May 8, 2015 UBJ

MAY 8, 2015 | VOL. 4 ISSUE 19

Welcome to the REAL WORLD

Apprenticeships are booming in S.C., and the nation is taking notice as the Upstate prepares to become the next skills hub - Page 14 Ron Lowery, former Greenville Technical College student and apprentice with General Electric, practices his welding technique at the school’s Brashier Campus in Simpsonville. Lowery occasionally visits his alma mater to have his work evaluated by his former professor Kelvin Byrd, the department head of the welding program.

upstatebusinessjournal.com

NEWS

| EVENTS | 3

Greenville Grok serves as model for creative communities ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

aboncimino@communityjournals.com An estimated 200 entrepreneurs, creatives and programmers buzzed in and out of Greenville Grok last week during the three-day downtown event.

Other cities now want to emulate the conference’s unique format, according to organizers—but it’s a hard act to follow.

“A lot of people try to replicate things like this,” said Gene Crawford, president of UnmatchedStyle, the event’s organizer. Crawford, whose Columbia-based firm is also behind design conference ConvergeSE, said the group did a pilot conference similar to Grok during a symposium in Jacksonville, Fla., but didn’t know if it would catch on like it has in Greenville.

“It’s cooler here, he said. “I don’t know how you walk into another city and do this.”

This year is UnmatchedStyle’s first year organizing the event, which includes five keynote speakers instead of last year’s two, but still hinges upon the success of its signature discussion groups, 10/20s.

The mediated discussions are based on participant-submitted topics and last for either 10 or 20 minutes, with the goal of encouraging open, honest conversation about anything from industry trends and issues to work-life balance.

help him connect with other local entrepreneurs, potential partners and even possible investors.

Wilson—whose business ProAlert won first place in November’s 54-hour Startup Weekend contest—has only been in the entrepreneurial industry for six months after 16 years as a firefighter.

Events such as Grok are crucial for making connections, he said.

Greenville Grok attendees broke into smaller groups to discuss Speakers for the participant-submitted topics. weekend included Web Photo Provided design firm nGen Works “You give yourself permission to talk honestly consultant Carl Smith, design firm Draplin Design about what you care about,” said Grok participant Co.’s Aaron Draplin, Ladies in Tech founder and and Charleston Iron Yard campus director Sally front-end consultant Jenn Lukas, and Charleston Kingston. Compared to previous years, she said Southern University associate sociology professor discussions had been more intimate despite the fact Paul Roof. many participants had never met before.

This year’s event also included maker show-and“I like that it draws people from other places,” she tell sessions, which highlighted creators and designsaid. “It’s an opportunity talk about interesting things ers from craft coffee to screen-printing. The sessions with interesting people.” also gave participants psychological breaks from the First-year Grok participant and Greenville entreoften-intense discussion sessions, said Crawford. preneur Jay Wilson Jr. said the conference would

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4 | THE RUNDOWN |

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05.08.2015

Marie Majarais Smith is one to watch Spiro Institute builds better businesspeople Hotel plans unveiled for Greenville News site

12 16 19

TOP-OF-MIND AND IN THE MIX THIS WEEK

UBJ

VOLUME 4, ISSUE 19 Featured this issue:

MONEY SHOT: Electronic musician Moldover performs at last week’s Greenville Grok, a conference gathering an estimated 200 entrepreneurs, creatives and programmers. Read more on page 3. Photo provided.

WORTH REPEATING “If you want to be a word-of-mouth marketing company or a tribe of vagabond baristas, you can. If you are willing to change your words and take action.” Page 9 “Nonprofits are often run by people with big hearts who might not have the business sense to be sustainable.” Page 12 “We want to do as much as we can so they leave this incubator, maybe get a spot at NEXT, and then the next thing you know, they are leasing somewhere from Bob Hughes at $27 a square foot.” Page 16

TBA

VERBATIM

On free trade Look for Performance Evolution, a new health club and gym, to open the beginning of June at 576 Woodruff Road in Greenville.

“Roger Milliken is turning in his grave.”

Clyde Prestowitz, president of think tank Economic Strategy Institute, on Milliken & Co.’s recent support of free-trade measures (in contrast to founder Milliken’s protectionist views), as quoted this week in the Wall Street Journal. Read the article at bit.ly/wsj-milliken.

UP FRONT | 5

upstatebusinessjournal.com

Now is the time

UBJ’s new staff writer looks forward to sharing the Upstate’s stories

By ROBBIE WARD | Staff rward@communityjournals.com I traveled a long distance and fell into many adventures on my way here.

My route to Greenville didn’t follow a straight line, but life usually doesn’t. I started in Mississippi, traveled to Russia, wandered up to Pennsylvania’s snow and ice and even enjoyed some tropical fruit in Colombia before passing through Birmingham and Atlanta on my route to the Upstate.

As a journalist, I look for answers and transparency.

Since I started this week as a staff writer at the Upstate Business Journal, I’ll share a few truths about my life and approach to journalism.

First, I come from a family of storytellers in the Mississippi Delta. I graduated from high school in one of those other 30-something Greenvilles, the one in the Magnolia State. I had no idea so many Greenvilles existed until recent months and didn’t know Greenville, S.C., existed until May 2014, when a contact at the Community Development Foundation in Tupelo, Miss., invited me to join him and other economic development and public officials for a field trip here.

I covered local government for a regional newspaper in northeast Mississippi and looked forward to learning about Greenville, S.C., a place held in high esteem by many business and government leaders, including the Tupelo folks who visited the area about six years earlier. My graduate studies in public policy, particularly local government planning, helped me appreciate what has earned the Upstate major accolades and recognition for many years now.

Communities throughout the country send representatives to Greenville to learn about the dynamic, vibrant life here, with intentions of bringing armfuls of innovative ideas back home. This place has risen to top spots on many lists—places to visit, awesome downtowns, where to get a job and places for young professionals to live and work, just to name a few.

After filing a couple of stories to meet deadline, I called my wife with a revelation. “We need to move here!” I told her as I walked along Main Street.

Greenville and the Upstate appear headed for more business and community growth, but now is also a time of tremendous importance as business, government and community leaders help determine the scope and degree of new wealth in the region.

Decisions made now will have lasting implications for the region’s future.

For a journalist who loves to tell stories through data, public records, enterprise and old-school reporting, this place has a wealth of not-yet-told stories and plenty of familiar ones with new chapters waiting to be told. I look forward to getting to know people who are longtime fixtures and new residents like myself.

Each day as we go to work and spend time with family and friends, the Upstate’s larger story advances.

It’s an honor for me to help tell these many stories.

I will do my part to develop relationships that involve integrity, honesty, trust and accuracy.

Journalism remains an industry in flux with innovations and transitions to embrace new mediums. Even with changes, key principles and traits remain essential for good reporting.

Feel free to share those parts of the story you know and think I should know too.

Learn more about Ward at linkedin.com/in/ robbieward. He tweets at @r0bbie_ward.

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6 | ECONOMY |

UBJ

NEWS

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05.08.2015

SC Leading Index predicts growth ROBBIE WARD | STAFF

rward@communityjournals.com South Carolina’s economy appears headed for more growth for the next three to six months, according to the most recent data from the South Carolina Leading Index.

March data released by the research division at the South Carolina Department of Commerce shows the March index value at 101.89, a 0.03 percent increase compared to a month earlier.

“At least for the next six months or so, it looks positive,” said David Clayton, director of research at the state department.

The Conference Board’s national Leading Economic Index, the model for the South Carolina version, showed a 0.2 percent gain in March.

The monthly South Carolina index includes data from unemployment insurance initial claims, residential building permits, residential building permit valuations, average hours worked in the manufacturing sector and the Dow

Jones composite average. Each month compares to state data for January 2000 and intends to forecast economic behavior for three to six months.

South Carolina has experienced a general upward trend of positive economic growth since December 2011—40 consecutive months.

Clayton said favorable indicators for March include a slight increase in the average manufacturing workweek to 41.8 hours and a 9.1 percent decline in initial claims for unemployment insurance. Other significant factors include a 6.2 percent decline in residential building permits to 2,222 and a slight dip in the stock market.

Other key state indicators: • State personal income increased to $181.6 billion in the fourth quarter 2014, according to U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

• South Carolina Stock Index lost 1.64 points in March, closing at 110.41 on the month’s last trading day.

• Nonfarm employment increased by

AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS (MARCH 2015) South Carolina

$21.78

Charleston MSA

$23.05

Greenville MSA

$21.67

Columbia MSA

$22.89

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

15,500 non-seasonally adjusted jobs in March compared to a month prior.

• Labor force increased in March by 7,536 to 2,245,987, seasonally adjusted.

• Unemployment rate increased by 0.1 percent in March to 6.7 percent, seasonally adjusted.

• Available online job postings declined by 3,500 positions in March to a seasonally-adjusted 66,800 job postings.

• Single-family home sales price increased by $5,000 to $165,000 in March.

• Residential building permits decreased by 157 to 2,379 in March compared to a month earlier.

We changed everything about it.

So it can change everything around it.

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upstatebusinessjournal.com

NEWS

| ECONOMY | 7

Quarterly Reports

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE (MARCH 2015)

Kemet Corp—Q4, FY Greenville-based electronic components supplier Kemet Corp. saw net sales decrease 10.2 percent year over year to $193.7 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2015. Losses in net income for the quarter fell from $14.5 million in losses to $19.8 million in losses, or a 36.5 percent decrease year over year, according to the company’s U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) analysis listed in U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

South Carolina

6.7%

Greenville MSA

5.5%

Columbia MSA

5.7%

Charleston MSA

5.4%

Myrtle Beach MSA

7.5%

Scansource—Q3 2015

Spartanburg MSA

6.2%

Specialty technology distributor ScanSource’s earnings fell $4 million or 23.7 percent to $12.9 million for the third quarter ended March 31, 2015, compared to the same quarter last year, according to company filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Net sales increased 11.7 percent to $763.2 million for the quarter year over year, and the company expects net sales for the fourth fiscal quarter to fall between $800 million and $850 million.

Florence MSA

7.2%

The company announced its $60 million acquisition of Brazilian firm Network1 in January and acquired European equipment and service distributor Imago in September.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (MSA data not seasonally adjusted)

For fiscal 2015, Kemet saw net sales drop $10.5 million or 1.3 percent year over year to $823.2 million, and net income rose from $68.5 million in losses to $14.1 million in losses, or 79.4 percent for the same period.

“We entered this fiscal year focused on improving adjusted operation income and cash flow, and we are pleased that our adjusted operating income improved over $30.5 million compared to our prior fiscal year even with some currency headwinds in the last two quarters,” said Kemet CEO Per Loof in a statement. “As we adjust to the reality of a strong U.S. dollar we believe we have positioned our cost structure to allow us to continue a trend of improving our adjusted operating income for our next fiscal year as well.”

“We had a busy quarter and completed several key strategic initiatives,” said ScanSource CEO Mike Baur in a statement. “Our successful acquisitions of Network1 and Imago contributed to the strong sales growth in our Worldwide Communications and Services segment.”

ScanSource distributes specialty technology products in North America, Latin America and Europe and ranks 751 out of Fortune’s 1000 largest companies incorporated to do business in the U.S.

World Acceptance Corp.—Q4, FY Greenville-based small-loan consumer finance company World Acceptance Corp. saw net income jump 24.5 percent year over year to $48.5 million for the fourth quarter ended March 31. The 1,320-office company finished fiscal 2015 with 4 percent increases in net income compared with fiscal 2014.

“Fiscal 2015 was a very challenging year in many respects, but I feel really good about the progress that we made during the year,” said World Acceptance CEO Sandy McLean during the April earnings call. “Our biggest challenge remains our ability to attract new customers into our branches, but we continue to refine the new initiatives that we have been discussing in the last quarters.”

The company continues to operate under a civil investigative demand from the federal ombudsman of the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau concerning possible violations of consumer protection laws, said McLean. The investigation may continue for several more quarters, he said.

Span-America—Q2 Greenville-based medical product manufacturer Span-America Medical Systems announced net sales increases of 2 percent to $15 million and net income decreases of 13 percent to $773,000 for the second fiscal quarter ended March 28, 2015, compared with the same quarter last year.

The boost in sales was carried by product line sales increases of 21 percent in M.C. Healthcare, 11 percent in consumer bedding and 11 percent in industrial bedding.

Sales volume gains were partially offset by lower sales in pressure management products during the second quarter, in addition to higher material and labor costs and increases in research and development spending year over year, said Span-America President and CEO Jim Ferguson in a statement.

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“We expect our sales and earnings for the second half of fiscal 2015 to exceed those in the first half of this year,” he said. “Quoting activity remains solid in our medical segment, and we expect to grow consumer bedding sales to the large retail customer that we regained in November 2014.”

Span-America manufactures and markets several pressure-management brands for the medical market, as well as custom foam and packaging products to the consumer and industrial markets.

8 | INNOVATE |

UBJ

MOVERS, SHAKERS AND DISRUP TORS SHAPING OUR FUTURE

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05.08.2015

Up and to the right This spring, it seems that every key metric in the angel investment market is trending upwards

managing director, Upstate Carolina Angel Network

Every spring for the last 10 years, a unique migration has taken place that brings together a highly diverse and widely dispersed species of creatures known as angel investors.

These colorful individuals, who invest their personal capital—both financial and intellectual—into risky startup ventures, congregate at the annual Angel Capital Association (ACA) Summit to share best practices, analyze current trends, learn from experts, and wrestle with public policy issues.

Three weeks ago, more than 600 investors from across the country and around the world descended upon San Diego for this year’s Summit, and other than the warm Southern California sun for winter-weary migrants, the primary theme of the week was “up and to the right.”

From the number and dollar amount of investments to the frequency of co-investments and pre-money valuations, it seems that every key metric in the angel investment market is trending upwards. Based on ACA angel group surveys, academic research and the HALO Report compiled by the Angel Resource Institute, here are several key stats that underscore the upward trajectory: • The median size of angel groups is now 50 members, up from 32 five years ago.

• Median angel round size in 2014 increased to $800,000 from $600,000 just last year.

• Median pre-money valuations are up to $3 million from $2.5 million last year. »» We’ll plan to tackle the topic of valuations in an upcoming column, but it’s important to note that valuations vary significantly by region based on supply and demand.

A N EW

SCOT TISH I NVASION is H E RE. Official beer of

THE GREENVILLE SCOTTISH GAMES

F E ARLESSLY B REWE D BY

MEDIAN AND MEAN ROUND SIZES—ANGELS ONLY 2014 Sees Both Mean & Median Angel Round Size Increase Significantly $2.0 $1.64

MILLIONS USD

By MATT DUNBAR,

$1.5 $1.00

$1.0 $0.56

$0.5

$0.73

$0.83 $0.8

$0.5

$0.5

2011

2012

$0.6

$0.3

$0.0

2010

Median Round Size

2013

2014

Mean Round Size

Sources: Angel Resource Institute, Halo Report, PitchBook

• Co-investments among angel groups in different regions is up 33 percent per year over the last 3 years.

Angel investing is clearly on the rise nationally and internationally, and the asset class has certainly matured and become more sophisticated during— and partly because of—the last decade of ACA Summits.

Of course, like any other, the asset class is not without its challenges. The debate is growing on whether or not we are in a bubble for early-stage capital— although it appears most of the questionable exuberance is taking place in the later stage pre-IPO companies. Risks of regulatory changes by the SEC are also top of mind for investors, while the rise of online platforms and how they impact the market is another key area for observation and debate.

Nonetheless, the maturation of the angel market and the increasing understanding that comes from sharing best practices is leading to great opportunities for those individuals (angels) who want to diversify their portfolios, gain firsthand access to interesting entrepreneurs and startups, lend their expertise, have fun and help fuel the job creation engine.

Here in South Carolina, the national trends largely hold true. In the last 12 months, the South Carolina Angel Network has helped foster the formation of a new angel fund and six new angel groups (with more in the works), which collectively represents more than 200 investors. The Palmetto Angel Fund, which co-invests with the

active angel groups, raised $1.7 million of committed capital and has made its first seven investments. Together these groups can now fund substantially larger angel rounds for promising companies, which helps make the process more efficient for entrepreneurs and allows them to get back to work on building the business rather than raising money.

As a case in point, several SCAN member groups in Asheville, Columbia, Greenville and Spartanburg— along with the Palmetto Angel Fund—led and closed on their first syndicated investment last week in ActivEd, a Greenville-based educational technology company founded

by Furman professor Julian Reed.

Those investors are benefitting from another factor working in favor of angels in South Carolina: the SC Angel Investor Tax Credit, which was approved in June 2013. In 2014, nearly $3 million in credits were approved (representing $8.5 million in investments), up from only $800,000 in 2013—another sign that angel investing is on the rise here in the Palmetto State.

In short, across the country and here at home, angel investing is a phenomenon that’s moving up and to the right.

There’s never been a better time for accredited individuals to consider becoming an angel investor to support companies with their capital and expertise. If you think you might like to earn your angel wings, please get in touch at scangelnetwork.com, and we’ll be happy to tell you more.

upstatebusinessjournal.com

STRATEGIES FOR HONING YOUR PROFESSIONAL SKILLS

| PROFESSIONAL | 9

Change or die

All changes—even the unpleasant ones—can lead to something better

By ROBBIN PHILLIPS, courageous president, Brains on Fire

What if we could live our lives with a sureness that things often fall apart in order to make way for something even more remarkable?

In 2004, Mike Goot, my business partner of many, many years, looked me in the eye and said, “If this next election goes a certain way, Karen and I are leaving the country.” Mike and Karen were not happy with our country’s leadership, to put it mildly.

“Yeah, yeah. Sure. Right,” I said.

I’ll never forget the call after the election when he told me he was serious and planning to take three months away (a sabbatical—who takes a sabbatical from marketing?) to explore his options. They were going to find another country to call home for a while. As we talked, I remember my hands—one of which was holding the phone—began to shake. I literally had to hold the phone with both hands. We had weathered plenty of change in our business adventures before. Good change and bad change.

But we’d always done it together. I knew from experience that all change can eventually lead to something better. But that night, after that call, I lay on the bed and wept.

Sobbed.

It was the end of an era.

And I was white-knuckle scared.

Then something amazing happened.

Over the next few days and weeks, even while I was sad and grieving the fact that Mike and Karen were going to leave and move to another country to start a new life, I also felt something inside of my soul come alive.

One of Mike’s famous lines was rolling around in my heart and head: “Change or die.” I was now standing face-to-face with that set of words and realized I/we/Brains on Fire wanted to LIVE. I not only embraced change, I became a cheerleader for change.

I started driving to work a different way each day to break myself from doing anything that smelled of routine.

Together and inspired by my two remaining partners—Greg Cordell and

Greg Ramsey—we started talking about ALL the work we’d ever done over our careers. We started talking about what we loved, what we hated, what we admired.

And most of all, what we’d love to do more of.

We loved naming and branding.

Helping organizations find their soul, their voice.

Our decision to change wasn’t a long, drawn-out decision. It was a quick, painless one. Sometimes when you’re staring at a major change, you’re forced to act VERY quickly.

I see FORCED ACTION as one of the many gifts change brings. Basically in one short, quiet conversation, we went from being a local marketing agency to being a national naming and branding company—in our hearts, where it matters most.

We started studying successful companies who were doing remarkable branding and naming work. And most importantly, we changed our own vocabulary. We were fueled with a desire to help others by doing something we absolutely loved. After many years of doing business in a certain way, we were a startup again.

It felt amazing. And it worked.

We started getting not just regional work, but national work. We entered competitions alongside national naming and branding firms. And we got noticed. Together, we have become cheerleaders and champions for change.

In 2010, I had a chance again to embrace change or die. I lost someone very close and dear to my family in a fast, startling, almost profound way.

I found myself white-knuckle scared with change on a very personal level This particular change hit hard.

I lost 30 pounds, I got pneumonia.

It took months and months, but I at some point, I heard Mike’s words rise up in my heart yet again: Change or DIE. And I realized I wanted to LIVE. So I got healthier. I got stronger. I took up yoga and meditation. I found a new personal purpose. I moved to a house half the size of my old one. I embraced change and challenged my comfort zone. Every single day.

And I can tell you with complete certainly that sometimes things really DO fall apart, in order for something even more remarkable to happen.

Over my incredible career, I have seen people lose jobs they love, businesses they started, homes they cared for, and even loved ones. I’ve seen massive changes in the way business is done and how we communicate. I’ve seen some people struggle to keep up.

I’ve seen others snub their noses and ignore change until it swallows them.

None of us can see the future.

But we can choose to stay awake and alive to the gifts that change brings us.

And I’ve seen others thrive.

I believe you can make a choice to Change, DIE — or LIVE. You can become a cheerleader of change.

You can rewrite your story and change your vocabulary.

If you want to leave your safe job to be a photographer, get a business card that says “photographer” on it. If you lose your job and have always wanted to write for a living, start writing.

Introduce yourself as a writer. If you want to teach, call yourself a teacher.

You can change your words, and that will change your actions, and you can make something remarkable happen.

If you want to be a word-of-mouth marketing company or a tribe of vagabond baristas, you can. If you are willing to change your words and take action.

I don’t know what unexpected change is in front of you or me or any of us. None of us can see the future.

But we can choose to stay awake and alive to the gifts that change brings us.

I am happy to say: Mike and Karen, after a nine-year adventure in Mexico, are now back in the States living and loving out loud in Colorado. And most of all, looking forward to what is next.

We are too.

SC.EDU

carolina leadership national distinction MORE NATIONALLY RANKED PROGRAMS THAN ANY OTHER SCHOOL IN SOUTH CAROLINA U.S. News ranks 47 of our programs, including our No. 1 ranked international business program. And that number doesn’t include USC programs lauded by other sources, like the nation’s best public honors college. We’re proud to be South Carolina’s flagship university. At the University of South Carolina, our excellence has No Limits.

10 | THE TAKEAWAY |

NOTES FROM THE BEST TALKS YOU MISSED

UBJ

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05.08.2015

‘Find your own waterfall’ The challenges in revitalizing Greenville’s downtown have a lot to teach businesspeople about overcoming their own setbacks Close to 150 Greenville Chamber members packed into the Embassy Suites on April 24 to hear Greenville Mayor Knox White and Complete Public Relations President John Boyanoski talk about their book, “Reimagining Greenville: Building the Best Downtown in America,” as the backdrop for a discussion on overcoming challenges. The book chronicles the triumphs of downtown Greenville, with specific attention to the many challenges the revitalization faced and how city officials tackled them. While the book takes an overarching look at downtown’s history, it mainly focuses on the eight years encompassing the first two terms of White’s tenure as mayor, when Boyanoski worked as a City Hall and business reporter for the Greenville News and later Greenville Journal.

How does the story of downtown Greenville relate to the business world? Consider these leadership takeaways.

EVENT: The Greenville Chamber’s Friday Forum Series, Embassy Suites Golf Resort and Conference Center WHO WAS THERE: Almost 150 community and business leaders SPEAKERS: Greenville Mayor Knox White and Complete Public Relations President John Boyanoski THEME: Reimagining Greenville

DON’T SETTLE White noted the numerous times Greenville leaders were faced with a choice that would change Greenville for the better, but not the best. One of them was the potential restoration of the Poinsett Hotel in the mid1990s. The city was offered a deal where the hotel would reopen as a motel on two floors and the rest would become office space. White said the offer was tempting because it would keep the hotel from being boarded up, but in the end it wasn’t the optimal reuse for the property.

White said it was key to the future of downtown to wait for the developer, Steve Greenville Mayor Knox White (second from left) and John Boyanoski (center) shared insights Dopp, who would eventually restore and from their book, “Reimagining Greenville,” with Greenville Chamber members. revitalize the hotel to its original grandeur.

Greenville leaders saw that the hotel needed Photos provided to be more than just a building. It became a to go there. After outcry from neighbors and other FIND YOUR WATERFALL sign that they were committed to making Main Street businesses, the city backed off the nightclub, but was “Find your own waterfall” sounds like something great by embracing its past. left with a vacant building. However, two years later, out of a bad self-help book, but there is a reason why ALWAYS FOLLOW THE PLAN the site became the home of Mast General Store. it was a fulcrum of the speech. Greenville’s downtown Hang around Boyanoski and White long enough, obviously has a waterfall, but for two generations THE WORST MOMENTS CAN LEAD and they will mention the LDR (land development most local people didn’t know it existed because it TO GREATER SUCCESS regulations) plan that really shaped the future of was hidden beneath a four-lane bridge. And the ones Many people thought Greenville was doomed downtown. This plan, which was first commissioned who knew about it often didn’t see the value. One when the Atlanta Braves AA affiliate announced it in the 1970s and updated in the 1990s, served as the City Council member even suggested blowing up the was leaving town. White painted a crestfallen picture blueprint for downtown today. However, the key to falls in order to save the driving bridge. as he trudged back to his office after the announcethe plan’s success was following it. Many cities (and It took a while, but people realized the waterfall ment the team was leaving, but there was a silver businesses) will create plans, but go for cheap fixes is what made Greenville unique. Boyanoski gave an lining. His phone was ringing and it was the general that don’t follow the plan. example of many other communities that come up manager of another team begging White not to An example White shared was One Main Place. with tag lines of “friendly people, great parks, great make a decision on the future of baseball that day.

This was a city-owned building in the heart of schools” as their selling point without realizing that That showed that Greenville could be a great downtown that was underused for almost two almost every community can say that to some extent. “baseball town,” and led to what is now Fluor Field decades. The city promised it would be used for The key is to find your waterfall. coming downtown. retail, but the opportunity arose for a large nightclub

12 | WHO’S WHO: ONES TO WATCH |

WHAT YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT PEOPLE YOU NEED TO KNOW

Director, Family Bridges program, Pendleton Place

Marie Majarais Smith, director of the Family Bridges Program at Pendleton Place.

POINTS OF INTEREST:

LEIGH SAVAGE | CONTRIBUTOR Marie Majarais Smith has packed a lot into her 36 years: growing up in Canada, planning a career in medicine, earning an MBA and eventually moving to Mexico—her fifth country of residence— to work in management at Formex Automotive Industries. While she excelled in management, two young children and a divorce brought her back to Greenville, where she had lived as a teenager, and prompted her to switch to nonprofit work.

Smith recently left her job at the S.C. Immigrant Victim Network to take her post directing the Family Bridges Program for Pendleton Place. While the job and single motherhood leave little room in her schedule, she finds time to work with the Chamber and other organizations to promote diversity. The bilingual daughter of immigrants from the Philippines, her motivation is creating a better Greenville for the next generation.

“What kind of environment do I want to raise my children in? Not closed-minded or intolerant,” she said. “My children have been a huge motivator in my level of involvement in this community.”

What are your main goals with the Family Bridges program?

Pendleton Place has gone from emergency shelter services to offering four community programs.

Family Bridges serves families impacted by violence

Photo by Greg Beckner

AGE: 36

FAMILY: Daughter Isabella, 8; son Evan, 7

05.08.2015

How have you been involved in promoting diversity in Greenville?

I was the chair of the Capacity committee at Pulse with the Chamber, and I’ve been on the inclusion task force and the international task force with Greenville Forward. When I first moved here in 1994 at age 16, I was not impressed. I came from Toronto, where ethnic diversity was the norm. Suddenly, I was the only person at my high school who wasn’t black or white, and I had never been exposed to racism before.

Moving back to Greenville eight years ago, I was surprised [by the increased diversity]. I want to be part of that growth.

“It’s running a business, only you aren’t bringing in a profit, you’re changing lives. That’s your return on investment, the results you get at the end of the day—the people, not the dollars.”

FIRST JOB: Suncoast at Haywood Mall during high school

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often run by people with big hearts who might not have the business sense to be sustainable. I bring that to the table. I have a global vision of how things are and the focus on finance and budgeting. You have staffing, HR, finance issues. It’s running a business, only you aren’t bringing in a profit, you’re changing lives. That’s your return on investment, the results you get at the end of the day—the people, not the dollars.

Marie Majarais Smith

EDUCATION: B.S., biology and chemistry, College of Charleston; MBA, The Citadel

UBJ

BEST ADVICE: From her grandmother: “You teach people the way you want to be treated.”

HOBBIES: A black belt in karate; teaches karate and kickboxing classes at Frazee Dream Center BOOK JUST FINISHED: “The Dia Chronicles,” a historical fantasy series by local author Tammy Farrell. Smith was an early reader of the manuscript.

GREW UP: In Toronto and abuse, and allows children to maintain relationships with parents in different circumstances. We offer supervised visitation, safe custody exchange, parenting classes, support groups and other services.

How did you end up working in the nonprofit field?

I didn’t know I wanted to work with nonprofits.

I had two babies, my marriage was falling apart, and when it came to going back to work, I knew I couldn’t go back to my former lifestyle—working 80 hours a week, traveling 95 percent of the time. That wasn’t conducive to single motherhood. But once I got into nonprofits, I knew it was the right thing—where I was supposed to be.

Does your business background give you a unique perspective at nonprofits?

I love that I can pull in my analytical business side and my philanthropic passions, and make it into a career that I’ve formed for myself. Nonprofits are

Was there a time you were sure you would fail?

When you come from a place of failure—a failed marriage—you totally lack confidence moving forward. I questioned myself—how am I going to do this? I was sure I would fail. But my parents encouraged me to keep moving forward. They had come to Canada from the Philippines and didn’t know about careers, retirement, college funds. They said I was going to make it, and looking back now, I can see that not only did we do it, we thrived. That’s a huge accomplishment.

Has there been a game-changing moment in your career?

I spoke at TEDx Greenville in 2014 and it ended up being the best experience. It was life changing. I spoke on putting humanity back in human rights.

It wasn’t one of the lighthearted ones, but I hope it was impactful. That experience made me realize that the work I was doing was impactful and that my reach could be greater.

What are your plans for the next five to 10 years?

I have some things in the works, but we’re still in the conversation stage. The needs of the community come down to education, mental health, crime prevention and poverty, and I feel a lot of people fall through the cracks. A thriving economy and community starts with your most basic asset—people.

I have a vision to align nonprofits, and merge my business side with social enterprise—how do we get people work skills and make sure they don’t fall through the cracks? I don’t see myself leaving nonprofits, but I do see myself taking it a step further. Or two.

ONES TO WATCH: The judges could only choose a handful of winners from the more than 130 nominees for Who’s Who in 2015. In the next 12 months, UBJ will introduce you to a dozen more whose work is worth keeping an eye on.

1

Want to Improve Your Business? Hire a Veteran!

THE UPSTATE WANTS TO HIRE VETERANS, BUT IT REQUIRES MORE THAN CHANGING UNIFORMS! By Smart Work | Network, Inc.

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14 | COVER

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Apprenticeships help build

UPSTATE

‘SKILLS HUB’

Programs give real-world experience to tomorrow’s workers

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05.08.2015

“In our trade, it’s hard to go out and find skilled labor that we need because we’re so specialized,” he said. “We can get young workers and train them to be what we need.”

The company has 12 apprentices total at the Easley and Duncan operations. Two years out of high school, employees who complete youth and adult apprenticeships can earn about $43,000 annually.

NATIONWIDE ATTENTION United Tool and Mold may not have the household-name status of companies like Michelin, BMW and other larger corporate players in the Upstate.

However, the company’s apprenticeship programs have received an impressive amount of national media attention from news organizations including Bloomberg News, The New York Times, PBS NewsHour, CNN and National Public Radio.

Thanks to Apprenticeship Carolina, a South Carolina Technical College System program launched in 2007, the number of companies with registered apprenticeship programs has skyrocketed. When the program started, South Carolina had about 90 participating companies, a tiny fraction of the 728 with apprenticeships registered in the Palmetto State as of early April.

State and federally registered apprenticeship programs have three parts: on-the-job training, job-specific education and a plan to increase workers’ wages as they progress through their apprenticeships.

South Carolina companies receive tax credits of $1,000 per employee apprentice, renewable for up to four years while the apprenticeship continues.

Companies can register apprenticeships among 1,061 different occupations, ranging from an accordion maker to an X-ray equipment tester. The fields with the most apprenticeships in the Upstate include pharmacy technician, maintenance technician, machine operator, electromechanical technician, computer numerically controlled machine operator, machinist and electrician.

Nearly a quarter of the state’s companies with apprenticeship programs operate in the Upstate region of Abbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Photos by Greg Beckner

ROBBIE WARD | STAFF

rward@communityjournals.com Blue Ridge High School senior Travis Tate wakes most mornings at 5:30, early enough to arrive at United Tool and Mold, where he participates in a nationally recognized model for high-skill employee recruitment and development.

The Taylors resident operates industrial equipment while other students slap snooze buttons on their alarm clocks. He continues working most days after his fellow students have left school to return home.

Like his father and older brother before him, Tate, 17, plans a career in the high-skilled labor field and started early as part of the youth apprenticeship

program at the Upstate industrial supplier support company.

“Here you see what activity happens in the real world,” he said recently, taking a break inside United Tool and Mold’s Duncan facility. “This is the industry I’d like to be in.”

A few high-tech computerized machines away on the shop floor, Rickey Hooper, 46, facility manager for the Duncan location, explained the value of young apprentices nearly 30 years his junior learning the trade.

He learned in a similar way as a high school senior in 1986.

Former Greenville Technical College student and apprentice with General Electric, Ron Lowery, left, talks with welding program department head Kelvin Byrd. Lowery occasionally visits his alma mater to have his work evaluated by his former professor; Above, left: United Tool and Mold apprentice Travis Tate watches as he moves a CNC machine into place in the company’s shop.

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upstatebusinessjournal.com Greenwood, Laurens, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg and Union counties. Apprenticeship Carolina data shows 2,095 people who have completed or currently enrolled in apprenticeship programs. Statewide, the number climbs to 11,890.

‘A DEMAND AND SUPPLY THAT MAKES IT WORK’ Nicholas Wyman, CEO of the New York-based Institute for Workplace Skills and Innovation, has traveled internationally to learn about the success of apprenticeships throughout the world. His book, “Job U,” published in January by Random House, examines the intersection between unfilled jobs, people looking for work and the need for more highskilled job training. His research for the book took him to the Upstate.

Wyman considers South Carolina, particularly the Upstate region, a national model for apprenticeships, thanks to collaborative partnerships among economic development, government, industry, kindergarten through high school and technical college leadership.

11,890 number of active or complete apprenticeships statewide

ACTIVE OR COMPLETED APPRENTICESHIPS Statewide 11,890 10-county Upstate region

2,095

Abbeville 30 Anderson 323 Cherokee 46 Greenville 1,119 Greenwood 57

EXPERIENCE FIRST Cynthia Eason, vice president for corporate and economic development at Greenville Tech, said partnerships throughout the region help individuals acquire more attractive job skills, help employers attract and retain higher-skilled workers, and generally increase the wealth and overall quality of life in the region.

“No matter the job, you want employees to have experience before they’re turned loose doing it,” Eason said. “This is a great way to do that.”

United Tool and Mold apprentice Travis Tate, left, uses a micrometer to check the hole size of his work while his mentor, Zach Hooper, looks on.

Laurens 18 Oconee 115 Pickens 137 Spartanburg 237 Union 13

COMPANIES WITH REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM Statewide 731 10-county Upstate region

174

Abbeville 5 Anderson 21 Cherokee 8 Greenville 54 Greenwood 9 Laurens 6

“People outside of the United States regard South Carolina as one of the leading states related to apprenticeships and what could be accomplished,” he told UBJ. “You’ve got a demand and a supply that makes it work.”

Apprenticeship Carolina works with each company to create an apprenticeship program with educational curriculum catered to specific needs. Carla Whitlock, Apprenticeship Carolina consultant for the Upstate, said the organization within the state technical college system completes paperwork on behalf of companies interested in starting apprenticeship programs. This removes worries for companies concerned about mounting red tape or spending lots of time completing related documents.

“That’s one of the things that makes Apprenticeship Carolina so successful,” Whitlock said. “We take away the burden of paperwork from the company.”

ship programs associated with Greenville Technical College but not registered with the state.

Spartanburg native Ron Lowery, 38, served in the Marine Corps and then worked as a maintenance mechanic before starting a co-op with GE in January 2014. He took wielding and fabricating classes at Greenville Tech while also working at industrial employer during the week.

Oconee 10 Pickens 20 Spartanburg 37 Union 4 Source: Apprenticeship Carolina, Department of Labor

UPSTATE OCCUPATIONS WITH MOST APPRENTICESHIPS 1. Pharmacy technician 2. Maintenance technician 3. Machine operator 4. Electromechanical technician 5. Computer numerically controlled (CNC) machine operator She anticipates more job apprenticeships in the region in information technology and health care fields based on job-sector growth.

State and federal data exists for registered apprenticeships; however, many more job training and workforce development programs exist to train new and current employees. For instance, at General Electric’s gas turbine manufacturing facility in Greenville, the company has co-op and apprentice-

Five months later, Lowery has a full-time job at GE. Appreciating the time with seasoned employees as he learned his trade, the welder said the company has earned his loyalty; however, the co-op ending didn’t stop his learning.

“Every day I still ask plenty of questions and try to learn what I can,” he said. “I feel like the sky is the limit.”

Another veteran, Malcolm Fuller, 32, who served in Iraq during his time in the Navy, expects to complete a machine tool technologies apprenticeship at GE in this month. He said he feels grateful for the opportunity to simultaneously learn and work for the company.

“They really encourage you to go further with your education,” he said.

SKILLS HUB OF THE FUTURE As the state and Upstate continue to find distinction for developing employees from within, Wyman— the apprenticeship researcher, advocate and author—believes the effort will help attract more high-skilled jobs and employers.

“I think in five to 10 years we’re going to see this part of South Carolina known as the skills hub when other areas aren’t prepared for these skills changes,” said Wyman, who has a MBA from Harvard Business School.

Back at United Tool and Mold, production administration manager Jeromy Arnett said he and other leaders at the company approach apprenticeships as critical to bridging current success to the future.

“We have to get that tacit or tribal knowledge passed from one generation to the next,” he said.

“You do that by pairing the older workers with the younger ones.”

Travis Tate, one of the company’s apprentices, said he looks forward to a career with the company.

“They’re giving me the opportunity I wouldn’t have if they weren’t here,” he said. “I highly appreciate and respect that.”

16 | INSIDE: SPIRO INSTITUTE |

A DAY (OR MORE) IN THE LIFE OF AN UPSTATE COMPANY

UBJ

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05.08.2015

Building better businesspeople Spiro Institute helps entrepreneurs turn big ideas into big profits

This page, clockwise: Matthew Klein, interim director of the Arthur M. Spiro Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership, standing, talks with students at Clemson’s MBA campus in downtown Greenville; Klein talks with Drew Felty with Package InSite in the ONE Business Incubator at Clemson’s MBA campus; Signage for the Spiro Institute.

LEIGH SAVAGE | CONTRIBUTOR

The Arthur M. Spiro Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership was founded at Clemson University 20 years ago to promote entrepreneurial activity and economic development. The world has changed dramatically in the ensuing decades, and the Spiro Institute has changed right along with it, adapting to the needs of budding entrepreneurs and creating programs its leaders say don’t just create ideas, but create wealth.

“My goal is that students graduate with revenue,” said Matthew Klein, interim director. “We want to do as much as we can to get them to that stage.”

The group launched the Greenville ONE Incubator in 2014, located in Clemson’s sprawling offices >>

upstatebusinessjournal.com

>> overlooking Main Street. “We call it the extra year,” Klein said. “Once you graduate with an MBA in entrepreneurship, we give students the ability to stay an extra year to help launch their business.”

It’s just one way the Spiro Institute is tackling the three missions set forth by textile leader and entrepreneur Arthur Spiro: entrepreneurial education, research in the entrepreneurial field, and outreach to the community.

EDUCATING ENTREPRENEURIAL LEADERS Entrepreneurial classes, drawing on the expertise of the College of Business and Behavioral Science, are popular for both business and non-business majors at Clemson, Klein said. A creative inquiry course lets students decide what to pursue, while How to Start a Startup attracts students from various departments. An entrepreneurship minor allows engineers or researchers to prepare to launch companies related to their major field. “We’ve done a really good job of getting entrepreneurialism out into the main campus,” Klein said.

A DAY (OR MORE) IN THE LIFE OF AN UPSTATE COMPANY

INSIDE SCOOP Arthur M. Spiro institute: 16 advisory board members 20 years operating 2012—First class graduates with MBAe (entrepreneurial MBA) 2014—Spiro Institute moves into Greenville ONE; launches incubator 37 MBAe graduates 16 companies launched $1.2 million in funding raised

| INSIDE: SPIRO INSTITUTE | 17

OUTREACH AND SERVICE The Spiro Institute also focuses on the community beyond Clemson students through activities such as the First Friday speakers series, which allows the general public to learn from business leaders.

Awards programs, short courses on specialized topics and the growing Tiger Angel Network are also ways the Spiro Institute partners with area businesses and investors.

A new effort, and one that Klein sees as valuable for both students and the community, is the creation of technology villages in small towns throughout the Upstate. “These are small storefront incubators on Main Streets all over South Carolina,” Klein said.

“We want to have a place where entrepreneurs can go in these small towns, but they don’t have the resources of a city like Greenville.”

“My goal is that students graduate with revenue. We want to do as much as we can to get them to that stage.”

Matthew Klein, interim director, Spiro Institute The No. 1 priority is to grow the Masters in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, or MBAe program, and have it be among the top-ranked in the nation, Klein said. The program, which graduated its first class in 2012, is too new to be ranked, but the staff submits data each year and uses feedback to make improvements. “We’re building a great track record,” he said.

Klein became involved with Clemson in part to help launch the MBAe. Thanks to his years of experience at Blackbaud, Neustar and Benefitfocus, along with his degree from Babson College – the No. 1 school in the U.S. for entrepreneurs – he was asked to join the Spiro Institute Board three years ago and was named interim director in October 2014.

“We want [students] to experience the full cycle of how to start a company,” he said. “We’ve had some good success with that. You’re not going to hit it out of the ballpark every time, but the ones in the incubator are already generating revenue. To me, that’s a huge win.

It’s great for Greenville and great for the community.”

RESEARCH The Spiro Institute focuses on academic research in the field of entrepreneurship, and funds cutting-edge research for scholarly journals. Recent published articles covered topics such as the pitch process, technology transfer, the operation of family firms, and signaling theory.

Klein is personally contributing to that research as he works on an executive doctorate in business from Georgia State University. “I’ve looked at the Iron Yard and looked at entrepreneurial orientation and market orientation of new firms starting out,” he said. He’s now studying signaling theory, or if the herd follows when a well-known angel investor

Arthur M. Spiro Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership Interim Director Matthew Klein.

Photos by Greg Beckner

COMPANIES IN THE INCUBATOR Package InSight (research on packaging) Voice the App (social media app) CommunityCode (preparing kids for IT jobs) Atlas Vault (solutions for IT vendor risk) Southern Trading (import-export) SouthYeast Labs (cultivating wild yeast) chooses to invest in a certain company. “It’s very different in the online world than the offline world,” he said, “because everyone can see that signal online and everyone rushes to it.”

The research component is especially important now, he said, because many fields are brand-new and very little has been studied or published on topics such as social network theory.

The public-private partnerships allow the cities to fund the incubators and hire someone to run them, while Clemson offers the back-office support, including marketing intelligence, patent searches, competitive analysis and more. “Anything they need is done by our students, so it’s a great partnership by the companies and our students to get a taste of what it’s like to be an entrepreneur.”

Klein said the Upstate business community has been eager to pitch in and help students and graduates develop their companies.

“It’s great to be able to plug people in,” he said.

“We want to do as much as we can so they leave this incubator, maybe get a spot at NEXT, and then the next thing you know, they are leasing somewhere from Bob Hughes at $27 a square foot.

You’ve got to start from the ground up, and we’re doing that here.”

18 | SQUARE FEET |

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REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

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05.08.2015

Greenville Gateway developers try again with DRB Latest plans for former Memorial Auditorium site go before Greenville Design Review Board SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF sjackson@communityjournals.com @SJackson_CJ

The third time’s the charm—or at least

formal review in March. After a formal review in April, DRB members asked architect Karie Kovacocy with Jacksonville, Fla.-based Group 4 Design to make the design “more reflective of downtown wanted stairs Greenville.” The board also

that’s the hope as revised plans for the Greenville Gateway project were set to go in front of the city’s Design Review Board on May 7.

Charlotte-based FCD-Development is planning to build 176 apartments on the former Memorial Auditorium site at 400 N. Church St. in downtown Greenville.

Plans initially went in front of the DRB for an in-

and balcony corners to be addressed along with revisions to the detailing at the top of the buildings before they were ready to act.

Revised drawings, seen here, were to be reviewed at the meeting, set to occur after UBJ went to press.

Amenities at the new development would include an urban garden wall, small lap pool, fitness center and public plaza areas. The project would also include two levels of subterranean garage parking. Two retail spaces will be available.

Rendering Provided.

Making room on North Main

Grubb Properties launches new real estate fund Charlotte-based

Gone. The former home on North Main that sat vacant for years, and was most recently used as the Greenville campaign office of Tom Ervin, a South Carolina gubernatorial candidate, was demolished earlier this week to make way for three new homes.

Developer Tom Croft is building the three new urban-style homes.

Carlos and Marie Rhys own the property at 604 N. Main St. and will occupy one of the three homes; the

other two will be listed for sale. Each home will be about 4,200 square feet and have two stories of living space that will feature three bedrooms and a home office. A third story will have a rooftop suite and terrace with an outdoor kitchen.

New sewer and water must first be brought to the site, and Croft said he is waiting on the city to receive approval to start the utility work.

Construction on the buildings will begin in about 60 days.

Photo by Sherry Jackson

Grubb

Properties has launched its fifth fund (Fund V) to acquire long-term, value-add real estate opportunities and selectively develop key urban infill locations in the Southeastern U.S. Fund V investments to date include Link Apartments West End, a 215unit, infill apartment development targeting millennials currently under construction in downtown Greenville; Sterling Bluff Apartments, a 216-unit apartment acquisition in Savannah, Ga.; and the Lincoln office building in Charlotte.

“We are proud to offer investors the opportunity to invest in a fund with already-identified investments along with a strong pipeline of additional opportunities,” said Jonathan Nance, senior vice president of Grubb Properties. “I believe our three-phase comprehensive approval process with rigorous due diligence, strict vetting and focused execution provides great comfort to our investors. As a

company owned by our employees and board, Grubb Properties’ interests are closely aligned with our investors.”

Fund V is the latest Grubb Properties investment vehicle to target multifamily and commercial acquisitions in high-growth Southeastern markets. Grubb Properties’ previous four funds have invested more than $500 million in value-add multifamily, office complexes and Link Apartment development opportunities with strong success. The last two properties sold from these funds included Lenovo’s U.S. headquarters in Durham, N.C., which was purchased from Sony Ericsson for $26 million in December 2013 and sold in February of this year for $127 million in partnership with Rubenstein Partners, and Sterling Steele Creek Apartments in southwest Charlotte, which was purchased in May 2012 for $36.5 million and sold in April of this year for $49.7 million.

REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

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New life for Phoenix Inn Owners hope to “bring back the old Southern charm” of 44-year-old hotel

7-story hotel planned for Greenville News site Plans have been submitted to the city of Greenville for a new seven-story hotel at the future Camperdown project—the current Greenville News site. The AC Greenville Hotel will be managed by Greenville-based JHM Hotels and will be part of the new AC Hotels by Marriott brand.

The hotel will feature several outdoor terraces including a rooftop terrace, on-site restaurant, bar/lounge, fitness center and meeting rooms.

AC Hotels by Marriott is the company’s newest urban hotel brand, with more than 75 destinations in Europe, designed to attract millennials who want a sophisticated experience with style, inspired social spaces and technology.

Marriott recently announced it would be expanding the brand in the U.S. The brand’s first U.S. hotel debuted in New Orleans in November

N PEACE CENTER

2014. Other locations include New Orleans, Kansas City, Chicago, National Harbor and Miami Beach, and Washington D.C. which opened in April. The company said it plans more than 50 AC hotels to open within the next three years throughout the U.S. and Latin America.

Dallas-based Trammell Crow and Greenville-based Centennial American Properties are developing the property.

New York-based ODA Architecture submitted the plans that will be reviewed at the June 4 Design Review Board meeting.

In addition to the hotel, Camperdown is expected to have a public plaza surrounded by 18 condos, 225 apartments, fitness center, two office buildings, retail and restaurant spaces and a dine-in movie theater.

Renderings provided

Sitting atop 7.3 acres on a small hill near the TD Convention Center and Greenville Downtown Airport, the Phoenix Inn is getting a facelift after being acquired in midApril by a private investment group.

Renovations will include new TVs, new carpeting and a general “refresh” of the rooms. Landscaping across the property will be updated and the hotel’s poolside Tiki bar is getting new paint and is set to open soon. A new spa area and exercise facilities are also in the planning stages.

Under previous ownership, the hotel had floundered over the past several years, not getting the attention it needed, said hotel general manager Greta Pye, a 30-year hotel veteran who took over management in August last year. But now, “we’re going to bring back the old Southern charm,” she said.

The Palms Restaurant, which is known for its award-winning food, regularly hosts supper clubs along with private events, Pye said. Pye is also hoping to regain the hotel’s stance as a popular wedding venue. “We’ll be focusing on good service and quality,” she said.

Photos provided

The Piano Lounge and McKibbons Pub, which was “like a morgue,” said Pye, is becoming popular again by offering entertainment options that include line dancing, shag and swing dancing, and karaoke.

The hotel first opened in 1971 as The Thunderbird Motor Lodge and was renamed a few years later as The Phoenix-Greenville’s Inn. Being near the downtown airport and within walking distance to the TD Center, the 142-room hotel over the years has attracted those wishing to be near downtown Greenville but with the convenience of on-site parking, said Pye. The Phoenix Inn is also pet-friendly and some rooms have kitchenettes for long-term stays.

There’s no set time frame for the renovations, but Pye said they hope for most to be completed by the end of the year. We want to “feed the soul and make it come back to life,” she said.

20 | THE FINE PRINT |

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BUSINESS BRIEFS YOU CAN’ T MISS

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05.08.2015

O’Neal Inc. expands to Mexico

CBRE Group acquires CBRE | Columbia

Greenville-based O’Neal Inc. is partnering with Beck Group to establish operations in Mexico.

Through the new initiative, O’Neal will provide planning, design, procurement and construction services for manufacturing clients.

“We’ve seen a steady increase in demand for design and construction services from our clients in Mexico,” Kevin Bean, O’Neal Inc. president and CEO, said in a release. “Our clients, particularly those in the automotive, consumer goods and packaging industries, are investing in grassroots facilities, expansions and upfits for manufacturing operations in Mexico, and we have invested to meet their needs.”

According to the release, a recent Boston Consulting Group report expressed confidence in Mexico’s manufacturing sector, noting that manufacturing could add between $20 billion and $60 billion to Mexico’s economy through 2018.

“Foreign investment in factories in Mexico is taking off again with many global companies locating significant manufacturing operations in Mexico,” Brian Gallagher, O’Neal’s director of marketing, said.

The combination of trade agreements, low production costs, a skilled workforce, and access to world markets and supply chains are among the factors driving this capital investment in manufacturing facilities, Gallagher said in the release.

Beck Group has been offering construction services from its Mexico City office for more than 20 years, serving a broad range of commercial and industrial clients.

Commercial real estate firm CBRE Group announced this week that it has acquired CBRE | Columbia, which served as CBRE’s affiliate in Columbia, S.C., since 1996.

With the acquisition, CBRE has now acquired all former affiliates in South Carolina. In the past 18 months, CBRE acquired Charleston in October 2013, Greenville in January 2014 and now Columbia.

The combined operations will “enhance CBRE’s ability to meet the needs of investors and occupiers across the state, bringing together all of its operations throughout South Carolina into a single, integrated, corporate-owned platform,” the company said in a press release.

“The CBRE | Columbia professionals are some of the leading client-service professionals in their market, and we look forward to enhancing our collaboration with them to build advantage for our clients,” said Steve Smith, managing director, South Carolina, CBRE. CBRE | Columbia principals Stan Harpe, Ben Brantley and Martin Moore will join the company as well as senior professionals Ansel Bunch, Aaron Dupree,

AFL acquires Australian company Duncan-based AFL acquired Australian company AFC, a manufacturer, designer and integrator of fiber optic and copper communication solutions.

AFC also has operations in New Zealand and Hong Kong. With the addition of AFC, AFL’s new expanded product offering includes fiber optic cable, fiber management systems, fiber assemblies and fiber enclosures as well as splicers, test equipment and a complete set of communication network products. AFL has served the Australian market for more than 20 years, primarily in the power utility market.

AFL will continue operations in AFC’s existing facilities, including Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide, Auckland and Hong Kong.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Sandra Johnson, Jonathan Harvey and Amy Stuck.

Elliott Davis and Greenville Drive host Drive Business Downtown Elliot Davis Decosimo and the Greenville Drive are hosting the 5th Annual Drive Business Downtown celebration on May 12 at Fluor Field.

The event combines business networking opportunities with baseball. Guests are encouraged to participate in a food drive for Harvest Hope by bringing five cans of food to the game or donating $5 at the gate.

“Drive Business Downtown has consistently proven to be one of the best networking opportunities in Greenville and we are excited to celebrate the event’s fifth anniversary,” said Rick Davis, managing shareholder of Elliott Davis Decosimo. “The event has grown consistently over the years and continues to provide a unique setting for local business professionals to meet, connect and develop new opportunities for growth.”

For more information about the event, visit greenvilledrive.com. >>

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BUSINESS BRIEFS YOU CAN’ T MISS

| THE FINE PRINT | 21

>>

TD Banks wins small business banking award

Integrated Biometrics partners with Mobizent

TD Bank received the 2015 TNS Choice Award for Small Business Banking nationwide. The category includes financial institutions that provide small business products and services to businesses with annual sales up to $10 million.

Winners of TNS Choice Awards are determined by collecting data in a number of categories, including ability to attract and retain customers and win a larger share of their clients’ banking business.

“Small businesses are the fabric of the community, and we are pleased to be recognized by TNS for our focus on small business banking,” David Lominack, South Carolina market president for TD Bank, said in a release.

Global research consultancy TNS gives Choice Awards nationally and regionally in several categories. This is the first win for TD Bank.

Integrated Biometrics, developer of FBI-compliant fingerprint scanners, has partnered with Mobizent, a mobile solutions provider specializing in work order, ticketing and mobile tracking.

Mobizent has recently completed a successful integration of Integrated Biometrics’ Columbo FAP 30 fingerprint scanner into the MobiCHK product line for use with Intermec CN70e handheld devices.

“We’re thrilled to see our product contribute as an essential element of a mobile solution with such widespread business and government use in housing, environmental and law enforcement,” Steve Thies, Integrated Biometrics CEO, said in a release.

Mobizent helps businesses and governments interface with their back-end databases and proprietary enterprise solutions to make them more effective and efficient.

Jackson Marketing wins ProAd awards

Pure Barre gets investment from Catterton

Jackson Marketing, Motorsports & Events won Agency of the Year for North and South Carolina at the Business Marketing Association (BMA) of the Carolinas’ ProAd Awards. The agency was honored for creating the best overall campaign in the state of South Carolina and by winning 15 other awards for work done on behalf of a range of clients.

Jackson received awards for integrated marketing communications, print and radio campaigns, as well as for event marketing product launches, interactive, social media, experiential marketing, collateral development and video projects performed on behalf of clients such as Michelin, BNSF Railway, BFGoodrich Tires, NACCO Materials Handling Group and Sage Automotive Interiors, as well as for its own website development.

David Jones, CMO of Jackson, said in a release, “One of our agency’s core principles is that we exist to help clients solve problems, and being recognized as Agency of the Year is proof of what can be achieved when great clients, a talented team and a laser focus on strategy and results come together.”

Pure Barre received an investment from Catterton, a private equity firm. Catterton’s investment will be used to support Pure Barre’s continued expansion across the U.S. and internationally to capitalize on consumer participation in specialty and barre-based fitness.

WJ Partners, which acquired Pure Barre in 2012, will remain an investor.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Pure Barre CEO Sloan Evans said in a release, “We have found an ideal partner in Catterton and look forward to working together to take Pure Barre to the next level.

Jaime Wall, managing director at WJ Partners, said, “We are proud of the remarkable progress of Pure Barre and its rapid growth from 100 studios to over 300 since our investment in 2012. At this critical inflection point, we welcome Catterton’s significant retail experience and history of successful brand stewardship to help Pure Barre capitalize on future opportunities.”

Play

as hard as you work with Club events, parties, and mixers designed to help you kick back and relax

Greer Chamber wins regional marketing award The Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce was awarded the best “Advertising and Marketing piece” between both South Carolina and North Carolina Chambers for its Membership Manual.

“Our members are the heartbeat of our organization and we are proud of our membership manual to share the benefits of chamber membership to our business community,” Chamber President/CEO Mark Owens said in a release.

The Membership Manual can be found online at greerchamber.com.

Celebrate exciting accomplishments with family, friends or co-workers in your choice of private dining rooms

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22 | ON THE MOVE |

HIRED

UBJ

PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS

HIRED

HIRED

HIRED

HONORED

|

05.08.2015

VIP Stacy Brandon

Kim Perez

Farrell Smith

Bill Klein

Robbie Ward

Sarah Moore

Named coordinator of outreach and bilingual services at the Center for Developmental Services. Perez will be the organization’s main interpreter and will also coordinate its outreach efforts in the community.

Perez is involved in several nonprofit organizations throughout the state.

Named project superintendent at the Greenville office of Mashburn Construction. Farrell has more than 30 years of construction experience with specialization in hospitality and education construction facilities. He has knowledge about on-site quality control and safe working conditions.

Named executive chef at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove. He most recently served as executive chef of The Bistro at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C. He has also served as executive chef of The River House in Grassy Creek, N.C., and FIG Bistro in the Biltmore Village.

Named staff writer for Community Journals.

Ward’s experiences include creating the Johnny Cash Flower Pickin’ Festival and business and government reporting at news organizations in Mississippi, Pennsylvania and South Carolina. He was among five journalists recognized in 2014 through the McGraw Hill Financial Data Reporting Program at the International Center for Journalists.

Named Rookie of the Year by the Public Relations Society of America’s South Carolina branch.

Moore is an associate with Complete Public Relations. She manages social media profiles and campaigns for a variety of clients and assists in media relations and strategic planning.

CONTRIBUTE: New hires, promotions & award winners may be featured in On the Move. Send information and photos to onthemove@upstatebusinessjournal.com.

Named senior vice president and senior client manager, serving middle-market companies with annual revenues of $50 million to $2 billion, at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

She rejoins the bank after three years of serving at Park Sterling Bank and CertusBank.

EDUCATION

Leon Wiles, chief diversity officer at Clemson University, was elected to the board of directors of the Difficult Dialogues National Resource Center, an organization formed with the goal of supporting the integration and teaching of difficult dialogues in universities in the United States and worldwide.

MARKETING/PR

Jackson Marketing, Motorsports & Events hired Christie Carroll as events coordinator and Efrain Moreno and Kevin Negron as performance service specialists. Carroll officially joins after a year of development in Jackson’s account service and events groups. Moreno previously worked in automotive retail, motorsports management and personnel staffing. Negron has experience in both human resources and quality control, including military service with the Army National Guard.

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24 | NEW TO THE STREET |

THE FRESHEST FACES ON THE BUSINESS LANDSCAPE

UBJ

|

05.08.2015

Open for business 1

Photos provided

1. Keller Williams Realty recently opened a new office at 403 Woods Lake Road, Greenville. For more information, call 864-234-7500 or visit kw.com.

2

2. Jazzercise Greenville Fitness Center recently opened at a new location at 107-A Regency Commons Drive, Greer. For more information and a class schedule, visit jazzercise.com.

3. Rick Erwin’s Eastside recently opened at 8595 Pelham Road, Greenville.

Bar hours are Monday-Saturday, 4 p.m.-closing, and restaurant hours are Monday-Saturday, 5 p.m.-closing. For more information, visit rickerwins.com/eastside.

3

• 3rday Productions, Inc. • Brasfield & Gorrie • Call Brady Computer Services • Corley Mill Duck Hunting Club • Crowne Plaza • Global View Investment Advisors • Greenville Drive • Greenville Smiles • Hyatt Regency Hotel • International Office Products • JainChem Limited • Kate Posek Design • Management Solutions • MedShore • The Mosquito Authority • Quik Trip • ReWa • Southern First Bank • The Children’s Museum of the Upstate

Thanks again to all our Sponsors!

CONTRIBUTE: Know of a business opening soon?

Email information to bjeffers@communityjournals.com.

upstatebusinessjournal.com

INSIDE THE UPSTATE’S NETWORKING AND SOCIAL SCENE

DONOR APPRECIATION The Greenville Tech Foundation’s annual Appreciation Reception was held last week at the Greenville Country Club. Bob Howard, president of the Greenville Tech Foundation, welcomed guests and introduced four current and past Greenville Tech students who shared their own personal stories of success.

Dr. Keith Miller, president of Greenville Technical College, followed with remarks on the benefits of scholarships and annual giving.

Photos by Elizabeth Kabakjian

CONTRIBUTE: Got high-resolution photos of your networking or social events? Send photos and information for consideration to events@upstatebusinessjournal.com.

| SOCIAL SNAPSHOT | 25

26 | PLANNER | DATE

EVENTS YOU SHOULD HAVE ON YOUR CALENDAR

UBJ

|

05.08.2015

EVENT INFO

WHERE DO I GO?

HOW DO I GO?

Upstate Chamber Coalition Presidential Series Speaker: Gov. Mike Huckabee

Embassy Suites, 670 Verdae Blvd., Greenville, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m

Cost: Chamber member $35, Nonmember $50 Register: bit.ly/huckabee-may2015

Workplace Law Breakfast Series Topic: Daily Decisions: Best Practices For Managing Your Existing Workforce

Westin Poinsett Hotel, 120 S. Main St., Greenville, 8-10 a.m.

Cost: Free Register: bit.ly/breakfast-series-may2015

Drive Business Downtown Celebration

Fluor Field, 945 S. Main St., Greenville, 2:05 p.m.

Cost: Suggested donation of five canned goods or $5 More info: greenvilledrive.com

Entrepreneur Roundtable Speaker: Craig Kinley, e-Merge @ the Garage

Commerce Club, 55 Beattie Place, 17th Floor, Greenville, 5:30 p.m.

Register: 864-232-5600

Small Business Success Series Topic: Using Social Media to Build Your Business

Comfort Suites, 3971 Grandview Drive, Simpsonville, 8-9:30 a.m.

Cost: Chamber member $39, Nonmember $49 Register: 864-862-2586

NETnight A quarterly networking opportunity for business professionals

Commerce Club, 55 Beattie Place, 17th Floor, Greenville, 6-8 p.m.

Cost: $10 Register: bit.ly/netnight-may2015

Diversity Connections Luncheon Topic: What You Didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Know about SC Vocational Rehabilitation Speaker: Ryan Skinner

City Range, 774 Spartan Blvd., Spartanburg, noon-1:30 p.m.

Register: bit.ly/diversitylunch-may2015

Digital Marketing for Small Business Seminar

Spartanburg County Library, 151 S. Church St., Spartanburg, 9 a.m.-noon

Cost: $29 Register: bit.ly/digitalmarketing-may2015

Personal Culture Lunch N Learn Speaker: Laryn Weaver

Commerce Club, 55 Beattie Place, 17th Floor, Greenville, 11:30 a.m-1 p.m.

Cost: $15 Register: 864-232-5600

Shaping Our Future Speaker Series Topic:The Dollars and Sense of Development Patterns Speaker: Joseph Minicozzi, principal of Urban3

The Crowne Plaza, 851 Congaree Rd., Greenville, 3-5 p.m.

Cost: $10 Register: bit.ly/shaping-future-may2015

Small Business Start-up Workshop

Spartanburg Community College, 1875 East Main St., Duncan, 6-8 p.m.

Cost: Free Register: piedmontscore.org/workshops/register/169

Tech After Five Networking for technology professionals

Pour Lounge, 221 N. Main St., Greenville, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Cost: Free Register: bit.ly/taf-may2015

5/21

InnoVision Series Topic: Data Breaches and Cyber Security

McNair Law Firm, P.A., 104 S. Main St., Suite 700, Greenville, 3:30-5 p.m.

Register: ahalpin@mcnair.net or 864-271-4940

Tuesday

Our Upstate Vision Forum Topic: Innovation and the Changing Landscape of Healthcare Speaker: Kirby Thornton, South Carolina Hospital Association CEO

The Crowne Plaza, 851 Congaree Rd., Greenville, 3-5 p.m.

Cost: $10 Register: bit.ly/regional-forum-june2015

Thursday-Saturday

Talented Tenth Conference Young minority professionals from the Upstate connect with business and civic leaders across the Southeast

Hyatt Regency, 220 N. Main St., Greenville

Cost: $50 Register and more info: bit.ly/talented-tenth2015

Wednesday

5/8

Tuesday

5/12

Wednesday

5/13 Thursday

5/14 Tuesday

5/19 Wednesday

5/20 Thursday

6/2 6/4-6/6

CONTRIBUTE: Got a hot date? Submit event information for consideration to events@upstatebusinessjournal.com.

Stay in the know.

Upstate Business Journal

@UpstateBiz

TheUpstateBusinessJournal

upstatebusinessjournal.com

A QUICK LOOK INTO THE UPSTATE’S PAST

| SNAPSHOT | 27

Historic photo provide d

In 1912 the first downtown YMCA building, seen on the left, was completed on the northeast corner of East Coffee and Brown streets.

The new building was on the site of the former home of Dr. Clinton C. Jones, mayor of Greenville from 1901 to 1903. In 1914 John M. Holmes became general secretary of the YMCA. “Uncle Johnny” held that position until he retired in 1942. His successor, W.B. (Monk) Mulligan, served as general secretary until 1968. Altogether, Mulligan was on the staff from 1922 to 1968. In addition to the downtown facility, the YMCA had several other branches in mill villages and other sections of the city.

After the Cleveland Street YMCA opened, the Coffee Street building was vacated and demolished in 1958. The block then became home to a modern office building. The sign for Brown Street is on the left.

Historic photograph available from the Greenville Historical Society.​ From “Remembering Greenville: Photographs from the Coxe Collection” by Jeffrey R. Willis DIGITAL TEAM Emily Price, Danielle Carr

IN THIS WEEK’S ISSUE OF UBJ? WANT A COPY FOR YOUR LOBBY? 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

ART DIRECTOR Whitney Fincannon PRESIDENT/CEO

Mark B. Johnston mjohnston@communityjournals.com

UBJ PUBLISHER

1988

ADVERTISING DESIGN Kristy Adair, Michael Allen

CLIENT SERVICES

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Kristi Fortner

MANAGING EDITOR

STORY IDEAS:

Ashley Boncimino, Sherry Jackson, Benjamin Jeffers, Cindy Landrum, April A. Morris, Robbie Ward

INTERN

Natalie Walters

PHOTOGRAPHER Greg Beckner MARKETING & ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVES Nicole Greer, Kristi Jennings, Donna Johnston, Annie Langston, Lindsay Oehman, Emily Yepes

DIRECTOR OF EVENTS & ACCOUNT STRATEGY Kate Madden

1997 Jackson Dawson launches motorsports Division 1993

1990 Jackson Dawson acquires therapon marketing Group and moves to Piedmont office Center on Villa.

>>

with a majority of them utilizing the general aviation airport as a “corporate gateway to the city.”

In 1997, Jackson and his son, Darrell, launched Jackson Motorsports Group. The new division was designed to sell race tires and go to racetracks to sell and mount the tires. Darrell Jackson now serves as president of the motorsports group and Larry Jackson has two other children and a son-in-law who work there. Jackson said all his children started at the bottom and “earned their way up.”

Jackson kept the Jackson-Dawson branches in Detroit and others in Los Angeles and New York until he sold his portion of that partnership in 2009 as part of his estate planning.

The company now operates a small office in Charlotte, but its main headquarters are in Greenville in a large office space off Woodruff Road, complete with a vision gallery that displays local artwork and an auditorium Jackson makes available for non-profit use. The Motorsports Group is housed in an additional 26,000 square feet building just down the street, and the agency is currently looking for another 20,000 square feet.

Jackson said JMG has expanded into other verticals such as financial, healthcare, manufacturing and pro-bono work, but still has a strong focus on the auto industry and transportation. It’s

Chairman larry Jackson, Jackson marketing Group. Photos by Greg Beckner / Staff

Jackson Marketing Group celebrates 25 years By sherry Jackson | staff | sjackson@communityjournals.com

Solve. Serve. Grow. Those three words summarize Jackson Marketing Group’s guiding principles, and according to owner Larry Jackson, form the motivation that has kept the firm thriving for the past 25 years.

Jackson graduated from Bob Jones University with a degree in video and film production and started his 41-year career in the communications industry with the U.S. Army’s Public Information Office. He served during

Vietnam, where he said he was “luckily” stationed in the middle of Texas at Fort Hood.

He left the service and went to work in public affairs and motorsports at Ford Motor Company in Detroit.

After a stint at Bell and Howell, where he was responsible for managing Ford’s dealer marketing and training, the entrepreneurial bug hit and he co-founded Jackson-Dawson Marketing Communications, a company specializing in dealer training and product launches for the auto industry in 1980.

In 1987, Jackson wanted to move back south and thought Greenville would be a good fit. An avid pilot, he

learned of an opportunity to purchase Cornerstone Aviation, a fixed base operation (FBO) that served as a service station for the Greenville Downtown Airport, providing fuel, maintenance and storage.

In fact, when he started the Greenville office of what is now Jackson Marketing Group (JMG) in 1988, the offices were housed on the second floor in an airport hangar.

“Clients would get distracted by the airplanes in the hangars and we’d have to corral them to get back upstairs to the meeting,” Jackson said.

Jackson sold the FBO in 1993, but says it was a great way to get to know Greenville’s fathers and leaders

>>

2003 motorsports Division acquires an additional 26,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space

1998 1998 Jackson Dawson moves to task industrial Court

also one of the few marketing companies in South Carolina to handle all aspects of a project in-house, with four suites handling video production, copywriting, media and research and web design.

Clients include heavyweights such as BMW, Bob Jones University, the Peace Center, Michelin and Sage Automotive. Recent projects have included an interactive mobile application for Milliken’s arboretum and 600-acre Spartanburg campus and a marketing campaign for the 2013 Big League World Series.

“In my opinion, our greatest single achievement is the longevity of our client relationships,” said Darrell Jackson. “Our first client from back in 1988 is still a client today. I can count on one hand the number of clients who have gone elsewhere in the past decade.”

Larry Jackson says his Christian faith and belief in service to others, coupled with business values rooted in solving clients’ problems, have kept

2009 Jackson Dawson changes name to Jackson marketing Group when larry sells his partnership in Detroit and lA 2003

2009-2012 Jackson marketing Group named a top BtoB agency by BtoB magazine 4 years running

him going and growing his business over the years. He is passionate about giving back and outreach to non-profits. The company was recently awarded the Community Foundation Spirit Award.

The company reaffirmed its commitment to serving the community last week by celebrating its 25th anniversary with a birthday party and a 25-hour Serve-A-Thon partnership with Hands on Greenville and Habitat for Humanity. JMG’s 103 full-time employees worked in shifts around the clock on October 22 and 23 to help construct a house for a deserving family.

As Jackson inches towards retirement, he says he hasn’t quite figured out his succession plan yet, but sees the companies staying under the same umbrella. He wants to continue to strategically grow the business.

“From the beginning, my father has taught me that this business is all about our people – both our clients and our associates,” said his son, Darrell. “We have created a focus and a culture that strives to solve problems, serve people and grow careers.”

Darrell Jackson said he wants to “continue helping lead a culture where we solve, serve and grow. If we are successful, we will continue to grow towards our ultimate goal of becoming the leading integrated marketing communications brand in the Southeast.”

2011 Jackson marketing Group/Jackson motorsports Group employee base reaches 100 people

2008 2012 Jackson marketing Group recognized by Community Foundation with Creative spirit Award

pro-bono/non-proFit Clients American Red Cross of Western Carolinas Metropolitan Arts Council Artisphere Big League World Series The Wilds Advance SC South Carolina Charities, Inc. Aloft Hidden Treasure Christian School

CoMMUnitY inVolVeMent & boarD positions

JUNE 19: THE ENTERTAINMENT ISSUE A look at the business of leisure.

lArry JACkson (ChAirmAn): Bob Jones University Board chairman, The Wilds Christian Camp and Conference Center board member, Gospel Fellowship Association board member, Past Greenville Area Development Corporation board member, Past Chamber of Commerce Headquarters Recruiting Committee member, Past Greenville Tech Foundation board member David Jones (Vice President Client services, Chief marketing officer): Hands on Greenville board chairman mike Zeller (Vice President, Brand marketing): Artisphere Board, Metropolitan Arts Council Board, American Red Cross Board, Greenville Tech Foundation Board, South Carolina Chamber Board eric Jackson (Jackson motorsports Group sales specialist): Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club Advisory Board

November 1, 2013 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal 21

20 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal November 1, 2013

AS SEEN IN

NOVEMBER 1, 2013

Anita Harley, Jane Rogers

Susan Clary Simmons ssimmons@communityjournals.com

STAFF WRITERS

jackson Marketing Group’s 25 Years

OPERATIONS Holly Hardin

Ryan L. Johnston rjohnston@communityjournals.com

Jerry Salley jsalley@communityjournals.com

UBJ milestone

1988 Jackson Dawson opens in Greenville at Downtown Airport

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Guest columns run 700-800 words.

Contact Executive Editor Susan Clary Simmons at ssimmons@communityjournals.com to submit an article for consideration.

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Order a reprint today, PDFs available for $25. For more information, contact Anita Harley 864.679.1205 or aharley@communityjournals.com

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UP NEXT MAY 15: THE DESIGN ISSUE Drawing up the Upstate’s future.

ART & PRODUCTION UBJ milestone

Recent photo by Greg Beckner

JULY 17: TRAVELERS REST The small town making big waves.

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Copyright ©2015 BY COMMUNITY JOURNALS LLC. All rights reserved. Upstate Business Journal is published weekly by Community Journals LLC. P.O. Box 2266, Greenville, South Carolina, 29602.

Upstate Business Journal is a free publication. Annual subscriptions (52 issues) can be purchased for $50. Postmaster: Send address changes to Upstate Business, P.O. Box 2266, Greenville, SC 29602.

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