June 5, 2015 UBJ

JUNE 5, 2015 | VOL. 4 ISSUE 23

THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

Automated factories have been here for decades. It’s time to prepare for the age of the smart – even brilliant – factory.

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NEWS

| ENTREPRENEURS | 3

Clemson entrepreneurs win $20K in MBAe pitch contest ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

aboncimino@communityjournals.com Boozehounds, nighttime athletes and fashionable pets everywhere were the real winners at Clemson University’s EnterPrize Awards, the school’s MBA in entrepreneurship pitch contest closing out the students’ yearlong program. While students pitched everything from ice rink booking applications to pocket neighborhood developments, first-place winner Standard Ice took home $20,000 to build its soon-to-be-patented craft ice machine concept for bars and restaurants.

The premise is simple, according to the brains behind the company, MBAe student Josh Luetkemeyer and mechanical engineering student Tyler Curran. If you’re going to pay top dollar for a premium drink, why let fast-melting, bacteria-riddled, cloudy ice ruin it?

“I’ve never wanted an MBA. I wanted to learn how to start a business.”

Josh Luetkemeyer, cofounder, Standard Ice

“The ice machine is notorious in the industry for failing health inspections,” said Luetkemeyer, who hit upon the idea while working in Moscow for Coca-Cola. Crystal-clear premium ice – as frozen by the machine they’ve spent a year designing – not only melts slower, but it looks better in the glass.

That, and bars can charge $1 to $2 more for it per drink, he said.

But a premium ice machine – which

Standard Ice cofounders Tyler Curran and Josh Luetkemeyer and Clemson University Senior Associate Dean of the College of Business and Behavioral Science Gregory Pickett.

could run between $1,500 and $1,800 each – can be a hard sell if business owners don’t understand the value and growing demand, they said. “It’s a big hurdle for us, and that’s a big part of our sales pitch is how is this going to pay for itself in the long run,” said Luetkemeyer. Despite the higher price, buyers could recoup the cost in as little as six weeks, he said.

The $20,000 from the contest will go directly toward producing Standard Ice’s first prototype by August, which will allow them to begin trials in five key markets around the country, including New York, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles and Portland.

Second-place winner Matt Brown won $6,000 for his company Get Lit, which produces customizable LED safety wear for athletes, pedestrians and commuters who find themselves navigating in the dark. The LED panel can be attached to the back of bikes, backpacks and eventually shirts, and uses moving arrows and other patterns to help prevent accidents and fatalities by alerting motorists.

Canine bandana manufacturer Ambitious Pet Products took third,

winning $4,000 to put towards making fashionable dog-wear with military-spec fabric. Each bandana sale includes a donation to a nonprofit that trains rescued dogs for disabled veterans and first responders in the Carolinas, said co-founders Zach Capps and Derek Riker.

The five finalists included first, second and third winners in addition to ice rink booking application Open Ice by Ryan Anderson and gospel music talent development firm iCAn Entertainment by Brittany Williams.

Other student pitches included pro-

ductivity and personal goal mobile application Climb by Jackson Holt; pocket neighborhood development company Boyleston Creek Homes by James Holmes; event management group-purchasing company EventDepartment by Robert Howell; and toy company Extra-Toydinary by Sophia Nichols.

About 45 percent of companies launch in the real world after going through Clemson’s MBA in entrepreneurship program, and not all of those survive, said Clemson University College of Business and Behavioral Science Associate Dean and MBA Program Director Greg Pickett.

For Luetkemeyer and Curran, Standard Ice would not have been possible without the diverse set of university resources. While they plan to exit the business in three to four years, the entrepreneurial lessons will extend beyond the company, said Luetkemeyer.

“I’ve never wanted an MBA. It’s a piece of paper to me,” he said. “I wanted to learn how to start a business. That’s what I got out of this program.”

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4 | THE RUNDOWN |

TOP-OF-MIND AND IN THE MIX THIS WEEK

UBJ

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06.05.2015

VOLUME 4, ISSUE 23 Featured this issue: Smart fabrics bring textiles full circle in Upstate CertusBank winds down business Michael Kerski is one to watch

MONEY SHOT: Gregory Pickett, senior associate dean of Clemson University’s College of Business and Behavioral Science (left), and a friend prepare to announce the winners of the Enterprize Awards, the school’s MBA in entrepreneurship pitch contest. Read more on page 3.

WORTH REPEATING “The ice machine is notorious in the industry for failing health inspections.” Page 3 “She informed me that I can continue to transfer to places, but she and the kids are sticking around here.” Page 6 “We have machines that do the same thing over and over again, and if they were people, we’d say they weren’t that smart.” Page 14

TBA Angelo’s Greek and Italian Cuisine is set to open soon at the former Travinia’s location at 1625 Woodruff Road.

Road Barn, a retail Western t The Boot Barn and work-related apparel, shoes, accessories and gifts store, will be opening its second South Carolina location (the first one is in Easley) in the former Pier One Imports building at Haywood Mall.

VERBATIM

On leadership “In this world a man must either be an anvil or hammer.”

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

5 10 17

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INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

| TEXTILES | 5

Textiles come full circle The industry returns to the Upstate with Beija Flor’s innovative denim fibers ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

aboncimino@communityjournals.com Decades after the textile industry left the Upstate for more profitable shores, the region’s history brings the industry full circle – not just with the reshoring of manufacturing, but with an added twist presently found in the heart of Greenville.

“Compared to the textiles of yesterday, it’s a whole different ballgame,” said Kathy Moca, designer and cofounder of Greenville-based jeans shop Beija Flor. While Beija Flor might seem like just another jeans shop, this isn’t your mother’s denim, she says.

Fibers in each pair are made with bioactive minerals that interact with the skin, absorbing body heat, reflecting back infrared rays that work to improve blood circulation, and – as far-fetched as it sounds – reducing the appearance of cellulite, improving skin elasticity and relieving muscle fatigue, she says.

“To me, it’s the most fascinating part

of our job,” said Moca, who found the fabric in Brazil and says Beija Flor was one of the first companies to use the fiber in denim in the U.S. “We’re basically a solution-based fashion company.”

Technical textiles and smart fabrics – those designed to be semi-intelligent – can do far more then the average consumer realizes, said North Carolina State University Emilie Whitaker in Brazil at the factory College of Textiles Assistant where Beija-Flor jeans are made.

Professor Dr. Jesse Jur. While some can filter pathogens from blood, others feel like traditionpower captured from the body. “There al clothing but can send signals to your are fabrics that function in response phone about everything from hydrato some kind of change in its environtion levels to blood oxygen levels, he ment. … It’s making the fabric do said. The applications are endless. something that it’s normally not “I’m not sure even all of our readapted to doing.” searchers and engineers understand While the actual manufacturing of the true potential of what we can do,” textiles can happen elsewhere, the more said Jur, who is currently working on recent change for the Southeast is the designing sensor-studded electronic return of research, development and fabrics that run on thermal and kinetic innovation when it comes to the indus-

try, said Jur. It began on the mainstream level with athletic and performance fabrics around 15 years ago, he said, and the region’s past experience with textiles made it ideal for a revitalization of sorts.

For Moca – who founded Beija Flor with her daughter, Emilie Whitaker, 10 years ago – the fashion industry has been slower than, for example, the athletic performance sector to begin adopting the next generation of textiles for consumers, but the trend is beginning to pick up steam.

At trade shows both throughout the U.S. and abroad, more and more of her colleagues are working to introduce fabrics that offer additional consumer value based on technology.

“It’ll open people’s minds to what is going on,” she said. “It’s the technology that’s going to drive the industry.”

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6 | METRO |

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06.05. 2015

Pride pays off A positive community image can translate to positive cash flow, experts say ROBBIE WARD | STAFF

rward@communityjournals.com Wandering along Greenville and other Upstate storefronts, parks and neighborhoods, one thing appears constant: community pride.

An informal survey of people throughout the area overlaps with recent findings in a Gallup Poll of the most populous metropolitan statistical areas. The Greenville-Mauldin-Easley MSA ranked second among the 100 largest MSAs nationwide for the percentage of people who take pride in where they live.

Three in four people – 75.1 percent – in the area reported either agreeing or strongly agreeing that they have pride in where they live. Only the Des Moines-West Des Moines, Iowa, area ranked higher in the poll, showing a 1.4 percent higher degree of pride.

Nearby Asheville, N.C., ranked third highest, while the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, Penn., area scored the lowest amount of pride among those included in the Gallup poll.

Greenville resident Rolando Paez said he has a tremendous sense of pride in the area since moving to the Upstate 2 ½ years ago. He said a strong local economy, the opportunity for jobs, a family-friendly atmosphere and affordability make the place a good fit for his family.

“There’s just so much going on,” Paez said as he played with his daughter Isabella, 4, at ONE City Plaza downtown. “It’s almost like having big-city amenities in a small town feel.”

But an area filled with residents who take pride in where they live has tangible benefits for places beyond a nice Chamber of Commerce talking point, say financial and economic development professionals.

“The reality is if someone likes where they live, they’re going to spend money there because they’re going to remain there,” said David Torris, a Greenville resident and SunTrust Bank regional president for the Upstate and western North Carolina.

After transferring to a few other locations, Torris said he has no plans to relo-

COMMUNITIES WITH THE MOST PRIDE 1. Des Moines-West Des Moines, Iowa – 76.5% 2. Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, S.C. – 75.1% 3. Asheville, N.C. – 74.6% 4. Provo-Orem, Utah – 74.4% 5. Raleigh-Cary, N.C. – 73.8% Source: Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index

cate, a sentiment reinforced by his wife.

“She informed me that I can continue to transfer to places, but she and the kids are sticking around here,” said Torris, who has lived in the Upstate for about 16 years and graduated from Clemson.

High community pride may help the area achieve important economic development goals set by area leaders. One economic development goal in Greenville is attracting more administrative office space, including corporate headquarters.

Gerald Gordon, CEO of the economic development authority in Fairfax County, Va., which has the second-larg-

est suburban office space market in the nation, has family who live in the Upstate and is familiar with the area.

He said a community’s ability to attract a qualified workforce is critical to relocation decisions, as are other important factors such as a reputation for safe communities, successful schools, access to parks and green space, favorable climate and openness to other cultures.

“If you live in a great place, there’s a reason to be proud,” Gordon said. “That becomes almost infectious, particularly when people come to town.”

Even in areas with less wealth, people seem to have confidence in the area’s ability to encourage success. Gospel musician and writer Jermaine Davis, who is homeless, moved to the area a month or so ago after living in New Orleans and said he believes he’ll find employment soon. He said community support and local pride help instill optimism.

“I have my business plan,” said Davis, who has a YouTube channel showcasing his gospel singing. “I’m looking to make something happen.”

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INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

| ECONOMY | 7

Report: Gas savings lead to more dining out ROBBIE WARD | STAFF

rward@communityjournals.com People likely spent more money on food with savings from lower gasoline prices, an economic report released this week from Clemson University economic analyst Bruce Yandle shows.

A typical family saw an average $750 annual savings from lower gas prices, while spending on meals away from home has climbed significantly, according to the most recent quarterly economic report released by Clemson University’s Strom Thurmond Institute of Government and Public Affairs.

Federal Consumer Department data

$750

the average annual savings of a typical family from lower gas prices according to the most recent quarterly economic report

showed a spike in food bought during the same time periods as lower gas prices.

“In fact, for the first time in the history of the time series, American consumers are now spending as much on meals away from home as they are spending on groceries,” wrote Yandle, interim dean of the Clemson University College of Business and Behavioral Science and a senior fellow at the Thurmond Institute. “The old motto ‘Help stamp out home cooking’ seems to have taken hold, funded partly with cheaper gasoline.”

The quarterly newsletter provides an analysis of national, regional and state economic trends and activity, as well as updates on national economic trends that can impact the national economic outlook.

As expected, lower gasoline prices also led people to buy more gas, the

report showed, along with increasing demand for vehicles that use more gas, such as pickup trucks and SUVs. “And this completes an interesting picture,” the report states. “Cheaper gas led to the purchase of larger SUVs and light trucks, large enough for the family to pile in for an evening out at a fun restaurant.”

Yandle also predicted the Federal Reserve is not likely to increase interest rates affecting consumer lending until the winter, if at all this year. Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen has hinted in recent months at an interest rate hike this summer as the n a t i o n a l economy continued to grow.

However, flat to weak data on retail sales mixed with low employment growth, manufacturing activity,

“In fact, for the first time in the history of the time series, American consumers are now spending as much on meals away from home as they are spending on groceries. The old motto ‘Help stamp out home cooking’ seems to have taken hold, funded partly with cheaper gasoline.”

Bruce Yandle

export sales and less action in the U.S. oil and gas regions suggest otherwise, the report says.

The report associated less economic growth in the United States with inflation in Europe and diminished economic growth in China and other parts of Asia.

Yandle also holds the title of Clemson Alumni Distinguished Professor of Economics Emeritus. He is a former executive director of the Federal Trade Commission and served as a member and chairman of the S.C. State Board of Economic Advisors.

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8 | TECHNOLOGY |

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06.05. 2015

Hack-A-Thon weekend aims for transportation innovations ROBBIE WARD | STAFF

rward@communityjournals.com Data and software coding programmers will compete in a civic “Hack-A-Thon” June 26-27 to use public information to help improve transportation issues in the Upstate.

Nonprofit organization iMAGINE Upstate will organize the weekend-long competition presented by Robert Half Technology to encourage finding solutions to transportation-related challenges using creativity, technology and public records.

Teams of computer coders and programmers will create projects related to four categories: infrastructure, parking, bikes and trails or public/mass transit. Teams will describe projects to a team of judges the first day of the competition and then present work the following day.

Ryan Heafy, iMAGINE Upstate executive director and founder, said an example of a project could be a smartphone application showing GPS tracking of downtown trolleys to let potential riders know where to find the vehicles and when to anticipate arrival.

“It’s showing how to be innovative to create civic solutions,” he said.

Each team will pitch projects on June 26 and present work on June 27.

A panel of judges will select the winners, who will receive prizes.

Examples of projects created during the Hack-A-Thon could include mobile applications related to providing real-time transportation information; visualizations showing complex data sets to help the public understand transportation issues; and information graphics showing analysis of different data sets.

The competition is expected to draw

“It’s showing how to be innovative to create civic solutions.”

Ryan Heafy about 100 participants, said Sarah Arbogast, director of marketing and events at iMAGINE Upstate.

The competition will take place at Clemson University’s International Center for Automotive Research in Greenville. Partners include Community Code, iT-oLogy, Project Hub, the Upstate Business Journal and The Iron Yard.

Along with the Hack-A-Thon, other related events on site will include a session to introduce kids to software coding and demonstrations of innovative technology related to transportation in the area. iMAGINE Upstate was formed as an effort to create interest locally in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to help create a workforce for high-tech, high-skilled jobs in the region. The organization hosted a festival in April to showcase the blend of Upstate businesses, industry and educational opportunities related to STEM.

ENGAGE JUN

26

iMAGINE Upstate Transportation Hack-A-Thon

Friday, June 26 and Saturday, June 27 CU-ICAR, Greenville Visit bit.ly/upstate-hack-a-thon or email sarah.arbogast@ imagineupstate.org

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INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

| FINANCE | 9

Independence raises $8M for new banking platform System will allow for instantaneous payments, reduce cost and risk ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

aboncimino@communityjournals.com Despite advances in technology, the fastest way to exchange money today is via cold, hard cash, says Gordon Baird, CEO of Greenville-based nD Bancgroup, holding company of Independence Bank. With a fresh round of tier one capital totaling $8.4 million, Baird and his team plan to leave that lag time in the dust, cutting down both cost and risk for banks in the process.

“A lot of the infrastructure in the U.S. is still very old and was designed 30 or 40 years ago for the brick-andmortar branches,” said Baird, noting the U.S. is significantly behind the almost-instantaneous payments in the rest of the world. Those computer systems were designed for the bank’s interaction with the consumer, not a consumer’s interaction with a vendor, he said, forcing an archaic legacy system onto a platform it wasn’t designed for and making it inefficient both with time and money.

“We’re upgrading that infrastructure so when you use your device, it’s really built for that device.”

Baird “There is more and more using your smartphone for either buying things at the store or paying for dinner at a restaurant,” he said. “We’re upgrading that infrastructure so when you use your device, it’s really built for that device.”

While the consumer clearly benefits from the yet-unnamed platform, Baird said, banks and vendors themselves reap huge benefits through cost savings and significantly lower risk when payment lag times go down.

When money is suspended for a day in transit, that creates counterparty – default – risk and systematic risk for

everyone, he said. Not only that, but straight-through processing and real-time payments would reduce system costs, personnel costs and monitoring costs with more efficient data processing and storage, he said.

If all goes well, Baird aims to offer the technology to other banks – locally and even nationally – which could bring relief from increasing regulatory burdens by offsetting costs.

“The industry in general is starting to focus on faster payments, so we are not alone, but we think we are one of the companies that is in the forefront of not only thinking about it, but doing it,” he said.

And this isn’t the bank’s first foray into mobile payment R&D. The bank filed three patents last year related to mobile payments, specifically methods and systems for executing mobile currency transactions, mobile currency messaging systems, and creation and use of mobile identities. Baird said the bank’s investment in the project has been “clearly over $3 million” so far, but that the additional $8.4 million in capital will be the next step for nD Bancgroup. While the company plans to expand operations in both Greenville and New York City, the expansions will be focused on payments, which include additional operations and technology personnel, as well as data center infrastructure improvements.

“There’s some innovative, forward-thinking technology coming through the industry,” said Baird. “We hope to be one of the companies that speeds that up from a consumer side.”

Independence Bancshares – doing business as nD Bancgroup – is the bank holding company operating in Greenville and New York. Founded in 2005, the company operates Independence National Bank, which operates three physical locations in Greenville, Taylors and Simpsonville.

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06.05. 2015

CertusBank winds down with deposits, loans, branches sales ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

aboncimino@communityjournals.com

WHO’S GETTING WHAT IN THE CERTUSBANK SALE

Easley-based CertusBank announced plans to wind down business by selling all deposits and all but four of its total branches over four transactions by the end of the fourth quarter. The remaining branches in downtown Greenville, Charleston, Columbia and Ponte Vedra, Fla., are slated for closure, according to a news release from the $1.4 billion asset bank.

The planned sales stem from the bank’s “deliberate efforts to review CertusBank’s strategic options in light of its capital challenges and implement a course of action that provides the best available outcome for the bank’s customers, communities, teammates and stakeholders,” the bank said in a statement. Upstate Business Journal contacted the bank’s media representatives to confirm CertusBank’s remaining operations and assets.

“Most CertusBank teammates in the affected branches will be offered jobs with the respective acquiring bank,” according to a news release.

CertusBank employed 366 full-time equivalent employees at the end of March this year, according to filings with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

CertusBank sold the remaining seven South Carolina operations to High Point, N.C.-based Bank of North Carolina in a transaction that included $284 million in customer deposits, $210 million in loans and brick-andmortar branches in Greenville,

BANK OF NORTH CAROLINA (HIGH POINT, N.C.): • Seven S.C. CertusBank operations • $284M in consumer deposits • $210M in loans • Brick-and-mortar branches in five Upstate cities COMMUNITY & SOUTHERN BANK (ATLANTA): • All of CertusBank’s Florida loans and deposits Spartanburg, Easley, Greer and Mauldin.

All of CertusBank’s Florida loans and deposits and the majority of its Georgia loans and deposits will be acquired by Atlanta-based Community & Southern Bank. The transaction, slated to close in the third quarter, includes $764 million in deposits and $230 million in loans, subject to shareholder and regulatory approval.

Dublin, Ga.-based Morris Bank agreed to purchase $61.8 million in customer deposits and $2.9 million in loans and assets alongside CertusBank’s Warner Robins, Ga.-based

branch, also slated for third quarter completion.

Louisville, Ga.-based Queensborough National Bank & Trust Co. agreed to take the last of CertusBank’s Georgia operations, including the deposits, loans and branches in Savannah and Rincon, Ga. Upstate Business Journal contacted Queensborough about the terms of the transaction.

John Poelker resigned last month as CertusBank chairman, president and CEO due to health reasons, and the news follows the bank’s decision to sell $85 million of its assets in North Carolina, its small business finance unit and its wealth management arm in the last seven months. The planned closure of the Columbia location comes a year after it opened and three years after it opened in Charleston.

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• Majority of its Georgia loans and deposits • $764M in deposits • $230M in loans MORRIS BANK (DUBLIN, GA.): • $61.8M in customer deposits • $2.9M in loans and assets • CertusBank’s Warner Robins, Ga., branch QUEENSBOROUGH NATIONAL BANK & TRUST CO. (LOUISVILLE, GA.): • CertusBank’s remaining Georgia operations, including deposits, loans and branches in Savannah and Rincon, Ga. • Terms undisclosed

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MOVERS, SHAKERS AND DISRUP TORS SHAPING OUR FUTURE

| INNOVATE | 11

Turbocharging the region’s innovation engine When Clemson develops into a world-class research university, everyone wins

By JOHN WARNER, publisher, SwampFox

The world’s not flat; it’s spiky.

Innovation driving prosperity clumps in local communities like Silicon Valley, Boston and Tel Aviv with top research universities at their cores. For the Upstate to continue our amazing renaissance, Clemson needs to develop as a world-class research university.

This is an open letter to Clemson and Upstate leaders about a catalytic project to enhance Clemson as our region’s innovation engine to attract, develop, and retain top talent.

Fifteen years ago, then-Clemson president Jim Barker asked a provocative question: “If Clemson was in Greenville, what would we do different?” The answer is awe-inspiring: • The Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR).

• Clemson graduate business programs in the ONE Building on Main Street.

• The Clemson University Biomedical Engineering Innovation Campus (CUBEInC) at Patewood.

• Clemson’s partnership with the Greenville Health System,

Play

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

including the new IMED campus.

• Lest we forget, Clemson’s 25+ years of leadership as the largest provider of graduate education at the University Center of Greenville.

While we’re celebrating, we also need to be realistic. Clemson’s top 20 status is based primarily on its undergraduate reputation. While some top research programs like bioengineering go back over 50 years, Clemson is new to the game and still learning how to be recognized as a top research university.

Now Clemson’s new president, Jim Clements, has put another provocative question to the community: “What will Clemson be 10, 20 or 50 years from now?”

We need a sense of urgency around a common problem Upstate leaders are already trying to solve. Corporate research directors and academic center chairs are both working hard to recruit the best talent into their organizations. Aligning their interests

Corporate research directors and academic center chairs are both working hard to recruit the best talent. Aligning their interests can create pipelines of talent that help both.

Students at the CU-ICAR unveiled Deep Orange 5, sponsored by General Motors, at the GM Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan, in April.

Photo courtesy of Clemson News Room

can create pipelines of talent that help both, as well as help recruit R&D facilities and corporate headquarters, and develop startup ecosystems, so top students find their best career opportunities here.

Engage corporations: An Upstate industrial research organization that prides itself on hiring Ph.D. engineering students from the country’s top 10 universities hasn’t hired a Clemson Ph.D. At the same time, Clemson is

producing top graduate students in disciplines from automotive engineering to bioengineering, most of whom have to leave the region to find a job.

Clemson can partner more closely with industrial R&D facilities in the region to align research in strategic areas so corporations can employ the pipeline of top graduate students, access faculty with specialized knowledge and facilities, and potentially license IP. INNOVATE continued on PAGE 12

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12 | INNOVATE |

MOVERS, SHAKERS AND DISRUP TORS SHAPING OUR FUTURE

entor

GIVE | GET | GROW

onday

Each month, UBJ presents an opportunity for the business community to step up, get engaged and start mentoring. We hope our readers will spend some time over the weekend thinking about how they can be ready to jump in next week with Mentor Monday.

OPPORTUNITY: Volunteer for programs geared to prepare the next generation of young people to succeed in the workplace.

ORGANIZATION: Junior Achievement COMMITMENT: Volunteer to teach school age children the keys to success in the workplace through personal experience accounts.

IDEAL FOR: Adults with a passion for preparing the next generation for the business world.

WHAT IT’S LIKE: While volunteering to share personal workplace experience, you can help mold a child’s future.

WHY YOU’RE NEEDED: The growing business world is in

GR EJOU GREE NVILL

OURNAL EENVILLEJ

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• Friday,

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constant need of next-generation leaders to step into the workplace adequately equipped for the jobs required of them. They are in need of training, both inside and outside of a classroom setting.

By volunteering, you will be sharing real life applications of scenarios in the business world.

These practical applications are invaluable. Assist the next generation of business leaders today.

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UP

MAY 29, 2015 | VOL. 4 ISSUE 22

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INNOVATE continued from PAGE 11

Engage economic developers: Top graduate students in the region and deep global relationships in the economic development community are huge assets. Clemson can partner with the economic development community to use this pipeline of talent to recruit industry R&D facilities and corporate headquarters.

Michelin is a successful case study: We recruited Michelin manufacturing in the 1970s, then the Michelin Americas Research Corporation, and then the Michelin North America headquarters. South Carolina has the highest percentage of workers employed by foreign corporations of any state, so the economic development community has extensive global relationships to replicate the successful Michelin model. Where technical college graduates are the magnets that attract manufacturing, Clemson graduates are the magnets to attract R&D facilities and corporate headquarters.

Engage entrepreneurs: Entrepreneurship is blooming at Clemson, from the recently announced Spiro Founders Society’s $1.7 million challenge pledge, to the MBAe program in the College of Business and Behavioral Science and The Design and Entrepreneurship Network (The DEN) in the College of Engineering and Science. Beyond programs to educate and coach students into being entrepreneurs, there is a huge opportunity to partner with faculty who have compelling business ideas based on their research, but are self-aware they have neither the experience nor in many cases the desire to start companies alone. Brian McSharry and I have raised $1.35 million for Concepts to Companies based on this insight, committing to invest most of that in two startups based on Clemson research, Accessible Diagnostics and Recovr.

Engage university researchers: Clemson has many researchers who are preeminent in their fields with strong global relationships. The elegance of the model proposed here is that academic researchers remain in their comfort zones as academic researchers and aren’t expected to

UBJ

|

06.05. 2015

“What will Clemson be 10, 20 or 50 years from now?”

Clemson’s new president, Jim Clements

become businesspeople or economic developers. Faculty can collaborate more closely in growing the academic research enterprise with businesspeople and economic developers who benefit from the products of academic research: educated students, the faculties’ specialized knowledge and facilities, and intellectual property.

Engage alumni: Clemson’s 80,000 alumni may be the university’s most powerful asset. We need to maintain strong connection to top graduates who do leave the region, especially those who’ve obtained leadership positions in major corporations around the world. The Alumni Association has the broadest database of alumni, but their information about any graduate isn’t deep. Academic departments have much deeper information about their graduates, but they often guard it jealously and sometimes the knowledge leaves the university when faculty members do.

Having a more comprehensive alumni engagement system should be a top project.

Engage the Legislature: About a decade ago, the Legislature had a burst of initiatives from the Centers of Economic Excellence Act, the University Infrastructure Act, the Life Sciences Act, and the Venture Capital Act. Most current legislators were not in the Legislature when these initiatives were passed and do not understand what they are or the benefits the state gets from them. We need to document and celebrate the successes of these past legislative programs.

Then Clemson and its corporate and economic development partners should help the Legislature craft the next set of initiatives to continue to grow the state’s research enterprise.

If we align the interests and combine the extensive global relationships of academic researchers, corporate partners, economic developers, entrepreneurs and alumni in focused areas where we are among the best in the world, our renaissance has only begun.

14 | COVER

|

06.05.2015

Photos courtesy of BMW

UBJ

INDUSTRY 4.0

The machines are getting smarter, and factories – and people – are getting more productive ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

aboncimino@communityjournals.com A new industrial revolution is upon us, say manufacturers, heralding cozier relationships with data, the Internet of things and robots that learn.

“We’re collectively entering into the information age in software and analytics, kind of transitioning from the previous industrial age,” said GE Power & Water’s Keith Belsom, who manages what the company has dubbed its “brilliant factory.”

Unlike traditional factories, the fourth industrial revolution is connecting what used to be separate machine tools, robots, databases and analytics software to create the industrial plant of the future, Belsom said. With more sensors and connected data analytics, machines can make predictive decisions to operate factories and supply chains in response to customer needs, he said.

“How great would it be for a machine to alert you that in the next six months, this ball screw is going to fail, so you should have one ready?” said Wade Herrin, GE Power & Water Manufacturing Engineering and Technology

Center of Excellence leader.

Less downtime not only means more line productivity, but reduces wear on machines worth millions of dollars, Herrin said.

“We have machines that do the same thing over and over again, and if they were people, we’d say they weren’t that smart,” he said. “But now our machines can talk in data with data analytics, make decisions. … It transforms our machines from being a plain machine to being a brilliant machine.”

RISE OF THE MACHINES

The so-called fourth industrial revolution – also sometimes referred to as Industry 4.0 or the Industrial Internet – builds on the idea that shifts in technology bring catalytic and game-changing effects to industries such as manufacturing, starting with the first industrial revolution. The first marked a shift from manual to mechanized work, while the second involved electricity-powered mass production, followed by the introduction of electronic and computerized machining with the third.

While predictive machining hovers at the bleeding edge of manufacturing technology, manufacturers as a whole are only just discovering its potential, says Laine Mears, who teaches automation integration in manufacturing as an associate professor at Clemson University’s Department of Automotive Engineering. Up until now, the lack of high-performance computing made it impossible to work at such advanced levels of data collection and analysis, he said.

“Nobody prior to 10 years ago was paying attention to how Workers at BMW’s Greer plant test Google Glass for quality assurance in production. these data streams could be centralized,” said Mears,

«

COVER | 15

upstatebusinessjournal.com

$15,000,000,000,000 Industrial Internet’s contribution to global GDP by 2030 Source: GE, Accenture 2015

«

who also was a founding faculty member at the university’s International Center for Automotive Research. “We have this convergence of ability to collect data, the ability to plug in data, cloud computing and Internet-based computing. … The key is improving quality and productivity.”

HUMAN HEARTS In addition to reducing downtime, the Industrial Internet can mean cost savings in different ways, especially when it comes to quality control and reducing physical stress on workers, he said. Instead of having a human turn a wrench, we have machines to turn wrenches, which frees up humans to work on different, often higher-level operations, he said.

“People are the heart of manufacturing,” said Mears, who said research is branching out to work on analyzing and improving human processes as well as those of machines. “The real research is in how we support the human. How do we support the decision-maker and how do we make this person’s job easier to do?”

At BMW’s Spartanburg facility, for example, humans already work side-by-side with “collaborative” robots that work around humans without the need of protective fencing. The next step has been to implement Google Glass – wearable head-mounted technology with a camera and an optical display – for workers to use in documenting and speeding analysis when it comes to identifying potential defects and deviations in finished products.

Rather than working to eliminate workers, the goal is to aid and supplement them to improve

the final product, said BMW Research and Innovation Liaison Office Manager Joerg Schulte. Defects can take all sorts of shapes and forms, and having a tool like Google Glass can also help workers more accurately keep up with the latest inspection standards and protocols, he said.

“Another trend that helps with managing all this data is this whole big data, data analytics that has been developing,” he said. “For example, mining product data and manufacturing data … allows us to get new insight into manufacturing operations.”

BMW – which has implemented a plethora of sensors with all of its machines – can also work with data from suppliers to trace defects to their source, which can save time and circumvent future defects, he said. Other uses – tracking and managing energy use, for example – will mean more productivity overall, he said.

address on each of their machines.”

One challenge for manufacturers will continue to be interoperability, or working with different machines with different operating systems, languages and interfaces to be able to communicate with each other, said Mears. Newer machines may simply have Ethernet ports that can easily integrate with existing

“We have machines that do the same thing over and over again, and if they were people, we’d say they weren’t that smart. But now our machines can talk in data with data analytics, make decisions. … It transforms our machines from being a plain machine to being a brilliant machine.”

Wade Herrin, GE Power & Water

OTHER INDUSTRIES PLAYING CATCH-UP Adjacent industries – firms that engineer and build these new smart factories, for example – will also have to adjust in the wake of the industry 4.0.

“A lot of the equipment these days is outfitted for those types of things,” said Shane Bolding, vice president of industrial manufacturing with Greenville-based O’Neal. “We talk with equipment people that have an IP

systems. But older machines aren’t likely to have Ethernet ports, and are even less likely to be easy to integrate with other systems if they have a few years on them, he said. Regardless, older machines can represent hundreds of millions of dollars in capital, and are better of retrofitted than thrown out.

“It’s an investment. It’s an expense. But I think it’s well understood that they’re going to need to have their minds around data,” Mears said. “Of course there will always be small shops that just have manual processes, but I think what we term as advanced manufacturing … you’re going to see this as a sustained shift. What it leads to, I don’t know.”

16 | NEW TO THE STREET |

UBJ

THE FRESHEST FACES ON THE BUSINESS LANDSCAPE

|

06.05. 2015

Open for business 1. Walbrige recently opened a new office at 100 Verdae Blvd., Suite 400, Greenville. The company will concentrate on automotive, manufacturing and process sectors in the Southeast.

For more information, visit walbridge.com.

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2. Brookdale Greenville recently opened at 1306 Pelham Road, Greenville.

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a senior living community.

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3. Interactive Tours recently opened at 101 Falls Park Way, Suite 106, Greenville. The company offers guided walking history tours of Greenville.

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CONTRIBUTE: Know of a business opening soon?

Email information to bjeffers@communityjournals.com.

upstatebusinessjournal.com

WHAT YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT PEOPLE YOU NEED TO KNOW

| WHO’S WHO: ONES TO WATCH | 17

Michael Kerski Planning and development manager, City of Greenville

POINTS OF INTEREST: FAMILY: Wife Robin; four rescue dogs (three wire fox terriers, one Welsh terrier)

LEIGH SAVAGE | CONTRIBUTOR

HOMETOWN: Milwaukee the weekends, when he walks his four dogs down the Greenville Health System Swamp Rabbit Trail, he is checking out homes, apartments and commercial properties to assess if they are following code.

“I’ll snap pictures of violations,” he said.

It’s all part of his dedication to retaining the “urban character” that sets Greenville apart. He and his staff processed a record number of applications last year while also developing new guidelines for single-family residential, multifamily and commercial properties. His team assesses projects to the smallest detail, from height to garage placement to vent location, to ensure Greenville maintains its unique attributes.

“Everyone talks about quality of life, but it’s really quality of place,” he said. “We are trying to make Greenville the best place in the United States. The bar has been raised, and we’re trying to keep the bar level.”

How would you sum up your role for the city?

I solve problems. It’s everything from single-family homeowners to people with sign issues to bigger projects like Main + Stone or the Greenville News site.

We currently have 4,300 multifamily units that have been through our approval process and are now at the planning commission or the design review board.

“Everyone talks about quality of life, but it’s really quality of place. We are trying to make Greenville the best place in the United States. The bar has been raised, and we’re trying to keep the bar level.”

Does each project typically require extensive changes?

Very few plans we see [don’t require changes].

For example, apartments need to show us all of the vents for bathrooms and dryers – it’s important.

Even if we have plans that are pretty good, there may be a building permit issue or something else.

What is your biggest challenge as planning and development manager?

Right now, it’s volume. We’re meeting with individual residents, neighborhood associations, architects, developers, property owners. Our biggest year was 270 applications, but then last year we had 400.

This year is probably going to be more than 400.

Photo by Greg Beckner

Michael Kerski is always planning. Even on

EDUCATION: B.S. in architecture and urban design and Master’s of Architecture, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee YEARS IN GREENVILLE: 6 HOBBIES: “My dogs take up most of my time. I never thought I’d have four.”

How does your staff of seven oversee so many projects?

We have a good staff here. One will focus on single-family permit review and someone else will do the more comprehensive plan work.

Last year, council gave us an enforcement officer.

The issue was, we would take a set of plans, tell people to make changes, but then we would never see it. So he goes out and makes sure single-family homes are built in the right spot, that setbacks are right, that garages are in the right location.

Does the growth in applications signify economic health in the city?

Yes. For many reasons, everybody wants to be in Greenville. A lot of people are coming from other markets where our housing seems affordable. The biggest apartment project is the Fluornoy project [District West] going behind City Hall. It’s the first on the edge outside of the downtown area, and a major apartment project on the [GHS] Swamp Rabbit Trail.

Have you seen the impact of the trail on development and applications?

It’s had a huge impact. Now that it’s all connected, it’s been so successful that it probably should have been wider. It’s been much more successful than I ever thought it would be.

What role does your department play in keeping growth strong?

Greenville is known for its quality neighborhoods.

Residents want to keep that urban character, with walkable sidewalks, street trees, no garages in the front lawns. We just passed the infill design guidelines for single-family homes, new non-residential design standards and new multifamily design guidelines.

What prompted the addition of the infill ordinance?

We didn’t have an infill ordinance, and the neighborhoods were experiencing pressure. The ordinance

isn’t perfect, be we had a committee of 17 people who worked on a consensus process. We reduced the height of single-family homes, required some tree placement and addressed garage location and paving yards for parking.

How did you end up in this field?

I was much more into urban planning than architecture in school. My thesis with a team was a design to knit these neighborhoods back together again in Milwaukee. There were two very nice neighborhoods and they had torn everything down for seven city blocks to build a freeway. Probably not a good idea.

So we did our design and the state and federal highway department demapped that freeway and the two neighborhoods are knitted back together.

They took our concept plans and built that project.

What qualities contribute to your success?

I try to listen to all sides of an issue. People say I’m too honest. But when you have 17 people – realtors, homebuilders, architects, neighborhood people, council members – we have to agree on a path forward. So it’s listening to all sides, the staff input, the public input.

What are your next priorities?

There is a lot to do. Management and the council have a big list. Planning is one of the things Greenville is famous for. One of council’s larger goals is to redo the sign code, so hopefully that will be done in the next year or so.

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

18 | SQUARE FEET |

UBJ

REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

|

06.05.2015

Groundbreaking set for 121 Rhett SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF sjackson@communityjournals.com @SJackson_CJ

A groundbreaking ceremony is set for June 10 for 121 Rhett, a 35-unit condo complex at the corner of Rhett Street and Falls Park Drive near Falls Park in downtown Greenville.

The seven-story building will feature on-site private parking, 10-12 foot ceilings, expansive windows, spacious balconies and landscaped common areas. Condos will range from 1,300 square feet to more than 3,000 square feet

and begin in the $390,000 range. Twenty five of the 35 units are already under contract.

A small retail space will also be available, but has not yet been leased.

The property is being marketed by Tracy Bogie of Coldwell Banker Caine.

WHAT: Coldwell Banker Caine to host 121 Rhett Groundbreaking Ceremony WHEN: Wednesday, June 10, 10:30 a.m.

WHERE: 121 Rhett St., Greenville WHO: Developer Tom Croft; Architect Keith Summerour

LISTED: Pelham Place Pelham Place, a 57,158-square-foot groceryanchored retail shopping center located at 3093 S. Highway 14 in Greer, has been listed for sale.

The shopping center’s 38,003-square-foot anchor space is on a long-term lease but is currently unoccupied. The center is 94 percent leased.

The opportunity for new ownership to lease or sublease the anchor space to a big-box store could increase the value of the center as well as fulfill residents’ need for a quality grocery store, said David Duckworth, vice president with Avison Young.

Duckworth, along with Michael Fay, principal

and managing director, Miami; A.J. Belt III, principal; and John Odom, associate – all with Avison Young – will lead the marketing

initiatives and will begin taking bids soon for the shopping center.

Pelham Place was built in 2007 and is in close proximity to several high-income neighborhoods near Highway 14, Pelham and Batesville Roads and is easily accessible via two entry points to the plaza.

“Increased residential development is contributing to the strong demand for a quality grocer in the area which is guaranteed to attract a notable tenant to the available anchor space,” said Fay. Current tenants include Tropical Grille, Onin Staffing, My Salon, Nail Style, Poinsett Medical, Glazing Pot Pottery, Min Hibachi Buffet and Alterations.

Pelham Place is already receiving interest from regional investors looking for immediate cash flow and returns. “The property is attracting a high level of interest,” said Duckworth.

DETAILS ADDRESS: 3093 S. Highway 14, Greer PROPERTY SIZE: 6.74 acres BROKER: Avison Young

upstatebusinessjournal.com

REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

YPS announces name change Yeargin Potter Shackelford will now be known as Yeargin Potter Smith promising future of Yeargin Potter Smith with Sam on our team.”

The company’s roots date back to 1919 when Potter-Shackelford Construction was first founded. In 2004, YPS was created through a merger between Yeargin Construction and Potter-Shackelford Construction. At the time of the merger there were no Shackelford family owners, as ownership had transitioned out of the Shackelford family.

“We have added Smith to our name to symbolize the continuing evolution of the company and our bright outlook for the future while maintaining a strong connection to our rich heritage,” said Yeargin.

Both companies are known for historically significant projects throughout the Greenville community, including Lewis Plaza, Greenville High School and the former Chamber of Commerce building on Main Street.

Since the merger, YPS projects have included Caine Halter YMCA, AMECO

Yeargin Potter Shackelford

created by merger 2004 (YPS) of Potter-Shackelford and Potter-Shackelford, Inc. founded by F.L Shackelford and W.T. Potter

 Wealth Management Associate

® Kenneth Parham, CIMA Melissa M. Huff ragdon UBS Financial Services Inc. Senior Vice President–Wealth Management Client Service Associate esident–Wealth Management Poinsett Plaza, 17 West Mcbee Avenue

Greenville, SC 29601 864-241-6332 800-726-5222

Bert R. Arrowood, CFP® am/pabicg Senior Vice President–Wealth Management

Rhonda L. Barth Wealth Management Associate

determined and awarded by their respective publications. Neither UBS Financial Services Inc. nor its employees pay a fee in exchange for these ratings. Accolades can be based ding length of service, compliance records, client satisfaction, assets under management, revenue, type of clientele and more. For more information on a particular rating, designation-disclosures. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP® and Certified finanCial PlannertM in the U.S. CIMA® is a registered ment Management Consultants Association, Inc. in the United States of America and worldwide. ©UBS 2015. All rights reserved. UBS Financial Services Inc. is a subsidiary of UBS AG.

William G. Bragdon Senior Vice President–Wealth Management

UBS Financial Services Inc. Poinsett Plaza, 17 West Mcbee Avenue Greenville, SC 29601 864-241-6332 800-726-5222

ubs.com/team/pabicg Accolades are independently determined and awarded by their respective publications. Neither UBS Financial Services Inc.

for these ratings.

Accolades canin be based nor its employees pay a fee exchange for these ratings. Accolades can be based on a variety of criteria, including length e information on acompliance particular rating, of service, records, client satisfaction, assets under management, revenue, type of clientele and more. For more tM ® Planner ininformation the U.S.onCIMA is arating, registered a particular please visit ubs.com/us/en/designation-disclosures. Certified Financial Planner Board of cial Services Inc. is Inc. a subsidiary of UBS marks AG. CFP® and Certified finanCial PlannerTM in the U.S. CIMA® is a registered certification Standards owns the certification mark of the Investment Management Consultants Association, Inc. in the United States of America and worldwide. ©UBS 2015. All rights reserved. UBS Financial Services Inc. is a subsidiary of UBS AG. Member FINRA/SIPC. 1.00_Ad_9.25x6_BL0506

Yeargin Construction Company sold to Perini Corporation of Boston

Yeargin Construction Company founded by Bob Yeargin

Office, Sterling Elementary-Charles Townes Center and Westminster Presbyterian Church in Greenville.

Current YPS projects include: Main+Stone Apartments at the corner

2007

YPS constructs Sterling Elementary, TD Convention Center expansion, and LSP Automotive Systems

1999

Yeargin Enterprises Construction, Inc. changes name to Yeargin Construction, Inc.

of North Main Street and Stone Avenue, and LINK Apartments West End at the intersection of River and Rhett streets, both in downtown Greenville.

GOLD

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1959

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Lynn Yeargin starts Yeargin Enterprises Construction, Inc.

1976

1924

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been named as a UBS Top 35 Under 35 Advisor. In addition, Rhonda Barth has been promoted to Wealth Management Associate, one of only 38 in Melissa M. Huff ham, CIMA esident–Wealth Client Service Associate theManagement nation. The superior service the entire team delivers on behalf of their clients sets a highRhonda standard for their peers throughout the industry. wood, CFP L. Barth

YPS welcomes partner Sam Smith and becomes known as Yeargin Potter Smith

SILVER

as been ement nts sets a

am and Bert Arrowood been recognized

by Barron’s as Top 1,200 Kennethby Barron’s as Kennethhave Parham and Bert Arrowood haveFinancial beenAdvisors, recognized een recognized by the Financial Times as a Top 400 Financial Advisor, and William Bragdon has been Top351,200 Financial Advisors, Kenneth Parham has Management been recognized by the BS Top 35 Under Advisor. In addition, Rhonda Barth has been promoted to Wealth of only 38 inFinancial the nation. The superior entire team delivers on behalfand of their clients sets a Times as service a Topthe400 Financial Advisor, William Bragdon has for their peers throughout the industry.

2015

1984

Potter-Shackelford builds Greenville High School

Thank You

UBS salutes the Bragdon Parham,Institutional Arrowood, Bragdon Institutional tes the Parham, Arrowood, ng GroupConsulting for their 2015Group accomplishments. for their 2015 accomplishments. nneth

Yeargin Construction Company builds McAlister Square Mall

1937

Potter-Shackelford builds former Chamber of Commerce building on Main Street

Yeargin Construction, Inc. led by Kirk Carter and Lynn Yergin

1968

1919

Corporate Staffing Division

www.crewupstate.org

2015 CREW Sponsors_UBJ Ad_.25page_070914_bk.indd 1

IN KIND

the name did. This week Greenville construction company Yeargin Potter Shackelford announced it has changed its name to Yeargin Potter Smith.

The company says the new name reflects the addition of industry veteran Sam Smith to the Yeargin Potter Smith family. Smith joined the company in 2014 and brings more than 25 years of construction and project management experience.

Previously a president and stockholder at Triangle Construction, Smith is executive vice president and partner at YPS, sharing ownership with president and CEO Lynn Yeargin.

“Sam’s arrival has brought a swift and positive boost to the project diversity of our company,” said Yeargin.

“His expertise with multi-family projects and relationships throughout the Southeast are a perfect complement to our reputation for strong industrial and commercial work in the region. We are excited about the

GRANITE

The initials didn’t change, but

Congratulations ongratulations

9.25x6_BL0506_ParK

| SQUARE FEET | 19

2015 CREW Upstate Sponsors

3/9/2015 3:22:36 PM

20 | THE TAKEAWAY |

UBJ

NOTES FROM THE BEST TALKS YOU MISSED

|

06.05.2015

Lessons on leadership in a crisis ReWa’s Ray T. Orvin Jr. on what 2013’s PCB crisis can teach leaders

By JOHN BOYANOSKI, Complete Public Relations

When Ray T. Orvin Jr. spoke to about 200 leaders in the clean water industry earlier this month in downtown Greenville, it was about more than just cleaning up after a 2013 PCB spill. It was about leadership when it was needed.

Anyone can lead when things are easy. It is when things get tough that real leadership needs to happen. That tough moment, or what Orvin called “the day our world changed,” happened in 2013, when ReWa along with other utilities in the Upstate were adversely affected by PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl) contamination. PCBs were illegally introduced into the wastewater collection system from an unknown source and made their way to three ReWa Water Resource Recovery Facilities (WRRFs).

Orvin told the story of how this changed the way ReWA, which manages a 300-square-mile area that

EVENT: The National Association of Clean Water Agencies’ (NACWA) National Pretreatment and Pollution Prevention Workshop, Hyatt Regency in Greenville, May 15, 2015 WHO WAS THERE: Almost 200 clean water agency members.

SPEAKER: Ray T. Orvin Jr., executive director of Renewable Water Resources (ReWa) THEME:Leadership during a crisis event and how to make lasting changes

Upstate Business Journal

“Our goal is to protect the public health and water quality of Upstate waterways while providing the necessary infrastructure to support the local economy.” has almost 500,000 people in it, looked at its system.

There were no long-term affects for users, but it helped ReWa get a better understanding of what it can do better.

“Our goal is to protect the public health and water quality of Upstate waterways while providing the necessary infrastructure to support the local economy,” he said.

PLAN TO RESPOND AND THEN DO IT A big thing that helped rectify the problem was having a plan in place for such an emergency, Orvin said. A lot of times, agencies fail when they don’t plan ahead or don’t follow their plans. However, looking at ways to better the plan for future events was key.

“We implemented a successful remediation plan to include changes to sewer use regulation, policies and procedures in response to this incident,” Orvin said. “ReWa halted all land application of our biosolids until no residual PBCs were detected.”

BE OPEN ReWa partnered with local subdistricts to help identify areas of concern, implement regulation changes and educate the community on the PCB impact. In addition, it sent out information in bill inserts and in its annual financial report; it made the story part of classroom presentations and talked to community groups; and it addressed the issue in the media.

MAKE CHANGES THAT WORK ReWa put in a large system of safety measures for itself and the groups that use facilities. For example, all hauled waste loads are now inspected and sampled prior to discharge; on a daily basis, all hauled waste loads are segregated until a “clean” result is obtained; all Hauled Waste Regulation was revised to ensure proper manifesting/tracking of waste; and commercial sources of hauled septic waste must be approved prior to acceptance.

“ReWa staff worked diligently to ensure that the PCBs didn’t affect water quality or the land application sites by halting all land application of biosolids,” Orvin said. “We went further, though.

Preventative testing and source detection activities are currently a part of everyday operations at the affected facilities. Research and coordination of disposal options were arranged by staff. And we executed resilient remediation plans.”

SEEK CHANGE ELSEWHERE ReWa has been active in working with its stakeholders to develop a standard for the state of South Carolina as it relates to land application of PCBs. This includes temporary standards regarding land application of PCBs that resulted in permanent revisions to the state and federal law to address land application of sludge with PCB residuals. In addition, SCDHEC issued an emergency regulation change in response to PCB contamination in 2013.

TheUpstateBusinessJournal

Stay in the know.

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@UpstateBiz

1

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2227 Augusta Street, Greenville, SC | 864-990-2020 | IronTribeFitness.com

22 | ON THE MOVE |

UBJ

PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS

HIRED

APPOINTED

PROMOTED

HIRED

|

06.05.2015

HIRED

Sarah Lamkin

Wilfredo Leon

Mia Greer

Lauren D. Greene

Danielle Car

Named marketing and office coordinator for FinTrust Investment Advisors. Lamkin will provide management of social media and Web activity. She is a graduate of Georgia College and State University with a degree in mass communications. She has worked on projects at GC Human Resources and Adcap Network System.

Named chairman of the Greenville Chamber of Commerceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hispanic Committee. Leon is owner and editor of El Latino Newspaper. He serves on the board of directors of the Hispanic Alliance. He has also served on various community organizations working to advance Hispanic culture.

Named director of health care marketing at Cascades Verdae. Greer will plan, organize and direct the leasing and admission activities such as coordinating move-ins and plan all health care marketing events. She previously served as business services manager for Live Long Well Care at Cascades Verdae.

Named a private wealth advisor for the Private Wealth Management Group at NBSC. Greene will work with private clients to understand their unique financial circumstances and personal preferences. She will develop strategies for planning, investing, protecting and passing on wealth for her clients.

Joined Community Journals as the Digital Content Manager.

Car will maintain content on UBJ, TOWN Carolina and Greenville Journal, as well as manage social media accounts.

She previously worked for the company as a digital strategy intern. She graduated from Furman University in May with a degree in Communication Studies.

COMMUNITY The Network Journal (TNJ) named Nika White, Greenville Chamber of Commerce vice president of diversity and inclusion, a recipient of a 40

Under Forty Achievement Award. The awards recognize young African-Americans who have proven to be exceptional performers in their industry and committed contributors to the

development of their community.

Linda Zulli-Trumbauer has been named vice president of development for Pendleton Place. Zul-

li-Trumbauer most recently served as regional major gifts officer at the American Red Cross. She previously served as senior development manger with the National >>

Law Meets Business Jim Cassidy leads the banking and corporate litigation team at Roe Cassidy Coates & Price which focuses on the representation of banks and corporate clients in workouts, collections,

PRACTICE AREAS

Commercial litigation

and various commercial litigation issues. The firm has repre-

Business disputes

sented many banks and corporate clients in the Upstate and

Workouts

has done so for decades. Jim has been certified as a specialist in Bankruptcy by the South Carolina Supreme Court and has been representing clients for 40 years related to general, business and commercial issues.

Bankruptcy Real Estate

James H. Cassidy

TRANSACTIONS | TRIALS | SOLUTIONS 1052 North Church St. | Greenville, SC | 864.349.2600 | RoeCassidy.com

ROE-1028-UBJ Ad_8.75x5.055_6.5.indd 1

5/27/15 6:06 PM

upstatebusinessjournal.com

>>

Multiple Sclerosis Society and has 20 years of experience in the newspaper industry.

ENGINEERING

PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS

RETAIL Kentwool named Dan Murphy as president of the company. Murphy

VIP – APPOINTED

SynTerra hired the following individuals: Justin “Judd” Mahan, senior geologist; Samantha Wilkinson, project administrator; Kelly St. Cyr, designer/drafter; Alexandra Lefitz, hydrogeologist; Erin Black, hydrogeologist; Mike Spacil, senior scientist; Kyle Donovan, technician II; Jess Gilmer, associate scientist.

NBSC, a division of Synovus Bank, promoted Mechelle Denise Queen to branch manager of the Spartanburg Main office and Sara Beth Heady to branch manager of the Wade Hampton office. After joining NBSC in 1998 as a part-time teller, Queen was promoted to customer service representative and later to assistant branch manager.

Heady joined in April 2014 as a personal banker at the Greenville Main office.

comes to Kentwool from Bridgestone Golf, where he served as executive vice president of marketing and sales.

Previous experience includes marketing for Maxfli, TaylorMade and Dunlop.

ENTERTAINMENT

FINANCE

David Cuda Named president of the South Carolina Economic Developers’ Association. Cuda serves as director of corporate solutions for Colliers International South Carolina. He was one of the founders of the Upstate Alliance in 2000 and has represented national and international companies in real estate and development services.

| ON THE MOVE | 23

The Old Cigar Warehouse hired Emily Peck as marketing coordinator/ wedding director. Peck previously interned for the company in 2014 and then trained and worked as a closing manager at the venue. A Furman University graduate, Peck served as president and homecoming chair of the Student Alumni Council and director of social events for Delta Gamma Fraternity.

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

RECENTLY UBJ REPORTED Hall Management’s purchase of High Cotton and other Maverick Southern Kitchen restaurants. What nobody addressed, though, were plans for the Charleston Cooks! Stores owned by Maverick, which currently has three locations across the state.

UBJ has learned that the Columbia store will close but the Charleston and Greenville stores will remain open as Maverick Southern Kitchen owner Dick Elliott has homes in both areas and can focus his attention on those stores.

Become a Corporate Member Today!

To learn more contact: Joelle Teachey Executive Director 864.313.0765 jteachey@treesgreenville.org

24 | THE FINE PRINT |

UBJ

BUSINESS BRIEFS YOU CAN’ T MISS

|

06.05.2015

2 winners in Pickens Main Street Challenge chosen

LS3P wins top design awards

Appalachian Ale House and Morris on Main both won the Pickens Revitalization Association’s Main Street Challenge.

The challenge is an entrepreneurial startup competition to generate additional retail occupancy in downtown Pickens.

“We are very excited to have the Appalachian Ale House and Morris on Main open in downtown and look forward to the positive impact they will have here in Pickens,” Allison Fowler, executive director of Pickens Revitalization Association, said in a release.

Appalachian Ale House and Morris on Main will receive $10,000 in incentives for startup expenses, taking the form of a potentially forgivable loan. The businesses will open in the old Morris building at 205 E. Main St. in Pickens by fall 2015.

Appalachian Ale House will specialize in local beer on tap, bottled beer, tasting flights and growlers.

The Morris on Main Business Center will offer an economical office space environment for small business owners, companies in need of virtual office and area businesses looking to expand into the Pickens area.

LS3P received six first-place design awards at the 2015 ASID Carolinas Design Excellence Awards Gala. Award-winning projects included Greystar’s corporate headquarters, Le Creuset’s boutique retail store, The Vendue art hotel in Charleston, MeadWestvaco’s corporate office suite in Summerville, Wando Center for Advanced Studies in Mount Pleasant and Trident Technical College’s Nursing and Science Building in N o r t h Charleston.

LS3P provides architecture, interior architecture and planning services nationwide, with offices in Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville and Charlotte, Raleigh and Wilmington, N.C.

Coldwell Banker Caine named top affiliate Coldwell Banker Company named Coldwell Banker Caine its top affiliate in South Carolina, and its Greenville office was the No. 1 Coldwell Banker office in South Carolina for 2014.

The Spartanburg office received the Premier Office Award, and Coldwell Banker Caine received the Chairman’s Circle designation, awarded to the top 6 percent of Coldwell Banker companies worldwide. Only 18 percent of all offices in the U.S. and Canada qualified for the Premier Office distinction.

“These accomplishments take a great deal of effort, hard work and dedication by every member of our company,” Stephen Edgerton, president and CEO of Coldwell Banker Caine, said in a release. “We applaud the successes of our driven, top-notch agents and their consistency as top-performing leaders in South Carolina and the Coldwell Banker network.”

The Greenville office has more than 90 sales associates and is managed by Brokers-in-Charge Amanda Jones and Amanda Hamet.

Coldwell Banker Caine has about 150 sales associates across its offices in Greenville, Greer, Easley, Seneca and Spartanburg.

Simpsonville to host Baptist convention The City of Simpsonville will host the 109th Annual Session of the SC Baptist Congress of Christian Education July 12-17 in the Golden Strip.

Jennifer Richardson, director of programming and events for the Simpsonville Area Chamber of Commerce, said the event will bring about 2,500 attendees to the area.

The convention is encouraging restaurants and stores to create special offers for this group or hang posters in their windows.

VisitGreenville is looking for promotional items to include in the attendees’ bags. Any donations of pens, notepads or other items should be delivered to Reedy Fork Baptist Church July 10.

Crawford Strategy wins communications awards Crawford Strategy received six honors for excellence in communications from the international Communicator Awards.

The agency was recognized among 6,000 entries.

Crawford Strategy won Silver Awards of Distinction for the design of Greenville Health System’s MyHealthFirst Logo; the Nachman Norwood & Parrott website design and production; the South Carolina Economic Developers’ Association newsletter design; planning and implementation of the Quarter One Campaign for United Community Bank; and video and implementation of a Facebook campaign for United Community Bank Ice on Main.

“We have a great and diverse team here at Crawford who have the expertise to tell a client’s story across all marketing channels,” Marion Crawford, president and CEO of Crawford Strategy, said in a release.

KEMET wins global award KEMET Corporation won TTI’s Global Operations Excellence Award.

To qualify for the award, KEMET received the Supplier Excellence Award in the Americas, Asia and Europe; and the Diamond Award in Asia for the best supplier. Additionally, KEMET was a Platinum Award winner in the Americas and Asia, and a Gold Award winner in Europe.

>>

upstatebusinessjournal.com

INSIDE THE UPSTATE’S NETWORKING AND SOCIAL SCENE

| SOCIAL SNAPSHOT | 25

GADC SETS FOCUS FOR 2015 At its annual meeting last week, the Greenville Area Development Corporation announced that it secured nearly $452 million in investment and more than 1,300 new jobs in Greenville County in 2014. Focus areas for 2015 include more incentive programs for manufacturing operations, increasing site inventory and attracting new office projects.

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

>>

The awards program is centered on quality measurements that include on-time delivery, receiving quality, customer-reported quality, administrative quality, operations and business systems.

“KEMET worked diligently throughout the year to support TTI in all three regions, and the employees of KEMET are to be commended for their outstanding performance,” Melanie Pizzey, TTI vice president of global business operations, said in a release.

Greenville game company launches second Kickstarter Tantrum House, a Greenville-based board game company, launched a Kickstarter campaign for its game Steam Court.

“We’ve found that Steam Court works really well as a party game” the game’s designer Will Meadows said in a release. “It’s easy to teach, and it’s flexible enough that if players want to drop in or out halfway through it doesn’t mess up the game’s flow.”

In Steam Court, players take on the role of Court Engineers who attempt to catch the eye of the Queen and other high-ranking courtiers by displaying their mechanical prowess. Using their dealt hands of gear cards, players try to take tricks with the ultimate goal of being the first to play all their cards.

Tantrum House got its start after a successful Kickstarter campaign last October. “We’ve run one small campaign,” COO Ryan Pilz said, “and have hopes of doing that again on a much larger scale this time.”

Tantrum House publishes concise video reviews of board games on their YouTube channel and hosts monthly game nights at a coffee shop in Greer.

26 | PLANNER & SOCIAL SNAPSHOT | DATE Friday

6/5 Saturday

6/6 Monday

6/8 Tuesday

6/9

INSIDE THE UPSTATEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NETWORKING AND SOCIAL SCENE

Wednesday

6/17 Thursday-Friday

6/25-26

06.05.2015

WHERE DO I GO?

HOW DO I GO?

Greer Chamber First Friday Luncheon Speaker: U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy

Cannon Centre, 208 Cannon St., Greer, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Cost: Chamber members $10, nonmembers $15 Register: bit.ly/firstfriday-june2015

US Waffle Company Job Fair Twenty-one open positions available

Global Trade Park, 200 Fairforest Way, Greenville, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

More info: uswaffle.com

Upstate Chamber Coalition Presidential Series Speaker: U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham

Marriott Greenville, 1 Parkway East, Greenville, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Cost: Chamber member $30, nonmembers $40 Register: bit.ly/prez-series-june2015

Beer & Napkins River Reconnect Idea session on engaging the community on river appreciation

The Community Tap, 217 Wade Hamp- Cost: $15 ton Blvd., Greenville, 6-8 p.m.

Register: bit.ly/rivers-june2015

Comprehensive Small Business Start-Up Workshop

Hughes Main Library, 25 Heritage Green Place, Greenville, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

Cost: $69, $25 for each additional participant from same company Register: piedmontscore.org/workshops/register/162

iMAGINE Upstate 2016 Festival Reveal

The Old Cigar Warehouse, 912 B South Main St., Greenville, 6-9 p.m.

Cost: $12 Register: bit.ly/imaginereveal-june2015

GSATC Learning Lunch: Sustain Ability. How to Obtain, Sustain and Retain your Top Talent

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

Cost: $25 Register: bit.ly/gsatc-june2015

Tech After Five Networking for tech entrepreneurs

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

Cost: Free Register: bit.ly/taf-june2015

SCMEP Supply Chain Workshops Learn about risk management plans and how to capture total cost in a supply chain

SCMEP Business Learning Center, 37 Villa Road, Suite 500, Greenville, 9 a.m.-3 p.m

Cost: Free Register: bit.ly/supplychain-june2015

Tuesday

6/16

|

EVENT INFO

Saturday

6/13

UBJ

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

CLOSE MORE DEALS. Over 100,000 readers look to the UBJ every week to help them close more business.

DRINK UP!

upstatebusinessjournal.com

A QUICK LOOK INTO THE UPSTATE’S PAST

| SNAPSHOT | 27

Organized in 1876, the Camperdown Mill Company suffered from fire damage and financial instability during its first decade. In 1879, Henry P. Hammett, the highly successful founder of Piedmont Manufacturing Company, bought the company. In the 1880s Camperdown was the second largest mill, after Piedmont, in Greenville County. Camperdown closed in 1956. The building was demolished in 1959.

Greg Beckner/Staff

Historic photo provided

Today the site of Camperdown Mill is part of Falls Park.

Historic photograph available from the Greenville Historical Society. From “Remembering Greenville: Photographs from the Coxe Collection” by Jeffrey R. Willis ART & PRODUCTION

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

ART DIRECTOR Kristy Adair OPERATIONS Holly Hardin PRESIDENT/CEO

Mark B. Johnston mjohnston@communityjournals.com

UBJ PUBLISHER

Kristy Adair, Tammy Smith

Ryan L. Johnston rjohnston@communityjournals.com

CLIENT SERVICES

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Kristi Fortner

MANAGING EDITOR

STORY IDEAS:

STAFF WRITERS

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

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

DIRECTOR OF EVENTS & ACCOUNT STRATEGY

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

Kate Madden

DIGITAL TEAM Emily Price, Danielle Car

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

1988

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-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

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

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 Jerry Salley jsalley@communityjournals.com

UBJ milestone

Michael Allen

LAYOUT & DESIGN

JUNE 19: ENTERTAINMENT, TRAVEL AND LEISURE A look at the business of leisure.

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

ADVERTISING DESIGN

Circulation Audit by

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