Nov. 23, 2012 UBJ by Community Journals

Business Upstate

NOVEMBER 23, 2012

J OURNAL

Pilots

Wanted The coming aviation worker crisis

Securing the digital homefront page 10

Financing the flippers page 12

Page 14

Communicating with a flourish page 18

UBJ 4

Gadgetfest features gadgets for work and play

Denny’s disavows franchisee’s Obamacare protest

Good – but not great – news for Realtors

Statehouse Report

By Jennifer Oladipo contributor

By Dick Hughes senior business writer

More early childhood education will pay off By Andy Brack contributor

Greg Beckner/Staff

Airframe and power plant mechanic Jeff Mease with the City of Spartanburg looks into the fuel tank of an airplane in need of repairs at the Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport. The plane had a fuel leak in the fuel line assembly. Studies say that the industry will need 460,000 pilots and 601,000 maintenance workers by 2013.

Graham, Hipp, Sofield honored by Leadership SC

Apartments, retail proposed for Church Street corner

Digital Maven

Guest Column

Staying in command of your social media

Education – fuel for the economic engine

By Laura Haight contributor

By David Taylor contributor

By Jenny Munro contributor

By Cindy Landrum staff

2 Upstate business | NOVEMBER 23, 2012

UBJ

Uncertainty remains ‘the biggest impediment’ ▲

Upstate leaders survey the workplace law landscape post-election 2012

By Jenny Munro | contributor

Although business leaders now know who the president will be for the next four years, plenty of uncertainty still exists. While that uncertainty is anathema to those who try to chart their business future, “I believe there is a pent-up growth urge,” said Chris Lauderdale, a partner with Jackson Lewis law firm, which specializes in employment law. Companies want to grow and will try to find a way to do that, Lauderdale said. “The biggest impediment right now is uncertainty.” Businesses “will just sit on their money” until business owners figure out what they face economically and legally, he said. Jackson Lewis sponsored a half-day seminar titled “Surveying the Workplace Law Landscape” following the recent election. About 100 people attended the event at the BMW Zentrum. Individuals as well as business leaders “want action,” said Chip Felkel, a political consultant who was the keynote speaker. Exit polls showed that voters from all strata “want less partisanship,” he said –

Businesses “will just sit on their money” until business owners figure out what they face economically and legally.

meaning politicians can no longer put off major decisions. Several major issues, including the fiscal cliff facing the country, immigration reform, healthcare costs and availability, and federal agencies’ aggressive implementation and interpretation of regulations are on the minds of voters and businesses, seminar speakers said. Climate change also is a concern to many. Regardless of the action taken on any specific issue, “the most important thing for business is ‘Give us clear standards and we’ll live with them,’” Lauderdale said. Immigration reform is a big concern to Upstate businesses. Immigration affects business operations because the employer has become the entity that now is responsible for ensuring that illegal immigrants do not work, Lauderdale said. As the Hispanic and Latino population grows, especially in states like South Carolina, some type of reform is needed, he said. Felkel said the 2012 presidential election showed the Hispanic voting population has grown to 10 percent of the total vote, while the black population remained relatively stable and the white population decreased, Felkel said. “We’ve got to solve immigration. People want to come to the U.S. We are a beacon,” but the immigration needs to be controlled, he said. That is likely to be one of the first areas of action with the new administration and Congress,

Major Issues Concerned Voters & Businesses

• Climate change • Immigration reform • The fiscal cliff facing the country • Healthcare costs and availability • Federal agencies’ aggressive implementation and interpretation of regulations

several at the forum said. However, some type of compromise to handle the automatic cuts that are looming is probably what Washington will focus on initially. Ellison McCoy, also a partner with Jackson Lewis, said healthcare costs also are a major concern. Barack Obama’s re-election meant his healthcare initiative is here to stay, and businesses are scrambling to figure out how to comply – and at what cost. One result of the regulations is that “they will not be adding people to their payrolls,” McCoy said. Also, with assertive regulatory

agencies, companies are likely to be hit with tighter scrutiny on telecommuting, rotating shift work, assistance with community and pregnancy issues, McCoy said. The definition of “disabilities” is broad and the burden is on the employer to meet regulations, he said. The group also discussed the National Labor Relations Board, social media use and employer liability, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and discrimination. Contact Jenny Munro at jmunro@communityjournals.com.

NOVEMBER 23, 2012 | Upstate business

Photo by Travis Runion | CapturedVP.com

UBJ

One of the gadgets at Gadgetfest, a toy helicopter that is operated by a smartphone, gave attendees ideas for how to spend lunch breaks. (Above, right) Phil Yanov and Marc Bolick discuss a portable camping stove that doubles as a cell phone charger during Gadetfest.

Gadgetfest features gadgets for work and play By Jennifer Oladipo | contributor

A Furby toy staring back at the crowd through its new digital eyeballs was among the gadgets featured at the ninth annual Gadgetfest last week. About 120 tech and business professionals gathered to see the latest technology in action at the event presented by Upstate Gadgeteers. Some of the presentations were made by staff of the companies that created the gadgets, and others were made by fans who were simply impressed or enjoyed using them. Gadgetfest normally

features a few gadgets from local creators alongside those from major corporations, but the locals were unexpectedly absent this year. The devices ran the gamut from highly practical to purely entertaining. Among the most useful for business were those that improve presentation capabilities in one way or another. A 70-inch touch screen Smart Board by Sharp was said to be “airport quality,”

The Look of a Leader

4 Upstate business | NOVEMBER 23, 2012

the audience. That audience could be in the room or around the world. Not only could the audience watch the presentation in real time on their mobile devices or a traditional screen, but the presenter could also control it from a mobile device. For the lunch break or after work, the HELO TC Touch Controlled Helicopter from Verizon Wireless could help to pass the time. The tiny aircraft could be controlled with an iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, or Android device, and generated the most verbal approval from the crowd. Another favorite was the Rock-It portable vibration speaker, which turns hollow objects into speakers, such as the cereal box used in the presentation by Bubba Fisher of Norfolk Wire & Electronics. Gadgetfest is a special edition of the monthly GSA Technology Council’s Learning Lunch, and is organized by the Tech After Five technology meetup group. Contact Jennifer Oladipo at joladipo@communityjournals.com.

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meaning the monitor could stay on continuously for eight years, outlasting any computer to which it would be connected. Presenters can use a fingertip to write directly on the board, which is designed to allow presentations to be seen clearly even in bright rooms. Another presentation technology was intended to reduce time spent traveling to meetings. MyRoadShows, a mobile device-enabled PowerPoint presentation application, allowed presenters literally to put presentations into the hands o f

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UBJ

Denny’s disavows franchisee’s

Obamacare protest By Dick Hughes senior business writer Denny’s, the Spartanburg-based chain of “America’s Diners,” unwittingly found itself in the soup when a franchisee in Florida said he would impose a surtax to cover Obamacare and said diners could reduce tips to offset the charge. The issue gave Denny’s “considerable media attention” in the postelection aftermath, and the company’s CEO, John Miller, quickly disavowed any corporate support for the surtax. The franchisee retreated. The brouhaha began when John Metz, the owner of 40 Denny’s restaurants in Florida, made public his intent to add 5 percent to every diner’s check to pay for the extra cost of covering employees with health insurance.

He also told ABC News he would cut employee hours to make them ineligible for insurance under the new rules. The rules do not go into effect until 2014. Various media quote Metz as suggesting customers could reduce tips to servers accordingly to make up for the extra charge. In reaction to the storm, Miller

“Unfortunately, the comments of this franchisee, who represents less than 1 percent of our system and who owns restaurants in other concepts, was portrayed as reflective of the entire Denny’s brand,” John Miller, CEO of Denny’s

distanced the mother company from Metz’s threat, saying it did not reflect the view of the company, Denny’s Franchisee Association or “our franchise community at large.” “Unfortunately, the comments of this franchisee, who represents less than 1 percent of our system and who owns restaurants in other concepts, was portrayed as reflective of the entire Denny’s brand,” Miller said. Regarding the suggestion that customers reduce their gratuity, Miller said Denny’s workers “should be rewarded for providing the good service we are known for rather than penalized due to legislation.” Metz subsequently said he would not impose the surcharge, saying he was only speculating, according to news reports. But he was quoted

as saying he still plans to limit employees to 28 hours starting in early 2013, a year before full implementation of the health care law. Miller said Denny’s and its franchisees will “collectively” monitor the Affordable Care Act “and any other legislation that may impact our team members, franchisees, employees and guests, and will do the right thing as individuals, as a company and as a brand.” He took pains to note that a guiding principle of Denny’s was to “embrace openness,” and he said minorities comprise 44 percent of company restaurant management and 63 percent of the franchise system. Contact Dick Hughes at dhughes@communityjournals.com.

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Advancing Women’s Leadership and Corporate Board Service November 28, 2012 8:30am – 10:00am Poinsett Club 807 East Washington Street • Greenville, SC 29601 Guest speaker Sharon Decker • CEO of the Tapestry Group, LLC Call to Action from Minor Shaw • President, Micco Corporation

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Contact Nika White 864-239-3727 • nwhite@greenvillechamber.org www.GreenvilleChamber.org NOVEMBER 23, 2012 | Upstate business

UBJ

Good – but not great – news for Realtors By Dick Hughes senior business writer Going into the sixth year of a depressed-to-slow housing market, Realtors are seeing good – but not great – days in the Upstate as 2012 nears an end. Agents are busier than they’ve been in years; closings and pending sales are up; the gap favoring buyers over sellers is moving slowly toward equilibrium; the detritus of distressed housing is down, mortgage rates sit at historic lows and, looking into 2013, are certain to stay there. Activity has been such that the South Carolina Realtors was confident enough to call 2012 “a giant year for the housing market” with closings up 12 percent and pending sales up 15 percent from November 2011 through October 2012. Over that period, sales were up 12.4 percent in Greater Greenville, 13.2 percent in in Spartanburg, 9.5 percent in Greenwood and 2.7

quoted

“Jobs, as always, will be a key factor in the acceleration of the housing market; and, of course, as the housing market improves, more jobs and opportunities are created.” David Crigler, chief operations officer of Prudential C. Dan Joyner

D L O S

Greenville SC MLS SOLDS 6 MONTH COMPARISON as of November 10, 2012

percent in the western Upstate counties. They were down 17.7 percent in Cherokee. While there are positive signs of a stronger housing recovery, Realtors are not declaring victory. Economic growth still is slow. Unemployment, while lessening, remains a drag; consumers are more confident but still wary, lenders even more so, and the environment in Washington remains dicey. “One day you have a very positive feeling about economic growth going forward and the next day you wake up thinking, ‘I was little over-optimistic yesterday,’” said Brad Halter, president of Caldwell Banker Caine Realtors. “Consumer confidence is ebbing and flowing. Having the election behind us, regardless of your political situation, gives us some

6 Upstate business | NOVEMBER 23, 2012

direction,” he said, cautioning that until the country gets “some sense of whether the House, the Senate and the president are going to be able to work together, which is anybody’s guess, that is dragging

quoted

“Consumer confidence is ebbing and flowing. Having the election behind us, regardless of your political situation, gives us some direction.” Brad Halter, president of Caldwell Banker Caine Realtors

D D L L O O S S

on people’s confidence at little bit.” Even so, “It’s been a good year,” Halter said. “It’s not been a great year, but I am encouraged by this particular area.” David Crigler, chief operations officer of Prudential C. Dan Joyner, said, “Jobs, as always, will be a key factor in the acceleration of the housing market; and, of course, as the housing market improves, more jobs and opportunities are created.” He said mortgage rates should stay low and, unless there are more government restrictions on lenders that affect ability to secure mortgages, “there should not be too much headwind in the acceleration of the housing rebound.” All in all, the October report of sales, prices and days on the market tracked by the Multiple Listing Service bodes well, the report says.

UBJ

Sales of 660 houses and condos in Greenville topped October of last year by 35 percent. The median price rose a slight 0.3 percent to $144,000 and average days on the market dropped from 106 to 100, the fewest in the state with the exception of the Charleston Trident where houses move faster at an average of 89 days. In Spartanburg, sales were up 21 percent to 259 from a year ago, the

quoted

“The ‘biggest struggle’ in the market continues to be difficulty meeting the heightened credit requirements for mortgage approval.” Jim Fritzsche, Allen Tate’s Upstate manager

median price rose 8.3 percent to $125,000 and days on the market declined from 167 to 141. Jim Fritzsche, Allen Tate’s Upstate manager, reported, as did Halter of Caldwell Banker and Crigler of Prudential, that agents are “busier than they have been in several years.” Alan Tate’s sales are up 36 percent from last year in Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson and Pickens, Fritzsche said. He said the “shiniest apple” and the “cheapest apple” in a neighborhood sell as quickly as they are put on the market; those in between take far longer. The “biggest struggle” in the market continues to be difficulty meeting the heightened credit requirements for mortgage approval, Fritzsche said. He said Allen Tate’s business of handling relocation of corporate personnel into the area has been especially busy, and “that’s a great sign for Greenville and the

Greenville SC MLS SOLD 13 MONTH trends by units

Upstate.” One of the concerns of area Realtors is that listings are not keeping pace with increased sales activity, and at the same time there is not enough new construction in the pipeline to keep pace with demand. “That the number of housing starts and permits is at historic

lows jumps out at you,” said Halter. He noted while some builders are still on the sidelines, those who are building in the “sweet spot” of houses between $175,000 and $275,000 find buyers as fast as they finish them. Contact Dick Hughes at dhughes@communityjournals.com.

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UBJ commercial development

Courtesy Craig Gaulden Davis Architects

Construction is underway for Rick’s Deli & Market, coming soon to Riverwalk on West Camperdown Way. Designed by architects Craig, Gaulden and Davis, the 2,500-square-foot, upscale deli is a new concept for the Rick Erwin Dining Group (REDG), which has two other restaurants downtown: Rick Erwin’s West End Grill and Rick Erwin’s Nantucket Seafood. The new deli and market will target downtown’s growing residential population with sandwiches, cheeses, pastries, wine and specialty beers, as well as meals to go, REDG-branded products and off-site catering.

The site today

Proposed restaurant development

The City of Greenville has confirmed that a new CookOut restaurant will be built on the old Checkers site at the corner of Laurens Road and E. Antrim Drive. Founded in Greensboro, N.C., in 1989, the chain, which specializes in grilled hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken, N.C. barbecue and milkshakes in dozens of flavors, now has more than 100 drive-through restaurants in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. This will be the second Cook-Out in Greenville following the Poinsett Highway location that opened earlier this year, pictured right.

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Photos by Greg Beckner

UBJ statehouse report

More early childhood education will pay off Education. Education. Education. It’s the mantra you hear from just about anybody who talks about By Andy Brack the key to South Carolina’s future success. They suggest more, that it be better and that it be innovative. And despite wags who say you can’t throw money at our education system to fix it, there’s a pretty good business case to be made that investing more in early childhood education will pay off big in the future. According to a groundbreaking 2007 study by researcher Robert G. Lynch, if South Carolina started a high-quality pre-kindergarten program for 3- and 4-year-olds, the annual cost would be $442 million in 2008 dollars. But before you get your britches in a knot, look at the benefits: First, we already pay a lot of money that would be included in the total amount. Second, the program would start paying for itself in just nine years,

1. That’s an outstanding return! A study for the Partnership for America’s Economic Success says early childhood education produces a ten-fold return. Fancy research, however, isn’t the only thing that touts more early childhood education programs. The S.C. Chamber of Commerce has a goal of 80 percent of the state’s at-risk children completing pre-K programs by 2020. Success-

BOTTOM LINE: The benefit-to-cost ratio of investing in early childhood education would be 7.5 to 1. the study says. Total benefits by 2050 would be $9.2 billion with an overall cost of $1.2 billion. Savings to the state’s budget over the years would be more than $2.3 billion plus another $1.8 billion in savings to individuals from reduction in crime. Increased wages and benefits would be $5.2 billion. Bottom line: The benefit-to-cost ratio of investing in early childhood education would be 7.5 to

ful programs in Hawaii, Arkansas, Texas and Pennsylvania highlight how early childhood education closes achievement gaps and gives more kids the tools that they need to succeed. South Carolina’s pre-K education structure currently is a mishmash of programs split between public 4K in some places funded by Education Improvement Act and Title One dollars to Head Start to ABC Child Care vouch-

ers to private kindergarten. All totaled, an estimated 41,000 of South Carolina’s 4-year-olds have some kind of pre-K education. But about half that number don’t get anything. South Carolina should consider following the model of sister state Georgia, which has reached more than a million 4-year-olds through a voluntary pre-K program the state started in the early 1990s. Last year, some 82,000 students participated at a cost of about $3,500 per student. The total annual cost was just over $300 million. What’s interesting about the Georgia program is how it blends participation by public and private organizations. Some 912 private companies in 1,844 locations provided 2,111 classes that educated 44,732 children in 2011-12. Public school systems provided 1,726 classrooms where 37,283 students received pre-K instruction. Instead of embarking on expensive building programs, South Carolina’s “educracy” could partner with public school districts and private companies to deliver pre-K instruction to the

20,000 kids not being served now. The estimated cost – $70 million to $85 million – ain’t peanuts, but it could be funded through sales tax reform of the billions of exemptions given away for years to special interests. An alternative source of funding? Lottery dollars. The way that the statewide lottery law currently is written, the lion’s share of proceeds go to college scholarships. But there’s a mechanism in current law that could provide scholarships to pre-K students to attend public or private classes. Many South Carolinians who voted for the statewide lottery did so on the incorrect assumption that the millions in new funds would help the primary and secondary education system. But the way it works now, the current system rewards those who get through school with college, but fails to invest on the front end to give all kids a better chance of succeeding. So it kind of makes sense to rethink how lottery proceeds are used. Instead of investing only at the end of the process, why not invest some in the beginning and give kids a better chance to be ready for first grade? Early childhood education makes economic and business sense. More importantly, as one executive said this summer, “it’s the right thing to do” now in South Carolina. Andy Brack, publisher of Statehouse Report, can be reached at brack@statehousereport.com

NOVEMBER 23, 2012 | Upstate business 9

UBJ focus: company spotlight

Adam Anderson, founder of Homefront Security.

Photo by Greg Beckner

Military might ▲

Homefront Security trains veterans for high-tech jobs By April A. Morris | staff

“My vision for Homefront Security is an engine that generates wealth and in turn applies that wealth to solve the social problems facing veterans; and I’m going to start with what I understand best, which is security.”

Adam Anderson, owner of Palmetto Software Group, knows a lot about how to keep a network secure. Since 2010, he’s been researching how to help the American veterans who secured the world and who are now looking for work. Anderson’s veterans’ project began, he says, when he asked himself, “Wouldn’t it be neat if I could train veterans to protect the power grid?” In launching a new nonprofit, Homefront Security, Anderson hopes to connect with veterans interested in working in information technology, to train and support them and to place them in high-tech jobs. “We want to help those guys who protected their country and still want to do that,” he said. Anderson said he had heard about the difficulties many veterans face in finding employment and adjusting to civilian life. After hiring a veteran, Anderson also quickly learned that former members of the military make great employees due to their discipline and reliability, and because they have proven that they can be trained. A guy who once worked as a roofer and is wounded in the service can’t go back to roofing when the tour is over, said Anderson, “but I realized that I could teach him how to drive a keyboard.” Anderson said he wanted to hire all

the veterans he could to work at his own company, but “we couldn’t grow fast enough to have the impact that I wanted.” So now he is partnering with the Wounded Warrior Project, ECPI University and ITology, a nonprofit that works to promote, grow and teach IT. ECPI recently designed a special 28week course where veterans can earn a certificate, said Anderson. He envisions sponsoring 15 to 20 veterans at a time in a cohort-style training model. The group is exclusively for veterans; they all have similar experiences and therefore an instant support structure, he said. In addition, course instructors are also veterans. After they finish the initial training, the students then participate in intensive hands-on exercises, the way many had trained through military war games in the past, he said.

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UBJ focus: company spotlight

The Homefront Security training model will help veterans transition to civilian life, train them in information technology and help them find jobs, all while providing support through mentors and other assistance.

“We will set up a server with each team and they have to protect and defend it from the other team. The first team to breach the defenses wins,” he said. Training veterans is just part of Homefront Security’s mission, Anderson said. As part of the “overwatch” component, the organization will also provide support for veterans in navigating the VA system, applying for GI Bill benefits and more. “I don’t want them slipping through the cracks as they go through the education system,” he said. Anderson is now gathering the cohort interested in the initial course and believes that ITology can find jobs for every one of them. He said many businesses do not want to train IT staff and are very excited at the prospect of a readily trained workforce from Homefront Security. Homefront Security’s “poster child” is Trace Guy, a former Marine and ammunition technician who served in Iraq. Guy said he has always been a techie, but his past jobs were far from cutting-edge. “Overseas, I basically counted bullets,” he said, “so not the most technically oriented field to be in.” Guy had started as a reservist and warehouse worker when he met Anderson. As he worked doing odd jobs for Palmetto Software Group, Guy also helped the tech staff, “just because I

thought it was fun.” Recognizing Guy’s potential, Anderson asked him to make contact when he came home from Iraq. When Guy returned more than a year later, he had forgotten about Anderson’s offer. However, Anderson followed through and Guy went to work for Palmetto Software Group. He’s now a security engineer and certified forensic hacker investigator. “If not for that (offer), I probably would have found another job in a warehouse somewhere,” Guy said. “All the guys I deployed with, most of them were doing contract work in construction and when they came back, there was no market. A lot of them couldn’t find work, ended up re-enlisting for the paycheck and they’re absolutely miserable.” Establishing a charitable foundation, rather than relying on fundraisers, is a goal, said Anderson. He is also investigating a consulting firm where IT-trained veterans could work as “ethical hackers” and other IT pros. “My vision for Homefront Security is an engine that generates wealth and in turn applies that wealth to solve the social problems facing veterans; and I’m going to start with what I understand best, which is security,” he said. For more information, visit www. homefrontsecurity.org. Contact April A. Morris at amorris@communityjournals.com.

NOVEMBER 23, 2012 | Upstate business

UBJ entrepreneur

Jump Start Entrepreneurship is everywhere

FINANCING the flippers ▲

With Lima One Capital, John Warren aims to become the country’s biggest hard-money lender

John Warren, just out of the Marines after two tours in Iraq, went back to doing what he did as a sideline while waiting to get into the service after 9/11. He started flipping homes with his brother in Greenville. The plan was to “do a small fund” to buy distressed houses, perform modest renovations, rent them to stay cash-flow positive until the market rebounds, and then sell them to “get the kicker with the appreciation.” From that modest start, Warren went from flipping houses to financing the flippers. In 2009, he founded Lima One Capital, named for the call letters of his combat Marine company, as a hard-money lender to investors buying properties in foreclosure, fixing them and selling at a profit. Warren first based Lima One in Atlanta, where the action was and is, but moved headquarters to Greenville “because this is my home.” Starting with a $1 million investment, Warren has raised nearly • OCCUPATION: Founder, Lima One Capital • Age: 33 • HOMETOWN: Greenville • FAMILY: Married to Courtney Prehmus • EDUCATION: Wade Hampton High School and Washington and Lee University, B.A. Political Science/History. Warren is enrolled part-time for an MBA at the NYU Stern Business School. • MILITARY SERVICE: United States Marine Corps, 2004-2008 Second Lieutenant, Captain – Two Iraq deployments – His first was as lieutenant in command of 1st Platoon, Lima Company, in Ramadi, “the most dangerous city in the world” and a “graveyard” of Marines. In his second, Warren was assigned to the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit and was promoted to captain. – Awarded Achievement Medal for “heroic achievement.”

12 Upstate business | NOVEMBER 23, 2012

Photo by Greg Beckner

By Dick Hughes | senior business writer

john warren – founder of lima one capital $25 million, built Lima One into Georgia’s largest lender for residential real estate investors and last week opened in Charlotte, where there is a high foreclosure rate. Warren plans to open an office in Alabama early next year. That’s just for starters. “We’ve assembled the infrastructure to become the nation’s fund for real estate investors,” he said in an interview at his East Washington Street office. Warren aspires to be the nation’s biggest lender of “hard money,” a term foreign to him just a couple of years ago. If he can raise the necessary capital, Warren believes Lima One “can expand to a new market every two to three months.” He sees a ripe market. “Twenty-seven percent of all the homes bought across the U.S. now are bought by investors,” he

said. “It is a lot lower here in Greenville. In Atlanta, it is 44 percent.” Warren, 35, didn’t start in hardmoney lending. When he was discharged in 2008 as a Marine captain, he was looking to use skills he perfected in strategic thinking and “building a strong team.” “I just got married. My wife had a solid, steady job, and she supported doing something entrepreneurial. So I didn’t need immediate income.” One day he met with someone for what he “didn’t think would be a worthwhile lunch.” He was wrong. The man loaned Warren $1 million. With that money, Warren flipped nine homes, but soon realized that the market was flooded with people doing the same thing. When Warren started investigating where these flippers were getting their capital, he didn’t like what he found. Most were paying cash, because “banks weren’t lending.” However, some were using hard-money lenders, who, Warren learned, basically provide short-term loans – something like bridge >>

Combat brought out Warren’s ‘core values’

UBJ

loans – at premium rates with collateral. “It was a sleazy business,” he said. “Many of those hard-money lenders were pretty dishonest, weren’t well capitalized, had a lot of hidden fees, had extremely high rates and really didn’t care about the success of their clients.” That’s when it dawned on him that there was business opportunity in a well-capitalized, “open and transparent” lending institution for real estate investors. “We are unique because we are fair and straightforward in our terms and have no junk fees, and that separates us from 99 percent of hard-money lenders,” he said. Before expanding to Charlotte, Lima One had seven employees, including his chief operating officer, John Thompson, who was Lima Company’s gunnery sergeant in Iraq and whom Warren talked into moving from New York to join him. Warren said 95 percent of Lima One’s business is in Atlanta, because that’s where there’s a large concentration of distressed properties and strong demand from first-time homebuyers. He said Lima One has done several loans in Greenville, but the market for foreclosed homes is thin relative to Georgia and elsewhere. In a recent month, Greenville “had a little more than 300 foreclosures. Atlanta had more than 13,000,” Warren said. In Atlanta alone, Lima One increased mortgage volume more than 1,300 percent since 2011, and investors using Lima One as their credit source “generated an average return on investment of more than 125 percent within six months.” “Our clients try to find awful houses in upcoming neighborhoods,” Warren said. “By the time they are done with renovations, they make it the nicest house on the block.” Contact Dick Hughes at dhughes@ communityjournals.com.

Why did you volunteer for the Marines? When 9-11 happened, I really wanted to get into the Marine Corps. There was a logjam of people trying to get in, and I had to wait a year, so I took a fast-track management position with Michelin for a year to wait for a slot to open up. What led you to the military? I grew up in a very patriotic family. Both my grandfathers had fought in the Pacific War. When I was in college, I did an honors thesis on my (paternal) grandfather’s bomber squadron in World War II. My other grandfather was a lieutenant in the Navy. He drove LSTs to take Marines on shore. Where were you stationed? In my first deployment (at Camp Lejeune), I was in charge of 40 Marines, most of whom had gotten back from Fallujah, their deployment prior to my arrival. I was the stereotypical lieutenant showing up: ‘I’m here to lead you guys,’ and all these guys are coming out of Fallujah! I learned a lot. (John Thompson) was our most senior enlisted Marine in our company. He is right next door running operations for us. He is from New York. He is a 22-year retired master sergeant. I begged him to come down and run operations for us, and he actually did it. Then you were given command of 1st Platoon, Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines, and were deployed to Ramadi. What was that like? Ramadi has about 400,000 people, about the size of Greenville, a very urban environment, the Sunni capital of the world. About 1 percent of that population are bad people. [You have to] win over the other 99 percent and gain actionable intelligence where you can weed out the 1 percent. It is a huge risk for them to tell Marines because the insurgents don’t abide by any Geneva

conventions. If they find out they are talking to the Americans, they’re finished. We saw some awful tortures from Al Qaeda to the citizens.

How did you manage? We tried to make deals with the nationalists, saying, ‘We share a lot of the same goals. We both hate Al Qaeda. We want to restore Iraq. We want a strong Iraq. And when that happens, the United States will leave. Instead of fighting each other, let’s go after Al Qaeda.’ That’s what we did, and it worked really well because they had all the intelligence. How bad was the fighting? Our company lost two, our battalion lost 18. Of my company of 40, about one third received purple hearts. I always think about the Marines we lost over there. I am not haunted by it. War is a bad thing, and death is a part of that. I do not suffer from PSTD, and I am proud of everything we did over there, and I am more proud of how the Marines in the company handled combat, handled the counter insurgency. How is it different from what your grandfathers experienced? War today is a lot different than it was when you were fighting a linear war. It is much more intense combat than clearing islands in the Pacific. It is only one speed, all-out. In today’s combat environment, Marines have to hand out water and food supplies and be nice to civilians, and in a moment it can become death combat. Did the experience shape or change you? I don’t think the Marine Corps really shapes you. I think it makes your core values come out stronger. Overall, the Marine Corps was an amazing experience. The ability to have the opportunity to lead men into combat is something I wanted, and it is something that was better than I ever thought it would be.

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UBJ cover story

Shortage of aviation professionals may become critical By Jenny Munro | contributor

South Carolina’s growing aviation cluster has created demand for aviation-related professionals, including pilots and technicians, and the situation is expected to worsen in the future, according to industry experts. “There is a huge shortage foreseen,” said Laura Kaufmann, spokeswoman for the Greenville Downtown Airport. “A lot of this is the aging of the workforce. Another factor is that after 9/11, young people have not been able to get up close and personal with aviation,” so they don’t think of the field when searching for careers. Also, more people are flying than did in the past, said Carl Washburn, department head of aircraft mechanics at Greenville Technical College. “Right now, it’s not too bad, but it’s projected to get critical in the future,” said Joe Frasher, director of the Greenville Downtown Airport.

The seven-state Southeast is home to 708 airports, 1,440 aviation-related companies, 61,330 airplanes, 47 military spaces with aerospace connections, 237,750 aviation-related jobs and an economic impact of $49.1 billion a year, Kaufmann said. Aviation and its related industries experienced 40,000 unfilled jobs in 2008. In 2013, projections show about 26 percent of existing workers will retire – and the numbers will jump from there. Boeing recently predicted the industry will need 460,000 trained pilots and 601,000 maintenance workers by 2013, most to replace those who will be retiring. The Federal Aviation Administration forecast a need for 800 to 1,000 additional air traffic controllers over the next decade, while US Airways and Southwestern have said they will be hiring pilots. Boeing’s South Carolina workforce is relatively young, but the company said that half its Washington state workforce would be eligible for re-

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14 Upstate business | NOVEMBER 23, 2012

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▲

Industry will need 460,000 pilots and 601,000 maintenance workers by 2013

Greenville Tech student Cody Busse works on a turboprop engine in the school’s aircraft maintenance lab at the Donaldson Center.

tirement within five to seven years. Other aviation-related jobs for which demand is growing include engineers, attorneys, specialized physicians, flight instructors, safety inspectors, meteorologists and sky marshals, Frasher said. Boeing, which opened its South Carolina plant in North Charleston last year, now has 6,000 employees on site, 85 percent of them from within the state, said Candy Eslinger, company spokeswoman.

Since the state has not had a rich history in the aviation/aerospace industry, Boeing needed to bring some employees from Washington state when the South Carolina operations began. Washburn said if Boeing’s attrition rate is 10 percent – a normal rate – that means 600 new employees. If only half of those employees need aviation skills, that’s still more than are produced annually in South Carolina schools.

UBJ cover story

>> He

said he expects about 100 people to graduate statewide with the basic airframe and powerplant certification. “There is no way we can train enough technicians in the state,” he said, with the slack being picked up by military veterans and out-ofstate recruitment. Eslinger said Boeing is working with SCReady to train students, with 98 percent of those students from within the state. In addition, USAeroTech Institute has begun operations on the Greenville Downtown Airport facility. The training program, an outgrowth of Bob Jones University, will train students in aviation maintenance technology. Although Boeing’s baseline hiring is completed and the huge hiring ramp-ups are past for the foreseeable future, Eslinger said Boeing continues to hire employees. Boeing is not the only company looking for skilled aviation employees, said Margaret Evans, director of academic support for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Greenville. “There are companies popping up everywhere to feed Boeing. Lockheed-Martin is hiring. Honeywell Aerospace is hiring. GE Aviation is hiring,” she said. Many high-tech industries, such as Greenville-based ADEX Machining Technologies, work with aerospace clients. Among the positions at ADEX are apprentice machinist, CNC machinist, quality control technician, CNC programmer, maintenance engineer and general manager/site leader.

Salaries range from $12 an hour to about $150,000 a year, depending on the job and experience. Those positions can be difficult to fill. While the shortage has been coming for some time, Boeing’s arrival in South Carolina “has made the problem more apparent,” Kaufmann said. But the demand for aviation and aerospace workers is not confined to South Carolina, she said. “The job market is increasing in South Carolina, but it really is jumping in China and Asia,” Evans said, with competition increasing even locally for highly skilled workers. Greenville Tech graduates have found jobs in Germany, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia, among other international locations, Washburn said. “These are very good jobs,” Kaufmann said, adding that machinists can make $22 to $30 an hour. In the Upstate, students with A&P certification can find jobs right out of school for $16 to $17 an hour. Because of the state’s lack of an aviation manufacturing history, Boeing is “putting a lot of focus on education,” Eslinger said. The company wants state students to realize that the opportunity is great and that it can be found in South Carolina. Boeing’s philosophy, she said, is “we’re not here just for a job. We’re here for a career.” South Carolina employees can grow with the company in the state but can also work with Boeing throughout the world. Contact Jenny Munro at jmunro@communityjournals.com.

AVIATION TECHNICIAN OUTLOOK BY REGION 2012-2031

Region Technicians Asia Pacific

243,500

Europe 129,700 North America

92,500

Middle East

53,700

Latin America

47,300

CIS 18,100 Africa 16,200 TOTAL 601,000 As projected by Boeing

Greenville Tech instructor James Crocker gives students some information about the Pratt and Whitney turboprop engine they are working on at the school’s aircraft maintenance lab at the Donaldson Center.

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UBJ

Graham, Hipp, Sofield honored by Leadership SC By Jenny Munro | contributor Three Upstate leaders are being recognized for improving the lives of others during Leadership South Carolina’s Legacy of Leaders event. The Dick and Tunky Riley Legacy of Leaders, being held for the third year, will honor Hayne Hipp, founder of Liberty Fellows; Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; and Deb Sofield, a communication coach. The event, to be held Nov. 26 at 11:30 a.m. at Embassy Suites in Greenville, will honor the three for their contributions to South Carolina, the Southern region, the nation and the world. Hipp, a graduate of Leadership South Carolina, will receive the Leader of Distinction Award. Sofield, also a Leadership graduate, will receive the Alumnus of the Year Award. Sen. Graham will receive the Walking the Path of Leadership Award. Hipp is a private investor and former chief executive of the Liberty Corp., an insurance and broadcasting company. He is a trustee of the Aspen Institute and The Belle W. Baruch Foundation. A graduate of Washington and

Sen. Lindsey Graham

Lee University and the Wharton Graduate School of Business, he completed additional studies at Harvard University. Sofield has been awarded the Order of the Palmetto and named Communicator of the Year by the Association for Women in Communications. She also has received the Strom Thurmond Excellence in Public Service award and an ATHENA award by the Greenville Chamber. She is a visiting professor at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and is on the faculty at the Women’s Campaign School at Yale Univer-

Hayne Hipp

Deb Sofield

sity, Loyola University, University of South Carolina, Strom Thurmond Institute and Furman University’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. She is chairman of the Commission of Public Works in Greenville. Graham, serving his second term as South Carolina’s senior senator, was elected in 2002 and re-elected in 2008. He is the largest vote-getter in the state’s history, with more than one million votes. He also served in the U.S. Air Force as an attorney. He joined the South Carolina Air National Guard and served as a Staff Judge Advocate. He serves in the U.S. Air Force

Reserves as a colonel assigned to the Air Force JAG School. Leadership South Carolina is the state’s oldest and most-recognized leadership development organization. More than 1,400 leaders have graduated from the program. Contact Jenny Munro at jmunro@communityjournals.com.

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UBJ

Rendering Provided

Apartments, retail proposed for Church Street corner Wal-Mart no longer considering site across from NEXT By Cindy Landrum | staff

Goodbye, Wal-Mart. Hello, Beach. Charleston-based The Beach Company, the company that developed the Isle of Palms and Kiawah Island, wants to build a major mixed-use development that includes apartments and retail space at Church Street and University Ridge in Greenville. Wal-Mart had wanted to build a store there, but let its option on the land across from the NEXT Innovation Center expire earlier this summer after opposition from Alta Vista neighborhood residents. Residents of Alta Vista – about 1,000 households between Cleveland Park and Augusta Road bordered by Faris Road and Church Street – have said they opposed Wal-Mart due to concerns about increased traffic and the threat to the character of the neighborhood rather than opposition to the chain itself. The Beach Co. development would include 375 apartments ranging from studios to three-bedroom units, a four-story parking garage, an amphitheater and a small pocket park fronting Church Street. The development would also include 16,000 square feet of retail space along University Ridge, ac-

cording to plans scheduled to be reviewed by the city’s Planning Commission on Dec. 13. Mayor Knox White said the plans appear to be consistent with the city’s Haynie-Sirrine master plan. “The Haynie-Sirrine master plan didn’t call for a big box,” he said. The Beach Co. has been looking in the downtown Greenville market for months, White said. The site is close to downtown and the Greenville Hospital System campus on Grove Avenue, making the residential part of the development attractive to students at the new medical school, the mayor said. The company would like to start construction by next fall. Haynie-Sirrine residents have said they want more local shopping, particularly a grocery store. Many Haynie-Sirrine residents must rely upon public transportation to shop for groceries. White said the project shows the city’s decision to pour money into a Church Street streetscape project was wise. “We knew early on that the Church Street project would attract new investment,” he said. “It’s been less than a year since the project has been completed and we’re already seeing results.” J.C. Long founded The Beach Co. in 1945. He purchased and began to develop the Isle of Palms into low-cost housing for returning veterans of World War II. The privately owned company has developments

in the Charleston area, Myrtle Beach, Savannah, Ga., and Columbia. This would be the company’s first project in the Upstate. The Isle of Palms slowly turned into a renowned residential community and vacation destination. In 1988, the company bought all of the undeveloped land and resort

amenities on Kiawah Island, a barrier island near Charleston. It was the largest real estate transaction in the state’s history, according to the company’s website. The company also developed Seaside Farms in Mount Pleasant. Contact Cindy Landrum at clandrum@communityjournals.com.

NOVEMBER 23, 2012 | Upstate business

UBJ professional: who’s who

FLOURISHING on her own

Tell us about your business, Flourish. I had worked with affluent consumers, so that was a logical place to start. I started my business three and a half years ago, during the depths of the recession, so I wasn’t sure how that would play, but I was pleasantly surprised. A lot of these companies that target affluent consumers were budgetstrapped, but they couldn’t lie still. They still needed to bring more awareness. They needed someone who knew the business and had relationships to get out there and make things happen. Fortunately, we were very successful from the get-go. What services does your company provide? Clients may come for public relations, but about half the time, I give them strategic counsel. It’s customized every time: Some need branding, some need marketing, strategic events, networking, influence building, media planning, media buying. It runs the gamut. We just figure out what’s missing, what offers the biggest value for their budget, and put together a plan.

jamie prince, founder of flourish integrated communications

After working with Martha Stewart and The Cliffs, Jamie Prince thrives with Flourish Integrated Communications

18 Upstate business | NOVEMBER 23, 2012

What was your role with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia? I came to her company as more of an executive assistant for four corporate executives, including Martha. They figured out I was a strong writer and a great project manager, so that morphed into my job as special projects manager. I worked with the board of directors, held quarterly conference calls with Wall Street and wrote Martha’s speeches for her. I had my hand in a lot of different projects.

How did that experience influence you when you started your own business? I wanted to have a culture that understood that people have real lives. Back then (2001-2003), there was no concept of flex time, but that company accepted and embraced that. That’s how you retain great talent, since people have different needs at different times of life. Martha was ahead of her time in understanding that, and I run my business that way. People have kids and lives – I have three small children, and I want to be a great mom, and sometimes I cut out at 3:30 to go to ballet class or take someone to soccer. That’s part of why I started this business.

Jamie Prince with her colleague, Katie Jordan

Photos Provided

Jamie Prince had a fulfilling career working directly with Martha Stewart at her billion-dollar empire, and then as director of marketing for The Cliffs Communities. But as her life By Leigh Savage | contributor changed, her goals changed as well, and Prince set out to make her own mark by opening Flourish Integrated Communications in 2009. Less than four years later, she has gone from a workforce of one to employing three full-time and two parttime employees. She also has a new division – Flourish Events – launching in January. We spoke with Prince about balancing her growing business and her growing family.

When did you discover you wanted to work in communications? After graduating from the Honors College at the University of South Carolina, I had a scholarship to go to law school. I spent one semester in law school in New York and I gave the scholarship back. My parents thought I was crazy, but I knew it wasn’t my path. I went back to basics, and realized I love to write, I love to read, I love to be around creative people. I got a job in publishing in New York, worked my way up, and eventually landed my dream job working with Martha Stewart.

What did you learn from working with such a high-profile person? Does the reality mesh with the public persona? She gets a bad rap, and I will say I have a lot of war stories. She is very demanding. But she also believes a lot in her people. She built this billion-dollar publicly traded company from a catering company, so there’s something to be said for that. She knew how to put together a great team and keep those people stimulated and thriving. Her expectations sometimes seem impossibly high, but she holds her own standards that high as well. She would stay up all night washing her brand of towels, making sure the quality holds up. She’s that quintessential entrepreneurial perfectionist.

UBJ quarterlies Carolina Alliance Bank of Spartanburg reported net income of $1.1 million for the first nine months of 2012, an increase of 45.5 percent over $784,000 in the same period a year ago. The 2012 net translates into 46 cents a share compared to 31 cents a year ago. Total assets declined to $247.1 million as of Sept. 30 from $247.3 million. Gross deposits also declined, to $206.6 million from $209.8 million. Gross loans grew 5.9 percent to $173 million. The bank’s portfolio of nonperforming loans rose to $2.9 million, 1.2 percent of total assets, and nonaccrual loans rose to $2.2 million, 1.3 percent of gross loans. The percentages are considerably lower than state and national averages. The increase in troubled loans reflects a continuing “challenging economic environment, in particular on the cash flows available to some businesses to service debt,” Carolina Alliance said.

Independence Seeks $15 million Independence Bancshares of Greenville reported a net loss of

How do you find balance between work and family, and does owning your own business make that easier? It’s crazy sometimes, but it’s also a lot of fun. Our daughter Reese just turned five, and we have twins, Jack and Emmy, who are 18 months. There are weeks I think I’ve got it, and other weeks, I think, ‘I am not in control of this situation.’ You just have to take a step back and roll with the punches. But I can say that I am much happier having a professional life. We have people we trust taking care of the kids, so I have peace of mind. Sometimes the kids are in the office running around, but it seems to be working. What’s next for Flourish? We’re getting ready to start a new division in January, Flourish

$172,913 for the third quarter compared to a profit of $39,525 in the same period a year ago. For the nine months of 2012, the bank’s position is an improvement over the prior year. The bank narrowed its nine-month losses to $47,939 from $1.4 million in the same nine-month period last year. The bank had net income of $39,525 in the second quarter of this year. Independence said the Office of Comptroller of the Currency, its federal regulator, accepted a revised plan to increase capital, which it is under a consent order to do. The bank said it has approval to raise $15 million through a private placement of offering of common stock. “If we are successful in this offering, we anticipate that we would modify our existing business plan to enhance our ability to generate additional interest and noninterest income through serving as a processing and servicing bank for mobile payments,” the bank said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Independence said the increased loss in the third quarter was primarily caused by a decrease in interest-earning assets, an increase in foreclosed real estate and higher professional fees.

Events. Katie Jordan is going to head it up. She worked with me at the Cliffs as director of events. It’s going to focus on signature corporate events, including nonprofit events, business luncheons, soirees, cocktail functions, sales and marketing functions. We’ve been doing events, but now this will be a fully staffed division, handling it from concept to execution. What is some valuable advice you have received? When I went from a steady paycheck at the Cliffs to going out on my own, I had some uncertainty and was anxious about that. My husband, David, said, “Focus on the service you provide, and the financials will work themselves out.” He was right. Contact Leigh Savage at lsavage@communityjournals.com.

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Carolina Alliance net rises

UBJ digital maven

Staying in command of your social media Every business loves those energetic up-and-comers who happily volunteer for additional duties, like handling social media, producing a monthly newsletter or blogging. Most likely, it’s someone who is young, likes to tweet, has a Facebook page and speaks the lingo. You may have happily given your approval. After all, it didn’t require more staff or more money. But remember who owns the company. Having someone perform these tasks is great, but your business needs to treat social media as you would any other marketing effort. Even though it is casual, mobile and seemingly transitory, it still demands the same oversight and control. Here are a couple of considerations.

nesses. So your company’s Facebook page has to start with an individual creating it. Although that person is taking over the social media role for you, you are still the owner of your company. So make sure that you a) have a personal Facebook page and b) are an admin on your company page. If your employee leaves the company and there are no other admins

Control: The bedrock of Facebook is people, not busi-

Illustration courtesy of Social Media in Business

on the page, the page will I have seen some very be deleted – and along buttoned-up businesses with it, all the content send out newsletters that and, more significantly, look like my neighbor’s the connections you’ve middle-schooler put them created. While you can together in art class. You recreate the content, redon’t have to hire a deBy Laura Haight building the relationsigner to do this work for ships is time-consuming you, but a clean color scheme, clear and much more difficult. logo, and good typography (14-point Unlike Facebook, Twitter lime green words DO draw attention, accounts can be company but not the right kind!) are the best based, but make sure you bet for non-designers. Stick with the have the login and passbasics and let your content do the word. talking. If you use these or other comContent: You would munications methods, make sure not let a mid-level, fairly new, that you have the account informaline staffer go out and place a tion. Campaigns can be set up to full-page ad in the newspaper automatically send out material about your company without on a schedule. If your go-to person significant review, discussion, leaves the company, you may have and a pretty thorough apautomated campaigns you aren’t even proval process. But you may aware of set to go out. And without – and many businesses the account information, you may have – allowed employees be in for hours of time on the phone to send information about trying to regain control of your own your company and its values out to accounts. the world via social media without any oversight at all. Social media is part of a communication strategy, and while it should be more casual, more authentic and less stilted and polished than other marketing elements, you still need to be aware of and in control of what you are saying. Inc. Magazine recently listed the Worst Tweets of 2012 – a litany of poorly crafted, insensitive and extremely public blunders by large companies who by and large didn’t know what was going out. Read the list (it’s good for a laugh and a lesson) at http://goo.gl/IxKCM.

20 Upstate business | NOVEMBER 23, 2012

Image: All public-facing communications need to reflect your image, your message and your values. If you are a design company, you want your newsletter to look high-end; if you’re a law firm, you are probably going for solid and dependable. Tools like MailChimp and Constant Contact make it relatively easy to create direct mail campaigns to your customer base or subscriber list. But they don’t have design police or editors.

Final tip: Be a liker of your business’s Facebook page, a follower of your Twitter account and make sure your personal email is included in your email subscriber list and, if you use segments or groups, that you are in each one. That way you will always know what your connections are seeing.

Speaking of social media, take a minute to like the DM’s Facebook page and to comment on this column, offer suggestions for topics, and respond to our question of the week. I really want to know what you think and want to start including your comments in future columns. This week’s question: What is the biggest tech time waster in your office? Your comments will help in developing future column ideas. Laura Haight is the managing partner of Portfolio (www.portfoliosc.com), a communications company based in Greenville. She is a former IT executive, journalist and newspaper editor. We want your comments, ideas and suggestions, too. So connect with us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ thedigitalmaven.

UBJ guest column

Education – fuel for the economic engine Over the coming months, I will communicate information and resources that convey the importance of education as fuel for the economic engine of Greater Greenville. First, let us look at relevant statistics. The Greenville Chamber of Commerce commissioned a 2012 Regional Economic Scorecard that shows per-capita income for the Greenville MSA is $33,917 while the U.S. average is $39,937. Translated, this indicates an aggregate personal income gap of $1.59 billion – money that could be spent locally. Imagine the positive impact to Greater Greenville of $1.59 billion dollars worth of additional annual personal income and buying power. The 2011 unemployment and income information from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics highlights the correlation between these key economic measures and education. The impact of increasing education is resoundingly positive. Analyzing the 2011 nationwide unemployment rate of 7.6 percent highlights the substantial disparity between the 14.1 percent rate for individuals who have less than a high school diploma versus the 2.4 percent rate for those with a professional degree. Likewise, the inequality between weekly income of $451 for individuals with less than a high school diploma and $1,665 for those with a professional degree is dramatic. In addition to these comparisons, it is important to understand the stepwise reduction in unemployment rate and increase in personal income at each level of improved education: high school diploma, some college, associate degree, bachelor’s degree, professional degree and doctoral degree. These statistics validate the importance of education in fueling

economic growth and personal/ regional prosperity. The data also strongly supports the reality that increasing education levels serve as the high-octane fuel that drives improved employment, personal income and economic growth. It’s important to note some of the increasing higher education options available to the citizens of Greater Greenville. Greenville is one of the largest cities in the Southeast without its own public university. To address the higher education gap resulting from that absence and to help our community maintain a competitive edge educationally, the University Center of Greenville was chartered and endorsed by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education in 1987. Today, UCG brings higher education degrees from many of South Carolina’s top universities. Students choose from more

than 75 undergraduate, masters, and doctoral programs from Anderson University, Clemson University, Furman University, Greenville Technical College, South Carolina State University, the University of South Carolina and the University of South Carolina Upstate. We are honored to have such long and mutually beneficial relationships with our member academic institutions. Currently, Clemson University’s academic programming is experiencing double-digit growth at the Center and USC Upstate is in the process of significant expansion to serve the Greenville community. In addition, we are energized about our newest partner, Anderson University, which will introduce the Anderson University MBA program in January 2013. The Anderson University MBA program is a nationally accredited MBA program uniquely focused

By David A. Taylor

on practical business application. This favorably priced MBA program may be completed in 20 months; classes will be offered both in the evenings and online. On behalf of our participating member academic institutions, the mission of the University Center of Greenville is to advance access and attainment of higher education degrees for the benefit of the citizens and economic community of Greater Greenville. Those benefits are necessary, substantial and profitable. David A. Taylor is CEO and president of the University Center of Greenville. He joined the University Center in May of 2011 after a 25-year career in the high technology industry leading global finance and supply-chain organizations at Fortune 500 corporations, including NCR, AT&T and Teradata. He has a B.S. degree in finance from the University of Tennessee, has completed the Advanced Management College Program at Stanford University, and will complete his MBA at Anderson University in mid-2013. Additionally, he serves on the Greenville Chamber of Commerce Board of Governors and the Chamber’s Education Committee.

NOVEMBER 23, 2012 | Upstate business

PLANNER

Monday November

GCS Roundtable: What Recruiters Want The Office Center at the Point, 33 Market Point Drive, Greenville; 8:30-9:30 a.m. Speaker: Gary Tompkins of the Kidder Group Call Golden Career Strategies at 864-5270425 to request an invitation. Tuesday November

UBJ social

Breakfast Series: South Carolina Economic Outlook A Preview 201 River Place, Suite 300, Greenville, 7:30-8:30 a.m. – Presented through teleconference, $15 in advance; $25 at the door. www.mooreschool.sc.edu/events. Wednesday November

ATHENA Leadership Symposium (Breakfast) Pointsett Club, 807 E Washington St., Greenville; 8:30-10 a.m. Cost: $25, includes breakfast. Speakers: Sharon Decker, CEO of the Tapestry Group LLC, and Minor Shaw, president of Micco Corp. Contact Nika White, 864-239-3727 or nwhite@greenvillechamber.org

SC OSHA Training: Hazard Communication Standard Changes Greenville Chamber of Commerce, 24 Cleveland St., Greenville; 10 a.m.-noon. Free program. Open to workplace managers of Health & Safety programs. Speaker: Van Henson, Training & Education Supervisor, Office of OSHA Voluntary Programs, SC Dept. of LLR. Contact Hank Hyatt at 864-239-3714 or www.greenvillechamber.org.

Members of the Greater Mauldin Chamber of Commerce Women’s Networking Group recently got together at Moonstruck in Mauldin.

Women Mean Business, For Professional and Entrepreneurial Women High Cotton, 550 South Main Street, Greenville; 5:30-7:30 p.m. Cost: $15 Chamber members, $25 future Chamber members. David Rich of Rich Ideas. will discuss “Turn A One Time Connection Into a Life-Long Relationship.” Contact Elizabeth Garrison of Ever-Green Recycling at 864-230-9800. Thursday November

Business Networking The Commerce Club, 55 Beattie Place, Greenville; 6-7 p.m. $16 guest fee. Call the Commerce Club at 864-558-8180.

Dining with Authors benefitting Ready 4 Reading McAlister Square, 225 S. Pleasantburg Dr., Greenville; 7-10 p.m. $40 for one person, $75 for a couple. Register at www.ready4reading.org, 864-250-8868, or office@ready4reading.org. Friday November

International Center of the Upstate, 2nd Annual Winter Glühwein Party (German Holiday Party) Riverwood Farm Clubhouse, 74 Reddington, Greer; 6:30-10 p.m. $20 for members, $25 for non-members. Monday December

CEO Best Practice Forum NEXT Innovation Center, noon-1:30 p.m. Invitation-only for NEXT member CEOs. Contact Brenda Laakso at blaakso@nextupstatesc.org.

Submit your event: events@upstatebusinessjournal.com

Attendees of SCBIO’s “What’s Next?” annual conference spend some time networking between sessions at the Hyatt Regency in Greenville. (Photos courtesy of Bomar Marketing Solutions.)

UBJ social 1

THE MARCHANT COMPANY EXEC. BREAKFAST: 1) Anne Marchant with attorney Carl Muller and Judge William Wilkins; 2) Rich Maurer, Jack Bacot and Seabrook Marchant; 3) Seabrook Marchant with Mick Mixon; 4) Brian Marchant with Wayne Moore; 5) Don Harrison and Nick Theodore; 6) Tara Hayes, Nellie Wagoner and Tom Marchant; 7) Wallace Lightsey and Anne Marchant; 8) Jim Bourey (Elliott Davis) with Chuck Werner; 9) Attorney Carol Muller and Tom Marchant; 10) Tara Hayes and Nick Theodore; & 11) Tom Marchant with Mary Beth Culbertson.

R E A D I T. K N OW I T. G R OW I T.

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UBJ worth repeating

26%

Percentage of existing aviation workers expected to retire in 2013, with the number projected to rise from there.

$1.59 billion

The “personal income gap” that separates the Greenville MSA from the national average.

660

Houses and condos sold in Greenville in October, up 35 percent from last year.

16 million

Seniors who have taken advantage of a Denny’s discount meal promotion since its launch in 2010.

“One day you have a very positive feeling about economic growth going forward and the next day you wake up thinking, ‘I was a little over-optimistic yesterday.’” Brad Halter, president of Caldwell Banker Caine Realtors, on the uncertain economic landscape.

“The ability to have the opportunity to lead men into combat is something I wanted, and it is something that was better than I ever thought it would be.” John Warren, founder of Lima One Capital, on his experience as a Marine captain in Iraq.

“My husband, David, said, ‘Focus on the service you provide, and the financials will work themselves out.’ He was right.” Jamie Prince, founder of Flourish Integrated Communications

The Upstate’s ONLY special event bartending and stafﬁng company.

L I Q U I D - C AT E R I N G . C O M · 8 6 4 . 2 4 8 . 4 8 5 0 24 Upstate business | NOVEMBER 23, 2012

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C O R P O R AT E E V E N T S WEDDINGS P R I VAT E PA R T I E S FUNDRAISERS TA S T I N G PA R T I E S

UBJ on the move

hired

promoted

Alison Mann

Mollie Williams

Chris Arthurs

Recently named director of marketing at the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics (GSSM) Foundation. Prior to this position, Mann worked with the GSSM Foundation on eMarketing in her position at TheRackesGroup.

Recently promoted to account manager at Full Circle Public Relations. As an account manager, Williams continues to provide client support, manage strategic public relations initiatives and foster client relationships for multiple brands in the consumer and architecture and design industries.

Recently promoted to senior accountant, assurance and advisory services, at Scott and Company LLC. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the South Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants (SCACPA).

CONSTRUCTION

• O’Neal Inc., a Greenville-based integrated design and construction firm, has placed 13th on the list of South Carolina’s Fastest-Growing Companies for 2012. South Carolina’s Fastest-Growing Companies is the annual ranking of the state’s 25 most dynamic and successful companies. The list is presented by The Capital Corporation and co-sponsored by Integrated Media Publishing (publisher of Greenville Business Magazine and Columbia Business Monthly).

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

• Recently, Terese Calhoun, Melinda Davis-Lux, Renn Mills, Brad Schneider, LaTokia Trigg, Dana Wood, Melissa Carlson, and Olivia Vassey completed the 2012 South Carolina Economic Development Institute. The Institute is a partnership between the South Carolina Department of Commerce and the South Carolina Economic Developers’ Association. The program emphasizes essential elements necessary to be competitive in today’s global economy and educates supporters of economic development on emerging trends in community and economic development.

GOVERNMENT

• Greenville Mayor Knox White recently appointed James McAden to a two-year term on the Community

Development Advisory Committee.

LEGAL

• Gallivan, White & Boyd P.A. recently announced that Arthur L. Howson Jr. has been selected by his peers to receive the 2012 Tommy Thomason Award, which is given annually by the Greenville County Bar Association. The award is given to an attorney who displays the qualities of compassion, optimism, diplomacy, public service, justice and integrity throughout his or her legal career.

MEDICAL

• Doctors Express Urgent Care Center of Cherrydale recently named Sharon Richardson as office manager. She has more than 15 years’ experience in emergency room care, internal medicine, cardiology and private practice consulting.

NONPROFITS

• The Southeastern Council of Foundations (SECF) Board recently elected Mary L. Thomas, executive vice president of The Spartanburg County Foundation, to serve a second term. The Southeastern Council of Foundations is a membership association of more than 330 grantmakers, working together to strengthen, promote and increase philanthropy in 11 Southeastern states. • Upstate Forever, a nonprofit, membership-based organization promot-

honored

honored Joel Collins

Northeast regional sales manager for T & S Brass, a leader in providing innovative equipment solutions since 1947; recently accepted an Editors’ Choice Award for the company’s B-3200 series hotel shower package at the recent International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show in New York City.

ing sensible growth and land protection of special places in the Upstate, recently announced that Van Whitehead has joined its staff as deputy director. Whitehead was formerly the director of land conservation for the Pee Dee Land Trust.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

• Full Circle Public Relations recently hired Heather Miller as account manager, Carolyn Nicoletti as associate account executive and Hannah Swank as account coordinator. Miller brings more than seven years of agency and client-side experience, and manages client activities in the outdoor and fishing industries. Nicoletti comes with agency experience from Greenville-area firms, including Jeff Dezen PR and Smoak Public Relations, where she also served as a freelance graphic designer. Swank is a recent graduate of Clemson University and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and sociology. • TK PR recently hired Laura Morton. She has previously played an integral role in the public relations efforts with clients such as Kraft Foods, Arby’s, Dole Food Company, Milliken and Hubble Lighting.

Founding partner of Collins & Lacy, P.C. was recently awarded the 2012 Primerus Community Service Award as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award by the International Society of Primerus Law Firms – based on participation in community service events, dedication to pro bono services, and involvement with charitable and civic organizations.

REAL ESTATE

• The Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Upstate South Carolina recently awarded the 2012 Business of Integrity Award to Prudential C. Dan Joyner Co. The Business of Integrity Awards honor outstanding businesses committed to ethical business practices that help uphold a fair marketplace. • Prudential C. Dan Joyner Co. recently announced that Karen Taylor has been promoted to marketing assistance manager and will assume responsibility for PCDJ third-party marketing assistance referrals. Also, Lisa Rourk has joined the Corporate Services Division as International Client Services Manager. Rourk has personal experience as an agent and broker in Charleston. Prior to accepting her current position, she was an agent at the Pelham Road office.

RESTAURANTS

• Devereaux’s made the top 100 list for American Fare Restaurants for 2012. This award reflects the combined opinions of more than 5 million reviews submitted by verified OpenTable diners for more than 15,000 restaurants in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

movers and shakers If you have new hires, promotions, award-winners, or any stand-out employees that you would like to feature in On The Move... just send us the information & a photo.

onthemove@upstatebusinessjournal.com NOVEMBER 23, 2012 | Upstate business 25

UBJ snapshot Historic photographs from the Coxe Collection courtesy of the Greenville Historical Society. Curent photos by Greg Beckner/Staff.

Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (Left) An assortment of Eastern Airlines aircraft sit on the Tarmac of GreenvilleSpartanburg International Airport with the classic “hockey stick” paint scheme adopted by Eastern in the mid-1960’s. (Above) The terminal, runway, taxi way, control tower and parking areas of GSP Airport under construction in 1962. The project broke ground in July of 1961 and opened on October 15, 1962. (Above, right) Passengers wait for their flight next to the garden and fountain area. (Right) Now, the fountain and garden area next to the terminal of GSP form a barrier between the public and the runway. (Below and bottom, left) The present-day control tower of Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport Roger Milliken Field and the control tower under construction in 1962.

Upstate

Business J OURNAL

HOW TO REACH US 148 River Street., Suite 120 Greenville, SC 29601, 864.679.1200 Copyright @2012 BY COMMUNITY JOURNALS LLC. All rights reserved. Upstate Business Journal (Vol. 1, No. 3) is published weekly by Community Journals LLC. 148 River Street, Suite 120, Greenville, South Carolina, 29601. Upstate Business Journal is a free publication. Annual subscriptions (52 issues) can be purchased for $65. Visit www.UpstateBusinessJournal.com. Postmaster: Send address changes to Upstate Business, 148 River St., Ste 120, Greenville, SC 29601. Printed in the USA.

26 Upstate business | NOVEMBER 23, 2012

PRESIDENT/Publisher Mark B. Johnston mjohnston@communityjournals.com Senior Vice President Alan P. Martin amartin@communityjournals.com UBJ Associate Publisher Ryan L. Johnston rjohnston@communityjournals.com eXECUTIVE Editor Susan Clary Simmons ssimmons@communityjournals.com Assistant editor Jerry Salley jsalley@communityjournals.com

Marketing Representatives Lori Burney | Mary Beth Culbertson Kristi Jennings | Donna Johnston Pam Putman

MarketinG Katherine Elrod Marketing & EVENTS Kate Banner Billing Shannon Rochester PrODUCTION Holly Hardin

staff writers Cindy Landrum | April A. Morris Charles Sowell

Client Services ManagerS Anita Harley | Jane Rogers

SENIOR BUSINESS writer Dick Hughes

ADVERTISING DESIGN Michael Allen | Caroline Reinhardt

contributing writerS Jenny Munro | Jennifer Oladipo Jeanne Putnam | Leigh Savage

BUSINESS STORY IDEAS ideas@upstatebusinessjournal.com

EDITORIAL INTERN Shelby Livingston Design LEAD Kristy M. Adair photographer Greg Beckner photo EDITOR Gerry Pate

NOTICE OF BUSINESS/SOCIAL EVENTS events@upstatebusinessjournal.com IDEAS, FEEDBACK, OPINIONS opinions@upstatebusinessjournal.com

UBJ the fine print Printer adds another printer emedia, the Greenville printer that moved to larger quarters and added new digital equipment in August, has acquired Upstate Print Connection of Greer, its fourth acquisition in eight years. “This acquisition triples our large-format firepower and enables us to offer even more to customers in terms of capability and scale,” the company said. This summer, emedia moved its operations from West McBee Avenue in downtown Greenville to a 57,000-square-foot plant on Worley Road. The company said it had invested $2.25 million for the new building and new printing equipment. Jim Coker, who had owned UPC, said he would be joining emedia owners Bill Bishop and Joel Hogg in the combined company. The three of them have worked together for 15 years, emedia said. emedia said “all UPC employees were brought on board, and they are a definite part of what makes this transition so smooth.” It is the fourth acquisition in edmedia’s eight years of existence, Hogg said. It previously acquired two printers in 2004, Provence Printing and DynaGraphics, and in 2004 it bought Carolina Graphic Arts in 2010.

Bargain shoppers? They’re here Greenville is fifth in the nation with shoppers hunting for holiday bargains, according to a data-driven index by MaxPoint Interactive. Erie, Penn., tops the list followed by Leesburg, Va.; Rochester, N.Y.; and Athens, Ohio. To identify the top 10 “cost-conscious cities in the U.S.,” MaxPoint analyzed offline and online data points, which comprised point-of-sale data and consumption of social media, videos, music, local Web pages and online magazines. MaxPoint said the typical bargain shopper has children, owns a home, makes between $40,000 and $60,000 a year and has a college education. MaxPoint said retailers can “reach these ‘savers’ with targeted digital campaigns promoting coupons, discounts and other bargains.”

FAA accredits flight school The Federal Aviation Administration has certified Airwolf Aviation Services, a flight school at Greenville and Spartanburg downtown airports. “The accreditation recognizes the excellence

AMECO, which provides fleet services, tools and other equipment to construction and industrial industries, has been in existence for 65 years. It has locations throughout North and South America, South Africa and now East Africa.

of Airwolf’s training program and the quality of graduates they produce,” said Adam Lockamy, assistant chief flight instructor. The school was accredited after “five years of success in aviation education, including a 93 percent pass rate, which is well above the national average,” said Michele Rash, director of operations and founder of the school.

Supplier honors ScanSource Ruckus Wireless, a leader in wireless equipment and systems, has been named Greenville’s ScanSource as distributor of the year. Ruckus recognized ScanSource for excellence in sales and support of Ruckus products sold through ScanSource’s telecom, communications, point of sale and barcoding and security units. Scott Benbenek, president of worldwide operations for ScanSource, said the recognition is “testament to the hard work and dedication of our team members.”

Seniors like discount dinners Denny’s said its discount meal promotion for AARP members broke a record with 16 million members taking advantage of the discount since it was launched in 2010. Denny’s said the demographic of persons 50 or over “accounts for more than 45 percent” of the restaurant chain’s guests. Denny’s offers AARP members who show their cards 20 percent off their entire check between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. and a cup of coffee for members and guests for a buck at any time, any day. The Spartanburg restaurant chain was the first rest au rateu r to take part in the AARP promotion.

Fluor goes to Mozambique Fluor Corp.’s AMECO unit, which is based in Greenville, has acquired a Mozambique construction equipment rental and services company “to increase our presence in Africa.” Gary Bernardez, president of AMECO, said acquisition of ServiTrade allows the company to “expand in the market and position early in this high-growth region” of sub-Sahara and eastern Africa.

Chamber recognizes Cook’s Station Cook’s Station is the Greenville Chamber’s small business of the month for November. It’s a true “ma-and-pa” shop. In 1997, Kelly Ballentine Colacioppo founded the business as an offshoot of her father’s restaurant supply business, Ballentine Equipment. Her husband, John, left the commercial construction business in 2007 to join in running it. Located on South Main Street in the West End, Cook’s Station sells more than 16 major appliance lines, including high-end brands such as Wolf. They stock kitchenware of all kinds, conduct cooking classes and wine tastings, and host private events. Cook’s Station has two locations: the original store and a second store half a block away.

NOVEMBER 23, 2012 | Upstate business

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