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Economist says inflation threatens to return

by Matthew Clark mclark@scbiznews.com

Showcase

Lockheed Martin officials show off the T-50A in Greenville.

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nflation in the United States may be making an appearance in the national economic picture, according to an Upstate economist.

Bruce Yandle, dean emeritus and alumni professor of economics at Clemson University as well as adjunct

professor of economics for the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, said the market seems poised to bring inflation back after a brief hiatus.

In his Economic Situation report, Yandle said after the addition of 227,000 new jobs in January, coupled with a 2.5% year-over-year growth in wages, “inflation seems to be back in the game.”

He said that an increase

in wages is not the lone factor in determining inflation. The wage increases are more of a reflection of “growing scarcity of skilled workers backed by growth in the amount of circulating money that fuels economic activity” but there are other factors that have led to speculation that inflation is coming back.

“After all, the term inflation itself refers to inflating the supply of money in the econ-

Retrospect

Look back at the national foreclosure crisis.

PAGE 4

Partnership

SAS and Clemson University are working to use big data.

PAGE 11

THELISTS Security Systems Companies PAGE 18 Residential Real Estate Firms PAGE 20 Commercial Real Estate Firms PAGE 22

Bicycle

BOSSES Company executives in the Upstate are looking toward cycling as a way to relieve stress and stay competitive. The sport itself is starting to grow, not just across the country, but also in the region as riders of varied skills are taking advantage of the Upstate’s trails and infrastructure.

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INSIDE Leading Off....................... 2 In Focus: Security........... 11 On The Menu.................... 8 People in the News......... 28 Viewpoint........................ 30

On the Menu

Find out where GSA Business Report readers go to meet a client or co-worker for a cup of coffee.

PAGE 8

See ECONOMIC, Page 7

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LEADING OFF The BMW X3 model, which is produced at the company’s Spartanburg plant, experienced a 42.9% increase in sales in the United States during the month of March. (Photo/Provided)

BMW Group U.S. sales up 3.3% in March

March BMW brand sales in the United States experienced a 3.3% increase compared to March 2016, according to the BMW Group.

U.S. sales were 31,015 during March 2017, up from the 30,333 sold in March 2016.

The BMW Group said U.S. sales of BMW brand vehicles were at 71,682, a 1.5% increase over the 70,613 reported in the first three months of 2016.

Sales of the South Carolina-produced X3 and X5 models were up 42.9% and 35.4%, respectively. Sales of BMW light trucks — including the X models — were up 30.8% in March 2017 and year-to-date up 20.1%.

“With the arrival of spring, thoughts naturally turn to new cars and March gave us a nice boost as our sports activity vehicles, the X3 and X5 in particular, continue to drive the growing demand,” said Bernhard Kuhnt, president and CEO, BMW of North America, in a news release.

Group sales — including BMW and Mini brands — were reported up 3.5% over the same month a year ago on 36,002 vehicles sold. Year-to-date, group sales are up 0.6% on sales of 81,933 vehicles in the first three months of 2017 compared to 81,452 in the same period in 2016.

A QUICK READ ON LOCAL BUSINESS

McMaster: Tax increase not the answer for roads S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster said he does not believe raising the state’s gas tax is the way South Carolina should improve its road infrastructure.

Speaking to reporters following the Upstate SC Alliance annual meeting, McMaster said roads were a priority, but S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster delivered the keynote address during the Upstate SC Alliance annual funding the improvement was the crux meeting Wednesday, March 29 in Greenville. Folof the issue. lowing his remarks, McMaster said he was not “Everyone agrees we need to be sure in favor of raising taxes to pay for the state’s road infrastructure. (Photo/Matthew Clark) that our roads are in great condition,” McMaster said. “They have fallen from that now. Years ago roads in South Carolina were regarded as some of the best roads in the country.”

But, he said raising taxes was not the way to fund infrastructure improvements. He added the state will have over $630 million come in from the gas tax in the next fiscal year, but not all of it will go to road improvements. He said between the revenues expected with the gas tax as it stands currently, coupled with a general fund surplus expected and federal funding there was “a lot of money in the state.”

Inside the numbers

Inside the numbers

31,015

3.3%

$630 million

12 cents

The number of BMW brand vehicles sold in the U.S. in March 2017.

The increase in BMW brand sales in the U.S. from March 2016 to March 2017.

36,002

20.1%

The amount of money the state will receive from the gas tax next fiscal year, according to McMaster.

The proposed increase in the state’s gas tax in a bill currently in the S.C. Senate. The measure has already passed the S.C. House.

The number of BMW and Mini brand vehicles sold in the U.S. in March 2017.

The year-to-date increase in sales of BMW’s light trucks including the X models produced in Spartanburg.

$885 million The estimated amount of money per year the House-passed plan would raise with increases to the gas tax and other vehicle fees.

NEWS FROM AROUND THE GSA BUSINESS REPORT WORLD

THEY

Said

IT

“The answer is, raising taxes in South Carolina is not a good idea. I do not want to do it and I believe there is money in the budget and money we are expecting to come in through the great growth we are experiencing.”

S.C. GOV. HENRY MCMASTER ON THE PROPOSED HIKE IN THE STATE’S GAS TAX TO FUND ROAD AND BRIDGE IMPROVEMENTS ACROSS THE STATE.

“Evidence of growth of the underground economy provided by the per capita count of $100 bills in circulation supports the notion that the cash economy is booming. Coupling the unknown count of shadow economy workers with more than 8 million now drawing Social Security Disability benefits — up 1.7 million since 2007 — yields a very different labor participation story.”

ECONOMIST BRUCE YANDLE ON THE ECONOMIC PICTURE OF 2017.

www.gsabusiness.com Here are the top stories read on the GSA Business Report website from March 27 – April 10: 1. Greenville Memorial in danger of losing CMS funding 2. McMaster: Tax increase not the answer for roads 3. Upstate SC Alliance releases new strategic plan 4. BMW Manufacturing Co. employee injured Sunday 5. S.C. cities rank high to start a business in 2017 For more, visit http://gsabusiness.com

Here are the top stories read on the GSA Biz Wire website from March 27 – April 10: 1. Mary Allyson Chauvin joins Melloul Blamey Construction SC Ltd.XXX 2. High Spirits Hospitality is latest Johnson venture 3. Lane Wars Strikes for Bucks raises $21,000 for Junior Achievement of Upstate SC 4. Watrous joins Southern First 5. Amy Springett named marketing director at Gallivan White Boyd For more, visit http://gsabizwire.com

April 17 - 30, 2017

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Upstate Building Permits from March 20-30, 2017 Greenville County Western Carolina Regional Sewer 2824 E. Georgia Road Harper Corp. General Contractors New Structures $825,000 Oceana Rapid LLC 1320 Hampton Ave. Ext. Truitt Construction Company LLC Interior Work $125,000 Boulder Apartments LP 300 Furman Hall Road Caton Group LLC Fire Rebuild $300,000 Gantt Fire Sewer and Police 4 Dixie Circle Gantt Fire Sewer and Police Shed over Diesel Tank $848 1301 Poinsett Highway Styles Flora Storage Building $109,653 2501 Hwy. 11 Ramapo Communication Corp.

Equipment Upgrade $15,000 Oceana Rapid LLC 1320 Hampton Ave. Ext. Acree Alexander Interior Work $21,000 Gray Property Holdings LLC 1013 Woodruff Road MMC Hotel Construction New Building $7,378,936 Spinks/Adkins LLC 1301 Fairview Road Progressive Builders Inc. Interior Work $435,643 Vaughns Station LLC 3715 E. North St. Smith Companies of Greenville Inc. Interior Work $25,000 Waffle House 18 Roper Mountain Road Waffle House Parking Lot Work $20,000

Warehouse Services No 5C LLC 3309 Laurens Road Pentreath Co. Inc. Docking and Canopy $570,211 Cherokee County Shell 480 Peachoid Road $89,061

1561 Shelby Highway $29,000 Oconee County 319 Kenneth St. Harold Knight Builders New Building $100,000

121 S. College St. Air Mazonry Font work $4,000

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April 17 - 30, 2017

Report looks back at national foreclosure crisis Publisher - Rick Jenkins rjenkins@scbiznews.com • 864.235.5677, ext. 101 UPSTATE NEWSROOM Editor - Matt Clark mclark@scbiznews.com • 864.235.5677, ext. 107 Staff Writer - Teresa Cutlip tcutlip@scbiznews.com • 864.235.5677, ext. 103 MIDLANDS NEWSROOM Associate Publisher - Licia Jackson ljackson@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7546 Editor - Chuck Crumbo ccrumbo@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7542 Staff Writer - Travis Boland tboland@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7543 Research Specialist - Patrice Mack pmack@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7544 LOWCOUNTRY NEWSROOM Managing Editor - Andy Owens aowens@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3142 Senior Copy Editor - Beverly Barfield bbarfield@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3115 Staff Writer - Liz Segrist lsegrist@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3119 Staff Writer - Ashley Heffernan aheffernan@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3144 Associate Editor, Special Projects - Steve McDaniel smcdaniel@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3123 Research Specialist - Melissa Verzaal mverzaal@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3104 Senior Graphic Designer - Jane Mattingly jmattingly@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3118 Graphic Designer - Andrew Sprague asprague@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3128 Assistant Graphic Designer - Emily Matesi ematesi@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3124 Assistant Graphic Designer - Jessica Stout jstout@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3113 UPSTATE ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Account Executive - Cheryl Froman cfroman@scbiznews.com • 864-235-5677, ext. 113 Account Executive - Ryan Downing rdowning@scbiznews.com • 864-235-5677, ext. 114

South Carolina’s Media Engine for Economic Growth President and Group Publisher - Grady Johnson gjohnson@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3103

Staff Report

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recent report issued by property information and analytics firm CoreLogic said the peak of the residential foreclosure crisis hit South Carolina much later than most areas of the country.

The report, “United States Residential Foreclosure Crisis: 10 Years Later” examines the timeline of the crisis which began in 2007 and peaked in September 2010 when nearly 120,000 completed foreclosures occurred during that month.

According to the data, the peak time of the crisis in South Carolina was February 2012 when there were 24,716 completed foreclosures during the month and unemployment was at 10%. From 2007 to 2016, CoreLogic reported 110,328 completed foreclosures across the state.

The Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin and Columbia metropolitan statistical areas had their peaks during the same time as the state. In February 2012, Greenville-Mauldin-Anderson had a foreclosure rate of 3.3% and an unemployment rate of 8.8%. Columbia’s foreclosure rate was 3.6% during that month and unemployment was 8.7%. The rate is based on the number of homes in some stage of the foreclosure process compared to all

According to data from CoreLogic, South Carolina experienced the peak in foreclosures much later than the national average.

South Carolina Foreclosure Inventory Peak Month and Year = February 2012 Foreclosure Inventory Peak Number = 24,716 Unemployment Rate in Peak Month = 10.0% Total Foreclosure for the 10 Years (2007-2016) = 110,328

Spartanburg Peak Foreclosure Percent = 4.2% Peak Month and Year = October 2011 Unemployment Rate by City in the Peak Month = 11.1% Foreclosure Percent (as of December 2016) = 1.1%

Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin Peak Foreclosure Percent = 3.3% Peak Month and Year = February 2012 Unemployment Rate by City in the Peak Month = 8.8% Foreclosure Percent (as of December 2016) = 0.8%

Columbia Peak Foreclosure Percent = 3.6% Peak Month and Year = February 2012 Unemployment Rate by City in the Peak Month = 8.5% Foreclosure Percent (as of December 2016) = 1.1%

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

Audience Development & IT Manager - Kim McManus kmcmanus@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3116 Accounting Manager - Vickie Deadmon vdeadmon@scbiznews.com • 803.726.7541 CUSTOM MEDIA DIVISION Director of Business Development - Mark Wright mwright@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3143 Business Development Executive - Elizabeth Hodges lhodges@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3105

reported nearly 7.8 million completed foreclosures nationally.

By the end of 2016, CoreLogic reported the national foreclosure inventory rate was 0.9% compared to 3.3% in September 2010.

“The country experienced a wild ride in the mortgage market between 2008 and 2012, with the foreclosure peak occurring in 2010,” said Frank Nothaft, chief economist for CoreLogic, in a news release announcing the latest report. “As we look back over 10 years of the foreclosure crisis, we cannot ignore the connection between jobs and homeownership. A healthy economy is driven by jobs coupled with consumer confidence that usually leads to homeownership” The mortgage delinquency rate has also declined nationally. According to CoreLogic, at the end of 2016, 1 million mortgages, or 2.6% of homes with a mortgage, were in serious delinquency compared to the serious delinquency peak of 3.7 million mortgages, or 8.6% of homes with a mortgage, in January 2010. In recent years, the decline in serious delinquencies has been geographically broad throughout the country with year-over-year decreases from December 2015 to December 2016 in 48 states and the District of Columbia.

PEAK FORECLOSURE RATES

Vice President of Sales - Steve Fields sfields@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3110

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homes with a mortgage.

Spartanburg, Myrtle Beach-ConwayNorth Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head IslandBluffton-Beaufort and Charleston-North Charleston experienced their residential foreclosure peak in October 2011. In that month, Spartanburg had a foreclosure rate of 4.2% and unemployment was around 11.1%. The foreclosure rate in the Charleston-North Charleston MSA was 4.1% and unemployment was 8.7%, according to CoreLogic’s data.

During that month, Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort recorded the highest foreclosure rate of any MSA in the state during the crisis at 5.1% while Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach had a rate of 4.7%. Unemployment during October 2011 was 8.6% in the Hilton Head Island MSA and 11.5% in the Myrtle Beach MSA. Nationally, Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, Fla. had one of the highest foreclosure rates during the crisis when it registered 19.2% in February 2011, according to the CoreLogic report.

According to CoreLogic, the foreclosure crisis began in some parts of the country as early as 2007 and later peaked nationwide in September 2010, with approximately 120,000 completed foreclosures occurring during that single month.

Since the first quarter of 2007, CoreLogic

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April 17 - 30, 2017

Executives taking advantage of cycling popularity

by Teresa Cutlip tcutlip@scbiznews.com

T

he number of people cycling in the United States is growing, according to a report from Statista. In spring 2008 the number of people who had been cycling in the previous 12 months was just over 47 million. In spring 2016 that number was 66.5 million.

The Upstate also is seeing an uptick in cycling. A number of trails and cycling groups have formed in the area and cycling shops have followed suit.

A segment of the population taking up the hobby is executives.

Hank McCullough, senior manager of government relations for Piedmont Natural Gas, is one of those cycling executives.

He started cycling in 1976 and started competing in 1979.

“When I started cycling I lived in Kentucky and started cycling as an opportunity to see the countryside,” he said.

“Then I caught the competitive bug. And I do it because it’s the discipline with staying dedicated. It’s also a stress relief. Busy executives need an outlet.”

According to the University of Texas MD Anderson Center, cycling does relieve stress. According to the center’s May 2016 report, “chronic stress can have big health impacts. But physical activities like cycling can help reduce daily stress.”

Also, a 2016 report from Harvard Medical School identified five benefits of cycling: • It’s easy on the joints. When you sit on a bike, you put your weight on a pair of bones in the pelvis, unlike walking, when you put your weight on your legs.

• Pushing pedals provides an aerobic workout. That’s great for your heart, brain, and blood vessels.

• Cycling builds muscle.

• It helps with everyday activities, like balance, walking and stair climbing.

• Pedaling builds bone.

Jim Cunningham, founder of Greenville Cycling and Multisport, said he’s seen executives get into cycling for a long time.

One reason, he said the fact that Greenville has hosted the men’s U.S. National Professional Road Race Championships helped the sport gain popularity. “A lot of businesses and executives saw that and it got them into it,” Cunningham said.

“Also, when you have a ‘Michael Jordan’ of the sport it brings great attention to it,” he said, adding that Lance Armstrong’s wins drew attention to the sport.

He said and in the 1980s it was Greg LeMond who brought attention to the sport.

“And, as cycling grows in popularity, your buddy might pick it up and that makes you pick it up,” he said.

Cycling is our life, and we like to bring people together to enjoy it. We love to see new people getting on bikes, and it’s also rewarding to see people come back every year to the Gran Fondo GEORGE HINCAPIE, RETIRED PROFESSIONAL CYCLIST

Hank McCullough, with Piedmont Natural Gas, above, and Billy Webster, with Wofford College, top right, both credit retired professional cyclist George Hincapie, bottom right, with playing a role in the growing popularity of cycling in the Upstate. (Photos/Provided)

Cycling may or may not overtake golf as the sport of executives, but McCullough said he has developed a broad network of friends through cycling. He said cycling is a sport that is accessible to a wider demographic than golf. Also, people have a broader recognition of it as a sport and activity.

“Cycling is something anyone can do.

It can be as intense or as casual as you want it to be,” he said.

Billy Webster, adjunct health care policy professor at Wofford College is another Upstate professional who hops on his bike when his schedule allows. He too has seen the sport grow in popularity in the Upstate.

“With busy folks, it’s easy to just get on a bike and go,” he said. “A lot of executives are picking up the sport because they’re driven by the intensity.”

Webster identified two reasons for the growing popularity of cycling in the area – infrastructure and George Hincapie.

The infrastructure Greenville pro-

vides, as well as the rest of the area, makes it easy to hop on a bike and take off. There are hundreds of miles of accessible roads for cyclists, he said. That infrastructure includes bike lanes, the GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail and mountain trails for the mountain bikers.

Retired professional cyclist George Hincapie, who lives in Greenville, said the infrastructure in this area is “the reason why we started the Gran Fondo Hincapie,” an annual cycling event that’s headquartered at Hotel Domestique in Traveler’s Rest. The event offers three different rides, as well as an all-day festival free to family and friends.

“Cycling is our life, and we like to bring people together to enjoy it. We love to see new people getting on bikes, and it’s also rewarding to see people come back every year to the Gran Fondo,” Hincapie said in an email to GSA Business Report. This year’s Gran Fondo Hincapie is Oct. 21.

The riding trails, along with cycling

being an approachable sport, contribute to its popularity, Hincapie said. But, “if you’ve never ridden before, it can be a little intimidating to get started because of all of the gear, not knowing the best routes, and other factors,” he added.

There are various cycling shops and groups in the Upstate, and, according to Webster, group rides are arranged according to skill level. The groups also make safety a part of their training.

And, according to Hincapie, he and the folks at Hincapie Sportswear in Greenville are working on a new program that will, among other things, help more people start riding.

“The idea is that this program will provide cyclists with an immediate support network, riding routes, and discounts on cycling gear,” Hincapie said, adding that more information will be available in July.

Reach Teresa Cutlip at 864-235-5677, ext.

103 or @SCBizTeresa on Twitter.

April 17 - 30, 2017 ECONOMIC, continued from Page 1

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omy,” Yandle wrote. “Bank lending, the source of new money entering the economy, is on the rise. The banking system’s massive capability for making more loans, based on having ample reserves on deposit with the Federal Reserve, tells us that more money — and more inflation — is on the way.”

Yandle said that even with low labor participation rates that may not necessarily mean more people just waiting for work but that they are employed, “just not in officially documented ways.”

“Evidence of growth of the underground economy provided by the per capita count of $100 bills in circulation supports the notion that the cash economy is booming,” Yandle wrote. “Coupling the unknown count of shadow economy workers with more than 8 million now drawing Social Security Disability benefits — up 1.7 million since 2007 — yields a very different labor participation story.”

And, because the Federal Reserve may raise interest rates three times over the year — the Fed raised benchmark rates in March — the potential for inflation is higher, Yandle said.

Regionally, the Southeast continued to show strong gross domestic product growth year-over-year through the second quarter of 2016. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Georgia (+5.6%), Florida (+4.9%) and South Car-

olina (+4.8%) were among the nation’s leaders for GDP increase. Oregon (+6%) and Washington (+5.8%) led the nation in GDP growth from the second quarter of 2015 to the second quarter of 2016.

Negative growth was experienced in energy-producing states like North Dakota (-9.9%), Wyoming (-8.8%), Oklahoma (-4%), West Virginia (-3.6%), New Mexico (-1.9%), Louisiana (-1.2%) and Texas (-0.8%).

“Slow GDP growth can be the result of falling prices for energy products such as natural gas and oil and by complete shutdown of production, as has happened with coal in a number of locations,” Yandle wrote.

During the fourth quarter of 2016, the national economy grew by 1.9% which was a 3.5% decline from the third quarter. In their growth report, Patrick McLaughlin and Jonathan Nelson — both with the Mercatus Center — said GDP growth may be spurred ahead in the future if national policy halts the expansion of regulations. Their report found that regulations on the federal level in the United States have tripled since 1970.

According to data from the Mercatus Center, the number of regulatory restrictions was 402,928 in 1970 and grew to 1,078,631 as of the end of 2016 — an increase of 168%.

“Long-run growth depends on innovation — a catch-all term that means not

only new inventions like smartphones and driverless cars but also many changes in business practices or technology that increase productivity,” the report said.

“The build-up of regulations distorts business investments, forcing some capital to be used for regulatory compliance and arguably deterring many companies from investing in new product development or business expansion plans altogether.”

Recent policy suggestions have included removing two regulations for every one new regulation enacted. Additionally, the “savings from changes to existing regulations must at least equal the costs of the new regulation,” according to McLaughlin and Nelson. Their report suggests looking at regulations dynamically rather than based on cost estimations.

“Dynamic scoring of legislation that would decrease income tax rates takes into account the changes to behavior at the margin, where some individuals may have previously elected not to work more in order to remain below a threshold that would increase their income taxes more than take-home pay from putting in those extra hours,” the report said. “Similarly, regulations have dynamic effects, which helps explain why policymakers are focused on regulatory reform of late.”

Reach Matthew Clark at 864-235-5677, ext. 107 or @matthewclark76 on Twitter.

GDP changes

From the second quarter of 2015 to the second quarter of 2016, South Carolina had one of the nation’s highest percentage increases in gross domestic product, according to figures from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Top 10 in growth State GDP change Oregon.....................................................+6% Washington...........................................+5.8% Georgia..................................................+5.6% Florida...................................................+4.9% Utah......................................................+4.9% South Carolina.......................................+4.8% Tennessee................................................+4% North Carolina.......................................+3.9% Vermont.................................................+3.9% Michigan...............................................+3.7%

Bottom 10 in growth State GDP change North Dakota..........................................-9.9% Wyoming................................................-8.8% Oklahoma..................................................-4% West Virginia..........................................-3.6% New Mexico............................................-1.9% Louisiana................................................-1.2% Texas.....................................................-0.8% Iowa.......................................................-0.5% Minnesota...............................................-0.3% South Dakota..........................................-0.1%

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April 17 - 30, 2017

On The Menu: Meet to Eat

Top 5 places to get a cup of joe in Greenville | Compiled by Matthew Clark There are those times when you need to meet a client or colleague out of the office. Then there are those times you just want a change of scenery.

So, a great excuse is to grab a cup of coffee for that quick meeting or better view of something that isn’t your office.

But, with so many options in Greenville, it might be difficult to make up your mind on where to go.

We asked the readers of GSA Business Report to tell us their favorite place to grab a cup of joe in Greenville and the responses were vast. We took the top five responses and listed them, in no particular order, below.

First, we asked just how much coffee does one drink during the work day. About 77% said they drank between one and three cups each day. Just under 15% of respondents said their daily coffee intake was between four and six cups while about 7.5% of respondents said they drank way too much coffee to keep count.

So, if you notice one of your co-workers bouncing off the walls at 2 p.m. on a Wednesday, it is likely they are in the 7.5% of respondents drinking way too much coffee.

Nowadays, the variety of the coffee we drink is varied. There is light roast, dark roast, medium roast, Colombian, French, coffee that tastes like a chocolate donut and there’s even coffee that tastes like a cinnamon roll … which is my favorite by the way.

Long gone are the days of buying the large tub of coffee for the office so everyone drinks the same thing — the only difference being the addition of sugar or cream — instead everyone has developed their own palette for coffee.

So, our next question to readers was to rate the coffee in their office and the answers were a little surprising.

Only about 3% of respondents said their office coffee was the only coffee they would drink while just under 36% said the coffee served in their office pot wasn’t too bad.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Over 41% of those responding said their office coffee could be better and could be worse but about 13.5% said they would drink their office coffee only if they really needed a caffeine fix. Then, there was the 6% who said they wouldn’t serve their office coffee to their worst enemy.

All that being said, over 71% of those responding said they would rather take co-workers or clients out for a cup of coffee while 28% said they did not. There were also specific parameters a coffee shop must comply with to be acceptable to some of our readers: “Coffee shops must have Wi-Fi and be open and quiet so you can have the conversations that you go there to have,” one respondent said.

Without further ado, here are the top five places to get a cup of coffee in Greenville, as

voted on by readers of GSA Business Report.

Remember, these are in no particular order:

West End Coffee Shoppe 1021 S. Main St. Suite D https://www.westendcoffee.com/ This establishment actually has a bigger sister, the West End Coffee Roasters, which sells its own brand of beans. “It’s just the right size for a meeting and I love the decor and sitting at the back table,” one respondent said. “The coffee is the freshest in the Upstate.

I’m addicted! “The service is the finest I’ve found in Greenville and the food is tasty.

My favorites are the fresh baked cookies and homemade rice crispy treats.” West End Coffee Shoppe has a seasonal menu — Fall/ Winter and Spring/Summer — that includes a “Brew of the Day” as well as espresso, coffee and blended drinks. “The staff is nice and friendly, and they have good breakfast croissandwiches,” another respondent said.

Other responses for West End Coffee Shoppe: “Convenience and quality.”“Walking distance and great coffee plus great atmosphere.”

“Staff is always friendly.”

Coffee Underground 1 E. Coffee St. http://www.coffeeunderground.info/

Readers had a lot to say about Coffee Underground, which is located on the corner of Coffee and Main in downtown Greenville.

One respondent said Coffee Underground has a “cool vibe, not corporate, good folks and networking. Don’t go there if you don’t want to be seen …” Another said the establishment had “high quality coffee, and comfortable atmosphere.” “You never know who you might run into, great coffee, and great atmosphere,” another respondent said.

According to its website, Coffee Underground has a theater were “you can see live stand-up comedy, improv, sketch, local songwriters, poetry and other performers all from here in the Upstate.”

Its menu includes a wide variety of hot and cold beverages, ranging from lattes to fraps and milkshakes to smoothies. Other responses for Coffee Underground: “Best selection of coffees and atmosphere. The desserts are amazing, too!”

“Locally owned business!”,“Great variety of items, events and socialization.”

Spill the Beans 531 S. Main St. https://www.stbdowntown.com/ Spill the Beans is like the previously mentioned favorites in that it is located in downtown Greenville — is there a trend here?One thing that Spill the Beans does differently is that in addition to serving a

April 17 - 30, 2017

variety of drinks, they also serve up ice cream. (We’re sure there is some irony there …). According to its website, Spill the Beans has served over 2 million cups of coffee and over 450,000 ice creams blended in its history.“Lots of seating and it is pretty quiet for the most part,” one respondent said Its menu has items such as a “Coffee of the Day” as well as signature coffee and coffee alternatives like tea. As for the ice cream, customers can blend their ice cream with any one of a variety of ingredients including bananas, cheesecake and, yes, coffee.

“Local and good!” said another respondent.

Other responses for Spill the Beans: “Spill the Beans to sit, sip and enjoy.”

“Atmosphere and location.”

Port City Java 11 S. Main St. https://www.portcityjava.com/ While Port City Java is based out of Wilmington, N.C., it has earned quite the following in Greenville. It is yet another popular coffee shop located in Greenville’s downtown area.

“Great coffee and goodies,” a respondent said. “Also love the bright atmosphere and friendly staff.”

Its menu includes various “handmade beverages” ranging from a mocha shake to various signature espressos and even those non-coffee drinks.

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“Excellent customer service,” another respondent said.

Port City Java also sells its own beans which include a house blend and single origins which have beans from any one of five locations — Brazil, Colombia, Sumatra, Tanzania and Costa Rica.

Other responses for Port City Java: “It’s my favorite coffee and the atmosphere/customer service is the best.”

“Convenience, friendly staff, quality products.”

“Great coffee and great people.”

Starbucks Various locations around Greenville https://www.starbucks.com It was no real surprise that the “Green Goddess” made the list as it seems everywhere you turn, there’s a Starbucks location.

In Greenville, we counted double-digit locations which didn’t include those in Simpsonville, Greer and other locations around the area.

“It’s close to my office and convenient,” one respondent said.

The Starbucks menu has a full array of hot and cold drinks as well as pastries and sandwiches available. Starbucks also comes out with specialty drinks offered for a limited time and are released on a regular basis.

“That’s where most folks want go,” another respondent said. “It is the cool choice.”

Other responses for Starbucks: “Not pressed to “turn the table.”

“Variety. I can get a caramel frap (which has coffee but not much) or I can get Chai Latte or Green Tea Latte.” (this was a confessed tea drinker who also said tea drinkers are part of the morning ritual as well … and we agree) Here are some other coffee establishments that respondents mentioned in our survey: Methodical Coffee — 101 N. Main St. Village Grind — 1263 Pendleton St. Bex Café & Juice Bar — 820 S. Main St. #104 Liquid Highway — 14 Halton Road and 2407 E. North St. Due South Coffee Roasters — 250 Mill St. #4C, Travelers Rest

On The Menu: Appetizers JAB buying Panera Bread Co.

JAB Holding Co., the investment firm that owns Krispy Kreme and Keurig Green Mountain, agreed to buy Panera Bread Co. for about $7.2 billion, adding a bakery-cafe chain to a food empire that spans coffee, bagels and doughnuts. According to Bloomberg, Panera investors will receive $315 per share in cash, 20% higher than the closing price on March 31, the last trading day before Bloomberg reported Panera was considering a sale.

JAB will take on $340 million in Panera debt, bringing the total deal to about $7.5 billion.

Luna Rosa uses Alexa technology

Luna Rosa Gelato Café wanted a way to communicate with its customers. The downtown Greenville café found what it needed in Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant.

“We knew that the perfect solution for Luna Rosa was a voice assistant that could keep their customers informed on demand,” said Elizabeth Barr, in a news release. Barr is CEO of Bev, a Greenville firm that creates AI tools for the food and beverage industry.

“Luna Rosa fans wanted to be able to know when their favorite flavor was available, fast.”According to the release, Luna Rosa experimented with several mobile loyalty rewards, but they were designed to solve a different problem — getting people to visit frequently. What co-owner Jose Ortiz soon realized was that once his customers got hooked on a particular flavor, they wanted to know when that flavor was freshly made and in the case. And he needed a way to get the word out that didn’t involve his staff answering the phone all day. Luna Rosa needed a less intrusive, customerdriven solution, one that Amazon created when it opened its Alexa voice skills platform to developers, the release said. For those with Android phones, Alexa will be coming for you soon, but in the meantime, you’ll still need to use an Echo or Echo Dot to #JustAsk. The Alexa skill also gives listeners the store’s hours of operation. Luna Rosa might add lunch specials to its daily Alexa update, but the gelato update solves is its biggest need.

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IN FOCUS ARE YOU AT

LISTS Security Systems Companies page 18 Residential Real Estate Firms page 20 Commercial Real Estate Firms page 22

SECURITY

RISK?

Security, especially cybersecurity, has come to the forefront of the American public. With hacks of personal information, government documents and all points in between, is anything really safe? Recently, the Pew Research Center produced a report called “Americans and Cybersecurity” which highlighted how the American public viewed the topic.

Compiled by Matthew Clark | Designed by Jessica Stout

Staff Report

A matter of trust The study revealed that nearly half of all Americans have little or no trust in the federal government or social media when it comes to protecting data.

12%

37%

9%

28%

Federal government

24% 38%

Social Media Sites 27%

21%

Confidence Level Very Somewhat Not too much Not at all

What’s my password?

With password protection, it can be difficult to remember you different online passwords — especially since you aren’t supposed to use the same one for multiple accounts.

Data theft The Pew report also found that a majority of Americans have experienced some kind of data theft.

Noticed fraudulent charges on credit card

41% 35%

Received notice that personal info compromised

Had social media account taken over without permission

13%

86% 49% 24% Memorize them in their heads

Write them down on paper

Save them on computer or mobile

Smart phone locks Most smartphones today have the ability to lock access to the phone, allowing users to create a specific password, finger/thumbprint scan or pattern to unlock.

You might be surprised that Pew found one-quarter of smartphone owners don’t use a lock at all.

28% Not locked

*****

25% PIN Code

Source: Pew Research Center’s “Americans and Cybersecurity” report.

Partnership to use analytics, data for cybersecurity

8%

Dot pattern

gsanews@scbiznews.com

A

nalytics company SAS has partnered with Clemson University to provide research, software, services and funding for the Watt Family Innovation Center.

According to a news release, professors, students and researchers “can access and apply advanced SAS Analytics, business intelligence, cybersecurity and data management software toward that mission. SAS also will provide teaching materials, onsite training for faculty and staff, and help develop analytical programs.”

“The Watt Family Innovation Center is a unique educational facility that quickly has become invaluable to our students and faculty and one of the most innovative in the nation,” said James P. Clements, Clemson University president, in the release. “This partnership with SAS, a leader in innovative software solutions, will allow us to better serve our university community, and we are very appreciative of their generous support of Clemson’s mission.”

SAS is the sixth Founding Innovation Partner, joining Comporium Inc.; Haworth Inc.; Philips Lighting; Scientific Research Corp., and SCRA. “The Watt Center brings together students, faculty and industry in a hothouse for learning and research,” said SAS CEO Jim Goodnight, in the release.

“With data and analytics at the heart of innovation today, that means Clemson See CLEMSON, Page 23

➤

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SPONSORED CONTENT

Thought Leaders in the Digital Space A Roundtable Discussion Every day — every moment, really — some new part of life becomes digital. As a leader in business, you are not alone if you find it hard to keep up. That is why it is important to find trusted experts to help guide your business through the digital world. In this special section, thought leaders in the digital space give you insights into cloud computing, cybersecurity, digital agency and forensic accounting.

Reed Wilson

David Johnson

Kevin Wentzel

CEO, Palmetto Technology Group FOCUS: IT, Cyber Security

Director of Network Engineering, Immedion FOCUS: IT, Cyber Security

Chief Operating Officer, KOPIS FOCUS: IT, Cyber Security

1years.

0 Always On. What trends in cyber-attacks have you seen in the last two years?

WILSON: If I had to choose one major trend over the

last two years it would be the rise of ransomware (or crypto) style attacks. Ransomware infects a computer or network by encrypting all of the files and holding them for ‘ransom’ usually paid out via Bitcoin. These can be especially damaging if an entire network is infected – which means that the systems are completely unusable unless the company can restore from a backup or pays the ransom.

JOHNSON: Over the last several years, attacks have

become more sophisticated, rendering the perimeter firewall less effective with each passing year. Many of today’s attacks leverage common services that are typically allowed to pass through perimeter firewalls and land on the company’s secured, private network systems, such as Web, Secure Web, or Email. As cyber-attack vectors continue to change, so does the minimum level of network security required to effectively combat network threats.

An effective way to identify and combat these threats is to understand your normal network behavior and have

systems in place to alert you of any deviation. Firewalls with Layer 4 through Layer 7 visibility will also support security policies around applications, not just port / protocol as with older firewall technology.

WENTZEL: With the growth in value of data, produced

by both individual and company, ransomware continues to grow in popularity. This type of security breach was made popular with Cryptolocker in 2012, but has many spin offs and iterations as people try to work around protections put in place by security firms.

Typically, perpetrators demand ransom to allegedly

SPONSORED CONTENT

April 17 - 30, 2017

www.gsabusiness.com 13

Thought Leaders in the Digital Space “Most attacks happen because a user clicks a link they shouldn’t click or opens a file they should not open. Train your users on what to look for and what to do if they open up a file they should not open.”

“Many of today’s attacks leverage common services that are typically allowed to pass through perimeter firewalls and land on the company’s secured, private network systems, such as Web, Secure Web, or Email.”

Reed Wilson, PTG David Johnson, Immedion

prevent one of two things. In the first scenario, paying the ransom prevents damaging data from being released (i.e. trade secrets, information that would cause brand damage). In the other scenario, the perpetrators encrypt important data – ERP database or financials, for examples – crippling companies that cannot restore backups. Paying the ransom unencrypts those files enabling the company to conduct business again.

The other observation is that we, humans, are still the target of attacks. Specifically, email remains one of the primary attack vectors for breaches. Our security relies on the ability to make a subjective judgement on the safety of emails that are psychologically designed to fool that judgement. At the speed that everyone works today, we must assume that someone is going to make a mistake and not just protect the outer defenses, but evaluate the security of our systems at all access points.

What is the minimum level of cyber security a company should have?

WILSON: There really isn’t a minimum – but

if you only have a limited budget the place you should spend the most amount of time and money is on employee awareness. Most attacks happen because a user clicks a link they shouldn’t click or opens a file they should not open. Train your users on what to look for and what to do if they open up a file they

should not open. After user awareness, a good firewall, reliable antivirus, and a robust backup system are the next best bets for your budget.

JOHNSON: The sky is the limit when evaluat-

ing systems and services available to secure your network, regardless of size and complexity. However, companies should still rely on the basic security principles first and foremost.

Apply operating system updates / patches on a regular basis. Microsoft, for example, releases security bulletins on the second Tuesday of every month. Your patch management strategy should, at a minimum, ensure that critical security patches are installed regularly.

The use of a reputable anti-virus product is also important. Many anti-virus products available update near real-time to defend against emerging threats. Select a product with a global presence, cloud analysis of suspect activity, and a basic level of email and web content filtering.

Having a written IT Policy is often overlooked when considering cyber security. Creating an IT policy can seem overwhelming, but it does not have to be complicated to be effective. A written IT Policy that encompasses the acceptable use of technology, standards around hardware and software, backup and disaster recovery, and IT support services will reduce cyber security risks and increase productivity.

Access rights and user education are also critical. Educating the end user how to identi-

fy and handle suspect emails is key in preventing Phishing attacks, viruses, and malware.

Going a step further and limiting user access rights to systems can help to prevent installation and propagation of malicious software on company systems. Failing to address the human element can negate the best security technologies.

Data encryption is another area worth considering. Encrypting drives on user computers and company servers helps protect against data theft or exposure due to lost or stolen drives.

It is more difficult to recover deleted data from an encrypted drive. Drive encryption technology is present in most current operating systems, bringing the capability within reach of most companies without a large expenditure. One drawback to encryption is reduced performance, so it is important to evaluate this tradeoff before implementation.

Patching / updating operating systems, anti-virus, IT policies, user education, and data encryption are all critical aspects in addressing cyber security risks. Those systems and methodologies are within reach of most companies regardless of your IT budget and should be considered before more elaborate systems are implemented. Even with the aforementioned items in place, a perimeter firewall is still needed to mitigate threats outside of your network.

As stated earlier, there are an infinite number of products available to address your cyber

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SPONSORED CONTENT

Thought Leaders in the Digital Space security posture. With the ever-changing threat landscape, it is as difficult as ever to identify a minimum level of security for any business.

WENTZEL: This is something that is com-

pletely dependent on business, the value of the data stored by the business, and the impact of the release of the data stored by the business.

At an extremely basic level, it’s important to have firewalls at each location, antivirus on all systems, and being diligent about updating your systems with security patches. It’s also important to have an ongoing education process to improve awareness in the organization on possible attack types.

Transmissions should be secured. Currently, that typically means HTTPS, SSH or equivalent; however, technologies are emerging like Blockchain that will evolve security as we know it. If, or rather, when HTTPS is no longer a strong enough encryption mechanism to reasonably thwart attacks, many businesses will need evolve their software tools to keep up with security requirements.

Critical data at rest should be secured. What is defined as critical is dependent on your business and jurisdiction. This almost always includes Personally Identifiable Information (PII), payment information (PCI) and health data (HIPAA).

Lastly, authenticating someone’s identity using multi-factor authentication reduces the risk that all those passwords that are just variations on the word Passw0rd don’t end up being an entry point to your systems.

What are the consequences of not having adequate cyber security measures in place?

WILSON: There are two factors to take into

consideration: hard costs and soft costs.

The hard costs are fairly easy to measure.

Symantec Corporation estimates that the average cost of a breach is about $214 per record. On average, this will equal about $7.2 million dollars in hard costs for a company. Although it is harder to measure, the soft costs can be just as drastic. How much

“Data is an asset, so the consequences of not securing your data assets are similar to not securing other types of assets. First and foremost, it could be stolen for the purposes of selling or releasing. As mentioned earlier, your systems could be taken over and used for ransom or blackmail.”

would bad PR and a tarnished brand cost your company?

WENTZEL: Data is an asset, so the conse-

quences of not securing your data assets are similar to not securing other types of assets.

First and foremost, it could be stolen for the purposes of selling or releasing. As mentioned earlier, your systems could be taken over and used for ransom or blackmail.

Unfortunately, that is just the tip of the iceberg. Fines can accumulate from breaches. For example, HIPAA data fines are assessed per record stolen. Then, lawsuits are likely as well from those whose data you collected.

Long story short – major financial trouble is a real possibility for data breaches including bankruptcy.

And those of us in the security industry get it. It is difficult to make the decision to spend the extra money on IT security infrastructure or spend software budget on security when there are features that bring a more tangible benefit than reducing risk.

“Previously the bad guys just wanted to spread viruses for the fun of it. Now that data breaches can be monetized, the hackers have a goal to stay unnoticed for as long as possible so they can continue to siphon data out of your organization or use your bandwidth to power botnets”

Reed Wilson, PTG Kevin Wentzel, KOPIS

April 17 - 30, 2017

www.gsabusiness.com 15

SPONSORED CONTENT

Thought Leaders in the Digital Space “Specifically, email remains one of the primary attack vectors for breaches.

Our security relies on the ability to make a subjective judgement on the safety of emails that are psychologically designed to fool that judgement.”

“A bad actor can go and download exploits online for a few hundred dollars and see a huge return on that investment by deploying ransomware style attacks.

I see this only continuing to grow exponentially over the coming years.”

Reed Wilson, PTG Kevin Wentzel, KOPIS

Looking ahead to the next five years, what do you see as being most concerning in cyber security?

WILSON: The barriers to entry for cyber crooks

are dropping dramatically. A bad actor can go and download exploits online for a few hundred dollars and see a huge return on that investment by deploying ransomware style attacks. I see this only continuing to grow exponentially over the coming years. I also think that mobile data security is an area where we will continue to see criminals double down. Almost every employee today is a mobile employee and one of the areas where businesses are not focusing is securing access on mobile devices.

JOHNSON: Steve Morgan, Editor-In-Chief of

CyberSecurity Ventures, estimates that global spending on cyber security measures will exceed $1 trillion cumulatively over the next 5 years.

That is a staggering number given the estimated spend of “only” $120 billion in 2017. This, coupled with the estimated global costs of $6 trillion annually to businesses due to data loss, data leaks, and stolen money, should send the message that the problem of securing your systems is only going to get bigger. The more you do now to identify gaps and tighten security policies, the less you will contribute to those estimated costs.

My biggest concern relating to cyber security

is the Internet of Things (IoT). If the last year is any indication, the manufacturing and adoption of IoT components is going to grow exponentially year over year for the foreseeable future.

The connected device landscape is expanding faster than it can be secured. Industry experts and common sense alike know that complexity is more difficult to market. As a result, convenience over security (translated: complexity) is favored right now.

From a professional standpoint, I am in the Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) profession and stay up at night worrying about the next large scale DDoS interrupting the Internet. As IoT evolves, so do the cloud based services that power it. IoT device manufacturers understand the efficiency of locating controllers and services closer to the consumer. This results in a higher quality of service for the consumer, lower costs to the manufacturer, and more business for data centers and cloud providers. Unfortunately, this evolution of IoT results in sensitive data being distributed across more servers in more regions worldwide, increasing the threat landscape year over year. The threat landscape is, therefore, outpacing the technology needed to properly secure it.

IoT devices are going to make their way into the workplace in the very near future. IT and Security administrators are, to some extent, going to be forced to support it, monitor it, and secure

it. Securing those devices is a bit of a challenge right now as there is limited access and visibility into those components. Couple that with manufacturing that ignores basic security principles and you have a potential cyber security event brewing in your business.

In reality, IoT is only going to grow. Along with it comes a lot of neat technology and great conveniences. Unfortunately the good is not without the bad, and the bad side of IoT is one of my greatest cyber security concerns in the coming years.

WENTZEL: I see two things. The number of

connected endpoints and the amount of control those endpoints have on our life are going to grow exponentially. Therefore, there is a multiplier effect in play. The number of threat vectors is going to go up in conjunction with the number of endpoints, and the damage each threat can do will go up by the amount of control those endpoints have.

The other major concern is that the protocols underlying HTTPS are under attack and have some have already been whittled away. For now, there are protocols that still provide secure transmission, but if those continuing to advance more secure protocols do not keep pace with those trying to break them, we may end up with an underpinning of how so many of us conduct transactions

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SPONSORED CONTENT

Thought Leaders in the Digital Space no longer being secure. This would cause a major disruption and scramble to other types of security mechanisms, much like the scramble for Y2K. As more companies invest in connected hardware and software for the incredible value it brings, it will be critical for the development teams to understand, practice and test to ensure secure development standards are being followed and up to date.

Businesses store data on site or in the cloud. What are the pros and cons of each storage option in terms of cyber security?

WILSON: There is no ‘straight answer’ to

this question. Typically, cloud storage and cloud services have more robust security measures than the average business can implement. This assumes, of course, that you are working with a reputable cloud vendor such as Microsoft or Amazon. We typically recommend cloud based systems for this reason – with an important caveat: You are responsible for securing your user accounts. If the vendor supports Dual Factor Authentication, you should implement it and put a strong password policy in place.

WENTZEL: Public and private cloud provid-

ers like Microsoft, Amazon, and local data centers live and breathe security. When your brand promise is directly tied to it, you are focused security as a core business principle,

which means you are assessing as quickly as new vulnerabilities are discovered. It exists, but isn’t as common until the enterprise level, that some on-site resources are 100% focused on security and can take that kind of action.

In addition, many of these companies conduct 3rd party audits to certify some of their offerings for specific compliancies like DoD, HIPAA, PCI, etc. Because they have so many customers, they can spread the cost of this added security – democratizing infrastructure security much like cloud platforms have done for business intelligence, artificial intelligence and many other “microservices”.

On the other hand, some companies find that they simply aren’t willing to give up control to others that are not employees of the company. In one scenario, by having total control of your own ecosystem, your team could theoretically patch faster than a cloud provider because the only system that needs to be tested is yours. You could also accept more risk than a cloud provider or determine that the risk doesn’t apply to you by forgoing certain patching.

How does a business know if it is under cyber-attack? What are the early warning signs that a company is under attack?

WILSON: The cyber security landscape has

changed dramatically over the past decade.

Previously the bad guys just wanted to spread viruses for the fun of it. Now that

“Having a written IT Policy is often overlooked when considering cyber security. Creating an IT policy can seem overwhelming, but it does not have to be complicated to be effective. A written IT Policy that encompasses the acceptable use of technology, standards around hardware and software, backup and disaster recovery, and IT support services will reduce cyber security risks and increase productivity”

data breaches can be monetized, the hackers have a goal to stay unnoticed for as long as possible so they can continue to siphon data out of your organization or use your bandwidth to power botnets. In some cases, an organization may not know they have been breached for months. Things to look for would include: slower bandwidth on your network, user accounts that IT did not create, or connections to/from unknown locations in your firewall logs. Again, the goal for the bad guys these days it so make it so that you don’t even know you have had a breach.

WENTZEL: Each type of attack is different.

Some show warning signs and some don’t.

It depends on the sophistication of the attack method and whether we as stewards of our companies made mistakes – like clicking on the malicious attachment – which essentially let someone in the front door. We have seen things as obvious as large number of login attempts from continents with no employees or customers. On the other hand, there could be only trace evidence. This is where advanced intrusion detection systems come in that many times involve telemetry systems, machine learning and predictive analytics can sometimes be used to identify something isn’t right. Then, a human can investigate and determine if there is an issue.

Since the actual malicious event tends to happen months after first touch or breach, this method offers a chance to discover and remedy the breach before the real damage.

“At an extremely basic level, it’s important to have firewalls at each location, antivirus on all systems, and being diligent about updating your systems with security patches. It’s also important to have an ongoing education process to improve awareness in the organization on possible attack types.”

Kevin Wentzel, KOPIS

David Johnson, Immedion

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April 17 - 30, 2017

Security Systems Companies Ranked by No. of Employees in the Upstate

Company

Phone / Website

Top Local Official(s) / Year Founded

Employees

Commercial/ Industrial/ Residential

Services offered:

Priority One Security 18 Interchange Blvd., Suite B Greenville, SC 20607

864-288-1400 www.priority1security.com

William R. Francis Jr., William R. Francis Sr., Peter P. Norman 1996

130

30% 20% 50%

Access control, biometrics, burglar alarm and detection, CCTV, design and consulting, emergency notification, fire alarm and detection, flood alarm and detection, installation, IP video surveillance, lowvoltage systems, medical and call systems, monitoring, perimeter security, service and repair, system integration, UL certification, voice-based evacuation, wireless cameras

A3 Communications, Inc. 14 Pelham Ridge Road, Suite C Greenville, SC 29615

864-672-0273 www.a3communications.com

Brian J. Thomas, Scott Grainger, Joseph Thomas 1990

117

80% 20% 0%

Access control, biometrics, CCTV, design and consulting, emergency notification, equipment sales, installation, IP video surveillance, low-voltage systems, perimeter security, service and repair, system integration, wireless cameras

Integral Solutions Group B 450 Wofford St. Spartanburg, SC 29301

864-574-8161 www.integralsg.com

Joe Strayer, Kim Mann 1987

100

60% 40% 0%

Access control, biometrics, emergency notification, IP video surveillance, wireless cameras

Blue Ridge Security Systems Inc. C 1212 N. Fant St. Anderson, SC 29621

888-407-7233 www.blueridgesecuritysystems.com

James Lovinggood 1996

88

37% 45% 17%

Access control, biometrics, burglar alarm and detection, CCTV, design and consulting, emergency notification, equipment sales, fire alarm and detection, flood alarm and detection, installation, IP video surveillance, low-voltage systems, medical and call systems, monitoring, perimeter security, phone backup, service and repair, system integration, UL certification, voice-based evacuation, wireless cameras, generators, automatic gates

SCI Electronics Inc. 56-B Pelham Davis Circle Greenville, SC 29615

864-234-7313 www.scielectronicsinc.com

William Scott Daniel, Charlie Owens, Richard S. Hardaway 1963

62

60% 40% 0%

Access control, biometrics, CCTV, design and consulting, emergency notification, equipment sales, installation, IP video surveillance, low-voltage systems, perimeter security, service and repair, system integration, voice-based evacuation, wireless cameras, retinal scanning

Solutiant, a division of TELECO 430 Woodruff Road, Suite 300 Greenville, SC 29607

864-527-7027 www.Solutiant.com

Billy Rogers, Gary Sarmento, Mike Billings 1981

45

100% 0% 0%

Access control, biometrics, CCTV, design and consulting, emergency notification, equipment sales, installation, IP video surveillance, low-voltage systems, perimeter security, phone backup, service and repair, system integration, wireless cameras

Zipit Wireless, Inc. 101 N. Main St. Greenville, SC 29601

864-451-5510 www.zipitwireless.com

Frank U. Greer, Ralph Heredia 2007

20

95% 5% 0%

Emergency notification, connectivity to alarm systems for notification

Integrity Fire & Safety Inc. 205 Iler St. Piedmont, SC 29673

864-845-3473 www.integrityfiresc.com

Jerry Smith 1993

13

50% 50% 0%

Access control, burglar alarm and detection, CCTV, design and consulting, emergency notification, equipment sales, fire alarm and detection, flood alarm and detection, installation, IP video surveillance, low-voltage systems, monitoring, perimeter security, service and repair, system integration, voice-based evacuation, wireless cameras

Because of space constraints, only the top-ranked companies are printed. For a full list of participating companies, visit http://www.scbiznews.com/buy-businesslists. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to lists@scbiznews.com.

B Includes Radiate Technologies C Priority One Security purchased Blue Ridge Security Systems in 2017.

Researched by GSA Business Report staff

IN FOCUS: SECURITY

April 17 - 30, 2017

www.gsabusiness.com 19

Security Systems Companies Ranked by No. of Employees in the Upstate

Commercial/ Industrial/ Residential

Company

Phone / Website

Top Local Official(s) / Year Founded

Southern Burglar & Fire Alarm Co. Inc. 207 Campbell St. Belton, SC 29627

877-338-7491 www.southernburglaralarm.com

Hack Clinkscales, Russell Duckworth, Randy Wilson 1925

10

25% 25% 50%

Burglar alarm and detection, CCTV, design and consulting, emergency notification, fire alarm and detection, flood alarm and detection, installation, IP video surveillance, low-voltage systems, medical and call systems, monitoring, perimeter security, phone backup, service and repair, system integration, UL certification, voice-based evacuation, interactive cellular service; cloud based platform

TSAChoice 200 E. Camperdown Way, Suite 2035 Greenville, SC 29601

864-288-4764 www.tsachoice.com

Jeff H. Lowdermilk 1982

8

50% 50% 0%

Access control, biometrics, burglar alarm and detection, CCTV, design and consulting, emergency notification, equipment sales, installation, IP video surveillance, low-voltage systems, monitoring, perimeter security, phone backup, service and repair, system integration, voice-based evacuation, wireless cameras

GenX Security Solutions 1040-A Thousand Oaks Blvd.

Greenville, SC 29607

864-244-1404 www.genxsecurity.com

Wendy S. Heiks, Adam Heiks 2003

7

70% 10% 20%

Access control, biometrics, burglar alarm and detection, CCTV, design and consulting, emergency notification, equipment sales, fire alarm and detection, flood alarm and detection, installation, IP video surveillance, low-voltage systems, medical and call systems, monitoring, perimeter security, phone backup, locks, safes, vaults, service and repair, system integration, voice-based evacuation, wireless cameras, GPS tracking, fiber optics

A.M. Systems Inc. 1601 Cedar Lane Road, Suite 15 Greenville, SC 29617

864-294-4995 www.amfiresystems.biz

Al Plumier 2004

6

85% 15% 0%

Access control, biometrics, burglar alarm and detection, CCTV, design and consulting, emergency notification, equipment sales, fire alarm and detection, installation, IP video surveillance, low-voltage systems, medical and call systems, monitoring, service and repair, voice-based evacuation, wireless cameras

Control Systems Inc. 1775 Drayton Road Spartanburg, SC 29307

864-583-4186 www.controlsystemsinc.com

Scott Clausen 1994

6

40% 20% 40%

Access control, biometrics, burglar alarm and detection, CCTV, design and consulting, emergency notification, equipment sales, fire alarm and detection, flood alarm and detection, installation, IP video surveillance, low-voltage systems, monitoring, perimeter security, phone backup, service and repair, system integration, voice-based evacuation, wireless cameras

Adroit Systems Co. 60 Red Bud Lane Greenville, SC 29690

864-365-4095 www.adroitsys.net

Ed L. Hubbard 2015

5

30% 65% 5%

Access control, burglar alarm and detection, CCTV, design and consulting, fire alarm and detection, installation, IP video surveillance, low-voltage systems, medical and call systems, monitoring, perimeter security, service and repair, system integration, UL certification

Alarm of America 9814 Anderson Road Piedmont, SC 29673

864-236-0001 www.alarmofamerica.net

Max McIntire 1988

1

50% 0% 50%

Access control, burglar alarm and detection, CCTV, design and consulting, emergency notification, equipment sales, fire alarm and detection, flood alarm and detection, installation, IP video surveillance, low-voltage systems, medical and call systems, monitoring, perimeter security, service and repair, UL certification

IHS Security Services LLC 112 Brown Lane Simpsonville, SC 29681

864-444-3153 www.ihsalarm.com

Ed Blackwelder 2007

1

25% 0% 75%

Access control, burglar alarm and detection, CCTV, design and consulting, emergency notification, flood alarm and detection, installation, IP video surveillance, low-voltage systems, monitoring, perimeter security, phone backup, service and repair, system integration, wireless cameras

Safeguards Consulting Inc. 655-H Fairview Road, Suite 232 Simpsonville, SC 29680

864-569-4845 www.safeguardsconsulting.com

Mark Schreiber 2010

1

40% 60% 0%

Access control, biometrics, CCTV, design and consulting, emergency notification, IP video surveillance, low-voltage systems, perimeter security, system integration, wireless cameras, technical consulting, design services, risk assessments, crime prevention through environmental design

Employees

Because of space constraints, only the top-ranked companies are printed. For a full list of participating companies, visit http://www.scbiznews.com/buy-businesslists. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to lists@scbiznews.com.

Services offered:

Researched by GSA Business Report staff

20

www.gsabusiness.com

April 17 - 30, 2017

Residential Real Estate Firms Ranked by $ Value of Residential Sales in 2015 in the Upstate Phone / Website

Top Local Official(s) / Year Founded

Sales Volume: (2015) / Current No. of Listings

Upstate Offices / Residential Agents

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner, REALTORS 745 N. Pleasantburg Drive Greenville, SC 29607

864-242-6650 www.cdanjoyner.com

C. Dan Joyner Jr., Rusty Garrett, David Crigler, David Crigler, Matt Carter, Donna O. Smith, Pat Allen, Matthew Thrift, Matt Carter 1964

$842,778,269 3,991

9 401

Coldwell Banker Caine 111 Williams St. Greenville, SC 29601

864-250-2850 www.cbcaine.com

Brad Halter, Stephen D. Edgerton 1933

$533,000,000 2,506

7 161

Keller Williams 403 Woods Lake Road, Suite 100 Greenville, SC 29607

864-430-3398 KW.com

Lisa W. McGill, Teresa Cox, Lynda Sams, Dan Hamilton 2003

$364,697,107 1,982

5 205

Re/Max Realty Professionals 600 Independence Blvd.

Greenville, SC 29615

864-241-8200 www.movingtogreenville.com

Milton Shockley 1985

$346,699,312 1,861

5 69

Allen Tate Realtors 88 Villa Road Greenville, SC 29615

864-297-1953 www.allentate.com

Martha Hayhurst 1957

$322,794,030 1,622

5 128

Keller Williams Realty Greenville Central 800 Regent Park Court Greenville, SC 29607

864-400-4100 www.greenvillekw.com

Gregg Branham, Laura Sampson 2007

$238,040,000 1,381

1 220

1st Choice Realty Inc. 1209 Stamp Creek Road Salem, SC 29676

864-944-2400 www.1stchoicerealty-sc.com

John C. Pulliam 2000

$129,516,400 547

5 65

Wilson Associates 213 E. Broad Street Greenville, SC 29601

864-640-8700 www.wilsonassociates.net

Sharon P. Wilson, Sharon Wilson 2014

$92,299,484 241

1 16

The Marchant Co. Inc. 100 W. Stone Ave. Greenville, SC 29609

864-467-0085 www.marchantco.com

Seabrook L. Marchant 1993

$87,500,000 426

2 30

Joy Real Estate Co. Inc. 309 E. Butler Road Mauldin, SC 29662

864-297-3111 www.joyrealestate.com

Craig Bailey 1975

$76,000,000 434

2 76

Allen & Assoc.

2117 Boiling Springs Road Boiling Springs, SC 29316

864-921-2920 www.soldallen.com

David Allen 2002

$47,615,666 421

1 11

Gibbs Realty & Auction Co. Inc. 4891-D S.C. Highway 153 Easley, SC 29642

864-295-3333 www.gibbsrealty.net

John Darrell Gibbs 1993

$42,900,154 454

6 5

BHR LLC dba Bob Hill Realty 528 By-Pass 123, Suite D Seneca, SC 29678

864-882-0855 www.bobhillrealty.com

Bob F. Hill 1996

$40,500,000 188

2 15

McAlister Realty 54 St. Mark Road Taylors, SC 29687

864-292-0400 www.builderpeople.com

Stan McAlister 1988

$34,892,151 163

1 16

Top Guns Realty Inc. 15481 N. Highway 11 Salem, SC 29671

800-682-9098 www.lakekeoweerealestateexpert.com

Matt Roach 1998

$26,118,230 83

1 2

The Monaghan Co. 422 College Ave., Suite 200 Clemson, SC 29631

864-639-1188 www.monaghan-co.com

Neil Monaghan 2007

$22,463,700 92

1 10

Montgomery Realty Group LLC 330 Pelham Road, Suite 209-B Greenville, SC 29615

864-416-1031 www.MontgomeryRealtySC.com

Michael Montgomery 2010

$13,659,035 138

1 9

Greenville Realty LLC 158 Browning Drive Greer, SC 29650

864-313-3337 greenvillerealtyllc.com

Barry Venuto 2012

$12,925,022 46

1 1

Buice Realty Inc. 718 E. Frederick St. Gaffney, SC 29340

864-489-7194 www.buicerealty.com

Jeff Buice 1973

$11,000,000 112

1 6

The Bradshaw Group 130 Maxwell Ave., Suite 100 Greenwood, SC 29646

864-341-7774 www.TheBradshawGroup.net

Jan Bradshaw 2012

$9,463,500 50

1 7

Del-Co Realty Group 2507 Wade Hampton Blvd.

Greenville, SC 29615

894-292-333 http://delcorealty.com

Les Hodge 1981

$8,000,000 42

1 12

All-Star Realty Associates 405 S. Pine St. Spartanburg, SC 29302

864-583-0996 www.allstars4u.com

John C. Powell 1997

$7,532,299 52

1 10

Wetzel Services Inc. 511 Pettigru St. Greenville, SC 29601

864-286-1177 www.wetzelservices.com

Paul Wetzel 1996

$3,317,000 13

1 4

Wetzel Realty 511 Pettigru St. Greenville, SC 29601

864-286-1177 www.wetzelrealty.com

Paul Wetzel 2004

$3,200,000 14

1 5

Moss & Associates Inc. 328 E. Main St. Walhalla, SC 29691

864-638-9583 www.callmoss.com

Luther G. Moss III 1972

$2,608,000 36

1 6

Lorraine Harding Real Estate 10898 Clemson Blvd.

Seneca, SC 29678

864-653-7653 www.lorraineharding.com

Lorraine Harding 1970

$2,071,000 12

1 1

Jeff Richardson Co. 607 NE Main St Simpsonville, SC 29681

864-962-1750 www.jeffrichardsoncompany.com

Caroline Richardson Mahaffey 1926

$1,196,000 6

1 3

Company

Because of space constraints, only the top-ranked companies are printed. For a full list of participating companies, visit http://www.scbiznews.com/buy-businesslists. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to lists@scbiznews.com.

Researched by GSA Business Report staff

April 17 - 30, 2017

www.gsabusiness.com 21

22

www.gsabusiness.com

April 17 - 30, 2017

Commercial Real Estate Firms Ranked by No. of Sale/Lease Transactions in 2015

2015 Tranactions: No./Value

Comm. Brokers/ Current Listings/ Upstate Offices

Jon A. Good 1986

562 $331,339,000

45 697 3

Agricultural, flex, health care, hotel, motel, income-producing, industrial, land, multifamily, office, restaurant, retail, sports, entertainment, warehouse

864-295-3333 www.gibbsrealty.net darrell@gibbsrealty.net

John Darrell Gibbs 1993

457 $43,287,154

17 92 6

Agricultural, flex, health care, hotel, motel, income-producing, industrial, land, multifamily, office, restaurant, retail, sports, entertainment, warehouse, HUD properties, bank-owned properties, investment properties, luxury properties

Colliers International 55 E. Camperdown Way, Suite 200 Greenville, SC 29601

864-297-4950 www.colliers.com/southcarolina -

David M. Feild 1906

244 B $137,926,364 B

13 140 1

Agricultural, flex, health care, income-producing, industrial, land, multifamily, office, restaurant, retail, sports, entertainment, warehouse

Coldwell Banker Commercial Caine 117 Williams St. Greenville, SC 29601

864-250-2800 www.cbccaine.com info@cbcaine.com

Brad Halter, Stephen D. Edgerton 1933

203 $39,077,300

14 146 2

Flex, health care, income-producing, industrial, land, multifamily, office, restaurant, retail, warehouse

Lee & Associates Greenville 101 W Court St., Suite A Greenville, SC 29601

864-704-1040 www.lee-commercial.com sjacobs@lee-associates.com

P. Randall Bentley, Martha D Bentley, Kevin P Bentley 2005

149 $69,548,301

8 157 1

Flex, health care, hotel, motel, income-producing, industrial, land, multifamily, office, restaurant, retail, warehouse

Spencer Hines Properties Inc. 380 S. Pine St. Spartanburg, SC 29302

864-583-1001 www.spencerhines.com benhines@spencerhines.com

Ben Hines, Lynn Spencer, Bobby Hines 1986

142 $83,003,810

15 550 2

Agricultural, flex, health care, hotel, motel, income-producing, industrial, land, multifamily, office, restaurant, retail, sports, entertainment, warehouse

Joyner Commercial: the Commercial Division of Berkshire Hathaway C. Dan Joyner, REALTORS 24 Vardry St., 4th Floor Greenville, SC 29601

864-233-7724 www.joynercommercial.com officemanager@joynercommercial.com

C. Dan Joyner Jr., Matt Carter 1964

112 $68,130,800

21 140 1

Agricultural, flex, health care, hotel, motel, income-producing, industrial, land, multifamily, office, restaurant, retail, sports, entertainment, warehouse, portfolio analysis, lease analysis

Spectrum Commercial Properties 420 The Parkway, Suite K Greer, SC 29650

864-335-3030 www.spectrumcarolinas.com jack@spectrumcarolinas.com

Jack Snedigar 2007

81 $71,961,250

5 24 1

Flex, health care, hotel, motel, income-producing, industrial, land, multifamily, office, restaurant, retail, warehouse

Cardinal Commercial Properties 100 Orchard Park Drive, Suite 26262 Greenville, SC 29616

864-559-8227 www.cardinalcommercialproperties.net info@cardinalcommercialproperties.net

Robert Leland Brissie Jr. 2013

60 $20,000,000

2 36 1

Agricultural, flex, health care, hotel, motel, income-producing, industrial, land, multifamily, office, restaurant, retail, sports, entertainment, warehouse

McCoy-Wright Realty Inc. 1004 Whitehall Road Anderson, SC 29625

864-224-3503 www.mccoywright.com johnwrightjr@mccoywright.com

John B. Wright Sr. 1980

50 $4,463,536

5 87 1

Flex, health care, hotel, motel, income-producing, industrial, land, multifamily, office, restaurant, retail, sports, entertainment, warehouse

Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer 15 S. Main St., Suite 925 Greenville, SC 29601

864-370-8155 www.thalhimer.com brian.young@thalhimer.com

Brian J. Young 1913

47 $72,465,281

10 47 1

Flex, income-producing, industrial, land, multifamily, office, retail, warehouse

Avison Young 508 Rhett St., Suite 102 Greenville, SC 29601

864-334-4145 www.avisonyoung.com charlene.massey@avisonyoung.com

Christopher B. Fraser 2013

45 $17,744,245

6 30 1

Flex, health care, hotel, motel, income-producing, industrial, land, multifamily, office, restaurant, retail, sports, entertainment, warehouse, investment

Lyons Industrial Properties 812 E. Main St. Spartanburg, SC 29302

864-583-0094 www.lyonsindustrial.com -

Bobby Lyons 1998

28 $13,100,000

3 36 1

Agricultural, flex, income-producing, industrial, land, warehouse, investment properties

The Lyons Group LLC 812 E. Main St. Spartanburg, SC 29302

864-583-0094 www.lyonsgroupllc.com bobby@lyonsindustrial.com

Bobby Lyons, Adam D. Padgett 1999

26 $15,000,000

3 18 1

Industrial, warehouse

Griffin Property Solutions LLC 500 East North St., Suite D Greenville, SC 29601

877-477-1407 www.griffinpropertysolutions.com contact@griffinpropertysolutions.com

Mark C. Griffin 2012

21 $13,700,000

2 27 1

Flex, health care, hotel, motel, income-producing, industrial, land, multifamily, office, restaurant, retail, warehouse, certified business brokerage

Joy Real Estate Co. Inc. 309 E. Butler Road Mauldin, SC 29662

864-297-3111 www.joyrealestate.com craigb@joyrealestate.com

Craig Bailey 1975

8 $418,000

3 2 2

Agricultural, flex, health care, hotel, motel, income-producing, industrial, land, multifamily, office, restaurant, retail, sports, entertainment, warehouse

Carroll Properties Corp.

1989 S. Pine St. Spartanburg, SC 29302

864-699-9804 www.cpcindustrial.com ecb@cpcindustrial.com

Elizabeth C. Belenchia, Thomas A. Belenchia, Madison Jones 1976

4 $3,500,000

1 16 1

Agricultural, flex, health care, hotel, motel, income-producing, industrial, land, multifamily, office, restaurant, retail, sports, entertainment, warehouse, interstate-oriented travel center, truck wash, glamping centers, agritourism

The Burgess Co. LLC 37 Villa Road, Suite 200 Greenville, SC 29615

864-672-6080 www.theburgesscompanysite.com bill@theburgesscompanysite.com

2009

-

1 18 1

Flex, health care, income-producing, industrial, land, office, retail, warehouse

Covington Commercial Realty Inc. 109-A Pilgrim Road Greenville, SC 29607

864-676-1525 www.covingtoncom.com chris@covingtoncom.com

Christopher E. Covington 1991

-

1 22 1

Flex, income-producing, industrial, land, office, retail, warehouse

Crawford Associates Inc. 2 Persimmon Lane Greenville, SC 29609

864-235-7855 www.crawfordassociates.com wc@crawfordassociates.com

William D. Crawford 1986

-

1 1 1

Income-producing, land, multifamily, retail

Flagship Properties 33 Market Point Drive Greenville, SC 29607

888-983-2329 www.flagshipsc.com contactus@flagshipsc.com

Benji Smith 2008

-

3 1

Flex, health care, income-producing, industrial, land, multifamily, office, retail, warehouse

Johnson Development Associates, Inc. 100 Dunbar St., Suite 400 Spartanburg, SC 29306

864-585-2000 www.johnsondevelopment.net -

Joshua B. Jones, George D. Johnson Jr., Geordy Johnson 1986

-

2 13 1

Agricultural, hotel, motel, income-producing, industrial, land, multifamily, office, restaurant, retail, warehouse, self-storage

KDS Commercial Properties LLC 340 Rocky Slope Road, Suite 302 Greenville, SC 29607

864-242-4200 www.kdsproperties.com marketing@kdsproperties.com

Michael W. Kiriakides 2001

-

8 67 1

Agricultural, flex, health care, hotel, motel, income-producing, industrial, land, multifamily, office, restaurant, retail, sports, entertainment, warehouse

Keith-Evans Real Estate LLC 1525 Skylyn Drive Spartanburg, SC 29307

864-596-0631 www.keith-evans.com kkeith@keith-evans.com

Kim N. Keith 2004

-

3 4 1

Agricultural, flex, health care, income-producing, industrial, land, multifamily, office, restaurant, retail, sports, entertainment, warehouse

M.S. Shore Company Inc. 600 E. North St. Greenville, SC 29601

864-235-3898 www.msshore.com msshore@msshore.com

M.S. Shore 1985

-

5 100 1

Agricultural, flex, health care, hotel, motel, income-producing, industrial, land, multifamily, office, restaurant, retail, sports, entertainment, warehouse

McDaniel & Company 446 Oak Grove Road Spantanburg, SC 29304

864-576-4660 www.mcdanielandco.com -

William A. McDaniel 1984

-

5 141 1

Hotel, motel, income-producing, industrial, land, multifamily, restaurant, retail, warehouse

Montgomery Realty Group LLC 330 Pelham Road, Suite 209-B Greenville, SC 29615

864-416-1031 www.MontgomeryRealtySC.com micky@montgomeryrealtysc.com

Michael Montgomery 2010

-

1

Land, multifamily, retail

Moss & Associates Inc. 328 E. Main St. Walhalla, SC 29691

864-638-9583 www.callmoss.com mossassociates@bellsouth.net

Luther G. Moss III 1972

-

2 1

Agricultural, income-producing, industrial, land, multifamily, office, restaurant, retail

Company

Phone / Website Email

Broker(s) in Charge / Year Founded

NAI Earle Furman 101 E. Washington St., Suite 400 Greenville, SC 29601

864-232-9040 www.naiearlefurman.com info@naiearlefurman.com

Gibbs Realty & Auction Co. Inc. 4891-D S.C. Highway 153 Easley, SC 29642

Because of space constraints, only the top-ranked companies are printed. For a full list of participating companies, visit http://www.scbiznews.com/buy-businesslists. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to lists@scbiznews.com.

B figures updated on 3/21/2017 to reflect the GSA market.

Specialization

Researched by GSA Business Report staff

April 17 - 30, 2017 CLEMSON, continued from Page 11

www.gsabusiness.com 23

IN FOCUS: SECURITY

➤

can generate more of the talent in high demand worldwide.”

According to the release, Clemson will receive access to SAS Visual Analytics, the company’s flagship data visualization and exploration tool.

SAS Analytics software will help researchers discover the “why” behind the data by uncovering hidden relationships and trends. Using predictive analytics and forecasting tools, they will dig deeper into “what-if ” and “what next?”

In addition, access to SAS Cybersecurity will support teaching and learning about how to detect suspicious network activity and thwart malicious intrusions.

The partnership will also benefit the ClemsonForward strategic plan. Part of the plan lists research priorities and six innovation clusters for research.

One cluster is cyber-infrastructure and big data science, which includes cybersecurity, intelligent transportation and computational genomics, digital humanities, business analytics, connected mobility and data-enabled science, engineering and social science.

“The SAS analytics tools are a perfect fit for Clemson as we implement the university’s strategic plan around cyber-infrastructure and big data science,” said Todd Marek, executive

The SAS analytics tools are a perfect fit for Clemson as we implement the university’s strategic plan around cyber-infrastructure and big data science TODD MAREK, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE WATT CENTER

Analytics giant SAS is working with Clemson University in using data to conduct research on cyber-infrastructure, which includes cyber-security, intelligent transportation and computational genomics, digital humanities and business analytics. The new Watt Family Innovation Center will serve as center point for the research, according to a news release, (Photo/Provided)

director of the Watt Center, in the release. “The collaboration provides an important capability for the Clemson research community and I’m very appreciative of the relationship we have built with SAS.” Professors will be able to easily integrate SAS software into coursework, giving students hands-on experience.

A study of 54 million employee profiles on PayScale.com identified “Knowledge of SAS” as the No. 1 career skill that translates into salary bumps.

SAS customers span more than 83,000 business, government and university sites, including 94 of the top 100 companies on the 2016 Fortune Global 500.

SAS has been part of education for four decades, and collaborates with higher education institutions around the world to foster lucrative SAS skills, according to the release.

Clemson University Media Relations contributed the content contained in this story.

24

www.gsabusiness.com

UPSTATE UNDER CONSTRUCTION

UPSTATE UNDER CONSTRUCTION The following are just an extension of our Upstate Under Construction section from our April 3 issue. The next Upstate Under Construction will be in the July 24 issue of GSA Business Report

Rosalind S. Richardson Center for the Arts Wofford College, Spartanburg Developer: Wofford College Architect: McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture General contractor: Robins & Morton Engineer: MEP — RMF Engineering; Structural — Britt Peters & Associates; Civil — Blackwood Associates Estimated completion date: Fall 2017 Estimated total cost of project: N/A The 54,500-square-foot facility will house visual and theater arts and art history.

The exterior will feature limestone, brick and copper and large areas of glass will allow natural light into art studios and connect with the outdoors. Other features of the facility will include high performance theatrical lighting, rigging and audiovisual systems, an outdoor sculpture garden, a 300-seat performance hall, with a 2,600-square-foot stage, a museum for Wofford’s permanent collection, student gallery, black box theater, dressing rooms, seminar classrooms, faculty offices and studios for acting, costume design, painting and ceramics.

Greenville Federal Credit Union 1501 Wade Hampton Blvd., Greenville Developer: Greenville Federal Credit Union, Greenville Architect: Johnson Design Group, Greenville General Contractor: Creative Builders Inc., Greenville Engineer: Civil — Darrohn Engineering LLC, Greenville; Structural — Arrowood & Arrowood PC, Greenville; Electrical — Burdette Engineers Inc., Greenville;

Mechanical — WG Bartlett Engineering Service LLC, Greenville Estimated completion date: September 2017 Estimated total cost of project: N/A Construction has begun on the fullblown interior renovation and addition to the Greenville Federal Credit Union on Wade Hampton Boulevard. This is Phase II of the plan to upgrade the location to improve member experience, following Creative Builders’ completion of the new adjacent drivethru teller building in mid-March.

The update to the main building will include a more streamlined design

by Johnston Design Group featuring three teller pods, a member hospitality space with a children’s area, new office spaces, and an expansion to the building for the new entrance tower to create a more efficient and welcoming atmosphere.

Crossings at Five Forks 345 Five Forks Road, Greenville Developer: Smith/Packett Architect: Gaylen Howard Laing Architects General contractor: McCrory Construction, Greenville Engineering: Structural — Kevin WE, Schmuhl, P.E., Fort Worth, Texas; Electrical, Civil and Mechanical/ Plumbing — Fratto Engineering Co., Greenville Estimated completion date: N/A Estimated total cost of project: $19.5 million The Crossings at Five Forks, a new 183,000-square foot senior living community, has 172-residences made up of 100 independent living residences, 48 assisted living residences and a 24-bed memory care located in the neighborhood known as Harmony Square Town Center.

J.L. Mann High School 160 Fairforest Way, Greenville Developer: Greenville County School District, Greenville Architect: McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture LLC, Greenville General contractor: M.B. Kahn Construction Co. Inc., Greenville Engineer: McMillan Pazdan Smith

April 17 - 30, 2017

Architecture LLC, Greenville Estimated completion date: May 27, 2017 Estimated total cost of project: $12.95 million The J. L. Mann High School project includes a two-story 50,000-squarefoot steel frame, brick veneer addition connected to the main building by a pedestrian bridge over the bus thoroughfare. The project also includes remediation of field and track events and existing running track to meet National Federation of State High Schools certifications. The football field will receive a 1,400-seat addition to the grandstands, restroom facility addition, and pressbox/concessions building for the softball field.

Haywood Ridge 510 Airport Road, Greenville Developer: Central Realty Holdings & Goldsmith Co., Greenville Architect: J. Edward O’Sullivan, Architectural Design Center, Easley General contractor: Mashburn Construction, Greenville Engineer: Thomas & Hutton, Greenville Estimated completion date: April 3, 2017 Estimated total cost of project: $7.5 million Haywood Ridge is Class A office/flex space in the growing Haywood Road/ Laurens Road corridor; it was designed to accommodate tenants’ need for office and warehouse space with a Class A look and feel. Bay depths of 23.5 feet x 80 feet allow for maximum flexibility for size efficiency, and roll-up doors offer convenience of deliveries, shipping and storage.

Greenville County Library — Five Forks Branch 104 Sunnydale Drive, Simpsonville Developer: Greenville County Library System, Greenville Architect: McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture LLC, Greenville General contractor: Melloul-Blamey Construction SC Ltd., Greenville Engineer: M/P — Stephens Engineering; Electrical — Carolina

April 17 - 30, 2017

UPSTATE UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Architect: G1.6 Group Architects LLC, Greenville General contractor: Hogan Construction Group LLC, Greenville Engineer: N/A Estimated completion date: April 2017 Estimated total cost of project: $2 million The Best Chevy dealership in Easley is receiving an additional 7,000 square feet to its existing service bay. The expansion is being performed as the dealership continues to operate under normal working hours. The car facility includes renovations to its showroom and office area, as well as an exterior facade up-fit.

The Rutherford 520 Rutherford Road, Greenville Developer: Phil Buckles, Capital Structures, Knoxville, Tenn.

Architect: David Nocella, Group 1 Architects, Greenville General contractor: Capital Structures Engineer: Hall Engineering, Greenville Estimated completion date: Early Summer 2017 Estimated total cost of project: $1.3 million Yasha Patel is transforming a 1950s-era building into what will become The Rutherford, a custom-designed multi-space venue with an urban finesse envisioned from inspirational exterior and interior signature features Patel has personally selected –all the while, restoring the building’s original elements that elevate its elegance and give it distinction. The Rutherford is comprised of three stand-alone spaces that can be rented individually or together, for flexible, easy event party scaling. The Brick Room will be an upper level, indoor space measuring nearly 2,800 square feet with 14-foot ceilings, native exposed brick walls, floor-to-ceiling windows and restored heart pine floors. The Warehouse will be a lower level, indoor space measuring more than 2,200 square feet that features a statement wall of faux greenery and glass overhead doors opening to an outdoor Veranda and Courtyard spanning more than 5,000 square feet. The Veranda and Courtyard will be a 1,150-square-foot covered space that leads to an outdoor entertainment space of approximately 4,000 square feet enclosed with a privacy fence and bordered by a high bamboo forest.

Engineering Solutions; Civil/Landscape — Seamon Whiteside; Interiors — Margaret Sullivan Studio; Structural — Arrowood & Arrowood Estimated completion date: Summer 2017 Estimated total cost of project: $6,461,775 A new single story branch library approximately 28,000 square feet in size, situated on the site with appropriate parking, site features and room for future expansion. This library serves an expanding suburban community and is central to six local elementary schools, all within a 3-mile radius of the new location. The new Five Forks Library is on the site’s highpoint, set back from the 4-lane

commercial corridor and features a natural green meadow foreground to a create a civic preserve and to distinguish itself from the visual clutter of strip shopping malls, parking lots and detention ponds.

Best Chevy 5010 Old Easley Bridge Road, Easley Developer: MC Automotive Inc.

Apollo 17 1896 Moore Duncan Highway, Moore Developer: Apollo 17 LLC, Asheville, N.C. Architect: WHN Architects PA, Charlotte General contractor: Choate Construction Co., Mt. Pleasant Engineer: Civil — Burton Engineering, Charlotte; Structural — WGPM, Charlotte; Mechanical — Teeter Engineering Group, Charlotte Estimated completion date: Spring 2017 Estimated total cost of project: N/A The manufacturing facility sits on 36 acres and encompasses 366,000 square feet of space with a 30-foot clear height. Automatic Storage and Retrieval Systems covers a 45,000-square-foot area with a clear height of 80’. The project is constructed using a structural steel frame, precast perimeter walls and a 60 mill TPO roof. The facility includes an incinerator with process piping and duct work to exhaust fumes from solvent based coating lines, chilled water system and process piping, steam lines, natural gas for drying heaters and compressed air systems.

Minghua USA Greer Developer: Jiangnan Mold and Plastic Architect: McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture General contractor: Gray Construction Engineer: Electrical — H2L

www.gsabusiness.com 25

Engineering; M/P — LeBlanc Welch; FP — Maddox Engineering; Civil — Alliance Consulting Engineers; Structural — CMC Cary Engineering; Cost — Aiken Cost Consultants Estimated completion date: May 2017 Estimated total cost of project: N/A The construction of the 238,000-square-foot building is precast concrete load-bearing panels at the exterior walls with a steel column and roof truss interior structure. The facility is air-conditioned to control the environmental conditions necessary for producing high quality automotive parts. In addition to dedicated space for injection molding, painting and first-tier parts assembly processes, the facility includes three overhead cranes, Automated Retreival System (ARS) high-bay storage areas, and approximately 30,000 square feet of offices and personnel support areas.

Schedl Automotive 1181 Howell Rd., Duncan Developer: Schedl Automotive System Service GmbH Architect: McMillan Pazdan Smith Architects General contractor: Evans General Contractors Engineer: N/A Estimated completion date: 2017 Estimated total cost of project: N/A As part of a design-build team, McMillan Pazdan Smith provided architectural services for the Germanbased BMW supplier’s first U.S. plant.

The 150,000-square-foot wheel and tire manufacturing facility located in Hillside Enterprise Park is expected to be complete in 2017.

GSP Bulk Hangars 2110 & 2112 GSP Drive, Greer Developer: Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, Greer Architect: McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture LLC, Greenville General contractor: Roebuck Buildings Engineer: Civil/Plumbing/Mechanical/ Electrical — Avcon, Charlotte; Structural — MMSA, Greenville Estimated completion date: Feb. 1, 2018 Estimated total cost of project: $12.1 million Two large airplane hangars adjacent to the GSP airfield.

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UPSTATE UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium Wofford College, Spartanburg Developer: Wofford College Architect: McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture General contractor: Robins & Morton Engineer: MEP — RMF Engineering; Structural — Britt Peters & Associates; Civil — Blackwood Associates Estimated completion date: Fall 2017 Estimated total cost of project: N/A The Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium is a classic basketball venue located on the Wofford College campus. Combining the amenities of the state of the art arenas with the traditional feel and details of basketball’s cathedrals — the Palestra, Hinkle, etc. — the new stadium seeks to preserve and capture the history and tradition of the game while addressing the present and future state of the sport.

This 123,000-square-foot facility accommodates 3,400 spectators, 2,400 on a lower bowl and another 1,000 at the upper level. Entry to the concourse level is through a two-story lobby flanked on either side by monumental staircases and an escalator leading under a masonry arcade, the signature element of the building. The indoor tailgating experience and ease of communication between suites creates a sense of community and fellowship.

Cancer Survivors Park 24 Cleveland St., Greenville Developer: Cancer Survivors Park Alliance, Greenville Architect: Design Strategies, Greenville General contractor: Harper Corporation Engineer: Landscape — Arbor Engineering, Greenville; Project owner rep — O’Neal Engineering, Greenville; Bridge — Geiger Engineering, New York Estimated completion date: Dec. 31, 2017 Estimated total cost of project: $8.5 million Features of the project: elevated 1,000-foot wooden boardwalk w specialty overlooks; a new 12” wide concrete and steel open-view bridge; terraced walkway from the Chamber of Commerce; an oval 2,000-square-foot, glass front Survivorship Education Center topped with a Celebration Pavilion with artistically illuminated ribs of steel that sweep 40’ into the air; four ADA accessible specialty park entrances; a two-level Children’s Garden with themed sculpture for “courage”; circular Turning Point plaza.

Meyer Tool expansion 7640 Pelham Road, Greenville Developer: Meyer Tool Architect: Roebuck Buildings General contractor: Roebuck Buildings Engineer: Site Design, Palmetto Structural Engineering, CDC Engineering Estimated completion date: May 2017 Estimated total cost of project: N/A Part structural steel, part preengineered metal building, twostory class A office with conditioned production space. Exterior is Insulated metal panels.

Mitsubishi Line 10 2001 Hood Road, Greer Developer: Mitsubishi, Greer Architect: GPN Architecture Inc., Spartanburg General contractor: Roebuck Buildings Engineer: Palmetto Structural Engineering, Taylors Estimated completion date: July 2017 Estimated total cost of project: N/A Staging and packaging expansion, hot oil building and south utility building expansion.

AC Marriott Spartanburg 225 W. Main St., Spartanburg Developer: OTO Development, Spartanburg Architect: McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture; Design architect — David M. Schwartz Architects General contractor: Robins & Morton Engineer: MEP — Jordan & Skala; Civil — McCutchen Engineering Associates PC; Structural — Britt Peters & Associates; Landscape — Land Art Design Group Inc. Estimated completion date: Spring 2017 Estimated total cost of project: N/A Located in downtown Spartanburg,

April 17 - 30, 2017

SC, the new 10 story, 114 room hotel will serve as a gateway to the city’s west end, forever changing the city’s downtown skyline. The new AC Hotel

by Marriott will offer a newly enlivened downtown pedestrian experience with outdoor dining, amenities, and a landscaped street level garden.

Designed to blend both the old with the new, the building will include a signature restaurant, outdoor pool, fitness room, outdoor terrace, and a rooftop bar with a 360 degree view of the city. era-Contact USA Pickens County Commerce Park Developer: era-Contact USA Architect: McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture General contractor: THS Constructors Engineer: M/P — LeBlanc Welch; Electrical — H2L Engineering; Civil — Davis & Floyd; Structural — Arrowood & Arrowood Estimated completion date: N/A Estimated total cost of project: N/A In 2016, era-Contact, a global manufacturing leader of electrical railway couplings, chose McMillan Pazdan Smith to design it’s new North American manufacturing headquarters in Pickens County Commerce Park.

Total area of the proposed, first phase building is approximately 27,000 square feet for the production area and 16,000 square feet of administrative office space.

GSA Business Report reserves the right to edit submissions for length and clarity, and will choose which submissions to publish. Submissions that include photos and provide all requested information will receive preference. The next edition is scheduled to be published in our July 24 issue.

AT WORK

WHO TO KNOW AND WHERE TO GO AROUND THE UPSTATE

Business Digest

Bowling tournament raises $21,000 for Junior Achievement

Junior Achievement of Upstate S.C. said it raised $21,000 during its annual bowling tournament in March. (Photo/Provided)

Clemson business, engineering colleges tap Boeing’s Jack Jones Jack Jones, retired vice president of Boeing’s aircraft assembly business in North Charleston, has been named executive in residence at Clemson University’s College of Business and the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences. (Photo/Provided)

Clemson University’s College of Business and College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences have announced that Jack Jones, retired vice president of Boeing’s aircraft assembly business in North Charleston, will become the colleges’ executive in residence.

The colleges’ students, faculty and staff will be the beneficiaries of Jones’ business and engineering background. His career with Boeing spanned 35 years in Washington state and South Carolina, having retired in 2015 after leading the global giant’s assembly operations of the 787 Dreamliner commercial aircraft.

Jones will serve as a guest lecturer at Clemson and meet in ad hoc sessions with undergraduate and graduate students and faculty groups from both colleges.

Deans Bobby McCormick of business and Anand Gramopadhye of engineering said Jones will build upon their colleges’ experiential learning connections that global businesses value in future employees.

“Jack brings an invaluable perspective to our students and faculty in that he led a global operation and witnessed firsthand what a 21st century business needs in its employees,” said Bobby McCormick, dean of the College of Business.

Habitat Greenville honors donors and volunteers

Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County recognized the donors and vol-

unteers at a March event who helped the nonprofit build 10 homes, repair and weatherize 13 additional homes, and operate three ReStores in 2016. The Furman University Shi Center for Sustainability was named the Organizational Donor of the Year for its partnership in weatherizing and repairing homes with Habitat Greenville. Bon Secours St. Francis Health System was honored as the Corporate Donor of the Year for its commitment to building 10 homes with Habitat Greenville, as well as its support of the Grace Point capital campaign.

The Nimble Thimble Quilters Guild was named Volunteer of the Year for work designing and creating handmade quilts for each member of a Habitat family.

Individuals honored for contributions to Habitat Greenville include Kip and Kim Miller, named Individual Donor of the Year for their leadership giving to the Grace Point capital campaign. Additional individual honorees include Leroy Elhers, ReStore Hero Award; Karen Gagne, Family Ambassador Award; Kevin Davidson, Battered Hammer Award; Andy Douglas, Strong Foundation Award; and Clarence Kegler and Art Baiden, Lifetime Achievement Awards.

ReWa recognized for Clean Water Challenge

The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) has recognized Renewable Water Resources (ReWa) with a National Environmental Achievement Award for the agency’s Clean Water Challenge environmental education program. In 2016, ReWa partnered with Greenville County Schools for the second annual Clean Water Challenge to educate middle school students about the importance of protecting local waterways.

To participate, students divided into teams and chose specific Be Freshwater Friendly campaign initiatives to research and created their own campaigns to address water quality issues.

Junior Achievement of Upstate S.C. said its annual bowling tournament in March, the JA Kingpins of Finance Biz Bowl Tournament at AMF Star Lanes, raised $21,000.

Sponsors of the event were SEW Eurodrive, Greenville Federal Credit Union, World Acceptance Corp. and ECPI University. Among the area financial institutions that participated were Bank of America, Bank of Travelers Rest, Entegra Bank, Carolina Alliance Bank, Greenville Federal Credit Union, Southern First Bank, Accord Financial, NBSC, KPMG and others. Other companies that participated in helping to raise money for Junior Achievement were 3M, ECPI University, Pleasantburg Rotary and Kohl’s of Greer.

Conservation corps assists trail maintenance in Oconee County

Desjardins Adult Financial Education Award at the Governmental Affairs Conference in Washington, D.C. The award recognizes programs that assist credit union members and nonmembers with financial literacy. In 2016, Carolina Foothills Federal Credit Union, in partnership with Arcadia Elementary School Adult Learning Center and its Hands-On Parenting Engagement (H.O.P.E.) program, offered Latino women a financial literacy workshop.

Grant to benefit chemistry research at Wofford College The Palmetto Conservation Corps recently completed maintenance and repair on several trails in Oconee County. (Photo/Provided)

The Palmetto Conservation Corps completed a 10-day maintenance and repair project on several Oconee County trails within the Andrew Pickens District of the Sumter National Forest. The Palmetto Conservation Corps is the only trail-based AmeriCorps service program for young adults in South Carolina. Corps members’ training and service focus on construction and maintenance of the Palmetto Trail to conserve natural resources and wildlife habitats.

All Clear Plumbing to sponsor You Go Girl Triathlon

Greenville-based All Clear Plumbing is serving as the presenting partner of the You Go Girl Triathlon in July. Anja Smith, managing partner at All Clear Plumbing, is an experienced triathlete, and All Clear is a majority women-owned company.

The You Go Girl Triathlon will be July 23 at Lakeside Park in Greenville. It features a 250-yard swim, 10-mile bike ride and 2-mile run.

Carolina Foothills recognized for adult financial literacy program

The Credit Union National Association recently awarded Carolina Foothills Federal Credit Union a first place in the

Ni’Asia Daniels, a junior chemistry major from Spartanburg, gets some instruction from Zach Davis, visiting professor of chemistry at Wofford College, in the chemistry laboratory. (Wofford College/Mark Olencki)

The Department of Chemistry at Wofford College has received a 2017 Pittsburgh Conference Memorial National College Grant for $10,000 to update and enhance its chemistry instrumentation capabilities in the classroom and for faculty and student research purposes. Wofford recently began a process of updating, replacing and expanding the instrumental suite in its chemistry labs, and the grant will provide the ability to continue to update the instrumentation in the spectroscopy suite and provide broader instrumental support to all of the college’s lab sections with new systems. The department has 70 declared majors and seven full-time teaching faculty members.

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April 17 - 30, 2017

People in the News ADVERTISING, MARKETING & PR

BANKING & FINANCE

Fuel hired Taylor Perry as a front-end developer. Perry has experience in web development for the financial, health care, nonprofit, travel and tourism and manufacturing industries, among others.

Lynn Faust, senior vice president of investments with the Faust-Boyer Group of Raymond James, was recently named to the inaugural list of America’s Top WomFaust en Wealth Advisors as selected by Forbes and Shook Research. Faust, who ranks 40th on the list of 200, began her career as a teacher before becoming a financial advisor in 1988. She was the first female branch manager for Raymond James & Associates.

VantagePoint Marketing has hired Laura Hinson as an account executive and Autumn Nicholson as content specialist. Hinson brings four years of marketing and communications experience to VantagePoint. Nicholson has seven years of experience in content and digital marketing.

ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION LS3P hired Travis Harrison as a designer. Harrison is a graduate of Clemson University and has professional experience is in residential, educaHarrison tional, healthcare, commercial, civic, and faith-based designs.

Davis & Floyd hired Shannon “Dee Dee” Setzler as the firm’s human resources director. Setzler has more than 14 years of experience in human resources. PriSetzler or to joining Davis & Floyd, she was the human resources manager at Greenwood Fabricating & Plating.

Jacob McDaris has joined the KTM Solutions as a senior technical designer. McDaris, a 2015 graduate of Greenville Technical college and 2017 McDaris graduate of the KTM Solutions Apprenticeship program, will receive his engineering degree from the University of South Carolina Upstate in May. Dillard-Jones Builders LLC recently hired Jonathan Brush and Josh Hedden as superintendents, as well as Madison McGraw as an interior designer.

Brush comes to Dillard-Jones Builders with more than 30 years of experience in residential masonry and custom home building. Hedden has more than 18 years of experience in the construction industry. McGraw has more than four years of interior design experience.

EDUCATION Clemson University professor Gary Amy received the A.P. Black Research Award from the American Water Works Association, a nonprofit, scientific and educational asAmy sociation dedicated to managing and treating water. Amy serves as distinguished professor in the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences. He is also coordinator of the Water-Energy Consortium in the college.

HEALTH Curtis Turner received the 2017 Paraoptometric of the South Award from the Southern Educational Conference of Optometrists at the group’s annual Turner conference March 4.

Turner is manager of practice operations for the department of surgery at Greenville Health System, which includes the GHS Eye Institute.

HOSPITALITY

Phillips

Seitzer

The Old Cigar Warehouse has hired Kailey Phillips as venue captain. A recent graduate of Clemson University, Philips earned a degree in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management and has previously interned for the Bon Secours Wellness Arena.

High Spirits Hospitality has hired Allyson Seitzer as marketing

April 17 - 30, 2017

www.gsabusiness.com 29

manager. Seitzer most recently worked as an account executive at VantagePoint Marketing.

INSURANCE Guy Furay, owner of The Insurance Source, has been recognized by The National Association of Health Underwriters with a 2017 Soaring Eagle Award, the highest honor given by the NAHU. Furay began his insurance career in 1997 with BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina. He opened The Insurance Source in 2005.

REAL ESTATE

Elliott

Anna Elliott joined BlackStream LLC as a social media specialist. Elliott previously worked for an international film agency and a music promotion company in Alabama.

She graduated from Auburn University.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner Realtors announced that Amanda Laird joined the company’s Simpsonville office as a sales associate.

Laird Laird’s experience includes more than 10 years in hospitality, marketing sales and management.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Dan Joyner Realtors announced that Rebecca Faulk joined the company’s Augusta Road office as a sales associate.

Faulk Faulk has spent the last five years as a professional recruiter assisting Upstate businesses in search of employees.

NAI Earle Furman hired Michael Roth and Gwinna Cahal to its brokerage team.

Roth joins NAI Earle Furman’s Investment Services group and is currently playing minor league baseball as part of the San Francisco Giants organization.

Cahal joins NAI Earle Furman’s multifamily division and is a graduate of the University of South Carolina.

Searcy

Coldwell Banker Caine hired Chad Searcy as a residential sales agent at its Seneca office. Searcy previously owned his own residential construction com-

pany and has managed operations of a in Australia before settling in the Upstate. Faram has experience in residenmanufacturing business. tial sales and property management.

Coldwell Banker Berkshire Hathaway Caine recently hired HomeServices C. Susan Murphree as a Dan Joyner Realtors residential sales agent announced that Rosat its Spartanburg ofcoe Hill has joined fice. She previously the company’s Greer worked as a self-emoffice as a sales assoployed interior decoMurphree ciate. Hill has more rator.

Hill than 25 years of financial analysis and Verdae Developcorporate procurement experience. ment hired Amanda Lemoine as administrative coordina- HOSPITALITY tor. New to the UpAlyssa Stroup (left) state, Lemoine and and Karen Williams her family relocated from Pineville, La. (right) OTO DevelLemoine opment, the owner Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. and developer of AC Dan Joyner Realtors hired Emily TroutHotel Spartanburg, man and Jason Paxton as residential announced the apsales associates. Troutman is a graduate pointments of Alyssa of Marshall University. Paxton most re- Stroup & Williams Stroup as general cently spent 10 years as a musician with manager and Karen Outshyne in Laurens.

Williams as director of sales. Stroup has served as general manager of the Resident Berkshire Hathaway Inn Hoover, Ala., since 2012. Williams HomeServices C. has 26 years of sales experience and is a Dan Joyner Realtors former corporate Marriott associate. announced the addition of Chris Kelly Commerce Club hired Tracy Ryan as and Alvin Staggers to private events director. Most recently, the North Pleasant- Ryan was the director of sales and marburg office as residen- keting for Liquid Catering and The Old Staggers tial sales associates. Cigar Warehouse.

Kelly has held roles in public relations and advertising for Unit- The Greenville Country Club elected its ed Way of Greenville County and Myers 2017 Board of Governors, led by PresiArnold. Staggers brings 15 years of real dent John Reynolds, vice president and managing general counsel of Fluor Corp. estate experience.

Matthew Smith, director at Elliott Davis Decosimo, serves as the Club’s vice presiColdwell Banker dent; Bo Russell, partner with Nelson, Caine hired Victoria Mullins, Riley and Scarborough LLP, Tate as an experience serves as Secretary; and David Ellison, manager at its Greencertified financial planner and wealth ville office. Tate premanagement advisor at Northwest Muviously worked as an tual Wealth Management Co., serves as administrative assistreasurer.

Chris Riley will continue to tant at Advent MethTate serve on the executive committee and odist Church. board as immediate past president. AdColdwell Banker ditional board members include George Caine hired Paul Campbell, Howard Einstein, Michael Byrne as a residen- Fletcher, Wesley Harden, Brian Huntial sales agent to its gerford, Kelly Odom, Jonathan Miller, Greenville office. He Patrick Sullivan, and John Wofford. previously worked The Reserve at Lake as a client director Keowee hired Mike at IBM Corp. and as Byrne Lissner as director vice president of sales of tennis. Lissner for Pomeroy Inc. worked at Norbeck Country Club in Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices C. Rockville, Md. Dan Joyner Realtors announced the addition of Faith Brunson and Kelly Lissner Faram as residential sales associates at the company’s Pelham Road office. Tucanos Brazilian Grill hired John Born and raised in Brazil, Brunson at- Ramm as the general manager at its tended college in San Diego and lived recently opened Magnolia Point restau-

rant. Rahm has more than 35 years of restaurant management experience.

Keenan

High Spirits Hospitality hired Ashley Keenan as office manager.

Keenan most recently worked at IPS Packaging as an operations associate.

The South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Educational Association announced Gregory Evans Harris of Spartanburg as the recipient of the 2016 Annual Inspiration Award. Harris was injured in a workplace accident in 2011 at age 24 when he fell approximately 30 feet from a scissors lift, which resulted in injuries to his neck, back, right arm, right elbow, right hand, sternum, left ankle and right ankle. Harris currently works at Crossroads Environmental.

LAW

Rikard

cation law.

Chelsea R. Rikard has joined A Business Law Firm LLC as an attorney. Rikard litigates on behalf of Upstate businesses and works with parents and children in the areas of adoption law and special edu-

NONPROFITS

Schneider

United Way of the Piedmont announced that Sue Scheider is the 2017 recipient of The Morgan Award given annually to donors. Schneider is the CEO of Spartanburg Water

Hollingsworth Funds appointed Anthony W. “Tony” McDade and Samuel L. “Sam” Erwin to the Hollingsworth Funds board of directors. McDade is executive director for United Ministries. Erwin is regional president for IberiaBank.

Submit your People in the News at www.gsabusiness.com REAL ESTATE

VIEWPOINT

VIEWS, PERSPECTIVES AND READERS’ LETTERS

Workers’ compensation costs bring challenges for South Carolina employees and employers

W

hile the State of South Carolina is generally considered pro-business, our workers’ compensation practices are causing constriction in the insurance market, driving up costs for some employers and hampering our ability to compete nationally. An analysis of rates among key nonoffice employers, Pamela including the manEvette ufacturing industries that largely fuel our state’s economy, shows that our blended rate for workers’ compensation insurance is 30% higher than that of neighboring states with similar worker populations.

To make matters worse, actual claims payouts are also significantly higher than those of neighboring states, driving some carriers to consider pulling out of the market entirely – a move that could spell disaster for some higher-risk employers.

It’s important to have a little background information to put this in perspective. Workers’ compensation policies, payouts and maximum allowable rates are determined by each individual state’s State Insurance Commission (SIC) in conjunction with the National Commission on Compensation Insurance (NCCI), which publishes annual actuarial tables with recommended payouts by injury and industry.

Settlements are determined by three cost drivers: actual medical costs, related fees (largely legal and claims management fees) and indemnity charges (lost wages and injury permanency ratings).

Each state is free to use the NCCI suggested amounts or to establish their own amounts. Each State Insurance Commission also determines their maximum allowable rate through overall claims cost analysis. South Carolina’s costs are higher in all three areas.

While medical costs are essentially beyond the control of the State Insurance Commission, higher costs in fees and indemnity are due largely to decisions made by the State Insurance Commission in two key areas.

Along with a small handful of other states, South Carolina has chosen to adopt an indemnity multiplier, mean-

ing that when determining a settlement, it’s SIC multiplies the NCCIrecommended amount. While the modifier can vary, South Carolina has opted to adopt a multiplier of two for most claims. Higher legal fees in South Carolina are also driven by the attorney review of nearly every settlement, no matter how simple. This requirement adds hundreds of dollars onto the cost of even the smallest claim.

The higher cost of claims for nonoffice workers in South Carolina has resulted in the higher claims outlined above. However, since the state has also capped the rates that can be charged by carriers, some carriers have decided that the allowed increases are not enough to make South Carolina an attractive market for them and are considering abandoning the market entirely. Having fewer options in the higher-risk manufacturing-dominated insurance market is likely to result in fewer options, compounding cost increases exponentially.

One might argue that South Carolina’s SIC is simply looking to protect the interest of workers, but this position is short-sighted at best.

These higher claims costs are not absorbed by the insurance company but passed along to employers, who end up hiring fewer people or decreasing wages to compensate for the financial shortfall.

These policies also make it difficult for larger employers – the very ones South Carolina works hardest to attract and retain – because they pay these costs, dollar for dollar, until they hit their per claim deductible. This, too, leaves them with fewer resources to compensate their employees and could make South Carolina a less attractive state in which to operate a manufacturing business, ultimately resulting in less opportunity and higher unemployment rates in our state.

With this in mind, it’s important for employers to make their voices heard in encouraging some basic workers’ compensation policy changes. However, since many of these factors are beyond their direct control, smart employers recognize their own responsibility in proactively managing and controlling claims. Here are some key steps to help keep workers’ compensation insurance and claims costs in check: Get expert help – Buying workers compensation insurance is complex

and requires a unique skill set. Using a broker or working with a PEO (professional employer organization) will help you find the best policy and carrier for your specific population and needs.

This is especially important in higherrisk categories, such as heavy manufacturing, long-haul trucking, construction and roofing.

Find the right broker for your needs – Look for companies that have systematic claims management systems and tools and internal resources and ancillary services that help mitigate claims and prevent loss. Be sure to verify their client base and ask for references, and remember, because regulations vary greatly from state to state and industry to industry, geographic support in the areas where you operate and knowledge of your category and SIC codes are essential.

Don’t challenge every claim – It’s easy for employers to get jaded and believe that they are experiencing false or exaggerated claims, but choose your battles to avoid lawsuit and judgments.

Remember that the 2X multiplier in South Carolina only comes into play for adjudicated claims, so you may be able to avoid more expensive claims if you settle early.

Get them back to work as quickly and fairly as possible – The number one cost driver for workers’ compensation claims is failure to achieve a timely and fair return to work. Resist the temptation to drag out the process and, whatever you do, do not sever a relationship with a claimant. According to most brokers, having an effective return-to- work program can save employers 30% or more.

Establish and communicate claims management policies – Surprisingly, many employers have no formal written policies related to workers’ compensation issues. Be sure that you have formal return to work policies and procedures, light-duty work descriptions and claims management processes in place and that employees are familiar with these policies to manage expectations and facilitate a more rapid return to the workplace in whatever capacity is best suited to the claimant’s needs.

Set up a triage system – Most workers compensation claims result from soft tissue injuries that may or may not require a trip to a hospital or emergency room. Avoiding ER visits by setting up an on-site medical clinic or triage

nurse can cut claim costs in half. Remember your supervisors are not medical professionals and are not qualified to judge the extent of an injury or issue, so defer to the professionals, but do it in a cost-effective, efficient manner.

Advocate for yourself – You do not need to blindly accept adjustors’ decisions. Be an active participant in the process, ask questions and challenge incorrect assertions.

Analyze your costs – Employers should do a cost run to examine current indemnity, temporary total disability (TTD) and medical expense to ensure that percentages are in-line with industry and regional claims and make changes with coverage accordingly.

While there are many huge benefits to doing business in our state, our workers’ compensation policies, including the 2X multiplier and the need for legal review in all cases, need to be closely monitored and possibly overhauled for the mutual benefit of employers and workers. A few tweaks to the system from employers and the SIC, in conjunction with eliminating frivolous lawsuits through tort reform and more effective claims management, will go a long way toward keeping our state competitive regionally and nationally.

Pamela Evette is the president and CEO of Quality Business Solutions. She has more than 20 years of financial management, compliance and controller experience. Under her leadership, QBS has experienced revenue growth of nearly $300 million over the past three years to become a nearly $1 billion enterprise.

We want to hear from you Send letters to the editor: Matthew Clark, editor GSA Business Report 35 Cessna Ct. Ste. A Greenville, SC 29607 Or email: gsanews@scbiznews.com

Setting the stage for the next decade of economic growth

M

ost of us don’t have a crystal ball.

We don’t know exactly what is just around the corner and we certainly cannot see into distant decades clearly. Even so, as individuals and institutions, we can strive to ensure that we are in the best possible position to exploit opportunities when they come along.

This certainly applies to the area of ecoTerence nomic development.

Roberts Across the Upstate, it has become apparent that sustained economic development does not always occur organically. It must be planned, cultivated and nurtured.

In Anderson, we constantly ask ourselves: • Do we have the right infrastructure in place?

• Do we have the right relationships and partnerships in place?

• Are we doing the right things to foster business and entrepreneurial growth?

Infrastructure is, of course, a broad concept which can include everything from small touches like attractive streetscapes to big things like wastewater and sewage capacity. A couple of decades ago, it was hard to imagine the difference it could make in Anderson’s downtown to make it greener.

From the addition of well-landscaped spots along Main Street to the construction of two new downtown parks, the city got a fresh face. As the greenspaces developed, the city became more walkable, more livable and more attractive to business.

It was also hard to imagine just a few years ago that some cities across the country – and even some of our neighbors in this state – would run out of water/sewer capacity to the degree that it impedes their ability to host new businesses. In Anderson we believe that we are well-positioned in the next decade and beyond to meet the needs of a growth market. Our city planners and utilities division personnel manage the pieces of our infrastructure to guide overall better growth patterns now and with both eyes on the future.

“Successful partnerships are the key to long-term development” is an oft-repeated phrase in the land of municipalities – and it is accurate. One need only to look at the example set late last century as Greenville put those words into practice with nearly unparalleled success. In Anderson, we seek to keep good partners by being good partners. Our relationships across the Upstate with other municipalities, and with institutions close to home like Anderson University, AnMed hospital and local industries, are at the heart of our shared success.

We have benefited from investments from the private sector as we help set the

stage to make Anderson an attractive, profitable place to do business. Private investments such as The Bleckley Inn – a boutique hotel – and The Bleckley Event Center have added elegant entertainment options for visitors and residents alike. We also celebrate the role of local nonprofits such as the Anderson Arts Center as we endeavor to attract the lucrative cultural tourism market.

Our economic development team has strong programs in place to not only attract, but also to inspire and nurture, new businesses and entrepreneurs. Anderson’s Business Assistance Program has supported six new or expanding businesses in the city over the past year. Our marquee programming in this area, called e-Merge @ the Garage, offers various entrepreneurial programs and resources that help ensure businesses get off to the best start possible. We offer the e-Spark Boot Camp, a 12week program offering training elements in areas of customer relations, team building, business plan preparation/execution, and access to capital. We also partner with the Clemson Area Small Business Development Corp. to offer a lunch and learn series on various topics designed to encourage business retention and small business success among Anderson’s entrepreneurs and small business leaders.

A focus area for e-Merge programming is the inclusion of youth and students. Last

year, in partnership with Westside High School, we presented a curriculum that gave students a condensed look at how to start and run a small business and encouraged entrepreneurial spirit through group projects. Cyber Saturdays, a collaborative partnership between e-Merge @ the Garage and IT-ology, is a program that allows students to learn more about IT allowing them to learn about career opportunities in the IT field and inspire students to continue to learn through critical thinking.

Yes, the metaphorical crystal ball is murky at best, but our vision is clear.

By asking the right questions and constantly updating our answers and revising our tactics, we are strategically positioned to cultivate economic development in Anderson in the coming decades. Sure, we might benefit from our location in the booming Upstate on the I-85 corridor and we are ready to accommodate what may be low hanging fruit. We are also postured to add the perks to position Anderson competitively and reach for higher boughs.

Jack Welch famously said: “Control your own destiny or someone else will.”

Our destiny is not hidden. It’s not mere fate or fortune. It is economic development and it is ours to shape.

here are no Republican or Democrat roads, just the citizens’ roads.

Ours have been under a 30-year political curse, with the ill effects inflicting pain, regardless of ideology. A bipartisan, long-term legislative solution - one that the governor can live with – would promote healing.

The spell began shortly after iconic J. Richards Gov. Carroll Campbell’s first-term apTodd proval of the last (1987) “gas tax” adjustment. He sanctioned it with his signature on the heels of his predecessor’s successful statewide 1% sales tax increase campaign – “The Education Penny.” (Ah, back when big things got done...) Campbell knew that education wasn’t the only responsibility of the state. His support was predicated on it being the ultimate user-fee for directly financing road improvements, adding enthusiastically “you can’t build an economy without building roads.”

Every successor has faced their own set of political challenges, some self-inflicted, some beyond their control. In retrospect, they were likely more afraid of the bludgeoning come time for re-election, than

they were of a deteriorating road system legacy. So each whispered “wait ‘til after I get re-elected.” Two were not.

Then came Mark Sanford and Nikki Haley who begrudgingly accepted the legislature’s insistence on incremental fixes, while fixated on maintaining their own ideological purity. It worked - for them.

We find ourselves three decades later with a system that has been managed with patches and paste, by and large neglected.

For the most part, no true “new” roads have been created, only critically important new lanes and replacement bridges. Except for targeted expenditures supplemented with federal funds to relieve congestion, or state-provided supplemental financing to incentivize local infrastructure sales tax matches, the state’s road program has been stretched and starved.

Responsible folks realize that capital projects are what good, conservative government is charged to do: look long-term, and facilitate, not stifle, economic growth.

Prudent bonding requires a bank; we’ve used our own State Infrastructure Bank.

The much-maligned SIB has been satisfactorily “reformed” by bringing it under the DOT Commission’s purview. Its past is its past.

So, that red herring is lame.

So is the call for “reform” of DOT. Further tweaks won’t substantially improve

the statutes that drive the agency’s prioritization, nor would any tweaks magically generate hundreds of millions of recurring dollars to promptly and methodically fill potholes. “Cabinet-izing” an agency like DOT would strip it of the public policy benefits a seasoned, experienced, publiclyviewable “board of directors” provides.

Reforms have been cumulative, and the governor now appoints the commission.

There’s nothing of any substance left in this rhetoric either.

It is disingenuous to suggest that DOT’s revenue - the gas tax – doesn’t “go to roads.”

Every “take-away” from DOT’s user-fee income is related to running the road program, whether it’s to pay for specificallydesignated statewide significant projects for economic development, the counties for local road uses, or the miniscule amount to DNR for boat ramps (paid by boaters’ gasoline taxes).

Consensus in a free-speech democracy does not require unanimity. Nevertheless, South Carolinians are united in our demand for government-facilitated safe and efficient roads, as we are that reasonablyadjusted user-fees are preferable to increasing general taxes for road improvements.

Our legislative process is designed so that controversial law is made only after thorough vetting and compromise. It should not be easy to raise taxes. But for

those who’ve studied South Carolina’s highway situation - both in terms of its condition and its finances - there is a strong consensus that the state’s growth-related and maintenance needs exceed its current resources. On a critical matter like the safety and efficiency of our road system, that should be enough to compel action.

This process - and the public’s confidence in it - has been held hostage for too long by a distinct minority roused, mislead and financed by sophisticated activists with minimal connection to South Carolina.

Their shrill cry against “the largest tax increase in history” is relative. That “tax” has been frozen in place for 30 years, and after the pending Alaskan increase, will be the lowest levied on the continent of North America. What was once to some a source of pride, is now a public policy embarrassment.

We’ve been living on borrowed time.

The cure requires that our elected officials take bitter medicine in terms of votes - and on our part by accepting a long-overdue adjustment in our road-use fees. Refusing extends and worsens the self-inflicted suffering. It’s time to end the curse.

Terence Roberts is the mayor of Anderson.

A bipartisan cure will end the roads curse T

J. Richards Todd is president and CEO of the South Carolina Trucking Association, an 83-year-old, statewide alliance of businesses that use or depend on trucks.

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April 17 - 30, 2017