November 6, 2015 UBJ

NOVEMBER 6, 2015 | VOL. 4 ISSUE 45

After 68 years near downtown Greenville, the Cline Co. prepares for a Mauldin move - pg. 18

LEAVING HOME

11.06.2015 | upstatebusinessjournal.com INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW | BANKING | 3

With its 90 percent commercial portfolio and its three spaced-out lo-cations, you might say Green-ville-based GrandSouth Bank has flown under the radar for many con-sumers over the last 20 years. That might change soon, however, as the $424 million asset bank prepares to open its first new location in 10 years and has set its sights on $1 billion in assets long before the next decade passes.

Slated to open in December, the new branch has been a long time coming, and represents both a full recovery and ambitious plans for growth, said Presi-dent and CEO Ron Earnest. As such – and amid the increasingly competitive banking market in the Upstate – Grand-South has spent more on marketing in the last eight months than it has in total since its inception in 1998.

“There are a lot of good things happening in the Upstate. Banks want to be here,” said GrandSouth Executive Vice President and COO J.B. Schwiers. “The Upstate of South Carolina to me is the best place to do business right now.”

Founded in 1998 in Fountain Inn, GrandSouth opened a headquarters in Greenville in 2002 and another loca-tion in Anderson in 2006. Plans for strong growth afterward were quickly stymied by the 2008 financial crisis, said Earnest, but GrandSouth’s lack of crippling real estate, development and subprime loan activity shielded the bank from much of the damage.

“Every customer we had suffered,” Earnest said. GrandSouth accepted $15.3 million from the U.S. Treasury’s Troubled Asset Relief Program

(TARP) but redeemed shares through the Small Business Lending Fund, he said. Of that $15.3 million, around $3.8 million remain, he said. “We skated through pretty well compara-tively.”

For the most recent quarter, for example, GrandSouth reported net income of $1.36 million, or a 28 percent increase from the same period last year. Earnings during the nine months that ended Sept. 30, 2015, were 52 percent higher than the same period last year, at $4.81 million. As of the end of September, total assets rose 9.3 percent to $424 million year over year.

Today, the new branch in Greer represents an ambitious plan for growth for GrandSouth, and will be led by 25-year banking veteran and Greer resident Jack Lucas. The bank’s loan portfolio includes primarily small to medium local businesses, but spans a variety of markets, which bodes well for growth, he said.

“There is really no specialization in GrandSouth, and we’ve tried to be very broad based,” said Lucas, who has been with the bank since the middle of last year and will lead a staff of six in Greer. “There are lots of business clients that want to deal with a bank that can make local decisions. … Responsiveness is a huge advantage.”

GrandSouth expands to Greer with fourth branchASHLEY BONCIMINO | [email protected] “There is really no specialization

in GrandSouth, and we’ve tried to be very broad based. There are lots of business clients that want to deal with a bank that can make local decisions.”

Jack Lucas, GrandSouth bank

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO RETIRE?

WE HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO TELL YOU.

Visit us at www.fosterfitzsimmons.com to learn more.Or call 864.289.2166.

112 Haywood Road, Greenville, SC 29607

©2014 Raymond James & Associates, Inc., member New York Stock Exchange/SIPCRaymond James is a registered trademark of Raymond James Financial, Inc.

Beach Foster, AIF®

Managing Director, Investments

Matthew Foster, AAMS®

Financial Advisor

Pat Fitzsimmons, AIF®

First Vice President, Investments

Karen AlexanderSales Associate

Rendering of GrandSouth’s new Greer branch, slated to open in December.

UBJ | 11.06.2015

TBA

Looks like the craft spirits business is about to become bigger: A local distillery has leased 15,000 square feet of

space on Rutherford Road.

VERBATIM

On philanthropy

“The U.S. has 5 percent of the world’s population, yet we do play an exceptional role. A lot of the things we do other countries benefi t from.”Bill Gates, speaking at Clemson University on Monday, as reported in the Anderson Independent Mail.

DEFINED

Burn the boats: To commit to a business strategy boldly, with no Plan B. Refers to legends of explorers and warriors burning their ships once they disembarked on alien shores, to remove the option of retreat and motivate their men to conquer.

Photo by Craig Mahaffey

Photo by Anne Burgess

4 | THE RUNDOWN | TOP-OF-MIND AND IN THE MIX THIS WEEK

VOLUME 4, ISSUE 45

Vintage advertisements displayed at Cline Hose and Hydraulics show some of the company’s 68-year history. See our story on page 18. Photo credit: Jim Pitt Harris

Featured this issue:GrandSouth branches out to Greer 3Downtown Greenville’s latest hotel plans 14Star-worthy salary negotiation tips 15

11.06.2015 | upstatebusinessjournal.com

After years of leveraging one-off purchases in the foreclosure market, Greenville-based Serrus Capital Part-ners is shifting gears to entire develop-ment projects, says Serrus cofounder and Chairman Leighton Cubbage.

“The foreclosure markets pretty much are bought up and picked over,” said Cubbage, who led the company in buying, renovating and either leasing or selling distressed real estate during the depths of the fi nancial crisis. The shift to buying halted subdivisions and busted projects came from Serrus CEO Steve Mudge, he said. “We have investors that understand the reason why, and they can see the returns.”

Today, Serrus Capital Partners has around $1.5 million in housing rentals, several million in vacation rentals and expects $11 million in sales this year, up from $8 million last year. The plan for next year is to double that, said Mudge.

To start, Serrus resumed construction on Creekside Village near Asheville. Builders had completed 40 of the 225 planned multifamily units before devel-opment stalled in 2009. Serrus purchased the project,

then fi nished and sold 16 multifam-ily units and are preselling 84 sin-gle-family units.

The fi rm acquired another halted development in Clemson from the bank, which included 40 completed units out of a planned 250. The project – The Falls at Meehan – will include around 200 multifamily units and 350 single-family units to be completed over the next four years.

“Philosophically, what we do is buy a good asset at a good price,” said Mudge, who noted the fi rm is circling yet another property near Asheville.

The shift also includes a staff reorganization, beginning with the hire of Gary Gosztonyi as presi-dent and COO, and Douglas Walker as CFO. Building out the executive team parallels the fi rm’s ability to handle the logistics of larger deals such as these, said Cubbage.

“Not only was it a timing issue, but … we were getting bigger and bigger. We have hundreds of houses, so we started looking at some of those bigger projects,” said Cubbage. “Real estate in my opinion is thousands of little details that seem to amass like deposits … so it doesn’t come in one fell swoop, but it is deliberate.”

INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW | CAPITAL | 5

Serrus shifts from one-off s to developmentsASHLEY BONCIMINO | [email protected]

Cubbage

Tucanos eyes February opening

Tucanos Brazilian Grill, a churrasco-style eatery coming to Magnolia Park on Woodruff Road in Greenville, is planning on an early February 2016 opening. The new restaurant will be in front of the Regal Cinemas.

Tucanos offers traditional Brazilian grilling with specially seasoned or marinated meats and vegetables prepared and grilled on skewers served tableside. Tucanos will also feature an award-winning salad bar and an array of special Brazilian beverages.

Tucanos also announced a partnership with Jeff Dezen Public Relations to support the launch of the brand’s fi rst location in South Carolina.

Anyone wishing to get the latest information can sign up for Tucanos’ newsletter at tucanos.com/clubtucanos.

UPDATE

SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF

UBJ | 11.06.2015

The long-vacant Woodside Mill offi ce building at 45 E. Main St. in West Greenville will soon be bustling again, this time with an at-risk youth education program aimed at building academic and occupational skills. Funded by a three-year YouthBuild grant to Goodwill Indus-tries for more than $1 million, the program will teach construction skills to around 60 students aged 18 to 25 in Greenville County.

Greenville Revitalization Corpora-tion bought the Woodside Mill offi ces earlier this year and signed a lease with Goodwill Industries for the 8,500-square-foot space in October. GRC CEO Doug Dent hopes to fi nish interior renovations by the end of November to accommodate a Dec. 1 move-in date for Goodwill.

Dent said revenue from the lease will fund other Greenville Revitaliza-tion Corp. projects, and said students in the job skills program could possi-bly practice their construction, home-building and renovating skills on the exterior of the building.

The U.S. Department of Labor awarded $76 million across 72 Youth-Build grants in 31 states this year. The

grants are aimed at providing com-munity-based education alternatives for classroom instruction and occupa-tional skills training in construction and other in-demand occupations. The grants will serve an estimated 4,800 people over the next three years.

The office building is separate from the historic four-story Woodside Mill, which remains vacant. The mill building was purchased in 2000 by Atlanta businessman Armando Delgado, who has told re-porters he plans to sell the property for development.

6 | EDUCATION | INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

A subsidiary of Blue Ridge Electric Co-op

888-407-7233blueridgegenerators.com

• Professionally Installed• Around-the-Clock Service

Automatic Standby Generators

FinancingAvailable!

Woodside Mill offi ce gets new life as youth skills programASHLEY BONCIMINO | [email protected]

Stay in the know.

TheUpstateBusinessJournalUpstate Business Journal @UpstateBiz

Our Apologies To National Payment

Processors.

Tandem Innovative Payment Solutions 728 N Pleasantburg Dr, Greenville, SC 29607

(864) 672-1570 www.tandempayment.com

Tandem is a registered ISO/MSP of Chase Paymentech Solutions, LLC

Greenville deserves better.

It takes great effort to be very attentive to the relationship. You can’t provide personal touch from

Atlanta, Dallas/Fort Worth, or New York. We know our clients’ names and their businesses. We’re focused

on what’s next for our customers right here at home. When it comes to understanding transaction statements...

No more excuses. It’s time for answers.

UBJ | 11.06.20158 | INSURANCE | INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

While more South Carolinians have health insurance this year than last, the Palmetto State still has the 11th highest uninsured rate in the country, and some communities are gaining ground faster than others.

Take the state’s Hispanic popula-tion, for example. The uninsured rate for that ethnic group is more than double that of African-Americans in the state, yet the rate improved more dramatically for African-Americans as well as for the population overall. The same goes for the state’s low-in-come population, or people who make $25,000 per year or less, in which more than a fifth report not having health insurance, according to an Upstate Business Journal analysis of U.S. Census data.

This week marks the start of the third enrollment period for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. That means health care providers, nonprof-its, health navigators, brokers, insur-ance agencies and others are wrestling with the challenge of reaching the more than 700,000 South Carolinians still without health insurance.

The challenge is as much of a cost-savings plan and business oppor-tunity as it is bettering people’s lives, according to Roz Goodwin, vice president for community engagement with the South Carolina Hospital Association.

“Health insurance is something they understand, they need and want,” she said. “Until now, for a bulk of our population it’s that it’s not affordable.”

Goodwin works with organizations across the state on educating and connecting more people with health insurance, including those who might have subsidies or other resources to

help pay for it. They meet regularly and collaborate to plan enrollment events, share best practices and strat-egize about how to most effectively reach those populations.

Marriage is a huge life event that affects your health insurance status, for example, so they might send someone to a bridal show, she said. The same goes for churches, commu-nity centers, libraries, even chambers of commerce, she said.

“It’s about getting them through organizations that they already trust and are connected with,” she said. “We’re not waiting for patients to come into our hospitals to seek coverage. … We’re going into the community.”

Hospitals are required by law to serve patients who show up in the emergency room, regardless of health insurance, which means the uninsured are a huge line item for hospitals, she said. In addition, health coverage often represents preventive care that leads to better treatment that might circum-vent more costly procedures and care down the line. While it’s certainly a new undertaking for hospitals, she said, “it’s one we feel a responsibility to take on.”

Here in the Upstate, Greer-based insurance broker Guy Furay said he’s changed his business to take aim at the underserved Hispanic and Afri-can-American communities in the region. Two recent hires include a 10-year insurance veteran who has already been successful in reaching the African-American community in Greenville, as well as a trilingual employee to help break down commu-nication and trust barriers with His-panic communities.

“Someone in the African-American community might not really under-stand what the law does, how it all

Some minority populations underserved by ACA

CPAs & Advisors with Your Growth in MindWhere do you turn for growth advice? It takes new ideas and a committed partner to grow in today’s climate. Cherry Bekaert gives you the power to innovate and energize your business.

Make it Happen

Atlanta | Charlotte | Greenville | Hampton Roads | Miami Raleigh-Durham | Richmond | Tampa | Washington D.C.

Greenville201 West McBee Ave.

Suite 200Greenville, SC 29601

864.233.3981 cbh.com

Find out how we can be your guide forward

ASHLEY BONCIMINO | [email protected]

Over

all

50

40

30

20

10

0

US Uninsured Rates SC Uninsured Rates

Hisp

anic,

non-

black

Blac

k,Af

rican

Amer

ican

Whi

te,

non-

Hisp

anic

Earn

$25

Kor

less

Over

all

Hisp

anic,

non-

black

Blac

k,Af

rican

Amer

ican

Whi

te,

non-

Hisp

anic

Earn

$25

Kor

less

Uninsured Rates, SC vs. US

(Source: U.S. Census, American Community Survey, 2013 and 2014 )

20132014

>>

11.06.2015 | upstatebusinessjournal.com INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW | EMPLOYMENT | 9

works. It’s not rolled out in the easiest way possible,” said Furay, who runs The Insurance Source in the Upstate. “The reason why someone in the Hispanic community – some of which would benefi t a lot from the ACA – might not use it is they don’t know or they don’t trust. We’re trying to break down barriers.”

Because the law is so new, research-ers have not had much time to look into why certain segments of the population are harder to reach with health cover-age resources, said Myriam Torres, director of the Consortium for Latino Immigration Studies and a clinical assistant professor at the University of South Carolina.

“We see right now the behavior, the demographics of the population is changing, meaning probably more than half of the Latino population in South Carolina is either born here or naturalized citizens … which means we have many more people eligible for the Affordable Care Act,” she said, noting that researchers would have to wait for more data. “Latinos are spending out of pocket lots of money for health care, so it is a need to have coverage, and it has been for, I guess, every population in the United States.”

Part of the problem for South Carolinians is the coverage gap, where an estimated 135,000 state residents are too poor for coverage through the Affordable Care Act but too rich for Medicaid. South Carolina – along with many other states – elected not to expand Medicaid, which remains a signifi cant predictor for the state’s uninsured rate.

While South Carolina has remained staunchly against expanding Medic-aid, other options are out there, said Goodwin. Last month saw the launch of Palmetto Plus, a proposal for a private-option solution to the coverage gap backed by a coalition of South Carolina nonprofi ts, statewide asso-ciations, business leaders and the SC Small Business Chamber of Com-merce. According to the advocacy group, such a proposal would save the state money, help more than 100,000 South Carolinians and create jobs.

Until that happens, nonprofi ts, providers and brokers will have to keep trying, said Torres.

“They are trying to do outreach to the population,” she said. “Our popu-lation is a population that defi nitely will get it if it is affordable. There are options.”

SC to cut unemployment insurance tax rate

South Carolina is cutting its unemployment insurance tax rate paid by businesses for the second consecutive year.

The new rate represents an average reduction of 17.1 percent over last year’s rate. Businesses will save more than $69 million as a result, according to the state Department of Employment and Workforce.

The reductions stem from an improving economy, the state dramatically lowering benefit payouts and policy changes that restricted benefi ts to workers who lost their jobs through no fault of their own, Gov. Nikki Haley said.

“When we save businesses money, we give them cash fl ow, and they can expand, putting more of our people to work – that’s why this announcement is so important,”

Haley said in a news release.South Carolina was one of 36

states that had to borrow money from the federal government in order to pay unemployment during the recession. In 2011, the state had a loan balance of $977 million.

DEW announced in June it had paid off the loan, returning the unemployment Trust Fund to solvency and saving businesses more than $12 million in interest payments.

“The economy is improving and more South Carolinians are working than any time in our state’s history,” said DEW Executive Director Cheryl Stanton in the release.

In September, South Carolina’s unemployment rate was 5.7 percent, the lowest since February 2008.

Employers must file wage and contribution reports by April 30, 2016. The new rates apply to the fi rst $14,000 earned by each employee.

CINDY LANDRUM | [email protected]

>>

HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS • WEDDING RECEPTIONS • CORPORATE EVENTS • REHEARSAL DINNERS

BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY LUNCHEON TODAY Tuesday-Friday during the month of December

Signature Holiday Lunch Buffet starting at $19.95 ppNot a Member? You can still book a private event at the Commerce Club.

Contact Julia Bankert at [email protected] or call 864-232-5600 ext. 202.

Celebrate the Holidays at the Commerce Club!

17th Floor One Liberty Square, 55 Beattie Place Overlooking Downtown Greenville 864-232-5600 • commerce-club.com

UBJ | 11.06.2015

“This is just the tip of the iceberg.”The $8.1 million grant that funded

the wireless charging project in Greenville was one of two issued by the Department of Energy. “That team with two OEMs [was] not successful like we were,” said Bryson, who de-clined to say which companies were involved. “They have since reached out to us and said, ‘We couldn’t achieve what you could. We’d like to work with you as well.’”

More research into dynamic charging could essentially invert electric vehicle research, Taiber said, because a dynamic charging system would allow for smaller, lighter, lower-capacity batteries, which makes

it easier to develop cheaper electric cars.

“If it’s utilized well enough, basically you reduce the cost on the vehicle side, but then you increase the investment on the infrastructure of the road,” he said. The fi rst stage of in-mo-t i o n w i r e l e s s charging will be limited to lower

speeds (35 miles per hour) but another option has already been identifi ed for a project on a mile-long straightaway road.

ITIC is looking for more partners for further research and development to work with the wireless charging test bed. The stationary wireless test bed recently passed a formal project review by the U.S. Department of Energy. The test demonstrated a transfer rate of 6.9 kilowatts at 85 percent effi cien-cy on one of two different Toyota vehicle models.

As for the future, Taiber says this kind of technology is far from impossible for the mass consumer market. “You won’t have to wait too long,” he says.

Lose the cables. Soon, consumersmight be able to charge their electric cars while driving down the highway, thanks to research in Greenville at the International Transportation Innova-tion Center (ITIC).

The center is the host site for a wireless charging test bed for electric cars. The fi rst two phases were pri-marily for static charging, but the next phase will work on dynamic – or in motion – wireless car charging, said CU-ICAR Principal Investigator and ITIC CTO Dr. Joachim Taiber.

“The stationary wireless charging is the technology that makes charging easier for the consumer if they have a

plug-in electric vehicle, because they don’t have to worry about cables,” said Taiber, who noted that the stationary technology wasn’t in itself new, but now can more easily be standardized for commercial use. “Dynamic wireless charging – that would allow you to recharge without stopping the car.”

The project was funded by an $8.1 million grant to Oak Ridge National Laboratory from the U.S. Department of Energy. Oak Ridge subcontracted with CU-ICAR, and collaborated with ITIC, Toyota, Cisco, Duke Energy and Evatran for the project.

“I will tell you that we’ve been told that what we’ve achieved is two years ahead of our nearest competitor in terms of technology development,” said SCTAC President Jody Bryson.

10 | TRANSPORTATION | INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

1052 North Church St. | Greenville, SC | 864.349.2600 | RoeCassidy.com

TRANSACTIONS | TRIALS | SOLUTIONS

Professional liability defense

Professional license defense

Civil litigation

Commercial litigation and business disputes

Construction litigation

Personal injury litigation

PRACTICE AREAS A founding member of Roe Cassidy Coates & Price, Clark Price has been a trial lawyer in Greenville since 1982. Clark is a past Greenville Bar Association President and has been honored by his peers with distinctions such as Best Lawyers in America® and Lawyer of the Year for Greenville Medical Malpractice Law-Defendants. Clark and the professional liability team at Roe Cassidy Coates & Price focus on defending doctors and hospitals in medical malpractice litigation.

Dedicated AdvocateProfessional liability defense

Professional license defense

Personal injury litigation

A founding member of Roe Cassidy Coates & Price, Clark Price has been a trial lawyer in Greenville since 1982. Clark is a past Greenville Bar Association President and has been honored by his peers with distinctions such as Best Lawyers in America® and Lawyer of the Year for

V. Clark Price

ROE-1036-UBJ Ad-Clark_8.75x5.055_11.13.indd 1 11/2/15 6:45 PM

Electric highwaysITIC to lead electric vehicle research with dynamic wireless car charging

ASHLEY BONCIMINO | [email protected]

“What we’ve achieved is two years ahead of our nearest competitor in terms of technology development. This is just the tip of the iceberg.”

SCTAC President Jody Bryson

An electric vehicle rolls over a wireless charging pad at ITIC.


Construction continues on Haywood Reserve, a 292-unit luxury apartment complex on Timmons Way, near the main Fluor campus off Haywood Road in Greenville.

A leasing gallery and preview center is set to open at the end of November. The clubhouse is scheduled to open in February 2016 and apartments should be ready for move-in by March 2016, said Justin Weintraub, vice president of Birmingham, Ala.-based Daniel Corporation, the company that is developing the project.

The apartment complex will offer one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and will feature a 5,000-square-foot community clubhouse with coffee bar, dog park and pet spa, car care center, resort-style saltwater swimming pool, and a fi tness center.

Starting price for one-bedroom units is $999, two-bed-room units, $1,299 and three-bedroom units, $1,649.

Weintraub said the apartment complex will occupy a little more than half of the 14.6 acres at 37 Timmons Drive. The remainder of the land is owned by another entity and has been set aside for future retail development.

For more information, visit HaywoodReserve.com.

SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF [email protected] | @SJackson_CJ

Haywood Reserve moves toward 2016 opening

REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION | SQUARE FEET | 11

PROJECT PARTNERS

DEVELOPER: Daniel Corporation

GENERAL CONTRACTOR: C.F. Evans Construction

ARCHITECT: Wakefi eld Beasley and Associates

COMMUNITY MANAGER: Greystar

UBJ | 11.06.201512 | SQUARE FEET | REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION


Construction to begin on Cureton PlaceConstruction is set to begin on Cureton Place, a new 10-unit townhome community off Augusta Street.

RealtyLink, a Greenville developer, fi rst announced the new project earlier this year. The property has now been cleared and permits have been issued so development can begin.

The new community will feature three-story units ranging from 1,700 to 2,100 square feet with two or three bedrooms. Each unit will be equipped with upscale fi nishes such as fi replaces, hardwood fl oors, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and crown molding. Each unit also comes standard with a private garage, covered porch, balcony and an elevator.

“These townhomes are designed to meet the lifestyle needs of today’s home-owner, and the location in the heart of the Augusta Road area can’t be beat,” says Neil Wilson, principal of RealtyLink.

Prices begin at $365,000 and construc-tion should be completed by winter 2016.

For more information, visit cureton-place.com.

PROJECT PARTNERS

DEVELOPER: RealtyLink Residential

GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Rembrey Custom Homes

ARCHITECT: Justice Design Studio

Commercial building

permits reach $1.4B in Upstate

With two months still left in the year, new commercial building permits in the Upstate for 2015 are already valued at $1.4 billion. That’s according to data compiled by The Market Edge, a Knoxville, Tenn.-based specialized informa-tion reporting service that provides leads to building material suppliers, subcontractors, fi nancial institutions and others.

So far in 2015, 2,323 new commercial build-ing permits have been issued in the Upstate, compared to 1,942 in 2014.

The report also shows the Upstate is only behind Charlotte and the North Carolina Trian-gle area when it comes to commercial activity.

SEE CHART on PAGE 13 >>

Strong local knowledgeand talent

National perspectiveand resources

The Greenville office of Jackson Lewis is best known for its sophisticated employment litigation practice, its national ERISA practice, and its Fair Labor Standards Act work. We advise businesses on all aspects of employment law and regularly defend businesses in employment law disputes. To learn more about the services we offer in Greenville, please contact Office Managing Shareholder Stephanie Lewis at (864) 232-7000 or [email protected].

With 800 attorneys practicing in major locations throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico, Jackson Lewis provides creative and strategic solutions to employers in every aspect of workplace law. Recognized as a “Powerhouse” in both Complex and Routine Employment Litigation in the BTI Litigation Outlook 2015 and ranked in the First Tier nationally in Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management and Litigation – Labor and Employment in U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms,” our firm has one of the most active employment litigation practices in the world. To learn more about our services, please visit us at www.jacksonlewis.com.

JACKSON LEWIS P.C.15 South Main Street • Suite 700Greenville, SC 29601 • (864) 232-7000


COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMIT TREND REPORT09/30/15 EDITION

SUMMARY OF ALL MARKETS

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2014 2015 2013 2014 2015ST MARKET DTY3Q2Q1Q4Q3Q2Q1QIN EVANSVILLE -- -- -- 409 633 131 144 207 151 132 169 210 482 511 $105,611,582 $136,926,370 $150,884,581

KY LOUISVLLE 1193 1375 1538 1,379 1,707 327 391 533 456 390 458 485 1,251 1,333 $626,133,218 $896,093,710 $566,269,644

KY LEXINGTON 889 1043 904 920 1,004 231 298 259 216 172 277 274 788 723 $421,207,588 $532,802,824 $423,744,789

TN CHATTANOOGA 807 915 869 769 936 216 248 253 219 208 224 184 717 616 $264,796,130 $414,892,245 $317,998,285

TN KNOXVILLE 1170 1171 1656 1,214 1,317 293 334 341 349 263 383 379 968 1,025 $531,002,655 $615,190,488 $641,556,270

TN TRI-CITIES 566 633 628 666 642 148 171 159 164 185 166 178 478 529 $278,890,212 $253,695,866 $196,528,706

NC ASHEVILLE 888 771 1248 1,089 1,149 280 324 243 302 350 411 291 847 1,052 $323,497,323 $398,773,287 $555,109,559

SC UPSTATE 1913 2101 2473 2,261 2,533 531 684 727 591 660 747 916 1,942 2,323 $808,203,712 $1,024,438,160 $1,401,393,281

SC COLUMBIA -- -- -- -- -- 272 324 386 322 299 478 224 982 1,001 -- $402,881,120 $438,448,675

NC HICKORY 587 592 752 665 636 156 156 172 152 168 283 211 484 662 $249,740,378 $373,569,862 $219,889,405

NC CHARLOTTE 3286 4071 4589 4,841 4,536 1,130 1,153 1,083 1,170 1,136 1,403 1,288 3,366 3,827 $2,577,202,246 $2,421,135,703 $2,054,682,824

NC TRIAD 1538 1832 1895 1,913 1,964 454 516 549 445 506 548 557 1,519 1,611 $311,940,465 $867,909,774 $1,009,630,020

NC TRIANGLE 2127 2451 2805 3,180 3,225 675 783 918 849 809 861 874 2,376 2,544 $2,269,701,353 $2,577,373,917 $2,242,518,986

NC FAYETTEVILLE 0 0 0 941 863 196 205 237 225 196 232 204 638 632 $262,119,474 $335,361,234 $383,772,751

NC ROCKY MOUNT -- -- -- -- -- -- 43 54 35 103 157 162 -- 422 -- -- $323,643,787

14,964 16,955 19,357 20,247 21,145 5,040 5,774 6,121 5,646 5,577 6,797 6,437 16,838 18,811 $9,030,046,336 $11,251,044,560 $10,926,071,563

PERMIT VALUEANNUAL2014QUARTERLY

(YTD = Q1+Q2+Q3)

2015YTD

REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION | SQUARE FEET | 13


Provided by Market Edge

COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMIT TREND REPORT09/30/15 EDITION

SUMMARY OF SELECTED MARKETS

You need more ROI, NOI and EBITDA. And less OMG.

This is what we do.

14AT

L 79

88A Reporting | Analysis | Forecasting

864.908.3062 • atlocke.com

A.T. LOCKE has a team of experts ready

to help with your fi nancial or accounting

needs. From personal fi nance to

bookkeeping to reporting, we can provide

valuable insight to help grow your business.

We’re thorough, we’re timely, and we can

help you avoid big surprises.

UBJ | 11.06.201514 | SQUARE FEET | REAL ESTATE DEALS AND DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE REGION


Hyatt Place Hotel planned for downtown Greenville

Another new hotel is coming to downtown Greenville. Plans have been submitted for a new six-story, 130-room Hyatt Place Hotel at the corner of Broad and Calvin streets, across from the new Erwin Penland building.

Tara Investment Group, a family-owned fi rm based in Charlotte, paid $2.8 million for the property, according to Greenville County property records.

The hotel, which will occupy about 0.8 acres and combine seven parcels of land, will feature a basement-level pool and fi tness center, a coffee and cocktails bar, and a grab-and-go concept and hot breakfast bar, said Amit Patel, associate with Tara Investment Group.

A parking deck is currently being incorporated into the plans. Patel said the developer had initially hoped to utilize some of the new Erwin Penland parking garage, but learned the garage is already full.

Tara Investments had been looking for a spot in downtown Greenville for about a year, said Patel. A few sites were available in the West End, but nothing in the close proxim-ity to downtown Main Street the investment group wanted. With the redevelopment of the Greenville News property, the intersection of East Broad and Main is a strong site, Patel said.

The company chose the Hyatt Place brand because of other anticipated hotel brands already announced. Hyatt has no select-service brand in the area (the Hyatt Regency on North Main Street is a full-service hotel) and Tara felt the choice would be a unique addition to the market that caters well to both business and leisure travelers, Patel said. “There is a lot of corporate demand for rooms downtown,” he said.

Preliminary plans and renderings will go before the Design Review Board Dec. 3. If approved, Patel hopes to break ground in the third quarter of 2016, and construction is expected to take 14-16 months.

Tara is “looking forward to working with the city” and is “very excited to have a chance to do this project in Greenville,” he said.

The project’s architect is Christopher Allred of Charlotte’s RBA Group.

E Broad St

E Broad St

E Court St

E McBee Ave

E Washington St

E Falls St

Vivian StWebster St Ca

lvin

St

Oakland Ave

Chur

ch S

t

S Sp

ring

St

S M

ain

St

Publix @ McBee Station

Falls Park

ErwinPenland

caters well to both business and leisure travelers, Patel said. “There is a lot of corporate demand for rooms downtown,” he said.

Oakland Ave

Oakland Ave

Falls Park

Preliminary rendering of the proposed Hyatt Place Hotel


Bradley Cooper’s entrance into the wage gap discussion as an ally following Jennifer Lawrence’s article on her disparate pay in Hollywood has reignited a hot debate.

As it usually does, this whole dialogue around the wage gap engen-ders a lot of heated conversation and staunch opinions. Before we move forward, let me attest that it’s a complicated issue at best. As a re-cruiter, I accompany many can-didates through the wage-negotiation journey, and regardless of which of my candidates are more apt to negotiate salary, many of them don’t do it well.

My utmost hope is that my candi-dates will be “Switzerland” during salary negotiations. I typically instruct them to say something along the lines of “I’m looking forward to learning more about this opportuni-ty and I’m confi dent you’ll make a competitive offer” and let me do the negotiating. Alas, there are still those who will go to the fi rst interview and demand a salary beyond what they’ve disclosed to me, expanded vacation

days and benefi ts, and an offi ce with a view. Facepalm.

Below are some do’s and don’t’s for navigat-

ing this delicate process:DO your research. Glassdoor.com

and Payscale.com provide a wealth of information on the salary ranges of professionals in your fi eld and your region. Sometimes these numbers can be misleading, though, so check with professional organizations in your area as well. You have to have an accurate gauge on your market value or you may be throwing out arbitrary numbers that undermine your credibility.

DON’T negotiate anything until you have a job offer. Your goal in the entire interview process is to secure an offer. You have no leverage for anything if you don’t have an offer yet. You also risk being perceived as presumptuous and naïve by bringing these things up without being asked and without an offer.

DO keep your word. If you’ve indicated that you need $60K to leave your current role, don’t change your mind when they offer $60K. There will be little to no chance you can negotiate around a parameter that you’ve already set. Furthermore,the company will question your in-tegrity.

DON’T cite personal finances as a reason to negotiate for more money. A company does not care about your finances; they care about their own. This is a breach of per-sonal/professional boundaries.

DO remember that benefits come in all shapes and sizes – not just salary. Do you keep the hotel rewards and airline points from your extensive travel? Will you get amazing healthcare benefits? Does their 401K match far exceed your current company’s?

In Jennifer Lawrence’s defense, few Hollywood A-players are enter-ing their salary data on Glassdoor.com for the world to see. That being said, now that she knows the market, I’m sure she’ll be negotiating differ-ently henceforth.

American (salary) HustleDo’s and don’ts on wage negotiations

J-Law could have used

STRATEGIES FOR HONING YOUR PROFESSIONAL SKILLS | PROFESSIONAL | 15

HANNAH BARFIELD SPELLMEYERGodshall Professional Recruiting & Staffi ng

Actress Jennifer Lawrence

“HIRE THE BEST PEOPLE YOU CAN. RECOGNIZE THEIR

INDIVIDUAL STRENGTHS.

BELIEVE IN THEM. HELP THEM LEARN AND GROW. WHEN

YOU DO THIS, YOU WILL BE

REWARDED WITH AN AMAZING TEAM.”

- GUY FURAY -

THE INSURANCE SOURCE IS THE GREENVILLE CHAMBER’S OCTOBER 2015

SMALL BUSINESS OF THE MONTHLearn more at insure-u.com

The Greenville Chamber salutes our Small Business of the Month. We honor and appreciate all the things that small businesses bring to our community and we

are proud to be there for them as well. If you’re in business, you have a

partner in us.

www.greenvillechamber.org

Pho

to b

y K

urt K

ulak

UBJ | 11.06.2015

Greenville County is far ahead of many competing communities, with effective programs already in place at almost every educational level. From A. J. Whittenberg Elementary School of Engineering, Fisher Middle and NEXT High School, STEM education programs abound in the Greenville County school district. The Center for Manufacturing Innovation (CMI), scheduled to open next year, is a collaborative effort between Clemson University and Greenville Technical College designed to provide a steady stream of qualifi ed talent for fi rms pioneering expertise in 3-D printing, virtual reality and other innovative industries.

Additionally, while our community has made great strides to provide better STEM education opportunities for our young people, we’ve also worked hard to develop and implement programs designed to retrain older displaced workers. Leading local employers – Michelin, Fluor, BMW Manufacturing and others – have worked closely with local government and educational in-stitutions, including Clemson Univer-sity, Furman University, Greenville Technical College and Greenville County Schools to create curriculum, tools, in-ternships and on-the-job training to prepare residents with the skills needed to continue their growth in the Upstate.

The Upstate STEM Collaborative and the STEM Expert Teacher programs are two good examples. But no single program has had a more direct impact

on the local economy than Apprentice-ship Carolina. A division of the South Carolina Technical College System, Apprenticeship Carolina provides businesses in South Carolina with unique access to all the information and technical assistance they need to create demand-driven registered apprentice-ship programs. It also engages with would-be workers to drive their interest in, and completion of, apprenticeships in areas of critical need, including engi-neering and manufacturing jobs that might otherwise go unfi lled.

Greenville County – and South Car-olina for that matter – is again bucking national trends in this regard. The number of formal apprenticeship pro-grams has fallen about 40 percent between 2003 and 2013, according to the Labor Department. Since the pro-gram’s inception in 2007, Apprentice-ship Carolina has increased the number of apprenticeships in our state by 733 percent, making it much more attractive to those looking to relocate or expand here and improving salaries and quality of life for residents.

Local companies see tremendous value in these programs. Bosch Rexroth has its apprenticeship program to hire, train and develop people with its spe-cifi c needs and processes in mind. It has doubled the number of participants since its inception in 2008 and expand-ed the program to include a partner-ship for youths and First Robotics. In fact, since its founding in 2013, Bosch has hired six youth apprentices for high-paying skilled positions right out of high school.

The GADC is facilitating productive discussions with prospects and estab-lished businesses to ensure the best deal is brought to the table when they are considering an expansion or relocation. I’ve seen fi rsthand business leaders, educational institutions and government entities work closely together to ensure continued progress and leadership. While the strength of these public-pri-vate partnerships has already borne fruit in terms of economic expansion, devel-opment, and new and better opportu-nities for our workers, we cannot rest on our laurels. Hard work remains to not only dispel the myths about our area but continue the programs that will make a positive impact.

16 | OPINION | VOICES FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, HEARD HERE

There’s no doubt that Green-ville County is a rising star on the national stage. Factors like a top-ranked downtown, nationally recog-nized events, increasing tourism and growing investment from major cor-porations make us the envy of many other communities and assist greatly in our economic development efforts. Yet, with all this positive attention, there is a persistent concern that can hinder our recruitment efforts: the notion that Greenville’s workforce is less prepared in the areas of science, technology and math (STEM).

The issue is compounded by local perception as well. According to a recent poll, 50 percent of residents feel that Greenville County’s STEM efforts lag behind the rest of the nation, and 27 percent feel that the STEM job market here is lacking.

Perception doesn’t completely match up with reality here.

The Brookings Institute found that Greenville is on

par with larger Southern cities such as Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham. The study looked at overall workforce preparedness, the availability and degree of STEM education and the presence of critical STEM programs. Business Facilities magazine ranked our community fi fth in the nation for STEM education.

The county also gets high marks nationally for our unique and exem-plary public-private partnerships focused on workforce innovations. Companies we work with at Greenville Area Development Corporation (GADC), both new and existing, often inquire about both the present and future talent pool. The pipeline of future workers is important, espe-cially for a company involved in emerging technologies.

By MARK FARRISPresident and CEO, Greenville Area Development Corporation

Laggards or leaders? The state of STEM and apprenticeship programs in the Upstate

1 Hoke Smith Blvd., Greenville • 864.987.4612

Independent Living Patio and Apartment HomesAssisted Living • Memory Care • Rehabilitation • Skilled Nursing

Contact Ruth Wood at 987-4612 for more information.

www.RollingGreenVillage.com

Thankful for our Friends and Caregivers


As technology continues to advance, it generates extreme amounts of data. This data represents both a challenge and an opportunity for businesses. The challenge comes in fi guring out how to shape this moun-tain of information into something that can be strategically employed. For companies who fi gure out how to analyze and then utilize this data, the opportunity for sustainable success is much greater.

“Business analytics” has become a ubiquitous term in today’s business world. The process of analyzing infor-mation is changing the way organiza-tions plan, the way that they pursue customers, and create new operating procedures for marketers. Marketers no longer have to start with a wide swath of the market and narrow down to fi nd their key customers; instead they can start with one customer and build their marketing segments around them. By analyzing the data generated by one existing customer and then linking that individual with other potential customers who show similar pur-chasing patterns, com-panies can create ho-mogenous marketing segments starting from the ground up.

Analyzing data is useful beyond the tradi-tional business world as well. Nonprofits are using information to help them stage and support their relief efforts when catastroph-ic events occur. Analyt-ics Magazine called at-tention to this practice and the need for more of it, something it termed “Humanitarian Logistics.” Data can be analyzed by sorting it into type of disaster, magnitude, location and other characteristics to

help responders determine the best course of action to help those in need.

A recent article on busi-ness school networking

site Business Because addresses this shift in business thinking and the importance of learning as much as possible about business analytics: “There has been a shift in the educa-tion and training of future executives, who will need to use business data to create market advantages and enhance operational performance.”

Companies in all industries are recognizing the need for professionals who are able to analyze data and effectively employ the results to drive successful business decisions, and educational institutions are stepping up to provide students with this key knowledge.

With all of the hardware and soft-ware systems that exist today – point of purchase, scheduling systems, big data sets in a variety of governmental settings, and so on – everything pro-duces data. Data surrounds us. The question becomes: What to do with all of it? What does it mean? How can it illuminate decisions and allow businesses to be more effective, effi -cient and profitable? These are questions that all businesses must answer, and business analytics is a critical skill that our MBA students should have the opportunity to learn.

Clemson MBA is launching a free-standing business analytics concen-tration in the fall of 2016, to give our students the skills that businesses need going forward. We’ve partnered with over 30 companies to defi ne our curriculum, and they have shared with us that they want managers who are data-savvy – ones who can take the information and use their expertise and tool set to “look around corners” and help identify what’s coming before it creates problems or opportunities

are missed. Final approv-als are expected in the spring of next year.

This presents the Clemson MBA program with an exciting opportu-nity, where we can partner with the community, fi nd real live projects and data, and have our MBA students in business ana-lytics work with organiza-tions in employing these new tools to assist real businesses in making decisions. This partner-ship will benefi t both the students and companies of all sizes in our region and state.

The future of strategic thinking will involve le-veraging huge data sets in making business deci-sions, and having those skills will give you an ad-vantage both as an pro-spective employee and a future (or current) busi-nessperson. Big data is here. What are you going to do with it?

Big data is the future of business

MOVERS, SHAKERS AND DISRUPTORS SHAPING OUR FUTURE | INNOVATE | 17

By GREGORY M. PICKETTSenior Associate Dean, Clemson University

Data surrounds us. The question becomes: What to do with it all ?

If your home is on the market and you are not satisfied with the number of showings it is receiving, these tips will help you convince buyers your property offers top value for their dollar.

Amp up curb appeal. Look at your home objectively from the street. Check the condition of the landscaping, paint, roof, shutters, front door, knocker, windows, and house number. Observe how your window treatments look from the outside. Something special—such as big flowerpots or an antique bench—can help your property stand out after a long day of house hunting.

Enrich with color. Paint is an inexpensive way to make a big impression. The shade doesn’t have to be white or beige, but stay away from jarring pinks, oranges, and purples. Soft yellows and pale greens say “welcome,” lead the eye from room to room, and flatter skin tones.

Upgrade the kitchen and bathrooms. These are make-or-break rooms. Make sure they’re squeaky clean and clutter-free, and update the pulls, sinks, and faucets. In a kitchen, add one cool appliance, such as an espresso maker.

Clean out and organize closets. Remove anything you don’t need or haven’t worn in a while. Closets should only be half-full so buyers can visualize fitting their stuff in.

Hire a home inspector.

Do a preemptive strike to find and fix problems before you sell your home. Then you can show receipts to buyers, demonstrating your detailed care for their future home.

Let our team walk you through each of these steps to make sure you get top dollar for your home.top dollar for your home.

Each Keller Williams Realty Office is Independently Owned and Operated

864-527-7685MyGreenvilleHome.com

Attract More Buyers to Your Home Listing

Dan Hamilton

UBJ | 11.06.201518 | INSIDE THE CLINE CO. | A DAY (OR MORE) IN THE LIFE OF AN UPSTATE COMPANY

In 1952, on the eve of his 40th birthday, Nesbitt Q. Cline was still in the startup phase of the Cline Company – a four-year-old business that sold oil, drive shafts and hydraulic hoses out of an old house in downtown Greenville.

Critical assets included his wife Martha, a hand hacksaw, a knife, a pair of pliers and a cinderblock front porch that had been converted into a loading dock for shipping orders. So far, the business had not yet turned a defi nitive corner on its future – until one day, a delivery truck backed into a corner of the loading dock and destroyed the porch.

Though unintentional, the acci-dent proved to be pivotal for Cline. It not only led him to build his fi rst building nearby on Buncombe Street, it put his business on a course that will soon mark its 68th year as one of Greenville’s most stable and time-honored companies.

“My grandfather used to say, ‘You’re never set in business – you can never be set without something changing,’” said Scott Cline, company president since 2002. “And he saw the porch wreck as a sign that it was time for him to make a change and expand the company.”

‘EARN THE CUSTOMER’S FAITH FIRST’

In the last six decades, the Cline Co. has changed and expanded in many ways – such as incorporating in 1980 and becoming Cline Hose & Hydrau-lics LLC in 1999 (though most people still know it simply as the Cline Co.).

Since the porch accident, the busi-ness has grown from two to 40 em-ployees, added three more buildings on fi ve acres, and gone from having

TRACES LONGEVITY TO STARTUP ROOTS

A wrecked loading dock was just one of many turning points in company’s 68-year history – next stop, leaving downtown Greenville for a new Mauldin HQ

L. C. LEACH III | CONTRIBUTOR

CLI NEone local customer (who bought a case of oil in 1948 for a gas station) to ac-cumulating more than 1,000 current customers from across the country.

The main thrust of the company’s business lines is still in hydraulic hose assemblies, couplings and end fi ttings, which are made and installed per the customer’s requirement.

But now, the operation – run by brothers Scott and Glenn Cline – also supplies power drive services, cooling systems and both cylinder and pump repair to a wide sector of the U.S. agricultural, construction, transportation, industrial and end-user markets.

“Scott and I just grew up learning the business from our father and grandfather,” said Glenn Cline, vice president and counter sales manager. “Our grandfather taught us this lesson: ‘Earn the customer’s faith fi rst and the business will follow.’ And we see the value of that insight on a daily basis.”

For example, the company’s busi-ness has now widened to a 100-mile service radius –reaching Columbia, Charlotte, N.C., and Athens, Ga.

The client base has increased to include Apple, Google, Microsoft, the U.S. Department of Defense, and major subway systems in Boston, New York City and Washington, D.C.

While that base has also expanded locally to include companies such as EDR Solutions (makers of hard drive crushers), many clients who began doing business with the senior Cline from long ago are still current.

“Strange Brothers started buying from us in 1954 [the company’s fi rst year as grading contrac-tors], and they are our oldest current client,” Glenn Cline said. “But we have others from the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s who are still with us. I think it’s a credit to how we still do business.”

NEW HOME IN MAULDIN

A major aspect of that business has come from giving personal training and technical support to all clients, to ensure they receive proper installation, mainte-

nance and repair of all hydraulic and pneumatic systems, hoses, pumps and valves. A 24-hour emergency service is also available 365 days a year.

“Service is our strength – we serve any individual who needs us or any-thing we supply,” Scott Cline said. “And that service has remained a constant part of what we do, especial-ly when something like the porch accident pushes us to make another change to the company.”

The most recent push will soon mark the company’s biggest change of the last 60 years: to relocate the entire operation away from Greenville.

On Dec. 14, 2015, as it nears its 68th anniversary, Cline Hose & Hydraulics LLC will open on a new three-acre site on Verdin Road in the City of Mauldin. The acreage and buildings on Bun-combe Street are up for sale.

“We didn’t really want to leave Greenville,” Scott Cline said. “But we had run out of offi ce space, and we didn’t have any more room to expand the company on our present site.” The move will mean a more central loca-tion in Greenville County, and allow proximity to the main interstate ar-teries of I-85 and I-385.

“And we’ll have all our employees and company processes together under one roof, which means we can do an even better job helping customers solve issues that require our experi-ence,” Glenn Cline said.

Both Scott and Glenn Cline said employees saw the move as another way to “further everyone’s career.”

“We have profi t-sharing for all 40 of our employees, who we regard as family,” Scott Cline said. “So when we grow and expand the business, such as with the new move, everybody here benefi ts.”

Glenn Cline added, “Since the porch accident in 1952, every part of the company has consistently grown or changed in some way. With the move, we’re looking forward to a new era

“My grandfather used to say, ‘You’re never set in business – you can never be set without something changing. And he saw the porch wreck as a sign that it was time for him to make a change and expand the company.”

Scott Cline, president, The Cline Company

>>


and whatever company changes will happen in it.”However, the Cline brothers say one promise has

remained unchanged since the start-up days of their

grandfather: The Cline Performance Guarantee.“We back everything we sell with a 100 percent

guarantee that says, ‘Your product performs accord-

ing to specifications or we’ll replace it free of charge – No ifs, ands or buts,’” Scott Cline said. “That guarantee is part of the customer trust my grandfa-ther started in 1948, and which we intend to honor as long as we remain in business.”

A DAY (OR MORE) IN THE LIFE OF AN UPSTATE COMPANY | INSIDE THE CLINE CO. | 19

600 BUNCOMBE ST.

601 & 711 BUNCOMBE ST.

DOWNTOWN VACANCY

Buncombe St

Butle

r Ave

Atwoo

d St

Heritage Green601 & 711Buncombe St

600 Buncombe St

Lot size: 1.91+- acres

Property type: Land

Property sub-type: Commercial/other (land)

Zoning: RDV, City of Greenville

Asking price: $3.3 million

Lot size: 2.88 +- acres

Property type: Land

Property sub-type: Commercial/other (land)

Zoning: RDV, City of Greenville

Asking price: $5.7 million

Cline’s upcoming move to Mauldin leaves nearly 5 acres available for sale on Buncombe Street. All properties are located near the Upcountry History Museum, adjacent to both to the North Main and Hampton-Pinckney Historic District. All properties are zoned RDV and have multiple access points.

For more information, contact NAI Earle Furman, 864-232-9040.

Above: Brothers Scott (left) and Glenn Cline run the company their grandfather, Nesbitt Q. Cline (previous page) started in 1948.

>>

Pho

tos

by J

im P

itt H

arris

UBJ | 11.06.2015

Fluor manages constructionof nuclear projects

Fluor Corporation was named by Westinghouse Electric Company LLC to manage construction of two Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear power reactor projects in Georgia and South Carolina.

The projects are owned and operated by Southern Company in Waynesboro, Ga., and SCANA/Santee Cooper in Fairfi eld County, S.C.

“We are very pleased with the vote of confi dence that Westinghouse, and the nuclear facility owners, have placed in our company to manage the construction of these two U.S. nuclear mega-projects,” David Seaton, Fluor chairman and CEO, said in a release.

Fluor will assess the two projects, engaging the workforce and planning a transition of duties and responsibilities required to develop appropriate plans to manage plant construction. Fluor and Westinghouse have further agreed that Fluor’s scope will complete project construction at these facilities on a cost re-imbursable basis, without liability for pre-existing conditions associated with prior construction.

Spartanburg wins $25K health prizeSpartanburg County is one of eight winners of the 2015 RWJF Culture of

Health Prize of $25,000 by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The prize celebrates the strides communities have made for good health. “Across Spartanburg County, leaders and citizens have been working togeth-

er for years in an effort to address our most vexing issues of health and wellness,” Kathy Dunleavy, president and CEO of the Mary Black Foundation, said in a

release. “Earning the RWJF Culture of Health Prize is confi r-mation of the progress we have made. We still have a lot of work to do, but because of Spartanburg’s collaborative nature and the strong partnerships that have been developed, we should all be optimistic about the opportunity we have to build a community that is among the healthiest anywhere.”

Spartanburg County was selected from more than 340 prize applications across the country. The other seven winning communities are Bridgeport, Conn.; Bronx, N.Y.; Everett, Mass.; Kansas City, Mo.; Lawrence, Mass.; Menominee Nation, Wis.; and Waaswaaganing Anishinaabeg Tribe, Wis.

“Over the last several years, thanks to the leadership of the Mary Black Foundation, Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System and many other organi-zations, our community has made great strides in addressing several important health and wellness issues,” Spartanburg Mayor Junie White said.

Clemson to off er MBA in analyticsClemson University’s business school will

begin offering a Master of Business Admin-istration program in analytics starting in the fall semester of 2016.

“The type of student seeking this degree will need core management skills, but will also need to feel comfortable process-ing data and making business decisions on large masses of that data,” said Jason Thatcher, business school management professor and director of Clemson’s Social Analytics Institute.

The business analytics MBA concentration will cater to current industry analysts who want to participate but are unable to take leaves of absence from their workplaces.

20 | THE FINE PRINT | BUSINESS BRIEFS YOU CAN’T MISS

>>

COLUMBIA | GREENVILLE | RALEIGHKEENANSUGGS.COM

From our dedicated, local team of industry specialists, to our experienced client service and risk management departments, KeenanSuggs Insurance is proud to serve as the trusted advisor to our commercial, personal and benefits clients throughout the Southeast. Insurance is complicated. We can help.

800.532.1674

IT’S A SERIOUS DECISION.INSURANCE.

Upstate Biz Journal .indd 1 11/3/15 12:38 PM


THE INBOXStay in the know with UBJ’s

free weekly email.

Sign up today: UpstateBusinessJournal.com

BUSINESS BRIEFS YOU CAN’T MISS | THE FINE PRINT | 21

Applications accepted forPaceSetters program

The Greenville Chamber’s Pulse Young Professionals group is accepting ap-plications for its 2016 PaceSetters program

Pulse PaceSetters is an 11-month mentoring and skills training program that focuses on leadership devel-opment of young profession-als, ages 21-39. Groups of 10-12 young professionals are paired with two Greenville business leaders who serve as mentors. Participants will have monthly meetings with their small groups as well as programming organized by the PaceSetters Committee.

“It’s a great opportunity to get to know yourself and your community better,” said Kelly Byers, PaceSetters chair. “The best part is that you’ll be surrounded by several peers who are right where you are, but who are willing to challenge you and hold you accountable, as well as two mentors who have been there themselves and can help you navigate those waters and help make important connections.”

To apply for a committee, fi ll out the form located on the Pulse website at greenvillepulse.com. The deadline for applications is Nov. 13.

ReWa gets AA+ credit rating Standard and Poor’s Rating

Services raised Renewable Water Resources’ (ReWa) senior lien rating to a AA+.

Simultaneously, Standard and Poor’s affi rmed its AA rating, with a stable outlook, on ReWa’s junior lien debt.

Ratings provide an assessment of an organization’s creditworthiness, based on its borrowing and repayment history, as well as asset and liability balances. ReWa’s bond ratings are considered high grade, which means the agency has a strong capacity to meet fi nancial requirements.

Southern First named as a top performerSouthern First Bancshares Inc. has been named by Sandler O’Neill + Partners

as one of the nation’s top performing small-cap banks, included in the fi rm’s Sm-All Stars Class of 2015.

The 2015 Sm-All-Star Class includes 34 banks. To identify the small-cap companies that made the list, Sandler O’Neill evaluated all 435 publicly traded banks and thrifts with a market cap below $2.5 billion. To incor-porate a liquidity restraint, the pollsters placed a $25 million cutoff at the low-end of the market cap range.

“This distinguished recognition is a testament to the hard work of our dedi-cated team. We are pleased to be identifi ed as one of the top-performing small-cap banks in the country,” said Southern First CEO Art Seaver.

>>

TO ATTEND PLEASE CONTACT LACEY HENNESSEY, 864-679-8588 OR [email protected]

WORKFORCEDEVELOPMENTSALUTE.ORG

JOIN THE GREENVILLE TECH FOUNDATION

AS WE HOST A CONVERSATION WITH

CARLOS GHOSNCHAIRMAN & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF

THE RENAULT-NISSAN ALLIANCE

THIS EVENT WILL FUND STUDENT

SCHOLARSHIPS AND OTHER CRITICAL NEEDS

FOR GREENVILLE TECHNICAL COLLEGE.

11.16.156:00pm Cocktail Reception

7:00pm Dinner TD Convention Center

UBJ | 11.06.201522 | ON THE MOVE | PLAY-BY-PLAY OF UPSTATE CAREERS

DEVELOPMENT

O’Neal Inc. hired David Haddock as project services director. Haddock has more than 20 years of experience with project management and con-trols. He previously worked for Jacobs Canada, BE&K Building Group and Brown & Root.

EDUCATION

Clinton Colmenares, a 20-year veteran of science and research news, has joined Clemson University’s Offi ce of Media Relations as director of re-search communications. Colmenares covered science and medicine as a newspaper reporter, then spent 15 years promoting academic research for Vanderbilt University Medical Center, the University of Maine, UNC Chapel Hill and the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Bill Dingledine was awarded the Gayle C. Wilson Award for service to the profession of college counseling by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). Dingledine most recently served as assistant headmaster and head of the Upper School at Christ Church Epis-copal School. For the past 19 years he has worked as an independent con-sultant advising students and parents on college admission and fi nancial aid.

HEALTH CARE

Windsor House Assisted Living and Memory Care named Geri Caitlin as director of marketing and sales. Caitlin has experience in health care related social work services, planning discharg-es, referrals to appropriate outside community services, team management and social service assessments. She previously served as a social worker in Charleston/Mount Pleasant.

HOSPITALITY

The Cliffs had three team members pass their Level 1 Sommelier Intro-ductory Examination offered by the Court of Master Sommeliers. Vince Mathis, Abby Powell and Anna Shell join The Cliffs’ existing team of wine and culinary experts.

PR/MARKETING

Jackson Marketing, Motorsports & Events hired Luke Bell as performance service specialist and Mat McAuliff as interactive developer. Bell most recent-ly completed an internship with Gen-eration Adidas International, where he

was an admissions coordinator. McAuliff previously served as a senior developer managing web development, databases, fraud and user support at PassThePopcorn.

Crawford Strategy hired Anna Simmons as an account coordinator. Simmons has experience in a variety of fi elds including recruiting, market-ing, event planning and public rela-tions. She most recently worked as a professional recruiter at Aerotek, a national staffi ng company.

Ferebee Lane + Co. hired Emily Grim as copywriter and content strategist, Emily Clever as copywrit-er and Ben Granger as account manager. Grim most recently served as a social strategist at Erwin Penland for Denny’s and The UPS Store. Clever has experience in copywriting and writing for public relations clients and publications. She is current commu-nications chair of AAF Greenville. Granger has experience as a client engagement specialist with HealthStat Inc. and Mercedes-Benz Vans Canada.

ELECTED HIRED HIRED HIRED APPOINTED

Melinda Davis LuxElected to the American Law Institute. She will help infl uence the development of the law in both existing and emerging areas. She is a shareholder at Wyche P.A., centering her practice on complex business deals, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and fi nancing transactions.

Filomena NovoaJoins The Insurance Source as its fi rst trilingual customer service specialist. Novoa has nearly 30 years of experience. She spent 17 years working for a various insurance agencies in Boston before working for Canal Insurance Company in Spartanburg. She is fl uent in English, Portuguese and Spanish.

Bryan BakerNamed a relationship manager for The Hiring Group. Baker is the fi rm’s fi rst hire in Greenville to help expand operations in the market area. He will be responsible for building and maintaining relationships in the Upstate. He has a background in sales and customer service.

Ed Blakemore Jr.Named chief fi nancial offi cer at NHE Inc. Blakemore has more than 30 years of experience with real estate investment, property development and management and construction lending disciplines. He most recently served as CFO and senior vice president of operations at Serrus Capital Partners.

Bruce SnyderNamed chair of the Alliance for a Healthier South Carolina. Snyder is a vascular surgeon with Greenville Health System. He has served as president of the South Carolina Medical Association. He also represents the SCMA on the state’s SCale Down initiative to reduce the rate of obesity.

CONTRIBUTE: New hires, promotions & award winners may be featured in On the Move. Send information and photos to [email protected].

ELECTED HIRED HIRED HIRED APPOINTED

Stanley Wilson

Named executive director of the Greenville County Redevelopment Authority (GCRA). Wilson previously served as executive director of the Salisbury-Rowan Community Action Agency Inc. He also headed operations and planning as the executive vice president for Builders of Hope in Raleigh, N.C.

VIP

11.06.2015 | upstatebusinessjournal.com THE FRESHEST FACES ON THE BUSINESS LANDSCAPE | NEW TO THE STREET | 23

Open for business1

1. Cross Creek Realty LLC recently opened its new headquarters at 115 North Poinsett Hwy., Travelers Rest. The company represents both buyers and sellers of timber tracts, farms and recreational and commercial properties. For more information, visit crosscreekrealtyllc.com.

2. Studio Fitness recently opened at 3337 Moore-Duncan Highway #8, Moore. The company offers dance cardio, kickboxing, yoga, barre and restoration classes. For more information, visit studiofi tnessgroup.com.

2

CONTRIBUTE: Know of a business opening soon? Email information to [email protected].

Fundraising Dinner THANK YOU TO OUR 2015

FUNDRAISING DINNERSPONSORS

Fundraising Dinner THANK YOU TO OUR 2015

FUNDRAISING DINNERSPONSORS

Generations fp UBJ 1106.indd 1 11/3/15 10:38 AM

11.06.2015 | upstatebusinessjournal.com INSIDE THE UPSTATE’S NETWORKING AND SOCIAL SCENE | SOCIAL SNAPSHOT | 25

#CREEPYCRAWFORDThe Crawford Strategies team in Greenville celebrated Halloween last week with some inventive costumes.

CONTRIBUTE: Got high-resolution photos of your networking or social events? Send photos and information for consideration to [email protected].

Best Overall winner voted by the online public was Lacey Hennessey (right) as Mugatu from the hit movie “Zoolander.” She is pictured here with Hannah Dillard as Derek Zoolander.

11.13.15

FOR MORE INFORMATION, OR TICKETS VISIT: RMHC-CAROLINAS.ORG

Food DrinkDancing

BENEFITTING THE RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE

Red Shoe Society Presents

GreenvilleRoyale

THE

11.13.15

Clemson ONE7-11 pm

RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF THE CAROLINA'S

FeaturingThe Sound Committee

SPONSORED BY

UBJ | 11.06.201526 | #TRENDING | INFORMATION YOU WANT TO KNOW

RE: LIMITS ON SEWER CAPACITY COULD CALL A HALT TO GREENVILLE’S RAPID GROWTH> Renee D. Lean “Important stu� here folks. This is why several businesses have not started up in Pendleton Arts District.”

> Todd Gillespie “Good…”

> Mary Beth Culbertson “FINALLY…”

> @EricSchaef “Maybe ‘rapid growth’ is not so healthy.”

RE: PERIMETER PROJECT SELECTS SALES PARTNER, ANNOUNCES FIRST COMMERCIAL TENANT

> Diane Morgan Maxwell “This will be a great addition! Watch for more details ... and perhaps we can meet for co� ee when they’re open!”

> C. Dan Joyner Realtors “We’re proud to be a part of this exciting and unique development coming to Downtown Greenville! #PerimeterWest #BestMoveEver”

> Belinda Jenkins “This is awesome! Due South is a favorite co� ee shop!”

RE: FOUNDER INSTITUTE GRADUATES 9 STARTUPS> Professional Network Connections “Take a look at the Founder Institute Greenville’s graduating class! Some new and interesting businesses are starting up in #yeahTHATGreenville.”

> Complete Public Relations “Proud of our friends HeyNeighbor.”

BIZ BUZZ The top 5 stories from last week’s issue ranked by shareability score

1. Perimeter project selects sales partner, announces fi rst commercial tenant

2. Limits on sewer capacity could call a halt to Greenville’s rapid growth

3. Founder Institute graduates 9 startups

4. Greenville again misses out on federal TIGER grant

5. New partner chosen for Scott Towers redevelopment

OVERHEARD @ THE WATERCOOLERDistilled commentary from UBJ readers

>> 221

>> 140

>> 108

>> 59

>> 178

>> WEIGH IN @ THE UBJ EXCHANGEGot something to o� er? Get it o� your chest.We’re looking for expert guest bloggers from all industries to contribute to the UBJ Exchange. Send posts or blog ideas to [email protected].

DIGITAL FLIPBOOK ARCHIVE >>

The layout of print meets the convenience of the web: fl ip through the digital edition of any of our print issues at >> upstatebusinessjournal.com/past-issues

OCTOBER 30, 2015 | VOL. 4 ISSUE 44

FOCUS: COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE QUARTERLY: Q3 2015

What effect does sewer capacity have on Greenville’s growth? pg. 14

Greenville’s ‘ticking time bomb’

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR EMAILSFollow up on the Upstate’s workweek in minutes.

Subscribe to our emails & receive The Inbox – our weekly rundown of the top 10 local biz stories you need to know – as well as breaking news alerts. It’s the best way to stay informed on the go.>> upstatebusinessjournal.com/email

ORDER A PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONStyle & substance are not mutually exclusive.

Our print issues look great in waiting rooms, lobbies and on co� ee tables (where they age well, too). Order a year of UBJ in no time, and we’ll deliver every week.>> upstatebusinessjournal.com/subscribe

@ashleyboncimino

@SJackson_CJ

@BenDavidJ

@amorris_CJ

@ssimmons830

@jerrymsalley

@clandrum

LINKEDIN.COM/COMPANY/UPSTATE-BUSINESS-JOURNAL

FACEBOOK.COM/THEUPSTATEBUSINESSJOURNAL

@UPSTATEBIZ

>> CONNECT WITH USWe’re great at networking.

UPSTATEBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM

RE: GREENVILLE AGAIN MISSES OUT ON FEDERAL TIGER GRANT> Thomas J. Tucker “Unfortunate... I would have liked to see some upgrades to Greenville’s public transportation.”

> Jason Avery “Sounds like they are still going to move forward with the project just a bit slower. Great addition for Greenville.”

> Mary Beth Culbertson “Damn shame what a set back”.

> Ryan Johnston “Bad news.”

> @GreenvilleSCRE “Bummer but let’s keep trying!”


PRESIDENT/CEOMark B. [email protected]

UBJ PUBLISHERRyan L. [email protected]

EXECUTIVE EDITORSusan Clary [email protected]

MANAGING EDITORJerry [email protected]

STAFF WRITERSAshley Boncimino, Sherry Jackson, Benjamin Jeffers, Cindy Landrum, April A. Morris

DIGITAL TEAM Emily Price, Danielle Car

MARKETING & ADVERTISING

SALES REPRESENTATIVESNicole Greer, Kristi Jennings, Donna Johnston, Annie Langston, Lindsay Oehman, Emily Yepes

DIRECTOR OF EVENTS & ACCOUNT STRATEGY Kate Madden

ART & PRODUCTION

ART DIRECTORWhitney Fincannon

OPERATIONS Holly Hardin

ADVERTISING DESIGNMichael Allen

CLIENT SERVICES Anita Harley, Jane Rogers

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANTKristi Fortner

HOW TO CONTRIBUTE

STORY IDEAS: [email protected]

EVENTS: [email protected]

NEW HIRES, PROMOTIONS, AND AWARDS:[email protected]

UBJ welcomes expert commentary from business leaders on timely news topics related to their specialties. Guest columns run 700-800 words. Contact Executive Editor Susan Clary Simmons at [email protected] to submit an article for consideration.

Circulation Audit by

publishers of

581 Perry Avenue, Greenville, SC 29611 | 864-679-1200 | communityjournals.comUBJ: For subscriptions, call 864-679-1240 | UpstateBusinessJournal.com

Copyright ©2015 BY COMMUNITY JOURNALS LLC. All rights reserved. Upstate Business Journal is published weekly by Community Journals LLC. 581 Perry Ave., Greenville, South Carolina, 29611. Upstate Business Journal is a free publication. Annual subscriptions (52 issues) can be purchased for $50. Postmaster: Send address changes to Upstate Business, P581 Perry Ave., Greenville, South Carolina, 29611. Printed in the USA.

DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA

TWITTER: Follow us @UpstateBiz

FACEBOOK: TheUpstateBusinessJournal

LINKEDIN: Upstate Business Journal

IN THIS WEEK’S ISSUE OF UBJ? WANT A COPY FOR YOUR LOBBY?

Order a reprint today, PDFs available for $25. For more information, contact Anita Harley 864.679.1205 or

[email protected]

20 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal November 1, 2013

UBJ milestone

Solve. Serve. Grow. Those three words summarize Jackson Marketing Group’s guiding principles, and ac-cording to owner Larry Jackson, form the motivation that has kept the firm thriving for the past 25 years.

Jackson graduated from Bob Jones University with a degree in video and film production and started his 41-year career in the communications industry with the U.S. Army’s Public Information Office. He served during

Vietnam, where he said he was “luckily” stationed in the middle of Texas at Fort Hood.

He left the service and went to work in public affairs and motorsports at Ford Motor Company in Detroit. After a stint at Bell and Howell, where he was responsible for managing Ford’s dealer marketing and training, the entrepreneurial bug hit and he co-founded Jackson-Dawson Mar-keting Communications, a company specializing in dealer training and product launches for the auto indus-try in 1980.

In 1987, Jackson wanted to move back south and thought Greenville would be a good fit. An avid pilot, he

learned of an opportunity to purchase Cornerstone Aviation, a fixed base operation (FBO) that served as a service station for the Greenville Downtown Airport, providing fuel, maintenance and storage.

In fact, when he started the Green-ville office of what is now Jackson Marketing Group (JMG) in 1988, the offices were housed on the second floor in an airport hangar.

“Clients would get distracted by the airplanes in the hangars and we’d have to corral them to get back up-stairs to the meeting,” Jackson said.

Jackson sold the FBO in 1993, but says it was a great way to get to know Greenville’s fathers and leaders

Jackson Marketing Group celebrates 25 yearsBy sherry Jackson | staff | [email protected]

>>

Chairman larry Jackson, Jackson marketing Group. Photos by Greg Beckner / Staff

November 1, 2013 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal 21

UBJ milestone

with a majority of them utilizing the general aviation airport as a

“corporate gateway to the city.”In 1997, Jackson and his son,

Darrell, launched Jackson Motor-sports Group. The new division was designed to sell race tires and go to racetracks to sell and mount the tires. Darrell Jackson now serves as president of the motorsports group and Larry Jackson has two other children and a son-in-law who work there. Jackson said all his children started at the bottom and “earned their way up.”

Jackson kept the Jackson-Dawson branches in Detroit and others in Los Angeles and New York until he sold his portion of that partnership in 2009 as part of his estate plan-ning.

The company now operates a small office in Charlotte, but its main headquarters are in Greenville in a large office space off Woodruff Road, complete with a vision gallery that displays local artwork and an audi-torium Jackson makes available for non-profit use. The Motor-sports Group is housed in an additional 26,000 square feet building just down the street, and the agency is currently looking for another 20,000 square feet.

Jackson said JMG has expand-ed into other verticals such as financial, healthcare, manufac-turing and pro-bono work, but still has a strong focus on the auto industry and transportation. It’s

also one of the few marketing com-panies in South Carolina to handle all aspects of a project in-house, with four suites handling video production, copywriting, media and research and web design.

Clients include heavyweights such as BMW, Bob Jones University, the Peace Center, Michelin and Sage Automotive. Recent projects have included an interactive mobile appli-cation for Milliken’s arboretum and 600-acre Spartanburg campus and a marketing campaign for the 2013 Big League World Series.

“In my opinion, our greatest single achievement is the longevity of our client relationships,” said Darrell Jackson. “Our first client from back in 1988 is still a client today. I can count on one hand the number of clients who have gone elsewhere in the past decade.”

Larry Jackson says his Christian faith and belief in service to others, coupled with business values rooted in solving clients’ problems, have kept

him going and growing his business over the years. He is passionate about giving back and outreach to non-prof-its. The company was recently awarded the Community Foundation Spirit Award.

The company reaffirmed its com-mitment to serving the community last week by celebrating its 25th an-niversary with a birthday party and a 25-hour Serve-A-Thon partnership with Hands on Greenville and Habitat for Humanity. JMG’s 103 full-time employees worked in shifts around the clock on October 22 and 23 to help construct a house for a deserving family.

As Jackson inches towards retire-ment, he says he hasn’t quite figured out his succession plan yet, but sees the companies staying under the same umbrella. He wants to continue to strategically grow the business.

“From the beginning, my father has taught me that this business is all about our people – both our clients and our associates,” said his son,

Darrell. “We have created a focus and a culture that strives to solve problems, serve people and grow careers.”

Darrell Jackson said he wants to “continue helping lead a culture where we solve, serve and grow. If we are successful, we will continue to grow towards our ultimate goal of becoming the leading integrated marketing communications brand in the Southeast.”

jackson Marketing Group’s 25 Years1988 Jackson Dawson opens in Greenville at Downtown Airport

2003 motorsports Division acquires an additional 26,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space

1998 Jackson Dawson moves to task industrial Court

1997 Jackson Dawson launches

motorsports Division

2009-2012 Jackson marketing Group named a top BtoB agency by

BtoB magazine 4 years running

2012 Jackson marketing Group recognized by Community Foundation

with Creative spirit Award

2009 Jackson Dawson changes name to Jackson

marketing Group when larry sells his partnership

in Detroit and lA

1988 19981993 2003 2008

1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

1990 Jackson Dawson acquires therapon marketing Group and moves to Piedmont

office Center on Villa.

2011 Jackson marketing Group/Jackson motorsports

Group employee base reaches 100 people

pro-bono/non-proFit Clients

American Red Cross of Western Carolinas

Metropolitan Arts CouncilArtisphere

Big League World SeriesThe Wilds

Advance SCSouth Carolina Charities, Inc.

Aloft

Hidden Treasure Christian School

CoMMUnitY inVolVeMent & boarD positions

lArry JACkson (ChAirmAn): Bob Jones University Board chairman, The Wilds Christian Camp and Conference Center board member, Gospel Fellowship Association board member, Past Greenville Area Development Corporation board member, Past Chamber of Commerce Headquarters Recruiting Committee member, Past Greenville Tech Foundation board member

David Jones (Vice President Client services, Chief marketing officer): Hands on Greenville board chairman

mike Zeller (Vice President, Brand marketing): Artisphere Board, Metropolitan Arts Council Board, American Red Cross Board, Greenville Tech Foundation Board, South Carolina Chamber Board

eric Jackson (Jackson motorsports Group sales specialist): Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club Advisory Board

>>

AS SEEN IN NOVEMBER 1, 2013

IN THIS WEEK’S ISSUE OF UBJ? WANT A COPY FOR YOUR LOBBY?

Order a reprint today, PDFs available for $25. For more information, contact Anita Harley 864.679.1205 or

20 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal November 1, 2013

UBJ milestone

Solve. Serve. Grow. Those three words summarize Jackson Marketing Group’s guiding principles, and ac-cording to owner Larry Jackson, form the motivation that has kept the firm thriving for the past 25 years.

Jackson graduated from Bob Jones University with a degree in video and film production and started his 41-year career in the communications industry with the U.S. Army’s Public Information Office. He served during

Vietnam, where he said he was “luckily” stationed in the middle of Texas at Fort Hood.

He left the service and went to work in public affairs and motorsports at Ford Motor Company in Detroit. After a stint at Bell and Howell, where he was responsible for managing Ford’s dealer marketing and training, the entrepreneurial bug hit and he co-founded Jackson-Dawson Mar-keting Communications, a company specializing in dealer training and product launches for the auto indus-try in 1980.

In 1987, Jackson wanted to move back south and thought Greenville would be a good fit. An avid pilot, he

learned of an opportunity to purchase Cornerstone Aviation, a fixed base operation (FBO) that served as a service station for the Greenville Downtown Airport, providing fuel, maintenance and storage.

In fact, when he started the Green-ville office of what is now Jackson Marketing Group (JMG) in 1988, the offices were housed on the second floor in an airport hangar.

“Clients would get distracted by the airplanes in the hangars and we’d have to corral them to get back up-stairs to the meeting,” Jackson said.

Jackson sold the FBO in 1993, but says it was a great way to get to know Greenville’s fathers and leaders

Jackson Marketing Group celebrates Jackson Marketing Group celebrates Jackson Marketing

25 yearsBy sherry Jackson | staff | [email protected]

>>

Chairman larry Jackson, Jackson marketing Group. Photos by Greg Beckner / Staff

November 1, 2013 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal 21

UBJ milestone

with a majority of them utilizing the general aviation airport as a

“corporate gateway to the city.”In 1997, Jackson and his son,

Darrell, launched Jackson Motor-sports Group. The new division was designed to sell race tires and go to racetracks to sell and mount the tires. Darrell Jackson now serves as president of the motorsports group and Larry Jackson has two other children and a son-in-law who work there. Jackson said all his children started at the bottom and “earned their way up.”

Jackson kept the Jackson-Dawson branches in Detroit and others in Los Angeles and New York until he sold his portion of that partnership in 2009 as part of his estate plan-ning.

The company now operates a small office in Charlotte, but its main headquarters are in Greenville in a large office space off Woodruff Road, complete with a vision gallery that displays local artwork and an audi-torium Jackson makes available for non-profit use. The Motor-sports Group is housed in an additional 26,000 square feet building just down the street, and the agency is currently looking for another 20,000 square feet.

Jackson said JMG has expand-ed into other verticals such as financial, healthcare, manufac-turing and pro-bono work, but still has a strong focus on the auto industry and transportation. It’s

also one of the few marketing com-panies in South Carolina to handle all aspects of a project in-house, with four suites handling video production, copywriting, media and research and web design.

Clients include heavyweights such as BMW, Bob Jones University, the Peace Center, Michelin and Sage Automotive. Recent projects have included an interactive mobile appli-cation for Milliken’s arboretum and 600-acre Spartanburg campus and a marketing campaign for the 2013 Big League World Series.

“In my opinion, our greatest single achievement is the longevity of our client relationships,” said Darrell Jackson. “Our first client from back in 1988 is still a client today. I can count on one hand the number of clients who have gone elsewhere in the past decade.”

Larry Jackson says his Christian faith and belief in service to others, coupled with business values rooted in solving clients’ problems, have kept

him going and growing his business over the years. He is passionate about giving back and outreach to non-prof-giving back and outreach to non-prof-giving back and outreach to non-profits. The company was recently awarded the Community Foundation Spirit Award.

The company reaffirmed its com-mitment to serving the community last week by celebrating its 25th an-niversary with a birthday party and a 25-hour Serve-A-Thon partnership with Hands on Greenville and Habitat for Humanity. JMG’s 103 full-time employees worked in shifts around the clock on October 22 and 23 to help construct a house for a deserving family.

As Jackson inches towards retire-ment, he says he hasn’t quite figured out his succession plan yet, but sees the companies staying under the same umbrella. He wants to continue to strategically grow the business.

“From the beginning, my father has taught me that this business is all about our people – both our clients and our associates,” said his son,

Darrell. “We have created a focus and a culture that strives to solve problems, serve people and grow careers.”

Darrell Jackson said he wants to “continue helping lead a culture where we solve, serve and grow. If we are successful, we will continue to grow towards our ultimate goal of becoming the leading integrated marketing communications brand in the Southeast.”

jackson Marketing Group’s 25 Years1988 Jackson Dawson opensin Greenville at Downtown Airport

2003 motorsports Division acquires an additional 26,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space

1998 Jackson Dawson moves to task industrial Court

1997 Jackson Dawson launches

motorsports Division

2009-2012 Jackson marketing Group named a top BtoB agency by

BtoB magazine 4 years running

2012 Jackson marketing Group recognized by Community Foundation

with Creative spirit Award

2009 Jackson Dawson changes name to Jackson

marketing Group when larry sells his partnership

in Detroit and lA

1988 19981993 2003 2008

1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

1990 Jackson Dawson acquires therapon marketing Group and moves to Piedmont

office Center on Villa.

2011 Jackson marketing Group/Jackson motorsports

Group employee base reaches 100 people

pro-bono/non-proFitClients

/lients

/

American Red Cross of Western Carolinas

Metropolitan Arts CouncilArtisphere

Big League World SeriesThe Wilds

Advance SCSouth Carolina Charities, Inc.

Aloft

Hidden Treasure Christian School

CoMMUnitY nitY nit inVinVin olVolVol eVeV Ment& boarD positions

lArry JACkson (ChAirmAn):Bob Jones University Board chairman, The Wilds Christian Camp and Conference Center board member, Gospel Fellowship Association board member, Past Greenville Area Development Corporation board member,Past Chamber of Commerce Headquarters Recruiting Committee member, Past Greenville Tech Foundation board member

David Jones (Vice President Client services, Chief marketing officer): Hands on Greenville board chairman

mike Zeller (Vice President, Brand marketing): Artisphere Board, Metropolitan Arts Council Board, American Red Cross Board, Greenville Tech Foundation Board, South Carolina Chamber Board

eric Jackson (Jackson motorsports Group sales specialist):Salvation Army Boys &Girls Club Advisory Board

>>

AS SEEN IN NOVEMBER 1, 2013

NOV. 20: THE FOOD ISSUESupper’s ready – and so are opportunities.

JANUARY 2016:MARKETING AND BRANDINGGetting the word out on local businesses.

FEBRUARY 2016:THE TRANSPORTATION ISSUEGetting around in a growing region.

Got any thoughts? Care to contribute? Let us know at [email protected].

UP NEXT

CONTRIBUTE: Got a hot date? Submit event information for consideration to [email protected].

INSIDE THE UPSTATE’S NETWORKING AND SOCIAL SCENE | PLANNER | 27

DATE EVENT INFO WHERE DO I GO? HOW DO I GO?

Friday

11/6First Friday Leadership Series Speaker: Eric Dodds, partner and CMO of The Iron Yard

Clemson at ONE1 N. Main St., 5th Floor, Greenville5:15-7 p.m.

Cost: Free Register: bit.ly/ff-nov2015

Monday

11/9Voices of Business Brunch Hear from an expert panel on transportation and infrastructure needs for the state and region.

Spartanburg Marriott299 N. Church St., Spartanburg11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Cost: $20 Chamber members,$35 nonmembers Register: bit.ly/voices-nov2015

Thursday

11/12Networking with at TwistMonthly speed networking event

Commerce Club55 Beattie Place, Greenville6:30-7:30 p.m.

Register: 864-232-5600

Friday-Sunday

11/13-11/15

Startup Weekend Greenville - Global Startup BattleNEXT High School2000 Wade Hampton Blvd., Greenville

Cost: VariesRegister: bit.ly/startup-2015

Saturday

11/14 Comprehensive Small Business Start-up WorkshopSpartanburg Community CollegeTyger River Campus, Duncan9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Cost: $69 ($25 for each additional partici-pant from same company) Register: piedmontscore.org/workshops/register/201

Knowledge is the life blood of more and more businesses

today. Whether it’s knowing the ins and outs of your

industry to knowing what your money is doing for you. At

First Citizens Bank, we can help. From payroll services to

remote image check deposit to online banking, we’ll give

you the financial know-how you need to make smarter

decisions faster. First Citizens Bank. Forever First.

The ‘how’ in know-how.Forever First.

The cost-effective and easy-

to-use way to manage all

your payroll processing and

tax administration needs.

Save time by making deposits

online and electronically

transmitting them for quicker

processing.

Our online portal for business is

the secure, easy way to check

balances, view transactions,

pay bills and transfer funds.

BUSINESSPAYROLL SERVICES

REMOTE IMAGE CHECK DEPOSIT

BUSINESS ONLINE BANKING ADVANTAGE®

Account openings are subject to Bank approval. Online payroll services powered by Sage Payroll Service. Member FDIC.

Learn more at firstcitizens.com

Forever First. ®

November 6, 2015 UBJ

Documents

Transcript of November 6, 2015 UBJ