By Warren L. Wise 

Post & Courier

Southwest Airlines is bringing back daily nonstop service between Charleston and its Texas home base.

The carrier will begin offering flights between the Lowcountry and Dallas Love Field Jan. 7, 2019. The flight schedule shows departure from Charleston at 2:30 p.m. for the three-hour flight. The flight leaves Dallas at 10:25 a.m.

The airline initially offered the flight in 2014 after expanding to two extra gates at Love Field.

Currently, American Airlines offers two daily flights to Dallas-Forth Worth International Airport. Southwest will be the only carrier offering nonstop daily service to nearby Love Field.

Southwest began serving Charleston International in 2011 with four daily flights. It now flies four times daily to Baltimore, twice daily to Chicago Midway, and once a day to Denver, Houston, Nashville and St. Louis.

The new flight will represent the 31st nonstop flight out of Charleston to airports in 25 destinations since some metro area offer two or more airports.

Southwest is the airport’s third largest carrier, behind Delta Air Lines and American Airlines.

By Jenna Edwards & Alisa Frye

Charleston Regional Development Alliance

With 50,500 new jobs created since 2010, the Charleston metro area continues to support significant economic growth.  The businesses in our region, whether multinational manufacturers or doctors’ offices, thrive based on the people they employ.  Sustaining this momentum and ensuring all citizens can participate requires innovative approaches to training and aligning our regional workforce.

Though regions all over the country are struggling to attract and grow talent with key skills, the Charleston region and the state of South Carolina are expanding existing programs and creating new ones to help all companies succeed.  These programs, however, can only be successful if our businesses and neighbors know that they exist and how to access them.

From elementary school curriculum to adult apprenticeships, we’re working together to ensure our workforce is prepared for all of our industries.  Here are a few examples of the many ways our schools, companies, and local and state agencies are working together to move our community forward:

Elementary & Middle School

• Tri-County Cradle to Career Collaborative – Leaders in the three-county region came together to build this initiative for ensuring every child will graduate from high school and be ready for either additional education or a career.
• Girls Who Code – Girls Who Code is building the largest pipeline of future female engineers by educating girls about computer science through project-based learning.
• DreamLearners – Students in 5^th grade are eligible to join Boeing’s DreamLearners educational program to visit the Boeing South Carolina facility and learn about careers in the aerospace industry.

High School

• Career Academies – With multiple areas of focus, Career Academies are career-themed schools within high schools that reflect the 21^st century workplace to prepare students for their future careers. Areas of focus include:
  • Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
  • Health Sciences
  • Culinary/Hospitality
  • Business and IT
• Charleston Regional Youth Apprenticeships – Trident Technical College offers high school juniors, seniors, and graduating seniors the opportunity to learn and get paid. The program may be used to earn certifications, open employment opportunities for students, and fill graduation requirements.
• TEALS – By creating a partnership between the classroom, high school teachers, and tech industry volunteers, high school students are exposed to computer science programs.

College & University

• JRS Coding School – Professionals interested in a career in software development can complete the 12-week program and become proficient in building full-stack web applications with JavaScript.
• CODEcamp – As part of Charleston Digital Corridor’s mission to advance Charleston’s tech scene, CODEcamp is a continuing tech education program for adults of all backgrounds and expertise to get an introduction to web development. CODEcamp also provides training sessions for employers.
• SC Aeronautical Training Center – Trident Technical College is constructing a facility to provide training for well-paying jobs in advanced manufacturing industries.

Adult Education

• readySC – readySC works closely with local businesses to provide customized training for South Carolina’s workforce.
• Adult Apprentices – In collaboration with Trident Technical College and regional employers, students have the opportunity to learn as apprentices in a variety of different industries while getting paid.
• Lean Manufacturing Certificate Program – Industries across our three-county region are offering manufacturing training programs for those who lack experience to apply for entry-level manufacturing jobs.

Many more programs exist in our market and provide opportunities for residents to align their skills with what our businesses need.  If you have interest in or questions about any of these programs, please reach out to them directly.

Pure Sports Technologies, a Charleston-based bat manufacturer, has successfully invented a tamper-resistant bat using aerospace-grade carbon fiber material up-cycled from The Boeing Company. The company is on track to sell over $2,000,000 in bats in its first year with continued plans to invest in growth and employment here in the Lowcountry. The bats are manufactured entirely in the USA. “Pure Sports Technologies has teamed up with Boeing to provide aerospace-grade carbon fiber to their bats. These are the first bats ever to be up-cycled from our 787-carbon fiber material,” said Glenn McEachron, The Boeing Company’s executive in charge of Investment Recovery. Chris Osborne, Pure Sports Technologies owner and carbon fiber guru, noted that, “it takes a lot of carbon fiber to make a plane. It doesn’t take quite as much to make a bat. Their scrap is enough for us to make a bat.”

Softball is a popular sport for its competitive offerings and versatility in every age group and gender. This eco-friendly, mega-hit technology directly benefits softball leagues nationwide. Osborne described how leagues wanted a bat that couldn’t be modified to cheat while players wanted customization, power, and durability. “We created a bat that checks every box. Ours is customizable with a solid end cap. We use a specially-designed piece of robotic equipment to control with absolute precision where the carbon fiber is placed. Because of this we can say our bats are truly one of the ‘hottest’ in the industry,” he said.

Pure Sports Technologies also sponsors the professional men’s softball team currently ranked one of the top five teams in the country. Teammate and Center Field player, Filip Washington, likes the flex he feels when he swings the Pure Sports Integrity bat. “There are a lot of good bats on the market, but they don’t feel good in your hands,” he said. “When you hit a ball and you know you stepped on it, you just can’t tell with most other companies. The Pure Sports Technologies Integrity line feels like a trampoline. You can feel the bat compress in your hands and the ball jumping off the barrel. This is one of the first companies I have represented and played for that has a good product from the first swing to the last. Personally, I love the product because you can’t alter it, but you still get the same exit speed. It keeps the game fair!”

Pure Sports Technologies is at the forefront of cutting-edge, American-made, sporting equipment manufacturing. The company has positioned itself as a conscious thought leader with The Boeing Company leaving behind a positive carbon footprint with its environmentally-sound partnership. To learn more about the company headquartered at 1629 Folly Rd, Charleston, S.C., 29412, visit the website at www.puresportstech.com or call 866-678-PURE.

Contact: Lindsay Mullinax

1629 Folly Rd Charleston SC 29412

Phone: 866-678-PURE

Email: lindsay@leaptechllc.com

The Charleston Digital Corridor’s Leadership Profile Series is focused on the individuals who are driving the Charleston tech scene forward. This series is brought to you with support from Charleston County Economic Development.

David Wise, a Charleston native, is founder and CEO of AVOXI, which sells virtual phone numbers and related software tools to companies globally. Wise started the company in 2001 in Atlanta and opened a Charleston office in 2015. AVOXI’s main operations now are based in Charleston and Atlanta with other offices in Hong Kong; San Jose, Costa Rica; Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa; and Kingston, Jamaica.

In your own words, what does your company do?

We sell virtual phone numbers. A great example is Michael Kors, which sells pocketbooks and leather goods all around the world. They don’t necessarily have operations in all those countries, but if you buy a pocketbook in China and you have an issue with it or you want to order another one, they take a phone number in China, and they ring it to their call center, which is probably in London. We give them those phone numbers and we deliver them to their contact center.

We also give them a software tool, for when that call lands in that call center, to actually monitor the agent productivity, how long are they on the call, are they saying things like “please” and “thank you,” are they offering them a promotion. We give them the ability to score that agent’s productivity once that call comes in to that call center.

What segments do you focus on?

Hospitality and travel are big for us – hotels, online booking agents, airlines, tour operators – as well as consumer goods. We’ve also found software companies, people selling software as a service that thought they could do it without ever having to talk to anybody, are realizing that they have some big customers and they don’t want to lose them.

Where did you grow up? What was life like?

I grew up here in Charleston, actually in Mount Pleasant. I went to Porter-Gaud through eighth grade and then transferred to Wando High School. I graduated from there and went to The Citadel. Got a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Loved The Citadel. It provided a lot of great structure for me in my life at the time, and really a big challenge both physically and mentally, and it also built a lot of confidence in myself as well as in my ability to get out in front and lead people.

Read more at Charleston Digital Corridor

By Warren L. Wise

Post & Courier

Charleston residents will soon be able to fly nonstop to Minneapolis at the introductory roundtrip cost of about $100.

Denver-based Frontier Airlines will launch uninterrupted flights to the Twin Cities area on Wednesday and Saturday starting Aug. 15 until at least Nov. 14, according to the company’s website.

The introductory fare on each leg of the roughly three-hour flight is $39 on Wednesday and $49 on Saturday, based on Frontier’s online flight schedule. Flights at the discount rates must be booked by 11:59 p.m. June 8.

“We’ll call it our little gift to the community,” said Helen Hill, CEO of the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and a board member of Charleston County Aviation Authority.

The carrier began serving the Charleston area in February with three nonstop flights per week to the Mile High City and Philadelphia.

In April, it tacked on similar service three times a week on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday to Trenton, N.J., which is near Philadelphia. That same month, the airline added twice-weekly flights to the Texas high-tech mecca of Austin on Tuesday and Friday.

Last month, Frontier began nonstop routes on Monday and Friday to Chicago 0’Hare International.

“Frontier Airlines continues to deliver on its promise from our earliest conversations almost two years ago,” airport CEO Paul Campbell said. “We are pleased to be able to offer ‘Low Fares Done Right’ to the Twin Cities for the good people of our region.”

Hill, the city’s chief tourism agent, also welcomed Frontier’s new flight.

“The new Minneapolis-St.Paul service is perfectly aligned with the hospitality industry’s goal to add new nonstop cities from markets whose people will appreciate the authentic experience that the Charleston area can offer,” she said.

“We strongly believe that additional air service from cities like Minneapolis is a natural win for our industry but equally important for Charleston area friends looking for an affordable way to visit friends and relatives in the Land of 10,000 Lakes,” Hill added.

Frontier uses France-based Airbus jets. Those flying out of Charleston to Minneapolis will be single-aisle A319 models that seat 160 passengers.

Frontier’s announcement means “a very special year is shaping up” at Charleston International, Campbell said.

Two new airlines, including Frontier, added several new nonstop destinations to the airport’s lineup this year. The other new carrier is Las Vegas-based Allegiant.

The new routes, along with expanded service from other airlines, are expected to boost the number of passengers coming and going through the terminal to a record 4.4 million, more than doubling the number of travelers at the airport in just eight years. Last year, the airport ferried 3.9 million people through its terminal.

Ingevity wins Industry Impact Award

As part of the 27th annual Industry Appreciation series, the S.C. Department of Commerce recognized its 2018 Industry Impact award recipients during an event on Thursday, April 26 at 701 Whaley Street in Columbia, S.C. Honoring businesses that have made significant contributions to their communities and state, the recipients were selected within a certain employment size and county development tier group.

“South Carolina has developed a reputation around the world as a place that’s got it all, and that includes a workforce that can meet any challenge,” said Gov. Henry McMaster. “These local business leaders from all across our state are what make South Carolina such a wonderful place to live, work, and play.”

Each year, S.C. Commerce joins local communities to thank businesses for their vital contributions to South Carolina’s economy with an Industry Appreciation event. Nominees for this year’s Industry Impact awards were judged based on a number of factors, including capital investment, job creation, community engagement and environmental stewardship.

“Team South Carolina is composed of countless moving parts and players, and we’re proud to recognize some of the companies that have made our state’s economy an international powerhouse,” said Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt. “These recipients represent the workforce that has made our ongoing success possible.”

In addition to presenting the 2018 Industry Impact awards, the state recognized three businesses with a South Carolina Export Achievement award and one firm with a Recycling Industry Excellence award. Three students were also recognized as Young Entrepreneurs of the Year.

For photos of the awards recipients, please visit S.C. Commerce’s flickr page.

2018 Industry Impact Awards

2018 Export Achievement Awards

2018 Recycling Industry Excellence Award

2018 Young Entrepreneurs of the Year

The state Department of Commerce is feeding more money into the state’s technology sector with a series of grants to startup-minded organizations around the state.

The agency, which has sought a bigger role in the state’s nascent startup scene, says it’s handing out $719,000 in grants to nine groups, including two in the Lowcountry.

The Harbor Entrepreneur Center, a startup accelerator on the upper peninsula, received $70,000 in new funding from the state. The Charleston Digital Corridor is receiving just under $65,000 for a project assembling a director of service providers for tech companies. That project, which hasn’t launched yet, will be called CharlestonPros.

The Digital Corridor’s director, Ernest Andrade, calls the upcoming site a “showcase of on-demand company and freelance professionals to support the further growth and success of Charleston’s tech companies.”

Charleston County Government will hold a third meeting to connect people with training ahead of the Mercedes-Benz Vans plant expansion opening this year.

• The meeting will be Saturday, April 21, 2018 at Fort Dorchester High School, located at 8500 Patriots Boulevard, North Charleston, S.C.
• Doors open at 9 a.m. and the session will begin promptly at 10 a.m.
• Registration is required and space is limited to 1,000 attendees.

Manufacturing experience is not required to attend the pre-employment information meetings. People from across the tri-county area are welcome to attend. For more details and to register go to www.ChooseCharleston.org.

Through a partnership with South Carolina Department of Commerce, Trident Technical College, Mercedes-Benz Vans, readySC^TM and Charleston County, curriculum and pathways have been created to provide residents with the necessary qualifications for manufacturing positions. The meetings will give those interested in working for Mercedes-Benz Vans an opportunity to learn valuable information that could help them attain a position with the company.

The new Mercedes-Benz Vans Sprinter plant is located off Palmetto Commerce Parkway in North Charleston. The company will continue hiring body, paint, assembly and maintenance positions throughout 2018, creating up to 1,300 jobs over the next ten years in Charleston County.

Mercedes-Benz Vans Media Contact:

Alyssa Bean

Communications Specialist

843-695-5061

alyssa.bean@daimler.com

“Business and economic development in South Carolina is a team sport, and events like these upcoming Mercedes-Benz Vans information meetings are a testament to that. Through collaboration between various local and state partners, Mercedes-Benz Vans will be connected with a large pool of skilled workers. And, as a result, we’ll be able to ensure that South Carolinians fill these jobs, adding to our reputation as a state that’s ‘Just right’ for manufacturing.” –Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt

“Charleston County was elated to be chosen as the optimum NAFTA location for Mercedes-Benz Vans’ expansion in 2015. We have and will continue to be a partner to ensure their new facility achieves great success. We were thrilled with the participation in the first two information meetings and look forward to connecting our residents with career opportunities.” – Charleston County Council Chairman Victor Rawl

“Our team at Mercedes-Benz Vans is writing history by building the Sprinter van part by part in the U.S. for the first time ever. We want the Charleston community to share in our excitement and become part of that story themselves.” – Mercedes-Benz Vans President & CEO Michael Balke

FIVE FAST FACTS

• Mercedes-Benz Vans, part of the Daimler Group, is establishing a full production plant in addition to existing assembly operations in North Charleston.
• Information meeting will be held for Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester County residents on April 21 to discuss possible career paths at Mercedes-Benz Vans.
• Registration is required and information can be found at ChooseCharleston.org
• Mercedes-Benz Vans will grow to a team of up to 1,300 by the end of the decade.
• Further information of Mercedes-Benz Vans can be found at MBVCharleston.com.

Comcast announced today that it is launching a new internet service that will deliver speeds up to 1 Gigabit-per-second (Gbps) to residential and business customers in Charleston, SC. Starting in late April 2018, Comcast will begin delivering these super-fast speeds using DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem technology, which leverages the existing wiring that most people already have in their homes. The gigabit service will be among the fastest and most widely available in the area, and will include access to the nation’s largest Wi-Fi network of more than 18 million hotspots.

“With today’s announcement by Comcast, Charleston continues to establish itself as a premier destination for residents and businesses seeking the most advanced technology,” said Ernest Andrade, Executive Director at the Charleston Digital Corridor. “We appreciate Comcast’s long-standing partnership with the Charleston region, and look forward to enjoying some of the nation’s fastest Internet speeds.”

Read more at Charleston Digital Corridor

David Wren

Post & Courier

As Boeing Co. celebrated the first delivery on Sunday of a 787-10 Dreamliner to Singapore Airlines, the aerospace giant said it’s taking steps to keep North Charleston at the forefront of commercial airplane production.

Singapore Airlines took the first of 49 787-10s it eventually will buy during a nighttime event featuring Boeing and airline executives, local and state business leaders, Singapore’s ambassador to the United States and thousands of Dreamliner campus employees.

“The 787-10 is indeed a magnificent piece of engineering and truly a work of art,” said Goh Choong Phong, CEO of Singapore Airlines, launch customer for the “Dash 10” that’s built exclusively in North Charleston. “It will be an important element in our growth strategy and will allow us to extend our network and strengthen our operations.”

Kevin McAllister, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, kicked off the event with a rousing “Good evening Boeing South Carolina,” calling the 787-10 “a great milestone for Boeing, the 787 family and for our South Carolina team,” which was featured prominently in videos shown as part of a delivery event light show.

“Just look at how beautiful she looks in Singapore Airlines livery,” McAllister said of the 787-10 parked next to the speakers’ stage.

Read more at The Post & Courier…