InFOCUS Enewsletter 2012
Issue No. 10
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EFG's Brian Nash Named to SCEDA Board
Named the "Lone Upstate Voice," Nash is only Upstate representative
Brian Nash, Director of Business Development for Spartanburg's Economic Futures Group, was recently elected as a new director for the South Carolina Economic Developers' Association (SCEDA) at its annual meeting in Hilton Head last week.
Nash was the only officer from the Upstate elected at the meeting. George Wolf, of the law firm Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough in Columbia, was named President. Other than a returning director from Aiken, all officers and directors are from Columbia and Charleston.
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Are you Networking or NOT Working?
New addition to Speed Networking Event to impart valuable networking skills.
Many professionals spend too much time and money attending "networking opportunities," only to come away with very little to show for it. You hit the chamber meetings, the leads groups, the "social" events, but you're just not connecting with the people you need to. If this sounds familiar, this session can help get you focused, organized and energized to network effectively.
Join us for this special presentation by Nicole Cendrowski with Sandler Sales Institute during the lunch prior to the Speed Networking event. The presentation and lunch are included with the cost of registration.
No cold calling. No awkward conversation. No reaching for a business card to discover you don't have one on you...everyone has the common goal of meeting every single person in the room and sharing their business information for the purpose of making professional connections. Sounds pretty great, right? Click on the link below for all of the details and registration options for this great annual event. Seating is limited--so register today! REGISTER ONLINE
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Community Leaders to Discuss Future of Spartanburg
Spartanburg Young Professionals present Town Hall Forum
Next week Spartanburg professionals will have the opportunity to ask established leaders questions about the future of their county-and hear feedback on how the next generation of leaders can be a part of its growth. This Town Hall Forum is scheduled for Thursday, May 31, from 7:45 to 9 a.m., at the George in downtown Spartanburg.
Patty Bock, Director of Economic Development for the City of Spartanburg, will facilitate the discussion. Panelists include Bill Barnet, CEO, The Barnet Company and former Mayor of Spartanburg; John Bauknight, co-founder of RJ Rockers Brewery; and Foster Chapman, president & CEO of Johnson Development. Each panelist will give his vision for Spartanburg, and Bock will present questions submitted by SYP members prior to the event. Attendees will then be encouraged to ask questions about where Spartanburg is headed as a community. Anticipated topics for questions include economic growth, downtown expansion, diversity, workforce development and education.
The event is FREE to current SYP members and $10 for guests. Breakfast will be provided by Panera Bread beginning at 7:45 a.m. with the program beginning at 8 a.m.
REGISTER ONLINE
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Chamber Lobby Gets a New Look...
New Information Center to Arrive in Chamber Lobby this Summer
IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN! The BRAND NEW Touchscreen Information & Resource display will be arriving shortly in the Chamber's lobby. This great new display uses the latest technology to offer a great low-cost advertising opportunity exclusively for Spartanburg Chamber members.
This new display will replace the current large display block in the center of the Chamber's lobby. This is the main resource for Chamber visitors and newcomers to the area when they want to learn about the Spartanburg community.
Profile Display Inc. will be contacting you soon to let you know how you can participate in this great project.
Click here to view a live demo.
For more information, call (864) 932-4071.
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State Budget Update
Budget Now Heads to the Full Senate
On Tuesday, the Board of Economic Advisors certified an additional $292 million in revenue above earlier estimates, which includes $155 million in one-time money and $137 million in recurring funds.
The Senate Finance Committee, led by Chairman Hugh Leatherman (Florence), unanimously passed a $6.1 billion budget on Wednesday that will now head to the full Senate. The budget includes $180 million for the Harbor Deepening Reserve Fund and $77 million for Unemployment Insurance (UI) tax relief. The Senate Finance Committee also included $8 million for the SmartState initiative, $19 million for readySC and $5 million for regional economic development organizations. Destination specific marketing is funded at $8 million. The committee also approved a phased-in measure to reduce the tax rate small businesses pay on profits from 5 percent to 3 percent.
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Ex-IM Bank Reauthorization
Reauthorization is Critical for SC Based Manufacturers
By a vote of 330-93, earlier this week the U.S. House of Representatives voted to reauthorize the Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank of the United States through September 2014. The Ex-Im Bank is the official export credit agency of the U.S. that assists in financing the export of goods and services at no cost to taxpayers. The Bank's charter is set to expire May 31, 2012, putting critical credit for exporters and suppliers at risk. The reauthorization now moves back to the U.S. Senate.
The Ex-Im Bank is a critical tool for more than 50 South Carolina-based manufacturers that routinely rely on the financing to export their products. If the Bank is not reauthorized, it could be devastating to South Carolina-based jobs and investment. Last year alone, the Ex-Im Bank supported more than $40 billion in U.S. exports that helped create or sustain 290,000 U.S. jobs at more than 3,600 companies. The Ex-Im Bank is also self-sustaining. In the years since it was last authorized in 2006, the Bank has returned $3.4 billion to the U.S. Treasury above and beyond the cost of its operations.
Both the South Carolina House and Senate passed resolutions encouraging South Carolina's congressional delegation to support reauthorization of the Bank.
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Unemployment Benefits
Benefits are eliminated if employee is fired for misconduct
Last week, a House Labor, Commerce and Industry (LCI) subcommittee passed S.1125, legislation to eliminate unemployment benefits if a worker is fired for misconduct. The legislation also addresses fraudulent benefit claims. The Senate unanimously passed the bill in March.
In 2011, approximately $50 million was paid to workers fired for misconduct, and $86 million was paid in fraudulent claims, representing 30 percent of all claims paid out last year. S.1125 protects employer contributions into the unemployment insurance (UI) system at a time when the state is still working to repay more than $780 million in federal loans.
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Orion Properties Merges with NAI Earle Furman, LLC.
Commercial Real Estate Firms Join Forces
Orion Properties, a Spartanburg-based commercial real estate sales and leasing firm, today announced it has merged with NAI Earle Furman LLC, a leading full-service commercial real estate firm specializing in the office, industrial, investment, land, multifamily and retail sectors. The merger is expected to further strengthen NAI Earle Furman's business in the key growth market of Spartanburg while offering Orion Properties' clients a deeper level of resources. Sales and service will now be conducted under the NAI Earle Furman brand and will be handled by Orion Properties brokers Dan Dunn and Andrew Babb, as well as Rob Schmidt and long-time Spartanburg resident Ken Anderson.
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Indicators Project to Hold Natural Environment Event
The Public is Welcome and Invited to Attend
The Spartanburg Community Indicators Project will be holding a special event on Wednesday, May 30, 2012, 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., at the Chapman Cultural Center (David Reid Theatre Lobby) to explore the direct impact of the natural environment on the quality of life in Spartanburg County.
This unique and interactive cultural experience will begin with a special tour of a natural environment artwork exhibit, comprised of drawings created by Boiling Springs students, followed by a reception and an opportunity to mingle through interactive displays to learn more about the specific factors that contribute to the natural environment as identified in the recently released dashboard. Speak one-on-one with natural environment experts, network
with other like-minded individuals and embrace your role as a citizen of this community in a fun and interactive setting!
This event is free and open to the public, however reservations are required. Please RSVP to Ashley Thomason by May 24, 2012, at (864) 582-0138 or athomason@spcf.org.
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Bank of America to Host Car Wash
Proceeds to Benefit Children's Shelter of the Upstate
The Bank of America Branch next to Wade's in the Pinewood Shopping Center is to host a Car Wash on Saturday, May 19th from 10:00am-1:00pm. All proceeds from this event will benefit the Children's Shelter of the Upstate. Advanced tickets are available by calling Celeste Bailey at (864) 583-7688 xt. 132 or by email at cbailey@childrenshelterupstate.org. |
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