A peek at four Charleston-area entrepreneurs who've planted roots with the green movement. For example, the wheels of innovation are churning on Daniel Island, where entrepreneur Paul Cutler is pursuing patents on energy-saving product ideas he's stewed over for years. Others are using technology to open a portal to others who want to incorporate green practices into their businesses but don't know how to navigate that increasingly complicated labyrinth. Such is the mission of a Mount Pleasant software company called Green Wizard.

Three new public charter schools will be serving the tri-county beginning this fall. Palmetto Scholars Academy opened its doors Wednesday at the Navy Yard at Noisette. The Apple Charter School also opened Wednesday on James Island. And Pattison’s Academy for Comprehensive Education, known by the acronym PACE, will celebrate its opening at 10 a.m. Tuesday at 2014 Bees Ferry Road. Supporters and local celebrities Beth and Darius Rucker will be at the opening ceremony.

Daniel Island-based Blackbaud Inc. has launched a new suite of tools designed to help nonprofits utilize social media. Called Blackbaud Social, the company’s new offering is directed at private-label and public socially enabled communities, Blackbaud said in a statement. It is the only integrated social platform that offers organizations an easy way to extend their mission, access user data and leverage it for meaningful constituent engagement, the company said.

Five Charleston-area companies have been named among the fastest-growing private companies in the country, according to today’s edition of Inc. magazine. Inc.’s 500/5000 list is an annual ranking of the top U.S. private companies based on three-year growth percentage rates. The magazine said it surveys private independent businesses to take a comprehensive look at a critical part of the American economy.

The summer of 2010 is shaping up to be a season of acquisitions for Charleston software company Benefitfocus. The latest deal for the expansion-minded firm was the purchase this month of an Oklahoma technology business that drills down into health care data to help employers manage expenses. Benefit Informatics Inc. is now a wholly owned subsidiary of the Daniel Island's Benefitfocus, which makes software that allows workers to go online to review, enroll in and monitor their medical plans and other payroll perks.

On a U.S. Coast Guard platform off the coast of Georgetown, S.C., the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), the Clemson University Restoration Institute (CURI), and their partners have begun testing technology to provide insight into how much energy potential South Carolina's offshore winds offer. The ultimate goal is the deployment of offshore wind energy technology to diversify South Carolina's energy resources and significantly increase the region's energy independence.

A manufacturer of hydraulic hammers and components is locating a new facility in Summerville, bringing $1.5 million in investment and possibly more than 70 jobs to the area over five years. Maverick Equipment Manufacturing Inc. already moved its sales office to the area.

US Airways announced Monday that it will begin service from Columbia and the Greenville-Spartanburg area to LaGuardia Airport in New York and will expand its existing LaGuardia service from Charleston.

Charleston-based Cummins MerCruiser Diesel and Volkswagen have announced a long-term agreement to develop marine engines under the CMD brand. The companies are developing marine engines of less than 5 liters displacement to comply with future emissions standards.

Business Facilities magazine has given South Carolina a series of high rankings for its business environment, including being named No. 1 for economic growth potential. The state also was ranked No. 3 nationally for auto manufacturing and No. 4 for best business climate.

A South Carolina software company that works behind the scenes on a typical person's largest lifetime purchase has found a new place to call home. Avista Solutions, a 10-year-old company that makes and sells a computer program that lenders use to process mortgage information, has moved its headquarters from Columbia to Daniel Island, it was announced this week.

A start-up company in a business park off Azalea Avenue applies technology to taste to make top-quality distilled liquors. The company, Terressentia, received $200,000 from an affiliate of the SC Research Authority called SC Launch and, more importantly, recognition of its business as something beyond booze.

ECPI College of Technology plans to launch a nursing program on its North Charleston campus starting in October, with enrollment beginning this week. The private college received approval last week from the S.C. Board of Nursing to offer the diploma program, which prepares students for work as licensed practical nurses.

Further harbor deepening at the Port of Charleston moved closer to becoming a reality as federal lawmakers approved crucial studies examining the project. Language passed by the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee authorizes expedited reviews of dredging work that would push the harbor beyond its current depths.

Steel erection at the Boeing Co.’s new final assembly plant in North Charleston has passed the 50% complete mark, and is on schedule for an October 2010 completion, the firm designing and building the structure said.

Restorative Physiology Group, LLC, a medical products firm dedicated to the design and development of surgical implants for the human spine, announced today that its Thermal Method ™ products are undergoing a round of new testing for their ultimate use in spinal and orthopedic surgeries. Restorative Physiology’s ThermaCage™ family of products are designed as “least invasive” implants, potentially replacing existing, more surgically invasive products currently used in orthopedic surgery.

A Summerville inventor has been lauded for the development of a highly durable and energy-efficient brick designed for use on exterior and interior walls. Aeonian Brick Homes founder Don Blalock was honored at the Invention & New Product Exposition — known as Inpex — held June 16-18 near Pittsburgh.

Boeing Co. executives in North Charleston might need to be prepared to organize a celebration flashy enough for a country that embraces Bollywood. Air India is expected to take home the first 787 Dreamliner jet to roll off the new assembly line that Boeing is building in North Charleston. That delivery is expected to take place in early 2012.

Once again Mount Pleasant is the only South Carolina city to make CNN/Money Magazine’s annual list of 100 “Best Places to Live in the U.S.” Over the past six years, Mount Pleasant has finished in the top 100 twice. No other South Carolina city has ever made the list.

A local writer’s efforts have produced an iPhone application meant to help boost Charleston tourism. The Charleston Essentials Guide includes 150 must-do’s in the Holy City and beyond. The application includes almost 700 photographs showing the attractions, restaurants, gardens and other points of interest in the tour. An interactive map is included, and a built-in taxi estimator gives approximate cab fares.

Behr Heat Transfer Systems announced it will expand product portfolio at its manufacturing plant in Charleston County. The $3 million investment is expected to generate more than 70 new jobs over several years.

SCRA, a global leader in applied research and commercialization, announces that Iverson Genetic Diagnostics, Inc., is the fifth and latest tenant to move into the SCRA MUSC Innovation Center, Charleston since the facility opened in December, 2009. Iverson Genetics, an SC Launch company, is helping lead the way into the new era of personalized medicine. The company offers advanced genetic testing to healthcare providers to promote early disease detection and to help physicians achieve optimal dosing of critical medications.

A renowned toxicology expert is bringing his research into the environmental causes of birth defects to the Medical University of South Carolina through the state’s Centers of Economic Excellence program. Dr. Louis Guillette will hold the endowed chair in marine genomics at MUSC and lead the Marine Genomics Center of Economic Excellence, a partnership among MUSC, the University of South Carolina and the College of Charleston.

Trident Technical College, the Trident One Stop Career System and the Sustainability Institute will receive $762,327 over two years to train the local work force for green careers. The funds come from a $3.8 million grant to MDC, a North Carolina-based nonprofit organization focused on improving educational and economic opportunities in the South.

SCRA has formed a Strategic Advisory Group comprising representatives of the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security, as well as large industry, small business and the venture capital investment community.

Rising eighth- and ninth-graders from across Berkeley County have been broadening their minds -- with a little help from Google -- during a technology-based summer camp. Over two sessions at Berkeley High School, students took part in the second annual Innovation Technology & Entrepreneurship Among Middle Schoolers camp. The second session ends today.

Tucked away in little corners around the Lowcountry, publishing houses making specific types of books quietly thrive in their niche markets. Charleston claims among its business residents Amazon.com's self-publishing mega operation, CreateSpace, but also the company behind the iconic "Images of America" collection and a publisher that lets fast-moving business executives talk through their books in a single day. These companies churn out titles from sleepy business parks, a skinny second-story office above the Historic District and even an old grocery store.

SC Launch, an SCRA collaboration, was recently recognized by Forbes magazine in May as one of five top programs in the nation that support entrepreneurism. The “States that Truly Bet on Small Business” also recognized the SC Launch program as one of 11 “Serious State Small Biz Programs.”

Plans are coming together for the launch of a new aeronautics academy on the campus of Stall High School this fall. Charleston County school leaders expect the Aeronautical Studies Academy to be one of their premier career and technology education offerings. The academy will be among the ways the district will build its connection to Boeing, which plans to open an aircraft assembly plant in North Charleston.

Blackbaud, the Daniel Island-based software provider for nonprofits, has opened a new office in Hong Kong. The new corporation, Blackbaud Asia Ltd., is a reflection of the growing demand from nonprofit organizations in the Asia-Pacific area, the company said in a statement announcing the new office.

A recent Brookings Institute study of economic recovery occurring in the top 100 metropolitan areas ranks Charleston at No. 47 for overall economic recovery. The report ranked Charleston highest in one-quarter change in employment, at 13th in the country. Employment in the area grew by 0.3% according to the report.

After a successful first year, the S.C. Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics and Berkeley County schools are hosting an expanded technology camp with help from Google. The camp, called Innovation Technology & Entrepreneurship Among Middle Schoolers, is a partnership between the schools to teach rising eighth- and ninth-graders skills in computer science, engineering, programming and business.

The Port of Charleston has been lauded for its environmental efforts, which might leave rival maritime agencies feeling green with envy. Charleston was one of five ports named to Inbound Logistics annual 50 Green Supply Chain Partners list, which also includes third-party logistics providers, air cargo carriers, expedited carriers, materials handling, ocean carriers, rail carriers and truckers.

A class on iPhone application development is being offered at The Art Institute of Charleston for the first time. The Web design and interactive media faculty will be teaching the course using SDK programming. Another, more advanced course is expected to be offered in the future. It will focus on advanced mobile device programming technologies.

It might technically be a town, but Mount Pleasant was named a Top 10 All-America City on Friday. To claim the title, each community had to demonstrate “innovation, inclusiveness, civic engagement, and cross-sector collaboration by describing successful efforts to address pressing local challenges,” according to league officials.

An apparel company known for its pajamas is setting up importing operations in the Lowcountry. American Marketing Enterprises Inc. will use Regal Logistics’ 200,000-square-foot Charleston warehouse to import and ship children’s sleepwear to Walmart distribution centers starting in July, Regal announced Tuesday. The deal will see more than 80 containers move through the S.C. State Ports Authority’s Wando Welch and North Charleston terminals in the first month, with several hundred more containers expected throughout the 2010 retail season.

After a successful first year, the S.C. Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics and Berkeley County schools are hosting an expanded technology camp with help from Google. The camp, called Innovation Technology & Entrepreneurship Among Middle Schoolers, is a partnership between the schools to teach rising eighth- and ninth-graders skills in computer science, engineering, programming and business.

The Art Institute of Charleston is celebrating its first full commencement exercises since the school opened in April 2007. Charleston’s branch of The Art Institute of Atlanta offers associate and bachelor’s degrees in the arts. About 50 students will receive diplomas at Saturday’s graduation ceremony, including alumni from past classes who are invited to walk.

Organizers with Spoleto Festival USA aimed to make more money this year. As they balanced the books Tuesday, they learned the festival made even more than they hoped.

Ten years after its founding, ArborGen Inc. has decided to lay down roots in the Lowcountry with a permanent headquarters. The Summerville company, which sells pine seedlings to timber companies while scientists work to find the fastest-growing trees, will build a 13.5-acre campus in rural Dorchester County. With more room, company officials will be able to add about 25 employees to its 174-worker payroll.

Academic Magnet High School again has been named one of the top schools in the country by Newsweek magazine. The North Charleston magnet school retained its No. 12 spot on the list of America's Best High Schools, an annual ranking of the top public high schools based on rigorous course offerings.

ArborGen Inc., a biotechnology company focused on the science of forestry, announced today that it will expand its global headquarters to a new, 13.5 acre campus in the Charleston region of South Carolina. The $14.3 million facility will be located in Dorchester County near Summerville and will house its laboratories, production and administrative functions, as well as a 35,000-square-foot greenhouse. The company expects to create 25 new, high paying jobs over the next five years.

The S.C. Centers of Economic Excellence said last week that it created three new high-tech programs at three state universities, including one in Charleston. The centers aim to spur startup businesses. Funding comes from state lottery proceeds. Since 2002, 49 centers have been created with 30 chairs appointed to lead them.

BMW's Upstate plant marked the next milestone in its 15-year history Tuesday when its 1 millionth X5 sport utility vehicle rolled off the assembly line. The SPA leases the acreage under the sprawling factory in Greer to the company for $1 a year, and its downtown Charleston docks serve as the automaker's primary export site. The agency's Union Pier Terminal handles as many as 400 cars for BMW each day on a facility shared by some cruise operations and the facade of an old rice mill.

The Medical University of South Carolina Children’s Hospital has been named to the America’s Best Children’s Hospitals list in the August issue of U.S. News and World Report. MUSC Children’s Hospital was ranked No. 20 in the pediatric specialty of heart and heart surgery.

A $5 million grant from Health Sciences South Carolina will enable the creation of the Center of Economic Excellence in Health Facilities Design and Testing. The center will support two endowed chairs, one in human factors and clinical practice at the Medical University of South Carolina and one at Clemson in health care architecture.

Charleston Fashion Week, held in Marion Square for the fourth year this past March, boosted the local economy by $1.7 million, according to a study released this week. Charleston Magazine, which organizes the five-night event, cited the figure from a study by the College of Charleston’s Office of Tourism Analysis. The study was conducted using on-site and online surveys.

Ladson-based armored truck maker Force Protection Inc. announced today that it has received a $46.1 million contract award from the Marine Corps for additional modernization of the U.S. military’s Cougar fleet. The contract covers the purchase and installation of more than 2,400 upgraded fire extinguishing systems, with deliveries scheduled to begin in July and to be completed by February.

Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was in Charleston to visit North Charleston warehouse on the former Naval base, which has turned out 5,000 of the lightweight combat vehicles, a milestone that warranted not only a celebration but also a visit from the nation's highest-ranking military officer. He toured the assembly line of khaki-colored vehicles and thanked employees who work there.

SCRA, a global leader in applied research and commercialization, held a forum at its Charleston offices that connected dozens of South Carolina-based, entrepreneurial, SC Launch start-up companies with five Federal Government Agency executives. Mission-oriented Federal government agencies, with whom SCRA has long-standing business partnerships, are often seeking specific solutions which innovative, knowledge-based small businesses are able to provide. This event provided a forum for connecting these entities.

Boeing’s new 787 final assembly plant in North Charleston could open up the region’s hospitality industry to a new international audience, said Marco Cavazzoni, vice president and general manager of Boeing Charleston. Charleston is joining a short list of final assembly locations: the only other places where Boeing assembles aircraft are in Everett, Wash., and Toulouse, France.

Driven by a surge in exports and broad customer demand, the South Carolina State Ports Authority (SCSPA) is teaming up with the Charleston region’s rail-served warehouses to serve targeted export accounts through the Port of Charleston. The new business development program aims to build new business through the port and 14 rail-served warehouses with 2.7 million square feet of space in the Charleston area.

Surya Biofertilizers, a local company that sells environmentally safe soil-conditioning fertilizers, has pledged to donate 20% of its local retail sales revenue to support Lowcountry Local First’s new farming incubator program. The Growing New Farmers Incubator Program aims to support and train sustainable farmers.