Mar. 29, 2013 UBJ

march 29, 2013

Schools Get TechnicalLesson One for the Upstate’s students: Technology drives opportunity

BOSCH EXPANDSBig donation to Greenville Tech,

160 new jobs in worksPAGE 12

LEARNING CURVESPathwright founders aim to make education accessible

PAGE 18

SALUTING MANUFACTURERS

Boeing CEO on global manufacturing excellence PAGE 20

Copyright @2013 BY COMMUNITY JOURNALS LLC. All rights reserved. Upstate Business Journal (Vol. 2, No. 12) is published weekly by Community Journals LLC. 148 River Street, Suite 120, Greenville, South Carolina, 29601. Upstate Business Journal is a free publication. Annual subscriptions (52 issues) can be purchased for $65. Visit www.UpstateBusinessJournal.com. Postmaster: Send address changes to Upstate Business, 148 River St., Ste 120, Greenville, SC 29601. Printed in the USA.

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MANAGING EDIToR Jerry [email protected]

STAff wRITERS Cindy Landrum, April A. Morris, Charles Sowell

SENIoR buSINESS wRITER Dick Hughes

coNTRIbuTING wRITERSJenny Munro, Jennifer Oladipo, Jeanne Putnam, Leigh Savage

EDIToRIAl INTERNS Shelby Livingston, Casey Dargan

ART & PRoDucTIoNART DIREcToR Richie Swann

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MARkETING & ADVERTISINGMARkETING REPRESENTATIVES Lori Burney, Mary Beth Culbertson, Kristi Jennings, Donna Johnston, Pam PutmanMARkETING Katherine ElrodMARkETING & EVENTS Kate BannerbIllING Shannon RochesterclIENT SERVIcES MANAGERS Anita Harley, Jane Rogers ADVERTISING DESIGN Kristy Adair, Michael Allen, Whitney Fincannon, Caroline Reinhardt

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16F e at u r e s

cover Story16 High-Tech Teaching byLeighSavage

Entrepreneur18 Jump Start: Pathwright Tackles the Course of Education byJenniferOladipo

colu m ns

Digital Maven8 Building Technology Into Your Business Plans byLauraHaight

Statehouse Report9 New Envision SC Project Offers Good Guidance for State byAndyBrack

Guest column13 Nullification Makes Good Government byWinstonMcCuen

Guest column15 A Face-to-Face Approach byHalJohnson

depa rt me n ts

3 Verbatim4 Worth Repeating4 TBA20 The Takeaway22 Square Feet24 The Fine Print26 Planner28 On the Move30 New to the Street31 Snapshot31 Social

Photo by Greg Beckner

UBJ Table of contents

2 upstate business journal March 29, 2013

Mary Grace Sanders works on a class assignment

using an iPad in Jennifer chamberlin’s 5th grade class

at Monarch Elementary.

UBJ Verbatim

March 29, 2013 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal 3

864-281-3820743 Congaree, Suite 2Greenville, SC 29607

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765 Haywood Road • 864.297.6458on doing your life’s work…

“Do all you can, while you can.”Former Clemson football standout Perry Tuttle, who went on to

a career in the NFL and Canadian Football League. Now an author and inspirational speaker, Tuttle shared his perspective

on how to identify and overcome barriers to maximize performance in last week’s TEDx Greenville conference.

approximately 130 employees in BI-LO Supermarket’s Mauldin headquarters are being termi-nated in a “reduction in work-force” arising from the merger of BI-LO and Winn-Dixie and the corporate office move to Florida, the company said.

Brian Wright, senior director of communications and community, said the terminations are effective April 17.

“This is not a new announcement or initiative within the company,”

he said. “All associates, and par-ticularly those in affected positions, were made aware of the plan to reorganize many months ago.”

Wright said the company is providing severance pay, benefit information and career transition services. He said terminated em-ployees are invited to apply for open or new positions in Jack-sonville, Fla., where corporate headquarters are based in Winn-Dixie’s space.

When sale of Winn-Dixie to

Lone Star, a Texas private equity firm that owned Bi-Lo, was com-pleted a year ago, the company said Winn-Dixie’s larger building space and infrastructure made it the logical choice for the combined corporate office.

Anthea Jones, president of the BI-LO division, remains with a di-visional staff in Mauldin. In addition, the company added 40 jobs for a customer service call center serving both BI-LO and Winn-Dixie.

At the time of the merger, BI-LO had 450 corporate em-ployees in Mauldin. Many trans-ferred to Jacksonville.

Layoffs Coming at BI-LO

Anthea Jones

UBJ Worth Repeating | TBA

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4 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal March 29, 2013

“While the rest of the country has been talking about a

‘manufacturing renaissance,’ the Upstate has been building it.”

Hal Johnson, president and CEO of the Upstate Alliance

“We need to stop selling ourselves to business and industry as ‘we’ve got a

cheap labor force,’ and start selling ‘we have a highly educated workforce.’”

Linda Ketner, business leader in Charleston and Envision SC participant

“We work with real-world problems to foster inquiry. We want

children to understand the purpose for learning what they are learning.”

Vaughan Overman, principal of Monarch Elementary School

“it was awesome how they got to hang on the back of the truck

and throw around trash.” Paul Johnson, co-founder of online learning platform Pathwright,

on his very first career aspiration – garbageman.

Word is a new urgent care medical facility will be locating in the vacant space at 75 East McBee near the CVS pharmacy downtown. More to come in April…

Chuy’s, a Tex-Mex restaurant chain that started in Austin, Texas, is

TBAopening at 1304-B Woodruff Road early this summer…

You know those four recent announcements for new Woodruff Road restaurants? Well, at least two are now said to be on hold. Too much competition, maybe…

UBJ News


livewell greenville is launch-ing the first LiveWell Workplace Awards, designed to recognize local businesses with successful workplace programs and policies. The organization is accepting ap-plications through April 12, and there is no cost to enter, according to Richard Osborne, a consultant heading up the project.

The application includes more than 60 questions designed to assess the effectiveness of work-place wellness programs, and should take most organizations less than an hour to complete, he said.

Based on the application, com-panies of all sizes may receive a gold, silver or bronze designation. The application score will also

provide a benchmark for those companies just starting wellness programs and those wanting to expand their offerings.

The awards, sponsored by Sportsclub, will be announced at the inaugural LiveWell Healthy Workplace Expo on Thursday, April 25, at the TD Center. If busi-ness leaders want to learn more about improving health and well-ness at their company, the expo will be a great place to start, Osborne said.

“It will be filled with local and

regional resources,” he said, from gyms offering corporate member-ships to specialists who focus on substance abuse or mental health. Vendors will include Greenville Health System, Bon Secours St. Francis Health System, Spartan-burg Regional Healthcare System, Sportsclub, Target Care, Wellness Coalition of America and more.

“We’ll have educational sessions on our Workplace Awards appli-cations and help companies who want to apply next year, as well as Q&A sessions with our winners and sessions discussing how to create a culture of wellness,” Osborne said.

The keynote speaker will be Lewis Schiffman, president of Atlanta Health Systems, who

will speak on strategies for a healthier workforce.

LiveWell Greenville is a part-nership of public and private organizations working to make Greenville County a healthier place to live, work and play. The coalition has brought together more than 100 partners working on projects such as bringing healthier foods to schools and workplaces, offering better access to parks, and creating safe places to bike and walk.

The LiveWell Workplace Award designation application is available at 10.selectsurvey.net/livewell greenville, and the survey ID is 02102013.

To find out more about the Healthy Workplace Expo or to sign up to attend, visit livewellgreenville.org. The vendor expo and education sessions are free, with tickets to the luncheon available for $20.

LiveWell to recognize healthy workplacesAwards applications being accepted; Expo set for April 25

By Leigh Savage | contributor

HEALTHYWORKPLACE2

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Presented by LiveWell Greenville

after a successful year of training gas turbine machine ap-prentices in 2012, GE is seeking a new class.

GE Power & Water has part-nered with Greenville Technical College to train skilled machinists through the GE Gas Turbine Ma-chinist Apprentice Program, which combines academic studies with on-the-job training to teach the fundamentals necessary to become a skilled GE machinist.

Those chosen for the two-year

GE seeks machine

apprenticesStudents get training in high-tech energy

production

program receive compensation equal to a 40-hour workweek from GE, which also covers the cost of tuition and books. Apprentices

receive five semesters of academic training with at least 2,000 hours of on-the-job training. They work two days per week and attend three

days of classes during the first two semesters, then reverse the order for the next three semesters, working three days per week and attending class for two. Apprentices work full time during semester breaks.

The courses prepare apprentices for jobs in blueprint reading, machine operation and CNC opera-tions, all of which are in-demand, skilled crafts, according to GE and Greenville Tech. Apprentices receive certificates in Basic Machine Op-erations (CIT.BMO6), CNC Prep (CIT.CNP6) and CNC Machine Operator (CIT.CN6) upon success-ful completion of the program.

Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and a high school grad-uate at the time of the program start date to qualify. Individuals with a strong mechanical and mathemati-cal aptitude are preferred. Inter-ested candidates may apply through May 4 at gegasturbinejobs.com.

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thanks to a new incentive pay plan, General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt has a new motive to tap $16.7 billion from last month’s sale of the rest of NBC to fund industrial acquisitions, Bloomberg reported this week.

The grants were made to Immelt and several other GE executives, and “will be payable only if the Company achieves, on an overall basis for the three-year period from 2013 through 2015, specified goals,” according to a filing the company made last week with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The three-year program will pay Immelt in part for increasing the share of GE’s profit from manufacturing businesses, ac-cording to the SEC filing.

“Immelt, who earned $12.1 million under the previous pact, must also boost earnings per share while amassing cash and increasing return on capital to receive the maximum payout, which the company didn’t dis-close,” reported Bloomberg.

GE is one of Greenville Coun-ty’s largest industrial employers, with 3,200 employees making gas turbines and turbine genera-tor sets in its Greenville facility.

New Incentive Plan for GE CEO

invista, a global maker of poly- mer and fiber products, has acquired Ashburn Hill Corp., a Greenville company that makes flame-resistant clothing for firefighters and others working in dangerous environments.

The sale, which was completed Monday, includes INVISTA’s acqui-sition of Ashburn Hill’s two trade-marked TECGEN clothing brands, its administrative office and person-nel in Greenville and its manufactur-ing plant in Angleton, Texas. TECGEN administration will remain in Greenville, a spokesman said.

The sale price was not disclosed. Both companies are privately held. INVISTA is a subsidiary of Koch Industries and had held a minority interest in Ashburn Hill.

Jon Heard, who left INVISTA in 2008 to become chief executive of Ashburn Hill, will continue as CEO of the TECGEN business unit under INVISTA, the company said.

A spokesman for INVISTA said

all Ashburn Hill’s employees, in-cluding the marketing and admin-istrative staff in Greenville and those in the Texas plant, are retained.

Jeff Brown, vice president of INVISTA performance materials, said the TECGE “flame-resistant brands have quickly gained trust in the marketplace, and by coupling that expertise with INVISTA’s exist-ing global work-wear capabilities, we have high expectations for the specialized garment segment.”

In 2010, Ashburn Hill brought TECGEN SELECT, lightweight, breathable moisture-wicking flame-resistant protective gear to market specifically for the electric, oil and gas and manufacturing industries. In 2011 the company doubled its sales and marketing staff and tripled customer service personnel.

Its other brand, TECGEN Xtreme, is tailored for firefighters in wildland and technical rescue applications.

Ashburn Hill Sold to INVISTA

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spartanburg’s industrial and retail real estate markets are poised for a year of growth in 2013.

Spencer/Hines Properties, to which CoStar attributes more than 40 percent of the county’s commer-cial real estate market, is “very busy,” said Ben Hines, Spencer/Hines president. The company, led by Hines and his partner Lynn Spencer, broker in charge, has nine agents.

Carter Smith, executive vice president of Spartanburg’s Eco-nomic Futures Group, said the ma-jority of his organization’s activity is with manufacturing, but “from our standpoint, it’s looking very encouraging.”

The years of 2009 to 2011 “were dreadful” for Spartanburg County as well as the real estate industry, Hines said. It pretty much mirrored the situation with the state and nation, but business in all sectors picked up in 2012.

“I think we’re out of the woods,” he said. “I think our economy is

turning the corner. Our company is poised for this coming growth.”

Hines said he’s optimistic about the retail and industrial markets in Spartanburg County although he doesn’t expect much growth in the office market.

“Retail, I believe, is going to con-tinue to grow,” Hines said. The economy has improved so that people are spending more money in retail establishments. Most of the retail growth in Spartanburg County is found on the East Side, the West Side and the North Side.

The industrial sector, overbuilt in many areas, did not overbuild in Spar-tanburg, Hines said. “Spartanburg is not into speculative buildings” so construction tends to occur when a tenant or owner wants a space.

The office market is not particu-larly strong in the county, he said.

“I don’t see any new office specu-lative space being built” although occupancy of its Class A and Class B office space is high.

Contact Jenny Munro at [email protected].

Spartanburg Real Estate Poised for Growth

Jenny Munro | contributor

Spartanburg’s Morgan Square

Photos by Greg Beckner

UBJ Digital Maven


does your business have a technology plan for the next five years? No? Well, you aren’t alone. Quite a few businesses make the mistake of not planning for technology – an oversight that can result a pretty big unscheduled expense.

At the same time, though, a tech-nology plan should be based on busi-ness needs, not the newest, coolest tech advances. If the new technology doesn’t support your business goals, then the expense doesn’t make sense. Technology is a means to an end, not an end on its own.

Here are some key factors in de-veloping and executing a tech-in-formed business strategy.

Look forwarD: If you are moving, you can never know exactly where you are because by the time you have identified your location, you are past it. This is nowhere more true than in technology. Today’s hot tech is tomorrow’s eBay daily deal. Purchasing new technology means creating a replacement plan and budgeting for it. Mobile tech may have a two- to three-year cycle, laptops might hold out for five years and business-class servers (if you maintain your own datacenter) have a usable life of seven-10 years, depend-ing on how upgradable they are.

Don’t overspenD: It is easy to overbuy in technology. Servers are a good example. A business-class server can easily cost more than $20K – depending on how geeked out you want to get. But is that what you need? How many users will connect to it? What is it used for – interactive applications or storage? Make sure you aren’t buying a Ferrari if you really need a Cadillac.

Get It out of the Data-center: Set up a working group (I don’t like “committees”) to include technologists and savvy business users. They are best positioned to know how things are really used, what their challenges are and what would really help. User input has to be balanced by some technical acumen since people often can’t see beyond what they know. Involve people who are open to new ways and then mash them up with your technical staff. Both will benefit from the experience.

Don’t fLy bLInD: For any new deployment or system, set up small targeted pilot programs designed to find the flaws. There are problems with every tech deployment. The key is to identify them early and correct them at a time when the impact on your business will be minimal, not monumental. Take your pilot program seriously, and implement – or at least consider – the sugges-tions that come from it.

traInInG: Time spent training and developing staff to understand and use the technology is the best way to ensure high adoption rates for your project. And that’s where the ROI payoff really comes. Adults learn differently. They need repeti-tion and reinforcement – to see the same message in some different ways before it sinks in. A hybrid training program should include a mix of sit-down, classroom-style training, some printed materials for reference, and online accessible videos or screencasts (where possible) that show users how to do things properly. Remember that training is an ongoing process and building a library of materials, webinars, how-to documents and a user community is important to maintaining the integrity and efficiency of your operations.

reInforce: Make sure everyone knows that you see the work they are doing and that you make them aware of the benefits the technology is bringing. Bring it to levels they understand, such as increased sales, fewer customer service complaints,

more revenue, reduced errors. People want to have pride in their work. Let them take some credit for things working out.

roLL Down: Never plan on replacing everything at once. Work on a 10-20 percent replacement plan each year, depending on what your budget can handle. It is easy – but inefficient – to take out the old computer and put the new one right there. But if the employee who is going to get the hottest new tech is not a power-user, that’s a poorly aligned resource. Come up with a roll down plan that puts the newest and most powerful technology in the hands of your power users and those who will most influence business results. Then roll their equipment down to others.

waste not, want not: Even after rolling out and rolling down, you may have plenty of uses for older equipment. If your business continuity plan (you have one, right?) requires that you be able to set up shop in a temporary location, you will need some computers. Some of your older equipment may still be serviceable in an emergency. Load it up with your mission-critical software and store it offsite. Don’t forget to re-evaluate your offsite equipment AND your BCP when new software or systems are deployed.

Technology for technology’s sake is often a waste of money. But driving your business with good technology moves make you more nimble, more proactive and more responsive. Your entire team must be a part of making that happen. Not only your IT department.

Building Technology Into Your Business Plans

By the NumBersApproximate lifespans of

business technology

mobile technology

2-3 yearslaptops

5 yearsbusiness-class servers

7-10 years

Laura Haight is the president of Portfolio (portfoliosc.com), a communications company based in Greenville that focuses on harnessing the power of technology to communicate effectively with clients, customers and your staff. She is a former IT executive, journalist and newspaper editor.

By the NumBers

by Laura haIGht

UBJ Statehouse Report


south carolina needs more visionaries and dreamers to engage South Carolinians of all shapes and sizes in ways we can leap forward.

That’s exactly what the College of Charleston’s George Benson and consultant Phil Noble are doing with Envision SC, a “bold experiment” through which people can have their say about the state’s direction.

“Envision SC is unique in that it uses new technology to connect ev-eryone – individual citizens, media companies, students, businesses, colleges – to all share their individu-al visions so that we can create a shared South Carolina vision of what our state’s future can be,” Noble said. “No state has ever used the new tech-nology to try and do this before. This is just the beginning – and no one knows what will happen.”

Benson, whose college is sponsor-ing the project, adds, “Envision South Carolina is intended to help us take action – to think about how South Carolina can be a leader on the world stage.”

Envision SC (EnvisionSC.org) offers videos from a dozen state leaders on their dreams and ideas of how the state can move forward. It also allows people to submit ideas through the Connect-Learn-Share project, which must be submitted by April 15. In the middle of May, the project will celebrate what it’s churned up.

Through the pro-ject, world-class cyclist George Hin-capie, who has ridden in a record 17 Tour De France races, tells why he picked Green-ville as his home.

“When you get here to South Carolina, you immediately see that the communities are so friendly,” he said. “It’s a great place to raise families. The cities are so full of culture. We have big international companies like Boeing and Mi-chelin that also bring in culture and smart, successful people.

“There’s just so much the state has to offer. I think the state needs to do a better job of putting that message out worldwide and pro-moting what we have more. I could live anywhere in the world that I want to. I’m not really tied to South Carolina or Greenville, but I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”

Charles Bolden, the retired Marine Corps general and astro-naut whose hometown is Colum-bia, says South Carolina made him

who he is.“I tell people all of

the time, despite the segregation I faced, the standards of living, respect and discipline were just

incredible,” he says. Bolden cur-rently is the administrator of NASA, the nation’s space agency.

Emmy-award winner Kerri Forrest, back in her hometown of Charleston, observes that the state needs to deal with remnants of seg-regation to become world-class.

“Laws are in place to put down overt segregation and we’re still fighting some of that today. But what I think concerns me more is this subconscious segregation that ‘we can’t do that,’ or ‘we can’t hang out there,’ or ‘we can’t go there,’ or ‘we can’t achieve this, unless someone gives us permission to do it.’ And the reverse of it is ‘they don’t come here, so we shouldn’t worry about them.’ A lot of people move down from the

north and love Charleston and au-tomatically get separated into these two groups or social circles and very rarely do they ever mix.”

Several interviewees pushed the need for better education as a linch-pin for the state’s future success. Business leader Linda Ketner of Charleston suggests the state’s leaders need to do more than pay lip service to education.

“First, we need to stop selling ourselves to business and industry as ‘we’ve got a cheap labor force,’ and start being and selling ‘we have a highly educated workforce.’ The source of our economic problems, our poverty problems, our crime problems begins with education.

“I think the political body doesn’t understand education as the source of the problem. They would rather give tax breaks to a company to come here, which costs us as tax-payers to fund those tax breaks, than focus on the source of the problem. In order to take advantage of our natural resources and have a long-term economic success story, we must without a doubt have laser focus on the part of the political body to fix the educational system. I don’t see that happening.”

Send your dreams for South Carolina to Envision SC today.

New Envision SC Project Offers Good Guidance for State

“envision south Carolina is intended to help us take action – to think

about how south Carolina can be a leader on the world stage.”

George Benson

Andy Brack is publisher of Statehouse Report, a media partner of Envision SC. He can be reached at [email protected].

Charles Bolden George Hincapie Kerri Forest Linda Ketner Phil Noble George Benson

By ANdy BRACK


McLendon Plans More Aerospace Business

for Upstatethe donaldson center air control tower at the S.C. Technol-ogy and Aviation Center will be one of three towers closed in the state due to automatic sequestration budget cuts, the FAA announced last week.

The budget cuts went into effect March 1. The Donaldson tower is one of 149 that will be closed nationwide beginning April 7, the FAA said.

Towers on Hilton Head Island and North Myrtle Beach will also be closed, according to the agency.

“We heard from communities across the country about the impor-tance of their towers and these were very tough decisions,” said Trans-portation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Unfortunately we are faced with a series of difficult choices that we have to make to reach the required

FAA Announces SC-TAC Tower Closing

cuts under sequestration.”“We will work with the airports

and the operators to ensure the procedures are in place to maintain the high level of safety at non-tow-ered airports,” said FAA Adminis-trator Michael Huerta.

The towers at the Greenville-Spar-tanburg Airport and the Greenville Downtown Airport will remain open.

Leslie Farmer, a spokeswoman for Lockheed Martin, which ser-vices military aircraft at SC-TAC, told the media that air traffic con-trollers at GSP will help keep flight operations moving.

“However, we are concerned that an extended closure could have significant impact on attracting future business to our Greenville facilities,” Farmer told GSA Busi-ness magazine.

greenville aviation execu-tive and former F-15 fighter pilot Bill McLendon is report-edly set to begin a new venture in the Upstate that would acquire aviation companies under the auspices of H. Ross Perot.

McLendon told reporters he will take over as head of Perot Aerospace on April 1, launching a Greenville-based venture he said he has been planning in con-junction with The Perot Group in Dallas.

“We’d like to open branches of great companies here (in Green-ville) where it makes good busi-ness sense,” McLendon told the

Greenville News.The Perot Group manages the

business interests of the family of Texas billionaire and former presidential candidate H. Ross Perot. The Perot Group was not available for comment.

In 2010, McLendon became president and CEO of CAV Inter-national, a Greenville-based U.S. government-outsourcing contrac-tor with expertise in airfield ser-vices and logistics. McLendon is a former USAF F-15 instructor pilot with more than 25 years aerospace industry experience, a US Air Force Academy graduate and a Rhodes Scholar.

Sonoco Pumps $1B Into SC Economysonoco, the darlington coun-ty-based packaging giant, annu-ally contributes more than $1 billion to the state’s economy, creating approximately 9,300 jobs and generating more than $473 million in income for Palmetto State residents.

Those are the findings of a study released this week by the Division of Research at the Darla Moore School of Business at the Univer-sity of South Carolina.

“Sonoco’s impact is wide-rang-ing and extends to every county in South Carolina,” said Moore School economist Joseph Von Nessen, who conducted the study, in a press announcement.

The company employs more than 1,700 employees statewide, with several locations in Greenville and Spartanburg counties, and supports an extensive supply chain network throughout the state.

The study reveals that the 114-year-old Hartsville-based company is a major contributor to

a rebirth of manufacturing in South Carolina that has taken place since 2009, the press announce-ment said.

The areas of South Carolina benefitting the most from Sono-co’s economic activities are the Upstate ($403 million), Pee Dee ($402 million) and Midlands ($195 million) regions. In addi-tion, Sonoco’s $1 billion annual economic impact contributes nearly $35 million to state tax revenue each year.

The study underscores the eco-nomic value that a global company headquartered in South Carolina can have on the state, Sonoco chairman and CEO Harris DeLoach said in the press release.

“Sonoco is South Carolina’s largest company, based on sales, and we have the largest global impact with operations in 34 countries selling products in more than 85 nations. This study proves that having a global corporation headquartered in the state pro-vides tremendous economic impact. But equally important is the intangible value that I believe Sonoco brings to South Carolina’s reputation for business innovation and success,” DeLoach said. “We’re proud to call South Caro-lina our home.”

Sonoco funded the Moore School study. The complete report is available online at mooreschool.edu.

UBJ News

38 percent and 20 percent was ach-ieved in the past three years.

“In part, this explo-sive growth came from our head start in developing energy-saving hydraulics to help our custom-ers meet the reduced diesel emissions requirements specified by the Tier 4 emissions standard,” he said.

The expansion also is good for Fountain Inn and the state.

“We truly value the commitment Bosch has made to be a part of our state’s business community, and we are excited to see them invest in South Carolina,” said Gov. Nikki Haley. “We celebrate the 160 new jobs the company will create with this campus and look forward to its continued success.”

Officials said Bosch Rexroth is committed to enhanced training for a skilled workforce. The on-campus lab will provide state-of-

the-art technology.“Finding technically skilled as-

sociates has become one of the most pressing issues in our business, especially as we expand to meet the needs of our customers,” said

Bracht. “Greenville Technical College has worked with us closely to establish programs that address this criti-cal need. The top-of-the-line training equip-ment is a further, significant step in making the training center even better.”

The lab will serve Greenville Tech stu-dents and act as a training center for Bosch customers and associates. Bosch is supplying equipment, manuals, components, a drive-up trainer and textbooks, online train-ing materials and manuals for students and teachers.

“We are committed to partnering with in-dustry to shape the workforce of today and tomorrow,” Miller said. “We are grateful to have

Bosch aid in this initiative by provid-ing us what we expect to be an out-standing addition to our program.”

The new facility lab, able to ac-commodate 18 people, will be used for hydraulic technology training, hydraulic performance testing and industry research. The lab will be housed at the Buck Mickel Center on campus.

Bosch Rexroth AG is a leader in drive and control technologies. As part of the Bosch Group, Bosch Rexroth and its 38,400 associates generated approximately $8.9 billion in revenue in 2011. Other Bosch plants in South Carolina include auto parts makers in North Charleston and Anderson.

UBJ News


bosch rexroth in fountain inn recently donated equipment and a new lab to Greenville Technical College during its grand opening of an $80 million expansion.

Berend Bracht, president of Bosch Rexroth Americas, present-ed Keith Miller, Greenville Tech president, with a check as part of the company’s gift of more than $420,000. Bosch Rexroth donated more than $400,000 in equipment to the college. Also, the Bosch Com-munity Fund awarded a $20,000 grant to the college to create a new hydraulic lab on campus.

Officials announced the gift during the ceremonies for a five-year project to expand production and convert an existing 260,000-square-foot warehouse into a manufacturing facility that will initially produce Rexroth’s A10VO hydraulic pump, used in a variety of applications such as mobile construction and agricul-tural machinery, mining, materials

handling and heavy industries. The company expects to add 160

new jobs by the middle of the decade, with 60 already added to the payroll. By the end of the project in 2016, the Fountain Inn plant expects to have 735 full-time employees.

With the addition of the new building, Charlotte-based Bosch Rexroth has doubled its production capabilities at the location, making the Fountain Inn campus its largest hydraulics manufacturing site in the Americas. The investment also is the largest by Bosch Rexroth in North America.

“The Bosch investment for ex-panded production in Fountain Inn increases our ability to serve the needs of our local and regional cus-tomers,” said Bracht. “In turn, this enhances their opportunity to par-ticipate in industrial and mobile equipment markets on a global basis.”

He said the expansion, announced in late 2011, was needed to meet demand. Sales growth of 46 percent,

Bosch Expands in Fountain InnCompany makes big donation to Greenville Tech, plans to add 160 new jobs

By Jenny Munro | contributor

Contact Jenny Munro at [email protected].

The Bosch Rexroth Group manufacturing plant in Fountain Inn recently celebrated its grand opening.

TOP: Gov. Nikki Haley makes her remarks to the crowd; BOTTOM: Berend Bracht, president and CEO of Bosch Rexroth Americas, welcomes attendees to the opening of the Fountain Inn plant.

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UBJ Guest Column

delusive interpretation of the Con-stitution and of American political history, Mr. Brack derives a bizarre, tyrannical and thoroughly alarming implication. He thinks that “any legislator who openly believes in nul-lification should be removed from office” for violating his oath to support the U.S. Constitution.

But the truth is that nullification was and is a fundamental and in-dispensable operating element within the system of federalism established when the first nine states ratified the Constitution. The people of any state of the Union, acting through organs of govern-ment of their own choosing, may render void or of no force within that state any act of the general or “federal” government. This means that states may nullify laws passed by Congress, executive orders issued by the president, and

Supreme Court decisions. So, for example,

Obamacare, Roe v. Wade, and the executive order for the

the statehouse report column (Feb.1) by Andy Brack titled “Nul-lification Talk Is Irresponsible” was itself irresponsible.

The entire piece was based on an incompetent reading of the U.S. Constitution and a thoroughly un-historical and tyrannical conception of the American union.

Mr. Brack holds the common but woefully mistaken view that, accord-ing to the Constitution, the states and their governments are inferior and subordinate to the general or “federal” government of the union. He cites the so-called “supremacy clause” and the preamble expression “We the people...” as evidence of his nationalist-centralist view.

The problem is that the “suprem-acy clause” (Article VI) refers to the fact that state government officials are obliged, as are federal govern-ment officials, to respect the Consti-tution as the solemn terms of a voluntary political compact agreed to by the peoples of the member states. From his fund-amentally flawed and

Nullification Makes Good Government

Winston McCuen is a philosopher and John C. Calhoun scholar. He holds B.A, M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in history and philosophy from Furman University and Emory University. He is author of “The Constitution of Man: John C. Calhoun and a Solid Foundation for Political Science.”

killing of Americans by drones would indeed be fair, legal and constitutionally allowed targets for nullifying states.

For those folks really interested in understanding the U.S. Constitu-tion and nullification, I recommend a work by America’s greatest states-man and philosopher, John C. Calhoun, titled “A Discourse on the Constitution and Government of the United States,” found in the anthology “Union and Liberty: The Political Philosophy of John C. Calhoun” (Liberty Fund).

Here Calhoun, with his genius and clarity, gives a complete and penetrating exposition of the Con-stitution and its history before, during and after ratification. He explains, for example, why the ex-pression “We the people” was em-ployed by the framers. It was because the document, in order to be submitted to the individual states for consideration for ratifica-tion, had first to be drafted. And of course, at the time of its being drafted, it could not be foretold which states would ratify and if any

would not. So the general expres-sion “We the people” was selected to allow for any exigency.

Mr. Brack’s view that nullification would lead to chaos is, again, based on his pitiful ignorance of the nature and operating principles of true federalism and the Constitution. When the people of the states are denied that fundamental right to self-protection that nullification affords, that denial in itself is proof of the tyranny of our current impe-rial government. To understand this, one doesn’t have to be very bright.

UBJ News


picanol, the belgian company that leads the global market in weaving machines, has based its U.S. headquarters in Greenville for nearly 50 years and plans to be here 50 more.

Last week, Picanol brought more than 150 customers from around the country to show off its new building – and new weavers – on Kitty Hawk Road in the South Carolina Technol-ogy and Aviation Center.

The site is the company’s fourth home since moving to Greenville in 1970 from North Carolina, where it opened its first U.S. location in 1966. Picanol “saw very early that this market was going to be huge,” said Cyril Guerin, president of Picanol of America.

With 80 to 90 percent of Picanol’s business within a four- or five-hour drive from Greenville, Guerin said the company wants the new location to affirm its commitment to the Upstate.

“Many customers were very worried” about Picanol’s longevity when it sold Steel Heddle, the Greenville maker of weaving ma-chinery accessories, in September 2011, meaning Picanol would lose its space in the Steel Heddle building on Rutherford Road. Picanol had owned Steel Heddle for 10 years.

“What better proof was there than to put our money where our mouth is when we bought this building and renovated it very quickly so we could assure the customers we are staying?” Guerin said.

Within six months, Picanol refit-ted, remodeled and expanded what had been a warehouse in SCTAC and moved into its new 18,000- square-foot home the week before

in the next two to five years is to bring new blood to our team. We know how to keep people. Now we are faced with attracting them.”

Picanol, which has been in business since 1936, is consid-ered the clear market leader in weaving machines. All are built and exported from Ypres, Belgium. The company has had a plant in China since 1995 to make more basic ma-

chines for mass production of low-grade fabric weaving in China and some other Asian markets.

What distinguishes Picanol, Gurerin said, is that it has devel-oped computer-driven machines that are faster, more energy-effi-cient and adaptable to weaving of all kinds of materials – from the most technologically advanced to that for shirts and towels.

“One thing that is interesting with weaving is the technology has not changed in 5,000 years,” he ex-plained. “The way ancient Egyptians and Greeks were weaving, we are still doing. You still have yarns in running one direction and other yarns running perpendicular that interrelate.”

The breakthroughs in speed came from the late ’70s to the mid-to-late ’90s, and the advances since primar-ily have been to optimize rates of production, consistency of quality and reduction of energy consumption.

“Some of our machines go faster than machines we were producing

15 years ago, but the differential is a bit smaller. Now we are seeing quality and efficiency with a very high rate of production with effi-ciency at 90 percent, so the ma-chines virtually never stop.”

What is “very important” to users is the rising cost of energy, and Picanol has responded with weavers running 20-30 percent faster but

Picanol Weaves Strong Commitment to Upstate

Belgian company plans to ‘be here for 50 more years’By Dick Hughes | senior business writer

Contact Dick Hughes at [email protected].

picanol: A Brief History

1936Founded by Belgian industrialist Charles

Steverlynck as Weefautomaten Picañol NV

1966Picanol of America

established

1970American subsidiary moves to Greenville

1971Exhibits the MDC, the

world’s first electronically controlled flying shuttle machine, at the ITMA

exhibition in Paris in 1971

2001Acquires Verbrugge NV

in Belgium and Steel Heddle Inc. in the USA

2011Sells Steel Heddle,

losing its space in the Rutherford Road building

2012Moves into new space

at SCTAC

“one thing that is interesting with

weaving is the technology has not changed in 5,000

years. the way ancient egyptians and Greeks were weaving, we are

still doing.” Cyril Guerin

Christmas. From that location, Picanol handles sales, service, repairs and training.

Picanol employs 19 people in Greenville. While it has no open positions now, Guerin said, “We have colleagues in this building in their 60s and have 30 years of expe-rience or more. Sooner or later – and later is better – they will retire.

“I think our toughest challenge

Cyril Guèrin, president of Picanol of America, with the company’s Opitmax machine weaving machine.

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“consuming 20-30 percent less energy,” Guerin said

What had been a “huge” textile industry in South Carolina and the Southeast when Picanol first came to the United States in the 1960s is quite different today. Back then, “this market was weaving … every-thing that goes on the person or in the house. The market was so big, and plants were able to export” throughout the world.

Then the market went to China where “labor costs were dirt cheap, virtually at zero,” forcing U.S. textile companies to reinvent themselves and “do something different – smaller volume, more complicated fabric construction and fabric compounds.”

Picanol survived in the U.S. market, too, because its weavers were versatile enough to be easily adaptable from production of virgin materials to the most sophisticated advanced materials, Guerin said.

Now that the technical material

industry has moved beyond sur-vival to growth, Picanol sees reason to be encouraged for the market of its equipment, Guerin said.

“In fact, we’ve been seeing a lot of investment in the weaving indus-try here in the U.S. in the last three or four years. We expect to see a larger amount of investment in the next three to five years.”

Instructor Ramesh Patel, left, gives directions to Jesse Beversdorf at Picanol of America. The company offers its space for training customers on its equipment in its new location at SCTAC.

UBJ Guest Column By hAl JohnSon

the upstate sc alliance is always busy marketing the Upstate to the world. These efforts are ongoing, far-reaching and effective ways of bringing more attention to the Upstate’s unique business proposition as a global business center. By combining our public and private resources and staying focused on marketing the region, we are able to cover an amazing amount of ground and get the Upstate counties and cities as much exposure as possible.

The Upstate SC Alliance con-ducts marketing by using tradi-tional printed marketing, digital channels such as our website and social media such as our Facebook page, Twitter and our YouTube channel. We also frequently travel to places where businesses are or where they are meeting to meet with them in person. Lately we have been traveling to spread the word about the Upstate.

Last month, Erin Ford attend-ed the Southeastern Medical Device Association (SEMDA) meeting in Atlanta. This is an im-portant regional show for compa-nies in the medical industry and we were there as part of our focus on life-science-oriented businesses.

Also last month, Amy Redick attended the Site Selectors’ Guild meeting in New Orleans for three days. This is the largest gathering of site selection consultants in the

world. It has become very popular and the event was sold out last fall. She was there to carry the Upstate flag and improve rela-tionships with as many site selec-tion people as possible.

Aimee was able to learn more about what site selectors feel about the importance of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and the advan-tages international companies look for when investing in North America and how to best prepare informa-tion to favorably impress them. She

came back with the names of several people who are interested in coming to learn more about the advantages of an Upstate business location. So far we have already been included in one site search that is a direct result of her attendance.

Earlier this month, Jacob Hickman attended the Helio-Expo in Las Vegas. This is the world’s largest helicopter trade show. The point of this visit was to gather more intelligence on companies doing business in the aerospace sector. The idea for this visit came directly from the Aero-space Task Force that was put together to guide our marketing efforts in this important target industry for the Upstate. From

there he traveled to the Los Angeles area and met with com-panies who have expressed an interest in the Upstate. Jacob had seven appointments with busi-nesses and consultants during the three-day trip.

This week I am attending the Industrial Asset Management Council Spring Professional Forum in Charleston. This meeting is a veritable “Who’s Who” of corporate real estate executives from across the United States. This gives us an opportunity to learn what’s on the minds of corporate real estate ex-ecutives of companies such as the Kellogg Company, Johnson and Johnson, and the Weyerhaeuser Company. I will have an opportu-nity to connect with and convey information about Upstate busi-ness advantages while these ex-ecutives are in our state learning more about the advantages that brought Boeing to South Carolina and the important role a deepened South Carolina port will play in U.S. distribution.

Even in this digitally connected world, nothing can take the place of meeting with someone face-to-face. More than 50 percent of everything we convey when com-municating with others is not done with words, but with emotion and body language. That is why we use digital and traditional media to support, not replace, a marketing program based on meeting with people face-to-face to discuss the wealth of opportunities here. The opportunity to respond to ques-tions, observe reactions, and convey the enthusiasm we have for living and working in the Upstate gives us one advantage that is just too important to be left to words alone.

Hal Johnson is the president and CEO of the Upstate SC Alliance, a nonprofit organization made up of a public and private investors aimed at promoting economic growth. Additional information is available through the Alliance’s website, upstateSCalliance.com.

A Face-to-Face ApproachMarketing the region person-to-person is best method for Upstate SC Alliance

16 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal

March 29, 2013

HigH-tecH teacHing

Upstate schools Use tech tools to prepare 21st centUry workforceBy leigh savage | contriBUtor

cover story

sadera Allen, left, and Mary everett Grant work on a puzzle in the Monarch elementary tech Lab.

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It’s a different world at area schools, as district and school staffs work to engage students, prepare them for the 21st-century workforce and make the wisest use of their budgets.

“Technology drives business and you would be hard-pressed to find a career that does not rely heavily on technology to get the job done in some form or fashion,” said Jeff McCoy, director of academic innovation and technology for Greenville County Schools.

John Moore, executive vice president of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, agrees that teaching kids to use high-tech tools prepares them for the future and helps businesses and the economy as well.

“Technology is in every sector of our economy – every manufacturing job, every service job, biomedical,” he said. “So it’s critical.”

Availability of technology varies widely within the district, which serves 70,000 students at 82 schools and 12 special and early-education centers. Some schools, such as Monarch and Berea elementary schools, provide iPads for entire grades, which the children can take home.

Other schools, such as Bell’s Crossing, are looking into tablets while shoring up supplies of laptops, interactive whiteboards and other technology.

The reasons for improving access to technology are many, said Green-ville County Schools Superintendent Burke Royster, though engagement may be the most important.

Pumped for iPadsthe district has a “refresh plan” that provides funding to update and replace aging technology at each school every five years. On top of that, schools can use funds raised by PTAs or through after-school child-care to purchase technology.

Buena Vista Elementary’s Boosterthon fundraiser netted $20,000 to purchase a set of 30 iPads – complete with an Otterbox cover and

Apple Cares insurance – to supple-ment the 30 they have on hand, said Dr. Ann Mohr, principal at the Greer school.

Because achieving the goal of having one device for each child district-wide is so costly – an esti-mated $93 million for infrastruc-ture, training and implementation according to one estimate – the Greenville County School Board in December approved letting students bring devices from home for use on school projects.

McCoy said iPads are increas-ingly popular district-wide. Newer schools such as Monarch and A.J. Whittenberg used their funding allocation – based on the number of students attending – to purchase the devices.

Title 1 schools such as Berea and Welcome are able to use federal funds to bolster technology offerings, and McCoy said those schools will have iPads for all students next year after offering them to certain grades this year.

Real-World Projectsmonarch has full wireless capability, and even uses wireless technology to dismiss children at the end of the day, with staffers using iPads to scan QR codes given to each parent.

Having devices for each child is a top priority for principal Vaughan Overman. Monarch was designed to focus on health sciences infused with technology-rich experiences, and she has found that project-based learning using high-tech tools has kept kids interested in their studies.

“We work with real-world problems to foster inquiry,” she said. “We want children to understand the purpose for learning what they are learning.”

Overman does not yet have data to back up the effectiveness of her school’s technology initiatives, “but we know the kids are interested and working in groups to figure out solutions to problems. We know that’s where the workforce is – no one tells you how to solve problems. We believe everything we are doing will end up being positive in our test scores.”

It’s difficult to gauge how technology affects scores, McCoy said, since so many factors influence student achievement. Technology alone doesn’t make an impact, he said, but requires innovative teachers who can apply the tools to real-world issues and problems.

Royster said the benefits of prioritizing technology are numerous, in-cluding tailoring instruction to specific needs and providing immediate feedback. “If used correctly and creatively, technology has the ability to revolutionize education even more than it already has,” he said, “and help ensure the efficient use of every minute of the instructional day.”

At Bell’s Crossing Elementary, students take virtual field trips, visiting the Archives of London and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. At Monarch Elementary, fifth-graders use iPads to research water pollution in Third World countries. And at Buena Vista, book reports – some prepared on devices brought from home – are displayed via QR code.

Contact Leigh Savage at [email protected].

By the NumBersK-12 Spending BreaKdown

hardware

55-60%($5.2-$5.7 billion)

software

18-22%($1.7-$2.1 billion)

network/telecom

17-19%($1.6-$1.8 billion)

professional development

3-8%($285-$760 million)

Source: Center for Digital Education, 2011

Monarch Elementary School fifth-grade student Caleb Fitzpatrick gives a class presentation using his iPad and smart board in Jennifer Chamberlin’s class.


Pathwright tackles the course of education

The Johnson twins’ online learning platform has launched more than 100 courses

By Jennifer OladipO | contributor

Mark Johnson, left, and Paul Johnson of Pathwright.

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When did Pathwright launch?We launched publicly in March of 2012. We started designing and developing in 2010, and launched the first version with a significant customer partner privately in 2011.

What are your biggest expenses?Like any small company, our biggest expense is payroll.

Why did you choose to start a business in the education field?Mark and I started designing and developing websites and software when we were just 13 years old and we loved it. Later, while attending Bob Jones University, we helped develop education software for the university. We saw a stark contrast between what we knew was possible for education software and what it currently did.

When we formed our own software company, DUO Interactive, in 2009, our biggest customer wanted software that would let them teach fully online courses anywhere in the world. Finding no suitable options, we pitched them the idea of partnering to kick-start Pathwright, and they agreed.

Also, a college degree does not guarantee meaningful employment, and leaves students in debt by an average of $27,000. Educating oneself should not be a gamble; we see the old model as ripe for disruption and re-invention. Pathwright is a product of our passion to change education coupled with our love for designing and developing software.

Who are your main users?Our target customer is any person or organization who wants to offer online courses under their own brand. We’re useful in several market segments, including employee and customer training, for-credit higher education and K-12 schools, continuing education, curriculum publishers, and coaching organizations.

While most of our users are in North America, we have users active in 122 countries.

What were the major learning curves for you?The biggest thing that I’ve personally had to learn (and continue to learn) is how to effectively sell a software product. While I knew that even the best product wouldn’t sell itself, actively selling software as a service has been a new experience.

What was your strategy for securing funding beyond the Iron Yard seed money? We currently haven’t taken any outside investment since our launch. Our product has been funded primarily through partnership with customers, platform revenue, and many long days, nights and weekends.

What’s your personal way of dealing with challenges and tough days?The biggest aspect of getting through challenges is having an awesome team to work with. Knowing that our team could operate just fine without me for a few weeks and can solve any problem that comes up makes new challenges easier to face.

The design of Pathwright’s website is notably different from your competitors like Litmos and Udemy. Was this a deliberate decision?While we didn’t set out just to be different, our design is unique because it reflects our philosophy. We believe that educators are craftspeople who make paths for others to follow and then guide them along the way. Our designer, Justin Hall, captured these elements of our view of education using hand-drawn lettering and symbols along with craftsman-style typography and journey-based imagery.

Where do you see Pathwright in five years? 10?In five years, I see us with a 10-20 person team doing what we do now, but in a bigger way. I’d imagine we’d have 25 or more partners who are major educational players within their field of study, each educating thousands of students all over the world and offering resources for thousands of teachers to use in their own physical classrooms. This includes our own school, The Lamp Post Guild, along with a few other schools we’re planning to launch.

In 10 years, who knows?

What did you want to be when you were a kid?First, a garbageman. It was awesome how they got to hang on the back of the truck and throw around trash. Second, a movie director. Finally, a software business owner. That one stuck, and we’re getting to do a little video production now with our self-produced courses. Now if I can just find a tie-in with waste management, my childhood dreams will be complete.

With a rare role in the World of online education, Greenville-based Pathwright provides a platform for educators to create courses or entire schools online. It was one of the companies in last year’s Iron Yard accelerator. Co-founders and twin brothers Mark and Paul Johnson, along with Justin Hall and Greg Taylor, intend to make quality education more affordable and accessible. Their customers have launched more than 100 courses in which more than 17,000 students have registered. UBJ sat down with Paul Johnson last week for an interview.

Contact Jennifer Oladipo at [email protected].

“We believe that educators are craftspeople who make paths for

others to follow and then guide them along the way.”

PaTHwrIGHT Co-founder PaUL Johnson

UBJ The Takeaway


By Sam Patrick, president of Patrick Marketing & Communications

With overall leadership responsibility for boeing’s 6,100- employee south Carolina operations and 787 dreamliner facilities in north Charleston, boeing south Carolina vice president and general manager jack jones is a busy guy. still, he made time away from running boeing’s first-ever passenger aircraft manufacturing facility outside of Washington state to update manufacturing and business leaders attending the March 21 salute to Manufacturing in greenville on progress to date, challenges ahead – and how south Carolina can become the epicenter of global manufacturing excellence.

Saluting Our Manufacturers

EVENT: 2013 Salute to Manufacturing Luncheon

WHO WAS THERE: Over 350 manufacturing, business and political leaders from across South Carolina

SPEAKER: Keynoter Jack Jones, vice president and general manager of Boeing South Carolina

TOPIC: “S.C. Manufacturing: A Bright Future”

Jack Jones

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The annual event was preceded by an inaugural Best Practices Forum for manufacturing execu-tives that drew an additional 100-plus attendees, and featured high-impact presentations on innovation, long-term commitment, employee engagement and workforce devel-opment. Here is some of what the Boeing executive had to say.

INNOVATION IS KEYBoeing has brought its most ad-

vanced technology and capabilities to South Carolina. Using a video to show Boeing’s world-class tech-nologies in aviation, aerospace, defense and other applications, Jones noted, “We’ve brought our full complement of technologies to South Carolina, and Boeing will continue to lead and make advanc-es through innovation.”

BOEING IS HERE TO STAY… AND GROW“In three years, we have gone from nothing in place to 6,100 associates and a world-class manufacturing and assembly facility. Boeing is here to stay in South Carolina, and the opportunities are huge for us to expand our production in this state.”

SOUTH CAROLINA: “A GREAT PLACE TO DO BUSINESS”“South Carolina’s business commu-nity greeted Boeing with open arms from day one. We knew right away that we were wanted, and I learned that coming to South Carolina is like being accepted as part of a family. And that family welcome and support comes from the top down.”

PEOPLE MAKE THE DIFFERENCE“At the end of the day, it’s the people here, the workforce, which attract-ed us to South Carolina. South Carolinians are proud, committed and have a great work ethic, and they make a great addition to the Boeing team.”

INFRASTRUCTURE IS KEY“We need to have and provide the infrastructure necessary to support future growth in this state. Whether that is water, sewer, roads, bridges or power, it’s paramount to support future growth.”

SOUTH CAROLINA MANUFACTURERS: “ALL WINNERS”“All 11 finalist companies being honored and the three winners being named as recipients of the Silver Crescent Award for Manufacturing Excellence today are winners in their own right, and deserve applause and celebration. Boeing is honored to be among all of these very fine compa-nies in consideration.”

Note: Cytec Industries, Southern Weaving and Nucor Steel were named 2013 honorees as South Carolina’s top manufacturers for 2013.

“We need to have and provide the infrastructure necessary to support future growth in this state. Whether that is water, sewer, roads, bridges or power, it’s paramount to support future growth.”

For over a decade, the exclusive annual Salute to Manufacturing Awards program has honored manufacturing organizations from across South Carolina for their financial performance, customer satisfaction, employee engagement, citizenship, innovation, environmental stewardship and longevity planning in South Carolina. The annual gathering also provides an opportunity for manufacturers and business, governmental and community leaders to come together and celebrate the accomplishments of South Carolina’s best and brightest companies. More information on the Salute to Manufacturing and its Best Practices Forums can be found online at SaluteToManufacturing.org or by calling 864-657-6183.

UBJ Square Feet

AltitudeLIFT OFF: 04.25.2013

By Invitation Only*

*Limited open tickets available for $125/person. Tickets available at: 2013Altitude.eventbrite.com.

A portion of ticket sale proceeds will benefi t the Spartanburg Regional Foundation’s Village at Pelham General Fund. This fund is used to assist the

Village at Pelham’s community outreach programs, education and other priority projects and needs identifi ed by the Village at Pelham.

An Exclusive Experience For Those Well Traveled

SUPPORTING SPONSORS: Back to 30, Capello Salon, cb Events, Charleston Cooks!, Clothes Make The Man, Dapper Ink, Eric Brown Design,

Fairview Builders, Greenville Dermatology, Gregory Ellenburg, In Site Design, JB Lacher Jewelers,

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LangSton-BLack ReaL eState Inc. announced:

Brad toy recently represented Mauldin Road Investments LLC in the leasing of their 1700 SF space located in the Augusta Pointe Shopping Center at 104 Mauldin Road, Greenville. The lessee, Better Built Storage, also occupies another 2,249 SF at the shopping center in addition to this recently added space.

Bobby Hines recently assisted Mesa Corpora-tion with their purchase of a 37,000 SF building (situated on 3.43 +/- acres) located at 200 Bi-Lo Blvd., Greenville. Mesa plans to relocate their business from Travelers Rest to the new location in Greenville. The need for expansion came about when Mesa Corporation signed new contracts with their customers. Mesa Corp. manufactures large containers for heavy machinery.

Jim griffin recently represented Purple Tuna Tees, Inc.in the purchase of a +/- 10,000 SF warehouse (situated on 1 acre) at 16 International Court, Mauldin. Michael greer and towers Rice of naI earle Furman represented the seller, Earl & Gale Crawford. Purple Tuna Tees Inc. will be relocating and expanding its business in this new location. The company provides graphic design, screen-printing, dye sublimation and embroidery of company, team and business logos and graphic for T-shirts, hats, uniforms and a

variety of other clothing and marketing items.

coLLIeRS InteRnatIonaL announced:

Richard Barrett brokered the sale of 600 Airport Road, Greenville. Barrett represented the seller, R&J Investments. Frank Hammond represented the buyer, Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet.

Lee & aSSocIateS announced:

Randall Bentley repre-sented the lessor, PS Buildings Limited, in a +/- 12,461 SF flex lease transaction at 640 Congaree Road, Green-ville. Accessible Mobility Center LLC, headquar-tered in Charlotte, N.C., is

expanding their opera-tions in the Upstate. The new facility includes an indoor showroom, customer lounge and a fully equipped vehicle service area.

SpenceR/HIneS pRopeRtIeS announced:

andy Hayes, an agent with Spencer/Hines since 2002, has completed a

10-year lease extension for PetSmart on Black-stock Road in Spartan-burg. The transaction totaled $2.6 million. PetSmart came to Blackstock Center in December 1995. It is one of the largest specialty pet retailers in the country. PetSmart operates 1,269 stores.

Deal of the WeeK

Richard Barrett represented the buyer, R&J Investments, in the acquisition of three new properties, 520, 524 and 528 in Gateway International Business Center, Greer. These three properties total 45,600 SF and are a significant addition to the buyers’ leasing portfolio, which already includes Golden Oaks Business Park and Mauldin Centre. Barrett will handle the leasing for R&J Investments at these properties.

plans for the Brooks Brothers store in the one project continue. the retailers have released this photo of what

they plan the entrance at 1 n. Main St. to look like.

DealMaKers

Huff Creek Properties, a timber and recreational land division of NAI Earle Furman, offers unmatched brokerage and land management services throughout the Carolinas and Georgia.

LET HUFF CREEK PROPERTIES TURN YOUR DREAM INTO A SOUND REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT.

Buyer Representation • Seller Representation • Management Contact Rusty Hamrick to learn more:

[email protected] • 864 232 9040HuffCreekProperties.com

flex space – a term often used in commercial real estate – may be the best fit as you grow your Greenville area business opportu-nities. As defined by CoStar Group (a commercial real estate informa-tion service), flex space is designed to be versatile and may be used in combination with office, research and development, and quasi-retail sales, and can include industrial, warehouse and distribution uses.

In other words, flex space is

space that can be changed as the needs of your business change. Typically, businesses in growth mode have changing needs over time. And those needs within a business can necessitate modi-fication of space. Owners and landlords with this type of space are generally anxious to provide tenants with an environment that works for the tenant and keeps them happy. Therefore, the “flexibility” of this space

allows for easy modification by landlords and specialized space planning by tenants.

Flex spaces are generally a start-ing point for some of the larger, more dynamic companies. This type of property is typically located near business centers that provide synergy for all concerned. Due to the “neighborhood” in a flex busi-ness park, a business can often find additional sales opportunities within the park/campus setting.

For companies considering moving into the Greenville market, this type of space is a good way to establish a presence. And, with the continued growth of small to medium companies and industries already in the market, and the variety of flex units cur-rently available, now is a great time to evaluate your business need options.

Richard O. Barrett is a broker-age associate at Colliers Interna-tional. For more information on flex space opportunities, contact him at 864-527-5448.

there’s one in lyon, france, and now downtown Greenville will have its very own Passerelle bistro. Located in the former Overlook Grill at 601 S. Main St., which closed in December 2012, the casual bistro is slated to arrive this spring.

According to owners Table 301, Passerelle is named for the French word for footbridge, fitting as the loca-tion faces Falls Park’s emblematic Liberty Bridge. The bridge’s form is also reflected in the restaurant’s logo.

Chef Teryi Youngblood, who most recently worked at Table 301’s Soby’s New South Cuisine, is craft-

Continental Flavor Coming to Falls ParkPasserelle Bistro latest from Carl Sobocinski’s Table 301 group

Flex Space: The Flexible SolutionBy Richard O. Barrett

ing the menu, which will consist of casual bistro fare with a French flavor. According to Table 301, the

menu will continue the tradition locally sourcing many ingredients.

Demolition at the site has been

completed and construction should begin as soon as final permitting is complete.

The Table 301 restaurant group includes Soby’s New South Cuisine, Devereaux’s, The Lazy Goat, Nose Dive gastro pub, Soby’s on the Side and Table 301 catering.

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Richard O. Barrett

UBJ The Fine Print

Walter L. DavisCo-Chief Executive OfficerCertusBank

Bridget-Anne HampdenDeputy Chief Information OfficerOffice of Federal Student Aid,U.S. Department of Education

Gue

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peak

ers

Please join us forAdvancing Minority Leadership and

Corporate Board Service

Thursday, April 18, 2013 from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm Location

Poinsett Club807 East Washington Street Greenville, SC 29601

Contact and Registration Nika White

864-239-3727 or [email protected]

Tickets are $25 eachwww.greenvillechamber.org


Bank GeTs ReGulaToRy RelieF In a vote of confidence, the FDIC has lifted the consent order that placed Greer State Bank under tighter regulatory scrutiny for two years.

“The bank has successfully met all criteria stipulated within the order, including significant improvements in earnings and operational performance,” a spokesman for the bank said.

“The bank has improved its capital position by bringing its Tier 1 capital ratio to 9.08 percent and its total risk weighted capital ratio to 15.14 percent as of Dec. 31, 2012.’’

The FDIC and the S.C. Board of Financial Institutions placed Greer State under the consent order March 1, 2011.

In addition to improving its capital ratios – measures of capital available to cover loan losses – Greer State returned to profitability in the last quarter of 2011 and has remained profitable since.

It had net income of $4.2 million in 2012. In the four prior years, it lost a total of $17 million.

George W. Burdette, president and CEO, said that while the “past few years have been challenging,” the steps Greer State took improved “our market position as we continue to provide the financial solutions needed by the local and

surrounding communities now and in the future.”

Greer State has three branches in Greer and one in Taylors.

Good RecRuiTinG yeaRMore than $2.28 billion in capital investment and 4,117 new jobs in 66 companies were attracted in promised development in the Upstate in 2012, according to the Upstate SC Alliance.

“Three years ago, we set a goal for the region to gain $5 billion in new investment and 16,000 new jobs. We’re now three years into it, and we’re practically there,” said Hal Johnson, Upstate Alliance president and CEO.

Since 2010, the region has gained $4.85 billion in capital investment and added 15,847 jobs, the Alliance said.

In collaboration with other development agencies, the Alliance’s marketing priorities for targeting for recruitment are aerospace, automotive, advanced materials, biosciences and energy.

“This region is becoming a strong and globally competitive center for business,” said Johnson. “While the rest of the country has been talking about a ‘manufacturing renaissance,’ the Upstate has been building it.”

Additionally, the Alliance announced Tuesday that the Duke Energy Foundation has awarded the Upstate South Carolina Educational Foundation a grant of $82,500 over four years. This grant will allow the Upstate SC Alliance to purchase a subscription to Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI) for customizable labor market data for the region. This grant follows closely on the heels of a previously announced sponsorship from the South Carolina Power Team in

George Burdette, Greer state Bank

24 CLEVELAND ST. GREENVILLE, SC 29601 864-242-1050 WWW.GREENVILLECHAMBER.ORG

PRESENTS

“We believe strongly in the value of our Greenville Chamber membership and gratefully accept this honor.”

-Charles Johnson, EDTS Founder & CEO

EDTS is a leading provider of technology consulting and IT solutions for growing Southeastern organizations. EDTS delivers customized IT and technology consulting services to hundreds of satisfied customers

throughout the region. Their responsive, flexible, and cost-efficient solutions can meet a diverse range of needs – helping businesses

increase productivity and profitability. For expert managed services, networking, IT security, telephony, and tech support, turn to EDTS.

Learn more at www.edtsolutions.com.

Impressed by a local small business lately? Nominate them for the Greenville Chamber’s Small Business of the Month Award at

www.GreenvilleChamber.org.

Congratulations To Our Charter BusinessSMALL BUSINESS

OF THE MONTH

Chamber President/CEO Ben Haskew, 2013 Chair Luanne Runge, Small Business Awards Committee David DeVita and Charter Business/Award Sponsor Ken Pelanda present the March

2013 Small Business of the Month Award to EDTS Director of Sales Jonathan Philipsen.


support of this effort.The Upstate Alliance presented

its annual report at the BMW Zentrum on Wednesday. Harris Pastides, president of the University of South Carolina, was scheduled keynoter. Jack Ellenburg, vice president of the South Carolina Ports Authority, was scheduled to give an update on the inland port being built at Greer.

campaigns; and participation in a home preservation workshop conducted by the Greenville Human Relations Commission.

Small BuSineSS HonoredEDTS, a technology consulting firm with offices in Greenville, Columbia and Augusta, Ga., is the Greenville Chamber’s Small Business of the Month for March.

From a one-man office in Greenville, EDTS has expanded twice and now occupies several thousand square feet in the NEXT Innovation Center, an entrepreneurial enterprise operated by the chamber.

Charles Johnson, president and CEO, and Elliott Davis, the accounting and consulting firm, started the business in 1999 as Elliott Davis Technology Solutions. Johnson purchased the business 10 years later and established it as EDTS with a handful of employees.

The EDTS today has 50 professionals providing service 24/7 365 days a year throughout the Southeast from its offices.

It has been recognized as among the nation’s 5,000 fastest-growing companies and the seventh fastest-growing company in South Carolina.

BankS extendS HandWells Fargo said its charitable giving totaled $2.8 million in South Carolina last year.

In addition, the bank’s employees contributed more than 25,000 volunteer hours in community philanthropic activities.

“Our team members and company are highly committed to invest time and money into finding local solutions for local needs,” said Rick Redden, Wells Fargo South Carolina president.

Among the highlights, the bank said, were a $150,000 challenge grant to the SC Food Bank Association that resulted in $556,000 for four food banks; $325,000 to 10 technical colleges to support workforce development; $500,000 to United Way

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CHAIRMAN’S GOLD CIRCLE – TOP 2% NATIONALLY

864-918-1734WWW.GREENVILLEAGENT247.COM

Planning a move in the Upstate?

I’ll take you from dreaming about a new home to owning one.


Saturday, March 30

coMPrehenSive SMall BuSineSS Start-uP

Greenville County Library, Hughes Main Branch, 25 Heritage Green Place, Greenville; 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

cost: $59, includes lunch and materialsregister at: piedmontscore.org/workshops

Monday,aPril 1

nxlevel for entrePreneurS (exiSting BuSineSSeS)

Upstate Workforce Investment Board, 102 Commerce St., Spartanburg; 6-9 p.m.

For entrepreneurs who want to expand an existing business and need the skills to make it grow.cost: $195 per personregister at: bizbuildersc.com

tueSday,aPril 2

SPartanBurg healthcare network

Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce, 105 North Pine St., Spartanburg; 10:30 a.m.-noon

Speaker: Mary Reid, BSN, RN, CNORtopic: Robotic Surgery: How It Is Beneficial to Patients and ProvidersAttendees must be members of the Spartanburg Chamber and a healthcare provider. Prospective Chamber members may attend one meeting as a guest.

cost: Free, but please RSVPcontact: Meric Gambel at 864-594-5030 or [email protected]

Metro toaStMaSterS cluB

City Hall, third floor conference room, 206 S. Main St., Greenville; 7-8 p.m.

Open to allcontact: 864-350-0044

wedneSday,aPril 3

aM think tank

Chamber Office, 211 N Main St., Simpsonville; 8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m.

event description: The purpose of this group is to discuss ideas and challenges you might be having within your own business with other members that might have faced the same circumstances and how they got through it. Bring a beverage and a snack if you like.cost: Free to attend as part of your Chamber membership. contact: Becky at 864-963-3781 to RSVP.

iS My BuSineSS idea feaSiBle?

Simpsonville Chamber of Commerce, 211 N. Main St., Simpsonville; 4-6 p.m.

cost: $10. Refreshments will be provided by the Simpsonville Chamber.register at: scwbc.net/events/upstate

Mauldin chaMBer leadS grouP

Mauldin Chamber of Commerce, 101 East Butler Road, Mauldin; noon-1:00 p.m.

contact: Don Johnson at [email protected]

thurSday,aPril 4

cloud? coMPliance? confuSion! workShoP

Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce, 105 North Pine St., Spartanburg; noon-1 p.m.

cost: Free, but register at spartanburgchamber.com. Lunch will be provided.contact: Meric Gambel at 864-594-5030 or mgambel@spartanburg chamber.com

BecoMing a leader

Clemson University, Brackett Hall, Room 100, 321 Calhoun Drive, Clemson; 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m.

Speaker: Walt Ehmer, CEO of Waffle Housetopic: The Waffle House Waycost: Freecontact: Leah Hughes at [email protected]

friday,aPril 5

firSt friday luncheon

Greer City Hall, 301 E. Poinsett St., Greer; 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Speaker: Greg Boone, Executive Director, Look Up Lodge Christian Campcost: $10 for members; $15 for non-members.


Register at: greerchamber.com

FiRst FRiday LeadeRship seRies

Clemson at the Falls, 55 E. Camperdown Way, Greenville; 5-7 p.m.

speaker: Julie Seitz, Director, Workplace 2020, The Coca-Cola Companytopic: Designing Tomorrow’s Workplaces: Coca-Cola 2020Cost: Free, but space is limited. Register at: firstfriday seitz.eventbrite.comContact: Amy Burka at [email protected]

monday,apRiL 8

nxLeveL FoR entRepReneuRs (existing Businesses)

Upstate Workforce Investment Board, 102 Commerce St., Spartanburg; 6-9 p.m.

For entrepreneurs who want to expand an existing business and need the skills to make it grow.price: $195 per personRegister at: bizbuildersc.com

tuesday,apRiL 9

LunCh & LeaRn

The History Center, 102 Depot St., Fountain Inn; 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

speaker: Mary Sigmann, Certified Professional Organizertopic: Clearing the Office ClutterLunch will be provided. RSVP by Apr. 5 to yepps@fountaininn chamber.org

wednesday,apRiL 10

peLham poweR BReakFast

CORE Health, 103 Regency Commons Drive, Greer; 8-9 a.m.

Register at: greerchamber.com.

mauLdin ChamBeR Leads gRoup

Mauldin Chamber of Commerce, 101 East Butler Road, Mauldin; noon-1:00 p.m.

Contact: Don Johnson at [email protected]

diveRsity ConneCtions

CityRange Steakhouse and Grill, 774 Spartan Blvd., Spartanburg; noon-1:30 p.m.

Open to all Spartanburg Chamber members and guests.Contact: Doug Gregory at 864-594-5000 or dgregory@spartanburg chamber.com

FemCity gReenviLLe apRiL “aRound town” giRLs on the gReen soCiaL

Green Valley Country Club, 225 Green Valley Road, Greenville; 4:30-7 p.m.

Former LGPA player Brandi Jackson will lead this Girls Golfing event, teaching all levels from beginners to pros. There will be a reception with food, wine and networking in the clubhouse. Cost: $30 for members and $45 for non-membersRegister at: femfessionals.com/FemCities/Greenville/Calendar.htm

thuRsday,apRiL 11

undeR ConstRuCtion – updating pLanned CommeRCiaL deveLopment in upstate

KROC Center, 424 Westfield St., Greenville; 7:30-9 a.m.

panelists: Rick Sumerel, President & COO, Verdae Development, Inc.Bryson Thomason, President, Professional Mortgage Co.Marc Yavinsky, Exec. Vice President, Menin Development, Inc.Cost: $30 for a single ticket, $295 for corporate tableRegister at: eventbrite.com/event/ 5521757726#

Bmw tieR 1 suppLieR diveRsity matChmakeR ConFeRenCe

TD Convention Center, 1 Exposition Drive, Greenville; April 11, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Cost: Free to attend, but registration required. Continental breakfast and lunch provided.Register or more information: carolinasmsdc.org or qwbc.biz

UBJ On the Move


BANKING/FINANCE:Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network has for the eighth consecutive year designated A. Robert Nachman II, Ben K. Norwood III, and John F. Parrott, managing directors, as members of the firm’s Premier Advisors Program. Nachman entered the financial services industry in 1986. A Greenville native and University of South Carolina graduate, Norwood has been in the financial services industry since 1987. Parrott entered the financial services industry in 1983 with Interstate Johnson Lane, followed by serving as branch manager for Nations Securities, as well as for Wheat First Butcher Singer.

CONSTRUCTION/ENGINEERING:Dillard-Jones Builders recently hired Thomas Major as senior project manager. Major has more than 20 years of residential design and construction experience, and has handled numerous design/build projects throughout The Cliffs Communities, Waterford Pointe and other developments.

HEALTH CARE:Interim Healthcare recently welcomed Steven Metts, DPT, at their Spartanburg location as a physical therapist; Aubrey

Beauvais, RN, BSN, at the Greenville location as a home health case manager; Michelle Kampf, DPT, at the Spartanburg office as a physical therapist; and Amy Hicks, RN, BSN, MSN, at Interim Healthcare Hospice as a hospice nurse. Metts received his Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of South Carolina. Beauvais received her Bachelor’s in Nursing from the University of South Carolina Upstate. Kampf received her Bachelor’s in Exercise Physiology and her Doctorate of Physical Therapy both from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. Hicks received her Bachelor’s in Nursing from the University of South Carolina Upstate and her Master’s in Nursing from Western Governors University.

INSURANCE:Herlong Bates Burnett recently welcomed Kenzie Bullard as a life & health account manager. Bullard will be responsible for marketing and servicing life, health, and disability policies. She has a Bachelor of Science degree from Bob Jones University.

PUBLIC RELATIONS/MARKETING:Infinity Marketing in Greenville recently promoted Shannon Daly to media coordinator and Karli Freeman to

senior marketing specialist, and hired Steven Laiewski as a graphic designer, Kyia Chandler as an administrative assistant, and Lauren Robbins as an intern. Daly started at Infinity in August 2012 as a media assistant, working with health-care and telecommunications clients. Freeman began working at Infinity in 2011 with the endorsements team. Previously, she worked for Comcast, where she helped formulate new methods for product marketing. Laiewski started as an intern at Infinity in August 2012. He received a digital publishing certificate from the Savannah College of Art and Design and earned his bachelor’s from the University of South Carolina Upstate. Chandler, a former executive assistant at YWCA Greenville, graduated from the University of South Carolina Upstate with a bachelor’s in nonprofit administration. Robbins is a senior at Lander University in mass communications.

DNA Creative Communications recently announced that Mayra Gonzalez has joined the team as a public relations intern. A graduate of Winthrop University, Gonzalez has spent the past three years in health care where she provided

HireDappointeD HireD HireD

ROBERT H. DEMERE, JR.Appointed to SCBT Financial Corporation’s board of directors. Demere is president of Colonial Group Inc., a petroleum marketing company in Savannah, Ga., and has been employed by Colonial since 1974. Demere also worked as a stockbroker with Robinson-Humphrey Company.

GREG MCPHEEHired as High Cotton’s executive chef. McPhee brings to the downtown Greenville restaurant the culinary talents developed in two exceptional venues: in Coastal Georgia at the legendary Five-Star luxury resort, The Cloister, and in Charleston at Husk, Bon Appetit’s Best New Restaurant in the country in 2011.

KAUTHAR RAHMANJoined the Faces and Voices of Recovery (FAVOR) Greenville as Operations Manager. FAVOR Greenville is a volunteer based-organization dedicated to the recovery of those afflicted by substance use disorders. Rahman’s previous work experience includes case management and donor relations for two Upstate nonprofits. .

PENNy MASHTAREHired as Creative Builders Inc.’s project management/engineer assistant. With a degree in architecture, Mashtare worked previously as an architectural project manager with LaBella Associates in Rochester, Ny. She has over 25 years of experience in architectural design and project management.

Molly TalboT-MeTzRecently promoted to vice

president of programs at the Mary Black Foundation. Talbot-Metz

joined the foundation in 2001 as its first program officer. She has a Masters in Public Health from the University of South Carolina. She

is actively involved in the community through the Nurse Family Partnership Community Advisory Board, the Northside

Development Corporation Board of Directors, the SC Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy board of directors, the Downtown Rotary

Club, Spartanburg Toastmasters, and Leadership Spartanburg

Board of Regents. Molly recently served as interim president of the foundation between presidents.

proMoteD

MARCH 1 - 31

A MONTHLONGCELEBRATION OF CULTURES

UpstateInternational.org

A Program of The International Center


proMoteD HonoreD

Rick GRahamRecently promoted to vice president of Sunland Distribution’s automotive Group. Before joining Sunland in 2008 as the general manager of the automotive Group, Graham worked as plant manager for Faurecia interior, coordinator for BmW’s manufacturing Quality Systems, and assembly quality engineering coordinator for honda.

John R. maRkelPresident and principal analyst of markel Valuation Pc; was recently awarded the chartered Global management accountant (cGma) designation from the american institute of cPas and the chartered institute of management accountants. markel has been a practicing cPa in Greenville for more than 30 years, specializing in valuation and litigation services for the past 18 years.engineering coordinator for honda.

note: This announcement ran in the March 22 UBJ accompanied by the wrong photograph. We regret the error.

language services to Spanish-speaking patients and managed a local hospital’s medication assistance program.

Real eState:Coldwell Banker Caine’s Greer office recently welcomed april a. Breton as a residential sales agent. A seasoned real estate professional, Breton has been in the business since 1987, with much of her time spent in property management. She holds the Certified Property Manager (CPM) and Accredited Residential Manager (ARM) designations.

technoloGY:Technology integrator TSAChoice Inc., with offices in Asheville, N.C., and Greenville, announces that field technicians Bill keehan and Ben Bruce completed networking certifications through TSAChoice’s business partner, Cisco. Keehan renewed his CCNA certification for Network Specialists, Administrators, and Support Engineers with 1-3 years of network engineering experience. He joined TSAChoice in 2012 and has worked in the telecommunications industry for over 14 years. Bruce completed training and exams to earn his CCENT certification, validating his ability to install, operate and troubleshoot a small enterprise

branch network, including basic network security. He has been with TSAChoice’s Greenville office for one year after working as a Mitel Direct certified technician for four years.

Sealevel Systems Inc. recently added Jane VanBergen as their new marketing director and promoted Sarah Beasley to vice president of brand strategy. VanBergen comes to Sealevel with 30 years of experience in marketing and public relations. Most recently, she was product marketing manager for T&S Brass in Travelers Rest. Prior to that, she was director of marketing for Techtronic Industries in Anderson, where she was responsible for marketing strategy and implementation for six brands across two product lines. Beasley was previously marketing director at Sealevel. A graduate of Clemson University, she serves on the board of The Children’s Museum of the Upstate and the Greenville County Museum of Art.

UBJ New to the Street

1993

2013

19951994 200320011997 2005 2009

20021999 2004 2007 2008

2010

Decades of Trust. Confidence in the Future.

864.467.0085WWW.MARCHANTCO.COM

After 25 years in real estate, Seabrook L. Marchant proudly announces the formation of The Marchant Company to offer real estate marketing services to buildersand developers.

1. Regus recently opened their first Greenville location at 128 Millport Circle, Suite 200. It is the world’s largest provider for flexible workspace solutions. Regus features business tools such as fully furnished office space, virtual offices, meeting rooms, business world solutions, day offices, business lounges, IT, telecom phone, fax, office support, video conferencing and meeting rooms. Their services can be used by small businesses or entrepreneurs, but they have also worked with companies like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn,

Google and Adobe. For more information, visit regus.com, or contact Denita Kozeny at 864-315-1480 or [email protected].

2. The Greer Commission of Public Works recently cut the ribbon on its Compressed Natural Gas Fast Fill Station, located at 115 Duke Street in Greer. This is the first public natural gas fueling station in the City of Greer and surrounding area. The station will be open 24 hours a day to the public, using a credit card for payment.

3. Christophillis & Gallivan P.A. recently opened at 300 N. Main St., Suite 200 in Greenville. Jessica Christophillis and Amanda Gallivan are partners in the new venture and are accepting new clients. The practice will offer a variety of legal services but will focus primarily on family law, estate planning, criminal defense, and litigation. For more information about the firm, visit cglawsc.com or call 865-233-4445.

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UBJ Snapshot


From “Remembering Greenville: Photographs from the Coxe Collection,” by Jeffrey R. Willis Historic photo available from the Greenville Historic Society

Photo Provided

Photo by Greg Beckner

The first city school system was established in Greenville in 1886. There had previously been several schools in the city but without organization and coordination. The first superintendent of schools, W.S. Morrison, was given an annual salary of $950. Two years later, in 1888, two new schools were opened. Oakland School was on Pendleton Street and Central School was on what would become Westfield Street. In 1920 Greenville Senior High School (shown in this photograph) was built on Westfield Street. To clear the site, the Central School was demolished as well as Prospect Hill, one of Greenville’s oldest homes. Built by Lemuel Alston in 1799 and bought by Vardry McBee, the house had become the property of John Westfield after McBee’s death in 1864. After only 16 years, the Senior High School moved to a new building on Augusta Street in 1936. The Westfield Street school then became the Greenville Junior High School. In the 1950s and 1960s, as subdivisions proliferated around Greenville, the concept of a central junior high school became obsolete. The Westfield Street school was demolished to make way for the Greenville Water works.

Today, the site is used by the Greenville Water System in a building that resembles a scaled-down House of Burgesses. A monument to Prospect Hill and the former schools was dedicated in 1988 and stands in front of the building on Broad Street at Westfield Street.

UBJ Social

Delta Apparel hosted the Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce for their monthly “Handshakes and Hashbrowns” networking event.

Photo by Amy Clifton Keely

CertusBank.comCertusBank, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Opportunity Lender © 2013 CertusHoldings, Inc. All rights reserved. CertusBank, N.A. is a trademark of CertusHoldings, Inc.

As the largest South Carolina-based Small Business lender, we’re ready with the advice and solutions you need to

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COMING THIS APRIL TO AUGUSTA ROAD!

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