NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2021
5 QUESTIONS WITH THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF THE SOUTH
#SHOPLOCAL LOWCOUNTRY WE’RE #1 (AGAIN!)
Inside This Issue chamber news five questions with... featured We’re #1 Again!
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The Culinary Institute of the South
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Welcome, Junior Leaders!
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on the cover Shop Small Lowcountry
membership corner Members Making News, Who’s Who & Who’s Where, and more
hilton head + bluffton news Lake Liggett Unveiled & Palmetto Breeze in Bluffton
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FEATURED: SHOP LOCAL
#ShopLocalLowcountry Shop Small Saturday is Nov. 27
`Tis the season to show gratitude and
encouraging you to shop and support
some extra love to our local retailers.
local businesses not only this holiday
Saturday, November 27 is Shop Small Saturday. Your chamber is once again a neighborhood champion and we are
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season, but year-round.
Join us in celebrating our small businesses!
Lowcountry Business Connection | NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2021
Hilton Head Distillery
Coastal Home
The Haven Boutique
W4 Express Car Wash
Hazel Dean’s
Odd Birds Cafe
Old Town Bluffton Inn
SH’ THAT’S HOT!
ArtWare Designs
Pearce Scott Architects
Whisper Creek Spa
Shop Local | HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org
LOCAL Life
FEATURED: SHOP LOCAL
Why It Is Important to #ShopLocalLowcountry Small businesses
Over $9.3 billion is
Businesses with fewer
generate $68 of local
returned to our economy
than 500 employees
economic return for
when every United States
account for 99.7% of all
every $100 spent
family spends just $10 a
U.S. employers.
with them.
month at a local business.
Small businesses
Small businesses employ
73% of searchers trust a
donate 250% more than
58.9 million people.
local business more due
large businesses to
to positive reviews.
community causes.
61% shop at local
56% of workers at
Consumers were 49%
businesses because
locally-owned businesses
more likely to think
of their unique products.
are highly committed to
favorably of a business if
their jobs.
they are a member of a chamber of commerce.
American Express created Small Business Saturday in 2010 to encourage the support of local businesses. Each year, millions of people turn out to spend billions of dollars.
Sources: American Express, Intuit, Nerd Wallett
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Lowcountry Business Connection | NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2021
Shop Local | HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org
$68 STAYS IN COMMUNITY
WHERE DOES YOUR MONEY GO IF YOU SPEND $100 AT A LOCAL BUSINESS?
$32 LEAVES COMMUNITY
utilizes
pays
makes
local services
local taxes
donations
purchases
pays
purchases
local supplies
wages
import supplies
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HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org | Featured: We’re #1 Again!
FEATURED: WE’RE #1 AGAIN!
Hilton Head Island Is #1 Once Again Travel + Leisure & Condé Nast Traveler readers both named Hilton Head Island the No. 1 Island in the U.S. - for the 5th time!
Hilton Head Island has been named the No. 1 Island in the Continental U.S. in the Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards, and the No. 1 Island in the U.S. in Condé Nast Traveler. This is the fifth time that Hilton Head Island has been chosen for both awards, a rare and coveted honor that many destinations would love to have. Congratulations also to our partners who
As part of our Lowcountry business community,
made these impressive lists!
thank you for playing a vital role in garnering
The Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport was ranked the No. 1 Domestic Airport in Condé Nast Traveler, and No. 2 Domestic Airport in the U.S. in Travel + Leisure. Among the Top 10 South Carolina Hotels and Resorts in the Travel + Leisure list, the Lowcountry was well represented with six local properties listed:
recognition such as this. When you show our visitors what southern hospitality is all about and how much you love this community, it resonates with our 2.6 million annual visitors. Accolades such as this further build and solidify our reputation among global travelers and future home-buyers as a world-class destination. This type of recognition helps to further strengthen our tourism-based
Montage Palmetto Bluff (No. 2)
economy and drives the bottom line for our
The Inn & Club at Harbour Town (No. 5)
Lowcountry business community. In 2020,
Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort (No. 6)
Hilton Head Island tourism accounted for a
Marriott Hilton Head Resort & Spa (No. 7),
$1.37 billion economic impact.
The Westin Hilton Head Resort & Spa (No. 9) Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort (No. 10)
Thank you for your incredible hospitality
Montage Palmetto Bluff was named the
excellence that keeps visitors coming back
No. 1 Resort In The South in the Condé Nast
year after year. It’s what makes recognition
Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards. Palmetto
such as this possible.
and your commitment to delivering
Dunes Oceanfront Resort, Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort, and The Inn & Club at Harbour Town were also named to that list.
Cheers to America’s Favorite Island®!
5 QUESTIONS WITH
5 Questions With the Culinary Institute of the South This month, we’ll celebrate the opening of the Technical College of the Lowcountry’s Culinary Institute of the South on Buckwalter Parkway in Bluffton. We sat down with Dean Chef Miles Huffand the Vice President of Advancement Mary Lee Carns for our 5 Questions With Podcast. Click here to listen to the full conversation, or subscribe to the Chamber Channel wherever you get your podcasts.
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The Culinary Institute is going to be an amazing addition to our community. How did this concept develop over time?
Mary Lee Carns (MLC): It’s a great story. It started in 2015 when president Richard Goff called me and said, “Will you join me for lunch on the island? We have to tell these two men that we are not going to build a culinary school.” Those two men happened to be [now Hilton Head Island Mayor] John McCann and Frank Tourino. And John says, let me bring the big five together, and let’s talk. Richard and I had both inherited notes from the prior administration of the Technical College of the Lowcountry, so we were very open to meeting. We ended up meeting at the chamber offices with Sea Pines Resort, the Marriott Oceanfront Resort, Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa, Omni Hilton Head Oveanfront Resort, and SERG Group, who came with their HR directors and chefs. And we listened. They could not be denied. What community colleges do is serve the business community. So, thanks to this community and local industry, we all now have the Culinary Institute of the South.
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Lowcountry Business Connection | NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2021
Chef Miles Huff (CMH): Building a culinary school
tell people about the culinary school and you’re trying to build this vision, you say: “Just look in the sky. Think about what it would look like.” You’re trying to build this building with an imagination. Now, it went from that vision to a reality, and students are going to be walking in. It’s going to be an exciting time.
Courtesy of the Technical College of the Lowcountry.
expensive venture. So when you first come on and you
5 Questions With | HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org
is not an easy feat. The jobs are there, but it’s just an
5 QUESTIONS WITH
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Tell us about the background of the name Culinary Institute of the South.
MLC: We named it the Culinary Institute of the South in order to optimize the workforce here in the Lowcountry. It is a name that we have to live up to. And we are. But what that means for recruitment - and the chef has already experienced this - is getting calls from Texas, from Florida, from North Carolina, from Tennessee because everyone can identify with the south. It speaks to everyone.
CMH: Bluffton is the second largest growth area of the state. So the excitement and job opportunities that you see here were long overdue and it will serve the community well.
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How will this school help with the workforce pipeline, and who else will benefit?
MLC: If we can bring a student here, we have a 72% percent chance the student will stay here. Conversely what was happening, especially those students in the Beaufort County School culinary program, they were going on to Charleston or Charlotte. We’re not going to get them back. So, now we’ve empowered ourselves to recruit in and keep students here. More importantly, it’s about how it serves the local citizens of the Lowcountry. Students have the opportunity to work in sustaining jobs in the No. 1 economic driver in our area - tourism and food service. And most community college students want to live, love, work, and worship in their communities. We’re giving them the opportunity to do that in a financially healthy job for their families.
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Lowcountry Business Connection | NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2021
5 Questions With | HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org
CMH: Because of the great need now for employees, salaries have gone up almost 30 percent, and there are bonuses I’ve never seen before just for signing on and hanging out. There’s a lot more flexibility now, and our students are just smiling at those salaries thinking “oh that can be me.”
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How many students can you accommodate, and is it just young adults?
CMH: If I do my classes right, I can get between 300 and 400 students. We have close to 100 students enrolled now. We are growing pretty fast.
classes. Right now, we have a Delta pilot and retired Navy F-18 fighter pilot who just wants to cook. We have students right now that are in their 50s and 60s, and the 18 to 19-year olds coming out of high school, and those mid-range students as well who are making career changes.
Courtesy of the Technical College of the Lowcountry
We’ll also be running a lot of continuing education
5 QUESTIONS WITH
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One very special place in the Culinary School is the FOODsuem. Tell us about this concept.
MLC: This is a museum for food - particularly of southern food and southern food culture. We have a small but mighty 900-square-foot space that is intended to attract visitors to learn about our beautiful food culture.
CMH: It is extremely exciting for me - being a southern boy born and raised in South Carolina - to be able to tell the story of food and culture from the south … it’ll be part of our legacy once we’re long gone, and it’s a rich, rich history. When we enter the FOODsuem, we ask “Do you think you know Southern food?” So we have a lot of Q&A type of exhibits as you go through. Right in the center is a 12foot table, like an old farm table that people used to eat and tell stories around. One of the biggest features of the south is rice. Back in the early 1700s, rice was king. ... So these legs on the farm table will actually look like rice gates that used to let the water in and out of the fields. We will celebrate that rice culture.
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Lowcountry Business Connection | NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2021
When we start talking about types of barbecue, what we grow here, our seafood … we’re right on the coast and have oysters, shrimp, some of the best blue crabs are found here. Being able to tell our visitors coming in about those stories, when they leave they will be so excited. [There will also be a teaching restaurant in the school open to the public where they can enjoy the talents of the students]. So once you’ve walked through the museum and learned about rice, and you’ve seen sea island red peas, now you can experience that shrimp and grits or fried green tomato in our restaurants. It’s one of the last classes our students will take, so they will be cooking and serving in the restaurant.
5 Questions With | HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org
And that’s just one small story of food in the south.
Courtesy of the Technical College of the Lowcountry
For more information visit www.tcl.edu/culinary-institute.
HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org | Chamber News
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Lowcountry Business Connection | NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2021
Welcome, Junior Leaders!
Congratulations to the 39 students in our 2021-2022 Junior Leadership Class! The students are from Bluffton High School, Heritage Academy, Hilton Head Christian Academy, Hilton Head High School, Hilton Head Preparatory, John Paul II Catholic School, May River High School, South Carolina Connections Academy, and South Carolina Virtual Charter School. We can’t wait to see how they grow this year!
Prestigious Travel Advisory Group Visits Hilton Head Travel + Leisure’s Travel Advisory Board held its first in-person meeting in over a year right here on Hilton Head Island. The group is composed of influential travel experts that advise numerous tourism brands across the U.S. and abroad, and is responsible for a combined $14.5 billion in annual sales. It was many of the participants’ first time visiting the Lowcountry, and we had the opportunity to showcase the destination, and our culture and history.
CHAMBER NEWS
Coming Up At The Chamber Conversation + Cocktails 5:30 p.m. | November 18 High Tide Rooftop Bar at Courtyard by Marriott Hilton Head Island 79 Pope Ave., Hilton Head Island Conversations build relationships and relationships build business. Enjoy casual networking while taking in the sweeping view of Hilton Head Island at the High Tide Rooftop Bar.
Committee Meetings Held in the chamber boardroom and via Zoom
Business Education Partnership Committee 8:30 a.m. | December 7 Public Policy Committee 8 a.m. | December 3
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Lowcountry Business Connection | NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2021
Power Hour Tele-Town Hall It’s the best hour you’ll spend all month. Get unfiltered information about hot topics in our community straight from the source. Check your Monday Briefing or email for a lineup of guest speakers and a link to register.
Sparkles & Spirits Holiday Celebration and Silent Auction 6-9 p.m. | December 9 Burnt Church Distillery 120 Bluffton Road, Bluffton ‘Tis the season for your chamber’s popular holiday silent auction and celebration! Join us for our holiday open house, browse the great auction items, and enjoy great food and drinks ahead of the holiday party circuit.
Chamber News | HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org
9:15 a.m. | December 1
HILTON HEAD ISLAND NEWS
Lake Liggett Unveiled at Jarvis Creek Park
The Town of Hilton Head Island has dedicated the lake at Jarvis Creek Park “Lake Liggett” in honor of its former Director of Public Projects and Facilities, Scott Liggett. He passed away unexpectedly in February. A sculpture placed at the park, “Swell of as well as his contributions to the town. During his tenure, he oversaw beach renourishment, roadways, parks and pathways, and numerous other public improvements. Jarvis Creek Park was one of those projects. Originally designed to be a drainage project, Liggett and other town staff reimagined the project to include the lake and the park.
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Lowcountry Business Connection | NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2021
Photo courtesy of the Town of Hilton Head Island
the Sea,” recognizes his 30-year career at the town
Photo courtesy of the Town of Hilton Head Island
CONGRATULATIONS Congratulations to four Hilton Head Islanders who received the Mayor’s Honored Islander Award in recognition of their service and contributions to community organizations and projects.
Kathleen Harper, the Middle Year Program Coordinator at Hilton Head Island Middle School, connects students and the school to the community through arts and volunteerism. Ronald Farsetti, who helped residents who had difficulty navigating the appointment system to sign up for COVID-19 vaccines. He also organized an auction that generated $30,000 for the Deep Well Project.
Rev. Louis Johnson, the pastor of the historic Central Oak Grove Baptist Church, is noted for cofounding the One Island One Community One Hilton Head event. The church also partnered with area grocery stores to distribute food to people who needed it during the pandemic, as well as hosted a COVID-19 vaccine clinic.
Dean Roberts, president of the Hilton Head Rotary Club, and a longtime volunteer who has contributed time to the Boys and Girls Club on Hilton Head Island and helped with the Island’s Juneteenth Celebration.
Hilton Head Island News | HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org
Mayor’s Honored Islander Awardees Named
HILTON HEAD ISLAND NEWS
Hilton Head & Daufuskie Island In The News
The Kelly Clarkson Show gave away a trip to Hilton Head Island. It’s “Good Neighbor” segment highlights cancer survivor Allie and UPS driver Al’s friendly and admiring relationship during COVID-19 amidst her cancer diagnosis.
The Today Show’s Craig Melvin shared his favorite memories of vacationing on Hilton Head Island this past summer. Hilton Head Island featured among “Best Fall Trip Ideas” in Men’s Journal. What they said: “Pummel over the miles of bike trails, under the omnipotent aura of live oak trees covered in Spanish moss, or opt for a sunrise spin on the hard-pack sand beaches.” The Westin Hilton Head Resort & Spa and Hilton Head Island was featured among TheKnot.com’s “10 Luxury Destinations for a PassportFree Honeymoon.” What they said: “Hilton Head Island is already a popular wedding destination, but it’s so much more than that.” Daufuskie Island’s Lighthouse featured in ThePointsGuy.com’s “6 Incredible Lighthouses You Can Stay In.” What they said: “Inside the upscale Haig Point community, the 1873 Lighthouse on Daufuskie Island was in use between 1873 and the 1930s to aid mariners navigating Calibogue Sound’s dangerous shoals.” Hilton Head Island was named to TravelPulse.com’s “America’s Most Family-Friendly Vacation Destinations.” What they said: “The awardwinning Hilton Head Island offers visitors ideal weather ... as well as a plethora of family-friendly activities.”
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Lowcountry Business Connection | NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2021
Poseidon was named among TripAdvisor.com’s “Best Restaurant In the United States.” The Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort was named among MSN.com’s “Best Beach Hotels and Resorts in Every State.” What they said: “The sugar-sand beaches on Hilton Head Island are some of the best in the country and this expansive family-friendly resort provides a great base from which to enjoy them.” Hilton Head Island was named among FoxNews.com’s “Top 10 Family-Friendly Vacation Spots In the U.S.” What they said: “More than a quarter of the attractions on Hilton Head Island are said to be kid-friendly as are 74.1% of the restaurants there.” Coligny Beach named among the Lonely Planet’s “Best Beaches Near Savannah.” What they said: “The beautiful white sand is perfect for relaxing and reading a book under an umbrella and then wading in the gentle waters to cool off.” Hilton Head Island featured in ThePointsGuy.com’s “4 Road Trips You Can Take From Charlotte, N.C.” What they said: “Of course, there’s more than just golfing at Hilton Head. There are several family-friendly parks, playgrounds and beaches. Renting bikes and kayaks are also popular ways to explore the island and its waterways.” Hilton Head Island featured among Money Magazine’s “Best Places To Live” 2021. What they said: “This resort town along South Carolina’s coastline is more than just a popular vacation destination. About 35,800 people live here year round. … [And] the town’s economy is thriving — between 2015 and 2020, jobs in Hilton Head grew by nearly 18%, and by 2025 they’re expected to jump another 19%. While out-of-towners frequent the island’s tourist beaches, locals unwind at off-the-beaten places like Fish Haul Creek Park.”
Hilton Head Island News | HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org
The Indigo Spa was named among USA Today’s 10 Best Awards, and Hilton Head Health was named the featured in Islands.com “What it’s Like to Stay at Hilton Head Health, South Carolina’s Iconic Wellness Resort.”
BLUFFTON NEWS
The Breeze Comes To Bluffton There’s a new way to get from one end of Bluffton to the other. Palmetto Breeze launched the Bluffton Breeze, a free, yearround, weekday public transit service connecting many of the great destinations around Bluffton with more than 50 bus stops along Bluffton and Buckwalter Parkways. Every Bluffton Breeze vehicle is equipped with comfortable seating, bicycle racks, and a deployable lift. Visit www.BreezeBluffton.com for details.
Town Renames Building The Town of Bluffton renamed its Watershed Management Building to the Jennie Kitty Municipal Building. Jennie Kitty, worked at the former Bluffton Health Clinic at 1261 May River Road, which is now the Town’s Watershed Management Building. For three decades, Kitty tirelessly advocated for health initiatives throughout Bluffton’s African American community and the Lowcountry.
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Lowcountry Business Connection | NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2021
Montage Palmetto Bluff featured among PureWow.com’s “16 Thanksgiving Getaways That Are Calling Your Name.” What they said: “It’s impossible not to feel thankful when rolling up to Montage Palmetto Bluff, a riverfront gem of a resort that’s set within a 20,000-acre community in South Carolina’s Lowcountry. And the lineup of gobble gobble good programming is like nowhere else.” Lowcountry Fresh’s B.J. Dennis was featured in FoodAndWine.com’s article “New Yorker’s Journey to South Carolina to Retrace Her Gullah Roots.”
Bluffton News | HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org
Bluffton In The News
Montage Palmetto Bluff was featured in Sherman Travel’s “The Best Luxury Hotel In Every State.” What they said: “Guests can choose from a variety of accommodations, from rooms and suites, to entire homes and cottages. For fun, rent one of the poolside cabanas, cruise aboard a restored 1913 yacht, or bike to a shaded spot for a Champagne picnic packed by the resort.”
Courtesy of Montage Palmetto Bluff
The Octagon at Palmetto Bluff was named among Fodors.com’s “11 U.S. Hotels With the Best Restaurants.” What they said: “With an array of dining outlets to choose from on property, the real star of the show [at Montage Palmetto Bluff] is Octagon, which just launched a brand-new dining experience called The Chef’s Journey.”
MEMBERSHIP CORNER
Members Making News
Court Atkins Group participated in the inaugural Canstruction competition
Courtesy of WTOC
this week at Savannah’s Jepson Center for the Arts. The team has collected a wide array of canned goods from retail partners all over the lowcountry to construct a themed sculpture. At the end of Choate’s competition, the canned food was donated to America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia in Savannah and Second Helpings on Hilton Head Island.
The Gullah Geechee Culture and Land Preservation Task Force for the Town of Hilton Head Island along with the Heritage Library of Hilton Head Island and USCB launched the Heirs’ Property Family Research Project, which will help families conduct genealogy research that may assist them in clearing title to heirs’ property and obtaining valid land deeds.
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Lowcountry Business Connection | NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2021
The Heritage Library launched “Our Storied Island,” where present-day Islanders can tell their unique family stories that also share the history of our Island, state, and nation. Visit The Heritage Library’s website to view the series in its entirety.
Hilton Head Public Service District’s (PSD) recently received two awards: Excellence in Outreach and Education Award, as well as being recognized for its Water Quality Laboratory.
The Hilton Head Island Rotary Club gathered donations from the Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue, First Presbyterian Church, Curry Printing, and other residents, and distributed $79,000 worth of supplies to Hurricane Ida victims.
Second Helpings and Palmetto Breeze celebrated the fourth year of its joint Fill The Need program, which has helped hundreds of families by providing groceries every week to the transit passengers.
Membership Corner | HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org
its new video series,
HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org | Membership Corner
USCB was selected for the French Embassy of the United States’ 2021 Transatlantic Mobility Program, which aims to double the number of students from France and the United States studying abroad in each country by 2025.
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Lowcountry Business Connection | NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2021
MEMBERSHIP CORNER
Members Making News
The Perry Family unveiled the Charles Perry Gym at the Island Recreation Center, donated by the Rotary Club of Hilton Head Island. Charles Perry was a rotary club member for 50 years, and played a vital role in creating the youth center, later to become the the Island Recreation Center.
Collins Group Realty announced the five winning non-profit organizations for their 2021 200th Home Sale for Charity program. This year’s grand prize winner, Volunteers in Medicine Hilton Head Island (pictured above), received a check for $5,000. Pledge the Pink was awarded 2nd place, followed by Lovable Paws Rescue, Hospice Care of the Lowcountry, and Turtle Trackers.
MEMBERSHIP CORNER
Courtesy of Meals on Wheels Bluffton-Hilton Head
Members Making News
Meals-on-Wheels Bluffton-Hilton Head created a second delivery route in
Courtesy of Sun City
Sun City, in addition to four routes on Hilton Head Island and the three that serve greater Bluffton. The agency is on target to deliver over 33,000 meals in 2021.
The Sun City Hilton Head Community Association’s Hurricane Preparedness Guide was honored with an Award of Excellence in the 33rd annual APEX Awards competition. It received four awards in the 2021 National Mature Media Awards program for its SunFit video channel and the video library on www.SunCityHiltonHead.org, for the monthly City Life eNewsletter and a merit award for the June issue of SunSations.
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Lowcountry Business Connection | NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2021
Hugaroo Inc. received a $3,000 1811 Charitable Fund for the second consecutive year. The Grant will allow Hugaroo to continue expanding in South Carolina for its “Lowcountry Hugs” program.
The Town of Hilton Head Island won a Municipal Achievement Award for its rehabilitation of its two oldest storm water pump stations at Jarvis Creek and Lawton Canal.
Congratulations to
Legendary Golf, which was recently named the No. 1 Mini-Golf course in South Carolina.
The Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation won a gold award for its Lowcountry Fresh Market & Café as well as the “Best Project in Show” (economic project of the year) from the International Economic Development Council. Lowcountry Fresh entails a direct investment of $5.83 million and the creation of 44 new jobs at an average annual wage of $42,696.
Membership Corner | HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org
grant from the Belfair
HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org | Membership Corner
More than two dozen employees from The Greenery, Inc. and their families volunteered on the morning of September 11 to install sod, plantings and mulching at Operation Patriots FOB retreat in Ridgeland.
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Lowcountry Business Connection | NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2021
MEMBERSHIP CORNER
Members Making News
Lot 9 Brewing Co. recently won a bronze medal for its Blonde Ale in the 2021 U.S. Open Beer Championship, as well as “Best of the Southeast” for its Mai Lord Mai Bock beer in The United States Beer Tasting Championship (USBTC). The local brewery also received two honorable mentions for Dana’s Big DIPA Imperial Hazy IPA, as well as its Lil’ Slice of Hefen Wheat Beer.
LOCAL Life donated lunch to Hilton Head Regional Healthcare’s environmental service professionals during EVS personnel week.
MEMBERSHIP CORNER
Who’s Who & Who’s Where
Beth Anderson was
promoted to the Sea Pines Country Club’s clubhouse manager. She was previously the director of events there, and has more than 20 years of experience.
Wayne Boutwell
joins Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital as its Bluffton CEO. He most recently served as the CEO of ContinueCARE Hospital in Columbia, S.C.
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The Greenery, Inc. promoted Darren Davis to branch manager for the Hilton Head Island Residential Branch. He’s been with the company for over 12 years.
NAMI Lowcountry has welcomed John DuPont, III as its new chairman of the board. He is currently the director of operations at Strauss Global.
The President of the Technical College of the Lowcountry, Dr. Richard Gough, will participate in the Diversity Leaders Initiative (DLI), an awardwinning Furman University’s Riley Institute program.
Hailey Kamin (left),
Paul William Horgan
Joel Taylor was promoted to the market chief executive officer for Hilton Head Regional Healthcare. He joined the company in 2016 as the CEO of Coastal Carolina Hospital, and has been with the system’s parent company, Tenet Healthcare, for 10 years.
was selected as the next head of school for Hilton Head Preparatory School, and will start July 1. He was previously the head of the upper school for Cape Henry Collegiate in Virginia Beach.
Lowcountry Business Connection | NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2021
a nurse manager and wound care coordinator southeast, received this year’s Encompass Health’s Outstanding Employee Achievement Award.
Weichert, Realtors – Coastal Properties is proud to announce the following to their real estate team:
Mike Tighe was named the general manager at the Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa. Most recently, he served as general manager of The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village in Florida.
Kim Carbonaro
Bob Dickson
J. Banks Design Group announced the additions of three new employees:
Nia Faucette,
Design Assistant
Tierney Femovich, Commercial Design Assistant
Edith Quinonez,
Procurement Coordinator
Shannon Docherty
Judy Grant
Melissa Redd
Bob Steadman
The Southeastern Museums Conference (SEMC) chose Ahmad Ward, executive director of Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park, as the recipient of the 2021 Museum Leadership Award.
Memory Matters welcomed two new program specialists:
Morgan Bowers Haley Grayson Juliet White was selected to lead the Beaufort County School District’s Student Services division. She previously served as the district’s director of special education
Vickie & Joe Pryor
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP
Welcome New Members! Old Town Flooring
LASHES n’more
Hilton Head Phone Repair
Hilton Head Island Coffee Roasters
Beaufort Orthopaedic - Bluffton
Two Maids & A Mop
Beaufort Orthopaedic Sport & Spine
KL Baldwin Group
K-1 Speed Bluffton
Edward Jones, Amy Covington
Cheers Charters
LS3P Associates Architects
Woof Gang Bakery and Grooming - Palmetto
Sharonview Federal Credit Union
LASHES n’more
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Lowcountry Business Connection | NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2021
Hilton Head Island & Bluffton Rebel Payments Island Foot and Ankle Surgery, LLC Hilton Head National RV Resort Bistro 17 Apple Appliance Center Joseph the Magician
Vineyard Bluffton
Woof Gang Bakery and Grooming - Palmetto
Member Anniversaries | HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org
K-1 Speed Bluffton
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP
Member Anniversaries 30+ Years Arrow Exterminators
Hilton Head Health
Bess’ Delicatessen & Catering
Hilton Head National Golf Club
Boys & Girls Club of Hilton Head
Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head Area Home Builders Association
Tanger Outlets Hilton Head Wells Fargo
Hilton Head Exterminators, Inc.
20-29 Years 29 Edgewater
First Citizens Bank
A Fresh Start Cleaning Co.
Flowers by Sue
Association Services, Inc. An Associa Member Company
Goodwill Industries of Lower SC
Bank of America Bank of America-Bluffton Beaufort County Parks and Recreation
Harbour Town Bakery & Cafe Heritage Library Foundation Inc. Hilton Head Choral Society Hilton Head Golf Vacations
Benny Hudson Seafood
Hilton Head Public Library
Bluffton Okatie Outpatient Surgery Center
Hilton Head Regional Habitat for Humanity, Inc.
Bluffton Public Library
Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra
Catering for Wedding & Special Events - Sea Pines Style
Life Care Center of Hilton Head
Coast, Oceanfront Dining Community Foundation of the Lowcountry Discover Specific Chiropractic
Links, an American Grill Nexsen Pruet Ocean Woods Landscaping Co., Inc. Okatie Elementary School
FACES DaySpa
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Lowcountry Business Connection | NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2021
Member Anniversaries | HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org
20-29 Years Cont. Palmetto Bay Sun Rise Cafe
Sign D’Sign
Palmetto Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Skillets Cafe’ & Grill
Publix #0700
Street Meet The American Tavern
Queen Chapel AME Church
Sunset Rentals, Inc.
Sea Turtle Getaways, Inc
Telfair Museums
Seacoast Security Shredding
Trish Heichel
Show Services, Inc.
Truist (formerly Suntrust/BB&T)
Truist (formerly Suntrust/BB&T) Westbury University of South Carolina Beaufort Hilton Head Gateway Campus University of South Carolina Beaufort-Historic Beaufort Campus Vaughan Kennels Inc./ DBA Evergreen Pet Lodge Volvo Cars Hilton Head c/o Volvo
Main Street Chiropractic
HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org | Member Anniversaries
Red Stripe Caribbean
15-19 Years Boys & Girls Club of Bluffton City of Beaufort
Hilton Head Island Early Childhood Center
First Presbyterian Church
Hilton Head Island Elementary School for the Creative Arts
Harbour Town Lighthouse Museum & Shop
Hilton Head Resort Four Seasons Centre
H.E. McCracken Middle School
Jacob Preston Pottery
Heyward’s Restaurant at Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island
Jasper County
Hilton Head 360.com
Palmetto Dunes Golf Academy at Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort
Palmetto Mosquito Control, LLC Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Coastal Empire Sea Shack Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina Shelter Cove Harbour Shops & Restaurants The Bluffton Sun & Hilton Head Sun
10-14 Years 123 Drive! Driving Academy, Inc. A Wedding in Paradise Beaufort County Sheriff’s Department Bishop Eye Center Cera Products Inc. Cintas Corp
High Tide Restoration & Cleaning, Inc. Hilton Head Outfitters at Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort
Publix #1205 Red Cedar Elementary
Island Family Dental
The Church Mouse Thrift Shop, Inc.
Island Financial
The Golf Learning Center at The Sea Pines Resort
Larkin Group, LLC
Dunes Catering & Events
Lowcountry Autism Foundation, Inc.
Floors by Sterling Hight
Marriott’s Grande Ocean
Goodwill Industries of Lower South Carolina
NAMI Lowcountry
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Pirates of Hilton Head
Palmetto Medical Group
Lowcountry Business Connection | NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2021
Tidewater Hospice / DBA Crescent Hospice Truitt Rabun Associates Walmart Supercenter Hardeeville (Store #2832) WiseGuys Modern American Restaurant
4-9 Years Absolute Island Management
Crush Entertainment
May River High School
Alarm, Fire & Security, LLC
Daufuskie Island Historical Foundation
Morris Center for Lowcountry Heritage
ERA Southeast Coastal Real Estate
Optical Solutions
Bear Creek Golf Club
GoMobile Storage Heritage Fine Jewelry
Parker’s #32, #33, #36, & #38
Benton House of Bluffton
Hilton Head Distillery
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hilton Head Bluffton Realty
Hilton Head Island Seafood Fest
AXIS Fine Art Installation, Inc. Backwater Bill’s Grill
Bluffton Jasper Volunteers in Medicine Business Brokers of the Lowcountry Captain Woody’s Bar & Grill Bluffton Certa Pro Painters Coastal Bliss Coastal Rentals Coastal Vacation Rentals CrossRoads Financial Group
Hilton Head Long Term Rentals, Inc. Island Imaging Jim N Nick’s Community Bar-B-Q Kennedy & Blackshire, LLC Leaders4Life LOCAL Life Magazine Loni Lueke Realtor®, SC & GA, eXp Realty Main Stage Community Theatre
Pearce Scott Architects Pinnacle Plastic Surgery River House Lounge River Ridge Academy Sea Pines Real Estate at The Beach Club Second Helpings, Inc. Spa Montage Spartina 449 - Shelter Cove Towne Centre The Corner Perk Cafe The Roasting Room
Marley’s Shrimp & Burger Shack
1-3 Years Bad Biscuit
Jim Vaughn
Beach House Boutique Vacation Rentals and Realty
Latitude Margaritaville Hilton Head
Casablanca Mediterranean Grill Cherish Companion & Care LLC CoffeyKubec, LLP
Lululemon Luxury Limousine Transportation Markraft Cabinets Palmetto Axes
Staples Connect - Hilton Head Island Staying Connected Stretch Zone The G-Free Spot, Inc. Tidewatch Emergency Department
Palmetto Coastal Real Estate
Enclave at Bluffton Park Apartment Homes
USCB Hilton Head Island Hospitality Management Campus
Porter & Pig
WaterWalk at Shelter Cove
Ernst W. Bruderer
Red Stripes Caribbean Cuisine & Lounge Bluffton
Weichert Realtors ® - Coastal Properties | Bluffton Office
Red Stripes Caribbean Cuisine & Lounge Hilton Head Island
World Affairs Council of Hilton Head
Elevé Properties
Fast Trackers - Hilton Head Toastmasters Club Fishcamp on Broad Creek Fresh off the Dock 3 Inc.
Restore Hyper Wellness + Cryotherapy
Healthy Habit
Revive PEMF
Hilton Head Speed Boat Tours
SH’ THAT’S HOT!
Island Nutrition
SouthernCarolina Alliance
MEMBERSHIP CORNER
Scene & Be Seen
CONVERSATION + COCKTAILS Thank you to Tio’s Latin American Kitchen and Michael Anthony’s for hosting our Conversation + Cocktails.
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Lowcountry Business Connection | NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2021
Our Chamber Young Professionals got to enjoy dessert before dinner and network at Joe’s Ice Cream & Beverage Co.
Membership Corner | HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org
CHAMBER YOUNG PROFESSIONALS
EXECUTIVE CONNECTION Thank you to the new Whisper Creek Spa for hosting our fall Executive Connection!
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Lowcountry Business Connection | NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2021
Membership Corner | HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org
Wheelz of Hilton Head CHALK THE WALK & BE KIND
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce
Your chamber and over 50 community partners took to the sidewalks to chalk them with kindness ahead of Labor Day Weekend.
First Presbyterian Day School
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Lowcountry Business Connection | NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2021
Hilton Head Plantation
Town of Bluffton
Membership Corner | HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org
Town of Hilton Head
@HHIBCHAMBER HILTONHEADBLUFFTONCHAMBER.ORG 1 CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DRIVE | HILTON HEAD ISLAND | 843.785.3673 216 BLUFFTON ROAD | BLUFFTON | 843.757.3673