Georgetown County | Luring businesses, jobs to the area to grow economic opportunities

Brian Tucker is used to answering all kinds of questions about Georgetown County.

As the county’s economic development director, he’s the first stop for companies considering opening a location or moving their headquarters to the area. They want to know everything: from logistics such as proximity to the Port of Charleston to the health of the area’s workforce. And don’t forget about the education system, availability of labor and more.

“For us, we recognize that all of these things overlap,” Tucker said. “They are all interwoven.”

That’s why Tucker relies on partnerships such as the Tidelands Community Care Network. Leaders representing each of those areas have a place to come together and work toward common goals.

“We need to solve problems together and address our issues together,” Tucker said.

Georgetown County is one of about 25 partners in the Tidelands Community Care Network, which was created by Tidelands Health in partnership with Access Health SC and The Duke Endowment. The network is comprised of health educators, state agencies, transportation providers, primary and specialty care providers and others who can help uninsured residents have access to medical care.

“Tidelands Health works closely with Georgetown County in so many ways, including through the important work of the Tidelands Community Care Network,” said Kelly Kaminski, director of community health resources for Tidelands Health. “We are fortunate to have such a strong partner by our side providing expertise, resources and support as we work toward achieving our shared goals.”

The county provides a range of expertise to the network, but its efforts in growing the economy is a focus.

A healthy economy relies on a healthy workforce, where residents aren’t held back by chronic conditions that lead to more missed work days.

“If you aren’t healthy, you are not going to be focused on getting to work,” Tucker said.

Tucker has had several successes in recent years. MPW Industrial Services built an industrial water regeneration plant in Andrews, a $10 million investment that created roughly 30 jobs.

And several local businesses have expanded, including SafeRack in Andrews and EnviroSep, which in late 2016 announced a $5.2 million expansion with the creation of 100 jobs.

“That’s confirmation that businesses can succeed here,” Tucker said. “Businesses can be and are successful in Georgetown County.”

And word of the successes is starting to spread. Tucker said Georgetown County’s reputation in bigger cities such as Columbia, Atlanta and the North Carolina cities of Raleigh and Charlotte has evolved, leading to more opportunities.

“We are getting a lot more looks and a lot more projects than we were five years ago,” Tucker said. “Our opportunities are increasing.”