Charleston Regional Business Journal - April 5, 2021

BEST ADVICE John Falk, president of Vigilent Labs.

PAGE 4 VOLUME 27 NUMBER 7 ■ CHARLESTONBUSINESS.COM

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Lights, Camera, Attraction

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Film industry offers jobs, tourism, worldwide exposure for Palmetto State College and COVID

Charleston-area colleges provide plans after a year of pandemic adjustments.

Page 14

By Teri Errico Griffis

A

tgriffis@scbiznews.com

s Ray Kinsella wanders his corn fields in the 1989 film Field of Dreams, he hears, “If you build it, he will come.”

Stepping down

Grady Johnson stepping down as CEO, group publisher for SC Biz News.

Page 8

He turns to place the voice, which floats from Greenville native “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, but Kinsella stands alone.

His gut tells him to build “it,” and he must decide between selling his home and walking away or going all in to create something

ENGINEERING THE FUTURE

‘Economan’ Al Parish released early

D

aowens@scbiznews.com

isgraced economist and former Lowcountry financial celebrity Al Parish has been released early from prison after a judge determined he wouldn’t live long enough to serve the remainder of his sentence.

Parish, who was sentenced to 292 months in federal prison in 2008, has been trying to get out early since the pandemic began. For nearly 13 years, Parish has been incarcerated in the same facility where Bernie Madoff was sentenced in North Carolina.

U.S. District Judge Richard M. Gergel in Charleston said Parish first made his plea for a “compassionate release” from prison on April 10, 2020, with a laundry list of health issues.

Parish made a hand-written filing with the court, and the judge denied his motion for release. Then he contracted COVID-19 in prison, made another request to be released, which also was denied. Parish appealed that decision and received another hearing before Gergel, who determined that Parish was a candidate.

Independent pharmacies deal with uncertainity as they try to vaccinate.

Page 5

Launch director

SCRA names new leader for SC Launch program, which focuses on startups.

Page 8

Upfront................................. 2 SC Biz News Briefs................. 3 Best Advice........................... 4 In Focus: Education and Workforce Development...... 13 List: Colleges and Universities........................ 19 At Work............................... 21 Viewpoint............................23

See MOVIES, Page 10

By Andy Owens

Giving the shot

INSIDE

potentially magical.

South Carolina faces the same quandary, only the voices are less a whisper and more a shout from the rooftops assuring if the state

West Ashley High School robotics team sets sights on world competition and beyond.

Page 13 West Ashley junior Sullivan Markland makes adjustments to the team’s robot between matches during the state competition. Teams are expected to calibrate and make small changes during the tournament. (Photo/Provided)

NLRB affirms labor complaint

The federal agency said the waterfront labor union and an affiliated alliance were engaging in unfair labor practices.

Page 9

See AL PARISH, Page 7

Upfront

BRIEFS | FACTS | STATEWIDE NEWS | BEST ADVICE

Most-watched show in S.C. during the pandemic award goes to…

Source: CableTV.com

E

ven if streaming services weren’t created with pandemics in mind, the timing was certainly right for being trapped behind closed doors for the better part of a year or more.

CableTV.com, an independent review site for streaming services and stuff to watch, has been querying Americans during the pandemic to find out what entertainment choices were most popular during the lockdowns and maskups that have become our lives.

In May 2020, the review site reported South Carolinians were watching The Walking Dead in large numbers, while neighboring states were watching reruns of Friends.

The latest survey comes as we launched a series of stories about efforts to increase South Carolina’s film incentives to attract more TV and movie productions to the Palmetto State. CableTV.com did a survey of 500 viewers then indexed geographic search rankings to come up with a list for all 50 states.

What does this say about the mood and temperament of America right now?

That’s a question for psychologists and economists, but one thing is for sure.

Investing in streaming services before the pandemic was likely a good bet.

Pandemic watching in the Southeast Most popular show The Walking Dead

State Alabama Arkansas

Ozark

Georgia

Lovecraft Country

Florida

Ozark

Louisiana

The Walking Dead

State Mississippi North Carolina South Carolina

Most popular show The Walking Dead

RECORD

Georgia is a film-incentive behemoth, besting even California for unlimited tax incentives. Here are the top four pandemic-era shows along with their filming locations.

Unsurprising, two of the four are shot in Georgia.

Ozark

Show

Where filmed

Ozark

Ozark

Georgia

Better Call Saul

New Mexico

The Walking Dead

Georgia

Schitt’s Creek

Ontario, Canada

Tennessee

Ozark

Virginia

Ozark

Source: CableTV.com

ON THE

Top pandemic shows

“This is a national story with global impact, and we look forward to engaging the critical partnerships and support that are needed to help us sustain this work.”

— Tonya M. Matthews, recently named International African American Museum CEO

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SC Biz News Briefs

CHARLESTON HABITAT FOR HUMANIT 'S 6TH ANNUAL

BUILDER BASH A CONSTRUCTION COUTURE MASKERADE BALL

04.22.21

THE CEDAR ROOM

Columbia officials, including Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin and developer Robert Hughes, president of Hughes Development Corp., broke ground recently on the WestLawn building. (Photo/Sean Rayford)

MIDLANDS

Columbia Regional Business Report

WestLawn groundbreaking continues BullStreet momentum in Midlands As Columbia city officials joined Robert Hughes, the president of Greenville-based Hughes Development Corp., to break ground on the newest addition to the BullStreet District, Hughes paused to appreciate the turning of the dirt as well as the tide of 12 months of pandemic-related uncertainty.

“It’s humbling. It’s refreshing,” Hughes said. “It’s nice to be able to step back for a second and take a win, have a little time to celebrate a milestone like this. We haven’t had a lot of these over the last 12 months, so doing this with the team we have assembled and all the people here is really special.”

Hughes Development, master developer of the 180-acre BullStreet project, is next overseeing the construction of the WestLawn building, a 79,000-square-foot, mass timber office building that will be the first of its kind in Columbia.

UPSTATE

GSA Business Report

Texas private investment firm enters Upstate industrial spec market Construction of a 195,000-square-foot industrial spec building is underway at 464 Augusta Arbor Way in Piedmont, as Texas-based Blue Road Investment’s first foray into the Greenville-Spartanburg region.

Randall Bentley, Chad Stepp and Kevin Bentley of Lee & Associates Greenville-Spartanburg represented the firm in the acquisition of the site, according to a news release.

“This region continues to attract top companies due to its strong labor pool and strategic location for distribution,” Joe Zingaro, managing partner of Blue Road Investments, said in the release. “We appreciate the work Lee & Associates did in sourcing the property, and we’re actively looking to expand our holdings in Greenville.”

Harper General Contractors is building the tilt-wall warehouse, located near the S.C. Technology and Aviation Center, with a 185-foot truck court. The building is slated for completion this summer.

VOLUME 14 NUMBER 5 ■ COLUMBIABUSINESSREPORT.COM

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Game for a job?

Spring 2021

Columbia Fireflies to hold job fair on March 20 for gameday positions.

Page 2

COLUMBIA’S CONUNDRUM:

Retaining the talent it produces

Homegrown grub

S.C. Food Hub Network helps distribute $1.3 million in state-grown food.

Page 6

Vaccine rollout

State employers preparing for Phase 1b and eligbility of many floor workers.

Page 10

University impact

Study: University of South Carolina creates $6.2 billion economic impact.

Page 18

INSIDE

Upfront ................................ 2 SC Biz News Briefs ................ 3 In Focus: Education and Workforce .......................... 13 List: Colleges and Universities ....................... 14 At Work .............................. 21 Viewpoint ...........................23

A recent report highlights the challenges the Midlands faces in keeping college graduates at home and in its workforce

Driving toward the future

A recently released competitiveness report found that Columbia and the surrounding metropolitan area continues to struggle to retain the talent produced by the area’s colleges and universities. Midlands leaders say changes in mindset and conversations, some spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, can help reverse that trend. (Photo/File)

By Melinda Waldrop

C

mwaldrop@scbiznews.com

olumbia continues to struggle to keep the talent it produces, according to the findings in an annual competitiveness report, but compilers of report data say a willingness to think differently, an enhanced image and even the COVID-19 pandemic could help change that.

The 2020-21 Midlands Regional Competitiveness Report highlighted an ongoing regional issue, finding that the area ranked ninth among 10 comparative markets in attracting, developing and maintaining a skilled workforce.

The Midlands represents the Columbia metropolitan statistical area, which includes Richland, Lexington, Kershaw, Fairfield, Salu-

da and Calhoun counties. The report, released in a Jan. 25 online presentation, compares the area to nine other peer metropolitan areas in the Southeast: Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, Charleston-North Charleston, Augusta-Richmond County (Ga.), Raleigh (N.C.), Greensboro-High Point (N.C.), Winston-Salem (N.C.), Knoxville (Tenn.), Lexington-Fayette (Ky.), and Tallahassee (Fla.).

The report has been compiled for seven years by regional project management nonprofit EngenuitySC as a tool to assess how the Midlands stacks up against those similar areas and to pinpoint areas for improvement.

While the region’s struggle to retain talent also is tied to its eighth-place ranking in both STEM degrees and salaries, those metrics could be improved by a factor that seems far from helpful at first glance. The increased

remote working opportunities created by the COVID-19 pandemic could be a benefit, allowing college graduates to remain in the area and companies recruiting talent to not require relocation, said Joseph Von Nessen, a University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business research economist who compiles the data used in the annual rankings.

The challenge, Von Nessen said, is starting the conversations between industries and workers produced in the Midlands.

“We create and market Columbia as a talent base for all these companies so they can say, ‘Where do I want to get my talent from?

I want to get it from Columbia, South Carolina, and oh by the way, I don’t have to recruit these employees to come work wherever I’m

S.C. automakers push tech advancements, electric power

See WORKFORCE, Page 16

All hands on deck

ELECTRONIC SERVICE REQUESTED

McMaster urges private businesses to help in vaccination efforts.

Page 11

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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.

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LOWCOUNTRY NEWSROOM Executive Editor - Andy Owens aowens@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3142 Editor, Custom Publishing Division Steve McDaniel smcdaniel@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3123 Staff Writer - Teri Errico Griffis tgriffis@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3144 Research Specialist - Paige Hardy phardy@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3125 Digital Editorial Assistant - Alexandria Ng ang@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3124 Research Assistant - Anne Puckett apuckett@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3145 MIDLANDS NEWSROOM Editor - Melinda Waldrop mwaldrop@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7542 UPSTATE NEWSROOM Editor - Ross Norton rnorton@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1222 Associate Editor, Custom Publishing Division Jim Tatum jtatum@scbiznews.com • 864.720.2269 Staff Writer - Molly Hulsey mhulsey@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1223 LOWCOUNTRY ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES 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

Best Advice THE BEST ADVICE I’VE EVER RECEIVED “Treat the waitress or janitor with

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humbling quote from my father.”

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PRESIDENT OF VIGILENT LABS

R&D John Falk is a proven expert in defense, security and technology. Falk’s expertise in drone technology and interoperable communications has been a staple for the defense, Homeland Security, public safety and law enforcement, intelligence and first responder communities. He is the founder and president of Vigilent Inc., which specializes in the advancement of drone technology and interoperable communications, and Vigilent Labs, an advanced health and medical technology company that provides solutions for the detection, identification and assessment of health and bio-threats.

INTERESTING FACT Falk was awarded the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Volunteer Public Service from President George W. Bush and the Congressional Award Gold Medal from the United States Congress for his volunteer public service, initiative and achievement in 1986.

Events Account Executive - Melissa Tomberg mtomberg@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1220 Events Manager - Kim McManus kmcmanus@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3116

JOHN FALK

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Independent pharmacies work through challenges to offer COVID vaccines

By Jenny Peterson Contributing Writer

At 4:19 p.m. on Tuesday, March 16, Dottie’s Pharmacy in James Island posted an announcement on their Facebook page: “Great News! We just received a limited number of the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine and are scheduling appointments for tomorrow.”

By 5:42 p.m., the pharmacy posted an update: “Our appointments are now full.”

Scheduling 300 appointments in roughly an hour has become the norm at the 125 independent pharmacies across South Carolina that were approved to receive the Johnson & Johnson COVID19 vaccine. The doses became available March 13.

Pharmacists report that people come from across the state to book up slots immediately — any time, any day — as soon as doses are available.

“When we first opened up to vaccines, we had 117 voicemails from people asking us to put them on a waiting list,” said Cynthia Feldman, owner and pharmacist at Sweetgrass Pharmacy and Compounding in Mount Pleasant.

Mary Wise, pharmacist and owner of Herold’s Pharmacy in West Ashley, said, “I’ve worked more hours in the last week than the last three weeks combined. I

started leaning on our pharmacy interns to help with vaccines; they have been an integral part of this process.”

At first, increased phone calls, staffing, time-consuming reporting requirements and logistics in vaccinating hundreds of people during business hours was a challenge. Now, the frustration is the limited quantities of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the only brand independent pharmacies are allowed to receive.

Currently, all COVID vaccines are sent to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, which disperses them statewide.

“The entire state’s weekly allotment of Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine has been 5,700 doses for the past three weeks,” said Laura Renwick with SCDHEC, in mid-March.

The state has received considerably more doses from other manufacturers; roughly 1.2 million doses of the Moderna vaccine since February and roughly 1.4 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech since early January, according to the state’s online data.

Renwick said that because of strict ultra-cold storage requirements for the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, independent pharmacies were only approved to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which is a single-dose shot

and only requires refrigeration.

“Many large hospitals and health-care systems already had ultra-cold storage capabilities, so they continue to receive Pfizer,” Renwick said.

With limited quantities of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, independent pharmacies have received several hundred doses one week, and then zero doses the following week.

“One week, we asked for 500 doses and got 300 doses,” Feldman said. “You submit your request, and DHEC emails you 24 hours before the doses arrive with how many you’re getting.”

The lack of consistency means pharmacies can only schedule appointments once they have doses in hand, rather than schedule appointments in the future.

In mid-March, the largest number of vaccines Dottie’s Pharmacy had received in one week was 300 doses, said Scott Farfone, CFO and co-owner. Owners hope future supplies will be more consistent.

“We can vaccinate 500 people a day,” Farfone said. “Fifteen hundred doses a week would be optimal.”

Renwick said DHEC could allow independent pharmacies to receive vaccines from different manufacturers.

“It all depends on vaccine availability coming into the states, storage capabilities, vaccine demand and other factors,”

she said. The department is communicating weekly with pharmacies.

Feldman said owners were told that a future phase in the state’s vaccine rollout would allow pharmacies to receive vaccine doses directly from manufacturers, but South Carolina is not at that point yet.

In the meantime, independent pharmacies have flexibility in administering the vaccine, including a mobile vaccine unit that could go to businesses.

“We have been contacted by several business owners about being vaccine administrators for their company employees, and we would absolutely be open to that if we’ve got the doses,” Farfone said. “We have a Sprinter van with medical-grade equipment, including a medical refrigerator.”

Independent pharmacies also have the ability to create their own scheduling portals that are easier than the government scheduling portal, although adding new technology costs time and money.

Despite the work required, pharmacists are committed to getting as many people immunized as possible. Potentially gaining new customers makes this partnership a win-win.

“Our website has gone from 20 views a day to thousands of views a day. It’s great marketing to build new clientele,” Wise said.

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April 5 - 18, 2021

S.C. Chamber CEO wants to see bigger growth statewide

By Teri Errico Griffis

T

tgriffis@scbiznews.com

he South Carolina Chamber of Commerce has a new CEO and he is determined from day one to spread the word about the state’s under-recognized value.

Bob Morgan stepped into his new role on April 1, picking up where Ted Pits left off when he resigned in October after six years.

“I think South Carolina is one of the most underrated pro-business states in the country,” Morgan said. “All the ingredients are there for South Carolina to continue to grow and prosper and become better at creating more opportunities Morgan for all of its citizens.

Prior to coming to South Carolina, Morgan served as the CEO of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce from 2005 until 2018. For the last few years, he performed rewarding work as the public affairs director at the Charlotte law firm, Robinson Bradshaw.

Morgan calls himself a “chamber guy” at heart, and when the South Carolina opportunity came knocking, he couldn’t

resist. The CEO position provided him the chance to serve as the voice of the state’s business community — an especially challenging role in a post-pandemic world.

“It really was an opportunity to make an even bigger contribution, to be part of leading a team that’s doing the good work of promoting business and free enterprise,” he said.

Though the Charlotte chamber is larger than the entire South Carolina organization numbers-wise, Morgan appreciates the opportunity to play on a “bigger stage.”

He’s especially grateful to have the platform to further redefine the way other states view the South.

“I don’t know yet that everybody is aware at just how strong and successful the state has been in attracting major employers,” Morgan said. “The word is starting to get out, of course, with Boeing and BMW and Volvo and others.”

In particular, Morgan feels South Carolina doesn’t receive the recognition it deserves for its balanced economy and its strong technical college system.

He also thinks the state has potential to grow even faster, keeping in par with surrounding states.

Some of the hindrances he hopes to help overcome include South Carolina’s

FORTY

lacking workforce development. If the state could attract, grow and develop more talent, he believes employers would be able to find even faster success.

Another major subject that Morgan hopes to tackle is comprehensive tax reform. South Carolina’s corporate income tax is double North Carolina’s.

“Is that the right place to be if we want to position ourselves for the future?”

Morgan said. “Or is there an opportunity to look at tax reform comprehensively, not just corporate income tax rate, but property taxes, sales taxes, and just make sure we have the right mix so that we are competitive with the states around us and any states that we would compete with for jobs.”

A Charlotte native, Morgan began his career in the district office of Republican Congressman Alex McMillan.

Somewhere along that road Morgan became determined to make a career out of chamber work and aspired to one day be a CEO. In 2002, he reached his goal when he was named president and CEO of the Gaston Chamber of Commerce. Three years later he returned to Charlotte’s Chamber of Commerce to pursue his second CEO role.

“I truly believe it’s a noble cause. We’re promoting free enterprise as a way to

make the world a better place,” he said.

“We all need a job. A job is the way that we support our families and our communities.”

While Morgan is honored to follow in Pitts’ footsteps, he’s very aware of their different backgrounds. Pitts brought a legislative and political background to the role, while Morgan has worked in the chamber industry since the early ’90s.

Part of the challenge of picking up where Pitts left off, is connecting not only with political partners, but business partners, Morgan said. He wants to see the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce’s membership grow and more businesses engage with the organization.

He is also excited to further facilitate partnerships with between South Carolina’s business community with the public sector. Coming from Charlotte, Morgan said public-private partnerships were key factors in the metro’s economic culture.

“I bring a unique perspective having spent most of my career with a local chamber. I think there are some opportunities for the state’s chamber to partner even more closely than it already does with some of the great local chambers you already have on issues that are statewide that we all share in common,” he said.

CRBJ

Reach Teri Errico Griffis at 843-849-3144.

Let’s Get The Party Started: Nominations Now Open!

Show appreciation to the rising stars who have made contributions to our community and businesses by nominating them for this prestigious award! Winning honorees will be celebrated at a live event on September 30, in coverage on SCBIZtv, the Business Journal and in social media.

Nominate here: http://bit.ly/crbj21fortynoms Nominees must be under the age of 40 by September 1, 2021 and nominations must be submitted by June 4, 2021.

Don’t miss this opportunity to show your company’s support of our growing community.

Sponsorships of this event are available by contacting Robert Reilly at (843) 849-3107.

Presented by:

April 5 - 18, 2021

www.charlestonbusiness.com 7

AL PARISH, from Page 1

Gergel said the 63-year-old used a walker to get around in prison and that prison officials at the Butner Medical Center considered his condition to be “unstable, complex, chronic.”

However, Gergel laid out Parish’s crimes in detail when determining if he should be released early.

“Defendant pled guilty to mail fraud and making false statements arising out of a massive financial swindle in which he converted funds of hundreds of his clients in his investment businesses to support a lavish lifestyle,” Gergel wrote in his court order. “These funds included the life savings of retirees and college funds for his clients’ children.”

Parish owes more than $63 million in restitution, court documents show, after defrauding 478 clients in several confidence schemes and then lying to government regulators. He swindled people out of their money, including retirees who walked away with pennies or, in some cases, nothing. They had entrust their money to Parish, who promised outlandish returns on investments.

During his sentencing, family members unloaded on Parish in the courtroom, detailing what he had done to their loved ones by stealing their money and spending it on himself, including jewel-encrusted fountain pens, vehicles and animated artwork that had very little

Al Parish walks into the federal courthouse in Charleston before his sentencing in 2008. (Photo/Paula Illingworth, Charleston Regional Business Journal)

value compared to what he paid.

Before his arrest, Parish was considered a financial guru. He worked as an economist and college professor for Charleston Southern University; he wrote columns for local newspapers and appeared frequently on TV and radio. He also was the star economic forecaster for the Charleston region.

Parish was flamboyant, driving a purple Jaguar with a leopard convertible top and suits that were colorful if not cartoonish. He even used a cartoon caricature of himself called “Economan” to market his services.

No one knew that he was trading secu-

rities without a license and had set up a Ponzi-type financial scheme until the Securities and Exchange Commission started asking question. Then it all came tumbling down.

Parish eventually pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud.

Gergel said that Parish’s crimes were “willful, systematic, and without regard for the devastating impact his crimes would have on his victims.” The judge went on to say that a significant sentence was necessary both to ensure that Parish was punished and to deter other bad actors from doing what he did.

In the end, Gergel said he determined

Al Parish, who was released early from federal prison for swindling investors out of more than $63 million, spent some of his ill-gotten gains on works of art that were not considered that valuable when trustees tried to liquidate the assets. He also had a selection of gnome statues, vehicles and diamond-encrusted pens. (Photo/Provided)

that Parish should be released early from prison, not because he had paid his debt to society or made restitution, but because he is in such poor health that it’s unlikely he could re-offend.

Gergel said that Parish will live on supervised release for three years, including home monitoring for one year. He also must start repaying his victims at least $500 a month within the first 60 days of his release.

Gergel said that Parish isn’t likely to live long enough to have served his entire prison sentence and that he would have been eligible for release at age 71.

CRBJ

Reach Andy Owens at 843-849-3142.

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www.charlestonbusiness.com

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April 5 - 18, 2021

Johnson stepping down from SC Biz after 26 years

By Andy Owens

S

the business in an extra bedroom of their home. Settlemyer published the Business Journal for six months and realized they needed help.

“I was the editor, the publisher, the finance person, the salesperson, the whole thing — which is ridiculous, but that is what I was doing,” Settlemyer said.

“Everything was a panic-loaded blur until Grady showed up.”

Johnson ran a surf shop in Mount Pleasant for a decade after graduating from Clemson University. He also owned a business selling automobiles and exporting antique cars.

He knew nothing about advertising, but he wanted to get off the road as a sales consultant.

“I love startups, and I really liked publishing, and I liked small business because I was a small-business junkie,” Johnson said. “So this was all of those things. I was really excited by the thought of something that dealt with businesses.”

Today, the company is owned by BridgeTower Media and is part of a national group of business-to-business publishers serving commercial interests

aowens@scbiznews.com

C Biz News CEO and Group Publisher Grady Johnson is leaving the business he helped found after 26 years.

An entrepreneur who owned several businesses before joining the Charleston Regional Business Journal in 1995 with founder Bill Settlemyer, Johnson started as a salesperson.

Johnson led SC Biz through a massive expansion in 2008. The company launched the Columbia Regional Business Report in the Midlands and took over GSA Business Report in the Upstate of South Carolina. SC Biz also began expanding its reach with statewide events and an economic development magazine, SCBIZ. The company went through several owners during and after the Great Recession.

Settlemyer and Sarah, his wife, who was a head nurse at the Medical University of S.C., founded the Charleston Regional Business Journal by pulling cash out of her retirement account and starting

SC Biz News CEO and Group Publisher Grady Johnson is stepping down. (Photo/Kim McManus)

in more than 25 markets from coast to coast. SC Biz News now includes the N.C. Lawyers Weekly, S.C. Lawyers Weekly and The Mecklenburg Times in Charlotte.

“It’s no exaggeration to say that Grady and the teams he’s managed over the years have had a material impact on the state’s business community,” said Adam Reinebach, CEO of BridgeTower, which bought SC Biz in 2017. “The news coverage, the events and the economic research we’re doing in South Carolina are second to none, and the reputation we enjoy with our clients and readers is a direct result of the seeds Grady planted decades ago.”

“I’m so grateful for the opportunity to have worked with so many wonderful people and so many businesses for over more than a quarter of a century,” Johnson said. “I’m leaving behind so many great memories. The state’s business climate has changed a lot during that time, and mostly for the better. We have a strong economic base that values smalland medium-sized businesses. I am gratified that SC Biz will continue to play a critical role in connecting businesses to customers and each other well into the next 25 years.”

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Reach Andy Owens at 843-849-3142.

S.C. Research Authority names new SC Launch director

T

Staff Report

he S.C. Research Authority has named Matt Bell the new director of SC Launch and the executive director of SC Launch Inc. Bell will replace Russell Cook who recently resigned to focus on a medical issue, the SCRA said in a news release.

Bell is a member of the SCRA’s leadership team and has been responsible for leading the strategic direction of SC Launch. The program offers mentoring, networking and grant funding to eligible companies — primarily those focusing on using new technologies within the

advanced materials and manufacturing, information technology and life science sectors.

Formed in 2016, SC Launch Inc. is an independent, nonprofit corporate affiliate of SCRA. “Matt brings a broad background in startup creation from Bell managing intellectual property and launching startups in academia to early-stage investing and venture capital experience.

He is also an expert convener who under-

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stands how to bring the right people and resources to the table for economic development through innovation,” SCRA Executive Director Bob Quinn said in a statement.

In addition to serving as an SCRA member, Bell has been the liaison to the SC Launch Inc. board of directors, which makes capital investments in SCRA Member Companies.

“The SC Launch team has been accelerating the growth and success of Member Companies for many years, and Matt brings the right background and experience to lead this team as they guide our companies to becoming highly invest-

ible,” Quinn said. “We sincerely thank Russell Cook for his service to SCRA and the state, and we wish him a speedy and full recovery.”

Before coming to SCRA, Bell previously served as managing director for Discovery Partners Institute. The University of Illinois program leveraged the state’s collegiate resources to drive economic development through workforce training, student immersion and research programs.

Bell earned a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Illinois. He will be based in SCRA’s Greenville office.

CRBJ

April 5 - 18, 2021

www.charlestonbusiness.com 9

NLRB stands by S.C. Ports unfair labor complaint

By Teri Errico Griffis

T

tgriffis@scbiznews.com

wo months after the S.C. Ports Authority filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board accusing the waterfront union of unfair labor practices, the NLRB said the complaint has merit.

With the ruling, the Hugh K. Leatherman Sr. Terminal can open with the hybrid model of employing union workers alongside SCPA workers, a model the International Longshoremen’s Association and U.S. Maritime Alliance had tried to break with the new terminal.

“The time has come to begin operations,” SCPA President and CEO Jim Newsome said in a news release. “We look forward to working with our stakeholders to see this vitally important infrastructure project realized in April.”

On Jan. 6, the SCPA and S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson filed a complaint against the ILA and USMX for implementing a secondary boycott based on a master contract clause that was added without the SCPA’s knowledge.

A secondary boycott is defined as two parties, the ILA and USMX, making an agreement that could harm a third party,

The National Labor Relations Board agreed with a complaint filed by the S.C. Ports Authority and the S.C. Attorney General against the longshoremen and their alliance, which was seeking to use only union labor at the new Hugh K. Leatherman Sr. Terminal. The terminal is set to open this month. (Photo/S.C. Ports Authority)

the SCPA. The clause stated that for all new ports built in the U.S., 100% of the jobs would go to union workers. Wilson and the S.C. Ports Authority said the ILA was using the terms to pressure ocean carriers into boycotting the new terminal.

Wilson and the SCPA maintain the

port never signed off on that agreement, which would jeopardize hundreds of port jobs within the hybrid model.

Newsome further contested that plans for the HLT were underway years before the clause was added, and that the HLT is not a new terminal, but rather an extension of the existing port system.

Yesterday, Region 10 of the NLRB said the contract language between the ILA and USMX dispute is unlawful and violates Section 8(e) of the National Labor Relations Act, according to the filing.

“The S.C. Ports Authority is investing nearly $2 billion in the Leatherman Terminal with the clear understanding that the hybrid labor model, which is the competitive standard in Southeast operating ports, will be utilized in that terminal,” Newsome said.

From the beginning, Newsome expressed confidence that the NLRB would stand in favor of the port. He said the ruling comes as the HLT is critically needed to handle the current congestion in U.S. ports and the increasing cargo volumes calling on the East Coast.

“The Leatherman Terminal will greatly benefit our customers, our port, the broader maritime workforce and South Carolina as a whole by ensuring we remain globally competitive for decades to come,” Newsome said.

The respondents named in the complaint must answer by March 31. A hearing conducted by the NLRB will follow on May 4.

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Reach Teri Errico Griffis at 843-849-3144.

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MOVIES, from Page 1

invests more in the movie industry, the business will come.

Since 2019, studios reached out to film 44 television and motion pictures in the Palmetto State, but walked away because South Carolina had neither the incentive money nor the infrastructure to support their business, the S.C. Film Commission said.

Those missed opportunities amounted to roughly half a billion dollars in state spend between 2012 and 2019, according to the Carolina Film Alliance. That’s the equivalent cost to build Mercedes-Benz Vans’ plant in North Charleston or South Carolina’s entire Contingency Reserve Fund that Gov. Henry McMaster set aside for “rainy days.”

Incoming projects for 2021 will only increase as nationwide production companies like HBO and Netflix explode out of the pandemic with double the content.

South Carolina already uses up every dollar of the state’s $16 million film incentive budget. The state’s budget is half as much as neighboring North Carolina, which offers $31 million in rebates a year. On the highest end, Louisiana offers $181 million and Georgia provides an uncapped transferrable tax credit.

S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Director Duane Parrish said South Carolina’s small budget is caught in the middle between states with no incentives and powerhouses like Georgia, which has gone all in with full infrastructure, studios and upwards of $700 million annually in tax credits.

Parrish also believes part of the reason that the film industry hasn’t received any more money since the incentive program’s inception in the early 2000s is that the state tends to prioritize money for other projects.

“We have had some years in legislature where there’s been additional money, but typically you hear a lot about teacher’s pay, state employee raises, and of course COVID changed things,” Parrish said.

Studios are finally wrapping up projects they postponed in 2020 and kicking off productions slated for 2021. And they’re looking to whatever states still has incentive money, said Senior Vice President, Production and Incentives for HBO/Warner Media Jay Roewe.

“This is a cutting edge thing I’m beginning to realize now,” he said. “The postCOVID period we’re in right now, the industry is working at the highest protocol of any industries out there. Further, we create jobs and put people to work.”

A Tale of Two or More Cities After Netflix’s Outer Banks and HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones wrap up and cash in on South Carolina’s rebates, there isn’t any money left for other companies to film. As reoccurring series, those shows also have a hold on those rebates for years to come until they leave or cancel.

Given HBO’s success filming in South

Backstage crew prepare the set for The Righteous Gemstones to film a scene at North Charleston’s Performing Arts Center. Over the years, HBO has filmed many scenes for its shows in North Charleston, including the Coliseum and Park Circle. (Photo/Fred Norris, HBO)

Carolina, Roewe said the premium channel is invested in the incentive budget growing not only because the rebates save money, but because they help grow business throughout the state.

“Studios create jobs and put people to work. When we bring a film production to [a state], we touch so many aspects of the economy from hotel and restaurants and food to construction, caterers, truck drivers, security,” Roewe said.

Since 2005, film and television productions in South Carolina have generated $338 million in in-state spending and resulted in more than 272,150 hotel nights and 35,736 state hires, according to the Carolina Film Alliance.

Across the border in Georgia, the 234 film and television productions that filmed there during fiscal year 2020 spent $2.2 billion in the state, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

While South Carolina productions still have to pull in crew from North Carolina and Georgia to round out projects, Roewe said the talent here is “level-A” and handle HBO’s high expectations and demand for its crews.

If it weren’t for the ability to use in-state workers, studios would have to fly in crew, put them up in hotels and give them a per diem, which adds up.

“We are very big fans of South Carolina,” Roewe said. “Working with the Film Commission has been a very positive experience to us, along with discovering the talented crews there.”

More productions coming to create year round jobs would be life changing

SPECIAL REPORT

GAME OF CONTENT Read part one of this series of stories on South Carolina’s film industry online: http://bit.ly/film-sc

for South Carolina crew members like Ben Davidson, a rigging gaffer on Netflix’s Outer Banks.

The James Island resident first got into the business through Army Wives, but said it’s been difficult finding stable work since.

When he’s not working for Outer Banks, Davidson spends the rest of the year chasing jobs in Atlanta, Savannah and Wilmington. The challenge is further complicated now that he and his wife are starting a family.

“My biggest fear is having to make a decision between providing financially

for my family and being present for the important moments,” he said. “I want to be able to coach little league, go to every dance recital and help my wife raise our child from the breakfast table, not from a Zoom call.”

Davidson has roots in the Lowcountry. He grew up here and his family lives nearby.

“I would have to move or give up my dream,” he said.

To make ends meet, Davidson started his own business to rent out equipment to production companies passing through.

The side hustle allows him to work on commercials and grow his skillset so that if a regional company comes to film a commercial, he has the résumé to do the job instead of the company bringing in its own crew.

Those gigs still aren’t enough to sustain an annual income, and the thought of leaving his wife again after Outer Banks wraps up already weighs heavily on Davidson.

“It really makes me focus on getting jobs down here, but Gemstones will be the only job in the state,” he said. “If I don’t work on that, I’ll have to be out of town.”

Many of the state’s crew are in the same boat right now. Outer Banks and The Righteous Gemstones delayed filming their second seasons because of the pandemic and with overlapping schedules now, crew could only commit to one show.

Davidson appreciates South Carolina’s See MOVIES, Page 12

April 5 - 18, 2021

www.charlestonbusiness.com 11

Map provided by Cast & Crew, www.castandcrew.com

Investors plan film production facilty in West Ashley

By Teri Errico Griffis

S

tgriffis@scbiznews.com

outh Carolina has award-winning hotels and airports that appeal to production companies, but the state lacks the studio space to knock its attraction out of the park, S.C. Parks, Recreation and Tourism Director Duane Parrish said.

But that might change very soon.

One private business is going off script and not waiting for the government to make the first move. Executives have already designed plans for a production facility that could be just years away.

Ginger Davis, director of leasing at Trademark Properties in Charleston, said she and Founder and CEO Richard C. Davis put together an investment group in 2017 and acquired 4.5 million square feet of property at West Ashley’s

Citadel Mall to reuse and redevelop into a multiuse development that includes a production facility.

“We want to create an environment where people work here and live here all the time. We want the constant impact of the industry. Not just the one-off projects,” she said.

The facility is planned to be a onestop shop for production companies with sound stages, editing offices and more, in addition to a medical facility, hotels, office space, dining and retail.

HBO’s success in the space so far is evidence the plans could work.

In January 2019, the premium channel signed a multiyear lease on the empty Sears department store and transformed it into a sound stage for its comedic series, The Righteous Gemstones.

“We really used the project with Sears as a proof of concept,” Davis said.

“We had a department store that was in

a redevelopment project. There’s a ton of space. It was going to be either tear it down or find a new use.”

TMP plans to build up the property around the studio to welcome more HBO shows, Netflix and any other streaming networks or studios that want to film in South Carolina.

Without the guarantee of more business given the state’s small incentives budget, Parrish worries there isn’t enough business to sustain the infrastructure and suggests that’s why other proposals haven’t panned out so far.

“We really have not been large enough to support what I would consider a full-size studio on an ongoing basis,” he said.

The argument could be made that more incentive money could bring in more production, Parrish said, but it would be a financial risk to build before the government buys in.

Davis believes the solution is to make the property multifunctional so it attracts foot traffic and isn’t solely dependent on ongoing roduction to stay solvent.

“People will shop at our Target, at our stores, and it activates our property,” she said. “They have tons of parking, they’ll eat at our food court. The goal is for the economic impact to trickle all the way down to a lot of ancillary businesses.”

The entire package, including Medical University of South Carolina’s facility which opened in 2019, is intended to draw in industry business and be a place where a studio may have one show already filming and then it brings several more.

Davis believes adding a meaningful creative facility has the potential to diversify South Carolina’s economy even further beyond manufacturing, biotech and tourism.

CRBJ

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April 5 - 18, 2021

MOVIES, from Page 10

rebate program as it keeps him in the state in the first place and helps put local people in higher positions. Netflix, for example, hired three military veterans on the set of Outer Banks.

“It’s not just the folks operating the cameras, but the blue collar workers,” Davidson said. “If you’re willing to put in the hours and have some initiative, it’s not a high barrier to enter the film industry because we’re a right to work state.”

The Accidental Tourism

Plenty of people want to work in South Carolina, and Mount Pleasant’s production company Rough House Pictures wishes they had more flexibility to provide careers to them, President of Production and Development Brandon James said.

“There is a ton of opportunity, but without more shows, you don’t create as many jobs,” he said.

Ideally James wants to see the state’s incentives double. Once more projects come, the crew will follow, he said. Working in Charleston is a huge draw.

“There’s great food, great people and a ton of stuff for crew to do in their downtime,” he said. “Atlanta is a huge hub for movies, but it’s a big city. If you’re able to be in a place that’s as beautiful and friendly as Charleston, it’s an easy sell to get

Actors Rudy Pankow, Madison Bailey, Chase Stokes and Jonathan Daviss film a scene for the Netflix series Outer Banks on James Island. (Photo/Provided)

people to want to work here.”

Celebrities hanging around town also cultivate civic pride for residents who spot big screen stars in local shops and neighborhood restaurants. Whether inadvertently or not, celebrities bring businesses attention.

“We never want to make Charleston not feel like the Charleston we love, but we also want to make sure that we can add to the community and help people grow their businesses,” James said. “If by us making a movie here helps a restaurant or a hotel, or people find a job or enter

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a career they never thought possible, we think that’s cool.”

Actor, writer, producer and director Danny McBride got a taste of South Carolina in 2011 when he filmed another show, Eastbound & Down, in Myrtle Beach. He enjoyed the locations, the partnerships and the incentives so much, he and his partners Jody Hill and David Gordon Green relocated their families and their company Rough House Pictures from Los Angeles to Mount Pleasant soon after.

The production company has since produced HBO’s Vice Principals and The

Righteous Gemstones in South Carolina, as well as the 2018 remake of Halloween with John Carpenter and Jamie Lee Curtis. They would film more if the incentives were available.

McBride is an invested member of the Lowcountry community and regularly shares his love of Charleston in national interviews.

Catherine Bell of Army Wives also settled here while the show filmed in North Charleston over a decade ago.

“That’s the real benefit of what these incentives could do. They could bring permanent residents, permanent production,” said Dan Rogers, project manager with the S.C. Film Commission.

When reviewing scripts, beyond the story and setting, Rogers considers how every production will make the state look and if there is tourism appeal.

Beaufort offers tours where Forrest Gump and Lt. Dan trawled for shrimp or Demi Moore fought to become a Navy SEAL in G.I. Jane. Tourists also can travel the funeral route from The Big Chill.

In Pennsylvania, fans flock to the “Rocky Steps” outside of the Philadelphia Museum every day and Atlanta has several Walking Dead tours created around the one show’s production.

“It’s all big-picture thinking,” Rogers said.

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In Focus

EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT LISTS: Colleges and Universities, Page 19

West Ashley robots are taking over the state

By Teri Errico Griffis tgriffis@scbiznews.com

They are the champions.

West Ashley High School Robotics team 9623Z has taken home the gold at the 2021 South Carolina VEX Robotics Competition High School State Championship.

The winning crew built a robot to surpass 15 other schools in the country. Two months from now, they will represent West Ashley High School at the virtual World Championship May 17-22.

West Ashley Robotics Coach and one of the few mechatronics teachers in the district, Nicholas Holmes has been leading the program proudly since 2014.

Through the extracurricular activity, he teaches students in-depth programming, leadership, interviewing skills to make them aware of potential careers opportunities.

“The two biggest things students come away with are understanding the engineering and design process, that logical thought process of you’re given a problem, now let’s figure out a way to fix it,” he said. “We come up with options and test them to find the best one.”

The second major takeaway is students learn to communicate with adults because the tournament has a thorough interview process. Throughout the year, Holmes practices with students by bringing in volunteers and performing mock interviews.

Typically Holmes has about 40 students participating in the program annually building nearly 10 robots, but this year only 10 joined because of the pandemic’s effects on schooling. Even with smaller odds, the team won big.

“I think that the difference this year has to be how proud I am that my kids were able to overcome the adversities associated with the pandemic,” the coach said. “It hasn’t been easy to social distance while working as a team to build a robot; however, this group of students made it work.”

Members of the winning team include seniors Oriana Perez and James Thorne, junior Brandon Gillner, and sophomores Karl Brenkert and Syniah Brown.

Each year, the VEX tournament centers around a game that students must build a robot to compete in. The 2021 theme was “Change Up” and involved a ball game that was a somewhat hybrid of basketball and tic-tac-toe. Students were challenged to build a robot from scratch

Lowest per pupil The South spends the lowest amount per student in the U.S., on average, according to the latest data from the U.S Census Bureau.

The Census reports that spending has increased nationally for six years.

National education spending Region Northeast Midwest West South

Average per pupil $19,953 $12,773 $11,582 $10,285

Spending among Southeast states

The West Ashley High Robotics Team was won the 2021 VEX Robotics Competition High School State Championship on Feb. 13 in Greenville. Team 9623Z includes Syniah Brown, Karl Brenkert, Brandon Gillner, Oriana Perez and James Thorne. (Photo/Provided)

that could toss balls into the goals. Competitions lasted two minutes. The first 15 seconds involved autonomous driving while students took over and drove against each other for the remaining 1 minute and 45 seconds.

“The kids look at it as a design problem: What does a robot need to do to win, and what are some features of the robot that will help us to do those things?”

Holmes said. “Then we build a prototype and test them, and pick the best of each and assemble them onto a robot that will play well.”

Student drivers then practice steering the robot while coders write programs for it.

While students have specific roles, Holmes provides all team members with foundational skills for programming and building and lets the kids gravitate See ROBOTS, Page 18

“It hasn’t been easy to social distance while working as a team to build a robot; however, this group of students made it work.”

Nicholas Holmes West Ashley Robotics Coach

State Virginia Louisana S. Carolina Georgia Arkansas Alabama Tennessee Carolina Florida Mississippi

Average per pupil $12,216 $11,452 $10,856 $10,810 $10,139 $9,696 $9,544 $9,377 $9,346 $8,935

5 states that spend most State New York Washington, D.C. Connecticut New Jersey Vermont

Average per pupil $24,040 $22,759 $20,635 $20,021 $19,340

5 states that spend least State Utah Idaho Arizona Oklahoma Mississippi

Average per pupil $7,628 $7,771 $8,239 $8,239 $8,935

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, May 2020, using 2018 data

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Colleges look to open in fall amid valuable pandemic lessons

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hen Citadel cadets went home for spring break last year, they were told to pack up their computers and books because the week vacation might last a little longer. Little did they know they wouldn’t return until the fall semester nearly five months later.

The same unknown fate faced College of Charleston and Charleston Southern University students over the last year as well.

Each school has been faced with unprecedented challenges throughout the pandemic, forging their own paths and learning new lessons. After nearly three semesters of hybrid models and curtailed programs, all three schools are optimistically looking to return to a sense of normalcy this fall.

For College of Charleston, in-person learning is its bread and butter. The school had to pivot on a dime last march and students and faculty made the best out of what they could, Dean of the School of Business Alan Shao said.

“We don’t want to get away from the interaction between staff and student.

You naturally lose that when you go fully online,” Shao said.

Silver linings came from the adjustment in that the school is now better equipped to handle last minute emergencies like hurricanes and natural disasters.

College of Charleston also honed how to offer quality education through online learning.

“We were really well managed,” Shao said. “President Andrew Hsu did a magnificent job in terms of making it through these really challenging times where there was no precedent. Now we’re talking all about return, and there’s a lot of excitement on campus.”

College of Charleston projects a record enrollment for the fall semester, which Shao considers amazing given everything the world has been through. He attributes a lot of that interest to the school’s diligence in communicating with its students, parents and prospects, keeping in touch more than ever before with emails and phone calls.

The students’ return to campus will not only bring the campus back to life, but the presence will uplift downtown Charleston as well, Shao said.

Charleston is a part of the school and Shao understands the two co-exist and depend on one another.

“Our two primary markets are students and community from an academic standpoint. The more that the students work in the community, the better the

“We were really well managed. President Andrew Hsu did a magnificent job in terms of making it through these really challenging times where there was no precedent. Now we’re talking all about return, and there’s a lot of excitement on campus.”

Alan Shao Dean of the School of Business, College of Charleston

community benefits through internships, class projects and more,” he said.

The Citadel benefited from a partnership of its own, giving the school a planning advantage heading into the 2020 academic year, according to Col. John Dorian, vice president for communications and marketing.

With cadets at home, the United States Marine Corps used the campus over the summer as a medical staging area.

Marines quarantined on campus while awaiting transport to Parris Island for boot camp.

The Citadel observed the USMC’s protocol and quarantining methods and learned firsthand the importance of strictly adhering to protocol. The experiences laid the groundwork for The Citadel’s successful protocols put in place for the 2020 academic year.

“It seems so long ago, but no one had any real feel for how effective the message of masking and hygiene methods would be in preventing spread,” Dorian said.

The financial partnership with the USMC additionally helped make up for some of The Citadel’s lost revenues from not being able to deliver in-person experiences for the remainder of last year.

While parades and other events and programs have been curtailed since March 2020, The Citadel as been able to maintain in-person classes since the fall and plans to open fully open for campus in August with returns to parades, campus visits and a more permissive leave on the weekends.

“It’s tough, and it’s a marathon. Our cadets are people like everybody else and nobody likes living this way,” Dorian said.

The structure and discipline have really made a difference in this type of unprecedented environment, however;

April 5 - 18, 2021

and Dorian sees how cadets have built up even stronger endurance.

“Our cadets, to their infinite credit, have learned a lot of valuable lessons here about following those protocols for each other. That it’s not about you; it’s about the people around you,” Dorian said. “If you take care of yourself and follow the protocols and do good peer leadership and hold each other accountable, you can operate in an environment even as tough as a COVID environment.”

That balance has been the hardest for CSU, maintaining its roles as both an educational institution as well as a residence for students, according to Laurel Glover, assistant professor of public health in CSU’s College of Health Sciences. Glover is also the infection control/COVID-19 coordinator for the university.

“Protecting the health of everybody while making sure that we can continue to teach and work and live — it’s not one challenge, it’s all of it,” Glover said.

Like CofC, Charleston Southern classes primarily have been virtual all year, and students are faring much better during the spring semester now that they’ve gotten the hang of protocols, wearing masks on campus, screening and knowing what to do if they’re sick or exposed.

“Our students are very adaptable,” Glover said. “I can’t imagine coming to live in a dorm and taking classes online for a year.”

See who the movers and shakers of the Lowcountry are and what they are up to.

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Since the coronavirus pandemic hit, The Citadel curtailed parade activities and other events that would bring cadets together on the grounds of the military college.

School officials plan to bring those activities back during the next school year as the pandemic subsides and more people are vaccinated. (Photo/Russell Pace)

Internships have also taken a huge hit, which has been a detriment to both students’ education and the community that looks annually to the help. Complications came from pulling students from businesses that no longer wanted outsiders to

visit, as well as both exposing students to offsite risks and then bringing them back on campus.

With the coronavirus turning a corner, CSU, like The Citadel and CofC, feels confident about its plans to return to full

in-person learning in the fall as well.

“It’s been a challenging year, but fall looks promising for us all to return to a lot closer to normal,” Glover said.

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April 5 - 18, 2021

Officer Jose Bordallo and senior Bruna De Jesus both particpate in the Community Circle meetings at St. John’s High School. De Jesus said conversations with Charleston police officers have been tough and respectful. (Photo/Provided)

Police officers answer questions, talk openly with high schoolers

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harleston police officers are expanding a series of conversations with students that began at St. John’s High School on Johns Island to include four other schools in Charleston County School District.

The idea is to help students see law enforcement in a helpful role and positive context long before they might interact with them outside of a school setting, said Master Police Officer Adam Deming in a news release.

“I wanted the students to come and share and feel that they could be open and comfortable,” Deming said. “There will be instances where a student may interact with law enforcement outside of school, and I want them to have a positive experience with the next officer they come in contact with.”

Deming said the idea for the Community Circles, as the meetings are called, started before the coronavirus pandemic put the country on lockdown and before the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Floyd’s death on May 25 was one of a series of killings of Black people across the country by police officers.

St. John’s Principal Steve Larson said he hopes that students come away seeing “we’re all in this together” and that they have a voice that will be heard. Students must have parental permission to participate in the Community Circles, Charleston County School District said.

So far, the conversations are averaging about 25 students, which the district and police department hope will increase over time.

Deming said the Community Circles were designed to give students a safe

place for open discussions between them and police officers, where students could ask frank questions and receive honest answers.

Along with Director of Student Engagement Theresa Griffith and Instructional Coach Leslie McLaughlin, Deming structured the program to introduce students to police officers at the Charleston Police Department.

“We’re creating activists and future leaders,” Griffith said. “We are creating people who will go back into the community, give back, and create change; it’s the types of changes that the kids want.”

St. John’s senior Bruna De Jesus said students select discussion topics before each meeting. Some of the issues the students have asked about include police brutality, general policing policies and questions about officers’ feelings regarding how society views them presently.

“A lot of students had a prior mindset about police officers,” De Jesus said. “As they got to know the officers, their minds changed and they realized these men and women were more than just a uniform or someone in authority. The conversations can be tough but they take place in a respectful way.”

Not all of the topics are related to law enforcement, the school district said.

Some students have asked about topics such as social media and other questions typical teens might ask an adult.

Officer Jose Bordallo, who is Latino and from Johns Island, said he participates in the Community Circle to connect with Latino students at the high school.

“It’s good for the students to see a Latino officer in uniform serving his community,” Bordallo said. “I am from Johns Island, so I am easily able to help provide

April 5 - 18, 2021

IN FOCUS: EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

www.charlestonbusiness.com 17

“There will be instances where a student may interact with law enforcement outside of school, and I want them to have a positive experience with the next officer they come in contact with.”

Adam Deming Master Police Officer

resources and connections to things the students and their families may need.”

Bordallo said he has seen an increased comfort level among students and teachers about officers because of the meetings.

“The Community Circle has been beneficial because it humanizes us as officers, and it shows the students they have access to us, should they need an officer,” he said.

Charleston Police Lieutenant Jeff Harrison said the first Community Circle lasted three hours and established an open and honest space where students can ask questions, which will be answered by officers immediately.

“We’re seeing barriers being broken down, and the students are getting more personal and interactive,” Harrison said.

“They are not as guarded and feel like they can ask us anything.”

However, that included some tough questions about the riots in Charleston, following the death of Floyd.

“The students wanted to know some of the inner workings of it, our responses, our reactions, and how we felt about it as people,” Senior Officer Nicholas Brown said. “Policing is one of those things that is multi-faceted. We do a multitude of things that encompasses our community, and this is just one of them. We want the

kids to see that we are out there working for them and our community.”

Sgt. Chris Koegler said he was glad to see students who were willing to open up.

He said that surrounding yourself with people who think differently than you can lead to more understanding.

“The students’ willingness to be up front and get right into it was great to see,” Koegler said. “They tackled the issues headon and that’s where we wanted it to be.”

Junior Swarkena Foggy said after some of the events of 2020 involving people of color and police officers, she had mixed feeling about law enforcement even though she did not distrust the police.

She said the discussions have given her confidence to ask tough question and likely changed how students see police officers outside of a school setting.

“This is showing me that what I say matters,” Foggy said. “My questions, my thoughts and my feelings matter. I applaud the officers who are participating and being willing to be put on the spot and answering questions that may be hard to answer.”

The Community Circle program will be expanded to Burke High School, Haut Gap Middle School, James Island Charter High School and West Ashley High School.

CRBJ

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The Community Circle meetings with Charleston police officers and high school students from Johns Island have been so successful, the program is going to be expanded to other schools in Charleston County School District. (Photo/Provided)

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April 5 - 18, 2021

ROBOTS, from Page 13

toward the roles they are best at.

“The plan is that everybody can do everything to some extent, so that if we lose coders, like we did with COVID, the builders or others can step in,” he said.

At this point in the program’s tenure, Holmes said his input is minimal. He doesn’t stack his team with all seniors on one crew or best friends pairing together.

Instead, the coach divides the team members by talent distribution so that everyone is involved equally.

Seniors then teach incoming freshmen or sophomores and in turn younger students help their mentors learn how to lead.

“It’s probably one of the reasons we’ve done so well,” he said. “We don’t allow anyone to leave with information that hasn’t been shared with the team, and we all learn from each other.”

By the end of four years under Holmes’ tutelage, students are able to design and build an automated manufacturing system — a robot that can build something else.

While the Robotics team serves as a competitive outlet for the students, Holmes believes the information learned in the mechatronics class could serve as a career path.

“That’s why we teach mechatronics,” he said. “Volvo, Boeing, Bosch, all these

West Ashley High’s robotics teams 9623X and 9623Z were paired in an alliance during the VRC High School State Championship in Greenville. (Photo/Provided)

businesses are coming in and need skilled workers to do things.”

The ultimate goal of the robotics team is to help students start thinking about engineering problems in a proper way.

West Ashley High’s 9623X robotics team also participated in the state competition and finished in ninth place. The

team consisted of seniors Gavin Wilgus and Khue Nguyen, juniors Emily Taylor and Sullivan Markland, and sophomore Charlie Stavros. Holmes credited Nguyen’s coding skills with helping the team receive the Think Award which honors teams with impressive and effective autonomous programming.

The Z team, which faced the Palmetto Scholars Academy’s robotics team 9447h, also received the Innovate Award, which goes to the team whose engineering element demonstrates a group that thinks outside the box.

CRBJ

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IN FOCUS: EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

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Colleges & Universities Ranked by Fall 2020 Enrollment

Company Trident Technical College 7000 Rivers Ave. North Charleston, SC 29406 College of Charleston 66 George St. Charleston, SC 29424 Charleston Southern University 9200 University Blvd.

Charleston, SC 29406 Medical University of South Carolina 1 S. Park Circle Building 1, Suite JB501 Charleston, SC 29407 The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina 171 Moultrie St. Charleston, SC 29409 Charleston School of Law 385 Mary St. Charleston, SC 29403 ECPI University & Medical Careers Institute 7410 Northside Drive Charleston, SC 29420 Southeastern College 2431 W. Aviation Ave., Suite 703 North Charleston, SC 29406 Miller-Motte College 8085 Rivers Ave., Suite E North Charleston, SC 29406 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University 101 W. Hill Blvd.

Charleston, SC 29404 Lowcountry Graduate Center 2001 Mabeline Road North Charleston, SC 29406 American College of the Building Arts 649 Meeting St. Charleston, SC 29403 UofSC Darla Moore School of Business - Professional MBA 151 Market St. Charleston, SC 29401 Clemson Design Center Charleston 701 E. Bay St., Suite 202 Charleston, SC 29403 Saint Leo University 201 Sigma Drive, Suite 200 Summerville, SC 29485

Phone / Website / Email 843-574-6111 www.tridenttech.edu infocenter.ttc@tridenttech.edu 843-953-8112 www.gradschool.cofc.edu gradstud@cofc.edu 843-863-7955 www.charlestonsouthern.edu enroll@csuniv.edu 843-792-4967 www.web.musc.edu eslweb@musc.edu 843-225-3294 www.citadel.edu ocm@citadel.edu 843-329-1000 www.charlestonlaw.edu info@charlestonlaw.edu 843-414-0350 www.ecpi.edu jweaver@ecpi.edu 843-747-1279 www.sec.edu tvanhorn@sec.edu 843-574-0101 www.miller-motte.edu vanessa.euresti@miller-motte.edu 843-767-8912 www.erau.edu/charleston charleston@erau.edu 843-574-6607 www.lowcountrygradcenter.org mullernj@lowcountrygradcenter.org 843-577-5245 www.acba.edu grantm@acba.edu 803-777-6845 www.sc.edu pmba@moore.sc.edu 843-723-1747 www.clemson.edu/caah/departments/architecture hraymon@clemson.edu 843-554-2111 www.saintleo.edu charleston@saintleo.edu

Top Local Official(s) / Year Founded

Enrollment / FT Faculty

Public / Private

Top Three Majors, by Enrollment

Mary Thornley 1964

11,650 245

Public

Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, Associate Degree Nursing

Andrew T. Hsu 1770

9,300 -

Public

Biology, Psychology, Communication

Dondi E. Costin 1964

3,378 192

Private

Nursing, Biology, Kinesiology

Lisa K. Saladin, David J. Cole 1824

3,148 -

Public

Nursing, RN to BSN, Healthcare Studies

Glenn M. Walters 1842

2,858 208

Public

Business Administration, Mechanical Engineering, Criminal Justice

Larry Cunningham, Ed Bell 2004

560 22

Private

Juris Doctor

James Weaver 1966

480 -

Private

Nursing, Computer and Information Science, Electronics Engineering Technology

2007

220 19

Private

AAS Radiology Technology, AAS Diagnostic Medical Sonography, AAS Medical Assisting

Vanessa Euresti 1916

200 33

Private

Medical Clinical Assisting, Medical Billing and Coding, CDL(Commercial Drivers License Program)

P. Barry Butler 2006

178 153

Private

Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics, Bachelor of Science in Aviation Maintenance, Bachelor of Science in Technical Management

Nancy Muller 2002

133 5

Public

-

Colby M. Broadwater 2004

91 11

Private

Timber Framing, Forged Iron, Architectural Carpentry

Peter Brews 1975

80 41

Public

International Business, Finance, Marketing, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Ray Huff 1989

62 -

Public

Architecture, Master in Historic Preservation, Master in Resilient Urban Design

Kai Campbell 2012

48 1

Private

Business Administration, Health Care Administration, Criminal Justice

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.

Researched by Business Journal staff

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BUSINESS DIGEST | PEOPLE IN THE NEWS | HOT PROPERTIES | PEER TO PEER

People in the News

Business Digest

Water Mission partners with UNICEF on water systems design guide

Water Mission recently partnered with UNICEF to author the Solar-Powered Water Systems Design and Installation Guide. This first-of-its-kind resource provides detailed instruction for fulfilling the internationally recognized technical standards for implementing solar-powered water systems in rural contexts. The document has undergone extensive reviews

by UNICEF, the Global Solar Water Initiative, IOM, Oxfam, Practica Foundation and the University of Texas at Austin.

The guide draws on Water Mission’s 13 years of experience installing more than 1,400 solar-powered solutions, offering step-by-step information for every aspect of the design, installation and commissioning process. It also addresses common issues such as inadequate water protection, vandalism and theft, premature equipment failure, groundwater depletion, and includes a special section on using solar-powered solutions in disaster response efforts. This resource is now translated into English, Spanish and French and is offered for free exclusively by the Global Water Center.

First Citizens Bank breaks ground on branch at Nexton First Citizens Bank recently broke ground on its 4,250-square-foot branch at Nexton. Scheduled to open in late 2021, the branch will be located at 107 First Citizens Way in Summerville. In conjunction with the groundbreaking, First Citizens announced that it will make a donation to Berkeley Citizens, a nonprofit that serves intellectually and developmentally disabled people in the area. The gift will help pay for the installation of a commercial sprinkler system at a newly opened group home.

awareness and access to the Summer Food Service Program sites and expand access to summer meals by partnering with libraries in Williamsburg County.

The project aims to host meal distribution events at local schools and build permanent school food pantries to serve kids and their families throughout the year.

women the right to vote.

Citadel online MBA program ranked among top 100 nationally

According to U.S. News & World Report, The Citadel’s online MBA program is one of the top 100 in the nation. Last year, the MBA program was ranked at 102. The Citadel also earned a place in the top 20 for online business bachelor’s programs.

No Kid Hungry campaign supports Lowcountry Food Bank

No Kid Hungry has invested $438,000 across nine organizations to support achieving food security in rural communities. Groups selected from South Carolina include Lowcountry Food Bank and Southeastern Housing and Community Development. Lowcountry Food Bank will partner with East Coast Migrant Head Start to provide at least 70 children and their families with prepacked boxes of food each month during the summer. Boxes will consist of 20 pounds of culturally appropriate shelf-stable food and 10 pounds of fresh produce.

They also will use the funds to promote

Charleston Apartment Association gives back to Lowcountry Continuum Cushman & Wakefield Thalhimer awarded as exclusive representatives

Cushman & Wakefield Thalhimer has been selected as exclusive leasing representatives of 1 Central Island Plaza, 115 Central Island St. in Charleston.

BCLS receives suffrage book donations

Berkeley County Library System recently received a donation of two book titles that will provide information to young adult readers on the suffrage movement and, for adult readers, the history of the League of Women Voters in South Carolina for the past 100 years. The donations were made in honor of the 100th Anniversary of the League of Women Voters and the centennial of the 19th Amendment, which gave

Charleston Apartment Association recently gave $8,056 to Lowcountry Continuum of Care. More than 75 members from the apartment association contributed through participation in a golf tournament dedicated to raise funds and awareness for Continuum of Care.

SeamonWhiteside adapts amid pandemic to support Heart Walk

SeamonWhiteside recently participated in the Lowcountry Heart Walk, benefiting the American Heart Association.

SeamonWhiteside raised $11,382 to help contribute to this year’s event, bringing its total fundraising efforts for this event to $48,000 over the last four years. The See BUSINESS DIGEST, Page 22

REAL ESTATE Twin Rivers Capital has hired Alexandra Lengen as an associate development manager. Previously, she worked for a build-to-suit developer, overseeLengen ing retail development projects. Most recently, she served as a financial analyst and project manager for a real estate firm in North Carolina, overseeing capital improvement and tenant improvement projects for office and retail clients.

GOVERNMENT Dorchester County Economic Development has hired Brooks Hearn as marketing and investor relations manager, where she will guide marketing and comHearn munications efforts to facilitate new business and economic development, support the vitality of existing industry and engage current and prospective investors. Hearn has more than 10 years of experience in communications, marketing and stakeholder relations in the independent school, tourism and hospitality and nonprofit sectors. She holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations and a master’s degree in public administration fro­m the University of South Carolina. Hearn was named 2019 Emerging Leader of the Year by the Greater Summerville/Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce.

NONPROFIT The Lowcountry Food Bank transportation department has hired Josh Bair as a route driver and Jimmy Thomas as warehouse associate and flex driver, and the administration department has hired Myra White as facility custodian.

Employees who have been promoted include, Brian Weathers, now a volunteer manager; Dana Vaughn, development manager; Samantha Perez, director of agency relations; Joanna Bruno, vice president of agency relations and regional food centers; Chris Cissell, director of transportation, Kara Moore, director of See PEOPLE, Page 22

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People in the News PEOPLE, from Page 21

child hunger programs; and Alicia Duffany, director of equitable access and produce initiatives.

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Advertising Deadline: April 19 MAY 17

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GROWTH REPORT: LIFE SCIENCE List: Life Science Companies Bonus List: Home Health Care

Advertising Deadline: May 17

Hana Engineers and Consultants LLC has hired Beverly Barfield as resource manager in the firm’s North Charleston office.

Barfield’s responsiBarfield bilities include proposal management and administrative duties. She previously was employed as senior copy editor for SC Biz News and in copy editing and design roles at two other S.C. newspapers. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and mass communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

MRB Group has hired Heather Simmons Jones. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Clemson University and is a certified economic developer in Simmons Jones South Carolina. She focuses on matching private investment to a community’s vision and growth objectives and currently serves as a governor’s appointee to the S.C. Research Authority. She has also served as a former president of the S.C. Economic Developers’ Association.

Mount Pleasant Waterworks has hired Gerard Louis as a wastewater inflow and infiltration mechanic.

HOSPITALITY/TOURISM Sweetgrass Inn has hired Dawn Spann

FINANCIAL SERVICES Verity Investment Partners has hired senior portfolio manager Paul Newell to its investment team in its new Charleston office. Newell has more than a decade of experience in proNewell viding financial planning and investment advisory services for high-net-worth clients. He received a law degree from the Charleston School of Law and an undergraduate degree from Presbyterian College. Newell has extensive experience in the financial services industry, most recently with Fifth Third Bank in Tennessee. He has also held associate attorney positions at law firms in Columbia and Greenville.

Business Digest BUSINESS DIGEST, from Page 21

company surpassed its fundraising goal and was recognized as a top fundraiser and for its participation in the Move More Challenge.

Lowcountry Food Bank Chefs’ Feast raises more than $380,000

For advertising information, call Robert Reilly at 843.849.3107

as director of the Spa at Sweetgrass Inn. Spann will be responsible for managing all aspects of the spa. She has more than 18 years of experience in the Spann spa and wellness industry, including 10 years with Destination Hotels & Resorts. Facilities she has helped launch include Glade Spring Spa at Suncadia Resort, Cliff House Resort & Spa and Release Wellbeing Center. Spann has also contributed to multiple projects by developing design concepts, spa and wellness programs, sourcing FFE and OSE specifications, creating pre-opening proforma, financial modeling and leadership support. Recent projects she has been involved with include Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel in Greece, the St. Regis in Spain, Belmond Cap in Anguilla, Mii Amo in Arizona, The Woodlands Resort in Texas, Howard Hughes Hotel in Las Vegas and The Houstonian Hotel Club and Spa in Texas.

The Lowcountry Food Bank exceeded its goal and raised more than $380,000 at its 22nd annual Chefs’ Feast: Home Edition virtual event. The funds will go toward supporting Lowcountry Food Bank.

Lowcountry Food Bank earns 4-star rating from Charity Navigator

Lowcountry Food Bank has earned a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator. This is the 12th consecutive time since 2009 that the organization has earned this distinction.

Hardhat Workforce Solutions signs new lease in North Charleston

Chris Dion and Kevin Shields represented Hardhat Workforce Solutions LLC in the lease of 2235 Technical Parkway.

Viewpoint

VIEWS, PERSPECTIVES AND READERS’ LETTERS

Fight poverty with financial literacy, access to capital

M

ore than 15 years ago, while working as an insurance agent in the North Charleston area, I discovered that many people lacked even the most basic understanding of how to manage and grow their money.

It was impossible to advise clients on investment options when they did not understand how to DOROTHEA budget, file their BERNIQUE taxes, clean up their credit and save for the future.

Since then, what began at my kitchen table has grown into Increasing H.O.P.E. Financial Training Center, as a nonprofit committed to financial literacy, we have helped thousands of individuals with low and moderate incomes by providing classes, webinars and individual counseling. Our goal is to change the way people view and handle their finances. Once they understand how finance and its systems work, they can make wiser choices toward building stability and a brighter future. It’s gratifying to hear back from clients, such as this note from Holli: “Just wanted to express my appreciation… I have paid off all my credit cards and plan to have my car paid out 10 months early, in October. Through your teachings, I have started saving each month for my bi-annual car insurance payment. I will be calling you soon as to the best place for me to start a money market account.”

We believe that healthy, positive change is possible, both on individual and community levels. In the past year, mainstream America has become acutely aware of the barriers and hurdles which people of color have long faced. More people are asking, why are Black communities traditionally poorer? Another way to phrase it: Why do a disproportionately high number of minorities spend their lives in poverty, with little hope of advancement?

In searching out honest answers, we as a society are discovering the history of how and why financial and social systems have been tilted in favor of those who are more financially literate. As a result of this collective soul-searching, fresh opportunities are opening up to communities of color as corporate America, individuals, churches and government programs begin the hard work of trying to level out the playing field.

Happily, Increasing H.O.P.E. was well

Increasing H.O.P.E. Financial Training Center Executive Director Dorothea Bernique and North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey (right) joined other officials for the groundbreaking ceremony for The Opportunity Center in North Charleston. (Photo/Provided)

positioned to land right in the thick of things.

During 2020, when the pandemic shut down much of the economy, I prayed that God would give us feast in the midst of famine. That prayer was generously answered.

As 2021 began, Increasing H.O.P.E. launched two major projects designed to boost the financial ecosystem of low-income communities. First, in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Association, we opened the I-HOPE Women’s Small Business Center, the only one of its kind in the Charleston Metro area. We received a grant of $125,000, funded at $112,500 for nine months of FY 2021, for our first year and are actively enrolling participants.

Second, through the Relentless Challenge grant program created by the S.C. Department of Commerce, we have begun recruiting minorities with innovative ideas for the I-HOPE Pilot Accelerator Program. Using this $55,000 seed

money, we will help entrepreneurs in areas of high tech/innovation scale up their fledgling businesses and take them to the next level. I-HOPE will provide the support needed, through mentoring, networking, training and access to capital.

As if that wasn’t enough, Increasing H.O.P.E. and its partners are renovating a former furniture factory on Rivers Avenue into our beautiful, forever home. The Opportunity Center, scheduled to open in September, will provide offices and training space for Increasing H.O.P.E. and three affliated nonprofits that serve a similar clientele: Homes for Hope; the Center for Heirs Property Preservation; the S.C. Association for Community Economic Development. We have received generous support from the Economic Development Association, Coastal Community Foundation, Wells Fargo, BB&T and South State Bank. The Opportunity Center is anticipated to create 45 jobs and attract up to $4 million in private investment.

What’s more, it will serve as place where low income people in the Charleston area can go to find financial training and professional guidance toward achieving their dreams. We still need to raise $1 million to finish the job, so please help us spread the word.

If we work together, we can widen the scope and expand the diversity of Charleston’s business community so that more of us can thrive.

CRBJ

Dorothea Bernique is the executive director and founder Increasing H.O.P.E. Financial Training Center. Contact her at dorothea@increasinghope.org or at 843-225-4343.

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

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