Specialized CT scans

helping patients detect coronary artery disease earlier, before symptoms worsen

One in four deaths is caused by coronary artery disease, making it the leading cause of death in the U.S.

Coronary artery disease occurs when fat deposits restrict the blood flow to and from the heart, which could lead to heart attacks or strokes.

Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System is on the cutting edge of technological and clinical innovations to address many medical concerns, including coronary artery disease.

“We are seeing an epidemic now," said Spartanburg Regional cardiologist Dr. Joe Mobley. "I see plaque in patients over 50 years old more frequently than I don’t.”

Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography (CCTA) has allowed for earlier detection of blockages and plaque build-up before a disease has significantly progressed.

This specialized CT scan involves noninvasive 3D imaging that identifies plaque build-up that has blocked 30-40% of an artery. There are more ways to treat the disease and alter someone's health habits before they are at risk of heart failure. The scanning technology has only been in use for the past decade.

Spartanburg Medical Center began using the specialized equipment earlier this year and plans to expand the service to Pelham Medical Center in the near future.

Dr. Mobley said the 30-40% plaque build-up cases need to be looked at more closely because they can develop into severe blockages five years down the road. Early detection allows patients to be more aggressive with treatment and lifestyle changes.

This difference has significantly impacted the patient population, allowing men and women to seek treatment much earlier.

The American Heart Association calls the CCTA procedure the "gold standard" method for showing blockages in coronary arteries.

Technological advancements aim to make the CCTA scan a first-line evaluation technique to get answers faster so patients can know whether they have blockages forming.

Patients can schedule CCTA scans through Spartanburg Regional's Cardiology Division, but Dr. Mobley envisions a time soon when a patient's primary care provider will be able to order the scan without needing to be referred to a cardiologist.

Dr. Mobley always tells patients to focus on preventative care to stay heart healthy and work toward being free from plaque build-up and blockages.

"It starts early in life with a reasonable diet, not smoking and watching those risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity," Dr. Mobley said. "Certain levels of stress are also a component to that."

He said staying active and maintaining a healthy diet are always the best ways to help diminish the rate of coronary artery disease.

To learn more about our award-winning heart care, go to SpartanburgRegional.com/
Heart-Services.

the one

table of
contents

A Decade of Growth 8

New to the Music Trail 12

Concealed Weapons Guidance for Businesses 18

Vision Plan 2.0: Year 2 Update 22

Q&A with Wade’s Restaurant 30

Star Fellowship 36

Nurturing Biotech Investments in Spartanburg 42

What’s New at GSP 46

The Highlights 54

OneSpartanburg, Inc.

105 N. Pine Street, Spartanburg, SC 29302

(864) 594-5000 | onespartanburginc.com

Chief Business Affairs Officer | John Kimbrell

Chief Operating Officer | Naomi Sargent

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Copyright © 2024 Town Square Publications

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www.TownSquarePublications.com

Every effort has been made to ensure the

accuracy of the information in this publication. OneSpartanburg, Inc., and Town Square assume no responsibility for misinformation. Please contact the OneSpartanburg, Inc. with any additions or corrections. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission of the Chamber and Town Square is prohibited.

Chairman, CEO and Publisher | Douglas K. Ray

President and Chief Operating Officer |
Scott Stone

Vice President / Director | Scott Ray

Managing Director | David Small

Director of Production | Ryan Moore

Director of Operations | Joseph Nugara

Account Executive | Chris Smith

Editor | Bob Oswald

Project Manager | Katharene DeLorenzo

Contributing Writer | Glenn Stephens

Contributing Writer | Mike Danahey

SPARTANBURG MUSIC TRAIL REVAMPED

Renewing interest in local artists

By Alec Harvey

Peter Cooper, a South Carolina native and then senior music editor for The Nashville Tennessean, literally wrote the book on Spartanburg’s music scene when he published “Hub City Music Makers: One Southern Town’s Popular Music Legacy” in 1997.

The book covered the breadth of Spartanburg’s music history, from blues and jazz musicians of the 1930s to gospel pioneers to Southern rock giants and country artists.

But the celebration of Spartanburg’s music heritage didn’t stop with Cooper’s book.

In 2011, the nonprofit Hub City Writers Project took the lead in creating the Spartanburg Music Trail, initially featuring plaques honoring musicians in Cooper’s book. A few years later, the Spartanburg Philharmonic took over the project, and it has continued to grow.

But last year, it was time for an update.

“The signs were really faded,” said Peter Kay, general manager and composer in residence at the Philharmonic. “They were stylistically outdated, and the information, like birth and death dates, was out of date on some of them. It was enough of a change that we decided we’d just revamp the whole thing.”

In June, the new trail was unveiled, including distinctive blue signs – 11 of them, each featuring two artists. The footprint of the trail has been condensed a bit on Main Street, and much of it is near Fifth Third Park, Spartanburg’s currently-under-construction Minor League Baseball stadium, scheduled to open next year.

The material of the signs has been updated, too.

“We’re told the materials that they’re made of are going to last a lot longer than the plexiglass coating on the other signs,” Kay said. “The sun beating down on them made them fade and crack.”

The new blue color of the signs is key.

“The old signs were an orange color as the base, and that tends to fade a lot faster in the sun,” Kay said. “So, we moved to blue so that it will dissipate the heat better and hopefully end up staying the test of time.”

The rebranding has already attracted more attention to the music trail.

“One of the reasons that we decided to revamp was that the signs were largely going unnoticed,” he said. “Now, with a new shape and the new colors, and the fact that they’re shiny and new, and the QR codes, they’re drawing more attention. The QR code on the sign will take you to the website, where you can listen to excerpts of the artist’s music, read more about each of the artists, and hear audio narration.”

Cooper, who died in 2022, provided the narration for 17 of the inductees. Kolby Garrison, a founder of Ciclops Cyderi & Brewery, provided narration for two inductees, and Simone Mack-Orr, who runs Smack Fitness, a local fitness studio, provided narration for the most recent inductees.

In addition to maintaining the trail, the Philharmonic is tasked with picking new members for induction.

“The people chosen are from Spartanburg and have had a national or international impact on music,” Kay said. “Some lived here a long time, or they were born here, but they had a significant Spartanburg connection. Most of the original people chosen were very late in their careers or had already passed away, and that’s something we’ve continued.”

One of Kay’s favorite inductees is Pink Anderson, a blues guitarist born in 1900. He and fellow bluesman Floyd Council provided Syd Barrett the inspiration to name his band Pink Floyd.

Another inductee, Don Reno, co-wrote a song called “Feudin’ Banjos,” which became better known as “Dueling Banjos” in the movie “Deliverance.” And “Singing Billy” Walker, the religious music composer who first put music to the poem “Amazing Grace.”

Other inductees include the famed Marshall Tucker Band, the pioneering gospel group Blue Ridge Quartet, country guitarist Hank Garland (called the world’s greatest guitarist by Chet Atkins), R&B singer Arthur Prysock and Metropolitan Opera veteran Gianna Rolandi.

Kay said the Philharmonic is formalizing the process of choosing new inductees, who have been chosen every two or so years but not with any consistency.

“The main aspect, though, is that they’ve had a really wide impact and have done some really amazing things outside of Spartanburg but call Spartanburg their home in some way.”

The entire music trail consists of a 20-to 30-minute walk, “maybe an hour if you’re pausing to listen to all of the music,” Kay said.

Last fall, The Spartanburg Philharmonic presented a concert based on the music trail.

“It wasn’t so much Philharmonic musicians, but we organized it and put it together, and we did a number of different songs by a number of different artists on the trail,” Kay said. “We like to be the hub for music in Spartanburg. So, we are often working with a variety of styles and other types of artists.”

Ultimately, revamping the Spartanburg Music Trail was definitely a group effort.

“The city has been instrumental in helping us with this process, with installation and getting the word out,” Kay said. “A lot of people showed up for the sign reveal … We’ve had a surprising amount of support in the two-year process of updating the signs and everything.”

The people chosen are from Spartanburg and have had a national or international impact on music. Some lived here a long time, or they were born here, but they had a significant Spartanburg connection. Most of the original people chosen were very late in their careers or had already passed away, and that’s something we’ve continued.

Peter Kay

General manager and composer in residence,
Spartanburg Philharmonic

McLean, Reese and Cooper honored as newest inductees

The newest Spartanburg Music Trail honorees - Fayssoux McLean, James Reese, and Peter Cooper - were officially recognized during a June ceremony at Rockers Brewing Co. McLean and Reese, along with members of Peter Cooper’s family, were on-hand for the plaque unveiling June 13. Take a look at the newest honorees, with information from the Spartanburg Music Trail:

Fayssoux Dunbar Starling McLean, a Spartanburg native, began her career singing harmony with Emmylou Harris on several albums, including “Pieces of the Sky” and “Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town.” In 1993, McLean left the music business and returned to Spartanburg, where she began working as a speech therapist. Harris has said Fayssoux’s voice is one of her favorites, and Rodney Crowell likened her voice to “charm, elegance, whippoorwills and magnolia dewdrops.” Fayssoux stopped singing for about 25 years, but she has returned to music, collaborating with Harris from time to time.

James Reese came to Spartanburg County in 1966 to be a music teacher and band director. He played trombone on a 10-day gig with the Temptations in 1968 and then played in several bands and orchestras nationally and internationally. He toured with The Temptations, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Stevie Wonder, The Spinners, Smokey Robinson and others. He is currently the music director for the annual MLK Unity Celebration at Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium, and spent more than 30 years as associate pastor and music director at Evangel Cathedral Church. Reese is a graduate of South Carolina State University and an original member of the school’s band, SCSU Marching 101.

Peter Cooper, a South Carolina native and Wofford College graduate, is the author of “Hub City Music Makers” and helped establish the Spartanburg Music Trail. He moved to Nashville in 2000, becoming one of the country’s premier music journalists. He was also senior director of the Country Music Hall of Fame and a studio musician who worked with Tom T. Hall, Nanci Griffith, Ricky Scaggs, and Kenny Chesney, among others. “Peter Cooper looks at the world with an artist’s eye and a human heart and soul,” Kris Kristofferson once said. “His songs are the work of an original, creative imagination, alive with humor and heartbreak and irony and intelligence, with truth and beauty in the details.” Cooper died in 2022 at age 52.

Part of OneSpartanburg, Inc.’s organizational mission is to provide member and investor businesses with access to elected officials and guidance on important legislation that could impact them.

Earlier this year, we welcomed Adam Whitsett, State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) General Counsel for a Caffeinated Conversations focused on South Carolina’s newly-enacted Open Carry legislation.

The law states that anyone 18 or older in the state are not prohibited from owning and carrying firearms – openly or concealed – in most places.

Additionally, the age to obtain a Concealed Weapons Permit (CWP) was lowered from 21 to 18.

“As an organization, it is our responsibility to educate the Spartanburg business community on the impact laws, especially new ones, have on their business. This was a clear instance of a law that business owners should be aware of,” said OneSpartanburg, Inc. Chief Business Affairs Officer John Kimbrell.

We have gathered key takeaways from the law and from Whitsett’s presentation to make sure you, as a reader, are informed about the rights you and your business have under this law and how to best comply with it.

Business Impacts

Business owners have the right under the law to post a sign banning guns on their premises, and no official approval is needed to put up such a sign.

Without a sign, individuals can assume they’re allowed to carry on the premises.

Whitsett recommended businesses over-clarify on sign postage to be safe, indicating that no weapons are allowed on the premises. This would supersede a particular firearm’s concealability or if an individual has a CWP.

Where Weapons
Can’t Be Carried

Whitsett specified that the law does not permit guns in churches, but rather it gives church officials or governing bodies the right to permit an individual to carry on the premises.

Other places where guns are not permitted are law enforcement agency facilities, including correctional and detention facilities, courthouses, most government buildings, polling places on Election Days, and facilities offering medical services or procedures, like doctors’ offices, hospitals, and clinics.

Additionally, individuals cannot carry guns into others’ homes unless the residents gives permission.

The Impact of
Serving Alcohol

Guns are allowed on the premises of a business serving alcohol, if that business allows it. But a key provision states the person carrying the gun cannot consume alcohol while on-site.

Whitsett said this effectively aligns with the preexisting law that applied to CWP holders, except the new law applies to both CWP holders and permitless carriers.

Firearm Storage

Guns can legally be stored inside a vehicle, but an employer or business can prohibit that on company grounds as a company policy, and in company-owned cars.

Parks and
Public Lands

Carrying a concealed firearm at South Carolina State Parks is allowed.

Those who are eligible and in compliance with federal, state, and local laws can carry them inside National Parks. But they cannot carry inside a National Parks Service building or facility.

Whitsett said that firearm carry couldn’t be banned on public lands that belong to local entities like city or county parks unless during a permitted event or activity like a festival or concert.

Training
Opportunities

Whitsett said SLED, to emphasize the importance of gun training, will offer free CWP classes in every South Carolina county at least twice per month once SLED received funding from the State Legislature.

Increased Penalties

The law increased the graduated penalties for unlawful possession/carry of a firearm to include:

First offense: misdemeanor charge, and pending conviction, a fine of up-to $1,000 or up to 1 year in prison

Second offense: misdemeanor charge, and pending conviction, up to three years in prison

Third or subsequent offense: felony change, and pending conviction, up to five years in prison

Additionally, a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than one year cannot posses a gun in South Carolina.

Year TWO

Vision Plan 2.0 Update

For nearly seven years, much of the continued work ongoing across Spartanburg County has been tied to, or guided by, the OneSpartanburg Vision Plan and the Vision Plan 2.0.

In June, OneSpartanburg, Inc. welcomed a group of investors supporting the work needed to move our community forward for a look at the progress achieved by the second year of the Vision Plan 2.0.

WHAT IS THE
VISION PLAN 2.0?

Launched in March 2022, the Vision Plan 2.0 is Spartanburg County’s second five-year community and economic development strategy.

The Vision Plan 2.0 was developed over a six-month period by Broad Ripple Strategies in consultation with a 49-person steering committee, fueled by a wealth of data, and input from more than 2,800 residents.

Overall, the strategy advances 15 key initiatives in the focus areas of Talent, Economy, and Place; all in pursuit of six primary goals:

Raise levels of prosperity

Increase educational attainment

Attract and retain talented people

Diversify Spartanburg County’s economy

Improve quality of life

Reduce racial equity gaps in entrepreneurship and small business ownership

TALENT HIGHLIGHTS

“A great deal of our progress can be linked to our work with Movement 2030, the Spartanburg Academic Movement’s groundbreaking, place-based partnership to create the conditions for Spartanburg’s children and families to succeed in life, no matter where they’re born and raised,” said OneSpartanburg, Inc. Chief Talent Officer Ron Garner.

Influenced by the Vision Plan, Movement 2030’s goals align with four of the five talent recommendations included in the Vision Plan 2.0: access to college, career pathways, adult degree completions, and childcare and early-education.

“Each of these recommendations has been infused with catalytic philanthropy from Blue Meridian, and that has allowed us to move the needle in unprecedented ways,” Garner said.

In response to a Talent Gap Analysis – a data-packed document outlining immediate and future shortages in Spartanburg County’s talent pool – the STAR Fellowship was created to expose career development facilitators countywide to workforce needs. The second STAR cohort is about to enroll now.

Simultaneously, OneSpartanburg, Inc.’s talent team is working hand-in-hand with employers to add work-based learning programs for high school seniors. So far, the effort has led to 203 placements, 83% of which are paid internships.

In March, Re:Degree was launched to help thousands across the county with some college experience but no degree finish what they started.

“In the program’s first few months, 459 people have asked for help reenrolling in college,” Garner said.

Re:Degree helps these individuals navigate and overcome roadblocks, access resources, and achieve their dreams. And dedicated team members at Converse University, Spartanburg Methodist College, Spartanburg Community College, and the University of South Carolina Upstate ensure students have the support they need on-campus.

Additionally, the effort calls for deep engagement with local employers to increase the number of large employers sending cohorts of team members through the program.

“Our goal is to connect with 5,000 adult-learners by 2030,” Garner said. “From identifying individuals who would benefit from reenrolling to providing funds through tuition assistance programs, employer partnerships will be critical to our success.”

Data shows that earning a degree leads to increased earning potential and career advancement possibilities. In turn, this raises Spartanburg’s educational attainment level, making our county more attractive to the corporate and knowledge-based jobs OneSpartanburg, Inc. recruits to the community.

ECONOMY HIGHLIGHTS

In 2023, Spartanburg County again surpassed $1 billion in investment, as we recruited 24 economic development projects estimated to create 1,146 new jobs.

Since the OneSpartanburg Vision Plan 2.0 was unveiled in 2022, Spartanburg has recruited a total of $5.1 billion in investment creating a total of 2,888 jobs.

“Not to brag, but those two years of investment equal the entirety of investment attracted to Spartanburg during the first Vision Plan from 2017-2021,” said OneSpartanburg, Inc. Vice President of Industrial Development Kyle Sox.

Spartanburg County continued to leverage its advantage in manufacturing and logistics while working to diversify the investments choosing to locate in Spartanburg.

Last year, European cycling brand TIME Bicycles announced it would bring manufacturing to Landrum, and at April’s CRITERIUM, TIME showcased its first made-in-South-Carolina bike. There too, Greenville-based Boyd Cycling announced the acquisition of German-based Munich Composites, which will co-locate with TIME in Landrum.

“I had the opportunity to travel to Portugal to speak with additional companies considering Spartanburg County. But with these newcomers alone, we will be home to a cluster of leaders in soft mobility – with carbon fiber provided by Toray, materials by Milliken, rims by Boyd, and bicycles by TIME,” Sox said.

A burgeoning group of innovation entrepreneurs, including Palmetto InnovaSphere, are energizing Spartanburg County. This group of 18, known for now as the Spartanburg Founders Network, is designed to support innovative, homegrown companies with high-growth potential.

“Spartanburg is proving to be a place where diverse industries can not only co-exist, but can achieve symbiosis,” Sox said. “So, we’re intentionally connecting large industry and innovation companies with Spartanburg’s small businesses.”

In March, Power Up Spartanburg – the county’s small and minority business development initiative – celebrated one year. Since its launch, Power Up has engaged with more than 2,143 small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Programs offered under the Power Up Spartanburg umbrella have continued to grow in reach and impact.

Power Up: Funding, launched with support from local Community Financial Development Institutions (CDFIs) has awarded more than $2.8 million in business loans and grants.

Power Up: Mentoring, inspired by the MIT Venture Mentoring Service, now boasts 61 mentors guiding 29 participants. And Power Up: Securing Contracts has helped small businesses earn transformational contracts with companies like BMW, Oshkosh Defense, and Google.

Power Up: Experts has made vetted subject matter experts available to small businesses needing consultations in finance, legal, HR, and marketing.

Perhaps most encouraging of all, self-reported data shows Power Up participants have seen revenue growth of $5.1M, and a payroll increase of 167 total full-time or contract workers.

The Vision Plan 2.0 was driven by data and community feedback, and the work guided by the plan will continue to be transformational for our community,

said OneSpartanburg, Inc. President & CEO Allen Smith.

Programs tied to the Vision Plan 2.0 are going to impact the lives of thousands of people across Spartanburg County. Diversified investments by innovative companies are going to create new opportunities for Spartanburg’s people,” Smith said. “And all of it is possible thanks to the commitment of not only our investors, but also our community partners and dedicated leaders helping to implement so much of this work.

The full Vision Plan 2.0
Year 2 Scorecard can
be read at

www.onespartanburginc.com/visionplan.

Q&A with Hamp Lindsey and Carole Miller of Wade’s Restaurant

Traditions and Teamwork

How has Wade’s Restaurant changed over time?

CAROLE: Growth is the first thing that comes to mind. Wade’s started as a grocery store with a lunch counter that served a plate lunch to surrounding workers. The late 50’s brought bbq, sandwiches, and curb hops. In the 70’s we began to focus more on meats and vegetables. That focus brought us to our current format with inside dining, expanded ToGo area, online ordering and delivery. The steady throughout time has been our meat and vegetable offering served with homemade yeast rolls and cornbread and our focus on great service! I remember how excited we were in the late 70’s when we served 500 guests in one day. Today that average is closer to 2,700 guests per day.

HAMP: I think the most important thing we have done is to narrow our focus to being a provider of great home-cooked meat and vegetable meals, a traditional Southern Meat and 3, by removing menu items that do not align with this objective and that make it hard to deliver consistency. We realized that if we want to provide the highest quality of food and service to as many guests as we serve each day, we must choose quality over quantity.

What was your first job/role at Wade’s?

C: I grew up with Wade’s as my babysitter. I slept in a booth until Mom could get away. I picked up trash along the fence at Draper. This was the trash left by the teens who circled the parking lot at night. By age 13, I was working as a cashier for our curb hops for $15 per week. 

H: When I was very young most to-go items were sent out in white paper boxes that had to be manually assembled. I was paid 1 cent for each box I made! My first real job was working behind the counter as a cashier\server\order-taker at the original location on South Pine Street.

What is the most challenging aspect of owning a local business?

C: The first thing that comes to mind is staffing with people who believe in quality, great training, and the systems that help assure that quality happens! 

H: Finding, training, motivating and keeping great team members must be at the top of the list. We have been fortunate to have many tenured employees over the years – as you can see from our Wall of Honor in the lobby – and are constantly looking for ways to keep this tradition.

How do you engage and motivate your team?

C: Hamp is the absolute best at this! I engage and motivate the staff by sharing the knowledge I have learned over the years in this business and making sure the focus is always on food quality.

H: We try hard to show our team members that we care about them as both team members and individuals. One of our core values is “Developing People” because we truly want our team members to develop in ways that will benefit them at work and outside of work. We also put a lot of effort into our training, we have great benefits, we have quarterly employee recognition events, and we do small things like sending every team member a signed birthday card.

Are there any other local businesses and restaurants that inspire you? Why?

C: The Hall’s Group is the first business that comes to mind.  They started as a close family business.  Their focus on food quality and a personal dining experience is very evident. It is not unusual to see Mrs. Hall (the Matriarch) sitting at the front door of Hall’s Chop House in Charleston. 

H: There have been many great and successful restaurant companies founded right here in Spartanburg that have inspired me. Jerry Richardson, Charlie Bradshaw, Bill Burton and John White all inspired me through the years for what they accomplished in our industry. Currently I am enjoying getting to know Scott Cochran, the president of SMC, who is doing great things at the college and who seems to share the same leadership values that I do. Coincidentally, SMC is what brought my father Wade Lindsey, Sr. to Spartanburg from Alabama in 1935.

We all want to know.... What’s your favorite thing to order at Wade’s?

C: I change from season to season and day to day. Right now, I am hooked on fried shrimp, and anything with tomatoes -- like our okra & tomatoes, stewed tomatoes and fried green tomatoes. 

H: Fried Chicken, Baked Chicken, Fried Shrimp, Hamburger Steak or Spaghetti. I can’t narrow it down any further than that because truthfully, I like everything we serve!

What does winning the America’s Classics award mean to you?

C: Receiving the award was such an unexpected and humbling honor. Most of the James Beard award winners are from fine dining. The America’s Classics award not only recognizes our personal efforts through the years, but it also gives recognition to our type of food and service….the type of food that people can enjoy every day and our customer-focused service. 

H: It is hard to put your arms around the fact that our restaurant was one of only 6 restaurants in the country to receive this award and it is so special that it is presented by one of the most recognizable and prestigious organizations in our industry, the James Beard Foundation. Also, very meaningful to me is the fact that our staff (past and present) is being recognized for the hard work and effort they put into their jobs to deliver a “consistent” product of great food and service over multiple decades.

How do you see Wade’s evolving under its next generation of leadership?

C: I leave that to our very capable 3rd generation. We have so many opportunities with our ToGo service, inside dining and frozen food offerings! 

H: We don’t change for the sake of change, and we don’t chase being trendy, but we are willing to embrace new ideas where they make sense for our team and guests – and for our overall mission. I know the next generation will follow this same philosophy, but in their own way.

THE STAR FELLOWSHIP

Connecting Students to Career Paths

By Ann Piccininni

Sometimes things just click.

That was the case this past summer when Pinnacle Partnership, a hospitality management company, hired four high school student interns through a new program introduced by OneSpartanburg, Inc. in collaboration with the Spartanburg Academic Movement.

The Spartanburg Talent And Retention (STAR) program brings students interested in exploring career opportunities together with businesses looking to meet their industry staffing needs.

“We took four interns,” said Crystal Hendrickson, Pinnacle’s vice president of sales and public relations.

Pinnacle’s interns were from Boiling Springs High School, one of 9 local high schools in the STAR program. Career training centers, including the R.D. Anderson Applied Technology Center, the Swofford Career Center, the Master Skill Center and the Daniel Morgan Technology Center, are also involved in the STAR program.

While Pinnacle’s initial plan was to direct each student into different roles at the hotel – accounting, payroll, housekeeping, front desk, banquets, marketing – enthusiasm ran high among all the students to try their hand at several areas during the eight-week program.

“I’ve never had high school interns before. They were all so eager to do everything so they ended up spending time in all the areas. They gobbled up everything,” Hendrickson said. “It takes the barriers down because people don’t know a lot about hospitality. This was a primer for everything you can do in the hotels. And they learn at their own pace.”

Interns at Pinnacle were paid $12 per hour; an hourly wage increase is added to that for interns that later join the staff as regular employees, she said.

As it worked out, all four interns have stayed on beyond the conclusion of their internships to work for Pinnacle as staff members. One student, who is currently a high school senior, is working 30 hours per week, nearly full-time. The other two, one a junior and two seniors, work part-time as needed.

Hendrickson said the 30-hour-per-week student, who was a quiet, reserved intern at first, has flourished in his role at the front desk, warmly greeting guests and handling his customer service duties with grace.

“It was really wild to watch him become so good at his job,” she said.

Hendrickson said she looks forward to bringing in at least two more interns when the program kicks off its 2025 season.

Taylor Dement, director of talent solutions at OneSpartanburg, Inc., said the STAR program has several goals.

“We want to help each high school graduate make the best college and career track connections, to really foster our talent pipeline,” he said.

Another goal is to keep the local talent base in the community.

To administer the program, Dement works closely with OneSpartanburg, Inc.’s chief talent officer, Ron Garner, a 29-year-veteran of the school system who served as Superintendent of Spartanburg County School District One for 13 years.

“Last year, we had a goal of 100 internships. We got 201. We more than doubled our goal,” Dement said.

With the program’s successful launch, Dement said the hope is to provide 400 internships for STAR program students during the summer of 2025.

“There is a ton of interest,” he said. “It’s better-informing the students about their potential career choices. It helps students narrow their career choices. Having that early exposure to the workplace helps them to confirm or deny that interest. We’re very supportive of people finding their calling.”

The STAR program has many fans among the local business community.

“We’ve got a list of companies that were interested in it last year,” Dement said, adding that the list for the 2025 session is growing.

School guidance and career counselors are key to making the program work well. The STAR Fellowship program for school counselors helps inform counselors about the program’s opportunities and educates counselors about the specific needs of local industry.

Sheryl Booker is one of two STAR Fellowship facilitators.

“We coordinate monthly sessions that aim to inform counselors on the job sectors that are fast-growing in our county,” she said. “Our goal is to help educate those counselors. What we try to do is provide a platform for those counselors to get in front of these businesses. They can hear from leaders in those sectors regarding careers, educational requirements, and what kind of growth that sector will experience in the future.”

Booker said the first session focused on health care, featuring speakers from Spartanburg Regional Health Center including nurses, EMTs and pharmacy technicians.

“It gives the counselors a foundational knowledge,” she said.

“I learned a lot more about companies in our area that I never knew before,” said Cameron O’Sullivan, work-based learning coordinator at the RD Anderson Applied Technology Center.

The center offers hands-on coursework and internships for students attending schools in Spartanburg Districts 4, 5 and 6.

“Last year we placed 150 students in internships,” O’Sullivan said.

Through the STAR program, that total was enhanced significantly. In the first summer of the STAR program, Anderson was able to place 24 students in STAR internships.

O’Sullivan said he attended about a half dozen STAR Fellowship monthly meetings over the past year.

“It allows us access to managers and business leaders directly, which allows us to build relationships,” he said.

O’Sullivan said area employers are eager to explore internship possibilities.

“Especially in our area where we are experiencing a lot of growth, they’re always looking for new, younger skilled talent to come in,” he said.

Crystal Hendrickson of Pinnacle Partnership was a featured business speaker in a STAR Fellowship session about the hospitality industry. The company manages eight hotels, restaurants, event centers, retail and office space.

“When most people think about the hospitality industry, they think about housekeeping and the front desk,” she said.

When she addressed the gathering of school counselors, she provided a look at those and other career tracks available in hospitality and offered her assessment of the industry’s expected workforce needs in the future.

“A lot of guidance counselors were really interested,” she said.

We want to help each high school graduate make the best college and career track connections, to really foster our talent pipeline.

Taylor Dement

Director of talent solutions, OneSpartanburg, Inc.

PALMETTO INNOVASPHERE
NURTURING BIOTECH
IN SPARTANBURG

Intentional economic diversification

by Alec Harvey

Before she moved to South Carolina from Seattle about three years ago, Cecilia Zapata-Harms had decades of experience in the biotech industry, including nearly 30 years at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

Soon after moving to the state, she decided the area was ripe for a life-science incubator, a place where biotech startups could grow and thrive.

“Looking at where South Carolina is and where the Upstate is, you’re right smack in the middle of the southeast region,” she said. “I had been talking to a lot of people about this vision of mine, of building a life-science biotech incubator. I just didn’t know what the location would be until I got here.”

Zapata-Harms, who lives in Piedmont, was introduced to OneSpartanburg, Inc. and realized she had found her location.

In March, Palmetto InnovaSphere opened at the historic Beaumont Mill, owned by Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System.

Palmetto InnovaSphere’s goal is to nurture biotech startups in Spartanburg or those planning a move to the area. Companies will do work in areas such as health care, medical devices, digital health and health technology, agriculture and drug discovery/biotech.

The incubator already includes four companies, from Arizona, Chicago, London and South Carolina.

“Three of these companies have started in another location, mostly in academic settings, and they need to get out of academia to really turn them into a full company,” Zapata-Harms said. “They are South Carolina companies now.”

What Palmetto InnovaSphere provides at the start is a management infrastructure to lead the companies to the next level.

“You can look at us as a management accelerator,” she said. “We can be the interim C-suite of these companies, if they don’t have that already. And then we can help them recruit their C-suite. And we’re there to help ensure they get the right amount of the right funding.”

A key component is making sure the companies know how to sell themselves and what they’re producing, Zapata-Harms said.

“We make sure their pitch decks are in good shape, and we’re there to make the necessary introductions as they need resources,” she said. “Some scientists are not the best CEOs. They need help. They need to focus on the science, and we are there to be the executive team to really get them to their next stage of growth.”

Palmetto InnovaSphere signs a master services agreement with each company, though what is provided differs depending on what each company needs.

“At the end of the day, it’s really about building that comprehensive life-science biotech incubator center for the region,” Zapata-Harms said.

Palmetto InnovaSphere is set up as a 501(c)(3) company.

“We did it that way so that we can have access to non-dilutive grants and funding and even partner with academic centers to write up grants to support academic organizations spinning out a company. They can show that there is a group that’s actually going to work with the companies that are spinning out to ensure their success.”

In short, Palmetto InnovaSphere can help universities determine if research and innovation coming out of academic quarters can have a successful life commercially.

“We do our due diligence,” Zapata-Harms said. “We have external experts that we pull in to look at the science, to vet the science, to make sure it’s backed up by great science and innovation. We look at the patents and the corporate infrastructure as they’re forming the company, as well as how competitive the market is. So, we’re not going to just say yes to every company that comes walking through the door who says, ‘We have an innovation, and we’re a great startup, and we’re curing cancer.’ It has to be backed by science.”

OneSpartanburg, Inc. Vice President of Industrial Development Kyle Sox said companies like Palmetto InnovaSphere, and other like Cytiva, are making impactful investments for the region.

“Spartanburg has been gaining traction in biosciences…attracting more life-science, biotechnology, and digital health ventures,” he said.

The four companies already at Palmetto InnovaSphere came to South Carolina through previous connections of Zapata-Harms and COO Lillia Holmes. They’ll keep mining their connections, but Palmetto InnovaSphere will also work closely with economic development entities.

A benefit of developing successful companies is keeping qualified workers in the state of South Carolina, Zapata-Harms said.

“A lot of our college students are going into science, technology, engineering, math,” she said of the STEM workforce. “So, how do you ensure they stay in the state, that they have jobs to go to in the state? Our academic organizations continue to grow that infrastructure, and to do that, you need to have the companies that would expose our talent to that kind of industry. Then they feel better that they’re actually getting to stay home, or if they want to go to Boston, they can, but they know that they can come back and get a job.”

Another goal of Palmetto InnovaSphere is to help get useful drugs to the market.

“In the drug therapy world, it takes a long time because of the challenges and barriers that most companies go through,” Zapata-Harms said. “If we can impact the rapid deployment of these drugs to improve patients’ lives, the better it is for all.”

Palmetto InnovaSphere is growing quickly, and Zapata-Harms has big dreams.

“I envision more companies becoming InnovaSphere companies,” she said. “We’re already starting to build out additional spaces in Beaumont and starting the initial concept for an actual campus.”

That campus would include buildings for each company, labs, collaborative spaces and pockets of innovation – all of which Zapata-Harms said can become a reality.

“It’s a big, audacious goal, but I definitely can see it happening,” she said. “I can see that campus here.”

Some scientists are not the best CEOs. They need help.

Cecilia Zapata-Harms,
CEO, Palmetto InnovaSphere

WHAT’S NEW AT GSP

Destinations, Amenities, & More

At the Best Small Airport in North America, passenger totals have increased as major destinations and new airline routes have been added. And fresh amenities have made the traveling experience more efficient and more enjoyable.

So far in 2024, everything is going great for GSP.

The first commercial flight – Eastern Airlines flight 580 – arrived at the newly-opened Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport on Oct. 15, 1962.

Over the next 62 years, GSP International Airport has grown and become a key development partner across the entire Upstate of South Carolina, particularly when it comes to the economic and tourism development in the 10-county region.

“An airport like GSP opens us up to visitors from around the country and around the world. It opens up doors for regional and national events to come to Spartanburg that otherwise would not be able to,” said OneSpartanburg, Inc. Chief Tourism Development Officer Billy Dunlap.

NEW FLIGHT OPTIONS

In 2024, GSP has added or announced it will add:

• United Airlines nonstop flights to Washington-Dulles International Airport

• Breeze Airways flights to Providence/Boston, Tampa, Fl., Los Angeles, Ca., Hartford, Ct., and Orlando, Fl.

• Southwest Airlines flights to Nashville International Airport, and increased frequency to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.

• Avelo Airlines flights to Manchester-Boston and Rochester, N.Y.

Tom Tyra, GSP Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, said attracting new, nonstop service is a complex process, often requiring years of effort, data analysis, and conversations with airlines.

“At a high level, we look closely at economic metrics, migration data, we speak with corporate partners to target destinations and airlines that we think will find success at GSP,” he said. “When we add new service, we want the route to work for the airline and for those who are using it to conduct business, travel on vacation and connect with family and friends.”

A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP

Tyra said as the Upstate’s population grows, the airport must ensure facilities and infrastructure stay ahead of increasing demand. New residents coming to the area – particularly in Greenville and Spartanburg counties – want to stay connected to family and friends in different parts of the country, so GSP has to have relevant and convenient schedules and destinations.

“The economic growth of our region and our willingness to use GSP versus airports in Charlotte, Atlanta or Asheville provides airlines the confidence to continue adding new flights and larger aircraft in our region. As new residents relocate to our region, they bring with them connections to parts of the country and the globe that were not there previously,” he said.

GSP has historically been a key player in the region’s tourism and economic development growth, and a report released earlier this year detailed the airport’s contribution of nearly $4 billion in economic impact to Upstate, South Carolina.

“Significant investments being made in Downtown Spartanburg, Greenville, and Greer are generating great interest among travel writers and as a result we are seeing more tourists. Our superior outdoor offerings, top-notch culinary scene and our impressive sports tourism products are bringing thousands of visitors to our area each month,” Tyra said.

A convenient, accessible, and growing airport like GSP allows the tourism team at OneSpartanburg, Inc. to recruit more events, tournaments, and conferences to Spartanburg County. That in turn increases the amount of time and money visitors spend in the community, which benefits the county as a whole.

“When we are hosting events such as the NJCAA Softball World Series, we have teams from around the country that are coming to Spartanburg to play,” said Dunlap. “If GSP is not there, we cannot recruit events that have a regional or national reach.”

Katherine O’Neill, OneSpartanburg, Inc. chief economic development officer, said the airport’s passenger, commercial, and cargo operations have fueled an already-strong national and international business climate across Spartanburg County.

“Greenville-Spartanburg [International Airport] has been crucial for the economic growth of our entire region. We’ve welcomed guests from across the U.S., and across the globe, and these guests regularly rave about traveling through GSP,” she said. “Those first impressions matter, and having GSP as a welcome point for our community, combined with our business and economic development prowess, makes Spartanburg and the Upstate very attractive to investors.”

LOOKING AHEAD: AIRPORT IMPROVEMENTS AND WHAT’S NEXT

GSP has begun a $400-million facilities and infrastructure improvement effort designed to increase both the convenience and efficiency the airport offers.

Work is ongoing on an $18.5-million terminal roadway improvement program, along with a $97-million parking garage and rental car facility, and a $15-million expansion of GSP’s general aviation terminal.

A parking garage adjacent to the airport’s main terminal building will offer 750 new spaces and 750 ready-return rental car spaces. The garage’s public parking area will offer Park Assist technology to better indicate available spaces.

“We have quite a few projects underway at GSP,” Tyra said. “We are in the midst of a significant enhancement to our campus roadways which, when complete in the summer of 2025, will significantly improve the process of dropping off and picking up passengers, accessing ground transportation and parking facilities.”

Tyra said also in 2025, GSP will unveil a significantly larger general aviation terminal allowing the airport to better keep up with private jet traffic. In early 2026, GSP’s Garage C will open, and new nonstop destinations are likely to be added to the airport’s roster, Tyra added.

THE BEST SMALL AIRPORT IN NORTH AMERICA

The icing on a busy year’s cake for GSP was again earning the top honor from the Airport Council International’s Airport Service Quality Awards, marking the second straight year the airport has been recognized for its outstanding performance.

The Airport Service Quality program is the world’s leading customer experience measurement and benchmarking program, with passengers choosing award-winners based on high customer service satisfaction in the airport industry.

• The airport was also recognized as:

• The Best Airport of 2-5 Million Passengers in North America

• Airport with the Most Dedicated Staff in North America

• Easiest Airport Journey in North America

• Most Enjoyable Airport in North America

• Cleanest Airport in North America

“The entire GSP family, including airlines, TSA, concessions and business partners embrace this philosophy and we are humbled to be recognized for three of the last four years as the best small airport in North America,” Tyra said. “The Upstate is a special place, and we are dedicated to showing the millions of travelers who visit us each year the hospitality and warmth that our region is known for.”

march–JULY 2024

new members

5 STAR Memories LLC

ACA Home Team

Alfred Williams and Company

Autorino Construction Inc.

Barringer Construction

BDC After School & Summer Camp

BioLife Plasma Services

Bird Corporation of Inman, Inc

Cantey Technology Consulting

Cedar Ridge Landscaping LLC

Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc. (CEC)

Concordance

Conner Insurance

D.R.Horton, Inc.

Emerge Family Therapy Center

Empyrean Hospice

Foothills Pediatric Dentistry

Garlic and Ginger

Gas and Supply Carolina

GeoTrack Technologies, Inc.

High Valley Industrial Services LLC

Human Technologies Inc.

Huntington

Job Impulse

Keller Williams On Main

Knight Property and Auction

Marsh McLennan Agency

Pi-Squared Pizza Drayton Mills

Piedmont Periodontics & Implant Dentistry

Powered by Verity, LLC

Prescott Apothecary

Prisma Health Urgent Care

Sage Growth Advisors LLC

Tindall Corporation

Window Depot of the Upstate

WorkLounge LLC

Your Trusty Toolbox LLC