South Carolina Business Review

2025 USC Economic Outlook Conference - Excerpt 6

By Mike Switzer

Published December 29, 2025 at 6:30 AM EST

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Mike Switzer, Host of the South Carolina Business Review

This is the time of year when we share with you some excerpts from the most recent University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business Economic Outlook Conference. Today’s excerpt comes from Cody Thacker, Vice President of Commercial Operations, Scout Motors.

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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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