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By Joe Erwin
The Upstate of South Carolina is on a roll. Unprecedented job growth and economic investment promises a bright future for the region’s residents and the thousands of newcomers expected to flock to the area to share in the prosperity.
So why are business and civic leaders wringing their hands? Because, as more companies announce expansion plans and new ventures emerge across the upstate, questions abound about where the talent is going to come from to fill all these new jobs.
While the Upstate continues its metamorphosis from an economy of low-skilled laborers to a global center of innovation, the currency of creativity is increasingly in short supply. As the head of a fast-growing advertising and marketing firm, I’ve seen firsthand the challenges our region faces when it comes to keeping up with the intellectual capital demanded by our recent economic success.
That’s why I’m excited for our firm, Erwin-Penland, to be participating in two new initiatives designed to showcase the Upstate in a positive fashion to innovators and entrepreneurs from around the country.
The first is a campaign that will debut during the Golf Channel’s broadcast of the BMW Charity Pro-Am golf tournament May 15-18. “I Was Blown Away” captures the reaction of countless Upstate visitors, thousands of whom we now count among our co-workers, friends and neighbors.
Shown through the eyes of the visitor, each commercial will showcase various aspects of this surprisingly cosmopolitan region: natural beauty, cultural diversity, economic opportunity, excellent schools and other supporting services. The spots are designed to drive curious individuals to a website – www.iwasblownaway.com – where they can view personal testimonials and access resources for learning more about the Upstate.
The second initiative is called “Food For Thought,” a three-day conference being held in Greenville May 7-9. Created by Erwin-Penland in partnership with Michelin, BMW and a handful of other organizations, this catalytic event will bring thought leaders from around the country here to explore the limits of creativity, innovation and inspired, entrepreneurial thinking.
“Food For Thought” will be a feast for the senses. Attendees will hear from such visionaries as Geek Squad founder Robert Stephens, and from trend spotters like Rosabeth Kanter, Ernest L. Arbuckle Professor at Harvard Business School. They’ll experience the “ultimate driving machine” at the BMW Performance Center and examine Michelin’s efforts to reinvent the tire as we know it. And, as the name of the event suggests, they’ll savor the creations of renowned chefs and learn the secrets of their inspiration.
The idea is to create an annual conference that defines the Upstate as a global center of innovation, much the way the South by Southwest Conference and Festival, begun in 1987, helped establish Austin, Texas, as an artistic and cultural haven. Such recognition won’t occur overnight, but it’s exciting to see this kind of momentum building in our region.
The past 20 years have been a blaze of glory in the economic and social development of the Upstate and the rest of South Carolina. But like oxygen feeds a fire, an infusion of diverse talent will be essential to keeping the flames of prosperity burning brightly. “Food For Thought” and the “I Was Blown Away” campaign hope to shine a positive light on this region so that a new generation of innovators will be attracted here to carry the torch.
Joe Erwin is president of Greenville-based Erwin-Penland (www.erwinpenland.com), a full-service marketing firm.
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