Sept. 2, 2016 UBJ

SEPTEMBER 2, 2016 | VOL. 5 ISSUE 37

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TOP-OF-MIND AND IN THE MIX THIS WEEK

| THE RUNDOWN | 3

VOLUME 5, ISSUE 37 Featured this issue: UBJ interviews Dave Ridley of Southwest Airlines..................................................5 Growler Haus to open location in Village of West Greenville…. ���������������������8 BMW Scholars program to build new facility, add more students................... 11

WORTH REPEATING “We have struggled to try to figure out how to make Greenville work, and believe me I looked at Greenville’s numbers all the time because I want it to work.”

Page 5

“I didn’t think I had another restaurant in me. This one just kind of appeared.”

Page 10

“People get the idea that virtual reality is just gaming. And it is to some degree. But it’s also business.” Page 12

VERBATIM "It looks like the business end of a rocket ship lying on its side, a gleaming steel dynamo at rest. It weighs 950,000 pounds. It fires up at nearly 2,900 degrees Fahrenheit, and it can generate enough electricity to supply more than 500,000 households."

New York Times describing the gas turbines at G.E.'s Greenville factory

MONEY SHOT: Construction continues along River Street in downtown Greenville. Projects including No. 200 Flats at Riverplace and a new Embassy Suites hotel will overlook the Reedy River. Photo: Will Crooks

4 | HEALTH CARE |

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INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

Dr. Bassam Haddad, Dr. David Circle, Dr. Dina Nabors and Dr. Robeson Tinsley of Carolina Online Health

New virtual medical service strives for simple, easy, affordable care MELINDA YOUNG | CONTRIBUTOR

myoung@communityjournals.com

For Dr. David Circle, the lightbulb moment for a new health care service began when he walked into an emergency department office one day to see a patient with a sprained ankle with three family members and they were all wearing masks.

“The mom said, ‘We were in the ER

waiting room and people were coughing, and we didn’t want to risk catching something,’” he recalls. “The lightbulb moment was why expose yourself to infection when many times you could be seen online cheaper, quicker and more conveniently while you’re at home?”

Now, thanks to the new telemedicine health company Circle co-found-

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ed, Carolina Online Health, patients can now “visit” their doctor via phone.

“I’ve seen patients who have called me when they’re driving around, or from their work desk, and one patient even called me before she left for high school,” said Circle. “We’ve tried to make it convenient, and that’s our sales angle.”

Circle opened the practice in February with Dr. Bassam Haddad, a family practice physician. The four-physician practice offers video interface doctor visits between 7 a.m. to noon and 7 p.m. to midnight, Monday-Friday. “Those are the peak times, especially in the evening when most doctors’ offices are closed,” Circle said.

Carolina Online Health does not accept insurance, which Circle acknowledges is a turn-off to some people because they’ve paid for expensive health insurance coverage. “I talk with them and say, ‘We don’t take insurance because we want to keep our costs down,’” he said. “Once you start taking insurance, you lose control of your process and expenses go up because you have to hire someone full time to file insurance claims.”

The typical charge to see a doctor through the video interface is $60, which patients pay by credit card before the doctor’s virtual visit.

In order to help keep costs low, Carolina Online Health also negotiates with other health care organizations for low, out-of-pocket rates when patients are referred for blood tests, x-rays or other services. “We’ve called these vendors and told them that most

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of our patients don’t have insurance, so could they send us a price list for the uninsured,” he said.

Despite the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirement that everyone must buy health insurance or pay a fine, there still are a large number of Greenville area residents who are uninsured, including some who own businesses or are self-employed, Circle said.

“We see people in the ER who have no insurance,” he says. “The truth is that people who get coverage a lot of times get the bare minimum and have a high deductible, paying the first $5,000 out of pocket anyway.”

These are Carolina Online Health’s potential clients. “The whole purpose of this endeavor is to make things simple,” Circle said. “We want to lower the barrier to health care in terms of time and cost.”

People interested in using the telemedicine company’s services can download a free video app from the Carolina Online Health website. Then they can select a time to see a doctor, type in their name, email address and phone number, and wait for a notice to log in and pay 10 minutes prior to the virtual visit.

While most of the telemedicine patients have had minor complaints, such as urinary tract infections and upper respiratory symptoms, Circle also has treated more serious illnesses through the video calls. For example, one small business owner, who is uninsured, had uncontrolled diabetes.

Circle ordered lab tests and saw that his blood sugar and triglycerides were dangerously high. After regular video meetings with Circle, the patient’s blood sugar levels and triglycerides greatly improved.

“Telemedicine is perfect for him because he’s a very busy guy, working six days a week. So I see him on Thursdays at 9 or 10 in the evening, which is convenient for him and has made a difference in his life,” Circle said.

But growing the business is not Circle's first priority. “We’re not doing this to get rich; we’re doing this because I’ve been a physician for 17 years in the ER, and it’s frustrating to me to see the waste and inefficiency and how inconvenient it is for patients,” Circle noted. “The truth is that many patients in the ER don’t need to be seen in person. They could be helped through telemedicine without cutting back on the quality of care.”

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| TRANSPORTATION | 5

Southwest exec Dave Ridley discusses the airline’s history and future at GSP DAVID DYKES | STAFF

ddykes@communityjournals.com Southwest Airlines arrived at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport in March 2011 amid great fanfare. At the same time, it launched service to Charleston.

A lack of direct flights, high-ticket prices and customers seeking travel relief at airports in Charlotte and Atlanta were among the reasons for the local optimism – and excitement.

Things didn’t go as planned, however.

The airline has reduced its GSP schedule from an initial seven flights to three, and now it only flies to Atlanta.

Dave Ridley, former Southwest senior vice president and chief marketing officer, was part of the airline’s inner circle of executives who planned and executed the GSP service.

He was in town recently to talk to Endeavor’s Collaborators & Cocktails series about leadership and service excellence. Endeavor is a membership-based co-working community for independent companies and freelancers in the creative services field.

Before his speech, Ridley, a 63-yearold senior advisor to Southwest’s CEO, sat down to talk about the airplane's decision to fly to Greenville – and how Southwest would not have come to GSP if its May 2011 acquisition of AirTran had occurred earlier.

You were involved in the airline’s very early planning stages for Greenville and several folks in Greenville and several organizations lobbied you heavily. What tipped the scales for Greenville?

I was introduced to the Upstate in 2002 or 2003 when my second daughter went to Furman [University] and soon thereafter my elder daughter moved to Greenville. So in 2003, ’04 and ’05 I started coming over here. I became intrigued with the Upstate economy and the beauty and all the attraction.

I began having discussions with our planning department about using Greenville as a classic alternative airport that Southwest had built their system from 1971 around, whether it was Houston Hobby or Dallas Love Field or Burbank or Chicago Midway.

Through the first 30 years of Southwest,

Dave Ridley addressing Endeavor's Collaborators & Cocktails

that would be 1971 through 2001, we generally avoided hubs—Chicago O’Hare, Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta, even Charlotte. It was part of our strategy to do so.

When I got a sense of the Upstate economy – look at a map and you’re sitting here between Atlanta and Charlotte – and then being introduced to the GSP airport folks, they gave me all the stats about traffic being drawn away because of the high fares in Greenville. Hearing the horror stories from new acquaintances about getting stuck on the last flight of the day in Charlotte or Atlanta, the commuter flight that comes in and they cancel it and you have rent a car to get back on home that night, I was an advocate of Greenville as an alternative airport.

If you colored the states in which we had a presence, there was a big gap in Georgia and South Carolina. There was no Southwest presence. We were in Alabama. We were in Tennessee. We were in Raleigh-Durham. But Georgia and South Carolina—there’s nothing there.

Would you have come to Greenville had you known you were going to buy AirTran (whose principal hub was Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport)?

We would not have. It’s a story that

I’ve shared with Dave Edwards [GSP president and CEO]. Dave Edwards and I were actually comrades in arms back in ’06, ’07, ’08, ’09, ’10, trying to make Greenville happen. We were thrilled—I was because I thought it was a good thing for Southwest, a good strategy for Southwest to get in here.

I was an advocate inside Southwest, but not so foolish an advocate to do it for my benefit. I understood what was happening up here. But it clearly was driven by the alternative airport strategy to draw people from northern Atlanta and Athens and Charlotte and Asheville and have them come this way instead of driving to Atlanta and Charlotte.

We didn’t look for a subsidy. It was not a quid-pro-quo. It was wonderful evidence of community support. And it was impressive. They [Greenville civic and business leaders] did a really good job selling Southwest on this honorarium, on the support. We came in with seven flights a day and we actually did fine.

Now, you have three flights a day to Atlanta. Will that change?

I can’t predict the future. We have struggled to try to figure out how to make Greenville work, and believe me I looked at Greenville’s numbers all the time because I want it to work. Once

the impact of having our own low-fare brand in Charlotte and Atlanta [occurred], we just stopped drawing the number of bodies in Greenville.

Our network planning people are the ones who came up with this idea, not just for Greenville but also for other small cities that we had acquired from AirTran and had kept open. We’re going to go to, in effect, almost a hub strategy because we’ve built up in Atlanta. I think it’s doing OK. I have it on great authority that there’s no “Oh, gosh, Greenville is on the chopping block.”

Why is Charleston successful for Southwest?

Because Charleston has a brand on the East Coast. And it has a brand somewhat west of the Mississippi River.

Greenville does not. Charleston always had the leisure. Now they’ve got Boeing and a lot of technology things are happening down there. Boston, New York, Baltimore—they know Charleston.

Greenville has tried to build just basically on the business side. And that’s important for air travel. The business traveler is very important. But that leisure travel component tops things off. Greenville still has not created that brand outside this area.

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The Honor Foundation helps SEALs, special operators find jobs back home ANDREW MOORE | STAFF

amoore@communityjournals.com

Ty Hardee led more than 20 SEALs in 110 combat missions in Afghanistan. Photo provided by Ty Hardee

Spartanburg native Ty Hardee has spent the past two decades coordinating covert operations across the globe as well as developing training programs in South American jungles and managing multimillion-dollar military acquisitions. Now, the Navy SEAL intends to use his experiences to transition to the corporate world.

Hardee is one of three SEALs who networked with companies such as Amazon and ScanSource last Thursday in downtown Greenville. The event was hosted by The Honor Foundation to celebrate the opening of its employer network in Greenville.

The Honor Foundation (THF) is a San Diego-based nonprofit that offers career coaching and professional development classes to current and retired special operators to help them transition to their next job. THF also establishes employer networks in cities to help SEALs and other special operators connect with potential employers or find mentors within the business community. About 90 percent of THF graduates are Navy SEALs. While the SEALs are an elite group that strategizes and finds solutions in high-pressure situations, many operators have marketed their skills

only to law enforcement or security contracting, according to Joe Musselman, founder of The Honor Foundation.

Musselman, who was medically discharged from the SEALs in 2012, started THF in 2013 after surveying about 250 SEALs throughout multiple states. He found that the SEALs held about three jobs within the first five years after transitioning.

Musselman also learned that 13 percent of 200 SEALs who search for a full-time job two months before leaving the military received only one job offer. In addition, he found that 98 percent of 600 Wharton School MBA graduates who searched for a full-time job three months before graduation received between two and three job offers.

He added that many former special operators go from being “fearless to fear filled” when considering a transition, because they can’t figure out how to translate their skills to the corporate world. Many special operators choose to redeploy rather than transition.

From the battlefield to the boardroom

Hardee is all too familiar with that struggle. He considered leaving the

SEALs in 2012 after a stint in Australia, where he taught U.S. tactics to the Special Air Service Regiment.

Upon his return, Hardee tried to transition on his own.

“I did some research using Google but couldn’t figure out how to transition and be successful on my own after. I ended up not doing it,” Hardee said.

Discouraged, Hardee decided to deploy with SEAL Team Eight to Afghanistan, where he directed more than 20 SEALs in 110 combat missions. After two years, Hardee returned home and revisited the idea of transitioning out. He attended the annual SEAL Heritage Foundation symposium in Virginia and heard about The Honor Foundation.

Hardee was interested but unsure.

So he decided to switch to a management position and started to coordinate acquisitions for Naval Special Warfare Group Two. The job got him off the battlefield and into the office, where he could consider his options.

In 2016, Hardee found himself overseeing requirements planning and program development for Naval Special Warfare Group Two. Then Hardee committed to transitioning and enrolled at the THF East Coast

campus in June.

While there, Hardee spent about three months learning resume writing, entrepreneurship, networking and more. In late August, Hardee became one of the first graduates from the THF East Coast campus, which opened earlier this year in Virginia Beach, Va. “The entire program has been empowering,” said Hardee. “The one-on-one training has been so good for me. It really taught me what to expect from the corporate culture, which is just so different from what I knew. And that created a lot of frustration and uncertainty for me at the time. But now, I feel that the world is coming to my doorstep.”

Bringing SEALs to Greenville

Hardee’s journey, along with the struggle of countless other special operators, inspired John Sterling, CEO of Greenville-based warehouse management software company Foxfire, to become the official THF sponsor for Greenville.

Sterling’s son, Jack, is a transitioning SEAL and THF graduate. And after hearing about his son’s experiences at the nonprofit, Sterling visited THF in January. There, he met Musselman and urged him to start

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an employer network in Greenville.

“One of the things I learned is that getting out is harder than you think.

You’d think these elite guys would find a good job. But it’s not that easy,” said Sterling. “These are truly extraordinary people who deserve a chance to come to Greenville and work.”

distributor ScanSource. Hardee hopes to land a sales job in the area’s budding technology industry.

“In terms of running and shooting, that’s about 10 percent of what we do in the SEALs. We strategize in volatile and ambiguous environments. If you want someone who can solve

"SEALs are great for leadership roles in startups, because they are given an end objective, and they just accomplish their tasks. And startups believe in big, great things and have one end goal in mind."

Sterling convinced Musselman, and they started planning the opening of the nonprofit’s fourth employer network. Now, with the network established, Sterling and THF hope to employ 100 special operators in the Greenville area by 2020.

It could benefit businesses across the region. Since 2013, THF has graduated 101 former special operators from its program. Graduates are currently employed in various companies across the country, including Tesla Motors. The nonprofit also inspired the launch of eight early startups across the country that hired THF graduates.

“SEALs are great for leadership roles in startups, because they are given an end objective, and they just accomplish their tasks. And startups believe in big, great things and have one end goal in mind,” said Musselman. “It’s a perfect match.”

Also, former special operators are known for their connections to the Pentagon, which could open companies to contracts with the Department of Defense, said Musselman. Those benefits could be coming to Greenville soon. Musselman added that Greenville could have its first THF graduate in a couple of months.

The first SEAL in Greenville

That graduate could be Hardee, who has garnered interest from multiple companies in the area, including Greenville-based technology

problems in chaos, then a SEAL is who you want. There’s not an environment you can put us in and we fail,” said Hardee. “I get passionate about technology, like drones, electric cars and cloud management. That stuff is going to change the world.”

If Hardee does find a job in Greenville then it could create a “domino effect” and attract additional special operators to the area, said Musselman. But it could also help THF further establish its employer network in the area and establish an alumni chapter.

“Ty is the youngest 42-year-old you’ll meet. He’s a very talented guy who wants to be part of a rigorous team. I mean, he’s just so enthusiastic about the next phase of his life.

And he’s a slice of humble pie,” said Musselman. “I hope that whoever moves here can set up an alumni chapter that would allow these guys to connect and network together.”

In addition to networking, Hardee and other former SEALs participated in the first “trek” to Greenville. Since 2013, THF has arranged tours of cities and local companies for graduating members. The group toured North American Rescue, ScanSource and downtown Greenville. Sterling and THF are planning more trips for graduates.

For more information, visit thehonorfoundation.org

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Growler Haus plans new location in Village of West Greenville TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF

tanderson@communityjournals.com

Upstate-based

craft

beer

venture Growler Haus plans to open a new location in the Village of West Greenville.

Craig Kinley, who founded the concept in 2012 after spending two decades in the telecom industry, said he has signed an agreement for 2,400 square feet of indoor space and an 800-square-foot beer garden at Kinley has targeted the first quarter of 2017 for the location’s opening. It will be his company’s fourth addition to existing sites in Anderson, Fountain Inn and downtown Spartanburg.

Four to five new jobs will be created as a result of the announcement, Kinley said.

“We’re absolutely thrilled,” he said.

“The Village of West Greenville is an area that we’ve been looking at for some time. The energy and momentum in the community is something that we’re very excited to be a part of.”

Kinley has served as a vendor for events in the Village of West Greenville, a former textile mill community just outside downtown that has attracted a number of art galleries, retail shops, restaurants and other creative businesses in recent years.

“Up until the last couple months, the Village has had a lot of creative businesses, but not a lot of places for people to gather outside of Village-sponsored events,” said Katie Hughes, special events coordinator for the Village of West Greenville business association.

“This will add variety, provide another place for people to come after work and on the weekends, and make it easier for us to attract more vendors.”

Marshall Mahoney, a craft beer “Jedi” for Growler Haus who is helping to lead the expansion in the Village of West Greenville, said he believes the decision is a win for the community and the company.

“We have always been groundbreakers when it comes to craft beer in local communities,” Mahoney said, “so the fact that we are coming into an area that already has a love for craft beer and a passion for growth leaves us with endless possibilities with what we can accomplish in the next few years.”

In addition to the new location, Kinley said Growler Haus will be rolling out a few changes.

The first change will be the launch of a new menu on Sept. 1 at all Growler Haus stores. The menu features a selection of tapas items, paninis, flatbreads and desserts.

It will replace the company’s current food offering by Greenville-based Table 301 restaurant group’s Papi’s Tacos concept, which will exit Growler Haus locations in Spartanburg and Fountain Inn on Sept. 3.

Kinley said he and Carl Sobocinski, president and owner of Table 301, decided to end Papi’s run at Growler Haus so Table 301 could pursue new growth plans for the taco brand.

The change in food service means Growler Haus will no longer be open for lunch Monday through Thursday.

Instead, the locations will operate from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. on those days and from 11:30 a.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

It also will enable Kinley to hire two to three more employees at each location to operate the food service portion of the business.

Kinley is exploring some other growth opportunities for the company.

He said he sees potential in Newberry County and a few other counties in the Upstate.

The owner has also started working with a firm to develop a strategy for franchising Growler Haus by 2017 or 2018 and adding another 12 to 15 stores.

“I’m very excited about where we’re heading,” Kinley said. “Right now we’re focusing on fine tuning our model, picking a community we want to go into and then picking the right partners to make that happen.”

Growler Haus, which has locations in Anderson, Fountain Inn and Spartanburg, will open in the Village of West Greenville in early 2017.

Lois Ave.

Pendleton St

Village Studios & Gallery

For more information, visit growlerhaus.com.

Marshall Mahoney, who is helping Growler Haus expand in the Village of West Greenville

Village Grind

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| INVESTMENT / EMPLOYMENT | 9

NEXT to host venture pitch event Anyone Home Inc. ENGAGE launching new center

EMILY PIETRAS | ASSOCIATE EDITOR

epietras@communityjournals.com

Upstate business and community leaders, entrepreneurs and angel investors will want to mark their calendars for NEXT’s venture pitch event on Thursday, Sept. 22.

NEXT has been recruiting venture capital to Greenville for the past five years through smaller private events, dinners and meetings, but this will be the first year the company hosts this particular event format. “This year we wanted to create more of an entrepreneur ecosystem to be involved,” says NEXT CEO John Moore. By making the event more inclusive to this network, attendees will have new opportunities to create connections. “We wanted to open it up while [venture capitalists] were here to show them the power of the ecosystem,” adds Moore.

Attendees will hear live pitches from six small, innovative companies. The pitches will last eight to 10 minutes and will be followed by a Q&A session. After company pitches, venture capitalists from the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast will take part in an "Insider’s View of

SEPT

22

NEXT Venture Pitch Event

Thursday, Sept. 22, 1:30-6pm One Auditorium, 2 W. Washington St., Second Floor Cost: $50

Venture Capital” panel to provide insight and discuss trends in venture capitalism.

Many of the panelists have not spent extensive time in Greenville, nor have they “been exposed to the entrepreneurial ecosystem here,” says Moore.

Additionally, two top local entrepreneurs, Peter Barth of coding school The Iron Yard and Shay Houser of channel-only cloud technology solutions provider Green Cloud Technologies, are scheduled to speak. “They are examples of world-class companies that have started here,” says Moore. “They’re examples of success coming from Greenville and the Upstate.”

To close out the evening, there will be a networking hour with investors and innovators from 5 to 6 p.m.

DAVID DYKES | STAFF

ddykes@communityjournals.com

Anyone Home Inc., a contact center and management tool for single-family rental housing, is launching new operations in Greenville County, with $1.1 million in new capital investment leading to the creation of more than 570 jobs over the next five years, state and county economic development officials said.

The firm processes leasing calls, service requests and emergency dispatches.

"We're excited to welcome Anyone Home to the South Carolina family and celebrate their decision to do business in our state,” said Gov. Nikki Haley. “By creating more than 570 new jobs in Greenville County, Anyone Home is making a commitment to the entire Upstate community that will make a real difference in the lives of South

Carolinians, and we couldn't be more grateful for that."

Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt called the job announcement a milestone for the county and “our entire Upstate region.”

"Anyone Home is the newest member of Greenville's growing customer service industry. The company's technology enables us to experience residential and prospect management all in a call center environment. Greenville County welcomes Anyone Home to our community," said Greenville County Council Chairman Bob Taylor.

Hiring is expected to begin immediately.

The firm’s plans were announced by the Greenville Area Development Corp., a nonprofit organization established by Greenville County Council to promote and enhance the county’s economic growth and development.

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09.02.2016

Restaurateur brings Downtown Deli & Donuts to Spartanburg TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF

tanderson@communityjournals.com

Downtown Spartanburg has a new restaurant.

Local restaurateur Elizabeth Evans opened Downtown Deli & Donuts on Monday in the Bijou building at 147 E. Main St. The eatery will serve a variety of vibrant and healthy breakfast dishes, a lunch menu chock full of fresh and wholesome entrees and, of course, gourmet donuts.

“A few months ago, I started obsessing about donuts,” said Evans, who co-owns Archived Clothing with her daughter, Kate Evans, in the same building as her new venture. “In June, I decided I wanted to do Downtown Donuts. But it was one of those things where the dominoes just kept falling.

I thought as long as I’m doing donuts, I might as well do quiche, and so on and so forth until I arrived at the final concept.”

Evans, who formerly owned Elizabeth's Café & Catering off Kennedy Street, said she wasn’t really sure if she wanted to run another restaurant after a hiatus from the business.

“I didn’t think I had another restaurant in me,” she said. “This one just kind of appeared. Some people might call that God. I do.”

Downtown Deli & Donuts will serve breakfast from 7:30 to 11 a.m. and lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. From 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. customers can choose from options on the eatery’s to-go menu, including salads and sandwiches.

Evans said she will have two employees who will deliver meals to

businesses and other locations downtown.

The breakfast menu features a range of sandwiches, bagels, a “quiche of the day” and a selection of sides.

For lunch, customers can choose from a selection of salads, a quiche or soup of the day, sandwiches, burgers and veggie burgers. Evans said she will have several gluten-free and healthy choices on the menu, as well as coffee. Diners with a sweet tooth might want to get there early. Evans said she will sell donuts each day until she is all sold out.

The restaurant will have seating for 40 inside and café-style seating in the Bijou building’s main corridor. It will also offer free Wi-Fi. “I think it’s going to be a lot of fun,” Evans said. “This will be the second food option to open recently on East Main Street in addition to Hub City Scoops. I think it’s going to be good for this end of downtown.”

For information call 864-707-5585, or visit dowtowndelianddonuts.com.

RJ Rockers raises prostate cancer awareness with bottle caps TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF

tanderson@communityjournals.com

On the list of topics guys like to talk about over beers with their friends, prostate health ranks near the bottom.

But Spartanburg-based RJ Rockers Brewing Co. hopes to get men discussing the issue during September, which is national Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

RJ Rockers and more than 40 other craft brewers across the country will participate in the nonprofit Pints for Prostates’ “Crowns for a Cure” campaign.

The campaign allows companies to swap their regular beer caps —referred to as “crowns” in the industry — for caps with messages that encourage men to learn more about the importance of regular health screenings.

RJ Rockers is the only brewery in South Carolina partaking in the campaign this year.

“Reaching Americans through Crowns for a Cure and the universal language of beer is something that we at RJ Rockers are very proud and honored to be a part of,” said Taylor

White, head brewer at RJ Rockers.

“Craft beer customers are curious and creative. They’re the type that will pop the cap and take the Pints for Prostates mission seriously.”

Pints for Prostates, founded in 2008 by prostate cancer survivor and beer writer Rick Lyke, said it has distributed more than 1.6 million bottle caps this year.

Each participating brewery will use the caps in bottling runs and distribute the beer to retail accounts next month.

“We are partnering with some great breweries to put a reminder in the hands of men to take charge of their health,” said Lyke in a statement.

“After a successful trial of the program in 2015, we know these bottle caps will start thousands of conversations and encourage guys to talk with their doctors about scheduling health screenings.”

RJ Rockers spokeswoman Kate White said the local brewer will distribute about 30,000 of the specially crowned bottles during the month.

“We are thrilled to be a part of Pints

for Prostates and Crowns for a Cure,” she said. “While this is our first year of involvement, we look forward to a long-lasting partnership to ensure we get these beers into the hands of men all over the Southeast.”

Homebrewers can also take part in the campaign by ordering caps from Northern Brewer, which partnered

with Pints for Prostates earlier this year on Homebrew Strong, an awareness building effort that includes a special brewing kit.

“If Pints for Prostates Crowns for a Cure reaches just one guy who benefits from a prostate health screening, then the effort will be a huge success,” Lyke added.

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| NONPROFIT / EDUCATION / MANUFACTURING | 11

Greenville Revitalization Corp. announces Monaghan Park partnership DAVID DYKES | STAFF

ddykes@communityjournals.com

The Greenville Revitalization Corporation said it received a $43,000 grant from the Greenville Textile Heritage Society and a letter of support from the Greenville Soil and Water Conservation District for the Textile Heritage Park project it is developing in the Monaghan Community.

The grant and letter of support cement its partnership with those organizations to build the park, GRC officials said.

Plans call for clearing the land once a permit is received from the Greenville County Land Development Office.

That is expected by the end of the month.

When completed, the park will

contain walking trails with alcoves dedicated to the history of individual mills, an event shelter, a recreation area, wildflowers and a neighborhood garden, and an outdoor classroom for study of the area’s natural wildlife and foliage.

To date, GRC has collected about one-third of the funds needed to complete the park and additional grants are pending, organization officials said.

“This is such a great example of what can happen when the public and private sectors work together to improve our county,” said Wil Brasington, GRC’s board chairman. “While our work to secure additional funding is not over, we can now begin the clearance of the land.”

“We are so excited that Greenville

will now have a lasting memorial to the great textile industry that once dominated the industrial climate of the entire upstate of South Carolina,” said Don Harkins, president of the Greenville Textile Heritage Society.

“This joint venture Monaghan Mill with GRC is a means to what was once a mere dream and now will become a reality.”

The Monaghan neighborhood is home to a productive urban wildlife habitat, including a small stream that runs along the side of the park and

flows into nearby Reedy River.

Soil and water conversation officials will donate signage along the stream to teach park goers about storm water, water quality, river ecology and other issues to raise awareness of and help protect Greenville’s waterways.

New senior services will be offered at Middle Tyger Community Center TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF

tanderson@communityjournals.com

Since its inception in 1998, Middle Tyger Community Center in Lyman has been a source of hope and support for children and families in Spartanburg County.

Andrea Moore, executive director of Middle Tyger Community Center, said the center at 84 Groce Road will

begin offering new services for people ages 60 and above in September.

Those services will include classes, workshops, group activities, transportation, information assistance, congregate dining and home meal delivery, as well as providing information on healthy aging and injury prevention.

The program is expected to initially serve 25 seniors, but officials said that number is anticipated to grow to

more than 200 during the next two years.

Officials said the initiative is a result of the combined efforts of the center and its partners, including the Spartanburg County Parks Department, Spartanburg Regional Foundation, the Appalachian Council of Governments and lieutenant governor’s office.

Spartanburg philanthropist Marsha Gibbs and state Rep. Rita Allison,

R-Spartanburg, have volunteered to lead a capital campaign that will raise additional funding for the center.

Moore said the funding, in addition to other grants, could be used to expand the center’s physical footprint and its services.

For more information, call 864-8045813, or visit middletyger.org.

BMW Scholars program expanding TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF

tanderson@communityjournals.com

Building the “Ultimate Driving Machine” requires the ultimate workforce. And Spartanburg County-based BMW Manufacturing Co. plans to take its associate training efforts to the next level.

The automaker confirmed last Monday it will expand its BMW Scholars program from 60 college students per year to 100. A new 10,000-squarefoot facility planned for the company’s 1,150-acre campus near Greer will

provide classroom space for the program, as well as all BMW associate training.

BMW Scholars, which gives students with hands-on experience in the plant while they earn their degrees, was launched in 2011. The program started with 35 scholars per year but has nearly doubled in size.

BMW Manufacturing Co. spokesman Steve Wilson said about 60 percent of the students who take part in the program are pursuing careers in mechatronics, which is a field that blends

mechanical and electric engineering, computer control and information technology.

According to site plans filed with the county, the South Carolina Ports Authority will construct the new building, which is being called the Customer Training Center.

The building will be on the Ports Authority’s property adjacent to the 60,000-square-foot Site Operations Center nearing completion at the southeast corner of the campus. Wilson said BMW has signed a usage agreement

with the Ports Authority for the building.

He said the Site Operations Center will open by the end of the year, but he did not know when the Customer Training Center would open.

A Ports Authority spokeswoman declined to comment on the construction.

Wilson said a majority of the plant’s technical training will continue to be done at at its Training and Development Center off Brockman-McClimon Road, just a short distance from its Associate Family Health Center.

12 | COVER |

GARY UNDERWOOD & COMPUTER DIRECT

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09.02.2016

Gary Underwood and Computer Direct Outlet prepare for the virtual reality boom ANDREW MOORE | STAFF

amoore@communityjournals.com

PHOTOS BY WILL CROOKS

“People get the idea that virtual reality is just gaming. And i “Nike uses it to design soccer cleats; the military uses it to train s Architects can walk through an entire complex that’s a digital replicatio

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09.02.2016

upstatebusinessjournal.com

ary Underwood’s wire-frame glasses, plaid shirt, khakis and humble demeanor are stomething of a mirage. He appears to be a simple man.

Truth be told he's anything but. Underwood, who is owner of Greenville’s Computer Direct Outlet, has a plan that could turn his small business into a virtual reality player.

For nearly two decades, Computer Direct Outlet, which is located just off Laurens Road, has thrived off computer sales and IT services for both residents and businesses. Now, Underwood has shifted his focus to the production of high-end computers that can support virtual reality, a market that shows immense promise despite its infancy.

Luckily, Underwood has already produced the technology.

In 2011, Underwood and his team of computer techs started designing a computer that could support high-end programs yet maintain speed and quality graphics. After three years of prototyping, Underwood released the Volta. It became a hit among architects, photographers, graphic designers and other professionals using high-end programs.

Customers can choose the processor and other components for their computer so that it fits their specific needs, whether that’s email or gaming. Underwood uses a numerical control machine to cut plastic molds, which are red and black, into a rectangular case. He then etches a signature lightning bolt logo onto the front panel. Then, technicians insert the processor and wiring into the casing and test each computer. Each computer requires about five days for full assembly and ranges from $1,500 to $7,000.

The Volta’s virtual reality capabilities have garnered positive reviews from multiple tech outlets. In April, Tom’s Guide issued the Volta an average quality rating of 11. Its closest competitors, Alienware X51 and Asus ROG G20CB, scored closer to a 6.

And with good reason. Underwood

GARY UNDERWOOD & COMPUTER DIRECT

expects to see boosted sales for the Volta as virtual reality becomes increasingly popular across the country.

Turning virtual reality into real money

Virtual reality (VR) is the creation of a three-dimensional, computer-generated environment that a person can interact with through the use of a headset, which features goggles and headphones, and a healthy dose of computer engineering. That headset combines 360degree visuals, a wide field of view and audio to achieve VR. The concept dates to at least 1968, when MIT computer-graphics researcher Ivan Sutherland presented his “head-mounted display,” a VR helmet so heavy that it need to be supported by a mechanical arm dangling from the ceiling. Throughout the ’80s and ’90s, companies tried to harness VR in smaller headsets, but the bulkiness didn’t appeal to customers. And so it seemed that VR was dead.

VR saw a revival as the smartphone and video game industries emerged as giants throughout the 2000s. Soon enough, computer engineer Lucky Palmer was able to harness VR in a commercially viable headset called Oculus Rift, which was purchased by Facebook Inc. for $2 billion. Oculus Rift was released in April.

But for all of its glory, the Oculus Rift is nothing without a computer system that can support its high-end graphics.

Facebook recommends that Oculus Rift owners use a Nvidia GeForce 970 or AMD Radeon 290 graphics card. Both cards are offered in the Volta. These cards provide the 90 frames per a second needed for VR. Anything less than that, and users could suffer from motion sickness due to delays in the screen’s responses to the user’s movements. A standard PC game runs at 30 frames per second. VR uses 90 frames per second on two video projections (one for each eye) to deliver the natural motion the brain needs to be convinced an image is real.

Not many computers can withstand the strain of VR. In fact, just 13 million PCs across the globe have the graphics

| COVER | 13

capabilities needed to run VR, according to an estimate by Nvidia, the largest maker of computer graphics chips. That means only 1 percent of 1.43 billion PCs can run VR, according to research firm Gartner.

“We’re not competing with many VR machines,” said Underwood. “There are other companies that make some good machines, but we’ve gotten solid reviews across the board. And those are the moments where you wonder, ‘Are we as good as we think we are?’ The reviews show that the Volta is one of the best.”

Underwood and other high-end computer manufacturers could reap the benefits as the VR industry is expected to boom throughout the next couple of years.

According to data published by Manatt Digital Media, VR sales are expected to hit $30 billion by 2020. Those sales are going to stem mainly from video games and hardware, including high-end computer systems such as the Volta. The Consumer Technology Association estimates the sale of 1.2 million VR units in 2016.

While VR shows promise, Underwood continues to market the Volta as a machine that can do it all. Various professionals, including architects and engineers, use the computers for CAD programs. So far, most of its sales have remained in the Upstate.

“I want to reach everybody that needs a machine like this. So yes, I’d like to see sales go across the country,” said Underwood. “But my first priority is my customers. I have a lot of customers and businesses that buy servers and desktops from me. They also count on us to be there for whatever technology improvement or solution they need. We’re their in-house IT group. I don’t think we’ll abandon that for the Volta brand.”

The man behind the machine

Underwood has spent decades as a computer guy, but he didn’t always know the difference between a solid-state drive and hard drive.

Underwood received an engineering degree from the University of Missouri at Rolla (now Missouri University of Science and Technology) in 1979. He got

it is to some degree. But it’s also business,” said Underwood. soldiers; the nuclear reactor industry uses it for safety training. on of their building and look for fatal flaws. This is just the beginning.”

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UBJ

GARY UNDERWOOD & COMPUTER DIRECT

“It’s not about treating someone the way you want to be treated,” said Underwood. “It’s about treating them the way they want to be treated. So for us, it’s really about providing a great experience and giving customers the products and services they want and need.”

That concept led to the creation of Computer Direct Business (CDB), a division of CDO that focuses on customer relations and marketing. It also inspired him to create.

“I had always known we made great computers. In the past, we had just assembled computers, making sure the parts were compatible,” said Underwood. “We wanted something we could call our own and something that could fit the needs of the user.”

As Underwood and his team of computer techs continued to build and test prototypes of the Volta, CDO continued to change with the industry. Soon enough, CDO was replacing touch screens and other smartphone components.

The future of computing

The Volta is outfitted with a NVIDIA GeForce GTX, which is one of few graphics cards that supports virtual reality.

his first job at Reynolds Aluminum in Little Rock, Ark., where he designed and developed surface mines in various countries, including Jamaica and Haiti.

Underwood returned to Texas in 1983 to design and develop lignite (an early form of coal) mines for the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) in Austin. In 1992, he graduated with an MBA from the University of Texas, with hopes of one day becoming an entrepreneur like his father, who owned a service station.

In 1995, Underwood’s lignite mining operation was canceled. He became the manager for the company’s fuel and energy services, where he and a team ran an energy price risk management program for natural gas, crude oil and fuel oil using NYMEX futures and options. He started marketing energy for the LRCA until 1996, when he left for a business development job with Pan Canadian.

But the new job wasn’t enough to keep his mind off being his own boss.

“I really wanted to be part of a small business, to do something different and be part of it. So I started looking at my connections and found a friend who had started Computer Direct Outlet in Greenville. So I packed my bags in ’98 and didn’t look back. But the transition was very difficult, because I didn’t have a background in technology.”

While managing the store, Underwood started training under fellow employees to understand the technology side of the business. He learned quickly. Computer Direct Outlet (CDO) became a go-to store for custom computers and parts, as well as IT services such as software updates and data recovery.

Underwood soon became the CEO and later purchased Computer Direct Outlet t in 2010. The business saw a boom, and in 2011, CDO repaired more than 3,000 computers and sold more than 600 custom computers.

Just as the industry changed and business grew, Underwood started to put a premium on customer service.

In 2013, Underwood adopted cloud storage – the storage of data on remote servers accessed through the Internet – and partnered with Utahbased company Storage Craft. CDO then released the Volta in 2014. It opened the door to sustainable practices.

The high-quality parts that are used in the Volta allow the computer to last between six and eight years, according to Underwood. That lifespan is important, as more than 20 million pounds of electronic waste is emitted each year, according to the EPA. “All of our products are made with sustainability in mind. We want it to be a wonderful world for our kids and

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09.02.2016

their kids. We try to teach our customers that they can upgrade their computers to last longer. I’m okay with them putting their hands inside the computer. I really don’t want them thrown in the dumpster,” Underwood said.

When a computer or other product reaches the end of its lifespan, CDO collects it to re-purpose it or process it through licensed electronic recyclers. CDO also donates a portion of the electronic waste to charities and nonprofits, including Goodwill.

Underwood’s passion for sustainability fueled his newest creation.

CDO is set to release a computer that is the first of its kind – the Volta V. The computer will have a case made from sustainable woods, including maple, walnut and cherry. The computer will also be smaller than other models, measuring 21 inches long and 11 inches wide. It will also have four legs, allowing users to store their keyboards underneath.

In 2015, Underwood got the idea from his son and game designer, Ty, who wanted a smaller version of the standard Volta. Since then, the father-son duo has worked through five prototypes with computer techs. The computer, which can support VR and other high-end programs, will be released later this year. A price hasn’t been determined.

“We wanted to build a highly sustainable computer with a very small footprint that our customers would be very proud of and one that would never go out of style,” said Underwood. “Ty is a very talented, creative person who thinks big.”

For more information, visit computerdirectoutlet.com.

Computer Direct Outlet offers free virtual reality demos during business hours, allowing residents to ride roller coasters or swim amongst sharks.

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upstatebusinessjournal.com

REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF

| SQUARE FEET | 15

tanderson@communityjournals.com

Development agreement for Montgomery Building moves forward

We like to call it “meat ‘n’ greet”.

Get your all-inclusive tickets now.

The Montgomery Building

Spartanburg City Council approved the first reading of a development agreement last Monday, Aug. 22, a move that is expected to pave the way for a $25 million renovation of the historic Montgomery Building downtown.

Councilmembers voted unanimously in favor of the agreement between the city and Greenville-based developer BF Spartanburg.

The developer’s plan includes a full restoration and redevelopment of the 92-year-old office building into a mixed-use high-rise structure that will include 72 apartments, 9,000 square feet of office space and 9,500 square feet for dining and retail.

James Bakker, principal of BF Spartanburg, said work on the building is expected to begin in January.

“It feels great,” Bakker said. “We’re very thankful for city council’s support. We worked very hard with city staff on the details of the agreement and we’re very grateful for their work as well. This is a huge step in

the right direction.”

According to the building’s historic places registration, it was built in 1924 by the Montgomery family, who were prominent in the local textile manufacturing industry, and designed by Lockwood Greene.

During its lifespan, the 10-story building has supported a variety of office tenants, including BMW Manufacturing Co., which set up space on the top floors while its plant off Highway 101 was under construction.

For the past two decades, however, the building has continued to slowly crumble and decay.

Several proposals to save the site failed to materialize into anything tangible, and local leaders feared the worst for the iconic landmark. They said BF Spartanburg’s plan offers the building a bright future and are hopeful it will bring new momentum to downtown.

“The redevelopment of the Montgomery Building promises to be a next-level catalyst for downtown

Spartanburg,” said Will Rothschild, a spokesman for the city of Spartanburg. “Tonight’s initial approval of a development agreement was an important step in the midst of an ongoing surge of investment and development in downtown.”

Per the agreement, the city would provide 140 parking spaces at the St. John Street parking garage next door at no cost for 10 years and invest up to $750,000 to connect the parking garage and Montgomery Building with an attractive pedestrian-oriented plaza.

The city would also reconstruct the sidewalks and streetscape around the Montgomery Building, enable the project to benefit from the Special Property Tax Assessment for Rehabilitated Historic Property, and convey a 0.041-acre remnant parcel to the developer for $1 to enable the construction of the new mixed-use building, which will be taxed at common prevailing rates.

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UBJ

WHAT ’S NEXT FOR THE UPSTATE, AND HOW WE’LL GET THERE

Just like you…

We get the job done.

Upstate Ten at the Top summit continues building regional partnerships

Chairman, Ten at the Top

Recognizing the importance of

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09.02.2016

Stronger Together

By HANK MCCULLOUGH

Join our roster of satisfied professionals.

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partnerships and cultivate opportunities to impact these larger issues.

Since 2010, TATT has conducted nearly 600 “regional engagements,” bringing together representatives from hundreds of Upstate organizations to build regional trust and understanding, discuss cross-jurisdictional issues and build collaborative opportunities.

Regardless of whether you have been engaged in any of those previous opportunities, I hope you will join us on Sept. 13 for the Upstate Regional Summit. This event is a great opportunity to meet others from across the Upstate who have the goal of making this region a leading place for all residents to live, learn, do business and raise a family.

Held every other year, more than 800 Upstate leaders attended the 2014 event, and we anticipate another capacity crowd this year.

creating regular regional dialogue and a mechanism for collaboration across the Upstate, roughly 300 Upstate leaders gathered in 2005 under the premise of “Upstate Together: Growing by Choice or Chance?”

That initial discussion and additional efforts eventually led to the creation of Ten at the Top. Since being formalized in 2009, TATT has developed into a vital organization for cultivating discussion, collaboration and partnerships around issues that impact the entire Upstate region.

The premise that we are all working on similar issues and therefore need to grow our understanding of each other, identify opportunities to leverage resources and create collaborative partnerships is arguably even more critical today than it was a decade ago.

Over the last decade, our region has withstood a major ENGAGE economic downturn and in many ways is flourishing. Whether Ten at the Top 2016 SEPT driving through Spartanburg, Upstate Summit Greenville, Anderson, Walhalla, Clinton, Gaffney, Greer or a Tuesday, Sept. 13, 8:50 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. number of other Upstate comTD Center, Greenville munities, it is easy to see that Tickets: $35-$50 many across our region have tenatthetop.org/2016-regional-summit worked hard to make their communities better.

However, whether it be transportaThe theme for the 2016 Summit is tion (moving people and goods from “Creating a Leading Region.” The place to place), workforce and skill summit will include several sessions development, air and water quality, with executives and community land use, child well-being, senior leaders discussing how we can continneeds, local community vibrancy or ue to collaboratively address the many other areas, our region still has challenges and opportunities facing challenges that are beyond the ability the Upstate. The program will culmiof one community, organization or nate with a keynote luncheon featurbusiness to fix. They must, at least in ing Geoff Colvin, the senior editor part, be addressed collaboratively. at-large for Fortune magazine. He While TATT is not charged with annually compiles Fortune’s Global managing programs that directly Top 50 Leaders List and will provide address those cross-jurisdictional a unique insight into the characterisissues, it has spent the last seven years tics of a successful leader. serving the valuable role of convening I hope you will join us on Sept. 13, key stakeholders to grow their awareas it is when we work together as a ness and understanding of our chalregion that we are stronger. lenges and opportunities, build cross-jurisdictional and cross-sector

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upstatebusinessjournal.com

MOVERS, SHAKERS AND DISRUP TORS SHAPING OUR FUTURE

| INNOVATE | 17

Collisions are the key to entrepreneurial growth

By JOHN M. MOORE CEO, NEXT Upstate, LLC

Communities like ours are quickly coming to realize that their economic vitality requires a new approach to economic development, complementary to traditional strategies, that emphasizes high-impact entrepreneurship, which produces incremental new jobs today while creating community-building wealth over the long-term. Attracting and enabling innovative entrepreneurs requires the creation of many important community assets collectively referred to as the supportive ecosystem, including specialized types of capital, talent and facilities.

The most visible facets of the ecosystem, like targeted facilities, garner most of the community attention and support. Locally, the three NEXT-branded facilities are some of most recognized pieces of our entrepreneur landscape and have been important not only in providing much-needed specialized work spaces for startups but also in getting the community’s attention and making an otherwise intangible entrepreneurial movement tangible. Beyond facilities, other higher-profile elements are thriving here, like the Upstate Carolina Angel Network and Clemson University’s Spiro Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, just to name a few. These organizations, and the critical roles they play relative to capital formation and talent development, are now receiving the broader recognition they deserve in developing entrepreneurial success here.

In contrast to facilities, capital and talent, perhaps the most important element of a thriving entrepreneur ecosystem is harder to recognize and tends to be left off the list when building the entrepreneur recipe for success. The missing ingredient is often generating connections or as others have coined it – creating collisions. Let me explain.

In the realm of innovators, entrepreneurs, talent and such, much of daily life happens in silos where each operates. Innovators are busy re-

searching and experimenting in the laboratory – virtual or literal.

Entrepreneurs have their head down trying to conceive new business approaches for bringing innovations to market. And talent is focused on finishing their degree or latest internship project.

Yet entrepreneurial success requires all of those aspects to be combined in order to be successful, hence the importance of creating collisions/interactions across the various ecosystem elements or silos. This keeps the entrepreneur from operating in a virtual vacuum. Collisions are the key to entrepreneurial growth.

Individually, these programs may seem small, but collectively they are the foundation on which thriving startups are built.

While it’s true that there is some level of natural mixing that takes place in the startup world, it’s never enough.

Thriving ecosystems require entrepreneurs to connect regularly with investors, future team members, specialized service providers and other entrepreneurs. Highly functioning startup communities create sustainable vehicles for driving collisions across all these populations. It’s during these collisions that the real magic happens — ideas become companies, companies find funding, founders find talent and entrepreneurs learn from other entrepreneurs. It’s where people connect for mutual benefit and create something much stronger than could be created on their own.

Though less visible or measurable than other elements in the ecosystem, the art and science of creating strategic collisions is really the foundation of all long-term success.

Today, there are numerous collision-generating efforts helping drive success in the Greenville/Upstate area.

Here are just a few:

• NEXT CEO Network – Through founder-only monthly meetings, high-impact entrepreneurs from around the Upstate connect to share startup operating tips and practices while building working relationships across ventures.

• Technically A Coffee – Local startups demo their products to the Greenville Startup Community, who give feedback, beta test the products or sign up as customers.

• GSATC Events – The Greenville Spartanburg Anderson Technology Council holds a monthly Learning Lunch and Tech After 5 networking event that mixes tech talent and business leaders.

• Meetup Groups – A variety of independent groups like Women Who Code, Greenville SC Makers, Code for Greenville and the Greenville Python Group meet regularly to exchange ideas and build connections.

Lastly, a new collision-centric effort launches on Sept. 22, as the first annual Venture Pitch event will be held in downtown Greenville combining founders, investors, service providers, students and more to hear live company pitches, engage with venture capital investors and hear from the founders of successful local startups, The Iron Yard and Green Cloud Technologies. Venture Pitch is designed to drive collisions within our ecosystem and with external investors visiting our community for the first time.

Creating collisions is the foundation of all entrepreneurial development efforts. If you wish to help grow more globally impactful companies here, one of the most important things you can do is to learn more about the various collision-inducing programs, spread the word about them and carve out time to participate. Individually, these programs may seem small, but collectively they are the foundation on which thriving startups are built.

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18 | WORKING WELL |

UBJ

GOOD HEALTH IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS

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09.02.2016

Conscious Leadership Changing a culture by inviting self-awareness others are operating from their own frame of referGHS Academy of Leadership ence and personality and Professional Development characteristics. And conscious leaders and At Greenville Health System, we teams work together and recognize there is a strong business make decisions mindful of what needs case for developing emotional and to get done, as well as how it’s getting social intelligence in the workplace. We accomplished. have an opportunity to build stronger, At GHS, much of this work has more nimble teams by inviting our focused on developing our leadership employees to develop and flex their and management teams. However, self-awareness muscles. When we more and more, we are helping leaders become more aware of how we “show incorporate these principles throughup” in the workplace, we can bring our out their departments by offering best to our patients, customers and simple tools designed to facilitate coworkers. conversations about core concepts with While we extend this invitation in a front-line staff. The GHS Academy of myriad of ways, all of what we do falls Leadership and Professional Developunder a leadership philosophy we call ment staff offers support to leaders and “conscious leadership” and “conscious teams to incorporate these concepts professionalism.” At the most basic into staff meetings and individual and level, conscious leaders are aware of group practices the particular characteristics of their Current leaders are also offered personality and the impact they have additional learning via quarterly on others. They also recognize that Leadership Development Retreats

By F. RENEE ALEXANDER

(LDRs) and monthly Leadership Grand Rounds lectures. In addition, we incorporate these ideas into other leadership and professional development programs such as our Coaching Partnerships program designed to connect selected managers with a learning partner to hone leadership skills and enhance self-awareness. Aspiring leaders are exposed to these ideas though our Emerging Leaders Program. Even brand-new GHS employees learn about these principles during their first days on the job at New Employee Orientation.

Growing in self-awareness invites each person to take “healthy responsibility” for his or her own personal health, ultimately impacting both team and business functions. When individuals are healthier, teams experience lower medical costs and reduced absenteeism within departments and units. At GHS, we are using the foundation of self-awareness to enable us to reach our vision of transforming

ENGAGE SEPT

15

LiveWell at Work Fall Forum

Thurs., Sept. 15, 11:45 am-1:45pm Wyche’s Annex 200 E. Camperdown Way, Greenville fallhealthyworkplaceforum.eventbrite.com

health care. Such a strong foundation puts the focus of accountability on each employee within the System to do his or her part to be involved. As we strengthen our work units, the entire organization is better able to fulfil our mission. This model is being replicated as GHS promotes our Business Health function in the community. We see more and more businesses building on individual self-awareness to eventually create healthier organizations.

Learn more about the information and tools presented in this article at academy.ghs.org.

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Greenville Chamber accepts applicants for ATHENA award The Greenville Chamber is now accepting nominations through Sept. 9 for the ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award to be presented at the fourth annual ATHENA Leadership Symposium on Nov. 7.

The ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award is presented annually to an organization for supporting and developing women leaders.

To be considered for the award, investor organizations must have initiatives dedicated to creating cultures that encourage women employees to achieve their full leadership potential, or that give back to the larger community of women by providing or supporting leadership development opportunities and initiatives.

Both nonprofit and for-profit Greenville Chamber Investors are eligible. The 2016 award will be presented at the symposium, held at the TD Convention Center with keynote speaker Susan Story, CEO and President of American Water Works Company. Story will address the topic of advancing women’s leadership.

Clemson to host first construction industry conference in Charlotte Clemson University is hosting the inaugural construction symposium in Charlotte to provide valuable knowledge and perspective from leading experts about critical issues affecting the industry now and insight into anticipated changes.

“The Ever-changing World of Construction: Today’s Challenges, Tomorrow’s Opportunities,” offered by Clemson’s construction science and management department, is scheduled for Oct. 18 at Le Meridien Hotel in Charlotte.

The event is expected to draw attendees from across the region.

“This centrally-located, regional event fills a void left by typical construction industry summits,” said Roger Liska, professor and chair of Clemson’s construction science and management department. “Our information-packed agenda offers a significant amount of construction industry-related ‘intelligence,’ presented and discussed by industry leaders in one place on one day.”

Morning and afternoon keynote addresses will be followed by a panel discussion led by industry experts on issues impacting the construction industry today with special focus on the future.

This new symposium was developed by Clemson’s construction science and management corporate partners and industry advisory board, with support from several leading construction industry associations.

Early registration discounts are available through Sept. 2. Visit the Clemson Marketplace to register.

Greenville Home Builder honored for innovation Two of Greenville builder Addison Homes’ projects earned 2016 Housing Innovation Awards from the U.S. Department of Energy. Addison Homes won in both the Innovation in Custom Homes (For Buyer) and Innovation in Custom Homes (Spec) categories.

Addison Home is among 34 builders who were honored for innovation in five categories: Affordable Homes, Multifamily Homes, Production Homes, Custom Homes (For Buyer) and Custom Homes (Spec). Grand winners in each catego-

BUSINESS BRIEFS YOU CAN’ T MISS

| THE FINE PRINT | 19

ry will be announced at the 2016 Housing Innovation Awards Ceremony on Sept. 27 during the Energy and Environmental Building Alliance Excellence in Building Conference in Dallas.

“Housing Innovation Award winners such as Addison Homes are leading a major housing industry transformation to Zero Energy Ready Homes,” said Sam Rashkin, chief architect at the DOE’s Building Technologies Office. “This level of performance is the home of the future because it improves the way Americans live by substantially reducing or eliminating utility bills, ensuring engineered comfort way beyond traditional homes, protecting health with a comprehensive package of indoor air quality measures and helping maximize the largest investment of a lifetime.”

Both of Addison’s HIA-winning projects are located in Trailside, Greenville’s first all-solar community where every new home qualifies for the Zero Energy Ready Home label.

Foundation to honor those who help develop Greenville’s skilled workforce Greenville Tech Foundation will host the 2016 Workforce Development Salute on Oct. 27. The event emphasizes the importance of developing a skilled labor pool for Greenville’s growing business economy and will honor local leaders for their significant contributions toward that effort. The 2016 honorees are John I. Smith Charities, former Simpsonville mayor Ralph Hendricks and T&S Brass and Bronze Works Inc. “This year’s honorees have made a significant impact on the development of a skilled workforce in the Greenville community,” said Bob Howard, president of the Greenville Tech Foundation. “Without education, we stop growing and will wither on the vine. Not only will this event recognize the outstanding efforts from community members, but it will also help fund scholarships and other critical needs of Greenville Technical College.”

John I. Smith Charities has supported Greenville Tech for almost 20 years and most recently helped fund the creation of the Center for Manufacturing Innovation. Hendricks has given generously over the past two decades to support scholarships for students from the Golden Strip. T&S Brass and Bronze Works Inc. supports the College through a variety of efforts, including donated construction materials and awarding a scholarship to one student from every public high school in Greenville County each year.

For more information regarding event sponsorships or tickets to the event, visit www.workforcedevelopmentsalute.org.

New Smart Store offers free wireless workshops The new Easley Verizon Wireless Smart Store, located at 4867 Calhoun Memorial Highway, is offering a variety of free wireless workshops for customers of any wireless carrier to learn about the capabilities, applications and functions of their wireless devices. For a schedule of upcoming workshops, visit www.verizonwireless.com/workshops.

20 | NEW TO THE STREET / SOCIAL SNAPSHOT |

THE FRESHEST FACES ON THE BUSINESS LANDSCAPE

UBJ

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09.02.2016

Open for business 1

2

1. The Art Haven, owned by Susan Wilson and Rebecca Zane, celebrated its opening in Mauldin Cultural Center, 101 E. Butler Road, Mauldin, on Aug. 19.

Photo provided

2. Marshall Orthodontics recently opened at 551 Harrison Bridge Road, Simpsonville. Staff members are Dr. William Marshall; Kaylin Laskowski, marketing coordinator; Caralee Culpepper, office coordinator; and Kelsey Harris, orthodontic assistant.

Photo provided

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

30 YEARS OF TOURING SPORT Touring Sport on Laurens Road in Greenville recently celebrated 30 years in business with a customer appreciation event.

CONTRIBUTE: Got high-resolution photos of your networking or social events? Send photos and information for consideration to events@upstatebusinessjournal.com.

09.02.2016

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upstatebusinessjournal.com

HIRED

PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS

| ON THE MOVE | 21

HIRED

KRISTY THOMPSON

MELODY LANE

Named Addison Homes’ construction superintendent. Thompson holds a bachelor’s degree from Clemson University and is a member of Construction Honors Fraternity Sigma Lambda Chi.

Named Addison Homes’ accounting manager. A graduate of GardnerWebb University, she earned a bachelor’s degree in piano performance and holds professional accounting credentials such as AIPB Certified Bookkeeper and QuickBooks ProAdvisor.

HONORED

PROMOTED

CAPTURING STORIES IN MOTION IS VITALLY

JAMES W. “JIM” BANNISTER

ALYSSA BARKLEY

Named a Fellow of the American Board of Criminal Lawyers (ABCL).

Bannister is a managing partner of Bannister, Wyatt & Stalvey LLC. ABCL is an exclusive national legal honorary society for outstanding criminal trial attorneys. Bannister is only the fourth attorney in South Carolina, and the first from Greenville, to be accepted into the society.

Named Liquid Catering’s marketing and graphic design coordinator.

Barkley is a graduate of Cedarville University where she was a member of the volleyball team and was named to the dean’s list for the past three years. She started with Liquid Catering as an intern before being promoted to her new position in August.

LEADERSHIP

LAW

Dennis Raines was named one of 43 leaders from across the Upstate and surrounding areas to participate in the 22nd Upstate class of the Riley Institute at Furman’s Diversity Leaders Initiative (DLI). Raines is mayor of Mauldin.

Wade E. Ballard, S. Clay Keim and Thomas H. Keim, Jr. were named to 2017 Best Lawyers in America by their peers. They are all attorneys in FordHarrison LLP’s Spartanburg office.

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

IMPORTANT.

i p s o ki n e tic .co m

22 | #TRENDING |

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INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

OVERHEARD @ THE WATERCOOLER

> Stewart Stenger “So cool to see this coming to the Village and excited to be a part of it.” > Erica Brown “Fantastic, Craig Kinley!!!”

AUGUST 26, 2016

ROAST WITH THE MOST The mother-son teame at Paradox Coffe s aims to turn bean 14 into bucks - page

| VOL. 5 ISSUE 36

DIGITAL FLIPBOOK ARCHIVE >> The layout of print meets the convenience of the Web. Flip through the digital editions of any of our print issues, and see them all in one place. >> upstatebusinessjournal. com/past-issues

> @Carment Merritt “I totally spoke this into existence.

>> WEIGH IN @ THE UBJ EXCHANGE

> Miranda Parks “Uh oh...”

Got something to offer?

Get it off your chest.

> Jennifer Lipari Sanfilippo “This sounds awesome!! Can’t wait!”

We’re looking for expert guest bloggers from all industries to contribute to the UBJ Exchange. Send posts or blog ideas to dcar@communityjournals.com.

> Kimberly Bunnell “Super excited about this!”

RE: CHARLOTTE’S BRUNCH-CENTRIC TERRACE CAFÉ EYES GREENVILLE > Alicia Abrahams “yay a new brunch spot!!” > Cindy Terry “looks like another great place!” > MPIFBlog “Another new restaurant that’s not locally based. *sigh*”

>> CONNECT WITH US We’re great at networking.

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09.02.2016

BIZ BUZZ

Distilled commentary from UBJ readers

RE: GROWLER HAUS PLANS NEW LOCATION IN VILLAGE OF WEST GREENVILLE

|

RE: APPRENTICESHIPS PLAYING LARGER ROLE IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTH CAROLINA, NATION > HCCsdoc “HCC alum! Juniors, this can be you “NOW.” Ask your guidance counselor.” > @SenatorTimScott “Great article in @UpstateBiz on fast growing apprenticeships in SC - my #LEAPAct takes similar steps!”

RE: EU DEPUTY AMBASSADOR: BREXIT SHOULDN’T AFFECT TRADE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN US AND EUROPE > Eggs Up Grill “Well how about that!” > Great Greenville Homes by Bonita Choice the Realtor “Gsp is not the only thing in Greenville that is international! #yeahthatgreenville”

RE: SOUTHWEST EXEC DISCUSSES AIRLINE’S PAST AND FUTURE AT GSP > @BrandonDunbar “This is a great explanation of SWA’s past/ present/future @GSP @Redbeanrambling” > @jasonwrichards “Interesting perspective from @SouthwestAir on #Greenville and @GSPAirport”

The top 5 stories from the past week ranked by shareability score

>> 614 1. Growler Haus plans new location in Village of West Greenville

>> 550 2. Apprenticeships playing larger role in workforce development in South Carolina, nation

>> 267 3. Charlotte’s brunch-centric Terrace Café eyes Greenville

>> 240 4. Tech startup BANDWAGON launches online marketplace for sporting tickets

>> 132 5. Development agreement for downtown Spartanburg’s Montgomery Building moves forward

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DATE Tuesday

9/6

Tuesday

9/13 Monday

9/19

WHERE DO I GO?

HOW DO I GO?

Commerce Connect: The Impact of Greenville in the Spotlight – Growth & Development

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

Cost: Complimentary for members; $5 for guests RSVP: 232-5600

Clemson University MBA Info Session

Clemson One Building 1 N. Main Street, Greenville 5:30–7 p.m.

Cost: Free Register: bit.ly/mba-sept2016

Ten at the Top Upstate Regional Summit: Creating Leading Region

TD Convention Center 1 Exposition Drive, Greenville 7:45 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

More info: bit.ly/tattusummit-2016

Piedmont SCORE Basic Small Business Start-Up Workshop

NEXT Innovation Center 411 University Ridge, Greenville 6–8 p.m.

Cost: Free Register: bit.ly/bsbs-sept2016

NEXT Venture Pitch

ONE Auditorium 2 W. Washington St., Greenville 1:30–6 p.m.

Cost: $50 Register: bit.ly/next-venture-pitch

Thursday

9/22

| PLANNER | 23

EVENT INFO

Thursday

9/8

EVENTS YOU SHOULD HAVE ON YOUR CALENDAR

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

DIRECTOR OF EVENTS & ACCOUNT STRATEGY Kate Madden

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MARKETING & ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVES Nicole Greer, Jenny Hall, Donna Johnston, Annie Langston, Lindsay Oehmen, Emily Yepes

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

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

CoMMUnitY nit inVolVeMent nitY in olV inV olVe VeMent & boarD positions

OCTOBER 14 THE HOME BUSINESS ISSUE When your boss is the person in the mirror.

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

Kristy Adair | Michael Allen

NEW HIRES, PROMOTIONS, AND AWARDS:

Danielle Car

UBJ milestone

UBJ welcomes expert commentary from business leaders on timely news topics related to their specialties.

Guest columns run 700-800 words.

Contact managing editor Jerry Salley at jsalley@communityjournals.com to submit an article for consideration.

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UP NEXT SEPTEMBER 16 THE DESIGN ISSUE What will the workplace of tomorrow look like?

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

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