College of Charleston to Host German-American Business Summit

By Mike Switzer

Published January 19, 2018 at 5:49 AM EST

The significant presence of Germany-based industry in our state was an important factor in our next guest’s institution deciding to launch an annual conference last year to address issues facing the German-American business community. Last year’s topic focused on workforce needs, this year it’s innovation in manufacturing.

Mike Switzer interviews Dr. Morgan Marcell Koerner, chair of the Department of German and Russian Studies and an associate professor of German at the College of Charleston, which is soon to host the 2nd German-American Business Summit.

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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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