GSA Business Report - April 2023

South

A Magic School Bus

Looking back

Still with post-COVID momentum, to-go food is getting special treatment. Page 31

Selfie with an F-16

Even military brass couldn’t resist when the Greenvillemade fighter debuted.

Page 32

Ponzi charges

A Pendleton man is facing charges that he misused investor money.

Page 30

Just about nothing looks as much now as it did several generations ago. But a school bus does. And they may look the same going forward, but something significant will be different. See more in our special section on electric vehicles. Pages 6-12

WOMEN OF INFLUENCE

See the difference makers we honor this year for what they have done profesionally and in the community.

Page 15

South Carolina tech sector worth $12 billion annually

With 86,446 workers serving in the information technology sector in South Carolina, IT isn’t the largest employer for the state’s workforce of nearly 2.28 million.

However, with a more than $12 billion annual impact, reported by market research company CompTIA, the jobs are among the highest paying and support adjacent industries, allowing businesses to produce other products and services.

Information technology also serves as an equalizer for those looking for higher paying jobs, which are often closed to women, Black and Hispanic professionals. CompTIA’s 2023 State of the Tech Workforce report found that 29% of IT professionals are women in South Carolina, which is nearly 12% higher than the national average.

Additionally, 17% of the IT workforce are represented by Black professionals and 3% are Hispanic.

Among all states, South Carolina ranks 35 in the number of workers employed in information technology jobs. The No. 1 ranked state is California, which has nearly 1.5 million workers and an economic impact of $536 billion. Alaska ranks last with fewer than 10,000 IT workers and an annual economic impact of $2 billion.

By Andy Owens

Information technology’s economic impact in Southeast

ITBy the Numbers

$311,000,000,000

Total annual economic impact among 11 Southeastern states from information technology sector.

$12,000,000,000

Annual economic impact of IT on South Carolina’s economy.

86,446

Number of workers employed in South Carolina’s IT sector out of a workforce of nearly 2.3 million.

$78,480

Median wage for IT workers in South Carolina, which is 113% higher compared to the median wages for all jobs in the state.

29%

Percentage of IT workers who are women in South Carolina, compared to 26% nationally.

Diversity in the tech sector

All Southern states beat the national average for the percentage of women in technology, with South Carolina among the highest, but many Black and Hispanic workers also have found jobs in the tech sector to rival national averages.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Lightcast, CompTIA, S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce

“I’m impressed by NR Investments’ efforts to understand the importance of the location, and its potential for the district. I appreciate the opportunity they’ve given us to provide input on the project and discuss the future of the area together.”

— Beth Paul, general manager Bon Secours Wellness Arena

SC Biz News Briefs

Hotel with rooftop lounge and stage opens doors in downtown Charleston

A hotel with a rooftop lounge and performance stage has opened in downtown Charleston.

TMGOC Ventures, a partnership between The Montford Group and Opterra Capital opened its latest project, the Moxy Charleston Downtown, at 547 Meeting St.

Moxy Charleston, which welcomed its inaugural guests on Wednesday, April 5, offers a high-energy hospitality experience, featuring vibrant public spaces and unobstructed views of the Ravenel Bridge, according to a news release.

The property features a 7,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor rooftop lounge featuring a sleek 10-seat rooftop bar, a ground floor Starbucks and a performance stage featuring a roster of local DJs and musicians, the release stated.

The TMGOC team broke ground on the property in May 2021, and its completion makes it the 13th fully-operational hotel property in the joint-venture’s growing portfolio, according to the release.

Moxy is the first of four downtown Charleston hotel projects in the works for TMGOC Ventures, with the Thompson, the Montford Hotel and the Charlestonian coming soon, the release stated. A Moxy Charlotte location is also under construction by TMGOC.

Copper tubing company invests $18.5M in expanded facilities at Rock Hill plant

PDM US, a manufacturer of copper tubing recently opened its $18.5 million expanded facility in Rock Hill, site of the company’s global headquarters.

The company manufactures insulated and non-insulated copper tubes.

The expansion makes PDM the only fully integrated insulated copper tube manufacturer in the United States, according to a news release. The company uses state-ofthe-art technology in a process that begins with raw copper cathode and culminates with the only UL certified pre-insulated copper tube made in the nation.

PDM expanded its existing facility by 20,000 square feet allowing for a more streamlined operation, according to the release. New technology will allow PDM to cast its copper tubing in-house using only American-made parts for production.

PDM originally started in Italy and relocated its world headquarters and main production plant to Rock Hill in 2013.

JUNE 19

LOGISTICS/DISTRIBUTION

Lists: Logistics Providers, Warehouse Services

Special Section: Under Construction

Advertising Deadline: June 5

JULY 24

STARTUPS

Lists: Business Assistance

Organizations

Advertising Deadline: July 10

AUGUST 7

REAL ESTATE

Lists: Commercial Real Estate Firms, Residential Real Estate Firms

Advertising Deadline: July 24 For

Charleston

Rock Hill

Jason Thomas, GSA Business Report

Christina Lee Knauss, Columbia Regional Business Report

Moxy is the first of four downtown Charleston hotel projects in the works for TMGOC Ventures. (Rendering/ Provided)

Donna Bischo , publisher SC Biz News dbischoff@bridgetowermedia.com

Jason Thomas, executive editor jthomas@scbiznews.com • 864.568.7570

Ross Norton, managing editor-content rnorton@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1222

Andrew Sprague, managing editor-production asprague@scbiznews.com • 843.804.6104

Christina Lee Knauss, sta writer cknauss@scbiznews.com • 803.753.4327

Krys Merryman, sta writer kmerryman@scbiznews.com • 864.640.4418

Steve McDaniel, editor Custom Publishing Division smcdaniel@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3121

A View From The C-Suite

John Collier, Proactive MD | Founder, President and CEO

Ryan Downing, director of sales rdowning@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1221

Account Executives Amanda Alford, multimedia account executive aalford@bridgetowermedia.com • 864.720.1223

Shannon Pollard, multimedia account executive spollard@scbiznews.com • 843.804.6094

Tony Rossi, multimedia account executive trossi@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1974

Jim Wheeler, multimedia account executive jwheeler@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3104

Events

Lauren Medders, event manager/manufacturing conference lmedders@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1220

Accounting ar@bridgetowermedia.com

Subscription Services service@bridgetowermedia.com • 877.615.9536

THE BEST ADVICE I’VE EVER RECEIVED

Be slow to speak and quick to listen.

WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU COULD GIVE?

Treat others how you want to be treated. Treat people how you would want your closest loved one to be cared for. I call this the “Harper Standard” (named after my daughter). I strive to care for people the way I care for my daughter.

WHAT IS THE STIFFEST CHALLENGE FACING YOUR INDUSTRY RIGHT NOW?

Health care is a unique industry. Everything that is done ultimately impacts a human life. It should be approached with a deep level of humility and great responsibility. Many systems are set up for volume and not value, with little to no transparency on the cost or quality of care. Health care should be personal, with the focus truly being on bringing value to the lives at hand. At Proactive MD, we aim to hit this challenge head on. We have built a personalized, compassionate model driven by service excellence and value-based care. In a world where volume-based health care is becoming the norm, we remain committed to elevating the standard of care and fighting for the patient’s greatest good.

LITTLE KNOWN FACT ABOUT YOUR COMPANY

Proactive MD is one of the few remaining organizations in our industry that is privately owned.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?

I worked on an assembly line at C.E. Precision Assemblies — a defense contractor based out of Arizona that produces and delivers interconnect solutions.

Photo/Provided

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Electrified future

By Jenny Peterson

Contributing writer

What’s the cost to add a new electric eSprinter van to the existing gas-powered Sprinter van production line in North Charleston? A cool $60 million.

German automaker giant Mercedes-Benz said the investment includes cross-training its 1,600 North Charleston employees on how to safely handle high-voltage engine batteries as well as adding a new warehouse to store electric vehicle parts.

The Lowcountry facility remains on track to roll out the newest generation of the all-electric eSprinter van in the second half of 2023, said Jamila Anderson, communications specialist for Mercedes-Benz Vans, LLC.

The vans are set to get a range of about 250 miles per charge. Photos of the new eSprinter show the plug to charge the battery located behind the shiny Mercedes Benz logo on the front of the van.

Anderson said the company has been leaning on internal training and pivoting employees who have been manufacturing traditional internal combustion engine Sprinter vans to the electric version.

In-house team members, including experts from Germany, have been flying in to the Lowcountry to help train employees on manufacturing with the high-voltage batteries.

“Some of (the German-based employees) have been here for the last year helping prepare our plant and our people for the eSprinter,” said Anderson. “There has been a big focus of awareness around high-voltage training and handling of the batteries. Team members have received on-site expert training on high voltage procedures as well as hands-on expert training in Germany at our sister plants.”

In 2021, Mercedes-Benz announced a goal to produce only electric vehicles globally by 2030. The North Charleston facility currently assembles internal combustion engine

Sprinter vans and re-assembles internal combustion engine Metris vans in both cargo and passenger options.

The Lowcountry facility will continue to manufacture the traditional gas-powered vans simultaneously with the electric eSprinter on the same production line, until the former is phased out, Anderson said.

This is the first time the eSprinter will be manufactured in the United States by the German automaker. It will be solely for the North American market, said Anderson, adding that Mercedes-Benz will be sourcing its electric vehicle batteries from “within its existing network.”

While Mercedes-Benz Vans plants in

Germany have been manufacturing a previous generation of the eSprinter, the North Charleston plant was selected as the first Mercedes Benz plant worldwide to create the newest generation of eSprinter vans due to its success in delivering its current production models, Anderson said.

“We’ve worked really hard for it,” Anderson said. “We’re producing it first globally, and then the Germany plants will follow. Mercedes-Benz saw how well we were doing with (manufacturing) the traditional internal combustible engine Sprinter van and also (saw) the importance that the North American market holds for the Mercedes-Benz van globally. Right after Germany, we’re the second largest market and we are the only (Sprinter-style) van manufacturer for North America. Those were the key factors in choosing North Charleston and getting the eSprinter to those North American customers.”

The eSprinter, like its gas-powered counterpart, will be fully customizable to customer specifications, outfitted with either rows of seats and windows or builder-grade shelves, customizable side doors that can be placed on either side, a state-of-the-art navigation system, driver assist options and more.

“Our production system is flexible, so, say we have an ICE (internal combustion engine) van going down the line, one van can be a passenger van with all the bells and whistles, but the next van right afterwards could be a cargo van. We have certain customizations that we handle at the plant,” Anderson said.

The gas-powered Mercedes Benz Sprinter cargo van starts at $43,500. While the price tag for the eSprinter is still pending, Anderson said she does not expect there will be a significant price difference.

Since June 2006, more than 200,000 Sprinter and Metris vans have been assembled in North Charleston and delivered to destinations in the U.S. The operation moved into a full-scale production plant with a body shop, paint shop and extended assembly line in 2018.

Mercedes-Benz invests $60 million in safety training, upgrades at North Charleston plant to produce all-electric eSprinter

A $60 million investment in the North Charleston facilities will enable employees of Mercedes Vans to safely handle high-voltage batteries. (Photo/Provided)

The charging port in the eSprinter van fuels the vehicle for about 250 miles. (Photo/Provided)

The Lowcountry Mercedes plant will make both internal combustion engines and electric e-Sprinter vans until the gas engines are phased out. (Photo/Provided)

NC company will invest $1.3B in Chester County operation

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

ANorth Carolina-based company will invest at least $1.3 billion to build a lithium hydroxide processing facility in Chester County.

Albemarle Corporation, headquartered in Charlotte, will establish South Carolina operations on 800 acres near Richburg, according to a news release. The “MegaFlex” lithium hydroxide processing facility will transform resources such as lithium and bromine into critical ingredients that can be used for mobility, energy, connectivity and health, the release said.

The project will create more than 300

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Abattery recycling company will invest $300 million to build a processing plant in Richland County.

Cirba Solutions, headquartered in Charlotte, will build the first phase of a lithium-ion battery recycling and reprocessing facility in the Pineview Industrial Park, a move that will create more than

new jobs and support the surging demand for electric vehicles and other energy storage applications that use lithium-ion batteries.

“Albemarle is focused on meeting growing customer demand and this investment is part of our global commitment to transforming

essential resources into critical ingredients that enable a more resilient world,” said Kent Masters, CEO for Albemarle Corp.

The term “Mega-Flex” refers to the facility’s ability to process diverse lithium feedstock, including lithium from recycled

batteries, according to the release. Once complete, company officials estimate the new facility will produce about 50,000 metric tons of battery-grade lithium hydroxide from multiple sources, with the potential to reach up to 100,000 metric tons.

Construction is expected to begin in 2024.

The S.C. Commerce Department’s Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to this project, according to the release. The council also awarded a $9 million Rural Infrastructure Fund grant to Chester County to assist with the costs of mitigation, site preparation and infrastructure improvements. Reach Christina Lee Knauss at 803-753-4327.

300 jobs, according to a news release.

The company hopes to make those hires within five years as it develops what will eventually become its flagship facility on more than 200 acres in the industrial park off Shop Road in the Lower Richland area, the release said.

Richland County Council on March 21 gave final approval on a 40-year fee-in-lieu-of-tax agreement with the company.

“We’re proud to welcome yet anoth-

er successful business to Pineview Industrial Park,” said Council Chairman Overture Walker. “We’re grateful that Cirba Solutions, an industry leader that promotes solutions for a sustainable economy, is investing in our community.”

The focus of the new facility will be processing hybrid and electric vehicle batteries, gigafactory scrap and endof-life consumer batteries and redistributing them into the supply chain,

according to the release.

Cirba Solutions operates six facilities in North America. The company aims to begin operations in Richland County by the end of 2023 and expand in phases through 2027 until the company has an operational footprint of more than 400,000 square feet.

People interested in working with Cirba can apply online.

The plant is expected to produce about 50,000 metric tons of battery-grade lithium hydroxide. (Photo/File)

State DOE orders 160 Proterra-powered electric school buses

By Ross Norton rnorton@scbiznews.com

The South Carolina Department of Education will buy 160 Thomas electric school buses, powered by Proterra, for school districts across the state over the next year, under a new procurement finalized this month between the Department of Education and Thomas Built Buses dealer Interstate Transportation.

The buses are Proterra Powered SafT-Liner C2 Jouley electric school buses. Proterra is headquartered in Burlingame, Calif., with manufacturing facilities in Los Angeles and Greenville. The company considers Greenville its anchor for East Coast operations.

“With our company’s long history in South Carolina, Proterra is thrilled to see the surge in the number and variety of schools that will soon have access to electric school buses in the state that many of our employees call home,” Chris Bailey, Proterra’s chief business officer, said in the release. “Knowing that the EV technologies we’re building at our Powered 1 battery factory in Greer, S.C., are enabling the next generation of clean, quiet transportation for South Carolina students makes this news even more special to our Proterra team. Now, through initiatives like the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program, even more students and communities are

accelerating the transition to an all-electric, emissions-free future.”

Proterra has manufactured part of the electric bus in Greenville for nearly two decades, but announced plans in December 2021 to invest at least $76 million in a new battery manufacturing plant in Greer. The company two months ago celebrated production of its first battery.

The 160-bus order for South Carolina schools is the single largest order of electric school buses funded entirely by the Environmental Protection Agency’s new Clean School Bus Program, according to a news release.

“The South Carolina Department of

Education is proud to partner with Thomas Built Buses and Proterra to bring more zero-emission, all-electric school buses to our state. We’re excited to see the positive impact these buses will have on our community,” Mike Bullman, transportation director for the S.C. Department of Education, said in the news release. “This partnership puts South Carolina at the forefront of the vehicle electrification movement and brings us one step closer toward building a healthier and more sustainable future for the next generation of students.”

Thomas Built Buses and Proterra offer school bus operators an electric vehi-

cle program that includes EV planning and funding consultation, electric school buses, charging systems, and charging infrastructure design and installation. The Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley couples 226 kilowatt hours of onboard energy from Proterra Powered’s battery technology to offer up to 135 miles of drive range to meet the needs of school bus fleets, the release said. More than 300 Thomas Proterra Powered electric school buses are on the road, and have driven more than 1 million miles for school districts across North America.

Thomas Built Buses is currently the only school bus manufacturer to offer DC fast charging architecture as standard equipment, the releasesaid. The Jouley can charge in about three hours and can supply power back to the grid using vehicleto-grid technology.

“We applaud the state of South Carolina for their commitment to providing emission-free pupil transportation solutions to the many areas awarded funding through the Clean School Bus Program,” Kevin Bangston, president and CEO of Thomas Built Buses, said in the release. “It’s an ambitious undertaking and we are proud to be a key partner in this initiative.”

Founded in 1916, Thomas Built Buses is headquartered in High Point, N.C. It is a subsidiary of Daimler Truck North America LLC, which also produces and markets commercial vehicles under the Freightliner and Western Star nameplates.

Proterra and Thomas Built Buses will produce 160 electric buses for state schools. (Photo/Provided)

•

Battery recycling company will invest $300M in Richland County plant

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Abattery recycling company will invest $300 million to build a processing plant in Richland County.

Cirba Solutions, headquartered in Charlotte, will build the first phase of a lithium-ion battery recycling and reprocessing facility in the Pineview Industrial Park, a move that will create more than 300 jobs, according to a news release.

The company hopes to make those hires within five years as it develops what will eventually become its flagship facility on more than 200 acres in the industrial park off Shop Road in the Lower Richland area, the release said.

Richland County Council on March 21 gave final approval on a 40-year fee-inlieu-of-tax agreement with the company.

“We’re proud to welcome yet another successful business to Pineview Industrial Park,” said Council Chairman Overture Walker. “We’re grateful that Cirba Solutions, an industry leader that promotes solutions for a sustainable economy, is investing in our community.”

The focus of the new facility will be processing hybrid and electric vehicle batteries, gigafactory scrap and end-oflife consumer batteries and redistributing them into the supply chain, according to the release.

Cirba Solutions operates six facilities in North America.

to begin operations in Richland County

WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS

• Lean & Lean Six Sigma

• American Heart Association First Aid/CPR/AED HeartSaver

• Certification in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM)

• OSHA 10- & 30-Hour Certification

• Truck Driver & Forklift Training

• Culinary Corporate Team Building

• Leadership/Supervisory Certificates

• Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP)

• Advanced Manufacturing One-Day Training Series

• Basic Cooking Skills, Entry-level

The company aims

by the end of 2023 and expand in phases through 2027 until the company has

an operational footprint of more than 400,000 square feet.

Cirba Solutions, which is headquartered in Charlotte, says their Richland County plant will have 300 workers in the next five years. (Rendering/Provided)

The new factory will process hybrid and electric vehicle batteries in the heart of the industry’s new Battery Belt. (Photo/Provided)

The Midlands future shifts into a different gear

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

With the stroke of a pen, the economic future of Richland County and South Carolina’s Midlands was transformed on March 20.

At a ceremony held at the S.C. State House, Gov. Henry McMaster signed legislation nicknamed the “Scout Motors Bill” which approves more than $1.3 billion in state funding to boost infrastructure in support of the $2 billion investment Scout Motors Inc. is making to establish operations in Blythewood.

The Virginia-based EV startup hopes to break ground later this summer on 1,100 acres in the Blythewood Industrial Park where it will manufacture electric trucks and SUVs. Company officials hope to begin production on the vehicles by 2026. Scout Motors Inc. is a subsidiary of Volkswagen.

Scott Keogh, president and CEO of Scout Motors, said the company chose Richland County over 74 other sites nationwide.

“We were looking for a place to call home, and Richland County proved to be the right place,” Keogh said. “We’re reviving an iconic American brand that

will make a rugged American truck designed for the American market, and it’s going to be made right here in South Carolina. The bold vision of Scout matched up well with the bold vision of this state.”

The Scout project, announced early in March, is the largest economic investment in the history of Richland County and finally gives the Midlands a presence in the state’s powerful automotive sector. The industry here first took off more than 30 years ago with BMW’s arrival in the Upstate and continued to grow with the arrival of Volvo and Mercedes Vans in the Charleston area.

Most recently, Oshkosh Defense announced plans to build the next generation of mail delivery vehicle in Spartanburg County, while part of the Proterra electric bus — a city bussized vehicle — is assembled in Greenville. BMW Manufacturing alone has a $26.7 billion economic impact on the state, according to the latest study, released this week by the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina.

The Midlands region, however, never got a piece of the automotive pie until Scout came calling in December of 2022. The company’s officials have said

they were impressed with how quickly the deal with Richland County came together, and named the area’s location and availability of a large workforce as factors that cemented their decision.

McMaster and company officials also signed the official Project Development Agreement to bring Scout to the Midlands on March 20.

Scout officials hope to produce about 200,000 of the rugged electric trucks and SUVs at the plant annually, and an independent economic analysis of the project recently predicted that the project could earn $15 billion by 2029, with an additional $4 billion a year after that.

The company’s record-breaking announcement will not only be transforming the economic landscape of Richland County, but also the area’s infrastructure.

State funding will be used for a host of infrastructure improvements to support Scout’s operations, including construction of a railroad bridge across I-77 and a new highway interchange to route traffic toward the Scout plant without overcrowding downtown Blythewood.

Richland County Council officials on March 30 announced the beginning of a massive road construction project in Blythewood to widen Blythewood

Road, using $15.6 million in funds from Richland County’s penny sales tax for roads and transportation. Residents of the town in northeast Richland have complained for years that growth in the area has made the road dangerous for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.

Construction on the widening project started April 3 and will widen a .8 mile stretch of the road, doubling the lanes and also adding on a 15-foot turning median and 10 feet of cycling and walking paths on either side of the road.

An entrance to the future Scout Motors plant will also be located along Blythewood Road and will be particularly useful for trucks entering and leaving the facility, officials said. The road widening is estimated to be complete in April 2025.

Richland County Council also gave final approval March 21 for a massive incentives package for the Scout project, including the land for the site, a 40-year fee in lieu of tax agreement, childcare credits for Scout employees and upgrades to the Blythewood fire station.

“Excitement about this project is an understatement,” Richland County Council Chairman Overture Walker

Gov. Henry McMaster met with officials from Scout Motors Inc. to sign legislation and a performance agreement cementing the EV startup’s $2B investment in Richland County. (Photo/Christina Lee Knauss)

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told SC Biz News. “We’re always trying to conjure up ways to move the needle for residents in this county when it comes to economic development. We’ve been on a rather historic run in recent months and this is a culmination of a lot of work and effort.”

Scout officials have said they want work on the Blythewood facility to be “aggressive” and hope to begin construction in the near future, but Chris Condon, chief financial officer for Scout Motors, acknowledged at a roundtable discussion after the signing ceremony that many of the plans for the project are still in the earliest stages. Designs and plans for the new plant are still on the drawing board, he said, as are final designs for the vehicles the plant will produce. Company officials estimate the new design will be ready for unveiling sometime in 2024.

Company officials also have to make a decision about what type of battery the vehicles will use and who will manufacture it, although they have indicated that they hope to use one made by a U.S. manufacturer.

Another factor Scout officials are still wrestling with is how to raise awareness of the Scout brand. The original Scout vehicles are described as the predecessors to today’s SUVs and reached the height of their popularity in the 1960s and ‘70s. Baby boomers and Gen Xers may remember the brand, but there will

be a need to raise enthusiasm among millennials, Gen Z and even younger consumers who weren’t around during Scout’s heyday and also are the target drivers for the upcoming pivot to EV technology on the roads.

Keogh believes the company will succeed by promoting an iconic American brand form the past that now is being revitalized to embrace the technology of the future.

“What we like about revitalizing this brand is its classic American roots,” Keogh told SC Biz News. “We’re modifying these classic cars and will be promoting them coast to coast. These are going to be rugged vehicles that will appeal to the SUV and pickup truck segments of the market. They will have appeal to the people who like vehicles like the Toyota 4 Runner and the Ford Bronco.”

Another important factor to consider, of course, is price. The high price of many EVs has been cited as one of the reasons U.S. drivers have been slower than others overseas to adopt the new technology. Scout officials have estimated that the vehicles will sell for about $40,000, far less than many other EVs and the same price point as many of the higher-end internal combustion trucks and SUVs currently on the market.

“We need to make sure we hit a price point that makes these vehicles approachable for consumers,” Keogh said. “Strong brands have a universal appeal in this country, and we believe Scout is capable one of those brands.”

The new Scout brought some classics from the nameplate’s original iteration. (Photo/Christina Lee Knauss)

Gov. Henry McMaster met with officials from Scout Motors Inc. to sign legislation and a performance agreement cementing the EV startup’s $2B investment in Richland County. (Photo/Christina Lee Knauss)

Cigar pub to open in former Stone Pizza building

By Krys Merryman kmerryman@scbiznews.com

Chuck Porter was born and raised in Greenville, and after he completed his term in the U.S. Marine Corps, he couldn’t think of a better place to return to and raise his family.

Porter, owner of Torch Cigar Pub, will open the business in mid-to-late May, which will take the place of the Overbrook area’s former pizza restaurant staple, Stone Pizza.

“I know this is a good place to raise a family and wanted my kids to have the best environment to grow up in,” said Porter. “This building is absolutely perfect and has been here for as long as I can remember. It’s a hard location to beat.”

This will be the second business he has owned — the previous business being an apparel company he ran for about five years before selling to a competitor.

“Cigars have been something I’ve indulged in since the early ‘90s,” said Porter. “About 12 years ago, that habit turned into about at least once a week to three times a week. It was a way my wife and I could relax. This will give me the opportunity to serve the community in an uplifting kind of way and a chance to make them happy.”

Torch will offer cocktails and small plates in addition to imported premium cigars.

Equipped with a full kitchen, including a wood-fired pizza oven from the previous tenant, Porter intends to evolve the menu to a tapas style and wants to make use of that oven, which can be something that separates them from other cigar bars, said Porter.

The premium cigars will be hand rolled and imported, and brands cigar aficionados will recognize. Porter said he will offer a selection to accommodate a wide range of budgets.

“We want to be able to offer a wide variety of cigars, so anyone can come in and enjoy themselves,” he added.

Porter said, from a visibility standpoint, he couldn’t have asked for a better spot than being near the downtown Gateway District.

“We are hoping we can pull the cigar lounge off as a destination but a community-based location, too,” he said. “There are a number of cigar pubs here that offer different environments. Not only do I want this to be a destination for cigar enthusiasts but

for people who may be heading into downtown for dinner and want to stop by or for a nightcap on the way home.”

Porter said he hopes to attract tourists and business travelers, which typically are a big part of a cigar bar’s business.

“One of the things I’d like to see happen, given that people talk about how great the restaurants are here and how good the tourist environment is, is I also want Greenville to be mentioned as having a killer cigar pub,” he said.

Known in recent years as the home of Stone Pizza, the highly visible building at E. Park and E. Stone avenues will house Torch Cigar Club. (Photo/Provided)

Plan calls for ‘stepping stone’ to Greenville’s Gateway District

By Krys Merryman kmerryman@scbiznews.com

AMiami-based developer unveiled plans for a mixed-use development on the former Greenville Memorial Auditorium site, which has been unused for decades.

The site, which has been empty since the auditorium was imploded in 1997, sits at the intersection of downtown Greenville and the Gateway District, and is part of the city’s Cultural Corridor.

NR Investments seeks to revitalize Greenville’s Gateway District and create a new entertainment hub, according to a NR Investments news release.

NR stated the project would become a stepping stone toward PlusUrbia Design’s “Community Vision Plan,” the urban planner’s master plan for the Interstate 385 corridor and adjacent areas, which gave its final proposal to the Greenville Design Review Board in October.

NR closed on the land on March 9 but has been working on plans with Greenville-based Johnston Design Group for more than a year, the release said. The development is planned to go before the city’s design review board on April 6.

“To us, Greenville was love at first sight,” said Nir Shoshani, principal of NR Investments. “We had looked at other locations in the Southeast, but it’s truly hard to find places like Greenville which combine such out-

standing quality of life with a conscientious approach to growth. Mayor (Knox) White met our development team at the airport and gave us a personalized tour of the city. We felt immediately welcomed and knew we’d found a home for our next project.”

NR was founded more than two decades ago by Shoshani and Ron Gottesmann. The firm has held substantial multifamily and commercial space portfolios throughout Florida, including in Miami’s Arts and Entertainment District. They transformed that district, which was built on a “blighted and underdeveloped” part of the city’s urban core, to what is now a residential and cultural hub. Using a multi-year campaign of free and open community events that focused on music, the arts, food, flea markets and job fairs, among other themes, the company drew hundreds of local businesses and thousands of visitors to this previously over-

looked part of Miami, the release said.

There is the intent to replicate that formula of “dynamic” growth in Greenville, said Shoshani. He believes the project can become the missing link between downtown Greenville and Bon Secours Wellness Arena.

“From the beginning, we never saw this site simply as an entryway to the city, but as a catalyst for further economic growth and redevelopment toward the east,” he added. “We envision eastward growth, and the creation of a new entertainment hub that enhances future plans at the arena and the neighborhood.”

General Manager of Bon Secours Wellness Arena Beth Paul, who has been in contact with the development team, agreed.

“This project will spur the Greenville Arena District to consider many options for the future of the BSWA Campus,” she said. “I’m impressed by NR Investments’

efforts to understand the importance of the location, and its potential for the district. I appreciate the opportunity they’ve given us to provide input on the project and discuss the future of the area together.”

NR Investments’ Greenville project proposes 294 apartments and approximately 8,000 square feet of retail space between two interconnected towers: a higher, 16-story, 180-foot tower, which will boast mountain and downtown views; and a distinctly designed 80-foot, seven-story tower. Between the towers will sit a public plaza, accessible through both N. Church Street and Beattie Place, which will be activated with retail and community events as part of a concerted bid to bring more traffic and activity to the Gateway District, according to the release.

“NR Investments’ vision, inspired by what they’ve done in Miami and backed by their experience and ability to execute, is what caught our attention,” Mayor White said. “They understand the history of this location and are committed to activating a place that’s been a ‘Bermuda Triangle’ of development.”

While recognizing the challenges ingrained in this specific site, Shoshani said that “it’s in our company’s DNA to step into areas that have seen a lack of development and work hard to realize their full potential. Building the right type of real estate is essential but bringing cultural and community infrastructure is key to the success of our projects.”

City leaders hope the new face of the downtown entryway will spur activity. (Rendering/Provided)

On March 29, GSA Business Report honored 27 difference makers with its annual Women of Influence Awards at the Hyatt Regency Greenville. The program recognizes the professional success and community involvement of women who are making their mark on the region from a mix of industry, professional and community sectors.

Angela Gardner

Angela Gardner is a proven marketing performer as director of business development and marketing at Hill Electric. Her strategic marketing efforts have improved brand awareness and her focus on company service projects and busines partnerships have earned Hill Electric the Business of Integrity Award for Marketplace Ethics and positioned the company as a leaer in the community.

Passionate about giving back herself, Angela is a strong advocate for women in construction. She has served on numerous business boards and launched the Women Talk Construction podcast to inspire more women to avail themselves of the industry’s opportunities and to provide a forum for women to share their triumphs and challenges. Angela offers her support to others as a mentor and as a family coach at FAVOR Upstate for individuals in recovery from substance abuse. In all these ways, she is providing mentorship to young women today that was unavailable to women in the field a generation ago.

SkylineXD is proud to sponsor the 2023 Women of Influence. Congratulations to all of the honorees - we are honored to celebrate your achievements with you.

Ann Wright

As vice president of advancement for Greenville Tech Foundation, Ann Wright is raising $13 million in the school’s capital campaign. Her fundraising innovations have led to the construction of the Truist Center for Hospitality and Culinary Education, renovation of Poe West and 556 Perry Ave., creation of a student emergency assistance fund and the African American Male Scholars Initiative addressing racial and gender educational achievement gaps. She has prioritized the acquisition of new endowed scholarship funds to support the educational opportunities of promising students in need.

A devout community leader and servant, Ann served as CEO of the American Red Cross Upstate Region for 30 years prior to her work with Greenville Tech, during which time she raised millions of dollars, sparked efficiencies by merging five chapters into one, and developed a string of new programs serving the community. She has earned numerous awards for her service, including a Distinguished Leadership Award given by the National Association for Community Leadership — one of only 73 recipients nationwide.

Brandy Singleton

Brandy Singleton, the executive director of PlaySafe, is a highly decorated nonprofit leader serving Anderson County for more than a decade, promoting disaster preparedness and safe athletic participation. In addition, she and her husband have fostered and adopted four boys who have grown into contributing young men. She instilled her love of community service in all four children.

An active participant in the nonprofit community, Brandy’s efforts to make the Upstate a better place are way too numerous even to summarize, and span the continuum of types, including education, mentorship, recreation, poverty alleviation and more.

With a “go big” philosophy in both her personal and professional life rooted in random acts of kindness, Brandy inspires those around her. “Having her as a friend has made me a better person,” says one admirer.

PlaySafe is so very proud of our Executive Director and the hard work she has put into her community to be honored as one of the Women of Influence. She certainly deserves it in our eyes!

Brittany McIntosh

Brittany McIntosh is a partner at the corporate law firm Nelson Mullins Riley and Scarborough, where her accomplishments are legion and her awards are piling up. She has been named a Best Lawyer in America, and a Legal Elite of the Upstate, among a slew of other accolades.

Known as a bright, friendly, capable attorney, her influence transcends corporate clients, as she provides significant pro bono representation, including drawing up wills for first responders and their families.

Brittany is committed to supporting the career development of other female attorneys and lists mentoring them as her proudest accomplishment. She credits her success to those who did the same for her, whether directly or indirectly. She says, “Fierce revolutionary women throughout history influence me. Women have always been at the forefront in the fight against oppression, either with the pen, the podium, or their own fists.”

Beth Paul

Under Beth Paul’s leadership as general manager, the Bon Secours Wellness Arena has instituted a community giving program, hosted 300 nonprofit and community events and donated $100,000 in event space and nearly 600 tickets to nonprofits for use in charity auctions. She says she’s most proud of the philanthropic work she and her staff do.

Beth has worked at the arena most of her adult life, earning promotions up the ladder over the years. She loves tackling the challenges attendant to booking shows back-to-back while maintaining great customer service.

She is committed to affording all community members the opportunity to enjoy programming at “The Well”. She has sought opportunities to improve access to the Arena — including providing adapted amenities for individuals with sensory sensitivities and expanding hiring to include individuals with disabilities.

Beth says, “when you really boil it down, we create fun.”

Chelsey Hucker

Chelsey Hucker was nominated for this recognition by another honoree, Brandy Singleton. Sometimes it takes one to know one.

“In my experience,” her nominator says, “leaders can be generalized to one of two archetypes; the CEO, who is a visionary, or the COO, who is able to put the vision into action. Chelsey is a rare gem who can do both and do them well.”

Recognizing the need for support in Anderson and Oconee counties for individuals affected by abuse and neglect, Chelsey pivoted the Foothills Alliance, which she serves as executive director, to that work. Adults and children alike benefit from the organization’s education, advocacy and treatment.

Known as a leader whose greatest ability is weaving together kindness and compassion with firmness, Chelsey makes life better for entire communities, for those she serves and for those with whom she serves.

Christine Pearson

Christine Pearson improves the patient experience of AnMed customers by simplifying health service billing. If that isn’t grounds for a Nobel Prize, nothing is.

As chief financial officer, Christine has been honored by a number of health care organizations for her financial management and has built a team through mentorship and support that is known for high performance. As leader of the company’s value improvement process, she and her group produced efficiencies that saved the company $20 million.

For implementation of a tool that consolidates billing statements for customers, Christine was awarded a Modern Healthcare Top 25 Award.

Having lost the vision in her left eye when she was 16, Christine knows how to overcome a challenge. She offers her talents to others who may be facing challenges through the Habitat for Humanity Women’s Build and the Anderson YMCA, and by providing heartful leadership to her team.

Emily DeRoberts

Emily DeRoberts was a single mother 30 years ago, struggling to pay her bills but determined to make a good life for her children. She furthered her education while raising young kids and secured a job with Duke Energy, advancing to her current position of district manager for government and community relations.

A graduate of the Leadership SC class of 2016, Emily is a born leader, an inspiration to other women and an active community member serving on business, education and health nonprofit boards, including at the United Way of Pickens County and Anderson Interfaith Ministries. She was appointed by Gov. Henry McMaster to the Renewable Water Resource Board of Commissioners, with a mission of enhancing the quality of life by transforming wastewater into a clean, fresh, renewable resource.

“She loves her God, her family and her community, and we love her!” says her nominator.

BETTER STARTS HERE

We believe that a community of people reaching for better is a better place to live. We get up every morning knowing that each action we take can make a difference in someone else’s life. It’s what inspires us to hold ourselves to the highest standards – and it’s what brings out the best healthcare professional in each and every one of us.

Congratulations, Christine Pearson, EVP & CFO, for being recognized as a 2023 GSA Woman of Influence!

DELIBERATELY DIFFERENT MEDICAL SCHOOL

Hollie Harrell

Hollie Harrell is a wife, mother, business owner and award-winning business educator with proven results. As director of the Anderson 1 and 2 Career and Technology Center, which provides tech education for high school students in the two school districts, she has overseen a near doubling in enrollment during her tenure.

At night and on weekends, Hollie can be found running her transportation startup with her husband. Somehow she also finds time to serve on a slew of business boards, helping promote business development and tech education in the Upstate.

Hollie says her major challenge is overcoming the stigma of vocational education and convincing individuals and the community that technology training is responsive to market needs and requires a high level of skills. The best part of her job? “Seeing the impact of our teachers on our students,” she says.

Jennie Cluverius

Would you like to meet one of South Carolina’s 25 most beautiful women? Talk Greenville magazine named Jennie Cluverius to that list in 2019. It recognizes women who make a major contribution to the local community.

As Board President for Happy Wheels, Jennie oversees an organization that brings volunteers into children’s hospital rooms armed with books, toys and compassion. Though she has a full-time job as an attorney with Nexsen Pruet, where she is a soughtafter speaker, writer and interview subject, Jennie volunteers many hours and her legal expertise to the organization and the children it serves. Her work touches 20,000 children each year, not including the son and daughter she is raising – and their French bulldog.

What does a “beautiful” woman do in her spare time? She plays the violin and vintage video and arcade games. Who knew!

from Hill Electric

2023 Women of Influence

Hollie Harrell

Director at Anderson 1 & 2 Career and Technology Center

Sr. Project Manager, Capital Projects Clemson University

Angela Gardner

Tommi Jones, PE, LEED AP, GGP Director of Business Development, Hill Electric Company Co-Founder, Women Talk Construction Co-Founder, Women Construction Forum Upstate, SC

www.hillelectric.net

To learn more about our programs, please contact us at: 864-370-4787 or visit our website: habitatgreenville.org

Jessica McCoy

Jessica McCoy has put her heart, soul and talents into helping at-risk women. A board chair of Girl Up GVL, she enriches the opportunities of middleschool and high-school girls. She has leveraged relationships to help create the first transition house for homeless women in the Upstate. And to show she cares about people of both sexes, she led the American Heart Association’s Hard Hats for Hearts event promoting heart health in the construction industry.

As client experience manager for the construction firm Brasfield & Gorrie, Jessica serves as mentor to other women inside her company and throughout the industry. As the leader of the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion committee in South Carolina, Jessica is committed to creating an inclusive industry. Working in a male-dominated business, she has forged a path and offered a hand to others who can follow.

Julie Godshall Brown

Julie Godshall Brown is a successful business owner and dedicated community servant. As president of her family’s recruiting company, Julie has more than tripled revenues; as a citizen of Greenville, she has contributed to her community’s well-being as well.

Julie has volunteered her talents for a host of area organizations including a hospital board, the Chamber of Commerce, the Commission on Higher Education and United Way. Back in her own company, Julie’s loyal staff averages more than a decade of service to the firm, in part because she refused to cut positions when the bottom fell out of her business during the Great Recession. She has been called “an angel” by some and employees would certainly attest to her positive leadership style.

Julie’s favorite quote from Winston Churchill stands as evidence of her commitment to others. “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”

with the BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by TD

JOIN US JUNE 5-12TH FOR THE FOLLOWING EVENTS: Ladies Luncheon and Golf Clinic presented by HKA Enterprises Girls Junior Golf Clinic presented by Pacolet Milliken at Greer Golf

The Cancer Society of Greenville County Ladies Golf Tournament at Thornblade Club

Congratulations to Julie Godshall Brown for being chosen as an honoree for GSA Business Report’s Women of Influence from Godshall Recruiting

SYNNEX

Katherine O’Neil

Katherine O’Neil has a well-earned reputation as one of the most effective leaders in local government and economic development in South Carolina, but her admirers marvel at how little credit she seeks for it. Katherine serves OneSpartanburg as chief economic development officer, where her efforts have been instrumental in attracting billions of dollars in new investment and thousands of high-paying jobs.

Prior to that, she served as the county administrator for both Lexington and Spartanburg Counties two counties admired as examples of governments that work efficiently and serve their citizens effectively.

Katherine gives back to the community on a volunteer basis as well. She was recently named a Girl Scouts of South Carolina Woman of Distinction. But humility remains her calling card. Her nominator says, “I’ve heard Katherine lavish praise on me on several occasions — all while knowing that SHE is the leader who is making things happen and the person who deserves the accolades.”

Kelly Carson

After 28 years in the industry, you can call Kelly Carson a banker, a leader, a profit producer, or you can just call her boss. As Carolinas Market Leader for TD Bank, Kelly oversees all the business with government, nonprofits and higher education.

Inside the bank, Kelly is widely respected and admired, having worked her way up the ranks, earning accolades at every stop. She served as co-chair of the bank’s regional diversity & inclusion committee and was an inaugural mentor for its mentoring program. TD Bank recognized her with its highest honor, its Vision in Action Award of Distinction.

Outside the bank it’s the same, where Kelly is valued for teaching financial literacy at Goodwill, organizing book readings for children and helping organize the Wounded Warrior 5K and a chili cookoff for the SC School for the Deaf and Blind.

Says one admirer, Kelly raises the bar with everything she does while helping others.

Economic Development Officer OneSpartanburg,

Kelly Smith

Kelly Smith is the branch Leader at Allen Tate Co.

Kelly has grown her business running the largest Allen Tate office in the Upstate. Her business is up 19.6% since she was promoted to the leadership role in 2019. She has served on various committees in the Greater Greenville Association of Realtors and she was chairperson for the Young Professionals Network in 2022. Kelly was recently appointed to its Board of Directors for a three year term beginning in 2023.

Her community service includes volunteering at the Julie Valentine Center where she organized fundraising; as a Women’s Rights Empowerment Network volunteer, where she seeks to build a movement to advance the health, economic well-being, and rights of South Carolina’s women, girls and their families; a volunteer at United Way volunteer and a Habitat for Humanity advocate, where she has helped rebuild homes, shelters and cleaned up parks along the Swamp Rabbit Trail and local schools.

Kari Snyder

In her unusual job, Kari Snyder is responsible for managing volunteers, promoting sustainability, educating about environmental stewardship and helping run a PGA Tour golf event, all in one. As director of community engagement and sustainability for the BMW Charity Pro-Am golf tournament’s foundation, Kari has moved the event to a carbon-neutral, zero waste-to-landfill status. By making golf a more sustainable activity, she is supporting the planet and promoting a game she loves.

This doesn’t happen in a vacuum: Kari partners with dozens of other individuals and organizations, like Trees Upstate, with whom the foundation gave away 540 trees last year. She manages the hundreds of volunteers who participate in the tournament annually to help the it run smoothly and raise more funds for charity.

Kari brings our community joy in another way, by serving as lead volunteer for Euphoria. More Kari Snyder equals a more sustainable — and tastier! — Greenville.

Lauren Stephens

Despite being diagnosed with MS during the height of Covid and losing the ability to walk and feed herself, Lauren Stephens has continued to serve others as director of social services at The Salvation Army of Greenville.

“I continue to not have full mobility,” she says, “but I’ve been able to find gratitude in what has come back, what has remained, and have allowed myself to heal in what was lost.”

Lauren has been recognized as a national caring hero and one of Greenville’s 25 Most Beautiful Women for her community contributions. Despite devastating health concerns, Lauren’s focus remains on others, as she chairs the Greenville Homeless Alliance and volunteers to improve the continuum of care for members of the community in need.

The word hero gets thrown around a lot. It should be reserved for people like Lauren Stephens.

Allen Tate family is proud of your many accomplishments.

Liz Seman

Liz Seman is a whirling dervish of community service. You know the type: she’s everywhere decisions are being made and things are getting done. Liz serves on the Greenville County Council, chaired the Community Foundation, serves on the SC Alliance, Visit Greenville SC and the county’s Racial Equity and Economic Mobility Commission. She’s served on the boards of the Chamber, the Junior League, a private school, Meals on Wheels, the Red Cross and so much more. You might be wondering how she has time for a job.

But Liz does, as chief of staff to the Board of Trustees at Furman. Needless to say, she was named one of the area’s 50 most influential people and a YWCA Dream Achiever, and on top of all of that, Liz is an accomplished ballroom dancer — which makes sense for a whirling dervish.

Dr. Marjorie Jenkins

Dr. Marjorie Jenkins is a nationally recognized expert in women’s health, and we’re lucky enough to have her here. She serves as dean for the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, associate provost for the University of South Carolina, and chief academic officer for Prisma Health-Upstate. She has also been asked to serve as the director of medical and scientific initiatives for the US Office of Women’s Health.

In her role as dean, Marjorie and her team have raised $11 million to support programs and scholarships, and has created space for students from backgrounds under-represented in healthcare to comprise a quarter of the School of Medicine.

Marjorie founded the US Sex and Education Summit, an annual event that brings together educators from around the country to advance sex and gender specific health education. She’s also the editor of a textbook titled “How Sex and Gender Impact Clinical Practice.” Talk about impact, that’s Dr. Marjorie Jenkins.

Moryah Jackson

“The best thing about my role is bringing people together for good,” says Moryah Jackson, the senior vice president for community development and engagement at United Community Bank. Her whole life is about supporting the local community.

Moryah oversees the bank’s foundation, which has contributed nearly half-a-million dollars to 120 organizations serving the community. Additionally, Moryah established the Power of U Council — that is, U as in United Community Bank’s charitable efforts. She has led initiatives to advance diversity, equity and inclusion across the bank’s South Carolina footprint.

She serves the community herself, with the Urban League and Habitat for Humanity, and she established an educational program at the bank designed to introduce students to leadership, community service and opportunities in banking.

Outside of that, in fact just plain outside, Moryah is attempting to visit all 47 South Carolina State Parks — and earning a t-shirt for her efforts!

Pamela Evette

As lieutenant governor of the state of South Carolina, and the founder of one of the nation’s fastest-growing payroll, human resources and benefits companies, it would be hard to leave Pamela Evette off a list of influential women in business. An accountant and former chief financial officer, Pamela has significant expertise in regulatory issues and challenges facing small and medium-sized businesses. She is also a staunch promoter of innovative public-private partnerships and recognizing the value non-profits have in local communities.

For her achievements, she has been lauded as Enterprising Woman of the Year and her company, Quality Business Solutions, has been recognized as one of the 50 Fastest-Growing Women Owned/Led Companies.

The lieutenant governor has a passion for serving the most vulnerable in society, inspiring her focus on early childhood education and reading. For all her business and political success, she worked two and sometimes three jobs as a single mother to make ends meet early in her career.

Robyn Grable

Robyn Grable has had some challenges in her life. She was abused as a child, served in the maledominated military, raised children as a single mother and became an entrepreneur in her 50s. The founder and CEO of Talents ASCEND/ Veterans ASCEND, she helps employers invest in an inclusive talent acquisition strategy.

“Every second of each day, I am making a difference,” she says.

She is doing that by her commitment to inclusive employment, which extends to veterans as well. Her ongoing study of America’s workforce has made her a leading voice on advocacy, removing barriers and providing connections to successful employment for our underserved talent pools.

Congratulations to Lauren Stephens, Director of Social Services for The Salvation Army of Greenville, Pickens & Oconee Counties, as one of GSA Business Report’s 2023 Women of Influence honorees!

Lauren gives selflessly and tirelessly to the men, women and children The Salvation Army serves in our community, and she is more than deserving of this recognition.

We are so proud of you, Lauren! Thank you for all you do to help make our community a better place to live.

Sharon Gordon

The author of the book “Female Entrepreneurship is Not a Myth,” Sharon Gordon knows whereof she speaks. After decades building businesses for others, she established a multimillion dollar diversified business enterprise with a footprint in multiple states. Her operations span manufacturing, staffing and real estate. Pretty good for a woman who began her career as a part-time bookkeeper.

Sharon’s influence can be felt by any woman who chooses to follow in her footsteps as an entrepreneur or executive. “I get to be a portfolio builder, business creator, wealth developer and most importantly a job creator. It is incredibly satisfying to work with my team and develop new ideas, identify new investments and work to implement our goals and objectives,” she said.

The biggest challenge as a female businessperson is being taken seriously. But Sharon says if you don’t let others limit you, and you don’t limit yourself, there’s nothing you can’t achieve.

Traci Newkirk

Having discovered a strong passion for teaching and leading others, Traci Newkirk and her team help individuals and organizations access their full potential. As an award winning speaker, teacher and co-owner of Human Potential Advisors, an IT staffing and consulting company, Traci teaches people to value themselves and others.

Her advice is in demand. Human Potential is an Inc magazine 5000 Fastest Growing Company, a Business Report Roaring Twenties small business and the 2016 Greenville Chamber Small Business of the Year. Her ability to provide fully-customizable solutions to each client has been integral to both her and her clients’ continued success.

Traci offers her wisdom to the community through the Chamber and by mentoring eight high-performing young professionals each month, and, of course, with her many speaking engagements. She quotes Maya Angelou: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Terry Grayson-Caprio is an accomplished business executive of 35 years who creates transformational change and large-scale growth. Her list of accomplishments as board director at Southern First Bancshares and with numerous other business activities runs several pages and includes guiding global, multi-billion dollar companies as they established their presence in the U.S. and driving double-digit revenue growth for 10 years at the Big Four accounting firm KPMG. Her expertise included providing counsel regarding financial implications and reporting, global tax incentives, facilities construction, talent acquisition and management, and business expansion.

Terry is known as an advocate for her clients, a leader among her employees and a woman of influence in building inclusive communities through fair practices and mentorship. With a particular interest in reaching down to help others climb the corporate ladder, Terry has watched many of her mentees grow into successful professionals in businesses around the world.

Terry Grayson-Caprio CONGRATULATIONS

Taryn Sher

Anytime Greenville shows up on a Best Of list, that’s Taryn Sher doing her PR thing. Her company, TK PR, has secured national headlines in outlets like the NY Times, the Today Show, Travel + Leisure magazine and on Oprah’s Favorite Things list. She’s hosted 300 media outlets and secured 1,000 national stories on behalf of Greenville. It’s easy to forget, in all the hoopla Taryn creates for our city, that she has built her own successful business in the process — starting in a new city at the tender age of 24.

Taryn does her part to earn Greenville its accolades. She chaired the board for the acclaimed food, wine, and music festival, Euphoria, and the small business development center, and organized the Juvenile Diabetes Federation gala. Taryn does all she can to bring sparkle to her adopted city. She says the key to her success is common human decency.

Tommi Jones

Tommi Jones is synonymous with Clemson University. With an engineering bachelor’s and master’s, and an MBA from the university, and now employment there as lead senior project manager, Tommi is a Tiger through and through. Her list of accomplishments is daunting, including spearheading a $235 million capital campaign, constructing a pair of Green Globe-certified buildings and authoring an energy conservation plan that reduced campus energy consumption by a whopping 20%.

A true leader respected for her support of those behind her, Tommi has volunteered to encourage women in construction and engineering and served on Clemson’s committee to expand diversity, equity and inclusion. She is a member of several mentoring programs inside and outside Clemson because, she says, there were no female role models when she was beginning her career, and she knows how important it is for the next generation to have them.

Congratulations, Terry Grayson-Caprio, from the entire Southern First team! We are so proud to have your guidance as a member of our Board of Directors. Thank you for all that you do and for your dedication to our mission of impacting lives in the communities we serve.

In Focus

How this Greenville-based cybersecurity company plans to ‘change the world’

By Krys Merryman kmerryman@scbiznews.com

While hundreds of millions of dollars are being spent building cybersecurity fortresses such as “strong” firewalls, this Greenville cybersecurity company focuses on making people laugh with the use of short videos.

Hook Security was founded four years ago after co-founder Adam Anderson, who had spent 20 years as a cybersecurity entrepreneur, realized 100% of his customers still got hacked. All that money was being spent to build those “fortresses” to protect them from cybersecurity threats but breaches continued. He sold his previous cybersecurity company to start Hook, which is a new take and concept on how to approach cybersecurity.

“When we started Hook Security, I really wanted to solve a problem,” Anderson said. “I wanted to have impact. What I didn’t want to do was create another

company that sold fear.”

Ninety percent of cyberattacks come through socially manipulating the human behind the keyboard, Anderson said.

He hired a consultant and developed a new field of study called psychological security, which is all about neurons, Anderson said. Hook was founded to be the “tip of the spear” to figuring out how to build resilient minds to protect against that manipulation.

Anderson said he banned his 14-yearold daughter from social media such as Instagram, because she hasn’t developed the ability resist manipulation through online sites she trusts, but shouldn’t.

“We know we have done our job right if five to 10 years from now Hook Security has developed new psychological and neuroscience technologies to make sure humans can’t be manipulated online,” he said. “And that gets back into important issues such as human trafficking. To me, this is more import-

ant than selling more firewalls.”

Hook Security Inc. in Greenville was one of the top 10 startup finalists at the 7th annual Next Venture Summit in September.

They teach nontechnical users to recognize cybersecurity threats and attacks through humorous training experiences. This next-level cybersecurity is more geared toward psychological security and is meant to retrain the brain to detect manipulation and give time to process versus just reacting to a phishing threat. The content length is short and entertaining to allow consumers to digest easier while remaining safe from cyberattacks.

“Makes learning about cybersecurity worthwhile,” said Anderson. “Moving from fear-based to humor-based security has been key for Hook.”

With approximately 17 employees, offices not only in Greenville but in Florida and Pennsylvania, Hook Security already has made a national and international cybersecurity impact.

“We are getting a lot of momentum outside of the U.S.,” said Anderson. “That’s a really cool problem to solve, because it’s a global digital economy and if your supply chain starts in Southeast Asia and you’re only serving customers in the United States, you’ve already lost.”

Also, as the chief strategy officer of Hook, Anderson said he is always focused on where the company is going.

“There are three target markets I’m really excited about,” he said. “First one is the space industry, second is the manufacturing supply chain, and third is K through 12 education.”

Especially K-12 education, Anderson said, because there isn’t enough being done to protect children against online predators.

“I will change the world and make it a safer place if I can make our kids safer, and they can grow up with good cyber hygiene and cyber awareness, with the

The team at Hook Security work to make laughter a critical part of something that is no laughing matter: IT security lapses that costs untold millions for business operators. (Photo/Provided)

ability to identify predators and not be manipulated by them,” he said.

He said many companies exist below a “cyber poverty line,” where the things they need to be secure are too expensive. Those companies get pushed out of the supply chain because of security issues, he said. And Hook addresses that issue by offering affordable lowcost cybersecurity solutions for smallto-mid-size markets that also work at the enterprise level, he added.

The training

The videos are a three-part system, Anderson said. Every video filmed is based on the tenets of psychological security. Fear creates a cortisol reaction in the brain — fight or flight. The first thing Hook does to create a “psychologically safe” environment is to send a dopamine hit to the consumer’s brain. That involves telling jokes, making their videos funny enough that the consumer mindfully becomes available for learning.

“Nobody has ever taken neuroscience and psychology and put it into cyber before, so we are making strides to be more impactful in what we do but there’s still so much room for growth,” said Anderson.

Anderson said Hook Security is what it is today because he brought on co-founder and CEO Zach Eikenberry and third co-founder Brad Powell, who has handled sales.

Eikenberry had the skillset to revolutionize training in schools with children

and that also works in corporate America, Anderson said.

“Really quickly, the vision of Hook went from what did Adam want to what did Zach discover,” he said.

The industry treats people like computers, as if they are a company’s weakest link, Anderson said.

Hook differs by treating people like a company’s biggest asset, he said.

“The act of training people makes them afraid of their inbox, and if you’re entire life is in your email, we are training people to be terrified of being in their email,” Anderson said. “So, you have all these amazing potential people, and they don’t have access to their creativity, because every time they go to check their email they are scared.”

Hook wants people to look forward to this concept rather than fear it, said

Anderson.

There are a few reasons why Hook is quickly scaling, he said, and it happens through phases.

Phase one, they have a fearless salesman in Powell. Phase two, their approach and content. And Phase three, word-ofmouth referrals.

“The primary reason for our growth is what our current customers are saying about us,” said Anderson. “I’ve never had a company before where we’ve never had to market but are still getting in-bound leads.”

Why is Anderson passionate about cybersecurity?

“I can’t change the world and make it a better place and give everyone access to this amazing thing we are building if people can’t trust each other online,”

said Anderson. “I’m passionate about cyber awareness training, because I’m passionate about people being able to trust each other.”

How big is the economic impact

“The economic impact isn’t just payroll, return on investment to investors, I like to look at it as the amount of business we need to make this happen globally,” said Anderson.

Nearly 200,000 people utilizing their platform, and if Hook can move those clients from an 80% chance they’ll click on a phishing attack or other cybersecurity threat to 5%, then Hook’s economic impact includes all the losses that were deferred for all those clients: about a billion-dollar economic impact based on all Hook clients and their revenue. Millions on a local level to billions on a macro level, said Anderson.

“We are tripling in size year after year,” he said. “Customers are impressed with how easy the concept is and had no idea they could even have fun with this type of cybersecurity while protecting their businesses. It’s important for people to understand what Hook’s doing, so even if they don’t do business with us, they know how to hold the rest of the industry accountable. Maybe we aren’t the right fit; there are a thousand reasons why people shouldn’t work with us, but if you go to a compliance-driven solution and you don’t understand the impact the training has on your employees, it creates insider threats and loss.”

For more information on Hook Security visit https://www.hooksecurity.co/.

Cybersecurity, IT company names Greenville its new HQ

By Krys Merryman kmerryman@scbiznews.com

Acustom IT solutions and services company named Greenville its new corporate headquarters location.

Corsica Technologies, which was founded in 1995 in Centerville, Md., provides IT and cybersecurity services as well as advanced digital transformation services.

Corsica Technologies CEO Brian Harmison said the company chose Greenville and the Upstate because the region is undoubtedly growing and brings a unique energy.

“This is a chance for us to really get to know and engage with Greenville businesses in and around the community,” said Harmison. “We are strongly positioned to support many businesses here. We’ve had an office here for quite some time, but it hasn’t been invested in or grown that much. We see a lot of opportunity to expand from here in adjacent markets.”

Harmison, who started out in software development, joined the company 10 years ago after Corsica acquired

three companies, one of which was his.

Cybersecurity has been Corsica’s main focus because of its growth potential here with new and existing businesses, said Harmison, focusing on primarily the manufacturing indus-

try but also health care, non-profit and education, and finance and banking.

“Why I’m most passionate about this industry is we have so many opportunities to impact people every day,” Harmison said. “I joke we are

in the ‘problem-solving business,’ but with that, every interaction we have, we have the opportunity to improve the quality of somebody’s day and help them be more productive and feel more confident.”

After operating an office in Greenville for several years, Corsica Technologies leadership made it their headquarters. (Photo/Provided)

Hook Security accepts a check for $500,000 from SC Launch Inc. (Photo/Provided)

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Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport’s extra parking plan makes headway

By Krys Merryman kmerryman@scbiznews.com

With passenger traffic levels on the rise, Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport is moving forward with plans to add a third parking garage to its facilities.

GSP is now reaching approximately 95% of its 2019 passenger traffic levels, said Tiffany Cherry, GSP communications manager.

“Airport staff are now forecasting

that GSP should be fully back to our record-breaking 2019 passenger traffic levels in early to mid-2024,” she added. “Parking and rental car demand have also increased as passenger traffic continues to recover from the impact of the pandemic.”

Currently, on certain days of the week, both existing parking garages reach full capacity, she said. At the March 27 airport commission meeting, the commission airport management the go-ahead to revisit plans to construct a new parking garage and consolidated rental car facility at GSP.

The construction of a new parking facility was originally slated for fall 2020 but was postponed due to the COVID19 pandemic, Cherry said. The commission’s decision to move forward with exploring a new parking garage and consolidated rental car facility is the first step in progressing this project since 2020.

As more information is available, the project will be presented to the commission for consideration to proceed with future phases of the project.

The new parking garage follows a recent announcement of an additional airline

making its way to GSP this summer: Avelo Airlines’ new nonstop service from GSP to Tweed-New Haven Airport (HVN) and Orlando International Airport (MCO).

If the commission decides to move forward with the project in 2023, then construction is expected to begin in 2024, with an estimated two-year completion timeframe, Cherry said.

LS3P Architects is the architect of record and will continue to support subsequent phases as the project moves through the approval process. There is no developer for the potential project, Cherry said.

SEC charges Pendleton man for alleged $20M Ponzi scheme

By Krys Merryman kmerryman@scbiznews.com

The Securities and Exchange Commission announced on April 4 charges against Michael J. French, of Pendleton, and two companies controlled by him, MJF Holdings LLC and MJF Capital LLC, for allegedly defrauding investors and misappropriating millions of dollars in investor funds.

According to the SEC’s complaint, French, through MJF Holdings, allegedly sold more than $20 million in high-yield promissory notes to more than 400 investors across the country.

The complaint alleges that French falsely told investors that the notes — promising 12% returns for a one-year investment — were backed by a low-risk investment program, under which the note proceeds would be loaned to small businesses and/ or invested in commercial loans on a fractional basis to produce returns. The com-

plaint also states that French claimed that the loans selected for investment to back the promissory notes were strictly underwritten and posed little risk to investors. The SEC claims the lending program

was a “sham,” and French allegedly spent the money he raised to repay earlier investors and to fund a lavish lifestyle. French ultimately defaulted on the notes and ceased communicating with investors,

according to the complaint.

Per the complaint that was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, the SEC charges French and MJF Holdings with violations of the Securities Act of 1933, and MJF Capital with aiding and abetting French’s and MJF Holdings’ alleged fraud. The complaint also names seven other entities allegedly controlled by French as relief defendants.

SC Biz News sent a request for comment to the SEC Atlanta Regional Office on Thursday morning and had not received a response by Friday morning.

The SEC is seeking permanent injunctive relief, an asset freeze, an accounting, disgorgement of all ill-gotten gains plus prejudgment interest and civil penalties. The SEC’s investigation was conducted by Grant Mogan, Andrew D. Mason and Tiffany Kunkle, with assistance from Taryn Hairston, the Atlanta Regional Office, and supervised by Thomas B. Bosch and Justin C. Jeffries. The litigation is being conducted by Kristin Murnahan and Graham Loomis.

Whole Foods to anchor $1B downtown Greenville project

By Krys Merryman kmerryman@scbiznews.com

An Atlanta-based real estate developer announced a national grocery and health food market will open its second location in Greenville as the anchor tenant in a $1 billion project.

Whole Foods Market will become the anchor tenant in the Greenville County Square redevelopment, project developer RocaPoint Partners announced on Monday, according to a RocaPoint news release.

The high-end natural and organic food market will occupy a standalone, state-ofthe-art building being designed by MVA Architects and will serve the 3.5-millionsquare-foot mixed-use development.

SC Biz News attempted to reach MVA

Architects via email but did not receive a response by press time.

“The Greenville County Square redevelopment will provide a vibrant and business-friendly environment for the region’s five million annual visitors to shop, dine,

live and explore,” the release said.

The project sits in downtown Greenville and creates a natural link between Falls Park and new Cancer Survivor’s Park while also connecting to the historic Swamp Rabbit Trail.

“This redevelopment is positioned to be

the ideal walkable environment for residents and visitors with a strategic blend of office, hotels, residential, restaurant, entertainment and retail – together with public and community-centric spaces — all encompassed in an urban environment,” said Patrick Leonard, RocaPoint Partners principal. “Whole Foods Market will add to the development’s lively charm and represents the quality of the tenants we’re targeting to drive economic growth while simultaneously answering public interest at Greenville County Square.”

A construction start date had not been announced at press time.

RocaPoint Partners, an affiliate of New York-based The Georgetown Co., is a privately held development firm based in Atlanta. The firm invests in commercial real estate investment and development opportunities across the Southeast.

211 Crooked Cedar Way LLC is a South Carolina limited liability company that the Securities and Exchange Commission says was formed to buy this property of the same address in Pendleton. The SEC says it was purchased with investor funds. (Photo/Ross Norton)

The County Square transformation will put property such as the future Whole Foods site back on the property tax ledger. (Image/Provided)

Quick-service restaurant to drop the dining room in some locations

By Ross Norton rnorton@scbiznews.com

Zaxby’s chose Clemson to test its next step forward with an idea from the past.

Much of the paint on Tiger Boulevard in Clemson seems barely dry. Only one of the quick-service restaurants up and down the college town thoroughfare is showing signs of significant age. The rest, from Wendy’s to Pizza Hut, have been updated and modernized, from a dining room fireplace at one to the delightful absence of a ball pit at another.

It’s more than a fresh layer of paint, though, as most were razed and rebuilt from the ground up with a new design.

Several of the most recent scrape-andrebuild projects put a new emphasis on drive-thru service since to-go demand peaked during the COVID-19 pandemic and has demonstrated a continued momentum since. The rebuilt McDonald’s and Chic-fil-A came with more elaborate and efficient drive-thru lanes. The latest to rebuild, Zaxby’s, is banking exclusively on to-go.

The restaurant has no dining room at all but opted, instead, on drive-thru and walkup window service. The only thing accessible to the public under its roof are restrooms and a bank of cubbies for food delivery services such as Uber Eats and Door Dash.

Mike Mettler, chief development offi-

cer at Zaxby’s Franchising LLC, said all of the company’s new or rebuilt restaurants will not be to-go only, but the tight space at the Clemson site — the restaurant shares a driveway with Chick-fil-A next door — made it an ideal location to test the new concept.

“Zaxby’s is evaluating on a case-by-case basis which model fits best for each individual market where it opens new locations, or where it has scrape-and-rebuilds, such as this one in Clemson,” he said in an email.

“For the Clemson location specifically, we chose a to-go only building because we were constrained on the size of the existing lot. This was the perfect opportunity for us to launch this new building type.”

In addition to addressing space constraints, the modular design makes for speedy construction time, which diminishes a halt in revenue interruption for rebuild projects and hastens revenue for new properties.

“This restaurant is Zaxby’s first modular building opening in the system,” Mettler said. “The combination of a modular building and a smaller size allows Zaxby’s to accelerate new store openings across the country. In addition, it provides a building format which can reduce the time that stores are closed during a scrape and rebuild of an existing location.”

The next scheduled location to open as a to-go only restaurant for Zaxby’s will

be in Murrells Inlet, expected to start serving chicken tenders in April at 11872 Highway 707.

The Clemson location is open already at 11059 Tiger Blvd., known on highway maps at U.S. Highway 123.

“We’re excited to bring this new Zaxby’s experience to Clemson,” Douglas Fleming, regional director of operations, said in a news release. “We look forward to continuing to serve the community our delicious chicken fingers, wings and salads — with even more speed and convenience.”

The 2,084 square-foot restaurant is roughly two-thirds the size of a traditional Zaxby’s location. Customers can park and walk up to a window or use a new, covered double drive-thru layout.

The company cited a Wall Street Journal article that said heightened consumer demand for food to go is expected to last well beyond the pandemic. Customers are also more often taking advantage of ordering ahead online or through the Zaxby’s app, and the rebuilt location has special parking for those customers.

The new restaurant is providing up to 40 new employment opportunities in Clemson, the company said in the news release.

Zaxby’s started in the late 1980s as a single restaurant serving wings in Statesboro, Ga. The company now is headquartered in Athens, Ga., and has 900 locations in 17 states.

Zaxby’s tore down the old Clemson location and rebuilt a modular structure with only walk-up and drive-thru dining options. (Photo/Ross Norton)

Even top brass couldn’t resist a chance for selfie with an F-16

By Ross Norton rnorton@scbiznews.com

Park an F-16 just about anywhere and someone’s going to take a selfie.

It happened on a warm Friday Morning in Greenville, when Lockheed Martin chocked the tires of the first F-16 made in South Carolina. There on the sprawling aerospace company’s campus at the S.C. Technology and Aviation Center, Lockheed Martin allowed politicians, news media, engineers and technicians to sidle up alongside military leaders from two countries to take photos with the latest version of one of history’s most storied fighter jets.

The venerable F-16 is new again, the latest iteration known as the Block 70 and bound for air forces in nations like the Kingdom of Bahrain — countries the U.S. government says shares America’s interests and objectives.

This one — the first one — just a velvet rope away from its builders and buyers as cell phone cameras recorded the moment that Lockheed Martin unveiled the aircraft in dramatic fashion, complete with flashing lights, music and a fog machine. It was an impressive sight, even with its thunder silent.

The biggest smile may have been on the face of Maj. Gen. Hamad Al Khalifa, commander of the Royal Bahraini Air Force. Just moments before, he signed documents accepting the first Greenville-made F-16 on behalf of his kingdom. It is the first Block 70 for Bahrain but not the first F-16 — the country was the first in the region to operate the fighters in the 1990s — and it is not the last. The country has ordered a total of 16 and, with one in the books, Lockheed Martin has a growing backlog of 127 jets from five other countries. In addition, Jordan has signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance for 12 jets and Bulgaria wants eight, the company said.

“The Royal Bahrani Air force is proud to be the first air force to own and operate the world’s first Block 70 fighter, an aircraft second to none,” Hamad said. “I would like to thank each and every one who worked hard to make this event a great success. … On behalf of the Royal Bahraini Air Force and myself personally I would like to extend the deepest appreciation and gratitude to every technician, specialist, supervisor and engineer who spared no effort on the production line to build our F-16. Lockheed Martin, thank you very much for a job well done.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham, who was there for the original announcement about the Lockheed Martin contract with Bahrain, was back that Friday, March 10, to celebrate delivery. On both occasions he spoke of the need to make sure U.S. allies are prepared to defend themselves.

“The one thing I can tell every American and every South Carolinian is we have no better partner than the Kingdom of Bahrain,” Graham said. “The U.S. Fifth Fleet is stationed in Bahrain. Bahrain hits above its weight when it comes to military capability.

Your air force is legendary and you make America safer. … the common threats that Bahrain and the United States face have to be fought together. I’ve learned through my travels that having allies is better than doing it by yourself. Keeping the war away from America is better than fighting it here. And the only way that’s going to work is to have partners over there that will protect us here.

So these jets are going to a reliable, stable partner, and in a world that is unstable and unreliable, thank God for Bahrain.”

Graham said he would like to see F-16s in the hands of more U.S. allies, including the Ukrainian military.

“This relationship (with Bahrain) has stood the test of time,” he said to the Bahraini military leaders. “You have been with us, our

friends in Bahrain, through thick and thin. After 9-11 you were there for us. You’ve given us access to a part of the world that is invaluable for American national defense. You have provided us essential intelligence to protect the American homeland. You are our eyes and ears in a faraway place. You have proven your worth many times over.”

Graham, a Republican from the Upstate, joked that “if you can drive it, fly it or shoot it, we make it.” He said that Greenville is one of only three places in America that manufactures fighter jets. The U.S. military still flies the F-16 and will for years to come but is not purchasing new F-16s. Lockheed Martin moved production to Greenville to make way for the F-35 at its Texas production site.

The Lockheed Martin Greenville site since 1984 had been — and still is — a sustainment site for Lockheed Martin aircraft already in service (including 3,000 F-16s), but assembly of the F-16 brought a new focus and new jobs. More than 1,400 people work at the 276-acre site now, with 300 added in the last year and plans for more.

“The F-16 celebrated today was built by our talented, committed workforce in Greenville,” Danya Trent, vice president, F-16 Programs and Greenville site leader for Lockheed Martin, said in an announcement. «We are proud to call Greenville the global home of the F-16 and look forward to continuing to produce jets serving missions around the world.»

The jet unveiled Friday will go from Greenville to Edwards Air Force Base for more testing and is expected to be delivered to Bahrain in 2024, a Lockheed spokesperson said.

Major General Hamad Al Khalifa, commander of the Royal Bahraini Air Force, Major General Julian Cheater, deputy undersecretary of the Air Force for International Affairs, and Greg Ulmer, executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics take part in the ceremony. (Photo/Ross Norton)

The first F-16 made in Greenville was unveiled in a ceremony that included officers from the customer, the Royal Baharaini Air Force. (Photo/Ross Norton)

International franchise to open first US location in Greenville

By Krys Merryman kmerryman@scbiznews.com

“Donuts done different,” is this Ottawa, Ontario-based gourmet donut franchise’s slogan.

Maverick’s Donut Co. is family owned and operated by Gen and Geoff Vivian. They renovated an old bay at 117 Batesville Road in Five Forks, which they have turned into a gourmet donut shop that is slated to open in early April — and will be the first U.S. Maverick’s location.

What brought them to the Upstate? Well, it was by a “struck of luck,” said Gen Vivian.

“We weren’t exactly sure where to go and heard about Greenville,” she said. “We researched it and thought it would be a great place to raise a family and open a business.”

The Vivians opened their first Maverick’s in 2016 in Ottawa. They currently run 12 of them, while another 20 locations they franchised out. They are hoping to build that same brand and customer loyalty in the Upstate.

“We are most excited about a fresh beginning,” said Gen Vivian. “We have had a lot of interest in the U.S. of people wanting to own a franchise, and we wanted to make sure it works here first before franchising out to others.”

Prior to entering the donut business, Geoff Vivian was working in the fishing industry. After seeing a decline from overfishing, the Vivians decided to pivot their career plans.

“We thought donuts would be a fun thing to try, and here we are,” said Gen Vivian.

Maverick’s specializes in primarily cake donuts and makes everything fresh in-house daily. They design the shops minimalism purposefully, so their donut bar steals the show when customers walk through the door, said Gen Vivian — a concept that is consistent across all their locations.

They offer classic donuts such as cinnamon sugar and glazed, and signature elaborate donuts that are almost like mini cakes, like cherry cheesecake or lemon ricotta, in addition to apple fritters, Boston crème, and other baked delicacies.

Everyone hired on the renovation was local, including architect Smith Companies of Greenville.

If the Five Forks location hits the ground running, the Vivians plan to franchise out and open other locations, leading to more jobs for the Upstate and beyond, Gen Vivian said.

“Donuts are a really fun thing to offer,” she said. “From birthday parties to weddings, all the celebratory things are a joy to celebrate with our customers.”

Coffee company to open first location outside of New York in Greenville

By Krys Merryman kmerryman@scbiznews.com

A New York-based coffee company is revving up its engine on its way to the Westside Market in Greenville.

Motor Oil Coffee announced its April 1 opening within the 50,000 square feet market, located at 3510 Augusta Road, where they offer the entire line of its Motor Oil Coffee blends in one-pound bags to go. This is the first Motor Oil Coffee location to open outside of New York state, according to a Motor Oil Coffee news release.

“We are very excited to open Motor Oil Coffee within Westside Market right here in Greenville,” said Casey Fazio,

regional director for Motor Oil Coffee.

“All of our coffees are made with the finest beans available and best of all, smooth and rich to start your day up. We believe that, alongside the many great vendors here at Westside Market, this is a great opportunity for the coffee lovers here in Greenville and surrounding communities to get revved up with great tasting coffee.”

Motor Oil Coffee’s five mainline blends include:

• High Octane Premier Guatemalan blend, which is made with Organic Guatemalan beans, honey, and a citrus acidity that creates a mix of “power and taste.” This blend is their darkest roast, certified organic fair trade.

• Cruise Control harvest blend is an organic blend of Sumatra, Guatemala, and Ethiopia coffee beans that creates a fruity flavor with hints of blueberry and almost tea-like in body. This is their middle roast blend, certified organic fair trade.

• Daystarter breakfast blend is a blend of Brazilian, Columbian and Honduran Beans with notes of chocolate, citrus, and caramel creating a fruit flavor and low acidity in the cup. This is their lightest blend.

• Jetfuel espresso is made from a blend of organic Sumatran, Ethiopian, and Nicaraguan beans and is

certified organic fair trade.

• And lastly, Motor Oil’s Zero Emission decaf blend “is for those who already have that spark to get them going but love the taste of energy without the shock” and also is certified organic fair trade.

The Motor Oil Coffee Co. was founded “with the drive to start days stronger, faster, and more satisfying. Motor Oil Coffee is ready with enough octane and energy to get you on your day without the drag of over-caffeination from other coffee brands,” the release said.

Hours of operation for its Westside Market location will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 12 to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

The owners of the Canada-based Maverick’s Donut Co. chose Greenville to test their wares with the American market. (Photo/Provided)

If the Five Forks location is successful, the Vivians plan to open more locations in South Carolina. (Photo/ Provided)

IT Services & Networking Companies

McAlister Design & Automation LLC

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Net3 Technology

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Lucas Systems Inc.

123 Grace Drive Easley, SC 29640

Plus Inc.

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TELECO Inc.

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Safe Solutions Inc.

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A3 Communications, Inc. 14 Pelham Ridge Drive, Suite C Greenville, SC 29615

Segra 777 Lowndes Hill Road Greenville, SC 29607

The Cox Group 58 S. Burty Road Piedmont, SC 29673

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Blue Eye Soft Corp 44 Parkway Commons Greer, SC 29650

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Computer Applied Products 728 N. Pleasantburg Drive Greenville, SC 29607

IndySoft 146 Fairchild St, Suite 202 Daniel Island, SC 29492

Applied Network Consulting Group 14 Progress Road Greenville, SC 29607

ACI Telecom 728 N. Pleasantburg Drive Greenville, SC 29607

Pivotal IT

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Structured IT 14 Phillips Drive Travelers Rest, SC 29690

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Tony Troiano Jamie Jenkins Braddock G. Cunningham 2015 58 Y Full network design and installation of structured cabling networks and underground fiber optic cabling and conduit via directional boring technologies

Troy F McAlister 1992 50 1 Y

Robotics, custom automated machiner y, control systems, data logging, materials handling, semi-automated workstations, vision systems, test systems, conveyors, palletizing, assembly systems

Hudson Denney, DJ Bissinger 2009 50 Y Infrastructure-as-a-ser vice, cloud backup, disaster recover y, cybersecurity and ransomware protection ser vices

Brad Lucas, Owen Lucas 1992 39 Y

David Carson, Frank Gonzalez 1958 36 Y

Billy Rogers Mike Billings Brian Toop 1981 35 Y

William Lail, Shawn Marin 2015 30 Y

Dave Lewis Brian Thomas Scott Grainger 1990 26 1 Y

Point-of-sale solutions for restaurants, breweries, hotels, events and more; network wiring, system installation, system integration, software development, training, telephone and onsite support

Small business IT support and ser vices, including network installations, virus and spyware protection, backups, hardware sales, firewalls, cybersecurity, Ricoh and Konica copiers and printers

IT managed ser vice, computer networking and security equipment, structured cabling, wifi, VoIP, hosted voice, telephone systems, HD video sur veillance, card access systems, cellular and public safety distributed antenna systems

Fire and security alarms, cameras, access control, infrastructure cabling, audio video

Sur veillance and access control, ser ver and desktop virtualization and storage, network and wireless solutions, firewall, audio and visual, fiber and structured, unified communications (VoIP)

Zenita Henderson Kevin T Hart Jeff Pfeiffer 1897 25 Y Advanced fiber infrastructure network throughout the mid-Atlantic and Southeastern US. Provides state-of-the-art Ethernet, MPLS, dark fiber, etc.

Max Dieterle Barr y E. Cox M. Jill Cox 1986 22 Y Warehouse and manufacturing systems, including automation and conveyance

Kathleen Payne, Ricardo Studart 1994

ERP and quality systems planning, analysis and design-to-implementation for manufacturing, distribution, energy and ser vice industries

Advanced Data Analytics ,AI ,Software development

Derek Davis 2001

Y

Microsoft Silver Solutions provider for business; managed IT ser vices, fixed-cost IT management, monitoring, cybersecurity, disaster recover y planning, Microsoft Azure, cloud infrastructure, Azure virtual desktops, Office 365, VoIP telephones

Toby N. Capece Chad Capece Savannah Smith 2001 14 Y Point of sale systems for restaurant and retail Cloud and legacy systems Mobile POS, iPad POS, Android POS, Windows POS In person support and installation

Rhett Price 1998 14 Y Calibration, tooling and automated procedure management software for the metrology industr y and related markets

Penny Honea Brian Daughhetee Billy Crowe 1999 12 Y MSP (managed ser vices provider), cabling, installation, wireless networks, e-rate, firewalls, cloud, cybersecurity, IT support

Cam Walters, Vickie Porter 1993 11 Y

John Sinderman 1998

11 Y

John M. Sterling 1994 11 Y

Agency representing telecom carriers to commercial accounts nationwide, cloud ser vices, hosted voice, IT

Flat rate IT plans, unlimited live, local help desk, remote and onsite support, VoIP phone systems, cybersecurity, Microsoft365, business continuity, IT consulting, network design, procurement, backup management, annual end user security training

Warehouse management software solutions and ser vices, ideal for mid-sized warehouses that want to optimize production and processes without costly custom work

Mike Hughes 1999 11 Y Full range of networking ser vices

Carin Slader 1999 10

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 ever y effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to Listresearch@Bridgetowermedia.com.

• 1 2022 data.

Y Cybersecurity, managed ser vices, antivirus, hardware

Researched by Business Report staff

IT Services & Networking Companies

A Greenville, SC 29607

864-952-4101 www.umbrella.tech info@umbrella.tech

866-708-0886 www.expertip.net sales@expertip.net

1999

Available Technology Inc. 1322 E. Washington St. Greenville, SC 29607 Mike

Birdseye Technical Ser vices Inc. 109 Murray Drive Mauldin, SC 29662

Infinity Network Solutions Inc 1150 Haywood Road Greenville, SC 29615

NuChoice Communications Inc. 206 Riverside Court, Suite A Greer, SC 29650

Safeguards Consulting Inc.

655 Fair view Road, Suite H232 Simpsonville, SC 29680

Respect Technology Inc. Virtual Company Greenville, SC 29607

EIT Networks LLC 37 Villa Road Suite 403 Greenville, SC 29615

Technesis Greenwood 201 Hampton Ave., Suite H Greenwood, SC 29646

Brillig Systems Inc. 5 Centur y Drive, Suite 242 Greenville, SC 29607

Carolina Tel Inc. 1053 S. Batesville Road, Building 1 Greer, SC 29650

Ivannovation Language Management 100 Tower Drive, Suite 13 Greenville, SC 29607

Columbus Data Technologies Inc.

305 John Dodd Road Spartanburg, SC 29303

EmbTrak Inc.

2507 Wade Hampton Blvd. Greenville, SC 29615

Cloud Networx LLC

951 Dickson Road Campobello, SC 29322

eDataSafe & ProStar Technologies Inc.

3447 Pelham Road, Suite 206 Greenville, SC 29615

Homeland Secure IT 401 Holly Tree Lane Simpsonville, SC 29681

Mainstay Technologies

PO Box 17464 Greenville, SC 29606

Envision Data Solutions

419 The Parkway Greer, SC 29650

Computer-Tech-Ser vices

1211 Laurens Road, Suite A Greenville, SC 29607

Desktop support, software upgrades, network setup and monitoring, cybersecurity, cloud backup and storage, ser ver management, wifi optimization, software vendor liaison

S. King

Lane 2007 8 1 Y Microsoft certified, Quickbooks Proadvisor, PCI certified, Apple integration specialist, data recover y, Office 365 migrations

864-297-0894 www.birdseye.tech Mike Windey 1979 8 Y Outsourced IT, business telephone systems, data networks, network management, unified communications, structured cabling systems, paging and intercom, virtualization

864-642-9204 www.infinitynets.com info@infinitynets.com

864-662-1020 www.nuchoice.biz glewis@nuchoice.biz

864-569-4845 www.safeguardsconsulting.com contact@safeguardsconsulting.com

864-915-4500 www.respecttechnology.com info@respecttechnology.com

864-551-2061 www.eitnetworks.net sales@eitnetworks.net

864-227-3663 www.technesisgwd.com lbr@technesisgwd.com

864-232-3733 www.brilligsys.com contact@brilligsys.com

864-968-1123 www.carolinatel.com corporate@carolinatel.com

864-735-8425 www.ivannovation.com

864-467-1056 www.3pointoh.com sales@3pointoh.com

864-699-1900 www.columbusdata.com cdtser vice@columbusdata.com

864-292-5888 www.embtrak.com d.brown@embtrak.com

864-230-3361 www.cloudnetworx.com robbie@cloudnetworx.com

864-335-9277

www.prostartech.com info@prostartech.com

864-990-4748 www.homelandsecureit.com johnh@homelandsecureit.com

864-360-0199 www.mainstay.net myoung@mainstay.net

864-630-8282 info@envisiondatasolutions.com

864-242-9275

www.ctsgreenville.com computer_ser vice@bellsouth.net

Dale Gilstrap 2001 8 Y

Jim Mcburnett, Gordon A. Lewis 1998 8 1 Y

Cloud-based and on-premise NEC phone systems, structured wiring, end-to-end network design and implementation, cloud ser vices, managed ser vices, AV installation, sur veillance cameras, access control

Desktop support, LAN and WAN ser vice and support. Network cabling to include fiber optic installation. Carrier sales and ser vice, hosted voice and premise-based voice systems. Cisco networking partner for sales and ser vice.

Mark Schreiber 2010 8 Y Independent security planning and design ser vices assessments, sur veys, master technology planning security, telecommunications engineering

Danny D. Duncan 2007 7 Y

Dennis Cockrell 2011

L. Brantley Richardson 2004

6 Y

6 N

Software development in PHP, RPG, .net, web applications and document management on various platforms, complete IT ser vices for IBM Power i, iSeries and heritage AS/400 and System 36

Managed technology ser vices, network security, network design, IT help desk, cloud ser vices, business continuity and disaster recover y, email security, ransomware remediation and prevention

Day-to-day management, proactive ser vices, 24/7 monitoring, repair, antivirus, remote and onsite ser vice, managed growth, updates, backup, management of computer and IT systems

Raymond Teaster 1995 6 N Consulting-automation projects, computer systems integration

Matt M. Foster 1995 5 Y High-speed internet, T-1, DSL, fiber, cable, local phone ser vices, long-distance ser vices, international ser vices, LANs, WANs, video sur veillance, SIP, hosted ser vices and VoIP telephone systems

5

Jack M. Marks 1995 5 -

Y Certified document translation, website and software localization, technical translation, construction and engineering content translation ser vices

Live streaming; corporate, broadcast and legal video production; custom product delivered via DVD, TV or internet; script writing; satellite news feeds; HD location shooting and editing

Kevin Tapp 1989 4 Y Business telephone systems, VoIP installation and ser vice, computers, routers, switches, managed ser vices, UCaaS, ITaaS, Baas, consulting, National Ser vice

Don Brown 1992 4 Y Order fulfillment systems for companies in the decorated apparel and decorated products industr y

Robbie Johnson, Rima St. Clair 2011 4 Y VoIP phones, cloud ser vices, school intercoms, overhead paging, fiber cabling, structured cabling, call boxes, panic alerts, synchronized clocks and message displays, sound masking; hospitals, schools, industrial, SMB

Donald Webb 1992 4 Y MSP and custom software for the medical field

John M. Hoyt 2009 3 Y Full-ser vice SMB IT consultant; sales and support for small and medium businesses

Jere Davis, Mark Young 1992 3 Y

Gregg Brabham 2009 2 1 Y

Greg S. McCraney 1999 2 Y

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 ever y effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to Listresearch@Bridgetowermedia.com.

• 1 2022 data.

Computer support, network design and maintenance, databases, accounting software support, website hosting and development, domain name registration

More than 20 years of Oracle and SQLSer ver tuning, maintenance and design consulting; payroll and ERP support and integration

Multiple phases of information technology; upgrades, virus removal, emergency repair; PC repair, Mac repairs, sale new and used laptops and desktops, custom built gaming desktops, data backup and restoration ser vices

Researched by Business Report staff

Prisma Health brings emergency room back to Travelers Rest

Staff Report

An emergency room is available again in Travelers Rest.

Prisma Health re-opened the emergency department at its North Greenville Hospital at 7 a.m. on March 27 in a public-private partnership between Prisma Health and Greenville County.

In September, the county approved $13.49 million in one-time federal COVID-19 relief funds to help re-open the emergency department, which had been closed in 2020 when the hospital was used as a COVID unit. Prisma Health had been most recently using the space at 807 N. Main St. in Travelers Rest as a walkin primary care unit to address urgent care needs, according to a Prisma Health news release.

“Prisma Health is committed to meeting the health care needs of the communities we serve, and we are excited about offering emergency services in North Greenville,” Prisma Health Chief Operating Officer Clarence Sevillian said in the news release. “This reopening is possible because of this partnership between Green-

ville County and Prisma Health, and our shared commitment to encourage the health and wellbeing of all people in the North Greenville community.”

Dan Tripp, chairman of the Greenville County Council, said, “This major investment by the county in the Prisma Health North Greenville Hospital Emergency Department ensures that residents will have convenient

Security System Providers

access to 24/7 emergency department care. This public-private partnership is a wonderful example of how a community can come together to find creative solutions.”

The ED space has been extensively re-upfitted and updated. It features eight patient treatment rooms, including a critical-care trauma room, new medical equipment, updated comput-

er and IT support and expanded ambulance bay. The Emergency Department will be open 24/7 and be staffed by board-certified emergency medicine physicians, acute care trained nurses, paramedics, respiratory therapists and paramedics, the release said.

“We’re proud to offer close-by emergency department care to our community and will continue our efforts to invest in the expansion of health care beyond the ED walls, continuing our commitment to expanding primary care options in the community,” Adrienne Talbert, COO of the North Greenville Hospital and Greenville Memorial Hospital campuses, said in the release.

Walk-in Care North Greenville, which had been located in the ED footprint post-COVID, will re-open in a larger space on the North Greenville Hospital campus in the spring. The expanded primary-care space will allow for an additional four exam rooms, with recruitment already underway for an additional two providers. Prisma Health Travelers Rest Family Medicine is also recruiting for more providers. Prisma Health also sponsors health-awareness events in Travelers Rest.

Access control, biometrics, CCTV, design and consulting, emergency notification, equipment sales, installation, IP video sur veillance, low-voltage systems, perimeter security, phone backup, ser vice and repair, system integration, wireless cameras

Access control, biometrics, burglar alarm and detection, CCTV, design and consulting, emergency notification, equipment sales, fire alarm and detection, flood alarm and detection, installation, IP video sur veillance, locks, safes, vaults, low-voltage systems, medical and call systems, monitoring, perimeter security, phone backup, ser vice and repair, system integration, UL certification, voice-based evacuation, wireless cameras

29615

Convergint Technologies LLC 297 Garlington Road, Unit H Greenville, SC 29615

GenX Security Solutions 1326 Piedmont Highway Piedmont, SC 29673

864-672-0273 www.a3communications.com sales@a3communications.com

864-576-2853 www.convergint.com

864-244-1404 www.genxsecurity.com wendy@genxsecurity.com

Dave Lewis, Brian Thomas, Scott Grainger 1990

Tom Warner Todd Smith 2001 25

Access control, biometrics, CCTV, design and consulting, emergency notification, equipment sales, installation, IP video sur veillance, low-voltage systems, perimeter security, ser vice and repair, system integration, wireless cameras

Access control, biometrics, burglar alarm and detection, CCTV, design and consulting, emergency notification, equipment sales, fire alarm and detection, flood alarm and detection, installation, IP video sur veillance, locks, safes, vaults, low-voltage systems, medical and call systems, monitoring, perimeter security, ser vice and repair, system integration, UL certification, voice-based evacuation, wireless cameras

Access control, burglar alarm and detection, CCTV, design and consulting, emergency notification, equipment sales, fire alarm and detection, flood alarm and detection, installation, IP video sur veillance, locks, safes, vaults, low-voltage systems, medical and call systems, monitoring, perimeter security, phone backup, ser vice and repair, system integration, voice-based evacuation, wireless cameras

Access control, biometrics, burglar alarm and detection, CCTV, design and consulting, fire alarm and detection, installation, IP video sur veillance, low-voltage systems, medical and call systems, monitoring, perimeter security, ser vice and repair, system integration

Access control, biometrics, burglar alarm and detection, CCTV, design and consulting, emergency notification, equipment sales, installation, IP video sur veillance, low-voltage systems, monitoring, perimeter security, phone backup, ser vice and repair, system integration, voice-based evacuation, wireless cameras Safeguards Consulting Inc.

Access control, biometrics,

Suite

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 ever y effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to Listresearch@Bridgetowermedia.com.

1 2022 data.

Dr. William Jackson leads part of a tour of the emergency room for community leaders who got a preview last week. (Photo/Provided)

Business Digest At Work

FastFetch granted patent

Seneca software company FastFetch Corp. said it received a patent on a strategy that uses artifi cial intelligence to select the optimal carton for shipping a collection of multiple items of different sizes and shapes. The strategy, marketed under the name IntelliPack, enables orders to be shipped using fewer and smaller cartons while slashing shipping costs, corrugated materials usage, dunnage and labor, the company said in a news release. IntelliPack uses artifi cial intelligence to analyze alternative ways in which items can be shipped positioned inside a car-

Rose Ball announces beneficiaries

The Charity Ball Board of Greenville announced beneficiaries of the 27th Rose Ball on Sept. 22 at the Poinsett Club in Greenville. Following tradition, 50% of proceeds benefit Bon Secours St. Francis Health System. This year, Bon Secours St. Francis will direct these funds toward the St. Francis Cancer Center’s $1.8 million project to bolster its Cancer Program. The remaining proceeds will be to Cancer Society of Greenville County, Conestee Nature Preserve, Fostering Great Ideas, Greenville Free Medical Clinic, Greenville Literacy Association, Greenville Tech Foundation, Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County, OnTrack Greenville, RIZE Prevention, Roper Mountain Science Center, Safe Harbor, The Children’s Museum of the Upstate, The Family Effect, United Ministries and the Washington High School Alumnae Association. For more information or to reserve tickets, visit http://www.theroseball.org/.

ton and chooses the smallest suitable carton from an inventory of premade cartons.

People in the News

ADVERTISING, MARKETING & PR

cial Planner designation, having completed the CFP Certification Exam. Mathis joined Jeter Hrubala Wealth Strategies in 2018.

Eaton gives $5,000 to Greenwood Genetic Center

Eaton Corp. presented $5,000 to the Greenwood Genetic Center Foundation to support technology advancement in the center’s diagnostic laboratories. The gift will fund acquisition of a FlexSTAR instrument that allows for fully automated DNA extraction and isolation. Greenwood Genetic Center is a nonprofit organization working to advance the field of medical genetics and caring for families impacted by genetic disease and birth defects.

Anderson University announced a newly created partnership with AnMed for the AnMed Sports Medicine Center, a new clinic that will be part of AU’s Trojan Football Operations Center under construction on its Williamston Road campus in Anderson. AnMed will oversee the medical services of AU’s new Sports Medicine Center. With the addition of football, Anderson University sponsors 21 sports and will include nearly 500 student-athletes by next spring.

Greenville Tech selected for Gates Foundation project

Greenville Technical College said it is one of 250 institutions selected to be part of the Intermediaries for Scale (IFS) initiative, a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-funded effort aimed at helping higher education institutions achieve more equitable student outcomes. Greenville Tech is one of four technical colleges in South Carolina working with Complete College America, an organization committed to helping 80 institutions over the next five years understand the unique needs of every student and build clear, supportive pathways to graduation. As a first step, participating institutions administer an Institutional Transformation Assessment, a tool that measures how the campus community perceives the institution is performing in moving the student success needle. After the survey results are in, an institutional leadership team is identified and decisions are made about priorities and next steps.

See BUSINESS DIGEST, Page 38

Infinity Marketing promoted Brandon Godwin to vice president of strategy. He joined Infinity in 2022 as the senior director of strategy and business development with 15 years of experience in digital marketing leadership and consulting.

Hughes Agency hired Kristen George as graphic design coordinator. George previously worked at The Cargo Agency.

Infinity Marketing promoted Shannon Nissen to director of client services. Nissen joined Infinity in 2015 as a marketing assistant and had previously been promoted to supervisor and manager.

ARTS

The Warehouse Theatre hired Reagan Thompson as director of development. Thompson previously worked in fundraising for the ETV Endowment of South Carolina and the Weston Theatre Co.

BANKING & FINANCE

Countybank appointed Rufus Thornwell “Wells” Dunlap V senior vice president and senior operations officer. Dunlap joined Countybank in 2013 as a commercial credit analyst and in 2019 was elected vice president and transitioned to the business development team as a commercial lender.

The Greenville Chamber of Commerce named Wagner Wealth Management’s Hayden Turlington its Young Professional of the Year. Turlington is chairwoman of the Greenville Young Republicans and a violinist with the Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra. She’s also in her third year as marketing chair for the Greenville Young Professionals Advisory Council, as well as the Christian Learning Center’s Charisma Young Professionals Club.

Countybank hired Ron Acker as vice president and professional and executive banking relationship manager in Greenville. Acker previously was an agent owner for Allstate.

Countybank appointed Christopher Kidwell as banking officer. by the Countybank Board of Directors. He joined Countybank in 2018 and is consumer and business relationship manager.

CONSTRUCTION

Lima One Capital hired Robert Greenberg to develop and launch a new lender finance partnership channel for private money lenders and mortgage brokers. Greenberg has a 30-year career in real estate investment private lending.

Jeter Hrubala Wealth Strategies LLC announced that Senior Financial Adviser Becca Mathis earned the Certified Finan-

Oak Developers hired Jamie McCutchen as a project manager and

AU partners with AnMed for sports clinic

Red

Godwin George

Nissen

Thompson

Greenberg Mathis

Turlington

Acker Kidwell McCutchen

Smith

evergreen2023.eventbrite.com.

Audacy adds midday talk show

Audacy announced the launch of a new midday news talk show on 106.3 WORD (WYRD-FM) in Greenville. The station expands Bill Frady’s “LockNLoad” Sunday show to “Straight Talk with Bill Frady,” weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon. Frady has been a voice on WYRD-FM since 2015 as a fill-in host for Tara Servatius, Bob McLain and Charlie James, as well as the host of the Sunday evening show, “LockNLoad with Billy Frady.” He is a military veteran with a martial arts background.

Modjoul, Life & Safety announce partnership

Greenville-based companies Modjoul and Life & Safety Consultants announced a partnership to provide additional services to clients. Terms were not released. Modjoul develops safety wearables and other technologies and provides data analysis to build safe workplaces. Life & Safety Consultants provides workplace safety consulting services and environmental, health, and safety regulatory compliance, risk management and safety management systems.

Charity pro-am tickets now on sale

Tickets for the 2023 BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by TD Synnex are now available to the public at bmwcharitygolf.com. This year’s tournament will be June 5-11 at Thornblade Club in Greer and The Carolina Country Club in Spartanburg. The event features celebrities paired with professional golfers on the Korn Ferry Tour. Funds raised from tournament programs, including tickets sales, volunteer hours and Birdies for Charity, have allowed the BMW Charity Pro-Am to donate more than $15 million in funds to charities in the Upstate.

Upstate Forever announces awards luncheon

Upstate Forever announced the annual ForeverGreen Awards Luncheon will be April 24 at the Embassy Suites on Verdae Boulevard in Greenville. The luncheon recognizes contributions to conservation and sustainable growth. Award recipients this year include R. Glenn Hilliard, Dr. Joab M. Lesesne, Ben Duncan and state Rep. Chandra E. Dillard. Tickets for the luncheon are available at for-

EDUCATION

Power:Ed donates to GirlUp GVL

Local nonprofit GirlUp GVL said it received $50,000 from Power:Ed, a philanthropy of SC Student Loan Corpo. Funds will support 70 area high school girls with resources needed to succeed in school and in life. The grant supports weekly enrichment classes, individual success planning, academic support, internships, leadership groups in-school, and more.

Greenville Chamber’s Small Business of the Year for 2022. Furman University graduate Kamber Parker founded the YoPro Know in 2019 as a way to connect with and serve young professionals looking to get more out of their careers. The virtual platform has reached a global audience by sharing personal and professional struggles and success stories of YoPros, young professionals in their 20s and 30s who work in various industries across the country. In 2021, The YoPro Know expanded to adding consulting services specializing in helping businesses increase their young professional recruitment, engagement, and retention efforts.

High

Spirits opens

The

405

Bradley Smith as an entitlement consultant. McCutchen is a professional engineer with 30 years of land development experience. Smith has technology experience with knowledge in land acquisition for commercial and residential development projects.

Messer Inc. announced the appointment of Womble Bond Dickinson CEO Elizabeth “Betty” Temple to its board of directors. Temple has been CEO of Womble Bond Dickinson LLP since 2016 and also serves as co-chair of the board of directors of Womble Bond Dickinson (International) Limited.

HOSPITALITY

Group Therapy Pub & Playground hired Brandi Manley. She has lead private event teams in Greenville for the last 15 years.

INSURANCE

Illumifin appointed Blake Bostwick COO. Bostwick joins illumifin after a 20-year career at Transamerica, most recently as CEO of Transamerica’s individual solutions division.

Jenn Bell, Converse University director of athletics, received a Cushman & Wakefield Athletic Director of the Year Award in NCAA Division II from the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. She will be recognized at a national convention in June.

Clemson University presented Vanguard Awards to Max Metcalf, manager of government and community relations at BMW Manufacturing Co.; Tiffane Thompson Davis, chief diversity and inclusion officer at Michelin North America; Alice Co. Chairman and Clemson Trustee Smyth McKissick of the Ellison S. and Noel P. McKissick Foundation; and Craig Brown, president and owner of the Greenville Drive, for the ongoing support of the Men of Color National Summit.

Kevin McMindes, Greenville Technical College’s research and planning administrator, received Best Paper Award from the Southern Association for Institutional Research for his conference presentation

YoPro named Chamber’s Small Business of the Year

The YoPro Know has been named the

titled, “Putting Student Success Initiatives on the Map: A framework to inform effectiveness and efficiency.”

The South Carolina Technical Education Association recognized three employees from Greenville Technical College (GTC) as Educators of the Year. Chris Satterfield was recognized in the faculty category. He serves as director of the planning and transfer headquarters and teaches marketing and academic connections classes. Tanisha Latimer was recognized in the administrator category. Latimer is dean of enrollment services. Scherron Campbell was recognized in the staff category. Campbell works in the GTC Testing Center, administering professional certification and course exams.

Brian McKay, president and CEO of Spero Financial, has been named to Anderson University’s Board of Trust.

ENGINEERING

High Spirits Hospitality said it opened The 405, an 11,500-squarefoot indoor venue with an attached 3,000-square-foot covered patio along the banks of the Reedy River in downtown Greenville. High Spirits Hospitality has been temporarily using the space at 405 Westfield, which is the single-story building with white brick walls along the Swamp Rabbit Trail. The 405 will offer flexible catering options and can host up to 800 attendees.

Thomas & Hutton promoted Kevin Shoemake to vice president of inland civil/site development overseeing civil departments in Greenville and Columbia. With T&H for 26 years, Shoemake also serves as Upstate regional director. Ryan Page was promoted to Greenville civil department manager following Shoemake’s transition. Joining T&H in 2014, Ryan has more than 15 years of experience with land development and infrastructure design.

NONPROFITS

South Carolina Charities Inc. added Andrew ‘Andy’ B. Cajka Jr. and Todd Horne to its board of directors. Cajka is the founder and president of Southern Hospitality Group LLC. Horne is president of Clayton Construction Co. Inc.

Inspire Agency President and CEO Juliette Bogus joined the board of directors for SC Thrive.

The InnoVision Awards executive committee for 2023 is Chair Cian Robinson, founder and president of Robinson Ventures; Vice Chair and Chair-Elect Kella Player, program manager of academic innovations at SC Research Authority; VP Cody Reynolds, intellectual property and commercialization director at Prisma Health; Treasurer Jay Gibson, of Elliott Davis; and past chair Amy Robichaud, ecosystem collaborator and retired managing director at Deloitte.

BUSINESS DIGEST, from Page 37

PEOPLE, from Page 37

Temple

Bostwick

Bell McMindes

Mckay

Shoemake Page

Viewpoint

AND READERS’ LETTERS

How to meet the threat posed by ‘walking dead’ records

It is tempting to dismiss zombies as a popular feature of apocalyptic movies

– think of Brad Pitt in “World War Z” – but a particular kind of “walking dead” zombie, phantom records and accounts, can represent a real threat to businesses. However, working with an experienced cybersecurity consultant and following some relatively painless cyber-hygiene steps may offer a defense against these onslaughts.

The strategy of resurrecting dead records to mount attacks is a common phenomenon and may involve long-buried assets, like credentials that ex-employees still possess; old unused credit accounts at a retailer; a magazine subscription that lapsed a long time ago; or even an account at a professional services firm that is out of business or otherwise is no longer being used. These dormant accounts are easy targets for hackers since they are not active-

ly monitored and have not been used by their owners for extended periods. But they still retain important data, including credit card numbers, passwords, personally identifiable information and other sensitive intelligence that, like Hollywood zombies, can be reanimated by hackers and sold on the Dark Web — the hidden segment of internet sites that can only be accessed with a specialized web browser.

Through data dumps, cyber criminals routinely post volumes of stolen records on the Dark Web, putting up passwords or personal information that can be used for phishing and other attacks designed to get innocent users to click on infected sites or take other actions that can expose them to a cyber-attack. This kind of ambush can easily snare users who are not aware that their personal information and other data are up for sale and actively traded by the underworld.

To keep a business safe from zombies, unused accounts should be identified and deleted or disabled. Software should be updated, and all user accounts should be password protected. Business owners may also consider engaging a cybersecu-

rity managed services provider that offers Dark Web monitoring services, which use a combination of human and sophisticated intelligence search capabilities to identify, analyze and proactively hunt the Dark Web for compromised or stolen employee and customer data. This way, if a business is alerted that email addresses, account numbers or other phantom information is appearing on the Dark Web, passwords can be modified and other corrective actions can be taken.

For example, every user in a business ecosystem should have a unique password made up of a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and other characters. Once developed, these secure passwords should not be reused, and they should not be written down. Instead, a password manager or a software application like ITGlue or Passportal’s N-able can store and manage online credentials, generating passwords that are usually stored in an encrypted database that itself is locked behind a master password. With this secure approach, a legitimate user only has to remember a single password.

Powerful passwords can also be reinforced with multifactor authentication. This critical cybersecurity tool bolsters the sign-in process by sending a secondary, additional identity verification – like scanning a fingerprint or entering a code received by a mobile phone or another device – to the user. So even if a criminal manages to harvest a zombie or other password, they will be blocked by the second-step MFA protocol.

Zombie accounts can place businesses and other organizations at risk, but launching a proactive and comprehensive suite of defenses can help to put these threats back in the grave while keeping personal and financial information safe and secure.

Carl Mazzanti is president of eMazzanti Technologies in Hoboken, N.J.

Write: Ross Norton, Editor SC Biz News

35B Cessna Court Greenville, S.C. 29607

MAZZANTI