July 7, 2017 UBJ

INSIDE // SASKATOON STAKES OUT NEW SPOT • LOCALLY EPIC BUSTS OUT OF BETA TESTING • 954 NEW JOBS IN NEWBERRY

JULY 7, 2017 | VOL. 6 ISSUE 27

Reaching the Summit

The number of apartments downtown continues to climb.

Are we about to take a fall?

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PHOTO BY WILL CROOKS upstatebusinessjournal.com 1

THE RUNDOWN |

TOP-OF-MIND AND IN THE MIX THIS WEEK

VOLUME 6, ISSUE 27 Featured this issue: Samsung brings nearly 1,000 jobs to Newberry .....................................................3 Locally Epic prepares for launch .................................................................................8 Wild-game restaurateur plans Eastside event space .........................................15

WORTH REPEATING

“I don’t smoke, nor do I drink, but that day I smoked cigars and drank Scotch. I’m tellin’ you, it killed me.”

Page 8

“It will very much look like an old lodge dusted off and cleaned up.”

Page 15

“Don’t just look for a logo. Research the company’s mission and values to find your fit.”

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VERBATIM

On things successful people do over the summer “There’s nothing like having a complete detachment for a while.”

The annual Laurens Electric Cooperative Charity Golf Tournament was held at Holly Tree Country Club in Simpsonville on June 26. Photo by Leland Outz.

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Lynn Taylor, national workplace expert, listing “Relax” as one of “6 unconventional things successful people do over the summer,” in Business Insider.

INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

| NEWS

Samsung Electronics America’s new operations center in the former Caterpillar plant in Newberry will produce premium home appliances, including washing machines.

Photo courtesy of Samsung.

MANUFACTURING

Samsung bringing $380M plant, 954 jobs to Newberry County TREVOR ANDERSON | STAFF

tanderson@communityjournals.com Tech giant Samsung announced Wednesday, June 28, it will invest $380 million to bring a new manufacturing facility and 954 jobs to Newberry County.

Samsung Electronics America will set up a state-of-the-art home appliance production and research and development operations center in the former Caterpillar plant at 284 Mawsons Way in Newberry.

The company said the plant will create positions during the next three years for craftsmen, operators, engineers, and other technical and nontechnical positions. It is expected to begin operation in early 2018.

“For nearly 40 years, Samsung has steadily expanded our operations in the United States, creating thousands of jobs and investing billions of dollars in cutting-edge manufacturing facilities, research, and development,” said Tim Baxter, president and CEO of Samsung Electronics America, in a statement. “With this investment, Samsung is reaffirming its commitment to expanding its U.S. operations and deepening our connection to its American consumers, engineers, and innovators who are driving global trends in consumer electronics.”

In 2016, Caterpillar announced the

closure of the Newberry plant and another facility in Ridgeway that resulted in the loss of 400 jobs in the state.

Samsung said in a statement it began “contemplating an expansion” of its U.S. production about three years ago and initiated discussions with South Carolina in the fall of 2016.

The company said it chose Newberry County for its “high-skilled workforce, robust supply chain and transportation infrastructure, and commitment to public-private partnerships.”

It did not specify when it plans to begin hiring for the facility.

The S.C. Department of Commerce said the state’s Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits for the project.

Samsung said the facility will produce premium home appliances, including washing machines. The company has a call center in Greenville County that supports jobs for 800 full-time and contract employees.

Samsung said last week’s announcement comes on the heels of a series of investments it has made during the past 18 months that total $10 billion.

The investments include an $8 billion acquisition of Connecticut-based HARMAN International, $1.2 billion to U.S.-based internet of

things R&D and investments, a $1 billion expansion of its semiconductor facility in Austin, Texas, and the

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NEWS |

INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

energize a 766-megawatt power plant planned in the state of Sinaloa. GE said the plant will be able to generate enough electricity to power 2.5 million average Mexican homes.

The order was the first from Mexico for GE’s H series turbine, but hardly the first turbine order from Mexico for the local plant.

In fact, over the years the plant has made more than 30 turbines for Mexican customers valued at more than $550 million, GE said.

In addition to Iberdrola, past Mexican customers include the Federal Electricity Commission and PEMEX, the country’s state-owned oil company. —Ru-

dolph Bell

MANAGEMENT

Two 7HA.01 turbines made at GE’s Greenville facility will be going to the Mexican unit of Iberdrola, a Spanish electrical utility. Photo provided.

ENERGY

Business from Mexico supporting GE jobs in Greenville As the Trump administration rethinks the North

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American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico, an announcement from General Electric Co. shows the Greenville area is already benefiting from trade with Mexico.

GE said its power turbine factory in Greenville has received an order for two 7HA.01 turbines from the Mexican unit of Iberdrola, a Spanish electric utility.

The multi-ton machines will burn natural gas to

Factor named president of Spartanburg’s QS/1 Spartanburg-based J M Smith Corp. announced a new president for its QS/1 division, producer of pharmacy management software.

The company said Saul Factor, a pharmacist and executive officer, was chosen after an international search. He succeeded retiring President Tammy Devine on July 1.

Devine announced her retirement earlier this year after 35 years with the company, according to J M >>

INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

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Smith Corp.

Factor, originally of New York, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy from Northeastern University in Boston, and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of New Haven.

He spent the first decade of his career as a retail and long-term care pharmacist before moving into sales and brand management with the pharmaceutical companies PCS and Eli Lilly.

Factor then worked for RxAmerica, where he was responsible for developing the strategy and vision to improve the customer experience. He helped create a culture that “placed the customer at the focus of the organization,” J M Smith Corp. said.

According to J M Smith Corp., RxAmerica’s revenues doubled to $1 billion during Factor’s

Saul Factor

tenure as chief operation officer.

Factor was recruited to McKesson Corp. as senior vice president of global generics. He led a technological transformation by helping bring the company’s systems together. He created a customer segmentation program aimed at enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty, while strengthening his internal team and their results.

According to J M Smith Corp., the program generated millions in incremental revenue, and resulted in about one-third of his team receiving promotion opportunities within the corporation.

Factor was then named the company’s president of global sourcing and procurement.

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| NEWS

United Community Banks Inc. will purchase Four Oaks Bank, based in Four Oaks, N.C., about 30 miles south of Raleigh, N.C.

Factor and his wife, Ann Factor, will move to Spartanburg, the company said.

J M Smith Corp. is South Carolina’s third-largest private company. In addition to QS/1, its divisions include Smith Drug Co., Integral Solutions Group, RxMedic Systems, Integra LTC Solutions, and Burlington Drug Co. —Trevor Anderson

BANKING

United Community Bank makes move into Raleigh United Community Bank, a regional bank with strong connections to Greenville, is planning to add Raleigh, N.C., to the markets in four states where it operates.

United Community’s holding company, United Community Banks Inc., announced plans to buy Four Oaks Bank, based in Four Oaks, N.C., about 30 miles southeast of Raleigh.

The buying bank said in a news release that 12 of the 14 offices operated by Four Oaks Bank are in the Raleigh metro area, including loan production offices in Raleigh and Apex.

United Community said it would pay a combination of stock and cash valued at $124 million.

It said the acquisition, scheduled to close in the fourth quarter, would dilute the tangible book value of its shares by less than 1 percent.

If the deal closes on schedule, it would be United Community’s fifth merger or acquisition in a little more than two years and give it 154 branches in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Tennessee.

United Community’s headquarters is in Blairsville, Ga., but seven out of 10 members of its executive team work in Greenville, including Lynn Harton, president and chief operating officer, and Jefferson Harralson, chief financial officer.

—Rudolph Bell

RESTAURANTS

Ice Cream Station to open Mauldin location Simpsonville’s Ice Cream Station will soon open a new location in Mauldin.

The new store will be in the Gosnell cabin, a 200+ year-old structure moved from its original location in northern Greenville County near the historic Poinsett The Mauldin location of Ice Cream Station Bridge, according to the Mauldin will be housed in the historic Gosnell cabin.

Cultural Center website.

Serge Guillot, owner of the Ice Cream Station, said the project is still in the planning and engineering stage, but construction will begin soon.

“The new building will be constructed inside of the old building to protect the integrity of the cabin,” Guillot said.

Guillot chose to expand to Mauldin because of the charm of the Gosnell cabin, its proximity to the Simpsonville Ice Cream Station at 125 S. Main St., and NEWS continued on PAGE 6

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INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

NEWS continued from PAGE 5

Mauldin’s similar population.

Guillot also said Mauldin has been enthusiastic about the project and the city is “fighting hard to make a downtown feel for the area.”

The Ice Cream Station’s website, menu, and contact information can be found at simpsonvillestation.com. —Jacob Cavett

LEADERSHIP

Greenville, Spartanburg business leaders will tour Raleigh-Durham, N.C. Business leaders in Greenville and Spartanburg counties will take a road trip that could have a major impact on the Upstate’s future economic success.

The Greenville and Spartanburg Area chambers of commerce on Tuesday, June 27, announced a joint Inter Community Leadership Visit (ILV) Sept. 27 through 29 to Raleigh-Durham, N.C. Presented by Greenville-based Hughes Development Corp. and Spartanburg-based Johnson Development Associates, the ILV will give Upstate officials an opportunity to explore how Raleigh and Durham have worked together to enhance and strengthen their region.

The visit will focus on the key drivers of regional economic success, including collaboration, strategic development and infrastructure, innovation and entrepreneurship, and workforce and talent.

Participants will make stops at Research Triangle Park, American Underground, Raleigh’s Union Station, and Durham’s Downtown Entertainment District. They will also hear from civic, business, community, and education leaders.

“The Greenville-Spartanburg region is growing quickly, and it is vital that we continue to develop the workforce and recruit the talent necessary to support a growing economy,” said Geordy Johnson, CEO of Johnson Development, in a statement. “This trip will help shape a better understanding of the strengths of both Greenville and Spartanburg as individual communities so that we can each grow in a way that is complementary to one another.”

Robert Hughes, president of Hughes Development, complimented the focus on regionalism that leaders in Raleigh and Durham have been able to foster even as they continue to compete for opportunities.

“A rising tide lifts all boats, and the continued success of both Greenville and Spartanburg will drive the entire region forward,” Hughes said in a statement. “It is my hope that this trip will build a stronger connection between the two communities and we can find ways to better collaborate on a regional scale.”

Allen Smith, president and CEO of the Spartanburg Chamber, and Carlos Phillips, president and CEO of the Greenville Chamber, said they are looking forward to the trip and believe both communities have the potential to drive the Upstate forward.

Registration for the ILV is now open on the Greenville Chamber’s website.

The cost to attend is $1,250. The fee includes transportation, hotel accommodations, meals, receptions, and more.

Sponsorship opportunities are available.

For more information, contact Hank Hyatt by email at hhyat@greenvillechamber. org, or by phone at 864-239-3714. —Trevor Anderson

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INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

| NEWS

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ARCHITECTURE

Greenville-based architectural firm expands through strategic acquisition McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture announced a strategic acquisition of SPARC Design, a local entrepreneurial architectural firm with strong ties to Asheville, N.C. The acquisition will enhance McMillan Pazdan Smith’s commitment to the communities in Western North Carolina and strengthen the depth of available design and project management resources locally. SPARC Design’s philosophy supports McMillan Pazdan Smith’s vision for good design and a 50-year history of successful client engagement that spans numerous markets across the Southeast. McMillan Pazdan Smith was recently recognized nationally as No. 31 in Architect Magazine’s 2016 ARCHITECT 50 list of best U.S. architecture firms in the business category, and No. 4 nationally in the architectural category of Zweig Group’s 2016 Best Firms to Work For award. —Kristen Ferris

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MOVING

Advoco to move to NEXT Innovation Center

OR YOURS.

Advoco, a management and consulting services company delivering Infor Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) services and implementation, announced it has moved into the NEXT Innovation Center. Advoco took over 8,500 square feet of office space, which underwent extensive renovations to create one large office out of two smaller spaces. Since the beginning of 2017, Advoco has seen a 30 percent staffing increase, and the company continues to grow, supporting clients like Pepsi, Frito-Lay, FDNY, Costco, Bell Helicopter, and GlaxoSmithKline. This move will allow Advoco the space for continued growth in Greenville. “We love the collaborative concept at NEXT,” says Marty Osborn, partner at Advoco. “We are excited to be able to work alongside other leading technology companies. Not to mention, NEXT’s proximity to the Swamp Rabbit Trail and the new Cancer Survivors Park were huge draws for the entire Advoco team. Everyone is going to enjoy that quick access to green spaces and local parks.” —Kristen Ferris

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JUMPSTART: LOCALLY EPIC |

COMPANIES BLAZING A TRAIL IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Chase Michaels, CEO and founder of Locally Epic, hopes to connect small business owners and consumers in a way that will strongly impact the local economy.

Photo by Will Crooks.

LET’S KEEP IT LOCAL

With beta testing out of the way, the targeted marketing app Locally Epic officially rolls out WORDS BY ARIEL TURNER PHOTOS BY WILL CROOKS

chance meeting in 2015 between Locally Epic founder Chase Michaels and what he thought was a random person handing him a business card at the Hilton Head Island Chamber of Commerce has positioned the area-specific marketing tech startup for an expansion Michaels couldn’t have foreseen.

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That random person turned out to be Dave Ropes, a marketing expert with quite the resume.

Ropes is a former senior vice president at Reebok.

There, he oversaw the Reebok pump campaign and developed the “Dan and Dave” campaign, featuring decathletes Dan O’Brien and Dave Johnson, for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. He’s also a former vice president of marketing and advertising for Ford, the former Pizza Hut marketing and advertising head who led the personal pan pizza campaign, and vice president of advertising for Pepsi.

Now living in the Hilton Head area, Ropes signed on as Locally Epic’s chief marketing officer on Dec. 21, 2015, six months after he and Michaels first met at Peaceful Henry’s in Bluffton, S.C., to discuss the Greenville-based locally targeted marketing firm.

“I don’t smoke, nor do I drink, but that day I smoked cigars and drank Scotch,” Michaels says.

“I’m tellin’ you, it killed me.”

But it was worth it.

“I really learned more in that four hours about marketing and branding and advertising than I’d learned in 30 years as a small-business guy,” Michaels says.

The two developed a mentorship that led to Ropes’ asking to join the company, whether Michaels could pay him or not.

“I was a redneck with a little money and a great idea,” Michaels says.

Ropes’ contribution, and, quite frankly, his Rolodex, has helped expand Michaels’ original cityby-city plan for the mobile app. On July 24, Locally Epic will officially roll out after months of beta testing.

Locally Epic is a software as a service (SaaS) mobile application that uses geofence and GPS technologies to connect local businesses with potential customers in the immediate area. It is also available online. It beta tested in the Greenville area last fall after beta testing in Myrtle Beach in 2016 under the name

| JUMPSTART: LOCALLY EPIC

COMPANIES BLAZING A TRAIL IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Deals on the GOGO. It works by using push notifications that alert a user to deals at businesses within a predetermined radius, often within two to three miles. Businesses can create marketing initiatives from their dashboards, push the offer for a determined amount of time, and then track the actual number of people who respond to their marketing efforts.

Consumers, in turn, get only offers relevant to their location.

The business currently employs seven staff members — six on the development team in Philadelphia and Indianapolis, and a CIO, Michele Minor.

As a small-business owner who grew up in Nebraska but has lived most of his adult life in South Carolina or Florida, Michaels had always been frustrated with the numbers he was given from various media advertising platforms.

“We spent a lot of money with advertising, and there was no way to measure any return,” he says. “The newspaper would tell us there were 300,000 people who got the Sunday paper, but could never tell us how many people literally picked it up, went to page 37, saw my ad, and through the call to action came into my business. It was a real frustration to be paying for something that there was no way to measure the success of it.”

Michaels said once he saw that businesses and consumers were going to latch on to the mobile platform, he decided in 2010 while living in Lake Mary, Fla., to create a way to measure that rate of return and also communicate with consumers in real time when they’re nearby and ready to buy.

“We really feel that money that’s made in the local economy should be spent in the local economy,” Michaels says.

That led to the development of Deals on the GOGO in the Myrtle Beach area. Michaels says that launch was to determine the habits of tourists in a local economy. The app was rebranded as Locally Epic before its testing in Greenville, where it will officially launch and serve as a model for future sites.

From the October 2016 beta launch until it shut down in March, a little more than 18,000 users downloaded the app with around 100 businesses on the platform. The local Papa John’s

LOCALLY EPIC

FOUNDED: 2010 in Lake Mary, Fla. HEADQUARTERS: Endeavor, Greenville WHAT THEY DO: Connect local businesses with customers in the immediate area CEO AND FOUNDER: Chase Michaels VITAL STATS: 7 employees, 100+ businesses using it,

18,000+ downloads in Greenville

franchise group, Perfect Delivery Inc., gave away free large pizzas for each download during special events.

Downloads also came from halftime show promotions at local sports events.

Many of the businesses signing on during the beta came from partnerships with the Swamp Rabbits hockey team, who promoted the app’s use to their vendors, and the Fountain Inn and Simpsonville chambers of commerce. Members of those two chambers receive a special rate to use the platform. Michaels hopes to bring other Upstate chambers onboard in an effort to reach more businesses than he could individually.

By the end of the year, using the plan Ropes helped create, Michaels says he hopes to have 500 businesses in the Upstate and 50,000 users.

The current growth plan is to license the use of the Locally Epic app in different markets with separate companies owning those. Though Michaels planned to grow city by city, starting in the Southeast, companies in Canada and France have already approached them about launching in those markets. Hispanic radio network HRN is working with them to launch a Spanish version of the app in Miami.

The app has continued to evolve with feedback from the testing period.

When it re-launches, it will include a

My Schools section for schools to use to get information immediately to students, free use by nonprofits to

promote their events and volunteer needs, and customer loyalty programs.

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TRUCOLOR PRINTING, MAILING & MARKETING Ray Truluck spent the first few days of his honeymoon interviewing for a job.

TRUCOLOR PRINTING, MAILING & MARKETING

“Mom’s a lucky woman,” says his daughter, Sallie Gold, with a slight hint of sarcasm.

After graduating from The Citadel, Ray spent several years gaining experience in manufacturing and sales, with the ultimate goal of working for himself one day. He learned of Ray Truluck the first fewPIP daysPrinting of his honeymoon a job. an opportunity tospent purchase the local franchise interviewing and flew hisfor brand-new bride to

“Mom’s a lucky ” says his daughter, Sallie Gold, with a slight hint of sarcasm.

California to seek hiswoman, fortune.

After graduating from The Citadel, Ray spent several years gaining experience in

“I got a wife and a business in the same week,” Ray says. manufacturing and sales, with the ultimate goal of working for himself one day. He learned of Nearly four decades later he’s still running the business, now known as TruColor, and his wife, an opportunity to purchase the local PIP Printing franchise and flew his brand-new bride to

Shirley, is still by his side.

California to seek his fortune.

From letterhead and envelopes to signs and banners, “I got a wife and a business in the same week, ” Ray says.two-color, four-color, stapled, bound

or folded – if itfour is remotely related TruColor can handle also offer in-house Nearly decades later he’s to stillprinting, running the business, now knownit.asThey TruColor, and his wife, design workisand Shirley, stilldirect by his mail side. capabilities.

From letterhead and envelopes to signs andconcept banners,all two-color, stapled, “On the direct mail side we can take it from the wayfour-color, to the post office,bound ” Ray says. or folded – if it isfrom remotely printing, TruColor can handle also offer After graduating J.L. related Mann to and College of Charleston withit.aThey business andin-house mathematics design work and direct mail capabilities. degree, Sallie stayed in Charleston, married Casey Gold, and eventually opened her own “On the direct mail side we can take it from concept all the way to the post office,” Ray says.

accounting firm. Life was good in the Lowcountry – Sallie’s business was thriving and her

After graduating from J.L. Mann and College of Charleston with a business and mathematics

husband was well established with Blue Ion, a Charleston-based web design and marketing degree, Sallie stayed in Charleston, married Casey Gold, and eventually opened her own agency. accounting firm. Life was good in the Lowcountry – Sallie’s business was thriving and her Sallie grewwas upwell at TruColor, stuffing husband establishedspending with Blue summers Ion, a Charleston-based web design and marketing envelopes and answering phones with her sister, Mary It’s turned out to be a agency.

Beth, but never entertained the idea of one day returning blessing for all of us. I’ve Sallie grew up at TruColor, spending summers stuffing

envelopes answering phones with her sister, Mary to help her dadand lead the company. enjoyed herahere It’s turnedhaving out to be Beth, but her never entertained the idea of onean day returning blessing all of basis. us. I’ve onfor a daily And then dad approached her with offer she help her dad company. enjoyed having her here nevertoexpected butlead onethe it turned out she couldn’t refuse. on a daily basis.

And then her dad approached her with an offer she “A year ago dad came to me and said he wanted to retire never expected but one it turned out she couldn’t refuse. in five years and asked if buying the company from him “A year ago dad came to me and said he wanted to retire was something I’d be interested in,” she says of that life-changing conversation. in five years and asked if buying the company from him

After weighing the pros and cons weeks, Sallie andconversation.

Casey decided to go for it. Their was something I’d be interested in,” for she several says of that life-changing leap of faith validated when met withweeks, his employers resign and was asked to After was weighing the pros andCasey cons for several Sallie andto Casey decided to goinstead for it. Their openleap a Greenville office for Blue Ion. of faith was validated when Casey met with his employers to resign and was instead asked to openhas a Greenville office for Blue Ion. Sallie some interesting perspectives on local business. “Through owning an accounting Sallie has some interesting perspectives on local business. “Through owning owners an accounting firm, I was around the table for a lot of intimate conversations with business in a variety firm, I was around the table for a lot of intimate conversations with business owners variety of industry verticals – non-profits, health care, retail, food and beverage – so I gotinaabehind-theof look industry verticals – non-profits, health care, retail, food and beverage so I got a behind-thescenes at the operations of many locally-owned businesses, ” Sallie–says. scenes look at the operations of many locally-owned businesses,” Sallie says.

That experience is serving Sallie well in her new role as Chief Operating Officer of That experience is serving Sallie well in her new role as Chief Operating Officer of TruColor, where she’s spent the last six months revamping human resources, inventory systems, TruColor, where she’s spent the last six months revamping human resources, inventory systems, and accounting processes, as well as tackling the marketing end of things. The exposure and accounting processes, as well as tackling the marketing end of things. The exposure and experiences in these cross-sections areproviding providing a nice foundational and experiences in these cross-sectionsofofthe the business business are a nice foundational understanding of what is occurring aswell wellasaspreparing preparing understanding of what is occurringon onaadaily daily basis, basis, as herher forfor the the nextnext step step in in the transition process. the transition process.

“It’s turned to be a blessingfor forall allof ofus, us,”” Ray says coming on board.

“I’ve“I’ve “It’s turned out out to be a blessing saysofofhis hisdaughter daughter coming on board. enjoyed having her here on a daily basis, and having her in Greenville on a daily basis. ” enjoyed having her here on a daily basis, and having her in Greenville on a daily basis.”

Sallie agrees. beenreally reallyrewarding, rewarding,”” and very bright.

AndAnd Sallie agrees.

“It “It hashas been andthe thefuture futurelooks looks very bright.

2107 Laurens Rd., Greenville 864.241.0644 | trucoloronline.com 2107 Laurens Rd., Greenville

864.241.0644 | trucoloronline.com

PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAM PUTMAN

COVER |

THE APARTMENT MARKET

Greenville’s downtown apartment market has exploded over the past few years. But with talk that supply is about to exceed demand, will it all become a pipe dream?

High Times

WORDS BY RUDOLPH BELL PHOTO BY WILL CROOKS

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THE APARTMENT MARKET

W

il Brasington frequently asked voters what they were concerned about as he campaigned successfully this spring and summer to be the Republican nominee for the District 4 seat on Greenville City Council.

Brasington said he was surprised by how many times voters responded to his question by bringing up the number of apartments under construction downtown.

Sensing apartment overbuilding to be a question on voters’ minds, Brasington made sure to put photos of downtown apartment construction on a mailing he sent out to emphasize his commitment to growth management.

“As a candidate, I can say definitely that many folks feel we’re getting too many apartments too quickly and perhaps more than we need,” Brasington said.

| COVER

A survey taken in May by Real Data, a Charlotte, N.C.based firm that tracks Southeastern apartment markets, found developers were building, or had proposed to build, another 1,373 apartments downtown, an increase of nearly 80 percent in the existing supply of 1,746.

Real Data also found that an additional 168 downtown apartments were rented out between November of last year and May. At that rate, it would take four years for the downtown market to absorb all of the apartments under construction or planned.

A list of downtown apartment developments maintained at City Hall and current through June 8 shows 1,427 units under construction or planned, a near doubling of the 1,455 units completed since 2010.

Russ Davis, a Greenville apartment developer, said it’s not yet clear whether developers are building too many apartments downtown.

But if they are, it wouldn’t be the first time developers had overbuilt an apartment market, he said.

“As an industry, we don’t have the greatest discipline,” said Davis, who developed two apartment complexes downtown — McBee Station and 100 East — and was a top executive for Trammell Crow Residential Services when it was the nation’s largest apartment developer.

“We tend to build until the music stops and one or more people can’t find a chair.”

Davis said he’s not expecting banks to foreclose on any downtown apartment complexes, and he remains bullish on the downtown market over the long term.

“But we may have a short-term imbalance,” he said.

Who gets hurt?

Apartment investors might not get the returns they expected if too many units are built. If things get bad enough, they may cease doing business in Greenville.

“I don’t think it has to be a total wipeout for those guys to say, ‘I don’t want to do any more business in Greenville,’” Davis said.

On the other hand, renters could benefit from an oversupply of downtown apartments as competition between complexes drives down prices.

Andrea Pevey, a research analyst at Real Data, said three out of 10 downtown apartment communities had already begun offering “concessions,” such as one month of free rent on a year’s lease, when her firm surveyed the market in May.

Just satisfying pent-up demand?

The Trailside development, by Alabama-based Arlington Properties, is currently pre-leasing its luxury apartments under construction at Academy and Westfield streets.

Photo by Will Crooks.

Greenville Mayor Knox White and Greenville real estate executive Brad Halter said they believe apartment developers are responding to strong demand from consumers who want to live downtown but can’t afford, or don’t want, a luxury condo.

When downtown first started to become an attractive place to live — the result of years of revitalization efforts by the city working with local developers — there were very few downtown apartments, White and Halter both noted.

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COVER |

THE APARTMENT MARKET

The strength of the demand for downtown apartments became evident a decade ago when Davis opened McBee Station between McBee Avenue and Broad Street.

For a while, the 197-unit complex had the submarket virtually to itself and was able to command a rent of $2.10 per square foot, as high as in the tony Buckhead section of Atlanta, Halter said.

Other developers had to wait for the Great Recession to pass before they could jump into the market with hopes of duplicating the success of McBee Station.

Halter said he expects all of the complexes under construction or planned downtown to fill up eventually.

He’s an owner of the residential and commercial real estate brokerages that do business under the Coldwell Banker Caine name, and his family is part of a partnership that has a small stake in Ellison on Broad, a new 201-unit apartment complex on Broad Street downtown.

“It’s a classic real estate cycle,” Halter said. “There’s not enough, and then there’s too much, and then there’s not enough.

“I don’t think any of these projects are going to go under,” he added. “I don’t think that’s where we are.

I think everybody needs to have patience to let the market settle out and let demand and supply find equilibrium.”

The mayor said the number of new downtown apartments in the development “pipeline” is much smaller than it used to be.

“I would be concerned if it was continuing at the pace we saw two and three years ago, but it’s not,” White said.

“We were playing catch-up, and I think we’re about caught up,” he said, adding that the city needs to “step up its game” when it comes to design requirements for apartments and stay diligent on such issues as parking and traffic congestion.

Constraints on future development Charleston developer Dan Doyle said higher construction costs and newfound skepticism on the part of bankers will likely constrain apartment development going forward — not just in Greenville but around the country.

Doyle expects the downtown Greenville units currently under construction, as well as those that are planned, to be absorbed, but he’s not expecting much more beyond that for the time being — at least not on the high end.“I think what we see is probably what we’ll get,” said Doyle, a senior vice president with The Beach Co., the developer of the 350-unit South Ridge complex at the corner of Church Street and University Ridge and the 293-unit Stone + Main complex at the corner of North Main Street and Stone Avenue.

Bank lending for new apartments has been liberal since the Great Recession, but Greenville banker Sam Erwin said developers are likely to face less favorable 14

UBJ | 7.7.2017

Apartment complexes under construction in downtown Greenville Complex: District West Developer: Fluornoy Address: 101 Reedyview Drive Units: 365

Complex: West End Apartment Homes Developer: Woodfield Investments Address: 1100 S. Main St. Units: 270

Complex: Overbrook Lofts Developer: Blackstream Properties Address: East North Street at Overbrook Road Units: 31

Complex: NorthPointe Apartments Developer: Central Realty Address: Church Street/Stone Avenue/ Wade Hampton Avenue Units: 250

Complex: Trailside Developer: Arlington Properties Address: Academy Street at Westfield Street Units: 215

Source: City of Greenville

Vote of confidence in the market Outside investors from California, Pennsylvania, and Georgia have paid more than $155 million for four downtown Greenville apartment complexes in four separate deals over the past two years.

Complex: McBee Station Address: 27 Station Court Sale date: 6/30/2015 Sale price: $44.7 million Units: 197 Sale price per apartment: $226,904 Buyer: TriBridge Residential of Atlanta Complex: 400 Rhett Address: 400 Rhett St. Sale date: 01/06/2016 Sale price: $29.75 million Units: 150 Sale price per apartment: $198,333 Buyer: Brookline Investment Group of Aliso Viejo, California

Source: NAI Earle Furman

loan terms going forward out of a nationwide concern that there’s not much room in the market for more apartments, if any.

“There’s no question that banks are being more selective and a little more careful than they have been,” said Erwin, regional president of Iberiabank, which financed Trailside, a 215-unit apartment complex under construction at the corner of Academy and Westfield streets near the Kroc Center.

Investor confidence One group that apparently isn’t worried about a market collapse are the four out-of-state companies

Complex: 98 E. McBee Address: 98 E. McBee Ave. Sale date: 9/12/2016 Sale price: $12.75 million Units: 55 Sale price per apartment: $231,818 Buyer: PRG Real Estate Management of Philadelphia Complex: South Ridge Address: 823 S. Church St. Sale date: 10/19/2016 Sale price: $68 million (including 16,000 square feet of retail space) Units: 350 Sale price per apartment: $194,286 (includes retail space) Buyer: Berkson Asset Management of Woodland Hills, California

that together paid more than $155 million for four downtown Greenville apartment complexes over the past two years.

The investors from Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Southern California acquired 752 units at McBee Station, 400 Rhett, 98 East McBee, and South Ridge in separate deals between summer 2015 and fall 2016, according to transaction data from NAI Earle Furman, the commercial real estate brokerage.

Tony Bonitati, a broker in NAI Earle Furman’s multifamily division, said his firm expects more trading in apartment complexes at even higher perunit prices, though it also anticipates a softening in rent growth as more apartments come on the market.

REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION

ARIEL TURNER | STAFF

aturner@communityjournals.com |

| SQUARE FEET @arielhturner

Edmund Woo announces expanded Saskatoon restaurant, event center Edmund Woo’s Saskatoon restaurant, after 23 years at its Haywood Road location, plans to move to a new 9-acre development at the corner of Halton and Haywood roads by January 2018.

Last week, Woo announced Saskatoon Lodge, a new development that will house the expanded restaurant and a new event center. The 9-acre plot of land behind the current Raymond James building on Haywood Road was part of the Hollingsworth Funds. After closing on the property at the end of April, construction began immediately, Woo says.

With an estimated investment of approximately $2.5 million, the new facility will house a 7,500-square-foot restaurant and indoor-outdoor event center that will include a fully expanded kitchen to facilitate both the restaurant as well as the chef-prepared paleo meals division, which serves up to 3,000 pre-packaged paleo weight loss meals each week.

Woo says for many years he’d been approached by developers who wanted to include Saskatoon in future development plans, “while growth in the Greenville area has changed focus — from downtown to Laurens Road to Haywood to Woodruff Road and back again.” While he was flattered, he chose instead to wait until he could own the land and the building where the restaurant would eventually move. Woo looked specifically at land in the Haywood Road area because people identify the restaurant with that part of town.

A former construction dumpsite situated among flood plains, the land is only partially useable now.

Woo’s plans for the property include the building and an outdoor green area with water features.

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The future home of Saskatoon Lodge, a 9-acre plot of land on Halton Road, was part of the Hollingsworth Funds.

Rendering provided by Bob Ellis with Ellis Group Architecture.

“I wanted a place to feel like a Northwestern mountain lodge but still be in the middle of the city,” Woo says.

Bob Ellis with the Ellis Group Architecture designed the building, and TreeHugger Customs will be creating the rustic lodge aesthetic, mixing stone and wood with a distressed tin roof.

“Over the years I’ve been invited to so many weddings and thought, ‘I wish we had a facility to do upscale rustic weddings,’” he says. “It will very much look like an old lodge OAD R TON dusted off and cleaned up.”

HAL The new restaurant space is almost an exact replica of the current location because Woo says he’s seen many successful momand-pop operations expand or move, making major changes to the original concept, and not succeed.

“We’re very cognizant of the LA UR EL challenge to produce a similar exCR EE perience,” he says.

K The size of the new kitchen is triple that of the current one to

accommodate the meal prep business that has grown.

The restaurant has long been known for offering wild game such as bison, elk, kangaroo, and alligator, in addition to a more standard offering of steaks and fish. Woo says before the restaurant moves, it will convert its beer offerings to almost completely local or regional, as well as begin sourcing all produce from local farms. Once they move operations to the larger kitchen that can handle the additional space needed for storing and aging, they will begin sourcing local beef and pork as well.

The full development is expected to be up and running by late 2017; the event center will be open for private events, corporate events, and weddings, with bookings starting in early 2018.

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THE TAKEAWAY |

NOTES FROM THE BEST TALKS YOU MISSED

‘Making It Count’ How can Upstate businesses create a culture where women can advance?

What: The Greenville Chamber’s Women at Work - Creating a Workplace Culture in Which Women Can Advance

Verizon’s Krista Bourne (standing) moderates a panel discussion with (from left) Philip Kilgore of Ogletree Deakins, Maurie Lawrence of Wyche, and Chip Wiper of GHS. Photo provided.

When/Where: June 22, 2017 at the Embassy Suites Golf Resort & Conference Center Presenting Sponsor: BRIGHT+CO

By MARION MANN Marketing & Communications Director at the Greenville Chamber

This Greenville Women at Work breakfast event featured a presentation by Krista Bourne, south central market president at Verizon Wireless, who also moderated a panel of past recipients of the Chamber’s ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award with Philip Kilgore, attorney at Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart; Maurie Lawrence, attorney and chair of Wyche’s executive committee; and Dr. Chip Wiper, chair of Greenville Health System’s OB-GYN department.

Bourne frames her work necessities as “Fit,” “Commitment,” “Action,” and “Make It Count.”

Consequences – Always anticipate the outcomes.

Bourne noted that while we often consider consequences as negative, they are really just the outcomes to the choices we make and should be considered in our decision-making processes.

Action

nizations can create a workplace culture in which women can advance. Some that stood out: •W hen hiring, simply try harder when it comes to getting a more diverse pool of applicants.

• The case for diversity and inclusion not only makes business sense; it’s the law.

Be a Student of the Business – Insights matter.

Always continue learning about your business. And don’t expect to be fed information; look for it yourself.

• Don’t make life responsibilities barriers to work.

If flexible schedules are needed, offer them and watch productivity abound.

Bourne noted that while we may not always pick our boss or colleagues, we do choose the organization we work for, so need to make sure it’s a good fit for our passions. She found several of hers in Verizon’s commitments to providing tools, skills, and resources to young people in underserved communities; sharing technology to provide an essential lifeline for at-risk women and children; ensuring customer privacy and data security; and driving best practices in diversity and inclusion, including employee pay equity. “Don’t just look for a logo,” Bourne advises. “Research the company’s mission and values to find your fit.”

Build a Network – Don’t just build a network of people you like. Focus on influencers and experts in the fields you want to advance in.

• I f you can be open to different perspectives and be vulnerable, you will get better results. Having honest conversations about work-life balance takes trust and a level of friendship.

Commitment

Meetings – It took some major effort to get to the table, so don’t sit back. Engage in the conversation and have a voice. People know you are different simply because you’re there. It’s how you make your difference count that matters.

Fit

Bourne’s three avenues to commitment are:

Clarity – Know the why to your what. The why is the passion. Bourne noted that she could have lots of jobs at Verizon, but not all of them directly affect the customer experience, and that is what she is passionate about.

Choices – Make choices that align with where you are in your life. If you can’t work full-time, go for a position that allows you to work part-time. If you don’t want to travel or move with your job while you raise your children, etc., go for a non-mobile position.

16

UBJ | 7.7.2017

Earn a Sponsor – Mentors speak with you; sponsors speak for you. Earn sponsors by letting them know the value you bring, and they will want to communicate it.

Making It Count Performance Reviews – Everybody gets at least one. Make it a two-way dialogue to be sure you are capturing real feedback.

Training – Utilize training opportunities to connect with new people, not only to learn from them but also to see who your competition is and how you measure up.

Panel Insights - The panel discussion with past winners of the ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award brought a great range of insights on how orga-

• Many women are too hard on themselves as mothers, colleagues, leaders, etc. They often overestimate their inadequacies when the people around them think they are rock stars. Be proud of doing you.

•W hen asked how they carry the idea of advancing women from workplace practices to real discussions among their peers, one panelist noted challenging the idea among his peers that you have to work full-time to be offered a leadership position. Just because someone works less hours in a week doesn’t mean they can’t provide leadership and valuable insight, and dismissing that based on work hours makes for a lost opportunity.

A recurring theme from our diversity and inclusion events popped up when Dr. Wiper noted, “We are all far more alike than we are different.” Bourne noted that we are all very much alike, so we need to make sure to let what makes us different stand out and provide our value wherever we go.

PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS

HIRED

HIRED

HIRED

HIRED

| ON THE MOVE

HIRED

TODD KING

KIM HEARN JOHNSON

TIM HEATLEY

STEPHANIE KING

KAITLIN CLARK

Joined Confluence Outdoors as vice president of marketing.

King comes to Confluence from Gaia Herbs, where he served as vice president of marketing. During his tenure, he was a catalyst for growth as Gaia nearly doubled sales and was named to Inc.’s 5000 Fastest Growing Companies List.

Joined Scott and Company LLC as a senior accountant in the tax and advisory services department. Johnson is an enrolled agent, enrolled to represent taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service. She has passed all four parts of the CPA exam and is currently working to fulfill the experience requirement in order to obtain her South Carolina CPA license.

Joined SVN BlackStream as an associate advisor. Born and raised in Coral Gables, Fla., his family has been consistently active and successful in real estate since the 1980s. After graduating from Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla., Tim worked in retail management until joining SVN BlackStream. He specializes in sales and leasing of commercial property throughout the state of South Carolina.

Hired by Community Journals as an account manager. A local Greenville marketer with five years of experience, King will promote customer acquisition and retention for local businesses in Greenville Journal, Upstate Business Journal, TOWN and atHome magazines, GVLtoday, and more. King is a graduate of Clemson University and has a background in media sales, as well as in digital and social media marketing.

Joined Jackson Marketing, Motorsports & Events as a public relations representative.

Clark is a graduate of Clemson University with a B.S. in marketing. She will manage day-to-day public relations and social media activities for various clients, including PR planning and implementation, media relations, and social media management.

EDUCATION

CONSTRUCTION

The Greenville Chamber recently presented Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate (BBBS) with its June 2017 Small Business of the Month Award.

CEO Lamont Sullivan and team, along with several BBBS board members, accepted the award at the Chamber’s monthly board of directors meeting. As the nation’s largest donor and volunteer-supported mentoring network, BBBS makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers and children.

BBBS provides a system of ongoing evaluation and support that is proven by independent studies to promote odds that children will perform better in school, avoid violence and illegal activities, and have stronger relationships with their parents and others.

O’Neal Inc., a Greenville-based integrated design and construction firm, has been named to the list of Best Places to Work in South Carolina for the sixth consecutive year. The Best Places to Work in South Carolina survey and awards program is designed to identify, recognize, and honor the best employers in the state, benefiting the state’s economy, workforce, and businesses. To be considered, companies entered the two-part survey process to determine the Best Places to Work in South Carolina. The first part consisted of evaluating each nominated company’s workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems, and demographics. The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience.

MARKETING

RESIDENTIAL SERVICES

The Greenville Chamber has been named a winner of an industry award that recognizes communications and marketing work. Presented annually by Alexandria, Va.-based Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, the Communications Excellence awards program is designed to celebrate exceptional work in the areas of advertising and marketing, campaigns, digital, and publications. The Greenville Chamber received an Award of Excellence for its Accelerate brochure. The brochure was produced for the 2016 re-launch of Accelerate, the Chamber’s private sector-fueled economic development initiative focused on growing new corporate headquarters, preparing the workforce for 21st century opportunities, increasing the number and performance of minority-owned businesses, and leading transformative projects.

Hallam Cottingham, who independently owns and operates Benjamin Franklin Plumbing based in Greenville, was recently awarded the President’s Award by Direct Energy for the first time. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing is part of the Direct Energy family of brands. The President’s Award is the company’s top honor. To achieve this distinction, businesses must have a superior customer service score and show significant growth and success.

As award season ends, BRIGHT+CO has more than doubled its awards over last year, winning 18 awards, including Small Business of the Mouth by the Greenville Chamber (February), AAF Greenville Gold ADDY for Highlands Wine & Food Festival Magazine Ad 1 Full Page (February), Business Intelligence Group 2017 International Public Relations & Marketing Award of Excellence Award (May), and BRIGHT+CO CEO Jennifer Sutton as B2B Marketer of the Year (June), among others.

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

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#TRENDING |

INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

THE WATERCOOLER Social Chatter

RE: GREENVILLE’S FIRST IV BAR TO OPEN EARLY THIS FALL “My hangover friends, the gods smile upon us. OK, I wouldn’t actually do this because I hate needles, but still pretty crazy we are getting one of these in GVL.” Alex Moore “I can honestly say I will likely never go there. Drink more water.”

Sally Eastman

RE: EDMUND WOO ANNOUNCES EXPANDED SASKATOON RESTAURANT, EVENT CENTER “$$$$$$$$ for that kangaroo”

Mary Lynn Wilson “So happy for my friend Edmund Woo and the Saskatoon staff. This is awesome!”

Debbie Cross Whitted “Way to go, Edmund! So happy for you!

Can’t wait to dine at your new fabulous facility!”

Connie Ross

RE: SAMSUNG BRINGING $380M PLANT, 954 JOBS TO NEWBERRY COUNTY “That is a lot of jobs for a county with 40,000 people. Good for them.”

Jason Taylor

RE: WHAT BUSINESSES DON’T KNOW ABOUT ADA RULES COULD HURT THEM “Excellent article. Thank you.”

Arianna Wardlaw Gailey

“This is going to be awesome!”

Tessa Callahan Howell

DIGITAL FLIPBOOK ARCHIVE

TOP 5:

E PITFALLS MPLIANC • ADA CO STRATEGY MILLION W’S $600 BM // IS ISSUE INSIDE TH

1. Greenville’s first IV bar to open early this fall

E 26

JUNE 30,

VOL. 6 ISSU 2017 |

Legal The

2. Edmund Woo announces expanded Saskatoon restaurant, event center

3. BMW plans to invest $600M and add 1,000 jobs in Spartanburg County

Issue

EE OGLETIR S DEAK N

FORTY

YEARS

R

OF LABO

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

N FROM GROW S TO A M HAS THE FIR NVILLE ROOT NCE EE OMINE LAW ITS GR IDE PR OYMENT NATIONW AND EMPL R IN LABO

ner, art ding part & Stew ak, foun Nash, Smoak , Lewis Smo , Deakins Ogletree Will Crooks by Photo

GET THE INBOX 4. Business from Mexico supporting GE jobs in Greenville

CONNECT We’re great at networking.

5. Factor named president of Spartanburg’s QS/1

*The Top 5 stories from last week’s issue ranked by page views

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EVENTS YOU SHOULD HAVE ON YOUR CALENDAR

PRESIDENT/CEO

Mark B. Johnston mjohnston@communityjournals.com

UBJ PUBLISHER

Ryan L. Johnston rjohnston@communityjournals.com

| PLANNER

DATE

EVENT INFO

WHERE DO I GO?

HOW DO I GO?

Tuesday

Small Business Development Center’s Summer Breakfast

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

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

Business After Hours Business Fair

Haywood Mall 700 Haywood Road 3:30–7 p.m.

Cost: Free to investors

Basic Small-Business Startup

NEXT Innovation Center 411 University Ridge 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Cost: Free

7/20

Basic Small-Business Startup

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

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

Friday

7/21

Innovative Leadership Series Presents: Gary Parsons

Clemson MBA at Greenville ONE 1 N. Main St. 6-8 p.m.

Cost: Free For more info: bit.ly/2sAUOtb

Thursday

Pathways to Success: Hispanic Entrepreneurs & Professionals Forum

United Community Bank 306 E. North St. 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

Cost: $15 investors, $25 general admission For more info: bit.ly/2sp7OCB

7/11 Tuesday

7/11

EDITOR

Chris Haire chaire@communityjournals.com

MANAGING EDITOR

Jerry Salley jsalley@communityjournals.com

Tuesday

7/18

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Emily Pietras epietras@communityjournals.com

DIGITAL OPERATIONS MANAGER Tori Lant tlant@communityjournals.com

Thursday

STAFF WRITERS

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

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

ACCOUNT MANAGERS

Jonathan Bowden, Nicole Greer, Donna Johnston, Stephanie King, Rosie Peck, Caroline Spivey, Emily Yepes

ART & PRODUCTION VISUAL DIRECTOR

7/27 UP NEXT

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

Will Crooks

LAYOUT

Bo Leslie | Tammy Smith

OPERATIONS Holly Hardin

ADVERTISING DESIGN

JULY 21 THE ENTREPRENEURIAL ISSUE Tomorrow’s game-changers and disruptors.

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

UBJ milestone

jackson Marketing Group’s 25 Years

>>

Anita Harley | Jane Rogers

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Kristi Fortner

HOW TO CONTRIBUTE STORY IDEAS:

ideas@upstatebusinessjournal.com

EVENTS:

events@upstatebusinessjournal.com

NEW HIRES, PROMOTIONS, AND AWARDS:

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

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

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

AUGUST 18 THE WORKFORCE ISSUE Filling today’s — and tomorrow’s — jobs.

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

Circulation Audit by

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

1997 Jackson Dawson launches motorsports Division 1993

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

1990 Jackson Dawson

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

Kristy Adair | Michael Allen

CLIENT SERVICES

UBJ milestone

1988 Jackson Dawson opens in Greenville at Downtown Airport

1988

1998 Jackson Dawson moves to task industrial Court

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CoMMUnitY nit inVolVeMent nitY in olV inV olVe VeMent & boarD positions lArry JACkson (ChAirmAn): Bob Jones University Board chairman, The Wilds Christian Camp and Conference Center board member, Gospel Fellowship Association board member, Past Greenville Area Development Corporation board member, Past Chamber of Commerce Headquarters Recruiting Committee member, Past Greenville Tech Foundation board member David Jones (Vice President Client services, Chief marketing officer): Hands on Greenville board chairman mike Zeller (Vice President, Brand marketing): Artisphere Board,

Metropolitan Arts Council Board, American Red Cross Board, Greenville Tech Foundation Board, South Carolina Chamber Board

eric Jackson (Jackson motorsports Group sales specialist): Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club Advisory Board

November 1, 2013 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal 21

20 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal November 1, 2013

AS SEEN IN

NOVEMBER 1, 2013

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

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7.7.2017

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