New Virus Testing Swabs Designed in Upstate SC

By Mike Switzer

Published August 20, 2020 at 5:30 AM EDT

The last time we interviewed our next guest was about ten years ago when his company was in early stage development. They were working on a micro coating that could adhere to surfaces; one possible example of its use was to help prevent ice from forming on power lines. Fast forward to today and the company’s micro surface technology is now being applied to a new design for swabs used in COVID-19 testing.

Mike Switzer interviews Ralph Hulseman, president of Hoowaki in Greenville, 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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