Executive Personal Computers, Inc. (EPC, Inc.), a subsidiary of CSI Leasing, Inc., announced plans to expand with new operations in Lexington County.

The company’s $9.5 million investment will create 133 jobs, according to Gov. Henry McMaster’s office.

Founded in 2008, EPC, Inc. is one of the largest information technology asset disposition (ITAD) providers in the world. EPC, Inc. services organizations by providing flexible and secure solutions for sustainable information technology disposal.

The company’s services also include secure on-site hard drive shredding, wrap and pack, receiving, auditing, cleaning, recycling and resale of information technology assets.

Located at 1326 Bush River Road in Columbia, EPC, Inc.’s new 203,000-square-foot facility will serve as the company’s East Coast hub and accommodate increased production, the Governor’s Office said.

“This new facility aligns with our global growth of 20 locations across the Americas and Europe and helps to deliver on our mission of offering a full suite of sustainable, secure and environmentally responsible methods of IT disposal for our clients up and down the East Coast," said Executive Personal Computers, Inc. President Pat Laughlin.

"Our investment continues to prove our commitment to providing quality jobs within the region, and we’re looking forward to our continued growth together,”

Operations are expected to be complete by the first quarter of 2023. Those interested in joining EPC, Inc. should go to work4epc.com.

AAA predicts 54.6 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home this Thanksgiving. That’s a 1.5 percent increase over 2021 and 98 percent of pre-pandemic volumes.

This year is projected to be the third busiest for Thanksgiving travel since AAA started tracking in 2000.

AAA officials say most travelers will drive to their destinations, much like last year. Nearly 49 million people are expected to travel by car. While Thanksgiving road trips have slightly risen – up 0.4 percent from 2021 – car travel remains 2.5 percent below 2019 levels.

Air travel is up nearly 8 percent over 2021, with 4.5 million Americans flying to their Thanksgiving destinations this year. That’s an increase of more than 330,000 travelers and nearly 99 percent of the 2019 volume. 

Americans are also ramping up travel by other modes of transportation, AAA officials say. They say more than 1.4 million travelers are going out of town for Thanksgiving by bus, train, or cruise ship. That’s an increase of 23 percent from 2021 and 96 percent of the 2019 volume. 

For purposes of the forecast, AAA officials say the Thanksgiving holiday travel period is defined as the five-day period from Wednesday, Nov. 23 to Sunday, Nov. 27. 

Land Intelligence, Inc., a Columbia, S.C.-based technology company focused on automating the land development process, said it has been granted multiple patents by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a method and system for optimizing electronic map data and determining real property development yield.

The patented methodology can align a plurality of electronic map data, which includes obtaining an electronic map file, defining an area of interest on the electronic map file, selecting a predetermined datum, and providing the electronic map file in the predetermined datum.

The land acquisition software often requires an overlay map to be placed over and aligned with an electronic display so that the map features are superimposed on the underlying electronically produced display.

The method developed by Land Intelligence reduces the time consumed in this process and will also reduce the chances of human error, company officials said.

The latest development from Land Intelligence builds on its previous work in land development, including the launch of their flagship product LandSUITE.

The platform helps users manage their land development projects from start to finish, research land data, and even find investors for their projects. It offers a central repository for all project data to manage the entire land evaluation and acquisition process.

More specifics about the patents can be found here.

Patent counsel was provided by the law firm of Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP based in Atlanta, Ga.

The SC Hospital Association, member hospitals and a network of partners are launching "H is for Hiring," a statewide, multi-year campaign to meet South Carolina's need for a stable, high-quality hospital and health care workforce.

“The demand has never been greater, and that means there are outstanding opportunities for people who want a great job and a chance to make a difference in their communities," said Thornton Kirby, SCHA president and CEO.

H is for Hiring will focus on:

* Creating awareness of and interest in healthcare careers;

* Building the pipeline of future healthcare workers through new educational and student financial aid programs;

* Expanding capacity of educational and credentialing systems;

* and sharing innovations in workforce recruitment, preparation, and retention.

The program rolls out on Nov. 20, 2022, with a statewide media campaign to create widespread awareness that jobs are available at SC hospitals. The media campaign will feature outdoor advertising, social media, and a dedicated website (H-isForHiring.com) with more resources for current and future job seekers.

The initial phase of the media campaign will be outdoor billboards to take advantage of heavy holiday travel periods, supplemented by video boards at college football games, social media and the dedicated website.

The ad design uses the familiar "H" symbol for hospitals used on roadway signs.

In 2023, SCHA and partners plan to incorporate new educational, student aid, and workplace initiatives and extend the media campaign into schools, digital platforms and special events.