Charleston Regional Business Journal - October 3, 2022

CYBER CAREERS

That’s the spirit

Build for rent

Construction

Taste twist

Programs combating cybersecurity workforce shortage

New deal

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Cybersecurity is a family affair for David and Danijela Hunt and their son Antonio Curcic.

The three Columbia residents have all studied cybersecurity at ECPI University in Columbia, and all graduated from the school in July David and Danijela with bachelor’s degrees in cybersecurity and Antonio with an associate’s in software development. In their spare time, Antonio and his mom also spent much of the past year as members of the school’s award-winning cybersecurity competitive team.

The family is part of a growing number of people of all ages studying cybersecurity as the need for employees in the field explodes both nationwide and in South Carolina.

The state currently has about 5,000 open cybersecurity jobs that are not being filled, according to statistics compiled by SC Tech,

an initiative of the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness designed to promote information technology and other tech jobs around the state.

Some estimates indicate the deficit might be even larger, according to Kim Christ, director of SC Tech and Cybersecure SC, the council’s initiative to promote cybersecurity. Christ said CyberSeek.org, a site dedicated to covering and promoting cybersecurity workforce development, recently posted statistics showing South Carolina’s number of open jobs in the field at more than 7,000.

The stats get even more dramatic at the national level. According to statistics compiled by CyberSeek, from May 2021 through April 2022, there were 180,000 nationwide openings for information security analysts, cybersecurity’s largest job, but only 141,000 workers currently employed in those positions an annual talent shortfall of 39,000 workers.

Additionally, CyberSeek said, employers

Turning up the volume

nationwide are struggling to fill 534,548 additional openings nationwide for workers with cybersecurity-related skills. On average, the organization’s statistics show, cybersecurity jobs take 21% longer to fill than other IT jobs simply because there are not enough workers available with the needed skills.

That’s why staff members with the cybersecurity degree program at ECPI and other programs at schools nationwide are hearing almost nonstop from employers looking to hire graduates almost as soon as they complete their degrees.

“We can’t fill the spots fast enough for employers requesting our students,” said Chris Flanery, a faculty member in ECPI Columbia’s cybersecurity department and coach of the school’s cybersecurity team. “And I can tell you right now that for members of the cyber competitive team over the past four years, we’ve had

Members of the Columbia Cyber Team, D0wn the L1ne, practice for an upcoming competition. The team includes (clockwise from center) Danijela Hunt, coach Chris Flanery, Kris Tanner, Danial Lewis, Jacob Allen, and Greg Cowell. The team from ECPI’s Columbia campus recently won first place in a national cyber skills contest. (Photo/Provided)

Upfront

sees highest increase in college-educated

ThePalmetto State still has a way to go to catch up to states like Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia overall, but South Carolina saw the highest percentage increase of adults with bachelor’s degrees or higher than any other state in the Southeast over 10 years.

An analysis of data released by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis earlier this month shows that South Carolina saw a more than 30.7% increase in degree-holding adults in the state in 2021 compared to 10 years ago. The state with the next highest percentage increase was Tennessee with a 29.8% increase compared to 10 years ago.

Nationally, the District of Columbia, which is measured along with other states, had the highest rate of bachelor’s degrees in 2021 at 63.6%, followed by a distant Massachusetts, Colorado, Maryland and New Jersey. The state with the lowest rate of higher education degrees was West Virginia at 23.1%, followed by Mississippi, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Louisiana.

Ten years ago, South Carolina was closer to where West Virginia is today in terms of higher education, with 24.10% of residents holding bachelor’s degrees, representing a steadily increasing percentage point increase from 2011 to 2021, federal data show.

By Andy Owens

“We want to remind people that cybersecurity is more than one job. There are multiple jobs in the field and multiple pathways to get to them.”

— Kim Christ, director, SC Tech and Cybersecure SC

SC Biz News Briefs

GREENVILLE GSA Business Report

Volvo’s multimillion investment plans for Upstate move forward

Volvo Cars USA’s bid for tax breaks for some Upstate investments is part of the company’s efforts to prepare its Ridgeville plant for building its new and fully electric flagship SUV.

Volvo CEO Jim Rowan says the EX90 ushers in a new era for safety for Volvo drivers and passengers.

“Born electric, born with lidar. The start of a new era of electrification, technology and safety,” Rowan said in a video presentation at the end of September. All Volvo EX90s will come with a combination of the latest technology powered by an understanding of the car’s outside environment and the person driving the vehicle, the company says.

“We’re yet to achieve our safety vision: that no one should be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo car. To continue our journey toward zero, we’re introducing innovations that will change how we all see safety,” Rowan said.

Rowan promises in the video that this next-generation SUV is beyond any of its Volvo predecessors.

“With the state-of-the-art technology, made up of cameras, radars, ultrasonic sensors and, key, a lidar in the roofline, which is a precision light-enabled radar system that measures distance with pulsed laser, all of which combined will give us more time to act and avoid collisions,” he said.

Ordinances authorizing the execution and delivery of the FILOTs — fees in lieu of taxes — between Volvo Cars USA and Greenville and Spartanburg counties were unanimously approved by the counties’ councils in late September, moving the proposals forward for final votes at upcoming meetings. The final votes are anticipated within the next few weeks.

Volvo Cars USA plans to invest upward of $62 million in existing businesses that supply the automaker.

The investment is part of Volvo’s plan to ready Ridgeville for building the EX90, which is set to debut on Nov. 9, said Katherine Bergmann, Volvo Cars U.S. Operations head of communications and community relations for the Charleston Plant.

“This type of investment is common in the industry and will have a positive impact on the economy,” Bergmann said. “We’re always looking to support the local community.”

This is a new investment that will generate tax revenue without putting a strain on existing infrastructure in the county, Bergmann added.

Volvo cars in the United States are available through a national network of nearly 300 independent retail partners.

Both counties are considering the FILOT agreements with Volvo in return for the company’s significant capital outlay plans, according to the agreements. A Greenville Area Development Corp. statement on Sept. 20 clarified reports of a new factory, stating that the investment is not to build new Volvo plants.

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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Volvo Cars USA

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Vodka company establishing operations in Charleston County

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Sweet

Grass Vodka, a family-owned spirits and distilling company, has announced plans to establish operations in Charleston County.

The company’s $1.7 million investment will create 47 new jobs, according to a news release from the state Department of Commerce and Charleston County Economic Development.

For CEO Jarrod Swanger, the site will boost the local visibility of a hometown company that is being seen nationally and internationally.

“At the beginning of last year, we entered the Global Vodka Masters and won three masters for vodka and we were in Forbes magazine, so we knew sometime this year we would need some kind of location that would show what we are all about, show a little bit of the distilling process, show a little bit of the bottling process, but also get our name out there and let people come and visit us and see what we do,” Swanger said.

Founded in 2020, Sweet Grass Vodka crafts vodka and spirits from South Carolina-grown potatoes. Swanger said he and

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his wife Alicia were already vodka aficionados when they started exploring options for his next entrepreneurial endeavor and learned that potato vodka is considered one of the cleanest distilled spirits.

“My wife is Polish. Her family had somewhat of a potato vodka recipe and we’ve always wanted to be in this industry,” Swanger said. “We got with local moonshiners, local farmers (to) see what mineral content pairs well with what spirits and we’ve put out what we thought was the best potato vodka.

“Our goal was to stop drinking the commercial stuff — Belvedere, Ketel One. We liked high-end vodkas but we wanted to make something our own, something special, something high end, but at a Tito’s price point so that’s what we set out to do. And that was further affirmed last year when we beat Belvedere, Ketel One, everybody in the Global Vodka Masters so it’s really a double dream come true for us.”

Located at 1640 Meeting St. in Charleston, Sweet Grass Vodka’s new facility will be its first operation in Charleston County and its second location in South Carolina, the other being a distillery and warehouse near Spartanburg. The Charleston facility

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will be a bottling plant, offering a tasting room for spirits and small bites.

“We are enthusiastic about launching our second location in South Carolina in the beautiful Upper Peninsula of Charleston,” Sweet Grass Vodka CEO Jarrod Swanger said in a news release. “We are proud of our quality, locally sourced vodka — and this new facility will showcase Sweet Grass Vodka on a larger scale.”

Operations are expected to be online this month.

“We’re excited to celebrate the success of Charleston’s own Sweet Grass Vodka,” Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg said in the release. “The new establishment at The Refinery will allow them to grow their operations locally, creating new jobs while investing in our community.”

Charleston County Council Chair Teddie Pryor welcomed the investment.

“We are pleased to welcome Sweet Grass Vodka to our community and look forward to its continued growth and success,” he said in the release. “Using the best of locally sourced ingredients, Sweet Grass Vodka is committed to an authentic homegrown experience.”

CRBJ

Reach Ross Norton at 864-720-1222.

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.

Jarrod and Alicia Swanger tapped into Alicia’s Polish heritage and a family potato vodka recipe as they developed Sweet Grass Vodka. (Photo/Provided)

South Carolina’s Media Engine for Economic Growth

Construction begins on build-for-rent development

By Krys Merryman kmerryman@scbiznews.com

Construction

for a build-for-rent multifamily development in North Charleston has begun.

The Cottages at Ingleside will be a 260unit residential community within the master-planned development of Ingleside, which will sit on approximately 25 acres about 15 miles north of downtown Charleston, according to a Capstone Communities news release.

CBI Construction Services, Capstone’s in-house construction entity, is the general contractor for The Cottages. The units are projected to begin pre-leasing during summer 2023. The release said Cody Kirkpatrick, Noam Franklin and Chinmay Bhatt of Berkadia JV Equity & Structured Capital sourced the equity partner for this project.

The company expects to complete the first units by winter 2023 with full completion slated for summer 2024. The development is planned to reflect a “new urbanism” style, featuring sidewalks, pocket parks and open green spaces.

“The Cottages at Ingleside is designed to meet the growing needs of the area’s rapidly expanding industries in automotive, health care and technology, ” Shep Nolen, president of CBI Construction, said in the news release. They are expecting the community to see a surge of more than 100 construction jobs through the duration of the project, he said in the release.

Construction has begun on the 260-unit, build-to-rent Cottages at Ingleside multifamily development. (Photo/Provided)

Build-for-rent communities are one of the fastest growing trends in the multifamily real estate segment, the release said.

“The Ingleside community has seen high rates of growth over the last three years, and we want to provide the incoming residents with a living option that fosters a true sense of community,” Jim Beatty, Capstone’s vice president of development, said in the release.

The development, which is designed

by Alabama-based Nequette Architecture & Design, will offer a mix of lofts, one and two-story cottages, and two-story townhomes with private outdoor yards. Neighborhood amenities include courtyards with pavilions and grill stations, a central clubhouse with a resort-style pool, a state-of-the-art fitness center, dog park and valet trash.

“We appreciate the opportunity to help Capstone Communities rapidly expand its

portfolio of BFR communities throughout the Southeast over the last 12 months,” Kirkpatrick, managing director of Berkadia JV Equity & Structured Capital, said in the release. “These newest communities are evidence of the value of long-term programmatic partnerships between experienced developers and an institutional equity partner.”

The company did not disclose the cost of the project.

CRBJ

Summerville Orchestra hires education coordinator

By Jason Thomas jthomas@scbiznews.com

The Summerville Orchestra has announced that DeAnndra Glenn is the inaugural director and education coordinator for the new Summerville Orchestra Youth Philharmonic and education program.

Glenn has taught strings students of all ages in the Charleston area since 2005 and has performed with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, the North Charleston POPS! and with Mannheim Steamroller, Michael Bublé and Michael W. Smith among many others, according to a news release from the orchestra.

She was conductor of the Charleston County School District Honors Orchestra from 2005 to 2010 and served for seven years as a strings instructor for both the Charleston County School district summer SMAART (Students Mastering the Academic Arts) program and the West Ashley middle and high schools, the release stated.

Glenn founded Charleston Violin Studio, and many of her violin and viola students have gained admission to the Charleston County School District School of the Arts, Rollings School of the Arts, the Lowcountry Region and South Carolina All-State Orchestras and the Charleston Symphony Youth Orchestra, according to the release.

“When I was a student, each new orchestra I joined was a stepping stone to the next level. At first, I would struggle to keep up,” Glenn said in the release. “But with practice and determination, my playing advanced.

“The orchestra pushed me to become a better musician because I had to learn to stay with the group.”

Glenn stepped away from conducting and teaching when her twins — a boy and a girl — were born, according to the release.

“I love conducting and leading orchestra rehearsals.

“The Summerville Orchestra Youth Philharmonic will be a wonderful

opportunity for students to make new friends while at the same time developing their musicality,” she said. “Playing in an ensemble teaches students to work as a team and also helps them form other life skills. Plus, involvement in extracurriculars also looks impressive on a college application.”

Glenn and S.O. staff will work with area school music instructors to identify and audition students for participation.

Auditions were held Sept. 19.

The S.O. Youth Philharmonic is being made possible through a grant from the South Carolina Arts Commission.

The mission of the Youth Philharmonic program is to provide an affordable youth orchestra experience to public, private and charter school students as well as home-schooled students in the tri-county. The Youth Philharmonic is scheduled to perform three concerts this year.

Reach Jason Thomas at 864-568-7570.

“I love conducting and leading orchestra rehearsals. The Summerville Orchestra Youth Philharmonic will be a wonderful opportunity for students to make new friends while at the same time developing their musicality.”

DeAnndra Glenn, Director and education coordinator, Summerville Orchestra Youth Philharmonic

New burger and barbecue concept coming to West Ashley

By Jason Thomas jthomas@scbiznews.com

Hugh-Baby’s

BBQ & Burger Shop, restaurateur Pat Martin’s Nashville-born burger and barbecue spot, is coming to the Charleston area in late fall.

That’s according to a news release from Hugh-Baby’s, which will make its home in West Ashley at 1028 Saint Andrews Blvd. The vision of restaurateur and founder Pat Martin, Hugh-Baby’s is a tribute to the small-town eateries Martin frequented in his childhood, the release stated.

Nearly everything at Hugh-Baby’s is made from scratch and cooked to order, with a menu that emphasizes Martin’s mid-South roots – with burgers, Memphis-style barbecue, hot dogs, fries, and hand-spun shakes, the release stated.

Hugh-Baby’s Charleston will mark Martin’s second Lowcountry restau-

rant, following the 2019 opening of Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint on James Island, according to the release.

“We’re thrilled to share our plans

to bring Hugh-Baby’s to Charleston,” Martin said in the release. “It’s been an absolute pleasure to serve the Charleston community for the past

four years at our Martin’s Bar-BQue Joint on James Island. The city’s incredible natural beauty and rich culinary landscape makes it a natural next home for Hugh-Baby’s, and, most importantly, Charleston is a place where our team wants to live, work, and grow.”

Hugh-Baby’s burgers feature a proprietary blend of premium beef that is ground fresh daily, the release stated. The barbecue sandwiches follow traditions of Memphis-style barbecue, with the restaurant slow-smoking pork, turkey, and bologna onsite every day.

Other menu options include a fried chicken sandwich, a veggie burger and hand-spun, scratch-made milkshakes, the release stated

Hugh-Baby’s will be open every day from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. for dine-in, drive-thru, take home, and delivery.

Reach Jason Thomas at 864-568-7570.

Blackbaud CEO gets 3-year contract extension

By Ross Norton rnorton@scbiznews.com

Cloud

software company Blackbaud has extended President and CEO Mike Gianoni’s employment contract for an additional three years.

The new arrangement extends Gianoni’s service through December 2025, according to a news release from the company. Gianoni has been with Charleston-based Blackbaud since January 2014.

“We are very pleased to extend Mike Gianoni’s service and retain his continuity of leadership as president and CEO of Blackbaud,” Andrew M. Leitch, chairman of the board, said in the news release. “For

the past nine years, Mike has proven his adept ability to drive value for the company’s stakeholders — customers, employees and shareholders alike — while scaling market expansion and leading the company through several periods of growth and change. Furthermore, and most importantly, we are now well positioned and structured to leverage our significant corporate investments and current status to pursue aggressive, strategic, aspirational goals and are very confident that under Mike’s continued leadership, supported by an outstanding senior management team, we can deliver significant, enhanced shareholder value over the next three years.”

During Gianoni’s tenure, he has helped

Blackbaud integrate and simplify its core product portfolio, while transitioning to the Blackbaud SKY platform and standing up a customer success program, the release stated. Blackbaud has grown its payments business exponentially and expanded its total addressable market through the strategic acquisitions of JustGiving, YourCause and EVERFI, among others. In addition, Gianoni led the company in the transition to a remote-first workplace, helping establish a culture with flexibility and benefits that attract talent.

“In addition to continuing to push forward on product innovation and customer outcomes, I look forward to driving accelerated revenue growth and meaningful

margin expansion over the next several years, as we execute on our long-term goal of achieving the Rule of 40,” Gianoni said in the release. “We are now targeting the Rule of 40 within the next three years, by the end of 2025, with a goal of achieving at least a 33 on the Rule of 40 in 2023.”

Blackbaud is one of the world’s largest cloud software companies that it says is “powering social good.” The company serves nonprofits, higher education institutions, K–12 schools, health care organizations, faith communities, arts and cultural organizations, foundations, companies and others.

Reach Ross Norton at 864-720-1222.

TIP

Hugh-Baby’s Charleston will mark Pat Martin’s second Lowcountry restaurant. (Photo/Provided)

Photography by Keith Isaacs

Port of Call adds 5 eateries

By Jason Thomas jthomas@scbiznews.com

AFolly Beach staple and a French bistro are among the new additions to the Port of Call Food and Brew Hall adjacent to the historic Charleston City Market, according to a Port of Call news release.

The collection of artisanal restaurants at 99 S. Market St. has added five new eateries:

Pineapple Hut, a Folly Beach favorite since 2019, recently joined the Port of Call patio, according to the release. Their specialty Dole Whip can be served in a cup or fresh pineapple bowl and is a dairy free, gluten free, cholesterol free, low fat, low calorie and vegan soft serve treat.

Délicieux is a French bistro originally located in North Charleston, featuring baked from scratch sandwiches, baked goods, quiches, coffees, and more, the release stated. Délicieux will be featured at the forefront of Port of Call’s space. It is the creation of chef Bri Wilson, of Brooklyn, New York.

Taco Art, an orchestration of Chef Jason De Souza, is an authentic taqueria and will feature tacos, quesadillas, burritos and rice bowls, according to the release.

LowCo Seafood Shack is the manifestation of the former owners of Shem Creek’s The Shelter, evolving their decades of experience working in the Charleston food and beverage industry into a Lowcountry eatery, the release stated. LowCo Seafood Shack will serve fried seafood platters, Lowcountry boil, shrimp and grits, boiled peanuts, and local peel and eat shrimp.

Pisco Mar is a Peruvian gastronomy concept that will occupy the existing second floor of Port of Call, the release stated. It is an intimate experience curated by chef Esteban Delgado Diaz of Chiclayo, Peru, who recently relocated to the Lowcountry. Pisco Mar will host authentic Peruvian cuisine and cocktails including ceviches, tiraditos, causas, empanadas, and arroz con pato accompanied by Pisco sours, chilcanos, Peruvian wines, and other Pisco based cocktails.

While Pineapple Hut, Délicieux and Taco Art have already opened their doors to customers, LowCo Seafood Shack and Pisco Mar are expected to make their debut in the Food and Brew Hall later this fall, according to the release.

“I couldn’t be more excited to welcome these restaurants to Port of Call,” said Ryan Kaufmann, co-owner, Port of Call Food and Brew Hall, in the release. “Our goal is to continue strengthening Port of Call’s reputation as providing the highest concentration of diverse cuisine offerings in Charleston.“

With the introduction of these new eateries, current tenets Bok Choy Boy, Iaca Bowls and Ren Osteria are exiting the Port of Call space, according to the release.

Reach Jason Thomas at 864-568-7570.

Texas-based consulting firm opens Charleston office

By Jason Thomas jthomas@scbiznews.com

Houston-based consulting firm

has opened an office in Charleston.

LJA Engineering Inc.’s expansion in the southeastern region of the U.S. translates into five employee-owners at its new Charleston location at 171 Church St., according to an LJA news release. That number is expected to nearly double by the end of the year.

“LJA’s growth, continuing with our new Charleston office, is a testament to the dedication of our 1,400+ employ-

ee-owners, the experience of our leadership team, and our collective focus on client success,” Charles Hager, the Charleston manager for LJA, said in the release. “This office will become LJA’s 48th location, enabling new opportunities to support clients in South Carolina and this region. Being part of this new community is an honor, and we are proud to call Charleston a new home of LJA.”

LJA Engineering is an employee-owned, multi-disciplinary consulting firm, the release stated. Organized around eight comprehensive sectors, LJA builds project teams with civil, structur-

al, and electrical engineers, plus hydrologists, planners, landscape architects, construction managers, GIS designers, and surveyors.

LJA was founded in 1972 when John “Dutch” Lichliter established The Lichliter Co., according to its website. In 1976, Bill Jameson joined the firm as president, and the firm was renamed Lichliter/Jameson & Associates. The firm evolved into LJA Engineering, Inc. in 2011, as it is known today.

James Ross is the company’s president and CEO. CRBJ

Reach Jason Thomas at 864-568-7570.

Support Local Businesses by Looking for the Badge.

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Peace Center ready to turn up the volume

By Ross Norton rnorton@scbiznews.com

The Peace Center has plans to make Greenville a bigger dot on the map of music cities.

Peace Center President and CEO Megan Riegel on Sept. 13 unveiled a major renovation project designed to diversify Greenville’s live music scene by diversifying possible venues for musical artists and music fans. Called AMP, for A Music Project, the plan calls for a new purpose for three buildings on the Peace Center campus that will include a flat floor music club, an intimate listening room, a podcast and recording studio, and artist dorms.

The intent of the $36 million project is to deliver a larger variety of live music options in Greenville. By repurposing what the Peace Center considered underused real estate and providing new mission-centric programming, the venue can continue to meet the needs of the community and help Greenville become a more vibrant music town, Riegel said.

The project brings more than music, though. A just-completed study by the University of South Carolina places the annual economic impact of the Peace Center, which attracts about 350,000 people each year, at $80 million, Riegel said.

“We’re excited that we’re in this place for great entertainment, but the reality is we’re great for the community, too,” she said. “So what we’re getting ready to do is make another significant investment in the community which is going to ratchet that economic impact up even further.”

The most visible addition will be two new venues for live music: one is an intimate café-style setting for small audiences and the other is a three-tier flat-floor music venue to attract the acts and the fans who prefer the up-close, standing-room experience.

“Believe it or not there are some acts that do not want to play the concert hall, right? They want to be in a room with a mosh pit. They want to be in a room where people are on their feet and having a good ol’ time,” Riegel said at a press event. “Different artists thrive in different spaces and so what we’ve created is this variety of spaces to serve a variety of artists and a variety of audiences.”

She said the public for years has told her Greenville needs more spaces for those performances.

“We’ve listened carefully to what our community says it wants regarding live entertainment,” Riegel said in the announcement. “These new venues will complete the circle of our live music scene and attract a whole new range of artists and visitors to Green-

ville. People have been waiting for this for a long time.”

She said AMP is an important step in fulfilling the Peace Center’s vision to build the local music scene, create connections and expand the reach of the performing arts in the South.

Once complete, the project will effectively achieve the Peace Center’s longstanding goal of realizing a fully-functioning, 10-venue arts and entertainment campus by or before 2030.

Building designs for AMP were developed by Greenville architecture firm Craig Gaulden Davis with landscape design from the Greenville studio of MKSK. Craig Gaulden Davis designed the original Peace Center campus that opened in 1990 and has extensive renovation design experience with historic buildings, a primary reason they were chosen for AMP, the news release said.

Construction is expected to begin in February 2023 and be completed by late 2024. The five projects that make up AMP are:

The Mockingbird

A nod to Nashville’s famed Bluebird Café, The Mockingbird will be a listening room inside the historic Gullick and Markley buildings on Main Street next to the Gunter Theatre. It is described as “a casual, intimate, lounge-like setting (that) will create a space for artists and their audiences to connect in close, personal ways.”

The main entrance will face Main Street with the listening room on the street level. The interior is designed to blend modern elements with tradition-

al features, such as exposed brick walls, punched tin ceiling panels and hardwood floors. Except for new windows and doors, minimal exterior renovations are planned, the release said. The existing tan brick of the Gullick and red brick of the Markley will remain largely untouched, ensuring both buildings retain their historic character and charm.

Artist dorms

The space directly above The Mockingbird will become a three-bedroom suite for the use of artists performing at any Peace Center venue. The artist dorms will accommodate performers who want a bit of privacy from their public life on the road or a convenient place to stay before or after their gig. This fully furnished, 3-bed/3.5-bath suite will feature modern baths, a living area and kitchen with views of Main Street and the Reedy River.

The studio

The space next to the artist dorms will be turned into a professional podcast and recording studio. Managed and operated by the Peace Center, the studio will be available for booking by artists who want high quality, professional recording, mixing, editing and related audio services. It also provides the Peace Center opportunities to produce original content, the release said.

Wyche Landscape Design

A final element of the AMP program is to elevate the Wyche outdoor event space with distinctive environmental landscaping.

“Using natural foliage and re-rout-

ing pathways leading to and from the open-air structure, the Wyche will take new root in a garden-like setting,” the release said. “Designed as an extension of beautiful Falls Park just a stone’s throw away, a river terrace running the length of the Wyche will provide pedestrians an attractive walkway overlooking the banks of the Reedy River. ADA-compliant semi-circular paths will provide easy access into either side of the building with subtle landscape lighting to illuminate the way and create a peaceful ambiance.”

The Peace Center is a six-acre campus downtown that consists of the 2,115-seat Peace Concert Hall, 400-seat Gunter Theatre, an outdoor amphitheater and a number of event spaces including the iconic Wyche building and the Huguenot Mill. The expansion will mean an undetermined number of new jobs, Riegel said. The Peace Center currently has 48 full-time employees.

Coach Music Factory

The historic Coach Factory flanking the east side of the Peace Amphitheater will be repurposed into a threetiered, standing room live music club for national and local acts. Peace Center operators say the club will feature a broad group of musical genres such as hip hop, indie rock, country, jam bands, Americana and more. The Coach Music Factory will have a club vibe to satisfy serious live music lovers, and the size, acoustics, lighting and other technical aspects that today’s professional touring musicians demand, the news release stated. It will be similar to The Orange Peel in Asheville and the Fillmore in Charlotte.

The Mockingbird name is a nod to the famous Bluebird Cafe in Nashville. The exterior of the building will be largely unchanged. (Image/Craig Gaulden Davis)

technology partnership

By Christina Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

VerizonWireless has entered into a partnership with the University of South Carolina to research new uses for the company’s 5G network in the health care, civil infrastructure and manufacturing fields.

Research through the partnership will be based at the new Innovation Experience Hub located at USC’s McNair Aerospace Center on Catawba Street.

The partnership was formally announced Sept. 16 on the USC campus at an event attended by school and Verizon officials as well as S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster and other community leaders.

It is the fifth research center of its kind developed by Verizon on U.S. university campuses, company officials said at the event.

“This partnership will allow us to conduct research at the highest levels and advance the culture of innovation we have here at the university,” university president Michael Amiridis said at the event. “Our partnership with Verizon demonstrates how we can engage with businesses around the state to help our students develop skills that will allow them to apply for top tier jobs. We want this partnership to enhance the

student experience at USC and make it easier for them to find careers, hopefully ones that will allow them to stay in this area.”

Verizon strategist Marc Bulandr told SC Biz News that the process of bringing the Innovation Hub to USC took about a year. He said the company picked the university because it saw how well it

worked with its other corporate partners.

“The Innovation Hub is going to create an ecosystem here at the university that will not only help students develop skills that easily transition into the work world but will also bring innovation opportunities to the state as a whole,” Bulandr said.

Verizon is the latest company to formally partner with USC to allow students and faculty to use its technology to research new innovations. The school also has partnerships with IBM, Siemens, Yaskawa and others.

Verizon has set up a private 5G network at the McNair Center that will allow communication and transfer of large amounts of research data at higher speeds, company officials said.

The technology will be used for a wide variety of research projects at USC, including work on improving remote health monitoring for patients and developing visual inspection tools that help car manufacturers and other companies detect flaws in parts and other products while they are still in production.

Representatives from IBM also illustrated how 5G will interact with their company’s technology at USC to develop drone-based inspection protocols for bridges, roads and other infrastructure.

Jennifer Artley, Verizon’s senior vice president for 5G acceleration, said work done through USC’s Innovation Hub has the potential to change the way work is done in many fields.

“We believe 5G is the backbone of the digital future, and that world class research done here is going to accelerate innovation for entire industries,” Hartley said.

Verizon Wireless is partnering with the University of South Carolina to research new uses for the company’s 5G network technology. (Photo/Provided)

“We love think it is presence Encore’s stated in up-and-coming ed in the Owned

FEDERAL FOCUS

FBI pilot program offers opportunities to HBCU students

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Notmany college students get to have an FBI agent as a mentor helping them decide on a career path, but that is the reality beginning this year for some students at five of South Carolina’s historically Black colleges and universities.

Agents and other employees from the FBI are taking part in a pilot college and university mentoring program offered by the bureau’s Columbia field office that launched in September and will run until the beginning of the spring semester.

Twenty-two students from Benedict College and Allen University in Columbia, Claflin University and S.C. State University in Orangeburg and Morris College in Sumter were selected to participate, said Chiquanda Tilley, commu-

nity outreach specialist with the FBI’s Columbia field office.

Tilley said 21 Bureau employees, including agents, are serving as mentors. They will work with students to help them develop successful habits while still in college and also introduce them to potential future career opportunities with the Bureau.

The program is inspired by the FBI’s Beacon Project. Launched in Huntsville, Ala. in spring 2021, Beacon’s goal is to partner the FBI with students and staff at HBCUs to not only increase the diversity of the FBI but also work to improve the relationship between the Bureau and minority communities.

After Beacon launched, representatives from the Columbia field office met with presidents and other officials from the state’s eight HBCUs to discuss the FBI’s history, relationship with the Black

community and other issues, Tilley said.

“We asked them how we could strengthen our relationship with the state’s HBCUs and some of the strongest feedback we got was the need for mentorship opportunities,” she said.

Getting more Black students interested in working with the FBI is important because the Black community is underrepresented in its workforce related to overall U.S. population, according to the August 2022 FBI Diversity Report.

The report’s statistics show that although 27.1% of the Bureau’s workforce identifies as a racial or ethnic minority, only 5% of special agents, 7% of intelligence analysts and 14.5% of other professionals in the Bureau are Black.

Efforts to diversify the FBI are paying off, according to the report. Since 2018, statistics show, the Bureau has increased

its racial/ethnic diversity by 1.3% and the number of female employees by 1.3%. The number of special agents who identify as racial or ethnic minorities has increased by 2.2%, and female special agents have increased by 2.7%.

“We applaud the FBI for moving in a direction to mentor possible candidates who are representative of their communities, especially if those communities are currently underrepresented,” said Roslyn Clark Artis, president and CEO of Benedict College. “Benedict students care about crime in their communities and want to be a part of the solution while benefiting from the exposure to law enforcement careers offered by the Beacon Project.”

The mentorship program was initially supposed to start in January but

A new pilot program operated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Columbia field office is offering mentoring opportunities for students at five S.C. historically Black colleges and universities. (Photo/File)

Encoreopening in The bank space inside Summerville Peninsula.

FBI, from Page 12

was pushed back because of COVID19.

Students selected for the program had to go through an application process. They are mostly sophomore and juniors and bring with them a variety of backgrounds and academic interests.

Many people might think an FBI mentoring program would only be suitable for students pursuing degrees in criminal justice, but that is not the case at all, Tilley said. She said one of the biggest misconceptions about the agency is that it only has one type of

job open and is only looking for people with specific backgrounds.

“The great thing about the FBI is that we have 400 different positions you can apply for when you’re looking for job,” Tilley said. “A lot of the students we speak with have the misconception that the only people that can apply for this program are those with a criminal justice major. The fact is we all invite all majors to apply. We want to show the students the full breadth of different career opportunities the FBI has and the wide variety of education backgrounds that can lead to a career with us.”

Tilley said the first group of participants includes not only criminal justice majors but those studying education, mathematics, psychology and other subjects.

Students and mentors are required to set up action plans with specific academic and career development goals to be met over the course of the program, Tilley said. She and others from the Bureau will check in with the mentors and students periodically, and mentors are also asked to complete a monthly evaluation form to document what they are working on with the students. Students and their mentors can also take part in five different career

development events planned over the next few months.

Participants who complete the mentoring program will go through a graduation ceremony at the end of the semester.

Tilley said one goal of the program is to encourage student participants to apply for one of the many internships the FBI offers and then, after graduation, to consider entry-level positions not only in South Carolina but in more than 55 other field offices around the country.

Those interested in researching and applying for available FBI jobs should visit the agency’s recruiting site, Fbijobs.gov.

Encore Bank opens 1st full-service SC branch in Charleston

Staff report

Encore

Bank celebrated the grand opening of its first full-service branch in South Carolina last month.

The bank has taken 5,800 square feet of space inside the Lumberyard building on Summerville Avenue in Charleston’s Upper Peninsula.

“We love the charm of this building and think it is the perfect place to establish our presence in South Carolina,” Fallon Meyer, Encore’s Charleston market president, stated in a news release. “It’s located in an up-and-coming area that is centrally located in the heart of Charleston.”

Owned by RCB Development, the ren-

ovated Lumberyard building is a reclaimed warehouse. “From our work culture and business model, to our products and ser-

vices, Encore is not like other banks,” Meyer said. “I think it’s important for offices to reflect that. The interior design of our

branch looks nothing like a traditional bank. There are no teller lines, and the space has a very warm, modern feel.”

In addition to Charleston, Encore Bank has a presence in four other markets in the Carolinas: Charlotte, Raleigh and Winston-Salem in North Carolina, as well as a loan production office in Greenville.

Michael Sharpton, Encore’s regional president of the Carolinas, said full-service branches in these other markets will be open soon. “We expect the Charlotte office to be open by the end of the year and the Piedmont office to be open by spring of 2023,” Sharpton said in the release. “The Greenville and Triangle branches will be open later next year.”

BUILDING TRUST AND ADDING VALUE TO EVERYTHING WE DO

“The difference is our TEAM.”

Bert Bailey, Superintendent

Encore Bank has opened its first full-service bank in South Carolina in Charleston. (Image/Provided)

a 100% job placement rate working in the field.”

Students in ECPI Columbia’s cybersecurity program, as well as similar ones at ECPI campuses in Charleston and Greenville, come from a wide variety of backgrounds. Some enter the program straight out of high school, like Antonio Curic, while others come from other careers, like his parents did.

“One of the reasons I chose the field was for the protection of my family and also because it’s such a growing industry,” Mrs. Hunt said. “Your average house alone has about 20 devices in it that could potentially be hacked, and that‘s not something that is going to go away. This is a great field to be in because it’s only going to keep growing.”

ECPI offers cybersecurity degrees through its cyber and information security technology major with a cybersecurity track, with year-round classes allowing many students to get their bachelor’s degree in as little as two and a half years. Students study programming, databases and networking as well as how to maintain, monitor and troubleshoot network and security infrastructure and how to use security controls to protects an organization from threats and vulnerabilities.

“The courses don’t just involve textbook material but extensive labs focused on hands-on, real-life scenarios that you have to learn how to deal with,” said David Hunt. “You have to be able to take

the knowledge you’ve gained and use critical thinking to figure out to fix the issue and learn what repercussions would occur if you did not fix it correctly.”

ECPI’s cyber team, meanwhile, gives students an additional chance to use their skills to combat realistic, simulated attack situations similar to what could happen to a government agency or a business. Students try out for positions on the team and then take part in events around the Southeast.

This past spring, the team, nicknamed “D0wn the L1ine,” won first place, besting more than 1,000 teams nationwide, in the “U.S. Cyber Range” competition. The 32-hour contest was sponsored by Wicked6 Cyber Games and was a fundraiser for the Women’s Society of Cyberjutsu, a nonprofit focused on closing the gender gap in cybersecurity careers.

To compete, teams had to have at least one woman member, and Danielja Hunt was proud to be one of them.

“It was an amazing experience to take part in that competition, because it really showed you what cybersecurity is about,” she said. “You compete against other people who are so much better than you in a high-pressure situation in a specific amount of time, and that’s similar to what you face when you’re working in the field as well.”

The Hunts and their son Antonio all have used what they learned through studying cybersecurity to move ahead with their career goals. David Hunt left the construction field and now works in the biomedical engineering department at Prisma Health. Daniejela Hunt got a job as an IT specialist for the Lexington Police Department, and Antonio plans to

continue to study software development.

“Cybersecurity and software development really work hand-in-hand with each other because if a computer is not secure, software won’t run correctly,” he said.

Awareness of cybersecurity’s importance in all facets of information technology is also key to getting more people interested in the field in general.

Christ said some of the main goals of the two initiatives she runs are to raise awareness of the many facets of the cybersecurity field. Cybersecurity experts work at many different levels within companies and perform a wide variety of different roles, she said. They’re not always in a company’s IT department and work to combat a wide variety of problems, not just the most commonly known ones such as computer viruses and malware.

Cybersecurity jobs are increasingly coming open in companies’ C-suites as more industries become aware that they need to bring planning for secure technology into every facet of the business in order for it to be effective.

“As we’re preparing our cyber workforce pipeline, we now know we need to prepare not just great technical brains but also workers that know how to implement cybersecurity into a company’s overall business plan,” Christ said. “We want to remind people that cybersecurity is more than one job. There are multiple jobs in the field and multiple pathways to get to them. The potential for the field nationwide and in this state is enormous.”

Antonio Curcic and his mother Danijela Hunt work in one of the cybersecurity labs at ECPI University Columbia. The pair graduated from the school in July. (Photo/Provided)

ECPI University’s Columbia campus cybersecurity team won first place in the U.S. Cyber Range competition, besting more than 1,000 teams from across the country. (Photo/Provided)

CYBER

Nonprofit receives grant to expand program helping prevent recidivism

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Turn90, a nonprofit that equips men to succeed after prison by providing a route to a career-path job, has received a $50,000 grant from Power:Ed, a philanthropic project of SC Student Loan.

The funds will be used to hire two new staff members to lead expansion of the program’s services into the Upstate in 2023, according to a news release. Turn90 currently is operating in Charleston and Columbia.

According to statistics compiled by Turn90, Greenville County currently receives the most men returning home from state prison at 10.4%, with Spartanburg County second highest at 9.4%.

Nationwide, according to Turn90, 62% of people returning home from prison are rearrested within three years, but only 22% of Turn90 graduates have been rearrested, and only one of more than 100 graduates

has ever been re-incarcerated.

“Power:Ed’s mission is to create opportunities and change lives by supporting successful programs that reduce barriers to education and career readiness for South Carolinians,” said Claire Gibbons, director of Power:Ed. “Turn90 is achieving just that, and we are proud to support their growth

plans and provide that last funding needed for statewide expansion.”

Turn90’s program helps men develop social, emotional and workforce skills. It combines cognitive behavioral classes with transitional work, supportive services and job placement.

“This partnership with Power:Ed is a

huge step forward, not only for Turn90 but for all of South Carolina,” said Amy Barch, founder and executive director of Turn 90. “When people are released from prison with a pathway to livable wage employment, benefits and opportunities for growth, they are less likely to return to criminal behavior.”

In the second quarter of this fiscal year, Power:Ed has awarded six grants totaling nearly $219,000 to workforce and development nonprofits in the state, including Turn90. Grants are administered quarterly and the deadline for the next round of funding is Oct. 1.

Founded in 2019, Power:Ed focuses on creating opportunities for South Carolina’s youth and adults by supporting low-income, minority and first generation students, improving access to college and degree completion and creating pathways to quality workforce opportunities.

CRBJ

Reach Christina Lee Knauss at 803-753-4327.

Charleston nonprofit hires new executive director

By Jason Thomas jthomas@scbiznews.com

Dustin Daniels is the new executive director of Charleston Coalition for Kids, a nonprofit dedicated to

the improvement of public education in Charleston County School District. Daniel replaces Josh Bell.

“Taking on this role in Charleston at such a critical juncture for the community is both humbling and energizing,” Daniels

said.

While head of strategy for the Transformation Network of Hillsborough County Public Schools in Florida, Dustin helped decrease the number of “D” and “F” schools by 82% and helped 38 of 45 of the

HCPS’ most chronically underperforming schools improve by at least one letter grade from 2019-22.

He also helped secure funding for the Charleston County School District as a consultant.

Turn90, a nonprofit fostering success after prison, received a $50,000 grant from Power:Ed. (Photo/Provided)

SC unemployment rate dips in August

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

South Carolina’s unemployment rate decreased to 3.1% in August from July’s estimate of 3.2%, according to statistics released last month by the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce.

During August, the state added 9,600 nonfarm payroll jobs, according to the DEW report, with the biggest gains in professional and business services; trade, transportation and utilities; government; manufacturing; and leisure and hospitality.

The national unemployment rate for August increased to 3.7% from 3.5%.

The seasonally adjusted monthly survey estimated the number of South Carolinians working at 2,320,187, a decrease of 3,776 from July but a significant increase of 43,839 people over August 2021 estimates, the report said.

The number of unemployed people in the state decreased to 74,539, a decrease of 1,122 from July and 18,298 less than the number of unemployed a year ago, according to the report.

The state’s estimated labor force, made up of people working plus those looking for work, decreased to 2,394,726, a drop

of 4,898 from the July estimate but an increase of 25,541 from July 2021.

Richland County’s unemployment rate stayed the same at 3.3%, and Lexington County also maintained the same rate at 2.6%.

The Columbia metropolitan statistical area added 1,700 jobs from July to August, while the Charleston/North Charleston area added 2,500 and Greenville/Anderson/Mauldin added 1,600 jobs, the DEW report said.

“While the numbers tend to fluctuate from month to month, South Carolina continues to enjoy record employment this year,” Dan Ellzey, executive director

of DEW, said in a news release. “Some employers have had temporary layoffs due to parts and supply shortages, and there are business closures. What makes this time unique is the number of alternatives and opportunities for jobseekers.”

Some industries are seeing particularly significant increases in employment so far this year, according to the release.

“Accommodation and food services has grown by nearly 15,000 people, and both retail trade and the government sectors have grown by approximately 8,000 people,” Ellzey said.

Reach Christina Lee Knauss at 803-753-4327.

Private equity firm acquires Charleston residential building

By Ross Norton rnorton@scbiznews.com

Northland, a national real estate private equity firm, has purchased 511 Meeting in Charleston. The residential building is Northland’s third investment in the Charleston area. Terms of the sale were not disclosed.

511 Meeting is comprised of 221 studio, one-, and two-bedroom apartments, 33 of which are rent restricted, according to a news release. The podium-style mid-rise building includes a fully equipped fitness center with a separate yoga studio, a bike storage and repair area, and a second-story pool deck with a fire pit and grill stations. The modern building also features a resident lounge for entertaining, with a billiards table, foosball table and bar space, as well as 2,960 square feet of dedicated retail space occupied by Blum, a coffee and wine bar.

“Since our entrance into the Charleston market in 2019 with The Standard on James Island and Wharf 7 on Daniel Island, we’ve been actively seeking additional opportunities for expansion onto the Peninsula,” Bruno Setteducati, Northlands director of investment, said in the release. “Located in the North Meeting Street neighborhood, 511 Meeting offers residents close proximity to all that Charleston’s Midtown has to offer. The property’s thoughtful mixed-use integration into the historic streetscape and prime location are some of the many factors that make it a differentiator in this market, and great fit for Northland’s portfolio.”

Jim Sewell, Dave Lansbury, Paul Berry, and Erika Maston of CBRE represented the undisclosed seller in the transaction.

Located on the peninsula in the North Meeting and Upper King neigh-

borhoods, 511 Meeting places residents just one block away from King Street.

Since 2019, Northland has invested more than $200 million in Charleston to assemble a portfolio of 813 class A apartment homes, the news release said. Northland owns and operates a diversified multifamily portfolio that includes more than 26,000 units across the United States. The company manages $8 billion in assets.

Multifamily development planned

A real estate investment firm and property management company have teamed up for a multifamily development planned for North Charleston.

New York City-based CP Capital, a real estate manager specializing in multifamily investments, and Greystar, a Charleston-based real estate company with a background in investment man-

agement, development, and property management, will develop Montague Corners — a 336-unit development in North Charleston, according to a news release.

Montague Corners will be located off Interstate 526, just southwest of the soon to be expanded Interstate 26/I526 interchange, the release stated. The community will be located two miles from Charleston International Airport, one mile from the North Charleston Coliseum and Performing Arts Center, and three miles from Joint Base Charleston, according to the release.

The project is expected to break ground in October 2022, the release stated, and the first units are anticipated to deliver in Q1 2024, with construction expected to be completed during the summer of 2024.

“Charleston has displayed incredible

economic resilience since the start of the pandemic, benefiting from consistent in-migration resulting in impressive job and population growth,” Paul Doocy, co-head of CP Capital, said in the release. “We are proud to continue our partnership with Greystar to deliver Montague Corners and consistently generate value for both our partners and the communities where we invest.”

Montague Corners will feature a pool with outdoor entertainment, co-working spaces, a fitness center, and lounge areas as well as upscale interior finishes such as stainless-steel appliances, stone-surface countertops and vinyl wood flooring, the release stated.

The three-story community will also be located in proximity to the Tanger Outlets and the Park Circle area, where Jamestown plans to redevelop a 45-acre site into a mixed-use project consisting of 1.2 million square feet of office space, residences, shopping, dining and a concert hall, the release stated.

“We are thrilled to continue developing multifamily spaces in the high-performing Charleston market, and could not ask for a better partner in CP Capital,” Ben Liebetrau, Greystar managing director, Carolinas, said in the release. “Montague Corners’ combination of a convenient, central location and bestin-class amenities will provide renters with the perfect environment for their modern lifestyle, and allow the Greater Charleston area to continue its already impressive growth.”

CP Capital, formerly known as HQ Capital Real Estate, has partnered with Greystar on five development projects in the past, most recently the Brighton Park Apartments in Brighton, Colorado, according to the release.

Costs of the project were not disclosed.

Reach Ross Norton at 864-720-1222.

511 Meeting is Northland’s third purchase in the Charleston market. (Photo/Provided)

Postgraduate Degree Programs

Medical University of South Carolina

171 Ashley Ave. Charleston SC 29425

The Citadel, The Militar y College of South Carolina

171 Moultrie St. Charleston, SC 29409

College of Charleston 66 George St. Charleston SC 29424

Charleston Southern University 9200 University Blvd. Charleston, SC 29406

Limestone University 4500 Leeds Ave., Suite 208 Charleston, SC 29405

Lowcountr y Graduate Center 65 George St. Charleston, SC 29401

Webster University 4105 Faber Place Drive North Charleston, SC 29405

Clemson University Restoration Institute 1240 Supply St. North Charleston SC 29405

UofSC Darla Moore School of Business - Professional MBA 4130 Faber Place Drive, Suite 100 North Charleston, SC 29405

Clemson Design Center Charleston 701 E. Bay St., Suite 202 Charleston SC 29403

843-792-2300 www.musc.edu

843-225-3294 www.go.citadel.edu ocm@citadel.edu

843-953-5670 www.gradschool.cofc.edu gradstud@cofc.edu

843-863-7386 www.charlestonsouthern.edu enroll@csuniv.edu

846-488-4370 www.limestone.edu ahudson@limestone.edu

843-638-3063 www.lowcountr ygradcenter.org akleinfeld@lowcountr ygradcenter.org

843-760-1324 www.webster.edu/charleston charleston@webster.edu

843-730-5113 www.clemson.edu/cecas/departments/charleston raseay@clemson.edu

803-777-6845 www.sc.edu/moore/pmba pmba@moore.sc.edu

843-723-1747

www.clemson.edu/caah/departments/architecture hraymon@clemson.edu

843-767-8912

www.erau.edu/charleston charleston@erau.edu

Lisa Saladin 1824

2,653

Kelly Brennan 1842 975 108 Public

Kameelah Martin 1770 974 159

MBA Business Administration; Master of Science in Psychology (Clinical Counseling); Master of Science in Project Management

Public Business Administration, Environmental Studies, Marine Biology

Christina Bruno 1964 634 65 Private MBA, EdD, PA

Adair Hudson 1845 157 22

Jonathan Solomon, Alan Kleinfeld 2002

Dean Grile 1915

Private MBA, MSW, MSHI

Master

The Business Journal’s Event Planning Guide has always been a must-have for companies and event planners in the Lowcountry.

Packed with in-depth articles, handy tips and lists of local resources, it’s an invaluable guide for anyone planning conferences, nonpro t fundraisers, weddings, reunions and more.

Arts

Counseling,

Johan Enslin 2016

Robert Lipe 1975

Public

MBA, One-Year MBA,

MBA

Ray Huff Jon Marcoux B.D. Wortham-Galvin 1989

Public Master of Science in Historic Preser vation, Master of Resilient Urban Design

N N

Embr y-Riddle Aeronautical University

W. Hill Blvd. Charleston, SC 29404

Anise Walker 2006 7 Private Master of Business Administration in Aviation, Master of Science in Project Management, Master of Science in Occupational Safety Management

N Y

Researched by Business Journal staff

•

•

Private Schools

In the Charleston Area, Ranked by Fall 2022 Enrollment

Institution Name

Porter-Gaud School 300 Albemarle Road Charleston, SC 29407

Palmetto Christian Academy 361 Egypt Road Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

Bishop England High School 363 Seven Farms Drive Charleston, SC 29492

Pinewood Preparator y School 1114 Orangeburg Road Summer ville, SC 29483

Ashley Hall 172 Rutledge Ave. Charleston SC 29403

Christ Our King - Stella Maris School 1183 Russell Drive Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

First Baptist School of Charleston 48 Meeting St. Charleston SC 29401

St. John's Christian Academy 204 W. Main St. Moncks Corner, SC 29461

Cathedral Academy 3790 Ashley Phosphate Road North Charleston, SC 29418

Faith Christian School 337 Farmington Road Summer ville, SC 29486

Sundrops Montessori School 955 Houston Northcutt Blvd. Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

Northside Christian School 7800 Northside Drive North Charleston SC 29420

Charleston Collegiate School 2024 Academy Drive Johns Island, SC 29455

James Island Christian School 15 Crosscreek Drive Charleston SC 29412

Blessed Sacrament Catholic School 7 St. Teresa Drive Charleston, SC 29407

Charleston Day School 15 Archdale St. Charleston, SC 29401

Coastal Christian Preparator y School 681 McCants Drive Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

Daniel Island Academy 300 Seven Farms Drive Charleston, SC 29492

Summer

Crown

Because

Phone / Website / Email

843-556-3620 www.portergaud.edu communications@portergaud.edu

843-881-9967 www.palmettochristianacademy.org admissions@palmettochristianacademy.org

843-849-9599 www.behs.com rr yan@behs.com

843-873-1643 www.pinewoodprep.com news@pinewoodprep.com

843-722-4088 www.ashleyhall.org

843-884-4721 www.coksm.org frontoffice@coksm.org

843-722-6646 www.fbschool.org admissions@fbschool.org

843-761-8539 www.wearesjca.com info@sjcacavaliers.com

843-760-1192 www.cathedralacademy.com contact@cathedralemail.com

843-873-8464 www.faithchristiansc.net admin@faithchristiansc.net

843-849-3652 www.sundropsmontessori.com info@sundropsmontessori.com

843-797-2690 www.northsidecharleston.com glockaby@northsideministries.com

843-559-5506 www.charlestoncollegiate.org info@charlestoncollegiate.org

843-795-1762 www.jics.org jics@jics.org

843-766-2128 www.scbss.org sbendt@scbss.org

843-377-0315 www.charlestondayschool.org admissions@charlestonday.org

843-884-3663 www.coastalchristian.org info@coastalchristian.org

843-971-5961 www.danielislandacademy.com stacie@danielislandacademy.com

scs@summer villecatholic.org

843-972-8119 www.crownla.org crown@crownla.org

Administrator / Year Founded

David DuBose Egleston 1867

Enrollment Teachers / 1 Student:Teacher Ratio 2 Affiliation / Accreditations

1,058 110 11:1

Grades Taught

NAES, NAIS, SCISA, CASE, PAIS, The College Board K through 12th

J.D. Zubia 1992 786 115 16:1 ACSI, SCISA, SACS

Patrick Finneran, Mar y Anne Tucker 1915 735 68 11:1

Pre-K through 12th

Roman Catholic, Diocese of Charleston, SC High School Athletic League, AdvancED, NCEA, NASS, SACAC, NACAC 9th through 12th

Daniel Seiden 1952 705 16:1, 8:1 (preschool) NAIS, SAIS, PAIS, SCISA, Cognia, The College Board K3 through 12th

1909 700 100 8:1 SACS, SAIS, NAIS, NCGS K2 through 12th

John Byrnes Susan Splendido 1950 649 58 12:1

Roman Catholic

Pre-K through 8th

Susan S. Brooks, Justin Mitchell, Leonard Kupersmith 1949 511 76 15:1 SAIS, SCISA, First Baptist Church of Charleston Pre-K through 12th

Eric M. Denton, Cathy O. Ollic 1966 468 40 14 :1 SCISA

K3 through 12th

Brian Price 1999 385 32 20:1 Cathedral of Praise K4 through 12th

David Freberg 1987 376 39 14:1 SCISA, AdvancED, ACTS K3 through 12th

Shannon Smith Jeanie M. Douglass 1998 375 88 9:1 AMS 6 weeks through 9th

Gavin Lockaby 1975 350 35 13::1 SCACS, NAACSA, NCPSA, COGNIA K2 through 12th

Michelle Purghart Bonne Scapellato 1970 340 16:1 NAIS, SAIS, SCISA, Coalition of Essential Schools Pre-K through 12th

Erik Shamblin, Layton Powers, Cindy Hunter 1994 277 45 18:1

Corinne King 1948 275 26 11:1

Judith Foley Arnstein 1937 265 33 8:1

Tammy Roberts Wiksell, Charles Stayer, Andria Walrond, Jennie Mings 1953 255

Kerr y Nowosielski 2004

ACSI, SCISA, AdvancEd, Non-Denominational Christian K2 through 8th

National Catholic Education Association K3 through 8th

ISM, NAIS, SAIS, NBOA, MISBO, SAIC, PAIS K through 8th

SCISA, First Baptist Church Mount Pleasant K2 through 8th

18 www.charlestonbusiness.com October 3-October 16, 2022IN FOCUS: EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT National Association for the Education of Young Children

Lathan

Charlie Tisdale Caitlin Omilak Zara

Researched by Paige Wills

Fred

www.charlestoncatholic.com charlestoncatholic@charlestoncatholic.org

843-573-1033

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29407

Charleston,

The Charleston

Charleston, SC 29414

Trinity Classical Academy 111 Waring St. Summer ville SC 29483

Nativity School 1125 Pittsford Circle Charleston, SC 29412

Charles Towne Montessori School 56 Leinbach Drive Charleston SC 29407

University School of the Lowcountr y 690 Coleman Blvd. Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

Montessori

Church St. Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

Trident Academy 1455 Wakendaw Road Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

St.

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Pleasant

www.thecooperschool.org annewilwingfield@thecooperschool.org

843-556-4480

www.charlestonchristian.org achandler@charlestonchristian.org

843-885-1081 www.tcasummer ville.com tcaofsummer ville@gmail.com

843-795-3975

www.nativity-school.com info@nativity-school.com

843-571-1140

Cooper School 13 Oakdale Place www.montfs.com nfox@montfs.com

www.charlestownemontessori.org admin@ctmlife.com

843-884-0902 www.uslowcountr y.org info@uslowcountr y.org

843-884-1117 www.mmpschool.com themontessorischool@gmail.com

843-884-7046 www.tridentacademy.com admissions@tridentacademy.com

www.stjohncatholic.wixsite.com/mysite

Ashley M. Chandler 1981

Claire J. Kabine, Heather Sullivan 2004

Patricia W Dukes 1960

Susan Burkhardt 1972

Jason R. Kreutner 2007

Megan Nordoff

Betsy

S. McKay 1991 179 15:1 Catholic Diocese of Charleston K4 through 8th Montessori

Researched by Paige Wills

3-October 16, 2022 www.charlestonbusiness.com 19October 3-October 16, 2022 IN FOCUS: EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT NOMINATE A HERO TODAY! bit.ly/crbj2022hchnoms Nominations close October 31, 2022 For sponsorship information, contact Rick Jenkins: rjenkins@scbiznews.com #HCHCHS • Volunteer • First Responder • Physician • Health Care Professional • Trident Construction Health Care Engineer • Community Outreach • Nurse • Health Care Researcher • Service/Therapy Animal Save the date: November 30, 2022 Nominate a Health Care Hero in one of these categories: Presented by: 2022 HEALTH CARE HONOR THE HEROES AMONG US! Sponsored by: Private Schools In the Charleston Area, Ranked by Fall 2022 Enrollment Institution Name Phone / Website / Email Administrator / Year Founded Enrollment Teachers / 1 Student:Teacher Ratio 2 Affiliation / Accreditations Grades Taught Ridge Christian Academy 2168 Ridge Church Road Summer ville, SC 29486 843-873-9856 www.ridgechristian.info mrsbray@ridgechristian.info Gentr y Ard, Maria P Bray 1998 200 25 10:1 Ridge Baptist Church; SCISA Newborns through 12th The Charleston Catholic School 888 King St., Suite A Charleston, SC 29403 843-577-4495 Karen

Kayla Sewell Anne Wil Wingfield Franci Bell

Christian

At Work

DESIGN

At LS3P, Kather ine Peele, FAIA, is the new chair of the board of directors. Peele, the firm’s chief practice officer, suc ceeds Thompson E. Penney, FAIA, who retired from the board in September. Senior vice president Paul Boney, FAIA, contin ues to serve as vice chair.

Peele joined LS3P (then Boney Archi tects) in 1988 after graduating as valedicto rian of her class from North Carolina State University with a bachelor of architecture, summa cum laude.

In her 34 years with the firm, she has managed more than $1 billion worth of construction, with projects ranging from educational to workplace to civic work. She became Raleigh office leader in 2005, joined the board of directors in 2010, and was named vice president of practice in 2013. In her current role as chief practice officer, she oversees the firm’s design excel lence and quality, growth of practice exper tise, and innovation.

Michelle Smyth, principal and project architect with McMil lan Pazdan Smith Architecture, has been accepted into Leader ship South Carolina class of 2023.

Smyth has com pleted a variety of project types in the Charleston Area for nearly 20 years. She also served for eight years on the City of Charleston’s Design Review Board, served on the James Simons Elementary School Improvement Council, and volunteered for the Charleston Parks Conservancy. Smyth currently serves as community chair for the Memminger Elementary PTO. She is a graduate of the Leadership class of 2019 for the Greater Summerville/Dorchester County Cham ber of Commerce.

EDUCATION

The new dean of the Culinary Institute of Charleston at Tri dent Technical Col lege is Nathan H. Rex. In this role, Rex over sees all the institute’s academic programs, including culinary arts, baking and pas try, and hospitality and tourism manage ment.

He also oversees the conference services

department, which offers rental spaces and event planning services for meetings, con ferences, weddings, receptions, and ban quets.

Rex has served as hospitality and tour ism department chair and has been respon sible for leadership and management of the hospitality and tourism programs.

HEALTH CARE

Andrew Pappa, MD, has joined Charleston ENT & Allergy. Pappa com pleted his undergrad uate work in biomed ical engineering at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He received his medical degree from UNC Chapel Hill, where he also completed his residency in otolaryngology.

Katie Wagner is now a consultant with Knowledge Cap ital Group. Wagner earned both her bach elor of arts in anthro pology and her master of healthcare adminis tration at the Univer sity of Florida.

Previously, Wagner spent two years at HCA Healthcare’s Trident Medical Center as an executive resident and an associate administrator, where she led several key departments within the hospital as well as worked on a wide range of strategic plan ning, growth, and hospital improvement projects.

LAW

Haynsworth Sin kler Boyd’s Ster ling Moose recently graduated from the Charleston Metro Chamber of Com merce Leadership Charleston class of 2022.

Moose focuses her practice on corporate law and tax matters. She is listed in 2023 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Tax Law.

The Honorable Margaret B. Sey mour has joined Saxton & Stump’s Charleston office. In 1998, President Bill Clinton nominated Seymour to a seat on

Business Digest

Black Food Truck Fest set for November

The Black Food Truck Festival is back this fall celebrating Black businesses and culture with food, music, family-friendly activities and entertainment. Tickets are on sale now for the two-day festival, to take place on Nov. 19 and 20 at the Exchange Park Fairgrounds in Lad son.

The springtime festival drew 15,000 people from throughout the Carolinas and generated more than $1 million for Black-owned busi nesses in the Charleston region. Festival founder Marcus Hammond said food truck partici pants at the spring festival reported their biggest day of sales to date.

In addition to highlighting the region’s food truck cuisine, the semi-annual Black Food Truck Festival seeks to have an economic and social impact on the community by showcasing and investing in Black-owned businesses.

New warehouse being built at McQueen Industrial Park

Choate Construction Company is construc ting a 110,000-square-foot speculative ware house in the McQueen Industrial Park, just outside Charleston. The facility will capitalize on ready access to land, air, and sea to meet the growing demand for fast shipping and product delivery in the competitive industrial space. Choate is working in conjunction with McQueen Distribution, represented by Omni Partners

Once complete, the concrete tilt-wall struc ture will feature 18 dock positions, two truck ramps with drive-in doors, a 48-space parking lot with an expandable option, and a flexible design to suit the needs of future tenants. The property will also have a dedicated food-truck space equipped with utilities to provide con venient lunch options for tenant personnel.

Hot Properties

Faith Geiger of East Bay Co. Ltd. represented the landlord, East Bay Co. Ltd., in the lease of 3,879 square feet of office space at 215 East Bay St. in Charleston to VH Home Fragrance Inc.

Kristie Roe of Colliers represented Par Enterpris es, Inc. in the sale of a 1,260-square-foot office building at 1031 Chuck Dawley Boulevard in Mount Pleasant to Between Heaven and Earth.

First Flyways event to take place on Oct. 15

The Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit that celebrates wildlife and the great outdoors through fine art, live enter tainment, and special events, is partnering with Ducks Unlimited to host Flyways, a new fall event at the Charleston Visitor Center Bus Shed. Tickets for the event, to take place on

Markus Kastenholz, of Colliers represented World Overcomers Ministries in the sale of 11 acres of land on North Highway 17 in Awendaw to Sweetwater Events.

in Hanahan to Premier Fire and Security Inc. Tyler Smith of Jones Lang LaSalle Brokerage represented the tenant.

Robert Pratt of Re/Max Pro Realty represented the landlord, Bankton Drive Associates LLC, in the lease of 8,000 square feet of warehouse space in Building B at 1006 Bankton Circle

Brent Case, Brian Aiken and Julia Donovan of Coldwell Banker Commercial Atlantic represented the buyer in the sale of 7,200 square feet of retail space at 109 Grandview Drive in Summerville for $2 million.

Peele Smyth

Rex

Seymour

Wagner

Pappa

People in the News Moose

the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina. She became the first African American woman to be named a U.S. District Court judge in South Carolina. In 2012 she became the first African American named chief judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina.

Seymour, who retired from the bench in August 2022, is focusing on mediation and arbitration as well as providing support to the firm’s commercial litigation, Title IX, and labor and employment groups.

MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS

Joshua Gale is now senior director of marketing for the Chapman Foundation for Caring Communities. He brings more than 15 years of design and marketing experience.

Integratedmarketing firm Brandon has brought in Kristi Raines as content director. She brings with her 11 years of content creation and marketing experience. Casey Kupper is now a public relations manager at Brandon, a marketing firm specializing in B2B, healthcare, financial services, telecommunications, outdoor lifestyles, lifestyle apparel, travel and tourism, consumer packaged goods, real estate, utilities, and fitness.

take place

Exposition, a 501(c) wildlife and the live enterpartnering

Flyways, a new Center Bus place on

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Kupper manages media relations, pitching efforts, and event execution for clients.

NONPROFIT

J. Matthew Brittain and Caroline Schmitt have joined the Brookgreen Gardens board of trustees.

Brittain, a native of Myrtle Beach, has worked in the hospitality industry since childhood, when he helped his father at the Chesterfield Inn. He is chief executive officer of MB National and Brittain Resorts & Hotels, where he has been employed since 1985.

Schmitt, from Greenville, holds a bachelor’s degree with a major in foreign languages from Southern Methodist University.

The board of directors at YWCA Greater Charleston continues to be led by chair Kendra Snipe (Nucor Corporation), vice chair Jennifer Dunlap (Baker Donelson), secretary Janet Hart (Amazon), and treasurer Courtney Johnson (Prudential Financial). Judge Tamara C. Curry of the Charleston County Probate Court, past board chair, will serve as chair of the nonprofit’s governance committee.

Also continuing on the board are Radia Baxter (Charleston County Sheriff ’s Department), Ardmease Cunningham (Charleston Development Academy), Natasha Chisolm (The Chisolm Law Firm), and previous board treasurer Belita Green

New board members include Carol A. Jackson, Kenya Dunn, Adrianne Grimes, and Crystal T. Robinson Rouse

REAL ESTATE

Realtors Gates Blair and Grover Maxwell IV have joined The Cassina Group.

Scott Biehler and Finnegan Gibbons are now on the Handsome Properties sales team. Biehler started his career as a mortgage broker in the early 2000s. Gibbons was born and raised in New York.

The new broker associate at Landmark Enterprises is Weston Bradley. His primary focus is acquisition, sale and leasing of land, office, and warehouse space in the Charleston metropolitan area.

Joe Brown has placed his license with AgentOwned Realty’s Summerville office. Brown moved to the Charleston area four years ago.

Marianna Grall has joined AgentOwned Realty’s Moncks Corner office, while Pam Lightfoot has returned there. Lightfoot has been a licensed agent in the Lowcountry since 2005.

Kevin Hoffman has returned to AgentOwned Realty’s Summerville office. A member of the Jim Mills Group, Hoffman is a top-producing agent who has earned numerous sales and customer-satisfaction accolades during his 30-year career.

Lauren Parker has placed her license with AgentOwned Realty’s Sea Turtle Properties in Summerville. A native of Charleston, Parker has a master’s of business administration in finance and more than a decade of sales experience.

Taylor Tillman has placed her license with AgentOwned Realty’s Mount Pleasant office. Born and raised in Charleston, she graduated from Bishop England High School and the College of Charleston. A licensed real estate agent since 2016, Tillman completed additional training to obtain her brokers license in 2021.

TECH

Talent retention expert Troy Hall has been selected as a coach for GetMee, a communication and personal-development coaching software powered by artificial intelligence. GetMee integrates AI technology with human coaching to create a personalized training plan.

Oct. 15 from 7 to 11 p.m., are available online. The new celebration was inspired by the annual migration of waterfowl across North America. Every fall, ducks and geese follow ancient pathways, called flyways, from their breeding grounds to warmer climates in search of food and shelter for winter. Scientists remain uncertain exactly how the birds navigate their way across the continent’s four main flyways, but think they take cues from the position of the sun, moon, and stars, geographic landmarks, and magnetic fields invisible to the human eye.

Chili cook off to raise funds for youth charities

The 37th Annual Kiwanis Club of Hilton Head Island Chili Cook Off & Jeep Island Presented by Hampton by Hilton will take place from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday at Coastal Discovery Museum. The event raises much-needed funding for local youth charities.

Entries from more than 25 chili cooks will be judged to determine the best concoctions in professional, amateur, and people’s choice categories. Winners will earn cash prize donations to the local youth charity of their choice.

Pure Theatre announces season’s dining partners

Pure Theatre has announced the restaurant partners for its Season 20 Dining Benefits Program, in partnership with the Charleston Arts Festival. The Dining Benefits Program is exclusive to All-Access Flex Pass members, who receive discounts at some of the best restaurants in Charleston on performance nights. Returning for the second year in a row are The Grocery, Renzo, Indaco, Basic Kitchen, Vincent Chiccos, and The Lux at Warehouse. New additions to the program include Barsa, Bistronomy by Nico, Pink Cactus, Goulette, Harold’s Cabin, and the recently opened Vern’s.

New beer marks new collaboration

Woman-owned Striped Pig Distillery has released its first beer collaboration with Ghost Monkey Brewery. New Beginnings is a Belgian-wheat–style beer with strong flavors of lavender, orange peel, and coriander.

Local organizations receive grants to assist with housing stability

Trident United Way, in partnership with the United Way Association of South Carolina, served as a subgrantee of the Emergency Rental Assistance Program in awarding grants to 18 local organizations that provide housing stability services. The United Way Association of South Carolina received $11 million in federal funds from SC Housing. These funds were allocated to 39 South Carolina counties through local United Way affiliates. Trident United Way was tasked with dispersing funds exclusively for Dorchester County, as Berkeley and Charleston counties already received and expended direct federal funds for this purpose. Though the funds were allocated for Dorchester County, residents of Berkeley and Charleston counties also can receive services.

Southern First Bancshares earns high ranking from Bank Director

Bank Director’s annual Ranking Banking Report recognized Southern First Bancshares, holding company for Southern First Bank, as the No. 5 Best Overall Bank. Southern First Bank has been providing financial services since 1999 and now operates in 12 locations in the Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston markets as well as in North Carolina’s Charlotte, Triangle, and Triad regions and in Atlanta.

Brandon becomes Amish Furniture retailer’s agency of record

Charleston Amish Furniture and Foothills Amish Furniture, the largest Amish furniture retailer in South Carolina, has named Brandon as its agency of record. The agency is leading the company’s digital retail strategy for each store location.

Charleston & Foothills Amish Furniture delivers handcrafted Amish, American-made solid wood furniture from wood shops in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Indiana to the Foothills and Lowcountry of South Carolina.

Empower Charleston to feature 6 local nonprofits

Social Venture Partners Charleston will host Empower Charleston on Oct. 27 to highlight six local nonprofits. Empower Charleston is a celebration of philanthropy and the finale of the 2022 Social Venture Partners grant investment cycle.

Brett Rashtchian of Re/Max Pro Realty represented the seller, JKW Properties LLC, in the sale of 45,998 square feet of retail space on 15 acres at 888 College Park Road in Summerville to RCB Development for $5,925,000.

Markus Kastenholz, of Colliers represented Henry Kuznik Trust in the sale of 107 acres of land on Bees Ferry Road to MBG Land LLC and in the sale of 1.43 acres of land at 2452 Ashley

River Road in Charleston to Shaun Laursen. 110 Freeman St., a custom home in the heart of Mount Pleasant’s Old Village, sold for $3.9 million. The Cassina Group’s Jimmy Dye represented the sellers and Jackie Kelly represented the buyers.

Marcus & Millichap facilitated the sale of Chatham Place Apartments, a 30-unit apartment community in North Charleston, for $3.3 million. Graves, in addition to Ryan Lipomi and Nate McDaniel, marketed the property on behalf of the seller. The buyer was secured by Graves and McDaniel.

Robert Pratt of Re/Max Pro Realty represented the seller, Brandon Cox, in the sale of a 61,105-square-foot building on 18.91 acres of former Bowman High School space

Brown

Parker Tillman

Six mission-driven nonprofits—Beyond Our Walls, Charleston Hope, Charleston Legal Access, Heart Math Tutoring, Increasing Hope Financial Training Center, and We Are Family—will take to the main stage to make their pitch to investors, donors, and Social Venture Partners. The priorities for the 2022 grant investment cycle include a focus on economic mobility, education, and mental health.

Social Venture Partners Charleston will announce three strategic partnerships and give attendees the opportunity to co-invest in all six organizations.

Riviera Rockin’ Holiday Special to benefit Meeting Street Schools

The Riviera theater, in downtown Charleston, will present the inaugural Riviera Rockin’ Holiday Special on Dec. 1 and 2 at 8 p.m. The Christmas spectacle will bring holiday merriment to King Street with music by The Fabulous Equinox Orchestra. Tickets are available for purchase with 20 percent of proceeds from the show benefitting Meeting Street Schools, a Charleston nonprofit network of public and independent schools.

New restaurant to feature Mediterranean-inspired menu

The culinary and beverage team behind upscale Italian eatery Savi Cucina + Wine Bar is set to open Sommba Cocina & Cellar, a coastal Spanish and Mediterranean-inspired restaurant and wine bar. Opening in early November in Mount Pleasant, Sommba will serve shareable small plates, handcrafted cocktails, and an extensive selection of fine wine.

sive and comprehensive study of the political, civic, economic and social dynamics in action within Dorchester County.

The program begins with an overnight retreat in February and ends with graduation in December.

Market expansion brings Corcoran HM Properties to Charleston area

Corcoran Group affiliate Corcoran HM Properties has expanded its growing operation into Charleston. Corcoran HM Properties’ growth marks the eighth Corcoran affiliate to announce an expansion in less than one year.

This market expansion, Corcoran HM Properties’ first since affiliating with Corcoran in June 2021, broadens the firm’s reach from the Charlotte region to greater Charleston, which includes Mount Pleasant, Sullivans Island, and Isle of Palms.

Pure Theatre announces 2nd show

The second show in Pure Theatre’s 20th anniversary season is Lynn Nottage’s Clyde’s. The show will run from Oct. 27 to Nov. 19 at the Cannon Street Arts Center.

The plot centers on the formerly incarcerated kitchen staff of Clyde’s, a truck stop cafe, and their shared quest: to create the perfect sandwich. The show is directed by Chad Henderson, former artistic director of Trustus Theatre in Columbia and current marketing director for the South Carolina Philharmonic.

Click Communication Arts wins 2 web awards

The Web Excellence Awards, an international web awards competition, has announced its 2022 award winners. Charleston’s Click Communication Arts was recognized with the excellence award for two projectss: Website Non-Profit: Colatown Bike Collective and Community Website: Daniel Island Community Association.

Cast Away Charters snags accolades

Applications are open for Leadership Dorchester

The Greater Summerville/Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Dorchester program is accepting applications for the class of 2023. Leadership Dorchester is an 11-month inten-

Cast Away Charters was recently named Best Fishing Charter Company in the greater Beaufort area by The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette newspapers, and also awarded Trip Advisor’s Travelers’ Choice for 2022. Newspaper readers nominated and voted for local businesses in a variety of categories.

at 1318 Bowman Branch Road in Bowman to Curtin Realty & Investments LLC for $325,000. Phil Rose of Twin Rivers Capital LLC represented the landlord in the lease of 1,162-square-feet of retail space at 1960 Old Trolley Road in Summerville Avis Rental. April Curci of Carolina One represented the tenant.

Blair Belk and Trey Lucy of Belk Lucy represented the seller in the sale of .61 acres of land at 516 Coleman Blvd. in Mount Pleasant for $1,625,000. Belk and Lucy also represented the landlord in the lease of 1255 square feet of retail space at 3540 Park Avenue Blvd. in Mount Pleasant to Charleston Dance Works.

Morrow Boggs, Tim Metzler of Belk Lucy represented the tenant, Mavis Southeast LLC, in the lease of retail space at 2183 Highway 41 in Mount Pleasant. William Moore of Carolina Commercial represented the landlord.

Pete Harper, Reid Davis and Cameron Yost of Lee & Associates Charleston LLC represented the seller, Atrium Northwoods LLC, in the sale of 57,306 square feet of office space at 7301 Rivers Ave., North Charleston, to Real Estate Holdco LLC for $8125000.

Robert Pratt of Re/Max Pro Realty represented the landlord, Sheep Island Properties of Summerville LLC, in the lease of 10,350 square feet of warehouse space in Suite B of 225 Varnfield Drive in Summerville Bintelli Powersports. Ashley Jackrel of Avison Young represented the tenant.

HOT PROPERTIES, from Page 21

Viewpoint

3 principles can help acquire the right talent

Ihave spent much of my career in the search for great talent, both in boutique recruiting firms and in-house with a large public accounting firm. I consider it a privilege to spend my working hours helping the right candidates and right companies connect and flourish together. The right person in the right role changes everything

But over the past two years, I have seen many of those perfect matches fizzle out under today’s extreme competition for talent. Finding the right technical skillset and the right cultural fit at the right compensation level is hard enough. But once you’ve gotten that far, how do you successfully keep that candidate engaged and interested?

Through hard-won experience and some stumbles along the way, I’ve developed three broad principles that offer a higher chance of successfully closing a search process.

1. Human beings want to be valued: Court your candidates.

I have found this to be perhaps the most challenging adjustment for execu-

tives and hiring managers. Historically, the employer has held most of the power in the hiring relationship. The candidate was expected to convince the hiring managers that he or she was the right fit for the job. But this world as we knew it has flipped upside down. As an employer, you now must persuade the candidate that the organization is the right fit for them as well. . . while still vetting out the fit at the same time.

To do this, I have found it helpful to think about the hiring process as a courtship. Put yourself in the shoes of the candidate and ask what you would want to know if you were considering taking a job. How can you show off your company culture? Your corporate strengths? An invitation to a candidate to simply come sit within the department and watch the team work together is a great way for a prospect to learn more in a natural, authentic work setting.

With a high-value candidate, I often recommend the CEO or other top leadership get involved in the process. A phone conversation with company leadership sharing about a candidate’s future at the company can go a long way towards a prospect’s feeling valued.

2. Human beings need time: Respect the process.

True story: my now-husband told me he could see us getting married on

our first date, which happened to be in a McDonalds drive-through. (Although we were broke college students, I do not recommend this approach!).

Committing to taking the time to learn about a candidate and to allow him to learn about you requires patience. It means that you don’t move directly to the “sell” until you’ve offered enough to attract some interest and engagement.

It is crucial to note that respecting the process does not mean to move slowly. As an old mentor of mine used to say, “Time kills all deals.” Juggling a commitment to the process and to moving with intentionality creates tension at times.

e best solution I have found for this tension is to prioritize communication. Set expectations for the process and be clear about timelines and steps. Let the candidate know how many rounds of interviews and with whom, and when a candidate can expect to know next steps or decisions. Without communication, we all create our own stories, and sometimes those stories are false or at least incomplete.

And finally, be clear about a “no” or “yes.” Most people in the job market are OK with almost any news, except for no news at all.

3. Human beings want to believe in something: Know your sizzle.

Quite simply, why should someone

want to work at your company? What position is your company in the present market, and how will that change for the better? Is your culture “different” from others in the same industry?

Work through an assessment of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats from an employee perspective and be prepared to articulate to a prospect what a career might look like at your firm and how it could develop. Often we will create a slide deck for clients that walks candidates through the opportunity. It gives candidates something tangible they can show a spouse or another family member.

While these principles will help you develop a hiring process that attracts the best talent, the most important thing you can do is remember the human in each situation.

CRBJ

Rhiannon Poore is the CEO and founder of Forge Search, a professional recruiting firm that primarily recruits within the fields of accounting and finance, marekting and sales, and HR and operations. Connect with her at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhiannonpoore.

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A competitive job market requires a rethinking of recruiting talent, with a new emphasis on employers persuading candidates a job is right for them, according to our guest columnist. (Photo/File)