Member News | May 20-24

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Nicole Curtis

Local Road Gets a Makeover Thanks to Columbia Businesses

Donning gloves and orange reflective vests, volunteers from several Lexington County businesses braved the Fernandina Road traffic on April 19, 2013. Their mission: clean up the road, which borders the Westpark office park, for Adopt-A-Highway. Their efforts mean that more than 20 bags’ worth of trash is now off the road and in the dump where it belongs.

Representatives from four Westpark businesses lent their time to the project, including employees from GWA, Inc. Electrical Engineers, DuBose Web Group, Carolina Endodontics, and Columbia Conference Center. They spent 15 man-hours on the clean up, which was performed in waves.

The Adopt-A-Highway volunteer opportunity was facilitated by Keep the Midlands Beautiful and SCDOT. Keep the Midlands Beautiful is an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, America’s largest volunteer-based community action and education organization. Over 225 organizations across South Carolina partner with Adopt-A-Highway to clean up their roadways and improve their local communities.

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Colonial Life names Tim Sox Volunteer of the Year
Annual award recognizes employee for significant contributions to community

COLUMBIA, S.C. (May 23, 2013) — Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company has named Tim Sox winner of its Volunteer of the Year award.

The award was presented this month at Colonial Life’s national headquarters in Columbia. It is given annually to a Columbia-based employee of Colonial Life or an affiliate of its parent company, Unum, who exhibits excellence in volunteer activities in the community, has a positive outlook about volunteerism, is an inspiration to his or her co-workers and whose activities have had a definite effect on the quality of life in the community.

“Volunteering is all about action,” said Sox, director of enrollment systems for Colonial Life. “You have to take a step forward. Once you start and you realize the difference small actions can make, it’s easy and it makes a big difference in people’s lives — including your own. Find something you’re interested in and I’ll guarantee you there is a place that could use your energy.”

Sox’s volunteer activities include:

Serving as a mentor for troubled youth at the Carolina Boys Home
Volunteering 60 hours a month as the Scoutmaster for Troop 340
Playing Taps for military funerals as part of Bugles Across America
Leading a United Way Day of Action team
Serving on the Columbia campus United Way campaign core team
Organizing volunteer activities for Aspire alumni
Regularly donating blood to the American Red Cross
Chairing the technology committee at St. David Lutheran Church

“Community service has always been an important part of our company’s culture,” said Kara Addy, assistant vice president, branding and communications at Colonial Life. “Our civic and charitable efforts are one way we live our mission to create lasting and valuable relationships in the places where we live and work.”

“Our core business is all about helping people, and a strong commitment to social responsibility is one of our core values,” Tim added. “The company’s advocacy of community service makes for a great work-life balance for our employees and motivates people to get involved.”

Colonial Life donated $1,000 in Sox’s honor to his charity of choice, The Nancy K. Perry Shelter, an emergency shelter for children in Lexington.

Colonial Life contributed $715,000 to charitable organizations in 2012, while employees donated nearly 10,500 hours of service to the community.

Other nominees for the 2012 Volunteer of the Year award included Cathy Brooks, compliance contract consultant, law services; Donna Chavis, director, account services; Micca Ervin, business specialist, law services; Jeanna Moffett, manager, corporate communications; and Joe Roof, director, claims.

About Colonial Life

Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company is a market leader in providing financial protection benefits through the workplace, including disability, life, accident, cancer, critical illness and supplemental health insurance. The company’s benefit services and education, innovative enrollment technology and personal service support more than 79,000 businesses and organizations, representing more than 3 million working Americans and their families. For more information visit www.coloniallife.com or connect with the company at www.facebook.com/coloniallifebenefits, www.twitter.com/coloniallife and www.linkedin.com/company/colonial-life.

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CRAFT BAR HAPPY WEEKEND at the CMA

a public market celebrating crafters and artisans June 7-8, 2013

Columbia, S.C. – The Columbia Museum of Art announces its second Craft Bar Happy Weekend, a public market on June 7 and June 8 that brings together artists and their handmade goods from across the Southeast. Visitors enjoy crafts, local food, DJs and the opportunity to enjoy crafting camaraderie with local and regional artists. The CMA team offers workshops, demonstrations and activities that adults, and even the littlest crafters, can enjoy.

Friday, June 7 | 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.

Join us for crafting camaraderie, food, fun and live music from Ned and the Dirt and Greater Columbia Society for the Preservation of Soul! Plus, beat the crowds with exclusive first access to handmade crafts before Saturday’s open market. In addition, enjoy the opening of the community gallery installation, ONE x 100 featuring submitted works by 100 local artists and the exhibition Found in Translation: The Art of Steven Naifeh. $10 / $6 for members / $4 for students / Free for children under 10.

Saturday, June 8 | 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Enjoy the best handmade goods, quality crafts, local food, DJs and the opportunity to make friends and connections with the artists themselves at an all day craft market. The CMA team offers workshops, demonstrations and activities that adults and even the littlest crafters can enjoy. Admission is free and open to the public. Regular Museum admission applies for gallery entrance.

Participating artists include: All Mapped Out, Andrew Coombs Pottery, Ansley Green, Brio Trio, Décoré Costume Jewelry Designs, Devine Ideas, entangled, Floradora, Inc., Handmade Jewelry by Candace Connell Catoe, Kristina Stafford (Maker@Large), MaryAnne Ehasz, M.A.S.W. Designs, Products of 47, Rachel Dortch (Marge&Rudy), Random Catgirl, Serglasio Arts, Sara Cogswell, ShellieArt LLC, spincones, Sup-Dog Ltd. Co., Teri Goddard Handweaving, Three Leaves Pottery and Whispering Willow Soap Company.

For more information, visit www.columbiamuseum.org.

About the CMA

The Columbia Museum of Art is South Carolina’s premier international art museum and houses a world-class collection of European and American art. Founded in 1950, the Museum opened its new building on Main Street in 1998 with 25 galleries. The collection includes masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo from the Samuel H. Kress Collection, porcelain and works by significant furniture and silver makers, as well as American, Asian, and modern and contemporary art. Of particular interest are Sandro Botticelli’s Nativity, Claude Monet’s The Seine at Giverny, Canaletto’s View of the Molo, a Dale Chihuly chandelier and art glass by Louis Comfort Tiffany. The Museum offers changing exhibitions from renowned museums and educational programs for all ages that include classes, lectures, films and concerts. It is the recipient of a National Art Education Association award for its contributions to arts education and an Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Governor’s Award for the Arts for outstanding contributions to the arts in South Carolina.

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DOWNTOWN COLUMBIA OFFICE SECTOR DELIVERS STRONG FIRST QUARTER PERFORMANCE, SUBURBAN MARKET POISED TO FOLLOW

COLUMBIA, SC (MAY 9, 2013) The Columbia Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) office market experienced considerable leasing activity during the first quarter of 2013, particularly in the Central Business District (CBD), the result of which will significantly reduce overall and CBD vacancies as those leases commence later this year.

The Columbia office market had negligible negative absorption of 9,899 square feet in the first quarter of 2013. The first quarter end vacancy rate for Class A buildings in the Central Business District (CBD) was 8.6% and the overall market vacancy rate was 15.2% based on the available inventory of multi-tenant buildings with 20,000 rentable square feet (RSF) and above.

While the vacancy rates and absorption figures indicate a stagnant market, the vibrant activity occurring in the Columbia office market and in particular downtown, tells a different story. Several notable lease and purchase transactions closed during the fourth quarter of 2012 and the first quarter of 2013, with those tenants set to assume occupancy during the second half of 2013. AgFirst will begin occupying Bank of America Plaza in the Fall of 2013, which will result in 100% occupancy of this Class A building, providing a huge boost to the downtown occupancy figures. This particular property had dipped to a 69% occupancy rate in late 2011.

During the first quarter of 2013, three financial institutions announced their relocation plans to downtown office properties. BB&T announced plans to relocate to 1201 Main Street, occupying approximately 35,000 RSF with the move to be completed in early 2014. Additionally, Ameris Bank will be moving their CBD corporate office space & branch from 1301 Gervais Street to 1333 Main Street, with plans to occupy a collective 15,500 RSF. Opening its first office in the Midlands, Certus Bank recently leased the ground floor of 1122 Lady Street which is the former Midlands Region corporate offices and main branch of NBSC.

As a result of the above noted transactions, particularly within the Class A multi-tenant office buildings, many of the heavy concessions offered by landlords to secure new tenants in years past will be reduced, and rental rates will begin to rise as vacancy rates decline. We anticipate historic buildings in the CBD will be re-purposed to meet the strengthening demand of quality office space such as the Agape Senior headquarters relocation underway to several buildings along the 1600 block of Main Street. The more competitive landscape in the CBD submarket will ultimately benefit the suburban submarkets, particularly the Class A and Class B facilities in St. Andrews and the Northeast. Substantial vacancies remain in these submarkets due, in large part, to former tenants moving into the CBD to take advantage of location and more appealing leasing concessions/rates offered in 2011 and 2012. The sizable reduction in space leased by the State of South Carolina was, and continues to be, a contributing factor. We expect to see a significant increase in the activity levels for the suburban office markets in 2013 as a result of the reduced supply of quality office space in the CBD.

NAI AVANT BROKERS SALE OF ±76.13 ACRES ON WEST MAIN STREET IN LAKE CITY, SC

COLUMBIA, SC (MAY 21, 2013) Cam Kreps, a member of NAI Avant’s Senior Brokerage Team, finalized the land sale transaction in Lake City, SC. Kreps represented the seller in Southern Asphalt’s purchase of ±76.13 acres on West Main Street.

NAI AVANT PROMOTES FROM WITHIN FOR COLUMBIA, SC HEADQUARTERS

COLUMBIA, SC (May 23, 2013) NAI Avant is pleased to announce the promotions of Elizabeth Killen to Director of Marketing & Public Relations and Stacy Pinkney to Property Accountant for the Columbia, SC headquarters.

Ms. Killen previously served as the Marketing Coordinator & Brokerage Assistant for the Columbia office. In her new role at NAI Avant, she will be responsible for managing the marketing and public relations plans and communications. She is also responsible for website management, social media, event planning and maintaining brand standards for both the Columbia and Charleston offices. Ms. Killen has a Bachelors degree in International Business from North Greenville University. She is a recent graduate of Leadership Lexington County and is the Lake Murray Jaycee’s President.

Ms. Pinkney previously served as Staff Accountant for NAI Avant. With her promotion, she will be responsible for the proper accounting of third-party properties and payroll processing. Ms. Pinkney has a Bachelors degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance from Strayer University and is currently working on her MBA from Webster University.

About NAI Avant

NAI Avant’s commercial real estate business is one of the largest in the Southeast. With over 65 professionals, the firm provides comprehensive brokerage, leasing, development, property and project management services. For nearly three consecutive decades, the group has had more of its brokerage professionals recognized as top producers or recipients of the top awards than any other firm in South Carolina. As a member of the NAI Global Network, NAI Avant is affiliated with over 350 offices and 5,000 professionals in 55 countries across the globe. NAI Global is the largest independent commercial real estate service provider worldwide and a wholly owned subsidiary of C-III Capital Partners. NAI Avant’s Property and Project Management Group currently manages a multi-million square foot portfolio of properties across South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. Through its Avant Healthcare Division, the firm provides comprehensive services to hospitals, clinics, and physician groups. NAI Avant, founded in 1966, is headquartered in Columbia, SC with an office in Charleston, SC. Find out more about NAI Avant and its services at www.naiavant.com. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @NAI Avant and like us on Facebook.

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Nickelodeon Theatre Honored with Historic Columbia Award

The Nickelodeon Theater, Columbia’s only non-profit art house film theater, was recently awarded the Historic Preservation award for Preservation/Restoration by the Historic Columbia Foundation. Michael Baker Jr., Inc., was the architect on the project and Mashburn Construction was the contractor.

“It is an honor to be given this award, and I am extremely proud of what we will accomplish in the future of reviving cinema in the heart of downtown,” says Andy Smith, Executive Director of the theater.

Phase 1 of the renovation provided space for the first of two theatres, which has world class audio/visual capabilities and includes digital and original methods of projection in order to recreate the film experience as originally viewed. The renovated lobby now houses restrooms, concession space, office, and storage space. Adjacent to the lobby is the projection booth and elevator. The façade of the Main Street entrance was refurbished and includes an upgraded curbside ticket booth. Located at the rear of the building off of a pocket park, the Film Society created the Helen Hill Media Education Center in conjunction with the University of South Carolina. This Media Education Center will help young people learn about media and film literacy.

Phase 2 of the program, for which fundraising is currently underway, will include the renovation of the upstairs lobby and balcony into the primary theatre and create offices for staff. This level of the building will house the larger of the theatres and recreate the feel of a grand Art Deco movie house; the lower level theatre being designed more for a more intimate cinematic experience with top-of-the-line projection.

Nickelodeon Theatre South Carolina’s only non-profit, art house theater, is a leading Southeastern arts organization engaging our community by providing thought-provoking film programming, offering media education classes and fostering the creation of new work by providing training and support to media artists. Operating out of a 99 seat theater located on the corner of Main and Taylor Streets, adjacent to the Mast General Store. The Nick is home to three film screenings daily and special series with extra showtimes. www.nickelodeon.org

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Officials Announce Finalists for Employer Support Awards

From an Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve News Release

ARLINGTON, Va., May 21, 2013 – A board of military and civilian leaders has chosen 30 employers of National Guard and Reserve service members as finalists for the 2013 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.

Officials of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Defense Department office, announced the selections today.

The Freedom Award is the department’s highest recognition given to employers for exceptional support of employees serving in the National Guard and Reserve. The board selected the top 30 employers from a pool of 2,899 nominations submitted earlier this year by National Guard and Reserve service members.

Freedom Award finalists distinguish themselves by implementing formal policies and informal initiatives that go above and beyond in assisting and encouraging National Guard and Reserve service, ESGR officials said. The 2013 finalists offered such support as creating veteran mentoring programs for service members transitioning to civilian life, offering flexible scheduling to allow guardsmen and reservists to attend to military tasks during business hours, and hosting an internal website accessible to deployed employees and their families so they could more easily keep in touch and see messages of support from their co-workers, they added.

“The 2013 Freedom Award finalists demonstrate the type of outstanding support our National Guard and Reserve service members count on when answering the nation’s call to serve,” said ESGR National Chair James G. Rebholz. “These employers recognize the valuable role they play in the lives of our citizen-warriors, and in supporting these men and women, the finalists have made a critical contribution to our national security. On behalf of ESGR and the DOD, I want to thank each of the 2013 finalists for their extraordinary support.”

A national selection board of senior Defense Department officials, business leaders and prior awardees will select 15 Freedom Award recipients, which will be announced early this summer.

The 2013 recipients will be honored at the 18th annual Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award ceremony in Washington, D.C., Sept. 26. Past recipients of the Freedom Award have met privately with the president and vice president, the secretary of defense, and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The finalists for the 2013 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award are:

– Albuquerque Fire Department, Albuquerque, N.M.;

– ASAS/Tysol, Inc., Woodbury, Minn.;

– Bank of America, Charlotte, N.C.;

– C.W. Driver, Pasadena, Calif.;

– Cardinal Health, Dublin, Ohio;

– Centerline Mechanical LLC, Cave Creek, Ariz.;

– Charles Crafts, Attorney At Law, Boise, Idaho;

– City of Columbus, Ohio;

– City of Prescott, Ariz.;

– City of Shawnee, Kan.;

– Colorado Springs Utilities, Colorado Springs, Colo.;

– Compuware Corp., Detroit;

– Cranston Public Schools, Cranston, R.I.;

– DaVita, Inc., Denver;

– Eastman Chemical, Kingsport, Tenn.;

– Express Scripts, St. Louis;

– Family Allergy & Asthma, Louisville, Ky.;

– Hubcap Express, Fort Wayne, Ind.;

– Humana, Louisville, Ky.;

– JG Management Systems, Inc., Grand Junction, Colo.;

– Los Angeles Fire Department;

– Pape-Dawson Engineers, San Antonio;

– Prairie Grove Consolidated School District 46, Crystal Lake, Ill.;

– Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Columbia, S.C.;

– Safeway, Inc., Pleasanton, Calif.;

– Steel Plate Fabricators, Knoxville, Tenn.;

– U.S. Bank, Minneapolis;

– U.S. Marshals Service, Eastern District of Louisiana, New Orleans;

– Waste Management, Houston; and

– Zions Bank, Salt Lake City.

The Freedom Award was instituted in 1996 to recognize exceptional support from the employer community. In the years since, 175 employers have received the award.

ESGR develops and maintains employer support for Guard and Reserve service, advocating relevant initiatives, recognizing outstanding support, increasing awareness of applicable laws, and resolving conflict between service members and employers.

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Portraits of S.C. Business Titans Experience Cinderella Moment One Night Each Year

Columbia, SC- May 22, 2013- For twenty nine years, the annual South Carolina Business Hall of Fame has presented the new honorees with a framed sketched portrait of their likeness to commemorate the glamorous black tie event being held Thursday evening, May 23^rd at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. The same artist, Charles F. Adams, has done all the sketches, now 101 of them. Professor Adams’ day job is being an assistant professor for the University of South Carolina Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

In addition to the framed singular sketches to be presented to the 2013 honorees- Crandall Close Bowles and the late Virgil C. Summers, Jr., each year there is an additional picture framed that includes all of laureates honored each year.. Actually there are two of those: one goes onto the wall, along with all of the others at the Junior Achievement of Central South Carolina’s unassuming office in the R.L. Bryan Building. The other is placed in a gallery at the Darla Moore School of Business.

Each year in late May, the staff at Junior Achievement carefully removes each framed portrait, bubble wraps and gently packs it into a box to be taken over to the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center for their Cinderella evening. There, the portraits are unpacked and hung in a magnificent display that honors South Carolina’s Titan’s of Business-past and present. The next morning, the portraits are packed back up and returned to their JA home where they reside for the other 364 days of the year.

“We are on the verge of needing to be very creative with our wall gallery in the JA office because each year we must find room for one more,” laughs Stephanie Stuckey, president of Junior Achievement of Central South Carolina. But she would not have it any other way. “We are so proud to put on this annual event that honors the South Carolina business men and women who are the role models for tomorrow’s business leaders,” Ms. Stuckey continued, “Our walls look so empty and lonely when the portraits come down, but that means that The South Carolina Business Hall of Fame is about to take place again and that is exciting!”

Each year, some of Junior Achievement’s most exceptional students, vetted through a nomination process, are invited to attend the black tie event acting as Student Ambassadors which allows them to share the evening and spotlight with South Carolina’s business legends. Now that is picture perfect!

Columbia Small Business Week | Tuesday Recap

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Nicole Curtis

Columbia Small Business Week continued yesterday with a series of seminars on various timely topics relating to small and minority businesses and their employees.

The morning began with a presentation from Webster University’s Marketing Director, Alice Jones on business professional development and how the workplace is evolving. Jones shared some important trends to note for the next ten years in the business world including generational and demographic shifts.

Following the Small Business Panel, PNC Bank hosted a Lunch and Learn seminar on Women in Business Financing Opportunities. Rhonda Hughey shared some important financial insight and tips for female business owners, encouraging them not to shy away from growing their businesses and their goals in a world full of male competitors.

The third seminar of the day was presented by Kevin Wade of IntelliSystems, who introduced attendees to the world of Cloud Computing. While this concept is not new to businesses, it remains confusing and overwhelming to some. Cloud computing can be a helpful tool and resource to consolidate information and data from multiple sources, and with the “right amount of cloud technology” a business can raise its organization and success rate.

The final presentation of the day was presented by Charles Appleby and Andrew Cole from Collins & Lacy, P.C. on the topics of employment law, social media and tips for avoiding law suits. They discussed legal issues that may arise and the importance of preparedness.

Thanks to everyone who hosted, attended and supported our efforts yesterday and we look forward to the rest of Columbia Small Business week! Also, a special thanks to our sponsors TD Bank, Enviro AgScience, Inc., Bank of America, South Carolina Community Bank, PNC Bank, IntelliSystems, Webster University, Parker Poe Consulting and
Collins & Lacy, P.C.

Check out our website for the schedule of events for the remainder of the week.

Member News | April 29 – May 3

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Nicole Curtis

1×1 Design Announces the Addition of Tara Jerdan to the Team

1×1 Design is pleased to announce that Tara Jerdan, Associate AIA, has joined the team. Tara earned her Bachelor of Environmental Design in Architecture from North Carolina State University in 2007 and her Master of Architecture from Clemson University in 2009, where she participated in the Charleston and Genoa fluid-campus programs.

On the path to licensure, Tara has over four years of work experience, most recently at Maurer Architecture in Raleigh, North Carolina. Her project experience ranges from new commercial construction, to commercial and medical office interiors, retail, historic preservation and residential design.

Tara also has participated in intense research opportunities concerning the design of office and medical environments. Her team received the 2009 Contract Magazine Healthcare Environment Award for Conceptual Design, for their project “Redesigning the Office for Family Medicine”. The project has also been published in the AIA Academy Journal.

“1×1 Design is so excited to have Tara join our team, “states Asheley Scott, firm President. “Tara has proven herself to be an exceptional critical thinker in academic environments, but also possesses great depth, already, in the professional environment through project management, design, and documentation. We are looking forward to having her on board, while also supporting her through the remainder of the registration process and introducing her to the Columbia region as a young professional.”

For more information, visit www.1x1design.com.

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DSW DESIGNER SHOE WAREHOUSE ANNOUNCES NEW STORE IN COLUMBIA, SC

COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 30, 2013 – DSW Inc. (NYSE: DSW), a leading branded footwear and accessories retailer, is pleased to announce the opening of a new store in Columbia, SC on May 2^nd.

The address of the new store is:

320 Harbison Blvd

Columbia, SC 29212

DSW is the destination for savvy Shoe Lovers everywhere. Customers experience a breathtaking assortment of designer shoes, boots, and sandals at everyday value prices in a convenient assisted self-select shopping environment. Aisles are filled with the latest trends in men’s and women’s shoes giving Shoe Lovers a staggering amount of choices. From casual and athletic shoes to top-brand dress shoes, DSW is the ultimate destination for anyone who loves fashion and the excitement of finding the perfect shoe. For an even larger selection, dsw.com offers more styles, luxury brands, extended sizes and kids’ shoes.

DSW Rewards is a free, award-winning loyalty program in which customers earn certificates toward future DSW purchases and receive special member-only offers. Customers can also participate in a lively Shoe Lover community on Facebook to receive exclusive offers and giveaways, including chances to win free shoes on Facebook each Tuesday, also known as “Free Shoesday”

About DSW Inc.

DSW Inc. is a leading branded footwear, handbag and accessories retailer that offers a wide selection of brand name and designer fashion for women, men, and kids. As of May 2, 2013, DSW operates 377 stores in 42 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and operates an e-commerce site, http://www.dsw.com, and a mobile website, http://m.dsw.com. DSW also supplies footwear to 347 leased locations in the United States under the Affiliated Business Group. For store locations and additional information about DSW, visit http://www.dswinc.com. Follow DSW on Twitter at http://twitter.com/DSWShoeLovers and like DSW on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/DSW.

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Colonial Life Names Charitable Grant Recipients for First Quarter

Company awards nearly $130,000 in grants to community organizations

COLUMBIA, S.C. (May 2, 2013) — Colonial Life awarded nearly $130,000 in charitable grants to nonprofit organizations in the community during the first quarter of 2013.

The following organizations received these grants:

American Red Cross Central S.C. Chapter
Boys and Girls Clubs of the Midlands
Celebrate Freedom Foundation
Children’s Trust of South Carolina
Columbia City Ballet
Columbia Museum of Art
Cultural Council of Richland & Lexington Counties
Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands S.C.
Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce
Harvest Hope Food Bank
Palmetto Health Foundation
Saluda Shoals Foundation
South Carolina Junior Golf Foundation
South Carolina Ovarian Cancer Foundation, Riverbanks Region

Through the company’s corporate social responsibility program, Colonial Life directs its resources to local organizations benefitting counties surrounding its corporate headquarters in Columbia, S.C., and within the state. Organizations receiving grant support from Colonial Life represent a diverse group and focus on four priority areas: education, wellness, economic development and the arts.

“Giving back to the community has been an integral part of our company’s culture for nearly 75 years,” says Kara Addy, assistant vice president for branding and communications. “We’re pleased to support organizations that are truly improving the quality of life for residents in the Midlands of South Carolina.”

Colonial Life granted more than $700,000 to nonprofit organizations in 2012 as part of its charitable giving efforts.

About Colonial Life

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Lake Marion HIGH school STUDENTS TEAM UP with AT&T Employees and junior achievement to focus on high school success

AT&T Aspire Mentoring Academy Brings Students to the Workplace to Address National Dropout Crisis and Help Students Achieve College and Career Readiness

Columbia, SC-April 30– With more than 1 million students failing to graduate on time each year, AT&T is committed to providing South Carolina students with mentoring opportunities to help prepare them for future success. To help maximize student potential, AT&T employees teamed up with thirty three Lake Marion High School students from Santee, SC today to share life and career skills. More South Carolina high school students will be mentored throughout the spring.

Mentoring that takes place onsite at AT&T workplaces is part of Aspire Mentoring Academy, the key community engagement program of AT&T’s $350 million investment in Aspire, focused on high school success leading to college and career readiness. AT&T employees are engaging in their communities to help raise high school graduation rates by providing students 1 million hours of mentoring through the end of 2016.

“Aspire Onsite Mentoring helps students develop a bigger picture of the ‘real’ world that will, in turn, help them create a vision for their future,” said Rodney McClure, Center director of AT&T for South Carolina. “Providing students with the opportunity to visit the work world firsthand and be mentored by adults who truly care about their future success can make an impact that will last for a lifetime.”

“We are very excited to work with Junior Achievement as we mobilize our employees to provide students 1 million hours of mentoring across the country,” said Janiece Evans-Page, Assistant Vice President – Community Engagement at AT&T. “We believe that the relationships formed and lessons learned during onsite mentoring can help students stay on track to graduate from high school and succeed in college, the workforce and beyond.”

“We will continue to work with AT&T to build on our Job Shadow program and offer a deeper mentoring experience to students,” said Stephanie Stuckey, president of Junior Achievement of Central South Carolina. “By encouraging their employees to volunteer their time and expertise, AT&T is helping South Carolina students learn 21^st-century skills that will help them succeed in school and beyond.”

Aspire Mentoring Academy is a part of AT&T Aspire, AT&T’s $350 million investment in education planned over five years, which is among the most significant U.S. corporate educational initiatives. The program, which has impacted over 1 million students in all 50 states since its initial launch in 2008, connects with students in new and more effective ways, such as with interactive games, social media and tapping into the power of personal connections involving many of AT&T’s approximately 240,000 employees.

To learn more about Aspire Mentoring Academy, please visit www.att.com/aspirementoring/

Community Engagement at AT&T

At AT&T, Community Engagement means engaging our employees to build healthy, connected, and thriving communities where we live and do business. Employees are focused on three key issues: improving educational outcomes, building sustainable communities and promoting the responsible use of technology. In 2012, employees and retirees donated more than 5.8 million hours of time to community outreach activities and pledged more than $34.8 million for charities of their choice through employee giving. Employees also committed to more than 23,500 sustainable choices through Do One Thing (DOT), which invites employees to make small, everyday choices that add up to a big positive impact for themselves, the community and/or the company.

About Junior Achievement® (JA)

Junior Achievement is the world’s largest organization dedicated to inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy. Through a dedicated volunteer network, Junior Achievement provides in-school and after-school programs for students which focus on three key content areas: work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy. Today, 130 individual area operations reach more than four million students in the United States. For more information, visit www.ja.org.

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Mashburn Employee Earns LEED AP BD+C Accreditation

Drew Coleman, a project Superintendent at Mashburn Construction, has recently been accredited as LEED AP BD+C (LEED Accredited Professional in Building Design and Construction) by the US Green Building Council (USGBC). Accreditation is achieved by passing an exam administered by USGBC that tests knowledge and competency regarding the requirements and the administration of the process involved for a building to become LEED certified.

According to the USGBC, “A LEED Professional Credential signifies that you are a leader in the field and an active participant in the green building movement who contributes expertise to the design, construction, operations and maintenance of buildings and neighborhoods that save energy, use fewer resources, reduce pollution, and contribute to healthier environments for their occupants and the community.”

Drew earned his initial LEED AP accreditation in June 2009.

Mashburn Construction is a full-service construction company providing construction management, design/build and general contracting. For over three decades, the company has exemplified building with integrity by providing superior service and quality to clients across many markets. Headquartered in Columbia, Mashburn also has offices in Charleston and Greenville, SC. For more information, please visit www.MashburnConstruction.com.

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Columbia techies, community leaders to host South Carolina Day of Civic Hacking, June 1-2

Columbia, April 25, 2013 – Hackers and other techies will be joining forces with the power of artists, librarians and community leaders June 1-2 for a weekend of public service and fun called the South Carolina Day of Civic Hacking.

This inaugural event features many local opportunities at IT-oLogy, Richland Library, Columbia Museum of Art and EdVenture Children’s Museum. The event is part of the first ever National Day of Civic Hacking taking place in about 100 cities in more than 30 states.

A 24-hour Hackathon is planned at IT-oLogy as well as classes and lectures at the Richland Library. “We are encouraging teams of developers to sign up for the Hackathon,” said committee chair Karl McCollester. “This is a great opportunity for student and professional developers, designers, engineers, entrepreneurs and others to come together and work on a project that will help their neighbors here in Columbia.”

Individuals can join together as teams to work on a project of their own design, or they can join teams to work on projects being designed by the event’s organizers. To register go to http://www.scdoch.eventbrite.com.

Hackathon projects use data sets that are available to the public, but often hard to extract into a useful form. Want to let your local sanitation department know your garbage wasn’t picked up? There could be an app designed for that. Want to know how your elected official voted on an issue? There could be a website developed for that.

“Civic hacking promotes projects for the public good using open data,” McCollester said.

“Most people think of ‘hacking’ as a form of vandalism by computer — or worse,” McCollester said. “But we, like most techies, believe that ‘hacking’ is what amateurs or volunteers do when they write computer code to solve problems. This event is about using our hacking skills to provide computer applications to benefit our community.”

Hackathon teams will begin coding prototype applications or websites starting 11 a.m. Saturday at IT-oLogy. They’ll work through the night — bolstered by a midnight breakfast and ample coffee. The event will end after the organizers announce the results of the Hackathon projects and present awards 1 p.m. Sunday.

Richland Library is planning to host lectures and classes designed to help beginners take on technology projects and community leaders become more familiar with useful data already available online. Details for those sessions will be announced later.

“We were excited to have the Richland Library join this event,” said Jim DuPlessis, a conference coordinator. “Community leaders are often trying to find critical information in an ever-changing online landscape. Librarians can keep us connected, and we’re lucky here in Richland County to have one of the best group of librarians in the country.”
Specifics on programs for each location are still being worked out, so stay tuned for more details.

Sponsors include: IT-oLogy, Richland Library, Columbia Museum of Art, EdVenture Children’s Museum, Columbia Opportunity Resource (COR), City of Columbia, Richland County, Innovista, University of South Carolina, SC.gov, EngenuitySC, CETi, Voterheads, and DP Professionals.

More information about the South Carolina Day of Civic Hacking can be found at:

Web: http://hackforchange.org/south-carolina-day-civic-hacking-june-1-2-2013

Twitter: www.twitter.com/hackforsc

Facebook: www.facebook.com/HackforSC

Event registrations are at:
http://scdoch.eventbrite.com/

More information about the National Day of Civic Hacking can be found at:
http://hackforchange.org/

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“The Boomers” Are Back!
Music at Sandhill Favorites to Appear May 3

Columbia, SC – May 1 – Village at Sandhill’s free spring concert series, “Music at Sandhill presented by Grow Financial Federal Credit Union” continues this Friday May 3, with pop and rock band “The Boomers” from 7pm-9pm in Town Center Common. Free rides and balloon art from Nick Propst begin at 6pm.

From Charlotte, NC “The Boomers” are back by popular demand! Their Top-40 and pop/rock performances have ranged from the most intimate of gatherings to the ’97 President Clinton Inaugural ball. The song selections, and consistent quality of their live performance, make this group a guaranteed success at every event!

With 20 branches, and one opening soon at Village at Sandhill, Grow Financial Federal Credit Union is recognized as one of the leading Credit Unions in the nation, and has $1.8 billion in assets. Originally founded to provide a safe place to save and borrow money for the military and civilian personnel of MacDill Air Force Base, Grow Financial has since expanded membership to include employees of more than 1,100 businesses. Established in 1955, Grow Financial has its corporate headquarters in Tampa, Florida. For more information visit www.growfinancial.org.

Located at Clemson Road and Two Notch Road in Northeast Richland County, Village at Sandhill offers the very best in shopping, dining, entertainment, working, living and more – all in one exceptionally beautiful and convenient location. Village at Sandhill covers 330 acres and contains over 100 merchants, anchored by Belk, JC Penney, Home Depot, Academy Sports + Outdoors, and Home Goods. Village at Sandhill is owned and managed by Kahn Development Company. Visit us online at www.villageatsandhill.com.

Contact:
Jeffrey L. Harper
Director of Property Management
Kahn Development
803-419-0235
jharper@kahndevelopment.com
www.villageatsandhill.com

Member News | April 8 – 12

Posted on April 12, 2013 by Nicole Curtis

Columbia Museum of Art Contemporaries host 10th annual Artist of the Year Soirée and Silent Auction on Friday, April 26

Columbia, SC - The Columbia Museum of Art Contemporaries host the 10th annual Contemporaries’ Artist of the Year Soirée and Silent Auction on Friday, April 26 at 7:00 p.m. The event, established in 2004, is designed to increase awareness of and support for nearly 60 emerging artists in South Carolina. Tickets for the CAY Soirée and Silent Auction are $40 / $20 for Contemporaries members and includes artwork by SC artists, a silent auction, music, food, open bar and live entertainment. To purchase tickets, visit columbiamuseum.org.

This year, the jury includes – Dr. Will South, CMA chief curator, Tom Stanley, artist and chair of the Winthrop University Department of Fine Arts and Mary Walker, a painter and printmaker.

The jury selects the artwork for the silent auction and selects one winner, the Contemporaries’ Artist of the Year, based upon the following criteria: originality of concept, technical execution, consistency, professionalism and the degree to which the work is aesthetically interesting.

The CAY award is supported by Anne and Alex Postic and a matching gift from the Contemporaries. The winner receives a cash prize of $2,500. Event guests vote on the People’s Choice award, and the winner is presented with an award and a cash prize of $300. Jasper Magazine is sponsoring the “State-of-the-Art” award, which includes a $200 cash prize and a feature in an upcoming issue of Jasper.

About the Contemporaries

The Contemporaries mission is to provide an opportunity to support the Museum through: promoting the Museum and its programs, diversifying the Museum’s membership, and leading the next generation of Museum supporters. A portion of the proceeds from the Artist of the Year Soirée goes toward the Contemporaries’ Art Acquisition Fund, designed to acquire a significant piece of art for the Museum. For more information about Contemporaries’ membership, visit www.columbiacontemporaries.com or call 803.343.2197.

About CMA

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First Community Bank Promotes Four to Executive Vice President and Names Chief Risk Officer

Lexington, SC, April 8, 2013 – Today, First Community Bank announced that four of the bank’s senior level officers have been promoted to the position of Executive Vice President. Robin Brown, Ted Nissen, David Proctor, and Joe Sawyer, are all currently members of the executive management team and have been with the bank since its inception in 1995.

“All four of these individuals have served First Community well since the opening of the bank,” said Mike Crapps, President & CEO of First Community Bank. “These promotions are in appreciation of their loyalty and in recognition of expertise in their respective functional roles and to note their many contributions to our bank’s success during such a sustained period of time.”

The four individuals have a combined 118 years of experience in the banking industry. Ms. Brown serves as the Director of Human Resources and Marketing for First Community with responsibility for staffing, compensation and benefits, training and development, communications, advertising, and public relations. Mr. Nissen serves as the bank’s Chief Commercial and Retail Banking Officer overseeing the bank’s loan and deposit production in the commercial and retail sectors as well as branch administration and business banking services.

In addition to his promotion to EVP, Mr. Proctor has been named the Chief Risk Officer for the bank; while continuing his responsibility for the bank’s credit culture and oversight of credit administration, this expanded role adds responsibility for audit, compliance, security and facilities. Mr. Sawyer is the bank’s Chief Financial Officer and provides internal and external financial reporting, ALCO, management of the bank’s investment portfolio, budgeting, information technology, and deposit operations.

First Community Bank is a local community bank based in the Midlands of South Carolina. First Community operates 11 banking offices in Lexington, Richland, Newberry and Kershaw counties in addition to First Community Financial Consultants, a financial planning/investment advisory division and Palmetto South Mortgage, a separate mortgage division.

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NAI AVANT FACILITATES EAST COOPER WOMEN’S CENTER LEASE RENEWAL, MOUNT PLEASANT, SC

Charleston, SC (April 8, 2013) David Grubbs, Managing Principal of NAI Avant’s Charleston Office, recently consummated a lease renewal for East Cooper Women’s Center, a division of MUSC. The tenant occupies 7,249 square feet in the East Cooper Medical Arts Center located at 1280 Hospital Drive in Mount Pleasant, SC.

NAI AVANT BROKERS SALE OF 36 BANK-OWNED TOWN HOMES WITHIN LAKEVIEW COMMONS, GOOSE CREEK, SC

Charleston, SC (April 9, 2013) Dexter C. Rumsey, IV, Senior Broker with NAI Avant’s Brokerage Team, recently brokered the sale of 36 bank-owned town homes within Lakeview Commons, a subdivision located on Red Bank Road in Goose Creek, SC. Rumsey represented the seller in the transaction valued at $1,620,000. NAI Avant continues to represent the seller in marketing the 215 town home lots remaining within the subdivision.

NAI AVANT CONSUMMATES LEASE FOR CARILOHA AT 341 KING STREET DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON, SC

Charleston, SC (April 10, 2013) Ruth Marie Embler, a member of NAI Avant’s Retail Specialty Team, recently consummated a 1,380 square foot retail lease at 341 King Street in downtown Charleston. Embler represented the tenant, Cariloha. Cariloha is represented globally by Erik Simper with Newmark Grubb Knight Frank.

NAI AVANT CONSUMMATES LEASE WITH MERMEC, INC., WEST COLUMBIA SC

COLUMBIA, SC (April 11, 2013) Jeff Hein, SIOR, and Roger Winn, both brokers with the NAI Avant Office Brokerage team, represented MERMEC, Inc., in the office lease transaction. MERMEC, Inc., a developer and manufacturer of advanced measuring technology for the global railway industry, will utilize the 9,200 SF building at 110 Queens Parkway, West Columbia, for their South Carolina headquarters.

Winn

Hein

About NAI Avant

NAI Avant’s commercial real estate business is one of the largest in theSoutheast. With over 65 professionals, the firm provides comprehensive brokerage, leasing, development, property and project management services. For nearly three consecutive decades, the group has had more of its brokerage professionals recognized as top producers or recipients of the top awards than any other firm in South Carolina. As a member of the NAI Global Network, NAI Avant is affiliated with over 350 offices and 5,000 professionals in 55 countries across the globe. NAI Global is the largest independent commercial real estate service provider worldwide and a wholly owned subsidiary of C-III Capital Partners. NAI Avant’s Property and Project Management Group currently manages a multi-million square foot portfolio of properties across South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. Through its Avant Healthcare Division, the firm provides comprehensive services to hospitals, clinics, and physician groups. NAI Avant, founded in 1966, is headquartered in Columbia, SC with an office in Charleston, SC. Find out more about NAI Avant and its services at www.naiavant.com. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @NAI Avant and like us on Facebook.

Member News | April 1-5

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Nicole Curtis

CMA presents Picasso: Master Prints
On view April 16 – August 11, 2013

COLUMBIA, SC - This spring, the Columbia Museum of Art presents a small, but luxurious exhibition, Picasso: Master Prints, featuring some of the artist’s greatest prints. The installation opens April 16 and is on view in the Mamie and William Andrew Treadway, Jr., Gallery 15 through August 11, 2013.

Picasso: Master Prints showcases etchings, lithographs and silkscreens by Pablo Picasso, the most influential artist of the 20th century. Best known as the inventor of Cubism, Picasso was prolific in still life, figurative art, and mythological scenes, all of which are featured in this exhibition. No matter what kind of print he was making or what the subject matter was, Picasso brought an extraordinary level of innovation and expertise to the art of printmaking, making every work in this exhibition a master print.

Fourteen of the prints in this exhibition are on loan to the CMA from the Weatherspoon Art Museum in Greensboro, NC. Picasso sold these prints directly to his friends and active art collectors, Etta and Claribel Cone. In turn, the famous Cone sisters gave them to the Weatherspoon Museum. This selection includes a set of 10 color pochoirs (silkscreens) made in the early 1920s. The set of pochoirs in Master Prints was published by Picasso’s dealer of that time, Paul Rosenberg. Picasso’s images were inspired by his work for the famous Ballets Russe (Russian Ballet) and the Commedia dell’Arte, a 16th century form of Italian theatre characterized by masks. Themes from these two theatrical sources made their way into the prints through the characters of Harlequin (a clown) and Pulcinella (the ancestor of Punch). Visitors also see the guitar-the instrument of the wandering troubadour-reconfigured by way of Cubism.

In addition to the brilliantly colored pochoirs, this exhibition includes classic black and white work by the master. One is The Coiffure of 1923. In his neoclassical style, Picasso transforms the visual solidity of Greek sculpture into minimalist modern lines. Though this image is small in scale and the artist uses almost no detail, a sense of classical grandeur is realized by positioning the figures in a pyramid.

“In Picasso: Master Prints, we see that the creativity of Picasso knew no bounds, making this small but dynamic exhibition a true must-see show,” CMA Chief Curator Will South said.

This exhibition is generously sponsored by: Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Burr, Mr. Robert W. Foster, Sr., Ms. Ann Marie Stieritz and Mr. John B. Carran, Walda Wildman CPA, LLC, and Dr. Caroline Whitson.

About CMA

Recognized as One of the “30 Most Influential” People in NAPFA’s 30 Year History

Cheryl R. Holland, CFP ® honored as someone who has played a vital role in advancing NAPFA and Fee-Only financial planning

NEW YORK, NY (April 4, 2013) – Since 1983, there have been professionals who have advanced the concept of Fee-Only financial planning and its importance to the public. Those people are counted among the ranks of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) and their contributions are being recognized as part of NAPFA’s 30^th anniversary celebration.

The 30 Most Influential program recognizes those NAPFA members and staff who have had a profound impact on Fee-Only financial planning, the organization, and their peers in NAPFA’s first 30 years. The members nominated deserving individuals and voted on those they deem most worthy of being recognized. We are pleased to announce that Cheryl R. Holland, CFP ® of Abacus Planning Group in Columbia, SC has been voted among the 30 Most Influential.

Cheryl R. Holland , CFP ® is President of Abacus Planning Group, Inc., a financial advisory and investment counsel firm managing over $700,000,000 in assets primarily for individuals.

“We are thrilled to honor Ms. Holland and the other deserving individuals who have each made significant contributions to the organization and to the planning profession,” said NAPFA Chair Lauren Locker, CFP^®. “NAPFA’s rich history was made possible because of the contributions by those in our ranks, including Ms. Holland. While this recognition program could have easily acknowledged many more people, the members voted and provided us a wonderful cross-section of people who have made NAPFA what it is today.”

The 30 Most Influential includes people of diverse backgrounds, including solo practitioners, principals in large firms, past NAPFA chairs and elected leaders, and NAPFA staff. Ms. Holland and other honorees will be acknowledged at the awards banquets at the 2013 NAPFA Spring Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada from May 7-10 and the 2013 NAPFA Fall Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from October 8-11.

“NAPFA’s influence on the financial service industry is akin to the impact of the Gulf Stream on the Atlantic Ocean. I feel blessed to be among peers who care about making a difference in the world.”

If you are interested in speaking with Ms. Holland, please contact her at 803 933 0054 or cheryl@abacusplanninggroup.com.

About Abacus Planning Group

Abacus Planning Group, founded by Cheryl R. Holland, CFP® in 1998, is a comprehensive, fee-only financial planning and investment counsel firm managing approximately $700,000,000 on behalf of its 186 clients. Abacus, a team of multi-disciplinary experts who work collaboratively to serve the clients and the Abacus vision, is a firm passionate about each client making smart financial decisions and dedicated to creating peace of mind for the client through skillful listening. Located at 2500 Devine Street, Abacus can be reached by phone at 803.933.0054 or via the website: www.abacusplanninggroup.com.

GALLIVAN, WHITE & BOYD LAW FIRM ADDS ATTORNEY LAUREN T. MAXWELL

GREENVILLE, SC – Gallivan, White & Boyd, P.A. is pleased to announce that Lauren T. Maxwell has joined the firm’s Greenville office as an associate in its Business and Commercial practices group. Lauren’s practice will concentrate on banking, bankruptcy and creditors’ rights as well as business and commercial litigation. Lauren earned her Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina School of Law where she served as a staff member on the North Carolina Law Review. Lauren received her undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, in Communication Studies and Political Science from Clemson University. While at Clemson, Lauren was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and the Calhoun Honors College.

Prior to joining GWB, Lauren developed her legal skills by handling matters before state and federal courts of South Carolina and by working for two years as the law clerk for the Honorable Helen Elizabeth Burris, United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of South Carolina. C. William McGee, the firm’s managing shareholder, states, “We are extremely excited about Lauren’s addition to our Business and Commercial practice group. Her experience in the bankruptcy and business and commercial arenas will be invaluable to our business clients.”

Gallivan, White & Boyd, P.A. has offices in Greenville and Columbia, S.C. and Charlotte, N.C. Practice areas include business and complex litigation, strategic risk assessment and counseling, and corporate representation. For more information about the firm, see www.GWBlawfirm.com.

MEDcare Urgent Care Location in Spring Valley to Open Tuesday, April 2nd

Urgent Care provider to open 3rd Columbia walk-in center at 9:00 a.m.

Columbia, SC- MEDcare Urgent Care announced today that their Spring Valley center located at 10136 Two Notch Road, in the Kroger Shopping Center, next to Chick fil A will open Tuesday, April 2nd at 9:00 a.m. The site, formerly a Hollywood Video, is being retrofitted to a state-of-the-art medical facility where residents of Spring Valley and beyond can go for a wide range of medical care under one roof.

“We owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to the residents of Columbia for the tremendous support, said Radwan Hallaba, MD, CEO of MEDcare Urgent Care. “We will continue to deliver on our commitment to an awesome healthcare experience with our new Spring Valley location”.

The Spring Valley MEDcare Urgent Care Center will be open every day, from 9am to 9pm, with a physician always on-site. The Company boasts an inclusive, community relations approach to medical service. Anyone, young or old, can just walk in, with or without insurance. This location will be MEDcare’s third location to open in the Columbia
area in the past 12 months.

MEDcare Urgent Care Columbia locations:

MEDcare Urgent Care -West Columbia
across from Lexington Medical Center
110 Medical Circle
West Columbia, SC 29169
Phone: (803) 509-7316

MEDcare Urgent Care-Garners Ferry
behind Rush’s
7418 Garners Ferry Road
29169 Columbia, SC 29209
Phone: (803) 509-6310

MEDcare Urgent Care –Spring Valley-Opening April 2nd
Kroger Shopping Center, next to Chic- fil-A
10136 Two Notch Road
Columbia, SC 29229
Phone: (803) 509-7570

About MEDcare Urgent Care

MEDcare Urgent Care offers high-caliber, affordable, patient- focused care for illness and injury, treating patients off all ages, with most insurance accepted. Low cost pricing is available for those without insurance.
Every MEDcare Urgent Care Center has a physician on-site, leading medical technology, electronic medical records and radiology equipment, on-site diagnostic testing and clean, inviting facilities.
To find out more about MEDcare Urgent Care, go to medcareurgentcare.com

College Sport Research Institute director coming to USC

COLUMBIA, SC – March 27, 2013 – Richard Southall, a leading sports management researcher and director of the College Sport Research Institute (CSRI), will relocate the institute to Columbia when he joins the faculty of the University of South Carolina this fall
Southall has been named an associate sport and entertainment professor in USC’s sport and entertainment department, part of the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management.

The institute, which is currently housed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, conducts data collection and analysis related to college sports; encourages and supports collaborative interdisciplinary college sports research; serves as a research consortium for college sports researchers; and disseminates college sports research results to academicians, college sports practitioners and the general public.

Southall conducts research for the NCAA member athletic offices with a focus on the revenue-generating sports of football and men’s basketball. Much of his work involves examining the experiences and graduation rates of college athletes.

“I am excited to be a part of an outstanding group of faculty in the Department of Sport and Entertainment Management at the University of South Carolina. In addition to providing me a chance to collaborate with world-class colleagues, this relocation will substantially increase the research capabilities of the College Sport Research Institute. I loved my five years at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, but I could not pass up the chance to come USC.”

Andy Gillentine, chair of the department of sport and entertainment management, says the addition of Southall will significantly elevate the department’s profile.

“Dr. Southall is an accomplished scholar, able to integrate his research findings into meaningful applications for the sport industry. He will help the department be recognized as a leader in sport and entertainment academic programs and with our mission to develop a diverse workforce,” Gillentine says.

In addition to his duties at the Institute, Southall is also the Sport Administration Graduate Program coordinator at UNC.

Read this press release online.

HRSM.sc.edu

Member News | March 25 – 29

Posted on March 29, 2013 by Nicole Curtis

City Center Partnership Unveils ZeRover-New 100% Electric Powered Courtesy Shuttle for Downtown Business Improvement District

Unveiling Set for Tuesday, March 26 at 10:00 am

Columbia, SC- March 25, 2013- City Center Partnership (CCP) unveils ZeRover, its new electric-powered courtesy shuttle for the downtown Business Improvement District (BID), Tuesday, March 26, 10:00 a.m., at the City Center Garage (corner of Taylor & Sumter Streets). In addition to being environmentally friendly, CCP expects the ZeRover to save the organization $700-$800 per month on fuel, depending on vehicle usage and fluctuations of fuel costs. There are 10 charging stations in the City Center Garage and a total of 24 in all of the combined city garages.

Funding for the City’s electric charging stations was obtained in partnership through Plug-In Carolina through a grant from the SC Governor’s Energy Office.

Remarks will be given by Matt Kennell, president and CEO of City Center Partnership and Mayor Steve Benjamin of the City of Columbia. John Spade, Parking Services Director and representatives from Dick Smith Nissan and Central Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. will also be there to answer questions.

About CCP’s Clean & Safe Ambassadors

CCP’s ambassadors, otherwise known as the “yellow shirts”, offer complimentary shuttle transportation to and from anywhere within the BID, Monday through Sunday, 8:00 am to 11:00 pm. The BID is comprised of the 36-block area bounded by Gervais, Elmwood, Assembly, and Marion Streets in downtown Columbia. Last year, the yellow shirts provided approximately

4,647 shuttles, and during the first 11 weeks of this year, they have already provided a total of 899 shuttles. The clean & safe ambassadors also provide cleaning services such as litter and graffiti removal, and various beautification projects as well as providing public safety and public information.

About the ZeRover

The ZeRover is a Nissan Leaf (“LEAF” is an acronym for Leading, Environmentally friendly, Affordable, Family car). It is a five-door hatchback electric car manufactured by Nissan and introduced in Japan and the United States in December 2010. The official EPA range is estimated at

75 miles for the 2013 car. The Leaf is the world’s best-selling, highway-capable all-electric car. You can take a spin in the ZeRover by calling 803-309-7758.

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EDVENTURE TO HOST FIRST MAKER FAIRE IN SOUTH CAROLINA
Makers, Crafters and Performers Wanted for the Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth

COLUMBIA, SC– March 27, 2013– The Maker Faire is coming to Columbia! The first annual Columbia Mini Maker Faire is scheduled for Saturday, June 1, 2013. Maker Faire is the Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth—a
festival of invention, creativity and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the Maker movement. Part science fair, part county fair, and part something entirely new, Maker Faire is an all-ages gathering of tech
enthusiasts, crafters, educators, tinkerers, hobbyists, engineers, science clubs, authors, artists, students and commercial exhibitors. All of these “makers” come to Maker Faire to show what they have made and to share
what they have learned.

This inaugural event will be held at EdVenture Children’s Museum in collaboration with IT-oLogy. The Call for Makers, Performers and Crafters is open now through May 1. Any groups or individuals interested in
showcasing their talent should complete the simple application at http://www.makerfairecolumbiasc.com by May 1, 2013. No exhibit fee will be charged for participating makers.

The Columbia Mini Maker Faire takes after its enormous parent event, Maker Faire, which hosts 90,000 visitors in San Mateo in May. The Columbia Mini Maker Faire will be a smaller, community-focused event,
but will follow the Maker Faire model of celebrating do-it-yourself creativity and tinkering.

Featuring both established and emerging local “makers,” the Columbia Mini Maker Faire is a family-friendly celebration featuring rockets and robots, DIY science and technology, alternative energy, unique handmade
crafts, music, local food and educational workshops. Some of the participating makers include:

• Laser Light Graffiti- automatic servo light-graffiti setup is able to move lasers in time with long exposure photography to create simple drawings.

• Outside the Box Guitars- musicians collaborate on handmade, hand-illuminated cigar box guitars.

• Reassembled Strays- old metal junk pieces transformed into abstract sculptures, whimsical items and silly creatures.

• DoodleSculpt- 3D printed designer objects created from 2D art.

• Marble Roller Coasters- STEMS magnet at North Spring Elementary School design and build roller coasters from craft sticks and found materials.

Maker Faire began in 2005 in San Mateo, CA by the people behind MAKE and CRAFT magazines. Maker Faire has also appeared in Austin, Detroit and soon New York City. Mini Maker Faires have started to sprout
up around the United States, including events in Ann Arbor, Sebasopol, Aspen, Kansas City and Boston.

Follow the development of the Columbia Mini Maker Faire on Twitter @MakerFaireSC, as well as on facebook.com/ColumbiaMiniMakerFaire.

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NAI BROKERS SALE OF SITE FOR FUTURE FAMILY DOLLAR, COLUMBIA, SC

COLUMBIA, SC (March 26, 2013) Rob Lapin, a member of the NAI Avant Brokerage Team, recently brokered the sale of 8909 Two Notch Road in Columbia, South Carolina. The .73 acre property, formerly the Micato Japanese Restaurant, sold for $335,000 and is going to be developed by Red Development Partners, LLC, as a future Family Dollar store. The purchaser, Red Development Partners, LLC, is a Charlotte-based company focused on commercial development for neighborhoods and community retail centers.

About NAI Avant

Contact: Bruce Harper, President and Broker-In-Charge, Columbia Office, 803-744-9805, or bharper@naiavant.com

Member News | March 18-22

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Nicole Curtis

WebsterRogers’ Adkins Appointed to State Board of Accountancy

COLUMBIA, SC. (March 21, 2013) —WebsterRogers is pleased to announce that Ellen K. Adkins, CPA has been appointed to the South Carolina Board of Accountancy. Ms. Adkins is a partner in WebsterRogers’ Summerville, SC Office. She specializes in audit and attest and management consulting services for governmental entities, not-for-profit organizations and small to medium-sized manufacturers, contractors, retailers and service enterprises. Ms. Adkins also serves as the quality review partner for the Firm and is responsible for the design and maintenance of all quality control policies and procedures.

Ms. Adkins graduated from Virginia Tech University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Finance. In addition, she holds a Master’s in Business Administration degree from Virginia Commonwealth University.

She is a member of the South Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants (SCACPA) and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and is deeply involved in both. Ms. Adkins is a member of the AICPA Professional Ethics Committee Technical Standards subcommittee. She serves, or has served, on multiple committees within SCACPA, including the Technical Standards Committee, Peer Review Committee, Behavioral Standards Committee, Audit Committee and Editorial Board Task Force.

Ms. Adkins is an alumna of Leadership Dorchester and has been involved with various PTAs within Dorchester County School District #2.
About WebsterRogers LLP WebsterRogers LLP is a leading South Carolina-based accounting and consulting firm that provides a broad spectrum of assurance, tax and advisory services to our clients. Founded in 1984 on the principles of quality, integrity and dedication to client service, the Firms success is directly related to a strong commitment to its people and its clients. WebsterRogers offers the degree of personal attention, responsiveness and accessibility clients expect and deserve—coupled with the knowledge and resources that can satisfy their needs.
WebsterRogers has a staff of over 125 professionals and 20 partners serving a variety of industries and individuals from 8 offices across the state of South Carolina. For more information, visit http://www.websterrogers.com.

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COLUMBIA MUSEUM OF ART ANNOUNCES PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION BY ONE OF AMERICA’S BEST-KNOWN LIVING ARTISTS

ANNIE LEIBOVITZ: PILGRIMAGE ON VIEW OCTOBER 4, 2013 – JANUARY 5, 2014

COLUMBIA, SC – Annie Leibovitz: Pilgrimage charts a new direction for one of America’s best-known living artists. Unlike her staged and carefully lit portraits made on assignment for magazines and advertising clients, these photographs were taken simply because Leibovitz was moved by the subject. The exhibition, including 78 photographs, taken between April 2009 and May 2011, will be on view at the Columbia Museum of Art October 4, 2013 through January 5, 2014. The CMA is the only exhibition presentation in the Southeast. Annie Leibovitz: Pilgrimage is an evocative and deeply personal statement by a photographer, whose career now spans more than 40 years, encompassing a broad range of subject matter, history and stylistic influences. The work shows Leibovitz at the height of her powers and pondering how photographs, including her own, shape a narrative of history that informs the present.

“These pictures may surprise even those who know Leibovitz’s photography well,” guest curator Andy Grundberg, former New York Times photography critic, said. “They are more intimate, personal and self-reflective than her widely published work, combining the emotional power of her recent black-and-white portraits of her family with an awareness of her own cultural legacy. All photographs are in a sense intimations of mortality, but the pictures of Pilgrimage make this connection explicit.”

Annie Leibovitz: Pilgrimage

took Leibovitz to places she could explore with no agenda. She wasn’t on assignment. She chose the subjects simply because they meant something to her. The first place was Emily Dickinson’s house in Amherst, Massachusetts, which Leibovitz visited with a small digital camera. A few months later, she went with her three young children to Niagara Falls. “That’s when I started making lists,” Leibovitz said. She added the houses of Virginia Woolf and Darwin in the English countryside and Freud’s final home, in London, but most of the places on the lists were American. The work became more ambitious as Leibovitz discovered that she wanted to photograph objects as well as rooms and landscapes.

“From the beginning, when I was watching my children stand mesmerized over Niagara Falls, this project was an exercise in renewal,” Leibovitz said. “It taught me to see again.” The pictures, although there are no people in them, are portraits of subjects that have shaped Leibovitz’s distinctly American view of her cultural inheritance. Visiting the homes of iconic figures, including Eleanor Roosevelt, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Louisa May Alcott, Pete Seeger and Elvis Presley and places such as Niagara Falls, Gettysburg and the Yosemite Valley, she let her instincts and intuitions guide her to related subjects-hence the title Pilgrimage.

ABOUT ANNIE LEIBOVITZ

Annie Leibovitz was born on October 2, 1949, in Waterbury, Connecticut. Her father was an officer in the Air Force and her childhood was spent on a succession of military bases. She began her career as a photojournalist for Rolling Stone in 1970, while she was still a student at the San Francisco Art Institute. Her pictures have appeared regularly on magazine covers ever since. Leibovitz’s large and distinguished body of work encompasses some of the most well-known portraits of our time.

Leibovitz’s first major assignment was for a cover story on John Lennon. She became Rolling Stone‘s chief photographer in 1973, and by the time she left the magazine, ten years later, she had shot one hundred and forty-two covers and published photo essays on scores of stories, including her memorable accounts of the resignation of Richard Nixon and of the 1975 Rolling Stones tour. In 1983, when she joined the staff of the revived Vanity Fair, she was established as the foremost rock music photographer and an astute documentarian of the social landscape. At Vanity Fair, and later at Vogue, she developed a large body of work-portraits of actors, directors, writers, musicians, athletes, and political and business figures, as well as fashion photographs-that expanded her collective portrait of contemporary life. In addition to her editorial work, she has created several influential advertising campaigns, including her award-winning portraits for American Express and the Gap. She has also collaborated with many arts organizations. Leibovitz has a special interest in dance, and in 1990 she documented the creation of the White Oak Dance Project with Mikhail Baryshnikov and Mark Morris.

Several collections of Leibovitz’s work have been published. They include Annie Leibovitz: Photographs (1983); Annie Leibovitz: Photographs 1970-1990 (1991); Olympic Portraits (1996); Women (1999), in collaboration with Susan Sontag; American Music (2003); A Photographer’s Life, 1990-2005 (2006); Annie Leibovitz at Work (2008), a first-person commentary on her career; and Pilgrimage (2011). Exhibitions of Leibovitz’s work have appeared at museums and galleries all over the world, including the National Portrait Gallery and the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, D.C.; the International Center of Photography in New York; the Brooklyn Museum; the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam; the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris; the National Portrait Gallery in London; the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia; and the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow.

Leibovitz is the recipient of many honors. In 2006 she was decorated a Commandeur in the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government. The previous year, in a compilation of the forty top magazine covers of the past forty years by the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME), she held the top two spots (#1 for the photograph of John Lennon and Yoko Ono taken for Rolling Stone the day Lennon was shot, and #2 for the pregnant Demi Moore in Vanity Fair). In 2009, she received the International Center of Photography’s Lifetime Achievement Award, ASME’s first Creative Excellence Award, and the Centenary Medal of the Royal Photographic Society in London. She was the recipient of the 2012 Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art Award to Distinguished Women in the Arts. Leibovitz has been designated a Living Legend by the Library of Congress. She lives in New York with her three children.

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Easter Weekend at the CMA

OPEN:

Friday, March 29 | 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 30 | 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, March 31 | Noon – 5:00 p.m.

COLUMBIA, SC – The Columbia Museum of Art will be open all Easter Weekend for you and your family to enjoy the colors of Spring with Impressionism from Monet to Matisse.

TAP into CMA

Immerse yourself in our popular TAP multimedia tour. This engaging and thought-provoking experience includes insightful commentary from CMA curators, USC Art History Professor, Dr. Bradford Collins and musical selections from CMA Adjunct Curator of Music Peter Hoyt. Ask for it at the admission desk!

Bringing the kids? Perfect!

Art Explorer Backpacks are free and encourage families to have fun in the galleries with interactive activities. Each backpack is designed for children ages 2-10 and includes Monet inspired activities, a sketchbook, colored pencils, a pair of binoculars and a compass for exploring the galleries. Ask for it at the admission desk!

Impressionism To Go

Complementing the exhibition, this full-color, 50-page catalogue extends your CMA experience and provides insight on some of the world’s most famous artists and their work. We hope it will allow you to see and appreciate these works more fully. The catalogue is available for $14.99 in the Museum Shop.

Admission:

Adults: $15 | Seniors & Military: $12 | Students: $5

Children (5 and under): Free | Members: Free

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The South Carolina Women in Business Appoints a New Intern Team

The South Carolina Women in Business (SCWIB) is thrilled to kick off the new year because now more than ever women can choose to take a big step towards success for their business by joining SCWIB. The primary goal of this dynamic association is the well-being and achievement of the community of women entrepreneurs involved. SCWIB achieves this objective by increasing the economic development of women business owners by offering resources to start and grow businesses, providing mentoring programs, as well as establishing strategic alliances between members and community business leaders throughout diversified geographical areas in South Carolina.

Joining SCWIB on this mission are two new interns from the University of South Carolina, Shannon Rogers and Jordan Marturano. They will offer special assistance with administrative and technological tasks to Rose E. Jackson, the organization’s Founder.

Shannon Rogers is a sophomore pursuing a degree in advertising with a minor in art history. She is a Capstone Scholar and serves as a Capstone Ambassador. In the past year, Shannon has been named to the dean’s list and achieved the Golden Key award. Her primary work with SCWIB will encompass the social media and online aspect of the organization. She has competed in national and international competitions for online marketing plans and international business and hopes to bring knowledge from these experiences to SCWIB.

Jordan Marturano is also a sophomore at the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. She is a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor’s Society and achieved the president’s list and Golden Key Award. Jordan will specialize in the business media aspect of SCWIB including newsletters, member calendars, new member additions, and marketing.

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HOMEOWNERS MORTGAGE WELCOMES CHANDLER ABBOTT TO ITS COLUMBIA TEAM

Abbott Will Serve as Account Executive for Correspondent Services in South Carolina

COLUMBIA, S.C. (March 18, 2013) – Homeowners Mortgage Enterprises, a full service regional mortgage-banking firm headquartered in Columbia, S.C., is proud to welcome Chandler Abbott to its team as an Account Executive for Correspondent Services in South Carolina. Mr. Abbott has 14 years of commercial and mortgage banking experience, and he previously worked with an independent mortgage banking company in North Carolina; served as Builder Account Executive for several large regional builders in the Carolinas; and while working with SunTrust Bank as a loan officer was recognized as a top producing loan officer of their builder account division.

A graduate of the University of South Carolina with a degree in business administration, Mr. Abbott has lived in the Carolinas all of his life. He is an active member of the Home Builders Association of Charlotte and the Charlotte Regional Mortgage Lenders Association, and he volunteers his time with the Urban Ministry Center of Charlotte, N.C.

“We look forward to Chandler joining our team at Homeowners,” said Ed Kubec, COO and Managing Director of Homeowners Mortgage. “His experience is an asset as is his drive to originate and manage new correspondent accounts for Homeowners Mortgage.”

About Homeowners Mortgage Enterprises

A wholly owned subsidiary of CoastalStates Bank on Hilton Head Island, S.C. Homeowners Mortgage Enterprises, Inc. is a full service regional mortgage-banking firm headquartered in Columbia, S.C. The company arranges and buys loans from community banks, Farm Credit Banks, mortgage brokers and credit unions throughout the Southeast. In addition, the company benefits from a strong retail presence in South Carolina and now emerging into North Carolina, making it one of the largest privately owned and most successful mortgage banking firms in the Southeast. Homeowners Mortgage Enterprises, Inc. corporate offices are at 2530 Devine Street, Columbia S.C., 29205. For more information on Homeowners Mortgage Enterprises, Inc., call Claudia Satterfield at the Corporate Office at (803) 765-9932 or visit the company’s website at www.homeownersmtg.com.

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McAngus Goudelock & Courie Donates $10,000 to Special Operations Warrior Foundation

COLUMBIA, SC—The law firm of McAngus Goudelock & Courie donated $10,000 to Special Operations Warrior Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting the military’s special operations forces and their families.

This contribution was made in honor of Retired First Sergeant Matthew P. Eversmann and in memory of Sergeant James C. Joyce and his Fallen Comrades from Task Force Ranger, Mogadishu, Somalia. Eversmann spoke at MG&C’s Educational Seminar in Nov. 2012 about his experience in Somalia in 1993, which has been documented in the award-winning film Black Hawk Down. The contribution will cover a year of college for an SOWF scholarship recipient, as well as provide a cash stipend to the family of a severely-injured Special Operations Forces warrior, so his family can get to his hospital bedside as quickly as possible.

“McAngus Goudelock & Courie is honored to support the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting the military’s special operations forces and their families. These men and women have sacrificed all for our country, and we are humbled to give back in this way,” said Rusty Goudelock, a founding member of McAngus Goudelock & Courie, a former US Army Officer and Veteran. “The emotional and physical effects of military deployments and war have been experienced first-hand by many of us or our families. On behalf of all our employees, we salute you.”

The Special Operations Warrior Foundation provides full scholarship grants, as well as educational and family counseling, to the surviving children of special operations personnel who lose their lives in operational or training missions, as well as immediate financial assistance to severely wounded special operations personnel and their families. Find out more about Special Operations Warrior Foundation at www.specialops.org.

About MG&C

Founded in 1995, McAngus Goudelock & Courie is a law firm with offices in Columbia, Greenville, Charleston and Myrtle Beach, SC, and Asheville, Charlotte and Raleigh, NC. The firm’s practice areas include workers’ compensation defense, employment law, banking and consumer law, administrative law, government relations, construction litigation, commercial litigation, products litigation, business law, real estate law, and health care and regulatory issues. For more information about MG&C, visit www.mgclaw.com or call 803.779.2300

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New Tech Company in SC Responds To Changes in Legal Industry with Launch of New eBilling Software

Columbia, S.C. – Rocketship Solutions, LLC is proud to announce the launch of its new eBilling application, BillBLAST©. The application designed to simplify the delivery, tracking and collection of electronic bills for law firms.

BillBLAST© is the only product on the market to offer comprehensive eBilling and dynamic tracking and reporting in the cloud.

The Software as a Service (SaaS) structure of BillBLAST© has many design features not found in other eBilling solutions, including the option to send batches of bills as eMail, fax or eBill. The system uses a highly secure structure (no proprietary information is stored) and gives firms the ability to track invoices and their related Accounts Receivables.

The BillBLAST© eBilling solution grew from a recession-era change in the way law firms are now required to bill. Client demand for eBilling has prompted many firms to hire additional staff to manage and track electronic invoices, creating greater administrative expense for firms.

“In my former role as COO of McAngus Goudelock & Courie, LLC, we tried the best available eBilling software on the market but it was not cost effective and didn’t provide the functionality we needed,” said Leah Beckham, CEO of BillBLAST©. “We knew MGC was not the only law firm impacted by the new eBilling requirements, so we decided to offer BillBLAST© to other firms.”

“After processing more than 100,000 legal bills over two years through BillBLAST© our cash flow increased, errors decreased and our billing staff’s capacity increased by 160%,” said Tammy Flowers, CFO of McAngus Goudelock & Courie, LLC.

On the market for only a short time, BillBLAST© has been well received by the industry. The new company is a Silver Sponsor of the International Legal Technology Association’s (ILTA) 2013 Conference in Las Vegas in August 2013 and is partnering with ILTA to sponsor the Future Horizon research project, which will identify innovative growth strategies in the legal industry for the coming decades.

Meet the team behind the BillBLAST© eBilling software and learn more about its benefits on the product’s new website, www.bill-blast.com

About BillBLAST©

BillBLAST was created in 2010 by Rocketship Solutions, LLC to offer eBilling in the cloud. BillBLAST© delivers electronic bills as eMail, fax or eBill to any client or third party vendor via a Software as a Service (SaaS) structure that lets firms pay as they use the software.

Learn more at www.bill-blast.com

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MEDcare Urgent Care to Open Spring Valley Location

Urgent Care provider to open 3^rd Columbia center on Tuesday, March 26^th at 9:00 a.m.

Columbia, SC- MEDcare Urgent Care announced that their Spring Valley center located at 10136 Two Notch Road, in the Kroger Shopping Center, next to Chick fil A is set to open on Tuesday, March 26^th at 9:00 a.m.. The site, formerly a Hollywood Video, is being retrofitted to a state-of-the-art medical facility where residents of Spring Valley and beyond can go for a wide range of medical care under one roof.

MEDcare Urgent Care offers high-caliber, affordable, patient-focused care for illness and injury, treating patients off all ages, with most insurance accepted. Low cost pricing is available for those without insurance.

Every MEDcare Urgent Care Center has a physician on-site, leading medical technology, electronic medical records and radiology equipment, on-site diagnostic testing and clean, inviting facilities.

To find out more about MEDcare Urgent Care, go to medcareurgentcare.com

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CITY COUNCIL APPOINTS LEE MARSHA TO COLUMBIA’S CLIMATE PROTECTION ACTION COMMITTEE

COLUMBIA, SC (March 18, 2013) Lee Marsha, Senior Broker with NAI Avant’s Brokerage Team, was selected to serve on the Climate Protection Action Committee by Columbia City Council for a second term. The CPAC was established by the City of Columbia to identify and reduce factors in the city that harm the environment, like greenhouse gases, and to initiate impactful changes, such as focusing on conservation and recycling. Mr. Marsha serves as Co-chairperson of the Land Use and Development sub-committee for CPAC.

EXCEPTIONAL COASTAL PORT ROYAL PROPERTY BACK ON THE MARKET

COLUMBIA, SC (March 19, 2013) Rob Lapin, a member of NAI Avant’s Brokerage Team, announced that the new website for the Port Royal Development Tract is live, featuring updated listing information and a new listing price of $22,500,000. The ±317 acre property comprises nearly one mile of scenic waterfront and ±51.6 acres of high ground along the confluence of Battery Creek and the Beaufort River. Surrounded by a business-friendly climate and just minutes from I-95, Port Royal is ideally located in Beaufort, between the port cities of Savannah and Charleston. This unique redevelopment opportunity is 14 miles from the Atlantic Ocean via Port Royal Sound.

For more information, visit www.NAIAvantPortRoyal.com. Inquiries can also be made to NAI Avant Brokers Rob Lapin at (803) 744-9800 or David Grubbs at (843) 518-5300.

About NAI Avant

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NuHub, State of South Carolina Announce Exclusive Partnership with Holtec International to Compete for Up To $226M Department of Energy Award

Partnership Supports Construction and Jobs in SC

COLUMBIA, SC (March 19, 2013) – NuHub and the State of South Carolina are pleased to announce an exclusive partnership with Holtec International, Inc., a diversified energy technology company supplying equipment and systems for the nuclear, solar, geothermal and fossil power generation sectors of the energy industry, to compete for the second round federal funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for small modular reactor (SMR) development. Building off the cost-share agreement announced in November 2012, this follow-on award is focused on SMR innovation, design and licensing. The program, announced last week, will award up to $226 million to at least one vendor. Winning the award would support the development, licensing, construction, commissioning and operation of Holtec’s flagship reactor, named SMR-160, at the Savannah River Site (SRS) by the 2025 target date.

“We have a tremendous opportunity to be a global leader in nuclear technology by developing the nation’s first small modular reactors,” said South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley. “Holtec International is a highly competitive firm in SMR technology, and we are excited to partner with them.”

Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt agreed, noting “The nuclear industry has a robust history in South Carolina, due in part to partnerships that span local, regional and state and federal boundaries. Our statewide team approach to attracting business investment and jobs will serve a strong company like Holtec International well, and strategically position South Carolina to continue to lead the advanced manufacturing renaissance in a number of sectors including the nuclear industry.”

NuHub was launched in October 2010 by EngenuitySC and has been pursuing this technology for nearly two years now. With a strong team including South Carolina Electric & Gas (SCE&G), the Southern Carolina Alliance Region, the Aiken Edgefield Economic Development Partnership, Central SC Alliance, and other partners around the state, NuHub feels well positioned to finally bring this technology home to South Carolina.

“SCE&G is pleased to be a part of the NuHub team that is seeking to bring this innovative technology to South Carolina,” said Steve Byrne, Co-Chair of NuHub and Chief Operating Officer and President of Generation and Transmission for SCE&G. “SCE&G has a long-standing relationship with Holtec at our current nuclear plant, V.C. Summer, and we hope to bring our new nuclear construction expertise to the table to support the development of the project.”

“We are gratified by the breadth and depth of support for our SMR-160 program being provided by South Carolina, which is our nation’s third largest host of commercial nuclear power and only one of two states presently building nuclear reactors,” remarked Dr. Kris Singh, President and CEO of Holtec International. “With the hope for DOE funding and engagement serving as the catalyst, we are committed to partnering with the State, NuHub, and its affiliated organizations to build the first SMR-160 at Savannah River. We will reciprocate the State’s faith and confidence in our technology by directing our industrial development focus on the State and by playing a major role in building it as a center of excellence to insure America’s preeminence in the evolving age of small modular reactors.”

As a global leader in power generation technologies, Holtec has designed an indigenously developed SMR. Holtec’s SMR-160 is a 160 MW pressurized water reactor that has been designed to withstand the most severe natural disasters by relying on gravity under all operating and emergency conditions. Holtec International hails DOE’s support for SMR development and NuHub’s willingness to support the operation of prototype SMR designs in South Carolina.

NuHub will continue to support Holtec both during and after the DOE application process, with the deadline slated for July 1, 2013.

About NuHub

NuHub, an initiative of EngenuitySC, is a collaborative group of public, private, higher education and workforce development stakeholders working to maximize economic and job creation opportunities for the nuclear industry in the Midstate region of South Carolina, and to establish the Midstate as a hub and global leader for nuclear energy innovation. Please visit www.NuHubSC.com for more information.

About EngenuitySC

Headquartered in Columbia, EngenuitySC is public/private partnership formed to develop and grow the South Carolina Midlands’ knowledge-based economy by fostering an environment where entrepreneurship, innovation, and the creation of knowledge are fundamental elements of the region’s culture, identity, and economic development strategy. Through collaboration with business, government, and higher education, EngenuitySC leads initiatives that support research development, promote commercialization, and leverage the region’s assets. Please visitwww.EngenuitySC.com for more information.

About Holtec International, Inc.

Holtec International is a world leader in nuclear technologies with ongoing projects in the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Ukraine, China, Korea, Belgium,Sweden and Switzerland. The Company is carrying out some of the most challenging nuclear projects around the world including the de-fueling of Chernobyl’s shuttered reactors. The equipment and systems supplied by Holtec to its worldwide clients are largely based on the Company’s own patents and proprietary technologies. The Company is the largest exporter of capital equipment in the US and is recognized as the operator of manufacturing plants in three states with an excellent record of safety. Please visitwww.holtecinternational.com for more information.

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CREATIVE BUILDERS, INC., HIRES PROJECT MANAGEMENT/ENGINEER ASSISTANT

Penny Mashtare joins Creative Builders, Inc.

GREENVILLE – Penny Mashtare has joined Creative Builders Inc. With a degree in Architecture, she worked previously as an Architectural Project Manager with LaBella Associates in Rochester, NY. Penny has 25+ years experience in architectural design and project management.

Penny will aid in design coordination, project coordination and administrative assistance including shop drawing and submittal reviews.

Founded in 1971, Creative Builders, Inc. is one of the fastest growing commercial builders in the region with a diverse portfolio including mixed-use developments, financial, medical, restaurant, multi-family and industrial throughout North and South Carolina, Virginia and Georgia; offering a full range of “Master Builder” services, including site evaluation, master planning, project design, budgeting, scheduling, construction services, and customer service after completion. Creative Builders Inc. is a privately held company and is headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina.

For further information about this topic or Creative Builders Inc., please call Jennifer Jeffries at 864-233-1631 or visit http://www.creativebuilders.net

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SOUTH CAROLINA WILDLIFE FEDERATION OFFERING PROGRAM
TO TRAIN CITIZENS IN BIRD IDENTIFICATION & CONSERVATION

The South Carolina Wildlife Federation (SCWF) will hold a class in bird biology, identification, and habitat conservation on March 23 & 24 at Saluda Shoals Park in Columbia, SC. This class is open to the public and will be a great module for beginners. The hardwood forest in an urban setting is the perfect place to learn to identify birds common to SC backyards by sight as well as sound. Some species expected include: Carolina Wren, Northern Cardinal, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Chickadee, Eastern Phoebe, Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, and Pine Warbler. This module will also include information on the best optics to use for birding, and how to attract more birds to your own backyard.

Ornithologist Drew Lanham will instruct this 2-day birding class. Drew is a lifelong birder, and a professor at Clemson University. His research interests include: songbird ecology and conservation; integration of game and nongame wildlife management; the African American land ethic and its role in natural resources conservation. Drew is a Certified Wildlife Biologist & Certified Senior Ecologist, and the co- host of the popular birding show on the “Your Day” radio program.

This class is part of the SCWF’s popular Palmetto Pro Birder program. The goal of this program is to expose motivated citizens to the diversity of birdlife in the Palmetto State and build an understanding of the importance of conserving native habitats to maintain or restore the state’s avian diversity. SCWF envisions building a core of Citizen Scientists who are equipped with field ornithology skills to contribute important data to bird conservation programs in our state and across the nation.

Several modules are held each year. Participants can register for any single module to learn the basics of bird biology, identification, and habitat conservation. To become a Certified Palmetto Pro Birder, you will need to attend four SCWF training modules. You can start at any time, with any module, if there is space. Each module will be appropriate for beginners, and include basics of bird identification, and will also include varying species and habitats to interest those attending multiple modules.

For more information, visit www.scwf.org or call (803) 256-0670.

The South Carolina Wildlife Federation facilitates effective habitat conservation and respect for outdoor traditions for current and future generations through statewide leadership, education, advocacy and partnerships. More information can be obtained about the organization by visiting http://www.scwf.org or calling (803) 256-0670.

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McNair and Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce to co-sponsor
HR Planning Seminar, Tuesday March 19th

Hilton Head Island, S.C. (March 13, 2013) — Demonstrating an ongoing commitment to sharing knowledge for the purpose of advancing business and the greater community at large, McNair Law Firm, P.A. in conjunction with the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce will co-sponsor a complimentary live seminar on Tuesday, March 19 entitled Effective HR Planning in 2013. Breakfast and registration will begin at 8:00AM. The seminar will begin at 8:30AM.

Melissa L. Azallion, Immigration and Labor/Employment Shareholder at McNair will present on recent regulatory and case law developments with topics including:

Non-Competition, Non-Solicitation and Non-Disclosure Agreements;
What agencies are doing with regard to FMLA, FLSA, OFCCP
The myths and realities of Immigration Reform
And more …

The seminar is geared towards HR professionals and will be held at the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce located at: 1 Chamber Commerce Drive, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928. Interested parties can register to attend by emailing services@mcnair.net.

This program has been pre-approved for 1.0 General re-certification credit hour toward PHR, SPHR and GPHR re-certification through the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI.)

About McNair

McNair Law Firm, P.A. is a full-service law firm serving businesses, government and individuals from ten offices in the Southeast, including eight in South Carolina, one in North Carolina and one in Kentucky. For more information about this seminar and McNair, visit http://www.mcnair.net.

About the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce

As stated on its website, the mission of the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce is to advance the common interest of its membership, stimulate the expanding regional economy and enhance the quality of life for all. For more information about the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, visit http://www.hiltonheadchamber.org.

Member News | February 25 – March 1

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Nicole Curtis

We Shall Not Be Moved: A Commemoration of Student Activism in Columbia and the 50^th Anniversary of Edwards v. South Carolina

Join Columbia SC 63 for a commemorative church service and roundtable discussion on March 3

Columbia, S.C. (February 13, 2013) – Columbia SC 63 kicks off a year of civil rights programming with We Shall Not Be Moved: A Commemoration of Student Activism in Columbia and the 50^th Anniversary of Edwards v. South Carolina on March 3. The day’s events include a church service at Zion Baptist Church and a reunion and roundtable discussion with participants of the movement, including U.S. Rep. James Clyburn, at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.

Though its role has never been widely recognized, Columbia was a significant factor in shaping the American Civil Rights Movement, and student activism was the driving force behind the movement. Inspired by the “Greensboro Four,” young Black South Carolinians bucked tradition and engaged in a determined campaign of civil disobedience in protest of segregation. A month after Greensboro, students at Columbia’s Allen University and Benedict College held lunch counter sit-ins at local businesses along Main Street.

On March 2, 1961, a statewide coalition of African American high school and college students met at Zion Baptist Church and marched to the South Carolina State House grounds. Carrying protest signs and singing “freedom songs,” they challenged segregation and racial discrimination in the state. 187 participants were arrested and charged with “disturbing the peace.” Those arrested later filed a lawsuit, Edwards v. South Carolina.

On February 25, 1963, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that their arrests violated “constitutionally protected rights of free speech, free assembly, and freedom to petition for redress for their grievances.” Their courageous efforts legalized nonviolent protest on public grounds and sharpened the movement for social justice nationwide.

We Shall Not Be Moved will gather members of the movement, many of whom participated in the Edwards march, for a day of celebration and commemoration. The day’s events include:

Commemorative Church Service

Zion Baptist Church
801 Washington Street
10:45 am
Free and open to the public

Reunion and Roundtable Discussion with Movement Participants

Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center

3 – 5 pm

This event is free, but seating is limited. Tickets can be reserved at NotBeMoved.eventbrite.com or calling 803.252.7742 ext. 15.

The roundtable panel will include U.S. Rep. James Clyburn, Simon Bouie, Charles Barr, Bobby Doctor, DeeDee Wright and James Edwards, who the case is named after. After the discussion, attendees are invited to join the panelists for a reception in their honor.

Photo Information:

Matthew Perry.jpg: Matthew Perry stands with student civil rights activists at Zion Baptist Church before the Edwards march began. Image courtesy Cecil Williams.

About Columbia SC 63:

To raise awareness and understanding of a truly pivotal chapter in American history, Columbia, South Carolina has joined several other Southeastern cities to commemorate 50 years since the height of the Civil Rights Movement. Comprising a diverse coalition of community leaders, educators, students, residents and others, Columbia SC 63 will explore remarkable accounts of strength, determination and sacrifice that define how and why “Our Story Matters” – historically and for the future – to South Carolina and to our nation. Columbia SC 63 is a partnership of the City of Columbia, Historic Columbia Foundation and the Columbia Metropolitan Convention and Vistors Bureau. For more information about activities and events associated with this initiative please visit www.ColumbiaSC63.com.

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CMA offers Pay-What-You-Wish admission from Noon until 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 10

COLUMBIA, SC - Visit the exhibition Impressionism from Monet to Matisse with Pay-What-You-Wish admission for a day of tours, hands-on learning and a French performance. Visitors can enjoy a self-guided tour at anytime during the afternoon with activity-filled gallery backpacks for kids and a TAP multimedia tour for adults.

Pay-What-You-Wish admission allows visitors to pay any amount to see the exhibition, Impressionism from Monet to Matisse and participate in any the following programs. Admission to this exhibition is regularly $15 for adults.

Passport to Art: Drop-In between Noon and 3:00 p.m.

Families create their own water-filled landscapes with watercolors and crayons based on the swirly skies and misty oceans seen in the paintings by Monet and Renoir.

Guided Family Tour | 1:00 p.m.

Be inspired by the magnificent 56 works in the exhibition, I mpressionism from Monet to Matisse. This 45-minute guided and interactive tour explores the world of art in a way that can be enjoyed by all family members. Discover the CMA in a new way and learn how to talk about art with your children.

Performance: Alliance Française | 2:00 p.m.

The Club Théåtre of the Alliance Française de Columbia returns to the CMA for its 7th annual French-language theatre production. Celebrating the exhibition, Impressionism from Monet to Matisse, the troupe is collaborating on its own original comic play, Tableaux vivants, tableaux parlants, inspired by and featuring paintings in the collection by Cassatt, Forain, Cals, Chagall and La Touche. The 17-member Club Théåtre is an all-volunteer amateur theatre troupe made up of French-speaking members of the Columbia community from France, Belgium, Cameroon, Russia, Venezuela and the United States. Presented in the French language.

Guided CMA Gallery Tour | 2:00 p.m.

Interested in learning more about the CMA collection? A docent-led tour provides an overview of the Museum’s collection of European and American art.

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CMA unveils new sculpture and announces summer exhibition by South Carolina-based artist Steven Naifeh

Please note: To schedule an interview with the artist, contact the CMA press office at 803.343.2170.

COLUMBIA, SC - The Columbia Museum of Art announces the installation of a new sculpture on Boyd Plaza this month and presents a major exhibition this summer by South Carolina-based artist Steven Naifeh.

“I combine influences from the history of Western art and motifs derived from Islamic art into powerful, large-scale and colorful abstract art. I am honored that this sculpture will be shown in such a beautiful way at the Columbia Museum of Art,” Naifeh said.

At 13-feet high and made out of galvanized steel painted a bright blue, Jali will enliven the Plaza with its high-energy presence and masterful construction. Jali is a bold example of geometric abstraction, a style expressing movement and dynamism using geometric forms. In creating this sculpture, Naifeh sought to fuse the Western desire for innovation with the Islamic tradition of locating absolute harmony. The name Jali is derived from an Indian word meaning a perforated stone or latticed screen, usually with a decorative pattern using geometric shapes and sometimes calligraphy or floral elements. The sculpture was constructed and fabricated in Columbia.

In addition, the CMA has organized the first retrospective museum exhibition of Naifeh’s paintings and sculpture entitled Found in Translation: The Art of Steven Naifeh. It willbe on view this summer in the CMA special exhibition galleries from May 18 to September 1, 2013. The 26 large-scale works of modern art reflect Naifeh’s personal taste, preferences and attitudes about geometric abstraction that developed over the span of 40 years. It is hardly surprising that Naifeh’s childhood in the Middle East educated his eye to the rigorous forms of Arab and Islamic art. For more than 1,000 years, geometry has been central to Islamic art and architecture. In his art, Naifeh achieves a synthesis of West and East as well as old and new, a blending of cultures recognized early on in the art he made here in America. His work represents universal harmony and attains this geometric symmetry beautifully with intellectual discipline, rigorous skill and authentic joy in the process of communication.

“Steven Naifeh’s art reflects and celebrates the dynamic nature of the Columbia Museum of Art to show art and its influences from around the world that inspire our imagination. We are pleased to bring another new outdoor sculpture to Main Street as it is sure to invoke a sense of excitement, growth and positive energy for downtown Columbia,” CMA Executive Director Karen Brosius said.

Found in Translation is destined to inspire our community and open doors to understanding cultures beyond our own. It shows visitors that what we share culturally is perhaps greater than what separates us. Abstract art is capable of expressing complex ideas like unity and continuity.

“We all need to understand more about the world in which we live, and Naifeh’s exhibition is a smart, vibrant way of encountering Middle Eastern ideas,” CMA Chief Curator Will South said.

Naifeh has exhibited work throughout the Islamic world including Abu Dhabi, Jordan, Pakistan and the Muslim cities of Kano and Kaduna in Nigeria.

A full-color catalogue will accompany the exhibition and highlight Naifeh’s contributions to abstract and modern art. The catalogue, Found in Translation: The Art of Steven Naifeh, will be available for purchase in the Museum Shop in May 2013.

Exhibition Presenting Sponsor: Mrs. Joyce Martin Hampton

Exhibition Supporting Sponsors: Dr. Gregory J. Wych, The Hilliard Family Foundation, Inc.

About Steven Naifeh

Naifeh studied art with the Nigerian artist Bruce Onobrakpeya. He also studied contemporary art with Sam Hunter, former curator of the Museum of Modern Art and the Jewish Museum, and he studied Islamic art with Oleg Grabar and Cary Welch.

Naifeh and Gregory White Smith published the biography, Van Gogh: The Life, which was recently featured on CBS 60 Minutes. The book was featured on several best book lists for 2011 in The New York Times, The Economist, The Washington Post and was the Sunday Times of London‘s Best Art Book of the Year. The CMA hosted Naifeh for a lecture and book signing in January 2012.

The authors have written many books on art and other subjects, including four New York Times bestsellers. Their biography, Jackson Pollock: An American Saga, won the Pulitzer Prize and was a finalist for the National Book Award.

About the CMA

The Columbia Museum of Art is South Carolina’s premier international art museum and houses a world-class collection of European and American art. Founded in 1950, the Museum opened its new building on Main Street in 1998 with 25 galleries. The collection includes masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo from the Samuel H. Kress Collection, porcelain and works by significant furniture and silver makers, as well as American, Asian, and modern and contemporary art. Of particular interest are Sandro Botticelli’s Nativity, Claude Monet’s The Seine at Giverny, Canaletto’s View of the Molo, a Dale Chihuly chandelier and art glass by Louis Comfort Tiffany. The Museum offers changing exhibitions from renowned museums and educational programs for all ages that include classes, lectures, films and concerts. It is the recipient of a National Art Education Association award for its contributions to arts education and an Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Governor’s Award for the Arts for outstanding contributions to the arts in South Carolina.

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Columbia Museum of Art Collection Increases by More Than 600 Works in 2012

COLUMBIA, SC - The Columbia Museum of Art collection grew by 619 works from gifts by 12 generous collectors and funders in 2012, which represents a 10 percent increase in size. The growth of the collection in such a significant way reflects the commitment of individuals who understand the value of a museum to the cultural life of a community.The gifts include American paintings and photographs, contemporary works on paper, Asian porcelain and an Old Master etching by Rembrandt, The Raising of Lazarus.

Major gifts from collectors around the country, including New York, Texas, Los Angeles, North Carolina and South Carolina, build upon the CMA’s strengths in American, European, Asian, and modern and contemporary art.

The CMA collection now encompasses approximately 7,000 works and spans thousands of years of history. As the only public museum in the state with an extensive collection of international art, the CMA is fortunate in having at its nucleus significant holdings of Renaissance and Baroque works of art. Thanks, in large part, to the important gifts made to the CMA by the Kress Foundation in 1954 and 1962, the CMA is known in scholarly circles for its rich collection of European paintings and bronzes.

“We are indebted to these generous art collectors and funders who have given these works of art and support to the museum that raises our visibility on a local, state and national level,” CMA Executive Director Karen Brosius said. “The heart of our museum is the collection, and these gifts to the CMA will inspire, educate and entertain future generations.”

Most notable in size was the gift of 594 works by Herb and Dorothy Vogel, two of America’s leading collectors of contemporary art in New York. This was the Vogel’s second largest donation, after the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. This substantial collection represents work in various media by 27 different artists including Richard Artschwager, Michael Lucero, Pat Steir, Richard Tuttle, among others, along with a large number of works by Lucio Pozzi and Daryl Trivieri.

In addition, the CMA’s American art collection further grew in size and importance. The following highlights several of the new acquisitions.

George Tooker’s Girl in the Window from 1978 adds a new important portrait to the mix. “Girl in the Window could be the CMA’s version of the Mona Lisa: a beautiful, slightly strange, work of art that impresses viewers and generates lively debates,” CMA Chief Curator Will South said. “It is memorable in the same deft way and yet utterly different in its pervasive ambiguity.” This portrait was purchased with funds from an anonymous donor and the CMA affiliate membership group, the Contemporaries. It will be on view beginning in April.

In 2012, Dwight H. and Sue Emanuelson from Hilton Head Island gave five more works of modern and contemporary art to the CMA, including work by James Brooks, Malcolm Morley, and a triptych by Syd Solomon. Their willingness and desire to share their passion with the community are genuinely inspiring. To date, the couple has donated 44 works to the CMA.

“The Emanuelsons recognize a spectrum of artistic achievement, from objects that compel us to know more, to objects that reveal how little we really can know,” South said. “Their collecting is a pursuit that expands their experience of leading full lives, just as their generosity to the CMA expands ours.”

Another acquisition was a work by American artist Luigi Lucioni entitled Still Life (Porcelain Dog Vase with Flowers) from 1932 that was given by a North Carolina collector. Lucioni’s colorful painting is typical of his precisionist manner and gives the CMA’s American collection a representative piece of this artistic approach.

The CMA also received gifts in 2012 in honor of its membership affiliate group, Friends of African American Art and Culture. Charlotte Sherman, the director of the Heritage Gallery in Los Angeles, gave two photographs and one work on paper by Charles White, one of America’s most renowned 20th-century African-American artists.

HI-RES IMAGES AVAILABLE

www.columbiamuseum.org/newsroom

About the CMA

The Columbia Museum of Art is South Carolina’s premier international art museum and houses a world-class collection of European and American art. Founded in 1950, the Museum opened its new building on Main Street in 1998 with 25 galleries. The collection includes masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo from the Samuel H. Kress Collection, porcelain and works by significant furniture and silver makers, as well as American, Asian, and modern and contemporary art. Of particular interest are Sandro Botticelli’s Nativity, Claude Monet’s The Seine at Giverny, Canaletto’s View of the Molo, a Dale Chihuly chandelier and art glass by Louis Comfort Tiffany. The Museum offers changing exhibitions from renowned museums and educational programs for all ages that include classes, lectures, films and concerts. It is the recipient of a National Art Education Association award for its contributions to arts education and an Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Governor’s Award for the Arts for outstanding contributions to the arts in South Carolina.

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Darla Moore School of Business Brings Nation’s Premier Retirement and Benefits Experts to Charlotte in April

42^nd Annual Retirement and Benefits Management Seminar Sponsored By the University of South Carolina Featuring Top Industry Thought Leaders

Columbia, S.C.-[February 28, 2013] – Plan administrators, business executives, attorneys, bank trust officers, CLUs, and CPAs are invited to attend the 42^nd Annual Retirement and Benefits Management Seminar sponsored by the University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business that will be held April 25-26 in Charlotte, N.C., where they will hear from top industry thought leaders and have a forum to engage and discuss best practices.

Fred Reish, recognized as one of “100 Most Influential People in Defined Contribution,” will make the keynote presentation. Some of the other industry thought leaders presenting at the conference include: Stephen Saxon, Principal of the Groom Law Group, Chartered, who will discuss the latest political trends impacting the industry; and Andres Garcia-Amaya, Global Market Strategist with JP Morgan Asset Management Services, who will examine the current economic forecast.

“This conference offers professionals working in defined benefits access to the most up-to-date thinking and guidance in the industry,” said Moore School Dean Hildy Teegen. “The University is proud to provide forums such as this to bring together top industry thought leaders and business professionals to share meaningful dialogue.”

The two-day seminar will cover the latest industry trends, legal developments, best practices in designing and running benefits plans and practical compliance tips. In addition to unmatched industry expertise, the conference provides a unique forum to bring together business professionals, for an opportunity to exchange knowledge and build partnerships.

The conference will be held at Charlotte’s Marriott Park South on April 25-26. Registration and more information are available at http://moore.sc.edu/executiveeducation/workshopsconferences/retirementbenefitsmanagementseminar.aspx or by calling 1-800-393-2362.

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Harry Mashburn awarded the 2013 Construction Hall of Fame Award

Columbia, SC… Harry Mashburn of Mashburn Construction has been awarded the 2013 Construction Hall of Fame Award by the Clemson University Department of Construction Science and Management (CSM). The Construction Hall of Fame Award recognizes the accomplishments of those who have distinguished themselves throughout their careers in construction. Nominees need to be not only distinguished because they contribute to construction of quality facilities and have the esteem of their peers, but also to be currently active in their profession, have served or are serving in leadership positions in construction industry organizations, are or have been active in their community and have supported or are currently supporting the CSM department.

When asked about receiving the award, Mr. Mashburn stated, “This is an incredible honor. I have great respect for Dean Liska and the Department of Science and Management; the work they do helps to shape the minds of today’s youth and provides the construction industry with lots of young talent.”

Harry Mashburn has over 40 years of experience in the construction industry. He started Mashburn Construction in 1976 as a company dedicated to protecting the interests of its clients.

Mr. Mashburn has a long record of community involvement, serving on many boards from banks and hospitals as well as the Columbia and S.C. Chambers of Commerce. He also has been active professionally, serving as president of the Columbia Contractor’s Association, president of Carolinas AGC, and becoming the first South Carolinian to serve as national president of the Associated General Contractors of America.

Harry and Mashburn Construction have won many awards over the years, highlighted by the Pinnacle award for Best General Contractor by Carolinas AGC and the Build America award by the Associated General Contractors of America.

Mashburn Construction is a full-service construction company providing construction management, design/build and general contracting. For over three decades, the company has exemplified building with integrity by providing superior service and quality to clients across many markets. Headquartered in Columbia, Mashburn also has a Coastal office in Charleston, SC. For more information, please visit www.MashburnConstruction.com.

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Pamela Eyring, President the Protocol School of Washington, Honored With 2013 Enterprising Women of the Year Award

Recognized for Businesses Growth, Supporting Female Entrepreneurs, Community Leadership

New York City – (February 26, 2013) – The Protocol School of Washington (www.psow.edu), global leader in business etiquette, image, and international protocol training and the first and only nationally-accredited school of its kind in the country, announced that Ms. Pamela Eyring, President of PSOW, has received the “Enterprising Women of the Year award for 2013” from Enterprising Women magazine. The award honors various women business owners who have demonstrated a fast-growth business, who actively support other female entrepreneurs and who stand out as leaders in their community. Ms. Eyring, along with other winners, will be recognized at the 11^th Annual Enterprising Women of the Year Awards Celebration, April 3 and 4 at the Ritz-Carlton in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

“Ms. Eyring exemplifies the spirit of female entrepreneurship that our organization embraces,” said Enterprising Women publisher Ms. Monica Smiley, who adds: “Pamela took what was a start-up in 1988 (founded by female entrepreneur Ms. Dorothea Johnson) and in the midst of the Great Recession, against all odds, forged ahead and grew the business including taking it global – most recently opening an office in Dubai, UAE. Along the way, she has paid it forward, fostering and mentoring other female entrepreneurs and businesswomen around the world.”

Mr. Ike McLeese, President of the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce in SC, was thrilled, and

not surprised, with the news, noting: “Ms. Eyring’s role in our local business community goes

beyond her position as a member of the Chamber of Commerce. In addition to being a role model we have hired her to train and educate our local business leaders, and their employees. In the end, she’s helping raise the ‘business etiquette and protocol’ bar in the city of Columbia.”

Under her leadership (since acquiring PSOW in 2005) Ms. Eyring created the first protocol officer course and then secured accreditation for the school, making it the only accredited school of its kind in the US. Next, she sought approval and listing on the US General Services Administration federal contractors’ list enabling PSOW to provide training services to the federal government. This step enabled the expansion of PSOW’s graduate base. When the Great Recession hit in 2008, Ms. Eyring and her team took a cue from the airline industry which cuts back on the number of flights per day to force capacity. In 2009, the school reduced its number of annual courses and then launched less-costly, abbreviated/customized trainings and one-day seminars for individuals and groups. It also launched its first e-learning operation, an inexpensive way for people to learn etiquette and protocol skills.

Additionally, in 2009 the school went global conducting trainings in Turkey, Trinidad & Tobago, The Netherlands, and the United Arab Emirates culminating this past summer with PSOW opening a regional office in Dubai, UAE (the school’s first outside of the US). In 2012, the school doubled its employees and purchased its own building in Columbia, SC to house PSOW administrative headquarters. Most recently, the school was certified as a Woman Owned Small Business by the US Women’s Chamber of Commerce.

Ms. Eyring’s list of women-oriented, organizational and leadership affiliations is long and impressive including membership with: Women Impacting Public Policy – Procurement Committee; Enterprising Women Board of Advisors; Women in Defense; U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce, and Women Presidents Organization – Member Advisory Council.

“Mentors have helped me along the way, most notably our school’s founder, Dorothea Johnson, who remains my role model today. I think it is crucial that business women share their knowledge and experiences. I enjoy coaching women on how to strengthen their business skills and build professional relationships just as Dorothea and other successful women have done for me. These “soft skills” are essential in aiding in one’s success,” says Eyring.

Ms. Eyring says she presently has two key growth plans and goals for PSOW. First, to capitalize on the success of the school’s recent 20-week Presidential Protocol Certificate conducted in Abu Dhabi, UAE by establishing a vocational-degree granting program or diploma in the Washington, DC metro area. Next, she wants to secure a “brick and mortar” PSOW school to serve as a training site for programs and seminars.

ABOUT THE PROTOCOL SCHOOL OF WASHINGTON:

The Protocol School of Washington^® (PSOW) is the first and only nationally accredited institute of higher education and training devoted to international protocol, global business etiquette and image, and cross-cultural communication. The PSOW trains professionals from the corporate and non-profit worlds, academia, the military, and all levels of government in the United States and abroad. Founded in 1988, PSOW is recognized as the global leader in its field, with an alumni base of nearly 4,000 graduates from 58 countries, as well as thousands more who have attended the school’s customized trainings. The PSOW’s expert facilitators hail from backgrounds as diverse as the White House, the Disney Institute, the Pentagon, The Hague, state government, international academia, and private corporations.

ABOUT ENTERPRISING WOMEN MAGAZINE:

Enterprising Women, with headquarters in Cary, N.C., is the nation’s only women-owned magazine published exclusively for women business owners that chronicles the growing political, economic and social influence and power of entrepreneurial women. The magazine provides a meeting place, a public forum and a national stage for critical issues confronting women’s businesses (and women’s daily lives) from the unique perspective and experience of entrepreneurial women.

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GALLIVAN, WHITE & BOYD, P.A. ATTONEY STUART MAUNEY ELECTED TO SCARCH BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Greenville, SC – Gallivan, White & Boyd, P.A. (GWB) is pleased to announce that GWB shareholder Stuart Mauney has been elected to the South Carolina Association of Residential Care Homes (SCARCH) board of directors. This election continues Stuart’s long standing involvement in the South Carolina community. He has also served on the board of directors of Mental Health Association of Greenville County, Upstate Mediation Center, and the Greenville Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Regents for Leadership Development.

The core principles of SCARCH are accountability, compassion, integrity, and respect. One of its primary goals is to create and maintain standards which promote and enhance residential care. SCARCH represents the interests of assisted living, residential care facilities, home care, home health, and hospice groups throughout South Carolina. SCARCH also provides services to these facilities, which include: training, research, publications, conferences, and advocacy relations.

www.GWBlawfirm.com.

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NICK STOMSKI AWARDED THE STATE NEWSPAPER’S 20 UNDER 40

COLUMBIA, SC (February 21, 2013) Nick Stomski, SIOR, Industrial Specialist with NAI Avant’s Brokerage Team, was recently awarded the prestigious 20 Under 40 award by The State newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina. Each year, The State honors 20 rising business stars under the age of 40 in the Midlands who are committed to improving life in South Carolina’s capital city. Stomski has been a member of NAI Avant’s Brokerage Team for over six years and during this time has become one of the most successful brokers at the firm. Since joining the firm in 2006, Stomski has brokered approximately $60,000,000 in transactions, to include: DuPont USA, Teijin Films, Pepsi Bottling Company, Flextronics International and ALD Thermal Treatment, to name a few. Nick offers specialization in acquisition, disposition, landlord and tenant representation in the industrial market across the state, focusing on corporate services in the capacity of brokerage and consulting.

He received a double major from the University of South Carolina in Real Estate and Entrepreneurial Management.

Nick is involved in many civic organizations including: Leadership Columbia Alumni Association, Committee of 100, South Carolina Economic Developers Association and serves on the facilities committee of Harvest Hope Food Bank.

SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION SELLS OFFICE BUILDING ON BARNWELL STREET, NAI AVANT BROKERS DEAL

COLUMBIA, SC (February 22, 2013) Dick Stanland, CCIM, SIOR, GRI and a long time member of NAI Avant’s Brokerage Team, recently brokered the sale of 1027 Barnwell Street in Columbia’s Central Business District. The 10,000 square foot office building, formerly occupied by South Carolina School Board Association (SCSBA), sold for $1,325,000. The University of South Carolina Development Foundation purchased the property. Stanland represented the seller in the transaction.

NAI AVANT CONSUMMATES LEASE FOR LANDTECH AT 1333 MAIN STREET DOWNTOWN COLUMBIA, SC

COLUMBIA, SC (February 27, 2013) Macon Lovelace, a member of NAI

Avant’s Office Specialty Team, recently represented LandTech Incorporated of South Carolina in a 3,726 square foot office lease. LandTech will to occupy suite 305 at 1333 Main Street in Columbia’s Central Business District.

LandTech is a private real estate development, marketing and management firm recognized for not only development of family styled communities but also for astute REO and special asset management.

SOLD: 148 ACRES ON BLUFF ROAD, NAI AVANT BROKERS TRANSACTION

COLUMBIA, SC (February 28, 2013) Tombo Milliken, Tom Milliken and Mike Johnson, all members of NAI Avant’s Brokerage Team, recently brokered the sale of approximately 148 acres on Bluff Road. The Milliken’s represented the purchaser and Johnson represented the seller in the transaction valued at $561,754.

About NAI Avant

One Book, One Columbia

Posted on February 25, 2013 by Nicole Curtis

Thursday night, Mayor Steve Benjamin welcomed book lovers to Richland Library for a community discussion of A.J. Mayhew’s novel, The Dry Grass of August.

Mayhew’s book is this year’s selection for the mayor’s One Book, One Columbia program, which encourages everyone in the city to share the enjoyment of reading together.

The novel is a coming-of-age story set in the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida during the summer of 1954, as the South was in the throes of initial reaction to the Brown v. the Board of Education Supreme Court decision that eventually led to school integration. The protagonist is a 13-year-old girl from Charlotte traveling on vacation with her white, middle-class family and their black maid, Mary. Through events ranging from the touching to the deeply tragic, the narrator learns a lot about race, character, herself, her family and society at large, lessons of universal relevance to all readers in this part of the country, whether they’re old enough to remember that summer or not.

The discussion at the library Thursday night was lively and frank, with participants sharing personal perspectives and experience on race, history, domestic violence, family, courage and cowardice, and how they all have shaped the world in which we live. The panel was moderated by Brad Warthen, director of communications/public relations at ADCO. He was joined by R. Blakeslee Gilpin, assistant professor of history at the University of South Carolina; Valerie Rowe Jackson, deputy director of Richland Library; and Clo Cammarata, programs and partnerships manager at the library.

The audience thoroughly engaged with the panel, both vocally and through use of an instant polling device that allowed everyone in the room to answer multiple-choice questions bearing on the themes of the book, which in turn sparked additional threads of conversation.

Columbia isn’t finished discussing this book. The author herself will talk about what it takes to start a successful writing group, from 2-4 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 27 in Bostick Auditorium at Richland Library. Also at the main library, Ms. Mayhew will lead a discussion of her novel from 6:30-8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 28.

Guest blog by:
Brad Warthen
Director of Communications/Public Relations
ADCO

Member News | February 18-22

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Nicole Curtis

NAI AVANT BROKERS SALE OF HIGHLAND CENTER PROFESSIONAL PARK, COLUMBIA, SC

COLUMBIA, SC (February 15, 2013) Cam Kreps and Nick Stomski, SIOR, both members of NAI Avant’s Brokerage Team, recently brokered the sale of Highland Center Professional Park in Columbia, South Carolina. The property, consisting of approximately 15.73 acres and 20,804 square feet of professional office condominium shell space, sold for $1,450,000.

Highland Center Professional Park is located in close proximity to I-77 and Providence Northeast Hospital campus. Kreps and Stomski will continue to market the remaining property for the purchaser which includes; 20,804 square feet of office space for sale or lease and the opportunity to purchase developed lots with a build-to-suit option.

About NAI Avant

Contact: Bruce Harper, President and Broker-In-Charge, Columbia Office, 803-744-9805, or bharper@naiavant.com

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GALLIVAN, WHITE & BOYD LAW FIRM ADDS NEW ATTORNEY

GREENVILLE, SC – Gallivan, White & Boyd, P.A. is pleased to announce that Adam R. Artigliere has joined the firm’s Greenville office as an Of Counsel member of the firm’s Business and Commercial practice group. His practice will continue to focus on corporate and business planning, banking and financial transactions, commercial real estate, and economic development and incentives.

Adam received his Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida’s Fredric G. Levin College of Law. Adam has extensive experience with a wide variety of business transactions and is actively involved in the local business community. He is currently a member of Pickens County Business and Education Alliance and is also a member of the board for the Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce. C. William McGee, the firm’s Managing Shareholder, stated, “Adam’s prior experience in the business field will be extremely valuable for all of our business clients. We are very excited that he has chosen to join our team.”

Columbia Chamber Blog

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One Book, One Columbia

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