COLUMBIA (S.C.) — Commerce Secretary Harry Lightsey reflects on his first months as a job holder. He says that his dual-tracked background from the automotive and telecommunications sectors will help him to lead the agency responsible for growing and maintaining South Carolina’s business development engine.
As he progresses into the role, Lightsey also promised transparency regarding the millions of dollars in tax incentives that his agency offers to encourage corporations to do business with the state.
Lightsey said that she started in telecom in a landline telephone monopoly. She left the industry about a year and a quarter after the iPhone’s introduction.
“I have seen how technology affects business and got a feel for the key elements of some these transformative technologies that will be impacting our businesses in South Carolina.”
Lightsey assumed control of the agency this summer after Bobby Hitt retired. Hitt spent more than a decade at the agency. Hitt, a veteran of BMW, oversaw large investments in South Carolina during the Govs administrations. Henry McMaster and Nikki Haley.
McMaster nominated Lightsey to the Senate in June. He stated that McMaster’s long-standing business experience would ensure the state and agency continued success. He was then given unanimous consent by the Senate.
Lightsey (65) has held various executive leadership positions for many corporations. He was president of BellSouth Telecommunications South Carolina before they merged with AT&T.
He was also director of federal government affairs for General Motors Corp. and an emerging technology specialist. He is also principal at Hawksbill Advisors and a board member for Federal Reserve Bank Richmond, Virginia.
Commerce is primarily a sales job. Investors should be convinced that South Carolina has the right facilities. Lightsey explained that the pandemic posed a challenge to this work but that the agency was creative and used teleconferencing and drones.
Lightsey stated that they were able to view drone footage without having to travel to the site. This program has been very valuable for both the state’s economic development partners and businesses. “And as we emerge from this pandemic, hopefully shortly, we are in a great place to capitalize on that fact that we’re already doing pretty well.”
Commerce Lightsey stated that September’s recruitment was higher than in 2020 and is continuing to rise rapidly. This means that more program managers are needed to keep track of new projects.
He said, “We have things coming in at a record speed.” Lightsey announced on Thursday that Ashely Teasdel, a veteran agency employee, would be his deputy. He will be responsible for implementing agency-wide initiatives and programs.
There were some bumps. There have been some bumps.
Lightsey stated that he supports transparency with public funds on principle but suggested that keeping some incentive details secret may give the state a competitive advantage.
Lightsey stated to AP that the public has the right to know how their money is being spent. “On the other side, it’s in the best interests of the public that South Carolina be competitive and create as many jobs in the state as possible.”
A Legislative Audit Council report last year found that Commerce used tax incentives to lure businesses to the state with little transparency and accountability. It also noted that the agency did not perform any fiscal impact analyses following the initial cost-benefit analysis prior to awarding contracts to determine whether the projects were successful.
A judge also ruled Commerce had broken the state open-records laws by withholding information about millions of dollars in state grants to corporations and tax incentives. The state senator Dick Harpootlian from Columbia, a Democrat, sued Commerce and requested an audit by the LAC. He stated to the Post and Courier that there is no other state agency that receives a similar pass on how it spends money.
Commerce appealed the order. Harpootlian said to AP that he hopes both parties can resolve the situation and is optimistic about Lightsey’s commitment towards transparency.
Harpootlian stated that “Clearly his heart is in the right place.” “The question is not whether the agency will keep his promises. … I have said before that the CIA black budget’ is transparent than the Department of Commerce.
Lightsey stated that the agency had already made some changes and promised that transparency would continue to be his main theme throughout his tenure.
He said, “We’re going look at things we can do maybe differently, but then provide greater clarity and more insight for the public about the what we’re doing. And how companies are being brought before the state.” “It’s a never-ending process, but we’ll keep looking at it.”
