September 11, 2015 UBJ by Community Journals

SEPTEMBER 11, 2015 | VOL. 4 ISSUE 37

Networking on the course isn’t just an old boys’ club anymore - pg. 7

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INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

CresCom opens ﬁrst Upstate branch ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

aboncimino@communityjournals.com $1.3 billion-asset CresCom Bank

a group banking leader at Bank of America. Though cliché, the key to success in community banking is keeping your promises, said Frierson, who also spent more than two decades at Carolina First Bank. “I like to tell people, ‘You need a banker, not a bank,’ and everybody says that, but not everybody delivers that,” he said. “It’s not an eight-hour bank day … they need you on their time.” In addition to its 27 branches, CresCom operates a loan production office in Wilmington, N.C., and owns and operates Crescent Mortgage Company, which lends in 45 states and partners with 2,000 community banks, credit unions and mortgage brokers with its various loan programs.

Ashley Boncimino / staff

opened its first Greenville branch and has opened deposit accounts every day last week, according to executives. The branch is the bank’s 27th in the Carolinas, but marks CresCom’s foray into the Upstate’s increasingly crowded financial market. Located at Haywood Road and E. North Street, the branch opens a year after CresCom hired 22-year Upstate banking veteran Scott Frierson to manage the bank’s first Upstate loan production office. Success on the loan production side helped fund branch renovations and staff for the new location, said CresCom Vice President and Upstate Business Development Officer Craig Robinson, who has nearly 40 years experience in the market. “Our goal is to be the trusted community bank of choice,” said CresCom CEO David Morrow, who said the strategy for breaking into a new market includes hiring professionals with years of experience and networks. “My job, it’s easy when you have these guys,” he said, pointing to Frierson and Robinson. CresCom hired longtime Greenville resident Susan Clark as branch manager. Clark previously worked From left: Crescom Vice President Craig Robinson, as branch manager at CertusCEO David Morrow and Upstate Market Leader Scott Frierson outside the bank’s ﬁrst Greenville branch. Bank, and spent time as

ReWa director to retire National replacement search begins BENJAMIN JEFFERS | STAFF

bjeffers@communityjournals.com The executive director of Renewable Water Resources (ReWa), Ray Orvin, announced his plan to retire after 22 years of service. The board of commissioners has formed a search committee to find candidates to fill the position and has retained Greenville-based recruiting firm Find Great People LLC to begin

the national search. ReWa provides wastewater treatment services to the Upstate. Since 1925, Renewable Water Resources (ReWa) has been committed to providing high-quality wastewater treatment services to the Upstate of South Carolina. All candidate inquiries related to the search should be sent to Robyn Ezzell with Find Great People LLC by email at rezzell@fgp.com.

| FINANCE & RESOURCES | 3

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TOP-OF-MIND AND IN THE MIX THIS WEEK

UBJ

09.11.2015

VOLUME 4, ISSUE 37 Featured this issue: BMW Manufacturing names new senior managers New developer kickstarts West End condo project Audiogon aims for online audiophiles

MONEY SHOT: At BMW Manufacturing in Spartanburg, lightweight robots work alongside people, taking on physically demanding and non-ergonomic

5 12 14

tasks. This week, BMW manufacturing announced several new senior management appointments. Read more on page 5. Photo provided by BMW Group.

WORTH REPEATING

TBA

“I like to tell people, ‘You need a banker, not a bank,’ and everybody says that, but not everybody delivers that.” Page 3

Liz Daly Designs,

“We’re a disruptor. That’s how the Internet businesses operate. It’s just like Uber. Do taxi drivers like Uber? I don’t think so.” Page 14 “Our hearty American handshake may be too aggressive in some cultures; while in others, you may need to be prepared for a warm embrace and perhaps a kiss on each cheek.” Page 16

an art gallery, studio and retail store now located at the Greenville News site on South Main Street, is moving to 12A Lois Ave. in the Village of West Greenville. The Main Street building is scheduled to be demolished as part of the Camperdown project.

VERBATIM

On quality “Quality is more important than quantity. One home run is much better than two doubles.” Steve Jobs

09.11.2015

upstatebusinessjournal.com

INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

Management changes at BMW Manufacturing New Project Integration department announced BMW Manufacturing announced four new senior

planning group, was promoted to manage quality, process and management appointments structure planning and, most this week that herald a new recently, steered the installamanagement function to tion of the plant’s new paint oversee project integration, shop, including the ramp-up the company said in a release. Everly of production and mainteThe new approach will serve nance, according to BMW. the needs of the Spartanburg Appointed as the new vice plant’s future growth, the president of assembly, Dirk company said. Hilgenberg joins the senior Karl Loessl has been apmanagement team from pointed vice president, body Munich, where he was the Hilgenberg in white. Loessl began his head of assembly technology career with BMW nearly 30 for the BMW Group. Prior to years ago as a planner in Plant this, Hilgenberg managed Munich’s body shop. Since Global Process IT for the them, Loessl has progressed company’s manufacturing through various management division. Hilgenberg began his positions in both the Munich career with BMW Rolls-Royce Loessl plant, as well as BMW’s plant Aero Engines and was a part in Dingolfing, Germany. “Body of the re-launch of the MINI in White” describes the manBrand in Oxford, England, the ufacturing phase when the company said. car’s chassis and body are Hilgenberg succeeds joined. Richard Morris, who served Rich Everly has been named as vice president of assembly Morris vice president, paint for the for the plant since 2009. South Carolina factory. Everly Morris assumes a new role as was one of the first associates hired in vice president, project integration, the 1994 when BMW announced plans to company’s newest department that is build its first plant outside of Germany, wholly committed to cross-functional the company said. Everly began his steering and integration. BMW career managing the materials

Bon Secours raises wages 11.4% BENJAMIN JEFFERS | STAFF

bjeffers@communityjournals.com As talk of employee wages spreads across the nation, Bon Secours St. Francis Health System took a proactive step in increasing the wages of 367 of its Greenville employees from $9.87 to $11 per hour. The company aims to take a “leadership role” by setting an example consistent with Catholic Church values, said Fernando Fleites, senior vice president of human resources. Employees in 32 different positions will benefit from the change. “What this really is aimed at is ensuring that our employees can lead better lives,” Fleites said.

Referred to as a “just wage” by the organization, the wage was introduced by Pope Leo XII in 1891 as what he defined as “an amount needed to support a thrifty and upright worker plus his family.” While Fleites said turnover at the organization is low, he expected the wage change to help even more with retention of employees. At $9.87 per hour, Bon Secours’ previous just wage already exceeded the state’s minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, but he said the organization’s leaders wanted to go a step further. The increase in an initiative across all the locations operated by the Maryland-based organization.

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6 | TRANSPORTATION |

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INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

09.11.2015

Stevens Aviation’s future role at GSP uncertain Ending the five-decade tenure could save money, attract airlines, says airport CEO ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

aboncimino@communityjournals.com The decision to end Stevens Aviation’s five-decade run as fixed-base operator could save money and help attract airlines to GreenvilleSpartanburg International Airport, said the airport’s President and CEO David Edwards. “Looking at how the aviation industry has changed over the years and where we need to do to look to the future,” Edwards said, “we felt that it was best that we move in a different direction that would provide the airport with a little more direct oversight of those services.” Bringing services in-house or hiring a management company could save money, said Edwards. A self-run, fixed-base operator could save an additional $100,000 to $150,000 annually, according to the airport commission’s July agenda filing. It could also give the airport new ways to attract airlines, such as permitting the airport to waive certain fees, Edwards said. “If we run the FBO ourselves, it does allow us to make incentives to airlines that we wouldn’t other-

$100,000–$150,000 amount a self-run, fixed-base operator could save annually wise be able to provide,” he said. “It is absolutely part of our five-year strategic business plan to secure more air service, and we believe this in part will help us to move in that direction.” Requests for comment from Stevens Aviation were directed to Executive VP of Operations Paul Witt, who could not be reached by press time. According to its website, Stevens Aviation employs 45 people out of the Greenville-Spartanburg Airport, where it has been fixed-base operator since 1962. Edwards said the airport will let Stevens’ 10-year lease expire at the end of next year before proceeding to either take on services in-house or appoint a selected management company. If the airport commission opts to perform the services itself, Edwards said he plans to interview

all existing field-based operator staff to potentially continue working at the airport. If the airport commission decides to select a management company through an RFP process, Stevens Aviation would likely have the option to be considered, he said. “We’ve been having discussions with Stevens Aviation about the direction of providing FBO services here for the better part of two years,” Edwards said. The airport has already adopted certain services that fixed-base operators used to provide, such as handling cargo and de-icing services, he said. “We already have some staff in place. We think that we will gain some synergies by taking that [on], and that will overall save us some dollars,” he said.

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INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

upstatebusinessjournal.com

| NETWORKING | 7

Piercing the ‘grass ceiling’ Networking is par for the course at Business Golf for Women APRIL A. MORRIS | STAFF

amorris@communityjournals.com Striking business deals on the golf course may not happen as often as Hollywood portrays, but in reality the relationships developed on the green can lead to solid business connections. For many businesswomen, the golf course can be an intimidating setting. Greenville resident Bruce Baird, founder of several golf schools in California, has launched a business to help women pierce the “grass ceiling” and tap into the informal network their male counterparts have long enjoyed. Baird had been seeking a new business to launch and learned that a growing sector in the golf industry is women. After making contact with many businesswomen through social media, he became convinced of the

then the group adjourns to the driving range for skill building. In about two days, novices can learn “the minimal skills to tie in to a network,” Baird said, such as making a contribution in a team format like chipping around the green and putting. “It’s a matter of learning a skill.” Learning the terminology and “how to talk golf” is also important, he said, along with how to network in a golf cart, which is “mostly keeping your mouth shut.”

need and interest, and decided to start an enterprise that would “use golf as a vehicle to enhance networking skills.” Business Golf for Women is designed to give female executives an entrée into the on-course networking they rarely access because “golf has been typically a male-dominated sport,” said Baird. Baird said the barriers women name include fear of trying something new, feeling they are not athletic enough and fear of embarrassment. “We deal with those,” he said. As for the athleticism, Baird likens golf to a sport many women do play with relish: “If you’re a tennis player, you can play golf.” TALKING THE GAME Business Golf for Women launched this spring with a program at Chateau Elan in Georgia that fea-

KEEPING SCORE

79%

respondents who agree that they can get to know a person better on the course

73% 46%

say that golf has helped them develop new relationships

women who cited “exclusion from informal networks” as the biggest impediment to reaching their career goals Sources: CNBC, Executive Women Golf Association survey and Catalyst.org.

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tured female presenters, including Dr. Jean Harris, LPGA master teacher, and former Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel. The presenters explore networking strategies in a lecture setting,

TAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL Stacie Wallice, a financial advisor with Waddell and Reed, told UBJ she participated in the program to “bring my game to another level and network with professional women who are doing the same.” She said she had played golf on and off and used it to build her business to a certain extent, hosting client appreciation outings with a pro to build their skills, but “was a little intimidated inviting clients to a day of golf.” Many professional women see golf as an “outside of business” activity, while their male counterparts see it as a more integral business tool, she said. The program helped her to think more about “seeing golf as a part of doing business,” she said. For a novice, the program also teaches “enough about the course, the game and etiquette for you to be unobtrusive … and a pleasant playing partner,” she said. The instruction also offers “the nuances that newer golfers are not always aware of.” Wallice has used her further honed skills to enhance her game. “The program gave me a higher comfort level to take my business golf to the next level,” she said. Baird plans to host an Upstate program in November and two others in the spring.

Learn more at ... nationalgolfschoolforwomen.com

8 | NEWS |

UBJ

INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

09.11.2015

Startup Week kicks off next week in Greenville BENJAMIN JEFFERS | STAFF

bjeffers@communityjournals.com

Day

Next week kicks off Greenville’s first-ever Startup Week. Entrepreneurs in Greenville are hosting 21 events on Sept. 14-18, all dedicated to connecting entrepreneurs in the Upstate with like-minded individuals and resources. A full schedule of events and registration information is available at Greenville.Startupweek.co. >>

Monday

THE PLAYWRIGHT, AN AUTHENTIC IRISH PUB IN DOWNTOWN GREENVILLE AT THE RIVER’S EDGE mixed-use development at River and Broad Street, opened to the public last week. The interior components of the restaurant – carpets, signature furniture, pictures, lighting and assorted bric-a-brac – all hail from Ireland. The Playwright features a “P” shaped bar, Victorian-etched glass with playwrights, dark wood and cozy leather seating. The restaurant is open for both lunch and dinner and features authentic Irish pub food including ﬁsh and chips, bangers and mash, and shepherd’s pie along with some American fare such as ﬁsh, steaks and salads. The Playwright has 36 beers on tap along with wine and cocktails.

Tuesday

Thursday

This is the ﬁrst Upstate location and second South Carolina location for the Frisco, Colo.-based franchise. Local franchiser Clayton Eaddy plans to open six to seven Lost Cajun restaurants in the Upstate and the Asheville area over the next 10 years. Eaddy said he chose Greenville ﬁrst for the city’s charm and its growth, according to the company’s website.

Event

Description

Location

8:30 a.m.

Opening Kickoff + Keynote

Esther Dyson will speak on the power of different people and perspective to build a strong community

NEXT Innovation Center, 411 University Ridge, Greenville

11 a.m.

Nonprofit Startup Talk

Discuss case studies of new-age nonprofits that are operating like startups

GOAT, 61 Byrdland Drive, Greenville

2 p.m.

Cooking Up New Food Startups

Learn about the highs and lows in the food industry

CropStop, 2 Bolt St., Greenville

5 p.m.

Day 1 Happy Hour

Beer and pizza to kick off Startup Week

Virtual Connect Office, 200 N. Main St., Suite 201, Greenville

6 p.m.

“Everyday Opportunities” Entrepreneurship Talk

Andy O’Mara will talk about building a financial, technical and emotional support network

Sidewall Pizza, 35 S. Main Street, Travelers Rest

9 a.m.

Coffee at Cowork

Tour the Cowork spaces and meet some of the crew that runs and works out of the space

Cowork, 1040 W. Washington St., Greenville

2 p.m.

Coffee Cupping at Ally Coffee

Coffee tasting to learn about the different flavors of coffee

Ally Coffee, 250 Mill St., Taylors

3 p.m.

Tour of Taylors Mill

Tour wood shops, art studios and startup spaces

Taylors Mill, 250 Mill St., Taylors

5:30 p.m.

Startup Space Crawl

Crawl to four different startup offices, spending 30 minutes at each

NEXT on Main, 101 N. Main St., 3rd Floor, Greenville

8 p.m.

Side Hustle and Night Owl Meetup

Meetup to network with other people in Spill the Beans, town working on their own side hustle 531 S. Main St., Greenville

8 a.m.

Greenville Transplant + Startup Community Walking Meeting

Walk around downtown with Greenville Methodical Coffee, transplants in the local startup 101 N. Main St., Greenville community

11 a.m.

Food Truck Rally

Chance to help grow food truck culture Corner lot at East Broad in Greenville and Falls streets

4 p.m.

Starting a Brewery in Greenville

Learn what it takes to start a brewery in Greenville and sample goods from local breweries

The Community Tap, 217 Wade Hampton Blvd., Greenville

6 p.m.

The Growing Community & Culture of the GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail

Evening discussing the unique culture built around the GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail

Swamp Rabbit Café, 205 Cedar Lane Road, Greenville

8 a.m.

Technically a Coffee

Rapid-fire demo of products and feedback from the audience

NEXT on Main, 101 N. Main St., 3rd Floor, Greenville

12 p.m.

Master Entrepreneur Series

Carl Stecker shares insights of from founding several companies

Clemson at ONE, 1 N. Main St., Greenville

3 p.m.

NEXT Capital Series: Demystifying Venture Capital

Join in a conversation with two successful entrepreneurs

Clemson at ONE, 1 N. Main St., Greenville

5 p.m.

Brewery Trolley Tour

Three-hour tour of local breweries

The Community Tap, 217 Wade Hampton Blvd., Greenville

8 a.m.

Greenville Startup Community Walking Meeting

Walk through Falls Park with founders and startup folks in the local startup community

Spill the Beans, 531 S. Main St., Greenville

12 p.m.

New to Greenville Lunch @ Barley’s

Enjoy pizza and chat with people who have moved to Greenville in the last few years

Barley’s Taproom & Pizzeria, 25 W. Washington St., Greenville

5:30 p.m.

The Weekender: What is next for Greenville Startup Community

Event to cap the first ever Greenville Startup Week

The Iron Yard, 101 N. Main St., Greenville

Wednesday

The restaurant is owned by Jason Fletcher’s High Street Hospitality Group, which also owns The Green Room, Ford’s Oyster House, the Loft at Falls Park and Sip.

A GRAND OPENING IS SCHEDULED FOR FRIDAY, SEPT. 11, AT THE LOST CAJUN, A CREOLE RESTAURANT specializing in gumbo and beignets, located at 3612A Pelham Road in Greenville.

Time

Friday

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10 | SQUARE FEET |

REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

FIRST LOOK

Village Hotel at Biltmore

SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF

sjackson@communityjournals.com @SJackson_CJ Visitors to America’s largest home will soon have a new overnight option when the Village Hotel, the Biltmore’s second lodging property on the famed Asheville estate, is completed in November. Last week UBJ got a sneak peek at the construction progress on the four-story, 209-guestroom Village Hotel nestled between the Winery and Antler Hill Village. The 124,000-square-foot hotel sits on about five acres. “This building is part of the legacy of the current family and future generations,” said Rick Conard, vice president of attraction operations. “We’re really proud of the texture and materials used in the construction of the hotel. It’s quality that’s built to stay.” Hotel guests will have access to an outdoor swimming pool, fitness center and complimentary shuttle service around the estate. A large courtyard and patio area will provide a social area for guests. Dining options will include a casual restaurant and bar along with an “open kitchen” concept, with freshly prepared on-the-go food and drink options that guests can take with them to explore the Biltmore Estate, said Meghan Noel, vice president and general manager of the hotel. “It will be reminiscent of a farm kitchen with painted woods, neutral fabrics,” she said. Guest rooms will feature built-in furniture, a large walk-in shower and a window seat where guests can sit and relax and perhaps have a glass of wine, said Noel. Eco-friendly options are being incorporated into the

hotel, said Conard, with LED lighting throughout the building and rainwater collection and retention as well as high-end insulation, chiller systems and hot water heating systems. Photos by Sherry Jackson This will be the second overnight accommodations to open on estate property. The four-star Inn on Biltmore Estate, with 201 rooms and nine suites, opened in 2001. Reservations are already being accepted for stays beginning Dec. 14, 2015.

If you want to go... biltmore.com/stay/hotel

UBJ

09.11.2015

upstatebusinessjournal.com

REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

| SQUARE FEET | 11

RECAP: September DRB Urban Panel Meeting

West End, South Main, Memorial site and huge garages SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF

sjackson@communityjournals.com @SJackson_CJ The September meeting of the Greenville Design Review Board Urban Panel was a breeze compared to previous sessions – it lasted just over an hour (yay!). That doesn’t mean that progress wasn’t made and applications weren’t discussed; the meeting just clicked along at a nice pace. WEST END APARTMENTS Charlotte-based Woodfield Investments asked for its application to be postponed until the October DRB meeting after West End neighbors voiced concerns about the five/six-story, 272-unit proposed apartment complex to be built on the Pendleton Street Baptist Church site on South Main Street. Brian Schick with Woodfield said the postponement was “to afford us additional time to address the feedback received on our design from both our informal Design Review Board and neighborhood meetings.” The postponement was granted. SOUTH MAIN PROJECT

Rendering provided by COR3 Design

A project at 654 S. Main St. that went before the DRB last month during the informal review was presented formally. The design for the property next to Rick Erwin’s and the Army-Navy store shows a restaurant at street level and office space up top. The planter on the sidewalk in front of the building will be removed and the windows will be brought forward to the sidewalk. Board members said the changes were a nice addition to that part of Main Street and approved the application unanimously. GREENVILLE GATEWAY This project has come before the board so many times that I personally have lost count. Charlotte-based FCD-Development is planning to build apartments on the former memorial auditorium site at 400 N. Church St. The design was previously approved with several conditions; however, FCD has now acquired the rights to a corner portion of the property that it didn’t have before. This makes the project much larger and requires it to go before the board again.

Rendering provided by Group 4 Design

In the staff recommendations portion of the review, discussion centered on the stucco coming all the way down the building on the lower level – a big no-no in Greenville. City staff recommends using brick or another more durable material. Always. The current design showed more pedestrian access points than the previous one. All parking will be in the complex interior. An audience member asked about plans for East North Street during the public comment portion of the application review. FCD said it is working with SCDOT to possibly change one westbound lane of East North Street to be one-way, but no decisions have been made. DRB members discussed the design in great length, especially the side along Beattie Place, which board member Danielle Fontaine said looks like “one massive form without much modulation.” The DRB panel said they consider the site to be a “gateway into town” that should be “more of a welcoming statement to our city.” Also discussed was the height and cap of the four-story buildings. The application was approved to let staff work out the final details with the developer. If staff and FCD can’t come to an agreement, the request can come back before the DRB. W.N. WATSON TIRE & AUTOMOTIVE Next up was an application to add onto and renovate the W.N. Watson service center at 333 W. Broad St. by Childs Architecture. Suzanne Childs said the existing building will be renovated. DRB members said they “were happy to have a small business investment” and that it was a significant improvement over the initial design that was submitted. The application was approved.

GARAGE ADDITION An application to add a garage and apartment onto an existing property was tabled until the October meeting. This one was an unusual request to the DRB Urban Panel, which doesn’t typically review single-family, residential applications. However, this particular property happens to be zoned as C-4 (commercial) even though it’s a residence. The main reason for postponement: The existing home is 1,435 square feet, the garage was to be 2,031 square feet. City staff recommended denial as the application wasn’t in line with residential guidelines and lacked commercial elements. Compass Construction said the intent is to eventually connect the garage to the existing house. The DRB and city staff agreed that if the design could be changed, it might make a difference and would possibly meet the requirements and ordinance for size limitations. 504 RHETT ST. Finally, the board heard an application to add awnings and arbors to the existing warehouse office building at 504 Rhett St. A representative from Freeman Major Architects said the design is really a façade improvement and plans also call for the building to be painted. Once home to a fireplace manufacturer, the building will be gutted and turned into offices. The application was approved pending city staff finalizing window selection and paint colors. That’s it for this month. If the October agenda is as packed as I think it will be, look for a much longer recap next month.

12 | SQUARE FEET |

REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

The Importance of Self Questioning

UBJ

09.11.2015

West End project back on track with new developer 70 condo units planned for Perimeter, formerly Stadium Flats

Every day when Teresa leaves the office, she asks herself one question: “Did I provide value to the company today?” As the VP of Operations for Propel HR, Teresa provides plenty of value every day to the company as well as to the clients and employees. Teresa has had much success in her career and has a reputation for excellence. Yet, she continues to ask this same question every day.

LEE YARBOROUGH

I find significance in the asking of this daily question. Since Teresa shared this ritual with me, I began asking myself this same question on my daily drive home.

If I am truthful, some days my value is minimal. I may have been busy all day, running around, emailing and checking things off my to-do list; but the value to the company was minimal. Other days, nothing is checked off my to-do list, but I may have had wonderful quality time with clients, employees or outside innovators which adds tremendous value to the company. I am a Type A person that is constantly on the move. I multi-task like a champ and accomplish a lot each day. I love a to-do list and I love the feeling of gratification when I can check off an item. I guard my work time and don’t like to spend a lot of time on idle chat. Teresa’s question shakes up my whole theory of the value that I bring to the company. By answering this question, I have learned that my true value is in brain storming, delegating, networking, questioning, and leading. My value is not defined by a list of items on a piece of paper. Every employee brings a different skill set which should add value to the company each day. Not only does Teresa ask this question to herself, she also encourages her team to be introspective as well. Everyone’s value proposition is different, but there are days when we all can answer, “YES, we brought value to Propel HR,” and those days are dynamite! Work is fun and what we can accomplish as a team is endless. I challenge you to ask this question of yourself and to redefine what you consider as valuable. Challenge your employees and peers to also look at their work value each day. Did you provide VALUE to the company today? You may be surprised by your answer.

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

PROJECT PARTNERS SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF

sjackson@communityjournals.com @SJackson_CJ With a new developer and new name, a 70-unit condo project is back on track in Greenville’s West End. Perimeter, located on a 1-acre site at 100 N. Markley St. at the corner of Rhett Street, will be developed by LML Construction. The project was previously named Stadium Flats with Ron Cobb and MLM Construction as the developer. Condos will range from 957 to 2,145 square feet with one-, two- and three-bedroom units available and nine different ﬂoor plans to choose from. Each residence will offer downtown views, 10-foot ceilings, spacious chef’s kitchens, hardwood ﬂoors and customizable finishes. Penthouse units will feature 20-foot ceilings and a third bedroom loft, along with panoramic views of downtown and the Blue Ridge Mountains, developers say. The project will consist of four stories of condos over two stories of underground parking. Amenities will include two parking spaces per unit, additional on-site covered storage and shared spaces including a lobby with fireplaces, community seating, a rooftop terrace and a saltwater pool that will be heated yearround.

DEVELOPER: West View LLC and LML properties GENERAL CONTRACTOR: LML Construction MARKETING: RedHype INTERIOR DESIGN: Amy Emery Designs ARCHITECT: Parks/ Player Architecture “Perimeter is unique in its design, meaning we really thought about the lifestyle of our future residents,” said Jennings Lyon, LML president. “We wanted to create a space where residents could work, live and play, all in one luxurious, full-service location.” The development will also feature 4,500 square feet of retail with plans for a high-end hair salon, nail salon, massage therapist and a full-service artisan coffee bar and café. While retail services will be open to the public, residents will receive preferred booking appointments, said Lyon. Prices will begin at $300,000. The city’s Design Review Board previously approved the project, Lyon said. Construction is expected to begin spring 2016.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the Approach that Matters

14 | INSIDE AUDIOGON |

A DAY (OR MORE) IN THE LIFE OF AN UPSTATE COMPANY

UBJ

09.11.2015

Sounds disruptive GREENVILLE’S AUDIOGON AIMS TO BE THE EBAY FOR AUDIOPHILES ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

aboncimino@communityjournals.com It all began with one crazy idea 17 years ago: You could make a living on eBay, according to Stephen Clay. “Those are stupid words now,” said Clay, president of Greenville-based e-commerce site Audiogon, an eBaylike marketplace where audiophiles can buy and sell high-end audio equipment worth thousands of dollars apiece. When they launched in 1998, “it was just kind of unheard of,” he said.

“These people come here and they don’t necessarily buy or sell something every time…IT’S TRULY

A COMMUNITY,

a resting spot, a meeting spot for people who are crazy nuts over this hobby… That to me is what’s going to give us our

UNIQUENESS & OUR LONGEVITY.”

Photos by Ashley Boncimino

Stephen Clay, Audiogon president

Fast-forward nearly two decades, and the family-run Audiogon (pronounced Audio-Gone) lists $28 million worth of equipment and accounts for 75 percent of the niche’s online market, said Clay. Not only that, but it’s making a dent in the traditional brick-and-mortar retail side as well, he said. “A lot of these manufacturers are cottage industries, and they’re not sophisticated at all, and they’re angry,” said Clay. “We’re a disruptor. That’s how the Internet businesses operate. It’s just like Uber. Do taxi drivers like Uber? I don’t think so.” “EVER-EVOLVING” MARKET High-end audio equipment can range from a couple of dollars to tens of thousands of dollars, which means it historically was highly technical and rather expensive to dabble in, according to Audiogon COO Lindsey Schulz, Steve Clay’s daughter. The result, she said, is a uniquely stable and steady ﬂow of business that remains insulated from economic conditions.

From left: Audigon’s Alex Clay, director of business development; Stephen Clay, president; Lindsey Schultz, COO.

09.11.2015

A DAY (OR MORE) IN THE LIFE OF AN UPSTATE COMPANY

upstatebusinessjournal.com

“Our site is really based on a specific niche of people and it’s really a hobby. That’s something that people are willing to spend money for, regardless of what’s going on,” she said. “Somebody is either building a system, where they’re adding pieces one at a time, or they have already built their system but they’re never done. It’s something that is ever-evolving.” While it first gained traction with hobbyists – who were looking to expand or switch up their listening room equipment – the site included forums that helped users share information and advice on their own setups. That made the world of high-end audio equipment not only accessible, but because the site sells used equipment, much cheaper and thus easier for new hobbyists, said Audiogon Director of Business Development Alex Clay. “Our biggest referral of traffic is our forums,” he said, noting that the company began advertising for the first time in its history last year. Audiogon attracts 1.3 million unique visitors and 9 million page views a month, he said, and has reached more than 400,000 registered users in 152 countries. “These people come here and they don’t necessarily buy or sell something every time. … It’s truly a community,

a resting spot, a meeting spot for people who are crazy nuts over this hobby,” said Clay. “That to me is what’s going to give us our uniqueness and our longevity.” INDUSTRY STANDARD Another competitive advantage – and another revenue stream – is the company’s treasure trove of data about high-end audio equipment sales in general, which span years of pricing, feature and wear information to help resellers buy and sell, said Schulz. “It’s the Kelley Blue Book for audio equipment,” she said, adding that the database has become the industry standard. Buyers and sellers can pay for a one-time lookup, monthly subscriptions or annual subscriptions. The next step, she said, is a long-overdue overhaul of basically everything on the site, from a new payments and listing system to traffic management and analytics software. “Even in the past few years, these transitions in the market are happening, of brick-and-mortars closing and people coming to us saying ‘We have to sell this equipment,’” she said. “We’ve got a worldwide audience. We’re not waiting for somebody to come into our showroom. Our showroom is open 24/7.”

AUDIOGON Online marketplace for high-end audio equipment; discussion forum for audiophiles; Audio Bluebook directory of equipment values Founded 1998 Principals: Stephen Clay, president; Lindsey Schultz, COO; Alex Clay, director of business development Successes: Lists $28 million worth of equipment per month; 1.3 million unique visitors and 9 million page views per month; more than 400,000 registered users in 152 countries

| INSIDE AUDIOGON | 15

PROFESSIONAL CLIENTS DESERVE PROFESSIONAL RESULTS!

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16 | PROFESSIONAL |

UBJ

STRATEGIES FOR HONING YOUR PROFESSIONAL SKILLS

09.11.2015

Do your homework Five things you need to know before your next business meeting Before you take your next meeting, here are your five homework assignments.

By CAROLINE BUXTON AVINGER Labor Day marked the official start of getting back to work after the lazy, lackadaisical days of summer. Everyone is settling into a routine. Homework (cue the theme from “Jaws”) has started, along with the moaning, groaning and general drama that so often accompanies it. Educators will tell you that homework is essential both for review and preparation. In the business arena, it is equally critical for the same reasons. Taking the time to review what you know about your clients and their business needs ensures that you are prepared for almost every eventuality. Do your homework before a meeting, a sales pitch, a businesses dinner – learn all of the pertinent details about the people and the purpose, so you can best serve your clients and your organization.

When asking clients to a lunch meeting, you as the host are responsible for choosing the restaurant. Find out what’s in proximity to your client’s office to make life easier for him. Know your client’s preferences – does he prefer five-star dining with white tablecloths and a full array of silverware and glasses, or is he going to be more comfortable at the local meat-and-three?

When meeting a client for the first time, make an effort to learn about her company. Be able to congratulate her on a recent success. You will also know if there are any dicey work-related topics to avoid, thereby keeping your foot out of your mouth.

When attending a client meeting, a business conference

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18 | YOUR MONEY |

NEWS AND TIPS FOR YOUR PERSONAL BOT TOM LINE

UBJ

09.11.2015

Diagnosing the state of health care investment property By ROSS KESTER & TYSON SMOAK

As the U.S. economy continues

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to strengthen following the Great Recession, increased opportunities have arrived for building owners to monetize their assets through a robust commercial investment property market. After the significant stock market devaluation of 2008, many investors have become wary of the volatility of the equity markets, choosing instead to put their cash into real property yielding a passive income stream. The last few weeks of August 2015 further highlighted the potential for volatility that is inherent with traditional investment in equities. Investors looking to place capital in commercial real estate have historically targeted buildings occupied by national credit retailers, with recognizable tenants such as Walgreens, Starbucks and a host of fast food restaurants. As the market for these opportunities has tightened, the investor community has turned its attention toward medical and dental offices as an opportunity to capture higher returns. These properties are typically owned and developed by the practice founders or owners, and can be a source for a substantial windfall for these individuals. Below are some common questions and scenarios that property owners encounter when considering selling a building as investment property.

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Our physician group sold the practice to a hospital system that now leases the building to us, as we still own the real estate. What opportunity exists for us to sell the property to an investor? Every day, investors are scouring the Upstate, looking for opportunities to purchase the income stream from fully leased medical buildings. Depending on the terms of the lease with the hospital system, the sale of a practice can create a significant spike in the value of the underlying real estate. We recommend consulting with a trusted real estate adviser, who

can assist with packaging the building for sale as an investment grade asset. It is important for the building owner to understand that the sale does not result in any changes or disruption in the day-to-day operations of the practice. The existing property owners often enjoy realizing a valuation that is significantly above the building’s original cost, and the new building owner is inserted in place of the previous landlord.

I am a dentist or a physician and I developed the building in order to have a place to operate my practice. Does it make sense to consider selling the building, considering that I still own the practice as well as the real estate? Yes, as a matter of accounting, many physicians or dentists who own their building already lease the property back to the practice. This is a common way of accounting for office lease expense, as well as increasing business expenses with respect to offsetting income for tax purposes. An investment sales broker can assist with the coordination of creating a triple net lease document, drafted and reviewed by an attorney. The lease terms in this document will dictate the valuation of the property, and as such, this is a critical component of the process.

Our ownership group currently enjoys the income that is generated from the practice ownership paying rent on the building. Why would we want to sell the building and give up this cash ﬂow? If the building is owned by a partnership, the structure of the ownership group has likely changed over time. Some of the partners may be approaching retirement (or have

already retired) and there may be variations between what is important to each member of the ownership group. This is referred to as partnership stratification, and has the potential to create a significant rift within the ownership structure. Many times, selling the building emerges as the most prudent path to a resolution.

Assuming that I am interested in selling my building as an investment property, how is the value determined? For an income property, the valuation is determined by the capitalization (“cap”) rate, which is derived from a relationship between a tenant’s credit, the length of the lease, the landlord’s responsibilities, and the underlying quality of the building. Once a cap rate is determined, this factor is applied to the net operating income (sum of the gross lease payments less any landlord expenses), and a property valuation is produced. Current cap rates for medical investment properties range from 6 percent to a high in the low teens, with property value being inversely related to the cap rate. Ross Kester and Tyson Smoak, CCIM, are members of the Investment Division at NAI Earle Furman LLC Commercial Real Estate.

20 | ON THE MOVE |

UBJ

PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS

APPOINTED

HIRED

09.11.2015

HIRED

Nicole Viscome

Emily Bridges

John “Parker” Diabo

Ava Thacker

Linda Johnson

Named president-elect and vice president of membership of the Greenville chapter of the American Advertising Federation. Viscome is an account executive at VantagePoint Marketing. She will support the club’s current president and train to be the president for the 2016-2017 year.

Named to the litigation team of Smith Moore Leatherwood. Bridges’ practice will focus primarily on commercial litigation, with a particular emphasis on antitrust and franchise litigation. She received her law degree from the University of South Carolina, where she served as editor in chief of the South Carolina Law Review.

Named an account executive at EDTS. Diabo has more than eight years of experience in business development and client advisory roles, much of it in the healthcare technologies industry. He most recently served as territory business manager at NOVADAQ Technologies.

Named a development associate at Upstate Forever. Thacker has experience in personnel management, customer care, database development and event planning. Her work will focus on maintaining and utilizing Upstate Forever’s new membership database to cater to our members’ individual interests.

Joins the BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by SYNNEX Corporation as its director of sales. Johnson comes to the tournament from Xerox Corporation where she was most recently a senior client manager.

DEVELOPMENT Addison Homes won a 2015 Housing Innovation Award from the U.S. Department of Energy for the Cobblestone community. Aerie Engineering hired Britney Dunnebacke as a technical specialist

and Teresa Warner as library manager. Dunnebacke has experience with managing documents in both a business and library setting. Warner has a background in industrial process piping and is a former small business owner.

EDUCATION Christopher Ray was named director of the Clemson University Experiment Station. Ray is a plant scientist who has worked in Clemson agriculture for 20 years in capacities that include Experiment Station associate director, Agricultural Services Labo-

ratory director, Plant Industry and Regulatory Services department head and Department of Fertilizer and Seed Certification manager. Dr. Phinnize J. Fisher Middle School in Greenville county has been named one of four finalists selected by the Council of Education Facility >>

Strong local knowledge and talent National perspective and resources The Greenville office of Jackson Lewis is highly regarded for its employment litigation practice, its prominent national ERISA practice, and its sophisticated wage and hour FLSA work. An integral member of the Jackson Lewis team is ELLISON MCCOY, who serves as the Litigation Manager for the Greenville office. Ellison has represented employers in litigation matters before state and federal administrative agencies and various state and federal trial and appellate courts. He devotes a significant amount of his practice to assisting employers with disability practice management, particularly issues arising under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Family and Medical Leave Act. In addition, he handles a wide-variety of employment matters involving claims such as discrimination based on race, sex, national origin, age and disability; sexual and racial harassment; wrongful discharge; retaliation; breach of contract; defamation; covenants not to compete and trade secret violations. Ellison also has extensive experience counseling clients on compliance issues and litigation avoidance strategies, and he regularly conducts management training programs on various employment-related topics. To learn more about the services we offer in Greenville, please contact Ellison McCoy or Office Managing Shareholder Stephanie Lewis at (864) 232-7000 or mccoyE@jacksonlewis.com; lewiss@jacksonlewis.com. With 800 attorneys practicing in major locations throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico, Jackson Lewis provides creative and strategic solutions to employers in every aspect of workplace law. To learn more about our services, visit www.jacksonlewis.com.

Greenville Office of Jackson Lewis P.C. 15 South Main Street • Suite 700 Greenville, South Carolina 29601 • (864) 232-7000

09.11.2015

PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS

upstatebusinessjournal.com

Planners International (CEFPI) for the organization’s national James D. MacConnell award. This is the first time a K-12 facility from the Southeast has been selected as a finalist for CEFPI’s highest recognition of excellence in school facility planning and design across the United States.

VIP

NONPROFIT Ginger Self Goldsmith joins Upstate Forever as a development associate. Goldsmith has been a member of the Self Family Foundation Next Generation board since its inception in 1996 and currently sits on the main board of the Foundation. Her responsibilities at Upstate Forever include membership recruitment and retention.

SPORTS

Brenda Thames Elected by the Greenville Chamber’s leadership to chair its board of directors in 2017. The vice president of academic and faculty affairs at Greenville Health System, Thames currently serves as vice chair of talent development as well as chair of the Chamber’s Education Committee.

Riverside Tennis Club hired Heather Gage to its teaching staff. Gage played on the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Pro Circuit Tour. She spent the 2003-04 season as the United States Air Force Academy women’s assistant tennis coach and served two stints as the head coach of the United States Armed Forces team. She also has over 10 years of experience as a teaching professional. CONTRIBUTE: New hires, promotions & award winners may be featured in On the Move. Send information and photos to onthemove@upstatebusinessjournal.com.

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| ON THE MOVE | 21

22 | THE FINE PRINT |

BUSINESS BRIEFS YOU CAN’ T MISS

UBJ

09.11.2015

Belue Farms rebrands store name and logo

dedicated CNG refueling facilities at their locations. In addition, Piedmont has converted approximately one-third of its own corporate ﬂeet to vehicles that run on CNG.

Belue Farms, an Upstate family farm for 60 years, changed the name, logo and hours for its store on Parris Bridge Road in Boiling Springs. Now called Belue Farms Natural Foods Market, the store stocks natural, whole and organic products from more than 20 Upstate farmers. “Boiling Springs has been home to our farm for 50 years and our on-site store since 2001,” Harriett Belue, co-owner of Belue Farms and Belue Farms Natural Foods Market, said in a release. “Our new name and logo underscore our commitment to being Spartanburg County’s choice for healthy foods. We’re firm believers in the health benefits of eating local, so we make it easy for people to find the products they love in one convenient location.” Customers can purchase products online and ship peach gift boxes nationwide.

Fluor awarded front-end contract for Ohio chemical complex

Piedmont and Spinx open natural gas refueling station Piedmont Natural Gas and The Spinx Company opened Anderson’s first public compressed natural gas (CNG) refueling station at 1207 SC Highway 28 Bypass. The station is Piedmont’s third public refueling facility in South Carolina and its first station located at an existing convenience store. “Piedmont Natural Gas is excited about partnering with Spinx to serve the growing number of companies and ﬂeet vehicles using CNG,” Karl Newlin, senior vice president and CFO for Piedmont, said in a release. “More businesses are choosing natural gas because it is an economical and environmentally responsible alternative to gasoline and other transportation fuels.” Vehicles fueled by CNG release lower levels of carbon dioxide than gasoline or diesel vehicles, and require less maintenance. Piedmont is working with corporate ﬂeet owners and municipalities to install

PTT Global Chemical Public Company (PTTGC) selected a Fluor Corporation-led team to perform front-end engineering and design work for its proposed petrochemical complex in Belmont County, Ohio. The team includes Fluor, Technip and SK E&C. Fluor will book the undisclosed contract value into backlog in the third quarter of 2015. The project will encompass an ethane cracker and derivatives units by leveraging the availability of feedstock from gas taken from the Utica and Marcellus shale formations in the region to create chemical products. Jim Brittain, president of Fluor’s Energy & Chemicals Americas business line, said in a release, “Our team has partnered together on numerous world-class petrochemical projects. We will leverage this experience and our innovative design technologies to bring this project to fruition.” The company expects to complete front-end activities in 2016.

31 graduate from Grassroots Leadership Development Institute Thirty-one Spartanburg County residents graduated last week from the 2015 Grassroots Leadership Development Institute. The ceremony was held at The Piedmont Club, with approximately 140 people present to show their support. The institute is a seven-month leadership training program designed to equip participants with the knowledge, skill-set and resources to be effective in leading change at the grass-roots level. “I am so excited that this leadership program continues to attract so many quality individuals who have a passion to make Spartanburg better,” Mary Thomas, chief operating officer of The Spartanburg County Foundation, said in a release. “The Institute has certainly prepared them to take on more roles of responsibility in achieving our goals as a community.”

TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE POWER OF THE COMMERCE CLUB ONE MEMBERSHIP

09.11.2015

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>> The 2015 graduates are Caitlin Boice, Melanie Burt, Tanya Camp, Teressa Coggins, Dawn C. Deck, Ricky Eason, Tim Fisher, Theressa Franklin, Nancy Holland, Hannah Jarrett, Anita Mack, Tamara Makupson, Jalitha Moore, Keba Moore, Kristie Oliver, Samantha Overton, Douglas Peters, Natasha Pitts, Tommy Richardson, Tabatha Salters, Ani Samargian, Mitzi Schwartzbauer, Jess Sdao Swanson, Derrick Smith, Frank Startosto, Laura Timmons, Julia Turner, Sarah Wallace, Elizabeth Warlick, Rodney Wells, and James E. Williams Jr. The institute is now accepting applications for its 2016 session. For more information, contact Tara Weese at 864-582-0138. The application may be downloaded at spcf.org.

Clemson researchers granted $970K to develop clean water tech The National Science Foundation has given a $970,000 grant to a research

BUSINESS BRIEFS YOU CAN'T MISS

| THE FINE PRINT | 23

team in Clemson University’s College of Engineering and Science to create new technology that could play a key role in providing safe water. Researchers will work toward developing the world’s first computer models capable of testing the chemical coatings and geometric designs on membranes without having to create a prototype in the lab, according to the university. If they find the right combination, membranes will be less likely to clog as they filter impurities out of water from lakes, rivers and oceans, the university said. The technology could help lower the cost of water treatment around the world. Principal investigator Sapna Sarupria, an assistant professor of chemical and biomedical engineering, will lead the research team. “This project addresses a grand challenge facing society today: how to make clean water available to a growing population at a low cost,” Sarupria said. “The computer models we develop will lead to leapfrog improvement in membrane filtration technologies.”

• 50% off ala Club for Members and Family • 2 complimentary rounds of golf each month at each of our 200+ Country Clubs across U.S. • 2 complimentary 4 course meals at each of our 40+ Business Clubs across the U.S. No other business club can offer you such robust home club and travel benefits, ideal for both social and business use. Find out more today, call Stephanie Page 864.232.5600 or email stephanie.page@clubcorp.com 55 Beattie Place | commerce-club.com | 864.232.5600

24 | NEW TO THE STREET |

THE FRESHEST FACES ON THE BUSINESS LANDSCAPE

UBJ

09.11.2015

Open for business 1

Photos provided

1. Benefitfocus Inc. recently opened at 1016 Woods Crossing Road, Greenville. The company offers cloud-based benefits software solutions. For more information, visit benefitfocus.com. 2. Driver’s Choice Insurance recently opened at 784 Asheville Highway, Suite B, Spartanburg. Hours are Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-6 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. For more information, call 864-368-9973 or visit driverschoiceinsurance.com. CONTRIBUTE: Know of a business opening soon? Email information to bjeffers@communityjournals.com.

09.11.2015

upstatebusinessjournal.com

INSIDE THE UPSTATE’S NETWORKING AND SOCIAL SCENE

CELEBRATING PHILANTHROPY The United Way of Greenville County Young Philanthropists met at Larkin’s Sawmill recently for a Summer Celebration event. Photos provided by United Way

| SOCIAL SNAPSHOT | 25

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO RETIRE? WE HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO TELL YOU.

Beach Foster, AIF® Managing Director, Investments

Pat Fitzsimmons, AIF® First Vice President, Investments

Matthew Foster, AAMS® Financial Advisor

Karen Alexander Sales Associate

Visit us at www.fosterfitzsimmons.com to learn more. Or call 864.289.2166. 112 Haywood Road, Greenville, SC 29607 CONTRIBUTE: Got high-resolution photos of your networking or social events? Send photos and information for consideration to events@upstatebusinessjournal.com.

26 | #TRENDING |

INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

UBJ

OVERHEARD @ THE WATERCOOLER

> John Bowen Properties-Keller Williams Greenville Central, Greenville, SC “I think it’s a good use for that corner…” > John M. Hoyt “Meh… guess it’s better than what is there.” > Professional Network Connections “‘Mixed Use’ spaces are just popping up all over town!” > John Thornton “Great to see some interest in this property. It has been sitting too long.”

oto

Jim

Pit

t Ha

rris

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

> Heidi Anderson “This would rock!!!!! My neighborhood is exactly right beside this!!! Can you say increased property values? It reminds me of when I picked out our first house, and everyone thought we were nuts to buy an old bungalow for $100,000 in a not so chic part of downtown Greenville on Atwood Street. That house sold for $550,000 in 2013, and that area became the Heritage Historic District. There is only so much land, folks, and look at any other city to see what happens to property values when downtown areas get popular.”

Popple Proterra CEO Ryan of is driving the future - pg. 14 urban transport

| VOL. 4 ISSUE 36

DIGITAL FLIPBOOK ARCHIVE >> The layout of print meets the convenience of the Web: flip through the digital edition of any of our print issues at >> ustatebusinessjournal. 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. > Keith Boling, C. Dan Joyner Realtors “More changes for Greenville? Probably so! Could be a pretty sweet development!”

RE: STARTUP WEEK

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3. Mill Village Market to open in Village of West Greenville

>> 105 4. Ones to Watch: Christy Thompson, Vice president, worldwide marketing, Scansource

>> 102 5. Proterra powers up

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> Stephen Quigley “Put in bike lanes.”

@SJackson_CJ

>> 596

1. Developer envisions ‘urban village’ for former DMV site

Follow up on the Upstate’s workweek in minutes.

> Aaron Gabriel “300 more apts… yay.”

@ssimmons830

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

> William Broscious “I always hoped that we could put a fire HQ there. It could’ve been awesome.”

> Suzi King “This is an amazing way to rejuvenate this run-down property!”

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09.11.2015

BIZ BUZZ

Distilled commentary from UBJ readers

RE: DEVELOPER ENVISIONS ‘URBAN VILLAGE’ FOR FORMER DMV SITE

> @GvlStartupWeek “Checkout the full-page poster in this week’s @ UpstateBiz Journal! #startTHATgvl #yeahTHATgreenville”

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UPSTATEBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM

09.11.2015

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Understanding Financial Statements Fundamentals of understanding business financial statements

NEXT Innovation Center 411 University Ridge, Greenville 6-8:30 p.m.

Cost: $29 Register: piedmontscore.org/workshops/ register/175

Investment Club Participate in a “Fantasy Stock Market”

Commerce Club 55 Beattie Place, 17th Floor, Greenville 5:30 p.m.

Tech After Five Networking for tech entrepreneurs

Pour Lounge 221 N. Main St., Greenville 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Cost: Free Register: bit.ly/taf-sep2015

NEXT Capital Series Demystifying Venture Capital

Clemson at Greenville ONE 1 N. Main St., 5th Floor, Greenville 3-5:30 p.m.

Cost: Free Register: bit.ly/vc-sep2015

Comprehensive Small Business Start-Up Workshop

Spartanburg Community College Tyger River Campus, Duncan 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Cost: $69, $25 for additional participants Register: piedmontscore.org/workshops/ register/182

9/15

9/16 Thursday

9/17 Saturday

9/19

| PLANNER | 27

EVENT INFO

Tuesday

Wednesday

INSIDE THE UPSTATE’S NETWORKING AND SOCIAL SCENE

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UBJ PUBLISHER

Michael Allen

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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

1988

1997 Jackson Dawson launches motorsports Division 1993

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1998 1998 Jackson Dawson moves to task industrial Court

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

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

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

him going and growing his business over the years. He is passionate about giving back and outreach to non-prof non-profits. The company was recently awarded the Community Foundation Spirit Award. The company reaffirmed its commitment to serving the community last week by celebrating its 25th anniversary with a birthday party and a 25-hour Serve-A-Thon partnership with Hands on Greenville and Habitat for Humanity. JMG’s 103 full-time employees worked in shifts around the clock on October 22 and 23 to help construct a house for a deserving family. As Jackson inches towards retirement, he says he hasn’t quite figured out his succession plan yet, but sees the companies staying under the same umbrella. He wants to continue to strategically grow the business. “From the beginning, my father has taught me that this business is all about our people – both our clients and our associates,” said his son, Darrell. “We have created a focus and a culture that strives to solve problems, serve people and grow careers.” Darrell Jackson said he wants to “continue helping lead a culture where we solve, serve and grow. If we are successful, we will continue to grow towards our ultimate goal of becoming the leading integrated marketing communications brand in the Southeast.”

2011 Jackson marketing Group/Jackson motorsports Group employee base reaches 100 people

2008 2012 Jackson marketing Group recognized by Community Foundation with Creative spirit Award

pro-bono/non-proFit / Clients lients American Red Cross of Western Carolinas Metropolitan Arts Council Artisphere Big League World Series The Wilds Advance SC South Carolina Charities, Inc. Aloft Hidden Treasure Christian School

OCT. 16: THE MANUFACTURING ISSUE Women are thriving in this growing ﬁeld.

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 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

Holly Hardin

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

UBJ milestone

1988 Jackson Dawson opens in Greenville at Downtown Airport

OPERATIONS ADVERTISING DESIGN

SEPT. 18: THE SMALL BUSINESS ISSUE Dreaming big, starting small.

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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OCT. 30: QUARTERLY CRE ISSUE The state of commercial real estate in the Upstate. Got any thoughts? Care to contribute? Let us know at ideas@ upstatebusinessjournal.com.

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