June 16, 2017 UBJ

INSIDE THIS ISSUE // HALF-MOON MOVES • THE UPSTATE’S CHINESE CONNECTION • ART AT THE AIRPORT

JUNE 16, 2017 | VOL. 6 ISSUE 24

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TOP-OF-MIND AND IN THE MIX THIS WEEK

| THE RUNDOWN

VOLUME 6, ISSUE 24 Featured this issue: A terminal case of art appreciation..............................................................................6 Is the Upstate ready for Chinese investment?.........................................................8 CEOs not focusing on diversity: Prepare to be left behind.............................. 20

Dave Milan, owner of Astro Kennels in Simpsonville, works with Fresko, a 6-month old German Shepherd pup he’s training for search and rescue.

A number of entrepreneurs in the Upstate are finding success in going beyond standard obedience training and preparing dogs for service jobs.

Read more in this week’s Greenville Journal. Photo by Will Crooks

WORTH REPEATING “South Carolina is going to the top. There’s not another place that can keep up with us.”

Page 5

“Working with all of these materials, rolling it out, it’s kind of like getting a bunch of barbecue and seasoning it.”

Page 14

“Could we eliminate the magazine tables of waiting rooms and establish direct links to our own health care?”

Page 21

VERBATIM

On an ‘Underrated Food City’ “Greenville, South Carolina: For the adventurous foodie who’s always discovering the latest hot spots.”

BuzzFeed, naming Greenville one of America’s most “Underrated Food Cities.”

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RETAIL

Half-Moon Outfitters plans move to new Stone Avenue location ARIEL TURNER | STAFF

A former CarQuest auto parts store on Stone Avenue will be the new home of Half-Moon Outfitters’ Greenville store.

Photo by Will Crooks

Half-Moon Outfitters, a regional chain of

it could work for a possible extension of the Greenville Health System Swamp Rabbit Trail or creation of another trail, and Half-Moon would want to be actively involved in that project.

“We would help in whatever means we could,” Molten said. “Getting people outside as frequently as possible is important and there’s nothing better than these trails for that.”

The retailer intends to renovate the building, which was once a CarQuest auto parts store, to be a Net Zero Building (NZEB) — meaning that the total amount of energy used annually will be equal to the total amount of renewable energy generated at the site.

The company plans to generate energy with a 60-kilowatt solar array on the roof, and renovate the building to be more energy efficient.

The solar system will be provided by Sol Bright and their employee Andrew Streit, who was instrumental in building the company’s solar tree at their Columbia store. All modeling and NZEB calculations will be done by the Sustainability Institute of SC. In addition, the Sustainability Institute will make their Energy Conservation Corps available for some of the energy efficient upgrades the building will need.

Half-Moon will occupy 10,000 square feet in the renovated building with an additional 3,500-plus square feet available for lease for additional tenants, which could be a restaurant concept, a local beer

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UBJ | 6.16.2017

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outdoors retail stores with headquarters in North Charleston, has acquired a 14,000-square-foot building at 603 E. Stone Ave. as a new home for its Greenville store, which is currently located at 1437 Laurens Road.

The Greenville store will move in late 2017 or 2018, the company said. Half-Moon Outfitters is in the final year of its lease at the shopping center near the intersection of Laurens and Pleasantburg roads. The retailer is currently found between Luthi’s Outfitters and the Trek Bicycle Store in the shopping center, where it opened in 1994.

The buyer was represented in the transaction by Grayson Burgess, a part-time Half-Moon employee and real estate agent for the Burgess Company.

Kristina Lane and Ryan Robertson of SVN Blackstream represented the seller.

The move will bring Half-Moon Outfitters closer to Greenville’s downtown, the North Main Street district, and the coming Northpointe development at the intersection of Stone Avenue and Wade Hampton Boulevard.

“We’re trying to get a little closer to where the momentum of the city is,” said Beezer Molten, owner of Half-Moon Outfitters He also said the nearby Richland Creek Basin and the ongoing work on the sewer line looks as though

maker, or a local boutique coffee concept, depending on space requirements, Molten said.

“We want something to enhance the retail experience,” he said.

The increase from 7,500–10,000 square feet will allow Half-Moon to display its hundreds of paddle boards and kayaks, most of which are stored, unseen by customers, in the basement at the Laurens Road location.

Half-Moon Outfitters has eight stores throughout South Carolina and Georgia.

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About 40 employees have already been hired for Tower International’s Fountain Inn facility, which officially opened last week. Photo provided.

MANUFACTURING

BMW supplier Tower International opens Fountain Inn facility TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF

tanderson@communityjournals.com BMW supplier Tower International officially opened its new $75 million 264,000-square-foot Upstate production facility on Monday, June 5.

The Michigan-based manufacturer said the plant, located at 141 Southchase Blvd. in Fountain Inn, will build metal components and assemblies for BMW Manufacturing Co. in Spartanburg County.

About 40 employees have been hired for the facility. As production ramps up, the company said it plans to hire 100 more people by 2019.

“We’re happy to be in a position to grow with BMW,” said Jim Gouin, CEO of Tower International.

Gouin said Tower International completed its initial public offering in 2010. At the time, its North American revenue totaled $640 million.

With “the recovery of the North American market and substantial new business wins,” Gouin said the company’s sales doubled to $1.3 billion in 2016.

“Going forward, we project meaningful continued growth well in excess of the automotive industry annual production for the coming years,” he said. “The programs here will play a big part in Tower’s continued growth.”

Tower International spokesman

Derek Fiebig said when the Tier 1 supplier initially announced its plan in 2015, it hoped to invest $44 million to move into what was originally a 206,000-square-foot speculative building and create 130 jobs.

He said the company decided in 2016 to boost its investment to expand the facility and its prospective workforce.

“We have a whole new category, a whole new type of work—highly skilled, highly specialized, based on brainpower,” said S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster. “And that’s what this company represents. ... South Carolina is going to the top. There’s not another place that can keep up with us. If we don’t mess it up, if we don’t tax the people too much, if we don’t put regulations in the way to inhibit innovation and investment, then South Carolina is going to lead the country.”

Fiebig said the company is currently using only about 40 percent of the facility, but it plans to occupy more of the building as its business continues to grow.

The company has brought in a small army of robots and two massive 2,000-ton AIDA metal stamping presses.

Gouin said Tower International is the first new facility for the company since it opened a plant Shephersville, Ky., in 2014.

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TRANSPORTATION

Airport Aesthetics More airports are embracing public art, and GSP is leading the charge TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF

tanderson@communityjournals.com Wasted money.

That what skeptics thought of Roger Milliken’s plan to have an airside garden occupying prime airline terminal space at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP).

The late Spartanburg textile magnate and long-serving GSP chairman’s idea was born of his own pleasant experience sitting in a “biergarten” at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany.

“Let’s be brave,” Milliken told members of GSP’s design team prior to the airport’s opening in 1962.

“Let’s take the best airplane position at the terminal and make it a garden instead.”

But Milliken wasn’t just satisfied with a garden.

He wanted the airport to be defined by attractive landscaping and art, because he thought passengers would enjoy it and that it would boost the airport’s image.

In 1967, the airport’s executive director, Dick Graham, was hosting a group of leaders from Knoxville, Tenn.

When one of the group asked how the airlines allowed the garden to be part of the airport, Graham’s response was straightforward.

“It’s easy,” he said. “You just get a chairman and a commission like mine who says that’s where it’s going to be.”

SPRUCING UP THE ‘FRONT PORCH’

Throughout its history, GSP officials have remained committed to incorporating landscaping and art to enhance the airport’s physical space.

The goal has always been to make air travel more enjoyable for the airport’s fliers, which are comprised of about 60 percent business travelers and 40 percent leisure.

On May 23, the airport capped off its five-year $125 million terminal renovation, nicknamed Project WINGSPAN. The final project features a range of new artwork to complement the aesthetic and functional enhancements of the building, and to reflect the region’s history, diversity, landscape, economic prosperity, and vision for the future.

“We are a business airport,” said airport spokeswoman Rosylin Weston. “When businesses choose to relocate to a community, one of the things they look at is the presence of a strong airport. Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Allen Smith said GSP is ‘the community’s front porch.’

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“Autumn at Table Rock” by Joan Weissman. Photo by Will Crooks

We all want the front porch to look good.”

Weston said the airport’s art and landscaping has always been a hit with customers. It’s a branding concept that other airports have embraced, including GSP’s closest competitor, Charlotte Douglas International Airport, which has been known since 1997 for the white wooden rocking chairs in its terminal.

With Project WINGSPAN, a team comprised of GSP commissioners, airport staff, and community stakeholders decided to launch a new initiative in partnership with the consulting firm Stantec.

Their mission was to develop a sophisticated art program for GSP. “You don’t have to fly out of the airport to benefit from it,” Weston said. “New business and industry brings jobs. … We looked at this as an opportunity to set the bar for what visitors will see across the community. Our arts program is part of our desire to create a good first impression.”

Weston said the new terminal was designed to accommodate art that would attract attention without impeding the flow of airport traffic.

The next challenge was to commission pieces for

the spaces that would give passengers some sense of the community’s identity.

“One of the things we wanted was, whether it’s CEOs, business travelers, or visitors, if they engage with art along the way, they would have a sense of who we are,” Weston said.

WHERE WE COME FROM, WHERE WE LIVE, WHERE WE’RE GOING

The art program’s committee developed three themes: “Where We’ve Come From,” “Where We Live,” and “Where We’re Going.”

“Where We Come From” focuses on the region’s rise to global prominence as a hub of textile manufacturing. The goal of the theme was to “encourage innovative concepts that meld textiles and art” and “bring vibrant colors into the terminal.”

“Where We Live” centers on integrating the region’s natural beauty — rivers, vegetation, and mountains.

“Where We’re Going” emphasizes technology and mobility. It celebrates the Upstate’s reputation for driving innovation, particularly in the automotive >>

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sector, as well as its concentration of corporate headquarters and colleges.

That’s what resulted in the selection of eight artists and the commission of several pieces that are now on display throughout the terminal.

NEW ART PIECES AT GSP AIRPORT INCLUDE:

“Upcountry Vistas,” a collection of oil paintings

by Greenville artist Melissa Anderson located in the airport’s B Concourse. The paintings feature a peach orchard, the Liberty Bridge in downtown Greenville, and a textile mill’s water tower.

“Ode to the Great Carolina Wren” and “Exotic Birds” by Arthur Stern of Benicia, Calif. Stern’s pieces each include 10 panels of stained glass that are backlit

by LED lights. “Ode to the Great Carolina Wren” is on display above the two elevators at the terminal’s north end. “Exotic Birds” is above the two elevators on the terminal’s south end near baggage claim.

“South Carolina Quilt” by Evelyn Rosenberg of Albuquerque, N.M., is a metal quilt with three panels that feature 24 patches containing images of South Carolina symbols. Rosenberg created the patches via a process she calls “detonography,” a sculptural technique that employs the use of explosives. The quilt is on display in the airport’s A Concourse.

“Souvenir of a Mountain Garden” by Michael Krondl of New York. Krondl’s piece is made up of six panels of glass that depict photographs of rhodo-

dendrons in full bloom. The work is on display near the airport’s new centralized TSA screening checkpoint.

“River Bank” and “Autumn at Table Rock” by Joan Weissman, who is also of Albuquerque. Weissman created two large terrazzo tile pieces using chips of marble, granite, glass, shell, and quartz. “River Bank” is located on the second floor near the escalator leading to GSP’s A Concourse. “Autumn at Table Rock” is on the second near the escalator leading to B Concourse.

“Thread” by Amy Baur and Brian Boldon of Minneapolis. The 240-square-foot piece is displayed on the wall near the TSA checkpoint. It features a colorful montage of past and present images of the Upstate.

“Waterfall of Light” by Dimitar Lukanov. The piece is an 800-pound metal sculpture that stands 19 feet tall and features 250 filigree steel “elements” resembling straightened boomerangs welded to 300 feet of bent steel tubing. Not including its large base, the sculpture is painted an eye-catching yellow. It is displayed in a fountain within one of two glass curtain walls topped with pyramidal roofs that protrudes from the façade of GSP’s main terminal.

CONSTANTLY IN MOTION

Dimitar Lukanov, sculptor of “Waterfall of Light,” who studied in Paris and earned his Master of Fine Arts degree from Columbia University, said he was inspired by GSP’s fountain in front of the terminal.

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Inside the terminal, the sculpture triples at night as it is reflected in the opposing vertical panes of glass that make up the curtain wall.

“It’s a multidirectional sculpture,” said Lukanov, who is now an American citizen and works out of a studio in Upstate New York. “It has no borders, no edges, no endings. It’s created in such a way that it’s dispersed into the air. It’s continuous. It flows. ...

Very much like an airport. People are constantly in motion. They meet at certain points — be it at a gate, or check in — and then they disperse. That’s exactly what the sculpture in a way tries to symbolize.”

Some of GSP’s older artwork has been redeployed.

The airport’s murals that were placed before and after the terminal’s last renovation in 1989 have been removed.

However, several sculptures of children at play that were ordered by GSP’s long-serving commission chairman, co-founder, and late Spartanburg textile magnate Roger Milliken are still on display in the airport’s new airside garden. Weston said it is the first airside garden sanctioned by the Federal Aviation Administration.

The statue of a young boy fascinated with the progress of flight that was commissioned in 2004 is located in the fountain in the curtain wall at the south end of the terminal near baggage claim.

Weston said the renovated terminal also has space for rotating galleries that will feature the works of local artists.

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HIGHLIGHTS OF CHINESE FDI IN SC

Chinese interests made 44 deals to invest in South Carolina — valued at $679 million — from 2000 to the first quarter of 2017, according to the Rhodium Group, an economic research firm that tracks Chinese investment.

1999 — Haier Group announces a

$40 million refrigerator plant for Camden. It’s the first greenfield manufacturing operation by a Chinese company in the United States, according to Rhodium Group.

Rob Krulac of the business development office at the International Center for Automotive Research leads a delegation from China on a tour of ICAR on June 8. Photo by Will Crooks

2013 — Keer Group announces a $218 million, 501-job cotton yarn factory for Lancaster County.

INTERNATIONAL

Road Trip Chinese delegation visits SC with an eye toward expanding ‘two-lane highway’ of trade and investment RUDOLPH BELL | STAFF

rbell@communityjournals.com State and local officials rolled out the red carpet in Greenville for a group of visiting Chinese investors on a tour of the Carolinas.

It was one more sign that South Carolina continues to draw interest from Chinese companies mulling new investments in the United States.

The 15 visitors — 10 of them business executives — were affiliated with the Beijing-based Society of China Civil Entrepreneurs, a group of private-sector entrepreneurs.

Guiding them on the nine-day tour was the Charlotte-based Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

Richard Yang, the chamber’s president, said members of the delegation represented various industries such as biotechnology, energy, finance, and tourism.

“I think people in both countries can benefit by working with each other, not fighting each other, and putting aside differences, including our culture and the social system difference,” Yang said.

The delegation toured Clemson University’s International Center for Automotive Research on June 8 before heading to Furman University for a dinner at the Younts Center.

At Furman, they were welcomed by South Carolina 8

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2009 — China’s Top-Eastern Group buys a Greenfield Industries drill bit plant in Seneca with about 100 workers and adds 85 employees.

Today, the facility employs about 380 and includes a headquarters.

Lt. Gov. Kevin Bryant and Greenville Mayor Knox White.

Amy Thomson, director of international strategy and trade for the state Commerce Department, told the visitors that South Carolina’s relatively low wages is one reason they should consider investing in the state.

As part of a PowerPoint presentation, she told them that South Carolina’s average annual wage of $40,580 is the second lowest in the South.

One member of the delegation, Su Hongxiang, chairman of Tianjin Tengyuan Power Engineering Co. Ltd., told UBJ through an interpreter that his company had registered an office in Charlotte and was interested in making investments in the area of solar power.

Leading the delegation from China was Huang Xiaoxiang, former vice governor of Sichuan Province.

The United States and China “need to work together to make the world a better place,” he said through an interpreter to applause.

Two Greenville businesses made presentations at Furman: the Wyche law firm and Pintail Capital Partners, a commercial real estate company.

Stuart Wyeth, Pintail’s chief executive, said he had printed business cards with Chinese characters just for the occasion.

“It’s very important for cultural customs to show our respect for this group of important delegates coming >>

2015 — Volvo Car Corp. announces a $500 million, 4,000-job auto plant for Berkeley County. The company is based in Sweden but owned by Chinese automaker Geely.

Suzhou Glacier Import & Export Co. announces a $24 million, 109-worker factory in Travelers Rest to make automotive textiles.

Haier announces a $72 million expansion of its Camden refrigerator plant and another 410 jobs.

2016 — China Jushi announces a $300 million, 400-job fiberglass plant for Columbia.

Jiangnan Mold Plastic Technology Corp. announces a $45 million, 150-job plastic auto parts factory for Greer.

Yanfeng Automotive Interiors announces its acquisition of the existing Faurecia auto interior parts plant in Fountain Inn and says it will spend $71 million expanding the plant and add 35 jobs.

2017 — State lawmakers approve more than $40 million in incentives for Wanli Tire Corporation Ltd. The company is reportedly planning a $1 billion, 1,200-worker plant in Orangeburg County.

Sources: S.C. Commerce Department, Rhodium Group, news reports, economic development official.

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to South Carolina,” Wyeth said.

He was there to offer his firm’s assistance with any commercial real estate investment the Chinese might want to make in South Carolina.

“There’s been Chinese investment in other markets on the East Coast, and we’d love to see it here in South Carolina, especially in Greenville,” Wyeth said.

State Sen. Wes Climer of Rock Hill was also on hand, as was John Lummus, president of the Upstate SC Alliance, the Greenville-based economic development group.

Also attending were Greenville businesswoman Vivian Wong; Dian Wang, co-leader of the Chinese Business Group at Moore & Van Allen, a Charlotte-based law firm; and Wally Wang, senior project manager for global business development at the S.C. Commerce Department.

The Chinese had already visited Charlotte and Asheville by the time they got to Greenville and were scheduled to visit Columbia, Charleston, Myrtle Beach, the Raleigh area, and Washington, D.C., before returning home.

They visited South Carolina in the same week that news broke of possible plans by a Chinese tire company to build a $1 billion plant in Orangeburg County.

Wanli Tire Corporation Ltd. of Guangzhou report-

edly would hire 1,200 people for the facility.

State lawmakers approved borrowing more than $40 million to provide incentives for the project, but Adrienne Fairwell, a Commerce Department spokesperson, said the plans had yet to be approved in China.

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The vote by the legislative Joint Bond Review Committee was “an interim step if it comes to fruition,” Fairwell said.

Nationwide, Chinese business investment in the United States reached a record $46 billion in 2016, triple what it was the year before, according to a May report by the Rhodium Group, an economic research firm, and the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, a nonprofit that promotes ties between the countries.

“What used to be a one-way street — with money flowing predominantly from the United States to China — is now a two-way highway with tens of billions of dollars in annual FDI [foreign direct investment] flowing in each direction,” the report says.

Still, between 1990 and 2016, the Chinese invested far less in the United States than Americans did in China, according to the report.

It puts U.S. business investment in China over that period at more than $240 billion, compared to $110 billion for Chinese business investment in the United States.

And while most U.S. investment in China has been “greenfield” projects — the building of new facilities — most Chinese investment in the United States has been the acquisition of existing facilities or assets such as real estate.

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QUESTION AND ANSWER

‘We haven’t scratched the surface yet’ A conversation with economic development expert John Ling on the future of Chinese investment in the Upstate RUDOLPH BELL | STAFF

rbell@communityjournals.com

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reenville resident John Ling was born in Chongqing, China, 47 years ago. In 1991, he moved to Charleston to get a master’s degree in business administration from Charleston Southern University.

Ling ran the South Carolina Department of Commerce’s office in Shanghai for about a decade before moving back to Greenville in 2014. He helped persuade nine Chinese companies to announce new factories for South Carolina — projects involving more than 2,000 jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in capital investment.

Ling is now managing director for Chinese investment at the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

He spoke with UBJ on June 9 at the Village Grind coffee shop.

PHOTO BY WILL CROOKS 10

UBJ | 6.16.2017

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Except for the Haier refrigerator plant in Camden, South Carolina did not see much business investment from China for many years, and the United States in general did not. There’s been a good bit that’s arrived in recent years, however. Can you explain that pattern?

It’s driven by the costs. The rising costs of many factories in China.

There’s no other way to explain that.

China, due to its past economic development, they are now the second-largest economy in the world.

And also, many of the Chinese companies over the years have started building their expertise or knowledge within different industries, and they feel much more comfortable, or competent, to enter into a market like

the U.S. They certainly, by sitting on more than $3 trillion in foreign currency reserves, have the money to do that. … So they are coming. And the second thing is that the U.S. has a lot to offer … the success of shale gas in recent years, and our energy costs are so low by global standards.

In China, not only do they have a very expensive natural gas price, but also a high electricity rate, high real estate prices. And also, believe it or not, their logistics cost is very high in China. For a company like Keer [which opened a cotton yarn plant in Lancaster County], it’s much more economical for them to ship the products from here back to China than shipping from inland China to the coastline of China.

What is the potential for more Chinese business investment going forward?

My personal opinion is that we haven’t scratched the surface yet about inbound Chinese investment

projects. There will be more coming.

And I think the Southeastern states are all very well-positioned to engage with a Chinese project. Having said that, certainly it requires a different skill set, or background, and patience, to really work on a project successfully. But I believe it’s only at the very beginning.

How has South Carolina fared when it comes to attracting Chinese business investment?

I think South Carolina, especially during the earlier years, they were very aggressive. They had the foresight to engage with Chinese companies. Under [former Commerce Secretary] Bob Faith and [former Gov.] Mark Sanford, South Carolina set up the first state office in China that’s 100 percent dedicated to inbound Chinese investment, even though at that time we didn’t see any hard evidence to suggest they were interested or they were coming. … So

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I think the state did the right thing at that time, especially for a smaller state like South Carolina. I think they have done well, both in terms of international investment and working with Chinese investment.

Is there anything Greenville or South Carolina can do to make itself more competitive for investment from China?

Actually, I share with everybody.

There’s no secret in this. You just want to stay engaged. You want to understand. You want to put yourself in other people’s shoes to understand everything. You try, within your ability, to make sure your customers are happy.

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EMPLOYMENT

PHILANTHROPY

Greenville Technical College launches new corporate training partnership program In response to the needs of business and industry, Greenville Technical College’s Economic Development and Corporate Training Division has recently launched a new corporate training partnership program. The program aligns college offerings with the requirements of companies that plan employee development on an annual basis with a July 1 fiscal kickoff. The corporate training partnership program provides companies two distinct options to meet their workforce needs. The first is a subscription-based option, which allows employers to purchase a variety of training services for a defined number of employees identified by the company. The second option is a preferred provider training partnership, in which companies sign an agreement designating Greenville Technical College as their preferred training partner. In return, the company’s employees receive a discount on all professional development training offerings valued over $500. —Kristen Ferris

LIGHTING

Hubbell Lighting products recognized for cost savings Greenville-based Hubbell Lighting announced two of its outdoor wall-mounted light packs recently garnered some industry recognition.

The company said its LNC4 Litepak and the Dual-Lite GeoPak were showcased as 2017 Money Savings Products in the June issue of BUILDINGS magazine.

Finalists were evaluated by the publication’s editorial staff for the money-saving qualities they offer to building owners and facility managers in areas such as energy efficiency, water savings, and maintenance, Hubbell Lighting said.

The Dual-Lite GeoPak was commended for significantly reducing luminaire form factor, lowering cost, and increasing market access to lifesaving egress lighting.

The LNC4 was selected because it provides bestin-class controls options, including battery backup for egress applications as well as a programmable occupancy sensor for even greater energy savings when no motion is detected, according to the company.

Hubbell Lighting said this is the fourth consecutive year its products have been named on the list. —Trevor Anderson

Steady Growth

Photo courtesy of The Children’s Museum of the Upstate.

Duke Energy gifts $50,000 to Children’s Museum The Children’s Museum of the Upstate (TCMU) announced Tuesday, June 6, it received a $50,000 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation.

TCMU said the grant will beef up its offering of science, technology, engineering, and math (or STEM) educational programming through the museum’s mobile-friendly outreach platform, “On the Go.” Nancy Halverson, president and CEO of TCMU, said the grant will help after-school and community programs overcome challenges that make it difficult to provide the technology, supplies, and equipment necessary for providing STEM programming.

“With this grant from Duke Energy Foundation, TCMU can bring engaging, hands-on STEM programming wherever it is needed to impact student achievement,” Halverson said in a statement. “Thanks to the support of organizations like the Duke Energy Foundation, TCMU can provide the resources to present outreach that aligns with its mission: to spark a lifelong passion for curiosity and learning through play.”

TCMU, based in downtown Greenville, is a private, not-for-profit organization that focuses on engaging communities across the Upstate through interactive exhibits, online resources, and public and youth education programs.

The museum said its 80,000-square-foot facility at Heritage Green, which has 19 exhibit galleries and more than 100 individual exhibit components, is the seventh largest children’s museum in the U.S., and the 10th largest in the world.

It was the first children’ s museum in the country to

become a Smithsonian Affiliate, according to TCMU. “Community and service are integrated into everything our company does, and specifically in childhood education initiatives,” said Linda Hannon, government and community relations manager for Duke Energy, in a statement. “By fostering an interest in science and technology fields for students, our communities can continue growing and producing skilled workers who bring new thinking and innovation to our lives.”

TCMU is in the process of opening a museum location for children age 5 and under in downtown Spartanburg.

“We are so grateful to our friends at Duke Energy Foundation for giving us the opportunity to positively impact students and bring the museum’s state-of-theart STEM learning programs to communities across the Upstate,” Halverson said. —Trevor Anderson

LAW

Parker Poe’s Greenville office is among the seven locations in the Carolinas and Georgia. Photo provided.

Parker Poe expands, opens new office Parker Poe’s Greenville office celebrated its expansion to the Greenville market with an open house event on May 10 that drew government officials, business executives, and members of the community. The firm, which has seven offices in the Carolinas and Georgia, expanded to Greenville in early 2016 to better serve clients in the fast-growing Upstate region. Michael Kozlarek is the office’s managing partner. Attorneys in the office represent international businesses, banks, and local governments, as well as manufacturers and school districts, with a focus on legal practices that include public finance, tax, government matters, economic development, banking, corporate law, manufacturing, and distribution. —Staff report

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UBJ | 6.16.2017

greenville • spartanburg • anderson

INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

CommunityWorks celebrates local entrepreneurs CommunityWorks recently celebrated their second annual Excellence In Entrepreneurship event, which honored four Upstate entrepreneurs and two microenterprise advocates who have all demonstrated success and a passion for entrepreneurship. This event occurs in tandem with South Carolina’s Microbusiness Month, a month dedicated to businesses comprised of five or fewer employees.

The following awards were presented: Young Entrepreneur of the Year, presented to Harold Hughes, Bandwagon; Minority-Owned Microbusiness of the Year,

presented to Jeannette Houchens, HIT Services; Woman-Owned Microbusiness of the Year, presented to Julie Maddox, Benji Bars; Entrepreneurial Success Award, presented to Douglas Lee, Little Rabbit Trucking; Microbusiness Champion of the Year, presented to Tammie Hoy, StartME:Northside; and Nika White, Minority Business Accelerator-Greenville Chamber of Commerce Diversity and Inclusion Initiative. —Kristen Ferris

MANUFACTURING

BMW’s US sales down 11.1 percent in May Sales of BMW models produced in the Upstate — the X3 and X4 — increased in May, but the automaker’s U.S. business

BMW MAY 2017 SALES Model

5/17

5/16

+/-

X3

4,011

3,295

X4

406

X5 X6 All BMW light trucks

YTD 2017

YTD 2016

+/-

+21.7% 20,784

15,928

+30.5%

371

+9.4%

1,585

2,208

-28.2%

4,098

4,372

-6.3%

19,570

18,186

+7.6%

547

712

-23.2%

2,636

2,964

-11.1%

9,062

8,7505

+3.6%

44,575

39,286

+13.5%

X models made in Spartanburg

continued to show decline for the month and year.

BMW of North America reported its sales fell more than 11 percent this past month to 29,878 vehicles, compared with 33,612 in May 2016.

The company said it sold 137,916 vehicles during the first five months of the year, a nearly 5 percent decrease compared with 144,811 during the same period of the previous year.

“Our all-new BMW 5 Series is now showing its strength as availability increases and production begins to match demand,” said Bernhard Kuhnt, president and CEO of BMW of North America, in a statement. “At the same time, demand for BMW Sports Activity Vehicles (SAVs) remains solid with the X1 and the X3 delivering the standout numbers for May.” Spartanburg County-based BMW Manufacturing Co. is currently the assembly hub of the automaker’s light trucks division, which includes its lineup of X3, X4, X5, and X6 SAVs. As a whole, the light trucks division’s sales increased almost 4 percent during May and nearly 14 percent for the year.

Sales of the locally produced X models accounted for about 38 percent of the au-

| NEWS

tomaker’s U.S. sales and 17 percent of its global sales in April.

The Spartanburg plant’s annual production numbers as of June 3 stood at 178,522 vehicles. The plant is on track to surpass its production record of 411,000 vehicles it achieved in 2016. —Trevor Anderson

Family Footprint to host advanced manufacturing career fairs Family Footprint offers parents opportunities to advance their careers in advanced manufacturing. Family Footprint was awarded a $4 million grant from the Department of Labor to provide training, work experience, and child care to qualified parents in Greenville and Laurens counties. Two upcoming career fairs will allow parents to learn about advanced manufacturing careers with local employers and enroll into the training program. The first will be held June 20 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Center for Advanced Manufacturing located at 109 Innovation Drive in Laurens. The second will be held June 22 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Family Footprint located at 510 S. Main St. in Mauldin. —Kristen Ferris

Small firm values. Big firm experience.

etblawfirm.com Business Litigation | Construction Litigation | Civil Litigation | Workers Compensation

6.16.2017

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JUMPSTART: COOKS FLIPS |

COMPANIES BLAZING A TRAIL IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP

From cook to fobbler

John Walker builds a business that takes the flop out of flip-flops

WORDS BY LEIGH SAVAGE PHOTOS BY WILL CROOKS

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John Walker has done everything from making kayaking videos to running a barbecue business, and now he’s finding his stride as a “fobbler,” a flip-flop cobbler.

Walker, who earned a degree in environmental policy from Sewanee: The University of the South, was growing tired of raising hogs and cooking barbecue in Travelers Rest when he starting contemplating ways to reuse all of the feedbags on the family farm. “I wanted to recycle them, and I made a pair of shoes, and it all started there,” he said.

About four years later, Cook Flips has been a hit at farmers markets, where Walker sold more than 1,000 pairs of custom-fitted flip-flops ($80) using recycled materials, and he’s doing brisk sales on his website (cooksflips. com, $40 each). Walker is also preparing to move to León, Mexico, where he plans to find a factory to create more versions of his footwear.

The journey has been full of ups and downs, but “I don’t know what else to do now,” he said. “I feel like I have a degree in shoe manufacturing, and it’s finally starting to pay off.”

John Walker hopes to find a factory in Mexico to manufacture his Cooks Flips flip-flops.

Photo by Will Crooks

After making your first pair of flip-flops, what prompted you to pursue this as a business?

I was hand-making them in the barn with a recycled tire bottom, a live-harvested cork upper, and feedbag straps. The plastic got comfortable and soft, and didn’t absorb water. They were really nice, and when I went to farmers markets to custom-fit this shoe on people, it was popular. I’m not doing markets right now, but I’d love to have a store.

Did you have to expand your manufacturing to keep up with demand?

It was tough because it cost so much to make the shoe that it was hard to prove to investors that I could sell them. You can’t really manufacture shoes in America, because it requires a lot of expensive machinery. So to prove to investors that I can sell them, I had to have some made in China. That wasn’t my initial business plan, which is why I’m going to start bringing this shoe out of Mexico.

How are sales going for the shoe you had made in China?

It’s doing very well. You can order them on our website or get them at Sunrift Adventures. I feel good about this product — it’s a great shoe and very durable. It has injected-molded foam that gives the shoe a nice rocker. It also has the longer toe thong, which moves the fulcrum further back on your foot. It reduces the flop, so your toes don’t have to pinch the front of the shoe to hold it, and it feels so much better.

What was the transition like, going from making barbecue to making shoes?

A partner and I had started White Oak Barbecue, and we were selling it out of the Barker Bar, a dog-friendly bar in Travelers Rest. It was going well, but my partner and I were both ready

FLIPS continued on PAGE 16

6.16.2017

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JUMPSTART: COOKS FLIPS |

COMPANIES BLAZING A TRAIL IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP

down on synthetics made with petroleum.

FLIPS continued from PAGE 15

to do something different. It was a really natural transition to making these. Working with all of these materials, rolling it out, it’s kind of like getting a bunch of barbecue and seasoning it. I kept the same shop in the barn.

How much do environmental concerns inform your business plans?

My big thing is trying to motivate people to wear things that are sustainably produced, but look cool. I find it to be a huge, growing market that is covered in a giant lie. Most of it is a big lie. But I have found that leather, if produced properly, is one of the most sustainable materials we can use, if made on a water-conscious farm. So I’m looking to move into leather in Mexico, as well as salvaged ocean plastic.

How did you learn to make shoes?

I really like designing, but it did take me a long time to get it worked out. I made some horrible, ugly ones at first.

I took shoes apart, came up with ways to measure them. I had to experiment with what felt better. I looked at what everyone else was doing and tweaked it. It was two years before I sold a pair.

I came up with patented stitching, like a lightning bolt, which is very strong.

What were the biggest challenges in having your design manufactured in China?

I went on Alibaba (a Chinese e-commerce site) and said I was looking to manufacture shoes. A bunch said they

Cooks Flips feature a longer toe thong, making them “all flip and no flop.” Photo by Will Crooks

would do it, so I sent 15 samples to China and only got four products back that I thought were decent. I just got too big for local companies to work with me. I needed 1,000 pounds of cork, for example, and was using all of these different businesses — it became a nightmare.

Why the switch to Mexico?

León, Mexico, is the shoe capital of the world. I can order 100 or 200 pairs of one style, whereas in China I have to order 800 pairs at a time because of their minimum order quantity. So I want to get set up with a ranch in Mexico where I can recycle all of their plastic and produce leather, and cut

What are the next steps for you and for Cooks Flips?

I’m moving into the barn, taking my shoes to a distribution company so all of my shipping can go out, and going down to Mexico this summer to find a factory. I’m going to León so I can undercut the competition by selling flip-flops that look and feel better for less.

LIFE JOURNEYS FROM MANAGER TO LEADER Featuring Dick Wilkerson, Former President of Michelin, N.A.

Greenville Chamber

FRIDAY FORUM JUNE 23, 2017

Hilton Greenville 8:00-8:30 AM Networking/Breakfast 8:30-9:30 AM Program PRESENTED BY

LEARN MORE & REGISTER AT GREENVILLECHAMBER.ORG 16

UBJ | 6.16.2017

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POWER SOLUTIONS CASE STUDY of

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SQUARE FEET |

REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF

tanderson@communityjournals.com |

@AndersonTrev

Georgia developer Pace Burt sold the 107-unit Mayfair Lofts complex in Spartanburg to a Charleston developer for $10.59 million. Photo provided

Mayfair Lofts in Spartanburg sold for $10.59M to generate revenue for Arcadia Mill rehab

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cluding Mayfair Lofts, The Lofts of Greenville, West Village Lofts at Brandon Mill in Greenville, Church Street Lofts in Spartanburg, and The Flats at 249 in Albany, Ga. Jeremiah Jarmin and Mark Boyce, regional representatives with the New York-based commercial real estate firm Berkadia, brokered the sale of Mayfair Lofts.

“Our clientele is very bullish about the Greenville-Spartanburg market,” Jarmin said. “[The buyers] saw this mill as a core asset with long-term stability and traction [in the market]. They have seen the high demand and rental growth in the area. … They’re looking towards a bright future for this property.”

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18

apartments blending history with modern urban appeal.

In late 2012, Burt began moving forward with plans for the Hayne Street property.

Some of the plant’s newer construction added in the 1970s was demolished and removed, exposing the original shell of the building, comprised of brick and large windows.

He said his company has submitted their redevelopment plan to the S.C. Historic Preservation Office.

He said the project must be approved before it can move forward.

Several projects aimed at restoring historic buildings in Spartanburg are underway or recently completed, including Drayton Mills Lofts and Marketplace, The Montgomery Building, the Aug. W Smith Building, and a few others.

Local officials believe Burt’s redevelopment of the Arcadia plant will bring similar energy and interest to the surrounding community.

“This project could greatly benefit that area of Spartanburg,” said Spartanburg County Councilman Michael Brown. “We are very excited about it. It’s a project that will not only give a historic building a facelift, but could spur more growth in the community.”

Burt’s portfolio includes a range of multimillion-dollar historic renovation projects in the Southeast, in-

ve Cle

County’s supply of historic buildings.

And the recent sale of a loft apartment community in the 94-year-old Mayfair Mills Baily plant in Spartanburg County will help finance the historic renovation of another manufacturing relic down the street.

Georgia developer Pace Burt, principal of Mayfair Landlord LLC, sold the 107-unit complex at 100 W. Cleveland St. to Charleston-based Mayfair Apartments of SC LLC for $10.59 million on May 18, according to county property records.

Burt said on Friday, June 9, he hopes to use the funding to redevelop the 110-year-old Mayfair Mills facility at 1875 Hayne St. in the Arcadia community.

“We love [Mayfair Lofts],” Burt said. “It’s a great project. We needed to raise funds to renovate the Arcadia Mill. [The buyers] have a few historic properties. … I know they will do a great job with it.”

The plan includes 80 loft apartments in the 200,000-square-foot building. Burt said he plans to donate a portion of the building house to an art school.

Both mill buildings were founded under the Arcadia Cotton Mills banner, but were renamed in 1934 after the Mayfair Hotel in London.

Burt acquired the two facilities from Spartanburg businessman Jimmy Gibbs in 2004.

In 2008, Burt completed an $8 million rehab of the West Cleveland Street property to transform it into

Fa

Redevelopment has put a dent in Spartanburg

Hayne Street

REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

| SQUARE FEET

Rendering by Overcash Demmitt Architects

Greer Mayor Rick Danner (second from right) joined Stoneledge Properties in breaking ground for its Le Jardin community last week.

STONELEDGE PROPERTIES BREAKS GROUND AT LE JARDIN COMMUNITY IN GREER Stoneledge Properties, a Greenvillebased development and custom home building company, broke ground last week at Le Jardin, a 55-acre, 64-site gated community in Greer.

Le Jardin will feature amenities such as walking trails, parks, common spaces, wooded areas with mature hardwoods and streams, and a renewable power resource. Lot options will include flat lots, wooded lots, and basement lots. Lots will be up to 1 acre.

Home prices will run from $600,000 to $1 million plus, the company said. Lots run in the $100,000–$150,000 range.

The community is designated as the first “solar-encouraged” luxury community in the state of South Carolina via their partnership with Gsp

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CertainTeed, according to Stoneledge.

CertainTeed’s Apollo II Solar Shingles are designed to visually blend in with a new or existing asphalt shingle roof.

The system “generates clean power while keeping homes safe from water intrusion,” said Mark Stancroff, director of CertainTeed Solar.

“We have been dreaming of a property like this for eight to 10 years now,” says Chris Bailey, builder and founder of Stoneledge Properties.

“When we found it, we knew it was a truly rare opportunity for us to create something special for homeowners in the Upstate.”

The aesthetic vision of Le Jardin will primarily focus on the French eclectic and English Tudor influences; however, “each residence will maintain the unique individuality of its owner,” said the company.

“We are approaching pre-recession construction numbers in the city, and I’m not sure that any residential project has brought the anticipation that Le Jardin has,” said Greer Mayor Rick Danner. “Developers called it the perfect property, and we think it is in the perfect location.

We look forward to following the construction and introducing homeowners to the finest quality of life in the Upstate – right here in the City of Greer.” ­—Staff report

JHM ANNOUNCES NEW DOWNTOWN GREENVILLE HOTELS Two hotel brands — Residence Inn and Spring Hill Suites — are scheduled to be part of the latest hotel development in downtown Greenville.

JHM Hotels was scheduled to break ground June 14 on a seven-story building at the corner of Washington and Spring streets that would house 286 suites marketed under the two brands, as well as a bar/restaurant, meeting space, and parking garage.

The property is expected to open in fall 2018.

The Greenville-based company’s existing 38-hotel portfolio includes the downtown Hyatt Regency and three properties in the Interstate 85/Pelham Road area: the Greenville Marriott, a Fairfield Inn, and a Courtyard by Marriott. ­—Rudolph Bell

Rendering by Nourachi Studios Architectural Illustrations

DOMINION SENIOR LIVING BUILDS SECOND UPSTATE COMMUNITY Knoxville, Tenn.-based Dominion Senior Living is building a $10 million faith-based assisted living and memory care community at Patrick Square in Clemson. It’s the second Dominion community in the Upstate and South Carolina.

The two-story, 50,000-square-foot project will include 49 assisted living apartments and 17 memory care apartments at 100 Pershing Ave. The community will include landscaped gardens, covered porches, and a salon/ barber shop.

It is expected to open in the late fall of 2018, and Lindsey Daugherty, owner/operator, will be the executive director.

Dominion Senior Living at Patrick Square will place its residents within a town center that includes restaurants, retail, and other amenities within walking distance. The residential community also will have technological advancements that include an electronic health record system, a nurse call system, mobile device alerts, and the ability to track all daily activities electronically. Nurses and professionally trained caregivers will be available on-site, 24/7. Therapy and wellness programs also are available to residents.

Dominion Senior Living also has communities open or under construction in Anderson and eight cities in Tennessee and Kentucky. — ­ Melinda Young 6.16.2017

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19

THE TAKEAWAY |

NOTES FROM THE BEST TALKS YOU MISSED

‘Inclusion Is a Necessity’ If you’re not ready for 2040, you’re already behind in your diversity efforts, says an exec with Management Leadership for Tomorrow WHAT: The Greenville Chamber’s ACE

Diversity Leadership Symposium WHERE: TD Convention Center FEATURE PRESENTATION: “Advancing

Multicultural Leadership” with Keynote Speaker Marcus Shaw, senior director of business development of Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT) WHO WAS THERE: More than 500

members of Greenville’s business community

By MARION MANN Marketing & Communications Director, Greenville Chamber

The Greenville Chamber’s annual ACE Leadership Symposium advocates for the advancement of multicultural leadership through intentional efforts to ensure the success of diverse individuals, so they may lead and contribute to the success of organizations and communities.

Marcus Shaw is senior director of business development for Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT). MLT equips and emboldens high-achieving women and men from underrepresented communities to realize their full potential and to make a mark and a difference. Their vision is for a world where inequality is no more, where people of color realize their full potential, and where diverse leadership is no longer “underrepresented.”

According to MLT, “There is a stark racial disparity when it comes to leadership in America. Only 3 percent of senior leadership in the U.S. is black, Latino,

20

UBJ | 6.16.2017

or Native American. This disparity, combined with other troubling racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic gaps, undermines employment, advancement, and prosperity in a nation that is fast becoming ‘majority minority.’”

Shaw’s mother was a teacher, and his father spent 28 years in the U.S. Navy, then more than 20 years in the Library of Congress. He worked as an engineer and then in banking as a highly successful stock analyst until life experiences made him realize that work didn’t truly matter to him and it was time to think critically about his path and his ability to impact.

Some takeaways from his presentation:

ON BELONGING It is impossible to be your best self if you question your sense of belonging.

If people are not comfortable in their surroundings, they will not operate to their highest potential. When leaders of organizations foster a sense of belonging, they get action and results. And further, when they provide a sense of being valued, productivity abounds.

FOR LEADERS Reflective leadership is one of the most important things you can practice. You need to understand how people see you, listen actively, and learn how to take and give feedback in order to build trust and credibility. A sense of empathy and humility is critical to leading effectively.

Shaw encouraged intentionality in diversity and inclusion efforts. Once the decision is made to be intentional about these efforts, you can: • Build critical mass: Ensure there is a pipeline of diverse people trained and ready with a similar vision to succeed you and others in leadership positions.

• Strategic rigor: Commit to addressing human capital in diversity and inclusion with the same rigor

Marcus Shaw, senior director of business development of Management Leadership for Tomorrow.

Photo provided

as that which you develop, innovate, and market your products and services.

• Promote high performers: Advance the best people and put them on the best teams so they can become leaders, and keep on doing it.

• Results and accountability: Compensation for leaders and managers needs to be tied to the success and failure of diversity and inclusion efforts.

INCLUSION IS A NECESSITY FOR DOING BUSINESS If you’re a business not thinking forward to 2040, you’re already behind.

America is currently made up of 30 percent underrepresented minorities (African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans) and slated to be over 50 percent by 2040. If you are a leader selling any kind of widget of any kind to any consumer in this country and you are not intentionally focusing on diversity, you will not be successful.

You can watch Shaw’s presentation online at the Greenville Chamber’s YouTube channel.

Learn more about the Chamber’s inclusion and other efforts to advance a globally competitive economy where businesses succeed and people prosper at greenvillechamber.org.

MOVERS, SHAKERS, AND DISRUP TORS SHAPING OUR FUTURE

| INNOVATE

The 21st Century House Call Telemedicine is advancing worldwide, and SC is no exception

By BLAINE CHILDRESS President, ChemAu

Remote access medicine has been a cornerstone of human space exploration since the inception of NASA. The International Space Station (ISS) permits earth-based specialists to examine the entire habitat of the station and use a wide range of physiological systems to monitor the health details of each crewmember.

This practice extends well beyond the skin and garment triaging of pulse and blood pressures. Specialized diagnostic stations permit physicians to perform complex diagnostics while video links with each astronaut.

Remote examinations may include vascular imaging, optical coherence tomography, bone density, electrocardiography, or ultrasound imaging. About every aspect of health can be measured and linked to specialists on Earth. Naturally, weight is determined very differently; mass is measured and converted to weight.

Similarly, the isolated environment of a submarine, undersea laboratory, or a remote Antarctic station requires specialized means of remotely performing health diagnostics.

But what about the rest of us? My Fitbit is cool and helpful for my cardio health, blood pressure stations had their time, and other types of digital health applications, such as Babylon, MyChart, and iTriage, can be accessed through smartphones and watches.

But could we eliminate the magazine tables of waiting rooms and establish direct links to our own health care?

My first exposure to telemedicine occurred while in Cleveland in 2014. John Nottingham reported his work with Steve Cashman to further Cashman’s Care4 concept of a personal medical pod. The effort resulted in a functioning personal health care kiosk dubbed HealthSpot. The company began deploying private enclosed booths, equipped with high-definition cameras and digital medical instruments, to provide personal medical stations in truck stops, airports, hotels, and pharmacies. The approach included live video-linked examinations conducted through integrated in-pod diagnostics, and an “attending” health professional, assisted by a local technician. This early-stage form of remote health care was trialed at Rite Aid stores in the Ohio region, as an alternative to the CVS MinuteClinic. This concept may have been ahead of its time, and it ended with bankruptcy, but its vision continues. Despite HealthSpot’s demise, virtual doctor visits survive through programs like TelaDoc, Doctor-On-Demand, or MDLive.

Here in South Carolina, Dr. Aaron Lesher has

With an increasing shortage of skilled nurses and physicians, as well as constant pressure to reduce health care costs, an ability to remotely access patients without adding brick-andmortar clinics has financial and practical appeal. addressed the needs of rural patients using webcams, Skype, and FaceTime — to inspect children’s burns, counsel with parents to determine whether emergency treatment is indicated, or whether instead to look on while a burn is being treated and bandaged. This live consultation may be followed by another video visit to check up on the recovery progress. It is an immediate and important means of urgent care that can prevent the high cost and missed job hours associated with a long one- to three-hour round-trip to a major hospital. The MUSC Center for Telehealth in Charleston is expanding rapidly, with its video-linked pediatrician care and community hospital expert collaborations.

Also in South Carolna, Dr. Joe Krainin operates his Mount Pleasant office for patients with sleep disorders, except there is no “office.” Unlike expensive in-lab testing that may cost about $2,000, the Singular Sleep patient can buy a test kit system for $249 and receive results about two weeks later. The telemedicine software and sleep monitoring equipment permit the diagnosis of sleep disorders from the convenience and comfort of one’s own bed using a smartphone, tablet, or computer with a webcam and an internet connection. Patients can consult with a board-certified sleep medicine doctor through a secure, HIPAA-compliant web portal. Home sleep study data is reviewed and scored by registered sleep technologists, and inter-

preted by a board-certified sleep physician.

Krainin meets with his patients, evaluates their sleep habits, and even prescribes medications without ever stepping into an exam room with them. If more is required, medical equipment can be supplied to remotely monitor the treatment of the medical disorder. A similar home study is being explored in Greenville by SleepWorks, using its ApneaLink device.

On the grander front of telemedicine, telerobotic laparoscopic surgery is emerging. Using robots like Zeus or Da Vinci, specialists can collaborate with local physicians to remotely perform telerobotic surgeries that complement the community practice. Surgeons may be hundreds of miles away from their patient.

Sure, this may confuse insurance companies, but virtual surgery is “reality.”

Clearly, telemedicine is becoming a vital part of our everyday life. With an increasing shortage of skilled nurses and physicians, as well as constant pressure to reduce health care costs, an ability to remotely access patients without adding brick-and-mortar clinics has financial and practical appeal. Tele-health care technologies improve the quality of care, reduce costs, and keep patients in their own communities.

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SOCIAL SNAPSHOT |

INSIDE THE UPSTATE’S NETWORKING AND SOCIAL SCENE

BUSINESS ON TAP Both conversation and booze both flowed as UBJ hosted its monthly networking event, Business on Tap, at SIP Whiskey & Wine Bar in downtown Greenville last Wednesday evening.

Photos by Leland Outz.

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22

UBJ | 6.16.2017

INSIDE THE UPSTATE’S NETWORKING AND SOCIAL SCENE

Greenville Chamber

| SOCIAL SNAPSHOT

PRESENTED BY

WOMEN @ WORK CREATING A WORKPLACE CULTURE IN WHICH WOMEN CAN ADVANCE Featuring Krista Bourne, Verizon Market President ATHENA ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP AWARD RECIPIENT PANELISTS

JUNE 22, 2017 7:30-9:30 AM Embassy Suites Golf Resort & Conference Center

PHILLIP KILGORE

OGLETREE, DEAKINS, NASH, SMOAK & STEWART, P.C.

MAURIE LAWRENCE

WYCHE, P.A.

DR. CHIP WIPER

GREENVILLE HEALTH SYSTEM

LEARN MORE & REGISTER AT GREENVILLECHAMBER.ORG

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NEW TO THE STREET |

THE FRESHEST FACES ON THE BUSINESS LANDSCAPE

ANNOUNCING THREE DAILY NONSTOP FLIGHTS TO

Open for business

CHICAGO! STARTING JULY 5, 2017

Tower International celebrated the opening of their new facility at 141 Southchase Blvd. in Fountain Inn. Read more on page 5 and learn more at towerinternational.com.

CONTRIBUTE: Know of a business opening soon?

Email information to kferris@communityjournals.com.

Independent Living Patio Homes • Independent Apartment Homes Assisted Living • Memory Care • Rehabilitation • Skilled Nursing

www.gspairport.com

1 Hoke Smith Blvd., Greenville 864.987.4612 • www.RollingGreenVillage.com

PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS

HIRED

A. LYON BIXLER III Joined Babb & Brown, P.C. as associate attorney. Bixler most recently served as the assistant solicitor for the Eighth Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office in Laurens, S.C. He earned his Bachelor of Science in business administration from the University of South Carolina in 2002 and his Juris Doctor from the Charleston School of Law in 2012, where he graduated cum laude and 28th in his class of 229.

HIRED

MATTHEW CUNNINGHAM Hired as field supervisor at All Clear Plumbing.

Cunningham recently moved to the area with his family from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.

He has more than 15 years of experience in plumbing and drain cleaning. As field supervisor, Cunningham will lead plumbers and apprentices in the field and serve as counsel to executive management.

HIRED

HIRED

| ON THE MOVE

PROMOTED

MASON CLINE

PAUL SPRINGETT

DREW BOLAND

Hired as performance service specialist at Jackson Marketing, Motorsports & Events. Cline joins Jackson as a full-time associate after serving in a seasonal role with the Jackson Motorsports team since December. In his new position, Cline will handle on-site services for various clients at events held throughout the country.

Hired as business development manager at O’Neal Inc., a Greenvillebased integrated design and construction firm. Springett has more than 15 years of business development experience. He previously worked for Esys Automation, Total Comfort Solutions, and Siemens Automotive. He earned his bachelor’s in manufacturing systems engineering from the University of Warwick, United Kingdom.

Promoted to regional corporate banker at BB&T in Greenville. Boland has been with BB&T for six years and was previously a manager on the corporate banking underwriting team. Before joining BB&T, Boland served in a variety of commercial banking roles at The Palmetto Bank (now United Community Bank) over a seven-year span.

Marketing

Communications

FerebeeLane (FL), a full-service marketing and branding agency, was recently selected to handle the consumer marketing efforts for Microban, the market leader in antimicrobial and odor control technology. FL will develop and manage all digital advertising, social media, public relations, and influencer marketing for the 2017 consumer campaign. To support the effort and bring additional leadership to the FL account department, Matt Gaymon has joined the agency as management supervisor, focusing primarily on Microban. Before joining FerebeeLane, Gaymon spent 14 years at Erwin Penland, where he served as management supervisor for brands including Michelin, Denny’s, Lockheed Martin, Firehouse Subs, ScanSource, and United Way.

Crawford Strategy, a full-service agency providing strategic and creative communications solutions, has promoted Anna Simmons to account executive and Jaqueline Vaughn to accounting assistant.

Public Relations

O’Neal Inc., a Greenville-based integrated design and construction firm, has hired Jerson Munson as drafter and John Leath as safety technician. Munson previously worked for Ford, Bacon & Davis. He earned his associate degree in engineering graphics technology from Greenville Technical College. Leath has over 25 years of construction safety experience. He previously worked for Comau Fiat Chrysler, Duke Energy, and Cooper Electrical.

South Carolina Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (SCPRSA) honored Jamie Prince, Flourish’s founder and principal, the W. Thomas Duke Distinguished Public Relations Practitioner of the Year Award. Additionally, SCPRSA awarded Flourish’s client work with two Mercury Awards and two Silver Wing Awards.

Hughes Agency, a full-service public relations, marketing, advertising, and event management firm, is pleased to announce three recent additions to its team: Hayley Thrift Bledsoe, senior account executive; Kamarie Miles, director of finance; and Jennifer Oladipo, senior account executive.

Technology EDTS, a regional technology consulting firm that specializes in providing managed I.T. services, network security, and advanced infrastructure solutions to organizations across the Southeast, has added professionals Daniel Gillam as service technician and Paul Murphy and Josh Williams as network administrators. In addition, Hina Mahmood has been promoted from HR generalist to HR manager.

Financial United Community Bank has been recognized for the highest customer satisfaction score in the Southeast by the J.D. Power 2017 U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study. This is the fourth consecutive year the bank has received the award.

Architecture and Design

Legal Roe Cassidy Coates & Price, P.A., has announced that R. Boatner “Bo” Bowman has joined the firm as an associate. Prior to joining Roe Cassidy, Bowman spent three years serving as judicial law clerk to circuit court judges in Upstate South Carolina and two years in an Upstate litigation firm, where he represented both businesses and individuals involved in litigation. Bowman concentrates his practice on medical malpractice defense, business litigation, criminal defense, and personal injury.

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

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#TRENDING |

INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

THE WATERCOOLER Social Chatter RE: WHITE DUCK TACO SHOP NEARS COMPLETION, OPENING DATE

RE: FRONT ROW: JUNE DESIGN REVIEW BOARD URBAN PANEL

“What I have been waiting for...”

“I am tired of the same old five- or six-story brick apartment buildings in downtown. The planners are going to make downtown development so uniform it risks being boring.

We need some diversity of styles and heights…

I am excited for the finishing touches on Keys Village on East McBee! Can’t wait for the jumbotron!”

Stacey N Johnson-Whitfield “I always say, ‘You can never have too many taco shops.’”

Josh Moore “Damn, don’t we have enough taco places already?”

@beerandwaffles

RE: INSTACART BRINGS GROCERY DELIVERY SERVICE TO UPSTATE “This is perfect!”

Sean Dribben

RE: THE DUKE’S CENTURY “The only mayo”

Sally Eastman

RE: HALF-MOON OUTFITTERS PLANS MOVE TO NEW STONE AVENUE LOCATION *In response to, “Would you prefer coffee or beer while you shop in their new location?”* “Hard decision… Happy either way! Cool store, great new coming location.”

Chris Loper “Both. But beer would make me spend more.”

RE: THERE IS A NEW FUTURE THAT WILL BE MADE BY HANDS “While I liked the essay’s theme, I found it a bit vague (maybe in need of some Upstate-centric specifics/case studies?). Yet something about the author’s perspective felt familiar... then I remembered this article by Lauren Weber: on. wsj.com/2raIcEZ.

Joe Crowther “Coffee!”

Sharon Hughes-Smith “The answer is yes — that’s what coffee stouts are for!”

Austin Trousdale

Austin Trousdale

@drewcephus

JUNE 9, 2017

TOP 5:

E 23 | VOL. 6 ISSU

DIGITAL FLIPBOOK ARCHIVE

The layout of print meets the convenience of the Web. Flip through the digital editions of any of our print issues, and see them all in one place. upstatebusinessjournal.com/past-issues

1. Level 10 restaurant to open this fall atop AC Hotel in Spartanburg

2. White Duck Taco Shop nears completion, opening date

READ

SP 100-YEAR

ional to a reg recipe been yonnaise ke brand has 17 ade ma Du 19 homem on since ouse, the From a powerh Upstate traditi an

SO INSIDE

3. Iberiabank picks downtown Greenville for first SC branch

4. Half-Moon Outfitters plans move to new Stone Avenue location

5. First Look: Spartanburg eatery Pokenori will blend Hawaiian cuisine with sushi

*The top 5 stories from the past week ranked by shareability score

26

UBJ | 6.16.2017

GROCER

Y DELIVER

Y

AL ACHI ES AT HIT HOT TIM HANDMADE E IS THE FUTUR TO GREENVILLE COMES SERVICE

yl Smart, er, Cher ks. his moth o by Will Croo ds, and Phot Duke Bran Company.

CEO of Smart, of Duke Sandwich Andrew president retired

GET THE INBOX CONNECT We’re great at networking.

Follow up on the Upstate’s workweek.

The Inbox – our weekly rundown of the top 10 local biz stories you need to know. upstatebusinessjournal.com/email

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Order a year of UBJ in no time, and we’ll deliver every week.

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EVENTS YOU SHOULD HAVE ON YOUR CALENDAR

PRESIDENT/CEO

Mark B. Johnston mjohnston@communityjournals.com

| PLANNER

DATE

EVENT INFO

WHERE DO I GO?

HOW DO I GO?

Thursday

Greenville Women at Work: Creating a Workplace Culture in Which Women Can Advance

Embassy Suites 670 Verdae Blvd.

7:30–9:30 a.m.

Cost: $25 for investors, $35 general admission For more info: bit.ly/2s9m9SC, eaustin@greenvillechamber.org, 864-239-3730

6/23

Friday Forum feat. Dick Wilkerson

Hilton Greenville 945 W. Ochard Park Drive 8–9:30 a.m.

Cost: $15 for investors, $25 general admission For more info: bit.ly/2svOJuF, tjames@greenvillechamber.org, 864-239-3728

Tuesday

Small Business Development Center’s Summer Breakfast

The Old Cigar Warehouse 912 S. Main St. 8:30 a.m.

For more info: 864-370-1545, ClemsonSBDC@clemson.edu

Basic Small-Business Startup

Tri-County Technical College Pendleton Campus 7900 US-76, Pendleton 5:30–8 p.m.

Cost: Free For more info: piedmontscore.org/workshops

6/22

UBJ PUBLISHER

Ryan L. Johnston rjohnston@communityjournals.com

EDITOR

Chris Haire chaire@communityjournals.com

MANAGING EDITOR

Jerry Salley jsalley@communityjournals.com

Friday

DIGITAL OPERATIONS MANAGER Tori Lant tlant@communityjournals.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Emily Pietras epietras@communityjournals.com

STAFF WRITERS

7/11

Trevor Anderson, Rudolph Bell, Cindy Landrum, Andrew Moore, Ariel Turner

CONTRIBUTING WRITER Melinda Young

MARKETING & ADVERTISING VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES David Rich drich@communityjournals.com

Thursday

7/20

SALES REPRESENTATIVES Jonathan Bowden Nicole Greer, Donna Johnston, Rosie Peck, Caroline Spivey, Emily Yepes

ART & PRODUCTION VISUAL DIRECTOR Will Crooks

LAYOUT

Bo Leslie | Tammy Smith

UP NEXT

IN THIS WEEK’S ISSUE OF UBJ? WANT A COPY FOR YOUR LOBBY?

JUNE 30 THE LEGAL ISSUE Critical information from local experts.

1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

UBJ milestone

UBJ milestone jackson Marketing Group’s 25 Years 1988 Jackson Dawson opens in Greenville at Downtown Airport

1988

>>

OPERATIONS Holly Hardin

ADVERTISING DESIGN

Kristy Adair | Michael Allen

CLIENT SERVICES

Anita Harley | Jane Rogers

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

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

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

JULY 14 THE ENTREPRENEURIAL ISSUE Tomorrow’s game-changers and disruptors.

Kristi Fortner

HOW TO CONTRIBUTE STORY IDEAS:

ideas@upstatebusinessjournal.com

EVENTS:

events@upstatebusinessjournal.com

NEW HIRES, PROMOTIONS, AND AWARDS:

onthemove@upstatebusinessjournal.com UBJ welcomes expert commentary from business leaders on timely news topics related to their specialties. Guest columns run 700-800 words. Contact managing editor Jerry Salley at jsalley@communityjournals. com to submit an article for consideration.

Circulation Audit by

JULY 28 THE CRE ISSUE The state of commercial real estate in the Upstate.

Got any thoughts? Care to contribute? Let us know at ideas@upstatebusinessjournal.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

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

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-prof 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 lients 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 nit inVolVeMent nitY in olV inV olVe VeMent & boarD positions 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

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

EVENTS: Submit event information for consideration to events@ upstatebusiness journal.com

Copyright ©2017 BY COMMUNITY JOURNALS LLC. All rights reserved.

Upstate Business Journal is published weekly by Community Journals LLC. 581 Perry Ave., Greenville, South Carolina, 29611. Upstate Business Journal is a free publication. Annual subscriptions (52 issues) can be purchased for $50. Postmaster: Send address changes to Upstate Business, P581 Perry Ave., Greenville, South Carolina, 29611. Printed in the USA.

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27

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