june 7, 2013 ubj

LIFE’S A PLAYGROUNDA GERMAN PLAY EQUIPMENT MAKER PUTS DOWN ROOTS IN THE UPSTATE

A GERMAN PLAY EQUIPMENT MAKER PUTS DOWN ROOTS IN THE UPSTATE

PLAYGROUNDLIFE’S A

JUNE 7, 2013

Copyright @2013 BY COMMUNITY JOURNALS LLC. All rights reserved. Upstate Business Journal (Vol. 2, No. 22) 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. [email protected]

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Alan P. [email protected]

UBJ ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERRyan L. [email protected]

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Susan Clary [email protected]

MANAGING EDITOR Jerry [email protected]

STAFF WRITERSSherry Jackson, Cindy Landrum, April A. Morris

SENIOR BUSINESS WRITER Jennifer Oladipo

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSDick Hughes, Jenny Munro, Jeanne Putnam, Leigh Savage

EDITORIAL INTERNSCynthia Partridge, Keith Sechrist

ART & PRODUCTIONART DIRECTOR Richie Swann

PHOTOGRAPHER Greg Beckner

CONTRIBUTING PHOTO EDITOR Gerry Pate

PRODUCTION Holly Hardin

MARKETING & ADVERTISINGMARKETING REPRESENTATIVESLori Burney, Mary Beth Culbertson, Kristi Jennings, Donna Johnston, Pam PutmanMARKETING Katherine ElrodMARKETING & EVENTS Kate BannerBRAND STRATEGIST Austin HaferBILLING Shannon RochesterCLIENT SERVICES MANAGERSAnita Harley, Jane Rogers ADVERTISING DESIGNKristy Adair, Michael Allen, Whitney Fincannon, Caroline Reinhardt

IDEAS, FEEDBACK, [email protected]

HOW TO REACH US148 River Street., Suite 120Greenville, SC 29601864-679-1200

20F E AT U R E S

Cover Story20 Playground Mean Serious Business

by Dick Hughes

Profi le22 The Future is Developing

by Sherry Jackson

COLU M NS

Digital Maven8 An Abundance of Collaborative Options by Laura Haight

Statehouse Report9 Numbers Show SC Still Has a Long Way to Go by Andy Brack

Create. Innovate. Celebrate.10 Making Connections in Aerospace

by John Warner

Nonprofi t Matters11 Donating to Disasters: Don’t Be Duped

by Debbie Nelson

Guest Column12 Here’s to Toastmasters

by Matt Dunbar

DEPA RT ME N TS

3 Verbatim 4 Worth Repeating 4 TBA 24 The Takeaway 26 Square Feet 28 The Fine Print 30 Planner 31 On the Move 32 New to the Street 34 Snapshot

Photo by Greg Beckner

UBJ Table of Contents

2 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL June 7, 2013

ABOVE: Berliner Seilfabrik produces a wide range of playground equipment including “Cosmo,” like this one installed at the Kroc Center.

ON THE COVER: Lukas Steinke, CEO of Berliner Seilfabrik, inside “Cosmo,” one of the pieces of playground equipment his company produces. This one was installed at the Kroc Center.

June 7, 2013 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal 3

UBJ Verbatim

530 HAYWOOD ROAD • GREENVILLE, SC • 864.297.5610

McDaniel Village | 271-1812 | M-F 9:30-5:30 & by appt.

www.garrisonopticians.com

Fine European Eyewear

On the “Top Active Town”… “The city is big enough to have a solid economy and plenty of job opportunities … yet small enough that weekend fun is only a few minutes away. Paris Mountain State Park and its 15 miles of mountain biking trails are just 10 miles from downtown. Then there’s the 500 acres of green space in town (including the 32-acre Falls Park on the Reedy River), the weekend festivals (arts in May, food and wine in September), and the Blue Ridge mountains just an hour away.”

Outside magazine’s description of Greenville in its “Best Town Ever 2013” contest. Greenville is vying against San Diego, Boston, Park City, Honolulu and five other cities for the title of best active town. Cast your vote at outsideingreenville.com.P

hoto

Pro

vide

d

4 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal June 7, 2013

UBJ Worth Repeating | TBA

“being Germans, it’s not like we have to see Germans every second day,

but it feels good to be part of the international community.”

Lukas Steinke, CEO of the U.S. subsidiary of German playground equipment manufacturer Berliner Seilfabrik, on the

international feel of his adopted Upstate home.

“there was 20 inches of snow on the ground when i left Detroit, and at

Clemson the azaleas were blooming.” Dr. Terry Farris, founding director of Clemson’s Master of Real Estate

Development Program, on one of the factors that led him to take the job.

“Freemium is a con. there’s got to be a better way to make good games and make good money.”

Jesse Wonder Clark of gaming startup Kydaemos, on the business model where products are given for free but advanced features cost a premium.

“our job is to get companies here.” Clay Andrews, director of investor and public relations at the Upstate

SC Alliance, which, along with the Economic Futures Group of the Spartanburg Chamber of Commerce, was named among a

dozen groups in Site Selection Magazine’s annual Best to Invest list.

Keep an eye out for an announcement soon on a new residential development going up by the Swamp Rabbit Trail near Furman. Word is the builder is committed to using sustainable construction techniques, meaning reduced maintenance and energy costs…

Townhomes may be going up on Mayberry Street; Artful Homes wants to

subdivide 0.4 acres across from Mayberry Park into four lots for townhomes. The city zoning commission takes up the request June 14...

Look for a new juvenile detention center to open at the Law Enforcement Center this August. Reportedly the facility will house 30 juveniles in a secure area, with office space provided for DSS, the Justice Department and other related agencies…

TBA

UBJ News

864.908.3062 • atlocke.com

You’ve got better things to do than dig through your cash fl ow statements every day.

We don’t.

12AT

L 45

61

the sc chamber of commerce is hoping that a recent D.C. Circuit Court ruling against the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) will prompt the South Carolina District Court to reconsider the NLRB’s authority in a pending appeal.

The regulation would require all employers who are subject to the National Labor Relations Act – nearly all employers – to post a notice of employee rights. The

NLRB argued that failure to post constituted an unfair labor practice. The D.C. court found fault not with the rules, but with the methods of enforcement. As a result, the whole law had to be struck down because part of it was deemed problematic.

“The Board is currently review-ing the court’s decision on the employee rights notice rule and will make a decision on further proceedings at the appropriate

time,” said an NLRB spokesperson. “The rule is also currently under review by the Fourth Circuit.”

Indeed, the ruling could impact a similar case currently under appeal in the South Carolina Fourth District Court. The state Chamber of Com-merce won a suit against the NLRB in South Carolina District Court last year. The court ruled that the Labor Relations Act did not give the Board the authority to require postings.

“[The D.C. ruling] doesn’t have direct effect on South Carolina, but gives guidance on how a court could look at it in a different way,” said Benjamin Glass, who represents the pro-business plaintiffs led by the chamber. He said the larger issue is that the NLRB has overstepped its bounds, and has been trying to recast its role from being an impar-tial party into an agency whose mission is union organization.

Glass said unions had been un-fairly accusing employers of unfair labor practices whenever businesses voiced their opinions on union issues. The postings also paraphrase parts of the National Labor Rela-tions Act. He said the business com-munity felt the language placed more emphasis on issues that would encourage unionization but didn’t include what employees would have the right not to do.

Judges in the D.C. court also dis-cussed whether forcing companies to post messages was somehow an in-fringement of their constitutional free speech rights. Glass said the chamber had raised that argument in the initial suit, but the court did not address it.

All of the litigation is technically preemptive. The Employee Rights Notice Posting Rule, as it is named, was never implemented or enforced. It was scheduled to take effect on April 30, 2012, but on April 17, 2012, the Board suspended its implemen-tation in light of a D.C. Circuit order temporarily halting the rule while litigation was pending.

Labor Rights Ruling May Impact SC SuitBy Jennifer Oladipo | senior business writer

Contact Jennifer Oladipo at [email protected].

UBJ News

American Express® Simon Giftcards:® Use only at US merchants that accept American Express Cards except cruise

lines and casinos. Not for use at ATMs or for recurring payments. Not redeemable for cash. No fees after purchase. For more information, customer service, or Cardholder Agreement visit simongiftcard.com or call 1-800-331-5479. Issued by American Express Prepaid Card Management Corporation.

Subject to availability. See gift cards for details, terms, conditions, and (if applicable) fees. All trademarks are property of their respective owners. Product may not be available in all states.

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Over 200 gift cards in one location.Now you can check everything off your list.

Purchase yours today at Simon Guest Services.




Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)Valid Thru (mm/yValid Thru (mm/yValid Thru (mm/yValid Thru (mm/yy)y)y)y)






Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)






Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)

Valid Thru (mm/yy)



EXIT 39 AT THE INTERSECTION OF I 385 & HAYWOOD ROADSHOPPING LINE® 864-288-0511


more than 1,600 businesses have signed a petition against the rate increase Duke Energy requested in March ahead of public hearings this month.

The company submitted a request in March to the state Public Service Commission to increase rates by an average of 15 percent, or about $220 million, to make up for increased business costs coupled with lower sales.

When Duke asked for a 15 percent increase for 2012, the commission only approved a 6 percent average increase, about 5 percent for com-mercial and industrial and 7 percent for residential customers. At that time the company had cited $6.5 billion in capital investments including re-placement and update of plants, and environmental compliance.

If approved, it would be the third increase since 2010.

Duke said the majority of the current request is due to capital in-vestments made in the electrical system, including two new power plants, the Dan River natural gas plant in Eden, N.C., and the Cliffside Steam Station in Mooresboro, N.C.

“The proposed rate increase is needed to begin paying the company back for money it has already in-vested in new, cleaner and more efficient power plants and equip-ment, and to comply with increasing state and federal regulations,” the company said in a statement.

Such regulations include feder-

UpcomiNg pUblic HeariNgs

spartaNbUrgthursday, June 20, 2013,

6 p.m., at spartanburg community college, tracy J. gaines building, auditorium,

800 brisack road, spartanburg, sc 29303.

greeNville

monday, June 24, 2013, 6 p.m., at greenville county

council chambers, 301 University ridge, suite 2400, greenville, sc 29601-3681.

aNdersoN

thursday, June 27, 2013, 6 p.m., at the anderson civic

center, ballrooms a & b, 3027 mlK Jr. boulevard,

anderson, sc 29625.

Duke Rate Hike Hearings Nearby Jennifer oladipo | senior business writer

ally mandated upgrades to nuclear power plants. The cost of a vegeta-tion program to reduce the number of power lines downed by trees was also cited as a cause.

Residential customers would see the highest increase at 16.3 percent. Commercial customers would have the lowest increase, 14 percent.

As of press time, 1,660 parties had filed protests against the increase. The commission will begin hearings on the request July 21. A final ruling will be issued in September.


UBJ News

Important: Bon Secours Express Care provides treatment to injuries or conditions that are non-life-threatening. If you have an emergency, call 911 or proceed directly to the emergency room.

Bon SecourS expreSS careiS noW open!doWntoWn greenville | 864-420-903875 eaSt McBee avenue | greenville | 29601Mon - fri: 8aM - 8pM | Sat: 9aM - 6pM | Sun: 10aM - 6pM

downtown greenville now has access to board-certified family Medicine physicians 12-hours a day, as well as on the weekend. no appointment necessary. Simply walk-in or use our call-ahead service to reserve your appointment with one of our Bon Secours Medical group physicians who will assess your needs and conduct tests if needed.


Upstate Pharmacy Celebrates 90 Years

By Jeanne Putnam | contributor

mcleskey-todd pharmacy recently celebrated its 90th anni-versary at its current location at 107 N. Main St. in Greer, after moving twice since its inception.

The pharmacy opened in 1923 when Dr. Harvey Todd and Dr. Henry McLeskey acquired Bost Drug Store at 107 E. Poinsett St. in Greer. The store’s long-term manager and later partial owner, Eugene (Gene) Bettis, began working at the pharmacy in 1927 as a soda jerk and clerk. During the 1930s he trained as a pharmacist’s assistant, left to serve in World War II, and returned in 1943 to serve as a pharmacist at McLeskey-Todd.

In 1949, Bettis became assistant manager and in the following year, expanded his investment and became a partner with McLeskey, Todd and Dr. Towers Ligon.

In 1955, Bettis was listed as manager in the city directory and in 1963, the pharmacy was at two locations on 107 E. Poinsett St. and 107 Cannon St. In 1965, Bettis bought out McLeskey and the fol-

lowing year, he bought out Todd. In 1967, the store relocated to 107 Cannon St. and McLeskey-Todd was incorporated in 1968 under Bettis’ ownership.

In 1972, the store moved one final time to its current location at 107 N. Main St. In 1991, Gene Bettis passed away. According to Don Wall, current partner of the phar-macy, the store was then sold to Harmon Wall Properties, which was a partnership between Wall and the Harmons. Peggy Harmon became pharmacist-in-charge and general manager after the purchase.

In 2012, the Harmons retired and Jed Wall became a partner, joining his father at the helm.

“I have been a pharmacist for 16 years and my father is a partner at McLeskey-Todd, so when his part-ners wanted to sell, I bought their half,” said Jed Wall. “I have worked at my family’s other pharmacies, Professional Pharmacy and Kash and Karry in Greenville. Our family has been involved with family phar-macies for close to 50 years.”

Contact Jeanne Putnam at [email protected].

McLesky-Todd Pharmacy in the mid-1940s

Pho

to P

rovi

ded


UBJ Digital Maven By LAURA HAIGHT

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.

Got a question or comment about this or any other tech topic? Go

to facebook.com/thedigitalmaven and post it for discussion.

if you work collaborativelywith other employees, you have probably struggled with the issue of sharing documents.

You may have a shared folder somewhere, but that falls short when you realize that you have several collaborators all with dif-ferent versions of the same docu-ment. Or you might have a per-sonal Google Docs account with a generic login that is shared with everyone. Also a problem – espe-cially when someone leaves your company, or you just fi nd you really need more control over your fi les.

Not all that long ago, you would have stepped up to an fi le server on your company network running Windows Server and allowing you to set up users and permissions to secure folders. You would have needed a full-time server manager, and probably at least one other desktop staffer to handle training, support, updates and help desk calls.

Today we’ve got a lot of other choices – none of which involves maintaining your own servers, which is a non-starter for a lot of small businesses. We’re going to talk about two:

• Google Apps for Business offers a suite of productivity applica-tions via online subscription service. Cost is per user. You can control user permissions

in the service itself is available through a plug-in or add-on. The Google Apps marketplace has robust offerings from CRM to project management. They all plug in to your user management and permission levels. The same is true for Offi ce 365 and its online store. Another draw.

The bottom line? There are some pricing differences and some functional differences, but small businesses that used to have very few manageable, cost-effective options now have two that are world-class. That’s a nice conun-drum to have.

An Abundance of Collaborative Options

“Small businesses that used to have very few manageable, cost-effective

collaborative options now have two that are world-class.”

and access to specifi c fi les or folders. Utilize your own business custom domain.

• Offi ce 365 by Microsoft offers online versions of Offi ce – the most widely installed produc-tivity suite of applications in the world. Per-user pricing varies, as does the software provided – similar to the differences between buying different levels of Offi ce.

In many ways all three options provide similar services for similar pricing – but there are some differences.

1. Mobile accessibility. The edge goes to Google Apps for Business. Offi ce 365 has “mobile viewers” that let you review documents in your Sky Drive, but it does not have a native application to edit those fi les on iOS or Android devices. (You can edit them on Windows Phone.) There are several third-party ap-plications (Offi ce HD is one I have used on the iPad) that let you edit documents, but they are often best for quick changes, not wholesale content creation. Meanwhile, Google Drive has a mobile app for all devices – phones and tablets. You can access all your documents to review or fully edit – from slide-shows to spreadsheets.

2. Interoperability. Fancy word. It basically means how well things work with other things. The edge goes to Offi ce 365 on this one with a caveat: If you do things Microsoft’s way, everything works great. Less so if you want mix-and-match. For example, trying to use Apple’s Mail client means some functions in Offi ce 365 just won’t work – or at least not with one click. But on the other hand, Offi ce 365 goes a long way to connecting other applications or services like Google calendar, Facebook and Twitter to your Outlook.com, MS Messenger and Lync accounts.

3. Ease of use. This totally depends on how experienced a user you are. Offi ce is familiar and most users will adapt fairly easily to the Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access Web apps. But it is worth noting that most users utilize only 10 percent of any app – even the most familiar. While Google’s docs are stream-lined, they drop off some of the more advanced functions. If you are an Excel guru, a fi nancial con-sultant who creates what-if sce-narios and pivot tables, you’ll prob-ably groan at that. But if you are, then these trimmed-down online versions are not what you need anyway. My rating: it’s a draw.

4. Add-ons. There’s great news here: Whatever doesn’t come native

June 7, 2013 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 9

By ANDY BRACKUBJ Statehouse Report

Andy Brack, publisher of Statehouse Report, provides weekly commentary. He can be reached directly at [email protected].

adult rate among states), chlamyd-ia (fifth highest), stroke (fifth highest), hypertension (seventh highest) and obesity (eighth highest). One in 10 babies are born with low birth weights, the fourth highest rate in the country. In 2012, KidsCount ranked the Palmetto State as the eighth worst place for kids to grow up. None of these numbers is dramatically better – or worse – than a few years back.

In addition to having a high poverty rate, South Carolina has the fi fth lowest median income, accord-ing to Census fi gures. In 2011, the nation’s median average household income was just over $50,000. But in South Carolina, the fi gure was 20

percent of income going to state and local governments. But hunger is comparatively high with almost 19 percent of South Carolinians – 870,000 people – saying they are “food insecure,” according to Feeding America.

On education, South Carolina ranks a lot higher than many think at fi rst blush. According to the re-spected Quality County annual survey in 2013 by Education Week magazine, South Carolina ranked 26th highest in education. Kid-

the news on poverty in south Carolina isn’t good: We’ve over-taken Mississippi.

The Great Recession has taken its toll here. South Carolina now ranks third highest in poverty in the country, according to the de-tailed Current Population Survey (CPS) of the U.S. Census Bureau. It shows some 19 percent of South Carolinians – about 874,000 people – live at or below federal poverty levels. At the top of the list: New Mexico (22.2 percent) and Louisi-ana (21.1 percent). Mississippi tied with Texas as seventh highest in poverty with a 17.4 percent rate.

South Carolina surged to third highest in poverty in the most recent report after the Census Bureau apparently revised how it collected data for its in-depth CPS study. In 2010, South Carolina ranked 10th on the report with 773,000 people living at or below the poverty level. That’s the same rank the state had in 1980 when 534,000 people lived in poverty.

But rankings aside, the important number is that another 100,000 people were considered to be living in poverty in 2011, compared to a year earlier. And over three decades as South Carolina’s population grew, so did the number of poor – by 340,000 individuals.

These numbers are among a series of statistics that highlight the struggles that many people living in South Carolina continue to have. As we highlight every couple of years, many South Carolinians still have signifi cant challenges related to health care, economics, educa-tion and safety.

South Carolina has among the worst health rates for a variety of conditions: diabetes (third highest

Numbers Show SC Still Has a Long Way to Go

“We in the Palmetto State still have a lot to do to get off the bottom lists that we shouldn’t be on.”

BY THE NUMBERSHIGHEST POVERTY

LEVELS IN THE U.S. IN 2011

NEW MEXICO

22.2%LOUISIANA

21.1%SOUTH CAROLINA

19.0%ARKANSAS

18.7%GEORGIA

18.4%WEST VIRGINIA

17.5%MISSISSIPPI

17.4%TEXAS

17.4%ARIZONA

17.2%CALIFORNIA

16.9%Source: U.S. Census Current

Population Survey

percent lower at $40,084 a year. Before you get too depressed, the

state’s unemployment rate has been dropping. The rate is about to slide out of the nation’s bottom quartile. While it was among the top in the nation during the recession, it now is 12th highest at 8 percent in April. Our unemployment rate, which was at 5.7 percent in 2007, has dropped almost four full percentage points since 2010.

Other measures of economic health: Our business climate is 22nd best, according to a Forbes magazine study in December. Our tax burden is 10th lowest, according to the Tax Foundation, with 8.4

highest rate in the country.South Carolina also is compar-

atively unsafe. It has the third highest rate of domestic violence, is fifth highest in violent crime, has the highest rate of deadly al-cohol-rated accidents and has most dangerous roads, according to various sources.

The bottom line of all of these surveys and studies is that we in the Palmetto State still have a lot to do to get off the bottom lists that we shouldn’t be on. But to do that, we need to demand more of our leaders – and ourselves – to start working on our big problems and to stop playing around the edges.

sCount, however, ranked the Pal-metto State 11th from the bottom on education in its 2012 survey. South Carolina’s on-time gradua-tion rate is fourth from the bottom, but of the kids who graduate and attend college, we have the sixth


UBJ Create. Innovate. Celebrate. By JOHN WARNER

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

this may, the tenth annualInnoVenture conference connected people with big ideas with those who have needed expertise and resourc-es. In prior years, attendees were on their own to follow up with each other in the days and weeks that followed, so the energy from the conferences dissipated over time.

InnoVenture.com changes that. Sustainable networks of connec-tions created around big ideas pre-sented at the conference persist and grow online. The aerospace and aviation network is one of the most active networks emerging from this year’s conference.

It’s hard to hear Steve Townesgive his passionate, high-octane pitch for growing the aerospace and aviation industry in our region without your heart starting to race. He highlights the convergence of technologies in the Carolinas – in automotive, aerospace, electronics/avionics, and advanced materials – that is causing innovation here to boom. This clustering of technolo-gies has already begun here in the Char-lanta mega region, which has 23 million people, a superior work-force and quality of life and is within a day’s drive of 2/3 of the U.S. pop-ulation. Steve is CEO of Louis Berger Services, which is headquar-

airfi eld services as well as logistics and supply-chain services.

Bill McLendon was formerly a colleague of Steve’s at the company Louis Berger acquired, Ranger Ser-vices International. Bill graduated fi rst in his class at the U.S. Air Force Academy and is a Rhodes scholar who has now partnered with Ross Perot to become CEO of Perot Aero-space. His fi rm is a new private equity fund headquartered in Green-ville focused on the $225 billion U.S. aerospace market with strong long-term growth potential but which is underserved by the capital markets. Bill is seeking to make investments in companies with annual earnings of $10 to $75 million. Initially he’s looking for companies providing value added aerospace services, but he is also keenly interested in spe-cialty manufacturing.

and private stakeholders interested in sustainable mobility and vehicles to infrastructure connectivity.

who want to join in developing this new way of thinking that can help grow the aerospace and aviation industry in the region.

In total, there are 11 big ideas in the aerospace and aviation network at InnoVenture.com. What’s power-ful is how participants can collaborate together to create a much more robust and powerful aerospace and aviation network than any of them can alone. InnoVenture.com is working with idea presenters to fi rst introduce their ideas to people they know who are interested in helping make their ideas a reality. So far they have introduced their ideas to around 2,000 people, many of whom have self-identifi ed as interested in helping by following their ideas online. Then InnoVenture.com will promote the entire aerospace and aviation network to the followers of all the ideas in the network, so each idea presenter makes new valuable con-nections with people they did not previously know.

InnoVenture.com is the fi rst professional social network built around big ideas. People from 30 U.S. states and 32 countries are currently participating. InnoVen-ture.com itself is a really big idea.

Making Connections in Aerospace

tered in Greenville and part of the $1.1 billion revenue Berger Group. Berger Services recently acquired Hawthorne Services and is seeking complementary acquisitions in aero-space sectors such as aircraft and

Jody Bryson, CEO of the South Carolina Technology and Aviation Center, is a different type of par-ticipant in the aerospace and avia-tion network. Jody manages a huge asset, 2,600 acres anchored by the 8,000-foot runway at Donaldson Field where 85 aviation and technol-ogy companies are currently located. Jody’s seeking partners for the re-cently announced International Transportation Innovation Center, a joint economic develop-ment initiative between CU-ICAR and SCTAC to redevelop a signifi cant part of the airport prop-erty into a unique test bed for public

Isaac White is the engineering manager at Stevens Aviation, one of the companies at SCTAC. Stevens provides maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) services to gov-ernment and private plane owners. Their industry has an interesting type of intellectual property called a Supplementary Type Certifi cate (STC), which is an authorization from the Federal Aviation Admin-istration to perform specifi ed air-craft renovations. Stevens is seeking those who have STCs or ideas that can lead to STCs and who are seeking a MRO partner to com-mercialize them. Stevens Aviation wants to become an engine of in-novation in the MRO industry.

Paul Kumler, president of the engineering fi rm KTM Solutions, adds even more to the diversity of the aerospace and aviation network. Paul is passionate about his big idea, which he sees as a grand ex-periment to develop a blended en-gineering environment yielding practical, innovative, and creative engineering solutions not possible in traditional “engineering spe-cialty silos.” He’s looking for others

and private stakeholders interested in sustainable mobility and vehicles to infrastructure connectivity.


Debbie Nelson is the president and founder of DNA Creative Communica-tions, a public relations fi rm that partners with nonprofi t and government organizations in the education, human services and sustainability sectors. DNA offers its Shine the Light on Your Nonprofi t educational workshops. Register now for “The Funder/Grantee Dynamic: A Candid Conversation” to be held on June 13 at the Kroc Center. Call 864-235-0959 x4.

UBJ Nonprofi t Matters By DEBBIE NELSON

to consider how they can effec-tively help the community of Moore. A friend posed this very question.

How do you recommend I support the victims of the Moore tornado and other natural disasters? I want to be sure my donations reach those truly in need.

CHRIS

Chris, as with other forms of phi-lanthropy, disaster giving should be a thoughtful process. Consider when and where your support will have the most impact. I recently read an enlightening article by Cynthia Strauss, director of re-search for Fidelity Charitable, in which she defi nes disaster relief in the following four phases:

PHASE 1 IMMEDIATE: Day of disaster u6 months

GOAL: Restoring order to the area

PHASE 2 INTERMEDIATE: Days after disaster u1 to 2 years after

GOAL: Stabilization and return to daily activities

PHASE 3 LONG-TERM: Weeks/ months after disaster u5 to 15 years after

GOAL: Rebuilding for a better future

PHASE 4 DISASTER PREPAREDNESS: Ongoing

GOAL: Emergency risk reduction and prevention

Once you decide which phase you want to support, use these tips to select a worthy organization and avoid being scammed:

• Request detailed information about the organization. Be wary of charities that refuse to provide this information.

• Research the organization. Search online using the words “complaints” or “scam” to learn about its reputation. Be wary of organizations that have names that are too similar to reputable groups.

• Contact organizations such as Charity Navigator and GuideStar.

• Be wary of charities that use high-pressure tactics.

• Visit the IRS website to identify organizations that are eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

• Always keep records of your donations. Be wary of charities that thank you for a pledge you don’t remember making.

• Never send cash donations or wire money. Do not provide credit card numbers, bank accounts or other personal information until you’ve thoroughly researched the charity.

• Be wary of charities that spring up immediately following a disaster. While they may be legitimate, they probably don’t have the infrastructure to get the donations to the affected area or people.

Donating to Disasters: Don’t Be Dupedas i contemplate writing my monthly UBJ column, I am hit with a fl ood of memories. The day is Thursday, Sept. 21, 1989. My family is pulling out of our driveway on Sullivan’s Island along with our dog, Lacey, boxes of photos, suitcases of clothing, beloved stuffed animals and as many cherished mementos as two cars can hold. We are heading west to escape the wrath of Hurricane Hugo. And while it might seem trivial, I clearly remem-ber saying “good-bye” to seven re-cently planted Japanese pine trees and the giant water oak that graced our front yard.

The next day I sat traumatized in a restaurant in Aiken not knowing what the future held for my family. I overheard a young man discussing his plans to fl y over the S.C. coast the following day. I turned around and boldly asked if my husband and I could join him. This experience turned out to be one of the most powerful and emotional of my life.

History reports there was exten-sive damage on Sullivan’s Island and beyond, but this does not capture what we saw that day. We fl ew over the houses of friends and neighbors – wordless, with tears in our eyes. And when we fi nally spotted our home, we shouted and pointed, “There it is! It is still standing…” We didn’t care that the roof was down to bare wood and that our treasured oak tree had no leaves. We had a home to go back to.

So why do I share this story now? On May 20, Moore, Okla., was in the path of an EF5 tornado. Twenty-four people lost their lives; 10 were children. Twelve thousand buildings were damaged or destroyed. As you can imagine, this recent tragedy hit close to home for me.

I want to encourage those listen-ing to and watching the 24/7 news coverage detailing the devastation

In general, donations made for Phase 1 support are better imple-mented by national or interna-tional organizations. These groups can assemble the necessary re-sources from outside the disaster area and can act quickly. Groups to consider for the Moore tornado are the American National Red Cross, AmeriCares and Direct Relief International. Donations to the Red Cross will be directed to overall disaster relief, unless you specify a particular disaster.

When making donations during Phases 2-4, I encourage you to donate to a community-based group. To fi nd the right organiza-tion, visit the local United Way and community foundation websites to learn about their nonprofi t partners. For the Moore tornado, consult with the Oklahoma City Community Foundation and the United Way of Central Oklahoma.

As I close, I take a deep breath. This past week, the 2013 Atlantic hurricane season began. For the past 24 years on June 1 I refl ect on how fortunate my family was during and after Hugo. We couldn’t move back into our home for more than nine months; however, we had insurance, a place to stay, the support of family and friends – and most important-ly, we were all safe. Unfortunately, this is not always the case for those in the path of natural disasters.

Until next time,DEBBIE

[email protected]

a fl ood of memories. The day is Thursday, Sept. 21, 1989. My family is pulling out of our driveway on Sullivan’s Island along with our dog, Lacey, boxes of photos, suitcases of clothing, beloved stuffed animals and as many cherished mementos as two cars can hold. We are heading west to escape the wrath


UBJ Guest Column

milliken & company, well known for its innovative specialty chemical, floor covering and performance materials, recently showcased one of its newest building and infra-structure repair and rehabilitation products, Concrete Cloth, with an installation at the Roger Milliken Center (RMC) interchange at I-85 Business and 176.

Championed by the Noble Tree Foundation, this project marks the first South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) Concrete Cloth installation, and will provide both functional as well as aesthetic benefits to the interchange.

The Noble Tree Foundation has been actively involved in beautify-ing the I-85 corridor, and has been beautifying Spartanburg and the surrounding areas for many years. Noble Tree Foundation representa-tive Stewart Winslow worked with SCDOT and recommended the use of Concrete Cloth for the RMC in-terchange, noting “the beautifica-tion of these interchanges through landscaping and hardscaping will benefit Spartanburg for many years. This project will improve and enhance one of the more important gateways to the city.”

SCDOT representative Charlie Wilbanks was also on hand for the Concrete Cloth installation, and was “exceptionally pleased” with the overall installation process. Accord-ing to Wilbanks, “at SCDOT we see a lot of new products. Concrete Cloth is remarkable in its ease of use, and will have many future ap-plications within the system.”

Concrete Cloth is engineered concrete in roll form, and repre-sents a new way of thinking about concrete and its application. Con-crete Cloth is simply unrolled, cut and placed in a formed ditch, slope, abutment, column or other struc-

Much Potential Seen in Concrete ClothBy Joseph Church

ture. The cloth is then hydrated and cures quickly into a rigid 5,000-psi concrete surface.

The dry form of the product allows for substantially more mate-rial to be shipped to and stored on site prior to hydration, reducing the number of truckloads required and minimizing mobilization and traffic disruption compared to traditional concrete repair and construction methods. This benefit can signifi-cantly reduce the overall environ-mental footprint of installing or repairing concrete infrastructure. In addition, the product is simple and efficient to install, accelerating the speed of installation and project completion, while reducing overall project costs. In all, more infra-structure can be repaired with limited infrastructure budgets.

This remarkable new geo-com-posite is manufactured in the U.S. and is serving as a platform for Mil-liken’s wider building and infra-structure offerings. Rich Pilston, Concrete Cloth business manager, notes that “Concrete Cloth is a true innovation that helps extend the capabilities of our cities and utilities to repair infrastructure effectively, more efficiently and at lower cost than before. An example is the prod-uct’s ability to deliver uniform erosion control in difficult-to-access areas, such as steep slopes or ditches, where Concrete Cloth is easier to install and more efficient than poured concrete or rip rap stone. These benefits will bring value to many SCDOT installations.”

Joseph Church, PE, is a senior sales engineer with Milliken & Company, and has over 20 years’ experience in civil engineering. He grew up in Spartanburg, and has been working on innovative Concrete Cloth solu-tions throughout the United States. P

hoto

by

Ger

ry P

ate

SCDOT workers put down Milliken’s Concrete Cloth to repair drains that were washing away dirt and trees.

All that and more, right here in Greenville.Learn how you can get the MBA that’s right for you

at one of our monthly information sessions.

Register at june25info.eventbrite.com.

Clemson.edu/mba · [email protected] · 864-656-8173

PERSONALIZATIONINNOVATIONFLEXIBILITYGROWTH

UBJ News


founder Matthew Smith, a nation-ally renowned designer, and Charles Adler, co-founder of Kickstarter.

The crowd was notably different from last year’s demo at Zen, about a mile down the street. There were fewer business suits. Chandler Van De Water of Tavern delivered his pitch for an app for beer connoisseurs wearing a T-shirt and shorts, but no shoes. He let a group of funders sitting on one end of the room know that the presentation was tailored “for my design community.”

For the most part, however, the jocular atmosphere gave way to seriousness as companies had pre-cious few minutes to sell themselves and their products, asking investors for amounts from $250,000 to $800,000. Technical diffi culties and visible bouts of nervousness underscored the gravity of the event for the entrepreneurs.

The biggest ask came from Jesse Wonder Clark of Kydaemos, who gave a polished pitch on an app that allows users to bet money as they

compete in real-time games. “Free-mium is a con,” he said, referring to the business model where prod-ucts are given for free but advanced features cost a premium. “There’s got to be a better way to make good games and make good money.”

The youngest engineer ever hired by Intel, 19-year-old Darren Liu pitched Haptix, software that could turn any surface into a touchscreen controller. He listed Intel and Siemens as potential partners, and said there were already talks with CU-ICAR to design interfaces to control entertain-

ment inside automobiles.The pitch session ended

with a pitch by Jeremiah Dew of Gamemasters, who listed several successes with apps that create real-world games for organiza-tions and informal groups. Immediately after that, everyone was invited to play one of their games, which would lead them on

a scavenger hunt around down-town before dinner.

On the second day, participants took time out for a kickball game at Fluor Field.

Grok is also an opportunity for the Iron Yard to pitch Greenville to the creative young people that make up the tech entrepreneur culture. Now in its third year, the event has grown from about 20 locals to more than 200 par-ticipants, half from out of town.

Rebecca White, a self-employed designer from Jackson, Miss., said she has visited Greenville several times and plans to relocate here in the coming months, following some former coworkers.

“The major attraction is the in-credible community of highly skilled, passionate designers and developers,” White said.

Today is the application deadline for the Digital Health Startups ac-celerator that begins July 15 in Spartanburg, which aims to capital-ize on the growing healthcare pres-ence in that city.

Companies, Kickballs Pitched

at GrokBy Jennifer Oladipo | senior business writer

the second batch of companiesin the 13-week Iron Yard Accelera-tor pitched their games, services and tools last week during Grok, a three-day idea-sharing event for Web designers and developers. Short sessions with experts were intermingled with kickball and scavenger hunts, and networking time for 215 attendees.

Blue paper tinsel hung from the ceilings at the Forge, the Iron Yard’s space in the former Windstream building at Main and Washington streets. Walls were decorated with prints of custom cartoon characters that captured the crowd well: mostly male, often bearded and musta-chioed, style-conscious and laid-back.

Speakers included Iron Yard co-

Chris Merritt addresses the crowd at The Forge.

Johnnie Choi takes time to network during Grok at the Iron Yard.

A highlight of the Grok conference

was a kickball game at Fluor Field.

Pho

tos

by J

ivan

Dav

é

UBJ News

The Look of a LeaderRedesigned for 2014

2014 E350 Sedan

www.CarltonMotorcars.com864-213-8000 | 800-801-3131

2446 Laurens Road, Greenville, SC 29607

CARLTONMOTORCARS

M43A

CarltonMerce hlfH ML350 UBJ.indd 1 4/9/13 8:59 AM

the upstate sc alliance and the Economic Futures Group of the Spartanburg Chamber of Commerce were named among a dozen groups in Site Selection Magazine’s annual Best to Invest list. The honorees were noted for having inventive ap-proaches to economic development.

The magazine is published by Conway Data, a business intelligence company specializing in economic development. Among other winners were the Atlanta, Austin and Baton Rouge chambers of commerce, and economic development organiza-tions in Pittsburgh and Detroit.

Winners were judged on jobs, capital investment, creativity of economic development strategy and breakthrough deals, among other criteria.

The recent BMW expansion was noted as an important deal among more than $10 billion in capital invest-ments and 31,000 jobs since 2005.

Carter Smith, executive vice president of the Spartanburg

Chamber, said the Upstate is on the front end of economic development organizations focusing on employ-ment as much as the companies they aim to grow and court. Com-panies are asking for that.

Smith said in the 2012 fi scal year, 14 projects were committed for both new and expanding companies. As a result, Spartanburg County saw more than $1 billion and 11,000 jobs.

“I think that you’re going to see a lot more of the economic develop-ment agencies and communities centering around workforce devel-opment initiatives,” Smith said. “In the past it’s been, ‘Do you have the site that works or do you have the building that works?’ I think one of the more crucial components will be, ‘Do you have the workforce?’”

Just three years ago the Interna-tional Economic Development Council based in Washington, D.C., reported that relatively little atten-tion was being paid to job creation from the perspective of economic development practitioners. Busi-ness trends such as automation of jobs, global leadership and fl at wages have quickly changed eco-nomic development in recent years.

“In response to these trends, the formerly well-defi ned and rela-tively straightforward profession of economic development has become more complex and unpredictable,” the study said.

Clay Andrews, director of investor and public relations at the Upstate SC Alliance, said year-end numbers were higher than what had been reported to Site Selection to win the award. He

cited $2.28 billion of an-nounced investment

and 4,117 jobs.

Andrews said the recent hiring of a research analyst was also cited as setting the Upstate SC Alliance apart. Elizabeth Feather joined the staff in 2011 and conducts custom research for site consultants, the county eco-nomic developers and investors.

“Our information was months old rather than years old,” Andrews said.

A spate of hiring over the past 18 months included other specialists in target areas such as advanced materials or Chinese companies. Creating task forces for each tar-geted industry, along with the spe-cialized research, brought Site Se-lection’s attention, Andrews said.

Documentation was another im-portant criterion for the award. Andrews said the Upstate SC Alli-ance was able to show improved progress from previous years.

“Our job is to get companies here,” Andrews said. “The local economic developer is responsible for landing the deal. So we measure ourselves based on presentations and getting companies to visit.”

Upstate Economic Development ‘Rewrites Norms’

By Jennifer Oladipo | senior business writer


ship skills. I also knew that Toast-masters is one of the most time-effi cient, effective and afford-able ways to grow personally and professionally. However, I was very fearful about the whole thing. What would people think about me? What if I screw up in front of them? Can I really get better at leadership

and communication with all this fear?

cation and leadership roles they learn to tell their stories, listen and answer, plan and lead, and give and accept feedback. They fi nd their path to leadership.

How did I initially feel about Toastmasters? In 2009, an ac-quaintance invited me to attend Metro Toastmasters located in downtown Greenville. I knew I wanted to sharpen my com-munication and leader-

build their competence in commu-nication, gaining confi dence to lead others. Through various communi-

toastmasters international has been recognized as the leading worldwide organization dedicated to communication and leadership skill development since 1924. Men and women of every background, ethnicity, education level and profession

55 Beattie Place | commerce-club.com | 864.232.5600

in the upscale bar with great city and mountain views; network with

Greenville’s top business professionals

Connect

efficiently, close deals and conduct

meetings in the sophisticated, iPad-ready

e-lounge and private offices

Workproductive meetings in our dynamic boardroom

with high-tech business

amenities and signature service

Host exciting accomplishments with family, friends or co-workers in your choice

of private dining rooms

Celebrate Play as hard as you work with Club events, parties, and mixers designed to help you kick back and relax

CommClub dbltrk UBJ 0426.indd 1 4/23/13 11:11 AM

UBJ Guest Column By JARRETT BROADWELL

Here’s to Toastmasters Attendees enjoy speakers and fellowship at a recent Toastmasters

event at the Commerce Club.

Pho

tos

by E

mili

e C

arol

Jarrett Broadwell is the vice president of membership at Young Professional Toastmasters, located at The Commerce Club in downtown Greenville. He lives in downtown Greenville and is native to Greenville. A former elementary school teacher turned entrepreneur, he now owns a tutoring business and Internet marketing business. He attributes much of his success in business

and life to the Toastmasters system and its wonderful people.




Connect














Connect











Pho

tos

by E

mili

e C

arol

During the fi rst meeting, I was intimidated by the great speakers and I absolutely dreaded even the simple task of introducing myself as a guest of the Toastmasters meeting. I was a wreck. You won’t believe this. After my fi rst Toast-masters meeting I was so scared that I didn’t come back to a second meeting for six months.

Six months later I immediately joined. Six months after that I had completed 10 prepared speeches and participated in all eight com-munication and leadership roles during a typical Toastmasters meeting. I was pumped! Why?

First, in that six-month period, I learned that the people involved in Toastmasters are a tremendously friendly, positive and encouraging group. I met many business owners, corporate professionals, and a few paid professional speakers in the Greenville area. These people were very helpful in guiding my develop-ment in communication and lead-ership. What environment condu-cive for growth!

Second, I learned the reality of Emerson’s saying, “Do the thing and you will have the power.” Have you ever seen a great mechanic work on a car? Maybe you’ve seen someone that seems to work magic with children? The children just fall in love with the person. They have done the thing so many times that they now have the power. They look confi dent in what they are doing, don’t they?

I learned that if I fi rst do the thing I’m not good at, I would eventually do well at it. How simple is that? I wanted power in the numerous skill sets involved with communication and leadership. Toastmasters helped me develop the skills.

The lessons I’ve learned about speaking with and leading people have transformed my personal and professional life infi nitely. Toast-masters can do the same for you.

I’m excited about the opportu-nity for Greenville’s young profes-sionals to speak and lead at another level. A fellow Toastmaster, Nick Graham, and I partnered to create Young Professional Toastmasters. Dylan Petrick, general manager of

“The lessons I’ve learned about speaking with and leading people

have transformed my personal and professional life infi nitely.”

the Commerce Club, and Matt Foster, president of the Young Ex-ecutives of the Commerce Club, helped out with the location. Thanks to them we now hold meet-ings at 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month at The Commerce Club in down-

town Greenville. Our website is yptm.toast

mastersclubs.org.Wherever you are in life, I am

1,000 percent confi dent that Toast-masters will add value to you and give you the extra edge you need to perform in today’s world.

7 6 5 h a y w o o d r o a d • g r e e n v i l l e • 8 6 4 - 2 9 7 - 6 4 5 8

This advertisement was prepared by:ATLAS PRINT SOLUTIONS

Client: MontblancCreative: TMW

MBAW-521Mechanical Size:

Bleed: 20.25’’ x 12.75’’Trim: 20’’ x 12.5’

Color: 4CInsertion Date: June 14th 2013

Publication: Community Journals

In 1821, Nicolas Rieussec

changed watchmaking forever

with the invention of the first

chronograph. Today, the Montblanc

TimeWalker Chronograph

Automatic is a tribute

to the chronograph’s

technical evolution.

43 mm stainless steel case,

skelleted horns

and sapphire crystal

back, black calfskin strap with white stitching.

Crafted in the Montblanc Manufacture

in Le Locle, Switzerland.

A tribute to the mAn who chAnged wAtchmAking forever

B:1

2.7

5 in

B:20.25 in

T:1

2.5

in

T:20 inS

:1

1.7

5 in

S:19.25 in





Bleed: 20.25’’ x 12.75’’Trim: 20’’ x 12.5’












skelleted horns






B:12.75 in

B:20.25 in

T:12.5 in

T:20 in

S:11.75 in

S:19.25 in

Geiss UBJ 2pg.indd 1 6/3/13 2:27 PM





Bleed: 20.25’’ x 12.75’’Trim: 20’’ x 12.5’












skelleted horns






B:1

2.7

5 in

B:20.25 in

T:1

2.5

in

T:20 in

S:1

1.7

5 in

S:19.25 in





Bleed: 20.25’’ x 12.75’’Trim: 20’’ x 12.5’












skelleted horns






B:12.75 in

B:20.25 in

T:12.5 in

T:20 in

S:11.75 in

S:19.25 in

Geiss UBJ 2pg.indd 1 6/3/13 2:27 PM


cover story

Playgrounds Mean SeriouS BusinessWith its “Greenville” line of eco-friendly (and kid-friendly) equipment, Berliner seilfabrik

is changing the way kids in the Upstate – and worldwide – have fun

By Dick HUGHes | contributor

“We knew BMW was here,” said Steinke, CEO of the U.S. subsidiary of the Berlin-based company. “This proved to us that it had logistics capable of supporting a lot of business, and we would be close enough to the eastern coast so we are only six hours behind Germany.”

Steinke and Köhler, who is the CEO of the parent company, decided on Greenville as much for its cosmopolitan downtown, family-friendly small-town feel and international community as for its business environment.

“The parent company wanted us, me and my

family, to feel comfortable and to like where we live because they wanted us to stay permanently here.”

“Being Germans, it is not like we have to see Germans every second day, but it feels good to be part of the international community,” Steinke, 37, said, now four years after he, his wife and two children, 5 and 7, are settled in a home in Mauldin.

From that beginning, the United States has become Berliner Seilfabrik’s largest market, chal-lenging the American tradition of outdoor play climbing on fixed, mostly plastic, structures.

HigH-Profile, HigH-CliMBThE COMpAny hAS prESTiGiOUS inSTAllATiOnS in major urban centers such Boston, San Francisco and new york, where a giant climber is being built in Battery park with views of the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of liberty and the new World Trade Center.

in one of its most ambitious installations, Ber-liner erected a 30-foot “neptun XXl” climber in Saratoga Springs, Utah, last year. “it has become so popular, i am told they are building a new road leading to the park and named the park neptune park,” said Steinke.

At the time it was only the third model of that size in the world. Berliner since has built one in California and three others abroad.

Greenville has not been left out. The company

When david Köhler and lukas steinke were looking for a city to base Berliner seilfabrik in north america to market its rope-net playground units, the upstate was on their list because of the presence of many german companies.

Berliner seilfabrik’s “cosmo” at the kroc center.

pho

to p

rovi

ded


cover story

Playgrounds Mean SeriouS BusinessWith its “Greenville” line of eco-friendly (and kid-friendly) equipment, Berliner seilfabrik

is changing the way kids in the Upstate – and worldwide – have fun

By Dick HUGHes | contributor

“We knew BMW was here,” said Steinke, CEO of the U.S. subsidiary of the Berlin-based company. “This proved to us that it had logistics capable of supporting a lot of business, and we would be close enough to the eastern coast so we are only six hours behind Germany.”

Steinke and Köhler, who is the CEO of the parent company, decided on Greenville as much for its cosmopolitan downtown, family-friendly small-town feel and international community as for its business environment.

“The parent company wanted us, me and my

family, to feel comfortable and to like where we live because they wanted us to stay permanently here.”

“Being Germans, it is not like we have to see Germans every second day, but it feels good to be part of the international community,” Steinke, 37, said, now four years after he, his wife and two children, 5 and 7, are settled in a home in Mauldin.

From that beginning, the United States has become Berliner Seilfabrik’s largest market, chal-lenging the American tradition of outdoor play climbing on fixed, mostly plastic, structures.

HigH-Profile, HigH-CliMBThE COMpAny hAS prESTiGiOUS inSTAllATiOnS in major urban centers such Boston, San Francisco and new york, where a giant climber is being built in Battery park with views of the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of liberty and the new World Trade Center.

in one of its most ambitious installations, Ber-liner erected a 30-foot “neptun XXl” climber in Saratoga Springs, Utah, last year. “it has become so popular, i am told they are building a new road leading to the park and named the park neptune park,” said Steinke.

At the time it was only the third model of that size in the world. Berliner since has built one in California and three others abroad.

Greenville has not been left out. The company

When david Köhler and lukas steinke were looking for a city to base Berliner seilfabrik in north america to market its rope-net playground units, the upstate was on their list because of the presence of many german companies.

Berliner seilfabrik’s “cosmo” at the kroc center.

pho

to p

rovi

ded


donated a $50,000 installation of a climber at the playground between the Kroc Center and A.J. Whittenberg Elementary School.

“After they came here, I did the immigration work for them, and they told me they wanted to make a community donation,” said Mayor Knox White, a lawyer with Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd. “Their playground equipment is unique and dif-ferent than what you see around here.”

The company named its newest line of equip-ment “Greenville” out of affection for its adopted city and to reflect use of sustainable green materi-als: bamboo for panels, 85 percent postconsumer recycled aluminum, 70 percent recycled steel and, as the case with all Berliner products, no PVCs.

“Karl (Köhler) and his son David, company owners, live in Berlin, and they come quite often here to this beautiful place. The name was actually their idea.”

Red dots foR design excellenceTHE “GrEEnVIllE” lInE rECEIVED A “rED DoT award” in a product competition recognized as the most prestigious in the world for excellence in innovation, functionality, durability and envi-ronmental “rightness.”

Berliner’s “Cosmo” unit, which is installed at Whit-tenberg Elementary, received the award in 2008.

All of Berliner’s products are made in Germany and imported. The company’s intent was to put manufacturing in Greenville, but the recession and slow recovery put a hold on those plans.

“It is still on the long-term list of objectives,” Steinke said. “We need to see a proper increase in demand and sales to justify the expense.”

In 1971, Berliner developed the concept of rope net climbers for commercial playgrounds “based on steel-reinforced rope. on the outside, you have yarn and on the inside there are steel wires,” said Steinke.

The innovation grew out of Berliner Seilfabrik’s history dating to 1865 as supplier of steel cables for elevators, such as otis. After 1971, the company did both for a while; but in the 1990s, in a management buyout, Karl Köhler took the play division into a separate company under the Berliner Seilfabrik name.

sales exceed expectationsTHE CoMPAny InTroDuCED ITS roPE PlAy unITS in the united States 18 years ago through an importer. In setting up a subsidiary in Greenville, Berliner “got rid of the middleman and since have been distributing the products ourselves” through 20 independent playground equipment dealers across the country, Steinke said.

While eliminating the middleman allowed Ber-liner to make its rope units “affordable for every city, every school,” Steinke said, the major chal-lenge is making inroads into the market of tradi-tional u.S. “post and platform,” climbers, a busi-ness dominated by much larger companies.

Since Berliner opened its Greenville office with just three employees, including Steinke, the

growth of the business “has exceeded our expec-tations. We have grown each year, significantly last year by plus 70 percent and in the years before at around 50 percent.” Steinke plans to hire a fourth person for back office sales.

In 2012, Berliner installed 200 units in the united States at a price range between $10,000 and $100,000 per unit.

But there are far bigger projects. It has “a client now that is worth $250,000 in play equipment.”

Berliner also supplies rope bridge components for use under the brand names of two of the largest commercial playground companies, land-scape Structures and Playworld Systems.

‘eveRything is Moving and shaking’onE of BErlInEr’S STronG SEllInG PoInTS IS that rope-net climbing is more interactive and exciting – and every bit as safe – as climbing or sliding from platform to platform, Steinke said.

He said there is evidence that kids consider “pretty much 95 percent” of playground equip-ment boring. “our equipment is the opposite of that, providing more excitement to the users.”

“rope climbers are very flexible. Everything is moving and shaking. They require certain abilities from the child. They need certain physical and mental development where they are capable of climbing. usually this happens around the age of 4. We have some structures for younger kids, but the majority of our business is for the age group between 4 and 12.”

Steinke said the company has to convince people “not familiar with the concept” of their safety. “They are concerned about their children maybe falling to the ground, but you cannot. The next level of net catches you.”

He said all of its units are in compliance with u.S. standards. The units, even the high ones at 30 feet, “are very safe. We have never had a serious accident in 42 years.”

Berliner dominants the global market but success “has attracted many copycats,” particu-larly companies in South Korea and China making, as Steinke sees it, cheaper quality and less tech-nologically sophisticated products.

“We have 20 patents, and this is what basi-cally keeps us ahead of the game,” he said. He added, “The oldest structures we have in use are 35 years old. They are almost indestructible.”

TOP: Lukas Steinke, CEO of Berliner Seilfabrik, inside “Cosmo,” one of the pieces of playground equipment his company

produces. This one was installed at the Kroc Center.

MIDDLE: Berliner Seilfabrik produces a wide rang of playground

equipment, including this balance beam.

BOTTOM: Berliner Seilfabrik produces a wide range of

playground equipment including “Cosmo,” like this one installed at the Kroc Center.

“Rope climbers are very flexible. everything is moving and shaking.

they require certain abilities from the child.”

LuKaS STEInKE, u.S. CEo of BErlInEr SEIlfABrIK

Pho

to P

rovi

ded

Pho

to b

y G

reg

Bec

kner

Pho

to b

y G

reg

Bec

kner


The Future Is DevelopingFounding director of Clemson’s Master of Real Estate Development

Program is passionate about the future in South Carolina

By SHERRY JACKSONStaff

P R O F I L E

Dr. Terry Farris

Pho

to b

y G

reg

Bec

kner

“There was 20 inches of snow on the ground when I left Detroit, and at Clemson the azaleas were blooming.”


What exactly is the Master of real estate Development program and how competitive is it?The program is a two-year interdisciplinary program between the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities and the College of Business and Behavioral Science. Courses include MBA/finance, law, planning, architecture, construction science and real estate development. It’s highly competitive nationally with a maximum of 20 students admitted annually. We compete with top universities across the country, including MIT, Cornell and others. The program has at-tracted students from 26 states and Korea and China. The program will be moving to downtown Greenville in fall 2013 and we believe this will be an enhancement to attract even more students who want to be in an urban environment.

What influence did your family have on your career?I guess you could say that I grew up in the real estate business. My father, Charles L. Farris, was instrumental in the urban renewal of St. Louis, Missouri. My parents were 40 when I was born (I have two older brothers 10 years

after a 17-year DevelopMent planning anD consUlting career in st. louis, Mo., Dr. terry farris decided to switch to academia, got his ph.D. at Michigan state University and landed a position in 1994 at clemson University. farris was eventually tasked with putting together a graduate real estate Development program for clemson that would become a two-year, interdisci-plinary program. the program has had 129 graduates since its inception in 2004 and alumni hold prominent real estate positions not only in the greenville area but all across the country.

The Basics: Dr. Terry farris

homeTown St. Louis, Mo.

favoriTe Place in Greenville

Downtown Greenville and all of the different

neighborhoods surrounding it.

favoriTe resTauranT Larkin’s on the River,

Soby’s or Rick Erwin’s are all good choices.

favoriTe sPorT Of course, Clemson football and baseball, but I am a diehard St.

Louis Cardinals baseball fan.

favoriTe vacaTion Anywhere along the South

Carolina coast, but Charleston in particular is a favorite.

hoBBies I sing tenor in the church choir at St. Andrew Parish in Clemson and belt

out Sinatra tunes at program social events. I also enjoy politics and old movies, especially film noir, Alfred

Hitchcock films and any movies from the 1930s to the 1970s.

menTors Definitely my father, Charles L. Farris. There is an award given out each year by the Southwest NAHRO (National Association of

Housing and Redevelopment Officials) in his honor.

BesT Piece of aDvice “Your word is your bond.” My dad

instilled this in me and it’s proven to be great advice over the years.

fuTure ProjecTs I am working on writing articles and a book on the history of redevelopment. My father left me scrapbooks of 35 years of articles published about St.

Louis redevelopment. There is a lot of history there that should be told and understood for future generations.

older) and so I was raised at home when my dad was at the peak of his career and well-regarded locally and nationally. He was in the newspapers a lot and I knew that he enjoyed what he did. If Humphrey had beaten Nixon in ’68, we were moving to D.C. and he was going to be deputy secretary of HUD for Community Development. When we had a major retirement party for my father, hosted by the Civic Center Redevelop-ment Corporation (St. Louis Cardinals-Busch Stadium), plaques from all over the country were sent to honor him, including ones from President George Bush, HUD Secretary Jack Kemp and many other dignitaries. My father was an honorable public servant, which is what I modeled myself after. I was fortunate to be raised in a great family of supportive parents and brothers.

How did you end up at clemson University?I had been a public administrator and consultant for 17 years but wanted a change and thought that I would really enjoy teaching and sharing my knowledge with others. So I went back to school at Michigan State where I had gotten my master’s

in 1974 and got my Ph.D. I taught the entire time while getting that degree and really enjoyed it. One day I was at a Philadelphia City Planning Conference and struck up a conversation with Professor Barry Nocks, who mentioned that Clemson was looking for a real estate planning professor. It was April 1994 when I came to inter-view. There was 20 inches of snow on the ground when I left Detroit, and at Clemson the azaleas were blooming. I interviewed with then-Dean Barker and he shared his vision about creating a master builder/real estate program. I took the job and things progressed quickly from there.

What’s your favorite part of the job?Each May I take the first-year graduate students on a two-week trip that traverses the coast of South Carolina, from Myrtle Beach all the way down to Savannah, Ga. It’s great to visit the different types of developments, meet key people in the industry and see the students begin to look at development in a new way.

Have you received any awards or significant accomplishments? In 2006 I received the “Distinguished Planner” Award by the South Carolina American Planning Association. I was also appointed by Governor Sanford as an initial member of the new State Advisory Committee on Educational Require-ments for Local Government Planning or Zoning Officials or Employees. I am the primary author of the Urban Land Institute’s “Growing by Choice or Chance: State Strategies for Quality Growth in South Carolina.” I am also very proud to be a founding board member of the SC District Council of the ULI.

Contact Sherry Jackson at [email protected].


UBJ The TakeawayBy Claudia Wise,

Greenville Chamber of Commerce

the bmw charity pro-am golf Tournament provides Greenville with a great deal of benefits from celebrity sightings, outdoor concerts, good golf, money for local charities and economic development. Now Web.com has entered the playing field to provide resources to our small business community.

Web.com has announced its 10-year participation as the title sponsor for the PGA and Pro-Am Tour internationally.

Following the tournament win by Mark Anderson on Sunday, May 19, Web.com and SCORE hosted a Small Business Forum at the TD Convention Center in Greenville.

AIDIng SmAll BuSIneSSeSBobby Hitt, SC Secretary of Com-merce, welcomed more than 80 business owners and expressed his appreciation for the involvement of Web.com in this tournament and the continued resources they bring to the region. Hitt recognized that

while large business can often resolve their own problems, we must help small businesses find the help and relationships they need to succeed. In his role as commerce secretary, Hitt explained several ways the state is assisting the small-business community:

• SCbiznetwork.com offers an array of programs serving the needs of small businesses across the state.

• Another successful program has been

a Matchmaker Lending series, which offers a direct connection to both traditional and non-traditional lending sources for small businesses.

• BUYSC is a program that has been developed to help small businesses get in on the bidding process with large companies.

WorkforCe DrIVeS eConomyWorkforce development is one of the most important issues in the state, Hitt said, and through both the WorkKeys program and Ready SC, we are improving our skilled workforce and diversifying our economy. Partnerships between technical schools and the business community further help set us apart.

keyS To onlIne STrATegyAman Devgan, vice president of marketing for Web.com, provided the attendees with the fundamen-tals of online marketing. Aman explained that online marketing is a key ingredient in formulating a business plan and provided the fol-lowing tips to develop an online marketing strategy:

• Determine the goal of the website:

most often to drive calls, leads or visits. The website should always include the phone number, hours of operation and address, Aman said, noting that it sounds simple but is often overlooked. Visitors will only spend a couple of seconds on a website, so it is important to make it easy for them to find what they are looking for.

• Now that they have found what they are looking for, make it easy for them to understand by adding trustmarks, a term he described as indicators that the visitor should do business with you and associations that prove your credibility.

• Linking to relevant sites and having them link to you will not only edify your business but increase traffic as well, Aman said.

• Adding pictures and keywords or short sentences will help customers understand your value proposition.

Once you have formulated your strategy, Aman suggested ways to get recognized, noting that a search engine will present your website with the best interest to match searches and provide a better ranking if you incorporate tactics to consistently track the perfor-mance of your keywords, claim your Google Places page and optimize it and create social media pages

that you can update regularly.

keep IT moBIle AnD flexIBleWith technological advances and the urgency of the consumer, more and more customers are searching for business on a mobile device. And not just searching, Aman said: This type of mobility allows the cus-tomer to more readily purchase. Make sure your website is opti-mized for mobile devices.

Aman stressed the understand-ing of ecommerce by providing online solutions, noting that 83 percent of Americans are buying products online every month, and that 97 percent of consumers start their search for local services and products locally.

Therefore your website must accept payments, employ a PCI-compliant shopping cart, provide effective shipping options and lastly should feature merchandising and management tools and have capa-bility to analyze sales.

Ultimately, Aman said, your website should clearly reflect your business value proposition, prove your credibility, provide effective access to resources and track the ability to drive traffic and in-crease customers.

eVenT: Small Business Forum, hosted by Web.com and SCORE

WHo WAS THere: More than 80 small-business owners

SpeAkerS: SC Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt; Web.com VP of Marketing Aman Devgan

TopIC: Small Business Success

Big Ideas for Small Businesses

Claudia Wise is the manager of small business of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce. She is responsible for bringing informative and educational programming for businesses with 50 employees or fewer, providing resources and networking opportunities.

Aman Devgan Bobby Hitt

Pho

tos

Pro

vide

d

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

June at the Greenville Chamber

360CleanAhava HospiceAJH RenovationsArlington Properties-Tapestry at Hollingsworth ParkBankers Life & CasualtyBristol Apartment HomesBubbly Blow Dry BarButterfly Ministry for GirlsCarolina Homecare Medical Equipment CenterChiropractic of the Carolinas, P.C.Christian Learning Centers of Greenville CountyCroft Company, Inc.CSL PlasmaEdge IT ProfessionalsExterior SpecialistsEZ HomeSearch MagazineFor Every WomanFord Motor Credit CompanyFreedom Baptist ChurchFull MediaGICS FoodsGigi’s CupcakesGringosIntegrated Security Systems of the CarolinasJain Chem, LTDKuper SignsLes Beaux Arts GalleryMark Susko CreativeMegan Diez SalonMetroclk - GreenvilleMidtown ArteryMySafePage, Inc.Parallel Financial PartnersPaul L. Johnson InteriorsRE/MAX MovesSCToolSkinner Law Firm, LLCSolo PrintingStar Asset Security, Inc.Suntrade Financial LLCUlterionWings Over GreenvilleWoodruff Road Animal HospitalWorld Institute of Surgical Excellence-McLaughlin

Tuesday, 6/11 Business Before Hours at the Commerce ClubTuesday, 6/11 Ribbon Cutting at Parallel Financial PartnersTuesday, 6/11 NETnight Downtown at the HyattFriday, 6/14 Legislative Issues Committee UpdateFriday, 6/14 Business Opportunity Summit at the Commerce ClubMonday, 6/17 Business Women in Action Luncheon with Luanne RungeMonday, 6/17 NEXT Innovation Center TourTuesday, 6/18 Mentor Matchmaker Tuesday 6/18 Healthcare Providers NetworkTuesday, 6/18 Greenville City/County Update at the Hilton GreenvilleTuesday, 6/18 Business After Hours at Midtown ArteryWednesday, 6/19 Work-Safe Seminar Wednesday, 6/19 Human Resources Workshop: Current HR Hot TopicsWednesday, 6/19 Sales RoundtableThursday, 6/20 Small Business Resource Lunch at the Kroc CenterThursday, 6/20 Technology Fair Friday, 6/21 NEXT Innovation Center TourFriday 6/21 Transportation and Infrastructure Committee UpdateTuesday, 6/25 Environmental Issues Committee UpdateWednesday, 6/26 Small Business Owners’ ForumWednesday, 6/26 PULSE Social at Mac’s Speed Shop

Upcoming Chamber EventsLearn more and register for events at www.GreenvilleChamber.org.

Thanks to these new members for investing in our business community

Have you shopped Member Marketplace? This feature at GreenvilleChamber.org allows you to shop and request what you need from Greenville Chamber members. Shop here to support the businesses that drive our local

economy and invest in our business community!

Call 864-242-1050 to find out how the Greenville Chamber can help you learn, save and connect! 864-242-1050 WWW.GREENVILLECHAMBER.ORG24 CLEVELAND ST. GREENVILLE, SC 29601

We’re Celebrating National Small Business Week June 17-21Featuring informative events open to all local small businesses and

professionals all week long! Please join us for the events listed in blue below.

Join us for NETnight June 11th!NETnight is a quarterly event organized by

the Chamber’s CAPACITY initiative to foster economic development through diversity and

inclusion. Tuesday, June 11, 6-8 pm in Studio 220 at the Hyatt Downtown.


UBJ Square Feet

CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD | THALHIMER ANNOUNCED:

Brian J. Young handled the lease negotiations on behalf of Eaton Corporation in leasing 25,000 SFat 309 Tucapau Road, Duncan.Eaton is a diversifi ed power management company providing energy-effi cient solutions that help customers effectively manage electrical, hydraulic and mechanical power.

SPECTRUM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES ANNOUNCED:

Rob Brissie recently represented the owner, Doris W. Reece in the disposition of 0.35 acres located at 501 S. Washington Ave., Greenville.

Rob Brissie recently represented the owner, Olive Properties of Greenville LLC, in the disposition of 1.9 acres located at the intersection of W. Blue Ridge Drive and White Horse Road, Greenville.

Rob Brissie recently represented the landlord in a lease at Classic Corner, 1622 Woodruff Road, Greenville, to Whimsy Scrapbooking.

Rob Brissie recently represented the landlord in the lease of an executive offi ce suite at 302 A Trade St., Greer, to Tranzon Auctions. There are three executive offi ce spaces remaining for lease in the building.

Rob Brissie recently represented the landlord in the lease of retail space at 302 Trade St., Greer, to Pour Sports Pub.

kiawah partners, the charleston-based development fi rm that has served as the main developer on Kiawah Island for the past 25 years, has been purchased by a Charlotte investment fi rm, the Charlotte Ob-server reports.

South Street Partners, described

arkansas-based cdi contractors llc was recently selected to manage the construction of the 100,000 SF Cabela’s store coming to Magnolia Park Shopping Center in Greenville. CDI recently completed a Cabela’s store in Rogers, Ark.

“The building’s exterior will reflect Ca-

bela’s popular store model with log con-struction, stonework, wood siding and metal roofing,” according to a statement from Cabela’s. “A large glass storefront will allow customers to view much of the store’s inte-rior as they approach the building. The inside will feature the company’s next-

generation layout, designed to surround customers in an outdoor experience, includ-ing museum-quality wildlife displays and trophy animal mounts displayed on a moun-tain. The store will also feature a Gun Library, Bargain Cave, Fudge Shop and indoor archery range.”

Charlotte Company Buys Kiawah Developerby the Observer as “a boutique in-vestment and management fi rm based in Charlotte’s Dilworth neighborhood,” acquired Kiawah Partners on Monday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The deal gives South Street control of the remaining developable resi-

dential inventory on Kiawah, an island community 21 miles south of Charleston, the paper reported. South Street will also control the members-only Kiawah Island Club, a real estate company, a utility company, a shop-ping center and resort properties in Ireland and the Caribbean.

Cabela’s Construction Managers Named

DEALMAKERS DEAL of the WEEK

NAI EARLE FURMAN ANNOUNCED:

Tony Bonitati and Kay Hill represented Shannon

Enterprises in the sale of Hunters Glen Apartments in Greensboro, N.C., which is a 260-unit Class C multifamily

property. John Grayrepresented the buyer. The property sold for

$7,085,000.

Cabela’s Construction Managers Named

864.335.3030 • 135 S. Main St., Suite 800, Greenville, SC 29601

OFFICE • INDUSTRIAL • RETAIL • INVESTMENT • PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Woodruff Rd.Greenville, SC

Hwy. 123Easley, SC

RETAIL DEVELOPMENT3.58 +/- ACRES

MOORE, SC

Rob Brissiebroker

864.414.2426Contact us to discuss your

commercial real estate needs.Visit our properties at:

www.SpectrumCarolinas.com

FOR SALEOR

GROUND LEASE

UBJ News

online message boards showed consternation among people sur-prised to find late last month that Southwest Airlines offered no nonstop flights to Orlando beyond summer.

Then news reports this week con-firmed that nonstop service to Orlando would end in August, and October would bring a reduction of daily nonstop fl ights to Baltimore from two to one, causing more groans – and worries.

But both GSP and Southwest said the changes were fairly routine, and not a sign that the airline plans to pull out of GSP.

There wasn’t enough demand to continue service to Orlando, but Southwest has indicated that the Baltimore nonstop flight may return, said Rosylin Weston, GSP’s vice president of commu-nications. She said bookings to

other nonstop destinations – Houston, Chicago and Nashville – have pleased both companies.

Michelle Agnew, a spokesperson for Southwest, said the changes were part of routine schedule shifts in response to where profi ts are likely. She said nonstop fl ights are also reduced in response to shifts in seasonal travel.

Southwest has apparently deemed ATL the profi table place for fl ights to Baltimore and Orlando, as CAPA Center for Aviation re-ported it would be adding those destinations in August.

Agnew said how full fl ights are helps determine whether to con-tinue service on a specifi c route, but doesn’t always determine whether or not a fl ight is profi table. The acquisition of AirTran in 2011 also continues to affect service.

“Our Network Planning Teams

are doing a lot of reallocating of fl ights between Southwest and AirTran, based on demand and profi tability. Plain and simple, we have to fl y routes that are profi table for us, and high fuel prices are making that tough,” Agnew said.

What’s more, Southwest contin-ues to add markets without increas-ing its fl eet size, calling for a more nimble approach, Agnew said. It recently opened in airports in com-parable markets in the fi ve-to-seven daily fl ights range in Des Moines, Iowa; Flint, Mich., and Wichita, Kan.

On May 7, the company released its schedule through January 4. New nonstop fl ights, daily and oth-erwise, were added in several air-

ports, though services that would be ending were not listed.

The next six-month schedule will be released in a couple of weeks.

“Our next release will be a big one because it’ll most likely include spring break travel,” Agnew said.

Weston said Southwest is not the only company at GSP that makes frequent changes. She said she is “never quite sure” what the schedules are going to look like for Allegiant, a low-cost regional carrier that provides service to Florida.

Southwest’s other shifts in nearby airports include dismantling the AirTran hub in Atlanta and adding three nonstop fl ights to that airport beginning in November.

Schedule Changes at Southwest RoutineBy Jennifer Oladipo | senior business writer

GSP and Southwest offi cials said schedule changes are not a sign that the airline plans to pull out of GSP.P

hoto

Pro

vide

d by

Sou

thw

est


UBJ The Fine Print

the south carolina chamber of Commerce announced that it has created a Tire Manufacturers Council to evaluate and propose policies relating to the manufacture of tires in South Carolina.

Members include Michelin North America, Bridgestone Amer-icas Inc. and Continental Tire the Americas, who have committed nearly $3 billion in expansions in the state. Steve Evered, vice presi-

dent of government affairs for Michelin, serves as chairman of the Tire Manufacturers’ Council. The chair will rotate annually.

“South Carolina will soon become the largest tire manufacturing state in the country and currently ranks fi rst among states in tire exports,” Evered said in a statement, adding that the council is “an acknowledge-ment of the signifi cant impact of the industry on the state’s economy.”

SC Chamber Creates Tire Manufacturers Council

south carolina won its fi fth Silver Shovel Award from Area Development Magazine. Ken-tucky and Louisiana were noted alongside South Carolina in the category of states with popula-tions of 3-5 million.

“As 2013 began, the econo-mists noted that South Carolina’s leading economic indicators were just about the best in the country,” the magazine reported.

Among the accomplishments

that won the award for the state was BMW’s recent expansion in preparation for new model pro-duction. Also noted were accom-plishments in technology-based strategic marketing, software development, and medical labo-ratory services.

The state won Gold Shovel awards in 2011 and 2012 for its economic development efforts, and previous Silver Shovels in 2009 and 2010.

smooth-bor plastics, a cali-fornia maker of plastic tubing and hoses, plans to establish its new manufacturing plant in Spartanburg County. The $1 million investment is expected to generate 22 new jobs over the next four years.

Smooth-Bor Plastics plans to occupy approximately 23,000 square feet in Spartanburg’s Corporate Center on Corporate Drive. By the end of this this month the facility will manufac-ture fl exible plastic corrugated hose and tubing for customers in the medical, vacuum, pool and recreational vehicle industries.

Smooth-Bor is hiring. More information on available positions can be found at sctechjobs.com.

“Spartanburg County is pleased to welcome Smooth-Bor to our community. The Eco-nomic Futures Group worked diligently with Smooth-Bor for over 18 months to get to this point. This commitment to eco-nomic development has and will always be a strategic focus of Spartanburg County’s leader-ship,” said David Britt, chairman of the Economic Recruitment and Development Committee of Spartanburg County and member of the Economic Futures Group Board, in a state-ment from the governor’s offi ce.

This will be the company’s second plant in addition to one in Laguna Hills, Calif.

State Wins Another Silver Shovel

Cargo Named Agency-of-Record

Plastics Company Expands to Spartanburg

for mercedes-benz vans canadaCargo, a marketing agency special-izing in business-to-small-business marketing was named the offi cial agency-of-record for Mercedes-Benz Vans Canada, the division responsible for the sales and mar-keting of Sprinter vans.

Cargo is headquartered in Greenville with offices in Toronto, Canada. It has provided product development, Web development and other services to Mercedez-Benz Vans Canada since 2011. As agency-of-record it additionally

will be responsible for brand de-velopment, national marketing strategy, social media and creative services.

“Cargo has been an exceptional partner for us for nearly two years and has helped shed much light on the unique vehicle needs of Cana-dian small businesses. No other agency in the pitch demonstrated the commercial and B2SB knowl-edge of Cargo,” Mercedes-Benz Vans Canada Manager Miki Velemirovich said in a statement released by Cargo.

the palmetto bank was among honorees at the 2013 annual meet-ings of Business Development Corporation (BDC) and Certifi ed Development Corporation (CDC) in Columbia last month.

“By their participation in our small business lending programs, these progressive institutions are helping South Carolina’s economy continue to grow, pro-viding thousands of jobs and millions of dollars of investment in the economic progress of the Palmetto State each year,” said Edwin O. Lesley, president and CEO of BDC and executive vice

president of CDC, which is managed by BDC.

The bank won three awards: SC CAP Top Participating Lender, SC SSBCI CAP Top Participating Lender, and SC SSBCI Loan Participation Program Top Partici-pating Lender. In 2012 it generated 85 loans for over $12 million as part of the

small business lending programs.“We recognize that today’s

business climate requires inno-vation and creativity in order to serve our clients. These pro-grams are a shining example of

how to execute on both of those,” said Coleman

Kirven, commercial banking executive at Palmetto Bank.

Palmetto Bank Wins Small Business Lending Awards

SSBCI Loan Participation Program Top Partici-pating Lender. In 2012 it generated 85 loans for over $12 million as part of the

how to execute on both of those,” said Coleman

Kirven, commercial banking executive at Palmetto Bank.

bnc bancorp, holding company for BNC Bank, announced Friday that it had signed an agreement to acquire Randolph Bank and Trust Co., worth $302 million in assets.

North Carolina-based BNC oper-ates as BNC Bank in South Caro-lina. The acquisition will include three branches in North Carolina, $270 million in deposits and $168 million in loans.

Randolph Bank shareholders will receive cash or shares of BNC

common stock equal to $10 per share for an aggregate deal value of approximately $10.4 million. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter, leaving BNC with about $1.0 billion in loans and $1.5 billion in deposits in the Piedmont-Triad

area of central North Carolina.BNC’s expansion efforts have

been ongoing. It acquired Green-ville’s Regent Bank in 2011, now known as BNC Bank. Other recent acquisitions include Beach First National Bank in Myrtle Beach, Blue Ridge Savings Bank in Ashe-ville and First Trust Bank in Char-lotte. Attempts to acquire Easley-based CommunitySouth Bank and Trust and Columbia’s First Citizens and BankMeridian failed.

BNC Bancorp to acquire NC bank Survey: SC in Small Biz

Top 10south carolina ranks ninth in the U.S. for friendliness toward small businesses, according to the results of a survey by Thumbtack.com, in partnership with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

The 2013 survey, the second annual study, fi nds the state im-proving its overall grade from B-plus to A-minus. The study draws upon data from more than 7,000 small business owners nationwide.

South Carolina small businesses awarded the state an A-minus for its employment and labor regula-tions and an A-minus for the ease of hiring additional employees.

The state also earned a B-plus for its training and networking pro-grams. However, its health and safety regulations earned it a C-plus, as did its licensing processes. S.C.’s zoning and land use regulations earned it only a D-plus.

States earning an A-plus were Utah, Alabama, New Hampshire and Idaho. Texas, Virginia, Kansas and Colorado each earned an A, while Georgia, Minnesota, and Nevada joined South Carolina in scoring A-minus.

Hawaii, Maine and Rhode Island each scored an F.

View all the results at thumbtack.com/survey.


UBJ Planner

FRIDAYJUNE 7

FIRST FRIDAY LUNCHEON

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

Speaker: Mayor Rick DannerTopic: Horseshoes, Rabbits’ Feet and Four Leaf Clovers: Being Lucky is Hard Work!Cost: $10 for Greer Chamber members; $15 for non-membersRegister at: greerchamber.com

MONDAYJUNE 10

GCS ROUNDTABLE

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

Speaker: John DeWorken and Sunnie HarmonTopic: Pro-Business Advocacy LobbyistsCall Golden Career Strategies at 864-527-0425 to request an invitation

MAC USERS GROUP

Grace Baptist Church, Choir Room, 5020 Old Spartanburg Road, Taylors; 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Attendees share tips, discuss the latest news and enjoy the company of other Macintosh users.

TUESDAYJUNE 11

BUSINESS BEFORE HOURS

Commerce Club of Greenville, 55 Beattie

Place, Suite 1700, Greenville; 7:30-9 a.m.

Cost: $8.50 to Greenville Chamber members who pre-register and $12 at the door. Open only to Chamber members.Contact: Dot Drennon at [email protected] if you are also a member of the Commerce Club member or Lorraine Woodward at 864-239-3742.

EARLY MORNING LAUNCH

Starbucks, 657 Fairview Road, Simpsonville; 8-9:30 a.m.

Cost: Free to LAUNCH members, $5 for non-membersCoffee and pastries will be providedContact: Allison McGarity at [email protected]

BUILD YOUR ROADMAP TO SUCCESS

Spartanburg Library (Headquarters/Downtown), 151 South Church Street, Spartanburg; 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Open only to Spartanburg Chamber members.Contact: Meric Gambel at 864-594-5030 or [email protected].

HUMAN RESOURCES ROUNDTABLE

Carolina Springs Country Club, Palmetto Room, 1680 Scuffl etown Road, Fountain Inn; 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

RSVP by June 7 to: Yancey Epps at 864-770-5407 or [email protected]

MINORITY PROFESSIONALS NETNIGHT

Studio 220, Hyatt Regency Greenville, 220 N. Main St., Greenville; 6-8 p.m.

Cost: $15 at the door, $10 preregistration ends June 8.Light appetizers and cash bar.Register at: greenvillechamber.org

WEDNESDAYJUNE 12

MARKETING IN THE MORNING

The Jackson Marketing Group, 2 Task Industrial Court, Greenville; 7:30-9 a.m.

Speaker: Jennifer Sutton, executive director of client serviceTopic: Bring Big ROI from Content Marketing Cost: FreeRegister: Kate Ripley 864-272-3057 or [email protected]

PELHAM POWER BREAKFAST

Jane Crawford Skin Clinic, 405 The Parkway, Suite 200, Greer; 8-9 a.m.

Open to Greer Chamber members.Register at: 864-877-3131 or greerchamber.com.

GSA TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL LEARNING LUNCH

Embassy Suites Hotel, 670 Verdae Blvd., Greenville; 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

DIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

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

Guest Speaker: Linda Gallicchio, Rutland Institute for EthicsTopic: The Economics of IntegrityThis event is open to all members and guests.Contact: Doug Gregory at 864-594-5000 or [email protected]

LEADERSHIP CLASS SESSION II

Greenville Chamber of Commerce, 24 Cleveland Street, Greenville; 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Open to PULSE membersFor more information visit: greenvillepulse.com

FEMCITY GREENVILLE “AROUND TOWN” SOCIAL

Mariani’s Boutique, 3720 Pelham Road, Greenville; 6-8 p.m.

Speaker: Mary Ann Sudnick, image consultantTopic: “Accent on Accessories” Cost: $10 for members, $20 for non-membersAttendees are asked to bring or wear an item from their wardrobe that they don’t know how to accessorize and Mary Ann will show them how.Register at: femfessionals.com/FemCities/Greenville/Calendar/2013/June.htm

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL TOASTMASTERS

The Commerce Club, One Liberty Square, 55 Beattie Place, Greenville; 6 p.m.

Cost to Visit: $5 to cover meeting space and one drink at the barFor more information: visit yptm.toastmastersclubs.org

THURSDAYJUNE 13

HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS NETWORK

Greenville Chamber of Commerce, Board Room, 24 Cleveland St., Greenville; 7:30-9 a.m.

Must be a leader in a Healthcare Provider setting and a Greenville Chamber member to attend.Contact: Julie Alexander at 864-239-3754

SMALL BUSINESS MATTERS

Greenville Chamber of Commerce, 24 Cleveland St., Greenville; 8-9:30 a.m.

Open to those with an interest in small business.

Cost: Free to attend. Light breakfast will be provided.Contact: Claudia Wise at 864-239-3728.

SHINE THE LIGHT ON YOUR NONPROFIT SEMINAR: THE FUNDER/GRANTEE DYNAMIC: A CANDID CONVERSATION

Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center, 424 Westfi eld St., Greenville; 8:30 a.m.-noon

Speakers: Joan Burkett, ScanSource; Alan Ethridge, Metropolitan Arts Council; Darrin Goss, United Way of Greenville County; Tom Keith, Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina; Rhett Mahbry, Duke Endowment; Deborah McKetty, CommunityWorks Carolina; Bob Morris, Community Foundation of Greenville; Cheryl Smith, Fluor; Susan Stall, Symmes Foundation; Linda Tassie, YouthBASE; and Gage Weekes, Hollingsworth Funds.Cost: $65 includes breakfast and materialsRegister at: dnacc.com or call 864-235-0959 ext. 0

GOT A HOT DATE?Contribute to our Planner by submitting event information for consideration to

[email protected]

CA L E N DA R

JUNE 12

MARKETING IN

The Jackson Marketing


UBJ On the Move

ENGINEERING/CONSTRUCTION:O’Neal Inc., a Greenville-based integrated design and construction fi rm, has hired Janice Poole as procurement manager. Poole has more than 30 years of procurement experience, and has previous experience with the former Suitt Construction/BE&K Building Group. She comes to O’Neal from Jacobs Engineering.

ENVIRONMENT:Renewable Water Resources (ReWa) director of operations Glen McManus was recognized at the South Carolina Environmental Conference (SCEC) with the William D. Hatfi eld Award, which recognizes a water reclamation plant operator for outstanding service in the fi eld of treatment plant operations.

HOSPITALITY:Hotel Domestique, the new luxury boutique inn catering to

HIRED HIRED HIREDHIRED HIRED HIRED

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

New hires, promotions and award winners can be featured in On the Move.

Send information and a photo [email protected].

serving as account managers within their commerical lines department. Alexander and Stewart join Furman Insurance with over 50 years of combined risk management and insurance experience. Their primary focus will be in commerical lines service, account development and risk analysis.

LEGAL:Jackson Lewis LLP recently announced that Ashley B. Abel, Stephanie E. Lewis and Andreas N. Satterfi eld Jr. are three of 59 attorneys from the fi rm recognized in the 2013 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Abel is a partner who has nearly 20 years of experience

sophisticated travelers and active lifestyles, recently announced the appointment of Richard Jardin as general manager and Adam Cookeas executive chef. Jardin has 20-plus years in the industry and a degree from Cornell University’s hotel school. Most recently, he served as Restaurant Manager at the 4 Diamond Peninsula Grill in Charleston and as Principal Consultant for Feteau Hospitality, a niche Consulting Company for the Boutique hospitality fi eld. Cooke was named one of 40 Chefs Under 40 by Mother Nature Network. He received the prestigious designation while working as chef de cuisine at the Barn at Blackberry Farm in Tennessee.

INSURANCE:The Furman Co. recently announced that Roxanne Alexander and LeeAnne Stewarthave joined Furman Insurance

DOUGLAS LINEBERRY

Joined McNair Law Firm P.A. as Special Counsel. Lineberry is a member of the American Bar Association, the South Carolina Bar Association, the Greenville Bar Association and the Carolina Patent, Trademark & Copyright Law Association. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from Mercer University in 1998.

JEFF PICKENS

Joined the staff of Chapman Cultural Center as the facilities director. He replaces Allen Edgerton, who retired after 36 years. Pickens comes to Chapman Cultural Center with more than 25 years of experience in managing various Upstate facilities. He was runner-up for “Facility Executive of the Year” by Total Facilities Manager Magazine.

DAVID WELLS

Named creative director for Vass Markets Inc. Wells has more than 25 years of advertising agency experience working on such accounts as Mizuno Golf USA, Milliken, AnMed and Dillard-Jones Builders. He most recently served as graphic projects coordinator for a Greenville-based building products company.

in single plaintiff, multi-plaintiff and class-action benefi ts litigation and heads the fi rm’s ERISA Litigation Practice Group. Lewis is a litigation manager and a partner. Satterfi eld is a partner.

Wyche recently announced that Wallace Lightsey, Henry Parr and Troy Tessier have been named in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in the areas of litigation, corporate/mergers and acquisitions, labor & employment, and real estate. In addition Cary Hall, Eric Amstutz and Melinda Davis Lux were recognized in the corporate/mergers and acquisitions area. In the labor and employment area, Mark Bakker and Ted Gentry were highlighted as leading lawyers for their work in this practice area. In the real estate area, Jim Warren and Maurie Lawrence received recognition as leading lawyers for their work in this practice area.

REAL ESTATE:Blu-Sky Group LLC, a real estate company specializing in marketing and sales for residential and commercial properties, recently announced that Diana T. Bolding has joined as broker in charge. Bolding is a 22-year veteran of commercial and residential real estate.

TECHNOLOGY:Engenius, a Web design and online marketing company serving the Upstate, recently announced that USC Upstate rising senior Rachel Carr will spend the summer interning with them. Carr is a marketing major and was named to the Dean’s List at her college in the fall. She also is a member of the varsity soccer team.


2. Supercuts recently held its opening ceremony at its new location at 1931A E. Main St. inside the Hillcrest Shopping Center in Spartanburg.

For more information, call 864-585-2300 or visit supercuts.com.

1. Bon Secours Express Care recently opened at 75 E. McBee Ave. at the corner of McBee Avenue and Brown Street in Greenville, adjacent to the downtown CVS drugstore. It will provide services for colds, flu and fevers; sinus and upper respiratory infections; intestinal distress; sprains, strains or fractures; insect or animal bites/stings; and many other services for non-life-threatening illnesses.

For more information, visit stfrancishealth.org.

S M

ain

St

S Ch

urch

St

N A

cade

my

St

N C

hurc

h St

E North St

E McBee Ave

1

Floyd Rd Ext

Floyd Rd

E Main

St

Skylyn Dr

Fernwood D

r

Webber R

d

Fernwood Glendale

Rd

2

UBJ New to the Street

Bon Secours Saint Francis Health System Director of Ministry Relations Father Jon Chalmers uses holy water during the blessing of the new Bon Secours Express Care in downtown Greenville .

Pho

to P

rovi

ded


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


3. Party Junction has cut the ribbon on its new location at 1832 Woodruff Road in Greenville.

For more information, call 864-675-9500 or visit partyjunctionllc.com.

4. ACS, located at 55 E. Camperdown Way, Suite 270 in Greenville, recently held its ribbon cutting. The company provides integrated facility and equipment solutions to engine and vehicle-testing markets.

For more information, contact Lee Cockrum at 864-605-6640 or [email protected], or visit acscm.com.

Miller R

d

I-385

Garlington Rd

Feaster Rd

E But

ler R

d

Roper Mountain Rd

I-85

3

S Church St

S M

ain

St

Falls

St

Augu

sta

St

River St 4

Pho

tos

Pro

vide

d


UBJ SnapshotGot an event you’d like to share?

Submit your photos to: [email protected]

Entrepreneurs shared ideas, as well as food and drink, at the Iron Yard’s 2013 Grok event last week. The three-day event spanned

several locations in downtown Greenville, including the Iron Yard headquarters in the ONE building, Fluor Field and Genevieve’s.

Read our full report on page 14.

Photos by Jivan Davé

Arts and Sciences • Business and Public Service • Health Sciences and Nursing • Technologies14,000 credit students • 4 campuses • more than 100 programs

We’re in the businessof changing lives.

Now seeking part-time professors with master’s degrees or industry expertise.

Join us to learn more:Monday, June 17 • 10-noon or 4-6McAlister Square

www.gvltec.edu/facultyjobfair


Historic photograph available from the Greenville Historical Society

p In 1882, the Huguenot Mill began operations on West Broad Street. Con-structed of red brick, the mill’s most distinctive feature was a tower in the Italianate style. The mill organizers were Charles E. Graham and Charles H. Lanneau. Lanneau also served as the fi rst superintendent. The origin of the mill’s name is not clear. It is speculated that Lanneau’s Huguenot descent was the source. In 1910, the Hu-guenot Mill was acquired by the newly-formed Nuckasee Manufacturing Company, under the presidency of Frederick W. Symmes. In 1929, Union-Buffalo Mills took over operations. Subsequently, the building was used by several textile companies. By the 1980s it was abandoned and in danger of demolition.

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

q The 1882 mill was renovated and is now part of the Peace Center complex. The Huguenot Mill lobby is rented out for pre-show cocktail receptions, networking events or dinner parties. It has a capacity for up to 100 for a reception and up to 50 for a seated event. The loft is now the Certus Loft at the Peace Center. It is used for larger events because it can accommodate 500 people standing and up to 350 people seated.


Photo Provided

We’re the leading South Carolina-based SBA lender, ready to help you grow your small business.

Let us help you make dreams for your small business a reality.

Visit a local branch today to learn more.

Dream Bigger.

CertusBank.com/DreamBigger




Dream Bigger.

CertusBank.com/DreamBigger




Dream Bigger.

CertusBank.com/DreamBiggerCertusBank, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender © 2013 CertusHoldings, Inc. All rights reserved. CertusBank, N.A. is a trademark of CertusHoldings, Inc.

june 7, 2013 ubj

Documents

pieces of playground

us148 river street

editor jerry

kroc center

community journals llc

editor susan clary

ceo of berliner seilfabrik

michael allen