Fall 2015
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County Spotlight: Lancaster | Cities Mean Business | College Spotlight | S.C. Delivers
BUSINESS ACCELERATOR
Business Accelerator
Benedict College’s business incubator supports community growth By Licia Jackson, Editor
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well-designed network connects Benedict College’s incubator with the community that surrounds it. The small business incubator, housed in Benedict’s Business Development Center, is designed to nurture businesses that will provide jobs for people in the community and internships for the Columbia college’s students. The business owners have access to college classes to help them build skills, a loan program for funding their enterprise and opportunities to do business with the college. The business owners “interact with each other,” says Keia Askins-Wise, program manager for the incubator. “They are able to network amongst themselves and offer their services to one another.” The Business Development Center, started in 2002 on the campus, was the brainchild of Benedict’s president, Dr. David Swinton. Its mission is to help build small and minority businesses, with goals of creating jobs, increasing business development and providing entrepreneurial opportunities for low to moderate income persons. Businesses that are brand new or less than 3 years old can apply to join the incubator, Askins-Wise said. Fourteen tenants operate there now, and the incubator can handle up to 17. The businesses there now include janitorial services, mental health counseling, construction, CPR certification, speech pathology, cable service, disability advocacy and financial services. Tenants pay rent of $225 to $700 monthly, depending on the amount of space and whether the office is furnished. The rent covers everything except phone and Internet service. The incubator offers individual offices and suites to meet the needs of various sizes of businesses. It also has a large meeting room, three conference
Benedict College’s Business Development Center was established in 2002. At right, Keia Askins-Wise is program manager at the center. (Photos/Licia Jackson)
rooms, a mail/fax services center and training classrooms. “We focus on technical assistance through our partners, the SBA, the city of Columbia and SCORE,” Askins-Wise said. Incubator tenants can audit any class offered at Benedict at no cost, and many have taken the chance to learn about marketing or accounting. The Business Development Center faculty and staff help them with developing a business plan, financial planning and computer skills. The incubator program, open to anyone, is a three-year program, with the business owner graduating at that point. There’s the hope that the business owners will move somewhere close by, so that they can continue to provide jobs for residents of the neighborhoods surrounding Benedict. The college also asks that the tenants consider using Benedict students as interns, and on average each business has two student interns from the college. Among the successful graduates from
the program are Imara magazine, owned by Wendy Brawley, and Fish Window Cleaning, started by James McGraw after a job layoff. Both are still in Columbia, and McGraw has opened his own incubator space. Also housed in the Business Development Center is the Benedict-Allen Development Corporation. The corporation, with a major stake in creating job opportunities and commerce in the neighborhood, administers the Benedict Minority Revolving Loan Fund. Incubator tenants and other small businesses in the area can apply for funding, said Larry Salley, executive director of the Development Corporation. Begun in 2008, the loan fund makes loans to area small businesses, Salley said. Some are micro loans, from $1,000 to $10,000; others are small business loans of up to $25,000. Along with lending money for such purposes as equipment and inventory purchases or working capital, the Benedict Minority Revolving Loan Fund helps
BUSINESS ACCELERATOR
One of the incubator’s businesses offers classes in CPR certification. The classroom is set up here.
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with technical and management assistance. The Business Development Center’s 25,918 square feet has become a hub for networking and training. A number of professional organizations meet at the center. The Small Business Administration does some training there, and workshops in business management, marketing and accounting are offered. The center also connects businesses with the Carolinas-Virginia Minority Diversity Supplier Council and offers workshops to help them bid on contracts with government and larger corporations. Newly opened in 2012, the Veterans Workforce Development Center holds training in a high tech classroom space within the Business Development Center. “It’s a comprehensive way of doing economic development,” Salley explained.
BY THE NUMBERS 25,918
Square footage of the brick and steel building
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Number of office suites
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Number of businesses operating in the incubator
Percentage of businesses that are minority owned (93% African American, 7% Hispanic) Source: Benedict College Business Development Center
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100%
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PARTNERSHIPS IN EDUCATION
Partnerships in Education
Cradle to career
Increased student success through communitywide efforts By Jenny Peterson, Associate Editor
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ow do you bridge the gap between what employers need and what high schoolers learn? Is it with targeted, specific educational skills? Real-world experience? Workplace exposure? Staff members at the Tri-County Cradle to Career Collaborative in Charleston are looking to uncover the keys for student success and gainful employment. The organization is a communitywide effort in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties focused on improving the quality of life of their citizens and workforce through education by collectively aligning resources and working toward common goals. The Cradle to Career community partnership organization, with a motto to “strive together,” brings together leaders, company stakeholders and school principals in the tri-county area to form an open line of communication about what companies need from their local workforce, how students can better prepare for the workplace and continuing education options. The “collective impact” approach brings in local industries as a stakeholder in the process. Goals are to increase kindergarten readiness, early grade reading, middle grade math, high school graduation, postsecondary enrollment and post-secondary degree completion while getting businesses involved. Until now there wasn’t data or measurements to support or give concrete suggestions on how to get these goals accomplished. The 2015 Regional Education Report includes facts and research about students in the area that can help bring changes into schools that can help students succeed. Cradle to Career identifies the students most at-risk for not graduating, taking into
Tri-County Cradle to Career Collaborative staff: John Read, chief executive officer; Sara Perry, communications director; Alexa Stephens, director of data management and analysis. (Photos/Jenny Peterson)
consideration barriers that affect graduation rates, including social and behavioral issues, financial issues and medical issues. All of this comes with an important goal: Make sure every child has the opportunity to succeed. The collaboration is modeled similarly to TransformSC in Columbia, said chief executive officer John Read. “A large portion don’t graduate and carry the seeds for a lack of success,” Read said. In order to increase student success, the organization said larger issues in the community need to be addressed, such as students who come from low-income families or those who don’t have access to health care. Ideas to improve student success can be small changes, such as bringing in more counselors in schools, more school security, accessibility for mentors, consistent learning
opportunities after school and in the summer. “We went to conferences with 500-600 experts. We pulled tougher principals, talked to them about what they’ve seen that’s making a difference,” Read said. “We’re figuring out what they need.” He added, “We hope to implement concrete ideas quickly. We want to see results in two to three years.” “We’re here to find solutions to gaps,” Read said. “We’ve had good progress in partnerships — a group of enlightened business people who appreciate what’s happening here.” The group has identified several ways to explore growth in career academics such as job shadowing. “Gaps are substantial in workforce requirements,” Read said. “We need to
The Vision
A project board at the Cradle to Career office outlines the organization’s mission.
For more information, visit www.tricountycradletocareer.org.
The Story
Our community, working in partnership and guided by data, can, with time and persistence, transform the achievement gap currently affecting ALL children into education and economic opportunity for everyone.
The Challenge
By 2018, about 25,000 new jobs will be created in our region. Skill gaps in high wage and key growth industries are unlikely to be filled by local high schools and institutions of higher education.
Here are estimates of the workforce talent gap:
20% Industrial Production
16% Computer & Software
14% Science & Engineering
13% Sales & Marketing
10% Medical
58% of tri-county residents 25 and over do not hold a postsecondary degree
25%
33% 23%
10% No High School Diploma
9% High School Diploma Only
Some College
Associates
Bachelors or Higher
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increase the numbers of students getting workforce and soft skills.” The Cradle to Career Collaborative looks beyond schools to determine how to make successful communities. “We bring together the right people to look at early childhood development, kindergarten programs and looking to see how we can address low birth weights,” Read said. The collective partnership benefits everyone involved. “It’s a self-interest for businesses to have a future workforce,” Read said. He said the most important way to keep students engaged with the local workforce is to have the employees and business leaders connect with them, volunteer in the classroom, offer internships and apprenticeships. The research goes beyond students of school age. “We support adult employees in the workforce with access to continuing education,” said Sara Perry, communications director. “Employers have a lot of opportunities to get involved, such as offering tuition reimbursement for employees. There are 100,000 people in the areas with no college degree. To go back and get an education, especially in the technology field, would be huge. It’s a great return on investment.” Anita Zucker, CEO of The InterTech Group and chair of Cradle to Career in the tri-county region, said, “In dozens of regions throughout the country, collective impact has led to improved educational outcomes, and it holds great promise in our community where so many are committed to helping every child succeed.”
Every child will be prepared for school. Every child will be supported in and out of school. Every child will succeed academically. Every child will graduate from high school prepared for either further education or employment in the modern workforce. Every student enrolled in postsecondary education will complete successfully and will enter a career.
PARTNERSHIPS IN EDUCATION
About Tri-County Cradle to Career Collaborative
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county spotlight
LANCASTER
Historic downtown Lancaster is in the midst of a revitalization project.
LANCASTER COUNTY IS ON THE MOVE By Jenny Peterson, Associate Editor
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Lancaster
Cou ituated in the northernmost part of the state, on the border next to by the numbersnty Charlotte, sits Lancaster County. Lancaster is two hours from the 2014 population es Atlantic coast and just three hours away from the Blue Ridge and timate................ 83 ,160 Smoky Mountains National Park. Unspoiled views of the Catawba River, four Median value of owner-occupied housing units........................ golf courses, state parks, historical sites and access to one of the nation’s .................... $142,20 0 fastest growing cities beckon residents and visitors. Per capita income increase since 2008 With a population of just over 83,000 people, Lancaster County is the ................. 43 perce nt fastest-growing county in South Carolina and the 26th fastest growing in the Investment in 2014 by new nation. Asset.com released a report in August that showed that Lancaster and expanding comp anies County ranks No. 1 in South Carolina and 13th in the U.S. for new investment in Lancaster County............. .. $646 million in industrial, office, retail-commercial and housing development. Sources: U.S. Cens us Bure au, Lancaster velopment Corp.
County Economic De
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An employee at Nutramax Laboratories Veterinary Sciences in Lancaster. (Photo provided)
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The former textile capital has seen a revitalization in manufacturing but has also been successful in diversifying its economy. County leaders made a commitment to diversify its business and industrial base after the economic slowdown in 2008 forced many textile mills to close, which led to a peak of 18.6% unemployment in June 2009. Unemployment has since dropped to approximately 7%. “After the textile closures, the leadership of the county decided not be dominated by a single industry,” said Keith Tunnell, president of the Lancaster County Economic Development Corporation. Since 2011, Lancaster County has seen more than $1 billion in new investment in industrial, office and distribution projects countywide with 10,000 jobs in the industrial, office and headquarters sectors since 2010. Three distinct parts of the county host a diversified economic base. “Per capita incomes in the county have risen over 40 percent since 2008. In 2014 alone, the LCEDC announced more than $625 million in new investment and created more than 1,300 new jobs,” Tunnell said. “We’re working hard to find out what people need and how we can serve them,” said Bob Bundy, Lancaster County Council chairman. Special Advertising Section
The L&C Railroad maintains 62 miles of track in Lancaster and Chester counties, a major transportation benefit. (Photo provided)
Largest employers Company....................................... No. of employees 2014 Red Ventures....................................................1,600 Lancaster County School District....................1,569 Lancaster County (government)........................ 837 Cardinal Health..................................................800 Springs Memorial Hospital.................................700 Continental Tire of the Americas LLC................ 430 Procter & Gamble – Duracell............................. 405 URS Nuclear.......................................................400 Source: Lancaster County Economic Development Corp.
Northern Lancaster County – Indian Land: Building on Charlotte Sharing in the success of the Charlotte region, Northern Lancaster County encompasses Indian Land and offers more than 25 new housing developments, is a growing retail-commercial center, and is home to several large Class A mixed-used developments and corporate office parks and properties. Indian Land is a 15-minute drive from downtown Charlotte and less than 20 minutes from the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport. Tunnell said companies find that Indian Land is conveniently located near all of
Charlotte’s amenities while providing the advantages of a South Carolina location, including attractive state and local incentives, skilled labor and lower utility infrastructure and construction costs. County leaders market Indian Land for headquarters, back office, high tech industrial, retail-commercial and quality residential communities. Red Ventures Internet marketing company has a 400-acre campus in Indian Land and has invested over $100 million and continues to expand. The company recently announced plans to develop another 200 acres with an additional $50 million investment and creation of another 1,000+ jobs. Other businesses with headquarters or back office locations in Indian Land include Continental Tire of the Americas LLC, Sharonview Federal Credit Union, Kennametal Honeywell Scanning and Imaging, Verian Technologies, URS Nuclear, The Inspiration Networks and TriNet. Chinese textile giant Keer opened its first of four textile cotton weaving operations in Indian Land in 2015 and will invest more than $218 million and create over 500 jobs. With residents in the area having median annual income of nearly $80,000, there have been more than 25 housing developments which have invested well
COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: LANCASTER University of South Carolina Lancaster is a two-year college with about 2,000 students in the city of Lancaster.
over $1 billion in new residential development. Lennar Homes, Eastwood Homes and TrueHomes have all invested in high-end residential developments along U.S. 521 in Indian Land. Terrata Homes is developing over 1,500 acres in northern Lancaster County near the community of Van Wyck, offering exclusive large estate lots on the Catawba River with a host of amenities.
Central Lancaster: Unique transportation access About 30 miles south of Indian Land is central Lancaster County, home to the city of Lancaster. This area is located on S.C. 9, which has four-lane access to I-77. The new Lancaster County Air-Rail Business Park has over 100 acres with an additional 500 acres available adjacent to the park. The Air Rail Park is located across S.C. 9 from Lancaster County Airport, with a 6,000-foot runway to accommodate corporate jets. “We see this as our future growth area
for industry,” Bundy said. The first tenant in the Air Rail Park is Fancy Pokket USA, which has opened a 60,000-square-foot gluten-free bakery that will distribute to Canada and the entire U.S. Major employers in central Lancaster include Duracell; Nutramax Laboratories; Valmet boiler systems; Silgan Containers, which manufactures tuna cans for Sunkist and Bumblebee tuna brands; AkzoNobel global paints and coatings chemical company; and Cooley Group. A major transportation benefit in central Lancaster is the L&C Railroad, a division of the Gulf & Ohio Railroad. The L&C maintains 62 miles of track in Lancaster and Chester counties. The rail lines connect to both CSX and Norfolk-Southern main lines. Steve Gedney, senior vice president of the railroad and recent past chairman of the LCEDC Board of Directors, said the railroad serves 30 customers at any given time. There are more than 2,000 acres of available industrial zoned property on the L&C
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Heath Springs Business Park in southern Lancaster County has space available for businesses large and small.
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Railroad in Lancaster County. “The L&C provides competitive rail rates through the fact that we interchange with both Class 1 railroads. That means when it comes to volume contracts, both railroads are competing for business,” Gedney said. “We can save customers 10-30 percent on rail rates, which can make a big difference to their bottom line.” The major highway trade routes in Lancaster include S.C. 9, which runs west to I-77, and U.S. 521, which connects to Charlotte in the north and to I-20 in Camden to the south.
Southern Lancaster: Rural land, mining for gold The southern end of Lancaster County includes largely rural areas such as Kershaw and Heath Springs, quaint, charming small towns that were once vibrant textile towns. Today, the towns have worked with the county to build new industrial parks and foster new growth. The Kershaw Industrial Park and Heath Springs Business Park are available for companies large and small. Major employers in Southern Lancaster County include Pattison Sign Group, Trinity Meyer Utility Structures and ADM, which processes soybeans in Kershaw. The largest investment announcement in the area came in late 2014 when Canadian company Romarco Minerals took over the Haile Gold Mine in Kershaw and received permits to mine the land for gold. The $600 million investment will create 200-300 construction jobs over the next two years and between 300-400 mining jobs once operational in late 2016. Romarco has iden-
COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: LANCASTER
Deer and other wildlife abound on the scenic Catawba River. Lancaster County is home to some of the best preserved areas of the river.
tified over 3 million ounces of gold at the site thus far into exploration.
Qualified workforce With roots steeped in manufacturing and textiles, the pool of available labor is large enough to keep up with these new economic development announcements. “We have a great career center in Lancaster, and the Lancaster County School District works with local industries to start training soft skills and workplace skills to students as early as junior high school,” Tunnell said. With the success of the past 10 years, local students and residents can move directly into good-paying manufacturing jobs. The University of South Carolina Lancaster is a two-year college with approximately 2,000 students enrolled in programs in the city of Lancaster. York Technical College, located in nearby Rock Hill, provides training for new and existing companies and
partners with the state’s readySC program to design customized training programs for new companies locating in Lancaster County at no cost.
Natural beauty and quality of life Bordered on the west by the scenic and historic Catawba River, Lancaster County encompasses sprawling rural lands, parks and natural areas that are perfect for outdoor enthusiasts and enjoyment of nature. For those looking for small-town settings and farms, southern Lancaster County has lots of acreage and equestrian opportunities. For those who like to be near water, Lancaster includes some of the best preserved areas of the Catawba River. The Catawba River and Fishing Creek Reservoir offer outstanding scenic views and watersports. The new Carolina Thread Trail in Lancaster is part of one of the top trail systems in the United States. Andrew Jackson State Park, just 10 miles
Rocky Shoals spider lilies bloom on the Catawba River, a joy for kayakers.
north of Lancaster, combines living history, art and community activities. The park hosts a birthday celebration each March in honor of the seventh president of the United States and arguably the most famous Lancastrian. Historic downtown Lancaster is in the process of revitalizing its main street and its SeeLancaster department hosts a number of festivals and events throughout the year. The USC-Lancaster Performing Arts series brings in several events each year and operates the Native American Studies Center, including a location in downtown Lancaster that showcases Catawba Indian pottery and artifacts. “We are rich in history and the people of Lancaster County are proud of this community,” Tunnell said. “It is a great place to live, work, and raise a family.”
Edgewater Corporate Park in Indian Land.
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