MARCH / APRIL 2021
IT’S BACK! RBC HERITAGE PRESENTED BY BOEING 5 QUESTIONS WITH SOUTHWEST AIRLINES NEW HHI AIRPORT TERMINAL IN THE WORKS
INSIDE
this Issue
IN THE KNOW 6 Ways to improve customer service
ADVOCACY The Chamber’s 2021 Legislative Priorities
FEATURED
CHAMBER NEWS
5 Questions with Southwest Airlines
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FEATURED New Terminal, New Routes Coming to HHI Airport
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Bill Miles named to national & local boards.
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ON THE COVER RBC Heritage Returns. Get your tickets fast!
MEMBERSHIP CORNER Members Making News, Who’s Who & Who’s Where, and more.
HILTON HEAD ISLAND NEWS Welcome back to HHI Marc Orlando
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26 BLUFFTON NEWS Sarah Riley House Restoration
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FEATURED: RBC Heritage Presented By Boeing
RBC Heritage Returns South Carolina’s Only PGA Event Comes to Harbour Town April 12-18 LIMITED TICKETS FOR THE 2021 RBC HERITAGE ON SALE NOW HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC – Tickets to the 53rd annual RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing, taking place April 12-18, are on sale now. A limited number of daily tickets, plus on-site parking, are available. Health and safety remain the number one priority, and the tournament has implemented a number of new protocols to keep everyone safe during the reimagined event. The fan guide to safety policies for the 2021 event are listed at RBCHeritage.com/COVID19. New COVID-19 safety protocols mean some elements of the tournament have changed. The skyboxes and private hospitality venues that usually surround the golf course will be replaced with open air villages and concession areas. Additional health and safety protocols include the mandatory use of facial coverings, social distancing and other health and safety measures. All permanent and temporary structures will have complete daily sanitization. Safety measures regarding food preparation and distribution will also be in place. Given the limited number of spectators that will be able to attend the event, the Heritage Classic Foundation has updated tournament ticket types and pricing. All tickets and passes will be valid for one-day only. Visit rbcheritage.com or call 843.671.2448 to purchase tickets to the 53rd annual RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing.
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LOWCOUNTRY BUSINESS CONNECTION
FEATURED: RBC Heritage Presented By Boeing
Wednesday Ticket $20
Plaid Pass $150
Grounds access offered on Wednesday to enjoy the RBC Heritage Pro-Am. Includes access to on-course concession areas. Cameras are welcome. (Course is closed to spectators on Monday and Tuesday.)
The Plaid Pass offers one-day access to the tournament grounds and on-course concession areas. Available Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Sponsor Village Ticket $300
The Sponsor Village Ticket offers one-day access to the tournament grounds plus entrance to the Sponsor Village, an exclusive area between the 17th green and 18th tee, which includes a video board, complimentary food and beverage and socially distanced bleacher seating. Available Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
VIP Parking $25
The VIP parking lot is located inside The Sea Pines Resort. It is a half mile past the main entrance on Greenwood Drive. Shuttles provide transportation to the Harbour Town Golf Links.
Youth Ticket FREE
Children ages 15 and under are admitted free with a ticketed adult. All children must have a youth ticket to access tournament grounds. Up to four youth tickets can be reserved with each adult ticket purchased. A limited number are available each day. Children must have a Sponsor Village Ticket in order to enter the Sponsor Village.
Heritage Classic Foundation Charitable Programs Resume The Heritage Classic Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting educational and charitable initiatives, will restart its two charitable giving programs ahead of the 2021 RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing. Birdies for Charity is an easy and fun way to donate to your favorite nonprofit organization. 100% of donations go directly to the chosen charity and Heritage Classic Foundation contributes an extra 10%. The Heritage Classic Foundation has distributed $6.22 million through the Birdies for Charity program since it was created in 2000. For more information, visit heritageclassicfoundation.com
The Heritage Champions Fore Charity program is designed to increase year-round support to the nonprofit organizations in our communities. The minimum contribution to a designated charity is $1,000. One hundred percent of donations go directly to the charity and Heritage Classic Foundation contributes an extra 10%. Heritage Champions Fore Charity has produced more than $13.63 million for participating nonprofit groups since 2013. These programs are utilized by more than 85 nonprofits that enhance the quality of life in South Carolina. The charitable giving components were suspended last year.
Pictured are the 2019 scholars. The Heritage Classic Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is dedicated to supporting educational and charitable initiatives to enhance quality of life and economic vitality by hosting the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing, South Carolina’s only PGA TOUR golf tournament.
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FEATURE: Southwest Airlines 5 Questions
Questions
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with Southwest Airlines
On March 11, Southwest Airlines will begin daily, non-stop service between the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport and Baltimore/Washington, Chicago-Midway, Dallas-Love Field, Houston-Hobby, and Nashville. This is not only good news for our destination, but for our residents and for expanding businesses as the Lowcountry become even more accessible. We sat down with Bill Tierney, the vice president of marketing at Southwest Airlines, to find out why they chose the Lowcountry. This is an exerpt from our podcast; click here to listen to the full conversation.
What made you feel that the timing was right to come into this market?
The area represents one of the largest unserved areas we had in our network. What our team saw when we visted the area was that there is a variety of things to do. One of the fundamentals we look for in a market is a strong attraction for people across our network, and a strong base there locally for people to fly out of. You check off so many boxes. You have the beach, golf, the leisure components, the historical activities, and you have the momentum going. There is investment to bring people in ... Not only repeat customers, but also on the local side that leads to a strong traffic base. There are other places that have all those components, but we were very impressed with the team locally in being a willing partner in helping us drive traffic and drive business together. There’s all those strong pieces in place. I’d like to say it was a brilliant decision, but you made it easy for us.
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LOWCOUNTRY BUSINESS CONNECTION
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Southwest has been pursued locally for a number of years, so you can imagine how excited we are to welcome you. What was it about the Lowcountry that the company found so attractive? We’re excited about it. We always look for how the community would look with Southwest, and I think we are both known for warmth and hospitality. It’s a pretty easy match … The people we met there combined with our own employees, it’s a perfect marriage.
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You’ve seen tremendous growth over the past 20 years. Talk a little bit about that growth and how destinations have benefited from it. What we are going through right now is unprecedented. Generally, we added one to two cities a year. Southwest is up to 17 new cities in the last 12 months. And that growth is coming out of a need to innovate based on the COVID situation. The best thing we can do right now is have as many planes as possible flying so our flight attendants and pilots who get paid on a per-trip basis can be doing the job they love. You open up these new cities and open up a new customer base that you didn’t have before, or maybe some of your customers can go to destinations they haven’t been able to get to before, and that helps get more paychecks in the pockets of our employees. We’ve grown into the areas that people want to go. When we all get out of this crazy pandemic, we’re going to be in a great spot of having customers all over the country being able to access Savannah/Hilton Head maybe for the first time, or the first time with us, and experience the warmth and charm you have there.
HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org | MARCH / APRIL 2021
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Southwest is known for having a different business model and culture than other airlines, and was recently named by Fortune Magazine as one of the “World’s Most Admired Companies.” Talk to us about that culture and what can be modeled by other businesses? It’s humbling. We’re blessed. We’re fortunate we end up on those lists year after year. The heart of our brand is our people. And you really get reminded of that on a regular basis. The way the company embraces you and shows up for you is just overwhelming. It’s the real deal when you are flying with us, how it shows up in our policies … we love people. We love our customers. Our people love identifying with the purpose of travel, and of taking care of each other. It’s always been part of our philosophy that when you take care of your people, your people will take care of you. It’s not something we take for granted.
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It goes without saying that the pandemic has dramatically altered the airline business model. Let’s talk about the safety measures you have in place to protect passengers and staff. What are some of the biggest challenges and success stories on this front? The changes started early on. The head of customer experience did a phenomenal job putting together the “Southwest Promise”. That promise is for the employees, it’s for the customers. They moved very quickly early on with respect to the processes in place to make things as safe as possible. A lot of them were tied to cleaning, and then communication and making sure people were equipped with knowledge when they take their trip so they know what’s going on. They know what to expect when they show up to the airport. They know what to expect when they board their plane and when they deplane. We put the customers and employees first, which is what we always do. People are willing to do whatever it takes. 10 LOWCOUNTRY BUSINESS CONNECTION
HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org | MARCH / APRIL 2021
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FEATURED: Hilton Head Island Airport Expansion
New Terminal, New Routes Coming to HHI Airport Now Boarding: Hilton Head Island to Boston American Airlines begins seasonal, direct service between Hilton Head Island Airport and Boston-Logan Airport on April 10. This is great news for residents and visitors alike as the Lowcountry becomes more easily accessible, opening up lines for vacations and doing business.
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Renderings courtesy of the Hilton Head Island Airport.
The list of nonstop routes to Hilton Head Airport now include: • American: Charlotte, Boston, Chicago-O’Hare, Dallas-Fort Worth, Philadelphia, Washington-National • Delta: Atlanta, New York-LaGuardia • United: Chicago-O’Hare, Newark and Washington-Dulles The Hilton Head Island Airport is expanding and renovating its terminal, roughly a $40 million project largely funded by the FAA. The project will nearly triple the size of the existing building and feature three gates for larger planes. Amenities will include boarding bridges, a new passenger screening area, renovated ticket lobby and baggage claim area, an expanded drop-off/pick-up roadway, expanded parking, and more.
HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org | MARCH / APRIL 2021
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CHAMBER NEWS
Bill Miles
Named to National and Local Boards Bill Miles, president & CEO of the Hilton Head IslandBluffton Chamber of Commerce, was recently named to three leadership boards: a national board on tourism, a national accreditation panel for chambers, and another guiding the new culinary school coming to the Lowcountry. Miles was named to the U.S. Travel Association Board of Directors, and will serve alongside other national leaders in the tourism industry while working to further the group’s mission to increase travel in the U.S.
We warmly welcome Bill Miles and the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce and Visitor & Convention Bureau to the U.S. Travel Board,” said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “South Carolina’s famed Lowcountry is a prime destination for domestic and international travelers alike and it will play a significant role in reviving the broader travel industry in the months and years ahead. We welcome their voice and perspective in our critical work together to rebuild a strong travel industry.” The U.S. Travel Association, based in Washington, D.C., is the national nonprofit organization representing all components of the travel industry that (pre-pandemic) generated $2.6 trillion in economic output and supported 15.8 million jobs.
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With the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Accreditation Board, Miles will serve on a panel with other board members and chamber CEOs from across the country that review accreditation applications from local and state chambers. Local chambers exceeding the program’s minimum requirements are awarded three, four, or five stars. Created in 1964, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce developed the Accreditation Program to promote the continuous advancement of the chamber industry in nine areas of work – governance, finance, human resources, government affairs, program development, communication, technology, facilities, and benchmarking. The Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce earned its second 5-star accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 2020, and has been accredited since 1993. Miles also serves on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s prestigious Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100, a group of chamber executives that represents the perspectives and needs of chambers and their members. Locally, Miles was appointed to the Technical College of the Lowcountry’s President’s Council for Culinary & Hospitality along with other industry leaders in the community. This advisory group is a brain trust of food service, travel and tourism, and hospitality industry leaders and economic development advocates who work directly with TCL leadership to provide strategic advice and resources to ensure the success of the Culinary Institute of the South. The institute is scheduled to open its building in Bluffton on Buckwalter this fall.
Chamber Staff Update
New Content Manager, Membership Executive
The chamber has welcomed a new visual content manager and membership executive to its organization. Lilly Strickland has joined the chamber as its Visual Content Manager and will oversee the organization’s in-house production studio, and produce visual content for its various communication channels. The studio has green screen and podcast capability and is available for member rental.
Shelby Wielgus is the new Membership Executive at the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce. She was hired at the organization in 2019 as Public Relations Coordinator. In her new role, she will be a part of the membership team’s efforts to deliver benefits to chamber members. A native of Colorado, Wielgus is a graduate of Elon University and was previously an intern at the chamber.
Strickland graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in visual communications and previously worked as a creative content specialist for a local paving company and as a freelance photographer/ videographer. She is a graduate of Hilton Head Christian Academy.
HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org | MARCH / APRIL 2021
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CHAMBER NEWS
Chamber Honored
with Second Helpings Award Thank you to Second Helpings for presenting the chamber with the 2020 Founders Award! Our organization is honored to help support their work in the community.
Second Helpings is recognizing two major partners with its top awards. The Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce is the 2020 recipient of the Supporter of the Year award. Kroger Company Family of Stores is the winner of the Food Donor of the Year honors.
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The Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce was selected Supporter of the Year because it has consistently connected Second Helpings with businesses that are providing essential support for food rescue and distribution, including the Fill The Need program and a $10,000 donation from Kroger Stores to support COVID-19 relief efforts.
COMING UP at the Chamber
Power Hour Tele-Town Hall 9:15 a.m. Wednesdays March 24, April 7 & 21 Virtual
SIGN UP HERE There’s no better place than the chamber’s bi-weekly Power Hour to get live, unfiltered information from leaders on the local, state, and national level. Check your Monday Briefing for a weekly update on participants.
Business Golf Classic
Monday, March 22 The Golf Club at Indigo Run Shotgun Starts: 9 a.m.; Registration at 8 a.m. 1:30 p.m.; Registration at 12:30 p.m.
SIGN UP HERE Business gets done on the golf course, and there’s no better place to get together with the region’s leading professionals than the Chamber Business Golf Classic.
Coffee & Counsel
with the Burr & Forman LLP law firm
9 a.m. Thursday, March 25: Government COVID-19 Relief
9 a.m. Thursday, April 29:
Restaurant & Hospitality
Get the latest on legal insights and trends during these informative and interactive webinars. Check your Monday Briefing for a link to sign up.
Chamber Coffee Chat 9:30 a.m. Thursday, April 1 Virtual Networking
SIGN UP HERE Find out why chamber members call the Coffee Chats time well spent. Join us and an intimate group of chamber members for an open discussion of what’s going on in your world.
ADVOCACY: Legislative Priorities
The Chamber’s
2021 Legislative Priorities Each year, the chamber adopts a set of legislative priorities that we advocate for on behalf of our members and the community. Below is an overview of priorities.
LOCAL • Oppose Police Tax on Hilton Head Island Businesses and Residents in its current form. • Support regional activity and efforts, as well as policy measures, to develop affordable housing for the local workforce. • Collaborate with and support air service development at local airports. • Monitor and contribute dialogue toward the U.S. Hwy. 278 Corridor Improvement/Bridge Project as it pertains to historic/cultural preservation, design and aesthetics, and overall function. • To encourage utilization of regional Opportunity Zones to attract business investment, jobs and workforce housing.
STATE • Support renewing efforts on a comprehensive education reform bill to include increasing teacher pay, intervention for failing schools and reviewing testing metrics and procedures. • Advocate for the passage of a liability protection bill that protects businesses and organizations that plan, prepare, promote and prioritize the health and well-being of their employees and customers from COVID-19. • Support grants/forgivable loans to small business and nonprofits to fund sustainable business practices, retain employees and purchase essential PPE for safe operations. • Support for new and existing state investments for our state’s vital travel and tourism industry.
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FEDERAL • Pandemic Relief: To continue advocacy efforts for swift action on COVID-19 relief and recovery in the following areas: • Economic stimulus for small businesses, nonprofits and 501(c)(6) organizations. • Advocate for protections on those businesses that received COVID-19 grants and stimulus and face unexpected tax liabilities. • Support continuing federally reimbursed pandemic unemployment compensation. • Urge bi-partisan support of targeted legislation providing for tax credits and incentives for those activities supporting group and business travel, meetings and conventions, business entertainment and meals, and individual/family travel expenditures through 2021. • Infrastructure Modernization • Support the solvency of the Highway Trust Fund. • Parris Island Commitment • Join regional and state partners to support sustaining the training activities and jobs at Parris Island. • Immigration/Labor • Support the expansion and enhancement of job-related visa programs that supply a seasonal workforce for local businesses, as well as reform the application process to eliminate the cumbersome and intrusive requirements for businesses.
HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org | MARCH / APRIL 2021
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IN THE KNOW
Things to Kill in Your Business for Better Customer Service & What to do Instead Courtesy of Christina R. Green, Chamber Master contributor
How do you improve your business’ customer service if you don’t know what your customers want? Here are a few things you need to ditch in order to begin providing better service.
Kill: Surveys
Kill: Undisclosed Expectations
Surveys are overdone. Call the bank, they send a survey. Get the oil changed in your car, survey. Everything is a survey these days. Sure, you can get people to participate through free goods and discounts but no one wants to waste time telling you how to do your job.
Everyone working for you should know two things: what’s expected of them (including how they’re measured against those expectations) and how you expect the customer to be treated. If they don’t know these things, it’s difficult to do their job.
Try this instead: Try one-question, emoji-style ratings like a smiley or sad face when you send a follow-up email thanking them for their business. Or use a clickable star rating the way Amazon or Goodreads does on their reviews. Then give them contact information to a real person if they have more to say. They can rate you in a second as well as ask for a follow-up.
Kill: Not Filling Empty Positions When an employee leaves, there’s a time before you hire again while you’re searching for an ideal candidate. If that process becomes long and drawn out, co-workers are usually called upon to fill in the gaps. After this occurs for a while, management often thinks that position doesn’t need to be filled since everyone is managing fine. Unless you are compensating financially, you are over-burdening employees. Burnt out employees don’t provide good customer service, let alone excellent service. Try this instead: As soon as the employee gives notice, begin the hiring process. As a preemptive solution, always have up-to-date job descriptions on file so there’s no time wasted writing them. Ask good employees for referrals. Fill that position or compensate the individuals who are taking on an increased workload. 20 LOWCOUNTRY BUSINESS CONNECTION
Try this: Give employees processes and missions to go by so it is clear to them to what degree your company believes the customer is always right. This empowers them to do right by the customer on a level that you support, even if you’re not available to ask.
Kill: Excuses If your employees are always making up excuses as to why something didn’t happen or why they’re not meeting expectations, your customers will grow tired of this. Customers recognize an excuse. Excuses never smooth over any of the ruffled feathers. Try this: Ban certain language from your employees’ repertoire. Things like, “I’m new” or “That happened because X is new” don’t matter to customers. They don’t want an excuse. They want a solution. Make sure your employees are skilled at providing them.
Kill: Square Hole, Square Peg Thinking Yes, protocols are essential to businesses operations but you also want your employees to be creative problem solvers. They should not feel hemmed in by rules that can never be bent. Sometimes, it is necessary to make allowances. Try this: As mentioned earlier, let employees know how far they can go to do right by the customer. It’s important they feel empowered to act on the customer’s behalf.
Kill: “Not My Job” Mentality Own it. The customer doesn’t care whose job it is. When they have a problem, they want it handled. There’s nothing more frustrating than an underling saying they can’t do anything or the customer being passed around the company explaining the issue each time. Try this instead: Even if the person answering the inquiry isn’t fully equipped to solve the issue, they should remain the main point of contact for the customer. The employee is the one who works for the company. They are the most skilled at dealing with peers and departments. Stay in good communication with the customer and allow one point person for customer convenience and relationship building. This way your customer will see them as an advocate for them. If you want to start providing better customer service, think of the customer experience. Consider the things that bother you most about dealing with businesses. Then refrain from introducing those frustrations into your environment.
HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org | MARCH / APRIL 2021
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HILTON HEAD ISLAND NEWS
Welcome Back To Hilton Head Island, Marc Orlando
Congratulations to Marc Orlando on his new role as Hilton Head Island Town Manager! Marc previously served as a senior planner for the town prior to his role as Bluffton’s Town Manager.
No More Toll In 2021! The South Carolina Department of Transportation will stop collecting tolls on Hilton Head Island’s Cross Island Parkway at 11:59 p.m. on June 30, and is currently preparing to remove the toll booths. “The Cross Island Parkway has been serving Hilton Head residents, visitors, and businesses as an important alternate travel route for more than 20 years, and we’re pleased to convert it to a non-tolled roadway permanently,” said Justin Powell, SCDOT Deputy Secretary of Finance and Administration. Opened in 1998, the Cross Island Parkway connects the William Hilton Parkway with the south end of the island.
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Hilton Head Island & Daufuskie Island In The News Hilton Head Island was named among Tripadvisor’s “Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards.” The list was curated from a combination of positive ratings and reviews from Tripadvisor readers over the last year. What they said: “Hilton Head Island is about 12 miles by five miles wide and makes a great getaway spot for sun and sand.”
Hilton Head Island was named among the “25 Best Island Beaches” in Condé Nast Traveler. What they said: “Rated the best island in the United States in our most recent Readers’ Choice Awards survey, Hilton Head—40 miles from Savannah/Hilton Head Airport—is a firm family favorite, with a full 12 miles of wide, empty beach (perfect for long bike rides).”
Hilton Head Island was named among Travel + Leisure’s “Top Spring Break Destinations.” What they said: “Twelve miles of Atlantic Ocean beaches and water sports that include fishing, boating, parasailing, kayaking, jet-skiing, and sailing are a good start to keeping your group happy.” Hilton Head Island native and FedEx delivery driver Eddie Days was featured in the company’s web series, “On The Road With FedEx.”
Daufuskie Island was featured in The Wall Street Journal article “For These Urban Refugees, Country Living Isn’t Quite Second Nature”.
Hilton Head Island was the #8 location named to MSN.com’s “Top Places To Retire.”
BLUFFTON NEWS
Bluffton’s Sarah Riley Hooks Cottage To Be Restored
The Town of Bluffton purchased the Sarah Riley Hooks Cottage and its surrounding property at 76 Bridge Street, and has plans to restore the historic home. “Town Council members are thrilled to have a rare opportunity to purchase one of Bluffton’s contributing structures,” Mayor Lisa Sulka said. “The Sarah Riley Hooks Cottage is another historic asset which the town can add to its public portfolio and together with the Bluffton community, we will take steps to preserve this structure and its stories for years to come. As we have experienced with The Garvin-Garvey House, these historic investments have a priceless rate of return in terms of the essence and energy they add to Bluffton’s culture and character.”
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The Sarah Riley Hooks Cottage, formerly known as the Michael C. Riley House, was built around 1940 by Riley, a prominent African American store owner and Bluffton resident. He was the first African American to be appointed a trustee to the Beaufort County Board of Education. His daughter, Sarah Riley Hooks, lived in the family home her entire life and was one of the first home health care nurses in Bluffton. Sarah’s son, Tony Hooks, was the lead guitarist with Sly and the Family Stone, which is listed in the Grammy Awards Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The restoration efforts will be similar to the Wright Family House on Calhoun Street, and the GarvinGarvey House, which recently received its fourth statewide award.
The Farmers Market is on the move! This January it opened at its new location on Green Street, around the Martin Family Park, allowing for more space. Visit the popular Farmers Market from noon - 5 p.m. every Thursday.
In The News
Safety.com, an online resource specializing in safety tips, named Bluffton the safest city in South Carolina.
MEMBERSHIP CORNER
MEMBERS Making News
Congratulations to Leslie Rohland, owner and chef of The Cottage Cafe, Bakery & Tea Room and The Juice Hive, for winning an unprecedented five awards for her Kimchi in the 2021 National Good Food Awards!
Congratulations to Justin Neumann for celebrating his 25th anniversary of owning SERVPRO of Beaufort County.
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Synergy Home Care has received, for the second consecutive year, the Home Care Pulse Best of Home Care - Provider of Choice award. They are the only 2021 winner in the Lowcountry.
In the Golfers’ Choice 2021 ranking of America’s “Top 25 Most Improved Golf Courses,” the Robert Trent Jones Golf Course at Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort was rated No. 14.
The Foundation for Educational Excellence recently awarded $61,000 for projects at five Hilton Head Island schools to help 2,196 students.
The Beaufort County School District has released a “Virtual Calming Room” for students, parents, and community members to easily access stress-reducing activities, including exercise and yoga, meditation and mindfulness, live-animal cams, resources and hotlines, as well as puzzles, games, and coloring activities.
Volunteers In Medicine (VIM) - Hilton Head has launched the “Project Isolate Safe” initiative to provide those who cannot safely quarantine with housing, PPE supplies, food and more. Click here to hear an interview with Dr. Raymond Cox, the executive director of VIM.
HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org | MARCH / APRIL 2021
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MEMBERSHIP CORNER
StoneWorks presented a check for $500 to the Deep Well Project from proceeds of their Level Porcelain promotion.
The Holiday Inn Express and Wright Investments is looking to redevelop the old water park on the South End of Hilton Head Island.
Congratulations to the Rotary Clubs on Hilton Head Island and Bluffton, they raised a combined $49,231 for Fight Polio. Palmera Inn and Suites was recently designated a Three Diamond property by AAA.
Hilton Head PSD is one of 28 projects worldwide selected by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a global example of Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR). 28 LOWCOUNTRY BUSINESS CONNECTION
The Sea Pines Resort is redeveloping The Quarterdeck restaurant to include a new rooftop oyster bar offering 270-degree views of the famed Harbour Town Yacht Basin and Calibogue Sound. Opening is anticipated prior to the spring 2022 season.
The Sea Pines Resort Facebook page
HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org | MARCH / APRIL 2021
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MEMBERSHIP CORNER
WHO’S WHO & Who’s Where
Melissa Crosby has joined Hilton Head Christian Academy as the director of teaching and learning. She previously opened the first core competency-based school in the state, Polaris Tech Charter School.
The Sea Pines Resort is excited to resume dinner service at Links, an American Grill with new chef de cuisine RJ Dye, a highly acclaimed chef from the Charleston food scene.
Justin Rowland is the new food & beverage director at Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort on Hilton Head Island. He is an industry veteran who most recently served as the restaurant director at Montage Palmetto Bluff.
Chef BJ Dennis is the new culinary director at forthcoming Lowcountry Fresh Market & Cafe in Bluffton.
Lee Levesque is the Town of Bluffton’s new director of emergency management. He was formerly the community risk reduction officer for the Bluffton Township Fire District.
Leslie Whitener has been promoted to harbourmaster of the Harbourtown Yacht Basin. Warren Holland is the Erin Scheffer has joined HUB new assistant harbourmaster. Carolinas as an Employee Benefits advisor.
Collins Group Realty is proud to announce Andrea Albright, Howard Cohen, Velinda Fisher, and Joan Weaver have each earned the 2020 REALTOR® Service Award.
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James Swift has been selected as the new director of golf at Sea Pines Country Club. He previously was the director of golf at Belfair.
Dividend Assets Capital, LLC announces promotions within the firm:
Ying “Susie” Wang has been promoted to chief investment officer.
Jim Haley has been promoted to managing director, private client group.
Bill Ford has been promoted to managing director, institutional asset management group.
Diane Busch has been hired as the new staff attorney and prosecutor for the Town of Hilton Head Island. Busch was most recently an attorney with Busch, Reed, Jones and Leeper, P.C., in Marietta, Georgia. Troy Livingston has been promoted to chief financial officer.
Jon Parrott has been promoted to chief operations officer.
Weichert, Realtors® – Coastal Properties is proud to announce these additions to their real estate team
Brett Lavender has joined the Town of Hilton Head Island as its new technology and innovation director. He was previously the chief information officer for Macon-Bibb County Government in Macon, Georgia.
Willy Fanning
Rebecca Gerner
Emily McCarthy
Rose Angel
Second Helpings named new leadership to its Board: • Margaret (Peg) Marty, President • Mary Ann Bell, Vice President • Anthony Berkant, CFO • Ted Stevenson, Treasurer • Jo Pender, Secretary and Past President Also new to the leadership of the organization is Audrey H. William
Welcome NEW MEMBERS Genesis Health
Heritage Academy
Compass Self Storage
Driftwood Eatery
Compass South Appraisals
British Open Pub
Joe’s Ice Cream Shaken & Stirred Mixology
Meals on Wheels Smart Company Kids Zone
Senior Living Connections - Advisors For Assisted Living Monster Tree Service of Hilton Head Hole In One Media Southern Graces at Hewitt Oaks
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY 30+ Years
Adventure Inn/Vacation Time of Hilton Head Arthur Hills Golf Course at Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort Atlantic Dunes Big Jim’s BBQ, Burgers & Pizza at Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort Burr & Forman, LLP Country Club of Hilton Head George Fazio Golf Course at Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort Greenwood Communities and Resorts Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort Harbour Town Golf Links Heron Point by Pete Dye KRA architecture & design LINKS Magazine Palmetto Dunes Tennis and Pickleball Center
30+ Years (con’t)
Robert Trent Jones Oceanfront Golf Course at Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort Sea Pines Racquet Club United Way of the Lowcountry
20-29 Years
Coastal Plains Insurance of the Lowcountry Ellis Construction Co., Inc. Fraum Center for Restorative Health H & H Auto Service Inc. Harris Teeter Park Plaza Heyward House Museum & Welcome Center/BHF Hilton Head Christian Academy Hilton Head Financial Advisors, Inc. Honey Baked Ham Co. and Cafe Jackson Maintenance & Electric, Inc.
20-29 Years (con’t)
Piney Land Company Pregnancy Center & Clinic of the Low Country Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) Riedel Computer Services, Inc. Rollers Wine & Spirits Savannah Riverboat Cruises South State Bank - Okatie TD Bank - Hilton Head Town of Hilton Head Island Truist - Sun City Volunteers in Medicine Clinic Hilton Head Island WHHI - TV Inc.
15-19 Years
Adams Outdoor Advertising ArtWare Black Marlin Bayside Grill Charlie’s L’etoile Verte, Inc. Harris Teeter Main Street
15-19 Years (con’t)
4-9 Years (con’t)
Keller Williams Realty May River Theatre Co., Inc. Regions Bank Bluffton SVN Commercial Real Estate
10-14 Years
A Lowcountry Backyard Restaurant Alan Herd Ameriprise Financial Services Inc. Andy Twisdale Real Estate at Charter 1 North Bargain Box Berkeley Hall Club BrightStar Carson Realty, LLC Central Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church Creative Structures, Inc. Harbour Health Insurance Solutions, LLC It’s Greek to Me Oldfield Club Palmettoes, Inc. Philly’s Cafe & Deli Richard Cleaveland TD Bank - Bluffton VIP Cosmetic Surgery
4-9 Years
Adventure Center HHI Aerial Adventure Hilton Head Annie O’s Kitchen Arrhythmia Alliance Bath Fitter Savannah Bluffton Family Seafood House Bluffton Oyster Company Charbar Co. Burgers & Sushi Chow Daddy’s Chow Daddy’s Bluffton
Clinical Intelligence, LLC Coastal Provisions Data Publishing Dividend Assets Capital, LLC Gifted Hilton Head Hilton Head Plastic Surgery, LLC Island Pest Control Local Pie LowCountry InsideTrack, Ltd. LUX A Medical Spa March of Dimes National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force Patrick J. Murphy, ESQ. Port Royal Sound Foundation Publix Aprons Event Planning Publix #0473 Studio One Awards Sunset Landing Pavilion at Skull Creek Boathouse The Bluffton Room The Rooftop Bar at Poseidon The Studio World of Beer Tavern
1-3 Years
Avis/Budget Car Rental of Hilton Head Belle Strategies Marketing Agency Boardwalk Properties LLC Built Right Homes Burnt Church Distillery, LLC Chef Lynn Michelle, The East Coast Chef Dave Ferguson The Leaders’ Coach Docu-Graphics DX Print & Mail Ed Doyle at Charter One Commercial
1-3 Years (con’t)
Extraordinary Moments Travel LLC H.O.P.E. Lymphedema & Rehabilitation Hilton Head Discount Golf Hilton Head Island Airport Housekeeping Services of Hilton Head, LLC Island Water Sports Major General Craig Whelden, USA, Retired Matador Core Performance Metis Wealth Management and Planning Now We’re Talking Therapy Services Pizza Hut - Fresh Market Shoppes Premier Properties by Haig Point SEAnic Paddle Co. Security Management of SC Simplicity Lowcountry Cremation & Burial Services Slapfish So Clean Softwash St. Gregory the Great Catholic School SYNERGY HomeCare of the Lowcountry Teddy & Emmett McCracken The Centers at Palm Key The Hilton Head Island Bridge Association Tom Anderson Turbeville Insurance Agency Weston Design, Inc. Wheelz of Hilton Head World Financial Group Your CBD Store
Thank you
MEMBERSHIP CORNER
SCENE & Be Seen Congratulations to SCK Zone on its ribbon cutting on January 27 in Bluffton. From ninja courses, bocce, laser tag, and so much more... it’s a great place to team build, play, and learn!
The chamber held a small luncheon to thank our outgoing Board of Directors for their guidance and had a special recognition of retired Hilton Head Town Manager Steve Riley. A special thanks to outgoing chair Chris McCorkendale for his 3 years of leadership. New chair Susana Cook!
Hilton Head Christian Academy celebrated the opening of its new Bluffton campus.
The Heritage Academy celebrated new leadership under Amanda O’Nan-Williams.
Have you visited Maggie and Me boutique in Bluffton? We were honored to host their ribbon cutting.
HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org | MARCH / APRIL 2021
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@HHIBCHAMBER HILTONHEADBLUFFTONCHAMBER.ORG 1 CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DRIVE | HILTON HEAD ISLAND | 843.785.3673 216 BLUFFTON ROAD | BLUFFTON | 843.757.3673