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CHARLOTTE
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INTRODUCTION: Oconee County, is the “geography of opportunity” in Upstate South Carolina. Located in the northwestern corner of the state along the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Oconee County is known for its strategic location along the Interstate 85 corridor between Atlanta, Georgia and Charlotte, North Carolina, with close proximity to Clemson University, and its innovative manufacturing base.
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The County has a diversified economic base with an industry mix that includes healthcare, agribusiness, tourism and over 60 manufacturing related companies. Continue reading to find out why Oconee County, South Carolina is appropriately named the “geography of opportunity.” The perfect area to live, work, play, and INVEST.
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CONTENTS: 4 Livability
10 Workforce
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12 Entrepreneurship
Quality of Place
8 Education
14 Industry
WHY INVEST?
“““ Take it from a few successful businesses already in Oconee County….
“Blue Ridge Bank began in Walhalla, S.C., in 1957. From the beginning, our customers and business partners have been nothing but a pleasure to work with. Today, we have a total of three locations in Oconee County. I am convinced this community has the potential to be the premier location for growing any business.” Glenn Buddin, Blue Ridge Bank
“One of the best things about my job is creating new beginnings in Oconee County. Speaking from experience, investing in Oconee County will prove to be the most productive business decision you will ever make. This county basically sells itself with I-85, Clemson University next door, and a skilled workforce. It has all of the ingredients for your business to be successful.”
“Being in the real estate business allows me to meet and work with people from all over the world. It always amazes me how quickly people are attracted to this county’s uniqueness and business friendly environment.” Bob Hill, Bob Hill Realty
Joel Davis, J. Davis Construction
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INVEST IN LIVABILITY:
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conee County’s downtowns and commercial corridors are blossoming with shops, restaurants and attractions for the whole family. The five municipalities (Seneca, Walhalla, Westminster, West Union, and Salem) work hard to host many downtown events year round for residents and visitors to enjoy such as: Jazz on the Alley, Oktoberfest, Apple Festival, and the 4th of July Festival. In addition to these events, Oconee County is full of history and offers many cultural amenities, including: the Historic Ballenger House, World of Energy, Oconee Heritage Center, and the Lunney House Museum. The area provides opportunities to experience and appreciate the arts events such as: Blue Ridge Arts Center, Brooks Center for the Performing Arts, Oconee Community Theatre, Westminster Music Hall, and the Walhalla Civic Auditorium.
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Fast Facts:
• The County’s per capita income has increased over $2,000 in the last year. • Oconee County is within a one hour drive to shops in Greenville S.C., Anderson S.C., and Commerce, Ga. • Clemson University is located just minutes from the County and offers many opportunities from collegiate sporting events to culturally diverse dining options.
Photo / Bill Koepnick
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“I’m always impressed with the different events that draw large crowds to Oconee County throughout the year. The County has the perfect mixture of culture, location, climate, and business that makes it the perfect place to live.” Paul Cain, Barton & Cain, P.A.
INVEST IN QUALITY OF PLACE:
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“There are very few places in the world that have the natural beauty and outdoor experiences that Oconee County has available. I love having all of these amenities right in my backyard.” Sam Dickson, Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative
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Fast Facts:
• Oconee County has over 300 waterfalls. • National Geographic named the Jocassee Gorges one of the “Top 50 Destinations of a Lifetime,” one of only two locations in the United States. • Sumter National Forest consumes one-third of the County.
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conee County is located in the northwestern corner of Upstate South Carolina and is known for its climate, beautiful lakes, waterfalls, and the Blue Ridge Mountains. The County offers some of the best outdoor recreation opportunities such as whitewater rafting, kayaking and hiking. The eastern and southern borders of the County are comprised of three of the most unique lakes in the United States- Lake Jocassee, Keowee and Hartwell- that add to the overall appeal of Oconee County.
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INVEST IN EDUCATION:
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igh quality education is valued here. The School District of Oconee County offers many educational opportunities for students to strengthen their knowledge and skills needed for future successes. The Hamilton Career Center (HCC) is a career/technical center in Oconee County where high school students have the choice from over 30 different courses to prepare them for the workforce. There are over 20 institutes of higher education in Upstate South Carolina. Oconee County is blessed with close proximity to one technical college and three universities. Tri-County Technical College has over 6,500 students and over 50 different programs. The TriCounty Technical College Oconee Campus offers options in the University Transfer Program and the Practical Nursing Program, as well as dual enrollment options for high school students. Together, Clemson University, Anderson University and Southern Wesleyan University have over 25,000 students and offer approximately 150 undergraduate and 100 graduate degree programs.
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Fast Facts:
• Total student K-12 enrollment in Oconee County is over 10,000 students. • In the last year, over $20 million was awarded in scholarships. • Oconee County participates in the Anderson - Oconee Pickens Business and Industry Showcase that exposes over 5,000 eighth graders from the tri-county area to the business world. • The Oconee County School District has received an ‘Excellent’ rating on the South Carolina Annual District Report Card for the past two years.
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“Receiving a solid education is one, if not the most important means of developing our students for tomorrow’s workforce. It’s awesome to see how our K-12 program and area higher education schools work together with businesses to provide a pathway for students to fulfill their needs and long term goals.” Dr. Michael Thorsland, School District of Oconee County
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Fast Facts:
• In 2014, The Oconee Economic Alliance announced the creation of more jobs than the last four years combined. • Among the country’s 616 micropolitan areas, Oconee County ranks 38th for share of jobs in foreign operated enterprise (FOE) at 11.7 percent. • Oconee County has strong relationships with ReadySC, Apprenticeship Carolina, and many other partners to get workers and skill upgrades in place for business success. • Through ACT, Oconee County is pursuing the designation as a certified work ready community.
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“This county is fortunate to have a skilled labor force that is committed to seeing this area grow and succeed. I have seen this firsthand, and it’s always encouraging to see how much pride they take in their work.” Chris Walsh, BorgWarner
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INVEST IN WORKFORCE:
Photo / Jessica Nelms
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conee is a vibrant County of over 76,000 residents who take pride in their work and participate in the betterment of their community. The County boasts a labor shed of over 632,000 people from eleven different counties. Manufacturing is the County’s largest employment sector. In all, around 25% of the local workforce is employed by one of the 60 industries located in the County. Business leaders work closely with local higher educational institutions, Clemson University and Tri-County Technical College, to ensure students graduate with the job skills necessary to contribute to the workforce and society as a whole.
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ENTREPRENEURSHIP:
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ntrepreneurs are attracted to Oconee County because of its businessfriendly environment and support. Oconee County has earned the label “Entrepreneur Friendly” from the Appalachian Council of Governments. With this title, the County offers an interactive Entrepreneur Friendly (EF) Toolkit, as well as a Business Start-Up Guide to serve as a “101” for aspiring entrepreneurs. The Oconee Economic Alliance works closely with the Tri-County Entrepreneurial Development Corporation (TCEDC) to assist local entrepreneurs in taking their ideas from concept to reality, from garage office to Main Street and from relative unknown to a mainstream brand. The Oconee Business Center (OBC) is a small business “incubator” in Walhalla, S.C. designed to support small businesses during start-up and early growth stages. The Oconee Business Center is operated by the Tri-County Entrepreneurial Development Corporation, in partnership with the Oconee Economic Alliance.
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Fast Facts:
• The County has earned the label “Entrepreneur Friendly” community. • Over 1,500 small businesses call Oconee County home. • An annual Small Business Resource Fair takes place to support small business development and entrepreneurial assistance.
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“This County is flourishing with small businesses and entrepreneurs. As a SCORE mentor and chairman of the TCEDC, I work one-on-one with these individuals to provide them every resource available to make it a smooth and enjoyable process. They are some of the most dedicated and hardworking people you’ll ever meet.” Dave Eldridge, TCEDC Chairman and SCORE Mentor
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Fast Facts:
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“Driving through this area you’ll see industry everywhere. Thankfully, we have an excellent talent base to fulfill the numerous jobs in bioscience, energy, automotive, advanced manufacturing and distribution. We have seen positive growth over the last three years and it’s exciting to see the direction this community is moving towards.”
• The County has invested over $15 million in four years towards economic development product with intentions of making the community more competitive for new industry. • Oconee is home to BorgWarner’s largest facility in the world and JTEKT/Koyo Bearing’s largest needle bearing facility in the world. • The agribusiness sector contains more than 700 farms resulting in a market value of more than $121,385,000 per year.
Jim Evers, AT&T
Top 5 manufacturing companies that call Oconee County home: 1. BorgWarner (700+), automotive transfer cases 2. U.S. Engine Valve (640+), automotive engine valves 3. Schneider Electric (600+), custom motor control centers and electrical vehicle chargers 4. Itron (550+), electronic metering 5. JTEKT/Koyo Bearings USA (515+), automotive bearings
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Photo / Jessica Nelms
Photo / Jessica Nelms
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mall business, healthcare, tourism, agribusiness, and commercial/retail all have a very strong presence in Oconee County, but manufacturing takes the lead with over 60 industries dedicated to promoting and producing quality products to serve the global market. The County’s target industries are Bioscience, Energy, Advanced Manufacturing, Automotive and Distribution. Since 2007, over 1,500 new jobs and over $300 million in capital investment has been announced by new and expanding industries in Oconee County. Based on these recent successes, the County was ranked as the 27th top performing micropolitan in the U.S. in 2013 by Site Selection Magazine. That same year a new economic development strategic plan was adopted to facilitate long-term success for the community.
INVEST Photo / Jessica Nelms
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Final Thoughts Ready workforce On the I-85 corridor Directly between Atlanta, GA & Charlotte, NC Available real estate Minutes from Clemson University Proximity to SC Inland Port Customized training Fast-track permitting Excellent industrial base Entrepreneurial climate Low electric and utility rates Right-to-work policy History and culture Regional and international airports nearby
Ready to Invest? Oconee County, South Carolina is the “Geography of Opportunity� in all areas of life and business. Please contact the Oconee Economic Alliance to make this prospering county your next investment, or to learn more.
Visit www.InvestOconeeSC.com or call us at (864) 638-4210.
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