Spring 2016
Starring attraction Tourism industry pulls in billions for S.C. economy
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County Spotlight: Kershaw | Cities Mean Business | 2016 South Carolina Business Hall of Fame
Table of
CONTENTS TRENDING IN SOUTH CAROLINA
STARTS ON PAGE 14
TOURISM Mountains or beach? Or both? South Carolina’s natural attractions welcome millions of visitors every year.
15 Unique Places in S.C. 16 A place like home: Short-term rental sites influence tourism industry 20 One of a kind: Branding plays major role in destination marketing Edisto River Treehouses. (Photo/DiscoverSouthCarolina.com)
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CITIES MEAN BUSINESS Business-friendly efforts start to pay off
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DEPARTMENTS 6 Upfront 8 Spotlight: Kershaw County 22 S.C. Delivers
ABOUT THE COVER Hunting Island State Park once had a row of cabins along the shore. Erosion took most of them, leaving just the one pictured here by Lowcountry landscape photographer Delk Haigler. Passionate about the moments between sunset and sunrise, Haigler shares these special times daily on his Delk Haigler Photography page on Facebook. “Photography is not about taking beautiful pictures,” he says. “It is about feeling deep inside beautiful moments.”
From the
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Dear Reader,
EDITOR
What is it about Americans that sends us out on the road so often? Perhaps it goes back to our origins on the frontier. We are a nation of wanderers, an army of tourists. Here in South Carolina, we benefit mightily from this instinct. With so much natural beauty and history, we welcome thousands of visitors from all over the world each year. The impact on our economy is major: A study in 2014 found that travelers spent $11.5 billion in our state in 2013. And every $100,000 or so spent by those visitors means an additional job for South Carolinians. Our state is a paradise to visitors coming from chillier, more crowded and less hospitable climes. And we get to live here year-round! Read more about the impact of tourism and our unique attractions in these pages. We’ve also written about the effect of technology and the Internet, especially on lodging, and about the importance of branding a location to attract visitors. We have something new within SCBIZ this issue: a special magazine presenting the 2016 laureates of the S.C. Business Hall of Fame. This Licia Jackson award program of Junior Achievement of Greater South Carolina goes Editor, back to 1985, with many distinguished business leaders honored over the SCBIZ Magazine years. You’ll enjoy reading about this year’s honorees: Robert H. Chapman III, William B. Cox Sr. and Anita Zucker. Also inside is Cities Mean Business, the magazine of the Municipal Association of South Carolina. This is an especially lively issue, with articles on breweries and food trucks and on unusual ways to make cities more business-friendly. Speaking of attracting visitors, the county we spotlight this issue – Kershaw County – knows what it’s all about. Read about how they’ve combined their brand of “History, Horses and Hospitality” with industry incentives to feed an economic development boom. There’s one more article inside I’d like to mention. It’s the story of the arts incubator at Midlands Technical College’s Harbison Theatre in Columbia. If you’re a regular reader of SCBIZ, you know that we’ve often written about business accelerators that help entrepreneurs starting a service or software or product-based business. This is the first incubator we’ve come across that supports performing artists with funding and technical assistance. It’s a win-win for both the artist and Harbison Theatre. One final word: The next time someone from “away” stops to ask you directions, remember to show some good South Carolina hospitality. I know you will. Enjoy!
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UPFRONT regional news | data
Midlands Tech’s incubator smooths road for performing artists with funding, technical help By Licia Jackson, Editor
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he choreographer is energized by the dancers, the lights, the sound on the Harbison Theatre stage. He’s everywhere at once, leading stretching exercises here, perfecting movements there. Terrance Henderson, Columbia dancer and choreographer of national renown, is developing a new contemporary dance work with support from Midlands Technical College’s HT@MTC Performance Incubator. If Henderson were an entrepreneur with a high-tech startup, he might find more than one choice of incubator or business accelerator to help. As a performing artist developing a production, there’s not so much help available. Enter the HT@MTC Performance Incubator, in its fourth year of helping a different artist annually. This year, the incubator is providing support to Henderson as he develops a dance production, “Ruins.” “We’re trying to set up an infrastructure to give entrepreneurial skills and to set up a network,” said Katie Fox, executive director of Harbison Theatre. “We want to make it a viable option to be an artist based in South Carolina.” Henderson, who travels nationally and internationally as a professional artist, said he was in need of this opportunity. “I’m trying to be a professional artist based in this city but still be a part of the art world. This is the perfect opportunity of being able to produce work in the community and being set up to be able to take it elsewhere.” Here is how the Performance Incubator
Terrance Henderson, foreground, leads dancers, from left, Jonathan Smith, Monessa Salley and Elizabeth Howell in stretching before rehearsal. (Photo/Jeff Blake)
works: Once an artist is selected for the program, HT@MTC provides a technical team and a budget to develop and put on a show. “We say, here is a production schedule and deadlines,” Fox said. The dates are set cooperatively. The theater’s technical staff works on the set, lighting and sound. Experts are hired for projection and costumes. Theater staff also handle the marketing. And the production has its first performance at Harbison Theatre. This frees the artist to focus on creating. “We can say, you do what you do best,” Fox said. “This is unusual . . . it’s a one of a kind opportunity in the U.S.” Henderson is working on a major dance production, “Ruins,” with its debut set for Feb. 27 at Harbison Theatre. (For informa-
tion, www.harbisontheatre.org.) It focuses on the concept of legacy. Ancient cultures such as Egypt have left behind structures and ideas that have lasted 4,000 years, but the modern world does not seem to care much about legacy, Henderson said. He has been thinking about the creative work he will leave behind, and “Ruins” will explore that quest. Henderson has been the creative force behind Columbia’s Vibrations Dance Company for more than 10 years, serving as artistic director and principal choreographer. He also develops independent dance/ theater projects. A company member at Trustus Theatre in Columbia, Henderson choreographs, directs and performs in plays as well as teaching at ballet schools and serv-
FAST FACTS | TOURISM UPFRONT
ing as artist-in-residence at Logan Elementary School. “Ruins” will include three actor-singers and five dancers, one of whom Henderson taught as a Logan student. Other Performance Incubator graduates include jazz musician Mark Rapp and the band Lunch Money. Some of the performances they developed at Harbison Theatre are still touring. When the theater started the incubator, the staff had no idea there would be such demand for it, Fox said. They see it as a way to keep artists in South Carolina while bringing new works into Harbison Theatre’s performance schedule. Then they help the artists book their productions on a national touring schedule, which spreads the word about Columbia’s arts community. The incubator is supported by Midlands Tech, with outside sponsorships helping with performances. Ticket sales help, but Fox would like to see the incubator become an endowed program. Then Harbison Theatre could support two new shows a year, and rehabilitate another building for rehearsals and classes.
Top 10 S.C. counties visited in 2015 Rank/County 1. Horry 2. Charleston 3. Greenville 4. Richland 5. Beaufort 6. Florence 7. Lexington 8. Spartanburg 9. Orangeburg 10. York
Annual visitors 7,600,000 5,600,000 3,900,000 3,500,000 2,700,000 2,100,000 1,500,000 1,500,000 1,400,000 1,300,000
More dat a
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Source S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
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county spotlight
KERSHAW
This Camden neighborhood is one of many real estate options in Kershaw County. Below: The Carolina Cup is held every spring at the Springdale Race Course, a premier equine facility.
HISTORY, HORSES, HOSPITALITY AND THRIVING BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY By Jenny Peterson, Staff Writer | Photography by Kershaw County Economic Development Office
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onveniently located between the Midlands, Central and Pee Dee Regions of South Carolina is rapidly growing Kershaw County. Named for the region’s founder and earliest trade investor – Joseph Kershaw – the county has an aggressive economic development strategy that continues to attract business and industry, and today boasts an ever expanding tourism enterprise. At its heart is the city of Camden, established in 1791 and the oldest inland city in the state. The county seat, Camden is one of the top elite equestrian communities in the country, featuring a thriving equine industry built on more than 200 years of American tradition.
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Kershaw Coun by the numbersty Population................ .......................63,2 56 AFFORDABLE QU ALITY OF LIFE Median single-fami ly house........ $147 ,700 Average two-bedroo m monthly apartmen t rental........$500$650 Source: Kershaw Co unty Economic Development, 2014 data
COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: KERSHAW
The Haier America expansion in August 2015 brought Gov. Nikki Haley to Kershaw County.
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Lake Wateree adds outdoor appeal to the Kershaw County lifestyle with fishing, boating and camping. Boats line the dock at the Lake Wateree Sailing Club.
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Dotted with small communities, agricultural pasture lands, horse farms and a multitude of historic sites spanning three centuries, Kershaw County also has some of the regions’ most popular recreational attractions – Lake Wateree, the Wateree River and pristine wilderness areas. The South Carolina state dog, the Boykin Spaniel, was born and bred in Boykin, one of the small towns in Kershaw County. Throughout the county visitors encounter both Revolutionary and Civil War battle sites, exceptional museums, a variety of historic touring, shopping, and dining experiences all within 30 miles of the state capital. Alongside the historic homes and farms are a robust manufacturing sector and trained workforce that are growing and expanding. In 2015, Kershaw County saw over $200 million in investments and over 500 jobs created. Diverse national and international companies operate in Kershaw County, which is gaining attention for its combination of Special Advertising Section
affordability, quality of life and businessfriendly incentives.
Open for business Kershaw County is steeped in manufacturing history, with the textile industry as the backbone of the community in the 1950s. Many of the county’s original textile mills have been updated and are still in use. INVISTA, which manufactures nylon fibers for the flooring industry, operates in the former DuPont May plant and continues to be one of the county’s largest private sector employers. “We have a wonderful manufacturing base because we have a ‘manufacturing attitude’ among our workforce,” said Peggy McLean, Kershaw County Economic Development director. Major employers come from the global and U.S. market and include: • Target Distribution Center, with 580 employees
Hengst of North America, 255 employees TB Kawashima USA, 213 employees Suominen Nonwovens, 185 employees Medtronic, 175 employees Kershaw County’s manufacturing companies produce automotive textiles, appliances, chemicals, medical products, carpet fibers, agricultural feed, copper foil and automobile filters among other products. International companies have plants in Kershaw County. The county offers a strategic location with easy access to I-20 to Atlanta, I-77 to Charlotte and I-26 to Charleston. “We’re well-positioned for industry with convenient availability to land, sea and air access to U.S. and world markets,” McLean explained. Kershaw County offers several choices in locations for companies looking to expand or relocate with move-in ready facilities at four industrial parks. Major sites include Central South Carolina MegaSite, with more than 1,400 acres; Steeplechase Industrial Park; and Heritage Pointe Industrial Park, which holds the 168,000-square-foot former SC Yutaka building. “Each site comes with infrastructure, power, water and sewer,” said Julian Burns, Kershaw County Council chairman. The county council recently approved $17 million in bonds to continue to improve those sites and construct spec buildings to attract more companies. “We’ve invested in ourselves and continue to grow,” Burns said. He said Kershaw County offers one of the lowest business and property tax rates in the state. The county also offers customized incentive packages.
COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: KERSHAW
An affordable quality of life—with plenty of horses—can be found in Camden.
Central Carolina Technical College turns out a qualified workforce. The Kershaw County Economic Development Office is located inside one of the buildings on campus.
The Kershaw County Economic Development Office is another advantage, actively recruiting businesses and having the permitting know-how to get businesses open quickly. That assistance was a game changer for one company, Suominen Nonwovens, headquartered in Finland, which manufactures nonwoven products such as baby wipes for top companies like Pampers. When choosing where to locate in 2011, plant manager Darryl Fournier said the
company chose Kershaw County because the moving-in process was so streamlined for them. “The Kershaw County Economic Development Office went out of their way to work with our management team. They were an intermediary with the state with a fast turnaround and had a clear desire to want us to come to the area.” In June 2015, Suominen Nonwovens announced an expansion with 25 new jobs and $55.5 million in capital investment.
Trained workforce With a county population of just over 63,000 in Kershaw County and more than 320,000 people within a 30-minute commute, “our industries can look forward to a growing workforce to keep pace with their own growth,” McLean said. From 2000 to 2010, Kershaw County’s population increased by 17%. The county works closely with industries on workforce needs and partners with the readySC program to
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COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: KERSHAW An employee uses technology on the job at the Target Distribution Center in Kershaw County.
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produce qualified, well-trained employees. More than 4,600 employees in Kershaw County have been trained through the program. Central Carolina Technical College in Camden offers a wide range of certifications, degrees and training rooms that can
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be tailored to meet industry needs, especially in advanced manufacturing and welding. Kershaw County is also close to the University of South Carolina, South Carolina State University, Allen University, Benedict College, Columbia College and USC Sumter. The county’s 19 public schools focus on
technology-driven curriculum, McLean said. The Applied Technology Education Campus (ATEC) in Camden provides career and technology education to students throughout the district in grades 10-12, with a focus on mechatronics, mechanical engineering, electronics, information technology and intelligent systems. McLean adds, “Mechatronics is the biggest need in our industry today—workers who have the mechanical, electrical and IT skills and range of abilities to work, repair and maintain the equipment. Our mechatronics program is a feeder for maintenance technicians.” Kershaw County is also home to Camden Military Academy for grades 7-12, which draws students from all over the world. “We have outstanding resources from which to draw labor resources,” McLean said. Fournier, at Suominen Nonwovens, said the county’s central location allows for a larger workforce pool from nearby areas, including Columbia and Florence. “Employees are loyal and we have very low turnover,” Fournier said.
The S.C. Equine Park in Camden averages 35 major events each year.
Eye on the future The manufacturing industry continues
to be a strong presence in Kershaw County and the economic development department is looking to attract even more diversified industries. “We’re looking for advanced manufacturing companies because we have the workforce that can definitely support that,” McLean said. She adds that there is also a great sense of pride in place among residents and they are very welcoming to new members of the community. “People in our community are proud to live here and take care of what we have.”
COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: KERSHAW
South Carolina’s premier equine events and venues, including the popular springtime Carolina Cup and fall’s Colonial Cup. “Our South Carolina Equine Park is a phenomenal equine facility, averaging 35 major events each year, involving more than 3,000 horses and 10,000 participants and spectators. This includes competitions such as hunter-jumpers or Western and dressage. It’s very much a part of the fabric of the community,” McLean said.
Quality of life
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Kershaw County provides a diverse and affordable quality of life. Lake Wateree, with more than 13,000 surface acres and 242 miles of shoreline, is a year-round favorite of campers, fishermen, recreational boaters, and homeowners. “Hunting and fishing and a huge lake with proximity to our urban area makes quality of life just superb,” said council Chairman Burns. With the median cost of a single-family house at $147,700, a high quality of life is affordable in Kershaw County. “There’s a wide range of all price points, including executive housing,” McLean said. Family-friendly amenities include a number of active neighborhood communities and recreation programs. KershawHealth is a comprehensive health care system with a 121-bed acute care facility and women’s center in Camden. It was founded by local citizens in 1913 as the Camden Hospital. KershawHealth was one of only seven hospitals in the state to receive the 2015 Safe Surgery hospital designation. History enthusiasts can also enjoy the rich history in the area including the Battle of Boykin’s Mill Civil War skirmish site and Historic Camden that offers a view of life during the early days of settlement and the Revolutionary War.
Horses
A unique aspect of Kershaw County is the popularity and history of the equine industry. Dubbed the “Steeplechase Capital of the World,” the area is home to many of Special Advertising Section
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TRENDING: TOURISM
TRENDING IN SOUTH CAROLINA
TOURISM
A
major player in South Carolina’s economy, tourism is
Where we stay when we’re traveling has been
evolving along with the rest of our culture.
revolutionized by technology. The Internet is often the first
What the state receives in return for welcoming so
stop and the choices are richer, from hotels and inns to
many visitors is reflected in the numbers shown here. Where we choose to visit is affected by many factors,
private homes and condos. How we hear about places to go has been affected by a
whether it’s the rediscovery of the importance of getting
trend toward branding that reflects the unique appeal of
outdoors or the realization that there’s much more to learn
a city or region. Read more about all these topics in these
about our history.
pages.
BY THE NUMBERS Domestic travelers directly spent
$11.5 billion in South Carolina during 2013, up 4.1 percent from 2012, not adjusted for inflation. Source: U.S. Travel Association Washington, D.C.
Economic impact of golf • $2.716 billion in output or sales,
S.C. State Park Service Top 5 state parks by revenue in FY2015 1. Hunting Island State Park
$3,859,440.24
2. Myrtle Beach State Park
$3,608,665.23
3. Huntington Beach State Park
$2,934,980.24
4. Hickory Knob State Resort Park $1,936,270.74 5. Edisto Beach State Park
S.C. state park revenue increase from FY2014 - FY2015
• 34,785 jobs, www.scbizmag.com
• $872 million in personal income, and
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• $312 million in federal, state and local taxes. Greens fees and club membership dues generated $12.6 million in admissions tax revenue alone, accounting for 38% of state admissions tax collections. Source: S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
$1,734,765.51
$ 24,039,396.65
FY2014
$26,906,654.10
FY2015 Source: S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
TRENDING: TOURISM
Edisto River Treehouses
www.canoesc.com/treehouses.html Adventurous Edisto River paddlers can spend the night in a cozy perch—a treehouse overlooking the river. Thirteen miles down the Edisto River from the Carolina Heritage Outfitters outpost in Canadys, and only accessible by canoe or kayak, these treehouses hold between 2-8 people. Reservations required. April-October.
Brookgreen Gardens
St. Helena Island/ Penn Center
www.brookgreen.org
www.penncenter.com
Brookgreen Gardens features 1,400 works by 350 artists on display. And that’s just the beginning. Encompassing nearly 10,000 acres, the former rice plantation has a renowned floral garden, 300 live oak trees and a well-appointed zoo that blends nature, education and art in a spectacular setting.
The Lowcountry’s African-American past is preserved at Penn Center on St. Helena Island near Beaufort. Founded in 1862, it served as the first school for freed slaves. The historic campus has 19 buildings still standing. A museum on site delves into African American history, Gullah culture, language and folk arts.
Unique Places South Carolina is blessed with diverse geography, begetting many beautiful and unusual places to visit. People near and far enjoy visiting our state.
Lake Jocassee www.lakejocassee.com Bounded by mountains with crystal clear water, spring-fed Lake Jocassee has 75 miles of undeveloped shoreline with Devil’s Fork State Park the only public access point. It’s a paradise for paddlers, with waterfalls that can only be viewed by boat. A two-mile hike leads to the highest series of waterfalls in eastern North America.
www.nps.gov/cong Astounding biodiversity can be found in Congaree National Park’s forested wetlands, the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest in the Southeast. The 26,000-acre national park contains the tallest trees in Eastern North America and some of the highest forest canopies in the world.
Photography by DiscoverSouthCarolina.com
Newberry Opera House www.newberryoperahouse.com Originally completed in 1881, the Gothic Victorian style Newberry Opera House was known as “the entertainment center of the Midlands.” A handsome renovation and restoration has returned the opera house to its original use, drawing a number of high-profile musical acts, ballets, symphonies and shows.
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Congaree National Park
Here are a few of our favorite places.
Hunting Island State Park (Lighthouse)
Caesars Head State Park
www.huntingisland.com
www.southcarolinaparks.com/caesarshead
Hunting Island is the state’s single most popular state park, attracting more than a million visitors a year. Miles of pristine beaches, more than 5,000 acres of marsh and forest and a saltwater lagoon await visitors and campers. The Hunting Island Lighthouse is open to the public and offers panoramic views of the Atlantic Coast.
With breath-taking views that extend into North Carolina and Georgia, Caesars Head State Park is one of the most popular and easily accessible overlooks on the Blue Ridge Escarpment. Numerous trails include Raven Cliff Falls, a two-mile hike to a suspension bridge with incredible one-of-a-kind views of the mountain cove below. 15
TRENDING: TOURISM
A place like home
Short-term rental sites influence tourism industry By Liz Segrist, Staff Writer
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enche Fox and her husband earn about $33,000 a year by using Airbnb to rent out rooms in their four-bedroom Mount Pleasant home. “Airbnb has been really, really great for us. We couldn’t make it with this house at this point without that extra income,” Fox said. Mount Pleasant had 18 Airbnb listings when Fox signed up in 2010. Today, there are hundreds in the area. Airbnb, Home Away and Vacation Rentals By Owner, known as VRBO, are websites that enable short-term, personto-person rentals. They have been gaining popularity throughout South Carolina over the past few years. On Airbnb currently, Spartanburg and Columbia have about 100 listings; Greenville has roughly 200; and Myrtle Beach and Charleston both have more than 300. People can rent out rooms or their entire house by posting details, photos and pricing on the websites. Visitors book online. Sometimes the parties meet; often they do not. Hosts and guests can publicly rate and review their experience. Duane Parrish, the director of the S.C. Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department, said he attributes the growth of these sites to consumers’ desire to stay in unique accommodations. As more tourists book on the sites, frustrations grow
Wenche Fox rents out bedrooms in her Mount Pleasant home on Airbnb. She wants the state to legalize the short-term rental industry rather than having patchwork regulations by municipality. (Photo/Ryan Wilcox)
among some city officials, hotel owners and residents. Although many municipalities throughout the state allow short-term rentals, some do not, and no state law exists to regulate and tax the industry. Two bills introduced in the Legislature this year would do so. “Much like Uber was a disrupter to the taxi business, Airbnb is a disrupter to the lodging business,” Parrish said. “But it is here to stay and now government, residents and hotels are all going to have to live with it and figure out the best way to manage it.”
Although it is currently legal for Fox to rent in Mount Pleasant, she said she supports a state law regulating the industry rather than a patchwork of regulations that could change with a town council vote. “We have maybe 320 reviews and an average of five stars because people enjoy staying here,” Fox said. “If you’re nice to people and helpful and have good relationships, they will want to stay with you, whether you are a hotel or a homeowner. It’s all about the reviews. So why can’t everyone rent and let the customers decide? ... It’s good for the city
TRENDING: TOURISM Wenche Fox of Mount Pleasant is among many S.C. homeowners who are renting out bedrooms on shortterm rental sites. Two bills have been introduced that could regulate the industry. (Photo/Ryan Wilcox)
... and it’s good for business because people want to come back.”
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Proposed legislation
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Debates swirling around such short-term rentals are reminiscent of Uber’s controversial entry into the S.C. market in 2014. Both business models involve people providing services directly to others via something already in their possession — a car, house or apartment — and disrupting traditional hotel or cab services. Cities — and ultimately the state — had to decide whether and how to regulate Uber. The transportation service was legalized by the state Legislature in July after months of controversy and uncertainty. Parrish said he expects to see the same occur with short-term rental sites. Each time a home is rented via VRBO or Airbnb, in most cities the renter does not currently have to pay accommodations taxes, meaning their price is often lower than that of their competition. Those renters are also benefiting from the tourism department’s promotion of destinations, which is paid for, in part, through taxes, Parrish said. “A hotelier might not mind the competition, but they do mind having to pay a 10% to 14% tax that an Airbnb homeowner does
not have to. That’s an issue for the lodging industry itself,” Parrish said. “So I think most municipalities and lodging are saying, ‘Hey, we would love to have you, but step up and play fair.’ ” Through collaboration with the tourism department, S.C. Restaurant and Lodging Association and Municipal Association of South Carolina, lawmakers introduced identical bills in the House and Senate this year that would legalize short-term rentals through these websites — overruling some municipalities’ ordinances, like in Charleston — and would create a framework to tax those companies similarly to hotels. “My overall sense is that local governments respect the right of economic disrupters to challenge the status quo, but they don’t want to create an unintended competitive disadvantage,” said Brad Dean, president and CEO of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. “Most cities and counties are willing to allow them to operate here if they can ensure the same level of taxation for everyone.”
Regulatory environment In Greenville, short-term rentals are allowed based on the zoning district. Renting a home for fewer than 30 days is not allowed in single-family and multifamily
residential districts; it is permitted in commercial districts. “We consider these short-term rentals to be ‘visitor accommodations’ and allow them in districts where hotels and motels are permitted,” Greenville city spokeswoman Leslie Fletcher said. In Spartanburg, ordinances do not prohibit or limit short-term rentals and the city has no plans to do so, city spokesman Will Rothschild said. Short-term rentals are also allowed in Columbia, North Charleston and Mount Pleasant. Myrtle Beach’s tourism industry — the largest in the state with 7.6 million visitors in 2014, the tourism department’s data show — is intertwined with and dependent upon the 80,000 transient rental units in the market, Dean said. The use of short-term rentals is not restricted by area governments in Myrtle Beach; but they are required to adhere to the same rules and taxation as hotels. Charleston, which does not allow shortterm rentals for 29 days or fewer, has issued 33 citations for violations in the past year. The maximum penalty is a $1,092 fine or 30 days in jail. Dan Riccio, Charleston’s livability director, said a judge often orders violators to pay the city’s accommodations use tax either in place of or in addition to the fine. The overarching issue has now been brought into the court system. Global Real Property Trust is suing dozens of property owners in Charleston who rent their homes or rooms short term through the websites. The group alleges unfair competition, according to the lawsuit filed in the Charleston County Court of Common Pleas. During a recent Charleston City Council meeting, many residents who rent their homes on the sites said they were frustrated by the regulatory roadblocks and fines. They urged city officials to allow short-term rentals and enforce taxation. They all shared stories of how renting out their homes or rooms enables them to afford housing in a city where lagging salaries do not keep pace with the cost of living. New Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg said the city would create a committee of city staff, council members and residents to study the issue.
Impact on tourism, industry TRENDING: TOURISM www.scbizmag.com
Parrish said he has seen the use of these sites expand in bigger cities and rural towns across the state, particularly along the coast. In areas where these sites are most popular, like Charleston and Myrtle Beach, Parrish said he does not think they have increased tourism. In rural areas, he said these sites have led to an uptick in tourist visits. “There are five counties that don’t have a hotel, and these sites are providing accommodations that don’t exist in those counties. ... They might also attract a visitor that might not have come otherwise,” Parrish said. Dean said the Myrtle Beach area’s tourism scene was thriving well before the disruptive rental websites emerged, so he does not see a large impact on the level of tourism; rather, he sees changes within the lodging industry itself. In particular, VRBO has been significant in Myrtle Beach, pushing hotels, condo owners and vacation rental agencies to work to stay competitive, often by promoting their own inventory on these sites. “Vacation rental agencies have felt the competitive intrusion,” Dean said. “In some ways, it’s good to have competition because it forces everyone to operate as effectively as possible.” One host in downtown Charleston earns nearly $20,000 a year by renting his onebedroom apartment on Airbnb. He asked to remain anonymous, saying that using his name would risk thousands of dollars in fines and possible eviction by his landlord, who doesn’t know he uses the site. He said he worries about fines but plans to continue renting in the hope the city legalizes the process and requires hosts to pay taxes and permit fees. “If the money wasn’t so good, I probably wouldn’t do it, but it is. ... Everyone who has come here chose Charleston and chose to stay here through Airbnb. They are spending money by eating at local restaurants and shopping at downtown stores,” he said. “I think it’s kind of ridiculous that the city would spend time and money collecting fines rather than making a tax and collecting money that way.”
19
TRENDING: TOURISM
of a
One kind Branding plays major role in destination marketing
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I
20
f a city or region wants to make money with tourism, developing and deploying a brand is essential, says Rich Harrill of the University of South Carolina’s College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management. “It’s a competitive global environment for tourism dollars,” said Harrill, acting director and research professor, Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism. If a community doesn’t have a brand that’s attractive to tourists, they won’t visit and spend their money there. And once the brand is developed, “you need to invest in strong marketing,” he said. The Smart State Center of Economic Excellence in Tourism and Economic Development at the college has helped entities all over the world develop and implement their brands. Closer to home, the center’s faculty and staff have worked with branding projects for the Pee Dee Region and Bluffton in South Carolina. “Naturally Carolina,” the brand developed in 2013 for South Carolina’s Pee Dee region, came out of extensive research, said Fang Meng, interim director of the tourism Smart State Center and an associate professor in hotel, restaurant and tourism management. The Pee Dee region includes 10 counties stretching from inland Florence to Horry and Georgetown on the coast. Parts of the
The Pee Dee Region of South Carolina has deployed its new Naturally Carolina brand after intensive research.
area are economically distressed, Meng explained, but it has a great location on I-95 and many natural resources for tourism development. To establish the core values of the region and paint a picture of its future, the research team conducted in-depth interviews with 28 key stakeholders and decision makers, including government officials, business
By Licia Jackson, Editor
and community leaders and residents. Three positioning statements about the Pee Dee were developed. Then a larger survey of businesses, visitors and residents was conducted to ask about perceptions and attributes of the area and to test reactions to the three brand propositions. After 278 usable surveys were tallied, the positioning statement ranked highest was: “The Pee Dee region of South Carolina is a cornucopia of unique farming communities, local foods, open spaces, nature and rivers. Recreation opportunities are abundant, so bring your fishing rod, kayak and golf clubs. You are going to have fun!” Brand communications – Naturally Carolina – were built around this statement. “We wanted to bring the excitement to the local people,” Meng said. “To say, here are some attractions to be excited about in the area.” The team worked with the S.C. National Heritage Corridor to produce communica-
A USC research team helped Bluffton develop its awardwinning logo and brand.
TRENDING: TOURISM www.scbizmag.com
tion tools. “The research continually showed that the Pee Dee region has very distinct features unlike anywhere else in South Carolina, especially the abundance of outdoor, historic, and recreational opportunities,” said Grace Nelson, director of marketing and communications for the Heritage Corridor. “It’s where the Shag began and where the Swamp Fox hid in the swamps. It’s where today you can have the ultimate beach experience or spend the day kayaking on the river. The brand exudes all of these features and has the potential to inspire visitors and locals alike to appreciate this unique area.” For Bluffton, a small town in Beaufort County that is eclipsed by Hilton Head Island, the process was similar, Meng said. The new brand, “Bluffton: Heart of the Lowcountry,” won an award for its logo in the American Graphic Design Awards. In Bluffton, the research team conducted charrettes and did face to face interviews with residents, business people, government and Chamber of Commerce officials and potential businesses. At the charrettes, anyone interested was invited to come and participate in interactive activities, such as choosing a celebrity that could be associated with Bluffton or selecting five top choices from a group of photos of the area. “We talked about the experience of living there and what is their vision, what’s the key value,” Meng said. A “word cloud” was made with the key words. Four positioning statements about Bluffton were developed; 36 in-depth interviews were conducted and 600 usable surveys were received from business people, government officials, residents and visitors. The data was analyzed to find the attributes most representative of Bluffton and the items most critical to its future. In both cases, the Smart State Center researchers worked with marketing firm Rawle Murdy for consulting. Once a brand is developed, it’s important to get it out there with destination marketing, Harrill said. A destination marketing organization, such as a convention and visitors bureau, is needed to be keeper of the brand, to maintain and protect it, Harrill said.
21
S.C. DELIVERS
Ports, Logistics & Distribution
Real Estate
By Chuck Crumbo, Staff Writer
State expects future sale of buildings to attract investors
T
hree state-owned buildings in downtown Columbia, including the 14-story Rutledge Building, are headed for market and, depending on timing, interest from investors could be strong. The S.C. Department of Administration’s recently released Real Property Plan identified eight properties across South Carolina for potential sale. The buildings are functionally obsolete, underutilized or in need of significant capital investment, said Gov. Nikki Haley. The sale of three of those buildings – the Rutledge Building, home for the Department of Education, and office buildings at 2221 Devine and 1800 Gervais streets – is expected to earn $5.6 million for the state, Haley said. Other buildings recommended for sale are 8500 Farrow Road and 3150 Harden St., in Columbia, and buildings in Greenville, Greenwood and Spartanburg. The report did not offer an estimate for how much those structures could bring on the market. However, the sale of all eight buildings would yield an estimated $30.4 million in capital expense cost avoidance, the report
Infrastructure
The Rutledge Building in Columbia no longer meets the needs of the S.C. Department of Education. (Photo/Chuck Crumbo)
said. “If you look at these facilities, we’re spending so much money to stay in them that it would cost us a lot less, the quality would be a lot better, if we went into something more efficient,” Haley said. The DOA plan is the outcome of Haley’s issuing Executive Order 2013-09, which directed state agencies “to take a hard look at the property that the taxpayers own and
how the state uses it – all in an effort to determine how to save money and work smarter,” a release said. Some of the buildings are in locations where there’s considerable development such as new construction and renovation of older structures. Citing the Rutledge Building as an example of the problems the state is facing, Administration Secretary Marcia Adams said the study found nearly $4 million in maintenance work has been deferred and the building would need $2.5 million in additional capital investment. The Department of Administration study looked at state-owned properties in all 46 counties. The report said: The state owns 2,500 parcels of land, more than a half million acres, and some 7,800 buildings. The primary office portfolio can be reduced 18-25% by adopting and enforcing space standards. Four projects identified for renovation and-or consolidation, if completed, are estimated to provide a net present value savings of $32.4 million.
By Bill Poovey, Staff Writer
www.scbizmag.com
Trucking group CEO: Roads need more than quick fix
22
S
.C. Trucking Association President and CEO Rick Todd says state lawmakers need to commit at least $800 million a year to pay for road maintenance and expansion. That’s a 12-centa-gallon increase in the state gas tax. Todd said one-time money is not a solution.
Gov. Nikki Haley has recommended spending $345 million, which includes $231 million in one-time money and $49 million from the first phase of increasing the state’s 16.75-cent-a-gallon gas tax by 10 cents. The state Transportation Department has said another $1.5 billion a year is needed
to repair and expand the road system. Todd said executives of the S.C. Chamber of Commerce and other chambers have agreed that their members want to see “substantial improvement.” He said that means committing another $800 to $1 billion a year to roads.
S.C. DELIVERS
Port
Staff Report
Charleston Harbor deepening project now awaits congressional approval
T
he 52-foot Charleston Harbor Deepening Project has cleared the final hurdle in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ pre-construction approval process. Jo-Ellen Darcy, assistant secretary of the Army for civil works, signed the Record of Decision, which is the official notification to Congress that the project has met all of the Army Corps’ requirements. The project now awaits congressional authorization. The harbor deepening project has moved quickly through the Army Corps’ Smart Planning process. The original estimate
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Photo/Andy Owens
24
that the study, environmental reviews and permits would require seven years and $20 million has since been downsized to four years and $11 million. The project received its Chief’s Report in September and the Pre-Construction Engineering and Design Agreement was signed in December. The pre-construction phase of work activities by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District, includes ship simulation studies, refinement of cost estimates, coastal monitoring and analysis of the best uses for dredged material.
That work — the final stage before construction begins — is underway and is expected to be mostly complete by the end of 2016. “As another significant milestone achieved for harbor deepening, the issuance of the Record of Decision is tremendous news for SCPA,” S.C. State Ports Authority President and CEO Jim Newsome said in a statement. “By the end of the decade, we will achieve 52 feet of depth and Charleston will be the deepest harbor on the East Coast.”
Cities Mean
BUSINESS A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E M U N I C I PA L AS S O C I AT I O N O F S O U T H C A R O L I NA
Business Friendly Cities Building relationships between local government and business
ISSUE 1
|
2016
You see a police car‌
We see a police officer who works closely with fire departments and EMS, who knows every business owner downtown, who can name every city street and who buys 12 snow cones on Saturdays even though his T-ball team has never won a game. www.CitiesMeanBusiness.org
CONTENTS
6 Business Friendly Cities
By Page Ivey
Cover Photo: Downtown Columbia. Photo/City of Columbia Public and Media Relations Department
BUSINESS
8 Brew and Chew
A publication of Municipal Association of South Carolina
By Megan Sexton
1411 Gervais St., P.O. Box 12109 Columbia, SC 29211 803.799.9574 mail@masc.sc www.masc.sc Miriam Hair Executive Director, Municipal Association of SC
12 The Way To Go
Reba Campbell Deputy Executive Director, Municipal Association of SC Contributing writers Page Ivey, Megan Sexton
Published by
www.scbiznews.com
FEATURES
Cities Mean
By Megan Sexton
DEPARTMENTS 4 Letter from the Editor
5 Collaboration, joint marketing bring wins to S.C.
By Reba Hull Campbell
A publication for the Municipal Association of South Carolina
By Bobby Hitt
www.citiesmeanbusiness.org | Cities Mean BUSINESS 3
Letter from the
EDITOR
As the recession gets further in the rear view mirror and our state’s economic development efforts are really showing results, cities and towns are seeing positive outcomes from their work to make their communities a magnet for growth and prosperity. In this issue of Cities Mean Business magazine, we take a look at how economic development is more than just recruiting new businesses. Learn what four cities and towns are doing to go above and beyond to attract and keep businesses – especially in their downtown districts. Often it’s more than just providing the convenience of online bill payment or free parking downtown. It’s a personal touch to help a business owner solve a problem or overcome a challenge that city regulations may pose. Learn what Columbia, Union, Bennettsville and North Charleston are doing to be more business-friendly. With the focus these days on all things locally sourced, a new business sector in South Carolina is booming. Local craft breweries and food trucks are popping up all over the state. They have a positive impact on local economic growth as tourism generators, job creators and magnets for downtown districts. Read how city leaders in Greenwood, North Charleston and Rock Hill are working with these local entrepreneurs to ensure these new businesses – as well as existing traditional storefronts – have every opportunity to thrive. Once they get people to their city, local leaders know it’s important that both residents and visitors know how to get around. Creative and consistent wayfinding signage is more than just sticking a few signs in the ground. It’s a deliberate part of a city’s economic development strategy related to parking, business development, branding and tourism. Learn about how city leaders in Newberry, Travelers Rest and Camden use wayfinding signage in their economic development efforts. All of these stories illustrate innovation, creativity and forward-thinking strategies cities and towns are using to grow and thrive.
Reba Hull Campbell rcampbell@masc.sc
Editor
4 Cities Mean BUSINESS | www.citiesmeanbusiness.org
A publication for the Municipal Association of South Carolina
MILESTONES
Collaboration, joint marketing bring wins to S.C. By Bobby Hitt
Globally renowned tennis star Venus Williams
boost our economy. As we look down the
once said, “You can never get complacent be-
road, it is with Team South Carolina fully
cause a loss is always around the corner.” As
engaged that we will post more wins here at
we move into a new year in South Carolina, these are important words to consider. Since 2011, we’ve enjoyed significant economic success in the Palmetto State, but it’s impera-
Bobby Hitt
S.C. Secretary of Commerce
home. It’s my belief that everyone who wants a job should have the chance to obtain one. In
tive that we continue our winning ways and
South Carolina, we’ve made notable head-
bring more opportunities to the people of
way in this endeavor over the last five years,
this great state.
recruiting more than 80,000 new jobs to our
Through a united effort bringing together the various selling agencies of the state, local governments, regional economic alliances and our private sector partners, our Team South Carolina has spread the word
state. And, as a result, our unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest level since 2001. Thanks to these recruitment efforts, we’ve seen South Carolina’s economy thrive.
about what makes our state an ideal place
The Palmetto State has experienced five
for companies from around the world to
consecutive record years in export growth,
do business. Collaborative efforts on mis-
leading the nation in the export of both
sion trips, industry-specific trade shows, a
automobiles and tires. We must continue to
statewide branding effort and joint market-
push forward, however.
ing have continued to move the needle on business recruitment and have boosted our state’s global reputation. This approach has led to record levels
As we all know, business doesn’t sit still. It’s constantly growing and evolving. Throughout this new year, I look forward to
of investment in our state — big announce-
collaborating with public and private sector
ments by some of the world’s most respected
partners as we continue to work to meet the
brands and thousands of new jobs serving to
needs of our dynamic industries.
A publication for the Municipal Association of South Carolina
•
www.citiesmeanbusiness.org | Cities Mean BUSINESS 5
COVER STORY Bennettsville updated building facades at no cost to the property owners. Photos/Campbell Meek and Associates, Architects
Before
Business Friendly Cities By Page Ivey
W
hen Columbia restaurateur Kris-
than $30,000. It took a little longer than he
tian Niemi was planning his new
wanted, but in the end, the cost savings was
interactions with them,” Gillis said. “They
Main Street location, Bourbon,
worth it.”
help us get things permitted and meet city
he had to install a grease trap to meet envi-
ronmental regulations.
It is that kind of business-friendly attitude
“We’ve always had good positive
requirements. Part of it is just the mindset
that cities all across South Carolina are mak-
of whoever you are working with, being
ing part of their daily routines to make sure
responsive, having a mindset of working
like $50,000,” said Ryan Coleman, director
businesses not only comply with regulations,
toward a solution — a bias toward action, we
of the city of Columbia’s economic develop-
but are also able to achieve their goals.
call it. That can go a long way.”
“He was looking at a customized system,
ment office. “Our wastewater guy looked
Bret Gillis, a highway engineer with
at his usage, and we determined he didn’t
North Charleston civil engineering and
top down, said Ryan Johnson, spokesman
need as big a system as he thought. He was
architecture firm Stantec, said his com-
for the City of North Charleston.
looking at a system with a lot of extra bells
pany has worked on many projects, such as
and whistles that we didn’t require. We
intersection and road improvements, that
cessful unless business is successful,” John-
helped him come up with a solution that
required quick action from the city of North
son said. “We focus on safety and quality of
met the requirements and saved him more
Charleston engineering department.
life issues, then we get out of their way.”
6 Cities Mean BUSINESS | www.citiesmeanbusiness.org
That bias toward action comes from the
“Mayor Summey says the city is not suc-
A publication for the Municipal Association of South Carolina
North Charleston expedited permitting to help Boeing’s construction. Photo/Boeing
Cities themselves often need a little help in creating not only the atmosphere of cooperation, but also the rules and regulations that take into account what they want their city to look like as well as how to help businesses get started and be successful. Bennettsville does that through the Main
Johnson cites Boeing’s final assembly
“Most of our downtown buildings are
Street South Carolina program, which is a
building as his city’s best example of this way
more than 100 years old,” said Harmon,
program of the Municipal Association of
of working with companies. The project was
who has been involved with the downtown
South Carolina.
completed six months earlier than expected.
development organization since it was cre-
The Main Street SC program offers
“Our part was ensuring that we weren’t
ated in 1986 and has been executive director
consulting services, such as master plans or
the reason they were held up,” Johnson said.
since 1997. “When we did those 98 building
educational workshops for the business and
“We had a building inspector on call 24
facades, it turned our city around.”
property owners. It is targeted toward cities
hours a day, seven days a week.” The city did the same thing for a Sam’s Club that was moving and needed its new location to be ready before the lease ran out on its old one. “We made sure people were on call as needed,” Johnson said. And, it’s not just the big projects. The
Harmon said the association and the city have worked together more and more over the years. “The basic premise we operate under is
Randy Wilson, an architect and consultant with the Main Street SC program, said cities that have the greatest success offer
often, that means compromise,” Harmon said.
businesses some sort of reason to make
And, often, that also means an understanding person on the other side of the
same day for requests made in the morn-
counter.
requests made after noon.
their downtown districts.
that art of success is partnership and, very
city promises to complete inspections in the ing and before lunch the following day for
and towns of all sizes looking to re-energize
“In business licenses, we are often seen as
changes. When the city of Union created its façade master plan, Wilson said, officials got business owners to give the town an easement
being ‘on the opposite side’ from business,”
that allowed the city to make the improve-
said Fran Adcock, in the city’s business li-
ments to the buildings so they would meet
said, is the mindset of helping businesses
cense division and formerly a grant writer in
the new codes.
reach their goals while still working within
the city’s economic development office. “We
the rules and regulations.
work really hard to show businesses that we
to the stick, you end up creating an adver-
are on their side.”
sarial relationship,” Wilson said. “You give
But more than being responsive, Johnson
“Every issue isn’t black and white,” he said. “You have to use a little bit of com-
Adcock and her husband, in fact, are new
mon sense in interpreting the codes. It’s the
business owners, opening a Hwy 55 Burger
difference between being a public servant
Shakes and Fries franchise.
versus being a bureaucrat.” A city doesn’t have to be a large one to have a business-friendly mindset at work. The town of Bennettsville used a De-
ness owners.” Adcock said she knows personally almost
ago to redo 98 building facades at no cost
ness license department. Plus she knows
to the property owners. For those grants,
from her own experience what business
the city partnered with the Bennettsville
owners need.
The façade program was funded by a $2
regulations.”
said. “I have a lot of respect for small-busi-
everyone she deals with through the busi-
executive director Ken Harmon.
the business added impetus and satisfy local
“It gives me a different perspective,” she
partment of Commerce grant seven years
Downtown Development Association, said
“If you don’t have a carrot in addition
“We try to steer them where they need to go, like the South Carolina Business One Stop to help set up tax papers,” she said.
million grant, but Harmon says the payoff
“Sometimes you just need someone who
has been much greater.
knows how to navigate the system.”
A publication for the Municipal Association of South Carolina
Bourbon in downtown Columbia
•
FEATURE STORY
8 Cities Mean BUSINESS | www.citiesmeanbusiness.org
A publication for the Municipal Association of South Carolina
w e r B hew C D N A
Breweries, food trucks bring new vitality to cities By Megan Sexton
W
hen talking about downtown revitalization, craft
Part of the success came from people willing to take a huge risk
beer or the popularity of food trucks, leaders of
and invest in parts of Uptown Greenwood targeted by the master
the city of Greenwood know it’s all about timing.
plan for redevelopment. Those included entrepreneurs who
In 2003, the city adopted a master plan aimed at creating
— with the help of a small business loan and grants — bought a
an improved sense of place in Greenwood’s center city, City
building on Maxell Avenue that opened in 2010 as the Mill House
Manager Charlie Barrineau said. At the time, the city was
restaurant. It was so successful, the owners purchased the adjoining
flooded with vacant office space in the downtown, with few
building in 2011 and expanded the Mill House in 2012.
residential units, a shuttered hotel, and a lackluster restaurant and nightlife scene. In a little over a decade, the city council has invested more
This year, the Mill House opened Good Times Brewing. The owners began by pouring at the Mill House and now are permitted as a distributor. They distribute through Carolina
than $20 million in the city center, with the fruits of that work
Beverage Co. of Anderson and have the beer placed in numer-
really paying off now.
ous venues in Greenwood County.
A publication for the Municipal Association of South Carolina
www.citiesmeanbusiness.org | Cities Mean BUSINESS 9
FEATURE STORY Coast Brewing in North Charleston is one of several breweries that have made the city the craft beer capital of the state.
In October, the owners drove to Cincin-
Before 2013, South Carolina had only
For example, a study by the Brewers
nati to purchase an old milk truck they
eight breweries. But changes in the state’s
Guild in the six months after the passage of
intend to turn into a “beer truck” for street
beer laws cleared the way for those want-
the Pint Law in 2013 found that nearly $14
festivals, events and advertising, Barrineau
ing to open. Since those changes, there has
million of new investment had come into
said. Good Times Brewery sits across the
been a 200 percent increase in the number
the state, he said. An economic forecast by
street from a city-built $3 million market
of breweries opening, said Brook Bristow,
the guild showed that by 2019, South Caro-
with an interactive water feature.
executive director of the S.C. Brewers
lina will have about 45 breweries that will
“People say, ‘There can’t be that many
Guild and a craft beverage industry lawyer
have created about 700 jobs and an econom-
vegetables to sell at a market.’ But it’s more
in South Carolina, representing about 40
ic impact of well over $325 million.
than that. It’s about a sense of place. It’s about
breweries, wineries and retailers.
creating an environment where people want to return to downtown,” Barrineau said.
“Those numbers are about to be shat-
Now, South Carolina is home to 27
tered with years to spare,” Bristow said.
breweries and 13 brew pubs. Last year, craft
“Breweries are quickly becoming com-
brewers in South Carolina produced 56,261
munity anchors. ... Beer tourism is real and
neurs have paid off in a big way. A hotel has
barrels of beer — more than 14 million pints.
the places that are embracing it are really
just reopened downtown. Condominiums are
That translates to a large impact on tourism
reaping the benefits.”
set to open. And a clientele, including a large
and economic development, Bristow said.
The investments by the city and entrepre-
number of millennials, are finding their way
“Beer isn’t beer any longer,” Bristow said.
That’s what’s playing out in North Charleston, home to the most breweries in
to downtown Greenwood. With historic
“There is no longer a stigma attached to it,
the state, with more in the planning and de-
roots as a textile town, Greenwood is now
and our leaders shouldn’t believe in one. Beer
velopment stage. Ryan Johnson, public infor-
home to service and professional employees,
means jobs and economic investment in com-
mation officer for the city of North Charles-
with the hospital being its largest employer.
munities. Breweries are quickly becoming
ton, believes brewery visitors make craft beer
the new town halls of America where people
the No. 1 tourist attraction in the city.
“Millennials want to see trees, they want live music, craft beer, coffee,” Barrineau said.
meet, talk, discuss issues, exchange ideas, and
“It’s about a sense of place. It’s about creat-
grow their communities. And what better
in industrial space. In the Charleston area,
ing an environment where people want to
way to do that than over a pint?”
much of the affordable industrial space is
return downtown.” Craft beer is becoming big business —
Bristow said South Carolina is following the national trend in which breweries have
and a big draw for tourists — all over South
become catalysts for the revitalization of
Carolina.
neighborhoods and communities.
10 Cities Mean BUSINESS | www.citiesmeanbusiness.org
Traditionally, city breweries have opened
located in North Charleston, where the first brewery opened in 2007. “We soon came to know that they are assets to the community and are a significant
A publication for the Municipal Association of South Carolina
Food trucks like Charleston Caribbean Creole, left, bring excitement to communities. Good Times Brewing, above, is a new attraction in Greenwood.
contributor to the economy,” Johnson said.
Rest, with its population of 4,843. I think
“It’s an industry that pays more taxes on
that very soon we’ll begin seeing growth
trucks and craft breweries are exploding,
the dollar than most others and an industry
in places like Newberry, Georgetown and
that growth and popularity also raises ques-
that has seen double digit growth for many,
Gaffney,” Bristow said.
tions about regulation and location.
many years with no sign of a slowdown.” The city’s zoning ordinance had always
For an example in the surge of food
While there is no question that food
For cities, it’s important to welcome the
trucks, look at Rock Hill, where city leaders
new types of businesses — and the custom-
allowed alcohol manufacturing in light
had expected the inaugural Food Truck Fri-
ers that come along with them — while at
industrial areas. Recently, the regulations
day in Fountain Park last May to draw about
the same time being attentive to the needs of
have changed to allow brewers to locate in
1,200 people. Between 3,000 and 4,000
traditional storefront business. Cities must
the Commercial Redevelopment District,
showed up, catching organizers off guard
consider policies for temporary businesses
and now breweries are looking to locate in
and causing people to wait in long lines for
that cover zoning, permitting, fees and busi-
the Park Circle area.
food from the six or seven trucks, according
ness licenses.
“We wanted to bring these closer to the population centers, so people can walk, ride their
to Cathy Murphy, Rock Hill’s downtown development manager.
“It needs to be a careful balancing act so it’s not perceived by brick and mortar
bikes. Younger professional folks are drawn to
The word spread quickly about the
craft beer more than older people, but it’s really
wonderful downtown site for the monthly
the other,” said Eric Budds, deputy execu-
a wide swath of people,” Johnson said.
food truck event, and it grew to more than
tive director of the Municipal Association of
30 trucks on the third Friday of the months
South Carolina.
While most of the growth in the craft
business as one is getting an advantage over
beer industry is in the state’s major cities
through October. The lineup of trucks of-
— Greenville, Charleston and Columbia —
fered a wide variety of international cuisines
adopted a food truck zoning amendment in
Bristow said cities on the next population
plus sliders, cheese steaks, pizza and gourmet
2014. The city now charges an annual permit
tiers are starting to show growth, including
items, along with craft beers. The event will
of $500, requires the trucks to park at least
Hilton Head/Bluffton, Rock Hill/Fort Mill,
start again in the spring, Murphy said.
750 feet from a permanent restaurant and
Greenwood and Spartanburg.
“People loved to get together with friends
Like many cities and towns, Greenwood
makes sure the trucks don’t reduce parking
“I think if history nationwide is any indi-
for an inexpensive evening out. It became a
spaces of an established restaurant or hamper
cator, then we should start seeing breweries
great event people could walk to,” Murphy
traffic flow, among other regulations.
pop up in our smaller metro areas in the
said. “The diversity of the crowd: young, old,
“The city council has to keep its finger
near future. The smallest community that
all ethnicities. It was an awesome experience
on the pulse of the community to be sure it’s
supports a brewery in the state is Travelers
for our community.”
fair for everybody,” Barrineau said.
A publication for the Municipal Association of South Carolina
•
www.citiesmeanbusiness.org | Cities Mean BUSINESS 11
FEATURE STORY Newberry, SC
12 Cities Mean BUSINESS | www.citiesmeanbusiness.org
A publication for the Municipal Association of South Carolina
THE WAY
TO GO Wayfinding helps visitors find downtown businesses, enjoy attractions By Megan Sexton
N
ewberry city officials knew they had
part of a comprehensive citywide rebrand-
sample signs to give people a real feel for
plenty of parking for their down-
ing or beautification plan.
what was coming.
town business district—they just
needed to help visitors find it.
In Newberry, the wayfinding effort
When the installation was finished
involved hiring an outside design consultant
in summer 2014, the reaction from the
and holding community meetings to get
community was “overwhelmingly posi-
downtown, but if you’re not from the area
suggestions and buy-in from a wide variety
tive. There was not one piece of negative
you may not see the parking spaces, think
of stakeholders.
feedback. I think that’s because of the job we
“We have more than 250 parking spots
there is no available parking and take your
Dewitt said the city decided to start
did on the front end,” Dewitt said.
business elsewhere,” said Matt Dewitt,
with the central business district, with
Newberry’s assistant city manager. “We
about 100 signs in the downtown area.
tegic tourism plan and branding initiative
wanted to say, ‘Hey, there’s plenty of parking
The signs were designed using the rec-
the city started about 18 months ago, said
downtown. Stop and shop.’”
ognizable steeple of the Newberry Opera
Wade Luther, the city’s economic develop-
House. Newberry also added seven mall-
ment director. Wayfinding signage was one
style pedestrian kiosks to guide visitors to
part of that overall plan.
And that’s exactly what wayfinding accomplished; that, and much more. Wayfinding is getting increased attention in South Carolina’s cities and towns these
specific locations.
In Camden, wayfinding is part of a stra-
“Wayfinding is a reflection of our brand
Dewitt stressed the importance of
and creates an experience for our visitors,”
days. In its simplest form, it is a way to help
keeping the process open, through regular
visitors and locals navigate a town without
meetings and a partnership with the local
Camden has a wide variety of historical
difficulty. It can be as basic as a few signs
newspaper, which kept readers informed
assets, and those tourism districts are reflected
directing visitors to parking or as broad as a
about each step. Newberry also put out
in the wayfinding signs. Visitors can take self-
A publication for the Municipal Association of South Carolina
Luther said.
www.citiesmeanbusiness.org | Cities Mean BUSINESS 13
FEATURE STORY
Travelers Rest is using signs to help visitors find its new amphitheater and farmers market, at left. Above, Newberry has added pedestrian kiosks at various locations to guide visitors.
guided tours, whether their interest is Colonial
process public. “People bought into the new
history, the antebellum period, African-Amer-
brand,” he said. “I feel the aesthetic quality of
signs from an aesthetic standpoint as well as
ican sites or the history of the mill era.
the signs contributes to our overall beautifi-
being useful in guiding visitors,” Turner said.
cation efforts.”
“The signs use the same colors and format
“Each district has a distinct brand, logo, name, identity, brochure, information kiosk
In Travelers Rest, the addition of a new
and a trailhead to gather and start the tour,”
park with an amphitheater and farmers
Luther said.
market pavilion coupled with the popular
Camden started the development process last summer, finished the development phase in January and will begin placing
“We hear numerous compliments on the
as our branding campaign, so they’re easily recognizable and specific to our community.” In Mount Pleasant, town leaders are
Swamp Rabbit Trail has brought more visi-
tackling wayfinding as part of the Coleman
tors to the Upstate town.
Boulevard Revitalization Plan. The large
“We wanted to make sure that navigating
street project, which features drainage im-
signs in July. The first phase, paid for with
around the city and to those particular points
provements and a beautification plan for the
about $125,000 in hospitality tax revenues,
was as easy as possible,” said City Admin-
Coleman Boulevard corridor, is also aiming
includes four gateway signs, municipal park-
istrator Dianne Turner. “We also have free
to build a downtown feeling in Mount Pleas-
ing signs, information kiosks and about 100
parking that is accessible to patrons of our
ant, said Katherine Hendricks, assistant town
directional signs.
many new downtown businesses. We wanted
administrator.
Luther expects all three phases of the re-
to guide drivers to the public parking areas as
branding campaign to cost about $500,000.
well. Additionally, we are surrounded by state
and let people know they’ve arrived in
“The cost depends on how much you want
and county parks. We use the brown color
Mount Pleasant,” she said.
to do. We are going high end, top of the line
(like the park service) to point people to those
with a quality finish,” he said. The city will
areas of interest outside of the city.”
spread the project’s cost over two to three fiscal years. Like Newberry, Camden worked with an
“We want to make it pedestrian-friendly
The wayfinding plan is in its initial stages, with proposed signs featuring a
Travelers Rest’s wayfinding program
nautical feel, drawing inspiration from the
was funded by Enhancement Grant Funds
town’s shrimping industry. Hendricks said
through the Federal Highway Administra-
she expects the wayfinding signs will debut
outside consulting and design firm, sought
tion. The project was administered by the
in another year, when the extensive road
buy-in from all the stakeholders and kept the
S.C. Department of Transportation.
project will be complete.
14 Cities Mean BUSINESS | www.citiesmeanbusiness.org
•
A publication for the Municipal Association of South Carolina
HOM ETOWN
SNAPSHOT
Photo/Campbell Meek and Ass ociates, Architects
s t these day looks brigh le il v ts et to n t ran Ben ommerce g Downtown tment of C ar ep uilding D b a 8 g after usin did those 9 e w en h des. “W says Ken redo its faca ty around,� ci r u o ed rn owntown facades, it tu tor of the D ec ir d e v ti ecu Harmon, ex n. t Associatio en m Develop
You see a street‌
We see a lifeline that is a hometown with planned traffic flow, fire stations, thousands of visitors each year, city parks and community centers for children of all ages. Our streets take us to our jobs, our churches, our fun places and even to grandma’s house. www.CitiesMeanBusiness.org
2016 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS
Sponsored by
2016 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME
of Hall Fame
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25
We’re pleased to present the 2016 South Carolina Business Hall of Fame magazine within SCBIZ. This is a first for us, but certainly not for the Hall of Fame, which is honoring its 32nd class of laureates. The S.C. Business Hall of Fame, presented by BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina and Junior Achievement of Greater South Carolina, began honoring business leaders in 1985. The laureates this year are Anita Zucker, Robert H. Chapman III and William B. Cox Sr. You can read more about these distinguished South Carolinians in the following pages. You can also learn more about Junior Achievement, which focuses on teaching our children about managing their money, preparing for the workplace and planning their careers. With workforce readiness a critical factor for economic development, JA’s courses are more important than ever. Read about the classes in these pages too. Every year, new laureates, both living and dead, are added to the S.C. Business Hall of Fame and their lives are commemorated at a gala banquet in Columbia. The laureates go back to a time before the U.S. was even a country; on the list is Eliza Lucas Pinckney (1722-1793), who took charge of her father’s three indigo plantations at the age of 16. Familiar names on the list include Daniel, Milliken, Peace, Baruch, Averyt, Seibels, Detyens, Swearingen, Close, Kahn and Koger. Their names grace buildings and other places across our state. We hope you enjoy reading about Junior Achievement and this year’s Hall of Fame laureates.
2016 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME
Dear Reader,
Robert H. Chapman III Page 32
Licia Jackson, Editor
About the S.C. Business Hall of Fame Each year, the South Carolina Business Hall of Fame honors business leaders chosen for their unique contributions to South Carolina’s business landscape, for being agents of positive change, for their leadership, and for being a source of inspiration to the leaders of tomorrow. The Business Hall of Fame is presented by BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina and Junior Achievement of Greater South Carolina. The laureates for 2016 are Robert H. Chapman III, William B. Cox Sr. and Anita Zucker.
William B. Cox Sr. Page 36
Published by:
Corporate & Commercial www.scbiznews.com Publishing Division
Anita Zucker
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Junior Achievement of Greater South Carolina 2711 Middleburg Drive, Suite 105 Columbia, SC 29204 | 803 252-1974 Casey Pash, President Mary Ellen Barnwell, Office Coordinator Kathy Simmons, Central Program Director Jeni Becker, Coastal Area Director
Page 42
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2016 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME
JUN OR ACHIEVEMENT
Building the workforce of the future
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Photography by Jeff Blake
28
A
s the face of the business climate in South Carolina is changing, so are the future leaders and employees of these businesses. As new companies move into our state, the word so often used about the workforce is “work readiness.” Are South Carolina students prepared to enter the workforce? Do they possess the basic skill sets to survive and
thrive in a global marketplace? Junior Achievement just might be the answer to some of the work readiness issues facing South Carolina’s global economy. Fourth-gra der Joshua raises his h a JA lesso an n at a Colu mbia schoo d during l.
2016 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME www.scbizmag.com
Fourth-graders Mia, left, and Jeremiah work on a JA ‘Our Region’ lesson.
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Junior Achievement Classes Here is a list of the classes that teach students business skills: Elementary School • JA Ourselves (personal economics) • JA Our Families • JA Our Community • JA Our City • JA Our Region • JA Our Nation • JA AfterSchool: JA More than Money (saving, spending, sharing) • JA Capstone Experience: JA BizTown (students operate banks, manage restaurants, use debit cards, vote for mayor) Middle School • JA Economics for Success • JA Global Marketplace – Kit-based • JA Global Marketplace – Blended Model • JA It’s My Future • JA AfterSchool: JA It’s My Business! • JA Capstone Experience: JA Finance Park (students make personal financial decisions) High School • JA Be Entrepreneurial • JA Career Success • JA Company Program – Blended Model • JA Economics • JA Exploring Economics • JA Job Shadow • JA Personal Finance – Kit-Based • JA Personal Finance – Blended Model • JA Titan (operating a virtual company) Do you want to inspire future business leaders? Volunteer for Junior Achievement. Contact the JA office at centralsc. ja.org or 803-252-1974.
Volunteer Maurice Walker teaches a JA lesson to a class of fourth-graders in Columbia.
Junior Achievement in South Carolina has been inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in the global economy for over 48 years. JA’s curriculum focuses on three areas: financial literacy; work readiness; and entrepreneurship. Students have the opportunity to learn these critical skills before entering the workplace, making them more valuable to future employers. Casey Pash, president of Junior Achievement of South Carolina, explains how JA actually does it. “JA was started in 1919 by businessmen who wanted to share their business knowledge with the future generation. Since then, JA teaches its three core tenets to K-12 students all over the world. The neat thing about JA is that for nearly 100 years, we have continuously sent business men and women into the classroom to share their knowledge and expertise. The students get to learn crucial business skills from actual business people who can give real-life examples of how the business environment works.” JA’s curriculum consists of more than 20 programs that start with the basic concept of saving money, moving on to understanding the variety of careers that are available. By planting these seeds of curiosity and interest in the workforce early, students can begin to plan for their future.
A wonderful example is JA Career Success, a high school program where students learn the importance of understanding communication, creativity, collaboration and critical thinking. These tools are critical to enter any job in the workplace. JA student Erin McMullen, from A.C. Flora High School in Columbia, said, “Junior Achievement’s Career Success gave me knowledge and wisdom that will pay benefits throughout my life. Information from this class will affect all my future job applications, my attitude about working, and how important it is for me to earn my future right now. “ What cannot be stressed enough is the need for volunteers to present these programs to students. EVERY business person is qualified to be a volunteer. The programs are carefully designed by JA to ensure that the volunteer is given all the information needed to teach the classes. You just need to donate your time. Is one hour a week for six weeks worth inspiring a future generation of workforce-ready students? We definitely think so! For more information on how you can get involved with Junior Achievement in South Carolina, call 803-252-1974 or visit the website
centralsc.ja.org
2016 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME
Fourth-graders Kady, left, and Shanariyah work on a lesson on entrepreneurship.
JA volunteer Allen Hunter works with Josh, left, and ZyEire on a JA ‘Our Region’ lesson.
Fourth-grader Camiah raises her hand to answer a question in Junior Achievement class.
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2016 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME
Robert H. Chapman III Leadership lessons learned early
P
laying sports as a teenager gave Robert H. Chapman III the first inkling that he might have what it takes to be a leader. Fast forward to today, and he is chairman, CEO and treasurer of Inman Mills, as well as a leader in the Spartanburg community. Chapman, a native of Spartanburg, has covered a lot of ground in between. “I was a quarterback in high school,” Chapman said. “My coach, Mike Knighton, was very instrumental in developing me as a quarterback.” Knight helped Chapman realize he had the potential to be a leader and the young man began to develop that. “He was tough, he was fair, he was a disciplinarian. He led us to be a good football team with only 18 boys playing football.” Another mentor during that time in Chapman’s life was businessman Charlie Bradshaw, who had been an All-American quarterback at Wofford College. “He would meet me in the mornings before he would
go to work to help me develop my quarterback skills,” Chapman said. Bradshaw, who went on to become a South Carolina Business Hall of Fame laureate, has been a “huge mentor to me,”
Chapman said. “He and my dad were best buddies. He’s a tremendous leader and a great friend.” Chapman has worked at Inman Mills since 1976. The company was founded by
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“Today we are a totally different company. It’s a lot
32
more complex . . . I like those challenges because it has made us successful.”
2016 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME www.scbizmag.com
his great-grandfather, James A. Chapman. Despite his family history, Chapman had humble beginnings at the company. He began as a management trainee, working his way up as plant manager, assistant vice president, president and treasurer before taking the top job. When he graduated from University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn., with a B.A. in economics in 1973, Chapman said he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do next. “I went to work for C&S Bank in Columbia. Working for the bank in Columbia opened my eyes.” As he worked in banking, Chapman discovered the importance of “learning everything you can about where you are in a particular job and in life.” When he became branch manager, he realized how valuable knowledge of other jobs in the bank would be. Another lesson from his time in banking involved trust. “When I became a loan officer, I thought when people borrowed money, they paid it back,” he said. He learned the importance of being able to trust people, of honor and integrity. After a few years in banking, Chapman married and with his wife, Lacy, moved back to Spartanburg. He started his career at Inman Mills, a textile company. Over his first eight years, as a manager trainee and then plant manager, he learned about the processes and the various jobs in the mill. As plant manager, he had 330 employees. “We were a big family,” he said. “I got to know these people, communicate with the people . . . and care about them.” Inman Mills has three facilities in the Spartanburg area with 750 employees and a subsidiary in Macon, Ga. The company was almost lost in 2001 as many textiles mills were closing, Chapman said. Inman went from 1,300 employees to 500. “It was painful,” he said. “We came within two weeks of losing the whole company.” The company had to change its products and change the way it operates to survive. “Today we are a totally different company,” Chapman explained. “It’s a lot more complex . . . I like those challenges because it has made us successful.” The company’s specialty is high-quality greige or unfinished fabrics and yarns sold for home furnishings, apparel and technical uses.
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2016 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME In 2014, Chapman received the Chapman Award from the Southern Textile Association, recognizing exemplary service to the textile industry. The award is named in honor of James A. Chapman Sr., James A. Chapman Jr. and Joseph W. Chapman of Inman Mills. In addition to serving on his company’s board, Chapman serves on the boards of Spartanburg Regional Medical Center Foundation, the National Association of Textile Organizations, Sage Automotive Interiors and Linville Resorts. Now, Chapman’s focus is on attracting young people to textile industry jobs at Inman Mills. The legacy of the industry’s downturn has hurt recruiting, as some young residents of Spartanburg County watched their parents or grandparents lose their jobs 15 years ago. The industry has changed and good
jobs are available, Chapman said. “We are automated, we are high-tech. We offer good wages, a good work environment, good benefits . . . We are here to stay.” A successful leader must be involved in the community, Chapman emphasized. He has done just that, serving on several dozen boards over the years. He has been active on boards relating to the arts, health care, economic development, professional advancement and community improvement, to name just a few. Inman Mills has a foundation that provides college scholarships and supports community organizations in Spartanburg County and throughout the state. Golf has long been a big part of Chapman’s life, and he has used that opportunity to spend hours with some great leaders, he said. He also enjoys sports, hunting and fishing.
“A good leader is a communicator, a www.scbizmag.com
people person,someone who has a feeling,
34
who cares for people and communicates with them.”
Chapman lives in Spartanburg, where he is a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Spartanburg. He and his wife have two grown daughters and three grandchildren. Life is all about communicating with people, he said. “A good leader is a communicator, a people person,” according to Chapman, “someone who has a feeling, who cares for people and communicates with them.” Effective leaders also show up for important events and get there on time. And his tip for success? Surround yourself with wonderful people who are leaders themselves. “I’ve been able to surround myself with great people who are better than me, people smarter than me, more talented than me,” Chapman said. “There are very few things we don’t try.”
2016 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME
William B. Cox Building a company on integrity
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illiam Cox’s Army commander had ordered him to put his tent up on a faraway hill. He was to get a good night’s sleep before he and his compatriots moved out the following morning. But Cox looked up at that Okinawa sky far above, where a cool breeze and clear sky greeted him. The Pacific was hot that night, he remembered. “I said, ‘I’m not gonna put up no tent,’” he said. “I put my tent on the ground, put my blanket on it and went to sleep.” Like clockwork, a thunderstorm bellowed down on that little hill around 3 a.m. Cox, with nowhere to hide from the fierce rain, fumbled around in the mud until he could get himself situated. “That was lesson No. 1,” he said. It has been a steady process of growth for Cox, who like everyone has developed and
matured over time. The tale has been the same for his wood preservation business, now in its 60th year of production. Cox Industries Inc. began in Orangeburg in 1954 as Cox Wood Preserving. It had just
one location and five employees. Today, it has 15 manufacturing locations and multiple reload facilities across 10 states and employs more than 400 people. “Business with the company has been a
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“I could have earned more money if I did things differently,
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(but) we always did it ethically. The trading business was kind of hit and miss in the early days. People would want to cheat. We didn’t have anyone checking the chemicals we put in the wood. But we were honest.”
2016 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME
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day-to-day process,” he said. “It grew from day one and it’s still growing today. We’ve shipped wood halfway around the world, we’ve shipped it to China, Japan, Europe. We’ve shipped wood to California for the railroads. We’ve shipped wood to Elizabeth City, North Carolina, to build a blimp hangar.” Much like his company’s, Cox’s story had humble beginnings. Born in 1925, he grew up in a Wando home built by his parents, with a wood stove and fireplace instead of air conditioning or electricity. There were no paved roads at the time, and until he was 6 he learned inside a one-room school with one teacher. Cox later attended Berkeley High School, as it had a dormitory for students from Monday through Friday. He and his
friends would catch a ride home “the best we could” on Saturdays. But he never felt far from home. His school’s principal and football coach was “like a second father,” Cox recalled. “That was the beginning,” he said. His maturation process sped up one day after graduation, when he was immediately drafted into the Army and sent to Fort Bragg, N.C. He later spent time at The Citadel following his military stint, an opportunity which led him to meet his wife, Catherine Powell. The woman he first met on Folly Beach always kept him in line, Cox said. Together they had four children, a family line that to this day controls the business. Though Cox stepped away from the business side some time ago, his legacy lives on
through his grandson, Mikee Johnson, who now serves as the company’s president and CEO. Throughout their 66-year marriage, William and Catherine Cox were always in church. That continues today. Cox’s spirit of goodwill lands him weekly in Orangeburg First Baptist Church’s soup kitchen, where he cooks and serves anything from chili to special banana pudding or chocolate delight. And that giving nature has rubbed off on his company, too. Cox Industries donates more than $250,000 annually to local charities and youth sports teams, and more than half a million dollars has been distributed to employees’ children heading to college. For eight years running his colleagues have raised funds, built and furnished homes in Orangeburg for Habitat for Humanity.
2016 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME www.scbizmag.com
“I think the most powerful part of my life has been with the church, getting to meet people with the church, meet new friends,” Cox said. “It’s more than just the worship of it. It’s about getting to know others and the respect of others.” Cox Industries’ philanthropic efforts are complemented in part by its ever-expanding
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growth. It started when William Cox took a job at his father-in-law’s Columbia lumber yard and continued when it expanded to Orangeburg in 1954. The Columbia operation was later sold but Cox Industries has steadily grown ever since. The company was a pioneer of kilndrying lumber after the treatment process,
a practice which produces a lighter product with greater stability and fastener holding power. It was also the first company to treat wood with a pressure impregnated fire retardant, now a staple of commercial construction. For his efforts, Cox was honored as the 1983 S.C. Businessman of the Year and later was the runner-up for the national award. “I could have earned more money if I did things differently, (but) we always did it ethically,” he said. “The trading business was kind of hit and miss in the early days. People would want to cheat. We didn’t have anyone checking the chemicals we put in the wood. But we were honest.” The company’s growth has mirrored that of its founder, Cox, who in the late 1930s would use his grandfather’s jon boats to row people back and forth across the nearby river. Like him, the company started small and earned its way up through trust of its employees and hard, quality work. “You never win an award on your own if you don’t have people to help you and support you,” Cox said.
2016 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME
Anita Zucker Legacy of giving to make an impact
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orking hard and giving generously have always been a part of Anita Zucker’s life. As chairperson and CEO of the InterTech Group in Charleston, she has major responsibility for leading a company with divisions all over the world. As a philanthropist, Zucker and her family are well known in South Carolina, focusing on education but providing help for many other organizations. Zucker credits her mother with teaching her at an early age about the importance of giving. Jewish survivors of World War II, her parents came to the United States from Europe in 1949. They were sent to Jacksonville, Fla., where they had to learn English and find a way to make a living. “My mother taught me I could give my time and my talents, and those were every bit as important as my money,” Zucker said. Watching her mother and father work hard to take care of the family taught Zucker
important lessons. She began her first job at the age of 12, teaching arts and crafts at a summer day camp. Skipping her senior year of high school, Zucker enrolled at the University of Florida. Soon after, she married Jerry Zucker. While both were still in college, they operated a delicatessen, going there in the evening to cook food for lunchtime customers the following day.
“We are a very entrepreneurial family,” Zucker said. Jerry Zucker went on to create the InterTech Group, a holding company that has grown to include more than 100 corporations in industries including fabrics, chemicals, plastics, ice rinks, restaurants, commercial real estate and sports teams. The company also controls more than 300 patents related to medical devices, chemical processes and fire-retardant fabrics, among
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“If you want young people that will be able to start a
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position with a company and grow with that position, they have to be willing to learn.”
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others. Zucker spent the early years of her career teaching elementary school. Since 2008, when Jerry Zucker died, she has been running the family-owned business. “Even though there have been hard times in life along the way and grief along the way, somehow I think because of my mother I also have learned to be a survivor,” Zucker said. She takes joy in her children, Jonathan and Jeffrey Zucker and Andrea Muzin, and her five grandchildren. As the InterTech Group succeeded and grew, the Zuckers were able to make signifi-
cant contributions of their treasure, as well as time and talent. Zucker said they decided to focus on education, because it is such an important need in South Carolina. The Zuckers have invested their gifts in Clemson University, the College of Charleston, The Citadel, the University of South Carolina and Trident Technical College. Often these gifts focus on a specific interest; for example, Zucker made a major gift to USC’s McNair Center, which focuses on aerospace materials research. The InterTech Group is involved in manufacture of airplane parts. With her children, Zucker has been instrumental in building a new state-of-the art Jewish day school in the Charleston area, Addlestone Hebrew Academy. It serves children from 18 months through eighth grade, including Zucker’s grandchildren. As a businesswoman and an educator, Zucker is a longtime supporter of Junior Achievement. Both she and her husband have volunteered with the program, teaching classes that help prepare their future employees. “JA teaches wonderful skills to young
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people,” Zucker said. “It gives them the opportunity to get ahead.” “If you want young people that will be able to start a position with a company and grow with that position, they have to be willing to learn,” Zucker explained. As an educator, she has always been learning, but she says she wishes she had taken more business courses. Earlier in her career, she could not have foreseen the challenge that lay ahead with taking the helm of the InterTech Group. When her husband became terminally ill, he spent the last 23 months of his life teaching her about the company. “I didn’t know I was going to be in this position,” Zucker said. “It came to me sadly, because of loss. My husband helped prepare me. He gave me things to achieve.” Zucker is a leader in the community as well as at her company. She chairs the board of the Tri-County Cradle to Career Collaborative, committed to aligning efforts to ensure all children meet educational milestones so that they can graduate from high school ready for career or college. She is a past president of the Charleston
Metro Chamber of Commerce and of the Chamber’s Education Foundation, which she helped found. She serves on the board of the Coastal Community Foundation and is a past president. She also serves as a trustee (the first woman) of the Saul Alexander Foundation and the Jewish Endowment Fund, supporting organizations of the Coastal Community Foundation. In May 2012, Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt appointed Zucker to the S.C. Aerospace Task Force to work on a strategic plan for the state, dealing with workforce development and infrastructure. Zucker is the recipient of many prestigious awards, including the Wilkins Award for Excellence in Civic Leadership, the Order of the Palmetto, the Joseph P. Riley Leadership Award and the Charleston Jewish Federation’s Light Unto the Nations award. Through it all, Zucker has learned to face change bravely. “Change is really important,” she said. “Some people are afraid of change and fight change. The world we are living in today – if you don’t change, you will go backward.”
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