Calendar JULY 23: Business Networking International meeting, West Ashley “Edge of America” chapter. Noon at Sunfire Grill in West Ashley. Information: Katie Lentz, 670-1737.
Accolades & More At its 41st annual Community Pride Award Luncheon, Community Pride of Charleston County presented the Captain Pride Award to the town of Mount Pleasant for its significant improvement to portions of U.S. Highway 17 North, between Interstate 526 and the Isle of Palms Connector.
People in the News Anthony Ford joined Glasspro Inc. as a Level III Auto Glass technician. Courtnea Wilhelm joined Glasspro as internal sales representative. Prior to joining Glasspro, Wilhelm was a customer service representative.
PVI offers combat solutions On the verge of delivering its first 60 armored GOLAN vehicles to the U.S. Marine Corps, Protected Vehicles Inc. of North Charleston has announced these vehicles will be the first to roll out of its facility sporting two advanced shielding capacities.
Sicko! Michael Moore nails the health care system By Bill Settlemyer Unlike Michael Moore’s past films, the recently released “Sicko” does a pretty credible and persuasive job of presenting the many failings of health care in the United States.
Sold! ATD accepts $680 million offer By Dan McCue When all was said and done, it was a significant infusion of venture capital that led to the announcement that Citigroup Inc. intends to purchase Mount Pleasant-based Automated Trading Desk for $680 million in cash and stocks.
Car dealers are becoming female friendly By Kathleen Dayton Mike Wise knows how to treat a lady. That’s a good thing, because soon he will have to pass a test to prove it.
Local vodka makers toast lower distillery license fee By Dennis Quick When Jim Irvin and Scott Newitt, producers of Wadmalaw Island-based FireFly vodka, introduced their muscadine-flavored beverage last year, their South Carolina spirit was being distilled in Florida.
Ordinance to cut red tape for new businesses By Lindsay Street Mac Burdette recalls driving down Mount Pleasant’s Coleman Boulevard in 1987 and seeing a recently built metal building. He remembered thinking that the metallic exterior clashed with the town’s rural feel.
New SEC rules will burden local accountants By Shelia Watson Six years after the financial accounting scandals that included Enron and Worldcom and five years after the federal law passed to ensure tighter accountability to prevent them from occurring again, there is fallout once again that will encumber certified public accounts and auditors.
Governor speaks out against incentives for retailers By Kristen Poland Big box retailers are welcome in South Carolina, but not on the dime of the smaller, family-owned businesses that would be their competition, Gov. Mark Sanford said recently during a visit to Haddrell’s Point Tackle & Supply in West Ashley.
841st Battalion makes military ships efficient By Shelia Watson They are called large, medium-speed, roll-on/roll-off ships or in typical military fashion by an acronym: LMSRs and the “large” may be an understatement.
Military field tests technology in Charleston By Shelia Watson The military is firmly on the technology bandwagon when it comes to improving processes for shipping cargo, and Charleston’s Army command is playing a key role in that.
Utility’s plan for growth sparks public opposition By Dan McCue A proposal by Santee Cooper to build a new 600-megawatt power plant near Kingsburg in Florence County has raised the ire of environmentalists and the slow-growth community.
Going, going...gone but the heartache By Dan McCue July 13 and 14 proved to be less than successful for the auction held to liquidate the personal and business assets of disgraced economist Al Parish.
New hotels revitalize peninsula’s Ashley River area By Dennis Quick Last month, the Best Western hotel at 250 Spring St., near Lockwood Drive, held its grand opening. The eight-story, 151-room hotel is a former Howard Johnson hotel purchased in April 2006 by Charleston Hotel Owners LLC, which spent about $4 million renovating the building.
Garage condos take off near Charleston airport By Lindsay Street The mantra in real estate has always been location, location, location. That is still the case with Colorado-based Airport Garages Inc.’s garage condominium project to be built just minutes from the Charleston International Airport.
Property exchange a worthy investment strategy By Shelia Watson For years, one of the best-kept secrets in the Internal Revenue Code has been IRC Section 1031, the like-kind property exchange. But today, certified public accounts are beginning to see more clients taking advantage of the investment strategies the tax code allows.
Supreme Court may help foster business development By Dan McCue The U.S. Supreme Court’s slight shift to the right this past session paid unexpected dividends to businesses in the Lowcountry and across the nation, giving them “another arrow in the quiver to protect themselves from frivolous lawsuits,” said one business attorneys.
Savannah River Site MOX facility cleans up By Shelia Watson Site preparation and cleanup on the Department of Energy’s Mixed Oxide Fuel fabrication facility at the Savannah River Site, also known as the MOX facility, has been completed on time, with no lost days due to injury and $10 million under budget.
Investors mitigate risk of investing in startups By Shelia Watson Argolyn Bioscience Inc. recently closed a $15.8 million round of financing that will be used to advance the company’s research into human clinical trials and get its product to market.
Neighborhood is being renovated at foot of Ravenel bridge By Kathleen Dayton Another mixed-use development is planned for Charleston’s Upper East Side in a neighborhood now dominated and being transformed by the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge.
Hunley Waters adds waterfront living to area By Dennis Quick Hunley Waters, a soon-to-be development consisting of 36 detached homes, joins other upcoming residential communities such as Mixson Avenue, Oak Terrace Preserve and Hope’s Pointe that are giving “old” North Charleston a new face.
The Villages starts new development phase By Dennis Quick The Villages in St. John’s Woods, located off Maybank Highway on Johns Island, last month started its third phase of residential development with 40 home lots available.
Snee Farm dispute rages on, resident files lawsuit By Kathleen Dayton Residents of Snee Farm, Mount Pleasant’s oldest golf course community, continue to squabble over a proposed development of 57 homes on seven acres owned by Snee Farm Country Club.
Officials want tighter building code rules By Dan McCue South Carolina’s building officials plan to draft a letter to their state representatives next month asking that building contractors be required to maintain their professional certifications through continuing education and an as-yet unformulated regime of follow-up testing.
N. Charleston examines an English speaking mandate By Dan McCue A change that may be coming to North Charleston is an ordinance requiring contractors working on residential projects to have an English-speaking foreman on the worksite at all times and that the foreman be experienced and knowledgeable about the actual type of work he’s overseeing.
So long, it has been a great ride By Dennis Quick This is my last “Quick Notes” column. I’m moving out of Setcom Media’s newsroom—that is, away from the Business Journal—and into the company’s supplements department.
Are CMOs DOA? Yes, if goals aren’t clear By Bruce Murdy For many large corporations, the chief marketing officer, or CMO, has been in the limelight more than ever before, and not always for the right reasons.
Manage your home-based office the right way By Ted Albenesius Sooner or later, in a moment of frustration, any home-based entrepreneur will ask, “How in the world did I get myself into this business?”
Sales lessons from the trail: Enjoy the view By John Carroll In the first two installments of this series, we looked at preparations for the western Carolina mountain trail and tips for making progress once the multi-day hike was underway. Still on the trail, we now have the opportunity to notice some of the finer points that carry lessons for greater sales effectiveness.
It's show time: Charleston's prime time political close-up is here By Dan McCue It's likely the biggest thing to come to The Citadel’s McAlister Field House since air conditioning was installed in the fabled gymnasium in the mid-1990s. Tonight the eight Democratic candidates for president will converge on the campus off Moultrie Street for what one CNN executive described as the Internet's "first seat at the table in terms of determining who the next president of the United States might be.”
AirTran lifting airport passenger numbers, lowering ticket prices By Molly Parker Flights out of the Charleston International Airport have increased significantly since the late May addition of AirTran Airways, elating airport officials who worked for several years to lure the discount airline company, and riling competition among legacy carriers such as Delta.
Business, economic issues take back seat at debate By Dan McCue In the end, the Monday’s Democratic presidential candidate debate lived up to the hype of a groundbreaking event co-sponsored by Google and YouTube and presented by CNN. The event, which featured all eight Democratic candidates and a total of 39 questions posted by members of YouTube’s video-posting community, will be remembered as home run for The Citadel and the city of Charleston.
County council approves tax plan for mystery project By Dan McCue Charleston County Council on Tuesday approved a fee-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement with a mystery company that will soon be investing $38 million, including $9.7 million for a new manufacturing plant to be located in the Palmetto Commerce Park in North Charleston.
Biden touts region’s armored vehicle manufacturers By Dan McCue In town to improve his own standing among the Democratic candidates for president of the United States, Delaware Sen. Joe Biden took time out from his CNN YouTube debate preparations to tout two armored vehicle makers based here in the Lowcountry.
Ambassador: Trade opportunities abound to and from India By Dan McCue A middle class that’s growing exponentially and a work force rife with workers skilled in the high-tech and service industries means ample opportunity for companies in South Carolina to profit from trade with India, the country’s ambassador to the U.S. said during a visit to Charleston.
National builders put some projects on hold, remain committed to area By Kathleen Dayton Home sales are still sluggish in much of the tri-county area, but most national builders with a stake in the Lowcountry say they aren’t going anywhere. While a few projects are on hold, new developments continue to move forward, especially in lower price points in Berkeley and Dorchester counties.
Google takes new tack in community relations By Dan McCue It used to be that when Google came to town to build a new data center or other facility, the company’s presence was tantamount to a state secret and its arrival akin to the landing of a flying saucer.
Dorchester councilmen resume battle over growth By Lindsay Street Can growth decisions wait in Dorchester County? Four of the seven county councilmen didn’t think so when they voted to pull the proposed Adequate Facilities Ordinance out of committee to give it a second reading at the regular July 23 council meeting.
Lowndes Grove sold; inn to remain open By Kathleen Dayton Lowndes Grove Plantation, a historic downtown bed and breakfast near The Citadel, on the Ashley River, was purchased Tuesday for $6.7 million. The purchase price included about $200,000 of antique furnishings in the main house, which was built in 1786.
Sanford endorses two candidates to replace Ravenel By Dan McCue Exactly a week after Thomas Ravenel resigned as state treasurer to fight federal cocaine trafficking charges, Gov. Mark Sanford on Tuesday endorsed two possible successors, including Tim Scott, the current chairman of the Charleston County Council.
GPS systems likely to be installed in state school buses By Molly Parker The S.C. Department of Education is poised to award a $1.7 million contract to a California company to outfit all state-owned school buses with global positioning systems.
Company in $1.9 billion aviation deal with Dubai By Dan McCue Hawthorne Corp., of Charleston, and The Carlyle Group, one of the world’s largest private equity firms, sold two of their jointly-held aviation subsidiaries to Dubai Aerospace Enterprise for $1.9 billion.
