In The Know: News, updates from Greenville area businesses and nonprofits
Swiss Company Chooses Greer For 1st U.S. Manufacturing Site
Matica Group, based in Switzerland, will invest $2 million in flex space at Pelham Crossing, an office, industrial and retail park off Hwy. 14 in Greer.
The Greer facility will house the company’s first North American manufacturing operation and produce high-tech identification and payment systems. The company has 200 employees and 11 facilities worldwide, including a technology support office in Greenville County. It plans to hire 40 people locally.
“This is more than an investment in our city; it signifies a vote of confidence in our community’s potential,” said Greer Mayor Rick Danner. “Together, with companies like the Matica Group, Greer is setting the stage for a future of innovation and economic success.”
Matica’s founder and CEO, Sandro Camilleri, said Greer made sense for the new location. “We feel very welcome and look forward to a successful future,” Camilleri said.
Greenberg Gibbons is developing Pelham Crossing, with plans to include a convenience store, restaurant and bank. Colliers International real estate agency is leasing the remaining space.
Matica Group expects its Greer operations to be up and running in July.
Executive Offices Complete In Greenville Historic Area
The Franklin, a shared executive office space created by Franklin Real Estate Development, has opened at 107 E. Park Avenue in Downtown Greenville’s East Park Historic District.
The Franklin has 12 offices ranging from 90 to 225 square feet, a shared break area, and a shared conference room. Walls and floors of the 107-year-old structure were insulated to reduce noise and improve energy efficiency.
Leases will include utilities, fiber-optic internet service, access to printers and copiers, cleaning services and parking.
Built as a private residence in 1917, The Franklin was converted to office space several years ago. Across from McPherson Park, the building is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Franklin is the second historic redevelopment project by Greenville developer and broker Kurt Wallenborn in the past year. Prosper, a 7,000-square-foot office redevelopment project, opened in February at 832 Wade Hampton Blvd. in the former McBride office supply store. Prosper was added last spring to the National Register of Historic Places.
“The Franklin is a great example of what can be done with old buildings,” Wallenborn said. “These structures are built better than any new construction. It can’t be replicated today.”
The building’s restoration partners include SHLTR Architects, Bluewater Civil Design, Studio Main, Creative Builders, Amy Emery Interior Design, Ivey Communications, and Design the Experience. Wallenborn preserved the original floors, and Kelvin Eichinger restored the windows.
Funding came from 33 individual investors through Greenville’s Vicinity Capital, with additional financing from United Community Bank.
Milliken & Company Among ‘Most Ethical’
Diversified global manufacturer Milliken & Company in Spartanburg was included on the 2024 World’s Most Ethical Companies list curated by Ethisphere.
The annual recognition highlights organizations with a commitment to business integrity. Milliken is one of only six honorees to make the list each year since 2007.
“At Milliken, we are committed to making a positive impact on people and the world around us,” said Milliken President and CEO Halsey Cook. “This honor affirms that how we conduct business matters just as much as what we accomplish.”
The World's Most Ethical Companies list, compiled by Ethisphere, is created with a questionnaire that requires companies to answer 240 questions about their ethics, environmental, social and governance practices; ethics and compliance program; diversity, equity and inclusion; and initiatives that support a strong value chain.
Milliken & Company manufactures products that deliver solutions to the public, clients and communities. Its applications are used in textile, specialty chemical, flooring and health care businesses.
Ethisphere highlights trends and best practices in ethics with Ethisphere Magazine. It advances business performance through data-driven assessments and guidance.
Mauldin Conducting Community Survey
The City of Mauldin is conducting a community survey to gather feedback as part of its strategic planning process.
The survey is available online through March 31 at Mauldin strategic plan.
The city is working with Benchmark Planning to develop a five-year strategic plan that will help guide City Council and staff. Mauldin is projected to grow to 35,000 residents by 2030.
The survey seeks to determine public opinion about quality of life, city services, housing, needs, priorities, opportunities, and visions for the future.
“Input from our residents, business owners and other stakeholders will play a key role in helping us chart a course for our city’s future,” said Mayor Terry Merritt.
Since 2010, Mauldin has grown from a community of 23,000 residents to more than 28,000 residents today. The city’s strategic plan is expected to be finalized in June.
Bob Jones, Museum Host Annual ‘Living Gallery’
Bob Jones University and The Museum and Gallery will produce their annual “Living Gallery” from March 28 to 30 at the Rodeheaver Auditorium on campus.
The presentation onstage uses drama, film, music and actors to portray classic and new Christian works of art.
This year’s production, titled “Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled,” features “The Last Supper” by Pascal Dagnan-Bouveret, a recently unveiled sculpture by local artist Doug Young, and “Adoration of the Magi” by Flemish painter Jan Boeckhorst.
Artists and technicians spend hundreds of hours creating sets, costumes, makeup, and lighting needed to re-create larger-than-life artwork with live models.
Tickets are $18 for teens and adults, and $16 for children ages 6 to 12. Seven performances will take place over the three days. For tickets, times and details, go to livinggallery.bju.edu.
Simpsonville Lunch Explores Resource For Small Businesses
The topic for this month’s Simpsonville Area Chamber of Commerce Lunch & Learn will be “Small Business Development Center Resources for Minority-Owned Businesses.”
The event will take place from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 26 at the Prisma Health Conference Room, 105A W. Curtis St.
Andrea Galehouse, program coordinator with the S.C. Small Business Development Center, will provide information about the center’s no-cost business consulting, training, and access to referrals. The event is in partnership with the Kaleidoscope Business Diversity Program and will include time for introductions and networking with other guests.
To register or for more information, go to Lunch and Learn.
Ten At Top Adds Board Members
Ten at the Top has selected 12 new board members for the 2024-25 term. The new members join existing members to form the governing board for the 10-county nonprofit organization.
New members are Gail Awan, Urban League of the Upstate; Noah Beason, Cherokee County Development Board; Johnnie-Lynn Crosby, Transfr Inc.; Kevin Greene, Trehel Corp.; Kelly Gregory, Riley Institute at Furman University; Robert Halfacre, Park National Bank & City of Clemson; Rivers Hughes, Hughes Investments; Ceej Jefferson, Oak & Ave Property Group; Grayson Kelly, Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative; Julia Levi, Carolina Transportation Engineers & Associates; Dari McBride, Oconee County Chamber of Commerce; and Camille Reams, Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina.
The TATT Board of Directors includes public, private and civic leaders from across the 10-county Upstate. TATT board members represent the region and their communities to foster trust and collaboration on issues of regional significance; serve as advocates for regional thinking; and assist TATT to engage elected officials, business and community leaders.
School of Medicine Greenville Hosts Lecture On Gender, Pain
USC School of Medicine Greenville will host a lecture March 26 about “Sex Differences in Pain Throughout the Lifespan.”
The lecture is part of the David A. Wilson, M.D., Innovations in Medicine Lecture Series. The speaker, Jeffery S. Mogil, Ph.D., will present an overview of his research about how men and women experience pain differently.
Mogil is the Chair of Pain Studies at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. His behavioral neuroscience research seeks to better understand how the nervous system mediates and inhibits pain perception. Mogil also serves as the Canada Research Chair in Genetics of Pain.
The lecture is open to the public at 5:30 p.m. at the C. Dan Adams Lecture Hall. It will be recorded and available on the USC School of Medicine Greenville website.
The Wilson Distinguished Lecture series highlights advancements in medicine, engages community members, and draws national attention to Greenville’s medical school. The series recognizes Dr. David A. Wilson, the first board-certified general surgeon in Greenville. Wilson initiated the accreditation of surgical training at Greenville Health System (now Prisma Health) and contributed to the surgical treatment of tuberculosis.
Greenville Mayor Knox White recently honored Wilson’s wife, Ruth Wilson Nicholson, for her contributions to educational opportunities for nurse practitioners.
In addition to the Wilson family, the lecture series is supported by the Sargent Foundation, founded in 1953 by Earle and Eleanor Sargent, and led by trustees Dr. Robert and Teresa Wilson and Dr. Bob Jones III.
Health Fair In Simpsonville
The Simpsonville Area Chamber of Commerce Health and Wellness Expo will take place from 9 a.m. to noon March 27 at the Prisma Health Family YMCA.
The event will promote health, wellness and recreation for all ages. Exhibitors and activities will represent industries such as health care, holistic health, exercise and fitness, healthy diet guidelines, retirement and investment planning, and aesthetics.
The sponsor is Davis Audiology. For information about being a vendor or attending, go to Simpsonvillechamber.com.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: In The Know: News, updates from Greenville area businesses and nonprofits
