Training professionals in agriculture, forestry, natural resources and environmental stewardship in SC

By Mike Switzer

Published September 13, 2023 at 5:32 AM EDT

Careers in environment, agriculture, and forestry are becoming more and more popular in our state thanks to numerous job opportunities in those areas as well as to educational opportunities such as those offered by our next guest’s Upstate university. Mike Switzer interviews Kirby Player, coordinator of the Palmetto Leadership Program for the Environment, Agriculture and Forestry (PLEAF) at Clemson University.

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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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