2020 SCBIZ Spring

SPRING 2020

Driving forward

S.C. automotive industry prepares for a future of change

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County Spotlight: Sumter | Trending: Automotive in S.C. | S.C. Delivers

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From the

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Dear Reader,

EDITOR

Automotive manufacturing is a vital driver of our state’s economy. The sector reaches every corner of South Carolina, generating $27 billion in economic impact and 72,000 jobs.

The automotive industry has been an integral part of our state’s transformation from traditional textile and agricultural roots to the modern, technologically advanced contributor to the global economy it is today. This issue of SCBIZ magazine focuses on some of the key innovations and future for the state’s automotive industry.

Change is coming to the industry in the form of electrification.

Automakers have accelerated research and development of electric vehicles in the face of stricter emission standards in the U.S. and abroad.

While gas-powered vehicles will continue to dominate sales and profits for years to come, the move to electric and other nontraditional forms of power will only gain momentum.

This move toward more climate-friendly vehicles is both expensive and complex. BMW and Volvo are committing significant resources to add hybrid and all-electric vehicles to their lines. Mercedes-Benz’s Steve McDaniel Sprinter van facility in North Charleston is streamlining production Editor, processes with new technology.

SCBIZ Magazine One of the state’s major initiatives has been in automotive workforce training. Automakers and their suppliers require a large, diverse and highly skilled workforce. Volvo is partnering with Trident Tech in the Lowcountry in a specialized curriculum to provide training focused on automotive manufacturing, servicing and maintenance.

This issue also features the annual S.C. Business Hall of Fame inductions, a partnership with Junior Achievement of Greater S.C. Each year, J.A. honors three people who have helped shape and grow our state’s economy with their knowledge, skills and resources.

The 2020 honorees include: Marva Smalls, a pioneer in championing the roles of minorities and women and the value of diversity in the business community; Rick Pennell, a third-generation Upstate businessman who heads one of the largest concrete manufacturers in the U.S.; and Frank Brumley, an innovator, financial expert and real estate developer who’s led some of the largest and most successful development ventures in the state.

Another featured section of this issue is Cities Mean Business, a semiannual publication with our partners at the Municipal Association of South Carolina that highlights what communities across our state are doing to enhance and enrich their livability and economic prospects. This issue explores how several towns have dealt with recent natural disasters, including plans to mitigate the impact from future events. Also, we look at what municipalities are doing to embrace new technology to better engage citizens and promote new and improved services.

South Carolina’s economy continues to grow and diversify. Thanks to readers of SCBIZ magazine such as you, the Palmetto State and the companies that do business here have a bright future.

We at SC Biz News are proud to be a part of that vibrant, evolving business community.

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Table of

CONTENTS TRENDING: AUTOMOTIVE IN S.C. 11 New frontiers, new challenges for automakers in 2020 16 Volvo, Trident Tech partnership gives students hands-on training in auto maintenance, repair On the cover: BMWs manufactured in Spartanburg await export at the Port of Charleston. (Photo/S.C. Ports Authority) Left: Michelin’s new airless tire for passenger vehicles. See story on pg. 11.

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4 Upfront 6 County Spotlight: Sumter 18 S.C. Delivers

CITIES MEAN BUSINESS Entertainment, culture and commerce meet on Main Street in communities across S.C.

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UPFRONT regional news | data

Converse to admit men as undergrads, change name

A

lmost 125 years after the act to incorporate Converse College, the administrators responsible for carrying out those directives are leaning on the original documents to guide them through a couple of major changes.

For the first time since its founding in 1889, the Spartanburg school will admit men to its undergraduate program in the fall of 2021, when the school name will be changed to Converse University.

The Converse College Board of Trustees voted to do both.

Converse President Krista L. Newkirk said the 1896 act to incorporate the college says that Converse “shall be a high-grade college for the liberal education of women, or of both men and women, if it shall be deemed expedient.”

It’s become more than expedient, Newkirk said at a press conference following the trustees’ meeting. It’s become a matter of survival for a school facing the reality of numbers. The

Converse College will admit men to its undergraduate programs for the first time in the school’s history starting in 2021. The school is also changing its name to Converse University at the same time. (Photo/Converse College) number of students in college is predicted to fall by 15% nationwide after 2025, according to The Hechinger Report, an education news organization.

The decrease is a result of a lower birthrate

that started with the economic slowdown of 2008. And according to information compiled in a Converse College report, while college enrollment has increased 32% since 2000, attendance at women’s colleges has decreased 29%.

FAST FACTS | South Carolina’s Automotive Business

#1

In the U.S. in export sales of tires and completed passenger vehicles www.scbizmag.com

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72,000

People in the automotive industry workforce

$27 billion

Annual impact of the industry on S.C. economy Source: S.C. Department of Commerce

Section begins on

Page 11

400

Automotive-related companies operating in the state

1994

Year the first S.C.-made car rolled off the assembly line, a BMW 318i

UPFRONT

Choice Hotels franchises 3rd Cambria Hotel in Lowcountry

C

hoice Hotels International has franchised its third Cambria Hotel in the Lowcountry. The newest hotel was developed by Four Raines LLC and is in Nexton Town Center in Summerville.

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Other locations are on U.S. Highway 17 North in Mount Pleasant and at Ripley Point in Charleston.

The Cambria Hotel Summerville-Charleston includes 95 guestrooms, on-site dining, a fitness center, and meeting and event space.

“A short drive to charming downtown Charleston and close to the area’s thriving corporate scene, the Cambria Hotel SummervilleCharleston provides guests convenient proximity to everything this top destination offers,” said Janis Cannon, senior vice president of upscale brands for Choice Hotels.

In addition to developing the Cambria Hotel Summerville-Charleston, Four Raines LLC owns the Cambria Hotel Mount Pleasant-Charleston and is developing the Cambria Hotel Greenville, which is scheduled to open later this year.

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Section Sponsor

county spotlight

SUMTER

STEAM students in Sumter County explore new worlds through microscopes.

IN THE MIDDLE OF IT ALL Sumter County boasts central location, low costs, great quality of life

By Jim Tatum, Associate Editor | Photos provided by Sumter County Economic Development

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entrally located in the Midlands, Sumter County is around a two-hour drive to Charleston, Greenville and Myrtle Beach, less than an hour from Florence and about a half hour from Columbia. With a reasonable cost of living — the median price of a house is around $113,000, lower than state and national averages — and easy access to I-95, I-20 and U.S. 521, the county offers a well-balanced mix of bucolic rural settings and lively urban atmosphere.

The area boasts a proud military history. The county and city are named for General Thomas Sumter, “The Fighting Gamecock,” who was one of the most audacious and successful patriot commanders during the Revolutionary War. Sumter is the home of Shaw Air Base, which has

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Sumter County by the numbers Populat

ion: 107,379 Median Household Income: $41,946 Median House Value : $113,200 The region has a civ ilian labor force of 47,913 with a pa rticipation rate of 58.7%. Of individu als 25 to 64 in Sumter County, 20.2% have a bachelor’s degree or higher, wh ich compares with 32.3% in the natio n.

Source: America n Community

Survey

Since 1986, Thompson has provided construction and industrial services with the highest standards in safety, quality and integrity for a variety of industries. We now serve the United States with over 20 locations, plus mobile operations across the globe. Our growing family of companies has come a long way, but Sumter will always be our home.

SAFETY QUALITY INTEGRITY Thompson Industrial Services provides safe, comprehensive industrial cleaning services to major industrial facilities. Our work is safer, faster and more precise with our growing line of advanced automation technologies.

Thompson Construction Group focuses on industrial construction and on-site maintenance. Specializing in large industrial projects, we build and maintain facilities for a range of industries like Power, Paper, Steel and beyond.

Thompson Turner, general contractors, builds commercial, government and educational facilities. We offer single-source, deadlines and budget-oriented delivery, including Design/Build and CM at Risk.

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COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: SUMTER Students tour a new spec building in Sumter County.

not only generated billions of dollars in revenue over the years, but many long-time citizens initially came to the area wearing Air Force blue — and with the relocation of the U.S. Army’s 3rd Army headquarters, Army green.

So, Sumter County has always been a good place to live, work and play. And yet, underpinning the pleasant mix of smalltown feel and city amenity is a palpable, crackling energy, an unmistakable un-

The Sumter County Economic Development team at the Sumter School District State of the School Breakfast.

derstanding that “good” is not quite good enough.

Sumter County doesn’t want to just sit at the table; they want to set it.

To put it another way, says Greg Thompson, “good is the enemy of great.”

Thompson, a Sumter native, is CEO of Thompson Industrial Group, an industrial/ construction cleaning services company.

He joined his family’s business in 1986; since then, he has grown the business to

more than 3,000 employees and multiple offices across the Southeast. He said there was never any question where he wanted to build his business and his life. But even if he hadn’t had the insider’s knowledge, he said he would still locate his business in Sumter County.

“We went from three to over 3,000 employees. This is clearly a community where we can grow and thrive,” he said. “It’s a great place to do business.”

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COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: SUMTER

A band entertains the crowd at Sumter’s Oktoberfest, a popular event enjoyed by visitors and locals.

Thompson also chairs the Sumter County Economic Development Board and has been a leader in economic development efforts at the county and the city level for some 13 years. Indeed, one of his ongoing efforts is to reinvent Sumter County and, especially, the city of Sumter as a place to which people will proactively seek to relocate.

His family and his company have been involved in revitalizing downtown Sumter.

CONNECTING

Students at the Manufacturers & Technology Expo.

His company bought and renovated a historic building for its corporate headquarters.

His wife has renovated downtown spaces as well, even launching two restaurants rivaling some of the higher-end establishments usually found in larger, more well-known cities. They are also part of a group that bought the Sunset Country Club in Sumter and are bringing it back to viability.

“We are trying to create all the things in Sumter that make others want to come

you

here,” Thompson said. “(I believe) We are being successful — my own children have come back and their friends are coming back … Have you been to Sumter, lately? If you haven’t, you should — we have a real renaissance going on here.”

Thompson isn’t the only one noticing the ongoing progress and dramatic revitalization. Indeed, the area’s success is all the result of coordinated collaboration between county, municipal and economic develop-

Sumter South Carolina

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COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: SUMTER

ment officials and the business community.

“Sumter is the ideal location — it’s growing rapidly and I’m excited to be part of that growth,” noted Chris Carano, a chemical process engineer with Nova Molecular Technologies.

Jay Schwedler, president/CEO of Sumter County Economic Development, has been instrumental in coordinating and implementing these efforts. He is encouraged with the accomplishments thus far and feels optimistic about the future.

“There are many phenomenal things happening here — industries are expanding, small business is on the rise and downtowns across our region are experiencing an uptick of revitalization,” Schwedler said.

Ultimately, Sumter County’s success is due to a strong spirit of collaboration between municipalities, county and business community.

“We have an incredible team that has come up with a great plan and we are implementing it,” Thompson said.

One important component of that plan is workforce development, and crucial

to that is providing more technical and STEAM education opportunities, especially at younger ages and grade levels. Schwedler said Sumter County is implementing programs designed to do just that.

The economic development team hosted an education summit to align and develop a community strategy in 2016. From that, a Manufacturers and Technology Expo was developed and is now held annually for eighth grade students. The expo, in turn, was the catalyst for the eSTEAM Sumter Festival, held every October. Launched in 2018, the festival gathers more than 6,000 attendees and showcases vendors, industries, educational institutions and community organizations to demonstrate the advancements in science and technology and the opportunities that exist in Sumter County.

Another initiative, the Ross McKenzie Emerging Leaders Program, is a year-round leadership experience for high school juniors that introduces economic and community development concepts through monthly interactive sessions. Students earn three college credits as well as placement on a

community board or committee and serve as Regional Ambassadors for community events during their senior year.

“A well-trained and ready workforce is increasingly the most critical element to attract and sustain business,” Schwedler said.

“Everyone wants to win, but in order to be competitive, a community must first set the stage with a game plan and a winning attitude along with players that are excited to be on the field.”

With that in mind, the economic development board is taking a proactive stance in education, Thompson said. Plans are underway to launch a STEAM-based charter school this year. In fact, the goal is not just to provide another education choice, but to ratchet up the game significantly, to help create an education system so desirable that people will want to relocate to Sumter County just for the schools.

“Our focus is to create absolute excellence,” Thompson said. “We can’t afford to be good at this — we have to be fantastic, tops in the Southeast, not just here and in the state.

What we do here must be world class.”

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Locals gather for a grand opening in Sumter County.

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People enjoying one of the numerous events held in downtown Sumter.

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Patriot Park Pavillion, downtown Sumter.

TRENDING: AUTOMOTIVE IN S.C.

New BMWs in railcars from the Spartanburg plant await export. BMW is a major exporter with the S.C. Ports Authority. (Photo/S.C. Ports Authority)

AUTOMOTIVE IN S.C.

New technology, new frontiers

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global tire manufacturer Michelin and all of the third-party suppliers for these companies must embrace a brave new world that even a genius innovator like Henry Ford likely never imagined.

Arnhelm Mittelbach, president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Vans LLC, said the company isn’t developing any new technologies in South Carolina — most of the research and development happens at company headquarters in Germany — but the Ladson plant is making sure it’s prepared for when the next generation of vehicles come rolling off the line.

“What’s for me and for us is really interesting is the question of how do we use … technology to optimize our production on

the one hand,” Mittelbach said. “And on the other hand, it is for us really important to be prepared … for production of, for example, electric vehicles and vehicles with all technologies.”

One of the innovations is digitizing the vehicle documentation process to replaces stamps and paper with radio-frequency identification pens and tablets, which MercedesBenz estimates will eliminate between 15 and 50 pieces of paper per van.

“Really what we’re striving for is changing this whole plant to a paperless factory,” Mittelbach said.

The company has also begun to utilize electronically controlled tools, which are calibrated to provide the exact torque required

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he automotive industry in South Carolina has established itself as a key player in the global economy. But that doesn’t mean it can coast in neutral and expect to maintain its status.

Major changes are underway across the sector. Electrification of vehicles is a primary mission for every major automaker in the world. Driver safety and autonomous technology continue to surge ahead with innovations that most of us never even heard of 10 or 15 years ago. This evolution will require a highly trained and skilled workforce to fill thousands of jobs.

The Palmetto State’s role in this evolution is evident at every level: Giant automakers BMW, Volvo and Mercedes-Benz,

By SC Biz News staff

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TRENDING: AUTOMOTIVE IN S.C.

in each stage of production and document each action taken, and automated guided vehicles, which travel parallel to the assembly production line to deliver parts just in time and just in sequence. The AGVs allow Mercedes-Benz to create a specialized “shopping cart” for each van as the customer customizes their order, which can create a high level of complexity in the production process.

“This is something, one of the challenges in the van plant, for the employees that handle that complexity, and therefore we create a system around the worker,” Mittelbach said.

All the intelligent production improvements are meant to optimize the quality and efficiency of the line.

“These guys really have a lot of tasks to do in a standardized work environment,” Mittelbach said. “And all these tools we’re implementing are there to support the worker and the employee on the line to perform the process on the highest level.”

Volvo Cars also plans to build a battery production line for electric XC90 SUVs in Ridgeville, where the company currently builds S60 sedans. The battery production line is expected to be operational by 2021,

BMWs await export in a collection area at the Port of Charleston. (Photo/S.C. Ports Authority)

with XC90 production beginning in 2022.

The port’s key role Beyond the production line, South Carolina’s increasing automotive expertise extends to the state’s ports. The S.C. Ports Authority handles over 200,000 vehicles a year through its Columbus Street Terminal in downtown

Call toll free: 888-845-6887

Charleston, as well as importing parts for automotive companies, which port COO Barbara Melvin says has improved the port’s operation.

“They are a very sophisticated sector in manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, that have high expectations on service for both import parts and then even export setup vehicles or knockdown vehicles. … So I think from the

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port’s perspective, not only are we grateful for the volume, we are grateful that so many auto manufacturers in the Southeast place their trust in us to make sure that their manufacturing lines are not impacted,” she said.

Melvin said as the automotive industry, and manufacturing overall, has grown in South Carolina, the port has invested “significantly” in its roll on-roll off facility at the Columbus Street Terminal, as well as its container terminals, to make sure the ports authority can support the capacity of imports and exports that manufacturers require.

“Our economic impact and our growth has really reflected a one-for-one relationship with the growth in advanced manufacturing in South Carolina,” Melvin said. “So it’s another way to prove that our track record is solid for our reputation and our ability to handle this completely sophisticated sector of the economy.”

BMW going electric

A BMW employee assembles a battery pack at the Spartanburg plant. (Photo/BMW)

More than 10% of the vehicles produced at BMW’s Plant Spartanburg are what the German automaker calls “electrified,” which refers to all-electric automobiles as well as

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TRENDING: AUTOMOTIVE IN S.C. www.scbizmag.com

Robots are used in the assembly process of automotive batteries at the BMW plant in Spartanburg. (Photo/BMW)

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plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

The plant in 2019 doubled its capacity for high-voltage battery production, investing about $10 million in a new battery assembly line, so the plant’s own facility produces the new generation battery for plug-in hybrid models of the BMW X5 and eventually the BMW X3, also produced at the plant.

Battery assembly added 120 jobs, according to BMW. Knudt Flor, president and CEO of the plant, said in the past four years, BMW Manufacturing’s battery assembly team has produced more than 45,000 batteries.

The new capacity means the plant could double the number of batteries produced if needed to meet demand.

And according to headquarters in Germany, that demand is coming. The company has 500,000 electrified vehicles on roads around the world now and intends to double the number quickly. In a December 2019 announcement from Germany, BMW Chairman Oliver Zipse said the company plans to have a million on the road by the end of 2021.

The company has goals for sales of electrified vehicles for the years ahead: A quarter of all vehicles sold in Europe should be electrified by 2021, according to a BMW news release. That should reach a third by 2025 and

half in 2030.

“Half a million vehicles is the best proof,” of demand, Zipse said in the news release.

“Our broad range of electrified vehicles is meeting exact customer needs. Now, we are stepping up the pace significantly. We aim to have 1 million electrified vehicles on the roads within two years. This is our contribution toward effective climate protection.”

A pipeline for the talent needed for this level of automobile manufacturing — electrified drivetrains as well as other technology — is the Clemson University Center for Advanced Manufacturing.

By partnering with industry statewide, the Clemson center provides what the university says is a sustainable way to foster long-term success for the manufacturing sector.

The Center for Advanced Manufacturing began hosting students across its engineering activities in 2019. The goal was to first tackle the main challenges facing the state’s manufacturers — by delivering the advanced technologies and talent needed to keep them globally competitive.

Modeled after the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research campus in Greenville, the advanced manufacturing center is a place for industry, higher ed-

ucation and state leadership to come together and jointly focus on the education, research and corporate engagement that foster innovation. Clemson benefits in the form of added research and lab space, and industry enjoys the wide range of specifically focused technology generated by the on-campus R&D centers.

No more flat tires It may take some time for an autonomous vehicle to be invented that changes its own tires. With an eye toward autonomous operation, Michelin continues to develop technology to improve tire performance, maintenance and intelligence.

One technology developed at the Michelin America’s Research Center in Greenville is an airless tire called Uptis. It is engineered to require minimal or zero maintenance. The Uptis prototype wheel assembly eliminates the risk of flat tires in passenger vehicles, according to information provided by the company.

The Uptis model is the work of Michelin’s Tweel technology, which is an airless system used in lawn mowers, golf carts, construction, military, farming and off-road vehicles.

Michelin is working with General Motors to test and refine the Uptis prototype and plans to make it available by 2024.

TRENDING: AUTOMOTIVE IN S.C.

Michelin has developed an airless Uptis tire, left, for passenger vehicles that uses the company’s Tweel technology already employed in many off-road vehicles.

Status updates on the Uptis tire can be read on a smartphone app, right. (Photos/Michelin)

In addition to Uptis, Michelin is working on technologies that provide real-time information to drivers on tire status, condition and inflation. The company has embedded tire pressure monitoring systems and radio frequency identification systems into tires that provide information to drivers and fleet managers, such as tire pressure and inventory. Engineers are looking at ways to ex-

pand the technology to offer more benefits to drivers and vehicle owners.

In 2019, the company launched Michelin Track Connect, which will be included in the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect Tire, with roots in auto racing technology.

The Sport Cup 2 provides maximum grip and cornering performance and includes Michelin Track Connect technology, which

provides feedback to the driver. A sensor is patched into the Cup 2 Connect that measures tire pressure, temperature and performance. The customized recommendations are used by the company to improve racing performance.

Staff writers Ross Norton, Patrick Hoff and Renee Sexton contributed to this article.

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TRENDING: AUTOMOTIVE IN S.C.

Volvo partnership gives Trident Tech automotive students first-hand knowledge, latest technology

By Shamira McCray

Trident Tech has partnered with Volvo to offer an automotive technology program to train students in service and maintenance. (Photo/Shamira McCray)

T

rident Technical College’s automotive technology program has developed two paths for students who seek a career in the automotive industry.

Robert Elliott, dean of manufacturing and maintenance at the college, said there

is an associate degree and certificate route that students can take. The primary path for the associate degree has a curriculum that is centered on skills needed to become a dealership technician. And a secondary path for the associate degree can be customized so that

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students can obtain the skills needed for their individual career goals.

Certificates are available in automotive servicing and introduction to automotive servicing.

In the automotive technology program, Trident Tech trains traditional students, high school students, people who want to retrain and even those who are already working in the field but want to get certified in a certain area.

Elliott said while some students in the program want to become dealership technicians or service writers, there are others who want to work in manufacturing at plants such as Volvo and Mercedes in the Lowcountry.

And most students in the automotive technology program want to obtain the associate degree and customize their education.

“And we do have students that have been placed in those two plants (Volvo and Mercedes),” Elliott said. “And those type of students, they will take a secondary path in, say, like in industrial mechanics or welding.

They’ll basically take courses that will enhance their skills in the manufacturing sector.”

Students who end up working at plants like Volvo or Mercedes may need to know how to weld. And the secondary path for Trident Tech’s associate degree in automotive technology would allow for them to take welding courses.

“If they want to repair equipment, we can put them in industrial mechanics,” Elliott said.

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“If they want to get into the machining side of manufacturing, we can have them take some machine tool technology courses. So we customize that education for the student.”

Volvo Car University has provided Trident Tech with two new S60 sedans through a no-charge lease program. Automotive technology students will use the cars as hands-on training aids. The company has also provided manufacturing training for instructors at the college. Elliott said the college is integrating Volvo’s training into its curriculum.

“So our students leaving from the program can actually go work at the Volvo dealership or work at the manufacturing plant because they’re learning how to assemble and disassemble the vehicle as per manufacturing specifications,” Elliott said.

A partnership like the one Trident Tech has with Volvo is important, Elliott said, because it takes the automotive technology program and gives it a real-world application.

The Volvo sedans that students get to work on are some of the latest in the industry, he said. Some of the other cars the college uses in the program are not as new as the Volvos, so students have a bit of a learning curve, according to Elliott.

“But with the Volvo, with the latest technology in the Volvo vehicles, these students are getting that first-hand knowledge,” Elliott said.

Hendrick Volvo of Charleston has also assisted Trident Tech’s automotive technology program by donating specialty tools, laptops and software for instructors.

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S.C. DELIVERS Ports, Logistics & Distribution

Logistics

Staff report

Carver Maritime to expand North Charleston operations

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hipping and warehousing company Carver Maritime LLC plans to expand its existing operations in North Charleston with a $14 million investment.

Carver Maritime, at 1400 Pierside St., Building 190, Suite D, accommodates ships carrying cargo such as salt, break bulk items, gypsum and stone aggregates at its 400-acre marine terminal, which offers accessibility for ships up to 750 feet with a draft of 36 feet.

The company is constructing a new processing and distribution center that will export through the Hugh K. Leatherman Sr. Terminal, expected to open in 2021, and

the planned Palmetto Railways Intermodal Container Transfer Facility at the former Charleston Naval Base complex.

The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved a $100,000 set-aside grant for Charleston County to assist with the costs of building improvements.

Carver Laraway, president and CEO of Carver Cos., cited a “competitive spirit of attracting new and growing existing businesses” by the city of North Charleston, Charleston County Economic Development and the state of South Carolina as part of its decision to expand in the Lowcountry.

“Like many companies, we could have ex-

panded our business by the lure of incentives from other states, but the fact that Charleston County really wanted our business to grow here was the primary reason we made this capital investment,” Laraway said.

The S.C. Department of Commerce said in the release that Carver Maritime’s new facility is expected to create 22 new jobs. The facility is slated to be online by the summer.

North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey said in the release that the S.C. Ports Authority’s expansion necessitates new warehouse and distribution capacity.

“We are happy to see Carver Maritime fulfilling this need,” Summey said.

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S.C. DELIVERS

Ports

Staff Report

S.C. Ports: 2019 best calendar year in history

D

espite global trade tensions, the S.C. Ports Authority says 2019 was the best calendar year in its history.

The port handled 2.44 million TEUs — an industry measurement equivalent to a 20-foot container — last year, a 5% year-over-year increase. Measured by total number of boxes handled, the port handled 1.38 million pier containers in 2019 at the Wando Welch and North Charleston

terminals.

Break-bulk cargo was up nearly 10% in 2019, with 725,828 pier tons handled, and vehicles handled was up 4% to 225,191.

“We enter 2020 with a great decade of growth behind us, during which we doubled our volumes, tripled our asset base and added more than 200 people to our team,” port President and CEO Jim Newsome said in a news release. “Our cargo growth and

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efficient terminals are only made possible through the dedication of our team and the broader maritime community.”

In December, the port handled 187,882 TEUs at the Wando Welch and North Charleston container terminals. Since the start of the fiscal year in July, the port has handled 1.23 million TEUs, a 4% year-overyear increase. The port moved 105,783 pier containers in December, for a total of 694,656 pier containers moved this fiscal year.

S.C. Ports has also seen strong growth in break-bulk and vehicle cargo, the agency said. The port handled 45,816 pier tons in December, for a total of 356,179 pier tons so far in the fiscal year, up 39% from this time last year. The port moved 16,436 vehicles at the Columbus Street Terminal last month, for a total of 115,607 vehicles thus far in fiscal year 2020, up nearly 36%.

Inland Port Greer reported 10,735 rail moves in December, bringing its fiscal year total to nearly 75,000 — a year-over-year increase of 23%. Inland Port Dillon, now in its second year of operation, reported 3,027 rail moves in December for a total of nearly 17,000 rail moves this fiscal year, a 32% yearover-year increase.

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“We enter 2020 with a great decade of growth behind us, during which we doubled our volumes, tripled our asset base and added more than 200 people to our team.”

Jim Newsome S.C. Ports Authority President and CEO

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S.C. DELIVERS

Infrastructure

Staff report

Collaboration to power new solar farm in Orangeburg County

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collaboration between Google and two S.C. electrical cooperatives will power a new 75-megawatt solar farm in Orangeburg County.

The solar farm is expected to generate 180,000 megawatt-hours of renewable energy annually and spur $85 million in economic investment according a news release from Google, which is partnering with the Central Electric Power Cooperative and Berkeley Electric Cooperative.

The Central Electric Power Cooperative provides wholesale electric service to South Carolina’s 20 electric co-ops, while the Berkeley Electric Cooperative serves Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties.

Google operates a $2.4 billion data center in Berkeley County.

“Sustainability has been one of Google’s core values from our earliest days,” Neha Palmer, Google’s director of operations, said in the release. “Today’s announcement will

add new renewable energy to a grid where we consume electricity, creating new construction jobs and making clean power and cost savings accessible to local communities.”

Central Electric customers make up approximately 30% of South Carolina’s population, according to the release.

“We enjoy these opportunities to bring together forward-thinking businesses like Google with member-focused electric cooperatives,” Central Electric CEO Robert Hochstetler said. “Solar energy can play an important role for the diversification of our power supply.”

Google said it now has a renewable energy portfolio of 52 projects, including 18 new energy contracts totaling 1,600 megawatts across three continents that increased its worldwide wind and solar capacity to 5,500 MW. “We support a diverse mix of generation resources that includes both residential

and commercial solar,” Dwayne Cartwright, president and CEO of Berkeley Electric, said.

“Over the years, we have seen large-scale solar projects such as this become a cost-effective source of generation, making it a benefit to all of our members.”

“We support a diverse mix of generation resources that includes both residential and commercial solar. Over the years, we have seen largescale solar projects such as this become a cost-effective source of generation, making it a benefit to all of our members.”

Dwayne Cartwright

Berkeley Electric Cooperative President and CEO

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CONTACT US TODAY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES ELIZABETH HODGES: 843-849-3105 or lhodges@scbiznews.com MELISSA VERZAAL: 843-849-3104 or mverzaal@scbiznews.com

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Aerospace

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By Patrick Hoff

Boeing plans another 787 production rate cut, dropping to 10 next year

B

oeing Co. plans to further cut the production rate of 787 airplanes to 10 per month beginning in early 2021, marking the second quarter in a row that the company has announced a reduction to the program.

Gregory Smith, CFO and executive vice president of enterprise performance and strategy for Boeing, said in the company’s quarterly earnings call in early February that despite “solid order activity” in 2019 for 787 and 777 planes, the global trade environment has presented challenges in wide-body production, particularly for the 787.

Boeing currently produces 14 787s per month between its Everett, Wash., and North Charleston facilities. Production of the 787-8 and 787-9 is split between the two sites and the 787-10 is produced entirely in North Charleston.

In October, the company said it would be cutting the rate of production to 12 per month in late 2020. Smith said Boeing intends to return to a production rate of 12 per month in 2023.

“There’s still great demand for the widebody franchises, and you see that in the backlog and you see that in the market outlook,” he said.

“So I think the potential there going forward continues to be strong.”

Boeing has 520 backlogged orders for the 787, according to the company’s orders and deliveries website. Boeing received 74 net orders for 787s in 2019.

In a statement, Boeing said it is still working through the details of how the rate cut will affect employees.

“We understand that teammates throughout the production system will have questions and we will communicate additional details as soon as possible,” the statement said.

Smith said Boeing was glad that the U.S. and China reached Phase I of a trade deal, but “in the meantime, we think it’s prudent to take a more measured approach to our 787 future production rates.”

Smith said “there’s no reason to believe” that Chinese orders for the 787 will have to wait until the U.S. and China reach Phase II of their trade deal.

Boeing President and CEO David Calhoun said the trade deal “matters a lot” because China is a big market for wide-body planes.

“And I believe if ... our Chinese customers come back and we rebuild the relationship we’ve always had and enjoyed with them, I think that is a major stimulus,” Calhoun said.

He added that he expects more demand for the 787-10 as airlines begin looking to replace their wide-body fleets.

Boeing has announced a second production rate cut for its 787 commercial planes to begin in 2021, citing challenges in the global trade environment. The Dash-10 version is made entirely at the North Charleston facility. (Photo/Boeing)

of Hall Fame 2020 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS

Sponsored by

Make a Difference

2020 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

Dear Reader, Welcome to the 2020 South Carolina Business Hall of Fame section of SCBIZ magazine.

In partnership with Junior Achievement of Greater South Carolina, SC Biz News has published features on the winners of this prestigious award since 2016.

This year’s group, the 36th class since JA created the Hall of Fame in 1985, includes real estate developer and financial expert Frank Brumley, who has led many large, successful development ventures in the state; Rick Pennell, a third-generation Upstate leader of his family-owned concrete manufacturing company that is one of the largest in the nation; and Marva Smalls, a champion of diversity and inclusion in the workplace whose pioneering efforts have been recognized by U.S. presidents, civic leaders and celebrities nationwide.

The business leaders honored here will be featured at a gala on March 12 at the USC Alumni Center in Columbia, and all have made significant, lasting contributions to the

Hall of Fam e 2020 SOUT

H CARO

LINA BU

SINESS

Sponsored by

Palmetto State’s economic growth and well-being. Their names will join a list that includes South Carolinians from as far back as the mid-18th century to the present: Pinckney, Milliken, Koger, Detyens, Seibels, Sweringen and Kahn, to name just a few.

In 2020, Junior Achievement embarks on its second century of proudly helping young

Make Differencea

people learn the foundations of entrepreneurship and business success. The work is done by community volunteers in partnership with local schools to teach the programs offered by JA. Their contributions are vital to JA’s mission of preparing future generations of America’s business leaders and entrepreneurs.

SCBIZ magazine is honored to be a part of the celebration of the great entrepreneurs and leaders who helped build what is a thriving, diverse and progressive state economy. Please join us in learning about and celebrating their contributions.

On the cover: Junior Achievement volunteer Tara Bennett works with students in Britney Jackson’s second grade class at Lonnie Nelson Elementary School in Columbia. (Photo/Jeff Blake)

Steve McDaniel, Editor

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About the S.C. Business Hall of Fame

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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 2020 are Frank Brumley, Rick Pennell and Marva Smalls.

Junior Achievement of Greater South Carolina 2711 Middleburg Drive, Suite 301 Columbia, SC 29204 | 803 252-1974 Casey Pash, President Bette Bronson, Program Manager Elizabeth Blake, Program Manager

Published by:

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2020 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

Frank Brumley Page 10

Rick Pennell

Congratulations 2020 SC Business Hall Of Fame Recipients!

Page 15

From Margaret Buck, Eddie Buck, Susanne Buck Cantey and family.

Page 19

Edgar A. Buck, Sr.

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Marva Smalls

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2020 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME www.scbizmag.com

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Junior Achievement volunteer Tara Bennett works with students in Britney Jackson's second grade class at Lonnie Nelson Elementary School.

2020 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

MAKE A DIFFERENCE Volunteering through Junior Achievement can have big impact on students’ lives Photography by Jeff Blake

When you put on your socks this morning, did you wonder if they were a “want” or a “need?” Probably not. How do you think the average kindergarten student in South Carolina would answer that question? Although we as adults all know socks are a “need,” the cycle of poverty in our state does not always allow children to have even the most basic of necessities like proper clothing.

What can YOU do with just a few hours of your time each month to help break this cycle of poverty? Our answer — volunteer for Junior Achievement.

See JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT, Page 7

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2020 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME Junior Achievement volunteer Tim Vaughn works with students Jaici Deal, left, and Noble McFadden in Shelley Mann’s fifth grade class at Lonnie Nelson Elementary

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School

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2020 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT, from Page 5 Junior Achievement is a national nonprofit that needs people JUST LIKE YOU to share your work/life experiences with school children to prepare them to be responsible citizens and productive members of our future workforce.

Children need to learn critical thinking skills in order to ensure they are successful workers in our economy. Using Junior Achievement’s easy-to-follow lesson plans,

YOU can step into any S.C. classroom and make a difference in a child’s life.

The cornerstones of Junior Achievement’s teaching are work readiness, financial literacy and entrepreneurship.

Each grade level’s lesson plans are created to allow you, a volunteer who may never have stood in front of a classroom, the opportunity to share your work experiences and to watch children’s minds grow as they begin

to understand how the workforce and our community work.

When someone like you teaches a Junior Achievement program to a classroom, the students see many things: an adult with a job they may never have considered; a person who perhaps presents ideas in a different way than they have heard before; and the true definition of a volunteer — someone who wants to help others simply See JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT, Page 8

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JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT, from Page 7

2020 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

because it is the right thing to do.

You don’t have to be a seasoned professional in your job. You don’t have to be a manager or a president. All you simply have to do is volunteer just a few hours of your time to inspire children to want to be successful in whatever career path they choose.

So the next time you put on your socks, think of them as a “need” — and ask yourself how you can make a difference in the life of a child in South Carolina by simply answering the call of Junior Achievement to be a volunteer.

For more information on Junior Achievement, please contact our office at 803-252-1974.

Junior Achievement Classes

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Here are the classes offered to teach students business and career skills:

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Elementary School

Middle School

High School

• JA Ourselves

• JA Economics for Success

• JA Be Entrepreneurial

• JA Our Families

• JA Global Marketplace

• JA Career Success

• JA Our Community

• JA It’s My Future

• JA Company Program

• JA Our City

• JA It’s My Business!

• JA Economics

• JA Our Region

• JA Job Shadow

• JA Our Nation

• JA Personal Finance

• JA More than Money

• JA Personal Finance

Do you want to inspire future business leaders?

Volunteer for Junior Achievement. Contact the JA office at centralsc.ja.org or 803-252-1974.

2020 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

www.scbizmag.com

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2020 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

Frank Brumley No secrets to Brumley’s success — just hard work, good values and common sense

T

o say Frank Brumley has enjoyed a successful career in real estate development is something of an understatement. Stellar is closer; phenomenal closer still. So, naturally, one of the first questions he is generally asked is, “what is the secret to your success?”

Brumley, in his soft-spoken, down-toearth way, will acknowledge that he has enjoyed a successful career, but maintains there are no secret formulas or magic bullets involved. In fact, he maintains that anything to which he credits any success he may have enjoyed over the years are just good values, strong work ethic, common sense, and the occasional dose of good luck.

Nothing secret about any of that, he says.

Picking the right partners, mentors and

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“If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not really

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doing anything. Find out who you are, find the things you do well and don’t dwell on the things you don’t.”

– Frank Brumley

CONGRATULATIONS TO FRANK BRUMLEY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR VISION AND LEADERSHIP DURING DANIEL ISLAND’S 25 YEAR EVOLUTION.

2020 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

role models is also very important, Brumley said. The right people will uplift and augment your attributes, point out your weaknesses, and help you make the best decisions.

Consequently, you should never believe your achievements are solely yours alone.

Brumley believes one should not be afraid of mistakes – they are learning opportunities and progress indicators, not blemishes. It’s all part of the process of learning who you are and what you do well.

“If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not really doing anything,” he said. “Find out who you are, find the things you do well and don’t dwell on the things you don’t. If you focus on what you do well, you will be successful.”

Brumley should know. His original career path was engineering. However, he wasn’t too far into his first year at Georgia Institute of Technology that he discovered that engineering was not what he wanted to do. He would ultimately transfer to the University of Georgia to study business administration.

He would also meet his greatest partner in life, his wife of more than 57 years, Blanche.

Mr. Frank Brumley Mr. Rick Pennell Ms. Marva Smalls

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2020 12

Congratulations,

SC Business Hall of Fame Inductees.

From your friends at The InterTech Group

He has also developed a wide range of commercial projects, including apartments, shopping centers, office buildings and industrial parks, such as the Palmetto Commerce Park in North Charleston, home of the Mercedes-Benz Vans plant, Boeing Interiors upfit facility, Roper Hospital Office Center and the Charleston County Emergency Response Center.

Brumley also served for many years in the banking industry, first working in his hometown bank after graduating from college.

Later, he would serve on the boards of several financial institutions, including NBSC and Wachovia and culminating with Synovus

Bank in Columbus, Ga., where he served for 10 years on the board, including the position of Lead Director.

Brumley, who grew up in St. Mary’s, Ga., on the state’s southern coast, said his smalltown upbringing was a key component in developing his values. Such traits as being respectful, hard- working, honest and plainspoken are all blessings of strong, loving family and community ties.

His father was manager of the local paper mill that employed many town residents; his mother was a full-time homemaker who made sure her children were well-mannered and well-rounded. His father also strongly

2020 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

Brumley started his community development career with the Sea Pines Company of Hilton Head Island, S.C., in 1970 as vice president and general manager of the Amelia Island Plantation Company, moving to Charleston in 1974 as CEO of the Kiawah Island Company. After serving as a partner in the development of Wild Dunes on Isle of Palms, Brumley was a partner in the purchase and continuing development of Kiawah Island until 1997, when he and his family purchased the 4,000-acre Daniel Island property from the Guggenheim family. Brumley currently serves as Chairman/CEO of the Daniel Island Company.

Bravo! Bravo!

Congratulations!

We’re proud to congratulate Frank Brumley, Marva Smalls, and Rick Pennell, for being named to the South Carolina Business Hall of Fame. We applaud their accomplishments.

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Synovus Bank, Member FDIC.

Marva Smalls Synovus South Carolina Advisory Board Member

Rick Pennell Synovus Customer, President & CEO of Metromont

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Frank Brumley Synovus Charleston Advisory Board Member

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2020 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME www.scbizmag.com

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encouraged Brumley and his brother to work and make their own money, Brumley said.

Brumley and his brother were student/ athletes, achieving both on the field and in the classroom. Brumley also worked at a local grocery store, first as a bagger and stocker, then working his way up to delivery truck driver.

“My dad, early on, was emphatic about us working and learning the value of a dollar,” Brumley said. “So, I started working at the grocery store. It taught me the value of a dollar and how important an education was.

Seeing grown men trying to support their families on the same money I was making $1.25 an hour – was eye-opening.”

Upon graduation from UGA, Brumley went to work for the local bank in St. Mary’s; he would acquire his real estate license as well. It was here, he said, that he learned the importance of what are now referred to as “soft skills.”

“People skills are as important as other management skills,” he said. “The ability work with people, to build a team, to know how the other side feels, all of that is key.”

Ultimately, the bedrock underpinning everything else is honesty, he said.

“Honesty and integrity are the keys to success,” Brumley said. “If you always tell the truth, you don’t have to remember what you said yesterday.”

Born into the business, Pennell leads Metromont’s growth into 21st century

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ver since he could remember, Rick Pennell always loved the family business.

Pennell is president and CEO of Metromont Corp., a third-generation Greenville company. Metromont is one of the largest precast, prestressed concrete manufacturers in the United States, founded in 1925 by Pennell’s grandfather, Capt. J. Roy Pennell, the first employee of the South Carolina Highway Department. Rick’s grandfather built many of the roads and bridges that still stand in South Carolina today and became known as the “Father of the South Carolina highway.”

Pennell’s father, Richard “Dick” Pennell Sr. would take the reins in 1969.

But back in the day, growing up in Spar-

2020 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

Rick Pennell tanburg, Pennell knew little about that.

To him, the Metromont concrete plant in Spartanburg was not just where his father worked, it was a place of wonder and adventure.

“It was a huge playground to me — the plant was on 100 acres,” he said. “We had a golf cart there, so I would go with my dad and take it and just roam the plant. I used to take my buddies out there — we’d spend hours roaming the plant.”

Later, he would find that he was drawn to the business for many reasons. It is a business that thrives on creativity. Finding solutions to the unique challenges that occur every day, in every aspect of the business, requires quite a bit of out-of-the-box thinking.

“I liked that it was creative and wasn’t

– Rick Pennell

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“Leaders must have trust. You have to have accountability and you have to hold yourself accountable as much as anyone else.”

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2020 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

Congratulations, Rick Pennell President and CEO of Metromont Corporation of Greenville

2020 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS

www.scbizmag.com

Hall of Fame Laureate

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Your relentless pursuit of excellence has transformed South Carolina’s business community. The Johnson Group thanks you for your leadership, vision, and impact.

TheJohnsonGroup.com

the same thing every day,” he said. “There’s nothing monotonous at all about it.”

Under Pennell’s vision and leadership, the company has seen significant revenue increases and now employs more than 1,500 people in plants across the Southeast. But when he first came aboard, fresh out of the University of Georgia in January 1983, as much as he was drawn to the business, he did have some trepidation.

“My father wanted me in this business, but, quite frankly, I was not sure about it,” he said. “I was a little fearful — this would be a third generation coming in — many businesses don’t last through a second generation.”

He worked his way up, learning every aspect of the business, how every employee contributed to the overall success. And by resolving to work as hard as the other employees, if not harder, he believes he set a positive example and ultimately earned the respect and trust of those who worked for him.

“Leaders must have trust,” he said. “You have to have accountability and you have to hold yourself accountable as much as anyone else. You may be the one who steers the boat, but more often than not, you need to get in there and row the boat as well.”

When Metromont expanded its prestress division in 1986, Pennell’s father tasked him to build and open a plant in Georgia. Many of the employees Rick hired to build the Atlanta plant — some of them straight out of high school — went on to work for Metromont, some of whom are still with the company. In fact, many at Metromont have been with the company for 40 years and longer, a testament

REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT SALES LEASING MANAGEMENT

T H E B E AC H CO M PA N Y.CO M

2020 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME www.scbizmag.com

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to the company culture, Pennell noted.

“We have found that the more we invest in our people, the more we help them to grow within our company by providing them those opportunities, the more people learn new things that they can use in their jobs here or wherever they want to go,” he said.

Like his grandfather and parents, Pennell believes in giving back to the community, and he has served on the boards of a number of nonprofit organizations across Upstate South Carolina. He has served as director and chairman of the board at the YMCA and co-chaired its capital campaign. He also has served on the boards of the South Carolina Children’s Theater, Peace Center for the Performing Arts, Greenville Symphony, American Red Cross and Artisphere.

He is a current trustee of the University of Georgia Foundation, a trustee at Converse College and a founding member and former president and board member of Altus Group, a partnership of precast concrete manufacturers and industry suppliers dedicated to innovation.

Pennell is married to his high school sweetheart, Nancy Nicholson Pennell, and the couple has two sons and a daughter.

Smalls has made a career of pushing boundaries, embracing diversity

R

ole model, mentor, trailblazer are words that can, in a very limited way, be used to help describe Marva Smalls.

Smalls has chalked up more than three decades of successful leadership experience in the public and private sectors. She previously served in dual roles as EVP, Global Head of Inclusion Strategy, Viacom, and EVP, Public Affairs and Chief of Staff, Nickelodeon. During this time, she developed best-in-class diversity and inclusion initiatives and advisory councils that inspired employee engagement and fostered a collaborative culture, while driving innovation and business results.

For Smalls, success is not so much about getting ahead as about empowering others.

She is a staunch advocate of diversity — ac-

2020 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

Marva Smalls tive seeking of input from people of different backgrounds, mindsets and perspectives.

“Diversity without inclusion is tokenism,” she said. “More than giving people a seat at the table, you want them to have a sense of belonging. So, I talk about diversity, inclusion and belonging as going hand in hand together...You want the members of your team to really give because they believe they belong there.”

In order to do that right, one must be willing to step outside one’s comfort zone and stay there for a while. Truly seek input from a wide spectrum. Truly show that you value those opinions, voices, contributions.

Focus on those points as you build your team, and get comfortable being uncomfortable as you do that, she said.

– Marva Smalls

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“Diversity without inclusion is tokenism. More than giving people a seat at the table, you want them to have a sense of belonging.”

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Under Smalls’ leadership, Nickelodeon has implemented award-winning pro-social campaigns recognized with numerous Peabody, Emmy and other industry awards. The campaigns have been highly regarded by thought leaders, child advocates, presidential administrations and supported by top names in the entertainment industry. She is instrumental in directing media industry efforts to address childhood obesity by working with leading food companies, and promoting responsible best practices to support digital

safety and privacy for kids.

Growing up near Florence, S.C., Smalls said she was blessed with strong family and community support. Such an upbringing, especially the example set and lessons instilled by her parents, showed her that there are no obstacles, only challenges; no roadblocks, only opportunities.

“I grew up with great neighbors, with parents who were not limited by the boundaries of segregation in the sense of how they trained us and instilled in us their values and

beliefs that nothing could stop us from doing whatever we set out to do,” she said. “I also had the ability and opportunity to see the value of diversity and partnership early on. So, I was always about working for the community and giving back … I learned early on about the nexus between government and industry and community and how that nexus can lift people up.”

Smalls is a founding member of the Black Economic Alliance and serves on numerous boards, including the American Theatre

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Wing, the International African American Museum, the James Beard Foundation, and Synovus Bank/South Carolina.

Additionally, through the Marva Smalls Endowment, more than $1.5 million has been donated to programs for youth and families, as well as $1 million to the Robert McNair Center at the University of South Carolina to support aerospace students from underrepresented populations.

She learned several lessons from all this: the value of and need for giving back to the community in order to move ahead — collectively, not just her alone. She also learned she needed to step outside her comfort zone.

When it came time to choose a college, she had several options, including traditional black colleges. When she chose to go to University of South Carolina, she was one of less

than 2,000 black students in a student body of some 20,000.

“I chose to attend the University of South Carolina precisely because of that, because I knew it would be more reflective of the greater world in which I would be living,” she said.

Smalls never set out to be a “first” anything, but as it turned out, she would step into a number of “first” roles — from student leadership positions to corporate and government roles. She was the first African American woman to be chief of staff for a white Southern member of Congress, for example.

Before joining Viacom in 1993, Smalls was the Chief of Staff for U.S. Congressman Robin Tallon (D-SC) and served in South Carolina Governor Richard Riley’s admin-

istration as Director of the state’s inaugural Private Industries Council.

Smalls says one very important point is to always remember who you are and what you stand for.

For example, when she was first offered the position with Viacom in New York, after leaving the public sector, she knew she wanted to step out of the comfort zone and master this new challenge. However, she said she also knew she was not willing to suborn herself or otherwise compromise any part of who she was. Indeed, she has always maintained that there is nothing in this world worth gaining at the expense of your integrity.

“I knew I wanted to learn to navigate this new industry, but I was not going to do it at the expense of my values,” she said.

2020 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

www.scbizmag.com

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