2017 Charleston Profiles in Business

2017

SHINING A LIGHT ON LOWCOUNTRY BUSINESSES Charleston’s leading companies reveal the keys to success

HITT Contracting Inc.

“HITT has become woven into the fabric of Charleston through its commitment to our community and the great facilities and workspaces we build for great companies.”

- Carson Knizevski, Senior Vice President

The staff at HITT Contracting in North Charleston.

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HITT Contracting part of landmark projects around Charleston

ersonalized attention, high-quality work and client relationships built on trust have fortified HITT Contracting for over two decades in the Charleston market.

Over the past 20 years, HITT has left a lasting footprint on the community with notable projects such as: • Fort Sumter Tour Boat Facility • Kress Building Historic Renovation • Memminger Elementary on Beaufain Street • Addleston Library at the College of Charleston • Sprinter Van Facility Conversion and Expansion for Daimler • Numerous projects for The Boeing Co. HITT Contracting also has worked on countless projects at local government installations in support of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Department of State, Coast Guard, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, SPAWAR and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“After 20 years, HITT has become woven into the fabric of Charleston through its commitment to our community and the great facilities and

workspaces we build for great companies,” said Carson Knizevski, Senior Vice President.

Established in 1937 in Virginia, the company first came to Charleston after winning a Navy contract. “Russell Hitt, the former president and current chairman, had the foresight to see Charleston as an emerging area,” Knizevski said.

HITT recently completed work on the Charleston International Airport Terminal Redevelopment and Improvement Program, the American College of the Building Arts historic renovation, and freight handling upgrades for the

2457 West Aviation Avenue, Suite 100 North Charleston, SC 29406 (843) 308-9400 www.hitt.com

S.C. State Ports Authority.

Expert project teams at HITT offer a range of experience in various types of construction, including industrial and manufacturing, government, corporate interiors, historic renovation, health care, hospitality, higher education and technology or mission-critical work.

With Charleston’s commercial construction industry booming, HITT is staying busy and solidifying its role as a key player able to take on a wide range of projects, such as the $8.5 million Volvo Training Center, a 48,000-square-foot, twostory employee training facility.

You can also see HITT’s work in the new $9.5 million Daniel Island Square project, a 44,000-square-foot, four-story office building with a brewery and live entertainment venue on the ground floor.

Keeping pace with Charleston’s growth, HITT has no plans to slow down. Looking ahead, Knizevski said he anticipates “continued expansion and growth through the relationships we’ve made over the past 20 years and the development of new ones as Charleston continues to grow.”

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A note from the Publisher

LOWCOUNTRY NEWSROOM Profiles in Business Editor - Licia Jackson ljackson@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7546 Associate Editor, Special Projects - Steve McDaniel smcdaniel@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3123 Senior Graphic Designer - Jane James jjames@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3118 LOWCOUNTRY ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Senior Account Executive - Sue Gordon sgordon@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3111 Senior Account Executive - Robert Reilly rreilly@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3107 Senior Account Executive - Bennett Parks bparks@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3126 Account Executive - Sara Cox scox@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3109 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mary Jane Benston, Holly Fisher, Licia Jackson, Steve McDaniel, Barry Waldman CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAHERS Jeff Blake, Kim McManus, Robbie Silver

President and Group Publisher - Grady Johnson gjohnson@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3103

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hose of you who have been Business Journal readers all of these years most likely know this story, but for you newer readers, the origin of Profiles in Business bears repeating. Not long after we launched the Business Journal in 1995, businesspeople began asking us to include stories about their companies in our publication. As journalists, we always had to reply, “We can’t do that until you do something we can report as news.”

At the same time, many of those same people were asking if they could hire our advertising copywriters to produce pieces they could use in brochures and marketing materials Grady Johnson — but we were always too busy putting out the newspaper. Finally it dawned on us: Why not combine the two? And looking at the success of this year’s version of Profiles in Business, it seems the marriage has been a happy one.

I hope these profiles give you some insight into the working lives of the people who make up the Charleston-area business community, because each and every one has a unique story to tell. Please accept my enthusiastic invitation to read the 2017 Profiles in Business, and I hope you will enjoy reading about this sample of Charleston business life as much as I do.

Grady Johnson President and Group Publisher

Vice President of Sales - Steve Fields sfields@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3110 Creative Director - Ryan Wilcox rwilcox@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3117 Event Director - Kathy Allen kallen@scbiznews.com • 864.235.5677 ext. 110 Audience Development & IT Manager Kim McManus kmcmanus@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3116

SC Business Publications LLC A portfolio company of Virginia Capital Partners LLC Frederick L. Russell Jr., Chairman

Accounting Manager - Vickie Deadmon vdeadmon@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7541 CUSTOM MEDIA DIVISION

South Carolina’s Media Engine for Economic Growth

Director of Business Development - Mark Wright mwright@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3143 Business Development Executive Elizabeth Hodges lhodges@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3105

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The entire contents of this newspaper are copyright by SC Business Publications LLC with all rights reserved.

Any reproduction or use of the content within this publication without permission is prohibited. SCBIZ and South Carolina’s Media Engine for Economic Growth are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Featured Profiles | Listed Alphabetically 29

Affluence Financial Group

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Architecture +

16

Boeing

9 25

25

6 23 3 14

6

23

7

28

7

15

16

Charleston County Economic Development College of Charleston School of Business Costanzo Team Equity LLC \ ECS (Equity Construction Solutions) HITT Contracting Inc. NFP Charleston Parker Land Surveying

21

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein

28

Phillips Industrial Services

24

Raymond James | Harbour Wealth Management

22

REI Enginers Inc.

11

Remark Studio

15

The Riley Park Club

13

The Sandlapper Group at AgentOwned Realty

26

SLS Consulting LLC

27

Software Projects Consulting

10

Spherion Staffing Services

20

Sustainable Lighting of SC

8

Trident Academy

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Costanzo Team

“We realize it’s critical to stay informed on the latest and best technology as it assists all parties involved. But at the end of the day, what really matters is the one-on-one relationship with our clients.”

- Michele Costanzo

(From left) Lina Costanzo, Sally Maitland and Michele Costanzo

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Nurturing client relationships at the center of The Costanzo Team’s success

ichele and Lina Costanzo are the principal agents of The Costanzo Team with Carolina One Real Estate.

Much of their success can be attributed to the combination of skills they and their team members contribute as well as their philosophy on the relationships they build with their clients.

Lina moved to the Lowcountry in 1998 from New Jersey after a 20-year corporate career and established herself in real estate. Michele began her real estate career in Charleston in 2002 with prior experience as an interior designer both in Charleston and New Jersey. Together the two have been helping residential and commercial buyers and sellers ever since.

“Lina is a master negotiator and she’s great at working with investors,” Michele says. “She has so much energy, keeping up with her is a challenge.”

The Costanzos rely on their team manager,

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Sally Maitland, to keep things running smoothly by handling marketing and customer service.

She adds her own unique skills to the team with a business background and past ownership of a small publishing company in Hawaii. Buyer’s agent Kendra Calore rounds out the team with young energy. They also utilize the services of a closing coordinator to help facilitate transactions.

49 Broad Street Charleston, SC 29401 (843) 412-1973 www.costanzoteam.com

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“We like being a small group in partnership with Carolina One,” Lina says. “Carolina One offers collaborative marketing campaigns and supports their agents by helping us provide the best possible experience for our clients.”

The Costanzo Team’s belief is that home ownership should be attainable by anyone who desires the stability, sense of community and financial security that comes with owning your own home. Owning real estate should be reachable to those who want to be home owners or build their investment portfolio.

Here’s what a recent client had to say: “Lina was amazing.

She made herself available with a ‘moment’s notice,’ and she worked tirelessly to help us with our house hunting. We are truly blessed to have a professional realtor that understands the importance of establishing relationships.”

Parker Land Surveying

The staff at Parker Land Surveying

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Parker Land Surveying expands services with 3D laser scanning technology

very year, Parker Land Surveying reinvests profits into technology and equipment to enhance its services, says company President Steve Parker. In 2017, the firm has added 3D laser scanning technology to provide improved information to engineers and architects.

Retrofitting an old building? The surveyor can use laser technology to scan the structure from floor to ceiling. “They would have to get someone up on a ladder otherwise,” Parker says.

Redesigning a roadway intersection? The PLS staff can scan the entire area without stopping traffic. “It’s a big improvement in time, detail and safety,” Parker explains.

Established in 2008, Parker Land Surveying has grown into a trusted and experienced group of land surveyors, licensed to work anywhere in South Carolina. With seven surveyors on staff, PLS has 50 employees with more than 600 years of combined survey experience. The firm’s CEO is Parker’s wife, Pam Parker, making it a woman-owned firm.

PLS has been recognized as one of the top 100 geospatial firms in the United States by Point

of Beginning Magazine, the publication of the industry.

With company revenue continuing to grow, 2016 was another record year for PLS. Expanding development and planned infrastructure improvements will mean new business for the firm, which is involved in all facets of construction.

PLS works on boundary surveys, tree surveys, topographical surveys, wetland surveys, easements,

5910 Griffin Street Hanahan, SC 29410 (843) 554-7777 www.plssc.com

subdivision platting, construction layout, record drawings and lot-fit studies.

PLS has done commercial work for Boeing and Joint Base Charleston’s long runway replacement.

In other parts of the state, the firm has worked at McEntire Joint National Guard Base and Clemson University’s baseball stadium and Littlejohn Coliseum.

“We have an excellent reputation; companies hire us because of our customer service,” Parker says. “We put the best state-of-the-art equipment into the hands of the best qualified people who do this kind of work in South Carolina.”

The firm is focused on family and giving back to the community. The Parkers’ son, Scotty, 13, will ride his bike across the United States this summer to raise money for Water Mission.

PLS survived the difficult economy it was born into, and now Parker feels it is important to help others. “I like to hear what our people are concerned with and to help out,” he says, whether sports teams, local charities or international efforts like Water Mission.

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Trident Academy

“What’s the secret to teaching children with learning differences? We teach differently. That’s our secret. That’s why it works.”

- Betsy Fanning, Head of School

Students and staff at Trident Academy in Mount Pleasant.

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Trident Academy focused on helping children with learning disabilities thrive

t’s a big decision for parents to uproot their children. Whether they’ve accepted a job transfer or simply want a better quality of life, there’s quite a bit of research that goes into finding a new home. Top on that list are the educational opportunities for their children.

This is an even greater concern for parents whose children struggle with a learning disability, such as dyslexia (reading), dysgraphia (writing) or dyscalculia (math), as well auditory processing or communication disorders.

Trident Academy in Mount Pleasant is focused specifically on those children and has created a learning environment where they can flourish.

Trident’s program is designed for students from kindergarten through 12th grade who have average to above-average intelligence, but aren’t thriving in a traditional school environment, explained Betsy Fanning, Head of School.

“These are bright kids who should be flourishing

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in school, but they are not,” she said.

Trident Academy’s small class size, personalized attention and Orton Gilllingam multisensory approach help students successfully grasp academic concepts from reading to math and beyond.

Fanning calls Trident Academy the tri-county

1455 Wakendaw Road Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 (843) 884-7046 www.tridentacademy.com

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area’s best-kept secret.

“What’s the secret to teaching children with learning differences? We teach differently,” Fanning said. “That’s our secret. That’s why it works.”

Since 1972, Fanning said the school has quietly been impacting the area’s economic development by giving businesspeople and entrepreneurs an educational option they may not find elsewhere. At least 10 percent of the kids who relocate here with their parents could be served by Trident Academy, she noted.

Many families first find Trident Academy online as they are searching for a school geared toward their child’s learning needs. They pick up their families and businesses and plant them in the Lowcountry. As a bonus, Trident is located in a place many people would like to live.

“We have 25 or 30 families who moved here in the last decade who have made a significant impact on the local economy,” Fanning said.

Charleston County Economic Development

Since its founding in 1993, Charleston County Economic Development has helped leverage more than 30,800 jobs and more than $6 billion in investment.

Front Row, (From left) Jay Kramer, Jim Maxon, Janel Spencer, Kedyky Sherrill, Jennifer Brown Back Row, (From left) Ashley Richardson, Keith Lambert, Steve Dykes, Heather Ford, Reggie Fuller, Merle Johnson

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Charleston County Economic Development ready to help local businesses grow

hen local company Call Experts wanted to grow, its executives turned to Charleston County Economic Development for assistance.

Headquartered in Charleston for more than 30 years, Call Experts also has offices in New Jersey, Charlotte and Atlanta. It could have expanded in one of those markets, but instead opted to work with Charleston county’s Business Concierge Team.

The county’s economic development office is keenly focused on helping local businesses grow here at home. And it’s working. Call Experts recently announced its Charleston expansion: a $1.8 million investment and the creation of 310 new jobs over five years.

Ashley Richardson, director of marketing and communications, said the county’s economic development team has nearly doubled in size with two full-time team members dedicated to the Business Concierge Team. The department also has fine-tuned its focus on research, recruitment and marketing along with a renewed focus on

assisting local companies.

“Our approach is that we’re here to help in any way we can,” Richardson said. “We’re providing that value to them for selecting Charleston County to set up shop.”

4000 Faber Place Drive, Suite 200 North Charleston, SC 29405 (843) 958-4511 www.charlestoncounty development.com

Each year, the county’s economic development program touches almost 200 businesses throughout the county. Since its founding in 1993, the department has helped leverage more than 30,800 jobs and more than $6 billion in investment.

“Our Business Concierge Team uses a handson approach cultivating strong relationships with our businesses to help them grow,” Richardson said. “Our support could be workforce solutions, infrastructure enhancements, marketing or sector initiatives, and expansion assistance with possible incentives.”

The economic development department focuses primarily on automotive, aerospace, defense, information technology and life science companies. The department also works closely with like-minded organizations throughout the region, including the Charleston Regional Development Alliance, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, Lowcountry Local First and tech-focused groups like DIG South and the Charleston Digital Corridor.

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Spherion Staffing Services

“We are on the phone, emailing, and even texting our candidates all the time, trying to keep up with who might still be available and what opportunities are still open. But we’ve been here nearly 25 years now; our clients know they can always count on us.”

- Mary Barrineau, Co-Owner and President

Mary Barrineau and Pam Thompson

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Spherion continues to meet growing demand in Charleston employee staffing

pherion Staffing started with one woman’s idea that Charleston was a market with plenty of potential for growth and success.

Pam Thompson’s vision has proven to be wise, as her small company has grown steadily since beginning in 1994.

Thompson embarked on her journey following a career in Norrell Staffing’s corporate headquarters in Atlanta. Mary Barrineau, Thompson’s daughter, joined the firm a few years later, and the pair has guided the company through changes and growth that include a merger with Interim Staffing and a subsequent name change to Spherion. The firm now has a staff of 11, a list of longtime clients and new customers allowing continuous growth in the Charleston market.

Charleston’s growth has fed Spherion’s to the point where the agency is currently placing 500 employees in the tri-county area every week.

Barrineau says much of the increase has been in manufacturing and distribution.

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“Our main area of growth over the past decade has been in manufacturing and distribution jobs,” Barrineau says. “We have seen a lot of quality growth, providing new career opportunities that did not exist even five years ago.”

That has led to challenges, according to Barrineau. Job-seekers have more options now and technology has made it easier to contact multiple

4995 LaCross Road, Suite 1050 North Charleston, SC 29406 (843) 554-4933 www.spherion.com

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prospective employers. The instant-gratification culture we now live in extends to the job market.

“We can have 100 people lined up for a certain type of job required by one of our clients, but the names on that list of 100 can change a lot in just a few days,” Barrineau says. “A person with a desirable skill set can see more than one offer in a short time, and if an employer needs more time to consider a hire, that person might not be available 72 hours later.”

In that environment, Barrineau says it is crucial for her company to stay in close contact with both potential employees and employers, gauging interest, supply and demand that are constantly changing.

“Things can change so fast,” she said. “We are on the phone, emailing, and even texting our candidates all the time, trying to keep up with who might still be available and what opportunities are still open. But we’ve been here nearly 25 years now; our clients know they can always count on us.”

Remark Studio

“I want people to be able to look back twenty years from now at the Upper Peninsula and see what has happened as a good thing.”

- J.R. Kramer, Principal

(From left) Ana Casados-Gonzalez, Holly Kramer, J.R. Kramer and Kelly Cain

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REMARK STUDIO in midst of Upper Peninsula revitalization

emark Studio LLC is a local collaborative, design driven landscape architecture studio, creating functional, engaging, and high performance landscapes.

Remark has had a front-row seat to Charleston’s Upper Peninsula revitalization. The landscape architecture firm is a resident and active participant in the area’s transformation into a vibrant, mixed-use community.

Husband and wife team J.R. and Holly Kramer started their design studio from a spare bedroom in their home in 2007, not long before the Great Recession took hold. They purchased their current Hanover Street office in 2013.

“We literally are in the middle of the Upper Peninsula transformation,” J.R. says. We are involved in several ongoing projects right now.”

He named Lewis Barbecue, Half-mile North and Pacific Box and Crate as some of the recently completed projects.

Now entering their 10th year in business, J.R.

says the risk of striking out on their own has proven to be worth the reward.

“I quit a good job in 2007,” says J.R. “Holly had already stopped working when our first baby arrived. It was something we just felt we were supposed to do. The firm we worked for lost a lot of jobs when the recession hit, so the decision to start our own company was probably well-timed.”

430 N. Hanover Street Charleston, SC 29403 (843) 952-7817 www.remarkstudiollc.com

Remark’s office sits in the middle of the Upper Peninsula, which is transforming from an industrial patchwork of empty spaces and shuttered facilities.

Within a few blocks of the office are several large projects that will turn brownfields and other vacant properties into office and retail space, hospitality venues, public green spaces and residential units.

Remark focuses on sustainable designs and works on a variety of projects, including residential, urban, master planning, even sign and logo designing. Besides the Kramers, Remark is made up of three other staff members with a variety of skills and know-how to serve their clients.

“We’re a quality-focused firm,” J.R. says of his team. “So, we have to know a little bit about a lot of things to help our clients.”

And he hopes the work they’re doing now will resonate through what he sees as a bright future for the Upper Peninsula. “I want people to be able to look back twenty years from now at the Upper Peninsula and see what has happened as a good thing.”

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The Sandlapper Group at AgentOwned Realty

(From left) Jimmy Banyas, Rodney Hancock, Michael Dew, Josie Gould, Leigh Stephens, C.J. Jackson, Diane Schmid, Gettys Glaze and Billy Steen

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Teamwork drives success for The Sandlapper Group

he staff at The Sandlapper Group, part of AgentOwned Realty, is familiar with the concept of teamwork and how it contributes to a company’s success.

Team leader Gettys Glaze says that’s what has driven his residential and commercial real estate team since he and partner Michael Dew partnered together in 2009.

“We look at this in many of the same ways as a professional sports team,” Glaze says. “We want to have more talent, efficiency and production, which should translate out to WINS for our clients. Today’s technology lets everyone see what’s available in terms of property on the market, so many customers know as much as we know about properties they are interested in. Our job is to make the process as smooth as possible.”

Glaze, a James Island native, knows how crucial teamwork is thanks to his career as a baseball player on The Citadel’s College World Series team in 1990

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and in the Boston Red Sox farm system. The ninemember Sandlapper team works in much the same way as the nine on a baseball diamond. “Everyone knows and plays their positions to the best of their ability for the benefit of our clients.”

Sandlapper has both closing and listing coordinators in-house. Glaze says that helps his team maintain as much control as they can throughout the process of listing, buying and selling. He also points to the fact that four of the seven agents on TM

THE

TM

GROUP

902 Savannah Highway Charleston, SC 29407 (843) 564-8540 www.thesandlappergroup.com

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the staff finished as top producers in the Realtors of Distinction awards for the Charleston area in 2016.

“We set ourselves apart with our communication with the customer and all parties within the transaction, pricing properties competitively and our overall knowledge,” Glaze says. “We were one of the first agencies to have in-house listing and closing coordinators. That’s just one of the ways we have distinguished ourselves over the years.”

And while being a real estate team requires indepth industry knowledge and experience, Glaze says his group is equally skilled at helping the buyer and seller navigate what can be a very emotional process.

“This is usually the largest financial deal most people make in their lives,” Glaze says. “It’s normal for emotions to get involved. We try to help people get through the process and any problems along the way. There is a certain amount of psychology involved in what we do.”

Architecture +

“We will never get so big that we can’t provide a personal service. We are hands on. You get Kevin (Whalley) or me, or sometimes even both.

And we will be hands on from the start to finish of your project.”

- Tim Hilkhuijsen, Co-Founder

Tim Hilkhuijsen and Kevin Whalley inside the Architecture Plus office.

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Architecture Plus can handle any project from custom homes to commercial buildings

im Hilkhuijsen and Kevin Whalley jointly began their firm, Architecture Plus, more than five years ago. They started out of a small Daniel Island office and have expanded their firm beyond its original scope to include commercial architecture as well as high-end custom homes. Their focus has remained squarely on the most important aspect of any project – servicing their client and fulfilling their programmatic requirements.

“We are expanding our services toward more commercial projects,” co-founder Tim Hilkhuijsen says. “But we will never get so big that we can’t provide a personal service. We are hands on. You get Kevin or me, or sometimes even both. And we will be hands on from the start to finish of your project.”

While Whalley and Hilkhuijsen understood the risks of starting a business in the middle of the worst recession in recent memory, they also knew it was a chance for them to design and manage projects the way they wanted.

“We saw an opportunity to combine our 50 years of architecture experience in Charleston and grow together,” Whalley says. “The combination of our experience allows us to complement each other.”

The two located their office in North Charleston’s Park Circle four years ago to put them in a central location for the Charleston metro area.

They also have an office on Johns Island for the convenience of clients on Kiawah and Seabrook islands.

While custom home design is still a substantial

1044 E. Montague Avenue North Charleston, SC 29405 (843) 718-3416 www.architectureplusllc.com

part of their business, Whalley says the expansion into commercial projects allows them to use their skills in more diverse ways.

Hilkhuijsen adds, “In our dynamic and cyclical industry, it is essential that our business be as diverse as possible.”

“We want the public to know that we’re not just a custom residential design company,” he says. “We have designed several new, ground-up commercial buildings, adaptive reuse projects and tenant finishout projects.”

Technological advancements have enhanced the ability to convey design ideas and executions to clients. Three-dimensional graphic presentations that are much more photo-realistic and easier for clients and their contractors to understand have taken the place of flat, two-dimensional drawings.

A Design Award of Merit in 2016 from the Society of American Registered Architects for their use of 3-D imaging is a testament to the success of Whalley and Hilkhuijsen in staying at the forefront of technological advancements.

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NFP Charleston

“We knew if we wanted to reach the jumbo market of 1,000 or more employees, we needed to expand our toolbox.

We can access those larger markets through NFP.” - Colin Smoak, Co-Director

(From left) Trey McLaughlin and Colin Smoak

NFP helps navigate complex world of human resource and employee benefit solutions

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or the last decade, McLaughlin & Smoak has been a familiar name in South Carolina for employers seeking to navigate the complex world of employee benefits and human resources.

The company has recently become part of NFP, a leading insurance broker and consultant that provides employee benefits, property and casualty, retirement and individual private client solutions through its licensed subsidiaries and affiliates.

Colin Smoak, Co-Director of NFP in Mount Pleasant along with Trey McLaughlin, said joining NFP enables their organization to reach largescale clients and realize long-term growth goals.

McLaughlin & Smoak established itself as a leading regional consultant for human resources, benefits communication and enrollment technology and regulation compliance in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia. They also provide services outside the region where local clients have operations.

Smoak attributes the company’s growth and

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success over the past decade to having a good vision of the future of health care and careful attention to trends in the industry. He emphasizes the company’s focus on level of service for all clients as a keystone to its success.

“We have done very well in the mid-market space, companies with 100-900 employees,” Smoak says. “We knew if we wanted to reach the jumbo market of 1,000 or more employees, we needed

710 Johnnie Dodds Boulevard, Suite 100 Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 (843) 972-5414 www.nfp.com

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to expand our toolbox. We can now access those larger markets with our enhanced value proposition with NFP. For example, we now have access to our own benefits attorneys and actuaries, and that’s something we didn’t have before.”

When Smoak and McLaughlin struck out on their own in 2007, they spent eight weeks with 18 of their clients to find out what was needed in the marketplace. What they found led them to create a five-pronged approach to their business model: human resource support; benefits communication and education; compliance support; and health care consumerism and wellness.

“The feedback from those sessions led us to change the way we thought about some of our business – to construct our business model through the eyes of our clients,” Smoak says. “We created a series of workshops we call the InFORUM, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, where we provide education to employers – sales are not permitted.”

The Riley Park Club

“The Riley Park Club is the new private event space in town, in partnership with Mercantile and Mash.

This is filling a void for medium-sized event spaces.”

- Graham Ervin, Director of Sales, Mercantile and Mash

(From left) Graham Ervin, Director of Sales, and Bailey Linderman, Club Events Manager

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Mercantile and Mash partners with the Riley Park Club for ultimate event experience

or those who want to combine excellence in cuisine with the ballpark location, Mercantile and Mash has teamed up with the Riley Park Club to provide an incomparable experience.

The new Riley Park Club, just completed at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Ballpark, has contracted with Mercantile and Mash as the exclusive caterer for ball games and special events. Those who want to upgrade the game day experience can buy a ticket for the club, which includes all you can eat at a chef-prepared buffet as well as a tailgate table with gourmet burgers and hot dogs. Also included are beer and wine.

The club, with two walls of glass, has views of the ballpark on one side and the Ashley River marsh on another. The sunset view is gorgeous. And if you care to go outside, special club-level seating is adjacent.

“Our executive chef, Tim Morton, is in charge of the menu,” says Graham Ervin, director of sales

for Mercantile and Mash. “We have a commitment to working with local farmers and artisan purveyors.

Everything is fresh.” Mercantile and Mash is part of The Indigo Road Restaurant Group, and the Riley Park Club menu includes favorites from its other restaurants such as O-Ku and Oak Steakhouse, as

360 Fishburne Street Charleston, SC 29403 rileyparkevents.com/club For private event bookings, contact: Graham Ervin, Director of Sales gervin@theindigoroad.com (843) 793-4103

well as a chef-attended action station each night.

The catering kitchen, designed with input from the chef and staff, is onsite.

When there’s no game on the schedule, the club is available to rent for weddings, rehearsal dinners, luncheons and business conferences. Rental rates include tables, chairs and serviceware. The club has audiovisual equipment and eight TV screens and – unusual for downtown Charleston – plenty of free onsite parking.

“It’s an elegant space,” says Bailey Linderman, events manager at the Riley Park Club. “It has chandeliers and reclaimed wood on the floors.” A dance floor and podium can be added as needed.

The club is designed for medium-sized events, with seating capacity of 200.

It’s a unique venue. The scoreboard can be used for non-game day events, and a group could have cocktails on the field and dinner in the club.

“Charleston has a lot of unique venues, but this one is a home run,” Ervin says.

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Boeing

BR&T-SC teammate Brandon Mulligan sets up a tensile strength test in the test machine.

BR&T-SC is leading automation development and application, including the us

There’s more to Boeing than Dreamliners

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henever most Lowcountry residents think of Boeing, they understandably picture the 787 Dreamliner airplanes that are manufactured, assembled and delivered at the company’s North Charleston facility. But that is only part of Boeing’s presence in the area. Just off the Palmetto Commerce Parkway in North Charleston is the newest component of their operation, Boeing Research & Technology - South Carolina (BR&T-SC).

The 104,000 square-foot research center, which opened in 2015, focuses on seven key areas: assembly and automation; production analytics and advanced test systems; composite fabrication, materials and repair; inspection and nondestructive evaluation; chemical technology; electromagnetic effects; and modeling and characterization.

The facility is leading Boeing’s research and development in composites, robotics, and other advanced manufacturing technologies. It is one of 11 Boeing research centers worldwide.

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“As an industry we face many challenges in defining the future of aerospace. We must find new technologies that enable us to design, build and test the next generation of innovation,” says Lane Ballard, vice president of Materials and Manufacturing Technology. “The research and technology being generated at BR&T-SC allows close collaboration and alignment between BR&T

MADE WITH PRIDE IN SOUTH CAROLINA

2 01 7 Pro f ile s in Busine s s | Sp e c ial Adver tising Supplement

and Boeing South Carolina, but also supports Boeing teams and products all across our company.”

BR&T-SC is currently working on several projects that will change future airplane manufacturing. For example, BR&T researchers are transforming the way airplane decorative finishes are applied from current practices, such as masking and painting, to technologies of the future, such as ink printing. The team is utilizing a comprehensive approach that intersects automation, printing and ink chemical technologies to create an airline’s intricate and detailed brand imagery.

Another facet of the team is taking the lessons learned in composites manufacturing at Boeing South Carolina to shape next-generation composite technologies. This group is designing and fabricating composite structures in order to accelerate and demonstrate new technologies.

BR&T-SC is also leading in aerospace automation development and application.

The team is developing adaptable, affordable

Boeing

se of robotics to improve teammate safety and increase efficiency.

BR&T-SC teammate Rachel Chow works with a collaborative robot to test its joint sensitivity.

BR&T-SC teammates Phil Johnson and Megan Watson study composite repair plies while conducting 787 repair development research.

automation hardware and programming in order to more readily deploy robotics in areas that improve worker safety and save time.

“These are just a few of the many projects our team is working on here in South Carolina,” Ballard says. “We are helping to shape the future of Boeing and the future of aviation.”

“As an industry we face many challenges in defining the future of aerospace. We must find new technologies that enable us to design, build and test the next generation of innovation.”

- Lane Ballard, Vice President of Materials and Manufacturing Technology 2 01 7 Pro f ile s in Busine s s | Sp e c ial Adver tising Supplement

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YOUR SOURCE FOR STATEWIDE BUSINESS NEWS

SC Biz News is the market leader in business news and information in South Carolina.

We publish business newspapers in the three major metro areas of the state — the Lowcountry, the Midlands and the Upstate. We also publish a quarterly statewide economic development magazine.

We publish digitally every day, with seven daily emails, two weekly emails and our website. We are the only media company with fully staffed newsrooms in each of the three major metros.

Advertise today and reach thousands of South Carolina’s top decisionmakers that only the SC Biz News family of publications can offer.

For information about statewide advertising, contact Steve Fields at (843) 849-3110 or sfields@scbiznews.com.

Sustainable Lighting of SC

“You just show them how much they save in energy costs by going to LEDs. The math speaks for itself.”

- Woody Fields, CEO

(From left) Andrew Fields, Director of Installation; Leland “Woody” Fields, CEO; Austin Fields, COO; Kris Busch, Director of Sales

Sustainable Lighting Solutions makes energy cost-saving easy

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oody Fields started Sustainable Lighting Solutions two years ago when he saw how much money companies could save by switching to LED lighting. Fields, who used his own money to start the venture, says he didn’t have to sell his idea for energy-saving LEDs to companies – the math did it for him.

“You just show them how much they save in energy costs by going to LEDs,” he says. “The math speaks for itself.”

Fields had worked for a company that offered energy-saving products to help companies save money, but he saw the potential for even more savings by focusing on LED. “I researched the market,” he says. “It became quickly clear that LEDs were the best way to go.”

When that company resisted his suggestion to focus on LED, Fields took his ideas to the market on his own. He says the first year yielded around $37,000 in revenue, but by the second year, sales

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surged, and revenue increased to $753,000.

“When we realized that staying focused on LED was where we’d make the most gains, that’s when sales really took off,” he says. “And we expect to surpass last year’s numbers by the end of April this year.”

8637 Refuge Point Circle North Charleston, SC 29420 (843) 469-5777 www.sustainablelightingsc.com

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Austin Fields, COO of the company, says their projects range from one-day jobs to those that take up to three weeks. Their client base by the end of 2016 was up to 69, and their work reaches as far as Texas and Michigan.

Beyond the substantial cost-saving from LED lighting, companies don’t have to endure disruption in their operations, says Woody.

Add in the many sources of funding and rebates available, and it’s hard to find a reason not to do it, he adds.

“We handle the entire project from start to finish,” says Woody. “We remove any existing fixtures that are replaced, we clean up the area down to vacuuming the floors. There are no operational interruptions with our projects.”

Woody also points out his company’s focus on safety. “We had a government contractor recently that gave us rave reviews after the job was done.

We installed over 1,100 fixtures in 14 days with an 11-man crew without a single safety violation.”

Parker Poe

“The areas of growth taking place in the Lowcountry, the presence of larger international manufacturing companies connected with the state ports, the emerging tech sector and the number of startups align closely to our firm’s capabilities and resources — whether real estate, employment and HR, litigation or finance.”

- Ashley Cooper, Office Development Partner Ashley Cooper is the Office Development Partner for the Charleston office and Chair of the Energy Industry Team of Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP

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Parker Poe - A partner in Lowcountry business growth

arker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP is a full-service business law firm in the truest sense. With more than 200 attorneys across the firm’s seven offices in the Southeast, companies ranging from startup to publicly traded can find the help they need.

The Charleston office of the Charlotte-based firm opened in 2004 as the Lowcountry was growing in population and business opportunities. Ashley Cooper, the Office Development Partner for the Charleston office, said the correlation between the corporate growth in Charleston and the firm’s focus made the decision easy. The local office includes lawyers focused on the following legal services: employment and benefits, general corporate, commercial litigation, immigration, banking and creditors’ rights, energy and infrastructure, public finance, real estate and construction.

“Charleston is a good fit for our firm’s overall focus and structure,” Cooper says. “The areas of growth taking place in the Lowcountry, the presence of larger international manufacturing companies connected with the state ports, the emerging tech

sector and the number of startups align closely to our firm’s capabilities and resources — whether real estate, employment and HR, litigation or finance.”

For example, Parker Poe recently helped publicly traded Blackbaud develop its new headquarters on Daniel Island. Cooper says the firm negotiated Blackbaud’s “build-to-suit” lease arrangement with the property owner.

200 Meeting Street, Suite 301 Charleston, SC 29401 (843) 727-2650 www.parkerpoe.com

Also, the firm provides general corporate advice on business deals, contracts and negotiations for SIB Fixed Cost Reduction, a privately held Charleston firm that specializes in expense management for businesses.

Banking and public finance are other areas of focus. “We bring a team of experienced lawyers from Charleston and across the firm to meet client needs on a local, regional and national level. We work with hospitals, universities and transportation authorities across the Carolinas, Georgia and beyond.” Cooper says.

Cooper describes the Charleston office as “diverse and young with a lot of energy. Our office is not a rigid environment that is slow to react, rather we are actively working to assist our clients and help them achieve their goals.”

The firm launched an innovative “mini-MBA” program to better educate its attorneys on the needs of its large corporate client base. The in-house, yearlong program helps attorneys develop their professional business skills and acumen in order to provide unparalleled legal counsel to their clients.

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REI Engineers Inc.

“From small renovations and additions to headline-making construction projects, our team has the expertise, technology and skills to tackle the most challenging projects.”

- Scott M. Hinesley, President

The staff at REI Engineers

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REI Engineers Inc. growing locations, team to serve Southeast

EI Engineers Inc. was founded in 1997 in Raleigh, N.C., to provide roofing design and related engineering services to public and private entities throughout the Carolinas.

Since then, the company has grown to a staff of more than 65 employees with offices in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida to better serve the eastern United States.

While growing its footprint in the Southeast, REI Engineers also expanded its services to include the entire building envelope and pavement areas. Services include condition assessments, failure investigations, asset management program implementation, computer modeling and simulation, design and construction administration, building envelope commissioning and design review.

But the real REI Engineers difference lies within its people. The team includes project engineers and registered professionals with designations issued from Roof Consultants Institute, an international association of building envelope consultants. In fact, as a small business, REI Engineers has the largest complement of RCI registrations in the United States – Registered Roof Consultants, Registered Roof

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Observers, Registered Waterproofing Consultants, Registered Exterior Wall Consultants, Registered Building Envelope Consultants, Construction Document Technologists, Commissioning Authority and Building Enclosure Commissioning Process Provider, Certified EIFS Inspector and Accredited Commercial Energy Managers.

“We specialize in and enjoy working with existing building owners to solve moisture issues,” says Roger Parker, vice president. “REI also enjoys teaming with architects to provide our expertise and

2090 Executive Hall Road, Suite 115 Charleston, SC 29407 (843) 225-6272 www.reiengineers.com

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knowledge, which has become more prevalent in recent years and provides added value to the design.”

Look around the Lowcountry to see the REI Engineers stamp. Notable projects around the Charleston area include the South Carolina Aeronautical Training Center, where REI is providing roofing engineering design, building envelope design, design review and construction administration and contract documents for this prestigious 215,000-square-foot facility. REI Engineers also worked on Hotel Bennett at Marion Square, where REI provided engineering services for quality assurance inspections for 60,000-squarefeet below-grade waterproofing.

“From small renovations and additions to headline-making construction projects, our team has the expertise, technology and skills to tackle the most challenging projects,” says Scott M. Hinesley, president of REI Engineers.

“Don’t underestimate the complexity of building envelope systems,” Hinesley adds. “Our focus on identifying specific needs combined with high client involvement and feedback results in the right solution for each unique condition at the right time, every time.”

Equity LLC \ ECS (Equity Construction Solutions)

“ECS chose Charleston as the regional headquarters because of the rapid growth in the region. We plan on becoming one of the top five builders in the market.”

- Sherwood Webb, Regional Vice President

Equity Construction Solutions’ Bryson Webb (from left), Sherwood Webb, Adam Podway, Lance Maxwell and Tom Jennings at the Palmetto Primary Care Physicians facility project underway in the Nexton mixed-use development.

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Equity brings 30 years of commercial real estate solutions to South Carolina

ince 1987, Columbus, Ohio-based Equity has offered full-service national commercial real estate brokerage and property management services, working alongside its sister company, Equity Construction Solutions (ECS).

ECS provides commercial construction solutions nationally, with its newest division in South Carolina led by Regional Vice President Sherwood Webb.

Equity’s company mission is to provide complete, professional real estate development, brokerage, construction and property management services for clients and deliver those services with absolute integrity, quality and value. ECS’ company mission echoes Equity’s mission, as they look to produce predictable client outcomes through proactively managing their risk, reputation and perception.

“ECS chose Charleston because of the rapid growth in the region,” says Webb. “Getting into this market has been in the works for several years.”

Equity’s Market Leader in charge of brokerage and property management, Drew Showfety, CCIM, says, “While this area has been widely recognized as

a world-class tourist destination, it’s also growing its corporate identity with companies like Boeing and Volvo in market. Equity will now have a strong presence too.”

Equity and ECS opened a shared office in Charleston 10 months ago, and ECS has broken

1156 Bowman Road, Suite 274 Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 (855) 991-7000 www.ecsbuilds.com www.equity.net

ground on its largest local project to date, the $125 million Palmetto Primary Care Physicians medical campus in the Nexton mixed-use development in Summerville, with Equity as the PPCP leasing company. The facility includes a 100,000-squarefoot Class A medical office, which will house primary and specialty care services, imaging, lab and an urgent care center.

Equity has thrived and grown even during the recent recession, says Webb, thanks largely to its steady, even-handed approach to investing and expanding its business, led by Equity’s CEO Steve Wathen. “Steve is always looking for new asset investments, and he saw huge potential in the Charleston market.”

“The Nexton project that Equity is leading will be one of the premier medical campuses in the country, and it’s already attracting many quality tenants,” says Showfety. “We’ve got an excellent sales brokerage team, with many projects in the hopper.

The Charleston office will be a strong contributor to both Equity and ECS growth and development for many years to come.”

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Raymond James | Harbour Wealth Management

“If you’ve never thought about your exit, it’s unlikely it will happen as you hope—leaving the ultimate fate of your business and all that rely upon it to chance.”

- Matt Pardieck, CFP®, CIMA®; VP Investments

(From left) Zuri Turner, Client Service Associate; Matthew Pardieck, Vice President of Investments; and Christopher Corley, Financial Advisor

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Harbour Wealth Management of Raymond James helps put the “success” in Succession Plan

ounding a business is easy. Operating a business successfully is hard. But exiting a business that you founded and operate successfully might be the most challenging activity of all. Unravelling the tangle of financial and emotional ties can challenge even the most decisive leader.

There is so much for business owners to consider when they leave the company. How do they ensure that it carries on? How do they extract enough out of it to live comfortably in retirement? How do they take care of employees? And much more.

More than half of all business owners in America are over the age of 50. A survey in 2015 by CNBC and the Financial Planning Association found that while 78 percent of the roughly 28 million smallbusiness owners intend to sell their businesses to fund their retirements, fewer than 30 percent have a written succession plan.

In fact, says Matt Pardieck, a former aeronautical engineer and partner at Harbour Wealth Management Group of Raymond James in Charleston, business owners need to begin succession planning long before retirement looms.

Financial advisers can help business owners determine the best option for them. “Everyone eventually is looking for an exit,” he said. “It’s better to start early than wait and realize you have to restructure to fill key roles.” The default exit is liquidation, which leaves all parties with the least amount of money.

Every form of exit has its pros and cons in

28 Bridgeside Boulevard, Suite 203 Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 (843) 416-1033 www.harbourwealth management.com

balancing details such as sales price, taxes, family dynamics, leaving a legacy, dealing/negotiating with outside parties cash flow, finding funding, retaining key people and personal financial goals.

It is important to have a good team of advisors helping with these issues.

Pardieck and his team, who are with Raymond James and have decades of experience, walk their clients through all the pertinent questions to help determine the best exit strategy – passing the business to family, selling to an outside party, partnering with private equity, an employee stock option plan (ESOP), among other options. They then help coordinate an advisory team to make it happen.

A team of advisors like Harbour brings vast experience with succession planning, knowledge of tax laws and capital markets, and an objective approach to a potentially emotional decision.

Business owners must ultimately determine if they need to get top dollar for their business in order to retire or if they might accept less to help their successors to succeed.

Raymond James and its advisors do not offer tax or legal advice. You should discuss any tax or legal matters with the appropriate professional. The foregoing information has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but we do not guarantee that it is accurate or complete. Any opinions are those of Matt Pardieck and not necessarily those of Raymond James.

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College of Charleston School of Business

“Our relationship with the business community is unparalleled and provides students with the connections, opportunities and support to forge their careers right after graduation.”

- Alan T. Shao, Dean of the College of Charleston School of Business The College of Charleston School of Business comprises a unique partnership between the school and the business community. Pictured are (from left) Nick Mashuta, Class of 2017; Melaina Castengera, Class of 2017; Jim Newsome, S.C. Ports Authority President and CEO; Sara Romo, Class of 2017; Charles ‘Buddy’ Darby, Christophe Harbour Development Co. CEO; Joseph Fontana, Class of 2017; Tommy Baker, Baker Motor Co. Owner and President; Jocelyn Evans, CofC School of Business Associate Dean and Professor of Finance; and Jillian Barbaro, Class of 2017.

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College of Charleston School of Business graduates are ready to work

owcountry businesses have a strategic partner in the College of Charleston School of Business. The business community plays an integral role in the development of the curricula, while the School produces ready-to-work graduates to fill industry’s growing needs. It’s the ultimate town-gown collaboration.

The School of Business offers majors critical to the local economy, such as finance, supply chain management, and hospitality and tourism management. These majors were developed with input from local business executives, represented by the School’s Board of Governors, which comprises some of the leading names in the local (and even national) business community. They ensure that the School remains responsive to the real-world needs of industry and produces immediately employable graduates.

The Board of Governors plays a vital advisory and leadership role in the School. Beyond their high-level function in strategic planning and curriculum development, they offer their

prodigious experience and expertise directly to the students, providing mentoring and internships, and even serving as lecturers. Students have the opportunity to hear insights from Anita Zucker, CEO of The InterTech Group, about leadership; or Bill Finn, former CEO of AstenJohnson, about global business.

“Our relationship with the business community is unparalleled and provides students with the connections, opportunities and support to forge

5 Liberty Street Charleston, SC 29401 (843) 953-5627 sb.cofc.edu

their careers right after graduation,” said Alan T. Shao, Dean of the School of Business.

The result is that the School is rated 15th in the nation for global business and study-abroad programs.

Its graduates are spread across the globe and eager to help their alma mater. Shao recently received an email from an alumnus working for Bloomberg asking if he could recruit for the School, or offer internships to current students — in Hong Kong.

Beyond the charming campus of herringbone bricks and Spanish moss, the student experience at the College of Charleston School of Business is built around career opportunities. The School provides a one-stop Student Success Center, where undergraduates and graduate students alike can seek answers to academic or career questions.

Coming soon to the School of Business is a new major in commercial real estate that bubbled up from business practitioners. The booming real estate market has created demand for professionals in the field. That provides the School another opportunity to produce ready-to-work graduates.

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SLS Consulting LLC

“From performance appraisals and strategic goal-setting to compensation analysis and on-call assistance, SLS Consulting has continued to be our HR partner, resulting in tremendous growth in our efforts to transform and revitalize communities in South Carolina.”

- Michelle A. Mapp, CEO South Carolina Community Loan Fund

(From left) Beth Cook Blanchard, Sharon Sellers, Peggy Smith

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SLS Consulting meets clients’ HR needs

ven if a business is not large enough to have an HR department, it can still get expert help with employee management and training.

SLS Consulting LLC offers services as limited as a compensation survey or as extensive as a series of projects to start a new business. Companies can sign on for a one-time service or stay in touch indefinitely and receive advice as needed. It’s all up to the client company.

“Even with our training sessions, we’re willing to customize specifically to meet the needs of the organization,” says Sharon L. Sellers, founder and president.

Sellers already had 20 years’ experience in HR when she decided to establish her own business.

Independent consultants Beth Cook Blanchard and Peggy Smith bring additional decades of HR experience to SLS projects. Other consultants are brought in as needed.

Since its creation in 2004, SLS has helped 200plus clients strategically structure and improve their

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companies’ U.S. employee management practices.

“We serve all industries and have local clients as well as clients headquartered across the world who are wanting to establishing a U.S. presence,” Sellers says.

Services for an established company can include a general HR audit to assess compliance with laws and regulations; investigation of complaints of harassment or other inequities; and studies to help

427 Santee Drive Santee, SC 29142 (843) 819-5129 www.consultsls.com

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ensure employees are paid fairly compared to coworkers and paid competitively in relation to other companies.

SLS offers an eight-hour supervisory certification program. Training makes up a third of the firm’s business. “We do a lot of customized training,” Sellers says, “but most important, I think, is the supervisory training.” An organization is only as good as each supervisor, because to an employee the organization IS the supervisor, she says. Without good supervisors, “the company is not going to be effective.”

Assisting a startup is a sizable project that typically includes determining staffing needs, creating job descriptions, establishing effective compensation programs, recruiting and training management, and creating an “employer-ofchoice” brand. “We also assist with creating policies and defining benefit strategies.”

Finally, when companies need to fill an in-house HR position, SLS has the expertise and network to recruit the most successful candidates.

Software Projects Consulting

“That proximity allows us to arrive in the plant 20 minutes after we get a call to help with a situation. That’s different than a consulting company that flies all over the world.”

- Frank Muehlenkamp, Founder and CEO

Foreground (l to r) Prashant Somani, CPA, SAP Finance & Controlling Consultant, and Frank Muehlenkamp, President and Principal Consultant.

Background (l to r) Arun Saravanan, SAP Technical Consultant; Marco Flores, SAP Warehouse Management Consultant; Anant Joshi, SAP Production and Quality Management Consultant; Karen Morgan, SAP Sales & Distribution Consultant; Jorge Martinez, SAP ABAP Developer (RF Specialist)

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Software Projects Consulting offers fast, local solutions to manufacturers

f you’re a Lowcountry manufacturing or automotive company whose operational efficiency is sub-optimal, or whose computer systems don’t communicate with each other, help is available from a local company that has been providing software solutions and support to Charleston-area manufacturers.

Summerville-based Software Projects Consulting specializes in providing end-to-end SAP solutions – enterprise software that weaves together all your operations into one system.

That means finance, sales, distribution, supply chain management and production all reporting seamlessly on the same platform.

Software Projects’ consultants bring expertise in manufacturing and software to any job. Most of them started their careers in manufacturing, learned the SAP system and worked as consultants developing solutions within the SAP framework before joining the team.

SAP offers the advantage of efficiency. All systems are integrated and the entire user base can be trained on one system, not on separate systems for each function.

Software Projects Consulting works primarily with manufacturers that already employ SAP but need support with day-to-day operations or on individual projects. One company with completely manual materials handling looked to Software Projects Consulting for an automated warehouse management system. Software Projects introduced wireless scanners to track and route materials and log every transaction in real time. Founder and CEO Frank Muehlenkamp estimates the upgrade in efficiency will save his client $500,000 over three

we make software work for you

304 North Pine Street (construction in progress)

Summerville, SC 29485 (843) 817-5152 www.spcnow.com

years.

New software and processes require training of staff, which Software Projects Consulting also provides. Unlike international behemoth consulting firms, Software Projects Consulting builds long-term relationships with clients in this region, developing a deeper understanding of those businesses in the process. “That proximity allows us to arrive in the plant 20 minutes after we get a call to help with a situation,” says Muehlenkamp. “That’s different than a consulting company that flies all over the world.”

For some local manufacturers, like Kion North America, IFA Rotorion and Hengst of North America, Software Projects Consulting’s special expertise in working with German companies is a bonus. Muehlenkamp says it’s helpful to be able to bridge the occasional cultural gap.

The expertise in SAP, its ability to integrate systems and the efficiencies that it produces prompt manufacturers to seek out Software Projects Consulting. Ultimately, a more productive operation and healthier bottom line are valuable in any culture.

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Phillips Industrial Services

One of PISC’s newest services is dry ice blast cleaning. This process can be used in a food setting without harm to people, animals or plants. It is a zero-added-waste form of cleaning.

Dry ice cleaning in action

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Phillips Industrial Services provides cleaning and coating for a variety of industries

hillips Industrial Services Corp. (PISC) has provided surface preparation, lead abatement, coatings, dry ice blasting, concrete floor toppings, vacuum truck, and ultrahigh pressure (up to 40,000 psi) water-blasting and water-jetting services for its industrial, commercial, and marine customers for 56 years.

PISC is the only contractor in South Carolina to hold three SSPC certifications: Field Painting of Complex Structures (QP1), Hazardous Paint Removal (QP2), and Shop Application of Protective Coatings (QP3). Their facility is situated on a 16-acre site in the Bushy Park Industrial Complex in Goose Creek with rail and deep water access. It includes a dustless airless blasting machine that cleans steel surfaces such as pipe, beams, and channel using steel shot. PISC crews then apply customer-specified coatings systems in a controlled environment and deliver on companyowned trucks to the jobsite. Completing projects in their shop eliminates the chance of overspray on clients’ vehicles, buildings, and infrastructure.

PISC’s international experience has allowed

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Naval Station GTMO Lighthouse

them to complete projects all over the world.

Phillips has applied fireproofing at a refinery in St. Croix, cleaned and coated several tanks in east Africa and 1,000-foot radio towers in Iceland, and has been serving the Navy in Guantanamo Bay since 2002.

One of PISC’s newest services is dry ice blast cleaning. This process cleans, using food-grade dry

1841 Bushy Park Road Goose Creek, SC 29445 (843) 884-8566 www.phillipsindsvc.com

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ice, with three primary mechanisms: pellet kinetic energy, thermal shock effect and thermal-kinetic effect. Dry ice blast cleaning has been approved by the USDA, DFA, DHEC, and EPA. It is non-toxic and can be used in a food setting without harm to people, animals, or plants. It is a zero-added-waste form of cleaning.

PISC has years of experience and excellent performance painting large buildings. Recent projects include four buildings at the Charleston International Manufacturing center, three parking garages for the city of Charleston, and the Joseph P. Riley Jr. baseball park. PISC also provided coatings services for Volvo Car Stadium.

Their crews have completed many large flooring projects, including an Air Force F-22 jet hangar in Virginia. PISC also repairs concrete structures using epoxy and urethane injection.

At PISC, they are most proud of their outstanding safety program and record. They have been operating for 56 years without one broken bone!

Safety first and performance second to none.

Affluence Financial Group

“We don’t know it all but we have relationships with those that do. There is wisdom in partnering with those who can assist you. Our clients expect that.”

- Clark “Corky” Ullom, Financial Services Representative

(From left) Katie Perkinson, Sidney “Copey” Copleston, Clark “Corky” Ullom, Jess Lempesis, Alex Mitchum and Erin Scally

Affluence Financial Group helps create better outcomes for its clients

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erving the financial planning needs of high net-worth, closely held businesses and owners is the mission of Affluence Financial Group.

“We take a very complex business situation and bring simplicity to understanding it,” says Clark “Corky” Ullom, a partner in the firm. In addition, AFG is committed to collaboration with experts in accounting, law and insurance to meet the client’s specific needs. These two strengths set AFG apart from other firms.

AFG offers expertise in all areas of financial management, including retirement planning, tax management, estate planning, investment strategies, risk management and group benefits.

The firm has a combined 90 years of experience.

AFG has embraced technology, offering a financial application that allows a client to check all accounts in real time on mobile devices.

“We encourage our clients to demand their current legal and tax teams are collaborating for the clients’ planning objectives. Our team focuses on practicing what we preach. Our advisers collaborate on each plan design and bring a different

perspective utilizing our different backgrounds and expertise to help our clients reach their goals,” says Jess Lempesis, a partner in the firm. Collaboration between legal, tax, and financial teams is crucial to the business owner marketplace, a focus for AFG. A major issue that many owners face is business succession planning. “Less than 5% of closely held businesses make it to the third generation1,” says Sidney “Copey” Copleston, a partner in AFG.

176 Croghan Spur Road Suite 204 Charleston, SC 29407 (843) 952-7041 www.affluencefinancial.com

“Often, 90% of the family’s wealth is tied up in the business.”

Business owners need an objective third party to help navigate this process, as they may be too close to the situation to weigh the risks they are taking, Ullom says.

AFG’s vision is unique in financial management, says Alex Mitchum, the firm’s youngest partner. “We have the vision to think beyond the transaction, something we really strive for.”

The goodwill of its clients resulting in referrals has led to AFG’s growth. The firm has a collaborative relationship with a community bank in South Carolina, doing financial planning for its clients, and AFG plans to add more strategic partners in the future.

Recently, AFG was named 2016 Team of the Year by NSC Financial, a member of the MassMutual Financial Group, recognizing the firm’s financial professional team approach. In the community, AFG sponsors the True Blue Gala benefiting the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation, and supporting The Stray Dog Society, benefitting the Citadel Scholarship program.

Securities, investment advisory and financial planning services offered through qualified registered representatives of MML Investors Services, LLC. Member SIPC. Affluence Financial Group is not a subsidiary or affiliate of MML Investors Services, LLC, or its affiliated companies. OSJ - 11215 North Community House Road, Woodward Building - Suite 100, Charlotte, NC 28277. (704) 541-2777. CRN201905-212467 1 Why Wealth Disappears http://www.fa-mag.com/news/why-wealth-disappears-8227.html

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