GSA Business Report - October 2023 by SC Biz News

VOLUME 26 NUMBER 10 ■ GSABUSINESS.COM

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An Upstate company, which has placed a slice of Silicon Valley in Pickens County, celebrates delivery of a new product that will keep turbines turning everywhere. Page 14 (Photo/Ross Norton)

Atlanta firm putting up 1.2-millionsquare-foot distribution center in Spartanburg. Page 6

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BRIEFS | FACTS | STATEWIDE NEWS | BEST ADVICE

COVID-19 rates on rise in SC, but slower than last year

ith the latest version of the COVID-19 vaccine causing doctors and pharmacists to be jabbing as fast as they can, a lot of South Carolinians are asking themselves if they need to get the vaccine and if we’re about to enter another post-pandemic surge. We can’t answer that first question. You should check with your doctor who will be able to advise you on your individual circumstances before determining any medical treatments. But we can use some data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to answer the second question. The CDC has been tracking data from health departments across the country since the COVID-19 pandemic began around March 2020. The data slowed as the pandemic abated, but all states are reporting more cases as the latest variant of the novel coronavirus has emerged. The rates of COVID-19 infections is on an upward tick over three months and year to date, but those numbers are a far cry from the massive infections we were experiencing even in 2022. The data show that the rate of infections for the first eight months of 2023 across South Carolina’s 46 counties are down more than 147% on average compared to the first eight months of the previous year. That’s a fairly good sign that we’re doing better than we were last year when measuring infections per 100,000 population. But when you look at the latest monthly figures, August infection rates are up more than 66% compared to June. So we’re seeing an uptick with more infections this time of year than in the middle of the year. Scientists and physicians say this is to be expected. Much like the flu, COVID-19 is possibly entering an endemic phase so that we might have a COVID season. Fortunately, if your doctor clears you, you can get the flu shot and the COVID vaccine in the same visit. Then your only decision will be one arm or both.

COVID COVID 19 19 rates rates of of infection infection in in SC SC c c

The map shows the rate of infection across South Carolina counties for August per 100,000 people. W The The map map shows shows the the rate rate of of infection infection across across South South Carolina Carolina counties counties for for August August per per 100,000 100,000 people. people. W W increased recently, they are lower than 2022. The statewide infection rate was 586 per 100,000 peop increased recently, they are lower than 2022. The statewide infection rate was 586 per 100,000 increased recently, they are lower than 2022. The statewide infection rate was 586 per 100,000 peop peop This year, the rate for August was 190 across South Carolina. This This year, year, the the rate rate for for August August was was 190 190 across across South South Carolina. Carolina.

162 162 162 in SC counties COVID 19 rates of infection 129

129 164 101 The map shows 181 the rate of infection South Carolina counties101 for August per 100,000 people. While 129 across 164 101 164 181 181 infection rates have increased recently, they are lower than 2022. The statewide infection rate was 586 The map shows the rate of infection across South Carolina counties for August per 100,000 people. While infection ratesper have 139 increased recently, they are lower than 2022. The statewide infection rate was 586190 per across 100,000South people Carolina. in August a year ago. 139 100,000 people in August a year ago. This year, the rate for August was 139

COVID 19 rates of infection in SC counties

181

162

169 169 169 129

Change in COVID rates over 3 months

The chart shows the change over the last three months of data in the rates of infection per 100,000 population inThe threechart of South Carolina’s largest counties. shows the change over the last three months of data in the rates of infection per

106 106 106194

169

106

166 199 199

100,000 population in three of South Carolina’s largest counties.

Richland County

Charleston County

174 117

129

168

179

131

117

199

243

Rates aboveabove 300 Rates 300 Rates above 300 Rates above people 300 per 100,000 people per 100,000 per 100,000 people

per 100,000 people

227 227 227

195

66 266

322

213

66 66 66

July

Aug.

June

July

Aug.

June

Source: Centers for Disease Control andSource: PreventionCenters for Disease Control and Prevention

July

Aug.

284

157 157 157

227 227 227

75 75 75

392

169 248 169 169

92 92 92

204

227

Source: Source: Centers Centers for for Disease Disease Control Control and and Prevention Prevention198 Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention June

157

392 392 392

217

180

195 195 195 179

266 266 266

217 217 217

284

210 210 210

210

169

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

240 240 240

157 157 157 145 145 145

244

145

75 198 198 198

218 218 218

355 355 157355

218

355 240

215 227 215 215

Rates 101-299 per 100,000 people per 100,000 people per 100,000 people Rates above 300 per 100,000 people per 100,000 people

160

222 222 222

67 67 67

160 160 160

243

166 166 166

198 Rates below 100 Rates 100 Rates below 100 Rates belowbelow 100 Rates below 100 perper 100,000 people people 100,000 per 100,000 people per 100,000 people people per 100,000 Rates 101-299 perRates 100,000 people Rates Rates 101-299 101-299101-299

101 217 243 67 243

287

199 222 215

240

194 194 194

164

139

Greenville County

217 217 217

287 287 287

This year, the rate for August was 190 across South Carolina.

248 248 248 322 322 322

180 180 180

179 179

179 Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 213 213 213

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around the world. We are thrilled to have this story carried through to GE products today.” — Sealevel Systems, cofounder Susan O’Hanlan

WEBSITE: www.GSABusiness.com

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October 2023

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SC Biz News Briefs

Commercial real estate for real impact Value through innovation. Driven by data. Powered by people.

The Club Room at Marlowe Summerville is among the amenities for residents of the 278-unit community now under construction. (Rendering/Provided)

Summerville

Charleston Regional Business Journal

Construction begins on 278-unit community Marlow Summerville

onstruction has begun on Marlowe Summerville, a 278-unit rental complex on a 27.9-acre site in Summerville. It is the first foray into South Carolina for The Resmark Companies, a Los Angeles-based real estate investment management company, which is partnering with Greystar Real Estate Partners, a Charleston-headquartered investment and development company with offices across the country and on four continents. Marlowe is a Greystar brand marketed as “suburban luxury living.” The Summerville project on N. Main Street and College Park Road is the first Marlowe brand in the state, according to a news release. Pre-leasing at Marlowe Summerville is expected to begin next fall, according to Stephen O’Neil, senior vice president for investments at Resmark. The community will offer amenities including a clubhouse equipped with a fitness center and co-working spaces, resort-style pool, grilling stations, pickleball courts, dog park and outdoor dog wash.

Columbia

Columbia Regional Business Report

BASS says it will bring ‘elite’ pro fishing tournament back to Lake Murray

ake Murray is making waves in the national fishing tournament industry. Capital City/Lake Murray Country has announced that the Bassmaster Elite Series will return to Lake Murray in 2024. Since 1991, BASS has visited Lake Murray 10 times with its most recent trip, in April 2023 which proved to be an angling favorite on the Elite Series schedule, according to a news release. The 2024 Lake Murray event will be held May 9-12 at Dreher Island State Park. The BASS Elite Series schedule includes nine regular-season events in six states. Along the tournament trail, these talented anglers will battle each other — and big bass — for the prestigious titles of: “Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year,” “Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year,” and “Elite Series champion.” BASS CEO Chase Anderson lauded the schedule as another great opportunity for the best professional anglers in the world to showcase their talents in diverse and exceptional fisheries, the release stated. 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.

ColumbiaBusinessReport.com

CharlestonBusiness.com

SCBIZmag.com

Get in touch +1 864 334 4145 avisonyoung.com

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October 2023

South Carolina’s Media Engine for Economic Growth

Donna Bischoff, publisher SC Biz News dbischoﬀ@bridgetowermedia.com 843-804-6093

Jason Thomas, executive editor jthomas@scbiznews.com • 864-568-7570

Ross Norton, managing editor-content rnorton@scbiznews.com • 864-642-5229

Andrew Sprague, managing editor-production asprague@scbiznews.com • 843-628-4738

Krys Merryman, staff writer kmerryman@scbiznews.com • 864-640-4418

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

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A View From The C-Suite Kimberly M. Davis | SVP, Senior Contact Center Manager TD Bank THE BEST ADVICE I’VE EVER RECEIVED

WHAT IS THE STIFFEST CHALLENGE FACING YOUR INDUSTRY RIGHT NOW?

Never stop learning. When you become

As all U.S. financial institutions continue to navigate a challenging economic environment, our

complacent, you’re not growing as an

bank remains strong and well-positioned for the future.

individual or as a leader. If you limit

LITTLE KNOWN FACT ABOUT YOUR COMPANY

yourself, you limit your ability to inspire Sales

and develop others.

I proudly serve on the board of directors for the Julie Valentine Center and the Urban League

WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU COULD GIVE?

TD Bank is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing more than 10 million customers

Ryan Downing, director of sales rdowning@scbiznews.com • 864-867-1928

of the Upstate in Greenville. Both organizations do outstanding work in the community. with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking lending, deposit and payment products and services like cross-border banking throughout its Maine to Florida

Amanda Alford,

Always be your authentic self and stay

multimedia account executive

coachable, no matter your role or level.

footprint.

Also, be bold. Never be afraid to try

WHAT IS YOUR ROLE?

aalford@bridgetowermedia.com • 843-849-3109

something new, take risks and step out Shannon Pollard, multimedia account executive spollard@scbiznews.com • 843-804-6094 Tony Rossi, multimedia account executive trossi@scbiznews.com • 864-867-1920

of your comfort zone.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?

As a Senior Contact Center Manager, I’m responsible for leading a team of more than 560 dedicated U.S. Contact Center colleagues who provide expert advice and customer service every day in relation to credit products, including auto loans, consumer loans and credit cards. I work with our senior leadership team and various business partners to create a consistent, strategic vision for our entire U.S. contact

I worked a summer intern role during

center business while ensuring our high standard of customer service is met each

high school at the city tax oﬀice

and every day across our four contact center locations, including one right here in

updating residents’ property tax records.

Greenville.

Events Jessica Byerly, director of events jbyerly@bridgetowermedia.com • 336-605-1095

Accounting ar@bridgetowermedia.com

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October 2023

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Liberty company being sold for $263M A

Liberty-headquartered company has agreed to a deal in which it will be purchased for $263 million by an Illinois company looking to expand its reach as an industrial technology company. Cornell Dubilier, until now a privately held company, said it will be sold to Knowles Corp. of Itasca, Ill. Cornell Dubilier is a technology company and manufacturer of high-performance film, electrolytic and mica capacitors used in demanding medtech, defense and aerospace, and industrial electrification applications. Knowles Corp. is a global supplier of high-performance components and solutions, including ceramic capacitors and radio frequency filters, advanced medtech microphones and balanced armature speakers and audio solutions. The company said in a news release that the acquisition fits in with its strategy to accelerate its transformation to an industrial technology company focused on higher growth and higher value opportunities. Knowles has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Cornell Dubilier in an all-cash transaction. Cornell Dubilier has 35,000 customers and an annualized revenue of more than $135 million, the news release said. “We are thrilled to be joining Knowles, which shares our culture of innovation,” Cornell Dubilier CEO Jim Kaplan said in

Cornell Dubiliar introduced the DSM Series supercapacitor modules in April of this year. (Photo/Cornell Dubiliar)

the release. “Like Knowles, some of the world’s most respected companies rely on Cornell Dubilier’s technologies, and together, we will be well positioned to offer even more cutting-edge products and solutions to our customers and drive growth.” For Knowles, the deal increases exposure to high-growth end markets and diversifies and expands product portfolio. “Adding Cornell Dubilier’s impressive, broad-based roster of OEM and distribution partner customers, as well as its leading capabilities in capacitor technology

will expand the applications for Knowles’ products,” Knowles CEO Jeffrey Niew said in the release. “We will be well positioned to grow with new and existing customers as we work to generate stronger earnings and cash flow and create shareholder value. We admire the outstanding company and culture built by the Kaplan family over the past 40 years and we look forward to welcoming Cornell Dubilier’s talented employees to Knowles.” The total cost of the acquisition is $263 million and consists of a $140 million cash

payment at closing and an interest-free seller note of $123 million, with $50 million maturing one year from closing and the remaining $73 million maturing two years from closing, the release stated. The total fair value of the consideration transferred is estimated at $250 million and represents 9.6 times Cornell Dubilier’s trailing-12month adjusted EBITDA — earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization — inclusive of run-rate cost synergies. Knowles expects to finance the acquisition with a combination of cash on hand, borrowings from its existing revolving credit facility, and the seller note, the release stated. The acquisition is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2023, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. J.P. Morgan is serving as the exclusive financial adviser to Knowles and Foley & Lardner LLP is serving as its legal adviser. Knowles is a global provider of advanced micro-acoustic microphones and balanced armature speakers, audio solutions, and high-performance capacitors and RF products, serving the consumer electronics, medtech, defense, electric vehicle, industrial and communications markets. Founded in 1946, Knowles is a global organization with employees in more than a dozen countries.

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October 2023

Rockefeller Group expects the 1.2 million-square-foot speculative distribution center will be ready at the end of 2024. (Image/Provided) The approximately 2.4-acre property along the Reedy River includes the Bowater Building and adjacent parking garage, which is currently owned by WCM Global Wealth. (Photo/Jason Thomas)

Atlanta firm putting up 1.2-millionGreenville’s Camperdown hot property square-foot building in Spartanburg By Ross Norton to hit market for whopping $40M By Krys Merryman

kmerryman@scbiznews.com

ne of downtown Greenville’s “most prominent sites” will be officially hitting the market within the next few weeks. The approximately 2.4-acre property includes the Bowater Building and adjacent parking garage, which is currently owned by WCM Global Wealth, a local financial services firm, and is located along the Reedy River in Falls Park. Charles Gouch, senior vice president of CBRE’s Office Services team, said the sale will be conducted through a bid process with pricing guidance between the low- to mid$40 millions. “It’s arguably one of the most prominent sites in the city of Greenville, with river frontage,” Gouch said. “I think it’s a site that definitely has a lot of attention, not only locally, regionally, but even nationally. So, we’re very excited about what could happen there.” Gouch said they hope to identify a buyer by mid- to late-November. In March, the Greenville City Council granted former City Manager John

McDonough approval to move forward with the purchase sale agreement of City Hall, 206 S. Main St., with M. Peters Group for $12.5 million. Council also authorized McDonough to move forward with the purchase of two floors at 55 Camperdown Way — the Bowater Building. When finalized, the deal would move Greenville City Council Chambers and multiple city departments to the building on the edge of the Reedy River in Falls Park. The purchase and renovations of the two floors at the Bowater Building would cost $14.3 million. Beth Brotherton, Greenville’s director of communications and engagement, said the city never intended to purchase the entire Bowater Building, just two floors, so their options are still open. “We will work with the new owners to pursue an agreement, with provisions for parking as a primary objective,” she added. “We still have the possibility to remain on several floors at 206 S. Main in a redeveloped, renovated space.” SC Biz News attempted to reach WCM Global Wealth for comment via email but has yet to receive a response.

rnorton@scbiznews.com

n Atlanta real estate developer, owner and operator with projects across the United States is developing a 1.2 million-square-foot distribution center in Spartanburg. Rockefeller Group is building the facility on 87.7 acres it acquired in 2022. Spartanburg 221 is a modern, Class A speculative industrial building located off Highway 221, approximately one mile northwest of the Interstate 85 at the Exit 78 interchange. The development began earlier this year and is expected to deliver in the fourth quarter of 2024. “Spartanburg 221 lies in the heart of the I-85 corridor in the Greenville-Spartanburg industrial market, which has been recognized as one of the nation’s fastest growing industrial markets due to population expansion, business friendly environment, ample transportation infrastructure, broad regional accessibility, and a skilled work force,” Steven McGee, vice president of Southeast development for Rockefeller Group, said in a news release. “While the automotive industry has chosen to make significant investments in the community, with BMW and Volvo, there is an increase in demand for quality distribution and manufacturing space

from companies that supply to the auto industry, like Boysen USA and Winar Connection, who have already chosen to locate and invest in Spartanburg.” Spartanburg 221 will include 40-foot clear ceiling heights, 56-foot by 53-foot column spacing, up to 530 parking spaces and up to 237 trailer stalls. Campbell Lewis and Marcus Cornelius of CBRE are the exclusive leasing agents for Spartanburg 221. The team is also marketing Rockefeller Group’s Duncan Logistics Center, which includes three industrial warehouses totaling 827,000 square feet and is nearing completion in nearby Duncan. “We are seeing significant interest in our Duncan project from ecommerce, manufacturers and third-party logistics suppliers who want to be located along the I-85 corridor and are confident that both projects will lease quickly,” McGee said in the release. The architect on the Spartanburg project is Atlas Collaborative and the general contractor is Pattillo Construction. Rockefeller Group’s portfolio spans the development of office, multifamily, industrial and mixed-use projects across six geographic regions as well as ownership interest in and management of approximately 6 million square feet of office space in Manhattan, the news release said.

Greenville brewery closes after 7 years in business By Krys Merryman

kmerryman@scbiznews.com

Greenville brewery recently announced on social media it will be closing this month after seven years of business. The owners of Birds Fly South Ale Project announced on social media it would close Oct. 10. “…there’s no easy way to say this, but with a heavy heart and utmost sadness, we must announce Birds Fly South Ale Project taproom and on-site production will be closing after our final jazz event on October 10th,” the Instagram post read. “As we look back on these past 7 years, we have a lot to be proud of and it’s only upon

reflection that we realize what we’ve accomplished. We have had a wonderfully fulfilling and dynamic time getting to know everyone not only in our community but also everyone that traveled in from across the world to raise a glass in the Birdhouse. The community welcomed us with open arms, and we made it a point to give back to it as much as possible. The Flock is what kept us pursuing greatness as we focused on quality, award-winning beer. “We wish that this was a fairy tale ending but recognize all good things must come to an end. Timing is everything, and we embarked on an expansion to increase our taproom sales that have taken a hit over the last year. We don’t regret that decision, only the way we went about it.” Owners Shawn and Lindsay Johnson also

wrote in the post that there is a silver lining to the closing: to be able to step away from the stress of running a business and have more time to focus on family. “This is our opportunity to embark on a new adventure and enjoy a new pace of life. We have had the opportunity to let the staff know and have waited long enough to go public as they secure positions elsewhere. We are happy that they will be here until the end, something that continues to melt our hearts.” SC Biz News attempted to reach the Johnsons via email on Monday but have yet to receive a response. After being open less than a year in Greenville’s Overbrook neighborhood, the Johnson’s other restaurant Perch Gastropub

was also closed on Aug. 5. “We have made the tough decision to close our wonderful pub,” that post had said. “As ‘complicated’ as business is, it really is about ins and outs. As hard as we have tried, the ins don’t meet the outs. The passion and energy this team has put into this will be unmatched. This choice hasn’t come based on one factor, it’s just simply this part of the business that we all never see coming.” A string of local Greenville restaurants and bars have announced closings this year. Although there are several reasons for the closings and the Johnsons didn’t state their exact reasoning for closing their businesses, a reason often cited by others is the rising cost of liquor liability insurance in South Carolina.

October 2023

www.gsabusiness.com 7

OneSpartanburg Inc. highlights successes during annual celebration

t its 2023 annual celebration, “The ‘Burg’s Bright Future,” OneSpartanburg Inc. celebrated a year’s worth of successes, dedicated community leaders and exemplary local businesses and looked ahead to Spartanburg’s future. “Spartanburg’s collaborative spirit is alive and well and is evidenced by the past year’s transformative announcements,” OneSpartanburg Inc. President and CEO Allen Smith said in a news release “Business, economic, and tourism development all require collaboration between public and private partners. We are grateful for all of those that invest in our work and the partnerships that are literally building our community. We’ve really just begun.” The 2023 award-winners were: Neville Holcombe Distinguished Citizenship Award: Russell Booker, CEO of the Spartanburg Academic Movement, was recognized for his leadership in education, and commitment to bettering future outcomes for students and Spartanburg County as a whole. James B. Thompson Small Business of the Year: Shelley Wildenstein, owner of Signs and Designs, was recognized for growing her business from a one-woman operation to a team of six, and for her work helping other small businesses establish themselves. Economic Champion Award: The city of Woodruff, including Mayor Kenneth Gist and City Manager Lee Bailey, were

recognized for recruiting locally-driven investment as well as major projects, like BMW Plant Woodruff, to the city. Elaine Harris Tourism Champion Award: Spartanburg County Parks and Director Jon Woodsby were recognized for its role in bringing more visitors and sports events to Spartanburg County. Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award: Laura Ringo, executive cirector of PAL: Play. Advocate. Live Well! was recognized for her commitment to Spartanburg County’s trail system and improving health outcomes for residents by bolstering the county’s outdoor amenities. Chairman’s Award: Spartanburg County Administrator Cole Alverson was recognized for his dedicated leadership in making the county a better place to live and do business. Minority-Owned Businessperson of the Year: Kay Bishop, owner of Sparkle City Balloon Boutique, was recognized for turning a passion for event organization and décor into a successful small business. Young Professional of the Year: Emma McDaniel, associate at McDaniel & Co., a commercial real estate firm, was recognized for her professional growth and her commitment to helping fellow young professionals better connect to Spartanburg. Daniel Morgan Business Advocates: The Daniel Morgan Award is given

OneSpartanburg Inc. held its 2023 annual celebration at Indigo Hall on Sept. 28, celebrating business and community leaders, elected officials and successes over the past year. (Photo/OneSpartanburg Inc.)

annually to local legislators who have a strong track record of supporting business-friendly legislation. The winners for 2023 were: Sen. Tom Corbin, Sen. Josh Kimbrell, Sen. Scott Talley, Sen. Shane Martin, Sen. Harvey Peeler, Rep. Rosalyn Henderson-Myers, Rep. Max Hyde, Rep. Travis Moore, Rep. Roger Nutt, Rep. Steven Long, Rep. Dennis Moss (also represents Cherokee County), Rep. Brian Lawson (also represents Cherokee County), Speaker of the S.C. House Rep. Murrell Smith, and Chairman of the S.C. House Ways and Means Committee Rep. Bruce Bannister

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2023-24 Teachers of the Year: Spartanburg District 1: Danielle Floyd; Spartanburg District 2: Sylvia Landrum; Spartanburg District 3: Cynthia Spears; Spartanburg District 4: Laura Matz; Spartanburg District 5: Katie Farr; Spartanburg District 6: Margaret Delaney; Spartanburg District 7: Meredith Jack Burroughs; S.C. School for the Deaf and the Blind: Christine Kincheloe; Spartanburg Day School: Chrissy Roush; High Point Academy: Lauren White; Spartanburg Preparatory School: Lashawnna Camp; Early Education Specialist: JaVona Lipscomb

www.gsabusiness.com

October 2023

Plans for nearly half-billion-dollar Spartanburg baseball stadium moves forward By Krys Merryman

kmerryman@scbiznews.com

he Spartanburg City Council approved, after the first reading, a development agreement for a planned $425 million downtown baseball stadium development. The project — known as Project Core — is a master plan for the next district of downtown Spartanburg. Combined with improvements underway along W. Main Street, according to the city, Project Core will transform the downtown’s western gateway, an area that has become increasingly attractive to mixed-use development. Spartanburg City Manager Chris Story said this deal with Johnson Development Associates is the largest economic development project in the city’s history. First announced in May, the centerpiece of the transformational development will be a new Minor League Baseball stadium to serve as the future home of the current Down East Wood Ducks of Kinston, N.C. The team is expected to be renamed in the move to Spartanburg, according to the city of Spartanburg. In addition to the city and Johnson Development, other partners on the project are Spartanburg County and OneSpartanburg Inc. The development will cover a total of around four blocks of downtown Spartanburg, bounded by W. Henry Street to the south, W. Main Street to the north, S. Daniel Morgan Avenue and Spring Street to the east, and CSX Railroad tracks to the west. In addition to a 3,500-seat stadium, the development area will include 200,000 square feet of office space, more than 375 apartment units, a 150-room hotel, parking facilities to house at least 1,500 vehicles, and a large public plaza and event space. Construction on

The project would transform four blocks of downtown Spartanburg, placing a Minor League Baseball stadium as the focal point. (Photo/Provided)

the project will take place in phases, with the stadium and first parking structure expected to be completed by spring of 2025 and subsequent phases to be completed over several years, according to the city of Spartanburg. Billy Dunlap, OneSpartanburg Inc.’s chief tourism development officer, said the project will be “significant” to the economic development of the city moving forward. Under terms of the agreement, Johnson Development Associates will invest $305 million to construct multiple structures for the development’s office space and commercial component, a new 150-unit hotel, and three parking facilities. The city also agreed to transfer several parcels within the main project block to Johnson Development Associates immediately, as well as parcels bounded by S. Spring Street, S. Daniel Morgan Avenue, and W.

Broad Street, and a parcel along S. Daniel Morgan Avenue adjacent to the Hampton Heights neighborhood at a later date. Also included in the agreement is a restriction preventing the city from offering a higher ratio of incentives to any development for five years from the signing of the agreement and another restriction stating that no incentives can be offered to a hotel project in the downtown area for three years. Prior to the vote at the September meeting, several City Council members voiced concerns regarding the hotel restriction, questioning the wisdom of limiting potential competition during a time of unprecedented growth in downtown Spartanburg, according to the city. Essentially, the transformative, historic scale of investment included in the project was the deciding factor, with the City Coun-

cil approving the agreement in a 6-0 unanimous vote. Council member Rob Rain, who is employed by Johnson Development Associates, recused himself from the vote, the city said. The Project Core agreement will require a second and final reading for final approval and will be on the agenda at the City Council’s next meeting on Oct. 9. As the first reading passed without any opposition, the agreement will go on the city’s consent agenda and will most likely be approved with no further discussion, said Christopher George, Spartanburg’s communications manager. Although the city doesn’t have final renderings of the project or site plans to share at this time, they are anticipating a groundbreaking for the stadium within the next month, George said.

New sandwich shop concept opens at Greenville food hall By Krys Merryman

kmerryman@scbiznews.com

new sandwich shop has opened in Greenville’s West End food hall. The Big Rinkowski is officially open for business at Gather GVL, primarily a sandwich shop offering inspiration from pubs across the U.S. and Europe, with flavors from the boardwalks of Southern New Jersey — an idea that was thought up over a weekend at the Rinkowskis. Owner Amy Rinkowski, who was born in Germany, paired with her husband, who is of Polish heritage and from New Jersey, on the concept — and her third brick-and-mortar restaurant. Rinkowski is also the owner of Tacozzini, which is located on Augusta Street, and Yolo Pizza Kitchen, which is also located at Gather GVL. When you think of The Big Rinkowski, think of cheesesteaks, said Rinkowski.

“We wanted to fill the void in the area and for Gather,” she said. “With my husband’s heritage and mine, we love European pub food and classic New Jersey cheesesteaks so found a way to combine the two. We also offer our classic Irish Reuben, a recipe we perfected, and most excited for our Jersey Shore Special.” What’s the Jersey Shore Special? It’s a thinly sliced pork roll made with Taylor Ham served on a toasted Brioche bun with melted American cheese. “This concept is truly something Greenville hasn’t seen before, and a few things I know you can’t get anywhere else here as we had to special order our pierogies and Taylor Ham, but we are happy to be able to offer something new and fun at Gather,” said Rinkowski. The Rinkowskis also own River Girl Catering, a full staff onsite catering company. They can be booked for business lunches, and

the Big Rinkowski is officially open for business at Gather GVL, primarily a sandwich shop offering inspiration from pubs across the U.S. and Europe. (Photo/The Big Rinkowski)

private parties and events. When asked if there are any other plans at this time to open additional concepts, Rin-

kowski said if another opportunity comes up in Greenville, then she might consider it but keeping busy as it is.

October 2023

www.gsabusiness.com 9

Barbecue restaurants help launch Prisma’s $6M pediatric cancer project

Staff Report

he Prisma Health Children’s Hospital-Upstate in Greenville on Sept. 14 launched a fundraising campaign to raise $6 million for a new pediatric cancer and blood disorders unit. The effort got a boost of $1 million from Hogs for the Cause, a non-profit barbecue competition and festival based in New Orleans but with significant ties to South Carolina, according to a news release from Prisma Health. The unit will provide care for children and adolescents with cancer, bleeding disorders and sickle cell disease. Patient family suggestions were incorporated into the design to help families feel more at home during what can be lengthy and repeated hospitalizations, the news release stated. “Hogs for the Cause’s visionary $1 million gift serves as an inspiring example of how private philanthropy can transform health care and bring hope to countless families in need,” Children’s Hospital medical director Dr. Robin LaCroix said in the release. “This gift is a testament to the remarkable generosity and dedication of the Hogs for Cause organization and its CEO, Becker Hall. See PRISMA, Page 10

Construction on the unit will begin in 2024 and is expected to take two years. (Image/McMillan Pazdan Smith)

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We are grateful to them and our community for the incredible support and belief in our mission.” Hogs for the Cause began as a pig roast in 2009 when CEO and co-founder Becker Hall returned home to New Orleans after graduating from the University of South Carolina. It was meant to raise money for a young boy with pediatric brain cancer. It has grown into one of the country’s most highly acclaimed barbecue competition and music festivals. The funds from the festival allow the organization to help thousands of families through direct grants and funding programming at children’s hospitals across the Southeast. Since its inception, the organization has made grants totaling $2.1 million in direct grants to families battling pediatric cancer and $7.3 million to hospital programs and other public charities nationwide.

October 2023

South Carolina restaurants participating in the festival include Home Team BBQ — which has restaurants in Charleston, Greenville and Columbia — and Swig & Swine restaurants in the Lowcountry. The restaurants are known for their collaboration on Charleston community events Holy Smokes BBQ Festival and Rock the Block. Over the last two years alone, the two festivals have donated more than $250,000 to Hogs for the Cause. “Teaming up with our friends at Home Team BBQ to host Holy Smokes and increase our impact in the community has certainly been a life-changing experience,” Anthony DiBernardo, pitmaster and owner of Swig & Swine, said in the release. Home Team BBQ’s pitmaster and owner Aaron Siegel said, “Having a restaurant here in Greenville makes this project even more personal and tangible for us. We were incredibly moved by this need and wanted to help. I know

it will be a huge source of pride for our employees in Greenville but also across all our locations.” Construction on the 7,580 squarefoot unit — which will be named the Prisma Health Children’s Hospital-Upstate Hogs for the Cause Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Unit in honor of the lead gift — is slated to begin in early 2024 and will take approximately two years to complete. “Today, we fulfill a dream that continues to grow greater than we could have imagined,” Hall said in the release. “This state-of-the-art pediatric oncology and hematology unit will have a massive impact for families here and in neighboring states. We are extremely proud to partner with Prisma Health and with the barbecue restaurants here helping support this phenomenal project.” The expanded unit will include nine patient rooms, a day-stay room with two infusion chairs for children who require day-long transfusion treat-

ments but not overnight-hospitalization, and a two-room suite for families in end-of-life situations. Family-suggested design elements include in-room desks so parents have space to work remotely as they stay close to their children, a respite space for parents and an expanded playroom. “I’m thrilled that we can take this next leap forward by creating a space that is literally custom built for and by families,” Dr. Aniket Saha, the unit’s medical director, said in the release. “This specially designed space will better blend family care with clinical care, helping reduce stress and offer a positive healing environment that nourishes the mind, body and soul.” The announcement for the “Inspire Courage” capital campaign comes during September’s Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. More information about Hogs for the Cause can be found at www.hogsforthecause.org.

YMCA of Greenville branch launches $6M campaign to expand recreational facilities By Krys Merryman

kmerryman@scbiznews.com

YMCA of Greenville branch is expanding its recreational facility. The Caine Halter Family YMCA launched the public phase of Building a Brighter Tomorrow, a $6 million capital campaign that “reflects the best of the branch’s past and ignites the best for the branch’s future,” according to a YMCA news release. The purpose of the campaign is to engage members of the community in an effort to dissolve waitlists for children in youth sports programs, provide adaptive sports spaces and leagues for children and adults with diverse abilities, add outdoor space to better serve families in afterschool and summer camp programs, continue efforts to prevent accidental childhood drownings, and increase partnership opportunities with local, like-minded nonprofits serving the Greenville neighborhood, the release said. The expansion will include: • The DynaDome — a state-ofthe-art retractable enclosure system over the outdoor pool • Multi-use Courts — repurpose the existing tennis courts to provide accessibility to people with diverse abilities on multi-use spaces to play tennis, pickleball, basketball, volleyball, and small-sided soccer • Remodeled fields — increasing field space, addition of turf fields and lights, and resurfacing of existing track • Outdoor pavilion — addition of outdoor restroom facilities and pro-

Plans call for a retractable roof over the outdoor pool. (Rendering/Provided)

gram space in a 5,000-square-foot pavilion • Gymnasium refresh — multi-use gymnasium to include new backboards and refinished flooring The YMCA of Greenville has raised $3.15 million of the total expansion cost to date, according to the Hughes Agency. “Once completed, this campaign will result in a stronger YMCA that

has the resources necessary to carry out our time-honored mission to provide a place for all people, regardless of their ability to pay, to build healthy mind, body and spirit,” said YMCA of Greenville President and CEO Scot Baddley. As one of Greenville County’s leading nonprofit health and human services organizations, the Y’s mission is to nurture the potential of children

through youth development, improve Greenville County’s well-being by promoting healthy living, and foster a sense of social responsibility by providing opportunities to give back and support its neighbors. To donate to the Caine Halter Family YMCA’s Building a Brighter Tomorrow campaign, visit www. ymcagreenville.org/caine-halter-capital-campaign.

October 2023

www.gsabusiness.com 11

Spartanburg food hall an ‘incubator’ for small business By Krys Merryman

kmerryman@scbiznews.com

new food hall is in the works for Spartanburg’s Eastside neighborhood. Though the planned food hall at 2600 East Main Street doesn’t have an official name yet, said Ryan Robertson, Freedom Commercial managing partner, the project is well underway. The overall development is called the Viking Plaza due to the high school behind it — Spartanburg High School’s athletic teams are the Vikings, said Robertson. The food hall will occupy about 7,000 square feet of the 13,500-square-foot shopping center, and developers are looking to expand the center for additional seeding, said Robertson. What will be the new food hall was formerly Le Baron Restaurant. To compete with all other cities in the Upstate, the city wants to boost the downtown area, and the tax revenue generated from this type of project could help assist with the overall Spartanburg beautification projects, said Robertson. “I grew up in Spartanburg, and this food hall is a much-needed type of concept for this neighborhood,” he added. “Not everyone wants to go to downtown and deal with parking stay but want options in the neighborhood pocket, to be able to just pull into your destination and park. Families want

The future food hall on Spartanburg’s eastside was formerly Le Baron Restaurant. (Photo/Provided)

options, and this food hall solves that issue with unique scratch kitchen ideas that will fit everyone’s palate.” On the left end cap of the property, Colorado-based Ziggi’s Coffee will occupy that space. What started as a small coffee shop on the corner of Main Street in downtown Longmont, Colo. in 2004, Ziggi’s has since grown to multiple drive-thru and coffeehouse locations across the U.S. — 49 to be exact, and this will be the first South Carolina location. Remaining food hall tenants are yet to be named, said Robertson, until leases are fully executed, which is anticipated to be completed by early October.

“It’ll be a spot with really good local eateries, supporting local business owners that have a difficult time breaking into a brick-and-mortar location,” said Robertson. “There are a lot of creative people here and to have to drop $200,000 or so just to get their spot open along with staffing woes, this food hall alleviates those concerns for our tenants. It’s a way for them to get their name out there, almost like an incubator. “This fits a great need for these types of business owners and will hopefully launch their careers. Opening this food hall helps residents have more local options in their neighborhood but also helps owners achieve their dreams without dropping an astronomical amount of money just to get open.”

The growth of Spartanburg’s Eastside is growing as it is, said Robertson. There are approximately 2,000 to 3,000 homes planned for the area, and the high school has more than 2,000 students enrolled with a large athletics program. “When people commute to town for these events, they will have options right here in their backyard,” said Robertson. “I think it’s a great location with a lot of parking, easily accessible, and should be highly beneficial to the people in this community.” Robertson said when Freedom Commercial bought the property, they tried to figure out what to do with it and landed on a food hall because they are so popular right now, and it’s ready for construction. Freedom Commercial is the real estate brokerage company overseeing the leasing and additional space that will be a part of the project. Sebastian Carter, whose company Grey Shell Group is the lead developer on the project and the architect-on-record is LMG Architects. The project is anticipated to be completed by the end of June 2024, he said. “We started Freedom Commercial in April, with the new food hall concept on the forefront,” said Robertson. “This is the fourth food hall I’ve worked on, and I understand the concept very well at this point and have plans to expand and do more in communities that need them.”

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October 2023

Textile mill redevelopment in Taylors on the market for $10 million By Krys Merryman

kmerryman@scbiznews.com

The buyers of the Star Center will continue to use part of the complex for recreation. (Photo/Provided)

Spartanburg County campus, sports complex sold for $24 million By Krys Merryman

kmerryman@scbiznews.com

campus and sports complex `in Wellford has been acquired for $24 million. Plans for the site include a new charter school. The Upward Star Center properties were sold in two separate transactions to Global Outreach Academy. Part of the property will be allocated for future development, according to a news release. SVN Blackstream adviser Shannon Donahoo represented the buyer. Donahoo is a specialist in charter school sales and acquisitions. “A charter school is a tuition-free school,” Donahoo said in the news release. “Charter schools add value to a community by

addressing unique educational needs, promoting academic excellence and encouraging parental involvement.” While the sports complex on U.S. Highway 29 will remain dedicated to athletic activities, the site also will see the inception of a K-8th grade charter school. Plans call for the school to accommodate the 300 students currently enrolled and an additional 500 students, the release said. Global’s expansion into the Spartanburg market introduces a premium education standard to the community where students can excel at their fullest potential, Donahoo said in the release. SVN Blackstream is a full-service commercial real estate brokerage firm based in Greenville with offices throughout the Carolinas.

former textile mill revitalization project is up for sale for $10 million. Taylors Mill, currently owned by Caleb Lewis/Taylors Mill Development LLC, is located at 250 Mill St. in Taylors. Reedy Commercial Senior Associate Anna Friddle is the broker in the sale. “The seller originally bought the property in 2015 where he could operate his business, Carolina Recycling Company,” she said. “Since that time, the seller has welcomed more than 70 tenants to the property. The reason for listing the property for sale is to simplify the seller’s life as a landlord and focus on his business and other endeavors.” According to the listing, the facility totals about 725,000 square feet spanning 62 acres, and has 70 tenants occupying about 305,000 square feet. Taylors Mill is a historic textile building-turned mixed-use revital-

ization effort with room to grow. Built along the Enoree River, Taylors Mill joined the Upstate as a significant landmark of industrial technology. The plant played an essential role in providing employment opportunities and shaping the local economy, contributing to the development and prosperity of the city of Taylors, according to the listing’s offering memorandum. The site experienced rapid growth during the mid-20th century, expanding to adapt to changing demands of the textile industry and modern manufacturing techniques. As textile industry in the area declined, Taylors Mill has undergone a transformation into a hub for entrepreneurship and community engagement, the memorandum said. The project repurposed the disused industrial spaces to house a variety of small businesses while preserving the historic character of the mill. The redevelopment now houses a diverse range of tenants including artist studios, offices, retail shops, restaurants and event venues.

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October 2023

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Next Venture Summit in Greenville looks at Upstate entrepreneurial environment, names top 10 Krys Merryman

kmerryman@scbiznews.com

early 300 guests congregated at the Greenville ONE Center on Sept. 13 for the eighth annual Next Venture Summit, including founders and investors, and entrepreneur ecosystem partners across the region. Moderator and host Johannes Mutzke, partner of BlueInc Strategies, set up the event, calling it a “lens” for the startup community. “Helping companies wherever they are in their entrepreneurial journey take that next step,” he said. “Where you think affects what you think.” VistGreenvilleSC President Heath Dillard moved to Greenville 10 months ago and one of the things he found when stepping into his new role with the nonprofit tourism organization is the community was at an inflection point with organizations like Next influencing tourism from a broader perspective. “Our goal is to leverage tourism to make a positive impact on our community,” he said. “We are going to do it through the lens of elevating quality of life and prosperity for our community. So we want to collaborate with organizations like Next. We know that if we can continue to change the perception of what we have, not just the leisure community but a place where people can go to college, stay after college to work, and start businesses or move businesses here. We can impact not just the tourism industry but the entire community.”

Cultivation Capital co-founder and Managing Director Cliff Holekamp and ScopeStack CEO and co-founder Jon Scott talked about the importance of building relationships before trying to make a pitch for startup capital at the 2023 annual Next Venture Summit on Sept. 13. (Photo/Krys Merryman)

Tips and tricks for early-stage startups

The first keynote speaker was Chris Heivly, cofounder of MapQuest and managing director of Build the Fort. He said taking pride in the place you live creates a sense of community — people who care about the same things, who support one another. “Entrepreneurship drives communities,” said Heivly. “It’s about being in a place that builds communities that set up a place for entrepreneurs to thrive. You can’t drive your community without founders. Ecosystems are like children. They should never be compared. Entrepreneurship is a complex theory.” So the question Heivly posed was: as a company, do you continue to evolve or be part of the revolution? “Companies need to realize that my win is not their loss,” Heivly said. “Collaborate and share ideas, because when the community wins, you win.”

Chris Heivly, cofounder of MapQuest and managing director of Build the Fort, was a keynote speaker at the 2023 annual Next Venture Summit. (Photo/ Krys Merryman)

When it comes to an investor and founder relationship, Cultivation Capital cofounder and Managing Director Cliff Holekamp and ScopeStack CEO and cofounder Jon Scott talked about

the importance of building relationships before trying to make a pitch for your startup capital. Scott said he started having conversations and building a relationship

with Cultivation Capital, an investor in ScopeStack, about two years before discussing the capital aspect of the deal. “It’s easier to make a multimillion-dollar decision in a 60-day period when I’ve known the person for nearly two years and finding someone who is heavily involved in the community,” said Holekamp. “It’s less risk than someone with minimal-to-no community presence.” Another word of advice from Holekamp: Don’t pitch until you’re ready because the nature of the relationship changes once you ask for capital. “Get to know your potential investors ahead of time and ask what you need to do to get to the next round of funding,” said Holekamp. Also at the summit, the nonprofit organization named its top 10 most exciting startups in the Upstate: Boyd Cycling, CarbonCents, Kiyatec, Rymedi, ScopeStack, Skillsgapp, Stark, SYNC.MD, TrebleHook and Wavs.

Hiring and scaling for company growth

“It’s not what you do but who you do it with,” said Marty Osborn, managing director of Advoco, which is now a part of Accenture. “Great people will take care of themselves and their customers.” Osborn and Cocoa Experience Inc. CEO Derek Pedersen shared their rules for building a world-class team and growing your business. • Hiring is hard work — “It’s a professional sport,” said Pedersen. • Know yourself — take DiSC and other personality assessments to know who you are and in turn who you want to hire. • Expose your company’s appeal — you have to know your company really well to be able to talk it up. People want to know exactly why they should work there and what will keep them there. • Know what you need — identifying the role and what winning looks like. “To be unclear is to be unkind,” said Osborn. • It’s always 100% your fault — take accountability for your hiring faults. This is not a metric but a mindset. “If you don’t believe this, you can’t build a world-class team, because you won’t fix what’s wrong,” said Pedersen. Osborn said employers tend to hire for themselves versus what’s best for the team. • If you follow the rules, you can trust your gut. For more information on Next and the annual Venture Summit visit https://nextsc.org/.

In Focus Liberty company celebrates product delivery for GE turbines MANUFACTURING

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NEXT ISSUE’S FOCUS: Food and Beverage

By Ross Norton

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n the earliest days of Sealevel Systems, founders Tom and Susan O’Hanlan worked alone. To make the company seem larger, they sometimes affected different voices to answer the phones. About 90 authentic voices are available to them now, the latest growth spurt of 22 workers coming on the strength of a GE Vernova contract that will put Sealevel products in 57,000 GE gas and wind turbines already spread around the world, as well as those to come. Sealevel Systems and GE Vernova representatives gathered at the Sealevel Systems offices and production facility in Liberty recently to celebrate delivery of the first locally made controllers that will be retrofitted into existing turbines and built into new ones. Sealevel is a computer hardware manufacturer that creates components to function in harsh environments. And that’s where GE puts its turbines. “They generate a third of the world’s energy, which is pretty incredible when you think about it,” Susan O’Hanlan, president of the company, said at the ceremony. “That’s huge. And we’re excited to be a part of this program. “We crossed all the hurdles,” she said. “We have completed the design and are now in full production.” It took about two years from contract to delivery of the first unit in August, she said, with engineers from Sealevel Systems and GE Vernova working together to perfect the product, called a UCSE. “We have an established history of providing critical communications solutions around the world,” O’Hanlan said. “We are thrilled to have this story carried through to GE products today.” She said over the company’s 37-year history, Sealevel has designed more than 350 standard products and more than 100,000 custom computers for industry leaders across the energy, public safety, health, industrial automation, transportation sectors, as well as every U.S. military contractor and contractors for the militaries of allied nations. “USCE is the next generation controller for GE’s gas and wind turbines,” said Earle Foster, senior vice president of sales for the Liberty company. “It brings a new level of computing performance and enables powerful new software algorithms to increase the performance and efficiency of the new machines. Engineers of both companies worked together to provide in i7 processor with a powerful FPGA in a small package that can work without fail in the toughest environments. That’s no small feat.” The celebration — complete with cake and champagne — took place on the com-

Components are made on-site in Liberty, built to endure temperature extremes, shock and vibration. (Photo/Ross Norton)

pany’s production floor with company leaders and production crew pausing to toast the product and their customer, represented by Todd Ashley, senior executive, Product Management for GE Renewables; Chris Long, executive product leader, GE Gas Power; Julia Martinez, Wind Turbine Advance Technologies senior engineer for GE Renewables; Zach Blaettler Sr., engineering manager for GE Renewable Energy; and Tyler Callicutt, lead buyer, GE Drives and Controls. The origins of Sealevel Systems Inc. are in a communications adapter Tom O’Hanlan, now CEO, made for an IBM PC “back before any of that stuff had really started,” Susan O’Hanlan said. The company started two years later and developed a specialty early in input/output solutions for tough environments. Today the company offers a wide variety of products and services, all of which are designed and tested to endure extreme temperatures — both cold and hot — as well as weather extremes, shock and vibration. Sealevel products ranging from touch panel controllers to ethernet data acquisition devices can be found in varied places from rocket launch pads to the fountain at the famed fountain of the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas to the Patriot Missile used by the U.S. Army and several allied countries. It's a company incubated by a man — described by his wife as an engineer’s engineer — who started it all by trying to build a single durable item and ended up launching a company. During the celebration of the GE Vernova product, Tom O’Hanlan did not address the gathering; he was at work in his shop.

Jeff Baldwin, director of engineering for Sealevel Systems Inc., cuts a cake to celebrate the event. (Photo/ Ross Norton)

Susan O’Hanlan welcomes GE representatives to celebrate delivery of components for GE turbines. (Photo/ Ross Norton)

October 2023

IN FOCUS: MANUFACTURING

www.gsabusiness.com 15

Belgian manufacturer unveils first US location in Spartanburg County By Jason Thomas

jthomas@scbiznews.com

elgium-based Hammer-IMS unveiled its offices in Duncan in Spartanburg County during a grand-opening event. The event marked a significant milestone in the company's journey toward providing cutting-edge solutions to revolutionize the manufacturing industry, according to a news release. Hammer-IMS, originally a Belgian techstart-up company, founded in 2016, has now officially crossed the Atlantic Ocean and is currently in search for people to start-up its American team, the release stated. The decision to establish operations in Spartanburg County reflects Hammer-IMS' strategic vision and commitment to growth on a global scale, the release stated. A recent capital increase by its Belgian investors has injected an unprecedented momentum into the company, enabling it to explore international business opportunities for which the U.S. market is on the top of the list, the release stated. The choice of Spartanburg County as a hub for expansion was no coincidence, as the selected office center is strategically situated at the crossroads of major interstates, with a sprawling 363,000 square

The decision to establish operations in Spartanburg County reflects Hammer-IMS’ strategic vision and commitment to growth on a global scale. (Photo/Provided)

feet of flexible industrial warehousing and office space for newcomers, the release stated. Furthermore, Spartanburg County houses a plethora of potential new customers. As Hammer-IMS cut the ribbon and openened its doors to the American market, Michel Gerebtzoff as the consul general of Belgium in Atlanta, Ethan Burroughs, vice president of economic

advancement at Spartanburg Community College, John Lummus, president and CEO of the Upstate SC Alliance, Jean Louis Vanderstraeten, honorary consul of Belgium, and Kyle Sox, vice president of industrial development, One Spartanburg Inc., took part in the welcoming event, the release stated. The grand opening event not only celebrated the establishment of Ham-

mer-IMS in Spartanburg but also acted as a chance to showcase live demonstrations of the machinery that will permanently be based on U.S. soil, according to the release. With plans to scale-up operations in the U.S., Hammer-IMS aims to become a global leader in the measuring and machine-vision solutions industry. “We will accelerate the recruitment of new colleagues and develop targeted products to operate on a larger scale,” Noël Deferm, co-founder and general manager of Hammer-IMS, said in the release. “Together with our shareholders, we strongly believe that opening-up this office here in Spartanburg is a logical step to make Hammer-IMS a global player.” Hammer-IMS’s best-selling product makes use of proprietary “M-Ray” technology, the release stated. The technology is based on a combination of millimeter waves with computational algorithms to provide a sustainable alternative to radioactive measuring equipment for the measurement of material thickness and material density. Over the last years, Hammer-IMS has introduced more ‘one-letter-named’ technologies such as “L-Ray” using laser technology, “U-Ray” using ultrasound sensors, “C-Ray” using capacitive sensing, “M2-Ray” using radar-technology, and “Edge-Vision-4.0” using camera arrays.

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October 2023

Developer secures cash to start Gaffney industrial park By Ross Norton

rnorton@scbiznews.com

national commercial real estate developer that concentrates on industrial development has secured the funding to begin construction on the first phase of a 3.6 million-square-foot industrial park in Gaffney. Glenstar said it has secured $38.2 million in construction financing from Cross Harbor Capital Partners to begin the project. Developed by Glenstar and its capital partner, Creek Lane Capital, the five-building, 290-acre Cherokee Commerce Center 85 is northeast of the intersection of Interstate 85 and S.C. Highway 105 and will be the largest industrial park in Cherokee County when built out, according to a news release from Glenstar. Glenstar will begin sitework in preparation for the first building at CCC-85, slated to span 555,520 square feet but expandable to 1.3 million square feet, the news release said. The first building is an example of Glenstar’s Spec-to-Suit strategy, which allows the firm to meet customized tenant needs on an expedited timeline. This flexible building, known as 2A, will offer a cross-docked orientation, with up to 232 dock doors, four drive-in doors, 540 auto parking spots and 452 trailer spaces. Completion is expected in fall 2024.

Glenstar has secured $38.2 million in construction financing to build the first phase of Cherokee Commerce Center, a 3.6 million-square-foot industrial park in Gaffney. The first building will span 555,520 square feet but is expandable to 1.3 million square feet. (Photo/Ware Malcomb)

“We’re pleased to bring our collective experience to this project and partner with such a strong development team,” Matt Klein, director of CrossHarbor Capital Partners, said in the release. “Cherokee Commerce Center off I-85 is in one of the fastest-growing transportation and logistics corridors in the U.S.” Subsequent phases will potentially include four additional warehouses measuring with collectively nearly 2.4 million square feet, the release said. The facilities will feature bestin-class specifications, such as 40-foot clear heights, 56-foot-by-50-foot column spacing and 60-foot speed bays.

“This ideally located park will meet suppliers’ and manufacturers’ ongoing need for Class A industrial space with easy access to the Inland Port Greer and the Port of Charleston,” Glenstar principal Brian Netzky said in the release. “We’re already receiving interest from companies that support production facilities in the Southeast such as electric vehicle, battery and semiconductor manufacturers.” The industrial submarket of Cherokee County is home to a 1.4 million-square-foot distribution facility shared by DHL Supply Chain and Mann+Hummel, a German manufacturer of filtration systems, as well as a 1

million-square-foot Techtronic Industries facility and a 1.5 million-square-foot Dollar Tree distribution center. “Cherokee County is a hotspot for industrial development as vacancy rates remained at less than 1% at the end of the second quarter,” Netzky said. “The county has a growing population and a vast pool of quality-trained assembly and fabrication laborers, which draws users from across the country.” According to Colliers, the Cherokee submarket has 11.6 million square feet of industrial space and recorded a 0.52% vacancy rate in the second quarter of this year, well below the national average. The report also cited several reasons for South Carolina’s growth, including significant investments in the interstate system, the Port of Charleston and the Inland Ports as well as a business-friendly regulatory environment, low unionization rate and labor supply. “CCC-85 represents Glenstar’s bullish outlook on manufacturing and distribution hubs in the Upstate as well as throughout the Southeast,” Netzky said in the release. The Conlan Company is serving as general contractor, while Ware Malcomb is the architect for the project and SeamonWhiteside is the civil engineer. The project will be leased by John Montgomery, Garrett Scott, Brockton Hall and Dillon Swayngim of the Spartanburg office of Colliers.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT WWW.SCMANUFACTURINGCONFERENCE.COM/EXHIBITOR-INFO/

October 2023

IN FOCUS: MANUFACTURING

www.gsabusiness.com 17

Manufacturer opens $125M ‘world’s first’ factory of its kind in Union

By Jason Thomas

iotechnology company MycoWorks has begun production at its world-class manufacturing facility in Union. Now capable of scaling-up to meet luxury industry demand, the company is set to grow millions of square feet of its leather-alternative material produced with the company’s proprietary technology, Fine Mycelium, a MycoWorks news release stated This patented technology produces Reishi, a biomaterial with strength and durability that on par with calfskin leather, the industry gold standard. With partners including Hermès and General Motors, MycoWorks’ progression into commercial-scale manufacturing is a sign of maturation for the biomaterials industry that the company continues its leadership in materials science, the release stated. Per MycoWorks’ market sizing, there are serious challenges facing the $164 billion leather market and $28 billion luxury leather market such as supply chain constraints and inferior product alternatives, the release stated. “As MycoWorks continues to lead in biomaterial innovation, we are thrilled to open this first-of-its-kind facility in South Carolina,” Doug Hardesty, MycoWorks chief operating officer, said in the release. “This reality is thanks to our team of experienced manufacturing leaders and engineers from the consumer goods, automotive, food, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology industries who have adapted robotic equipment and systems to handle our unique traybased biomaterials process. “In turn, they have enabled the first high-quality mycelium material product at scale, a feat which has never been accomplished until now. We thank the city and citizens of Union for welcoming MycoWorks into its community.” Since 2010, demand for luxury leather increased 251%, while highend hide production declined by 22% due to falling beef and dairy consumption, the release stated. MycoWorks is answering these challenges with the world’s first full-scale alternative leather factory, a revolution in the production of high-quality natural materials for the luxury industry. The opening of the 136,000-squarefoot factory also marks the world’s largest mycelium material operation, a major step for the use of mycelium — the “root structure” of mushrooms, the release stated. Starting first with leather, MycoWorks’ Fine Mycelium technology can later be expanded into other applications. The plant was made possible through a $125 million Series C funding round in 2021 from Prime

Movers Lab, SK Networks, Mirabaud Lifestyle Impact & Innovation Fund, DCVC Bio, Novo Holdings and several strategic customers and investors, the release stated. “With construction beginning in 2022, the project was delivered on-time and on-budget, running the same tray-based mycelium growth system successfully piloted in its California plant yet scaled to 100 times the volume. MycoWorks’ facility uses state of the art robotics, digital analytics, and AI resources to achieve high-caliber quality and supply chain systems for the company’s customers in an entirely new manufacturing process, the release stated. Using automated guided robots (AGRs), the company has automated 80% of its process, enabling MycoWorks to reduce handling costs but maintain expert interactions where they are critical for quality assurance, achieving both high quality and lowcost production. For the leather industry, MycoWorks’ Union facility is a breakthrough in supply chain management, providing full predictability, transparency, and provenance of high-quality natural materials while also reducing waste, the release stated. Grownto-spec, Fine Mycelium can be customized for thickness, weight and mechanical properties, allowing for an unprecedented level of control of a natural material, previously impossible via traditional agriculture. For Union, MycoWorks’ investment is reshoring production from an industry that primarily sourc-

es from Europe, the release stated. Union has had a long history in textile manufacturing, and as the region is already home to leading automo-

tive manufacturers, Fine Mycelium will allow other industries in the area and globally to closely collaborate on development.

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION (Requester Publications Only) GSA Business Report; Publication number 8460; The Mailing address of the Known Office of Publication, 35A Cessna Ct., Greenville, SC 29607. The Mailing address of the Headquarters and General Business Offices of the Publisher (not printer), 1802 Dayton St. Ste. 101, North Charleston, SC 29405. The Full Names and Addresses of the Publisher, Editor and Managing Editor are: Donna Bischoff (Publisher), 35A Cessna Ct., Greenville, SC 29607, Jason Thomas (Editor) 35A Cessna Ct., Greenville, SC 29607, Managing Editor: Ross Norton, 35A Cessna Ct., Greenville, SC 29607. GSA Business Report; is owned by BridgeTower OPCo, LLC (OpCo), 100 N Pacific Coast Hwy., Ste 1725, El Segundo, CA 90245. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities, Cerberus Business Finance Agency, 11812 San Vicente Blvd, Suite 300, Los Angeles, CA 90049. Issue Date for Circulation Data is July 24, 2023; the average number of copies of each issue during the preceding 12 months is: (A) Total number of copies printed 7,162. (B1) Paid/ Requested Outside-County Mail Subscriptions 2,495; (B2) Paid/Requested In-County Subscriptions: 683; (B3) Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales and requested: 0; (B4) Other classes mailed USPS: 0; (C) Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation: 3,178; (D1) Non-Requested Distribution by mail, samples complimentary and other free copies: 3,095; (D2) In-county Non-Requested distribution: 851; (D3) Other classes mailed Non-Requested Distribution: 0; (D4) NonRequested distribution outside the mail: 0; (E) Total Non-Requested distribution: 3,946; (F) Total Distribution: 7,124; (G) Copies not Distributed: 38; (H) Total: 7,162; (I) Percent of Paid/Requested: 44.61%. The actual number of copies of a single issue published nearest to the filing date are: (A) Total number of copies printed 7,060; (B1) Paid/ Requested Outside-County Mail Subscriptions: 5,027; (B2) Paid/Requested In-County Subscriptions: 0; (B3) Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales and requested: 0; (B4) Other classes mailed USPS: 0; (C) Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation: 5,027; (D1) Non-Requested Distribution by mail, samples complimentary and other free copies: 2,002; (D2) In county Non-Requested distribution: 0; (D3) Other classes mailed Non-Requested Distribution: 0; (D4) Non-Requested distribution outside the mail: 0 (E) Total Non-Requested distribution: 2,002 (F) Total Distribution: 7,029; (G) Copies not Distributed: 31; (H) Total: 7,060; (I) Percent of Paid/ Requested: 71.52%. Electronic Copy Circulation; The Average number of copies in the last 12 months was: (16A) Requsted/Paid Electronic Copies, 96; (16B) Total Paid/Requested Print and Paid/Requested Digital Copies were 3,274; (16C) Total Requested Print and Paid/Requested Digital Distribution was 7,220; (16D) Percent Paid/Requested Print & Digital was 45.35%. The Actual Number of Copies of a Single Issue (16A) Paid Electronic Copies, 87; (16B) Paid/Requested Print and Paid/Requested Digital Copies were 5,114 (16C) Total Requested Distribution and Requested/Paid Digital was 7,116 (16D) Percent Paid/Requested Print & Digital was 71.87%. (Signed) Donna Bischoff, Publisher REQUIRED BY TITLE 39 U.S.C. 3685 STATEMENT SHOWING OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION OF GSA BUSINESS REPORT, publication number 8460, filed October 1, 2023, Published monthly except April, June, September and October which has 2 issues - 17 issues per year, $67.00 annually, at 35A Cessna Ct., Greenville, SC 29607. The General Business offices of the Publishers are at 35A Cessna Ct., Greenville, SC 29607.

www.gsabusiness.com

October 2023

Manufacturers

Ranked by No. of Employees in the Greenville Area

•

Company

Phone / Website / Email

Top Local Official(s) / Year Founded

Purchasing Manager

Employees: Upstate / Statewide / Worldwide

BMW Manufacturing Co. 1400 SC Highway 101 S. Greer, SC 29651

864-802-6000 www.bmwusfactory.com

Sherry McCraw, Robert Engelhorn 1992

Oliver Haase

11,000 11,000 125,000

BMW X3, X4, X5, X6, X7, and XM and their variants

Michelin North America Inc. 1 Parkway S. Greenville, SC 29615

864-458-5000 www.michelinman.com

Alexis Garcin 1898

Caitlin Santore

6,500 125,000

Designs, manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle

GE Gas Power 1 300 Garlington Road Greenville, SC 29615

864-254-2000 www.ge.com/power/gas

John Intile 1968

Megan Grant

3,650 3,650 180,000

Power generation

ZF North America 2846 N. Old Laurens Road Gray Court, SC 29645

864-601-2500 www.zf.com communications@zf.com

Tobias Brugger 2012

n/a n/a

3,019 3,227 165,000

Automotive transmissions, immobility products and chassis systems

Robert Bosch LLC 1010 Scotts Bridge Road Anderson, SC 29621

864-260-8000 www.boschusa.com contact@us.bosch.com

Suzana Cizmic, Robert Boerner , Marcus Hildenbrand 1985

2,470 4,075 421,000

Global supplier of technology and services

Duke Energy Corp. 40 W. Broad St. Greenville, SC 29601

800-777-9898 www.duke-energy.com

Mike Callahan 1904

1,900 3,800 27,600

Duke Energy operates two utilities in South Carolina and has long maintained a sizable economic presence in the state as a major employer

AFL 170 Ridgeview Center Drive Duncan, SC 29334

864-433-0333 www.aflglobal.com sales@aflglobal.com

Jaxon Lang, Robert Crowder, Jaxon Lang 1984

Stephanie Buccolo

1,525 1,525 6,659

Manufacturer of fiber optic cable, connectivity and equipment

Lockheed Martin 244 Terminal Road Greenville, SC 29605

864-299-3350 www.lockheedmartin.com

Trish Pagan 1984

Jim Marshall

1,400 1,400 116,000

Global home of the F-16

DAA Draexlmaier Automotive of America LLC 1751 E. Main St. Duncan, SC 29334

864-485-1000 www.draexlmaier.us info_usa@draexlmaier.com

Michael Wolf, Christian Langstein, Edmund Eggensberger 1995

Arthur Besseau

1,070 1,070 74,000

Automotive interior and electrical systems; high-voltage wiring harness systems; electronic components; low- and high-voltage battery systems

Pierburg US LLC (Rheinmetall) 5 Southchase Court Fountain Inn, SC 29644

864-688-1300 www.rheinmetall.com

Alma Andreas Zgodic 1996

Christian SchmitzPranghe

1,000 1,000 25,000

Air and oil pumps, electronic throttle chambers

Sage Automotive Interiors Inc. 3 Research Drive, Suite 300 Greenville, SC 29607

864-987-7778 www.sageautomotiveinteriors.com

Chris Heard 2009

Susan Mizelle

1,000 1,000 4,000

Design and manufacturing of automotive fabrics and suedes for seating, door panels and headliners

Dodge Industrial Inc. 1061 Holland Rd. Simpsonville, SC 29681

864-297-4800 www.dodgeindustrial.com info@dodgeindustrial.com

Chris Hoyle, Michael Shea, David Gilbert 1878

Matthew Wolford

743 743 1,588

Designs, manufactures and supplies mechanical power transmission products and solutions across the globe

BW Flexible Systems 225 Spartangreen Blvd. Duncan, SC 29334

864-486-4000 www.bwflexiblesystems.com sales@bwflexiblesystems.com

Heidi Wenninger 1910

Heidi Wenninger

500 -

Packaging systems that include form-fill-seal, feeding, bag filling and sealing, pouch-making equipment, flow-wrap, recloseable packaging solutions, palletizing and stretch-wrapping

Tindall Corp. 3076 N. Blackstock Road Spartanburg, SC 29301

800-849-4521 www.tindallcorp.com carlclary@tindallcorp.com

Cheryl O. Lang, William "Willy" Lowndes, Gregory F. Force 1963

Jim Patterson

475 475 1,500

Producers of precast concrete products and systems in North America

Multi-Pack Solutions 1301 Perimeter Road Greenville, SC 29607

864-627-4155 www.multipacksolutions.com info@multipacksolutions.com

John Niemi 1986

300 -

Contract packager and manufacturer

Stäubli 201 Parkway West Duncan, SC 29334

864-433-1980 www.staubli.com/us/en/home.html info@staubli-mail.com

Scott Hunter, Sebastien Schmitt, Francois Masbou 1892

200 200 6,000

Quick-release couplings, robotics and textiles

PackIQ LLC One American Way Anderson, SC 29621

864-356-5578 www.packiq.com mbeck@packiq.com

Mark J. Beck 2000

Mark Beck

145 145 145

Steel shipping racks, wood shipping crates, foreign trade zone, packaging management

Star EV Corp. 378 Neely Ferry Road Simpsonville, SC 29680

864-297-8833 www.starev.com sales@starev.com

Jun Hu, Jane Zhang 2003

Tony Clouse

135 -

Manufacturer of low speed electric vehicles, distributor of off road electric vehicles and golf cart accessories

North American Rescue LLC 35 Tedwall Court Greer, SC 29650

864-675-9800 www.narescue.com info@narescue.com

Robert Castellani 1996

Keith Brock

120 1 -

Research and development of solutions for decreasing preventable death in hostile environments; assembly of safety and protection products for military, law enforcement and health industries

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

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

James Ferguson, Heather Hayes 1975

Greg French

120 -

Therapeutic support surfaces and bed frames

ACL Airshop LLC 500 Park Commerce Road Greenville, SC 29611

864-466-9000 www.aclairshop.com info@aclairshop.com

Steve Townes 1984

Nick Vitielliss

110 125 240

Unit loading, cargo control, air freight products and services for aviation, operates in unit loading device leasing, sales, repair and control, cargo nets and straps manufacturing

Southeastern Paperboard Inc. 100 S. Harris Road Piedmont, SC 29673

864-277-7353 www.southeasternpaperboard.com sales@southeasternpaperboard.com

Clay Buton, Peek Owen, Kenneth Jones 1979

Peter Selby

100 -

Paperboard packaging for food industry, specialty and functional coatings, waste paper and virgin pulp substitute bales

Zima Corp. 101 Zima Park Drive Spartanburg, SC 29301

864-576-0660 www.zimacorp.com

Kenneth L. Kruse 1994

Laura McJunkin

100 100 105

Custom machinery manufacturing, textiles and wastewater

Creform Corp. 1628 Poplar Drive Extension Greer, SC 29651

864-989-1700 www.creform.com scsales@creform.com

Hiromi Joe Otake, Keith Soderlund 1957

Holly Riley

99 1 99 1 800 1

Creform material handling system, tool to support lean manufacturing, C.I., Kaizen and 5-S; pipe and joint systems; automatic guided vehicles and systems

Spartanburg Meat Processing Co. Inc. 3003 N. Blackstock Road Spartanburg, SC 29301

864-574-1225 www.eatbbqribs.com customerservice@spartanburgmeatprocessing.com

JoAnne L. LaBounty 1999

Travis Smith, JoAnne LaBounty

85 85 85

Products Manufactured

Raw and fully cooked pork, beef and chicken

Because of space constraints, sometimes only the top-ranked companies are published in the print edition. For a full list of participating organizations, visit scbiznews.com/buy-business-lists. Email additions or corrections to Listresearch@Bridgetowermedia.com. 1 2022 data.

October 2023

www.gsabusiness.com 19

Aviation & Aerospace Companies - Statewide Ranked by No. of Employees Statewide

•

Company

Phone / Website / Email

Top Local Official(s) / Year Founded

Employees: Statewide / Worldwide

Area(s) of Specialization

Lockheed Martin 244 Terminal Road Greenville, SC 29605

864-299-3350 www.lockheedmartin.com

Trish Pagan 1984

1,400 116,000

Global home of the F-16

Zeus Industrial Products 3740 Industrial Blvd. Orangeburg, SC 29118

803-268-9500 www.zeusinc.com support@zeusinc.com

Jennifer McQuesten, Steve Peterson 1966

1,000 2,100

High performance polymer components

EthosEnergy 240 Parkway East, Suite 100 Duncan, SC 29334

864-249-9603 www.ethosenergy.com

Sandy D. Sprinkles 1990

500 4,000

Comprehensive testing and overhaul for aero engine fuel nozzles, injectors, harnesses, sensors and engine components

Advanced Technology International 315 Sigma Drive Summerville, SC 29486

843-760-4500 www.ati.org info@ati.org

Chris Van Metre 1998

300 300

Builds and manages collaborations that conduct research and development of new technologies to solve our nation’s national security challenges

Stäubli 201 Parkway West Duncan, SC 29334

864-433-1980 www.staubli.com/us/en/home.html info@staubli-mail.com

Scott Hunter, Sebastien Schmitt, Francois Masbou 1892

200 6,000

Quick-release couplings, robotics and textiles

Southeast Industrial Equipment Inc. 400 Buckner Road Columbia, SC 29203

843-552-4825 www.sielift.com contacts@sielift.com

Freddie B. Sims 1993

132 425

Toyota forklifts, new, used and rental equipment, service, parts, warehouse products, automation solutions and dock and door products and services

ACL Airshop LLC 500 Park Commerce Road Greenville, SC 29611

864-466-9000 www.aclairshop.com info@aclairshop.com

Steve Townes 1984

125 240

Unit loading, cargo control, air freight products and services for aviation, operates in unit loading device leasing, sales, repair and control, cargo nets and straps manufacturing

Ranger Aerospace 126 Millport Circle Greenville, SC 29607

864-329-9000 www.rangeraerospace.com info@rangeraerospace.com

Steve Townes 1997

98 300

Acquire, grow and improve companies in aviation services, aerospace sub-specialties, airfield operations, logistics and defense, enterprise-builders, growth experts, people-centric leaders

Metalworx Inc. 340 Deming Way, Suite A Summerville, SC 29483

843-402-0999 www.metalworxinc.com bredmond@metalworxinc.com

Brandon Redmond 1997

73 215

Precision machining, fabrication, robotic welding, finishing, assembly and kitting specializing in medical, aerospace, military, material handling, actuation

Venture Aerobearings LLC 8701 Palmetto Commerce Parkway Ladson, SC 29456

843-695-2800 www.ventureaerobearings.com

Shawn Mcleod 2007

73 73

Manufacturer of jet engine bearings

Koops Automation Systems 25 Brookfield Oaks Drive, Suite H Greenville, SC 29607

616-395-0230 www.koops.com info@koops.com

Chasen Born, Jeff VanUffelen 1989

65 375

Designs and builds machines and equipment for manufacturers across industries, assembly, equipment, robotic systems

IHI Ionbond Inc. 197 Ridgeview Drive, Suite I Duncan, SC 29334

864-593-3477 www.ionbond.com jim.south@ionbond.com

Jim M. South 1860

51 5,000

Provides thin-film coating services and operates 39 coating centers in 17 countries, coatings are used to improve durability, quality, functionality

Master Sheet Metal Inc. 1011 Bankton Circle Hanahan, SC 29410

843-747-8280 www.mastersheetmetal.com mastersheetmetal@gmail.com

Kaitlyn McComb, Tim Tytler, Chris Ard 1963

50 50

Contract manufacturer for both the military and commercial industries, offer lasering, press brake forming, CNC machining and turning, engraving, paint and powder coating

Aalberts Surface Technologies - HIP | braze | heat treatment 299B Garlington Road Greenville, SC 29615

864-213-9310 www.aalberts--ht.us ab-info@aalberts-st.us

Brent Davis 2001

49 16,000

Vacuum brazing, vacuum heat treating and HIP (hot isostatic pressing), Nitriding, ISO9001:2015, AS9100D and Nadcap HIP and heat treat-accredited, ITAR registered, FFL registered

J.I.T. Manufacturing Inc. 1 428 Oglesby Lane Cowpens, SC 29330

864-463-0581 www.jitmfg.net dan@jitmanufacturing.com

Dan C. Hunter 1992

40 1 40 1

Full line of fabrication services including precision laser cutting, CNC forming, CNC punching, certified welding; services available for machining, powder coating, plating and more

Roylco 3251 Abbeville Highway Anderson, SC 29624

864-296-0043 www.roylcoindustrial.com makestuff@roylcoinc.com

Carolyn Voisin 1990

35 35

Die cutting, laminating, heat sealing processes to manufacture sound insulation, NVH, foam padding, leather strapping, educational materials, rubber matting, and more

Alpha Sheet Metal Works Inc. 9525 Hamburg Road Ladson, SC 29456

843-821-6665 www.alphamachine.com jschady@alphamachine.com

Joseph W. Schady 1956

29 29

Custom metal fabrication

Multiplastics, a division of Curd Enterprises Inc. 476 Long Point Road Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843-881-0323 www.multiplastics.com sales@multiplastics.com

Paul D. Spies, Deborah D. Herbert 1952

25 25

Plastic forming and fabrication, machining of plastic materials for aerospace and other industries

OpTek Systems Inc. 12 Pilgrim Road Greenville, SC 29607

864-272-2640 www.opteksystems.com osi@opteksystems.com

Duane W. Dinkel 2006

25 80

Laser processing of optical fiber and micromachined components

Solar Atmospheres Southeast Inc. 108 Progressive Court Greenville, SC 29611

864-970-0111 www.solaratm.com salessc@solaratm.com

Steve Prout, Mike Paponetti 2014

24 24

Provision of AS9100 and Nadcap-accredited vacuum heat treating and brazing services

KTM Solutions Inc. 603 High Tech Court Greer, SC 29650

864-479-9099 www.ktmsolutions.com info@ktmsolutions.com

Dev Belflower, Seth Withers 2005

22 22

Structural systems, advanced structural analysis, tooling systems professionally designed and manufactured, jigs, fixtures and assembly systems

Greenville Jet Center 100 Tower Drive Greenville, SC 29607

864-232-7100 www.greenvillejetcenter.com melissa@greenvillejetcenter.com

Henry Brown 1986

21 21

Fbo, aircraft refueling service

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

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

Ryutaro Izumi 1977

19 24

Equipment for composite and carbon fiber production, fiber coating lines, fiber winders 3D dispensing robot, industrial automation, conveyor systems

ATS World Packaging 7370 E. Spartan Blvd., Suite B North Charleston, SC 29418

843-266-0010 www.atsworldpackaging.com troth@atsworldpackaging.com

Tom Roth 1997

15 15

Custom crating and packaging products and services, including warehousing and distribution, and export and import compliance

At Work

BUSINESS DIGEST | PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

Business Digest

Carolina Handling supports Upstate veterans

CarolinaPower reaches safety milestone Electrical contractor CarolinaPower said it has gone two years without a recordable incident, marking a signicant safety milestone for the company. Over the past 24 months, CarolinaPower crews from the company’s offices in Greenville, Columbia, Charleston and North Augusta have safely performed more than 650,000 labor hours collectively, the company said. www.carolinapower.com.

CarolinaPower has passed a milestone without a recordable safety incident. (Photo/Provided)

Alair Homes provided know-how and money to the Habitat for Humanity effort. (Photo/Provided)

Alair Homes assists Habitat builds Way will invest up to $3 million annually through 2026 for a total investment of $9 million.

Premier Arts Collective moving to Triune Mercy Center

Proceeds will support Parkinson’s research.

Sportclub raises funds for parkinson’s research Sportsclub Fitness and Wellness said it raised money for Team Fox, the fundraising program of The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. During the month of September, purchases of each $30 fitness pass were donated directly to the foundation.

Premier Arts Collective, a nonprofit organization, said it is moving its office to Triune Mercy Center and will oversee the Art Room located on the center’s second floor. Premier Arts Collective has been a partner of Triune Mercy Center since 2022, offering free weekly art and music therapy workshops to the Upstate community. The Art Room at Triune Mercy Center has been open to all parishioners throughout the week to express themselves and get away from the hardships of day-to-day life.

Greenville Tech will use the funding to support its African America Male Scholars initiative.

Greenville Tech receives funding from United Way

The Greenville Tech Foundation said it has been awarded annual funding from United Way of Greenville County as part of the organization’s 2024-2026 community investments. The grant will support students participating in the African American Male Scholars Initiative at Greenville Technical College. Greenville Tech Foundation is one of 48 community organizations awarded United Way funding during this cycle. Overall, United

Pictured from left: Major Alan Gonzalez, Corps commander of the Greenwood Salvation Army, and David Tompkins, Greenwood market executive for Countybank.

Alair Homes said it assisted Habitat for Humanity on build sites across the South Carolina for a single-day, multi-site volunteer collaboration. Hosted in partnership with Habitat for Humanity South Carolina, the event was held at Habitat build sites across the Palmetto State, as part of Alair Homes’s focus on living better and supporting local communities. In addition, Alair Homes donated $10,000 to help Habitat families live better in safe, stable and affordable homes.

DMV offers new CDL tests in Seneca

The S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles said it is offereing a modernized version of the commercial driver’s license (CDL) road test at its Seneca branch at 13009 South Radio Station Road. The Seneca branch will offer the new exam on an appointment-only basis for drivers wishing to operate large commercial vehicles. The CDL test has been redesigned with new national standards that emphasize the modern technology that has come to trucking in recent years. There have been no changes to the knowledge tests or requirements for obtaining a commercial learner’s permit. As part of the changeover, Seneca will stop offering examinations for class E and F driver’s licenses to make space for the commercial tests. Those tests will continue to be offered in the Upstate at the Greer branch office at 610 Arlington Road.

Countybank gives to Salvation Army

The Countybank Foundation representing Countybank and Greenwood Capital said it donated $500 to The Salvation Army of Greenwood. Funds will help replenish the organization’s food pantry with meats and vegetables to feed 30 people.

Carolina Handling said it donated proceeds from its recent patriotic forklift auction to Folds of Honor Palmetto State Chapter and Upstate Warrior Solution, with each organization receiving $5,000. Folds of Honor provides educational scholarships for the children and spouses of fallen and disabled service members and first responders. Upstate Warrior Solution will use proceeds to continue its work of providing wrap-around care for veterans, including housing, employment, mental health and peer support.

Eastside YMCA recently completed part of its plans to expand facilities. (Photo/Provided)

Eastside YMCA completes phase one expansion

The YMCA of Greenville unveiled its completion of phase one of a multiphased capital improvement plan for the Eastside Family YMCA branch, including an outdoor multi-sport airnasium, an outdoor functional training patio, indoor gymnasium enhancements, a sauna within the aquatics center and a soccer mini pitch and futsal court. The branch serves more than 8,000 individuals and has more than 4,500 kids in the youth sports program, the highest number of participants of any branch in the YMCA of Greenville Association. Future expansion plans include new Afterschool and Day Camp rooms, upgrades to the lobby and welcome center, pool enhancements, a community and food mission room, a STEM and learning lab, and more.

Rebuild Upstate announces auction fundraiser Carolina Handling donated proceeds from a recent auction to a pair of programs that support veterans.

Rebuild Upstate, a local nonprofSee BUSINESS DIGEST, Page 20

October 2023

www.gsabusiness.com 21

BUSINESS DIGEST, from Page 20

it dedicated to preserving safe and affordable housing for individuals and families in need, said its Toast To Home event will raise funds to support preservation of homes of low-income families of the Upstate. The silent auction and live auction event will take place Dec. 8 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at The Annex at Judson Mill, 701 Easley Bridge Road. Individual tickets cost $75 and can be purchased at https://secure.qgiv.com/ event/atoasttohome2023. The event is sponsored by Southern First Bank,

Furman Capital Advisors, ServPro of West Greenville & Anderson Counties, United Bank, Gallagher, Finnern Consulting and Pool & Spa Connection.

Broadstreet buys interest in financial firm

Greenville-based private equity firm Broadstreet Inc. announced the execution of an agreement for the acquisition of an interest in a broker-dealer related enterprise operating under the name of Phoenix Financial Services. Phoenix has offices in Florida and New York and specializes in

personalized investment services for both individuals and institutions, along with comprehensive wealth management and retirement planning solutions. Terms of the acquisition were not announced.

Recovery Centers of America opens in Greenville

Recovery Centers of America, a healthcare network of treatment facilities for substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions, announced the opening of a treatment facility at 47 Fisherman Lane, Greenville. The facility offers medically monitored

Recovery Center employees dedicate the new facility on Fisherman Lane in Greenville.

detox, inpatient residential treatment and medication assisted treatment.

People in the News REAL ESTATE Kara Tiﬀany has joined the Woodruff at Five Forks office of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner Realtors as a sales associate. Kara has dedicated Tiffany thirty years of her life to practicing pediatrics before embarking on a second career in real estate.

Green

real estate.

Chase Green has joined the company’s Midtown office as a sales associate. Chase, founder of the popular streetwear clothing line CPEPZ, said he is excited to begin his new journey in NAI Earle Furman hired Rebecca Cowles as marketing specialist. Cowles graduated in May from Furman University.

Gillette Stadium, home of the NFL’s New England Patriots. Wilson Associates hired Holly May, who has more than 20 years of real estate experience. Bradley

Soug

Younginer

Lipgens

Bell

Beverly

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner Realtors announced that Cary Swofford, Jamie Lipgens, Sara Younginer, Kiersten Bell, Mary Ellen Bradley, Jennifer Simms, Sung Yi Soug, Connor Beverly, Alisha Wilson, Reed Gray and Kimber Roberts joined the company’s Midtown office as sales associates. Additionally, Hayley Tutterow and Jordan Dieterle joined the company’s Spartanburg office as sales associates, and Heather Beasley joined the company’s Anderson office.

Rebecca

Swofford

Simms

Heaton

KDS Commercial Properties LLC named Rickey Heaton broker-in-charge. Heaton, senior advisor and land specialist, has been with the company since 2021.

Christopher J. Collins joined OTO Development as vice president of food and beverage. Collins most recently served as vice president of Collins food and beverage with Kraft Sports & Entertainment at

WEALTH MANAGEMENT Wagner Wealth Management team has added experienced Wealth Planner Erin Brown to its team. Brown comes to Wagner Wealth ManageBrown ment from Huddleston & Associates where she worked as a financial planning specialist for six years. She earned a degree in business administration with a concentration in personal finance from Winthrop University. As a wealth planner, she spends much of her time supporting Wagner’s Wealth Advisors as they work with clients to reach their goals. John Cooper was promoted at Greenwood Capital to senior private client adviser. Cooper initially joined the Greenwood office in 2016. This Cooper new title reflects Cooper’s continued leadership in the firm and dedication to its clients, the company said. Cooper works oneon-one with individuals, families and business owners to develop comprehensive financial plans. He also advises local non-profit organizations in managing their investments. He also spearheads Greenwood Capital’s support of United Way. His leadership helped Greenwood Capital, along with Countybank and The Countybank Foundation, donate more than

$78,000 to local charities last year

ADVERTISING, MARKETING & PR The Society for Marketing Professional Services Palmetto Chapter announced newly appointed Board of Directors for the 2023-2024 term: President Rachel John, director of marketing for Boudreaux; President-elect Elizabeth Dees, experience manager for Turner Construction; Past President Jehan Wills, senior marketing manager for McMillan Pazdan Smith; Treasurer Kara Thomason, marketing specialist for LS3P; Secretary Randy Martin, marketing director for Brownstone Construction Group; Director of Programs Julie Bartels, director of marketing for Hood Construction; Co-Director of Communications Caitlyn Smolinsky, director of marketing for DWG; Co-Director of Communications Mollie Fortino, marketing manager for OLH; and Director of Membership Shelley Smith, marketing coordinator for McMillan Pazdan Smith. Infinity Marketing promoted Steve Laiewski to senior graphic design lead, Erica Gregory to SEO manager and Haley Rauch to senior web lead. Laiewski initially joined Infinity as an intern in 2012 and became a full-time employee six months later. Gregory began working with the agency as a contractor in 2021 and most recently worked as SEO supervisor. Rauch joined the company in 2019 as an integrated marketing coordinator and moved to the web department in 2021 as web project lead. Crawford hired Meghan Murphy as account executive and Jake Anthony as public relations account coordinator. Murphy has experience in business development for marketing agencies and the hospitality industry. Anthony recently graduated from Elon University. See PEOPLE, Page 22

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October 2023

recipient of the IBSC Leadership Award. Nissen is president of First Community Bank and has served on its executive leadership team since the bank’s founding in 1995.

PEOPLE, from Page 21

ARCHITECTURE

Target your market in an upcoming issue of the GSA Business Report

NOVEMBER 13

FOOD & BEVERAGE

Lists: Restaurants, Restaurants with Banquet Facilities Advertising Deadline: October 30

Bellanca

DP3 Architects hired Mady Bellanca, Lydia Gandy and Kyle Tonkins. Bellanca was previously a summer intern and is now a member of the highTonkins er education studio after earning her master’s degree in architecture at Clemson University. Also a recent Clemson graduate with a master’s degree in architecture, Gandy joins the community studio. Tonkins received his master’s in architecture from the University of Florida and joins the firm with a design background in health care, hospitality, and the community market sector. Davis & Floyd Inc. hired Marion Bull as director of business development. Bull previously worked for the South Carolina Ports Authority.

DECEMBER 4 FINANCE

Lists: Banks, Accounting Firms Advertising Deadline: November 20

JANUARY 15

WORKFORCE/STAFFING

Lists: Professional Staffing Firms, HR & Payroll Advertising Deadline: January 2

For advertising information, contact Ryan Downing at rdowning@scbiznews.com

Gandy

Bull

COR3 Design hired Amber Choice. She is a Clemson University graduate with experience in manufacturing and industrial design.

Workman

Hincapie

insurance industry.

Chandler

Caroline Chandler has become a business development representative with Banker Exchange. She has worked at the organization for six years as an exchange coordinator.

First Community Bank announced that the Independent Banks of South Carolina selected Ted Nissen as the 2023

Countybank hired Jennifer Hincapie as senior vice president and senior commercial lines executive for Countybanc Insurance. Hincapie has more than 30 years of experience in the

CONSTRUCTION GroundBreak Carolinas announced recipients of the 2023 GroundBreaker Awards, including Adam Hoots, lean construction shepHoots herd with Construction ACHE Solutions; Chris Moore, president of CarolinaPower; and John Hildreth, Kimmel distinguished professor at Western Carolina University.

EDUCATION

BANKING & FINANCE HousingWire named Lima’s One Capital COO Rankin Blair as one of the top Insiders in the mortgage industry for 2023. Blair, who joined Lima One in Blair 2013, leads the company’s loan production and technology infrastructures.

Tax Credit Marketplace LLC promoted Josh Workman to CEO. Workman has been with TCM and its affiliates for 24 years, most recently serving as COO.

Herin

Sam Herin, founding principal of Charleston-area architecture firm SMHa, was elected president of the Clemson Architectural Foundation (CAF).

Michelle Byrd, dean of the School of Business and Computer Technology at Greenville Technical College, has been appointed 2023-24 Byrd chair of the board of directors for the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.

ENGINEERING Hussey Gay Bell hired Kerry Fowler as a civil/site designer. Fowler is a Clemson University graduate with civil engineering experience.

Viewpoint

VIEWS, PERSPECTIVES AND READERS’ LETTERS

(Photo/Provided)

Lessons from a medical school effort on integral leadership

little over a decade ago, I was part of the effort that ultimately brought a full medical school to Greenville where hundreds of doctors have since graduated and created an indelible impact on the Upstate in beyond. But before it ever happened, it almost failed in part because I didn’t understand a key part of what a success medical school venture needed. That hidden need TAYLOR was integral leadership, which is where the complex is simplified by focusing on larger objectives. Or simply put, creating one from many for the service of all. Why is it important in medical care? Let me explain. In 2009, the Greenville Health System (GHS) decided to partner with the University of South Carolina to create a new, separately accredited allopathic medical school in Greenville. It would be North America’s 136th medical school. To accomplish this, there needed to be political alignment and cooperation among prominent university, hospital, governmental and physician faculty leaders — all of whom were very used to “being the boss.” Such alignment can obviously be a challenge. In fact, lack of political alignment is a commonly cited

reason that new medical schools fail to take flight. Accordingly, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, the accreditation agency responsible for accrediting medical education programs, devised an elegant process to help. The process involves naming an Institutional Self-Study Task Force comprised of representatives from all stakeholder institutions. A set of prescribed sub-committees are formed and charged to assess the combined assets that, when integrated, will become the new medical school. The ISTF is led by a Planning Dean who drives the process (called the ISTF Self-Study) and maintains political harmony among the committees (and the stakeholder institutions). If followed closely, the LCME accreditation process will yield a new medical school. If not followed, the project usually falls apart. As it turns out, the LCME process is much more than a recipe for building a medical school. It is a “cookbook” for integral leadership. If the Planning Dean simply follows the instructions and does not “color outside the lines,” they will be acting as if they were integral leaders thus “creating one from many for the service of all.” In 2010, I was assigned as Planning Dean for the new Greenville medical school and the process that led to LCME Preliminary Accreditation. I also later chaired the LCME Provisional and Full Accreditation processes using the same self-study procedure. Thus, work-

ing closely with Founding Dean Jerry Youkey over seven years, I experienced the LCME process three times. In 2010, my first run, I was very brash, clumsy and self-centered, possessing only rudimentary leadership skills in retrospect. Most certainly, I did not have the worldview of an integral leader. In fact, I stumbled and bumbled along, often being bailed out by the real integral leaders, Jerry Youkey, Mike Riordan (then GHS CEO) and Harris Pastides (then and now the USC President). However, “painting within the lines,” I did learn the ways of integral leadership — leadership that aligns strong diverse and competing leaders around a central vision, creating an ecology of opposites where win-for-all principles yield global system advancement such as a medical school. If the LCME Accreditation process — a process that uses Standard and Elements to guide a self-study can “cookbook” the creation of a new medical school using integral leadership principles, why can’t it be adapted to do the same for a medical care environment in need of balance? From our research, we’ve found South Carolina has quality medical care components in hospitals, doctors, payors and university/innovators, but patient well-being — the positive feeling patients experience during and after care when shared goals between a patient and doctor are pursued and met — is often missing. The conclusion we have reached is that our medical care environment is out

of balance. In conversations with health system leaders and doctors around the state, I sense both resolution and frustration. Many want to address the situation. They want to fix it, but on their own. But while their intent is noble, the situation is not an “individual component” problem. It is a balance problem. Again, the medical care environment is out of balance. To address the Medical Care Crisis, we must align the component leaders around a central vision — a vision that makes patient well-being the priority. How do we do this? The answer is integral leadership. The world needs integral leaders. Integral leaders align independent, even competing, organizations around a shared vision: creating a force capable of transformation — “making one from many for the service of all.” Dr. Spence Taylor is a nationally recognized expert on medical care and health system leadership. He is the founder and CEO of Integral Leaders in Health, a South Carolina-based public benefit corporation that aims to revolutionize medical care into a balanced environment that meets the needs of the individual patient by focusing on their outcomes. Learn more at www.integralleadersinhealth.com.

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