Upstate university nurturing economic engines in agriculture and more

By Mike Switzer

Published September 5, 2025 at 6:30 AM EDT

Kirby Player, leader of the Palmetto Leadership for the Environment, Agriculture and Forestry (PLEAF) program at Clemson University

Two years ago, we interviewed our next guest about his university’s new program designed to meet the growing demand for careers in agriculture, forestry, environmental and natural resources. They’ve been successful enough so far that they are now recruiting for their fourth cohort. Mike Switzer interviews Kirby Player with the Palmetto Leadership for the Environment, Agriculture and Forestry (PLEAF) program 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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