Charleston Women Summer 2020

www.CharlestonBrides.com | www.ChsWomenInBusiness.com | www.ReadCWomen.com 52 - CW W hen you meet Biz Foxworth, it’s easy to be charmed by her pleasant demeanor. In fact, it’s a common thread among her staff — and most of them started out as customers. On any given morning, you can find a line formed outside of Brown Fox Coffee. The shop serves organic, single-origin beans, as well as some crowd- pleaser flavored drinks. Customer service is paramount to Foxworth, a native Charlestonian. “It’s a big deal for someone to choose to stop, park and get a cup of coffee instead of make it at home, so we respect their time,” she commented. Foxworth graduated from the College of Charleston with a degree in hospitality & tourism. As she dabbled with the idea of a nursing career, she found herself working in a coffee shop and loving it. “I have always harbored that entrepreneurial, daydreamer spirit, so I started thinking about opening my own place,” she said. She credits her mom for propelling her into action. Phase one was a mobile coffee truck. The brick-and-mortar storefront on Simmons came a couple of years later. Next up is a satellite location at St Andrew’s Church when it reopens this fall. “It’s an awesome little cafe space — easy to access and open to the public,” she shared. Biz Foxworth Brown Fox Coffee 307 Simmons Street Mount Pleasant 843-520-9849 www.brownfoxcoffee.com BY PAMELA JOUAN Photo by Thomas Runion. Un certain ty hits state, localb udgets ByPatrickHoff phoff@scbiznews.com T he S.C. state budget is in limbo after the coronavirus pandemic short-cir- cuited theGeneralAssembly’s process inmid-March. The state House passed its budget at the end of February, but the General Assembly was sent home before the Senate could finish its deliberations and vote.The Senate passed a continuing resolution last month to keep the government open if a budget isn’t passed by June 30,when thefiscal year ends, but the Househasyet tovoteon thatmeasure. Complicating the budgeting process is the uncertainty that looms over two of the state’s revenue sources: sales taxesand income taxes, which have slowed as more than 341,730 South Carolinians have filed for unemploy- mentandnonessentialbusinesseswere closed formostofApril. A report from the Center on Budget and PolicyPriorities, anonpartisan research insti- tute based inWashington, D.C., said states could faceup to $105billion inbudget short- falls thisfiscalyear,which formost statesends June30.Nextfiscalyear, the report said states could seeup to$290billion in shortfalls. In a separate report, the center said one- third of states are unprepared for amoder- ate recession. SouthCarolinawas not one of them;accordingtothereport,SouthCarolina’s reserveswere about 16% of the state’s gener- al fund, which are about where they should be. In general, the center said, states should aim for reserves equal to at least 15% of their budget. Still, the center said states’ reserves won’t INSIDE Upfront ................................ 2 SCBizNewsBriefs ................ 3 BestAdvice .......................... 4 InFocus: HospitalityandTourism ..... 15 List:AreaAttractions ......... 20 AtWork .............................. 21 Viewpoint ........................... 23 Academicupgrade TheCitadelprepares to replaceCapersHallwith moremodernbuilding. Page8 Airliftedaid BoeingDreamlifterused to bring facemasks forPrisma Health,MUSC fromChina to theUpstate. Page3 Long roadahead Experts say full return ofCharleston’s tourism industrymaybe yearsaway. Page 15 Rollingon Food trucks transition business fromprivate parties to servingneighbors. Page 19 SeeBUDGETS,Page5 VOLUME26 NUMBER10 ■ CHARLESTONBUSINESS.COM MAY4 -17,2020 ■ $2.25 Partof the network BESTADVICE GillianZettler, CharlestonWine andFood PAGE4 ByPatrickHoff phoff@scbiznews.com H alfway through a study on how to protect the Charleston peninsula from coastal flooding, the Army CorpsofEngineers is seekingpublic inputon apotential solution: awall around the city. TheArmyCorps ofEngineersCharleston District began its $3million coastal flood- ing study of the Charleston peninsula in October 2018with funding from the federal Holdingback thesea ArmyCorpspresentspotentialsolution tocoastal flooding An 1849map shows thepeninsulaafter constructionof theHighBattery seawall.Overone-thirdof thepresent-day peninsulawas “reclaimed”by landfilling the intertidal zone,whichexacerbates flooding issues. (Map/ArmyCorps) SeeFLOODING,Page6 Horsesonhold Carriage companies struggleduring peak seasonasCOVID-19halts in-person tourismbusiness. Page 15 ByPatrickHoff phoff@scbiznews.com T hough business owners are eager to reopen afterweeks of coronavirus-in- duced closures, they’re doing so with caution to ensure the safetyof customers and employees. “First inmind is, obviously, the protocols of what to do andhow to do itwell,” said Jeff B rower, regional direc tor of operations for NorthPointeHospital ityManagement,which operates Hotel Indigo in Mount Pleas ant and the Holiday Inn Express in downtown Charleston. Gov.HenryMcMaster lifted an executive order earlier this month that had lmited traffic on the road only to commuters going to and from work at essential businesses, as well as people visiting family, obtaining essential goods or services, attending reli- gious s ervices and recreating alone or with familyoutside. Additionally, re staurants were allowed to beginoutdoordining startingMay4. Iscoronavirus acontractual ‘actof G od?’ ByPatrickHoff phoff@scbiznews.com C ontracts with force majeure clauses have typically standardized a compa- ny’s failure to perform in the event of uncertain circumstances, such as a fire, flood, war, accidentornaturaldisaster. But in facing today’s new normal, compa- niesmayhavemayhave anew legal gray area to dealwith,when contracts are interrupted byapandemic. “I think that there’s a lot of concern ... about basically having the buck stop with temfinancially,particularly if they’reunable to perform and their provision in their con- tracts ... thatmake themresponsible fordelay,” saidKyleDillard, attorney and shareholder at OgletreeDeakins’Greenvilleoffice. Forcemajeure is a clause in a contract that removes liability from a company if they are unable touphold theirendof thedealbecause of unforeseen circumstances. Typically the clauseshavecertaineventsspelledout,suchas fire, flood, government action and labor dis- putes,butmostclausesalsoexcuseacompany Reopeningacalc ulatedd ecision forbusinesses INSIDE Upfront ....... ......................... 2 BestAdvice .......................... 4 SCBizNewsBriefs ................ 5 InFocus:Ports,Logistics andDistribution ................. 13 List:MotorFreightLines ..... 19 AtWork .............................. 21 HotProperties ..................... 27 Viewpoint ........................... 31 Pivotingport S.C.PortsAuthoritymapping newpath to continue businessgrowth. Page 13 Repaired to reopen Upstateautomotive manufacturer resumes productionafterone-two punchof coronavirus, tornado. Page 12 Online itinerary Softwareallows dockworkers to schedule shiftsoutsideunionhall. Page 13 Chickenout Poultryproducers keep watchon viral threats that jeopardizeU.S. exports. Page5 Producepanic Farmersworry that shoppers maymoveaway from fresh produceas theyhunker down inquarantine. Page 14 See IMPACT,Page6 SeeFORCE,Page7 VOLUME26 NUMBER11 ■ CHARLESTONBUSINESS.COM MAY18 -31,2020 ■ $2.25 Partof the network BESTADVICE PhyllisMartin, Tri-CountyCradle toCareer PAGE4 CRITICAL C ARGO BoeingS.C.partneredwithgovernmentandhealthofficials to land three planes loadedwithpersonalprotectiveequipment inNorthCharleston fromChina forMedicalUniversityofS.C.healthworkersstatewide. Story,PhotosPage8-9 Photo/BoeingCo. ByPatrickHoff phoff@scbiznews.com C llegeofCharlestonPresi dentAndrew Hsu said when he first came to the college, what stood out to him were fou P’s:prestige,place,program andpeople. But after a yearof leadingCofC, antherP comes t mind:potential. “Ifwe go in the rightdirection, it (the col- lege)will beataverydifferent level,”Hsu said. In lin e with Hsu’ vision, the College of Charlestonhas adopted an ambitious 10-year strategicplan to competeagaist the topuni- versities in the country. The plan, approved by the college’s board of trustees lastmonth, will be finalized and named this summer. Planning began in June 2019 and includedmore than 5,000 faculty, staff, students, administrators, alumni and community members who participated in workshops, focusgroupsandonline surveys. CofCwas assisted in the planning process byBlueBeyondConsulting,headquartered in CastroValley,Calif. Magnolia site nearingcleanup completion ByPatrickHoff phoff@scbiznews.com A decades-long vision is coming clos- er to fruition on Charleston’sUpper Peninsulaasutilitiesare installedand environmental cleanup work nears comple- tion on the long-empty Magnolia tract of land along theAshleyRiver. “What we’re trying to do is develop a majormixed-useurban center that is focused on and oriented toward the Ashley River,” saidDavidBodenman,president and interim CEOofHighlandResources,whichowns the Magnolia site. Of the140acres thatHighlandowns,about 79acresaredevelopable,Bodenman said.The site isentitled forat least1million square feet of office, 4,000 residential units, 1,000 hotel rooms, 200,000 square feet of retail and a 23.7-acrewaterfrontpark. Twoacresof thepropertywerealsodonat- ed to the city of Charleston for affordable housing. Years ago, Magnolia site was home to several industrial plants, including a Cof C sets a cour se for national status INSIDE Upfront ................................ 2 SCBizNewsBriefs ................ 3 BestAdvice .......................... 4 InFocus: HumanResources .............. 13 List:OfficeSupplyand EquipmentDealers ............. 17 BonusList:Employee BnefitBrokers .................. 18 AtWork .............................. 19 HotProperties ..................... 21 Viewpoint ........................... 23 Retu rn to theoffice Flexibility requiredas employeesbegin returning to theworkplace. Page 13 Coastalpartners Upstateapparelbrand partnerswith coastal conservationgroup. Page3 Keepingcalm 5 reasonsnot topanic over job lossesandhigh unemployment rates. Page 15 Expandedprogram Gran fundingused to increaseutility lineworker trainingopportunities. Page3 Smallbusinesssuffers S.C.businessesunder500 employees amongmostaffectedbyCOVID-19. Page2 SeeCOFC,Page 12 SeeMAGNOLIA,Page6 VOLUME26 NUMBER12 ■ CHARLESTONBUSINESS.COM JUNE1 -14,2020 ■ $2.25 Partof t he network BEST ADVICE Brig.Gen. HankTaylor PAGE4 TheHarbourClbis crossing thepeninsula, stretching across 25 years and reimagining corporatehospiality in an elevated venue designed to serveprofessionals theway theywork. Page8 FROM THE COOPER TO THE ASHLEY JimCoyne,generalmanagerof TheHarbourClubandpartnerwithBNGHospitality, tours the siteat 22WestEdge in MayalongwithSusanO’SullivanSellers,principalwith FlairMarketing inCharleston. (Photo/AndyOwens) ByPatrickHoff phoff@scbiznews.com G ooseCrekhas filed a lawsuit against Santee Cooper over the city’s right to provide electric utility service to custmeswhowillbe annexed intothe city. A special referendumpassed inDecember allowsGooseCreek to establish amunicipal electric utility.The sole customer when the utility begins opertion on Jan. 1 would be Century Aluminum,though 5,000 acres of surroundingpropertywould also be annexed into the city and serviced by themunicipal utility ifnecessary. Century currently receives its electricity through a contractwith SanteeCooper; 25% of the electricity is atSanteeCooper rates and 75% isatopenmarketprices. Goose Creek says it can provide Centu- ry Aluminum, which is located in Berkeley County’sMt.Hollycommunity,withelectrici- tyatnearlyhalf theprice it currentlypays. Century has said if it is able to buy 100% of its electricity atopenmarket rates, it could ColletonCounty boosting economic development effort ByPatrickHoff phoff@scbiznews.com E conomic development groups across the country are chasing a lot of the same industries — food processing, aerospace and automotive being among the highlights. Fr Heyward Horton, though, the target industry is any that’ll create jobs inColleton County. Horton, executive director of theColleton Cuty EconomicAlliance, said the county’s goal is like thatofanyotherarea:Findways to attractnew jobsandnew investment. “Economicdevelopment isalwaysaprocess offilling a leaky bucket,”Horton said. “Com- panies end up closing,moving elsewhere for whatever reasons periodically, so you have to always be in pursuit of new investment and new jobs tobring in just to replace those that leave.” Approximately an hour from Charleston and an hour from Savannah, with Interstate 95 running through it, Colleton County is positioning itself as a reasonably priced spot for companies looking to locate in the Low- country. GooseCreek,SanteeCooperato dsover smelter INSIDE Upfront ................................ 2 SCBizNewsBriefs ................ 3 BestAdvice .......................... 4 InFocus: Architecture,Engineering andConstruction ............... 15 CharlestonUnder Constructio .................. 15-23 List:Landscape ArchitectureFirms ............. 26 AtWork .............................. 27 Viewpoint ........................... 31 Doub lingup Construction com plete ondual-brandedh otel and conference center in Summervlle. Page 15 Mixed-usecampus Investment firm todevelop Pepsiproperty int multifamily,office, retail. Page 13 Financialpressure S.C.hospitals implement layoffs, furloughs to stay afloatduringpandemic. Page9 Virtually legal Law firms settle into working remotelydespite technologyhurdleswith courts. Page8 CopingwithCOVID TheBusiness Journalaskedbusinesseshow they are shifting theirbusinessmodelduring thepandemic. Pages6-12 SeeGOOSECREEK,Page 13 SeeCOLLETON,Page 14 VOLUME26 NUMBER9 ■ CHARLESTONBUSINESS.COM APRIL20 -MAY3,2020 ■ $2.25 Partof the network BESTADVICE AnneCleveland, Charleston LibrarySociety PAGE4 As essentialbusinesses, construction companies shift how theywok and serve customers through theCOVID-19 outbreak. Page 15 STILL UND ER CONS TRUC TI ON A TridentConstructionworker reviews workat the jobsiteat theWestEdge development inCharleston. (Photo/TridentConstruction) CHARLESTONUNDERCONSTRUCTION Who isbuildingwhat in theCharlestonarea? Projects,companies,prices,projected timelines,photosandstories. Page 19 Nonprofitdonations increasedespite COVID-19pressures ByAlexandriaNg ang@scbiznews.com T heCOVID-19 pandemic has taken its toll on the economy, bringing nation- al unemployment numbers to 13.3% inMay and shutting down some businesses permanently. But donors across the country are rallying aroundnonprofits at a timewhen some say they aremostneeded. TimWinkler isCEOof theWinklerGroup, Landlords, tenants told tobe ‘human’ in renegotiations ByAndyOwens aowens@scbiznews.com E venwith the state slowly reopening, the coronavirus pandemic has rendered certain commercial space less valuable formany small businesses— but that doesn’t meanyoudon’thave topayyour rent,accord- ing to aMountPleasant attorney. Alex Juncu, an attorneywho specializes in contract law, including landlord and tenant issues,said landlordsand tenantscansavea lot of timewhenrenegotiatinga leasebyknowing what’s in the lease and by remembering the “human component” in each transaction. “Exercise patience, but also be ready to make some concessions,”he said. “When you docollaborate,you’llmakea lotmoreprogress thanwhenyou’re inanadversarialposition.” He said landlords and tenants must INSIDE Upfrot ................................ 2 SCBizNwsBriefs ................ 3 BestAdvice .......................... 4 VantagePoint .................. 10-11 InFocus: Architecture,Engineering andConstruction ............... 19 List:Homebuilders ............. 32 AtWork .............................. 35 StephenSlifer ..................... 36 Viewpoint .......................... 38 Ready for lifto ff JointBas eCharleston supports flight to space stationwithC-17 rescue crewsonalert. Page7 Newchiefexec KionNothAmericanames newCEO for the company’s U.S.headquarters. Page 17 Indutrialpartner Kontane Logisticsopens warehouse facility in BerkeleyCounty to serve Volvo. Page 14 Incubating lifesciences ChrlestonDigitalCorridor opns incubator in WestEdge. Page 12 SeeNONPROFITS,Page5 SeeLEASING,Page 12 VOLUME26 NUMBER13 ■ CHARLESTONBUSINESS.COM JUNE15 -28,2020 ■ $2.25 Partof the network BESTADVICE AngelaCraig, executivedirector, CharlestonCounty PublicLibrary PAGE4 WH AT’S NEXT? After a night of smashedwindows, a car fire, looted inventory and questions about how public officials handled protests and curfews, Charleston-area companies try to restore order to their businesses once again. Page6 Many storefrontsweredamagedonKingStreetduring theprotests in lateMay. (Photo/ShawndaPoynter) Begin your subscription today! Go to charlestonbusiness.com/subscribe to subscribe. 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