June 10, 2016 UBJ

JUNE 10, 2016 | VOL. 5 ISSUE 24

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One journalist’s homecoming DAVID DYKES | STAFF

ddykes@communityjournals.com I’m joining the Upstate Business Journal as senior business writer and couldn't be more pleased.

It brings me home after commuting to Charlotte each week to work for another media company.

That was a good job working with good people. But it wasn't home.

Greenville is.

This is where I worked for the daily newspaper for 18 years as a reporter and editor. It's where Nancy and I built a house that is still home. It's where she is an 18-year cancer survivor, thanks to wonderful – and many local – doctors, nurses and clinicians.

It's where our youngest daughter, Ellen, moved into the fifth grade, then attended middle school and graduated from Greenville High.

It's where our middle daughter, Abby, got her nursing degree. She works for a local hospital system and is raising her two young sons here with her husband, John, a local banker.

It's where our oldest daughter, Sara, lived between an undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado and a law degree from the University of Georgia.

I'm not from around here, however.

excitement I felt, for instance, when Mickey Mantle's home run in the 1964 World Series won the fifth game for the New York Yankees. I cried when the ball cleared the right-field fence in old Yankee Stadium.

No words in the following day's sports section seemed to tell the world accurately about the conquest by a 13-year-old's hero.

I never kept a diary, never considered writing a hobby, nor ever wanted to write beyond the sanctions of classroom English.

But I was often tempted to retrieve my mother's old gray Underwood typewriter and see if I could manifest what lay beneath the commonplace occurrence.

Many years later, I still love the business of journalism, and covering business.

To be sure, it has changed.

The basic principle of what we do has not.

It's not about good or bad news in our community. It's about the truth of what's happening. It's about the successes and the failings. It's about the promises made, but not kept. It's about asking the tough questions, and making

It's not about good or bad news in our community.

It's about asking the tough questions, and making powerful people provide answers.

I was born and raised in Shreveport, La., adopted by two loving parents. I graduated from the University of Arizona with a journalism degree and no one, I assure you, is a bigger fan of the Wildcats.

Nancy and I met in Tucson, married and later began our trek across country with newspaper stops in Dayton, Ohio; Charlotte, N.C.; Columbus, Ga.; and, finally, Greenville.

Ever since I can remember, the written word has been fascinating.

Each day, when the portly teenage paper boy came to our Louisiana home and tossed the bundled roll of news, sports, features and comics, I ran to grab it before my dad could steal it away.

I never understood why the authoritative sports pages rarely captured the

powerful people provide answers.

We have to provide relevant, compelling information you can use to make decisions as consumers and residents.

Greenville's business environment has much to celebrate. But not everyone is benefiting.

The region's health and wealth are to be lauded. But not by everyone.

Young entrepreneurs want to come here. The number of small businesses is growing.

Several will fail within three years.

Success or failure, we have to ask why.

That's what I'll be doing.

INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

| UPFRONT | 3

4 | THE RUNDOWN |

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TOP-OF-MIND AND IN THE MIX THIS WEEK

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VOLUME 5, ISSUE 24 Featured this issue: The Anchorage coming to Village of West Greenville. 6 Recap: Greenville Design Review Board meeting........... 20 High fashion meets high caliber with new holster.... 22

A community garden under construction in downtown Spartanburg will teach local residents about healthy eating. The Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Spartanburg class of 2016 and the Spartanburg County Foundation recently broke ground on the garden in a vacant lot on South Church Street. Read more on page 11.

WORTH REPEATING “The Village has a really great local vibe, with the right price point. The architecture – and the feel – you really can’t replicate it anywhere else in Greenville.” Page 6 “We love Japanese companies. We love the culture that they bring.” Page 10 “It is not to say that there isn’t a place for pink or zebra-striped guns.” Page 22

VERBATIM

On entrepreneurship “A person with a new idea is a crank until the idea succeeds.”

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6 | HOSPITALITY

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the owners of The Community Tap and the Village of West Greenville have in common? A new restaurant in the Village called The Anchorage at 586 Perry Ave., next to the Knack furniture store and across the plaza from Community Journals.

“Opening my own place has always been a dream and was a goal when I moved back to Greenville several years ago,” said Greg McPhee, who currently serves as executive chef of Restaurant 17 at Hotel Domestique in Travelers Rest. McPhee studied at Johnson & Wales University and did stints at The Cloister at Sea Island and several restaurants in Columbia. He served as executive sous chef at Sean Brock’s Husk restaurant in Charleston and later worked for High Cotton in Greenville.

McPhee will be the majority owner of the new restaurant, and The Community Tap owners Mike Okupinski and Ed Buffington are investors. The three became friends over the years, live in the same neighborhood and “share a vision on how we want the Greenville food scene to evolve,” said McPhee.

“We’re honored and grateful to be associated with The Anchorage and chef McPhee, whom we’ve always admired, not only as a chef, but as a friend,”

said Okupinski. “The Village of West Greenville is an extremely exciting part of the development of our beautiful city.”

McPhee said they looked at “safe” spaces around Greenville and near his home in North Main. “But the Village has a really great local vibe, with the right price point. The architecture – and the feel – you really can’t replicate it anywhere else in Greenville.”

The ambiance of The Anchorage will be very open and comfortable with a neighborhood restaurant vibe, said McPhee. The upstairs will feature an expansive bar as well as a small rooftop terrace.

There is planned outside seating on the future plaza in front of the building and the restaurant will incorporate an open kitchen concept featuring a wood-burning Argentine grill.

Food will be similar to what McPhee’s developed at Restaurant 17 with ingredients sourced locally when possible. Expect to see a local beef option, quail, duck or squab, rainbow trout and an ever-evolving menu along with house-made charcuterie, bread and ice cream, as well as seasonal produce, local beer, wine and craft cocktails.

McPhee said he wants to keep the price point to “around $7 to $20 a plate.”

The Anchorage will be open Tuesday through Saturday for dinner and Sunday for brunch. As the

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The Anchorage restaurant coming to Village of West Greenville

Community Journals

Village developers, McPhee says he will consider opening Friday and Saturdays for lunch. He’ll be staying on at Restaurant 17 until the end of July to help find a replacement and said it’s an amicable split.

Expect to see pop-up dinners and events around town for a preview of The Anchorage cuisine (details via social media) before the restaurant opens.

For more information, visit theanchoragerestaurant.com, Facebook (facebook.com/theanchoragegvl), Instagram (@theanchoragegvl) and Twitter (@theanchoragegvl).

Project partners Architect: Stewart Stenger, Craig Gaulden Davis Current partners: Greg McPhee, The Community Tap

Alchemy

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| MANUFACTURING | 7

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| PHILANTHROPY | 9

Milliken & Co. widens focus on annual corporate giving campaign TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF

tanderson@communityjournals.com Philanthropy is woven into the fabric of Milliken & Co.’s culture.

The Spartanburg-based textile giant on Monday kicked off its annual corporate giving campaign but with a wider focus to empower its associates to effect greater change in the community.

Milliken has added the Northside Development Group, Partners for Active Living (PAL) and Spartanburg Academic Movement as nonprofits that will receive financial support this year in addition to its longtime partner the United Way of the Piedmont.

“We care deeply about the place, people and prosperity of Spartanburg,” said Joe Salley, president and CEO of Milliken & Co., in a statement. “By supporting these nonprofit organizations, we’re expanding the direct impact that Milliken & Co. has on our community and fostering a meaningful giving experience for our associates.”

The company said the three new “strategic community impact” organizations align with its core values, including a vibrant culture, health and safety and quality education.

Under the program, Milliken’s corporate employees will be able to designate which of the nonprofits

will benefit from their contributions. The Milliken Foundation will match each donation up to $500,000.

The company said the strategic community impact organizations could change over time.

Northside Development Group is leading the redevelopment of the city’s Northside community to boost economic, educational, recreational, health and social opportunities for residents.

“The Milliken family and their associates have supported the Northside for a number of years, providing both financial support and labor that has helped energize this effort,” said Bill Barnet, former Spartanburg mayor and chairman and CEO of the Northside Development Group. “I’m honored they would choose us. There are many important initiatives in this community. Partners for Active Living and Spartanburg Academic Movement are equally as important and transformative. I believe the United Way is still a very important organization that is changing people’s lives.”

Laura Ringo, executive director for Partners for Active Living, said her organization is focused on inspiring a “healthier Spartanburg County by making physical activity as easy as possible.”

She said PAL’s work includes childhood obesity prevention, trails and parks development and walking

and bicycling for everyone. In 2016, the organization has continued its partnerships with schools and child care centers, Hub Cycle bicycle lending, Spartanburg BCycle, Turkey Day 8K and downtown Criterium, as well as its advocacy for pedestrian improvements.

PAL is working on three new projects that include construction of a new park on the Mary Black Foundation Rail Trail, the addition of three new trails and the goal of a 32-mile network within five years and access to healthy food in low-income areas.

“Partners for Active Living is honored to be included in Milliken’s employee giving campaign and grateful for their support now and in the past,” Ringo said.

Milliken said Spartanburg Academic Movement is a partnership across local education, government and community institutions with a goal to pursue high levels of educational achievement in Spartanburg.

The company said its giving campaign will run through June 30.

Participants and those interested can follow the progress via social media by using the hashtag #MillikenDoesGood.

A company spokeswoman said Milliken will announce the results at the end of the campaign.

For more information, visit milliken.com.

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06.10.2016

Kobelco opens excavator plant in Spartanburg County TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF

tanderson@communityjournals.com The Highway 290 corridor in Spartanburg County welcomed another “game-changer” last week.

On June 2, Japan-based Kobelco and its North American subsidiary Kobelco Construction Machinery USA celebrated the opening of a new $41 million, 156,000-square-foot excavator production plant in Moore that will create 131 jobs.

South Carolina and Spartanburg officials joined company leaders to welcome the plant, which sits about 1 mile south of Toray’s $1.4 billion carbon fiber plant in Tyger River Industrial Park-South.

“We started planning for a new South Carolina excavator plant two years ago,” said Kazuhide Naraki, president and CEO of Kobelco Construction Machinery Co. “Our plant site … offers great access to our customers, excellent visibility, service and an excellent labor force.”

Naraki praised support from state and local leaders, as well as contractors, associates, Spartanburg Community College, local utilities and other parties, for helping the project become a reality.

“We are very glad to have our U.S. plant in such a nice location,” Naraki said.

The plant, which includes 16,400 square feet of office space and a demonstration center, will initially produce two models, Kobelco’s SK210 hydraulic excavator and its SK350.

During the next two years, production of four more models will be added. Those models include the SK170, SK260, SK300 and SK500.

The plant’s capacity is anticipated to be about 1,800 excavators per year by the end of 2018.

Daniel Crosby, a production associate at the Kobelco plant, said he and the 41 other employees who have been hired to work at the facility so far are pleased with the company’s culture of caring for its workers.

“They take good care of us,” said Crosby. “It’s better than what I expected. It feels good to come to work every day.”

“We love Japanese companies,” said Spartanburg County Councilman David Britt. “We love the culture

Kazuhide Naraki (center), president and CEO of Kobelco Construction Machinery Co., celebrates the opening of the Japanese company’s $40 million excavator plant in Moore. that [they] bring. Spartanburg could not do it without partners. … We’re all about partnerships in working to make industry and business grow.”

Kobelco chose the 76-acre site in January 2015. It purchased the property from Greenville-based Pacolet Milliken Enterprises, a private investment firm formed by shareholders of Spartanburg-based Milliken & Co. in 2007 to pursue and preserve high-quality energy and real estate assets.

Kobelco was one of the first in a new wave of “economic game-changers” Pacolet Milliken said it hoped to attract to the 2,282-acre industrial park of Highway 290 between highways 417 and 221.

Across the street from Kobelco, Spartanburg-based packaging company Sterling CPI is nearing completion of its new 140,000-square-foot manufacturing facility and warehouse.

On a 37-acre site beside Kobelco, Italian chemical company Ritrama has begun building a 300,000-square-foot facility that is expected to create 150 jobs.

Deputy S.C. Secretary of Commerce Jennifer Noel Fletch said since 2011, Japanese companies have

announced $2.8 billion in investment and 2,700 new jobs in the state. She mentioned Toray, Fuji, Honda, Bridgestone, Nissan, Mitsubishi Polyester Fibers and AFL.

‘We love Japanese companies. We love the culture that they bring.”

Spartanburg City Councilman David Britt

“South Carolina is great at making things,” Fletcher said. “From cars to planes to tires and now excavators, the world has taken notice of what we are doing here … It’s always an inspiration when you get to this point and you see a state-of-the-art facility like we’re standing in today.”

For more information, visit kobelco-usa.com.

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| COMMUNITY | 11

Downtown Spartanburg community garden under construction TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF

tanderson@communityjournals.com A community garden under construction in downtown Spartanburg will teach local residents about healthy eating.

The Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Spartanburg class of 2016 and the Spartanburg County Foundation recently broke ground on the garden.

It is at 150 S. Church St. in a vacant lot owned by the city between A Arrangement Florist and the Nautilus Fitness Center. The site will be managed by the Hub City Farmers Market.

“The Spartanburg County Foundation is pleased to be partnered with the garden to promote health, wellness and nutrition throughout our community,” said Troy Hanna, president and CEO of The Spartanburg County Foundation, in a statement. “The Spartanburg County Foundation Community Garden will not only produce nutritious foods but will also serve as an educational opportunity to promote healthy lifestyles.”

The garden is a result of the Spartanburg Chamber’s Leadership class’s service project, which was aimed at making a long-term impact on the well-being of the community.

The chamber said the project came to fruition through a team of 30 class participants and a variety of public-private partnerships.

“We hope to provide a place that people from all walks of life – from the educational world, to folks who live downtown, to families who don’t have access to healthy food options – can enjoy and use,” said Martin Huff, Leadership project lead and development

manager with Spartanburg-based Johnson Development Associates.

According to the chamber, the garden will be planted, cultivated and harvested by residents, who

will rent garden plots and share ideas and gardening tips, as well as recipes and community pride.

“The Hub City Farmers Market is thrilled to be a part of the new community garden on Church Street,” said Caroline Sexton, executive director of the Hub City Farmers Market. “Situated in the heart of downtown Spartanburg, this garden highlights the importance that our city places on healthy eating and active living. It is our hope that the garden will bring together a diverse group of downtown Spartanburg residents to live and learn about food and gardening in a community setting.”

Volunteers from the Leadership class will build the garden during the next few months. The garden is anticipated to open this fall.

For more information, contact Sexton at csexton@hubcityfm.org. food and gardening in a community setting.”

Volunteers from the Leadership class will build the garden during the next few months. The garden is anticipated to open this fall.

For more information, contact Sexton at csexton@ hubcityfm.org.

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12 | DISTRIBUTION |

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06.10.2016

Rite Aid opens $90M, 900,000 SF distribution center in Spartanburg County TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF

tanderson@communityjournals.com After Holly Williams’ father passed away, she decided to leave her family’s business and get a “real world” job.

The Wellford resident heard about Pennsylvania-based drugstore chain Rite Aid’s new $90 million 900,0000-square-foot distribution center at Johnson Development’s 1,400-acre Flatwood Industrial Park near Boiling Springs.

Williams joined about 2,000 other applicants who hoped to land one of 600 positions at the center. And she was elated when she found out she had been hired.

“It’s just a great feeling to come to work,” Williams said. “It’s exciting. They take great care of us. It’s my first real job, but I am enjoying it.”

Last week, Rite Aid officials joined with state and local leaders to unveil the facility that by this time next year will supply more than 1,000 stores in the Southeast, about one-quarter of the locations in the company’s massive portfolio.

The state-of-the-art facility, the company’s first new distribution center in 16 years, features a range of logistic technologies, as well as amenities for employees, such as a fitness center and dining hall.

“This is an exciting time for us,” said John Stanley, chairman and CEO of Rite Aid. “At Rite Aid, we’re very committed to the wellness of our communities and every day our teams of caring associates across the country provide services, products and resources to help our customers and their families live healthier lives. And our distribution centers are key to us delivering on this commitment as they are the backbone of our company.”

Rite Aid announced the Spartanburg center in January 2015 and construction began a few months later.

“We’re very excited, primarily about the new jobs and the opportunity to open the park up to development. We’re very optimistic about the future.”

Rob Rain, president of Johnson Development’s Industrial Division

The company consolidated three existing facilities in Alabama, North Carolina and West Virginia into the center on 97 acres site near Business 85 and Highway 221.

Thousands of items are neatly stacked in rows of metal shelves that reach all of the way up to the facility’s 36-foot ceiling. About 15,000 different products, anything that would be on the shelves in a Rite Aid store, are kept in stock.

Chocolates and other perishable goods are kept in a climate-controlled area so they don’t melt or spoil.

“Our new distribution center is really a milestone,” said Ken Martindale, CEO of Rite Aid Stores and president of Rite Aid Corp. “It puts us in a much better place to take care of our associates and serve our customers on a daily basis.”

Martindale said the center is equipped with a labor management system, voice technology, an automated palletizer, ergonomically designed manual palletizing stations and automatic label appliers.

He said the facility, which was designed with a range of environmentally friendly features, also has its own weigh station and has about 16,000 square feet of office space.

S.C. Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt praised Rite Aid, his team, county officials, Spartanburg Community College and Johnson Development for their efforts in helping the project reach fruition.

“We’ve been building on transportation, distribution and logistics pretty intensely,” Hitt said.

“We think it’s a very important function for us in South Carolina. What I really like about what [Rite Aid has] done here is [they] have taken it to a remarkable arch point.”

Rob Rain, president of Johnson Development’s Industrial Division, said the opening of the Rite Aid facility should help attract more investment to the park.

Johnson Development’s 363,000-square-foot speculative, or spec, building beside Rite Aid should be completed in about a month. Rain said the company has received strong interest in the building, which he said could support manufacturing or distribution operations.

“We’re very excited, primarily about the new jobs and the opportunity to open the park up to development,” Rain said. “We’re very optimistic about the future.”

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| MANUFACTURING | 13

BMW reports decrease in US sales for May STAFF REPORT

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Greenville, SC

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29601

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864.561.4031

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info@parkplaceonhudson.com

www.parkplaceonhudson.com

results in May as the automaker reported a nearly 9 percent decrease in its U.S. business during the month.

BMW of North America said last week it sold 33,612 vehicles during the past month, compared with 33,836 in May 2015.

For the year, the company said it has sold 144,811 vehicles, a nearly 10 percent decrease compared with 160,533 during the same period of the previous year.

“The shorter number of selling days in May no doubt affected the month totals, but the ongoing transition to X models remains clear,” said Ludwig Willisch, president and CEO of BMW of North America, in a statement. “The BMW X1 grows more popular each month with its siblings X3 and X6 giving it strong support. The X5 was limited only by availability, but that will continue improving in the months ahead.”

X3 sales increased 28 percent during the month to 3,295 units, compared with 2,575 units during the previous May. Year-to-date, sales of the X3 have increased 45 percent to 15,928 units, compared with 10,982 during the same period of 2015.

Sales of the X4 decreased about 1 percent in May

to 371 units, compared with 375 units during the sales decreased 6 percent in May but have increased nearly 4 percent for the year. same month a year ago. For the first five months of The company said sales of its brand vehicle dethe year, X4 sales are down almost 20 percent to creased more than 6 percent last month and have 2,208 units, compared with 2,756 during the same dropped almost 9 percent since the start of the year. period a year ago.

Meanwhile, its MINI brand sales were down more X5 sales decreased almost 25 percent during the than 21 percent in May and have decreased 16 month to 4,372 units, compared with 5,797 in May 2015. For the year, sales of the X5 are down 16 percent during the first five months of the year. percent to 18,186 units, compared with 21,643 during the same span of the previous year.

X6 sales increased 26 percent in May to 712 units, compared with 565 during the same month a year ago. Sales of the X6 during the first five months of the year stood at 2,964 units, a more than 18 percent increase compared with 2,510 during the same period of 2015.

As a whole, BMW’s light truck division A BMW X3 in production at the automaker’s Spartanburg County plant 104 S. Hudson Street

Sales of four BMWs produced in Spartanburg County – the X3, X4, X5 and X6 – had mixed

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14 | ENVIRONMENT |

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06.10.2016

Atlas Organics opens first commercial compost facility in the Upstate TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF

tanderson@communityjournals.com On Friday, June 3, Spartanburg-based Atlas Organics unveiled its new composting facility at the Twin Chimneys Landfill near Honea Path.

The 9-acre site will process local food and yard waste and transform it into a valuable resource for farming, gardening, landscaping and other agricultural applications.

Company officials said the facility is the first of its kind in the Upstate.

“This has been a two-year project in the making,” said Joseph McMillin, CEO of Atlas Organics. “To see it reach fruition is a great feeling.”

Greenville entrepreneur Gary Nihart founded Atlas Organics in 2013.

McMillin is the founder of Junk Matters, a commercial recycling business he opened in 2011 while he was a student at Wofford College.

McMillin and Nihart merged their two companies under the Atlas Organics banner in November. Nihart serves as the chief operations officer.

The company’s headquarters are in downtown Spartanburg.

In January, the company received financial support from 60 angel investors in Spartanburg, Asheville, N.C., Rock Hill, Aiken and Columbia.

McMillin and Nihart used the money to build the composting facility and expand their collections.

The composting facility is in partnership with Greenville County.

Food waste collected from about 100 sites in the area is brought to the facility where it is combined with mulched yard waste collected by the county.

The mixture is organized into “cells” and then undergoes a 45-day process that includes aeration and constant monitoring.

The end product is a soil amendment that McMillin said can help produce higher crop yields, decrease the use of pesticides and fertilizer, and increase water retention, which means less water use. McMillin said the facility currently has the

capacity to produce 12,000 tons of compost per year, with the ability to expand to 24,000 tons annually as demand grows.

He said the company has already received interest from several customers and anticipates that the demand will grow rapidly.

For now, Atlas Organics is only selling the product in bulk. McMillin said the company could look into selling it by the bag in the future.

“It’s great to be working with Greenville County to build the first commercial compost facility in the Upstate,” Nihart said. “The problem with food waste must be attacked by both the public and private sector. The public-private partnership creates the best foundation for success.”

Atlas Organics has seven employees. McMillin said he is seeking to hire one more person.

The company will host a grand opening for the facility at 9:30 a.m. on June 14. The Twin Chimneys Landfill is at 11075 Augusta Road in Honea Path.

For more information, visit atlasorganics.net.

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INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

German automation firm to build second Greenville facility ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

aboncimino@communityjournals.com

German automation controls firm Process Automation Solutions announced plans to construct a second facility not far from the company’s U.S. headquarters at 300 Executive Center Drive in Greenville. The development will be located at 1045 Keys Drive in Greenville and represents $65,000 in capital investment and 40 jobs.

PA Solutions primarily serves the chemical, pharmaceutical and automotive markets – among others – and operates 59 locations across Europe, North America and Asia, according to its website. The company provides electrical, instrumentation and control engineering for the process industry.

The new Greenville facility will include an engineering department and focus on electrical design, PLC and robot programming and simulation, according to a news release.

"PA Solutions is proud to call South Carolina home. Both Greenville County and the State have been wel-

| MANUFACTURING / AUTOMOTIVE | 15

The Blue Ridge Advantage Where Innovation Meets Commitment

coming and supportive as we aim to foster new talent to service the area's manufacturing automation,” said PA Solutions operations manager David Mothersbaugh in a statement. “We are excited to invest in the Upstate's workforce by continuing to employ and develop native South Carolinian talent to provide local controls and robotics support to our manufacturing neighbors.”

The company also serves the food and beverage, oil and gas, energy and water and wastewater industries. PA Solutions is an independent subsidiary of ATS Automation, which employs 3,500 employees across 25 global facilities and support locations.

"We're delighted to have PA Solutions in Greenville County and in our growing engineering community,” said Greenville County Council Chairman Dr. Bob Taylor. “This announcement reinforces the engineering strength Greenville County provides and why it's an attraction to many businesses and industries."

Toyota of Greer announces $1.25M expansion TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF

tanderson@communityjournals.com Toyota of Greer on Thursday announced the completion of a $1.25 million facelift of its dealership at 13770 E. Wade Hampton Blvd. in Spartanburg County.

Improvements include an expanded service area, new customer lounge, a larger lot and a new VIP entrance.

Toyota of Greer officials said the project, which is the first major renovation of the dealership since it opened in 2003, took about nine months to complete.

“This helps us meet the growing needs of our team as well as creates a greater customer experience,” said Bob Hogan, an owner of Toyota of Greer. “Everything about this was designed to enhance the car shopping experience and make it like nothing else in the region.”

The lounge features new seating, massage chairs, flat-screen TVs, wireless Internet service and complimentary coffee and snacks.

“Investment in the city is always a great thing,” said Greer Mayor Rick Danner, in a statement. “But to have it from a partner like Toyota of Greer is significant. They have supported a lot of community initiatives over the years, and we are honored to have them doubling down on Greer.”

Craig Pollock, vice president of Southeast Toyota Distributors, which supplies 176 dealers throughout the Southeast, presented a commemorative katana to the dealership.

A remake of the traditional weapon carried by Samurai warriors, the sword is given to dealers associated with the Japanese automaker that show commitment to continuous improvement.

For more information, visit toyotaofgreer.com.

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06.10.2016

READY FOR TAKEOFF

Lockheed Martin facility nears completion at SCTAC as T-50A trainer jet approaches production ANDREW MOORE | STAFF

amoore@communityjournals.com

L

ockheed Martin’s T-50A jet trainer

completed its initial flight test in Sacheon, South Korea, on June 2, signaling the aerospace company’s readiness to compete in the U.S. Air Force Advanced Pilot Training competition.

The Air Force announced last year that it wants 350 new jets to replace its Northrop T-38 Talon jet trainers, which, according to Northrop Grumman, were produced from 1961 to 1972. The Air Force uses the T-38 aircraft for undergraduate pilot training.

The competition is valued up to $11 billion.

After the announcement, Lockheed Martin had engineering teams within its Skunk Works division create designs for an aircraft that could compete.

It then conducted a study comparing the new aircraft designs to its FA-50 Golden Eagle jet fighter, a modified version of the T-50 — a supersonic advanced trainer jet developed by Lockheed Martin and Korean Aerospace Industries in the 1990s.

The study found that its clean-sheet aircraft design — springing from just the requirements and a “clean sheet” of paper — would cost eight times more than using a current model. It would also slow the production process.

“The clean-sheet design just wasn’t better than what we had. We would have to figure out how to build it and then produce a prototype, as well as validate the design,” said Don Erickson, site director for Lockheed Martin’s Greenville Operations Center at the South Carolina Technology and Aviation Center (SCTAC).

The T-50 has more than 100,000 flight hours and has trained more than 1,000 fighter pilots. But Lockheed Martin decided to upgrade the jet trainer and announced that it would partner with Korean Aerospace Industries to produce the T-50A. The upgraded aircraft is retrofitted with an aerial refueling receptacle on its dorsal and a ground-based training system. It also has a fifth-generation cockpit similar to what’s installed in the F-35 Lightning II and open system architecture, which allows for faster integration of new sensors, weapons and other capabilities.

The initial flight test last week found that the aircraft has a maximum speed of 1,020 mph at 30,000 feet and a range of 1,150 miles.

FROM SACHEON TO GREENVILLE In February, Lockheed Martin announced that, if awarded the contract, it would conduct the final assembly and check out for the T-50A jet trainer at its Greenville facility at SCTAC. “The site has a 31-year history of strong performance in final assembly and checkout, which is the type of work that would be done with the T-50A, as well as state-of-the-art capabilities in aircraft modification, a flexible and highly skilled workforce and a competitive cost structure,” said Leslie Farmer, a Lockheed Martin spokeswoman.

The 227-acre Greenville facility houses 16 hangars and offers 8,000 feet of runway. It also has 1.2 million square feet of covered space and provides various services, including maintenance, repair, overhaul and modification, to government and commercial aircraft.

Lockheed Martin decided to remodel Hangar 11 at the Greenville facility to house the production of the T-50A. The process began in April.

The 38,000-square-foot hangar was constructed in 1958 as a part of Donaldson Air Force Base, which

LOCKHEED MARTIN

LOCKHEED MARTIN T-50A: MAX SPEED: 1,020 MPH AT 30,000 FEET RANGE: 1,150 MILES FIFTH-GENERATION COCKPIT EMBEDDED TRAINING OPEN SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE

closed in 1963. Lockheed Martin purchased the base in 1984.

Before remodeling, the hangar was used for modification and repair services to the P-3 Orion, C-130 Hercules and C-5 Galaxy transport plane.

The remodeled hanger will feature a new roof, anti-reflection floor paint and energy-efficient high-intensity lighting, according to Erickson. It will also feature upgraded offices on the north side, including ADA-compliant sidewalks. And on the north and south sides of the hangar, energy-efficient windows are being installed.

Also, instead of a traditional stacking door, the new hangar will feature a roll-up door that is sized to fit the T-50A as it exits the production line.

The remodeling process is 50 percent complete and will be finished late July, according to Erickson.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is expected for mid-August.

FROM BLUEPRINTS TO PLANE Lockheed Martin will use a “warm line” manufacturing technique to produce its modernized jet

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trainer. The aircraft’s frame will continuously move jobs at the company’s Greenville location, which now down an assembly line as technicians piece togethemploys 475 people.

The additional employees would stem from er and insert its internal components.

Lockheed Martin’s current employee pool or the However, the company might consider a “static aviation-training program at Greenville Technical line” if pre-production doesn’t meet standards, according to Erickson. The aircraft’s shell would be in College, according to Erickson. a fixed position.

Production could also boost the local economy.

“We’re using the ‘warm line’ to figure out produc“A lot of the supply network has been established. tion approaches, specific But we could possibly use tooling that may enable us other suppliers in the area or to install the wing or in South Carolina,” Erickson another part faster with said. “A lot of the supplies, if less risks,” said Erickson. any, would just be the nuts Lockheed Martin will and bolts of the plane.” begin the pre-production process once the GreenTHE GROWTH OF ville facility receives the AN INDUSTRY If Lockheed Martin is awarded the Air aircraft’s major compoLockheed Martin isn’t the Force contract, it will become the first nents later this summer. only aerospace giant competcompany to produce an entire military Parts such as the wings, ing for the Air Force’s conaircraft in South Carolina. But it will join fuselage and tail are being tract. a well-established industry. assembled and shipped The Boeing Co. and Saab South Carolina houses 400 aerospace from South Korea. And if partnered to produce a cleanfirms and four U.S. air bases. The Boeing Lockheed Martin continsheet design.

However, no Co. produces its 787 Dreamliner pasues its partnership with details have been provided. senger jet at its North Charleston facilGeneral Electric Co., it will And Northrop Grumman ity, which opened in 2009. And RBC continue to use its Amerpartnered with BAE Systems Aerostructures produces parts for the ican-made F404 engine, to produce a clean-sheet F-35 fighter jet in Westminster. which is used in its T-50 design, which resembles the SCTAC has an estimated $2 billion aircraft. company’s T-38 Talon. economic impact yearly on the state’s Four aircraft will be Textron AirLand planned economy. Much of that impact stems sent to Greenville from to submit its Scorpion jet from the various companies housed at South Korea sometime trainer but ditched it for a the aerospace hub. this fall. But employees new design in February.

Stevens Aviation, which services will be trained before then.

Raytheon, Finmeccanica and various companies, provides mainte“The point is to be able CAE will offer its T-100, an nance and remodeling to civilian and to produce these aircraft Italian-made jet. military aircraft. Also, the South Caroliquickly if we’re awarded “Lockheed Martin has an na National Guard has a new helicopter the contract,” said Erickadvantage because an existstation that holds six Chinook and four son. “We’ll have some of ing design saves money. And Lakota helicopters. The South Carolina our personnel engaged in you’re better off not having National Guard is also building a South Korea to get some to design and validate it,” said 95,000-square-foot armory. hands-on experience with Jeff McKaughan, a senior Lockheed Martin’s T-50A jet trainer the aircraft on the producaerospace analyst at Teal program at SCTAC could spur additiontion line.”

Group, an aerospace consulal growth to the local aerospace indusTeams will return to tancy firm in Fairfax, Va. try, according to Mark Farris, CEO and Greenville and then conMcKaughan added that it’s president of the Greenville Area Develtinually assemble and too early to conclude which opment Corporation. disassemble two of the company will win the con“Greenville is near the center of a defour aircraft to perfect the tract because it “depends on veloping cluster of aerospace activity. production process. The price and performance.” But While automotive is still dominant … we other aircraft will be used he added that the aircraft’s definitely have the potential to benefit for test flights, which are maintenance and sustainas these aviation industries continue to expected to begin somement costs would be the agglomerate in the region,” Farris said. time in November. “most significant factor.”

If awarded the contract, In December, the Air Force Lockheed Martin will expects to release a request consider using robotics on for proposals, and the comthe “warm line,” according to Erickson. However, peting companies will go through a selection process, he said it would “be tough to replace our skilled including a demonstration. The Air Force expects technicians” and that Lockheed Martin likes the to choose its winner by at least 2018. Initial opera“human element in the process.” tional capability is 2024.

Lockheed Martin plans to produce four aircraft a For more information, month if awarded the contract. It would create 200 visit lockheedmartin.com/us/products/t50A.html.

A BOOST TO THE STATE’S AEROSPACE SECTOR

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COMPANIES BLAZING A TRAIL IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP

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ARMED AND CHIC aboncimino@communityjournals.com

A

merica’s gun industry needs a makeover.

For years, the male-dominated industry has given women little attention, leaving them with bland, limited selections at best and pink versions of regular products or nothing at all at worst, says Clemson MBA graduate Melissa Clampitt. The result, she says, is a huge missed opportunity to the tune of 27.8 million women gun owners in the U.S. — and that number is only getting bigger.

“Women are one of the fastest-growing market shares for the gun industry and … there’s just not a lot of products designed for women,” says Clampitt, an Army wife, young mother and now founder and CEO of Clutch. “I’m putting my heel down when it comes to women in this industry getting the products they want and deserve.”

Women’s business attire rarely accommodates concealed firearms without ruining style, for example. Clampitt tackles the problem head-on with her first product, an adjustable gun holster that fits any purse and looks more like Gucci than Guns & Ammo. The proprietary design uses magnets to keep it upright and in one place, which make for easy access alongside adjustable

quick-release straps.

Premium leather, custom patterns and quality fabrics in classic colors help it match different purses, says Clampitt.

“I couldn’t find a holster that I liked and worked,” according to Clampitt, who says existing purse holsters don’t tend to stay in place, and aren’t made out of premium materials. “I just thought, ‘I need to solve this for all of the women who want to carry and be fashionable and wear business attire.’”

Concealed-carry couture Though she has spent much of her life around guns, the idea for a premium gun accessory brand wasn’t obvious at first, she says. She learned how to shoot rifles and handguns through the ROTC program at University of Michigan, and traveled around the country as a military wife before earning her concealed carry license about five years ago.

“This didn’t cross my mind at all until my husband and I had another conversation about how I don’t carry … and he was concerned

for my safety,” says Clampitt, referencing her penchant for classic clothing style. “All types of women conceal-carry … and they struggle with this every day.”

More than 42 percent of women gun owners hold a concealed-carry license in their state of residence, and nearly 30 percent plan to get theirs in the next 12 months, according to the most recent report on women gun ownership by the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Women who purchased a gun in the last 12 months reported spending an average of $870 on firearms and more than $400 on accessories and were primarily motivated by defense, self-sufficiency and empowerment reasons.

The same study, however, showed many respondents were turned off by colors and patterns typically associated with female gun products, such as pinks, purples and prints. Nearly 75 percent reported that such patterns make guns look like toys, while more than half said pinks, purples and other patterns were inappropriate for shooting activities such as concealed carry and hunting.

“It is evident that a significant proportion of women do not respond well to guns in feminine colors and patterns," according to the study. "It is not to say that there isn’t a place for pink or zebra-striped guns. The point is that women should have a choice among several options both traditional and feminine."

More in the works Clampitt has finished the design and prototypes for the Clutch holster and is looking for the right manufacturer, she says, but doesn’t know when production will start. Two retailers have told Clampitt they will stock her items as soon as they are available, she says, and she also plans to launch an online store targeting the Carolinas, Tennessee and Georgia.

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ASHLEY BONCIMINO | STAFF

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COMPANIES BLAZING A TRAIL IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP

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31%

women who report having a gun in their home (38% men)

72.3%

agree that some of the colors and patterns on guns designed for women make them look like toys

57%

agree that some of the colors are not appropriate for shooting activities

Premium holsters are just the beginning. She already holds a provisionary patent on the holster design, including 40 additional designs, and a provisional patent on the utility concept that secures the holster in the purse. Clampitt is already working on designs and prototypes for other products, such as ear protection, eye protection, shooting shirts and range bags. More than a third of women gun owners say they would purchase more women-specific items if they were available, she says, and the sky’s the limit.

“I’m trying to bridge this gap between what was once a man’s world and fashion,” she says. Sports such as golf and bowling used to be heavily — if not exclusively — male activities, and today women have a plethora of options when it comes to functional, fashionable apparel in both. “That’s what I want the firearm industry to be, and that’s what I think Clutch can do.”

For more information, visit clutchconceal.com.

42.2%

hold concealed-carry licenses in their state

29.4%

plan to get concealed-carry licenses in the next 12 months Sources: National Shooting Sports Foundation; Pew Research Center

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REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF

sjackson@communityjournals.com |

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06.10.2016

@SJackson_CJ

New Cliffs waterfront neighborhood announced at Lake Keowee The Cliffs, a collection of seven private luxury mountain and lake communities in the western Carolinas, announced a new 600-acre waterfront expansion within The Cliffs at Keowee Springs this week.

Overall, Keowee Springs consists of 1,600 acres with a prime location along the shores of Lake Keowee. The initial phase of The Landing consists of 37 homesites, 31 of them located directly on the waterfront. Prices range from $200,000 to $950,000 with an average lot size of 1 acre.

“The Landing is the most significant new development at The Cliffs in the last five years and will greatly increase our prime real estate offering along Lake Keowee, as well as bring a comprehensive amenity expansion to the community,” said Kent Smith, president of Cliffs Land Partners. “Beauti-

fully forested properties and dockable waterfront, combined with the Tom Fazio golf course and Keowee Springs Beach Club, brings to the property owners an unparalleled lifestyle experience only available in The Cliffs communities.”

A major amenity enhancement to The Cliffs at Keowee Springs’ current club offerings is also planned. Additions include a clubhouse with a restaurant, bar and private meeting rooms; a wellness center with an indoor pool, spa and tennis complex; and an outdoor pavilion and community garden with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The community also features a Beach Club and access to a variety of watersports including wakeboarding, paddle boarding, kayaking and fishing, as well as numerous hiking trails for exploring waterfalls and the surrounding mountains.

Renderings are not final and are not drawn to scale. Plans and drawings are subject to change.

Keowee Springs was introduced in 2004 and initial plans for expansion were announced in 2015 with Dockside at Keowee Springs, a collection of 26 lakefront properties. Strong buyer interest led to this expansion, the company said.

“We look forward to building upon the strong momentum generated in 2015 with the release of Dockside. The exclusive addition of The Landing is an incredible opportunity for those who want to immerse themselves in The Cliffs’ lifestyle on Lake Keowee,” said David Sawyer, president of The Cliffs Clubs.

For more information, visit thelanding.cliffsliving. com or call 866-411-5771.

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REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

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REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF

sjackson@communityjournals.com |

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06.10.2016

@SJackson_CJ

Ellison on Broad multifamily project set for 2017 completion Construction continues on the new luxury apartment complex at Church and Broad streets in Greenville, with the first units slated to be available this winter.

The multifamily development was formerly called Fountains Greenville, but that was just a working name for the project, said Stuart Proffitt, managing principal with Proffitt Dixon Partners, a Charlotte-based multifamily investment and development firm. The new name is Ellison on Broad, in honor of a pioneer of Greenville’s textile industry.

The five-story complex is one large building and will consist of 201 units with 147 one-bedroom and 54 two-bedroom units. The community will feature a resort-style saltwater pool, private courtyards, outdoor grills and TV, kayak storage, commercial-quality fitness center, upscale club areas and a rooftop deck. It will also have convenient access to the GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail.

“We have upgraded our already luxury features of the units to include even more comforts, such as roll shades on the windows, apron-front stainless steel sinks and custom closet shelving with chrome poles,” said Proffitt.

Community events, activities and programming will be a real draw and is what will set the project apart from others downtown, he said. “Also, the walkability to so many jobs and to Main Street will be a big selling point.”

FRONT ROW

Rental rates have not yet been determined but “will be consistent with other new projects walkable to Main Street retail, restaurants and office buildings,” said Proffitt. Units will be ready for move-in in the fourth quarter of this year, and construction

is expected to be complete by the first quarter of 2017.

For more information, visit facebook.com/Ellison-on-Broad.

Greenville Design Review Board Urban Panel, June meeting

In this month’s meeting of the city of Greenville’s Design Review Board Urban Panel, one item was on the formal agenda with four additional projects discussed during the informal portion of the meeting.

KEYS VILLAGE I wrote about this new project a couple of weeks ago (“Keys Village planned for North of Broad District,” May 20), so I won’t rehash all of the details.

This particular application is for a certificate of appropriateness to renovate the existing buildings at 307 E. McBee Ave. Kevin Hyslop, the architect with McMillian Pazdan Smith who filed the application, said he is “very excited about the project and the idea of this becoming a mode of activity and destination off of Main Street.” It has a funky and attractive element and a great reuse of materials, he said.

The DRB was generally in favor of the project but had some questions about the proposed pea gravel in the parking/outdoor area. Hyslop said it is a good way

to repel oil stains and is an impervious material. Board members Todd Malo and Danielle Fontaine were both concerned about ruts from food trucks. Fontaine also said that it would be hard for ladies with sandals to walk on and for strollers. City staff said pea gravel isn’t considered impervious in its design standards.

Board member Carmella Cioffi called the project a “great concept for this location” and said she’s always admired the building and is happy to see something happen with it.

The board approved unanimously but with the stipulation that if the stage area design changes or goes away from shipping containers, they want to see it again.

STRIP CENTER ON CHURCH STREET As I mentioned, the informal review portion of the meeting was the meat and potatoes this month.

A final development plan for the strip center on Church Street across from South Ridge was presented. Plans call for the brick to be painted, canopies

to be replaced and additional landscaping to be done.

The presenter called it an “eyesore building in a good location” and says there is a good tenant lineup with more of a maintenance-free building.

The board suggested using a color other than white on the brick, as it might get dirty too quickly, but otherwise liked the changes. Their comments will go to the Planning Commission for the official hearing on the project.

TOWNES AT MARKET POINT This proposal is for 66 new townhomes on Market Point Drive, near Whole Foods off Woodruff Road.

Ryan Homes would be the builder of the development, which would be similar to another proposed project on Wade Hampton Boulevard and an existing project at Verdae. The townhomes would have three or four bedrooms each. There would be 16 buildings total, each three stories tall. The project would be targeted to young professionals, movedown buyers and singles.

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continued from page 22 Board member Cioffi suggested the design be tweaked so it has more roof variation, saying it looks like one giant roof mass right now. Fontaine said she would like to see green space and a park area for kids to play and where people in the community can gather.

City staff said there is an open space requirement that needs to be looked at. Again, comments will be forwarded to the Planning Commission.

APARTMENT COMPLEX ON CENTURY DRIVE This proposal was for a new apartment complex near Keith Drive. It would be six buildings with three to four stories. The DRB says design materials need to be simplified with more masonry. There also needs to be more roof variation and green space added.

The applicant wasn't present, but city staff said comments would be passed along.

GREENVILLE DRIVE/FLUOR FIELD Craig Brown with the Greenville Drive and Fluor Field presented plans for modifications to the existing stadium site. Brown said it was time to take a look at the past 10 successful years and “ensure the future of baseball in Greenville.” He said it’s important that Fluor Field is a vibrant part of the community with a stadium that's modern with the latest technology.

The original project design team is involved in the proposed changes, which include a major renovation to the entry plaza, creating a pocket park for the city, new seating, new rooftop signage on the adjacent office building, bleacher seating upgrades, a new club at suite level, changing office space to season ticket-holders space and a new marquee sign.

There will be an opportunity for new public art, and additional ticket windows will be added as well as an outside elevator tower to office building. The biggest addition will be club space at third base, which will have interior and exterior seating. Changes are expected to be in place for the 2017 season. The DRB said it looked like a great concept.

Usually, the DRB takes a break in July, but city staff said that it looks like a special July meeting will be called with applications already in the pipeline.

REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

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TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF tanderson@communityjournals.com

Montgomery Building redevelopment could begin in September The redevelopment of downtown

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Spartanburg’s most iconic historic building could begin in late September.

Greenville developer James Bakker, principal of BF Spartanburg LLC, said his company is in the due diligence phase of the project and has completed most of its investigation of the building.

The company is working through its approvals with the South Carolina Historic Preservation Office and the National Park Service in regards to historic tax credits.

Bakker said he anticipates completing the purchase of the property from Florida-based Cypress Lending Group on Sept. 22 and then moving forward with plans to convert the 93-year-old office building into a high-rise mixeduse facility.

Plans include 72 apartments, 10,000 square feet of office space and 9,000 square feet of ground floor commercial space for new retail and restaurant ventures.

“We feel very good about the prospects of moving forward, and it all hinges on the historic tax credit approval,” Bakker said.

According to the building’s historic places registration, it was built in 1924 by the Montgomery family, who were prominent in the local textile manufacturing industry, and designed by Lockwood Greene.

During its lifespan, the 10-story building has supported a variety of office tenants, including BMW Manufacturing Co., which set up space on the top floors while its plant off Highway 101 was under construction.

“I was first attracted to the Montgomery Building because of its uniqueness and character,” Bakker said. “It is a special building and is worthy of saving because there is still so much historic fabric left, and it has played such an important role in the history of Spartanburg. Also, the vibrancy of downtown Spartanburg attracted us as well. There are a lot of

Provided by McMillan Pazdan Smith

great projects happening, especially the AC Marriott … The Montgomery Building will be a great addition.”

Earlier this month, crews removed a few of the building’s exterior panels to begin the process of having replacements designed, approved and made.

Thousands of panels will be replaced when the renovations move forward.

Bakker said during the next few months, residents might not see a whole lot of progress being made on the exterior of the building.

“Most of what will be happening will be behind the scenes, but local residents can expect to see some interior demolition and leading signage go up on the building,” he said.

Bakker said he believes the project is significant because of the building’s location and history. He said it would be a “bridge” connecting activity and amenities on North Church and St. John streets with Morgan Square.

“The Montgomery Building is the single highest priority out of the historic structures we’d like to see renovated and repurposed,” said Chris Story, assistant city manager. “We’re thrilled to see this landmark restored and activated. I think people will be blown away by it … We think [Bakker’s] plans make a lot of sense. That number of residents will energize and connect everything from the Marriott and Chapman Cultural Center, and the properties around them, to the heart of downtown.”

06.10.2016

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upstatebusinessjournal.com

STRATEGIES FOR HONING YOUR PROFESSIONAL SKILLS

| PROFESSIONAL | 25

The impact of economic inclusion

By NIKA WHITE Vice President, Diversity and Inclusion, Greenville Chamber

Recently I had the opportunity to serve as keynote speaker for the Florence Chamber of Commerce Diversity Leadership Summit Luncheon. The topic I was asked to address was the economic impact of diversity and inclusion. Any time I’m given the opportunity to have a voice around the subject of economic inclusion, I always feel this strong sense of responsibility.

I’m fortunate in that working in this space affords me the opportunity to be a change agent for something I am incredibly passionate about. If we can address the economics, we can address a lot of the other challenges communities experience that require systemic solutions, transformative in nature, in order to enhance community prosperity. In my address, I shared three significant principles that must be exercised to fully embrace and effectively realize the impact of economic inclusion.

Practice intentionality.

There’s only one way I know to do the work of economic inclusion, and that’s with a heart of tenacity, spirit of conviction, source of clarity and most importantly, with intentionality. It’s not just busy work, but it’s strategic work with a level of sophistication that can only be achieved by being intentional.

In order to fully leverage intentionality, one must believe that the purpose can be fulfilled and that there is a benefit for that in which you are trying to accomplish. Believing there is a purpose and benefit is the prerequisite for exercising intentionality.

To put this in perspective, minority businesses in America account for $1 trillion in gross receipts and support almost 6 million jobs. That is a significant source of economic growth in America. And yet, the average minority-owned firm is still much smaller and has a lower payroll than other businesses, and has a lower chance of success without sufficient support.

Everyone must invest.

Diverse suppliers must invest in themselves and each other. Individuals in the community and corporations must invest in diverse suppliers.

The marketplace is extremely competitive. It’s not enough to just know your craft or trade; diverse suppliers must couple that knowledge with critical business acumen to compete effectively. Bold business leaders pair action with knowledge. Bold leaders are prone to action; they apply the same sense of action to learning and due diligence as they do to any other activity. Diverse suppliers must invest in each other and must realize that the ability to protect the full turf is by supporting other woman business enterprises and minority business enterprises.

Women and minorities accomplishing success have a leverage effect — when one wins, all win. To the community at large, and concerned citizens who are seeking to in any small way be a part of the solution to foster economic inclusion, you are encouraged to invest as well. Support MBEs/WBEs — refer them if you had a good experience, and if you didn’t, be bold and responsible enough to share that feedback. If they are missing the mark, they need to know. If you don’t, you are perpetuating the problem. Be thoughtful about your own spending habits and where you can, be proactive in seeking out a WBE/MBE. To the corporate community, you must expand the way you think about supplier diversity and bring a heightened level of innovation to this work. It’s no longer enough to just have diverse supplier spend goals. Corporations must be thoughtful and realistic about the true issues that cause disparities and work to address those circumstances. The goal should be to determine what is potentially preventing a competitive opportunity for disadvantaged businesses and work to remove those barriers.

Women and minorities accomplishing success have a leverage effect — when one wins, all win.

inclusive business community that attracts talent and corporations to the area.

So you see, the results reach beyond just one successful business. This is why we must never get weary in telling the story of the importance of economic inclusion. We must communicate on this topic — and communicate on it often.

Communicate the importance of the work of economic inclusion.

I can appreciate the impact economics has on so many other important social, community and society issues. We cannot afford to ignore key sectors of the business community, especially considering the vast changes in the demographics upon us where we are moving to a point where America will Marcy W. Stowell not have a racial majority.

Alisa S. McMahon MA, FAAA We need to salute WBEs/ MA, FAAA Licensed Audiologist MBEs and keep telling the Licensed Audiologist success stories and why economic inclusion matters.

WBEs and MBEs are effective engines for wealth creation and job creation. Communities We will have Pharmacist Frank Woodruff speaking to us on this topic. that are intentional in creating opportunities for all members of the business community are more cohesive, vibrant, safe and Like us on healthy cities. This in turn builds communities that are attractive to individuals and businesses involved We offer financing thru Healthiplan and are accepting TruHearing clients. in the creation of new 12 Waite Street, Suite B-2, Greenville, SC 29607 • Phone 864-509-1152 ideas, products and services. And it builds a more 864.509.1152 hearingsolutionsbymarcy.com

Join us as we learn how medications can cause hearing loss

May 26 • 1:30-2:30 pm

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26 | WORKING WELL |

UBJ

GOOD HEALTH IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS

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06.10.2016

6 ways to help your employees manage financial stress Helping your workers through tough times can help your company’s bottom line

By ROBERT R. SINCLAIR, PH.D. Department of Psychology, Clemson University

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), each year Americans list money, work and the economy as among their highest sources of stress. The APA list also includes several other stressors that have financial implications, including health care, family concerns and housing costs. The Partnership for Mental Health in America lists four main causes of financial stress: significant life events (e.g., major medical expenses), low financial literacy (e.g., ability to manage/save/invest money), psychological causes (e.g., impulsive spending) and income stagnation (e.g., in inflation-adjusted wages).

As a professor of industrial-organizational psychology at Clemson University since 2008, my research focuses on personal and organizational factors that contribute to occupational health, employee resilience and retention. I am a founding member and past president of the Society for Occupational Health Psychology and a fellow of the American Psychological Association and the Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology.

Concerns about financial stress have been heightened by the economic downturn and slow recovery since 2008. However, even as the economy increasingly shows signs of recovery, financial issues are still a top concern, and employers should consider whether they are doing all they can to help employees manage financial stress issues. These are some of the steps employers can take to help employees manage their financial stress.

1. Offer financial counseling/education programs Many Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) include financial counseling; other supports may be available through financial advisors associated with retirement programs. Financial education/counseling can help employees resolve current difficulties as well as assist with future planning (e.g., retirement, college funds). Employees may not realize such programs are available or they may be hesitant to use them, so it is important to ensure that employees are aware of and encouraged to use all available resources.

Employers can also supplement their programs with online resources to help employees with financial planning and management, such as those offered by the Partnership for Workplace Mental Health.

Employers also should explore the Obama administration initiative to increase financial capability. This program includes a tool kit with resources for both employees and employers and is intended to improve employees’ ability to manage financial issues.

2. Provide support Social support can involve providing information and assistance or even just being there to listen when someone has financial problems. The American Psychological Association offers several other tips to help employees manage financial stress, including trying not to focus on negative issues, developing concrete plans to deal with problems, recognizing unhealthy ways people cope with financial stressors (e.g., drinking, smoking or overeating), asking for help and finding ways to turn challenges into opportunities for financial growth. Supportive leaders may be able to help with all of these issues.

Efforts to offer support pay off: Many studies show that employees who feel their supervisor and co-workers care about their well-being also report higher levels of engagement, commitment and stress tolerance.

3. Consider alternatives to layoffs Layoffs are a common “belt-tightening” response to financial difficulties. However, layoffs often fail to attain their intended goals for the organization.

Moreover, layoffs increase job insecurity and workload for layoff survivors and undermine their trust in the organization. An article in the Wall Street Journal listed several alternatives to layoffs, including asking employees for cost-cutting ideas, cutting extras such as travel or office perks, offering extra unpaid leave days and instituting shorter workweeks.

nicate the total value of their compensation program to employees.

5. Recognize individual differences Decades of research have established that people often differ dramatically in their reactions to stressful situations. Regarding money, these differences include personal values about money (e.g., materialism), family background, level of concern for the future and styles of coping with stressors, to name just a few. Thus, “one size fits all” strategies probably will not be universally effective; different groups of employees may require different policy responses, and leaders should expect that no program will be universally successful or appreciated.

6. Be proactive Many people are hesitant to talk about their finances, particularly when they have problems, and they may not seek help until a situation becomes difficult to manage. Employers therefore need to be proactive rather than waiting until employees identify problems.

Managing wellness begins with the on-boarding process and should continue throughout employees’ careers, ensuring that they have access to relevant resources at each career stage. Organizations also should be data-driven when possible, conducting routine needs assessments to identify employees’ concerns and to evaluate possible solutions.

Efforts to offer support pay off: Employees who feel their supervisor and co-workers care about their well-being are more engaged and committed

4. Review your compensation plan While it is easy to say that employers should pay their employees more, this is obviously not always feasible. However, employers should make sure their compensation programs are aligned with their strategic goals and maintain a sense of equity. This might include paying market-competitive salaries or adjusting benefit programs to keep pace with the changing workforce needs.

Although employees have become increasingly aware of the importance of their employer-provided benefits package, they may not realize that benefits can comprise as much as 30 to 40 percent of a company’s labor costs. Companies should commu-

5 signs your employees may be financially stressed 1. Withdrawing multiple loans against retirement savings 2. Asking for payday advances 3. Unexpected absences 4. Spending time dealing with personal finances while at work 5. Medical issues that could have been avoided through preventive care Source: BenefitsPRO.com

06.10.2016

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upstatebusinessjournal.com

MOVERS, SHAKERS AND DISRUP TORS SHAPING OUR FUTURE

| INNOVATE | 27

The unique power of vision Is your company’s mission statement a waste of time — or can it inspire your people and drive innovation?

By JOHN MOORE CEO, NEXT

Having worked for several large multinational corporations earlier in my career, I developed a deep disdain for organizational vision and mission statements. I saw them as fluff, a waste of company time and resources. I cringed at the thought of all the money and energy expended to craft a bunch of lofty, uninspiring statements that no one paid attention to on the conference room walls. In all my time in corporate America, I never once saw company leaders using vision or mission statements to guide decision-making. Instead, they were ignored wholeheartedly, and thus I had no use for them.

But that all changed about a decade ago when, in my role leading economic development at the Greenville Chamber, I was exposed for the first time to the power of a well-crafted organizational vision that was embraced and implemented by its leadership.

My conversion began with a simple meeting request from one of my favorite people, Dr. Bruce Yandle, now the dean emeritus of Clemson University’s College of Business and Behavioral Science, who said he had a “Top 20 idea” he wanted to discuss with me.

I immediately recognized the “Top 20” phrase in his request as originating from the new vision statement

by then-President Jim Barker that “Clemson will be one of the nation's Top 20 public universities.” But I thought no further of it and quickly set up the meeting to learn more.

tower in downtown Greenville with enrollment more than doubling since 2010. At the core of this success is the Clemson vision and its application by leaders like Dr. Yandle and Dr. St. John.

I quickly learned that Dr. Yandle’s idea was a big one indeed, an idea he had developed in partnership with then-associate dean, Dr. Caron St. John, to move Clemson’s graduate business school to downtown Greenville. He went on to explain that moving the school to a location thriving with business activity in an appealing urban setting would help attract top students to the program and thus would help the achieve its vision of being a Top 20 public institution.

I quickly realized how much impact that new vision had in driving innovative thinking and planning, even with well-established university faculty like Dr. Yandle and Dr. St. John.

Properly developed and implemented vision and mission statements have the potential to drive innovation and improved results like no other instrument available to business and organization leaders, because they impact the thinking and actions of the folks leading the effort. Very few management tools or practices can make the same claim.

But the lesson went a step further for me. While brainstorming various aspects of moving the school to Greenville, I distinctly remember Dr. Yandle considering one of my ideas, filtering it through his new strategic lens for the university, and then gently dismissing it with the words, “John, that’s a good idea. But it’s not Top 20.” That encounter stuck with me to this day. It helped me realize the potential impact organizational visions and missions can have when used properly.

Today, the Clemson MBA program and other graduate degree programs are thriving at the ONE

The Clemson vision served not only as a stretch goal that required innovation and new thinking but also it provided organizational “permission” to those on the internal team to think out of the box and to try new approaches in order to drive new results.

Both of these attributes are critical if organizations are to overcome the powerful forces of inertia and status quo politics and innovate for the future.

Developing vision and mission statements can be a waste of time and resources. They can also be the key to driving broad-based innovation and long-term performance. The differentiating factor, I believe, is to ensure they inspire those making day-to-day decisions for the organization to push against the status quo and to innovate.

If they achieve that, you may drive future performance beyond your wildest dreams. If not, you’ll have something nice to hang on the conference room wall.

MANY EXAMPLES OF INSPIRING, GUIDING VISION AND MISSION STATEMENTS EXIST WITHIN ENTREPRENEURIAL VENTURES AS WELL. HERE ARE SOME WITH THE MOST IMPACT:

Transportation as reliable as running water, everywhere, for everyone.

To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.

To improve our customers’ financial lives so profoundly they can’t imagine going back to the old way.

To be Earth’s most customer-centric company, to build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online.

28 | ON THE MOVE |

UBJ

PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS

HIRED

LINDSEY HAMMOND STRAND Named as executive director with the Greenville County Historical Society by the board of directors. Hammond serves on the Greenville County Historic Preservation Commission and as the PULSE PaceSetters committee chair. She is a graduate of Clemson University with a degree in psychology.

PROMOTED

HIRED

HIRED

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06.10.2016

APPOINTED

KIRK WATKINS

TRAVIS LAWSON

ISABEL POSADA

BOB PETTIS

Named as Ruth’s Chris Steak House Greenville area manager. Watson has been with Ruth’s Chris Steak House since 2008 working as a restaurant manager and general manager. Watkins also serves on the board of the South Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association, Greater Greenville Chapter.

Named as vice president and South Carolina leasing executive with Carolina Alliance Bank’s South Carolina leasing division.

Lawson has experience in banking, sales and client relations. He previously worked in leasing management and community banking and will be based out of Carolina Alliance’s Spartanburg leasing office.

Named as an account coordinator with Crawford Strategy. Posada previously interned with the agency in 2014 and is a recent graduate of the University of South Carolina with a degree in mass communications. In her new role, she will be responsible for social media and public relations efforts for clients such as United Community Bank, among others.

Named as the interim executive director for the John F. Green Spartanburg Science Center. Pettis is a STEM exploratory teacher, as well as a science Olympiad and bridge team coach, at Polk County Middle School in North Carolina. Pettis is stepping in for John (“Mr. Green”), who retired from the Science Center after 36 years of service.

VIP Meagan Rethmeier Named as the director of small business and entrepreneurial development with the Spartanburg Economic Futures Group (EFG).

Rethmeier most recently served as organizational change management lead at BB&T in Winston-Salem, N.C. In her new role, she will administer and implement programming for EFG and lead all activities of the Spartanburg Entrepreneurial Resource Network.

Brett Wright was appointed dean of the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences at Clemson University.

EMPLOYMENT The Hiring Group named Alan “Blake” Blakeborough as director of business development. Blakeborough has over 15 years of recruiting and sales experience. In his new role, he will be responsible for driving business development efforts in the Upstate.

ENVIRONMENT COMMUNITY The Woodlands at Furman, a continuing care retirement community, hired Amy Foley as sales and marketing director. Foley has experience in sales and marketing and most recently served as area director for Attractions Dining and Value Guide. In her new role, she will be responsible for the continued growth of the Woodlands through sales and branding.

Commerce Club, a member of the ClubCorp family of clubs, promoted Dylan Petrick from general manager to regional manager. Petrick transferred to Commerce Club in Greenville in 2011 from another ClubCorp loca-

tion in Texas. He will continue to serve as the general manager and will oversee ClubCorp’s three South Carolina business club locations.

DEVELOPMENT O’Neal Inc. hired Kathleen O’Meara as structural engineer. O’Meara previously worked for CB&I and C&S Engineers. She is a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in civil engineering.

EDUCATION Bobby McCormick was named dean of the College of Business, and

Tonya Upton was named as the Upstate market director with Hannah Solar Energy’s home energy division.

Upton has experience in sales and marketing. In her new role, she will oversee Hannah Solar Energy’s residential expansion into the Upstate market.

LEGAL The Upstate Employers Network named Fred Suggs, a shareholder in

Ogletree Deakins’ Greenville office, the recipient of the 2016 Alan R. Willis Society of Service Award. The award acknowledged Suggs for placing high priority on community support and service.

MARKETING/PR 10x digital added Kennedy Crump as a summer intern. Crump is a rising junior at the University of South Carolina and is pursuing a degree in public relations. She will be assisting with content creation, public relations outreach and social media management for the firm.

NONPROFIT The South Carolina Council on Competitiveness named Suzanne Dickerson director of logistics industry initiatives. Dickerson most recently served as director of international business development at Clemson University’s International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR).

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

06.10.2016

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THE FRESHEST FACES ON THE BUSINESS LANDSCAPE

| NEW TO THE STREET | 29

Open for business 1

Presented by

Photos Provided

2

1. Venice Lash Lounge recently opened at 404 River St., Greenville. The salon offers lash extensions, airbrush makeup and brow tint/shaping.

For more information, visit venicelashlounge.com.

2. Foodies Farm Shop recently opened at 300 Randall St., Suite G, Greer.

The charcuterie and artisan cheese shop offers local and gourmet items. For more information, visit facebook. com/foodiesfarmshop or call 525-4910.

3. Medical Group of the Carolinas—Immediate Care Center—Pelham recently opened at 3611 Pelham Road, Greenville.

For more information, visit spartanburgregional.com.

Conversations with Upstate Professionals

7 Falls Park Drive, Greenville, SC 29601

Wednesday, June 15 from 5:30pm to 7:00pm

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to nvite.com/ businessontap

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Drop in and network…

first drink is on us.

TheUpstateBusinessJournal CONTRIBUTE: Know of a business opening soon?

Email information to lgood@communityjournals.com.

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30 | THE FINE PRINT / TRENDING

Clemson research could lower cost of airplane and automotive parts Amod Ogale, director of the Center for Advanced Engineering Fibers and Films and Dow Chemical professor of chemical engineering at Clemson University, received $2 million in collaboration with the Center for Composite Materials at University of Delaware.

He will work with a group of researchers across the country to lower the cost of high-tech materials that have helped make airplanes and luxury cars more fuel efficient, but remain too expensive for price-sensitive products.

“Carbon fibers are commercially used in high-performance aircraft applications, including some in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner,” Ogale said. “However, such fibers are also very expensive, so there is significant interest in reducing their cost.”

EDTS ranked among top 501 Managed Service Providers EDTS, a technology-consulting firm with a presence in Greenville, was ranked among the world’s most progressive 501 Managed Service Providers (MSPs), according to Penton Technology’s ninth annual MSP 501 list and study. The top MSP 501 companies ranked this year include organizations from around the world and from diverse technology and business backgrounds. In 2015, EDTS amassed $15 million in sales and increased their oversight of technology devices to more than 10,000.

“We are honored to be recognized amongst other industry leaders by such a renowned technology influencer,” said Charles Johnson, CEO for EDTS.

New Michelin tire delivers uptime in demanding road applications Michelin Americas Truck Tires, a division of Michelin North America Inc., headquartered in Greenville, introduced the Michelin X Works Z, an all-position tire for mixed on/off road applications.

The tire is designed to operate in demanding environments and to improve uptime. It features a 50 percent wider protector ply and a thicker layer of cushion gum than leading competitive tires to provide protection and casing durability, according to a release.

The Michelin X Works Z also offers a 5 percent increase in removal mileage and is backed by Michelin’s six-month worry-free road hazard guarantee.

UBJ

OVERHEARD @ THE WATERCOOLER

Distilled commentary from UBJ readers

RE: THE ANCHORAGE RESTAURANT COMING TO VILLAGE OF WEST GREENVILLE > Ed Creighton “Congratulations to all involved. Very excited! Let me know when y’all are hiring. I’ve been washing dishes for about 30 years now. Taking out trash even longer. Accustomed to little or no pay.”

RE: CHILLING EFFECTS > Leighton Cubbage “When your family is in the paper for something great, it is not bragging to send it to everybody on earth. Open this up! My daughter Leigh Anne looks exactly like me. (Not.) Great team that is making this a home run!!!”

>> WEIGH IN @ THE UBJ EXCHANGE Got something to offer?

Get it off your chest.

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06.10.2016

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

>> 1,562 1. The Anchorage restaurant coming to Village of West Greenville

>> 939 2. Redevelopment of Spartanburg’s iconic Montgomery Building could begin in September

>> 445 3. Chilling Effects

>> 358 4. Ink N Ivy set to open June 6

>> 203 5. A four-legged luxury experience

We’re looking for expert guest bloggers from all industries to contribute to the UBJ Exchange.

Send posts or blog ideas to dcar@communityjournals.com.

JUNE 3, 2016

| VOL. 5 ISSUE 23

HOT SCOOPS state rs have the whole 14 cream—Pg Spartanburg entrepreneu their “adult” ice screaming for

DIGITAL FLIPBOOK ARCHIVE >>

The layout of print meets the convenience of the web: flip through the digital edition of any of our print issues at >> upstatebusinessjournal.com/past-issues

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06.10.2016

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EVENTS YOU SHOULD HAVE ON YOUR CALENDAR

| PLANNER | 31

DATE

EVENT INFO

WHERE DO I GO?

HOW DO I GO?

Sunday-Saturday

Clemson College of Business and Behavioral Science "Being a Leader And The Effective Exercise of Leadership" 7-day course

Madren Conference Center 230 Madren Center Drive, Clemson

Cost: $4,400 Register: bit.ly/leader-april2016

SCMEP Executive Peer Council: Age and the Workforce

SCMEP 37 Villa Road, Suite 500, Greenville 12–5 p.m.

More info: contact Scott King at sking@scmep.org

Spartanburg Chamber Doing Business Better: Becoming a Content Campaign Dynamo workshop

Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce 105 N. Pine St., Spartanburg 8:30–10:30 a.m.

Cost: $20 Chamber members $40 nonmembers Register: bit.ly/dbb-june2016

Tech After Five Networking event for tech entrepreneurs and professionals

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

Cost: Free Register: bit.ly/taf-june2016

Piedmont SCORE Basic Small Business Start-Up workshop

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

Cost: Free Register: bit.ly/bsbs-june2016

6/12-18 Tuesday

6/14

Wednesday

6/15

Thursday

6/16

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

ART & PRODUCTION

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

VISUAL DIRECTOR

JUNE 24 THE MONEY ISSUE Investing 101, funding and finance.

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

PRESIDENT/CEO

Mark B. Johnston mjohnston@communityjournals.com

UBJ PUBLISHER

Ryan L. Johnston rjohnston@communityjournals.com

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Jerry Salley jsalley@communityjournals.com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Emily Pietras epietras@communityjournals.com

STAFF WRITERS

LAYOUT

UBJ milestone

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

Bo Leslie | Tammy Smith

1988

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

OPERATIONS Holly Hardin

ADVERTISING DESIGN Kristy Adair | Michael Allen

1997 Jackson Dawson launches motorsports Division 1993

1990 Jackson Dawson

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

>>

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 15 THE HEALTH CARE ISSUE The business of cancer and other medical matters.

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

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