2020
Profiles in Business
CONNECTING LOWCOUNTRY BUSINESSES Charleston’s leading companies reveal the keys to success
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2020 Pro files in Business | Special Advertising Supplement
ROOTER NOW
RooterNOW® can save your pipes and your money Innovative Cured In Place Pipeline technology eliminates need for costly digging, strengthens pipes with minimum disruption to your home or business
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plumber comes to your home or business to fix a clogged line. You anticipate a bill of maybe a few hundred dollars or so with a minimum amount of disruption to your daily life. But what you hear makes your heart sink: Thousands of dollars in labor, flooring, foundations, and landscaping ripped up for weeks, not days due to a corroded sewer line. But there is another more affordable — and far less disruptive — solution. Thanks to Charlestonbased company RooterNOW®, that same problem can be fixed in days for far less money and chaos. With their innovative trenchless pipeline repair system, RooterNOW® can restore and upgrade existing lines without costly digging or major disruptions to your daily routine. “Many homeowners aren’t aware of trenchless pipeline solutions and repairs,” said company owner and founder Jack Frye. “They are unaware of the entire process and all of the time and money that can be saved.” Pipe relining begins with a careful inspection and evaluation of the damaged area with remote cameras. RooterNOW® then supplies the homeowner or business owner with an action plan for pipe restoration. The process starts by removing debris and sludge with high-pressure water. They then prepare a special liner material cut to the proper fit. The liner is prepared with a resin according to NASSCO standards, an industry leader in quality and product viability standards. The liner is then inverted into the prepared pipe. An environmentally safe ultraviolet light is then inserted into the line with a camera inspection system to ensure thorough curing of the liner. The result is a strengthened and fully restored pipe. The
RooterNow® technicians prepare special equipment for use in their Cured In Place Pipeline technology.
installed liners come with a 10-year warranty and a 50-year engineered life expectancy. “Getting the liner properly into the pipe is key,” Frye said. “That’s where the job can get very tricky. But, our technicians are highly trained and have a lot of experience in this technology. We see a lot of situations where we have to fix somebody else’s mistake.” Many pipes in Charleston, especially downtown, are buried under foundations and slabs that are hundreds of years old where digging is not the first choice and looking to avoid potential
1810 Paulette Drive Charleston, SC 29455 843-212-4111 rooternow.com
damages. RooterNOW’s® Cured in Place Pipeline (CIPP) technologies make costly, messy digging unnecessary. RooterNOW® is known in the Lowcountry as the “plumber’s plumber.” In other words, if the plumber you call encounters a job they just can’t handle, RooterNOW® is the company they call. They aren’t limited to simply water or sewer lines. They can also handle lines for telecommunications, electrical service, fire safety and roof drains. The CIPP technology is proven, said Frye. It’s been used in Europe since the early 1970s with an excellent record of success and durability. Frye has been doing this type of repair since 1992 and started RooterNOW® in 2005. “One of our biggest advantages is that we were doing this a decade before anyone else here,” Frye said. “We have the experience and expertise to make sure a job is done right.”
Special Advertising Supplement | 2020 Profiles in Business
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A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER
LOWCOUNTRY NEWSROOM Profiles in Business Editor - Steve McDaniel smcdaniel@scbiznews.com • 843-849-3123 Graphic Designer - Laura Black lblack@bridgetowermedia.com UPSTATE NEWSROOM Associate Editor, Special Projects - Jim Tatum jtatum@scbiznews.com • 864-720-2269 LOWCOUNTRY ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Senior Account Executive - Robert Reilly rreilly@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3107 Account Executive - Sara Cox scox@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3109 Account Executive - Melissa Verzaal mverzaal@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3104 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Steve McDaniel, Jim Tatum, Barry Waldman CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Jess Wood
President and Group Publisher - Grady Johnson
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hose of you who have been Business Journal readers all of these years most likely know this story, but for you newer readers, the origin of Profiles in Business bears repeating. Not long after we launched the Business Journal in 1995, businesspeople began asking us to include stories about their companies in our publication. As journalists, we always had to reply, “We can’t do that until you do something we can report as news.” At the same time, many of those same people were asking if they could hire our advertising copywriters to produce pieces Grady Johnson they could use in brochures and marketing materials — but we were always too busy putting out the newspaper. Finally it dawned on us: Why not combine the two? And looking at another successful version of Profiles in Business, it seems the marriage continues to be a happy one. We bring this publication to market as the region begins to reopen after the shutdown in response to the coronavirus pandemic. We have all had to make adjustments, both major and minor, in our businesses. I hope these profiles give you some insight into the working lives of the people who make up the Charleston-area business community, because everyone has a unique story to tell about how we are adapting to the new normal. Please accept my enthusiastic invitation to read the 2020 Profiles in Business, and I hope you will enjoy reading this sample of Charleston business life as much as I do.
Grady Johnson President and Group Publisher
gjohnson@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3103 Creative Director - Ryan Wilcox rwilcox@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3117 Event Director, Audience Development & IT Manager - Kim McManus
NWS Company LLC A portfolio company of BridgeTower Media
kmcmanus@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3116 CUSTOM MEDIA DIVISION Director of Business Development - Mark Wright
South Carolina’s Media Engine for Economic Growth
mwright@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3143 Business Development Executive Elizabeth Hodges lhodges@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3105
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2020 Pro files in Business | Special Advertising Supplement
The entire contents of this newspaper are copyright by NWS Company LLC with all rights reserved. Any reproduction or use of the content within this publication without permission is prohibited. SCBIZ and South Carolina’s Media Engine for Economic Growth are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
FEATURED PROFILES | LISTED ALPHABETICALLY
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Boeing
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CK Contracting
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Constantine Engineering
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C.T. Lowndes
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HealthLinks Magazine
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Low Country Case & Millwork
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Mount Pleasant Magazine
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Pleasant Places
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REI Engineering
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Rooter NOW
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Spherion Staffing
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Trident Academy
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Office Evolution
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Visual Infonomics Group
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PLEASANT PLACES LANDSCAPING
Pleasant Places grows without outgrowing family culture Customer service, community at the forefront of Artigues’ family-owned business since 1984
Pleasant Places Landscaping has been taking care of the grounds around Lowcountry homes and businesses since 1984.
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uy Artigues started Pleasant Places Landscaping in 1984 with just his old pickup truck, a trailer, a lawnmower, and an intense work ethic. Thirty-six years later, his company employs some 220-250 people and does more than $20 million in business each year in the tri-county area. Pleasant Places handles virtually all aspects of commercial landscape construction projects and maintenance, including design, installation, lighting and hardscape. The company’s work can be seen all over the Charleston area, including Marion Square, Kiawah Island, MUSC,
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College of Charleston, Daniel Island Club, and Charleston International Airport, to name a few. From the beginning, Guy Artigues has known good relationships and great customer service are keys to success. He knows great customer service happens only when you have a great team to provide that service. He knows the way to attract and keep quality employees is to treat them like family. Likewise, he also knows the best way to build and maintain a customer base is to treat people fairly, provide great service for a fair price and give back to the community that has given so much to him and
2020 Pro files in Business | Special Advertising Supplement
his family. Guy Artigues recently turned over the reins to his eldest son John Gaillard “Gilly” Artigues, who has been working in the family business for many years. Gilly, now president, says he is ready to grow the company even more — and is just as dedicated to maintaining that family culture and community responsibility as his father. He knows that any success is not due to any one person but rather the dedication, hard work and passion of the entire team. And he knows that after more than three decades of carefully building a thriving business,
PLEASANT PLACES LANDSCAPING
Pleasant Places Landscaping is a family-owned and operated business that includes a staff of long-time, skilled employees.
his father would be very particular about whom he would choose as his successor. That person would have to be as intensely dedicated to those core values as he is. Gilly is. He grew up in the business, working with and learning from many employees who have been with the company since almost the beginning. He is deeply passionate about the legacy his father has created, that sense of loyalty to and responsibility for employees and the community. But Guy Artigues is not stepping out of the picture, Gilly said. “My dad is still very much involved — he’s not retiring at all — but he is doing the things he loves most and does best,” Gilly said. “He’s a people person — being in an office all day dealing with ‘corporate’ matters is not what he wants to do, it’s not who he is.” Meanwhile, growth is going to happen, Gilly noted. Therefore, it makes sense to want to work with someone local, who loves the community and is willing to do things right, someone who
will continue to invest in the community and help it thrive. Pleasant Places has done just that in the tricounty area and Gilly believes it is time to take the next step, to expand into Myrtle Beach and Beaufort/Hilton Head Island. However, he is committed to maintaining the same high levels of expertise, service and accountability and most important, the core values that have brought Pleasant Places this far. Above all, hiring and retaining great people is the bedrock upon which the company is founded. For example, the company’s management team are all long-time employees. Landscape division manager Graham Mewett has been with Pleasant Places18 years; Hardscape division
manager Troy Blough 15 years; Irrigation division manager Adam Harbin, 8 years; and Maintenance division manager Mark Oldag, 11 years. Another long-timer, even at a young age, is Gilly’s younger brother, Palmer. A rising senior majoring in public relations at the University of South Carolina, Palmer has also worked in the business all his life and is currently working in the sales/estimating department until classes resume in the fall. “We want to take care of our people,” Gilly said. “They’re here because they believe Pleasant Places is the best place for them to achieve their goals, take care of their families, build their lives. Our success is because of them.”
4995 Lacross Road, Ste. 1000 N. Charleston, SC 29406 843-881-3430 pleasantplaces.com Special Advertising Supplement | 2020 Profiles in Business
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REI ENGINEERS
REI Engineers: Making buildings better Firm has vast experience, expertise in building enclosure systems that ensure, enhance longevity, efficiency of structures
REI Engineers’ experienced, expert staff has specialized skills in building enclosure systems.
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f you’re of a certain age, you likely remember ads for BASF, which recounted how the company didn’t make a lot of the products you buy; they made a lot of the products you buy better. REI Engineers is the BASF of buildings: they don’t design the buildings; they collaborate on the design so that the outer enclosure of the building does its job better, lasts longer and provides better energy efficiency. REI Engineers has the specialized skills and knowledge to provide design or design review services for roofing, exterior walls and below-grade waterproofing of new and existing projects. When included at the design stage, their collaborations with architects reduce average energy use on existing buildings by 16% and on new projects by 13%. The International Institute of Building Enclosure Consultants bestows seven registrations on architectural designers, professional engineers,
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licensed roofing and wall consultants who have demonstrated their specialized expertise. No company in the nation has more registered consultants than REI, a diverse collection of formally educated and apprenticed experts with a broad knowledge base who engage in extensive continuing education on new systems and design methodologies. Building owners, architects, property management companies and others bring REI Engineers into the design phase of new construction or remodeling to leverage advances in technology and equipment in the evaluation and design of
2020 Pro files in Business | Special Advertising Supplement
exterior systems. REI ensures optimized integration among building materials to comply with new energy and conservation codes and to improve efficiency and effectiveness of building enclosures. REI Engineers has worked with a wide variety of industries — commercial, multi-story residential, educational, health care and more. Among its most notable projects, REI teamed with McMillan Pazden Smith Architecture for the New Lucy Beckham High School in Mount Pleasant, providing design guidance and review of the exterior walls, design of the roofing assemblies, and construction administration of these systems during construction, including Quality Assurance site visits and assistance with construction issues found in the field. This school is scheduled to open in the fall. It is also working with the Army Corps of Engineers on building assessments and reroofing designs for bases across the nation. Its staff are assessing the buildings and providing recommendations for repairs and replacement of building enclosure components to ensure or increase the life span of the buildings. By improving the energy efficiency and extending the life span of buildings it works on, the company, with an office in West Ashley, offers building owners a path to investment on the front end into their working environment that pays off by multiples during the facility’s lifecycle. REI Engineers is a 100% employee-owned company. Partly as a result, its employees are highly engaged in their work and take a proprietary interest in the satisfaction of their customers. “Our priority is to work in the best interest of the owner and their building,” says branch manager Charlie Arnold.
2090 Executive Hall Road, Suite 115 Charleston, SC 29407 843-225-6272 www.reiengineers.com
TRIDENT ACADEMY
Innovation in teaching key to student success Pandemic inspires new approaches to helping students with learning differences at Trident Academy
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nnovation and enterprise are cornerstones of Trident Academy’s mission to help students with learning differences. This has been especially illustrated in recent times. The independent school is one of just 17 schools in the United States accredited by the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators. Orton-Gillingham is a specific approach to teaching students who are diagnosed with a language-based learning difference such as dyslexia (words/letters), dysgraphia (writing) or dyscalculia (numbers). Students work in small classes and are taught traditional academic subjects using multisensory techniques, structured, systematic instruction, and experiences outside the classroom that correspond to relevant subject matter. The goal is to strengthen and create new pathways in the brain with visual, auditory and kinesthetic tactics while teaching lessons. Trident teachers are especially trained in the Orton-Gillingham approach. All faculty and staff are trained, and some continue training to master higher levels within the Academy of Orton Gillingham. Key to the experience is the multisensory approach, focused attention and the extremely low student/teacher ratio. So, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the school had to find a way to re-create this experience online. Despite the logistical and practical difficulty, the teachers found a way to do it, said Trident Academy’s Head of School,
Trident Academy has had to innovate its teaching models during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Betsy Fanning. “I am so proud of our teachers,” Fanning said. “The important thing to know is that the Orton-Gillingham piece is usually one or two students and the teacher right there with them. To take that model online is very difficult. I am really proud of how our teachers did this. It’s a real testament to all they do and how much they care.”
1455 Wakendaw Road Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 843-884-7046 www.tridentacademy.com
The school has also reduced class sizes to eight students to maintain a level of sustainability while maintaining social distance. The most important key to success, however, is early intervention, Fanning said. To that end, the school is lowering tuition for K-2 students as part of an effort to advocate for early intervention. “If we can get them early and work hard with them in the formative years, then it’s possible for them to transition to a more traditional learning environment and succeed,” she said. “We don’t ‘cure’ anything — our goal is to give them the tools they need to be successful.”
Special Advertising Supplement | 2020 Profiles in Business
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C.T. LOWNDES & COMPANY
C.T. Lowndes & Company has insured the Lowcountry for 170 years Longtime insurance firm has helped residents and businesses recover from floods, hurricanes, pandemics, fires and earthquakes
From right, C.T. Lowndes & Company owners Rawlins Lowndes, Billy Silcox, Henry Lowndes, Chris Silcox, Bill Silcox (not pictured is Ed Lowndes).
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n 1850, Charles T. Lowndes founded C.T. Lowndes & Company. For over 170 years, the local, family owned and operated independent insurance agency has been witness to a long parade of natural and unnatural disasters, among those being the major hurricane of 1854, the great Charleston fire in 1861, the 1886 earthquake, two World Wars, Hurricane Hugo, and economic depressions and recessions. Throughout it all, C.T. Lowndes & Company has protected Lowcountry individuals and businesses and has developed a reputation of
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advocacy and being there for their clients when they need them the most. As C.T. Lowndes & Company celebrates its history, it has continued to grow as a successful business, now with eight offices across the Lowcountry, extending from Edisto Island to Myrtle Beach. Lead by CEO Bill Silcox, the highly-trained team of 100 — many with decades of service at the firm — is committed to building strong relationships with clients and remaining focused on clients’ needs. Company owners include
2020 Pro files in Business | Special Advertising Supplement
the first and second generations of the Silcox family and both the fifth and sixth generations of Lowndes family. In addition to the agency writing many forms of personal lines insurance, including home, auto, and life, it also has a thriving commercial book of business that includes business liability, workers compensation, group and individual health, and employee benefits. As an independent agency, C.T. Lowndes is able to tailor insurance policies to their clients’ specific requirements by connecting the best and most
C.T. LOWNDES & COMPANY
From right, C.T. Lowndes & Company Board of Directors Chris Silcox, Bill Silcox, Elliott Phillips, Sarah Lowndes, Rawlins Lowndes.
cost-effective products from among the more than four dozen carriers they represent and with whom they maintain relationships. C.T. Lowndes works with well-known companies like Travelers, Progressive, PURE, Sagesure, Frontline, Auto-Owners and Safeco/ Liberty Mutual. It is not beholden to one company, but to its many clients across the state. These relationships built over generations with insurance providers allow C.T. Lowndes to more effectively advocate for their clients. Having the ability to call their insurance company partners directly provides the agency owners with a tremendous resource to help address specific clients’ needs. Conversely, national companies seek out C.T. Lowndes principals, whom they have known for decades, requesting insight into how customers will respond to policy changes. Much of the agency’s success can be attributed to its long-standing relationships with the local community and its clients. The team at C.T. Lowndes recognizes the value in providing personalized service, especially in a digital age where oftentimes compassion and quality service can be missing. Why does that matter? Consider the agency’s quick action in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew, which ripped through the
South Carolina coast and laid waste to some of Edisto Island. Even before residents could return to their homes, C.T. Lowndes staff arrived on the island and took inventory door-to-door, reporting to policyholders the level of damage, directing them to file claims and connecting them to construction and restoration companies to help expedite repairs. “Word got out quick and we started getting inundated with phone calls,” recalls Silcox. “People were quite appreciative.” No wonder readers of the Post and Courier have voted C.T. Lowndes & Company best insurance agency the last two years, and readers of the Moultrie News added their approval last year. “We’re not flashy or seeking the spotlight. That’s just what happens when you are passionate about taking care of your customers,” Silcox said. C.T. Lowndes takes care of its community as well. For five years, the agency was a title sponsor for the Sertoma High School Football Classic, whose proceeds were distributed to local children’s charities. Dedicated to giving back,
it continues to support local charities whose missions resonate with its staff. Looking forward, the agency aims to continue to identify progressive solutions to enhance the options available to meet their clients’ needs. C.T. Lowndes understands the importance of adapting to the current environment where businesses are faced with complex challenges such as cyber-security by recommending and offering cyber-liability coverage. This has become even more important as more and more individuals are working remotely. C.T. Lowndes & Company operates locations in Charleston, Edisto Island, Goose Creek, Moncks Corner, Mount Pleasant, Myrtle Beach, Summerville and Walterboro. They are close by to serve your insurance needs with a locally owned and operated insurance agency that has a long-standing commitment to provide quality and personalized service, to give back to the community, and to meet the ever-evolving needs of its clients.
Eight S.C. coastal locations to serve you 800-551-3817 www.ctlowndes.com Special Advertising Supplement | 2020 Profiles in Business
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BOEING
Boeing COVID-19 relief efforts have local, global impact Dreamlifter delivers vital protective equipment for health care workers, company produces thousands of 3-D printed face shields at South Carolina campus and other facilities
Boeing offered the use of our Dreamlifter, one of the largest cargo carriers in the world, to help transport critical and urgently needed supplies to health care professionals. The first of those deliveries took place on April 26, in Greenville, S.C.
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he COVID-19 global pandemic has presented an unprecedented challenge for individuals, communities, nations and businesses worldwide. The Boeing Company has stepped up to support outbreak response efforts in a number of ways and the teammates of Boeing South Carolina have been a part of that support the entire way. In late March, Boeing offered the use of our Dreamlifter, one of the largest cargo carriers in the world, to help transport critical and urgently needed supplies to healthcare professionals. Lowcountry residents are certainly familiar with this unique airplane, an integral part of the 787 Dreamliner global
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supply chain which is normally used to ferry parts from suppliers around the world to our two final assembly sites. The first of those deliveries took place on April 26, as 1.5 million medical face masks were delivered from China to healthcare professionals in South Carolina. A second delivery of 1.5 million masks was received at Charleston International Airport on May 5, and more are planned. Boeing delivered the first set of 3D-printed face shields to support healthcare professionals working to stop the spread of COVID-19. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) accepted the initial shipment of 2,300 face shields, which were delivered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
2020 Pro files in Business | Special Advertising Supplement
Boeing is set to produce thousands more face shields per week, gradually increasing production output to meet the growing need for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the United States. Distribution of additional face shields will be coordinated with HHS and FEMA based on immediate needs. Boeing is producing face shields with additive manufacturing machines here in South Carolina, and at multiple locations across the country: • St. Louis, Missouri • China Lake, El Segundo, and Huntington Beach, California • Puget Sound region of Washington state • Mesa, Arizona • Huntsville, Alabama
BOEING
Enhanced cleaning is taking place at all Boeing locations (left), and visual cues have been added to maximize personal health and safety at work. Boeing is producing face shields with additive manufacturing machines in South Carolina (right), and at multiple locations across the country, to support health care professionals working to stop the spread of COVID-19.
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • San Antonio, Texas • Salt Lake City, Utah • Portland, Oregon Solvay, a long-time Boeing supplier, provided the clear film for the face shields. Another supplier, Trelleborg Sealing Solutions, donated the elastic used for the adjustable headband. In addition to the Dreamlifter, Boeing has also offered use of its unique airlift capabilities to help transport critical and urgently needed supplies to healthcare professionals. The company completed its first of many COVID-19 transport mission using a 737700 aircraft from its corporate fleet to bring personal protective equipment (PPE) from China to the United States. Working in partnership with FIRST® Robotics Founder Dean Kamen, the company transported 540,000 medical-grade face masks. Kamen, who has a longstanding relationship with Boeing through FIRST Robotics, is also a founder of DEKA Research and Development Corp. He worked with DEKA to secure the face masks from manufacturers in China and turned to Boeing to facilitate their transport. Boeing sponsors FIRST Robotics teams across the country,
including several here in the tri-county area. Boeing is also providing technical support to airlines in order to facilitate shipping personal protective equipment to health care workers around the world. To date, the company has donated tens of thousands of units of PPE – including face masks, goggles, gloves, safety glasses and protective bodysuits – to support healthcare professionals battling COVID-19 in some of the hardest-hit locations in the United States. The work against COVID-19 is also taking place much closer to home, in our own Boeing South Carolina facilities. While we monitored the impacts to the global supply chain of the 787 program from COVID-19 and as the top consideration of our teammates’ health and safety, we temporarily suspended 787 production operations on April 8. During the suspension of operations, Boeing production teammates received 10 days of pay, which is double the company’s standard policy.
While operations were suspended, our teams set about the task of a comprehensive re-evaluation of our business operations in order to maximize personal health and safety at work. Our Facilities, Health and Safety, and many other teams undertook preparations for a resumption of operations at both campuses. Enhanced cleaning, visual cues (floor markings and posted messages) to encourage physical distancing, and many other additions, including job-specific PPE and cleaning supplies for personal work areas, will help keep all teammates safe and healthy. “Our commitment to the health and safety of our teammates, their families and our communities remains our top priority,” said Brad Zaback, Boeing South Carolina site leader and 787 vice president and general manager. “Even as we returned to normal production operations on May 3, we did so with all necessary safety measures in place to maximize the health and safety of our team.”
5400 Airframe Drive N. Charleston, SC 29418 boeing.com Special Advertising Supplement | 2020 Profiles in Business
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CK CONTRACTING
CK Contracting celebrates 18 years of Lowcountry building Christopher Klick and his award-winning company are proud to be part of local community
CK Contracting has been a premium builder and remodeler of Lowcountry homes since 2002.
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hat started as a child’s fascination with construction sites and a love of playing with Legos ultimately led Christopher Klick to a successful career as a custom residential contractor. He and his family moved to Charleston in 2000 and he started working for Hardy Homes, where he quickly distinguished himself. By March of 2002, he took a leap of faith and launched his own company. Eighteen years later, in 2020, CK Contracting, LLC is still strong and growing. They do a variety of remodeling and building projects all over the Lowcountry. Klick and CK Contracting also try to balance business with community service. They are involved in a number of organizations and efforts, including being a She Tri’s sponsor and tiny house sponsor.
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In addition, Klick is a volunteer coach for Cainhoy soccer as well as a member of St. Peter’s Church and an active member of his neighborhood Homeowners Association. He is also active in such organizations as the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Homebuilders, and the Charleston Homebuilders Association, for which he is serving as president this year. CK Contracting has won a number of awards as well, including the 2016 PRISM Awards for ‘Best
2020 Pro files in Business | Special Advertising Supplement
Remodeling Project - $200,000-$250,000 and Best Remodeling Project $100,000-$150,000; a 2018 PRISM award for best Remodeled Home $700,000 - $800,000; and the 2018 Remodeler of the Year PRISM award. Klick is proud of the fact that his is a local company. Based in Mount Pleasant, CK Contracting handles custom residential builds and remodeling jobs all over Charleston and the Tri-County area. “We live in the same area we build in,” he said. “We consider building your Lowcountry home an honor and a privilege, as well as an opportunity to help preserve this city’s coastal Southern heritage and contribute to its future.” That means building responsibly and sustainably, providing the highest quality service, and above all, approaching each job as an opportunity to help people achieve their dreams. Klick notes that home ownership is the number one wealth creator in the United States. This is a point he and CK Contracting takes very much to heart. They are not just building a home; they are helping people from all walks of life access probably the most important platform from which they can build wealth and achieve upward mobility. “We love to serve peoples/families building and remodeling needs and get excited in the collaborative effort it takes to provide more than just a roof over one’s head rather we approach it as creating an environment to prosper,” he said. “I can’t think of a better way to help people achieve prosperity than through homeownership.”
P.O. Box 867 Mount Pleasant, SC 29465 843-352-4975 www.ckcontractingsc.com
CONSTANTINE ENGINEERING ASSOCIATES
Constantine Engineering Associates has been a constant through booms and busts No job too large or too small for Charleston-based firm and its experienced, professional staff
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onstantine Engineering Associates, LLC is a tight-knit engineering outfit with a quarter-century of experience in the Charleston area providing mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection to a wide array of businesses, from mom-and-pop establishments to large industrial firms. CEA has remained a go-to for engineering expertise through cycles of boom and bust, assisting in over 3,000 projects since 1994. Constantine has provided these services through the tech bubble at the turn of the millennium, the construction boom of the early 2000s, the Great Recession and the arrival of big manufacturing companies like Boeing, Volvo Cars and Mercedes-Benz Vans. The deep well of experience and a culture that promotes employee project “ownership” and engagement differentiates CEA from other firms. Crew members are licensed and/or certified as a P.E., E.I.T., LEED AP, or all three. Several have worked the entirety of their careers with the firm and consider their service part of their mission in life, rather than merely a job. The company mission is to treat clients’ projects as their own. Viewing each project through clients’ eyes helps heighten sensitivity to their needs and produces work that reflects the purpose of the project. “As a consequence,” says Chris Constantine, a native Charlestonian and founder of the firm, “we will never refuse a client, no matter how busy we are or how small the project. If a husband and wife quit their jobs and pour their savings into a doggie day care, that project is at least as important to them as a $50 million industrial project, built with bank money, is to corporate management.”
Constantine staff in front of The Citadel’s Swain Boating Center, a convention space under construction on campus.
Constantine’s portfolio of thousands of successfully completed projects covers an eclectic mix of industrial, hospitality, educational, retail and much more. Among their marquee jobs were working with David Thompson Architects and Hill Construction to completely remodel The Beach Club at Kiawah for a unique fine dining experience and designing a chilled-water system with Johnson Controls for Clemson Energy Innovation Center’s wind turbine testing beds, which allows wind turbine manufacturers to test their drive trains at full scale.
1350 Ashley River Rd., Ste. B Charleston, SC 29407 843-628-7878 www.constantineengineering.com
One testament to Constantine Engineering’s commitment to clients is its relationship with architects and contractors, the people who can best discern the quality of engineering work and depth of customer service. Coast Architects hired Constantine to provide fire protection, plumbing and mechanical engineering for The Citadel’s Swain Boating Center, a convention space now under construction on the campus. Berenyi Incorporated hired Constantine to design the complex HVAC systems at Symrise’s five-story distillation facility at Bushy Park. Living up to its motto “we always put the client first” has allowed Constantine Engineering Associates to continue growing, even during a pandemic, and earned the firm recognition as Charleston Contractors’ Association Engineering Firm of the Year in 2019.
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SPHERION STAFFING
Spherion Staffing: A history of making great connections Staffing firm has matched quality candidates with top employers for more than a quarter century
Mary Barrineau (left) and Pam Thompson have grown Spherion Staffing into one of the area’s top staffing agencies.
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or more than a quarter century, Spherion Staffing has connected quality candidates with good jobs. Pam Thompson, who launched the firm in 1994, stayed true to her conviction that Charleston was a market poised for great growth. Twenty-five-plus years, a merger and a name change later, Thompson and her daughter, Mary Barrineau, have built a thriving business and a strong reputation for matching quality job candidates with top employers. Thompson embarked on her journey following a career in Norrell Staffing’s corporate headquarters in Atlanta. Barrineau joined the firm a few years later and the pair
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has guided the company through changes and growth that include a merger with Interim Staffing and a subsequent name change to Spherion. The firm now has a staff of 11, a list of long-time clients and new customers allowing continuous growth in the Charleston market. Charleston’s growth has fed Spherion’s to the point where the agency places some 500
2020 Pro files in Business | Special Advertising Supplement
employees in the tri-county area every week, mostly in manufacturing and distribution. “Our main area of growth over the past decade has been in manufacturing and distribution jobs,” Barrineau said. We have seen a lot of quality growth, providing new career opportunities that didn’t exist even five years ago.” That has led to challenges, she said. Job seekers have more options now and technology has made it easier to contact multiple prospective employers. The instant gratification culture we now live in extends to the job market. “We can have 100 people lined up for a certain type of job required by one of our clients, but the names on that list of 100 can change a lot in just a few days,” Barrineau said. “A person with a desirable skill set can see more than one offer in a short time, and if an employer needs more time to consider a hire, that person might not be available 72 hours later.” In that environment, Barrineau says it’s critical for Spherion to stay in close contact with both potential employees and employers, gauging interest, supply and demand that are constantly changing. “Things can change so fast,” she said. “We are on the phone, emailing, and even texting our candidates all the time, trying to keep up with who might still be available and what opportunities are still open. But we’ve been here 25 years now; our clients know they can always count on us.”
4995 Lacross Road, Ste. 1050 N. Charleston, SC 29406 843-554-4933 www.spherion.com
OFFICE EVOLUTION
Small business space solutions Office Evolution offers affordable options, great locations in Charleston and Mount Pleasant to launch or grow your company
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eople trying to launch or grow a small business don’t need the extra headaches that can come with trying to find a new home, or temporary digs, or even just a place to do business for an afternoon. Office Evolution is rapidly becoming a valued partner for small businesses in the Lowcountry. With prime locations on King Street in downtown Charleston and on Long Point Road in Mount Pleasant, Office Evolution offers a wide array of options for small businesses, solo entrepreneurs, executives seeking short term solutions, work-athome practitioners, and more. “We’re a great option for people who are trying to grow their business,” area manager Beth Sansone said. “Our model is membership-based with several different plans to fit your growing needs. The opening price point is for a business address. Who wouldn’t want their business to have a prestigious King Street address instead of a PO Box?” Not quite ready to get into a permanent construction project or long-term lease? Office Evolution has a variety of office spaces, common areas and meeting rooms at reasonable prices and easy lease terms. In fact, the downtown location has 21 offices, three spacious meeting rooms, and a shared co-working lounge area with rentable private desks; the new Mount Pleasant location has 29 offices and two meeting rooms. Both locations offer parking as well as receptionist service and call answering. A full package comes with fully furnished private office, mailbox, live phone answer service, internet, utilities, and much more. It’s a turnkey workspace solution! “We obviously prefer year leases, but we can do month to month — or even other
Beth Sansone, Andrew Fry, Kelly Fry, and Mary Ann Lilly (top); Office Evolution Charleston (bottom left); Office Evolution Mount Pleasant (bottom right)
arrangements,” Sansone said. “When some of the neighboring hotels run out of meeting space, they often call us.” In fact, Office Evolution’s spaces are even used by local companies that simply want to have a meeting away from the inevitable interruptions and disruptions that can occur at corporate offices, she noted. But there’s more to it than just a “home away from home, she said. “There is a full-time receptionist on-site who greets your guests and clients in a courteous
Downtown Charleston, King St. Mount Pleasant, at Belle Hall 843-203-9048 www.officeevolution.com
and professional manner,” Sansone said. “Our call center staff will answer your number with the scripted response you write for them, so your clients will be treated professionally, and unwanted solicitations won’t be allowed to waste your time. We also have a break room area with all the amenities, snacks, coffee, tea, water, etc.” Twice a month, the offices sponsor free co-working days, as well as other networking opportunities, such as lunch and learn sessions and happy hour events, for members and guests. “We really are about partnership and helping businesses grow,” she said. “Our members, which include attorneys, real estate professionals, marketing firms, and technology-focused businesses, often work together to achieve their goals. We provide the space, peace of mind, and opportunity to make meaningful connections every day.”
Special Advertising Supplement | 2020 Profiles in Business
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LOW COUNTRY CASE & MILLWORK
Custom millwork group celebrates milestone Low Country Case & Millwork rings in 30 years in the tri-county area
Low Country Case & Millwork’s new facility in Ladson.
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or the past 30 years, Low Country Case & Millwork has been the go-to for this area’s best in high-end cabinetry and commercial millwork. The company, which started with founder Robert Stasiukaitis and two family members in a small rented storage space in Summerville, has grown into the area’s premiere commercial millwork firm. Indeed, the company’s work can be seen all over downtown Charleston and
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the tri-county area, with projects as diverse as the Charleston Visitors Center, Hotel Bennett, Firefly Distillery, Seabrook Island Club House and Sanctuary Chapel at Kiawah to SC Federal Credit Union branches and corporate offices and a plethora of medical facilities, including Trident, MUSC and Roper. In other words, chances are you have seen and admired the work of Low Country Case and Millwork.
2020 Pro files in Business | Special Advertising Supplement
“We have grown tremendously,” CEO David Stasiukaitis said. “My father started the company in 1990 — they rented a small space off Trolley Road in Summerville. Their first job was a veterinary clinic in Summerville for Trident Construction. To this day, Trident Construction is still our biggest client.” Robert Stasiukaitis found a niche market, commercial cabinetry and millwork, and built a successful business. Quality and service are
LOW COUNTRY CASE & MILLWORK
Charleston International Airport
East Cooper Baptist Church
Charleston GI’s office
Summerville Presbyterian Home
the hallmarks of the business, the cornerstones that set it apart from anyone else, David noted. The fact that they run a turnkey operation from design to manufacturing to finishing and installation helps them maintain that standard of quality and superior customer service. With those values, projects they do are often done within deadline and under budget. The company has steadily grown over the years, moving into a 15,000-square-foot facility in Ladson in 2000 and building it out another 15,000 square feet to maximum capacity, in 2004. In 2018, the company would grow again, this time led by the second-generation
leadership of David Stasiukaitis, building a 52,000-square-foot facility in Palmetto Commerce Park. Even today, with all the growth the Charleston area has experienced, no one else has the capabilities and quality of Low Country Case and Millwork, David said.
“We are very blessed. We’re doing about $7-8 million in projects a year, many of which are repeat customers who have asked us to come in and redo or update projects we did 10-15 years ago for them. We’re a little more expensive, but we are worth it. No one does what we do better.”
4144 Carolina Commerce Pkwy.
Ladson, SC 29456 843-797-0881 lccm.com Special Advertising Supplement | 2020 Profiles in Business
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HEALTHLINKS MAGAZINE
A magazine on a mission HealthLinks aims at health literacy
Cullen Murray-Kemp is publisher of HealthLinks magazine, a bimonthly publication that provides health care information and education in the Lowcountry. The magazine has also begun producing podcasts and a weekly newsletter.
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edical Marketing Group, which publishes two distinct versions of HealthLinks magazine every other month, is on a mission to improve and enhance the health literacy of everyone in the Palmetto State and, eventually, in other states as well. Originally launched as a supplement to Mount Pleasant Magazine, HealthLinks became a completely separate publication in 2015 and grew from quarterly to bimonthly two years later. Today, HealthLinks Charleston serves the needs of its readers in the tri-county area of the Lowcountry, while its sister publication, HealthLinks Upstate, is distributed in 10 counties in the western part of the state. According to Publisher Cullen Murray-
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Kemp, education is the reason HealthLinks has been so successful in such a short period of time. “We exist to educate people in local communities about what’s going on in health care,” he commented. “We are a great health education resource that helps connect patients with doctors and doctors with patients.” HealthLinks has accomplished its mission despite the constraints that have hampered many other businesses during the COVID-19
pandemic, getting the message out by offering free two-year subscriptions to the patients of their partners in the medical world, through a weekly newsletter and with podcasts that are quickly growing in popularity. “COVID-19 forced entrepreneurs like myself to be a little bit fluid and mobile, and that was probably a good thing for us,” said Murray-Kemp. “These were things we wanted to do but didn’t because we were caught up in our everyday routine. We never had the focused energy that the pandemic provided for us.” The podcasts delve into subjects such as telehealth in the COVID age, how to stay physically and mentally fit while you are quarantining, how doctors are obtaining personal protective equipment and profiles of iconic physicians such as Dr. Thaddeus John Bell. The brand recognition that HealthLinks has established over the past five years has been helpful as the publication has branched out beyond its website and Facebook in the digital world. “We’re taking the brand name and moving it over to different platforms,” Murray-Kemp explained. “There is something to brand recognition. People know they can trust what’s in HealthLinks because all our articles are factchecked by doctors. They know they are getting accurate information about their health.” Murray-Kemp pointed out that HealthLinks will continue to seek new opportunities to broadcast the message of health literacy to residents of South Carolina and beyond. “We love the Grand Strand, Columbia and Charlotte, and they are all on our radar. We want to have local health publications in markets throughout the Southeast,” he concluded.
843-732-4110 MAGAZINE
Read digitally: ReadHLC.com and ReadHLU.com
2020 Pro files in Business | Special Advertising Supplement
www.charlestonphysicians.com www.upstatephysicians.com
MOUNT PLEASANT MAGAZINE
Telling the story of Mount Pleasant with great passion Bill Macchio’s Mount Pleasant Magazine has evolved along with the once-sleepy, rapidly growing town it covers
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s Bill Macchio obsessive or passionate? Regardless of how you define the publisher of Mount Pleasant Magazine, there is little doubt that he lives to practice his craft. The magazine business dominates his thoughts as his head hits the pillow at night and when he wakes up each morning, ready to face the day with his unique brand of optimism. Bill’s initial foray into publishing, launched while he was still in school, produced a bimonthly magazine with an editorial focus much like that of Rolling Stone. The publication was a perfect fit for Gainesville, Florida, the college town where his publishing career was born, but, after eight years, he sold the company and headed west. The next stop on his publishing journey was Texas, where he was hired by the company headed up by Rupert Murdoch. News Corp had purchased eight newspapers in the Houston area. After ramping up the sales and marketing efforts of these community publications, Bill moved on to the Charleston area, working for a short time at the Moultrie News. It wasn’t long, however, before his life was again consumed by his destiny. Bill has always considered magazines to be the pinnacle of the publishing world, aimed at high demographics and earning a longer shelf life and pass-along readership than any other form of publishing. In 1986, when Mount Pleasant was home to fewer than 20,000 residents — its population now is well above the 90,000 mark — Bill released the first issue of the predecessor of today’s Mount Pleasant Magazine. “Back when I was publishing East Cooper
Read digitally: www.ReadMPM.com/
Bill Macchio is the founder and CEO of Media Services, producer of VOICE of MP Podcast and publisher of Mount Pleasant Magazine, Charleston Women, Mount Pleasant Pets, MP Senior Living, Lowcountry Cuisine and Sullivan’s and Isle of Palms Magazines.
Magazine, Mount Pleasant was often described as a sleepy seaside town,” Bill reminisced. Mount Pleasant is sleepy no more. In a recent Mount Pleasant Magazine podcast — www.VOICEof MPpodcast.com — Town Administrator Eric DeMoura talked about the job of managing a municipality that is among the fastest-growing towns east of the Mississippi River. As Mount Pleasant has met the challenges that have emerged in 2020, so has Mount Pleasant Magazine. Bill’s publishing team,
1013 Chuck Dawley Blvd. Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 843-345-7012 www.mountpleasant magazine.com
sheltering at home just like everyone else in town and around the world, documented the pandemic with a special COVID-19 edition. “These words have been used a lot, but we were separated yet together as we published that special issue,” Bill said. “Our publishing team is passionate about the town we serve.” As Mount Pleasant Magazine has grown, its publisher and staff have embraced the technology that has transformed the publishing industry, disseminating information not only through the pages of their hard copy magazine but also through Facebook, Instagram, podcasts, various web sites and other digital channels. For Bill Macchio, it’s all about being either obsessive or passionate about what you do — or both.
Special Advertising Supplement | 2020 Profiles in Business
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VISUAL INFONOMICS GROUP
Visual Infonomics Group can turn your data into a compelling story Create a common understanding among your stakeholders that builds consensus, accelerates results
Visual Infonomics Group’s informative, compelling data storytelling can help your company create a common understanding among stakeholders.
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elling your story can be a complicated process. Getting your message to prospective clients and the public at large is difficult in a noisy world full of digital products, TV and printed ads, social media hashtags, and on and on. Distinguishing your message from all of that requires someone who can integrate great visual designs with coherent words to create a clear, effective and appealing product. Visual Infonomics Group has the expertise to do just that. Spreadsheets full of data can look daunting when you’re trying to figure out how to turn all those facts and figures into compelling, accessible content. With years of experience in turning raw data into engaging, award-winning graphic layouts, VIG can turn rows of statistics into easy-to-digest pages of information and digital productions that reach thousands of people in fullcolor publications and memorable online
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presentations. Visual Infonomics Group brings your data to life. We distill complex information to its most impactful components to tell compelling stories. Our targeted approach to data visualization uses infographics, charts, animations and presentations to reveal the stories within the data. We analyze data and create engaging, easy-to-understand reports that help you understand your strengths and weaknesses, allowing you to set goals, collaborate, plan and execute. This approach creates a common understanding among your stakeholders that builds consensus and accelerates results. This
2020 Pro files in Business | Special Advertising Supplement
collective impact brings your community together to address the issues and challenges you face with impactful, approachable and vital data. From 30-second animated data clips to share online, to in-depth data-driven reports, Visual Infonomics Group has a number of ways to tell your story and reach your intended audience. We can customize the right solution that delivers the most results and fits your budget. Data-driven strategies and communication are vital in times of crisis. The global coronavirus pandemic has fundamentally changed workflow, communication and interaction within companies and with their clients, vendors and suppliers. Information and guidelines about the virus change constantly. With the dramatic effects the pandemic has had on day-to-day, life it’s more important than ever to make data-driven decisions to keep your organization, and community, on track and focused on the same goals. Prior to the spread of COVID-19 and the subsequent economic shutdown, many communities, businesses and organizations were enjoying a very successful economic run. Getting back to pre-COVID-19 levels will take time. We can be sure your stakeholders remain informed by distilling the complexity of this time to understandable data that can be used to create an action plan. This datadriven plan can have data that is benchmarked over time, so progress can be tracked and goals can be achieved.
1802 Dayton St., Suite 101 North Charleston, SC 29405 843-343-5533 visualinfonomics.com
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WE’RE DATA STORYTELLERS BRING YOUR DATA TO LIFE
Full Page AD
We distill complex information to its most impactful components to tell compelling stories. Our targeted approach to data visualization uses infographics, charts, animations and presentations to reveal the stories within the data.
DATA-DRIVEN DECISION-MAKING
We analyze data and create engaging, easy-to-understand designs that help you understand your strengths and weaknesses, allowing you to set goals, collaborate, plan and execute.
ACCELERATE YOUR RESULTS
When you can create a common understanding among your stakeholders, you build consensus and accelerate your results. Address the issues and challenges you face, and capitalize on your strengths, with impactful, approachable and vital data.
Find out more: VisualInfonomics.com FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT MARK WRIGHT
843.343.5533 | mwright@scbiznews.com Special Advertising Supplement | 2020 Profiles in Business
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2020 Pro files in Business | Special Advertising Supplement