2022 Charleston Profiles in Business

2022

PROFILES IN BUSINESS

CONNECTING LOWCOUNTRY BUSINESSES Charleston’s leading companies reveal the keys to success

Sponsored by:

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eal Brothers Charleston, Inc. is a customer service-oriented, family-owned logistics expert that specializes in distribution, e-commerce, and boxing & crating. Neal Brothers has been in Charleston for over 30 years and has grown into a distribution leader in the Lowcountry.

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Thestablished company,over which than a century ago,Brothers started operations in Charleston in and 1988stripping, such as flat rack stuffing over more 75 employees, Neal 100originated years ago ininEngland and cross docking.

Neal Inc. company has over to 1.5handle million England and operating in Charleston after a customer in England needed anCharleston, export packing theirpick-and-pack machines in Charleston.

Neal Brothers Charleston, operates and feet of warehouse distribution for nearly years, aNeal Brothers Brothers later30started shipside servicesquare that allowed breakbulkand cargo coming into Charleston ports toInc. be picked owns fully equipped freight stations, space among 6 facilities, each within five Charleston, Inc. has found success in up stablished right fromover the hook of theago ship. a small group or four employees has grown to a such as flat rack stuffingtoday and stripping, overstarted 75 as employees, Nealof three Brothers 100 years in What reliable export packing, boxing and crating miles of the Port of Charleston terminals. consolidation lay-down areas and global pick-and-pack cross Charleston, haswarehousing over 1.5 million England andthan operating in Charleston team of more 75 with over 1.5 million squareInc. feet of and distribution space and among six docking. facilities. Neal

solutions along with unparalleled customer Our most recent additions to our facilities export packing buildings. The company for nearly 30 years, Neal Brothers square feet of warehouse and distribution Brothers Charleston, Inc. operates and service. Neal Brothers Charleston, Inc. include a warehouse and distribution has adopted a sustainable packing strategy ownsstation fully services equipped freight stations, 6 facilities, each within fivefreight Charleston, Inc. has foundon success in space among Neal complete services, including distribution, damage and such ensureaspreservation, location in Savannah minutes from the to avoid started in Brothers 1988 afterfocuses a customer in England packing reliable export packing, boxing and crating miles of the Port of Charleston terminals. consolidation lay-down areas and global flat rack stuffingpacking and stripping, and crossasdocking.

With recent facility additions that includeapproach a and they instill a zero-damage to well as an in-house needed an export companypick-and-pack to Port of Savannah solutions along with unparalleled customer Our most recent additions to our facilities export packing buildings. The company equipmentanwith optimal project packing packing customer in Mississippi. handle their machines in Charleston.

Thein Savannah warehouse and distribution center minutes from distribution theNothing Port of Savannah, packing has adopted ain-house sustainable packing strategy warehouse and service.

Neal Brothers Charleston, Inc. include a just skills and rigorous interfacing with freight is too big, or too small for Neal Brothers company started with 3 to 4 employees to customer Mississippi, a new 100,000-square-foot building coming onlinetoinavoid 2022,damage Neal Brothers offers and ensure preservation, location in Savannah minutes from the started in 1988in after a customerand in England handle the one customer. Neal Brothers Charleston, Inc. and each site is staffed with forwarders and vendors. Above all, Neal Port of Savannah as wellneeds. as an in-house and they instill a zero-damage approach to needed an export company to to dedicated spacepacking and excellent service meet our customers’ Charleston Inc. later started a shipside expert personnel fully trained to protect, Brothers Charleston, Inc. prides itself on handle their machines in Charleston. The packing customer in Mississippi. Nothing equipment with optimal project packing service that allowed Breakbulk cargo pack and ship customers’ products to their its impeccable customer service provided skills and rigorousof interfacing with freight is too big, or too small forservice Neal Brothers by company startedNeal withBrothers 3 to 4 employees to on Above itself impeccable customer passionate the best best team team of passionate and hardexact specifications.

The company provided focuses by the coming intoall, Charleston ports toprides be picked handle the one customer. Neal Brothers Charleston, Inc. and each site is staffed with forwarders and vendors. Above all, Neal and hardworking dedicated to completing job with excellence.

As distribution to working people whocontinues are dedicated to on complete packing each services, including up right from the hookpeople of the who ship. are Now Charleston Inc. later started a shipside expert personnel fully trained to protect, Brothers Charleston, Inc. prides itself on completing each jobNeal with excellence. freight station services serving overand 50 customers and becomes employingevendistribution, evolve, e-commerce more to the future of logistics, its impeccable customer Brothers service provided andimportant ship customers’ products toSouth their Carolina service that allowed Breakbulk cargo pack will continue to exceed the expectations of our customers.

We welcome you to come be our partner today! coming into Charleston ports to be picked exact specifications. The company focuses by the best team of passionate and hardup right from the hook of the ship. Now on complete packing services, including working people who are dedicated to serving over 50 customers and employing distribution, freight station services completing each job with excellence.

843-554-0007 Special | www.nealbrothers.com Advertising Supplement | 2022 Pro files in Business 843-554-0007 | www.nealbrothers.com

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A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Executive Editor - Jason Thomas jthomas@scbiznews.com • 864.568.7570 Steve McDaniel, editor - Custom Publishing Division smcdaniel@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3123 Ross Norton, managing editor - content rnorton@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1222 Melinda Waldrop, managing editor - production mwaldrop@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7542 Molly Hulsey, staff writer mhulsey@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1223 Paige Wills, research specialist pwills@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3125 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jenny Wilson, Barry Waldman CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

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elcome to the 2022 issue of the Charleston Regional Business Journal’s Profiles in Business. The concept of this magazine originated not long after launching the Business Journal in 1995, when we began hearing from businesspeople in the community asking to include stories about their company. As journalists, our reply was always, “We can’t do that until you do something we can report as news.”

At the same time, many of those same people were asking if they could hire our advertising copywriters to produce pieces they could use in brochures and marketing materials — but we were always too busy putting out the newspaper.

Finally it dawned on us: Why not combine the two? And looking at another successful version of Profiles in Business, it seems the marriage continues to be a happy one.

We bring this publication to market as our economy continues to grapple with labor shortages, supply chain disruptions, rampant inflation and other headwinds that make running a business as challenging as it has ever been. The profiles inside will give you a glimpse into how these companies have handled those challenges and made them such a vital and successful part of the Lowcountry economy.

Please accept my invitation to read the 2022 Profiles in Business, and I hope you will enjoy reading this sample of Charleston business life as much as I do.

Raymond C. Murray rcmurrayphotography@gmail.com www.rcmurrayphotography.com

Rick Jenkins, group publisher rjenkins@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1224 Account Executives

Steve McDaniel Editor, SC Biz News Custom Publishing Division

Ryan Downing, senior account executive rdowning@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1221 Amanda Alford, multimedia account executive aalford@bridgetowermedia.com • 864.720.1223 Tony Rossi, multimedia account executive trossi@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1974

SC Biz News A portfolio company of BridgeTower Opco LLC

Jim Wheeler, multimedia account executive jwheeler@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3104 Events Kim McManus, events manager kmcmanus@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3116 Subscription Services service@bridgetowermedia.com • 877.615.9536

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2022 Profiles in Business | Special Advertising Supplement

The entire contents of this newspaper are copyright by BridgeTower Opco 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.

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FEATURED PROFILES | LISTED BY PAGE NUMBER

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Neal Brothers

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DRB Homes

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MRB Group

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CNT Foundations

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Paul L. Errico Associates

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Pleasant Places

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McLeod Information Systems

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Visual Infonomics Group

a customer service-oriented, family-owned logistics expert that mmerce, and boxing & crating. Neal Brothers has been in Charleston for to a distribution leader in the Lowcountry.

nd than a century ago,Brothers started operations in Charleston in and 1988stripping, such as flat rack stuffing r more 75 employees, Neal and cross docking.

Neal arleston, Inc. company has over to 1.5handle million xport packing theirpick-and-pack machines in Charleston.

Neal Brothers Charleston, operates and are allowed feet of warehouse distribution hat breakbulkand cargo coming into Charleston ports toInc. be picked owns fully equipped freight to stations, ce amongas6a facilities, eachofwithin five small group or four employees has grown a such as flat rack stuffingtoday and stripping, rstarted 75 employees, Neal three Brothers es of the Port of Charleston terminals. consolidation lay-down areas and global pick-and-pack cross arleston, haswarehousing over 1.5 million on squareInc. feet of and distribution space and among six docking. facilities. Neal

r most recent additions to our facilities export packing buildings. The company are feet of warehouse and distribution Brothers Charleston, Inc. operates and ude a warehouse and distribution has adopted a sustainable packing strategy ownsstation fully services equipped freight stations, ce among 6 facilities, each within fivefreight ng services, including distribution, damage and such ensureaspreservation, ation in Savannah minutes from the to avoid es of the Port of Charleston terminals. consolidation lay-down areas and global pack and crossasdocking.

With recent facility additions that includeapproach a and they instill a zero-damage to t of Savannah well as an in-house r most recent additions to our facilities export packing buildings. The 8company equipment with optimal project packing king customer in Mississippi.

Nothing annah minutes and from distribution the Port of Savannah, an ain-house packing has adopted sustainable packing strategy ude a just warehouse skills and rigorous interfacing with freight oo big, or too small for Neal Brothers 00-square-foot building coming online in 2022, Neal Brothers offers preservation, ation in Savannah minutes from the to avoid damage and ensure arleston, Inc. and each site is staffed with forwarders and vendors. Above all, Neal t of Savannah as wellneeds. as an in-house and they instill a zero-damage approach to meet our customers’ ert personnel fully trained to protect, Brothers Charleston, Inc. prides itself on king customer in Mississippi. Nothing equipment with optimal project packing k and ship customers’ products to their its impeccable customer service provided skills and rigorousof interfacing with freight oo big, or too small forservice Neal Brothers by mpeccable customer passionate the best best team team of passionate and hardct specifications.

The company provided focuses by the arleston, Inc. and each site is staffed with forwarders and vendors. Above all, Neal ed to completing job with excellence.

As distribution to working people whocontinues are dedicated to complete packing each services, including ert personnel fully trained to protect, Brothers Charleston, Inc. prides itself on completing each jobNeal with excellence. ribution, freight station services more to the future of logistics, its impeccable customer Brothers service provided k andimportant ship customers’ products toSouth their Carolina of our customers.

We welcome you to come be our partner today! ct specifications. The company focuses by the best team of passionate and hardcomplete packing services, including working people who are dedicated to ribution, freight station services completing each job with excellence.

0007 | www.nealbrothers.com 6

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2022 Profiles in Business | Special Advertising Supplement

0007 | www.nealbrothers.com

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McLeod

INFORMATION SYSTEMS

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Special Advertising Supplement | 2022 Pro files in Business

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DRB HOMES

DRB Homes — Discover the DRB Difference

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lthough new in name, DRB Homes is not new to the homebuilding industry, boasting over 30 years of hard work, dedication and quality craftsmanship along the East Coast.

DRB Homes’ success was born out of the legacies of Dan Ryan Builders, Fielding Homes, DRB Coastal and Knight Homes.

“It’s an exciting time for DRB Group! Over time, the company has grown organically into new markets along with acquisitions that created multiple brands. As we continue to grow, we felt it is now time for a more unified look and feel that

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DRB Homes offers traditional designs that reflect the style and charm of Lowcountry living.

showcases our size and strength for all divisions under one name.” said Mike Boyle, Charleston Division President. “Streamlining our business down to two brands, DRB Homes, which will serve first-time to luxury homebuyers, and DRB Elevate, specifically designed to serve our Active Adults, leveraging our time and resources while making it easier for our customers to find us!”

DRB Homes has been named the 21st largest homebuilder in the country by Builder Online. Its seasoned staff has decades of experience building beautiful, quality homes across its luxury builder brands. “The DRB

2022 Profiles in Business | Special Advertising Supplement

Homes brand is a positive new chapter and is a result of our historic success as a growing, top30 homebuilder in the U.S. While the name changed, our passion remains the same for improving the lives of our homeowners,” said Boyle.

Building coastal homes in Charleston, Summerville, Johns Island and Mount Pleasant since 2006, DRB Homes offers traditional and open-concept designs that reflect the famous southern charm of South Carolina with welcoming features like main-level living, and gracious front and rear screened porches.

DRB HOMES

Interiors in DRB Homes are livable, thoughtfully designed spaces that can meet a variety of needs for first-time homeowners, repeat buyers, empty nesters or retirees looking to downsize. Floor plans range from open-concept townhomes to single family homes offering up to 4,000 square feet and elevated homes along the water.

With an abundance of interior finishes to choose from, “We’re proud to offer a more personalized approach and deliver on our promise of creating an exceptional new home and rewarding experience,” said Lindy Sfirlea, Director of Sales & Marketing.

“Our floor plans offer numerous options

giving a multigenerational family flexibility in how their family lives. A couple might have their mother-in-law or college student live with them and they would need to have separate living areas under one roof,” said Sfirlea. “In the spirit of living your best life, we strive to bring modern home designs that are both practical and beautiful. We use the highest quality building materials from manufacturers that utilize green and sustainable processes. Our interior finishes and optional choices allow you to personalize the home to your tastes, lifestyle, wants and needs.”

On the horizon for Charleston is DRB Elevate (formerly Elevate Homes), a refined idea of an Active Adult Community for the 55+ homebuyer that will provide an invigorating alternative to the current and existing agerestricted communities. The first DRB Elevate community, Summerwind Crossing, in Cane Bay Plantation will offer owner’s suites on the main level, unique home amenities and remarkable features at an affordable price.

Every DRB home comes with a 10-year structural warranty, one of the most selective warranty programs in the industry. Robust materials are used for increased strength and energy efficiency. A third party inspects every new home to ensure quality in workmanship.

Every inch, down to the finished details, is inspected to a high standard.

DRB Homes chooses to build their homes in neighborhoods where residents want to live, attracting homebuyers near large employment centers.

“We do get a lot of repeat homebuyers because our floor plans appeal to families in all stages of life; first-time homebuyers, moveup homebuyers and retirees, etc.,” Sfirlea said. “The customer and their experience are important to us. If they liked us for their first home and then they move into a larger home when their family grows and then when they’re ready to downsize, they’ll come back to DRB Homes or DRB Elevate. It’s not just any home, it’s a very thoughtfully designed home, it looks beautiful and is in places people want to be and live.”

3955 Faber Place Dr., Ste. 100 North Charleston, SC 843-820-2505 Special Advertising Supplement | 2022 Pro files in Business

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MRB GROUP

MRB Group’s Heather Simmons Jones: Leadership by Example Economic development success follows hard work

Heather Simmons Jones (right) brings a wealth of experience in economic development and county administration to her role as Director of Southeast Operations for MRB Group in Charleston.

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2022 Profiles in Business | Special Advertising Supplement

MRB GROUP

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s a veteran of both economic development and county administration, Heather Simmons Jones has been involved with some of the largest projects in South Carolina. Her 25 years of experience has given her a wealth of knowledge about what it takes to make things happen.

While working in Greenwood County, Jones completed at least 30 major projects which totaled more than $1 billion in capital investment.

“Federal, state and local funds are critical to major economic development initiatives, but these investments don’t happen without extensive coordination and a solid foundation of preliminary work,” Jones said.

Many would agree that success also depends upon building strong partnerships, another skill Jones possesses in abundance. Jones once guided economic development for counites including Allendale, Beaufort, Anderson and Greenwood. In 2021, Jones decided to take her leadership role one step further. She joined MRB Group, a municipal services firm that connects expertise in engineering, architecture and strategic planning to support local governments and communities that want to succeed.

“MRB Group is forward thinking. Planning, infrastructure and economic development cannot be separate efforts,” Jones said. “They should be fully integrated from inception through execution. It’s next-level leadership.”

As MRB Group’s Director of Southeast Operations, Jones will help strengthen local governments and communities, allowing them to compete more effectively for investment.

Her efforts focus on building strategies and matching private investment to a community’s vision and growth objectives.

Jones’ thought leadership and past accomplishments also earned her a role as a

Heather Simmons Jones

governor’s appointee to the South Carolina Research Authority.

“My leadership at MRB Group puts me in a unique position to utilize multiple teams within one firm and provide integrated services and expertise,” Jones said. “From market studies and cost-benefit analysis to site and building design, it is extremely beneficial to clients to have turnkey project management and a trusted adviser.”

Currently, the firm is providing a diverse suite of services that includes strategic planning; municipal planning services; ARPA assistance and compliance; grant research, writing, and administration; code updates for development and stormwater management; local government management support; finance and budget assistance; incentive negotiations; executive searches; and economic development services.

MRB Group’s engineers and architects also design municipal infrastructure and facilities such as water and wastewater treatment systems, managing many critical public projects to completion.

“With the current ARPA, CARES Act and local allocations, this is a prime opportunity for community leaders to get things accomplished,” Jones said, noting that MRB Group’s team members often serve as extensions of local government staff, helping to plan and monitor implementation of important community objectives.

“MRB Group is unlike any other engineering and architecture firm I’ve ever worked with,” Jones said. “Their solutions are aimed well beyond short-term projects.

They help communities plan for their own sustainability and success,” she stated.

“South Carolina’s ability to develop and prosper requires several tiers of planning, implementation and building upon prior achievements. This requires a keen, longterm focus. Local governments need the right support,” Jones continued.

MRB Group President/CEO Ryan Colvin agrees, and said he believes Jones is the right person for the job.

“Opportunities to build a stellar team are rare,” Colvin said. “Heather is a well-known and respected economic developer and local government expert. We are extremely fortunate that she chose to work with MRB Group, and that she will help us further expand our team to serve local government leaders and their communities in the Palmetto State.”

With roots that date back to 1927, MRB Group is one of the oldest engineering and architecture firms in the Southeast. In addition to providing traditional civil engineering and architecture, MRB Group developed its SmarterLocalGov team to add a wide array of unique services. Today, more than 125 engineers, architects, planners, and support staff currently work with 150+ local governments, supporting municipal services and operations.

For more information, visit mrbgroup.com.

134 Meeting St., Suite 170A Charleston, SC 29401 843-992-0275 Special Advertising Supplement | 2022 Pro files in Business

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CNT FOUNDATIONS

CNT Foundations resolves any foundation issue with innovative solutions

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CNT Foundations’ state-of-the-art helical pier technology ensures a solid, stable foundation in a variety of soil types and applications. The steel used in CNT’s installations is certified, American-made and meets AC358 and ICC requirements.

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2022 Profiles in Business | Special Advertising Supplement

he most crucial part of any building is its foundation. Experts at CNT Foundations are the industry leaders in finding the best solutions for commercial and industrial clients to keep buildings standing tall.

Using exclusive, high-quality materials — and in some cases, patented technology — as well as evaluating an area’s unique soil conditions are why major industrial clients, including Nucor Steel, Norfolk Airport and Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune have turned to the experts at the North Charleston-based company for the best foundation options.

Travis Bedson, a lifelong Charlestonian and founder and CEO of CNT Foundations, said the company was formed out of necessity.

“We were doing structural repairs for other general contractors, and I wanted more control over the quality of project and quality of materials,” Bedson said. “Everyone else in this space can only sell the products they have on their shelf; we have engineers on staff that can design something that fits our clients’ need. We do a lot of innovating. I love the technical aspect of it.”

CNT Foundations offers state-of-the-art helical piers, which are used in new construction and foundation repair and cause very little soil disturbance, require no concrete to cure, can be used in limited access sites, and are easily modified.

Piles are screwed into the ground rather than hammered in with loud machinery and vibrations.

“We take out the old piles mindset,” Bedson said. “All of our piles, both standard and custom, are among the strongest on the market and are made with certified and American-made traceable steel compliant with AC358 and ICC requirements. High-capacity applications, aggressive soils and poor soil conditions usually call for the use of the helical micro pulldown piles that reinforce a standard helical pier system. This reinforcement helps to prevent buckling, allows for better corrosion protection and supports the foundation despite weak surface soil.”

With a variety of foundation solutions,

CNT FOUNDATIONS

CNT Foundations is ready for any foundation problem, whether it’s commercial, industrial or residential. The company works on projects from Delaware to Florida and thrives under strict time constraints. As founder and CEO Travis Bedson says, “We view everything as having a solution — we have the ability to work outside the box.”

residential and commercial clients are assured their homes and structures will stay in place. Other services include foundation repair, concrete lifting, crawl space moisture remediation and more.

“We view everything as having a solution — we have the ability to work outside the box,” Bedson said. “We won’t just fix your foundation; we’ll find a permanent solution for any foundation repair or crawl space maintenance project, no matter what it takes.” CNT’s mission is to provide peace of mind though its core values, which are: Honor God, Customer Satisfaction, and Profitability.

The experts at CNT Foundations evaluate and inspect the soil condition and type before

installation, making sure that foundations can stand up to possible groundwater, soil erosion, and soil expansion.

While the company has mostly commercial and industrial clients, a residential division also handles complicated residential issues, especially with historic homes.

“Whether it’s moisture remediation, a corner of the home is ‘sinking’ or cracks in the

walls, our team shines in difficult jobs, whether commercial, residential or industrial,” Bedson said. “I almost never get called for easy problems.”

The company’s coverage area spans from Delaware to Florida along the East Coast, helping many clients create safe buildings and environments for their employees.

“It was a huge honor that when the U.S. Marine Corps needed work done at Camp Lejeune (in Jacksonville, N.C.), they called CNT,” Bedson said, adding that 30 percent of the CNT Foundations staff are military veterans.

The company also thrives under strict time constraints; Bedson said that for a project at the Norfolk Airport, team members had to complete complicated work in a short time window.

“We had to be on the airport tarmac at midnight and have it clean and swept by 5 a.m. or else there was $500 per minute of liquidated damages every minute. We never paid a cent,” Bedson said.

The bottom line is that clients can breathe easier knowing the most complicated and critical component of their buildings — its foundation — are in good hands with CNT Foundations.

“When it really matters, you want it done right and on time,” Bedson said. “We’re highly tactical and deliver every time.”

843-790-6064

www.yourfoundationexperts.com

Special Advertising Supplement | 2022 Pro files in Business

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PAUL L. ERRICO ASSOCIATES

Paul L. Errico Associates, Inc., is one-stop shopping for safety, environmental and security

Paul L. Errico Associates has expertise in biochemical and hazardous materials response and environmental remediation.

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ny business might have issues related to safety compliance, operations, hazardous waste or environmental regulations. For many small and medium businesses, it makes sense to bring in experts who specialize in those areas.

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A business might need help in material handling and safety issues. That would be one set of consultants. Another consultant might be called in to help with security issues, terrorism training and vulnerability/risk assessment. That would require a second set of consultants. Finally, an ad-

2022 Profiles in Business | Special Advertising Supplement

ditional consultant may be required to assist with environmental issues. That is three different companies — maybe more — to hire, write contracts for, manage and pay.

Or, just call Paul.

Paul L. Errico Associates, Inc. is a one-stop shop, turn-key operation, for a wide range of business needs related to safety, environmental and security. Founder and principal Paul Errico is a marine engineer with a master’s degree in environmental engineering and industrial safety and a list the length of your arm of certifications and education in safety and environmental engineering, hazardous waste management, post-blast investigation, critical incident stress management and more. A member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, he taught a class at the Henry C. Lee Forensic Institute at the University of New Haven entitled “Explosives, Forensics & Evidence” and taught an OSHA law course at the University of Bridgeport, both located in Connecticut.

While serving as a Director of Environmental Health and Safety for a New York City-based company serving clients nationwide, the company

PAUL L. ERRICO ASSOCIATES

Above, PLE Associates can provide employee training and on-site safety, security and environmental consultations. Below, a major water system construction project where Paul Errico was a safety engineer in Valhalla, N.Y. When completed, it was the largest UV disinfection plant in the world up to that time.

had Paul report to the World Trade Center the day following the 1993 terrorist attack. He spent the next three months developing safety protocols for workers. Right after 9/11 Paul and members of the Fairfield County Hazardous Incident Response Unit were on stand-by to assist the New York City HazMat Team. His experience in 1993 and during 9/11 led to further education with regard to terrorism and vulnerability assessments. Paul attended a number of schools focusing on such topics as (not all inclusive) Emergency Response to Terrorist Bombings, Post-blast Investigations and Chemical, Explosives and Biological Agents.

In addition, Paul was a member of the NFPA Hazardous Materials Technical Committee, who wrote the NFPA Hazardous Materials Response Handbook. After these events he and several members revised the book and added qualifications for Weapons of Mass Destruction.

Paul and his team wrote the qualifications for Awareness Level Response.

When companies hire Paul Errico, they get a whole team of specialists from diversified industries, depending on their needs. But Errico is a team of specialists even when he’s alone.

The President of a local construction company hired him for an urgently needed site safety plan.

After quickly crafting a plan, Errico discovered the company lacked a safety program, so he established one, writing the safety manual and developing staff training programs specific to their needs such as excavation and trenching safety, fall protection, hazard communication and more. Then he revised the employee handbook to include employee compliance to the corporate safety plan.

Without these protections, Errico says, employees’ safety was at risk and so were company finances. OSHA fines for safety violations increased in 2022 ranging from $7,000 to $143,000 per incident and/or per day.

Citations and penalties can quickly add up to business-crushing amounts.

“A small or medium-sized company usually has someone in charge of safety who has another job in the company and has little to no safety experience or knowledge,” Errico points out.

“Without a full-time safety person, something is going to be missed. I can go to the job site or facility and conduct inspections that may reveal issues which need to be addressed and corrected.

This would lead to a safer workplace environment, and has been known to lower insurance workers’

pleassocinc@gmail.com

www.errico-inc.com 203-673-2699

comp rates.”

In the middle of his consulting career, Errico served as the Director of Environmental Health and Safety for a janitorial and mechanical company in New York City (same company as 1993 WTC incident). He created the first corporate safety program for the firm’s 50-plus facilities nationwide, which reduced injuries 2535% in the first two years and slashed insurance costs.

Another client, a major petroleum company, hired Errico to establish a safety program from scratch. He ended up writing their manual and conducting training on hazardous materials, rewriting the environmental plan, providing security training for security officers, identifying the company’s areas of vulnerability that would lead to security breaches, teaching the staff terrorism prevention and utilizing his mechanical engineering knowledge and experience to create plans and designs for their fuel oil terminal.

All that because the owner just called Paul.

Paul L. Errico Associates, Inc. is a veteranowned, Purple Heart business that offers turnkey solutions with a customer-focused approach.

Paul is on call to clients 24/7 and conducts training programs at the customers’ convenience, including weekends, with no increase in fees.

Many of his clients over the years have become close friends and business references.

Errico has been called upon by various law firms around the country as an expert witness and investigator. His vast experience has been requested on such cases as industrial/ construction accidents (workers’ comp), environmental contamination and toxic chemical exposures to name a few. Three challenging cases Paul worked involved a construction fatality in Texas and two fatal fire investigations in South Carolina. Employing his knowledge and experience, he successfully determined root cause and origin in each case.

After three decades as Connecticut’s only full-services safety, environmental, engineering, support services and security company, Errico moved operations to Charleston two years ago.

He continues to work with his clients all over the country and new clients locally in Charleston because his questions remain important: “Do you care about the safety of your people?

Can you afford to be out of compliance and subject to major fines? If you have safety issues, environmental issues or security issues, you should call us and schedule a meeting to discuss your needs.”

Special Advertising Supplement | 2022 Pro files in Business

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PLEASANT PLACES

Pleasant Places adds decorative walls to its spectrum of services

Pleasant Places handles landscaping and other services for many high-profile resorts in the Lowcountry, including Timbers on Kiawah Island.

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uy Artigues started Pleasant Places Landscaping in 1984 with just his old pickup truck, a trailer, a lawnmower and an intense work ethic. By the time he passed the reins onto his sons, John Gaillard “Gilly” Artigues (CEO) and Palmer Artigues (COO), the company had grown into a major player in the landscape services industry in the tri-county area, employing around 250 people.

Pleasant Places handles virtually all aspects of commercial landscape construction projects and maintenance, including design, installation, lighting and hardscapes. The company’s work

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can be seen all over Charleston’s tri-county area, including Marion Square, Kiawah Island, MUSC, College of Charleston, Credit One Stadium and Dunes West, to name a few.

Recently, Pleasant Places added to its portfolio of services with its acquisition of General Precast, a Goose Creek-based hardscape company that specializes in decorative walls. This was an important step in Pleasant Places’ overall growth strategy, Gilly Artigues said.

“We are nearing the ceiling for organic growth in this area — there comes a point where you can only do so much in a given market, then you

2022 Profiles in Business | Special Advertising Supplement

either have to start looking outside the market or consider acquisitions if it’s a good fit,” he said.

That said, Pleasant Places does not want growth at the expense of its core values. Guy Artigues, and now Gilly, have always operated from the principles that you achieve success through great customer service and building strong relationships, the best way — really, the only way — to do that is to build a strong team, and that can only happen when you hire great people and treat them well.

Gilly noted, with some pride, that General Precast approached Pleasant Places about

PLEASANT PLACES

Pleasant Places takes care of the landscape needs at the newly renovated Credit One Stadium on Daniel Island.

A rendering of the landscape design by Pleasant Places for The Jasper luxury apartments in Charleston.

possibly acquiring the company, precisely because of Pleasant Places’ core values.

“The guys at GP have a similar business outlook as we do,” Gilly said. “In fact, they reached out to us when they decided to retire and sell their business because of how we do things. They were good at communicating with their employees and their customers. We went and spoke to their employees and told them that whoever wanted to come with us was welcome.”

While some of the GP employees decided to retire, most of them came over to Pleasant Places, Gilly said. Just as telling, Pleasant Places took over a number of jobs that had already been contracted to GP; and many of those initial transfer clients are now permanent customers, he said.

“We are proud to not only be able to grow successfully, but to step in and be able to continue

the good work GP did,” he said. “This is definitely a great opportuntity for us. We are proud to be able to do it and excited to move forward.”

As far as future plans, Gilly said he is always looking out for any opportunities that come their way, but again, the idea is to grow carefully.

“I’d love to possibly acquire a tree farm and I would definitely consider the acquisition of other landscape companies in our market and add that to the spectrum of services we offer,” he said. “But we have been, and will always be, very careful and

Pleasant Places founder Guy Artigues with sons Gilly (CEO) and Palmer (COO).

deliberate about how we do this. We want to take care of our people,” he said. “They’re here because they believe Pleasant Places is the best place for them to achieve their goals, take care of their families, build their lives. Our success is because of them.”

7684 Southrail Road North Charleston, SC 29420 843-881-3430 Special Advertising Supplement | 2022 Pro files in Business

17

MCLEOD INFORMATION SYSTEMS

McLeod Information Systems: Small business, big impact

Debbie and Rodney McLeod started McLeod Information Systems to provide cybersecurity services and apprenticeship opportunities to small and medium businesses in the Lowcountry.

D

ebbie and Rodney McLeod knew they wanted to start a business that could utilize their prodigious and complementary talents and skillsets. He is a cyber security expert, she is an experienced education professional. But they wanted to do more than just launch a company; they wanted

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to provide needed, valuable, important services while at the same time offering a unique educational opportunity to underserved communities.

The result is McLeod Information Systems LLC, a veteran-owned/woman-owned cybersecurity company. Located in North Charleson,

2022 Profiles in Business | Special Advertising Supplement

MIS is a Small Disabled Veteran Owned Business (SDVOSB) and is HUBZone certified.

Rodney, with over 30 years in cybersecurity, has extensive experience in multiple business sectors, government, nonprofit and commercial industries, having worked with agencies such as the U.S. Department Of Defense, Veterans

MCLEOD INFORMATION SYSTEMS

The staff at McLeod Information Systems can help you protect your business’ sensitive data and online resources no matter what your budget.

Administration, and Housing and Urban Development arenas, as well as with law offices, accounting firms and various other businesses.

Debbie, using her degree and experience in education, not only set up South Carolina’s first federally registered Cybersecurity Apprenticeship program, she also pioneered MIS into being the first small business in the nation to register apprentices in the program.

Due to her previous experience in working with Title 1 schools, Debbie aims to have 80% of the company’s apprenticeship come from underserved communities. The program has already seen success; in fact, one of their entrylevel technicians is their first apprentice to earn his Department of Labor Cybersecurity Youth Apprenticeship Certificate and this

McLeod

INFORMATION SYSTEMS

year graduated with his associate degree in cybersecurity from Trident Technical College.

“The apprenticeship program is part of our overall ecosystem,” Debbie said. “We train apprentices for entry-level cybersecurity positions while providing affordable services to nonprofits as well as to other small-medium sized businesses. This is a win–win for our students and the small businesses we serve.

The more businesses we can serve, the more students we can enroll into the program.”

The goal is to build a model other IT companies can implement to build their workforce pipelines, they said.

The first step for any business to implement a cybersecurity program is to create a plan.

“Every business should have, at a minimum,

3265 North Carolina Ave., Ste. 202 North Charleston, SC 29405 843-608-0582

a cybersecurity plan written for their business and included within the business plan,” Rodney said. “This plan helps owners make decisions based on a risk assessment and implement security controls to protect business data. The security plan is like a blueprint for building a house. It provides all the details for the house, and you can plan on implementing each piece based on risk and cost.”

Understanding that cybersecurity is critical for every business type, MIS offers affordable pricing for simple security plans and helps businesses build the plans they need at a price that fits their budget, they said.

Different services have different fees, but each client can start with a free 30-minute initial consultation, which will include an overview of services MIS offers and a discussion about your business and your particular needs and concerns. A variety of services are available, from level 1 to level 3 gap analysis to monthly network monitoring services.

For more information on how MIS can help your business, go to mcleodis.com or call 843608-0582.

Special Advertising Supplement | 2022 Pro files in Business

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VISUAL INFONOMICS GROUP

Turn your data into a compelling story

Visual Infonomics Group’s informative, compelling data storytelling can help your company create a common understanding among stakeholders.

T

elling your story can be a complicated process. Getting your message to prospective clients and the public at large is difficult in a noisy world full of digital products, TV and printed ads, social media hashtags, and on and on.

Distinguishing your message from all of that requires someone who can integrate great visual designs with coherent words to create a clear, effective and appealing product. Visual Infonomics Group has the expertise to do just that.

Spreadsheets full of data can look daunting when you’re trying to figure out how to turn all those facts and figures into compelling, accessible content. With years of experience in turning raw data into engaging, award-winning graphic layouts, VIG can turn rows of statistics into easy-to-digest pages of information and digital productions that reach thousands of people in full-color publications and memorable online presentations.

Visual Infonomics Group brings your data to life. We distill complex information to its most impactful components to tell compelling stories.

Our targeted approach to data visualization uses infographics, charts, animations and

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presentations to reveal the stories within the data.

We analyze data and create engaging, easyto-understand reports that help you understand your strengths and weaknesses, allowing you to set goals, collaborate, plan and execute.

This approach creates a common understanding among your stakeholders that builds consensus and accelerates results. This collective impact brings your community together to address the issues and challenges you face with impactful, approachable and vital data.

From 30-second animated data clips to share online, to in-depth data-driven reports, VIG has a number of ways to tell your story and reach your intended audience. We can customize the right solution that delivers the most results and fits your budget.

Data-driven strategies and communication are vital in times of crisis. The coronavirus

2022 Profiles in Business | Special Advertising Supplement

pandemic fundamentally changed workflow, communication and interaction within companies and with their clients, vendors and suppliers. The lingering effects of labor shortages, supply chain disruptions and rampant inflation make running a successful business as challenging as it has ever been.

With the dramatic effects the pandemic has had on day-to-day life, it’s more important than ever to make data-driven decisions to keep your organization, and community, on track and focused on the same goals.

Visual Infonomics Group can ensure that your stakeholders remain informed by distilling the complexity of this time to understandable data that can be used to create an action plan.

This data-driven plan can have data that is benchmarked over time, so progress can be tracked and goals can be achieved.

3265 N. Carolina Ave., Ste. 101 North Charleston, SC 29405 864-720-1224 visualinfonomics.com

F

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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT RICK JENKINS

864.720.1224 | rjenkins@scbiznews.com Special Advertising Supplement

| 2022 Pro files in Business

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This event shines the spotlight on both established leaders and the state’s rising stars who make an impact in business while making time to give back to the community.

The North Charleston Business Expo is the Lowcountry’s premier busines event showcasing regional companies. This event offers the business community an opportunity to network with local professionals, engage with exhibitors and discover new resources for business growth.

JULY

This annual event recognizes 20 small and 20 large companies in an exciting countdown format that culminates in the crowning of the two best-performing companies in the state.

AUGUST

OCTOBER

This annual dinner celebrates Lowcountry health care workers who go above and beyond to keep our citizens, businesses and communities safe and healthy.

NOVEMBER

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The Best Places to Work in South Carolina program ranks companies that meet certain criteria for practices, programs and benefits. Celebrate with a party unlike any other, with a red carpet welcome, surprise speakers, cocktails, dinner and lots of glitz and glam.

This annual event recognizes forty Lowcountry professionals under the age of 40 who are making their mark with professional and community involvement.

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2022 Profiles in Business | Special Advertising Supplement