“We are excited about our decision to create jobs and invest in Greenwood County, South Carolina,” said George Bowyer, vice president at Crown Casting Industries. “Other states and countries were considered, however, based on all factors Greenwood County provided the best location for Crown Castings to grow in a highly competitive world market. Keeping jobs in the U.S. made company officials especially proud.”

The company will be located in the Corporate Park Industrial Building in Hodges, S.C., and is slated to begin operations during the second quarter of 2012.

“South Carolina continues to show that it’s a globally-competitive location for companies to set up shop. We celebrate Crown Casting’s decision to locate in the Palmetto State and create 50 new jobs here. We will continue to build on our state’s economic development successes,” said Gov. Nikki Haley.

In the past year, South Carolina has recruited more than $3.9 billion in investment and more than 12,000 new jobs in the manufacturing sector.

“Our state’s manufacturing sector continues to grow and create new jobs. Crown Casting’s choice to make South Carolina its new home is another sign that our state’s business-friendly climate and skilled workforce remain the key in attracting new investments like this one,” said Bobby Hitt, Secretary of Commerce.

Crown Casting Industries will serve broad commercial markets as well as specialty niche markets, like glass mold equipment. The foundry uses a modern process which is cost effective and designed to reduce waste and comply with all environmental regulations. This new plant will allow Crown Castings to vie with foreign competitors in its aggressive effort to gain market share.

“We couldn’t be more pleased to have a modern, progressive company such as Crown Castings locate here in Greenwood County and especially in the heart of my council district,” said Bob Jennings, vice chairman of Greenwood County Council. “Their commitment will provide much needed jobs to the Hodges area and an economic boost to the economy. We look forward to working with Crown Castings for many years.”

Mark Warner, CEO of Greenwood Partnership Alliance added, “Crown Castings locating their operation here is further evidence that Greenwood County can compete on a national and global scale. We are especially thankful to all of our partners who helped in this effort, including the South Carolina Department of Commerce, Duke Energy and AdvanceSC, Greenwood County, Piedmont Technical College, Upper Savannah Workforce Investment Board, and the investors of the Greenwood Partnership Alliance. We welcome Crown Castings to the community and look forward to providing support as they ramp up production.”

Hal Johnson, Upstate SC Alliance president and CEO, stated that “the efforts of Greenwood County are to be applauded as the announcement of Crown Casting is great for the entire Upstate region, as all 10 counties will benefit from these jobs coming to our community.”

The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved the company for a $100,000 grant for a building up-fit and also job development credits, which will be available when hiring targets are met.

Interested applicants should check the Index Journal and GwdToday for listings of Crown Casting job openings starting in February. Hiring for the bulk of the employees is expected to start in the second quarter of 2012. Applications will not be taken at the plant.

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By Chris Trainor - Index-Journal

Public/private economic development firm Partnership Alliance and consultants Arnett Muldrow are proceeding with the development of a master plan for the revitalization of a portion of the south end of Greenwood, specifically the corridor that connects Uptown Greenwood to the area of Self Regional Medical Center.

Arnett Muldrow consultants will be back in Greenwood this week, gathering information and developing ideas for the master plan that could guide the redevelopment of what has been dubbed the South Main/Edgefield Street/Spring Street corridor. There will be a public meeting at noon Friday at the Federal Building. During that meeting, the design team will share some preliminary ideas about the project and seek feedback from residents and business owners.

Partnership Alliance CEO Mark Warner said he has been in contact with members of the design team and has heard from them about some of their initial ideas for the redevelopment of the South Main/Edgefield Street/Spring Street corridor.

Warner said he couldn’t yet reveal those plans, but said he felt confident the design team would discuss them during Friday’s public meeting. The Partnership CEO said he was more than impressed by Arnett Muldrow’s prospective idea.

“The team has shared an idea with me that just blew my socks off,” Warner said. “We’ve all been looking at this section of the city, and I think it takes these guys with an outside set of eyes to come in and say, ‘What if we did this first and then that second? Look at what that gives you.’ That’s all I’m going to say…Like I say, it blew my socks off.”

Officials said they hope to accomplish several goals with the South Main/Edgefield/Spring Street corridor redevelopment master plan, including:

• Developing conceptual designs for key development and redevelopment sites throughout the district.
• Identifying public infrastructure improvements, focusing on streetscape improvements in key areas of the district.
• Exploring funding options for improvements, including tax increment financing and other creative funding techniques.
• Creating a plan with a clear implementation strategy that would provide a clear plan for accomplishing these goals.

Warner encouraged residents, property owners and business owners from the corridor to attend Friday’s meeting to hear ideas and offer their opinions and ideas.

“That’s the key to this,” he said. “If we don’t get feedback from folks, how do we know what they’ll support and what they’ll get engaged in?”

For more information about Friday’s meeting, please contact Julie Miner: 864-388-1250

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“We are pleased to start on this new chapter in our business. This expansion will help position us for future growth. Greenwood County has provided us with an excellent environment in which to do business,” said Todd Hoffman, CEO of Item Southeast.

Item Southeast will relocate its current facility to a larger building in order to meet increased demand. The company works with customers to design, create and distribute Item products. The company will be in the new facility by October.

“It’s a great day in South Carolina when any of our businesses choose to grow. We celebrate Item Southeast’s decision to further invest here and create new jobs. This announcement is another indication we are doing the right things to promote economic development,” said Gov. Nikki Haley.

Small businesses comprise 95.4 percent of all private employers in South Carolina. In all, more than 645,000 people work for small businesses in the state.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our state’s economy. Item Southeast’s decision to expand its presence in Greenwood County is another indication South Carolina provides an environment in which small businesses can grow and prosper,” said Bobby Hitt, Secretary of Commerce.

“Congratulations to Item Southeast on their expansion activities”, said Mark Warner, CEO of the Greenwood Partnership Alliance. “Supporting our existing employers to help them remain competitive and expand is a key part of our plan of work.”

Greenwood County Council Chairman Robbie Templeton added, “The decision for Item Southeast to expand in our county is great news and will create new jobs and investment. We look forward to their continued growth and success.”

The company has begun hiring for the new positions. Anyone interested in job opportunities with the company should send a resume to sales@itemsoutheast.com.

Item® Southeast is the exclusive southeast distributor and service center for Item International. As a supplier of t-slotted aluminum and other Item products, the company can ship bulk, cut to length, kits and full assemblies. The company also provides CNC routing services. For more information about the company, please visit www.itemsoutheast.com.

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The Greenwood Genetic Center (GGC) announces that its Diagnostic Laboratories have been accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Laboratory Accreditation Program following a recent onsite inspection. CAP is widely recognized as the leader in laboratory quality assurance. Their accreditation program goes beyond regulatory compliance ensuring that accredited labs achieve the highest standards of excellence for high-quality patient care.

Accreditation by CAP is based on rigorous standards including an inspection of laboratory facilities, equipment, safety programs and quality control procedures, as well as reviewing the qualifications of faculty and staff. The goal of CAP accreditation is to improve patient safety by advancing the quality of laboratory services through education, standard-setting and ensuring that laboratories meet or exceed regulatory requirements. CAP accreditation places GGC’s Diagnostic Laboratories among an exclusive group of over 7,000 laboratories worldwide that have met these high standards of excellence.

GGC’s labs have maintained certification through the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) for many years, but CAP accreditation represents a more stringent level of quality assurance. “Becoming a CAP accredited laboratory is a new benchmark for GGC and was accomplished by a significant number of faculty and staff members working towards this common goal”, said Mike Friez, PhD, Director of Laboratories at GGC. “Our Center has always strived to offer the best clinical services possible and now that we have this certification in place we can continue towards our ultimate goal of continuously improving patient care.”

GGC’s Diagnostic Laboratories include cytogenetic, biochemical and molecular analysis for a variety of inherited conditions with a focus on birth defects and intellectual disabilities. The laboratory serves over 25,000 families each year.

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Collaboration, state branding and industrial recruitment were among the topics of conversation Thursday evening as S.C. Deputy Secretary of Commerce George Patrick addressed the Partnership Alliance board.

Patrick, who had a decorated career in the Air Force and who also has a background in small business, works under Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt.

Hitt initially was scheduled to speak at Thursday’s Partnership meeting, but declined in order to handle an economic development recruiting matter.

Upstate Alliance CEO Hal Johnson also spoke at the gathering, attended by members of the Partnership board as well as members of the Greenwood Chamber board and local political leaders such as state Rep. Anne Parks, state Rep. Gene Pinson and state Sen. Billy O’Dell.

Patrick said he and Hitt have been working to let business and political leaders across the state know the Department of Commerce is open to collaborative efforts in furthering economic development.

“We are a small state,” Patrick said. “Bobby (Hitt) has worked very hard - and he’s kept me on the road doing the same thing - to take a message out to the counties, to the alliances and to consultants: Anybody who wants to further economic development in this state we consider an ally and a partner. We have invested a fair amount of time and effort to carry that message forward.”

Patrick said the continued addition and expansion of manufacturing jobs will be critical in furthering the state economically. He noted South Carolina has done a decent job of adding manufacturing positions.

“Manufacturing is key,” Patrick said. “Manufacturing creates true wealth, as does agriculture and some other endeavors. We have seen - and statistics back this up - a turnaround in manufacturing in South Carolina over the last couple of years. I think it was in December that we saw the first year-to-year increase in manufacturing jobs in South Carolina in a long time.

“(Hitt) would tell you he’s declared we have finally dug our way out of the textile recession, for lack of a better word, and we are now seeing year-to-year increases-significant increases- in manufacturing jobs in the state.”

Patrick said the Department of Commerce wants to work with the state’s various economic alliances to establish a unified message and branding for South Carolina.

“(Hitt) has laid it out as probably a three-year campaign,” Patrick said. “We want to work the parks, recreation and tourism folks. …We want to come up with a focused branding of who we are in South Carolina so that, when you see the symbol, you don’t hear people who come here, and they’ve been here two or three days, and they go, ‘Wow, this place is not at all what I thought it was.’ And usually it is in a very positive way.

“We want them to have that anticipation before they get here. We want that to help drive companies to South Carolina as a place they look to first, not second or third or last.”

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Greenwood CPW recently was honored by a national agency for its continued excellence in providing safe, clean water.

The agency was honored with the Partnership for Safe Water Five-year Phase IV Excellence in Water Treatment Award. The honor was in recognition of CPW’s commitment to superior water quality by maintaining the Partnership for Safe Water Excellence in Water Treatment Award for five consecutive years.

The Partnership for Safe Water is part of American Water Works Association. The AWWA is an international nonprofit educational association dedicated to safe water. Founded in 1881 as a forum for water professionals to share information and learn from each other for the common good, AWWA is considered the authoritative resource for information and advocacy for improving the quality and supply of water in North America.

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The “Pursuit” is over: Hobby Lobby is coming to Greenwood.

The national arts and crafts retailer formally announced late Tuesday it will be opening a store in Greenwood later this year. The Hobby Lobby location will occupy the 46,000-square-foot building on Bypass 72 that used to be home to Winn-Dixie. The location is across the street from Greenwood Mall.

The Hobby Lobby project has long been referred to by economic development firm Partnership Alliance and local government officials as Project Pursuit.

The Greenwood Hobby Lobby location will employ about 40 people.

According to Hobby Lobby officials, the chain is an Oklahoma City-based private corporation offering more than 65,000 crafting and home decor products in its stores. Departments include floral, fabric, needlework, picture framing, baskets, home accents, arts and crafts, wearable art, jewelry and scrapbooking supplies.

On Wednesday, Partnership Alliance CEO Mark Warner said he is pleased Hobby Lobby is setting up a location in Greenwood. “I think, in and of itself, it is a great announcement,” Warner said. “It took a lot of hard work from the developer and city folks and planning folks and both (city and county) councils to do it. It was a good effort there.

“I think if you put it into context of what’s going on across the street (from the soon-to-be Hobby Lobby location) with Hull Storey Gibson and the Greenwood Mall with their expansion with T.J. Maxx and Michael’s, I think it says a lot about the way the retail community is viewing the Greenwood market.”

Greenwood’s location will be the 11th Hobby Lobby in South Carolina. Hobby Lobby assistant vice president of advertising John Schumacher said the Palmetto State is a viable market. “The success of our other store locations in South Carolina is a good indicator that the crafts community in Greenwood will be very pleased with the quality, selection and value we offer in the crafts and home decor market while filling the void that currently exists in this area,” Schumacher said in a prepared statement.

There are 480 Hobby Lobby stores across the country.

Greenwood Mayor Welborn Adams said he is excited to welcome another national retailer to Greenwood, particularly one that will fill a previously empty “big box” site.

“I’m really pleased we are doing it in an existing building,” the mayor  said. “I’ve heard a lot of city residents complain that we will have new (businesses) come and they will build a new site. And I hear them. No one likes to see a building sitting empty. So, this is a win-win type situation. Not only do we get a new retailer and a new shopping experience for our residents, but we get to fill up an existing site.”

Greenwood County Council chairman Robbie Templeton echoed Adams’ remarks.

“The thing that is the greatest about this is, not only are we bringing in a big name retailer that will provide jobs, but we are also filling up an existing big box,” Templeton said. “That’s a win-win for everybody.”

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Center patients and their families joined physicians, administrators, board members, hospital staff and members of the general public to get their first glimpse of the center, which has a dedicated entrance located just a few yards to the east of the medical center’s main entrance.

Planning for the project, which officially began in the fall if 2009, dates back five years, according to Jim Pfeiffer, President and CEO of Self Regional. The project encompasses approximately 40,000 square feet of new construction and renovation.

“One of the most important features of the new Cancer Center is the convenience and easier access it offers our patients,” Pfeiffer said. “Self Regional puts patients first, and we believe it is vital they not only receive quality care, but that they do so in comfortable and friendly surroundings.”

“This allows all three of our hospital’s clinical cancer services – medical oncology, radiation oncology, and chemotherapy – to be considered into one single location on the ground floor of the hospital. We believe our cancer patients and their families will greatly benefit from this improvement alone.”

Pfeiffer says the hospital’s mission is to bring advanced care closer to home. In keeping with that mission, the Cancer Center’s theme is to also bring hope, healing and comfort to its patients.

Pfeiffer pointed out the new Cancer Center also includes an outdoor healing garden complete with plants, flowers and fountains that not only add beauty to the center, but are designed to provide a soothing and relaxing area where some cancer patients will have the option of receiving infusion treatments as the weather permits. Water features in the center’s waiting areas as well as in the outdoor healing garden are meant to offer a relaxing atmosphere to patients.

“There are numerous other great feature of this Cancer Center, including the attractive atrium area, patient learning area, a boutique for those needed wigs and prosthetics, a small café, laboratory, tumor registry, and offices for our physicians and team members,” Pfeiffer added.

Pfeiffer said up to 75 patients a day can be seen in the Caner center’s medical oncology section, which has expanded to 15 rooms to accommodate the growing cancer program. The Self Regional Cancer Center’s three medical oncologists are Dr. Brian Hunis, Dr. Joanna Sadurski and Dr. Lena Vician.

In space nearby, Dr. John Funke and Dr. Clint Wood will treat radiation oncology patients. This area has retained its two linear accelerator vaults and one of the accelerators has been updated with newer technology. A specially designed room for breast cancer has also been added.

The Cancer Center’s chemotherapy area has been expanded to include 32 beds and chairs, plus a chemotherapy pharmacy located in the center to help patients avoid delays.

Once the community and hospital family have received a preview of the new Cancer Canter, preparations will turn toward treating patients there. The center will see its first patients beginning on Monday, April 18.

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GPA recently completed the Partnership for Tomorrow Campaign, an effort that raised $3,774,400 towards a five-year plan of work. The key focus areas include: business retention and expansion; new business recruitment; talent recruitment and retention; and community development. GPA secured 22 new private investors, in addition to the 10 private investors that have been dedicated partners for years.

“Coming out of the campaign, we realized a need within our organization for a person whose primary job is to focus on our investors and engage their ideas, experience and resources to execute our program of work,” said Mark Warner, CEO of the Greenwood Partnership Alliance. “Kay brings a great deal of experience and knowledge to the organization and will help us in our efforts to strategically move Greenwood forward.”

“I was honored to be approached and considered for this new position. This is a great opportunity that enables me to remain engaged in the community and provides flexibility to spend quality time with my family,” said Kay Self. “I look forward to understanding the needs of our current investors and working with the Partnership to fulfill the goals of the organization.”

Ms. Self is a cum laude graduate of Clemson University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Language and International Trade and undergraduate studies in France and Spain.
She has been an active board member of the Bowers-Rodgers Home and the Cokesbury Historical and Recreational Commission. Additionally, Ms. Self was named South Carolina Director of the Year in 2009 from the Carolina ShowFest Conference. Currently, she serves as a board member of the Self Regional Healthcare Foundation. She is married to Furman Self and has two children, Coleman and Elizabeth.

About Greenwood Partnership Alliance

The Greenwood Partnership Alliance is a public/private economic development organization that provides leadership and financial support to improve economic growth, educational attainment, and community development in order to enhance the quality of life in Greenwood County. Public investors include Greenwood County, the Commissioners of Public Works, the Greenwood Metropolitan District, and the City of Greenwood.

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Dr. Skinner joined the faculty of GGC in 1989 after completing his Clinical Genetics Fellowship through the Center’s graduate training program. Currently, he is a Senior Clinical Geneticist and serves as the Associate Director of the Center.

Throughout his clinical career Skinner has devoted his time and talents to the evaluation and care of children and adults with birth defects, intellectual disabilities and other genetic disorders. He has been actively involved in the development of the South Carolina Center for the Treatment of Genetic Disorders on the GGC campus and provides clinical supervision for the genetics services provided through the SC Department of Disabilities and Special Needs. Skinner is also a co-lead investigator for two NIH-sponsored studies to further the clinical understanding of Rett syndrome and Angelman syndrome. As Director, Skinner’s new responsibilities will focus on continuing the Center’s high standards in clinical, laboratory, research and educational services, overseeing the budget and furthering the mission of the Center through partnerships with external agencies, foundations and other Friends of the Center.

“Dr. Stevenson has been the heart and soul of the Greenwood Genetic Center for the past 36 years.” said Skinner following the announcement. “Being named as Director is certainly an honor, but also a humbling experience. I am encouraged by being surrounded by the excellent and dedicated faculty and staff of GGC and a dedicated Board of Directors.”

Stevenson co-founded the Greenwood Genetic Center in 1974 with Dr. Harold Taylor who retired earlier this year. They had the vision of a Center that would be contemporary in technology and compassionate in philosophy. Under their leadership, GGC has grown to become an internationally recognized genetic center providing services for the benefit of South Carolina but impacting patients around the globe. “I share Dr. Stevenson’s vision for the GGC and aim to lead the Center in continuing to provide the highest quality genetics care and services while establishing GGC as a leader in the treatment of genetic disorders,” said Skinner.

“It has been a great privilege to be a part of the Genetic Center’s history,” said Stevenson, “and I am particularly happy that one of our own has been elected by our Board of Directors to direct our course in the years ahead.”

Skinner is a graduate of Wofford College and received his MD from the Medical University of South Carolina. He completed his pediatrics residency at Richland Memorial Hospital in Columbia, SC. He is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics and the American Board of Medical Genetics. Skinner is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and a member of the South Carolina Medical Association, the Greenwood County Medical Society, the South Carolina Pediatric Society and the American Society of Human Genetics. He is a Founding Fellow of the American College of Medical Genetics.

Beyond his service to GGC, Skinner is an active member of Main Street United Methodist Church in Greenwood, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Greenwood Community Children’s Center, the Board of Directors for the Agape Pastoral Counseling Center, and the SC DHEC Commissioners Pediatric Advisory Committee, among others. He also participates in a medical mission team that travels to Honduras every January to provide medications and basic medical care for the underserved population in that area.

Skinner and his wife, Cindy, who also works at GGC as the Research Sample Coordinator, have three grown children and a newborn granddaughter.

About Greenwood Genetic Center
The Greenwood Genetic Center (GGC), founded in 1974, is a nonprofit organization advancing the field of medical genetics and caring for families impacted by genetic disease and birth defects. At its home campus in Greenwood, South Carolina, a talented team of physicians and scientists provides clinical genetic services, diagnostic laboratory testing, educational programs and resources, and research in the field of medical genetics. GGC’s faculty and staff are committed to the goal of developing preventive and curative therapies for the individuals and families they serve. GGC extends its reach as a resource to all residents of South Carolina with satellite offices in Charleston, Columbia, Florence and Greenville. For more information about GGC please visit www.ggc.org.

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