European Business in SC

By Kelly Enright

Another day in Munich always means more wonderful chances for the group to learn more about Germany and its relation to the United States. Today we were lucky enough to have a meeting with John Stilwell, who is the assistant director for the State of South Carolina European Business Office. I believe that is the official title. Anyways, we met him at his office in the Business Plaza of Maxvorstadt, ready to hear exactly how he was connected to SC.

First thing that we all noticed in the meeting room was one thing: air conditioning. Let me inform all of you SC readers out there; Munich does not have air conditioning. They don’t really need it, but as we have experienced these past two weeks, this has been an unusually warm May. So after we trudged all the way to Mr. Stilwell’s office and discovered a little portable AC unit, we were very excited and appreciative. Mr. Stillwell was born and raised in Oregon, and has lived in Germany for 20 years. For the last seven, he has worked for the beautiful State of South Carolina. If I understand correctly, it is his job to help find European businesses that want to open up shop in the US, and push them towards South Carolina. He acts as a project manager and helps the company with many aspects of the globalization process.

Through our meeting, we learned there are 136,000 South Carolinians employed by international companies, which is the highest percentage of total private employment by international companies in the US. That means Mr. Stilwell and his predecessors have obviously been doing their job. Also because Southerners are the best of the best. We just can’t help it!

Companies such as BMW, INA USA Corp and Siemens are among the top German companies providing jobs in SC. Mr. Stilwell informed us SC has four offices helping to bring international business to the state. They are in Munich, Tokyo, Shanghai, and the most recent in Toronto. I find it very interesting that our state has employed people to bring business. But he explained it like this. If the US government found out there was a company that wanted to branch out, and they recommended Alabama, every one of the other 49 states would flip out and want to know why they weren’t chosen. Therefore, each state publicizes itself individually. It was very interesting to meet with someone who is representing our state all the way across the globe. But it was definitely a nice piece of home.
So for those of you reading this in the states, just think. Out there somewhere, people are representing your state, trying to bring business to your area and eventually, more jobs and property taxes paid. So thank your individual state, because they are working hard for their people. So be proud!


P.S. for a small side-note, I forgot to mention a small golf store that Sidel pointed out to a few of us the other day. We were walking to the local American Express to exchange some money, and we all stopped. In the windows, on floor to ceiling posters, were pictures of a gorgeous South Carolina golf course with the typical phrase “Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places”!! Ahh!! How weird! Can you believe that there is a huge picture of SC with our state phrase on it in the middle of Germany? Well neither could we. But that is just one more way that SC is helping to promote itself. So the next time you travel to, perhaps, the very tip of Antarctica, you’d better watch out because there may be a little man with a sign saying “SC weather is hot! No abominable snowmen there!” or something along those lines. I’m just trying to say that we always knew South Carolinians are awesome, this just confirms it. And if you are reading this posting, then you should feel lucky. Because I am from South Carolina, and I’m a big deal.