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From YouTube: Aiken This Week - February 8, 2016 : John McMichael
Description
Meet John McMichael, the City of Aiken's Business Vitality Manager. John discusses his new role, his history in Aiken, and the path forward for business in Aiken.
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John McMichael–Business Vitality Manager
(803) 502-4994
jmcmichael@cityofaikensc.gov
A
Welcome
to
aiken
this
week,
I
memory,
Langston
I'm,
so
pleased
to
have
our
guest
today
is
John
McMichael.
He
was
our
new
business,
vitality
manager
for
the
city
of
Aiken
and
John.
Thank
you
for
being
here
and
we
are
so
excited
to
to
have
you
on
board
with
the
city
and
talk
about
some
really
great
stuff
today.
Well,.
A
Here
we
are,
it's
already
februari
and
we're
off
to
a
very
fast-paced
start
for
a
new
year
with
a
new
mayor,
fairly
new
city
manager.
Still
we
have
some
a
really
exciting
initiatives
that
are
taken
shape
in
your
new
position
is
the
business
of
vitality
manager
for
the
city.
So
let's
just
jump
right
in
John
and
tell
us
a
little
bit
about
yourself
and
your
family
and
kind
of
how
you
came
to
this
okay.
B
Thank
You
Emery,
my
wife
and
I,
are
both
from
aiken.
We
grew
up
in
Aiken
and
I
like
to
tell
people
that
probably
came
from
the
only
city
in
the
world
where
you
played
football,
baseball
and
bicycle
polo
at
the
same
place
so
down
on
powder
house
growing
up,
and
we
created
the
first
bike
lanes
in
aiken.
We
we
called
it
south
boundary,
so
it
was
akin
is
a
really
a
neat
place
to
grow
up
in
my
wife
and
I.
B
A
B
We
upon
graduation
moved
to
Myrtle,
Beach
I
was
in
broadcasting
down
in
Myrtle
Beach,
and
then
we
moved
back
to
Colombia
and
I
sood
career
in
the
insurance
industry
started
off
in
the
agency
business
and
then
moved
into
corporate
I
started
working
for
the
insurance
companies
and
we
lived
in
Colombia
for
a
number
of
years.
In
fact,
I
we
have
one
son
who
is
also
just
moved
back
to
aiken.
Last
last
few
years
he
graduated
from
irmo
high
school
and
as
soon
as
he
graduated,
we
move
from
Columbia
to
Atlanta.
B
It
was
one
of
those
things
where
corporations
do
a
lot
of
things
and
as
they
grew,
they
needed
some
help
in
Atlanta.
So
they
transferred
me
to
Atlanta.
We
started
a
whole
new
division
up
there
and
ultimately
got
purchased
by
another
company.
I
stayed
with
them,
so
we
were
in
Atlanta
for
a
number
of
years
as
well.
We
moved
back
to
aiken
in
2008
and
I
went
to
work
here
in
aiken
with
a
buddy
of
mine
that
I
went
to
high
school
with
and
then
I
grew
up
next
door
to
can
you
believe.
B
Larry
Hawley,
with
Hudson
Etheridge
agency
and
I,
went
to
work
in
there
and
all
that
all
during
my
insurance
career
I
made
sure
that
Aiken
was
still
part
of
my
territory.
I
had
a
lot
of
people
that
work
for
me
that
we're
down
in
the
Aiken
and
agustin
in
Columbia
areas,
but
so
it
was
always
neat.
I
had
a
good
excuse
to
come
home
and
visit
family
whenever
I
needed
to
what.
B
A
B
A
John,
you
have
I
mean
what
what
a
great
story
I
mean.
You've
come
full
circle
went
away
started
here,
went
away
had
so
many
wonderful
opportunities
all
over
the
state
and
the
southeast
I
know
you
have
been
very
involved,
civically
and
everywhere
that
you
have
been
to
so.
You
bring
just
such
a
great
wealth
of
information
and
experience.
A
B
It
really
made
a
lot
of
things
that
Aiken
is
really
noted
for
pop.
For
me,
if
that
makes
sense,
Aiken
is
such
a
giving
community
such
a
very
open
community.
I.
Don't
know
that
I've
ever
been
on
the
community
that
had
is
any
different
nonprofits
that
really
work
very
hard
at
trying
to
do
so.
Many
good
things
in
the
community
to
help
the
people
and
citizens
of
the
CSRA,
Aiken
and
aiken
county.
I
think.
A
That
you're,
hitting
on
something
that
I
think
is
just
so
so
vital
your
it's
such
a
unique
thing,
and
when
I've
been
able
to
talk
to
people
in
the
community
about
you
know
what
they
do.
Not
only
are
we
so
incredibly
diverse
with
people
being
from
all
over
the
United
States,
but
to
have
that
to
have
that
care
and
that
love
and
that
passion
with
the
nonprofits
and
in
just
a
genuine
love
for
for
everything
that
that's
going
on
in
the
community
is
really
special.
You.
B
Know
dealing
in
the
disaster
areas
of
you
know
this.
We
saw
it
when
we
had
the
the
ice
storm
here.
How
so
many
people
rallied
to
help
people
that
were
out
of
power,
and
things
like
that?
We
saw
in
Katrina
and
things
like
that,
how
how
communities
rallied
and
sent
things
from
all
over
the
place,
and
even
recently
in
Columbia,
where
the
the
flooding
took
place,
I
mean
I,
was
really
touched
when
LSU
sent
water
and
different
things
to
the
University
of
South
Carolina
and
to
the
columbia
area.
B
For
you
know,
for
relief
and
experiencing
the
the
way
that
people
helped
other
people
during
disasters
really
touch
me
to
see
how
people
really
went
out
of
their
way
to
do
things.
Okay
and
the
real
key
was
at
how
much
it
was
appreciated
by
the
people
that
were
the
receivers
of
the
different
gifts
and
benefits
and
food
and
water
and
the
staples
that
we
take
for
granted
every
day.
Yea.
B
B
Used
to
do
a
lot
of
training,
corporate,
try
and
I
used
to
tell
this
story,
and
it
is-
or
there
are
two
stories
I
got
to
tell
I,
always
tell
everybody
everything
I
learned
about
business
and
about
people.
I
learned
on
Main,
Street
and
I
would
tell
tell
them
that
and
of
course,
Main
Street
fuss
is
large
right.
A
B
A
B
Making
golf
club
and
gemach
near
was
was
the
owner
and
he
was
very
kind.
I
caddied
down
there.
I
was
a
lifeguard
atone
occasion
and
worked
in
the
pro
shop
when
they
needed
some
extra
help
when
somebody
needed
to
take
a
break
or
something.
So
that's
where
I
really
learned
learned
the
value
of
hard
work
and
doing
things
like
that.
A
A
B
You
know
that
was
those
were
kind
of
fun
jobs
to
go,
but
the
real
job
that
I
think
that
really
solidified
and
I
call
it
my
first
real
job
that
I
got
to
be
a
grown-up
and
wear
a
tie
and
a
code,
and
things
like
that
was
on
on
the
large
street.
It
was
working
for
Manning,
Owens,
Manning,
Owens
men's
store
right
on
Main
Street
Manning
was
such
a
wonderful
man
and
a
good
friend
of
the
family.
He
and
my
dad
were
good
friends,
and
I
met
this
gentleman
who
I
think
most
everybody
will
know.
B
His
name
is
Lionel.
Smith
Atlanta
was
in
there
and
can
take
in
and
myself,
and
there
was
one
other
person
that
was
in
there
working
at
the
time.
It
was
boobs
mr.
Owens
Ken
Smitty,
and
we
just
had
a
great
time
in
there
and
I
always
tell
everybody.
I
was
one
of
the
first
people
in
aiken
everybody
wearing
bow
ties.
Now.
I
was
one
of
the
first
people
in
aiken
that
learned
how
to
and
wear
a
bow
tie
and
Smitty
taught
me
and
can
taught
me,
and
so
we
taught
others
to
do
it.
A
B
But
I
really
learned
a
lot
in
there
about
people
in
doing
things
and
there's
one
little
story.
I
learned
that
how
to
deal
with
people,
I
was
selling
a
lady,
a
pair
of
shoes.
We
used
to
sell
Weejuns,
you
remember
the
region's
little
penny,
loafers
and
I
was
having
trouble
fitting
her
and
I
told
the
lady
I
said:
well,
one
of
your
feet
is
bigger
than
the
other
one
and
I'm
just
going
to
have
to
work
with
the
size
on
it
and
after
she
left
she
was
very
comedy
very
nice
after
she
left
mr.
B
Owens
walked
over
to
me
and
he
said
John
he
said.
Look.
Let
me
just
give
you
a
little
little
sales
tip.
I
said.
Yes,
sir,
he
said
never
tell
anybody
that
he
said.
Here's
how
you
do
I
say.
Yes,
sir
I'm
all
ears,
he
said
tell
him,
one
foot
is
smaller
than
the
other
one,
and
you
know
that's
a
life
principle
there.
It's
not
what
you
say.
It's
how
you
say
it.
Yes,.
A
B
B
B
I
was
at
University
here
naked
and
that
was
in
the
waning
time
that
they
were
at
banksia
before
they
moved
to
the
other
facilities
and
I
was
standing
in
line
of
getting
ready
to
sign
up
for
classes
and
its
really
nice.
Lady
came
up
to
me
and
said:
what
is
your
major
and
I
said?
Well
I'm
just
going
to
take
courses,
she
said
no,
no.
You
really
need
to
think
about
what
your
major
is
and
I
said.
Okay,
so
I
did
and
she
said
well,
I
think
journalism.
B
We
talked
for
a
minute,
she
said
I,
think
you'd
be
good
in
journalism.
I
said
all
right,
so
I
said
I'll
set.
I
was
just
sign
up
for
journalism
and
most
people
in
taking
the
mcdonald
law.
Well,
it
was
mcdonalds
mom
and
she
I
didn't
know
this
at
the
time,
but
she
was
very
good
friends
with
my
mother,
so
I
think.
Maybe
that's
why
she
took
a
little
extra
interest
in
trying
to
put
me
in
the
right
right.
B
But
she
kept
up
with
me
over
the
years
and
she
was
just
a
very,
very
sweet.
Lady
MacDonald
doesn't
fall
far
from
the
tree.
There
he's
very
a
very
kind
and
engaging
gentleman,
and
his
mom
was
too
so
is
his
dad
for
that
matter.
But
if
it
hadn't
been
for
that
class
or
her
putting
me
in
there,
I
never
would
have
been
in
a
certain
class
I'm.
B
B
A
A
B
Know
it's
really
been
an
interesting
journey.
I
tell
people,
it
seems
like
I've
always
been
at
the
right
place
at
the
right
time
and
I
took
a
early
approach.
My
dad
kind
of
instilled
this
in
me
he
was
an
engineer
and
he
instilled
it.
He
says
son
never
wait
for
people
to
ask
you
to
do
things.
He
said.
Look
for
things
to
do.
He
said,
if
you
do
that,
then
people
will
know
that
you're
serious
about
what
you're
doing
in
your
career,
so
I
said
good
advice.
So
I
did
that.
B
Well,
my
first
stint
after
graduation
I
went
to
work
in
myrtle
beach,
south
carolina
and
the
broadcasting
field,
and
that
was
a
good
area
for
me
to
develop
communication
skills.
I
had
did
a
little
on
the
air
things,
but
I
wrote
a
lot
of
commercials
and
did
a
lot
of
things
like
that,
and
the
real
draw
that
got
me
to
myrtle
beach
was
the
fact
that
our
general
manager
down
that
way
says
you
know
it's
real
important
that
we
take
some
of
our
big
clients
out
to
play
golf
at
least
once
a
week.
B
Somebody
says
you
have
to
play
golf
I,
say
great
and
you're
going
to
pay
for
it.
That
was
good,
but
it
gave
me
an
opportunity
to
to
be
creative
and
to
do
things
that
that
I
felt
like
we're,
but
I
got
to
work
with
a
lot
of
wonderful
business
people
down
there
that
you
talk
about
real
entrepreneurs,
that
this
was
in
the
in
the
early
70s,
when
Myrtle
Beach
really
wasn't
clicking
quite
as
good
it
was.
There
are
a
lot
of
empty
storefronts
down
there.
B
So
I
got
to
see
the
the
good,
the
bad
and
the
ugly
of
what
business
was
like
down
there.
It
wasn't
a
year-round
thing
as
much
as
it
is
not
the
winter
months
were
pretty
long
and
lean
down
there
for
most
of
the
businesses,
so
I
got
to
see
an
experience
that
side
of
it
went
back
to
Columbia
after
a
couple
of
years
and
got
into
the
insurance
business
and
worked
in
the
age
and
an
agency
in
Columbia
and
learned
a
good
bit
about
the
agency
business.
B
But
you
know
I
felt
like
there
was
a
lot
more
to
learn
and
an
opportunity
came
up
from
just
so
happened
to
one
of
my
neighbors
where
we
were
living
said.
We
have
a
management
position
with
continental
insurance
company.
That's
open!
It's
a
management,
trainee
position,
so
he
said
you
get
to
learn
a
little
bit
about
the
entire
insurance
field.
So
I
said
that
sounds
interesting.
So
after
some
interviews
and
things
I
took
that
and
got
this
experience
of
many
different
areas
of
of
the
insurance
field
and
as
a
result
really
did
enjoy
it
it.
B
It
gave
me
an
opportunity
to
do
a
lot
of
different
things
and
I
was
still
in
South.
Carolina
I
still
got
to
travel
back
and
forth
to
Aiken
and
one
of
the
first
areas
that
I
had
the
responsibility
for
was
low
and
behold
Aiken,
so
I
got
I
got
to
visit
aching
at
least
once
every
other
week
and
spend
a
couple
of
days
down
here.
B
So
that
was
a
that
was
great,
but
they
were
very
good
to
me
and
as
we
progressed
on
and
got
different
degrees
and
training
and
things
they
moved
me
up
into
management
and
I
took
over
the
operations
in
Columbia
and
then
eventually
moved
into
some
national
areas.
Where
I
was
on
a
national
audit
review
team
where
you'd
go
in
and
have
the
experience
that
going
to
different
parts
of
the
country
and
auditing
different
offices
and
showing
them
where
they
could
improve
on
their
processes
and
their
operations.
B
A
A
A
Right,
it
was
kind
of
nice
very
good.
Well,
I'm,
real
I've
got
a
question
on
what
ask
a
little
curious
I
think
that
you
have
such
an
interesting
perspective.
Coming
back,
you
grew
up
here,
went
away
had
an
opportunity
throughout
your
career
to
keep
coming
back
and
having,
but
once
you
y'all
came
back
to
aiken
in
2008.
A
B
I
looked
around
and
there
were
still
so
many
of
the
same
places.
You
know
we
just
really
enjoyed
going
down.
I
guess
you
say
memory
lane,
Sarah
and
riding
around,
and
when
my
son
would
come
to
visit,
he
was
still
in
in
Atlanta
and
he
move
eventually
to
Columbia
for
a
while
he'd
come
visit
and
I
take
him
down
to
these
things.
He
said
dad.
He
said
I'm
going
to
start,
writing
stop
riding
with
you
said
every
time
we
go,
we
get
into
this
long.
Protracted!
A
B
I've
seen
they
can
grow
I've
seen
so
many
new
people
that
have
come
taken
that
I've
got
to
meet
and
the
neat
thing
about
that
is
that
they
love
aching.
Just
as
much
as
I
do,
and
working
in
the
insurance
business
I
specialized
in
commercial
insurance
and
so
I
got
to
work
with
so
many
of
the
different
wonderful
business
people
in
the
Aiken
area
and
in
Aiken,
and
you
get
to
see
their
love
of
the
community
and
the
they
give
back
so
much
you
can.
B
I
can
name
so
many
businesses
that
really
do
give
back
to
the
community
in
so
many
different
ways.
It's
I
saw
that
I
saw
the
like
I
mentioned
earlier.
I,
don't
know
that
I've
ever
been
in
the
community
that
people
had
so
many
different
avenues
to
volunteer
work
and
do
things
that
positively
impact
the
community.
That's
special
I'm,
very
big
in
my
church,
always
have
been,
but
it
goes
outside
the
walls
of
the
church.
That's
just
one
facet.
B
Healthcare,
some
some
very
worthwhile
organizations,
and
one
thing
that
really
solidified
a
lot
of
things
for
me-
was
it
kind
of
brought
a
lot
of
them
together
was
the
Chamber
of
Commerce.
One
of
the
people
that
I
was
introduced
to
early
on
back
in
aiken
was
David.
Jamison
and
David
was
very
warm
and
open
and
really
gave
me
a
lot
of
insight
coming
back
to
aiken
and
help
me
get
plugged
into
the
business
community,
and
I
found
that
really
what
a
gem
we
have
with
the
Chamber
of
Commerce
here
naked.
A
B
Been
involved
with
them
in
many
communities
around
the
country,
and
this
was
a
unique
experience-
I
couldn't
believe
how
inviting
and
warm
and
and
really
a
part
of
the
community
that
it
has
become
so
as
a
result
of
working
with
david.
I
got
I
spent
I'm
in
my
six
year
serving
on
the
board
of
directors,
with
with
the
greater
aiken
Chamber
of
Commerce
and
kind
of
a
side
event.
I
started
being
coach
here
six
years
ago
of
aiken's
makin,
okay,.
A
B
A
B
When
we
move
back,
my
wife
and
I
looked
at
some
houses
in
many
different
areas.
We
really
wanted
to
be
a
part
of
the
heartbeat
of
Aiken,
so
we
bought
a
house
downtown
and
we
worked
it
and
that's
where
we
live.
We
live
downtown,
so
we
live
and
breathe
and
work
downtown
are
akin
and
that's
the
historic
aspect
of
our
house.
What
was
appealing
those
as.
A
B
A
B
A
B
B
I
was
a
part
of
that,
along
with
most
of
our
city
government
and
a
lot
of
the
business
community
and
the
chamber,
and
we
all
there
were
48
of
us,
and
we
took
the
tour
from
here
to
greenville,
to
winston-salem,
to
raleigh
to
get
an
idea
of
what
these
communities
did
to
to
keep
the
the
essence
of
what
they
were
all
about,
but
to
create
some
vision
and
vitality.
Because
plans
are
great,
but
you
have
to
have
a
plan
has
to
be
associated
with
a
vision
right.
A
B
We
just
had
went
through
and
I
know.
You
were
intimately
involved
with
the
with
this
visioning
process
that
we
went
through
an
aching
several
weeks
ago
and
that
came
together
last
Thursday
and
we
had
over
200
people
in
a
room
excited
about.
What's
going
on,
these
were
business
people,
community
leaders,
right
and
just
folks
that
some
retired
folks,
you
know
we
just
had
a
great
diversity
of
people
in
the
room
and
they
were
all
excited
about
the
future
of
Aiken
and
it
really
that's
what
it's
all
about.
I
start.
A
B
My
wife
said
that
I
probably
need
riddling,
because
I
I'm
excited
about
the
day
every
day,
I
enjoy
what
I
do
I
enjoy
the
people
in
aiken.
But
I
want
to
see
the
business
community
do
the
best
that
it
can
do
be
the
best
that
it
can
be,
and
it
can
be
the
best
that
it
can
be
and
work
with.
So
many
of
the
different
wonderful
organizations
that
we
have
here
in
aiken
to
achieve
that,
it's
not
something
that
one
person
can
do.
B
A
B
We
were
very
fortunate
to
be
selected
to
be
a
part
of
Main
Street,
we're
really
excited
where
we
were
in
Columbia
last
week
and
met
with
some
other
communities
that
are
going
through
the
same
process
with
Main
Street.
We'll
have
some
more
meetings
next
week.
I'm
really
excited
about
it,
but
it
is
really
a
program
that
helps
you
identify
the
things
that
that
you
can
do
to
make
yourself
even
better.
That's.
A
B
Make
you
number
one
appreciate
what
you
have
and
number
two
to
give
you
some
real
good,
constructive
ideas
on
the
things
that
you
could
do
to
make,
what
you
have
even
better
and
that's
what
main
streets
all
about
it's
a
great
process,
I'm
excited
about.
It
love
the
people
that
they
have
involved
with
it.
There's
they're
enthusiastic,
and
you
know
the
one
thing
that
really
made
me
excited
about
them
is
they
fell
in
love
where
they
can
too
they
love
they.
Can
they
think
aching
is
a
great
great
great
place.
We.
A
B
Do
I
took
a
page
out
of
your
book.
You've
done
such
a
wonderful
job
and
what
you're
doing
with
this
program
that
I
thought
that
it
was
as
part
of
my
new
job
and
responsibilities.
I
wanted
to
highlight
businesses
new
businesses,
businesses
that
are
expanding,
create
a
platform
so
that
we
can
let
the
people
really
know
what
businesses
are
doing
out
there.
A
B
Know
they
can
read
an
article
in
the
paper
and
our
aiken
standard
does
a
great
job
in
letting
us
know
about
all
new
businesses,
and
they
do
wonderful
stories
about
them.
But
we
wanted
to
give
the
businesses
something
that
they
can.
They
can
have
and
hold
on
to,
and
you
know
like
I
was
telling
you
one
the
other
day
they
can
connect
their
websites
to
our
stories
and
they've
got
a
living
story
that
keeps
on
telling
their
story.
So
we're
going
to
do
that.
B
B
We
want
it
to
be
a
wonderful
experience
for
the
people
in
Aiken
and
just
as
another
note
I
didn't
say
this
before,
but
I
wanted
to
end
this.
You
know
as
we
wrapping
it
up
as
we
get
close
to
the
end
and
talk
about
this.
That
I
want
the
business
community
to
know
that
when
they
have
things
that
they
need
to
discuss,
they
need
help
with
areas
feel
free.
To
give
me
a
call
with
a
city
be
glad
to
you'll.
B
See
me
around
in
all
the
different
events
that
you'll
see
me
on
Main
Street
large
street.
Whatever
we
wherever
we
are,
stop
me
talk,
I'll
see
you
someplace
in
town.
Give
me
a
call
I
love
to
help.
When
you
have
issues.
Number
of
people
have
already
taken
me
up
on
that.
It's
it's
been
a
great
experience.
B
A
Truly
is
it
truly
is
we'll
make
sure
that
we
get
all
your
contact
information
up
on
the
screen
for
our
folks
today,
I
can't.
Thank
you
enough
for
being
here,
we're
so
excited
about
what
the
future
holds
exciting
time
for
Aiken
and
again
I.
Don't
think
we
could
have
a
better
of
a
person
in
the
position
and
we
look
forward
to
some
exciting
name.
Thank.