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VOLUME 24 NUMBER 20 ■ GSABUSINESS.COM

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OCTOBER 18 - OCTOBER 31, 2021 ■ $2.25

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Demand for workers pushing wages higher By Ross Norton

A better way of development

Groups work to preserve natural areas. Page 10

The upside

Commercial real estate players say business is going well. Page 9

rnorton@scbiznews.com

aybe the politicians can’t agree on what to do about increasing the federal minimum wage, but the market is making its own decisions. And the decision seems to be that wages must go up. The federal minimum has remained $7.25 since 2009 and it seems that’s not enough in 2021. Pressure to pay more, especially in the

hospitality sector, was exacerbated by the pandemic, according to Furman University economics professor Kailash Khandke. “The minimum wage debate that started a little before the pandemic, was highlighted during the pandemic, when workers in the service sector, restaurants, etc., felt that they were working long hours with little to no benefits, said Khandke, the Frederick W. Symmes Professor of Economics at Furman. “At the same time research on the poverty line and

FORK IN THE ROAD Booming festival raises hopes of beleaguered restaurant industry. See story, Page 25.

See WAGES, Page 28

Labs ramp up for mandated COVID-19 tests By Molly Hulsey

mhulsey@scbiznews.com

arolina COVID-19 testing labs are scaling up for enhanced demand as the Palmetto State’s largest employers anticipate rollout of the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Some report that the industry is dealing with a shortage of testing kits. Others add that their company’s supply chain is doing just fine despite a warning from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about too few rapid tests in September. “We’re the number one vendor for Thermofisher and Medline, so we will not have a supply chain issue,” said Nolan McBride, executive director of Mako Medical Laboratory. “We don’t forsee that. We have the capacity to run about 50,000 COVID [tests] a day and that will last about six months with the current supply we have.” North Carolina-based Mako Medical Laboratory was selected by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control as one of four labs to process tests for the state’s school district testing sites. Mako Medical serves most of the Upstate districts including

New Realm eyes Greenville icon

Brewery and restaurant finds a home at Old Cigar Warehouse. Page 27

New chair at CU

Industrial engineering department has new leader in Taaffe. Page 29

INSIDE Leading Off........................... 2 SC Biz News Briefs................. 3 C-Suite................................. 4 In Focus: Food & Beverage....25 LIST: Breweries, Wineries & Distilleries...........................26 At Work...............................29 Viewpoint............................ 31

poverty threshold resulted in government intervention and trial programs with things like Universal Basic Income. So we may be seeing wages begin to go up in some of these low earning positions.” A number of announcements have suggested a trend. Chipotle made national news in May when the company said it would raise its minimum wage companywide to an aver-

In Focus

See LABS, Page 7

Real Estate Power List

The most influential residential and commercial real estate professionals in South Carolina. Inside, Page 13

Leading Off

BRIEFS | FACTS | STATEWIDE NEWS | C-SUITE

Settling down in the South

A LA CARTE

t’s never too early to start thinking about retirement. Financial gurus will tell you to take advantage of compounding interest immediately; lifestyle influencers will tell you to consider breathtaking views. But less glamorous are the factors that will play into your everyday quality of life — ones that you perhaps have not thought to consider yet but will prove to be significant. In its seventh annual study, SmartAsset breaks down top cities to retire in South Carolina according to an analysis across four criteria: tax burden, access to medical care, and opportunity for recreation and social activity. Check out the top 10 cities in South Carolina where you can prop up your feet a little easier and enjoy some well-deserved rest.

BASF’s site in Seneca donated $5,000 to Grace’s Closet, along with personal hygiene items. The donation provides students access to essential items through the Grace’s Closet stores located within area schools.

Top Cities to Retire in South Carolina

Joyner Commercial’s office at 230 Buist

Researchers used an index of data from across South Carolina to determine the ranking of the best places to save for retirement. We’ve pulled out two data points: taxes and doctors.

Rank

City

Tax burden

Doctors per 1,000

Murrells Inlet

15%

8.1

Seneca

14.1%

5.7

Hilton Head Island

14.1%

2.4

Myrtle Beach

15.4%

9.3

Camden

15%

3.5

Greenville

14.1%

5.2

Georgetown

15%

4.2

Orangeburg

15%

3.7

Anderson

15%

4.1

Laurens

15%

Ave. received the 2021 Commercial Revitalization Award from the Greater Greenville Association of Realtors. The building, built in 1953 for electrical engineering company Huntington & Guerry, had been for sale for many years.

The Spartanburg County Public Libraries was one of eight recipients of the 2021

ON THE

RECORD

John Cotton Dana Award, recognized for

“The largest growth in job openings is occurring in health care, finance, and accommodations and food. We should look for early and larger wage increases in these three sectors.”

their strategic communications efforts with local marketing firm, Neue South, on the 2020 Census. The award provides grants for libraries that demonstrate

— Bruce Yandle, economist

WEBSITE: www.GSABusiness.com

outstanding library public relations.

@GSABusiness

facebook.com/GSABusiness

October 18 - October 31, 2021

www.gsabusiness.com 3

SC Biz News Briefs COLUMBIA

Melinda Waldrop, Columbia Regional Business Report

Presents

Former SCANA Corp. CEO Kevin Marsh sentenced to 2 years in federal prison Former SCANA Corp. CEO Kevin Marsh has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for his role in the V.C. Summer nuclear debacle. Marsh, 66, who pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, was sentenced Oct. 7 by U.S. District Judge Mary Lewis. Following his 24-month sentence, Marsh will serve a three-year term of court-ordered supervision, according to a news release from acting U.S. Attorney M. Rhett DeHart’s office. There is no parole in the federal system. Marsh, who paid $5 million in federal forfeiture prior to his sentencing, was also fined $200,000. Evidence showed that Marsh intentionally defrauded ratepayers while overseeing and managing SCANA’s operations, including the construction of twin reactors at the V.C. Summer nuclear station in Fairfield County, so SCANA could obtain and retain rate increases and qualify for up to $2.2 billion in tax credits. In 2016, confronted with information that project delays put those credits at risk, Marsh and others withheld that information from regulators and made “false and materially misleading statements,” according to DeHart’s office.

Join us for this monthly webcast featuring America’s top business minds and thought leaders.

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Networking and Building Relationships in the Era of COVID S.C. Ports Authority President and CEO Jim Newsome. (Photo/Provided)

CHARLESTON

Teri Errico Griffis, Charleston Regional Business Journal

S.C. Ports Authority chief inducted into the International Maritime Hall of Fame Jim Newsome, president and CEO of the S.C. Ports Authority, was inducted into the International Maritime Hall of Fame in New York City on Oct. 5, in recognition of his career in the maritime industry. “Jim leads S.C. Ports with great vision, decisiveness and enthusiasm,” S.C. Ports COO Barbara Melvin said. “He encourages his team to lead alongside him and pursue bold ideas to further strategic initiatives for our world-class port. SC Ports has grown immensely under his leadership, leading to significant job creation and economic growth throughout South Carolina.” Newsome has enhanced port operations and grown the port’s cargo base with strategic investments, with cargo volumes doubling in a decade. He has also worked to maintain Port of Charleston’s global competitiveness as a top 10 U.S. container port. MIKE MCABEE

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.

DR. IVAN MISNER

Founder & Chief Visionary Officer of Business Network International, or BNI — the world’s largest business networking organization. The New York Times bestselling author is considered the ‘Father of Modern Networking.’

NOVEMBER 10 | 12 PM EST

Coven Haircraft owner

PAGE 4 VOLUME 27 NUMBER 21 ■ CHARLESTONBUSINESS.COM VOLUME 14 NUMBER 14 ■ COLUMBIABUSINESSREPORT.COM

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OCTOBER 11 - 24, 2021 ■ $2.25

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Treasure hunt

Charleston Wine and Food expands for 2022 to North Charleston Riverfront Park. Page 6

Clemson archaelolgists seek Revolutionary War-era fort. Page 3

Midlands Technical College held a ribbon cutting for its renovated Welding Technology Center on Sept. 22. (Photo/Melinda Waldrop)

SC Biz News honors high-growth companies. Page 4

BUILDING DEMAND

Eviction worries

New MTC welding center aims to feed workforce pipeline By Melinda Waldrop

BullStreet addition Luxury apartment complex to add 500-plus residents. Page 14

INSIDE

Upfront ................................ 2 SC Biz News Briefs ................ 3 In Focus: Architecture, Engineering and Construction .......................................... 13 List: Landscape Architecture Firms ................................. 18 At Work .............................. 21 Viewpoint ...........................23

Part of the

mwaldrop@scbiznews.com

ust before the groundbreaking for the Obama Presidential Center on Sept. 28, Michelle Obama stopped by a welding class at the Chicago Women in Trades career training and support center. In an Instagram post, the former first lady reflected on how her father provided for his family through his job as a pump operator, and noted that the welders she visited – some of whom will work on her husband Barack’s center – are pursuing a career that “can help them build a good life for themselves and their families.” According to May 2020 numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 33,150 workers employed as welders, solders, and brazing machine setters, operators and

tenders (which does not include self-employed workers) made a mean annual wage of $41,320, with top-tier positions paying as much as $58,660. What’s more, a shortage of welders is looming: the American Welding Society estimates the U.S. will need 400,000 welders by 2024 as older workers retire. The average age of a welder is 55, the organization said, with fewer than 50% of welders under the age of 35. That’s where Midlands Technical College’s latest capital improvement comes in. A $4.5 million renovation to what is now the college’s new Welding Technology Center continues a $50 million modernization campaign the school embarked on in 2015. The center, now housed in the former Industrial Building on MTC’s Airport campus, features 64 state-of-the-art welding bays and fume extraction capabilities, multi-purpose class-

rooms, a computer lab and external covered work areas, among other upgrades. “We almost doubled our capacity in terms of welding booths, and so we’re going to be able to double the production of students,” MTC President Ronald Rames told The Columbia Regional Business Report after a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new welding center on Sept. 22. “What we do know is the welding and welders are in high demand. By increasing this capacity, we’re going to be able to help business and industry meet their needs.” Along with welding fundamentals and qualifications certificates, MTC also offers the first college degree in welding available in South Carolina through its Associate of Applied Science degree in welding technology.

Charleston takes new approach to housing crisis

See CENTER, Page 17

Infusion of cash

New Wells Fargo program adds to coffers of three S.C. Community Development Financial Institutions. Page 10

ColumbiaBusinessReport.com

Transparency, reinvestment bring Charleston School of Law back from the brink.

Ex-CEO sentenced

Uptown world

A $200 million mixed-use development coming to North Charleston. Page 15

INSIDE

Upfront ................................ 2 SC Biz News Briefs ................ 3 Small Business Spotlight ....... 4 In Focus: Architecture, Engineering and Construction ...............29 List: General Contractors....42 Bonus List: Commercial Moving & Storage Companies.........................43 At Work ............................. 45 Viewpoint ...........................47

By Teri Errico Griffis

tgriffis@scbiznews.com

ean Larry Cunningham was full of apologies after running a few minutes late to a meeting. A group of Charleston School of Law students had surprised him last-minute by dropping off a handful of handwritten thank you notes, expressing their appreciation to him for volunteering at a recent event. The bubbly moment was a far cry from where the law school was nearly eight years earlier, on the brink of disaster and on its way to permanently shuttering. Back then, school administrators were far more likely to receive correspondence related to lawsuits than sentimental cards. The hiccup in the school’s history began in 2013 when owners Robert Carr and George Kosko called an impromptu gathering of faculty to inform them that that the school would either have to close or be sold to InfiLaw, a Florida-based for-profit company that owned three law schools consid-

THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR

By Teri Errico Griffis

King Street commercial spaces fill up following pandemic vacancies. Page 30

Former SCANA Corp. CEO Kevin Marsh gets two years in federal prison. Page 7

OCTOBER 18 - 31, 2021 ■ $2.25

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Commercial King

Growing rewards

Expiring moratorium stresses tenats, landlords. Page 6

RAISING THE BAR

ered so-called “diploma mills,” including Charlotte School of Law. The Charleston law school was only 10 years old at that time. Devastated but determined students, alumni, and faculty pushed back — with two faculty members filing lawsuits — fearing that the sale would mar the school’s reputation and lower the standards of a Charleston School of Law education. The turning point came in October 2015 when Ed Bell, a Georgetown trial lawyer, stepped in as president and bought into the school, alongside Carr and Kosko, to save it from the sale to InFiLaw. Bell’s agreed to manage the school, while Carr and Kosko serve as members of the board, until the school goes nonprofit and the former owners are bought out. Since then, InfiLaw has gone out of business and all of its law schools are now closed, while Charleston School of Law years has clawed its way back from that See LAW SCHOOL, Page 12

tgriffis@scbiznews.com

n less than 10 years, Charleston will need 16,351 affordable places for people to live, according to a city report. To find and build those affordable residences, Charleston is seeking out a real estate broker whose sole job will be to find land for projects. Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg said of all the concerns the coronavirus pandemic has made worse, affordable housing has been near the top — especially as more people work from home and more people from other areas sought to move to the region. Demand grows higher, supply dwindles, prices go up. “We just have a huge thousand-pound gorilla in the room of the real estate market to contend with as we try to keep some housing affordable here,” Tecklenburg said. He understands Charleston market is dynamic with housing developments popping all over the region, but the downside is that the more affordable housing is being pushed farther and farther away from where most people work, exploding in Berkeley and Dorchester counties, and places like Johns Island in Charleston County, where land is much more affordable. “You just end up with a situation where what’s available for folks is they have to travel farther to get where it’s affordable,” he said. “And that’s not a good thing,” The mayor understands the dire need to create more housing and to make not only the process to find more affordable and attainable housing easier on residents, but on homebuilders too. That includes changing zoning and regulations that might incentivize companies that aren’t building affordable housing to possibly consider it down the line. Tecklenburg regularly discusses housing See HOUSING, Page 14

Real Estate Power List

The most influential residential and commercial real estate professionals in South Carolina. Inside, Page 17

CharlestonBusiness.com

SCBIZmag.com

www.gsabusiness.com

October 18 - October 31, 2021

UPSTATE NEWSROOM Editor - Ross Norton rnorton@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1222 Staff Writer - Molly Hulsey mhulsey@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1223 Associate Editor, Custom Publishing Division Jim Tatum jtatum@scbiznews.com • 864.720.2269 MIDLANDS NEWSROOM Editor - Melinda Waldrop mwaldrop@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7542 LOWCOUNTRY NEWSROOM Executive Editor - Andy Owens aowens@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3142 Staff Writer - Teri Errico Griffis tgriffis@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3125 Editor, Custom Publishing Division Steve McDaniel smcdaniel@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3123

Photo/Provided

Research Specialist - Paige Wills pwills@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3125

A View From The C-Suite

News Editor - Alexandria Ng ang@scbiznews.com • 843-849-3124 Web Editor - Rob Lyle rlyle@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3119

E. Smyth McKissick IV | President and CEO | Alice Co.

UPSTATE ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

THE BEST ADVICE I’VE EVER RECEIVED

Senior Account Executive - Ryan Downing rdowning@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1221

In my previous work as a management consultant with McKinsey & Company, one of the senior partners, Tom

Account Executive - Angie Hammond ahammond@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1974

Barkin, was an incredible mentor. He shared with me and

MultiMedia Advertising Executive - Amanda Alford aalford@bridgetowermedia.com • 864.720.1225

my colleagues his 10 keys to productivity. Two that resonate

“cultivate positive energy.” Those two simple rules go beyond

particularly with me are, “do it once, do it right” and productivity to leadership, relationships and self-worth.

South Carolina’s Media Engine for Economic Growth Rick Jenkins - Group Publisher rjenkins@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1224 Robert Reilly - Director of Advertising rreilly@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3107

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Too much capital chasing too few deals. On the bright side, however, it is a great time to be an entrepreneur or developer.

LITTLE KNOWN FACT ABOUT YOUR COMPANY Alice Co. is a family business that was started by my great-great-grandfather almost 100 years ago.

WHAT IS YOUR ROLE?

WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU COULD GIVE?

My role is to generate deal flow, hunting for opportunities and vetting

Work with people who are intellectually curious. It will keep you sharp, and it will keep your business ahead of the game.

Creative Director - Ryan Wilcox rwilcox@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3117

WHAT IS THE STIFFEST CHALLENGE FACING YOUR INDUSTRY RIGHT NOW?

partners. I also lead our team and empower them to do the best work they can with the resources they need to be successful.

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The entire contents of this newspaper are copyright by NWS Company LLC with all rights reserved. Any reproduction or use of the content within this publication without permission is prohibited. SCBIZ and South Carolina’s Media Engine for Economic Growth are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

October 18 - October 31, 2021

www.gsabusiness.com 5

A WO R D F R O M A

WORLD-CHANGER

Matt Gevaert KIYATEC

1 Describe your business in a nutshell.

Kiyatec is solving an important problem: helping achieve better outcomes for cancer patients. It’s not uncommon for a cancer patient to try a medication that ultimately doesn’t work. We provide information that helps their oncologist and doctor better pinpoint the medication that will work.

2 Why is Greenville the place you chose to create

your business? Kiyatec is atypical in that we’re located inside the Cancer Institute at Prisma. Prisma welcomed us in, [where] we get to innovate alongside the doctors and the patients, and that’s relatively unique. And then there’s the Cancer Survivors park here, [which shows that] our community is not afraid to face the hard problems in a positive way. Both [of these things], plus the data, helped support the real company that we’ve birthed here.

“I realized this was an exceptional place to grow, due to the wonderful entrepreneurial community.”

3 What separates Greenville from the other

start-up cities? Greenville has an entrepreneurial

community that’s very supportive and very collaborative. We believe that together we form a critical mass that makes each of us better. And that extends to attracting employees and having options outside of our company. We want people to go where it’s best for them and thrive and succeed there, and my job is to create a company that’s going to be that for them. We’re all about the rising tide lifting all the boats, and I’m always asking, “how can we make that tide rise, together?”

youcangreenvillesc.com

I’m originally from Canada, and while at university there, I heard of Clemson’s internationally-renowned biomedical engineering program. I came here because of that program, with the intention of being here for two years—and 25 years later, I’m still here. I realized this was an exceptional place for me to plant my roots and grow, due to the many wonderful things spanning the entrepreneurial community.

2005

Cancer Diagnostics Innovator, Kiyatec, is Co-Founded

2014

Bio Convention Innovation Zone Contributor

Start writing your own story at youcangreenvillesc.com/groundbreakers

www.gsabusiness.com

October 18 - October 31, 2021

CDFI funding program targets minority-owned and rural businesses By Melinda Waldrop

mwaldrop@scbiznews.com

ammie Hoy Hawkins is already making phone calls. Hawkins is CEO of CommunityWorks, a Greenville-based Community Development Financial Institution. Her organization is one of three to receive a total of nearly $3 million in grants from Wells Fargo’s Open for Business program, a $420 million national small business recovery effort. Launched using the interest earned by Wells Fargo from Paycheck Protection Program loans, the program aims to help diverse and minority-owned businesses recover from the COVID19 pandemic. CommunityWorks, along with the South Carolina Community Loan Fund, each received $1 million, while the CLIMB Fund, a Charleston-based business development organization, received $750,000. “You could not imagine the phone calls that we were able to make,” Hawkins said during a Sept. 29 announcement of the funding at Piecewise Coffee Co. in Cayce. “So far, 29 businesses have already benefited from the Open for Business fund, in particular areas like Hartsville, Greenwood, Clemson, Florence, Myrtle Beach and other areas.” Hawkins said the Open for Business funds have helped CommunityWorks reach small, mainly rural businesses that did not receive Paycheck Protection Program loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration. “A lot of folks were shut out of that relief effort,” said Hawkins, who said her organization made $9 million in loans to more than 600 small business across South Carolina. “What was missing was access to capital and relief to our rural communities. Many of our rural communities who had USDA loans or other types of loans did not have access to that SBA relief. “There was a huge gap in the market, a huge gap for South Carolina businesses that were struggling and needed resources to thrive. Open for Business allowed us to support rural businesses.” Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, an entrepreneur and the founder of Travelers Rest-based benefits services firm Quality Business Solutions, attended the announcement. She said small business investment programs such as the Open for Business funds and the Opportunity Zone program created by Sen. Tim Scott is crucial to help underserved, rural communities continue to recover from the pandemic. “Those small businesses change lives, change families and change communities,” Evette said. “It’s those peo-

Amber Murray, owner of subscription fueling service FuelFlo, describes the impact of a small business loan from the S.C. Community Loan Fund with Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette at left. (Photo/Melinda Waldrop)

ple coming together and changing their trajectory. We want to make sure that we capitalize. Not only do we now have $3 million to offer to diverse and minority-owned businesses, it comes on the heels of Tim Scott’s Opportunity Zone funds. So we’re really looking to help our rural communities and change what they look like, because we realize bringing business to our rural areas is what changes those communities.” Justin Hawkins, regional bank president for Wells Fargo, launched a small business of his own a few years ago in Greer and now knows firsthand the

$118,000 small business loan from the S.C. Community Loan Fund, which has offices in Columbia, Charleston and Spartanburg, to open the cozy State Street coffee shop in Cayce’s River Arts District in 2019. “We couldn’t thank them enough for their investment,” Scoma said. “It’s difficult in the beginning. It’s like I used to serve in a restaurant, and everyone wants you to have experience, but no one wants to be the one to give you the experience. We were super thankful that they met us where we were at and saw a lot of potential in us.”

“What was missing was access to capital and relief to our rural communities. Many of our rural communities who had USDA loans or other types of loans did not have access to that SBA relief.” Tammie Hoy Hawkins CEO, CommunityWorks

struggles faced and sacrifices made by small business owners. “Your job ranges from being CEO to janitor on a daily basis,” he said. “It’s a tough job, but we know that small businesses are the heartbeat of our communities across the United States. They really pump life into our neighborhoods, making them vibrant places to live, to work, to raise families, and they are key to millions of jobs. … More needed to be done to reach diverse small business owners, especially those that were really hit hard by the pandemic.” Lindsey Scoma, who owns Piecewise with her husband Stan, received a

The funding announcement took place in a new, airy event space adjacent to the coffee shop slated to open soon. Scoma said she has been in talks with the building owners about expanding for a while, “but for a couple of years, we were like, no more liability for us, especially because the pandemic happened,” she said. But with ongoing safety protocols necessitating more space as part of a business pivot that also included opening a catering arm, “we took the leap of faith and here we are, opening in the next week or so.” Other small business owners and CDFI funding recipients in attendance

Sept. 29 included Fernando Soto, owner of Charleston-based New Digital Press, and Danny Young, owner of Extreme Cheer and Tumble in Florence. “We started as a small business back in 2020 right at the beginning of the pandemic, and like many small businesses, we were very nervous about what our future was going to be like,” Soto said. “Finding funding for these types of ventures can be pretty difficult, but we’ve been blessed with a very strong community that has supported us along the way for the last year and a half.” Soto credited the CLIMB Fund, formerly Charleston LDC, with helping his company through those turbulent times. “Over the last 20 months that the pandemic has been impacting our community, Latino business have been some of the most resilient across the entire country,” he said. “We’re very excited that Wells Fargo is investing in businesses like ours.” Facebook’s September Global State of Small Business Report, with responses from 35,189 business leaders across 30 countries and territories, found that minority-led small businesses were more likely to report closures related to the pandemic at 20% to 14%, as well as more likely to report a drop in sales (44% to 29%) and reduced employment (32% to 20%) than other businesses. Hispanic-led small businesses had the country’s highest closure rate at 24%, while Black-led businesses reported a 22% closure rate. Amber Murray owns Fuel Flo, a subscription fueling service that provides fuel to customers at their homes or businesses. Serving Orangeburg, Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties, the business received a $145,000 small business loan from the S.C. Community Loan Fund. “The struggles of finding funding for this business, especially during the pandemic — it was extremely hard,” said Murray, who moved back to her native St. George from Georgia to launch her business. “But they believed in me. I can’t thank them enough for that.” Cindi Rourk, CEO of the CLIMB Fund, said CDFI funding fills a critical niche in South Carolina’s small business community. “Our state will never live up to its full potential unless every one of its citizens has a realistic shot for success,” she said. “The opportunities we are creating today are small but very important steps toward making that dream a reality.” Reach Malinda Waldrop at 803-726-7542 or mwaldrop@scbiznews.com

October 18 - October 31, 2021

www.gsabusiness.com 7

LABS, from Page 1

Greenville, York, Anderson, Spartanburg, Oconee and parts of Greenwood counties, according to McBride. “We hope we don’t have to run 50,000 a day,” he added. The S.C. Department of Education launched optional testing for employees and students in early September with the help of $155 million in funding from Washington, D.C., according to Education Superintendent Molly Spearman. She doesn’t expect that requirements for weekly testing in lieu of a vaccine for employees will be underway any time soon. “I doubt any type of requirement would be from DHEC,” she told GSA Business Report. “I don’t anticpate that, but this, certainly, is an excellent tool we now have, because it means that we can get people back quicker from the quarantine or even if they are feeling sick, they have a site readily available that they can go to.” Ryan Brown, a spokesperson for the Department of Education, reiterated on Oct. 12 that no plans were in the works for a mandate at this time and that a call with the U.S. Department of Labor the previous week on the topic had yielded little guidance, as the Labor Department has just started to get the ball rolling on the issue. “We have no idea of what the mechanics would look like,” Brown said. Vaccine mandate or no, Greenville’s

Mako Medical Laboratory runs Greenville County School District’s COVID-19 testing site for students and employees at Fountain Inn High School. (Photo/Molly Hulsey)

Diversified Medical Health Care is preparing to expand its operations even further for an onslaught of Delta tests, a 35% increase in tests processed from last year, according to Kristina Loughrey, communications director of Diversified Medical Healthcare. Since President Joe Biden announced the mandate, the lab has also seen an uptick in test samples, both from individuals and the large corporations it serves across all 50 states. “As soon as the mandate came out, we’ve just been preparing ourselves for being able to support large businesses and schools, but really, we’ve been prepared all along,

because right at the beginning of COVID, we became the first laboratory validated for COVID testing in the state of South Carolina,” said Loughrey. “In the summer, when there was sort of a lull in cases, laboratories kind of scaled back, but we did not do that. We kept building out our capabilities, because we anticpated another surge.” Right now, Diversified Medical Health Care has three companies under one roof: manufacturing arm PT Medical, the medical equipment distributor Vessel Medical and Premier Medical, the testing lab. Sister company OnGen also develops proprietary laboratory information software, she said.

In the months to ahead, Vessel and CPT will relocate to give Premier more room to grow at its 6000 Pelham Road location, along with the addition of a new almost 50,000-square-foot suite. The new office will give the company’s R&D team, including one of the creators of the first FDA-approved COVID-19 tests, more breathing room, while Diversified Medical Healthcare hires on more lab assessioners. “We’ve invested in state-of-the-art automation equipment, which automates a lot of the laboratory processes,” she said. “That’s the reason why we have one of the largest testing capacities in the nation. We can process up to 300,000 specimens per day.” As for supply chain snags, Loughrey reported a shortage in testing supplies, including saliva-collection kits and nasopharangial and nairs swabs, but Diversified Medical Healthcare’s manufacturing arm has has helped ease bottlenecks at the company. “That is one area that has slowed things down in being able to provide testing for a lot of testing entities and having testing capacity is a major issue,” she said about supply chain hold ups. “Having the automation equipment, that meets that need. Every time there’s been a roadblock, we’ve really thought through what we can do to help improve testing as a whole.” Reach Molly Hulsey at 864-720-1222 or @mollyhulsey_gsa on Twitter.

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October 18 - October 31, 2021

2021 | SOUTH CAROLINA

MANUFACTURING CONFERENCE AND EXPO PRESENTED BY:

SAVE THE DATE: NOV. 10 - NOV. 12

GREENVILLE CONVENTION CENTER | GREENVILLE, SC

To view the agenda and to register, visit www.scmanufacturingconference.com

Join Manufacturing suppliers and innovators across all industry verticals at South Carolina’s most significant manufacturing event of the year. The 2021 conference will include:

• An exhibit hall the equivalent of three football fields • Leadership Training (SHRM/HRCI credits earned) • Implementing Industry 4.0 Technology • Driving Change: The Future of Electric Vehicles in South Carolina • 2022 Economic Outlook: Auto, Aerospace, Biotech • Women in Manufacturing: Leaders and Influencers • SCMEP Manufacturing Excellence Awards • The South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (SCMEP) will conduct training courses

PRESENTING SPONSORS:

#NotYourAverageJanitor

SUPPORTING SPONSORS:

For questions about exhibiting or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Melissa Tomberg at (864) 720-1220 or mtomberg@scbiznews.com Visit scmanufacturingconference.com for the latest updates.

October 18 - October 31, 2021

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Pandemic effects on commercial markets vary By Jim Tatum

jtatum@scbiznews.com

he state’s commercial real estate sector seems to have not only weathered the COVID-19 pandemic but the pandemic has helped drive some positive change, say several commercial real estate leaders. The lease office space market has been of particular interest, as the onset of the pandemic saw most companies shutter offices and send employees home to work. Now, 18 months later, questions swirl as to whether the office market will grow, tank, or completely metamorphose. David Lockwood, executive vice president and COO of commercial real estate firm Colliers International’s Columbia office, noted that, while the lease office space market did experience some turbulence, it was not as severe in Columbia, or in South Carolina, as in other areas of the country. There are several possible explanations for this, he said. For one, the office space markets in Columbia, Charleston and Greenville/ Spartanburg are generally considered third-tier markets largely driven by local businesses, he said. In Columbia, especially, much of the existing inventory is occupied by government agencies and the vendors who work with them. So, while national companies with local footprints or companies with niche functions have reduced or may reduce their footprint, many locals who represent significant parts of the market, at least in Columbia, have not. Another important point, Lockwood said, is that the pandemic forced companies and industries to take a hard look at their operations and make proactive decisions and positive changes. As a result, most companies have not only learned to deal with the day-to-day uncertainty that COVID represents but are doing well. “They don’t want to be distracted with the logistics and cost associated with relocation,” he said. “They never gave up their space, they may not be at full capacity, but they have pretty much held onto their space.” One niche that did suffer was large call center/customer service-type facilities, spaces occupied by 500-700 workers. As those facilities are difficult to upfit for other functions, and given the current high cost of construction, many facilities are sitting empty and may not come back online. Jeff Hein, senior broker and principal with NAI Columbia, said he believes the lease office space sector has held its own. “The office leasing side has definitely been interesting,” Hein noted. “One multi-tenant building we have in the St. Andrews area had an 85% occupancy this time last year; it’s now at 100%. On the other hand, we had a tech company that

Photo/File

wound up reducing their office space by about half when they renewed.” In spite of the relative volatility, leasing prices, while taking a dip in 2020, have risen again and seem to be holding steady, Hein said. Currently, the Columbia area has more sublease space available than it did in 2020, he said. “Office obviously has been affected in a major way,” Tombo Milliken, senior broker and principal with NAI Columbia, said. “Columbia’s a little bit isolated and insulated with the government and the university. You don’t see the wild swings that you do, even in Greenville or Charleston, or certainly other places. Columbia’s a steady market. The office market has been shaken up pretty good, but I think it’s starting to return to some normalcy.” Between scarce inventory and skyrocketing construction costs, industrial space in Columbia is at a premium. Because of that, larger construction projects, such as a 60,000-square-foot spec building in the 113-acre Lightwood Industrial Park, are moving quickly. The latest industrial project by Columbia-based Magnus Development, a 181,440-square-foot building in the Lexington County Industrial Park, leased 68,040 square feet preconstruction in August. “Today’s industrial vacancy rate in central South Carolina is nearing historic lows, and it is becoming more difficult to find well-located, flexible industrial buildings such as the 321 Logistics building,” said Kevin Werner, partner with Magnus Development. The retail segment, meanwhile, seems

to be recovering. According to a second-quarter market report by Colliers, the Columbia retail market struggled during the pandemic, showing few new deliveries and negative absorption, but posted positive overall absorption for the first half of 2021, with a mid-year vacancy rate of 5.72%. During the second quarter of 2021, most retail activity was in service-oriented businesses, according to the report.

Upstate market recovering

Mark Griffin, Principal and CEO of Sperry Global Commercial Affiliates/ Griffin Partners in Greenville, said vacant office space increased sharply in the last year. Net absorption in Greenville County went from around minus-50,000 square feet in the second quarter of 2020 to around minus-228,000 square feet in the second quarter of 2021. With more than 34 million square feet of existing commercial space in Greenville and Spartanburg counties, this negative absorption trend is concerning, Griffin said. “The overall commercial vacancy rate between second quarter 2020 and second quarter 2021 went from around 11% to around 16% to 17%,” Griffin said. “Office space definitely took the a major hit in the Upstate due to the pandemic.” One other major indicator of this is the increase in vacant office sublease space in Greenville County, which increased from around 130,000 square feet in Q2 2020 to 309,000 square feet in Q2 2021.” That said, the market seems to be recovering. Companies are watching bottom lines, and some have found that a telecommute operations model can save

money; however, they have to balance that with the advantages of a central work space, collaboration and accountability, Griffin said. Smaller start-ups are moving into smaller 92,000-to 10,000-square foot-spaces, which are moving quickly. Existing companies that had initially downsized are slowly transitioning back to central office spaces. “I don’t think the 100% telecommute model will be a permanent situation,” Griffin said. “I think a hybrid model — being referred to as ‘flex office space’ or a hybrid telecommute — will probably ultimately become the new normal at least for the foreseeable future.” On a positive note, investor and owner/ occupant demand for office buildings has increased, driving capitalization rates to all-time lows and acquisition price per square foot of smaller existing freestanding office buildings to record highs. This trend is exacerbated by increases in construction materials. labor shortages and lower interest rates. Another factor is an influx people moving to the area and purchasing existing businesses, Griffin said. “Fifty percent of what we do is selling businesses,” Griffin said. “We’re seeing a lot of folks who are (moving) to the Southeast looking to purchase an established business with a building rather than starting from scratch. Meanwhile, there are a lot of people that have decided that now is time to sell their business due to the rise in materials and costs of goods sold as well as baby boomers simply looking to retire, which in turn is creating opportunity for growth.”

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October 18 - October 31, 2021

A member of the Green Build team prepares to saw a piece of OSB board to use in the reconstruction of the Spring Park Inn’s windows in late August. Now, the exterior is almost complete says Green Build’s John Carroll. (Photos/Travelers Rest Historical Society and Molly Hulsey)

Land trust holds potential for projects like TR community center By Molly Hulsey

mhulsey@scbiznews.com

ike a lot of people in town, longtime Travelers Rest resident John Carroll didn’t know his hometown was named after the Victorian-era pad of a late neighbor. At least until the Green Build executive took on the job of transforming her home back into an 1800s-era inn — and in the months ahead, a community center, museum and events venue on the Swamp Rabbit Trail. The project is one of myriad Upstate historical preservation and conservation projects kickstarted by the S.C. Conservation Bank, the mother of Greenville County’s newborn Historic and Natural Resources Trust. Carroll regrets that he never had the chance to meet Nell Anderson Gibson, the last descendent of Robert Anderson, one of the men who brought the Swamp Rabbit Railroad to the town (and past his inn). But since Gibson put the property under a conservation easement before her death at 89, the contractor has acquainted himself with her home as Gibson’s ancestors knew it. “It was really just a bit of committee work and a lot of measuring,” Carroll said. Guidance also came from similar projects from the time period to use as a blueprint, as well as existing records, all overseen by the Greenville County Historic Preservation Commission. When GSA Business Report first met Carroll, he was measuring a new column for the Spring Park Inn front porch that twinned tapered pillars featured in photos from the house’s stint as a stopping-off point for Swamp Rabbit Railroad passengers from 1852 until 1941. Prior to that, the home was haven for Carolina elite seeking to escape the “heat and malaria” of the Lowcountry summers, according to Kyle Campell, owner of Preservation South — one of the organizations

that made the 20-acre restoration project possible alongside the work of the Travelers Rest Historical Society, Upstate Forever and the S.C. Conservation Bank. Today, the exterior of the house is almost complete, Carroll said, with some construction still underway on the inside. A finished home, barring decoration for the museum’s interpretive space, is expected by Gibson the end of the year. The 20 acres surrounding the home, many of them now leased to a driving range, were once a centralized park space for the town, according to Campbell. In accordance with Gibson’s wishes to give the traveler’s rest stop, well, back to Travelers Rest, plans are underway to transform the property back to its original use through fundraising and public-private efforts. “We really think that it’s an exciting opportunity for the community to have this greenspace, the house and all of its history right there in the center of town,” Campbell said.

Trust and keep your powder dry

It’s an opportunity that the founders of the Greenville County Historic and Natural Resources Trust hope to see more of as the new funding pool broadens over and launches its public committee meetings. “Well-thought out, planned progress is good,” Doug Harper of Harper General Contractors told GSA Business Report. “It’s going to happen. You can’t stop progress. Let’s do it the right way and protect the special places as much as possible, so they are there for future generations, because once they’re developed, they’re gone forever. We need more trails and parks and open spaces.”

S.C. Conservation Bank Executive Director Raleigh West and Harper, the bank’s former chairman, have been mulling over how to do that in an ever-booming Upstate for years. In 2020, their vision blossomed into reality when the Greenville County Council voted in December to create the land trust’s board, and despite some budget disappointments, plans for the trust clipped ahead into the new year. Like at the state conservation bank, the funding will be used by land trusts such as Upstate Forever and Naturaland Trust to compensate landowners who sell their property to a conservation organization or, like Gibson, seek out local conservation organizations to put their property under a conservation easement. “Which is basically a contract between a landowner and a land trust nonprofit or the government, but usually a nonprofit organization, like Upstate Forever here that’s pretty prominent, where they would donate a conservation easement to save interest in real estate,” West said. Properties with natural ecosystems, open space, historical value or public access under a conservation easement can continue to be used by the landowner for farmland, as a homestead or other limited purposes, but, according to IRS tax law, cannot be sold off or divided for commercial or residential development. This contract is permanent and is passed forward along with the deed when ownership changes. “It carries more impact when you say, ‘in perpetuity,’” said Harper. “Which means forever.” Conservation easements carry with them tax incentives, but funding from the conservation banks, the Greenville County land trust or other sources help compensate the landowner for some of the value lost from the property’s appraised fair market value due to property-use restrictions.

Possible property uses differ from property to property. Each easement is tailored for the situation, according to West. “There are certain programs in the counties, and the state conservation bank, which I now direct, to help provide the financial incentives, so that it’s not just financially beneficial for the people who have the income and assets needed,” he said. “It opened it up to a much broader pool of landowners.”

It takes a village

As the Greenville County Historic and Natural Resources Trust ramps up to hold its first public board meeting in the months ahead, in late August, Harper, chair of the trust board, said it plans to launch its website in the even nearer future. “We’re moving very fast, because the ordinance was passed in December,” he said. “Then we had to go through the normal board process of interviews and then the council voted; the board was set. It all happened very quickly, and subsequently we had our first called meeting.” Landowners and conservation entities will have deadlines in August, November and April to submit grant applications for their properties, but Harper had not announced the first grant meeting for this year at the time of the interview. “Almost all of our grants will be matching grants,” he said. “Very rarely will we fund a total incentive grant or a piece up for purchase. We’re going to use leverage just like the state does. … It takes a village.” While the $2 million over two years allocated by the County Council in July was just a hint of the $10 million initially requested, Harper and West expect the investment to snowball once their work is underway. “We’re going to have some excellent results, I’m confident, and show Greenville County Council what a wise investment it is,” Harper said.

October 18 - October 31, 2021

www.gsabusiness.com 11

INTO THE WILDS Ultra-rare flowers, haunting fireflies, bilingual ghost towns and the home of Mount Vernon’s savior are just a few of the treasures protected by the S.C. Conservation Bank’s recent Upstate investments. GREENVILLE COUNTY

a couple weeks out of the year in a few locations across the Southeast, these fireflies glow with an eerie blue-white light, hovering just above the forest floor. Saluda Rivers Gorge, Travelers Rest — 226 acres Conservation organization: Naturaland Trust Received a $569,988 grant out of $1,305,000 fair market value

Core Bunched Arrowhead Preserve, Travelers Rest — 17 acres Conservation organization: Upstate Forever Received a $40,000 grant out of $93,632 fair market value The Bunched Arrowhead can be found in only three places in the entire world: Henderson and Buncombe counties in North Carolina and Greenville County. A floodplain forest in Travelers Rest is one of few places left in Greenville to still find the plant. Plans to turn the property into a S.C. Department of Natural Resources Reserve aim to keep it that way.

The North and South Saluda Rivers pummel boulders lined by steep banks on this property, making it a potential destination for paddlers and anglers. The rivers here also feed into the Saluda Lake, a water source for Easley. LAURENS COUNTY

Received a $450,000 grant out of $580,000 fair market value Another haven for the threatened Oconee Bell, the McKinney Creek Preserve helps sustain water quality for the Greenville watershed and serves as a hiking area near Devil’s Fork State Park. Chapman Bridge Oconee Bell Preserve, Salem — 239 acres Conservation organization: Naturaland Trust Received a $550,000 grant out of $955,000 fair market value This Oconee Bell preserve will help serve as a corridor of undeveloped land between the other two Oconee Bell habitats conserved in 2020. Its rivers flow into Lake Jocassee and Lake Keowee.

Rosemont Plantation Expansion, Waterloo — 124 acres Conservation organization: Rosemont Preservation Society Received a $350,000 grant out of $480,000 fair market value

Mill Shoals Community Forest, Pickens — 713 acres Conservation organization: Naturaland Trust Received a $1,650,000 grant out of $2,280,000 fair market value Pickens’ newest community forest will offer outdoor recreation opportunities to the public, while also offering a buffer for water resources and wildlife.

It may only be fitting that the woman who helped save and restore George Washington’s Mount Vernon to have her home preserved as well — or at least the lands around what remains of her estate. This tract expands the public park surrounding Ann Pamela Cunningham’s Rosemont Plantation, which was established in the late 1700s.

SPARTANBURG COUNTY South Tyger River Blueways Tract, Duncan — 53 acres Conservation organization: Spartanburg Area Conservancy Received a $140,000 grant out of $1,216,000 fair market value

OCONEE COUNTY

Stumphouse Mountain Expansion, Walhalla — 792 acres Conservation organization: The Nature Conservancy Received a $898,527 grant out of $1,900,400 fair market value

Jones Gap Access Tract, Slater-Marietta — 97 acres Conservation organization: Naturaland Trust Received a $503,626 grant out of $593,000 fair market value Thanks to the preservation of the Jones Gap Access Tract, trout fishermen will have access to Gap Creek, while the headwaters of the Middle Saluda River will be buffered from incoming development.

Boone Creek Oconee Bell Preserve, Salem — 40 acres Conservation organization: Naturaland Trust Received a $200,000 grant out of $292,000 fair market value A 1/4 mile of frontage on Boone’s Creek near Devils Fork State Park is home to a threatened plant called the Oconee Bell. The 40 preserved acres along the creek will help protect the white and yellow flower, as well as water quality for Greenville area residents.

Saluda Rivers Connector (Phase II), Cleveland — 181 acres Conservation organization: Naturaland Trust Received a $500,000 grant out of $2,550,000 fair market value The Saluda Rivers Connector, soon to become a wildlife management and outdoor recreational area protected by S.C. DNR, borders Greenville’s Firefly Forest, home to the Blue Ghost Firefly. For

Lyle Property, Walhalla — 166 acres Conservation organization: Oconee County Soil and Water Conservation District Received a $143,300 grant out of $750,000 fair market value Six streams on the property flow from the heights of Sumter National Forest into the Coneross Creek Watershed. McKinney Creek Oconee Bell Preserve, Slater-Marietta — 196 acres Conservation organization: Naturaland Trust

Table Rock is far from the state’s tallest vista at 3,127 feet, but it may be home to one of the state’s most well-known parks. Surrounding the park is acres of private open landscape, including the Grant Meadow Addition, which offers what Harper General Contractor’s Doug Harper calls “One of the most iconic views in South Carolina.”

In the 1850s, reports say Irish Gaelic was spoken alongside English among the men that carved the Stumphouse Tunnel, part of a cancelled railroad line stretching from Charleston to Cincinnati, out of granite. Visitors from around the world still visit the remains of the tunnel and adjacent shanty town at the Stumphouse Mountain Heritage Preserve, which tripled in size with the recent 792-acre addition.

Tyger River may bring to mind adjacent industrial properties and its public kayak access point. The tract will help maintain farmland along the river and a boat launch as the area becomes a development hot spot. UNION COUNTY

PICKENS COUNTY Big Rock Access Expansion, Nine Times Forest — 1 acre Conservation organization: Naturaland Trust Received a $10,000 grant out of $20,000 fair market value Big Rock Access Expansion may be one of the smallest tracks secured with a bank grant this year, but it preserves the path to what the bank calls one of the most important rock-climbing destinations in the state, titular Big Rock. Grant Meadow Addition, Pumpkintown — 21 acres Conservation organization: Upstate Forever Received a $65,000 grant out of $335,000 fair market value

Sandy Run Forest, Jonesville — 237 acres Conservation organization: Upstate Forever Received a $155,000 grant out of $710,00 fair market value The Sandy Run Forest consists of shrub and forested wetlands that run alongside the Sandy Run Creek — a tributary for the Pacolet River — and teem with wildlife.

Source: South Carolina Conservation Bank Annual Report 2020, sccbank.sc.gov, Catholicity in the Carolinas and Georgia: Leaves of its history.

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October 18 - October 31, 2021

20 21 The expert in your industry is you.

Share the expertise of your company in GSA Business Report’s Book of Experts. This magazine is an opportunity for a business to demonstrate a sample of its specialized knowledge to our readers. The narrative format is a great way to share complex information that goes beyond the usual advertising display. Your “expert story” told in an article with photograph can help businesses and consumers make wise decisions.

PUBLICATION DATE: December 20, 2021

ADVERTISING DEADLINE: October 22, 2021

For advertising information, contact Rick Jenkins at (864) 720-1224 or rjenkins@scbiznews.com

October 18 - October 31, 2021 31, 2021

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2021 REAL ESTATE

POWER LIST

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October 18 - 31, 2021 October 18 - October

PRESENTING THE 2021

REAL ESTATE POWER LIST By Andy Owens

aowens@scbiznews.com

hen real estate moves, South Carolina’s economy moves with it. That has always been the case, but never has it been so critical as during the pandemic when demand soared to record heights, and everyone looked to the housing industry as a sign the economy was getting back on track. Individuals, families and businesses looking to relocate frequently have found the Lowcountry, Midlands and Upstate on their short list. Even with the changing dynamic of office space during the surge of remote work, businesses seeking a place to grow within the market have realized South Carolina is ideal to put down pilings. In the following pages, you’re going to see the people we picked from across the state as the key power players in residential and commercial real estate.

These individuals represent a market sector that serves as a leading indicator of the health of South Carolina’s economy. We picked this second Power List as a companion to Banking and Finance because access to capital and real estate provide the catalyst to economic development in cities, towns, counties and communities across South Carolina. Our editorial team analyzed industry data and considered the individuals who are called upon in the Palmetto State to serve as the experts when someone needs to understand a complex real estate transaction based on variables that require specific, real-time market information. All of these real estate professionals contribute to their communities, their businesses and to the businesses and families they serve. We felt the Top 5 distinguished themselves as economic ambassadors for our state and their sector. Please join me in congratulating these individuals in print and online.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. JOHN C.L. DARBY

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2. SHARON WILSON

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3. JONATHAN A. GOOD

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4. OWEN TYLER

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5. STEPHEN SMITH

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JOHN C.L. DARBY

The Beach Co. n his roles as president and CEO of The Beach Co., and man-

aging partner of Kiawah River, John C.L. Darby is charged with executing the vision of his grandfather, company founder J.C. Long, to generate lasting value in all aspects of The Beach Co.’s real estate endeavors. Over more than 20 years, Darby’s efforts have had a significant impact on the communities served by The Beach Co., helping to improve their quality of life and contributing to their long-term economic vitality. A Charleston native and 1985 graduate of The Citadel, Darby began his career in banking. In 1988, his family approached him to work for The Beach Co., and in 1990, he joined family business. Since becoming CEO in 1999, Darby has expanded the company’s presence throughout Charleston and across the Southeast. Under his leadership, The Beach Co. grew from 18 employees to over 300, transforming into a full-service real estate business with a portfolio including residential and resort properties, office buildings, shopping centers, industrial parks and land across the Southeast. The company grew from a multi-million-dollar, multifamily portfolio to a more than $1.5 billion portfolio of Class A multifamily and mixedused properties. Darby also expanded the firm’s construction company, Gulf Stream Construction, and development division, Beach Development, as well as formed the Beach Investment Fund, The Beach Co.’s first-ever investment fund. The firm has been frequently recognized, regionally and nationally, for excellence.

Darby supports many community organizations and serves on The Citadel Foundation, Trident CEO Council, Palmetto Business Forum, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, S.C. Tourism Council, Ashley Hall School Board, New Carolina, the S.C. Chamber of Commerce, and the East Cooper Land Trust Advisory Council. He has dedicated much time, energy and resources, both personal and on behalf of the company, to the Emanuel Nine Memorial, a planned memorial honoring the nine victims and five survivors of the mass shooting, which took place at Mother Emanuel AME Church in downtown Charleston. The memorial is expected to open in 2022.

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SHARON WILSON Wilson Associates

haron Wilson is a name that has been synonymous with outstanding performance in the Greenville real estate market for decades, having earned numerous accolades from peers and clients alike. She co-founded Wilson Associates in 2014, where she is president and broker-in-charge of 28 full-time agents. Now in its seventh year, Wilson Associates consistently ranks among the top 10 performing real estate companies in Greenville and is an affiliate of the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, a referral network serving clients nationwide and globally. Recognition aside, Sharon’s motivation to succeed has never been about awards or sales goals but loving what she does and prioritizing her clients. At the start of the pandemic, Wilson Associates put the safety of their clients, agents and staff first by providing proper personal protective equipment and weekly professional office sanitizations, as well as offering showings with streaming video, safety training programs for agents, and virtual house tours. One of Wilson’s favorite aspects of running her own company is the opportunity to hand-pick and mentor a team of professionals who share her work ethic to exceed client expectations as well as giving back to the community. In fact, Wilson Associates recently just pitched the idea of implementing bike racks alongside Greenville’s new Unity Park. This implementation will be paid for as a charitable donation to Unity Park by Wilson Associates and other real estate companies. A seventh generation Greenvillian, she

Congratulations! Sharon Wilson WILSON ASSOCIATES REAL ESTATE

2021 Power List - Real Estate

encourages everyone at Wilson Associates to support a charity of their choice to help make Greenville a better place. The company supports many local organizations such as Project Host, Cancer Society of Greenville County, Artisphere, the Julie Valentine Center, and the Meyers Center. Her leadership has earned local and regional sales awards as well as her being named to the 2020 GSA Women of Influence and being awarded the 2018 Business of Integrity Award for Outstanding Community Service by the Better Business Bureau of the Upstate. As she puts it, philanthropy and real estate professionalism, paired with ambition, approachability and innovation, make Wilson Associates just very good at real estate.

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POWER LIST

www.gsabusiness.com 21 17 www.charlestonbusiness.com

JONATHAN A. GOOD

NAI Earle Furman, NAI Piedmont Triad and NAI Columbia

1997 graduate of Furman University, Jonathan A. Good joined NAI Earle Furman in January 2000 after selling the first business he purchased after graduating college. He was elected to shareholder of the firm in 2005 and named CEO in 2011. Good’s ability to source deals and partner like-minded teams has led to the successful operation of a firm-controlled private equity fund that is currently in its second investment cycle. He has full oversight and heads the firm’s executive committee. He has a proven record of increasing sales for the firm throughout the Carolinas and concentrates his efforts on growing the bottom line. He also coordinates every facet of broker training and development and plays an integral role in creating valuable instruction for administrative employees. He has directed the restructuring of several divisions, facilitated growth initiatives, and led the merger and acquisitions of several additional brokerage firms to continue adding resources and new talent to the firm’s various businesses. Good has served in a variety of community leadership roles, including as a boardmember of the Greenville Housing Authority, past president of The Commercial Alliance of the Greater Greenville Association of Realtors, Past Chairman, Loaves and Fishes, a food rescue program that collects and delivers more than 1.1 million pounds of food each year. He serves as board secretary and member of the Community Foundation of Greenville’s Finance and Investment Committee and has been a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization since 2012. He is a member of the Aspen Institute’s Liberty Fellowship Class of 2020 and is a member of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors. He is a former director and the 2003 Commercial Realtor of the year for the Greater Greenville Association of Realtors, a Costar Power Broker from 2007-2012. Company recognitions include the NAI Earle Furman Property Management Business Development Award, Capital Club, Silver, Gold and Platinum Levels, Largest Transaction of the Year, and Global Elite Performer.

OWEN TYLER The Cassina Group

fter a successful career as a general real estate broker, Owen Tyler felt it was time to take on a new role as managing broker and broker-in-charge at The Cassina Group, based in Mount Pleasant. Experienced in residential and commercial real estate, Tyler is an Accredited Buyer Representative, Certified International Property Specialist, Council of Residential Specialists, Resort & Second-Home Property Specialist, and Certified Mediator. He brings a passion for his profession, a stellar reputation, and offers a superb client service experience. Tyler joined The Cassina Group in 2014, charged with moving the brokerage to its next iteration with a focus on creating a highly specialized consumer experience. His focus on Realtor excellence and a client-first approach has helped The Cassina Group evolve into the successful luxury real estate firm that clients and customers expect today. Under his management, the firm has consistently

ranked among the best in the Charleston MLS, named to the Roaring 20s List, listed as one of the top 1000 Brokerages in the U.S., and landed on the Inc. 5000 list more than once. Tyler has served on local, state and national boards and in leadership positions for South Carolina Realtors, Charleston Trident Association of Realtors, National Association of Realtors, Charleston Regional Development Alliance, The Children’s Trust of South Carolina, and One80 Place. He was the 2013 President of Charleston Trident Association of Realtors, 2018 & 2019 Governance Chair for One80 Place, and the 2020 president of South Carolina Realtors. He was named 2013 Realtor of the Year by the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors, awarded the 2008 C. Dan Joyner Community Service Award by South Carolina Realtors, and named Charleston Global Realtor of the Year by CTAR Global Business Chapter. He was

named to the Charleston Regional Business Journal’s 2013 Forty Under 40. Tyler graduated from Clemson University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.

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October October 18 - October 18 - 31, 31, 2021 2021

POWER LIST

STEPHEN SMITH CBRE

native South Carolinian born and raised in Charleston, Stephen Smith graduated from the College of Charleston and spent the first nine years of his career in the Lowcountry, specializing in commercial sales and leasing. In 1993, Smith moved to Greenville and joined the Furman Co., specializing in office sales and leasing before moving into leadership roles within the company. When CBRE acquired CBRE Furman Co. in 2014, he transitioned into his current role leading the brokerage, investment property and property management business for the state of South Carolina. He has been recognized throughout his career with a number of professional accolades, including the South Carolina Chapter of Society of Industrial and Office Realtors’ award for the largest office transaction in 2000, 2004 and 2010 as well as being named a member of Grubb & Ellis’ Circle of Excellence in 2000 and 2005, which recognizes the top producers in the company. Since earning the SIOR designation, Smith has been closely involved with that organization throughout his career, serving as the Carolinas Chapter president, and as a regional director and a member of the board of directors. He has worked with a number of business and philanthropic organizations in South Carolina, noting that he is “very proud of the work that I have been part of through my professional career and through these organizations.” He currently serves on the board of directors for the Greenville Tech Foundation and the board of directors for the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, as well as on the Executive Leadership team for the March of Dimes Real Estate Committee. He is a former member of the Board of Governors for the Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce and the Greenville YMCA Board of Directors.

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Congratulations to Managing Broker & Partner Owen Tyler for being named to the 2021 Power List. 309 Coleman Boulevard, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464 132 East Bay Street, Charleston, SC 29401 Visit us at CassinaGroup.com or call us at 843.628.0008

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October 18 - October 31, 2021 31, 2021

POWER LIST

WADE ALLEN

MARK BARDO

Lee & Associates

1983 graduate of Clemson University, Wade Allen is a 38-year veteran of the commercial real estate industry with vast experience in brokerage transactions, property and asset management, as well as construction and development of multiple asset types. His career roles have included both owner-occupier responsibility and real estate service provider relationship management. Recruited to Lee & Associates in 2019 as president and broker-in-charge of the company’s Charleston operations, Allen has been instrumental in growing the business in all facets. He has led the company to a compounded annual growth rate of 20% in revenues over the past two years. He serves many organizations through past and present board appointments, including Clemson University, Camp Twin Lakes, Charleston Regional Development Alliance, Downtown Athletic Club and The Church at LifePark.

Allen Tate Co.

n his 35 years of real estate leadership, Mark Bardo has held in many roles, including at an executive level. Licensed as a broker in four states, he currently oversees all sales and operations for Allen Tate Co. in the Upstate with nine offices and 170 personnel. Since his appointment, he has led the regional office to double-digit growth since 2019. Previously, Bardo led other divisions to similar growth levels. He is past chair of the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World’s marketing and technology committee, a past board member of the Charlotte MLS and a current board member for Luxury Portfolio International.

www.gsabusiness.com 23 19 www.charlestonbusiness.com

BRENT CASE

Coldwell Banker Commercial Atlantic

ith more than 25 years experience in the business, Brent Case is president and BIC of Coldwell Banker Commercial Atlantic in North Charleston, specializing in retail brokerage in sales, leasing, tenant representation and development as well as multifamily, office and land acquisitions. Case has received many accolades, including Commercial Realtor of the Year, CCIM Region Vice President, and Commercial Realtor of the Year and has been named Broker of the Year and Circle of Distinction over the past 10 years. Since 2012, he has been named Coldwell Banker Commercial No. 1 Sales Professional by State

CONGRATULATIONS

WADE ALLEN, PRESIDENT & BROKER-IN-CHARGE 2021 POWER LIST HONOREE On behalf of Lee & Associates Charleston, we’d like to congratulate Wade Allen, the President of our Charleston office, for being named to SC Biz’s Commercial Real Estate Power List. Wade’s commitment to our firm, clients, and the entire community is commendable and something we can all aspire to. Congrats Wade, well deserved!

960 Morrison, Suite 400 | Charleston, SC 29403 | 843.747.1200 | lee-charleston.com

every year, as well as to the top 2% of the Coldwell Banker Commercial Global Network of Brokers. He serves on the National Advisory Board for Coldwell Banker Commercial Corporate, the Executive Committee for the Charleston Trident Association of REALTORS and chairs the North Charleston Business Expo. An active member in the Charleston Chamber, he has headed the Chamber’s Leadership Charleston program. He is leading the company in the development of three shopping centers totaling over 100,000 square feet, managing all aspects and processes of the development cycle. He has also been the exclusive real estate agent for many National Brands Retail Tenants. Case also is a Principle in Tenant Development Company LLC and in AI Insurance Services LLC.

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October 18 - October October 18 - 31, 2021

IT’S TIME TO BINGE BUSINESS What’s new on SCBIZtv? With nearly 150 videos (and counting), our YouTube channel features a wide variety of businessrelated content. From recognition events to one-on-one interviews with high-level business executives to in-depth discussions with industry leaders, our playlists have something for everyone. Here’s a sampling of what you’ll ﬁnd on SCBIZtv. What’s New and What’s Hot!

Check out our new content as well as our trending videos on this ever-changing playlist.

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With events like Women of Inﬂuence in the Upstate, Icons and Phenoms in the Midlands and Health Care Heroes in the Lowcountry, SC Biz News honors the movers and shakers across the state.

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This ongoing video series features business executives sharing insight about their business, the industry in which they work and the community in which they live.

Subscribe to SCBIZtv and stay in tune with what’s happening across South Carolina. https://www.youtube.com/scbiztv

October 18 - 31, 2021 31, 2021 October

FRANK DUPREE

Vista Capital Management

rank DuPree has been in the multifamily industry since 1978. Currently, he is CEO and founder of Vista Capital Management Group in Greenville, but prior to this role, he served as regional vice president of Apartment Investment Management Company. Prior to AIMCO, DuPree worked as an asset manager for Insignia Financial Group. He holds real estate broker’s licenses in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. DuPree is a Housing Credit Certified Professional, awarded by the National Association of Home Builders; a Certified Property Manager, awarded by the Institute of Real Estate Management; and as a Certified Commercial Investment Member. DuPree is a past president of the Upper State Apartment Association and the South Carolina IREM Chapter, an active member of the Urban Land Institute, and currently serves on the National Affordable/Workforce Housing Council and as a National Governing Councilor for IREM.

www.charlestonbusiness.com www.gsabusiness.com 25 21

POWER LIST STEPHEN EDGERTON Coldwell Banker Caine

ore than 10 years ago, Stephen Edgerton joined Coldwell Banker Caine in the Upstate as COO. Today he serves as president and CEO, overseeing the company’s related real estate divisions. Under his leadership, the organization has come to be known for its innovative attitude, hundreds of high-caliber associates and deep commitment to community. Edgerton works personally with Meals on Wheels and other organizations. The company’s Caine Cares program similarly impacts the Upstate through programs focused on human services, animal welfare, arts and health and wellness. Previously, Edgerton has served as chairman of the Coldwell Banker Large Office Group for five years, as chairman of the Board of Directors for the Metro Greenville YMCA and as board member for Artisphere and VisitGreenvilleSC. He is also a member of the Young Presidents Organization. Edgerton graduated from Rhodes College and earned an MBA from Arizona State University.

PETER FENNELLY

CHRIS FRASER

Bridge Commercial

ince earning his first real estate license in New Jersey at the age of 18, Peter Fennelly has been representing clients throughout the country and has worked in cities such as Princeton, San Diego, Atlanta and for the past 20 years, Charleston. Working in teams and building teams over the years has provided some of the greatest opportunity and experiences to Fennelly. From playing college football at the University of Rhode Island to international sailboat competitions around the world. Those experiences helped develop the skills, empathy and camaraderie to be part of building a great organization such as Bridge Commercial. As the President of Bridge Commercial, Fennelly works on long term strategy, actively helps train young recruits and serves his various long term clients. Fennelly is active in his community through school, sports and community organizations and is a member of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors and CoreNet Global.

Avison Young

graduate of Clemson University and a U.S. Navy veteran, Chris Fraser entered the real estate profession in 1985. Throughout his career, he has been involved in the development of multiple product types, including hospitality, sports complexes, retail, industrial and office space, and has worked in office leasing and management as well. Fraser’s experience has led him to a number of development and brokerage assignments, taking part in large-scale residential subdivision projects, anchored shopping centers, corporate office buildings and hotel and amenity-rich projects. Today, Fraser is managing director of Avison Young’s South Carolina and Savannah commercial real estate offices based in Charleston. Fraser holds a designation as a Certified Commercial Investment Member. He also serves in several community roles including, arts, education and economic development.

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CONGRATULATIONS PETER FENNELLY

Robert Reilly: 843-849-3107 or rreilly@scbiznews.com

SOUTH CAROLINA’S 2021 POWER PLAYER IN REAL ESTATE BRIDGE-COMMERCIAL.COM

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18 - 31, 2021 October October 18 - October

POWER LIST

BRENDA HANNA

BRUCE HARPER

BEN HINES

DUSTIN AND TARA JOHNS

ruce Harper sp e ci a l ize s in investment sales and development as well as land sales and office and medical sales and leasing. He joined Trinity in 2018 and is currently managing partner for the company in the Columbia office. Prior to joining Trinity Partners, he was president and broker-in-charge of a major real estate company. He has received a Circle of Excellence Award every year since 1999, achieving Gold status each year from 2005-2008. He was awarded the CCRA 2008 and 2010 Commercial Transaction of the Year award. He is a member of the Central Carolina Realtors Association and National Association of Realtors, the Society of Office and Industrial Realtors, and the International Council of Shopping Centers. He served on the city of Columbia Design Development and Review Board, Clemson University Board of Visitors and the Columbia Market Forecast Board.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Midlands Real Estate ith more than 40 years in the real estate industry, Brenda Hanna has served as an agent and licensed broker for over 30 years. She opened Prudential Midlands Real Estate in 2006 and joined Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices in 2015. She was president of the Central Carolina Realtor Association in 2014 and has been awarded a Realtor of the Year Meritorious Award. Today, Hanna serves as the chief financial officer, broker-in-charge and owner for Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices in the Midlands. Hanna has said that she shares a passion and core values for the team members under her in serving the communities in the Columbia region.

Trinity Partners

Spencer/Hines Properties

Resource Realty Group

1978 graduate of Wo f f o r d College, Ben Hines started Spencer/ Hines Properties, a commercial real estate firm, in 1986. Headquartered in Spartanburg, the company, a commercial real estate firm, is celebrating 35 years in the industry. Hines grew the company into the largest market share in Spartanburg County, with 20 brokers and a branch office in Greenville. The firm added two partners, Andy Hayes and Guy Harris, three years ago. Hines and his team have represented many clients, producing millions of dollars in commercial real estate transactions, hundreds of jobs, and substantially increasing the Upstate’s tax base. He is a Certified Commercial Investment Member and former certified financial planner. Hines has served on numerous boards, including the United Way of the Piedmont, Child Evangelism Fellowship, The S.C. Christian Foundation and First National Bank.

ounded by Dustin and Tara Johns in 2008, Resource Realty Group is the largest independent brokerage in the Columbia market, servicing investors and bank-owned properties. Since then, and as the markets improved, RRG has grown to sales of over $100 million annually, with 35 agents and six brokers. The Johns’ thrive on solving unique property challenges and complex transactions for their clients in both the commercial and residential sectors. Dustin is also a licensed builder and Tara serves as Broker In Charge. RRG also offers flat fee listing services for $2,800, regardless of price, which has saved their clients over $5 million in commission since they introduced the model four years ago. They are also active in community affairs. Tara was nominated to run for their local Leukemia/Lymphoma Society’s Woman of The Year fundraiser. Her team goal is to raise $150,000 for the society.

Congratulations to our Founder,

Congratulations to Bruce Harper,

BEN HINES

from all the Agents and Staff at Spencer/Hines Properties.

Managing Partner

Ben Hines CFP, CCIM President, Spencer/Hines Properties

Thank you SCBiz News for honoring Ben as one of the 30 Most Influential Real Estate Agents in South Carolina.

https://www.trinity-partners.com/team/bruce-harper-sior

Visit us at spencerhines.com Spartanburg 864-583-1001 Greenville 864-991-8077

October October 18 - 31, 2021 31, 2021

JOSEPH KLOSIK

Keller Williams Realty

oseph Klosik started in real estate in the Atlanta area in 2001 with Keller Williams Realty. After working as a sales agent, team leader and coach, he joined his wife, Lynne, in her sales business to form Salt Marsh Properties within Keller Williams, serving as the listing specialist and CFO. He currently is the operating principle for Keller Williams Charleston’s West Ashley and Summerville offices, as well as broker-in-charge for all Charleston Keller Williams offices. Klosik’s biggest passions are teaching and coaching agents around the country. In 2018, he was accepted into the Keller Williams Realty International Master Faculty. Klosik has served on grievance, professional standards and the MLS board of directors, is the immediate past president of the Charleston Trident Multiple Listing Service, and currently serves on the board for both the state and local Realtor associations. The Klosiks live in Mount Pleasant, where they are active in their church.

www.gsabusiness.com 23 www.charlestonbusiness.com 27

POWER LIST PATTY KORAHAIS Keller Williams Realty

graduate of the University of South Carolina, Patty Korahais has been a licensed South Carolina Realtor since 2000. She is currently broker-incharge of more than 400 real estate associates in the Upstate as operating principal of Keller Williams Realty. She oversees more than 4,000 closed real estate transactions per year. Korahais also serves as the broker-in-charge of Central Property Management, which has been serving clients in Greenville, Anderson and Spartanburg since 2010. Korahais said that as a local industry leader, Keller Williams always searches for solutions and resources for agents to serve their clients better. Under Korahais’ leadership throughout the past five years, the Spartanburg brokerage has been ranked No. 1 in Spartanburg County for units and volume closed, and the Greenville offices rank third in units sold in Greenville County.

DAVID LOCKWOOD Colliers International

Clemson University graduate, David Lockwood is currently executive vice president and COO, as well as a shareholder of Colliers International South Carolina Inc. He started with the company in 1986 as a leasing agent and six years later was promoted to vice president of leasing, in charge of all lease production for the Columbia office. In 2005, Lockwood was promoted to senior vice president and promoted in 2010 to executive vice president. In 2016, he was named executive vice president and COO, responsible for all marketing, research and IT operations, as well as overseeing staff for the company’s four offices in South Carolina. He has been president of the Central Carolina Realtors Association and the South Carolina Realtors Association, and served for more than eight years on the executive committee of the National Association of Realtors, along with numerous leadership positions within National Association of Realtors.

28 www.gsabusiness.com www.charlestonbusiness.com 24

POWER LIST

TED PITTS

LAURA RITTENBERG

Wilson Kibler

October 18 - 31, 2021 October 18 - October

ed Pitts first joined Wilson Kibler in 1999 as a broker, and became a principal in the company in 2008. More than a decade later, in January 2021, he was named Wilson Kibler’s president and CEO, overseeing operations in all three S.C. offices in Greenville, Columbia and Charleston. Prior to being named president and CEO, Pitts left Wilson Kibler to work in Gov. Nikki Haley’s administration in 2011, first as deputy chief of staff, then later chief of staff. Following that role, he shifted his efforts to the S.C. Chamber of Commerce where he took on the role of president and CEO in 2015. Pitts graduated from Presbyterian College where he now serves on the Board of Trustees. He is also a football official in the Southeastern Conference.

Coldwell Banker Realty, Atlanta; Coldwell Banker Realty, Carolinas

aura Rittenberg has 40 years of experience in residential real estate as a salesperson, branch office manager and corporate executive. After managing sales offices for two national franchises, she went on to oversee her own real estate company, mortgage company and real estate licensing school. She joined the Coldwell Banker executive team in 2000 when she sold her Denver-based company to Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. In 2017, Rittenberg took the helm of Coldwell Banker Realty in Atlanta and her role was expanded two years later to include operational oversight in North and South Carolina. She leads 29 sales offices and nearly 2,700 affiliated agents. In 2020, Rittenberg helped implement the shift to virtual learning, marketing and conducting business. Under her management, the company’s sales rose to $5 billion last year, a 14% increase over 2019. She was named to the 2021 Women of Influence list and Atlanta Magazine’s Women Making a Mark. Rittenberg also is the president of the Atlanta and Carolinas chapter of Coldwell Banker Realty Cares Foundation.

DAN JOYNER

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner Co.

Greenville native and Furman University graduate, Dan Joyner has worked with the company from his youth, starting in property management and doing appraisals, insurance and residential sales. He started the commercial division in 1996, serving as president and general manager. He became president of the C. Dan Joyner Co. in 2010 leading the company through the transition to Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner, Realtors in 2013. Under his leadership, Joyner continues to be the Upstate’s market leader in residential home sales and is poised for continued growth. Joyner has served on many boards in the Upstate, including The American Heart Association, Coaches for Character and Greenville Little League, and recently completed The Riley Institute’s Diversity Leadership Program.

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In Focus

FOOD & BEVERAGE LISTS: Breweries, Wineries & Distilleries, Page 26

NEXT ISSUE’S FOCUS:

Manufacturing Conference

Booming festival raises hopes of beleaguered restaurant industry By Molly Hulsey

mhulsey@scbiznews.com

he Grammy-nominated prophet of the Mississipi blues, Cedric Burnside, plucked the sounds of a slow triumph out of his wood-paneled guitar, as at least 100 listeners congregated at the foot of the stage swaying to the electric growl of the bass notes. “I came from nothing,” he sang. “I done been, I done been lower than lower. I keep my head on straight.” Crowds jostled shoulder to shoulder past the W. Washington Street Stage, queing up in lines that could swing out to the middle of Main Street, as restaurateurs served up their fare, sometimes buffet-style at the front of the tent, sometimes in the back. “But we made it. But we made it. But we made it. Yes we did,” sang Burnside. The scene could have been from 2019, but this time around, the restaurants that made it to the streets of Greenville’s largest event were a little more weary and definitely wiser after running the gauntlet of the past two years. The festival goers, a little more hungry for the hum of a crowd and normalcy, passed by the shells of Husk, Port City Java, The Chocolate Moose, Happy + Hale and Dark Corner Distillery — some now occupied by new tenants, some not. On other years, Fall for Greenville can be a boon for business. In 2021, Fall for Greenville was a flare of new life for the city’s hospitality industry as almost 50 restaurants, coffee houses and food vendors snaked from E. North to Augusta streets from Oct. 8 to Oct. 11. The city was still counting purchased food tickets when this story went to press. “Fall for Greenville is always a really excellent opportunity,” said Kristin Kay, owner and operator of Wildflower Cupcake and Dessert Bar. “It’s an opportunity to get your name out there and to get the exposure that you need, but as far as revenue is concerned, if you have a good weekend — which normally you do, weather is the only thing that can prevent that — it can make or break for us, the month of November.” Kay has manned a tent at Fall for Greenville for eight to nine years, she said, but this weekend was her busiest yet — despite pounding rain that swept guests off the sidewalks the night of Oct. 8. “In years past, there have been times that November

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Fall for Greenville attracted the largest crowd yet this year, at least for Wildflower Cupcake and Dessert Bar. (Photo/Molly Hulsey)

has been a real slow month, and the Fall for Greenville revenue has helped us get through,” she said. “It definitely makes a difference. Of course, with COVID, things have really been up and down, inconsistent.” Kay split off from a franchise two years ago, and is operating out of a bakery on Pelham Road. Even as curbside pick-up options tail off at other venues, Wildflower Cupcake and Dessert Bar still offers outdoor and no-contact pick-up options, according to the company’s website. “We’ve been super busy. I think people are ready to get out of the house, because of the rain, and looks like it’s (the crowd’s) not stopping and it’s almost closed,” Larkin’s Catering Coordinator and Operations Manager Mara Meehan said with a laugh as she stowed away a few leftover roasted potatoes as families scrambled to use their last meal tickets at 6:59 p.m. on Sunday night. Larkin’s too has adjusted since its last time on the street in October. Especially when it comes to corporate catering. “Anything right now with COVID, it’s a whole other ballgame,” Meehan said. “We’re still going and it’s coming back, but anyone who wants to come back, they

Allen Tate

have to be cautious, that’s for sure.” Michelin is inviting their local crews to soirees instead of flying in overseas guests, she said. Corporate clients host pop-ups in lieu of three-course meals with real silverware. “It’s not as much, and they’re definitely a lot more cautious for sure,” said Meehan. “So it’s smaller portions, as opposed to like a 100-person groups like we used to do.” Larkin’s Executive Vice President Christina Murphy is also on the board for Fall for Greenville, so planning events for the festival brought about some additional business at the steakhouse, she said. When GSA Business Report asked Meehan how many tickets Larkin’s had received over the past three days: “A lot,” she said. “Friday … with the rain, it was defintiely a ghost town, but there were still some people in sheets of rain — that was promising. As soon as it stopped, all of sudden, things showed up.” Reach Molly Hulsey at 864-720-1222 or @mollyhulsey_gsa on Twitter.

IN FOCUS: FOOD & BEVERAGE

www.gsabusiness.com

October 18 - October 31, 2021

Breweries, Wineries & Distilleries Ranked by No. of Employees in the Greenville Area Company

Phone / Website / Email

Top Local Official(s) / Year Founded

Fireforge Crafted Beer 311 E. Washingon St. Greenville, SC 29601

864-300-4809 www.fireforge.beer yo@fireforge.beer

Nicole Cendrowski, Brian Cendrowski 2018

Small-batch brewery in downtown Greenville

City Scape Winery 589 Dunklin Bridge Road Pelzer, SC 29669

864-329-0615 www.cityscapewinery.com

2007

Local winery and vineyard

Birds Fly South Ale Project 1320 Hampton Ave. Extension Greenville, SC 29601

864-412-8825 www.bfsbeer.com info@bfsbeer.com

2016

Urban farmhouse brewery

The Eighth State Brewing Co. 400 Augusta St., Suite 140 Greenville, SC 29601

864-609-4590 www.eighthstatebrewing.com evolve@eighthstatebrewing.com

2018

Zymurgy and lifestyle project

Wandering Bard Meadery 1320 Hampton Ave. Extension, Suite 3 Greenville, SC 29601

864-729-3025 www.wanderingbardmeadery.com info@wanderingbardmeadery.com

2017

Local mead hall serving mead, cider and food

Copperhead Mountain Distillery 14 S. Main St. Travelers Rest, SC 29690

864-610-2228 www.copperheadmtn.com copperheadmtn@yahoo.com

John Connelly 2013

Mom and pop distillery

Chattooga Belle Farm Distillery 454 Damascus Church Road Long Creek, SC 29658

864-647-9768 www.chattoogabellefarm.com/distillery info@chattoogabellefarm.com

2013

On-farm distillery making several liquors

Brewery 85 6 Whitlee Court Greenville, SC 29607

864-558-0104 www.brewery85.com info@brewery85.com

2013

Microbrewery

Carolina Bauernhaus Brewery & Winery 115 Federal St. Anderson, SC 29625

864-401-8167 www.carolinabauernhaus.com info@carolinabauernhaus.com

Keston Helfrich, David Thornton, Brad Thomas 2015

Brewery, winery and taproom

Shoeless Brewing Co. / Grape & Grains 104 Mauldin Road, Suite A Greenville, SC 29605

864-236-5676 www.grapeandgrains.com shoelessbrewing@gmail.com

2015

Nano brewery; beer and winemaking supplies

Employees

Description

Because of space constraints, sometimes only the top-ranked companies are published in the print edition. For a full list of participating organizations, visit scbiznews.com/buy-business-lists. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to research@scbiznews.com.

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STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION (Requester Publications Only) GSA Business Report; Publication number 8460; The Mailing address of the Known Office of Publication, 35A Cessna Ct., Greenville, SC 29607. The Mailing address of the Headquarters and General Business Offices of the Publisher (not printer), 1802 Dayton St. Ste. 101, North Charleston, SC 29405. The Full Names and Addresses of the Publisher, Editor and Managing Editor are: Rick Jenkins (Publisher), 35A Cessna Ct., Greenville, SC 29607, Ross Norton (Editor) 35A Cessna Ct., Greenville, SC 29607, Managing Editor: None. GSA Business Report; is owned by BridgeTower OPCo, LLC (OpCo), 100 N Pacific Coast Hwy., Ste 1725, El Segundo, CA 90245. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities, Cerberus Business Finance Agency, 11812 San Vicente Blvd, Suite 300, Los Angeles, CA 90049. Issue Date for Circulation Data is August 9, 2021; the average number of copies of each issue during the preceding 12 months is: (A) Total number of copies printed 4,506. (B1) Paid/ Requested Outside-County Mail Subscriptions 1,864; (B2) Paid/Requested In-County Subscriptions: 2,177; (B3) Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales and requested: 0; (B4) Other classes mailed USPS: 0; (C) Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation: 4.041; (D1) Non-Requested Distribution by mail, samples complimentary and other free copies: 1,62; (D2) In-county Non-Requested distribution: 25; (D3) Other classes mailed Non-Requested Distribution: 0; (D4) Non-Requested distribution outside the mail: 0; (E) Total Non-Requested distribution: 352; (F) Total Distribution: 4,393; (G) Copies not Distributed: 113; (H) Total: 4,506; (I) Percent of Paid/Requested: 91.98%. The actual number of copies of a single issue published nearest to the filing date are: (A) Total number of copies printed 4,139; (B1) Paid/Requested Outside-County Mail Subscriptions: 1,958; (B2) Paid/Requested In-County Subscriptions: 2,097; (B3) Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales and requested: 0; (B4) Other classes mailed USPS: 0; (C) Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation: 4,055; (D1) Non-Requested Distribution by mail, samples complimentary and other free copies: 190; (D2) In county Non-Requested distribution: 9; (D3) Other classes mailed Non-Requested Distribution: 0; (D4) Non-Requested distribution outside the mail: 0 (E) Total Non-Requested distribution: 34 (F) Total Distribution: 4,089; (G) Copies not Distributed: 50; (H) Total: 4,139; (I) Percent of Paid/ Requested: 99.17%. Electronic Copy Circulation; The Average number of copies in the last 12 months was: (16A) Requsted/Paid Electronic Copies, 36; (16B) Total Paid/Requested Print and Paid/Requested Digital Copies were 4,077; (16C) Total Requested Print and Paid/Requested Digital Distribution was 4,429; (16D) Percent Paid/Requested Print & Digital was 92.05%. The Actual Number of Copies of a Single Issue (16A) Paid Electronic Copies, 43; (16B) Paid/Requested Print and Paid/ Requested Digital Copies were 4,098 (16C) Total Requested Distribution and Requested/Paid Digital was 4,132 (16D) Percent Paid/Requested Print & Digital was 99.18%. (Signed) Rick Jenkins, Publisher

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REQUIRED BY TITLE 39 U.S.C. 3685 STATEMENT SHOWING OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION OF GSA BUSINESS REPORT, publication number 8460, filed October 1, 2021, Published Twice A Month, 24 issues per year, $57.95 annually, at 35A Cessna Ct., Greenville, SC 29607. The General Business offices of the Publishers are at 35A Cessna Ct., Greenville, SC 29607.

October 18 - October 31, 2021

IN FOCUS: FOOD & BEVERAGE

www.gsabusiness.com 27

New Realm to take possession of Old Cigar By Ross Norton

rnorton@scbiznews.com

ew Realm Brewing Co. is making downtown Greenville home to its fifth location. The company announced plans to move into the Old Cigar Warehouse at 912 S. Main St., former home of High Spirits Hospitality, which will open two new event spaces at the Judson Mill redevelopment on Easley Bridge Road. The 11,000-square-foot facility Old Cigar Warehouse will include a five-barrel brewhouse, scratch restaurant, biergarten, dedicated stage and outdoor bar, and will be home to New Realm’s sour and barrel-aging program, according to a news release. The company plans to open in about a year. The Old Cigar Warehouse was built in 1882 to store cotton and cigars. In keeping with the history of the site, New Realm will maintain the exposed brick and intimate lighting that has given the warehouse a rustic and stylish atmosphere in the years since it was restored, the news release said. Much like New Realm’s Atlanta, Savannah, Charleston and Virginia Beach, Va., locations, Greenville will feature a lineup of award-winning craft beers and limited specialty releases created and brewed by New Realm’s Brewmaster Mitch Steele, the release said. The new facility will allow New Realm to launch its sours program, a process that involves barrel aging beers

New Realm’s brewmaster has guided development of a selection of award-winning beers. (Photo/Provided)

with a blend of microorganisms to create sour, tart and acidic flavors. “A sours program has always been in our plans and the history and architecture of the cigar warehouse is the perfect location,” Steele, also a co-founder said in the release. “We plan to brew sour beers using traditional Belgian methods including multistage fermentation with a host of yeast strains and bacteria that provide unique flavors, acidity levels and aromas in the final beer. The result will be a wide range of complex, delicious sours, artfully combining tradition with innovation, that

we cannot wait to introduce to the lineup.” “Over the past three years, we have searched for a location that would provide us the opportunity to bring our locally sourced scratch kitchen and our craft beer and spirits to the city of Greenville,” Carey Falcone, co-founder and CEO of New Realm, said in the release. “One step inside of the iconic Old Cigar Warehouse and we knew we found a home that would serve as the perfect opportunity for us to create a community gathering place in an amazing city. The entire New Realm family is excited and we look forward to being

a part of the Greenville community.” The company said its brewery-restaurant would create more than 100 new jobs. “The company is focused on positively impacting the communities in which it operates, and maintains a firm commitment to environmental sustainability, supporting local and independent craft communities, and the art and science of great craft brewing and distilling,” New Realm said in the release. New Realm products are available at its locations as well as at bars and retail outlets throughout Georgia, Virginia and South Carolina. New Realm is a brewery and distillery started in 2016 at its flagship location in Atlanta. That location is a brewery and restaurant. A production brewery and restaurant are located at the Virginia Beach location, with a distillery and restaurant in Savannah. The Charleston site is a brewery and restaurant, according to the release. New Realm’s awards include Brewbound’s “Rising Star” brewery, Ratebeer’s “Best New Brewer in Georgia,” Ratebeer’s 11th “Best New Brewer in the World,” and Virginia Craft Beer Cup’s gold medal (2019 and 2021) and “2019 Best in Show” for Euphonia Pilsner. Steele was awarded the Russell Scherer Award for Innovation in Brewing and authored the book IPA: Brewing Techniques, Recipes and the Evolution of India Pale Ale. Reach Ross Norton at 864-720-1222.

McCalls Farms makes $3M gift for better vegetable crops Staff Report

gsanews@scbiznews.com

o help South Carolina farmers remain competitive both nationally and globally, McCall Farms is supporting Clemson University with a $3 million contribution for critical research, establishing the McCall Farms Vegetable Breeding Endowment. Farming is one of South Carolina’s leading industries and foundational in the university’s creation. “Agriculture is part of our DNA at Clemson, and our research helps the more than 25,000 farms located throughout South Carolina in a variety of areas, including specialty crops, responding to weather and environmental changes, modernizing technology and field practices and managing invasive species,” Clemson University President James Clements said in a news release announcing the gift. “I am incredibly grateful to McCall Farms and the Swink family for their generous support of the important

work our faculty and staff are doing in vegetable breeding. This donation will make a tremendous impact on farming across the state and beyond.” The McCall Farms Vegetable Breeding Endowment will support and enhance the vegetable breeding program within the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences, specifically as part of the Advanced Plant Technology Program. The vegetable breeding program uses genomics-assisted breeding to develop improved vegetable varieties for production in the Southern United States. The program is a statewide network of researchers supporting crop breeding and genetics in the Clemson University Agricultural Experiment Station, the news release said. Over the period of its operation, the APT Program, led by Stephen Kresovich, the Robert and Lois Coker Trustees Endowed Chair of Genetics, has made significant advancements to both the intellectual and operational capabilities of the university in crop agriculture, the release

said. As an example, improvements have been made in upgrading the research facilities at the Pee Dee Research and Education Center as well as other centers across the state. Meanwhile, Clemson has hired new faculty for research positions at the centers as well as the main campus. Funds from this endowment will be used to support the research, improve equipment, provide supplies, fund technical personnel salaries and graduate student research assistantships, the release said. “While South Carolina farmers are some of the most efficient and productive in the world, this partnership with McCall Farms will be a catalyst for CAFLS’ efforts to provide research, teaching and Extension programs that continue to support the state’s agriculture industry as we tackle the challenge of sustainably feeding a growing state and global population,” Keith Belli, dean of the college, said in the release. According to Sandra Branham, assistant professor of vegetable breeding and

genetics, the Southeastern region of the United States plays a significant role in vegetable production in terms of diversity of cropping systems and total quantity for the entire nation. South Carolina has taken a lead role in the region since the founding of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Charleston County research lab in 1936. The USDA Lab is co-housed with the Coastal Research and Education Center in Charleston. “As we seek to expand well-established and emerging markets to improve agricultural profits and crop diversity both locally in South Carolina and regionally in the Southeastern U.S., locally adapted germplasm — particularly heat tolerance and disease resistance — will have to be identified to ensure a sustainable production system,” Branham said in the release. Current projects in the vegetable breeding program include improving heat tolerance in green beans and disease resistance in leafy greens, muskmelon and watermelon.

IN FOCUS: FOOD & BEVERAGE

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WAGES from Page 1

Target your market in an upcoming issue of the GSA Business Report

NOVEMBER 1

MANUFACTURING CONFERENCE Special Section: Preview Guide Advertising Deadline: October 18

NOVEMBER 15

ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION (AEC) List: Heating & AC Firms Advertising Deadline: November 1

DECEMBER 13

PROFESSIONAL STAFFING SOLUTIONS

List: Professional Staffing Firms Advertising Deadline: November 29

DECEMBER 20

BOOK OF EXPERTS

Advertising Deadline: October 22

For advertising information, call Rick Jenkins at (864) 720-1224

age of $15 in its American restaurants. Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. has about 2,800 restaurants but some of them are abroad. In South Carolina, the largest retailer headquartered in the state announced plans to raise the minimum at Spinx convenience stores and car washes to $12 for fulltime staff. And here and there across the Upstate, temporary banners, hand-lettered posterboard and paid advertising have promised higher wages, especially at restaurants. Clemson University economist Bruce Yandle, dean emeritus, former executive director of the Federal Trade Commission and senior economist on Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter’s Council of Wage Price Stability, said restaurant workers — the accommodations and food sector — is one of three areas where he expects to see growth, along with health care and finance. “The latest job openings data, which is for July, showed 10.2 million jobs nationwide waiting to be filled,” Yandle said in September. “That is the highest number ever recorded by the BLS. In January 2021, the number was 7.5 million. In August, nationwide, there were 8.4 million unemployed. The ratio of openings to lookers, which is now greater than one, has been rising. This says the time is ripe for wage increases.” In August, average hourly earnings for U.S. wage earners rose 4.2% on a yearover-year basis, Yandle said. Inflation, omitting food and energy, rose 4%. “All-items inflation rose 5.2%. Inflation pressures also suggest it is time for wage increases,” Yandle said. “The largest growth in job openings is occurring in health care, finance, and accommodations and food. We should look for early and larger wage increases in these three sectors.” Jeff Yankow of Furman said any increases in wages now may be absorbed by corresponding increases in the cost of living. “So wages have been going up considerably for low-wage earners in nominal terms all summer. However, it is not clear whether real wages are increasing all that much given inflationary pressures in the cost of consumer goods,” Yankow, the David C. Garrett Jr. Professor of Economics, said in an email. Wages went up each month of the summer for production and nonsupervisory employees, he said. And those employees worked more hours. “However, when you adjust the wages into real terms by the Consumer Price Index increases over the same period, you get monthly increases in real hourly wages of only minus-0.6% in June, 0% in July, and 0.3% in August, and monthly increases in real weekly earnings of minus-1.2% in June, 0.3% in July, and 0.2% in August,” Yankow said. “So the picture is a little more mixed here.”

October 18 - October 31, 2021

The Spinx Co. president said the retailer is responding to challenges by promising candidates better wages and a better work environment. “We’re proud and excited to announce this commitment to enhancing our hourly rates for our valued frontline teammates,” Stan Storti said in a news release. “Being an employer of choice has been a significant goal for us at Spinx over the last five years, which means a lot more than pay.” Storti said the company has adopted a formal program to make Spinx a fulfilling place to work. With 82 convenience retail stores and 45 carwashes throughout South Carolina, Spinx’s competition is not just other convenience stores. To keep

“We’re proud and excited to announce this commitment to enhancing our hourly rates for our valued frontline teammates.” Stan Storti President, The Spinx Co.

its 1,500-person workforce at full staff the company competes with every business that pulls talent from the labor pool. “We spend a great deal of time and effort ensuring that we at Spinx have a unique and generous reward system,” Storti said in the release, which called the current environment a hiring crisis. “Pay rates are reviewed every six months, and lately every other month, to ensure that our rates are competitive with similar employers, not just gas/c-store operators. This year, we’ve seen starting rates begin to trend higher around June as businesses struggled to find people.” Restaurant industry expert Zac Painter said rising wages may affect the kind of employees restaurants hire. “The turnover at restaurants has already been incredibly high, but you’ve always been able to find people,” said Painter, principal at Candor, a Greenville based restaurant consulting group. “So anytime that unemployment is low, restaurants are always struggling from a labor market perspective. But as the minimum wage increases, restaurants are going to — and you’re already seeing this — they’re going to think a little more carefully about, ‘Am I going to hire a bunch of teenagers that are all going to work 15 or 20 hours a week? Or now that I have to pay a higher hourly wage, am I going to invest in more of a full-time person?’” Reach Ross Norton at 864-720-1222.

At Work

BUSINESS DIGEST | PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

Business Digest

edge-based startups that may not fit the typical criteria for venture capital. The group is led by Jonathan Fowler, founder of Logicle Analytics LLC. GVL Capital Innovations will be headquartered in Greenville, with an office space yet to be determined. Learn more at www.gvlcapitalinnovations.com.

Graycliff adds N.C. development Bon Secours expands Project Search Bon Secours St. Francis Health System announced the expansion of its Project Search program, providing more internship opportunities to students with disabilities. Together with the Greenville County School District and S.C. Vocational Rehabilitation, the Project Search program provides hands-on training and school-required academics. Since debuting the program in 2017, each class has included eight to 10 students from area schools who get the opportunity for real-life work experience. With the new expansion, the program has the ability to double its capacity to 20 interns.

Engineering firm expands to SC

GTA Associates Inc., a geotechnical and environmental consulting firm, has expanded into South Carolina with an office in Greenville. GTA serves residential, commercial, industrial, energy and institutional clients, contractors, architects and civil engineering firms. John Wille, vice president and partner, manages the new office. He joined GTA in 2006 as an associWille ate responsible for opening and managing the company’s Charlotte location. As a registered professional engineer in South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee, Wille specializes in geotechnical engineering and construction materials testing services. GTA Associates Inc. is an affiliate of Geo-Technology Associates Inc. and provides professional services in North and South Carolina.

Biz incubator launches in Greenville

A consortium of Greenville entrepreneurs announced the creation of a business incubator called GVL Capital Innovations. The group aims to provide mentoring, networking support and funding particularly to knowl-

Greenville-based Graycliff Capital Partners LLC announced the development of Encore at Heritage Apartments in Wake Forest, N.C. Graycliff said this marks the firm’s first multi-family investment in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill metro area. The development is a 20-minute drive from downtown Raleigh, the company said, and includes 182 residential units.

Mary Black Foundation grants $2.7M

The Mary Black Foundation announced that it awarded nearly $2.7 million in grants to 28 nonprofit organizations serving Spartanburg County. The funded organizations include: Angels Charge Ministry; Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Upstate; BirthMatters; Bloom Upstate; Children’s Advocacy Center of Spartanburg; Children’s Museum of the Upstate; CommunityWorks; Hope Center for Children; Hub City Farmers Market; Impact America; International Association of Lions Club – Landrum; Institute for Child Success; Girls on the Run Upstate SC; Girl Scouts of South Carolina - Mountains to Midlands; Louvenia D. Barksdale Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation; PAL - Play Advocate Live Well; ReGenesis Health Care; Servants for Sight; Spartanburg Community College Foundation; Spartanburg County First Steps; Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System Foundation; St. Luke’s Free Medical Clinic; Uplift Outreach Center; Upstate- Carolina Adaptive Golf; and YMCA of Greater Spartanburg.

Clemson names chair of industrial engineering Staff Report

gsanews@scbiznews.com

evin Taaffe has been named chair of the Clemson University Department of Industrial Engineering after leading the department in an interim role since December 2020. He oversees a department of more than 660 students, 24 faculty members and nine staff members, according to a news release. Taaffe, who joined Clemson in 2004, said the industrial engineering department made a shift toward a greater emphasis on research several years ago and he intends to stay the course. “I want to preserve that balance between teaching and research and leverage the different types of talents that everybody has here,” he said in the news release. “At the end of the day, we want to be recognized for our teaching excellence as well as our research excellence.” Robert Jones, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost, said Taaffe is well qualified to lead the department. “Dr. Taaffe brings a wealth of experience in teaching, research and team-building, qualities that will serve him well in his new role,” Jones said in the release. “The department is in good hands under his leadership.” Taaffe began his academic career at Clemson as an assistant professor and

An estimated 188 homes will be built in Greenwood after a 77-acre property off of Cokesbury Road was recently sold, according to SVN Blackstream. The developer Mark III Properties plans to add housing developments with the builder DR Horton and start construction within the coming year, SVN said.

ty and hire 71 people. Founded in 2004, Connect America is the parent company of Medical Alert. The companies provide personal emergency response systems like LifeLine. Located in 25,000 square feet of space at 110 Southchase Blvd. in Fountain Inn, Connect America’s new facility will increase the company’s operating and shipping capabilities to meet growing national demand, according to a news release.

Connect America coming to Upstate

RealtyLink announces sale off I-85

188 homes to be built in Greenwood

Greenville Area Development Corp. announced that Connect America plans to establish operations in Greenville Coun-

RealtyLink announced the sale of a 136,000-square-foot industrial building in the Garlington North Industri-

later rose to associate professor and full professor. Students voted him the department’s Professor of the Year in 2009. He was named the Harriet and Jerry Dempsey Professor of Industrial Engineering in 2015, a position that helped foster research collaborations with Prisma Health. In 2018, Taaffe shared the Collaboration Award with Lawrence Fredendall, professor of management, for research they conducted on operating room procedures. The honor came from the Taaffe College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences. “One of the things I’m most proud of is being open to collaborative opportunities,” Taaffe said in the release. “The Collaboration Award was many years in the making. At the end of the day, we want to maximize the impact of our research in the community. By focusing on where my contributions fit into the bigger puzzle, and who else should play a role, I assemble research teams that foster creative thinking and produce meaningful research.” Taaffe worked as a senior consultant for American Airlines and senior manager for Sabre in the 1990s before returning to academia for his Ph.D. al development to Diversified Medical Healthcare. DMH is a conglomerate of four healthcare companies specializing in advanced molecular diagnostics, medical supplies and laboratory equipment. Garlington North Industrial is located at Interstate 85 and Pelham Road in Greenville County.

Freedom Recovery receives donation

The Freedom Recovery Center of Greenville said it received a donation of $20,180 from the “Not My Boys” Honey Day IV BBQ Event Fundraiser in Greenville. The Honey Day Event is a backyard barbecue hosted by Not My Boys.

Submit items using our online submission portal: www.GSABizWire.com. Publication is subject to editorial discretion.

www.gsabusiness.com

October 18 - October 31, 2021

People in the News ADVERTISING, MARKETING & PR

McQuaid

Kendall

Infinity Marketing promoted Austin McQuaid to senior integrated marketing coordinator and Ashley Kendall to marketing lead. McQuaid has prior experience in the hospitality industry. Kendall formerly worked as a brand manager at Your Creative People.

Wilkerson named among top bankers in S.C. nell to social media manager and Shannon Kohn to senior social media strategist. Day started her career at Infinity as a public relations intern. O’Donnell Kohn began as a social media intern at Infinity in 2016. Kohn has prior senior-level experience in social media strategy, influencer marketing and art direction.

Saul

Tankersley

Tompkins

Infinity Marketing promoted Joshua Tankersley to lead copywriter, Sara Tompkins to lead web designer and programmer and Laurel Smith to Smith SEO lead. Tankersley joined Infinity in 2017 as a copy assistant. Tompkins has prior experience in web design, programming and graphic design through her internship with Infinity. Smith has experience in social media, copywriting and digital marketing.

Bailey

Day

Crawford hired Abbie Bailey as a junior graphic designer. Bailey previously worked with Crawford as a freelancer. She is a graduate of Lander University.

O’Donnell

Infinity Marketing promoted Nicole Day to social media specialist, Gina O’Don-

Morrison

Infinity Marketing promoted Carly Saul to senior media manager and Jeanne Morrison to digital media manager. Saul has prior experience at Hill Holiday. Morrison has prior experience as a communications intern and a communications committee member at Cancer Survivors Park Alliance. Flourish hired Brenda Urban as director of public relations, Heather Clark as senior account manager and Meredith Tuten as account manager. The agency also promoted Amanda Dempsey to brand marketing manager. Urban has a 19-year career in public relations. Clark has more than 20 years of marketing experience. Tuten most recently worked as the lead wedding planner and business manager for Oliver Hooper Events. Dempsey previously worked as digital marketing specialist. Waypost Marketing promoted Danielle Tebo to marketing strategist. Tebo joined Waypost Marketing as a digital marketing associate in 2014. Tebo

ARCHITECTURE

Dauphin

Kim Wilkerson, South Carolina president for Bank of America, has been named to the SC Biz News Power List of Top Banking Professionals in South Carolina for 2021. Wilkerson serves as the bank’s enterprise leader and providing business, civic and philanthropic leadership across the state. She also serves as manWilkerson aging director and South Carolina market executive for the Bank of America Private Bank. Active in civic affairs, she is the first female successor member of the Clemson UniverMcMillan Pazdan Smith promoted the following employees to principal: Joe Alcock, William Gray, Paulette Myers, Michael Chewning, Cary Perkins, Bill Joslin, Aaron Jeffers and Stuart Barber. McMillan Pazdan Smith named Cary Perkins to the newly created position of director of design engagement. Perkins has been with McMillan Pazdan Perkins Smith for more than 17 years, beginning as an intern and rising to a principal. McMillan Pazdan Smith promoted William Gray of its Spartanburg office to its principals leadership team.

BANKING & FINANCE Spero Financial named Jessica Baker senior vice president and COO. In her nearly 13-year tenure with the organization, Baker has served in numerBaker ous roles, including branch manager, vice president of member service, and most recently senior vice president of business transformation.

Smith

DP3 Architects hired Kyle Dauphin and Jesse Smith to work in the firm’s hospitality studio.

sity Board of Trustees. She is currently Chair of the Board for Clemson University, Chair-Elect for the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce and serves on the Palmetto Business Forum. Wilkerson has previously served as chair for the Columbia Chamber of Commerce. Throughout her career, she has served on numerous boards including the Clemson University Foundation Board, the Clemson University Board of Visitors and the South Carolina Bankers Association. A 1980 graduate of Clemson University with a bachelor’s degree in financial management, she has a Six Sigma Greenbelt and is a NASD Registered Principal with Series 7, 24, 63 and 65 securities licenses.

Thomas

HousingWire recognized Vinod Thomas, a managing director with Lima One Capital, as one of the 100 HW Insiders for 2021. Thomas leads Lima One’s mortgage servicing team.

Nelson

Countybank promoted JD Nelson III to senior vice president and mortgage division manager. Nelson joined Countybank in 2010 following the acquisition of Palmetto Mortgage.

United Community Bank hired Nate Banchiere as vice president of healthcare lending. Banchiere comes to United with more than 17 years of banking Banchiere experience and most recently served as the senior healthcare business Banker at PNC Bank. James N. Haltiwanger Jr., a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates in Greenville, earned the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) designaHaltiwanger tion after completing the Exit Planning Institute’s four-day executive MBA-style program. Southern First Bancshares Inc. announced the appointment of Chris Shugart to chief mortgage officer. Shugart is a certified mortgage banker Shugart who joins Southern First with more than 15 years of experience.

Submit items using our online submission portal: www.GSABizWire.com. Publication is subject to editorial discretion.

Viewpoint

VIEWS, PERSPECTIVES AND READERS’ LETTERS

What I wish someone had told me about pitching investors

arly in my career, I was working with a young, talented faculty member at the University of Michigan on the commercialization of one of his innovations. We thought we had everything figured out. The technical path for developing his technology, the capital required to get it there, the expertise required MATT to translate the BELL technology, and the strategic partner who would be desperate for our idea. We set an agreed upon date to present to the company, put our deck together, and pitched them an idea on which they couldn’t possibly pass. We failed spectacularly. Many years, and a few hundred pitches, later, I look back on that first attempt and recognize the mistakes and presumptions that I see many founding entrepreneurs make even today. Pitching your company is a skill, and it requires training, coaching, and practice. As I look back on that first pitch, here are few things that my more-experienced self would tell that researcher if I could do it all over again.

Know yourself and your idea

The deeper your understanding of the idea, the ways it can be commercialized, the impact it will have, and why your targeted customer set will care about what you are doing, the better you will be at explaining it to others. Too many founders focus upon their strengths, usually either technical- or business-focused, and only can explain part of the business concept. Understanding how the idea works, what it will take to validate that it works, how it is differentiated from competing solutions, how you will get the market to adopt to the idea, and what the value of that impact upon the market will be are all critical aspects of your plan that learned businesspeople will want to know. Understand what you do know, study what you don’t, and find people to help you where your knowledge and skills are lacking.

Keep it simple

Your new business idea may be complex, require a lot of technical know-how, and has a unique business model that takes time to explain. But keep in mind, at the beginning, no one really wants to

(Photo/File)

Know your audience

Most top entrepreneurs probably have between two to five different pitches for their business ideas. When you are pitching an idea to an audience, one size does not fit all. understand each element of your plan. Most early-stage investors are probably looking at dozens of such plans a week. So, keep it simple. Put it in terms to which they can quickly and easily relate. Define the problem you’re going to solve and how it will make the world better. Go through the description of the business model in simple terms, and let the listener guide you on where they want to have a deeper understanding. Whether you are developing your one-minute elevator pitch or 30-minute investor pitch, keep refining it, practice on others, and ask yourself, “Is this really needed for the first discussion?”

Most top entrepreneurs probably have between two to five different pitches for their business ideas. When you are pitching an idea to an audience, one size does not fit all. Research your audience, understand their backgrounds and their areas of interest. Know what to avoid and what to emphasize. Have a strategy before even walking into the room. Tailoring your message to your audience and being prepared for the type of questions that they will be asking will make a huge difference in refining your pitching skill set.

Listen to your audience

A key concept for all high-level founders is “I pitch to learn.” In the early days of your business, find the top people in your professional field and pitch to them. Prepare yourself to pitch to leading venture capitalists, scientific leaders and business leaders. Plan for it, and do it often. Not only will the style of your pitch get better, but it will become innate as your knowledge deepens. The most important part of the pitch is the discussion after the pitch. Make the next pitch better with the knowledge you have gained from the last one. Map out a strategy for who to pitch

to and in what order. Make the most important pitches the last ones.

Enjoy the ride

Finally, try to enjoy the experience. I know from experience that raising capital can be a difficult process, complete with a great deal of rejection. However, if you approach the rejection as a chance to learn and you attack the process with purpose, enthusiasm, and energy, you will find it to have been an exhilarating experience by the time it’s over. Especially when you get to that first “yes.” Matt Bell is director of SC Launch and executive director of SC Launch Inc. Bell also provides mentorship to early stage companies and facilitates grant funding for eligible companies. SC Launch Inc. is a nonprofit corporate affiliage of the S.C. Research Authority, which is a public, nonprofit corporation established by the General Assembly to fuel South Carolina’s knowledge economy.

We want to hear from you Write: Ross Norton, Editor GSA Business Report, 35 Cessna Court, Suite A Greenville, S.C. 29607

Email: rnorton@scbiznews.com

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