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THURSDAY. OCTOBER 7. 2021 PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS PAGE 11A
Jasper business owner gives props to Pickens airport
“It s a great tool in my corporate toolbox, ” says CEO
Up and away - Southland Service Group CEO Joseph Perron and his employees benefit from what he calls the ease
and accessibility of the Pickens County Airport. Last week the business owner flew his team from Jasper to Ft. Wayne,
Indiana on a business trip. (L-R) Employees Heidi Holcomb, Toren Busscher, CEO Joseph Perron, and employees Peter
Dove, Brittany Williams, Aji Neighbors, Wendy Sampson.
By Angela Reinhardt
Staff Writer
areinhardt@pickensprogress.com
The excitement was pal
pable Friday morning as the
Pilatus PC-12 Turboprop tax
ied down the Pickens County
Airport runway. Employees
of Southland Service Group,
a freight and furniture service
company with a support cen
ter in Jasper, were all smiles
as they took photos of the
plane they would soon be
boarding.
“It’s a great tool in my
corporate toolbox,” said
Southland Service Group
CEO Joseph Perron who was
flying his team to Indiana for
a meet-and-greet with their
biggest client. “This is giving
me the ability to take a team
of seven, fly up, have dinner,
fly back, and have everyone
be in their own bed at night.
I’m not sure if business own
ers realize what a great bene
fit this airport is.”
Perron estimates he saved
at minimum 20 percent by
chartering a plane instead of
paying for business-class
commercial flights, hotels,
and rental cars for everyone,
“and that doesn’t include loss
of production time. This
wouldn’t be possible with
commercial airline carriers. I
really think it’s little known
among our corporate and
business owners that you
don’t have to go to Cherokee
to get your jet off the ground.
What we need is right here.”
The CEO, a pilot himself
who rents a t-hangar at the
local airport, said despite
Pickens not having as many
amenities as the Cherokee
County airport the runway
length allows for larger air
craft used by businesses and
corporations, their fuel prices
are low, and it maintains a
low-key, low-stress environ
ment he appreciates.
“It’s got that small town
feel in an airport that can still
support big business,” he
said. “It’s got a personality
and camaraderie that you
can’t beat. Pilots will also ac
tually make detours to Jasper
to purchase fuel. Other
nearby airports you could
spend a hundred, or hundreds
more dollars to fill up.”
Despite Southland’s main
100,000 sq. ft. headquarters
being established in Suwa-
nee, Perron - a local resident
- opted to open the Jasper fa
cility on Confederate Avenue
during the summer of 2020,
in large part because of the
ease of access to the airport.
“The proximity of JZP to
our Southland Support Cen
ter... was a major considera
tion. We are 20 minutes from
‘office desk to wheels up.’"
Pickens Airport Manager
Randy Thomason said their
runway - which is 5,000 feet,
approximately the same
length as Cherokee County -
can easily accommodate
larger jets used by corpora
tions and business. While
maybe not as busy as Chero
kee County, he said they see
no shortage of jet and com
mercial traffic. Last month
he estimated they served and
refueled around 20 corporate
jets, and the month before
around 30. This August they
had a record month for jet
fuel sales, and “did extremely
well in September.”
“We’ve got executives
from all over, real estate de
velopers, bankers, executives
from Home Depot, Coca
Cola, locally from Big
Canoe, Bent Tree. Recently
U-Haul executives flew in to
look at some buildings. Jets
are really our bread and but
ter. We try to stay competi
tive with fuel, and have them
in and out with little delays.
We hope to be able to expand
that in the future.”
The airport is adding 24 t-
hangars and three box
hangars. When added to the
82 aircraft currently stationed
there this will push them over
100 aircraft and place them in
the top 10 airports in the
state.
“Having that new desig
nation will allow us to in
crease our exposure and
change our standing,” he
said.
The airport has also se
cured funding for a new ter
minal, which Thomason
hopes will be completed by
the end of next year or the be
ginning of 2023.
This is the second time
Perron, the Southland CEO,
has flown his crew out of
town for a day tip. The last
time was in December when
the team was half the size it
is now. He believes as a busi
ness owner the opportunity to
provide outings like last
week’s - in addition to a gen
eral attitude of care - does
wonders for morale and helps
him retain good employees
who are satisfied with their
jobs.
“Everything we’re hear
ing now is so negative re
garding employers and
employees, like the sky is
falling,” he said. “That is not
our reality [at our business].
I really believe that it’s the
relationship we create with
our employees and taking
care of people that allows us
to be in business. And yes,
outings like this are just one
way we can do that - and the
airport gives us that opportu
nity.”
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Farmers Market rolls into Fall
Chef Tony is at the market every week with his wide
range of sourdough breads, as well as delicious brownies.
By Heather Giambra
With later hours for the
Farmers Market and the can
cellation of the Marble Fest,
the day seemed different but
still the vendors brought the
goods and many customers
found good things to take
home. It was a bit cooler and
a very pleasant day to shop
for veggies, treats, and crafty
items. A few vendors found
themselves in new locations
in the market because of the
opening time being changed
to 9 a.m. Guess they were not
used to sleeping in?
And there was another
new vendor, Jennifer
Walther, “trying out the wa
ters” by selling her crocheted
items and bottle cap earrings.
The Jasper Farmers Market
welcomes new people want
ing to sell their produce
and/or products. Homemade,
handmade, be it baked
brownies or cakes, beans or
greens, and many items in-
between, come and give it a
try. With so many creative
people every week can be
different. It’s always fun to
see what’s new.
With the upcoming holi
days you can find autumn
decor for your yard and door.
You can find spooky fun
items for Halloween. You can
be festive for Thanksgiving
with turkey decor and don’t
forget sweet potatoes for this
year’s pie, yummm-Me. Or,
plan for Christmas with
unique ornaments for the
tree.
Located at Lee Newton
Park in the Park N Ride park
ing lot across from the Vet
eran’s Memorial, the Jasper
Farmers Market is waiting
for you. Every Saturday thru
Dec. 11,9 a.m. until 1 p.m.
so the vendors get a little
extra shut-eye.
Help Wanted
Tour Guides, Greeters
Those interested in history
The Pickens Historical Society is looking
to expand hours and operations
at the Old Jail on Main Street.
If you like meeting people
and getting involved, con-
sider volunteering for this
fun, interesting local group.
boalw/A tell t/w huMfy.
all that w& ttpquEm te a
{jfute/ixlla attitibcte and A/jtm-
om who hon/ftA (mt/wtmmtA.
pickenshistorical@gmail.com
or find us on Facebook
Pickens FHistorical Society
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