01 2014jan feb online by South Carolina Chamber of Commerce

January/February 2014 Vol. 35 No.1

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 2014 Competitiveness Agenda South Carolina on the Global Stage Enriching Communities Business Freedom to Choose Marketplace Fairness Angel Investment Act

NAVIGATING YOUR BUSINESS LANDSCAPE For over 125 years, Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd has been navigating our clients through the legal channels in South Carolina, the Southeast and beyond. We deďŹ ne success by guiding our clients on their journeys through sometimes troubling waters. The Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd Economic Development team is proud to help our clients chart courses with the state that will create new jobs and bring new investments to South Carolina.

WWW.HSBLAWFIRM.COM CHARLESTON CHARLOTTE

COLUMBIA

FLORENCE

GREENVILLE

Boyd B. (Nick) Nicholson, Jr., Managing Director, ONE North Main, 2nd Floor, Greenville, SC

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contents F E A T U R E S

2014 Competitiveness Agenda.......................................... 12

By Julie Scott

South Carolina Takes the Lead on the Global Stage...........................................................14 By Bobby Hitt

January/February 2014 Volume 35, Number 1

South Carolina Chamber of Commerce 1301 Gervais Street, Suite 1100 Columbia, South Carolina 29201 800.799.4601 www . scchamber . net

M P resident & C hief E xecutive O fficer OTIS RAWL

Edens

Enriching Communities......................................................16

of C ommunications

By Julie Scott

JULIE SCOTT

Business Freedom to Choose Act....................................20

A ssociate V ice P resident

By Katie Schanz

M ultimedia M anager PENNY DELANEY COTHRAN G raphics and W eb A dministrator REID PRICE

ECONOMIC DRIVERS

Are local shopping districts becoming local browsing districts? • Reba Hull Campbell....................................................................... 7 Worker Centers: Organized labor’s unregulated Trojan Horse • Mark Stubley and Andrew Frederick................................................... 7

Employee drivers key to engagement • Peter B. Burke......................... 8 Angel Investment Act helps boost entrepreneurs • Robert W. Pearce Jr. ...................................................................... 9 Getting South Carolina Work Ready • Mikee Johnson....................... 10

SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS MAGAZINE E ditor JULIE SCOTT A rt D irection & D esign TIM MCKEEVER / TMCA INC. P roduction & P rint C oordination TMCA INC. P ublished by CONVERGING MEDIA LLC A dvertising S ales CONVERGING MEDIA LLC DEIDRE MACKLEN 803.318.3923

D E PA RT M E N T S Message from the Chair.................... 4 Pamela Lackey

Member News.................................. 30 Welcome, New Members................ 31

Message from the President............. 4 Otis Rawl

Advertiser Index............................... 32

Business Briefs.................................... 5 After the Event Manufacturer of the Year............... 22 Excellence in Workplace Diversity... 24 Best Places to Work......................... 26 2013 Annual Summit..................... 28 STATE CHAMBER with Distinction

The opinions and views expressed by the contributors to this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, its staff or members.

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Copyright © 2014 by Converging Media LLC and the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce. All foreign and U.S. rights reserved. Contents of this publication, including images, may not be reproduced without written consent from the publisher. Published for the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce by Converging Media LLC. 803.256.3010

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more Business in the last five years, experts at usC have filed more than 400 invention disclosures and 250 patent applications, and there are 28 active startups based on usC know-how. And our office of economic engagement connects you to usCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world-renowned experts, research and facilities. Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a local entrepreneur or a multinational corporation, south Carolina is here to help you succeed.

NO LIMITS.

FROM THE CHAIR FROM THE PRESIDENT 4

A Focus on Education B y P amela L ackey

am honored to be elected as your chair for the 2013-14 year, and I look forward to serving you and this great state. The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce has long had a major role in the economic prosperity of South Carolina and that will be even more important in the future as we seek to grow the economy and create jobs. As business people, we are non-partisan. We see neither red nor blue. Instead, we see green for growth - bringing jobs, investing in communities and delivering value for our stockholders and customers. During 2014, my focus will be on education in four different ways: • Educating Policymakers: We will continue effectively advocating for laws and policies that will help South Carolina move forward economically. As business leaders, we must help our elected officials understand the specific needs and challenges facing employers and how decisions made at the State House in Columbia impact businesses on Main Street. • Educating our Members: We will continue to help business people stay connected on issues that will impact them. We will also let them know how they can become involved and engaged in the political process. • Educating the Public: A “business” issue always has a “people” aspect, a reason why it is important to employees or to consumers. We want to help folks understand how what may seem to be simply a “business” issue is really a “South Carolina” issue that impacts each of us.

• Advocating for Education Reform: As the South Carolina Chamber’s website says, “There is no greater investment that the business community can make in its future than investing in the education of today’s children and tomorrow’s workforce.” An educated, highly-skilled workforce has historically been the greatest driver of economic growth and competitive success. That has been true at the national and global levels, and it is also true both regionally and locally. A strong public-private partnership between government and business must be achieved, working together to develop and implement new approaches to prepare all students for success. We must transform the system we have today into a system vital to achieving economic success in the future. In everything we do, we want to lead by example. That includes strong corporate citizenship and involvement, with an emphasis on making a difference in our communities. Likewise, how we work with one another, including our competitors, provides a great example for young people and for some who believe there must always be a winner and a loser on partisan issues. 2014 will be an exciting year, and I look forward to working with business leaders as we move South Carolina forward.

Pamela Lackey is president of AT&T South Carolina and the 2013-14 chair of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce.

Laying the Foundation for Long Term Success B y O tis R awl

ate last year, economists at the University of South Carolina gave their annual update on the state’s economic condition. The outlook was positive, showing that South Carolina’s economy is growing at a faster rate than before the recession. Through October 2013, employment was up in every major region of the state, and economists predict this upward trend should continue into 2014. Additionally, the South Carolina Department of Commerce announced that job creation hit the 40,000 mark for new jobs announced since 2011. And, for the second year in a row, South Carolina claimed the top spot in the IBM-Plant Location International (IBM-PLI) Global Location Trends report gauging the global impact of foreign-direct investment. All of this is great news for the Palmetto State, but we must not rest on our laurels. As we make significant strides, so do our neighbors. It has never been more important for our elected officials to help us keep up our momentum and surpass other states. Key priorities to do that are outlined in the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce’s 2014 Competitiveness Agenda. First and foremost, South Carolina must finally address an infrastructure crisis that has been delayed for too many years. Sure we made great strides in

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2013, but achieving a recurring, sustainable funding solution for one of the key ingredients of commerce must happen very soon. South Carolina must also address the severe inequities created by the passage of Act 388. This homeowner property tax reform legislation has resulted in businesses paying some of the highest property tax rates in the nation. While we work to recruit companies and take care of our existing ones, modernizing the state’s tax code to reflect a strategy that is competitive and predictable for businesses and supports a vision of long-term economic prosperity, is key. We must also not rest when it comes to workforce development. Business and education must work together and that starts even before children reach kindergarten and ultimately carries through the workforce development pipeline into adulthood. Transforming the way our students learn and creating initiatives to get South Carolinians the skills they need to fill available jobs is paramount to long term economic success. These are just some of the major priorities South Carolina must address. In this edition of South Carolina Business, we discuss the Competitiveness Agenda, the business community’s annual list of legislative priorities.

We also introduce you to Jodie McLean, president and chief investment officer of EDENS, one of the leading private retail real estate companies in the nation. This edition also takes a look at the federal Marketplace Fairness Act, important Main Street legislation in Congress, as well as foreign investment in the Palmetto State. As we move into this second year of the legislative session, we have a lot to be proud of. We also have a lot to do. Business leaders can do their part by getting involved in the legislative process. Otis Rawl is president and chief executive officer of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce.

Boeing establishes research centers in fıve states

ichelin opened its newest facility in Anderson County that will produce large tires for earthmoving equipment. The project completion is the fastest greenfield construction in Michelin’s history and enables the company to begin production of commercially available tires in January 2014 for sale in mid-2014. “Today is another example of Michelin’s 40year commitment to the state of South Carolina,” said South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley. “With billions invested in our state, the creation of thousands of jobs and countless community-focused activities that have enriched the lives of South Carolinians, Michelin has set a high standard for manufacturing in our state.” The new facility, known as US10, is Michelin’s 19th plant in North America and ninth in the state of South Carolina. It will produce large Earthmover tires – which can stand up to 13 feet tall and weigh up to 5.5 tons – for more than 1,300 mining operations around the world. Eighty percent of the tires manufactured at this facility will be exported, most through the Port of Charleston.

oeing announced it will establish technology research centers in Alabama, California, Missouri, South Carolina and Washington. The new centers will operate independently but cooperatively with one another and with Boeing technology centers in Australia, Brazil, China, India, Spain and Russia. “We are reorganizing and realigning our researchand-technology operations to better meet the needs of our Commercial Airplanes and Defense, Space & Security business units, as well as our government R&D customers,” said Greg Hyslop, vice president and general manager of Boeing Research & Technology. The new research centers will consolidate technology development of strategic importance to Boeing over the long-term – up to 30 years into the future. They will be chartered to accelerate technical capability in specific fields and enhance and build networks of collaboration with university, industry and government research centers around the world. As the centers are established, employee totals are expected to grow between 300-400 each in Alabama, Missouri and South Carolina.

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Michelin opens new South Carolina manufacturiung plant

SC BlueCross opens retail stores

n addition to a traveling RV, which is targeting smaller cities and rural South Carolina, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina has opened retail stores in Columbia, Greenville and Mount Pleasant to address the need for consumer information in the new environment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and to serve as a community-based resource in the state. South Carolina BLUE retail centers will be open year round to sell health insurance and provide customer support. ACA-mandated open enrollment for 2014 insurance continues until March 31, 2014. The stores will provide services to current members as well as guide potential customers through the shopping and enrollment process for under-age-65 and over-age-65 policies insured by BlueCross or by its subsidiary company, BlueChoice® HealthPlan of South Carolina, or direct shoppers to the government website if they qualify for subsidiaries. The retail centers also are intended to serve as community resources, including space for healthy lifestyle classes and informational seminars that are available free (with a few exceptions) to the public. Schedules are posted at www.SCBlueRetailCenters.com.

BorgWarner Inc. expanding Oconee County operations

Grow Financial opens first branch in South Carolina

orgWarner Inc., a global leader in powertrain technology, plans to invest $24.6 million to expand its existing manufacturing capabilities in Seneca in Oconee County. The expansion is expected to create approximately 105 new jobs. BorgWarner is a supplier to some of the world’s top automotive brands, including VW/Audi, Ford, Toyota, Renault/Nissan, General Motors, Hyundai/Kia, Daimler, Chrysler, Fiat, BMW, Honda, John Deere, PSA and MAN. The company presently employs more than 600 in South Carolina and approximately 20,000 worldwide.

row Financial announces the credit union’s expanded growth with its first out-ofstate branch opening in Columbia, SC. The new branch displays a modern retail design encompassing 2,400 square feet. “We are looking forward to meeting and serving our new and existing members in Columbia,” said Bob Fisher, president and CEO. “This branch truly showcases where we are heading as an organization, and we look forward to expanding further into the state of South Carolina.” Established in 1995 and headquartered in Tampa, Florida, Grow Financial currently has 22 branches and five more in development. s c c h a m b e r. n e t | J a n u a r y / F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 4 | S o u t h C a r o l i n a B u s i n e ss |

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Clemson dedicates energy systems research and testing facility

Darla Moore School of Business dean named

CE&G and Duke Energy joined Clemson University to dedicate a world-class facility named the SCE&G Energy Innovation Center at the Clemson University Restoration Institute (CURI) campus. The center houses the world’s most advanced wind-turbine drivetrain testing facility capable of full scale highly accelerated mechanical and electrical testing of advanced drivetrain systems for wind turbines. Duke Energy named the 15-megawatt hardware-inthe-loop grid simulator the Duke Energy eGRID. The eGRID, housed in the SCE&G Energy Innovation Center, supports education, research and economic development to speed new electrical technologies to market. GE Power & Water will be the first to use the state-of-the-art SCE&G Energy Innovation Center’s 7.5 MW test rig. GE will test its next-generation wind turbine drivetrain technology over a period of several months beginning in spring 2014 to investigate its robustness, reliability and efficiency.

eter Brews, a professor of strategy and entrepreneurship at the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina and immediate past associate dean of its OneMBA program, was named dean of the University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business. Brews, 56, a native of South Africa, brings more than 25 years of international business education experience to the position, having taught at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business before UNC. Enrolling more than 4,000 undergraduate students and nearly 900 graduate students, the Moore School is among the highest-ranked schools in the world for international business education and research and is known for its No. 1 ranking for undergraduate international business by U.S. News & World Report.

McCall Farms to expand in Florence

Belk expands e-commerce distribution center

epartment store retailer Belk, Inc. has announced that it is expanding its e-commerce distribution and fulfillment center operations in Union County. The company spent $9 million to upfit additional space at the 500,000-square-foot Jonesville facility this year and plans to invest another $32 million next year to further increase the center’s capacity. Belk expects to add approximately 170 new jobs by the end of 2015 in addition to the 124 jobs announced last year. “Our e-commerce business continues to grow very quickly and we need to invest in our fulfillment capabilities to keep pace with that growth,” says John R. Belk, president and chief operating officer. “Our Jonesville center has proven to be a great investment for us, and we are pleased to be able to bring additional resources into that community. We appreciate our partnership with Union County and the support the state and county have provided to help us grow our Jonesville facility.”

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cCall Farms Inc., a producer of Southern canned and frozen vegetables, is expanding its operations in Florence County. The $19.3 million investment is expected to generate 140 new jobs over the next five years. “The acquisition of the Bruce’s brand is an exciting addition to our growing company,” said Marion Swink, co-owner of McCall Farms. “Bruce Foods is a family-owned company that has shared our similar values, and their Southern style vegetables are the perfect addition to the McCall Farms’ product line.” Founded in 1838 as a 2,000-acre farm in Effingham, McCall Farms became well-known for bringing fresh Southern vegetables to dinner tables all across the South. The original product lines of tomatoes, okra and corn have expanded to the company offering squash, string beans, peas, potatoes, peanuts, peaches and a bountiful selection of greens in its product line.

B y R eba H ull C ampbell

magine this scenario: You are the owner of a local computer store. A customer comes into your store to look at purchasing a new monitor. The customer looks at a variety of monitors, takes advantage of the sales staff’s expertise regarding attributes of the product and makes a decision to purchase. Then he gets home, goes online and takes the information he gained from your local business to make the purchase from an out-of-state retailer and avoids paying the state and local sales tax. Bill Carter, owner of Silicon Solutions in Columbia, is the face of this Internet sales dilemma. “I often see customers come into my store, compare prices and opt to buy online solely for the ‘discount’ they perceive they are getting by making their purchase online,” Carter says. In recent years, more and more local retailers are seeing this scenario play out more frequently as local shopping districts become local browsing showcases for out-of-state online purchases by customers who believe they get a discount by not paying sales tax. While the hometown brick-and-mortar business collects the sales tax at the time of purchase in a store, the responsibility to submit the tax from online purchases shifts to the Internet customer who is supposed to pay the sales tax

when filing annual state tax returns. Most taxpayers, however, are not aware of this responsibility, and state and local governments do not have the resources to track down people who aren’t paying the tax. This puts local businesses at a five to ten percent competitive price disadvantage relative to outof-state online sellers. With today’s technology, keeping track of local tax rates is no longer the insurmountable technical, administrative or financial burden it was in the past, and Congress is looking at legislation to close this gap and put local retailers on a level playing field with out-of-state online retailers through the Marketplace Fairness Act. The proposed change in federal law would give states the authority to pass legislation to collect sales tax from out-ofstate online and catalog retailers at the time of a transaction - exactly like local retailers are already required to do. The Marketplace Fairness Act passed the U.S. Senate in April and is awaiting a legislative hearing in the U.S. House Judiciary Committee. The discrepancy between online and brick-andmortar businesses concerning collecting sales tax was the result of a 1992 U.S. Supreme Court decision (Quill Corp. v. North Dakota, 504 U.S. 298). The decision

left state and local governments unable to adequately enforce their existing sales tax laws on sales by out-ofstate catalog and online sellers. The Court stated, however, that Congress had the constitutional authority to pass legislation overruling its decision. If Congress acts to regulate interstate commerce through the Marketplace Fairness Act, state and local governments could pass legislation to collect state and local taxes already owed on Internet and mail order sales. This means the taxes from online out-of-state sales already owed to the state could be allocated for important priorities such as infrastructure construction and maintenance.

ECONOMIC DRIVER

Are local shopping districts becoming local browsing districts?

Reba Hull Campbell is the deputy executive director of the Municipal Association of South Carolina.

Worker Centers: Organized labor’s unregulated Trojan Horse B y M ark S tubley and A ndrew F rederick

ast food workers made national headlines in July 2013 when several hundred walked off the job, demanding a wage increase to $15 per hour. The strikes were organized by alleged grassroots organizations such as Fight for 15, Jobs with Justice and Raise Up MKE!, among others. Hundreds of these organizations have sprung up over the last few years. While they seek to project a spontaneous, grassroots image, in reality they are nothing of the sort. Most “worker centers,” as they are known, are organized, bankrolled and run by big labor. Despite their true origins and purpose, many worker centers have secured government grants and have developed operations tied to community colleges. Worker centers target low-wage workers in industries and jobs that cannot be moved overseas, like retail, fast food and agricultural workers to name a few. While these industries have historically been relatively immune to traditional union campaigns due to high turnover, the goal of worker centers is not a secret ballot election. Their weapon is the corporate campaign and soliciting members and participants with social justice appeals. Take the Retail Action Project (“RAP”) for example.

They solicit employee grievances and sow discontent among the ranks, telling employees that their employers have been “stealing” their wages by cutting their hours or failing to pay overtime. Next, they present the employer with a “bill” for the back pay allegedly owed – payable to the worker center of course. After that, employers have two choices: give in to the worker center’s demands or suffer pickets, boycotts, walkouts and demonstrations. Using these tactics, RAP claims to have negotiated several seven figure settlements with New York City retailers such as Shoe Mania, Scoop NYC and Mystique Boutique. Worker centers are active in most major metropolitan areas, particularly historically dense union territories. This is no coincidence as these worker centers are anything but grassroots. For example, RAP is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union (RWDSU), itself an arm of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW). Most of the groups behind the fast food strikes mentioned above are no more than false flag operations financed and operated by the SEIU (Service Employees International Union) and the UFCW.

Another reason unions are operating through worker centers is to evade accountability and reporting requirements. Because worker centers do not identify themselves as “labor organizations” under the National Labor Relations Act and Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act, they do not submit financial reports to the government, do not have any duty to fairly represent their members and are free to engage in tactics that regular unions are prohibited from using (e.g. secondary boycotts, indefinite recognitional picketing, etc.). What do worker centers mean for your business? Bankrolled by the still formidable war chests of traditional unions and unrestrained by financial disclosures and prohibitions on unfair labor practices, worker centers are a powerful and completely unregulated new weapon for big labor. Mark Stubley is a shareholder and Andrew Frederick is an associate in the Greenville offices of Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.

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ECONOMIC DRIVER

Employee drivers key to engagement B y P eter B. B urke

n most conversations, when the word “driver” is used, people are usually referring to the operator of a vehicle. In technology circles, drivers are those mysterious software downloads needed to make external devices work. In the world of workplace research, drivers have a completely different meaning. Best Companies Group (BCG) is in the business of measuring employee engagement and satisfaction. BCG uses that information to decide what companies make annual Best Places to Work lists across the nation. When recently determining the Best Places to Work in South Carolina, BCG surveyed just over 10,000 employees to find out what they thought about their employers. Those with the highest engagement levels made the Best Places to Work list. In addition, BCG studied the drivers of employee engagement: those specific characteristics of a workplace culture that have the biggest impact on the extent to which employees are emotionally connected to their employers. High employee engagement is a result, not a plan. It is a result of how a company is managed and how all employees are treated. Many believe that adding benefits and perks and hoping for the best will do the trick. It likely will not, and it will be expensive. Many say they are committed to making the necessary changes to start down the road of improving the employee experience, but don’t really believe in what they are doing. Through the employee survey process used to determine the Best Places to Work in South Carolina, BCG collects a lot of data. From that data, we can point to the Top 10 drivers that contribute to converting employees to committed and connected associates. Survey results are broken down into eight core focus areas used to evaluate each organization. The first seven focus areas are designed to get specific with employees’ experiences and satisfaction levels. The eighth focus area measures overall employee engagement. BCG identifies which statements in the first seven categories have the biggest impact on overall employee engagement. The Top 10 drivers of employee engagement in South Carolina are: 1) Feeling valued in the organization 2) Having confidence in the leadership of the organization 3) Liking the type of work that they do 4) The organization treats employees like people, not numbers 5) Being satisfied with the organization’s benefits package 6) Understanding the importance of one’s role to the success of the organization 7) The leaders of the organization caring about their employees’ well being 8) Being treated with respect by one’s supervisor 9) Quality being a top priority with the organization 10) Amount of vacation (or Paid Time Off)

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Congratulations, 2013 Best Places to Work in S.C. SMALL/MEDIUM EMPLOYER CATEGORY (15-249 U.S. employees)

Large EMPLOYER CATEGORY (250 or more U.S. employees)

1 Geocent

1 Edward Jones

2 Hire Dynamics LLC

2 Total Quality Logistics

3 SPARC LLC

3 Life Cycle Engineering

4 Scott and Company LLC

4 MWV Specialty Chemicals Division

5 VC3, Inc.

5 Ob Hospitalist Group

6 BoomTown

6 Elliott Davis, LLC

7 VantagePoint Marketing

7 Colonial Life

8 Human Technologies, Inc.

8 McAngus Goudelock & Courie, LLC

9 Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union

9 SYNNEX Corporation 10 Select Health of South Carolina, Inc.

10 SCRA

11 Comatrol/Sauer Danfoss

11 O’Neal, Inc.

12 Continental Tire the Americas, LLC (CTA)

12 Advantage Media Group

13 Hospice Care of South Carolina

13 Rhythmlink International, LLC

14 Benefitfocus

14 Telogical Systems

15 Vi

15 First Reliance Bank 16 Rosenfeld Einstein A Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC Company

16 Charleston Water System 17 InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)

SCDEW

17 Johnson Development Associates, Inc.

18 Blackbaud, Inc.

18 C.F. Evans & Company, Inc.

19 Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, LLP

19 DeVita & Associates, Inc.

20 NBSC 21 BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina

Knowing the drivers of engagement is the first step, similar to knowing the features of the products and services a company is selling. And like a potential client, you need to find out what your employees are thinking and feeling. What drives your associates? How do you find out? Simply ask them. Those conversations will go a long way in building that connectedness that you want with your team. All participants in the Best Places to Work in South Carolina program receive an Employee Feedback Report, which includes the results of the employee survey as well as state benchmark reports. While making the list is great, many companies also see it as an efficient way of finding out just what their employees are

thinking and feeling. Learn more about the process at BestPlacesToWorkSC.com. The 2014 Best Places to Work in South Carolina Awards will be held August 7, 2014 at the Doubletree by Hilton, Columbia. Peter Burke is president and co-founder of Best Companies Group.

B y R obert W. P earce J r .

outh Carolina’s small, fast-growing businesses received a much needed boost recently with the passage of an “angel investor” tax credit program. South Carolina has now joined approximately 25 other states that have similar investor programs. The South Carolina High Growth Small Business Job Creation Act of 2013 is intended to create a big boost in “angel” investment activity in South Carolina. An angel is generally described as a wealthy individual who makes an investment in young companies, hoping for an outsized investment return if the company succeeds. Twenty-four companies applied in the first six months of the new Act to become qualified to receive angel investments, which would provide tax credits to their “angels.” Twelve of these company applicants have been approved by the Secretary of State, and several of those initially rejected merely needed minor application corrections. With little chance of obtaining a traditional bank loan, entrepreneurs often have to convince friends and family to invest before finding an angel to invest the remaining capital needed for a company’s growth. With no venture capital firms headquartered in South Carolina and with a somewhat seemingly reluctant angel investor population in the state, the Act might just be the investor-incentivizing piece of legislation that is long overdue. A focus on starting and funding companies in certain industries with the potential for fast growth is critical because these high-impact companies have created almost all of the net new job growth in the United States over the past decade. The Act provides a 35 percent income tax credit for a qualified investment made in a qualified business. A qualified investment means a cash investment by an investor in exchange for equity ownership in, or a subordinated debt loan to, a qualified business. An investment will not be eligible for the tax credit if a broker fee or commission is paid, directly or indirectly, for soliciting the investment. A qualified business is one primarily engaged in the following industries: Manufacturing Processing Warehousing Wholesaling

an investor must submit an application to the South Carolina Department of Revenue (DOR) for approval by December 31of the investment year before any tax credit is actually granted. The approval of a credit by the Department of Revenue may be impacted by the Act’s yearly caps - $100,000 in tax credits per investor and $5 million in aggregate credits allowed by the state. The aggregate cap may result in unwanted uncertainty among investors because tax credits will be granted on a pro rata basis if more than $5 million in tax credits are claimed in any given year. The DOR has until January 31 of the year after an angel’s investment year to finalize the tax credit the investor will receive. So, if the aggregate of $5 million has been exceeded, some investors may receive a tax credit amount lower than expected.

There are other areas of interest in the Act, including a unique “recapturing” provision, which qualified investors and qualified companies must carefully analyze. Small, fast-growth businesses around the Palmetto State are undoubtedly welcoming this new investmentincentivizing Act and hoping that it will in fact bring a new, higher level of angel investing to life in the state.

ECONOMIC DRIVER

Angel Investment Act helps boost entrepreneurs

Robert W. “Bobby” Pearce Jr. is a corporate, securities and M&A attorney with Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP and acts as general counsel for several regional businesses. He may be reached at bobby.pearce@ smithmoorelaw.com.

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Companies excluded include retail sales, real estate, construction, professional services, gambling, financial and entertainment businesses. A business must also be headquartered in South Carolina, have 25 or fewer employees, have revenues of $2 million or less, and have been in existence no more than five years. An investor must be an individual who is an “accredited investor” as defined by the Securities and Exchange Commission - someone with income of over $200,000 for the past two years (over $300,000 with a spouse) or a net worth of at least $1 million excluding his or her home (a few entities may also qualify). After making an investment in a qualified business,

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12/27/2013 10:21:10 AM

economic driver

Getting South Carolina Work Ready B y M ikee J ohnson

outh Carolina has one of the fastest growing economies in the United States. Since 2011, our state has announced over 40,000 new jobs, $10 billion in capital investments, and now has the lowest unemployment rate since 2008. This activity is a direct result of South Carolina’s pro-business environment that encourages growth and opportunity in all economic sectors. Yet, one of the greatest challenges that threatens to slow this momentum is the availability and readiness of a workforce that can be competitive in today’s global marketplace. This is not just a South Carolina issue. Across the nation businesses are having a difficult time finding individuals to fill open positions. Numerous skills gap surveys consistently underscore how a vast majority of American businesses are facing a serious shortage of qualified employees. The broadening skills gap is due to several factors, including the retirement of the baby boomers, advancements in technology that require new skills, increased job competition in the global marketplace, failure to cultivate a highly skilled workforce, a lack of emphasis on the necessary skill sets and difficulty in retaining skilled talent. In South Carolina, we have consistently met workforce needs, but it is getting more difficult. In order to keep up with the momentum of economic growth and provide the confidence needed for companies looking to invest or expand here, South Carolina must be able to demonstrate it can provide a pipeline of workers who have the skills needed to do the job. The South Carolina Work Ready Communities (SCWRC) initiative provides a nationally respected metric that presents clear and concise data about an area’s workforce and mobilizes communities to work collaboratively in strengthening its educational and economic environment. S outh C arolina W or k R eady C ommunities In early 2012, Governor Nikki Haley announced that South Carolina was one of four states selected by ACT to participate in the Certified Work Ready Community Program. This national effort provides a framework for states to strengthen economic development efforts using a community-based approach grounded in certifying counties as “work ready.” The certification sends a clear message throughout the world that the community is open for business, and companies who invest here will find the workforce they need to be successful. South Carolina’s initiative certifies the quality of the workforce based on four criteria. Counties must meet or exceed goals for high school graduation, soft skills development, business support and National Career Readiness Certificate holders. The basic infrastructure builds upon ACT WorkKeys® – the gold standard in jobs skills assessment – and the National Career Readiness Certificate™ (NCRC™). The NCRC is a portable, industry-

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South Carolina must be able to demonstrate it can provide a pipeline of workers who have the skills needed to do the job.

recognized credential, earned from taking WorkKeys assessments (Reading for Information, Applied Mathematics and Locating Information) to identify workplace competencies. Like the national Certified Work Ready Communities initiative, the South Carolina Work Ready Communities initiative is a multi-agency public/private workforce, education and economic development effort. Mayors, council members, superintendents, principals, teachers and business leaders support this effort, creating a grassroots team approach to workforce development. The motivation for their engagement is the achievement of being recognized as a Work Ready Community. By May 2013, all 46 South Carolina counties signed up to participate in SCWRC and were designated ‘Work Ready Community in Progress.’ South Carolina was the first state in the nation to have 100 percent of its counties participating in this program. The Work Ready in Progress designation meant that counties have two years to reach the goals necessary to become a Certified Work Ready Community. In August, a major milestone was quickly met Clarendon became the first South Carolina county and the second in the nation to receive the Work Ready Certification. This designation was celebrated at the Alucoil North America facility in Manning along with Governor Haley, industry leaders, the county team and community members. The certification sent a message throughout the economic development arena that Clarendon County has an environment conducive to meeting businesses’ workforce needs. Soon, more South Carolina counties will be Certified Work Ready, helping further establish our state as a leader making great strides to strengthen our workforce. T eam S outh C arolina Business support is the backbone of this initiative.

Business participation in Certified Work Ready Communities benefits not just a company, but an entire community. South Carolina’s CWRC effort is helping job seekers understand what skills employers are looking for, and it helps local educators prepare students for success. Businesses can take a stand for a stronger, more skilled workforce by supporting a South Carolina community’s efforts to profile key jobs and by using job profiles and the NCRC as part of the selection, hiring, training and development process. In order to make the cross walk between individuals holding NCRC’s and the types of skills needed, South Carolina is the only state in the country fully implementing a complete work readiness system by offering job profiling at no cost to companies that are signed up as ‘Businesses Supporting’ this program. Profiles are available to businesses on a first-come, first-served basis. The maximum number of profiles a business can receive per profile site depends on the number of employees working at the profile site and the types of jobs to be profiled. • Small (1-50 employees): up to two profiles per business • Medium (51-249 employees): up to five profiles per business • Large (250 or more employees): up to 10 profiles per business The South Carolina Work Ready Communities initiative is a program that does not stop when a county earns the ‘Work Ready Certification’ – it’s about continuing to raise the bar to ensure economic opportunity for all citizens. If you or your company is currently not participating in this program, I encourage you to visit www.scworkready.org. Mikee Johnson is president of Cox Industries. He is chair-elect of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, chairman of the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance and chairman of the South Carolina Workforce Investment Board.

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W W W. N E S A S C . O R G

2014

Competitiveness Agenda B y J ulie S cott

fter nine grassroots meetings across the state in conjunction with local chambers of commerce and with input from hundreds of business leaders, the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce has released the 2014 Competitiveness Agenda. The annual Competitiveness Agenda is the business community’s list of legislative priorities. Each of the solutions presented in the Agenda provide a clear path to improving the state’s business climate and job creation.

he 2014 Competitiveness Agenda addresses infrastructure needs, education and workforce development, comprehensive tax reform, economic development, health care, energy and the environment and federal issues. I nfrastructure

he 2013 legislative session achieved the first significant increase in infrastructure funding since 1987 and was a great step in the right direction, but there is still much work to be done. With other states focused on financing infrastructure to drive economic development, South Carolina policy makers must continue to make infrastructure funding the top priority in 2014. Investing in infrastructure is a core function of government responsibility and will drive economic growth and job creation. Based on the annual hours of delay and average hourly rates of individuals and commercial operators, over $394 million dollars is lost to congestion every year in South Carolina. The business community’s Road Map to the Future calls for critically important widening projects to South Carolina’s interstates, fixing load restricted and deficient bridges and resurfacing existing roadways. This comprehensive plan takes a statewide approach to statewide responsibilities. The plan is equitable, necessary and based on sound science. The South Carolina Chamber supports • Finding a sustainable, recurring funding solution for the state’s roads and bridges, specifically prioritizing interstate improvements as well as secondary road and bridge maintenance as outlined in the Road Map to the Future E ducation and W or k force D evelopment

y 2020, 65 percent of all jobs will require some kind of post-high school education. Developing a highly-skilled and well-educated workforce is integral to increased job opportunities and security with dynamic companies doing business in South Carolina. South Carolina must start now, and the business community supports initiatives that will transform the current education system to achieve that goal. The private and public sectors must work together to ensure workforce needs are addressed and strategies are successfully implemented. Investing in an educated workforce drives business and jobs for the future. The South Carolina Chamber supports • Continued funding for the Manufacturing Skills Standards Council (MSSC)

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certificate program at all technical colleges to educate and prepare a portion of the workforce for entry-level positions in manufacturing • Continuing support for the Education and Economic Development Act • Funding for Quick Jobs, a fast paced job training program provided by technical colleges • Addressing early childhood education, including third grade reading proficiency and four-year-old kindergarten • Funding for readySC to ensure companies considering locating or expanding in the state have access to a skilled workforce • Strengthening Work Ready SC • Funding for SmartState – SC Centers for Economic Excellence • Moving the Regional Education Centers (RECs) to the SC Department of Commerce to better connect business, education and workforce development partners • Ensuring higher education is affordable for South Carolinians C omprehensive T ax R eform

ax policy is critical to existing businesses and potential companies deciding to locate or expand in South Carolina. Decisions are based largely on competitiveness, predictability and sustainability. South Carolina manufacturers currently pay the highest industrial property taxes in the country, while all other business properties pay the 7th highest property taxes. The South Carolina Chamber supports • Modernizing the state’s tax code to reflect a tax strategy that is competitive and supports a vision of long-term economic prosperity, including mechanisms for funding critical needs such as education, infrastructure, etc. • Finding a viable solution to prevent the continued transfer of property tax burden to businesses as a result of Act 388, particularly small businesses • Reforming the business license fee structure so rates are competitive and allow companies to grow. Standardization, complexity and appeals across localities should also be considered. E conomic D evelopment

outh Carolina must continue to improve its overall business climate to create a competitive business environment. In 2013, Forbes released a list of best states for businesses, measuring six categories: costs, labor supply, regulatory

environment, current economic climate, growth prospects and quality of life. South Carolina ranked 28th, while Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia all ranked in the top 10. Tax reform, workforce development, entrepreneurship and other key issues must be addressed to encourage expanded economic development opportunities. The South Carolina Chamber supports • Adopting initiatives to improve South Carolina’s civil litigation climate • Funding for the South Carolina Department of Commerce, including Closing Fund appropriations • Passing legislation to help spur economic growth, in particular access to capital for small businesses • Strengthening intellectual property rights of employers • Addressing utility and infrastructure needs to ensure economic development sites are prepared for relocation and/or expansion activities • Providing dedicated dollars for broad state marketing to include tourism, agribusiness and other efforts

H ealth C are

he average employer contribution for health insurance premiums has increased 77 percent over the last decade. As employers and employees continue to navigate the ever changing health care arena, the South Carolina Chamber seeks answers to rising costs and making South Carolina a healthier population. Additionally, the Chamber continues to gather information and work with interested parties to find a Medicaid reform package that will result in a viable solution for South Carolina. F ederal I ssues

he number of the costliest rules has increased by more than 60 percent in just a decade, from 136 economically significant rules listed in the government’s regulatory agenda to 224 rules. This is just one example of why South Carolina must advocate for issues at the federal level to ensure the state’s business climate prospers and creates jobs.

E nergy and E nvironment

ccording to Area Development’s corporate survey, environmental regulations rank as a top 10 issue when deciding where a company will locate. Additionally, in today’s global economy, business investment is largely driven by how timely a project can be permitted, built and operational. South Carolina’s regulatory permitting process must be efficient and based on the rule of law as it relates to the timely issuance of permits. The South Carolina Chamber supports • Ensuring state regulations are no more stringent than the federal government, specifically dealing with the issuance of permits, unless there is significant justification • Finding a legislative solution that allows private and public companies to fairly compete in the waste disposal business • Streamlining the regulatory process so regulatory agencies deliver an estimate of time within which a permit decision will be made, provided the applicant has given all the necessary information needed for the decision • Developing equitable solutions to renewable energy initiatives in South Carolina • Ensuring businesses are not subject to frivolous lawsuits under the Pollution Control Act

The South Carolina Chamber supports • Funding for the Port of Charleston deepening project • Reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank • Ensuring that federal regulations are not overly burdensome to business from agencies such as the NLRB, EPA and OSHA • Funding to maintain operations at the Savannah River Site & the Savannah River National Laboratory • Reforming immigration policy on border control, guest worker programs, e-Verify and legal pathways to citizenship • Finding energy and environmental solutions to offshore drilling exploration and the XL Pipeline Julie Scott is associate vice president of communications at the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce.

Learn more about the 2014 Competitiveness Agenda and stay up-to-date on legislative developments by joining the Grassroots Network at www.scchamber.net.

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South

Carolina takes the lead on the global stage

In a global economy that is increasingly “flat,” with more and more companies relying on international connectivity to succeed, South Carolina has taken its rightful place as a leading player on the world’s stage. B y B obby H itt

ver the past three years, we’ve seen tremendous growth in the number of foreignbased companies putting down roots and investing in our state. Since 2011, global industry heavyweights including BMW, Michelin, Bridgestone Americas, Continental Tire, JN Fibers and ZF Transmissions have added more than 15,600 jobs to our workforce and generated in excess of $6.7 billion in capital investment. This boost has South Carolina leading the nation in per capita foreign job recruitment— ranking above both Texas and North Carolina. Moreover, the state’s export totals have also shown a significant increase, reaching record levels in 2012, with more than $25 billion in goods sold to 197 countries worldwide. And with international projects in the South Carolina Department of Commerce’s pipeline up by 40 percent, the state’s global momentum shows no sign of slowing down. M anufacturing is on a R oll

ong before the Palmetto State was known for building premium automobiles, jets and tires, we were known primarily as a textile and agricultural state. One of our first significant wins of a foreign-based company putting down roots in South Carolina was four decades ago, when Michelin established a presence in the Upstate. Fast-forward to today, where South Carolina is on track to becoming the tire capital of the world. Home to three of the world’s top tire manufacturers, South Carolina is now the No. 1 exporter of tires in the nation. In 2011, Bridgestone Americas Inc.’s $1.2 billion plant expansion in Aiken County was the largest single initial capital investment in the state’s history. Continental Tire the Americas (CTA) new tire manufacturing plant in Sumter County is near completion, and the state-of-the-art plant is expected to generate more than 1,700 new jobs in South Carolina over the

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next 10 years. And Michelin also continues to expand in South Carolina’s Upstate, investing an additional $750 million in the state in 2012 and opening its new earthmover facility in Anderson County in December of 2013. South Carolina’s role in tire manufacturing is a huge boon for our state and further proves that we know how to make quality products used in markets all over the world. F ueling the E conomy

nother successful foreign company helping to fuel South Carolina’s international reputation is the automotive anchor BMW. In 2012, the premium auto manufacturer was the Palmetto State’s largest project announcement, adding more than 1,000 jobs and 900 million dollars into the state’s economy. Since BMW first set up shop here two decades ago, the company has grown to employ more than 7,000 people, investing more than $5.2 billion into South Carolina’s economy. BMW’s success in our state travels beyond the bottom line. Their presence here in South Carolina has helped to nearly quadruple the state’s auto industry and continues to show the world that the Palmetto State is just right for the automotive sector and just right for business. Other manufacturers that have added to the state’s world-class automotive roster with announcements of 300 jobs or more include: ZF Transmissions Gray Court in Laurens County, JTEKT Automotive in Richland County and Kongsberg Automotive in Pickens County. Since 2011, we have recruited more than $5 billion in capital investment and pumped more than 8,000 jobs into the state’s automotive-related sector. The strength of our automotive industry is a sure sign that foreign direct investment is moving in the right direction here in South Carolina.

B uilding on our S uccess

I M AG ES CO UR TESY B M W

hile the automotive industry has been our stronghold for more than two decades, South Carolina’s reputation as a national leader in the manufacturing renaissance has also helped to build our success in foreign investment. In the last year, South Carolina has experienced unprecedented results in our manufacturing sector, producing a more than 18 percent growth in output from 2010-2012. South Carolina continues to develop strong relationships with world-class companies in the manufacturing industry that are choosing to not only locate in the Palmetto State, but to also put down roots and expand within its borders, including companies like JN Fibers in Chester County, Schaeffler Group USA in Chesterfield County, GKN Aerospace in Orangeburg County and Britax Child Safety in York County. These companies have made significant investments into South Carolina in the last three years and add to the state’s impressive roster of global manufacturers that call the Palmetto State home.

BMW’s presence in South Carolina has helped to nearly quadruple the state’s auto industry.

O pen for B usiness

hile it may appear to some that South Carolina’s global success has happened overnight, those of us on the economic development frontlines know this growth has been hard fought, crafted by the skilled and talented hands of our workforce and created by our commitment to developing a business-friendly climate. Our global impact shows the world that if something is made here in South Carolina – from tires to textiles, from planes to peaches – it’s made with a guarantee that it will be made just right.

There is a saying that “chance favors the prepared” and that has been the key ingredient for our success in foreign companies investing in our state. We have done our homework; we have grown our workforce and invested in our infrastructure, all of which has earned our place on the international stage. Robert “Bobby” M. Hitt III was appointed by Governor Nikki Haley to serve as Secretary of Commerce in January 2011.

Aiken & Edgefield

S O U T H

C A R O L I N A

The Aiken and Edgefield County area, home to economic growth and industrial innovation, connects advanced manufacturing and groundbreaking research through collaboration with educational institutions, the scientific community and local government. This collaboration leads to successful companies and enhanced employment opportunities for our citizens.

A leader in chemicals, plastics, automotive technology and hydrogen

A stable, quality workforce with advanced manufacturing skills

Major highways, rail lines, air service and port access

Scientific research and development

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EDENS

JODIE MCLEAN

January~February 2014 Centerfold

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B y J ulie S cott

P hotography by S andy A ndrews

n December 2013, EDENS announced it had closed a $1.47 billion equity transaction comprising the sale of the State of Michigan Retirement Systemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s minority ownership interest and a $750 million growth-equity commitment. The company, headquartered in Columbia, S.C., owns a $4 billion portfolio of urban retail centers. Jodie McLean is president and chief investment officer of this private company that today is one of the pre-eminent retail real estate investment corporations in the U.S. With 111 assets and operations up and down the East Coast in Boston, New York, Washington D.C., Charlotte, Atlanta, Miami and South Carolina, EDENS has 300 employees total, 150 of them at home in South Carolina.

Enriching communities

January~February 2014 Centerfold jodie M clean Edens

rowing up in Chicago, McLean developed an entrepreneurial spirit early. Her family raised chickens, and at six years old, McLean started her own neighborhood egg route. “It’s in my spirit and in my blood to be entrepreneurial,” McLean said. The University of South Carolina Honors College brought her to the Palmetto State after she attended high school in Connecticut. During a college economics class, her entrepreneurial spirit would strike once again. As she was deep in thought, her professor called on her. McLean had to ask him to repeat the question. He in turn asked her what she was so deep in thought about. McLean answered, “Well, I am going to graduate here from the Honors College in business. Nobody has engaged with me about commerce or about the business of creating business.” It was then that her professor gave her a great opportunity. He offered to sponsor McLean for an independent study in entrepreneurship. She spent the semester interviewing entrepreneurs throughout South Carolina, and that is when one meeting would shape her career forever – the day she met Joe Edens, founder of EDENS. “It was in 1990, one of the worst times possible to join real estate. I had my heart set on going back to Chicago, but it was a really hard job market. It was like, when everything you own sits in your hatchback, that is the time to learn. Joe offered me a great opportunity for two years to come in and be a financial analyst,” she said. Hurricane Hugo had just blown through South Carolina and caused a great deal of damage to some of the largest assets EDENS held. Revco, the company’s largest tenant at the time, had just filed for bankruptcy. McLean spent her first year at EDENS spending time in every single division. “I feel like I hit the ground with two things. I spent time learning on the finance and analytical side, how to give yourself guardrails, how to create value, how to analyze, how to understand critical thinking and financial analysis,” McLean said. “At the same time though, I learned to work through issues and how to be creative and resolve those issues.” E nhancing C ommunities EDENS has developed numerous retail centers throughout the nation, and McLean insists that she “loves all of her children equally,” but in Columbia, she believes that there is no question that Trenholm Plaza in Forest Acres, Cross Hill

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Market and the Shoppes at Woodhill “are great examples of what we do.” Each project in South Carolina and beyond has one singular purpose: to enhance and enrich communities. EDENS strongly believes in inspiring human connections in all of its projects. “We hope that we inspire members of the community to make 3 ½ trips a week and spend five hours a week with us at our places,” McLean said. “That’s really important because retail has replaced a lot of social institutions in our society. People can come together and have human interactions. If our places are places of just pure commerce, they are not going to be successful.” McLean drives the company’s real estate portfolio and its culture. She takes the role of “steward of culture,” both internally and externally, very seriously. No two days are the same as she travels about four days a week up and down the East Coast. Some days, she is very focused on strategy. Other days, she focuses on the portfolio itself. “We believe very much in our model of being a decentralized real estate team,” she said. “We have a very different looking portfolio in every marketplace, but culturally, our people are consistent.” McLean believes her very best decisions are made when out in the marketplace, and she spends a large amount of time building market relationships because a lot of what EDENS achieves is based on relationships between markets, municipalities, land owners and other stakeholders. M ar k etplace F airness One of the issues McLean, and EDENS, is passionate about is marketplace fairness. EDENS has been very active in lobbying for the federal Marketplace Fairness Act in Congress, which would give states the authority to pass legislation to collect sales tax from out-of-state online and catalog retailers at the time of a transaction. Currently, online sellers are only required to collect taxes in states where they have a physical presence, such as a store or warehouse. But under the proposed legislation, states would be able to require online sellers to collect sales tax if they have sales of at least $1 million in states where they don’t have operations. Consumers are required to submit the taxes already, but many are unaware. While some opponents of the bill argue that it constitutes a tax increase, in most states online shoppers are already required to pay taxes on all online purchases. Most states require consumers to pay a “use tax” when a sales tax was not collected at online checkout, but few people actually do so. In South Carolina, it is estimated that $110.8 million was lost in online sales tax

IMAGES COUR TESY OF E DENS

E ntrepreneurial S pirit

collections in 2011, and that number increased to $124.5 million in 2012. “We absolutely embrace technology but we don’t know where sales start and finish,” McLean said. “The one thing we have to do is make sure that these small, unique businesses have fair footing. Those are the things that really make communities unique.” According to a 2011 study from the University of Tennessee, each $1 million of new retail sales in traditional brick-and-mortar establishments adds 3.61 jobs, and one out of every 11 jobs in the U.S. is shopping center-related. For every 100 individuals directly employed at regional shopping centers, an additional 20 to 30 are supported in the community due to multiplier effects. “Local retailers hire our family members and contribute to our communities, but these businesses can’t compete under current conditions with online retailers that don’t collect sales taxes and don’t have a local presence in our neighborhoods, McLean said. “Unless the system is corrected, local retailers will become endangered species, as will the jobs that they bring to their communities.” C oming F ull C ircle Since the redevelopment of the Florence Mall in the Pee Dee - her first major project on her own - McLean has been responsible for EDENS’ strategy to move the company’s presence to major urban centers and create a portfolio of assets that are the center of community life. Working in a still male-dominated industry has its advantages, and McLean thinks it is fabulous. “There’s certain advantages that I have being in the retail industry,” she said. “We are seeing more and more men show up at the cash registers and making more retail decisions, but retail decisions are still primarily made by women in families.” As a business leader and mother, McLean knows what drives a family’s main consumer. “There are so many things that are intuitive that you don’t think about in deciding

G e t to K n o w J o d i e M c L e a n Hometown – Chicago Children - 2 girls, 2 boys – a sophomore at Clemson University, a senior in high school, a junior in high school and a 4th grader First major project – Redevelopment of Florence Mall Favorite places in S.C. – Equally: Forest Lake, the Intercoastal Waterway, Charleston and the Columbia Museum of Art

why you go to the places you go and how you feel there,” said McLean. “Taking rights versus lefts are very important. Safety is an issue. We spend a lot of time thinking about the materials we use - great lighting accents, warm wood. We also recognize that sometimes what you need is someone that understands your busy life. But all of a sudden, you see your neighbor, and you want to connect. You can sit for a minute or two and have a conversation with a friend or maybe a glass of wine. We really think about how our places help build human relationships.” These stories of connectivity are this business leader’s favorite part of her job. “What inspires me is seeing and watching people connect to one another and watching my people reach their potential and do things that far exceed their own expectations. That human spirit and the creative genius everyone has inside of them is the best part of my work,” McLean said. Julie Scott is associate vice president of communications at the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce.

Welcome, Frontier®.

Before the first call came in. Before the first worker sat comfortably at his desk. Before the lights came on for the first time. Santee Cooper partnered with Frontier Communications to bring their new call center to Horry County, creating more than 180 new jobs. By partnering our low-cost, reliable power and development opportunities with our state’s attractive tax base, relocation incentives, and an unparalleled quality of life graced with Southern hospitality, Santee Cooper helped Frontier expand in South Carolina. And continues to power South Carolina toward Brighter Tomorrows, Today.

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Business Freedom to Choose Act

What it is and what it isn’t B y K atie S chanz

egislation is currently pending on the Senate calendar that could have a major effect on businesses’ (small, medium and large) bottom lines. The “Business Freedom to Choose Act” (H.3290), which passed the South Carolina House of Representatives in 2013 with 89 votes, addresses the process for disposing waste in South Carolina. Everything one needs to know about the Business Freedom to Choose Act is in its name. The legislation addresses a fundamental principle of the free market: open and fair competition. Historically, businesses across the state have been able to enter the marketplace and contract with public and private waste companies for the best price and service for the disposal of commercial, industrial, construction and demolition (C&D) waste as well as recyclables. However, if the Business Freedom to Choose Act is not enacted, competition and free enterprise will cease, and counties could become the only provider of waste disposal, limiting choice and competition. Since the House passed the Business Freedom to Choose Act last year, counties and some environmental groups have launched a smear campaign against businesses and this common sense legislation. The campaign is an attempt to create government-owned monopolies that can charge above-market rates without fear of competition. Citizens should beware: this will be used as a revenue-raising measure, meaning higher fees for South Carolinians. H istory of “ F low C ontrol ”

hen the Solid Waste Policy and Management Act of 1991 (SWPMA) was passed, comprehensive regulations guided how state and local governments were to properly manage waste. Historically, both public and private companies have been in the waste management business, but Horry County changed the landscape in 2009. Horry County enacted a local ordinance that mandated that all residential, commercial and C&D waste be taken to the Horry County Solid Waste Authority. This type of ordinance is known as a “flow control” ordinance. In the past, counties have largely been responsible for residential waste, whether the county itself has trucks to pick up the garbage or the county contracts with a company to do so. The difference in the Horry County ordinance is that it brings commercial and C&D waste under the total control of the county operation -- with strict enforcement of the ordinance -- something that had never been done in South Carolina before. This move drove a small private company out of the C&D market in that county and continues to force Horry County businesses to pay higher prices for C&D disposal. Horry County’s flow control ordinance was challenged in federal court, and a certified question was sent to the South Carolina Supreme Court on whether the local ordinance was inconsistent with state law, specifically SWPMA. The state Supreme Court said that Horry County’s flow control ordinance was not preempted by SWPMA because the state law was not clear enough to conclude that it preempted local government ordinances similar to the one in Horry County.

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Legislation was introduced to clarify that flow control ordinances enacted by counties are inconsistent with SWPMA and therefore invalid. While the dangers of flow control ordinances came to full light with the Horry County ordinance, this is not just an issue in that county. The Business Freedom to Choose Act was introduced to address the fact that any of the 46 counties in South Carolina could enact this type of ordinance mandating that all waste be disposed of in a county landfill. And counties do not have to have a landfill to enact a flow control ordinance. They can construct a transfer station and mandate that all waste be taken to the county transfer station before disposal. Thus, counties could charge above market rates while eliminating competition from private companies. M oving T hrough the L egislative P rocess

he Business Freedom to Choose Act passed the South Carolina House of Representatives by a vote of 89 to 28 early last legislative session. As the bill made its way through the legislative process, the business community in good faith came to the table to discuss possible compromises with the counties. When the legislation came out of the Senate Medical Affairs Committee, the business community had worked to address many issues to move this important legislation forward. The legislation that is currently on the contested Senate calendar does not prohibit the enactment or enforcement of ordinances: • Imposing solid waste user fees on any solid waste stream, even commercial waste; • Concerning zoning or land use; • Authorizing a solid waste facility owned by a local government to refuse to accept waste generated outside geographic boundaries of that local government. The legislation also does not impact counties that have current bonds secured by solid waste user fees. The business community repeatedly came to the table

to discuss a compromise with all parties involved, but unfortunately no compromise could be reached. In fact, the business community strongly supported a compromise amendment prepared by Representative Nelson Hardwick (R-Horry) that would allow counties to flow control residential waste, which is historically the type of waste that counties have controlled, even if a county does not currently have a flow control ordinance. The compromise amendment even allows for future flow control ordinances of residential waste to secure future bonds if a county wants to pursue this type of bond. The business community simply wants the ability for in-state generators of solid waste (small businesses, manufacturers, etc.) to continue to be able to contract in the open market for solid waste management or recycling services. The compromise states that commercial, industrial, C&D and recyclables cannot be the subject of a local governmental flow control ordinance. C ampaign A gainst B usinesses and F ree M ar k et P rinciples

coalition of environmental groups and the counties called “Don’t Dump on SC” has invested significant dollars in commercials, billboards and editorials all designed to scare South Carolinians and defeat this common sense legislation. One of their arguments is that the business community wants this legislation in order to bring in trainloads of out-of-state waste. This is simply untrue. The groups involved in this antibusiness coalition include the South Carolina Association of Counties, Coastal Conservation League, Sierra Club, South Carolina Wildlife Federation, Upstate Forever, Conservation Voters of South Carolina, League of Women Voters and Audubon South Carolina. The coalition’s attempt to sway the public with images of overflowing, dirty landfills is nothing more than a desperate scare tactic. Businesses and citizens should be aware of these group’s actions to raise more dollars for their counties and their organizations. The business community brought fair compromises

to the table to ensure concerns from counties and regional authorities were addressed. While this amendment has not been adopted by the General Assembly yet, the business community hopes to bring this legislation to a close early in 2014. This legislation is not just about one county. This legislation is not going to affect existing bonds for counties that are secured by the flow of residential waste. And further, if the compromise is adopted, counties will continue to be able to impose user fees or flow control residential waste, if necessary, for the issuance of future bonds. According to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), out-of-state waste has actually decreased over the last six years by 62 percent. Also, out-of-state waste accounts for only 8 percent of the total disposal of waste in this state. The Business Freedom to Choose Act will not result in any increase of out-of-state waste entering South Carolina because the bill has absolutely nothing to do with that issue. The Business Freedom to Choose Act is solely about the ability of in-state businesses to contract with whom they want for the management of their waste. This issue affects every business bottom line as well as liability and indemnity issues. If this legislation does not pass and counties are free to enact flow control ordinances in every county in South Carolina, businesses will not have any options for waste management. The only player will be the county operation, and with one competitor comes higher prices and no other options. Counties will then be both a market competitor and market regulator, which is unfair to all private companies whether they are purchasing services or providing services. Katie Schanz is legislative counsel for the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce.

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AFTER THE EVENT

2013 Manufacturer of the Year Awards T

he South Carolina Chamber of Commerce announced the winners of the 2013 Manufacturer of the Year Awards on August 27 in Columbia. All nominees and winners were honored before an audience of fellow manufacturers and business leaders at the Manufacturer of the Year Awards luncheon, presented by Nexsen Pruet, LLC. Far Left, Michelin North America’s Pete Selleck accepts the SC Manufacturer of the Year – Large Employer award. Left, Mikee Johnson and fellow Cox Industries, Inc. employees, accept the SC Manufacturer of the Year – Medium Employer award.

Left, Associates from Graniteville Specialty Fabrics accept the SC Manufacturer of the Year – Small Employer award.

Josh Fiorini, CEO of PTR Industries, Inc., speaks about why the company chose to locate in South Carolina.

The Elliott Davis Economic Development Team advises companies considering investments, expansions or relocations in the state of South Carolina. Our solutions span economic incentives, government relations, real estate purchases, mergers and acquisitions as well as international, federal, state and local tax issues and other financial matters. Are you poised for growth? Let our experience help guide the way.

fully engaged for you www.elliottdavis.com

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Founded in 1925, we know what it takes to do business in the Carolinas.

Manufacturer of the Year luncheon attendees network. Judi Gatson, emcee, welcomes attendees.

AFTER THE EVENT

2013 Manufacturer of the Year Sponsors PRESENTING SPONSOR Nexsen Pruet, LLC PLATINUM AWARD SPONSOR BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina GOLD SPONSORS BB&T BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC Cox Industries Elliott Davis LLC Fisher & Phillips LLP Graniteville Specialty Fabrics MAU Workforce Solutions Michelin North America, Inc. Pegasus Steel SILVER SPONSORS Duke Energy Carolinas KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation Metalworx Inc. Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. Sonoco BRONZE SPONSORS The GEL Group, Inc. Holcim (US) Inc. Human Technologies, Inc. Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP Orangeburg County Development Commission Pure Power Technologies mailing sponsor South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership

OUR PORT IS 212 MILES DEEP. Thanks to the new Inland Port that’s 212 miles from Charleston and with access to five interstates, you can extend your reach deep into the fast-growing I-85 corridor and beyond. We’re Going Deeper. See how.

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AFTER THE EVENT

2013 Excellence in Workplace Diversity Awards T

he South Carolina Chamber of Commerce announced the winners of the 2013 Excellence in Workplace Diversity Awards on September 10 in Columbia. All nominees and winners were honored before an audience of fellow business leaders at the Excellence in Workplace Diversity Awards luncheon.

Award Winners:

The Boeing Company’s associates celebrate the Large Employer Diversity Award.

• • • •

Small Employer, (less than 150 employees) – Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP Medium Employer, (151-700 employees) – South Carolina Federal Credit Union Large Employer, (more than 700 employees) – The Boeing Company Excellence in Community Diversity – Les Echols, Community and Minority Enterprise Director, Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce

Congratulations to the Excellence in Workplace Diversity nominees:

Above, Parker Poe associates celebrate their Small Employer Diversity Award. Left, SC Federal Credit Union associates celebrate the Medium Employer Diversity Award.

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Aflac Group Insurance ArborOne Farm Credit Bosch Rexroth Corporation Gallivan, White & Boyd, P.A. Greenville Chamber of Commerce Lockheed Martin Midlands Technical College Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC Savannah River Remediation SEW-Eurodrive (US Headquarters) Spartanburg Community College Trident Technical College

AFTER THE EVENT Bronze Sponsors ArborOne Farm Credit First Citizens Bank SC Credit Union League & Affiliates South Carolina Credit Union League SC Federal Credit Union Trident Technical College

CMY

KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY

4 Innovation Centers

Silver Sponsors Lockheed Martin Midlands Technical College Nexsen Pruet, LLC Sonoco Products Company Spartanburg Community College WSI-Savannah River Site

GROWING the

50 Federal grants matched

Gold Sponsors BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina The Boeing Company Columbia Metropolitan Airport Fisher & Phillips LLP Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC C SCANA Southeastern Freight Lines M TD Bank, N.A. Y

$250 Million in follow-on capital

2013 Excellence in Workplace Diversity Sponsors

Les Echols, of the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce, accepts the Excellence in Community Diversity Award.

$79 Million to support high-tech enterprises

Charles Weathers, keynote speaker, discusses diversity with attendees.

Award Sponsor AT&T

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AFTER THE EVENT

2013 Best Places to Work in South Carolina T

he South Carolina Chamber of Commerce and the publishers of SCBIZ magazine are pleased to announce the rankings of the Best Places to Work in South Carolina, sponsored by Jackson Lewis. The recognition dinner was held October 8 in Columbia. Participating companies are surveyed by Best Companies Group, an independent research company.

2013 Best Places to Work Sponsors Presenting Sponsor Jackson Lewis LLP

Andy Satterfield of Jackson Lewis, the presenting sponsor, welcomes attendees.

Cuen Livingston of Edward Jones, #1 Best Place to Work in SC â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Large Company, accepts the award.

Best Places to Work reception attendees network before the awards dinner.

Geocent representatives, Ryan Lemire and Valerie Warnock, accept the award for #1 Best Place to Work in SC â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Small/Medium Company.

Gold Sponsors Benefitfocus BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Colonial Life Comatrol/Danfoss Continental Tire the Americas, LLC Edward Jones Hospice Care of South Carolina InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) McAngus Goudelock & Courie NBSC Scott & Company LLC, Certified Public Accountants Select Health of South Carolina SYNNEX CORPORATION Vi Silver Sponsors C.F. Evans Construction Charleston Water System Human Technologies, Inc. Life Cycle Engineering SCRA Total Quality Logistics VantagePoint Marketing VC3 Bronze Sponsors Blackbaud, Inc. OB Hospitalist Group Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.

Hospice Care of South Carolina employees celebrate being one of the Best Places to Work.

Hire Dynamics employees enjoy networking before the awards.

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The ACT NCRC™ is a proven predictor of workplace success. Ask for it. The South Carolina ACT Work Ready Communities initiative is helping employers match employees to jobs, based on verified skill levels. Powered by ACT WorkKeys® assessments, the ACT National Career Readiness Certificate™ is a national credential that gives you concrete evidence of the level of workplace skills an individual has achieved—making it easier to match the skills an applicant has with the skills you need. The ACT NCRC can also help to identify skills gaps, training needs, and promotion opportunities for your current employees—reducing turnover and increasing productivity in the process. When you ask for the ACT NCRC and participate in the South Carolina ACT Work Ready Communities initiative, you’re strengthening your business and supporting economic development in your community. Learn more at act.org/employers and workreadycommunities.org.

scworkready.org

nationalcareerreadiness.org 20317

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8/13/13 2:09 PM

You see a small town… We see a lively downtown district where local shops and businesses thrive and residents gather to live, work and play. South Carolina’s small towns are a critical part of our state’s economic engine that attracts industry and creates jobs. www.CitiesMeanBusiness.org

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10/8/2012 9:52:16 AM

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AFTER THE EVENT

2013 Annual Summit M

ore than 200 of the state’s top business leaders gathered in the Lowcountry, November 13-15, 2013 for the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce’s 34th Annual Summit, presented by Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Stewart, P.C. The following individuals were recognized: Anita Zucker of the InterTech Group as the 2013 Business Leader of the Year, U.S.

Senator Lindsey Graham as the 2013 Public Servant of the Year, and General John Finan as the Sgt. William Jasper Freedom Award recipient. Two Business Week students, Lance Foxworth and Casey Stancell, were both honored with college scholarships.

BB&T’s John Jung gives luncheon attendees an update on the economy.

Summit symposium attendees learn more about health care, tort reform, workforce development and the Business Freedom to Choose Act.

Business Week 2013 student, Lance Foxworth, is presented with the S. Hunter Howard, Jr. scholarship.

General John Finan receives the 2013 Sgt. William Jasper Freedom Award.

Casey Stancell, 2013 Business Week attendee, is presented with the Ron McNair Leadership Award sponsored by SCANA.

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presenting sponsor Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. platinum sponsors Bank of America BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina The InterTech Group, Inc.

Na Fidléirí, a Charleston-based Celtic fiddling ensemble, performs during the Summit dinner. Left, 2013 Business Leader of the Year, Anita Zucker of the InterTech Group.

AFTER THE EVENT

2013 Annual Summit

gold sponsors BB&T Milliken & Company Santee Cooper hospitality suite sponsor SCANA reception sponsors AT&T Duke Energy

2013 Public Servant of the Year, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham.

Left, Richard Kizer, Otis Rawl and Carl Blackstone congratulate Senator Lindsey Graham.

silver sponsors Alcoa Mt. Holly Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd P.A. Piedmont Natural Gas Sonoco Products Company Total Comfort Solutions bronze sponsors BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC The Boeing Company Coleman Lew & Associates, Inc. Colonial Life Ernst & Young LLP FN Manufacturing, LLC FUJIFILM Manufacturing U.S.A., Inc. McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture Michelin North America, Inc. NBSC Palmetto Health SCRA Spirit Communications Team IA media sponsor PSAV video sponsor Zero Gravity

Mike Brenan of BB&T passes the chairman’s gavel to Pamela Lackey of AT&T.

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MEMBER NEWS

Abacus Planning Group, Inc. announced that Jon J. Robertson graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Alabama with a Masters of Laws in Taxation. Individuals who receive an LL.M are trained in the tax intricacies of estates, charitable planning, asset management, trust administration and more. BMW Manufacturing announced that Manfred Erlacher, a 29-year veteran with the company, has assumed responsibility for the Spartanburg factory. Erlacher succeeds Josef Kerscher who has returned to Germany to run the plant in Dingolfing. New numbers from Clemson University’s College of Engineering and Science show that enrollment has grown nearly 54 percent since 2007 and stands at 7,167 students this semester. Chet Chea has joined Collins & Lacy practicing in corporate and business law. Within this practice, Chea can

guide South Carolina businesses through the MBE and WBE certification procedures, and he can coach them on how to apply the benefits. Colliers International South Carolina is pleased to announce that Rox Pollard, Chuck Salley, SIOR, and Craig Waites are now members of Colliers International’s Columbia brokerage management team. Neil Jones, CPA, CISA, CITP, has joined the company as Chief Accounting Officer. Sarah Wagers has joined the team as a property accountant. Colliers International’s David C. Lockwood, CCIM, SIOR was appointed by members of the South Carolina Senate and House of Representatives to the South Carolina Real Estate Commission representing the Second Congressional District. Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company has been named the top benefits carrier by brokers across the country in the 2013 Benefits Selling Readers’ Choice Awards program.

Electrolux recognized a 25 year milestone at its refrigeration plant in Anderson, S.C. The plant’s 1,800 employees manufacture 9,300 topmount refrigerators each day. Each year, the company manufactures one out of every two top-mount refrigerators sold in the U.S. market. Fitesa Simpsonville, Inc., a global leader and innovator in the design and manufacture of nonwoven fabric solutions for the global hygiene market, will expand its existing facility in Greenville County to significantly increase production capacity for its spunmelt nonwoven hygiene products. The $50 million investment is expected to generate at least 32 new jobs. First Citizens announced that Kevin Glass has been promoted to Private Banking Director for the company’s South Carolina region. Glass has served as the bank’s Augusta Commercial Area Executive for the past year-and-a-half. Food Lion announced that it has made significant investments in 169 stores in North Carolina and South Carolina and created 500 new jobs. Key markets include Greenville, N.C., Wilmington,

N.C., Columbia, S.C., Charleston, S.C., and Myrtle Beach, S.C. Lexington Medical Center’s outpatient surgery center in Irmo has been named one of the highest-rated ambulatory surgery facilities in the nation for patient satisfaction by Press Ganey, a national organization that measures health care experiences. McKay, Cauthen, Settana, & Stubley, P.A. is pleased to announce that Kelli L. Sullivan has been named a Partner in the firm. Sullivan is a certified mediator with 17 years of experience, including eight years as General Counsel for a major insurance company. McKay, Cauthen, Settana, & Stubley, P.A. is pleased to announce the addition of Meghan Hazelwood Hall and Richard E. “Rich” Marsh as the newest Associates of The McKay Firm. Hall practices in the areas of trucking and transportation law, general insurance defense, government defense, civil litigation defense, civil rights, Section 1983 defense, business litigation and products liability. Marsh

BUSINESS SPEAKS AT THE STATE HOUSE

Coming Soon

MARRIOTT, COLUMBIA JANUARY 22, 2014 4:00 – 5:30 pm, Town Meeting 5:30 – 7:30 pm, Reception

scchamber.net @scchamber

BUSINESS SPEAKS

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The Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) announced that it elected Pete Selleck to serve as the organization’s chairman of the Board of Directors. Selleck is chairman and president of Michelin North America, Inc. The RMA is the national trade association for tire manufacturers in the U.S. NBSC, a division of Synovus Bank, announced that Samuel “Sam” I. Baxter has been promoted to Regional Executive. John C. Griggs, III has been promoted to Columbia Market President. F. William “Bill” LaMotte has been promoted to Senior Commercial Banker. Jessie C. Ford’s role has been expanded to include managerial responsibility for the Private Banking team in Columbia. Charlene Grigsby has been promoted to Banking Officer. Richard Ryan, Jr. has joined NBSC as Assistant Vice President and Commercial Banker, and Drew Kirkpatrick had been promoted to Banking Officer. Ed Mullins, of counsel in Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP’s Columbia office, has been named the recipient of the 2013 John H. Pickering Award by the National Center for State Courts (NCSC). Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP has expanded the experience of its litigation practice with the recent addition of Sam Outten to the partnership in the Greenville office. Brittany McIntosh, David Dill and Lee Kiser have all joined as associates in the Greenville office. Susannah Knox has joined the firm’s Charleston office as an associate, where she will focus her practice on litigation. Inez Tenenbaum, President Barack Obama’s choice to lead the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission since 2009, joined the law firm of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough on December 1, 2013. Tenenbaum will work with the firm’s Product Safety, Risk Prevention & Regulatory Practice Group, where she will advise clients on regulatory matters, including risk assessment and management, regulatory oversight, product reporting, recalls and litigation.

Nexsen Pruet is pleased to announce that attorney Tommy Preston has been elected chair of the University of South Carolina Board of Visitors. Preston is the youngest and first person of color to serve as chair of the board, a role he will serve in for two years. Phillips Staffing announced that Tim Duerr has completed all training to become the company’s third authorized WorkKeys job profiler, one of only 20 in South Carolina. WorkKeys consists of three facets: job profiling, skills assessments and targets for instruction. SCANA Corporation has named Stephanie Jones supervisor of corporate philanthropy and community affairs for South Carolina Electric & Gas Company. Jones will oversee community involvement programs in South Carolina including corporate giving, corporate memberships, employee volunteerism, employee matching gifts and community campaigns. Scott and Company LLC has named Michael J. Twomey a Senior Tax Manager with the firm. Twomey is a CPA and a member of the firm’s Tax and Advisory Services team, and is based in the firm’s Greenville office. In addition, Kelly Damiano and Chelsea Shoolbred were promoted to incharge accountants on the Assurance and Advisory Services team, while Ryan LaBrooy has been promoted to incharge accountant on the firm’s Tax and Advisory Services team. The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the addition of Penny Delaney Cothran, APR as Multimedia Manager/South Carolina Business Editor and Reid Price as Graphics and Web Administrator. The SC State University Board of Trustees elected Dr. William Small, Jr. as its new board chairman. Small is a retired educator and farmer from Yemassee, S.C. He will complete the term of the former chairman until the next election for officers, which will be held in September 2014.

Welcome, New Members Aeroacoustic Corp. Darlington

Panther Expedite Chapin

America’s Blessed Children Hemingway

Parker Hannifin Corp. Moncks Corner

Ashmore Bros., Inc. Greer

PTR Industries, Inc. Bristol, CT

Associated Builders & Contractors of the Carolinas Apex, NC

ScanSource, Inc. Greenville

BELLCO Metals Group Kingsport, TN Capital Building Services LLC Columbia

Schmoyer and Company, LLC Columbia Seaco, Inc. Columbia

Carolina Closets Anderson

Select Comfort SC Corporation DBA Comfortaire Greenville

Cay Insurance Services Savannah, GA

Selling Technique LLC Simpsonville

CSIdentity Austin, TX

Shutterfly, Inc. Fort Mill

Daniel Ravenel Sotheby’s International Realty Charleston

Smooth-Bor Plastics Laguna Hills, CA

DECO, LLC Sumter Durham School Services Warrenville, IL

Softcons,Inc. Florence Southern Strategy Group Columbia

EBX Camden

Spartan Foods of America, Inc. Fairforest

Frank‘s Car Wash Lexington

State Farm Insurance Co. Columbia

Funding Charleston Johns Island

Sun City Hilton Head Community Association Okatie

Graniteville Speciality Fabrics Graniteville Greenwood Inc. Greenville Hire Dynamics Simpsonville Kay Plumbing Services, LLC Lexington Lewallen Automation Easley M33 Integrated Greenville Meritor Heavy Vehicle Systems LLC Manning Nova Consulting Group, Inc. Mauldin Palmetto Technology Group (PTG) Greenville

MEMBER NEWS

practices in the areas of trucking and transportation law, products liability, commercial litigation, governmental defense, general insurance defense, subrogation and civil litigation defense.

Teknor Apex Company Fountain Inn Terracon North Charleston The Mediterranean Cafe LLC Lexington Thomas & Hutton Engineering Co. Mount Pleasant Tipping Points Technologies Lexington Transportation Association of South Carolina Aiken UNIVAR Spartanburg Worthington Industries Florence

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MEMBER NEWS

COMPETITIVENESS AGENDA SERIES

Spartanburg Water announces the promotion of Cynthia Poteat to Laboratory Services Section Manager. In her new role, she will be responsible for planning, managing and supervising the operations of central laboratory and satellite laboratories. Streit USA Armoring, LLC hosted the DCMA, Atlanta Commander. CDR Nicola Gathbright was provided a company briefing that included ongoing and planned production activities in support of government agencies. Streit USA has been building armored SUVs for the U.S. Army Tank and Automotive Command (TACOM) of Warren, MI. These armored SUVs are being shipped to embassies and military installations around the world.

INFRASTRUCTURE - February 4th, The DoubleTree by Hilton HEALTH CARE - May 20th, The DoubleTree by Hilton ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY - August 21st, Embassy Suites EDUCATION - October 14th, The DoubleTree by Hilton

2014

Columbia, SC COMPETITIVENESS AGENDA SERIES

For more information: alexa.stillwell@scchamber.net www.scchamber.net

When your message needs to reach South Carolina’s business leaders, there is only one choice: SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS. The magazine of choice for South Carolina’s top executives. For advertising and marketing opportunities, call Deidre Macklen at 803 318 3923.

WebsterRogers is pleased to announce the expansion of its human resources consulting practice with the addition of Diedri Garrett. In the role, Garrett will provide a range of strategic human resources advisory services designed to assist business owners and managers.

Please send Member News and publicity photos to penny.cothran@scchamber.net.

Advertiser Index ACT.................................................................. 27 Economic Development Partnership.............. 15 Elliott Davis....................................................... 22 Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A............................1 MASC.............................................................. 27 NESA................................................................ 11 Santee Cooper................................................. 19 SCDEW...............................................................9 SCRA................................................................ 25

4 T H A NNUA L MA NU FAC T U R ERS C ONF ER ENCE

“Manufacturing Innovation”

Sonoco....................................Inside Front Cover

February Francis

University of South Carolina...............................3

UFACTURE R AN

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South Carolina Ports........................................ 23

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When your message needs to reach the largest possible business audience, there is only one choice: SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS, the magazine of choice for South Carolinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top executives.

Contact Deidre Macklen at 803.318.3923 for 2014 marketing and advertising opportunities.

PUBLISHING & MEDIA SERVICES

The Unified Voice of BUsiness “our concerns are our members’ concerns. strong business advocacy ensures south carolina becomes more globally competitive.” — otis Rawl, President and ceo of the south carolina chamber of commerce

Founded in 1940, the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce is the Palmetto State’s largest statewide broad-based business and industry association and voice of business at the State House. The South Carolina Chamber keeps a close eye and constant presence at the State House, engaging legislators in meaningful dialogue while working to get positive business legislation passed and halting dangerous anti-business bills. The business community’s annual list of legislative priorities, the

Competitiveness Agenda, is based on feedback from the more than 18,000 businesses the Chamber represents. The Chamber’s advocacy work led to the first significant funding increase for our state’s roads and bridges since 1987. Over the last two years, the return on investment for South Carolina businesses has been greater than $2.2 billion through advocacy on issues such as unemployment insurance reform, tax credit reform, economic development incentives, education and workforce development priorities and more.