VOLUME 24 NUMBER 15 ■ GSABUSINESS.COM
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Hybrid office, now by choice
A staff ‘Fueled’ by collaboration takes the model into the future. Page 6
Learning some manners
A Clemson researcher says teaching robots to be ‘polite’ can help eliminate errors. Page 13
Montgomery Building spurs on Spartanburg revitalization The Montgomery Building in disrepair had become a barrier from one part of downtown Spartanburg to another. Now it’s a sign of how the Hub City’s central business district is recovering from a pandemic economy. (Photo/Molly Hulsey)
By Molly Hulsey
OSHA standards adjusted
Infectious conditions take place atop priority list. Page 8
Man in green
TD Bank names region president for Mid-South. Page 9
INSIDE
Leading Off........................... 2 SC Biz News Briefs................. 3 C-Suite................................. 4 In Focus: Banking and Finance.............................. 15 LIST: Accounting Firms........ 16 At Work.............................. 20 Viewpoint............................23
S
mhulsey@scbiznews.com
ome remembered Elvis playing on its stage. Others had parking tokens, light fixtures and elevator signs from its heyday. Some stopped on site to swap stories about an uncle who was a janitor, usher or patron. One woman brought bonds issued to construct the building during the 1920s.
Everywhere Tom Finnegan and his development team turned, Spartanburg residents came out of the woodwork to share how the city’s once-highest skyscraper had shaped their childhoods, their family’s livelihood. But if the building inspired the art deco imaginations of long-time Spartanburg residents, it was also an albatross that drummed up liability and development nightmares for city leaders. And in many ways, the building served as a barometer of Hub City’s revival
from the time most of its seven railway lines came to a halt. “It was such a blight on the city and really a barrier from downtown proper, out Church Street toward Wofford,” K.J. Jacobs, principal of McMillan Pazdan Smith, told GSA Business Report. “It really was a kind of psychological barrier for folks coming out of the Northside and Wofford into downtown and vice versa.” Pedestrians would have to evade falling See BUILDING, Page 7
High-tech farm touts paradigm shift for organics By Ross Norton
S
rnorton@scbiznews.com
henandoah Growers Inc., a company specializing in commercially advanced indoor agriculture, broke ground Aug. 3 on its next indoor biofarm — this one in Anderson County.
The company, based in Rockingham County, Va., says it is the only large-scale USDA certified organic soil-based indoor growing system. Shenandoah Growers says it wants to change the reputation of organic food from something expensive to something affordable by making affordability a reality.
By establishing the company’s 13th “biofarm” in Anderson County, on U.S. Highway 29 about halfway between Anderson and Williamston, the company takes another step in a second objective to make organic produce widely available. Shenandoah Growers’ other 12 growing sites range See ORGANICS, Page 11
In Focus Foreclosure Cliff?
Banks and other lenders face tough decisions as federal moratorium comes to an end. Page 15
Leading Off
BRIEFS | FACTS | STATEWIDE NEWS | C-SUITE
A LA CARTE
South Carolina’s export economy
T
he global pandemic interrupted more than your ability to go see a movie or buy a steak dinner on demand. Several areas of the state’s economy were impacted by supply chain and manufacturing disruptions that will likely be felt for years to come. Since BMW established operations in South Carolina, ushering in an advanced manufacturing sector that continues to be a vital part of the economy, economic developers and manufacturing leaders statewide have kept a keen eye on imports and exports as an economic indicator. Though Greenville, Columbia and Charleston account for the most exports in the state, data from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative show how exports aren’t just a major market sector for South Carolina. As the pandemic turns, look for these numbers from before 2020 to realign as more goods are produced here and exported to other markets across the globe.
By the numbers
$34,600,000,000 South Carolina exported nearly $35 billion of goods made in the Palmetto State in 2018 with manufacturing driving the majority of those exports.
154,000 Those manufactured products provided tens of thousands of jobs across the state in 2016.
74% In a span of 10 years, from 2008 to 2018, exports of goods from South Carolina to global trading partners increased 74%.
14 South Carolina was the 14th-largest exporters of goods compared to other states in 2018.
ON THE
RECORD
Top 5 export segments Unsurprisingly, transportation equipment was the top export manufacturing segment in 2018.
Category
Export value
Transportation
$18.8 billion
Chemicals
$2.9 billion
Plastics, rubber
$2.4 billion
Machinery
$2.1 billion
Electronics
$1.4 billion
China
$5.6 billion
Canada
$4 billion
Germany
$3.8 billion
Mexico
$2.8 billion
Britain
$2.4 billion
Metro area
Export value
Greenville
$12.9 billion
Charleston
$8.8 billion
Columbia
$2.1 billion
Spartanburg
$2 billion
Augusta
$970.1 million
Florence
$653.9 million
Myrtle Beach
$319 million
Sumter
$132.4 million
Hilton Head
$45.3 million
Source: Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, 2017
nity in search of volunteers. The organization had operated on a three-day schedule during the height of the pandemic.
Partners LLC, a developer/owner in the multi-family sector, has a new multifamily development, Waterleaf at Old Franklin, a luxury apartment community near Nashville, Tenn. The community includes 363 units.
More than 150 foster families and guests attended a family fun event held at Epoch
“We’re fortunate that Tom Finnegan and James Bakker came along, fell in love with the building and were committed to the very difficult process of historic tax credits to make the investment make sense.”
Clemson on Saturday, July 24, where they were treated to food and games on land and water. The event was sponsored by Valeo Groupe Americas, parent company of Epoch Clemson, in partnership with Greenville-based Fostering Great Ideas.
— K.J. Jacobs, principal of McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture
WEBSITE: www.GSABusiness.com
month, is turning to the business commu-
Greenville-based Graycliff Capital
China leads as South Carolina’s biggest export market, accounting for 16% of total goods exported in 2018.
Export value
return to a five-day delivery schedule last
Value of exports to S.C. metros
Top 5 export markets for S.C.
Countries
Meals on Wheels of Greenville, following a
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SC Biz News Briefs IT’S TIME TO BINGE BUSINESS A rendering shows the newly named Credit One stadium, set to debut with renovations in early April 2022. (Rendering/ Provided)
CHARLESTON
What’s New and What’s Hot!
Coffee With
Recognition Events
Coping with COVID
Alexandria Ng, Charleston Regional Business Journal
Credit One signs multi-year deal for Daniel Island tournament, stadium Credit One Bank has committed to a multi-year title sponsorship with Charleston Tennis LLC. The financial services company based in Las Vegas will serve as the new title sponsor of the Women’s Tennis Association 500 tennis tournament hosted in Charleston, as well as the stadium located at the LTP Daniel Island tennis center. “We’ve got millions of fans of us and card members here in this region, so being a part of this region was really critical to us as an organization,” said John Coombe, senior vice president of marketing at Credit One. “We’re thrilled that the conversations kept going forward, and we had the opportunity to have the naming rights for the stadium.” Formerly known as the Volvo Car Open, the WTA 500 event serves as the largest women’s-only tennis tournament in North America. On a yearly basis, it brings in about 90,000 spectators and generates about $30 million for the region. A new event name with Credit One’s title sponsorship will be announced later, Charleston Tennis officials said. The Credit One Stadium will make its debut with new renovations in early April for the 50th anniversary of the tennis tournament. Renovations of the 20-year-old facility include expanding from 7,500 seats to 11,000 seats.
COLUMBIA
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Epoch Properties to build industrial park on 100 acres of land in Richland County Epoch Properties, along with NAI Columbia, has plans for Lightwood Industrial Park, about 100 acres of industrial, manufacturing, warehouse and distribution space near downtown Columbia. The venture features a Class A industrial park, which will be located in Richland County between Interstate 20 and Farrow Road, according to a news release Lightwood Industrial Park has direct access from Interstate 20 and is near Carolina Research Park and Blue Cross Blue Shield. Lightwood Industrial Park is 113.10 acres accommodating about 650,000 square feet of industrial development, not including a 10-acre site for sale within the park.
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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.
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With publications in the Upstate, Columbia and Charleston, as well as a statewide magazine, SC Biz News covers the pulse of business across South Carolina. Above are excerpts from our other publications.
Ellsworth Burch, Hussey Gay Bell.
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By Melinda Waldrop Mwaldrop@scbiznews.com
Staycation time
Capital City/Lake Murray region ranked top stop. Page 2
W
est Columbia-based Nephron Pharmaceutical Corp. is launching Nephron Nitrile, a new company that will produce three billion nitrile gloves per year at its Saxe-Gotha Industrial Park facility. The gloves, a crucial piece of the PPE needed by medical, health care and other industries during the COVID-19 pandemic, will be manufactured in the newly completed Kennedy Innovation Complex, part of Nephron’s $215.8 million
expansion at its Lexington County headquarters. Nephron is teaming up with CeramTec, a global ceramic and medical technology company with North American headquarters in Laurens, to produce the gloves. CeramTec makes the forms used in molding the gloves. Nephron owner and CEO Lou Kennedy, whose company faced supply chain issues in getting the PPE it needed to operate at the height of the pandemic, said Nephron Nitrile will help onshore future production not just in America but in South Carolina. “Here you have two South Carolina companies
joining forces to create PPE statewide, just the exact way that (Sen.) Lindsey Graham talked about in his press conference from the Nephron lobby last year,” Kennedy said. “I am so proud of this.” Kennedy spoke to the Columbia Regional Business Report in advance of a July 15 news conference announcing the formation of Nephron Nitrile. The news conference occurred after the July 19 print edition of the Business Report went to press. Kennedy said her company has also entered
Rising to the top
Dee Norton welcomes executive director, who started with organization 30 years ago. Page 5
Hydroponics company expands to Atlanta. Page 3
Owner anxieties
Hospitality help
Business leaders weigh in on their biggest worries, and No. 1 might surprise you. Page 2
Federal program pays out $28.6B to bars, restaurants. Page 4
Business boost
MARKET MAYHEM
S.C. agricultural department funds seven startups. Page 6
Lack of inventory, low interest rates driving sight-unseen purchases, cash-only offers
INSIDE
Upfront ................................ 2 SC Biz News Briefs ................ 3 In Focus: Residential Real Estate......................... 14 List: Mortgage Companies .......................................... 17 At Work .............................. 21 Viewpoint ...........................23
By Teri Errico Griffis
Building balance
Lowcountry women are working to bridge the gender gap in construction. Page 10
See NITRILE, Page 12
Growing roots
Photo/Christina Lee Knauss
By Christina Lee Knauss
C
Contributing Writer
olumbia realtor Graeme Moore, owner of The Moore Co., recently had an experience that would be considered highly unusual in almost any other recent era of real estate sales except this one.
He sold an expensive home to a couple moving to Columbia from across the country for work who had never even physically seen the home before or walked around inside it. “We had met before and looked at some houses in person, but on that trip, they didn’t find anything that worked,” Moore said. “They couldn’t swing coming back out here again
because of issues with work and their kids, so they ended up having to buy basically sight unseen, using only photos and a video.” Buying a house without ever seeing it in person isn’t the only unusual thing going on in the real estate market these days. See MARKET, Page 15
Mounting costs
Rising prices of lumber, other materials putting squeeze on affordable housing market . Page 18
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Renovating a cultural legacy along U.S. Highway 17
Nephron Nitrile to help onshore PPE production in S.C.
M
tgriffis@scbiznews.com
ount Pleasant native Corey Alston didn’t grow up a generational basket weaver. His high school girlfriend introduced him to the art as a teenager. Twenty years later the couple is happily married, and the owner of Corey Alston
Gullah Sweetgrass Baskets has since risen to become leader of the sweetgrass craft community. He takes his role, and preservation of the art, very seriously, and in July he began helming revitalization efforts of the rundown basket stands, which he said sit at the “epicenter of the sweetgrass basket industry” along U.S. Highway 17 North in Mount Pleasant. The project is part of Alston’s role as a
SALTWATER AS A RESOURCE
World’s first indoor saltwater farm combats rising sea levels through thriving sustainable agriculture business. Now they’re ready to grow. Page 8
Industrial space
Commercial distribution and warehouse space growing across South Carolina. Page 3
INSIDE
Upfront ................................ 2 SC Biz News Briefs ................ 3 Best Advice .......................... 4 In Focus: Architecture, Engineering and Construction ................11 List: Architecture Firms ......23 Bonus List: Hotels ..............26 At Work ..............................29 Viewpoint ........................... 31 Sea beans grow inside an indoor saltwater farm in Charleston. (Photo/Alexandria Ng)
For advertising information, contact Rick Jenkins at (864) 720-1224 or rjenkins@scbiznews.com
member of the Culture, Arts and Pride Commission of Mount Pleasant. The group is responsible for beautifying the town. Recognizable projects include the wraps around traffic boxes, murals around town and oyster paintings. Alston chose to spruce up the dilapidating stands that have stood since the since the See SWEETGRASS, Page 6
Tennis deal changes name of tournament By Alexandria Ng
C
ang@scbiznews.com
redit One Bank has committed to a multi-year title sponsorship with Charleston Tennis LLC. The financial services company based in Las Vegas will serve as the new title sponsor of the Women’s Tennis Association 500 tennis tournament hosted in Charleston, as well as the stadium located at the LTP Daniel Island tennis center. “We’ve got millions of fans of us and card members here in this region, so being a part of this region was really critical to us as an organization,” said John Coombe, senior vice president of marketing at Credit One. “We’re thrilled that the conversations kept going forward, and we had the opportunity to have the naming rights for the stadium.” Formerly known as the Volvo Car Open, the WTA 500 event serves as the largest women’s-only tennis tournament in North America. On a yearly basis, this tournament brings in about 90,000 spectators and generates about $30 million for the Charleston region. See TENNIS, Page 10
CHARLESTON UNDER CONSTRUCTION Who is building what in the Charleston area? Projects, companies, prices, projected timelines, photos and stories. Page 11
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August 9 - August 22, 2021
Fuel seeks way to make hybrid work for creative environment By Ross Norton
F
rnorton@scbiznews.com
uel expected to be back to its old ways, but it didn’t work out that way. Greenville’s Fuel, which prides itself on being different, had taken only a few tentative steps toward creating something other than the traditional work schedule for its 24-person staff before the pandemic sent everyone scrambling for solutions that would keep things moving while keeping personnel separate and safe. Just a few months before COVID-19 changed everything, the full-service marketing agency had implemented a flex Friday program where half the team worked from home on alternating Fridays. But that was a far cry from the jolt of sending everyone home — suddenly and for the sake of safety — and finding a way to balance fear, parenthood and other concerns while keeping the company’s own health and wellbeing on everyone’s radar. The beginning was accented by stressors that made work all the more difficult, says Fuel COO and President Meredith Kinsey. It’s easy to forget now how stressful those first couple of weeks were, with fears of health, difficulties with technology and concerns about unprecedented societal change, even if everyone thought it would be over soon. On the last day the entire Fuel staff was together in person, they had their regular morning “hotsheet” meeting and “We said, ‘Everybody, finish what you’re doing and, by lunchtime, head home and we’ll see you in a couple of weeks,’” Kinsey said. “Right? That was the conversation everybody had.” Eighteen months later, some offices still aren’t sure what the future holds, even as health officials warn of a COVID-19 resurgence. But Fuel not only has a plan; they’ve already pulled the trigger. The firm is going hybrid, which includes giving up their prime downtown office location for a place in the Sumerel building at Legacy Square at Verdae, where individual offices will be replaced by space created to encourage the vital collaborative atmosphere that a creative company needs for those days when members of the team are together in person. It’s the kind of dynamic that Kinsey and Warren Griffith, company founder and CEO, wanted to maintain in a shift to hybrid. If the pandemic had lasted that two or three weeks that everyone hoped for in the beginning, a hybrid office never would have happened for Fuel, according to Kinsey, because everyone hated it at first. But the Fuel leadership continually surveyed and stayed in almost constant contact with the team and, in time, they saw the experience change.
“We were very intentional from day one about making certain of two primary things,” Kinsey said. “One, that the team was OK, because we all were in this incredible environment, these stressors that none of us had faced before, so our primary objective was: How’s the team doing? And then: Are we able to get the work done? Are we still able to do the business that we need to do to support our clients? So those were the two areas that we said we were going to be laser focused on: making sure the team was OK and then making sure that the work can still be done.” The answer to the second came almost immediately. Fuel picked up business over the course of the last 18 months. Kinsey said the team of 24 happens to be the right 24 and credits their dedication to the process and the results for making 2020 and, so far, 2021 a success. “We were extremely fortunate that our business continued to be strong,” she said. “We were able to close new business through Zoom without meeting people in person. Because of that, because we were performing so well, because the team was so happy, and we had the office in downtown Greenville — which certainly is not the least expensive office space that you can have in Greenville — we started to assess whether or not it was a requirement to go back to that space.” That happy staff wasn’t just her assessment of smiling faces on the daily hotsheet Zoom meeting, but also reflected in emerging survey results. “So we were asking those questions repeatedly and the answers started to evolve, and the answers started to skew into ‘Hey, I kind of like doing this, I like the flexibility that’s afforded me, I like the fact that I don’t have a commute, I like the fact that I can still go for a run in the morning and still be back at my desk and dressed and ready to go for our morning hotsheet meeting. I like the fact that I can be with my kids in the next room, that I can sit and have lunch with my kids,’” Kinsey said. But there was also a sentiment of missing coworkers and missing time with other people. “There were some people, because of the nature of their jobs, where they weren’t having that same level of interaction,” she said. “Because of my role I’m on calls from the minute I sit down until the minute I call it a day, so I have the great fortune and opportunity to interact with people throughout the day. And the majority of our team has that kind of interaction.” Others, however, spend a larger part of a typical in what Kinsey called “head-down” roles, where they’re involved in much more singular tasks such as writing or coding. Some of them want more office time, some less, but Kinsey said by the time
Breeze surveyed 1,000 adult Americans who are employed or looking for work at a job that can be completed entirely remotely. They asked what workers would give up if that employer offered them the option of working remotely full time. Here’s how they answered:
65%
would take a 5% pay cut
38%
would take a 10% pay cut
24%
would take a 15% pay cut
18%
would take a 20% pay cut
15%
would take a 25% pay cut
39%
would give up health insurance benefits
46%
would give up 25% of their paid time off
36%
would give up their 401(k) or other retirement plan
53%
would work an extra 10 hours per week
55%
would give up social media for the next year
34%
would give up their right to vote in all future local and national elections for life
they made the decision to move permanently to a hybrid environment, not a single person wanted to return to the office full time and only two or three wanted to be at home full time. The space at the Sumerel building was designed to enable employees to maintain balance and autonomy while preserving its vital culture within a productive, collaborative work environment, the company said in a news release announcing the move. In selecting its new location, the agency sought to create a space that satisfies the specific needs of Fuel and its employees. Kinsey believes the hybrid office the Fuel team enters now will not be the final plan. She predicts some of the
About the source: Breeze calls itself the first “insurtech” company, started in 2019 to modernize disability insurance using automated underwriting technology in an online process.
employees will want to spend more time than they think in the office once things return to normal, and if they do, Fuel is prepared to adjust. “Our company always focused on work-life balance,” Kinsey said. “In order for us to do good work, we need to have happy and healthy people and in order for us to have happy and healthy people we need to make sure that we maintain a balance between work life and personal lives, and that has never been more important than where we have found ourselves over the course of the last 18 months.” Reach Ross Norton at 864-720-1222 or @ RossNorton13 on Twitter.
August 9 - August 22, 2021
BUILDING, from Page 1
pieces of concrete, an orange construction mesh and scaffolding the city erected to “protect folks if they were to dare to walk under there.” Homeless people took shelter inside, and all 10 stories of windows were busted out. “I certainly wouldn’t want my daughter walking out there late at night or my son coming to that building,” Finnegan said. “It was dark and boarded up and you know, it looked like something out of a war zone.” You don’t expect that in a prosperous area where industry is coming back, he added. The city had heard numerous promises to rehab the building from various developers over the years, so when Tom Finnegan and his partner James Bakker said they would invest in the project, they were met with skepticism but also strong support from officials who wanted to give the building one last chance before demolition. “We’re fortunate that Tom Finnegan and James Bakker came along, fell in love with the building and were really committed to the really very difficult process of historic tax credits to make the investment make sense,” Jacobs said. “Everybody wanted to save the building, but it was never financially viable. They were able to combine their passion for it and a belief that it could be done and their
www.gsabusiness.com 7
vision for it with the vehicle of historic tax credits that made it financially possible.” The close to $30 million project relied on Harper General Contractors practically rebuilding the skin of the 127,000-square-foot building to match the original, according to Jacobs. That alone was one factor that moved the project far beyond the typical historic preservation and adaptive reuse development. “What made this interesting was the combination of the adapative reuse, the preservation, the scale of the building; being a high-rise building in an urban environmnent made this really, really tricky,” he said. “And I think just the nature of the construction of the exterior of the building just made it really challenging to try to understand what it needed to look like as we’re starting to try to put it back together.” Once completed in 2018, the buliding was lavished with awards from the Traditioanl Building Magazine, ENR Southeast and CREW Upstate. On July 23, Gov. Henry McMaster recognized the team at the Statehouse with Preservation South Carolina’s 2021 Honor Award. “This is one of the most extraordinary projects that has ever been submitted,” Mike Bedenbaugh, president and CEO of Preservation South Carolina, said in a news release before the event. “The challenges that had to be overcome with this building, most of the time, would have led to the demolition of other buildings.
That’s why it deserves this award.” The challenge of financing the building with waning tax credit returns and of filling retail, multi-family and office space was still on the books for the Montgomery Building. Especially with a virtual freeze on those markets at the beginning of 2020. But if One Spartanburg Inc.’s benchmark data is an indicator, Spartanburg’s central business district is recovering with a vengeance. The city’s capital penny sales tax and the county’s hospitality tax are both surpassing pre-pandemic levels, while visitors to Morgan Square far exceed 2020’s numbers. “The apartments leased up very quickly when they first opened and to my knowledge, they still have very strong occupancy rates,” said Jacobs, adding that all the retail space has been filled. Modern Real Estate Consultants was one of the most recent tenants to lease out a 1,781-square-foot space in the building this year. Several restaurants inquiring about the space had to be turned away, while Sidewall Pizza and the Pharmacy Coffee still stand at either corner of the building off North Church Street. “We’re finally starting to see some action in the office space and executive office space in Spartanburg, and just in general, that we hadn’t seen prior to the pandemic,” Finnegan said, adding that he looks forward to opening the building’s old theater in the years ahead.
As office and retail rents plunge elsewhere, tenants that must have a brickand-mortar location and can afford one, have made the move to newer developments with more bells and whistles, he affirmed. Or in the case of the Montgomery Building, older developments with new amentities and customer appeal. “The whole dynamics of COVID have been tough. Absolutely,” said James Jenkins, owner of the James and James Collection men’s wear and custom suit shop located between a salon and a barbershop on the first floor. “But with the new renovations and us being right here, still we try to do really good looking windows to attract some business. It’s been tough, but we have some good clients, and it’s slowly going back to where it needs to go.” Jenkins moved into the location in 2018 and as a long-term Spartanburg resident, he’s been following — and benefitting personally — from downtown’s revival for years. “With the city and the city manager, what’s going on is they’re visionaries, and it’s really going forward,” he said. “You really have to have that … especially with the new folks that are coming into Spartanburg, all the new people, it’s not that old Spartanburg. It’s moving in a new direction.” Reach Molly Hulsey at 864-720-1222 or @mollyhulsey_gsa on Twitter.
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August 9 - August 22, 2021
The Simply Sterile team sprayed mats and gym equipment for the U.S. Olympics gymnastics team as the gymnasts competed in various championship events up to their trip to Tokyo. (Photo/Provided)
SC OSHA creates new infectious diseases standard By Molly Hulsey
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mhulsey@scbiznews.com
lmost two years ago, Jake Stancell was a medical and dental salesman living in Greenville. Come 2021 and an ambitious string of emails, Stancell became a staple of the USA Gymanstics team, traveling alongside the likes of Simon Biles and Sunisa Lee. Under the name SimplySterile, he wields a technology used in hospitals, offices and day care centers that he thinks could help give U.S. employers back some of the 111 billion employee sick days filed annually. “The majority of people just don’t disinfect according to manufacturers’ guidelines,” he said, adding that household disinfectant names have a “dwell time” written in fine print on the back of the bottle. “That dwell time means the time it takes to do its job and kill the germs and bacteria. Many of these household cleaners have a dwell time of six to 10 minutes.” In lieu of the traditional disinfectants that he argues are also “highly corrosive and toxic,” he and his team use a chlorine dioxide-based spray solution which he said coats surfaces and exterminates MRSA, staph and salmonella bacteria as well as viruses from the common cold to COVID-19 without having to be wiped off.
In early 2020, Simply Sterile was a mere glint in Stancell’s eye. Now, Simply Sterile has built out franchises in Charleston and Columbia with more to come, he said, and is one of thousands of virus-exterminating cleaning services that arose from the pandemic. “Businesses are more in tune now with the wellbeing of their employees,” QBS Loss Control Consultant Ramon Serrano told GSA Business Report. “Some businesses [didn’t] even know who OSHA is or what they do.” Now, business can’t help but know. Their workforce and survival is on the line. An uptick in delta variant cases aside, the current awareness of disease prevention in the workplace isn’t going to disappear anytime soon either, human resource experts say. The S.C. Occupational Safety and Health Authority is currently in the process of developing an infectious disease standard that tailors federal benchmarks, set into motion in June, for South Carolina data. The state is required to adopt standards that are the same or at least as effective as the federal requirements, according to a statement from the agency. “This approach acknowledges the issues previously seen during the pandemic, recognizes the progress made during this time, and anticipates the
growing need for stability among employers, employees and the public when dealing with similar situations,” S.C. OSHA Deputy Director Kristina Baker said in the statement. “This alternative approach will place significant focus on employer assessment and allow flexibility as the pandemic has proven to be both fluid and unpredictable.” The agency is still working out the details as it assesses current updates regarding impending waves of delta variant infections. S.C. Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation Spokesperson Lesia Kudelka told GSA Business Report that the agency expects to have the standard completed no later than October, when it will be posted on the agency website and social media platforms. In the meantime, employees can still file a complaint on the basis of whether they feel that their employer is not providing a “safe and healthy” worksite that curbs infection, COVID-19 or otherwise. For now, the S.C. OSHA Compliance Team is prioritizing COVID-19 exposure claims, according to the statement. As the regulations now stand, Scott Black, another loss control expert with QBS, has seen that workplace air quality tends to rank high on the list of unexpected yet damnatory liabilities. “Indoor air quality has been a
challenge for businesses way before COVID ever came into play,” he said. “An employee has the right to a safe work environment, and they also have the right to let OSHA know they don’t think they have a safe work environment. And a lot of time, that can be [that] an industrial hygienist hasn’t come in to do air quality testing.” HVAC systems have received renewed attention recently, Black said, as have disinfectant teams like SimplySterile and additional after-hour cleaning services. Large-scale industrial employers have invested in temperature readers utilizing facial recognition technology and installed them as a permanent feature at their front entrance. At the end of the day — or perhaps more accurately, at the beginning — best practices for infection control (and protection from OSHA complaints) really boils down to the type of industry on the hot seat, according to Serrano and Black. “The best advice we can give our clients, and it’s on a case-by-case basis of what they’re working on or what they’re doing, is lead them toward ‘these are the regulations for your state. This is what you’re supposed to do. Let’s work together to develop it and make it work for what you have,’” Serrano said. Reach Molly Hulsey at 864-720-1222 or @mollyhulsey_gsa on Twitter.
August 9 - August 22, 2021
www.gsabusiness.com 9
TD Bank names new president for Mid-South region Staff Report
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D Bank has appointed Hugh W. Allen regional president for its Mid-South Metro, which includes Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, Delaware, North Carolina and South Carolina. In his new role, he will provide strategic direction and sales leadership to TD Bank’s Mid-South consumer, small business, commercial and specialty banking operations and lending services, according to a news release. Allen, who will be Allen based in Charlotte, will lead a team of approximately 4,400 regionally based employees and a network of nearly 130 stores. “Hugh has many wonderful connections to the area through his professional and charitable work that will benefit our customers and colleagues throughout the region. I congratulate Hugh on his well-deserved promotion,” Chris Giamo, head of commercial banking for TD Bank, said in the news release. “Hugh’s extensive industry knowledge, network and skills,
TD Bank’s Greenville campus overlooking Interstate 85 is a regional center for company operations. (Photo/ Provided)
combined with TD’s evolving focus on this growing region, will help ensure our continued success in the Mid-South.” TD’s highly visible Greenville campus, seen most frequently from Interstate 85, is a regional center for company operations including credit card services, audit, small business, technology, employee training and customer service. Most recently, Allen served as TD Bank Commercial Real Estate division head for the company’s south region and managed
teams that provide loans and banking services to public and private developers and commercial real estate owners. He has more than 30 years of experience in banking and joined TD Bank in 2014 as a commercial real estate regional director. Allen’s previous experience includes positions at PNC Bank and Wells Fargo. “The Mid-South is an incredibly important metro for TD, and I’m confident Hugh is the right leader to continue to elevate our presence across the region,”
Ernie Diaz, head of consumer distribution, wealth and TD Auto Finance, said in the release. “Hugh has been an integral part of the TD Bank family for years and brings to this position deep banking expertise and an unrivaled passion for giving back to his community — qualities I know will serve him well in his new role.” Outside of work, Allen serves on the board of directors for the Hydrocephalus Association, the Research Triangle Foundation, the Steve Smith Family Foundation and The Arts Empowerment Project. He is also co-founder of BP Basketball Inc., a Charlotte-based nonprofit dedicated to mentoring youth through basketball. Allen is an active member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, Duke University Fuqua School of Business Keller Society and The Iron Dukes. Allen has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas and a Master of Business Administration from the Duke University Fuqua School of Business. TD Bank is one of the 10 largest banks in the nation, with more than 9.6 million customers, according to the release. The Greenville campus, constructed beginning in 2012, comprises three buildings with nearly 300,000-square-feet of office space on 67 acres, according to earlier reports,
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August 9 - August 22, 2021
Johns Island indoor saltwater farm growing ‘stevia for salt’ By Alexandria Ng
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ang@scbiznews.com
he call came in with a three-day lead time — a client in Maryland had run out of product and needed 50% of their usual order delivered to them by 5 a.m. Monday. With no other way to fulfill this last-minute order, the small team of 12 at Heron Farms decided that one of them would have to make the nine-hour drive from Charleston to Baltimore with a refrigerated truck, loaded with the urgently requested cargo — sea beans. Sea beans, a nutrient-packed succulent usually found in saltwater marshes, are seeing a growing demand as they gain recognition, especially in the retail and restaurant world. Johns Island-based Heron Farms, the world’s first indoor saltwater farm, is capitalizing on the cultivation of this plant, while combating the environmental impacts of seawater rise. The highly salt-tolerant plant from which sea beans grow manages its natural environment by storing salt inside of its cells. This storage results in the vegetable’s bright, salty flavor. Heron Farms wants to market this as a healthier salt alternative, as opposed to more than 90% of salts sold across the world that were found to contain microplastics, according to a 2018 study from the Environmental Science & Technology scientific journal. The highest levels were found in sea salts. “We want to be like the Stevia for salt,” said JB Joseph, COO of Heron Farms. “We want to produce a viable salt alternative, and since they aren’t able to absorb microplastics, they are the purest form of sea salt that you can get. They also have a ton of nutrients in them; they’re like a borderline superfood.” According to Heron Farms’ March lab report based off lower salinity levels than which they’re currently using, a 100-gram sample contained 22.7 calories. Generally, sea beans contain high levels of iron and calcium, with more vitamin A than kale and more magnesium than avocados. “It’s like plant-based salt; it’s healthier than table salt,” said Sam Norton, founder and CEO of Heron Farms. “Sea beans are a cousin of beets or spinach, and it shares a lot of their health properties.”
From ocean to dinner plate
Norton grew up on Isle of Palms. He, like many others living in coastal South Carolina, recognized the growing issue of seawater intrusion and regional flooding. “What motivates me is that seawater doesn’t just have to be a problem; it can be a resource,” Norton said. “The reason why this plant has been so widely funded and researched over the last decade is that
Heron Farms grows its sea beans in vertical racks using an indoor saltwater system. (Photo/Provided)
we’re realizing that 90% of the saltwater on the planet is actually usable for agriculture if we domesticate these types of plants called halophytes.” Heron Farms uses seawater with a salinity of 30 parts per 1,000 — a little less salty than the Atlantic Ocean. This water runs through the pipes of the automated indoor hydroponic system, an advantage that lets them control growing factors year-round, Norton said. Plants are watered at the same time every day, imitating the tides, but on an expedited schedule. All seawater comes from Bull Bays Saltworks, from which Heron Farms picks up about 750 gallons each week. “We’re taking ocean water, which you can’t drink, and repacking it into a healthy plant-based form,” Norton said. “It’s like biting into a little bit of healthy seawater.” Given the indoor setting, Heron Farms also uses LED light fixtures that mimic optimal growing conditions to maximize yield. Salinity levels, types of seed and water cycles are still being adjusted to test germination rates, Norton noted. The sea beans have an average seven-week seed-to-harvest growth cycle, and the farm produces about a few thousand pounds per year, Norton said. These plants are gathered in 1-ounce or 1-pound packages and distributed for
restaurant use or to be included in home meal delivery kits. Restaurants in Charleston like The Obstinate Daughter, Jack Rabbit Filly and 167 Raw have used sea beans on their menus, serving them as garnishes, sauces and flavorings. Grocery stores like Publix, Harris Teeter and Whole Foods have also expressed interest in stocking sea beans on shelves, and produce delivery services like Blue Apron and Imperfect Foods have discussed including products in their boxes. “Chefs are our main way of rolling this out to people, but our biggest customers are grocery box delivery services,” Norton said. “Now that we’re seeing very large companies throughout the U.S. getting on board and buying our product is a big sign.” Heron Farms sells its 1-ounce package for about $2.59. Prices are in negotiation with these larger companies, Norton said. The company has also partnered with Charleston kombucha company Dalai Sofia by adding the Heron Farms logo to its drink packaging. For every co-branded product sold, Heron Farms will replant one square foot of salt marsh, which has decreased over the years because of dredging and coastal development. “We’re seeing a lot of what’s happening is that brands are going to attach restoration of the environment to a given product, and we’ve found a niche in that space,”
Norton said. “As we prove the science behind it, we’re able to open up this sales funnel and bring in more product and more businesses that want to collaborate.” Heron Farms’ salt marsh restoration occurs via a drone that flies over damaged land and drops seeds of the sea bean plant, one of few plants that can survive in overly salty areas and help bring life back into it.
Looking forward
To maintain demand spikes in the past, Heron Farms has used the help of contract farms. Going forth, plans include expanding locations into the West Coast, as well as introducing more products once the sea bean has been perfected. From a one-person operation to a team that’s raking in about 70 applications for open positions and growing in demand every day, Heron Farms has grown to a point where they expect to break even before the original goal date. “I’ve been doing research for four years, but we’ve only had a commercial-size farm since Thanksgiving, and it was early-May that we were kind of growing and doing a little bit of selling, but mostly trying to do R&D quietly,” Norton said. “I think now, we’re more sales-oriented and timely and ready for our next round of investment.” Reach Alexandria Ng at 843-849-3124.
August 9 - August 22, 2021
www.gsabusiness.com 11
ORGANICS, from Page 1
across the country. The company has long-term strategic partnerships with the nation’s largest food retailers, including relationships of more than 20 years, and its products are available in approximately 20,000 stores, according to the news release. “Our newest biofarm will further enable Shenandoah Growers to deliver what consumers in South Carolina and across the Southeast want: delicious organic produce, grown nearby in an environmentally responsible way, without the usual premium price,” Shenandoah Growers CEO Matt Ryan said in the release. “This farm is part of our broader vision for a transparent, diverse and responsive food system more resilient against climate change and supply chain disruptions. Looking ahead, there is tremendous opportunity to apply innovation to develop produce aligned with emerging consumer trends, from better flavor and texture to enhanced nutrient content, responsive to the burgeoning ‘food as health’ concept. We thank the state of South Carolina and Anderson County for their partnership and look forward to joining this thriving community.” Ryan, a former Starbucks executive, was named CEO in June, one of several top-level hires. A former CFO for
“I am especially excited about this announcement because of the long and storied tradition of agriculture in southern Anderson County.” Ray Graham Anderson County Councilman
A worker at an existing Shenandoah Growers farm represents a modern-day farm hand, working most of the day indoors to produce organic food. (Photo/Provided)
Postmates, Mike Buckley, was hired to oversee the Shenandoah Growers coffers. Ryan was previously head of brand management for Walt Disney Co. and Buckley was CFO for Nike. The company also appointed a chief science officer and named a former Walmart executive its chief operating officer. For Anderson County, it means a 100,000 square-foot farm will grow herbs and leafy vegetables, providing 50 jobs that pay well, the company said
in the news release. Located at 2665 Highway 29 South in Anderson, the 100,000-square-foot Biofarm will grow USDA certified organic herbs and leafy greens, the release said. Based in Rockingham, Va., the company’s products include the That’s Tasty brand. “I’m pleased to welcome Shenandoah Growers Inc. to the Upstate, where they’ll deploy innovative indoor farming techniques to meet consumer
demand for fresh locally grown food,” Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers said in the release. “South Carolina’s strong agricultural tradition and support for agribusiness make this a great place for Shenandoah Growers Inc. to expand to.” The company says the new facility will be operational by the second quarter of 2022. “I am especially excited about this announcement because Shenandoah’s operations fit perfectly with the long and storied tradition of agriculture in southern Anderson County,” Anderson County Councilman Ray Graham said in the release. “We are glad to have them on board and I know they will feel right at home in our community.” Reach Ross Norton at 864-720-1222.
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August 9 - August 22, 2021
GADC has new officers and board members Staff Report
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he Greenville Area Development Corp., charged with promoting and enhancing quality of life in Greenville County by facilitating job growth and investment, has named Don Erickson chairman of its board of directors for 2021-2022. Joining him as officers are Beverly Haines as vice chair, Chad Tumblin as secretary, and Barry Leasure as Treasurer. Also, Joy Hemphill, McNeil Epps and Councilman Stan Tzouvelekas have been appointed by the Greenville County Council to three-year terms on the board, beginning July 1. In addition, Beverly Haines was reappointed to the board by the council, which also voted to expand the board by one seat to include the permanent addition of the county auditor as a member. Scott Case is Greenville County’s auditor. “Since 2001, GADC efforts have contributed more than $55 billion in economic impact to Greenville County and accounted for over 30,000 jobs, working closely with other economic development organizations, chambers of commerce, the private sector and state and local governments to realize these incredible results,” Greenville County Council Willis Meadows said in a news release. “County Council appreciates these talented leaders who help to guide our county’s economic development efforts in attracting and growing industry and enterprise here, while increasing per capita income, capital investment and opportunity for all members of the community.” Erickson is a retired executive with more than 35 years of experience in the aerospace and defense industry, most
recently serving as general manager and site director of Lockheed Martin’s 500-person site in Greenville that provides aircraft sustainment, modification and production services. In addition, he was instrumental in bringing the new F-16 production line to Greenville. His community activities include support for Greenville Tech, Habitat for Humanity and the March of Dimes. Haines is a health care consultant and the former president and chief nursing officer of the Patewood Erickson Hospital and Medical Campus of the Greenville Health System, now Prisma Health. A registered nurse, she previously served as senior vice president of patient care services at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Health System in Pittsburgh. She has served in leadership roles with such organizations as the Peace Center, Greenville Women Giving and the Greenville Chorale. She is a graduate of The Riley Institute at Furman University’s Diversity Leaders Initiative. Tumblin is an experienced construction and land acquisition manager, serving as general land manager for NVR Inc., the parent company of Ryan Homes. He has served on the Greenville County Planning Commission as both director and chairman, as well as director and chairman of the Northwood Little League Board. Leasure is managing partner of the GreerWalker CPAs Greenville office. He has more than 30 years of experience providing tax and business advisory services to clients of all sizes across a wide spectrum of industries, and has experience consulting international companies as well as domestic. He primarily focuses
his practice on the construction, property management and real estate development industries including developers, owners, brokers, and investors. He is active in numerous professional organizations including the Urban Land Institute, CFMA South Carolina, and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and its South Carolina chapter. As a volunteer, he is active with the Peace Center, United Way of Greenville County, and a board member Haines of Upstate Alliance. Epps is a commercial real estate broker with NAI Earle Furman, a commercial real estate firm in the Upstate. He primarily focuses his practice on office space in Greenville. He serves as a member of the Greenville Legislative Delegation Transportation Committee. He is a certified commercial investment member (CCIM), an active member of the Greater Greenville Association of Realtors, and a member of Leadership Greenville Class 46. A medically retired U.S. Navy veteran, Hemphill has spent more than 10 years assisting and advocating for veterans in various capacities. She previously worked for the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce as a veterans workforce consultant before transitioning to her current role as a vocational rehabilitation counselor for the state. Hemphill is a board member for the Greenville Economic Development Board, and currently serves as regional director for Psi Zeta Phi Military Sorority. She is a service officer for Disabled American Veterans. Tzouvelekas currently serves the team at RealtyLink in the role of land acquisitions
and sales and has spent more than three decades in the residential and commercial real estate industry. A University of South Carolina graduate, he is a past president of the America Hellenic Educational Progressive Associations where he led efforts to obtain federal grants to provide affordable housing apartments for seniors. A past board member of Team Greenville and a graduate of Leadership Greenville class XXVI, he is board chairman for Christian Learning Centers Tumblin of Greenville County. Elected to Greenville County Council representing District 22, he serves on the public safety and human relations committees, as well as the public works and Infrastructure committees. He is an active community volunteer with Meals on Wheels and several other organizations. Case is a CPA with more than 30 years of professional experience in the areas of tax and finance, having worked at an international accounting firm, as tax director for a major corporation, at a major national law firm, as CFO for multiple companies and in a variety of finance and tax roles as a consultant. Case previously served on Greenville County Council where he authored Greenville’s first biennium budget and led the county to an AAA credit rating. He serves as the elected auditor of Greenville County and is a member of the S.C. Association of CPAs, the American Institute of CPAs, and the Government Finance Officers Association. Departing the GADC Board of Directors at the end of their respective terms Roy Chamlee, County Councilman Ennis Fant and Je’Varus Howard.
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August 9 - August 22, 2021
www.gsabusiness.com 13
Researcher working to teach robots some common decency Staff Report
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obots can vacuum floors and move boxes around warehouses, but they have a few things to learn when it comes to manners, and Ioannis Karamouzas of Clemson University wants to teach them. Karamouzas, an assistant professor in the School of Computing, won’t be sending the robots to their room or taking away privileges, as one might an unruly child. For the robots, he will be developing new algorithms and navigation techniques, according to a Karamouzas news release. “The idea is to have more intelligent robots that are cognizant of their surroundings and to help robots make decisions similar to what humans do,” Karamouzas said. “We could actually use those robots, and they would be part of our everyday lives.” Karamouzas is launching his project after receiving a $501,800 Career Award from the National Science Foundation. The research focuses on helping indoor,
mobile robots coexist with humans in populated areas, such as homes and workspaces. He also plans to visit a number of K-12 schools across South Carolina to expose students to robotics, a step toward creating a college-going culture in economically disadvantaged areas and drumming up interest in STEM careers, particularly among groups underrepresented in fields where science, technology, engineering and mathematics are central. Amy Apon, the C. Tycho Howle Director of the School of Computing, said the award will support Karamouzas as he conducts cutting-edge research and advances robotics education. “Career Awards are highly competitive grants that go to some of the nation’s brightest junior faculty members,” she said. “This is a well-deserved honor that positions Dr. Karamouzas to build a foundation for a career that integrates research and education. I offer him my deepest congratulations.” The core problem Karamouzas is addressing is that robots don’t have the decision-making skills that humans do. For example, when two people are trying to pass through a doorway at the same time, they will rely on subtle and overt cues to decide who goes first. That often
doesn’t happen with robots, Karamouzas said. “Robots care about themselves,” he said in the news release. “They try to go about their business, which is fine, but they don’t even care about the robot next
“The ideas is to have more intelligent robots that are cognizant of their surroundings and to help robots make decisions similar to what human do.” Ioanis Karamouzas assisstant professor, Clemson University School of Computing
to them. All of a sudden, they clog the doorway and they cannot do anything.” To teach the robots a better way, Karamouzas will draw from his experience in simulating human crowds, including pedestrians, and how they interact with each other, avoid collisions and plan their paths. “All of these techniques can translate
to some degree to robots,” he said in the release. The project comes with five years of funding for a graduate student to assist with research. Also as part of the project, Karamouzas has developed an education plan that includes new robotics courses and new opportunities for undergraduates to study in his lab over the summer as part of a National Science Foundation program called Research Experiences for Undergraduates. Karamouzas said the diversity of research at the university, especially in the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences, makes it an excellent place for his work. “There are so many smart people working in areas related to what I’m proposing,” he said in the release. “That opens doors for collaboration in general research opportunities with faculty and students across the college. Also, we have really smart and eager undergraduate students, and I’m pretty sure they are excited to work with robots.” The NSF career awards were developed to encourage junior university and college faculty members who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars, according to the NSF website.
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August 9 - August 22, 2021
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LISTS: Accounting Firms, Page 16
S.C. one of the hardest hit states as foreclosure moratorium ends By Molly Hulsey
E
mhulsey@scbiznews.com
ven prior the July 31 federal foreclosure and eviction moratorium, South Carolina ranked in as one of the top states for current foreclosure rates and risk of foreclosure, according to several studies. According to Lending Tree’s analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, almost 39% of South Carolinians are at risk for eviction, the fourth heighest percentage in the country. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities data also reported that 28% of all renters in the state reported on July 5 that they were behind on rent, the second highest level after Mississippi. Roughly 1.5% of South Carolinians hadn’t paid their mortgage payments for more than 90 days at the beginning of 2020. In the first quarter of 2021, this percentage spiked 4.18%, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. The federal average is 4.16%. Most banks queried by SC Biz News remained silent on the topic. Those that offered input argued they have a clean portfolio. Locally-headquartered United Community Bank and First Reliance Bank declined to comment, as did First Reliance, 5/3rd Bank and ServisFirst Bank. Pinnacle Financial Partners, a regional bank with a strong presence in the Charleston and Upstate regions, reported that the end of the moratorium won’t be the stark cliff portrayed in national news headlines for their customers. “The end of the federal foreclosure moratorium will not have a sustainable effect on Pinnacle, because most of our mortgage loans do not stay on our books after we originate them,” Pinnacle Financial Partners spokesperson Nikki
File photo
Minges told SC Biz News in a statement. “We have always worked with our clients if they experience an unplanned life event or hardship and will continue to do so after the moratorium ends.” Greenwood-based Countybank offers traditional loan products to communities across the Upstate from Anderson to Simpsonville. Executive Vice President Ken Harper said no foreclosure activities are on the books at the present, but that the bank’s exposure to residential loans remains limited compared to some competitors. The Upstate economy has also been somewhat sheltered from some of the economic challenges the rest of the country is facing — especially in terms of stress on the residential housing market, he said. “We’ve got some small apartment complexes, and some rental homes here and there, and we really have not seen any uptick in foreclosure activity in this part of the world,” he said on the week of July 31. “South Carolina has certainly fared better than some other major metropolitian area as it relates to hous-
feel Confident when you list with us
ing stress, and I credit in-migration, a favorable job climate and all those kinds of things.” Last summer, when customer’s credit situations seemed a little more dicey, he said that Countybank arranged deferrals for individual borrowers. “They were very much appreciated and it was help when people needed it,” he said. “After the deferral period had expired, payments resumed without a problem, so we really have had no negative impact in that space over the last 12 months, knock on wood.” Harper speculated that may not be the case in more densely populated communities and is concerned that the current housing bubble could be well on its way to bursting as it is did during the Great Recession. “You watch the evening news and you’re certainly aware of markets outside of yours: New York, Chicago, San Fransisco for example, where housing costs are phenomenal, which includes certainly, the rental market,” he said. “It is certainly concerning knowing that some
folks don’t have an option. I would certainly say that the Biden administration has been very aggressive in terms of support that ultimately go to the consumer and the landlord to relieve stress. I think that there has been an unprecedented level of support across the industry.” In July, The Biden administration extended the mortgage forbearance program until Sept. 30 with an additional three months for certain borrowers through the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Agriculture, according to a news release. Additional HUD assistance includes an iniatitive to offer homeowners a roughly 25% reduction in borrowers’ monthly principal if they can’t pay their monthly mortgage. Those who can will be able to do so with a zero interest subordinante lien. The White House’s $9.961 billion Homeowner Assistant Fund has also been deployed to cover mortgage and utility payments, while the Government National Mortgage Association has created a new security product that allows government agencies to extend mortgage terms up to 40 years for borrowers behind on mortgages, according to the release. A few states have declared eviction moratoriums of their own, but South Carolina defers concerned homeowners and renters to the SCStay Program for COVID-19 housing assistance. “I don’t wish it for anyone else, but we’re fortunate our customers and clients are in good shape in the markets that we serve,” Harper said. “I don’t want to brag. Anything could change in a hurry.” Reach Molly Hulsey at 864-720-1222 or @mollyhulsey_gsa on Twitter.
16
IN FOCUS: BANKING & FINANCE
www.gsabusiness.com
August 9 - August 22, 2021
Accounting Firms
Ranked by No. of CPAs in the Greenville Area CPAs / Accountants / Employees
Company
Phone / Website / Email
Executive(s) / Year Founded
Elliott Davis LLC 200 E. Broad St., Suite 500 Greenville, SC 29601
864-242-3370 www.elliottdavis.com elliottdavis@elliottdavis.com
Richard E. "Rick" Davis 1920
108 180 228
Assurance and advisory; tax planning and compliance; accounting, financial reporting; strategic planning, business valuation; risk, cybersecurity advisory; business, management consulting; wealth management, due diligence for financial transactions
Ernst & Young LLP 2 W. Washington St., Suite 901 Greenville, SC 29601
864-242-5740 www.ey.com
Jessica Donan 1926
51 71 120
Assurance, tax and consulting services
Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP 11 Brendan Way, Suite 200 Greenville, SC 29615
864-288-5544 www.dhg.com info@dhg.com
Mike Kelly 1932
49 88 135
Audit and assurance, income tax compliance and consulting, corporate governance, transaction advisory services, due diligence, litigation support and valuation, forensic and IT risk and advisory
Cherry Bekaert LLP 110 E. Court St., Suite 500 Greenville, SC 29601
864-233-3981 www.cbh.com kathryn.delia@cbh.com
John Gonella 1947
36 44 75
Audit and assurance, tax planning and compliance, international tax advisory and transfer pricing, state and local tax advisory, credits and incentives, business valuation transaction advisory services and litigation support
Halliday, Schwartz & Co. 824 E. Main St. Spartanburg, SC 29302
864-583-0886 www.hsco-cpa.com
Beth Cooley, Stan Halliday, Betsy Vanover 1952
17 24 26
Audits, reviews and compilation of financial statements; tax planning, consulting, tax return preparation, business valuations; business planning and consulting
Greene Finney LLP 211 E. Butler Road, Suite C6 Mauldin, SC 29662
864-232-5204 www.greenefinney.cpa info@gfhllp.com
Larry J. Finney, David Phillips 1996
13 28 32
Tax planning and compliance, outsourced controller, accounting and payroll services, audit, review and compilation services, advisory services
Stokes & Co. CPAs PC 108 Frederick St. Greenville, SC 29607
864-242-1418 www.stokescpas.com info@stokescpas.com
Stephen C Stokes, Allen A Hodges 1999
12 34 40
Tax preparation, bookkeeping, accounts payable, fractional controller and CFO, compilations and reviews
Suggs Johnson LLC 107 Edgebrook Drive Anderson, SC 29621
864-226-0306 www.suggsjohnson.com info@suggsjohnson.com
Chris Halkowitz, Brian Johnson, David Gray Suggs 2005
9 21 23
Advisors, consultants to businesses and individuals; emphasis in income, estate, trust tax planning and compliance; spectrum of industries
Gosnell Menard Robinson & Infante 180 Alabama St. Spartanburg, SC 29302
864-573-9211 www.gmricpas.com www.barney@gmricpas.com
Barney G. Gosnell 1986
8 12 14
Tax consulting and compliance; audit and accounting services; merger and acquisition advisory services; pension plan audit services, auto dealership advisory services, strategic business planning
SwaimBrown P.A. 350 E. St. John St. Spartanburg, SC 29302
864-585-0176 www.swaimbrown.com
Scott Keim 1952
8 11 16
Audit and assurance services, reviews, compilations; employee benefit plan audits; tax compliance and consulting; accounting and bookkeeping services; business planning, consulting and outsourced CFO services; transaction advisory services
Argo & Associates LLP 303 E. Calhoun St. Anderson, SC 29621
864-226-7202 www.argocpa.com admin@argocpa.com
Joseph Argo, Mendell Key, Varada Ogale 1974
7 15 18
Tax management and preparation, business advisory, bookkeeping, payroll and compensation planning, audit and assurance, international taxation
Cox Cauley & Richardson LLC 908 N. Main St. Anderson, SC 29621
864-225-8713 www.ccrcpallc.com ccauley@coxcpas.com
Christopher S. Cauley, Thomas W. Cox 1985
6 13 17
Financial statement reviews; accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, tax planning and preparation, Quickbooks consulting, construction support for licensing and bonding; forensic analysis, business valuations
Saunders O'Dell P.A. 210 E. Trade St. Simpsonville, SC 29681
864-963-3467 www.saundersodellcpa.com marc@saundersodellcpa.com
Marc Saunders, Benjamin O'Dell 1976
6 7 10
Tax, accounting, audit, QuickBooks consulting, reviews, payrolls
GreerWalker LLP 15 S. Main St., Suite 800 Greenville, SC 29601
864-752-0080 www.greerwalker.com/greenville barry.leasure@greerwalker.com
Barry T. Leasure 1984
5 7 8
GreerWalker LLP is a CPA firm providing tax, assurance, accounting and advisory services focused on international and domestic middle market companies and owners
The Hultquist Firm CPA P.C. 3535 Pelham Road, Suite 101 Greenville, SC 29615
864-770-0240 www.thehultquistfirm.com contact@thehultquistfirm.com
Mathew J. Hultquist 2003
5 20 24
Tax strategy and preparation; bookkeeping, outsourced accounting and fractional CFO services
Jeter, Lloyd, Benjamson & Booth CPAs LLC 404 Memorial Drive Ext. Greer, SC 29651
864-877-3525 www.jlbbcpas.com bryanjeter@gmail.com
Marlene Booth, Bryan Jeter, Quentin Benjamson 1972
5 9 9
Tax preparation and consulting, financial statements and write up, probate services, consulting and bookkeeping
Love Bailey CPAs 218 W. Laurens St. Laurens, SC 29360
864-984-2698 www.lovebaileycpa.com gbailey@lovebaileycpa.com
Gary Bailey 1982
5 11 11
Outsourced accounting department, advisory services
Smith Kesler & Co. P.A. 200 Westgate Mall Drive Spartanburg, SC 29301
864-327-1504 www.skandco.com spartanburg@skandco.com
Steve Hinds 1974
5 8 12
Auditing, reviews and compilations; tax services, estate planning, bookkeeping and writeup; litigation support, payroll services, financial forecasting and projection
Cline Brandt Kochenower & Co. P.A. 145 Rogers Commerce Blvd. Boiling Springs, SC 29316
864-541-0218 www.cbkpa.com timblake@cbkpa.com
Tim S. Blake, Ben D. Kochenower 1950
4 12 15
Auditing, bookkeeping, compilation, review, payroll processing, taxpayer representation, financial planning, estate planning, individual, partnership, fiduciary and corporate tax preparation
Lindley Pettigrew & Co. CPAs LLC 1907 N. Main St. Anderson, SC 29621
864-224-9230 www.lindleycpa.com james@lindleycpa.com
James Lindley, James H. Lindley 1991
4 4 12
Individual tax returns, corporate tax returns, bookkeeping, payroll, small-business advisers
Charles A. Ford CPA PC 4200 E. North St., Suite 10 Greenville, SC 29615
864-268-3312 charlesfordcpa.com office@charlesfordcpa.com
Charles A. Ford 1999
3 4 8
Tax preparation (personal, business, trusts and estates, payroll, sales); tax planning; QuickBooks Pro advisor; bookkeeping write-up (compilations and review); business start-up consultations
Montgomery & Co. CPAs PA 101 Roper Creek Drive Greenville, SC 29615
864-233-8449 www.montgomeryandco.com info@montgomeryandco.com
Joseph F. Montgomery 1994
3 8 17
Bookkeeping, consulting, tax preparation, tax planning, exam representation, compilation, review and information technology for small businesses
Because of space constraints, sometimes only the top-ranked companies are published in the print edition. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to research@scbiznews.com.
Services
Researched by Paige Wills
IN FOCUS: BANKING & FINANCE
August 9 - August 22, 2021
www.gsabusiness.com 17
Accounting Firms
Ranked by No. of CPAs in the Greenville Area CPAs / Accountants / Employees
Company
Phone / Website / Email
Executive(s) / Year Founded
Moore Beauston & Woodham LLP 3447 Pelham Road, Suite 102 Greenville, SC 29615
864-288-8000 www.fullservicecpa.com info@fullservicecpa.com
Mark J. Swanson 2003
3 5 7
Business sales and acquisition consultation; business evaluations, tax planning and preparations; litigation support, attestation and bankruptcy services
Nason Accounting LLC 233 Adley Way Greenville, SC 29607
864-297-7742 www.nasonaccounting.com cpa@nasonaccounting.com
Lisa Nason 2006
3 5 7
Tax return preparation; tax planning and consulting; business consulting; bookkeeping, international consulting
Peay & Associates LLC 301 N. Broad St. Clinton, SC 29325
864-833-4450 www.peaycpas.com jpeay@peaycpas.com
2019
3 6 8
Individual and business tax planning and preparation; estate and trust tax compliance and planning; business consulting, planning and outsourced CFO services; compilations and reviews
Upstate CPAs P.A. 775 Spartan Blvd., Suite 202 Spartanburg, SC 29301
864-587-0667 www.upstatecpas.com sammathur@upstatecpas.com
Salil Mathur, Bharti Mathur 2010
3 6 7
Provide accounting, tax, consulting and audit services for small and medium retail service businesses
A.T. Locke 68 Pointe Circle, Suite 2202 Greenville, SC 29615
864-908-3062 www.atlocke.com info@atlocke.com
Anna T. Locke 2008
2 4 4
Accounting with financial insights
Brock Tax Settlements 217 Whitsett St. Greenville, SC 29601
864-558-0755 www.brocktaxsettlements.com george.brockcpa@gmail.com
George H. Brock 1976
2 7 8
IRS and SCDOR tax settlements, offers in compromise, resolving garnishments, levies and liens; abatement and return of penalties; preparation of past-due taxes; tax court preparation
The Cohen Co. 3443 Pelham Road, Suite 100 Greenville, SC 29615
864-679-9399 www.thecohencompany.com jcohen@thecohencompany.com
Jenifer J. Cohen 2007
2 3 5
Specializing in income tax minimization for businesses and individuals; also provide bookkeeping and business consulting
Upstate Professional CPA Services LLC 101 Aaron Tippin Drive, Suite C Greer, SC 29650
864-877-9022 www.upstatecpallc.com admin@upstatecpallc.com
Tim Moxie 2005
2 3 5
Accounting, tax, forecasting, tax credit, tax planning, financial modeling
Carole S. Cooley CPA LLC 106 S. Main St. Fountain Inn, SC 29644
864-862-4959 carole@cooleycpa.net
1995
1 6 9
Accounting, tax, bookkeeping and payroll services
Curtis CPA LLC 105 Hampton Grove Way Greenville, SC 29617
864-882-2882 www.curtiscpallc.com robert@curtiscpallc.com
Robert A. Curtis 2008
1 2 2
CPA firm providing tax, accounting, business consulting, financial planning and general consulting services
Dan Livengood CPA LLC 3598 Highway 11, Suite 214 Travelers Rest, SC 29690
864-836-3136 www.danthecpa.com dan@danthecpa.com
Dan Livengood 2002
1 3 4
Tax and accounting services for small businesses and their owners
Gregory A. Owens CPA Inc. 2406 N. Main St., Suite G Anderson, SC 29621
864-224-0771 www.gregowenscpa.com gowenscpa@gmail.com
Gregory A. Owens 2006
1 1 2
Tax preparation, bookkeeping, Quickbooks training and upkeep, payroll processing
The Hobbs Group P.A. 125 W. Stone Ave. Greenville, SC 29609
864-271-7503 thannon@hobbscpa.com
Mark T. Hobbs 1985
1 1 4
General leger and bookkeeping, business and individual tax consulting, preparation and audit; litigation support, payroll and consulting
Lynne D. Jones CPA LLC 11 N. Irvine St., Suite 4 Greenville, SC 29601
864-380-3275 www.ljonescpa.com ljones@ljonescpa.com
Lynne D Jones 2009
1 1 1
Attestation services including financial statement audit, review and compilation
P. Graydon CPA LLC 401 Parker Ivey Drive Greenville, SC 29607
864-232-1545 www.graydonthompson.com info@graydonthompson.com
Phyllis Graydon 2015
1 2 3
Tax preparation, tax consulting and planning, litigation support, IRS and state exam assistance
Smith & Coker LLC 131 Hall St. Spartanburg, SC 29302
864-542-9754 www.smithcoker.com info@smithcoker.com
Pamela S. Smith 1989
1 2 7
Business and individual tax preparation, payroll, financial statement preparation, tax planning, advisory
Wells & Associates CPA LLC 1218 John B. White Sr. Blvd., Suite C Spartanburg, SC 29306
864-574-6768 www.wacpallc.com rwells@wacpallc.com
Randy W. Wells 2003
1 1 2
Accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, tax planning, preparation and representation
Bea's Tax Service 135 Eagles Nest Drive, Suite A Seneca, SC 29678
864-888-1830 www.beastaxservice.com bea@beastaxservice.com
Beate C. Ventura 2004
2 4
Tax, accounting, bookkeeping and payroll
Carrick Consulting LLC 2123 Old Spartanburg Road Greer, SC 29650
864-915-5505 www.carrickconsulting.com info@carrickconsulting.com
Amy E. Carrick 2009
2 2
Professional fiduciary and bill paying services
Count On Us Controller Services / JMV Management Services LLC 204 E Park Ave., Suite 1003 Greenville, SC 29601
864-363-7921 www.countonuscontrollerservicrs.com jill@countonuscontrollerservices
Jill M. Vales 2006
3 3
Outsourced, customized, part-time accounting and controller services for service businesses, non-profit organizations and government agencies; levels of expertise and consistency of assigned staff
Garrison Business & Tax Services 300 S. First St. Easley, SC 29641
864-859-5361 www.gbs-tax.com tery@gbs-tax.com
Terry Garrison 1962
1 2
Accounting write up, payroll services, tax preparation, accredited tax advisor, accredited tax preparer
McConnell CPA Firm LLC dba Barbara R McConnell CPA New Hope Road Pelzer, SC 29669
864-414-2810 barbara@brmcpa.net
Barbara McConnell 2000
-
Compilations, accounting services, payroll services; personal, C corp, S corp and partnership federal and state tax returns; nonprofits accounting and Form 990 returns; personal financial planning and services
Because of space constraints, sometimes only the top-ranked companies are published in the print edition. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to research@scbiznews.com.
Researched by Paige Wills
Services
18
IN FOCUS: BANKING & FINANCE
www.gsabusiness.com
August 9 - August 22, 2021
Bilingual banks tap into expanding Hispanic markets By Molly Hulsey
J
mhulsey@scbiznews.com
PMorgan Chase South Carolina Market Director Alfonso Hernandez remembers hearing a story about one customer who had passed by several banks on his way because they didn’t have what he needed. Sure, they had the financial capability to withdraw $800 for him, but the customer wasn’t so sure they would know what he was asking. So he stepped into Chase bank and was greeted with a “¡Buenos días, señor! ¿Cómo puedo ayudarle?” “The need is there,” said Hernandez, a second-generation Cuban-American. Especially as the country’s Latino population far outpaces the non-Hispanic population in both growth and use of financial products to achieve personal and professional goals, according to a 2017 study from the Harris Poll and Univision Communications. The market has witnessed an uptick of more than 313% in the number of Hispanic households earning $100,000, with Latino customers driving 74% of growth in the auto loan market. In other words, three out of every fourth American taking out a car loan is
JP Morgan Chase Market Director Alfonso Hernandez (front left) looks on as associates cut the ribbon on the company’s newest South Carolina branch in the highdensity Hispanic community of Berea. (Photo/Provided)
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Hispanic, while one out of every four Hispanic Americans wants to start a business. “If we don’t grow with Latinos, we don’t grow at all,” Henry Augsti, executive vice president at Bank of America, said at a 2018 forum hosted at JPMorgan Chase’s global headquarters. “If we don’t win with Latinos, we don’t win at all. It is mission critical for us to be successful with this population.” Several studies from Bank of America show that Latino consumers also tend to be more likely to be lifetime customers, have a more bullish outlook on the economy and are more interested in learning about personal finance strategies such as investment, home ownership and retirement saving than the general population. But Latino consumers are also more likely to rely on payday loans than non-Hispanic populations, according to the Univision Harris Poll study. “They’ve worked hard for what they have, and my job as a banker, and the same thing for any of my employees, is that we can help them make the most of that money, so they can make the most of their wealth,” Hernandez said. Chase doesn’t have a specific bilingual hiring strategy in place, but if the community has a need, he said that much greater eminence is placed on hiring employees who speak Spanish, especially as Chase expands across the Southeast and, in particular, in underserved markets like high-density Hispanic neighborhoods. Hernandez, based out of Charleston, sees equal opportunities for bilingual bankers in both the Upstate and Lowcountry, but especially the Hispanic communities in the state’s northwest. “We committed almost $30 billion in the Latinx communities and Black communities that we’re in to make sure that we’re not just developing future folks that we hire, but also local businesses in the area,” he said. One being Chase’s newest Upstate retail branch in Berea, where Hispanic residents make up 20% of the population as the fifth most Hispanic zip code in the state. The 1 Farrs Bridge Road branch opened on July 7. The site is right across the street from a Titlemax Title Loan store that, according to the website, is not bilingual. “Whether it is the Berea branch that we just opened or the Cherrydale location, the majority of the team there is able to communicate with our customers in Spanish,” he said. “Which we obviously in that area found to be a high need.” Chase offers a language line for Spanish, French and a number of other languages, but Hernandez reiterates that customers still want to be able to ask their bankers for financial advice, whether they are saving for their first home or saving up for college tuition. And that means having someone who speaks your language that is able to guide you through the decisions that keep you up at night, he said.
IN FOCUS: BANKING & FINANCE
But as banks struggle to hire tellers across the country, is bilingualism too much of an ask? “We’re no different than any industry right now,” Hernandez said. It has been challenging to find employees seeking to launch a long-term career in banking. Even more so, those that speak both English and Spanish. “But the thing I’m most proud of is, in that short time — we haven’t even been in these locations for a year, at most six months or so — we have promoted most of the folks that we’ve hired, both that have transferred internally and also the local folks that we’ve hired externally that live in those communities,” he said. Associates without a Spanish background have also taken the initiative to learn the language after seeing the need for it on the
“If we don’t grow with Latinos, we don’t grow at all. If we don’t win with Latinos, we don’t win at all.” Henry Augsti executive vice president, Bank of America
day-to-day. “To see that effort being taken from our employees means the world to me,” Hernandez said. To help foster and recruit Latino talent at the ground level, Bank of America partners with 200 organizations across the country including high-density Hispanic colleges and universities, according to the Charlotte company’s website. The bank also invests more than $1 million each year with organizations like the Association of Latino Professionals for America, the National Society of Hispanic MBAs, and sponsors the workforce development initiative Latinos in Finance with UnidosUS. On the wealth management side of the coin, J.P. Morgan earlier this year committed to hiring 300 Hispanic and Black financial advisors by 2025. “We want to drive a step change in the representation of financial advisors at J.P. Morgan,” Kristin Lemkau, CEO of J.P. Morgan U.S. Wealth Management, said in a news release. “We have made progress in recent years and hiring 300 Black and Latinx advisors will accelerate that progress materially. Becoming a financial advisor is a great career — they help clients build their wealth, they have strong financial upside and it offers great career flexibility. We hope more people will choose to become advisors and choose to work here.” Reach Molly Hulsey at 864-720-1222 or @mollyhulsey_gsa on Twitter.
www.gsabusiness.com 19
Target your market in an upcoming issue of the GSA Business Report
AUGUST 23
MARKET FACTS SEPTEMBER 6
ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION (AEC) List: General Contractors Special Section: Forty Under 40 Advertising Deadline: August 23 SEPTEMBER 20
EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT List: Colleges and Universities Bonus List: Technical Colleges and Trade Schools Special Section: 2021 Power Players, Banking Advertising Deadline: September 6 OCTOBER 4
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For advertising information, call Rick Jenkins at (864) 720-1224
At Work
BUSINESS DIGEST | PEOPLE IN THE NEWS
Business Digest
NHE named among best workplaces
Fuel supports Project Host
NHE, which provides professional association management, conventional and affordable apartment management, and service coordination to communities across the Southeast, has been named to the 2021 list of South Carolina’s Best Places to Work, presented by the S.C. Chamber of Commerce and its partners. NHE received honors in the large company segment for companies with more than 250 employees. The survey-and-awards program, now in its 16th year, is designed to identify, recognize, and honor the best employers in the state, benefiting the state’s economy, workforce and businesses. Final ranking of honorees will be announced this month.
Fuel announced that it selected Project Host as its third quarter recipient of the Fuel for Good 2021 Grant program. Through the grant program, Fuel provides up to $10,000 of pro bono marketing services to a local nonprofit organization each quarter. Project Host, most widely known for its Soup Kitchen, serves Greenville-area residents living in poverty due to chronic unemployment or underemployment, lack of education or marketable job skills, or other barriers to sustained employment and financial stability. In addition to free food programs for both families and school-aged children, Project Host operates other programs designed to address the hunger issue in our community, including a culinary school, food truck and a bakery.
Infinity sets up network for The Silos
Infinity Network Solutions has provided a robust network for The Silos, a redevelopment project for the Dixie Milling Co. on Folger Avenue in Easley. The Derosier family, owners of Inky’s Authentic Philadelphia Cheesesteaks and Hoagies in Easley, are creating what they call a gathering place for blue-collar families out of what had become a disused mill structure built in the 1950s. Infinity provided network solutions for both Inky’s and The Silos.
Solstice Park at The Cliffs at Keowee Springs-The Wren
Cliffs announces 3 new projects
Aptus Life announces research grant
Aptus Life LLC announced that it secured a $25,000 grant from the Emerson Rose Heart Foundation of Clemson. Aptus Life’s objective is to develop a replacement heart valve for infants, children and young adults to reduce the need for blood-thinning medication or additional valve-replacement procedures. Current valves used for infants and young adults require geometry modification, life-long medication, and follow-on operations to replace valves that fail or that they outgrow. In response, Aptus life envisions a clinical scenario whereby fat tissue is collected from the patient, cells are prepared and seeded onto a biological scaffold, and a living, patient-specific heart valve made from the patient’s own cells is implanted back into the patient. Aptus Life is in the early stage of developing a living valve replacement.
The Cliffs announced that it launched three new enclaves. Golf Ridge at The Cliffs at Mountain Park is a collection of 19 homesites adjacent to the community’s links-style Gary Player signature golf course. Solstice Park at The Cliffs at Keowee Springs is a collection of 28 homesites surrounding park amenities with quick access to Lake Keowee and the community’s Tom Fazio-designed golf course. The third new enclave, Lake Ridge at The Cliffs at Keowee Springs, is a group of five homesites at The Landing situated near the forthcoming new Lake Club. The new offerings are the latest releases by Cliffs Builders. Homes range from $999,999 to $1.29 million.
ECPI ranked by Military Times
ECPI University has been ranked No. 1 in in the career and technical college category of the latest best colleges ranking by Military Times. Military Times ranks schools based on the results of its annual survey, a comprehensive schoolby-school assessment of veteran and military student services and rates of academic achievement. An editorially
Skilled Trades Alliance sets up internships for NGU Staff Report
T
gsanews@scbiznews.com
he Skilled Trades Alliance, a startup nonprofit organization in Greenville, has partnered with North Greenville University to provide internship opportunities to NGU’s marketing, management and digital art/communications undergraduate students. The partnership will begin in the fall semester. The College of Business and Entrepreneurship Associate Dean for Undergraduate Business Programs Rick Martinez says the college recognizes how critical it is for young professionals to expand their education, network and skills through experience in real-life organizations. “We are thrilled to build this partnership with the Skilled Trade Alliance, and we look forward to ensuring that the benefits to our students and to the STA are mutual, long-lasting, and value-creating,” Martinez said in a news release. The internship program is designed to allow for developing individual independent thinking and problem-solving, innovation and collaboration, and extrapolation of knowledge, skills and abilities related
independent news project, Best Colleges 2021 evaluates the many variables that determine academic success among military and veteran students. More than 300 schools participated in the latest Best for Vets Colleges survey.
Spero sponsors AU football field
Spero Financial and Anderson University announced a 25-year naming rights agreement to create Spero Financial Field in support of the new Trojan Football Program, which is scheduled for its inaugural season in the fall of 2024. Spero Financial has committed $1 million to help the university secure the $6 million needed to launch the program. The 25-year deal includes exclusive naming rights of the football field, which will also be used to host men’s and women’s lacrosse and soccer, campus activities and community events.
to a professional environment. NGU College of Communication and Fine Arts Dean Web Drake said in the news release that the Skilled Trades Alliance is providing a great service for South Carolina. “NGU is proud to partner with them in their efforts,” Drake said in the release. “Our students will get valuable experience doing worthwhile work with a mission-driven organization” After completing the internship program, the student interns will have opportunities to develop and produce tangible outcomes to strengthen their career readiness level, the release said. “We are thrilled to be collaborating with North Greenville University students for this important mission. I believe the internship program experience will be very valuable for the students’ professional ambitions, as well as provide much-needed support to the Skilled Trades Alliances’ long-term goals and objectives,” said alliance chair Mary-Allyson Chauvin. The Skilled Trades Alliance’s mission is to provide a roadmap to intentionally engage, educate, equip and empower individuals to create a workforce pipeline in the building construction skilled trades industry.
Mill Village Farms has new partner Hartness said it will work with Mill Village Farms to create The Hartness Farm for sustainable farming and community engagement. Mill Village Farms is a local non-profit organization dedicated to transforming communities through fresh food and developing youth leaders for a successful transition into adulthood. The Hartness Farm is located within the Hartness community and offers a sustainable food source for residents and the village’s restaurants, which are Village Kitchen and the forthcoming Patterson, as well as an opportunity to partner with Mill Village Farms to help provide good and nutritious food for low-income families across Greenville County. It also affords access to a new community garden that includes raised plots for individual residents to use.
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People in the News CONSTRUCTION Tindall Corp. announced that Mary Ann Griggas-Smith, director of corporate engineering, has been named a fellow of the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute. Griggas-Smith Griggas-Smith joined Tindall in 2012 and has more than 35 years of structural engineering experience.
Sanders has served as the inside program director at Jumpstart for five years. The March of Dimes announced that Tammy Propst, founder and managing director of Tax Advantage Group, will be this year’s honoree at the Real Estate Propst and Economic Development Award Luncheon at the AC Hotel Greenville Nov. 16.
LAW Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd announced that Mackenzie Ruroede joined the firm’s Greenville office as an associate. She focuses her practice on family law Ruroede and litigation. Ruroede earned her juris doctor from the University of Miami School of Law.
Parks
Burr & Forman LLP partner Adam R. Artigliere has been elected to the board of directors of the Palmetto Land Title Association. Artigliere is a member of the firm’s real estate practice and focuses on commercial real estate, lending, economic development, and local government.
Sherard
Witherspoon
Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd announced that Kimberly Witherspoon has been elected president-elect for the Junior League of Greenville. She will be the first African American woman to serve in this role.
T&S Brass and Bronze Works promoted Susan Albright, Nancy White and Maria Facchin to domestic customer service manager, export customer service manager and southern Europe sales manager, respectively.
NONPROFITS
Sanders
HOSPITALITY
The American Heart Association announced that Reid Sherard, shareholder and family law team leader at Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd PA, will chair the 2021-2022 Upstate Heart Walk campaign.
Murphy
Fuel hired Stephen Copeland as marketing manager, digital analytics. Copeland most recently worked as marketing manager for Hypersign. Copeland
Waypost hired Karen Leon as account coordinator. Leon is a graduate of the University of South Carolina Upstate. Leon
BANKING & FINANCE Jumpstart named Cary Sanders executive director to succeed Tommy Moore, who is moving into a new role as director of development of Restoration Village and president of Jumpstart (USA).
Gillespie
Countybank hired David Trent as vice president and Small Business Administration business development officer in Greenwood. He most recently served as vice president of South State Bank.
Miracle Hill Ministries appointed Brenda Parks vice president of children’s ministries. For the past six years, she has served as the director of the organization’s foster care program.
ADVERTISING, MARKETING & PR
MANUFACTURING
Lima One Capital hired Yael Boster and Jack McGinness as business development representatives. Boster previously was a broker and mortgage consultant for Nadlan Capital Group. McGinness joined Lima One Capital in 2016 as a sales consultant before being promoted to inside sales manager.
Park National Bank announced that Natalie Gillespie has been named branch banking center manager of its Powdersville office. Gillespie has worked at the Powdersville office more than 15 years.
Xavier Murphy joined High Spirits Hospitality as director of human resources. Murphy previously worked as a human resources manager for an Upstate manufacturing company.
The Cliffs hired Adri Atkinson as director of racquet sports for its Mountain Region, Ralph Dunbar as director of racquet sports for its Lake Region and James Kirkham as racquet sports professional at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove. Atkinson joins The Cliffs from the Woodstock Inn Resort & Athletic Club in Vermont. Dunbar has more than three decades of experience coaching both children and adults at country clubs and multi-sports public facilities. Kirkham comes to The Cliffs after a collegiate tennis career where he was a starting player for both Montreat College and Lees-McRae College.
LAW Larry Flynn, an attorney with Pope Flynn in Spartanburg, has been appointed to the board of the S.C. Supreme Court Historical Society. Flynn’s practice serves Flynn municipalities, special purpose districts and other governmental entities.
a contract specialist for the city of Charlotte. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner Realtors announced that Roseanna Rueda joined the company’s North Pleasantburg office as a sales assoRueda ciate. Rueda previously worked in the information technology industry. Coldwell Banker Caine hired Lee Anne Van Heule as a residential agent at its Greenville office.
Van Heule
Grube
Community Association Management Services announced that Tricia Ostendorff has been elected president of the South Carolina Chapter of the Community Ostendorff Associations Institute for 2022. Ostendorff is vice president of CAMS’ Greenville region. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner Realtors announced that Angela Atherley-Hernandez joined the company’s North Pleasantburg office as Atherley-Hernandez a sales associate.
REAL ESTATE NAI Earle Furman hired Wanda Reese to work with the company’s chief development officer on contract and lease administration, file management, Reese property reporting, research, analysis and marketing support. Reese previously was
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner Realtors announced that Christina Grube joined the company’s North Pleasantburg office as a sales associate.
Smoot
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner Realtors announced that Arsenio Smoot joined the company’s Simpsonville office as a sales associate. Smoot previously worked as a barber. See PITN, Page 22
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People in the News PITN, from Page 21
Avison Young hired Reeves Willis to focus on industrial sales and leasing. He worked as an intern with Avison Young the past two years. Willis
Butcher is a recent graduate of Anderson University.
Slater
Griffin Partners hired Theresa Marchi as director of marketing. Previously, Marchi worked for Jack Porter Inc.
Hughes Agency hired Melissa Slater as senior account executive. Slater joins Hughes Agency from Agfa HealthCare, where she served as marketing communications coordinator.
Marchi
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner Realtors announced that Brittany Cordle joined the company’s North Pleasantburg office as a sales associate. Prior Cordle to working in real estate, Cordle worked in automotive manufacturing. Coldwell Banker Caine hired Cynthia Jones as a residential agent at its Greenville office. She previously had a career in information technology.
Gregory
Infinity Marketing hired Erica Gregory as SEO specialist, Deiontre Hill as media coordinator and Meghan McMenamy as senior integrated marketing McMenamy coordinator. Gregory previously worked at MainStreet Web Marketing. Hill has prior experience developing and implementing digital marketing strategy. McMenamy is pursuing her master’s degree in marketing with a concentration in digital and social media from the University of Alabama.
Jones
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner Realtors announced that Ryan Holmes joined the company’s North Pleasantburg office as a sales associate. Holmes Holmes graduated from Wofford College in 2020 with a degree in finance.
Abraham
Butcher
Flare Media Agency hired Emily Abraham as a senior account manager. Abraham brings more than a decade of experience in managing multi-channel marketing campaigns.
Staff Report
S
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partanburg Community College recently celebrated exemplary faculty and staff who have gone above and beyond throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing the college to move forward with its mission of teaching and learning. Twenty “SCC Champions” were recognized at a virtual event celebrating SCC faculty, staff who demonstrated exceptional resilience and dedication to student and employee success and the workforce development needs of the Upstate throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a news release. “Our SCC Champions have never given up,” Michael Mikota, SCC president, said in the news release. “When we all stopped on a dime in March 2020, we didn’t know what that would mean for our college and our students. I’m so proud of all the hard work, dedication, and focus that our team has had through this challenging year. Because of these individuals, we have continued to provide a consistent level of quality while offering learning opportunities to thousands of students safely and securely.” The following SCC faculty and staff were named the 2021 SCC Champions: Shaun Bezuidenhout, onstructor, culinary arts; Susan Chastain, compensation and performance manager, human resources; Melissa Collins, academic director, math; Meri Faulkner, assistant coordinator, student disability services; Pete Gallen, director, information technologies; Eddie Green, assistant custodial supervisor, campus operations; Neil Griffin, director, SCCOnline; Kem Harvey, associate vice president for instruction; Debbie Jennings, department chair, radiologic technology;
ARCHITECTURE
ADVERTISING, MARKETING & PR Infinity Marketing hired Tracee Clem as integrated marketing lead and Julia Butcher as integrated marketing coordinator. Clem previously worked at Indexx, managing print projects.
Hill
SCC honors faculty and staff for response to pandemic
Letendre
strategist.
Meredith Letendre joined McMillan Pazdan Smith as a senior strategist in healthcare. Letendre came to MPS after a year and a half at Catalyst, a Haskell company, where she served as a senior
DP3 Architects Ltd. hired Sarah Hager
as director of marketing. Hager has a background in marketing leadership positions and is a graduate of Lee University.
Doug Lee, instructor, mechatronics; Annie McLagan, instructor, nursing; Jay Moore, instructor, horticulture; Susan Moore, director of instructional support; Melissa Morton, program director, psychology; Tina Nix, data coordinator, student records; Kimbraly Patterson, technical specialist, admissions; Katherine Stiwinter, director, SCC Library; Katie Papakostas, strategic employment manager, human resources; Art Thiboutot, custodial supervisor, campus operations; and Tameka Whittenburg, administrative assistant, student affairs. “I am so proud of all the work, dedication and focus of our team,” Mikota said in the news release. “We have focused on three key points of our SCC values throughout the COVID experience: S-safety, C-communications and C-continuity. Number one is safety; we have taken great pride to make sure we’ve had the utmost safety protocols in all of our facilities on campus. I am proud to say that we’ve had many of our college offerings face-to-fact over the last year and many of our students have persisted and continued on with great success. We’ve also been offered hybrid classes and we’ve developed many new classes to provide a consistent level of quality while also offering opportunities to thousands of students over the past year in a safe and secure manner. We have been very strong in our communications — sharing the number of COVID cases we’ve had, how we are meeting the needs of our students, how we stay safe and also we’ve been transparent in sharing what decisions need to be made and how they’re made. We have also had strong continuity getting through the fall semester, and now I’m proud to say we continue to move forward and that continuity provides a sense of stability for our students, for our faculty, our staff and the entire communities in which we serve.” lina Federal Insurance Solutions, hired Amanda Mead as a senior insurance advisor.
Hager
BANKING & FINANCE South Carolina Federal Credit Union’s wholly owned subsidiary, South Caro-
Jordan
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Kiep Jordan joined MassMutual South Carolina as a financial services professional in Greenville. Prior to joining MassMutual, he was employed in sales in the uniform rental and logistics business.
Viewpoint How a business owner helped change voting rights in S.C. VIEWS, PERSPECTIVES AND READERS’ LETTERS
A
rusting chain-link fence represents a “color line” for the dead in Columbia, South Carolina. In Randolph Cemetery, separated by the barrier from the well-manicured lawn of the neighboring white graveyard, lies the remains of George A. Elmore. A Black business owner and civil rights activist, Elmore is little remembered despite his achievement. But a granite monument at his BOBBY J. DONALDSON grave attests to the “unmatched courage, perseverance and personal sacrifice” that saw him take on the South Carolina Democratic Party of the 1940s over its whites-only primaries — and win. Nearly 75 years after Elmore’s battle, the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates made fervent appeals to Black voters in South Carolina ahead of the primary that was held Feb. 29. For some of the all white front-runners in the race, it would be a make-or-break moment — a failure to win over sufficient Black support would be a major setback, potentially campaign-ending. It was a far cry from the South Carolina of August 1946, when Elmore, a fair-skinned, straight-haired manager of a neighborhood five-and-dime store, consulted with local civil rights leaders and agreed to try once again to register to vote. It followed blatant attempts to deprive African American citizens of their constitutional rights by white Democratic Party officials who would move voter registration books from store to store and hide them the moment a Black voter entered. When a clerk mistakenly allowed Elmore to register — thinking he was white, contemporary sources suggest — NAACP activists had a plaintiff to challenge the last whites-only primary in the nation.
‘Let the chips fall’
Excluding Black voters at the ballot had already been ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1944’s Smith v. Allwright decision. But in defiance, the South Carolina General Assembly simply redefined the state’s Democratic Party as a private club not subject to laws regulating primaries. Gov. Olin D. Johnston declared: “White supremacy will be maintained in our primaries. Let the chips fall where they may.” Elmore’s name was promptly purged from the rolls and a cadre of prominent civil rights activists arranged for the NAACP to plead his case.
al power since Reconstruction and as Democrats since the 1940s.
A personal price
Black voters stand in line to vote in August 1948 in Columbia. (Photo/Provided by South Caroliniana Library)
Columbia civil rights attorney Harold Boulware filed the federal lawsuit. In June 1947, Thurgood Marshall and Robert Carter — like Boulware, graduates of the Howard University School of Law — argued Elmore’s case as a class lawsuit covering all African-Americans in the state of voting age. The trial inspired a packed gallery of Black observers, including a young Matthew J. Perry Jr., a future federal district judge, who commented: “Marshall and Carter were hitting it where it should be hit.” In July, an unlikely ally, Charleston blueblood Judge J. Waties Waring agreed, ruling that African-Americans must be permitted to enroll. “It is time for South Carolina to rejoin the Union,” he concluded. “It is time … to adopt the American way of conducting elections.” The state Democratic Party again defied the ruling, requiring voters to sign an oath supporting segregation. Judge Waring issued a permanent injunction in 1948 to open the voting rolls: “To say that these rules conform or even pretend to conform to the law as laid down in the case of Elmore v. Rice is an absurdity.” In that year’s state primary, more than 30,000 African-Americans, including George Elmore and his wife, Laura, voted. Elmore remarked, “In the words of our other champion, Joe Louis, all I can say is ‘I’m glad I won.’” His photos of the long line of voters in his community’s precinct are now in the archives of the University of South Carolina where I teach history. In the years that followed, voter education and registration programs by civil rights organizations transformed the Democratic Party in the state, both in terms of the makeup of its membership and the policies it pursued. The move sparked the departure of many white Democrats to the Republican Party, including the segregationist Sen. Strom Thurmond. Thurmond’s defection in 1964 legiti-
George Elmore stands in front of his store in Columbia. (Photo/Provided by the University of South Carolina Civil Rights Center)
mized the move for other white Democrats and hard-core segregationists who aligned themselves with an increasingly conservative Republican Party. Not surprisingly, some of the key architects of Richard Nixon’s invidious Southern strategy, which sought to weaken the Democratic Party in the South through the use of dog-whistle politics on racial issues, came from South Carolina. As last year’s presidential candidates focused on South Carolina, it became clear that the racial makeup of the state’s electorate is vastly different than that in Iowa or New Hampshire, two of the states where the popularity of candidates has already been tested. But Democrats should view the South Carolina primary as more than a shift from voting in small, mostly white states. They should see the state as representative of the party’s strategic core, a strong Black constituency with diverse interests and perspectives. African-Americans in South Carolina have been fighting and winning legal and political battles for voting rights and elector-
After Elmore’s victory in 1947, state NAACP President James M. Hinton gave a somber, prophetic warning: “White men want office, and they want the vote of our people. We will be sought after, but we must be extremely careful who we vote for. … We must have a choice between those who have fought us and those who are our friends.” George Elmore and his family paid a price for challenging the entrenched power of the white Democratic Party in 1946. In an interview with the University of South Carolina’s Center for Civil Rights History and Research, which I lead, his 81-year-old son Cresswell Elmore recalled the retaliation the family experienced. Ku Klux Klan terrorists burned a cross in their yard and threatened their family. Laura Elmore suffered a nervous breakdown and went into a mental hospital. State agents raided Elmore’s liquor store, claiming the liquor he had bought from the standard wholesaler was illegal, and broke the bottles. Soda bottling companies and other vendors refused to send products on credit. Banks called in loans on their home and other property. Forced into bankruptcy, the family moved from house to house and the disruption scattered Cresswell and his siblings. When Elmore died in 1959 at the age of 53, only scant attention was paid to his passing. The monument at his grave was unveiled in 1981, at a ceremony attended by civil rights veterans including his original attorney, Harold Boulware. As the Democratic Party and presidential candidates try to appeal to African-American voters, they would do well to remember the remarkable fight Elmore and others waged against the forces of bigotry and injustice. These historical struggles illuminate both the gains made over many generations and the ongoing battle against inequities and voter suppression tactics that persist to this day in South Carolina and across the nation. Bobby J. Donaldson is an associate professor of history and the director for civil rights hisotry and research at the University of South Carolina. This piece originally appeared in The Conversation, www.theconversation.com, and is reprinted with permission.
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