Shining a Light on Young Professionals

By Matthew Gregory

Amid national concerns about dependency on foreign oil and environmentally friendly energy alternatives, Greg Hilton is looking for a different type of fuel that will drive South Carolina’s economy forward – young talent.

“To grow the knowledge economy here, not only do we need high-tech, knowledge based research and development opportunities, but we also need the talent base, which will be the fuel that really drives that innovation pipeline,” said Hilton.

Hilton works for Sagacious Partners LLC, a Columbia-based private economic development consultancy and project management group. Hilton was chosen to lead the Columbia Talent Magnet Project, a new age economic development program designed to attract and retain talented young professionals in Columbia.

The Talent Magnet was established by EngenuitySC, a public-private partnership focused on nurturing the growth of the knowledge-based economy in the Columbia region. The Talent Magnet team includes a team of young professionals from New Carolina, Columbia Opportunity Resource (COR), the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce and the Columbia Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The Talent Magnet also focuses on getting back people 35 and under who have left the state.

“Actually, on some level what we want is for people to leave, come back from whatever far corner of the world they went with new ideas, an enriched sense of purpose and broadened horizons. We don’t want to retain everyone. We want people to spread their wings and come back,” said Hilton.

Hilton, 31, followed his own advice. Born in Ohio but raised in North Carolina, he pursued undergraduate studies at the University of North Carolina, La Universidad San Francisco de Quito, ITESM-Guadalajara and La Universidad de Buenos Aires. He graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Latin American studies and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science. He later came to South Carolina to enter the International MBA program at the University of South Carolina. He then spent a year abroad in between Mexico and Argentina for an internship with a German company before coming back to South Carolina, which he now calls home.

“This is the essence of the Talent Magnet. I got connected into what was going on here and felt invested interest in staying in the region,” said Hilton.

In 2007, the Talent Magnet was first conceptualized on the back of a napkin in a local coffee shop as a vehicle to promote innovation, creativity and collaboration. To advance this dialogue and get a representative sampling of opinions people have about Columbia, the Talent Magnet created a survey last year that was filled out by 1,100 people covering all demographics. After reviewing the results, a Talent Magnet Forum was held in Columbia in November, where 110 people showed up to take part in the discussion.

Common themes emerged across all dialogues. More than half of respondents said they are interested in starting a business, but they do not think Columbia is a good place to do this. Many people said they hear a lot about entrepreneurship, but they do not really know how to get connected to it. As a result, interest was expressed in creating a venue to connect these like-minded entrepreneurs. In addition, many felt there needs to be a way to connect young professionals directly to the leadership dynamic in Columbia.

Hilton said the Talent Magnet is working to create an entrepreneurial mentality through a Web-based entrepreneurial network. To address concerns about leadership, the Talent Magnet will be working with Columbia Mayor Bob Coble’s office to create a mayor’s council of emerging leaders, a group of young professionals who can not only serve as a voice to the mayor and city council, but also help solve some of the problems the city may have.

Hilton said the Talent Magnet also will be developing internship programs to establish connections between business community and students before they graduate.

“If you can get connected to a student before they graduate, whether it’s community based or through internships, when they get out of school, they are much more likely to stay. If your company doesn’t have an internship program, seek out your closest university or technical college and create one,” said Hilton.

Amy Love, deputy executive director at New Carolina, said Hilton’s passion for the Talent Magnet will have ripple effects on South Carolina’s competitiveness for years to come.

“Greg has an unbridled passion for what he does, and he does it by winning others over, giving to people and projects more than they expect and always delivering results,” said Love.

Hilton’s passion shines through when he discusses the “perception problem” facing Columbia and South Carolina. He said he’s tired of the fallacy that other cities like Charlotte, Atlanta and Greenville have more to offer young professionals than Columbia. He also said it’s not about living in a huge city, calling this “the era of the mid-sized city.”

The Talent Magnet will announce further plans this year, with an outline for the next three years on how to make Columbia a destination city. And under Hilton’s management, the project will continue to target the young professionals fueling South Carolina’s economy.

“At the end of the day, when it’s all said and done, a competitive business environment is important, but having access to bright, talented, motivated people is what’s going to make a company ultimately acceptable,” said Hilton.

Matthew Gregory is communications associate at the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce.