City expects bridges to link wider user group to trail.
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Pendleton company developing material to combat chemical agents.
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New CEO is a verteran of community development.
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After establishing awardwinning reputation, company plans retail site.
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By Krys Merryman kmerryman@scbiznews.com
By Krys Merryman kmerryman@scbiznews.com
VolvoCars 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.
Kessler said from the beginning — which was nearly eight years and $100 million ago — that the hotel he had in mind for Greenville would be a destination for locals as much as travelers.
And in the days since the Grand Bohemian Lodge Greenville opened with a ceremony on Sept. 15, a steady stream of Upstate visitors suggests he was right.
The lodge is the first of its kind for hospitality developer The Kessler Collection.
Grand Bohemian hotels are part of the Marriott Bonvoy Autograph Collection, specifically the Kessler Portfolio. From start to finish, it has been nearly eight years since Kessler, chairman and CEO of The Kessler Collection, first saw the site with Greenville Mayor Knox White.
“As soon as I saw the location on the river, I knew there was no question this would be the site of the hotel. We couldn’t do a typical hotel, it’s too precious of a site in this park. We had to do something special, and this is really an opportunity for us to add something beautiful for the community,” Kessler said.
The lodge is a located right on the Reedy River with views of downtown Greenville
and Falls Park. Whether you are a guest at the hotel or its restaurant or want to read a book on the porch overlooking the river, this is a destination for anyone, said Mark Kessler, president and COO of Kessler Collection Design and Development.
“It’s already created a lot of excitement for the business and social club scene in Greenville as a social center. This is something new to Greenville that could not be replicated,” he said.
The Grand Bohemian Lodge Greenville was a large investment, embarked upon not as an investment to flip but for longevity, with expectations to be the managers and owners of the location for years to come, said Mark Kessler.
With 187 luxury suites and guest rooms, the lodge also features the tranquil Poseidon Spa, Between The Trees contemporary cuisine restaurant with a Michelin Star chef, Nicolas Abello, and bourbon bar Spirit & Bower. Guests can enjoy an intimate or group dining experience around one of the four fireplaces in the upscale dining space, in the 1,000-bottle wine room or private dining room featuring an exterior glass wall that opens to views and sounds of nature.
Overlooking the Liberty Bridge and the waterfalls, Sprit & Bower is an upscale bour-
“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
Cyber Security Programs combatting shortage in cybersecurity workforce.
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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 couldn’t do a typical hotel, it’s too precious of a site in this park. We had to do something special, and this is really an opportunity for us to add something beautiful for the community.”
— Richard Kessler, CEO, The Kessler Collection
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 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
With publications in the Upstate, Columbia and Charleston, as well as a statewide magazine, SC Biz News covers the pulse of business across South Carolina. Above are excerpts from our other publications.
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 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.”
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Jarrod and Alicia Swanger tapped into Alicia’s Polish heritage and a family potato vodka recipe as they developed Sweet Grass Vodka. (Photo/Provided)
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Wonderful career paths can look like ladders … or jungle gyms.
This broadened my perspective of what a successful career could be and gave me the freedom to take risks with the roles I pursued.
I am responsible for the strategic and operational oversight of the museum’s two Upstate locations.
I ensure our exceptional staff has the resources and support necessary to deliver world-class, play-based learning experiences to those in the Upstate and beyond.
Education gaps were dramatically exacerbated by COVID. Young learners need more support than ever to ensure school readiness and achieve positive educational outcomes.
TCMU serves approximately 250,000 people annually. We see visitors from across the state, nation and world!
TCMU creates interactive exhibits and educational experiences for children that encourage a passion for learning, empower them to discover their full potential, and expand their views of themselves and the world.
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Lauren Luneckas, Executive Director | The Children’s Museum of the Upstate Photo/Provided South Carolina’s Media Engine for Economic GrowthGeer knows what makes CommunityWorks tick.
She has seen scores of local ventures launched or kept in business over the 10 years she served the organization as a wealth building program manager, COO and, since Sept. 1, CEO.
She knows what it takes to juggle the responsibilities of a community lender, financial coach, startup investor, educational institution and advocate for affordable housing and sustainable community development, to name a few roles the organization has played across the state.
“During the pandemic — and history has shown that when there is an emergency within the community, nonprofits step up — but also, CDFIs (community development financial institutions) step up, and we step up in different ways,” she told GSA Business Report.
CommunityWorks served as a lender for small businesses and nonprofits long before the rollout of the Paycheck Protection Program. The CDFI is also a
nonprofit itself.
CommunityWorks is moving full steam ahead toward its ongoing goals with an additional focus on educational capacity, affordable housing lending products and developing its next threeyear strategic plan.
“Additionally, we’ll also be working on true deeper impact and making sure that the capital that we put out … making sure that we’re tracking what those end results are and what they look like,” Geer said.
former mill community, which Geer now calls a “buzzing development.”
On the affordable housing front, Geer said both the city of Greenville and Greenville County Council have been working toward making the regional residential market livable for its working and low-income populations.
“We were very instrumental with PPP,” Geer said. “We deployed several millions of dollars, I want to say close to 9 million through PPP loans, helping over 600 businesses throughout the state. And there aren’t many CDFIs who were able to do that.”
Unlike the past 10 years, federal interest rates have experienced the sharpest spike in at least the past two decades, presenting its own set of challenges for both CommunityWorks and its lenders.
For a CDFI like CommunityWorks, Geer said it just takes being more creative in how they partner with community.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, CommunityWork’s virtual training programs were so popular that once they shifted to the physicial meeting space, the nonprofit knew they would need to branch out beyond their new Women’s Business Center and W. Antrim Drive office.
So after investing close to $1 million toward the acquisition and upfit of Judson Mill on 701 Easley Bridge Road, CommunityWorks opened an educational center at the mill’s “JudHub” community innovation district in late August.
“We are really excited to be able to provide capital to support that community economic development but then also to be able to actually be a tenant in the space that is designed for innovation,” she told GSA Business Report about the lenders’ participation in revitalizing the
“It probably won’t be the way that everyone expects them to, but I want to say that they have it on their radar, and I think there are some things in the works that would be beneficial for the community,” she said. “They all know that it is an important topic that we need to address.”
Aside from existing advocacy efforts and residential loans, one way CommunityWorks will seek to address the topic in the year ahead goes back to education.
At the JudHub on Sept. 26, that means offering training to developers interested in broaching the affordable housing market.
And that’s just the beginning, she said. CommunityWorks continues its counsel and collaboration after the training day.
“If they come to us for capital, those who are already in business and looking at gap financing to finish up a development project,” the nonprofit will step in to widen the housing pipeline whether it’s a rental property or not, she said.
“That’s just kind of who we are.”
Geer“We deployed several millions of dollars, I want to say close to $9 million though PPP loans, helping over 600 businesses throughout the state.”
Latorrie Geer, CEO, CommunityWorks
By Krys Merryman kmerryman@scbiznews.com
More than 300 guests united at the Greenville ONE Center for the 7th annual Next Venture Summit on Sept 22, including founders, funders and ecosystem partners from across the Carolinas to celebrate the best and brightest startups in the region.
Ten finalists out of 30 semifinalists and 94 applicants — two-thirds of which are Greenville-based — were each presented in front of a panel of judges in a question-and-answer session with some of the country’s top investors. All 10 finalists represented a diverse mix of industries. They all shared their stories and advice when it comes to starting up your own company.
The afternoon summit opened with the BetterCloud story. As the market leader in Zero Touch SaaS (softwardas-a-service) operations, their mission is to make work better by elevating the role of IT. BetterCloud CEO David Politis said he started the company 11 years ago and recently sold majority control to Vista Equity Partners.
Three recurring messages from the summit’s entrepreneurs: always trust your gut; own your expertise and be confident in that; saying “no” sometimes pays off in the long run, and when you are going into business with multiple partners, they must have personalities that will work well together; and create the company you want to work for and work your dream job.
Earnnest LLC (Greenville): Earnnest is the largest digital payments platform in the United States to transfer earnest money in real estate transactions and is expanding services to include all transaction types in the real estate industry. “It’s like Venmo for real estate,” said Earnnest CEO Rick Altizer. He said his company helps solve a billion-dollar problem for the real estate industry every year, since there are 2 million transactions a year of attempted fraud. With his secure payment app, they have had 170,000 deposits in Greenville for residential real estate with zero cases of fraud.
Ecobot (Asheville): Ecobot helps companies in the architecture, engineering and construction industries with a workflow-based mobile/cloud platform, regulatory expertise and native integrations with partners. Their vision is to leverage data and climate change resilience through the digitization of manual pen-and-paper field work and making decisions in real time, said Ecobot CEO Lee Lance.
Girlology (Greenville): Girlology
is a digital health platform designed to help every girl feel confident and informed about her changing body and mind with grade-by-grade mom and daughter support. Girlology CEO Dr. Melisa Holmes left her medical practice as a pediatric gynecologist in 2019 to pursue bringing this app to life. “I can make a bigger impact here than seeing 30 patients a day at the office,” she said. This app is for moms looking to help their daughters get better experience learning about her body and how it works.
Hook Security Inc. (Greenville): Training for nontechnical users to recognize cybersecurity threats and attacks through humorous training experiences. This next-level cybersecurity is more geared toward psychological security and is meant to retrain the brain to detect manipulation and give time to process versus just reacting to a phishing threat. The length of content is shorter and more entertaining to allow for consumers to digest easier while keeping them safe from cyberattacks. “Makes learning about cybersecurity worthwhile,” said Hook Security co-founder Adam Anderson.
Lucid Drone Technologies (Charlotte): Lucid builds robots that perform labor-intensive tasks, starting with drones that can clean windows, roofs and nearly every building surface up to eight times faster with less liability. CEO Andrew Ashur said the company targets existing cleaning companies to get jobs done safer and more efficient-
ly, and the racing industry especially is a major target for them.
Momtech Inc. (Charlotte): Momtech makes products that solve problems for moms and babies by replicating the natural biomechanics of nursing. “This is the vitamin and the pain killer for moms,” said CEO and co-founder Hal Eason. This new type of baby bottle gives moms peace of mind by not disrupting her breastfeeding cycle, which gives her more freedom to get things done for herself that she needs, he said.
Omedym (Liberty): Omedym digitizes the B2B buying experience by empowering the buyer to buy and equipping sellers with digital guided product experiences. Founder and CEO Greg Dickinson said they focus on everyday content and the average increase in sales for their customers is 20%.
ProAxion (Cary): ProAxion connects the nation’s manufacturing machines with IoT and leveraging cloud-based predictive maintenance analytics to improve machine availability. CEO Eric Murray said his company’s technology provides early warning to manufacturers and the root cause of their machine issues. A few of their top clients are 3M and Cargill.
Scopestack (Greenville): ScopeStack is a software platform that automates part of the sales process for IT companies. CEO and founder Jon Scott said their platform provides a modern software solution for presales and a self-service experience.
TestedHQ (Mauldin): TestedHQ is a product development research company providing real-time end-user feedback to consumer product companies. Founder and CEO Michael D’Onofrio said his company redefines research for power tool users with a new way to test power tool products. One of their top clients is Harbor Freight.
Hook Security was selected as the Judges' Choice and will advance to the on-stage competition at Venture Atlanta in October.
The summit closed out with keynote speaker Marty Osborn. His dream was to be mentioned in Forbes magazine, which took 10 years for him to do — but he did it.
The Next Venture Summit is a oneday venture capital conference that brings together high-growth entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, worldclass speakers and others to establish Greenville as an innovation and entrepreneurship hub in the Southeast. For more information, visit www.nextventuresummit.com.
Next is an entrepreneurial support organization that attracts and helps high-impact, knowledge-based companies grow by developing an entrepreneurial ecosystem and connecting entrepreneurs to it. Next currently supports more than 120 knowledge-based companies in the Upstate. For more information, visit www.nextsc.org.
Reach Krys Merryman at kmerryman@scbiznews.com.
Closing keynote fireside chat with Marty Osborn, left, managing director of Greenville-based Accenture, and Alex Estevez, summit moderator. (Photo/Krys Merryman)growth.
development to include multifamily units, hotel and retail is making its way to the West End of Greenville.
The South Carolina-based company Pinnacle Partnership is partnering with Atlanta-based developers Gateway Ventures to execute the project, which is currently in the design planning stage.
A more than 150-guestroom Hilton Brand boutique hotel is part of the development as well as 248 luxury residential flats, which will be located at Rhett and Main Streets. The hotel will include a café and a 5,000-square-foot rooftop restaurant on S. Main Street. Dedicated parking will be available to include 525 stalls, primarily underground, according to Crystal Pace, Pinnacle Partnership vice president of sales and public relations.
“This development is more than an exciting real estate opportunity. It’s a true passion of ours at Pinnacle, both for the company and for me and my family,” said Sachin Shanbhag, managing partner of Pinnacle Partnership. “We are a local family business who feel that now is the time for us to give back to a community that has meant so much to us over the years.”
Co-developer of the project is MKSK Landscape Architecture, and ODA Architecture is designing the hotel portion in addi-
tion to Dynamik Design.
The city of Greenville was reached for comment but declined to answer questions at this time, as the project is in its early development stage.
Pinnacle Partnership chose the West End for its next development, because they view it as “one of great promise of enhancing the downtown community,” as the Greenville market continues to show exponential
The 1.4-acre property chosen for the project started with land that was purchased in 2018 and is not currently utilized, but the Pinnacle Partnership team said they have “impressive design plans for the space once approval is secured.” Two restaurants, including one with a rooftop bar, will provide the area with a gathering space for locals and visitors as well as a nod to Greenville’s textile history and community-centric values.
“The opportunity to work with Pinnacle Partnership on this project fits so well with our experience at Gateway Ventures and mine personally,” said Matt Mason, partner of Gateway Ventures. “Multi-family real estate is a growing part of our portfolio and we look forward to creating a well-designed product to serve the growing needs of the community. Not to mention, it’s not often that you have the opportunity to collaborate with a friend, who is not just good at what they do but also truly cares about the community in which they’re developing.”
Construction is slated to begin in summer 2023 and the project is planned to open in mid-2025.
Once the plan is approved by the city of Greenville, Pinnacle Partnership and Gateway Ventures will move forward and begin planning a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the start of construction. To learn more about Pinnacle Partnership or to follow updates on this project, visit www.pinnaclepartnership.com.
Rendering of Rhett and Main Streets project provided by Pinnacle Partnership) Plans for mixed-use project in Greenville’s West End neighborhood announcedAnadvanced materials company in Pendleton has been awarded $1.15 million to develop materials to protect soldiers from chemical warfare agents.
A spokesperson for Tetramer said existing carbon-based materials shield against chemical weapons by absorbing contaminants, but the company is working to develop materials that also detoxify chemical weapon agents on contact.
With the Phase II award from the Department of Defense’s Joint Science and Technology Office for Chemical and Biological Defense, Tetramer will continue ongoing development of a novel adsorbent material used in protective suits for soldiers that encounter chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear environments, according to a news release from the company. Tetramer bead technology consists of metal-organic frameworks that are incorporated into protective suits.
“Tetramer’s material not only adsorbs the chemical threat but degrades it as well, significantly increasing efficacy of the suit to improve the physical safety and the psychological performance of the soldiers,” Heather Lange, Tetramer research scientist, said in the release. “This material has applications in protective suits as well as gloves, boots and even gas masks.”
Using the Tetramer beads in place of current materials is expected to better protect warfighters while also increasing breathability and comfort to enable extended use times and reduced logistical burden on forward operating units, the news release said. Additionally, these materials are suitable for use in protective wear for civilian industrial applications such as hazmat suits.
The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command’s Chemical and
Biological Center said Tetramer beads developed during Phase I showed excellent initial performance in testing, according to the news release.
“It’s hard to overstate the significance of the work that was accomplished in our Phase I program,” Stephen Hudson, Tetramer principal investigator, said in the release. “In just six months, our team was able to down select, formulate, process and evaluate a set of materials that have enormous potential for improving the effectiveness of chemical safety clothing for the military and first responders worldwide. Of course, there is plenty of optimization work to be done during Phase II and beyond, but our Phase I results provided a great launchpad and technical understanding that we’ll be able to leverage and build from moving forward.”
The Tetramer team will partner with a team of chem/bio developers and engineers as well as current personal protection
equipment fabric producers like Kappler Inc. of Guntersville, Ala., to ensure the materials are successfully integrated into suits and that they are cost effective.
“Kappler Inc. is excited to collaborate with Tetramer Technologies LLC on Phase II of their CBD-MOF bead project,” Kaplpler said in a statement. “We believe this emerging technology will offer improved performance for chemical protective apparel designed for military and law enforcement personnel. The opportunity to collaborate with Tetramer Technologies and benefit from their wealth of research and development allows Kappler to lead the chemical protective market in introduction of new protective technologies. Our goal is to perfect CBD-MOF beads during this project and bring this solution to end users.”
Tetramer has a long history of developing materials for use in Department of Defense applications.
“Tetramer’s mission on our DOD programs is to get technologies out of the lab and onto the battlefield,” Tetramer CEO Jeff DiMaio said in the release. “We are excited about the development of our CBD-MOF beads. This technology can save lives on the battlefield by protecting the warfighter. As we move into Phase II of our program, the team is ready to do the hard work of innovation and looks forward to partnering with industry-leading partners like Kappler to fully integrate the bead technology into fielded protective suits.”
DiMaio said Tetramer is interested in connecting with other partners who recognize the opportunity to use this technology in protective applications. The MOF-bead technology has significant potential in many other applications beyond just fabrics and protective garments, and the Tetramer team is positioned to develop customized beads for these alternative uses, he said.
release.
South Carolina says industrial demand is driving new development in the Upstate and expanding the boundaries of the Charlotte market, making the I-85 corridor in Cherokee County more attractive to industrial prospects and the companies that serve them.
It’s the brew that has moved a Chicago developer and its capital partner to make plans for a 290-acre tract in Gaffney, where they plan to invest $415 million in a big box development project with around 3.6 million square feet of space at Cherokee Commerce Center 85.
Glenstar and Creek Lane Capital will develop the project, according to a news
The developer and capital partner plan calls for construction of up to six buildings in multiple phases, the news release stated. The first two facilities at the park, 500,000-square-foot (expandable to 1.34 million square feet) Building Two and 278,200-square-foot Building Four, are expected to be under construction in January with delivery in the fourth quarter of 2023. Master planning shows potential for up to 1.7 million square feet under one roof to accommodate bulk industrial users, the release said.
Other recent industrial developments in the Cherokee corridor include DHL and Mann+Hummel’s 1.4-millionsquare-foot distribution center at Exit 87 and the acquisition and expansion of
TTI’s 1-million-square-foot facility on Commerce Drive at Exit 96.
Cherokee Commerce Center 85’s master plan focuses on flexibility in size and configuration, with expandability options to meet specific tenant needs, the release stated. The location offers future tenants access to Charlotte, the Inland Port in Greer, two international airports and BMW’s Plant Spartanburg within a 50-mile radius and is an attractive distribution corridor due to the ability to reach 100 million consumers within a one-day truck drive.
“There is no question that Cherokee County is the new frontier for industrial development in 2022,” Cherokee County Administrator Steve Bratton said in the release. “Ample space to accommo-
date big-box industrial requirements and many of the same locational benefits for distribution as nearby Charlotte or Spartanburg make this a highly desirable submarket for distribution purposes. The availability of land and attractive labor dynamics show untapped potential that will certainly open up new opportunities for investment in coming years.”
The Colliers industrial brokerage team of Garrett Scott, John Montgomery, Brockton Hall and Dillon Swayngim has been selected to handle leasing for the park. The team will market the property as an opportunity for industrial users looking for Class A+ space with access to the interstate along with favorable state and local incentives and healthy workforce dynamics, the release stated.
The Pendleton company is developing material that traps and detoxifies chemical weapon agents. (Photo/Provided)
By Krys Merryman kmerryman@scbiznews.com
The Swamp Rabbit Trail extension master plan was launched by the city of Greenville in November 2019, and the City Council adopted the last development strategy for the trail’s 4.5-mile extension last January.
The master plan explores land use and connectivity opportunities within a five-minute walk of the planned Green Line extension, stretching from Cleveland Park to the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research alongside Laurens Road.
Essentially, three distinct projects are currently being constructed as part of the trail extension plan: Cleveland Connector (“The Paper Clip”), Laurens Road Bridge and Haywood Bridge.
The bridges are expected to be completed by the end of the year while The Paper Clip, which is named primarily due to the series of switchbacks that will be parallel to Laurens Road, is anticipated to open early next year. According to Calin Owens, city of Greenville mobility coordinator, the Swamp Rabbit Trail extension is estimated to be fully completed by March.
“The extension of the trail is only an expansion of what everyone already loves about it,” Owens said. “We know there will be a massive ROI once it’s finished based on what we already know.”
Owens said the Laurens Road corridor is already built out and “urbanized,” and the extension will allow greater access to residents and commuters to their offices, businesses, homes and recreational activities while being an economic driver for the city. The trail counter has estimated more than 1 million people a year are on the Swamp Rabbit Trail, so it’s not a stretch of imagination that it will continue to positively impact the Greenville economy, since local businesses and developments have positioned themselves along the trail already.
“People typically on the trail are there to spend money and do something fun,” Owens said.
The Swamp Rabbit Trail is a 22-mile greenway system routed between Greenville and Travelers Rest. The trail undoubtedly reaches its goals of providing active transportation alternatives while simultaneously promoting economic vitality in the region, according to the city’s master plan. As the proposed trail extension would reach a larger resident population, the master plan suggests a greater opportunity for connectivity
and access to the future trail from surrounding neighborhoods, the plan says.
Moreover, the city feels the plan for the extension would be supportive to future developments and redevelopment along the Laurens Road corridor, which would potentially encourage housing diversification and promote economic growth.
Renderings for the plan, created by Stantec, Alta Planning and Design and Overstreet Studio Design, foresee mixeduse storefront redevelopment projects popping up along the trail’s corridor similar to the area’s already existing businesses such as Willy Taco, Farmhouse Tacos, Cohesive Coffee, White Duck Taco and Think Tank.
Property value within the master plan’s study area is expected to increase by a minimum of $1.5 billion over the next 10 years, according to the plan. This is underscored by the Swamp Rabbit Trail’s existing $6.7 million annual economic impact in Greenville County and the 85% sales boost it brings to nearby businesses, according to a previous report.
The plan identified possible public and private easement opportunities along the trail including access to the Washington Heights redevelopment and Holland Park development, as well as the development of a village center in Verdae with public open space. The plan also proposed a potential nature preserve around the CU-ICAR property.
The completion of this bridge will provide cyclists a safe way to cross Haywood Road. (Photo/Ross Norton)bon bar featuring an outdoor veranda and terrace with a variety of seating for both dining and lounging, two fireplaces, and a stone firepit, with cocktails and regionally-inspired small plates from a shareable menu. Inside the bar, guests will be welcomed by a “warm and handsome interior” and a display of Spirit & Bower’s curated bourbon and whiskey collection with some of the rarest spirits in the country. A “sleek and elevated” stone bar opens to the exterior, engaging guests and connecting the inside with the beauty and sounds of Falls Park, according to a news release from The Zimmerman Agency.
The seven-story property features signature Bohemian interiors designed to reflect the natural beauty of Greenville and $2 million worth of curated artwork, including an art gallery.
“This location is something truly special that not many people have ever experienced before, and a destination unmatched, especially for South Carolina residents,” Mark Kessler said. “You will not even feel like you’re in downtown Greenville.”
Jill Lopez visited Greenville from Roswell and agreed that the Grand Bohemian brings a unique experience to the area.
“This hotel was only open for two weeks when I chose to book it for the weekend,” she said. “The staff members are friendly
and accommodating. The hotel is decorated inside with American Indian art and design along with a museum for your enjoyment. I loved the food in both of their restaurants.
Shopping is just a short walk away from the hotel, too. I loved it and it is a great getaway for anyone who wants a staycation also.”
Greenville resident David Haskins said it feels more like an art museum than a hotel.
“I think it’ll be great for elevating the profile of the city, and it really completes the Falls Park space,” he said. “Our kids loved playing on the public greens out in front, too. I really like that they made the hotel feel welcoming and open to the public, even if
Ken Johnson, regional president for AECOM/Hunt Construction, and Christian Sottile of Sottile & Sottile Architects, were major players in the lodge coming to life.
With Grand Bohemians popping up in other major Southeast cities such as Asheville, Charlotte and Charleston, the Kesslers and White believe this social center will bring new businesses and travelers who have never been to or thought about Greenville before.
“We see that everywhere we go,” Mark Kessler said. “We create these as
a social destination, even if you do not stay or dine with us. We have created something truly unique and inspiring.”
Designed to capture the architectural expression of a grand park lodge, the property’s interior space features an extensive collection of Native American and Western art from Richard Kessler’s private collection of art, gathering areas overlooking Falls Park, and new green space creating a gateway to the Reedy River, according to the release.
The lodge’s design was inspired by national parks such as Rocky Mountain and Yellowstone, and Kessler said every part of its design was a “labor of love, passion and authenticity that will stand the test of time.”
Founded by Richard Kessler in 1984, the Kessler Collection is a hospitality brand that develops, owns and manages luxury boutique hotels, restaurants and retail. The Kessler Collection features 12 hotels and resorts, and 28 restaurants and lounges.
“After years of planning, we’re proud to see our vision of natural beauty and tranquil ambiance come to life in downtown Greenville,” the CEO said.
“We look forward to introducing the luxurious Grand Bohemian Lodge to our beloved repeat and new guests alike in this emerging destination full of rich heritage.”
BOHEMIAN, from Page 1 Even after the fanfare of the ribbon-cutting ceremony ended, a steady stream of local visitors have walked the grounds and corridors of the Grand Bohemian Lodge, admiring the architecture and art. (Photo/Ross Norton) 10 www.gsabusiness.com October 3-October 16, 2022 CEO Richard Kessler, left, accepts the key to the city from Greenville Mayor Knox White. (Photo/Ross Norton) The The Kessthe 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 clearly that the investment is not to build new Volvo plants.
In the automotive industry, strategic investments are often made by brands such as Volvo with select suppliers to have certain work, such as tooling or mold preparation, done at the facilities of those partners, which is the case in this pending agreement with Greenville County, the statement said.
Ultimate decisions on staffing and job creation will be made by the partners at the chosen locations where Volvo’s investment in equipment and site preparations will take place, the statement said.
Public hearings were held at the Greenville County Council regular meeting Sept. 20 and at the Spartanburg County Council regular meeting Sept. 19. The pending agreements were on the meeting agendas to discuss granting the Swedish car manufacturer the proposed FILOT agreements as part of the project previously referred to under the code name
“Project Iron” for Greenville County and
“Project Whirlwind” for Spartanburg County. The agreements call for the company to invest at least a combined $50.6 million in the counties over a span of five years.
Resident concerns over the project were heard at the public hearings.
“FILOTs are analyzed by the county, and they won’t get approved if it’s a detriment to the county, financially,” said Sam Patrick, president of Patrick Marketing & Communications Inc., an outside marketing team for GADC. “This deal is a financial win for Greenville County over time.”
Sites listed in Greenville County documents by Volvo include 120 Moon Acres Road in Piedmont and 800 Woodside Avenue in Fountain Inn. The Piedmont address is home to Magna, an industrial machinery manufacturer that works with Volvo already, while the Fountain Inn address is home to Wirthwein, an international plastic injection molding service company, according to the statement. According to Spartanburg County’s agreement, the sites there include 1 Austrian Way and 1000 Robinson Road, both in Spartanburg, and 1200 Woods Chapel Road in Duncan.
Volvo’s all-electric EX90 prototype slated to be released Nov. 9. (Photo/Provided)
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 secu-
rity 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 nationwide are struggling to fill 534,548 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 because there are not enough workers available with the needed skills.
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)
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 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 have used what they learned through studying cybersecurity to move ahead with their careers. 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 a goal of the initiatives she runs is to raise awareness of the many facets of cybersecurity. Cybersecurity experts work at many different levels within companies and perform a variety of roles, she said. They’re not always in a company’s IT department and work to combat many problems, not just computer viruses and malware.
“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.”
aligns with current industry standards, according to the post.
Youngserved can nology, resources a $5 million National The grant puter science served youth upon support science in students since pany’s philanthropic “In South continue appreciate Council and Burns, S.C. tant director, news release.
Computer sparking workforce people need, And S.C. doing just ing work computational 4-H Journey computer al development
has begun on a nearly $13 million innovation center with Greenville County Schools.
The $12.7 million Career and Technical Education Innovation Center will be located on the Roper Mountain Science Center campus, and was “created to house future-focused, innovative programs that have a growing presence in Greenville County,” according to a post on the district’s website.
The center, to open in August 2023, spans over 29,000 square feet, and will house programs in aerospace technology, emerging automotive research, cybersecurity/networking, clean energy technology, and automation and robotics.
“The Innovation Center will be the first in the state to offer Emerging Automotive Research and one of few offering Aero-
space Technology, Cybersecurity/Networking, Clean Energy Technology, and Automation and Robotics, all of which give students a competitive advantage for the future workforce,” Katie Porter, program director for the center, said in the post.
The classrooms and labs are designed to allow students interested in these STEM-related (science, technology, engineering, math) career paths the opportunity to problem-solve and collaborate in a real-world setting using equipment that
“The CTE Innovation Center will continue to elevate the profile of Career and Technical Education in Greenville County. These five, innovative programs will launch students on a direct pathway to high-demand, high-wage career opportunities,” Eric Williams, executive director, Career and College Readiness, said in the post.
Each program aligns with post-secondary options in both two-year technical college and four-year university programs and will equip students with the knowledge and skills to be successful in both a post-secondary setting and the global workforce, the post stated.
Students in these programs will be able to pursue high-wage STEM careers such as engineering (aerospace, automotive, civil, mechanical, software), programming, aviation, design, information technology, research, solar power, analytics, development and technical solutions.
CYBERSECURITY, 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) The center on the Roper Mountain Science Center campus is slated to open next summer. (Image/Provided)
people in rural and underserved South Carolina communities can now get connected — to technology, resources and training — thanks to a $5 million grant from Google.org to the National 4-H Council.
The grant is aimed at expanding computer science skills and education to underserved youth across the country and builds upon support from Google.org of computer science in 4-H that has reached 1.4 million students since 2017. Google.org is the company’s philanthropic arm.
“In South Carolina, we are thrilled to continue to support this great effort and appreciate the opportunity National 4-H Council and Google have provided,” Ashley Burns, S.C. 4-H Youth Development assistant director, said in a Clemson University news release.
Computer science skills are critical to sparking interest in STEM and promoting workforce development skills that all young people need, Burns said.
And S.C. 4-H has a wealth of experience doing just that, with previous and continuing work related to computer science and computational thinking skills including the 4-H Journey to Mars program, independent computer science activities, professional development and the 4-H Engineering
This is the third grant Google.org has made in 4-H’s mission to reach and provide young people with opportunities in computer science education, totaling nearly $14 million since 2017, the release said.
“To date, we have served over 3,000 youth with our programs,” Burns said in the release. “We look forward to making the most of this investment by continuing and expanding CS programming efforts and engaging with the new National 4-H Summit, Clover and PYD Academy experiences.”
With this new funding from Google, 4-H will increase the reach of the Computer Science Career Pathways program for students from rural and under-resourced communities who have had minimal CS education.
The new grant will also help teach young people through Clemson Cooperative Extension’s in-person 4-H programs and online resources. These resources will provide access to computer science education to youth nationwide, including six million 4-H’ers and more than 3,500 educators across the 4-H system anytime and anywhere.
This effort combines the reach and educational expertise of 4-H, the nation’s largest youth development organization, and the power of Google’s computer science knowledge and innovation. Since its start, 1.4 million youth have participated in the program, with 65% living rurally, 56% of teen CS leaders being girls and 47% coming from racially diverse backgrounds.
Despite the demand for high-skilled computer science professionals, opportunities to access this education have been out of reach for youth from rural and other underserved communities, said Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO, National 4-H Council.
“We are proud to continue this initiative with help from Google.org to make a real difference in the lives of young people who otherwise wouldn’t be given a chance to discover their interest in computer science. This program goes beyond preparing youth for future careers. Teaching computer science at a young age develops problem-solving skills and confidence, and most important, empowers young people to find their spark and passion that translates to success in life,” she said.
According to a Code.org Advocacy Coalition’s 2021 report, although although 51% of public U.S. high schools offer computer science, rural schools, urban schools and schools with high percentages of economically disadvantaged students are less likely to offer computer science education.
S.C. 4-H Youth Development Assistant Director Ashley Burns works with a student on a computer science activity. (Photo/Provided)
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, community 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 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
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)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.
Reach Christina Lee Knauss at 803-753-4327.
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 gradua-
tion 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.
FBI, from Page 16 Turn90, a nonprofit fostering success after prison, received a $50,000 grant from Power:Ed. (Photo/Provided) 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)
Anderson
Edward
University
Sherman
864-231-2000 www.andersonuniversity.edu webmaster@andersonuniversity.edu
864-327-9800 www.vcom.edu admissions-carolinas@vcom.edu
864-250-1111 www.greenville.org davidataylor@greenville.org
864-578-8770 www.sherman.edu admissions@sherman.edu
Erskine College 2 Washington St. Due West, SC 29639
Lander University
Stanley Ave.
SC 29649
864-379-2131 www.erskine.edu communications@erskine.edu
Josh Herron
864-388-8000 www.lander.edu admissions@lander.edu
Edwin Cordero
Jeff Cashman David Taylor 1987 Nelson Seth, Mark Ross, R.J. Gore 1839 Jennifer Mathis 1872 Researched by Business Report staffSouthside Christian School 2211 Woodruff Road Simpsonville, SC 29681
Bob Jones Academy 1700 Wade Hampton Blvd. Greenville, SC 29614
St. Joseph's Catholic School Inc. 100 St. Joseph's Drive Greenville, SC 29607
Hampton Park Christian School 875 State Park Road Greenville, SC 29609
First Presbyterian Academy at Shannon Forest 829 Garlington Road Greenville SC 29615
Our Lady of the Rosar y Catholic School 2 James Drive Greenville SC 29605
Tabernacle Christian School 3931 White Horse Road
Easley
864-234-7595 www.southsidechristian.org discover@southsidechristian.org
864-770-1395 www.bobjonesacademy.net bja@bobjonesacademy.net
864-234-9009 www.sjcatholicschool.org info@sjcatholicschool.org
864-370-3100 www.hamptonpark.school schoolquestions@hamptonpark.org
864-678-5107 www.firstpresacademy.com kgarrison@firstpresacademy.com
864-277-5350 www.olrschool.net info@olrschool.net
864-269-2760 www.tbc.sc/school dphillips@tabernacleministries.org
864-855-8000 www.easleychristianschool.org administrator@easleychristian.org
Samuel R. Barfell 1967 1,247 135 10:1
Doug Abels 1927 1,135 90 12:1
Keith F Kiser 1993 634 94 11:1
Kevin Priest 1970 500 42 12:1
SCACS, AACS, Cognia K3 through 12th
SCISA, Cognia, NAPCIS, NASSP, NCEA, SCHSL, SACAC, PAIS, College Board 6th through 12th
Hampton Park Baptist Church, National Council for Private School Accreditation, South Carolina Association of Christian Schools K5 through 12th
Amber Thompson, Tom Roe, Vicky Burr 1953 475 76 15:1 ACSI, CAA, SCISA, CMSC, The College Board K2 through 12th
Thomas Curtin 1955 250 30 6:1
Scott
John
Diocese of Charleston, Our Lady of the Rosar y Catholic Church K4 through 12th
12th
Greenville Chamber, Mauldin Chamber, Association of Christian Schools International, S.C. High School League 2
Furman No. 45 in U.S. News ranking
Furman University said it ranked No. 45 among 200 national liberal arts colleges and universities in the U.S. News & World Report “Best Colleges” rankings. Furman was No. 46 last year. Furman said it was recognized as a “Most Innovative School,” placing fourth, the university’s highest rank in any category. Furman was also ranked among National Liberal Arts Colleges for “Best Undergraduate Teaching” (No. 29).
Anderson University said it was named the 26th best institution of higher learn ing in the South in its category after rising 18 spots in the latest rankings published by U.S. News & World Report. It is AU’s highest ranking since moving to the pub lication’s more competitive “Regional University” category, the university said. Prior to 2016, Anderson University was among the top 20 in the publication’s best “Regional Colleges” list.
The Greenville Health Authority awarded a $10,000 Healthy Greenville Too grant to Lions Vision Services for its Envision Greenville project. Envi sion Greenville provides vision health care services to individuals living at or below 200% of federal poverty guide lines. LVS provides health services through local partners in Greenville County, including Clemson Eye, Jer vey Eye Group, Palmetto Anesthesia Associates, Piedmont Surgery Center, Prisma Health, Retinal Consultants of Carolina, Southern Eye Associates and Upstate Surgery Center.
Greenwood County said it was award ed $38 million from the S.C. Trans portation Infrastructure Bank to sup port the widening of of S.C. Highway 246 South. The project is a part of the Capital Project Sales Tax program that Greenwood County voters approved in 2016, designating $12 million funds for the expansion. The expansion project involves widening four miles of High way 246 South from S.C. Highway 221 in Coronaca to S.C. Highway 702.
Meals on Wheels of Greenville has been selected by Greenville High School as the beneficiary of GHS Spirit Week. Each year, high school students raise funds and awareness for nonprofits in the community.
gsanews@scbiznews.com
Carolina Handling said it will attempt to create the world’s largest pallet painting when it hosts The Patriotic Pallet Project Oct. 10 at Greenville Downtown Airport. Presented in partnership with pallet pro vider 48forty Solutions, the Greenville Air port Commission and the Military History Center of the Carolinas, The Patriotic Pal let Project features 2,500 painted wooden pallets that when placed in a grid-like pat tern will reveal the image of Lady Liberty.
During September, Carolina Handling associates and partners painted the tops of the pallets using 20 different colors. On Oct. 10, five Carolina Handling associates representing the five branches of the mili tary in which they served, will deliver pal lets to the assembly site to form the pallets into the Lady Liberty image.
Townhome project opens in Duncan Durham Homes USA, operating part ner of Broadstreet Inc., announced the grand opening of Squires Pointe, a townhome community at 800 Squires Pointe, Duncan. The development has 20 units with four types of three-bed room, two-and-a-half-bath townhomes that range in size from 2,196 to 2,590 square feet.
The S.C. Green Industry Association announced $10,000 in scholarships to collegiate horticulture programs in South Carolina. SC Green is a statewide, non-profit organization whose goal is to increase the professionalism of the green industry through ongoing educational opportunities, trade shows and scholar
a full-service strate gic marketing agency based in Greenville, has been selected by the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville to partner for marketing and communication services including public relations, community relations, social media strategy, creative, and media planning and buying.
Crawford will spread key messag ing and provide strategic input to bring attention to the impact and value of the School of Medicine Greenville during its 10th anniversary year and into its sec ond decade.
“We are grateful for the opportuni ty to highlight the School of Medicine Greenville in this community,” Alli son Mertens, senior vice president at Crawford, said in a news release. “Our team has extensive experience with both higher education and healthcare marketing, and we are thrilled to help illustrate the value the school offers not only to the Upstate but the entire state of South Carolina.”
ships to students planning a career in the horticulture and landscape industries. This year, SC Green awarded scholarships of $2,500 to horticulture programs at Clemson University, Piedmont Technical College, Spartanburg Community Col lege and Trident Technical College.
Sandvik Coromant said it received the 2022 IndustryWeek Best Plants Award for its Westminster production site. The award is given to North American manu facturing plants that lead their industries in operational excellence, customer ser vice and employee engagement.
The JNO Accelerator, a Nashville startup technology accelerator, said it moved its headquarters to Greenville.
Managing partners Jonathan Fowler and John N. Osland also lead Logicle Ana lytics, a Greenville company founded in 2020. The accelerator will operate with its primary office in Greenville and second ary locations in Nashville and Manhattan.
Countybank and Greenwood Capital recently donated $1,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Lakelands Region. The donation will support operations for the new 12,000-square-foot Josh Norman STARZ24 Teen Center, which serves up to
The University of South Carolina established the School of Medicine in Greenville in 2012 to help address the projected physician shortage in the state. Since then, more than 420 provid ers have graduated, and 46% of those graduates have gone on to practice medicine in South Carolina. In addi tion, the school is focused on address ing disparities in health care education by providing pathways for students of diverse backgrounds to have necessary resources to prepare for medical school. They are on track to mirror the varied demographics of South Carolina with a 23% diversity rate and rising.
1,000 middle and high school students between the ages of 13-18 annually. The project was jumpstarted with a donation from Greenwood native and NFL player Josh Norman.
The Truist Foundation awarded $75,000 to the early-stage venture accelerator GVL Starts. A program of The Hill Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Furman Universi ty, GVL Starts is an eight-week program to connect aspiring entrepreneurs.
GVL Starts is a collaboration among the city, Greenville Local Development Corp., Furman’s The Hill Institute, the S.C Department of Commerce, South Carolina Research Authority and Ven tureSouth.
The University of South Carolina School of medicine Greenville is celebrating its 10th anniversary. (Photo/Provided)Researchers from Clemson University, Prisma Health and the University of South Carolina are launching a study focused on developing systems-based solutions to improve the safety and well-being of children with mental and behavioral health conditions that arrive in emergency departments.
“Mental health issues have been on the rise among children, and has been further exacerbated by the pandemic,” said Anjali Joseph, director of the Center for Health Facilities Design and Testing and professor in the Clemson University School of Architecture.
“There is a shortage of adequate mental health resources in the community and this has resulted in an increasing number of kids with mental and behavioral health issues showing up in emergency rooms, which are really the worst place for them,” she said in a news release.
Dr. Ann Dietrich, pediatric emergency department chief for Prisma Health Upstate, said cases are on the rise nationally.
“Mental health disorders have exploded in the pediatric population with multi-
ple organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics declaring a national emergency in in child and adolescent mental health in 2022,” Dietrich said in the news release.
A $2 million grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality will allow a team of doctors and scholars to search for solutions to ensure that when children arrive in emergency rooms with mental and behavioral health needs, they can receive the care they need. The team will be led by Joseph, along with Dietrich and Dr. Meera Narasimhan, chairwoman in the
department of psychiatry at Prisma Health and health innovations adviser to University of South Carolina president.
“Mental health disorders have exploded in the pediatric population with the multiple organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics declaring a National Emergency in Child and Adolescent Mental Health in 2022,” Dietrich said in the release. “Between 2010 and 2018, mental health concerns and suicide rates rose consistently, and in 2018 suicide was the second leading cause of death in children between 10-24 years of age.”
The study has three aims. The first aim is to analyze the ways that current emergency department workflows either help or hinder proper care for children’s mental and behavioral health needs. The second is to design human-centered work systems to improve care. The third is to integrate, implement and evaluate the new work systems, the news release stated.
“Chaotic emergency department environments warrant innovative solutions at a systems level to better meet the needs of children who present with mental health emergencies,” Narasimhan said in the release.
Joseph, whose research specializes in health facilities design, said that most emergency departments were not designed for the needs of patients — especially children — with severe mental and behavioral health conditions who may not have any visible physical problems. Further, she said many emergency rooms lack adequate mental health professionals on call, which can result in long wait times for patients in distress. She noted that Black, indigenous and other children of color are disproportionately impacted by shortcomings in mental and behavioral health care.
Infinity Marketing promoted Steve Laiewski to graphic design lead, Landon Senn to video production strategist, Josh Tankersley to content strategist, Taylor Klingenberg to creative strategy manager and Lindsey Hulon to senior creative team manager
McGee have been appointed assistant vice president; and Shelley Shealy and Julia Simmons have been appointed banking officers by the Countybank Board of Directors. Bell joined the Countybank Mortgage team in 2015, and Vaughan, Keaton and McGee joined the team in 2010. Kimberly Blackwell joined the William Pender Team of CrossCountry Mortgage as a loan originator. Blackwell has worked in banking for 20 as a commercial lender, retail lender and branch manager
Greenville Country Club hired Jessica Martin as private events manager. Martin previously worked as a staff member of the Chattooga Club in Cashiers, N.C.
Infinity Marketing promoted Jessica Griffin to senior media auditor and Elaine Hartigan to accounting manager. Griffin has more than 12 years of accounting experience. Hartigan has been a member of the agency’s business services team for more than 14 years.
Infinity Marketing promoted Aimee Foster to data analyst, Micah Inafuku to senior data analyst, Erica Gregory to SEO supervisor and Eric Potts to web team manager. Foster started as a media marketing intern in 2018. Inafuku joined Infinity in 2019 as an analytics coordinator. Gregory joined Infinity in 2021 as an SEO specialist. Potts came to Infinity in 2019 as web team lead.
Novus Advisors added Deny Knapschaefer and Stephen Semer to its investment team. Knapschaefer is a senior vice president and investment advisor, a Certified Financial Planner, Chartered Financial Consultant and a Chartered Life Underwriter. Semer is a senior vice president.
Greg Coggins jointed the William Pender Team of CrossCountry Mortgage as a business development specialist. Coggins previously worked as an IT professional for IBM and then Bob Jones University.
Countybank announced that Lori Bell, Brandon Calhoun, Sherri Scearce and Rich Vaughan have been appointed vice president; Joe Keaton and Heather
GreenWood Inc. promoted Chris Culbreth to site leader in Piedmont, where he has spent several years in various maintenance technician roles and most recently worked as senior team leader.
Better Business Bureau of the Upstate Education Foundation hired Logan Mize as the coordinator of its Education Foundation and Rebecca Duncan as the Savvy Seniors program director.
Agape Care Group promoted Dr. Tiffany Richter to medical officer. She most recently served as the company’s palliative medical director in South Carolina
Wyche attorney Rita Bolt Barker has been elected a fellow of the American College of Environmental Lawyers.
The Barbara Stone Foundation hired Hadleee Hoeksema as job liaison for The Up (Upward Professionals) Employment program. Hoeksema previously worked with Bright Start as a case manager supervisor.
Hotel Hartness named Carly May director of catering. May most recently worked at The Cliffs at Glassy as events manager.
Anjali Joseph says that most emergency departments were not designed for the needs of patients — especially children — with severe mental and behavioral health conditions. (Photo/Provided)
Foster Inafuku
Gregory Potts
Knapschaefer Semer
Martin Baker
Hoeksema
Theoutcome of the Fed’s meeting at the end of September heightened a fear factor that had been percolating for months. It was not what the Fed did by raising the funds rate 0.75%. That was largely expected. The scary part was what Fed Chair Powell said.
He highlighted the fact that the Fed was committed to bringing the inflation rate back to the 2.0% mark even at the risk of recession. That was both eye-opening and terrifying to investors.
The stock market is now down 22% from its peak at the end of last year. Bond yields have surged to 3.75% the highest in a decade.
In every business cycle there is a “holy cow” moment when consumers and businesses suddenly recognize the danger and collectively change their behavior. Has that moment arrived? We do not think so.
With the labor market still very strong and real interest rates negative we are not yet ready to project a recession. Having said that we are far more concerned than we were just a week ago and, accordingly, we have lowered our 2023 GDP forecast from 1.5% to 1.0%.
Psychology trumps everything. Potential home buyers could disappear. Consumers may fear they might not have a job in six months and further curtail spending. Businesses may pull job offerings off the table and actually begin to lay off workers. While the recession still may not have arrived, it is likely a lot closer than we thought a week ago.
The Fed will never forecast a recession, but Fed Chair Powell came about as close to predicting one as you will ever hear from a Fed official. He indicated that slowing inflation is never accomplished without pain which means that the unemployment rate needs to rise above the 4.0% mark that the Fed regards as full employment. The Fed indicated that it expects the unemployment rate to reach 4.4% next year. The funds rate is unlikely to rise that sharply without a recession. At 4.4% some people who want a job will not have one. That should slow the pace of wage growth which will, theoretically, help to curtail inflation.
The labor market today is very tight. Jobs are scarce. There are twice as many job openings as there are unemployed workers. The first thing that has to happen is for these unfilled job openings to disappear. Thus far that has not happened.
We have never experienced so many job openings. Without doubt these job openings will soon disappear. But the question is, at what point will businesses actually begin to lay off workers? During the 2020 lockdown firms laid off 22 million workers. Once the economy rebounded they wanted to hire them back but they could not find them. Many retired. Others just disappeared. Given that experience, firms are reluctant to lay off workers now for fear that they may not be able to get them back. A worker with 20-years’ experience cannot be replaced
easily. But at some point firms will have to reduce headcount. They will not have a choice. They cannot continue to pay every worker currently on the payroll if demand shrinks. Profitability will decline. Investors will scream. Layoffs are coming. But when?
In addition to the labor market we need to keep an eye on housing. As mortgage rates have risen and home prices have continued to climb rapidly, housing affordability has declined sharply. Between the 2020 recession and today, the down payment required to purchase a median-priced home has jumped from $55,000 to $81,000. The monthly payment has increased from $1,000 to $1,900.
These changes have eliminated many first-time home buyers from the market, and made it financially challenging for everybody else.
Not surprisingly home sales have plunged. But what’s next?
A further small increase in mortgage rates of 0.25% to 6.5% by yearend will be a negative factor for the housing market. But housing affordability is determined by three factors — mortgage rates, home prices, and growth in consumer income. What about the other two?
After climbing at a breathtaking 10-20% pace the past two years, home prices have risen far more slowly in June and July, and will almost certainly register declines in the months ahead. The days of multiple offers on listings has disappeared. Sellers are finding that the even a more realistic asking price is having to be reduced slightly to complete the sale. The housing market has changed and home prices are certain to decline in the months ahead.
The other part of the housing affordability equation is consumer income which is largely determined by the combination of job gains and wage growth. The current pace of job gains of 375,000 per month will slow, but hiring is unlikely to decline for some time to come. With real wages falling, workers and unions are demanding sizable, multiple year increases in wages. The combination of increases in employment and rising wages will keep personal income rising at a respectable 4.5% rate in the upcoming year.
Looking at all three housing affordability factors combined, it is likely that affordability will increase slightly in the months ahead. If that is true, then the worst should be over for the housing market and home sales should stabilize at roughly their current pace.
Finally, the markets have been spooked by the Fed’s increase in the federal funds rate thus far and by where the Fed says the funds rate might go in the year ahead.
However, a 3.25% funds rate today is not
all that punishing given that the core inflation rate is 6.5%. If the Fed lifts the funds rate to 4.5% by yearend and inflation slows slightly to 6.0%, the real rate will still be -1.5%. A negative real rate will not slow the economy very much, nor will it be sufficient to significantly slow inflation.
Given what has happened in recent weeks we are not yet ready to call for a recession between now and the end of 2023, but we did shave our 2023 GDP forecast from 1.5% to 1.0%. The Fed is getting more serious about its commitment to lower-
ing inflation by raising rates more quickly than it indicated previously. But the really important factor between now and yearend is consumer and business psychology. If consumers significantly curtail their spending and business begin to lay off workers, a recession could begin much sooner than 2024. Not our call, but not an implausible scenario either.
Stay tuned.
Stephen Slifer can be reached at www.numbernomics.com
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SLIFER
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.
I have found this to be perhaps the most challenging adjustment for executives 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 rec-
ommend 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.
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.
Write: Ross Norton, Editor GSA Business Report, 35B Cessna Court Greenville, S.C. 29607
Email: rnorton@scbiznews.com
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)
