Together, We Grow: 2017 Annual Report

TOGETHER, WE GROW 2017 ANNUAL REPORT

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“This regional approach may be what has moved South Carolina forward as a state...”

MAX METCALF - CHAIRMAN, UPSTATE SC ALLIANCE BOARD

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CHAIRMAN’S REFLECTIONS I feel deeply honored to have served as Chairman of the Upstate SC Alliance for the last two years.

We have an incredible staff, and we’re strengthened by an incredible group of investors from the public and private sectors who are willing to give their time to attend events, participate in committee meetings, and be involved in the marketing of Upstate South Carolina to recruit quality, innovative, and high-tech jobs to the area.

The Alliance’s updated five-year strategic plan, released in March 2017, and the Global Competitiveness Council, launched in July 2017, are among the hallmarks of a year shaped by collaboration.

The Upstate SC Alliance allows 170 investors, 10 counties, eight cities and countless supporters to partner with the State of South Carolina in an unbelievable effort to push its initiatives forward.

In fact, the level of collaboration we’ve seen recently lays the foundation for what we like to call “Team Upstate.”

We recognize that there are some challenges ahead that may appear to be paradigm shifts away from major projects — such as the rise of automation and smaller projects on the horizon— but with the team of Local Economic Developers, government officials, and private sector investors that make up ”Team Upstate,” we’re going to be successful.

Historically, individual communities did their own economic development. In recent years, we’ve seen a greater shift toward regional collaboration that allows us to project greater labor sheds; showcase robust regional infrastructure with assets like Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport and the Inland Port

Greer; and leverage the assets of research institutions like Clemson University on a broader scale. Apprenticeship programs from Upstate companies such as Michelin, Bosch, Magna and BMW are great examples of the collaboration between the educational and manufacturing sector that can lead to employment opportunities for the next generation of workers.

This regional approach may be what has moved South Carolina forward as a state; we’re seeing that what happens in one community really does benefit its neighbors.

While the team approach is nothing new, it is propelling us faster than other states. It’s even in practice at BMW. We have 10,000 team members at the plant and another 30,000 people employed with suppliers whose products are integral to our success. BMW is producing 1,400 vehicles a day, and everybody has to be an active member of the team to achieve that goal.

That’s also the atmosphere that our region is building with the help of the Upstate SC Alliance. When you look at our region—the 10 counties, the eight cities, and approximately 170 investors— everybody is a team member. It’s a win-win times 1,000.

Max Metcalf Upstate SC Alliance Board Chairman & BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC

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2017 HIGHLIGHTS

2

1

CARVING A NEW MISSION & UPDATED STRATEGIC PLAN

2

LAUNCHING THE UPSTATE GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS COUNCIL

Major scale economic development project numbers are declining, unemployment is near recordlow, and 1% of companies created 72% of new U.S. jobs from 2009-2014. Bearing these disruptive trends in mind, we engaged public- and private-investors in a six-month brainstorming process that culminated with an update to our strategic plan and the unveiling of our new mission statement: “To position the Upstate to excel in the global economy through strategic marketing, collaboration, and thought leadership.”

Rooted in the Upstate’s participation in the Global Cities Initiative, a joint project of the Brookings Institution and JPMorgan Chase, we reimagined the implementation of our previously released Upstate Regional Export and Foreign-Direct Investment plans. The result? The Global Competitiveness Council (GCC), which combines insights of public- and private-sector partners from an array of industries to address key issues affecting our region’s competitiveness. The GCC has four collaborative working groups: Global Leadership, Materials Innovation, Middle Market Outreach, and Talent Strategies.

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RECOGNIZING A REGIONAL VISIONARY

4

ELEVATING CHAMPIONS IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

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CULTIVATING NEW RELATIONSHIPS WITH IRELAND

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Charles Dalton receives the “Spirit of the Upstate” award

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Burriss Nelson receives the 2017 Local Economic Developer of the Year honor

We recognized Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative CEO Charles Dalton with the “Spirit of the Upstate” award for his long-term vision of regional collaboration and early support for a regional economic development initiative. Dalton led Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, which serves customers in multiple Upstate counties, for decades before retiring at the end of 2017. He also was among the founders of the Upstate Alliance and served as a commissioner for the S.C. Department of Transportation.

The Local Economic Developers Committee awarded Burriss Nelson, from Anderson County Economic Development, with the 2017 Local Economic Developer of the Year honor. It was a fitting timeframe: according to the SC Department of Commerce, Anderson County saw two of the state’s top 10 projects by capital investment (Electrolux, $200 million and Robert Bosch, $152 million) and one of the largest by job creation (Arthrex, 1,000 jobs).

While European Union and United Kingdom leaders continue to negotiate the terms of Brexit, our team has seen increased business interest both from Irish companies and from Upstate companies seeking to do business with the island nation. South Carolina and Ireland are similar in land mass and population, and many companies see stability in Ireland’s future — a remaining member of the EU, with continued access to the UK — amidst political uncertainty.

MARKETING & BUSINESS RECRUITMENT MILESTONES

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“There’s something for everyone in the Upstate, and it’s growing.”

STEVE PROUT - PRESIDENT, SOLAR ATMOSPHERES

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CONNECTIONS ARE KEY FOR SOLAR ATMOSPHERES AEROSPACE SUPPLIER LANDED SOUTHEAST FACILITY WITH HELP FROM UPSTATE SC ALLIANCE Steve Prout was first introduced to the Upstate SC Alliance through the Department of Commerce, when his company was looking to add a facility within the Southeast.

More than being an “extra set of eyes” and “an extra salesperson” working on behalf of his business, the Upstate SC Alliance allowed Prout to feel “truly dialed in to what we needed to be successful.”

The company, Solar Atmospheres, a vacuum heat-treating company that processes materials from titanium to nickel super-alloys to stainless steels, primarily serves the aerospace industry with customers ranging from Boeing in Charleston to clients as far as Arkansas and Louisiana.

“As a company, we only succeed when we connect with what our customers’ needs are, and we provide value and solutions for them, and I felt like the Upstate Alliance was doing that for us,” he says.

“They paid attention to what it was we said we needed, they took it seriously, and they found solutions.”

In 2014, Greenville Area Development Corporation announced the company’s $15 million investment in a 54,000-square-foot building along Interstate 85 in Greenville. The company has created 14 jobs, and its growth projections show potential to create another three to four jobs in 2018.

Prout recalls one looming question as Solar Atmospheres finalized its site selection: “What does the Upstate have to offer for families—weekend activities, restaurants, cultural experiences?”

“As we started looking at sites in the Upstate and touring different facilities, the Upstate SC Alliance connected us with different general contractors,” as well as companies like Allen Tate Corporate Relocation Services to help “relocate employees, introduce them to the Upstate, and get them familiar” with the area, says the President of Solar Atmospheres Southeast Division.

They were also in search of available electricity and appreciated the connection to Duke Energy.

“One of the things we’ve been most happy with has been the quality of life for our people. Every person I’ve located to this area loves it,” he says. “It’s just a great community to be a part of.

My employees can live in the country, downtown, in the suburbs.

There’s something for everyone in the Upstate, and it’s growing.”

Prout says these key relationships were “really integral for us as we decided where we wanted to be. Folks here helped us find the facility, told us they believed it was a good fit—and they were right.

That was one of the big drivers of Solar coming to South Carolina.”

He’s been more than satisfied with the answers.

Prout sees a promising future for Solar Atmospheres in this region.

“As the Upstate grows, businesses in this area prosper, continue to recruit, and bring new business here, so we all have more opportunity.”

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2017 MARKETING & BUSINESS RECRUITMENT NUMBERS 2013

2013 2017

2017

45

48

53

70

RFIs 5 year look

2016

64 51

94

65

2013

2016

357

PRESENTATIONS 5 year look

304

2015

384 2014

2015

Requests for Information (RFIs) received from prospect companies and shared with local economic development teams

Regional visits from prospect companies and Centers of Influence, hosted by the Upstate SC Alliance

TOP COUNTRIES OF INTEREST USA

365

313

80 2014

2015

21

VISITS 5 year look

2016

2017 2014

302

Canada

91

United Kingdom

Presentations made by the Upstate SC Alliance to prospect companies and Centers of Influence

2017 PIPELINE 55

Advanced Materials..........................193 Aerospace and Defense...................112 Automotive..........................................194

Spain

47

Bioscience.............................................. 89 Food Processing................................... 49

Germany

Measured by Active Contacts in Pipeline

6

78

China Italy

25 25

Industrial................................................ 99 Business Services................................ 55 Other........................................................ 78 TOTAL ............................................869

2017 MARKETING & BUSINESS RECRUITMENT CALENDAR OUTBOUND EVENTS Event Plastics New / Detroit Auto Show IPPExpo Toronto Mission & Canadian Auto Summit Dallas Commerce Consultant Event Midwest Mission Trip Site Selectors Guild Spain/Portugal Mission Trip AeroMart SAE & Mini Mission SEMDA Detroit Region COI Mission Atlanta COI Event Chicago Commerce Consultant Event Belgium/Netherlands Mission MD&M East & Mini Mission SelectUSA DACH Mission IAMC Board Dinner Charlotte COI Event Atlanta/Commerce COI event International Motor Show (IAA) Vancouver/West Coast Mission New York Commerce Consultant Event Ireland/Scotland Mission Fabtech Medica Women in ED Economix CAMX

COI= Centers of Influence (Site consultants, international business and trade organizations, real estate brokers and developers)

Date Janurary 9-10 January 31- February 2 February 13-17 March 9th March 13-16 March 13-15 April 3-7 April 4-6 April 4-6 April 24th April 25-28 April 26th May 24th June 5-8 June 13-15 June 18-22 July 10-14 July 19th August 17-18 August 23rd September 18-22 September 18-22 November 9th November 3-9 November 6-9 November 13-16 December 4-6 December 5-6 December 11-14

Location Detroit, MI Atlanta, GA Toronto Dallas,TX IL & IN Tucson, AZ Spain/Portugal Montreal MI & OH Atlanta, GA Detroit, MI Atlanta, GA Chicago, IL Belgium/Netherlands New York, NY Washington, DC Switzerland Atlanta, GA Charlotte, NC Atlanta, GA Frankfurt West Coast New York, NY Ireland/Scotland Chicago, IL Germany Charleston, SC New Orleans, LA Orlando, FL

Target(s) Automotive Food Processing Automotive / All COIs All sectors Consultants All sectors Aerospace Automotive / All BIO COIs COIs COIs All sectors BIO / All All sectors All sectors COIs COIs COIs Auto All sectors COIs All sectors All sectors BIO COIs Consultants Advanced Materials

INBOUND EVENTS Event International Commerce Visit

Japan Dinner SC Auto Summit OESA/SCAC South Carolina Aerospace Conference Consultant Inbound Composites Suppliers Meetings SEUS Japan SC BIO

Date January 22-28 January 21st February 20-22 May 31 - June 1 August 29-31 September 28-29 October 9-11 October 22-24 October 24-26

Location Upstate SC Upstate SC Upstate SC Upstate SC Columbia, SC Upstate SC Upstate SC Upstate SC Charleston, SC

Target(s)

All sectors Japanese Delegates Automotive Automotive Aerospace COIs Materials/Automotive/Aerospace All sectors BIO

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“One of the best things we experienced here was the Spark Center SC...”

PER BLOHM - GENERAL MANAGER USA, AWL-TECHNIEK

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UPSTATE LANDING PAD BECOMES LAUNCH POINT FOR AWL-TECHNIEK SPARK CENTER SC AIDED NETHERLANDS-BASED AUTOMATION COMPANY’S UPSTATE ENTRY The Spartanburg Community College Spark Center SC was an integral player in AWL-Techniek’s decision to invest $2.53 million in a 33,000-square-foot facility and create 71 high-tech jobs.

The company, which produces robotic welding equipment for automotive tier two suppliers in the seating and body segments, established its operations within a vacant building in 2017.

“One of the best things we experienced here was the Spark Center, which helped us to get a temporary office, a temporary address, mailing services, all different kinds of help in that area, and the best thing, it was for free, if we would settle in Spartanburg, which we decided to do,” says Per Blohm, General Manager USA for AWLTechniek.

The company used turnkey workspace at the Spark Center SC to build a presence in the region and while working with Spartanburg Economic Futures Group to complete its site selection process. For Blohm, bringing AWL to the Upstate was a second opportunity to leverage the Upstate SC Alliance’s support.

“Actually, when we arrived the first time here, we tried to do it on our own, but we soon discovered that there was a service which we can use to get the foot on the ground, to get settled in,” Blohm says. “We got provided with a lot of support in site selection, we got supported with lawyers and contacts, local contacts, which help us to actually explore the area and also make a positive selection for our company here.”

Blohm says the decision to relocate here was sparked by the Alliance’s “generosity, service, business-forward approach, and their

work to recruit companies here. More than government incentives, the support we received from local levels was tremendous. We found a location that fit our needs exactly —a connection to I-85 that was close to BMW and other suppliers.”

After making the leap, Blohm realized the region had even more to offer than anticipated.

“Companies were moving in. Spartanburg Community College was right around the corner, supplying us with scholar tech students, mechanics, and programmers; it was a great help for us to develop our talent pool. We plan to work closely with them to continue developing high-tech education in this area.”

The company also used readySC as a resource to sharpen its employee training process.

Blohm says AWL’s immediate future includes opening a robotics field lab, which will provide training opportunities in laser welding, mechatronics and robotics not widely available in classrooms.

“We believe it will be a great opportunity to learn on the real machinery,” he says. “Students can get trained by technicians and engineers, gain more experience, and start a promising career.”

“Our company’s future is very bright,” Blohm adds. “We have a great start for the business here in South Carolina, actually in the United States and North America. The customers accept what we build here, they force us to build more, they force us to increase our business and a lot of customers are also moving into the area. So, the forecast is already extended and adjusted to a much higher number than we originally planned.”

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2017 RANKINGS & RECOGNITIONS

QUALITY OPPORTUNITIES A STATE POWERHOUSE 2017 State of the Year by Business Facilities #2 – Best In Class Economic Development Agencies for South Carolina Department of Commerce by Development Counselors International #2 – 2017 Top States for Doing Business by Area Development

#19 – Spartanburg among Small City Rankings for 2017 Best Cities Job Growth by NewGeography.com

#1 – University of South Carolina’s International Master of Business Administration*

#23 – Spartanburg among Cities Creating the Most High-Wage Jobs by NewGeography.com

#23 – Clemson University among Top Public Universities in the Nation*

20 Upstate companies among 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in America by Inc. Magazine for 2017.

#2 – 2017 Top State Business Climate Rankings by Site Selection “A” – Manufacturing Industry Health in Conexus Indiana 2017 Manufacturing & Logistics Report Card #10 – Population Growth Percentage from 2016-2017 according to U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimate

GLOBAL CONNECTIONS #3 – Greenville as Micro City of the Future in North and South America

by FDi Intelligence #10 – Spartanburg MSA for 2017 Export Intensity by Brookings Institution

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HIGHER EDUCATION

“Schools That Pay You Back” – Clemson University recognized for superb career preparation at an affordable price

by The Princeton Review REGIONAL UNIVERSITY RANKINGS (SOUTH)* #10 – University of South Carolina Upstate #19 – Lander University #31 – Converse College #41 – Limestone College #67 – Anderson University #84 – North Greenville University #96 – Southern Wesleyan University NATIONAL LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES* #53 – Furman University #77 – Wofford College #119 – Presbyterian College *2017 U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges

INVESTMENT, JOB CREATION & IMPACT

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“It’s a really interesting field changing the properties of metal...”

JASON SAMS - FURNACE OPERATOR, SOLAR ATMOSPHERES

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INDUSTRIES LINK LOCALS WITH TECHNICAL OPPORTUNITIES PICKENS NATIVE, GREENVILLE TECH GRAD REFLECTS ON CAREER CLOSE TO HOME Investment by the millions and job creation by the hundreds.

Massive numbers tend to drive our economic impact stories, but there’s a person paired with every job in our region.

Jason Sams, a furnace operator with Solar Atmospheres Southeast, is one of the Upstate beneficiaries of new business investment.

A native of Dacusville in Pickens County, Sams laughs that his job is to “cook metal in the oven” for a living. But it’s so much more than that: Sams and his coworkers change the characteristics of titanium, stainless steel, and tool steels for use in the aerospace industry.

“My job fulfills me in a couple different ways,” he adds. “It’s challenging, it’ll keep you on your toes from time to time. There’s always something new, always something new to learn.”

Sams earned his GED through Foothills Family Resources, and the organization then aided him in completion of a Greenville Technical College manufacturing course series in quality and measurements. It also included resume preparations and company introductions, which connected him to Solar Atmospheres.

“I’ve always worked with my hands and been really hands on,” Sams says. “It’s a really interesting field changing the properties of metal, and there’s a lot to learn. Having the ability to do a job so close to home, not having to uproot my life” is of immense value to him and his family.

While quality of life and proximity to family may keep Sams in the Upstate, access to rewarding jobs in his field makes it easier to build a bright future.

“It’s great that the manufacturing scene’s picking back up in the South,” he says, particularly because the Upstate “has been one of the manufacturing textile leaders of the world since manufacturing began.”

Sams sees only more growth ahead for the industry and for Solar Atmospheres, which opened its Greenville facility in 2015.“It’s good to see how the company’s growing, to see all the opportunities that it brings.”

“As the manufacturing scene grows, Solar Atmospheres has the opportunity to grow. With more customers in the area, that’s more parts needed, it’s more heat treating, more work that will be available.”

Sams adds that the Upstate’s growth provides him and his colleagues “opportunities to progress through the ranks, move eventually to supervisor positions, have leadership roles and branch out.”

As Solar Atmospheres and its market segment continue to expand, Sams says, he takes even more pride in what he does. “We get work from Boeing, which is exciting. It’s interesting to know that some of the parts we process end up in different aircraft and things like that. And people rely on those as they’re traveling across the country.”

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2013-2017 CAPITAL INVESTMENT AND JOB CREATION

11.0 B 10.0 B 9.0 B 8.0 B 7.0 B 6.0 B 5.0 B 4.0 B 3.0 B 2.0 B 1.0 B

$10.35 BILLION IN CAPITAL INVESTMENT / 27,967 NEW JOBS

$10.35 B

27,967

$8.36 B 21,765

$6.46 B $5.16 B

16,369 9,898

$1.10 B 4,966 2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

$1.10 Billion 4,966 Jobs 86 Projects 9 International

$4.06 Billion 4,932 Jobs 73 Projects 28 International

$1.30 Billion 6,471 Jobs 76 Projects 30 International

$1.90 Billion 5,396 Jobs 67 Projects 28 International

$1.99 Billion 6,202 Jobs 74 Projects 32 International

2017/ 74 TOTAL COMPANIES

$443,760,000 in capital investment / 2,350 new jobs • Confidential New Project #1 • PIDC • Sencorables LLC • Schedl Automotive System Service • InSpec Group • Stren-Flex • Caristrap International • Clemson EPOCH • VDL Steelweld • Moore’s Food Resources • Birdseye Renewable Energy • Confidential New Project #2 • REMA USA • GE Renewable Energy

27,500 25,000 22,500 20,000 17,500 15,000 12,500 10,000 7,500 5,000 2,500

$1,989,589,800 IN CAPITAL INVESTMENT / 6,202 NEW JOBS

27 NEW COMPANIES

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376 Projects / 147 International

JOBS

CAPITAL INVESTMENT

5 YEAR TOTAL

• Steel Creek Galvanizing Company LLC • AWL-Techniek • Rudolph Logistics Group • Carbon Conversions • Bonafide Kayaks • Safeplast NA • bo parts GmbH • SMT Group • Arthrex • Steag SCR-Tech • Vermon NDT • PG Aerospace • Southern Comfort

47 EXISTING COMPANIES

$1,545,829,800 in capital investment / 3,852 new jobs • Prysmian Group North America • Bosch Group • Electrolux • ACE Bakery LLC • Hamrick Mills • Home Fashions International • Tribal Manufacturing • AVX Corporation • BB&T • Blue Eye Soft Corporation • Honeywell • JSI Store Fixtures • Kloeckner Metals • Lockheed Martin • Mapal Inc. • Metromont Corp.

• MP Husky • Response Packaging • Softbox Systems • Verizon Wireless • Vetroresina LLC • Ackerson-Stevens Inc. (ASI) • Ascend Performance Materials • Greenwood Genetics Center • Medtronic • Fukoku America • BorgWarner Inc. • Itron • Jantzen • PVS Sensors / Nacan • Schneider Electric • Sharpe Manufacturing

• KeyMark • AFL Telecommunications LLC • Benteler Automotive • BMW Manufacturing Co. • Confidential Expansion #1 • Fortress Fiber, LLC • Highland Baking Company • Lockhart Power • Precision Jig & Fixture South • Project Flex • Ritrama • Roechling Automotive • Various Confidential Expansion Projects • Wolverine Coatings • Gestamp North America

WHERE LOCAL MEETS GLOBAL

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“...it makes a real difference to tap into the resources, networking and opportunities the Alliance provides.”

KATHY JO LANCASTER - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UNION COUNTY DEVELOPMENT BOARD

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RURAL COMMUNITIES BENEFIT FROM REGIONAL MESSAGE UNION COUNTY’S ECONOMIC GROWTH RELIES ON LARGER PICTURE Union County, a community of 28,000, has seen $350 million in capital investment and creation of 1,000 new jobs in the last decade—numbers the rural community may not have achieved without a regional business proposition, says Kathy Jo Lancaster, Executive Director of the Union County Development Board.

Lancaster believes investing in the Upstate SC Alliance brings Union County “resources for workforce, transportation, utilities, healthcare, and quality of life – all viable components in a regional economic development plan. We need those elements to be successful, and through the Alliance we now have them.”

“The purpose of our organization is to recruit new businesses, retain existing industries, create new jobs, and procure capital investment in Union County,” says Lancaster, who assumed her role in 2016. She says partners such as the Upstate SC Alliance play a pivotal role in bringing that mission to life.

In a global economy, Union has to “think outside of county lines to succeed,” Lancaster says. “Union County is a rural community, but we have had a very real impact on our local, regional, and state economies in the last 10 years.”

“As rural developers, it makes a real difference to tap into the resources, networking, and opportunities the Alliance provides,” Lancaster explains. “The biggest advantage to being involved is the strong framework of investors who share resources, collaborate, and connect to promote our region more effectively.”

Lancaster says the Upstate SC Alliance helps connect Union County with opportunities her team “wouldn’t be able to capture on our own. They pull developers together, arrange meetings with site selectors, and make us more visible and viable in a global economy. Investing puts our name out there.”

Economic development in a rural community, Lancaster notes, has distinctive challenges the Alliance helps her overcome. “There’s power in regionalism. This partnership brings our small community connectivity, collaboration, and accessibility. Participating in the Upstate SC Alliance is key to positioning ourselves for success.”

Products made in Union can be found throughout the globe – take for example Standard Textile terry cloth products, carried at Marriott properties worldwide, or Carlisle Finishing camouflage, which outfits American armed forces at home and abroad.

And Gestamp, an international manufacturer of metal automotive components, announced $129 million in new capital investment in March 2017 that will enable the company to serve both BMW and the Volvo Cars production facility in Berkeley County.

Ask Lancaster about a favorite project she’s worked with the Alliance, and it’s hard for her to identify only one.

“Every single project in Union County has had Upstate Alliance involvement since I came on board. If the team was not sitting at the table with us, they were behind the scenes helping,” she says.

“They have the connections to win projects and strengthen our economy; the resources are there.”

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BECOMING A GLOBAL LEADER The Global Competitiveness Council (GCC) was launched in summer 2017 to increase the Upstate’s global competitiveness, position the region to be a global leader in the world economy, and implement the strategies named in the Upstate Regional Export and Foreign Direct Investment plans. The council is comprised of four collaborative working groups (Middle Market Outreach, Talent Strategies, Materials Innovation, and Global Leadership) and led by a steering committee.

MIDDLE MARKET GROWTH

GLOBALLY AWARE LEADERS

INNOVATION IN THE UPSTATE

UPSTATE TALENT ATTRACTION

In 2017, the Middle Market Outreach Working Group completed an anonymous survey of middle market company opportunities and challenges. The responses will be used to develop 2018 programming to support growth of middle market companies.

The Global Leadership Working Group began developing a global leadership curriculum to educate our current and emerging leaders. The curriculum will be used throughout 2018.

The Materials Innovation Working Group is in the process of drafting its message, goals, and metrics to develop an advanced materials cluster organization.

Its expertise is also informing Business Recruitment conversations about materials innovation.

The Talent Strategies Working Group is helping to develop content that will be incorporated into a talent attraction website. The website will include quality of life, housing, cost of living, and other information to help attract professionals to our region.

MEETINGS

WORKING GROUP MEMBERS

MEETINGS

WORKING GROUP MEMBERS

MEETINGS

WORKING GROUP MEMBERS

MEETINGS

WORKING GROUP MEMBERS

3

25

4

18

4

12

2

17

GCC MEMBERSHIP 18

65 PARTICIPANTS

COMPANIES &

44 ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTED

RELATIONSHIPS ACROSS THE REGION

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“...it gives you a broad perspective on the community and the economic development going on here.”

DAVID WALKER - PARTNER, GREERWALKER

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ALLIANCE CONNECTIVITY DEEPENS UNDERSTANDING OF REGION FOR TAX FIRM RELATIONSHIP A TWO-WAY STREET FOR MANUFACTURING SERVICE PROVIDER David Walker, partner with GreerWalker, a full-service accounting firm serving middle market companies in the Carolinas, believes his business has “benefited ten-fold” from its investment in the Upstate SC Alliance.

Walker considers the Alliance a “go-to business partner” that helped his company assimilate quickly into the Upstate community when the Charlotte-headquartered firm opened an office in downtown Greenville in 2017.

That decision followed several years of business in the GreenvilleSpartanburg-Anderson market and a guest spot hitting the links at the Cliffs at Mountain Park during the 2015 Investor Golf Tournament.

“Based on our experience in the last few years, I’d encourage anyone doing business in the Upstate to become an investor,” he says. “It gives you a broad perspective on the community and the economic development going on here.”

Walker says the Alliance “quarterbacked” crucial business connections from the moment he become involved, allowing GreerWalker to succeed in its earliest days in the Upstate.

“There’s more to an economic developer’s role than just bringing companies to this region,” he notes. The Alliance’s commitment to supporting the overall business community, providing contacts and connections, helping investors navigate transitions into the Upstate, and aiding them in building a strong presence in our region, he says, makes it invaluable.

The Investor Roundtable Club, wherein small groups of investors from different professions interact closely for several months, helped Walker more fully understand the Upstate business community. “We did a deep dive with those contacts,” he says, and GreerWalker’s relationships with other Upstate businesses were strengthened in the process.

In addition to linking him with existing Upstate businesses, Walker says his company’s investment in the Alliance gave GreerWalker access to others visiting our region for site selection purposes.

“The largest industry we serve is international manufacturing and distribution,” he notes. His company’s expertise in tax and accounting differences between the United States and those business prospects’ home countries has proved helpful to have on call as prospects are weighing business decisions.

Walker’s participation with the Upstate Global Competitiveness Council’s Global Leadership Working Group also provides him insight into the benefits and presence of international businesses within the Upstate community.

“We may see BMW and Michelin as we drive down the interstate, but often we don’t realize the many other companies directly and indirectly affected by such big names,” he adds.

Having become intricately connected to our region through the Upstate SC Alliance, David Walker and his company now see what he calls “the whole picture” – and believe it has made all the difference for their business.

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2017 FINANCIAL OVERVIEW ASSETS

LIABILITIES & CAPITAL

TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS TOTAL PROPERTY & EQUIPMENT

TOTAL ASSETS

$2,719,724.70 $227,748.74

$2,947,473.44

TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES TOTAL LONG-TERM LIABILITIES

TOTAL LIABILITIES

$1,493,539.62 $141,824.51

$1,635,364.13

BEGINNING UNRESTRICTED NET ASSETS CHANGE IN NET ASSETS

$957,279.96 $354,829.35

TOTAL CAPITAL

$1,312,109.31

TOTAL LIABILITIES & CAPITAL

$2,947,473.44

2017 FINANCIAL OVERVIEW AT A GLANCE TOTAL PROPERTY & EQUIPMENT

8%

TOTAL ASSETS

45%

$2,947,473.44

92% 22

TOTAL LIABILITIES

TOTAL CAPITAL

TOTAL LIABILITIES & CAPITAL

$2,947,473.44

TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS

55%

FINANCIAL SUMMARY & HISTORICAL ANALYSIS REVENUE Investor Revenue Sponsorships/Grants/Other Revenue State Funds Applied to Budget

TOTAL REVENUE

2017 ACTUAL

2017 BUDGET

2016 ACTUAL

2015 ACTUAL

$1,643,862.96 $82,566.91 $686,356.66

$1,482,918.63 $79,700.00 $734,646.00

* $1,869,778.31 $186,878.07 $473,500.29

$1,402,102.02 $97,525.50 $478,210.27

$2,412,786.53 $2,297,264.63

$2,530,156.67 $1,977,837.79

*Higher figure is indicative of correction in the amortization schedule of investor revenues (actual fundraising increased from 2016 to 2017).

EXPENSES TOTAL OPERATIONAL EXPENSE** TOTAL PROGRAM AND SERVICE EXPENSE TOTAL FUNDRAISING EXPENSE

TOTAL EXPENSES

2017 ACTUAL

2017 BUDGET

2016 ACTUAL

2015 ACTUAL

$514,597.57 $1,375,205.70 $103,335.90

$633,523.00 $1,534,491.00 $110,000.00

$525,313.43 $1,163,830.08 $74,856.88

$476,271.92 $1,179,250.23 $72,495.58

$1,993,139.17 $2,278,014.00

$1,764,000.00 $1,728,017.73

**Must add depreciation amount to get true number

FINANCIAL SUMMARY AT A GLANCE 2017 ACTUAL

2017 BUDGET

2016 ACTUAL

2015 ACTUAL

TOTAL REVENUE

$2,412,786.53

TOTAL REVENUE

$2,297,264.63

TOTAL REVENUE

$2,530,156.67

TOTAL REVENUE

$1,977,837.79

TOTAL EXPENSES

$1,993,139.17

TOTAL EXPENSES

$2,278,014.00

TOTAL EXPENSES

$1,764,000.00

TOTAL EXPENSES

$1,728,017.73

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2017 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OFFICERS

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MEMBERS AT LARGE

CHAIRMAN MAX METCALF Government & Community Relations BMW Manufacturing Co.

SECRETARY/TREASURER STEVE COOPER Managing Partner Rรถdl & Partner

GRANT BURNS Vice President & General Counsel AFL

ZACH HINTON Government & Community Relations Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative

JOHN LUMMUS President/CEO Upstate SC Alliance

IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR RONNIE BOOTH President Tri-County Technical College

EMILY DEROBERTS Government & Community Relations Duke Energy

BILL MANSON CEO AnMed Health

DAVE EDWARDS President & CEO GSP International Airport

PAUL CAIN Member Oconee County Council

NON-VOTING

ECONOMIC DEVELOPER CHAIRMAN RICHARD BLACKWELL Executive Director, Oconee Economic Alliance

“Together, our region is more than the sum of its parts.”

JOHN LUMMUS - President/CEO, Upstate SC Alliance

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124 Verdae Blvd., Suite 202 Greenville, SC 29607 864.283.2300 upstateSCalliance.com

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