MP Business 2018

www.MPBusinessMag.com | www.BestOfMP.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com MPB mp business it benefits both countries because the more we know about each other, the less likely we are to have conflicts.” Gen. James Livingston, a retired Marine who lives in Mount Pleasant, certainly knows more than most about leadership. A Medal of Honor recipient, he was the keynote speaker at the opening ceremonies for SC International’s third annual training session, which ran from July 13 to Aug. 2 this year. “I was very impressed with the program,” Livingston said. “And I was very impressed with Aric’s businesslike skills. He’s just a great representative of the United States in terms of running that program.” Southworth said Super Commander participants range in age from 15 to 22, adding that around 15 percent of them are young women. For the most part, they are the children of wealthy Chinese businessmen. They live in the barracks at New York Military Academy, and, in addition to intense physical training, they learn about drown-proofing and survival swimming, marksmanship, hand-to-hand combatives and conflict avoidance. Honor, integrity and East vs. West perspectives are important aspects of their extensive classroom training. Most of all, they learn how to lead. In addition to Southworth and Qu, Brent Varitz, an Oregon native who is also a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and now a Mount Pleasant resident, is a key member of the instruction team. Southworth pointed out that five of the most motivated cadets in this year’s group joined the training team, which left for China following the session in New York. There, the team traveled around the country, holding boot-camp-style leadership training for corporate executives. In four to-seven-day sessions, Southworth, Qu, American college students and Chinese high schoolers put 35- to 50-year-olds through a program similar to the training provided at New York Military Academy. In the beginning, Southworth, who also is sales director at Dunhill Staffing Systems in Mount Pleasant, wasn’t sure his entrepreneurial idea would work. Three years after he and Qu convinced a group of wealthy Chinese businessmen that he could make leaders out of their somewhat self-indulged children, it appears that they have discovered an idea that, combined with a recipe of hard work and dedication, has produced a winning business model. “Qu and I went out on a limb to found this company,” Southworth said. “They’re dealing with kids from affluent families. It’s amazing. It’s like Parris Island,” Livingston pointed out. “They’re very attentive and alert. It shows you what Above: Jiaxin Qu and Aric Southworth lead a classroom training session. Center: Cadet Sgt. Matt Salazar imposes his will on a program participant. Bottom: Brent Varitz directs martial arts training.