greenville.
VERBATIM
On milking success “I had begun to wonder if there were any farmers left or if I was the only one still standing … Winning for the county and then the state is like getting a gold medal for living your life.” Tom Trantham, owner of Happy Cow Creamery in Pelzer, as reported in the Easley Progress. Trantham was recently named the South Carolina winner of the 2015 Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year award.
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Loose Reed seeks to jump-start Upstate brewery district APRIL A. MORRIS | STAFF
amorris@communityjournals.com It’s a small part of a textile loom, a reference to Greenville’s home river and now a planned brewery: Loose Reed Brewing. Tracy James Antonik, a recent transplant from Lakeland, Fla., said his planned 1.5-barrel nano-system will hopefully spur a brewery district like that of Asheville’s South Slope in Asheville with eight breweries either existing or in planning. Now that breweries in the area are spread out, “I think craft beer in Greenville County could benefit [from congregation],” he said. Antonik said he is seeking a Greenville location of up to 5,000 square feet where he will specialize in brewing British and German ales along with American styles, IPAs and Belgian-inspired brews. The system’s size will allow for production of “base recipes” along with experimental and seasonal beers, he said. A former CPA firm manager, auditor and management consultant,
From left, Loose Reed Brewing team at Carolina BrewHaHa: mother Susan Antonik, brewer Tracy James Antonik, sister Margaret Antonik and father Tom Antonik.
Antonik has been an avid homebrewer for about a decade, he said. A central location will be key to capturing foot traffic needed for a gathering spot evoking a German beer garden that Loose Reed Brewing seeks to create, he said. The brewery is slated to launch in spring 2016, said Antonik.
DEFINED Nanobrewery: A scaled-down microbrewery, often run by a solo entrepreneur, that produces beer in small batches. Source: thefoodsection.com
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10.02.2015
Caterpillar downsizing could affect 800 S.C. workers
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ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF
aboncimino@communityjournals.com
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin
International manufacturer
Caterpillar’s decision to lay off 4,000 to 5,000 workers by the end of 2016 could affect some of its 800 South Carolina employees. The company’s Typically achieved with a Lockup, go home five South Carolina manufacturing h a Typically achieved with a Lockup, go home generator that provides and wait for the plants fall into the three manufacturs generator that provides and wait for the power to a limited number power to return. ing segments Caterpillar has earb e power to a limited number r power to return. of circuits. • No revenue marked for “restructuring actions,” of circuits. • No revenue generation • Allows you to save data according to a company spokesman. generation a • Allows you to save data (864)232-5684 • Profitability at risk and shutdown computers (864)232-5684 Due to decreased demand in certain • Profitability at risk s and shutdown computers • Missed customer safely PO BOX 6732 segments, • Missed customer ORDERLY safely PO BOX 6732 Caterpillar announced deadlines ORDERLY • No revenue NO STANDBY plans to lower annual operating costs Greenville, deadlines • No revenue NO STANDBY Greenville,SCSC29606 29606 SHUTDOWN • Security Risk • Potential profits loss SHUTDOWN by $1.5 billion with “significant re• Security Risk • Potential profits loss POWER POWER • Checkout remaining structuring and cost reduction • Checkout remaining customers actions” beginning this year. customers “We are contemplating restructurUsing a generator Using a generator Business operations ing actions that could impact more Business operations that provides power that provides power continue as if there was than 20 facilities around the world a continue as if there was to essential circuits s to essential circuits no outage and across our three large segments no outage so your business so your business • Maintain revenue stream – Construction Industries, Resource a m • Maintain revenue stream can stay open. can stay open. • Profits are protected Industries and Energy & Transporta• Profits are protected • Business can stay • Business can stay • Gain new customers tion,” according to a news release. • Gain new customers open open • Become known as a LIMITED Caterpillar is not breaking out FULL • Become known as a • Generate revenue LIMITED FULL • Generate revenue reliable business in the impact by location, but “cost reduction reliable business in the • Profits are protected OPERATIONS • Profits are protected OPERATION OPERATIONS community OPERATION actions will be global in nature and community • Loses are reduced • Loses are reduced across our sectors,” said media relations specialist Rachel Potts in an email. “We will notify employees when decisions are made at each facility.” Caterpillar employs 800 people in the state across five locations in Greenville, Jackson, Newberry, Ridgeville and Sumter. Caterpillar closed its Fountain Inn and Summerville operations in 2014, affecting 355 and 250 people respectively. Its Newberry operations contribute to the electric power sector, while its Sumter operations manufacture machinery and automotive products, according to the S.C. Department of Commerce. The most recent reduction plans are in addition to “significant actions already taken,” the company stated. Since 2013, Caterpillar has closed or plans to close or consolidate more than 20 facilities, impacting 8 million square feet of manufacturing space. The company has reduced its >>
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| INSURANCE | 7
UnitedHealthcare shuts down 85-employee Duncan office ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF
aboncimino@communityjournals.com One of the nation’s
>>
workforce by 31,000 since mid-2012. “We are facing a convergence of challenging marketplace conditions in key regions and industry sectors – namely in mining and energy,” said Caterpillar Chairman and CEO Doug Oberhelman in a statement. “While we’ve already made substantial adjustments
as these market conditions have emerged, we are taking even more decisive actions now. We don’t make these decisions lightly, but I’m confident these additional steps will better position Caterpillar to deliver solid results when demand improves.”
largest health carriers is closing its print and fulfillment office in Duncan, S.C., in November, laying off 85 people to transition to “a digital enabled platform,” according to a UnitedHealthcare media representative. UnitedHealthcare parent UnitedHealth Group is the largest health insurer in the U.S. and ranked 14th on the Fortune 500 list, serving 85 million people worldwide with revenues of $130.5 billion last year. “Transitioning from print to a digital enabled platform is part of a general marketplace trend – and helps us better serve and fulfill our client’s evolving needs,” said the company’s corporate communications representative. “Employees at the facility will be offered severance and, in most cases, retention bonuses as we work through the transition. We will also offer career outplacement services and help affected employees explore other opportunities at the company, as appropriate.” UnitedHealthcare’s Duncan office is one of six UnitedHealth Group offices in the state, including four UnitedHealthcare locations in Columbia and one Optum location in Greenville.
8 | TECH |
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INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
Greenville startup Bandwagon lands lead angel, $25K commitment
Lead Angel / Investor:
Rejoice, thrifty sports fans: Greenvillebased tech startup Bandwagon is on the move, this week attracting its lead angel and a commitment of $25,000 from investor Jason Premo during the final stages of the Founder Institute program. “I said, ‘Let’s give them what they’re asking for, it’s not like they’re cutting any checks. That won’t happen,’” said Bandwagon founder and CEO Harold Hughes, who has been working on the startup for over a year with business partner Susan Donkers. “It was crazy. It was literally the last thing we would have ever expected.” Founded in Greenville, Bandwagon is an online marketplace for sporting event tickets that lets fans choose who they sell to – a key difference when you don’t want to sell your ticket to the fan of the opposing team, said Hughes. This weekend’s much-anticipated match between Clemson and Notre Dame, for example. Part of the home advantage is strong support from the crowd, and that advantage diminishes with every Clemson fan’s ticket sold to the rival team. “It’s a big story about fans not selling to Notre Dame,” said Hughes, who said Bandwagon’s next step is to solidify traction and participation with the Clemson fan base. After that, Hughes envisions other schools, sports and features – think game-day planning tools, fan content and other interactives – that help fans be more engaged overall.
“The fans are the center of our market, but we want to be more than tickets,” said Hughes, who said the site had more than 275 users and saw around $2,000 in sales since the beginning of September. Success for the Clemson-Notre Dame game is 500 new users. Hughes hit upon the idea when he and fellow fraternity brothers wanted to see games in other stadiums, but didn’t know what to do with their season tickets. “We tried to sell them on StubHub, but then we would be selling to opposing fans,” said Hughes. “What if you could control who actually got your ticket? You wouldn’t be selling it to a buddy, but you’re selling it to a fellow fan.” Bandwagon’s Hughes and Donkers are part of Greenville’s four-month, 12-member Founder Institute class, which is a part of a national startup launch and entrepreneur training program. They were accepted into the program earlier this year, but have been working on the project much longer. That head start made them more attractive for investment after the program, said Premo, also the founder of Premo Ventures and investment group Swamp Rabbit Angels. “Everything you look for in a great startup, they’re there,” he said. “They’ve done a great job being students in the institute. They’ve assembled a great team. They’ve got a great plan. They’ve already demonstrated some customer traction, and they’ve got a prototype product out there now.”
The first to put money into a startup, but they can also be crucial in doing a final cleanup, determining how much investment is truly needed and bringing in other investors. A business may want to raise half a million dollars, for example, but if they only need $100,000, keeping to the latter will help them maintain more of their business, said investor Jason Premo. “If they raise too little, they run out of gas and the engine stops,” said Premo, who said Bandwagon was the 16th company he’s been lead angel for. “The mission No. 1 for every startup is not to get a check from the local doctor, it’s to secure the lead investor.”
HOW IT WORKS
Problem: You have a ticket for your favorite sports team but can’t attend. If you sell it online, it could go to a rival fan.
Solution: Choose a team and sign up at
BandwagonFanClub.com. Find your ticket’s upcoming event and click “Sell Tickets.” If you want the option to trade your ticket, select “Available for Trade.” Enter your ticket info, such as section, row and price. Click “List.”
Photo by Zachary Hanby
aboncimino@communityjournals.com
10.02.2015
STARTUP JARGON
Founders rally to ‘keep Death Valley solid orange’ ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF
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As lead angel, Premo aims to determine how much Bandwagon needs for their next steps, including building out the platform and growing its user base, among other things. While the platform has the potential for nationwide applications, Hughes said the startup would remain based in the Southeast with its headquarters in Greenville. “We’re really, really passionate about starting in the Southeast,” said Hughes, who said the region is not yet well known for tech startups in general. “We’d love to raise our entire round in the Southeast, showing we can not only be the Silicon Valley of the Foothills, but we can also raise the profile of the region.”
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EAVESDROPPING ON CONVERSATIONS AND WORDS OF INSIGHT
| DIALOGUE | 9
Let’s get together More than 100 business leaders attended the Wyche M&A CEO Roundtable in Greenville, where four Greenville leaders shared experiences, challenges, trends and lessons from major transactions shaping business in the Upstate. BOB HUMPHREYS, chairman and CEO, Delta Apparel
LYNN HARTON, president, United Community Bank
2000: Managed spin-off transaction of Delta Apparel from parent Delta Woodside Industries in June 2000
2010: Negotiated the sale of The South Financial Group to TD Bank in 2010 after the 176-location Greenville institution sustained $1.7 billion in losses. Purchaser TD Bank agreed to pay shareholders $61 million – 28 cents a share – as well as purchase $347 million preferred TARP shares for $130.6 million from the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
2000-2015: Led the acquisition of several firms, including Salt Life, Junkfood, M.J. Soffe Co., HPM Apparel and Gekko Brands. Sales were more than $120 million for Q2 this year.
“It’s important to understand why you acquired a company. If Delta Apparel is acquiring a company, it’s because that company has done something we haven’t done yet. It’s important to understand the unique qualities that company has, celebrate them with their employees so they really feel a part of the culture and the success, and show those good qualities to the rest of our organization.”
2015: Managed United Community Bank’s $240.5 million purchase of Greenville-based The Palmetto Bank, making it one of the largest in the state.
“Have a clear strategy. Know what you’re going after and why you’re buying what you’re buying, because M&A may or may not be the right answer for you.”
MICHAEL RIORDAN, president and CEO, Greenville Health System
TODD NEWMAN, CEO, Encore Technology Group
Role: Led Greenville Health System in taking control of Oconee Medical Center and Laurens County Medical Center in 2014; currently spearheading the effort to expand the system’s footprint, said Riordan.
Role: Led deals ranging from hundreds of millions to a billion while at The Carlyle Group, and left as managing director after more than a decade. Newnam now manages Easley-based Encore Technology Group, which itself spun off as an independent company in early 2013 after an acquisition.
“Don’t just grow for growth’s sake. You’re impacting lives. It’s important to show love and support knowing that people’s lives are going to be changed. The community will remember how that organization and those leaders were treated and honored during the transition.”
“If you’re a CEO or owner and you’re thinking about growing, you are picking who you’re going to be with for the next five years and maybe longer. It’s important to make sure you have alignment and trust.”
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REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION
SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF
sjackson@communityjournals.com |
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10.02.2015
@SJackson_CJ
Erwin Penland breaks ground on EP360 project
Aims to create new ‘North of Broad District’ Although dirt has been moving for several months, last week an official groundbreaking ceremony was held for the new Erwin Penland 360 building as construction begins on the first structure: a five-story, 635-space public parking deck. The marketing communications agency is constructing a new six-story, 125,000-square-foot building adjacent to its existing building at 125 E. Broad St. A sky bridge will connect the two buildings. At the event, Joe Erwin, EP president, said the existing building is one with “great history” that has seen tremendous growth of the company that has been in downtown Greenville since 1989. Since then, EP has gone from eight employees to more than 400. This isn’t just Erwin Penland space, said Erwin. This is the new North of Broad District. “We are taking a site and making it the center of a business neighborhood and adding to the width of Main Street as an outstanding environment for work, live and play.” The new EP360 building, named after the views it will have of downtown Greenville and beyond, will have five floors of commercial office space, a 3,000-square-foot rooftop event space and 5,000 square feet of ground floor space available for retail, a café or restaurant. EP will initially occupy 48,000 square feet on floors three and four in the new building. On the fifth floor, office tenants will include Cherry Bekaert, which will occupy approximately 14,000 square feet; Hughes Commercial Properties, which will occupy 5,000 square feet; and Centennial American Properties, which will also occupy 5,000 square feet. Additional tenants will be announced as leases are signed, said Jackson Hughes, president of Hughes Commercial Properties. The EP360 building will be LEED silver-certified and have a third-level open atrium for events along with outdoor workspace and seating areas. EP space will include social media content creation rooms and monitoring centers, video production and editing facilities, a digital manufacturing laboratory and multiple videoconference centers. As part of the project, the existing EP building will be renovated after the new one is completed. As part of the project, Hughes Commercial Properties will refurbish the area under the Church Street Bridge from McBee Avenue to Broad Street with walking paths, landscaping and public outdoor gathering spaces. “We’re moving things a little more east and west and broadening the success of Main Street,” said Hughes. Construction is expected to be completed in early 2017.
Greenville Tech tops out CMI project STAFF REPORT
Last week, Greenville Tech held a topping-out ceremony to celebrate the completion of the structure of its Center for Manufacturing Innovation (CMI). The celebration by the project team and guests marked the placement of the last steel beam, signifying that the building had reached its maximum height. The CMI, expected to open in August 2016, aims to increase the number of skilled workers for manufacturing.
The crew places the last steel beam, signifying the topping out of the Center for Manufacturing Innovation. Inset: Before it was hoisted into place at the Center for Manufacturing Innovation, the beam was signed by the project team and visitors.
PROJECT PARTNERS DEVELOPERS: Hughes Commercial Properties and Centennial American Properties ARCHITECT: Gensler GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Harper Corporation
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STAFF REPORT
Pelham Place sells for $5.8M Torchlight Investors has sold Pelham Place, a 57,158-square-foot, 94 percent leased shopping center located at 3093 South Highway 14 in Greer, to Greenville investment firm Realop Investments LLC for $5,825,000. Commercial real estate firm Avison Young “was able to secure the second-highest sale price for a grocery-anchored retail property in Upstate South Carolina recorded to date in 2015,” the company announced in a statement this week. “Due to the property’s ability to generate substantial cash flow with existing leases, including
a long-term lease on the 38,003-square-foot anchor space which is currently unoccupied, Pelham Place attracted an international pool of investors looking to bolster their portfolios with value-add assets,” said David Duckworth, vice president of leasing and sales for Avison Young in south Florida, who represented Torchlight Investors. “Ultimately, we advised our client to move forward with a local buyer that has on-ground knowledge of the market and of the asset to increase its value and better serve the community.”
Built in 2007 and located at the signalized corner of Highway 14, Pelham Road and Batesville Road, “Pelham Place is in close proximity to several high-income neighborhoods and easily accessible via two entry points to the plaza,” the company noted in the release.
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Construction begins on state’s first co-op grocery store ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF
aboncimino@communityjournals.com A long-vacant building in downtown Spartanburg is getting a makeover as the state’s first cooperatively owned grocery store, which began construction this month. Slated for completion next spring, the 5,000-square-foot space will add 30 jobs, carry locally and regionally sourced products and promote community wellness and nutrition. The $2.7 million project is funded by around 1,300 co-op owners; more than 140 individual
investors and donors; a matching loan and grant from the City of Spartanburg; and a loan from the North Country Cooperative Development Fund. Located at 176 N. Liberty St., the building will include large windows, adjacent sidewalks, green space and parking on the site. Contractors for the project include McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture, Clayton Construction, H. General Contractors and Clerestory Projects.
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COMPANIES BLAZING A TRAIL IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP
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sales growth this year following 45 percent growth for each of the two years before.
“One goal is to provide actual patient care. Two, I’ve got to grow my business. I’ve got to make money. This does both.”
‘Why don’t you invent something?’ Making it easy to share information with doctors was Craig Walker’s inspiration for VidiStar ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF
aboncimino@communityjournals.com
The idea started more than 10 years ago, when Craig Walker found himself snail-mailing VHS tapes of ultrasound recordings to a medical specialist, just to get a second opinion. Walker had become frustrated when doctors couldn’t tell him if his unborn son would have a medical condition. “I said, ‘Man, is there any way I can just send this stuff over the Internet and we can check it out?’” Walker said. “He said, ‘No.’ And he’s like, ‘Why don’t you invent something?’”
Fast-forward a decade and Walker – previous CEO of two major hospitals and one of the pioneers of telehealth legislation – can do a little more than just send ultrasounds over the web. Though most patients won’t see his software during a doctor visit, his VidiStar system is making its way into hundreds of hospitals and specialty medical practices across the country and overseas. For example, VidiStar has taken over the West Virginia footprint, while current customers work from a dozen states, Canada, Latin America, Europe and the Caribbean, Walker says. “Having been the customer and
VIDISTAR Founded: 2005 Headquarters: Greenville, S.C. What they do: Web-based diagnostic viewer and patented structured reporting solution CEO and founder: Craig Walker Vital stats: On track for 65 percent sales growth this year following 45 percent growth for each of the two years before having partners and employees that have been end users… we’re pretty good at tailoring or modifying,” he said. VidiStar is on track for 65 percent
Photo by Carol B. Stewart
Craig Walker, founder of VidiStar Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Greenville, VidiStar primarily helps doctors access, view and analyze medical recordings such as ultrasounds from anywhere. Images can be shared between certified providers via its web-based platform, which cuts down on redundant tests and makes second opinions easier. And built-in data analytics also mean doctors and specialists can prove they’re helping patients more efficiently, which is huge when it comes to insurance providers and other authorities, said Walker. “This is kind of a game changer. As a former CEO of a hospital, and as someone who has been a VP of business development of a hospital, one goal is to provide actual patient care,” he said. “Two, I’ve got to grow my business. I’ve got to make money. Health care isn’t free. This does both.” Walker said customers span a wide range of uses, including the cardiology, vascular, OB-GYN and neurology fields. Just this year, VidiStar broke into the endoscopy and maternal fetal medicine fields, and they plan to add three new employees in the next month. To make room, Walker bought a 4,000-square-foot building in a prime spot downtown, within walking distance of several hundred new apartments, downtown Greenville amenities and the Kroc Center. Despite completely renovating the old transmissions building and adding a second floor, Walker said the company will be virtually out of space when they move in. VidiStar is a two-time InnoVision award winner, first for small enterprise development and then for technology development. Walker said the promise of investment from SCRA’s SC Launch program drew him and two employees to South Carolina from Austin more than a decade ago, and he plans on staying here. “Most of the earnings we maintain go into personnel and R&D,” he said. “We’re really trying to further the product.”
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MOVERS, SHAKERS AND DISRUP TORS SHAPING OUR FUTURE
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Nation needs new economic yardstick Time to replace the GDP with a measure that accounts for natural resources By MATTHEW HEUN, MICHAEL CARBAJALES-DALE AND BECKY ROSELIUS HANEY Most economists will tell you that problems in the subprime housing market caused the Great Recession. Six years after the end of the downturn, it’s still the conventional wisdom. Mainstream economists remain focused on strategies to improve capital, labor and technology in hopes of preventing another meltdown. We think their view is too narrow. The Great Recession was a resource depletion problem masquerading as a financial crisis. Even worse, it could be just the start of our troubles. The Age of Resource Depletion has dawned, and it could be our undoing if we don’t get our arms around it soon. In the case of the Great Recession,
the depleted resource was oil as demand increased and production flatlined. As a result, the average gas price spiked to more than $4 a gallon in 2008, and homeowners in far-flung suburbs across the country faced difficult spending choices. Many chose to put food on the table and gas in their tanks instead of paying their too-large mortgages. The crisis made it painfully clear that the world’s economic and environmental fates have become forever interconnected. The natural resources that fueled unprecedented growth in developed countries once seemed unlimited. But no longer. We can clear-cut only so many forests, pump only so much oil out of the ground and drain only so much water out of
CREW welcomes current and future members and sponsors for an evening of lively discussion and networking Thursday, November 12, 2015 from 5:30-7:30 PM Join us in the Pendleton Arts District and learn more about development within this vibrant corridor Greenville Center for Creative Arts (at Brandon Mill) 25 Draper Street • Greenville, SC 29611 Local brews, wine, and hors d’oeuvres will be served Register at http://crewupstate.org/event/member-sponsor-event/
Upstate Commercial. Real. Estate. Women.
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9/28/2015 1:41:48 PM
aquifers before our behavior becomes unsustainable. Further, the environment can handle only so much waste, whether it’s harmful emissions in the air or contaminants in the wetlands. It’s high time we change the way we think about the economy. We need a new framework that takes into account the biosphere’s limits. It’s time to go beyond GDP. GDP – or gross domestic product – measures a nation’s flow of income, but it’s a flawed yardstick and leads to some perverse accounting. Think back to last year when agricultural runoff caused toxic algal blooms in Lake Erie. Did you know that GDP grew, thanks to spending on bottled water and the goods and services needed to repair the damage? Looking at the economy in this narrow way would suggest that polluting one of our Great Lakes benefits our economic health. Of course, no one wants to tarnish a national treasure. The point is that when we become singularly focused on growing GDP, we’re left with no incentive to sustainably manage our natural resources. In doing so, we’re killing the goose that lays the golden egg in pursuit of short-term growth. What we use today is gone forever, making the problem worse and leaving it for our children to solve. There is another way. In our new book “Beyond GDP: National Accounting in the Age of Resource Depletion,” we suggest several steps that ought to be taken to create a more comprehensive system of national accounting. The system ought to track resources that flow into the economy and wastes that flow back to the biosphere. We can start by changing the metaphor we use to describe economy. Many of us think of the economy as an “engine” that can stall, but it’s an outdated metaphor. To describe our new reality, we ought to think of the economy as a metabolism. In your body, your metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that maintain life. Energy and materials are taken into the body, transformed internally and discharged into the
The Great Recession was a resource depletion problem masquerading as a financial crisis. Even worse, it could be just the start of our troubles. The Age of Resource Depletion has dawned, and it could be our undoing if we don’t get our arms around it soon. environment. An organism that acquires less energy than it consumes is doomed. We need to know how and at what rate we are using natural resources if we are to transition to a sustainable global economy. Using the metabolism metaphor, we ought to develop a new system of national accounting that includes raw materials flowing into the economy, burning of fossil fuels for energy and disposal of waste wherever possible. We fully expect political hurdles. In the early 1990s, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis began a program called the Integrated Environmental-Economic System of Accounts. Congress expressly forbade the collection of such data in 1994. Meanwhile, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and even emerging economies have moved ahead without the United States. Economicenvironment accounts are now common outside U.S. borders. The Bureau of Economic Analysis ought to seek authorization to restart its program. If we as a society can begin collecting relevant data, perhaps we can begin to use the analytical tools, metrics and knowledge to go beyond GDP and make wise choices for the future. Our deepest hope is to make a positive contribution in that direction. Matthew Heun is a professor of mechanical engineering at Calvin College. Michael Carbajales-Dale is an assistant professor of environmental engineering and Earth sciences at Clemson University. Becky Roselius Haney is an assistant economics professor at Calvin College.
10.02.2015
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THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF BUSINESS
upstatebusinessjournal.com
| DIGITAL MAVEN | 17
Is your blog doing its job? By LAURA HAIGHT president, portfoliosc.com
What makes some blog posts successful, while others fall flat? Why do some blogs act as magnets bringing thousands of eyes to the company website, while others struggle to get noticed? The amount of content that assaults us every day is inconceivable. Marketers will tell you that all content is created equal and having something is what matters. But communicators will tell you that readers are careful curators and they want something more than just words – they want the right words. What difference does content make if a thousand people read an article on your blog but never look at another page on your site? (Do you know what your bounce rate is telling you?). There are a few common mistakes that small businesses make in the development of articles and blog posts. BUYING INTO THE TYRANNY OF THE LIST “5 Things Brilliant People Eat for Breakfast”, “4 Ways You’re Neglecting Your Teeth – and Why They’ll Bite Back!”, “5 Things to Ask Your Next Divorce Attorney First!” Listicles are not new; newspapers have used them for years as a way to summarize points to keep readers hanging on through a longer article. Listicles aren’t all bad, and there are neurological reasons why lists work (read: goo.gl/5JUs9k). But they can also be lazy and shallow and deceptive. Too many of these list-based articles promise keys to success, beauty, health, weight loss (how many of you have clicked at least once on the “5 Foods You Should Never Eat If You Want to Lose Belly Fat”?), but deliver little more than platitudes. Lists, however, aren’t inherently bad. It’s the writing, editing and overuse of them that fall short. If you blog as a way to elevate your business footprint, to gain recognition as a
thought leader in your industry or community, or to bring clients/ customers to your website, you’ll need to put some depth and insight out there. That means real information. Many businesses – and some marketers – will advise that you not “give away” too much information. I think differently. Giving real information to people will not make them run out and decide to be a personal coach, an architect, a web designer or a widget manufacturer. It will, however, give them a trusted advisor, an expert, to go to when they need one. CONTENT MILLS: YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR Freelance writing is a price-sensitive industry where it’s often not the quality of the words but the quantity and the price-per-word metric that makes the sale. In some industries (medical, dental, accounting, legal) there are turnkey content packages that offer websites, blogs, social media posts, all with no intervention from you. It sounds like a good deal until you realize that there’s nothing to separate you from every other doctor, dentist, accountant or lawyer in the neighborhood who bought the same package. Some Internet searches will come up with the same story, the same headline, the same description listed over and over for hundreds of competing local businesses. Online freelance bidding sites, where content can be purchased for as little as $5 a post, leave out one important ingredient. You. Business content online fails when you are disengaged from it. Your experiences – the situations you faced, the mistakes you made, the people who helped you, the employees you taught, the employees who taught you – these are all the meat on the bones of the story of your business. You have stories in you that you don’t even realize. A good interviewer can help you find them, develop them and tailor them to dovetail with current events,
A good blog post needs a strong image, compelling Facebook post, intriguing tweet, and publicizing on other social and business networks. And doing it once is not enough.
hot business topics and local developments. That level of content has authenticity that is the bedrock of the kinds of stories you share and talk about. That kind of engagement is what can turn readers into potential clients, who come to you looking for more of the same. A GOOD STORY DESERVES TO BE HEARD – OVER AND OVER If I write it, readers will come. Right? Not so much. The single biggest reason that business content fails to pull readers in is that they don’t know it’s there. A good blog post needs a strong image, compelling Facebook post, intriguing tweet, and publicizing on other social and business networks. And doing it once is not enough. You need to treat an article or blog post similar to a product launch. Define your audiences, develop appropriate promotion, set up a release calendar, monitor results and adapt as warranted. If you start to get comments, you may work those ideas
DEFINED Listicle: An article, especially on the Internet, presented in the form of a numbered or bulletpointed list. Listicles often have cardinal numbers in the title (for example, “Five things you need to know before your next business meeting”). into future posts. I assisted a client with a series covering the basics of intellectual property law. It was informative, understandable to a layman and had great resources linked to it. That’s content that company can use over and over again. Great content can live forever, as long as you keep talking about it and finding ways to lead readers to it. Laura Haight is the president of Portfolio, a communications company that helps small business make the most of the fusion of emerging technology and communication, and offers security reviews.
The Joy is in the Journey
Independent Living Patio and Apartment Homes Assisted Living • Memory Care • Rehabilitation • Skilled Nursing Contact Ruth Wood at 987-4612 for more information.
www.RollingGreenVillage.com
1 Hoke Smith Blvd., Greenville • 864.987.4612
18 | ON THE MOVE |
PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS
HIRED
HIRED
UBJ
APPOINTED
HIRED
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10.02.2015
HIRED
Paul Pickhardt
Walker Hogan
John Ballato
Ally Quesada
Joel Freeman
Named SBA manufacturing vertical manager at United Community Bank. Pickhardt joins the bank as part of the merger with The Palmetto Bank, where he served as manager and senior vice president of SBA lending. Previously, Pickhardt was senior SBA business development officer at TD Bank.
Named director of recurring revenue at Asterisk Development LLC. Hogan most recently served as an independent distributor for MN8 FoxFire Safety Equipment Supplier. He has experience in financial analysis and is a graduate of The Citadel.
Named inaugural holder of the J. E. Sirrine Endowed Chair in Optical Fiber at Clemson University. Ballato is a serial entrepreneur and professor of materials science and engineering. He has more than 25 years experience in fabricating novel optical fibers and related technologies.
Named a payroll specialist at Phillips Staffing. Quesada has nine years of experience working in human resources, payroll and banking. She previously served at an Upstate-based regional finance company where she managed all payroll processes and functions. She also worked for Merck & Co. as an HR analyst.
Named project manager at Creative Builders Inc. Freeman has nine years of experience in the construction industry, the past seven of which were spent as a project manager specializing in multifamily construction. He graduated from Clemson University with a degree in construction science and management.
DEVELOPMENT GreenWood Inc. hired Greg Crooke as project site leader at the Honeywell
Aerospace facility in Greer. Crooke has 20 years of experience in process engineering, plant engineering, machinery maintenance and TPM, gained
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primarily while employed with Milliken & Company.
LEGAL H. Mills Gallivan of Gallivan, White & Boyd P.A. was named to the board of directors of Lawyers for Civil Justice. Gallivan will serve a three-year term on the board. He has spent over 39 years serving clients as a civil defense litigator.
PR/MARKETING Infinity Marketing named seven new fall interns and two returning interns. Tiffany Tribuiani, Austin Metcalf, Nicole DiMercurio, Brooke Busby and Julie Socolow will assist the media, social media and DJ endorsement teams. Billie Meacham interned in the spring and summer and now returns as a fall intern for the media department. Morgan Justice assists the Creative and Production department with graphic design, project management and website design. Austin Hatcher supports the business services team with invoicing, auditing and business management. Lee Campbell was an endorsements intern in fall 2014 and returns as a multimedia intern.
REAL ESTATE Spencer/Hines Properties named Guy Harris and Andy Hayes as new principals to the company.
SERVICE McKibbon Hotel Management Inc. completed its management team for Aloft Greenville Downtown. Josh Hamlin was named director of food and beverage. He has nearly 10 years of experience in the food industry. Leanne Bryan was named operations manager. She has most recently served at the Best Western Plus Carolinian Oceanfront Resort in Myrtle Beach. Brad Smith was named guest services manager. He has served as a manager in training for McKibbon Hotel Management.
STAFFING Recruiting Solutions promoted Shannon Glenn from recruiting assistant to staffing coordinator within the industrial division, and hired Hannah Merritt as a recruiting assistant in the Greenville office.
CONTRIBUTE: New hires, promotions & award winners may be featured in On the Move. Send information and photos to onthemove@upstatebusinessjournal.com.
E.1
JOIN THE GREENVILLE TECH FOUNDATION AS WE HOST A CONVERSATION WITH
CARLOS GHOSN CHAIRMAN & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE RENAULT-NISSAN ALLIANCE
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20 | NEW TO THE STREET |
THE FRESHEST FACES ON THE BUSINESS LANDSCAPE
Open for business
UBJ
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10.02.2015
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CONTRIBUTE: Know of a business opening soon? Email information to bjeffers@communityjournals.com.
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1. Take 5 Oil Change recently opened at 117 State Park Road, Greenville. Hours are Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.; and Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information, visit take5oilchangegreenville.com. 2. Christian Learning Centers of Greenville County recently relocated to 410-B Pelham Road, Greenville. The organization sponsors the Released-Time Christian Education program provided for public school students in Greenville County. For more information, visit clcofgreenville.org. 3. Magic Rooster Tattoo LLC recently opened at 255 West Butler Road, Mauldin. Hours are Tuesday-Thursday, noon-8 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, noon-9 p.m. For more information, visit magicroostertattoo.com. 4. Premier Express Car Wash recently opened at 410 N. Main St., Mauldin. Hours are Monday-Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. For more information, visit premiercarwashanddetail.com.
BUSINESS BRIEFS YOU CAN’ T MISS
Volvo to build new S60 sedan in South Carolina The new Volvo Charleston plant will be the global production home of the company’s new S60 sedan and another yet-to-be-determined model. The company broke ground this week on the Charleston plant, which will be capable of producing up to 100,000 cars per year. The first South Carolina-built Volvos are expected to roll off the assembly line in late 2018. Company officials said they saw U.S. sales increase by double-digit percentages over the last two months, with global sales rebounding across car lines. Volvo estimates the factory will employ up to 2,000 people over the next decade and up to 4,000 people in the longer term.
Record Panthers camp attendance brings Spartanburg $8M haul This year’s Carolina Panthers training camp at Wofford College brought $8 million to Spartanburg’s economy, up more than 50 percent from last year’s estimated $5.2 million impact. The 21-day training camp drew 77,625 visitors to last year’s 49,000, according to a research report by Clemson University’s Dr. Bob Brookover. The report estimates locals and visitors spent more than $8 million in connection to the training camp, supporting 174 jobs and generating $1.8 million in local and state tax revenue. It’s been a good season for Spartanburg, as sports tourism also brough $10.4 million in economic impact from two national softball tournaments this summer. The two events brought 180 teams to Spartanburg, supporting 230 additional jobs and generating $2.46 million in state and local tax revenues. “Spartanburg and Wofford College hosted 77,625 visitors to watch the Carolina Panthers this summer,” said Chris Jennings, director of the Spartanburg Convention & Visitors Bureau. “That was nearly 60 percent more than the previous record, and we know more of these fans stayed to enjoy our dining, entertainment and attractions.” Held between July 31 and Aug. 20 at Wofford College this summer, the training camp lets fans observe team practices in Wofford’s 60,000-square-foot Richardson Physical Activities Building. The team has returned to Spartanburg every year since 1995. The Spartanburg Convention & Visitors Bureau has been tracking the camp since its inception, and Brookover has provided economic impact information in 2011, 2014 and 2015.
Clemson launches car-sharing service Clemson University launched a partnership with Zipcar to offer a car-sharing program on campus. Clemson will initially offer six vehicles. The Zipcars will have designated parking spots located in campus lots near Sikes Hall, Sirrine Hall, Thornhill Village, Fike and Bryan Circle for convenient pick-up and return. Participating members with smartphones, including iPhones and Android devices, may download the Zipcar mobile application to make reservations, lock and unlock the vehicles and honk the horn to help locate the vehicle. Reservations can also be made over the phone or on Zipcar’s website.
| FINE PRINT | 21
The transportation option is now available at an affordable rate 24 hours a day, seven days a week for students, faculty, and staff ages 18 and older, as well as members of the local community ages 21 and over. Clemson members can join for $25, with rates for Zipcar vehicles on campus starting at $7.50 per hour and $69 per day. After the first year, members will pay an annual membership fee of $35. Gas, insurance, and up to 180 miles of driving per day are included in Zipcar rates. Clemson students, faculty and staff can join Zipcar at zipcar.com/clemson. “The Zipcar program on campus gives students, faculty and staff the freedom of using a car without the hassles of owning one,” said Katelyn Bushey, Zipcar director of university sales. “We’re happy to partner with Clemson University to give their community a transportation option to fit their needs and their wallet.”
Fluor honored for sustainability, awarded South African contract Fluor Corporation was recently listed on the 2015 Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (DJSI). Fluor is the only North American company in its industry sector that made the list and one of only 126 U.S. companies selected. “The Dow Jones North America Index list recognizes the top companies leading sustainability efforts and to make the list is a tremendous honor,” said David Seaton, Fluor’s chairman and CEO. “This recognizes our dedication to reducing the environmental footprint of our clients’ and our own global operations, providing a safe and healthy workplace for our employees, giving back to the communities in which we operate and providing integrated solutions to our clients so they can do the same.” Fluor also signed a three-year agreement with Sasol Group Technology to perform a range of projects as an integrated team at Sasol’s facilities in Secunda and Sasolburg, South Africa. The primary objective of the agreement is for Fluor and Sasol to collaborate on small and midsize oil and gas projects.
ATS relocating Greenville location to facilitate growth Illinois-based Advanced Technology Services Inc. (ATS) is moving the company’s Southeast Regional Office in Greenville to a new location in October. The company is refurbishing the former site of Greenville’s Social Security Administration office. Company officials said the move to a more modern facility will give the Greenville operation room to grow and be more conducive to collaboration. “We’ve been looking for a new space for a couple of years so we can all be on the same floor, which will make it easier to work together on projects,” said Tate Pearson, general manager at the Southeast Regional Office. “We’re excited about the move to our new location; our current building has a lot of walls, and this location has an open, free-flowing floor plan that we know will increase communication.” The Southeast Regional Office currently houses about 50 employees. The new facility will have the capacity to house up to 100 employees. ATS signed a 10-year lease on the new office space.
22 | #TRENDING |
INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW
UBJ
OVERHEARD @ THE WATERCOOLER
> Greenville, Simpsonville, Mauldin, Spartanburg SC Real Estate “Unbelievable Growing Going on in the West End!” > Keith Boiling, C. Dan Joyner Realtors “Every time I turn around, more improvements are happening in Greenville! More great news for our great city! Keep it up!”
RE: STATE’S UNEMPLOYMENT HAS BIGGEST DROP IN 30+ YEARS > Paul Hoke “This is what excites me about Real Estate for the next 5 years! Everyone with a job wants a better place to live… well, after they upgrade their phone. Look for values to continue on the uptrend locally as long as they keep announcing new jobs and business expansion.”
RE: MICHELIN PUTS ANDERSON PLANT IN ‘STANDBY MODE’ UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE > Professional Network Connections “On standby until further notice….” > Eddie Mattison “If you know of people who work there (thought you’d want to know)”
RE: FUDDRUCKERS OF SPARTANBURG CELEBRATES 30 YEARS > Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce “Congratulations to Fuddruckers of Spartanburg on their 30th anniversary! #spartanburg”
SEPTEMBER 25, 2015
| VOL. 4 ISSUE 39
CRATE
expectations Greer’s After two years, has its to Inland Port lived up 2 initial projections? - pg.
10.02.2015
BIZ BUZZ
Distilled commentary from UBJ readers
RE: 6 UNITS PLANNED FOR BROWNSTONE AT ANDERSON AND ARLINGTON
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RE: CHINESE TEXTILE MANUFACTURER ESTABLISHING OPERATIONS IN TRAVELERS REST
The top 5 stories from last week’s issue ranked by shareability score
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1. Erwin Penland breaks ground on EP360 project
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2. Seamless transitions
>> 82 3. Stone Ave. building gets muchneeded makeover
>> 72 4. Chinese textile manufacturer establishing operations in Travelers Rest
>> 66 5. Fuddruckers of Spartanburg celebrates 30 years
> Keith Boiling, C. Dan Joyner Realtors “More great news for the Upstate!”
RE: SECRETS OF SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITIES WITH ED MCMAHON > @ashleyboncimino “Secrets of successful communities with senior fellow @UrbanLandInst Ed McMahon – great stuff!”
RE: CARLY FIORINA AT CONVERSE COLLEGE
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10.02.2015
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DATE Friday
10/2
WHERE DO I GO?
HOW DO I GO?
First Friday Leadership Series Speaker: Carl Schlachte, CEO of Ventiva
Clemson at ONE 1 N. Main St., 5th Floor, Greenville 5:15-7 p.m.
Cost: Free Register: bit.ly/firstfriday-oct2015
DesignTalk: Rapid Prototyping to Accelerate Learning
Zen 924 S. Main St., Greenville 11:45 a.m-1:15 p.m.
Cost: $15 Register: bit.ly/dt-oct2015
Upstate International Informational Meeting Past and prospective event organizers invited to participate
International Center of the Upstate 9 S. Memminger St., Greenville 9 a.m.
More information and register: UI-Info@internationalupstate.org
InnoVision Oktoberfest Hear how local startup breweries started their businesses
The Veranda 28 Global Drive, Greenville 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Cost: Free Register: http://bit.ly/oktoberfest-oct2015
Hispanic Business Forum Discuss the impact of the Latino community in the Upstate
Greenville Chamber 24 Cleveland St., Greenville noon-1:30 p.m.
Cost: $10 Register: bit.ly/hispanic-forum2015
Thursday
10/8 Tuesday
10/13
| PLANNER | 23
EVENT INFO
Wednesday
10/7
INSIDE THE UPSTATE’S NETWORKING AND SOCIAL SCENE
CONTRIBUTE: Got a hot date? Submit event information for consideration to events@upstatebusinessjournal.com.
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OCT. 16: THE MANUFACTURING ISSUE Women are thriving in this growing field.
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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.
Nicole Greer, Kristi Jennings, Donna Johnston, Annie Langston, Lindsay Oehman, Emily Yepes
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
OCT. 30: QUARTERLY CRE ISSUE The state of commercial real estate in the Upstate.
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
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