GSA Business Report - May 9, 2022 by SC Biz News

VOLUME 25 NUMBER 8 ■ GSABUSINESS.COM

Fueling a better life

Green energy company grows into regional player. Page 14

Give them Liberty’s space

It’s new life for a former tap room at West End. Page 8

Country medicine

Health systems struggle to provide medicine in rural areas. Page 10

Another charge for a CEO Milliken chief tapped to lead national group. Page 21

network

MAY 9-MAY 22, 2022 ■ $2.25

Consortium secures grant to train electric vehicle workforce Clemson’s graduate program in mechanical engineering has been guiding students to careers through Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research for 20 years. (Photo/Clemson University)

By Ross Norton

rnorton@scbiznews.com

rident Technical College took the lead on a grant to form a consortium that its members hope will create the next generation of innovation and talent for the electric vehicle industry. The consortium, called Collaborative Research: REVVED, for Revolutionizing Electric Vehicle Education, will receive $2.83

million from the National Science Foundation to fund the project. A growing need to develop a workforce that can build and service electric and autonomous vehicles, as well as develop the cybersecurity to protect them, is the driving force behind the effort, according to a news release. Even if they’re not making electrified vehicles in South Carolina, all of the automakers with plants in the state are manufacturing electric somewhere or conducting R&D to

that end. BMW Manufacturing in Greer has a production line for batteries on site. Spartanburg County’s next automaker, Oshkosh Defense, will make a mix of gas and electric vehicles for the U.S. Postal Service; a company called Arrival, based in Charlotte, is building an electric vehicle plant in York County; and the electric city buses made by Proterra are partially assembled in Greenville. See REVVED, Page 12

Department stores evolve, consolidate in digital age

INSIDE

Leading Off........................... 2 SC Biz News Briefs................. 3 C-Suite................................. 4 In Focus: Life Sciences........ 13 LIST: Life Science Cos.......... 18 At Work............................... 19 Viewpoint............................23

Part of the

By Molly Hulsey

mhulsey@scbiznews.com

hree years into a pandemic some feared would bring death to the department store, behemoths of former Sears properties still litter the state’s shopping malls, empty and silent after shuttering in 2018 and 2020. Belk’s fulfillment center in Union County, once a growing economic boon to the rural

county, laid off 310 employees and closed its doors on April 30. And while store openings outpaced closings for the first time since 2014 in 2021, according to Colliers International’s 2022 Retail Outlook, those stores were smaller than they ever had been before at an average of 3,000 square feet. “I haven’t heard of, even a hint, of some department store that’s going to occupy a new 900,000-square-foot building,” Rox Pol-

In Focus Specialty spice

Common kitchen ingredient may hold key to more efficient, safer fuel cells Page 13

lard, Collier’s vice president of retail services in South Carolina, told SC Biz News. But not everything is as it seems — at least for the department store brands able to flex and adapt. Macy’s, one of the highest performing department stores in the nation, has seen revenue climb from $19.64 billion in 2019 to $25.29 billion in 2022 — and continues to See RETAIL, Page 12

Leading Off

BRIEFS | FACTS | STATEWIDE NEWS | C-SUITE

Life sciences taking root in South Carolina

ou may have been hearing a lot of excitement expressed in the last couple of years about the growth of South Carolina’s life science sector. There is a good reason for the excitement. Not only is it growth in the form of new investment and more jobs, but it’s an increase in jobs that pay well. According to SCBIO, the annual employment growth within the life science industry core since 2010 has averaged 2.7% compared to 1.4% in all sectors. The industry has done remarkably well during the pandemic, growing 26.4%, while the overall jobs picture lost a little ground between 2017 and 2020. It’s a $25.7 billion economic impact — not too shabby for an industry that, not so long ago, many of us didn’t even know was here.

30,731 employees across 1,033 firms in the S.C. life science industry Projected Industry Growth for S.C. Life Science Core from 2018-2028

Production, Construction and Maintenance :

32.9%

Other Support Services :

31.7%

High-Tech R&D : Transportation :

25.7% 7.9%

Research, testing and medical laboratories

18.4%

Bioscience-related distribution : Agricultural products

Drugs and pharmaceuticals

Medical devices and equipment :

11.2% 7.5% 7.4% 2.5%

Sources: The Economic Impact of South Carolina’s Life Science Industry: A Statewide and Regional Analysis, SCBIO Life Sciences Industry by Joseph Von Nessen

ON THE

RECORD

“We’re giving them real-world experiences to connect them out of game, but making them fun, making them exciting to align with the in-game play.” — Tina Zwolinski, CEO of SkillsGapp and founder of life science educational app RadLab Page 16

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May 9-May 22, 2022

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SC Biz News Briefs

HELP DRIVE THE UPSTATE TO A BRIGHTER FUTURE JUNE 6–12, 2022

Bierkeller Columbia plans to open Columbia’s first riverfront brewery and biergarten in the fourth quarter of this year. (Rendering/Provided)

COLUMBIA

Melinda Waldrop, Columbia Regional Business Report

Columbia’s 1st riverfront brewery opens this year Columbia’s first riverfront brewery is expected to open in the fourth quarter of this year. Bierkeller Brewing Co., which has brewed traditional German beer out of Swamp Cabbage Brewery since 2015 and has regularly played host to seasonal pop-up beer gardens, is opening a full-production brewing facility, biergarten and restaurant at the CanalSide Plaza at Sola Station along the Historic Columbia Canal. “It’s exciting,” Bierkeller owner and founder Scott Burgess told the Columbia Regional Business Report. “We’re putting ourselves in a pioneering position in a lot of ways. The riverfront, as much as everyone talks about the potential for development, we learned still has a lot of hurdles. This presented really the best opportunity in a space that’s already there that’s very close to what we’re known for.” The brewery and biergarten will take up a large portion of the ground-floor retail space at mixed-use development Sola Station, with glass windows facing the water and tables planned along the esplanade. “We’re pouring concrete floors and building it from the ground up,” said Burgess, who said an adjacent space is an option for a future catering and private event setup. Mashburn Construction will be the contractor; Sherer & Associates is the architect. “We are always thrilled to see our local businesses grow, thrive and prosper,” Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann said in a news release from Bierkeller. “Bierkeller has successfully made the leap from ‘pop-up’ event to full-fledged brick-and-mortar establishment and will now be able to produce their own products in-house. This location at CanalSide is going to grow in a hurry, and we are excited to watch their journey as they lead the way to more riverfront growth and development.” Covered and surface parking will be available onsite in the CanalSide garage, which has nearly 500 spaces, as well as spaces at Riverfront Park, a site of Bierkeller pop-up gardens for years. This spring, Bierkeller is holding the pop-up events on the Saluda River off Candy Lane because of one of several obstacles Burgess confronted in the search for a permanent riverfront space. “There are areas that will flood,” he said. “There are areas that are currently zoned as recreational by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that present an extra hurdle, and those power lines run the entire length of the Columbia side. … There are some historic things, with plans with USC down near Williams Street. The Guignards have been involved and own a lot of the property and have a vision for it that they want to see. … It started to sink in to me why it’s taken quite a while for something like this to happen.”

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

FAST. UNFILTERED. FRESH.

GSABizWire.com

Dedicated to serving up business announcements fast & unfiltered.

Get your message in front of the top decision-makers in the Upstate as they stay up-to-date on the people and businesses making moves in the Upstate.

GLOBAL NONPROFIT HIRES NEW REGIONAL DIRECTOR

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Part of the

MAY 9-22, 2022 ■ $2.25

network

Prisma Health takes services into rural hospital void

APRIL 25-MAY 15, 2022 ■ $2.25

network

On the move

Deal reached

Pet food manufacturer expanding headquarters. Page 3

Prisma Health Midlands to pay $1 million to resolve claims of violations. Page 4

By Molly Hulsey

F Taste of NYC

Congaree Point

Lauded NYC bar opening location in Charleston. Page 6

New affordable senior housing development coming to Columbia. Page 8

Electric innovation

Cyber champs

ECPI Columbia campus’ cyber security team wins national competition. Page 9

Giving back

Midlands Gives online charitable event returns for ninth year next month. Page 10

End of an era

Leadership Columbia-led improvements to Transitions Homeless Center include the pouring of a concrete pad to be used for a basketball court. (Photo/Provided)

Improvements brighten surroundings at Transitions Homeless Center By Melinda Waldrop

INSIDE

Upfront ................................ 2 SC Biz News Briefs ................ 3 In Focus: Architecture, Engineering and Construction .......................................... 13 List: Landscape Architecture Firms ................................ 20 At Work .............................. 21 Viewpoint ...........................23

Consortium to train next-gen industry talent. Page 7

BUILDING ON HOPE T

mwaldrop@scbiznews.com

he small concrete slab that will serve as a basketball court may not seem like much, but Craig Currey has been coveting it for a decade. The recently poured concrete is part of the improvements made to Transitions Homeless Center by the 2022 class of Leadership Columbia, an annual community outreach program through the Columbia Chamber of Commerce.

“I’ve been trying to get that basketball pad for 10 years,” said Currey, CEO of Transitions. The downtown homeless shelter at 2025 Main St. serves clients referred from partnering agencies in Richland, Lexington, Fairfield, Chester, Lancaster, Newberry, York, Calhoun, Orangeburg, Bamberg, Allendale, Barnwell and Aiken counties. It has applied for several years to be chosen as the leadership development program’s collaborative class project — seven to be exact, said Currey — but hadn’t made the cut until this year. “We were very happy. It is work to apply for

this,” Currey said. “You have to explain what you want. You have to come up with a valid project that they want to do. I had a staff member in the past who would each year beg me not to do this, because she was doing the work and she felt we were not going to get picked. She’s gone now, but I knew eventually we’d get picked, and this really has been very helpful.” The Leadership Columbia class has also pressure-washed buildings on the Transitions campus, spruced up flower beds in its courtSee TRANSITIONS, Page 14

COLUMBIA UNDER CONSTRUCTION Who is building what in the Columbia area? Projects, companies, prices, projected timelines, photos and stories. Page 17

ColumbiaBusinessReport.com

Borden Dairy closing North Charleston plant. Page 11

INSIDE

OPEN FOR BUSINESS

Walmart associates, S.C. business leaders and elected officials gathered on April 22 to celebrate the grand opening of the Ridgeville Import Distribution Center in Dorchester County. (Photo/Provided)

Walmart distribution center ready in Ridgeland By Alexandria Ng

Upfront ................................ 2 SC Biz News Briefs ................ 3 Small Business Spotlight ....... 4 In Focus: Life Sciences ....... 13 List: Life Science Companies .......................................... 19 At Work ............................. 20 Viewpoint ...........................23

ang@scbiznews.com

the occasion, with leaders such as Gov. Henry McMaster and S.C. Ports President and CEO Jim Newsome in attendance. Also presenting at the event were Mike Gray, senior vice president of Walmart’s supply chain operations; Jeff Holzbauer, general manager of the Walmart Import Distribution Center; John Furner, president and CEO of Walmart U.S., who spoke via video. “Our team of more than 980 associates from Dorchester County and the surrounding comSee WALMART, Page 8

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

SCBIZNEWS.COM MAY/JUNE 2022

mhulsey@scbiznews.com

ew physicians choose to work in South Carolina’s rural communities, and relatively few have the opportunity to do so. Out of the 90 health care facilities across the state, only 14 hospitals operate in the rural regions that make up much of South Carolina. Four of the 14 are federally certified as Critical Access Hospitals, according to the South Carolina Office of Rural Health. And the number appears to be shrinking, as more than 30% of all rural hospitals across the United States are at risk of closing in the near future, according to the Center for Health Care Quality and Payment Reform. Three rural hospitals have closed over the past decade in the state in Barnwell, Bamberg and Winnsboro, while 10 suffer from a negative total profit margins of up to minus-43%, according to data from the University of North Carolina’s Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research. Prisma Health Oconee Memorial Hospital’s profit margin was at negative 10.3% over the past three years, while the Medical University of South Carolina’s Lancaster Medical Center was negative43.2% during the same time period. Self Regional Healthcare’s Edgefield County Healthcare, Allendale County Hospital and Tidelands Health in Georgetown are also in the red when it comes to patient services. The Upstate’s Union Medical Center, also in the red for all profits, has lost out on 25 cents for every dollar spent at the

VOLVO’S ROAD AHEAD What’s next for Ridgeville

HOMEGROWN

Putting SC’s oyster industry on the map

See RURAL HEALTH , Page 16

Specialty spice

Common kitchen ingredient may hold key to more efficient, safer fuel cells Page 18

CharlestonBusiness.com

A supplement to Charleston Regional Business Journal, Columbia Regional Business Report and GSA Business Report

SCBIZmag.com

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May 9-May 22, 2022

UPSTATE NEWSROOM Editor - Ross Norton rnorton@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1222 Staff Writer - Molly Hulsey mhulsey@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1223 Associate Editor, Custom Publishing Division Jim Tatum jtatum@scbiznews.com • 864.720.2269 MIDLANDS NEWSROOM Editor - Melinda Waldrop mwaldrop@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7542 LOWCOUNTRY NEWSROOM Editor, Custom Publishing Division -

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A View From The C-Suite Bob Nitto | President | South Carolina Charities Inc. THE BEST ADVICE I’VE EVER RECEIVED

SCCI is the non-profit foundation of the BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by TD Synnex. Our

Look beyond the horizon and be willing to

core mission is to give back to Upstate charities, and we are proud to have distributed more

leave your day-to-day comfort zone; it will

than $14.3 million in charitable funds since 2001.

open up new possibilities in the future.

WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU COULD GIVE? Listen more than you speak. During my career, I found that listening more led

South Carolina’s Media Engine for Economic Growth

WHAT DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION DO?

to better outcomes as all sides could be considered in any decision.

Group Publisher - Rick Jenkins

WHAT SPECIAL CHALLENGES HAS THE PANDEMIC BROUGHT TO THIS EVENT? We have overcome a number of challenges, from adding new health and safety protocols to implementing a mobile ticketing system and increasing online communications.

LITTLE KNOWN FACT ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION We will soon be the only zero waste and carbon-neutral tournament on the PGA Tour. We will be planting 2,080 trees through a partnership with TreesUpstate.

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As president of South Carolina Charities Inc., I serve in an advisory role to the tournament Director of Advertising - Robert Reilly

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May 9-May 22, 2022

www.gsabusiness.com 5

Wyche partners with Conestee Nature Preserve Staff Report

gsanews@scbiznews.com

he law firm Wyche has entered a partnership with Conestee Nature Preserve to develop the state’s first “nature playscape.” It is the firm’s second Centennial Legacy Project, a year-long initiative to celebrate the 100-year-old firm’s history of legal and community leadership. Designed to expand access and opportunities for children to interact with the preserve’s environmentally significant greenspace and wildlife, the concept reimagines the playground experience, replacing traditional equipment with creatively designed features constructed from nature, according to a news release. This playground without playground equipment is meant to encourage children to connect with nature as they engage their senses to explore, discover and learn. Additionally, the nature playscape will be built using sustainable methods to reduce environmental impact and carbon footprint. “The Conestee Nature Preserve nature playscape will provide children with the opportunity to build log and stick forts and climb through vine tunnels, created from materials found in the preserve,” Michael

Corley, executive director of Conestee Nature Preserve, said in the release. “And the playscape will be discreetly fenced in, so parents can let their kids get wet and muddy in the man-made stream, in a controlled, yet natural setting. We’re excited to partner with Wyche to offer this access to families in the Upstate.” The Conestee Nature Preserve nature playscape will add Greenville to a list of cities providing unique access to childhood environmental exploration, the release said. San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, St. Louis’s Forest Park, and Kalamazoo’s Bronson Park are among the list of similar playgrounds to engage children. The law firm’s dedication to the natural environment goes way back. The late Tommy Wyche was recognized as a visionary who used his legal skills to secure and preserve thousands of acres of pristine forestlands in South Carolina. “Increasing access and opportunities for enjoying and exploring nature is in Wyche’s DNA,” Rita Bolt Barker, shareholder and environmental attorney at Wyche P.A., said in the release. “It’s impossible to celebrate Wyche’s century of existence without honoring our legacy of environmental stewardship. The Conestee Nature Preserve nature playscape is a unique opportunity to inspire

Lake Conestee draws a myriad number of bird species, including the Great Blue Heron, which nests in the preserve’s rookery (on the left), and birders seeking to capture them on camera. (Photo/Molly Hulsey)

future generations of environmental conservationists and outdoor enthusiasts, while also supporting an initiative that provides equitable access to nature for children, aiding in the developmental benefits associated with experiencing the outdoors.” The Conestee Nature Preserve playscape joins the Greenville Center for Creative Arts “City of Women” exhibit as projects Wyche has selected for the Centennial Legacy Project initiative.

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Throughout its centennial celebration, Wyche will support projects across the state that advance four pillars that that firm says have defined Wyche and that continue to form its vision for the future: advancing the business community, societal impact, community transformation, and environmental stewardship. Wyche has offices in Greenville, Spartanburg, and Columbia, and is the South Carolina member of Lex Mundi, an association of independent law firms.

www.gsabusiness.com

May 9-May 22, 2022

Pickleball, restored bridge planned for Powdersville park By Molly Hulsey

mhulsey@scbiznews.com

ne of the Upstate’s swiftest-growing towns isn’t even a town at all. Just behind Central, Mauldin and Greer, Powdersville has grown by 32% over the past decade, according to U.S. Census data. Only a few minutes from downtown Greenville, yet with the appeal of Anderson County property taxes, Powdersville’s ranks have boomed to more than 10,025 residents. But unlike Central, Mauldin and Greer, the community straddling the Anderson-Greenville county border — and a stone’s throw from Pickens County — remains unincorporated: a loose coalition of commuters, strip malls and new neighborhoods. “We are missing opportunities as a county to offer and possibly profit more from parks and recreation in Powdersville,” wrote one anonymous resident in a 2017 community survey. “Wren has Hurricane Park — Powdersville has nothing. There is an incredible explosion of residents and development, award-winning schools and now, commercial development. ... Anderson County has had a gem in northern Anderson County for years and not even realized or embraced the vision.” In 2017, Powdersville did have a park but as indicated by at least eight of the 92 survey responses, beyond a recycling center, a kayak launch and a walking trail around a barren field, much of Dolly Cooper Park was left to the imagination as funding stalled. Powdersville locals remained concerned about safety at the secluded park. “I would like to see Dolly Cooper Park completed as a community-friendly place to enjoy the Great Outdoors,” commented another resident: one of many suggestions that the park could meet its full potential with ballfields, kayak put-ins and amphitheaters for local concerts and festivals. Now some of those respondents may be able to see that vision translate into reality through support from Duke Energy, Appalachian Regional Commission, Michelin and the S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. An 18-hole disc golf course and paved walking path was built onsite in 2019, according to the Professional Disc Golf Association. In 2021, Anderson County opened a second ADA-accessible kayak put-in a quarter mile down the river for tubers and boaters, a baseball field and a football field with a $25,000 Park and Recreation Development Fund grant and $145,000 from the county. And according to the county, that’s just the beginning: multiple pickleball courts, an expanded parking lot, picnic pavilion,

In 2021, Anderson County opened up a second ADA-accessible boat launch, creating a quarter mile kayaking and tubing loop at Dolly Cooper Park. The park hosts the Saluda River Rally on June 4, a barbecue cookout and 9- and 15-mile paddling trip in support of the local Special Olympics chapter. (Photo/Molly Hulsey)

playground, restrooms, dog park and an additional baseball field installed in three phases of development. An abandoned truss bridge crossing the Saluda River to Greenville County also will get a facelift as a pedestrian-friendly link to future trail opportunities, according to a master plan published by landscape architecture firm Studio Main LLC, owned by Pelzer Mayor Blake Sanders. The county broke ground on the estimated $2.7 million first phase on April 15. The picnic shelter and new paved parking area, the first additions, will cost close to $500,000, Anderson County Administrator Rusty Burns told GSA Business Report. “We’re going to be putting — and this is in the future but not the distant future — pickleball courts out there,” he said. “And another thing that we’ve just done out there is we put a fueling station, tucked neatly in the back that you can’t see, for the Sheriff ’s Department, which will allow us to have our deputies on the road more often.” They will also help address some security concerns at the park from visitors. According to Burns, the county has been in discussion with a private business that could offer kayak rentals, food options, as well as access to the river in the Powdersville area. “This project would not be possible

Through funding from Ten at the Top’s Hughes Investments Elevate Upstate Grant, the Powdersville Business Council launched its first Rhythm on the River festival on May 7 at the park. (Photo/Molly Hulsey)

without the support of my fellow County Council members, our legislative delegation partners Rep. (Bobby) Cox and Sen. Richard Cash, and NewSpring Church,” Anderson County Councilmember Jimmy Davis said in a news release. “It

has been a pleasure working with Senator Cash on this project, and we could not do this without him.” Reach Molly Hulsey at 864-720-1222 or @mollyhulsey_gsa on Twitter.

May 9-May 22, 2022

www.gsabusiness.com 7

Walmart Import Distribution Center officially opens in Ridgeville By Alexandria Ng

ang@scbiznews.com

s South Carolina’s economy continues to boom, Walmart has officially opened its Import Distribution Center in Dorchester County, marking the company’s seventh facility of this type in the nation. This long-awaited Ridgeville center is expected to increase local port volumes by about 5% once fully functional. Elected officials and Walmart associates gathered on the morning of April 22 to celebrate the occasion, with leaders such as Gov. Henry McMaster and S.C. Ports President and CEO Jim Newsome in attendance. Also presenting at the event were Mike Gray, senior vice president of Walmart’s supply chain operations; Jeff Holzbauer, general manager of the Walmart Import Distribution Center; John Furner, president and CEO of Walmart U.S., who spoke via video. “Our team of more than 980 associates from Dorchester County and the surrounding communities are excited to officially open the doors to our new Import Distribution Center,” Holzbauer said at the event. “South Carolina is home to some of the country’s most convenient and effi-

cient modes of transportation, including the Port of Charleston and Interstates 26 and 95. Being a member of this community means having the advantage of the region’s existing infrastructure, as well as a pool of experienced associates familiar with it. Cutting this ribbon today signifies our commitment to that community.” This highly anticipated $220 million Import Distribution Center is located at 1030 Timothy Creek Road. With 3 million square feet, equivalent to 52 football fields, the facility will become Walmart’s first Import Distribution Center in the state of South Carolina to leverage the port. Walmart officials said the center’s Dorchester County location was chosen because of its business friendly environment and proximity to the deepwater Port of Charleston. This will allow the regional distribution center to store and sort imported goods that arrive at the port — the eighth-largest in the country — for delivery to about 850 Walmart and Sam’s Club stores across the state, as well as the Southeast. According to Holzbauer, this new facility is well on its way to surpassing its initial hiring goals of 1,000 people. With help from the S.C. Department of Commerce, it’s expected that more than

“Being a member of this community means having the advantage of the region’s existing infrastructure, as well as a pool of experieced associates familiar with it.” Jeff Holzbauer general manager, Walmart Import Distribution Center

1,300 local, full-time associates in total will be brought on to staff the center. “Walmart has been a longtime partner of South Carolina, and as years have passed, they have continued to double down on their commitment to our people and reinvest in our state,” Gov. Henry McMaster said at the event. “Walmart hasn’t only created thousands of jobs in our state — it has become an integral part of the communities in which it operates. Today’s celebration is the result of our state working hard to be the ideal place to do business and a company recognizing the benefit of

having our incredibly skilled workforce and premier ports system in its backyard.” At the grand opening celebration last month, Walmart also announced its commitment to the community through $10,000 presented to Going Places, a local nonprofit organization whose mission is to support children in need through the gift of bicycles. “Dorchester County is excited to welcome the Walmart Import Distribution Center to Ridgeville,” said Bill Hearn, chairman of the Dorchester County Council. “We value Walmart as a partner in community and economic development and appreciate their investment in our area. A project of this magnitude requires a great deal of coordination, and we thank all of our allies, including the S.C. Ports Authority, who made this possible.” Walmart serves customers at 122 retail units and online in South Carolina. The company employs more than 35,000 associates across the state and has spent $1.6 billion with South Carolina suppliers in fiscal year 2021, supporting more than 22,000 supplier jobs. In FY 2021, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation contributed more than $15 million in cash and in-kind donations to local nonprofits in South Carolina.

Kids have big dreams.

Help your child’s dreams take off with a Future Scholar College Savings Plan. Learn how you can start saving now at FutureScholar.com

Administered by State Treasurer Curtis LoftisTo learn more about Future Scholar and its investment objectives, risks and costs, read the official statement available at FutureScholar.com before investing. Check with your or the beneficiary’s home state to learn if it offers tax or other benefits for investing in its own 529. Not paid for with state funds.

South Carolina State Treasurer Curtis Loftis

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May 9-May 22, 2022

New restaurant takes over Liberty Tap Room space By Molly Hulsey

mhulsey@scbiznews.com

omegrown Hospitality Group closed the doors on its Greenville Liberty Taproom & Grill location last fall, and Upstate winery Urban Wren seized on the opportunity. In partnership with the Greenville Drive, Urban Wren Executive Director Nick Lincoln and Executive Chef Taylor Montgomery will fill the 8,000-square-foot void left by the taproom with a public house of another kind: The Bellweather. “Greenville embraced Urban Wren wholeheartedly when we opened two years ago, allowing our restaurant to thrive even amid a pandemic,” Lincoln said in a news release. “With that level of support, we are thrilled to expand with The Bellwether, a public house providing leveled-up pub food, seasonal ingredients and a dependably top-notch experience at every visit. We hope our neighbors will join us for first dates, family meals, game-day gatherings; it will truly be a place where you can come as you are.” Described by Urban Wren as an “elevated-but-unpretentious” venue with a menu inspired by old world comfort food suited for game day rendezvous, The Bellweather is slated to open in September. Montgom-

ery’s 50-acre farm, Montgomery Sky Farm, will provide produce for the pub. “Urban Wren’s immediate success was a litmus test showing just what the people of Greenville want in a dining establishment: unmatched quality in food and hospitality, as well as a place where dining becomes an experience,” Montgomery said in the release. “The Bellwether will be the intersection of farmer and farm team, a place where what’s on the table is fresh and what surrounds our guests blends tradition with a touch of whimsy to create an unforgettable experience for all.” McMillan Pazdan Smith and Creative Builders General Contractors will redesign the building’s interior, which will become part of Fluor Field’s mixed-use development space, The Fieldhouse. “This is a special day for Drive fans and the entire Upstate,” Craig Brown, owner of the Greenville Drive, said in the release. “Alongside Fluor Field’s 17 years of history, including the soon-to-be-completed conversion of Field Street into District 356, the Bellwether will add another layer to the “Entertainment District” emerging in the West End. We couldn’t be happier to welcome Nick, Chef Montgomery, and the entire Urban Wren team as our neighbors. The Bellwether will further demonstrate the West End’s ‘Front Porch of the Communi-

Produce from Executive Chef Taylor Montgomery’s 50-acre farm Montgomery Sky Farm will be served at the new pub. (Photo/Provided)

ty’ focus — providing the highest quality and most memorable entertainment to the entire community.” Tech firm Illumifin recently opened a new 20,000-square-foot office at 935 S. Main St., Suite 300, in the Fieldhouse development in partnership with the Greenville Drive. “Both Urban Wren and the Greenville Drive have shown a unique commitment to enhancing and growing our community,” Greenville Mayor Knox White said in the release. “With an environment that

welcomes all and cuisine that deepens our culinary scene, The Bellwether will be a perfect fit for Greenville’s West End and will soon become a fan favorite for Drive fans and everyone throughout our community.” Homegrown Hospitality Group still operates Liberty Tap Room and Grill locations in Columbia, Myrtle Beach and Irmo. Reach Molly Hulsey at 864-720-1222 or @mollyhulsey_gsa on Twitter.

bit.ly/bestplacesmfgreg or scan QR code for more information. It’s time to find out if your company is one of the Best Places to Work in Manufacturing in South Carolina. Employee engagement is the key to retaining and recruiting your workforce. The great resignation has shown us that employers must differentiate themselves by providing an environment for their employers to excel, grow and enjoy. Learn what’s working and where your challenges lie so you can become a Best Place to Work in Manufacturing. Powered by www.bestcompaniesgroup.com

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May 9-May 22, 2022

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Plant closure ominous news for SC dairy industry By Christina Lee Knauss

Contributing writer

orden Dairy’s recent decision to shutter its North Charleston manufacturing plant is a sign of dairy’s continued decline in South Carolina, according to one expert who monitors the industry. Dallas-based Borden Dairy Co. announced in mid-April that “after a financial and operational review,” its facility on Lacross Road will close at the end of May and Borden will withdraw from South Carolina’s retail market, according to a company statement. “While the decision was a difficult one, the company has determined that it could no longer support the location’s continued operation,” the statement said. The news is one more indication of the ongoing problems Borden has faced in recent years which led it to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in early 2020. The company was purchased six months later by private equity firms Capital Peak Partners and KKM. The North Charleston closing will leave Borden with 13 facilities nationwide. Borden officials did not specify how many employees would be affected by the shutdown, but they did say affected workers would receive notification pay, the chance to apply for other jobs with the company in

other locations and assistance finding new employment. Borden also said that employees who remain through the closure date will be eligible for severance and retention pay consideration. Borden, like other large U.S. dairies, has struggled with rising costs in recent years as the number of Americans who drink milk has dwindled. Pandemic shutdowns and the supply chain crush have contributed to the company’s — and the industry’s — pain. That national decline plus the loss of the North Charleston facility also hurts South Carolina’s dwindling number of dairy farmers, according to Adam Kantrovich, assistant director of Clemson Extension’s agribusiness team. “We’ve been watching our dairy industry here in South Carolina and throughout much of the Deep South collapse, and this is one more negative thing because it’s one less place our farmers can take their milk to be processed,” Kantrovich said. The decline of dairy in South Carolina has been going on for decades and has many causes, from ongoing rising costs to struggles with weather that make it difficult for southern dairies to compete with their northern and midwestern peers, Kantrovich said. With Borden shutting down, farmers looking for a place to process milk will have to deal with additional transportation costs,

Closure of the Borden plant means one less place for regional dairy farmers to take their milk for processing, further pinching an industry already under pressure from falling demands and higher costs. (Photo/National Milk Producers Federation)

a burden some might not be able or willing to take on in light of this year’s record inflation, he said. “I already know of two farms attempting to sell cows and another that has said they are getting ready to pull the trigger any day now and get out of the industry,” Kantrovich said. He cited statistics his office has compiled which show the number of dairy cows in South Carolina has declined from 20,000 in 2002 to about 9,000 as of Jan. 1. Kantrovich said some dairies in the state

are trying to improve their fortunes in spite of the industry’s nationwide struggle by bottling and marketing their own milk. One example is Milky Way Farms in Anderson County. Borden’s departure ends more than a century of dairy tradition in Charleston. The company purchased locally based Coburg Dairy from Dean Foods in 2011. Coburg was launched in West Ashley in 1920 by Frank Hanckel Sr. and moved to the North Charleston location in the late 1980s.

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Prisma Health takes services into rural hospital void By Molly Hulsey

mhulsey@scbiznews.com

ew physicians choose to work in South Carolina’s rural communities, and relatively few have the opportunity to do so. Out of the 90 health care facilities across the state, only 14 hospitals operate in the rural regions that make up much of South Carolina. Four of the 14 are federally certified as Critical Access Hospitals, according to the South Carolina Office of Rural Health. And the number appears to be shrinking, as more than 30% of all rural hospitals across the United States are at risk of closing, according to the Center for Health Care Quality and Payment Reform. Three rural hospitals have closed over the past decade in the state in Barnwell, Bamberg and Winnsboro, while 10 suffer from negative total profit margins of up to minus-43%, according to data from the University of North Carolina’s Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research. Prisma Health Oconee Memorial Hospital’s profit margin was at negative-10.3% over the past three years, while the Medical University of South Carolina’s Lancaster Medical Center was 43.2% below zero during the same time period, according to the report. Self Regional Healthcare’s Edgefield County Healthcare, Allendale County Hospital and Tidelands Health in Georgetown are also in the red when it comes to patient services. The Upstate’s Union Medical Center, also in the red for all profits, has lost out on 25 cents for every dollar spent at the hospital over the past three years. Shuttered hospitals add insult to injury in parts of the state with fewer options, say health care providers. “In rural communities, we know that there are higher rates of uninsured individuals,” said Stacey McPhail, director of Prisma Health’s Community Health office. “Transportation is a huge barrier in rural communities. (People) often lack access to transportation — access to public transportation in particular.”

House call revival

More urban-centric hospitals have been able to fill a few of the gaps through telehealth channels. McPhail told SC Biz News about partnerships Prisma Health forged with elementary schools in the Midlands where telehealth serves in lieu of a school nurse or local doctor where there is none. In many rural communities, if a child is reported sick, most parents don’t have the option driving from work to school to a distant doctor’s office to pharmacy and finally back home, she said. “We don’t have doctor’s offices in our

Prisma Health deployed a number of mobile clinics to expand access to COVID-19 vaccination across the Upstate and Midlands with support from COVID-19 aid funding. (Photo/Provided)

communities,” said McPhail, who grew up in a rural community. “We don’t have pediatricians in our community, so we have to leave work, pick the child up, go back downtown — so not only am I losing a day’s pay, but gas is expensive.” Through Prisma’s new partnerships with rural elementary schools, students can see a remote doctor at school for a diagnosis before parents or guardians are called in from work. If the condition isn’t contagious or acute, they can return to class and the parent can pick up a prescription on the drive back home without missing a day at work. But telehealth is far from a panacea to the challenges that plague rural communities. Sometimes health care systems must take their services to patients instead. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Prisma Health began investing more in mobile health units across the state to meet urgent care and community health needs, according to McPhail. Prisma Health-Upstate has served more than 4,000 uninsured or underinsured patients with a mobile unit since 2016, according to a news release. The unit visits 21 community sites each month. Funded through winnings from an American Hospital Association award, Prisma Health- Midlands’ first community health mobile unit was deployed from Columbia in January 2020 and offered screenings for blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. The success of the mobile care pro-

gram and a $200,000 grant from the South Carolina Center for Rural and Primary Healthcare has prompted Prisma Health to expand its mobile care footprint to Eastover in Richland County, Rembert in Sumter County, Ridgeway in Fairfield County and Gaston in Lexington County. Starting in May, the hospital system will schedule the 38-foot mobile care unit to service alternating locations, published online at PrismaHealth.org, each Saturday, according to a news release. “We have a total of 10 mobile clinics under the umbrella of Accountable Communities and Community Health,” said McPhail. “And so the goal, of course, with the clinics is to improve access to care for the underserved populations in both the Midlands and the Upstate and, in fact, Prisma Health’s entire footprint.” Patients will receive care at the mobile clinic regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay.

Holistic care

Prisma Health is also seeking to gain community trust and a clearer picture of community needs through local partnerships. “Often in rural communities, it’s the faith communities that people trust,” McPhail said, adding that churches and schools often serve as the crux for social events and connections. “If they know that the church is on board, then they tend to trust us a little more. If they know that the school is on board with having us there, they tend to trust us a little more.

Those partnerships are extremely important.” In fact, Prisma won’t enter rural communities without those established partnerships, she said. “We want to be there alongside the community,” she said. “And we don’t want to be in that community as the leader because we’re not. We walk and partner with them, alongside of the church, alongside the school, alongside of the neighborhood associations. We want to be seen as an equal partner.” Moving forward, Prisma Health seeks to pinpoint social determinants to health care quality and access in rural communities, not just meet medical needs. Data from the South Carolina Office of Rural Health will be used to select sites for the mobile clinics, according to a news release. Once established, surveys in areas serviced by the clinic will be used to help identify which communities are hindered by lack of access to transport, child care, nutrition and the management of chronic diseases. “This opportunity to take health care services into rural communities to help residents overcome access barriers for timely medical care is a win-win,” Valerie Sullivan, Prisma’s mobile health clinic manager said in the release. “Providing a great health care experience beyond our hospital walls helps people see the benefits of care and learn about their options.” Reach Molly Hulsey at 864-720-1222 or @mollyhulsey_gsa on Twitter.

May 9-May 22, 2022

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Furman ROTC cadet to become infantry officer Staff Report

gsanews@scbiznews.com

rmy ROTC cadet Krista Just has accomplished a first for women at Furman University. After graduation, she will become an active-duty infantry officer in the U.S. Army. Ground combat roles were officially opened to women in 2013 with a change in Department of Defense policy, but it took until 2016 to fully integrate women into combat arms career fields, including infantry, according to a university news release. Of 7,221 infantry officers, only 104 are female, the news release said. This year, Just, a biology major, will be among about a dozen women to commission as infantry, which includes candidates from all Army ROTC programs and the U.S. Military Academy. “I’m obviously very excited and apprehensive— it’s a great opportunity and it will take me really far. But I’m terrified,” Just said, laughing. “Infantry is an intimidating world to enter, especially as a woman. I’m scared about a few things, mostly the culture. It’s a man’s world, pretty much.” Just also recently received a contract to serve in Army Space Operations, which she’ll take on in four years after her infan-

try stint and reaching the rank of captain, the release said. Based in Ft. Carson, Colo., Just will work with global positioning systems, satellite data and missile identification in the space operations role. Just is one of 18 seniors being commissioned through the Furman Army ROTC program. They will serve as second lieutenants in active duty Army, Army Reserves or the Army National Guard, the release said. Twelve are from Furman; the others are from Bob Jones University and North Greenville University. The Furman cohort, including Army branching and Furman majors, are: • Loise Aleria, active duty military intelligence officer, politics and international affairs • Kat Bassey, educational delay for law school, Asian studies and politics and international affairs • Reece Crook, active duty infantry officer, health sciences • Taylor Griffin, active duty chemical officer, health sciences • Zack Hattier, active duty ordnance officer, business administration • Joshua Helton, active duty infantry officer, religion • John Hulbert, active duty signal officer, accounting • Krista Just, active duty infantry officer,

Krista Just and her fellow cadets wake before dark for physical fitness drills three times a week. They take a three-hour, hands-on tactical lab once a week, march six to 12 miles with 35-pound packs twice a month, take a weekend field training exercise once a semester and attend a 35-day summer cadet training camp before senior year. (Photo/Provided)

biology-biomedical sciences • Keegan Miller, Maryland National Guard, biology-biomedical sciences • Maggie Scapellato, South Carolina National Guard, neuroscience • Lydia Williams, active duty ordnance officer, psychology • Natalie Wilson, active duty quartermaster, health sciences Bassey successfully competed for an educational delay to attend law school. After three years studying law in Boston,

Join us in a show of support for our Military & Veterans In June each Business Journal will publish a custom cover dedicated to the business community’s support of our Military and Veterans.

she’ll serve as an active duty officer. Keegan Miller and Maggie Scapellato will serve in the Army National Guard while they pursue plans for medical school. “This class has worked really hard to get to this point,” Lt. Col. Sarah M. Whitten, who came to Furman as professor of military science in 2021, said in the release. “I’m lucky to be here and help get them over the last hurdle. I’m excited to see what they’ll do next.”

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RETAIL, from Page 1

rebound to the company’s 2017 numbers, according to Companies Market Cap. Stock value may be a far cry from the $23.49 billion in 2006, but Macy’s stocks are still on the move, rising from $1.52 billion in March 2020 to $8.08 billion at the same time in 2022. Dozens of stores closed throughout 2020 to 2021, according to the company, yet, in an effort to meet the demand for a smaller footprint, many of the 16 stores Macy’s did open during those two years were outlet locations or scaled down, offmall versions of the department store, such as Market by Macy’s, Bloomie’s and Macy’s Backstage. “There’s been ongoing health in the sort of, as they call it, the treasure hunt category, which is the Marshalls, TJ Maxx, Burkes Outlet, Ross stores,” Pollard said. “Those have remained popular and continue to have extraordinary sales success I think for two reasons. One, the ever-changing inventory is popular with people and then the price reductions for quality inventory or quality merchandise is very popular.” Successful stores outside the treasure hunt category tend to be higher-end department brands like Nordstrom, Macy’s and Dillard’s with a focus on quality service and merchandise. “All of those stores have a pretty robust online presence,” he said. Dillard’s stock value has rocketed to prices more than double its $2.89 billion peak in 2007 at $7.43 billion in NovemREVVED, from Page 1

The consortium will conduct evidence-based research studies to investigate integration of virtual and augmented reality systems to support electric vehicle manufacturing and education, the news release said. The digital learning tools will be based on industry needs and be available at EducateWorkforce.com. Trident Technical College is working in partnership with Greenville Technical College, Spartanburg Community College and Clemson University as part of the consortium. Several workforce development centers and industry partners are also involved. One of the main goals is to strengthen learning and retention among students from rural areas, veterans and students who are from groups underrepresented in the workforce. Digital learning systems are especially attractive for nontraditional students, researchers said. Industry partners are BMW, Michelin, Bosch, Daimler, Proterra and Volvo. National Science Foundation consortia members are: Indian River Community College, the National Cybersecurity Training & Education Center, the National Center for Autonomous Technologies, the Center for Advanced

May 9-May 22, 2022

ber 2021. Earnings far outpace its previous half-billion peak in 2012 at 2021’s $1.13 billion, according to Companies Market Cap; revenue has climbed from $4.78 billion in 2020 to $6.62 billion the next year. Pollard hasn’t heard of too many stores downsizing in the way Macy’s has in light of an enhanced online presence, but they are consolidating their department locations at the most trafficked malls, he said. The largest former department store properties, such as the Sears space at the Columbia Grand Strand and at the Coastal Grand Mall, are being reoccupied by entertainment and arcade hubs like Dave and Busters — not new stores or the long-expected fulfillment centers. “Even in Charleston, you have the Citadel Mall, which now has become … really repurposed for other things, not much retail,” he said. “Columbia is the same way, you’ve got Columbia Grand and the others are not malls anymore. They’re dead. So there’s been a consolidation for one thing. Part of that has been driven by the demise of companies like Sears, which were in a lot of those properties, which now, they’ve gone completely away.” Almost. An out-of-mall Sears Hometown appliance store that operates in Greenwood is the last living vestige of the Sears empire left in the Palmetto State. As for Belk, the closure of its fulfillment center may not herald the closure of its South Carolina locations, but just a new way of doing things. The company has begun to use its Automotive Technology, the Northwest Engineering Vehicle Technology Exchange, the S.C. Technical College System, Upstate SC Alliance and the South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership. Mary Thornley, president of Trident Technical College, said REVVED addresses a critical need in South Carolina and across the country. “Our country has an unprecedented need — the need for a new generation of talent to respond to international competition for an automotive workforce with up-to-date skill sets required for the manufacturing and servicing of electric and autonomous vehicles,” Thornley said in the release. “We are excited to work with strong partners to create that talent to ensure state and national competitiveness.” Jim Clements, president of Clemson University, said the grant will provide important support to the automotive workforce. “We are excited to be part of this collaboration to create the next generation of innovation and talent for the electric vehicle industry,” he said. “Clemson has a rich history of working with technical colleges and industry. It’s in our DNA. These efforts make a difference

Even on a Tuesday night past closing time at Dillard’s in Greenville’s Haywood Mall, dozens of cars were parked near the entrance to the store, as shoppers rushed home with their bags. (Photo/Molly Hulsey)

retail locations as a fulfillment center of sorts instead of a separate ecommerce location. Merchandise can be shipped from various store locations and online orders can now be returned onsite, he said. “I think this will actually be a benefit to the retail locations,” Dolton Williams, director of Union County Development, told SC Biz News. “From what Belk has discussed with us, this is sort of a model that they’re looking at going to, to handling more of the online fulfillment through their current retail locations. I believe they’ve got over 300 nationwide.” Williams said his organization and

SCWorks are seeking to relocate and upskill Belk’s 161 Union employees at other local industries in need of talent during a tight labor market. And ever since Belk announced its closure, he has fielded questions from a host of brokers and potential tenants in the distribution, fulfillment and manufacturing space. “When Belk makes their final decision on whether they’re going to get out of their lease or come back, it’s not going to sit vacant very long, that building,” he said.

in achieving high-quality outcomes for 21st-century challenges and opportunities.” Tim Hardee, president of the S.C. Technical College System, said he supports the collaboration. “This is a great example of how Clemson University, an R1 research institution, partners with technical colleges and industry to support workforce preparedness for the betterment of all South Carolina,” he said in the release. Clemson’s relationship with technical colleges includes Greenville Tech’s Center for Manufacturing Innovation, located on the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research. Keith Miller, president of Greenville Technical College, said the grant provides new opportunities to ensure the future workforce is equipped with relevant skills as the industry transitions from internal-combustion engine to electric vehicles. “The Greenville Technical College team comes to this project with extensive experience in curriculum design, implementation of online courses and recruitment of underserved and underrepresented students,” Miller said in the release. Michael Mikota, president of Spar-

tanburg Community College, said consultation with industry will be crucial to REVVED. “Our team will utilize our unique connections with industry leaders to provide guidance for the creation of educational modules, provide feedback on effectiveness and ensure we are creating the most competitive workforce,” Mikota said. “The talent, experience and passion in this consortium uniquely position us for success.” The consortium faculty team consists of Robert Elliott, dean of manufacturing and maintenance, and Walter Varella, coordinator of the automotive technology program at Trident Technical College; Trent Hulehan, department head of the automotive technology program at Greenville Technical College; Joe Santaniello, the academic program director of computer and engineering technology at Spartanburg Community College; and Kapil Chalil Madathil, the Wilfred P. Tiencken Associate Professor of Industrial and Civil Engineering at Clemson. The Clemson University Center for Workforce Development is leading the initiative within Clemson University.

Reach Molly Hulsey at 864-720-1222 or @mollyhulsey_gsa on Twitter.

Reach Ross Norton at 864-720-1222

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Common spice leads to fuel cell breakthrough By Christina Lee Knauss

Contributing writer

urmeric is a popular spice in many kitchens, known not only for its taste but for its many health properties. But who knew it also could function as a more environmentally friendly way to generate electricity? The spice’s potential role in technology has been revealed through researchers at the Clemson Nanomaterials Institute, who recently published research that shows how curcumin, the main substance in turmeric, can be used to build safer, more efficient fuel cells. The researchers worked with collaborators from the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning in Anantapur, India. The main goal of the research was to find a substance that could potentially replace hydrogen as the main feedstock for fuel cells, which generate electricity through a chemical reaction instead of combustion. Fuel cells are a vital part of daily life throughout the world, used to power vehicles, buildings, portable electronics and backup power systems, among many other uses. Hydrogen as a power source has its ups and downs. The most common element on Earth, it is highly efficient and doesn’t produce greenhouse gases. However, it only occurs naturally in compound form with other elements, so it has to be derived from substances such as natural gas and fossil fuels, a process both expensive and tough on the environment. “Hydrogen also has challenges because it is used in fuel cells as a compressed gas, which can make it risky and more expensive to transport,” said Lakshman Ventrapragada, a researcher at CNI who designed the experiment with curcumin while doing his thesis work under the

Lakshman Ventrapragada, a former research assistant at the Clemson Nanomaterials Institute, designed an experiment that revealed curcumin could lead to safer, more efficient fuel cells. (Photo/Provided)

instruction of Apparao Rao, founding director of CNI and the R.A. Bowen Professor of Physics at Clemson. The research took place over the past two years with the findings recently published in the journal Nano Energy. Ventrapagada was looking for a way to replace hydrogen in fuel cells with ethanol, an alcohol made from corn or other agricultural products that would also be more environmentally friendly to obtain. These ethanol-based fuel cells would also require highly efficient electrodes, but the researchers didn’t want to build them using substances that would be expensive or tough on the environment. “Our focus was to see if we could incorporate naturally available products instead of synthetically created ones in the fuel cell,” Ventrapagada said. “Using substances that are not eco-friendly would have defeated the whole purpose.” The researchers focused their work on the fuel cell’s anode, where the ethanol would be oxidized.Many fuel cells use

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platinum as a catalyst, but it is expensive and can be corrupted by substances such as carbon monoxide. The scientists decided to try using gold nanoparticles instead. This presented another potential problem because these particles agglomerate, or clump together, on their own, which lowers the available surface for the reaction that produces energy within the cell and thus its efficiency. Ventrapagada said researchers decided to try different natural substances to stabilize the gold particles and deposit them on the electrode. Curcumin, the bright yellow chemical found in turmeric, turned out to do the trick because of its unique molecular structure. The turmeric-coated gold nanoparticles could also be deposited on the electrode at an electric current 100 times lower than necessary with other tested alternatives. Basically, the curcumin and gold combination led to an electrode that requires 100 times less energy to efficiently convert

ethanol into electricity. The result? A fuel cell that is less expensive, easy on the environment, utilizes easily obtained materials, and produces electricity through a much more efficient reaction. The researchers still need to do more testing on the process, but the results of the experiment bring the possibility of replacing hydrogen as a primary feedsource for fuel cells one step closer, a result that could be good for consumer and business pocketbooks as well as the environment. The gold-curcumin catalyst mix is less expensive than traditional platinum and turmeric, the source of curcumin, is a readily available product that doesn’t require complex and environmentally risky work to obtain. “We are doing this work using something that is directly available from nature, a substance that is readily available in many kitchens,” Ventrapagada said. The curcumin research also could eventually lead to more than just more efficient and greener fuel cells. The unique properties of the gold-curcumin electrode could also be applied in the future to use in sensors, supercapacitors and other technology, Ventrapagada said. Rao’s team, in cooperation with the researchers in India, is also testing the electrode as a sensor that could help detect changes in the level of dopamine in the human body, a neurotransmitter sometimes called the “happy hormone” because it results in feelings of well-being. Dopamine levels have been implicated in disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Rao said researchers have been able to measure dopamine levels in urine samples from healthy volunteers using the electrode in a process that is much more cost effective than current testing procedures.

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IN FOCUS: GROWTH REPORT: LIFE SCIENCES

May 9-May 22, 2022

Fueling innovation: Green Energy Biofuel forging a sustainable path By Melinda Waldrop

mwaldrop@scbiznews.com

ourteen years ago, the biofuel world looked a bit different. When Beth and Joe Renwick founded what was then called Midlands Biofuels in 2008, restaurants paid to dispose of used cooking oil, which often went to landfills. Now, the market in which Green Energy Biofuel competes requires wooing customers while making greener, more sustainable use of oil and other food waste. “Restaurants owners, and everyone, have become more educated that there’s value in the oil, and so now it’s more of a competitive market,” said Beth Renwick, company majority owner. “You have to approach the restaurant and offer them good service and offer them premium price for their oil, or they’ll go to the next company to collect.” Renwick, who is also an emergency room physician, and her husband started the company on a small scale spurred by necessity. After his job selling pharmaceutical drug manufacturing equipment had ended when the owner of that company died, Joe Renwick began tinkering with producing biodiesel in his garage from cooking oil recycled from a restaurant in Augusta, Ga., when the Renwicks lived in North Augusta. While Beth wrapped up her medical residency, Joe made batches of fuel, which he tested successfully in his own truck. Soon after, the Renwicks moved back to Winnsboro, where Joe’s father and grandfather had both owned businesses. Beth began working at Lexington Medical Center while Joe launched Midlands Biofuels LLC. The burgeoning business developed innovations including boilerless technology, which heats biodiesel to more than 230 degrees, allowing for recovery of 94% of methanol after the chemical reaction at a fraction of the cost of a traditional boiler. The company soldiered on through the Great Recession and cuts in federal biodiesel production subsidies, securing a contract with U.S. Foods. The Renwicks opened a second processing plant — though both vanished in 2011 during an industry downturn. After years of helping out, Beth Renwick joined the company full time in 2012 and became majority owner, making the firm the only woman-owned biodiesel company in the country. The business’ focus broadened into a large-scale waste processor of biodiesel products, and the company changed its name to Green Energy Biofuel in 2016, when it also expanded throughout South Carolina and Tennessee. The

company now operates three processing plants, processes 200,000 gallons of product daily and serves customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Louisiana and Europe while sponsoring internships and educational programs. With increased processing came more organic food waste and water, an issue Green Energy Biofuel addressed by purchasing a composting company in order to remain landfill-free. “The cooking oil we collect has food particles in it that we filter out and it also has water in it, and so it gives us an avenue to dispose of the solid food waste without going to the landfill and the nonhazardous water without taking it to a water disposal site,” Renwick said. “That’s enabled us to find new customers around and also offer them those same opportunities.” Green Energy Biofuel also recently became the only S.C. business to own a depackaging machine, Renwick said. “This is a huge piece of equipment. It helps separate expired food products from their packaging, and it separates them out into organic and nonorganic components,” she said. “You could take boxes of apple juice that were in a cardboard container and wrapped in plastic in another box in another box and throw the whole thing in there and it would separate out so that you could recycle the packaging components on one end and then you could take the organic components to the composting plant.” Like many small businesses, the company faced challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. “When people were at home, they weren’t eating out as much,” Beth Renwick said. “Maybe 500 of our restaurants closed, and the volume of oil went down, but at the same time, the value of it went up, partly due to global markets and things unrelated to the scarcity of oil. So now we’re looking at oil prices that are higher than ever – two, three, four times what they were two years ago. “How that affects us is just our costs are higher and we have to be prepared to offer the customers more and manage our expenses and keep a tighter eye on the finances, just to make sure we’re staying profitable. … I think things are picking up, but at a slower pace. New restaurants are opening, but still not back to the number where we were.” Renwick, who now practices medicine at an urgent care clinic, also saw the pandemic’s effects through a health care lens. The clinic where she works became a de facto acute respiratory clinic, serving patients too sick to visit a primary care physician, and running a drive-through testing clinic.

Beth Renwick, majority owner of Green Energy Biofuel and a physician in Lexington, reads to children during one of the company’s educational outreach events. (Photo/Provided)

“It was scary. The unknown is frightening,” she said. “It impacted everything — working from home and virtual meetings and school. It was quite traumatic, really. I look back on it and I’m like, that was really horrible. I finally feel like we’re trying to find our way on the other side of it.” Renwick is optimistic that the biofuel industry will continue to grow in light of national mandates such as the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard, which requires suppliers of diesel and gasoline to inject a small percentage of biofuels into their products, and aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the country’s dependence on non-renewable petroleum.

“We’ve worked in the past with big food manufacturers and beverage manufacturers. I think everybody’s starting to feel the heat, through mandates or through their own corporate goals of trying to get to that zero-waste place,” she said. “We’ve got this tagline of rethinking sustainability, so I think if we can stay agile and kind of anticipate what companies are going to need, we can continue to pivot and turn and figure out how to offer a good solution, and an affordable solution, to help keep their business running and at the same time have a positive impact on the earth.” Reach Melinda Waldrop at 803-726-7542.

May 9-May 22, 2022

IN FOCUS: GROWTH REPORT: LIFE SCIENCES

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104 South Main Street | Suite 900 | Greenville, South Carolina 29601 Jim Warren | Office Managing Partner

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IN FOCUS: GROWTH REPORT: LIFE SCIENCES

May 9-May 22, 2022

Life science app Rad Lab offers in-game, real life incentives By Molly Hulsey

mhulsey@scbiznews.com

or those raising the next generation of workforce talent at home, it may be a no-brainer that 12-year-olds are more likely to learn about future career opportunities from TikTok, YouTube or Duolingo than LinkedIn. Yet much of the online conversation surrounding new career developments remains resigned to the adult business sphere. SkillsGapp, a Greenville-based app platform, seeks to broaden that conversation to include the audience making those first steps toward a career. The startup offers apps for a variety of fields including skilled trades, aerospace and advanced manufacturing, as well as the fast-growing life science industry. SkillsGapp’s newest app, RadLab, gamifies life science careers for middle schoolers. RadLab first bubbled into existence through conversations between SkillsGapp founder and CEO Tina Zwolinski, Upstate SC Alliance and SCBIO. “We understand, and the industry understands, that we got to fill that pipeline,” SCBIO CEO James Chappell told SC Biz News, adding that middle school is a key time in the development of interests that later feed into career paths. “So we want to catch them early

RadLab, soon available on the Google Play and App store, will allow players to try their hand at a number of life science jobs, while informing them on how they can pursue those careers in real life. (Photo/Provided)

enough.” The free game allows students to try a number of jobs — ranging from the R&D side of the equation to manufacturing to nursing — on for size and level up through a variety of challenges. Teens can test new medicines, obtain Food and Drug Administration approval, manage the manufacturing of products and use them to treat hospital patients. Geofencing will link players to the non-virtual world of life sciences during game play through prompts that offer information on local industries and education pathways into the careers they are sampling. “They will not only be playing the game and understand what it means to go in these different career paths, but they’ll also have a pop-up that says, if you’re in Columbia, did

you know that Nephron is in your area and they have an average of this amount per year, or if they drive by another company, in the Upstate, it’s the same thing,” Chappell said. “They’re getting life science skills without even realizing it, and also learning about these companies and the specific opportunities that there are here.” If an educational program, such as a certificate at a local tech school, isn’t available within a certain radius, the mileage limit will expand and alert players to the nearest programs. “It’s really helping that player and that student navigate their own interests, which Gen Z does, and then be able to flip the conversation,” Zwolinski said. She hopes that students we be more likely to tell their parent or guidance counselor or

DELIVERING SOLUTIONS TO BETTER SERVE YOUR PATIENTS

teacher about careers that spark their interest and how to pursue them instead of the other way around. Both in-game and out-of-game incentives help sweeten the pot. RadLab, a single-player game, drives up the competition through a leaderboard and badges that teens can earn as they navigate a “skill tree.” There is also an in-game resume that can be used to inform apprenticeship or internship decisions come high school. Other competitions could earn students the opportunity to observe a surgery, tour a lab, host a pizza party or win a free semester at a technical college. “We’re giving them real-world experiences to connect them out of game, but making them fun, making them exciting to align with the in-game play,” Zwolinski said. The game’s strategic planning phase launched in April and is set to conclude later in May. In the meantime, Greenville’s Dr. Phinnize J. Fisher Middle School and the Governor’s School of Science and Mathematics is piloting the program, but Zwolinski expects to form partnerships with institutions and summer camps across the state, especially Allendale County in the Lowcountry. A soft launch is scheduled for this summer and a 12-month deployment plan, including a launch poster designed by students at Fisher Middle School, is slated to begin this fall.

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May 9-May 22, 2022

IN FOCUS: GROWTH REPORT: LIFE SCIENCES

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IN FOCUS: GROWTH REPORT: LIFE SCIENCES

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May 9-May 22, 2022

Life Sciences Companies Ranked by No. of Employees in the Greenville Area Phone / Website / Email

Executive(s) / Year Founded

Employees

AnMed Health 1 800 N. Fant St. Anderson, SC 29621

864-512-1000 www.anmedhealth.org marketing@anmedhealth.org

William Kenley 1908

3,600

Stäubli 201 Parkway West Duncan, SC 29334

864-433-1980 www.staubli.us info@staubli-mail.com

Phil Briggs, Sebastien Schmitt, Roger Varin 1960

Span-America Medical Systems Inc. 70 Commerce Center Greenville, SC 29615

864-678-6912 www.spanamerica.com info@spanamerica.com

Agfa HealthCare Corp. 10 S. Academy St. Greenville, SC 29601

Life Sciences Specialties

Description

Biomedical

648-bed, not-for-profit health system serving the Upstate and northeast Georgia; system is anchored by AnMed Health Medical Center, a 461-bed acute care hospital

200

Biomedical, bioscience, biotechnology, manufacturing, pharmaceutical

Partner to the pharmaceutical industry for decades; develops robotic solutions which promote automation in aseptic environments and fluid-line coupling solutions for challenges facing pharmaceutical laboratories and biotechnology

Heather Hayes 1975

131

Biomedical, bioscience, biotechnology, research

Designs and manufactures complete line of bedframes, therapeutic support surfaces, cushions, lifts and slings and patient positioning items

864-421-1600 www.agfahealthcare.com agfahealthcare@agfa.com

Lenny Reznik 1996

Biomedical, research

Enterprise Imaging Platform creates an Imaging Health Record™, to fulfill a health system’s EHR strategy; IHR increases clinical performance and staff satisfaction and helps providers achieve clinical, operational and business strategies

Izumi International Inc. 1 Pelham Davis Circle Greenville, SC 29615

864-288-8001 www.izumiinternational.com us-sales@izumiinternational.com

Ryutaro Izumi 1977

Biomedical, bioscience

Dispensing equipment and automation lines

Xtremedx LLC 110 Augusta Arbor Way, Suite C Greenville, SC 29605

864-625-0541 www.xtremedx.com cmarshbanks@ets-grp.com

Robert Fields, Andrew Clark, Carl Marshbanks 2018

Biotechnology, manufacturing, research

An ETS Group company; develops, designs and improves medical devices; developing software for medical applications

Parimer Scientific 221 Cooper Lane, Suite B Easley, SC 29642

864-509-1035 www.parimer.com

Richard T pace 2018

Manufacturing, pharmaceutical

Contract manufacturing of pharmaceutical products; FDA-registered and SCBOP-licensed

Researched by Business Report staff

Because of space constraints, sometimes only the top-ranked companies are published in the print edition. For a full list of participating organizations, visit scbiznews.com/buy-business-lists. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to research@scbiznews.com. 1 Locations include AnMed Health Medical Center and AnMed Health Women's and Children's Hospital.

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Under the Microscope: Bio-Science In July, SCBIZ magazine examines the economic impact of the life sciences industries, the businesses that support them, and growth trends for the future in South Carolina.

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ELECTRONIC

•

Company

At Work

BUSINESS DIGEST | PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

Business Digest SCC announces $35B impact

Spartanburg Community College said a new study shows it has had a $35 billion economic impact in South Carolina since 2007. The Spark Center, a business-support space in a foreign trade zone, played a key role in the creation of more than 109,000 jobs over that timeframe, according to a news release. In Spartanburg County, SCC contributed $132 million and created 897 jobs in 2021, according to the study. From 2017 and 2021, SCC has contributed $577.8 million to the economy and created 4,018 jobs in Spartanburg County, $43.4 million and 811 jobs in Cherokee County and $17.8 million and 263 jobs in Union County.

Society of CIC honors Painter for 35 Years of leadership of China-based Fuyao Glass Industry Group Co. Ltd., announced plans to expand operations in Greenville County with a $34.5 million investment and the addition of 121 jobs. Since 1987, Fuyao Group has been producing and supplying automotive glass for original equipment manufacturers and aftermarket suppliers. Located at 110 Milacron Drive in Fountain Inn, the company’s expansion includes additional assembly to install sensors, antennas and other parts into auto glass.

THS now owned by employees

THS Constructors Inc. announced that is now employee-owned by means of a redemption of company stock from certain family members and affiliates of founder T. Howard Suitt. Suitt had a long-term goal to make the company employee owned, according to a news release. He founded Suitt Construction Co. in 1968 and sold it in 1996 to BE&K Building Group. He retired as chairman in the early 2000s and then founded THS in 2005.

Electric Soul wins Gold ADDY

Greenville agency Electric Soul said it received a Gold ADDY Award at the District 3 American Advertising Awards, which recognizes work from South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. The agency had won eight awards at the Greenville chapter of the AAF Awards. The Gold ADDY was awarded for cinematography on the James Fisher Memorial Foundation Calcutta Event Trailer. The awards are given by the American Advertising Federation.

New retailer opens at Greenridge

Insurance group adds Greenville office

Alabama-based Palomar Insurance Corp. opened a Greenville office to serve as an expansion of the Palomar Hart Group transportation division, along with Palomar’s aesthetisure and AI2 cosmetic surgery complication insurance program. Aesthetisure provides coverage for complications arising from elective cosmetic procedures. Rick Hawks joined the office as vice president of the Palomar Hart Group, bringing 17 years of specialized commercial risk management and transportation experience.

Fuyao to hire 121, invest $34.5 million

Fuyao Glass America Inc., a venture

Kendra Scott announced the opening of a pop-up store at Shops at Greenridge in Greenville. The 1,233-square-foot store will display Kendra Scott’s current jewelry collections, including Mother’s Day gifts. The Kendra Scott Shops at Greenridge store is located at 1125 Woodruff Road, Suite 1605, Greenville. It is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Schools begins $19.5 million pansion

Staff Report

gsanews@scbiznews.com

udy Painter, division executive for Countybanc Insurance, was recently recognized for professional leadership and advanced knowledge by the Society of Certified Insurance Counselors. Painter was awarded a certificate of achievement recognizing 35 consecutive years of successfully maintaining the Certified lnsurance Counselor designation. The CIC designation

requires an annual continuing education update. “Your clients, associates and the insurance profession as a whole benefit from such leadership and a strong commitment to Painter continuing education,” William J. Hold, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research.

foot, $19.5 million expansion. The expansion will accommodate an increase an enrollment from 1,250 students to up to 1,400. The project includes additional classrooms for each school division; new patterns for car lines, roadways, parking and traffic; new spaces for co-curricular clubs, teams and groups; new measures to increase campus security; learning lab and co-working spaces; and more tutoring and small class spaces to serve students with various learning differences.

Countybank donates to Lions Club

The Countybank Foundation, which represents Countybank and Greenwood Capital, announced a $2,500 donation to the Greer Centennial Lions Club to support a Title 1 elementary school in Greer with a large population of students living below the poverty level. Funds will be used to conduct eye exams and purchase glasses for approximately 20 students in need.

Bite Squad starts gas program

Local food-delivery service Bite Squad announced a new GasCard program that will give its drivers a 5% discount on gas purchases. Bite Squad operates an online ordering technology platform, providing delivery, carryout and dine-in options.

ex-

Southside Christian School said it broke ground on a 35-classroom, 63,000-square-

From left: Jack Lucas, senior commercial banker for Countybank; Alison Rauch, president of the Greer Centennial Lions Club; and Rudy Painter, division executive for Countybank Insurance.

Submit items using our online submission portal: www.GSABizWire.com. Publication is subject to editorial discretion.

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May 9-May 22, 2022

People in the News BANKING & FINANCE Harry A. Huntley has been elected to serve on the boards of directors for both Arthur Financial Corp. and Arthur State Bank. Huntley is executive director Huntley of the South Carolina Jobs-Economic Development Authority. Countybank promoted James R. Fowler, Jr. to executive vice president and Anderson market executive. Fowler has worked at Countybank for more Fowler than 24 years, most recently as director of commercial banking and strategic initiatives.

EDUCATION

Davies

Howard

The Greenville Tech Foundation added five new members to its board of directors: Drew Boland, senior vice president of middle marketing banking with Truist; Lisa Howell Davies, director of design engineering with Fluor Corp.; Kim Howard, vice president of FG production operations for Lockheed Martin; Katie Howell, trustee of the Daniel Mickel Foundation; and Boland Mike Snively, business development at AT-NET Services.

Strange

Thomas Strange of Easley was elected chairman of Tri-County Technical College Commission, the nine-member governing board of the college. Hamid Mohsseni of Anderson was elect-

ed vice chair, and Jim Kaplan of Pickens was re-elected secretary. Strange is a retired executive of Abbott, formerly St. Jude Medical, in Liberty. Mohsseni is president and CEO of Anderson Restaurant Group. Kaplan is CEO of Cornell Dubilier Electronics.

in retail, channels and distribution.

Cole

HEALTH CARE Drew Lay received the 2022 Susan R. Patterson Professional Development Award in Bioinformatics and Computational Genomics from the Greenwood Lay Genetic Center. Lay joined GGC as a laboratory technologist in 2015.

ADVERTISING, MARKETING & PR

Brown

Crawford promoted Cara Brown to senior account supervisor, Taylor Wilson to senior account executive and Lauren Fisch to account executive.

LAW Turner Padget hired Jessica S. Ferguson as an associate at its Greenville office. Ferguson joins the firm’s wealth and estate planning practice group to Ferguson support matters related to wills and trusts, estate and gift taxes, real estate transfers, charitable giving and elder law.

Peeler

litigation.

Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd PA announced that Jordan Peeler was elected to serve on the South Carolina Bar House of Delegates for the 13th Circuit. Peeler focuses his practice on family law and

Wilson

as creative content producer, Amanda Medlin as merchandise manager and Gabriella Motter as partnership marketing and community relations coordinator. Humphrey recently earned a master’s degree in communication, technology and society from Clemson University. Jarrell previously interned with USL League One’s Tormenta FC and will graduate from Georgia Southern University in May. Medlin comes to the club with 16 years in the sports industry. Motter has seven years of experience working in athletics, including youth sports programming, parks and recreation, and collegiate sports operations.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Fisch

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT S.C. Small Business Development Centers hired Marco Antonio Rios as a bilingual business consultant to assist Hispanic entrepreneurs looking to start, grow or Rios sustain a small business. The hire is part of a partnership with the S.C. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

ENGINEERING Thomas & Hutton hired Mark Hinson as a designer in its civil department. He is a graduate of Clemson University.

Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd P.A. announced that Nick Nicholson has been re-elected as the firm’s managing director, a position he has held since Nicholson 2013. He practices in the areas of procurement and government contracts, local government law and construction law.

GOVERNMENT

TRANSPORTATION & LOGISTICS

HOSPITALITY

FastFetch hired Randy Cole as vice president of sales and marketing. Cole has more than 30 years of IT experience

The Greenville Triumph SC hired Kaley Humphrey as digital and social media coordinator, Chandler Jarrell

Shull

Paysmart Payroll Services promoted Julie Shull to client success specialist. She has been a payroll specialist with the company for the past two years.

NONPROFITS Andy Sherwood has been promoted to director of finance and administration for Rebuild Upstate. Sherwood joined Rebuild Upstate 2021 as an office coordinator.

REAL ESTATE William “Tommy” Davis joined AgentOwned Realty’s Anderson office. He has been general manager of his family-owned restaurant Mama Penn’s for the past two decades.

Hinson Kingrey

Pruette

Ferguson

Twining

S.C. Treasurer Curtis Loftis announced that Perry Breazeale joined his office as director of treasury management. Breazeale most recently worked as vice president of finance for Gundersen Health System in La Crosse, Wis.

NAI Earle Furman hired Bryan Kingrey, Charlie Pruette, Jon Ferguson and Lindsey Twining as associates.

May 9-May 22, 2022

www.gsabusiness.com 21

United Community Bank ranked among World’s Best Banks Staff Report

gsanews@scbiznews.com

nited Community Bank has been ranked in the top 10 of the “World’s Best Banks” according to the 2022 list published by Forbes in collaboration with market research firm Statista. The list, which was based largely on customer satisfaction data compiled by Statista, ranked banks in 27 countries across the globe, according to a news release. Of the 75 banks in the United States that made the list, United ranked third and was the top bank with a regional Southeast presence, the news release said. This is the third year United has appeared on the annual list since it was created in 2019. “We are honored to be recognized as a top performer for customer service on a global scale,” Lynn Harton, chairman and CEO of United Community Bank, said in the news release. “We are dedicated to providing our customers with an excellent experience across all our channels, and it’s gratifying to see that commitment make a difference in how

our customers view us. This is the second recognition our team has received based on customer satisfaction within the past few weeks. We could not do this without our employees, who go above and beyond every day to serve our customers. I thank them for their dedication to serving their customers and communities.” In collaboration with Statista, Forbes surveyed more than 45,000 customers around the globe about their opinions on their banking relationships. Banks were rated on overall recommendation and key attributes like trust, terms and conditions, customer services, digital services and financial advice, the release said. All financial institutions offering a checking or savings account were included in the study. United Community Bank broke ground on new corporate headquarters in downtown Greenville on March 30. The new building at 200 E. Camperdown is expected to be complete in 2023, according to a news release at the time. The company, which has 650 employees in the state, relocated its headquarters to South Carolina in 2021.

Milliken & Co. CEO joins NAM board Staff Report

gsanews@scbiznews.com

alsey Cook, president and CEO of Milliken & Co., was elected to the board of directors of the National Association of Manufacturers in April. Cook, along with the other industry leaders currently serving on the board, was elected to bolster the association’s leadership in policy advocacy, workforce solutions, legal action, operational excellence and news and insights affecting the manufacturing industry, according to a news release. Founded in 1895, NAM is the largest industrial trade association in the United State, with more than 14,000 members. “Serving on the NAM board is an honor and a responsibility,” Cook said in the news release. “In this role, I’m an advocate for not only our 8,000 Milliken associates, but also for the 12 million people who make up the U.S. manufacturing sector. I look forward to doing my part to ensure our industry’s continued growth and success.” Through channels and partnerships with the Manufacturing Leadership

Council, The Manufacturing Institute and the Innovation Research Interchange, NAM works to tell the story of manufacturing and to equip members with resources. “Halsey is a recognized leader in our industry, and the NAM will be stronger thanks to his service on Cook our board of directors,” NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons said in the release. “The NAM’s mission is to ensure we always keep moving forward, and Halsey will bring invaluable insights as we advocate for the men and women of our industry and advance the values that have made America’s manufacturing industry strong — free enterprise, competitiveness, individual liberty and equal opportunity.” Milliken & Co., once a textile company, is a global manufacturing enterprise with a with a wide range of capabilities across the textile, flooring, chemical and health care businesses. The company is based in Spartanburg.

2022 | SOUTH CAROLINA

MANUFACTURING CONFERENCE AND EXPO PRESENTED BY:

SAVE THE DATE: NOV. 3 - NOV. 4 GREENVILLE CONVENTION CENTER | GREENVILLE, SC

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The 2022 conference will include:

• 2023 Economic Outlook: Auto, Aerospace, Biotech • Women in Manufacturing: Leaders and Influencers • SCMEP Manufacturing Excellence Awards

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For questions about exhibiting or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Robert Reilly at rreilly@scbiznews. com or call (843) 849-3107 Visit scmanufacturingconference.com for the latest updates.

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May 9-May 22, 2022

The war in Ukraine takes its toll on economy Target your market in an upcoming issue of the GSA Business Report

MAY 23

PORTS, LOGISTICS, AND DISTRIBUTION

List: Motor Freight Companies Bonus List: Employee Benefit Brokers Advertising Deadline: May 9 JUNE 13

ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION (AEC) List: Home Builders Advertising Deadline: May 30 JUNE 27

MANUFACTURING & AEROSPACE List: Largest Employers Special Section: Business Cares Salute to the Military Advertising Deadline: June 13 JULY 11

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

List: Commercial Real Estate Companies Bonus List: Commercial Moving & Storage Cos. Advertising Deadline: June 27

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he IMF’s global GDP forecast for 2022 was downgraded by 0.8% from 4.4% to 3.6% largely because of the war between Russia and Ukraine. Typically the revisions to IMF projections are 0.2-0.3%. Thus, the negative impact of the war on GDP growth around globe will be significant. But the slower expected growth is not uniformly distributed. Not surprisingly, the biggest growth hits were for Ukraine and Russia whose economies are projected to shrink dramatically. Growth for each major European country was sliced by 1.-1.5%. In contrast, expected growth rates for the U.S. and Canada were trimmed by 0.3% and 0.2%, respectively. The biggest concerns for Americans currently are inflation and the speed with which the Fed will raise interest rates. The impact of the war is minimal. That is because the U.S. economy is large and relatively insulated and because trade represents only about 10% of the pie. European countries in contrast are geographically much closer to the action, and their energy and food supplies depend to a large extent on imports from Russia and Ukraine. The IMF expects GDP growth in Ukraine to contract 35% this year. To put that in context, the U.S. economy shrank 31% pace in the second quarter of 2020 as the quarantine created one of the sharpest GDP contractions in history. But the various rescue measures triggered a sharp rebound of 34% in the third quarter. Growth for the year fell by a relatively modest 2.3%. While the Ukraine economy is expected to contract 35% this year the war’s impact on GDP growth in 2023 is likely to be even larger. Four million people have left the country. Tens of thousands of its citizens have died. Its factories and cities have been destroyed. And there is no end in sight. These factors will decimate growth for years to come. The Russian economy is being crushed by the economic and financial sanctions imposed upon it. The embargo on oil and gas exports will have a severe negative impact on growth. The loss of the SWIFT international payments system will impede its ability to receive foreign currency. The Russian ruble plunged in the first few weeks of the war. To stabilize the ruble the central bank raised interest rates to 20% and imposed strict capital controls.

Growth in Europe will be impacted largely through higher prices for goods and energy. Russia is a major supplier of oil and gas to European countries. Higher energy prices in Europe will both boost inflation and curtail economic activity. As always, there is a threat that Russia could further restrict the supply of oil and gas to the continent. In that event, European countries will be forced to rely on the U.S. and Canada to fill the gap. At the same time, Ukraine is a major exporter of wheat and corn. Its crops have been decimated. As a result, prices for these and other commodities have soared. Supply chain disruptions have curtailed production in a number of industries — most notably automobiles. As a result of all these factors the IMF has reduced expected 2022 GDP growth in Europe by 1.1 percentage points to 2.8% and sliced 2023 growth by 0.2% to 2.3%. Given that the U.S. economy is at or very near full employment expected GDP growth of 3.7% and 2.3% in the next two years will exceed the economy’s estimated potential growth rate of 1.8%. That will generate further upward pressure on the inflation rate and force the Fed to raise rates much higher than is envisioned at the moment. The Fed has embarked on a course of steady increases in interest rates. But the path it has indicated and most economists seem to embrace, will still leave both short- and long-term real interest rates in negative territory at the end of 2023 — almost two years from now. Negative real interest rates will not appreciably slow the pace of economic activity. At some point the Fed will need to initiate an even more aggressive path of tightening. Once the Fed quickens its pace of rate hikes the danger to the U.S. economy will increase dramatically. Because the economy takes a while to adjust to a higher level of interest rates the Fed almost invariably gets impatient, raises rates too far, and the economy slips over the edge into recession. But the inevitable recession will not occur until the Fed generates positive real interest rates. That is unlikely to happen for another couple of years. From 1980 until 2003, when he retired, Stephen Slifer served as chief U.S. economist for Lehman Brothers in New York City, directing the firm’s U.S. economics group along with being responsible for forecasts and analysis of the U.S. economy. He has written two books on using economic indicators to forecast financial moves and previously served as a senior economist at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve in Washington, D.C. Slifer can be reached at www. numbernomics.com.

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Five legal considerations for starting a medical spa

edical spas are on the rise in South Carolina. Now that we are coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, people across the state seem ready to take the wrinkles from the last two years off their faces — and who can blame them? So it is no surprise that we have seen an increase in the number of medical professionals looking to shift away from traditional medical and nursMEGHAN ing services (and RIORDAN all the government and private insurance headaches that go along with them) toward the cash business of opening medical spas. However, despite less rigorous regulatory requirements and a simpler payment structure, South Carolina providers looking to start medical spas and/or provide related services still have several legal issues to consider before opening for business. If you are considering starting a medical spa business or providing related services, here are some things for you to consider:

Are you licensed?

Any good health care attorney should ask you this question because the answer will guide the structure and operation of your business. If you do not have a South Carolina medical or nursing license, you should still be able to move forward with your plans, but you will need to have solid contractual relationships with South Carolina licensed providers to provide certain services such as laser treatments and Botox injections. To avoid corporate practice of medicine concerns and ensure your proposed compensation structure complies with South Carolina law, always have your contracts with providers reviewed by an attorney. If you are a South Carolina licensed physician, you may want to consider how much time you intend to spend onsite at the medical spa — do you want to be there every day, a few days a week, a few days a month? The answer to this question will influence the providers you hire and the services you provide. If you do not plan to be at the spa every day, you may consider hiring a nurse practitioner to provide services and supervise other staff. If you are South Carolina licensed nurse or nurse practitioner, you will

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need to develop a contractual and supervisory relationship with a South Carolina licensed physician in order to properly operate your medical spa. Unless you have a physician onsite, you may not be able to provide all services. If you want to start a business with more than one type of licensed professional, you will need to carefully consider the structure and organization so as not to run afoul of South Carolina law.

What services will you provide?

Under South Carolina law, whether you need direct or indirect physician or nurse practitioner oversight depends on the type of services you are providing. If you are a registered nurse, you will need direct (onsite supervision) from a nurse practitioner or a physician to perform Botox injections and laser treatments. If you want to provide cutaneous laser treatments, you will need a physician to examine your patients before you provide the treatments. If you want to perform micropigmentation, you will

need to have a physician onsite to provide direct supervision. If you want to provide facials, you will need a licensed esthetician. Regardless of what services you provide, you will want to ensure you and your staff have the appropriate training to provide the services and have proper protocols and patient consents in place.

Other items to consider:

Will you use an electronic medical record system? If so, you will want to ensure that your medical spa is HIPAA compliant. Will your medical spa be mobile, or will you have a physical location? If mobile, you will want to consider appropriate product storage and make sure your insurance covers travel. If in a physical location, it’s always a good idea to have your lawyer review your lease agreement and help you obtain any necessary business licenses. Have you developed a logo or other proprietary marks you want to protect?

If so, you may want to consult an intellectual property lawyer. Clearly, there are a lot of options for how to operate a medical spa. The goals of most medical spa entrepreneurs can be accomplished with careful planning, a good understanding of the rules of the road and, of course, good contracts. Meghan Riordan is a shareholder in Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd’s Greenville office. Her practice focuses on providing advice to health care providers and assisting clients with general health care-related business and operational issues, including organizational documents, employment and service contracts, and provider policies.

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The story of the Upstate business market is a story told in numbers. Market Facts provides the context for the data and statistics critical to commerce in our region. COVID-19 reshaped our economy, and now, more than ever, business leaders require the latest data, facts and trends to navigate the pandemic and capitalize on the continuing recovery.

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PUBLICATION DATE: AUGUST 22, 2022 | ADVERTISING DEADLINE: JULY 15, 2022 For advertising information, contact Rick Jenkins at 864-720-1224 or rjenkins@scbiznews.com