Upstate SC Internet company recognized for community service

By Mike Switzer

Published January 12, 2024 at 6:30 AM EST

Kent Winrich, chief technology officer with Open Broadband in Greenville, SC

InnoVision Awards is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of innovation and technology in our state. And each year, as their name implies, they recognize companies, organizations, and individuals toward that end. 2023’s Community Service Award was recently announced and our next Internet solutions company was the recipient. Mike Switzer interviews Kent Winrich, chief technology officer with Open Broadband 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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