B2B Stories

B2B Stories

Multimillion $ project underway at USCA

Leaders from education, local, state, and federal government, along with the military, gathered at the University of South Carolina Aiken (USCA) to kick off the largest investment by the South Carolina National Guard (SCNG) since World War II. The SCNG Cyber Integration Center will be a 26,000 square foot building for cyber defense activities. It will also host training, education, and applied research to support national security. There will also be a Student Readiness Center to provide USCA students mentorships and real-world experience while supporting training for two SCNG units.

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B2B Stories

Simon Says: Small bump in workforce

Employment in the Augusta Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) increased by 900 workers in April from March. There are 248,200 employees in the Augusta MSA, a record high. Obviously, April plays host to the Masters Tournament, and there were some golf-related boosts to some sectors of the economy. Employment in the “leisure and hospitality” sector increased by 400. “Other services” services are defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to include “equipment and machinery repairing, promoting or administering religious activities, grantmaking, advocacy, and providing drycleaning and laundry services, personal care services,

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B2B Stories

$34 million manufacturing project in South Carolina

South Carolina’s governor announced on May 13 that a primary metals manufacturer was heading to Fairfield County. That same day, a site selection company released a report on the economic impact of such businesses. Mega Metal, headquartered in Turkey, selected the site just north of Columbia for its first location in the Palmetto State. The copper wire manufacturer’s facility is a $34 million investment, creating 135 jobs. “Congratulations to Mega Metal on establishing its first South Carolina location,” said Gov. Henry McMaster (R) in the news release. “Manufacturing is thriving

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B2B Stories

Fast Track for a Hospitality Career

Hospitality is big business in the CSRA, generating millions of dollars. The Hull College of Business can help cultivate a career for students through their Hospitality Program.

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B2B Stories

Groundbreaking for $30 Million CSRA Cyber Center

The South Carolina National Guard (SCNG), in partnership with the University of South Carolina Aiken (USCA), will host a groundbreaking ceremony for its new $30-million Cyber Integration Center on the university’s campus on Tuesday, May 27, at 10 a.m. The state-of-the-art center, slated to break ground adjacent to Savannah River National Laboratory’s Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative on the university’s campus and near Fort Eisenhower and other regional cybersecurity assets, will serve as an ecosystem for cybersecurity experts in private, government and academic sectors and include space for classes, training areas, and operational and administrative

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B2B Stories

How to grow Augusta’s airport

Members of an Augusta Aviation Commission committee heard about ways to maximize the use of Augusta Regional Airport and potential obstacles. The Opportunity Ad Hoc Committee talked about existing, available land, options on how to use it, and public development versus private development. Committee members first heard a presentation from Pamela Davison, CEO of Bravo Air. The company provides private jet charter services from the airport. She said the company began in 2021 with one aircraft, a King Air F90 turboprop plane. They soon upgraded to a larger King Air

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B2B Stories

Six steps to boost confidence for women

Staci Peters is Senior Vice President of Business Services for SRNS, and she spoke at the North Augusta Chamber of Commerce’s Women in Business luncheon. Despite having 25 years of experience in her field, she said she struggled with personal and professional doubts, including imposter syndrome. “I’ve struggled in my career. I have seen other women struggle in their careers. And if there’s anything that I can do to help, even just get one of those kinds of wisdom out of my conversation, and learn from me. I want to

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B2B Stories

Large Southeastern Engineering Firm Expands in CSRA

Multidisciplined architecture and engineering firm Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC) has announced the opening of its new geotechnical engineering laboratory in Aiken, South Carolina. This laboratory is designed to expand the firm’s capabilities in geotechnical engineering and construction materials testing services in the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) market. GMC offers both geotechnical engineering and construction materials testing for large multidisciplinary designs and as a single service.  From preliminary design and analysis through testing and observation during construction, the firm’s geotechnical engineers and construction specialists can provide expertise for long-term, cost-effective

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B2B Stories

The Job Market of the Future

As we enter “graduation season” for our local public high schools this week (Columbia County) and next (Richmond and Aiken Counties), I know that many of you, both as parents and business leaders, are wondering what the job market of the future will look like. Rapid technological development and recent tariff and immigration policies may likely accelerate some of the changes that have been occurring in the workplace, but some of the other recent changes will continue to move forward. Here are some of the more important trends that are

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B2B Stories

Simon Says: Employment and Earnings Off to a Good Start

The Augusta Labor Market Index (LMI) for the first quarter of 2015 increased by 0.25 percent. This compares favorably to the Georgia LMI, which decreased by 0.2 percent and is just below the growth rate of the LMI for South Carolina, which was 0.3 percent. In Augusta, employment increased by 500 jobs, and average weekly earnings were up $38.20. Hours worked fell by 42 minutes. The two other components in the LMI are the unemployment rate and the labor force. Normally, my favorite site, the Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED),

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