2nd generation, family-owned company expanding in the Lowcountry

By Mike Switzer

Published August 31, 2023 at 4:16 AM EDT

Over 60 years ago, our next guest’s company got its start in New York launching a line of maintenance products for boats. Then, in 1995, after a merger with a coatings and flooring manufacturer, they relocated to our state and have since expanded into products for the light aviation and recreational vehicle markets and contract manufacturing. Mike Switzer interviews Maike Kowal with Life Industries in North Charleston, 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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