International Center means business

By Dick Hughes  

JANUARY 13, 2011 11:45 a.m. (0)

By helping foreign workers and their families adjust to life in South Carolina, the International Center of the Upstate plays an important role in making the area a welcoming place for international companies.

But even as its programs and membership increase to serve an expanding international presence, the ICU‘s corporate support dwindles.

Undeterred, Executive Director Wendy Anthony and Program Assistant Bettina Wielands, both working part-time, keep pace.

“We do 20 plus programs, classes, events a month with our tiny staff,” said Anthony.  “Bettina and I organize and plan everything.  We depend on volunteers and our board of directors to get everything done.”

During any given course period, as many as 125 people take language courses through ICU and last year “we had approximately 750 people participating in our programs, both members and non members,” Anthony said.

A book club brings seven to 25 participants to a weekly discussion, and a women’s group draws 60 or so each week.

Aside from the social, there’s no limit to the assistance, Anthony said.   Consultants who speak the native language as well as English help newcomers “with all the bureaucratic stuff ” such as getting  Social Security numbers, opening bank accounts, applying  for credit, getting a driver’s license, filing taxes, enrolling kids in school.

“They show people where Publix is but also where the Indian grocery is so they can get the spices they grew up with.  If they are from Colombia, we show them where they can get that special bread.”

Buying houses is especially difficult, she said.

“Even if you have a lot of money in France or India, it is very difficult, so we try to help people through all of the steps.  Why?  Because then they will want to stay here and they will want to stay with their business and bring more business to the area.”

ICU’s mission has grown well beyond its initial founding 11 years ago “more as a women’s group for expatriate spouses,” explained Anthony.

“Then it evolved for language classes and things like that. Now we have become more of the go-to place for international awareness in the Upstate, but not just awareness but to learn about cultural diversity.”

Beyond that, though not widely recognized, is the role the ICU plays in promoting the Upstate as a good place for international companies to invest and to stay.

“This is the area for the highest international investment per capita, so we have to respond to that, and we have been able to,” said Anthony.

A nonprofit without taxpayer support, the ICU is wholly dependent on memberships, corporate donations, fund-raisers and fees for some services.

Revenue, the largest portion being corporate contributions, has declined from roughly $73,000 in 2005 to $57,000 in 2009 and slightly more last year.

Anthony said the budget for 2010 is projected at about $60,000. The two biggest expense items are salaries about $36,000 and rent to the city of Greenville of $8,600.

“We don’t have a lot of funding.  We do it because we love what we do,” she said.   Anthony and the board are aggressively promoting memberships, and last year increased its member roll by 100 to 350. Annual dues are $40.

Anthony said trying to get recognition for the ICU is part of the struggle.  “Our biggest problem after funding is recognition.  People just don’t know about us.”

Ken Zwerdling, chief executive officer of Foreign Translations Inc. of Greenville, which works with corporations throughout the world, is one of ICU’s new sponsors and sees firsthand the “good job they are doing of promoting South Carolina.”

“When these international families come here, they don’t know anybody.  The ICU is a great opportunity for people to get together,” he said.

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