dec. 21, 2012 ubj

BusinessUpstate

J O U R N A L

DECEMBER 21, 2012

pAgE 4 pAgE 10 pAgE 11

A BRAND ChANgE fOR ghS

REALtORS ‘CAUtiOUSLy OptiMiStiC’ fOR 2013

tOMMy’S SERvES pANCAkES with pOLitiCS

The Business of

BREW More Upstate entrepreneurs are bellying up

to the bar2

2 upstate Business | DECEMBER 21, 2012

uBJ

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Ice rink heats up downtown business

By Leigh Savage contributor

8 11 15

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Guest ColumnBe a better businessperson

in 2013

By Tim Brett contributor

19

Jump StartA sparkling success

By Leigh Savage contributor

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Greg Beckner/Staff

Statehouse ReportHaley is pressing all of the

media’s buttons

By Andy Brack contributor

Create. Innovate. Celebrate.

Steve Johnson’s InnoVision innovations

By Michael Mino contributor

The Recipients of 2012 Hollingsworth Funds competitive grants open their envelopes at the grants announcement breakfast held at the Embassy Suites. Furman University, the Greenville YMCA and 62 other nonprofits received $4,710,480 at the event. Created by Upstate industrialist John D. Hollingsworth in 1976 and endowed with $290 million at his death in 2000, Hollingsworth Funds distributes 45 percent of its annual income to Furman University, 10 percent to the Greenville YMCA and 45 percent to Greenville County charities each year. This year, the 62 charities received a total of $2,072,203.

Digital Maven’Tis the season to develop a

personal mobile policy

By Laura Haight contributor

Saying ‘yes’ to sweet adventure

By Jeanne Putnam contributor

Upstate Realtors had thankful November

By Dick Hughes senior business writer

DECEMBER 21, 2012 | upstate Business 3

uBJ worth repeating

$8.7 billionEstimated nationwide economic impact of craft brewing.

48% Cell phone users in the U.S. who have smartphones

1,000Approximate number of providers, including doctors and nurse practitioners, associated with the Greenville Hospital System –

which will soon be known as the Greenville Health System

ClaRIfICatIoN:

An article in the Dec. 14 Upstate Business Journal, “’Travel Barometer’ shows fair tourism weather for Greenville,” erroneously attributed a statement through inference to Jennifer Stilwell, chief marketing director of the Greenville Convention and Visitors Bureau.

She did not say, nor suggest, the CVB “is in fierce competition with special events for the county’s share” of the accommodation tax.

“In fact, the CVB is actively marketing county festivals and events to Greenville visitors and prospects alike,” clarifies Stilwell.

The Upstate Business Journal apologizes for the error.

Professional Speak OutBy Anna T. Locke

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“I think the economic impact is going to continue to grow. I’ve been looking forward

to this time in our lives.”tom Davis of Thomas Creek Brewery, on the growth of breweries in the state.

“I hung up and thought, ‘What just happened?’”Ruta fox, on getting the call notifying her that Oprah Winfrey wanted to feature her

ring design in her magazine. Within a year, Fox’s jewelry sales topped $1 million.

“We’re getting a lot of that behind us, but a lot of people have been hurt over the last

three or four years.”Realtor Seabrook Marchant, on the gradual recovery of the real estate market.

“I try to be a sponge and soak everything up, and I believe a true student never graduates.”

Mike pennington, co-owner of Funnelicious, on his plans to get his MBA.


UBJ focus: profile

Tommy’s Country Ham House is to Greenville politics what the Beacon is to Spartanburg, without the greasy chili-cheeseburgers.

Tommy Stevenson, the restaurant’s owner, is something of a Renaissance man with a bent for healthy eating. He makes his own sausage and cuts his own meats for the kitchen. At Tommy’s, you’ll find cyanine pepper at every table

because of the pepper’s multiple health benefits.

Above all, the food is tasty. Tommy’s has one of the best omelets in the Upstate.

Politics, particularly Republican politics, is what most think of when they think of the Ham House. It is a strange thing for the politically independent Stevenson.

“I vote for the man, not the party,” he said.

But Stevenson is in the business

of selling food, and has one of the few restaurants in Greenville that can seat 350 for breakfast. The demand was there, so he opened his doors for breakfast meetings of various GOP groups – and a legend was born.

“I had every GOP candidate except Ron Paul here during the primary season,” Stevenson said. “There were times when the candidate buses had to park across the street because our lot was full.”

Politics isn’t a moneymaker for Stevenson, he said. It has established the Ham House’s reputation among ultra-conservative Greenvillians, which is a considerable client base.

On any given weekday morning, you can find judges and lawmakers of all stripes from federal to local leaning over coffee and heaping plates of eggs, grits and biscuits as they talk about the events of the day.

In Greenville, Tommy Stevenson’s Country Ham House is the go-to spot for pancakes and politicsBy Charles Sowell | staff

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UBJ

AGE: 70

OCCUPATION: Owner of Tommy’s Country Ham House in Greenville since 1985

EdUCATION: Graduated from Mt. Zion Institute in Winnsboro, S.C., in 1959. Physical education degree from Furman University (1965)

PrEvIOUsLY: Grocery store butcher, high school teacher, construction, restaurant supply sales

fAmILY: Four children, 11 grandkids

the basics

Stevenson is a jovial host, wandering from table to table to chat and joke with patrons. The waitresses know the regulars by name, and Stevenson is known for his penchant for helping people put their lives back together by giving them work.

His restaurant is at 214 Rutherford St., sandwiched between the Triune Mercy Center and a day-jobs work service, and across the street from the Salvation Army Thrift Store.

“Most of my people stay with me for a long time,” Stevenson said.

He’s been good to them, and Greenville’s been good to him.

When Stevenson first moved to town to attend Furman University, he found work as a butcher at small groceries. The talents he developed there have stood him in good stead as he arrives at the restaurant at 3 a.m. to prepare the day’s meats for lunch and breakfast.

Stevenson was selling restaurant equipment when he decided to start his first Ham House on Cedar Lane Road near the old Cash and Carry supermarket in November of 1985.

From the start the eatery was packed, and he was able to build the new restaurant on Rutherford in the late 1990s.

Contact Charles Sowell at [email protected].

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UBJ

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professional: who’s who

Mike Pennington describes himself as an opportunist, and his favorite movie is “Yes Man.” He is a firm believer that if you say “no,” you will always know the outcome, but if you say “yes,” it is a risk or an adventure.

What are some of the jobs you have done leading up to Funnelicious? I worked as an equipment manager for the USC football team; at Unitrends, which was a data backup office job; helped start up Pop’s Pizza in Columbia; and worked as a sailing instructor. After working at Unitrends, I knew that the cubicle life was not for me.

How did you get the job as equipment manager at USC and what did it entail?I was able to get on as

equipment manager because I worked with a student equipment manager named Jim Bishop at the Greenville Braves stadium, and Bishop made the connection for me at USC. While I was at USC, I worked under Lou Holtz for one year and Steve Spurrier for three years. I handled equipment, laun-dry and packing for away games. What are you most passionate about?Sailing is my No. 1 passion. I taught intro to sailing to kids ranging in ages from 6-16 after I graduated from USC. What led to the creation of Funnelicious?When I graduated, I was unsure of what I wanted to do so I went to work for my dad right out of college. At the time, my dad did concessions at Clemson and had one con-cession stand at a Greenville water park. The concession business, called RHINO

Concessions, has expanded over the years to include concessions at the water park in Duncan, a water park in Orangeburg and in 2009, concession stands at two new water parks in Greenville. I had also been involved with Oktoberfest and Fall for Greenville in 2008, but the concept for Funnelicious came from an Artisphere kiosk RHINO Concessions ran in the children’s section called “Art You Can Eat.” Tell us a little bit about Funnelicous.Funnelicious is the smallest restaurant in Greenville and we serve more than just funnel cakes. We feel we are a restaurant because people pay before and we bring the food to the table. The theme of the res-taurant comes from tying into a fast-food lover’s paradise along with sandwiches and hot dogs to cater to the baseball stadium crowd. We are also set to appear on the Travel Channel’s “Food Paradise” in Feb. 2013 and may possibly be on the “History of Fried Foods” on the History Channel.

By Jeanne Putnam | contributor

At Funnelicious, Mike Pennington serves more than just funnel cakes

Q&A

– and risksaying ‘yes’ to sweet adventure

>>


UBJ

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What do you like to do outside of Funnelicious?I am active with PULSE and the Chamber of Commerce, as well as being involved in personal fitness. I have participated in a half-Ironman triathlon and various other races. Additionally, I love to travel and have backpacked through South America and Asia, where I stayed in hostels and survived on a shoestring budget. I have also been to the Neth-

erlands and plan to go to Australia and New Zealand in the near future.

What do you want for yourself in the future?I want to get my MBA to further my education. I try to be a sponge and soak everything up, and I believe a true student never graduates.

Contact Jeanne Putnam at [email protected]

the facts • HoMeToWn: Greenville

• Age: 26 • TITLe: Co-owner of Funnelicious

• eDUCATIon: University of South Carolina graduate in marketing and entrepreneurship

• FYI: Former USC football equipment manager

• RAnDoM FACT: Mike Pennington has celiac disease and cannot eat the products Funnelicious sells.

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professional: who’s who


uBJ entrepreneur

Jump StartENtREpRENEURShip iS EvERywhERE

By Leigh Savage | contributor

Ruta Fox had successful careers as an advertising copywriter, fashion advertising executive, free-lance writer and the creator of a successful magazine. But after the dot-com bust of 2001, she found herself sitting on her couch in her studio apartment in New York City, contemplating her next move.

That’s when a friend came to Fox about a pinkie ring she had seen Oprah Winfrey wear on television. “She said, ‘You know about jewelry and you love diamonds,’” Fox said. “And it was true – when I was a se-nior copywriter at Bloomingdale’s, I spent a lot of my paycheck in the

jewelry department.”So Fox headed to a jew-

elry wholesaler on 47th Street and found a modern, elegant ring for her friend, with 11 full-cut dia-monds totaling .21 points and set in 14-karat white gold. It wasn’t as huge as Oprah’s, but at about $300, the price was right. Soon all of her friends wanted one.

“I thought, ‘There’s something going on here,’” Fox said. “‘While I’m unemployed, why don’t I pur-chase these and sell them?’ In two weeks, I sold them all.”

She soon realized that her penchant for marketing and her

ruta fox – founder and CEO of divinediamonds.com

experience in copywriting and branding could take her new ven-ture over the top, and she started contemplating names for the ring. A brainstorming session helped her home in on her target audi-ence: fun, cute, single, available and happy.

“It hit me – Available and Happy. The Ah Ring,” she said. “It’s the diamond ring you buy when you’re single. I knew this was a huge idea. I had created the first and only dia-mond ring m a rk e t e d to single women.”

A d -d i t i o n a l

research showed there were 55 mil-lion single women in the United States, and most were not waiting to become engaged but were work-ing, dating and enjoying their time as available and happy.

“Why wait for a man to buy you a ring?” said Fox, who is happily

single after a divorce. “The tim-ing was a perfect confluence with the message, which is to buy this beautiful piece of jewelry for yourself.”

While Fox was excited by her idea and knew it had

potential, she had no experience in the

jewelry business and was still contemplat i ng her next career,

thinking of her jewelry sales as a project to fill the gap. >>

SparklingSuccess

A

Ruta Fox’s big idea a hit with single women

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uBJBut then fate intervened in

a big way – and again it involved Oprah. A friend knew someone at O, the Oprah Magazine, so Fox gave the staffer a call. A visit to the magazine’s offices led to several on-the-spot sales, and Fox’s press kit was sent to Winfrey.

The next day, an editor called and said Winfrey wanted to include the ring on “The O List,” her popular page of favorite picks and a coup for any business thanks to its track re-cord of dramatically boosting sales.

“Here I am in my tiny studio apartment, and I’ve sold about 20 rings,” Fox said. “I’m not even a business. She tells me she needs an 800 number and a Web address. I hung up and thought, ‘What just happened?’”

Fox had six weeks to create the business behind the product, from infrastructure to a merchant bank account. The diligent work paid off, with a full-page editorial spread in the magazine with a large photo of the ring and Oprah’s personal endorsement.

Within a year, Fox’s jewelry sales topped $1 million. When her jewelry wholesaler couldn’t keep up with the orders, she found a wholesale gem importer and a New York-based manufacturer. Her website, divinediamonds.com, was flooded with requests, and sales were brisk until the recession hit in 2008.

While sales have slowed, she sells jewelry on her site, including The Ah Ring, and stays busy with

freelance work, including writing and brand consulting. She has also gotten involved in her adopted community of Greenville, volun-teering to help with the Rose Ball and participating in Dining for Women, which raises funds for international charities.

After growing up in Los Angeles and spending 15 years in New York, the slower pace has been a big adjustment, but one she wanted to make. “New York is quite expensive and hectic, and Greenville was so charming,” said Fox, who had visited a friend here. “It’s quiet and slow, but it’s growing, and there’s a lot of entrepreneurial opportunity here. The business climate is quite good.”

And that’s a perfect fit for someone on the lookout for her next big idea. She hopes to expand on the concept of available and happy, perhaps with Ah Travel or another idea.

“The concept was so big, and it resonated so deeply with women,” she said. “It means something, and that’s the reason it caught on. It’s a shift in culture. Women are happy, joyful and confident about being single, however long that is, and now they have a ring to show it.”

Contact Leigh Savage at [email protected].

>>

Some of the publication Divine Diamonds has appeared in.

entrepreneur

“It hit me – Available and Happy. The Ah Ring.

It’s the diamond ring you buy when you’re single”

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uBJ

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At the sunset of its centennial year, the Greenville Hospital System University Medical Center announced that it will now be known as the Greenville Health System.

The name change, effective March 18, 2013, reflects an increasing focus on overall wellness that has been going on for the past five years, said GHS CEO and president Mike Riordan.

“GHS is more than just a hospital – we are a health resource for our community and a leader in transforming the delivery of health care for the benefit of the people and communities we serve,” he said.

There are nearly 1,000 providers, includ-ing doctors and nurse practitioners, who are associated with the system, and they will all be clearly identified with Greenville Health System, he said. Some had their own logos and names, he said; the logos will be replaced, but

the names will remain. Keeping “Greenville” in the name also pre-

serves a positive geographical association that Upstate residents and even those nationwide have with the area, added Riordan. He said “system” was preserved as a historic nod to the organization’s status as the first hospital system in the state.

The healthcare system has grown from a single hospital to include multiple locations and providers, research facilities and the new medical school that opened in July, said Riordan. Healthy living initiatives also include the GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail, Greenville B-Cycle bike sharing and sponsorship of LiveWell Greenville.

“We want to show that we can cover a big population,” said Riordan. The goal is to let the public know that all the providers are also all connected, many through electronic medical records. “We’re spread out, we’re larger, we’re connected and we’re connected for the com-munity,” he said.

GHS dates back to 1912 when it was founded as City Hospital with 84 beds and a training school for nurses. The Greenville Health System now includes five medical campuses, the medical school and 167 affiliated practices. It also includes an association with Baptist Easley Medical Cen-ter and a potential association with the Laurens County Health Care System. The system is the largest employer in Greenville County.

Contact April A. Morris at [email protected].

GHs launches new brand identity

By April A. Morris | staff

THE GHs BrANd rEvOLUTION

“GHS is more than just a hospital – we are a health resource for our community and a leader in transforming the delivery of health care for the benefit of the people and communities we serve.”

– Mike Riordan, GHS CEO and president

Shift to Greenville Health System happening in March


uBJ

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‘Cautiously optimistic’ about 2013

In the Upstate, November hous-ing sales picked up, attracted better prices and sold faster in a year-to-year comparison.

With one month to go to the end of the year, 2012 is shaping up to be pretty much what realtors expected when it began: a decent but not great year in a gradual recovery.

“There was a lot to be thankful for throughout the month,” said South Carolina Realtors in releas-ing its November market report.

Buyers are benefiting from “his-torically low mortgage rates and affordable prices” and sellers are seeing “increased sales, less com-petition and faster market times,” SCR said.

“While challenges persist,” SCR said, “there is more reason for optimism going into 2013.”

Seabrook Marchant, who has been in real estate going on 44 years, said he had never seen any-thing like the long down cycle that started with the credit collapse in 2007.

“We’re getting a lot of that behind us, but a lot of people have been hurt over the last three or four years,” he said.

“It has been much better this year than last year and, of course, the year before, and we are cau-tiously optimistic about what we will see next year.”

In Greater Greenville, which includes Laurens and a portion of Pickens counties, closed sales of 613 houses or condos were up 21.1 percent from a year ago. For the year to date, sales were up 13.4 percent.

The median price was $149,900 in November, 8.6 percent better than $138,000 last November. Time between listing and sale was 102 days in November, the shortest span of any market in the state but Charleston’s 97.

In Spartanburg, sales jumped 42.6 percent to 252 houses from a year ago. It was the largest percent-age year-to-year increase of any market in the state with the excep-tion of Hilton Head’s 44.8 percent increase.

The median sale price in Novem-ber was $122,000 in Spartanburg, 1.2 percent better than a year ago. Days on the market fell to 149 from 172. Year to date, the average time needed to sell is 156.

Statewide, closed sales were up 19.9 percent and the median sales price ($149,000) was up 1.5 percent. Pending sales were up 13 percent. Inventory was down 13.3 percent. Although the gap is narrowing, it remains a seller’s market.

For perspective, fewer than 35,000 homes were on the market in South Carolina in the boom in late 2006 and early 2007. In mid 2010, nearly 85,000 were for sale. By November, the inventory had declined to 45,858.

Contact Dick Hughes at [email protected].

Upstate Realtors had thankful November

By Dick Hughes | senior business writer

SOLD

SOLD

uBJ cover story

Beer: Its frothy goodness has been a favorite of Trappist monks and football fans alike. Craft beer, created on a smaller scale than, say, Budweiser or Miller products, is enjoying a surge in popularity not only nationwide, but in the Upstate.

Whether in a traditional longneck bottle or the formidable 64-ounce growler, there are more places to pick up an IPA, porter or pilsner than ever before – and more places that make these brews popping up in the Upstate.

According to the Brewers Association, craft brewing has an estimated economic impact nationwide of $8.7 billion and generated more than 100,000 jobs in the U.S. last year.

Since South Carolina passed legislation in 2010 allowing breweries and purveyors of beer to hold tastings and to sell product directly from their locations, more people have been exposed to the world of craft beer through tastings and tours.

‘People want something different’Tom Davis owns one of the most established breweries in the area, Thomas Creek, but he’s

not resting on his laurels. With nearly 15 staff members, the brewery is making

up to 15,000 barrels a year (one barrel is equal to 31 gallons), but

is looking toward adding two more buildings to boost pro-duction up to 45,000 barrels a year, says Davis. Thomas Creek produces more than 50 styles of brew, including River Falls Red Ale, Deep Water Dopplebock Lager and Pump House Porter, along with some private-label runs. Davis’s brews are distributed statewide and in North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia.

Davis says craft beer is catch-ing on for the same reason he

began brewing his own beer more than 20 years ago: “The main

thing is that people want something different regardless of price.”

His business has experienced upwards of 25 to 50 percent growth each year and much of that in the last four years, when many businesses were suffering, Davis said. Thomas Creek just in-stalled two silos to store approximately 120,000 pounds of grain.

“I think the economic impact is going to continue to grow,” he says. “I’ve been looking forward to this time in our lives.”

‘Go big or go home’Andrew Watts, a brewery biz newcomer

and devotee of craft beer, is outfitting a space for Quest Brewing Company and hopes to be brewing in the spring, just in time for American Craft Beer Week.

An IT professional who moved to the area from Raleigh, N.C., four years ago, Watts says he wanted to brew in honor of his brother, who passed away several years ago. “We were both big craft beer fans.”

Watts is retrofitting a 5,300-square-foot space and just welcomed a shipment of 25-barrel tanks. “We’re going into this with the attitude of go big or go home,” he says, noting that some fledgling breweries outgrow their capacity almost as soon as they open. Watts is planning to have a

For Upstate entrepreneurs, business is hopping

▲

Brewing up profits

By April A. Morris | staff

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Fermentation tanks at RJ Rockers Brewing Company.

Malted barley used in brewing beer.

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tasting room, growler sales and room for special events.

Watts has joined forces with Don Richardson, a brewer at Boulder Brewing Company and former brewmaster of Cot-tonwood Brewery. He wants to specialize in Belgian ales. He also has plans to create an IPA and possibly a coffee porter with local product, and add locally sourced fruits and vegetables to the mix.

Watts is excited to see the craft beer culture exploding in the area. “Greenville is primed and ready,” he says. “It’s like North Carolina was about 10 years ago.”

“Every time I see a taproom open, I know we’re moving that way,” agrees Davis.

Beer gets localJulia Herz, craft brew program director

of the Brewers Association, says that there is definitely a shift in the beer culture of the U.S. to the “localization of beer.” In addition to consumers wanting something different, beer lovers also pay attention to who owns the brewery, especially when they meet the owner on a tour.

The craft beer industry is one of the most diverse marketplaces in the world

and continues to grow despite the eco-nomic challenges and a highly regulated industry, she says. Herz calls craft beer an “affordable luxury” and says the cost dif-ference between upgrading beers is neg-ligible compared to upgrading between wine varieties. From what she has learned about the state’s brewing scene, she says, “South Carolina is ready to thrive.”

West Coast meets East CoastMeanwhile, Will McCameron is ready

to plunge into the burgeoning industry with the construction of Brewery 85 in Greenville. McCameron has part-nered with Jeremy Caldwell and Mer-edith McCameron to launch the roughly 15,000-square-foot brewery.

McCameron, an avid homebrewer, left his engineering job to pursue an educa-tion in professional brewing, working at Thomas Creek Brewery and the Green-ville Beer Exchange and taking a course in Chicago and Munich, Germany.

Inspired by visits to breweries in the San Diego area, McCameron says he wants to create a West Coast-style open brewery. He also wants to include a tast-ing room and event space in the facility that he hopes to have cranking out an Oktoberfest variety by fall 2013.

After a visit to Colorado’s New Belgium Brewing and witnessing its community involvement, McCameron says he also wants to choose local charities to support when Brewery 85 opens.

McCameron is eager to begin produc-ing his passion on a grand scale. “I love the structure, hard work and schedule,” he says.

According to the Brewers Association,

South Carolina is No. 38 for breweries per capita with 16 breweries: one per 289,085 residents

(2011). Vermont is No. 1 per capita with

24 breweries, but California has the highest number of breweries at 268.

favorite brews

toM DavIS of thoMaS CReek BRewING: Pump House Porter, Duvel and Sam Smith Winter Welcome

aNDRew wattS of QUeSt BRewING Co.: Allagash Curieux, Brewery Ommegang’s Ommegeddon Funkhouse Ale, Big Boss Brewing Co.’s Aces & Eights Coffee Stout, Cigar City Brewing Co.’s Jai Alai IPA, Coast Brewing Co.’s 32/50 Kolsch

wIll MCCaMeRoN of BReweRy 85: Lagunitas IPA, Avery Ellie’s Brown, Odell’s Mycenary, Goose Island Sofia, New Glarus Apple Ale, Societe Brewing Harlot, Firestone Walker IPA, Schneider Aventinus, Ayinger Oktoberfest and Weihenstephaner Vitus

MaRk JohNSeN (Below) of RJ RoCkeRS: local favorite, RJ Rockers’ Rockhopper IPA

BEER continued on pagE 14

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Mark Johnsen, founder and co-owner of RJ Rockers Brewing Company, makes adjustments to the company’s bottling machine while bottling the Spartanburg-produced beer.

Photos by Greg Beckner



UBJ

The Upstate has fantastic natural resources for brewing, including fresh Appalachian water and even a wild yeast variety discovered recently, he said, adding he wants to use as many local ingredients as possible and plans to ship his beer no further than about three hours away.

Meredith McCameron says she has wit-nessed the craft beer trend catching on, and in the process, discovered that “people who enjoy craft beer like to try new beers, too.” Brewery 85 is still in the works, but the McCamerons already have their initial offerings lined up, varieties that Will McCameron has piloted in his garage brewery. Will McCameron’s favorites, American brown ales, are reflected in the lineup that includes Southern Pale Ale, Yeoman’s Brown Ale, (864) Weizen and Great Danish Ale.

He says that the Upstate is poised to be a brewing destination and has huge potential for beer tours like Asheville offers.

Gaining clout and shelf spaceRJ Rockers Brewing Company’s founder

Mark Johnsen says though he’s been in the brewing business in Spartanburg for 15 years, he has seen the biggest growth happen in the last five years. “It’s a very rosy industry now.”

RJ Rockers began weekly tours and tastings about a year ago with about 20 people showing up, Johnsen said. Now the event draws nearly 200 people each week.

His beer is distributed through the same companies that move big beer producers’ products, which Johnsen says gives his product “clout and more shelf space.” RJ Rockers’ brews like Patriot Pale Ale and Son of a Peach are found statewide and in North Carolina, parts

of Georgia and Virginia, and soon in Florida.Johnsen says he’s awaiting the shipment of six

additional tanks in January, bringing his brew-ing capacity to 16,000 barrels per year, a far cry from the 1,200 he was producing in 2008.

He labels the craft beer industry “recession-proof.” Because many people were skipping the restaurants and staying home in recent years, he saw an increase in take-home pur-chases. Recently, however, he says he’s seeing his products’ restaurant sales return.

A ‘bright spot in our economy’The craft beer movement is not limited

to just those who create it on a grand scale, however: Consumers stop into storefronts The Community Tap, The Growler Station or The Greenville Beer Exchange for a quick educa-tion on what brew might appeal to them and a new variety to try.

And if beer lovers simply want to belly up to the bar, there are plenty of options on the craft beer front, including Blue Ridge Brewing, Barley’s Taproom, Liberty Taproom, Hans & Franz Biergarten, Carolina Ale House – and the list goes on.

For hopheads who want to try their hand at making their own small batches, locations like Grape and Grains and the homebrew store at Thomas Creek offer supplies for cooking up homegrown ale or pilsner.

Julia Herz sums up the state of the industry: “Craft beer is a bright spot in our economy and a bright spot in our food culture right now.”

So whether it’s a six-pack to go, a tasting tour or glassful at the brewpub, craft beer – and its economic impact – is making its mark on the Upstate, one pint at a time.

Contact April Morris at [email protected].

BEER continued from pagE 13

cover story

MICRoBReweRy: A brewery that produces less than 15,000 barrels of beer per year with 75 percent or more of its beer sold off-site. Microbreweries sell to the public by one or more of the following methods: the traditional three-tier system (brewer to wholesaler to retailer to consumer); the two-tier system (brewer acting as wholesaler to retailer to consumer); and directly to the consumer through carry-outs and/or on-site tap-room or restaurant sales.

BRewpUB: A restaurant-brewery that sells 25 percent or more of its beer on-site. The beer is brewed primarily for sale in the restaurant and bar. The beer is often dispensed directly from the brewery’s storage tanks. Where allowed by law, brewpubs often sell beer “to go” or distribute to off-site accounts.

CoNtRaCt BRewING CoMpaNy: A business that hires another brewery to produce its beer. It can also be a brewery that hires another brewery to produce additional beer. The contract brewing company handles marketing, sales, and distribution of its beer, while generally leaving the brewing and packaging to its producer-brewery.

ReGIoNal BReweRy: A brewery with an annual beer production of between 15,000 and 6 million barrels.

ReGIoNal CRaft BReweRy: An independent regional brewery that has either an all-malt flagship or has at least 50 percent of its volume in either all-malt beers or in beers which use adjuncts to enhance rather than lighten flavor.

laRGe BReweRy: A brewery with an annual beer production over 6 million barrels.

* 1 barrel = 31 US gallons

Source: Brewers Association


UBJ

He wasn’t even thinking of creating another company. Steve Johnson had led two successful technology startup companies and was in a comfortable position as director of technology manage-ment and intellectual property for Concurrent Technologies Corpo-ration. However, he had a change of heart after a Saturday morning field trip with Dr. David Cull while visiting dialysis centers and talking with patients in the Upstate area.

“That morning, the pendulum swung,” Steve explained.

By the day’s end, Johnson had phoned Cull pledging his com-mitment to the CreatiVasc team as president and CEO.

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is the failure of the kidneys to function properly. The dialysis field has seen few advances in the last 40 years, and CreatiVasc is delivering a stream of innovative, easy-to-use vascular technologies that dramatically improve the quality of life of a dialysis patient. Cull saw Johnson’s expertise in strategic planning, financial management and technology commercialization as critical in bringing his inven-tions to market.

Earlier this year, the FDA an-nounced plans to collaborate with firms possessing promising, innovative new technologies in an effort to deliver medical devices to market in a safe and timely man-ner. CreatiVasc is one of three U.S. firms selected to participate in their Innovation Pathway program. ESRD was chosen since more than a half a million Americans suffer from the disease. Dialysis patients spend 9-12 hours weekly in special-ized outpatient clinics, impacting

their lifestyles and reducing their productivity. The overall cost to treat ESRD in the U.S. exceeds $47 billion, with Medicare covering 75 percent of the related health costs.

“Out of 32 applicants who responded to the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health challenge, CreatiVasc’s Hemoac-cess Valve System was one of three products selected to participate in the Innovation Pathway program, in the effort to reduce the universal and repetitive complications of ESRD,” Johnson explained. “The Innovation Pathway program is shrinking the time from devel-opment to market, while never compromising patient safety. We are diligent in working in a col-laborative, totally transparent rela-tionship with the FDA, and we are committed to making the Pathway project work.”

“The FDA wanted to work in a collaborative manner with top medical breakthrough companies and help speed their products to market, especially with diabetes

and diabetes care,” said Wayne Roper, president of SCBIO. “Cre-atiVasc was a natural fit.”

Johnson is applauded by his peers as being an outstanding communicator, a thoughtful, intel-ligent and deliberate thinker and a vigilant custodian of CreatiVasc’s investment capital. Michael Bolick, president of Lab 21, sees Johnson as the ideal entrepreneur.

“Steve is a calculated risk-taker who is totally trustworthy, has an ethical underpinning, and possesses the unique ability to see a pain in the system, a vision to repair the pain, craft a business plan, and implement a solution,” Bolick said. “He is not afraid to take a risk and challenge himself in order to achieve the benefits that come from the challenge.”

Tim Reed, SC Launch board member, told his fellow board members after the CreatiVasc pre-sentation that he intended to per-sonally invest in CreatiVasc. “As long as Dr. Cull and Steve Johnson are involved, I want to be a part

of this team,” he said. Reed later raised almost $4 million from lo-cal investors, possibly the largest South Carolina angel round.

Johnson is the recipient of a num-ber of prestigious awards, including the U.S. Department of Commerce Private Sector Initiative Award, pre-sented by President Ronald Reagan in 1987; InnoVision’s Technology Development Award in 1999; and the Marine Corps Commandant Award for Innovation in 2006. The CreatiVasc team has also received numerous awards, including the 2006 History Channel INVENT NOW Innovation Award, and two InnoVision Awards in previous years, for Innovation and Small Business Enterprise.

Johnson, the 2012 recipient of the coveted InnoVision Individual Achievement Award named in honor of Dr. Charles Townes, was the unanimous choice by InnoVi-sion’s independent judging panel. Steve’s tenure in the life sciences field coupled with his determina-tion, commitment, successes, character, and compassion are not only noteworthy, but the definition of an inspirational and impactful leader within the community.

Steve is an advocate of public education and has been involved in local and state PTA offices, and is an active member of Westminster Presbyterian Church.

steve Johnson’s Innovision innovationscreate. innovate. celebrate.

By Michael Mino

Michael Mino is a longtime member of the InnoVision advisory board. He is also the CEO of PropertyBoss and teaches innovation management and entrepreneurship in the Clemson MBA program. To learn more about the InnoVision program and submitting an innovative project, visit InnoVision-Awards.org.

THE AwArd rECIPIENT BAsICs

iNNOviSiON AwARD: Individual Achievement Award

sponsored by A. T. Locke

RECipiENt: Steve Johnson

OCCUpAtiON: CEO of CreatiVasc

EDUCAtiON: Furman University – BA, Economics

& Bus. Admin

fAMiLy: Married to Nancy Johnson, three daughters

R E A D I T . K N O W I T . G R O W I T .

uBJ Upstate bUsiness JoUrnal

Have feedback? Information to share? Something you think we should look into?

Tell us on – TheUpstateBusinessJournal

W O R L D C L A S S T R A V E L E R S

uBJ

Liz Buchanan, assistant general manager at Grill Marks on Main Street, says she’s seen many groups glad to find a waiting list

at her restaurant. That’s because they wanted to put their names in and then head across the street to ice-skate.

“I’ve definitely seen an increase in weekday traffic” since Greenville Technical College Ice On Main opened Nov. 23, she said. “We’re already busy on weekends, but now it’s more straight through than chopped into lunch and dinner. It’s just straight through with people.”

Downtown businesses haven’t been able to quantify the effect of the ice rink on their bottom lines, but all agree that having the popular attrac-tion nearby has been a boon to business.

Kevin Stiens, business administrator for the city’s parks and recreation department, said there were almost 3,000 skaters in the first week and a half

the rink was open. The counts are a couple of hundred people above where they were last year, and he expects crowds to grow even more the weeks before and after Christmas.

“It’s great because it’s another reason to get people downtown,” Stiens said. “It’s neat to see the spillover effect to shops and restau-rants.”

That’s the reason the rink uses a wrist-

Ice rink heats up downtown

businessSeasonal attraction brings crowds to nearby shops, restaurants

By Leigh Savage | contributor

band s y s t e m ,

he said. Visitors can skate for a while, visit nearby shops and restaurants, and then skate some more.

The Starbucks across from Falls Park is a short walk from the rink, but barista Tim Green said he’s still noticed the ice-skating crowds. “People come in bundled to skate, especially junior high kids. There’s more of a flow of people at night now, after dinner, and last Saturday it was busier than normal.”

Liz Daly Designs, an art studio and shop, is tucked into the block between Falls Park and the rink, at Village Green in front of the Courtyard Marriott. Holly Hall, weekend manager, said traffic on the weekends has “picked up a huge amount.” She also said the festive crowds are in “a better mood and are more apt to spend.”

The store, which also offers classes, stays open late so that

people downtown for dinners, the pa-rade, ice skating or shows at the Peace

Center can stop in.Gina Boulware,

director of public relations and market-

ing for Table 301, said her company, which

owns the nearby Soby’s and Nose Dive, makes sure

staff members are familiar with the ice rink and its hours. “It helps for servers to have the information, especially for people who aren’t from the area,” she said.

Downtown attractions help each other out, she said, so people who came to skate might eat at Soby’s, just as people who came to eat at Soby’s might decide to skate.

“When people come down here, they want to do more than one thing,” she said. She has seen many families and groups make an evening of it, going skating, having dinner at Nose Dive and then go-ing on a carriage ride afterward.

Carl Sobocinski, partner at Table 301, said that he can’t quantify the impact on actual business, but there’s definitely more people around outside and that “translates into good for everyone.”

Due to its popularity last year, Greenville Tech Ice On Main was extended this year and will con-tinue through Jan. 21.

Contact Leigh Savage at [email protected].


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uBJ statehouse report

You’ve got to give it to Gov. Nikki Haley. Despite sagging state poll numbers that show her as less popu-lar than President Obama, she played the media for all she was worth in the saga over appointing a replacement for retiring U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint.

On Dec. 17 – 11 days after DeMint surprised politicos in Washington and South Carolina with news that he would step down four years early to take over as head of the conserva-tive Heritage Foundation – Haley tapped first-term U.S. Rep. Tim Scott, R-Charleston, as DeMint’s replacement.

Looking back, what was really in-teresting in the whole process is how Haley showed herself to be a master of dragging out the announcement so she could stay in the headlines, despite repeatedly saying she would make a quick decision.

Soon after DeMint’s announce-ment, speculation started immedi-ately about whether Haley would try to take the seat herself. But Haley put an end to the conjecture by saying she would not resign so she could potentially take the seat.

“My goal is not to make it drag out,” she told a radio reporter on Dec. 6.

The next day, Haley issued a statement that reiterated she’d make a quick decision, but in a “thoughtful and dignified” manner. Her

choice, she said, would be someone cast in the conservative, tea party mold that she and DeMint embrace.

“I will appoint a person who has the same philosophy of government that Jim DeMint and I share,” the statement said.

That weekend, pundits had a ball, speculating about this member of Congress or that former elected of-ficial in DeMint’s position.

On the Monday after the DeMint announcement, Haley stepped back into headlines saying she wouldn’t hogtie the nominee by expecting him or her to be a lame duck “place-holder” for a 2014 election when voters will pick someone to serve the final two years of DeMint’s term.

“I do not want to deprive our state’s citizens of the chance to render their judgment on the appointee’s perfor-mance by way of their vote,” she said in another statement.

With reporters frothing at the mouth Tuesday, Haley teased them at the Boeing plant in North Charleston. She joked she had a big announcement, which turned out to be nothing about DeMint’s seat, but

that “we make planes” at Boeing. But also that day, some-

one apparently

Haley is pressing all of the media’s buttonsleaked Haley’s short list of five contenders to the media, which set them off again like a pack of wild dogs.

“Only my husband knows what’s in my head right now, so I’ll leave it at that,” she later said. She wouldn’t answer questions about possible choices, noting, “There are numer-ous good people who could hold this position. South Carolina is not limited on good people.”

And the governor as media pup-peteer pulled reporters along more. She said the decision on DeMint’s replacement likely would be made before Christmas. “I don’t want this to drag out,” she told a reporter. “I don’t think that is good for the people of South Carolina.”

Result: More positive stories on Wednesday, which deflected news about a Tuesday poll that showed Haley two points behind her 2010 challenger, Democratic Sen. Vincent Sheheen, in a mock contest.

So what happened next? Haley kept the media in a lather with a comment that her pick wouldn’t need to have political experience.

“There is no question that I’m look- i n g

for a conservative person to fill those shoes, but we are never going to find someone as conserva-tive and staunch as Jim DeMint,” she said after a state Budget and Control Board meeting.

By now if you don’t believe the governor was playing the media like a fiddle, guess what she did Thursday? She released mock vetting documents on Facebook rejecting home-grown comedian Stephen Colbert as a potential senator.

So kudos to Haley for not “drag-ging out” the process.

Fortunately for all of us, the grandstanding is done. While Scott is the winner, the big losers are the state’s Democrats, who will have to field two Senate candidates in 2014 when there are few people who are standouts now as challengers.

Andy Brack is publisher of Statehouse Report. He can be reached at [email protected].

By Andy Brack

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

uBJ

When we return to work after Christmas, chances are quite a few of us will be sporting new mobile devices. It’s the worst day for the IT staff, which will be inundated by calls for help connecting these devices to the network, setting up email and transferring documents.

Not very long ago, companies would have simply put their foot down and said “no” to personal de-vices. But today BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) is increasingly acceptable in education, which coined the acronym, and the workplace.

Good thing, too. Mobile devices are driving the reimagination of everything – in the U.S. and around the world, from education to consumers to the workplace. Some of the statistics in a recent analysis of technology and social trends produced by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (a venture firm founded in 1972 that’s invested in pretty much every major tech company of the last quarter century) are eye-popping. That’s largely because of the speed at which the technology landscape is shifting under our feet.

Here are a few nuggets. You can read the full report here: http://goo.gl/S2G5g.

• Forty-eight percent of all cell phone users in the U.S. have smartphones.

• Twenty-nine percent of Internet users have tablets or e-readers. In April 2009 – less than four years ago – it was 2 percent.

• Thirteen percent of all Internet traffic globally is from mobile devices. Just two years ago in De-cember 2010, that was 4 percent.

• In India, mobile traffic is 60 percent of all In-ternet use. That’s grown 20 percent in just one year.

• By the second quarter of 2013, it is projected that globally the installed base of smartphones and tablets will surpass desktops and laptops.

That’s all very interesting, but what does it mean to your business?

• If your business doesn’t have a personal mobile policy, it is time to come up with one. Spell out who can use their own devices, what applications and functions you will support remotely, what expectations you have of employees who use their own devices – especially in terms of protecting your sensitive data.

• If you provide mobile devices to employees, look into Mobile Data Management suites that can enable standardization of applications and access on mobile devices in the same way you can control your PCs and laptops.

• It’s not all about control – it’s mostly about op-portunity. With consumers and clients on the move, it’s time to develop a mobile strategy for reaching

and serving them. Unprecedented opportuni-ties also mean huge challenges. Connected consumers expect – and demand – immediacy. If there’s a coupon, I want it delivered when I walk in the store; if there’s a problem, I want a response immediately. Nimble businesses that adapt most quickly will catch the high side of this emerging trend.

• Educate. There’s a possibility that your audience knows a lot more about new technology than you and your staff. Educate yourself to better see and take advantage of the opportunities. And look to well-

connected mobile users on your team to take a proactive role.

That last one is a sticky wicket. Last week, the Upstate Business Journal’s cover story was on busi-nesses learning to cope with people using mobile devices at work. It concluded that there is a fine line between time wasting and time “liberating.” Many businesses see mobile devices in the hands of their employees as a potential problem to be managed.

One small change to that sentence will set you and your team on a more productive path: Mobile devices in the hands of your employees are a po-tential opportunity to be managed.

what your kids want for the holidaysThe KPCB report had a nugget for parents, too.

It cited a Neilsen survey from November of kids between 6 and 12 on what tech device they wanted for Christmas. The list is lengthy but it is topped by a full 48 percent who want an iPad. Rounding out the top five: 39 percent want a Nintendo Wii U, 36 percent say an iPad Mini, 36 percent an iPod Touch and 33 percent an iPhone. Obviously, Apple’s marketing is getting through loud and clear to one segment.

Happy Holidays!

’Tis the season to develop a personal mobile policy

By Laura Haight

digital maven

Laura Haight is the president of Portfolio (www.portfoliosc.com), a communications company based in Greenville. She is a former IT executive, journalist and newspaper editor. Connect with the Digital Maven on Facebook/theDigitalMaven and share your ideas, comments and suggestions.

Interest in Buying in Next 6 Months among USa Kids ages 6-12

48%of American

kids want an ipad for Christmas


of American kids want an ipad mini for

Christmas

36%

KPCB – Source: Nielson, 11/12


uBJ

During my years in the General Assembly and later with Governor Campbell’s staff, I did some of my best thinking on the 90-minute-and-change drive from Greenville to Columbia and back.

The reason for this was that I was able to think clearly and concisely without interruption and that quiet time gave me inspiration. It allowed me to make difficult deci-sions because I had time to think and reflect. There were no cell phone calls to make or receive. No temptation to check an email. No need to respond to a text message because, frankly, that technology did not exist.

It makes me wonder if business was easier to manage when tech-nology was “archaic,” or is it easier now that we can be connected 24 hours a day, seven days a week? And is technology to blame for this, or are we to blame?

Think about how often you sit in a business meeting and reply to an email when the meeting is boring. And to be honest, how often you tweet or update your Facebook status in such surroundings. Think about how many times you see other people do the same. It’s almost like people can’t listen if the data does not pertain directly to them.

Think about how many calls you make and take during the dinner hour. Think about the project you work on during a winter Sunday afternoon. Think about the vaca-tion time you waste with your eyes down and your fingers clicking away.

I’m almost on my sixth de-cade on Earth, and I do it. The temptation can only be worse for young business leaders, who don’t remember when dialing a number meant actually dialing a rotary phone – not punching a key pad.

It’s not just causing you to lose focus but it’s a reflection on you as an inconsiderate businessperson. Our overuse of technology makes us bad businesspeople. We lose

sight of how to actually think through our business deci-sions. We are so wrapped up with handling distrac-tions that we lose sight of what is in important.

We also overcommit our time to community and civic requests. I am reminded of a sermon that I heard preached by Dr. Gary Strick-land. The title of the sermon was “Sometimes We Should Say ‘No’ So We Can Say ‘Yes.’”

My 2013 New Year’s resolution is to take a step back in time:

• Don’t be in a rush.

• Don’t contact someone about business through Facebook or text message.

• Don’t call someone on their cell phone after 6 p.m. for something trivial.

• Leave your phone in the car when you go into a meeting and turn it off on those longer drives.

• The same goes for when you are eating dinner or spending quality time with your family.

• Find time to be quiet, think and pray.

What will this accomplish? I say “a lot.” It will remind people that business hours mean business hours, not all-night store hours. It will remind people that the world will not end when that phone call is not answered because you are reading a bedtime story to your child or grandchild. It will remind people that listening during a meeting shows you know what you are doing.

For me, I think it will help me find that time again where I can focus on projects during those car rides instead of interrupting everything for a phone call.

Be a better businessperson in 2013

guest column

By Tim Brett

Tim Brett is the CEO of Complete Public Relations in Greenville and the chair-man of GreenvilleConnect.

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UBJ

NaI eaRle fURMaN announced:

• Mike Greer and John Baldwin represented the landlord of 2425 Rutherford Road, Greenville, in leasing a 187,543-square-foot industrial space to International Cotton Depots.

• Mike Greer and John Baldwin represented Sustainable Solutions 35 llC in leasing two 10,000-square-foot office/warehouse facilities located at 356 and 360 West Phillips Road just off the Highway 14/I-85 interchange, Greer.

• Glenn Batson represented the landlord of 255 Mill St., Greer, in leasing a 10,000-square-foot industrial space to templar Inc. This will be the new home to Speed Street way, an indoor soccer facility that provides high-level specialty soccer training and skill building, as well as soccer

leagues. The facility will be opening in January.

• Scott Davis and Jon Good represented the landlord of 803 N. Fant St., Anderson, in leasing a 2,200-square-foot office space.

• tyson Smoak represented United Community Bank Inc. in leasing a 3,313-square-foot office space at 40 Broad St., Greenville.

• Bill Sims and Jake van Gieson represented SportClips in leasing a 1,600-square-foot retail space in the Centerpoint Shopping Center anchored by Publix, Easley.

• Bill Sims and Jake van Gieson represented the landlord of 2514 E. North St., Greenville, in leasing a 2,000-square-foot retail space to Bagatelle Catering.

• keith Jones and Scott Jones represented the landlord of 3453 Pelham Road, Greenville, in leasing a 1,936-square-foot office space to Collins entertainment Corporation.

• keith Jones and Scott Jones represented the landlord of 355 Woodruff Road (Highland Business Park), Greenville, in leasing a 4,426-square-foot office space to faces and voices of Recovery Greenville.

• Jimmy wright and ted lyerly represented MpG Mooresville llC in selling a 55,000-square-foot retail investment property located at 485 River Hwy., Mooresville.

• Jimmy wright and ted lyerly represented the seller of 1068 Tiger Blvd., Clemson, in selling a 2,560-square-foot retail investment property to Dunkin Donuts.

• John Gray represented Northside traders, llC in selling a 1,600-square-foot office property at 106 S. Calhoun St., Greenville. Drew Stamm, also of NAI Earle Furman,

represented the purchaser.

• Scott Jones and keith Jones represented washington Commons llC in purchasing

a 2,363-square-foot apartment building at 902 E. Washington St.,

• tony Bonitati, kay hill and Gwinna Cahal represented the seller of 1480 W.O. Ezell Blvd. (West Pine Apartments), Spartanburg, in selling a 96-unit multifamily investment property to CRe Strategic opportunity fund llC.

• Glenn Batson represented the seller of 330 Wade Hampton Blvd., Greenville, in selling a 3,200-square-foot industrial property. This location is the new home of Dupont tire and auto Inc., a full automotive service center.

• alexi papapieris and earle furman represented pD holdings Inc. in purchasing a 3,000-square-foot office property located at 401-403 Vardry St., Greenville.

dealmakers

commercial development

>>


uBJ• David feild, CCIM, and

tyson Smoak represented BBw properties llC in purchasing a 1.2-acre land property located at Wexford and Hwy. 81 N., Anderson.

• David feild and tyson Smoak represented South east Borders llC in selling a 5,950-square-foot office property at 115 Halton Road, Lot #9, Greenville, to BBw properties, llC.NAI Earle Furman’s Property Management division recently added the Green Gate office park in Greenville to its management portfolio. The park consists of eight buildings, making it one of the larger management assignments the division has been awarded this year.

paColet MIllIkeN eNteRpRISeS INC. announces that it has entered into a joint venture with Republic Station llC to own the new Whole Foods Market in the Hilltop area of Virginia Beach, Va. Located at 1800 Laskin Road, the 40,000-square-foot standalone market opened in October 2012. This location is the largest Whole Foods Market in the region. Pacolet Milliken purchased an ownership interest in the project from the developer, S.J. Collins Enterprises. This property is the 14th addition to the company’s grocery center portfolio in the past 26 months.

paColet MIllIkeN eNteRpRISeS INC. announces the development of New holland Market, a new retail center to be located at the intersection of Jesse Jewell Parkway and Limestone Parkway in Gainesville, Ga. The center will be anchored by a 123,000-square-foot Kroger Marketplace grocery store and will offer an additional 20,000 square feet of retail shop space.

In addition, nine outparcels will be created on both sides of Jesse Jewell Parkway and 26 acres will be made development-ready for additional retail, medical office or multi-family use. New Holland Market will include bike racks, native plantings, recycling bins, and energy efficient materials.

BRaSfIelD & GoRRIe, one of the nation’s largest privately held construction firms, recently celebrated the topping out of the second phase of project oNe, a $42.4 million, two-tower office building and retail space located in downtown Greenville. The entire project is scheduled to be completed in June 2013. Phase II broke ground in June 2012 and includes the 11-story, 201,000-square-foot South Office Tower, which has seven floors of meeting and training rooms as well as an auditorium space for Certus Bank, an anchor tenant. The remaining three floors are available for lease. As part of the $20.4 million Phase II project, Brasfield & Gorrie will also handle the build-out of the Smith Moore leatherwood office and the auditorium space for Certus Bank. Phase I, the North Office Tower, broke ground in September 2011 and was completed in December 2012. It is a $22 million, nine-story, 180,000-square-foot office building that includes four classroom floors for Clemson University’s MBA program, two floors for local law firm haynesworth Sinkler Boyd, and a floor of executive space for Certus Bank. Both towers are pursuing LEED Gold certification, signifying that the project features elements that make it environmentally friendly and energy efficient.

>>

It’s about

the cuisine,

the ambiance…

and all that Jazz.

864-242-BLUE | 300 River St., Ste 203, Greenville

Opening Soon…

commercial development


UBJ

Robert G. Johnson, Jr., MD Joined the Bon Secours Medical Group and will work at the newly opened Bon Secours family Medical Center. The practice will offer a full spectrum of family medicine, including newborn care and minor surgery and will accept all forms of insurance, including Medicaid. Previously, Johnson has been assisting at Triune Mercy Center and San Sebastian Catholic Church.

toni GreenJoined the Greenville Convention & visitors Bureau (CVB) as a senior sales manager, with a core focus on working the religious, education and ethnic markets. Prior to joining the CVB, Green worked at the Greater Birmingham CVB as a national sales manager. Green grew the SMeRF (social, military, education/ethnic, religious and fraternal) market business by over 25 percent.

leanne Jaskwhich, CpaPromoted to chief financial officer of NaI earle furman. Before her promotion, Jaskwhich served as controller for four years. Prior to joining NAI earle Furman, Jaskwhich served as audit manager in the real estate practice of elliott Davis llC and as controller for RealtiCorp llC, a commercial real estate investment company. She has over 18 years of accounting experience.

hal JohnsonPresident and Ceo of the Upstate SC alliance; has been elected 1st Vice Chairman of the Southern economic Development Council (SeDC) board of directors. Johnson will serve a one-year term on SeDC’s board, beginning in January 2013, and was most recently the 2nd Vice Chairman for the 2012 SeDC board of directors. He has been a member of SeDC for 12 years.

hired hired promoted

Julie Dacus Promoted to purchasing manager of Renewable water Resources (Rewa). Previously, Dacus worked in the engineering department as a senior engineering technician for 10 years managing the design, development and implementation of collection system construction and rehabilitation projects. Dacus also spent two years working at the Mauldin Road wwTP as an operator.

promotedelected

ADvERtiSiNg• Diane McAndrew has joined Roe-buck Advertising Co. Inc., a 36-year-old promotions and incentives com-pany, as vice president of sales and marketing. McAndrew has extensive experience in sales, marketing and

public relations and is the former director of marketing for Westgate Mall. She was also a partner at Timms & McAndrew Communications.

BUSiNESS• PULSe, the Greenville Chamber’s

premier Upstate young professionals association, has announced the mem-bers of its 2013 Advisory Council. The council is responsible for guiding and advising the leadership development and social networking programs for the organization’s 850 members,

as well as coordinating members’ involvement throughout the Upstate in community service projects. The 2013 PULSE Advisory Council will consist of chairman John Boyanoski, president of Complete Public Rela-tions; chair-elect Berri Hicks,

on the move

>>

For to us a childis born,

to us a son is given, and the

government will be on his

shoulders.And he will

be called Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God, Everlasting

Father, Prince of Peace.

—Isaiah 9:6


UBJ on the move

New hires, promotions, award-winners, or stand-out employees can be featured in

on The Move... send information & a photo.

movers and shakers

[email protected]

a buyer with the Greenville Hospital System; special projects chair Mike Pennington, owner of Rhino Concessions and Funneli-cious; leadership chair Kyle Putnam, broker-in-charge for Colonial Com-mercial’s brokerage arm; social chair Kathleen Byrne, operations manager for Liquid Catering; pacesetters chair Leila Aziz, a process quality engineer with GE Energy; connects chair Christina gridley-Robles, market-ing coordinator with CBRE | The Furman Co.; talent chair Joe Poore, a senior accountant with Elliott Davis, LLC; sports chair Doug Tootle, cus-toms compliance analyst at Sandler & Travis Trade Advisory Services Inc.; marketing chair Megan Wright, recruiting manager with Elliott Da-vis LLC; and investment chair Mark Martin, director of development for the Project HOPE Foundation.

CONStRUCtiON/ENgiNEERiNg• The U.S. green Building Council South Carolina Chapter recently announced Dan gerst and Douglas Rackley as newly elected directors to its board for a two-year term, ef-fective January 1. Gerst is a business intelligence analyst with JM Smith Corp (QS/1) in Spartanburg. Rackley is a design team leader and architect with DP3 Architects in Greenville. The U.S. Green Building Council South Carolina Chapter is commit-ted to a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings.

• o’neal Inc., a Greenville-based integrated design and construction firm, recently added Anthony Lusk, PE, as civil engineer II and Sarah Muzzy as process engineer I. Lusk comes to O’Neal from Mustang Engineering, where he served as a technical professional and provided civil expertise on heavy industrial projects. Muzzy has industry expe-rience as a co-op with Sappi Fine Paper in Westbrook, Maine, and as district sales representative with Nalco Company in Anderson, S.C.

• goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, Inc. recently announced Jason gil-lespie, PE, has joined the firm as senior project manager and Patrick

Cox has joined the firm as an architectural draftsman. Gillespie brings over 14 years of experience in the design, permitting and con-struction administration of utility projects throughout South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. His expertise and experience includes managing multidiscipline project teams for water and wastewater treatment plants, pump stations, water lines, and gravity sewer and force main projects. Cox formerly worked with DeVita and Associates, Inc., where he specialized in the design of com-mercial and government buildings including K-12 education, higher education, and campus buildings.

iNSURANCE• Countybanc Insurance Services Inc.’s president Kenneth A. Finch was recently honored by Certified Risk Managers International for leadership and professionalism in the field of risk management. Finch was awarded a certificate of achievement recognizing ten consecutive years of active affiliation with Certified Risk Managers International. The CRM designation requires annual con-tinuing education updates in order to maintain the designation.

NONpROfit• The Woodlands at Furman, a non-profit, mission-driven continuing care retirement community owned and operated by a local board of di-rectors and managed professionally by Greystone Communities, recently announced its new board leadership for 2013. Ben norwood III will serve as president; Sam Smith will serve as vice president; and Walter goldsmith will serve as secretary/treasurer. Norwood is the managing director with Nachman Norwood and Parrott Wealth Management Consultancy. Smith is the president of Triangle Construction. Goldsmith is a senior vice president with Daven-port & Company.

REAL EStAtE• Prudential C. Dan Joyner Co.

ReALToRS announced that real estate agent Donna Smith was appointed as chairwoman of the

Land Use Property Rights and environment Committee by the National Association of Realtors for a one-year term effective Janu-ary 2013 and Stephanie Arnel has joined the company and serves as a sales associate at the Pleasantburg office. Smith’s appointment also includes seats on one or more of the following committees: Public Advocacy Advisory Group, Public Policy Coordinating Committee and Smart Growth Advisory Board. Prior to joining C. Dan Joyner Com-pany, Arnel was a vital contributor to CityStory Greenville as an early contributor to the founding through public relations, sales, social media, communications and product devel-opment

• Lee & Associates recently wel-comed Randall Sisam and Peter MacKinnon as new brokers. Sisam has spent the majority of his career as a physician and surgeon, specializing in minimally invasive surgery in obstetrics and gynecology. He served as a clinical assistant professor at the University of New England and a department chairman for OBGYN, was a review committee member for the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners, and an ethics committee member for the American College of Osteopathic Obstetricians and Gynecologists. MacKinnon is a management professional with six-teen years’ experience in corporate and medical group practice settings. He spent the majority of his career in the military before becoming a member of the Lee & Associates team here in Greenville. He has served as a practice administrator for many years, as well as serving as the vice president of operations for the UCI Medical Affiliate Inc.

• Coldwell Banker Caine’s green-ville office recently welcomed Ben Stoudenmire as a residential sales agent. A graduate of the University of South Carolina and the Charles-ton School of Law, Stoudenmire comes to the real estate industry after working as a document review attorney for Balint, Brown, & Basri LLC. Ben volunteers with Upstate Forever, Trout Unlimited, Coastal

Conservation League and Habitat for Humanity.

• Allen Tate Mortgage Services recently announced the appointment of Dani easter as mortgage loan officer serving the Upstate region. Easter’s professional career includes more than 20 years in residential mortgage services, including posi-tions as a loan processor, loan officer and manager of a branch office with 12 employees.

REtAiL• Cocobella Boutique recently an-

nounced the promotion of Courtney M. Cox to a full-time marketing director and e-commerce specialist. Cox has a background in fashion and has worked as a sales associate and buyer at Cocobella boutique for five years.

SCiENCE

• The South Carolina Biotechnol-ogy Industry organization (SCBIO) has elected chairman Tom McLean, vice president of Norgenix, Spar-tanburg; eddie Terrell, senior vice president, Medpoint LLC, Green-ville; and erin Ford, investment recruitment officer, Upstate SC Alli-ance, Greenville. Continuing board members are: outgoing chairman Michael Bolick, president, Lab21, Greenville; outgoing vice chairman Steve Johnson, president/CEO, CreatiVasc Medical LLC, Greenville; Dan Duggan, chief operating officer, Bons Secours St. Francis Health System, Greenville; Matthew R. ge-vaert, president and CEO, KIYATEC Inc., Greenville; incoming president Tom McLean, vice president, Norgenix, Spartanburg; and James I. Shew, regional director, major accounts, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, Greenville. SCBIO is a statewide member-driven orga-nization representing innovative life science businesses and organizations through collaboration, advocacy, workforce development and support.

>>


UBJ new to the street

weSt eND tReaSUReS, located on South Main Street in Greenville, recently opened. The boutique specializes in unique furniture, home accents and special gifts for all occasions. It is open Monday-Friday from 10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.; Friday-Saturday from 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; and Sunday from 1-5 p.m. For more information, visit West End Treasure’s Facebook page.

aNDy thRoweR announces the opening of his CPA practice on North Main Street in downtown Greenville. He will now offer traditional CPA firm services in addition to continuing to offer executive-level chief financial officer services to private company owners and those investors and bankers who provide the capital. Thrower has been a CPA since 1978 and has thirty-five years of experience in both public accounting and private industry. He also provides turnaround and restructuring assistance to local bank lenders. For more information, visit www.Throwercfo.com

the loCal taCo recently opened its fourth location and its first here in Greenville on Conestee Avenue. The restaurant is known for pushing the envelope with their combination of creative tacos, which are sometimes known as “tapas in a tortilla.” The entire menu is a la carte, which allows for customers to try multiple types of tacos like their fish, Southern fried chicken, Korean barbecue and smoked brisket tacos. The menu also features various salsas, queso dip, enchiladas, quesadillas, salads, fajitas and a full bar. For more information, visit The Local Taco website (thelocaltaco.com) and the Local Taco Greenville Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/TheLocalTacoGreenville).

462go figure

new businesses opened in Greenville in 2012 (approximately)

Source: Business license Division, City of Greenville

735 new businesses opened in Spartanburg in 2012Source: Finance Division, City of Spartanburg

http://www.Throwercfo.com

http://thelocaltaco.com/

https://www.facebook.com/TheLocalTacoGreenville


UBJ

December’s First Friday welcomed another sold-out crowd at Clemson at the Falls to hear Pete Selleck, chairman and president of Michelin North America, speak about the impact manu-facturing has had on the state and the need for companies to be constantly innovative with their products and practices while also sharing high-lights and pitfalls he’s experienced personally and in his career.

Selleck holds degrees from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he earned a bachelor of science in engineering and applied sciences, and Clemson University, where he earned an MBA.

He began his career as an Army officer in the 4th Infantry Division, where he served as a platoon leader and a company commander, then, subsequently, served more than 20 years in the Army Reserves.

During Selleck’s 30-year career with Michelin, he has held various positions within the com-pany, ranging from plant manager of a passenger car and light-truck tire plant in Greenville, to vice president of Michelin Tire Manufacturing in the United States and Canada, and eventually serving as chief operating officer of Michelin Americas Small Tires.

In 2003, Selleck moved to Europe, where he served as chief operating officer of the passenger car and light-truck tires replacement market. Before returning to North America, Selleck most recently served as president of Michelin’s worldwide truck tire business and was appointed to Michelin Group’s executive council. Here are a few highlights from his presentation.

ON dEsIrABILITY Of LOCATION“When [Michelin] first came here in the ’70s, Greenville wasn’t such a neat place to move to, not like it is today. It used to be that people moved here because they got a job with Michelin. Now, people decide that they want to live in Greenville and think, ‘Maybe I’ll work for Michelin.’ Being located in a desirable area with amenities and good infrastructure is a huge asset in terms of being able to recruit top talent to your organization.”

ON THE ImPOrTANCE Of sUPPOrT “During the time I was getting my MBA, I was also working full time and a member of the Army Reserve. My wife was busy raising

our two children, who were young at the time, and as busy as she was with all of that she still supported me in my goal of getting a graduate degree. I know I couldn’t have done it without her support. And I’m lucky to have had that, because not everyone does, and if you’re lucky enough to have it too always remember and be grateful that you don’t have to do things alone.”

ON vALUEs“Michelin is founded on five core values, and everything we do has to uphold at least one – and preferably multiple – of these values.”Michelin’s 5 Core Values: • Respect for People • Respect for Shareholders • Respect for Customers • Respect for Facts • Respect for Environment

ON GrOwTH“Growth is part of our strategy. To prepare for growth you must invest now. You can’t wait for the growth to happen first and then invest. It just doesn’t work like that. If you don’t plan for the future, then you’ll be behind the curve, and in competitive markets you might not be able to catch up.”

ON mANUfACTUrING ANd sELLING LOCALLY“Michelin is a global company with facilities on six continents, we operate in over 170 countries and we’re the 114th largest employer worldwide – over 22,000 employees. We have found that even in high-cost labor locations you can still succeed as long as you are driving continuous improvement in your product and in your processes. Ninety percent of the product we sell in North America is made in North America, our plants in Europe sell mainly to markets in Europe, and so on. It makes sense from a business standpoint because manufacturing regulations and the types of tires required are different all over the world, and also because we save a tremendous amount by not having to ship raw materials in or the finished product out over long distances.”

ON THE PITfALLs Of sUCCEss“When you get really, really good at something, there is a danger. The danger is that you will resist the next jump in technology. It’s important to always be improving.”

ON rIsK mANAGEmENT“Michelin has an entire department that does nothing but dream up every possible scenario that can impact our business and then develop

a system or a plan to deal with that scenario should it arise. Here’s a risk many people don’t consider – your CEO might die. That happened to us in 2006, and while of course on a personal level it was sad and tragic, from a company standpoint the transition moved pretty smoothly because they had thought about it ahead of time and had a succession plan in place. You can never completely prevent bad things from happening, but you can have a strategy to help deal with them when they occur.”

ON mAKING mIsTAKEs“I’ve made so many I could probably write a whole book about it. You’re going to make them; it’s unavoidable. The key is to be able to admit that you made them and then learn from them. I’ve also found that as you gain responsibility and move up in an organization, sometimes people hesitate to tell you when you’re making one – employees afraid to question the boss and things like that. It’s important to encourage people to tell you when you’re making a mistake, and create a culture where that is valued rather than punished.”

Friday signals the end of the workweek, but you can bridge the transition from work to relaxation every First Friday at Clemson at the Falls. Once a month the Spiro Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership and the Clemson MBA Program host speakers who enlighten the audience on various business topics, followed by a networking reception including drinks and refreshments in the four-story atrium overlooking Falls Park. The events are free and everyone is welcome; however, space is limited, so guests must register in advance. The next speaker is scheduled for February 1, 2013. To receive email notifications of upcoming events, please register at www.eepurl.com/oPtGv.

– By Darlene Fuhst

the takeaway

‘Always be improving’EvENt: First Friday Speaker Series

– Clemson at the Falls

whO wAS thERE: 140 Clemson students, Greenville area business owners and other interested parties.

SpEAkER: Pete Selleck, chairman and president of Michelin North America.

pete selleck, chairman and president of michelin north america

uBJPLANNERFriday January

Tuesday January

Wednesday January

Thursday January

Tuesday January

Wednesday January

Thursday January

First Friday Luncheon: “What’s Happening in Columbia in 2013?” Greer City Hall, 301 E. Poinsett St., Greer, 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m Sponsored by Greer Memorial Hospital. Cost: $10 for Greer Chamber members, $15 for non-members. Speakers: Representatives from the Greer Delegation of the General Assembly. Register at www.greerchamber.com or call 864-877-3131.

Business Before Hours Commerce Club of Greenville, 55 Beattie Place, Ste. 1700, Greenville; 7:30-9:30 a.m. Open to Greenville Chamber members only. Cost: $7 for pre-register, $10 at the door, or $5 if also Commerce Club member. Contact Dot Drennon at [email protected] or lorraine woodward at 864-239-3742.

Pelham Power Breakfast Blueberry Frog, 215 Pelham Road, Greenville; 8-9 a.m. Free for Greer Chamber Members. Register at www.greenvillechamber.com.

Diversity Connections CityRange Steakhouse, 774 Spartan Blvd., Spartanburg; noon-1:30 p.m. Guest speaker is Rebecca West of Spartanburg Water. The event is open to members and guests. Lunch is Dutch treat. Contact Doug Gregory at 864-594-5062 or [email protected].

Entrepreneurial Readiness Greenville Chamber of Commerce, 24 Cleveland St., Greenville; 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Cost: $20. Attendees are invited to bring lunch, dessert will be provided. Register at scwbc.net/events/greenvillespartanburg/.

Business After Hours Hyatt Regency Greenville, 220 N Main St., Greenville; 5:30-7:30 p.m. No cost to attend. Contact: lorraine woodward at 864-239-3742.

Tech After Five – Greenville Carolina Ale House, 113 South Main St., Greenville; 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free to GSA Technology Council members. Register at www.techafterfive.com.

Small Business Start-Up Tri-County Technical College - Pendleton Campus, 7900 Highway 76, Pendleton; 5:30-8:30 p.m. Cost: $199 plus $99 for books and software. Register online at www.piedmontscore.org. Call 864-271-3638 for more information.

75th Annual Celebration Embassy Suites Hotel, 670 Verdae Blvd., Greenville; reception at 5:30 p.m., program at 7 p.m. Speaker: Craig Dietz, ESPN featured athlete and motivational speaker. Cost: $65 for Greer Chamber members, $75 for non-members. For more information call 864-877-3131 or visit www.greerchamber.com

4 social

Submit your event: [email protected]

8

9

15

15th ANNUAL MARCh Of DiMES REAL EStAtE AwARD LUNChEON

10

The March of Dimes honored Michael C. Riordan, president and Ceo of Greenville Hospital System, with its annual Real estate Award on Dec. 14. Riordan was selected by his peers and past award recipients because of his community leadership and outstanding citizenship, and the hospital’s impact on the economic development of Greenville County.

The lunch event was also a fundraiser for the organization that works to improve the health of babies, and raised $161,000, exceeding the $150,000 goal, said lisa Green of March of Dimes.

The Real estate Award was established in 1998 by the

South Carolina Chapter of the March of Dimes to honor a member of the community who has demonstrated a long history of service. Past recipients include Bob Hughes, walt Brashier, Champ Covington, Doug Harper, Dan Joyner, Bo Aughtry, Frank Halter, Mike McNicholas, Tommy Thomason, Nancy whitworth, Jim Anthony, Stewart Spinks, Jim Terry, Buck welling, David Glenn and Jackson Hughes.

Michael Riordan, president and CEO of the Greenville Hospital System University Medical Center, receives the March Of Dimes Real Estate Award plaque from Bob Hughes, representing the presenting sponsor, Hughes Development Corporation. Riordan was recognized for his commitment to community and economic development.

Michelle Hart talks to the crowd about her family’s experience with premature birth while her husband, Michael Hart, holds their son, Michael.

16

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UBJ

Building a niche in power Azalea Capital, the Greenville private equity

firm, has made another acquisition investment in the power serving business and formed a new holding company, Power Services Group.

Azalea said it purchased Airco Industrial Contractors of Savannah, Ga. The transaction advances an Azalea business niche.

In August, when it acquired a stake in Orbital Tool Technologies of Belvidere, Ill., Azalea said it was “seeking to acquire complementary companies that also serve the power generation industry.”

The company said it partnered with Dennis McLaughlin, a co-investor in Orbital, in the purchase of Airco Industrial. McLaughlin is the former owner of The Atlantic Group, a power generation staffing firm he sold to Day & Zim-merman in 2006.

Azalea said the holding company, Power Ser-vices Group, initially would have two operating subsidiaries, Airco Power Services and Airco Industrial Services.

Airco Power will provide specialized labor and supervision to service, maintain and install gas and steam turbines and other rotating equipment to generate electricity.

Airco Industrial will provide general in-dustrial plant maintenance, repair, relocation, electrical and mechanical services and minor construction, Azalea said.

Tony Burrows, formerly with BHI Energy, joined Airco Power as president, and Ronnie Onofry, formerly with Power Equipment Main-tenance, is president of Airco Industrial.

ecoplosion summit upcoming

The second annual ecoplosion summit to build momentum in the Upstate for economic development will be held Jan. 24 at Clemson’s International Center for Automotive Research.

The summit will feature expert panels to “provide unparalleled experience and insight in

entrepreneurship, real estate development and executive management,” say sponsors.

In addition, ecoplosion offers “class-A profes-sional networking opportunities.”

The keynoter will be Randy Dobbs, who has led three companies valued at more than $1 bil-lion and most recently was senior operating ex-ecutive at Welsh, Carson, Anderson and Stowe, one of the world’s largest private equity firms.

Dobbs, who now has a consulting business in Greenville, is author of the book “Transfor-mational Leadership,” which gives leaders “con-crete steps to improve the internal structure of their companies and adapt in the changing and unpredictable economic climate.”

Leighton Cubbage, chairman of Serrus Capi-tal Partners, one of the sponsors of ecoplosion, said response to the first event last year was overwhelming, and “we hope to fill the room entirely again this year.”

Dave Wyman, director of Clemson’s Spiro Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership, said anyone who attends “can be sure that they will take away strong ideas of how we can foster a sense of community in the Upstate, whether through improved structure, dedication to providing jobs to the unemployed or simply reaching out to those in need.”

Attendance is free but registration is required in advance at www.clemson.edu/ethis/events/exoplosion2013.php.

In addition to Serrus Capital, Elliott Davis and Wells Fargo are sponsors.

Honoring builders of economy

The South Carolina Research Author-ity (SCRA) presented Knowledge Economist Awards to Suzanne Dickerson, director of busi-ness development and marketing of CU-ICAR, and to Frank Cox, vice president of SCRA.

The awards recognize “leaders whose efforts have supported and strengthened the knowl-edge-based economy of South Carolina.”

Dickerson was honored for her close work “with area organizations and companies to further the growth of CU-ICAR and the local economy.” Before joining the research and development center, Dickerson had 16 years of experience in the auto industry, including 12 with BMW.

Cox was recognized for leadership “in helping to bridge federal projects with local resources” and helping secure a $700-million ordinance technologies contract in 2008. Prior to join-

ing SCRA, Cox, a veteran of 26 years of active service in the Army, was responsible for defense projects for Battelle.

New CfO hired at scansource

ScanSource has appointed Charles Mathis as chief financial officer.

Mathis was previously CFO of Force Protec-tion of Summerville, which was purchased by General Dynamics a year ago for $360 million.

He began his career with Salomon Brothers and later held financial positions at United Do-minion Industries, EnPro Industries and Elbit Systems.

Mathias “brings far-reach global finance expertise to SanSource, having conducted business extensively throughout Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific.” ScanSource said in announcing the appointment.

CEO Mike Baur said Mathis “will serve San-Source well as we continue to grow and take our business to new heights.”

Greenville-based ScanSource is a global pro-vider to retailers of equipment and services for points of sale, communication and security.

Company has new ownersSouthern Traditions Window Fashions of

Greenville has changed hands.The business was acquired from founders

David and Cheri Burriss by Matt Cobb, who had owned and operated an Allstate Insurance office, and Stephen Wisdom, a 15-year employee of Southern Traditions handling installations and customer service.

Cobb will oversee sales and marketing and Wisdom will continue to manage operations.

F o u n d e d by David and Cheri Bur-riss in 1993, S o u t h e r n Tr a d i t ion s W i n d o w F a s h i o n s offers blinds, s h a d e s , p l a nt a t i o n shutters, ex-terior shut-ters, drapes and valances for residential and commercial customers.

the fine print

http://www.clemson.edu/ethis/events/exoplosion2013.php

http://www.clemson.edu/ethis/events/exoplosion2013.php


UBJ

ORigiNALLy, w.M. thOMpSON’S

t-MODEL fORD AgENCy...

NOw, fORD’S OyStER hOUSE & CAJUN

kitChEN.

snapshot

BusinessUpstate

J O U R N A L

Copyright @2012 BY CoMMUNITY JoURNAlS llC. All rights reserved. Upstate Business Journal (Vol. 1, No. 7) 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.

how to ReaCh US148 River Street., Suite 120

Greenville, SC 29601, 864.679.1200

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 Simmons

[email protected]

aSSIStaNt eDItoR Jerry Salley

[email protected]

MaRketING RepReSeNtatIveS lori Burney | Mary Beth CulbertsonKristi Jennings | Donna Johnston

Pam Putman

Staff wRIteRS Cindy landrum | April A. Morris

Charles Sowell

SeNIoR BUSINeSS wRIteR Dick Hughes

CoNtRIBUtING wRIteRSJenny Munro | Jennifer oladipo Jeanne Putnam | leigh Savage

eDItoRIal INteRN Shelby livingston

DeSIGN leaD Kristy M. Adair

DeSIGN CoNtRIBUtoR whitney Fincannon

photoGRapheR Greg Becknerphoto eDItoR Gerry Pate

MaRketING Katherine elrodMaRketING & eveNtS Kate Banner

BIllING Shannon RochesterpRoDUCtIoN Holly Hardin

ClIeNt SeRvICeS MaNaGeRS Anita Harley | Jane Rogers

aDveRtISING DeSIGN Michael Allen

BUSINeSS StoRy [email protected]

IDeaS, feeDBaCk, [email protected]

From 1913-1924, 631 South Main Street in Green-ville housed the first Ford Motor Company dealership in the Upstate, W.M. Thompson’s T-Model Ford Agency. The street level was the showroom displaying the shiny new cars and the floor above was used as workspace for repairs. The top level of the building was used to store Thompson’s inventory from the lat-est designs from Ford.

Ford’s Oyster House opened in May 2011 and oper-ates in the old showroom area. The former workspace

is now used as the Loft at Falls Park. There is a stairwell inside that used to be a large elevator that moved the cars from the Ford agency’s floor. The support beams and brackets in the Loft space and staple marks in the beams from work orders are still intact from the showroom days. In addition, the stained glass in the windows above ground level are still from that period, as are the wood floors complete with welding burns in the loft space. The side of the building still reads “W.M. Thompson.” >>


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(Far left) The building known as the West End’s “skyscraper” was constructed in 1916 to meet the growing demand for cars in Greenville. Originally home to the W.M. Thompson’s T-Model Ford Agency, other dealerships, service stations and automobile stores located in the area and on Augusta Road created Greenville’s first “Motor Mile.”

(Inside) Today the building is home to Ford’s Oyster House & Cajun Kitchen.

(Top) The Thompson building later became home to Davis Motor Company, an automotive store. Toward the end of the 1950s, Harper Brothers Office Supply occupied the building.

(Bottom) Ford’s Oyster House & Cajun Kitchen on South Main Street in Greenville’s West End.

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