GSA Business Report Newsmakers 2015

THE YEAR

2015

IN REVIEW

NEWS MAKERS

December 28, 2015 - January 10, 2016

www.gsabusiness.com

Volume 18, No. 26

We have some

NEWS

of our own to share.

In 2016, you will notice a change with GSA Business.

To better reflect our mission and what we provide to our readers in the Upstate, we will augment our name to GSA Business Report.

It may just be one word, but in the process of constantly evaluating ourselves we determined adding a word goes a long way to identifying who we are and what we do.

We will continue to provide the most comprehensive view of business in the entire Upstate through our printed product and numerous digital offerings.

To all of our patrons, we at GSA Business Report hope for continued success in the new year and beyond.

Volume 18, No. www.gsabusiness December 14 -

23 • $2.00

.com

27, 2015

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2015 Publisher - Lisa Jones ljones@scbiznews.com • 864.235.5677, ext. 101

FROM THE EDITOR

UPSTATE NEWSROOM Editor - Matt Clark mclark@scbiznews.com • 864.235.5677, ext. 107 News Editor - Don Fujiwara dfujiwara@scbiznews.com • 864.235.5677, ext. 106 Staff Writer - Bill Poovey bpoovey@scbiznews.com • 864.235.5677, ext. 104 Staff Writer - Teresa C. Hopkins thopkins@scbiznews.com • 864.235.5677, ext. 103 Graphic Designer - Kimberly Davenport kdavenport@scbiznews.com • 864.235.5677, ext. 115 MIDLANDS NEWSROOM Associate Publisher - Licia Jackson ljackson@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7546 Editor - Chuck Crumbo ccrumbo@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7542

MATT CLARK Editor, GSA Business

Staff Writer - Chris Cox ccox@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7545 Research Specialist - Patrice Mack pmack@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7544 LOWCOUNTRY NEWSROOM Managing Editor - Andy Owens aowens@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3142 Senior Copy Editor - Beverly Barfield bbarfield@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3115

What a year it has been!

As is tradition here at GSA Business, we cap off the year with our annual look back with Newsmakers.

Newsmakers gives us a chance to reminisce about those stories that made the biggest impact on the Upstate business community in 2015. The GSA editorial team looked over the thousands of local business news stories published both on our website and in our print product from what was a very busy year to select what, in our opinion, were the biggest stories.

These selected pieces reflect an abbreviated version of those stories that made a difference in the business lives of the Upstate.

In a change from previous formats, instead of providing an editor’s note for the stories selected, we determined it was in the best interests of you, the reader, to provide more of those topical stories with any pertinent updates contained within. This way, you can get more of the stories that made the biggest difference from 2015.

So, please, take your time, look at each story and you might be surprised to see all that’s happened in relation to business in the Upstate. After all, 12 months isn’t a very long time, but I think you will agree, a lot happened in our corner of the world.

With that, we at GSA Business bid you a welcome to our 2015 edition of Newsmakers and, as we move into 2016, know that you have an invitation as readers to provide ideas, comments or suggestions. Feel free to contact myself or any member of the GSA Business team.

Finally, we wish you all a very happy and prosperous 2016.

FROM OUR SPONSOR

Staff Writer - Liz Segrist lsegrist@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3119 Staff Writer - Ashley Heffernan aheffernan@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3144 Editorial Assistant - Steve McDaniel smcdaniel@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 Assistant Graphic Designer - Emily Matesi ematesi@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3124 UPSTATE ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Account Executive - Susan Hurst shurst@scbiznews.com • 864.235.5677, ext. 111

TREVOR L. GORDON Founder and CEO SANDLAPPER Securities, LLC Sandlapper Capital Investments, LLC

2015 has been a dynamic year in the world of business and the world at large.

The 2016 Presidential Race kicked off with a cadre of candidates on both sides who each bring their unique flavor to the race, ideas for success and message to the masses. The ideological diversity of this crowd demonstrates to us collectively that there is typically never one answer to most questions and it is important to arm yourself with the right information that best aligns with your ideas and objectives.

In politics as in business and investing, looking first to your needs and objectives is paramount if you are to achieve your goals and ultimate successes. Individual needs and tolerances to certain types of risks is a cornerstone in our processes for investing dollars and creating new opportunities.

Like flipping to the last page of a mystery novel first, to have the answer first you can better understand the question, the need, the demand and the drivers for your success. You can better follow the flow of information and leverage the tools needed for success. In the following pages you are going to read about companies and drivers in the Upstate which likely employed the “answers first” approach and understood where they wanted to be and sought the tools for their successes.

Those that made a great impact on business in the Upstate became the drivers and became the NEWSMAKERS.

South Carolina’s Media Engine for Economic Growth President and Group Publisher - Grady Johnson gjohnson@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3103 Vice President of Sales - Steve Fields sfields@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3110 Creative Director - Ryan Wilcox rwilcox@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3117 Director of Audience Development - Rick Jenkins rjenkins@scbiznews.com • 864.235.5677, ext. 112 Event Manager - Kathy Allen kallen@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3113 Audience Development & IT Manager - Kim McManus kmcmanus@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3116 Event Planner - Jacquelyn Fehler jfehler@scbiznews.com • 864.235.5677, ext. 113 Accounting Manager - Vickie Deadmon vdeadmon@scbiznews.com • 864.235.5677, ext. 100 CUSTOM MEDIA DIVISION Director of Business Development - Mark Wright mwright@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3143

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Annual subscribers receive 27 issues of GSA Business, including the Bookof Lists and Newsmakers, plus the special supplement Market Facts/Profiles in Business.

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The entire contents of this newspaper are copyright by SC Business Publications LLC with all rights reserved. Any reproduction or use of the content within this publication without permission is prohibited. SCBIZ and South Carolina’s Media Engine for Economic Growth are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. ©2015 SC Business Publications LLC

SPARTANBURG GETTING 10-STORY AC HOTEL BY MARRIOTT From the 6.29.15 Issue

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TO Development in Spartanburg is building a Marriott brand AC Hotel that will be a gateway to the city’s west end, with 2,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, 114 rooms and an outdoor pool. The 10-story hotel will have a rooftop bar and terrace.

The developers and area officials announced the hotel name June 15 at Indigo Hall in downtown Spartanburg. A September 2017 opening is planned, and 35 people will be hired for the hotel staff and food and beverage venues.

David M. Schwarz Architects of Washington, D.C., will collaborate with McMillan Pazdan Smith on the design.

Corry Oakes, CEO of OTO Development, said in a statement: “Throughout Europe, AC Hotels

Rendering of OTO Development’s AC Hotel by Marriott. (Image/Provided)

are located in the heart of vibrant cities. Spartanburg has a mix of an energetic community and a growing contingent of global corporate travelers.

The AC brand is the perfect addition to the city.”

Oakes said OTO Development has been in the hospitality business more than 20 years and has developed more than 525 hotels nationwide.

“We are incredibly excited that the strength of the economy in Spartanburg leads us to believe this is the perfect time to bring another hotel to the place where we live and work,” Oakes said.

City Manager Ed Memmott said in the statement, the city for several years “has been working toward a vision based on the idea that a vibrant, walkable, livable, entrepreneurial, fun and economically diverse central business district was both achievable and essential.”

Corry Oakes of OTO Development (center) addresses a crowd of about a hundred at the June 15 announcement, flanked by David Schwarz of David M. Schwarz Architects (left) and Geordy Johnson of Johnson Development Associates Inc. (Photo/Teresa C. Hopkins)

From the 6.29.15 Issue

Kinder Morgan continues pipeline cleanup near Belton

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leanup of a gasoline spill near Belton yielded more than 444,000 gallons of gasoline and water since December 2014, according to state documents.

The Belton pipeline, which is part of Houstonbased Kinder Morgan’s series of pipelines and operated by Plantation Pipe Line Co., suffered a sleeve failure around Dec. 8, 2014, and the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control said cleanup efforts are ongoing. In the latest report dated June 5, Kinder Morgan has recovered more than 10,000 barrels of product and water.

“At this time, DHEC continues to monitor the situation and work with the responsible party to 4

ensure cleanup and remediation are completed,” said DHEC representative Cassandra Harris in an email.

According to the report submitted to DHEC by Spartanburg-based CH2M Hill, cleanup efforts around Belton include inspecting Brown’s Creek and Cupboard Creek south of West Calhoun Road for sheen, odor and distressed vegetation.

The report said nothing has been found. Water samples were tested for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, zylenes and naphthalene. Only low levels of toluene were discovered at one of the sampling sites, however the levels were below South Carolina’s surface water standard, according to the report.

NEWSMAKERS 2015 | GSA Business Report

A creek near the Anderson County site where Kinder Morgan is cleaning up a pipeline spill. Officials said the company has collected more than 444,000 gallons of gas and water since the spill in December 2014. (Photo/Bill Poovey)

CAMPERDOWN DEVELOPER SAYS CONSTRUCTION STARTS IN EARLY 2016 From the 8.24.15 Issue

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onstruction of the Camperdown mixed-use project at the site of The Greenville News building is expected to start in the first quarter of 2016, Centennial American Properties President Brody Glenn said. Glenn provided the projected timetable for the 4-acre project along Main Street after the city’s Design Review Board Urban Panel approved certificates of appropriateness for the first of two planned office buildings and an adjacent 125-room AC Hotel by Marriott. He declined further comment. He had previously said construction could possibly start in 2015.

Centennial American agreed to purchase the property from the newspaper company following a decision by Dallas-based Trammell Crow Co. as a co-developer to pull out of a purchase agreement and withdraw from the project.

The city panel’s go-ahead votes Aug. 6 after being shown a three-dimensional view of the project followed several months of asking the developer to make changes in the office building exterior.

“It has taken a while to get here, and design is not easy,” said panel Chairman Barry Nocks.

Plans include a canopy from Main Street to the project plaza, with the intent of “guiding pedestrians through the entrance of the office building” into the plaza.

The four-story office building proposed by Centennial American Properties is part of the Camperdown development in downtown Greenville. (Photo/Provided)

From the 5.18.15 Issue

Waste Management to haul coal ash out of the Upstate

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aste Management Inc. has started hauling coal ash from Duke Energy’s W.S. Lee Steam Station in Anderson County to the R&B Landfill in Homer, Ga. Waste Management dedicated 50 trucks for the operation. Each truck hauls 22.5 to 23.0 tons of ash. A total of 1.4 million tons of coal ash is being moved to the landfill during Phase I, which is expected to last two to three years.

Coal ash is a product of burning coal, and while it contains mercury, lead, arsenic and other heavy metals, including many that are toxic, it is used to make drywall, cement and other products.

The W.S. Lee Steam Station was retired as a coal plant in November 2014. It was Duke Energy’s last remaining coal-fired plant in South Carolina. The utility has said units one and two are being decommissioned and unit three is being converted to burn natural gas.

The cost of the Phase I ash removal project, which includes excavating from the inactive basin and fill area, is about $75 million.

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NEWSMAKERS 2015 | GSA Business Report

Waste Management Inc. Director Ray Mangrum at the loading site of the W.S. Lee Steam Station in Anderson County. The company has dedicated 50 trucks to haul coal ash from the Duke Energy facility as it transitions to a natural gas operation. (Photos/Teresa C. Hopkins)

CERTUSBANK’S AMBITIOUS GROWTH PLAN FAILS

TOP Business Reporting STORY reEaSBSuRseinaedsesrsPC IN ubhloisich UfSA eBo eers liaSnAc AlG

From the 10.19.15 Issue

2014 2015

The interactive wall at the former branch in the One Building. (File/Photo)

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Former Certus branch on Main Street in Greenville. (Photo/Bill Poovey) 8

NEWSMAKERS 2015 | GSA Business Report

our years after hatching from an investor group’s acquisition of a failed Upstate bank, CertusBank’s showcase branch in downtown Greenville’s One Building disappeared along with its bank operations. The selloff of assets and branches follows a founder’s ambitious startup predictions of growing into a $5 billion bank within two years.

Branches in Columbia, Charleston and Ponte Vedra, Fla., have also closed. Some CertusBank branches and accounts in the Upstate have been taken over by High Point, N.C.-based Bank of North Carolina.

Bank of North Carolina purchased about $284 million in customer deposits, about $210 million in loans, and seven branch offices in Greenville, Spartanburg, Easley, Greer and Mauldin.

CertusBank opened in 2011 after Blue Ridge Holdings, organized following the Great Recession by a group of former Bank of America and Wachovia executives, raised $500 million from investors and set out to buy failed banks. The group acquired the deposits and branches of the failed CommunitySouth Bank and Trust in Easley.

In 2011, CertusBank earned $59 million, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. records show. The

bank showed a $19.9 million loss the next year, while continuing to buy other failed banks, opening a branch in Charlotte and acquiring Myers Park Mortgage Inc. In 2013, when the headquarters opened in downtown Greenville, CertusBank lost $64.3 million.

The bank’s troubles became headlines in 2014 with media reports about New York investment manager Benjamin Weinger’s letter to shareholders. Weinger, an initial investor, questioned CertusBank’s operations, cited bloated salaries, alleged extravagant spending by executives and criticized a pricey feature at the downtown Greenville branch: The “tallest interactive, multitouch media wall in the United States at 13 feet high.”

Questions were also raised about CertusBank payments to Integrated Capital Strategies, a consulting firm owned by bank executives. A spokesman for the S.C. Attorney General’s Office previously said its securities division was investigating CertusBank. A report by The Charlotte Observer said prosecutors wanted to explore the relationship between the bank and the consulting firm that provided management services. A spokeswoman for the attorney general said she could not comment about the current status of that investigation.

DUKE ABANDONS POWER LINE PROJECT From the 11.16.15 Issue

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fter months of planning and numerous public meetings, Duke Energy decided to scrap its plans to run 45 miles of transmission lines from Asheville to Campobello though parts of northern Greenville and Spartanburg counties.

Initially, Duke planned to retire its coal-fired power plant in Asheville, build a natural gas plant and run generation lines through western North Carolina and into Greenville and Spar-

tanburg counties down to a substation located off Interstate 26 in Campobello. Duke was scheduled to release the specific route of the transmission lines before this latest development.

“We have been committed to developing a plan to maintain the region’s power reliability with the least possible impact on communities, property owners and the environment from the start of this effort, and we believe our revised plans accomplish these goals,” said Lloyd

Yates, Duke Energy’s executive vice president for market solutions and president of the Carolinas region, in a press release.

Residents like Suzanne Strickland, president of Our Carolina Foothills and owner of Stone Soup Restaurant in Landrum, opposed the line proposal, citing the power lines would have a negative effect on the travel and tourism economy of the region, specifically the horse farms and facilities throughout the area and the Tryon International Equestrian Center

in North Carolina.

“It would have killed our economy and ruined our way of life,” Strickland said. “It was clear everyone was against it, and I am thrilled they listened.”

Duke Energy officials said the new plan will include an expansion of renewable energy and programs to reduce energy consumption during peak demand times. The plan also includes the potential construction of a third gas plant in Asheville, depending on the rate of demand.

A transmission line similar to this one located near Campobello was part of Duke Energy’s proposed $320 million Foothills Transmission Line project. The project, which included lines from Asheville to Campobello, was halted by Duke officials. (Photo/Matthew Clark)

From the 4.6.15 Issue

‘Cool factor’ underpins Oconee rebranding

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or business officials in Oconee County, the future depends on a community code development, downtown revitalization, a hospitality tax and “cool factor.” And all of this requires a managed plan, according to one economic developer.

Ken Sloan, president and CEO of Mountain Lakes Convention and Visitor’s Bureau in Walhalla, said: “Visitors come into Oconee County from Greenville, Clemson, Clayton, Highlands, Anderson. They come in here, they ride on our roads, they visit our waterfalls, they raft on our rivers, they play in our lakes … then they turn around and go back home.”

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“They spend money on restaurants, shopping and lodging in our neighboring communities, and we’re losing millions and millions of dollars as a result,” he said.

Why aren’t they staying in Oconee County?

Sloan said that research indicates the area lacks what he calls a “cool factor.”

The cool factor, Sloan said, comprises diversity, uniqueness in dining and shopping, nightlife, bars and entertainment. But adding any of these factors doesn’t happen overnight and requires a plan for managed growth.

The cost of the Phase I ash removal project, which includes excavating from the inactive basin and fill area, is about $75 million.

NEWSMAKERS 2015 | GSA Business Report

Oconee County officials hope to keep visitors in the county with “cool” things like unique dining and shopping and other recreational activities. (Photo/Provided)

PORTS CHIEF PROJECTS POTENTIAL INLAND PORT EXPANSION From the 11.2.15 Issue

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iting the potential to expand to a capacity of 200,000 containers at the S.C. Inland Port, S.C. State Ports Authority President and CEO Jim Newsome said he hopes to be able to expand the facility in Greer as part of the authority’s fiscal 2017 budget. Newsome also mentioned the possibility of adding a second inland port in South Carolina.

S.C. State Ports Authority President and CEO Jim Newsome talks about the prospect of expanding the S.C. Inland Port during an event at ZF Chassis in Duncan. (Photo/Matthew Clark)

During an event at ZF Chassis in Duncan, Newsome said adding new clients such as the Dollar Tree distribution facility currently being

constructed in Cherokee County, could be part of a larger rationale to expand the 47-acre port adjacent to the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport.

“I believe there are more Dollar Trees out there,” Newsome said.

Newsome’s thoughts came on the heels of an economic impact study conducted by Joey Von Nessen of the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. In the study, Von Nessen, a research economist, said the estimated statewide economic impact of the ports is estimated at $53 billion. He said that impact “corresponds to 187,206 jobs and over $10.2 billion in labor income for South Carolinians that would not exist otherwise.” Von Nessen called the overall economic impact of the ports on the state’s economy “significant.”

The $53 million is approximately 9.3% of the state’s total annual gross state product.

The report said the ports generate economic activity “that brings in over $912 million in tax revenue annually for the state of South Carolina.”

The study indicated that, of the overall impact, 51% of that is directly attributed to the Upstate region. He said there is a total of $26.8 billion in total economic output and nearly 95,000 jobs and $5.2 billion in labor income as a result of the Upstate’s contribution to the ports. That has a lot to do with the automotive industry centered in the region, Von Nessen said.

A crane at the S.C. Inland Port in Greer moves a container to a waiting truck. The S.C. State Ports Authority may plan to expand the 47-acre facility as part of its fiscal 2017 budget. (Photo/File)

From the 10.5.15 Issue

GHS trustees approve $2.2B budget for fiscal 2016

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he Greenville Health System Board of Trustees approved a $2.2 billion budget for fiscal 2016. The new budget took effect on Oct. 1.

Terri Newsom, vice president for financial services and CFO for GHS, said the new budget reflects an additional 564 jobs and no room rate increases or systemwide price increases.

“It is aggressive in terms of what we need to do meet the needs of the community,” Newsom said.

This marks the fifth year GHS has increased its budget. Newsom said the growth is justified and goes along with the region’s growth.

“It grows based on a variety of things,” Newsom said. “Population in the area is growing. We’ve added two hospitals and we continue to expand our physician network.”

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NEWSMAKERS 2015 | GSA Business Report

She said most of the new positions will be nurses, physicians and midlevel providers. There will be additional clerical and support staff added as well.

The new personnel is part of a push by GHS to increase the coverage of its physician network. GHS currently has 77 providers in the network — 43 physicians and 34 advanced practice providers, such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants.

“Through this budget we have some key strategic initiatives, and one of those is expanding our physician network,” Newsom said. “It’s not just physicians, but it is advanced providers.”

Additionally, GHS plans to focus on mobile health care by increasing the outreach of its mobile clinic and add 108 new nurses to the staff in 2016.

FLAG VOTE: LAWMAKERS EXPRESS DISSENT From the 7.27.15 Issue

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nyone reading the list of lawmakers voting against removal of the Confederate Battle Flag from the Statehouse grounds in Columbia will find a large majority, including all three state senators, hailed from the Upstate.

Why did Upstate lawmakers vote against a measure that drew national praise?

“The murders in Charleston had a greater impact to those that were closer to the scene,” said Sen. Lee Bright, R-Greer. “It was easier for people to tie that to the flag, and I don’t think that was very rational.”

Bright joined fellow Republican Sens. Danny Verdin, of Laurens, and Harvey Peeler, of Cherokee, as casting the dissenting votes in the Senate to furl the flag.

In the House, Rep. W. Brian White — R-Anderson, chairman of the House Ways and Means committee — was one of 23 in the House to vote against the measure to remove the flag.

He said it was the media fervor surrounding the killing of nine black people in Charleston by an accused shooter who flaunted the battle flag in various photos.

“It was a line in the sand,” White said. “I think we are forgetting this is a representative form of government, not a media form of government.”

Above: The S.C. Honor Guard furls the Confederate Battle Flag on the Statehouse grounds. Left: Joe Clemmons, 69, a resident of Beech Island and Confederate flag supporter attended the brief ceremony where the flag was lowered on the S.C. Statehouse lawn in Columbia on July 10, 2015.

(Photos/Ashley Heffernan)

From the 5.4.15 Issue

Conference explores manufacturing

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ore than 1,700 professionals from manufacturing and supply chain companies around the Southeast made connections and discussed industry challenges at the inaugural S.C. Manufacturing Conference and Expo, held by SC Biz News at the TD Convention Center in Greenville in April.

Attendees heard from 36 experts on topics important to manufacturers, such as getting access to capital for startups and expansions, improving cybersecurity solutions and using new technologies, like 3-D printers or driverless cars, to improve efficiencies within manufacturing and research-and-development

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operations.

Attendees networked at 80 booths during the two-day expo; more than 900 people attended Greenville Technical College’s Advanced Manufacturing Job Fair; and about 1,000 high-school students met with employers during the SCRA Career Fair.

During keynote addresses, Gov. Nikki Haley, S.C. Commerce Secretary Bobby Hitt, Michelin North America President Pete Selleck and S.C. Manufacturers Alliance Chairman Mikee Johnson all reinforced the need for improved roads and bridges and more workforce training programs to continue growing the state’s robust manufacturing sector.

NEWSMAKERS 2015 | GSA Business Report

Gov. Nikki Haley spoke during the S.C. Manufacturing Excellence Awards luncheon where Borg Warner was honored with the Silver Crescent Award for 2015. (File Photo)

RAIN, FLOODING DISRUPT ANNUAL FESTIVAL IN LAURENS From the 10.19.15 Issue

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n years past, the annual Squealin’ on the Square barbecue competition and festival has been a boon for businesses in Laurens and, more specifically, Main Street Laurens USA Inc. Over the last 14 years of the festival, Jonathan Irick, Main Street Laurens’ executive director, said attendance has grown to nearly 25,000 for the sanctioned competition, making it the largest festival of the year in Laurens County. This year, the expectation was for much of the same until heavy rains in October dumped 6-8 inches of rain on the Upstate and causing severe flooding in parts of the Midlands and Lowcountry.

“This time, we had about 500-600, maybe 1,000,” Irick said of the festival attendance this year. “We set everyone up on Friday, and it wasn’t bad, but Friday evening it started raining and our income from that day was not much

at all.”

He said it just got worse from there.

Irick said he thought the event could be stronger on Saturday after hearing weather forecasts calling for a clearing into afternoon, but setting up proved for naught as rain poured down from daybreak Saturday through Sunday.

He said vendors were moved inside and the barbecue competition still took place, but with very sparse attendance.

Restaurants in and around downtown Laurens typically stock up for Squealin’ on the Square because, Irick said, they have run out of food in years past. In addition to the extra food not used, Main Street Laurens USA Inc. stands to lose the $15,000 to $18,000 the nonprofit organization typically earns from the two-day event.

“It is a huge hit, not just for us, but for the entire community,” Irick said.

A strong wind whips through vendor tents and spectators during the annual Squealin’ on the Square barbecue competition in downtown Laurens. (Photo/Provided by Judith Brown, Laurens County Advertiser)

Usually packed on the second night of Squealin’ on the Square, downtown Laurens was sparse as heavy rains fell upon the event. Jonathan Irick, executive director of Main Street Laurens USA Inc. said the event that normally draws up to 25,000 managed less than 1,000 this year. (Photo/Provided by Judith Brown, Laurens County Advertiser) A vendor tent at the Squealin’ on the Square barbecue event in downtown Laurens dumps rain built up from heavy downpours all weekend. (Photo/Provided by Judith Brown, Laurens County Advertiser)

From the 11.2.15 Issue

Greenwood alliance kicks off $5 million education campaign

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he Greenwood Partnership Alliance kicked off The Greenwood Promise campaign in 2015 to establish an endowment that will provide Greenwood County high school graduates tuition assistance toward an associate degree. To date, the campaign has received more than $2.5 million, including an anonymous donation of $1 million.

Campaign organizers hope to raise $5

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million over the next five years.

“We know that The Greenwood Promise will have a transformative impact on Greenwood County and provide hope for future generations to come,” said James A. Pfeiffer, CEO of Self Regional Healthcare, who serves as the 2015 Greenwood Promise campaign chairman.

Greenwood Promise is a “last money” scholarship, meaning it will pay the remaining tuition and fees after all state

NEWSMAKERS 2015 | GSA Business Report

scholarships, grants and Pell Grants are included. It is for tuition and fees only and is paid directly to the educational institution. The program is available for students whose primary residences are zoned within Greenwood County School Districts 50, 51 and 52.

“The Greenwood Promise is an exciting initiative that will be a game changer for our community. It will break down the financial barriers for children in our com-

munity and give them an opportunity to succeed in college,” said Darrell Johnson, superintendent, Greenwood District 50.

The program will launch in phases, with $5 million securing the associate degree portion for Greenwood County graduates.

As the endowment grows there are plans to expand the program to support a limited number of bachelor’s degree program that will be targeted to areas that local industry identify as critical needs.

CONSTRUCTION SET FOR $8M CONDO-HOTEL IN CLEMSON From the 5.18.15 Issue

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Construction on the $8 million 41-unit condominium-hotel is expected to complete just in time for the 2016 football season. (Rendering/Provided)

he Abernathy, a 41-unit condominium hotel, will be built near Clemson University’s Memorial Stadium.

Tom Winkopp Realtor-Developer LLC announced construction would be completed prior to the start of the 2016 football season.

Winkopp said the fully-furnished condos, located along S.C. Highway 93 near the intersection of Centennial Boulevard, will provide an opportunity for “true Tiger fans to stay and tailgate one block from the rock,” referring to Howard’s Rock at the east end of the stadium.

“It’s as close to the stadium as it can be without being on campus,” Winkopp said.

The hotel is named after former Clemson Mayor Larry Abernathy, who passed away in 2012.

“He and I were friends for years. He was always very helpful to me, as well as my family,” Winkopp said. “This project embodies what he was all about: Tourism and our favorite hobby, Clemson football.

The Abernathy was designed by Signature Architects in Clemson and will be built by Trehel Corp.

According to Winkopp, each one-bedroom, one-bath condo in the four-story development will feature a living area and an equipped kitchen. The lobby will have a fireplace, as well as a breakfast service. The Abernathy will be a managed property, so there will be security and maintenance services.

From the 1.26.15 Issue

Iron Yard opens doors to new downtown digs

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oving from the Next Innovation Center to a much bigger space in downtown Greenville has The Iron Yard looking to invite the public in more often and restart free classes for children and teens. Chief Marketing Officer Eric Dodds said the refurbished 12,000-square-foot fourth floor of the Bank of America Building has put the software code school and business development program where it needs to be.

“We outgrew our office space. We had about between 3,000 and 4,000 square feet,” Dodds said. “We also had our eye on being right in the heart of downtown because that is where we for a significant part of what we do. It is where we work and meet and play. After work everyone heads down here. If we have (investors) come in from out of town, we are taking them right downtown.”

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The new space is also corporate headquarters for the four-year-old company that has grown to more than 40 employees at 10 campuses, including Columbia and Charleston, Dodds said. He said there is a total of “between 300 and 400 students in classes” at all the locations.

The Iron Yard “teaches people how to write code and place them in jobs,” Dodds said. “Those classes are 12 weeks long … Originally, we were a software accelerator program who made seed investments in software companies and then mentored them and helped them raise larger rounds of capital after they came through our program. That program is still running, and the managing director works here out of our Greenville office.”

Dodds said there are seven or eight corporate employees in Greenville and more will be hired this year. Three of the four owners are in Greenville, he said.

NEWSMAKERS 2015 | GSA Business Report

At The Iron Yard’s new downtown space in the Bank of America Building, Chief Marketing Officer Eric Dodds (left) and Creative Director Nathan Spainhour discuss a refresh of the company’s website as a code class meets in the background. (Photo/Bill Poovey)

SUSTAINABILITY, SERENDIPITY UNDERPIN FARMER OF THE YEAR’S SUCCESS From the 9.7.15 Issue

Tom Trantham, owner of Happy Cow Creamery and 12 Aprils Dairy, has gone from near financial ruin in the ‘80s to being named S.C. farmer of the year. (Photo/Don Fujiwara)

A

ccording to Tom Trantham Jr., “The cow is God’s favorite animal. It provides more to the human race than any other animal.”

Trantham, 74, has come a long way, from teetering at the brink of foreclosure in the 1980s to being ranked among the top-10 dairy farmers in South Carolina. He was recently named farmer of the year for South Carolina as part of the 2015 Swisher Sweets-Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year award.

Trantham is the owner of Happy Cow Creamery and 12 Aprils Dairy in Ware Place in southwest Greenville County. 12 Aprils is also the name of the system he developed to produce milk, and it harkens back to a less prosperous time. During the mid-‘80s, South Carolina was undergoing its worst drought in 100 years, Trantham said. Back then, he was growing and storing his own feed for the cows. There were 17 items in the

feed mix, he said, and “I was spending more money to make the milk than I made selling it.”

He said when he went to the bank for help, “They told me I was $200,000 in the hole and they wouldn’t lend me a penny.”

He said he was so close to losing his farm that he sent his children elsewhere to seek their own livelihoods.

Then, in April 1987, the cows broke free from their enclosure, and Trantham found them grazing in an adjacent field. Along with his financial troubles, the escape could have ended up being the last straw for the farm. Instead, it turned out to be its salvation. Afterward, when Trantham milked the cows, he found they had produced more milk than they had been. He examined the field the cows had grazed and found they had eaten the top, protein-rich half of the plants and left the woody, less nutritious bottom half.

Happy Cow Creamery and the adjoining Harvestore silo, which has been repurposed to house the dairy’s bottling operation.

(Photo/Don Fujiwara)

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NEWSMAKERS 2015 | GSA Business Report

2015 READER’S CHOICE AWARDS The readers of GSA Business chose who they thought were the most influential leaders in the Upstate. The following starts with the top 20, as voted on by readers followed by all who were nominated. We congratulate all who were mentioned.

1

Mayor Knox H. White City of Greenville

Knox White has served as Mayor of Greenville since December 1995. As Mayor he has the goal of making the city of Greenville “the most beautiful and livable city in America.” He has emphasized neighborhood revitalization, economic development, and transformational projects for downtown.

Key strategic projects include: removal of the Camperdown Bridge and creation of Falls Park, the restoration of the Poinsett Hotel and Court Street, new retail (Mast General Store), a downtown baseball stadium (Fluor Field), riverfront development and initiation of a bike and walking trail system (Swamp Rabbit Trail) throughout the City, public art initiatives along Main Street, record annexations, and a model infrastructure for Clemson ICAR. Neighborhood initiatives include enhanced beautification efforts, traffic calming, sidewalk construction, support for neighborhood associations, reinvestment in neighborhood parks, master plans for commercial corridors, and attractive new housing in the city’s special emphasis neighborhoods.

Under the mayor’s leadership, the City maintains a “Triple A” (AAA) bond rating and enjoys a reputation for solving problems on an innovative and bipartisan basis.

2

Kevin Bean

President and CEO, O’Neal, Inc.

Kevin Bean is President and CEO of O’Neal, Inc., an integrated design and construction firm headquartered in Greenville. In his role, he provides overall leadership for the 280-person, employee-owned company. He has over 25 years of experience in project development and delivery for several Fortune 100 and Upstate companies such as Michelin, Milliken, Bosch, General Electric, and BMW. Under Kevin’s leadership, O’Neal and has achieved significant growth and has recently announced expansions in Greenville and Mexico. He became O’Neal’s President and CEO in 2005, and he also serves on the firm’s Board of Directors. Kevin holds a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and is a registered professional engineer and licensed general contractor. Kevin lives in Greenville with his wife, Caroline, and two children, Madison and Harrison.

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NEWSMAKERS 2015 | GSA Business Report

3

Bob Hughes

President, Hughes Development Corporation

Bob Hughes is a Greenville native who has been developing real estate in this area and the southeast for over 40 years. Projects have run the gamut from single-family residential to industrial and highrise offices. Every project has been conceived and planned to compliment and enhance the community it serves. Recent projects have tended to involve the “master developer” role and include other developers and expertise.

Bob started in property management and learned that serving the client well while being responsive to the community provided the best balance of success and opportunity. The resulting larger and more complex projects have included Poinsett Plaza, RiverPlace and ONE, all on Greenville’s award-winning Main Street.

5

Joe Erwin President, Erwin Penland

Entrepreneur Joe Erwin is President and co-founder of national marketing agency Erwin Penland, which represents clients including Verizon Wireless, Denny’s, L.L.Bean, Disney XD, Pilot Flying J and Califia Farms.

A graduate of Clemson University, Joe began his career at Greenville’s Leslie Advertising, and joined DMB&B in New York before returning to Greenville in 1986 to purchase Penland Advertising. He and his wife Gretchen – also a marketing professional – opened Erwin Penland with one account and two employees.

Today, more than 350 EP team members in Greenville and New York work across a wide range of integrated marketing disciplines including digital, mobile, social and content marketing; experiential; media and analytics; digital asset management; and public relations. The agency has received countless awards for creative and strategic excellence, and recently broke ground on a new six-story headquarters building in downtown Greenville.

7

Minor Shaw Chair, Duke Endowment Board

Shaw is President of the Micco LLC. She serves as Chair of the Daniel-Mickel Foundation and is Chair of the Greenville-Spartanburg Airport Commission.

She is a board member of the Hollingsworth Funds, South Carolina ETV Communications, Piedmont Natural Gas, Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina and the Columbia Funds. She has been Chairman of the Community Foundation of Greenville, the South Carolina S.C. Governors School for the Arts and Humanities, the Junior League of Greenville, the Urban League of the Upstate, and the YMCA of Greenville.

4

James P. Clements President, Clemson University

James P. Clements became Clemson University’s 15th president on December 31, 2013. He is also a Professor in the School of Computing, College of Engineering and Science at Clemson. Under his leadership, Clemson has reached several milestones — the largest campus development initiative in university history, a record number of student applications with the strongest academic profile ever; and a record-breaking year in fundraising, with nearly $200 million raised in private gifts since Clements joined the University.

Clements is a nationally recognized leader in higher education who currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, North America’s oldest higher education association.

6

John Uprichard President and CEO, Find Great People

John Uprichard is the President and CEO of Find Great People, one of the fastest-growing executive recruitment and talent management firms in America.

Under his leadership since 2002, FGP has experienced over 2400% revenue growth, launched new business lines and employs more than 65 people in three offices who focus on building great companies worldwide.

Based in Greenville, SC, John travels regularly to visit clients across the country. He is a frequent speaker on leadership, talent acquisition, employee relations and healthcare reform, including testimony before Congress on behalf of the recruiting and staffing industry. John is an entrepreneur at heart and gives advice on sustainable business strategies. In 2007, John co-founded Performance Payroll, one of the largest payroll companies in South Carolina, were he holds the position of Chairman.

8

Elizabeth Davis President, Furman University

Dr. Elizabeth Davis became Furman University’s 12th President on July 1, 2014.

Before coming to Furman, she spent 22 years at Baylor University in Texas, where she most recently held the position of Executive Vice President and Provost.

In addition to being a member of the accounting faculty at Baylor, she also served as Vice Provost for Financial and Academic Administration, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Business Programs, and Acting Chair of the Department of Accounting and Business Law. Before beginning her higher education career, she spent three years at Arthur Andersen & Co. in New Orleans.

Dr. Davis is a member of the Council of Presidents, an advisory group of college and university chief executives who provide guidance to the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges on issues of governance in higher education.

She serves on the Board of Directors of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, and is an honorary member of the Board of Governors of the Commerce Club. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of Comstock Resources, Inc., an energy company based in Texas.

NEWSMAKERS 2015 | GSA Business Report 23

9

Pete Selleck

President and CEO, Michelin North America

Pete Selleck is responsible for coordinating all activities of Michelin in North America. With more than $10 billion in sales and over 22,000 employees across Canada, Mexico and the United States, Michelin is the global leader in the tire industry, manufacturing tires for every type of vehicle including aircraft, automobiles, bicycles, motorcycles, earthmovers, farm equipment and trucks.

Selleck joined Michelin in 1982 and has served in manufacturing and general management positions in Greenville, S.C., and Clermont-Ferrand, France. The first half of his Michelin career was focused on engineering, quality, operational and leadership roles in North American manufacturing plants.

Subsequently, he served as chief operating officer of the North American Passenger Car Tire Division, chief operating officer of the European Passenger Car Tire Division and president of the Global Truck Tire Division.

11

Carl Sobocinski Owner, Table 301 Restaurant Group

Carl Sobocinski is the owner of Table 301, a restaurant group that includes Soby’s New South Cuisine, Soby’s on the Side, The Lazy Goat, Table 301 Catering, The NOSE DIVE gastropub, Passerelle Bistro and Papi’s Tacos.

He moved to South Carolina from Durham, New Hampshire, to pursue an architectural degree at Clemson University. Upon graduation from Clemson’s college of Architecture with a B.A. in Design, Sobocinski realized that the restaurant business, not architecture, would best allow his creative, entrepreneurial spirit and his kindred social skills to work together. He has a passion for hospitality and community service. From his professional hospitality standpoint, his goal each day is to provide guests of all Table 301 restaurants with the most exceptional experience possible - meet all guests’ needs and exceed their expectations.

13

Michael Riordan President and CEO Greenville Health System

Michael C. Riordan, President and Chief Executive Officer, joined Greenville Health System in 2006. Riordan is responsible for leading this highly integrated system, one of the largest not-for-profit healthcare providers in the Southeast with eight medical campuses, over 180 physician practice sites, more than 14,000 employees including over 1,100 physicians and providers, and operating revenues of approximately $2 billion.

Prior to joining GHS, he served as president and CEO of the University of Chicago Hospitals and Health System and as senior associate hospital administrator for Emory University Hospital and Crawford Long Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. He also served three years in the United States Marine Corps as a lieutenant.

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NEWSMAKERS 2015 | GSA Business Report

10

Peter Larocque

President of North American Technology Solutions, SYNNEX Corp.

Peter Larocque is president of North American Technology Solutions for SYNNEX Corporation, a $14 billion Fortune 300 technology company. Larocque oversees the company’s North American distribution business to bring the relevant IT and consumer electronics solutions to market. Under his leadership, SYNNEX has been named one of the Best Places to Work in South Carolina for five consecutive years.

Larocque is also founder of SYNNEX Share the Magic, an annual fundraising initiative to provide the much needed funding for Upstate children and youth facing incredible challenges such as life-threatening illnesses, abuse, neglect or developmental delays. This year, SYNNEX Share the Magic raised $1.5 million and since its inception in 2011, it has raised more than $5 million for A Child’s Haven, Clement’s Kindness, Make-A-Wish South Carolina and Pendleton Place.

12

Steve Harkins President, SC Telco Federal Credit Union

Harkins leads the strategic direction of SC Telco Federal Credit Union based in Greenville with offices in the Upstate, Midlands and Pee Dee. The credit union has $300 million in assets and 50,000 members making it the largest credit union headquartered in the Upstate. SC Telco serves a largely low-income membership where family income is 80% or less than the median family income for the metropolitan area where they live.

He became President/CEO in January 1993 after serving as Vice President for six years. Harkins previously served as a Vice President for State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) in North Carolina.

14

Brad Wyche Founder, Upstate Forever

In 1998, Mr. Wyche left the law business and founded Upstate Forever, a non-profit, membershipbased organization promoting sensible growth and the protection of special places in the Upstate region of South Carolina and served as its Executive Director through September, 2015. He remains actively involved as Founder and Senior Advisor. Upstate Forever now has nearly 2,000 members, two offices (its main office in Greenville and a small office in Spartanburg), and a staff of 20. For more information about Upstate Forever and its programs and accomplishments, see www.upstateforever.org.

15

Rick Erwin

Owner and Founder, Rick Erwin Dining Group

Rick Erwin is living his dream. A native of Greenville, SC, Rick has always had a life-long passion for the restaurant business. In fact, his first job was at a family steakhouse when he was only 14 years old. Today, his passion revolves around bringing his devoted patrons the finest food and exceptional service in a casually elegant and comfortable setting. Rick learned long ago that to be successful you have to understand what your customers want, and deliver over and above that expectation every day. “We start every day with the same goal,” Rick says, “keeping our customers satisfied.”

Since its opening on May 11, 2005 in the heart of downtown Greenville, Rick Erwin’s West End Grille has grown into a dining group with four more restaurants with Rick serving as Owner/Partner.

17

Richard Riley

Former S.C. Governor, U.S. Secretary of Education

The Christian Science Monitor said that many Americans regard Dick Riley as “one of the great statesmen of education in this (20th) century.” David Broder, a highly-acclaimed national columnist, called him one of the “most decent and honorable people in public life.” And when Riley was Governor, he was so popular that the people amended the South Carolina Constitution to enable him to run for a second term.

He has received hundreds of awards for his outstanding public service and his significant contributions to education improvement. In 2009, TIME Magazine named Riley one of America’s “Top 10 Best Cabinet Members” in our nation’s history. And in 2010 he was inducted into the South Carolina Hall of Fame.

Wherever he goes, Richard Wilson Riley – former U. S. Secretary of Education and former Governor of South Carolina – wins respect for his integrity, principled leadership, commitment to children and passion for high-quality education.

19

Trevor Gordon

Founder and CEO, Sandlapper Group of Companies

Trevor Gordon began his career almost 25 years ago literally at the bottom as mail distribution clerk with a regional financial services firm. His experience since then has included research, marketing, retail production, sales and communications. He has risen from the lowest position in a firm and reached the pinnacle as the highest. His product knowledge includes mutual funds, stocks, bonds, insurance, derivatives, real estate and alternative investments. Today, Mr. Gordon primarily focuses on business development; creating investment solutions for high-net worth accredited investors and capital formation, successfully raising approximately $500 million to acquire in excess of $1.1 billion in assets nationwide. His goal is to craft and develop products, processes and services that create optimum value for clients.

16

Hayne Hipp

Former CEO, Liberty Corp., Co-founder, The Liberty Fellowship

Hayne Hipp is co-founder with his wife, Anna Kate, of the Liberty Fellowship (www.LibertyFellowshipSC.org), a program of seminars, service projects and Forums conducted in partnership with the Aspen Institute and Wofford College. Drawing from the business, government and non-profit sectors, Liberty Fellowship is designed to identify and sustain collaborative values based leadership in South Carolina. This highly successful program, founded in 2003, brings together young leaders with a diversity of perspective, a wide range of thought and a passion for moving South Carolina forward.

Hayne was CEO of The Liberty Corporation (NYSC:LC), an owner of insurance companies and television stations with additional investments in media, real estate and technology ventures.

18

Megan Riegel President and CEO, The Peace Center

Megan has been involved in performing arts management since she graduated with an MBA and an MA in Arts Administration from Southern Methodist University in 1984. Her career in Arts Management has included the following: Operations Manager and Development Officer, Cleveland Play House; Development Officer, Curtis Institute of Music; Director of Development, Philadelphia Drama Guild; Fundraising Consultant for the C.W. Shaver & Company; Director of Marketing and Development, Actors’ Fund of America; and Director of Development, General Manger, President and CEO of The Peace Center.

Megan joined The Peace Center staff in 1994 as Director of Development and within six months was appointed General Manager, a position she held until her promotion to President and CEO in July 1997. Megan is responsible for overseeing all aspects of The Peace Center including programming, marketing, education and outreach, operations, finance, fundraising, strategic planning and board development.

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David Wilkins

Attorney, Former Speaker, Ambassador

Ambassador David H. Wilkins is a partner at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP and chairs the Public Policy and International Law practice group, which focuses primarily on representing businesses on both sides of the US-Canadian border and offers experience on a wide range of strategic bilateral issues.

Mr. Wilkins was nominated by President George W. Bush to become the United States Ambassador to Canada. He began his service on June 29, 2005, and served until January 20, 2009.

During his tenure, Ambassador Wilkins helped to resolve some of the highest profile issues between Canada and the United States, including the decades-old softwood lumber trade dispute. He is known on both sides of the border as an honest broker who worked for solutions on the toughest issues – energy, national security, the environment, trade and travel – impacting millions of citizens in both countries.

NEWSMAKERS 2015 | GSA Business Report 25

Annette Allen Vice President, Fluor Corp.

Paul C. “Bo” Aughtry Principal and President Commercial Division, Windsor Aughtry Hotel Group

William “Bill” Barnet Retired CEO, William Barnet & Son, LLC

David Barnett President, SC Western Region Carolina Alliance Bank

Peter Barth CEO, The Iron Yard

Michael L. Baur CEO, ScanSource

Alan D. Berry President and CEO, Greenville Heritage Federal Credit Union

Craig Brown President and Owner, Greenville Drive Baseball Team

Julie Godshall Brown President and Owner, Godshall Professional Recruiting and Staffing

Jody Bryson President and CEO, South Carolina Technology and Aviation Center

Fred Cartwright Executive Director, Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research

John Castile City Manager, City of Greenville

Pamela Christopher President and CEO, Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce

Kevin Collins President and Owner Collins Building Group

Ivan Contreras CEO, Carbures USA, Inc.

Marion Rose Crawford President and CEO, Crawford Strategy

Leighton Cubbage Co-founder and Chair, Serrus Capital Partners

Rick Danner Mayor, City of Greer

Richard E. Davis Managing Shareholder, Elliott Davis Decosimo

Herbert W. Dew President, HTI

Chandra Dillard Representative, S.C. State House Director, Community Relations, Furman University

David N. Edwards, Jr. President and CEO, Greenville-Spartanburg Airport District

R. Charles Eldridge Market President, BNC Bank

Manfred Erlacher President and CEO, BMW Manufacturing Co.

Samuel L. Erwin Regional President and CEO, United Community Bank

Larry Estridge Womble Carlisle Sandridge & Rice *posthumously awarded

Elizabeth “Betsy” A. Fleming President, Converse College

Lillian Brock Flemming Vice Mayor Pro Tem, City of Greenville

Jody Gallagher President and CEO, AFL

Clark Gillespy President, Duke South Carolina, Duke Energy Carolinas

P. Edwin Good Founder and President, Hampton Development

Don L. Gordon Executive Director, The Riley Institute at Furman University

Sean Hartness Vice President, Hartness International

H. Lynn Harton COO, United Community Bank

Ted Hendry President, United Way of Greenville County

Anna Kate Hipp Co-founder, The Liberty Fellowship

Frank S. Holleman Environmental Attorney, Southern Environmental Law Center

Bruce Holstien President and CEO, Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System

Cornelius Huff Mayor, City of Inman

Phil Hughes President, Hughes Investments

Velda Carter Hughes President and Owner, Hughes Agency

Dean Hybl Executive Director, Ten at the Top

Gwendolyn Jackson CEO, Total Home Health Care of SC

George “Geordy” D. Johnson CEO, Johnson Development Associates, Inc.

H.G. “Butch” Kirven Councilman, Greenville County Council

Dee W. Kivett President and CEO, NextGen Supply Chain Integrators (Nex Gen SCI)

Sam Konduros Executive Director, Greenville Health Research Dev. Corp., GHS

Joseph Lancia President and CEO, Strategic Capital Associates, LTD.

Ray A. Lattimore President and CEO, Marketplace Staffing Services, Inc.

Barbara B. League Chairman and CEO, G.F. League Co., Inc.

Derek Lewis Executive Director, Greenville County First Steps

David Lominack Market President, TD Bank

John Lummus President and CEO, Upstate SC Alliance

Erwin Maddrey CEO, Maddrey and Associates

Richard McDuff CEO, Interim Health Care of Greenville

J. Richard Medlock Interim CEO, Greer State Bank

Keith Miller President, Greenville Technical College

John M. Moore President and CEO, NEXT

James C. Morton Board Chair, Greenville Health System

Mark S. Nantz President and CEO, Bon Secours Health System, Inc. (BHSHI)

Stephen P. Navarro President and CEO, The Furman Co.

Fred Payne Councilor, Greenville County Council

Joseph M. Pazdan Managing Principal, McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture

Stephen Pettit President, Bob Jones University

Blanton S. Phillips, III President and CEO, Phillips Staffing

David Powell CEO, Hospice Care of South Carolina

Rev. Deb RichardsonMoore Director, Triune Mercy Center

Terence Roberts Mayor, City of Anderson

Joseph M. Salley President and CEO, Milliken and Company

Brad Schneider CEO, Appalachian Development Corp.

Sue G. Schneider CEO, Spartanburg Water System

Allen Smith President and CEO, Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce

Marti Spencer CEO and Executive Director, Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Carolinas

Bob Stegner SVP Marketing North America, SYNNEX

Lisa Stevens Board Member, Greenville Health System

Rick Sumerel President and CEO, Verdae Development, Inc.

Bob Taylor Chair, Greenville County Council

William Tiller CEO, Make-a-Wish Foundation

William R. “Rick” Timmons III Senior Vice President of Investments, Canal Insurance

Steve Townes CEO and Founder, Ranger Aerospace, LLC and Ranger AeroSystems, LLC

Mike Trammell Partner, Dixon Hughes Goodman, LLP

William B. Traxler, Jr. Chief Justice, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

Nancy Whitworth Deputy City Manager, City of Greenville

William “Billy” W. Wilkins former Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, Attorney, Nexsen Pruet, LLC

Vivian A. Wong Co-founder, Global Trading Consortium

Don Worley Clinic Director, HealthSource of Laurens County

S.T. Peden Founder, Chair and CEO Minority Economic Development Institute, Inc.

TAX OPPONENTS A NO-SHOW AS SCHOOL BOARD APPROVES BUDGET From the 6.15.15 Issue

Fiscal 2016 Greenville County schools General Fund budget approved June 2.

The FY 16 General Fund Budget, unanimously approved by the Greenville County school board, funds an additional $12.1 million in state mandates (40.5% of Budget increase) and $18.2 million in local required expenses for student growth, salary increases, and other needs.

About 87% of the GF Budget pays for people: teachers, principals and other employees.

Beginning with FY10, inflation has increased 10%, state mandates by 13%, and student growth by 7% while State and Local revenues have increased by 16%.

The State Base Student Cost (BSC) increased $100 to $2,220, $581 less than full funding of $2,801.

GCS, which serves a wealthy area based on property tax values, receives funding at a lower BSC of $1,624.

As provided by State law (Act 388), GCS qualifies for a local tax increase of up to 10.3 mills, including 5.8 mills not used in previous years. Local tax millage for GF Budget will increase by 4.5 mills (3.3 percent) for expenses related to inflation and population growth. Owner-occupied homes are NOT taxed for the GF Budget. Examples of the 4.5-mill tax increase are: Car with Tax Value of $1,583 (2004 Ford Taurus, year and make of one of nation’s most popular vehicles) – 40 cents a year or .001 cents a day; Business with Tax Value of $316,040 - $85.33 a year or 24 cents a day.

Budgeted Expenditures for FY 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $506,869,000

T

he Greenville County Schools board unanimously approved a 3.3% ad valorem tax increase on businesses, motor vehicles and property other than owner-occupied homes. The vote was held after a public hearing where nobody spoke against the measure.

The $537 million budget for the fiscal year that started July 1 includes raises of at least 3% for employees of the state’s largest public school system.

In the 30 minutes allotted for the public hearing before the budget meeting, Catherine Schumacher, who has young children in the schools, commended their teachers and urged the board to approve the budget. Ben Saul, an education graduate student, also spoke in support of the plan that spends about $30 million more than this year.

“Very rarely do you have anyone come to this open session,” board member Pat Sudduth said during a 20-minute break between the hearing and budget meeting.

Superintendent Burke Royster presented the budget and said in response to questions that the pay raises, including an end to a fiscal 2011 freeze in step increases, helps even average annual teacher pay that has been more than $1,000 higher in 11 of 13 bordering school systems.

Examples of the effects the 4.5-mill tax increase will have on businesses show that a locally owned machine shop valued at $460,830 will pay another $124.42, and a locally owned restaurant valued at $316,040 will pay another $85.33. Another 4.5 mills for a business with land and building value of $500,000 represents an increase of $135 annually, based on tax assessment at 6%, schools officials have said.

State Mandated Expenditures for FY 16 – $12,080,000 Teachers for English Language Learners (Offset Loss of State Lottery Funding) . . . . .

Special Education Teachers (9.0 FTEs; Offset Reduction of Federal IDEA Funding) . . .

Teacher Salary Steps and Certificate Upgrades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

State Health Insurance Increase (3.9% eff. Jan. 1, 2015, 4.5% eff. Jan. 1, 2016) . . .

State Retirement Employer Rate Increase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Payments to Charter Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$2,015,000 $600,000 $5,120,000 $1,718,000 $1,235,000 $1,392,000

Local Required Expenditures for FY 16 - $18,227,000 Student Growth Impact (Additional Teachers, Other Employees, Etc.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,000,000 Teachers for English Language Learners to 115:1 ratio (11.5 FTEs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $742,000 Restore .5 Pupil-Teacher Ratio as Baseline Funding Allocation to All Schools for Academic Improvements (Site-Based Decisions) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,870,000 Discovery Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $159,000 Roper Mountain Science Center – Instructional Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5,000 Restoration of Teacher Salary Step in FY11 that was Frozen to Avoid Layoffs . . . . . . $3,990,000 Increase Local Portion of Teacher Salary Steps (Ensure Minimum 3% Salary Increase) . $1,191,000 Salary Increase for Support Personnel (Minimum 3%) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,780,000 School Nurse Salary Step and Grade Adjustment (Help Retain and Recruit) . . . . . . . . $265,000 Bus Driver Salary Schedule Modification (Help Retain and Recruit) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $596,000 Assistant Band Directors Supplement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $135,000 Athletic Supplements (Additional Coaches and Extended Season Pay) . . . . . . . . . . . . $352,000 Employee Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $123,000 Evaluation Specialist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $92,000 Applicant Tracking Specialist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $69,000 AV Security Tech, Preventative Maintenance Techs (2 FTEs), Chiller Tech . . . . . . . . . . $266,000 ETS Information Security Support Specialist and Field Support Personnel (5 FTEs) . . $377,000 Athletic Fields and Ground Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $215,000

Superintendent Burke Royster and school board Chairwoman Lisa Wells. (Photo/Bill Poovey)

Budget Reductions – ($500,000) Affordable Care Act and Transfer Portion of Fringe Benefit Expenses to Food Services . . ($500,000)

BUDGETED EXPENDITURES FOR FY 16 $536,676,000 28

NEWSMAKERS 2015 | GSA Business Report

Board members Glenda Morrison-Fair (from left), Lynda Leventis-Wells, Kenneth Baxter Sr., Danna Rohleder, Charles J. Saylors and Roger Meek. (Photo/Bill Poovey)

LAWMAKER SAYS GHS LEASE PLAN IS PRECEDENT FOR PUBLIC ASSET ‘HIJACK’

TOP STORY G SA

From the 11.30.15 Issue

BUSINESS Readers Choice

2015

Potential Governance Model Master Affiliation Agreement

Local Community

• GHS • Upstate Affiliate • SCO • Other Affiliates

GHS

Community Asset Governmental, Not-for-Profit

• Lease • Healthcare Covenants

Upstate Affiliate Organization private nonprofit 501(c)(3) (GHS Upstate)

G

reenville Health System trustees are moving ahead with developing a governance change and growth plan that includes leasing the public, nonprofit system’s assets to a new, separate board that does not have state political ties, Chairman James Morton told state lawmakers on Nov. 18. State Sen. Mike Burns, R-Taylors, left the meeting saying there will be a bill prefiled to prevent such a “hijack” of taxpayer assets.

The state Supreme Court has approved a

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Strategic Coordinating Organization (SCO) Private, Nonprofit 501(c)(3)

Affiliate B Organization private nonprofit 501(c)(3)

request by Burns and four other members of the Greenville County Legislative Delegation to intervene in a petition that seeks approval of the trustees making such a change without delegation approval. Trustee appointments are subject to delegation approval. Morton said in response to questions that the trustees are waiting on a Supreme Court decision but if the justices decide against acting on the petition the trustees plan to move ahead with the changes.

“As you are aware, we had a couple of attorney general’s opinions come down, and we

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Affiliate C Organization private nonprofit 501(c)(3)

really don’t see that we have to go to the delegation for approval of this,” Morton said in response to a question by state Sen. Tom Corbin, R-Travelers Rest.

Morton said in describing the proposed changes that there will be three entities: The trustees, an Upstate affiliate and a “strategic coordinating organization,” both with separate governing boards.

Morton said the system would remain a governmental entity as organized in state law and will have “contractual relationships” with the

For-profit Organization private for-profit C Corps or LLCs

Upstate affiliate and the strategic coordinating organization. Morton said the system “will continue to own its current assets and lease them to the Upstate affiliate.” He said the trustees will “monitor compliance by the Upstate affiliate and the strategic coordinating organization with their contractual commitments to provide for the health care needs of the community.”

Morton said the roles “are set forth in the draft lease and master affiliation agreement which the trustees have been considering for several months.”

DOLLAR TREE COULD BE SPRINGBOARD FOR CHEROKEE COUNTY From the 7.27.15 Issue

Earth moving has already started for Dollar Tree’s distribution center that the retailer plans to open in April. Site for sale on Interstate 85 as traffic passes.(Photo/Bill Poovey)

C

herokee County business recruiters figure they have been competitive as a tweener along Interstate 85, but landing a Dollar Tree distribution center has them enjoying some extra attention. With Spartanburg on one side and Charlotte on the other, they see the retailer’s $104 million distribution center and 400 jobs as a possible game changer.

Dollar Tree’s project, which was recently announced and disclosed to the public in May after being initially identified as “Project Evergreen,” has attracted other inquiries, said Jim Cook, the county’s Development Board director.

“We have already had a lot of looks,” Cook said. “We are getting a lot of requests.”

John Moore, whose family owns Upstate Corporate Park and sold Dollar Tree a 214-acre site that is already being graded, said, “We have gotten a ton more attention.”

Dollar Tree plans to employ about 400 people over the next five years, and the 1.5 millionsquare-foot project includes space for possible expansion, Moore said. Earth-moving equipment is already leveling the site, which Dollar Tree purchased for $4.28 million.

Moore said Dollar Tree “wanted to go fast. They are supposed to have this building up by April.” Construction itself is expected to involve about 250 jobs.

Dollar Tree Investor Relations Vice President Randy Guiler declined to comment beyond the Chesapeake, Va., company’s announcement about locating the project in Cherokee County.

County Assistant Administrator Holland Belue said the biggest competitive hurdle has always been “everyone wants to be near where everyone else is: Charlotte, Greenville and Spartanburg.”

John Moore, whose family owns Upstate Corporate Park, sold Dollar Tree a 214-acre site at the Park. (Photo/ Bill Poovey)

From the 6.15.15 Issue

City grant program revitalizing commercial corridors

S

ince 2001, the city of Greenville has provided $383,730 in grants to businesses through the Commercial Corridors Facade Improvement Program. The investment has assisted at least 45 projects.

The program provides technical design assistance and financial help of up to $10,000 per property project to commercial property and business owners for qualified facade improvements in designated commercial corridors that include Augusta Street, Laurens Road at Pleasantburg Drive, Pete Hollis Boulevard, Rutherford Street, Stone Avenue, Wade Hampton Boulevard and West Greenville.

According to Tracy Ramseur, development coordinator for the city of Greenville, those specific corridors were strategically chosen for the program.

“By focusing our efforts along smaller scale corridors in select areas of the city, we’re able to make a greater impact,” she said.

First established in 2001 as the Pleasantburg Drive Facade Improvement Program, the program’s original purpose was to stimulate private investment in the Pleasantburg Drive Overlay District. In 2009, City Council passed a resolution establishing a Commercial Corridors Facade Improvement Program.

Funding for the program is provided through the city’s Capital Improvement Program. The funding comes in the form of reimbursement grants.

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BEFORE

AFTER

The Commercial Corridors Facade Program in Greenville aided in the revitalization of property at 1559-1563 Laurens Road. (Photo/Provided)

GSA BUSINESS FOCUS SERIES BROWNFIELD AND SUPERFUND SITES IN THE UPSTATE

From the 8.10.15 Issue

I

From the 8.24.15 Issue

n late summer, GSA Business did a series of stories on various superfund and brownfield sites in the Upstate. The reports looked at where some of those sites are and what plans there were for the future.

The first site was a former mill located in the town of Pelzer in Anderson County. The town was awarded $400,000 in brownfield cleanup grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help clean up two parcels encompassing 14 acres north of Pelzer.

The story also focused on a group of Pelzer residents who make up the Pelzer Heritage Commission and their work to secure the two $200,000 cleanup grants.

Another story profiled the work done at

the Arkwright and Forest Park communities in Spartanburg, where a former fertilizer plant dumped a wide array of chemicals — ranging from phosphorous to dioxins and heavy metal pollutants — into the groundwater in the communities.

A nonprofit group called ReGenesis helped turn an initial $20,000 environmental justice grant from the EPA into $270 million in grants and cleanup expenses, which also took care of an exposed dump used to dispose of hypodermic needles and other hospital waste.

A third piece profiled the U.S. Finishing-Cone Mills site located 3 miles north of downtown Greenville. The site, abandoned since 2003, was put under an EPA remedial investigation in 2011 to look at soils in the main plant area, air

from off-facility areas and sitewide groundwater impacts.

While the future potential use for the site is still unknown, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control said in a site summary that the cleanup plan for the location is two to three years away.

The fourth story in the series looked at the former Kitson Mill site near downtown Greenwood. The city of Greenwood was awarded a $200,000 Brownfields Cleanup Grant for the 6.7-acre Greenwood Mill No. 5 site.

The hopes are to turn the former site — which covered contaminants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, arsenic, dieldrin and heavy metals — into an economic development opportunity. City officials hope to cap the site.

From the 9.7.15 Issue

Pelzer Heritage Commission President Dianne Lollis (left), Vice President Larry Coker and Secretary Gilbert Garrett discuss plans to develop former mill properties along the Saluda River. (Photo/Bill Poovey)

Sulphur disposed of near IMC’s fertilizer plant seeped into the Fairforest Creek, which runs through the Arkwright community. (Photo/ Provided)

From the 9.21.15 Issue

The former U.S. Finishing-Cone Mills site located near downtown Greenville has been abandoned since 2003 and has been under a remedial investigation by the EPA since 2011. (Photo/Teresa C. Hopkins) 34

NEWSMAKERS 2015 | GSA Business Report

Greenwood Mill Village Neighborhood Association President Cecile Fite (left in green blouse), association member Mary Bradshaw, Greenwood City Manager Charlie Barrineau and city Finance Director Steffanie Dorn at the former Greenwood Mill No. 5 office building. (Photo/Bill Poovey)

Celebrating Milestones 170 Years Limestone College

1115 College Drive, Gaffney, SC 29340 864-489-7151 limestone.edu

Mount Vernon Mills Inc. 15 Broad St., Mauldin, SC 29662 864-688-7100 mvmills.com

150 Years Milliken & Co.

920 Milliken Road, Spartanburg, SC 29303 864-503-1565 milliken.com

135 Years Presbyterian College

NBSC, a division of Synovus Bank

201 E. McBee Ave., Greenville, SC 29601 864-241-7900 banknbsc.com

100 Years American Heart Association - Upstate SC

3535 Pelham Rd., Suite 101, Greenville, SC 29615 864-627-4158 heart.org

Huntington & Guerry Electric Co. Greenville, SC 29609 864-235-6333 hgelec.net

McKinley Cooper & Co. LLC 555 N. Pleasantburg Drive, Suite 225 Greenville, SC 29607 864-233-1800 mckinleycooper.com

Southern Burglar & Fire Alarm Co. Inc.

207 Campbell St., Belton, SC 29627 877-338-7491 southernburglaralarm.com

The Westin Poinsett

120 S. Main St., Greenville, SC 29601 864-421-9700 westinpoinsettgreenville.com

85 Years Ashmore Brothers Inc.

Highway 14, Greer, SC 29652 864-879-7311 ashmorebros.com

Wells Fargo Advisors

35 W. Court St., Greenville, SC 29601 864-232-5621 wellsfargoadvisors.com

1234 Railroad St., Anderson, SC 29622 864-226-2531 abroberts.com

70 Years HD Auston Moving Systems LLC 300 Hammett St., Suite 109, Greenville, SC 29609 864-269-0073 austonmoving.com

Morgan Corp.

1800 E. Main St., Duncan, SC 29334 864-433-8800 morgan-corp.com

Nexsen Pruet LLC

55 E. Camperdown Way, Suite 400 Greenville, SC 29601 864-370-2211 nexsenpruet.com

80 Years

Scraps for Us/Sisk Scrap Metal

Greater Easley Chamber of Commerce

Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP

325 S. Main St., Duncan, SC 29334 864-433-0611

503 S. Broad St., Clinton, SC 29325 864-833-2820 presby.edu

95 Years

125 Years

Carolina Pride Foods Inc.

2001 E. Main St., Easley, SC 29641 864-859-2693 easleychamber.org

Electric City Printing Co.

315 S. Old Piedmont Hwy., Piedmont, SC 29673 864-299-9645 jgr-inc.com

Mack Molding Co.

807 E. Washington St., Greenville, SC 29601 864-242-3062 poinsettclub.org

90 Years

238 Apple Blossom Lane, Simpsonville, SC 29681 864-962-1750 jeffrichardsoncompany.com

65 Years

Elliott Davis Decosimo LLC

75 Years

Cline Brandt Kochenower & Co. P.A.

The Felters Group

5965 Highway 22, Roebuck, SC 29376 800-845-7596 felters.com

Stifel

114 E. Benson, Anderson, SC 29624 864-225-7177 stifel.com

1 Packer Ave., Greenwood, SC 29646 864-229-5611 carolinaprideonline.com

730 Hampton Road, Williamston, SC 29697 864-224-6331 ecprint.com

10769 Asheville Highway, Inman, SC 29349 864-472-2011 mack.com

115 Years Hamrick Mills

515 W. Buford St., Gaffney, SC 29342 864-489-4731 hamrickmills.com

St. Mary’s Catholic School

101 Hampton Ave., Greenville, SC 29601 864-371-6280 stmarysgvl.org/theschool

110 Years Greenville Country Club – Chanticleer/Riverside 239 Byrd Blvd., Greenville, SC 29605 864-232-6771 gccsc.com

200 E. Broad St., Suite 500, Greenville, SC 29606 864-242-3370 elliottdavis.com

Mary Black Health System

1700 Skylyn Drive, Spartanburg, SC 29304 864-573-3000 maryblackhealthsystem.com

The Robinson Co. of Greenville, Inc.

610 N. Main St., Greenville, SC 29601 864-233-6277 therobinsonco.com

Rödl & Partner

75 Beattie Place, Suite 550, Greenville, SC 29601 864-242-2611 roedl.com/us

J. Grady Randolph Inc. Poinsett Club

Jeff Richardson Co.

Brannon Builders & Real Estate

130 Double Bridge Road, Boiling Springs, SC 29316 864-578-5846 brannonbuilders.com

Freeman Major Architects LLC 2 N. Main St, Suite 400, Greenville, SC 29601 864-672-0202 fmarch.com

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2 W. Washington St., Suite 1100 Greenville, SC 29601 864-751-7644 smithmoorelaw.com

Spartanburg Little Theatre/ Youth Theatre

200 E. St. John St., Spartanburg, SC 29306 864-585-8278 spartanburglittletheatre.com

Synalloy Corp.

2155 W. Croft Circle, Spartanburg, SC 29304 864-596-1533 synalloy.com

145 Rogers Commerce Blvd.

Boiling Springs, SC 29316 864-541-0218 cbkpa.com

Design South Professionals Inc. 3 Linwa Blvd., Anderson, SC 29621 864-226-6111 dsouth.com

Piedmont Interstate Fair

Golden Strip Transfer Inc.

Spartanburg, SC 29303 864-585-9213 piedmontinterstatefair.com

Michael Baker Jr. International Inc.

126 Millport Circle, #200, Greenville, SC 29606 864-233-6391 shawresourcesinc.com

3301 N. Industrial Drive, Simpsonville, SC 29681 864-967-7501 goldenstriptransfer.com

101 N. Main St., Suite 210, Greenville, SC 29601 864-670-2745 mbakercorp.com

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A.B. Roberts Construction Co. Inc.

Shaw Resources Inc.

Celebrating Milestones Southeastern Freight Lines Inc. 710 Mauldin Road, Greenville, SC 29607 864-277-3220 sefl.com

Stevens Aviation Inc.

600 Delaware St., Greenville, SC 29605 864-678-6000 stevensaviation.com

Johnson Smith Hibbard & Wildman Law Firm LLP 220 N. Church St., Spartanburg, SC 29306 864-582-8121 jshwlaw.com

528 U.S. Highway 123 Bypass, Suite G Seneca, SC 29678 864-638-4210 investoconeesc.com

McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture

101 Highpoint Drive, Union, SC 29379 864-427-8762 santuc.com

The Harper Corporation General Contractors

400 Augusta St., Suite 200, Greenville, SC 29601 864-242-2033 mcmillanpazdansmith.com

35 W. Court St., Suite 400, Greenville, SC 29601 864-527-2500 harpercorp.com

Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic School

United Community Bank 1950 August St., Greenville, SC 29605 864-250-7656 ucbi.com

Upstate Christian Academy 1704 E. North St., Greenville, SC 29607 864-232-8885 upstatechristianacademy.org

60 Years A.M. Tuck Inc. 120 Cedar Springs Road, Greenwood, SC 29648 864-223-5624 amtuck.com

ATS Logistics Services 531 S. Main St., RL-107, Greenville, SC 29601 800-323-2286 atsinc.com

Barbare’s Aluminum Foundry Inc./Street Smart LLC 114 Conway Drive, Greer, SC 29651 864-877-5191 barbaresaluminum.com

Burts Turner & Rhodes

2 James Drive, Greenville, SC 29605 864-277-5350 olrschool.net

Sanders Bros. Inc. P.O. Box 188, Gaffney, SC 29343 864-489-1144 sandersbros.com

Sealed Air Corporation 100 Rogers Bridge Road, Duncan, SC 29334 864-433-2000 sealedair.com

55 Years Carolina Foothills Federal Credit Union 520 N. Church St., Spartanburg, SC 29303 864-585-6838 cffcu.org

Cincinnati Systems Inc. 107 Legrand Blvd., Greenville, SC 29607 864-232-6475 cartac.com/cincinnatisystems

Cooper-Standard Automotive Inc.

260 N. Church St., Spartanburg, SC 29306 864-585-8166 btrlawfirm.com

100 Quality Way, Spartanburg, SC 29304 864-578-3164 cooperstandard.com

Claro Co. Inc.

E.S. Wagner Co. LLC

108 Carriage Path, Easley, SC 29642 864-220-6000 clarocompanyinc.com

Easley Mechanical Inc. 111 Neal St., Easley, SC 29642 864-859-4976 easleymechanical.com

Furman University Golf Course 3300 Poinsett Highway, Greenville, SC 29613 864-294-2690 furmangolfclub.com

Greer Golf & Country Club 2299 Gap Creek Road, Greer, SC 29651 864-877-9279 greercountryclub.com

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Oconee Economic Alliance

427 Oak Road, Piedmont, SC 29673 864-269-8585 eswagner.com

Greenville Zoo 150 Cleveland Park Drive, Greenville, SC 29601 864-467-4300 greenvillezoo.com

Kellett Enterprises Inc. 201 Beverly Road, Greenville, SC 29609 864-244-7248 kellettent.com

Marion R. Griffin & Co. Inc. 135 Archer St., Spartanburg, SC 29306 864-585-2459 mrgriffinandco.com

NEWSMAKERS 2015 | GSA Business Report

Santuc Precision

Tabernacle Christian School

3931 White Horse Road, Greenville, SC 29611 864-269-2760 tbc.sc/school

Trane Carolinas

288 Fairforest Way, Greenville, SC 29607 864-672-6000 trane.com/carolinas

Wade H. Stack Co. Appraisers 228 Balfer Drive, Greenville, SC 29615 864-907-6980 wadestack-appraisers.com

50 Years Appalachian Council of Governments

30 Century Circle, Greenville, SC 29607 864-242-9733 scacog.org

Cowart Awards

912 Laurens Road, Greenville, SC 29606 864-271-9131 awardsthatwork.com

Diamond Hill Plywood

Jennings Cook & Co. CPA PA 1212 Haywood Road, Suite 500 Greenville, SC 29615 864-297-4700 jenningscook.com

Loftis Printing Co. Inc. 301 S. Main St., Travelers Rest, SC 29690 864-834-3815 loftisprinting.com

Menzel LP 951 Simuel Road, Spartanburg, SC 29304 864-576-5690 menzelus.com

Meyer Tool Inc. 7640 Pelham Road, Greenville, SC 29615 864-627-4045 meyertool.com

Oconee Machine & Tool Co. 2319 Sandifer Blvd., Westminster, SC 29693 864-647-9595 oconeemachine.com

Progressive Builders Inc. Greenville, SC 29608 864-246-3386 progressivebuilderssc.com

Remedy Intelligent Staffing 201-A W. Wade Hampton Blvd., Greer, SC 29651 864-848-3888 remedystaff.com

Salem Nationalease 330 Midpoint Blvd., Duncan, SC 29334 864-848-7778 salemcorp.com

Tuck & Howell

2706 White Horse Road, Greenville, SC 29611 864-232-8788 diamondhillplywood.com

P. O. Box 970, Greer, SC 29652 864-879-7227 tuckandhowell.com

Eastern Distribution Inc.

UBS Financial Services Inc.

1502 Antioch Church Road, Greenville, SC 29605 864-277-2800 easterndistributioninc.com

Heaner Design Group LLC 201-B Towers Drive, Greenwood, SC 29649 864-223-1553

Hill’s Service Co.

2621 U.S. Highway 221 S., Laurens, SC 29360 864-682-3198 hillsservice.com

Howard Howard Francis & Reid LLP 111 Pettigru St., Greenville, SC 29601 864-242-3522 hhfr.com

17 W. McBee Ave., Greenville, SC 29601 864-232-5101 ubs.com

University of South Carolina at Union 309 E. Academy St., Union, SC 29379 864-429-8728 uscunion.sc.edu

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NEWSMAKERS 2015 | GSA Business Report