BEST ADVICE Leslie Norris, S.C. Federal Credit Union
PAGE 4 VOLUME 27 NUMBER 2 ■ CHARLESTONBUSINESS.COM
Part of the
network
JANUARY 25 - FEBRUARY 7, 2021 ■ $2.25
CEO wants to uncover origins of regional hunger By Teri Errico Griffis
Moving from health Todd Gallati stepping down as CEO of Trident Health after 12 years. Page 19
Robust rentals
Moncks Corner’s rental market increases 10% yearover-year. Page 2
Safety concerns
The Southeastern Wildlife Exposition cancels for the 2021 season. Page 5
W
tgriffis@scbiznews.com
hen Nick Osborne takes over as president and CEO of the Lowcountry Food Bank, he not only wants to end hunger in the Lowcountry, he wants to find out how it begins in the first place. On Jan. 25, the United Kindgom native
with more than 30 years of experience in the nonprofit sector will replace former leader Pat Walker, who led the organization since 2012. Walker announced her retirement last February, but with the pandemic, the national search for her replacement has taken more time. Osborne said the role called to his desire to help address the fundamental problems in the U.S. surrounding food insecurity. A the end
TROUBLED
See FOOD, Page 9
Forcing workers to get vaccine comes with risk
WATERS
S.C. Ports and attorney general file federal complaint against longshoremen and national maritime alliance over how the Leatherman Terminal will be operated.
By Bill Cresenzo
bcresenzo@nclawyersweekly.com
W
Page 6
Repurposed site
Half-Moon Outfitters to renovate abandoned property in Summerville. Page 8
INSIDE
Upfront................................. 2 SC Biz News Briefs................. 3 Best Advice........................... 4 In Focus: Health Care ........................ 19 List: Hospitals.....................26 Bonus List: Urgent Care Centers...............................27 At Work...............................29 Viewpoint............................ 31
of the day, he said, access to food is a “basic right.” “On the one hand providing food is a solution, but it’s not the only one,” he said. “There are also a number of underlying causes as to why people are food insecure, and it’s important to address those causes as well.” Though he studied as a civil engineer,
Crew members of the CMA CGM Brazil throw down lines to dockworkers at the Wando Welch Terminal in September to secure the ship as it steamed into port. (Photo/Kim McManus)
Go To Lawyers
Charleston Business Journal and S.C. Lawyers Weekly recognizes legal minds across South Carolina in business. Pages 11-17
ith the first round of COVID19 vaccine shipments landing in South Carolina, employment law attorneys expect to hear from clients with the same questions that law firms will soon have to answer for themselves. Chief among them: Can they require their employees to get the vaccine? The answer: Yes, but with caveats that include exceptions to the law, pushback from employees, and the threats of workers’ compensation claims, and EEOC complaints. S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control reported nearly 150,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines had arrive in South Carolina by year’s end. “Operation Warp Speed” will first provide vaccines to health care workers, nursing home employees and residents, and some federal workers. Heading into 2021, availability will extend to the incarcerated, people older than 65, people with chronic health conditions. By spring, if all goes to plan, vaccines will be available to the general population at doctors’ See VACCINE, Page 9
Upfront
BRIEFS | FACTS | STATEWIDE NEWS | BEST ADVICE
S.C.’s robust rental market
M
ost rental rates across South Carolina increased over the past year in the state’s largest markets with Moncks Corner, Conway and Columbia showing the biggest year-over-year growth, a Census data analysis from RentCafe shows. The national apartment rental listing service notes that Charleston is among the highest rental prices in the state at $1,434, but you can still find a few markets in the Palmetto State under $1,000, including Spartanburg, West Columbia, Anderson and Aiken. One of the highest places to rent in South Carolina right now is in Conway, which is also seeing a surge in pricing even over the more touristy area of nearby Myrtle Beach.
Average rental prices in Charleston metro area
Average rental price in selected cities
Moncks Corner continues to be an economic development story for the Lowcountry of South Carolina along with nearby Goose Creek, which is reflective of the yearover-year percentage change in the rental market.
Conway’s average rental rate went up by the same percentage as much larger Columbia at 6% year-overyear, though the Grandstrand city is smaller than the state’s capital by more than half with 66,000 compared to 133,000 people.
City
Average rent
% change
City
Average rent
% change
Moncks Corner
$1,042
10%
Conway
$1,745
6%
Ladson
$1,266
8%
Columbia
$1,129
6%
Summerville
$1,213
4%
Greenville
$1,174
5%
Charleston
$1,434
3%
Rock Hill
$1,077
5%
Goose Creek
$1,201
2%
Lexington
$1,176
4%
North Charleston
$1,092
1%
Anderson
$876
4%
Hanahan
$1,040
1%
Charleston
$1,434
3%
Mount Pleasant
$1,486
>1%
Spartanburg
$947
2%
West Columbia
$966
2%
North Charleston
$1,092
1%
Myrtle Beach
$1,131
0%
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, RentCafe, Yadri Matrix
ON THE
RECORD
“As we navigate our pandemic recovery, we are encouraged by these votes of confidence in the strength, potential, and desirability of the Charleston market.” — Charleston County Aviation Authority CEO Elliott Summey
WEBSITE: www.CharlestonBusiness.com
FOLLOW US:
@CRBJ
@CRBJnews
facebook.com/CharlestonBusiness
January 25 - February 7, 2021
www.charlestonbusiness.com 3
SC Biz News Briefs MIDLANDS
Columbia Regional Business Report
Charlotte company developing building in Blythewood with 196,560 square feet A Charlotte-headquartered development and acquisition company is developing a 196,560-square-foot industrial building in the Carolina Pines Industrial Park in Blythewood. Collett Industrial, a subsidiary of commercial real estate firm Collett, is developing the Class A building, scheduled to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2021. The facility, which can accommodate distribution or manufacturing tenants ranging from 42,120 square feet to the entire space, will feature 32-foot clear heights, 63 trailer parking spaces, 42 dock-high doors, and LED lighting. Colliers International South Carolina’s industrial brokerage team will handle leasing and marketing Charlotte-headquartered Collett Industrial is developing services. The Carolina Pines Industrial Park a 196,560-square-foot industrial building in the Carolina Pines Industrial Park in Blythewood. (Rendering/Provided) currently houses tenants including a Belk distribution center, Intertape Polymer Group, Husqvarna Outdoor Products, Patterson Logistics Services, and Amcor Rigid Plastics. The building will be Collett Industrial’s first development in Columbia, according to the release. The company is also planning to construct up to 702,000 square feet of speculative industrial space at Willimon Business Park in Greenville, with leasing and marketing services provided by Colliers’ Greenville-Spartanburg industrial brokerage team.
UPSTATE
GSA Business Report
Broadband company in Upstate S.C. expands with $7.5 million investment As broadband investment projects unfurl across the state, Greenville-based Broadband Infrastructure Inc. received $7.5 million in capital from a recent funding deal with Emigrant Business Credit. BbI, parent company to Carolina Underground Solutions LLC and Absolute Technologies LLC, will use the capital to finance its expansion. “We are in an industry boom, based on the massive fiber optic infrastructure buildouts taking place across the country, and these buildouts will likely go on for the next 10 years,” Brad Cunningham, CEO of Broadband Infrastructure, said in a news release. “Securing access to significant capital is critical to growth and long-term success for the BbI team and our customers.” Essex Capital Group from Tampa, Fla., facilitated the deal, which was sourced by Bbl Vice President Allen Veach. “We have an amazing team to answer to the call of this industry, and we are extremely excited and blessed to be positioned to do so,” Cunningham said. “We are working hard to capitalize on this opportunity to expand our robust growth.” VOLUME 23 NUMBER 1 ■ GSABUSINESS.COM Part of the
Troubled waters
S.C. Ports Authority, Wilson file labor complaint. Page 3
Go To Lawyers
Special section honors S.C. legal standouts. Page 15
INSIDE
Upfront ................................ 2 SC Biz News Briefs ................ 3 In Focus: The Year Ahead ...23 List: Financial Brokerage Firms .................................24 At Work ..............................29 Viewpoint ........................... 31
network
Clemson researcher working to advance next step in computer revolution. Page 6
FILLING
A NICHE
Rhino Medical Supply provides a different avenue to PPE
By Melinda Waldrop mwaldrop@scbiznews.com
W
hat Lance Brown doesn’t know can, as the CEO and president of Rhino Medical Supply is rapidly learning, end up helping him. Nine months ago, Brown was not in the medical supplies distribution business. He was running a credit card processing company, Swype Fast, when he became aware of an increasing need for personal protective equipment throughout South Carolina and across the country. “When COVID first hit, the supply chain
was decimated,” Brown said. “The bigger the state, the bigger the hospital system, the more priority they had. The smaller the state, the smaller the hospital system or health care system, the less priority they had.” Brown had no experience to speak of in manufacturing and distribution, but he wasn’t dissuaded. In May, he founded Rhino Medical Supply and began coordinating orders for masks and gowns from his garage. Brown, along with partners Elliott Haney, Tripp Robinson, Charles Vartanian and Rashad Brown, took aim at a specific niche in the hospital, health care and education industries.
“When we first started, unless you were ordering 25,000 or 100,000 or a million, you really couldn’t help anybody,” he said. “The smaller (hospital) systems and schools, they don’t need a million or even 20,000 of anything. They just need hundreds. One of our missions was to be able to help and cater to the smaller- and mid-sized systems that weren’t getting allocations. “We determined back in May, in order for us to be here after COVID, we have to position ourselves differently and take on more of a distribution model versus just a sales model.” See RHINO, Page 13
New brew in town
OG Roastery serving up coffee and opportunity in downtown Columbia. Page 6
Study places Upstate towns on list of best places to work in manufacturing. Page 9
MOVING
FORWARD
Transportation, education at forefront of chamber agendas
CU-ICAR chief
Automotive research center gets new executive director. Page 6
INSIDE
Leading Off .......................... 2 SC Biz News Briefs ................ 3 C-Suite ................................ 4 In Focus: The Year Ahead ...................11 LIST: Economic Development Agencies............................ 19 At Work .............................. 21 Viewpoint ...........................23
WINTER 2020
By Dudley Brown
Aeronautical culture
Workers’ paradise Lance Brown, president and CEO of Rhino Medical Supply, founded the personal protective equipment distributor in April to help meet the needs he saw of small- and mid-sized businesses which needed hundreds, not millions, of masks or gowns. Brown and his partners, all with varied business backgrounds, hope the connections they are making during the COVID-19 pandemic position them to remain a trusted distributor once the need for PPE is no longer as acute. (Photo/Provided)
JANUARY 13, 2020 ■ $2.25
In Focus
Economic developers bullish on Upstate’s future
Quantum leap in computing
Program working to create atmosphere for aviation industry. Page 12
Growing portfolio
Nephron receives approval for non-respitatory drug. Page 4
Part of the
JANUARY 18-31, 2021 ■ $2.25
network
Staff Report
I
gsanews@scbiznews.com
n Greenville, the business community is emphasizing more funding for public transportation. In Spartanburg the emphasis is on recruiting more high-paying jobs. The Greenville and Spartanburg chambers of commerce, in concert with the Upstate Chamber Coalition, released their legislative agendas on the same day to emphasize common objectives with a stronger voice. “As we approach the 10-year anniversary of the Upstate Chamber Coalition, we are
more confident than ever of the power of the collective voice,” Carlos Phillips, Greenville Chamber president and CEO, said in a news release. “The unified voice with which we speak at the local, state and federal level provides our region a unique and powerful tool for promoting nonpartisan legislation that fuels inclusive, economic growth. We celebrate the many business leaders who have supported the Upstate Chamber Coalition throughout the past 10 years and look forward to continuing that legacy in 2020.” As it did last year, the Greenville Chamber
A
gsanews@scbiznews.com
new year and a new decade are underway, and economic development leaders across the Upstate expect the growth and progress from the 2010s to continue in 2020. Unemployment rates approached 12% at the start of the 2010s and dropped to under 2% in parts of the Upstate by the end of the decade. The region is a popular destination for people looking to relocate and its economy is becoming more diverse. “If you look at the region over the past 10 years it’s been a phenomenal decade,” said John Lummus, president and CEO of Upstate SC Alliance. “We’ve had tens of billions of dollars in investment in the past decade.” Lummus said the Upstate was still reeling from textile industry losses at the start of the 2010s. By the end of the decade, the region diversified its economy, including different types of manufacturing. The automotive sector continued its growth. The aerospace and life science industries also grew in the Upstate and the region gained more
See CHAMBERS, Page 7
Consumer demand for local food surges as pandemic alters eating habits
See MOMENTUM, Page 18
Hospitality industry braces for downturn
But industry leaders charge ahead. Page 13
County Spotlight: Horry | Trending: Agriculture in S.C. | S.C. Delivers
ColumbiaBusinessReport.com
GSABusiness.com
Whether business or personal insurance, you have questions. From commercial insurance to employee benefits, surety bonds and personal protection for your home and auto, we have experience and the answers to protect you against the unknown.
Home grown
SC Biz News 1802 Dayton Street Suite 101 North Charleston, SC 29405
VOLUME 14 NUMBER 1 ■ COLUMBIABUSINESSREPORT.COM
All aboard
Silver Airway begins flights to Florida from CAE. Page 2
ELECTRONIC SERVICE REQUESTED
With publications in Charleston, Columbia and the Upstate, as well as a statewide magazine, SC Biz News covers the pulse of business across South Carolina. Above are excerpts from our other publications.
World-Class Risk Management. Delivered Locally.
SCBIZmag.com
Learn more | 803 733.5284 | southrisk.com
4
www.charlestonbusiness.com
LOWCOUNTRY NEWSROOM Executive Editor - Andy Owens aowens@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3142
January 25 - February 7, 2021
Best Advice
LESLIE NORRIS
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT AT S.C. FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
Editor, Custom Publishing Division Steve McDaniel smcdaniel@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3123
THE BEST ADVICE I’VE EVER RECEIVED
Staff Writer - Teri Errico Griffis tgriffis@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3144 Research Specialist - Paige Hardy phardy@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3125
“My mom used to say, ‘It’s always better to be
Digital Editor - Alexandria Ng ang@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3124
people will likely forget the circumstances, but
Research Assistant - Anne Puckett apuckett@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3145
My mom had this beautiful ability to see the best
kind than to be right.’ She would explain that they will never forget how you made them feel. in everyone, and all she wanted to do was help
MIDLANDS NEWSROOM
others fulfill their potential. As a teacher, she
Editor - Melinda Waldrop mwaldrop@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7542
touched countless lives. When she passed away
UPSTATE NEWSROOM
explain how special my mom made them feel. My
Editor - Ross Norton rnorton@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1222
mom’s advice has always stuck with me, and it’s
Associate Editor, Custom Publishing Division Jim Tatum jtatum@scbiznews.com • 864.720.2269
about creating a workplace where employees
in July, so many people reached out to me to
helped me navigate my HR role. I am passionate genuinely love to come to work, are treated with respect and compassion, and are empowered to
Staff Writer - Molly Hulsey mhulsey@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1223
be their best selves. Working in HR enables me to embody that lesson my mom taught me, and I feel
LOWCOUNTRY ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
proud that I am in a position to make a positive
Senior Account Executive - Robert Reilly rreilly@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3107 Account Executive - Sara Cox scox@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3109 Account Executive Thomas J. Giovanniello, Jr. tomg@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3104
impact on others.”
NEVER LOOK BACK Leslie has lived in the Charleston area since she was in 8th grade. Her father was in the military and retired to Hanahan. When she graduated from Francis Marion University with a marketing degree, she moved back to Charleston to find a marketing job. While waiting tables one night, she was approached about a job in human resources. She hesitated at first, but her father encouraged her to consider it. “I’ve never looked back. I’ve worked in HR for 23 years now, and I absolutely love it! I love working with people and feel so blessed that I get to do something I’m passionate about each and every every day at an organization I admire and respect,” she says.
South Carolina’s Media Engine for Economic Growth
President and Group Publisher Grady Johnson gjohnson@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3103 Creative Director - Ryan Wilcox rwilcox@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3117
INTERESTING FACT
Norris played a lot of tennis in high school, even though her school didn’t have a girls tennis team. So she tried out for the boys team, and made the No. 1 seed. This meant she had to play the other team’s No. 1 seed, which was usually a male player. She says she lost her share of matches, but is glad she didn’t let the fear of playing on a boys team stop her from doing what she loved.
Events Account Executive - Melissa Tomberg mtomberg@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1220 Events Manager - Kim McManus kmcmanus@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3116 Accounting - Robin Tillotson ar@pbmbrands.com • 336.605.1025 Subscription Services service@bridgetowermedia.com • 877.615.9536 CUSTOM MEDIA DIVISION Director of Business Development Mark Wright mwright@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3143
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION Charleston Regional Business Journal (USPS 18822) is published biweekly, 27 times per year, including one special issue in February, by SC Biz News. P.O. Box 446, Charleston, SC 29402. Periodicals postage paid at Charleston, SC. Mailing address: 1802 Dayton St., Suite 101, North Charleston, SC 29405. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Subscription Services PO Box 1051 Williamsport, PA 17703-9940
Annual subscribers receive 27 issues of the Business Journal including The Book of Lists and Newsmakers, plus four special supplements: Profiles in Business, Event Planning Guide, Market Facts, and Giving. One year (27 issues) for $57.95; two years (54 issues) for $92.95; three years (81 issues) for $ 129.95. Subscribe, renew, change your address or pay your invoice by credit card online at www.charlestonbusiness.com or call 877-615-9536.
NWS Company LLC A portfolio company of BridgeTower Media
The entire contents of this newspaper are copyright by NWS Company 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.
January 25 - February 7, 2021
www.charlestonbusiness.com 5
SEWE cancels 2021 event, says moving forward ‘irresponsible’ By Teri Errico Griffis
D
tgriffis@scbiznews.com
espite efforts to move forward with the 2021 Southeastern Wildlife Exposition and a financial loss for all involved, Executive Director John Powell said it would be irresponsible to move forward with the February event given the health risks. As a result, the 2021 event, which has an economic impact of around $35 million, is officially canceled. With COVID-19 cases still surging in the state, the SEWE staff and board of directors met earlier this week to make the final call. The conclusion has weighed heavily on Powell, knowing exhibitors, artists and vendors rely on the event to bring in significant first-quarter revenue, but the ultimate decision came down to health concerns for patrons and the integrity of the 40-year event, Powell said. This is the first time it has ever been canceled. “All those things were weighed as we tried to base our decision whether or not to go forward,” Powell said. “It’s one of the worst parts of not being able to move forward, that some of the bleeding continues for our extended SEWE family.” The event was previously scheduled
Artists from across the U.S. attend and exhibit at the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition. The expo has been canceled for 2021. (Photo/SEWE)
for Feb. 11-14, and as of Dec. 3, SEWE still hoped to move forward with the event, albeit with pandemic precautions in place. The typically 40,000-person attended event would limit capacity, nix complimentary transportation and reduce host sites from five to two, among other measures. As the days rolled on, however, Powell
called the resulting health risks a “numbers game.” “It got to the point where moving forward would have been irresponsible,” he said. “This is our job. It’s extremely important to the city of Charleston. We need to get people here, but to gather en masse in February didn’t seem like the appropriate thing to do.”
In spite of the financial hit, Powell credits SEWE’s board of directors’ years of work in getting the nonprofit to a place where even without an event it can sustain until 2022. There are still concerns about how to make up the lack of city accommodations tax funds that the organization typically relies on, but corporate partners are steadfast in their support and see the organization’s small staff as an important part of continued operations, Powell said. “We were desperately hoping to try, at least in a small way, to bring Charleston back to life again,” Powell said. “But everyone understands.” Last year, SEWE made it just under the wire before Charleston shut down in response to the pandemic. While 2021 is out, with so much infrastructure, contracts and moving parts that take months to coordinate, Powell said a 2022 event is already in the works. He still hopes that SEWE can jump in full force and showcase some of the ideas that had to be tabled for 2021. In the meantime, all patrons who purchased tickets this year will have the option for a refund or to make a tax-deductible donation to SEWE for the value of their ticket. CRBJ
Reach Teri Errico Griffis at 843-849-3144.
Southwest resumes daily flights from CHS to Denver By Teri Errico Griffis
S
tgriffis@scbiznews.com
outhwest Airlines will resume direct daily connections between Charleston and Denver starting March 11. The Dallas-based airline was the first to offer nonstop flights between Charleston International Airport and the Colorado hub when it introduced a oncea-week route in June 2016. A year later, Southwest expanded the service to a daily connection, which was paused temporarily last spring as a result of the growing pandemic. Charleston County Aviation Authority CEO Elliott Summey said he is excited to resume the route to Denver International Airport again. “This outstanding news for our industry and community continues an impressive run of significant air service announcements in recent months,” he said. “As we navigate our pandemic recovery, we are encouraged by these votes of confidence in the strength, potential, and desirability of the Charleston market.” Southwest’s CHS to DEN daily schedule beginning March 11 will be: • Depart Charleston at 5:15 p.m. Arrive in Denver at 7:35 p.m.
A Southwest 737-700 waits on the tarmac at Charleston International Airport in 2019. (Photo/File)
• Depart Denver at 6:15 p.m. Arrive in Charleston at 11:30 p.m. “We’re pleased to build on the past success of this route between the Lowcountry and the Rockies to offer nonstop service daily beginning in March,” Southwest Airlines Vice President of Network Planning Adam Decaire said. “This time-saving trip links two places where the great outdoors and Southern Hospitality are proving popular as leisure travel
rebounds.” The daily service provides another nonstop connection between Charleston and Denver as United Airlines too resumed its direct route three months ago. The airline similarly paused it during the pandemic. The Southwest resumption could bring a boost to the airport, which recently released its 2020 holiday travel numbers. Between Dec. 26 and Jan. 3, a total
of 26,023 travelers passed through the airport, compared to 45,052 in the same seven-day period in 2019, according to Charleston International Airport. In total for 2020, passenger count fell a little over 43% compared to last year, which saw a record for the airport with 4.9 million people traveling over the 12-month course. CRBJ
Reach Teri Errico Griffis at 843-849-3144.
6
www.charlestonbusiness.com
January 25 - February 7, 2021
Ports Authority files complaint with NLRB against union By Teri Errico Griffis
O
tgriffis@scbiznews.com
n Jan. 7, the S.C. Ports Authority and Attorney General Alan Wilson filed a complaint accusing longshoremen and a maritime alliance of illegally strong-arming ocean carriers to stop doing business in Charleston. A similar case was filed in 2012 by ICTSI Oregon Inc., in Portland, Ore., and the resulting legal battle laid waste to the port’s container business, which only resumed a year ago, and nearly sent the union into bankruptcy. Despite ICTSI being awarded a $93 million verdict, which was reduced to $19 million in 2020, the company still had to shutter Portland’s only container terminal in the meantime. The union now has to decide if it will pay the fee or file bankruptcy. Someone closely connected to that case said that union workers lost jobs and the business community has been devastated with increased costs and fewer service providers. In South Carolina’s labor dispute, Wilson and the SCPA filed their charge with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging violation of the National Labor Relations Act by the International Longshoremen’s Association, its local 1422, and the U.S. Maritime Alliance. The focus of the charge is a master contract clause, Article VII, added in 2013 and agreed upon by ILA and USMX. It states for any new ports built in the U.S., 100% of those jobs would be union jobs. The clause was signed into effect without involvement from the SCPA, Wilson said, and threatens the jobs of hundreds of state workers if the NLRB allows it to be implemented. The conflict comes from how each side is interpreting the clause in relation to the Hugh K. Leatherman Sr. Terminal, which is expected to open in March. While the Leatherman Terminal is under construction right now, SCPA President and CEO Jim Newsome said it should not be considered a new port, but rather an extension of the existing one. He also believes the contract clause shouldn’t apply to the HLT because it was permitted in 2003. “This is not a contemplated terminal. This terminal was real, well before that clause came into effect,” Newsome said. Few want to talk about the complaint in South Carolina. Both the NLRB and the ILA will not comment on the case, and the U.S. Maritime Alliance and their legal counsel did not return repeated attempts for a comment. The Business Journal also asked other state agencies, economic development organizations and university experts to speak into this case, but no one wanted to talk on the record.
Longshoremen provide labor for ships coming into the Port of Charleston. The port divides labor between union and non-union workers. (Photo/Kim McManus)
As a result of the ILA’s assertion of Article VII, ocean carriers won’t commit to their vessels calling on the Leatherman Terminal unless the issue is resolved, Newsome said. He called the actions “surreptitious” attempts to acquire new work, particularly as they implement what is known as a secondary boycott. The NLRB prohibits secondary boycotts, which is defined as two parties, in this case the ILA and USMX, making an agreement that could harm a third party, in this case the port. All it takes to violate this act is to “engage in, or induce or encourage” someone in the industry to boycott another party’s goods or services, according to published NLRB regulations. Labor disputes of this nature are far from new. In the case of ICTSI Oregon Inc. and its charge against the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, the two parties also fought over a secondary boycott. The case was a landmark for its $93 million jury award in ICTSI’s favor and has been covered nationwide from the Los Angeles Times to the New York Post.
But despite the multi-million dollar award, the tale still doesn’t have an ending. Litigation is ongoing even after a decade and the embroilment has caused widespread economic issues for many involved. A judge last year agreed with the finding that the union had unfairly damaged ICTSI, but disagreed with how damages were calculated and reduced the jury award to $19 million. ICTSI has since refused to accept the $19 million award, and the court is ordering a new jury trial to determine damages. The union said it likely would be forced into bankruptcy if it had to pay the $93 million award.
Is Oregon like S.C.?
The case in Portland began in the early 2000s with ICTSI, a subsidiary of International Container Terminal Services Inc., taking over the lease on a government-operated container terminal in Oregon. As part of the transition, refrigerator container work — managed by the Port of Portland — was to be done by port electricians per a labor agreement estab-
lished in 1974. The ILWU maintained the work belonged to them, however; and the longshoremen prevented the electricians from working, took over the jobs themselves and tanked the port’s volumes, a source involved in the case said. ICTSI was powerless in a dispute that didn’t involve the company in the first place. Similar to the S.C. Ports Authority, they filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board. In 2012, the NLRB found that the longshoremen were intentionally slowing down work — taking twice as long to move containers and falsely claiming safety issues that took time to investigate but turned out to be baseless. The NLRB said the unionized dockworkers engaged in illegal stoppages and other gimmicks to pressure the company for jobs. That same year, the Oregon Federal Court entered an injunction ordering the ILWU to cease the illegal conduct. But the union persisted, according to someone closely involved in the case. In a business where everything is
January 25 - February 7, 2021
www.charlestonbusiness.com 7
“The union is expected to follow the rule of law like everyone else. South Carolina has long been a staunch right-to-work state and the union cannot undermine our laws guaranteeing the right to work. Those laws do not permit the union to take over jobs from state employees.” Alan Wilson S.C. Ports Authority and Attorney General
about the speed of production, ICTSI’s timing took a huge hit and never recovered. It subsequently shut down Oregon’s only international container terminal, which remained shuttered until January 2020. Without use of the Portland port for four years, customers had to transport their cargo to Seattle or Tacoma, Wash., to ship from there — raising export causes, especially for the large agricultural industry in Oregon. Traffic congestion increased, more trucks were needed and prices went up for the Asian markets that imported to Portland, the source said. One case mushroomed into many and the case went as high as the D.C. Circuit of Appeals. With the Hugh Leatherman Terminal scheduled to open in March, Newsome hopes for a quicker resolution and expects any day to hear of a determination by NLRB.
Long-standing labor model
Should Article VII be enforced, it could threaten the SCPA’s half-a-century-old hybrid model of using both state employees and union labor on the waterfront. Newsome has known about the clause from its inception, but never felt it applied to the HLT or any other South Atlantic ports, which are all state-owned. He also believed that with only hypotheticals as to how this article would hinder business or carriers coming to the state-owned and -operated port, the NLRB would turn away his concerns. They’re now no longer hypothetical. “The union is expected to follow the rule of law like everyone else,” Wilson said. “South Carolina has long been a staunch right-to-work state and the union cannot undermine our laws guaranteeing the right to work. Those laws do not permit the union to take over jobs from state employees.” The SCPA generates one in 10 jobs in in South Carolina and has found longstanding success with its hybrid model of experienced state employees handling cranes, lift machines and heavy machinery working alongside ILA’s deep sea staff, clerks and checkers, and mechanics, Newsome said. He said this provides the “best combination of productivity, effi-
ciency and cost in the United States.”
The clause could upset that balance.
Under Article VII, there are two provisions, one of which says that the UMSX can “notify any port authority contemplating or intending to develop a new container handling facility that USMX members may be prohibited from using the new facility if the work at that facility is not performed by Master Contract bargaining unit employees.” Newsome and the ports predicated the decision on how to operate the terminal on its existing model, he said. Should the article be enforced in ILA’s favor, hiring only union workers would increase the price of using the Leatherman Terminal and therefore would cost the SCPA business. “I can prove that the operating model of the Hugh Leatherman Terminal would be expensive and our customers wouldn’t pay for it,” the CEO said. “And if they don’t go to the terminal, it wouldn’t matter. The S.C. Ports data is currently the only analysis on hand, Newsome said. As part of the second provision for the article, the ILA and USMX were supposed to conduct a study that showed how the hybrid model “could be altered to permit work currently performed by state employees to be performed by ILA-represented employees in a more productive, efficient and competitive fashion.” That analysis would then be presented to the port “in an effort to convince them to employ ILA-represented employees,” the clause said. As of press time, Newsome said no study has been conducted. The CEO stressed he is grateful to collaborate with the ILA and its rank and file members in Charleston, and intends to move forward operating the terminal with the current hybrid model. “It’s the only way it’s going to be successful,” he said. “Everybody will benefit from that in terms of increased job growth for all the people that work on the waterfront, the state board employees and the ILA. To me, failure is not an option.” CRBJ
Reach Teri Errico Griffis at 843-849-3144.
Helping South Carolina Companies Grow
D E V E LO P YO U R WO R K F O R C E W I T H ON-DEMAND TRAINING SCMEP now offers SCMEP Online, a new online training portal specifically for manufacturers. We realize time is valuable and flexible online learning provides critical training in a wide array of operational disciplines. Learn how SCMEP Online can streamline your training program by visiting SCMEP-ONLINE.org
SCMEP - 250 Executive Center Drive, Suite 200 Greenville, SC 29615 - (864) 288-5687
SCMEP is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization affiliated with The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), a network of 51 MEP Centers located in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.
8
www.charlestonbusiness.com
January 25 - February 7, 2021
Half-Moon Outfitters to repurpose abandoned Summerville property By Teri Errico Griffis
A
tgriffis@scbiznews.com
fter pursuing a Summerville property for five years, Beezer Molten, owner of Half-Moon Outfitters, has finally secured the location for his ninth store. The sale was completed for $2.21 million, Molten said. The abandoned car dealership located at 605 N. Main St. has been derelict since 1993, but was a great value for the 17,000-square foot space, Molten said. It checked off all the boxes he wanted in a location: ample space, relatively low rent, and easy access for cars, pedestrians and bikes. That’s why he pursued it for so long. “You just can’t find that many places where you can get a lot of space, relatively inexpensively, and tap into a kind of downtown urban environment like downtown Summerville, which is beautiful,” Molten said. “We want to be as close to that as possible, but still be big, still be car-friendly.” Traffic count at the corner of U.S. Highway 17 and Main Street is “amazing,” Molten said. Though the former Chrysler-Plymouth and Mercedes-Benz dealership needs renovation, Molten plans to maintain as much of the original structure and metal as possible. “We love taking an old building like that, that’s just maybe overlooked or has some complications, and try to bring it back as a gift to the community,” he said. This type of restoration mirrors Molten’s efforts for the company’s Greenville location. The Half-Moon Outfitters’ building there had been overlooked and unoccupied for years, but possessed some of the same characteristics. After renovations, the store opened and Molten invited a brewery, barbershop and coffee shop to establish operations alongside it. “It’s symbiotic. Everybody enjoys visiting our neighbors, and you can go and accomplish multiple things on any given afternoon. It makes for a more dynam-
A rendering shows the concept for Half-Moon Outfitters’ new planned location on Main Street in Summerville. (Photo/Provided)
ic space,” Molten said. “Nowadays with online being so convenient, the experience that one has at a retail store has to be richer rather than the historic norms of retail.” Half-Moon Outfitters is headquartered in North Charleston in Park Circle where its distribution center is located, and has additional locations in downtown Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Columbia and West Ashley. There are also three Georgia locations in Athens, Augusta and Savannah. When renovating a building, Molten is conscious to add green elements and make it as close to zero-energy as the structure allows. One building has a large rainwater catchment system that flushes toilets and irrigates the landscape. It’s something he’d love to try in Summerville, along with attempting to power the building with solar elements. As of now the goal is to open the Summerville shop around Halloween, though Molten is aware that deadline might be
The location at 605 N. Main St. in Summerville was a car dealership, but has been abandoned since 1993. Half-Moon Outfitters hopes to repurpose and restore much of the old metal structure of the building. (Photo/ Google Street View)
unrealistic right now. “Summerville is interesting as a market and a location, and it’s quickly changing,” he said. “I’m just so thankful to have been able to get a foothold in there. There’s so
much activity, and I don’t want to miss out on all that, but in a way this building supports its true downtown.” CRBJ
Reach Teri Errico Griffis at 843-849-3144.
January 25 - February 7, 2021
FOOD, from Page 1
Osborne’s decades-long career has centered on international development and humanitarian operations. He has worked in more than 40 developing and high-risk countries with global, international organizations, finding ways to improve security in rural farms in Africa and working through different approaches for agricultural production. His work has taken him to Malawi, Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami, and then to Thailand where in Bangkok he addressed issues of social injustice. In time Osborne came to be vice president of International Programs and Operations at CARE USA, where he served in executive leadership roles for 25 years. Eight years ago he moved to the U.S. to run the organization’s international operations out of Atlanta. Some of the LowOsborne country’s issues are not far off from those in developing countries, he said. The food bank distributing 39 million pounds of food in 2020, a nearly 18% jump from the previous year, according to the organization. More than 12 million pounds was disaster relief for those impacted by the coronavirus, which this validates the vulnerability of households to food insecurities and demonstrates the
www.charlestonbusiness.com 9
inequalities and inequities that exist in the U.S. The data also highlights the value and role of food banks and pantries. Osborne is eager to learn more about how this inequity affects the Lowcountry’s most vulnerable communities, especially as it pertains to children and the elderly. “If a child doesn’t have access to food and goes hungry, what does that mean for their development longer term as they grow older? What does that mean in their term of ability to make the most of their education opportunities that are available to them,” he said.
Filling Walker’s shoes
Under Walker’s nine-year leadership, the Food Bank increased the pounds of food distributed by 72.6% and now serves more than 200,000 people each year. Osborne admires the legacy Walker leaves behind and plans to build from the foundation she has laid before him. Though the coronavirus has created challenges for everyone, he thinks it has also created new opportunities for the Lowcountry Food Bank and ways of doing business, such as the creation of drivethrough distribution. As donations drastically declined in 2020 and a need for contactless distributions rose, the food bank hosted more than 100 drive-throughs in the South Carolina coastal areas the organization serves. Those are the ideas Osborne wants to explore and develop. “How do you increase the coverage and
VACCINE, from Page 1
offices and pharmacies. But with COVID-19 being a political issue in addition to a public health issue, employers can expect some pushback. In fact, David Dubberly, who chairs Nexsen Pruet’s employment and labor law practice group in Columbia, said he can guarantee it, as one need only look at the controversy surrounding mask-wearing. Poll numbers back up Dubberly’s prediction: a Gallup poll released Dec. 8 found that 37% of Americans said they wouldn’t take the vaccine, while an Elon University poll released Dec. 10 found that 60% of North Carolinians surveyed said that they either won’t take it or aren’t yet sure if they will. A third of those who answered the Elon poll said they believed the vaccine could be more dangerous than COVID19 itself. Doctors at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine said there were no scientifically based safety concerns resulting from the vaccine trials, and both vaccines had undergone rigorous Food and Drug Administration review.
Yes, no, maybe
That’s where things could get tricky. While employers can indeed make the vaccine mandatory, the American with Disabilities Act requires them to pro-
Americans were reluctant to get the polio vaccine when it was first introduced, but that all changed when Elvis Presley received the vaccine on live television to launch a national vaccination effort. (Photo courtesy of New York City Municipal Archives)
vide “reasonable accommodations” for employees who won’t take a vaccine because of medical reasons. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 also allows employees to opt out of vaccines for religious reasons. The EEOC fined a hospital in North Carolina $89,000 in 2018 after it fired three employees for refusing to take a flu vaccine because of religious reasons. Employers can demand a letter from a medical professional attesting to a medical exemption. Religious objections are a different animal, but politics can’t be
Lowcountry Food Bank volunteers load donations into vehicles for distribution to families in need. (Photo/Provided)
the effort for distribution of food to those communities that are harder to reach but have not been able to be met in the past? How do you use technology to better identify who those people are?” he said. “I want to build on the work that Pat has done and obviously continue to improve and increase the coverage and impact the Lowcountry Food Bank is having.” A simultaneous challenge to stepping into his new role is leading a team that is exhausted, having worked almost an entire year in emergency mode. “Part of this is about coming in and really highlighting the value and the role that staff and volunteers and partner agencies are playing, and the value that everyone sees in their role and the impact they’re having,” he said. For his part, Osborne intends to continue inspiring the staff and stakeholders by listening to them, understanding the
challenges and issues they face, and helping support them so they can continue their mission. Since accepting the role, Osborne he has been engaging with board members and immersing himself in the strategy the food bank has developed, wondering where he can add value and the knowledge he’s gained throughout his career, he said. “I do think there are lots of approaches that are employed internationally that are very relevant in a context in the U.S.” he said. “So I’ve been thinking about how I could bring my knowledge and experience to some of the strategies that are being undertaken by the Lowcountry Food Bank and how that can start to take shape as I start to step into this role.”
confused with religion and aren’t a legal standing for employees who refuse the vaccine, attorneys say. Dubberly points to guidance the EEOC and OSHA gave during 2009’s swine flu pandemic: The ADA forbids employers from requiring employees to take medical exams unless they are job-related, consistent with business, and no more intrusive than necessary. A vaccine is considered a medical exam; Dubberly said that requiring employees who don’t voice religious or medical objections to take the vaccines during a health emergency meets those standards. But the fact that employers can do something doesn’t necessarily make it a good idea, and companies should consider how a mandate could affect morale, said Richard Rainey, an employment law attorney with Womble Bond Dickinson in Charlotte. Moreover, vaccines can have short-term physical side effects, and employees could file workers’ comp claims if they have an adverse reaction. “A mandate is not going to be popular with a certain subset of folks,” said Jay Babb, an attorney with Cromer, Babb, Porter and Hicks in Columbia, who also cautioned against an ultimatum.
ees work in before requiring the vaccine. A hospital, for example, is different from a warehouse or an office, where people can easily keep their distances from each other. As far as law firms themselves are concerned, many haven’t yet discussed what their policies will be, as few expected a vaccine to actually arrive at warp speed. Others, like Nexsen Pruet, won’t require its attorneys or staff to take the vaccinations. Still others, like Fox Rothschild in Raleigh, are now in the midst of those discussions. “We are actively considering what a full return to the office would look like,” said Matt Leerberg, a managing partner with the firm. “Vaccinations are just one piece of what we are thinking through.” History suggests that people will become more comfortable with the vaccines once they become widely available. The number of people who told Gallup that they’d get the vaccine is up by 13% since September, as news of their effectiveness has emerged. If former presidents get their shots on television, as they’ve pledged to do, and celebrities come out in support of it and get it, Dubberly expects that number to rise. He noted that when the polio vaccine was introduced, people were reluctant to take it until Elvis Presley got vaccinated on live television and “suddenly it was the cool thing to do.”
Take me to your arm
Dubberly suggests that employers also consider the type of environment employ-
CRBJ
Reach staff writer Teri Errico Griffis at 843-8493144.
CRBJ
10
www.charlestonbusiness.com
January 25 - February 7, 2021
Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg talks about rolling back a coronavirus plan in light of the number of cases in South Carolina. (Photo/Provided)
Virus trend pushes Charleston mayor to rollback reopening phases By Teri Errico Griffis
C
tgriffis@scbiznews.com
harleston is faring better than most of South Carolina, but officials think coronavirus cases are still trending in the wrong direction. As such, the city of Charleston offices, programs and facilities are rolling back from Phase III to Phase II of reopening plans, Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg said at a coronavirus news conference yesterday. “We’ve been saying repeatedly that this is not the time to let our guard down. In fact, I’m going to say a challenge today that it’s time to double down on our safety precautions on COVID-19 until this vaccine is widely distributed,” he said. Reverting to Phase II of Charleston’s data-driven four-phase plan to reopen means it will cease issuing permits for gatherings in city facilities or parks and that city workers who are able will return to working from home. Appointments with city officials will need to be scheduled virtually for now. Though the roll back does not apply to
“We’ve been saying repeatedly that this is not the time to let our guard down. In fact, I’m going to say a challenge today that it’s time to double down on our safety precautions on COVID-19 until this vaccine is widely distributed.” John Tecklenburg Charleston Mayor
business and organizations located and operating in Charleston limits, Tecklenburg issued caution nonetheless. “I want to challenge our community, our businesses, our citizens to look at every aspect of your safety protocol and how you’re doing business and interacting with other folks in our community to make sure we’re safe,” he said. Charleston originally entered Phase III on Oct. 5. When two consecutive weeks of positive trends have been reached, Tecklenburg said he will consider returning to Phase III. As of now, the city has yet to reach Phase IV.
The mayor was joined yesterday in Washington Square by Dr. Patrick J. Cawley, MUSC Health CEO and MUSC vice president for health affairs, and Dr. Jeffrey DiLisi, Roper St. Francis Healthcare president and CEO. In a note of optimism, Cawley said that because of the protocols put in place this summer, Charleston is proceeding better than the rest of the state and hasn’t seen the same surges these last two weeks. He encouraged testing and vaccinations, and reiterated that for those who have the virus and are high risk, the
monoclonal antibody is now available in Charleston. “It’s very, very effective at lowering the possibility of hospitalization and potentially even death,” Cawley said. Since Dec. 7, infected individuals at Roper St. Francis have risen from the low to mid 20s to 90, but are still off from the hospital’s highest peak of approximately 150 in mid-July, DiLisi said. He emphasized the importance of following Tecklenburg’s protocols so that hospitals are able to allocate services to patients who don’t have the virus but need critical care. “We need our resources to take care of all those patients,” he said. As for the vaccine, the city is getting it out and residents just need to hold tight a few more months, Tecklenburg said. “Let’s do it as safely as possible so that those hospitalization numbers do not continue to rise,” he said. “When they go up exceedingly, that’s what puts our community at risk and our public health at risk as well.” CRBJ
Reach Teri Errico Griffis at 843-849-3144.
GO TO LAWYERS - BUSINESS / 11
2021 Go To Lawyers
W
elcome to this inaugural edition of Go To Lawyers! We wanted this special section to focus on the vital role the legal minds in South Carolina play across the entire state in a variety of specialized business areas. Not only do lawyers advise families and businesses with complex issues, they also drive commerce and help communities navigate legal issues that can propel us into a positive future. In these pages, we showcase some of the leaders in the South Carolina legal community. In Go To Lawyers, we have focused on business lawyers who work in several special areas, including contract law, employment matters, real estate transactions and more. The attorneys featured here were all nominated by their
colleagues and chosen by a panel from the Charleston Regional Business Journal’s affiliated publication, S.C. Lawyers Weekly. The lawyers featured here came to their professions through varied avenues and bring multilayered backgrounds and experiences to enrich their firms and serve their clients. They all share a dedication to their work, their colleagues, their profession, their communities and their clients. Thank you, Andy Owens Executive Editor
Eric Amstutz............................................. 16
Kimberly Raber....................................... 19
Dan Ballou................................................. 16
Alan Reyner.............................................. 19
Scott Bluestein........................................ 16
John C. Hayes IV..................................... 19
Joe Griffith................................................. 16 Reggie Belcher........................................ 17 Lawrence Hershon................................. 17 Wesley Henderson................................. 18 Wallace Lightsey.................................... 18
Ronald Scott............................................20 Nekki Shutt...............................................20 Biff Sowell.................................................20 Ashley Twombley..................................20
Paul Lynch................................................. 18
Cal Watson................................................ 21
Keith Martens........................................... 18
Zach Weaver............................................ 21
Bill Metzger............................................... 19
Marshall Winn........................................... 21
Executive Editor Andy Owens S.C. Lawyers Editor David Donovan Advertising Account Executive Sheila Batie-Jones
Design Supervisor Laura Black Page Designer Christian Edwin Ad Designer Michael Bertani
©2021 BridgeTower Media. Material published in South Carolina Lawyers Weekly is compiled at substantial expense and is for the sole and exclusive use of purchasers and subscribers. The material may not be republished, resold, recorded, or used in any manner, in whole or in part, without the publisher’s explicit consent. Any infringement will be subject to legal redress. South Carolina Lawyers Weekly (USPS #020216) is published biweekly every other Monday with General Statewide Circulation by South Carolina Lawyers Weekly at 130 N. McDowell St. Unit B, Charlotte NC 28204-2411. (919)8299333, (800)-876-5297. Periodicals postage paid at Charlotte, NC 28228-9998. Subscriptions Rates: $369 per year.
12 / GO TO LAWYERS - BUSINESS
Eric Amstutz
Dan Ballou
Wyche Greenville
Morton & Gettys Rock Hill
E
ric Amstutz is passionate about constructing complicated contracts. He enjoys the mental stimulation and challenges arising out of complex agreements, including business mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures and spinoffs. He says he chose the legal profession because he appreciated the intellectual rigor a career in law would bring. “I enjoy the challenges that come with developing answers to difficult problems, and working with my colleagues and clients to determine the best approach,” he says. “When there’s more than one solution to a problem, it might take days or weeks to figure it out, but when you come to the ultimate solution, it can be very satisfying.” After earning his law degree from Yale University, Amstutz joined Wyche in 1980 and is a shareholder in the firm. He graduated with highest honors from Swarthmore College, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree and clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart. Amstutz also enjoys pro bono work, particularly helping nonprofits develop
D bylaws, procedures, and incorporate good governance practices. He currently is vice chair of the United Way Strategic Investment Committee and volunteers with the Peace Center, Greenville’s performing arts center and the Greenville Symphony Orchestra. To be an effective business lawyer, Amstutz believes it is important to understand how a client’s business operates when structuring a transaction or negotiating a contract. “I think it is important to first figure out the business and outcomes that are important to your client, and then try to achieve those goals,” he says.
an Ballou’s career as a lawyer grew out of his love for history. While working toward his Bachelor of Arts degree at Princeton University, Ballou says he developed a deep love of American history, and that influenced his interest in the law. He went on to earn his law degree from the University of South Carolina. “When you start talking about history, that leads to how we got to where we are as a society, and that led me to an interest in law,” he says. “I can’t say I had a burning desire all my life to be a lawyer, but I realized once I got to law school, it was a good fit for me.” As a partner at Morton & Gettys in Rock Hill, Ballou is a civil litigator who represents clients in hearings and trials in the federal and state court system and before local councils, agencies and commissions. A leader in both civic and professional organizations, Ballou serves on the Rock Hill Housing Authority Board of Commissioners. He also is an active participant in the Rock Hill Economic Development
Joe Griffith
Scott Bluestein
Joe Griffith Law Firm Mount Pleasant
Bluestein Law Firm Mount Pleasant
A
fter graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, Joe Griffith headed off to law school at the University of South Carolina believing a law degree would serve him well, no matter where his career took him. “I was pretty lucky because a buddy of mine who was the U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina invited me to become an assistant U.S. attorney, and I really enjoyed it and I have been doing federal litigation ever since,” he says. Griffith is a solo practitioner and the owner of Joe Griffith Law Firm in Mount Pleasant where he handles personal injury cases, white-collar criminal defense and whistleblower and False Claims Act matters. He is a regular presenter at a variety of professional association conferences and summits, including conferences of the South Carolina Bar and the American Bar Association. He also holds leadership positions on the boards of many civic and professional organizations. Griffith’s high-stakes clients inspire him to go to work each day.
Corp. and recently was elected chairman of the economic development commission’s Entrepreneurship Committee. Ballou, who says he derives joy and inspiration from working one-on-one with clients and colleagues, has felt isolated during the coronavirus pandemic. “I love working around lawyers, and we are engaging with each other online, and while that is great, I feel like we are losing something,” he says. “Helping my clients find solutions to their problems is what gets me into the office each day, and I look forward to having more face-to-face contact with them again.”
B “Law is a service business. It is about providing service to your clients and keeping them satisfied, particularly in the white-collar crime arena,” he says. “It’s very difficult because your clients are facing potential incarceration, loss of livelihood, family separation and financial ruin.” Despite the pressure, he loves his work because every day brings a new learning experience. “With as much experience as I feel I have, I still learn something almost every week,” he says. “There are always new twists and turns and developments, and it’s never boring.”
orn and raised in Charleston, Scott Bluestein developed an affinity with all things related to maritime law. He owns the Bluestein Law Firm, a specialized practice that focuses on admiralty, maritime, personal injury, transportation and international matters. “The great thing about maritime law is you get to become friends with other lawyers in the United States and around the world who do maritime law,” he says. “It is a small community of attorneys that handle maritime cases on a regular basis, and I have friends all over the world and in every major port city.” Bluestein earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Florida and his law degree from the University of South Carolina. He also holds an LLM degree from the Tulane Law School, where he majored in admiralty. His firm is based in Mount Pleasant with an office in Myrtle Beach. Growing up with parents who
owned a clothing store, Bluestein learned the value of hard work at an early age. “My parents taught me the values of working hard to help people, and to be honest,” he says. “These are the values I uphold in my practice.” He believes the key to being a good lawyer is to treat people fairly and honestly. “Sometimes you have to tell people something they don’t want to hear, but they appreciate hearing the truth, and knowing you are helping them find resolution in their case,” he says.
GO TO LAWYERS - BUSINESS / 13
Reggie Belcher
The Daily Journal provides the inside scoop on the Lowcountry business community!
Turner Padget Columbia
F
or Reggie Belcher, 2021 will be a year to celebrate. He will mark his 25th anniversary as a lawyer at Turner Padget, a 92-year-old firm with seven offices. Belcher works in the firm’s Columbia office. Certified as a specialist in employment and labor law by the South Carolina Supreme Court, Belcher is Turner Padget’s Practice Group Manager for its workplace litigation team, which includes attorneys who practice labor and employment law, workers’ compensation, and professional liability and licensing. “We are focused on the best client service we can provide,” he says. “In every shareholder meeting and every management meeting, we talk about what we can do to provide unexcelled client service, and we focus inward on how we treat each other as humans and colleagues.” Belcher is a graduate of West Virginia University, summa cum laude, with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. He earned a master’s degree in human resources and his law
degree from the University of South Carolina, where he was in the Order of Wig and Robe. Belcher serves on the board of Work in Progress, a local nonprofit organization that provides job training to individuals who suffer from mental illness and, in many cases, are homeless. His clients and colleagues motivate him to go to work every day. “I like helping businesses, and I feel like I’m pretty good at helping them make good decisions, and I find that rewarding,” he says. “I also really like everybody I work with and appreciate the fact we have such a great culture at our firm.”
Lawrence Hershon
DAILY JOURNAL
Parker Poe Columbia
Sign up today for the Daily Journal email newsletter at www.CharlestonBusiness.com
L
awrence Hershon’s practice focuses on construction, commercial litigation, and business disputes, but his workload covers a broad range of matters, from helping general contractors, architects and engineers navigate large projects to resolving disputes, including litigation, when necessary. He also helps his clients with a variety of business transactions. “For many attorneys, law is a specialization world, and I think there is still a lot of room for lawyers who provide a broader area of practice,” he says. And while he is happy to represent his clients in court, he most enjoys helping them find solutions to their problems before they get into litigation. Hershon is the Columbia office development partner at Parker Poe. He joined the firm in 2008 after earning his law degree from the University of South Carolina, graduating magna cum laude. He also has an International MBA from USC and Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Before entering law school, he was a staff assistant for the U.S. Sen-
ate Budget Committee. Hershon enjoys volunteering in his community, most notably with Homeless No More, an organization that provides housing assistance to needy families. He previously served on the organization’s board, helping negotiate contracts and volunteering to help with business matters for the organization. Hershon is inspired to go to work each day for opportunities to help his clients. “My main driving force is knowing that someone is trusting me to help them, and I feel the need to live up to that level of trust,” he says.
Get your message in front of Charleston’s top CEOs, executives, business owners and decision-makers every afternoon. For advertising information, contact Grady Johnson at (843) 849-3103 or gjohnson@scbiznews.com
14 / GO TO LAWYERS - BUSINESS
Wesley Henderson
Wallace Lightsey
Henderson & Henderson LLC Charleston
Wyche Greenville
W
W
esley Henderson says his life and career gained more meaning and purpose when he opened a practice with his brother, John Henderson. Henderson & Henderson is a Charleston law firm, representing clients in a variety of general business areas as well as employment and family law, estate planning, startups and business litigation. “Going into practice with my brother was the turning point in finding a career that is satisfied and fulfilling,” Henderson says. That two brothers practice law together is unusual, because they don’t come from a family of lawyers, but Henderson says he can’t think of a time when he didn’t want to enter the practice. He graduated from Wofford College, magna cum laude, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and government. He was a JB Ness Scholarship recipient at the University of South Carolina, where he earned his law degree.
Several years ago, the Henderson brothers founded Driving for Downs, a nonprofit organization that organizes an annual golf tournament and other activities to raise money for Camp Joy, a faith-based camp in Greenville that serves kids with special needs. Henderson’s clients inspire him to go to work each day, where he finds opportunities to help them solve their problems. He believes taking extra time to get to know his clients is the key to running a successful practice. “I feel like my law practice plays to my strengths, and it’s really rewarding to work with my clients,” he says.
allace Lightsey’s journey into law was an exploration that led him to the courtroom. “I have always liked the independence lawyers have, and I like the intellectual aspect of the work they do, so in college, I thought I would find a career in law worthwhile,” he says. Lightsey, who graduated summa cum laude from Duke University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics, went on to earn his law degree from Harvard University, graduating cum laude. He was the editor of the Harvard Law Review in 1981-82 and executive editor in 1982-83. He started his career handling corporate matters and business transactions, but after he began litigating cases, he discovered joy from being in court, and he focused on building a litigation practice. He has been an attorney with Wyche in Greenville for the past 35 years and is a shareholder. In addition to business litigation, Lightsey focuses his practice on intellectual property law, and media de-
Paul Lynch
Keith Martens
Moore & Van Allen Charleston
Hamilton Martens Rock Hill
G
rowing up in Summerville, Paul Lynch was part of a fourth-generation family-owned department store business. But instead of following his ancestors into the family business, Lynch took a different path. He graduated cum laude from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and started his career as a CPA in Atlanta. “I was always good with numbers,” he says, and while he liked being a CPA, in his heart he wanted to be a lawyer, so he returned to USC where he received his law degree and went on to earn an LLM degree in taxation from Emory University. He started practicing law in 1990. He is active in a variety of professional organizations, and is a recipient of the American Jurisprudence Award in Estate Planning II. Lynch is a member with Moore & Van Allen. Early in his tenure with the firm, he and a colleague moved
fense and derives pleasure and motivation from preparing trial witnesses. “My most fulfilling experiences involve working with witnesses to get them ready to testify in court, and I love having them get up on the stand and do a really good job,” he says. Even after more than three decades of practicing law, Lightsey still takes great delight in learning new things. “I’ve been a lawyer for a long time, and I still really enjoy it,” he says. “I’ve always loved coming into the office and thinking ‘What am I going to learn today?’”
K to Charleston to open the firm’s office there. He considers that move among his favorite professional accomplishments. His practice focuses on tax law, and he is dedicated to preserving and protecting family assets and facilitating transfers among generations. His clients inspire him to go to work every day. “I like people, and I enjoy helping them,” he says. “If I were to give advice to younger attorneys, I would tell them to major in business in college, develop their people skills and learn to be good salespeople.”
eith Martens attended Tulane University on an ROTC scholarship, where he majored in biology. He had his eye on becoming a biomedical engineer, believing that pathway would allow him to follow the footsteps of his father, who was an engineer and a college math professor. Martens, who served four years in the Navy after graduating from Tulane, decided upon his discharge he no longer wanted to become an engineer, and determined the next step in his career would be law school. “Becoming an engineer was what I thought was expected of me,” he says. “But I didn’t really enjoy it, and I realized I was never going to be at the top of my career.” He went on to the University of South Carolina where he earned his law degree and worked his way to partner at Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman in Charlotte. In 2004, he helped launch Hamilton Martens in Rock Hill. Sowell focuses his practice on business litigation. He sits on the
City of Rock Hill Planning Commission and serves as a director of York County MaxAbilities. He is also a representative of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit in the S.C. Bar’s House of Delegates. Driven by the desire to help his clients find solutions to their problems, Sowell is always willing to talk to people who need assistance. “When most people call a lawyer, they don’t know what they need,” he says. “I will talk to them, and they may or may not use me, but at least I’m letting them make that decision based on what I tell them and what I can bring to the table for them.”
GO TO LAWYERS - BUSINESS / 15
Bill Metzger
Kimberly Raber
Robinson Gray Stepp & Lafitte Columbia
Kimberly A. Raber, P.A. Columbia
K
G
rowing up, Bill Metzger was fascinated by his father’s career as a corporate executive who specialized in turning businesses around and helping them achieve success. Armed with a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from Washington and Lee University, and a JD and MBA, summa cum laude, from the University of South Carolina, he couldn’t decide which path to follow. “It was always a question of whether I was going to take the law degree into the business world or the business degree into the world of law,” he says. Metzger ultimately chose law and is now a member at Robinson Gray Stepp & Lafitte in Columbia, where he focuses on corporate and commercial workouts, bankruptcy and real estate transactions. He is a certified specialist in bankruptcy and debtor-creditor law. He is active in Meritas, a global alliance of independent law firms where he recently finished a term on the board of directors and chairs the U.S. Leadership Committee. He credits this experience for giving him a global perspective.
“Meritas has shown me the world,” he says. “I have sat in board rooms with lawyers from Egypt, Asia and South America, and it has been fascinating.” Metzger loves his work because of the variety it brings to his life. From helping a client start a brewery, to helping someone purchase a racetrack, he considers his work both challenging and delightful. He also enjoys mentoring young attorneys, and that keeps him engaged and invigorated. “The thing that gets me into work every day is the great group of folks I work with, and the really bright, sharp young lawyers I mentor,” he says.
imberly Raber’s love of the law goes back to her preteen years when she lived in Greenwood. “I volunteered to work in attorneys’ offices, and even when I was in the seventh grade, they would let me come in and do filing, and read depositions, and I thought that was just the most amazing thing in the world,” she says. She took a fast track to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in administration of criminal justice in three years from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She received her law degree from the University of South Carolina. Early in her career, Raber parlayed her criminal justice and law degrees into a job in the federal prison system. She gravitated over to business law when she was hired to work in a small civil practice. “I thought that would be something totally different that I had never done before, but the pay was actually higher for the prison job than for the job at the law firm, but I thought it would be good
Alan J. Reyner
John C. Hayes IV
Barnes Alford Columbia
Hayes Law Charleston
G
rowing up in a family of business owners, Alan J. Reyner finds himself well-qualified to serve his clients’ needs. As a partner at Barnes Alford Stork & Johnson in Columbia, Reyner enjoys counseling his clients on business transactions, including mergers, acquisitions or transitions. He is a certified tax specialist who handles tax issues for both individuals and businesses and advises them on matters involving estate planning and probate law. “I enjoy conversing with clients about their business matters. I have a feel for what they are going through, because my family has gone through some of the same things,” he says. “For me, their problems are not in the abstract, they are real and relatable.” Before starting his career, Reyner realized a law degree would be useful if he wanted to follow his family’s footsteps into business, so after graduating from the Citadel with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science, he decided to pursue a law degree from the University of South Carolina. He also holds an LLM degree from New York University.
to expand my focus,” she says. She established the Kimberly A. Raber P.A. law firm in 1991 and focuses on probate and estate planning, guardianships and conservatorships, corporations and limited liability companies, business, real estate, and collections. Raber says the best part of her career has been the relationships she has built over the years. “I absolutely love what I do,” she says. “I’m at that place right now where I have been able to select the areas of the law that I love, and I enjoy making people happy.”
F
or John C. Hayes IV, a passion for the law is in his DNA. His father, John C. Hayes III served as a district court judge for South Carolina’s 16th Judicial Circuit in York County, and Hayes grew up around lawyers. He enjoyed their collegial nature and loved to hear their war stories. As he matured, he saw other characteristics of lawyers that he wanted to emulate.
Reyner draws his greatest inspirat-ion from his clients, particularly those who are running legacy corporations or family businesses dating back several generations. “It’s not just business for me. It’s personal,” he says. “It goes back to my growing up, years in the back of a store doing little jobs for my family.” After many years in his firm, he reports that he is also inspired by his fellow attorneys, “I’m blessed to work with some of the finest lawyers I know, and that is wonderful” he says. “Eight or nine of us have been together for 30 or 40 years.”
“As I went through law school and graduated, I realized that lawyers really help people, find resolution for them, and give them peace of mind,” he says. Hayes, who owns a Charleston boutique firm that focuses on business litigation, has a track record of achievement in construction law. Hayes Law has built a reputation as a successful trial firm. “Trials can be difficult and long; they can be stressful,” he says. “But we do pride ourselves on being a firm that, when necessary, will go to trial.” Hayes graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of
Science degree in political science. He worked on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., for two years before returning to USC where he earned his law degree. In addition to developing an affinity for helping clients and working to achieve favorable outcomes in their cases, Hayes says his colleagues inspire him to go to work each day, and he has found the collegiality that attracted him to the law in the first place. “I really enjoy working with my fellow lawyers and judges and our staff,” he says.
16 / GO TO LAWYERS - BUSINESS
Marshall Winn
Nekki Shutt
Wyche Greenville
Burnette Shutt McDaniel Columbia
N
A
t a young age, Marshall Winn cultivated an interest in politics and believed becoming a lawyer would provide the most direct route. But after graduating from the University of South Carolina Honors College, summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, and earning his law degree from Harvard School of Law, his career took a turn, and he began practicing business law. Today, Winn is a member with Wyche in Greenville where he focuses on a variety of litigation matters. “I started out as a straight-up corporate lawyer in Charleston years ago and cut my teeth on that,” he says. “Then I got involved in litigation after I came up here to Greenville, and I found I really like it.” Before going to law school, Winn was the admissions officer at the University of South Carolina and had an opportunity to complete an unusual task. “I had a chance to take on a new job at the university which I very much liked, and I turned it into a real
opportunity,” he says. “I was able to start something that had never been done before, and that was creating the Honors College at USC.” Today, Winn is still deeply involved with the college and serves on the partnership board for the University of South Carolina Honors College. Winn credits his law firm colleagues with inspiring him to go to work each day. “I like coming to work because I know I’ll be working with my friends,” he says. “They are all really good lawyers and really good people.”
ekki Shutt took the scenic route to her law career, forging a civil litigation practice from her experience as a corporate human resources professional. After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications from the University of South Carolina, she became a corporate recruiter at a publicly traded insurance company. A round of layoffs convinced her it was time to go to law school, and she graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1995. “I had always planned to go to law school, but I loved my job so much that I put it off until the firm started experiencing layoffs, and I decided I needed a career with more job security,” she says. Today, Shutt is a partner at Burnette Shutt McDaniel, a women-owned firm in Columbia. A certified specialist in South Carolina employment law, she focuses on employee benefits under ERISA. In addition to her legal career, Shutt
Biff Sowell
Ashley Twombley
Sowell & DuRant Columbia
Twenge + Twombley Law Firm Beaufort, SC
A
B
iff Sowell credits his wife with providing the steppingstone that led him into law school. “My wife persuaded me to take the LSAT,” he says. “I took the exam, went to law school, and I discovered I really enjoyed it.” A graduate of Clemson University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and history, Sowell earned his law degree from the University of South Carolina. After a 40-year career in large law firms, he and his law partner, Bess DuRant, opened Sowell & DuRant, a litigation practice, in Columbia two years ago. “I have never had any idea that I wanted to do anything else but practice law,” he says. “I’ve been a lawyer for 44 years, and I’ve enjoyed every bit of it.” Sowell has focused his public service on education. He has served as a commissioner for Midlands Technical College, on the board of the Midlands Technical College Foundation, and he
is committed to social justice. She is a founder of South Carolina Equality, the state’s LGBTQ civil rights organization and served on its board and related boards for 15 years. Shutt also is committed to mentoring young attorneys, and she teaches CLE courses focusing on social justice. She believes it is important to help others succeed while strengthening the forces of attorneys crusading for social justice. “I really believe in mentoring and helping young people along the way,” she says. “You could say I hold the barrier down to enable other lawyers to step into the profession.”
served on the Columbia Communities in Schools board of directors. He is a S.C. Certified Mediator and Arbitrator. The work of practicing law and serving his clients inspire Sowell to go to work every day and to be persistent, even when he doesn’t win his case. And after practicing law over four decades, he reflects on what he refers to as the good fortune that led him to the law. “I’m the luckiest person in the world to have been fortunate enough to go to law school, pass the bar exam and work with really good lawyers over the last 40 years.”
shley Twombley parlayed his fascination with the judicial system with his interest in becoming a lawyer at a young age. After graduating cum laude from Clemson University, and earning his law degree, cum laude, from the University of South Carolina, he clerked with federal district court judge Margaret Seymour of Charleston and moved to Atlanta where he worked at King & Spaulding, a large international law firm. He credits that experience with forming his own practice philosophy. “I got to work on a lot of cutting-edge cases all across the country and had some unique experiences working for Fortune 100 companies, which focused on getting it right and succeeding,” he says. Twombley later moved to Beaufort, where he opened the Twenge + Twombley Law Firm and practices personal injury law. He enjoys giving back through a variety of volunteer and pro bono services. He has chaired the boards of United
Way of the Lowcountry and Disability Rights South Carolina. He is often appointed by federal district court judges to provide pro bono representation for people in prison, which he finds rewarding. “Sometimes it seems like those cases are going to be quick, but the next thing you know, you’re meeting with an expert witness in Wisconsin, and getting ready for a trial, and you think ‘How did I end up down this path in a pro bono case?’” he says. “But just like anything else, I’m going to take it on and do everything humanly possible to prevail.”
GO TO LAWYERS - BUSINESS / 17
Zach Weaver
Cal Watson
Gallivan White Boyd Greenville
Robinson Gray Stepp & Lafitte Columbia
W
hen Zach Weaver was young, he observed the important role lawyers played in his community. He was fascinated with their work and set his path toward practicing law too. He majored in history at Clemson University and ventured to Florida where he obtained his law degree from the University of Miami. “After law school, I stayed in Miami, where I practiced law for four years, but South Carolina has a way of bringing people back home, so I returned to Greenville,” he says. He is a business and commercial litigation partner at Gallivan White Boyd and deeply involved in the Greenville community and with the South Carolina Bar. He is a graduate of Leadership Greenville, a board member for the Greenville Bar Pro Bono Council, and the chair for the South Carolina Bar’s Trial and Appellate Advocacy Council. “I really enjoy litigation,” he says. “At the end of the day, I am a problem-solver, and I’ve enjoyed helping
F businesses and individuals determine what’s the best action to take based on their individual circumstances.” Weaver says the opportunity to help his clients gives him a sense of purpose and keeps him motivated to go to work each day. He also appreciates the chance to set a good example for his children. “You get up, you do good work, and then you come home and spend time with your family,” he says. “And it demonstrates that there’s value in being motivated because the hard work is worth it in the end.”
or Cal Watson, moving from college right into law school was a natural progression. He graduated summa cum laude from Wofford College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and government and earned his law degree, cum laude, from the University of South Carolina, where he was editor of the South Carolina Law Review. “I gravitated to business law,” he says. “I enjoyed writing, I enjoyed speaking, and I thought those skills would be helpful.” Watson is the managing member at Robinson Gray Stepp & Lafitte where he focuses his practice on litigation and is experienced in complex business and insurance disputes, class actions, and professional liability and ethics. He also is a S.C. Supreme Court certified mediator. “I really do enjoy the intellectual stimulation that business litigation provides, and it’s like putting the pieces of a puzzle together when there are 100 different ways to do it,” he says.
Watson enjoys using his skills and knowledge to help people through his firm’s extensive pro bono program and through service as a leader in the South Carolina Bar. He served a term as president of both the South Carolina Bar and the Bar Foundation and is a member of the National Conference of Bar Presidents. “I really do enjoy helping people by finding innovative ways to solve problems,” he says. “It very much helps me stay intellectually stimulated. I am inspired to see what’s next, and I’m looking forward to mentoring young lawyers and students.”
Ronald C. Scott Scott & Corley Columbia
R
on Scott believes in the power of education. It is in his DNA. His late father, Robert C. Scott Jr. was a lifelong educator who served on the State Board of Education for more than 11 years. His mother, Louise Scott, who died in 2018, was one of the first women of her time to earn a Ph.D. and was a nationally known educator. “I had a very strong influence from my parents very early on about the value of a good education,” he says. As chairman at Scott & Corley in Columbia, Scott focuses his practice on bankruptcy law, creditors rights, government affairs, and real estate. Scott found his pathway to the law after graduating from The Citadel with both B.A. and B.S. degrees. He earned an MBA from the University of South Carolina, and at 21, he obtained a real estate broker’s license. Prior to attending law school, Scott served with the Army and graduated from the U.S. Army Adjutant Gener-
Take your events online
al’s School. He entered law school at USC to further his understanding of business law and discovered a love of transactional business. “Once I started my career in law, I just continued with a business emphasis on law, and enjoyed that career,” he says. “I found that area of practice very appealing because I enjoy helping people.” On Oct. 12, 2017, the mayor of Columbia and the City Council voted unanimously to honor him with “Ronald C. Scott Day.” That same year, Scott received the Order of the Palmetto from Gov. Henry McMaster.
With many of your clients and prospects working from home, now is a great time to engage them through a webinar. Hosting a webinar is a powerful way to connect with your target audience, and with the Charleston Regional Business Journal - you won’t have to worry about any of the logistics. Whether you’re looking to move an in-person event online, or just need to generate quality sales leads, our team can help provide turnkey service from marketing to execution! What is included in your webinar: • 45-60 minute webinar • Dedicated project support • Email marketing • Social media • Print ad
For more information, please contact Grady Johnson at gjohnson@scbiznews.com or (843) 849-3103.
18
www.charlestonbusiness.com
January 25 - February 7, 2021
THE NEWEST ADDITION TO THE SC BIZ NEWS FAMILY What’s new on SCBIZtv this week? Check us out on YouTube. With more than 100 archived videos (and counting), you’ll find a wide variety of businessrelated content, including: Virtual awards shows, Power Events, interviews with high-level business executives and several ongoing video series, including Coffee With…, 120 Seconds, Industry Trends and Coping with Covid. Here’s just a taste of what you’ll find on SCBIZtv this week
VIRTUAL AWARDS SHOWS
120 SECONDS
COFFEE WITH…
COPING WITH COVID
From Women of Influence in the Upstate to Forty Under 40 in the Lowcountry to Icons and Phenoms in the Midlands, you’re sure to find executives you know being honored in a variety of ways.
Business executives sharing insight about their business, the industry in which they work and the community in which they live.
CEOs answering as many questions as they can in two minutes. You’ll definitely learn something personal about the executive and get a thoughtful answer on a serious topic to boot.
Explores the impact the Coronavirus is having on our daily lives, both at home and at the office.
This is just a sampling of what you’ll find on SCBIZtv. Check us out on YouTube to find a complete library of archived videos.
In Focus
HEALTH CARE LISTS: Hospitals, Page 26 | Urgent Care Centers, Page 27
NEXT ISSUE’S FOCUS:
Architecture, Engineering and Construction
Trident Health CEO stepping down By Teri Errico Griffis tgriffis@scbiznews.com
I
Trident Health CEO Todd Gallati plans to step down after 32 years in health care. (Photo/Provided)
t’s never too late to switch careers, and Todd Gallati, president and CEO of Trident Health since 2008, is a testament to that. After 32 years in health care leadership — 25 of those as CEO of different hospitals — Gallati will be retiring in June to start a new venture in real estate. Having always eyed the idea of operating his own business, he is pursuing an opportunity that recently presented itself. The pivot is obviously different from what he’s been doing for three decades but Gallati welcomes the challenge, he said. “It’s exciting. It’s something that will allow me to have more flexibility with my time and be able to spend more time with my family,” he said of his two grown sons who still live in the area. “It’ll be a small business, but one that will be interesting.” During his tenure at Trident Health, Gallati has led a team of about 2,600 employees, 600 physicians and 200 volunteers, making the organization the third-largest private sector employer in the county. The Joint Commission also named Trident Health one of the country’s top hospitals for safety and quality four years in a row. A Hospital Corporation of America hospital system, the 445bed Trident Health is comprised of two acute care hospitals — Trident Medical Center and Summerville Medical Center. It also includes three freestanding emergency departments — Centre Pointe See TRIDENT, Page 23
20
www.charlestonbusiness.com
IN FOCUS: HEALTH CARE
January 25 - February 7, 2021
Program takes students inside virtual hospitals By Melinda Waldrop mwaldrop@scbiznews.com
W
ith hands-on learning becoming a challenge in 2020, ECPI University has developed a proprietary software program that allows students in health care fields to get as close to being in a medical environment as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program, eHospital, includes six virtual environments: triage, patient room, medical laboratory, education center, operating room and emergency room. In each, students perform basic tasks and learn more advanced skills that will help them hit the ground running when they enter the workforce. “Health care is really all about handson,” said Indira Dodig, a biology professor at ECPI’s Columbia campus. “In this time of COVID and social distancing, anything that helps give them that experience, that hands-on, that is really a blessing for us.” In triage and patient rooms, users check height and weight and measure respiratory function, as well as operate electrocardiogram equipment and calculate dosages of intravenous medications. In the operating room, students identify and categorize medical instruments and gain an understanding of surgical procedures. The education center includes 12 fully interactive body systems that allow for virtual tagging and dissection as well as more than 50 different 3D pathology models. There’s even a game: Bones in the Box, in which students test their knowledge of the skeletal system. “The skeletal system is among the first
ECPI University’s eHospital program takes health care students inside virtual medical environments, allowing them to practice hands-on skills while learning remotely during the pandemic. (Image/Provided)
systems that we teach,” Dodig said. “When you have brand-new students who are not familiar with that, with the human body in general, it is really for helpful for them — OK, here is a bone flying around. You can rotate it, enlarge, minimize, move to the corner, turn it upside down.” The information technology staff at ECPI, which also has locations in Greenville and Charleston, rolled out eHospital soon after the school moved to virtual learning in March. Initially trepidatious about navigating the new technology, Dodig found the program easy to use and said it helped keep her anatomy and physiology students engaged and focused. “Being remote, you had to reduce hands-on (experience) very much, so having an opportunity to give them something to engage them, to give them experience — I’m a strong believer that students, especially students in health care, from day one should have that experience,” she said. “Practice communicat-
ing with people, build up your empathy, build that part of health care that makes them so special and so different from any other profession.” The program also allows students to learn at their own pace, Dodig said, and practice a specific skill as much as necessary. “There are so many practices in these clinical skills that our students have trained at school and it is expected that they know before they go to their clinicals,” she said. “When you are learning new skills, students can lack confidence that they can do this or (worry) they are falling behind the others. … What I appreciate very much about eHospital is giving students the opportunity to practice hands-on at their own pace and in the privacy of their own home.” Dodig said her students’ interest — and their grades — have noticeably improved with the program. “It is a wonderful tool not only to test
my students but to engage my students, to give them something that is not just a plain classroom lecture — I’m talking, you’re listening,” she said. “Here we are doing stuff. … It is engaging but educational at the same time. Through fun, you can sometimes learn much more than opening the book and trying to study.” The program also includes a fully functional 3D helicopter and ambulance, and additional advanced clinical models and simulations are being added. Students can access eHospital on campus or from home with their log-in information, and the program is also available to ECPI graduates working in the health care field who may want a quick refresher, Dodig said. “Especially when they just start in these challenging times, no matter how well you are prepared, there is always a little dose of anxiety and do I know everything?” she said. The U.S. Bureau of Labor projects that health care employment is expected to grow 15% from 2019 to 2029, adding about 2.4 million new jobs. With the pandemic exacerbating that demand in fields such as respiratory therapy, Dodig believes eHospital’s benefits will last long after COVID-19. “It’s so beneficial, not only for students. It’s beneficial for us instructors. It’s beneficial for health care workers that are already working, and at the end, it benefits patients, because you have well-prepared and skilled health care providers,” she said. “That’s the most important thing. In these times of big challenges, God knows we need health care workers as prepared as they can possibly be.” CRBJ
Reach Melinda Waldrop at 803-726-7542.
MUSC team wins first S.C. student pitch competition By Molly Hulsey
S
mhulsey@scbiznews.com
outh Carolina’s nascent entrepreneurs pitched their brightest ideas to a panel of startup and investment professionals and 330 pairs of watching eyes during the first statewide student pitch competition, SC Innovates. Only a handful walked away with a total $10,000 cash prize and S.C. Research Authority mentorships during the grand virtual finale on Nov. 18. “Congratulations to our top five teams, to all of the hundreds of students that put forth incredible ideas and solutions to the competition,” Katherine Swarts Hilton, special initiatives manager of the University of South Carolina McNair Institute for Entrepreneurism and Free Enterprise,
said during the event. “It’s such an exciting night.” The pitch show, one of several virtual Global Entrepreneurship Week events, was hosted by the Commerce Department and SCRA with sponsorship from 15 universities including Clemson University, Furman University, Greenville Technical College, Medical University of South Carolina, USC Upstate, Winthrop University and Wofford College. Hilton; Andy Burkemper, director of the Center of Entrepreneurship and Leadership at Coker College; and Bryan Davis, managing director of Furman Innovation and Entrepreneurship, served as lead organizers. Judges for the event included Charlie Banks, managing director of Venture South; Kenzie Biggins, founder of Worxbee; Laura Corder, managing director
of the Commerce Department’s Office of Innovation; Steve Johnson, interim director and investment manager of SC Launch; and Dylan Turner, COO of Doxy.me LLC. “It really does take a village to support an entrepreneur, and I really want to echo what Dylan says: It shouldn’t have to be a lonely journey,” Hilton said. Hailing from MUSC, a group of three women — Dr. Kristen Quinn, Dr. Julie Siegal and doctoral student Heather Holman — marketing a CPR-aid device called The Saver won a $4,200 cash prize, one-on-one due diligence and early-stage capital strategy training from Venture South and access to the Don Ryan Center for Innovation’s hub as the grand prize winner. “According to the CDC, one out of every 7.4 Americans will die of sudden car-
diac death,” Holman said during her pitch. “Despite cardiac arrest being so common, the CPR survival rates are dismal: 10.8% survive to be discharged from the hospital and even fewer survive without significant neurological impairment, so we asked ourselves, “How can we fix this?” The team set out to create a “smart tourniquet” device that boosts blood flow to vital organs during CPR using double pneumatic compression on the femoral artery in the thigh. The device, which would cost approximately $10 per unit to manufacture, would give the team an 80% profit margin as the CPR market reaches $142 million in revenue by 2027. College of Charleston’s Easy Trac team won the People’s Choice award for its waste-reducing small business inventory software. CRBJ
IN FOCUS: HEALTH CARE
January 25 - February 7, 2021
www.charlestonbusiness.com 21
GE T CA RE NOW Roper St. Francis Healthcare makes it easy to find the medical services you need now. Know where to go and how to get there.
Express Care
Virtual Care
Find a Doctor
Emergency Room
Find a Location
Schedule an Appointment
Online Chat
Visit rsfh.com/GetCareNow
22
IN FOCUS: HEALTH CARE
www.charlestonbusiness.com
January 25 - February 7, 2021
Protective face shield from S.C. wins design award
C
Staff Report
olumbia-based digital manufacturing company ZVerse has won a national design award for its ZShield Flex. The face shield, designed and produced by ZVerse, has been named an Innovation by Design Awards winner by business magazine Fast Company. The awards, in their ninth year, recognize creative, problem-solving innovations and have included winners such as Spotify, Google and Disney+. The shields feature lightweight visors that clip around the wearer’s neck, making the shield comfortable for all-day wear. ZVerse’s computer assisted design platform creates custom, manufacturable 3D files that are returned to clients for production, enabling an invention to quicky go from idea to reality. “We need innovative design more than ever, and the 2020 honorees have brought creativity, inventiveness, and humanity to address some of the world’s most pressing problems, including the global pandemic, racial injustice, and economic inequality,” Stephanie Mehta, editor-in-chief of Fast Company, said in a news release. “Together these entries offer a glimpse into a future that is more inclusive, more accessible, and more just.” The ZShield Flex won in the Workplace category and also received an honorable mention in the Best Design of North America category alongside companies such as Microsoft, Google and Logitech. A complete list of winners, finalists, and honorable mentions is featured online and in the October-November issue of Fast Company, on newsstands Oct. 20. In March, ZVerse founder and CEO John Carrington adapted the company’s business model to accelerate the mass
1661 North Main Street Summerville, SC 29486 Bus: 843-851-2222 www.tonypope.com
“We need innovative design more than ever, and the 2020 honorees have brought creativity, inventiveness, and humanity to address some of the world’s most pressing problems, including the global pandemic, racial injustice, and economic inequality.” Stephanie Mehta Editor-in-chief, Fast Company
The Zshield Flex, a face shield designed and manufactured by Columbia digital manufacturer ZVerse, was named a Innovation by Design Awards winner by business magazine Fast Company. (Photo/Provided)
production of face shields in response to a health care community struggling to deal with the COVID-19 health crisis. The company tested more than a dozen designs before settling on the ZShield, focused first on the needs of health care workers before being adapted in partnership with industrial designer Scott Henderson for everyday use. “At the onset of the pandemic, we recognized our unique role in the world as great enablers of digital manufacturing, and we pivoted to become one of the
When you combine home and auto, you save an average of $965*. I can help you get the right coverage at the right price. Call me for a quote.
largest producers of face shields to serve our country’s urgent need for PPE,” Carrington said in the release. “After launching with ZShield Health, we brought on Scott Henderson to reimagine the traditional face shield design and create a product that would be comfortable for a variety of work environments as well as everyday life. Going to market with such a novel design and seeing it in use by so many people and industries has been a humbling experience. We’re honored to be recognized by Fast Company for our
work; it’s truly been a labor of love.” To date, ZVerse has produced more than four million shields, nearly tripling its workforce. Notable users include television and film production companies, Disney, Chick-fil-A, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, and Walgreens, according to the release. “When ZVerse originally contacted me about collaborating, I immediately realized how historic this moment was and felt an urgent need to help with the project,” Henderson said. “Prior to COVID19, face shields weren’t considered an essential accessory outside of the healthcare and medical science industry. After a century of little innovation in regard to face shield design, I am so proud of our team for applying out-of-the-box critical thinking to create this new option for PPE.” CRBJ
TIP SHEET
Sign up today for the Tip Sheet email newsletter at www.CRBJBizWire.com
Get your message in front of the top decision-makers in the Lowcountry as they start their morning with the top business announcements in the Lowcountry!
For advertising information, contact Grady Johnson at (843) 849-3103 or gjohnson@scbiznews.com
January 25 - February 7, 2021
IN FOCUS: HEALTH CARE
www.charlestonbusiness.com 23
“I’ve always loved the vibrant environment — it’s like a small town in terms of complexity. Everybody remembers the time they spent in the hospital as a patient. It’s an important time in people’s lives, and that comes with a lot of responsibility. We like picking up that responsibility.”
1156 King Street Renovation
Before
Todd Gallati, President and CEO of Trident Health
TRIDENT, from Page 19
Emergency, Moncks Corner Medical Center and Brighton Park Emergency, which opened in August near in the Nexton community in Summerville. In total, the 445-bed hospital sees roughly 2,000 trauma patients a year, which is about 50% of the trauma volume in the area, Gallati said, and improving those services for the hospital and the community are some of his favorite accomplishments. “That was a heavy lift and one that really helped the community dramatically, giving them access to emergency medical services and bringing quicker care closer to them,” he said. His colleague, Dr. Scott Hayes, the medical director of emergency services, echoed the importance of the achievement. In their 11 years working together, Hayes felt Trident’s certification by the American College of Surgery as a Level II trauma center was the biggest success. “We actually saw quite a bit of trauma anyway, but before then, most of the trauma would go 20-30 miles downtown,” Hayes said. “When you talk about trauma care and emergency care, you have better outcomes the closer you are. So we were able to deliver outstanding care to the communities we serve and have overall improved patient outcomes and survival.” Over the last year, almost everyone in the health care industry has been challenged, and Hayes said the Trident staff has overcome and thrived with Gallati at the helm. Hayes said he hopes whoever transitions into the role is a “mirror image” of Gallati, with his helpfulness, approach and problem-solving capabilities. “Todd is one of the best CEOs I’ve had the privilege of working with,” he said. “He has just been an amazing leader and has been really instrumental in taking Trident to the next level, which we certainly have done over the last 12 years.”
who was a general surgeon, Gallati knew he was destined to work at a hospital. He started his career early as a nursing assistant and transporter at 16 and continued similar jobs through his college days. He graduated from Florida State University’s college of business with a management degree, and then earned a Master of Business and Health Administration degree from the University of Florida. “I’ve always loved the vibrant environment — it’s like a small town in terms of complexity,” he said. “Everybody remembers the time they spent in the hospital as a patient. It’s an important time in people’s lives, and that comes with a lot of responsibility. We like picking up that responsibility.” Gallati reflected back over his career and what has changed in the medical industry since his first day on the job in the 1980s. While the heart of the caregiver to patient experience remains the same, technology has been the biggest transformation. “During that time in my early career, the IT and technology were so far back from where we’re at today. I remember the first fax machine the hospital got,” he said. “But the IT makes the outcome for our patients that much better, and we’re really able to be that much more effective today, especially with robotic surgeries. Those are every day occurrences now.” In 2012, more surgeries were performed at Trident Health’s South Carolina Institute for Robotic Surgery than any other health system or hospital in the state. Gallati plans to stay at Trident Health through June to see a smooth transition with his successor. He also hopes to follow along with the medical center’s progress as it continues to expand its mission. “It’ll be a different day come June 2 for sure, but after 32 years, I can look back and say that was really fun and meaningful work, and I look forward to what’s next,” Gallati said. CRBJ
Born into hospitals
With a mother in nursing and a father
Reach Teri Errico Griffis at 843-849-3144.
654 St. Andrews Blvd., Charleston, SC 29407 • 843.225.0406 www.jmusselmanconstruction.com
ROPER NORTHWOODS EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT BUILDING TRUST A ND ADDING VALUE TO EVERYTHING WE DO
TRIDENTCONSTRUCTION.COM
24
IN FOCUS: HEALTH CARE
www.charlestonbusiness.com
January 25 - February 7, 2021
DHEC selects health care CEO as new director D Staff Report
r. Edward Simmer, current CEO of TRICARE Health Plan, has been selected as director of the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. Simmer previously served as the CEO and commanding officer at the Naval Health Clinic in Oak Harbor, Wash. He retired from the Navy on Dec. 31. The selection comes as South Carolina continues to battle COVID-19. LATEST NUMBERS. S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster, who tested positive for the virus last month, must approve the selection of the DHEC director, who also must be confirmed by the
Senate and will serve a four-year term. Simmer received his medical degree from Saint Louis University and holds a master’s in public health with a focus Simmer in epidemiology from Eastern Virginia Medical School. He is board-certified in general and forensic psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and has an administrative psychiatry certification from the America Psychiatric Association. “2020 has emphasized the importance of the work being done by DHEC
employees each day,” Mark Elam, DHEC board chair, said in a news release. “The selection of Dr. Edward Simmer to serve as the director of DHEC reaffirms the board’s commitment to promoting and protecting the health and safety of all South Carolinians, and the communities where they live, work and play. Dr. Simmer’s experience in management through his over-30-year naval career, long-time residency in Beaufort and proven leadership skills will serve the agency, its many talented and dedicated staff and the people of South Carolina well.” Rick Toomey resigned as DHEC director in May, citing recent health problems and a desire to spend more time with family. Dr. Joan Duwve resigned as the agen-
cy’s director of public health in September. Tricare, formerly known as the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services, is a health care program of the U.S. Department of Defense Military Health System. Simmer’s career also included a stint from October 2010 to May 2012 as COO of the Naval Hospital in Beaufort. “With his strong track record in providing strategic direction for and managing large, complex organizations, we are confident in Dr. Simmer’s ability to work with agency experts and community partners to successfully lead us through the current public health and environmental challenges before us and those ahead,” Elam said. CRBJ
SCBIO 2021 online conference to be held Feb. 16-17 Staff Report
S
CBIO’s 2021 life sciences conference, to be held Feb. 16-17, will address how South Carolina and the country can recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The online event is themed “The Power of Us” and will feature national speakers on innovation, partnerships and human
resources. Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath, president and CEO of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, is the first announced speaker and will address how diversity, equality and inclusion are essential to collaboration and discovery. McMurry-Heath, a molecular immunologist, is the first Black graduate of Duke’s Medical Scientist Training program and
the founding director of the Aspen Institute’s health, biomedical science and society policy program. She will be joined by more than a dozen additional presenters and honorees at the annual conference, which will also feature a virtual exhibit hall showcasing life science businesses from across the country. Awards will be presented to the life science organization and individual of
Do you want to become a health care hero? The demand for health care professionals continues to grow, and Trident Technical College can guide you in ways to help meet those demands and prepare you for a career in any of these fields with both credit and noncredit courses. • • • • • • • • • •
CPR/First Aid* Certified Nursing Assistant* Dental Hygiene Dialysis Technician* Emergency Medical Technology Expanded Duty Dental Assisting Fitness Specialist Health Information Management Medical Assisting Medical Laboratory Technology
• • • • • • • • •
Nursing Occupational Therapy Assistant Patient Care Technician* Phlebotomy* Physical Therapist Assistant Radiologic Technology Respiratory Care Sterile Processing* Veterinary Technology *noncredit only
Financial Aid opportunities are available, including free tuition and S.C. Lottery Tuition Assistance.
For more information, go to www.tridenttech.edu.
Enroll now! MK21-002
the year, and SCBIO CEO Sam Konduros will deliver a keynote address. Conference registration is available online at www.scbio.org and free to employees of most SCBIO investors and supporters. Faculty and teachers can attend the conference for $25, while general admission tickets are $75. Limited virtual exhibit space and sponsorships are also available. CRBJ
IN FOCUS: HEALTH CARE
January 25 - February 7, 2021
www.charlestonbusiness.com 25
Nephron to add non-respiratory drug to portfolio
N
Staff Report
ephron Pharmaceuticals Corp. is expanding its portfolio of generic drugs to include non-respiratory products. Last month, the West Columbia-based company announced Food and Drug Administration approval for its abbreviated new drug application for Ketorolac, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used to relieve pain, usually after surgery. Single-dose vials of Ketorolac Tromethamine contain 60 milligrams and are made of polypropylene plastic with a “luer lock” or slip tip connector for needle-free dosing. The vials are manufactured using Blow-Fill-Seal technology. Earlier this year, Nephron received FDA approval to manufacture Sodium Chloride IV intravenous bags. “We are extraordinarily excited to expand our generic medication portfolio to include non-respiratory products,” Nephron owner and CEO Lou Kennedy said in a news release. “This is the latest sign that Nephron is growing, and it represents a real reason for our entire team to celebrate.” Nephron develops and produces generic inhalation solutions and suspension products and operates a 503B Outsourcing Facility division that produces
Nephron CEO Lou Kennedy speaks at a November beam raising ceremony. The West Columbia pharmaceutical company is expanding its portfolio of generic drugs to include non-respiratory products. The FDA has approved its new drug application for Ketorolac, an anti-inflammatory drug. (Photo/Melinda Waldrop)
pre-filled sterile syringes and IV bags for hospitals. The company recently opened a CLIA-certified diagnostics lab and conducts COVID-19 tests for people across South Carolina. In November, Nephron raised the final
beam on a $215.8 million expansion of its Saxe-Gotha Industrial Park campus. Part of that expansion is a 110,000-square-foot vaccine production, chemotherapy and antibiotic wing that Kennedy expects to be operational around March 2021.
At the beam-raising ceremony on Nov. 17, about a month before the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine received FDA approval for emergency use, Kennedy said Nephron is actively looking for a vaccine production partner. CRBJ
FAST. UNFILTERED. FRESH.
CRBJBizWire.com
Dedicated to serving up business announcements fast & unfiltered.
Get your message in front of the top decision-makers in the Lowcountry as they stay up-to-date on the people and businesses making moves in the Lowcountry.
RETAIL HEALTHCARE K–12 UPFIT
HISTORIC INDUSTRIAL OFFICE
For advertising information, contact Grady Johnson at (843) 849-3103 or gjohnson@scbiznews.com
Thank You to all Essential Workers Fro m M as h b u rn’ s H eal t h c are D i v i s i on mashburnconstruction.com
26
IN FOCUS: HEALTH CARE
www.charlestonbusiness.com
January 25 - February 7, 2021
Hospitals
Ranked by No. of Licensed Beds Company
Phone / Website / Email
Top Local Official(s) / Year Founded
Licensed Beds
Active Staff Physicians / Registered Nurses
MUSC Medical Center 169 Ashley Ave. Charleston, SC 29425
843-792-2300 www.muschealth.org muschlth@musc.edu
Patrick J. Cawley, David J. Cole 1824
790
1,186 3,027
843-724-2000 www.rsfh.com
Anthony Jackson, Chris McLain 1852
657
970 1,551
Trident Health 2 9330 Medical Plaza Drive Charleston, SC 29406
843-797-7000 www.tridenthealthsystem.com trid.questionscomments@hcahealthcare.com
Todd Gallati 1975
445
600 800
Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center 109 Bee St. Charleston, SC 29401
843-577-5011 www.charleston.va.gov
Scott R. Isaacks 1966
152
312 738
East Cooper Medical Center 2000 Hospital Drive Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
843-881-0100 www.eastcoopermedctr.com tracy.hunter@tenethealth.com
Patrick Downes, Patrick Beaver 1986
130
425 310
Palmetto Lowcountry Behavioral Health 2777 Speissegger Drive Charleston, SC 29405
843-747-5830 www.palmettobehavioralhealth.com
Timothy Miller 2000
108
75 20
Vibra Hospital of Charleston 1200 Hospital Drive Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
843-508-8911 www.vhcharleston.com
Brad Hollinger 2004
59
-
Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Charleston 9181 Medcom St. Charleston, SC 29406
843-820-7777 www.encompasshealth.com/charlestonrehab
Elizabeth Gibson 1993
49
-
The Citadel Infirmary 171 Moultrie Street Charleston, SC 29409
843.225.3294 https://www.citadel.edu
Carey Capell 1843
38
-
Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center - General Infirmary 3841 Leeds Ave. North Charleston, SC 29405
843-529-7300 www.charlestoncounty.org/departments/sheriff/detention.php
W. Beatty 1996
22
-
Lieber Correctional Institute Infirmary Ridgeville, SC 29472
803-896-5257 www.doc.sc.gov/institutions/lieber.html corrections.info@doc.sc.gov
Brian Kendall 1986
10
-
Roper St. Francis Healthcare 125 Doughty St. Charleston, SC 29403
• •
1
Because of space constraints, sometimes only the top-ranked companies are published in the print edition. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to research@scbiznews.com. 1 Locations include Bon Secours St. Francis Xavier Hospital, Mount Pleasant Hospital, Roper Hospital and Roper St. Francis Berkeley Hospital. 2 Locations include Trident Medical Center and Summerville Medical Center.
Source: South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control, Sept. 10, 2020. Researched by Business Journal staff
Carolinas Project Center is a brand-new project leads database. You'll find well over 1,500 projects to bid on in a searchable, trackable database where fresh projects are loaded daily. It's simple: The more projects you see; the more you will bid on; and the more opportunities you will have to make money.
• Construction, government, and project • bid listings and documents • New bids uploaded daily • "View Projects" page allows you to search • "My Preferences" custom account criteria • "My Projects" track your projets
Carolinas Project Center is a new service brought to you by
CarolinasProjectCenter.com
Join today! Go to bit.ly/ProjectCenterNow
Take a tour! Sign up at bit.ly/projectcentertour
IN FOCUS: HEALTH CARE
January 25 - February 7, 2021
www.charlestonbusiness.com 27
Urgent Care Centers CareNow Urgent Care 515 St. James Ave. Goose Creek, SC 29445 843-507-8925 www.carenow.com Centre Point Emergency 5249 Emmett I. Davis Jr. Ave. North Charleston, SC 29418 843-746-2400 www.tridenthealthsystem.com Concentra Charleston 7519 Rivers Ave North Charleston, SC 29406 843-735-5020 www.concentra.com Doctors Care Urgent Care 1014 St. Andrews Blvd. Charleston, SC 29407 843-556-5585 www.doctorscare.com info@doctorscare.com Top Local Official(s): Alice Savage Year Founded: 1981 Employees: 400 PAs: 15
Charleston-area Locations: 13 Services: Urgent care, family care, occupational medicine, workers’ comp., telemedicine, online check-in Health First 2863 U.S. Highway 17 N. Mount Pleasant, SC 29466 843-606-3911 www.healthfirstcares.com Holy City Med Urgent & Primary Care 2039 Savannah Highway Charleston, SC 29407 843-465-9248 www.holycitymed.com MedCare Urgent Care Center 1850 Sam Rittenberg Blvd. Charleston, SC 29407 843-793-6093 www.medcareurgentcare.com MinuteClinic 59 George St. Charleston, SC 843-720-8523 www.minuteclinic.com
Moncks Corner Medical Center 401 N. Live Oak Drive Moncks Corner, SC 29461 843-761-8721 www.tridenthealthsystem.com Moncks Corner Primary Care 730 Stony Landing Road, Suite 100 Moncks Corner, SC 29461 843-761-6556 www.rsfh.com/partners NasonCare 2233 Northwoods Blvd. North Charleston, SC 29406 843-773-9903 www.nasoncare.com Palmetto Urgent Care 2550 Elms Centre Road North Charleston, SC 29406 843-302-8840 Renew Medical IV Spa and Urgent Care 442 King St., 2nd Floor Charleston, SC 29403 843-800-8110 www.renewmedicalcare.com
Roper St. Francis Express Care 319 Folly Road Charleston, SC 29412 843-402-LATE www.rsfh.com/express-care Top Local Official(s): Robert Oliverio Year Founded: 2005 Employees: 101 PAs: 16 Charleston-area Locations: 4 Services: On-site lab and x-rays; minor injuries or illnesses such as cold or flu symptoms, sore throats, sinus infections, earaches, upset stomachs, diarrhea or vomiting, sprained ankles and minor cuts West Ashley Family Medicine 1481 Tobias Gladson Blvd, Suite 1 Charleston, SC 29407 843-402-0367 www.westashleyurgent.com Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to research@ scbiznews.com. Researched by Business Journal staff.
Get back to business – safely. Call today about workplace entry solutions.
| On-site COVID-19 Testing | On-site Antibody Testing | On-site Flu Shots
Doctors Care Employer Health Services | DOT Physicals | Drug Screens | On-site Biometrics
Employers.DoctorsCare.com
| Workers’ Compensation | Occupational Medicine | On-site Medical Centers
888-845-6887 | Sales@DoctorsCare.com
28
www.charlestonbusiness.com
January 25 - February 7, 2021
Presents
Join Jon Gordon as he hosts this monthly webcast featuring America’s top business minds and thought leaders.
BE OUR GUEST. REGISTER NOW.
Go to: businessforumusa.com/charleston John C. Maxwell
is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, speaker, coach and leader who has sold more than 33 million books. He has been called the #1 leader in business and the world’s most influential leadership expert.
FEBRUARY 10
12PM
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS
For sponsorship information, contact Grady Johnson at 843.849.3103 or gjohnson@scbiznews.com
At Work
BUSINESS DIGEST | PEOPLE IN THE NEWS | HOT PROPERTIES | PEER TO PEER
People in the News
Business Digest
DEFENSE
Beach Real Estate Funds acquires Summerville apartments Beach Investment Fund, through its manager, Beach Real Estate Funds, both affiliates of The Beach Co., have acquired Summerville Station, a garden-style multifamily community in Summerville. The property includes 200 units, averaging 952 square feet, as well as a pool, outdoor lounge area, fitness center, tennis court and dog park. This is the fourth acquisition in the Beach Investment Fund.
Green Dot Home Services acquires Resort Maintence
Green Dot Home Services, based in North Carolina, has acquired Resort Maintenance Inc. The acquired company is a local provider of heating and air services in Mount Pleasant.
Charleston County Schools wins innovation, research grant
Charleston County School District has been awarded an Education Innovation and Research grant from the U.S. Department of Education worth $12 million over five years. Charleston County School District’s grant project will focus on teacher choice in cultural competency training in order to address the board of trustees’ policy to train all school district employees in cultural competency. Teachers will receive an allowance to choose their own professional learning. After attending training, teachers will provide feedback for the district to build a resource bank of cultural competency training. The project will include a research study. The goal is to create a culturally competent learning environment that adapts to and values diversity and institutionalizes cultural
knowledge. Project outcomes include improved school climate, improved student engagement and improved student achievement. The initial schools chosen to participate in the project include 5,765 students and 433 teachers from Baptist Hill Middle and High School, Camp Road Middle School, E.B. Ellington Elementary, Harbor View Elementary, James Island Charter High School, James Island Elementary, Jane Edwards Elementary, Minnie Hughes Elementary, Murray-LaSaine Montessori and Stiles Point Elementary.
Ivybrook Academy opens in Mount Pleasant
Ivybrook Academy has opened a new Mount Pleasant campus located on Long Grove Drive. The Ivybrook Academy curriculum places an emphasis on creating a continuous cycle of learning designed to reflect a child’s interests and needs. Fall enrollment is now open for the Mount Pleasant campus of Ivybrook Academy.
Ziff Properties launches Ziff Real Estate Partners
To accommodate outside investor interest and to take advantage of growth, Ziff
Properties in Mount Pleasant has established Ziff Real Estate Partners, which will be its primary investment vehicle going forward. Ziff Real Estate Partners will continue to maintain the firm’s focus on value-add, redevelopment and new development in the self-storage, flex and warehouse, and neighborhood retail asset classes. Ziff Properties Inc. will continue to serve tenants as the in-house property management provider.
Heatworks partners with BASF to support dishwasher development
BASF and Heatworks, a U.S.-based tech firm, have partnered to support the further development of the Tetra countertop dishwasher. Heatworks is using its patented Ohmic Array Technology to enable the Tetra self-contained countertop dishwasher to wash up to three full place settings with three liters of water. Through this partnership, the two companies aim to significantly reduce consumers’ waste and maximize Tetra’s efficiency, as it cleans 50% more dishes using 40% less water in 55% of the time as compared to the leading countertop dishwasher. It is set to release in 2021.
Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic has selected Ashlee Landreth to lead the expeditionary warfare department as its top senior scientific technical Landreth manager. In this civilian position, Landreth will provide technical leadership over the execution of the work performed in the expeditionary warfare department, primarily in support of the Marine Corps and U.S. Special Operations Command. Her technical decision authority will help guide the engineering and business operations of more than 600 employees and help ensure compliance with customer requirements, engineering standards and various architectures, as well as NIWC Atlantic, Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, Department of the Navy and Department of Defense policies. Landreth has 15 years of experience overseeing the design, integration and fielding of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems. She most recently served as deputy to the expeditionary warfare department head, overseeing daily operations and technical planning. Previous to that role, she served as engineering competency manager for ISR Sensors and Analytics. Landreth has also led the design and integration of the Special Operations Command Joint Threat Warning Air 2 System, which provides signal intelligence capabilities for Special Operations Forces users. Landreth holds a Master of Science in electrical engineering from Penn State University and an MBA from the Darla Moore School of Business. She earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from the University of South Carolina. She also holds several certifications, including a graduate certification in electronic warfare from Georgia Tech and a Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act Level III certification in engineering. She is a project management professional and a certified systems engineering professional.
REAL ESTATE CARR has hired Kelly Dellinger to its Charleston team. She will be representing health care providers with lease renewals, See PEOPLE, Page 30
30
www.charlestonbusiness.com
January 25 - February 7, 2021
People in the News care and commercial experience, as well as architectural software and hand renderings. She is an associate member of The American Institute of Architects.
PEOPLE, from Page 29
startups, purchasing real estate, opening new offices, relocating offices and any other commercial real estate needs.
Target your market in an upcoming issue of the Charleston Regional Business Journal
FEBRUARY 8
ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION (AEC) List: Engineering Companies
Advertising Deadline: January 25 FEBRUARY 22
TRENDS IN ENERGY
List: Recycling Companies Bonus List: Solar Companies
Advertising Deadline: February 8 MARCH 8
REAL ESTATE AND CONSTRUCTION List: Heating and Air Contractors Special Section: Growth Report: Berkeley County
Advertising Deadline: February 23 MARCH 22
AUTOMOTIVE
List: Law Firms Bonus List: Companies Headquartered in Charleston Region
Advertising Deadline: March 8
For advertising information, call Grady Johnson at (843) 849-3103
Dellinger
Colliers International has hired Mike Benedetti as director of real estate management services in the Charleston market. Benedetti is responsible for the delivery Benedetti of property management services to the company’s Charleston portfolio and participating with other Colliers professionals statewide. He has held various commercial real estate project management and brokerage roles with Marcus & Millichap and CBRE, and MB Real Estate in New York City before transitioning to portfolio management for a private owner in Manhattan. Benedetti holds a Master of Science in real estate development from Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation and has been an active member of International Council of Shopping Centers, Urban Land Institute and CoreNet Global.
ACCOUNTING Jarrard, Nowell & Russell has hired Brandon Dailey as a staff accountant in the firm’s North Charleston office. Dailey will provide analytical support to Dailey clients and assist with tax filings, bookkeeping duties and assurance engagements. Previously, Dailey worked for Healthcare Trust of America. He is a graduate of Clemson University.
ARCHITECTURE Red Iron Architects has hired Elizabeth Weir as project manager. Weir graduated from Clemson University with a Bachelor of Arts in architecture. Weir has experience in health
Weir
SeamonWhiteside has announced Mary Martinich, landscape architecture team leader, as the newest board member of the local nonprofit CharlesMartinich ton Moves. Martinich’s 10 years of experience in landscape architecture and urban planning led her to join the organization and support its mission to transform Charleston into a bike and pedestrian-friendly region. Martinich joined the SeamonWhiteside team in 2019 and has worked on a variety of projects, including streetscapes, parks, residential gardens and mixed-use developments.
BUSINESS SERVICES Charleston-based Moneypenny has appointed Michael Jester as vice president of U.S. operations at Moneypenny and Tim Konrad as head of U.S. sales at Moneypenny and VoiceNation. Sheila Davidson has also been promoted to vice president of U.S. operations at VoiceNation and Eric Schurke has been promoted to CEO North America. Jester is responsible for the day-to-day operations of Moneypenny in the U.S. Previously, he served as director of managed services at LivePerson. Konrad will be responsible for leading the sales team and scaling revenues in line with the company’s growth plans. He has experience as a sales leader developing inside sales executives in the IT and transportation industries, as well as in call coaching, inside and outside sales, tech, negotiation, training and behavioral interviewing. Davidson is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company. She has been with the company for eight years and previously was director of employee experience. Davidson has experience in employee engagement, as well as customer service, workplace management and professional development of her team. Schurke is responsible for overseeing and building growth plans for Moneypenny and VoiceNation in the U.S. He joined VoiceNation in 2003 and has been a key driver behind VoiceNation’s growth by incorporating lean operational practices and developing company culture. He has more than 16 years of industry experience.
Submit items at our online submission portal: www.CRBJBizWire.com. Publication in print and online is subject to editorial discretion.
Viewpoint
VIEWS, PERSPECTIVES AND READERS’ LETTERS
America has health care crisis, not economic crisis
T
he virus continues to spread rapidly. Both the labor market and the economy softened somewhat in recent months but that hardly seems consistent with the economic crisis described by President-elect Joe Biden. We understand that he is trying to enlist support for an additional $1.9 STEPHEN trillion fiscal stimSLIFER ulus/coronavirus relief package, but he is grossly exaggerating the degree of economic weakness. The economy may endure a couple more months of soggy-looking data, but GDP growth for the year seems likely to be 5.5%, or more depending upon how much of his proposed stimulus plan is actually adopted, and the unemployment rate could fall toward the 4.5% mark by year end because a vaccine is making its way across the country. The economy is not in a dire economic crisis. We clearly have a health crisis, but not an economic one. Initial unemployment claims rose at year end. But people are taking what is, thus far, a single-week’s increase and extrapolating that into a leading indicator of significant weakness in the weeks and months ahead. We doubt that will happen. Retail sales have declined in the last couple of months as consumers cut back on Christmas spending. But much of that softness will be reversed as the vaccine becomes more widely distributed in the spring. The doomsayers seem to ignore the fact that, spurred by record-low 2.7% mortgage rates, the housing sector is on fire with existing home sales at the fastest pace since 2006. Also, driven by rapid growth in orders, the manufacturing sector continues to climb. Industrial production rose sharply in each of the last three months of the year as orders surged and forced manufacturers to step on the gas. Furthermore, production would have been faster if their suppliers had been able to keep pace. In addition, consumers have plenty of cash on the sidelines in the form of an elevated savings rate to allow them to spend at a reasonable pace for the rest of this year and beyond. Finally, if the economy were on the brink of an economic slowdown the
stock market would be one of the first places where such fear would become evident. Instead, the stock market is at a record high level. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell is one of the cheerleaders for the significant economic weakness: theme. But that seems odd since in December the Federal Reserve predicted 4.2% GDP growth in 2021 and indicated that the unemployment rate would decline to 5.0% by the end of the year, versus 6.7% currently. Where exactly is this economic crisis that he is describing? Our sense leaders in Washington — including Biden and the Democrats in charge of the House and the Senate, and even the chairman of the Federal Reserve — are describing an economy that is in dire need of assistance. If a second economic stimulus/coro-
navirus relief bill had not been passed late last year, and a vaccine had not yet been developed, we might have more sympathy for that view. But just two weeks ago Congress passed such a bill and a vaccine is already being distributed. For that reason, everybody — including the pessimists — anticipate a quick upswing in growth that will lead to respectable GDP growth for the year and a further decline in the unemployment rate. We find it hard to believe that a scientific community that shortened the normal vaccine development cycle from 10 years to one year cannot quickly find a way to accelerate the production of that vaccine and improve its method of distribution. The proposal for still more government spending seems to reflect a notion that policy makers cannot overstimulate the economy. In the very near term that
may be true. But there are consequences in terms of far larger-than-expected budget deficits in the years ahead. In September, the Congressional Budget Office anticipated a budget deficit of $1.8 trillion this fiscal year, but that was before the recently-enacted $900 billion spending package. It now seems likely that we will see a second consecutive budget deficit of at least $3 trillion and a debt to GDP ratio that surpasses the postWorld War II high of 106% and climbs to a record-breaking 110% of GDP. While Congress should boost spending to help the economy when it dips into recession, like it did last year, it should also cut back on spending when the economy returns to normal. We have absolutely zero confidence that will happen. Then there is the almost inevitable acceleration in the inflation rate. Growth in the money supply of 25% in the past year almost guarantees that inflation will soon begin to rise. Indeed, signs of a higher inflation rate are becoming increasingly evident. Commodity prices have risen sharply in recent months. The dollar has been falling, which will boost the prices of imported goods. Crude oil prices have climbed to $53 per barrel and OPEC is cutting production in an effort to push them higher. Prices at restaurants, bars, hotels, and airfares were all cut last year in the midst of the recession. But once the vaccine becomes more widely distributed and consumers feel more comfortable going out to eat and travel, those prices are also going to climb. Our leaders in Washington completely dismiss these longer-term consequences or feel comfortable they can control them once they begin to emerge. While we hope they are right, but we remain unconvinced. Daniel Island economist Stephen Slifer served as the chief U.S. economist for Lehman Brothers in New York City from 1980 until his retirement in 2003. Slifer directed the firm’s U.S. economics group and was responsible for forecasting and analysis of the U.S. economy. He also served as a senior economist at the Board of Governors for the Federal Reserve in Washington, D.C. Contact him at steve@NumberNomics.com.
We want to hear from you Write: Andy Owens, Executive Editor Charleston Regional Business Journal 1802 Dayton Street, Suite 101 North Charleston, SC 29405 Email: aowens@scbiznews.com
32
www.charlestonbusiness.com
The definitive resource guide for business professionals in the Lowcountry.
January 25 - February 7, 2021
S T S I L K BOO of
February 28,
The Book of Lists is an indispensable, comprehensive guide that includes information on more than 1,500 companies doing business in the Lowcountry. Businesses are ranked according to number of employees, revenue, square footage and other criteria, giving you a ready reference on prospective clients. The Book of Lists has a 12-month readership life and appears in print and electronic format. It is distributed to area chambers of commerce, economic development offices and every subscriber and advertiser of the Business Journal.
SPONSORED
ume 26, 2020 | Vol
w.Char No. 5 | ww
lestonBusin
ess.com
BY
Put 12 months of exposure to work for you.
PUBLICATION DATE: February 22, 2021 | ADVERTISING DEADLINE: February 1, 2021 For advertising information, contact Grady Johnson at (843) 849-3103 or gjohnson@scbiznews.com