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Removing the "Blood" from Rare Minerals

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By now, most of us have heard of blood diamonds and other rare gems and minerals that are mined in third world countries and result in death and mayhem that, at the same time, benefit warlords and corrupt corporations.  Our next guest works for a South Carolina company,  however, that has taken great pains to ensure that the rare minerals they need for their products are not involved in this type of sourcing.

Mike Switzer interviews Joel Sherman, senior director for compliance and sustainability with KEMET Electronics in Simpsonville, SC.

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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.