SC has new jobs financing chief

By Mike Switzer

Published January 25, 2024 at 6:30 AM EST

Jesse Smith, the new executive director of the South Carolina Jobs-Economic Development Authority (JEDA) in Columbia, SC

We recently learned that one of our state agencies involved in job creation and retention has a new leader. Today, we have him on the phone. Mike Switzer interviews Jesse Smith, the new executive director of the South Carolina Jobs-Economic Development Authority (JEDA) in Columbia, 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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