Chamber looks to take care of some business

More than 250 member representatives from the region's biggest and oldest business advocacy group are set to start making cold calls and knocking on doors.

The Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce last week kicked off its 11th annual Total Resource Campaign, a three-month effort that will generate the funds for the group's various programs and initiatives for its next fiscal year. The money comes from memberships, sponsorships, donations and advertising sales.

Rather than dial back its fundraising goal amid the still-uncertain economic climate, leaders at the 2,000-member chamber are aiming to drum up at least $1,000 more than last year, or $2.54 million, said Bobby Pearce, chairman of the 2010 campaign and attorney with Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough.

Pearce noted that the chamber took a more cautious approach a year ago, when it sought to increase its TRC donations by just $1 from the previous year. He noted that most of the organization's larger peers at that time were slashing their fundraising goals. The Charleston Metro Chamber ended up netting $4,000 more than projected.

The theme for 2010 is "Taking Care of Business."

Heads up

Boeing Co. negotiated property tax breaks and hundreds of millions of dollars in upfront money to help build its North Charleston 787 assembly plant. In addition to all that, and on a much smaller scale, the aerospace giant will be promptly alerted if anyone makes a formal inquiry seeking state records about the company.

Buried in Boeing's incentive package with the state Commerce Department is an agreement by the state to notify the company should anyone file a request under the S.C. Freedom of Information Act request in regard to the incentive package, Project Gemini (the code name assigned to the deal) or "Boeing's existing operations" in South Carolina.

Commerce further agreed to notify Boeing of the agency's "intended response prior to sending the response."

The agreement clause, listed under the heading "Confidentiality," concludes: "Commerce agrees to use its best efforts to coordinate fully with Boeing in connection with all press releases, public statements, and publications prepared or facilitated by Commerce concerning Project Gemini."

Digging in

The wheels of progress, and bulldozers, are set to turn for a big tire importer coming to the region.

The development team of MeadWestvaco Corp. and New York-based Rockefeller Group will break ground this week on a 1.1 million-square-foot warehouse facility for Tire Kingdom parent TBC Retail Group.

Ken Seeger, president of MeadWestvaco's community development and land management business, announced the plan at an Urban Land Institute conference last week at the Francis Marion Hotel. That news came just days after Berkeley County Council approved two resolutions to accept about $7 million out of $15 million in State Ports Authority funds related to the project off U.S. Interstate 26 near Summerville.

The TBC warehouse is expected to generate about 100 job and become one of the port's biggest customers. More importantly, officials also hope that it will serve as the anchor tenant that will attract more port users to a cluster of industrial parks proposed in the Jedburg area.

Round two

It's the kind of follow-up that any new business would welcome.

PeopleMatter, a North Charleston-based human resources software company previously known as Acadia Human Capital Solutions, received a second infusion of capital, bringing the total to more than $7 million, it was announced last week.

The funds from Harbert Venture Partners, a Virginia-based firm, will help PeopleMatter market its product. Intersouth Partners of North Carolina led the venture capital financing in a previous round.

A team of human resource professionals founded PeopleMatter with the intention of helping small and mid-sized businesses manage and motivate employees.

The company launched in Columbia in 2001 under the Acadia name and relocated to Charleston in September with plans to double its workforce by the end of this year. The company brought on two former executives of Daniel Island-based Benefitfocus to run the local operation. Nate DaPore serves as president and chief executive, and John Smith serves as chief technology officer.

Ad vantage point

Northwoods Mall shoppers may have noticed a fresh marketing pitch in an unlikely place: the bathrooms.

Chattanooga, Tenn.-based CBL & Associates, which owns both Northwoods Mall and Citadel Mall, recently installed ad panels at motion-activated, touch-free hand-sanitizing foam dispensers at Northwoods Mall.

Citadel Mall could follow, as the company tends to roll out new products in phases, according to Leigh Burnett, marketing director for the shopping centers.

The panels also are available on strollers at the mall.

"This particular program offers the potential for generating revenue via the ad panel feature," said Jim Ward, senior director of brand development for CBL & Associates.

Adding bulk

Expansion-minded East Shore Athletic Club finalized its latest acquisition by taking over World Fitness in Goose Creek last week.

The move follows East Shore's recent purchase of West Ashley Aerobics and Fitness in West Ashley and gives the Mount Pleasant-based fitness chain 12 locations in the Charleston metro area.

East Shore plans to hire about 75 employees, according to East Shore general manager Mandy Harrison.

New threads

The Family Circle Cup has selected locally based Vapor Apparel to make clothes for this year's tennis tournament set for April 10-18 on Daniel Island. The company's ability to customize event apparel, its commitment to sustainability and the proximity of its corporate headquarters all contributed to it being selected, said Bob Moran, tournament general manager.

North Charleston-based Vapor Apparel, a subsidiary of SourceSubstrates, is in its sixth year of operation and is located at the Navy Yard.

"Each group of tournament staffers will have its own unique look," said Christopher Bernat, co-founder and chief revenue officer of Vapor Apparel. "We created custom colors and decorating for each apparel segment from event volunteers to VIPs."