Cover Story: Landing EADS By MATTHEW FRENCH Just months after landing the Vought-Alenia aircraft plant in North Charleston, the Lowcountry has another opportunity to secure a second aircraft manufacturing plant that could generate roughly 1,150 jobs over a six-year period.
Trust key to public-private partnerships By DENNIS QUICK Noisette president and CEO John Knott admitted that his company, which has partnered with North Charleston to redevelop some 3,000 acres of the city, including 350 acres of the former Navy base, should have told the city about the $3 million in loans Noisette took out to renovate two Navy base buildings.
Staffing experts: Many unemployed are unqualified By MATTHEW FRENCH South Carolina received another piece of jolting news late last month when the monthly unemployment figures were released. The state had slipped to 4th highest unemployment rate in the country at 7%, leading only Alaska, Michigan and Mississippi.
Local defense contractor spreads wings to Berkeley County By DENNIS QUICK Growth is forcing AAI Services Corp., a Summerville defense contractor that designs and produces simulators and other aircraft maintenance and training systems, to move from its current facility to a larger one in Berkeley County.
Letters to the Editor
College isn’t always the best path for students
Thank you for the March 7 editorial (“College-bound not always the answer to career choice”). I am pleased that someone else is announcing that a college degree does not guarantee a good job and a good paycheck. I am not suggesting that I would deter someone from advancing his or her education, but I am saying that I would never chastise someone who chose a technical or non-traditional…
Local, state politicians favor Interstate 26 move By MATTHEW FRENCH By the time the General Assembly recesses this summer, the legislative body of the state could provide the necessary funding to study the feasibility of moving Interstate 26 farther to the east on Charleston’s neck.
MARKETING: How do you catch that unique customer? By David L. Rawle It’s increasingly challenging for advertisers to reach prospective customers. Audiences are more fragmented than ever, and media costs keep going up. Even if you can afford to buy a reasonable schedule of television spots, you run the risk of being TiVo’d. So, how do you get your message through? How do you catch a unique customer?
Skilled worker shortage hurting local small business By MATTHEW FRENCH People with manufacturing skills are some of the most highly sought after workers in the region, and large operations like Robert Bosch and the upcoming Vought-Alenia aircraft plant could create an even larger void for smaller companies.
WORKING: Can’t get no job satisfaction? You’re not alone By Aleigh Acerni If it seems like most of the working stiffs you know are dissatisfied with their jobs, you may not be surprised to learn that the decline in job satisfaction is increasing, and it doesn’t discriminate.
LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP: Develop a plan to expand your horizons at work By Jack Hoey Early in my working life, I observed to my surprise that people’s interests usually narrow as they age. Fresh out of college, where people studying a wide range of disciplines surrounded me, I found myself in a workplace where people had a fairly homogenous set of educational backgrounds and career aspirations.
Palmetto State businesses warm up to Chile By MATTHEW FRENCH South Carolina exporters looking to cash in on the exporting game have a new avenue through which they can pursue business opportunities. Announced last month, the “Export South Carolina” program aims to increase export sales by the state’s small- and medium-size businesses.
Construction industry drives region’s growing economy By DENNIS QUICK There’s a whole lot of hammering and sawing going on in the Lowcountry, and those construction noises are the music of a bustling local economy that shows no signs of slowing down, says Charleston Southern University economist Al Parish.
CWIT banquet features international trade expert By RACHEL PLEASANT A banquet for the Charleston Women in International Trade calls for a keynote speaker who spends his days advancing free commerce around the world.
TTC tries new recipe to lure culinary students By DENNIS QUICK With Trident Technical College’s Culinary Institute of Charles-ton, an entity comprising the college’s current culinary and hospitality programs plus new, advanced culinary courses, TTC President Mary Thornley says she believes her college will provide a better-trained workforce for the Lowcountry’s restaurant industry.
Schools, training programs emphasize work ethic By DENNIS QUICK Jim Young, human resources manager for the 200-employee Mikasa distribution center in Cainhoy, tells of Mikasa workers who have walked off their $8-an-hour jobs after only a few months, and in some cases just after a few hours.
Study: Bridge run pumps millions into local economy By HOLLY FISHER The Cooper River Bridge Run lasts just a few hours every April, but its effect on the Charleston area is significant. A new study reveals the 2004 race had a $14.3 million impact on the local economy.
TIME WELL SPENT: Reducing overwork in America: Ways for employers to help By Honor Hawkins Are you overworked? A new study conducted by the Families and Work Institute, a nonprofit research organization in New York, says you might be. “Overwork in America” exposes how we really feel about our jobs, and how these attitudes affect personal and organization health.
SALES MOVES: The secret of sales—you may already know it By Jeffrey Gitomer What is the secret of selling? Two years ago I created a sales model called “intelligent engagement.” I referred to “engagement” as the secret of selling. If you can’t engage the prospect, he or she will never come to buy (from you).
NEWS BRIEFS
Lowcountry Medical Associates moves corporate office to West Ashley
Lowcountry Medical Associates has announced the move of its corporate office to Fairfield Park in West Ashley, effective immediately.
According to Greg Robinson, CEO of LMA, the organization has outgrown its current space on the peninsula. “Our corporate office provides support services for 25 medical and ancillary service sites, 60 physicians and 400 employees,” explains Robinson. “Although we’ve enjoyed our residence on East Bay Street for…
Ladson ambulance company owner honored in D.C. By RACHEL PLEASANT Cindy Burbage can’t hide the excitement in her voice. But it’s understandable, considering Burbage, owner and chief executive officer of Ladson-based American Heritage Ambulance, just returned from Washington, D.C., where she heard President George W. Bush speak and received an award for her work as a small business owner.
Calendar
APRIL 5: Greater Charleston .NET User Group meeting. 6 p.m. at Blackbaud Inc. Speaker: Glen Gordon, developer community champion with Microsoft. Topic: ASP.NET mobile controls. Information: Chris Williams, (800) 443-9441, ext. 2836 or chrisgwilliams@gmail.com.
APRIL 7: Center for Women “It’s in the Bag” purse auction. 6-8:30 p.m. at the City Gallery at Waterfront Park. More than 100 custom designed purses will be included in a silent auction with all proceeds benefiting the Center for…
People
Engineering
Oriana Hernandez has joined Ralph Whitehead Associates as project design engineer, working primarily on utility coordination projects. Hernandez previously worked with the South Carolina Department of Transportation.
Automotice
Justin Bunch joined Glasspro Inc. as an auto glass technician. He will handle customer vehicle pre-inspections and auto glass repairs and replacements in the Mount Pleasant facility. Bunch is certified by Dow Automotive and has three years auto glass experience. …
Giving Back
Call center marks opening with donation to MUSC
Verizon Wireless celebrated the grand opening of its North Charleston call center by donating $50,000 to the Medical University of South Carolina College of Dental Medicine. The contribution will support construction of a new clinical facility in Charleston and help relieve a statewide shortage of dental professionals. …
Appointments
Four members of the local community have recently joined the American Red Cross, Carolina Lowcountry Chapter’s board of directors. Sean Bennett is president and chief executive officer of Asset Integration Consultants Inc. in Summerville. Dan Vroon is vice president of middle market banking for Bank of America. Laura Hewitt is chairwoman of the Storm Eye Institute at the Medical University of South Carolina. Mason Holland is chairman of the board for Benefitfocus.com and the president…
ACCOLADES & MORE
Cherie Blackburn of Nelson Mullins Riley and Scarborough was one of 34 firm attorneys included in The Best Lawyers in America. Blackburn, who practices labor and employment litigation and intellectual property, was honored by Best Lawyers for the first time.
ConventionSouth Magazine named Dave Felix and Jen Smith as “Meeting Professionals to Watch in 2005.” Felix is the director of client services for Planning the Globe, a global meeting and event planning company. This is…
