Editor's Desk

Over the past decade, the number of Latino immigrants coming to the United States has mushroomed, as we know. The southeastern United States, and particularly South Carolina, have seen an especially large increase in the Latino population. What does this mean for the state’s economy?

In our cover story, Dr. Douglas P. Woodward, professor of economics and director of the Division of Research at the Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina, analyzes changes in the South Carolina labor market, given the rise of the Latino population in the state. "Because South Carolina is a relatively low-income state," he writes, "it is important to understand the effects that a rising, largely immigrant Latino population may have on employment, wages, and poverty."

What Woodward discovered is that for a variety of reasons, wages are stagnating across the state. Read the full article for details and conclusions about this most topical issue.

Then, did you know that a businesswoman in Columbia, South Carolina, has "created a highly successful marketing firm with Hollywood clients the likes of DreamWorks Animation, Paramount, Universal, MGM, Turner, and Cartoon Network"? Her name is Doreen Sullivan, founder and president of Post No Bills. B&E Review’s Assistant Editor Gail Crouch tells us all about what this "fast-talking New York woman" has accomplished in the South.

Next, here is an arresting statistic: national workforce trends indicate that, beginning in 2008, 70 percent of new entrants into the workforce will be either women or people of color. Are South Carolina businesses ready for this sea change? Barbara Gelberd, a business consultant for executive teams, tells us why bridging the differences in cultures, perspectives, and relationships brought about by South Carolina’s changing 21st-century economy is a strategic imperative for the state’s business leaders.

.

Then, it’s a fact that more cities and towns today are joining up with residents, local government, and private interests to revitalize their downtowns, helping them become anchors for economic development. Amy Geier Edgar writes about the National Trust Main Street Center, whose Main Street USA program helps "revitalize older, traditional business districts throughout the country."

In the Palmetto State, it’s called the South Carolina Main Street program, and it has 12 member-cities. Read Edgar’s article to see who is doing what.

Our regular columns tell us why South Carolina should join 26 other states and the District of Columbia in creating a standard to promote clean-energy businesses in the state, the best ways for small towns to market themselves, and why rising health care costs are placing America’s entire economic future at risk.

Finally, take a look at our Trends, Environmental Update, and Quarterly Outlook columns as we welcome spring 2008. o

Your feedback is very important to us. What do you like about the magazine? What could you do without? What suggestions do you have for making Business & Economic Review more useful to you? Please let us know this and more by taking part in our survey.

We look forward to hearing from you.