InterviewHolly

The speaker works as an existing industry manager at the Department of Commerce, covering 12 counties in South Carolina. They meet with industrial manufacturers and small businesses to provide resources and assistance. Manufacturing brings in high revenue through property taxes and offers higher wages, benefiting the community. The speaker's role is to ensure companies feel valued and understand the resources available to them. They have visited various companies, including one that produces biodegradable straws and another that converts sawmill byproducts into equine bedding. Sustainability is important, and companies are encouraged to reduce their carbon footprint through recycling, energy efficiency, and other initiatives. Education and awareness play a crucial role in making sustainable choices. The speaker's job is to help companies set goals and implement steps to reach them. Sustainability should be ingrained in every aspect of life. The speaker previously worked as a local deve So at the Department of Commerce, I'm an existing industry manager, I cover 12 counties, everything from Lexington, Aiken, over and down, so kind of if you're looking at the state as a pie, I've got the bottom third. And what I do is I go in and I meet with company, industrial manufacturers, this will be good for the state Department of Commerce, small businesses, more actual chamber of commerce, people get that confused often, so we work with the larger scale manufacturers. And like we small manufacturer, it's less than 20 employees, but manufacturing is really where we take our root. The reason for that is because that's what brings in the highest revenue, and that is how the state propels forward by increasing revenue through the tax base for the county. So manufacturers pay a different tax, and that's higher than a commercial, or so like a retail or a restaurant is not going to pay the same tax base as a manufacturing facility. So manufacturers come and they locate in these counties, and that's really how the counties get a lot of their revenue is through the property tax paid by the manufacturers. And traditionally, manufacturing pays a higher wage, so that's what helps the community to thrive and grow. So once you've got a good manufacturing base, then you have good employment, and then you can get a better, more rounded out community development. So what I do is I go in and I meet with companies that are already here, and I ask them what's going well, what's not going well, and I provide resources through the state to assist with anything that they're struggling with, whether that is if they export their product. We have a lot of different entities within commerce, and I guess I should tell you the two main branches, well, three. We have recruitment, where we try and get companies to come here. We have business services, where we help the companies that are already here, and then we have administration, and grants, and executives, and all the ones that are making the decisions and going across streets. So yeah, so I'm on the business services team, and I am the boots on the ground, making sure that they know we're here and what we have that is available to help them. We've got recycling, international trade, we have innovation, so for any business that is trying to branch into a new market, and then we have a partnership program with an organization called SCMEP, it's Manufacturing Extension Partnership, but they're efficiency experts for manufacturing, and they come in at no cost because we're their partner and they help them. So in a nutshell, what I do is go on field trips in all these counties to all these different companies and learn about what they make and how they make it, and then my very favorite one that I did is one of my first ones that I ever did, so I was a local developer before I came to commerce, and I worked in Hampton, and there is a composite straw company. They're not paper, though. They are biodegradable, but they're a biodegradable pellet, so it's an extruder process, so then they're biodegradable. So this was one of my first EI visits that I ever did, and I just thought it was absolutely fascinating, and I loved the product, I loved the company. They paid for 100% of the benefits for their employees, which was huge, because they're a distressed rural area. There's another one called Queenwood Products in Allendale. They take a byproduct from sawmills, and then they give it a secondary life cycle. What they do is they make equine bedding, but it's a really high-tech method, so what they do is they have this process that's heavily automated, and then all of the dust particulate is vacuumed into this system, and they use it through a giant furnace in the back, and that's how they power the entire plant. I've been to Amazon here in Lexington, West Columbia. I've been to Nephron here. Let's see, and then, so I've done over 200 visits this year. There's another company called Neupie in UPI, and it's like a PVC pipe, but the lifespan of a traditional PVC pipe is six to eight years. The lifespan of Neupie's product is 50 to 60 years, so it's a much more sustainable product. I've met with MTU Rolls-Royce in Aiken, and they are super cool because they put solar panels. They've done kind of a parking pad, and on their parking pad, they put a cover, and on top of the cover are solar panels, and that's what they use to power their facility. So there are a lot of different companies that are really looking into sustainability, but then there are, oh my gosh, and then one of the most eccentric visits that I ever did was actually at an industrial laundry service. So they work with all of the hotels and all of the resorts on Hilton Head, and they take the sheets and the towels, and they clean them. Again, heavily automated. Loved the plant manager. He went to MIT, and he's just a very unique individual, and so we went to the balcony, and he said, we're going to present that you're a dirty piece of laundry, and I'm going to show you exactly how everything works. And I thought it was going to be a boring visit, but it actually turned out to be truly incredible. It was so much fun, and then I've been to Starbucks and the roasting facility in Sandy Run and seen how the beans are made. That was really cool, and I've been to a dairy processor to see how they actually make the milk and the dairy byproducts. Really my job is to just make sure that they understand that they're valued. We appreciate their investment in South Carolina, and if you have an issue. My background is in biology and chemistry, and I used to work for DNR, and I did ecological research. So I am a conservationist, but I also understand the need for economic development. To me, sustainability is where do those two intersect, and how do we maintain the natural resources that we have here while growing and picking the right project to help South Carolina grow and be more successful and enrich the lives of our citizens. So our mission at Commerce is to make sure that there's more opportunities for our citizens and that our citizens are able to have a place that they love to live, but a good quality of life through options and opportunities to develop themselves and get a good paying job. That all comes back to the type of industries that we recruit. So to me, sustainability is making sure that we preserve what we have while growing and making good strategic decisions about how we grow. Carbon footprint is a big deal. I am in total agreement with it. One of the obstacles is people want to do it, but they don't understand it costs money. But you're investing in yourself, because long term, this is going to be what's best for not just you, but all of us. To me, sustainability is making sure that you're looking at the future and that our impact is only positive and removing as much of the negative impact as you can in a gradual manner. So it may be baby steps. We can't get there overnight, but at least having companies get that it's important. And for the most part, they all are buying into this is at least something we need to be paying attention to and something that we need to be figuring out how we can at least tap into what we can tap into that works for us. It starts with education and awareness. Understanding that your choices and your habits have an impact and what is that impact and what is the alternative and what works for you and how can you implement that in a realistic manner. So not every company is going to be able to reach carbon neutrality, but they can reduce and they can work towards it. It can be a good goal and as technology advances, maybe eventually they will be able to get there. But even just having a company implement a recycling program where they may not be implementing a recycling program, looking at solar panels, looking at like what we talked about for the equine bedding company, how can we power this in a more energy efficient way? Figuring out how can we reduce our emissions? Is there a way to... I'm working with a company right now. They're a fertilizer company and they have been landfilling their byproduct for 30 years just because they couldn't figure out... It's not that they didn't want to do something else with it, but they couldn't figure out what to do. So I was able to connect them with one of our ally partners called SC Fraunhofer, but they come in and they work with them to solve problems like that. So we're taking something that isn't toxic, it's fertilizer, we put it in the ground, and reducing that landfill mass, even if it's by a percentage, but it started with education, awareness, and a goal. And then figuring out a strategic plan to implement steps to reach that goal. And that's the same thing with an individual. Okay, can we put in a different thermostat? What can we do? Can we utilize a recycling company? Are we making sure that if there's something that has a secondary life to it, that we are giving it to the right location for utilization of that? It really just is... Everything needs to be ingrained in who you are and how you function and your thinking. So I was doing local development, and the way that the hierarchy for economic development works is kind of, you know, we have the State Department of Commerce, then you have alliances, regional alliances that cover multiple counties, and then each county has their own local developer. So I had a hybrid role. So I worked as a local developer for Hampton, Allendale, Bamberg, and Borough, because I was at a local alliance. So those are all very rural counties, and they couldn't afford to have their own local developer, so they paid the regional alliance to serve in that function. So I've been at Commerce for a year, but I was doing this in that previous role. But in that previous role, I was technically a project manager, so I did the recruitment and the existing industry, and another term for existing industry is BRE, business recruitment and expansion. So I did both, and I liked it. I enjoyed it, but I really loved the existing industry part, because, you know, a company, if you're trying to recruit them, you meet them, they might come, they might not. The best way I've ever heard it explained is that project management is like dating. You put on your best face, and you may never see them again. Existing industry is like a marriage, and you get to build a long-term relationship with a company, and you get to see them grow and thrive, and that's just really, it was just a calling for me. So I was able to then expand into this role and focus on existing industry in 12 counties, which was really what I wanted to be doing full-time anyway. I enjoyed the project recruitment. I learned a lot doing it, but I wanted to do EI more. The most important part of my position is ensuring that the companies understand we're here to help. It's a funny line, but it's the truth. Whenever I do a company visit, you know, you hear State Department of Commerce, really official government. I'm not there to regulate in any way, and that's what I always say. I'm like, I know that this sounds like a line. Yes, I'm here with the government, and I'm here to help, but it is true. And so that's what I tell them. I'm not here to regulate anything. I'm not here to audit you. I'm here so that you understand you have an ally and an advocate, and I'm here to make your job easier. My entire job is to make your job easier. So that is, and I think that's the most important part, making sure that they understand that they feel valued, because a lot of times, even if you can't 100% solve a problem, knowing that someone has listened and is trying and cares goes a long way. So our recycling team actually works with Sustain Estate, and it's one of the services that we promote. So we, any company that is interested on our end, we promote our recycling program and all of the suite of services that they offer in partnership with Sustain Estate, including REMDAC, which is kind of like a recycling matchmaker platform. So if you have a byproduct that you're looking to get a recycler to pick up, you can go to this site. Or if you're a recycler and you're looking for a specific product, it's a matchmaking service, and that's one of the things that we've offered. There are also sustainability tax credits that we can help companies tap into to offset what they have to pay in at the end of the year. And then, you know, so we're here to help the companies with anything that we can, as far as mine goes. In our actual role as commerce, as an entity, we also, you know, we have a recycling program here, and then we have other initiatives aren't necessarily at the forefront of what you see, but we're in the background helping to do it. But then in the grander scheme, we're looking at really ways that we can partner to have impactful, long-lasting on the entire state. The one, the Scout project with the mitigation, that was also in partnership with the Forestry Commission. So we have a lot of partners, and we just figure out ways that we can help them do things on a grander scale. I have another company that they deal with PFAS. They're the Forever Chemicals. They are working on an alternative portion to be able to make their end product, so something that can reduce their PFAS utilization. A lot of people are looking at how to reduce power usage as well. So there is a company called Pomega that makes a product called ABESS. It's a B-E-S-S, Battery Energy Storage Solution. So what happens is at night, it draws up electricity so that during peak hours, your grid usage isn't as high. So you're not pulling from the grid and putting a strain. Another thing that a lot of companies are doing is they're looking at ways to take waste and give it a secondary life cycle. The fiberglass company that I was working with, that one, they have a ton of byproduct that they can't, it doesn't meet quality standards, and they want to find a way to not landfill it. So that's a big thing. And then Wastewater is another one. They just, everybody wants to reduce what they're putting out to find a better way to use it. Down in Beaufort, they're doing that too, looking at just alternative ways to do what they do, and a lot of that is through that platform, RENVAC. And then a lot of it is also just kind of, you know, to switch to EV, everybody's looking at what can we take and make electric, how can we cut back our emissions, and how can we cut back our energy? And so they're baby steps towards becoming more sustainable, and I think you absolutely nailed it with circular economy, and they're finally getting on board with that. At first, I think that they didn't 100% understand what that meant, but now that they realize the importance, and I'm excited about it with my background in ecology, because the reason we're the number one state right now for project recruitment and for migration from other states. So we were the number one state in economic development last year. So we've had this huge influx of projects, this huge influx of companies, this huge influx of people moving here, but they're moving here because of the beauty of the state, and nothing against New Jersey, but we don't want to become a concrete jungle. We still want to maintain our natural resources, and our partnership with the Department of Ag and the Forestry Commission, that's really helpful, too. So, yeah, and everybody understands, well, almost everyone, but it's much more understood than it was, I'll say, even three years ago, and because it is something that is important to newer generations, older generations are realizing that they have to make it part of their mission to recruit good talent. So that's also very, very great, because when people are applying for positions in the workforce, it's a big issue. We truly don't have enough population to meet the demands currently. So you have to make sure that you're recruiting good talent, and it's a priority for a lot of the younger generation that a company has sustainable goals, or at least is aware of sustainability initiatives. My whole thing is, like, education and awareness, and that's where I think it comes in with sustainability, too. We have so many hidden gems. I mean, we have three companies in Beaufort that all work specifically for NASA, with aerospace. Forestry is one of our biggest economic drivers in South Carolina, but for every tree harvested, whoever the company is that harvests them, whoever the mill is, has to replant 1.3. So we have to have paper. Everybody uses toilet paper. Everybody uses paper towels. We can't not have paper. And paper goes into so many additional things, lumber, plywood. It has a lot of uses. So, you know, everybody's like, oh, we can't harvest trees. No, we can harvest them, but it has to be in a sustainable manner. It has to be good. And the other thing that I love is off-mud has the second highest NPP, net primary production. So the anaerobic bacteria in off-mud is second to the rainforest in carbon dioxide and carbon degradation and oxygen replenishment. So making sure that we keep that preserve to offset that carbon footprint is really, really important, and it's really, really important to the people in Beaufort and the people in Jasper and ones living there. Because they understand that that's what makes it beautiful. That's what makes the quality of life. So it's not just having a company. It's not just having a job. It's also having a place that you love to live. And most South Carolinians, you know, value the outdoor. So it works really well for us, and I'm hoping, you know, that that will be a continued trend. The government can put forth legislation if passed by the state and, you know, the House and the Senate if they come to an agreement that would put in place laws requiring certain things. So, like, our NEVI plan, which is our EV plan. That can show you a really good example of where government and sustainability come together. So by 2030, you know, we have this goal of having EV ports to be able to push that and reduce carbon emissions. That's a really great example. That can be done as well, you know, carbon emissions are limited. Technically, the government could put forth, like, this is a big topic in my household because we don't agree, my husband's a forester, and he doesn't sell carbon credits, I understand. So companies can buy, so say Company A doesn't utilize all of the credits they have for their emissions. They can sell them to Company B because they've exceeded, and this is a very simplified explanation. At face value, I'm not a huge fan of the selling of carbon credits. So government could come in and say, no, these are your credits. So that's, like, just an example of where they could. We don't really get that involved in it. For commerce, that's more of a, you know, you're lobbyists and you're legislators, but we can come in and give expert evaluation on why legislation could be beneficial or how it would be harmful for the economy. It has to do with sustainability because if people have better jobs, it allows for them to be more well-educated, and it allows for them to be able to have more capital to participate in sustainable initiatives. So, for example, like, my primary residence is in the Lowcountry, and we take our recycling to the recycling center, and there are other things that we participate in, but it's an added expenditure, so there's a cost to it. So if we have an overall economy where people have the luxury of more expendable capital, they can participate. I'm hoping the participation in those programs will increase. Then, you know, if companies are getting on board with programs like SustainFC, they can help to offset the cost of citizens participating in those programs. So it's a really everyone wins situation. Our power grid currently is always number one issue. FC power team, their website has a lot of information about why that's an issue. But essentially, like, I was at a conference last week. Natural gas is what companies need because they need a lot of, like, your bigger companies need a lot of power. And the natural gas pipeline, you've got one running from, like, New York down, and then from, like, Alabama, Georgia across, but then, you know, the other side of us is ocean. You don't have any natural gas coming in that way. So powering these places and, you know, the emissions with coal, not great, but we have to have an alternative that is reliable. So they've got to have the power to make the product because, like, you know, ultimately it has to be profitable. I don't think offshore wind is the solution for us because of what it would do to the benthic ecosystem. So putting those offshore wind to me, I don't think it's a good idea. There's just – so, like, that's what I did. I was, like, I was a benthic marine ecologist, so I was, like, I'm not going to bore you with all of that. But, so, like, I sampled some of LinkedIn, which are, like, the little tiny ones that live in the ocean. And that ecosystem is so just any change that we did to that could be disastrous, like catastrophic, and you don't know what putting those out there could cause a chain reaction of. I also don't – and then I read an article somewhere where it's, like, you won't even see a return on your investment for, like, 25 years. So, wow. And the sand blades that they put on those aren't renewable. So, like, the blades themselves, you can't recycle them. So it's not, to me – Sustainable? Yeah. Again, that's just my opinion. And then with solar panels, because of where we sit in relation to the sun and the equator and being a coastal state, the cloud coverage, solar – you know, the sun doesn't always shine. So I would say that's probably our biggest issue is energy. I don't know the answer. But that – so that's why it's the biggest issue is because it's a really complex and there's not a straightforward, simple solution. But I, like, am – I'm a strong advocate against offshoring because I'm a strong advocate for benthic ecosystems. Nuclear now is not what it was, you know, 30 years ago. It's a much safer alternative. It does still have its emissions and issues, but, you know, we kind of have to look at everything, weigh the pros and cons, and pick the best. Nothing's going to be perfect. So the energy grid is our number one issue. And I think that nuclear is a better alternative than offshore or solar. So education and awareness. And then the caveat would be, so if you are a student and you want to – no matter if you land at a company that already has sustainability initiatives or a company that doesn't, come in and spend, you know, three, six months at least, maybe even a year, learning about their culture as is. Then start brainstorming about improvements and show how they can have an ROI on those improvements because you have to have them on board. So come in and figure out what they do. Go to them with ideas and solutions for an impact. Start small because if you can show that you can implement small change, it gives you the merit to then move to a bigger project. So you can have an impact no matter where you go. And it may be small, but an impact is impact, and growth is growth, and progress is progress. So start small, but be well-educated, well-versed, and have a really well-thought-out and strategic plan and make sure that it's in alignment with the company's mission. If it's not, figure out how to tie it in in a way that makes sense to them. If you landed a company that values sustainability, it's going to be easy. If you landed a company that doesn't, I would start not just with a program, but with a conversation about, hey, you know, company X, Y, and Z are doing this. What do you think about us just exploring it a little bit more? I would be happy to come up with a newsletter or, you know, just a 20-minute conversation in the meeting or even just a 10-minute so that we can start being better educated about what it is, and then you'll get advocates. As you get those advocates and allies, you can implement more change.