South Carolina Business Review

Connecting businesses with charities

By Mike Switzer

Published May 1, 2024 at 6:30 AM EDT

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Erin Johnson with the Central Carolina Community Foundation in Columbia, S.C.

Most people are aware of the National Day of Giving which takes place on the Tuesday directly after Thanksgiving, but you may not be quite as familiar with Early Giving Day which some local groups hold on a Tuesday in the springtime. Our next guest is involved with Midlands Gives, which is celebrating that day on May 7th this year and they have formed a partnership with the business community designed to enhance that giving. Mike Switzer interviews Erin Johnson with the Central Carolina Community Foundation in Columbia, SC.

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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.

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