Charleston Regional Business Journal's Newsmakers 2014

NEWS MAKERS December 29, 2014

www.charlestonbusiness.com

Vol. 20, No. 27

2014

2014

A

2014

2014 2014

Sponsored by

LOWCOUNTRY NEWSROOM Managing Editor - Andy Owens aowens@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3142 Senior Copy Editor - Beverly Barfield bbarfield@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3115 Staff Writer - Liz Segrist lsegrist@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3119 Staff Writer - Ashley Heffernan aheffernan@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3144 Editorial Assistant - Chris McCandlish chrism@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3123 Research Specialist - Melissa Verzaal mverzaal@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3104 Associate Editor, Special Projects - Jenny Peterson jpeterson@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3145 Senior Graphic Designer - Jane Mattingly jmattingly@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3118 Graphic Designer - Andrew Sprague asprague@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3128 MIDLANDS NEWSROOM Editor- Chuck Crumbo ccrumbo@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7542

ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION I

n your hands is a year’s worth of relevant news, data and information that you can consume in one sitting — but you’ll be back for more when you’re trying to remember that thing you read and can’t recall where you read it.

Welcome to Newsmakers 2014, where we look back at the stuff that had not only the biggest impact on the business community of the Charleston region, but also the most compelling photos and illustrations that we gathered during the past 12 months.

Our team of writers, page designers, photographers and editors pored over piles of papers and rifled through so

Special Projects Editor - Licia Jackson ljackson@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7546

many terabytes of photos that we nearly killed a laptop in the process.

One feature we’ve added — by mostly popular demand — includes a section of data-driven graphics and goodness.

In the first section of the pub, just one page away, you’ll find the Best of Upfront. That is the section of the Charleston Regional Business Journal where we present stories graphically with quick hits that you could live without but that you are better off for having received. Kind of like that holiday gift you didn’t know you wanted but couldn’t imagine not having.

The heart of Newsmakers, like the

heart of the Business Journal, consists of the stories and photos from the movements and shifts in the Charleston region’s business community.

You’ll find abbreviated versions of the biggest stories of the year, a few with contextual updates and all with compelling art and photographs.

There’s a bonus on each page, as well. At the bottom, you’ll find the Other Newsmakers, which are the secondary stories that we’ve encapsulated for your information and, on occasion, your entertainment.

Now turn the page, step back into the past year and be shocked at how much time you spend with a publication designed for a quick read.

FROM OUR SPONSORS

Research Specialist - Patrice Mack pmack@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7544 UPSTATE NEWSROOM Copy Editor - Don Fujiwara dfujiwara@scbiznews.com • 864.235.5677, ext. 106 Staff Writer - Bill Poovey bpoovey@scbiznews.com • 864.235.5677, ext. 104 Graphic Designer - Jean Piot jpiot@scbiznews.com • 864.235.5677, ext. 105 LOWCOUNTRY ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Senior Account Executive - Sue Gordon sgordon@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3111 Senior Account Executive - Robert Reilly rreilly@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3107 Account Executive - Sara Cox scox@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3109 Account Executive - Bennett Parks bparks@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3126

South Carolina’s Media Engine for Economic Growth President and Group Publisher - Grady Johnson gjohnson@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3103

Charleston Southern University is one of South Carolina’s largest, accredited independent universities, enrolling 3,417 students. CSU offers 45 undergraduate degree programs including computer science, nursing, graphic design, engineering, Christian studies and more. Our new Graduate School offers degree programs in business, nursing, education and criminal justice. Learn online or in the classroom. Charleston Southern is recognized as one of America’s Best Christian Colleges, one of America’s Best College Buys, U.S. News and World Report Best Online Programs and the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. For more information, visit CharlestonSouthern.edu or call our enrollment office at 843-863-7050. Charleston Southern University’s vision is to be nationally recognized for integrating faith in learning, leading and serving.

Welcome to Newsmakers 2014, sponsored by Trident Health. On behalf of the hundreds of talented Trident Health physicians, staff and volunteers who serve the community, it is quite an honor to introduce you to the highlights of the people and places in this issue.

South Carolina’s Lowcountry is a robust place in which to live and work. We are fortunate. All of us together — large organizations and small — have created a vibrant, dynamic region that we are proud to call home. Trident Health is honored to be your neighbor.

Enjoy reading!

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NEWS MAKERS 2014

The Best of Upfront

Best of Upfront Dig into the most interesting and (somewhat) relevant factoids from the biweekly Upfront feature from the pages of the Charleston Regional Business Journal in 2014.

Winter weather slowdown

The road of our discontent

A few years ago, the Charleston area of Interstate 26 was tagged as the 43rd worst commute in America. We’re certain it’s become worse since then, but at least we’re not in Seattle (No. 7) or Atlanta (No. 22). But we don’t exactly expect the commute to get better before it gets worse, so here are data points to give you something to read at the I-26/526 merge on the road that causes rage. If you get finished or if traffic starts to move, why not share with the car beside you?

What is it about commuting here?

The S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce published commuting reports on each county this year. Some of the data they used goes back to 2011, but it shows exactly who is on the road and where they’re coming from.

Commuters riding the roads in the Charleston area each day.

60,806

Total workers in Charleston County.

210,010

Workers who live and work in Charleston County.

149,204

Salt and spread

The state Department of Transportation offered up these statistics on road resources during Leon.

Resource

Amount used

Salt brine

846,559 gallons

Calcium chloride 132,368 gallons

Workers who leave Berkeley and Dorchester counties each day.

Workers who live and work in Berkeley and Dorchester counties.

The Charleston area got several days of frigid weather punctuated by ice, a little snow, and more than a few power outages when winter storm Leon roared across the Southeast. The storm closed and delayed businesses and schools across the region for several days.

“When does the little big city get back on its feet?” asked Weather Channel meteorologist Jim Cantore, standing on the frozen Ravenel Bridge the night of Jan. 29.

The Ravenel Bridge reopened and then reclosed as the Transportation Department monitored ice that fell from overhead cables.

Cantore characterized Charleston’s response to winter storm Leon as strategic and wellplanned. He contrasted it with Atlanta, where drivers and schoolchildren were stranded for hours on Interstate 75 and other areas.

Cantore also showed off his ninja skills, fending off a College of Charleston student trying to interrupt a live broadcast. Cantore planted a knee, pivoted and didn’t miss a beat.

54,685 32,500

16,010 tons

Sand

5,487 tons

Employees

303 individuals

Source: S.C. Department of Transportation

Photo/Chris McCandlish

Source: S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce

Brewvival

Top states represented by beers Beers

brings mix of masters to Charleston

In late February, an eclectic mix of brewmasters and beer tasters got together for a day of drinking, music and food in North Charleston.

Brewvival sold out long before the event, which drew breweries from coast to coast, including California, Kentucky, Michigan, Georgia, North Carolina and a lot of states in between. So what’s the data behind the popular brew event? Brewvival served up some figures for us: Infographic/Ryan Wilcox, Source: CHSBeer.org

Salt

(26 from the Charleston region)

Presentation of Beers: 127 Kegs

4 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

54 South Carolina 16 Casks

20 North Carolina 6

Bottles

Top styles of beer:

15 California

Number of available beers

17

16

American Imperial Stout

American IPA

1 4 9 10

American Double IPA

NEWS MAKERS 2014

Best of Upfront

Paycheck beats love

So the economy has come back — at least with a rumble that seems to be somewhat sustainable. During the recession, workers were glad to have jobs. After the recession, they were glad the recession was over. Now … well, let’s just say they want more and many don’t feel they are getting it. Based on an annual survey by Salary.com:

Fill out your own TPS reports!

Lack of pride

64%

Are extremely proud of the work they do every day, which is a drop of 19 percentage points from a year ago.

Think of the children

29%

Hope to pass along their chosen profession to their children. If you don’t see a future for your kids, you likely don’t see one for yourself either. That number was 38% a year ago.

Something’s missing

39%

Said they felt fulfilled by the work they were doing. Add 20 percentage points to that number and you get last year’s result.

It’s not you. It’s them.

52%

Even though it’s rare for a worker not to work for several companies during their career, only 52% said they were totally committed to their jobs, down from 71% in the last survey.

The impact of micromanagers

20%

Said if you ask them to put in some OT, they’ll be happy to help you out, compared to last year, when 49% were all in.

If they win the lottery …

30%

OK, this one likely isn’t going to solicit the most accurate answers, but it certainly says something about how workers feel. Last year, 42% said they would show up the day after winning the lottery. That’s down 12 percentage points this year.

Paycheck beats love

73%

Everyone works to pay the bills and feed the dog, but 73% of workers are primarily clocking in for you because of a paycheck and not because they really love what they’re doing, up from 55% last year.

If your goal is to kill morale, stagnate productivity and placate those employees who would rather just be told what to do and then go home, then micromanagement is the job for you!

Accountemps recently surveyed workers about their experience with micromanaging bosses and found that 59% of workers have had a micromanager. Here’s what micromanagers accomplish and how you can learn to let it go.

Kill productivity

Crush morale

How did micromanaging affect your productivity?

How did your micromanager impact your morale?

58%

like food. We also like to talk about the stuff that happens behind the scenes that makes that world-class cuisine satiate your world-class hunger.

That’s why a recent survey in Consumer Reports piqued our palate by detailing what people complain about most in restaurants. If you’re in the F&B industry, you’ll likely recognize some of these as legitimate. If you’re an F&B indulger — and who among us isn’t — maybe you can reference this handy list when the urge to complain about your crappy table near the kitchen (38%) hits you, just to remind yourself that you’re not alone.

Top complaints from restaurant-goers Complaint Percentage Dirty forks and tables 76% Nasty, ill-equipped restrooms 73% Rude, condescending servers 72% Sloppy servers with poor hygiene 67% Food served at wrong temperature 66% You didn’t order that 62% Feeling rushed by server to leave 61% Server taking plate before you’re done 59% Food does not look or taste like menu description 54% Slow service 51% Table not ready within 15 minutes of reservation 50%

Decreased morale

36%

6%

Increased morale

Source: Salary.com Annual Value of Work Survey

The thing I hate about eating out Charleston is an eating town. Restaurants pop up. Eateries come and go. We

68%

8% Decreased

Increased

1% No impact Don’t know

26%

No change

Just let it go Accountemps also offered specific help for micromanagers who want to become less imposing and more trusting and secure in their leadership style.

Let employees fail: Give team members the freedom to make decisions and mistakes. They’ll learn a lot.

Recognize that you might have a problem: You don’t need to put your personal stamp on every single item that passes your desk. It’ll be ok.

Keep the check-ins in check: Constantly inquiring about routine assignments rarely helps employees get anything done any faster, but they will resent you more.

Don’t focus on the trees: When you allow yourself to get bogged down by little things, you’re taking away time from the big things that could impact your bottom line and make people want to work for you.

Source: Consumer Reports magazine

6 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

Release your grip: Think about the time and skills needed for a few tasks that you can delegate, then make the assignments.

Source: Accountemps

NEWS MAKERS 2014

Folly’s

Best of Upfront

Photo/Andy Owens

big blue opportunity

Were you among the thousands who saw the blue water ebbing and flowing along Folly Beach this summer? There are many theories bobbing about why the water turned a lighter, more Caribbean blue than the dishwater patina we’re used to on the Edge of America.

One idea involves the lack of debris flowing from the inland rivers because of beach renourishment by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. That’s as good a theory as any, but we wanted to figure out how this might influence tourism along the Lowcountry coast.

Wayne Smith, associate professor at The College of Charleston’s Office of Tourism Analysis, said he was among the many beachgoers who recently went to see the blue water.

Smith and his family live closer to Beachwalker Park, which is on Kiawah Island, but there wasn’t any question when he saw a Folly Beach tourism website showing the blue water.

“We said ‘Let’s go.’ I can’t be the only person who did that,” Smith said.

Smith also dug into some of the research on the color of ocean water and found that the color of water affects perceptions of how clean the water is and the quality

of the beach.

“We always grow up seeing blue water, and if we’re talking about image, there’s two types of images. There’s organic image and induced image,” Smith said. “The crystal blue water is what we perceive that water should look like.”

Regardless of how long the Folly Beach blue water lasts, Smith said the value could be in the lasting impact of social media and the thousands of images, Instagram posts, Facebook posts and retweets that resulted from visitors shooting photos from the Folly Beach Fishing Pier.

“Those pictures just got 100 times more attractive. Think of the marketing value of that,” Smith said. Smith said if he was doing marketing for Folly Beach businesses, he would take aerial shots looking down on the blue water. He said if you think about the Pacific Coast and the East Coast, the only difference in the look of the beaches is the color of the water, and that difference, at least for a while, has become less important.

“It has a visual appeal that can’t be ignored,” Smith said. “If the Tides Folly Beach was taking a picture of its hotel, it wants the water to be as blue as possible.”

More hours 41.0 U.S.

38.4

Average hours in workweek

36.9

Not to pick on the French, but Americans tend to work 15% more hours each week than workers in France. Don’t get us started on Spain or the Netherlands.

The National Bureau of Economic Research did a global survey of working habits, which found Americans work more nights, more weekends and more hours overall than comparable countries.

So why do we do this to ourselves? Slate, a news and information website, said maybe it’s because we’re highly educated and highly paid, which is a statistical attribute of those putting in more hours. Or maybe we just don’t know any better.

You could look at that one of two ways. Either we need to take a break or those countries need to catch up in the race toward workaholism. Here’s some data:

8 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

34.6

Britain Germany France

More nights You work harder than the French, and now you have a bar chart to prove it

35.7

Employees working nights

Holland 6.9% France 26.6% Germany 26.6%

Spain

Employees working weekends

Holland 18.7% France 21.8%

Britain 26.6%

Holland

More weekends Spain 9.6%

U.S. 26.6%

32.7

U.S. 26.6%

Britain 25.5% Germany 22.4%

Source: National Bureau of Economic Research, September 2014

NEWS MAKERS 2014

Best of Upfront

Tips on tipping in South Carolina People working in the food and beverage industry care a lot about tipping. It’s how restaurant owners get to manage costs and how really great servers get to boost their income.

We sometimes chuckle when we hear derisive remarks about the low expectations of having to wait tables. Some would be so lucky, especially at high-end eateries where gratuities can be somewhat gratuitous.

How much should you tip? That’s up to you. We don’t have any opinion on that, but we do have some data on how you DO tip at restaurants and in other service industries.

Square, the digital credit card swiping device that’s become an equalizer for many small businesses, recently reported on tipping data that shows how U.S. consumers take care of the service industry. Online business publication Quartz analyzed Square’s data, which isn’t a small sample. Square said it used tipping information from Avg. Tip tens of millions of 17.0% transactions. %

s

te a t s g n i p op 10 tip

T

Southern hospitality extends to tips

The Palmetto state might get a lot of guff for being a small, poor and somewhat uneducated state (mostly from those who’ve never been here), but when it comes to tipping, we’re rather generous.

In fact, Square and Quartz found that Southern states made up five of the top 10 states.

Alaska as Arkans arolina North C irginia West V Carolina South xico New Me Illinois ippi Mississ Arizona ri Missou

16.9 16.7% 16.7% 16.7% 16.6% 16.5% 16.5% 16.5% 16.5%

Think they want your job?

Don’t believe it You know the chit-chat that ensues after the boss has made a big or, more often, small decision: “If I were in charge, I would do this or I would change that.”

Yeah, well you’re not in charge. In fact, when given the chance you don’t even want to be in charge, according to a new survey done by the research people at Robert Half Co.’s OfficeTeam.

The survey found that most employees thought their boss did a good job, had good leadership skills and, when asked if they could do the job themselves, most said, “Uh, no.”

So the next time you have that feeling that your employees hate you, understand that they probably do, but, given the chance, they wouldn’t want to be in your shoes.

How strong a leader is your boss?

Very 44% Somewhat 32% Not Very 11% Not at all 65% Doesn’t apply 8%

Could you do a better job than your boss?

No 67% Yes 22% Don’t know 11%

New York finally picks a snack Shouldn’t it have been pizza? A nice slice of New York style pie? No, instead Alabama: Pecan New York picked yogurt as its official snack food, and it’s clearly a political choice.

South Carolina, on the other hand, has had boiled peanuts as its official snack for years — possibly centuries, maybe even before recorded time. As of yet, we haven’t found any cave drawings showing prehistoric South Carolinians dipping bunches of legumes into boiling water, but there are a lot of things than haven’t been discovered yet in the Palmetto State.

Reuters pointed out several state snacks after The Empire State made the decision about its cultured culture. For the record, we like yogurt — especially when it’s frozen South Carolina: Boiled peanuts and in a state that’s easily confused with ice cream. As a statewide snack, yogurt is definitely better than Jell-O (We’re looking at you, Utah), which is a brand name, not a snack. But considering New York’s history, shouldn’t they have picked something more reflective of their people and heritage?

Selected State Snacks

Not every state has a snack, but we rounded up a few from Reuters and elsewhere.

Sorry, they’re not scratch ’n’ sniff.

10 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

New York: Yogurt

Rhode Island: Calamari

Illinois: Popcorn

Utah: Jell-O Sources: Reuters, Bon Appetit, NetState.com

NEWS MAKERS 2014

From the 1.13.14 Issue

January 13 -

26, 2014 • www.charle

It’s called Zubie

Auto-tracking device startup lures investment.

Page 4

Rolling cargo

Inland Port recruits customers. Page 3

Competition rising for quality chefs

Rebuilding health care

MUSC to open women and children’s facility in 2020.

Page 9

stonbusines

Boeing’s expansio n foreshadows 787-10 assembl y s.com

T

Making the cut

INSIDE

By Ashley Heffernan

As homegrow n restaurant s in the Lowcountr corporations y compete with to hire quality chefs, the Culinary provides a linchpin Institute of in connecting Charleston establishments to the local labor pool.

Full Story. Page 6

Photo/Zero George

See BOEING,

By Ashley Barker

abarker@scbiznews.com

hen Charleston Southern University began considering concentrati adding gram, the university ons to an online asked manufactuproexecutives what ring they The study helped needed.

CSU decide ply chain to add supmanagement, analytics, project management and operations its master’s in organizational management to online program. management, an Hanover Research conducted a study and a market survey of manufactur tives in June ing execufor the “The research university. that these were and survey results confirmed disciplines that nitely benefit from graduate-le would defiopportunities, vel educationa ” said l College of Adult Gary Vance, dean of CSU’s and The market study Professional Studies. specialized business found student interest in at the post-baccal and management degrees aureate and master’s appears to be levels growing “Shorter programs at a broad level. are increasingl recognized as y being alternatives to the traditional

First an IPO,

See CSU, Page

now expansi Benefitfocus on expands its Berkeley campus to 40 acres with plans County 1,200 more employees. to hire Page 20

F

they’ll all have jobs waiting for them after graduation.

Openings are commonly left untouched on the board.

Saboe said national grocers such as Publix and Harris Teeter could each easily hire every one of his students to work in their bakeries. Even the Boeing Co., which he said feeds more than 2,000 workers a day in its North Charleston cafeteria, could grab up all of the institute’s students.

“Homegrown restaurants are competing with corporate needs to hire good people,” he said. “The need for culinary people has probably tripled since the 90s, and no one saw it coming.”

Area restaurant owners frequently call Saboe wanting to hire his culinary

students, graduates and faculty members.

Kathy Britzius, who has been executive director of the Greater Charleston Restaurant Association for the past 25 years, said the recent growth in Lowcountry restaurants has been rapid.

“It’s overwhelming what’s going on here and what’s coming,” Britzius said.

“When developers build new hotels, they always have restaurants in them too. They’re looking for people to start out in those restaurants and always need more employees who have that background and training in culinary.

When you put millions of dollars into that restaurant, you have to have trained employees.”

She said the College of Charleston

provides many front-of-the-house trained students and the Art Institute’s Culinary Division produces quality students. But the Culinary Institute has the largest class of graduates who will most likely stay in the area to work.

Saboe said there is still room for the Culinary Institute to continue growing and becoming more relevant. He meets three times a year with advisory committees that include representatives from hotels, fast-food establishments and fine dining restaurants. They discuss workforce trends and how students can successfully transition from school to a restaurant. cr bj

otherNEWSMAKERS Sullivan’s Island-based Zubie offers a connected-car service through its Zubie Key, a small device that plugs into a car and tracks driving habits. The device connects to the cloud via a built-in cellular data connection. Users can see real-time driving data on the Zubie app, as well as the location of people they are connected with on the app. In 2014, the company secured about $18 million from several investors and expanded sales into Brazil and Germany. It also launched a product focused on giving business owners a way to monitor commercial fleets to improve safety, maintain vehicles and manage operating costs.

12 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

Page 10

➤

Manufacturing demand shapes higher-ed plan s

Randy Williams teaches cooking classes in Zero George’s professional display kitchen at the restaurant and inn in Charleston. (Photos/Zero George)

ulfilling all of the culinary needs of the Charleston community is impossible, according to J. Michael Saboe, dean of the Culinary Institute of Charleston at Trident Technical College.

“Hospitality and culinary, it’s what Charleston is known for. If we’re not leading that charge and they don’t have the ability to tap into our labor pool, there’s a big disconnect,” Saboe said.

In 2013, nearly 50 new restaurants opened on the Charleston peninsula, he said, and the Culinary Institute averages about 150 graduates each May. On the jobs board that is maintained down the hall from his office, Saboe posts employment opportunities for his roughly 1,000 students and hopes

1 • $2.00

Charleston and 787 fleet. The Everett, Wash., produce the always build Lowcountry operations will the aft and Dreamliner midbody for models, all next fall, Boeing beginning with the 787-9 dent Jack Jones South Carolina Vice Presisaid late last Charleston. month in North The 787-9 is ett, Wash., from currently assembled in Evercomponents and aircraft sec-

W

In Focus: The Year Ahead

A look at the national, state and local economy going into 2014.

Page 12

Upfront ................... ......... 2 In Focus: The Year Ahead ........... 13 At Work ................... ...... 19 People in the News Business Digest ........ 19 Hot Properties ............. 19 ................

Viewpoint................... 22 .... 23

Volume 20, No.

By Liz Segrist

lsegrist@scb iznews.com ExEcuTIVE SummAr he Boeing Co. recently filed Y Boeing acquires expand its more 787 Dreamliner plans to its North Charleston land and plans to expand in North Charleston campus campus for future leased from using 468 acres work. the state.

The move could signify that the analysis and try will get research consultancy Lowcounanother 787 “Given the size . duction line, Dreamliner of 787-10, I see prosaid it as inevitawith StrategicAe Saj Ahmad, chief analyst ble that Charleston will get the work,” ro Research, Ahmad an aerospace said.

Currently, Boeing’s operations in North

8

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NEWS MAKERS 2014

From the 1.27.14 Issue

January 27 -

February 9,

2014 • www.charle

stonbusines

s.com

Volume 20, No.

tiMe

In Focus: Health Care Obesity Business

S.C. inmates work for public, private sectors

Medical manufacture rs deliver options for patients. Page bariatric 13

Costs for Obesity

Obesity costs an estimated $147 billion in medical costs.

Page 13

Medical options

Area doctors use before recommendcare weight-loss surgery.ing Page 13

INSIDE Upfront ................... ......... 2 In Focus: Law............ ... 13 List: Law Firms ............ 23 Payroll Companies At Work .......................... 26 ...... 27 People in the News Business Digest ........ 29 Hot Properties ............. 27 ................

Viewpoint................... 30 .... 31

By Liz Segrist

2 • $2.00

More than

McNair Center takes flight

The center at USC’s Darla Moore School of Business will focus on growing aerospace in S.C. Page 4

The state’s Corrections Department program employing runs a inmates in jobs that could otherwise go out of state or overseas. Some inmates produce goods for the state without Others work pay. for businesses and earn money defray prison to costs and send money home.

Full Story. Page

8

Photo/Liz Segrist

Apartment man of discriminatingagers accused against deaf

Citadel Mall open despite repossessio

By Ashley Barker

n

abarker@scbiznews.com the U.S. Departmen t of Housing Development.

By Ashley Barker and Urban y repeatedly hanging up on NFHA and abarker@scbiznews.com deaf callers and quoting 11 of its fair them higher fees than the zation members investigated housing organihearing, itadel Mall was 117 national ment complexesfour South Carolina apart- regional rental firms or repossessed in nearly 100 violated the holder in January by its liencities in federal Fair wide-scale sting operation.

The organizatio a back more than after it failed to pay found a quarter Housing Act, COmPLaINTS FILED WITH ns million of the firms treated accord- ers $69 million U.S. HOUSING loan from ing to complaints of a $75 differently than OFFICaLS hearing callers. deaf callfiled PaGE 7 The mall in WestWachovia Bank. this month.

One hearing Ashley tester and one of-hearing deaf or hard- despite its foreclosure and is remaining open tester called complex under each apartment according to a spokespers ownership change, investigatio on for Estate Group. asked about Spinoso, which Spinoso Real the same size n. The testers mall’s has been the receiver since similar move-in apartment with Sept. 1, will dates, but the continue to hard of hear- lease, manage and market the property the new owner. under See

B

The National Fair Housing nine housing discrimination Alliance filed including two complaints — in Charleston Charleston , one in North and one in Lexington — with

C

DISCRIMINA

TION, Page

7

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Flu Hits Worker

s

Working-age individuals targeted by this year’s strain.

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PRISON

Prison Industries, a division of the state’s Corrections Department, employs and trains inmates through three programs: Traditional, Service and Prison Industry Enterprise. Currently, 1,345 inmates are working in Prison Industries in South Carolina.

INDUSTRIES

Traditional Industries Program

Inmates manufacture desks, bookcases, mattresses, seating and office modular systems. The products are sold to state, county and municipal offices, as well as school districts. Inmates also provide printing services and picture framing to customers.

Inmates volunteer for the work and do not receive wages.

Inmates: 291 Civilians: 19 (supervisors) Total revenue: $8.68 million

One example of Traditional Industries Program: Traffic signs Years at SCDC: 65 Inmates: 32 • Location: Broad River

Prison Industry Enterprise Program Inmates voluntarily work to manufacture goods for government or private industry. The inmates receive minimum wage — $7.25 per hour — as defined by the Department of Employment and Workforce. Of those wages, they agree to deductions for taxes, victim compensation, family support and room and board.

About 15 inmates produce golf carts for King of Carts in Columbia. (Photo/Liz Segrist)

F

our days a week, John works in the Sign Shop producing road signs for the state.

The 25,000-square-foot facility in Columbia looks like many other manufacturing operations around the state, and John looks like any other employee, but the shop sits on the grounds of the Broad River Correctional Institution where John has been an inmate for nearly 40 years.

The state’s Corrections Department runs a program called Prison Industries that employs and trains inmates. Some inmates produce goods for the state and work for free; others produce goods for the private and public sectors and earn wages that go to victims’ families, inmates’ families, room and board, taxes and an inmate savings account.

Phil Burckhalter has worked for the Corrections Department for 25 years and runs the program.

“Some of them don’t have a family to go back to

or any means to go back into the community, so we’re giving them the means to walk out with a few hundred dollars to hold them over and some skills to find a new job,” Burckhalter said.

Inmates in the programs build desks and chairs for school districts and city, state and county offices.

They design and manufacture the signs that direct residents and visitors traveling the state’s highways.

Others work for private industry, rebuilding transmissions for Caterpillar, refurbishing golf carts for King of Carts or separating seedlings for ArborGen. Prison Industries has about 1,300 working inmates, accounting for roughly 10% of the state’s prison population, with 300 waiting for a job.

“If I’m using my mind and my hands to create these signs, I’m not bored and I’m not fighting,” John said. “I’m learning. I’m rehabbing myself. I’m changing.” cr bj

Source: Prison Industries, S.C. Department of Corrections Infographic/Ryan Wilcox

Inmates: 716 Civilians: 16 (supervisors) Total revenue: $10.6 million Inmate Wages: $7.29 million Paid to victims’ restitution: $1.46 million Room and board: $1.23 million Family support: $819,000

One example of the PIE Program: Anderson floors: Scraping, staining wood flooring Years at SCDC: 14 Inmates: 478 Locations: Tyger River, Trenton, Broad River

Service Industry Program

Inmates rebuild and reupholster furniture, refurbish golf carts, plant tree seedlings, recycle textiles and assemble meter parts for public and private-sector companies. Work is not original equipment manufacturing and doesn’t fall under federal minimum wage requirements, so inmate wages can be negotiated with companies. Inmates earn from 35 cents to $1.80 per hour.

Civilians: 13 (supervisors) Total revenue: $2.74 million Inmate Wages: $419,000 Paid to victims’ restitution: $87,000 Room and board: $96,000 Family support: $8,700

One example of the Service Industry Program: Plastics Reclaim: Recycling plastic Years at SCDC: 16 Inmates: 141 Locations: Trenton, Livesay, Ridgeland

otherNEWSMAKERS Citadel Mall and the West Ashley Shoppes were reposseessed by their lien holders during a foreclosure auction for $65 million and $18.3 million, respectively. Only the plaintiffs in each of the foreclosure cases, 2070 Sam Rittenberg Blvd. Holdings LLC and 946 Orleans Road Holdings LLC, placed bids on the properties, which were leveraged for a total of more than $93 million. Though there were only two bidders, so many attended the foreclosure auction that the Charleston County master-in-equity moved the auction to a larger room in the Charleston County Judicial Center.

14 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

NEWS MAKERS 2014

From the 2.10.14 Issue

February 10

- 23, 2014 •

Charleston drinking establishments get national nods.

Page 2

Independent practitioners team up to form Palmetto Health & Wellness campus

www.charle

stonbusines

s.com

Big ships need Signature hospitality

Rebuilding Folly

Tons of sand are being sucked from the ocean floor and poured onto Folly Beach. Page 6

In Focus: Residential Real Estate

Mixing it up Several mixed-use developments are redefining community living. Page 15

By Liz Segrist

S

By Ashley Heffernan

Volume 20, No.

Inte rating

4 • $2.00

docks

See PORT, Page

Rendering/Palmetto Primary Care Physicians

7

Coding school expands to meet demand for skills

med cine A

Palmetto Primary plans to build a Care Physicians 50-acre medical campus, leveragin transparency and g technology, preventive medicine.

Full Story, Page 10.

INSIDE Upfront ................... ......... 2 In Focus: Residential Real List: HomebuildeEstate ..15 rs....... 25 At Work ................... ...... 27 People in the News Business Digest ........ 27 Hot Properties ............. 27 ................

Viewpoint................... 30 .... 31

larger cranes, robust

lsegrist@scb equipment and iznews.com facilities in region to accommod the Charleston ome of the ate larger ships, and CEO Jim Port Newsome accord- even nals are poised of Charleston’s termi- ing to the ports authority’s more in the future said. “We can expect ships head for for an upgrade as bigger authority is also considering board. The ports es with the mega (of shipping tion with regional future collaboraallianclines).”

The S.C. State the East Coast.

Some lenges that come ports to address the announce several Ports Authority plans chal- designed of the local port terminals with bigger ships. to infrastructu “If most recent for ships that the next 12 are 5,000 to 6,000 are history tells us months to updatere projects over that we can expect anything, it’s ty-foot equivalent units, twenits terminals, or TEUs, a common to see bigger than we think,” ships sooner industry measurement.

S.C. Ports Authority The Wando Welch President

➤

By Liz Segrist

lsegrist@scb iznews.com

nother coding school is coming downtown Charleston to to help meet the technology sector’s increasing demand for programmers.

As part of its the Southeast, plan to expand throughout The up to 15 students Iron Yard plans to accept into its three-mont h, fulltime code and Web development ExEcutIVE school in downtown SummaRy Charleston, Chief Marketing Officer The Iron Yard will Eric Dodds launch its said. Classcoding es start March school next month 17.

The Iron Yard in downtown Greenville-based is a Charleston to funnel ness accelerator, busi- workers into local coding school and co-working technology firms. space for creative tech companies. and It is closing on an undisclosed space in Charleston near King and appears to be Calhoun streets, and Atlanta next.

The Iron Yard Academy uses professionals to teach students local coding programming See IRON YARD,

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Pointing

up Patriots Point refocusing programming and target to help bottom audiences line. Page 4

A 50-acre medical campus will be built in MWV’s Nexton community in Summerville. Above: Construction begins on other buildings and infrastructure at Nexton. (Photo/Ashley Heffernan)

B

y the end of 2015, the Lowcountry is expected to have a new medical campus led by local physicians who are unsatisfied with scattered health care options, according to Jeff Lehrich, the now-former CEO of Palmetto Primary Care Physicians, who resigned in December.

The outpatient physicians group is planning a 50-acre medical campus in Summerville.

Lehrich said the campus will likely include a medical office tower, 12-story clinical and administrative office tower with space for medical retail, a hotel with medical amenities for patients and their families, around 200 assisted-living units and an independent-living facility.

The Palmetto Health & Wellness campus is also expected to include an ambulatory surgery center; a clinical decision unit; a skilled nursing, rehabilitation and memory care center; and a 24-hour urgent care and emergency

department center. Centers for health and wellness, cancer and hospice will be built as well, Lehrich said.

“You’re not going to have every office with a waiting room and a front-desk person,” Lehrich said. “It’s going to be concierge-level service with common registration of the patients and open waiting areas with a cafe, wireless Internet and music.

It’s going to be a very welcoming and healing environment.”

He said it will mimic the design of a Mayo Clinic.

“When I started looking at things, I realized how fragmented and disjointed the health care was here,” Lehrich said.

MWV is planning the medical campus for its 4,500-acre Nexton community, which is being Rendering/Pa lmetto Prima built in Summerville. ry Care cr bj

Physicians

otherNEWSMAKERS The Army Corps of Engineers launched into a months-long beach renourishment project on Folly Beach for the first time since 2005. Gigantic pipes lining the beach pumped 1.5 million cubic yards of sand from the ocean floor off the coast of Charleston. The $30.7 million project to restore more than 5 miles of eroding beach is part of an ongoing agreement with the town of Folly Beach and the Army Corps.

Photo/Liz Segrist

16 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

Photo/Liz Segrist

NEWS MAKERS 2014

From the 2.24.14 Issue

February 24

- March 9, 2014

Concealed carry

Questions surround law allowing concealed firearms in restaurants and bars. Page 7

One bigger college?

Lawmakers file bill to merge College Charleston, MUSC.of Page 11

STEM curriculum teaches manufacturing skills

T

stonbusines

s.com

Charleston Sch ool of

By Ashley Barker

See LAW SCHOOL,

Clean but green

Upfront ...................

In Focus: Energy ......... 2 and the Environmen t ... 19 List: Heating and Air Contractors ............ 24 At Work ................... ...... 27 People in the News Business Digest ........ 27 Hot Properties ............. 27 ................

Viewpoint................... 30 .... 31

Volume 20, No.

O

Photo/Ashley

Adapting the

See Q & A, Page

12

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CurriCul

um

Laing Middle School embrace an interdiscip sixth graders are ditching traditional classroom linary, yearlong s to greenhouse project a more well-round designed to make ed workforce.

Full Story. Page 8

Photo/ Gibson Pitts

prosthetic hand, a component and a new iPhone of a Boeing plane case all came from a 3D printer.

Page 14

uments on her iPad each time a crew member climbs a ladder. A teacher looks on but rarely answers questions.

This is how Laing Middle School believes science, technology, engineering and math, commonly referred to as STEM, should be taught. The administration hopes the effort leads to a more well-rounded workforce.

At the beginning of the school year, the sixth-grade teachers introduced a project to students.

The goal was for all homeroom classes, totaling 252 students, to build a greenhouse, complete with solar-powered irrigation and ventilation systems conSixth-graders at Laing Middle School work together to build greenhouses, complete with irrigation and ventilation systems. (Photos/ Ashley Heffernan)

Photo/Liz Segrist

trolled by small computers.

“The kids had to get dressed up, and they made PowerPoint slides and explained their reasons and how they’re going to do this. They’re very driven,” said Mel Goodwin, a STEM contractor who runs the program.

Danny Rowland, an owner of CMMC LLC, has been in the ship repair and heavy-manufacturing industry his entire adult life. He said he was disgusted by the lack of technical education at schools.

“We get people that come in the door that know nothing about a twoby-four. We have to start from scratch with them,” he said. “Those kids at Laing, if they keep this up, when they come to us looking for a job, they will already have a platform. We can work with people like that who have a working knowledge.” cr bj

otherNEWSMAKERS A 14-acre solar power farm owned and operated by TIG Sun Energy is powering homes in Walterboro with electricity produced at the state’s largest solar power generating operation. Utilities buy the total energy output and study data about costs and reliability. The Colleton Solar Farm produced enough energy to light 753 60-watt lightbulbs for eight hours a day in the first month at the 3-megawatt solar complex.

TIG Sun is a subsidiary of North Charleston-based The InterTech Group.

18 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

Page 4

ne month into President and the job, Blackbaud CEO Michael sits down with Gianoni the Business to discuss his Journal 30 years of software technology experience in the sector, his decision relocate from New Jersey to Charleston to his plans to grow the Daniel and technology firm.

Island-based

Barker

A little boy’s

about 4 1/2 feet tall, followed by a safety director who has pink laces in her sneakers, along with goggles and a hard hat. Then there’s a marketing specialist, who sports polka-dot pants and doc-

5 • $2.00

Blackbaud’s new CEO talks strategy

Demand growing commercial green-for cleaning products.

Page 20

INSIDE

Law sale in lim bo

abarker@scbiznews.com Law, Florida Coastal School zona Summit of Law and he InfiLaw Ari- woman Law System is committed provide managemeSchool – agreed last July Kathy Heldman buying the Charleston to leveled said that charge nt services for to By the at almost all the school. end of August, School of even if it faces for-profit education gets questions from Law agreement expressing InfiLaw had signed an tutions. insticommunity and the “It is unfortunate na Commissio a review by the South Caroli- the Charleston School its intent to purchase schools,” Heldman , and untrue for InfiLaw n on Higher of Law. The move was Education.

InfiLaw – a said in a “InfiLaw schools consortium school’s students met with backlash from law schools of independen would not succeedstatement. the and including the or Charlotte School t tion of the system, alumni about the reputa- accreditation if they did not graduate retain which who could pass of called a students “diploma mill. has commonly been the bar and get ” But InfiLaw jobs.” spokes-

Plugging in

Shore power debate continues as cruiseline plans to scrub emissions.

Page 22

By Ashley Heffernan here’s a place where 11- and 12-year-olds spend their days drilling, hammering and carrying lumber around a construction site.

The production manager stands

• www.charle

T

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NEWS MAKERS 2014

From the 3.10.14 Issue

March 10 - 23,

149 beers

2014 • www.charle

Latest Brewvival brings beermasters from U.S. to Charleston. across Page 2

stonbusines

FLOODED s.com

with uncertai nty

A

Flood insurance reform has historic property owners in over their heads

By Harriet McLeod

Command performance

editorial@sc biznews.com

See NURSING

Gaillard Center construction on schedule for 2015 opening.

Page 15

Upfront ................... ......... 2 In Focus: Architecture , Engineering & Constructio n ............. 15 List: General Contractors At Work ................... .... 31 ...... 33 People in the News Business Digest ........ 33 ............. 33 Viewpoint................... .... 39

Preservation groups D.C., want Congress in Charleston, New Orleans and Washingto resulted in dramatica to reconsider a new flood n, insurance law lly higher rates that in flood zones, for some older like many historic homes or those homes on Charleston ’s Peninsula.

Full Story, Page 6

Photo/Ryan Wilcox

L

HOMES, Page

Why your best employees are looking for jobs

C

ompanies across the United are going to States have a tougher year holding time on to their most this ed employees talentthan There are steps, they did last year. though, that to keep stars can be taken from to James Wilkerson,jumping ship, according an assistant of business professor administration at Charleston

CHARLESTON UNDER CONSTRUCTION See JOBS, Page

Who is building what in the Projects, companies Charleston area? , prices, projected timelines and photos.

Page 15

grandfathered properties were previously subsidized.

The Biggert-Waters Act dropped the subsidies.

Concerned for homeowners on the older beach islands, Sullivan’s Island Town Council member Pat O’Neil phoned Winslow Hastie, chief preservation officer at Historic Charleston Foundation, in August.

Hastie connected the Historic Charleston Foundation with preservation and lobbying groups, including the Coalition for Sustainable Flood Insurance, which formed in New Orleans in response to the rates.

Rates were to rise gradually for existing owners of pre-flood map vacation or second homes, homes that have flooded previously or businesses in highrisk areas. But the full-risk rate kicks in when a pre-

otherNEWSMAKERS A February ice storm that damaged 1.5 million acres of S.C. forestland and shut down the Ravenel Bridge for days threatened to disrupt the state’s $17.4 billion forestry industry. The storm left a 170-mile-long, 70-mile-wide trail of timber damage through 21 counties, extending from the Savannah River to the North Carolina border, according to the S.C. Forestry Commission. About 11% of forestland suffered direct or intermediate timber losses. The industry employs 90,000 workers and suffered $360 million in damage.

S.C. Forestry Commission Forester Ron Holt surveys the damage from the ice. (Photo/Michelle Johnson)

20 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

12

By Ashley Barker

abarker@scbiznews.com

Photos/Ryan Wilcox

ast summer, a small group of people on the Isle of Palms and Sullivan’s Island, both heavily flooded by Hurricane Hugo more than two decades ago, started sounding an alarm about the federal flood insurance reform law that was set to take effect on Oct. 1.

The Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 was designed to get the Federal Emergency Management Agency out of $24 billion in debt it sustained over the past decade in the wake of hurricanes like Katrina and Sandy.

It raised insurance premiums as much as tenfold on properties built before federal flood maps were drawn in the late 1960s. Insurance rates on those

6 • $2.00

By Matt Tomsic

t 3:20 a.m., a dent in North nursing home resiAugusta removed breathing tube for the seventh her Employees at time. the nursing home the resident rushed to and ing. They started found no pulse or breathCPR and used paramedics an AED until arrived and took the patient the hospital at 3:45 to Twenty-three a.m. nounced Residentminutes later, doctors proFollowing the No. 1 dead. death, investigator viewed staff s interand records, according reviewed the deceased’s to documenta the Centers tion from for Medicare and Medicaid vices, eventually serfinding nine and levying deficiencies a $305,000 fine and payment

Cutting into profits

Winter storms damage state’s timber industry.

Page 9

INSIDE

Volume 20, No.

Nursing home problems cost money, lives

flood map property in a high risk area is sold to a new owner. In five-and-a-half months, Charleston realtors and insurance agents have seen property sales stalled or shut down because of the new rates.

Some realtors reported insurance quotes as high as $50,000 a year. The insurance costs also could have slashed the value of peninsular Charleston’s historic homes built centuries before flood maps, Hastie said.

In March, President Barack Obama signed a change to the law to reverse some of the Biggert-Waters Act. Specifically, subsidized rates will be phased out. The bill also caps the average annual premium increase at 18% a year for homeowners, and at 25% a year for owners of businesses and second homes. cr bj

4

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NEWS MAKERS 2014

From the 3.24.14 Issue

March 24 - April

6, 2014 • www.charle

State requiring licenses for coding schools

By Liz Segrist

T

he Iron Yard Founder Peter Barth received a cease and desist letter from the state last spring telling him to get his coding school licensed or close its doors.

Barth got on the phone with state officials, and by the next day, the state withdrew the letter. Barth submitted an application to the S.C. Commission on Higher Education to get his coding school — The Iron Yard Academy — licensed. The three-month web development training program in Greenville has expanded to the Charleston area.

“For the most part, they want to know who we are and make sure we’re licensed ... but the processes are really old school in every state and many of the regulations don’t apply,” Barth said.

State education commissions around the country are cracking down on coding schools to get licensed. At least 14 states have required coding schools to get licensed since the beginning of the year.

Barth said the sudden crackdown around

stonbusines

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High-tech hubs

Historic tourism

Charleston’s federal historic sites support hundreds of jobs and pump nearly $50 million into the local economy.

Page 16

Fee increas

Mount Pleasant e increases business license fees and taxes for property owners.

Page 10

By Liz Segrist

MARCH MERG

MADNESER S Feelings are mixed when it comes to the Charleston and proposed merger the Medical of the College University of of said Charleston South Carolina.

University could Sen. Larry Grooms touch every institute in the Lowcountry.

Full Story. Page 3

licensed. The three-month training program web developme nt in Greenville to Charleston is expanding this “For the most month. part, they want we are and make sure we’re to know who the processes are really old licensed ... but state and many school in every of the regulations Barth said. don’t apply,” See CODING

M

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Chamber

= Comme

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predicts slow, steady growth .................. 13 Boeing works to stabilize production ....................

Port looks to . 14 raise rates for investments ................

15

Iron Yard Academy students learn how to program at the Next Innovation Center in Greenville. The academy expanded to Mount Pleasant in 2014. (Photo/The Iron Yard)

otherNEWSMAKERS Bass Pro Shops plans to open a 130,000- to 150,000-square foot Outdoor World store in North Charleston at the corner of Interstate 26 and Northside Drive, but some local businesses and Rep. Mark Sanford contend the tax incentives offered to big-box stores are unfair. North Charleston City Council backed incentives for a retail project that could draw at least 700,000 out-of-town visitors each year.

A rendering shows what the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World store in North Charleston will look like. The store will feature an Uncle Buck’s Fishbowl and Grill. (Images/Bass Pro Shops)

22 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

, Page 13

The region’s economy ballooned in recent diversified as population years. Here’s what’s ahead a snapshot of for some major industrial sectors:

of Charleston

Wine + Food

cr bj

By Liz Segrist

ECONOMIC FORECAS

Photo/College

12

lsegrist@scb iznews.com

Chefs and food lovers from acrossrce U.S. crowd into the Charleston for and Food Festival.

Wine Page 20

the country signifies that coding schools are seen as a threat to four-year degrees.

“It all happened at the same time. First in California, and within the same week, 12 to 13 other states reached out to code schools in their states about getting regulated,” he said.

Coding schools have sprung up around the country, quickly churning out developers that tech startups and tech giants desperately need.

Most programs cost around $10,000 and last for several months. Students attend classes and labs full-time. Professional developers teach them how to build websites, write code, develop software and create apps. Many offer a full refund if a junior-level developer position is not landed within six months.

State regulators say these schools operate similarly to other educational institutions, and therefore require licensing by law. The licensing aims to protect students against fraud to prevent them from shelling out thousands of dollars for a program that’s illegitimate.

SCHOOLS, Page

Study finds imbalance in degrees, jobs any job seekers region do not in the Charleston have the degrees needed to Roughly 25,000 fill local jobs. new jobs are the Charleston region in the projected for said Mary Graham, next the Charleston five years, senior vice president.

Chamber’s The jobs being and the degrees created up, according being produced do not match to a recent study Consulting,

by Avalanche which the chamber commissioned.

“We have successfully growth in manufactur diversified with ing and now sion in the an exploIT sector,” Graham said at the

Brew Zone

Charleston County considers zoning microbreweries. to allow Page 22

Upfront ................... ......... 2 In Focus: Hospitality & Tourism List: Area Attractions .. 17 At Work ................... .. 23 ...... 27 People in the News Business Digest ........ 27 Hot Properties ............. 27 ................

Viewpoint................... 30 .... 31

7 • $2.00

lsegrist@scb iznews.com

he Iron Yard EXECUTIVE SUMMAR Y recently receivedFounder Peter Barth States are requiring a cease and letter from to protect students coding schools to be licensed desist against fraud. his coding school the state telling him say the regulations Coding to get licensed or close don’t accommodat schools Barth got on its doors. changing curriculums. e quickly and by the next the phone with state officials, day, the state ter. Barth submitted withdrew the let- Commissio an application n on to the S.C. coding school Higher Education to get — The Iron his Yard Academy —

Charleston on the list with other “Silicon Cities.”

Page 2

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NEWS MAKERS 2014

From the 4.7.14 Issue

April 7 - 20,

2014 • www.charle

‘Project Striker’

Filing shows Bushy Park getting ready for an economic developmen t project. Page 15

Taking Flight

Patriots Point Flight Academy teaches leadership. Page students 19

Growing STEM

Area colleges see interest in science,rising technology, engineering and math. Page 28

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The student group “Fight for CofC” formed to protest the board of trustees’ decision to hire Glenn McConnell as college president. The group protested by holding a class walkout and staging a silent sit-in, in addition to circulating a petition and chanting “Hey, hey, ho, ho, Glenn McConnell has got to go” in the Cistern. (Photos/Ashley Heffernan)

EXECUTIV

Fashion forward Thousands cram into tents on Marion Square each year to see both up-and-co ming and established designers showcase their visions at Charleston Fashion Week. Many of these emerging designers go on to launch local businesses .

Full Story. Page 8

See UNION,

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Emerging Designer Kaitlyn Machos, showcased her of Lexington, collection during Fashion Week.

Charleston (Photo/Liz Segrist)

McConnell wins

By Liz Segrist

lsegrist@scb iznews.com

See IMMIGRATIO

N, Page 4

job,

McConnell wins job — now what?

College of Charleston students protested the board of trustees’ pick by holding a class walkout, staging a silent sit-in and chanting “Whose school? Our school!” in the Cistern.

Community feedback released When Glenn McConnell was one of three finalists — including international businessman Dennis “Jody” Encarnation and University of West Florida Provost Martha Saunders — he spent more than five hours answering questions from College of Charleston faculty, staff, alumni, students and members of the community. At the end of each session, audience members were asked to submit written feedback on each of the finalists.

More than 400 feedback forms were collected and used to create a report for the board to review while the members discussed who to choose. Below are some report notes: Pro-Glenn McConnell comments

Anti-Glenn McConnell comments

“McConnell is qualified for the job and may be the only person that can fix some of the serious challenges facing the college,” one response form said.

“The academic community is a unique organism; I do not think one can lead faculty and staff without that experience,” a person described as a volunteer leader wrote.

A faculty member said McConnell “can achieve a change in the college’s status from a teaching university to a research university.”

One alumna wrote “he was a powerful member of the Legislature when (the college’s) funding was cut.”

A community member wrote McConnell “has An audience member said, “It is insulting to worked for and voted for minority candidates to have a Confederate re-enactor as a candidate. state boards and commissions.”

His reputation is certain to hinder our recruitment efforts among diverse populations.”

A student wrote that McConnell could “probably get large donations,” and a person described as a volunteer leader stated that he would provide “access to funding so badly needed.”

A CofC donor predicted that McConnell’s presidency will be “very damaging,” and that the college’s “national appeal will be undone.”

The words “intelligent,” well-spoken” and “person of integrity” were used to describe McConnell, and one person wrote that he is “smart, savvy and politically astute.”

A faculty member wrote, “It should be abundantly clear to the board of trustees that the appointment of Glenn McConnell would alienate the faculty and student body and make the College of Charleston a national laughingstock.”

A student wrote, “I believe he could be a successful candidate if he can distance himself from former political actions and think like an educator.”

An audience member wrote “having no background in academia is fine … if you make the effort to become acquainted with the environment, the issues and responsibilities.”

Source: College of Charleston

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers opened an office less than three miles from Boeing S.C.’s 787 Dreamliner final assembly, manufacturing and delivery operations in North Charleston. The IAM unionized the former Vought Aircraft Industries’ plant for a short time before workers decertified the union after Boeing bought the plant in 2009. The machinists set up the local office last spring after a number of Boeing employees reached out, IAM Communications Director Frank Larkin said. The IAM continues to send mass mailings and meet with Boeing employees, while Boeing representatives reiterate its workforce does not need outside representation.

Page 16

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Businesses say illegal workers fill labor gap

halmers Carr could not run acre farm in his Saluda County 5,500immigrant without Roughly 90% workers. ees are Mexicans of his 600 seasonal employwho travel to each year to South Carolina work eral guest worker at Titan Farms under a fedprogram.

The H-2A Program enables to request immigrant employers workers through U.S. Departmen the country, work t of Labor. They come to a the 16 years, Carr season and return home.

For through this has hired immigrant workers program to plant farm’s peach, bell pepper and and harvest the broccoli Carr said current guest worker crops. do not go far programs enough to fill needs of constructio the workforce n, tourism and ture industries agriculin grant workers, the state that rely on immimented, to run many of whom are undocutheir businesses cannot find enough Americans because they the jobs. interested in He advocates for immigratio n reform that

INSIDE Upfront ...................

In Focus: Education......... 2 and Workforce List: Colleges ............. 19 and Universities .................. 30 List: Private Schools At Work ................... .... 32 ...... 35 People in the News Business Digest ........ 35 ............. 35 Viewpoint................... .... 39

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The Machinists operations after union moved to set up local being contacted of Boeing employees by a number about organizing, Communications IAM Director Frank The union did not disclose Larkin said. workers attended how many 7025 Dorchester the first local meeting at Road on March of the media were not allowed 20. Members to attend.

College of Charleston now students have what? board of trustees’ protested the staging a silent pick by holding a class walk-out, sit-in and chanting Our school” in “Whose school? the Cistern.

Pages 12-13

otherNEWSMAKERS

24 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

By Liz Segrist

lsegrist@scb iznews.com

n spite of an E SUMMARY anti-union political The Machinists sphere touted atmounion opened by a local office effort to organize Machinists union Gov. Nikki Haley, the in an Boeing. Both has come to officials say they state and Boeing Boeing. town for do not want the plant to unionize.

After nearly South Carolina two years of courting Boeing Workers opened al Association employees, the Internation an office in of Machinists North Charlesand Aerospace ton and held its first informational for employees meeting late last month.

By Ashley Heffernan ollege of Charleston President Glenn McConnell is hoping students eventually learn to trust him, despite many pre-employment protests, as he settles into his new role.

Ted Stern was president of the college when McConnell was a student and president of the Student Government Association. McConnell, who was chosen by the board of trustees March 22 to become the 22nd president, said Stern included him and other students in forthcoming decisions.

“He gave me that courtesy, and I’m going to give that same courtesy back,” McConnell said. “Some of the people who have voiced concerns about me have never met me and don’t know me. They have a right to their opinion, and the board has a right to their opinion. I will be judged by the job I do.”

McConnell transitioned from South Carolina lieutenant governor to CofC president between April and July, when former President George Benson stepped down. Benson remains a member of the college faculty.

As part of his move to leadership, McConnell met with different groups at CofC to learn about their concerns and figure out the college’s structure.

McConnell said one of his first priorities would be to look at increasing diversity on the campus. About 6% of the student population is black, and McConnell said he thinks that number is far too low.

“We’ve got to do something about diversity. I’m going to be putting my attention on that for sure,” he said. “Areas of retention and progression so students can move through a four-year period are what we’re going to work on as we go forward.”

McConnell also plans to improve communication between administrators and the students and faculty.

“I understand the shared-governance system. I come from that background as the president pro tem. I want to bring them into a comfort zone,” McConnell said. “It’s all about making sure students who come to the College of Charleston enjoy excellence in education that’s affordable and accessible.”

s.com

Volume 20, No.

FAA approve s 787

Federal regulators say Dreamliner is safe to fly.

Page 6

McConnell takes over leadership of CofC

stonbusines

Union opens S.C. office to organize Boeing workers

I

➤

NEWS MAKERS 2014

From the 4.21.14 Issue

April 21 - May

Campaign disc losure reports Flaw in proced ure suggests not always false 4, 2014 • www.charle

stonbusines

s.com

conflict of intere st

By Ashley Barker

abarker@scb iznews.com

for College of

Volume 20, No.

accurate

9 • $2.00

A S.C. Ethics disclosure form Commission campaign ers that were indicates hen Cherry disclosed.

Daniel donated College of Charleston that Daniel, a Campaign disclosure $1,000 to Glenn board member, McConnell’s also donated $1,000 in forms incorrect- re-election to the Senate,” political campaign just before McConnell September 2013, ly show that four board Daniel said. “This ago, she was members, includ- was a one-time thing six years ing Chairman started making five or six years re-elected to trying to help him get bid to be the college’s next a to McConnell Greg Padgett, gave money not something that ago, the South Carolina president.

But the second ’s war chest last When a Southhappened last year.”

Senate. donation never year.

“That Carolina candidate ly happened, transfers funds actual- I donated figure is old, like six and neither did years old. that when I several othanother — even from one account to was asked to a fundraiser if a donation go to when he was was made running for See

W

Charleston Race Week combines sailing and aeronautics

By Ashley Heffernan

W

hen it comes to understanding airflow, a sailboat is just an airplane turned on its side, according to Boeing S.C. representative Joel Tambaoan.

The engineer spoke to South Carolina educators during Charleston Race Week about the importance of teaching with a hands-on approach.

“Sails on a boat act the same way a wing on an airplane works,” he said. If students understand the mechanics of a sailboat, a Charleston staple, they’ll comprehend aeronautics much easier.

Tambaoan said students focusing on STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — find it easier to transition into the real world. He didn’t have that option growing up.

“Knowing aeronautical terms — keels, crowns, side frames — that was a transition for me. I knew what an airplane looked like. I knew the basics from what I’d seen in a book, and it was the minimum amount for me to get through it,” he said.

Terminology associated with sailing was part of the curriculum for U.S. Sailing’s STEM Educator Course through the Reach Program, which was hosted at

SAILING through science

Soap, educatio and commu n nity

Voices from the second TEDxCharleston.

Pages 2-4

Local bank growing in S.C. CresCom

South Carolina

educators learn how to use sailing wind speed data concepts — and underwater such as deciphering mapping — to better prepare workforce during students for a program at the Charleston Race Week.

Full Story, Page 8

Bank adding branches in Cane Bay, Myrtle Beach area.

Page 38

Another ruling cruise industry on

Judge tosses out cruise terminal lawsuit, opponents plan to appeal.

Page 2

INSIDE Upfront .................... ........ 2 In Focus: Bank and Finance ........ 13 List: Banks ...................

At Work .................... 41 ..... 43 People in the News Business Digest ........ 43 ............. 43 Viewpoint.................... ... 47 Photo/Charle

ston Race Week,

Meredith Block

Charleston board

CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE,

Page 10

Angel investors give insight into funding world

F

➤

By Liz Segrist

lsegrist@scb iznews.com

or entrepreneu new company, rs hoping to launch a funding can be their biggest obstacle, particularly east. in the South“In this marketplac e, venture exceedingly capital scarce. Trying not necessarily to count on is it is rare here,” said a great strategy because it’s so Matt Dunbar, director of Greenvillethe managing based Upstate Angel Network, during the recent Carolina festival in Charleston.

Dig South In the fourth quarter of 2013, east region received the South$383 million capital funding in venture the nationwide for 124 deals, roughly 5% of received $3.22 share, while Silicon Valley billion for 306 39% of the share, according deals, roughly house Cooper’s to MoneyTree report.PricewaterPeopleMatter, ny that creates a Charleston-based compasoftware for has successfully human resources, garnered tens dollars from venture capital of millions of genthaler and firms like MorScale Venture it one of the Partners, making few substantial venture local companies to secure capital.

See ANGEL INVESTORS,

Page 6

➤

Meet 40 of the Charleston region’s and brightest young professiona best ls. Page 15

Charleston Race Week last spring.

A program manager taught 10 modules developed by U.S. Sailing to teachers and sailing instructors from Charleston, Dorchester and Marion counties. The topics include deciphering wind speed data, underwater mapping and determining the area of a triangle using the shape of a boat’s hull. The modules are designed to get students to use their hands and imaginations, rather than just memorization.

Heather Niemi, a fifth grade math, science and social studies teacher from Burns Elementary School in North Charleston, and Robin Sheek, a marine science teacher for sixth through eighth grades at Laing Middle School of Science and Technology in Mount Pleasant, were partners for the daylong Reach Program.

They said that combining sailing, water and hands-on work helped the students understand STEM concepts.

“I’ve been teaching area of a triangle for years, and they don’t understand the concept,” Niemi said. “But if you say, ‘what’s the area of this sail so we can go out on the water and catch wind?’ that makes total sense to them.”

Proceeds from the regatta are used to support sailing-oriented nonprofit organizations in the Charleston area. In the past, contributions have been made to Charleston Community Sailing, Veterans On Deck, the Special Olympics Regatta and the College of Charleston Community Sailing Association. (Photos/ Sperry Top-Sider Charleston Race Week, Meredith Block)

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Photo/Charleston Race Week, Meredith Block

otherNEWSMAKERS Fourteen speakers, 600 attendees and a ton of ideas marked the 2014 TEDxCharleston conference. The second special TEDx event for the Holy City featured health care professionals, educators and Andrew Roskill, CEO of Charleston-based Bibliolabs, who sees digital access to education and information as a way to lift individuals, families and communities out of poverty. Bibliolabs helps libraries and other information sources provide easy, digital access to their collections.

26 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

NEWS MAKERS 2014

From the 5.5.14 Issue

May 5 - 18,

2014 • www.charle

Mixed-use economy

Lowcountry chef teaching in the sky

Developers say livework trend helps transportation. growth, Page 4

INSIDE Upfront ...................

In Focus: Ports, ......... 2 and Distribution Logistics ........... 13 List: Motor Freight Companies ...................

23 At Work ................... ...... 27 People in the News Business Digest ........ 27 ............. 27 Viewpoint................... .... 31

R

Neck area Volume 20, No.

INFLIGHT

MENTOR

Delta Air Lines picks Charleston chef Sean Brock for a one-on-on e class at 35,000 feet as he travels New York City to for the Foundation awards James Beard ceremony.

Full Story, Page

Photo/Leslie Burden

10

See NECK, Page

T

By Ashley Barker

abarker@scbiznews.com

He wants to establish a more patient-cen tered, quality-based and measurable mission Cole that hinges on discussions with insurance and local businesses. companies “I honestly think we need relationship to change the with insurance providers to it’s not a negotiated where contract who is your adversary,” Cole with someone mon ground is quality. Better said. “The comeverybody wins quality, less cost, provider and — the patient, the health the institution.” care Building relationship s with industry See MUSC, Page

harleston chef Sean Brock didn’t think he would win the James Beard Foundation award for outstanding chef, but he still shared some of his culinary experience with an airplane passenger on the way to the awards ceremony.

Brock, the chef partner of McCrady’s and Husk restaurants, traveled to New York City in May, days before the foundation’s awards ceremony, with a companion selected by Delta Air Lines Inc. The airline created a mentoring program that pairs experts from various industries with enthusiastic “up-and-coming doers and innovators” for a one-on-one class at 35,000 feet.

The Delta Innovation Class selected Brock as its second expert to become a mentor, behind Eric Migicovsky, creator of the Pebble smartwatch.

“Maybe they were looking for someone in the restaurant industry that had something to say and has some influence,” Brock said.

As a chef, his message is centered on the history and production of Southern food, not just how to cook it and market it in a restaurant.

“I think that was kind of attractive to them. It would be a conversation that would be beyond just cuisine and the industry, a conversation about food,” Brock said.

During the past two years, Brock has traveled to every continent except Antarctica to speak about Southern food or to do research on nearly extinct crops that were once grown in the South.

“I fly a lot with Delta, and I meet all kinds of people. I’ve met some people along the way that have influenced me and have taught me lessons,” Brock said. “I just thought Delta had a brilliant idea to take that time — if it’s two hours or three hours — where you have somebody’s undivided attention.”

In 2008, Brock started a garden on Wadmalaw Island because the quality and availability of produce for his restaurants wasn’t up to his standards. For two years, he harvested the crops he needed to stock old Southern-style pantries in his restaurants.

By 2010, Brock had developed relationships with local farmers and was able to give seeds to farmers who would grow what he needed.

“Now everyone is growing all the things we want,” he said.

This year, more than 10 acres of Jimmy Red Corn, which is indigenous to James Island and was facing extinction, will be harvested. The corn was one of Brock’s projects in 2008, when he was given some of the rare seed.

“That corn started as a handful that I had, which obviously isn’t much, and now it’s growing all over the South,” Brock said. The corn is already being used for dishes on the McCrady’s menu and is planned to be used at Husk.

otherNEWSMAKERS Dr. David Cole was named president of the Medical University of South Carolina, succeeding Dr. Ray Greenberg, who joined The University of Texas System. Cole carried the support of MUSC’s board of trustees, but the board voted twice after questions were raised by a story in the Charleston Regional Business Journal about voting in secret. Then-Chairman Tom Stephenson said the board’s bylaws required a secret vote. The board later changed the bylaws to say votes must be public.

Dr. David Cole

6

he next president versity of South of the Medical UniCarolina plans how the to alter care and how institution provides health it educates health ers. care providDr. David Cole, current chairman of MUSC’s Department of Surgery, will initially modifying the focus on tion’s culture. organiza-

Moored to the

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10 • $2.00

MUSC surgeon prepares for presidency

port

Much of the region’s economic viability is tied to waterfront. Read Charleston’s this special focus on the challenges and opportunities of moving cargo.

Page 13

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28 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

s.com

By Liz Segrist

lsegrist@scb the area with iznews.com more housing, tation options job and transporedevelopment without displacing kee, Accabee, residents. is long-time Horizon Village, area of Charlestoncoming to the Neck Oak Terrace Liberty Hill, The area covers and North Charlesand ton. nearly 30 the master plan Park Circle are included land between Numerous in area. the Ashley and square miles of entities The area houses Cooper rivers, palities are working and several munici- running from the base of the economic drivers. some of the region’s largest to Charleston Prosperity” master on the “Partnershi Many of the Port International Ravenel Bridge ton’s p for plan that aims terminals and Airport. of CharlesParts of the to revitalize operations, Union Heights, East Side, Wagener Terrace, and the Boeing the airport Co.’s new Rosemont, Chicora Dreamliner Chero-

Driving exports

U.S. Commerce Secretary visits S.C. to talk exports. Page about 22

Legal service

Charleston County s Authority decides Aviation for hiring lawyer. on plan Page 3

By Ashley Heffernan

Photo/Leslie Burden

stonbusines

Changes ahead for the

Renovating McLeod

$3.2 million project begins for the 37-acre plantation.

Page 2

8

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➤

NEWS MAKERS 2014

From the 5.19.14 Issue

May 19 - June

1, 2014 • www.charle

Student trustees

Legislation would students on collegeput boards. Page 9

Charleston’s Eastside attracts big money

Armored vehicles

Pegasus Steel steps to make mine-resist in vehicles for General ant Dynamics in Ladson.

Page 14

Director’s chair

Few women lead corporate directorsas companies. Page at S.C. 19

INSIDE Upfront ................... ......... 2 In Focus: Human Capital List: Employee ............. 19 Benefits Brokers List: Executive .......... 22 Recruiting Firms .......... 24 At Work ................... ...... 27 People in the News Business Digest ........ 27 Hot Properties ............. 27 ................

Viewpoint................... 30 .... 31

By Liz Segrist

stonbusines

Charleston’s Eas tside attracts big money s.com

Volume 20, No.

Real-world indicators

How can sales of diapers and beer baby indicate an economic upswing?

Page 3

By Liz Segrist

GATO

See CIGAR FACTORY,

A couple in Allendale expects to purchase to start an alligator between 20 and farm after they 50 hatchlings successfully lobbied state lawmakers legalize commercia to l alligator farming.

Full Story, Pages 6-7

for startups

S

By Liz Segrist

lsegrist@scb iznews.com

ean Stewart and Brian co-founders Tice, the of a in Charleston new software company , were looking next big thing to be the in tech when other. they met each The entrepreneu rs were through the introduced CoFoundersLab that pairs up website, a site entrepreneu rs. Stewart needed someone with Tice was lookinga business background , and for a technical They met for coder. been working coffee last August and have together since Snapcastr, a SaaS, or softwarethen to launch platform that as a service, enables an audience to photos and comments on a big screen share an event. during Snapcastr’s software searches social sites for hashtags media and keywords with an event. associated It aggregates and photos, allows the eventthe tweets, posts staff to approve See ACCELERATO

R, Page 8

Tech sector

update

The latest in revenue reports, app launches and big-data strategy from Benefitfocu s, BoomTown , Blackbaud, the Digital Corridor and PeopleMatt er.

Pages 16-19

O

Renovations are underway with an anticipated completion in early 2015.

Investors want a mixed-use commercial space for offices, retailers, event spaces and restaurants, but not residential as plans by previous owners called for.

Within two weeks of investors announcing the sale, two tenants — The Indigo Restaurant Group and Garden & Gun magazine — signed on for a cumulative 27,000 square feet.

Since then, Exceed Physical Culture, Fritz Porter, Midland Mortgage Corp., EnviroMix Inc., The Law Office of M. Brooks Derrick LLC and Strategic Risk Solutions have signed on for a total of 22,000 square feet. Garden & Gun also added 5,300 square feet to its space.

The redevelopment of the Cigar Fac-

otherNEWSMAKERS Alligator farming became legal in the Palmetto State this year. Some prospective farming operations started building even before Gov. Nikki Haley signed the law, including a couple in Allendale who anticipate a market for South Carolina-grown alligator meat and hide. Passing the law, which was two years in the making, was just the first step. Alligator eggs and hatchlings must be purchased from farms in other states, but none of the operations can begin until the S.C. Department of Natural Resources sets regulations for the alligator farming operations.

30 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

tory will breathe life back into one of the larger buildings on the peninsula.

The developers have 200 on-site parking spaces and 300 more planned for a plot a few blocks from the building near Cooper and Lee streets. Investors are working with the city to secure a 10-year lease for surface parking, and eventually build a parking garage.

Redevelopment of the area took off in 2009 after a drug crackdown and several federal court cases diminished the reign of the B-Mob, Romney Street Killers and East Side Posse gangs. Now, new residents are flocking to the area as rents skyrocket in downtown.

Many dilapidated or abandoned houses have

been redeveloped. The mostly black community is diversifying into a patchwork of long-time residents, college students and young professionals. Long-standing corner stores and churches remain, and new businesses are coming in. But with redevelopment comes concerns of gentrification.

“Redevelopment has gone nuts in that area. ... It was the most unloved area of Charleston and now there’s big money coming in there,” said Luxury Simplified Co-owner Chris LeighJones, who is redeveloping homes in the on the Eastside. cr bj

Page 12

The Harbor

Accelerator: GROWINR G A boot camp

New investors have acquired the long-vacant Cigar Factory in Charleston’s Eastside neighborhood. The model shows how renovations will look when completed in early 2015. Right: The investors are working with the city to build a parking lot on land near Cooper and Lee streets. (Photos/Liz Segrist)

ne of the few large-scale vacant buildings left on the peninsula is being redeveloped into a mixeduse space that will reshape a corner of the Eastside neighborhood of downtown Charleston.

The Cigar Factory is one of many projects encircling the Eastside as the area undergoes a real estate resurgence.

The five-story Cigar Factory has sat mostly vacant on the corner of Columbus and East Bay streets for eight years.

After a previous owner failed to redevelop it in the wake of the recession, a group of investors bought the building in April for $24 million.

The 244,000-square-foot development sits on 4.5 acres at the base of the Ravenel Bridge.

11 • $2.00

lsegrist@scb undergoes a iznews.com real estate resurgence.

The five-story ne of the few Renovations vacant on the Cigar Factory has sat mostly large-scale vacant are underway ings left on corner of Columbus ed completion with an anticipatthe peninsula build- Bay streets for in early 2015. and East redevelope is being owner eight years. mixed-use commercia Investors that will reshape d into a mixed-use failed to redevelop After a previous l space for offices,want a space ers, event a corner of neighborhood retailthe Eastside the recession, a group of it in the wake of dential spaces and restaurants, of downtown investors bought but not resibuilding last as plans by previous Charleston The Cigar Factory month for $24 the owners called Within two weeks million. is one of many .

The projects encircling for. of investors announcing such on 4.5 244,000-square-foot developme the sale, two the Eastside acres near the tenants as the area Charleston Harbor nt sits Group and Garden — The Indigo Restaurant base of the Ravenel at the & Gun magazine Bridge.

— signed

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➤

NEWS MAKERS 2014

From the 6.2.14 Issue

June 2 - 15,

2014 • www.charle

Blue Folly

Why tourists feel about blue ocean better water.

Page 2

Recouping costs

Nonprofit looks to rebuild Chicora-Cherokee from within

By Liz Segrist

Airport Authority looking for contractor who asbestos. Page used 3

Waterfront sale

Ports authority approves sale of 15 acres for $3 million. Page 4

Horizon on the horizon

Master plans unveiled mixed-use developmenfor t.

Page 13

INSIDE Upfront ................... ......... 2 In Focus: Architecture , Engineering and Constructio n ......... 13 List: Architecture Firms At Work .......................... 31 ...... 35 People in the News Business Digest ........ 35 ............. 35 Viewpoint................... .... 39

stonbusines

s.com

Office building proposal divided by

By Andy Owens

Volume 20, No.

12 • $2.00

Shem Creek

aowens@scb ings that would iznews.com preserve public Shem Creek parking along and keep the he controversy Proponents building’s footprint.

But he didn’t surrounding and opponents build a $13 million want to plans accuse office building to of scuttling a possible offer any details for fear other of muddying the parking garage waters by using each information on Shem Creek and Under the current compromise. have a resolution and a lack mismight office of transparenc advance their in the works, building plannedproposal, the four-story the developer y to leading the project.according to Street is likely to be agendas. The office building and Coleman for the corner of Mill built — with Robert “Tex” lic access to Boulevard would Small Jr. said the parking or without pubhe has had meet- two floors of office have began — but the parking underneath space and two floors as a public-priv ate partnership project of . to tack-

T

REVITALIZING

CHICORA-CHER

OKEE

See PARKING

GARAGE, Page

8

Food truck on 3 wheels fits in city’s tight spot s

H

➤

By Ashley Barker

abarker@scbiznews.com

ello My Name is BBQ owner Cody Burg W.S. says it’s easier money to make brick-and-mortarin a food truck than in his “I can make restaurant. in a couple takes the restaurant of hours what it all day to make the staff,” Burg with twice in the restaurantsaid. “It’s a lot harder to work than To be so profitable, it is in the truck.” however, the must have perfect conditions. Clearfood truck comfortable skies and temperatures are required, with customers along who didn’t bring to work. their lunches And without truck wouldn’t the restaurant, the food function. Burg wife, Ryner, relies on his to manage the 616 Meeting barbecue joint, St. plan the menus the food he sells and cook from the Hello truck. The barbecue truck make up about and restaurant each half of the company’s profits.

The pair recently expanded the ness by adding busia second food the fleet. This one is far different truck to four-wheeled truck that originallyfrom the became

Rev. Bill Stanfield works to improve the Chicora-Ch erokee community in North Charleston by creating opportunities for residents through the nonprofit, Metanoia.

Full Story. Page 6

The building behind Stanfield along Reynolds Avenue is being renovated into a youth leadership center and a cafe. (Photo/Liz Segrist)

Going global

See FOOD TRUCK,

Page 10

➤

U.S. Commerce Department says Charleston-based TalkTools serves an example of as a successful company using a federal export program.

Page 7

The Rev. Bill Stanfield works to improve the Chicora-Cherokee community in North Charleston by creating opportunities for residents through the nonprofit Metanoia.

T

he Rev. Bill Stanfield sees a promising future for the Chicora-Cherokee neighborhood in North Charleston that struggles with its past.

Once a bustling area when the Navy base was operational, much of the neighborhood’s main streets feel more like a ghost town. Many of the buildings are dilapidated or abandoned. The area lacks a commercial hub.

Churches, gas stations, fast food restaurants, liquor stores and some offices are sprinkled throughout ChicoraCherokee, which covers roughly four square miles. The area lacks a grocery store and is designated a “food desert” since its roughly 3,500 residents do not have local access to healthy foods.

The area has historically had more violent crimes than any other neighbor-

The Chicora Place Community Garden provides healthy foods to Chicora-Cherokee residents who live in an area of North Charleston that lacks a grocery store. (Photos/Liz Segrist)

hood in the city. Those figures are now on the decline and changes are on the horizon.

New housing developments are underway in neighboring communities.

The state plans a huge intermodal rail facility next door to many Chicora residents. The city of North Charleston is working to recruit a grocery store to the area and might use a former elementary school for a tech incubator.

Stanfield is working through his nonprofit, Metanoia Community Development Corp., to redevelop the neighborhood from within. The community development nonprofit acquires land that often has decrepit buildings on it and then redevelops them into affordable houses or commercial space.

Stanfield sees part of the community’s commercial resurgence happening on Reynolds Avenue where a few businesses operate, but many buildings sit vacant. Stanfield’s first commercial venture is a 5,000-square-foot building at 2021 Reynolds Ave. He runs the Metanoia’s Youth Entrepreneurship & Volunteer Center on the second floor and he is working to create a restaurant and cafe space at the front of the building.

“Historically, as perception of a neighborhood changes, the perspective changes from ‘We can’t go there’ to ‘We might want to own a home or open a business there.’ From that point, it’s very fast for things to change,” Stanfield said.

“We want to manage that process of redevelopment so that we can prevent mass gentrification.” cr bj

otherNEWSMAKERS Hello My Name is BBQ restaurant owner W.S. Cody Burg says it’s easier to make money in a food truck than in his brick-and-mortar restaurant on Meeting Street. With a full-size, four-wheeled truck already known around the Charleston peninsula, Burg decided to add a smaller, three-wheeled food truck to his fleet. At 8 feet long, Burg’s tuk-tuk is the perfect size for many of the street vending spots that are regulated by the city of Charleston.

32 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

Photo/Ashley Heffernan

NEWS MAKERS 2014

From the 6.16.14 Issue

June 16 - 29,

2014 • www.charle

Coalition forms against proposal to close new bars early

ife?

In recess

Photo/Gibson

Hitting the accelerator

Startups show ideas at Business Journal event.

Page 2

INSIDE

A

Upper Deck Tavern manager Mike Grabman said the bar would lose 23% of its sales if Charleston City Council’s proposal to close businesses at midnight is passed and expanded. (Photo/Ashley Heffernan)

Pitts

Online investors bet

By Chris McCandl

ish cmccandlish @scbiznews.com

M

on new graduates

Brewery could propel S.C. craft beer industry

but Upstart investors put ichael Feliciano their money stares through on shaded lens rather than things people the of or projcalculating his his Google Glass, ects. response.

“You know, Feliciano made about saying as calm and relaxed as a profile on the I am this kind of site inherent risk, stuff, there posed an idea: and prois an ” he He wanted and I don’t have says. “If I take this year to take a gap off

By Ashley Boncimin Feliciano year — not it, then people tangible things to show the type that for o aboncimino accomplish?’ will say ‘Well, what did has come @scbiznews.com to connote ” you travel, navel-gazing however.

Feliciano is talking about chance to apply His year would serve overed in intricate an entrepreneu the concept as a his computer stone work of edge independen hidden behind science knowland graduation fromrial “gap year” between tly before committing his the College lined path undera winding, boulderand his entry of Charleston talents to a company. his the San Diego into the country’s “I view sun, cept he managed the workforce — a 10th largest con- ing myself,”my gap year as kind of hides its size craft brewery to crowd fund superchargthrough the well. with Feliciano $10,000 website Upstart.com said. “Because The sprawling be sitting in the I’d always Upstart uses complex is supported classes here and 30-foot rust-colore a model similar . thinking: You by to Kickstarter d beams and tall concrete , equally walls, one of See LENDERS, which sports Page 6 ➤ an

C

Region stuck

James Groetzinger, owner and operator of Warehouse, said he has a 25-year lease on the building at 45 1/2 Spring St. Even though it’s not in the Entertainment District Overlay Zone — which encompasses the Market and East Bay streets area; King Street from Broad Street north to Poplar Street; and Meeting Street from Broad to Cooper streets — Groetzinger is worried that city officials have not given all business owners a “clear description of what they want.”

Warehouse is within the Cannonborough-Elliotborough neighborhood that the city approved last year, along with the Eastside area, for a late-night overlay zone. Charleston City Council mandated that all new restaurants and bars in that area will close at 11 p.m.

Warehouse was grandfathered in and currently stays open until 2 a.m.

Groetzinger said last year’s overlay zone was just a first step in what he and other members of the group see as city officials’ plan to eventually replace bars with technology and retail businesses.

“This is not a fight. The city needs to come together and realize that this could affect our lives drastically,” Groetzinger said.

See STONE,

in traffic

Early closing time understood, but not popular An online poll of Business Journal readers showed little support for a zoning change that would require new bars, restaurants, gas stations and grocery stores to close at midnight in Charleston.

We asked readers responding to the issue if they understood why Charleston City Council was considering the change, and most did, even though they didn’t agree with it. The unscientific poll gives a snapshot of how respondents felt about the issue immediately after the proposal was made.

Do you support Charleston’s proposal for midnight closings?

YES

NO

20.5%

79.6%

81 responses

316 responses

Do you understand why the city is considering the change?

55.6% 21.5% Yes

I kind of get it.

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3%

20%

I’m not really sure.

No

Source: Daily Journal readers

otherNEWSMAKERS

Photo/Kim McManus

34 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

Volume 20, No.

About 15 members of Charleston including bar ’s food and beverage owners industry, convince Charleston and restaurant managers, are close new late-night City Council that a proposed working to ordinance businesses early could be a slippery to to shutting down slope the peninsula at midnight.

Full Story. Page 16

With housing prices pushing commuters outside of city centers, regional and state planners leaders easing congestion look at options for on roadways.

Page 4

In a memo to Charleston City Council, Mayor Joe Riley, Police Chief Greg Mullen and planning director Tim Keane said the city is close to a “tipping point in terms of late-night and early morning bar-related activity and challenges in our city.” They added, “too much of anything can be harmful.” bout 15 members of Charleston’s food and beverage industry — including bar owners, restaurant managers, musicians and an attorney — gathered in early June at Warehouse restaurant and bar. The group’s goal was to convince city leaders that passing a proposed ordinance to close new businesses in parts of the Charleston peninsula at midnight would damage their bottom lines.

In October, City Council approved a one-year moratorium on new businesses that intend to sell alcohol after midnight in parts of the peninsula.

s.com

InfiLaw temporarily bid to buy Charlestonpulls School of Law. Page 22

Upfront ................... ......... 2 In Focus: Law............ ... 21 List: Law Firms ............ 24 At Work ................... ...... 27 People in the News Business Digest ........ 27 Hot Properties ............. 27 ................

Viewpoint................... 30 .... 31

By Ashley Heffernan

stonbusines

Goodnight nightl

Selling a port

Governor signs law sale of Port Royal forcing Beaufort County. site in Page 3

Boeing South Carolina plans to have its 10,000-square-foot fire station operational in early 2015. The department includes two firetrucks and a “small number” of trained fire personnel on its North Charleston campus, Boeing S.C. spokeswoman Candy Eslinger said. The fire department operations are a requirement for the aerospace company’s flight line and flight testing of the 787 Dreamliners assembled in North Charleston. The Boeing fire department responds to medical emergencies, industrial accidents, hazardous materials spills, structural and aircraft fires, confined space rescues and motor vehicle accidents.

Page 12

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13 • $2.00

NEWS MAKERS 2014

From the 6.30.14 Issue

June 30 - July

13, 2014 • www.charle

Veto rejected

Lawmakers override veto of $300,000 for Lowcountry Graduate Center. Page 3

stonbusines

s.com

As region grow s, housing affor dability crisis worsens

H

Volume 20, No.

By Ashley Barker

abarker@scb iznews.com

EXECUTIV

E SUMMARY ousing is not An Urban Land a problem, it Institute expert is a human need — just urged Lowcountry leaders to create like communities to Charlie Smith, water — according buildings by simplifying and not just a real estate and member agent of and paying attention the development process ning Commissio the Charleston County to the needs Plann. of renters.

“Everybody has Tri-County ter. We’ve gotten to have some kind of Housing Summit shel- dent away from that in June at TriTechnical College. we do,” Smith in the work said during “We’re very the second annual toward people who generous are thirsty; toward people who are hungry we’re generous and haven’t had

See HOUSING,

As region grows, housing affordability crisis worsens

By Ashley Heffernan

H

ousing is not a problem, it is a human need — just like water — according to Charlie Smith, a real estate agent and member of the Charleston County Planning Commission.

“Everybody has to have some kind of shelter. We’ve gotten away from that in the work we do,” Smith said during the second annual Tri-County Housing Summit in June at Trident Technical College. “We’re very generous toward people who are thirsty; we’re generous toward people who are hungry and haven’t had food; but we’re not always so generous to people who don’t have a place to live.”

Smith said more than a quarter of a million new residents are expected to move to the Lowcountry in a little more than a decade and there will be no place for them to live.

The homes that will be available

Patrolling Charleston

City hiring consultant and officers to focus on transportation, tourism.

Page 4

T

By Liz Segrist

lsegrist@scb iznews.com

he Charleston Authority began County Aviation 23 regarding mediation talks June the gender nation complaint filed by former discrimiDirector Sue Airports Stevens.

Moving cargo

Ports authority OKs budget, approves for Chester Countymoney project.

Page 14

Around 1,200 kids in the tri-county last year through region learned to code Google CS First.

(Photo/Gary Coleman)

INSIDE

IN FOCUS: TECHNOLO GY AND INNOVATIO N

A FUTURE IN TEC H

Silicon Harbor

is growing faster than its workforce. for the industry, Companies are while women are giving kids a feel working to increase diversity in the field.

Starting on page

17

Mediation is set to continue likely to take at a meeting place in early July. Stevens’ ney, Nancy attorBloodgood, said they will the case to federal take reached. Bloodgoodcourt if a settlement is not has requested sue letter. a right-to“I am hopeful the mediation cessful, but will be sucyou never know one whether until you get we to our differences, can meet halfway to resolve with Foster Law” said Bloodgood, a partner Firm LLC. Stevens filed in the fall after the discrimination complaint resigning as airports director in July 2013.

She had held 2006. the position since Stevens said down because at the time that she stepped of descension by unethical behavior and consome board members whenever she refused to “play The S.C. Human ball.”

Affairs Commissio n and See MEDIATION,

Profiles in Busines

s

Your guide to businesses and entrepreneurs making an impact state economies. on the local, regional and Inside

likely won’t be affordable, which leads to problems for the entire community, he said.

“If you are paying more than 30% of your income toward housing, you’re setting up an unsustainable environment.

When that environment deteriorates, you get other problems,” he said. “You get foreclosures, homelessness, petty crime, all of these things that tear the community apart.”

The one solution, he said, is a coordinated effort to make sure that people have safe and affordable housing.

Homeownership is still an important component of what people see as “living the American dream,” according to Michelle Winters, a senior visiting fellow at the Urban Land Institute Terwilliger Center for Housing.

But the housing landscape in America is changing, she said.

About 70% of citizens who were

polled through a ULI survey in 2013 said they believe buying a home is a good investment.

“In reality, it doesn’t always make sense for people,” Winters said.

Winters introduced the housing summit audience to some principles that she thinks will help the real estate industry get organized and learn to handle the “new wave.”

The first step, she said, is to preserve what you already have.

“Older housing is a significant share of the country’s housing stock,” Winters said. “Sixty-one percent of multifamily housing units were built prior to 1980.

That doesn’t mean, though, that you have to keep an old, out-of-place building that doesn’t belong in the neighborhood anymore and might not have been a good choice to build in the first place.”

The industry also needs to support inclusive communities upfront

otherNEWSMAKERS Kids as young as age 6 are learning to code in the Lowcountry. Several coding schools have opened in the Lowcountry to train more computer programmers for the booming tech sector and to expose kids to science, technology, engineering and math. Google’s CS First taught more than 1,200 kids to code last year through an after-school program in the tri-county area. In Mount Pleasant, The Iron Yard hosts kids’ coding classes and CoderDojo offers a year-round, freestyle coding club for kids.

YoCode launched a pilot coding program last year at a school in Berkeley County.

Photo/Gary Coleman

36 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

Page 8

Airport board, former director begin mediatio n

Art and air

Commission considers how to integrate art airport redevelopm into ent.

Page 6

Upfront ................... ......... 2 In Focus: Technology and Innovation List: IT Services............. 13 and Networking Companies . 24 List: Business Communication Companies ...................

26 At Work ................... ...... 27 People in the News Business Digest ........ 27 ............. 27 Viewpoint................... .... 31

14 • $2.00

food; but we’re not always so ple who don’t generous to peohave Smith said morea place to live.” lion new residents than a quarter of a milare expected the Lowcountr to move to y and there will in a little more than a decade be no place The homes for them to that live. be affordable, will be available likely won’t which entire community leads to problems for the , he said.

by mixing homeowner incomes, ages, interests and housing types in each neighborhood, she said.

Charleston Mayor Joe Riley agreed especially with that principle.

“We don’t want to segregate communities by income. We all suffer from that,” Riley said. “When we only see people just like us, then we miss the fullness of life’s opportunity to be enriched.

Whether it’s older people seeing young or very wealthy people seeing not so (wealthy people), we’re all the same because we’re all citizens.”

The local dialogue will also need to be changed, and cities need to make room for rentals, according to Winters.

She encouraged industry leaders to simplify the development process and to create sustainable and walkable communities.

Communities need to be built, not just new buildings, Winters said. cr bj

Page 7

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➤

NEWS MAKERS 2014

From the 7.14.14 Issue

July 14 - July

27, 2014 • www.charle

Study: Region’s workforce has major gaps

stonbusines

Study: Region’s workforce has maj or gaps s.com

Volume 20, No.

Are you stuck?

Readers offer solutions, concerns for Charleston’s traffic issues.

Page 2

Open space

Speculation continues about what will occupy vacant shopping center.

Page 11

If you fix it, you can flip

it

Home flippers finding it more difficult to please would-be buyers.

Page 12

Millennials rent in Charleston

N

DbyOthGS e DOC K

One entreprene ur is capitalizin g on the popularity by selling hot dogs to kayakers, of food trucks paddleboarders visitors, but commercial and waterfron food regulation t s still stand.

Full story page 4

Charleston County top 50 markets among to younger generation.rent for Page 30

INSIDE Upfront ................... ......... 2 In Focus: Commercia l and Residential Real List: CommerciaEstate ..11 l Real Estate Firms ................. 32 At Work ................... ...... 35 People in the News Business Digest ........ 35 ............. 35 Viewpoint................... .... 39

Photo/Ashley

15 • $2.00

By Liz Segrist

lsegrist@scb iznews.com

RELATED STORY ot enough locally produced What are the ates match talent shortages the Charleston graduand surpluses in the Charleston workforce region’s region? Page new Talent Demandneeds, according to 8 the Analysis study.

The study, commission available jobs ed by the ton Metro Chamber of Commerce Charles- elsewhere. For and industry is left to many local graduates recruit , found other are not preparedthat supply and graduates sectors, there is an overfor leave to find Avalanche Consulting work. and the Council for

Barker

Adult and Experientia l Learning — Austin, Tx. and based in ied the region’s Chicago, respectively — studoffered at local job market versus the degrees where the gaps educational institutions are and recommend to see fill them. ways to The study found major surpluses ness, finance of busiand design professionals, lawSee WORKFORCE

City considers bike sharing for peninsula

, Page 6

R

By Liz Segrist

lsegrist@scb iznews.com

esidents and tourists in Charleston could downtown as part of a new soon be renting bikes bike share program.

The city of three proposals Charleston recently received a program, said from private vendors for such for Planning, Tim Keane, the city’s director Preservatio Bike share programs n and Sustainability. involve having stations placed bike throughout which people the city from can rent the bikes for an allotted time. Many bike and weekly rentalsshare programs offer daily Most programs and annual memberships. use credit card-friend bike stations and charge ly users keep the bikes out longer than extra if they Bike share systems planned. have popped the country, up all over such as Citi Bike City and Bay Area Bike Share in New York Francisco. Greenville, system in San Spartanburg, and Chattanoog Charlotte a, Tenn., operate programs. Columbia B-Cycle and Mount are considering Pleasant infrastructure programs as they fund more like Launching bikebike lanes and racks. share programs costly: The bikes can be cost $1,000 to $3,000 each, See BIKE SHARE,

DISASTER PREPAR

By Liz Segrist

Page 3

➤

EDNESS

How businesses can stay resilient face of dramatic, in the unexpected changes.

Page 17

N

ot enough locally produced graduates match the Charleston region’s workforce needs, according to the new Talent Demand Analysis study.

The study, commissioned by the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, found that many local graduates are not prepared for available jobs and industry is left to recruit elsewhere. For other sectors, there is an oversupply and graduates leave to find work.

Avalanche Consulting and the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning — based in Austin, Tx. and Chicago, respectively — studied the region’s job market versus the degrees offered at local educational institutions to see where the gaps are and recommend ways to fill them.

The study found major surpluses of business, finance, design and doctoral-level medical professionals, as well as lawyers and education administrators.

The greatest workforce shortages were found in software, engineering and production professions, as well as associate-level medical professionals.

Growing sectors — like aerospace, technology and manufacturing — are recruiting out-of-state to fill open positions since not enough residents are graduating with the needed certificates or degrees to fill these roles, according to industry executives.

➤

A study of the region’s workforce found that 162 computer programmers will be needed annually to support local tech companies such as PeopleMatter. (Photo/Chris McCandlish)

Companies looking to hire general assemblers, computer programmers and cybersecurity professionals struggle to fill open positions, the study found. Almost 200 annual shortages are expected for general assemblers, and 162 annual shortages are anticipated for computer programmers in the region.

Mary Graham, the Charleston Chamber’s senior vice president, said degrees and programs must be created to target growing industries’ needs, otherwise the talent gaps will be exacerbated as both employment and population balloons.

Between 2013 and 2018, the Charleston region is projected to create more than 25,000 new jobs. By 2027, the region is projected to reach 1 million residents, up from 700,000 residents today.

“In order to maintain the region’s

momentum, the Charleston region must ensure that employers in highgrowth industries have an available, skilled workforce for years to come,” the report said.

Despite the recession, most occupational clusters in the region added jobs between 2007 and 2012. Construction was the exception, with employment falling by nearly one-third.

The largest occupation clusters are hospitality, back office, medical, personal services and logistics, accounting for more than 60% of all jobs in the region. Computer and software, science and engineering, and medical clusters all experienced double-digit growth.

“The economy has changed so fundamentally over the past five to six years. It is much more technically based,” Graham said. “We are not aligned in terms of producing folks. ...

People don’t know what the jobs are or

otherNEWSMAKERS Charleston County held drills around the region to help emergency response teams practice how to react during an organized attack. The drill had volunteers act as victims after a fake bomb disrupted a fictional cycling race. Since 9/11, the threat of terrorism is something the government and the private sector must prepare for, said Jason Paterno, the director of Charleston County’s Emergency Management Department. Officials urged business owners to communicate with suppliers and employers, have a disaster plan, back-up all information and systems and check whether insurance plans cover terror attacks.

38 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

where to go to get training for them.”

Increasing the number of apprenticeships, launching a comprehensive research university and creating a regional funding pool for workforce development initiatives are among the ideas to deal with talent shortages presented in the Talent Demand Analysis study.

The study made recommendations on improving content, collaboration and communication between industry, executives, educators and job seekers.

Part of the issue stems from lack of awareness and communication of what jobs are available and what career path is needed to attain them, Graham said.

Technical degrees also need to be promoted as a path to a successful career in manufacturing and IT sectors.

The study found that educational institutions need to offer more science, technology, engineering and math-related courses and industry certificates, while industry needs to offer more entrepreneurial opportunities for students, like apprenticeships or internships.

“You are one of the few regions in the country trying to solve this problem in a comprehensive way,” said Sarah Miller, an associate director for the public sector services at the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning. cr bj

Photos/Chris McCandlish

NEWS MAKERS 2014

From the 7.28.14 Issue

July 28 - August

10, 2014 • www.charle

Customary change

Border agency relocates to ATS’ new building.

Page 4

Summerville takes strategic look at its future

From inside

stonbusines

s.com

Charleston plan s tech

Big bird

Dinosaur bones from airport identified as gigantic seabird.

Page 2

out

Municipalities use incubators, other means to create entrepreneu from within. Page rs 7

Midyear forecas

Growth presents challenges, opportunitie s for Lowcountry .

Page 27

t

By Liz Segrist

I

THE SCHISM

When a group of churches split from the national Episcopal Church in 2012, a dispute over church property began.

This month, nearly 50 S.C. congregation s and the national church are making their case to a circuit court judge in Dorchester County with $500 million in real property at stake.

Full story page 10

INSIDE Upfront ...................

In Focus: Midyear ......... 2 Economic Forecast List: Office Supply ...... 27 and Equipment Companies At Work ................... ...33 ...... 35 People in the News Business Digest ........ 35 Hot Properties ............. 35 ................

Viewpoint................... 38 .... 39

Volume 20, No.

16 • $2.00

district for pen insula

lsegrist@scb iznews.com They could build apps, code products and websites, sell n the envisioned launch Charleston Innovation rative environmen businesses in a collabo- ton of the 21st century,” District in the t before Aubry Alexander City Councilma Upper ees of tech companies Peninsula, employ- fee shop or stopping by swinging into a cof- preserving n said. “We do a restaurant a very good job in the innovation what could to work, where after work district. looking forward is old. ... In this area, we other like-mindewalk or bike This is the city neurs or programme are to the future d entrepreof Charleston’ changes necessary and making the planned rs would be s vision for together. the 10-acre urban clustered es and diversify to attract those businesstechnology district along Morrison and strengthen Drive. edge-based industries.” our knowl“This is the new Charleston — a Charles-

Church leaders walk into St. Philip’s in downtown Charleston.

(Photo/Dioce se of South Carolina)

See TECH, Page

M

By Ashley Barker

abarker@scbiznews.com

uch of the past developme downtown Summervil nt in le has been by happenstan ce, according Mayor Bill Collins. to But now the ing an active town is takapproach in deciding what its future will look like.

EXECUTIVE Town council SUMMARY 5-2 in mid-Julyvoted to A new hotel is approve a new vision plan that 25-year just the beginning will aim of what to improve is being parking Hutchison Square, in planned in the town’s downtown the town known as the ridor, and enact cor- “birthplace of sweet design tea.” standards for buildings.

In addition porting a new to supboutique hotel minium developme and condont, council agreed to focus on 10 projects members also five years to during the next revitalize the area.

Hutchinson Square is at Collins said the top of the residents can list. expect to see landscaping and gardens, new along with a sible water feature. posThe town will use about See SUMMERVIL

LE, Page 8

By Ashley Heffernan

➤

Hear from the 2014 honorees profiles of top with CEOs, Volunteers, Executives and Rising Stars.

Page 15

Summerville Mayor Bill Collins would like Hutchison Square visitors to park behind buildings in the future. (Photo/Ashley Heffernan)

M

uch of the past development in downtown Summerville has been by happenstance, according to Mayor Bill Collins. But now the town is taking an active approach in deciding what its future will look like.

Town council voted 5-2 in mid-July to approve a 25-year vision plan that will aim to improve parking in Hutchison Square, the town’s downtown corridor, and enact design standards for buildings.

Next spring, construction will begin on a new $30 million boutique hotel called The Dorchester. The 66-room, 4-story facility will include a rooftop terrace, restaurant, retail shops and a 10,000-square-foot conference and events facility. A new parking garage will be built nearby with 34 condominiums wrapped around it.

Applegate & Co. of North Charleston will develop the project, which is expected to be complete in late 2016 or early 2017, near the intersection of West Richardson Avenue and South Cedar Street in downtown Summerville.

The town approved a public-private partnership with Applegate to jointly pay for the facility. Summerville will pay for and own the events facility and parking garage using proceeds from revenue bonds serviced by hospitality taxes, according to Collins. Applegate will pay for the hotel and condos.

“About 2/3 of the project will be paid by the developer,” Collins said. “We’ll only be spending approximately 20% of what we get in hospitality taxes.”

Collins estimates that about 60 new jobs will be created once the hotel opens, but he said the impact will reach beyond job creation.

Diane Wilson Frankenberger, owner

otherNEWSMAKERS The city of Charleston envisions a 10-acre Charleston Innovation District on the upper peninsula where tech companies, startups and entrepreneurs can grow alongside one another. The city zoned land near 995 and 999 Morrison Drive as a tech overlay district and voted to allow buildings up to 85 feet tall there. The Charleston Digital Corridor plans to build its four-story Flagship3 at 999 Morrison to house established tech companies and startups.

40 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

of People Places & Quilts in downtown Summerville, said the new hotel will return the town to what it used to be.

Summerville was once known nationwide for its hospitality, according to Frankenberger, who moved to the town in the 1960s. Through research, she learned that presidents and dignitaries spent time in the town’s Pine Forest Inn during the late 1800s.

“We’re not Charleston, and we’re not Columbia. We are Summerville, South Carolina, as it sits between Lincolnville and Jedburg. That’s got to keep us humble,” she said. “There has to be a balance to everything. Too much of anything is too much.” cr bj

Construction on a new 66-room, $30 million boutique hotel called The Dorchester is expected to start spring 2015.

(Rendering/Town of Summerville)

6

Summerville takes strategic look at its futu re

Diane Wilson Frankenberger owns People Places & Quilts in downtown Summerville.

The shop was once a hardware store called Cauthen’s. (Photos/Ashley Heffernan)

➤

NEWS MAKERS 2014

August 11 -

From the 8.11.14 Issue

24, 2014 • www.charle

stonbusines

s.com

A South Carolin

Volume 20, No.

17 • $2.00

a exclusive

Boeing South Carolina to produce entire Dreamliner family

Boeing’s decision to assemble the 787-10 Dreamliner solely in North Charleston rather than sharing work with Everett,

Wash., secures aerospace jobs and growth in the Lowcountry for decades.

McConnell gives leftover campaig $120,000 of n funds to CofC

Fast-moving tech sector outpacing local workforce

By Ashley Barker

abarker@scb iznews.com By law, McConnell has to distribute funds — they the can go to any ew College of 501(c)(3) tax-exCharleston President empt organizatio Glenn McConnell n — but there frame emptying financial has been busy bursed.as to when the money is no set time must be dishis political accounts from past, and 16 Historical organizations benefited so have preservation re-enactment and battlegroun far, including three at CofC. A day before organizations d tions, along received donaernor position resigning his lieutenant with animal govon charities, a senior ed cutting checks June 18, McConnell start- services group, a pregnancy for tax-exempt churches that center and two tions from his McConnell said lieutenant governor organizahe attends.

Pi Kappa Phi account, which Foundation, had $260,239 campaign ated by the which is opercontributions. fraternity in unused He emptied to which McConnell belonged June 24 and that still has $157,871 account on received when he was a student as a senator at CofC, in another account,from his days Kappa $15,000. The CofC chapter Phi will not Cathy Hazelwood of Pi according to with the S.C. ed funds though, likely see any of the donatCommission.

State Ethics according to McConnell.

N

Full story page 8 Inside: Did the unions impact the 787-10 decision? Page 11

See MCCONNELL,

Page 12

➤

“For folks who don’t have the highest grades and come from poor backgrou nds, it’s a real struggle for them to come to college.”

Glenn McConnell

president, College of Charleston

T

By Liz Segrist

lsegrist@scb iznews.com

he local tech sector is growing it’s growing fast, — and according to executives seven tech Regional Business speaking at the Charleston Journal’s Power Charleston’s Breakfast.

11,000 people tech industry now employs and is expected jobs over the next few years, add 8,000 more son, digital marketing said Chris SimpAt the 14-person director at Blue Ion. digital branding every employee firm, ton’s quality-of-lcounts. Simpson said Charlesife factors do some of their See TECH SECTOR,

By Liz Segrist

Photo/Boeing

B

oeing South Carolina will be the sole producer of the 787-10, the newest and largest member of the Boeing Co.’s Dreamliner family.

The Dreamliner family has three derivatives — the 787-8, the 787-9 and the 787-10.

The 787-9 is 20 feet longer than the 787-8, and the 787-10 and is 38 feet longer than the 787-8. Boeing executives said the 787-10 is too long to ferry on an airplane from North Charleston to Everett, Wash., for assembly.

The 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft will continue to be assembled at both sites.

Boeing’s decision to assemble the 787-10 exclusively in the Lowcountry, as opposed to sharing assembly with Washington state like the other two Dreamliner models, is considered a huge win for South Carolina. The

announcement is likely to bring more jobs and more suppliers to the state.

The 787-10 announcement could be the first step in moving all Dreamliner production to North Charleston over time, said Saj Ahmad, an aerospace analyst with StrategicAero Research.

“Boeing has invested billions here — not for the sake of cash burn, but for future expansion and diversification,” Ahmad said. “The 787-10 is certainly not the newest or last major Boeing jet we will see developed here. Boeing has invested for the long term — 50 to 75 years, and you will see new models eventually being born here, as well as Everett.”

Final assembly of the 787-10 is expected to begin in 2017 in North Charleston with anticipated delivery in 2018.

Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner family 787-8

787-9

787-10

242 passengers

280 passengers

323 passengers

7,850 nautical mile range

8,300 nautical mile range

7,020 nautical mile range

186 feet

206 feet

224 feet

in length

in length

in length

$218.3 million cost $257.1 million cost $297.5 million cost Source: Boeing

cr bj

787 by the numbers

79

787s delivered through the end of the third quarter, ended Sept. 30

1,043

Cumulative 787 Dreamliner orders from 2004 to 2014

132

Number of those orders that are for 787-10s

otherNEWSMAKERS

Photo/Ashley Heffernan

College of Charleston President Glenn McConnell emptied a campaign financial account from his years in South Carolina’s state government, first as president of the Senate then as lieutenant governor. He cut 16 checks to area nonprofit organizations totaling more than $260,000.

Historical re-enactment and battleground preservation organizations, animal chairities, a senior services group, a pregnancy center, a fraternity and two churches benefited from McConnell’s campaign funds. He also donated $110,000 to the College of Charleston Foundation and $5,000 each to the College of Charleston Cougar Club and the College of Charleston Alumni Association.

42 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

Page 6

➤

NEWS MAKERS 2014

From the 8.25.14 Issue

August 25 -

September 7,

Page 5

Program aids African Americans in land preservation

2014 • www.charle

stonbusines

s.com

Gun shops bring Guiding growth

Charleston’s strategic plan for the upper peninsula takes shape.

Pure bespoke

Buying a Rolls-Royce not like buying other cars.

Page 6

Medical move

Medical University of S.C. partners with hospital system in Anderson.

Page 10

Taking off

Growing aerospace sector expanding more work, higherwith pay.

Page 19

INSIDE Upfront ....................

In Focus: Aerospace........ 2 .... 19 List: Aviation and Aerospace Companies .. 24 Regional Airports ......... 25 At Work .................... ..... 27 People in the News Business Digest ........ 27 Hot Properties ............. 27 ................

Viewpoint.................... 30 ... 31

By Ashley Barker

ing global audie

Volume 20, No.

18 • $2.00

nce to Charlesto

n region

abarker@scb or a machine iznews.com gun into one ing lanes that of the 17 shooteople drive are anywhere near from Pendergast also available for practice at here.” sey, Massachuse New York, New JerATP. The Germany, Great commonly sees visitors states to ATP tts and other northern from facility Summerville shop isn’t Britain and Portugal the only gun Gun Shop and interested in becoming a Summerville, who are experiment Range according to Ken Vaughn, tourist attraction. owner Arlyn in ers and extended scopes. ing with gun silencdergast, because Peninstructor and a concealed weapons permit “One of our that is not allowedthey want to do something shot in West range safety officer at QuickChina and sent regulars went on vacation Ashley, said They want to in their home states. to increase take a semiautoma one our T-shirtsus a picture of a lady wearing in the number he’s also seen an tic rifle have there,” Pendergast of passports used for identificatio a lot of people being said. “We n instead of coming here state-issued that don’t live

P

ST

RONG Roo ts A pilot program helps African Americans in the Lowcountry preserve their forestland and make a profit from it.

Full story, page

8

Alex Goodwine, who a farm in Ridgeville, owns sees a forestry program as a path to prosperity for generations of his family. (Photo/Liz Segrist)

See GUNS, Page

D

By Chris McCandl

ish cmccandlish @scbiznews.com

orothea Benton Frank says erary scene in Charleston the litthan it has is livelier The bestselling been in decades.

Plantation, Folly author of Sullivan’s Island, novels was born Beach, Porch Light and other and raised in Though she Sullivan’s Island. now divides her time between Lowcountry and the involved in the New Jersey and is currently film adaptation novels, The of one of her Christmas Pearl, Charleston’s history for writingshe often mines “I can tell you material. in Charleston that I think the literary scene is since the 1920s the most vibrant it’s been renaissance” during the Charleston literary Frank said, referring od from 1921 to the perito 1935, when Heyward published author Dubose Porgy and Pinckney wrote Josephine set in Charleston.Three O’Clock Dinner, both Besides Frank, a list of have called Charleston home,modern writers Lott, Mary Alice including Bret Monroe, Beth Pat Conroy, Webb Hart, Anne Kidd, Josephine Rivers Siddons, Sue Monk Humphreys, Kathy Reichs, See LITERARY

SCENE, Page

Decision-making

data Special 96-page publication features demographics the stats, and data that drive the Charlestoncharts, INSIDE market.

By Liz Segrist

“This land and its potential gives us hope for our community here.”

The Rev. Alphonza Gadsden Sr. bishop, Southeast diocese, Reformed Episcopal Church

A

lex Goodwine rests his arms on his chain-link fence and looks over his land in Ridgeville.

His pigs are covered in mud, the cows are grazing and the dogs are barking. Behind his brick home, large yard and wooden barn, a thick forest shoots up. Among those trees, Goodwine sees a future for generations to come.

“Most people don’t realize what their land can do for them,” Goodwine said. “It can mean being able to pay your taxes as property values rise. It can mean the difference between paying your mortgage or not. It can mean everything.”

Goodwine is a participant in the Sustainable Forestry Program, a new initiative that helps African-American families in the Lowcountry develop a forestry plan and learn forestry techniques to make money off their land.

In spring 2013, the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities selected The Center for Heirs’ Property Preservation in Charleston to run the pilot forestry program.

The center — a nonprofit that helps heirs’ property owners clear their titles — received $425,000 to launch its pro-

gram with more than 40 landowners representing more than 3,200 acres.

These landowners work with foresters to create a land management plan.

Managed timber plots can yield a new income source and increase land value for these families, helping them maintain or secure ownership of their land, according to Sam Cook, the Sustainable Forestry Program director.

“Think about your land for future generations,” Cook said. “It can be hard to turn down thousands of dollars on the spot, but that timber could be worth tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars over time with a forest management plan.”

For many African-American property owners in rural parts of the Lowcountry, the threat of losing their land is real, particularly for heirs’ property owners.

Heirs’ property refers to mostly rural land owned by African Americans who acquired it after the Civil War. These landowners were either denied access to the legal system or did not trust it, and therefore the land has been passed down for generations without a will or clear title.

Alex Goodwine, a Sustainable Forestry Program participant, plans to make money off his forestland in Ridgeville. (Photos/Liz Segrist)

Family members that have lived on the land their entire lives could have it sold from under them since their ownership is not recognized in the legal system.

The forestry program can help incentivize landowners to expedite the clearing of their titles, as well as provide

money for mortgages, property taxes and legal costs, Cook said.

“Most people don’t realize what their land and their forest can do for them. ...

Knowledge is power, and even though we might not see the rewards yet, these efforts will be enjoyed for generations to come,” Goodwine said. cr bj

Steve Mann / Shutterstock.com

otherNEWSMAKERS Rolls-Royce selected Baker Motor Co. in Charleston to become the 39th RollsRoyce dealership in America. The company, owned by Tommy B. Baker, plans to open the first Rolls-Royce showroom in the state on Savannah Highway in West Ashley in 2015. Baker’s Rolls-Royces are temporarily housed in his Maserati showroom, but tourists and fans of the luxury vehicles have stopped by for a peek at the $342,000 Wraith, $514,000 Phantom Drophead Coupe and $650,000 Pinnacle Travel Collection Phantom Extended Wheelbase.

44 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

12

Lowcountry literary scene finds its place

14

➤

➤

a full-service general contractor General Contracting Project Management Construction Management Green Building Demolition Design/Build Environmental New Construction Owners Representative Tenant Refit and Renovation Work Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing

Kenneth B. Canty, P.E. President and CEO info@freelandconstruction.com 843.722.1740

NEWS MAKERS 2014

From the 9.8.14 Issue

September 8

- 21, 2014 •

Aerospace surge

Sector pushing higher education to collaborate beyond R&D. Page 3

Entrepreneurs take risks, launch businesses

Design review up for review

Mount Pleasant votes in favor of requiring all development projects to go before design review board.

Page 6

stonbusines

s.com

By Ashley Barker

Volume 20, No.

the line as leade rs debate organ ization’s role 19 • $2.00

abarker@scbiznews.com ing the world’s best companies, entrepreneu talent and rs,” is being hanges made in mid-May, questioned way its staff during according to members communica and the Council Regional Developme the Charleston Dorchester County criticized. chairman Bill nt Authority’s te is being years of Hearn.

He said the group Earlier this year with some of existence are not sitting 19 — when well the Lowcountr would cut funding decided that each county fund it. y counties who ley and Dorchester countiesCharleston, Berketo their next fiscal began developing for the 2014-2015 the alliance to $50,000 The alliance’s fiscal year. year budgets Dorchester — county leaders County had previously for long-term mission, to “serve as a catalyst started talking about paid nearly regional prosperity per year, while the relevance ance. Eventually, of the alliCharleston County $200,000 by attract$500,000 per meeting of the the discussions turned year, and Berkeley paid almost into three county County was council chairmena

C

GOING FOR IT

Working long hours, finding financing and getting customers challenges entreprene are among the urs face. Local small-business owners say it’s all about taking the risk and loving what you do.

Full story, page

8

INSIDE Upfront ...................

In Focus: Education......... 2 and Workforce Developmen t ................ 32 List: Postgradua Degree Programste ......... 33 At Work ................... ...... 51 People in the News Business Digest ........ 51 Hot Properties ............. 51 ................

Viewpoint................... 54 .... 55

By Liz Segrist

Carrie Morey sold her biscuits online for nine years before opening Callie’s Little Biscuit Hot on Upper King Street this summer. (Photo/Liz Segrist)

See CRDA, Page

T

By Liz Segrist

lsegrist@scb iznews.com

he town of Mount Pleasant to build a new wants old streets and senior center, repair improve stormwater systems.

The town planned to use the $1.46 from the Local million Governmen year 2015 for some of these t Fund in fiscal projects. The did not receive town $515,000 of the according to funding owed, Municipal Association Carolina data. of South “The strength our cities, and in our state is our towns and when you take dollars from half a million our coffers, that Councilman Elton Carrier hurts,” Town money we can said. “That’s use to fix our infrastructure. roads or do When it goes budget for it, away, we can’t and that’s This is the seventh a problem.” consecutive town of Mount year the the full money Pleasant has not received ernment Fund, its due from the Local GovCarrier said.

To calculate revenue from the Local Government Fund, seven tax sources ly into the state’s general fund. goes directThe state then See FUNDING,

50 Years of

“I should have quit 18,000 times.

There are so many times I was told to quit, but I love it.”

Katherine McDonald owner, LulaKate

quit, but I love it,” McDonald said. “You can have all the connections in the world, but if you don’t have the drive and the determination, it’s not going to work. You have to want it.”

Chevalo Wilsondebriano, a former New York City first responder and 9/11 survivor, co-founded Charleston Gourmet Burger Co. with his wife, Monique.

The couple made seasoning and marinade for backyard cookouts before going to local farmers markets and catching the attention of national media outlets and the Food Network. Their marinade and sauce can be found in more than 400 retailers in 17 countries.

“Those that have made it and those that have tried and failed are the stories that inspire me,” Wilsondebriano said.

While trying to achieve the work-life balance of being a new mother and entrepreneur, Carrie Morey launched Callie’s Charleston Biscuits as an online business. Her biscuits are now sold through the company’s website, in more than 200 grocery stores nationally and in Morey’s new store on Upper King Street, Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit.

“I thought I would just do my Internet business a few hours a week. Well, nine years later...” Morey said. cr bj

otherNEWSMAKERS Mount Pleasant planned to use $1.46 million from the state’s Local Government Fund to build a new senior center, repair old streets and improve stormwater systems in 2015. But the state still hasn’t come through with more than $500,000, according to Municipal Association of S.C. data. This is the seventh year Mount Pleasant has not received the full money it’s due from the fund, and it is not alone. Local governments still have not received about $12.5 million owed by the state for the fiscal year.

46 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

16

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Municipalities missing $12.5M from state

Page 12

Trident Technical Education College has helped the future for chart businesses and individuals for five decades in the Charleston PAGES 35-49 area.

K

atherine McDonald did not go to business school or have investors backing her idea.

She had only $300 in her pocket and a lifelong dream of becoming a wedding dress designer. She watched Cinderella as a kid — and she was hooked.

So in 2003, McDonald launched LulaKate, a Charleston-based clothing company that specializes in wedding and bridesmaid dresses. She received $5,000 from her father and pulled equity lines off her house in Charlotte until her business had some legs to stand on.

“I just knew it was going to work out,” McDonald said. “I love what I do, and I can’t imagine not doing it — but it is hard as hell.”

Securing stable dress manufacturing operations has proved difficult over the past decade. She worked with a facility in India for a time but found she was not taken seriously as a businesswoman.

She then relocated manufacturing operations back to the States, but two of her factories shuttered operations. Now her dresses are manufactured in New York City, and she has a storefront on King Street in downtown Charleston.

McDonald was one of the entrepreneurs who shared stories about starting a company during Lowcountry Local First’s annual GoodBusiness Summit in downtown Charleston.

Speakers talked about quitting their jobs and turning their hobby into a company. They spoke of being broke, getting into debt, taking out loans and searching for investors. Others said they spent only what they had because debt terrified them.

Some talked of their failures and others spoke of expansion. They all said it’s about taking a risk and loving what you do. They all said it was hard.

“I should have quit 18,000 times.

There are so many times I was told to

www.charle

CRDA funding on Closing time in discussion

Commission urges to suspend midnightcity bar closings. Page 18

Carrie Morey sold her biscuits online for nine years before opening Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit on Upper King Street in the summer of 2014.

(Photo/Liz Segrist)

➤

NEWS MAKERS 2014

From the 9.22.14 Issue

Sept. 22 - Oct.

5, 2014 • www.charle

Gaillard Center construction underway amid delays

stonbusines

s.com

Boeing exports depend on ExIm Volume 20, No.

Cash flow

Port of Charleston hopes to earn more money to support growth plans.

Page 10

By Liz Segrist

N

Bank vote See EX-IM BANK,

Car in the crowd

Miserable on I-26? Here are some data explaining why you’re not alone.

Page 3

INSIDE Upfront ................... ......... 2 In Focus: Architecture , Engineering and Construction ................ 15 List: Engineering Firms ..40 At Work ................... ...... 43 People in the News Business Digest ........ 43 ............. 43 Viewpoint................... .... 47

PEEK BEHIND THE CURT AIN

The $142 million Charleston Gaillard Center, which will include a performan hall and municipal ce offices, is about months from six its grand opening.

Take a look at the venue in progress.

Full story, page 15

shley Barker)

E

By Ashley Barker

abarker@scbiznews.com

ight core indicators hood developme such as early childnt and workforce readiness have been identified ers of the Tri-County by leadCradle laborative as necessary parts to Career Colexperience that of the learning need The collaborativ to be improved. e, which currently employees — has two CEO nications director John Read and commuboard of directors,Sara Perry — along with a was started Group CEO

by InterTech Anita Zucker as a way to improve educational outcomes for children in Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties.

In consultatio n with the tricts in the area and based four school disature, the collaborativ on national litere worked with tion experts educato select on: early childhood eight categories to or kindergarte focus ness, third-grade n readireading, third-grade eighth-grade reading, eighth-grad math, high school e math, graduation ment and post-gradu , post-graduate enrollate completion “We’ll put a . spotlight on we’re in consensus those eight, once with the community it, which I think will happen about this calendar

CHARLESTON UNDER CONSTRUCTION See CRADLE,

Who is building Projects, companies what in the Charleston area? , prices, projected timelines, photos and stories.

Page 15

Photos/Ashley Heffernan

T

he new Charleston Gaillard Center won’t be opening as early as expected.

Originally scheduled to open April 11, the $142 million Gaillard Center, which includes a 1,800-seat performance hall chamber and municipal offices, is now expected to open toward the end of the 2015 summer.

“The way it’s going to be sequenced is everything will be finished towards the end at one time,” said Dustin Clemens, the city’s senior project manager.

Electricity and plumbing is running in most of the facility, and there are some permanent HVAC systems in place in the municipal office part of the building at 77 Calhoun St. “We’re toward the end of the heavy construction project,” Clemens said after he and Charleston Mayor Joe Riley gave City Council members a hard-hat tour in September and before the delay was announced. “There’s a few areas where we have to finish the windows, but primarily we’re weather-tight in the building.”

During some of the heavy internal construction, contractors had two ter work in the center’s performance hall. masonry shifts each day with about 400 City of Charleston departments that workers on site daily installing drywall, will move into the municipal side of painting drywall and finishing the plas- the Gaillard Center, located on George

Crews started at the top on the third floor and worked their way down.

A permit center for residents, a welcome center and a loading dock, among other offices will be on the first floor, Clemens said.

Riley said he visits the construction site at least once a week to meet with Clemens and other project managers.

He also takes time to talk to members of the construction crew.

“I go in, and see what’s going on, and see the progress,” Riley said. “I want the people who are working in the building to see me there so they will feel that connection. On my tour, any worker I pass, I stop and shake their hand, pat them on the back, thank them and commend them.”

Riley said he hosted a barbecue luncheon for some of the crew members and their families before Labor Day as a way of saying thank you for their time and commitment.

“I gave a little talk and explained the significance of what they’re doing, the lasting significance 50 to 100 years from now. So I come regularly for those Street, include planning, engineering, purposes,” Riley said. “I feel like I own revenue collections, records manage- the responsibility of this building and it ment, emergency operations and infor- being what everybody hopes it will be, mation technology. plus and also that it opens on time.”

otherNEWSMAKERS Eight core indicators such as early childhood development and workforce readiness were identified by leaders of the Tri-County Cradle to Career Collaborative as necessary parts of the learning experience that need to be improved. The collaborative was started by InterTech Group CEO Anita Zucker as a way to improve educational outcomes for children in Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties. The idea behind the collaborative is to facilitate conversations that aren’t already happening among the big players in education.

48 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

Page 12

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Cradle to Care er to focus data on fixing education

Speaker suspended

Charleston Republican facing indictments on use of campaign funds.

Page 6

(Photos/A

By Ashley Heffernan

20 • $2.00

lsegrist@scb beneficiary of iznews.com the Ex-Im Bank The aerospace in the state. early $1.2 billion provided sell its jets abroad,giant uses the financing ing Co.’s exports worth of the Boeto insurance loans, loan guarantees including Dreamliner and credit to U.S. exporters built in North sales of the 787 ers.

Charleston have produced in North and foreign The Everett, Wash.

Charleston been supported the Export-Imp and finance independent federal agency buyby ort Bank so the export The Ex-Im financing according to helps far this year, 2014 But the Ex-Im of U.S. products. also supports ply chain in Boeing South bank data. its supBank is set South Carolina Carolina is by to expire Sept. and elsewhere, 30 unless Congress reauthorize far the biggest according to the bank. a deal to extend s Since 1934, it temporarily it or reaches the Export-Imp ; such a deal ort Bank has is

cr bj

Page 9

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NEWS MAKERS 2014

October 6 -

From the 10.6.14 Issue

19, 2014 • www.charle

s.com

Volume 20, No.

The latest go-to guide for event planning in the Charleston area.

INSIDE

Basket weavers pull new, versatile type of sweetgrass

stonbusines

Sunken bounty of gold, silver retrieved

Event Plannin Guide 2014 g

Organized labor

Machinists union gaining support says it’s at S.C. operations. Boeing Page 6

By Ashley Barker

abarker@sc

hulled steamship biznews.com dubbed the launched in 1853 as the “Ship of Gold,” uring the past according to SS five months, Mark Gordon, George Law, than 15,500 gold and silver more COO of Odyssey president and nearly 50 gold Marine Exploration coins, company bars and hundreds gold nuggets, Inc., the along of project. selected to take on the have been recoveredwith jewelry and artifacts, shipwreck from a He said 160 miles off the S.C. coast. ship that sank California the ship, which operated during the The 280-foot Gold Rush era SS Central America, and made 43 round a wooden-

D

SUPER SWEET

Commercial Space & Business Parks Guide

A listing that includes available commercia l spaces in the Charleston area. Page 43

See ODYSSEY,

The Army Corps of Engineers recently gave Charleston basket makers access to naturally growing a field full of sweetgrass.

But this isn’t just any sweetgrass.

Full story, page 9

➤

This underwater pile of gold coins sunken ship SS rests near the Central America.

(Photo/Recove ry L.P.)

Who’s to blam for the airport’se asbestos issues?

W

By Liz Segrist

lsegrist@scb iznews.com

ith the terminal renovation project about halfway completed at Charleston Internation construction al Airport, crews have asbestos from discovered more the terminal’s the 1980s. construction in Recent test results confirmed exterior concourse that the asbestos-containing stairwell walls have material in tic used as the maswaterproofing, Manager Charlene Communications Gunnells said The affected in an email. areas are not public and the accessible to the airport is currently a plan for removal of the recent developing The same asbestos-lac findings. ed glue was nally discovered origithe outside walls on the terminal walls and during constructioof Concourse A in January n as part Redevelopm of the Terminal ent and Improveme When high nt levels of airborneProgram. fibers are released, asbestos they can cause diseases such pulmonary as mesothelio sis, as well as ma and asbestocancers of the colon, pancreas lungs, esophagus, and These diseases stomach. typically do until 15 to 30 not show up years after exposure.

The greater

INSIDE Upfront ................... ......... 2 In Focus: Manufacturing List: Industrial ............. 31 Staffing Agencies At Work ........................... 40 ...... 51 People in the News Business Digest ........ 51 Hot Properties ............. 51 ................

Viewpoint................... 54 .... 55

Page 12

21 • $2.00

off S.C. coast

Lynette Youson works patch of sweetgrass a in St. Stephen.

(Photos/Sara Corbett, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

See ASBESTOS,

2014 Econom

ic Scorecard

Analysis uses charts, data and detail how the voices to Charleston region to other markets compares of similar size INSIDE and shape.

By Ashley Heffernan

Lynette Youson pulls sweetgrass with her father, Joe Dingle. (Photo/Sara Corbett, Army Corps of Engineers)

F

orty-six years ago, Maggie Jefferson Williams decided it was time to sit down and teach her great granddaughter an important skill from her African heritage.

Williams taught then-4-year-old Lynette Youson, who is now the chairwoman of the Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Festival Association and oversees the Sweetgrass Pavilion in Mount Pleasant, how to turn sweetgrass, bullrush, palmetto palm fronds and longleaf pine needles into baskets.

“Mama always told us there is a right

way and a wrong way to do a basket.

The right way is tightly woven, stitch for stitch,” Youson said.

She has taught many other people how to weave baskets, make bracelets and create palmetto palm roses.

In all Youson’s years of weaving baskets, though, she had never seen sweetgrass growing outside of cultivated plots. That all changed when she was contacted by the Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District.

The district discovered sweetgrass growing at its St. Stephen Powerhouse.

In early September, Youson and other members of the festival association pulled, a technique so the plant’s roots aren’t harmed, about five bundles of the sweetgrass.

“That’s the best thing ever. That’s my first time ever seeing the real thing growing naturally. All the others I’ve seen have been replanted. That was a pleasure,” she said. “The texture was outstanding. The feel of the sweetgrass itself is different. For some baskets, we use the soft sweetgrass to make the loops

and so forth. But a traditional egg basket, for instance, we use a coarse sweetgrass. With that sweetgrass we got from St. Stephen, I don’t have to switch back and forth because the feel of the sweetgrass is totally different.” cr bj

otherNEWSMAKERS More than 15,500 gold and silver coins, nearly 50 gold bars and hundreds of gold nuggets were recovered from a ship that sank 160 miles off the S.C. coast. The 280-foot SS Central America launched in 1853 and sank on Sept. 12, 1857. About 150 people survived. “Our experts estimate the shipwreck still holds a commercial shipment of gold that was valued at approximately $93,000 in 1857, as well as a substantial amount of passenger gold valued in 1857 between $250,000 and $1,280,000,” receiver Ira Owen Kane said.

Photos/Odyssey Marine Exploration Inc.

50 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

Page 16

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NEWS MAKERS 2014

From the 10.20.14 Issue

October 20 -

November 2,

Army Corps recommends 52-foot Charleston Harbor

2014 • www.charle

stonbusines

Law firm wins cas e for terror victim s O s.com

Volume 20, No.

Cigar Factory

After years of delays, Cigar Factory ready take on commercia to l tenants. Page 3

A place for

art

Gibbes Museum closes for $13.4 million renovation.

Page 9

Remote medicin

Charleston VA hospital partners with colleagues in Ohio to speed care.

Page 14

They caught

e

By Ashley Barker

abarker@scbiznews.com

n April 30, 2003, Joshua spent most Faudem of Mike’s Place, the day working at Aviv, Israel, an American-style pub according

in Tel Michael Elsner to of Motley Rice his attorney Faudem testified LLC. in a recent trial that he left

DIGGIN DEEPERG

T

L

abarker@scbiznews.com

INSIDE The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recommended , deepening CharlestoCharleston District, making it the n Harbor to 52 deepest harbor on the East Coast. feet, Post-45 study still needs public The approval and input, congressi $50 million before onal construction can begin.

Full story, page 12

Transportation

Authority

Mary Graham, senior vice president chamber, said at the 43 the region. Traffic people a day are moving to 43% since 2004, in the region has increased $10 per month and S.C. drivers pay less than on average in fees. motor-fuel user “We don’t have enough Graham said.

“The Departmeninfrastructure,” tation estimates t there is a $42 of Transporbillion gap in See SCORECARD,

Page 7

Ten Sta rtu to Wa tchps

These startups showcase what community are some people doing to disrupt in our an industry, modernize daily task or make life more a interesting. Page 17

Photo/S.C. Ports Authority

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District, recommended deepening Charleston Harbor to 52 feet, making it the deepest harbor on the East Coast. The Post-45 study still needs public input, congressional approval and $50 million before construction can begin.

containers to and from the Port of Charleston, Ports Authority CEO Jim Newsome said.

Ports authorities across the country are rushing to deepen their harbors and invest in infrastructure to accommodate the larger, postPanamax containerships.

The estimated cost of the Army Corps’ recommended plan would be $509 million.

The cost would be shared between the federal government and the

Photo/And y Owens

S.C. State Ports Authority at $166 million and $343 million, respectively. The S.C. General Assembly set aside $300 million for the port deepening project in 2013.

The Army Corps studied the economic, environmental and engineering aspects of the project outlined in the study.

The draft environmental impact statement outlines plans to minimize adverse impacts of dredging on wet-

otherNEWSMAKERS The Gibbes Museum of Art closed for a $13.4 million renovation and is expected to reopen in late spring of 2016. Once the renovation is complete, the first floor will provide a pedestrian walkway from Meeting Street’s Museum Mile to the King Street shopping district, according to Angela D. Mack, executive director of the museum. The entrance also features a museum store and cafe. The redesigned garden adjacent to the rear reception area will be available for meetings, dinners and events.

Photo/Ashley Heffernan

52 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

lands and fisheries, according to a Charleston District news release.

Construction will begin following the issue of the Chief ’s Report to Congress in September 2015 and the preconstruction engineering and design phase.

Newsome hopes for completion in 2019. cr bj

Page 11

By Ashley Barker

owcountry leaders must focus on critical issues four for the area to economic become Austin, Texas, powerhouse like Raleigh an according to or al Economic the 2014 RegionScorecard.

Photo/S.C. Ports

By Liz Segrist

he U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District, has proposed deepening the major shipping channels within the harbor from 45 feet to 52 feet to accommodate mega-containerships at any tide.

The recommendation was released Oct. 7.

For every foot of draft, 100 loaded containers can be shipped on a vessel; so an additional seven feet of dredging could enable larger ships to carry 700 to 1,000 additional

See VICTIMS,

➤

Scorecard: Regi needs to focus on on 4 main challenge s

Panelists from the Charleston Development Regional Alliance and Chamber of Charleston Commerce introduced Metro annual assessment the fifth Berkeley, Charlestonof economic progress in and Dorchester ties on Oct. 2 counduring Business Journal’s the Charleston Regional Transportation, Power Breakfast. education, and talent are innovation the region, according main challenges facing the to the scorecard.

him

Catch Me If You Can’s Frank Abagnale talks about how you’ve already been hacked.

Page 15 Upfront ................... ......... 2 In Focus: Ten Startups to Watch ................... .... 17 List: Commercia l Moving and Storage Companies ...................

24 At Work ................... ...... 27 People in the News Business Digest ........ 27 Hot Properties ............. 27 ................

Viewpoint................... 30 .... 31

22 • $2.00

Mike’s Place, went home for a shower and back to hang came Mount out friend, who also with his friends and his Pleasant, said. girlworked at the Faudem immediatel pub, Elsner said.

When he returned, he y jumped on approaching top saw terrorists girlfriend to protect her Mike’s Place, from the blast. of his “The smells, which Elsner just steps from the sounds, said is they the the things saw and experienced “They chose U.S. Embassy in Israel. are unlike any that ers were there that target because Western- kind of event,” Elsner other said. “These you can imagine, terrorism and at that time,” Elsner, an are completely attacks, as antihuman rights horrific. In attorney based in

➤

NEWS MAKERS 2014

From the 11.3.14 Issue

November 3

- 16, 2014 •

www.charle

stonbusines

Presidential par ty budgets s.com

Energized

Companies in the Carolinas finding ways to go green.effective INSIDE

Art for airport

Aviation Authority approves cash for furniture at CHS. art, Page 6

Fuel for roads?

South Carolina senators backing efforts to state’s gas tax. raise Page 22

23 • $2.00

vary at MUSC

scbiznews.com The $33,000 difference was the campus lacked mainly because hen Dr. Raymond a large Greenberg was and streaming technology enough event space inaugurated in 2000, according to Lisa as president OTHER MUSC Medical University of the presidentMontgomery, MUSC’s STORIES executive olina in 2000, MUSC board for finance and kills secret almost $55,000 of South Caradministration. vice “One of the celebrate. Fourteen balloting for hiring was spent to presidents .................... years later, slightly facilities back issues was we didn’t have than one-third MUSC president in 2000 the .......15 more have focuses on Clyburn Plaza,” that we do now. We didn’t inaugurate his that amount was spent lasting effect she said. The successor, Dr. to of teamwork .................... plaza includes David Cole. ............16 MUSC volunteers See MUSC, Page

Charleston unveils strategies for West Ashley development

Volume 20, No.

By Ashley Hefferna n aheffernan@

W

WEST ASHLEY

An area once known more for car lots than culture sees big changes as the city of Charleston unveils an effort to reimagine commercial spaces and create developments mixed-use for residents.

Full Story, Page 10

14

Ebola patients

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to take if necessary ....................

...........18

Counties, CRD A consider different recruiting tacti cs

By Liz Segrist

lsegrist@scb iznews.com eaders from the Charleston Development Alliance and Regional ties and local counthemselves to municipalities are aligning recruit industry ty region amidst to infighting and the tri-counBoard Chairman budget Lonnie Carter cuts. special CRDA called a board back on a proposed meeting to gather feedentity’s responsibil agreement outlining each ities and roles economic developme regarding nt in the region.

The meeting was a chance cials and alliance for elected offiand plan ways leaders to air frustrations to improve during recruitmen communication t.

Charleston Teddie Pryor County Council Chairman said the counties the alliance did not want promising incentives before involving the county in the and it did not recruiting process want the alliance in “pay-for-pl participating ay.”

David Ginn, the president CRDA, said and CEO of the the to market the public-private alliance works entire region creatively to industry, such attract as tive from Bosch, when he invited an execualso a CRDA dinner with investor, to executives from another Germana

L

Port update

Army Corps speeding up deepening study; line adds post-Panamax service.

Pages 8, 9

INSIDE Upfront ................... ......... 2 In Focus: Financial Services List: Credit Unions ....... 27 List: Accounting ....... 30 Firms ...31 At Work ................... ...... 35 People in the Rendering/Ch News arleston Design Business Digest ........ 35 Division of the Department Hot Properties ............. 35 of Planning, ................

Preservation Viewpoint................... 38 and Sustainability .... 39

See CRDA, Page

By Ashley Heffernan

Giving Guide

Read about the people and organization Charleston area s that make the a special place INSIDE to work, play, live and give.

Renderings/Charleston Design Division of the Department of Planning, Preservation and Sustainability

C

harleston officials introduced five economic development strategies to improve West Ashley during a public meeting in October.

Tim Keane, the city’s planning director, said citizens must think big but act small when it comes to the strategies.

“There are some big ideas here to think about and work on, some big projects to work on. Believe me, we’ve heard from you that there are many small things that we can be working on today and tomorrow that will have a big influence on quality of life in every neighborhood and adjacent to every

otherNEWSMAKERS When Dr. Raymond Greenberg was inaugurated president of the Medical University of South Carolina in 2000, almost $55,000 was spent to celebrate. Fourteen years later, slightly more than one-third of that amount was spent to inaugurate his successor, Dr. David Cole. The $33,000 difference was mainly because the campus lacked a large enough event space and streaming technology in 2000, according to Lisa Montgomery, MUSC’s executive vice president for finance and administration.

54 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

commercial corridor in West Ashley,” Keane told a crowded auditorium at West Ashley High School. “We have big ideas, but we know we need to get working right away on the smaller things.”

The city hopes to create community partnerships and reactivate civic spaces; strengthen West Ashley’s image and identity by enhancing the four major gateways to the community; encourage and assist in the redevelopment of Citadel Mall; facilitate the revitalization of the Sam Rittenberg corridor to become West Ashley’s “Main Street;” and facilitate the evolution of green spaces.

Dr. David Cole talks about his philosophy and experience during his inauguration ceremony. (Photo/ Ashley Heffernan)

cr bj

24

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NEWS MAKERS 2014

From the 11.17.14 Issue

November 17

- 30, 2014 •

UberX continues operations amid regulations, tickets

www.charle

stonbusines

s.com

Investors divided over what star tups need Volume 20, No.

War experie

nce Patriots Point opens exhibit dedicated war in Vietnam. to the Page 17

New biz model

Palmetto Primary hopes to shake Care up health care business model.

Page 10

Royal lawsuit

Port Royal residents impatient over disposition of ports authority land.

Page 12

Airport operatio

How Charleston International Airport makes money.

Page 3

n

DRIVING WITH

A LICENSOUET

Since Uber launched in South Carolina this summer, state agencies, municipalities and airports have been trying to regulate the ridesharing service that customers request with an app. Despite some bans, UberX drivers continue to operate.

Full Story, Page

6

INSIDE Upfront ...................

In Focus: Defense ......... 2 Homeland Securityand ...... 17 List: Defense Contrators At Work ................... ...... 24 ...... 27 People in the News Business Digest ........ 27 Hot Properties ............. 27 ................

Viewpoint................... 30 .... 31

24 • $2.00

By Liz Segrist

lsegrist@scb or entrepreneu iznews.com rs are in need ship to build of more mentornvestors and high-growt capital is up entrepreneurs Startups, economic h companies. to $250,000, Charleston say the angel funding es from region’s developers and rangand tech community burgeoning startup executives in the Lowcountry tech anythingaround $250,000 to $1.5 million, access often higher is usually needs more based funds locally Many to capital as an impedimen cite lack of for venture to continue considered the and growth and capital. entrepreneu t to growth. tum. area momen- a Some S.C.-based concept off the rs look for seed funding to Others say the companies have get ground, angel funding to begin venture capital from secured are either wary money is here but investors scaling it and venture capital to run State. PeopleMatt outside of the Palmetto of investing in Investors vary with it. tech companies lion from firms er raised nearly $50 funding stages, on the parameters for milin New York these though most City and Silicon agree seed

I

Customers can request an UberX driver from their smartphones .

(Photo/Uber)

Cybersecurity

By Liz Segrist

See STARTUPS,

By Ashley Hefferna n aheffernan@

W

scbiznews.com

hen Charleston Mayor Joe Riley’s final term in office ends in January 2016, he’s Riley will return not going too far. to his alma mater, adel, to become The Citthe first occupant P. Riley Jr. Endowed of the Joseph

Chair of American Government and Public Policy within the Departmen cal Science of t of Politithe college’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences.

The announcement was made Nov. 7 at The Citadel’s Summerall Riley Field in front of many of Riley’s 1964. classmates from Riley will mentor students, write be interviewed for an oral history a memoir, and career, of his life lecture on campus, guest lectures by other public help arrange teach lessons learned during servants and mayor, according his to Bo Moore, tenure as School of Humanities dean of the and Social Sciences.

See MAYOR,

Page 14

Schools work with prospective employers to engage workforce focused a future on security.

Page 22

The Uber app shows the driver in real time. UberX has launched in Greenville, Columbia, Charleston and Myrtle Beach. (Photo/Provided/Uber)

S

an Francisco-based Uber has thrown regulatory agencies in the state a curveball.

The ridesharing service popped up in Charleston, Columbia, Greenville and Myrtle Beach in July, without a license.

Charleston International Airport and the cities of Charleston and North Charleston have banned Uber from operating until drivers comply with permits, fees and other regulations required of taxis and charters.

Yet UberX continues to operate in South Carolina.

Taxi drivers argue that Uber should be required to follow the same regulations they have to abide by, such as having adequate insurance and background checks to protect customers and paying fees to municipalities and airports for operating there.

Uber contends it does not fall under the same regulations since Uber drivers appear only when requested, and they

drive their personal cars.

The S.C. Office of Regulatory Staff filed for a hearing with the commission to determine Uber’s legality in South Carolina. The Jan. 26 hearing will be followed up with testimonies from both parties and a discovery period.

Uber’s subsidiary, Raiser LLC, has applied to be licensed as a “class C transportation network company” in South Carolina. The application proposes that Raiser will contract with individuals

“who will use their personal, noncommercially licensed vehicles to provide passenger transportation services in South Carolina for a fee,” the application reads.

Uber would not disclose how many drivers are currently working in South Carolina or how many passengers it averages daily in the state. Meanwhile, UberX drivers continue to pick up passengers as cities and airports continue to enforce their regulations. cr bj

otherNEWSMAKERS Left: Charleston Mayor Joe Riley announces that he will become an endowed chair at The Citadel in January 2016.

(Photo/Ashley Heffernan) Above: Riley graduated from The Citadel in 1964. (Photo/The Citadel)

56 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

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Mayor to teach at The Citadel after retiring

When Charleston Mayor Joe Riley’s final term in office ends in January 2016, he will return to his alma mater, The Citadel, to become the first occupant of the Joseph P. Riley Jr. Endowed Chair of American Government and Public Policy within the Department of Political Science of the college’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Riley will mentor students, write a memoir, be interviewed for an oral history of his life and career, lecture on campus and teach what he has learned during his tenure as mayor.

➤

NEWS MAKERS 2014

From the 12.1.14 Issue

December 1

- 14, 2014 •

www.charle

stonbusines

s.com

Law school pres ident quits afte r days Volume 20, No.

Church security

Class focuses on churches from securing costly thefts and other crime.

Page 12

By Ashley Hefferna

25 • $2.00

on the job

n aheffernan@ a contract to scbiznews.com assume the presidency.

“I truly only fter only eight of the Charlotte level of vitriol, wanted to help,” she said.

School of Law, “The Coastal Charleston Schooldays on the job, with the Florida School of of Law President lightning rod for an all sides making me a Maryann Jones unfortunate of Law. Fellow Law and the Phoenix School was not of my has resigned tion. co-director Ed making, makes situation that fought the posi- uation Westbrook has to maintain this truly a sitthat I am In an email ownership.

In a Nov. 20 life to undertake.”unwilling at this stage Abrams and sent Nov. 20 to Dean letter to Jones, of my he Andy school Westbrook said was surprised For more than and George Kosko, co-owners Robert a year, Carr and Carr er she had told to hear that two days Jones said she earliKosko have will not sign been trying to sell the Charleston was the “only faculty members that InfiLaw Law to The School of viable option InfiLaw System, for the future a consortium of

A

See LAW, Page

Same-sex marriage legalized, 1st wedding held in Charleston

Employers offering better postrecession retirement benefits and options.

Page 31

O

It takes a village

Aging-in-place trend crowdsources services, resources within a community.

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INSIDE Upfront ...................

In Focus: Growth ......... 2 Retirement TrendsReport: List: Retirement ....... 29 Communities ................ 33 At Work ................... ...... 35 People in the News Business Digest ........ 35 ............. 35 Viewpoint................... .... 39

Standing steps

away from the Charleston County vows before Courthouse, Kayla Minister Tobin Bennett (left) Williamson and and Kristin members of the media. (Photo/Ashley Anderson exchanged Heffernan)

JUST MARRIED

Gay-marriage prohibition lifted Businesses

in S.C.

in the Palmetto State stand to make millions rules the state’s of dollars after ban on same-sex a federal judge marriage is unconstitut ional.

Full story, page 10

By Liz Segrist

lsegrist@scb

iznews.com

ne year after Charleston City cil launched a pilot program Couning where restrictbikes on a section cyclists can park their of King Street, parked bikes 208 illegally have Charleston Police been confiscated by the Of those, 151 Department. owners, accordinghave been retrieved by their to the police most recent department’s data from the Each owner end of October. paid $45 to get his or her back, meaning bike the police departmen lected $6,795 t has colin fees.

That money fund. The city goes into the city’s general bike corrals has spent around $18,000 and racks from on according to the same fund, Sgt. Heath King, there are now about 200 bike who estimates along and near parking spaces King Street.

Charleston City Council to enforce a one-year pilot voted last year ning November program beginfrom locking 2013 that prohibited cyclists their bikes gates, trees to meters, poles, or buildings King Street on between Spring a section of streets. and Calhoun See BIKING,

By Ashley Heffernan

Region thanks

O

eral Alan Wilson filed an injunction with the S.C. Supreme Court seeking to prohibit any same-sex marriages in the state. The court granted his request early the next morning.

Condon and Bleckley sued Wilson, Gov. Nikki Haley and the Charleston probate judge for refusing to allow them to get married.

It took less than a month for U.S. District Court Judge Richard Gergel of Charleston to rule it is unconstitutional to prohibit the marriage of same-sex couples in South Carolina.

Wilson’s appeals to the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court were ultimately denied, opening

the door for the marriage of same-sex couples across the state.

Wilson, holding strong to the belief that marriage is only between one man and one woman, released a statement after his final request was denied.

“Despite today’s refusal to grant our motion, the U.S. Supreme Court has not yet resolved conflicting rulings by federal appeals courts on the issue of samesex marriage,” he said.

More than 7,200 same-sex couples are currently cohabiting in South Carolina, according to the Williams Institute, an independent national think tank at the University of CaliforniaLos Angeles School of Law.

otherNEWSMAKERS Charleston School of Law President Maryann Jones resigned after eight days on the job. In an email sent to school co-owners Robert Carr and George Kosko, Jones said she would not sign a contract to assume the presidency. “The level of vitriol, with all sides making me a lightning rod for an unfortunate situation that was not of my making, makes this truly a situation that I am unwilling at this stage of my life to undertake,” she said. For more than a year, Carr and Kosko have been trying to sell the school to The InfiLaw System; fellow co-owner Ed Westbrook has fought to maintain ownership.

58 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

A report released in October from the institute said 3,607 of those couples would marry in the first three years of cohabitation, and they will generate $25.2 million in spending and an additional $1.8 million in sales tax revenue.

Same-sex couples’ wedding ceremonies and celebrations would create between 84 and 253 jobs in the tourism and recreation sector for the state, the report said. And during the first year of legalization in the state, the economic impact could total about $16 million.

“Those sorts of events are going to be increasing,” event planner J. Mitchell Crosby said of same-sex weddings. “At the end of the day, love is love.” cr bj

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those who go above and beyond.

Page 15

Above: Kayla Bennett (left) and Kristin Anderson give a thumbsup after getting married. Left: Charleston County Councilwoman Colleen Condon (left) and Nichols Bleckley pick up their marriage license. (Photos/Ashley Heffernan)

n Nov. 19, standing steps away from the Charleston County Courthouse and with a dozen reporters watching, Kristin Anderson and Kayla Bennett became S.C.’s first gay couple to legally exchange wedding vows.

When Colleen Condon, a Charleston County councilwoman and attorney, applied for her marriage license and paid the $70 filing fee on Oct. 8, she and her partner, Nichols Bleckley, were told to return the next morning to pick up their license from the office of Charleston County Probate Judge Irvin Condon.

That afternoon, S.C. Attorney Gen-

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Cycling group pushes for mor e infrastructure

Strategic moves

Kion emerges with strategy, branding new at Summerville headquarters.

Page 13

Rematch

➤

NEWS MAKERS 2014

From the 12.15.14 Issue

December 15

- 28, 2014 •

www.charle

stonbusines

s.com Volume 20, No.

26 • $2.00

College Corner

College of Charleston renovates King Street gift shop.

Page 13

Building arts college hammers out tapas trays for hotel restaurant

When the Thoroughb red Club in Charleston Place needed new tapas trays, the bar’s manager help from a Charleston enlisted college that forges architectur al ironwork.

Full story, page 13

Piecing it together

Companies collaborate to create Local Works space.

Page 14

Pricey digs

Which S.C. college is the most expensive for room and board?

Page 2

Taking his leave

Palmetto Primary Care CEO tenders resignation.

Page 3

INSIDE Upfront ................... ......... 2 In Focus: Architecture , Engineering and Construction ................ 13 List: Property Managemen Companies ...................t 30 At Work ................... ...... 35 People in the News Business Digest ........ 35 Hot Properties ............. 35 ................

Viewpoint................... 38 .... 39

Annie Arthur, an American student, works College of the Building Arts in the college’s metal shop on James Island.

(Photo/Ashle y Heffernan)

Big data analyti decisions, markecs drives ting

By Liz Segrist

Export groups push S.C. companies to expand globa lly

lsegrist@scb learn how their iznews.com businesses can efficiently or run more f you are a how they can runner, market more

By Liz Segrist will likely advertise your Facebook ads effectively.

“More tennis shoes lsegrist@scb If you have iznews.com to you. uploaded than 500 million photos are flu remedies been searching Google and shared every for or gluten-free teve Potts started can expect coupons recipes, you more than 200 hours of day, along with building boats video of his garage ute,” according for cold gluten-free out to a big data every minfoods in both medicine and from is expanding in the 1980s; today he white paper the your mailbox. your inbox his 182,000-sq and informatioWhite House. “But the Scout Boats facility in Summervil uare-foot volume It’s the era of n that people square feet to create themselves of pales in comparison meet internation le by 30,000 refers to massive,big data, the buzzword ... that informatio to the amount Through the al demand. complex data so large they of digital n created sets that are export assistanceS.C. Commerce Departmen are Most companies about them each day.” traditional softwaredifficult to process using t’s programs, the boats are sold that collect sport fishing lyze data will techniques are investing all use any customer and anaMexico, Brazil, over the world, including in the analysis . Companies interaction Finland, Sweden, in of that data bia and Australia. to Italy, ColomPotts said for each See BIG DATA, Page 6 new

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See EXPORT,

CHARLESTON UNDER CONSTRUCTION

By Ashley Heffernan

W

hen a customer orders a trio of tapas at Charleston Place’s Thoroughbred Club, the food no longer arrives on a thin aluminum tray the way it did since 2005.

Servers now bring dishes to the table on a heavy-duty, three-armed steel tray created by a building arts student less than eight miles away on James Island.

Delicate hors d’oeuvres sit on a tray designed to remind guests of the ironwork found throughout Charleston.

Nathan Foster, food and beverage outlets manager for the Thoroughbred Club, approached the American

Page 10

Who is building Projects, companies what in the Charleston area? , prices, projected timelines, photos and stories.

Page 13

College of the Building Arts earlier this year when the company he was purchasing tapas trays from stopped making them.

“This was an opportunity for us to help people discover what’s going on in Charleston,” Foster said. “Part of the history of Charleston is the ironworks that were here, and part of what the College of the Building Arts has is a department devoted to metalwork. It was a really nice opportunity for us to tie the history of Charleston into a local higher education outfit.”

Foster asked Frank Verga, a pro-

fessor of architectural ironwork at the college, whether he and some students could design and produce new trays for the restaurant. Verga put out the call to see who would be interested in the project.

Annie Arthur, a second-year student from Chattanooga, Tenn., specializing in forged architectural ironwork, answered.

So Verga developed the tray’s dimensions and built a prototype. Arthur then turned up the heat in the college’s metal shop and went to work.

“For me, it’s all a learning process,

so for the first batch I only made this part,” Arthur said, pointing to the tray’s middle arm, which features a square finial. “Professor Verga made the rest of the arms because it took me a while to learn how to get that shape right. I’m a beginner so I’m learning how to get it consistent to make them all look the same.”

Verga and Arthur, who often end their days covered from head to toe in soot, made individual parts of the trays and assembled the pieces. They estimate a tray takes about four hours to finish, and the club pays $80 for each. cr bj

American College of the Building Arts professor Frank Verga and second-year student Annie Arthur are building tapas trays for Charleston Place’s Thoroughbred Club. (Photos/ Ashley Heffernan)

otherNEWSMAKERS It’s the era of big data. And companies are investing in the analysis of that data to learn how their businesses can run more efficiently or how they can market more effectively. Most companies that collect and analyze data will use any customer interaction to retain information about a possible patron. Other industries are using data analytics to increase sales and find solutions. Julie Moreland, PeopleMatter’s senior vice president of strategy and people sciences, said organizations are drowning in data but starving for meaning, which is derived from analysis of internal and external data.

60 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com

➤

FINAL FRAME Kite surfing is a year-round sport on Folly Beach. (Photo/Ryan Wilcox)

62 Charleston Regional Business Journal | www.charlestonbusiness.com