South Carolina Business Review

Transforming Clemson’s business school

By Mike Switzer

Published November 22, 2023 at 6:30 AM EST

Ways To Subscribe

Three years ago, Clemson University received its largest ever gift: $60 million from Wilbur and Ann Powers in an effort to transform the university’s business school, which now bears their names. What has happened since then? Mike Switzer interviews Wendy York, dean of the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business at Clemson University.

Tags

Mike Switzer

After almost 20 years, Mike Switzer retired from Wells Fargo Securities in 2001 as Senior Vice President/Investment Officer and Certified Portfolio Manager. In 1999, he and his wife, Maggie, purchased and operated for eight years the Baskin Robbins ice cream store on Forest Drive in Columbia. They grew the store from a bottom-tier operation in the Baskin Robbins franchise system to one in the top 5% nationwide within three years, tripling sales along the way. While operating the ice cream store, Mike and Maggie received patents for a portable ice cream sink and fold-down sneezeguard they invented and in 2002 started Magnolia Carts, an ice cream cart manufacturing company, which they sold in 2013.

See stories by Mike Switzer