Wildlife expo returns to Lowcountry Feb. 13th

By Mike Switzer

Published January 30, 2026 at 6:30 AM EST

John Powell, president and CEO of the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition

Each year, our next guest’s three-day wildlife and nature conservation event generates an estimated $33 million in economic impact for the Lowcountry. And the next one is coming soon. Mike Switzer interviews John Powell, president and CEO of the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition coming to Charleston Feb. 13-15.

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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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