POWERING SOUTH CAROLINA

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POWERING SOUTH CAROLINA Nuclear Game Changer A Thinking Man’s Game Robotics in Manufacturing Homegrown Talent South Carolina Business Week

In the world of business, our business is

innovation.

Savannah River Nuclear Solutions Savannah River National Laboratory Uniquely skilled people. Diverse nuclear operations. Cutting-edge research facilities. First-of-a-kind technologies. Innovative elements to spark local, regional and national business opportunities in environmental stewardship, national security and clean energy.

We are Savannah River Nuclear Solutions and Savannah River National Laboratory.

We are innovation in action.

TRANSFORMING THE ENERGY LANDSCAPE

L-R: John K. Van Duys (Columbia), Bonnie A. Lynch (Greenville) Stinson W. Ferguson (Greenville), John P. Boyd (Columbia), John Paul Trouche (Charleston), Carlisle (Carl) Roberts, Jr., (Columbia), and Joshua D. (Josh) Spencer (Greenville)

Delivering energy is a complex business. Our team of attorneys help clients find practical solutions to complex problems, such as... •

Choice of Service and Territorial Assignment

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Bond Financing

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Environmental Permitting

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Regulatory Issues

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Litigation

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Electric Service Agreements

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Corporate Law and Business Organizations

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Biomass and Other Renewable Energy Projects

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Government Relations

WWW.HSBLAWFIRM.COM | CHARLESTON

Disputes

CHARLOTTE

COLUMBIA

FLORENCE

GREENVILLE

1201 Main Street, 22nd Floor, Columbia, SC 29201 | 803.779.3080

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contents F E A T U R E S

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SCE&G Helps Build New Energy Future for South Carolina............................................................10

by Kevin Marsh

A Thinking Man’s Game.....................................................12

by Mollie Gore

September/October 2013 Volume 34, Number 5

South Carolina Chamber of Commerce 1301 Gervais Street, Suite 1100 Columbia, South Carolina 29201 800.799.4601 www . scchamber . net

M P resident & C hief E xecutive O fficer

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Cyberwoven Homegrown Talent...........................................................16

JULIE SCOTT

by Dana W. Todd

BIM: Transforming the Design and Construction Industries........................................... 24

A Company Built on Skilled Workers............................26 by Jean Cecil Frick

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ECONOMIC DRIVERS

Nicole Meares

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E ditors JEAN CECIL FRICK JULIE SCOTT A rt D irection & D esign TIM MCKEEVER / TMCA INC.

I am S.C. Business.................................................................32

G raphics and W eb A dministrator

SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS MAGAZINE

by Leslie Chilton Blum

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

A ssociate V ice P resident of C ommunications

by Jean Cecil Frick

Robotics in Manufacturing..............................................22

OTIS RAWL

by Jean Cecil Frick

P roduction & P rint C oordination TMCA INC. P ublished by CONVERGING MEDIA LLC

Staying on top of clean air standards • Myra Reece............................. 6

A dvertising S ales CONVERGING MEDIA LLC DEIDRE MACKLEN 803.318.3923

Electronic restoration is key to business • Jay Summer......................... 6 South Carolina Business Week: An insider’s perspective • Donna Turbeville.............................................................. 7 Grassroots Difference: Business leaders discuss legislative priorities • Julie Scott........................................................... 7

D E PA RT M E N T S Message from the President............. 3 Otis Rawl Business Briefs.................................... 5 Before the Event Best Places to Work......................... 28

After the Event 2013 Business Week....................... 29 Membership Receptions................. 29 Member News.................................. 30 Welcome, New Members................ 31 Advertiser Index............................... 31

The opinions and views expressed by the contributors to this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, its staff or members.

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| S o u t h C a r o l i n a B u s i n e ss

STATE CHAMBER with Distinction

Copyright © 2013 by Converging Media LLC and the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce. All foreign and U.S. rights reserved. Contents of this publication, including images, may not be reproduced without written consent from the publisher. Published for the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce by Converging Media LLC. 803.256.3010

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ver the past two months, I have traveled the state to talk with hundreds of business leaders about the legislative issues facing their companies. One issue continues to be discussed: the ability for businesses to compete, a fundamental principle of a strong economy. Nowhere is this issue more obvious than in a piece of legislation the General Assembly considered last legislative session and will again examine in 2014. The Business Freedom to Choose Act, or “flow control,” is based on the fundamental benefits of competition in the marketplace. The legislation, H.3290, passed the House for a second consecutive year in January by a vote of 89-28. I encourage you to take a look at our 2013 Legislative Scorecard to see how your Representative voted. Currently, there are counties that are limiting private businesses’ ability to shop for the best pricing options for disposing of their solid waste. Despite intense negotiations between the business community and local governments, local government interests failed to adopt numerous compromises offered by the business community to allow the legislation to move forward. Flow control is an ordinance enacted by a local government to require residents and businesses to send their solid waste to a government-owned facility for processing, treatment or disposal. Flow control creates government-owned monopolies that can charge above-market rates without fear of competition. It also prohibits businesses from controlling their own contracts, including costs and liabilities. Flow control is particularly unfair to the waste industry, predominately small businesses, because counties can force competitors out of the market. Several court decisions have made this a legislative issue. In 2009, the Horry County Flow Control ordinance was implemented then amended to delete industrial solid waste. Then in 2011, the S.C. Supreme Court found that Horry County’s flow control ordinance was not preempted by the S.C. Solid Waste Act, allowing the ordinance to stand and Horry County to control the marketplace for waste disposal. Today, other counties are also considering enacting flow control ordinances, which could further reduce competition. H.3290 amends the S.C. Solid Waste Act and another provision of state law to make clear that flow control ordinances are inconsistent with state law and therefore unlawful.

A host of broad-based groups have joined the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce to support the Business Freedom to Choose Act, including the National Solid Wastes Management Association, South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance, Carolinas Associated General Contractors, S.C. Retail Association and National Federation of Independent Businesses. When the General Assembly returns in January 2014, the Business Freedom to Choose Act will need to be set for Special Order in the Senate. The time is now to reach a fair and reasonable compromise to this fundamental competition issue. Another legislative issue facing businesses is a clarification of a compromise that was reached in 2012. Currently, businesses are in danger of being sued over permits that do not exist. After the environmental community failed to abide by the 2012 compromise on the Pollution Control Act, House Agricultural and Natural Resources Chairman Nelson Hardwick introduced legislation to clarify that no private right of action exists under the Pollution Control Act, and therefore entities cannot sue businesses over permits that are unobtainable. This legislation was approved in committee but was never considered by the full House. We urge the House to consider it quickly in 2014. The business community is anticipating positive changes next year to burdensome regulatory red tape. In February 2013, Governor Nikki Haley established the Regulatory Review Task Force to evaluate South Carolina’s current regulatory burdens on businesses and to propose recommendations to relieve those burdens. Businessman Phil Waddell, a member of the South Carolina Chamber’s Small Business Council, is the Chamber’s appointee on the committee. The Task Force has invited comments on regulatory burdens on businesses that need to be addressed. The Task Force is reviewing all cabinet level agencies, and a number of other state agencies, which it believes have significant regulatory impact on businesses in South Carolina. A full report of recommendations is expected later this year.

FROM THE PRESIDENT

The Business Freedom to Choose Act

Otis Rawl is president and chief executive officer of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce.

In this edition of South Carolina Business, we take a close look at the Clean Air Act and what it means for South Carolina businesses, learn more about progress on two 1,117-megawatt nuclear powered electric generating units at the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station and examine robotics in manufacturing. We also introduce you to Ben Rex, a rising star who is changing the online presence of organizations across South Carolina and beyond. Whether its regulatory burdens or competition, it is clear that the voice of business must be heard. I encourage you to remain engaged in the Business Freedom to Choose Act and other issues that directly impact your marketplace and costs to your business.

s c c h a m b e r. n e t | S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r 2 0 1 3 | S o u t h C a r o l i n a B u s i n e ss |

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134 Meeting Street Suite 200 Charleston, South Carolina Walker Coleman, Administrative Partner

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anfred Erlacher, managing director of the BMW’s Leipzig plant in Saxony, Germany, will succeed Josef Kerscher, who has been named managing director of BMW’s Dingolfing plant in Bavaria, Germany. The change will occur November 1. Kerscher has served as the Upstate plant’s president since 2007. Under his leadership, the plant has nearly tripled production, going from 105,000 vehicles in 2006 to more than 301,000 vehicles in 2012, a company statement said. During the same period, the Spartanburg County plant became the largest exporter of cars from the United States. The plant also reduced energy and water consumption per vehicle manufactured by nearly 50 percent and plant waste by 84 percent, the statement said. Erlacher recently led BMW’s Leipzig plant through a major expansion for production of the new BMW i3 and i8. An engineer by training, Erlacher has been managing director of Leipzig since January 2009. Previously, he was head of the BMW plant in Munich, having succeeded Kerscher when Kerscher took over leadership of the Spartanburg County plant. Erlacher previously headed both assembly and body shop operations at the Munich plant before becoming managing director of the plant. The Spartanburg County plant is finishing a $900 million expansion to increase production capacity to 350,000 vehicles per year and prepare for the launch of the new X4 in 2014. The plant also makes the X5, X6 and X3 and is the company’s Center of Competence for X Vehicle Manufacturing.

Sysco boosts bottom line and more with energy upgrades

Former Governor Richard Riley to receive Global Vision Award

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rom the crack of dawn until early afternoon, Sysco’s 250,000-square-foot warehouse in Columbia is a hive of activity with forklifts moving product from trucks to the company’s massive freezer cases and cavernous aisles of storage racks. Efficiency is the name of the game for this business, and they were thrilled to learn about SCE&G’s EnergyWise for Your Business program. By partnering with SCE&G’s EnergyWise for Your Business program, Sysco was able to make lighting retrofit easy, quick and affordable. They also upgraded freezers through SCE&G’s Custom program, which provides incentives for more complex, site-specific energy efficiency upgrades. The benefits of Sysco Columbia’s energy upgrades are twofold. First is the cost savings. “We’ve seen a 7 percent decrease in our energy use,” the company says. “In the past year, we’ve saved around $35,000 in electric costs.” The new fluorescent lighting provides whiter and brighter light, which helps with product selection, meaning the pickers are more likely to pull the right product the first time—potentially minimizing losses related to inventory shrinkage. The other key benefit is safety. Eliminating the ice buildup on the freezer doors and floors dramatically reduced the likelihood of slipping-related accidents.

BUSINESS BRIEFS

New president named at BMW Manufacturing Co. in SpartanburgCounty

he Columbia World Affairs Council is pleased to announce that former Governor Richard W. Riley will receive the 2013 Global Vision Award. Governor Riley will be honored at a black-tie gala at the Columbia Marriott on October 29. This is the 20th year the Columbia World Affairs Council has presented the award to a leader whose contributions have made a significant impact on South Carolina and helped project the state globally. During his time leading the state, Governor Riley initiated the Education Improvement Act, the Employment Revitalization Act, the S.C. Research Authority, regional nuclear waste compacts, merit selection of public service commissioners, greater openness in government and a constitutional amendment creating a state reserve fund. Serving as United States Secretary of Education, he helped launch initiatives to raise academic standards, improve instruction for the poor and disadvantaged, increase parental involvement in education, expand grants and loans to help more students attend college and prepare young people in America for work. The Global Vision Award was established in 1994, and the first recipient was Governor Carroll A. Campbell. Last year, the honor went to South Carolina Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt. For more information about the Global Vision Award, please visit www.columbiawac.org.

Production of third-generation X5 Sports Activity Vehicle begins at BMW

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roduction of the third-generation BMW X5 officially began in August. The first, new BMW X5 is a Mineral White M50d (six cylinder inline diesel engine with M Performance TwinPower Turbo technology). It features exclusive Nappa Mocha leather interior and will be exported to a dealer in Eastern Europe. “Since 1999, the X5 has been a significant contributor to the Spartanburg plant’s global success,” said BMW Manufacturing President, Josef Kerscher. “Our team will continue to build the next-generation X5 with the superior quality that our customers around the world have come to expect from South Carolina.” The third-generation BMW X5, creator of the Sports Activity Vehicle segment and global market leader in its class, sets new standards in powerful design, luxurious spaciousness, cutting-edge versatility and efficient driving pleasure.


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B y M yra R eece

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he regulatory scheme for the Clean Air Act (CAA) has two primary concepts. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets nationwide goals, which are named National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). However, it is the state’s responsibility to develop regulations to meet these health-based standards. The EPA gave the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) the authority to develop and implement regulations to ensure South Carolina meets the

requirements of the CAA. Over the past several years, the business community has expressed growing concern about the myriad of air quality regulations proposed by the EPA to assist states in meeting the NAAQS. Dozens of regulations have been introduced that affect businesses, including the energy sector. Each regulation targets a different type of pollution. This pollutant-by-pollutant approach, along with failure to align the timing of revisions of standards, has resulted in situations where businesses have installed equipment at considerable expense to comply with one standard, only to find that they are, in effect, obsolete a few years later. Bottom line, a comprehensive multi-pollutant air quality approach would result in “more environmental protection at less cost.” The business community has also raised concern about EPA’s rulemaking process and the lack of opportunity for meaningful involvement to ensure rules are balanced, equitable and as cost effective as possible in their implementation. Many, if not most of the rules

promulgated in recent years have been challenged. These challenges have come from both environmental groups and businesses. The decisions of the courts often change the rules and their implementation. In addition, many of the rules are the product of “sue and settle” agreements. These agreements include only the parties involved in the litigation and do not provide the open and transparent process needed for rule development. Rules that are the product of these approaches are difficult to implement, are not cost effective and may not provide the greatest level of environmental protection. The CAA was last updated in 1990, and it does not provide adequate tools necessary to meet today’s challenges in the most cost effective way. We believe now is the time to modernize the CAA. However, transitioning from the CAA’s current regulatory approach to a modernized approach will take national engagement and leadership from not only DHEC, but also the business community, the environmental community, Congress and the communities we serve.

THI NK STO CK

ECONOMIC DRIVERS

Staying on top of clean air standards

Myra Reece is the chief of the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control’s Bureau of Air Quality.

Electronic restoration is key to business B y J ay S ummer

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either on site or off site that brings a return to normal conditions. An overview of this process is as follows. 1) On-site assessment to determine whether each asset is cost effective to restore 2) Triage according to dire business need, time involved in restoration and type of restoration, followed by make/model/serial number inventory control procedures 3) Engagement of necessary equipment to immediately preserve and slow degradation 4) Concurrently setting up restoration areas by type (wet wash/oven dry, wet clean/air dry, dry clean) and reassembly/diagnostics area. The types of processes involve various tools of the trade, the most extensive of which is the wet wash/ oven dry method, but it is also the finest of cleaning and restoration. Deionized water, compressed air, chemical treatments of printed circuit boards, convection oven action and diagnostic testing are utilized on all assets deemed cost effective to restore. Even if equipment has been under salt water for a number of days, restoration can occur. It surprises many to know that for years, the making of printed circuit boards requires water. On

GET TY IMAGES

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atastrophes happen at all levels and from all sources but nearly all have one thing in common: they affect power sources that directly impact electronics involved in communication, mechanization and automation. Earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, terrorist bombings, hurricanes, ice storms, power outages, equipment failures and other disasters account for billions of dollars in hard asset damages. However, it is actual business interruption that is even more costly in today’s electronic world. Hospitals, power plants, production lines and manufacturers experience business interruption costs ranging from $5,000 per day to $2,000 per minute. It is absolutely critical to infrastructure and even life and limb to restore associated electronics in these areas for a return to preloss levels of activity. The actual process involves taking a computer, main-frame server, primary robotic assembly, medical monitoring station or anything else that may have electricity involved in its operation and restoring it to operating condition. It may be a massive pipe organ in a church, a mega-yacht that sunk or a university building housing the entire IT hardware and software, but they all require a return to service as fast as possible. Since 99 percent of losses involve water, smoke and/or debris or contamination of some type, a process must be enacted

average, over the last ten years 88-95 percent of all equipment in a loss could be restored to pre-working condition if properly assessed, addressed and repaired in a timely manner. The best advice on electronic restoration to victims of a catastrophe is to immediately contact local or regional disaster response vendors and get them on site to follow the steps above. In these days of worldwide electronic communication, the loss of hard assets may cause a greater financial loss proportionately if the business at hand is prone to being lost to a competitor. James H. Summer, Jr. is the director of the large loss division with AFTERDISASTER .

ECONOMIC DRIVERS

South Carolina Business Week: An insider’s perspective B y D onna T urbeville

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en years! It doesn’t seem like it has been that long since I have worked with South Carolina Business Week, but there have been a lot of changes to the program over the past decade. Technology is the biggest change. During my first year in 2004, only a few people owned cell phones. We would rent them for the week so that Company Advisors (CAs) and staff could stay in touch. If parents wanted to contact their child, they had to call the office where we would take a message and someone would deliver it to the child. We had pre-paid long distance calling cards for students to use to call their parents. Now, of course, 95 percent of Business Week students have their own cell phones. I served as the full-time South Carolina Chamber staff person manning the office, while a couple of college students with bicycles went back and forth between the classrooms and office. Today, we utilize a staff person in the office and six college students (all Business Week graduates) onsite in classrooms to assist Company Advisors (CAs). The college students also maintain the well-stocked snack room and ensure all computers and electronics are in good working order. At first, the manuals and student t-shirts were placed in plastic bags and labeled for each student.

Now, we give them a very nice book bag to carry their gear around for the week and then take home. When I first started, there was one scholarship awarded, the $3,000 Ron McNair Leadership Scholarship donated by SCE&G. Now, four scholarships are offered, including the S. Hunter Howard, Jr. $5,000 scholarship, the $2,000 Rawl Family scholarship and the $2,000 Chelse Ward Elliott memorial scholarship. The best part of Business Week is the relationships built over the years, and what makes the program better each year are the volunteers. Several volunteers have over 10-14 years of service to the program. These men and women are executives from South Carolina companies on loan for the week to serve as mentors to the students. Each CA has 10-14 students who work together as an actual business competing with each other in a college level business simulation. The energy and enthusiasm of the CAs are what drive the students to achieve their best. It has been a privilege to have been associated with such a wonderful program for the past 10 years. It is a joy to see these young people work and play together with the zest only young people contain. Seeing how much they enjoy themselves progressively more as the week

Students at the 2013 Business Week

goes by is wonderful and knowing their participation in South Carolina Business Week will positively impact them for the rest of their lives makes all the long hours and hard work worth it. I am sure I will be thinking about Business Week next July and missing the excitement after I retire. Thank you to all who work to make this program better each year and to the South Carolina Chamber for allowing me to be a special part of it. Donna Turbeville is an administrative assistant at the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce.

Grassroots Difference: Business leaders discuss legislative priorities B y J ulie S cott

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hroughout August and September, hundreds are gathering at 10 meetings across the state to discuss what it takes to make South Carolina a premier state to do business. In partnership with local chambers of commerce, employers have joined together to continue the mission to improve the state’s global competitiveness. Time and again, the business community has harnessed the power of a unified grassroots network in pushing through vital issues and halting those that are harmful to creating jobs. In 2013, grassroots priorities resulted in more than $1.4 billion in direct impacts and savings to businesses. South Carolinians continue to cite the need for sustainable and recurring funding of infrastructure. All agree that the 2013 package to fund infrastructure is a good first step, but a long term funding solution must be achieved for economic development, the timely movement of goods and the safety of citizens. Employers also support continued forward movement on one of the state’s strongest assets, the port system. They also encourage forward thinking by preparing ready economic development sites, including water and sewer needs.

Workforce development is also a top concern. Business leaders continue discussions on the gap between the availability of skilled workers and performance requirements for today’s jobs. The General Assembly must focus on early childhood education and workforce ready initiatives. Employers also call for a fundamental change in how students are educated and a transformation of today’s system to prepare students. The time is now to embrace transforming the state’s education system. As the fallout from Act 388 continues to ripple across sectors of the economy, property taxes on businesses must be addressed. South Carolina businesses pay some of the highest state and local taxes in the nation, and employers continue to call for restoring balance and predictability to the system. Business leaders favor simplifying the permitting process and overall regulatory reform at the state and federal levels. They also collectively support the General Assembly enacting the Business Freedom to Choose Act, which enables competition among businesses and government entities for solid waste disposal. Actions at the federal level will also have enormous

impacts on South Carolina. Labor issues, including protecting South Carolina’s right-to-work status and an overreaching National Labor Relations Board, continue to be top priorities. Rising health care costs and the impact of the Affordable Care Act also continue to weigh on employers, and they support focus on cost reduction measures. The rising national debt is also a top federal concern. Annual grassroots meetings represent the first step in creating the Competitiveness Agenda, the business community’s annual list of legislative priorities. Once issues are defined and strategies are developed, the Chamber works with legislative officials to create an environment that will enable businesses to create jobs. Julie Scott is the associate vice president of communications at the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce.


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GOVERNMENT SPOTLIGHT 8

See it. Own it. Work it. DEW it. B y K atie S chanz

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ince Cheryl Stanton was confirmed by Governor Nikki Haley in May to lead the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW), she has already begun formulating a strategic plan to put South Carolinians back to work. Stanton’s background as a labor and employment attorney in both the private and public sectors provides experience that will allow her to build collaboration both inside the agency and with outside partners. In Stanton’s new post as executive director of DEW, she will focus on how the agency can improve the workforce of South Carolina. Stanton’s agency motto, “See it. Own it. Work it. DEW it.” showcases how she envisions the agency turning challenges into opportunities. One of her first initiatives is to ensure DEW becomes “synonymous with workforce development and training.” Stanton said,“Workforce and economic development should go hand-in-hand.” Starting the conversation among the state’s workforce system partners will help facilitate a strategic plan for South Carolina. While people in different parts of the state will require different skill sets to get them work ready, Stanton said DEW is ready to partner with local chambers of commerce, local economic development teams and technical colleges to “ensure we are bringing the right organizations and people


into the conversation. I believe in partnerships and collaborating to get things done.” Modernizing the 1970s operating system for the unemployment insurance (UI) benefits system is also high on Stanton’s list. On modernizing, Stanton said that upgrading the technology for the UI benefits system will “allow for greater UI and information technology flexibility and will save money in the long run.” She emphasized that, “this flexibility will permit DEW to adjust the benefits system without expensive and time-intensive system upgrades when future changes in state and federal unemployment laws are made.” Another benefit to having a more up-todate computer system is for the agency to pay closer attention to the integrity of the UI program, saving businesses money and ensuring those who are due benefits are those who receive benefits. When asked about the biggest surprise she has encountered at the agency, Stanton said that “there are a tremendous amount of good things we do for individuals on a daily basis that the public never gets to hear about.” Stanton highlighted, “This is the state agency where you meet people at one of the lowest points in their lives, and we at DEW have the opportunity to do great things for them.” Stanton hopes to promote the great stories at DEW headquarters by posting them

on a wall to motivate further successes and show how a challenge can be turned into Cheryl Stanton an opportunity. One such success story is how DEW recently assisted 15 women and 19 children who had been found living under an overpass on King and Meeting Streets in Charleston. All the women were veterans who ranged in age from 23 to 46. With the help of staff from DEW and SCWorks and the Charleston community, the families were placed into transitional housing and worked with the agency to find jobs. In speaking of one woman in particular, Stanton said, “She is no longer homeless, and we are happy to report that she began working full-time in May.” It is only appropriate that with Stanton as the new director at DEW, these success stories will continue to come to light and show just how the agency will “See it. Own it. Work it. DEW it.” Katie Schanz is legislative counsel for the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce.

Jason, Julie and Leah are the next generation of nuclear engineers. They’re part of the team that is building the two new nuclear units that will serve the growing energy needs of customers. Once completed, the new units will employ up to 1,000 workers. The future of nuclear power in South Carolina is happening at SCE&G.

Jason Ouzts, Julie Ezell and Leah Bush SCE&G Engineers

sceg.com

SCE&G helps build new energy future for South Carolina B y K evin M arsh

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f you haven’t recently traveled down Highway 215 on the outskirts of Columbia in Fairfield County, then you might not be aware that the world’s largest super crane towers majestically over the tranquil, rural landscape. The 565-foot tall Bigge Heavy Lift Derrick is capable of lifting 7,500 tons and is a focal point for the construction of two, 1,117-megawatt nuclear powered electric generating units at V.C. Summer Nuclear Station near Jenkinsville. The size of this massive crane is indicative of the scale of this project – one of the state’s largest ever construction projects. South Carolina Electric & Gas is working with state-owned utility Santee Cooper to build the two new units to provide the power needed to help meet South Carolina’s future energy needs. This immense project has outcomes for South Carolina beyond the physical structure. It is positioning South Carolina as a leader in the energy industry, creating jobs for a highly skilled, homegrown workforce and fueling substantial economic development. We have a proven track record working with nuclear power. Our existing unit at V.C. Summer has produced safe, reliable energy for more than 30 years. We also understand the many benefits of nuclear being part of our generation portfolio. One of

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the primary benefits of nuclear power is that it does not emit carbon dioxide. With the addition of these two new units, our generation production will be roughly 60 percent non-greenhouse gas emitting, reducing the impact of generation emissions on South Carolina’s air quality and helping to ensure that we can comply with any prospective carbon-reducing legislation. President Obama recently introduced his new climate action plan, which specifically targeted carbon emissions, suggesting that stringent new regulations may be on the way. In addition to being a clean air energy source, nuclear offers the lowest production cost of large-scale power generation currently available. Adding more nuclear power to our system allows us to achieve a very balanced generation portfolio. Once our two new nuclear units are complete, we anticipate our generation mix will be about 30 percent nuclear, 30 percent natural gas and 30 percent scrubbed coal, giving us the flexibility to take advantage of whatever generation option makes economic sense for our customers at any given point in time. A construction project of this magnitude also requires building a large and well-trained workforce. Right now, more than 1,600 workers are on-site at V.C. Summer and involved with the construction

of the two new reactors. More than 3,500 longterm construction workers, many of which are specialty craftsmen, will be hired during the peak of construction. The first of the two new units is anticipated to begin operations in late 2017 or early 2018. The addition of the new units to our system will create 600-800 permanent positions. Recruiting a homegrown workforce has always been an important priority for us. We have actively been engaged with workforce development and education initiatives at all levels to recruit a strong pipeline of skilled and prepared workers. In fact, we have built unique partnerships with local higher education and workforce development stakeholders to expand programs and develop new training opportunities for South Carolina students. This strong collaboration helps students gain a competitive edge through programs including the following: t SCE&G is a member of NuHub – a collaborative group of public and private stakeholders focused on maximizing economic and job creation opportunities for the nuclear industry in the midstate region, which brings together industry members for the creation of South Carolina’s first virtual job shadow program for nuclear energy careers. Middle school students across the state can now participate in the nuclear energy virtual job shadow program to learn more about

T i m e l i n e

Summer as location for new nuclear project. companies submitted the 2008:TheCombined Construction & Operating License Application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and a few months later signed an engineering, procurement and construction contract with Westinghouse and Shaw Group to begin site work.

from the South Carolina Public Service Commission. approved the construction 2012: Theand NRC operating license and construction commenced.

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activities for the two 2009:Pre-construction new reactors began with approval

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and Santee Cooper 2006: SCE&G announced selection of V.C.

March, the first new construction 2013: Innuclear concrete to be poured in the

IMAGES COUR TES Y OF SCANA

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he scope of the construction project for SCE&G’s new nuclear units is massive. Stay up to date with the latest

construction developments by visiting www.scana.com to view time-lapse video and an online photo gallery. Construction of the two units will require:

289,885 cubic yards of concrete.

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32,732 tons of rebar. 17,804 tons of steel.

C o n s t r u c t i o n

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N u m b e r s

U.S. in more than three decades formed the basemat of the new Unit 2 nuclear island. Measuring six feet in thickness, the basemat required approximately 7,000 cubic yards of concrete to cover an area of 250 feet long and 160 feet at its widest section.

425,922 feet of bore pipe. 4,444,957 feet of cable. 900 pieces of 16-ton, 10-foot-in-diamter circulating water pipe. A

12-story module assembly building has

been completed at the site as well as two concrete batch

240 cubic yards of concrete per hour each. plants capable of producing

Bigge Heavy Lift Derrick: 565 foot, A-frame twin boom towers

capable of lifting 7,500 tons.

The site represents one of the state’s largest ever construction projects.

career opportunities and get a firsthand feel for those jobs. t We have worked with Midlands Technical College (MTC) to expand its nuclear operations program to include the full range of technical skills needed by current and future nuclear facilities. In 2010, MTC opened a new campus in Fairfield County where the new nuclear projects are located. t We have great collaboration with the University of South Carolina (USC), which has been offering graduate, Masters and Doctoral degrees in nuclear engineering for more than 10 years. Most recently, USC launched an undergraduate minor track in nuclear engineering. t We have expanded our nuclear internship program to include high school students from Fairfield County. Students are introduced to critical nuclear job groups such as engineering, chemistry and health physics. t Other educational partners include: Clemson University, South Carolina State University, Francis Marion University, Aiken Technical College, Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College and York Technical College. With programs such as these, South Carolina is becoming a national hub for nuclear training and is building a highly skilled, next generation workforce that will be prepared for opportunities in the nuclear industry. We are actively working with industry, business and community leaders from across the region to leverage our workforce, existing infrastructure and resources to establish the Midlands as a global leader for nuclear energy innovation. In addition to the major economic impact that these new jobs will bring, the investment related to building our new units is significant. On the local level, we expect the project to considerably increase the local tax base in Fairfield County, which could ultimately lead to more economic development

within surrounding communities. In 2012 alone, we paid $23.4 million in property taxes in Fairfield County, helping to support schools, police, fire and other critical public services directly impacting the area. And on the statewide level, we expect that the reliability of this new nuclear energy source will serve as a catalyst for new economic development, attracting manufacturing and other industries. Looking ahead, we plan to continue collaborating with business leaders from across the state to make the most of the significant opportunities surrounding nuclear. We are proud to have a lead role in building a new energy future for our state. Our new nuclear construction means increased investment and economic development opportunities that will help to revitalize our economy, keep energy costs stable, protect existing jobs and create new jobs to fuel the future of South Carolina. Kevin Marsh is chairman and chief executive officer of SCANA Corporation. Headquartered in Cayce, S.C., SCANA is an energy-based holding company principally engaged through subsidiaries including SCE&G, in electric and natural gas utility operations and other energy-related businesses. In addition to its approximately 675,000 electric customers in South Carolina, the company serves more than 1.2 million natural gas customers in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia. More information about SCANA is available at www. scana.com.


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A Thinking Man’s Game

Santee Cooper‘s Rainey Generating Station

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or almost 50 years, Santee Cooper has produced the vast majority of its electricity using coal as the primary fuel source. Coal was abundant and affordable. Santee Cooper was quick to install emissions control technology on the units. And it provided reliable, base load electricity throughout South Carolina’s short winters and long, hot summers. In short, coal was the best choice for the utility’s residential, business, industrial and wholesale customers. In the past decade, however, the market has changed. Coal prices began climbing dramatically. Regulators approved expensive – even cost-prohibitive – controls on coal-fired generating units, causing many utilities, including Santee Cooper, to shutter some of their fleet. With the advent of fracking, natural gas prices plummeted. And nuclear power inched back into favor with low operating costs and solid safety records. As these changes began taking shape, Santee Cooper made a conscious decision to increase its generating diversity. The utility has been aggressively running its existing natural gas units, which were actually built to serve as peaking units, and buying additional natural gas generation on the market when prices are favorable, which they have been. Santee Cooper is also expanding its nuclear fleet. “More diversity means more options, which means a better opportunity to respond to market conditions and choose generation that is most cost-effective for our customers in any given period,” said Jane Hood, vice president of fuels strategy and supply for Santee Cooper. “Fuel costs are approximately half of Santee Cooper’s annual budget, and so that flexibility will be key in keeping costs to customers as low as we can.” Santee Cooper dispatches generating units based largely on the cost of power, and for decades that meant coal units were dispatched first and most often. And it built a system based on that scenario. “What we’re doing is turning our system upside down,” said Jeff Armfield, Santee Cooper’s chief financial officer. The turnaround is dramatic. For the first 10 years of this 21st century, Santee Cooper generated more than 75 percent of its electricity sales from coal. During some years, such as in 2007, the figure exceeded 80 percent. By contrast, last year just 58 percent of Santee Cooper electricity sales came from coal. That’s the lowest coal contribution since 1966, when coal-fired Grainger Generating Station came online in Conway. In 2012, Santee Cooper announced the retirement of Grainger, which was idled in March 2012 and permanently ceased generating on December 31.

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Last year, roughly 30 percent of electricity sales came from natural gas, both from Santee Cooper’s owned generation and from purchased power. That fuel source turnaround is the result of strategic planning, constant monitoring and making decisions almost minute by minute. And it reflects successful navigation of a path packed with constraints. “We built coal when we did because it was the best alternative,” Armfield said. Santee Cooper’s customer growth came in an era after the Three Mile Island partial meltdown, which effectively ended construction of new nuclear plants in this country until now. There was a moratorium on building natural gas generation when the utility needed to expand and so it turned to the Cross Generating Station, Santee Cooper’s largest and most modern coal-fired station. “We built Rainey Generating Station (natural gas) because we wanted some fuel diversity,” Armfield said. Those units came online in 2002 and 2004, but the price of natural gas was so high that they were only used to deliver electricity in peak demand periods, such as during the dog days of summer. Santee Cooper (and its South Carolina partner, SCE&G) is among a handful of utilities building new nuclear generation, restarting an industry that was dormant for more than 30 years. That is a long-term solution to fuel diversity. The existing V.C. Summer Nuclear Station came online in 1983, and it has proven a steady and reliable source of low-cost power for Santee Cooper and SCE&G. Nuclear power features high capacity factors and low operating costs. But the two new units under construction won’t be available until 2017 and 2018. The dramatic drop in natural gas prices created a rush to build for many utilities. For Santee Cooper, that highlighted another constraint to fuel diversity. Rainey station is in Anderson County, near the Transco pipeline. Most of Santee Cooper’s customer load is closer to the coast of South Carolina. “Building another gas generating station near the existing pipeline would present transmission difficulties and costs, and to build near our customer base we’d need to factor in the cost of a pipeline and all the permitting challenges of that,” Hood explained. “Instead, we’ve pursued purchased gas power, which has been a good success story for our customers the past couple of years.” By purchasing additional gas generation when it is available and accessible, Santee Cooper can take advantage of the cost savings for customers now, without incurring capital expenses, and proceed with the new nuclear construction for long-term solutions when natural gas prices resume the volatility they have shown through history. Tom Abrams, vice president of planning and power supply, points out another complication in diversifying generation fuel sources: transmission. “Santee Cooper operates as one part of a much larger energy supply system, through numerous interconnections with our neighboring systems,” Abrams said. “In this interconnected environment, issues on our system or on other systems can impact our ability to access lower cost resources outside of Santee Cooper. With regulatory changes driving system changes around us, and with increased unknowns about future regulations, the uncertainty associated with these changes and their potential impacts on Santee Cooper have certainly increased. “ Santee Cooper monitors all of these factors through a power marketing desk (focused on price) and an energy control center (focused on system reliability). There is also a fuels committee that oversees conditions, anticipates the situation down the road, and measures actual performance against projections to build on lessons learned. “It’s very complicated,” Armfield acknowledged. “It’s a thinking man’s game, except it’s no game. Every day, you’ve got to think about where you are, where you’re going, and what is the best way to get there. It’s like playing chess with five or six opponents making changes on the other side.” Mollie Gore is manager of corporate communications for Santee Cooper.

jim huff / Santee Cooper

B y M ollie G ore

Welcome, Frontier®. Before the first call came in. Before the first worker sat comfortably at his desk. Before the lights came on for the first time. Santee Cooper partnered with Frontier Communications to bring their new call center to Horry County, creating more than 180 new jobs. By partnering our low-cost, reliable power and development opportunities with our state’s attractive tax base, relocation incentives, and an unparalleled quality of life graced with Southern hospitality, Santee Cooper helped Frontier expand in South Carolina. And continues to power South Carolina toward Brighter Tomorrows, Today.

POWERING S.C. www.scprimesite.com

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Cyberwoven

BEN REX

September~October 2013 Centerfold


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B y J ean C ecil F rick

P hotography by S andy A ndrews

en Rex is not your average 32 year old. By the time he was a junior at the South Carolina Honors College, Rex had founded his own web business, Cyberwoven, with a partner. Today, that business is growing exponentially and is changing the online presence of organizations across South Carolina and beyond its borders. At a young age, Rex knew that he wanted to be self employed and he also knew he was motivated enough to put in the hard work to create his own business. Rex will be the first to admit that he has never written a line of code for a website, but he has a passion for how businesses work and grow that has led to his success. Cyberwoven is a full-service digital agency; integrating strategy, design and development to help businesses build inspired online experiences to grow their business. What started out as two college students with an idea has turned into a firm that is more than 30 employees strong and counts billion dollar international companies as clients.

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Homegrown talent

September~October 2013 Centerfold B en R e x

Cyberwoven

ach day, Rex and his Cyberwoven team are driven by how they can help a business succeed through its online presence. A businesses’ digital brand is often a consumer’s first interaction with a company and Cyberwoven strives to make it a positive and lasting impact. Rex will tell you he stays on top of an ever changing industry by hiring the best people and constantly talking to others to find out how businesses are changing and what they need to succeed. In the field of technology, things are constantly changing and Cyberwoven keeps pace. Like other business leaders, Rex knows his people are his greatest asset and he strives to create a culture of collaboration to keep his team on the cutting edge. At Cyberwoven, two “ministers of culture” are chosen each year to lead the development of the company’s culture. Ministers organize fun outings like an annual bowling tournament, celebrate staff achievements with impromptu afternoon cakes and create spaces where employees can bond and get to know each other as people, not just as coworkers. On a summer afternoon, one might find the entire staff enjoying casual conversation and an ice cream sandwich, or one may find the staff engaged in a lunch-and-learn, or one could stumble across a group of Cyberweavers practicing for the Yard Game Olympics. The Cyberwoven team is engaged with one another, with their profession, with their community and with their clients. Rex believes that employee rapport informs the quality of work Cyberwoven produces. By creating an outlet for these team-building activities, Cyberwoven has encouraged its culture to spring up organically in a positive way. “Ben is truly a remarkable leader,” said Dan Hoover, chief operating officer at Cyberwoven. “He thrives on bringing diverse people and organizations together

G et to know B en R ex Favorite place in South Carolina: Sullivan’s Island People might be surprised to know: He takes dance lessons every Monday night with his wife. What’s on his nightstand: The Economist magazine and news from his iPad App he can’t live without: AP news In his spare time, he can be found: Volunteering If he could have dinner with anyone: Warren Buffett and Bill Gates What inspires him: Making things better. The status quo can always be improved.

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to achieve common goals. He is constantly asking questions to unlock a deeper understanding of the issues that matter most. This allows Ben to make decisions that benefit all involved.” Hoover continued, “Ben doesn’t just make things happen, he makes sure that the right things happen.” B u siness in S o u th C arolina

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s Rex was building his business, he could have chosen to locate anywhere. Having grown up in Taylors and then attending the Honors College in Columbia, he certainly had strong ties to South Carolina. He quickly found that there were opportunities in a smaller state that cannot always be found in others. For one, there is the connection of knowing people all across the state. At the beginning, the hardest part was convincing clients that he had a model to help their business succeed. As his business started to grow, he was able to leverage his connections - highlighting successes to help leverage new successes. Rex says much of the company’s growth has come from referrals. Now with 12 consecutive years of growth in the business, Rex has gotten the attention of major industries across the state. “Ben is truly a visionary entrepreneur who is comfortable brainstorming with top marketing managers, IT experts, social media whizzes and even CEOs,” said Roger Schrum, vice president of investor relations and corporate affairs at Sonoco. “That unique mix of skills is what has helped him build a truly unique team that is helping grow small, medium and large businesses throughout the region.” C omm u nit y M inded

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hile he has seen his fair share of business success, Rex also sees the value in being an engaged community citizen. He and his wife, Sidney, are both active on numerous community boards. “Ben’s sense of humor, his inquisitive mind and motivation to complete a project or achieve a goal have helped him build a successful business and serve effectively on a number of nonprofit boards including ours,” said JoAnn Turnquist, president Greg Lunn, director of frontend development, works on a new client project.

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B eing a leader

& CEO of Central Carolina Community Foundation. “Ben’s strategic leadership and unbiased guidance have helped us increase our visibility and impact in the community.” Rex is currently serving as treasurer of the Central Carolina Community Foundation. He said they are focused on “growing philanthropy in South Cyberwoven team members have helped the Carolina to improve the company grow for 12 consecutive years. region as a whole.” He also serves on the boards of the Salvation Army and SC Economics. Furthermore, Rex has kept close ties to the Honors College. He has served on its board and has even found himself in the classroom - teaching classes periodically and exposing students to the vast opportunities in South Carolina. Rex is someone who is committed to making things better. Whether its helping a business leverage its online presence or seeing the Midlands region reach its full potential, you can be assured Rex is going to give it 110 percent of his efforts. To see an example of Cyberwoven’s work, visit scchamber.net. Jean Cecil Frick is the former multimedia manager at the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce and the editor of South Carolina Business.

The ACT NCRC™ is a proven predictor of workplace success. Ask for it. The South Carolina ACT Work Ready Communities initiative is helping employers match employees to jobs, based on verified skill levels. Powered by ACT WorkKeys® assessments, the ACT National Career Readiness Certificate™ is a national credential that gives you concrete evidence of the level of workplace skills an individual has achieved—making it easier to match the skills an applicant has with the skills you need. The ACT NCRC can also help to identify skills gaps, training needs, and promotion opportunities for your current employees—reducing turnover and increasing productivity in the process. When you ask for the ACT NCRC and participate in the South Carolina ACT Work Ready Communities initiative, you’re strengthening your business and supporting economic development in your community. Learn more at act.org/employers and workreadycommunities.org.

scworkready.org

nationalcareerreadiness.org 20317

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Sustainability. Powered by Duke Energy.

At Duke Energy, sustainability is about making decisions and taking actions that are good for today – and better for tomorrow. It’s about being environmentally progressive, honest and ethical, and committed to making our communities better places to live. Sustainability is about doing the right thing – even when it’s not the easy thing to do.

www.duke-energy.com

Robotics in Manufacturing B y D ana W. T odd

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echnology has changed the face of workplaces at a dizzying pace in the last 20 years. What was once considered futuristic is common in today’s offices and manufacturing facilities. Almost every work environment uses computers, handheld devices, and electronics running an array of software applications and connecting hardware. Technology innovations are impacting another frontier in the manufacturing industry – robotics. If robots bring to mind visions of Terminator or Robopocalypse, these sinister sci-fi renditions don’t resemble real-world robotic applications in industry. In South Carolina, two large manufacturers have been using robots to automate the production floor for a couple of decades. BMW in Spartanburg County currently employs about 800 operational robots in its body shops and paint shops, with another 600 coming online in the next few years as new products are added. The company uses most of the robots in its body shops, where they perform 98 percent of the work to produce three products - the X3, X5 and X6 vehicle lines. Michelin North America’s facility in Greenville has used robots for the last 15 years to move tires and tire carcasses on the plant floor and onto pallets in the loading area. Technology continues to improve, with quantifiable benefits for the facilities. S a y H ello to R 2 - D 2 ith advances in technology, it’s not unheard of for robots to work side-by-side with humans on the production floor. Chad Johnson, BMW body shop department manager of underbody framing and logistics, says there are about four robots for every one person employed in a body shop. BMW body shops are 98 percent automated today, up from only 30 percent automated in the facility’s first days of operation in the mid-1990s. Dan Keesler, a strategic project manager at Michelin’s US 1 facility, estimates 12 to 15 different types of robots work at each tire building machine, which also uses nine employees to run it. Previously a manual operation, Keesler says the most recent generations of robots enable a completely automated process for tasks such as lifting and moving tires from machine to machine. Since today’s robots are much more precise than their predecessors, they are a reliable option to relieve employees of the most monotonous, dangerous and repetitive tasks in a manufacturing facility. Industry wide, robots primarily are used for three applications: material handling, joining/welding tasks and assembly/ inspection. “Our robots can handle a part, weld, both handle and weld, use cameras for visioning to confirm quality, laser weld, or hold a part for an employee to work on or inspect,” says Johnson.

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THINK STOCK / BMW MANUFACTU RIN G / MICH ELIN

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oth Keesler and Johnson agree on other benefits that robots bring to the production floor.

Safety - Repetitive, manual tasks can lead to injuries in people, and these types of jobs are those in which robotics are particularly helpful by eliminating the ergonomic strain associated with repeated motion. In BMW’s “best fit” process, robots hang on all finished parts such as car hoods and doors in a 100 percent automated process that employees previously performed manually at greater ergonomic risk. “An average tire weighs 50 pounds,” says Keesler. “Lifting them eight hours per day leads to ergonomic issues. Robots are a common sense approach to protecting our people long term.” Productivity - With no need for lunch breaks or sick days, a robot both improves the process and increases the volume of goods produced. Robots work all three shifts, with higher rates of throughput equaling higher profits.

Industry wide, robots primarily are used for three applications: material handling, joining/ welding tasks and assembly/inspection.

“Robotics improves the cycle time of the process, producing a greater number of tires,” says Keesler, “and this process can be repeated over a long period of time.” Quality Control – Parts placement – whether for tire or automobile production – requires precise control, something the current generation of robots has mastered. In addition to the accuracy needed in the production process, robots must move precisely as they interact closely with employees. “As we continue to evolve the process, robotics supports the evolution of tire production, which is becoming more complex and diverse,” says Keesler. Both BMW and Michelin admit the negative side of employing robots on the shop floor, but company executives say the pros far outweigh the cons. Robots, like any other machine, break from time to time and need maintenance. “Maintenance is factored into the initial installation,” Johnson says. “We know equipment repairs will be needed. In our body shops, sparks and debris from the welding process create expulsion that has to go somewhere. It often collects on the equipment and can cause downtime, but there’s no spark-less body shop in the world.” Programming is another challenge, according to Keesler, who keeps a team of engineers in place to program robots for the exacting tasks to be performed. Johnson says it is most challenging for his team to integrate robotics software with other applications and hardware such as printers and routers running in the facility. He says it is even more challenging to place robots where they have not previously operated and allow enough room for them to work safely beside humans. Implementing robotic technology enables manufacturers to operate as cost effectively as outsourcing jobs. If the savings are equal, it makes sense for manufacturers to “employ” robots within the facility, where they can produce parts faster than overseas labor. The benefit, alludes Keesler, is that current employees actually get a “bump up” on the job as they trade rote tasks for more skilled responsibilities. Plus, where there are machines, there is a need for skilled technicians to maintain them. “Robots free employees to become more involved in the overall tire-making process instead of having a singular focus. It frees our [machine] operators to a higher level of responsibility,” Keesler says. “A key intangible benefit of using robotics is increased job satisfaction for our employees. Our operator-employees have job security through continued productivity and cost improvements, and robots are a part of that.” Dana W. Todd is a professional writer and public relations consultant who writes for news outlets and publishers nationwide.

Previously a manual operation, Michelin’s most recent generations of robots enable a completely automated process for tasks such as lifting and moving tires from machine to machine.

BMW body shops are 98 percent automated today, up from only 30 percent automated in the facility’s first days of operation in the mid-1990s.


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BIM: Transforming the Design and Construction Industries

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uilding Information Modeling or BIM is transforming the design and construction industries. This process of visualizing structures in 3D allows discovery of potential clashes of equipment or materials inside the walls during the planning stage instead of later on the construction site. BIM’s 3D modeling software supplements or replaces traditional 2D drawings and specifications and allows much greater engagement between designers and contractors. The time and money saved doesn’t stop at the front end of the project. Expanded details such as future maintenance schedules and costs can benefit facilities management throughout a structure’s life cycle. While the term BIM was coined some 25 years ago, its practical application in the U.S. has taken off only in recent years, following wide adoption elsewhere. The United Kingdom is requiring all its national government projects to engage the collaborative processes powered by BIM technology beginning in 2016. The U.S. General Services Administration established the National 3D-4D-BIM Program in 2003, citing spatial validation, laser scanning, energy and sustainability and requiring basic spatial modeling on all of its major projects beginning in 2007. However, many U.S. construction owners – public and private—are just beginning to appreciate the value of BIM’s dynamic information-sharing between their teams and designers, general contractors and specialty contractors. A project can involve any of the four progressive levels of BIM on any discipline—steelwork, mechanical,

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etc.—or the entire project. The owner can require its use, or it could be the architect or engineer who chooses to do so. Any project stakeholder can create a model for their discipline, for either their own benefit or for data-sharing. BIM can even result in a shifting of conventional roles. Lexington Medical Center’s Otarre Pointe project exemplifies structural and MEP (mechanical/electrical/ plumbing) coordination, led by the Charlotte office of Perkins + Will. With the collaboration of Fitzpatrick Engineering, the 3D model of the structural design was used to directly develop the shop drawings for structural steel fabrication, a role the steel fabricator would have traditionally fulfilled. Fitzpatrick’s willingness to incorporate shop drawings into their scope and 3D modeling removed duplication of additional design detailing normally required of the steel fabricator, reducing fabrication cost and time by approximately two months. This captured efficiency will allow general contractor Hood Construction of Columbia to accelerate the construction schedule by streamlining the steel erection, further saving the owner time and money.

W.B. Guimarin of Columbia is using BIM 3D modeling for a coordination study of the MEP building systems. The firm will lead these efforts in conjunction with the electrical and fire sprinkler subcontractors to highlight conflicts in systems prior to materials fabrication and installation. While this will require a greater initial time investment by these subcontractors as well as Hood Construction, anticipated savings are substantial. Through these coordinated efforts, the project team expects a significant reduction in implementation conflicts and waste, plus increased site productivity. It’s common for a specialty contractor to take the initiative in applying BIM, as in the case of Wayne Brothers, Inc., a site prep and concrete construction contractor with projects across the Carolinas. John Vaughn, project manager for the Asheville-area Sierra Nevada Brewery project, describes it as a fast moving, complex design/build project with many changes and clarifications along the way. “We used the 3-D model to foresee conflicts before they happened in the field,” he said. Company president Keith Wayne notes it was particularly gratifying to hear the agent’s excitement upon visiting the site and seeing changes made on the fly, with foremen calling up the model on their iPads and showing instant results of a change. “It’s really great to see an owner’s enthusiasm about technology on their job,” Wayne noted. For the 10,000-seat BB&T Ballpark in Charlotte, WBI modeled both sitework and the structure. The

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BIM was used on the Sierra Nevada Brewery in Asheville because it was a complex design/build project with many changes and clarifications along the way.

firm is working with the joint venture of Rodgers Barton Malow Leeper on the project, representing early leaders in the BIM adoption arena. GCs and construction managers can take a variety of roles in the BIM process. Clancy & Theys Construction has managed overall coordination on dozens of fully-integrated BIM projects in the southeast. They include Raleigh’s Nature Research Center, which earned a Pinnacle Award from Carolinas AGC. BIM was used to plan, sequence and schedule activities in the field plus manage many field coordination responsibilities. Most significantly, said Clancy & Theys, BIM was used as a communication and visualization tool for all members of the design and construction team. “Traditional pre-construction methods were clearly insufficient to coordinate work in this complex area. Soliciting over 70 BIM files from 10 companies, we built a single federated file to run clash detection and facilitate conflict resolution between trades in three dimensions,” the company noted. “When the virtual construction team could not find clear solutions, the BIM model allowed us to quickly generate detailed RFIs to explain conflicts in ways that diagrammatic plans could not, especially in the tight curves of the sphere.” Clancy & Theys creates the initial model and shares it online then each trade contractor submits its respective model for the company to consolidate into the master, “like the old days of layering a sub’s drawings on top of an architect’s floor plan,” said Director of Virtual Design & Construction Harry McKinney. The full team meets on-site to review conflicts, such as a planned sewer line running through planned ductwork, and determines or assigns resolutions. The trades revise their respective models accordingly and resubmit, and the process repeats. Specialty contractors such as Lifeguard Fire Protection of Gilbert, SC, say that kind of centralized management of clash detection resolutions is key. President Jamie Patterson adds that the BIM process offers particular efficiency for a trade where much work is prefabricated and can be done much more accurately. “It’s definitely money well-spent. Owners who have a software model that details exactly where all mechanical equipment is installed end up spending less across the life of a project too,” Patterson said. Echoed Keith Wayne, “We’ve seen the confirmations of using BIM: higher quality, greater

productivity and lower costs of producing the work in the field. And there are better evidences too that aren’t always wrapped up in dollar signs.” He added, “Looking ahead, I see the push to use BIM as coming from the grassroots construction employee. Those new to the industry, including the

design side, will expect it to be the way of doing their work. Today’s 24-year-olds will soon be the 30-year-olds who won’t know how to do it any other way.” For information on AGC’s BIM Education Program, visit www.cagc.org. Leslie Chilton Blum is VP of Business Development & Online Services at the Carolinas Associated General Contractors & American Road & Transportation Builders Association.

ideas that shape sustainability.

Hubbell Lighting Certified LEED Silver

Creating value through productive and sustainable corporate environments.

PLANNING • ARCHITECTURE • INTERIORS atlanta | asheville | charleston | greenville | spartanburg

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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

A company built on skilled workers

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id you know there is a company in South Carolina that pays wages comparable to those in California? If you work for Intel Corporation, you can enjoy a West Coast salary with an East Coast cost of living. In a quiet building off of I-26 in Columbia, Intel employs more than 300 high-tech direct and indirect workers at its Columbia Design Center. The Columbia location is Intel’s largest physical office in the Southeast. Intel’s staff has the ability to recruit top-notch talent by providing competitive wages and emphasizing Columbia’s high quality of life. When someone goes to work for Intel Columbia, they can be proud knowing that server or mobile graphics products Intel produces are validated through the Midlands facility. As part of a global company with tens of thousands of employees and more than $53 billion in revenue, the South Carolina site has an impressive mission and is a key component of the company’s success. “South Carolina is a place with great opportunity,” said Kevin Brasche, site manager, Intel Corporation Columbia Design Center.

employees were educated at South Carolina schools. Employees are encouraged to constantly learn and reinvent themselves within the organization. Sam Vause, site champion of the Columbia Design Center, said, “I have been with the company for 16 years, and I have had 10 different jobs within the organization. It keeps me motivated and energized knowing I can take on a new challenge at any time.” The company also promotes a culture of collaboration to keep employees motivated. It provides free drinks at any time (including soda, coffee, cappuccino and espresso) and fresh fruit weekly so employees can communicate with each other as they take a break. They also encourage family time, hosting family movie nights at local theatres and other social events periodically throughout the year. Intel employees must constantly think about the future. The products they work on are released after up to three or four years of effort and may only be used for four to five years. Employees are often asked to look into a crystal ball to predict what will be coming next down the technology pathways.

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ost of Intel’s employees have engineering degrees, and the company boasts its heavy recruiting at South Carolina schools including Clemson University and the University of South Carolina. Nearly half the Columbia

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ntel Columbia is not just focused on keeping its customers and employees happy. The company is also committed to giving back to the community it proudly calls home.

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Intel recently donated 25 laptops to Seven Oaks Elementary School in Lexington and servers to the Richland/Lexington District 5 Center for Advanced Technical Studies.

Employees are encouraged to volunteer at the non-profit or educational organization of their choosing. For every hour that an employee volunteers, the Intel Foundation sends $10 to their chosen organization. This allows employees to follow their passion when it comes to charity, and the company will stand behind them to support that organization as well. Furthermore, Intel Columbia provides support to the Harvest Hope Food Bank and is an active participant in the annual United Way campaign. Each year, Intel’s employees are proud to be among the highest level donors to the Midlands United Way. The company is also committed to supporting science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. It recently donated 25 laptops to Seven Oaks Elementary School in Lexington and servers to the Richland/Lexington District 5 Center for Advanced Technical Studies.

lmost every year, Intel Columbia hosts a business event which brings in more than 100 individuals to the Midlands region. Business people come to town from all over the world, staying in local hotels and supporting local restaurants and other venues – the last event meant over 1,200 room-nights to the local community. Intel will continue to host this event because it values both the talents of its employees and the opportunity to help local businesses. This event is not the only way Intel is empowering

local businesses. It impacts other area businesses by serving as a key component to data systems that local insurance giants such as Colonial Life and BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina use every day. These local companies and others depend on Intel’s server and other products daily to operate efficiently. Intel Corporation is keeping South Carolina on the cutting edge of technology. It is providing highpaying jobs to South Carolina-educated engineers, and the company is committed to being a good corporate citizen in its community.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

H elping local b u sinesses

Jean Cecil Frick is the former multimedia manager at the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce and the editor of South Carolina Business.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. There’s no telling where concern for the environment will lead. Like ripples in a pond, conservation and other earth-friendly measures spread out in all directions. Resulting in positive change that goes beyond what can ever be anticipated. Bank of America is proud to support all those who act as stewards of the environment. Visit us at bankofamerica.com

Intel Columbia Design Center Quick Facts • •

Facility began in 1998 with 64 server design engineers acquired from NCR’s West Columbia location Annual direct payroll is greater than $26M, providing a $73M direct impact to the area (Figure provided by the South Carolina

Department of Commerce)

• 4.24M KWh 2012 power consumption (Figure provided by SCANA) • Educational Diversity: 7 Ph.D.s (6 schools); 67 Masters (52 schools); 132 Bachelors (89 schools) • Employees hold 48 patents • Since 2004, donated $1.97M to United Way of the Midlands ©2013 Bank of America Corporation | AR9E9C35


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BEFORE THE EVENT

Hear from 2012 Best Places to Work Wınners Life Cycle Engineering - #1 Best Place to Work in South Carolina 2012 – Large Employer Category

Geocent - #1 Best Place to Work in South Carolina 2012 – Small/Medium Employer Category

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“T

ife Cycle Engineering (LCE) was thrilled to be named the 2012 Best Place to Work (BPTW) in South Carolina in the large company category. For seven years running, we have been recognized on the best places list but this top ranking was truly an exciting moment for the entire LCE family. The Best Places to Work initiative raises awareness of the great employers we have in South Carolina. By providing a tool that measures employee engagement, benefits and overall employee satisfaction, the BPTW initiative provides a quantitative measure of how employers are performing in the eyes of their employees. The rankings reinforce the importance of employee satisfaction. This is beneficial to individual employers, employees and also our state. As president, it was a privilege to personally accept our award and share the exciting news with the LCE team. LCE’s distinction as a Best Place to Work is a point of pride for all our employees and their families. I am honored for Life Cycle Engineering to be recognized as part of this distinguished group.” – Bob Fei, president and CEO of Life Cycle Engineering

SAVE THE DATE BUSINESS SPEAKS AT THE STATE HOUSE MARRIOTT, COLUMBIA JANUARY 22, 2014 4:00 – 5:30 pm, Town Meeting 5:30 – 7:30 pm, Reception

BUSINESS SPEAKS

scchamber.net

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he Geocent team knew we were creating something special when we opened our office in Charleston. And from our first seafood boil in 2012, we have understood how warm, welcoming and ready for business the people of South Carolina stand. It was largely the testimonials of our employees who helped us attain the Chamber’s recognition and the No. 1 spot in the small/medium size businesses Best Companies ranking. We believe we continue to live up to the honor. And what has the award meant to us? Executive Director of the Geocent Charleston office, Ryan Lemire perhaps provided the best answer: ‘We have a healthy competitive spirit with many of the other companies in our category, so we were especially excited to win the top spot in our very first year participating in the competition!’ In recruiting, telling an applicant we won this award brings a ‘WOW’ to their lips. Recognition has made us a high profile employer of choice. We don’t expect to be a small employer for long, and the Chamber’s acknowledgement of what we do and how well we do it will certainly help us achieve our goals. Thank you to the South Carolina Chamber!” – Susan Seip, human resources manager for Geocent

VC3 - #3 Best Place to Work in South Carolina 2012 – Small/Medium Employer Category

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010 was the first year VC3 participated in the Best Places to Work in South Carolina program. We saw it as a way to further improve our employee satisfaction survey process by having a confidential survey conducted by a third party. The level of in-depth questions asked in the survey allowed us to gain valuable information from our employees. At VC3, our most important resources are our employees, and we firmly believe happy employees make our business better. Our customers see this in the quality of our work and pride that VC3 employees’ project. What we didn’t expect from our participation were the additional benefits we received. Our employees are excited about the award, our customers and vendors are proud of our achievement, and it has been a great recruiting tool for us. I seldom talk to a candidate that doesn’t mention our designation as one of the reasons they are interested in employment with us. We will continue to use our participation to measure what matters most to our employees. We’ve always believed that VC3 was a great place to work, but by winning this award for four consecutive years, we’ve validated that belief!” – Jill Menhart, SPHR, director of organizational development for VC3 Sponsorships are still available for this year’s Best Places to Work in South Carolina reception and dinner set for October 8 in Columbia. Please visit scchamber.net or contact Alexa Stillwell at [email protected] for additional details.

Matthew Capelli of Michelin has led a Business Week company for many years.

AFTER THE EVENT

2013 South Carolina Business Week

Business Week scholarship winners are joined by AT&T South Carolina President Pamela Lackey. Right, Dr. Claude C. Lilly, president of Presbyterian College, addresses students.

Company Advisors from some of South Carolina’s top businesses lead students during the week.

Close to 200 students attend Business Week each summer.

2013 Membership Receptions

Members enjoy a laugh at the Midlands reception, held at Riverbanks Zoo and Botanical Gardens.

S.C. Chamber President Otis Rawl chats with USC Atheletic Director Ray Tanner and Deepal Eliatamby, president of Alliance Consulting Engineers at the Midlands reception.

The Zentrum, at BMW Manufacturing, was the host location for the Upstate membership reception.

Pee Dee members gathered at Osbornes in Florence.

The Lowcountry Reception provided great networking opportunities for members.

S.C. Chamber President Otis Rawl talks with Lonnie Carter, president and CEO of Santee Cooper, at the Lowcountry reception.


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MEMBER NEWS Select Health won two bronze Telly Awards in the regional TV categories of insurance and use of animation for its 30-second “First Choice has my doctor!” commercial. Front row (L-R): Jill Lemay, culturally and linguistically appropriate services coordinator; Laura Blanchard, senior writer; Mike Saia, media relations specialist. Back row (L-R): Patricia Crimminger, director of communications; Reid Strauss, senior graphic designer. Dan Mooney, the vice president of 787-8 development, will lead Boeing South Carolina’s engineering design center. Mooney began working for Boeing in 1980 as a stress analyst. Since then, he’s served as vice president of the 747 and 747-8 programs; vice president of product development and chief product engineer for the 767 and 757-300 programs; and he also served as a technical representative for Boeing Commercial Airplanes in Washington, D.C., where he was the company’s liaison to the U.S. government and agencies like NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration. J.P. Scurry, vice president of Colliers International South Carolina, graduated from the 2013 Urban Land Institute South Carolina Center for Sustainable Leadership, the fourth graduating class in the state. The mission of the Institute is to connect leaders from the public, private and non-profit sectors to understand the best land use practices, instill bottom line thinking and evaluate case studies. This allows leaders to establish a shared vision of creating and sustaining communities in South Carolina. Doctors Care, P.A., announced that all 52 of its medical centers are among a select group of healthcare facilities nationwide that have recently received the Certified Urgent Care Center designation. This prestigious accreditation is awarded by the Urgent Care Association of America.

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Adam Fisher, Jr. of the Fisher Law Firm in Greenville was awarded the V. Robert Payant Award for Faculty Excellence on June 10, 2013 at the National Judicial College (NJC) in Reno, NV. Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. has elected Boyd B. (Nick) Nicholson, Jr. as the firm’s managing director. He succeeds Anne S. Ellefson, managing director since 2008, who will continue her practice in the firm’s real estate team. Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. Shareholder William R. “Will” Johnson was named President of the South Carolina Bar Young Lawyers Division (YLD) and Chair of the Leadership Columbia Alumni Association on July 1, 2013. Google announced that North Myrtle Beach is the 2013 eCity of South Carolina. The Google eCity Award recognizes the strongest online business community in each state. This is the initiative’s inaugural year. GMK Associates, Inc., announced Jeffrey M. Neuman has joined the firm to serve as director of marketing. In this role, Neuman will collaborate with company leadership and sales staff to support business development efforts, with the primary goal to implement

South Carolina Chamber of Commerce staffers Tish Anderson (Top), associate vice president of programs and events, and Julie Scott, associate vice president of communications, received IOM designations in August. Anderson and Scott graduated from the U.S. Chamber’s Institute for Organizational Management after four years of coursework. marketing strategies that generate awareness, interest and qualified leads for GMK’s multiple services within its target markets. Richard Kinard, LEED AP, of Mashburn Construction, recently graduated from the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Charleston Class of 2013. A graduate of the University of Florida, Kinard joined Mashburn in August 2002. As Vice President of Charleston Preconstruction, he is responsible for estimates, constructability reviews, scheduling, long lead items procurement, site logistics and planning, quality, and safety. Zach Bearden, RLA, LEED® AP, of Mashburn Construction, graduated from the ULI Sustainable Leadership Institute, which challenges participants to think about the impact of land use development and encourages communication between professional sectors and geographic regions. As Director of Business Development, Coastal Division, Bearden is responsible for identifying business development opportunities and building long-term relationships with clients.

Nick McCormac has been hired as the director of communications for McKay Public Affairs, LLC, an affiliate of McKay, Cauthen, Settana & Stubley, P.A. McCormac will work directly with McKay Public Affairs’ public relations, legislative and procurement clients. He will design and implement creative promotional material and assist with the general operations of McKay Public Affairs. He will also be responsible for the creation and management of The McKay Firm’s new blog. NAI Avant announced the addition of Marilynn Joyner to the brokerage team. In her new role as a broker at NAI Avant, Joyner will be an active member of the retail brokerage team where she will specialize in providing tenants, owners and investors with a variety of commercial real estate services. Nexsen Pruet members re-elected John Sowards as the firm’s board chairman. Sowards’ second three year term began July 1, 2013. Sowards’ legal practice is focused in the areas of real estate, corporate and finance law.

AGY Holding Corporation Aiken

MasterCard Columbia

Appro-RX Waynesville, OH

Michael Baker Jr. Corp. Columbia

Carpenter Specialty Wire Products Orangeburg

Palmetto Staffing Solutions, LLC Hartsville

Central Supply Company, Inc. Fountain Inn Courtyard Columbia Downtown at USC Columbia

Ply Gem Industries Gaffney Scio Diamond Technology Corporation Greenville

Dantherm HMS Inc. Spartanburg

South Carolina Biotechnology Industry Organization Greenville

Electrolux North America, Inc. Anderson

South Carolina Plastics LLC Fountain Inn

Ford Motor Credit Company Greenville

Staffing Consultants Easley

General Equipment & Supply Co. Simpsonville

Tandem Transport Co., Inc. Lancaster

Hartness International Inc. Greenville

ThyssenKrupp Industrial Services NA, Inc. Southfield, MI

Industrial Motor Service, Inc. Anderson Integrated Biometrics Inc. IBI Greenville Lifestone Communities Lexington MagMutual Insurance Columbia

Watford Industry Inc. Kingstree WLTX-TV News 19 Columbia Wyche Burgess & Parham, P. A. Greenville

Attorneys Ron Cardwell and Phil Conner have joined Nexsen Pruet’s environmental, administrative and regulatory law practice group as members in Greenville. Cardwell is former assistant group counsel for a Fortune 500 manufacturer. He counsels clients on heavily regulated corporate and real estate transactions that involve solid and hazardous wastes and substances. Conner utilizes his chemical and laboratory background to provide advice and counsel related to complex issues regulated by the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act.

O’Neal, Inc., a Greenville-based integrated design and construction company, ranks 14th on ZweigWhite’s list of the 2013 Best Firms to Work For. The national award recognizes the top architecture, structural engineering, civil engineering, environmental and multi-discipline firms in the country. The ranking is based on an employee survey about employee satisfaction, including workplace practices, employee benefits and employee retention rates. O’Neal ranked as the 14th Multidisciplinary Architecture/ Engineering firm in the nation.

Nexsen Pruet announced that the South Carolina Bar’s Young Lawyer Division gave attorney Tracy Vann its President Award. The award recognizes volunteers who have gone above and beyond in their service to YLD. In addition, Vann has been elected chair of the construction law section for the SC Bar.

For the sixth time, Palmetto Health is being recognized as one of the “Most Wired” organizations by Hospitals & Health Networks magazine. Palmetto Health is the only Midlands health care provider to meet the magazine’s strict criteria and one of only six “Most Wired” organizations in South Carolina. Palmetto Health previously won the award in 2003, 2005, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Columbia businessman and philanthropist, Norman Arnold, recently issued a family challenge gift of $500,000 to Palmetto Health Foundation to benefit Palmetto Health Women’s and Children’s Services. Norman’s challenge was to match additional gifts dollar for dollar, up to $500,000. Hundreds of individual and corporate donors in the community helped Palmetto Health Foundation successfully meet and exceed the challenge within three weeks with more than $700,000 raised. The Salvation Army of South Carolina will soon kick off its annual Christmas campaign and invites your business to assist in the efforts of helping people in need. Last year, The Salvation Army assisted a total of 38,778 people living in poverty with its Christmas work. To learn how you can donate or volunteer, please call 1.800.SAL.ARMY or visit SalvationArmyCarolinas.org.

When your message needs to reach South Carolina’s business leaders, there is only one choice: SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESS. The magazine of choice for South Carolina’s top executives.

MEMBER NEWS

Welcome, N e w M e mb e r s

For advertising and marketing opportunities, call Deidre Macklen at 803 318 3923.

WebsterRogers announced Gregory Ackerman, CPA has been promoted to the position of senior manager in their Myrtle Beach office. Ackerman specializes in providing audit and attest services to clients in a variety of industries throughout South Carolina. WebsterRogers announced Kevin Wise, CPA has been promoted to the position of manager in their Myrtle Beach office. Wise specializes in providing tax consulting and compliance services, along with advising on state and local tax issues, to real estate developers, contractors and hospitality providers throughout the Grand Strand.

Advertiser Index ACT.................................................................. 19 ALCOA ..............................................Back Cover Bank of America.............................................. 27 Duke Energy.................................................... 21 Economic Development Partnership.................8 Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. ..........................1 Intel .................................................................. 19 K & L Gates.........................................................4 McMillian Pazdan Smith ................................. 25 Nexsen Pruet ................................................... 13 Santee Cooper................................................. 15 Savannah River Nuclear Solutions ..................IFC SCE&G................................................................9 Sonoco ............................................................ 20 Stäubli.............................................................. 14


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Name Steve Parker, Jr. Hometown Nashville, TN College Western Kentucky University Occupation CEO and Co-Founder of Levelwing, a digital marketing firm offering media, social and analytics services to help businesses market and operate with greater clarity and profitability. Technology is changing the landscape “It impacts every industry. For the travel and tourism industry, we can see how technology has changed the game as travel agents are now rare and most people book everything online. Or if you are a consumer looking to buy tires, you can go online and compare pricing and feedback. Technology allows companies and consumers to make more educated decisions.” Companies choose to locate in SC “Because it provides a lifestyle that people appreciate. It sits along the eastern seaboard and provides easy accessibility to other metropolitan areas.” The best part of his job “Learning about new businesses and their models and helping them find solutions to problems they are facing. It is also rewarding to work with an internal team that excels and is constantly finding innovative solutions.” He’s passionate about “Engaging with people in a positive fashion, whether it’s family and friends or business relationships. I enjoy traveling and taking advantage of unique opportunities. It is also important to help others. I have been involved with many cancer related charities and helped launch The Collective For Good, a nonprofit industry collaboration of digital media professionals.” His best career advice “Be willing to be risky and challenge yourself to try new things. Be open and honest about who you are and don’t be afraid to admit mistakes.” His secret to success “Connect with people and build relationships. Be driven by the one ‘yes’ you may receive out of many ‘nos’.” I am S.C. Business “I wanted to locate my business in South Carolina because of the great quality of life. There are smart people and great universities. On top of that, there is easy access to many geographical locations by car or airport.”

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34th annual summit charting the course november 13–15, 2013 wild dunes resort isle of palms, sc

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SAVE THE DATE 4TH ANNUAL MANUFACTURERS CONF ERENCE

“Manufacturing Innovation”

February Francis

26 thru

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803.777.1177

Marion Hotel

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