GSA Business Report - January 17, 2022 by SC Biz News

VOLUME 25 NUMBER 1 ■ GSABUSINESS.COM

Lightening the load for SUVs

Researchers look for ways to take weight out of vehicles. Page 8

Palmettowood?

S.C Film Commission wants to bring more productions to state. Page 9

Navigating uncertainty

Ports Authority CEO says opportunity found in trying times. Page 10

Viva l’Italia

Elevate Upstate grant supports creation of a new Fountain Inn festival. Page 12

INSIDE

Leading Off........................... 2 SC Biz News Briefs................. 3 C-Suite................................. 4 In Focus: 2022: The Year Ahead................................. 17 LIST: Hospitals.................... 18 Bonus List: Urgent care Centers............................... 19 At Work............................... 21 Viewpoint............................23

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Courthouse contractor expects federal projects to triple in 2022 By Molly Hulsey

mhulsey@scbiznews.com

t had never crossed the mind of Jordon Construction Co.’s founder that he might find himself on CBS News’ 60 Minutes. He’s been too busy. But in November, producers of the show requested James Jordon’s expertise while he was in Palm Springs, Fla., receiving the Entrepreneur of the Year 2021 Award from Ernst and Young as a Southeastern finalist. Six days later on a Monday morning, presenter Bill Whitaker flew to meet Jordon in Greenville to prep for an interview on the company’s adjustments in a competitive labor market. “I got in at 1 a.m., actually Monday morning, and jumped off the plane, ran home, got some quick sleep,” Jordon told GSA Business Report. “And then, when I met Bill Whitaker at Lazy Goat the next morning, I spent about half a day with him. It was pretty cool.” The episode featuring Jordon aired on Jan. 9 at the end of what have been a fruitful two years for the contractor, despite the circumstances — or in some cases, through serving a need because of the circumstances. See COURTHOUSE, Page 13

Spinx Co. changes with the times If Stewart Spinks was not adept at change, he would today be chairman of a chain of service stations — an industry that is all but gone. By adjusting, adapting and knowing what consumers want, he became one of the state’s largest private employers with an ever-evolving product built, reimagined and refined over the last 50 years. Read the story of the company and its founder, beginning on page 6.

In Focus

Legislative wish list Upstate chambers set goals for next session. Page 17

Leading Off More people want to move to these 3 states ...

he data is in, and South Carolina is one of the top moving destinations for 2021, according to the National Movers Study by United Van Lines. United moves people and their stuff across the country and analyzes migration trends each year, which can indicate where demand for housing, infrastructure and economic activity will be heading in the short term and over the next year. The Palmetto State wasn’t alone in being a destination of choice, though. In 2021, more residents moved into South Carolina than out, with 63% of the moves coming into the state, data from United’s national study show. But the Southeast as a whole continues to be a huge draw, with half of the in-bound states on the list in the Southern U.S. The United Van Lines’ study also showed that a lot of people are making moves based on pandemic-era living and selecting less dense areas of the country.

BRIEFS | FACTS | STATEWIDE NEWS | C-SUITE What’s the appeal of South Carolina United Van Lines asked why people decided to move to specific states. Out of 10 states, South Carolina was No. 1 for cost of living. Reason

Rank

Percentage

Cost of living

13.26%

Retirement

36.56%

Quality of life

23.66%

A LA CARTE

Places people moved to in 2021 Half of the in-bound states were in the Southeast, including South Carolina at No. 3. Rank

State

No. 1

Vermont

No. 2

South Dakota

No. 3

South Carolina

No. 4

West Virginia

No. 5

Florida

No. 6

Alabama

No. 7

Tennessee

No. 8

Oregon

No. 9

Idaho

No. 10

Rhode Island

Todd Horne was named president of Clayton Construction Co. of Spartanburg. He served as vice president of business development since 2008, according to former company President Harry Clayton, who made the announcement.

Places people left in 2021 The Northeast isn’t the place for movers, United Van Lines data show.

Source: United Van Lines, 2021 National Movers Study

ON THE

RECORD

State

No. 1

New Jersey

No. 2

Illinois

be the company’s first location in South

No. 3

New York

Carolina, according to Richard Barrett of

No. 4

Connecticut

No. 5

California

No. 6

Michigan

No. 7

Massachusetts

No. 8

Louisiana

No. 9

Ohio

No. 10

Nebraska

distribution and manufacturing center off Laurens Road in Greenville. This will

Colliers, who handled the lease.

Frampton Construction Co. has started work on a 907,000-square-foot speculative industrial development for the Keith Corp. The project is near the

— Stewart Spinks, chairman of The Spinx Co.

and final tenant at Forrester Park, a light

Rank

“I think some of it was there from the beginning for me, and some of the decisions I made might have been intuitive, but intuition comes from a lot of information coming in from a lot of places ...”

WEBSITE: www.GSABusiness.com

Metal service provider MMC is the latest

S.C. Technology and Aviation Center.

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January 17 - January 30, 2022

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SC Biz News Briefs

Need a fresh start for the new year?

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1/4 Vert

First Capital Bank has several locations in the Charleston area, including this site in a historic building on Cedar Street in downtown Summerville. (Photo/Andy Owens)

CHARLESTON

Teri Errico Griffis, Charleston Regional Business Journal

First Capital Bank’s interest in SC prompts company move offices First Capital Bank has accrued so much interest in South Carolina that the company moved its headquarters from North Carolina to 304 Meeting St. in Charleston. Early this month the bank, which had assets of $387 million in assets as of Dec. 31, converted from a North Carolina state-chartered bank to a South Carolina state-chartered bank. The conversion will have no impact on the bank’s customers, the company said in a news release. “The majority of our growth and assets are in South Carolina, and the Charleston area specifically. We believe converting to a South Carolina-chartered bank and moving the Bank’s headquarters to Charleston will enable us to best serve our customers and shareholders,” First Capital Bank Chairman and CEO Harvey Glick said in a statement. “We look forward to working with the South Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banking and to our continued growth with the new Charleston headquarters.

COLUMBIA

Get in touch +1 864 334 4145 avisonyoung.com

GSA Daily provides the inside scoop on the Upstate business community!

Melinda Waldrop, Columbia Regional Business Report

SC Research Authority has $1B impact on state through innovation economy The South Carolina Research Authority has a $1 billion impact on the state’s innovation economy, according to an analysis released by the nonprofit corporation chartered to fuel innovation. That impact includes 5,429 S.C.-based jobs supported by SCRA programs and operations, $4.6 million in research grants and a $73,811 average salary in SCRA-supported companies, according to a news release from the nonprofit. That’s 53% higher than the state average of $48,097. “SCRA again has proven how important it is to our state’s economy,” Joey Von Nessen, a University of South Carolina research economist who prepared the analysis, said in the release. “The funding and other support they provide to tech startups and academic institutions produce higher-paying jobs. This has a direct impact on our state’s economy. South Carolina is becoming a state known for its growing knowledge-based economy, and SCRA is a major catalyst for this growth.” SCRA recently published its findings in its annual report.

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With publications in the Upstate, Columbia and Charleston, as well as a statewide magazine, SC Biz News covers the pulse of business across South Carolina. Above are excerpts from our other publications.

of Charleston

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The Boyd Foundation Horticultural Center at the Hampton-Preston Mansion and Gardens includes a greenhouse as part the facility. (Photo/Melinda Waldrop)

Kiawah Island Real Estate records a 299% bump in sales compared to 2019. Page 11

Head above water

Condo craze

New strategy helps buoy South Carolina Aquarium. Page 6

High-flying future

Clemson joins program to grow aerospace workforce. Page 8

Cane Bay welcomes first multi-family development, The Hudson. Page 9

TAKING ROOT Hampton-Preston greenhouse project to provide glimpse of history

Code changes

Richland County adds district to land-use plan. Page 18

INSIDE

Upfront ................................ 2 SC Biz News Briefs ................ 3 In Focus: Architecture, Engineering and Construction .......................................... 13 List: Engineering Firms ...... 14 At Work .............................. 21 Viewpoint ...........................23

For advertising information, contact Robert Reilly at (843) 849-3107 or rreilly@scbiznews.com

Island spike

Business of birds S.C. is one of the largest poultry producers in U.S. Page 4

By Melinda Waldrop

mwaldrop@scbiznews.com

ne of Historic Columbia’s missions is to provide a thoughtful interpretation of area history, and its latest project is designed to get to the root of things. At the northwest corner of the Hampton-Preston Mansion and Gardens on Pickens and Laurel streets, the Boyd Foundation Horticultural Center is taking shape. Designed by Lambert Architecture + Construction Services with Cohn Construction Services serving as general contractor, the project will feature a state-of-the-art greenhouse where plants as historically accurate as possible to

the mansion, built in 1818, will be propagated. The center will also feature interpretative programming and serve as a base for horticultural research. “It’s really going to enhance the grounds department here as far as capabilities on the production end of things, but also on the interpretative end of things,” said Keith Mearns, director of grounds for Historic Columbia. “Previous to this project, the very back part of the Hampton-Preston property was really just vacant. There was nothing there and it was really just like a wasteland. And so aside from the building itself, the project is actually going to finish out the site.” The horticultural center will also tell visi-

tors its own story about the inhabitants of the mansion, which grew to be Columbia’s grandest residence under the affluent Hampton and Preston families, and the time periods preserved in the house and on its grounds. The Hampton-Preston mansion was home to several different owners following the Civil War before being extensively rehabilitated and opened as a historic site in 1970. “At the Hampton-Preston site, even though they cover a number of time periods inside, most of the discussion is centered around the Hamptons and the Prestons themselves, who lived in the house up to the Civil War,” Mearns See GREENHOUSE, Page 16

Columbia Under Construction

Catch up on the current projects shaping the Midlands. Page 19

ColumbiaBusinessReport.com

Stepping up

New Palmetto Goodwill CEO focuses on people and the organization’s impact. Page 6

Turning Tassels Filling a gap in higher education for educators, Charleston Southern University launched a doctoral program, graduating its first cohort in December. Page 8

Members of CSU’s inaugural doctoral program celebrate graduation day. From left to right, April Sanders, Erica Taylor, Shene White, Priscilla Johnson, Arthea Simmons, Quencenia Dantzler, Paula Browne, Amanda Snipe. (Photo/Aneris Photography.)

Movin’ East

CEO says ports positioned to navigate uncertainty

INSIDE

Home Team BBQ prepares to open its fourth Lowcountry location. Page 12

Upfront ................................ 2 SC Biz News Briefs ................ 3 Small Business Spotlight ....... 4 In Focus: 2022: The Year Ahead ......... 13 List: Hospitals .................... 19 Bonus List: Urgent Care Centers .......... 20 At Work .............................. 21 Viewpoint ...........................23

By Teri Errico Griffis tgriffis@scbiznews.com

n April 2020, the S.C. Ports Authority budget called for a 10% reduction in volume as the pandemic rolled across the global supply chain. Jim Newsome, SCPA President and CEO, had no idea if even 1.23 million containers would be achievable, but he couldn’t imagine articulating a 30% reduction — and wasn’t prepared to let go of any employees in such a skill-driven industry. “I was nervous,” he said. Like other CEOs, he had never managed a pandemic before.

Little did Newsome know that the SCPA would soon see record volumes that kept on climbing. He anticipated the port losing nearly 15% of cargo volumes in fiscal year 2021, when in reality numbers rose 10%. Newsome sat down with the Charleston Regional Business Journal to talk about the year that’s past, and more specifically, the year ahead as the country navigates year three of the pandemic.

Retail inventory

Newsome admits the SCPA was late to the game when the agency began focusing on retail in 2020, but coming on board when they

did couldn’t have been more crucial. With the pandemic causing e-commerce to skyrocket, be it gadgets to pass the time, clothing and late-night QVC orders or home furnishings, the port has benefitted from increases in cargo imports. Newsome owed much of that shift to people being forced to stay indoors and avoid traveling, restaurants and group entertainment. While he expects at some point the scales will tip back, e-commerce is here to stay, particularly as inventory to sales ratio remains rather low, he said. See SC PORTS, Page 10

Film commission ready for action

With pent up demand for streaming content, S.C. hopes to expand production opportunities statewide. Page 5

CharlestonBusiness.com

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WHAT IS YOUR ROLE?

UPSTATE NEWSROOM

As the executive director of a small nonprofit,

Editor - Ross Norton rnorton@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1222

I do whatever is needed to help us succeed at our mission, but I would say my most

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important job is to know what is going on across the region and who is playing a role

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and then connect key players when there is an opportunity for collaboration or to grow the collective capacity of the region.

MIDLANDS NEWSROOM

WHAT DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION DO?

Editor - Melinda Waldrop mwaldrop@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7542 LOWCOUNTRY NEWSROOM

Ten at the Top is a nonprofit that serves as a

Executive Editor - Andy Owens aowens@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3142

catalyst in developing collaborative efforts to enhance economic vitality and quality of life

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in South Carolina’s Upstate region.

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A View From The C-Suite

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Dean Hybl | Executive Director | Ten at the Top

UPSTATE ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

THE BEST ADVICE I’VE EVER RECEIVED

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Our most precious personal resource is time.

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When someone gives you some of theirs, don’t waste it.

WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU COULD GIVE? Don’t make change for the sake of change, but if there is a better or different opportunity that will lead to improvement, don’t be afraid to try it.

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WHAT IS THE STIFFEST CHALLENGE FACING YOUR INDUSTRY RIGHT NOW? The pandemic seems to have accelerated growth in the Upstate and also magnified barriers for some individuals trying to enter or advance in the workplace.

LITTLE KNOWN FACT ABOUT YOU: I served as a public relations intern for the Philadelphia Eagles during the 1989 NFL season and Richmond Braves (then Triple-A team for the Atlanta Braves) in 1990.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB? Riding my bike to deliver the afternoon newspaper, The Richmond News Leader, in my hometown of Keysville, Va.

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ASK THE EXPERTS Our latest “Ask The Experts” Q&A features an Upstate business entrepreneur sharing insights about her business, the industry in which she works and the community we all call home. Recently, SC Biz News Publisher Rick Jenkins sat down with Dazia Rice, the president of Rice Consulting Co. To see the full interview please visit the SCBIZtv channel on YouTube. learned how to run and market my entire business from her. Pinky Cole of Slutty Vegan. I like how she operates in general; she’s a genius. Ryan Serhant, of SERHANT. He’s incredible. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE LOOKING TO BECOME AN ENTREPRENEUR? Entrepreneurship is a beautiful thing. So do it and do it scared. Don’t be afraid to dream big. Commit to putting in 6 months to a year of consistent hard work and that work will pay off. DO YOU THINK YOUR CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT PLAYED A BIG FACTOR IN YOUR BUSINESS? Yes, had it not been for my career in law enforcement I probably wouldn’t know how to run my business. There was one particular position that I didn’t want to learn. I absolutely dreaded it. But that position set me up for success.

HOW’D YOU GET TO THIS POINT? WHAT’S YOUR STORY? I never wanted to be a business owner. I always tell people that and they look at me funny like wow. But I had no intentions on ever starting my own company until one day I was lying in bed and came across the Instagram account iamlaurenlyrics, by Mrs. Lauren Wilson. She is a successful real estate agent and owns multiple businesses. It’s not every day that we come across women, especially black women, who are truly successful in their own business. After speaking to Lauren I jumped out of bed and hit the ground running. At that time in my life I was doing good, but I knew I could be doing better. So better it was and that was my only option. There was no plan B or C. I didn’t come from rich parents, I didn’t have a mentor, there were no handouts. Whatever I was going to do had to work.

WHAT’S YOUR OVERALL GOAL FOR RICE CONSULTING CO? On August 17, 2018, I remember sitting on the floor in my parents’ living room and I told my mom “I think I’m gonna start a business today” and she just kind of looked at me like, “Yeah, that’s great.” So, I started Rice Consulting Co. and had no idea that would be my story to tell the world. Today, Rice Consulting Co. is one of the top small businesses in the city of Greenville, with locations in South Carolina; North Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; and Los Angeles, California.

My overall goal is for Rice Consulting Co. to be worldwide. I want a location in just about every major city. I want people to know what we stand for and that we’re here to shift and impact the culture and that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.

WHO OR WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START YOUR BUSINESS OR IN GENERAL. WHO ARE YOU INSPIRED BY? First, I’m inspired by my father. He’s been in the Marine Corps for more than 20 years. He’s such a resilient person. Then there’s Quiana Watson, one of Atlanta’s top real estate brokers. I actually

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January 17 - January 30, 2022

Leading through change

Spinks leads store chain through industry transformation By Ross Norton

rnorton@scbiznews.com

aybe it was a visionary moment; maybe it was salesmanship. Maybe it was the bravado of a young man who perhaps did not yet realize he was an entrepreneur. By saying “I’m his neighbor,” Stewart Spinks had talked his way into the office of Sam Hunt, president of Southern Bank and Trust, and asked for money to buy a business. It was 1972. Spinks told Hunt he needed $44,000, and he needed it in a week. When Hunt asked if he was serious about the quick turnaround, Spinks walked the banker to a window and pointed to his car, where a real estate agent was waiting. You know that scene, Spinks asks, in Forrest Gump where Forrest shows his war wound to President Johnson? The scene where, through the magic of moviemaking, the real Lyndon B. Johnson, shaking his head and laughing, walks away from the fictional Forrest Gump? That scene? Spinks lived it nearly 50 years ago in a bank at the corner of Church and E. North Street. Hunt walked away, laughing, shaking his head, amused — amused, but sold. Spinks got the money and bought his first store, at the corner of E. Washington Street and Laurens Road, where it still dominates the intersection across the street from corporate headquarters. Something else happened during that conversation with Hunt. The brash young man, the salesman, had already thought of having more than one store — in fact, he was eyeing a Poinsett Highway site for what would be his first ground-up location — but his first notion of a full-blown chain came out of his mouth at the same time it popped into his brain during an

One of the newest Spinx stores in Easley sports a large and bright row of gas pumps that are a far cry from the service stations that were the origin of modern convenience stores. (Photo/Ross Norton)

eager pitch to secure that loan. He heard himself tell the banker he would one day have 10 stores around town. Before that could happen, an industry was about to be shaken by change. The survivors — and thrivers — would be those ready to adapt. Service stations would give way to uninviting little stores, often with barred windows and stale sandwiches, which would then give way to today’s model store with fresh food, big windows and welcoming façades where

restrooms are there for anyone, not just those paying customers with enough nerve to ask for a burdensome key. In the board room of his corporate office, where flip charts show brainstorming ideas on the company’s future, it’s clear Spinks, now chairman of the board, does not intend to stop evolving. The Spinx Co. is celebrating it’s 50th year in business, marking the end of its fifth decade on Dec. 1. In the beginning, Spinks wasn’t so much a visionary as he was a guy with a pretty good purview. He secured a job with Shell Oil Co. right out of college. He was offered jobs with some of the business giants, but was attracted to a job calling on Shell service stations because, as the son of a blue collar man, he was comfortable with the work they did. “How did we sell gasoline in 1969? Service stations, right? Who ran the service stations? Mechanics that could do a brake job, that could do repair work, could sell tires, sell a battery,” he said. “So I felt really comfortable calling on those people because I knew what a 9/16ths box end wrench was.” With a University of Tennessee degree in marketing research and advertising, he also knew something about consumer behavior. “So I ended up with Shell, training in

Atlanta in a very vibrant market at the peak of oil and the way it was sold through service stations,” Spinks said. “(Interstate) 285 opened in the summer of ’69. … What that meant was it was like a blind dog in a meat house, you know. We were grabbing at every piece of real estate we could find. It was fun. I was working with a real estate guy as part of my program down there learning how to choose real estate and then from there phased into helping small business owners like service station dealers be successful. … So it gave me a crash course in how to run a small business.” In other parts of Shell Oil, especially the exploration and production division, company experts knew a change was coming, but it was not information shared with marketing, Spinks said. Politics and price controls from the American government and the rise of OPEC — the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries — led to tension at the pumps and frustrated consumers. Gas went from 29 cents a gallon to $1.29 in a short time, and long lines formed as customers hoped they could buy gas before it ran out. Oil companies started getting out of the retail side of the system and shuttering stores. And Spinks have a view from there. He didn’t really know what was happening from his place in the marketing section, but he could tell something was wrong: chanc-

January 17 - January 30, 2022

www.gsabusiness.com 7

By the early 1980s, the individual stores were not yet fully evolved, but the greater Spinx plan was. (Photo/Provided)

es for advancement had stagnated and he no longer saw other jobs in the company that appealed to him. “All that stuff up the corporate chart became less and less customer centric and more and more administrative. And administrative, as you can see, is not my forte,” Spinks said, waving his hands at stacks of documents. “I decided to leave Shell, take that service station because I knew how profitable it was. I could rent it for $200 a month. I knew they wanted to sell it; it was on the disposable list.” As service stations were dumped by oil companies, opportunities were created for whoever wanted to take on the real estate. Stewart, who also had bought a heating oil company and started a service removing disused gas tanks, took the plunge with the help of Sam Hunt and the Southern Bank and Trust loan. And he did it without telling his family. “Forty-four thousand dollars I paid for that,” Spinks said, indicating his first store at the end of E. Washington Street. “That was like probably $450,000 today. It was very risky. That’s why I couldn’t confess to (my wife) Martha that I’d left Shell until the check cleared.”

One of the very latest developments is a Tesla charging station at an Orangeburg store. (Photo/Provided)

Stewart and Martha Spinks have repaid the community through extensive civic involvement and the Spinks Family Foundation. (Photo/Provided)

The location was a stinker for Shell, but for the previous operator who decided to close it, the store was successful. Spinks felt he could support his family with that one store if nothing else went well. But most everything else went well. Now there are 84 Spinx stores across the state, and the Spinx Co. is the largest privately held retail-

er headquartered in South Carolina with 1,588 employees. At many Spinx stores, car washes and quick service restaurants make the sites essentially three businesses in one. The Spinx Co. was a franchisee for in-store Burger Kings, Arby’s and Subways, and learned a lot from them — enough to elevate its fried chicken and biscuits to an emerging recognized brand offered through its own in-store restaurants. Changes kept coming as the years went on, and customer expectations changed as stores moved from non-descript to soaring glass and brick. Sites that once were primarily service stations are now retail stores that sell gas, too. Stewart said about 72% of sales companywide come from inside with 28% coming from petroleum sales. “As an industry we are resilient. ‘Resilient’ is a key word for us if you think about it,” Stewart said. “Look at the SKUs; it’s a very broad offering but it’s a convenient offering.” “We are very, very adapted. We are able to adapt ourselves to lots of changes,” he said. “Think about it: 20 years ago, the demise of tobacco … it was going to kill us. Thirty percent of our sales would go away. But (the end of tobacco) hasn’t happened as quickly as predicted, but the volume wheel has shrunk and the margin has gone up so gross profit has been

about the same.” The company, and industry as a whole, also remained agile through changes brought by the pandemic. Demand for some of their products went down so they offered more of what people needed, such as toilet paper. “Volume for gas went down 50% but inside sales shot up,” Spinks said. “The team reacted to what they felt like was going to be needed. We also became much more favored as a channel for food. Even though the consumer was afraid to buy food outside of their own house for a while. The QSRs had a heck of a time; they had to shut down but we didn’t have to shut down. Food sales dropped off inside but other sales went up.” Spinks’ son Steve took over as CEO in 2008 and the founder today remains engaged but trusts his leadership team to guide the company. “It’s rewarding to know these people will take a risk,” he said. “Over the years I probably lost so many good people because I wouldn’t listen. I was afraid. I was afraid I couldn’t make a mistake. If I had made a mistake on that store when I got Sam Hunt to finance it, I wouldn’t be here today.” Spinks thinks the country has been plagued by a decline in the entrepreneurial spirit, but he is encouraged by signs of a comeback, much of it from the immigrants he calls “new Americans.” His advice to anyone considering that plunge is to think about the timing. “That’s a staging thing. The first stage is just having the nerve to leave the comfort of a corporate job with many benefits,” he said. “Sometimes you just have to pick that moment in time as an entrepreneur. I think some of it was there from the beginning for me, and some of the decisions I made might have been intuitive, but intuition comes from a lot of information coming in from a lot of places and is finally synchronized and you think, ‘This is the time.’” “Don’t lose the hope,” is Spinks’ advice to entrepreneurs in the first stage. “Don’t lose the belief that you can deliver as well if not better than someone you either work for, like I did, or that void you see in the marketplace.” Reach Ross Norton at rnorton@scbiznews.com.

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January 17 - January 30, 2022

SUVs could soon go on a carbon-fiber diet Staff Report

gsanews@scbiznews.com

Sport utility vehicles tip the scales at about 4,000 pounds, but they could soon shed some weight with the help of a nationwide team led by a Clemson University automotive engineer. The team is launching new research aimed at knocking at least 160 pounds off of an SUV while maintaining affordability and ensuring automakers can mass produce it without retooling their facilities. A lighter vehicle requires less energy to travel. The idea is to reduce the amount of fossil fuels burned in gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles and increase the range of electric vehicles, according to a university news release. To fund the project, researchers are receiving $5.75 million from the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Vehicles Technology Office. Various partners will share the cost, bringing the total expected funding to $11.5 million. The team will focus on what looks like the skeleton of the SUV and is interchangeably called the glider or bodyin-white. A big part of the challenge will be incorporating a wide range of materials, including various metals and carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer composites, and figuring out how best to join them together, the release said. The principal investigator on the project is Srikanth Pilla, the Jenkins Endowed Professor of Automotive Engineering and founding director of the Clemson Composites Center.

Aditya Pradeep, Amit Deshpande, Srikanth Pilla and Gang Li (left to right) work in a lab at CU-ICAR. (Photo/Clemson University)

“The main question that we are trying to tackle is, ‘Are there technologies that we can bring together and come up with an integrated concept in which we can lightweight a body-in-white?’” Pilla said in the news release. “If we take away 160 pounds, it will enable energy savings and help achieve decarbonization.” Researchers want to meet their weight-saving goal without increasing the cost of the glider more than $5 for every pound saved. They are also setting out to ensure that manufacturers would be able to make 200,000 of the gliders per year without a major retooling or investment in capital equipment. The team will use a glider from a

2019 Honda Pilot for the study, but the results are expected to apply to a broad range of vehicles, the release said. While automotive components made from carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer composites are light and strong, incorporating them into vehicles often requires expensive changes to how the vehicles are manufactured, according to the release. One of the project’s collaborators, Marcelo Dapino of Ohio State University, has been working on that challenge and will bring his technological advances to the new research. Dapino said his lab previously worked with Honda to develop a technology for joining carbon fiber to metal. “We can create carbon-fiberreinforced polymer structures with metallic tabs or attachment points,” said Dapino, who is the Honda Designated Chair in Engineering at Ohio State.” “Those metallic tabs allow the carbon fiber structure to be welded to the rest of the vehicle,” Dapino said in the release. “The key advantage to Honda and automotive manufacturers in general is they can spot-weld carbon fiber structures to the rest of the vehicle without changing the infrastructure of the manufacturing facility.” Ryan Hahnlen, a senior research engineer at Honda Development and Manufacturing of America, said that for the new project, Honda will provide a

mass-production vehicle, performance goals and guidance to researchers. “This project offers the opportunity to look at the vehicle structure holistically,” Hahnlen said in the release. “It also allows us to take full advantage of composite properties while improving cost and manufacturability aspects. I’m most excited about taking advanced materials and methods that have demonstrated benefits at part- and system-level research applications and applying them at full-vehicle scale to better understand their full benefit potential.” Gang Li, a professor of mechanical engineering at Clemson, will create a digital lifecycle for the glider. As part of the digital lifecycle, researchers will employ advanced modeling techniques to replicate on computers what happens in the physical world. “We are looking at the physics in every step from manufacturing all the way to the actual performance on the road,” Li said in the release. “We will also look into the structure. We will look at microstructures of the material and understand how these microstructures will affect the material properties and performance in the actual product.” The approach will help save money and accelerate the glider’s development and optimization, Li said. Digital tests can be done less expensively and more quickly than testing physical components.

January 17 - January 30, 2022

www.gsabusiness.com 9

SC Film Commission seeks to grow resources statewide By Teri Errico Griffis

tgriffis@scbiznews.com

his past year, there’s been a major shift in film and television consumption toward streaming ser-

vices. Red Notice, starring Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot, went straight to Netflix and became the most watched film in the service’s history at 364 million hours in the first month. Amazon, HBO, Netflix, Paramount and more services are churning out new products around the clock, and the S.C. Film Commission is ready to facilitate as many productions as possible in 2022. Matt Storm, the new S.C. film commissioner, said once the country eased up on heavy pandemic restrictions, allowing more flexibility to film, the floodgates opened. “And it’s not just us,” he said. “There’s no stage space in L.A., Atlanta. Every place that has filming has more filming than it can handle, and we’re among that.” At the Commission’s Columbia office, Storm said he and Project Manager Dan Rogers are inundated with interest in filming in South Carolina, mainly small-budget features and series productions. Planning ahead, Avengers star Paul Bettany visited the Lowcountry in October with his writing partner, Dana Brown, to scope out locations for a movie they co-wrote. “It’s awesome that we have Paul Bettany and other stars coming down for Righteous Gemstones, which is a huge hit for HBO,” Storm said. “These guys are doing it because they love the script, and they love the fact that they can shoot in Charleston. They can go get coffee and not get swamped by people versus shooting a cameo spot on another show in Atlanta where they have tons of pap.” Interest in filming in South Carolina has grown immensely over the years because there are now a lot more mediums to publish content, Storm said. “You don’t have to rely on movies and movie theaters so much anymore. You have an easier avenue for people to consume the product,” Storm said. A tale of success to come out of the state is Netflix’s drama Outer Banks, which has primarily filmed in the Lowcountry since 2019. When the second season was released in July, the streamable series shot to the top and remains one of the service’s most watched series of the year. The attention has also drawn tour-

Outer Banks’ actors Rudy Pankow, Chase Stokes and Jonathan Daviss film a scene for the Netflix show in downtown Charleston. (Photo/Provided)

ists to Charleston. Alex Goldstein, general manager and tour guide for Charleston Outdoor Adventures on Bowen’s Island, said since the summer of 2020, patrons have been loving their kayak tours for the overlap with Outer Banks, including marshes, waterfront homes and Bowen’s Island Restaurant, which was featured in season two — albeit with temporary signage changes and decorations. “I would do kayak tours and at least a couple times a week, someone on my tours — even when we’re not talking about anything like that — will ask if this is where Outer Banks was filmed or say that the scenery looks like the show,” Goldstein said. While tours don’t intend to focus on the Outer Banks connection, Goldstein said she has had specific requests from fans of the show. One dad in particular requested a private tour for his daughter and a group of teen girls to learn about the places Outer Banks was filmed. Goldstein happily obliged and sent out a captain who was a mutual fan of the show.

Take 2022

Heading into 2022, the state continues to be limited by its $15 million

annual incentive budget, which primarily is allocated to Outer Banks and Righteous Gemstones. But an extra $15 million earmark the organization was awarded in the summer will help fund some of the newer projects. Storm would like to see what proposals come up in the beginning of the year before he plans how to spend the entirety of the earmark. He’d also like to use some of the funds to grow statewide outreach for more filming, in particular for increasing internship opportunities and furthering filming education. “There’s a really good program in Charleston through Trident Technical College that we partner with. They have interns on set, and they have a great indie grant program, which is awesome,” Storm said. “But I would love to do something not just Charleston-centric. That’s kind of my thought for the future. I don’t know what that’s going to look like yet, but I would love to use funds for that, for increasing awareness.” The S.C. Film Commission already has been in contact with a company in Greenville looking to bring the same kind of production energy to the upstate. Storm also hopes to collaborate with University of South Carolina,

which recently increased its media art presence. The inevitable goal is to increase production interest statewide, to make incentive money worth it for everyone, not just the bigger markets, Storm said. If movies only film in Charleston, what’s in it for places like Clarendon or Marlboro counties? Back in 2005 when film incentives kicked off, production companies were encouraged to film anywhere in the state. But more and more, money is piping into Charleston because that’s where the talent, inroads and support services have been built. A potential film coming to Union County soon could change things — particularly create more reason to increase incentive money statewide. “If we had more money, we’d be able to have more resources, but if we don’t have more crew to back it up I don’t know if there’s a point,” Storm said. Righteous Gemstones and Outer Banks will get to work filing their third seasons later this year, and Storm said, “For now, we’re just keeping the train rolling and seeing where things go legislative-wise.” Reach Teri Errico Griffis at 843-849-3144.

www.gsabusiness.com

January 17 - January 30, 2022

The CMA CGM 8 docks at Wando Welch Terminal in Mount Pleasant. (Photos/SCPA Walter Lagarenne)

CEO says ports positioned to navigate uncertainty with opportunity By Teri Errico Griffis

tgriffis@scbiznews.com

n April 2020, the S.C. Ports Authority budget called for a 10% reduction in volume as the pandemic rolled across the global supply chain. Jim Newsome, SCPA president and CEO, had no idea if even 1.23 million containers would be achievable, but he couldn’t imagine articulating a 30% reduction — and wasn’t prepared to let go of any employees in such a skill-driven industry. “I was nervous,” he said. Like other CEOs, he had never managed a pandemic before. Little did Newsome know that the SCPA would soon see record volumes that kept on climbing. He anticipated the port losing nearly 15% of cargo volumes in fiscal year 2021, when in reality numbers rose 10%. Newsome sat down with the Charleston Regional Business Journal to talk about the year that’s past, and more specifically, the year ahead as the country navigates year three of the pandemic.

Retail inventory

Newsome admits the SCPA was late to the game when the agency began focusing on retail in 2020, but coming on board when they did couldn’t have been more crucial.

With the pandemic causing e-commerce to skyrocket, be it gadgets to pass the time, clothing and late-night QVC orders or home furnishings, the port has benefitted from increases in cargo imports. Newsome owed much of that shift to people being forced to stay indoors and avoid traveling, restaurants and group entertainment. While he expects at some point the scales will tip back, e-commerce is here to stay, particularly as inventory to sales ratio remains rather low, he said. “There is still some inventory retail to be done,” Newsome said. “I don’t know if you’ve been in a retail store lately, but they are a bit sparse on products on shelves.” The CEO believes the ports will remain strong through the first half of the year — and possibly even stronger after that because of Walmart Import Distribution Center 7’s opening in Ridgeville, a growing presence with Amazon and export projects that are expected to come online this year. “I think the fundamentals of our business outside of just normal growth in the Southeast makes the port business just a good place to be. People are moving south and we can still manufacture and we have land to do trans-

loading and things like that,” he said.

Cargo capacity

With the country importing 20% more cargo than the supply chain was built for, Newsome said the SCPA is bumping up against the same challenges as other ports, including congestion and overflows, but South Carolina is managing because measures were being put into place that helped mitigate some of the issues. The Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal was constructed to add more berth capacity. The Charleston Harbor was deepened to allow larger ships. A third start time was added at 1 a.m., allowing ships to be serviced between the original 12-hour gap of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Though the HLT hasn’t been fully utilized in year one as intended — seeing only 50% usage at best — the North Charleston Terminal has served as a buffer for the overloaded Wando Welch Terminal, maximizing its capacity and taking on small service ships that can be moved. “Just open the terminals 24 hours a day,” people tell the CEO as if it’s that simple a call to make. Newsome wouldn’t argue if it was possible, but to extend hours, he’d need 200 to 300 trucks an hour, or essentially trucks driving around 24/7. Such a number could never happen.

Chassis shortages and empties sitting twice as long on lots have only created more chaos in the industry. Right now, container dwell times are up from an average 4-9 days to 15 as there aren’t enough distribution centers to support e-commerce, forcing companies to leave cargo indefinitely on SCPA terminals. “(Companies) don’t want empties back. They don’t have the space for them,” he said. “So guess what that does? That means you can’t pick up a full one, and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy of backlog.” One problem then begets another, Newsome said, and the country has created a chassis shortage, too. There are two ways to keep cargo in a container. One is to leave containers at SCPA terminals and pay for storage, while the second is to put it on a chassis, take the cargo offsite, park it at the distribution center “and hope for the day when it can be unloaded,” Newsome said. The result is putting the chassis pool at 100% utilization and companies aren’t playing nicely in the sandbox together. Like toilet paper hoarding, some businesses may corner thousands of chassis to the detriment of everyone else, Newsome said. In March 2020, SCPA had 6,000

January 17 - January 30, 2022

www.gsabusiness.com 11

inbound loads after a record month. By December 2021, the agency recorded 17,000, of which 5,000 had been sitting more than 15 days. “It’s like a traffic jam on 526. There’s just too much in the mechanism right now,” Newsome said.

Westward growth

Watching companies scoop up property westward down Interstate 26 has been gratifying for Newsome. “It’s what we thought would be the case,” he said. After Walmart chose to build its newest distribution center in Ridgeville, economic leaders believed it would only be a matter of time until other companies took notice. Since the state can’t grow east because of the water, or north and south because of wetlands, westward is the only direction available. Companies are expanding into St. George, Holly Hill and Santee — towns that were previously quiet and not immediately associated with business booms. “We always felt that the global supply chain would locate near a port if we built the right infrastructure and we offered good product. We could attract the business,” Newsome said, adding that the pandemic helped the state because it forced people to look for alternatives. The pandemic gave South Carolina the opportunity to have a discussion with companies that might not

have had a discussion with before. Spending more in drayage to get cargo out to St. George, closer to where domestic trucks handle the cargo that’s transloaded, is a better model, Newsome said. The land’s cheaper. Facilities are closer to the workforce. And companies aren’t competing with the Charleston workforce. “I believe I’m right in saying that what we did in Ridgeville for Walmart is a catalyst for that whole area of growth. And we felt that start,” Newsome said.

Retirement wrap up

With the end of fiscal year 2022 also comes the end of Newsome’s tenure at the SCPA. In October, he announced his retirement from the agency, and shared that COO Barbara Melvin will take his place. The first female to run a top 10 operating container port in the U.S., Melvin was identified early on as someone who could ultimately succeed Newsome with the right steps, he said. But she had to run S.C. Ports operations first, initially tackling the Charleston Harbor Deepening Project and the Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal expansion. Melvin, who has been with the ports since 1998, has since earned an executive MBA to gain formal business training, as well as a supply chain MBA. By stepping down, Newsome hopes to create room for even more employees to rise up, noting that if he stayed too long,

others might not see openings for themselves and leave. Already, Newsome’s been at SCPA longer than he has remained with any other agency, which is surprising to someone self-described as “restless.”

for the next year. “I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of things I want to do in life both professionally and personally, so I don’t envision sitting at home looking at four walls… My wife has already told me that if I had that in mind, that she doesn’t want me there either.” Newsome remains hopeful for the port’s future regardless of what happens in 2022. “I’ve always said to y’all that I think we would grow up above the market in the ports in the Southeast, and I believe that to be true,” he said.

He admits he considered his tenure when he signed his 2012 contract, ultimately having a 10-year timeframe in mind. “CEOs have a shelf life,” he said. “You only get so many good ideas in the tank.” Leading up to June 30, Newsome promised to work hard “until whatever time I leave that day as I’ve always done.” Following his retirement, he then will continue to serve as advisor Reach Teri Errico Griffis at 843-849-3144.

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January 17 - January 30, 2022

Italian festival planned for Fountain Inn, Bridgeway Station By Molly Hulsey

t’s hard to get a committee of Italians to agree on much of anything, says Chuck Ferraro, co-chair of the Italian-American Club of Greater Greenville’s event planning committee. He surveyed tables of chatting stragglers left from a monthly lunch at Bertolo’s Pizza on Pelham Road. “We need a megaphone,” Ferraro said. “They all want to talk. They all want to have their ideas taken in.” That’s about 180 different opinions, 40 new voices since the last year. But there is at least one thing the club agreed on: an inaugural Italian-American festival, hosted at the Fountain Inn Depot on April 30. Plans underway this year include up to 30 Italian food and craft vendors, a bocce ball court and children’s activities such as an obstacle course, caricature drawings and face painting. Live performances are slated to include an opera singer and a choir from the new Fountain Inn High School, among other musicians. And of course, Ferraro added, the club will be serving up Italian wines and beers. The festival now has the backing of Phil Hughes of Hughes Investments, thanks to a $5,000 grant awarded at Ten at the Top’s Cele-

brating Successes event late last year. The club had competed against 19 budding events across the Upstate, and after parading in November to the Ten at the Top stage in a cavalcade of fedoras, Christopher Columbesque pantaloons and cannolis for the judges, the Italians tied with the city of Belton for the award. The Hughes Investment Elevate Upstate Grant will make up about one-third of the event’s $15,000 budget for the first year. Other sponsors have also thrown their hat in the ring, with Gio’s Pastry Shop in Fountain Inn serving as an anchor supporter of the event. It was Maria Natale, owner of the Italian market and bakery, who first came up with the idea of hosting the festival in Fountain Inn. “Obviously, we’re all very proud to be Italian Americans. Several people were from Italy today, young people, old people,” Ferrero said, with other club members separated by two or three generations from the old country, like him. But, “the longer they’re in America ... with each generation, it kind of goes away.” One impetus for the festival is the desire to captivate that next generation, whether they have Latin heritage or are just interested. Down the road, the club hopes to use proceeds to offer scholarship money to Italian-American students. Club President John Macioce’s said he believes the Italian festival is the only in the Upstate, the next closest being in Hilton Head.

Hughes Investments awarded the Italian-American Club of Greater Greenville a $5,000 grant following the club’s presentation at Ten at the Top’s Celebrating Successes event. (Photo/Provided)

Once the festival gets off the ground, the planning committee may take it on the road to various Upstate locations each year. Anderson Mayor Terence Roberts has already put in a request, and once Phil Hughes’ reimagined Italian village, Bridgeway Station, is built out, the developer wants to be next in line for the event. “He wants us there,” said Macioce, who daylights as a real estate agent with Joy Real Estate. “That whole Bridgeway Station is going to be like the Vatican Square.”

With fundraisers and festival profits, the club hopes to expand festivites to two days perhaps, a weekend, or maybe, one day, something closer to the scale of Greenville’s Scottish Games or Greek Festival that each draw hundreds of vendors and guests to the Upstate each year. “If you have a vision and you don’t have a plan, it’s just a dream,” said Ferraro. Reach Molly Hulsey at 864-720-1222 or @mollyhulsey_gsa on Twitter.

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January 17 - January 30, 2022

COURTHOUSE, from Page 1

“We have been so, so fortunate,” he said. “Our primary sectors are federal, health care and commercial and retail,” he said. “We’re now leaning more into the multi-unit apartment space, but for our primary markets, things have not slowed down.” When much commercial construction came to a screeching halt in 2020, the Jordon Construction Co. soldiered onward with federal projects during the shutdown, a market that has at least doubled over the past two years, he said. “And we’ll probably triple that in 2022,” Jordon said. For the firm, that has meant revamping the HVAC system and floors at Sumter’s Shaw Air Force Base, sanitizing Transportation Security Administration areas at the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport and renovatiing Beaufort’s U.S. Navy Hospital. “At Parris Island, for example, we had 17 buildings we were responsible for doing the maintenance on,” he said. Parris Island houses another U.S. Naval Hospital and a Marine Corp. Recruit Depot installation. “After someone tested positive for COVID, we had to come into certain barracks to do COVID cleaning inside those barracks.” Since 2020, Jordon Construction Co. also has helped build out several hospital expansions to mitigate the bed shortage for COVID-19 patients. Past clients have included Prisma Health, Piedmont Hospital, the Grand Strand Medical Center, and the Lexington Medical Center,

www.gsabusiness.com 13

among others. There was one project that made Jordon a bit nervous during a panicky spring 2020: Greenville’s new federal courthouse. Jordon and his partners, Brasfield and Gorrie and Jacobs Technology, had quite the job ahead of them: a $105 million project spanning 193,000 square feet including seven courtrooms, nine judge’s chambers and office space for the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services System, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and a federal public defender. Under a decade-long mentorship relationship with Brasfield and Gorrie, Jordon Construction Co. won a portion of the bid in 2016. In 2019, the General Services Administration and family of the courthouse’s namesake, former Gov. Carroll Campbell, gathered to break ground on the project in 2019. Throughout the pandemic, a large project meant more employees and more employees meant more opportunity for infection, but Jordon said he was grateful Brasfield & Gorrie stuck to Centers for Disease Control guidelines and had compliance officials onsite to keep employees safe. A final topping-off ceremony had been scheduled in 2020 to place the last metal beam on the structure, but after the event was cancelled because of COVID-19, workers surprised the project team by chiseling their names onto the final beam, according to the General Services Administration. “It means so much to see all of the recognition this team has received for the hard work they’ve put into this project,” Public Buildings

Service Regional Commissioner Kevin Kerns said in a statement. “Their dedication to ensuring this project is a success and that we deliver a state-of-the-art courthouse that meets the operational needs of the judiciary.” Jordon Construction Co. and partners completed the courthouse in October 2021. “It was a dynamic work environment,” he said. “It seemed like weekly, different news was coming out about the right way to social distance and the right safety mandates and things like that. We were fortunate we were able to keep the majority of our staff working on that project because of the mentor-protégé relationship.” Many contractors tend to shy away from federal projects due to the regulations involved, but COVID-19 shutdown aside, Jordon sees opportunity in the challenge. The regulatory environment has encouraged Jordon Construction’s operations to be more structured in ways that helped the contractor when blazing new trails in the private market with buildings like Camperdown’s Deca Apartments — one of the company’s first residential projects also completed during the pandemic. The company’s status as a small minority-owned business also helps Jordon on the public playing field, which also tends to reward federal contractors with more federal contracts. To date, Jordon Construction has completed more than 150 federal jobs, all followed by strong evaluations from supervisors, according to Jordon. “It’s one of those things where you’re starting out with smaller projects and you’re working to demonstrate credibility, and the more projects

Jordon’s team took on Camperdown’s Deca Apartments during the pandemic. (Photo/Provided)

that you successfully complete, the larger projects that you can compete for and that they trust you with, because you have the upper-pass in performance,” he said. So when the General Services Administration sought out a contractor to revitalize the neo-classical Clement F. Haynesworth Federal Building, Greenville’s former 1937-era courthouse, it hired Jordon Construction for the job directly. “We competed to win the opportunity to be contractor of choice for the GSA for any renovations that will go on in that building,” he said. “As folks have been transitioning out of the Haynesworth building and into the federal courthouse building, there’s still been work that we’ve had to go into the old federal courthouse to do,” Jordon said. “It is still an impressive facility for its age.” Reach Molly Hulsey at 864-720-1222 or @mollyhulsey_gsa on Twitter.

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January 17 - January 30, 2022

Savannah developer secures 135 acres for logistics park Staff Report

gsanews@scbiznews.com

Savannah real estate developer has purchased 135 acres of land adjacent to the Port of Charleston’s Leatherman Terminal with plans to build a high-speed logistics facility. Capital Development Partners said the land will be developed into a port logistics facility called Shipyard Creek Logistics Center to handle imports and exports, the company said in a news release. Specifically, Shipyard Creek Logistics Center will have cross dock terminals, container storage, warehousing and logistics facilities, the company said. The project is expected to cost more than $250 million. Capital Development Partners said 200 direct jobs and thousands of other jobs will be created from the center. John Knox Porter, CEO of Capital Development Partners, said the company was glad to be a strategic partner with the S.C. Ports Authority to give the company’s customers a competitive advantage. “Shipyard Creek Logistics Center is an opportunity to develop and invest in one of the most efficient logistics facilities in the United States,” Porter said in a statement. “North Charleston and the state of South Carolina have an outstanding labor base, strong leadership and world-class port infrastructure that can quickly serve a large part of the U.S. population.” The center is near the Leatherman Terminal, which opened earlier this year

Capital Development Partners plans to build a 135-acre, high-speed logistics facility near the Leatherman Terminal. (Photo/Provided)

with an initial capacity of 700,000 TEUs, a standard unit of measure for shipping containers with 20-foot-equivalent units. The Leatherman Terminal also has a second phase for expansion planned that would increase the capacity further. “S.C. Ports’ Leatherman Terminal provides cargo capacity, fluidity and speed to market for shippers’ supply chains,” S.C. Ports President and CEO

Jim Newsome said in a statement. “We are pleased to have Capital Development Partners as a strategic partner as they develop the adjacent site into Shipyard Creek Logistics Center. This is a unique opportunity to develop a port-dependent logistics center next to the country’s newest container terminal. Future tenants will benefit from Leatherman Terminal’s efficient oper-

ations, as well as the proximity to S.C. Ports’ future rail-served intermodal cargo hub.” The Shipyard Creek Logisitcs Center is expected to open in 2022 with construction beginning on sit prep and the cross dock terminal, the company said. Capital Development Partners has properties in Savannah; Charleston; Newark, N.J.; and Houston, Texas.

Johns Island welcomes California-based luxury hotel company By Alexandria Ng

ang@scbiznews.com

harleston remains a popular destination, and the city’s expanding luxury hotel scene reflects that trend. California-based Auberge Resorts Collection plans to debut its first planned luxury hotel in South Carolina come 2024 in the form of The Dunlin, located within the Kiawah River master-planned community on Johns Island. In partnership with real estate developer The Beach Co. and private investment and management company McNair Interests, the project is set to have a January groundbreaking. “The Dunlin will offer an unforgettable escape where guests can immerse themselves in the pristine natural setting of Johns Island and the culturally rich attractions of Charleston,” Auberge Chairman Dan Friedkin said in a statement. The Dunlin property will include 72 cottage-style guest rooms and suites and 19 villas, as well as a main lodge and porch, great rooms and a library lounge. Amenities

encompass a pool with cabanas, full-service spa, community farmstead, and access to the community’s Spring House riverfront swim and fitness facilities. A riverfront restaurant with outdoor deck will also be available, as will two event spaces, including a 10,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor event hall. “We are pleased to partner with Auberge Resorts Collection to create The Dunlin, which will be one of the most remarkable new resorts in the country,” Beach Co. CEO John Darby said. “Auberge has a terrific track record of creating the most unique hospitality experiences in the world, and this endeavor’s intimate setting will bring highly personalized service with a coastal experience inspired by the local environment.” Built into the Kiawah River community, which puts emphasis in natural surrounding elements, The Dunlin will consist of 2,000 acres of land with 20 miles of riverfront nature trails and marshlands. Guests will be able to participate in nature excursions on the property, including fly fishing, crabbing and boating, as well as

The Dunlin, Auberge Resorts Collection will be within the Kiawah River master-planned community on Johns Island. (Photo/Provided)

paddle boarding, hiking and biking. Architect Robert Glazier was chosen to design the resort, and Amanda Lindroth of Lindroth Design will lead the interior design of the property. Construction financing was provided by United Bank’s Charleston offices.

Auberge Resorts Collection has 22 other hotels and resorts across the globe, recently winning accolades from Travel & Leisure’s 2021 World’s Best and Conde Nast’s 2021 Readers’ Choice awards. Reach Alexandria Ng at 843-849-3124.

January 17 - January 30, 2022

www.gsabusiness.com 15

Duo develop platform for preparing wills Startup lobbies for legalization of e-wills By Molly Hulsey

mhulsey@scbiznews.com

he strongest competitors for Greenville entrepreneurs Tyler McLeod and Erick Arbé are California giants Trust and Will and LegalZoom. These online legal platform sites wield a respective 65 to 1,000 employees. Upstate-based Willio has two. But that isn’t stopping the startup’s founders from pursuing the next comparable tier of digital services — even if they are now illegal in South Carolina. In 2019, McLeod and Arbé, a tax attorney and a former pro golfer-turned-designer, launched a blockchain-powered site that enables customers to build a will in 20 to 40 minutes, according to the duo. “Willio’s goal is to help people by making wills easier, more accessible and more affordable for a greater number of people,” McLeod said in a statement. “Online estate plans can be very beneficial, but not all wills are created equal.” McLeod’s first taste of opportunities offered by online wills came, more or less,

at Smiley’s Acoustic Café. And it left a sour taste in his mouth. McLeod, then a full-time attorney, happened to sit next to a tipsy customer who had one too many opinions that night. When the stranger asked McLeod what he did, McLeod shared that he was an estate planner, which released a torrent of predictions. The gist: “Don’t you know your job will be replaced by algorithms in a couple years?” asked the stranger. McLeod couldn’t stop thinking that maybe his unsolicited drinking companion was right after all. But if anyone was going to take his job, he was going to be the one to do it. That was in 2017. In 2019, he hired on Arbé as a software developer, while he continued to work as a partner for Brown, Massey, Evans, McLeod and Haynesworth. In November 2021, Willio took its services to a national audience. The duo doesn’t plan on expanding their services beyond wills and powers of attorney like LegalZoom, which also offers remote consulting, trademark and copyright registration and business establishment services. It also doesn’t want refer users to specific charities or push life insurance sales.

If you stay in your lane, McLeod said, you create better opportunity for sustainable growth and development. The company is lobbying instead to bring the entire estate planning process online from start to finish. Willio customers can create their will online but – in South Carolina at least – it must be first printed out, signed in pen and notarized in person as witnesses stand by. In the Palmetto State, the only valid will is an analog one. But in an era when real estate transactions and patient intake forms can be signed online, McLeod and Arbé argue that South Carolina’s law inhibits many young parents – and that includes the adoptive parents of Felix and Fido, who can bequeath funds to a pet guardian – from taking the time to finalize a will. A single electronic copy helps prevent families from misplacing a will, they told GSA Business Report, while blockchain technology and encryption help evade forgery and fraud with a digital trail. Only a handful of states have been early adopters of the electronic wills: Florida, Indiana, Nevada and Arizona. According to Trust and Will, some states have accepted remote witnesses on a caseby-case basis due to COVID-19. Colorado, North Dakota, Washington

and Utah have adopted the Uniform Electronic Wills Act since 2020, which allows probate courts to give digital wills legal validity if a state legislature opts in. States are then able to decide whether an estate holder’s electronic signature can also be witnessed remotely. McLeod helped the Uniform Law Commission draft the act, which was also introduced this year in Massachusetts and the District of Columbia. Closer to home the entrepreneur has championed digital estate planning practices on the state of South Carolina’s Electronic Will Committee. Last May, Gov. Henry McMaster signed into law the S.C. Electronic Notary Public Act, which may establish the infrastructure for the legalization of electronic wills in the future. The act allows public notaries to also go digital if requested and lays out requirements for going digital. Requirements include a course and exam. Online vendors must also be approved by Secretary of State Mark Hammond, who expects other stipulations to be finalized by spring 2022. “I am pleased that electronic notarization will now be an option for South See WILLIO, Page 20

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IT’S TIME TO BINGE BUSINESS What’s new on SCBIZtv? With nearly 150 videos (and counting), our YouTube channel features a wide variety of businessrelated content. From recognition events to one-on-one interviews with high-level business executives to in-depth discussions with industry leaders, our playlists have something for everyone. Here’s a sampling of what you’ll ﬁnd on SCBIZtv. What’s New and What’s Hot!

Check out our new content as well as our trending videos on this ever-changing playlist.

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In Focus

2022: THE YEAR AHEAD LISTS: Hospitals, Page 18 BONUS LIST: Urgent Care Centers, Page 19

NEXT ISSUE’S FOCUS:

Architecture, Engineering and Construction

Chambers press for tax reform, continued investment By Molly Hulsey

mhulsey@scbiznews.com

nother year passed. Cities and statehouses are still beset with pandemic relief challenges. Still, the Upstate Chamber Coalition celebrated some major victories in 2021, from COVID-19 liability relief for businesses to $200 million allocated for expanding the Port of Charleston, including a container transfer facility. Following the allotment, Gov. Henry McMaster called for $300 million for the ports in his executive budget for the year, released Jan. 10. “There are probably about 116,000 jobs supported in the Upstate by exports by the port, so that’s a huge thing if we can get goods in and out of the Port of Charleston, better, faster and cheaper,” said Jason Zacher, executive director of the coalition. “That benefits all the Upstate.” As imports continue to stall and the S.C. Ports Authority picks up the speed to build the deepest port in the Southeast, additional funding will remain a hot topic. But as the pandemic appears to transition to something more endemic and American Resecue Plan Act funds filter in to budgets across the state, Zacher sees new challenges on the horizon for South Carolina’s business community. Zacher, who also serves as the senior vice president of advocacy at the Greenville Chamber, represents 13 chambers of commerce as head of the Upstate Chamber Coalition. The coalition’s advocacy team drew from chamber members’ responses to an autumn survey when compiling the year’s legislative agenda. “We have a historic opportunity right now,” he told GSA Business Report. “There’s going to be between $4 and $5 billion worth of one-time money coming into the state that can be spent this budget year,

whether that’s ARPA (the rescue plan), whether that’s infrastructure-build money from the feds, or just one-time money coming in from this regular state budget.” Port expansion aside, the lobbying team will push for the extension of broadband service across the entire Upstate, funding for water and sewer replacement projects, electric vehicle infrastructure and interstate road rehabilitation. “All infrastructure is lacking in this state,” he said. “It’s not just roads. Its challenges to the water and sewer: mill village sewer lines that are still 100 years old and are made of clay. Things like that need to get done, and we’ve got the opportunity now to do a lot of this work. I think that it’s incumbent upon not only the General Assembly, but our cities and counties when they get this money to look at what’s the best, most forward thinking way to use it.” Deferred maintenance to the Upstate’s sewer systems is estimated to cost $175 million, according to the coalition’s 2022 agenda. For several years, the Upstate Chamber Coalition has sought to reinstitute joint and several protections that the S.C. Supreme Court has ruled unconstitutional. In 2022, he hopes the effort takes on renewed momentum as COVID-19 protections for businesses have been put on the books. “A lot of small businesses are one lawsuit away from going out of business, and I don’t think they fully understand the threat that does face a lot of them in that case,” Zacher said. In South Carolina, aside from certain exceptions, defendants who contribute to less than 50% of indivisible damages will be held liable for percentages determined by a jury. “Judges and juries need to be able to reasonably reflect fault and to apportion fault in a case, so that if you are only 5%

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or 10% at fault, you don’t wind up paying 100% of the bill,” he said. The drought of available labor has also reached withering depths since 2020. The need to attract talent to the region has come to forefront of the coalition’s agenda. Lowering South Carolina’s 7% income tax rate is a crucial factor in the fight for labor, according to Zacher. As is continued support of two S.C. House measures: a $5,000 tax credit for companies that hire former inmates and veterans and permitting state professional licenses for certain immigrants with legal working status. “We now have the highest income tax rate in the Southeast,” he said. “What I would say is even more unfair in a lot of cases is that it starts at $16,000 of income, so it’s not like a state where maybe there’s a 10% top rate and it starts at $1 million adjusted gross income. You’re talking about pretty much everybody that would have a job in the state is paying 7% income tax.”

Zacher hopes that an influx of federal funding may sweeten the pot for lowered income tax rates, and if all goes well, push additional reform for state property and sales tax. In 2021, McMaster proposed to cut income taxes each year that revenue continued to stream in from other sources. Zacher thought the proposal would be a successful one — if it picks up congressional support. “Success in the year ahead will require bold leadership from both our elected officials and business community,” Greenville Chamber CEO Carlos Phillips said in a statement following the release of the agenda in December. “We look forward to working with these key partners on the thoughtful, pragmatic, strategic policy solutions outlined in the 2022 Policy Guide to build prosperity across our region.” Reach Molly Hulsey at 864-720-1222 or @mollyhulsey_gsa on Twitter.

IN FOCUS: 2022: THE YEAR AHEAD

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January 17 - January 30, 2022

Hospitals

Ranked by No. of Beds Phone / Website / Email

Top Local Official(s) / Year Founded

Beds

Active Staff Physicians / Registered Nurses

864-797-7800 www.prismahealth.org prismahealthupstate@prismahealth.org

Mark S. O'Halla 2018

1,460

864-560-6000 www.spartanburgregional.com

Bruce Holstien 1921

1,102

729 2,279

AnMed Health 3 800 N. Fant St. Anderson, SC 29621

864-512-1000 www.anmedhealth.org lizz.walker1@anmedhealth.org

William Kenley 1908

533

551 1,163

Self Regional Healthcare 1325 Spring St. Greenwood, SC 29646

864-725-4111 www.selfregional.org

James A. Pfeiffer, William H. Keith 1951

358

864-255-1000 www.bonsecours.com/greenville

Matt Caldwell 1932

338

538 1,147

Patrick B. Harris Psychiatric Hospital 130 S.C. Highway 252 Anderson, SC 29621

864-231-2600 www.patrickbharris.com

Allen McEniry 1985

200

Carolina Center for Behavioral Health 2700 E. Phillips Road Greer, SC 29650

864-235-2335 www.thecarolinacenter.com

Jerry Chapman 1985

156

SpringBrook Behavioral Health System 1 Havenwood Lane Travelers Rest, SC 29690

864-834-8013 www.springbrookbehavioral.com

Mike Rowley 1982

AnMed Health Rehabilitation Hospital 1 Spring Back Way Anderson, SC 29621

864-716-2600

Denise R. Murray -

AnMed Health Cannon 123 WG Acker St. Pickens, SC 29671

864-878-4791 www.anmedhealthcannon.org lizz.walker1@anmedhealth.org

Brandon Clary, Michael Cunningham, Rebekah Hemphill, Shon M. Herron 1947

77 53

Abbeville Area Medical Center 420 Thomson Circle Abbeville, SC 29620

864-366-5011 www.abbevilleareamc.com

Cindy Buck 1919

16 98

Shriners Hospitals for Children 950 W. Faris Road Greenville, SC 29605

864-271-3444 www.greenvilleshrinershospital.org

Bill Munley 1927

Greenwood Regional Rehabilitation Hospital 1530 Parkway Greenwood, SC 29646

864-330-1800

Kristin Manske -

Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Greenville 3372 Laurens Road Greenville, SC 29607

864-537-4600

Joshua Trout -

Spartanburg Rehabilitation Institute 1530 Parkway Road Greenwood, SC 29646

864-330-1800 www.grrh.ernesthealth.com

Kristin Manske 2008

Regency Hospital of Greenville 1 St. Francis Drive, 4th floor Greenville, SC 29601

864-255-1401 www.regencyhospital.com

Paige Beauregard 2010

Children's Habilitation Center 355 Cedar Springs Road Spartanburg, SC 29302

864-577-7803

Jolene Madison -

Company Prisma Health Upstate 300 E. McBee Ave. Greenville, SC 29601

Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System 101 E. Wood St. Spartanburg, SC 29303

Bon Secours St. Francis Health System 1 St. Francis Drive Greenville, SC 29601

• • • •

Because of space constraints, sometimes only the top-ranked companies are published in the print edition. For a full list of participating organizations, visit scbiznews.com/buy-business-lists. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to research@scbiznews.com. 1 Locations include Prisma Health Baptist Easley Hospital, Prisma Health Greenville Memorial Hospital, Prisma Health Greer Memorial Hospital, Prisma Health Hillcrest Hospital, Prisma Health Laurens County Hospital, Prisma Health North Greenville Long Term Acute Care Hospital, Prisma Health Oconee Memorial Hospital, and Prisma Health Patewood Hospital. 2 Locations include Spartanburg Medical Center, Pelham Medical Center, Spartanburg Hospital for Restorative Care, Spartanburg Medical Center - Mary Black Campus and Union Medical Center. 3 Locations include AnMed Health Medical Center and AnMed Health Women's and Children's Hospital. 4 Locations include St. Francis Downtown and St. Francis Eastside

Source: S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control; researched by Business Report staff

IN FOCUS: 2022: THE YEAR AHEAD

January 17 - January 30, 2022

www.gsabusiness.com 19

Urgent Care Centers In the Greenville Area, Listed Alphabetically AFC Urgent Care Bon Secours 1800 Augusta St., Suite B Greenville, SC 29605 864-207-4538 Greenville-area Locations: 5

Express Medical Care 102 Rock Creek Blvd. Greenwood, SC 29649 864-725-5020 Greenville-area Locations: 2

Medi Urgent Care Center 111 Carter Park Drive, Suite A Seneca, SC 29678 864-882-1420 Greenville-area Locations: 1

RediCare 823 Pearman Dairy Road Anderson, SC 29625 864-225-7878 Greenville-area Locations: 1

Doctors Care 6704 White Horse Road Greenville, SC 29611 864-294-1392 Greenville-area Locations: 9

Immediate Care Center 3611 Pelham Road Greenville, SC 29615 864-530-3500 Greenville-area Locations: 5

New Horizon Family Health Services Inc. 975 W. Faris Road Greenville, SC 29605 864-729-8330 Greenville-area Locations: 1

EmergencyMD 2498 N. Pleasantburg Drive Greenville, SC 29609 864-210-4880 Greenville-area Locations: 2

MedCare Urgent Care Center 301 E. Wood St. Spartanburg, SC 29303 864-208-1960 Greenville-area Locations: 2

Prisma Health Urgent Care 905 Verdae Blvd., Suite 101 Greenville, SC 29607 864-522-1050 Greenville-area Locations: 4

Because of space constraints, sometimes only the top-ranked companies are published in the print edition. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to research@ scbiznews.com. Researched by Business Report staff.

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WILLIO, from Page 15

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Carolina notaries, as technology evolves and more transactions are recorded electronically,” Hammond said in a news release. “Once the regulations are passed, I hope that our commissioned notaries public will register as electronic notaries and begin offering these services to South Carolinians.” Provisions for remote notarization are not included under the legislation, but advocates say it’s a start. In other words, qualified notaries will be able to sign electronic signatures with an electronic seal but only when in the physical presence of the signator. “In-person electronic notary could be

January 17 - January 30, 2022

seen as a baby step in the direction of remote online notary,” Nashiba Boyd, a Columbia attorney with Gaffney-Lewis LLC, said in a statement. “But it would need to overcome resistance from lawyers and others who fear abuse of remote notarization. South Carolina real estate lawyers, for example, have long opposed remote notarization out of concern that notaries, not lawyers, will supervise closings.” As far as the Electronic Notary Public Act goes, however, nothing overturns the current state law requiring a licensed attorney to oversee the closure of a property, according to Boyd. Reach Molly Hulsey at 864-720-1222 or @mollyhulsey_gsa on Twitter.

Ag outlook: sales up but so is the cost of farming Staff Report

gsanews@scbiznews.com

There was good news and bad news at the 6th annual South Carolina Ag Outlook Conference. The good news: sale prices for commodities are trending up; unfortunately, so are the costs associated with producing them. Walt Morgan, crop insurance agent for Mishoe Insurance Agency in the Pee Dee area, said the conference is a way to help farmers mitigate risks. “The prices being up will definitely help, so I’d say that’s the main positive,” Morgan said in a news release. The rising cost of things such as fuel and fertilizer was the primary negative. “This is going to be a year that each farmer is going to be completely different,” he said, “so by having this information and being able to talk to them and make sure they are staying (on top of) their own budgets is going to be key for the upcoming year.” The conference was held at Clemson University’s Sandhill Research and Education Center in Columbia, home base of the Clemson Extension Agribusiness Team. “We need to make sure our farmers are equipped with the best information possible to make sure they stay on the farm,” Clemson Extension Director Tom Dobbins said in the release. “We can talk about sustainability all we want, but sustainability to me is profitability. If they’re not making a profit, they’re not going to be on the farm very long.” Kansas State University professor Brian Briggeman, a conference speaker, pointed to the economic shutdown that accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to an historic drop of 31.2% in the country’s real gross domestic product. Briggeman said recovery from that drop was initially strong but has now become “uneven,” according to the release. Labor force participation is low, but strong job growth points to a solid rebound in the 2022 labor market.

And while the country’s total public debt levels have soared, interest payments have remained manageable. Still, according to Briggeman, numerous questions remain for 2022, including how long inflation might persist. “We had trillions of dollars of fiscal stimulus come into the economy in 2020 and even 2021, and that supported strong consumer spending,” he said. “But what lasting impact is that going to have on the economy? We cannot continue to have the government propping that up. We need to have jobs in place and people working — that is far more sustainable.” Among various commodities, Clemson Agribusiness Program Team Director Nathan Smith said South Carolina planted acreage for peanuts dropped to 69,000 acres in 2021 with an average yield forecast at 4,100 pounds/acre, matching a record set in 2007. And while 2021 U.S. planted acreage decreased 5% to 1.58 million acres, the yield is projected at 4,105 pounds/acre, the second largest ever if realized, Smith said in the release. Thus, the overall outlook shows the pace of demand increase continues, led by peanut butter. Carryover stocks are stable at roughly 1 million tons, shelled prices are likely to remain stable, and increased production in 2022 is likely because they can be grown without adding fertilizer, according to Smith. The announcement of a new peanut shelling plant to be built in South Carolina will also help encourage farmers to grow more acres of peanuts. As for the cotton industry, 2021 South Carolina planted acreage was up 16% to 210,000 acres and cotton average yield is projected at 925 pounds/acre, up 15% from 2020. “I think that global recovery as shown by the increase in GDP is going to continue to be slow, but we’re seeing it,” Smith said in the release. “That includes an increase in the agricultural section, and global consumption of cotton is increasing and rebounding from the pandemic.”

At Work

BUSINESS DIGEST | PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

Business Digest

Technesis expands service territory Greenwood-based Technesis, a managed care provider of information technology and computer services, said it is expanding its service area to include the counties surrounding Greenwood, including the Greenville, Spartanburg and Augusta areas.

Camperdown Academy Head of School Dan Blanch receives the School of Honor Award. (Photo/ Provided)

Camperdown Academy awarded

Camperdown Academy said it was named W. Keller Kissam School of Honor for 2021 by the S.C. Independent School Association. The distinction recognizes Camperdown Academy as one of the premier dyslexia schools in the Southeast.

Engenius launches podcast

Greenville digital marketing agency Engenius said it launched a podcast hosted by CEO Chris Manley. The monthly podcast will feature special guests to share marketing strategies. The Engenius Podcast is available on Spotify, iTunes and Google Podcast.

assets. They will work from the company’s downtown Greenville office at 101 Falls Park Ave., Suite 600.

OTO acquires California hotels

Spartanburg-based OTO Development said it moved into the Yosemite National Park market with the acquisition of hotels in Oakhurst, Calif. OTO, which is part of The Johnson Group, said it purchased Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Oakhurst Yosemite and Holiday Inn Express & Suites Oakhurst-Yosemite Park Area from a family of independent hoteliers. Terms were not released. The deal also includes Hampton Inn Oakhurst-Yosemite, which is currently under construction. The three hotels sit adjacent to one another and are located just 13 miles from Yosemite’s South Gate.

New senior community opens

The Ellington, a 50-unit community built through a partnership between Douglas Development and Schaumber Development, has opened in Spartanburg County. The senior community is located at Magnolia and Ridge streets in Spartanburg, one block off N. Church Street. The project was financed through investment from RBC Capital Markets, South State Bank and Centrant Bank, as well as low-income housing tax credits administered by the S.C. State Housing Finance and Development Authority.

leadership and collaboration, promoting public awareness, participation in their professional society, and student activities and leadership.

Sisters of Charity announces grants

The Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina said it awarded 95 grants totaling $720,500 to South Carolina nonprofit organizations. The grants support work to reduce poverty. Upstate grant recipients include A Childs Haven Inc., Anderson Free Clinic, Beyond Abuse, Brother Restoring Urban Hope Inc., Community Foundation of Greenville, Developmental Center for Exceptional Children, Foothills Family Resources, Golden Corner Food Pantry, Greenville Free Medical Clinic, Healthy Smiles of Spartanburg, Hope Center for Children, Hub City Farmers Market, Impact America, Jasmine Road Inc., LiveWell Greenville, Meals on Wheels of Greenville Inc., Meyer Center for Special Children, Mill Community Ministries, Partners for Active Living, Pendleton Place, Pickens County Meals on Wheels Inc., Public Education Partners, Reach Out and Read Inc., Rebuild Upstate, Safe Harbor Inc., St. Luke’s Free Medical Clinic, Taylors Free Medical Clinic, The Foothills Alliance, Thornwell and YMCA of Greenville.

craftmanship of the best home builders and remodelers in the Palmetto State. Hartness is a 449-acre mixed-use village of residences and businesses.

Petco Love donates to dog rescue

The S.C. Search & Rescue Dog Association said it received a $2,000 grant from Petco Love to support its work with K9 search and rescue animals in South Carolina. The nonprofit association assists emergency services agencies in the search for lost individuals, such as children, hikers, drowning victims or patients with neurodegenerative disease, for example.

Flight schools receives designation

New group joins Raymond James

Ben Clauss and Doug Ellison recently joined Raymond James & Associates to form the Clauss & Ellison Group of Raymond James, according to a news release. Joining them are financial adviser Brad LaRue and senior client relationship associates Cathy Logan and Amanda Wood. The Clauss & Ellison Group joins Raymond James from Merrill Lynch, where they managed more than $600 million in

Stratos Aviation Flight School in Greenville said it earned the Cirrus Aircraft Training Center designation. Stratos Aviation said the designation will help it attract future pilots to Greenville for training.

Respiratory program earns award

The Bon Secours St. Francis Respiratory Care Department said it was recognized as the S.C. Society for Respiratory Care Department of the Year for 2020. Each year, one department from South Carolina is chosen to receive this award for outstanding commitment to education, professional growth and development,

Comet Agency opens in Greenville

Comet Agency said it opened an office at 14 S. Main St. in downtown Greenville. The company previously operated as Red Razor Marketing. It provides design and marketing services.

Hartness recognized by association

Hartness said its urban village has been recognized by the Home Builders Association of South Carolina with three 2021 Pinnacle Awards. Hartness received awards for Best Community, Best Overall Marketing Campaign and Best Social Media. The Pinnacle Awards recognize the

BMW pro-am returns to Thornblade

South Carolina Charities Inc., the nonprofit foundation of the BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by TD Synnex, announced that 2022 tournament play will return to Thornblade Club in Greer and expand to The Carolina Country Club in Spartanburg. The three-day tournament will be in June. This will mark the tournament’s 21st year. It has raised more than $14.3 million for Upstate nonprofit organizations since its inception.

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January 17 - January 30, 2022

People in the News ADVERTISING, MARKETING & PR The Brand Leader hired Jamie Douglas as a senior brand strategist. Douglas is the former global marketing director of Dunlap Sports. Douglas

FerebeeLane hired Rodney Rogers as associate creative director and senior writer and Kaylan Whitaker as a senior art director. Rogers is the former creative director at Hill Mullikin and associate creative director at IMI Resort Marketing. Whitaker previously worked for fragrance brand Givaudan.

BANKING & FINANCE United Community Bank hired Michael Buttner as senior vice president and treasurer. Prior to joining United Community Bank, Buttner was a founding member Buttner of Milepost Capital Management. He also served as chief risk officer at Hatteras Financial.

HEALTH CARE Interim HealthCare promoted Dennie Guidici to vice president of administration. Guidici has worked at Interim HealthCare nearly 25 years.

HOSPITALITY Chip Hughes, assistant general manager of the Greenville Country Club, has received the Certified Club Manager (CCM) designation by the Club ManHughes agement Association of America (CMAA). Approximately 1,500 CMAA members hold the designation. Ashley Clark, owner of Kilwins Greenville, received the 2021 Athena Young Professional Leadership Award from the Greenville Chamber of Commerce. Clark This award honors women who show accomplishment and leadership in their respective fields.

The Greenville Center for Creative Arts announced the retirement of Kim Fabian, who has served as executive director since February 2020. The center’s board of directors has formed a search committee and contracted with Capital Development to conduct a national candidate discovery and screening search.

LAW Nelson Mullin Riley & Scarborough LLP announced that Jeff Gurney has been elected a partner. Gurney practices automated vehicle law and has written Gurney a treatise on the legal aspects of automated vehicles, entitled Automated Vehicle Law: Legal Liability, Regulation, and Data Security, published by the American Bar Association. Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd announced that William McKinney has been elected to serve on the S.C. Chamber of Commerce board of directors. McKinney McKinney focuses his practice in the areas of state and local government, economic development and business litigation.

CFO council honors Bradley Staff Report

gsanews@scbiznews.com

an Bradley, vice president of finance for T&S Brass and Bronze Works, was named a Senior Financial Executive of the Year by the Upstate CFO Council. The award recognizes financial leaders for their dedication, diligence and commitment to excellence, according to a news release. Bradley was in the medium business category. “Ian’s leadership has helped ensure that T&S is a viable and successful global business,” Claude Theisen, president of T&S Brass, said in the release. “His unparalleled skill and expertise support the financial health and future growth of T&S and help make our company — and the people who work here — better and stronger.” Bradley first joined T&S as controller in 2004 and has served as vice president of finance since 2014. T&S Brass and Bronze Works Inc. has provided equipment solutions to the food service and plumbing industries

degree from Georgetown University.

REAL ESTATE

NONPROFITS South Carolina Charities Inc., the non-profit foundation of the BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by TD Synnex, added board members Sky Foster and Davis Sezna. Foster has worked at BMW Manufacturing for nearly 30. Sezna brings more than 40 years of experience in golf and hospitality management. Harvest Hope Food Bank hired Brad Docheff as Upstate branch executive director. Docheff joins the team from Fairfax, Vt., where he recently served as town manager. United Way of the Piedmont hired Emilee O’Brien as director of advocacy. She will serve a joint position with the Spartanburg Academic Movement. O’Brien is O’Brien a graduate of Furman University who also attained a master’s

for nearly 75 years — since 1947 — when

Ian and Mary Ellen celebrate his honor from the Upstate CFO Council during an event held at Fluor Field. (Photo/Provided)

it developed the first pre-rinse unit. The company now has American facilities on the East and West coasts, in Shanghai, China, and in Europe. The Upstate CFO Council provides an educational forum for senior financial executives in the Upstate.

including SVN Blackstream and Blackstream Christie’s. Owensby has more than 20 years of real estate experience.

Endeavor hired Taylor Wright as communications coordinator. Wright previously worked as an account coordinator at EP and Co. Wright

Coldwell Banker Caine hired Fant Camak as a residential agent at its Spartanburg office. Instagram. Camak

The Cliffs hired Brian Fox as general manager of The Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards in Sunset. Fox joins The Cliffs from Mountaintop Golf and Lake Club in Cashiers, N.C., where he most recently served as the club’s director of golf. Debra Owensby, former real estate agent at Blackstream Christie’s International Real Estate, has been promoted to broker-in-charge. She succeeds Joseph Owensby Gobbett, who has been promoted to executive managing broker for Blackstream companies,

Kalchthaler

Sturtevant

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Allen Tate Cos. named Phil Kalchthaler the sales manager and broker for the company’s Anderson office. Kalchthaler has worked in real estate sales and investment for more than 17 years. Coldwell Banker Caine hired Catharine Sturtevant as a residential agent at its Greenville office. She has 16 years of sales and real estate experience.

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VIEWS, PERSPECTIVES AND READERS’ LETTERS

Marketing trends in 2022: the reality of a digital world

The last two years saw dramatic changes in the digital world to fit the reality of a viral pandemic. Although digital marketing efforts had previously lagged behind traditional marketing, digital marketing now dominates most companies’ marketing spend. Digital marketing is king, and the CHRIS MANLEY industry’s growth rate is explosive. The world is going online and companies that haven’t joined the digital revolution might struggle to keep up. Although necessary, this rapid growth has also highlighted important industry issues such as security, privacy, and digital ethics. Companies like Google, Meta, Apple and Amazon continue to face intense scrutiny. Facebook alone has had an interesting year. In the past six months, the company has: • Experienced an extensive network failure that brought every service under its umbrella to a halt • Faced accusations in Congress regarding the company’s prioritization of profit over the health and wellbeing of its users, in particular adolescents and teens • Rebranded the company name to Meta in light of the company’s new focus on building and growing their impact in the “metaverse.”

to resettle. Ranking well on Google and showing up in the local map pack will be critical for success in 2022.

In other words, it’s been a wild year, and more and more consumers are demanding transparency regarding how their data is being used and how big-tech companies are operating.

This growth of the “crib-economy” will be critical in how marketers target local audiences and will continue to drive localization online. Stay-at-home workers also mean that your target audience will be online at different points throughout the day. Just as people changed their rhythms to adjust to COVID-19, they also changed their rhythms to match their new model of work-life balance. Knowing where your audience will be key.

Following are our top trends going into 2022.

Localization in SEO is key: Local SEO has always been a powerful tool in driving consumers in your area to your business. Thanks to Covid, we’re seeing a national shift as individuals leave larger urban areas and move to smaller, second-tier cities. This movement has made local SEO more important than ever. Unstable supply chains and the desire to “shop local” in a time of tragedy have driven local-product demand increasingly higher. One study found that an estimated two-thirds of consumers shop in neighborhood stores and it’s likely this figure will grow as people continue

Work from home is changing the consumer: Just as COVID-19 has increased the emigration of people from large urban areas to smaller city centers, it has also impacted our cultural acceptance of work from home. The past two years have proven that not only is it possible to run multi-million dollar businesses from largely stay-at-home workforces for many workers and companies, it’s preferable. Many individuals may not return to the office, choosing instead to work from the comfort of their home where they can balance their work life with their home life.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is everywhere — and it’s impacting search: From phones to Alexa, artificial intelligence is something all of us take for granted. Whether it’s asking Siri to route us to the nearest grocery store or having Alexa recite the weather forecast, users are increasingly “searching” their content vocally. For marketers, this means a growing focus on long-tail search terms

and phrases as opposed to simple keyword searches. A user may not write out “What are local restaurants near me?” but they will certainly ask Alexa that! Quality vs. quantity on social media: Despite privacy concerns and inquiries into their role in facilitating hate speech and bullying, social media platforms continue to be powerful channels. Online advertising, influencer marketing and video content will continue to grow in 2022. While more and more users continue to interact with content of social media, it’s worth noting that the majority are growing more restrictive of the quality of content they consume. Short-form video content is and will remain dominant: Short-form video content, live streams and webinars have defined the last few years and will continue to define marketing in the future. Mobile is increasingly more dominant: This has been a growing trend over the last decade with the rise of wearable technology and cell phones. More and more users are interacting with the digital world from a mobile device. Brands that can optimize their websites and content for a mobile world will continue to see success as users continue to make reservations, purchase items, and look up information on the go. Augmented reality and virtual reality are the new future: Five years ago, the “up and coming” trend was video. Today, video is dominant. Now, the “up and coming” trend is virtual reality. Brands like Meta (Facebook) and Microsoft are pioneering a digital frontier where individuals can interact in an online environment as if it

were real. An example of this is a furniture company that allows you to “try” a piece of furniture in your living room using an app. The couch isn’t there, but you’re able to view it as if it was. Trends come and go, and the marketing techniques of today will look very different in 10 years. Adopting video, focusing on local SEO, and considering new design aesthetics for your social channels will only drive your message so far. Marketing, in its most basic form, has always been communicating a message to people interested in hearing it. Thus, the greatest determiner of success in 2022, and beyond, will be how well your organization does two very critical and very basic things: 1. Identify your audience, who they are, what they need, and how you help. 2. Make sure your message (on whatever channel you choose) is compelling to that audience. By knowing your audience, you can speak, write and create directly for your target group and personalize communication, even in a remote world. CEO Chris Manley co-founded Engenius in 2008 and is the company’s team leader and strategist. His experience driving sales through web design and digital marketing dates back to 2000. He also leads a nonprofit, Rebuild Upstate.

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