South Carolina Business March/April edition

March/April 2014 Vol. 35 No.2

The Education Issue Workforce Development Apprenticeship Carolina Business Week Charter Schools Common Core State Standards Google’s CS First

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NAVIGATING YOUR BUSINESS LANSCAPE Your job is to grow business and protect your company’s bottom line.

Charting your course can be daunting.

For over 125 years, our Firm has been navigating our clients through the legal channels in South Carolina, the Southeast and beyond.

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contents F E A T U R E S

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Battlefields & Board Rooms............................................ 10.

By Rick Davis

Innovative Charter Schools Produce Excellent Students............................................................. 12

By Dr. Wayne Brazell

March/April 2014 Volume 35, Number 2

South Carolina Chamber of Commerce 1301 Gervais Street, Suite 1100 Columbia, South Carolina 29201 800.799.4601 www . scchamber . net

Common Core State Standards. .................................... 14

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By Tom Donohue

Google CS First

Just Google It......................................................................16

By Penny Delaney Cothran, apr

Accountability-Based Funding For Higher Education..........................................................................20

By Richard C. Sutton

P resident & C hief E xecutive O fficer

Member spotlight

16

OTIS RAWL

ITT Technical Institute........................................................ 24.

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By Penny Delaney Cothran, apr

A ssociate V ice P resident of C ommunications

JULIE SCOTT

You Thought You Knew Your ABCs?............................26

By Tim Timmons

M ultimedia M anager PENNY DELANEY COTHRAN

I am S.C. Business.................................................................33

G raphics and W eb A dministrator REID PRICE

M ECONOMIC DRIVERS Apprenticeship Carolina™.......................................................................... 8

• Kelly Steinhilper

After the Event Business Speaks.............................. 28 Infrastructure Forum....................... 30

Business Briefs.................................... 6 Member News.................................. 31 Palmetto Advantage.......................... 7 Mike Zeller Business Week.................................. 23 Tony Elliott

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P ublished by CONVERGING MEDIA LLC A dvertising S ales CONVERGING MEDIA LLC DEIDRE MACKLEN 803.318.3923

Welcome, New Members................ 31 Advertiser Index............................... 32

The opinions and views expressed by the contributors to this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, its staff or members.

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A rt D irection & D esign TIM MCKEEVER / TMCA INC. P roduction & P rint C oordination TMCA INC.

D E PA RT M E N T S Message from the President............. 4 Otis Rawl

E ditor PENNY DELANEY COTHRAN

South Carolina: Surging Ahead • Secretary Bobby Hitt....................................................................9

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SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS MAGAZINE

PUBLISHING & MEDIA SERVICES

Copyright © 2014 by Converging Media LLC and the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce. All foreign and U.S. rights reserved. Contents of this publication, including images, may not be reproduced without written consent from the publisher. Published for the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce by Converging Media LLC. 803.256.3010

sc.edu

more Brain power our faculty, which raised more than $220 million in sponsored research last year, boasts 15 National Endowment for the Humanities Fellows and 29 American Association for the Advancement of Science appointees. at USC we place the highest priority on discovery, from health care to aerospace, the arts to advanced materials.

NO LIMITS.

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outh Carolina continues to grow its manufacturing presence. Last year, the state recruited a record level of capital investment by businesses locating or expanding in the state, and many of those businesses are manufacturing related. From January to December 2013, the state closed 127 economic development projects, totaling $5.4 billion in capital investment and 15,457 new jobs. In fact, since the recent recession, the state has recruited more than $19 billion in capital investment resulting in more than 64,000 new jobs in manufacturing. For the past two years, we have claimed the top spot among states in a report gauging the global impact of foreign-direct investment. In 2013, the Palmetto State again posted a record year for export activity, with more than $26.1 billion in goods sold to 202 countries around the globe.

South Carolina’s manufacturing sector continues to be a major component of the state’s economy, representing more than one-fifth of the state’s gross domestic product. But, can we produce skilled workers capable of staffing these modern manufacturing facilities? The state is answering that call, but there is more work to be done. In December 2013, the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, the Business and Industry Political Education Committee, New Carolina, the South Carolina Department of Commerce, the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance and the South Carolina Economic Developers Association released South Carolina’s Manufacturing Renaissance: An action plan for strengthening workforce development. The report discusses tools such as the technical college system, STEM curriculum, Work Ready Communities, apprenticeship programs and more that are providing a clear path for addressing manufacturing workforce needs.

A 2011 skills gap study by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) found that the most difficult jobs to fill in manufacturing are those that have the biggest impact on company performance, like machinists, operators, technicians and more. The study also found that training and worker recruitment also must be addressed and modernized. NAM found that the changing nature of manufacturing is making it harder for talent to keep up. And, skills gaps are taking the largest toll on skilled manufacturing jobs. Preparing a skilled workforce must be top priority, and South Carolina must continue to be proactive in providing tools for workers to expand their training.

The manufacturing sector in South Carolina pays well compared to average per capita income, with an average annual salary of $51,153. The state is already home to some of the top manufacturing companies in the world. We have many of the major ingredients for success: a strong port system, interstate network (though we must commit to adequately funding infrastructure), a model technical college system and a willing workforce. Ensuring that we are proactive in preparing for even more companies to locate is the key. The action plan for strengthening workforce development addresses many of our challenges and includes thoughts from some of the top manufacturing companies in the state. I invite you to take a look at it at www.scchamber.net.

In this edition of South Carolina Business, we take a look at many of the workforce development initiatives that are making strides to better prepare our citizens. We welcome Google and highlight the awesome work they are doing by partnering with schools in the Lowcountry to introduce students to computer science. We also take an inside look at Elliott Davis, a great South Carolina based company, and their experience with modernizing the way they do business. I hope you can take away some key points for your own company‘s growth. The South Carolina Department of Commerce also has compiled a list of the top economic development announcements of 2013 for readers. Finally, I am pleased to introduce you to Palmetto Advantage, a forward thinking new investment program the South Carolina Chamber is unveiling. I know you will find it hugely beneficial for your company‘s needs.

One thing is clear. South Carolina is poised to see job growth that will establish new levels of prosperity for citizens. South Carolina Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt said it best, “For us to be successful in attracting good jobs for our citizens, we have to make the philosophical commitment to fund adequately and to manage appropriately our workforce development efforts.” I cannot agree more. We must be prepared and ready to meet the challenge of prosperity.

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sandy andrews

FROM THE PRESIDENT 4

Strengthening Workforce Development

Otis Rawl is president and chief executive officer of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce.

Education.

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Dreams do come true. Education makes it happen.

Duke Energy is proud to support educational endeavors in the communities we serve.

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BUSINESS BRIEFS

S.C. one of 16 states achieving record export levels

The Boeing Co. invests in future engineers

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he U.S. Secretary of Commerce announced year end state export data showing 16 states set new records for export sales in 2013: Texas ($279.7 billion); California ($168.1 billion); Washington ($81.9 billion); Louisiana ($63.1 billion); Michigan ($58.5 billion); Ohio ($50.5 billion); Georgia ($37.6 billion); Tennessee ($32.4 billion); North Carolina ($29.3 billion); South Carolina ($26.1 billion); Kentucky ($25.3 billion); Connecticut ($16.5 billion); Mississippi ($12.4 billion); Maryland ($11.8 billion); Colorado ($8.7 billion); and Oklahoma ($6.9 billion). Total merchandise exports from the U.S. contributed to the record-setting value of goods and services exports, which reached $2.3 trillion in 2013.

he Boeing Co. recently invested in Accelerate, a virtual engineering program to cultivate future engineers and technical leaders. The program enables high school students to complete their first-year of college engineering. The SC Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics developed the program for high-achieving students. Curriculum includes virtual instruction as well as hands-on, team-based projects. The program will culminate with a corporate internship. Boeing invested also in the Governor’s School‘s CREATEng, a new engineering summer camp that will launch in the Lowcountry.

Honda of South Carolina one of America’s Safest Companies

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onda of South Carolina was one of 16 companies named to the 2013 America’s Safest Companies list by EHS, a magazine for environment, health and safety leaders. Each of the 16 companies demonstrated support for management and employee involvement, provided innovative solutions to safety challenges, reported injury and illness rates significantly lower than the industry average, supported comprehensive training programs, believed that the prevention of incidents is the cornerstone of the safety process, have integrated safety into their corporate culture, and communicated the value of safety to employees and customers.

From l to r Eric Evans, Wendell Hughes and Brian Newman

Continental Tire celebrates grand opening

Sonoco dedicates $75 million biomass boiler facility

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undreds of South Carolina business leaders and elected officials came together January 28, 2014 to celebrate the grand opening of the Sumter plant for Continental Tire the Americas. Continental Tire’s $500 million investment in South Carolina is expected to bring 1,600 jobs over the next several years. The company plans to produce four million tires per year by 2017. In addition, the company has awarded more than $100 million in contracts to home-grown, South Carolina companies.

onoco, a global provider of industrial products, consumer packaging, protective solutions and packaging services, dedicated the new biomass facility at its Hartsville plant. The biomass boiler is part of a $100 million investment in the Darlington County compound. In 2011, Sonoco committed to a $75 million investment to replace two aging, coal-fired boilers and add the new biomass boiler. The new boiler is fueled primarily by woody biomass from regional logging activity, but also runs on natural gas. The boiler will produce about 16 megawatts of green energy that will be consumed by the manufacturing complex, as well as steam that is used in the paper-making process.

S.C. Dept. of Commerce announces Office of Innovation

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he South Carolina Department of Commerce announced a new Office of Innovation focused on strengthening the innovation and technology-based, jobcreating power of the state. The objective of the initiative is to make South Carolina a top state in the nation to start and build a high-growth business. To do so, South Carolina must enable entrepreneurship and technology-based economic development successes in the state, foster commercialization of technologies, support the increase of capital to home-grown companies and raise the profile of the state’s innovation assets.

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Introducing the all new Palmetto Advantage Membership Investment Program More Choices. Greater Value.

B y M ike Z eller

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ow more than ever, it pays to invest in the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, the state’s unified voice of business. Whether you are interested in advocacy that affects your bottom line, staying informed about key business issues, marketing your business and/or networking, you can find it all with your investment in the South Carolina Chamber. With the all new Palmetto Advantage Membership Investment Program, Chamber members have more investment choices that can be tailored to fit their specific business needs. Along with more choices, members receive an even better return for every dollar invested in the Chamber.

The Palmetto Advantage Program offers: • Seven annual investment levels for more company flexibility and options: Advocate ($500), Pacesetter ($1,500), Signature ($3,000), Crown ($5,000), Cornerstone ($10,000), President’s Circle ($25,000) and Chairman’s Circle ($50,000). Each level comes with specific benefits, tailored to meet your company’s needs.

• Recognition for a member’s combined investment for dues, sponsorships and advertising.

• A deeper combination of valuable member benefits with each level of annual investment.

• The opportunity to manage all investment decision in a more convenient, condensed format, greatly reducing the frequency of Chamber solicitations.

Some key new incentives greet members at different levels, including additional levels of exposure in the South Carolina Business Directory and Resource Guide, invitations to key investor receptions with dignitaries, key investor seating at Chamber events, company promotion via Chamber social media, eligibility to participate on Chamber committees, monetary credits to use for advertising and sponsorships, eligibility to post member-to-member offers on the online Chamber Marketplace, opportunity for mailer inserts in South Carolina Business magazine where available and South Carolina Business Directory and Resource Guide, special signage and materials placement at Chamber events, a company video loop in the Chamber lobby, corporate signage in the Chamber board room, unlimited database contacts to receive information, eligibility to sponsor annual Grassroots Meetings, eligibility to sponsor a board of directors luncheon, invitation to Chamber board meetings and no-cost use of Chamber meeting facilities.

There is no better time to invest in the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce. We are excited about the Palmetto Advantage Membership Investment Program and the choices and greater value it affords all businesses.

A Chamber member representative will be contacting you shortly to help your company make the best decision for your needs in investing in the Chamber. In the meantime, contact Barbara Beckham, vice president of membership with any questions at 803-799-4601.

Mike Zeller is vice president, brand marketing with Jackson Marketing Group, Inc. and chair of the Chamber’s membership committee.

• Flexibility to address different components of investment throughout the year.

Each South Carolina Chamber member receives a specific level of services and benefits associated with their company’s level of investment in the Palmetto Advantage program. Chamber members are able to examine a carefully defined list, with corresponding dollar values, and see exactly what their company is receiving in exchange for their annual Chamber investment.

s c c h a m b e r. n e t | M a r c h / A p r i l 2 0 1 4 | S o u t h C a r o l i n a B u s i n e ss |

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ECONOMIC DRIVER

Apprenticeship Carolina™

Proven Models for High School Apprenticeship B y K elly S teinhilper

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ombine a relevant education with on-the-job experience and one has the makings for a successful career. That’s the formula that drives South Carolina’s youth apprenticeship program. Headed up by the SC Technical College System and run through Apprenticeship Carolina™, youth apprenticeship is an extremely hot topic when it comes to workforce and economic development.

Youth apprenticeship is forward focused. It works to ensure a well-educated, well-trained workforce and in turn South Carolina’s continued competitiveness in attracting and retaining business and industry.

In addition, it offers a surplus of benefits for both employers and young apprentices.

Employers are able to create crucial recruitment pipelines, decrease costly turnovers and influence,

youth apprenticeship programs,” said Brad Neese, director of Apprenticeship Carolina. “Our goal is to have a registered youth apprenticeship program in every county by December 2015. We currently have 12 counties with programs and five additional counties in the developmental stages.”

A P roven M ode l : M T U A merica ’ s Y out h A pprentices h ip P ro g ram

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odeled after its parent company’s approach, MTU’s program is designed to help high school students who want to pursue careers in industrial manufacturing but don’t necessarily want to or are unable to attend college after high school.

is not guaranteed or required but MTU does provide for six certified apprentices each year.

The model has received a great deal of recognition.

In fact, the partners were asked to participate in a roundtable discussion at the White House in 2012.

These discussions revolved around programs aimed at improving education and helping younger Americans gain vocational training and enter the workforce without a college degree. In 2014, MTU’s program is a top 10 site visit finalist for President Obama’s most innovative workforce initiatives tour.

A C oncept in t h e M a k in g : C h ar l eston R e g ion Y out h A pprentices h ip C onsortium

High school apprentices can earn a wage while they learn, as well as enhance their employability by obtaining critical work skills that are immediately sought by employers.

mold and shape potential future employees. Employers also qualify for a South Carolina tax credit for each apprentice. High school apprentices can earn a wage while they learn, as well as enhance their employability by obtaining critical work skills that are immediately sought by employers. The youth apprenticeship program also works to strengthen students’ academic skills and in turn their academic success. High school completion is a requirement of the program.

The concept of youth apprenticeship is beginning to take off in South Carolina.

“In the past few months, we’ve definitely noticed increased interest in youth apprenticeship. In fact, about 80 percent of our recent conversations with business and industry have revolved around developing

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The collaboration includes Apprenticeship Carolina, Aiken Technical College and the local school district. The program starts in high school and introduces freshmen to MTU’s Aiken facility via tours and presentations. The selection process begins in 10th grade with teacher nominations. Selected high school juniors and seniors attend high school classes, career center training sessions and work limited hours at the facility. The apprentices work full-time during the summers before their junior and senior years.

While working at the facility, students rotate through various departments to broaden their knowledge of the company’s operations. At the end of their senior year, apprentices must successfully complete practical, written and oral exams. Upon graduation, employment

everal businesses in the Charleston area have expressed an interest in establishing youth apprenticeship programs.

Apprenticeship Carolina™ and Trident Technical College are working together with the local school district to answer the workforce demands.

The Charleston model focuses on industrial maintenance and introduces the concept of apprenticeship to students in the 8th grade. In the 10th grade, interested students take mechatronics classes at their local high schools as well as receive training and credentials in National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) Core and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Safety. Select students become registered apprentices with participating businesses. They continue with their high school classes and in addition take Industrial Maintenance dual credit courses at Trident Technical College. What’s more, these apprentices work limited hours at the companies receiving wages while learning essential skills through on-the-job training.

Upon completion of the model, students will have a number of accomplishments, including a high school diploma, two portable national certifications, verified WorkKeys® scores, approximately 27 hours of college credit, essential job skills, a nationally-recognized credential from the U.S. Department of Labor and a paycheck.

These examples demonstrate that while the approaches differ, the end goal of building a welltrained workforce remains constant. Combining relevant education with crucial on-the-job experience works to increase the employability of South Carolinians for in-demand occupations. Youth apprenticeship successfully opens doors that may previously have been shut for many of our state’s young people while at the same time works to meet the critical workforce demands of South Carolina business and industry.

Kelly Steinhilper is the vice president of communications at the SC Technical College System.

GE TTY IMAGES

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South Carolina surged ahead – outpacing neighboring states – to become B H a global manufacturing powerhouse B S y

ecretary

obby

itt

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outh Carolina has proven its place as a manufacturing powerhouse - outpacing neighboring states in manufacturing GDP as one of the nation’s fastestgrowing economies. In 2013, we built on this track record and continued to diversify our development strategy, with focus on technology and innovation, life sciences and logisticsrelated fields to further enhance our competitive position.

The state celebrated major announcements last year from world-class companies like Boeing, Google, Michelin North America and Colgate-Palmolive, which helped drive the state to net a record level of capital investment last year.

From January to December 2013, the Palmetto State closed 127 economic development projects, infusing $5.4 billion into the state’s economy and recruiting more than 15,000 new jobs to the workforce. Further reinforcing South Carolina’s manufacturing stronghold, the state’s manufacturing sector represented more than 60 percent of the new jobs and 82 percent of the capital investment that Commerce recruited last year.

M anu f acturin g S uccess

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est described in the words of the famous Frank Sinatra song, “It Was a Very Good Year” in South Carolina for manufacturing. In 2013, the state’s advanced manufacturing sector received its largest boost from aerospace giant Boeing.

The company announced a billion dollar expansion project at its North Charleston campus, creating an additional 2,000 jobs by 2020. The company plans to start building up to 12 airplanes a month by 2016 and up to 14 a month by 2019.

Boeing’s growth strategy in the state speaks to the strength of South Carolina’s workforce and pro-business climate.

T ire T own U . S . A .

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lso helping the manufacturing industry in the Palmetto State gain traction is the momentum of the state’s tire sector. Last year, Michelin North America expanded its existing rubber production operations in Anderson County.

The $200-million investment is expected to create 100 new jobs. Michelin is South Carolina’s largest manufacturing employer, and in the last 21 months, the company has committed to invest a total of $1.15 billion and create at least 870 new jobs in South Carolina.

Michelin North America Chairman and President Pete Selleck commented on the strength of the company’s four decade history in South Carolina, saying, “It’s a source of pride to know that what we’re doing

right here in South Carolina plays such an important role in our company’s global business strategy. It’s a testament to the business-friendly climate in the state and the dedicated, productive and skilled workforce that serves as the engine behind our success.”

I often joke that soon, South Carolina will have a new state slogan – “Tires R Us.” While this new slogan can be taken lightly, the state’s success in tire manufacturing is serious business.

South Carolina is the No. 1 exporter of tires in the nation and home to three of the four top tire makers in world. In addition to Michelin’s expansion in our state, Continental Tire the Americas’ Sumter plant is now open for business, and is expected to produce more than four million tires a year. Bridgestone continues to expand its economic footprint in South Carolina as well. The success of these companies means that every time a tire rolls off an assembly line in South Carolina, it comes with a “well-made” guarantee and helps solidify the state’s position as a world leader in advanced manufacturing.

B ui l din g a D i g ita l E cosystem

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n addition to building on the success of the manufacturing sector, South Carolina made a concerted effort in 2013 to grow its footprint in innovation. The Department of Commerce announced the state’s first Office of Innovation, aimed at fostering the development of innovative companies focused on technology and high-growth markets. Bolstering South Carolina’s high-tech business growth in the last 12 months were top announcements from innovation leaders Google and Benefitfocus.

In December, Benefitfocus, one of South Carolina’s leading providers of cloud-based benefits software solutions, expanded its technology campus in Berkeley County. The expansion project expects to create 1,200 new, high-tech jobs. Google Inc. also expanded its Berkeley County data center, bringing an additional $600 million investment. The data center expansion

ECONOMIC DRIVER

South Carolina: Surging Ahead

project adds to Google’s initial investment of $600 million in 2007.

Experts predict that by 2020, high-tech jobs could increase by more than 20 percent in South Carolina. To get ahead of the trend, we are working to ride the innovation wave and stay competitive, with plans to eventually have one of the top digital ecosystems in the nation.

Y ear in R eview

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ast year, South Carolina continued to recruit business to the state’s rural areas as well. In 2013, the state recruited 3,836 jobs to counties with Tier III or IV designation, comprising about a quarter of jobs being added to the state’s economy through business location or expansion Foreign-direct investment again represented a vital part of the state‘s business recruitment, with 43 percent of capital investment recruited last year and nearly a quarter of new jobs tied to companies headquartered in foreign countries. Companies based in Japan, China, Germany, Canada and France represented the top five contributors to foreign-direct investment in South Carolina in 2013.

Released in December, IBM-Plant Location International‘s 2013 report recognized South Carolina, for the second year in a row, as the top per-capita recruiter of jobs tied to foreign-direct investment in the United States.

S ur g in g A h ead

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n 2013, economists at the Darla Moore School of Business said that our state has “been building momentum,” and 2014 is predicted to be a year of continued growth. Added to the positive forecast, is the state’s declining unemployment rate, which has reached its lowest point in four years, and our leading economic index reaching a six-year high in the fall of 2013.

These results prove that South Carolina’s economic outlook is bright. In the year ahead, we look forward to bringing even more business development, more employment growth and more good news for our state.

Robert “Bobby” M. Hitt III was appointed by Governor Nikki Haley to serve as Secretary of Commerce in January 2011.

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Battlefields Board Rooms Three Cultural Transformations in a South Carolina Company

ne of my favorite subjects is American history, and one of my favorite Americans is George Washington. Perhaps most of us know Washington as the commander of the Continental Army, and later, our first President. We know about Valley Forge, have seen the picture of him crossing the icy Delaware River and have read his farewell address to his soldiers.

Fewer of us know about the skills he used during the Revolutionary War - and that those skills didn’t necessarily include success on the actual battlefield. Washington’s troops were not professionals, his smaller armies were often outmaneuvered, and he lost many battles.

So what led to our country winning the war? In part, Washington’s skills at logistics, organization, supply management and other operations tasks, and his able coordination of multiple “stakeholders” which included Congress, local militias, governors, officers, troops and even international players, particularly the French. In one sense, Washington led a large, multinational corporation in a very challenging competitive environment, and his focus and skill encompassed what we would today describe as operations and distribution.

Washington also was a masterful creator in his army of what we in the corporate world would call “culture,” choosing leaders with care, emphasizing training and managing to hold together an army and maintain morale under desperately difficult circumstances and little to no pay for the troops. Even during his time at Valley Forge in that long cold winter, he saw an opportunity for an intensive training program for his troops - a regimen that he delegated to an able Prussian officer. So when they departed from the winter camp of Valley Forge they were, amazingly, a stronger army than when they arrived. Washington’s ability to shape the internal culture of the American army was a significant reason for his success.

Amidst all of that, he was able to remain focused on a grand, massive vision - the creation of an independent country. As we watch countries in the 21st century seek independence or the overthrow of their governments, we can appreciate the difficulty of the task before Washington and his peers. Washington, unlike his peers, had to manage the tasks and complexities of the battlefield and retain the larger, magnificent vision of the country he hoped to help form.

On the surface, the soldier and magnificent leader of the 18th century that was George Washington has little to do with those of us who are working hard to lead companies in the much more comfortable circumstances of 21st century America. Though all of us have personal challenges, most of us will never be as tested on so meaningful and national a scale. Washington was a reserved and dignified man; he didn’t write a leadership and culture change textbook for his future admirers, so we can only learn by reviewing his actions, not his words (as he would have approvingly agreed). If the commander of America’s first army could pay such close attention to culture shaping and morale on the fields and in the forests of Virginia, New York and Massachusetts, leaders in board rooms and on manufacturing floors should probably do the same.

The company for which I am the managing partner, Elliott Davis, embarked on a long road of cultural transformation some years ago, and I’ve been privileged to observe

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THINKS TOCK

B y R ick D avis

it, participate in it, and on occasion, help lead it, along with many others on the leadership team. Along the way, those of us at Elliott Davis learned some of the same lessons of Washington.

Elliott Davis is a South Carolina success story: a home-grown, accounting, tax and consulting services firm that is one of the top 50 CPA firms in the country. Founded in 1925, we have consistently provided excellent service, focusing on core industries like manufacturing and distribution, construction, banking and financial services, and real estate, among others. We had every reason to be proud of our heritage and our success.

And yet . . . we knew we could be so much better.

Our internal culture had been complacent, comfortable and very satisfied. We had missed some opportunities for expansion and for pursuing certain emerging sectors. We didn’t have a bias toward growth, and we weren’t considering the next generation within the firm. Not only were we not teaching and developing our successors, but we often didn’t act as if we trusted one another. We were trusted by our clients, and for good reason, but we didn’t always demonstrate that same level of trust internally. We were coasting on our past state-based successes.

We recognized that things had to change. The big question was: what steps should we take to shift our culture?

Now that we’re on the other side of that culture shift, it’s easier to see and describe what those steps have been. Here are just three of them:

W e needed to g row , and not necessari l y simp l y in si z e .

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any think that growth comes from seizing opportunities. And there’s some truth in that.

Often there’s a spontaneity and opportunism in growth. The truth is growth creates opportunities as much as takes advantage of them. The very act of embracing growth as a mindset means that opportunities will come, almost as a side benefit.

Growth doesn’t necessarily entail size or money. Rather we needed to grow and develop our talent, particularly in leadership and business development. Leaders help bring people together, sound out priorities and opinions, facilitate discussion and preserve morale. Elliott Davis had plenty of hard-working, excellent technicians.

However, we needed to grow leaders, increase our specialized knowledge and emphasize a client-centric approach to service.

It is clear that George Washington’s leadership skills had a profound impact on history and our country. On a smaller scale, corporations and organizations follow the values and habits of their leaders. Leadership is not the sole predictor of an organization’s success, but it is a key component of success and failure. Similarly, bringing teams of technical and industry specialists to clients and prospects greatly improved our business development results.

W e needed to c h an g e t h e way we communicate .

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erhaps no American leader is as revered for his various “addresses” – addresses to Congress, to troops, to officers, his extensive letters – as George Washington. His language was formal and his phrasing complex. But behind the language was intense feeling – feeling that some of us, aspiring leaders in the 21st century, might do well to express a bit more often.

Washington, for all of his scrupulous honor, his sense of tradition, his formality and his dignity, had a way of bonding with those who worked for and with him. One of the more well-described scenes during his farewell tour after retiring as General of the Continental Army was his goodbye to officers at Fraunces Tavern in New York City. He filled a glass, held it up, and stated simply, “With a heart full of love and gratitude, I now take leave of you. I most devoutly wish that your latter days may be as prosperous and happy as your former ones have been glorious and honorable.”

And then, Washington wept. As each man came forward in silence across the long tavern room, Washington embraced him, tears flowing.

One does not often see such a display in corporate America. We live with a bit more distance and reserve and what some call “ironic detachment.” It’s much easier to be sarcastic and witty than easily touched or passionate.

However, it’s much more difficult to connect with those who live like the former, and much easier to love those who live like the latter.

Elliott Davis leaders have not taken to weeping; but we have changed the way we communicate. For one thing, we discovered that we simply weren’t communicating frequently enough, not face-to-face nor in writing. We also weren’t gathering enough input from everyone. So not only were we not giving information; we weren’t receiving it either. We recognized that we needed to share information at all levels, not simply at the management level. And we needed to be open and candid. We needed to discuss the right things with everyone. Finally, we needed to talk more as a group, in front of one another, to exchange and process information together, rather than in small groups alone.

The communication channels we opened up at Elliott Davis allowed us to connect with one another more broadly and more deeply. Consequently, people at all levels understood more about what we were trying to change, and more importantly, why.

W e needed more accountabi l ity .

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n the old days, the worst part of the year was partner compensation time. We didn’t have many clear paths to success other than “do everything well.” The old model wasn’t in sync with firm goals and actually served as a roadblock to change. Once we set pathways, and worked to discern strengths and put people in the right places, much of that tension was eased.

We needed to set a high bar for performance expectations. And that meant we needed to change - even if only in small ways - our partner compensation plan.

The first thing we decided to do was reward appropriately for performance, for what we reward is what we’ll receive. We determined that performance wasn’t all about “doing a lot of work.” Achievement entails all activities: leadership, talent development, business development and more.

We chose not to value everything in exactly the same way, either. In the past, we had gotten away with rewarding “working” or “more activity,” but we couldn’t do that anymore. We had to be deliberate in how we chose to value particular activities.

We also decided to focus on firm success, not just individual numbers. We chose to look at overall firm success more than we did individual success.

So even if someone hit a home run in a business development goal, the team as a whole had to win as well.

The process of change at Elliott Davis has been long and often challenging, and since none of us at Elliott Davis are George Washington, we’ve made our share of mistakes. But things have changed positively.

Over the past five years, our revenue has grown significantly. We’ve moved into new markets, deepened areas of specialization and expanded our geographical footprint to Charlotte, Richmond, Raleigh and Charleston. We are successfully attracting talent at all levels. From the highest levels to our entry-level positions, we have added bench strength.

Beyond the more obvious external achievements, our culture has changed dramatically. We set big goals and execute our vision well. We have improved communication. Our business development is conducted as a team, rather than by individuals. Our compensation processes have changed. We allow people to leverage their strengths, rather than forcing them into pre-set molds. We are consistently recognized as one of the Best Places to Work in South Carolina. And few to none of our staff leave over job dissatisfaction.

Perhaps most importantly, successfully navigating these three areas of cultural change has allowed us to grow talent at Elliott Davis - talent that can not only bring our clients the benefit of deep wells of expertise, but ingenuity, entrepreneurial creativity and leadership. Such talent can lead Elliott Davis into the future reliably, confidently, and successfully.

Rick Davis is the managing shareholder at Elliott Davis, headquartered in Greenville, SC. For further conversation about corporate culture change, contact him at rdavis@elliottdavis.com.

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Innovative Charter Schools Produce Excellent Students Addressing South Carolina’s Future Workforce Needs

Co u r t es y o f Eas t Po i n t Acad em y

B y D r . W ayne B razell

East Point Academy is partnered with the Confucius Institute at the University of South Carolina to offer its students a Mandarin language immersion experience.

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f you walk onto the campus of Youth Leadership Academy in Pickens, they will proudly show you the state-of-the-art telescope available to their students through a partnership with Clemson University.

Provost Academy in Columbia recently debuted their blended learning center where virtual students can opt for in-person assistance from their teachers. The charter school environment in South Carolina is fast-paced and ever-changing, with schools constantly pursuing partnerships, grants and new ideas to stay competitive and prepare students for future careers.

The South Carolina General Assembly paved the way for charter schools in 1996 with its initial charter school law and then allowed for more rapid expansion with the creation of the South Carolina Public Charter School District (SCPCSD) in 2007. For schools within the SCPCSD, there are no traditional district attendance boundaries - any student eligible to attend school in South Carolina may attend an SCPCSD charter school. Traditional school districts and institutions of higher education can also authorize charter schools. Regardless of what entity authorizes a charter school, the following applies: • A charter school must have an innovative theme or mission that differentiates it from a traditional public school.

• Charter schools are free public schools that do not charge tuition.

• Charter schools face increased accountability.

They are closed if academic performance and growth is insufficient. Charter schools can also be closed due to operational issues.

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E ast P oint A cademy

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ocated in the Columbia area, East Point Academy partnered with the Confucius Institute at the University of South Carolina to offer its students a Mandarin language immersion experience. As the most widely-spoken language in the world, learning Mandarin opens up a world of opportunities for students. From business to international relations, fluency in Mandarin makes a job candidate all the more appealing.

East Point Academy uses a 50-50 dual immersion model. Students learn Mandarin in their math, science and Mandarin language arts classes while English and Mandarin are mixed in the related arts classes. Special related arts classes are offered in certain grades, such as a course in Chinese History for those in fourth grade. The school also offers Mandarin tutorials for new students every year.

Students are not only taught to speak and understand Mandarin, but to read and write the language as well. Students begin writing characters in first grade, and by the third and fourth grades they are writing entire papers in Mandarin. Students who participate in the school’s 3K and 4K programs get an even earlier start.

Renee Mathews, director of the school, said that members of the public are often surprised to hear about the demographics of the school. About 30 percent of students are African-American and 12 percent identify as mixed race. Only eight percent are Asian and a small percentage identify as Hispanic.

Mathews described the emphasis on Mandarin

language acquisition as the neon sign of the school, but not the piece that will guarantee success. The school employs inquiry and project-based learning, asking students to participate in cooperative learning projects at both the class and school-wide levels. The school also participates in eight community service projects per year, emphasizing the need for each student to be an engaged citizen of their community.

P a l metto S c h o l ars A cademy

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ituated in the hubbub of Charleston, Palmetto Scholars Academy employs a curriculum designed for the gifted and talented child. Dr. Marty Hale, school principal, described the ideal student as being curious, loves to learn and likes solving problems. Beginning in the sixth grade, every student participates in a research-based curriculum, meaning they are given real-world problems to research and explore during student-led class discussion.

While many public schools offer a STEM program, Palmetto Scholars Academy takes it a step further by developing a unique partnership with NASA through the College of Charleston.

In one of the partnership projects, every student creates and enters a microgravity experiment for judging. The school sends the top three projects to NASA for consideration, and NASA then chooses one experiment to send to the international space station. The students and astronauts then conduct experiments based on the projects’ parameters to see how microgravity affects the results.

Continued on Page 23

As a 115-year-old packaging company with small town roots, integrity and accountability have always been at the heart of all we do. Today, our more than 340 operations in 34 countries serve global brands across six continents.

Since 1899, we’ve committed ourselves to the singular notion that smart packaging is more than plastics, cardboard and paper– it’s a promise to people, products and our planet. And we believe it’s one well worth keeping.

Common Core State Standards: Myths and Facts

B y T om D onohue

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merica’s public K-12 education system isn’t making the grade. It’s not adequately preparing our students to succeed in college or the modern workforce. It’s not delivering the skilled workers that businesses need to drive

stronger economic growth. It’s not helping advance America’s ability to compete and lead in the global economy. In short, it’s setting our nation up to fail.

One major answer to this challenge is in our grasp - the Common Core State Standards for K-12. Common Core is a leading effort that was spearheaded by state leaders on both ends of the political spectrum with input from teachers, parents, school administrators and other experts. Common Core is an elevated set of standards, not a curriculum. It focuses on the building blocks of learning, such as reading and math, and is designed to be applicable in the real world - namely, college or career.

One of the key attributes of Common Core is nationwide clarity and consistency. Under the current system, the United States is a patchwork of disparate state standards and uneven expectations. An “A” grade in one state may be equivalent to a “C” in another. But states that opt into Common Core adopt a consistent set of goals that puts them on equal footing. So far, 45 states and the District of Columbia have opted in, which helps provide clarity for students, parents and teachers across the country.

Here’s what Common Core won’t do: bureaucratize education or centralize authority over our schools. Opponents of Common Core are propagating the falsehood that these standards are a federal takeover of education. Some even suggest it is a top-down effort to indoctrinate students with slanted ideology. This is flat-out wrong. Common Core was created at the state levels, where our most innovative policies often originate, by governors and state officials.

Everyone who has a stake - parents, educators, labor, business and policymakers - must commit to working cooperatively toward our shared goal of strengthening U.S. education. Our future is on the line.

Fact: Common Core is a state-led initiative by governors, state superintendents, and nonprofit agencies to modernize education standards locally. Neither Congress nor the U.S. Department of Education is involved.

Myth: Common Core represents a national curriculum that tells teachers what to teach.

Fact: Under Common Core, school curricula will be determined locally – by the school board, administrators, and teachers.

Myth: Common Core is an Obama Administration initiative.

Fact: The Common Core State Standards Initiative was created before President Obama took office.

Myth: Given its emphasis on nonfiction reading, Common Core’s English language arts standards spell the end of literature for our children.

Fact: Classic books will still very much be a part of curriculum taught in language arts classrooms.

Myth: Common Core State Standards are not any better (or are worse) than existing state standards.

Fact: A 2010 study by the Fordham Institute found that the Common Core is superior to standards currently in use in 39 states in math and 37 states in English. For 33 states, the new standards are superior in both math and reading.

HERMERA

Tom Donohue is president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Myth: Common Core is an effort of the federal government to nationalize education and force the states to teach all students the same way.

Courtesy of U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation

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Google CS First

ERIC WAGES & KATE BERRIO

March ~ April 2014 Centerfold

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B y P enny D elaney C othran , apr

P hotograph y b y S and y A ndrews

as it ever flashed in your mind that your child might be preternaturally gifted when it comes to tablets, computers and technology? Taken aback by her talent, did you wish then that there was some place you could send said progeny where she could ”geek out“ with not only kids her own age but with some of the brightest adults in our state? Enter the Google CS First teaching practicum underway in South Carolina’s Lowcountry. Eric Wages, site operations manager, Moncks Corner Data Center, and Kate Berrio, project manager, Google CS Teaching Fellows/CS First, are leading the charge to make “geek chic” for boys and girls in middle schools. As future generations continue to learn and express themselves digitally, what should parents, educators and citizens do to make sure they are not only gaining exposure to computer science but are subsequently challenged to make computer science work for them (e.g. manipulation of code)?

Who should we turn to? Just Google it.

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Just Google It

March~April 2014 Centerfold E R I C W A G E S & K AT E B E R R I O Google CS First

U nderrepresented Groups in C omputer S cience ( C S )

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any think of Google as a powerful company with limitless reach and influence.

In the same vein, Google wondered what it should be doing to help expose children to the power that comes from the same computational thinking skills that the company’s own employees pride themselves on. Beyond exposure to the CS subject, one of the best measures of whether or not students in public schools are considering CS as an area of study in college is the AP (Advanced Placement) exam. Consider these statistics reported from last year’s AP data: • In Mississippi, Montana and Wyoming, no girls took the computer science exam.

• In 11 states, no black students took it.

• In eight states, no Hispanics took it.

• In 17 states, fewer than 100 students took it.

“We are a company that puts its resources behind its beliefs,” said Eric Wages. “Google is hiring teachers and taking it to the students.” Kate Berrio has been with Google almost four years, relocating her family from Google’s New York City office to the facility in Berkeley County. Berrio was tasked as Google’s project manager to pull together 14 computer science teaching fellows.

The fellows are a young and diverse group of local talent from across the country, as well as a variety of backgrounds including STEM teachers and computer science engineers.

What they are piloting is a first-in-the-country after-school program. Because Google has targeted the time children spend learning after the normal school day, Berrio has worked not only with her new Google hires, but the school districts’ administration and faculty to make sure each session has volunteers, staff, a teacher sponsor, transportation home for the children and a computer lab in which to meet. Her challenge: “How do we put together something for those kids who don’t know that this would be something that they would even like or want (L-R) Joe Holberg and Jackie Blizzard, Google to do?” She felt that there Computer Science Technical Fellows and Jeremy Jones, Intern, College of Charleston, studying were excellent enrichment computer science. activities for the children who already know about computer science, so she focused instead on underserved communities and underserved demographics, such as girls and minorities. She spoke about making Google CS “social, fun and collaborative for the kids so it’s not just coming in and sitting down and coding away at a computer.” Rather, it’s creating music videos, games, fashion design and relating computer science to each field. “I really want to get kids who haven’t thought about this [computer science] before,” she said.

Jones works with student Caleb Cumbee.

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The program is being piloted in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties and consists of several concurrent four-week sessions with each class meeting twice a week. “It takes a group effort,” added Wages. His ultimate goal is for the autonomous pilot program to be passed to a school or organization that won’t be totally dependent upon the 14 Google employees.

C ou l d Y ou S ee Y ourse l f in t h e C omputer S cience Fie l d ? nce upon a time, the word “nerd” was a pejorative. Already in its fourth iteration, the stigma-busting Google CS First program has touched over 500 children since it launched in August 2013. “We are not measuring skill. We are not trying to create an army of coders,” explained Berrio. While potentially scalable to a national level, Google CS First is principally focused on the impression it’s making in its South Carolina schools. Using pre- and postprogram surveys, Google asks its participants engagement questions like “Are you interested in this [computer science]? Has it ignited something in you? Are you engaged? Do you feel empowered by this? [How would you] describe a computer scientist? Could you see yourself in the computer science field? If presented with a similar opportunity, would you do it again?”

“What we hope is that they’ll say yes to the next opportunity,” said Berrio.

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“ I T h in k I ’ m S mart . I T h in k I C an D o T h is ”

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errio works with a lot of school principals. She said she’s frank about the students she wants to recruit for Google CS First. “It’s not [me] coming to your school and saying, ‘I want your honors kids. Those kids have so many things going for them; let’s talk about everybody else.’” In her demographics, she feels she recruits a representational slice from each school. On average, the students Google serves are 60 percent free and reduced-price lunch eligible. “There’s never a fee for this program [for participants or schools],” stressed Berrio.

“The name Google opens the door [at many of the schools,] but that’s not what keeps it open. What keeps the door open is that educators know that technology and, in particular, computer science is the next big thing. Whether they are going to be at Google or another tech company, or they’re going to be in healthcare, the military, education, automotive industry; all of those areas are moving more and more toward having to have some sort of a technical background to be successful.”

S out h C aro l ina ’ s S i l icon Harbor

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t a recent STEM fair in Charleston, Berrio anecdotally shared that the majority of the students who walked up to her Google Chromebook display were middle-schoolaged girls. Their parents said, “I can’t get my daughter off the computer and I’m looking for resources. What should she do next?” Geek culture is cool now. And Charleston is the “Silicon Harbor” according to the Charleston Digital Corridor Foundation, an IT incubator board that Eric Wages serves on.

Wages pointed to PeopleMatter, a King Street, Charleston venture capital success story, as “proof positive that the Charleston area is the 10th fastest-growing IT business area in the US. We have got a number of top 500 software companies here. We’ve got a lot of talent here, and growing. And a huge market for IT people here. So, what we’re seeing is as all these people are moving to Charleston, they are asking about activities for their kids. Things are happening in the area. It’s not a chicken OR the egg, it’s chicken AND the egg. It’s all happening at the same time. And it’s all self-supporting.”

T h e Goo g l e W or k f orce – B eanies and A l l

“G

oogle has committed to $1.2 billion in the state which takes a sizeable army to go operate,” noted Wages. When it comes to hiring at Google, he and Berrio both confirmed that they too were once “Nooglers” (New Googlers) and each wore the now

best engineers over there. They can do it! It all comes down to exposure [to computer science].” In a nutshell, Google’s strategy is computer science exposure plus charitable support equals excellence in long-term workforce development.

Get to Know Eric Wages and Kate Berrio: What’s your favorite place in SC? Folly Beach, said Berrio. Charleston, said Wages. “It reminds me of old Boston.”

Goo g l e is Hirin g T eac h ers

What’s your favorite book? It by Stephen King, said Wages, who’s met King before. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, said Berrio.

App you can’t live without… Maps, said Berrio. “I’m new to the area.” Calendar, said Wages.

If you could have dinner with anyone, living or deceased, who would it be? Michelle Obama, said Berrio. Albert Einstein and Alan Turing, said Wages.

What’s your proudest achievement? What we’re doing here at Google, said both. iconic beanie hats for their first few weeks on the job (Berrio in 2010 and Wages in 2008). Even the practicum teachers wore their beanies, which is a way of introducing yourself into the tight-knit group of busy Google workers. “It’s a badge of honor,” says Berrio. Wages’ beanie now hangs on a hook near his desk. Beyond the army of Googlers, the Moncks Corner building site, which includes the company’s most recently announced $600 million expansion, has over 1,200 construction workers. In fact, 85 percent of Google’s staff in Berkeley County is from surrounding areas. “We work hard with the local colleges and businesses to get the right people,” admitted Wages.

“We have a variety of technical needs for Google,” said Wages. “Google is a very specialized employer. We have a mix of people who have skills in maintaining facilities, all the way up to the folks who fix the computers and deploy the networking gear and build the computers. My passion… is supporting education and growth. Google is involved in all these things because we’re looking at a 20-year horizon on our own workforce nationally and globally. A risk for us is down the road is that we wouldn’t have access to programmers, scientists and engineers. So we are heavily invested in doing lots of things to create interest at the middle school and high school levels to push them into a mode where they know science and technology is cool. We are invested in the long term [goal]. Whatever we can do to help the foundation helps us in the end. What Kate does in the middle schools is important. These are the things that feed the pipeline.”

What’s different between the CS First practicum and the $250,000 that Google distributes in community grants is that, “Kate is developing the feeder interest while we (at the data center) are supporting the next step after that.” Google’s data center in Berkeley County has supported Computing in the Arts at College of Charleston, broadband initiatives for families who are raising orphans, the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics, Trident Technical College’s Quest Competition and community Wi-Fi initiatives, to name a few. Wages emphasized that the committee that makes the grant decisions is based at the South Carolina data center, not at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, CA. “We actually have people who work for Google out in California who are graduates of the Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics. They’re some of our

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errio theorized that there are plenty of new programs being created for the community, but “no one is actually working with real kids. That’s what we keep seeing as the differentiator [between Google’s program and its competitors’].” Student feedback is essential to the creation of the curriculum. “I am proud to work at Google because a corporation that would put the resources behind this... It blew my mind!” the non-profit pro said. “Our intention is not for this to be a four-week program and we go away.” Berrio mentioned that she is looking for community volunteers and has had success in this school district with non-technical individuals. She stressed that her volunteers did not need to be computer scientists or educators. Currently, she has a small pool of volunteers including stay-at-home moms, college

Holberg works with Tyanna Baylock, a student

students and a couple of industry folk who knock off work early twice a week to help out after school.

Penny Delaney Cothran is the multimedia manager at the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce and editor of South Carolina Business.

ideas that shape education

We create engaging learning environments for South Carolina’s future leaders.

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G ETTY I M AG ES

Accountability-Based Funding and the Business Model Search for Public Higher Education

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he business model for public higher education in South Carolina has changed dramatically in the past dozen years.

• In FY 2000, our public colleges and universities received 64 percent of their operating budgets for each full-time equivalent student (FTE) from state appropriations. In FY 2012, those entities received only 37 percent (including state-funded scholarships).

• Conversely, in FY 2000, student tuition and fees paid 36 percent of college operating budgets (excluding state-funded scholarships). In FY 2012, net tuition and fees from those students covered 63 percent.

• The percentage of the state’s General Fund budget dedicated to public higher education dropped from 14 percent in FY 2001 to 6.2 percent in FY 2013. Inclusive of other state revenues, the percentage of the total state budget dedicated to public higher education’s operating

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by R ichard C. S utton

budget dropped from 16.2 percent in FY 2001 to 11.1 percent in FY 2013.

The General Fund, of course, is not the only repository of state revenues. The South Carolina Education Lottery was established in 2001. Its contribution to the state’s public higher education budget (primarily through LIFE, Palmetto and other direct student aid programs) has grown from $169 million in FY 2003 to $263 million in FY 2014, now accounting for more than one-third of the state’s total public higher education operating appropriations.

As this seismic shift in the business model of higher education unfolded in the new century, South Carolina relied on lottery scholarships as the primary mechanism to maintain state support for higher education as General Fund appropriations declined.

In doing so, the state placed significant decisionmaking responsibility for higher education funding in the hands of students and their parents.

This produced foreseeable but perhaps unintended consequences. Universities must not only strive for excellence in their primary missions of teaching, research and service. Also, they must now appeal to the expectations of young consumers who may not fully appreciate the qualitative elements of instruction and learning that should be their primary criteria for selecting a school.

In weighing their choice of options about where to attend college, however, these empowered consumers will consider the latest equipment in the school’s fitness center, the amenities of its residence halls and the convenience and quality of its dining facilities.

This changed environment calls for a redesign and new strategies for higher education funding that are dynamic, sustainable and directed toward the future.

Early in her inaugural term, Governor Nikki Haley called for a new approach to funding the state’s higher education system based on accountability.

Legislation to initiate this approach, known as

Accountability-Based Funding (ABF), was introduced, and two companion bills currently stand before the General Assembly.

• H.3518 passed the House of Representatives on April 10, 2013 and was forwarded to the Senate, where it remains in the Senate Education Committee.

• S.266 was recommended favorably by the Senate Education Committee on May 29, 2013 and has been placed on the Senate calendar.

The two bills are nearly identical.

• They call for the state’s Commission on Higher Education (CHE) to study and make recommendations for a revised accountabilitybased funding formula for the state’s senior public universities.

• They identify four areas of accountability (degree completion, affordability and access, educational quality and economic development/institutional mission) for which the Commission and college presidents must prescribe specific performance indicators.

• They exempt two-year technical colleges from this process.

• They call for greater autonomy and regulatory relief for institutions that meet performance thresholds.

• They call for a five-year transition to fully implement the ABF model.

• Should we differentiate the actual costs of education by discipline and charge tuition accordingly (e.g. chemistry costs more than history)?

• Should we promote selected critical-need or high-demand degrees as “loss leaders,” recouping that investment with higher margin educational products?

• Should we increase non-state-resident enrollments and adjust tuition structures further to subsidize South Carolina students?

• Should we provide “free” higher education in exchange for a percentage of a student’s future earnings (mirroring the “pay forward/pay back” model recently adopted in Oregon)?

• Should students “buy” academic degrees as a fixed product, “subscribe” to degree-completion and lifelong learning contracts that guarantee upgrades as needed, or “rent” academic experiences on-demand for their evolving employment needs and aspirational goals?

One major difference between the two bills is that the Senate version prohibits the use of the Commission’s existing parity model—known as the Mission Resource Requirement (MRR)—in any new funding recommendations. Parity models, used by many states, attempt to allocate funding equitably among institutions based on calculations of need, driven primarily by student enrollments.

Although an enrollment-based formula for informing state appropriations has existed in South Carolina since the 1970s, the basic design of the current MRR has been in place since 1996, when the state first pioneered a performance-driven funding model that led the nation. It incorporates a multitude of factors in determining the operating needs of each of the state’s 33 public colleges and universities based on enrollments, degree array and other measures.

The MRR formula has not been applied to legislative funding decisions for a number of years.

Regardless of whether ABF becomes the new driver in South Carolina’s approach to public college funding, South Carolina must find new business models for our state’s public higher education enterprise. ABF can be an important, even dominant force in this effort, but there are many other innovations that could be considered.

• Do scholarship programs yield the optimal return on investment that were originally expected, or should we redesign their behavioral incentives (and disincentives) to spur better outcomes?

• Should we divest non-core activities (like residence halls and fitness centers) or doubledown on their potential as revenue streams?

These are complicated and controversial questions, but we need to address them seriously if we want to build a higher education environment that is dynamic, productive and responsive to the rapidly changing workforce needs in the years ahead.

Ultimately, South Carolina must find a predictable, affordable and sustainable process to fund higher education that reflects the changing realities of a global landscape. It moves quickly; so should we.

Richard C. Sutton, Ph.D., is the executive director of the SC Commission on Higher Education. The views expressed in this article are his own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Commissioners.

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Hundreds of thousands of South Carolinians are caring for an aging parent or another loved one while also working full time. These family caregivers provide an invaluable resource by helping seniors live independently at home - keeping them out of the hospital or other institution. But these caregivers often lack the support they need to safely care for their loved ones. The Lieutenant Governor’s Office on Aging has a solution to better help seniors and their family caregivers that AARP proudly supports. Our seniors gave South Carolina a lifetime of hard work – let’s help them remain independent and save the state resources that otherwise might have been spent on more costly institutional care.

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BUSINESS WEEK

I Continue to Learn at Business Week B y T ony E lliott

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first learned about the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce’s Business Week program from a co-worker who served as a Company Advisor. It was great to hear about a South Carolina-based program that provided high school students with the opportunity to: • Experience life as a college student • Learn about the entrepreneurial spirit • Tour a leading South Carolina company • Apply for scholarships • Engage in healthy competition with their peers

In 2007, I was honored to serve as a Business Week Company Advisor for the first time at Presbyterian College located in Clinton, SC. While my feelings of returning to life in a dormitory were lukewarm, I was impressed with the program design and the caliber of students that attended. It is always amazing to see how students from various geographical locations and diverse backgrounds begin the process of maturing as a team to compete against other companies. Even as a seasoned professional, I continue to learn how I can be a better teammate and leader by watching the actions of the participants during the week.

INNOVATIVE CHARTER SCHOOLS Continued from page 12 At Palmetto Scholars Academy, students can begin accumulating high school credits as early as sixth grade. High school students are encouraged to take many of their courses for college credit through the colleges and universities in the Lowcountry. In the 10th grade, students spend hours with mentors who work in fields that interest the student, exploring how that field uses research and approaches problem-solving. Students have participated in archaeological digs, watched open heart surgeries and shadowed meteorologists.

Palmetto Scholars Academy strives to make every class project a relevant real-world experience. By pushing students past the “memorize and repeat” mindset, they further develop critical thinking skills and expose students to a variety of highly specialized fields that many students won’t get to explore until they’re eligible for college internships.

G R E E N C h arter S c h oo l

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ompared to other countries, Americans are often seen as wasteful in their spending and excessive in their dependence on non-renewable energy resources.

With hybrid and electric cars gaining popularity and reliability, the energy landscape is changing and is being pioneered by other parts of the world. Educating students on energy issues and involving them in developing viable alternatives will be crucial to putting the United States on

Two years ago, I had the pleasure of seeing my niece grow from her experience at Business Week. It really provided her with the opportunity to learn about business, and she even decided to attend Presbyterian College after high school. I am looking forward to meeting and/or welcoming back the students for Business Week 2014. It is a rewarding personal commitment and truly beneficial for all students to learn about selling, marketing and manufacturing a product.

Also, I must give thanks to my employer, SCANA Corporation, for allowing me to spend time molding the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Business Week will be held July 13-18, 2014.

To find out how you can provide a sponsorship to help a student attend S.C. Business Week 2014, visit www.scbusinessweek.com.

Antonio “Tony” Elliott works with SCANA and is a Company Advisor at South Carolina Business Week, the premier business education program for top-ranking high school students from across the state. During the weeklong program, 24 prominent business executives, such as Elliott, mentor the students while teaching current business topics.

(Above, left to right) Business Week Advisors Paul Halphen, Tony Elliott and Phil Waddell.

the cutting edge of the industry.

One of the Upstate’s newest schools, GREEN Charter School focuses on developing an understanding of environmental sustainability, renewable energy and technology in its students. Students are introduced to GREEN Charter School’s theme through elective science The GREEN Charter School focuses on developing an understanding of environmental sustainability, renewable energy and technology in its students. courses related to energy using the Project NEED (National Energy Education Development) curriculum. struggles. In contrast, GREEN Charter School has While the Greenville school has been open for faced relatively few roadblocks, impressing parents less than one academic year, it has already taken great and district staff alike. The school prides itself on a strides to become a “Green Steps School.” The school data-driven decision-making process, with teachers regularly recycles and participated in America Recycles and staff constantly consulting data to better serve Day. From recyclable materials that students brought each individual student. to school, fourth graders built houses and wired them Charter schools can help not only the students for lights, and fifth grade students built bird feeders to who struggle in a traditional classroom, but also be used on the school grounds. In 2014, the school those who need a greater challenge. With the plans to expand their recycling program to include expanding public school choice landscape, all parents shoe and fabric recycling. They also hope to place have the opportunity to find a great educational fit plants in every classroom to improve air quality and for their children. To learn more about the schools, teach students about ecology. visit www.sccharter.org.

With an unknown student population and the growing pains that come with opening a school, Dr. Wayne Brazell is superintendent of the South many first- year charter schools face unexpected Carolina Public Charter School District.

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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

ITT Technical Institute

Creating Tech-Qualified Employees Since 1992 B y P enny D elaney C othran , APR

W

hat stands out the most to a student who’s looking to advance his or her training with a formal education at ITT Technical Institute is its unique employer-driven curriculum. What stands out the most to a businessperson is that this distinctive model makes the publically-traded company a win-win for employers. The ITT Technical Institute in Greenville, S.C. provides a steady flow of skilled, technology-oriented graduates to businesses and industry throughout the Upstate. Leading employers such as Hubbell Lighting, Proterra, Windstream, BMW and Michelin boast many of the school’s graduates in their employ. Skilled workers in high technology fields contribute greatly to attracting and sustaining high-tech employers.

Anthony Berrios, Ph. D., director, South Atlantic District said, “I think we do a very good job of producing highly-skilled, technically-qualified employees to support our industries in this area, which is crucial. We don’t do it with any lottery money. We don’t do it with any tax money from the state. But we do turn out a high caliber workforce which certainly helps attract and retain quality employers in our area.”

I T T T ec h ’ s History

T

he ITT Technical Institute in Greenville opened in November, 1992, offering an associate of applied science degree program in electronics engineering technology.

“We selected Greenville primarily because of the potential of the high-tech employers in the area and their need for skilled employees,” said Dr. Berrios. The school moved to its present location in July 2004. The school now offers associate of applied science degrees in computer and electronics engineering technology, computer drafting and design, drafting and design technology, electrical engineering technology, information technology, network systems administration, and bachelor of science degrees in electrical engineering and communications technology, information systems and cybersecurity, information systems security, and project management and administration.

M ission and V ision f or t h e Future

T

he ITT Technical Institute is an institution of higher learning that is committed to offering quality undergraduate and continuing education locally, nationally and worldwide to students of diverse backgrounds, interests and abilities. The institution offers career-related educational programs that integrate life-long learning with knowledge and skills to help students: • pursue their personal interests and objectives; • develop intellectual, analytical and critical thinking abilities; and • provide service to their communities.

The programs employ traditional, applied and adultlearning pedagogies and are delivered through traditional,

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for people who are already in their field or just looking to advance, or for those who are outside of the tech area and are looking to become tech skilled.” When recruiting, the ITT Technical Institutes have identified key demographic, economic and social trends. These trends include: • changes in workplace demands; • recognition of the value of higher education; • the increased demand for workers knowledgeable of and skilled in technology; • increased number of adults returning to school to develop the knowledge and skills that can help enhance their employment opportunities or allow them to pursue new careers; and • the increased number of high school graduates. accelerated and distance methodologies in a learnercentered environment of mutual respect.

C urricu l a

“W

e are focused on the STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) curriculum,” said Dr. Berrios. Curriculum offerings, leading primarily to associate and bachelor’s degrees, are designed to help students prepare for career opportunities in various fields of employment. Programs are offered in the School of Information Technology, the School of Electronics Technology, the School of Drafting and Design, the School of Business, the School of Criminal Justice, the School of Health Sciences and the Breckinridge School of Nursing. Most ITT Technical Institute programs of study blend traditional academic content with applied learning concepts. Advisory committees, comprised of representatives from local businesses and employers, help each ITT Technical Institute periodically assess and update curricula, equipment and laboratory design.

F l e x ibi l ity is Key

“I

t’s not easy for someone to switch careers and get into the high-tech field,” said Dr. Berrios. “If you’re already supporting a family and you already have a job, you need someone who’s going to work with your schedule and help you transition into that career field. We’re very good at that.”

Students attend classes year-round with convenient breaks provided throughout the year. In most programs, classes are typically offered in four to five-hour sessions three days a week. Some programs have classroom-based sessions three days per week, while others have classroom-based study two days per week with the third day of instruction offered online. Classes are generally available in the morning, afternoon and evening, depending on student enrollment.

T h e ( T ypica l ) I T T T ec h S tudent

“I

t’s really designed for adult learners,” said Dr. Berrios.

“We deliver our curriculum through traditional, accelerated and distance learning modalities, which is key

“We have everything from your traditional high schooler seeking a tech college to veterans who are coming out of the military,” said Dr. Berrios. The majority of the students who do come to us are career changers or people who need formalized education to advance within their existing company. We can have a classroom with people who are 18, 28, 38 or 48. It’s very real-world for our students.”

A N ote f or E mp l oyers

I

TT Technical Institute provides a customized search and screening process as a complimentary service to help businesses and graduates. “We have it set up as a win-win for our employers,” said Dr. Berrios. “We provide customized search and screening processes for any employer that calls us.

I run a full scale career services office out of this campus. We talk to a lot of employers, national employers and regional employers, about the quality of the students that we can provide to the workforce. That allows us to really showcase Greenville.”

Q uic k Facts

t Traded on the NYSE as ESI (www.ittesi.com) t Headquartered in Carmel, Indiana, ITT Tech has been in higher-ed since 1969 t Owns and operates more than 140 ITT Technical Institutes and Daniel Webster College t Serves 59,000 students in 39 states and online t Nationally accredited by a commission recognized by the U.S. Department of Education t Graduates students each quarter, allowing a constant stream of employees to meet hiring needs t Encourages employer feedback regarding curriculum through its Program Advisory Committees Penny Delaney Cothran, APR is the multimedia manager at the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce and editor of South Carolina Business.

We’re glad you’re here, Showa Denko.

Before a recent planned expansion. Before the first graphite electrode was manufactured. Before the plant manager flipped on the lights for the first time. Santee Cooper partnered with Showa Denko Carbon Inc. 30 years ago to bring the international industrial giant to the Charleston area.

By partnering our low-cost, reliable power and development opportunities with our state’s attractive tax base, relocation incentives, and an unparalleled quality of life graced with Southern hospitality, Santee Cooper helps Showa Denko continue to thrive in South Carolina. And continues to power South Carolina toward Brighter Tomorrows, Today.

POWERING S.C. www.santeecooper.com/SC

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Educational Programs in South Carolina

You thought you knew your ABCs?

IGPs

LTA

EFA

I

MAP

CHE B y T im T immons

listened recently with great interest to a Workforce Readiness in South Carolina presentation. After pulling out my smart phone several times to look up acronyms that were being discussed, I gave up.

Workforce readiness is measured in terms of decades not years. Programs are in place now to ensure our workforce is ready, trained and available for future economic development opportunities. As I continued to listen intently, it became clear that South Carolina has many very effective initiatives under way now. And often, an acronym is required. Since I was missing the major parts of the presentation while looking up acronyms, I decided to just take note of them and research them at a later date. I have since done my research, and it is amazing what is going on in South Carolina. There are many strategies that are making a difference in South Carolina workforce preparedness. And just as amazing is that now I understand all the acronyms.

EPFP EIA EEDA LTA EFA BSC EIC NCLB REC ESL

Education Policy Fellowship Program Education Improvement Act Education and Economic Development Act Lottery Tuition Assistance Education Finance Act Base Student Cost Environment Integrating Context No Child Left Behind Regional Education Centers English as a Second Language

EEDA (Education and Economic Development Act of 2005): The EEDA, or Personal Pathways to Success, is public school reform legislation that combines high academic standards with career exploration while giving students the guidance and experience they need to take full advantage of real opportunities in South Carolina’s economy. Students learn about potential careers by

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CHE MAP MSSC STEM IGPs ELOs AYP CWRC CATE

Council on Higher Education Measures of Academic Progress Manufacturing Skills Standards Certification Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Individual Graduation Plans Extended Learning Opportunities Adequate Yearly Progress Certified Work Ready Communities Career & Technology Education

following a progression of activities and courses designed to focus on career awareness (K-5), exploration (middle school) and preparation (high school and postsecondary).

In eighth grade, students and their parents or guardians sit down with guidance counselors to create individual graduation plans (IGP). IGPs specify students’ cluster choices, majors, postsecondary goals, high school courses,

out-of-class learning experiences and more. Students and their parents revisit these choices at least once a year and can make adjustments. The Personal Pathways system provides seamless transitions to postsecondary education by establishing articulation agreements among the state’s high schools, two-year colleges and four-year colleges.

ELOs (extended learning opportunities): Mandated by the EEDA, extended learning opportunities give students hands-on work experiences that stimulate their participation in learning by showing relevance with their studies. Some examples are apprenticeships, internships, co-ops, job shadowing and work-based mentoring.

A pprenticeship C arolina ™: A registered apprenticeship is an employer-sponsored flexible training program that cultivates highly skilled workers who meet the workforce demands of a competitive global economy. Through the technical college system, a business can gain complimentary access to consultants who will guide them through the registered apprenticeship development process from initial information to full recognition in the national Registered Apprenticeship System. Eligible businesses can receive a South Carolina tax credit of $1,000 for each registered apprentice employed for at least seven months during each year of an apprentice’s program, for up to four years.

South Carolina Work Ready Communities: On November 26, 2012, Governor Nikki Haley announced that South Carolina was chosen by ACT as one of four initial states in the country to implement the Certified Work Ready Communities (CWRC) program. Each county has the opportunity to become certified through a voluntary workforce quality improvement effort guided by key community leaders. To become certified, counties must meet goals for high school graduation, soft skills development, business support and National Career Readiness Certification.

WorkKeys®: WorkKeys® provide a comprehensive system for measuring, communicating and improving the common skills required for success in the workplace. The system helps employers select, hire, train, develop and retain a high-performance workforce. The major components of the WorkKeys System include employer job profiling and worker assessment. Through the successful completion of assessments in applied mathematics, locating information and reading for information, individuals can earn a bronze, silver, gold or platinum level National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC). Business hiring decisions can be assisted by matching the required WorkKeys level of the job with the certificate level achieved by a potential employee.

Quick Jobs: Quick Jobs are fast-paced continuing education training programs offered at South Carolina technical colleges. Many programs can be completed in less than three months. Check with your local technical college for more specific information. readySC™: Available to qualifying companies that invest in South Carolina, the process is comprehensive, customized and provided by the Technical College System that includes recruiting, screening and training potential employees. To qualify, a new company must

be permanent, pay a competitive wage for the area, the benefit package must include health insurance, and the number of jobs created must be sufficient enough to allow training in a cost-effective manner.

SmartState: In 2002, the South Carolina General Assembly established the SmartState Program, authorizing the state’s three public research institutions - Clemson University, the Medical University of South Carolina and the University of South Carolina - to use state lottery funds to create Centers of Economic Excellence in research areas that will advance South Carolina’s economy. There are currently 50 SmartState Centers in six industry-focused Smart Clusters: Advanced Materials & Nanotechnology, Automotive and Transportation, Biomedical, Future Fuels®, Information Science and Pharmaceutical. Each center is awarded from $2 million to $5 million in state lottery funds, which must be matched on a dollar-for-dollar basis with non-state funds from corporations or other entities. The program also supports Endowed Chairs, world-renowned scientists and engineers who lead the Centers.

SC Education Policy Fellowship Program (EPFP): EPFP is a 10-month intensive professional development program for established and emerging leaders in education and related fields to equip them in working on sound education policy and practice in South Carolina. EPFP Fellows participate in a variety of activities that promote leadership, develop professional networks, demystify education policy and foster a greater understanding of the roles of government and the community.

Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC): The MSSC is a certificate program available through technical colleges that prepares individuals for entry-level positions in the manufacturing industry.

Participants are required to have a high school diploma or GED and a silver level WorkKeys certificate.

Regional Education Centers (RECs): The 12 Regional Education Centers (RECs) created by the EEDA are the connection between business, education and workforce development entities in the state. They are structurally aligned with the state’s Workforce Investment Act (WIA) districts. Each REC has a full time coordinator and volunteer Advisory Board of 24 legislatively appointed members, at least half of which are local business leaders. The RECs’ value proposition is workforce development via multiple educational routes that is aligned with the economic competitive needs of each region.

Tim Timmons is the vice president of human resources and workforce policy at the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce.

TakeThe Next Step.

Customized Workforce Training Solutions

From the new South Carolina Manufacturing Certification to Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, Greenville Technical College Corporate & Career Development Division’s targeted training solutions empower your employees to drive economic success in the workplace.

From manufacturing to health care to hospitality to environmental and safety, we can help you create the program that best suits your training needs and fits your workforce’s schedule. Call (864) 250-8800 to learn more about our customized training solutions.

Let us advance your workforce’s skills and success: The Buck Mickel Center 216 South Pleasantburg Drive Greenville, SC 29607 (864) 250-8800 www.gvltec.edu/ccd

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AFTER THE EVENT

Business Speaks. Legislators listen.

Panel discusses important legislative priorities

B

usiness leaders gathered at the Columbia Marriott on January 22 for Business Speaks at the State House, presented by Zeus Industrial Products, Inc. This popular annual gathering featured a legislative panel discussing top business issues, including the business

community’s 2014 Competitiveness Agenda which focuses on infrastructure, workforce development, tax reform and a host of other issues.

The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce presented 30 South Carolina legislators with the fifth

annual Business Advocate Award. The awards were presented to members of the General Assembly (see box, right) who scored 100 percent on the Chamber’s 2013 Legislative Scorecard.

BUSINESS SPEAKS SPONSORS Presenting Sponsor Zeus Industrial Products, Inc. Platinum Sponsor SCANA

Chamber Chair Pamela Lackey of AT&T opens the town meeting with a preview of the 2014 Competitiveness Agenda.

Approximately 250 business leaders gathered to discuss legislative priorities.

l to r: Dany Williams, Coleman Lew & Associates; Rex Kneece, Enterprise Rent-A-Car; John Dillard, CSX Transportation.

Senators Harvey Peeler and Nikki Setzler and Representatives Bruce Bannister and Todd Rutherford participate in a lively question and answer session.

Sonny White of Midlands Technical College and Kim Wilkerson of Bank of America.

Business Speaks attendees network during the reception.

WIS-TV anchor Ben Hoover moderates the legislative panel discussion.

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Gold Sponsors Bank of America Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Duke Energy Sonoco Silver Sponsors BB&T BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC The Boeing Company Enterprise Rent-A-Car Michelin North America, Inc. Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. SC Hospital Association Time Warner Cable Bronze Sponsors Carolinas AGC, Inc. Coleman Lew & Associates FUJIFILM Manufacturing U.S.A., Inc. Midlands Technical College NBSC Piedmont Natural Gas Shaw Industries, Inc. The Electric Cooperatives of S.C., Inc. Contributors Greater Summerville/Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce Orangeburg County Chamber Of Commerce Santee Cooper Carolinas Credit Union League Tri-County Regional Chamber of Commerce W. O. Blackstone & Co., Inc.

Business Advocate Award Recipients Senator Sean Bennett (Dorchester) Senator Chip Campsen (Charleston) Senator Greg Gregory (Lancaster) Senator Greg Hembree (Horry) Senator Brad Hutto (Orangeburg) Senator Shane Massey (Edgefield) Senator Thomas McElveen (Sumter) Senator Harvey Peeler (Cherokee) Representative Nathan Ballentine (Richland) Representative Bruce Bannister (Greenville) Representative Mike Burns (Greenville) Representative Derham Cole (Spartanburg) Representative Bill Crosby (Charleston) Representative Kirkman Finlay (Richland) Representative Mike Forrester (Spartanburg) Representative Kevin Hardee (Horry) Representative Bobby Harrell (Charleston) Representative Phyllis Henderson (Greenville) Representative Chip Limehouse (Charleston) Representative Dennis Moss (Cherokee) Representative Phil Owens (Pickens) Representative Andy Patrick (Beaufort) Representative Samuel Rivers (Berkeley) Representative Mike Ryhal (Horry) Representative Garry Smith (Greenville) Representative Roland Smith (Aiken) Representative Mike Sottile (Charleston) Representative Eddie Tallon (Spartanburg) Representative Bill Taylor (Aiken) Best Places to Work 2014ad.pdf 1 1/28/2014 10:28:25 AM Representative Mark Willis (Greenville)

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et SC Works Upstate assist your company by offering the following services at no cost: 3 Applicant screening and direct referrals 3 WorkKeys Job Profiling 3 National Career Readiness Credentialed candidates through WorkKeys assessments 3 Interview coordination and scheduling, as well as available interview space 3 On-the-Job Training reimbursement program 3 Incumbent Worker Training 3 Work experience placements 3 Registered Apprenticeship assistance 3 Resume bank and virtual recruiting website

If you are interested in more information regarding available business services, please contact: Dana McKnight Business Services Consultant, SC Works Upstate email her at dmcknight@scworksupstate.com, or call 864-764-1972 TTY: 711 Bringing Employers and Job Seekers Together An equal opportunity employer/program Auxiliary aids and services available upon request to individuals with disabilities

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2014

Is your company one of the best places to work in South Carolina?

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Deadline to Apply: April 4, 2014

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Wednesday, May 7, 2014 Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center

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AFTER THE EVENT

First in the Competitiveness Agenda Series

Infrastructure forum tackles needs, funding and solutions T

he first forum in the South Carolina Chamber’s inaugural Competiveness Agenda Series was held February 4 in Columbia and focused on infrastructure. The forum, presented by Parker Poe Adams and Bernstein, LLP, featured various topics, including infrastructure funding, economic development, the port and job creation, just to name a

few. Participants discussed current challenges as well as comprehensive long-term solutions to meet transportation and infrastructure needs. Approximately 100 participants were in attendance.

The 2014 Competitiveness Agenda Series will present four informational forums covering key aspects

Senators Leatherman, Cleary and Grooms and Rick Todd of the SC Trucking Association Representative Owens discuss legislative priorities moderates a panel discussion on distribution and funding.washingtonnight2014ad.pdf 1 3/4/2014 1:55:38 PMfacility needs. Panelists include Chamber members Deepal Eliatamby, Clifton Parker and Gene Wise.

of the South Carolina Chamber’s Competitiveness Agenda, including infrastructure, health care, environment/energy and education/workforce development.

Join us for the next forum in the series: Health Care, May 20 at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Columbia.

Representative Tommy Stringer discusses infrastructure priorities.

WASHINGTON NIGHT IN SOUTH CAROLINA C

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April 16, 2014 Columbia Marriott

www.scchamber.net/events

Presented By:

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SC State Ports Authority chief, Jim Newsome, discusses the inland port and its impact.

Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt discusses infrastructure needs and the impact on economic development.

Infrastructure Forum Sponsors

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Forum Partner Bank of America

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Presenting Sponsor Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP Platinum Sponsors BB&T Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. Bronze Sponsor Tidewater Environmental Services Inc. Contributors Davis & Floyd, Inc. Hanson Aggregates SC Forestry Association

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Bethany Griffith of Abacus Planning Group was awarded the FFI GEN (Global Education Network) Certificate in Family Business Advising (CFBA) by the Family Firm Institute. The certificate is presented to individuals who have achieved comprehensive professional knowledge and gained significant expertise that can be used as value to family wealth clients. Additionally, Corinne E. Sheridan completed all requirements for the CFP® credential, which includes completing two years of experience in the industry and passing a rigorous two day exam on subjects such as retirement planning, investment planning, estate planning, risk management and tax planning.

The South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS) has approved BlueChoice® HealthPlan Medicaid’s request to expand its Medicaid managed care coverage to include Georgetown, Greenwood and McCormick counties. With this expansion, BlueChoice HealthPlan Medicaid operates in every county in the state.

BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina added free retirement seminars into the mix of community events held at its retail store locations.

Called “My Big ‘R’ Plan,” the retirement seminars are presented by store managers, who are registered insurance agents, along with invited financial planning professionals. The sessions include instruction on setting

goals, factoring benefits, assessing finances and creating a budget, as well as specifics on the types of health insurance available when people leave their workplace health plan.

SC BlueCross Group earned the highest financial rating for 12th year.

A.M. Best Co. recently affirmed the A+ financial strength rating of BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina’s group of companies.

The BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation awarded more than $4.89 million in its latest grant cycle to health care-related organizations serving uninsured and underinsured South Carolinians.

Some of the recipients included SC Thrive, East Cooper Community Outreach, Clemson University, SC DHEC, Welvista, Healthy Smiles of Spartanburg, Communities in Schools of the Charleston Area and Area Churches Together Serving (ACTS).

Catherine Dority was named the director of marketing for the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (CACVB). Dority has worked with the CACVB for 15 years, serving most recently as the director of community relations and the executive director of the Charleston Area Hospitality Association.

Clemson University ranked No. 7 among national universities on an exclusive U.S. News & World Report list of the most efficient schools. The publication ranks Clemson No. 21 among top public national universities for 2014. Clemson University is the

publication’s highest-ranked school from South Carolina.

Clemson University’s Spiro Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership presented alumni Joe Erwin and Greg Smith Innovative Spirit Awards at its recent gala. The gala served as the grand opening of Clemson’s Greenville ONE facility and featured a keynote address by President James P. Clements.

Mary Joy “M.J.” Pizzella of Alexandria, Va., was elected to the Clemson University Foundation board of directors.

The U.S. Department of Energy selected a Clemson University team to compete in the Solar Decathlon 2015. Clemson and 19 challengers from colleges and universities across the country and around the world will begin the nearly two-year process of building solar-powered houses that are affordable, innovative and highly energy efficient.

Colliers International named Seth Clark, Pendleton Grove, Dave Mathews, Henry Moore and Scott Rogers, SIOR, CCIM senior brokerage associates of the firm.

CR Hipp Construction, Inc. announced that Pete Bailey was promoted to president/ CEO of the company effective January 2014.

Bailey has been with the company

Welcome, New Members Adcap Network Systems Alpharetta GA Atlas Food Systems & Services, Inc. Greenville B3C Fuel Solutions Conway

MEMBER NEWS

Select Health of South Carolina fully funded the purchase of a refurbished Philips PageWriter Touch Electrocardiogram (EKG) machine for use at the Derry Patterson Wingo College of Nursing and Allied Health at Charleston Southern University (CSU). This donation provides students with valuable hands-on experience measuring the electrical activity of the heart.

First Quality Tissue SE LLC Anderson Green River Cabins, LLC Spartanburg Liquid Box North Charleston NanoScreen LLC Hanahan PickTheJob.com Greenville Santee Wateree Regional Transportation Authority Sumter Six Flags Over Georgia Austell GA South Carolina Community Loan Fund North Charleston The Mariner Group, LLC Columbia YH America, Inc. Easley since the summer of 2007 as vice president of operations.

First Choice by Select Health of South Carolina, the oldest and largest Medicaid health plan in the state, has been honored by Medicaid Health Plans of America (MHPA) with its annual “Best Practice” award. This national award recognized Select Health for a culturally competent campaign to promote cervical cancer screenings among the women on its First Choice plan.

Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd attorney William R. “Will” Johnson was appointed to the Florence County Economic Development Partnership board by Florence County Progress, Inc. Additionally, Columbia attorney John B. McArthur was elected chairman of the City Center Partnership Board, and will serve a two

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MEMBER NEWS

year term beginning January 1, 2014.

William C. McKinney was appointed to the South Carolina District Export Council (SC DEC). Finally, Bachman S. Smith IV was elected a shareholder in the firm’s Charleston office.

Michael Beal was selected to lead the McNair Law Firm’s Columbia office. Beal has been with McNair for more than 25 years. In his new role, Beal will oversee Columbia’s administrative, business, governmental affairs and litigation practice groups.

The newly combined unit will be the firm’s largest, with nearly 50 attorneys.

McNair expanded its litigation practice with the addition of Josh Dixon and Hal Frampton. The pair joined the firm’s Charleston office as special counsel. Also, the firm welcomed attorneys Tom Martin, Doug Gray, Reggie Gay and Brad Thomas to its Greenville office. The four previously worked in the firm’s Anderson office, which was consolidated with the Greenville office on January 31.

NBSC, a division of Synovus Bank, named Stephen “Steve” M. Creech chairman of its South Carolina board of directors. Creech is principal owner of Creech, Roddey, Watson Insurance Company. The bank announced that Jennifer W. Blackhurst was promoted to private client relationship manager. Also, Robert R. Clarkson was appointed to its local board of directors. NBSC, a division of Synovus Bank, recently announced that Synovus received 16 national awards from Greenwich Associates for excellence in middle market and small business banking. Among the 750 banks evaluated nationwide, only 34 received national excellence awards for middle market banking and only 43 for small business banking. Synovus was No. 1 with 13 total awards in the small business category and tied for third in total number of awards across all segments and categories.

The partners of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP elected Jay Thompson Thompson to the partnership and have promoted Erin Stuckey and Geordie Zug to of counsel.

Matt Abee, Daniel Lumm,

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Graham Mitchell and Everett McMillian joined as associates in the Columbia Rogers office. James L. “Jay” Rogers, the former chair of the board of directors of the Greenville Faulkner Area Development Corporation, joined the Greenville office.

The partners elected Greenville attorneys Johnson Sean Faulkner and Mike Johnson to the partnership.

Both joined the firm in 2012.

Nexsen Pruet law firm elected four partners: Brooks Bossong (Greensboro), George Bossong Bullwinkel (Charleston), Jennifer Cluverius (Greenville) and James Galyean (Greenville).

Additionally, eight new Bullwinkle associates joined the law firm. John Bruton, Laetitia Cheltenham, Ben Dangerfield, Jonathan Massell, Cluverius Greg Placone, Jennifer Routh, Jonathan Schulz and Tess Stakias are now practicing in Columbia, Galyean Charlotte, Greensboro, Greenville and Raleigh.

Scott Hultstrand joined the firm’s Columbia office following five years Moore with the South Carolina Medical Association. Nexsen Pruet announced also that former Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Moore joined the Columbia office and the firm’s white-collar criminal defense team led

by Billy Wilkins, former chief judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Palmetto Health Foundation announced Kristin Lavender was named development coordinator for Palmetto Health Cancer Centers.

Rogers Townsend & Thomas, PC announced the election of the firm’s board of directors, as well as three new shareholders. Robert Bryan Barnes was re-elected to the board and will serve as chair. Cynthia Durham Blair and Kristine L. Cato were also elected. Newly elected shareholders

included James K. “Jake” Cluverius, Jr., Sean M. Foerster and Joseph W. “Joe” Thompson IV. Casey Gilbert joined Scott and Company LLC, a South Carolina accounting and consulting firm, as a staff auditor. David Knobeloch joined as a senior tax accountant.

Entrepreneur magazine recently announced its annual Franchise 500 rankings, naming SERVPRO®, a cleanup and restoration franchise company, to its Top 10 list for the fifth consecutive year. Of the 853 companies qualified for the rankings, SERVPRO® earned the No. 7 spot overall and the top spot in its own industry for the 11th consecutive year.

The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce hired Paul W. Dunn as manager of sponsorships and advertising.

When your message needs to reach South Carolina’s business leaders, there is only one choice: SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS. The magazine of choice for South Carolina’s top executives.

For advertising and marketing opportunities, call Deidre Macklen at 803.318.3923.

TD Bank named Michael G. “Mike” Page as vice president, senior relationship manager in healthcare finance. He is responsible for providing specialty lending and related services to the not-for-profit healthcare sector in the North Carolina and South Carolina markets.

WebsterRogers is pleased to announce that Amy Fisher Urquhart, CPA, CFP® was named a partner in the firm effective January 1, 2014. Urquhart works in the firm’s Florence office and has over 12 years of experience in public accounting with an emphasis in tax planning and consulting, gift and trusts and financial planning.

Please send Member News and publicity photos to penny.cothran@scchamber.net.

Advertiser Index AARP South Carolina...................................... 22 College of Charleston...................................... 15 Duke Energy.......................................................5 ECPI University................................................. 25 Greenville Technical College........................... 27 Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A............................1 McMillan Pazdan Smith.................................. 19 Midlands Technical College............................ 22 Santee Cooper................................................. 25 SCDEW............................................................ 21 Sonoco............................................................. 13 Stäubli.....................................Inside Front Cover Trident Technical College..................Back Cover University of South Carolina...............................3 Upstate Workforce Investment Board............ 29

I am S.C. Business Name Peter Brews Hometown Johannesburg, South Africa Education B.Com (Bachelors of Commerce), LL B (law degree), and a PhD from University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg; MSIA (Masters of Science in Industrial Administration), Purdue University; PhD from University of Pittsburg.

Occupation Dean, Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina in Columbia Why did you select the University of South Carolina?

Having spent 13 years at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, I was delighted to have the opportunity to lead the business school of another prominent state university just a chip and a putt away. As I graduated from two other great state institutions in the United States, I am aware of the prominent role public education plays in the lives of Americans in producing human capital.

Why should companies choose to locate in SC?

Few states offer the combination that SC does: a tradition in manufacturing, a phenomenally deep port, a hardworking educated workforce that is hungrier now than ever before, a reasonable cost of living, a location in the heart of the Southeast bookended by cities such as Atlanta and Charlotte with a strong international investment base growing along the I-85 corridor. SC also boasts world-class universities that students from all over the world come to study at. It is my hope over the next 5-10 years to make this region the preferred choice for European companies wanting to invest and locate in the United States. Of course, at the Moore School, we are known for international business.

What are your passions and what are you known for?

At work I am passionate about doing whatever I do to the very best of my ability and about always giving back more than I take out. Hopefully I am known for being a person who asks for (and delivers) the very best possible work, but does so with humility and humanity. At home I am passionate about exercise and keeping fit and about maintaining close contact with my family. Oh, and lastly, I am passionate about dark chocolate and good red wine (in moderation, of course).

What is the best advice you could give an undergraduate business student?

Take your studies seriously, and work hard. Competitors in India and China get up very early and work very hard; to stay ahead requires much effort on your part. Once you are at a university like USC or a school like the Moore School, you have the opportunity to be among the very best. The discipline and effort required to reach this level is your side of the bargain. Apart from that, have fun. Be ambitious.

What’s the secret to your success?

A good education, focus, hard work, some luck and an ambition to do big things and make a difference. Finally, all successes come on the shoulders of others. Be sure to acknowledge all who contribute to your success.

I am S.C. Business because I hope in 5-10 years’ time someone will be able to say, “Because I was here [at the Moore School] South Carolina business is better.” s c c h a m b e r. n e t | M a r c h / A p r i l 2 0 1 4 | S o u t h C a r o l i n a B u s i n e ss |

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