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Business
South Carolina Business Review

Strengthening our workforce through early stage literacy

By Mike Switzer
Published August 6, 2026 at 6:30 AM EDT
Sandi Smith, executive director of the Augustine Literacy Project of the Upstate in Mauldin, SC
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Sandi Smith, executive director of the Augustine Literacy Project of the Upstate in Mauldin, SC

When children in poverty are not reading on grade level by third grade, it eventually affects high school graduation rates, options for college, and ultimately the strength of our state’s workforce pipeline. Which is why our next guest’s organization is working hard to bring those students up to par. Mike Switzer interviews Sandi Smith, executive director of the Augustine Literacy Project of the Upstate in Mauldin, SC.

Augustine Literacy Project of the Upstate graphic
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Augustine Literacy Project
Augustine Literacy Project of the Upstate graphic

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South Carolina Business Review SC Business Reviewbusiness newsbusinessliteracychildrenpovertyworkforceSC News
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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.
See stories by Mike Switzer