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FEBRUARY 2022

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Surge in watercraft sales challenges S.C. boating industry

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County Spotlight: Dorchester | Trending: Made in S.C. | S.C. Delivers

Table of

CONTENTS TRENDING: MADE IN S.C. 18 Boating industry grapples with surge in demand for products

21 Sutera finds success with creative wastedisposal solutions

The first urban winery in Charleston has opened on Market Street, thanks to a former corporate lawyer who turned her love of wine into a new business. See the story on page 4.

24 Delta Bravo helps companies run smarter operations

SPECIAL SECTIONS POWER LIST: ENGINEERS

See the latest SCBIZ Power List of the top engineers in South Carolina.

2022 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

Junior Achievement honors the best business leaders in the state.

DEPARTMENTS 4 Upfront

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10 County Spotlight: Dorchester

34 S.C. Delivers 40 1,000 Words

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About the Cover: A South Carolina boater enjoys a day on the water in a Falcon bass boat. Falcon Boats is one of 27 boat manufacturers that call S.C. home. The boating and fishing industry brings a $5 billion impact to the state’s economy. (Photo/Falcon Boats)

From the

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Dear Reader,

EDITOR

South Carolina is well known for its automotive, aerospace and tourism industries, to name a few of the major players in our economy. Boeing, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Michelin and Volvo get a lot of headlines when it comes to economic news in the Palmetto State. Those companies and a select few others provide a significant percentage of jobs, tax revenue and gross domestic product to the state. As important as these large employers are to South Carolina, small businesses provide the foundation of our economy. Their energy and entrepreneurship are key drivers in keeping the state moving forward. With that in mind, SCBIZ magazine is introducing a new theme for this issue called “Made in S.C.” The goal is to feature smaller businesses that are not so well-known as their global counterparts, but are equally vital to our economic well-being. One of the many natural blessings in our state is the abundance of recreational water. It’s no coincidence that more than two dozen Steve McDaniel boat manufacturers call S.C. home, and we take a look at what Editor, companies such as Sea Fox, Scout, Key West and others are doing SCBIZ Magazine to meet unprecedented demand for their products. Other “Made in S.C.” stories in this issue include one on Sutera, an Upstate company that specializes in creative waste-management and disposal systems; and Delta Bravo, a software company in Rock Hill that helps manufacturers run smarter, more efficient operations. Special sections include the return of the annual S.C. Business Hall of Fame that we publish in partnership with Junior Achievement of Greater South Carolina. After a pandemic-induced, one-year hiatus, we honor three of the state’s most successful business people, Norman Arnold, George Greene III and Jack McBride. We also welcome a feature called Power Lists that started new in 2021 and previously was a part of our biweekly newspapers. These lists feature top professionals in various fields with exemplary vision and contributions to their companies and our economy. This Power List features a look at more than 20 top engineers in South Carolina. SCBIZ magazine is also expanding its production run. We will now publish every two months instead of our previous quarterly schedule. Later this year, the magazine will be included as an insert in issues of our biweekly newspapers, as well as the usual mailings to our subscribers. Look for another issue of SCBIZ in late April and every two months after that. And as always, thanks for being a loyal reader of SCBIZ magazine.

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Charleston welcomes first urban winery By Teri Errico Griffis tgriffis@scbiznews.com

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indsey Williams will tell you it’s never too late for a career change. The corporate lawyer turned entrepreneur opened her second winery, Charleston Wine Co., on Feb. 4. The business makes history as Charleston’s first and only urban winery — a relatively new concept where wine is produced in an urban setting, rather than a traditional rural facility near a vineyard. “I never really ever thought of doing it this way,” Williams said. “Originally my idea was to buy a vineyard and do it the old-fashioned way, but I very quickly realized that would be near impossible in South Carolina because of weather and cost. And I’m obviously not a farmer.” When Williams researched ways to create a winery concept without a vineyard, she stumbled onto the urban winery concept. What sets her business apart is that grapes are sourced from vineyards around the world so that Williams can make a wider variety of wines than those allowed from grapes grown in South Carolina. “What generally happens is vineyards have excess grapes that they’re not going to use for their own production, so they sell them on the market,” she said. “We come in and purchase those grapes. We are then buying the grapes, fermenting and making the wines here.” A fair amount of Charleston Wine Co. grapes come from California since they

Lindsey Williams opened Charleston’s first urban winery in early February, right in the heart of Market Street. (Photos/Ruta Smith)

Conn

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are the easiest to acquire. Others come from Chile, Argentina and various other international vineyards. As it likely happens for most in the industry, Williams’ love of wine pushed her into the business — though her legal profession is what brought her from Ohio to Charlotte. There in North Carolina, she first tasted success as a business and winery owner. In 2019, Williams opened Davidson Wine Co. after discovering Charlotte was plentiful on breweries but lacked places to sit and grab a glass of wine. “I always knew that I wanted to go into business for myself, and so when I was thinking about ways to do that, they say do what you love and I loved wine,” Williams said. “So I explored that path first.” The entrepreneur’s taste for chardonnays and malbecs, chenin blancs and rosés blossomed after years of traveling with friends around the country to vineyards. Williams especially loved wine tasting in Washington and California. But when she took a trip to Italy with friends a few years back, she stayed in Tuscany and witnessed the wine making

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process up close. “It was a lifechanging experience for me and developed my love of wine — and not just drinking it,” Williams said. Soon after she opened Davidson Wine Co., Williams quit law, realizing she couldn’t juggle two full-time jobs. It was only a matter of time, however, until a broker reached out about expanding her business to a Lowcountry location. The agent specifically inquired about the site of the former Charleston Winery at 63 Market St. The store sold retail wine and the owner was looking to step back from the business. Williams drove down to the Holy City to see the property and instantly felt it was perfect. Despite hoping she could open by the end of 2021, Williams opened Charleston Wine Co.’s doors in early February, welcoming anticipated guests and plenty of street traffic. “One of the things that is unique for the location is it’s in a tourist location. So it’ll be interesting to see the balance of local Charleston folks joining us as well as the tourists,” she said. Williams now splits her time between her home in Charlotte, where she lives with her husband and son, and traveling to Charleston. Here in the Holy City, a dedicated general manager runs day-today operations with four other employees. Williams hopes to hire more hands once the weather warms up, but for now, she’s happy to stay small and be able to stay abreast of both businesses. “I gave the analogy the other day. I only have one child and I imagine this is very similar to going from one child to two,” she said with a laugh. “It’s been good, though … Opening Charleston has helped us to fine tune some things in our business model overall, so that’s positive as well. Open six days a week — the winery is closed Sundays — from noon to 10 p.m., Charleston Wine Co. offers a list of libations, including white wine, red wine, bubblies and beer. Though there isn’t a kitchen, guests can further enjoy themselves with small plates of cheeses, cured meat and desserts. Williams’ locally made wines in particular pay tribute to the Gullah community and its traditions with aptly named Sweetgrass

Visitors to Charleston Wine Co., located at 63 Market St., can stay for a glass of wine and snacks or they can grab a bottle of Charleston-made wine to go.

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and Gullah Geechee blends. “I think one of the great things about Charleston Wine Co. is we definitely have something you can’t get anywhere else,” Williams said. “Since our wines are made and bottled by us, they’re not average things you can get in your grocery store or even in a restaurant. We really want people to come try our unique take on wine.”

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Colite Technologies brings innovative solar-powered lighting to large-scale developments

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By Jenny Peterson

ngineers and scientists working out of Colite Technologies in Columbia are bringing innovative ideas to life in the sustainable energy sector. “A very unique product for us, assembled here in Columbia, is our outdoor renewable, off-grid lighting pole for roadways, parking lots, pedestrian areas, pathways — anywhere you need exterior light poles. Our poles are completely powered by renewable energy,” said Kevin O’Hara, founder and CEO of Colite Technologies. The light poles are a unique and customizable product that are both useful and attractive; sleek black poles can line roads, parking lots and sidewalks in new commercial or residential developments and can include banners to brand a neighborhood, advertise a business, promote an upcoming event or offer directional information. Formed in 2018 out of Colite International, Colite Technologies offers design, layout and execution of alternative lighting systems for large industrial and commercial clients, including large developments and new construction projects. Engineers puts their innovative spin on industry-available products to fit each client’s need — even developing new products to better serve their clients. Colite Technologies employees include Ph.D. engineers and power systems engineers who are constantly developing, engineering and executing innovative alternative lighting solutions.

One of Colite Technologies’ solar-powered, off-grid light poles at the SCRA campus in Columbia. (Photos/Provided)

One recent offering is adding surveillance cameras to its solar-powered light poles. “In certain environments, customers want to have eyes on their facilities, and so we’re incorporating surveillance cameras and communication technologies on our poles that are also powered by the renewable light system on the pole,” O’Hara said. “There’s a really large commercial industrial market for the products that we sell. The new solar lighting systems we introduced in 2019 we’ve (already) completed across three different states. And that is going to grow like wildfire, so that that’s an area that’s a huge growth area for us.” Colite Technologies serves a niche market of alternative energy solutions for large-scale industrial clients to design

and engineer solar panels, converter batteries and conducting lighting needs audits. They’ve worked on projects in 22 states. “There’s not very many of us doing this on the commercial industrial side,” said O’Hara. “You have residential (solar power), which has got a lot of players in it, but the commercial and industrial has quite a few less. With larger utility scaling, it operates differently.” O’Hara said the company has tripled its number of employees every year over the past three years. “We now have 16 employees and we are recruiting at the University of South Carolina on getting more engineering talent,” O’Hara said. “We’re hiring engineers for design and for project management

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Safe Storage in Atlanta (top) and Culver’s restaurant in Macon, Ga., use Colite Technologies’ renewable power generation system.

“I want to double (the number of employees) in the next couple years. We chose this niche and we’re enjoying it.” - Kevin O’Hara, founder and CEO of Colite Technologies detachable vertical-axis wind turbines and solar photovoltaic panels. O’Hara said the company will continue to market its products to new clients and will look to partner with companies on financ-

ing solar power lighting projects to make products more accessible. “We’re looking to put together financing solutions with some investors behind us that are willing to finance these projects, and that will open up some additional markets,” O’Hara said. Another revenue stream will be offering operations and maintenance programs for alternative lighting products once warranties expire. The move will add a new revenue stream and provide seamless product performance. O’Hara said the company is poised to continue its double-digit employee growth. “I want to double (the number of employees) in the next couple years,” he said. “We chose this niche and we’re enjoying it.”

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and project execution. Our approach really is to feed off of the local universities from an engineering project management perspective, get interns working with us and then hopefully when they graduate, we can hire them full-time.” An increase in awareness by large developers about reducing their carbon footprint, as well as meeting a company’s environmental, social and governance goals, has increased interest in Colite Technologies’ unique alternative lighting systems. “When we first started, the drive was almost purely economic for renewable lighting, which competes quite well in new construction against traditional grid lighting,” O’Hara said. “Over the last four years or so, more and more companies are introducing criteria that’s not purely economic; they might have ESG targets that they’re trying to comply with. You’ve got some extremely large real estate fund investors that are making these kind of investments mandatory for the portfolio of real estate assets that they hold. So, you’re seeing more and more climate-oriented, sustainable energy decisions being made around stewardship of the environment.” New sustainable energy products under development in the Columbia headquarters include a Mobile Surveillance Unit wheeled trailer that provides temporary lighting and security in areas with difficult access to a power supply, such as parking lots, festivals and events that draw large crowds. In the Mobile Surveillance Unit, a solar panel captures sunlight and converts it into electricity to store in the battery for reliable power. All the components are contained on a trailer and move as one unit, making transportation easy and user-friendly. Clients simply charge the battery during the day and use the lights and camera surveillance at night. Another new product in development is an entire renewable power generation system utilizing a recycled shipping container outfitted with a system of wind turbines, solar panels and battery storage to create a self-sustaining renewable power solution for cost-effective, off-grid power in hard-toreach areas. The systems are fitted with a control cabinet and battery bank, along with

county spotlight

DORCHESTER

Kayakers enjoy a day on the Edisto River in Dorchester County. (Photos/Dorchester County Economic Development)

LONG-TERM PLANNING, PERSISTENCE KEY TO SUCCESS By Jim Tatum

jtatum@scbiznews.com

orchester County’s quality of life, cost of living, and prime location in the South Carolina Lowcountry has made it a sought-after destination for many years. Consistently rank-

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ing in the top 10 fastest-growing counties in the state, more than 161,000

people call Dorchester County home, according to the 2020 Census. Despite being one of South Carolina’s “newer” counties — Dorchester County was formed from land previously located in Colleton County in 1897 — it has a rich history. The county takes its name from a colonial town founded on the northern bank of the Ashley River in Special Advertising Section

Dorchester Co By The Numbeunty rs Population: 151,540

(U.S. Census) Median Household Income: $63,080 (U.S. Census) Median Home Price : $320,000 (Realtor.com) Source: U.S. Cens us Burea

COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: DORCHESTER

1696 by Congregationalists from Dorchester, Mass. Proprietary- and colonial-era planters settled on the upper branches of the Ashley River and the middle reaches of the Edisto River. Dorchester County would ultimately be known for a number of things, the birthplace of tea cultivation in America,

a resort area for the wealthy seeking relief from the humidity and mosquitoes of the Carolina coast, to name a few. In more modern times, its highly regarded educational opportunities, proximity to popular amenities, wide variety of housing and living situations and reasonable cost of living have

This illustration of an industrial site at 240 Deming Way in Summerville is one example of the numerous warehouse and manufacturing facilities available in Dorchester County.

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COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: DORCHESTER

An aerial view of Dorchester County’s Eastport Commerce Center.

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made it a popular place to live. Dorchester County’s industrial/manufacturing community has experienced growth as well. The county has been home to such companies as BID Group, Robert Bosch, KION North America, and boat manufacturers such as Key West Boats, Scout Boats and Sportsman Boats. However, the sector has seen significant growth in recent years. In fact, 2022 alone will see groundbreakings for nine new, large projects. But these recent gains are actually the

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result of more than two decades of careful planning and investment. “The county realized about 15-20 years ago that they weren’t really in the economic development game, and one of the reasons they weren’t was because they didn’t have water and sewer infrastructure capable of meeting the needs of major industry, especially in the western part of the county,” Dorchester County Economic Development Director John Truluck said. “They’ve invested heavily, but such investments are expensive, and it

takes a long time for them to pay off. Now, we fast forward 15 years and we can see those investments coming due.” The past seven years have brought several major announcements representing millions of square feet of new space and millions of dollars in new investment. The biggest announcement thus far is the Walmart distribution center. “Walmart is excited for the grand opening of its newest distribution center in Dorchester County this spring, a three

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million-square-foot facility located in the Ridgeville Industrial Campus along Interstate 26,” Walmart Global Communications Senior Director Scott Pope stated. “We are creating more than 1,000 jobs for residents of the Charleston region. Our newest distribution center is just one example of Walmart’s continued investment in South Carolina, where we now operate four distribution centers, 122 retail stores and employ over 35,000 associates. In addition to our business efforts in the state, the Walmart Foundation gave $15.3 million in cash and in-kind donations to local South Carolina organizations in 2020. Walmart distribution centers like the new Dorchester County facility are an important part of our growing nationwide supply chain network. These facilities are focused on receiving, storing and distributing product to Walmart stores for our customers across the region. With the opening of our newest Dorchester County distribution center, Walmart continues to

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At top, Dorchester County’s Quickjobs Training Center, located in St. George, provides short-term training to county residents who need job-specific skills for quick employment. Above, McQueen Industrial Park is located in Jedburg, just outside Summerville.

COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: DORCHESTER

invest in the local South Carolina community by creating jobs in one of the fastestgrowing sectors of supply chain as well as providing products to our local customers with greater speed and convenience than ever before.” That project alone represents a $125 million capital investment, Truluck noted.

“This drives everything,” Truluck said. “All sectors are doing well; housing is booming, and rooftops drive commercial and retail.” Available inventory of raw land, industrial parks and shell buildings and, most importantly, a trained and ready workforce, are important factors for attracting industry.

Above, the ribbon cutting for the new Trident Technical College Dorchester Campus, held in May 2021. The college offers a variety of classes tailored to workforce training needs of area companies.

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In fact, workforce development is a major focus now, Truluck noted. “If you look at the census, 60 percent of the people moving here are between 18 and 44 years old. We want to put them to work,” he said. To that end, programs are available not only through Dorchester County’s two highly regarded public school districts, but also through the Dorchester County Career and Technology Center, Dorchester County Quickjobs Training Center, ManuFirst SC, and Trident Technical College-Dorchester Campus. Students at high school, secondary and postgraduate/adult education levels can receive training and coursework in such areas as mechatronic, logistics, information technology, advanced manufacturing, engineering, health and biomedical science, and heavy equipment. Still, none of this would have happened without vital infrastructure upgrades, the most important being water. Through the Lake Marion Regional Water Agency and working with LMRWA, Santee Cooper,

Special Advertising Section

At top, an employee works at Showa Denko, which manufactures graphite electrodes, granulated graphite and carbon products. Above, an aerial view of the new Walmart Distribution Center. Both facilities are located in Ridgeville.

and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Dorchester County has constructed lines to bring potable water to the western part of the county, not only helping residents gain access to a better supply but also provid-

ing water to industrial sites and spurring economic development. “This was definitely the missing piece,” Dorchester County Council Chair Bill Hearn said. Hearn, who has been involved

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with these efforts since being elected to council in 1995, said patience, persistence and tremendous work from many people were the key elements to making it happen. “It’s taken a lot of effort from so many people for a long time,” Hearn said. “Some of them aren’t with us anymore. I know I’ve said it many times, but the fact is, we just can’t thank them enough.” For all its efforts in economic development, Dorchester County has also worked hard to preserve its quality of life, Hearn and others note. Indeed, preserving the quality of life at a reasonable cost is an important motivator behind economic development, as the alternative to a smaller industrial base is significant tax hikes. The overall cost of living in Dorchester County is slightly lower than the national average. The median price of a home is around $30,000 less than the national average, and residents enjoy a wide spectrum of housing choices and locations, from urban and suburban areas to quaint small towns and rural settings. Many interesting and unique amenities, from The Audubon Center and Sanctuary at Francis Biedler Forest, Middleton Plantation, Colonial Dorchester Historic Site, numerous parks and natural resources and modern facilities such as Oakbrook Sports Complex are available. Brad Mallett, owner of Coastal Coffee Roasters in Summerville, who serves on the Dorchester Economic Development Board, said he and his family came to Dorchester County to launch their business because of the welcoming people and superior quality of life. Serving on this board, however, has given him a stronger understanding of economic development and the importance of the manufacturing/industrial sector, as well as insight into, and great appreciation for, the county’s vision. “I’ve seen a lot of good things come to pass that started out years ago as conversations,” Mallett said. “That’s how such things start, but here we are getting ready to break ground on another beautiful park. Quality of life can get lost sometimes, but our leadership decided long ago that it’s important and they worked hard to take care of it. I am very proud to live in a place that truly believes in responsible growth.”

TRENDING: MADE IN S.C. A boater enjoys a day on the water in a Falcon bass boat. Falcon Boats is located in Newberry County. (Photo/Falcon Boats)

RECORD DEMAND BRINGS CHALLENGES FOR STATE’S BOATING INDUSTRY By Jim Tatum

jtatum@scbiznews.com

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S 18

outh Carolina’s boating and fishing industry has seen record activity in recent times. In fact, there has been such an explosion of interest and participation that the industry organized an advocacy group, the South Carolina Boating and Fishing Alliance, in 2020. SCBFA serves as the voice for the industry, working with industry leaders, government agencies and the legislature on a variety of issues from workforce development to water access. A closer look at the numbers illustrates just how big the industry is. For starters, 30 percent of South Carolina is water. Conse-

quently, one in 10 South Carolinians own a registered boat; the state is seventh in the nation per capita in registered boats, with more than 500,000. In addition, the state sells around 725,000 fishing licenses annually, generating $6.7 million a year in revenue. What that means, says SCBFA CEO Gettys Brannon, is the industry has a $5 billion economic impact for South Carolina and represents 3.1 percent of the state’s GDP, second highest of all the Southern states. With some 646 related businesses and more than 23,000 jobs, the sector is a stable employer. Those who work directly in boat manufacturing earn, on average, about

$70,000 per year. Related businesses, from boat dealerships and marinas to supply chain entities, also provide steady employment and above average income. Even those who are not familiar with the industry likely recognize names such as Tidewater, Sea Hunt, Bentley Pontoons, Pioneer, Sea Pro, Falcon, Sea Fox, Stingray, Sportsman, Scout, and Key West Boats, to name a few, Brannon said. “There are around 27 boat manufacturers in South Carolina, and they include six of the top 10 center console brands in the country, according to SSI data,” Brannon said. “So, not only are there boat manufac-

turers here but there are world-renowned boat manufacturers here.” South Carolina is also home to such companies as Rather Outdoors, parent company of Zebco, Lew’s, Strike King and Quantum; and Pure Fishing, parent company of 37 world-renowned brands such as Abu Garcia,

Berkely, Ugly Stik and Penn. “We have the most unique mix of boating and fishing companies in the world, right here in our state,” he said. While boating and fishing have long been popular - if not the most popular - activities in South Carolina, in recent

TRENDING: MADE IN S.C.

Sportsman Boats, located in Summerville, manufactures center console offshore boats. (Photo/Sportsman Boats)

times, the market has exploded. This came as something of a surprise to those in the industry, particularly because the surge occurred during the pandemic. Since 2020, there has been a 32 percent increase in boat ownership nationwide and a nearly 50 percent uptick in South Carolina, according to SCDNR, Brannon said. “I think every dealer was surprised at what happened with the pandemic,” SCBFA Board Chair Chris Butler said. “That’s probably because any time there’s a period of economic uncertainty, boats are usually one of the first things affected negatively. The Great Recession, 2008-2010, was dismal. This time, it was exactly the opposite.” Butler, president of Butler Marine, said the pandemic ultimately drove record sales, so much so that boat dealers had to adopt a new strategy: provide their salespeople real-time inventory and expected availability information directly from manufacturers. That sounds like common sense, yet some manufacturers were, for various reasons, unable to provide that information and they lost sales, he said. “In 2020, demand far outstripped supply,”

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Butler said. “We’re basically selling slots right now — people are coming to dealerships looking at boats that are already sold, then committing to buying the next ones available. Depending on the boat, we might be one month to a year out. And it’s that way everywhere, people are literally robocalling dealerships all over the country to see what they have available.” Butler believes the pandemic brought several factors together simultaneously, he said. For one, travel, both business and pleasure, came to a standstill. Not only were people who used to commute, and travel for work suddenly home most of the time, but many who previously spent money on vacation travel decided to buy a boat instead. And, people who were already planning to move to this area, largely because of boating and other outdoor opportunities, did so sooner rather than later. While having an increase in demand is a good thing, this sudden, sharp increase has presented its share of challenges. Like virtually everyone, the boating industry is grappling with supply chain issues; indeed, common items can be as difficult to find as specialty items. “When someone calls us and asks about a part, we can’t just say, “’I’ve got it,’ or ‘I can get that for you.’ We have to check and see if the part is even available, then determine when we can get it,” Butler said. Alan Lang, Director of Sales and Marketing for Scout Boats, said the company is busy; in fact, the company is expanding and most recently added a new high-end luxury boat featuring a clean energy lithium-ion power system. That said, Scout Boats, like everyone, is dealing with issues, from supply chain to workforce, as best as it can. “We configure each boat before it ever gets built,” Lang said. “So, everything is ordered for a specific boat, weeks in advance.” Still, depending on the type, size and features of a boat, it is going to take some time between configuration and finished product. Another challenge is the fact that the manufacturing process itself is not easily reconfigured or expanded, Brannon said. Boats are not put together on an automated assembly line; they are formed and shaped in a mold, one boat at a time. Those molds

Scout Boats, located in Summerville, designs and manufactures sport fishing and bay boats from 17 to 53 feet. (Photo/Scout Boats)

take up space, so a manufacturer is not likely to add more, as the entire footprint of the facility would have to expand. Then, boats don’t just go from mold to water; the material has to cure, a process which takes time and cannot be accelerated. Finally, those who build boats spend a lot of time working hands-on. “Boat building is definitely a craft,” Lisa Waller, director of marketing for Falcon Boats, said. Waller, who is leading SCBFA’s workforce development efforts, noted that “there are aspects that are unique to boat building; however, there are many transferrable skills. For example, individuals with experience in auto body repair, construction or any other hands-on job will be able to learn to build a boat. Our industry needs people who are good with hand tools, can accurately read a tape measure, and have a willingness to learn the craft.” Workforce development is an area SCBFA is very focused on right now, Brannon said. In fact, representatives from four premiere boat manufacturers, Scout, Key West, Pioneer and Sportsman Boats, met with Lt. Gov. Pam Evette at a forum hosted by Scout Boats in July 2021 to discuss the issue. At that meeting, it was estimated that just between those four companies, there were some 200 vacant manufacturing positions. “We’re definitely hiring,” Lang said. “These are jobs we have available, right now, today, that we want to fill.” “Creating high-paying jobs is Gov. McMaster’s top priority and there are great career opportunities in boat building in

our state,” Evette stated. “Our boat building industry has some of the most iconic brands in the country, but they need more skilled workers to keep up with demand. It’s our job at the state level to help them find those workers and we’re dedicated to doing that.” Waller said the organization has already implemented some short-term steps, such as encouraging boat manufacturers to create a “jobs” or “careers” page on their websites, then linking all of those to the SCBFA website, as well as partnering with the SC Manufacturing Alliance to create profiles on SC Futuremakers for boat companies highlighting available jobs. They are also working on longer-term solutions, working with boat manufacturers to get information related to skills, competencies, types of courses, types of labs or internships, as well as determining logistics such as space needed, tools, equipment and instructors to create a technical certificate program in boat manufacturing. “We are currently in the beginning stages of planning,” Waller said. “We have met with legislators and other key leaders to discuss the need, gain support, and figure out how to get this program recognized by the S.C. WINS scholarship program, which pays for tuition at technical schools for recognized programs. We have also met with leaders from the technical college system to discuss interest and how to implement such a program.” While there is no timeline currently established, Waller said she believes such a program could be in place within 18 months to two years.

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2022 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

Dear Reader,

elcome to the 2022 South Carolina Business Hall of Fame section of SCBIZ magazine. In partnership with Junior Achievement of Greater South Carolina, SC Biz News has published features on the winners of this prestigious award since 2016.

This year’s group, the 37th class since JA created the Hall of Fame in 1985, includes the late Norman Arnold, who ran his family-owned beverage distribution business for over 50 years; George Greene III, who founded a successful environmental firm before turning to a mission of

Norman Arnold Page 8

addressing the global crisis of access to clean water; and Jack McBride, who started a small firm with a partner that has evolved into an international company of 700 employees that provides cleaning products and systems used in manufacturing clean rooms and health care facilities. The business leaders honored here will be featured at a gala on March 10 at the Pastides Alumni Center in Columbia, and all have made significant, lasting contributions to the Palmetto State’s economic growth and well-being. Their names will join a list that includes South Carolinians from as far back as the mid-18th century to the present: Pinckney, Milliken, Koger, Detyens, Seibels, Sweringen and Kahn, to name just a few. Despite the educational disruptions of the pandemic, Junior Achievement continues into

George Greene III Page 13

its second century of proudly helping young people learn the foundations of entrepreneurship and business success. The work is done by community volunteers in partnership with local schools to teach the programs offered by JA. Their contributions are vital to JA’s mission of preparing future generations of America’s business leaders and entrepreneurs. SCBIZ magazine is honored to be a part of the celebration of the great entrepreneurs and leaders who helped build what is a thriving, diverse and progressive state economy. Please join us in learning about and celebrating their contributions.

Jack McBride

Steve McDaniel, Editor

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About the S.C. Business Hall of Fame

Each year, the South Carolina Business Hall of Fame honors business leaders chosen for their unique contributions to South Carolina’s business landscape, for being agents of positive change, for their leadership, and for being a source of inspiration to the leaders of tomorrow. The Business Hall of Fame is presented by BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina and Junior Achievement of Greater South Carolina. The Laureates for 2022 are Norman Arnold, George Greene III and Jack McBride.

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Junior Achievement of Greater South Carolina 2711 Middleburg Drive, Suite 301 Columbia, SC 29204 | 803 252-1974 Casey Pash, President Bette Bronson, Program Manager Elizabeth Blake, Program Manager

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Junior Achievement continues its mission of guiding students into rewarding, productive careers

arch 2020 is a month many of us will never forget. For the youth in South Carolina and across the U.S., that’s when school doors were locked indefinitely for the first time ever. For over 50 years, Junior Achievement has been sending businessmen and women into kindergarten through 12th-grade classrooms to teach life skills of career awareness, financial decision-making and an entrepreneurial mindset. When schools closed nearly two years ago in response to the coronavirus pandemic, Junior Achievement continued to be the solution provider for educators to connect their students to real-

2022 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

life experiences. Junior Achievement introduced a new program in South Carolina in spring 2021 called JA Inspire Virtual to help educate middle and high school students about careers right here in South Carolina. Through a virtual simulation, students are able to visit company booths to begin planning See JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT, Page 6

Through a virtual simulation, students are able to visit company booths to begin planning their career journey. In 2021, over 12,000 middle school students in South Carolina participated.

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JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT, from Page 5 their career journey. In 2021, over 12,000 middle school students in South Carolina participated. Students prepare for their virtual experience through JA curriculum that allows them to do a career assessment and truly evaluate skills that will be valuable in the workplace. Once students finish the curriculum, they visit a virtual career exploration with over 60 booths, auditorium speakers and an activity lab for deeper career exploration. The students visit booths of companies with high-demand jobs in South Carolina; these industries include automotive, aviation, construction, finance, health, hospitality, technology and many more. Also, students have the opportunity to hear from keynote speakers from across South Carolina and the United States to inspire them to plan their future. Students also have a virtual backpack where they can download information about companies and industry clusters. To make it fun, there is also a scavenger hunt with the JA Inspire lightbulb hidden throughout the platform. Students are encouraged to visit, watch, and download information on jobs that interest them. While many businesses across South

Carolina are still struggling to fill their workforce vacancies, Junior Achievement is working to fill the workforce pipeline. It is never too early to expose students in South Carolina to careers and opportunities, and JA Inspire Virtual has done just that. JA Inspire Virtual SC will launch the first week of March and will run through June 1. For more information, to have a virtual booth or to sign up a classroom of students, please contact the Junior Achievement office at 803-252-1974. Together Junior Achievement and South Carolina businesses can inspire South Carolina’s future workforce.

While many businesses across South Carolina are still struggling to fill their workforce vacancies, Junior Achievement is working to fill the workforce pipeline.

2022 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

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2022 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

Norman Arnold Arnold’s success built on solid foundation of honesty, integrity and charity

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ou might have heard of Norman Arnold even if you’ve never had a sip of the wine and spirits he sold from the time he joined the Ben Arnold Beverage Co. in 1952 to the time he left it in 2005. His name is on the Norman J. Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina, thanks to his $17 million endowment. It’s on exhibits at the Columbia Zoo, which he helped found and supported financially. It’s on the Yaschik/Arnold School of Jewish Studies at the College of Charleston, whose endowment he and his wife matched in 1998. That might not thrill Arnold, who died in 2016 at the age of 87. According to his son, Ben, who was named, as was the company, for Norman’s

Norman Arnold (second from right) with family. (Photos/Provided)

“Norman Arnold belongs in the HOF because he’s setting an example for how you’re supposed to be: You’re supposed to work hard, do well, help other people, and then give back.” — Ben Arnold, Norman’s son

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Norman Arnold (left), with his wife, Gerry Sue, and Sen. Lindsey Graham.

“Norman’s drive for business success probably came from his father who moved down to South Carolina from New York when he was a very young man.” – Ben Arnold

father, Norman didn’t want his name on the buildings. He preferred quiet philanthropy because charity was his duty, not something to be lauded for. He tried to hush up news that he’d donated the land for Columbia’s Jewish Community Center, but it leaked out. In fact, says Ben, his father would have been a bit sheepish about his selection to the South Carolina Business Hall of Fame. He would appreciate it, but say the honor should be given to someone else. Norman Arnold inherited the beverage company from his father, but not before he served in the Navy, commanding his own supply ship, and then held various positions in the company. He believed in learning the business from the ground up before taking it over in 1963 upon his father’s death. “Norman’s drive for business success

probably came from his father who moved down to South Carolina from New York when he was a very young man. Ben Arnold made his way in the world with little to no education and built a nice-sized business. My father had seen that and wanted to prove what he could do,” said his son. In the early days of the computer age, the days of punch cards and massive processors, Norman traveled to New York to visit IBM’s headquarters and learn about the leading edge in computers usage. He was the first non-tech business in South Carolina to install a computer system. Like his father, Norman was a character who believed in honesty, integrity and charity, and held people accountable for their actions. He would tell his sons that liquor was for selling, not for drinking, and taste

2022 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

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Norman Arnold during his Navy career.

2022 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

test the alcohol in their house to make sure no one had stolen a gulp and replaced it with water. At the same time, he believed his word was his bond, and he applied that to his business. “I’ve seen him do things that were not in his best interest because he said he would,” recalled Ben. “He used to say, ‘Your word is everything. Your reputation is everything.’ ” Norman was a man who could speak conceptually about the business but also knew the most minute details. “That went for people as well,” said Ben. “Even though he had hundreds of employees, he knew his people and cared about them.” An account of Norman Arnold’s philanthropic contributions to Columbia, the state and his industry is way too long for a comprehensive list. He served for 28 years as director of the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers Association and multiple statewide task forces appointed by governors, with whom he was friendly. He chaired the American Heart Association Heart Fund and served as trustee for Providence Hospital in Colum-

bia and the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. He was a trustee at Oglethorpe University, his alma mater, and supported a string of Jewish causes and organizations. In 1977, he earned a Time Magazine Distinguished Community Service Award. He believed deeply, and imparted to his three sons, the importance of giving back. Norman Arnold was short but tough, strong and indefatigable. He boxed much bigger men in the Navy and never backed down. With a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in 1983, when his younger sons Michael and David were months from their Bar Mitzvah, Norman’s doctors told him he wouldn’t live to see it. He told them they were wrong, consulted with a health guru in Boston, and adopted a macrobiotic diet and exercise regimen that led him to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. He lived 33 more years. Said his son Ben, “Norman Arnold belongs in the HOF because he’s setting an example for how you’re supposed to be: You’re supposed to work hard, do well, help other people, and then give back.”

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“I’ve seen him do things that were not in his best interest because he said he would. He used to say, ‘Your word is everything. Your reputation is everything.’ ” — Ben Arnold

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Greene called to serve a mission of clean water access around the world

2022 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

George Greene III

eorge Greene III was happy in his job in New Jersey as a chemical engineer for a refinery design team at Exxon, a company that provided challenging projects, a varied experience, worldwide travel and an excellent living. But he and his wife, Molly, decided they wanted their children to grow up in a smalltown, Southern environment like those they enjoyed as children. They moved the family to Charleston and opened an environmental firm – General Engineering Laboratories. At the start, George and Molly had no plans to grow GEL into the largest privately held environmental laboratories in the United States and the largest single-site, mixed-waste lab in the country, with three spinoffs and hundreds of employees. At George Greene III (first row, right) with family in the Bahamas. (Photos/Provided)

— George Greene III

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“Looking back, we found that dealing with helping people get access to safe water had become more rewarding to us than helping people deal with environmental regulations.”

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George and Molly Greene with GEL staff in Honduras after Hurricane Mitch in 1998.

George and Molly Greene test a safe water system in Honduras after Hurricane Mitch.

George and Molly Greene during a trip to Africa.

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the time of its founding in 1981, GEL was George and a chemist, while Molly served as CEO of the family. The company grew so fast that Molly jumped on board to help with marketing and human resources and remained in those positions for 20 years. GEL quickly discovered that it could fill two niches in one and thereby provide a unique service to its customers. “Quality is a very big deal, and the definition of quality is meeting the needs of the client,” George said. While chemical companies could inform industrial clients that they weren’t meeting environmental regulations, they couldn’t help the clients remediate it. GEL developed procedures to implement environmental policies for their customers. That fueled the company’s growth, at one point doubling in size every two years. “That was one of the growth strategies of GEL,” George said. “Growth and profit are the scoreboard. If you do your job well, growth and profit take care of themselves. In 1998, Hurricane Mitch devastated Honduras, a country the Greenes’ daughter had served in and felt connected to. Through

2022 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

GEL, they designed and constructed six emergency drinking water treatment systems from hardware store parts and delivered them to Honduras, along with 50 tons of supplies collected by a galvanized Charleston community. This turned out to be a life-changing experience for them and their family. The more they researched the issue of clean drinking water globally, the more the Greenes discovered what a crisis the world faced. A billion people were drinking contaminated water every day and nearly a million people die of water-borne disease annually. For the next two years, George and Molly poured more and more of their energies into solving the worldwide water problem. After significant thought and prayer, that led to their next, momentous step. “We concluded that the Lord was saying it was time to get out of the environmental business and focus on water. Looking back, we found that dealing with helping people get access to safe water had become more rewarding to us than helping people deal with environmental regulations,” George said. In 2000, the Greenes sold GEL to their

leadership team and embarked on building a global nonprofit, Water Mission International. Today, Water Mission is a global Christian ministry headquartered in Charleston with offices around the world. The organization is staffed by 430 employees and several hundred contract employees and has implemented thousands of projects that are providing safe water to more than 7 million people in 57 countries. In 2010, George and Molly began to develop a strategy to share the technology and engineering experience of Water Mission with other global organizations as a means to scale the global water crisis solution, by then affecting two billion people around the world. While developing the plan to form the Global Water Center as a separate nonprofit with George at the helm, Molly died in a tragic accident when she got caught in a riptide swimming in the Bahamas. “It felt like my heart had been ripped out,” George said. George carried on the ministry that Molly had co-created. Today, Water Mission is a global implementer of safe water solutions,

with George Greene IV serving as president and CEO, and the Global Water Center is a resource of systems, support services, and equipment to other global implementing organizations. George III was educated in chemical engineering at the University of Florida, Columbia University and Tulane University, from which he earned his Ph.D. He is a licensed professional engineer and holds several patents related to water treatment. In 2008, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Public Service from Charleston Southern University. He and Molly have also received The Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian award, and Rotary International’s Service Above Self Award. He is an active member of St. Philip’s Church, where he has served on the vestry as Senior Warden and chairman of the Restoration Committee. He currently serves on the Standing Committee of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina. He enjoys sailing and flying and is an instrument-rated commercial pilot. His two children, George and Jen, have produced nine grandchildren between them.

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George and Molly Greene outside Water Mission headquarters in North Charleston.

2022 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

Jack McBride

McBride learned early about the value of hard work and collaboration

ack McBride felt the satisfaction of work at an early age when he was hired to do some minor construction on the vacation home of a friend’s family without further instruction. He loved the challenge it presented and the achievement of transforming chaos into coherence. The roots of that philosophy came from his father, whose 25-mile commute to his Manhattan job with the textile company J.P. Stevens from their home in Short Hills, N.J., had him out of the house every day before Jack arose from bed. The prosperity that resulted from his father’s long days helped provide an idyllic childhood for McBride and taught him the power of hard work. It also convinced him that he didn’t want to live near a big city and endure a rat race Jack McBride (third from right) with family. (Photos/Provided)

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“It’s my job to keep the company growing and moving in a positive direction that allows people to have a career path, not just a job.”

— Jack McBride

2022 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

“Congratulations, Jack! We are so proud of your induction into the 2022 Hall of Fame. Thank you for your vision and outstanding leadership – it’s been a hell of a ride!” - Avi Lawrence, President

Contec’s Core Values: Respect for Others • Whatever it Takes! • Integrity • Tolerance for Risk • Work-Life Harmony • Enjoy the Ride!

contecinc.com

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"Our culture is not simply about great products, it is more a reflection of the kind of place we all want to work and how we want to treat each other. This culture is driven by our core values." - Jack McBride, CEO

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Jack McBride attending a business event (above), with family (right) and with Spartanburg Community College students (below).

existence. McBride graduated from Duke University in 1978 and earned an MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania in 1980. When he graduated, he received two pieces of advice that guided his life. His father told him, “I don’t care what you do for a living, but you’d better like it because you’re going to spend your whole life doing it.” A friend’s father told him a career is like a pyramid: “At the start, you can go in many directions. As you move along in a career, options narrow. Your dad has a great reputation in the textiles industry that might benefit you.” With that, the son began his career in the medical products division at

the industrial manufacturer Milliken & Co. in Spartanburg. Milliken was a supportive company that provided him with great mentors and McBride stayed for six years. But his job had him traveling throughout the Southeast and he wanted a more stable base, so he and partner Jim Smith founded Contec – Contamination Control Technology – in 1986. Contec is a manufacturer of wipes, disinfectants and mopping systems used in cleanroom environments and in health care. The company has grown steadily and become the global leader in critical cleaning products for the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device industries. Contec is also a leader in supplying critical cleaning

products to compounding pharmacies, the microelectronics industry and the U.S. OEM automotive paint industry. Most recently, Contec has entered the professional cleaning market with a line of disposable microfiber cleaning products with an eye toward reducing nosocomial infections – those acquired in hospitals. The early days at Contec were the stuff of a Horatio Alger story: working seven days a week, sleeping on couches and not taking a salary for three years. But McBride was used to being the underdog. He waited until his senior year to start a match on his high school golf team, and promptly contracted chicken pox, wiping out his scholastic golf career.

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Jack McBride and his executive assistant, Christina Lowe, at a fundraiser in Spartanburg.

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Jack McBride inspects cleaning products for his company, Contec (above), and speaks about his company at a business conference (below).

It was after Contec’s very first days that things really got tough. As employees came aboard, McBride felt the responsibility for ensuring that they could continue to provide for their families. It kept him focused on the company’s growth. That still drives him today. “We have a great team here,” he said. “It’s my job to keep the company growing and moving in a positive direction that allows people to have a career path, not just a job. We have very little turnover at many levels, which gives you a huge competitive advantage.” At Milliken, McBride observed a command-and-control management structure that did not appeal to him. He used that lesson to create a more collegial decisionmaking process at Contec. “When we’re in a meeting, people don’t look to us to get the answer; we look to the team to come up with the best answer,” he said. That philosophy has obviously worked. The company currently employs over 700 people, including 500 in Spartanburg, with manufacturing locations in Spartanburg, Suzhou, China and Ashington, United Kingdom. Two of those employees are McBride’s sons, John and Harry. Contec is active in philanthropic efforts, particularly in early childhood, where McBride

sees a great potential for impact. “We’re trying to get parents more engaged in the education of the child. Parents are always going to be the number one role models for their kids.” Asked his own role models, McBride names retiring Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski and the late comedian Bob Hope. Coach K cares about his players as people more than as basketball players. “The benefit I have over Coach K is his players

graduate, mine don’t. They stay here a long time and that’s awesome,” he laughed. In the 1960s and ’70s, Bob Hope’s USO tours in Vietnam during the U.S. involvement in war there brought joy to the bedraggled troops. McBride admired how Hope volunteered his time simply because he cared about them. And he admired one more thing: “He has his own golf tournament!”

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Jack McBride’s company, Contec, provides cleaning supplies and systems used in manufacturing clean rooms and health care facilities.

Congratulations, Jack McBride CEO of Contec, Inc.

CEO of Contec, Inc.

2022 SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS Hall of Fame Laureate Your relentless pursuit of innovation and excellence has indelible mark on South Carolina. The Johnson Group thanks you for your leadership, vision, and impact.

TheJohnsonGroup.com

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Sutera installed its semi-above ground waste container units on Boggs Street Alley after the city of Greenville’s requests for a pollution solution in 2019. (Photo/Molly Hulsey)

TIN CAN ALLEY NO MORE GREENVILLE’S SATELLITE-LINKED WASTE CONTAINER SEEKS OUT NEW MARKETS By Molly Hulsey mhulsey@scbiznews.com

Overripe pomegranates, ribeye bones and to-go cups from yesterday’s happy hour may be poured inside, but they aren’t trashcans. Reminiscent of an iceberg, only 5% of these containers can be seen above the surface, and their trove is kept cool beneath the concrete. But Boggs’ Alley didn’t always look like this. Up until a few years ago, the alley was

framed by 30 open carts roiling with grease, gnats and the perfume of close to 10 restaurants. The odor wafted over to Main Street and up to the luxury apartments built along the alley. “This happens frequently, and it’s not really anybody’s fault,” said Roger Lewis, market development manager of Greenvillebased Sutera Underground Waste Containment. “It’s just what happens – the way

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ehind the Flying Biscuit Café, Chicora Alley, Rick Erwin’s West End Grill and a handful of other Greenville haunts stands what appears to be a Stonehenge of green garbage cans. They’re tilted slightly toward each other as if sharing a secret, but unless you’re one of the restauranters fringing Boggs Street alley, you probably won’t notice them much at all.

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“This happens frequently, and it’s not really anybody’s fault. It’s just what happens — the way Greenville is growing.” — Roger Lewis, market development manager of Greenville-based Sutera Underground Waste Containment Greenville is growing.” The city of Greenville came to Sutera with the problem in 2019, and the company installed four waste and recycling containers. “We were chosen based on the fact that they felt like aesthetically, what we had to offer was great,” he said. “We knew that the servicing would work, and it’s really been a great relationship, not only with the businesses up and down that section of the street, but it accomplished what they were looking to accomplish.” Semi-underground waste containers were invented in Europe several decades ago and then made their way to Ontario, Canada, home of Sutera founder Bernie Melloul, before they hitched a ride south with the contracting company, MelloulBlamey Construction. While semi-underground waste containers may be novel to the U.S. market, Canada took a liking to them long before its southern neighbor. Today, in Ontario, Sutera’s dog-waste containers are used to shore up methane fuel and fertilizer for cities’ bio-digesters. Greenville County may not yet have the capacity to turn Fido’s poop – which is much more pathogenic than human or livestock waste according to the company – into power. But ever since Sutera landed in Greenville in 2015 through a $2 million investment, the company’s other products have cropped up in the hundreds behind Starbucks, beside medical centers and across the cities of Greer and Greenville. The company also aims to enter the Columbia market this year, according to Lewis. Sutera doesn’t boast of the cheapest waste containers on the market – units can cost up to $12,000 each – but Lewis claims the company remains strides ahead

of competitors in terms of cleanliness and environmental responsibility. “There’s no leakage; there’s no storm water contamination or runoff,” Lewis told SC Biz News. “Everything is contained within the unit. So you start there, and then there’s nothing any better than the aesthetics of what we have.” Concrete reminiscent of stucco, stainless steel with a rainbow of lid color options and wraps designed to look like basketry, tree trunks or stonework are just a few options for the container’s aboveground façade. Units are also equipped with another asset undetectable to the naked eye: a satellite system that feeds the company information on how full each container is and the frequency it fills up. “The advantage for us is routing,” he said. “It makes us a lot more efficient, so our routing is efficient. And for the customer standpoint, it could be used possibly as a tool for cost savings.” Other waste collection companies can siphon cooking grease or transport trash from Sutera’s containers to the landfill, but the Greenville startup offers subscriptions for its own dry waste collection services. According to Lewis, Sutera’s SMART tech translates into fewer trips, less gas and fewer emissions for their company’s fourtruck fleet. Why does Sutera offer its own services when all roads lead to the same landfill? “We control our destiny,” he said. “Originally, there was some thought given to ‘maybe we can develop a relationship with another hauler, a Waste Management, an Allied, a Republic.’ And those are fine companies, but nobody’s going to care for your customer base like you’re going to care for it.” The company christened its first unit at

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the Children’s Medical Center in Simpsonville through a partnership with Caldwell Construction. Since then, it has attracted the loyalty of local architects, contractors, realtors and developers, including the visionary behind a green-geared mill community developing in Piedmont. “Tom Fox, the developer, Joe Pazdan of McMillan Pazdan Smith, Gary Caldwell of Caldwell Construction: those are some of the first guys who really took a leap of faith on these units and put them in,” said Brad Skelton, CEO and owner of Red Oak Developers, a refurbishment partner for former textile plants like Greenville’s Judson Mill. Red Oak Developers will break ground on 100 three-level townhouses in about three months, he told SC Biz News. Skelton will also build out 25,000 square feet of commercial space slated to house the Saluda Falls Brewery on the banks of the venue’s namesake. A pedestrian bridge, kayak put-ins and trail system will link the community, which is set to straddle Anderson and Greenville counties, as well as the Piedmont Dam. Before the pandemic paused Skelton’s plans, Red Oak aimed to power the community with water from the dam via the Piedmont Hydro Electric Project. In 2019, he also announced plans to incorporate Building Biology standards, a commitment to curbing toxic pollutants through additions like Sutera’s waste and recycling containers, into the community. As far as the hydro power plan goes – “there’s still an outside chance that could happen, but there’s a lot of, I’ll just say bureaucratic roadblocks, trying to do that,” Skelton said, but Sutera still has the green light. Over the years, Skelton has placed 50 or 60 of Sutera’s containers at office buildings or townhome projects he’s worked on. And with Piedmont Village’s dense size and riverside location, the installation was a commonsense decision for him, especially as the containers eliminate his need to install an open dumpster or enclosure. “I tell you what,” he said. “it’s a product that is going to explode into other markets at some point because it’s doing so well in the Upstate.”

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Rick Oppedisano founded Delta Bravo to help manufacturers streamline operations with artificial intelligence. (Illustration/Provided)

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DELTA BRAVO BRINGS SMART SOLUTIONS TO MANUFACTURERS, OTHER BUSINESSES

rtificial intelligence might still seem like science fiction to some, but a Rock Hill-based company is using the technology to help manufacturers turn their plants into more efficient and cost-effective “smart factories.” Delta Bravo, founded in 2017 by president and CEO Rick Oppedisano, offers clients a way to use artificial intelligence

By Christina Lee Knauss to confront some of the biggest challenges facing manufacturers in an increasingly challenging world of supply-chain shortages, skyrocketing costs and increased demand. “The businesses we deal with are all facing the same challenges: How do I make more stuff, at a higher level of quality, at a faster rate and lower cost with less waste?”

Oppedisano said in a recent interview. “We’ve built a technology platform that allows us to take a mountain of data produced on a factory floor or within factory operations, and then put all that data together to create predictive models to help manufacturers run a better business.” Oppedisano, who moved to Rock Hill from upstate New York, had more than 25

Year at the 2019 South Carolina Manufacturers’ Conference. Darlington’s Nucor Steel faced rising material costs in 2020 and wanted to reduce waste. The problem was difficult, however, because the plant produces more than 1,000 different products, each using a different combination of elements. After integrating Delta Bravo’s technology with the plant’s existing software, operators can predict exactly how much of each element is needed for each product, cutting the amount of scrap waste by at least 10%. This project led Nucor to become a finalist for the 2021 Innovator of the Year award. Delta Bravo’s award-winning work with South Carolina-based manufacturers is a point of pride for Oppedisano. He notes that the company was founded in the state and is a genuine “South Carolina growth story.” Delta Bravo in its early years worked with the South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership and was accepted into the SC Launch entrepreneurial program run by the South Carolina Research Authority.

The company currently employs 15 fulltime workers and about seven contractors out of new offices in Rock Hill. “All of the code we write is based in South Carolina. We don’t use any outsourcing, offshoring or near-shoring,” he said. “We hire people who are qualified either from South Carolina or we move them here. Our whole team is based right here in the state.” Delta Bravo’s model is also getting attention nationwide. In 2021, the company was named one of the Top 25 Leaders Transforming Manufacturing by Smart Manufacturing Magazine. A look at Delta Bravo’s past and current roster of clients also proves its technology can be effective in many of the industries that are currently on the rise in South Carolina, including aerospace, electric vehicles, medical technology and more, Oppedisano said. “We fit well into the ecosystem for manufacturing that is developing in this state,” he said. “All of these businesses that the state attracts right now want the same thing — to do more at a higher quality with a lower cost — and we can help them achieve that.”

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years of experience in technology when he started Delta Bravo. He was interested in offering clients an artificial intelligence platform that could be quickly applied to their own specific needs. He worked with a technology incubator in Rock Hill to officially get Delta Bravo’s platform launched in 2019. The rest, as they say, is history. The company that came out of that first meeting at the incubator is regularly working with manufacturers whose annual revenue ranges from $500 million to $20 billion. Delta Bravo has worked with 75 clients across a wide range of fields, including Accuweather, Gulfstream, Cisco, Toyota, Continental, Rolls Royce and Nucor Steel. Oppedisano said Delta Bravo’s process is relatively simple. Their platform takes data gathered from multiple processes at a plant and then helps the clients use it to achieve a variety of needs, ranging from quality control to improving efficiency and cutting waste. Many of Delta Bravo’s clients have already done the work to collect data, but then end up with billions of data points and no easy way to turn them into results, Oppedisano said. Some artificial intelligence platforms require company employees to learn entire new software systems, something many clients have neither the time nor the desire to do. What makes Delta Bravo’s model different is the platform’s ability to integrate rapidly with a company’s existing systems. For Accuweather, its first large client, the company came up with a way to improve weather forecasts by more effectively processing weather data collected from 90,000 weather stations. At Rolls Royce’s MTU Aiken plant, the problem was engine failure. The facility produces large diesel engines used in fracking and other industries, as well as maritime, naval and military settings. Catastrophic engine failures during testing or after the engine went into service cost the company millions of dollars a year. Delta Bravo’s platform, integrated with the company’s existing testing software, enabled the company to predict failures 30 minutes in advance. As a result, Rolls Royce won the Manufacturing Innovator of the

POWER LIST

PRESENTING THE 2022

ENGINEERS POWER LIST By Steve McDaniel

smcdaniel@scbiznews.com

www.scbizmag.com

ngineers help bring the visions of others to life. A business owner, municipality or organization collaborates with an architect to create the concepts and drawings for a new building or project; the engineer takes that concept into the real world. Engineers are the practical applicators of the building process. They look at a client’s vision or an architect’s drawing, apply their skills to the myriad factors of livability, sustainability, practicality, function and form, then work to turn that twodimensional drawing into a threedimensional structure.

Our editorial team analyzed industry data and considered the individuals who demonstrated vision and action in serving their profession, as well as the professional excellence that commitment provides to our places of work and life. This Power List marks a change in presentation from our biweekly newspapers in Charleston, Columbia and the Upstate to the more statewide scope of SCBIZ magazine. We hope this expanded coverage is a way to broaden the exposure and increase the awareness of the important work of the professionals recognized in these Power Lists. Please join me in congratulating these individuals in print and online.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. DAVID CRUTCHFIELD

2. JONATHAN SIGMAN

3. TERRY MACALUSO

4. EMILY SWEARINGEN

5. WESLEY HULSEY

HONOREES CONTINUED

53 -57

POWER LIST

DAVID S. CRUTCHFIELD RMF Engineering Inc.

s RMF’s vice president and corporate secretary, Crutchfield oversees RMF’s offices in Charleston, Atlanta and Boston. A graduate of the Catholic University of America with a degree in mechanical engineering, he joined RMF Engineering in 1993 as a project engineer in the firm’s Buildings Division. After being promoted several times, he relocated to Charleston in 2002 to lead the firm’s new satellite office. As principal in charge of the South Carolina office, he has handled projects for Clemson University, Charleston County Aviation Authority, S.C. State University, MUSC, and the University of South Carolina,

among others, many of which have received accolades and industry awards. A mechanical engineer with expertise in design and analysis of mechanical systems in critical environments, his experience includes new and renovation work, often coordinating multiple construction phases and communicating regularly with clients. A member of numerous professional organizations, he is a registered PE in multiple states and is a LEED Accredited Professional.

JONATHAN SIGMAN

Collins Engineers Inc.

with many municipalities and agencies. He has been an instructor for FHWA National Highway Institute training for the Inspection and Maintenance of Ancillary Structures and for Engineering for Structural Stability in Bridge Construction. Prior to working for Collins, Sigman worked for other engineering companies and was an adjunct professor at Washington University and the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

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graduate of MIT with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering, Sigman has 24 years’ experience in design, detailing and construction administration. He has prepared design and bid documents for piers, boardwalks, wharves, bulkheads, bridges, buildings and miscellaneous structures and performed damage assessment of structures following natural disasters. Since becoming regional manager of Collins Engineers’ Charleston and Savannah offices in 2015, the staff has grown from eight to 20 employees. He has served as project manager or principal for several statewide bridge inspection contracts and has worked

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3 4 5

TERRY MACALUSO W.K. Dickson & Co. Inc.

acaluso has been with W.K. Dickson since 2009 and is a vice president who manages the Columbia office. A graduate of Louisiana State University with a degree in civil engineering, he is a registered PE in South Carolina and Alabama with more than 37 years of experience in consulting engineering. His primary technical expertise is in land development planning and design, public works infrastructure, transportation and economic development. His experience includes due diligence, site selection, master planning and design of more than 20 industrial and commerce parks from 100 acres to over 1,500 acres. He has served clients across the Southeast in the municipal, state, federal and industrial sectors. In additional to his technical experience, he has more than 25 years experience in branch office management, business development and building teams of engineers, architects and planners. An active member of the S.C. Economic Development Association, he has also been a member of ACEC, APWA, and SAME.

EMILY SWEARINGEN AECOM

wearingen has more than 20 years’ experience in the transportation industry and earned her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Georgia Tech. She is an associate vice president with AECOM, a global engineering firm, and serves as the South Carolina Transportation Leader and the Greenville office site leader. She has served in key roles in professional organizations across South Carolina, including: director, American Council of Engineering Companies of South Carolina; Director at Large, Women’s Transportation Seminar South Carolina Chapter; ACEC-SC Transportation Committee Chair and Annual Conference Planning Chair. She is a Licensed Professional Engineer in Georgia and South Carolina.

WESLEY HULSEY KCI Technologies Inc.

aving earned a bachelor’s degree from Furman University and a master’s degree from the University of Georgia, Hulsey started his environmental consulting career at Rust Environment & Infrastructure in Greenville in 1994. He has been instrumental in the founding, development and growth of two regional companies in the Southeast in the water/wastewater industry that were acquired by publicly traded companies or firms with a national presence: Hulsey Environmental Services LLC, acquired by EarthCare Co. in 1999, and Hulsey, McCormick and Wallace Inc., for which he served as CEO until June 2020 when the company was acquired by KCI Technologies. Hulsey is KCI’s South Atlantic Region Water/Wastewater Practice Leader and Vice President. In 2014, then-Gov. Nikki Haley appointed him to the Governor’s Savannah River Committee. In addition, he serves or has served with numerous professional and community organizations.

BEN JONES

Thomas & Hutton

CONGRATULATIONS

BEN JONES, PE

POWER LIST

University of South Carolina graduate, Jones began his career as a field representative with Thomas & Hutton, rising through the ranks to COO, tasked with carrying out the firm’s strategic plan in daily operations for nine regions covering South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee. A licensed professional civil engineer in six states, his specialties include residential, commercial and golf course design. He has been instrumental in the development of several key programs and initiatives to ensure the longterm sustainability of Thomas & Hutton. In addition, he is the driving force behind Thomas & Hutton’s emphasis on culture, making the firm one of the Best Firms to Work For as awarded by ZweigGroup and Top Workplaces. He also serves on numerous professional and community boards.

ON BEING NAMED ONE OF THE POWER PLAYERS IN ENGINEERING!

DRIVEN FOR SOLUTIONS POWERED BY PASSION thomasandhutton.com

GARY COLLINS Seamon Whiteside

www.kci.com

ENGINEERS PLANNERS SCIENTISTS CONSTRUCTION MANAGERS

ISO 9001:2015 Certified | Employee-owned Since 1988 | www.kci.com

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i t h over 25 years of site development experience, working locally and across the Southeast, Collins earned his bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture at Ryerson University and his master’s degree in landscape architecture at North Carolina State University. Currently, he is responsible for corporate strategy. Signature projects and accomplishments include the International African American Museum in Charleston, Camp Hall Commerce Park Master Plan in Berkeley County, Portside at Ferry Wharf in Mount Pleasant and the Mount Pleasant Way Feasibility Study. In addition, he serves or has served with numerous business and community organizations.

MICHAEL WEEKS

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POWER LIST

DWG Inc.

n Auburn University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, Weeks has worked in engineering since his teens, starting as a draftsman in his father’s firm. At age 32, he became an owner in an engineering firm in Savannah with a branch office in Mount Pleasant. In 2008, he and a colleague created DWG Inc. His greatest accomplishment, he says, is creating an award-winning business with a few employees, growing it 400%, and converting it to a 100% employee-owned company. The company provides mechanical and electrical engineering services to K-12 schools in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties as well as colleges, universities and hospitals in coastal South Carolina and has received numerous statewide and

1501 Main Street Suite 730 Columbia, SC 29201 ssoe-sw.com

regional design awards. Weeks is a Registered Professional Mechanical Engineer, Registered Professional Fire Protection Engineer and Certified Commissioning Authority.

KEITH BRANHAM Stevens & Wilkinson

ranham, a University of South Carolina graduate, began his career as an electrical engineer-in-training at Stevens & Wilkinson, now SSOE | Stevens & Wilkinson, in 1989. Shortly after becoming a registered PE in South Carolina in 1995, he was promoted to engineering department manager and principal, overseeing the electrical, mechanical, civil and structural engineering departments in the firm’s Columbia office. He has worked on projects in higher education, K-12,

When it comes to engineering, SSOE | Stevens & Wilkinson excels across the board. We work hard to create environments that are thoughtfully designed and reflective of the needs of our clients and the community we serve.

corporate, health care and government. A registered engineer in North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, Branham has been featured and published in many professional periodicals. Major projects and accomplishments include the University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business, Clemson University’s Core Campus, MUSC’s James E. Clyburn Research Center, the S.C. State House Restoration and Renovation, Columbia Museum of Art adaptive reuse, Township Auditorium renovation, and Florence County Judicial Center. A LEED Accredited Professional, he is a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers and the South Carolina Society of Professional Engineers.

STEPHEN MAHAFFEY CEMS

Clemson University graduate with a degree in agriculture engineering, Mahaffey has more than 24 years of experience

Congratulations Keith Branham on being named one of South Carolina’s Top Engineers. Wee ar are so proud of you!

excels in strategic planning and team building. A pioneer in Traditional Neighborhood Development, he has managed private development projects involving award-winning communities, including Habersham in Beaufort. He has served in a number of community and civic capacities, including as past chairman of The Citadel Foundation, a boardmember for Countybank, a boardmember for the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, and a session member of the Associated Reformed Presbyterian Church.

WILLIAM FLOWERS

CRAIG BUCK

Civil Engineering of Columbia l o w e r s started his engineering career in 1983 in the coal mines of West Virginia. When the company he worked for shut down, he moved south looking for work. Despite his lack of experience in site work, Civil Engineering of Columbia hired him. Flowers rose through the ranks; then, in 2015, the two founders retired and sold the firm to Flowers and two of his colleagues. CEC quickly expanded, taking on projects in new areas, and growing the firm from a staff of 18 with two registered engineers to more than 50 employees and seven registered engineers. Flowers is a board member of BIA of Central South Carolina.

STEPHEN L. DAVIS

avis is the president and chief executive officer of Davis & Floyd. As a son of the firm’s late founder, Emmett I. Davis Jr., he has spent his entire career working with the company and participating in its growth. He

Pennsylvania State University graduate with a degree in mechanical engineering, Buck joined RMF in 1998, rising through the ranks to become division manag-

Bill has served as President of CEC since May 2015. Part of CEC for over 35 years, he has been an integral part of the history and growth of CEC. Bill assists clients in preliminary design, land studies, and regulatory involvement. Bill is a native of West Virginia and is a proud husband, father, and grandfather. He began his career in West Virginia surveying coal mines. After moving his family to South Carolina, he found his way to Civil Engineering of Columbia and has built a career on helping developers with their projects throughout the Midlands. When away from the office, he enjoys writing and volunteering at his church.

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Davis & Floyd Inc.

RMF Engineering Inc.

er, then became a partner in 2013. As division manager, he oversees the day-to-day operations of the South Carolina office and drives the firm’s expansion in the Southeast. A mechanical project engineer with strong HVAC, plumbing and system design skills, Buck has significant experience in all phases of project development, including planning, design and construction of new and renovated buildings, winning numerous industry awards. In South Carolina, he has completed projects for Clemson University, University of South Carolina, Wofford College, MUSC, Charleston County School District, College of Charleston and many others. A member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers, he is a certified U.S. Green Building Council LEED Accredited Professional and an accredited Healthcare Facility Design Professional. As a

POWER LIST

in program management, project management and professional engineering services with local, state and federal agencies nationwide. He joined CEMS in 2007 as the lead civil engineer, and led the Civil Group until 2017. Mahaffey has been involved in over 40 indefinite delivery contracts, and worked with over 30 municipalities and government agencies. He continues to develop CEMS’ civil design and management teams. Mahaffey spends much of his free time with family and friends on the water or in the outdoors.

POWER LIST

subject matter expert on health care and laboratory systems design, he presented at numerous conferences and authored many technical articles.

JEFFREY MARK DILLON ADC Engineering

illon, who became a registered PE in 1988, earned his degree in civil engineering from The Citadel and master’s degree in civil engineering from Clemson University. He started his career as a structural engineer with Lindbergh and Associates, Charleston, in 1983, went to the Southern Division Naval Facilities Engineering Command in 1985, and became a founding partner of ADC Engineering in 1989. ADC has won numerous awards, mostly recently the Charleston Contractors Association 2021 Firm of the Year. In addition, Dillon and ADC give back to the community, having worked on projects large and small, often at no charge. Dillon also serves as a mentor in the ACE program teaching high school students about the design professional and construction industries.

JASON GREGORIE

Applied Building Sciences Inc.

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Clemson University graduate with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering, Gregorie joined Applied Building Sciences in 2006, starting as an entrylevel engineer and working his way up to shareholder and board of directors while working on projects throughout the Southeastern U.S., Mexico and South America. He specializes in forensic investigations, consulting and repair designs for a range of structural, building envelope and civil projects. A licensed PE,

he has testified as a technical matter expert in state and federal courts. He was awarded the ASCE South Carolina Section Technical Merit Award in 2009-2010 and in 2022 was the editor and a primary author of a book published by the American Society of Civil Engineers. He is vice chair of ASCE’s Forensic Engineering Division Executive Committee and is a member and Past Chair of ASCE’s Committee on Forensic Investigations.

municipal infrastructure planning, engineering and permitting. A licensed PE in six states, he joined the firm’s board of directors in 2018 and the S.C. APWA Board of Directors in 2020. He received the Kenneth J. Miller Founders’ Award for outstanding service and leadership in advancing the mission of Water for People, is the first president of the S.C. Water Quality Association and patented a tidal surge prevention device in 2021.

WILLIAM SCHWARTZ JR.

DAN BUNNELL

S&ME Inc.

1 9 9 4 C l e m son University graduate with a degree in civil engineering, Schwartz, a PE, started his career with S&ME in Spartanburg as a staff professional prior to being promoted to construction services department manager in 1998. After a steady move up the ranks, in 2020 he was named senior vice president. In addition to operational management, he has remained active in projects as a project or client manager. He is a member of Chi Epsilon Civil Engineering Honor Society, served on the Spartanburg County Engineering Appeals Board, and received the Dr. George Dean Johnson Leadership Award by Boy Scouts of America Troop 1.

ROBERT L. HORNER

Weston & Sampson Engineering

graduate of The Citadel with degrees in biology and civil engineering, Horner started his career with Niven’s Engineering in Beaufort before joining Charleston Water Systems, where he worked for 18 years, becoming director of design and construction. Since 2010, he has focused on all types of

Bunnell-Lammons Engineering Inc.

i t h civil engineering degrees from Purdue University and the University of Florida, Bunnell started his career with Law Engineering Inc., holding progressive staff, project and principal geotechnical engineer positions. He provided geotechnical and construction materials consulting engineering on many projects across the Southeast, including ship docks, wharfs and channel dredging, Department of Defense and NASA facilities, high-rise buildings and more. Two notable projects include the Bon Secours Arena and the BMW initial site work and manufacturing facility. In 1996, he and Tom Lammons founded BunnellLammons Engineering, consulting on projects across South Carolina and western North Carolina. The firm has grown from a startup to a staff of over 140 associates working on many projects throughout the Southeast. Bunnell is life member of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

JENNY HORNE

Stantec Consulting Services Inc.

1996 University of Georgia graduate with a degree in landscape architecture, Horne started her career as a land planner/landscape architect with LS3P in 1997, focusing

est accomplishment has been to help develop a trusted and successful team.

Management Accountant and is a member of several state and national boards.

DARREN SPRINGER

RUTH ALBRIGHT

Devita

h i l e not an engineer, Springer has been instrumental to Devita’s success. A CPA for more than 10 years with Cherry Bekaert, he joined Devita as CFO in 2011. In August 2012, he became the second president since the firm’s inception in 1984. As a non-engineer, he notes that he relies heavily on Devita’s talented team of professional engineers, designers and other specialists for leadership and technical excellence. The principals, management and staff of the firm’s two divisions have led to business growth in Greenville, Atlanta, Charlotte, Durham and Richmond. Springer is a CPA, Certified Global

KEN O’MALLEY

1 9 8 6 C l e m son University graduate with a degree in chemical engineering, Albright is a licensed PE in 12 states. Currently principal and vice president of Synterra Corp., Albright has more than 30 years’ experience in consulting and industrial experience. She has consulted on projects at numerous geographic sites and has managed environmental projects that involve RCRA, CERCLA, SARA, NPDES, the Clean Air Act, and state solid waste regulations and has served in many capacities with numerous state and regional professional organizations.

aeSolutions

AUTOMATION PROCESS SAFETY FIRED EQUIPMENT

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n Auburn University School of Electrical Engineering graduate, O’Malley started his career in Process Controls with CRS Sirrine in Greenville. In 1994, he became a lead engineer with John Brown Engineering, which later became Aker Kvaener. In 1998, when the company closed its Greenville office, O’Malley and two partners started aeSolutions. He served as aeSolutions’ VP of operations and engineering until he became president in 2017. Despite some setbacks, most notably the death of a founding partner and a downturn in the oil industry, the company has thrived. O’Malley notes that his great-

Synterra Corp.

POWER LIST

on K-12 and higher education projects. She moved to SGA Architecture in 2003 as a landscape architect/project manager, working a variety of projects, including single family residential, urban infill, community planning, park and recreation, K-12 and higher education projects. She joined Stantec Consulting Services as a project manager/senior associate in 2013, where she serves as Landscape Architecture Studio Leader and Project Manager with a focus in park and recreation, community development, master planning and corridor beautification/streetscape projects. She and her team have won numerous industry awards for their work. A Registered Landscape Architect in South Carolina and Louisiana, Horne has also been involved in the community, helping a nonprofit, Enough Pie, secure a memorandum of understanding with a local municipality and regulatory agency for installation of murals under an Interstate 26 overpass in Charleston.

S.C. DELIVERS

Ports, Logistics & Distribution

The S.C. Ports Authority will be the second port system in the nation to create its own chassis pool. (Photo/Provided)

SC PORTS PREPARES FOR INFLUX WITH EXPANDED CHASSIS POOL By Teri Errico Griffis tgriffis@scbiznews.com

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flood is predicted for the Port of Charleston — not water, but ships. West Coast ports await July 1 with bated breath and weeks of delays: the day marks the deadline for the International Longshoremen’s Worker Union labor contract. The last contract negotiations in 2014 shut ILWU ports down for four

months, according to Jason Haith, manager of global freight forwarder OEC Group Louisville. At the time, 24 vessels waited for a chance to dock. This January, Haith reported 180 cargo ships stalled off the West Coast, not including vessels waiting at the docks. It also didn’t take into account an annual slinky effect brought on by the Chinese New

Year, “probably the largest human migration on the planet where hundreds of millions of people leave the cities and go back inland to visit their families,” he said. Most of his clients have diverted imports to other parts of the country, to Houston, Savannah and Charleston. Haith believes the Port of Charleston is primed for growth, but

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the West Coast fields typically 60% of volumes coming into the United States. He fears eastern ports like Charleston may soon look like Los Angeles as ILWU labor negotiations mount. “I definitely think there are volume increases headed their way, and their biggest challenge is probably going to be how to handle all the business that’s coming now,” he told SC Biz News. Importers using eastern ports have seen delays of more than a month just to get cargo to distributors and are paying up to $25,000 in total import costs, said Haith. Four years ago, most East Coast importers paid around $3,500. Some logistics companies can’t pick up imports at the Port of Charleston for three or four weeks after containers are unloaded. “They’ve had a heck of a time getting containers out of the port and delivered,” Haith said. “A lot of this has to do with chassis.” There isn’t a shortage of chassis in circulation. But there is a shortage in how many chassis are available for use at the terminal — and not waiting to be unloaded at a short-staffed warehouse or transported back to the terminal by a coronavirus-inundated fleet.

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Solutions, not weather reports

The S.C. Ports Authority will be the second ports system in the nation to create its own chassis pool program to meet that demand, according to COO Barbara Melvin. Once launched in 2023 through a $200 million investment, the pool will house thousands of chassis available for lease from the Port of Charleston’s terminal. The seed money will be sourced from port revenue, she said. “We’re trying to utilize the latest technology to see how we can rethink the chassis pool model,” said James Caudill, director of the ports authority’s chassis pool. He added that the new chassis, built by Dorsey Intermodel will be wired with GPS tracking technology. “GPS technology sounds simple, but you can utilize something like that to forecast issues down the road.” The data could be used to help streamline inventory management or provide business insight for port customers. Aside from Port of Virginia, the first port to develop its own chassis pool, many Eastern ports participated in the South Atlantic

New chassis sit at the S.C. Ports Authority chassis pool facility, one of only two in the nation. The SCPA facility is expected to be completed in 2023. (Photo/Provided)

Chassis Pool. The closed-loop Palmetto State pool is expected to enhance the efficiency and availability for logistics companies, and also open up chassis for other nearby ports systems. “That really is the biggest benefit for the supply chain,” said Melvin. Leading up to the 2023 launch, the ports authority will phase out its use of chassis leased from the South Atlantic Pool with more than 11,000 purchased chassis that will be upfitted with smart tech. On Jan. 24, the Port of Charleston received its first shipment of more than 700 chassis after a 40-day journey on the Liberty Promise from Vietnam, according to the ports system. An additional 1,600 were slated to arrive in February as the ports authority builds out its inventory. These chassis will be available for long-term lease agreements until the April 2023 launch. After, they will be available for a daily rate. Rates will soon be made public, according to the ports authority. “We’re going through all the steps of making them ready for providing [for] the people who have a need early on right now for 20-foot equipment,” Caudill said. “And then, as we go throughout this year, we’ll step-bystep transition areas like Greer and Dillon. That will provide relief to the South Atlantic

chassis pool.” The chassis pool is just one of the places the ports authority sees room for growth as more ships redirect from clogged West Coast ports to Charleston. “We see others along with the chassis, whether that be ample warehouse space, a labor force that is available for working in logistics, motor carrier driver availability,” as well as the ability to move containers off marine terminals, said Melvin. State support to build a dual-served rail facility will go a long way for helping the port keep pace, she said. Once finished, it will bring port capacity to more than 1 million rail lifts. The port deepening project, set to make the Port of Charleston the deepest in the Southeast, is expected to reach completion in September. “Even when we hit supply chain challenges like we’re seeing today, we have to keep working through those with our maritime partners, keep putting forward solutions instead of just having weather reports on the problem,” she said. “You have to bite the bullet sometimes and do what we’re doing with the chassis pool. You have to not get scared when you’re making investments like a billion dollars into a new terminal. You have to have a long view of what is needed in the supply chain to be successful.”

By Ross Norton

Rnorton@scbiznews.com

Clickstop Inc. of Urbana, Iowa, said opening the company’s first location outside of headquarters will enable the company to bump the number of U.S. companies reachable in one to two days from 60% to 80%, according to a news release. Clickstop’s second location will be a 47,000-square-foot warehouse at 370 Old Laurens Road in Simpsonville. It will mean 12 new jobs for the community, the news release said.

McCoy said in the release. “By reducing freight and other costs, we can continue to offer the best products even faster by being even closer to our east coast customers.” Clickstop started accepting inventory at the Simpsonville location in mid-February with the first outgoing shipment in the middle of March if everything stays on schedule, according to Jeremy Meyer, vice president of employee engagement. Construction schedule

permitting, the site will be fully operational by May 31, he said in an email. Clickstop was founded in 2005 as an e-commerce company and now owns six brands, including its flagship brand, US Cargo Control, which serve the professional trucking, rigging and moving sector. Other brands include Eco Foil, Fasteners Plus, Clean Laundry and Pepper Joe’s, a site that deals in seeds, plants and other items for spicy food lovers.

S.C. DELIVERS

Fortuitous geography is bringing another distribution center to the Upstate

“We pride ourselves on delivering an exceptional customer experience.” - Cari McCoy, CEO “With our expansion to the East Coast, we will be able to reach nearly 80% of the U.S. within one to two business days, which is a gamechanger,” Allen DeHeck, vice president of supply chain for Clickstop, said in the release. The location also means additional inventory capacity and reduced freight cost, the company said. “We pride ourselves on delivering an exceptional customer experience,” CEO Cari

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Clickstop Inc. is headquartered in Urbana, Iowa. (Rendering/Provided)

S.C. DELIVERS S.C. Ports Authority reported its 11th consecutive month of record-high containers handled in January, a 4.7% increase over January 2021. (Photo/File)

Continued retail shopping pushes S.C. Ports to best January on record By Teri Errico Griffis

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tgriffis@scbiznews.com

New year, new S.C. Ports Authority records for containers handled. The 11th consecutive record month for the agency, that is. Coming off a record year in 2021, S.C. Ports authority is looking at potentially just as big a 2021 as unprecedented amounts of cargo continue to be handled. “The global supply chain continues to see great strain from handling unprecedented amounts of cargo,” SCPA CEO Jim Newsome said in a statement. “With record throughput volumes, we are experiencing a record number of import containers on our terminals awaiting delivery. South Carolina Ports invested strategically in port infrastructure, and we are deploying creative

solutions to ensure fluidity for our customers.” SCPA recorded 226,515 twenty-foot container units at Wando Welch Terminal, North Charleston Terminal and Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal, for the month of January. The volume is up 4.7% year-overyear. The SCPA, which works on a fiscal calendar, has handled more than 1.64 million TEUS since July, up nearly 15% from this time last year. For pier containers, which accounts for containers of any size, the ports handled 125,452 in January — a 3.5% uptick from a year ago. Overall, SCPA has recorded 913,321 pier containers in the fiscal year, a year-over-year increase of nearly 15%. Loaded imports were up 23% from last year as retail imports continue to drive

growth. SC Ports handled 117,181 loaded imports in January. The agency further saw 14,172 vehicles roll across the docks at Columbus Street Terminal. The volume represented at 16% year-over-year increase. Further inland, Inland Port Greer recorded 9,301 rail moves in January, while Inland Port Dillon reported 1,942. Combined, the ports have handled 101,913 rail moves todate in fiscal year 2022. The SCPA also welcomed back cruise ships with the Carnival Sunshine setting sail on Jan. 13. The agency also had had three port-of-calls in January, handling a total of 9,490 cruise passengers last month. The SCPA ended 2021 with 2.75 million TEUS, a 9% increase from 2020 and a 13% increase from 2019. The agency also handled 1.53 million pier containers, up 18% from 2020 and 11% from 2019.

SOUTH CAROLINA PORTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS With distribution provided by the Port of Charleston to their global audience of partners, prospects and clients - there is an opportunity for you to reach your target audience.

Contact us today to learn more about advertising opportunities in our collection of port publications. Amanda Alford: 843-849-3109 or aalford@bridgetowermedia.com

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1,000 WORDS

There are more than 100 waterfalls in the Upstate of South Carolina. Many, like this cascade waterfall just below Moonshine Falls in Cleveland, a few miles south of the N.C. state line in Greenville County, do not have names but are still a delight for hikers and explorers. (Photo/Kim McManus)

Is Your Company a GREAT Place to Work? Maybe Even the BEST?

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