april 5, 2013 ubj

A TRUE MENTORARTHUR SPIRO

LEFT A LEGACY OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP

PAGE 12

SOFT LANDINGSSCC PROGRAM

LURES BUSINESS TO SPARTANBURG

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IT’S ALL ACADEMICUMATCH KEEPS

STUDENTS PLUGGED

INTO COLLEGEPAGE 18

APRIL 5, 2013

HERE COME THE PODCARSIT’S A HIT AT HEATHROW, BUT CAN PERSONAL RAPID TRANSIT MAKE IT IN THE UPSTATE?

Copyright @2013 BY COMMUNITY JOURNALS LLC. All rights reserved. Upstate Business Journal (Vol. 2, No. 13) 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. Postmaster: Send address changes to Upstate Business, 148 River St., Ste 120, Greenville, SC 29601. Printed in the USA.

PRESIDENT/PublIShER Mark B. Johnston [email protected]

SENIoR VIcE PRESIDENT Alan P. Martin [email protected]

ubJ ASSocIATE PublIShER Ryan L. Johnston [email protected]

EXEcuTIVE EDIToR Susan Clary [email protected]

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

PhoToGRAPhER Greg Beckner

coNTRIbuTING PhoTo EDIToR Gerry Pate

PRoDucTIoN Holly Hardin

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

IDEAS, fEEDbAck, [email protected]

how To REAch uS148 River Street., Suite 120Greenville, SC 29601864-679-1200

14

F e at u r e s

14 Happy Landings

who’s who16 Painting the Town

Entrepreneur18 Jump Start: The Academic Network

colu m ns

Digital Maven8 Are You Ready for the Next Disaster? byLauraHaight

create. Innovate. celebrate.9 Big Ideas, World-Class Minds at InnoVenture byJohnWarner

Nonprofit Matters10 Due Diligence: Accepting a Board Position byDebbieNelson

depa rt me n ts

3 Verbatim4 Worth Repeating4 TBA19 The Fine Print20 Square Feet22 Planner 24 On the Move26 New to the Street27 Snapshot27 Social

Photo by Gerry Pate

UBJ Table of contents

2 upstate business journal April 5, 2013

A.l Solutions workers prepare a machine to begin production of vehicle filters.

coRREcTIoN:A chart in the March 22 Statehouse Report column listed the wrong figure for total food stamp benefits paid to residents of Spartanburg County in January 2013. The correct total was $5,733,135. We regret the error.

UBJ Verbatim

April 5, 2013 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal 3

530 HAYWOOD ROAD • GREENVILLE, SC • 864.297.5610

on BMW’s unbelievable new product…

“With a royal baby due this summer, we are proud to announce the launch of our

limited edition bMW p.r.a.M. (postnatal royal auto Mobile) … With two or four-

wheel-drive, it rides as smoothly on a polo field as it does down the Mall and

comes with air conditioning and built-in extendable flagpoles as standard.”

Announcement on bmw.co.uk. To book a test-drive, contact “[email protected]” – but keep in mind that

the announcement appeared on April 1.

Gattitown to Closethe family-friendly pizza buffet and arcade Gattitown will close its Greenville location on April 7.

According to owner Ron Kuhn, the building on Woodruff Road has been sold to Palmetto State Armory, but the deal hasn’t closed yet.

Gattitown opened in 2000 and was the first prototypical fran-chise concept of Mr. Gatti’s Pizza, but was the chain’s overall second location. In February of 2010, Kuhn and his wife Anita acquired Gattitown and leased the build-

ing month-to-month. In the three years since they

have owned Gattitown, they im-proved the facility and purchased new games, but “these improve-ments did not yield improved revenues and earnings,” said Kuhn. “Our sales were consistent over the three-year period, but would not support the landlord’s asking price.”

They received notices at the beginning of March that there was a buyer for Gattitown, and after assessing relocation options, the Kuhns determined time was not on their side, and decided to liquidate the business.

Everything inside of the building will be auctioned off on April 9.

Let “Lean Lite” Off set the Costs of Obamacare

Does your business need to cut lead times, double inventory turns, increase productivity, improve gross margins, reduce ser-vice provider response time, decrease accounts receivable days outstanding or perhaps o� set the costs of Obamacare? If so, your business needs the Lean Transformation, a well documented, cut-ting edge process and one of the cornerstones of our Risk Abate-ment Strategy. � is fundamental building block is now o� ered as a stand-alone service for Upstate Businesses.

Lean Transformations are frequently executed with marginal ef-fectiveness in America partly because a successful transformation requires a consultant who will strip away the marketing � u� and help you concentrate on the essence of the process.

� e consultant should steer you away from: • Connecting Lean with Six Sigma

• Embarking on a scavenger hunt for di� erent kinds of waste

• Focusing on Just-In-Time Inventory control

• Believing Lean is just a manufacturing strategy

• Becoming entangled in a labyrinth of culture changing activities

Our process is called “Lean Lite” which is, in fact the Essence of Lean. Implementation has two steps.

Step 1 is a preliminary assessment which allows you to decide whether or not to go forward with the transformation process. We will:

• Study the Value Stream activities of your enterprise and identify those which fail to add value

• Suggest how non-value-adding activities can be eliminated

• Conduct training on the Lean Transformation

Step 2 is the implementation of “Lean Lite” if you decide to move forward and transform your business.

B. McLaughlin, ScD, MInstPRegional Managing Director

864.430.2695 (phone) | 864.469.9940 (fax)www.lifetimereliabilitysolutions.com | www.lifetime-reliability.com

[email protected]

B. McLaughlin, ScD, MInstP

4 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal April 5, 2013

UBJ Worth Repeating | TBA

“it started at my house with friends, and then it was

friends of friends, and then it was strangers, and then i

realized – i have got to get out of this house!”

Marquin Campbell, on the growth of her business, Vino & Van Gogh

“You can’t live without a smartphone anymore. it’s your life. We are creating

something similar with a vehicle.”Paul Venhovens of CU-ICAR on the latest Deep

Orange automobile prototype project

“i said, ‘i am not sure i want anybody else to know about it.’”

Mike Forrester, director of economic development for Spartanburg Community College, on his response

to a colleague’s suggestion that they spread the word about their successful Soft Landings program

“Mr. spiro was so much more than a name on a building,

on an institute. He was a true mentor in every sense of the word.”Laura Vitek, former Clemson student and protégé of Arthur M. Spiro

Expect to hear some announcements about expansion of programs at the University Center in the coming months…

If Progressive Fitness on E. Washington Street gets its way, it will soon be open 24 hours a day,

TBAseven days a week…

Midtown Artery could soon start using its fine art gallery on Pendleton Street as an events venue…

Look for a Red Lobster soon in Simpsonville…

UBJ This Week

MANAGING YOUR BUSINESS IS HARD – We want to help!

Unfortunately, being stretched in so many directions may cause important aspects of your company’s strategy to be overlooked. Our executive team at Pinnacle Bank wants to ensure that every business owner has the resources available to focus on short term and long term goals, as well as the resources and executable options to help achieve those goals.

Our Pinnacle Bank management team has more than 30 years of in-market experience, and we want to provide business owners best practices and insights into how choices made today can affect your business tomorrow and beyond.

You deserve a local financial partner who can help you achieve your business and financial goals. Our team welcomes the opportunity to personally review and analyze the financial path of your company and to offer solutions to issues such as cash management, credit, future growth strategies, and beyond. Let us know if you would like to meet our management team for a no-obligation review of your business.

Executive Team

864.233.6915 | www.PinnacleBankSC.com

David Barnett, President & CEODavid Weaver, Chief Credit OfficerJim Stewart, Senior Market ExecutiveTommy Warren, Chief Financial Officer


the clock drive-in, the iconic restaurant at the corner of Wade Hampton Boulevard and Pleasant-burg Drive that announced its closing last month after 60 years, has announced a last-minute reprieve.

On Monday, owner John Banias told reporters that the diner, popular with generations of Wade Hampton High School students, had negotiated a multi-year lease that they expected to sign later in the week.

Banias told WYFF-TV that com-munity support for The Clock has been “amazing,” especially from Greenvillians who were “devastated” at the news of the diner’s closing.

Owners had previously told re-

by the time the sunday dead-line had come, nearly 1.5 million South Carolina residents had taken up the state on its offer of a year of credit monitoring.

The state made the offer to help repair the damage of the largest-ever hacking of a state agency – the cyberattack in which hackers stole 3.8 million Social Security numbers, 387,000 credit and debit card numbers and 657,000 business tax filings.

By Monday afternoon, 1.4 million consumers had enrolled for a year of credit monitoring, Rob Godfrey, spokesman for Gov. Nikki Haley, told The State newspaper. An additional 41,446 had enrolled for family credit monitoring.

Consumers will pay no direct cost; the state has agreed to pay credit monitoring company Experian $12 million in tax-

payer money for the service, The State reported.

Legislatively, a bill moving through the Senate would central-ize computer security duties across state government and extend free credit monitoring by up to a decade. The bill creates an iden-tity theft unit and various oversight committees of unknown cost. Meanwhile, the proposed House budget sets aside $25 million to cover various cybersecurity im-provements and at least one more year of credit monitoring.

“From the moment the breach was discovered, our highest prior-ity has been fixing the problem that led to the hack and working with law enforcement, security experts and members of the General As-sembly to make sure we don’t find ourselves in this position again,” Godfrey told The State.

More Time for the Clock

porters that they could not afford the increasing rent for the building.

For many Wade Hampton High alumni, eating at the Clock has been a decades-long tradition. According to Wanda Kelly Detlefsen, “In the ’60s, the Clock was the one place you wanted to see and, more impor-tantly, be seen. The refrain on Friday was, ‘I will see you at the Clock.’”

Photo by Greg Beckner

1.4M Sign Up for Credit Monitoring

UBJ This Week


gliding along a raised plat-form in a two- to four-person vehicle may be part of the future of transportation for the Upstate, says a group studying the feasibility of using personal rapid transit or PRT.

PRT uses a fleet of driverless ve-hicles, usually electric, that run on rubber wheels or via magnets and travel on guideways. These auto-mated “podcars” are typically small, seating between four and eight people. PRT runs on-demand rather than on a set schedule, so it is waiting when passengers are ready to depart.

Greenville County Councilman Fred Payne learned about the tech-nology in October 2012 and is excited about the possibility of PRT being part of the Upstate’s transit system. He noted that the Green-ville Pickens Anderson Transporta-tion Study (GPATS) calls for rapid

transit by 2030. “I think we could beat that,” he said.

Of course, there has to be politi-cal will and economic demand for such a project, said Payne. He added that he thinks that there are private equity firms that would help fund purchase and construction.

One possible connection could be between downtown Greenville and the TD Convention Center, said Payne. Feedback from some visiting the area for a convention cited con-nectivity as an issue for them, having to rely on shuttles for transportation.

Payne said a PRT system could run along the Laurens Road cor-ridor, linking downtown Greenville with Mauldin and beyond. PRT would be part of a multi-modal system that would incorporate buses, bike/walking paths and parking garages, he said. “When you build one of these stations, eco-

Ultra Global PRT, reports that more than 600,000 passengers have used the system since inception – saving 70,000 bus journeys. The airport has included additions to the system in its five-year business plan. In ad-dition, there is a PRT system running in Masdar City, a zero-carbon, en-vironmental city being constructed outside the United Arab Emirates’ capital Abu Dhabi.

In the United States, West Vir-ginia University has operated a five-station PRT system for its campus and the Morgantown community since 1975 and was the first in the country. WVU operates eight-pas-senger vehicles on approximately nine miles of guideways.

In recent decades, however, no city or county has chosen to be the first to build and operate a modern PRT system. “There are up to 20 companies working on this technol-ogy and there’s a lot of interest, but no one has stepped up to say ‘We’ll be number one.’ I think we should be the first,” said Payne.

The group plans to conduct a public opinion survey in about two months, he said.

Morgantown, WV, USA Launched 1975, 8.2 miles of guideway, 5 stations, 73 vehicles

Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, UAE Launched 2010, 0.9 miles of guideway, 5 stations, 13 vehicles

London Heathrow Airport, England Launched 2011, 2.4 miles of guideway, 3 stations, 21 vehicles

Suncheon, South Korea Under construction for 2013, 3.3 miles of guideway, 2 stations, 40 vehicles

Amritsar, Punjab, India Planned for 2015, 2.1 miles of guideway, 7 stations, 200 vehicles

Will Podcars Be on Track for Upstate?

Personal Rapid Transit could be part of our transportation futureBy April A. Morris | staff

Contact April A. Morris at [email protected].

ExISTIng AnD PLAnnED PRT SySTEMS

nomic development follows. Around the station, you want to create a place where people want to live, work, shop and play.”

The technology was launched at London’s Heathrow Airport in May 2011. The system’s manufacturer,

Personal rapid transit, or PRT, is in operation at London’s Heathrow Airport, ferrying more than 600,000 passengers since launch in 2011.

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UBJ This Week

drawing 100,000 visitors per year, a Clemson Univer-sity livestock arena in Pendle-ton is responsible for $8.9 million in total economic impact for Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties, accord-ing to a new study.

The T. Ed Garrison Live-stock Arena at Clemson Uni-versity brings visitors from 20 states and Canada to horse shows, dog shows and other events, resulting in spending for lodging, meals and shopping, the study said.

The economic impact study, com-missioned by the S.C. Upstate Equine Council, found that every dollar spent by arena visitors gener-ated more than $2 in total eco-nomic activity in the three counties.

With approximately $500,000 of upgrades, which would include additional equine event facilities, the Garrison arena could signifi-cantly expand its economic impact, the study found.

The University Center for Eco-nomic Development at Clemson conducted the study.

Clemson’s Garrison Arena Has $8.9M Impact

A horse pulls a buggy around the Garrison Arena.

Independence Shareholders to Vote on Tripling Shares

although it has no immediate plans to issue more shares now, Independence Bancshares of Greenville, the holding company for Independence National Bank, wants its shareholders to vote in May to triple the holding com-pany’s authorized shares of common stock to 3 million.

According to a notice filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, shareholders will vote on May 15 on a resolution adopted by Independence’s board of directors to increase the shares from 1 million to 3 million.

The board wants to “ensure that the Company has a suf-ficient number of authorized but unissued shares of common stock available to take advan-tage of favorable market condi-tions for the sale of additional common stock, future acquisi-

tions of the properties or se-curities of other companies, and issuances of stock pursu-ant to employee benefit plans, as well as stock dividends, stock splits and other general corporate purposes,” according to the filing.

Also on May 15, shareholders will vote on the appointment of several new members of its board of directors, GSA Business reports. Candidates include Robert Willumstad, former CEO of insurance giant AIG, as well as Gordon Baird, Alvin G. Hageman, John B. Helmers and Keith Stock, and current board members H. Neel Hipp Jr. and A. Alexander McLean III.

In December 2012, Indepen-dence raised $14.1 million in a private sale of stock and named Baird as its new CEO.

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UBJ Digital Maven


how well prepared is your business for a disruption in critical ser-vices like phone, internet or power?

Until the last decade or so, losing Internet access would be a minor disruption for most businesses. But today, when many companies have documents or server space located off-site and accessible via “the cloud,” Internet service is a critical function for many businesses.

A business continuity plan lays out how you will continue to operate when anything from a tornado to a system failure strikes.

The first thing to ask yourself is: How available does your business need to be? If you are a news orga-nization or a first responder (fire, police, medical), availability is

folders and databases. You should have a weekly backup of your data stored off-site. Even if you use cloud services and hosted email, it is still your business at risk.

2. identify critical information your business needs:• Identify the key personnel in your organization and put together a list with cell phone numbers, home ad-dresses, and secondary addresses or phone numbers (like weekend places at the beach). Key vendor and client lists should also be maintained.

• Many business functions can be performed remotely through a Web browser, but not if you have every-thing bookmarked with passwords

evacuation. Others can be cata-strophic – hurricanes, tornadoes, even winter storms can put you out of business for days or weeks.

4. identify alternate facilities. Where will you relocate your busi-ness if your building is damaged or inaccessible? Does your business have a second facility that can be set up as an emergency location? If so, stock it up with tables, power strips, folding chairs. Build “backup boxes” for your departments with notebooks, pens, batteries and flashlights and locate them at your backup site.

Since it’s not likely you’ll go out and buy new equipment for backup purposes, how about flipping that proposition? When you buy new laptops, move the best of the ones being replaced to your backup site. Whether you need one or 10 depends on your business needs, but remember, you are not trying to replicate normal business, but keep business going at some level.

5. Once you have all your informa-tion assembled, put together a how-to document that walks through your recovery plan step by step: who will set up the remote location, who’s authorized to obtain the backups and access the critical company files, who notifies your staff, and once assembled how is each critical process performed.

6. test and distribute your plan. If you think assembling all this in-

formation sounds like a ton of work for something you might never need, you are right. But even worse is a ton of work that it turns out you do need, but some critical piece was missed. Make sure everyone who is involved in executing the plan has a copy of it. Load your plan on USB keys with encrypted logins for critical staff.

7. review the plan each quarter (if you’re really on top of things) or at least once a year. Staff come and go, contact information changes, new systems are installed, pass-words are changed. Your plan needs to be a living document.

Disasters come in all shapes and sizes: a roof leak over your data center, a blown transformer that knocks out your power, flooding that makes your business inacces-sible. Things happen every day. Be as ready as you can be.

What you need may depend on how long the disruption lasts. some can be brief.

others can be catastrophic – hurricanes, tornadoes, even winter storms can put you out of business for days or weeks.

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

Are You Ready for the Next Disaster?

critical. Other businesses may be able to shut down for a day or two without a huge impact. Still, you need to know what your business requirements are. Then work through these seven steps to develop a continuity plan.

1. arrange for offsite storage of critical files and equipment. These may include anything from copies of records, contacts, digital files, even spare computers. The storage should be in a monitored facility and be some distance from your office – accessible even if there is a localized disaster or quarantine.

Whether you have one computer or 20 servers, back up your data. That includes your email, files,

stored on your office PCs. Docu-ment the addresses and the access codes. There are many programs that will securely store and encrypt your passwords – 1Password for the Mac and RoboForm for the PC are just two options. These encrypted passwords should be kept under lock and key in a secure facility.

3. Map your business processes. Who does what, when do they do it, how do they do it and what’s the backup process? Identify any single points of failure. Develop and docu-ment backup procedures for every-thing critical. What you need may depend on how long the disruption lasts. Some can be brief, like a chem-ical spill that causes a 24-hour

72% of companies that close following a natural disaster

do not reopen

$12,500 average daily cost small and mid-sized

businesses incur from an it outage

Source: isutility.com.

Just the Facts

By laura haight

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, Bubbly Dry Bar, 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, Joan Herlong/AugustaRoad.com Realty, Labels Designer Consignment, Linda McDougald Design|Postcard From Paris Home, Liquid Catering,

Marguerite Wyche & Associates, Millie Lewis Studio, Panageries, Inc., Rush Wilson Limited, Studio.7, The Chocolate Moose, The Houseplant, The Valet, Traveling Chic Boutique, Vintage Made Modern

RUNWAY SPONSOR: BYNUM AESTHETIC DENTISTRY LIVE DRAWING: Powered by Verizon


how can you benefit from the big ideas of people at the top of their game? At the 10th annual InnoVenture 2013 conference May 8 and 9 at the TD Convention Center, people who are among the best in the world at what they do are sharing their big ideas.

Milliken & Company’s Concrete Cloth rolls out like canvas and when wetted sets up as a hard concrete surface. jeff strahan from Mil-liken is looking for complementary products or potential channels of distribution to enhance infrastruc-ture rehabilitation, like roads, bridges, sidewalks or utilities pipes and poles, a massive global market.

john ballato is director of the Clemson Center for optical Mate-rial science and engineering technology. John wants to build a relationship with Fraunhofer, Eu-rope’s largest application-oriented research organization, to commer-cialize innovations involving lasers and optics in manufacturing con-necting the world-class academic optics research with the deep man-ufacturing base in the Southeast.

As an executive with Ranger Aero-space, bill Mclendon helped make numerous highly successful acquisi-tions in the aviation and aerospace industry in recent years. Bill re-

cently partnered with Ross Perot to create perot aerospace to make investments and do acquisitions in the aerospace industry. Perot Aero-space is likely to become one of the largest investment groups ever headquartered in South Carolina.

Mark Knight of nexsen pruet, one of the most experienced securi-ties attorneys in the state, is organiz-ing a network of people across the Southeast interested in new crowd-funding rules contained in last year’s JOBS Act, which allows entrepre-neurs for the first time to raise capital through social networks.

Fred payne of the Greenville County Council is passionate about bringing personal rapid transit to Greenville. While Greenville is too small and not dense enough for major infrastructure like a subway, Fred’s looking for a business case for a demonstration project of a per-sonal rapid transit system suited for a more suburban community like ours. If Fred can make a personal rapid transit system work here, perhaps we can commercialize our system in suburban communities globally, including suburbs sur-rounding mega-cities.

InnoVenture.com will allow Jeff, John, Bill, Mark, Fred and our other 30 or so presenters to develop their ideas through connections with people at the conference.

Innovation is a contact sport. To benefit from the ideas of world-class people you have to get in the game.

InnoVenture 2013

May 8-9, 2013TD Convention Center,

Greenville

innoventureconference.com

Big Ideas, World-Class Minds at InnoVenture

John Warner is CEO of InnoVenture, whose global Web platform helps people with big ideas attract needed customers, capital, talent and technol-ogy. InnoVenture.com partners include major corporations, universities and entrepreneurial companies regionally and around the world.

UBJ Create. Innovate. Celebrate.

By john warner

UBJ Nonprofit Matters


By deBBie NelsoN

a year’s worth of planning came to fruition when Greenville recent-ly hosted the South Carolina As-sociation of Nonprofit Organiza-tions’ annual conference, “Togeth-er. For Good.” This three-day event was an opportunity for hundreds of small and large agencies from across our state to gather and discuss the issues facing their sus-tainability. An agenda that should pique the interest of our business community, since South Carolina’s nonprofits represent a significant sector of our economy:

• Nonprofits employ more than 162,000 (7 percent of the state’s workforce).

• Nonprofits generate almost $14 billion in annual revenue.

• Nonprofits hold assets of more than $28.8 billion.

• Nonprofits contribute nearly $11 percent to the gross state product.

As nonprofits map out their futures, it is in their best interest to engage qualified business profes-sionals on their boards. Nominating committees are faced with the ongoing challenge of recruiting the right people to serve their organiza-tions… which leads me to an email

I received recently from one of my UBJ readers.

My firm has encouraged me to get involved in the community. as an attorney, i am eager to share my legal expertise with a worthy organization. How should i go about selecting the right board for me? Tanya

I am glad that you have posed this question, Tanya. I wish more folks would ask it before launching into a long-term (generally three years at a minimum) commitment with an organization. You wouldn’t commit to a personal relationship without determining your compat-ibility. The same should be true for taking on board responsibilities. I recommend you consider asking yourself these 10 questions before making a decision.

1. PAssioNDo I have a personal passion for the organization’s mission?This must be the first question you ask yourself. If it is not a cause that you are truly committed to, you don’t need to answer questions 2-10.

2. TiMeDo I have enough time to be an effective board member? You will be expected to attend board meetings, committee meetings, re-treats and special events, not to mention the time required for regular communications and meeting prep-aration. Be sure to ask staff and current board members what to expect on a monthly basis.

3. eXPeRTise & eXPeCTATioNsAm I comfortable with the

proposed board responsibilities?Understand whether you will be expected to contribute your exper-tise and the role you are you being asked to play. Consider any conflicts of interest you may have.

4. HeAlTHHave I reviewed the organization’s financial status?Nonprofits with more than $25,000 of income must file a 990 with the IRS. This information is available to the public. Smaller nonprofits will have other accounting reports they can provide to you. Tread cautious-ly if you are met with resistance when asking for this information.

5. doNoRAm I willing to make a financial commitment? Most boards encourage 100 percent board participation in fundraising. Some may require a minimal amount, while others may request and expect a significant financial contribution. As you might imagine, it is extremely difficult to fundraise when an organization does not have a fully committed board.

6. liABiliTYDoes the organization have adequate insurance coverage? Consider the potential risks associ-ated with the organization’s activi-ties and ask about its current insur-ance coverage and whether risk management practices are in place.

7. CoNFideNCeDo I have confidence in the organization and its leadership?Talking to folks who have had expe-rience with the organization is helpful. In addition, review informa-tion such as the strategic plan, budget, employee bios and annual reports.

8. iMPACTIs the organization faced with challenges that offer me an opportunity to help?Don’t be afraid to get involved with organizations that are seeking ways to improve and strengthen. These are the very groups that really need you, and you can truly make a difference.

9. siTe VisiTHave I taken a tour?You can learn a lot about an orga-nization by visiting. It is valuable for you to see the staff and clients in action. I also encourage you to spend some time with the executive direc-tor and a board member or two.

10. FUN & FelloWsHiPLast but certainly not least… would I enjoy spending time with this board? Recently I applied this same litmus test of 10 questions when I was invited to serve a second three-year term on the Meals on Wheels board. And my answer was a resounding “YES, I would be delighted to con-tinue serving!”

So in summary, Tanya, I recom-mend doing your homework and selecting a board that offers you the ability to score a perfect ten.

Until next time,Debbie

[email protected]

Debbie Nelson is the president and founder of DNA Creative Communications, a public relations firm that partners with nonprofit and government organizations in the education, human services and sustainability sectors. Each year DNA offers its Live Here Give Here pro bono program and Shine the Light on Your Nonprofit workshop series. Learn more at dnacc.com.

Due Diligence: Accepting a Board Position

You wouldn’t commit to a personal relationship without determining your compatibility. the same should be true for taking on board responsibilities.


during the 20th century, car keys were synonymous with freedom. Owning a fast car meant endless possibilities for adventure and escape. But in recent years, that con-nection has been lost on the youth who have found other means for liberation in the form of the Internet. The need for personal mobility has decreased, dramatically affecting the U.S. automobile industry.

Reestablishing the personal con-nection between the automobile and the driver is one of the primary goals for Clemson University’s latest Deep Orange project, a program that allows students of CU’s Inter-national Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) to design and engineer a vehicle prototype.

General Motors will sponsor the fifth generation of Deep Orange, which launched in March and is set to be completed by August 2014. The prototype will focus on reach-ing Gen Y and Z, current and po-tential consumers ages 9 through 28. The research and development of the prototype is strictly based on industry needs – one of which is the lost personal connection.

“One of the challenges that GM asked the students to work on is to create an emotional attachment with the vehicle, so that it’s not just a com-modity but has really become some-thing that you want to own and you

Venhovens said the greatest em-phasis is on sustainability: “Stu-dents really have to understand [sustainable mobility] from a bigger picture: the environmental, the economical and the social aspect,” he said. “It goes beyond just

Love on 4 WheelsCU-ICAR’s Deep Orange 5 aims for personal

link between car and driverBy Shelby Livingston

want to use,” said Paul Venhovens, CU-ICAR’s BMW Endowed Chair in Automotive Systems Integration. “A good example is a smartphone. You can’t live without a smartphone anymore. It’s your life. We are creat-ing something similar with a vehicle

“You can’t live without a smartphone anymore. it’s your life. We are creating

something similar with a vehicle—it really become an integral part of your life, it becomes a lifestyle object, not

just a box on four wheels.” Paul Venhovens, CU-ICAR’s BMW Endowed Chair in Automotive Systems

Integration on the latest Deep Orange prototype project.

Students have the opportunity to translate conceptual knowledge into something tangible while in-teracting with industry OEMs.

“Very often, there is a huge gap between what you learn in the class-room and what you do in the indus-try,” said Rivkah Saldanha, a first-year master’s student at CU-ICAR. “I think Deep Orange bridges the gap. I have learned to understand the customer. Very often when you are building something you don’t consider the customer so much—you’re too involved with the techni-cal aspects of it. But this forces us to look at what the customer is looking for and what will actually sell in the market.”

Said master’s student Christopher Berry, “We’ll be able to understand how certain changes and subsys-tems affect the overall vehicle change. For example, if we choose a certain engine type right now, and we decide to change it later, it will not just be a simple ‘switch your shoes’ kind of thing. It will affect the whole wardrobe. That will give us the understanding that when we do get into a career, we can’t make decisions without considering how it will affect everything in that whole system.”

For more information on Deep Orange and CU-ICAR, visit cuicar.com.

UBJ This Week

– it really become an integral part of your life, it becomes a lifestyle object, not just a box on four wheels.”

In addition, Deep Orange 5 will address issues brought by urbaniza-tion, such as traffic congestion, road space, parking space, air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions.

environment. You can build fuel-efficient vehicles, but if they’re not affordable, that’s not part of sus-tainability.”

Building a prototype from the ground up provides students with professional experience they wouldn’t receive in other programs.

CU-ICAR students work on Deep Orange 3.

CU-ICAR students display Deep Orange 3. The latest vehicle prototype project,

Deep Orange 5, is set to be complete by August 2014.

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as a finalist at the banquet for Clemson’s Entrepreneur of the Year award, Laura Vitek “saw an older man sitting in a chair while every-one networked around him.”

She recognized him. It was Arthur M. Spiro, benefactor of the Institute of Entrepreneurial Leadership, which carries his name.

An enterprising sophomore with a graduate student’s moxie, she “was compelled to go speak with him. I wanted to thank him so much for everything he had done for the university.”

She sat next to him, brimming with questions for a man who “was so full of knowledge” and had been so successful. But Spiro was the curious one.

“He started asking so many ques-tions about what I did, so I told him everything.” And when David Wyman, associate director of the

Spiro Institute, came over to walk him to his dinner table, he deferred.

“He said, ‘If it is all right, I would like this young lady to walk me over.’”

From that meeting came dinner two nights later with Spiro and his wife, Joan, a well-regarded New York interior designer – and, for Vitek, more questions rebuffed.

“When you take me to diner, you can ask me questions, but right now I get to ask the questions,” he told her.

For the next two years, Spiro and his young protégé “wrote back and forth. For someone of that age, stature and credibility, he gave me all the inspiration in the world.”

“How many people take the time any more to listen, to encourage? He walked the walk of being a mentor.”

Arthur M. Spiro died March 16 of Parkinson’s disease. He was 87. He left behind his wife of 59 years and four daughters – and a legacy of one-

‘A True Mentor’Arthur Spiro’s commitment to entrepreneurship

is carried on in the Clemson University institute that bears his name

By Dick Hughes | senior business writer

Friends and colleagues described Spiro as

“a true mentor.”

ABOVE, LEFT: Jerry Trapnell, former dean of Clemson’s College of Business and Behavioral Science, with Arthur Spiro; ABOVE, RIGHT: Clemson University President Jim Barker with Arthur Spiro

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Clemson University’s early intent to bring MBA programs, along with its Arthur Spiro Institute for Entrepre-neurial Leadership, to Greenville is mushrooming into even more.

Clemson is near completion of nearly 72,000 square feet on four floors of the ONE development on Main Street where it will house master’s programs for business, accounting and real estate development, along with the Spiro Institute’s new MBAe in entrepreneurship and innovation.

From its earliest days of development on campus at Clemson, leadership envisioned a strong presence for the Spiro Institute in Greenville to be close to business leaders, successful entrepre-neurs and innovators.

When economics professor Bruce Yandle came out of retirement to become interim dean of the College of Business and Behavioral Science in 2002, “we decided to extend the program of the Spiro Center directly into Greenville,” recalled Caron St. John, then

center director.The first location

was in the historic Liberty Building on Main Street across from city hall. As the program grew, the institute moved to more spacious quarters in the Bowater building. MBA classes being held at University Center were moved to Bowater in 2009.

When its space at ONE is complete, the institute will move back to the center of downtown and the other graduate programs will come along.

on-one mentoring of individuals such as Vitek and of thousands in-stitutionally through Clemson’s Arthur Spiro Institute of Entrepre-neurial Leadership in Greenville.

It was, said his widow Joan, “very important to him.”

In the mid 1990s, Spiro, an engi-neering graduate of Clemson who made his fortune as an entrepre-neur in textiles, gave an endowment of $1.5 million to establish a center, as it was first identified, for entre-preneurial studies at Clemson.

“He wanted it to be available to students across the entire campus. He did not want it to be just entre-preneurship for business majors,” said Caron St. John, who became director in 1998.

After a dominant influence in business schools on mergers and internationalism in the 1980s, St. John said, business schools began to recognize the contribution of entrepreneurship in the 1990s

Spiro’s concept for Clemson “was very much aligned with that trend and maybe a little early. We cer-tainly were early in our view that entrepreneurial education should be available to everybody on campus.”

“Before Arthur came on, there were no entrepreneurship classes at Clemson,” said Wyman, currently associate director. “I suspect half the people didn’t know what it was.”

What Spiro recognized, St. John said, was that successful entrepreneur-ship “was both a mindset and a process.” The institute was built around his view that one needed both.

“He felt very strongly that if the leadership of the textile industry had been more entrepreneurial, had been willing to take risks, recognize opportunity and envision what future opportunity would be, they would have been more innovative and creative, and the industry would not have fallen on hardship.”

St. John, who left Clemson in 2010 to become dean of the College of Business Administration at the University of Alabama Huntsville, said another important aspect Spiro wanted was a commitment to making the program experien-tial so “it wasn’t just about sitting in a classroom.”

She said Spiro was “very in-

volved” with a team that included Jerry Trapnell, who was then dean of the College of Business and Behavioral Science, and professors Bruce Yandle and Robert McCor-mick, in developing a model that would do just that.

“It was about experiences, getting them involved and engaged in the community. They were interacting with entrepreneurs. They brought in a lot of successful entrepreneurs to speak.”

Bill Gartner, Arthur Spiro profes-sor for entrepreneurial leadership, said Spiro, though crippled by Par-kinson’s in recent years, “was a very

steady presence in keeping Clemson focused on entrepreneurship as Clemson underwent many changes of leadership in the business school over the past 10 years.”

Gartner described Spiro as “a mentor and a friend” who was deeply committed to insuring that Clemson “is a leading center for entrepreneurial practice, not only for the Upstate but also as a leader internationally.”

As Vitek, the student Spiro took under his wing, put it, “Mr. Spiro was so much more than a name on a build-ing, on an institute. He was a true mentor in every sense of the word.”

Contact Dick Hughes at [email protected].

“He walked the walk of being a

mentor.” Laura Vitek Spiro Center in Center of Downtown


When A leAding mAker of vehicle filters decided to put its first manufacturing plant in the U.s., the logical place was new Jersey, where the israeli company has a large distribution center.

instead, A.l. solutions Us picked spartanburg county, attracted by the county’s unique-in-the-nation program providing temporary and free space to get production up and running while it looks for a permanent home.

moving quickly, A.l. installed equipment, brought in a couple of production employees from israel and by march 18 was turning out filters for market from a college campus.

the soft landings program is just one assistance program offered to new and expanding companies by spartanburg community college at its 363,000-square-foot tyger river building in duncan.

it has been a game changer for spartanburg in the highly competitive business of attracting jobs and development.

‘Significant Differentiator’no other community in the country has “the capability and flexibility that facility has,” said r. carter smith, executive vice president of the economic futures group of the spartanburg Area chamber of commerce.

“i strongly feel it is a significant differentiator for us over other com-munities around the country.”

spartanburg community college’s center for Business and entrepre-neurial development has four areas of service: soft landings, a small business incubator, workforce employment and special projects.

Happy Landings

By offering temporary space to expanding companies, Spartanburg Community College’s Soft

Landings program has added thousands of jobs and millions of dollars to the Upstate economy

By DICK HUGHES | senior business writer

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Bob Schulmeister, A.L. general manager


According to an economic impact study, the center has served more than 25 domestic and international companies in the last five years in its various missions.

From November 2007 through September 2012, the center has been responsible for adding a net increase of 3,903 jobs (direct and indirect minus jobs lost) and a net gain of $200 million in wage earnings, accord-ing to the recent study and an earlier one.

From July 2009 through last September, these wage earners contrib-uted $5.65 million in state income taxes and $2.2 million in sales taxes.

A.L. Had Other OptionsA.L. is a good example of a company – just one of several – choosing Spartanburg for its new manufacturing plant because of Soft Landings.

Mike Forrester, director of economic development for SCC, said A.L. had several options for its first North American plant, including its nearby warehouse and distribution base in Ramsey, N.J.

“But when they saw this and what we could provide in the way of workforce, hire the workforce, train the workforce and then provide the temporary space until they can build a facility and start producing product, they were very intrigued.”

As the first filters came off its line at Tyger River, Bob Schulmeister, A.L. general manager, was effusive in praise of the college and the county in helping A.L. get such a fast start making filters outside its plants in Bulgaria and China.

Working now with just a handful of people, he expects to have 40-50 before the end of the year and as many as 160 in five years when in a permanent location.

There’s another possible payoff: A.L., having placed manufacturing in Spartanburg, gives the county “the potential to lure” the distribution center from New Jersey, Forrester said.

An Idea Born of BMWHenry Giles, president of SCC, said companies typically get free space for six to 12 months, although exceptions are made for up to 18 months. In return, companies agree to “graduate into their own permanent loca-tion in the county.” Companies pay for the power they use.

Giles said the concept came out of former SCC President Dan Turhune’s idea to build a Tyger River campus as an academic and workforce train-ing center, as well as a business accelerator. That vision rose out of SCC’s work helping BMW find and train a workforce for the start-up of its assembly plant in Greer.

The college bought the 44,000-square-foot Duncan building and seven acres where the BMW workforce preparation had taken place to use for evening courses, the start of the Tyger River campus.

To fulfill Turhune’s vision of a business accelerator with multiple purposes, the college bought, in 2005, the adjacent 363,000-square-foot building and 49 acres that had been abandoned by One Price Clothing and was in foreclosure. SCC paid $3.2 million.

‘Lot of Work to Be Done’While a bargain at $8.80 a square foot, said Forrester, the building was in “total disarray and needed quite a bit of upfit.” The college has spent $2.1 million, including $235,000 in grant contributions and some help from the state, on phased rehab.

With not quite half renovated, he said, “there’s still a lot of work to be done.” Thus far, SCC has renovated 25,000 square feet for classrooms, 132,000 for light manufacturing, such as in use by A.L., and 14,000 for office space.

Holding for funds are plans to renovate 22,000 square feet for more offices and classrooms, a conference room and a training room. “We renovate as we have money or can get a grant,” said Giles.

Forrester, who had retired as state operations director for Piedmont Natural Gas, was brought on to help the center get started in 2006. After its initial success, Terhune suggested to him that “we could take this on the road, we could market this. I said, ‘I am not sure I want anybody else to know about it.’”

EchoStar, which needed a Southeast satellite repair center, was the first to take advantage of Spartanburg Community College’s temporary free space in the very large and very untidy warehouse it purchased.

In large part because of that offer, along with workforce recruitment and training, EchoStar selected Spartan-burg in 2006 over locations in North Carolina and Georgia for a facility, it said.

SCC refurbished 25,000 square feet to house

EchoStar while it waited for completion of a building in the Fairforest Business Park.

The next company lured to Spartanburg because of Soft Landings was Jankel Tactical Systems, a British company that spent eight months there until it could move into 100,000 square feet of space in Hillside Park in 2008.

A military contractor, Jankel makes armor protec-tive systems for vehicles.

“They are in Hillside Park right now in 100,000

square feet with well over 100 employees,” said Mike Forrester, SCC economic director.

Another success early on was Master Precision Global, a Michigan company that was invited by Electro-lux to make plastic-molded refrigerator parts for its plant in Anderson.

“They were located up north, so when they came down looking for a location, trying to figure if it was going to be profitable for them to come and start a new product line, us offering them space for up to 18 months without having to

pay rent was certainly part of their decision to come to Spartanburg versus Ander-son, versus Greenville,” said Henry Giles, SCC president.

Since November 2007, the SCC’s various services, which include Soft Landings and workforce development and training, have served more than 25 companies.

Some of SCC’s bigger users take advantage of its workforce recruiting and training, said Forrester. “We did Amazon. We did Wal-Mart for its return facility. We did Adidas. We’ve done BMW and their hiring partner, MAU.”

SCC’S SuCCESS SToriES

Go FiGUreSCC’s Center for Business and Entrepreneurial

Development has been responsible for:

Contact Dick Hughes at [email protected].

$5.65 m i l l i o n

contributed in state income taxes

3,903jOBs

$2.2MILLIOn

$200 millionin wage earnings

(net gains from November 2007 through

September 2012)

in sales taxes(from July

2009 through September 2012)


Marquin Campbell moved to Greenville from New York City seeking an outlet for her creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. Just over two years later, she heads up two successful busi-nesses: Vino & Van Gogh, which teaches painting classes to people of all ages and skill levels; and Marquin Designs, which sells jewelry and paint-ings at 40 stores throughout the Southeast.

The rapid success – and by the age of 28 – may surprise some, but not those who know Marquin, who was winning art contests at age 6 and selling rocks to neighbors at 7. It goes back to the “secret of life” her Sunday school teacher once told her: “Find a job you love, and then do it wholeheartedly.”

How did you come up with the idea for your business Vino & Van Gogh?My mom had heard about this concept. I loved that it was about doing something new and different and exploring. That’s what life is all about. So it started at my house with friends, and then it was friends of friends, and then it was strangers, and then I realized – I have got to get out of this house!

Now you are in a space on Augusta Road. How has the business changed and what do you have in the works?

We now have 11 teachers teaching about six to 10 classes a week. That includes adult classes, kids classes after school, birthday parties. I didn’t know how much we would cater to children, or I wouldn’t have named it Vino & Van Gogh – so we call that segment Mini Picasso.

We’re talking to potential licensees. That will be a big component on the horizon. My husband (lawyer George Campbell) is the quiet hand in the business and he has studied the CrossFit model. We will probably offer some type of course that gets licensees off the ground, and then they can can cater to their own clientele. That’s very exciting.

Marquin Campbell builds two businesses in two years

Paintingthe town

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The wine-and-paint business seems to be catching on – how do you differentiate yourself?

Fortunately, I was the first in the area to get in on the wine-and-paint thing. Because I’m an artist and I employ real artists whose work I love, we’re able to keep it a very hands-on process.

We’ve been doing jewelry and now we’re in-corporating clay. I found a fabulous teacher who is teaching throwing classes on the wheel and hand-building, which is vases and bowls and all kinds of neat things. We’re also teaching more in-depth classes for our clients who realized they do have artistic talent.

What is the focus of your other business, Marquin Designs?I’m a jewelry designer and painter. I started the jewelry line two and a half years ago and I have my jewelry in about 35 stores, including locally at Augusta Twenty. I just got into using bullets, which is so funky and strange. I also make these cufflinks using turkey spurs. It’s been fun getting into men’s stores – those are in Rush Wilson.

For my paintings, I cater more to interior design stores. I’m in about five of those, and locally my work’s on display at the Local Taco, so that’s fun. Vino & Van Gogh also serves as a gallery for my work. My abstracts have done really well, and I’ve sold more this year than last year.

“i loved that it was about doing something new and different and exploring. that’s what

life is all about.” Marquin Campbell

Contact Leigh Savage at [email protected].

When did you know you wanted to be an artist?I won an award with the Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital in Atlanta. They took one of my paint-ings and made their annual greeting card out of it. I was in first grade. It did so well they sold it three years in a row. That’s when I was like, “Oh my gosh, I want to be an artist!” They still have the painting in the hospital – I went and saw it recently.

Have you always been interested in business as well?I was always really entrepreneurial. I sold rocks to my neighbors when I was 7. I’ve always had my hand in making money on the side.

How did you end up in New York?When was 16, my parents let me study at Parsons The New School for Design in New York for the summer. I fell in love with New York and just embraced it fully. After gradu-ating from the University of Georgia, I went back to Parsons for an associate’s degree in fashion design and worked in fashion in New York after graduating.

What brought you to Greenville?I realized how hard that life was. George, my boyfriend at the time, moved to Greenville, and I thought we were just over because he moved to South Carolina. But I visited a lot and I fell in love with it, so I moved. Greenville has been the perfect place to do this. People are really open to art, and the community has really embraced it.

What do you do when you aren’t working?I spend time with my husband and our dogs, Jackson and Bay. I love hiking, I’m a yoga fanatic and I like to cook, so I am taking cooking classes. I also read a book a week. I’m just curious about the world around me.

ABOVE: Marquin Campbell; BELOW: Marquin Campbell leads a Vino & Van Gogh class.


Social media was born on the college campus, and local entrepreneur John-David McKee, 29, has designed a

network to bring it back there. UMatch is designed to not only connect college students, but to help them stay in school. McKee talks about his social network platform and the ben-efits for students and educators alike.

How did you form the idea for UMatch?I had written a book about how to get through Clemson and was inter-ested in the student experience. While working on my master’s in market-ing, I was really interested in higher education and statistical analysis. There is a lot of focus on retention, but administrators didn’t have the right kind of data, there wasn’t correct usage of the data and they didn’t understand why students were dropping out or how to engage their students. I came up with the business idea as part of one of my classes.

What’s different about UMatch?Students and educators speak different languages. UMatch allows students to create a profile in a closed online community that lists all of their in-terests, allowing organizations and clubs to make contact with students right after they are accepted. It helps to create a sense of belonging and connection before they get to school. It takes about five minutes to fill out, similar to a Facebook profile, but you don’t have to type, just check boxes. On the administrator side, they have easy access to data and get a view of the entire student, including personalization, study skills, social skills, goals and passions, rather than just simple demographics.

How does UMatch help in retention?Through the student profiles, administrators get real-time data on stu-

dents’ goals and needs. Then administrators can determine if the student needs intervention or build programs to help them succeed.

What are some other features?It also can link to existing social media for students, tailored news and event feeds that can link to their calendars and quick links to needed services like financial aid, tutoring and counseling. There’s even a feature that can help match roommates and mentors with mentees.

What was the process of creating the platforms?After formulating the idea, I was asked to take part in a competition and we did well against several Ivy League schools. I was part of the NEXT incubator in 2009 and we spent nearly three years developing the data-collection tools and scoring algorithms for the student responses. Now there are more than 200 reports that administrators can use. It has been beta-tested at Limestone College and The Citadel and we’re seeing a higher rate of student use than anticipated. We began marketing ac-tively in November 2012, including a visit to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) conference in December.

What surprised you while developing this product?We learned that every school is different and how you apply the data is essential. We learned that an important way to use the data is engaging students right away, however, some schools were behind on social net-works. They know they need to keep up, but it wasn’t necessarily in their skill set. What was interesting is that there was very little science behind what schools were doing to get students engaged. There’s a trend in hiring experts to do certain things in certain areas rather than trying to do it all in-house, and that’s a good thing.

the academic networkUMatch aims to connect students, help administrators and boost retention

John-David McKee

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Contact April A. Morris at [email protected].

By april a. Morris staff

UBJ The Fine Print


CaliFornians sTeP in KIYATEC, a Greenville Health System-based startup with technology that seeks to better predict patient outcomes from drugs, received a boost from a California foundation.

The Granger Foundation Fron-tiers of Engineering of the Univer-sity of South California awarded KIYATEC $30,000 to further development of the technology.

“This grant is the first step in a new, exciting collaboration,” said Matthew Gevaert, CEO of KIYATEC.

“We are hopeful that the data we’ll produce will lead to further funding for this type of platform integration, an aspect of our quest to create ever smarter, ever better cell culture systems.”

In the last four years, the company has received $575,000 in investments from SC Launch, a division of the South Carolina Research Authority. The technol-ogy is licensed by Clemson University, where it was developed.

Bill Mahoney, CEO of SCRA, said another example of national recognition for KIYATEC is a presentation the company is making at the annual meeting April 7 of the American Association for Cancer Research in Washington, D.C.

The company is to present data on its ability to predict the effec-tiveness of anti-cancer drugs before they are used in patients during clinical trials.

Foundation.The grant gives the alliance

money to subscribe to Economic Modeling Specialists to mine tailored and credible data in response to “an urgent need for updated labor market information.”

“By offering a high-quality product such as EMSI, the Upstate SC Alliance will be more credible in its marketing efforts,” said Hal Johnson, president and chief executive officer.

Steve West, Duke Energy economic development manager, said accurate labor information is critical because “a high-quality workforce is the No. 1 deciding factor cited by most projects looking to relocate or expand in the Upstate.”

com New York.The news service said wealthy

condo owners of the building on Nassau Street fear students from Pace University, which is next door, will be attracted by cheap food and drink and make it a hangout 24 hours a day.

DNAinfo said Denny’s had no comment on the fuss but had postponed its appearance before the local community board for advisory approval for a liquor license until May.

Denny’s has 1,658 restaurants, 90 percent of which are operated as franchises. Five years ago, 66 percent of its restaurants were held by franchisees. All 98 of the stores are in the United States.

Farm-To-markeT GuidanCeS.C. MarketReady wants food suppliers to take advantage of a workshop in the Upstate to succeed in the modern marketplace.

The workshop will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Cleveland Park Event Center, 141 Cleveland Park Drive, Spartanburg, on April 22. The cost is $30. Registration is required by April 15 at the Cleveland Park Event Site of the Spartanburg Parks Department.

S.C. MarketReady said the program addresses “the wide array of issues and challenges small farm and ranch operators must manage as they seek to develop supplier relationships with restau-rants, grocery stores, wholesalers and foodservice buyers.”

S.C. MarketReady is a partner-ship between Clemson Extension, the state Department of Agriculture and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

GOS buys everything we can in the Upstate,

because we want to strengthen our

communities and build Upstate business.

“Buy from your local office

supplier and see that GOS

provides more competitive

prices and more personalized service than our national

competitors.”- Charles Scales

CEO & President, GOS

www.gos1.com

mininG WorkForCe daTaThe Upstate SC Alliance will be able to purchase customizable labor market data for the region thanks to a grant of $82,500 over four years from the Duke Energy

China, nYC diners hiT snaGDenny’s, the Spartanburg diner chain, has canceled plans with a franchiser to build 50 restaurants in China, and it has run into trouble for its first New York City one as well.

The company said Greater China International Group, which planned to operate the Chinese restaurants, had other priorities to pursue. It was a mutually agreeable decision, the company said.

John Miller, president and CEO, said Denny’s still believes that “Denny’s has great potential in the Pacific Rim in general and China in particular, and are actively seeking development partners who share that vision.”

The company’s plan to open a ground-floor restaurant, including wine and beer, in a landmark 23-story luxury condo building in lower Manhattan has run into opposition, according to DNAinfo.

UBJ Square Feet


New Horizon Family Health Services held a groundbreaking ceremony for their new Greenville office on the corner of Faris and Grove roads on March 28. The 64,000 SF location will be their eighth Upstate location and will offer primary and preventive care to an estimated 10,000 patients. They will continue to accept private insurance, Medicare and Medicaid, and operate on a sliding pay scale for patients without insurance. They estimate completion in the next 18-24 months.

ABOVE, LEFT: GHS CEO and President Michael Riordan; ABOVE, MIDDLE: From left to right: Mike Riordan, Greenville City Council Mayor Pro Tem David Sudduth, New Horizon Family Health Services Board Chairwoman Peggy Baxter, New Horizon Family Health Services CEO Regina Mitchell, Wells Fargo Assistant Vice President of Corporate Communications Dana Crothers Obrist; New Horizon Family Health Services Facilities Manager Steven Lue Qui and Harper Corporation Division Manager Hugh Faulkner; ABOVE, RIGHT: New Horizon Family Health Services CEO Regina M. Mitchell.

New Horizon Building 8th Health Services Center

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Artist’s rendering of the facility.

UBJ Square Feet

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Spencer/HineS propertieS inc. announced:

craig Jacobs represented the lessee, ReGenisis Community Health Care in the five-year lease of 5,000 SF at 220 Irby Street, Woodruff, for a medical office. The lessor, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina, was represented by NAI Avanti LLC.

david Strickland represented the owner, Asheville Partners, in the three-year lease renewal of 1,500 SF at 1633 Asheville Highway, Spartanburg, by Direct General Insurance.

davis Strickland

represented Spencer Hines Property Management, as agent for JM Smith Corporation, for the two-year lease renewal of the District Office for U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy. The property is located at the Spartan Centre, 101 West St. John St., Spartanburg.

andy Hayes represented the owner, Westide Vision LLC, in the five-year lease of 4,857 SF at 8161 Warren H. Abernathy, Spartanburg, to Octavio and Silvia Ramirez Compadre’s Mex Mex Grill.

andy Hayes represented the owner of a 2,440 SF industrial building at 1084 Howard St.,

Spartanburg, in the lease to Black’s Grading Services LLC.

david Strickland represented the owner, First South Bank, in the multi-year lease renewal of 5,210 SF of office space at 1460 John B. White Sr. Blvd., Spartanburg, to Infrastructure Engineers, Inc.

david Strickland represented Spencer Hines Property Management, as agent for JM Smith Corporation, in the 10-year lease renewal to The Palmetto Bank of 7,236 SF at the Spartan Centre, 101 W. St. John, Spartanburg.

david Strickland represented the owner, Baker & Baker Real Estate Developers LLC, in the multi-year lease of

1,500 SF at the Pinewood Shopping Center located at 1000 N. Pine St., Spartanburg, to Quick Credit Corporation Inc.

andy Hayes represented the seller, Pine Street Commons LLC, on the sale of Lot #4 at 99 Garner Road, Spartanburg. Guy Harris represented the buyer, FMH Investments LLC.

david Strickland was dual agent for the sale of 1320 Howell Road, Greenville for $939,000. The buyer was Naval Yards LLC and seller was KSH Land Company.

andy Hayes represented the seller, Taylor Family Partnership, in the sale of 13 townhomes located at 701 Mike Drive, Spartanburg, to Woodcreek Villas

Associates.

craig Jacobs represented the seller, Sadlon Properties LLC, in the sale of a quadraplex at 113 Mt. Zion Avenue, Greenville, to Sell Land LLC.

nai earle Furman announced:

rob Schmidt and Jake Van Gieson represented the landlord of Plaza on Pelham at 3935 Pelham Road, Greenville, in leasing a 1,702 SF retail space in Suite F to

Meilinger Enterprises Inc.

John Staunton and Hunter Garrett represented the landlord of 2446 Dry Pocket Road, Greer, in leasing a 6,000 SF industrial space to J and J Automotive.

tyson Smoak and david Feild represented the landlord of 113 S. Main Street, Greer, in leasing a 1,550 SF office space in downtown Greer. drew Stamm represented the tenant, IShine LLC.

DEAL of the WEEK

Glenn Batson represented the landlord of 200 Pate Drive, Greenville, in leasing a 30,000 SF rail-served industrial space. andrew Babb represented the tenant, Phoenix Plastics LLC.

DEALMAKERS

UBJ Planner


friday,aPril 5

Grand OPeninG

CertusBank, 1111 Augusta St., Greenville; 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Ribbon-cutting with Mayor Knox White at 10am rSVP: Roland Wessel at [email protected]

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]

Saturday,aPril 6

SmartPhOne claSSeS

Verizon Wireless Stores, 119 E. Blackstock Road and 2399 E. Main St., Spartanburg; 8-9 a.m.

topic: iPhone: Getting Startedcost: Freeregister at: verizon wireless.com/workshops

SmartPhOne claSSeS

Verizon Wireless Store, 365 Harrison Bridge Road, Simpsonville; 9-10 a.m.

topic: Apple iPhone 5 Workshopcost: Freeregister at: verizon wireless.com/workshops

mOnday,aPril 8

GcS rOundtable: ecOnOmic deVelOPment in SOuth carOlina

The Office Center at the Point, 33 Market Point Drive, Greenville; 8:30-9:30 a.m.

Speaker: Myles Goldentopic: The Collective Genius Theorycall: Golden Career Strategies at 864-527-0425 to request an invitation.

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

SmartPhOne claSSeS

Verizon Wireless Stores, 469 Congaree Road and 4 Market Point Drive, Greenville; 6-7 p.m.

topic: Android: Getting Startedcost: Freeregister at: verizon wireless.com/workshops

SmartPhOne claSSeS

Verizon Wireless Store, 6031 Wade Hampton Blvd., Taylors; 6-7 p.m.

HEALTHYWORKPLACE2

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Presented by LiveWell Greenville

Thursday, April 25 • TD Center – GreenvilleEducational Sessions and Vendor Expo, 10am to 3pm • Luncheon, 12pm to 2pm

Register to attend, and for the luncheon, at livewellatwork.eventbrite.com Register as a vendor at healthyworkplaceexpovendor.eventbrite.com

For more information, contact Richard Osborne at [email protected]

Free Educational Sessions

Vendor Expo

Wellness Luncheon including “Strategies for a Healthier Workforce,”

presented by Lewis Schiffman

The 2013 LiveWell Workplace Awards, presented by Sportsclub

If you are interested or involved in Workplace Wellness in Greenville County, this event is designed for you!

Where customer experience and expectations are one in the same.

etsetsetsetsetsEastside

TransportationService

Serving Upstate SC, Charlotte, Atlanta, Columbia and Asheville since 1997. Located next to GSP International Airport, our services include…

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• Valet Parking & Greeters

• and more…

2311 Airport Rd., Greer • 864.609.LIMO


Topic: Android: Getting StartedCost: FreeRegister at: verizon wireless.com/workshops

wednesday,apRil 10

pelham poweR BReakfasT

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

Cost: Free for Greer Chamber members.Register at: greerchamber.com.

mauldin ChamBeR leads GRoup

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

Contact: Don Johnson at [email protected]

diveRsiTy ConneCTions

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

Guest speaker: Dr. Scott Baker, Upper Cervical Health Centers of AmericaTopic: Solutions to Overcome StressOpen to all Spartanburg Chamber members and guests.Contact: Doug Gregory at 864-594-5000 or dgregory@spartanburg chamber.com

spaRTanBuRG younG pRofessionals: vision Café

Spartanburg Marriott, 299 N. Church St., Spartanburg; noon-1 p.m.

speaker: Deputy Nick HullingerTopic: Gang LifeRsvp at: sypspartanburg.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 a.m.-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 tableBuy tickets 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

Business afTeR houRs

Tucker Branch Subdivision, 1 Donemere Way, Fountain Inn; 5:30-7:30 p.m.

hostess: Kate Anderson, Spaulding Group Rsvp by: April 8 to [email protected] or [email protected] or call 864-363-3634.

UBJ On the Move

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Mike Pittselected to managing partner of the statewide business defense law firm Collins & Lacy P.C. Pitts has spent most of his career helping businesses with labor and employment matters and complex commercial cases, and he is experienced in litigation and arbitration, as well as management counseling. He also practices in commercial litigation, professional liability and municipal law. He currently serves as the Anderson County Attorney.

DAnA L. tHOrPeAppointed executive director of the Upcountry History Museum-Furman University. A national leader in historical museum management, thorpe has more than 28 years of experience working in museums and historical societies, including the Western reserve Historical society in Cleveland, Ohio; the John G. shedd Aquarium in Chicago; the Association of Children’s Museums; and kinds Children’s Museum in Appleton, Wis.

HAGAn WALkerHonored by Charter Business with the PULse Volunteer Award for January. Walker earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Georgia regents University. she has been a grants coordinator at Clemson University since August, and quickly got involved in the Greenville community, including being a focus group member for the city’s economic development office and being a member of the wedding committee at st. Mary’s Catholic Church.

nikA WHitenamed Business & Professional Women of Greenville’s Career Woman of the Year. this award recognizes a woman who has achieved outstand-ing success in her own career and has made significant contributions to civic and humanitarian or religious activities. As vice president of diversity and inclusion for the Greenville Chamber, White designs and oversees initiatives that develop and promote inclusion of diverse busi-nesses in the economic activities of Upstate south Carolina.

MARKETING/PUBLIC RELATIONS:Jackson Marketing Group (JMG), South Carolina’s largest business-to-business integrated marketing communications agency, recently announced the promotions of Jim Loucks to director of production services and Jim Hahn to production supervisor. Loucks was previously production supervisor. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from Clemson University. Hahn has served as production manager for three years.

TK PR recently announced that Taryn Scher was awarded Business & Professional Women of Greenville’s Young Careerist award, which publicly recognizes the achievements and efforts of young women in the

workplace. Scher will go on to compete at the state level at the 93rd Annual Conference on April 20. She started TK PR in 2007, and has spent the past five years building the public relations firm. She has orchestrated appearances for her clients on “Fox and Friends,” the “Today” show and “NBC Nightly News,” as well as features in O the Oprah Magazine, Good Housekeeping, Esquire and The Wall Street Journal. In addition, she is a regular on both WSPA-TV’s “Your Carolina” morning show and “Carolina Now” on Carolinas CW 62.

NONPROFIT:The Friends of the Greenville Zoo have added Matt Madden and Phillip Cox as co-treasurers to serve three-year terms. Cox is a senior vice president with Grand Bridge

HIREDELECTED HONORED HONORED

Ronald Cup Golf TournamentMonday, April 29, 2013

The Preserve at Verdae - Embassy Suites Golf ResortGift packs, breakfast and lunch provided.

A great day for a great cause...Sunday, April 28, 2013

19th Hole Party with live Jazz and great food,silent auction and much more!

For full tournament information please visitwww.rmhc-carolinas.org

or call 864.235.0506

200 East Broad Street • Greenville, SC 29601 • 864.242.3370 • www.elliottdavis.com

More than 150 businesses depend on us to audit their Employee Benefit Plans.

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Elliott Davis’ Employee Benefit Plan practice performs

numerous plan audits and ranks among the top

firms in the U.S. for this service. Registered with the

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our dedicated team conducts tests in areas unique to

employee benefit plans and has deep knowledge of

special auditing standards and rules that apply to them.

Ensure your plan takes proper care of your people.

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Real Estate Capital. He is chairman of the Income Property Committee with the Mortgage Bankers Association of the Carolinas and a licensed real estate broker in the state of South Carolina. Madden is a senior tax manager with Elliott Davis LLC. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Presbyterian College and his master’s from the University of Georgia. He was named one of Greenville’s Best and Brightest under age 35 in 2009.

real estate:Allen Tate Realtors recently announced its top agents for February 2013. In the Greenville office, Kathy rogoff was top listing agent and sonia Carr was top producer. In the Easley office, Hilda Collins was top listing agent and shirley Winchester was top producer. the Murphys (Celia and Gary),

Sara NewtoNNamed Business & Professional women of Greenville’s woman of accomplishment. Newton, program director for rewiGo Ministries, made a career switch into the nonprofit field after working for four years at a local architecture firm and becoming a registered architect. By coordinating with Habitat’s womenBuild, she had the opportunity to teach women how to build a house, which led her to teach volunteers about construction, no matter their gender or previous abilities.

HonoreD

SHaroN Y. JoHNSoN

Joined Bon Secours St. Francis as its new media

and community coordinator. Johnson is a community and public relations professional,

communications professor, and a former TV news anchor. She is

most well known for anchoring the news on WYFF-TV or reporting throughout the region over the past 15 years

in North and South Carolina. She is an award-nominated

journalist with several recognitions in her field and in the community.

HireD

were the top listing and producing team for the Easley office. In the Greer office, Kathy Sheehan was top listing agent and ali Merritt was top producer. the Herseys (paul and Marcia) were the top listing and producing team for the Spartanburg office.

UBJ New to the Street


2. The EAT Center recently opened at 25 Woods Lake Rd, Suite 401 in Greenville. They will house lessons for bass, drums, piano, guitar, voice, choirs, praise teams, ministers of music, sound and recording. The EAT Center will also house EAT University, which will include music clinics and courses taught by degreed instructors, professional instructors, national recording artists, pastors and music ministers with years of experience. The EAT Center has a performance space ready for band auditions, meetings, seminars, artist development, musician sheds, rehearsals, performances and live recordings. For more information, call 864-387-6228 or email [email protected]

3. On Friday, April 5, CertusBank launched its newest branch in Greenville at 1111 Augusta Street. Mayor Knox White officially opened the bank with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Featuring a unique architectural design at the high-profile corner of Church and Augusta streets, the bank aims to have its innovative technology “change your mind about banking.” For more information, visit certusbank.com.

1. Camp Buckhorn on Paris Mountain, located at Paris Mountain State Park, 2401 State Park Rd. in Greenville, recently held its open house. This new location will be available to the public for private functions including conferences, weddings and events. For more information, visit southcarolina parks.com/parismountain/buckhorn.aspx, call 864-244-5565 or email [email protected].

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Artist’s rendering of CertusBank’s new Augusta Street branch

UBJ Snapshot


In the 1940s, new stores were opening in the West End. The Syrian-born Charles E. (Charlie) Saad was a respected dealer in oriental carpets. The Asia Rug Company was first located at 227 Augusta St. and later relocated to South Main Street.

The building that was the former home of the Asia Rug Company on Augusta Street is still there today.

Historic photo available from the Greenville Historic Society

Photo Provided Photo by Greg Beckner

ABOVE: The Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce and MD360, along with the City of Greer, honored public safety professionals during its 2nd Annual Public Safety Appreciation Dinner last week at the Cannon Centre.

864-242-1050 WWW.GREENVILLECHAMBER.ORG24 CLEVELAND ST. GREENVILLE, SC 29601

April at the Greenville Chamber

4Rooms - Home Trends by RootsAccessible Mobility CenterAdvanced Power Technologies, LLCChristophillis & Gallivan, P.A.Commercial Metals CompanyCommunity First Real EstateCornerstone Studios, LLCDunean Service Company, LLCElliott Frazier Law Firm, LLCEnvirotek Management Services, Inc.Fitness Resource Retail, LLCFrank’s Gentlemen SalonFrazee Dream CenterGreenville Jewish FederationGreenville Symphony OrchestraGroup Transportation Services (GTS)Liberty FellowshipM ServicesMarkel Valuation, PCMusic 2 Change U - EAT CENTERNewport Board GroupOnin GroupPace Running MagazinePalmetto Outdoor Spaces, LLCPMA USARare Steakhouse on the PiazzaReedy RidesRemedy Intelligent StaffingRoots (An Urban Gardener’s Oasis)Sam’s Club of EasleySleep Inn at TD Convention CenterSnaptight Aluminum Inc - DBA SwedgelockSouth Carolina Dialogue FoundationTire Recycling Manufacturing Inc.Trash AlternativesTravinia Italian KitchenUnited Community Bank - UCBIUnited HospiceUpstate Minority Business & Professionals AssociationUSC Darla Moore School of Business- Greenville, SCVantagePoint MarketingVein Centers for Excellence/Skin Solutions & Laser CenterWoman2Woman

Tues, 4/9 Business Before Hours at the Commerce Club, 7:30-9amTues, 4/9 Non-Profit Alliance - Recap “Toxic Charities” with a Local Review, 11:15am-1pmThurs, 4/11 Small Business Matters - Connecting with Big Businesses, 8-9:30amFri, 4/12 HR Workshop: Handbooks and HR Policies at the Poinsett Club, 8-11:45amFri, 4/12 Legislative Issues Committee Update, 8-9amFri, 4/12 Ribbon Cutting at Frank’s Gentlemen Salon, 4-4:30pmSun, 4/14 PULSE Connects Volunteer Event at the Goodwill Mud Run, 8am-12pmTues, 4/16 Healthcare Providers Network, 7:30-9amTues, 4/16 Business After Hours at Nissan of Greer, 5:30-7:30pmWed, 4/17 Sales U - Setting the Sales Call Agenda, 11:30am-1:15pmThurs, 4/18 ACE Leadership Symposium at the Poinsett Club, 11:30am-1pmFri, 4/19 Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Update, 8-9amWed, 4/24 PULSE Hangar Party at the Greenville Jet Center, 5:30-8pmThurs, 4/25 Dream Catcher’s Workshop with James Jordan, 6-7:30pmTues, 4/30 Environmental Issues Committee Update, 8-9am

April EventsRegister at GreenvilleChamber.org. Events are held at the Chamber unless otherwise noted.

Vivian Wong was presented with the 11th Annual International Economic Development Award at the Chamber’s 21st Annual International Event on March 28, 2013. Wong is the first individual recipient of this Award, presented by Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. Past honorees include GE, BMW Manufacturing Co., CU-ICAR, Fluor, Michelin North America, and the South Carolina Department of Commerce. Greenville Technical Foundation President Bob Howard, Chairwoman & CEO of G.F. League Com-pany Barbara League, Dean of the USC School of Medicine Greenville Dr. Jerry Youkey, and Mayor Knox White spoke to the importance of Wong’s influ-ence and dedication to the Greenville community, as well as her incredible ability to connect people.

Vivian and Thomas Wong with Barbara League, who spoke on Vivian’s behalf at the Award presentation.

Congratulations to Vivian Wong, Recipient of the Chamber’s 11th Annual International Economic Development Award

Not a Greenville Chamber Member? Call 864-242-1050 to find out how we can help you learn, save and connect!

Thanks to these New Greenville Chamber Members for their investment in our Upstate Business Community!

The Chamber’s Premier Leadership Greenville Program is Accepting Applications for its 40th Class!The deadline to apply is May 1. Applicationsare available now at GreenvilleChamber.org.

april 5, 2013 ubj

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