TATT Chat, November 5th, 2020

Nov 6, 2020 | News

Welcome Terence Roberts

Speaker Jordana Megonigal, CEO of The RECON Network

You can view a recap of the meeting here.

RECON focuses on veterans transitioning to civilian life

RECON helps veterans transition to meaningful careers with purpose, including physical and mental health for vets and spouses

Summit 11/19-11/20 will include tracks for vets, spouses, and companies looking for employees

Veterans Ascend platform (locally owned) predicts career fit to 98.2%

Q & A

1. Are there financial incentives and tax benefits to hiring veterans? Yes! Learn more at the summit. There are work opportunity tax credits for those who are WOTC certified from $2,400-$9,600 per year. Must be set up in advance, not retroactive to post-hire.
2. SC Works can help with hiring. What is new programs? Programs have not changed, are usually focused on benefits to be received vs. career transition. There are 1,800 organizations in SC, the trick is to find the right one.
3. What help is out there for veterans’ spouses? Spouses’ resumes have gaps due to moving and role as support staff. https://www.veterans.gov/milspouses/
4. What is the reach of RECON? Focus is in the U.S. with the assistance of networks.
5. Is there a list of veteran owned businesses? Hard to find because of parameters – must apply for status or have been served by VA. https://avosba.org/avoba-membership/veteran-owned-businesses-by-state/ & https://www.veteranownedbusiness.com/
6. Is there certification reciprocity in SC? Legislation is being discussed across the nation.
7. What is the relationship to higher education? While education is a huge factor, RECON is not currently involved in SCACE.
8. How is RECON funded? RECON is funded through events (many cancelled in 2020) and corporate partners.

Abbeville: Shannon Sears, WCTel

4 million dollar waste treatment, water treatment project

12 million dollar housing investment in downtown Abbeville, new businesses downtown

City back to normal pre-COVID operations

WCFIBER and Blue Ridge Electric offering high speed internet to customers. 67000 customers, some of them underserved by internet

Frannie Stockwell, Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce:

Job Fair Nov 19^th for all of Cherokee County: Dollar Tree, Natl Guard, Brown Pack, UPsource, Home Fashion, school district

Survey recently sent out regarding need and interest in public transportation

Small businesses opening in the county and the mall is renting out spaces to small businesses

Meeting with Catawba Indians to partner on 85/transportation and projects

Roy Costner, Pickens County Council

COVID spiking

Unemployment is down to 3.5%

Working on Hurricane Zeta clean up; 60 roads were closed, 54 are open
Grant acquired to build a pull off viewpoint for Table Rock, the most photographed location in the state

Working on a broadband initiative

New partnership with Clemson Paws

Pickens held a drive through job fair today

Sara Butler from USC Upstate/Spartanburg County:

COVID procedures being followed strategically, particularly with uptick in cases

USC task forces formed and lots of communication from staff/admin

Many services are available, testing, counseling (dealing with Covid, loss (financial, emotional, losing a family member))

Resources are available to students and faculty

USC is adapting and surviving by providing live, online, and hybrid options

Katherine Pendergrass, Union County:
USC enrollment in Union County has doubled

Honorable mention for the J Mitchell Graham award having to do with higher education and workforce training

KJ is replacing Bi-Lo and Rose’s opening

Alcohol sales on Sunday was approved so restaurants may want to be opening downtown

Several events upcoming, drive in movie, coon hunt, Union Reads, Christmas parade

Jonesville will share their comprehensive plan in December and Union will post for the public next week

2020 VET Summit Focused on Veteran Hiring Coming November 19-20

Nov 4, 2020 | News

Jordana Megonigal, Founder of The RECON Network

Across the state of South Carolina, there are almost a half million veterans—although there are  likely far more who go uncounted by the VA. While we in the Upstate may feel somewhat removed from this community due to the fact that we don’t have a large active military base locally, the reality is that the military community in South Carolina generates one out of every 12 jobs in the state, and with a statewide economic impact of more than $25 billion each year ($2.2 Billion of that in the Upstate alone), has proven vital to our economic well-being across the state.

With this information, there is a high focus on employing veterans as part of an elite workforce—especially in South Carolina, where manufacturing, logistics and cyber security are significant boons to our local economy. However, the realities facing those making that transition from active military to veteran status can be hard. It’s about far more than simply “finding a job,” as this transition isn’t simply a career change; in many cases the servicemember is also navigating changes in family, location, career, and housing—all at the same time. And that’s not even mentioning the emotional and mental shifts that accompany transition, as well.

To add to the challenges, when it comes to veteran hiring after transition, there are systemic gaps between expectation and reality—for both veterans and hiring companies. Veterans—many who have been told that “everyone hires vets”, oftentimes exit the military with rose-colored glasses, expecting job offers to fall into their laps, only to be disappointed when the job-finding path takes months, or even years.  When they do find one, their lack of civilian expertise slots them into entry-level positions, virtually ignoring their years of experience—most of which is translatable to a civilian position if someone in HR only knows how to look at it.

On the other side, companies also face challenges—different cultures and different vocabularies make qualifying candidates complicated. In order to successfully hire veterans, HR professionals must spend extra time translating experience or understanding military culture and rank hierarchy in order to balance the job opportunity on behalf of the veteran applicant. The alternative is to keep doing “business as usual,” where more often than not a veteran’s resume won’t make it into the pile of resumes in an already overloaded hiring department.

But these are only a few examples; from finding to hiring and retaining veterans in the workforce, there are real challenges that can only be rectified when both entities are working toward common ground.

At The RECON Network, which started humbly in Greenville in 2015 and has grown into a nationally-focused organization serving veterans and military spouses across the U.S., we believe that starting these conversations is just as important as addressing the “human element” of transition—that of purpose, well-being, motivation and meaning. That’s why in 2019 we partnered with SC SHRM to begin the first Veteran Employment and Transition (VET) Summit, funded in part by a grant from the SHRM Foundation.  In 2020, with the cancellation of live events due to COVID-19, the VET Summit is set to be a much larger, two-day virtual event, providing valuable information that can help us come together for the benefit of veterans seeking employment.

With three tracks—one for transitioning service members and veterans, another for military spouses, and a third focused on hiring companies, the VET Summit is designed to educate and provide real-life resources for each of these entities, with the overall goal of getting our military and veteran communities back into the workforce. Hiring companies will learn more about translating skills, hiring military spouses, and Workforce Opportunity Tax Credits (which offer real financial incentives for hiring veterans). Veterans and military spouses will focus on various tools and resources designed to help them stand out in a job search, find a meaningful career path, and what a post-COVID workforce looks like.

Even with all the resources available, we have room to grow. With 55 percent of veterans listing finding a job as their top transition challenge (The Institute for Veterans and Military Families), and with 44 percent leaving their first job post-military within the first year (Hiring our Heroes), there is still much to do. The VET Summit—and events like it—are the types of events we need to reduce gaps in veteran hiring and ensure that those who served our country, can continue on in a career within a robust workforce. I hope to see you there this November.

Jordana Megonigal is a writer, business owner, and founder of The RECON Network, which is focused on purpose-based transition and career planning resources for veterans and military spouses, including The VET Summit. She is based out of Moore, South Carolina.

DETAILS:

2020 VET Summit

www.thevetsummit.com

November 19-20, 2020

VIRTUAL

Registration: Free for veterans, transitioning servicemembers, and military spouses; $35 for hiring companies (CEOs, HR professionals, staffing agencies, etc.)

Fluor Greenville COVID-19 Response

Nov 4, 2020 | News

Fluor’s Greenville office is the largest and most diverse of all its offices with approximately 1600 employees supporting most of the markets Fluor serves, including Government, Mining and Metals, Infrastructure, Advanced Technologies, Advanced Manufacturing, Life Sciences and Chemicals.  Additionally, there are a number of Corporate and Functional groups located here.

When the coronavirus pandemic hit in March, we were executing a wide range of projects for Clients around the world. These projects ranged from small to mega in size and were in various stages of design completion. Some of these projects were specifically being developed to produce COVID-19 vaccine and therapeutic treatments, which brings us great pride in helping these companies help to conquer this virus.

As a global Engineering, Procurement, Construction Management (EPCM) company, one of our Core Values is Safety, embodied in Health, Safety and Environmental principles. That said, our number one focus was on the health and safety of our employees, followed by the successful execution of our ongoing projects.

Since much of our business is considered “essential,” notably the Life Sciences, Infrastructure and Government work we opted to remain “open for business,” while aggressively drawing down the resources in the office and sending employees home to work.  Within one week, we surveyed every employee’s equipment and identified gaps which would prevent them from being able to execute their job remotely. Our information technology and engineering teams worked around the clock to fulfill each individual’s needs- ranging from remote access tokens, to laptops and other hardware required to enable the heavy 3D CAD design work remotely.  In parallel, we established a Greenville based COVID 19 Task Force which worked in tandem with the Corporate Task Force to leverage learnings and best practices, which seemed to be changing daily.

Within three weeks, we had reduced the headcount in our two office buildings to an average of sixty per day, or 3-4% of the total population. We initiated security protocols to manage the headcount and updated our facility plans with engineered and administrative controls to reduce any transmission risk.  We rolled out our infection control plan with an increased schedule for sanitizing and disinfecting, enhanced air quality, modified safe practices for COVID-19, and a significant signage campaign, while providing frequent communications to all employees.

Additionally, we added daily touchless electronic temperature testing and health screening as requirements for access.

Within the next few months, we also quickly redefined how we execute projects. That is, how we optimize collaboration and innovation while working in our own homes versus doing what we’ve always done sitting right next to each other for the last hundred years. We established a number of  teams to  identify deficiencies and opportunities and to develop practices to enhance our “Work from Home (WFH),” protocols. By all accounts, this new “normal” is working and our Clients are supportive. To date, we have had no projects canceled and we are seeing a new wave in project commitments fueling the backlog in 2021.

The resilience and flexibility of our employees has been impressive and also a catalyst for change “post pandemic.” We fully believe that a hybrid platform which includes some “work from home” and some “work from office” will be the way of the future and help us attract and retain the best talent in the industry.

Safer Upstate Discovery Committee Releases Recommendations

Oct 30, 2020 | News

Following a series of four meetings convened through Ten at the Top (TATT), the Creating a Safer Upstate Discovery Committee has announced a series of recommendations designed to promote collaboration among stakeholders in fostering a culture in the Upstate that respects and values the lives of all officers and residents. To view the list of recommendations, click here.

The Discovery Committee was originally convened by Terence Roberts, Chairman of the Ten at the Top Board of Directors and the Mayor of the City of Anderson, following a number of highly publicized instances of police force across the country.

“While our region has been fortunate not to have seen the violence and social unrest that has occurred in other parts of the country, we do recognize that not every Upstate resident feels safe or trusts our law enforcement officers, Roberts said. “We felt with the platform already established by Ten at the Top to be a neutral convener, that we had an opportunity to proactively engage stakeholders across the region around the topic of creating a safer region for all residents.”

The Creating a Safer Upstate Discovery Committee consisted of more than 50 representatives from local governments, law enforcement, community organizations, faith leaders and Upstate businesses. The committee met virtually four times to discuss opportunities for how to create a united Upstate region where all stakeholders work collaboratively to ensure that we foster a culture that respects and values the lives of our law enforcement officers and all residents.

As the primary strategy, the Discover Committee recommends the development of a Safer Upstate Steering Committee to represent, support and communicate local efforts to improve relationships between law enforcement and community residents across the region. The Safer Upstate Steering Committee will focus on the following three goals:

1.  Engage law enforcement officials, community leaders and residents to work together to build healthy working relationships that elevate mutual respect, value cultural differences, and acknowledge the roles and responsibilities that each play in creating safer Upstate Communities.

2.  Provide regular opportunities for law enforcement and community leaders to convene to proactively discuss community issues and emerging law enforcement topics while exploring approaches that can be implemented across the Upstate Region.

3.  Enhance public trust by identifying, sharing and implementing best practice approaches for developing a sustainable, healthy relationship between law enforcement officials and the greater Upstate Community.

The Steering Committee will be under the leadership of co-chairs Sheriff Rick Clark and Stinson Ferguson. Both Upstate natives, Sheriff Clark has been the sheriff of Pickens county since 2013 while Ferguson is Special Counsel for Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. in Greenville.

More information about the Safer Upstate initiative can be found at www.tenatthetop.org. Anyone interested in becoming a member of the Safer Upstate Steering Committee is invited to reach out to Justine Allen, TATT Program Manager, at jallen@tenatthetop.org or 864-283-0346.

ABOUT TEN AT THE TOP

Comprised of public, private and civic leaders from across the ten-county Upstate South Carolina Region, Ten at the Top was created to connect and encourage regional collaboration through data-driven research and regular convening of leaders and citizens to address key issues facing the region. Ten at the Top works with regional partners to foster collaboration and strategic planning to enhance the economic vitality and quality of life for Upstate residents both today and as the region continues to grow. For more information, visit www.tenatthetop.org.

To view the list of recommendations, click here.

Creating a Safer Upstate Discovery Committee Members

Digital Inclusion at the Hagood Mill Historic Site: The Power of Networking

Oct 28, 2020 | News

Katie Mann, Assistant Director, Hagood Mill Historic Site

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a sudden, massive public need for trustworthy digital inclusion services. Millions of Americans need support from digital inclusion programs: to get connected with affordable home internet, find affordable computing devices, and learn basic digital skills. “Digital Navigators” is an adaptation of traditional digital inclusion programming to this new reality, providing one-to-one dedicated support via phone service. Let’s explore the power of networking to see how these challenges are being overcome in the small town of Pickens, SC, located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains.

There are many organizations that have come together to work on this common goal to help the public in need of short term assistance to overcome the challenges of digital access.   Let’s start with the Hagood Mill Foundation (HMF), the most unlikely collaborator to this cause.   HMF is the non-profit organization that runs the day-to-day operations of the Hagood Mill Historic Site.  HMF is dedicated to the protection, preservation, and study of South Carolina Upcountry life and culture.

The historic site itself is named for the Hagood Mill, the oldest operating grist mill in South Carolina.  Built in 1845, the mill is celebrating 175 years this year!  Over the years, the Hagood Mill has been a food hub and a place to gather and share stories.  While the general public no longer brings their home grown grains to grind at the Mill, it certainly comes to enjoy the running of the Mill every third Saturday at the Folklife Festivals, where folks can see living history demonstrators and purchase their grits, cornmeal and other especially flours fresh from the grinding stone.

The Vice Chair of the HMF, Dr. Betty McDaniel, serves as a full time volunteer with multiple organizations, now that she is a retired school teacher.   Grant writing, networking and cross collaborations are some of her strengths. She was notified of a last minute grant opportunity by her colleague, Bob Reeder, to work on the very important issue of digital inclusion.  Bob Reeder is the Program Director of Rural Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), where he oversees a portfolio of 72 Community Development Corporation (CDC) Partners in over 43 states.  One of many of Rural LISC’s programs is digital inclusion.

Rural LISC has teamed up with the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) to make this project possible.  The NDIA is a unified voice for home broadband access, public broadband access, personal devices and local technology training and support programs. They work collaboratively to craft, identify and disseminate financial and operational resources for digital inclusion programs while serving as a bridge to policymakers and the general public.

When Dr. McDaniel was approached by Mr. Reeder, she put the Hagood Mill’s Assistant Director, Katie Mann, to the task of applying for the grant. With the event cancellations due to COVID, and the need to expand virtual offerings at the Hagood Mill, the grant has also supported the Hagood Mill in expanding its own digital capabilities.  Thus far with the grant monies, the Hagood Mill has invested in expanded WiFi around the site and a new computer in the Hagood Creek Petroglpyh Site, a museum dedicated to prehistoric rock art and Native American art and artifacts, which is also located on Hagood Mill grounds.  The general public is welcome to come use this computer during regular operating hours to conduct research or simply surf the web.

Ms. Mann has networked with Barbara Nesbitt, the Assistant Superintendent for Technology Services at the School District of Pickens County, to identify families in need of digital assistance.  Ms. Mann has begun distributing computers, laptops, and cash vouchers to those in need of help paying for their internet service.  The funding allows HMF to support 50 clients with $250 allotted for each client.  We are still seeking clients to assist, so if you are in Pickens County and could use help closing the digital divide, reach out to Ms. Mann.

The Hagood Mill has also networked with the Public Library in Pickens, who have not been able to offer their digital literacy trainings due to the COVID pandemic.  They will use the Heritage Pavilion, a large, open-air pole barn to schedule trainings in a space that is easy to remain socially distant.

The power of networking is highlighted here in this digital inclusion story.  As individuals, it is hard to achieve our goals, especially when we are trying to overcome challenges presented by the COVID pandemic. Together we can achieve so much.  If Mr. Reeder had not reached out to his colleague Dr. McDaniel, the HMF would not have this opportunity to assist community members in closing the digital divide.  Keep networking y’all!

Author Katie Mann, is the Assistant Director at the Hagood Mill Historic Site, and is serving as the Digital Navigator and dispersing the funds of the grant to those most in need of assistance.  You can call Ms. Mann to learn more at 864-214-6504.  The Hagood Mill Historic Site is open Wednesday to Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm. Hagood Mill’s number is 864-898-2936.  www.hagoodmillhistoricsite.com

Everyone has a Role in Creating a Safer Upstate

Oct 28, 2020 | News

Stinson Ferguson, Co-Chair, Ten at the Top Safer Upstate Committee

By Sheriff Rick Clark and Stinson Ferguson, Co-Chairs, Ten at the Top Safer Upstate Committee

While personal and community safety have always been vital components of society, the pandemic and social outcries of 2020 have made these topics top of mind for all of us.

Over the past several months, law enforcement, local government, non-profit, social services, and community leaders from across the Upstate convened four times as a discovery committee for a series of discussions around the topic of “Creating a Safer Upstate.”

We recognize the need to be proactive in discussing how and taking action to create a culture where the lives of all law enforcement officers and all residents are treated with equal importance.

Regardless of whether your experience or concern around the issue is from the perspective of law enforcement or as a member of the greater community, it is critical to understand that each viewpoint is authentic, relevant, personal, and deserving of understanding and consideration as we work to chart a better path forward.

Throughout our discussions, the Upstate leaders involved have prioritized purposeful listening, inclusion, and respect of diverse viewpoints.

We have concluded that creating and maintaining a “Safer Upstate” is ultimately not the responsibility of just one group.  Each and every one of us plays an important role in the journey.

Certainly, our law enforcement officers play a critical role, and have a responsibility to seek to understand the communities to which they provide service. However, it is also the responsibility of our community leaders – both seasoned and emerging – to help foster a productive and fertile environment for collaboration among law enforcement and local communities.

Sheriff Rick Clark, Co-Chair, Ten at the Top Safer Upstate Committee

After much conversation and deliberation, the discovery committee has decided to form the Safer Upstate Committee as part of the work of Ten at the Top (TATT).  TATT is a regional non-profit working hard to foster collaboration and partnerships around issues that impact economic vitality and quality of life in the Upstate.

The purpose of the Safer Upstate Committee is to create a safer and more united Upstate Region where all law enforcement stakeholders work collaboratively with community leaders to foster a collective culture that respects and values the lives of all officers and residents. The Committee intends to represent, support, and communicate local efforts to improve relationships between law enforcement and community residents across the region.

Three primary goals for the committee have been identified:

1.  Engage law enforcement officials, community leaders and residents to work together to build healthy working relationships that elevate mutual respect, value cultural differences, and acknowledge the roles and responsibilities that each play in creating safer Upstate Communities.

2.  Provide regular opportunities for law enforcement and community leaders to convene to proactively discuss community issues and emerging law enforcement topics while exploring approaches that can be implemented across the Upstate Region.

3.  Enhance public trust by identifying, sharing and implementing best practice approaches for developing a sustainable, healthy relationship between law enforcement officials and the greater Upstate Community.

A series of action steps have been identified for each goal to help individual communities and the greater Upstate advance towards being a united region that values the lives of all officers and residents.

As natives of the Upstate, we are excited to serve as co-chairs of this initiative, but recognize that it is much easier to identify a shared purpose and series of goals than it is to execute the mission.

Creating a Safer Upstate will take a shared commitment by law enforcement, community & business leaders and residents to work together without assigning blame or supporting stereotypes. We invite you to join us on this critical journey.

You can read the full set of recommendations and committee action steps and volunteer to become involved in the Safer Upstate initiative at www.tenatthetop.org.

Rick Clark is the Sheriff of Pickens County and a lifelong county resident. Stinson Ferguson is Special Counsel for Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd Law Firm in Greenville and a native of Spartanburg County.