What’s Going on at Commerce?
Ombudsman gives insight into one of best years ever

August 30, 2005 – Rotarians received an update on what our state is doing to attract and retain business and industry from Chuck Bundy, Small Business Ombudsman in the Business Solutions Division of the South Carolina Department of Commerce (DOC). The Business Solutions Division provides resources and people to assist South Carolina’s existing businesses through its five program areas: Entrepreneurship and Small Business Services, Business Financing and Equity, Recycling Market Development, International Trade, and the SC Film Commission.

Bundy assured the group that there are “things going on at Commerce”. The state appears to be coming out of a downturn in recent years, and DOC’s economic development efforts are “stronger than ever.” Although DOC measures its effectiveness by the number of new jobs and new investment, Bundy’s department plays a crucial role in another form of job creation, which is expansion.

Bundy claims that job creation (new projects only) in the state has been the highest it has been in 13 years. We can directly observe this here in the Lowcountry with the location of such projects as the Vought-Alenia plant near the airport and other industries that have located or expanded in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties. This is a testament to what Bundy calls the “team sport” efforts of local economic development officials in the region.

Currently DOC has 280 active projects in its pipeline–the most we have seen in a long time. These projects span a multitude of industries to try and diversify South Carolina’s economy and locate quality industries that meet the target industries identified by state and local economic development plans. These industries would help raise South Carolina’s per capita income and put our state on a path to a knowledge- and service-based economy.

Current marketing efforts are focused on clusters, which are industries and suppliers that co-locate geographically based on the ability to share resources and increase productivity. Clusters that have been identified by the State as important to recruit include Biotech, Aerospace, Automotive, Plastics and Composites, and Advanced Textiles (which still has a strong presence in South Carolina). Industries in these clusters have already been proven to be successful, with probably the best example being BMW in the Upstate. Bundy said the Charleston region is “right in step” with state priorities for recruitment with similar clusters being pursued.

Bundy claims that DOC is also very active in recruitment abroad, and has opened offices in Shanghai and Tokyo, and also participates in trade shows that offer opportunity of recruiting specific industries or clusters, such as the Philadelphia Biotech trade show. Bundy works with other DOC divisions to make the environment more competitive for existing industry. For example, the Rural and Community Development Division works with smaller rural communities across the state to ensure they are competitive as well. This division runs the Certified Sites Program, which prepares and qualifies land to be used for industrial development. This ensures communities have available product and gives them the resources to compete with larger communities.

As for Bundy’s own department, Governor Sanford and Secretary Faith have placed emphasis on small businesses, which account for a significant part of South Carolina’s economy. According to Bundy, there are currently 92,000 firms with less than 50 employees, and an additional 200,000 self-employed proprietorships (one person companies). Business Solutions has helped these businesses identify resources and programs to help them be productive, and possibly expand, which benefits us all.

Submitted by Amy Riley, Keyway Editor