Upstate SC: Building A Unified Vision

McMillan Pazdan Smith leader talks regional business impact

“Our business is growing because the Upstate Alliance is doing its job. Simple as that,” says Karen Calhoun, principal and VP of business development at McMillan Pazdan Smith. “I have personally watched the evolution of the I-85 corridor significantly increase in stature as an economic powerhouse, both nationally and internationally, through the consistent marketing efforts of the Upstate Alliance organization. Developing a strong ecosystem of commerce is what drives excellent job opportunities and an increased quality of life for our communities.”

Karen has had a front-row seat to the Upstate’s transformation over the last 25 years. When she joined McMillan Pazdan Smith, she was employee number 28. Founded in 1955 and now home to 420 team members, the architecture firm has 10 studios located across the Southeast.

Whether it be an advanced manufacturing industrial building or a branded office environment, McMillan Pazdan Smith plays a pivotal role in shaping the physical footprint of economic growth when a company is considering a new location or expansion. The firm often collaborates early with companies and site selectors to visualize possibilities, providing the architectural insight needed to turn prospects into projects.

McMillan Pazdan Smith’s Commercial practice, which includes industrial and office, represents projects in the Carolinas such as:

• The Class A speculative Building #1 at Fox Hill Business Park in Fountain Inn
• era-Contact USA, whose North American Headquarters is located in Pickens County
• A SEW-Eurodrive Campus, home to an assembly plant and office in Spartanburg County
• United Community bank’s $65M downtown Greenville headquarters
• Southern Tide’s headquarters, located in a historic Greenville building

Ten Counties Coming Together as One Region

Before the Upstate SC Alliance was formed in 2000, marketing the Upstate’s communities was a challenge, as even Greenville and Spartanburg had limited name recognition. Recognizing the need for a united front, McMillan Pazdan Smith was one of the first organizations to join the newly formed Upstate SC Alliance.

“When we were working with industrial clients, they didn’t always know where Upstate South Carolina was,” Karen explains. “And then we have to say: ‘Well, do you know New York City? Do you know Miami? We’re kind of in the middle.’ And we knew that the marketing piece and the branding piece to the world would be much, much stronger if we all did it together.”

The Upstate Alliance filled that need, branding the region to national and international markets as a single entity that is home to a larger population, and assets such as Clemson University and GSP International Airport that span multiple counties. This regional collaboration raised the profile for all communities in the 10-county Upstate and provided visibility for smaller rural markets.

“I feel like Upstate Alliance has stayed so grounded to its mission to market and brand the region, and that is part of its secret sauce,” shares Karen.

By serving as a “clearinghouse” for business prospects, the Alliance is often the first point of contact for international companies considering the region. From there, the Alliance relays opportunities to the Upstate’s Local Economic Developers, who nominate sites and buildings from within their communities for consideration and then work to support projects once they are focused on specific real estate holdings.

Karen has seen international companies rely on the Upstate Alliance both for site selection support and the cultural and business insights that help them enter the U.S. market. The Upstate Alliance connects prospects to the key resources and people, such as its network of 225+ investor companies across a variety of industries, that can prepare them to do business in the Upstate.

Collaboration at Every Level

Today, the Upstate Alliance does more than market — it convenes. What began as an effort to raise visibility has grown into a regional catalyst for business and community collaboration. The Upstate Alliance serves as a hub that brings public, private and nonprofit leaders together around a shared goal: advancing the Upstate.

While healthy competition exists between counties, all “play well in the sandbox together,” Karen says. That spirit of cooperation is critical within the region, and also with partners like the South Carolina Department of Commerce.

When international prospects visit, they often encounter a united front: state, regional and local leaders all in one room. This level of engagement builds trust.

“I remember a particular time with an Asian client,” Karen recounts, “[Former South Carolina Governor] Nikki Haley came to the ribbon cutting, and the contingency from Asia loved the fact that she was there — and you also had your Upstate and your local people. The fact that we had tiered levels of engagement made them feel very comfortable that we all work together as a group.”

This multi-layered collaboration extends beyond the public sector, too. The Upstate also benefits from collaboration among organizations like Ten at the Top, the South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (SCMEP), the SC Economic Developers’ Association (SCEDA) and the region’s technical colleges.

“I really believe that the Upstate would not be the same, and we would be very fragmented communities if we did not have the Upstate Alliance.”

Investing in the Region, and Reaping the Benefits

As a longtime investor, Karen and her firm have experienced value being part of the Upstate Alliance’s network of 225+ investor organizations.

At the Alliance’s Annual Meetings, Karen says it’s easy to look around the room and see what makes the region’s economic engine so powerful: Representatives from across the Upstate — corporate leaders, nonprofit partners and government officials — all in the same room, aligned around shared goals.

Through attending events like these, Karen’s understanding of economic development has also deepened, thanks in part to expert speakers from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, real estate brokerage firms and the business advocacy community.

“We can often get national news, but you’ve got to boil it down to what’s happening locally,” Karen shares. “Your team has brought in great speakers that have helped us engage. Then they also become resources we can utilize to move our collective mission forward.”

Those insights don’t stop with Karen. After Alliance events, she shares takeaways with her firm’s leadership, ensuring the benefits ripple throughout the organization.

“When time is so valuable, the Upstate Alliance’s events are a unique way to spend your time and feel like you’re investing it wisely,” Karen says. “I can’t imagine anybody coming into this community and not being a member, quite frankly. I really can’t.”

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This profile is part of a series on benefits of investing with the Upstate SC Alliance, highlighting both the role that private business plays in economic development and the value that companies can find by supporting our mission.