Bringing Back the Burg Business Recovery Task Force Launched

During the first meeting of the Bringing Back the Burg Business Recovery Task Force on Wednesday, local government and business leaders presented the community’s pre-COVID-19 economic vitals, including accommodations, hospitality, sales and property tax figures, as well as building permit and tourism data.

The task force, co-chaired by Spartanburg County Councilman David Britt and Kay Woodward, owner of J.W. Woodward Funeral Home, also examined the results of local and statewide business surveys. Information shared will be used to set data-based benchmarks for success.

Collectively, the survey data shows businesses biggest challenges as lack of customer demand, ability to cover payroll, revenue and sales reduction, and employee well-being.

Statewide data indicates that 40 percent of businesses have had to lay-off or furlough workers, but almost 90 percent of those businesses said they plan to bring back at least half of those employees within three months.

Locally, 43 percent moved to work from home, and 40 percent aren’t allowing outside meetings. In all, four in five businesses anticipate placing more focus on employee hygiene, social distancing and additional cleaning for the next year.

When it comes to government relief, 37 percent of statewide respondents have received some kind of relief. In Spartanburg, 51 percent indicated that the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was the most relevant relief option.

The task force formed the following committees to reflect the needs of small, medium, and large businesses:

• Benchmark – set measures of success, monitor progress and report accordingly
• Hospitality/Food & Beverage – devise sector-specific approaches to drive Hospitality and Accommodations Tax growth
• Resources (HR, Finance) – create shareable resources and connect businesses to financial support
• Marketing, Education & Promotion – develop a campaign to promote Spartanburg’s safe re-opening
• Back the Burg Fund – dedicated to developing criteria for, growing, and overseeing the Back the Burg Small Business Relief Fund

Community members may communicate directly with the task force by submitting thoughts to bringingbacktheburg@spartanburgchamber.com.

The task force meets in full again on May 28.

Task force members include:

LEADERSHIP CABINET:

David Britt – Co-Chair, Vice President & General Manager – SC Division, Tindall Corporation

Dr. Kay Woodward – Co-Chair, President, J.W. Woodward Funeral Home, Inc.

Cole Alverson, County Administrator, County of Spartanburg

Chris Story, City Manager, City of Spartanburg, SC

Wes Lehrer, SC Commercial Real Estate Manager, Truist

Avi Lawrence, President, Contec

Allen Smith, President and CEO, Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce 

TASK FORCE:

Karen Knuckles, President/Owner, Express Employment Professionals

Bill Barnet, CEO, Barnet Development Corporation

Alex Powell, Commercial Real Estate Manager, Johnson Development Associates, Inc.

Halsey Cook, President & CEO, Milliken & Company

Natasha Pitts, Minority Business Development Coordinator, City of Spartanburg

Ann Angermeier, Executive Director, Upstate Workforce Board

Charlita Atchison, Director of Financial Affairs, Atchison Transportation Services, Inc.

Derham Cole, Interim Chancellor, Upstate University of South Carolina

Cornelius Huff, Mayor, City of Inman

Lee Bailey, City Manager, City of Woodruff

Jody Gallagher, President & CEO, AFL

Duffy Baehr, Owner, Baehr Feet Shoe Boutique

William Gray, Associate Principal, McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture

Bruce Holstien, President & CEO, Spartanburg Regional Healthcare Center

Bill Robinson, Vice President, Accountant, Gosnell Menard Robinson Infante, CPAS, PA

Max Metcalf, Manager, Government and Community Relations, BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC

Andy Cajka, Founder and President, Southern Hospitality Group

Jamie Fulmer, SVP of Public Affairs, Purpose Financial

Mary Thomas, Chief Operating Officer, Spartanburg County Foundation

Raj Patel, Senior Executive, Newburg Management

Chris Patterson, Sales Manager, Summit Filtration LLC

Scott Talley, Attorney, Talley Law Firm PA

Dr. Randall Gary, Superintendent, District Five Schools of Spartanburg County

Stephen Dunn, SVP, Chief Global Development Officer, Denny’s, Inc.

Bishop Dr. Charles Jackson, Senior Pastor, Cornerstone Baptist Church

Dr. Russell Booker, Superintendent, Spartanburg School District Seven

Paige Stephenson, President & CEO, United Way of the Piedmont

Molly Metz, President & CEO, Mary Black Foundation

Todd Horne, Vice President of Business Development, Clayton Construction Company

Danielle Gibbs, representative for U.S. Senator Tim Scott’s Office

TASK FORCE STAFF:

Katherine O’Neill, Chief Economic Development Officer. Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce

John Kimbrell, Chief Business Affairs Officer, Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce 

Carter Smith, Director of Special Projects, Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce

Shauna Axelrod, Director of Administration, Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce 

Nancy Whitworth, Past Executive Director of Economic Development, City of Greenville