South Carolina Business Review

Lowcountry Volvo executive wins award

By Mike Switzer

Published May 8, 2026 at 6:30 AM EDT

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Katherine Bergmann, communications and community relations director for Volvo Car’s U.S. operations in Ridgeland, SC.

Since 2022, our next guest has led internal communications, local media relations, and community engagement for a global automotive company’s Lowcountry operations. For her work there, she was recently honored as the 2026 South Carolina Manufacturers and Commerce Association’s Manufacturing Woman of the Year. Mike Switzer interviews Katherine Bergmann, communications and community relations director for Volvo Car’s U.S. operations in Ridgeland, 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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