Savannah Magazine - May/June 2023

LIFESAVING CARE IS A BEAUTIFUL THING.

One morning Minnie woke up with a pain in her chest. Not only was she having an active heart attack, an electrocardiogram (EKG) found severe blockages in multiple vessels. She was in a state of advanced heart failure and cardiogenic shock, causing organ failure.

Dr. Abisogun, a cardiologist practicing at The Heart Hospital at St. Joseph’s Hospital, used the minimally-invasive Impella CP® to artificially pump her blood while he inserted stents and performed multiple artery-clearing procedures. Thanks to the availability of lifesaving technology and the expertise of Dr. Abisogun and the entire Heart Hospital team, Minnie is now back to planting flowers and enjoying life.

“I knew I would receive the absolute best care from the St. Joseph’s/Candler heart team. I’m grateful to be here for my children, my grandchildren and myself.” – Minnie Wingster

– Akinniran Abisogun, M.D. – Cardiologist

healthy artery clogged artery

“THAT’S WHY I CHOOSE ST. JOSEPH’S/CANDLER”

Minnie Wingster - Savannah, GA

Kathryn A.

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49

TASTE

Jennifer Grayson’s iconic corner store celebrates 25 years and an exciting expansion.

Written by Margaret Daniel

Photography by Michael Schalk 61

Luxury towel designer, wife and mother of three Liz Eichholz makes the ordinary extraordinary in a charming Ardsley Park abode.

Written by Mary Fitzgerald

Photography by Kelli Boyd

Take a behind-the-scenes look at the women directing Georgia’s $4 billion film business.

Written by Gregory James Wakeman

Photography by D. Lawrence Barksdale

106 A CLUB FOR THE BOOKS

Move over, brunch — book clubs are the new social gathering.

Written by Ariel Felton

Photography by Michael Schalk

112 FOLLOWING THE LIGHT

The famed raconteur, founder of The Moth and eighth-generation Savannahian, George Dawes Green, digs deep into local lore for his latest novel.

Written by Colleen Ann McNally

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Meet the female entrepreneurs and executives who are propelling Savannah forward, page 128

ON THE COVER

Weezie Towel’s Liz Eichholz

Photo by Kelli Boyd

MICHAEL SCHALK

D.

LAWRENCE BARKSDALE

MICHAEL SCHALK

Camp Moon River

For Mor

st co

e Information: Savcds.org/SummerCamps

Rise-Up Ready e

R et am

Athletic Camps

A FEW YEARS AGO, my sister Molly gifted me a navy blue towel. Embroidered with a cute eyelid design, the towel was made from organic cotton and specifically designed for washing off makeup — though, the story behind the towel is what truly makes it special.

Molly filled me in about a pair of friends who launched a fast-growing, Georgia-based luxury towel company called Weezie. Fast forward to 2023: I’m having coffee at Foxy Loxy with Morrigan Maza of Good Culture Creative (page 25), who suggests I connect with Liz Eichholz, the co-founder and creative director of Weezie.

Without hesitation, and despite leading a high-profile company (Gwyneth Paltrow is a fan) and having three young daughters, Liz welcomed me and my team into her family’s Ardsley Park home as warmly as if we had known each other for years. And, just as I was with my first Weezie towel, I was immediately smitten with Liz’s artful style and ability to “find joy in the chaos,” as she describes in our home tour on page 61.

What struck me most about this experience, however, was how well all the many women involved in the photoshoot — including the talented interior designer Robyn Roberts and photographer Kelli Boyd — collaborated.

As the Hostess City, Savannah has always benefited from its strong, stylish women and their stories. Where would we be without the seven founding ladies of the Historic Savannah Foundation (“Channeling Progress,” page 39), the Wild Women of Whitaker (“Old Fish, New Fish,” page 49) who pioneered the Downtown Design District or the ones helming Georgia’s booming $4 billion film industry (“Leading Ladies,” page 96), among countless others?

Even the courage of our fictional characters — like those in George Dawes Green’s latest novel, “The Kingdoms of Savannah” — will drawn you in and take hold. I was so very delighted when the acclaimed author

and eighth-generation Savannahian told me, in his lullaby-like drawl, about the women in his life who inspired the historical fiction (page 112). Be sure to add this book to your summer reading stack, if you haven’t already.

With Savannah magazine’s 19th annual Women in Business section (pages 128-206) at a record large size, this issue is dedicated to all the ladies who foster connections, who aren’t afraid to try something new, who speak highly of a friend even when she is out of earshot, who say “yes,” who show up for each other and, most of all, who know that when one of us succeeds, we all do.

I hope you read this issue cover to cover and then pass it on to the special women in your own life. (Your book club, perhaps?)

I can’t wait to share this one with my sister.

ESTABLISHED MAY 1, 1990 Savannah magazine’s mission is to celebrate the new and enduring voices of our city’s culture, commerce and creative community. Elegant and relevant. Authentic and fun. That’s your Savannah, and this is your magazine.

To subscribe and save 80% off the newsstand price, go to savannahmagazine.com or call 800.453.1049.

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To advertise, download our media kit at savannahmagazine.com, email jane.townsend@savannah magazine.com or call 912.652.0294. 6602 Abercorn St., Suite 202 Savannah, Georgia 31405; savannahmagazine.com

CORRECTION

In the March/April issue, Katie McGee was one of the photographers for the Chefs Dish special section.

Colleen Ann McNally Editor

In “Irish Roots,” Savannah St. Patrick’s Day parade is touted as one of the largest in the country.

Photo by KATIE MCGEE

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POOLER

“The River Child,” page 28

“Old Fish, New Fish,” page 49

“Old Fish, New Fish,” page 49 “A Club for the Books,” page 106

“Easy, Weezie, Beautiful,” page 61

Michael Schalk PHOTOGRAPHER

Margaret Daniel WRITER

Kendall McKinnon WRITER

Kelli Boyd PHOTOGRAPHER

Walker T. Pendarvis DMD, MHS is a Board Certified Periodontist with extensive specialty training in dental implants, dental surgery, bone and soft tissue augmentation, periodontal disease, and IV sedation. He is passionate about providing minimally invasive procedures to achieve clinical success as well as the highest level of esthetics. As an internationally published research author and National Institutes of Health fellow, he is innovative while utilizing the latest 3D technology to properly diagnose and measure the most predictable outcomes for his patients.

“Easy, Weezie, Beautiful,” page 61

“Kitchen and Kin,” page 87 “Going the Distance,” page 120

“Leading Ladies,” page 96

“A Club for the Books,” page 106

Feifei Sun WRITER

Mary Fitzgerald WRITER

Gregory James Wakeman WRITER

Ariel Felton WRITER

Expert GI Care Right in Your Neighborhood

We are proud to serve Savannah and the Lowcountry community. Our providers and team are committed to delivering comprehensive, high-quality, patient-centered care. The Center for Digestive and Liver Health is home to a diverse group of board certified gastroenterologists who perform the latest diagnostic testing in gastroenterology.

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ROAM.

Charlotte. Roaming requires taking the scenic route. And for aspiring or expert pathfinders, lush landscapes abound in the Queen City. Made for nature novices, fresh air followers and eccentric explorers, sometimes getting lost is just what you need to find a new direction.

Plan your trip at charlottesgotalot.com.

U.S. NATIONAL WHITEWATER CENTER

PUBLISHER Anita Hagin

EDITORIAL & DESIGN

EDITOR Colleen Ann McNally

ART DIRECTOR Rebecca Hrizuk

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Melanie Schmermund

DIGITAL EDITOR Andrea Burg

GUEST COPY EDITOR Andrea Goto

ADVERTISING

DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING

Jane Townsend

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGERS Jill Strauss & Lane Pelliccione

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE S Morgan Crolley & Catherine Wooditch

ADVERTISING COORDINATOR

Holly Todd

EXECUTIVE

PRESIDENT Tina Battock

VICE PRESIDENT, FINANCE & OPERATIONS Scott Ferguson

DIRECTOR OF MANUFACTURING & PRODUCTION Sherry Brown

ACCOUNTING MANAGER Veronica Brooks

CIRCULATION BUSINESS MANAGER Michelle Rowe

MORRIS COMMUNICATIONS

CHAIRMAN William S. Morris III CEO

Craig S. Mitchell

ESTABLISHED MAY 1, 1990

Savannah magazine’s mission is to celebrate the new and enduring voices of our city’s culture, commerce and creative community. Elegant and relevant. Authentic and fun. That’s your Savannah, and this is your magazine.

Subscribe: 800.453.1049

Address changes: savannahmag@emailcustomerservice.com

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FROM OUR READERS

See what people are saying about Savannah magazine.

NEXT UP: The Life on the Water issue. Snap a pic of your life aquatic for a chance to be featured in our July/August issue — be sure to tag @savannahmagazine and use #savannahmagazine.

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“Thanks to Savannah Magazine for including us in this great article about local oyster farming.”

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“Booked and busy. If you need us, we’ll be here until further notice.”

“Thank you Brenda @tapleysmercantile for including our antique Chinese bamboo chair in your latest @savannahmagazine ad!”

“Having been chosen as one of six artists to watch in ‘23 by Savannah magazine is an unbelievable honor! I’m deeply appreciative and humbled to be counted among such talented individuals.”

“What a fantastic feature of Savannah artists in @savannahmagazine by @allisonstice!! Check out the full article to learn more about these amazing artists — some of whom have their studios right here at Sulfur/in Starland!”

“Cat’s outta the bag … Thank you so much to @savannahmagazine for including me in the artists to watch in 2023 feature! I feel so incredibly lucky to be a part of this community and so happy to call Savannah my home.”

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MICHAEL SCHALK

TASTE BUZZ

New in 912

When she’s not creating visuals for Vanity Fair or working the red carpet, Savannah College of Art Design alumna and Savannah resident Morrigan Maza is helping fellow Southern-based creatives succeed in their own careers.

Photo by ASHLEY CAMPER // Courtesy

Earlier this year, Maza launched Good Culture creative agency out of her desire to shine a light on the region’s abundance of locally based talent, from set designers to hair and makeup artists to cinematographers and photographers — like Ashley Camper, whose clients include beloved brands like LAKE Pajamas and Sola Salon. Get inspired at goodculturecreative.com.

In case you missed it: boutique events, regional excursions and interior styling firm Port Town Collective (411 Abercorn St.) is a chic addition in the historic district. And don’t miss the shop, stocked with a well-appointed selection of luxe home goods. … There is a new downtown destination for coffee klatch and Southern pantry staples. Led by Christopher C. Meenan and Ericka Tiffany, Dottie’s Market (207 W. Broughton St.) is now serving breakfast and lunch. Dine in at the chef’s counter or fill a basket with goodies to go, including freshly baked breads and pastries, house-cured charcuterie and locally made gifts. With a concept and name inspired by the legacy of Tiffany’s great-grandmother, Dottie’s may be the perfect place to treat the moms in your life this Mother’s Day. … After 10 years of leading walking food tours, Savannah Taste Experience has added a ticket sales office, event space and retail shop showcasing

Melrose & McQueen

local flavor (108 W. Broughton St.). … Meanwhile, Savannah Psychics Brian and Jen Byers opened Mystic Apothecary (311 W. Broughton St.), offering a collection of crystals, herbs, books, tarot cards, candles, spell kits and other spiritual items. … A few blocks away, River Street Sweets is celebrating 50 years of serving Savannah’s favorite candy and world-famous pralines with a new location (32 E. Broughton St.). …What’s old is new again at Labels on Liberty (107 W. Liberty St.), a luxury consignment boutique stocked with pre-loved designer styles. … The first brick-and-mortar refillery of its kind in Georgia and the Lowcountry, Lite Foot Company (2400 Bull St., Suite 4) debuted in the Starland District. Bring your own containers to fill with household and personal care products, such as soaps, shampoos, lotions and cleaning materials or shop zero-waste essentials such as bamboo toothbrushes, stasher bags, beeswax wraps and more. … Stop by the colorful Waters Cafe (2317 Waters Ave.) for bagel flights, fruit smoothies, tasty sandwiches and caffeine fixes. … Cambria Hotels recently celebrated the opening of its first property in Georgia, the 101-room Cambria Hotel Savannah Downtown Historic District (321 Montgomery St.). … Squirrels Pizza Eastern Wharf is now slinging slices of Detroit-style pizzas, just in time for The Park at Eastern Wharf’s Riverfront Concert Series on May 18 and June 15.

COURTESY LITE FOOT COMPANY

Lite Foot Company

Cambria Hotel Savannah Downtown Historic District Grand Opening

COURTESY CAMBRIA HOTELS

KATHERINE IVES PHOTOGRAPHY

Mystic Apothecary

Escape to the place where fun and relaxation meet.

Escape to island-inspired living as you grow older, but not up. Escape to Latitude Margaritaville.

The River Child

Blu ton-based bestselling author

Patti Callahan Henry’s newest tale transports readers to England on a heartfelt and magical mystery

Written by KENDALL MCKINNON

A LOST SISTER. An imaginary world. A real war. A secret book.

In Patti Callahan Henry’s newest tale, “The Secret Book of Flora Lea,” readers are swept away with Hazel Linden as she uncovers the truth of her sister Flora’s disappearance 20 years prior — a journey ignited by the magical land of Hazel’s own childhood creation, Whisperwood, returning to her unexpectedly.

The author of 16 novels — including “Surviving Savannah” and “Becoming Mrs. Lewis” — Henry was working on another book when the spark for this story first appeared. One particular bit of British history struck her: Operation Pied Piper, 1939.

“In Operation Pied Piper, children from large British cities were sent away from their families to protect them from the German bombs that were sure to come,” Henry explains.

From this anecdote sprouted Hazel and Flora as two of those children, and Henry found herself intrigued not only by the operation itself, but also by its namesake.

“The Pied Piper is this terrible German legend where a piper leads the children out of the city, and they are never seen again,” says Henry. She wondered why the government would choose such a name for an operation meant to keep children safe. “And then my wheels just started turning.”

The sisters, Henry decided, would be sent to Binsey, a small village in the English countryside along the River Thames. Not only was Binsey one of the locations British officials deemed safe and sent the evacuated children, but it also houses the meadow that inspired parts of Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” as well as the Treacle Well where St. Frideswide (patron saint of Oxford) brought forth healing waters.

“Binsey was the perfect legend-soaked setting to send my sisters,” says Henry.

The stories of an evacuee childhood and the shattering loss of Flora run through the book alongside another. Hazel, two decades later, is met with a whisper of her sister that upends the narrative of everything she thought she knew.

“I wanted the mystery to drive the story forward,” says Henry.

To complete her story, Henry journeyed across England as her characters would have, documenting her travels and the synchronistic moments along the way in a travel journal, available to those who pre-order the novel.

“It was like falling into my book,” says Henry. “It was astounding.”

Within and throughout this novel is what Henry describes as “a reminder that we are a myth-making people; it is how we make meaning of the meaningless and sense of the senseless. It is why we tell stories.”

The book is about heartache, grief and the bond between sisters. It is about the force of first love and hope for the future.

“What I want my readers to do is feel something, and I want them to feel something that matters to them,” the author says.

Henry’s book tour for “The Secret Book of Flora Lea” launches May 2 in Savannah at E. Shaver Starland. patticallahanhenry.com

THE ANN TENENBAUM AND THOMAS H. LEE COLLECTION

William Eggleston; Memphis, 1970; Ann Tenenbaum and Thomas H. Lee Collection

Good Jeans

Designer Maude Fortunato’s one-of-a-kind collection celebrates the universal quality of denim

Written by ALLISON STICE

AS A YOUNG JAZZ MUSICIAN in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Maude Fortunato’s outfit functioned as a résumé well before the saxophonist took the stage.

“I would go to the thrift store and buy the biggest, craziest denim pieces I could find to take up more space and show I belonged in the club,” Fortunato says.

Fitting, then, that Fortunato gravitated to fashion design as a career after attending the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) — and specifically to jeans. After falling in love with the textile, the designer launched their MF Denim label with an inclusive thesis collection intended for all bodies and gender identities.

At SCAD, the designer found a passion for denim as they discovered more about its universal quality. Citing references from the antibacterial indigo-dyed kimonos of centuries-old Japanese samurai to Martin Luther King, Jr. donning jeans as a political symbol during the Civil Rights movement, Fortunato dives deep into cultural and historical movements for inspiration.

“Denim is such a unifying cloth — you could be the richest person in the world or a struggling college student and still have your favorite pair of jeans,” Fortunato shares from their studio space in SCAD’s Eckburg Hall, sporting their preferred uniform of vintage Levi’s. “It’s a thread through all of these wonderful movements. I can’t think of another textile that has that same impact.”

Their collection “Sorry Mom,” which pays tribute to the generation of artists and audiences lost to the AIDS epidemic of the ’80s and ’90s, includes thoughtful touches in both its design and materials. The line was sponsored by U.S.-based Cone Denim, which produces jeans that incorporate ecofriendly hemp, and Japan Blue Jeans, which uses traditional (and sustainable) indigo dying techniques.

Fortunato’s designs came to the attention of Kristopher Hegland and Darrin McWhorter of Starland style shop Dreamachine via Fortunato’s fashion professor and designer Mae Heidenreich, whose creations are carried at the retail

space (and whose own résumé includes stints as a costume designer for the likes of Madonna). The ever-evolving retail space on Bull Street is envisioned as an incubator for emerging talent by curating budding designers like Fortunato alongside established brands.

McWhorter instantly connected with Fortunato’s story, process and authenticity and snapped up select MF Denim pieces — including a patchwork skirt from upcycled pairs and paint-splattered overalls that reference American artists Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

“Maude is a perfect example of the DREAMACHINE collaborative dynamic,” McWhorter says. “Our end goal is to create a unique shopping experience that allows anyone to walk through the doors and find something special.”

McWhorter recommended pairing Fortunato’s one-of-akind skirt with the shop’s CARDIACtwin Flag Tee and Rick Owens’ Converse x DRKSHDW High Tops. The result?

“A look no one else will have – period,” McWhorter says.

As for Fortunato, the designer dreams of one day working in the denim industry and ideally relocating to global denim hub Amsterdam post-graduation. Whether it happens sooner or later, one thing is for sure: The love for jeans endures.

From the collection of Maude Fortunato

Cover Girl

SUNSCREEN? CHECK.BEACH TOWELS? CHECK. PILLOWSAK? Check.

Before you finish packing for summer vacation or sleepaway camp, be sure to add this locally made lifesaver.

After struggling to keep her personal pillow clean between Point A and Point B — often resulting in embarrassing situations — Wilmington Island resident Deborah McIncrow created the PillowSak, a protective cover for your pillow.

Savannahians may recognize McIncrow from the Islands Farmers’ Market, where she previously served as the market manager. Now, a decade later, McIncrow is back as a small-business vendor herself. In addition to the market, PillowSaks are available in a variety of prints and patterns at local boutiques such as Marsh and Co., Capital Bee Company and Locally Made Savannah, or online at pillowsak.com. And, for adventurous Girl Scouts, the Andrew Low House carries an exclusive daisy print inspired by Juliette Gordon Low’s nickname.

Midnight on Broadway

The story of Savannah’s most famous murder trial is taking the stage

AFTER A PULITZER PRIZE , a record-setting 216-week run on the New York Times Bestsellers list and a 1997 film adaptation by Clint Eastwood, John Berendt’s blockbuster book “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” is now being developed into a new musical.

Behind the Broadway rendition of the nonfiction story is Tony Award winner Rob Ashford as the director, MacArthur “Genius” Grantee and Pulitzer finalist Taylor Mac as the writer, Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown overseeing music and lyrics, and choreography by industry veterans Tanya Birl and Sarah O’Gleby. The musical will be produced by Hal Luftig, Craig Haffner and Sherry Wright. An invitation-only industry reading is scheduled in New York on May 12-13, with more updates sure to follow.

This summer’s must-have travel accessory is as cute as it is clean

COURTESY PILLOWSAK

PillowSak founder Deborah McIncrow

MAY 5 – 7

Led by Hospice Savannah’s Full Circle Grief and Loss Center, the 26th annual Camp Aloha assembles at New Ebenezer Retreat. During the weekend-long camp, children can swim, play games, gather around the campfire and join group therapy sessions with others who have recently lost a loved one.

MAY 6

Head to Bethesda Academy for the 45th annual Savannah Scottish Games, a familyfriendly day full of pipe bands, highland dancers, border collies and much more.

MAY 10 – 11

Grab your favorite footwear and your gal pals: Wine, Women & Shoes is back at the Kehoe Iron Works, benefiting Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Coastal Empire.

MAY 14

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms and mother figures.

MAY 18

Hosted by Senior Citizens, Inc., this year’s Legends, Leaders and Life Well Lived Awards Luncheon honors three exceptional recipients — Bettye West Berksteiner, Robert “Bob” Faircloth and Wanda S. Lloyd — at The Palmetto Club at The Landings.

MAY 19

Get ready to be soaked at the Tybee Beach Bum Parade, also affectionately known as the world’s most fun water fight. The festivities begin at 6:30 p.m. at the North Beach parking lot and continue along Butler Avenue to Tybrisa Street.

MAY 20

Professional and amateur dancers heat up the floor at the Savannah Convention Center during the 2023 Dancing Stars of Coastal Georgia, raising funds and awareness for the Alzheimer’s Association.

MAY 25

Experience your own lightbulb moment during the 12th annual TEDxSavannah, held at the Fine Arts Auditorium at Georgia Southern University’s Armstrong Campus.

MAY 29

Enjoy free live music and nightly fountain shows at Plant Riverside District’s “Savannah Salutes” Memorial Day Weekend Celebration.

MAY 31 –

JUNE 4

Following successful editions in Shanghai, Paris and Miami, Unique Design X Group is bringing its nomadic boutique of collectible design back to Savannah’s Trustees’ Garden.

THROUGH JULY 8

What’s better than a Green Truck Neighborhood Pub burger? A Green Truck burger with a side of art. Visit the pub before July 8 to see “100 Proposals for the Drive Thru Art Box,” a project by artist Chris Moss and presented by Sulfur Studios. The rotating installation features six of Moss’ drawings per week, with pieces developed in real-time in response to current events — or simply on the artist’s whim. Moss also posts the drawings and accompanying text about each proposal to Instagram @mrhopthescissor

“100 Proposals for the Drive Thru Art Box” by Chris Moss, presented by Sulfur Studios

ALEXANDER NEUMANN

Cecilia Russo Turner and Cynthia Cradduck at Wine, Women & Shoes 2022

COURTESY SULFUR STUDIOS

Designed for dreamers and makers

For every pursuit, SCAD offers students a wonderland of resources designed to surpass top studios, startups, and firms.

The LED volume stage at SCAD's Savannah Film Studios, the most comprehensive university film studio in the U.S.

JUNE 1 – 2

The Athens, Georgia-based indie band Futurebirds plays two nights at Victory North with special guest Leon III.

JUNE 2 – 4

Local event promoter Kyle Brown — also known as “Dog Days Presents” — introduces a new kind of festival on the Savannah music scene: Dog Days Fest! More than 25 bands, including local favorites Chipper Bones, Black Hat, Jalen Reyes and Teddy and the Rough Riders, perform across venues such as Starland Yard, El Rocko Lounge, Over Yonder and Late Air.

JUNE 6

Union Mission’s 8th annual Raising Hope fills the Savannah Convention Center. Presented by Oliver Maner LLP and Nine Line Apparel, the event includes cocktails, dinner, live music by Jeremy Davis & the Equinox Jazz Trio, a silent auction and a keynote address by David Ambroz, an advocate for child welfare and the bestselling author of “A Place Called Home.”

JUNE 18

Happy Father’s Day to fathers and father figures of all kinds.

JUNE 21

Enjoy the extra daylight on the Summer Solstice and the longest day of the year.

JUNE 23

Don’t miss the “Age of Armor: Treasures from the Higgins Armory Collection at the Worcester Art Museum,” on display at Telfair Museums through Oct. 9.

JUNE 24

Step back in time during a reenactment of the British Occupation of Savannah at Wormsloe State Historic Site. Your mission to spy on the redcoats, should you choose

to accept, starts at the Visitor Center and takes place between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

From 5 to 10 p.m., Stonewall Block Party at First City Pride Center rocks the block (on Bull Street between E. 31st and 33rd streets) with free musical entertainment, community advocacy, food trucks and more while celebrating First City Pride Center’s sixth anniversary.

Union Mission’s 8th Annual Raising Hope includes a keynote address by David Ambroz, whose bestselling memoir “A Place Called Home” tells the story of how he overcame homelessness.

JUNE 25 –

JULY 21

School may be out for the summer, but the learning doesn’t have to stop. The Center for Education Integrating Science Mathematics and Computing (CEISMC) at the Georgia Tech-Savannah campus offers a wide range of fun and innovative summer programs for rising second graders through high school seniors. During each week, students can experience different themed programming in areas such as robotics, video game design, coding, logistics and more. For more info on registration, including scholarship availability, visit ceismc.gatech.edu/savannah.

Teddy and the Rough Riders — Dog Days Fest

Chipper Bones — Dog Days Fest

Photo by AdLib Photography

Channeling Progress

Historic Savannah Foundation continues the legacy of its original founding women

Written by SARAH DOMET

“DON’T IT ALWAYS seem to go,” sings Joni Mitchell in her hit song “Big Yellow Taxi,” “that you don’t know what you got ’til it’s gone. They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.” Mitchell could have been singing about an alternate history of Savannah, one where city leaders razed our historic buildings in the name of progress.

What must James Oglethorpe have thought of the term “progress” as he stepped foot atop the high bluff of the Savannah River in 1733 and imagined a city in the place of a maritime forest? Before a single structure was erected, he envisioned a grid of wards containing buildings for both housing and civic purposes, all situated around a common square. For centuries afterward, majestic, stalwart Savannah, America’s first planned city, survived wars and fires and outbreaks of disease. But would it always survive the latest notion of “progress,” when it appeared?

By the 1950s, city leaders across the country wanted parking lots for the post-WW2 automobile boom. Savannah seemed to be headed in the same direction. Oglethorpe-designed Ellis Square and historic City Market were demolished in favor of a modern four-story parking garage. In an Op Ed, the Savannah Morning News argued to run Georgia’s slice of President Eisenhower’s new interstate highway system, I-95, right down Bull Street. Savannah’s future was in peril; its past was threatened to be erased.

The 1950s marked the pivotal moment in Savannah’s preservation movement, and at the center of it stood seven stubborn women and the former home of Isaiah Davenport.

Built in 1820, the Federal-style Davenport House, with its stately bricks and curved double-staircases, was once a jewel of Columbia Square; however, by 1955 it had fallen into such disrepair that it was set to be bulldozed in order to, quite literally, put

The Davenport House Museum

up a parking lot. That’s when Anna Colquit Hunter gathered six of her friends — Lucy Barrow McIntire, Elinor Grunsfeld Adler Dillard, Nola McEvoy Roos, Jane Adair Wright, Katherine Judkins Clark and Dorothy Ripley Roebling — and formed the Historic Savannah Foundation (HSF). The Seven Ladies, as they’ve come to be known, leveraged their social ties and political connections to successfully block demolition.

For the Seven Ladies, the Davenport House represented more than just a building. It stood for history. It symbolized Savannah itself. These visionary women knew that progress and preservation go hand in hand. Buildings tell stories, not just of the people who built them or lived there, but of entire communities. It gives one the opportunity to ask, “What do we value? What makes us unique?”

What began as a campaign to save a single building soon grew into a passionate, community-wide movement.

“Our mission is about preservation, but equally, it’s about community,” says Sue Adler, CEO and president of the Historic Savannah Foundation. “We save buildings, but we also save neighborhoods.”

HSF prides itself on advocacy and education, and has long been considered a national leader in historic preservation. Following its formation in 1955, the organization started a Revolving Fund to save endangered historic properties, now totaling nearly 412 buildings. HSF continues to build capacity within its operations, secure new financial resources, improve its image and visibility, and increase public policy efforts to protect Savannah’s historic districts.

Adler took the helm of HSF in 2020, and two weeks later the pandemic hit. She quickly recognized the need for the organization to evolve while faithfully maintaining the mission, and her leadership paved the way for new initiatives still rooted in that first brave act that saved the Davenport House.

Although HSF is perhaps best known for its work in the historic downtown Landmark District, the foundation’s mark can be found all over the city. HSF even has several Revolving Fund projects in the Cuyler-Brownville neighborhood, one of which they are restoring themselves.

The Seven Ladies would be thrilled.

“There is such a need for affordable housing in this city,” says Gaye Reese, executive vice president at United Community Bank and HSF Secretary of the Board. “We aren’t just coming in and buying big buildings and selling them to the highest bidder; we’re really trying to make a difference. We are making a difference.”

Revitalization efforts can sweep quickly through an entire neighborhood; even a few restored houses can entice others to invest in an area. Once the Cuyler-Brownville restoration is completed, HSF will work with the City of Savannah’s Dream Maker program, which provides financial assistance for firsttime homebuyers.

“We can’t lose sight of the fact that we’re a community,” says Reese.

Today, millions of tourists flock to Savannah to stroll the streets lined with moss-strewn oaks, to admire the architecture that lends Savannah its sense of wonder and whimsy, like a place out of time. The moldering downtown of the 1950s is now one of the nation’s largest historic districts. Businesses have been drawn by Savannah’s thriving port area, too, causing some to speculate that Savannah’s population will double in the next 30 years. New Hyundais will soon be built right up the road.

“With so many new people moving to the region, it brings different perspectives, ideas and challenges,” says Reese. “And that’s a good thing.”

The Seven Ladies of the Historic Savannah Foundation didn’t stop progress, they channeled it. By saving a building, they saved a neighborhood; by saving more neighborhoods, they saved a city.

“They wanted Savannah to stay Savannah,” says Reese.

When the next city leader creates a Davenport House moment, the current membership of the Historic Savannah Foundation will be there with a few questions.

Did you know

that May is Preservation Month? Established in 1973 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Preservation Month is co-sponsored by local preservation groups, state historical societies, businesses and civic organizations across the country.

Locally, the Historic Savannah Foundation kicks off the month’s calendar of events with the annual Historic Preservation Awards. Held May 4 at the Charles H. Morris Center, the event honors individuals and organizations whose contributions demonstrate excellence in preservation in Savannah and Chatham County.

For more information about HSF and Preservation Month events, visit myhsf.org.

Sue Adler, CEO and president of the Historic Savannah Foundation, continues the legacy of the Seven Ladies.

COURTESY HISTORIC SAVANNAH FOUNDATION

ATTORNEYS & EXECUTIVE STAFF

Front row (L to R): Sarah Lamar, Louann Bronstein, Rebecca Sczepanski

Middle row (L to R): Kirby Mason, Pam Bennet, Heather McGraw, Francesca Macchiaverna, Andrea Dove

Back row (L to R): Amber Seymour, Mary Russell, Diana McKenzie, Kitt Johnson, Gracie Shepherd

Not pictured: Ada-Marie Aman, Rachel Fields, Kristin McKnight, Samantha Timmons

PROFESSIONAL STAFF

(Not pictured)

Mary Ann Bell, Tobi Brock, Jo Hannah Burch, Shakayla Bush, Kim Carter, Pam Ciolkosz,

J.J. Collins, Debbie Deal, Gladys Fischer, Cara Garland, Brea Gentile, Kristin Goodwin, Arnita Harris, Jeanette Harris, Angela Hill, Beth Holland, Kim Jameson, Jennifer Kay, Katrien

Keyaerts, Betsy Mebane, Susan Medlock, Linda Melton, Lynda Neal, Lori Padgett, Jennifer Peel, Alana Reeves, Betty Reiss, Amy Rogers, Norma Salinas, Tamra Shattuck, Micki Smith, Natalie Smith, Pam Smith, Amber Spain, Blake Stevens, Lydia Trujillo, Christina Turner, Jean Vincent, Amy Vogelsang, Dorrie Wilson

We proudly salute and celebrate the women of HunterMaclean.

Reverend Arthur Broadwick with his wife and children

Hector, Gustavo and Teresa Nevarez

Wayne and Brian Pennell

Kerry U ord and Danny Paul

Dr. Mike Welsh and Clara Welsh

Adrien and Roger Daniels Mike Strear and daughter, Jennifer Rich

GIVING BACK

A Culture of Courage

These local women-run social service organizations help survivors of violence and trauma

Written by JESSICA LYNN CURTIS

SAVANNAH IS OFTEN CELEBRATED for its beauty and charm. But our fair city can and should be just as proud of its inner beauty — that is, all of its people who rise up to care for others. Savannah has myriad social service organizations that do miraculous work in our community. The following are local agencies, all founded and run by women, who help women and girls to heal from violence and trauma and move toward a healthy next chapter.

Mary’s Place

It’s not often that the goal of an organization is to render itself obsolete. But for Doris L. Williams, the current executive director of Mary’s Place (formerly the Rape Crisis Center), her goal is exactly that — to eliminate the need for her agency’s services.

The first iteration of what would become the Rape Crisis Center — seven volunteers operating a telephone crisis line from their homes — began in August 1975.

Almost 48 years later, the agency has greatly expanded its services and reach. And on Feb. 25, 2022, the former Rape Crisis Center re-introduced itself with a new look and a new name: Mary’s Place, in honor of Mary McAlister, one of the nonprofit organization’s original volunteers and its first executive director.

“Mary was executive director for 32 years,” says Williams. “She was there through the trying times when law enforcement and different partners didn’t understand how important it was that a survivor of sexual violence have an advocate and what that entailed.”

The name change was important beyond the tribute to McAlister. According to Williams, when the organization went into the community to share prevention education, they weren’t allowed to say their former name in schools and some other places — they could only say “Prevention by RCC.” So, the community didn’t recognize them as the same agency that provides advocacy services.

The name also didn’t reflect all their services, which include telephone advocacy, hospital accompaniment, the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program, survivor advocacy, counseling services, support groups, a victim notification portal and selfdefense. Their prevention services, which have evolved over the years, now include teaching consent and internet safety, plus bully-prevention programs and healthy relationship programs — all with evidence-based curriculum they receive from the state.

“We go to community centers, any kind of social groups and faith-based organizations, but the school system has always been where we provide the most resources,” says Williams. “Our services are free of charge, and we’re always willing to come when we get an invitation.

“One of our desires has always been to run ourselves out of business,” she continues. “And it’s proven that prevention education can decrease sexual violence in areas where these resources are provided.”

SAFE Shelter

In the 1970s, four local women — Lucy Brannan, Norma Brewin, Harris Lentini and Caroline Armstrong — dreamt of a shelter for women who were forced from their homes to escape abuse and violence. Through their hard work and determination, SAFE (Savannah Area Family Emergency) Shelter was established in 1979.

A stalwart of Savannah, SAFE Shelter Center for Domestic Violence Services remains the city’s only shelter dedicated to victims of intimate partner violence and their underage children. The mission of SAFE Shelter is to prevent domestic violence, protect victims and promote change in lives, families and our community.

“For 43 years, strong women leaders have helped keep SAFE Shelter’s doors open to women and children fleeing from their

Doris L. Williams, executive director of Mary’s Place

COURTESY MARY’S PLACE

Kathryn Autry, development director of SAFE Shelter COURTESY SAFE SHELTER

“We are constantly rede ning exceptional dentistry with the latest dental technology.

“We are constantly rede ning exceptional dentistry with the latest dental technology.

“We are constantly redefining exceptional dentistry with the latest dental technology.

Truly state-of-the-art!”

Truly state-of-the-art!”

Truly state-of-the-art!”

- Mark N. Dye, DMD

- Mark N. Dye, DMD

- Mark N. Dye, DMD

homes,” says Kathryn Autry, the agency’s development director. “We are so proud of our shelter and the life-changing, sometimes life-saving, services we provide. Our staff members are passionate about advocating for these women as they heal and move toward long-term safety and stability.”

In 2022, the Savannah Metropolitan Police Department responded to more than 4,000 domestic disturbance calls. SAFE Shelter provided services to 1,883 victims of domestic violence and assisted with 591 Temporary Protective Orders.

The organization also puts a strong emphasis on prevention — stopping domestic violence before it starts.

“The emergency shelter services offered by SAFE Shelter are proven to reduce the recidivism rate of return to the abusive relationship,” says Autry. “They help victims find the strength to break the cycle of violence and increase the likelihood that generational cycles of abuse will not continue.”

These partner organizations also help and lean on each other. “We work closely with Mary’s Place to address the needs of sexual assault victims and we look forward to partnering with Tharros Place and joining their efforts in helping survivors of human trafficking,” says Autry. “We recognize that these partnerships are vital to our success in helping all victims of violence and abuse.”

Tharros Place

For roughly five years, local social service providers have discussed the need for a shelter specifically for minors who have been victims of human trafficking. In January 2022, the work began to develop a residential facility to fill this void.

By early fall of this year, Tharros Place, named for the Greek word for courage, will open. It will be a 12-bed residential home for girls ages 12 to 17 where they can find a safe and nurturing environment in which to address underlying trauma and cultivate a culture of courage.

As part of a collaboration with Savannah College Art and Design and SCAD Serve, Wayfair and IKEA, Tharros Place will work with SCAD students and faculty to educate about human trafficking, so that students can design interiors that are trauma-informed and client-centered. Wayfair and IKEA, both with large warehouses in the area, are donating furnishings, to be selected by the SCAD students.

The class at SCAD is just a small piece of the work Tharros Place has already begun as they await the completion of their residential facility.

“We have an outreach team doing education and training,” explains Julie Wade, executive director of Tharros Place. “They’re out talking to teachers, parents and law enforcement, educating people on how to recognize this and how to prevent it.”

Human trafficking is the exploitation of another person for sex, labor or services. In 2021, 494 minors across the state of Georgia, with an average age of 14, were identified as victims of human

trafficking. Chatham County ranks fourth in the state for the number of reported cases of trafficking of a minor.

“A lot of people think these girls are being kidnapped, flowing over the border or coming across the seas in container ships, and they’re not,” says Wade. “Most of these victims are girls in our community. Someone who is 14 years old, and she’s got a 30-year-old boyfriend who is maybe buying her a cell phone or giving her a place to sleep. And she’s sleeping with him and maybe his friends in exchange and doesn’t even realize she’s a victim. Maybe she’s homeless or in poverty or her family situation is bad. None of those things have to be happening to be a victim of trafficking — there just has to be an exchange of sex for something of value — but that’s what we see mostly.

“Our juvenile court here has a wonderful program called H.O.P.E. Court,” Wade continues, “which is a treatment court for survivors of human trafficking. We used to call some of these girls ‘child prostitutes.’ They would be 16 years old, locked up in a detention center. We blamed them when they were children. We don’t use the term child prostitution anymore because we know if they’re minors, they cannot consent. They’re being victimized.”

Wade is also looking forward to working with Mary’s Place, Coastal Children’s Advocacy Center, the Front Porch, SAFE Shelter and other community partners. “It just makes sense to utilize each other,” she says, “ instead of starting from scratch and reinventing the wheel.”

To learn more and support these organizations, visit marysplacega.org, safeshelter.org and tharrosplace.com.

Julie Wade, executive director of Tharros Place

COURTESY JULIE WADE

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Old Fish, New Fish

Jennifer Grayson’s iconic corner store celebrates 25 years and an exciting expansion

Written by MARGARET DANIEL // Photography by MICHAEL SCHALK

IF

ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS A LONELY ROAD,

Jennifer Grayson welcomes the chance to be your walking buddy.

“In 2023, I am challenging myself to take more beach walks and breathe in fragrant Savannah,” says Grayson, founder of luxury Whitaker Street retailer One Fish Two Fish, which celebrates its 25th birthday this year.

Established in 1998, One Fish Two Fish first made its mark selling artfully enlivened antiques and fancy French lemonades to locals and tourists alike. The guests of Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room frequently escaped the long line to browse the boutique.

“We would find old sheet music and paper the inside of the drawers. I even papier-mâchéd a bust and put glitter on it,” remembers prominent interior designer Linn Gresham, who joined the One Fish Two Fish team eager for another creative outlet during her tenure as a student at Savannah College of Art and Design. “Jennifer had her children behind the counter in playpens, and it was really wholesome,” Gresham says. “We were part of a creative, very magical group of people.”

Occasionally adding to the enchanting atmosphere were celebrity appearances. Grayson recalls when actress and longtime Tybee Island resident Sandra Bullock, purchased one of her custom creations while her then-boyfriend Ryan Gosling, entertained Jennifer’s daughter, Sophie. “I looked over and Ryan Gosling was twirling her around,” adds Grayson.

As the business and her children, Sophie (22) and Gray (20), grew, Jennifer put far-flung antiquing trips on hold. Instead, she settled into Savannah, purchasing her shop’s building with nextdoor neighbor, Gale Singer, founder of Circa Lighting (now Visual Comfort & Co.).

“Gale and I bought our first building in 2002 with a [Small Business Association] loan and a handshake deal from a bank. I am certain that would not happen today,” Grayson says with a laugh. “We started in tiny spaces with big dreams and a secret warehouse that joined our stores by their backrooms. We called ourselves ‘The Wild Women of Whitaker.’”

The gutsy bet paid dividends. Circa and One Fish Two Fish expanded their footprints while new business owners — many of them former One Fish shop employees empowered by Grayson to start their own boutiques — trickled into the retail corridor, forming the backbone of what is now known as the Downtown Design District.

“When we first started our businesses, people were going to other places to buy home furnishings — New York, Chicago, Charleston,” says Singer. “Now, we have people who want to be able to get things locally, to support local businesses.”

“There’s something innate about being successful, and Jennifer was just born that way,” says her longtime friend, Susan Mason of Susan Mason Catering. “She’s got a great business head and a good eye.”

Some may be surprised to learn that One Fish Two Fish was the first retailer to sell Savannah Bee Company honey. “I told owner Ted Dennard that if he brought me honey, I would sell it in the store,” Grayson says. “He walked in with a basket tucked under his arm with plastic squeezy bears full of honey. I said, ‘Ted, those bottles are for the grocery store, not a boutique.’ So, we saved our Lorina French lemonade bottles for him to reuse, and those became Savannah Bee Company’s first longneck honey bottles.”

While others might see the empty containers as nothing more than recycling, Grayson saw the bottles as a beautiful business opportunity.

“I have learned from Jennifer to see the beauty in the ordinary as well as the extraordinary,” says Grayson’s friend and Seabolt Real Estate associate broker, Melinda Martin Bailey. “Jennifer’s passion for what she does and her willingness to stay the course during soft times has encouraged other entrepreneurs to follow suit.”

Grayson’s eye continuously prompts her to rethink her store’s offerings, swapping antiques for the elevated serving pieces, fine and fashion jewelry, handbags and sought-after gifts seen today.

“Jennifer is like Madonna, the queen of reinvention,” says Gresham. “She’s reinvented that store’s look at least eight times.”

Singer echoes the sentiment: “She has done a very good job at pivoting from what her original thoughts about what her business would look like to what her customer is looking for.”

This year, with a quarter century of retail experience behind her, Grayson is reflecting on her successes — business at One Fish Two Fish and The Annex (her women’s clothing boutique across Whitaker Street) is booming — and launching yet another glamorous development.

“Luxe is my newest venture. It is the beginning of my quest for special finds and one-of-a-kind pieces,” says Grayson. “Now that I am an empty nester, I look forward to getting back in the hunt a little farther from home.”

Luxe shares a building with The Annex. Inside, against a backdrop of slate and white painted brick, an ornately detailed antique Louis Philippe commode, hand-carved alabaster bowls, gilt mirrors and decorative lamps dot the walls between racks of summer dresses and designer jeans. Bailey has helped her stage the expanded space.

“Jennifer is like Madonna, the queen of reinvention. She’s reinvented that store’s look at least eight times.”

— Linn Gresham, interior designer

In another room, Grayson turns a spotlight onto a heavily patinaed French bust hanging shyly in a corner. “This is the stuff I love,” says Grayson. “She must have been in someone’s garden forever.”

Still, Grayson’s eye continues searching. When a customer’s handmade purse — a supple white calfskin number accentuated with green embroidery — catches her attention, Grayson convinces the artisan to make more for sale at One Fish Two Fish.

“I never quit learning or being inspired by my customers, my employees, my family, my friends and even strangers on the street,” says Grayson.

Beyond her impressive entrepreneurial track record and real estate portfolio, Grayson has built an enviable reputation as a faithful friend and superlative mother.

“Jennifer has a very balanced life. She’s a great mother, she’s got great kids, a great marriage, she has friends and she runs a very successful business,” says Mason. “Jennifer’s taught me how to be whimsical and fun to be with, but a serious entrepreneur.”

This balance of easy-going elegance and grit, and the tireless support of her village, have kept her moving forward when the road has felt long.

“Above all, in the 25 years of One Fish Two Fish, I have learned about resilience and loyalty. I am driven and humbled by the loyalty my customers have shown me over the years,” says Grayson. “Savannah and I have grown up together. We have become more stylish, more polished and more well-known.”

“Savannah and I have grown up together. We have become more stylish, more polished and more well-known.” — Jennifer Grayson

Photo by MICHAEL SCHALK

5:30 a.m.: I love waking up early at my 70-acre ranch in Port Wentworth and taking out my rescue Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Miss Daisy, before I make coffee.

6:30 a.m.: I walk over to the barn and feed my two rescue horses, Kahn and Kash, rain or shine, regardless of the season. I guess most people would be surprised to know that I rescue animals of all kinds. I may be perceived as being tough, which I can be when needed, but I have a softer side. I truly love animals and am also pretty creative.

8:15 a.m.: I make phone calls to clients on my way in to work each morning to make the most of my time in the car.

9 a.m.: Once I get to my office, I catch up with my assistant Joseph, my COO Ryan and the team at Seabolt Real Estate. I’m not a breakfast person; however, I love to get a Starbucks latte and a piece of banana bread once I’m settled at the office. I check my extensive list of emails and begin my workday.

Noon: Most days, I treat myself and everyone in the office to takeout lunch. We like a variety of locally owned restaurants, including Crystal Beer Parlor, Debi’s, Zunzi’s, Roly Poly and Tequila’s Town.

1 p.m.: I’m most likely at the office, showing property, meeting with clients or negotiating deals.

5:30 p.m.: I head back to my ranch to get the horses in the barn before dark.

6:15 p.m.: My partner, Will, and I love cooking dinner at home together. We’re both good cooks and enjoy making chicken Parmesan or steak with baked potatoes. I always make a “big salad” with everything in it, which we both love. On Tuesdays, we usually get takeout from Sushi Hana. On Fridays, we love to order pizza from Mellow Mushroom

8 p.m.: I typically do a little more work after dinner, but Will and I love sharing quiet evenings at home with our dogs. We are incredibly grateful to live on such a beautiful piece of property in Chatham County and to be part of Savannah’s vibrant, growing business community.

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Magic in a Bottle

Starland staple Marguerite Seckman scores a hat trick with debut of Fête storefront

Written by CATIE MCCOY

Photo by AUTUMN K PHOTOGRAPHY

THERE IS SOMETHING MAGICAL about a sunset stroll through Savannah’s Starland District on a First Friday. Call it what you want — a force, an aura or the perfect storm of cocktails and creatives — but there is a reason you’ll find crowds spilling onto the street in this spunky side of town.

Undeniably, Marguerite Seckman is a part of that force. Sporting a bright lime green jacket dripping in fringe, Seckman bounces through the March 2023 opening of Fête’s first retail space, greeting visitors and extending both a cocktail and a smile to anyone making their way through the door. The bustling turnout is not a surprise, as Seckman is no stranger to success in Starland.

Operating not one but three local businesses, Seckman is the real deal when it comes to building a brand with buzz. While Starland Strange and Bazaar (co-owned with Emily Bargeron) offers everything from vintage thrifts to sunglasses to sprinkles, Superbloom (co-owned with Lara Neece) is both a coffee shop and

workspace for creatives, with additional retail space for art and small gifts.

Fête, however, is solely owned and operated by Seckman. Made with organic dried fruits, herbs and spices, Fête’s curated cocktail infusion kits assist in artfully crafting your go-to drink simply by adding in your favorite liquor without using dyes, preservatives or dilutions.

Located at 108 E. 40th St., Fête sells six signature cocktail infusions, as well as an array of artfully curated prints, home goods and accessories made by some of Savannah’s favorite local businesses and artists. Little but lively, what the space lacks in square footage is certainly made up for in character, with walls covered in a gallery of assorted artwork, funky furniture and locally made products tucked in each corner.

Beginning in 2017, Fête originally offered a handful of party planning services — primarily for bachelorette trips — in the Savannah area.

PHOTO BY AUTUMN K PHOTOGRAPHY

“I desperately wanted to show visitors that there’s more to Savannah than just River Street, so I partnered with several businesses to offer a fun, unique experience, covering everything from decorating their Airbnb to full trip itineraries,” says Seckman.

As her business evolved from party planning to serving signature cocktails from her mobile bar, Seckman continually developed new ideas due to the demand and positive feedback Fête received.

“Things were fantastic. We had a full year planned, then going into 2020, of course, COVID hit,” she says. “I knew I needed to pivot my business to stay afloat.” Since she could no longer provide the cocktail experience in person, she created a product that customers could enjoy at home.

As a former chemist and with years as a mixologist under her belt, Seckman quickly got to work concocting a solution.

“I started to experiment with liquor infusions, mixers and ingredients,” she explains. “Eventually, I sold the camper and focused on the infusions. Now, we have a production space and storefront, and here we are, sold in a total of 15 retail stores in the South.”

While she’ll be the first to tell you she didn’t invent the concept of cocktail infusions by any means, Seckman remains on the lookout for ways to stand out and further expand.

“The alcohol industry is forever growing and evolving, so we hope to stay on top of that,” she says. “I’m proud to say our infusions contain a lot less sugar than most infusions, mixers and drinks that are currently on the market.”

Seckman notes that to stay competitive, she needs to push creativity, not just with Fête but with her other two establishments.

“I hope customers feel engaged from the moment they walk in, whether it is sampling ice cream, attending craft nights or writing on our coloring wall,” she says. “The main contributor of a successful business is being part of the community. I love collaborating with other businesses in the neighborhood or working with local nonprofits. When one does well, we all do well.”

Seckman has found her niche, as it’s clear her three wellloved businesses bring a refreshing and eclectic energy to the Savannah area that visitors, locals and creatives alike cannot get enough of. Working alongside business partners Bargeron and Neece, and collaborating with countless businesses, such as Starland Strange’s neighboring and female-founded art collective, Dreamhouse Studios, Seckman has established a strong network of supporters within the Starland District.

“Seckman is an absolute joy to work around,” says Lauren Wright, one of the four founding and resident artists at Dreamhouse Studios. “Her heart and passion for small business are apparent in every shop she’s opened, and Fête is no different. Many local artists — myself included — would not be where they are without Marguerite and the doors she opens to collaborate, promote and house our businesses. Simply put, she and her shops are a gift to the creative community.”

“The main contributor of a successful business is being part of the community.

I love collaborating with other businesses in the neighborhood or working with local nonprofits. When one does well, we all do well.”

— Marguerite Seckman

SAVANNAH’S ONLY LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED PLUMBING

Easy, Weezie, Beautiful

Luxury

Written by MARY FITZGERALD // Photography by KELLI BOYD

FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS

and newlyweds Liz and Jason Eichholz had very different wish lists when it came to house hunting. Moving to Savannah from a New York City apartment seven years ago, Liz wanted to be downtown and within walking distance of a coffee shop. Jason grew up on Skidaway Island and was looking for a more suburban neighborhood. They reached a happy compromise when they discovered a circa 1920 home in Ardsley Park that checked all their boxes.

Liz is a born-and-bred Texan and never imagined living anywhere else, but life had other plans. The couple met while studying at the University of Georgia and headed to New York City after graduation. Shortly after getting married, they relocated to Savannah so Jason could join his family business.

Liz was busy building her career as well. She is the co-founder and creative director of Weezie, a Georgia-based luxury towel brand she started five years ago with her friend and business partner, Lindsey Johnson. After seeing a need in the marketplace, the two joined forces to redefine the perfect towel. Achieved with a proprietary spinning technique, they describe the product as equal parts soft, fluffy and absorbent. The company moniker honors two special women in their lives — Liz’s aunt Eloise and Lindsey’s grandmother Louise. The name, like their brand’s aesthetic, represents a modern twist on tradition.

Needing to get down to business, Liz and Jason had a short window to find a Savannah residence. Kismet struck when Liz was able to preview an Ardsley Park property before it hit the market. She instantly connected with the house and the homeowners, who were also from Texas.

A leather Chesterfield sofa, a coffee table, Lucite end tables and fun lamps achieve an eclectic, laid-back mix in the living room.

“We lucked out that the owners had renovated almost everything,” says Liz. “It had a new kitchen and bathrooms.”

The historic home had good bones, high ceilings, lots of windows and beautiful light. The couple was sold.

Devoid of furniture and design direction, Liz knew just who to call. She reached out to her sister-in-law’s best friend, Robyn Roberts of Robyn Roberts Design. “When we moved, she was the first person I thought of,” says Liz. “She simply has the best taste — such an incredible mix of traditional yet funky — and she indulges my love of color and pattern.”

What the Eichholzs’s lacked in furniture, they made up for in artwork. “I was actually a graphic design major and painting minor at UGA, so many of the pieces in our house are my own work,” says Liz. “I just love art.”

With Roberts’ help, they created cohesive galleries for the couple’s growing art collection.

“Liz is a big art collector and especially likes acquiring the work of emerging artists,” adds Roberts. “I like to find a commonality in art groupings, whether that’s the color palette, frame finish or subject.”

Liz and Jason purchased a few items from the previous owners — a leather Chesterfield sofa, a coffee table and the dining room table and chairs. These furnishings became the jumping-off point for the design process.

“We started in the living room, because they wanted a place to hang with friends, have a drink and listen to records,”

Liz’s love for artwork can be seen throughout the Ardsley Park home, whether pieces the UGA graphic design major created herself or those from her and Jason’s travels. “I just love art,” she says.

says Roberts. Anchored by the sofa, coffee table and formal fireplace, Roberts layered in Lucite end tables, a pair of unconventional-but-fun lamps by Kelly Wearstler for Visual Comfort & Co., a rug, and draperies in a Thomas Callaway fabric to achieve an eclectic, laid-back mix.

The next stop was the dining room. Roberts recovered the seat cushions on the dining chairs and brought in color and pattern with draperies and a grouping of playful marker portraits she found at Sophiella Gallery in Mobile, Alabama. A landscape painting also holds pride of place in this room.

“My favorite painting was found at a flea market in Paris,” says Liz. “It was the end of a very long day, and I was too tired to negotiate, so I left it. A decision I regretted for the rest of the trip and beyond. My husband somehow tracked it down once we were home and found an art shipper. I cannot tell you how surprised I was when I opened it. I cried tears of joy.” To this end, Liz advises, “Buy the art!”

In the butler’s pantry, Roberts pushed Liz out of her comfort zone by suggesting a dark color scheme. The cabinets and ceiling were painted black and Roberts selected a bold wallpaper from Studio Four NYC for dramatic effect. Liz trusted Roberts’ design instinct and is thrilled with the outcome. But her favorite spot in the house is the sunroom.

“It really has evolved with each stage of our life in the home. It started as my office; now it’s a lounge space and playroom. It’s filled with light; you can open the shades and feel surrounded by low-hanging trees and Spanish moss. It’s just such a happy space.”

— Liz Eichholz, homeowner

The soothing blues and greens of the main bedroom’s upholstered headboard, draperies and bed pillows were inspired by a favorite dress.

“It has really evolved with each stage of our life in the home. It started as my office; now it’s a lounge space and playroom,” notes Liz. “It’s filled with light; you can open the shades and feel surrounded by low-hanging trees and Spanish moss. It’s just such a happy space.”

A window seat, designed by Roberts, provides a cozy spot for curling up with a book with the couple’s three girls — Tempe (5), Eadie (2) and Annie Rowe (6 months) — and their dog, Lola (6).

Upstairs, the primary bedroom is a restful retreat from the busy demands of work and children. The room’s palette was inspired by a dress Liz loved. Roberts was able to incorporate those coveted colors — soothing shades of blue and green — into the décor with an upholstered headboard, draperies and bed pillows.

Down the hall, the girls’ bedroom is dressed in a pale pink and saturated green. Roberts had a custom bookcase fabricated to house the girls’ toys and books. Its scallop motif is repeated on the edging of the rose-patterned window treatments. The room’s design is sweet yet sophisticated enough to grow with the girls as they mature.

Soon, the Eichholzs hope to expand the back of their home to connect to an existing carriage house, ensuring ample space as the family — and business — grows.

“We use every inch of our house, and nothing can be too precious with three little ones,” notes Liz.

That goes for the bathrooms, too, which are well-stocked with Weezie towels and have had starring roles in many of the brand’s photo shoots, as seen on the website, Liz’s weekly “Sunday Towel Times” newsletter and Instagram page with nearly 90,000 followers and counting.

TUNE INAND CHILL OUT.

Liz and Robyn Roberts of Robyn Roberts Design created cohesive galleries for Liz and Jason’s growing art collection.

“I like to find a commonality in art groupings, whether that’s the color palette, frame finish or subject,” Roberts said.

Although the bathrooms had been renovated by the previous homeowner, Roberts gave them a makeover with upbeat wallcoverings (Quadrille) that align with Weezie’s ethos: to bring joy to your bathroom and make every day a special occasion.

“We chose to wallpaper some of the smaller spaces and make them really punchy,” says Liz. “My house has been so woven into the identity of Weezie. It has served as a storage unit, a photo shoot location, a workspace and a testing zone.”

The bathroom is also where Liz ends the workday.

“I race home for our evening routine, dinner, bath, towel time, of course, story time and bed,” she says.

Then, she and Jason try to catch some quiet time together at the end of the day. “We both work a lot, but we really strive to make our time with our family impactful and find joy in the chaos.”

DETAILS

Homeowners: Liz and Jason Eichholz

Neighborhood: Ardsley Park

Year built: 1920

Year purchased: 2016

Square footage: 3,050

Number of bedrooms and bathrooms: 3 bedrooms, 3 baths

Interior designer: Robyn Roberts, Robyn Roberts Interiors

Tile/flooring: original pine

Paint: Benjamin Moore

Windows: original

Fabrics: Thomas Callalway, Schumacher, Zak + Fox, Carolina Irving, York Street Textiles, Michael Smith

Wallpaper: Quadrille, Studio Four NYC (installed by Dan Grovenstein)

Furniture: custom, Ballard Designs, World Market

Lighting: Visual Comfort & Co., Clutter Furnishings & Interiors, Serena and Lily, Cruel Mountain

Upholstery: Maureen Eason Designs

Home accessories: Groves Brothers, Lulie Wallace, Clutter Furnishings & Interiors, Biscuit Home

Art: Sophiella Gallery, M Studio, Liz Eichholz, Clutter Furnishings & Interiors

Framing: Sandfly Custom Framing

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Homegrown Hustle

Enjoying boiled peanuts and leading global brands are family traditions for Lauren

Marcinkoski

Written by COLLEEN ANN MCNALLY

Photo by D. LAWRENCE BARKSDALE

LAUREN MARCINKOSKI

grew up in Savannah. Like other natives, her childhood summers were spent on Tybee Island, and no trip to the beach was complete with one specific snack.

“If you are a local, you either stop at Davis Produce for boiled peanuts on the way down or bring your own,” says Marcinkoski, adding that her grandmother has the best recipe.

But now as the CEO of the fast-growing Luray Peanut Co., Marcinkoski is ushering in another option for families on the go.

Headquartered just across the bridge from Savannah in Hardeeville, South Carolina, Luray Peanut Co. was launched by Corrin Bowers, a peanut farmer and one of Marcinkoski’s childhood friends. In 2021, he convinced her to join the homegrown start-up on a mission to make the traditional roadside snack convenient for everyone and share the joy of this Southern staple around the world.

“Corrin brought me in as a consultant at first. He was like, ‘I have this idea. I really need your help.’ At first, I didn’t believe him. I was like, ‘You’re doing what with boiled peanuts?’”

Luray boiled peanuts are freshfrozen and come in pre-portioned 12- or 32-ounce bags with a special film that can be microwaved in minutes or kept warm under heat lamps for up to 8 hours.

“So I came in as a consultant first, and then he kept saying, ‘Don’t you want to run the company?’” adds Marcinkoski, who has a background in marketing and a Master of Business Administration from Georgia Southern.

Since she said yes, the product has spread like wildfire.

Luray Peanut Co. donated $5,000 to the Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation following the launch of the Luray Peanut Pickoff initiative.

Photo by D. LAWRENCE BARKSDALE

Lauren Marcinkoski with her mother, Courtney Flexon, and her grandmother, Elizabeth Sprague, on the family’s farm.

TASTE The website, luraypeanut.com, shows a map with hundreds of places where the nuts are sold across the Southeast, including retailers like Parker’s Convenience Stores, Ingles Markets and Piggly Wiggly.

While the nuts are typically sold thawed in the produce section, Marcinkoski notes that some shoppers may find Luray in the freezer section. Frozen bags can be thrown in a beach cooler like an ice pack, and some people prefer to eat the thawed nuts as a chilled snack.

“We found our niche bringing really good boiled peanuts to grocery stores, convenience stores and stadiums,” says Marcinkoski. “It’s just caught on.”

In some places, the brand is nearly impossible to miss — especially when the World’s Largest Boiled Peanut is in tow. “We claim it weighs half a ton, but I’ve never actually put it on a scale,” says Marcinkoski of the 22-foot spectacle, which recently made appearances at the Hilton Head Ireland St. Patrick’s Day parade and Hilton Head Brewing Company.

Bluffton locals may recall the largerthan-life nut from its former home at Cahill’s Market.

“I think there is a Bluffton argument going on about who actually built it. We have had a little Instagram back and forth with different people claiming to be the originators,” says Marcinkoski, with a playful laugh. “It does belong to the company, but it is looking for a new home. Right now, it’s on my farm, but we are hoping the Heyward House is going to take it. We would really like to get it on the tourist apps so it can become a destination.”

Under Marcinkoski’s leadership, Luray has focused on establishing strategic partnerships with local organizations that make a big impact. Luray has previously sponsored the annual Boiled Peanut Festival held every fall at the Heyward House. Further afield, the company has forged a partnership with Charleston’s

Minor League Baseball team, the RiverDogs.

“Charleston, believe it or not, was the first market where we really exploded,” says Marcinkoski. “I’m a large believer that Charleston eats more boiled peanuts per capita than any city in the country.”

At the beginning of the 2022-2023 NFL season, the company also partnered with the Jacksonville Jaguars to kick off its Luray Peanut Pickoff Program. Each time the Jaguars completed an interception at their home stadium, Luray partnered with the Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation to donate to youth football initiatives throughout the Jacksonville community.

“They just hosted a youth football camp with the funds that we raised,” says Marcinkoski. “They had 130 kids show up, and they got to play with the NFL players. It was fantastic.”

This summer, Luray is making its debut at Coastal Plain League Baseball games, which includes teams like the Macon Bacon and the Florence Flamingos. “Any sports venue that wants to take us, we’ll be there,” says Marcinkoski.

In fact, Luray Peanut Co. is even going global this year, with help from international wholesaler Thornton Trade Resource Group. “The product actually just made its international debut earlier this year in Dubai,” says Marcinkoski. “We will officially be the first company to export a boiled peanut.”

Marcinkoski, however, is staying close to home. Conveniently, the CEO and mom has a short commute to work.

“We have our offices right behind my house on our farm,” she says. “We converted part of our barn, and now we have offices

and a conference room. I’m really lucky that I just walk right out the door and get started.”

For Marcinkoski, eating boiled peanuts isn’t the only family tradition she is continuing. She is also a third-generation CEO. Her mother, Courtney Flexon, oversees the Adeline Sugar Co. and previously served as an alderman of Savannah.

“When I was growing up, she was in politics in Savannah for a really long time, and she is one of the most poised people I know. She has been an incredible inspiration to me,” says Marcinkoski.

Her grandfather, the late W.W. Sprague Jr., was the former CEO of Savannah Foods and Industries, Inc., which produces Dixie Crystals Sugar.

“My grandmother, Elizabeth Sprague, is the matriarch of our family,” says Marcinkoski. “I have truly incredible women in my life who are all native to Savannah and have helped shape me into the leader that I am.”

“We found our niche bringing really good boiled peanuts to grocery stores, convenience stores and stadiums. It’s just caught on.”

— Lauren Marcinkoski, chief executive officer, Luray Peanut Co.

CHEF Q & A

Kitchen and Kin

ANDRIA CANELLA Owner and Executive Chef, Sweet Patricia’s Bakery

Written by FEIFEI SUN // Photography by MICHAEL SCHALK

TASTE

AT

SWEET PATRICIA’S

BAKERY, family is the throughline that connects everything — and everyone — at the eatery. Owner and executive chef Andria Canella runs the business with her wife, Richelle. Canella’s brother Brian is the sous chef. And the restaurant is named after her beloved grandmother, Patricia, who inspired many of the items on the menu, including the seven-layer chiffon cake.

Here, Canella, who previously worked at Franklin’s and The Grey Market, talks about finding inspiration during the pandemic, the surprises of starting a restaurant, and the matriarch who inspired it all.

ON HER GRANDMOTHER, PATRICIA

My grandmother was the matriarch of our family — the glue that held all of us together. She grew up on a farm in New Jersey, and she always instilled the importance of hard work in me. My mother was young when she had me, so I was with my grandmother a lot. She was my safety zone, a source of unconditional love for me.

When our family learned in 2019 that she had stage four pancreatic cancer, I knew our time was limited. I couldn’t visit her in Florida because of COVID-19, but we were able to FaceTime. In the course of our conversations — and the pandemic at large — something sparked in me. I had been cooking on the line, had the chance to start the pastry program at Franklin’s, and last year I turned 40. I thought, “If now’s not the time, I don’t know when it will be.”

ON HER FAVORITE FOOD MEMORIES

Everyone requested her seven-layer cake for birthdays and other celebrations, and you’ll see that on the menu [at Sweet Patricia’s]. But I loved the chicken Française she made. Italians are famous for finding ways to turn chicken cutlets into delicious meals. The chicken goes into the pan with flour and egg, and it’s cooked in butter with lemon. She would serve it with egg noodles, peas and carrots. My grandmother really shared her love and joy with people through food.

ON STARTING HER OWN PLACE

When you’re a cook in someone else’s restaurant, you’re never fully prepared to deal with the business side of running a restaurant, from creating a business plan to all the paperwork to hiring a team. There have been many times my wife and I have hit a brick wall, but we’ve always found a way forward. She worked in the legal field for 14 years and now runs our front of house, so it’s been a complete change of pace for her. It’s a learning curve, but I’m proud to say we’re taking the bumps in the road graciously.

ON EATING AROUND TOWN

To be honest, if we’re celebrating a special occasion, my wife and I tend to buy some steaks to cook and eat at home. But you can find us at Bull Street Taco on a Friday night, and I love what they’re doing at Cotton & Rye. Sly’s Sliders and Fries is one of the city’s hidden gems.

ON HER NEXT DECADE

People look at age wrong. You’re never too old to take a chance on something. Sometimes I think, as a society, we look at getting older as a negative. But I’ve gotten wiser, learned a lot and I’m making decisions that feel right for me in a way that I haven’t felt before. Losing my grandmother — someone who was so monumental — was devastating, and it was the first time I lost someone so close in that way. It really made me ask myself, “Am I taking all the chances I want to in life?”

GRANDMOTHER PATRICIA’S CHICKEN FRANÇAISE

Shared by Chef Andria Canella SERVES 4

4 chicken breasts

2 eggs

¼ c. milk

2c. flour (add more as needed)

2–4 tbsp. butter

1 lemon

Cut or pound chicken breasts very thin. Dredge chicken in flour, then put in a bowl with eggs beaten with milk. Put butter in fry pan at medium heat. Add the chicken cutlets. Fry until golden on both sides. Remove from pan and continue cooking additional chicken, adding more butter as needed until all chicken is done. Add lemon juice to pan and swirl to mix. Add chicken back to pan, dipping each piece on both sides until all are done.

Cover and let rest, turning a few times. If chicken seems dry or too lemony, you can add some white wine or chicken broth.

If you need to keep chicken hot, do it on a very low temperature.

“People look at age wrong. You’re never too old to take a chance on something ... I’ve gotten wiser, learned a lot and I’m making decisions that feel right for me in a way that I haven’t before.”

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Raising Spirits

Historic Highclere Castle increases its gin brand’s profile in the Hostess City

Written by NATHAN DOMINITZ

THE BAR WAS RAISED even before Lord Carnarvon decided to travel to Savannah in March 2023 to promote his Highclere Castle Gin.

That’s because he and Lady Carnarvon own Highclere Castle, known as the setting for the globally popular “Downton Abbey” television series and two films. The 8th Earl of Carnarvon’s family has resided since 1679 at the 5,000-acre estate in Hampshire, England.

While the now-completed TV series was fiction, it reflected much of the heritage and lifestyle at the real-life country home and its surrounding working farm. That includes Highclere’s reputation for glamour, luxury and refinement in entertaining and hosting important figures in government, the arts and members of the royal family. A hundred years ago, they were drinking gin cocktails with their guests.

“Everything had to be the best. Even in war, no less,” Lord Carnarvon says. “If something is ‘Highclere,’ it is of the highest standards.”

In America, it would probably be easier to push a product with “Downton Abbey” in the name when trying to stand out in a market already crowded with other traditional London dry gins, celebrity-endorsed brands and curiously flavored new entries.

Lord Carnarvon, however, isn’t in this business for the short-term. Rather, he is motivated by his family’s history and reputation as stewards of preserving and restoring the estate to make it better for future generations. He says he wouldn’t put a label on something coming from an industrial alcohol spirits factory.

“I’m only really interested in doing something that has a special quality with our name,” he says. “It’s just not worth it, otherwise. I hope we’ve achieved it with Highclere Castle Gin. It looks like we’re heading in the right way.”

The gin has earned rave reviews and more than 100

Photo by LISA NICHOLS

international awards.

To continue raising the profile, Lord Carnarvon traveled to Georgia in March 2023 — including his first visit to Savannah, where events included a bottle signing at Habersham Beverage Center and a reception at Garibaldi Savannah, held in partnership with sister restaurant The Olde Pink House.

The gin also is available at liquor stores such as Johnnie Ganem’s Wine & Package Shop, multiple restaurants and hotels, and through company websites highclerecastlegin.com and highcleregin.com

American spirits entrepreneur Adam von Gootkin first pitched the idea for the gin brand in 2015 before coming on board as the company’s CEO and co-founder. Since launching in 2019, the gin distribution has spanned seven countries. Today, von Gootkin says Georgia is only second behind California in support and sales, among 30 U.S. markets.

However, von Gootkin says Savannah ranks No. 1 as his favorite U.S. city. “It really is representative of the elegance and grace of Highclere. It’s a perfect spot for us,” he says, adding that the company is expanding distribution and handpicking which restaurants and hotels serve the libation.

According to von Gootkin, the vision was to “liquify” the spirit

A Royal Toast

Lord Carnarvon is a godson of the late Queen Elizabeth II, and he can recall when she stayed at Highclere Castle when he was a boy.

Her son, Charles, also has visited the estate. With Charles III’s coronation on May 6, Highclere Castle Gin has created a cocktail named in his honor, using what is understood to be his preferred spirits.

“I said, ‘You know what? Let’s challenge ourselves. Let’s make a cocktail that includes both gin and Scotch,’” says Adam von Gootkin, co-founder and CEO of Highclere Castle Gin. “That took a few days. I had the vision, but I’m not a very good cocktail mixologist, to be honest. I’m better at developing spirits. I said, ‘I want these two things in a cocktail, but it has to be glorious.’ We ended up with this very beautiful golden-color cocktail and a sprig of rosemary, which is kind of our signature thing, in a coupe glass.”

The King Charles Cocktail will be officially unveiled at a May 18 dinner at St. James’s Palace, with the new monarch expected to attend. The event honors donors to the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust (QCT). In addition, portions of proceeds from the cocktail’s sales at select restaurants and hotels during May 2023 will go to the QCT, which supports young people across the Commonwealth.

of Highclere Castle with authenticity and premium quality at the forefront. The gin’s recipe — two years and 20-plus iterations in the making — uses botanicals grown on the castle grounds, including citrus from the Victorian orangery, lavender planted in the ninth century and wild juniper. Of course, the latter is a signature ingredient usually found in gin, although here it has been dialed back a bit to better bring out the citrus qualities, von Gootkin says.

Lord Carnarvon adds that he had “the weird idea” to incorporate the farm’s oats — otherwise harvested for performance horses — into the distilling process.

“It actually worked brilliantly,” he says. “This gin is one of the smoothest gins on the market. You have it on the rocks without putting tonic and things in it. That shows there’s been a real bit of experimentation and actual terroir of Highclere in the product.”

“If something is ‘Highclere,’ it is of the highest standards.”

— Lord Carnarvon

– OWNERS, STEPHANIE & REGGIE

Andra Reeve-Rabb sits in front of the LED volume stage at SCAD’s Savannah Film Studios.

Written by GREGORY JAMES WAKEMAN // Photography by D. LAWRENCE BARKSDALE

It’s no secret that the movie industry in Georgia is booming.

Savannahians are now well accustomed to seeing the telltale yellow production signs and trailers around town, spotting actors on the street and recognizing local scenery on the silver screen for blockbusters like 2017’s “Baywatch” starring Dwayne Johnson, 2019’s live action “Lady and the Tramp” and the Academy Award-winning “Ford V Ferrari” — just to name a few.

According to the Georgia Film and Entertainment Office, between July 2017 and June 2018, the combined budgets for productions in the state were $2.7 billion. Between July 2021 and June 2022, that number had risen to a record $4.4 billion.

In the last few months of 2022 alone, “A Jazzman’s Blues” (Tyler Perry), “Devotion” (Jonathan Majors), “Halloween Ends” (Jamie Lee Curtis), and “The Menu” (Ralph Fiennes) were all released, each of which were shot in and around Savannah.

The region’s soaring popularity amongst the Hollywood elite isn’t just because of its hospitable weather, favorable business climate and beautiful scenery, though. Meet five women who are playing their own starring roles in increasing the state’s prominence as a sought-after location for film sets.

Katie Schuck

Katie Schuck, Assistant Director, and Renée Leventis, Manager Of Operations SAVANNAH REGIONAL FILM COMMISSION

KATIE SCHUCK AND RENÉE LEVENTIS have spent their entire professional careers working on film and television sets, often to the detriment of their lives outside of production. “I was exhausted,” admits Schuck. “I was looking for something that’s a little bit slower paced that still involved everything I’d done professionally.”

That’s exactly what she found at the Savannah Regional Film Commission, a division of the Savannah Economic Development Authority, which aims to promote the area as a premiere destination for production, while acting as a liaison between film companies and the local community.

“l always tell people who might come here about our quality of life,” declares Leventis, a graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design who moved back to the city after over five years with the Food Network in Atlanta.

Still, Schuck insists that it’s still “full speed ahead” as they assist productions across Savannah.

“In 2015, the entertainment production industry generated a direct spend of $59 million and in 2022 had a record breaking of nearly $207 million direct spend,” adds SEDA President and CEO Trip Tollison. “It is really staggering the amount of dollars that are coming into our region related to entertainment production. The state of Georgia, our local governments, our partners and the community have all played a role in growing the industry in our region.”

Word is clearly spreading that Savannah has plenty of work but not as much stress as New York or Los Angeles.

“We have nearly 300 crew members currently living in our area,” explains Schuck. “When the Georgia tax incentive first came out in 2002, we only had about 14 living here locally.”

“The entertainment industry offers a lot of opportunity, and Savannah is an ideal place for people to learn more about the industries and the skills needed,” says Tollison. “They get an opportunity to work alongside veterans in the industry.”

Leventis believes that the best way for people to advance is to start through [Film Savannah’s] Production Assistant Training Class, as it really gives people a chance to network and see which department they might want to work in.

Speaking of advancing, Tollison notes that one way Savannah can continue to build the industry is to invest in infrastructure such as soundstages. “The future is very bright for entertainment production in the Savannah region,” he says.

(Editor’s Note: While working on this issue, the Savannah magazine team was saddened to learn about the passing of Erin Fraser, executive director of Savannah Regional Film Commission. Our thoughts are with the family, friends and colleagues who had the privilege of working with Fraser.)

Renée Leventis

Andra Reeve-Rabb, Dean SCAD SCHOOL OF FILM AND ACTING

ANDRA REEVE-RABB WAS always destined to move into education. Her mother was a school teacher, and her dad was a college professor.

“It was the family business,” she declares.

Over the next 25 years, Reeve-Rabb didn’t follow suit. But even though she’d risen to become the director of prime-time casting for CBS, the world of teaching kept calling out to her.

In 2016, Savannah College of Art and Design President and Founder Paula Wallace invited Reeve-Rabb to help the next generation of storytellers. Since SCAD is the only university with a casting company and a mission statement to “prepare students for their creative careers and turn them into working artists,” she couldn’t resist.

To help in that pursuit, SCAD has a number of state-of-the-art tools, including three soundstages, green rooms, lighting grids, postproduction suites, a multipurpose recording booth, screening rooms, and production offices for the university’s film and television program.

Perhaps the most impressive tools, however, are the newest additions: extended reality (XR) stages, also known as LED volume stages, located in Savannah and Atlanta.

At 40 feet wide, 20 feet deep and 17 feet high, the immersive technology allows students to merge virtual worlds with live-action performance and real-time environments on set.

“Innovation is happening all around us in our industry,” she adds. “We were the first university to have a LED volume stage for student use. Students from game design, visual effects and film and television come together to work on this playground. It makes all of them very desirable in terms of the marketplace.”

Meanwhile, SCAD is also undergoing an expansion of the university’s Savannah Film Studios, a landmark 10.9-acre project that will include a Hollywood-style film backlot.

Slated to complete this year, the backlot will include scenes inspired by Savannah’s iconic historic district, an urban

environment featuring alleyways and a gas station, and a suburban backdrop of a town hall and homes in various architectural styles.

“Savannah Film Studios is really unique,” says Reeve-Raab. “We’ve seen how the industry is booming in Savannah. So, we created our own Savannah, so students don’t have to compete with studios for film permits.”

With SCAD’s annual Savannah Film Festival — the largest university-run film fest in the world — bringing the industry’s finest to the city and into the classroom, too, Reeve-Rabb’s advice to people wanting to work in film and television is simple.

“Come to SCAD. Our facilities, access, technology and faculty are unmatched,” she says. “Students are choosing to stay in Georgia and make it their home. I have friends in the industry from Los Angeles and New York who are moving to Atlanta and Savannah. There’s so much work here.”

Come to SCAD. Our facilities, access, technology and faculty are unmatched. Students are choosing to stay in Georgia and make it their home. I have friends in the industry from Los Angeles and New York who are moving to Atlanta and Savannah. There’s so much work here.

— Andra Reeve-Rabb

Samita Wolfe, President

FILM BIZ RECYCLING

BORN AND RAISED in Woodbine, Georgia — about 100 miles south of Savannah

— Samita Wolfe studied environmental science at Savannah State University before pivoting to a career in production design in New York City. She worked on crime re-enactment shows and even landed a role as a set dresser for FX’s hit series, “The Americans.”

Still, she had always kept one eye on the emergence of the film industry in Savannah, especially as she still owned a house in the city.

Every six months or so, she’d be back. During the course of her visits, she noticed the film industry kept growing, but Savannah lacked a prop house.

Eventually, she couldn’t resist the allure of returning to Savannah and opening her own prop-recycling business.

She touched base with Eva Radke, founder of Film Biz Recycling — the first nonprofit prop house on the East Coast — who had closed the company in 2015 because rent had become too high in Brooklyn.

“Eva agreed to hand over the reins of the company to me, which meant me bringing it to Georgia,” says Wolfe.

She did just that at the end of 2016, making Film Biz Recycling Savannah’s first and only prop house. Inside a warehouse on the city’s westside, Wolfe collects and rents anything and everything, from used furniture and retro appliances to old books and forgotten treasures.

Since launching the nonprofit, Wolfe has also continued to work as a set decoration buyer on Savannah-based productions,

including for films like “Devotion,” “The Menu,” and “A Jazzman’s Blues.” Currently, she is working on a new series, created by TV icon Norman Lear and starring actress Laverne Cox.

Not only has Wolfe’s career been boosted in Savannah, but she also says she has benefited from a much better work-life balance.

“It’s been great. The quality of life here is much better. I can work as much as I would like. I have a great income. I’m with the union. There are labor rights and people on our side.” All of which, Wolfe hopes, will attract more people to Savannah. “We’re trying to build a real database of crew here,” she says.

It’s been great. The quality of life here is much better. I can work as much as I would like. I have a great income. I’m with the union. There are labor rights and people on our side.

... We’re trying to build a real database of crew here.

— Samita Wolfe

“ “

Lee Thomas, Deputy Commissioner GEORGIA FILM & ENTERTAINMENT OFFICE

AS DEPUTY COMMISSIONER for the Georgia Film & Entertainment Office, Lee Thomas has had a front-row seat to the industry’s growth and economic impact over the past three decades.

After studying at the prestigious Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, Thomas moved back to Atlanta just before the start of the 1996 Summer Olympics.

“At the time, there just wasn’t a ton filming here,” she explains. Over the last 27 years, Thomas has helped to change that, especially since joining the Film Office in 1998 as a location specialist.

“In Savannah, I’ve worked on ‘Midnight in The Garden Of Good And Evil,’ ‘Spongebob Squarepants,’ ‘Lady and the Tramp’ and ‘The Legend of Bagger Vance,’ to name but a few,” recalls Thomas, who says that she works with the Savannah Film Commission — particularly with location scout Andy Young — to determine where each project should shoot.

“Savannah has such a unique look,” says Thomas. “It’s beautiful for period films. There are so many places where you put the camera down and do very little set dressing. It’s tropical. It’s green and beautiful all year round. People can do photo shoots for spring catalogs or even in the dead of winter.”

With so many more productions in the state, Thomas believes anyone looking to work in film and television should come to Georgia and take advantage of the consistent flow of work — which shows no signs of abating.

Looking ahead, Thomas is excited by the new investments across the state,

which include several new soundstages.

“People are also looking to build more visual effects and post-production facilities,” she says. “We’ve had a tremendous explosion in the amount of infrastructure. But it just continues to grow.”

Savannah has such a unique look. It’s beautiful for period films.

There are so many places where you put the camera down and do very little set dressing.

— Lee Thomas

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Fine Arts AT CALVARY DAY SCHOOL

Calvary Day School provides exciting ways to equip students with quality instruction and a means for expressing God-given talents in performing and visual arts. The Fine Arts department is dedicated to building confidence, fostering creativity, valuing teamwork, and improving communication skills.

Our Arts programs offer a fully developed range of opportunities to explore and express creativity on the stage, in a sketchbook, and nearly all areas students may show interest. Calvary is dedicated to developing the creative potential of every student and encourages them to take risks, step outside of their comfort zones, and stretch the limits of their imaginations. Students participate in school programs throughout the year and take part in music lessons, dance lessons, art classes, and theatre productions.

Calvary’s Fine Arts Academy also offers extracurricular lessons to hone students’ passions both during and after school. Classes in singing, sewing, instruments, dance, and visual arts allow one-on-one and small group skill strengthening by experts. Private and group lessons are available to Calvary Day School students as well as the public.

From left: Book club members Priscilla Clements, Kim Iocovozzi, Ann Ramee and Helen Iocovozzi gather at the home of Allison Rhangos.

Written by ARIEL FELTON // Photography by MICHAEL SCHALK

ROBIN GRENCHIK’S BOOK CLUB has been meeting for 15 years. Long enough that the books they’ve read — 75 in total — are starting to run together. One particular book club gathering does stand out to her though.

“Oh gosh, what year was there a hurricane coming, but we had book club anyway?” she tries to recall, laughing. “It was one of those Savannah situations, where you’re not sure the hurricane is actually going to hit. But [we] had already planned the menu and set a beautiful table — who wants to waste that?”

That day, six of the eight members attended and, luckily, the hurricane went the other way.

The friends named their club “The Best Little Book Club Ever,” or BLBCE for short. The group, formed organically through a shared love of books, meets every two months and rotates hosts among the group. The host decides on the book, which encourages other members to expand their literary taste buds.

“We’re all over the board in terms of reading preferences,” Grenchik says. “One of our members always picks autobiographies, and some of our members like historical novels. We have members from France, Sweden and England, and they all tend to pick novels that you wouldn’t hear that much about in the States.”

“When it’s your turn to pick a book, you put a lot of thought into it and sometimes it’s a big hit and everybody loves it and other times not so much,” says Helen Iocovozzi, another member of BLBCE. “But it always leads to intense and lively discussions.”

Often the discussion becomes so lively that multiple members are speaking at once. For these discussions, the BLBCE has devised a tool to get the conversation back on track.

“We were at Allison Rhangos’ house and she went into her son’s room and got a toy hippo with his mouth wide open,” says Grenchik. “Now if it’s getting overanimated, and we’re not hearing each other talk, then we pass the hippo with the big mouth to the person speaking, and until that person passes it on, that person gets to finish their thought.”

The ladies of BLBCE put just as much effort into the discussions as they do in hosting, often making dinner and drinks inspired by the book’s plot, setting or characters. Their most recent read, “Witches” by Brenda Lozano, was hosted at Rhangos’ home and inspired not only a lavish Mexican dinner, but also ties into an upcoming trip to Mexico for a few members of the group.

BLBCE is so tight knit, they’ve decided not to accept any new members. For them, the books are almost secondary to the bonds they’ve formed over the years.

“I just love every one of these girls,” Grenchik says. “They’re all so smart and compassionate, and it’s just a genuinely fabulous group. I’m a big reader and I love to discuss books, but the reason I’m so into this group is because of who’s in it and our relationships with each other.”

AT E. SHAVER BOOKSELLER , book clubs were a way for the store to reconnect with the local community.

“When I first came to work here, we didn’t have a ton of local business at that point,” says Melissa Taylor, who co-owns the store with Jessica Osborne. “Locals had stopped coming downtown, and we saw mostly tourists in the shop. Part of having the book clubs was reminding our local community that we were there and really engaging with them.”

Today, E. Shaver Bookseller hosts seven different clubs, and Taylor says their local customers appreciate having a space to connect with each other. Cindy Dixon, an English teacher at Richmond Hill High School, was looking for community when she joined an E. Shaver’s book club six years ago.

“In a world where people don’t agree on much, it’s always nice to find someone who loves something you love, too,” Dixon says. “Even if it is just a book.”

Dixon is a member of E. Shaver’s Tequila Mockingbird group, a subscription-based book club that pairs classics with unique beverages. The group was inspired by the book “Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a Literary Twist” by Tim Federle.

Some drinks are a hit: one of Dixon’s favorite pairing was a “Tender is the Nightcap” cocktail paired with “Tender is the Night” by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Other pairings left much to be desired.

“We read ‘The Call of the Wild,’ ‘White Fang,’ and some other short stories by Jack London,” says Taylor. “And the drink was ridiculous. There was a Klondike bar melting in it.”

E. Shaver also has a club dedicated to graphic novels, Jane Austen, mystery, romance novels and young adult, as well as the FOMO (fear of missing out) book club, which only reads new releases. In every club, it’s the conversation and friendship that brings people back.

“I’ve been teaching English for 32 years, so I’ve read a lot and taught classics, but not all of them,” Dixon says. “[The club] does force me to read books I haven’t read, and it is nice to talk with adults about books, instead of always teaching them.”

Any local bibliophiles looking to join a club can check the schedule on E. Shaver’s website. Book club members get 20% off if purchasing the book at E. Shaver, but Taylor says it’s not required.

“You can get it from the library, or if you have it at home already, that’s certainly fine,” she says. “We just want people to come together, talk about books and build community through that shared interest.”

E. Shaver co-owners Melissa Taylor and Jessica Osborne at the shop’s new Starland location. E. Shaver hosts seven different book clubs each month.

CECILIA ARANGO has been an avid reader since college.

“My moment of Zen is to curl up on the couch with a book in my hand,” says Arango. “It’s an escape into another world. Whenever I close a book that I absolutely love, I’m immediately hungry to discuss it with somebody else.”

Often, she found herself discussing her current reads with her running group as they trained for local marathons. In 2015, Arango decided to make it official and started the Read, Run & Rant book club.

The group meets every third Sunday at 7 a.m. Members take an hour for walking or running, then convene at a nearby coffee shop to discuss that month’s book. It’s a far cry from the wine and cheese plates that are usually associated with book clubs, but Arango says the format suits the group.

“Last year, we experimented with reading all local authors or authors coming to town, starting with Will Leitch, who wrote ‘How Lucky,’” Arango says. “A friend of a friend knew him, and so they reached out to him and found out he and his wife also run. They actually met up with us on a run!”

Now, Arango says, Read, Run & Rant is going back to picking books by what comes up organically in their coffee shop conversations. All bibliophiles can agree: a discussion about a book can often lead to an even deeper conversation about life. For Arango, that’s the beauty of a book club.

“Hearing all the different takes on the book opens your eyes to how other people view the world,” she says. “I’ve learned so much about our regulars that come based on what aspects of the book call out to them or what similar experiences they’ve gone through.”

Read, Run & Rant is a public book group; interested readers and runners can find them on Facebook.

Tips for hosting your best book club ever

Consider a theme. Will your group read only award-winning novels? Or will you be more niche and read only autobiographies by famous actresses?

Create a diverse invite list. A book club can be a great way to keep in touch with busy friends or meet more people. Choose guests who are game for a friendly debate.

Finish the book. Yes, really! Your discussion will be much more interesting if everyone has read cover to cover.

Snacks are always welcome. You can go all out and match your snacks with the theme of the book.

Bring discussion starters. When the conversation lulls or starts to drift away from the text, having a question prepared can help bring it back to the book.

Cecilia Arango, far right, brings together people who share her hobbies in the Read, Run & Rant book club.

MICHAEL SCHALK

COURTESY READ, RUN & RANT BOOK CLUB

The monthly book club schedule is posted on a wall inside E. Shaver, Starland.

FOL L OWING THE LIGHT FOL L OWING THE LIGHT

Famed raconteur, founder of global storytelling nonprofit The Moth and eighth-generation Savannahian George Dawes Green dug deep into local lore to create his latest novel

Written by COLLEEN ANN MCNALLY

GEORGE DAWES GREEN isn’t afraid of the dark. As an author, his books delve into complicated and mysterious stories. His first novel, “The Caveman’s Valentine,” won the Edgar Award Poe Award in 1995 — a prestigious honor by the Mystery Writers of America — and became a motion picture starring Samuel L. Jackson. His second novel, “The Juror,” was an international bestseller and became the basis for a film starring Demi Moore and Alec Baldwin. His third novel, “Ravens” was selected by Stephen King as one of the 10 best books of 2009.

There’s also his global storytelling phenomenon, The Moth. What began in Green’s Brooklyn apartment in 1997 has grown into thousands of live shows as well as virtual events, workshops, a podcast, Peabody Award-winning Radio Hour and New York Times Bestselling books — all of which illuminate the diversity and commonality of human experiences through the power of telling true, personal stories.

Last year, Green released “The Kingdoms of Savannah” — his first book in 14 years. While fiction, the real people and places that inspired the novel may make this story one of his most intimate yet.

Here, the famed raconteur answers questions about his decades-long fascination with a hidden history that shaped the book. Plus, he shares what’s next for him as The Moth celebrates 25 years this summer.

Colleen McNally: You’re an eighth-generation Savannahian and have spent years researching the city, splitting your time between here and New York. I’m curious when and where you first got the idea for your latest novel, “The Kingdoms of Savannah”?

George Dawes Green: My favorite house in Savannah is this beautiful brick house on the corner of Lincoln and Hall that was owned by my cousin. That’s where I lived for many years when I first really started coming back to Savannah as an adult. The house has always played a big role in my life.

CM: Tell me more about the research that went into this book. What is fact and what is fiction?

GDG: One of the things that I’m very interested in is a community of Black soldiers who had fought on the side of the King of England during the Revolutionary War. After the war was over and their side lost, they refused to go back into a condition of slavery.

A number of them went to a wilderness island on the Savannah River, about 17 or 18 miles north of Savannah. They built a hidden fortress there and fought off the Georgia Militia. Enslaved people from all up and down the Savannah River came to join them until there were perhaps as many as 200 people living in this community with more than 20 houses, with a wall surrounding it that was half of a mile long. They flourished there for years. Finally, Georgia and South Carolina had an alliance and were able to find the fortress and tried to defeat these folks who were called maroons.

Most of the maroons were able to escape. Some of them may have made it down to Florida, which at that time was a Spanish colony. There seems to be some evidence that they appealed for asylum to the King of Spain, and they were granted it. We even have some indications that they were still very active 20 years later. They were people who fought for their freedom, and it looks like they had won.

I remember thinking about a character — a young woman that I had met in Brunswick, Georgia, when I was 19 years old — who had sort of invented her life and invented her accent. She was a country girl. She was from Surrency, Georgia — out past Jesup, just a little town out in the plains.

I started to wonder what had ever become of her. I imagined that she had come to Savannah and pretended to be a Savannahian, taking the non-rhotic accent of the Savannahians that has no “r” and no “ahh” at all.

I began to think of her as a detective. I imagined she was a widow whose husband had a great deal of money; she had a big, sprawling, very dysfunctional family, and she pulled all of the family members in to help her with her detective cases. I called her Morgana Musgrove, and that was the basic idea for the novel.

Then there were certain historical threads that I’ve been interested in for 30 years. Since I was a child, the history of Savannah has always been fascinating to me.

My friend John Duncan — the great Savannah icon — had mentioned this group of folks in a conversation. He had, I think, done a college paper on the maroons of South Carolina and Georgia, and then I got sort of obsessed with them. I went to the Georgia Historical Society to look for evidence of the island. I got a kayak, and I went up the river with my friend Chad Faries and my brother. We didn’t find the fortress, but what’s interesting is that after “The Kingdoms of Savannah” came out, a number of historians were really intrigued by this tale.

This story has been mentioned before in academic histories, but it’s never really become popularized. Very few Savannahians had ever heard this story before “The Kingdoms of Savannah.” But now, there is a very active group of people who have formed The Friends of the Hidden Fortress who are contacting foundations to get money for research. Archeologists are coming down to visit, and this group thinks they can find the site of the original fortress, which has been lost for 235 years.

When I say “fortress,” I want to be clear: I’m not talking about a big, stone fortress. They had simply created a wall out of logs and reeds, and they had built all of these houses, and they had lots and lots of boats. But it wasn’t by any means an offensive fortification. It was simply defensive fortification.

They knew if the militia seriously attacked them, they would just have to run, and they did. But they wanted something that would slow down the militia so that their wives and children could get away.

“I just wanted to talk about these women like Jaq who are the people who are going to create the Savannah of the future —and why I feel fairly confident that it’s going to be a great city.”

— George Dawes Green

It is interesting that all traces of that community were lost, but things survive in Savannah stories for generations. I heard a story from this Savannah gentleman whose family had property not far from where the fortress was. He heard a tale that had been passed down through generations, and the tale got really mixed up. It was a tale of what you call “runaway slaves” that were living on one of the islands and had come across a pirate ship that had run aground. The hold of it was full of gold, and they took the gold and buried it somewhere. So, when he was a boy, he and his friends would try to go and find the hidden pirate gold.

Well, that story isn’t true at all, but it is really interesting how the old, true stories of Savannah will survive. They are always tinged with wealth porn. It’s always about how you can become rich, plantation glories or stories of the like. But it’s interesting that there are little traces still in our collective memories.

CM: You mentioned the Georgia Historical Society. Can you talk a little bit more about what information you were ab e to find there?

GDG: The Georgia Historical Society (GHS) is a strange institution, and it is really quite a great institution. There was a librarian who was perfectly willing to help me to find these old documents — old court records. Some of the community were arrested. One of them was tried for murder, convicted and beheaded, so you’ve got the whole court case that really tells the story of the community. They keep old maps and records.

Right now, some people involved with the Friends of the Hidden Fortress are probably over there looking for some of the old title deals — very, very difficult to track down. But we think that might help us to find the location of this community.

The thing about the GHS is that there are really lovely people working there, and it has become a great institution of learning. But, it’s also a repository of dark deeds. Savannah’s history has been very, very dark at times.

Still, I love the city. It’s the most beautiful city in the country without question. Oglethorpe’s designs are still amazing — how he thought about all the different ways in which a community would interact when he designed the squares, and how all the small businesses would be centered around the squares. Some of that design has gotten lost over the years with some bad zoning legislation, but some of the design is, of course, still with us and makes for this gorgeous city. So, I love Savannah.

But it’s very important that Savannahians recognize how dark our history is and how dark the character of the city has been — and in some ways, continues to be. There is still a lot of that corruption and darkness that still survives.

CM: Earlier this year, you gave the opening address at the Savannah Book Festival. What has been the reaction to this book from readers — both in Savannah and beyond?

GDG: I thought I was going to get a lot more trouble since I painted such a dark picture of Savannah. But a lot of Savannahians are well aware that there was, initially, a tremendous reaction against “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” until they realized that telling real things about Savannah doesn’t besmirch the character of the city.

[Real stories] actually, in some ways, enhance the character of the city for those who come to visit, because they feel that it is a real place filled with human drama.

So, I haven’t heard a lot of complaints at all. I’ve heard a lot of excitement, actually, from people who think that it’s time to really engage with the history of the city.

Also, much of the book has to do with the way the city is now and some of the threats to our happiness. The ghost tours have just inundated the city, and we are over-touristed, and we may be losing some of the sense of what makes Savannah a brilliant place to live: that deep sense of community. But, when you have areas of the downtown that are simply owned by absentee landlords or Airbnbs, and there are fewer and fewer actual residents living downtown, that detracts from the quality of the city as a living city.

We could turn into a tourist city the way downtown Charleston has. But the greatness about Savannah is that it’s really living. It’s thriving. It has all these different kinds of industries. So, that’s one of the issues that we have to grapple with, and people are very interested in talking about that.

CM: At the heart of the book are strong female characters. In addition to the widowed matriarch and socialite, Morgana Musgrove, there is her granddaughter Jaq — a student who is working on a documentary called “Some Town Out of a Fable” — and a middle-aged archaeologist named Matilda Stone. Can you share the ins iration behind these women?

GDG: There are a lot of different people I’ve known who have inspired the character of Matilda Stone, called “Stony.”

One of them was Cornelia Bailey who lived on Sapelo Island. When I was 19 years old and living in Brunswick, I worked as a tour guide for a while and went out to Sapelo Island. Cornelia was a few years older than me and was also a tour guide there.

She gave a personal tour of her childhood growing up in the Geechee community on Sapelo Island and the incredibly powerful memories she had of all of her relatives. There was one point on the tour when we went to an area that was abandoned after the former owner, R. J. Reynolds, made the community leave.

She brought us up to that place, which was called Raccoon Bluff. We walked through a palmetto field — there was nothing there — but she could show us where her aunt had lived, where the general store was, where the post office was.

As we walked down this nonexistent avenue, she absolutely painted this vivid picture before us of a living community that was gone and her love for that community. That influenced me profoundly.

Cornelia was an extraordinary raconteur, and so to some extent, she inspired the creation of The Moth. She was one of those storytellers whom I met here as a child, and I couldn’t shake the memory of their profound stories.

Years later, I brought Cornelia to New York — after we had launched The Moth — to tell some of her Sapelo stories.

The other thing that inspired me was her pure dedication to that community and to the memory of it. And that went into the character of Matilda Stone, who is in love with this historical community and has such an intense passion for it.

Cornelia was one of many women who inspired me. Of course, so did my mom, Inez. My mom is called “Little Inez” because she comes from a family that was filled with [women named Inez]. Her grandmother was called “Big Inez,” and Big Inez was a powerful matriarch. Big Inez, and all of those stories from the old days, all find a way into the book somehow.

[The character] Jaq also is inspired by several people whom I’ve known, particularly a young activist who was at the Savannah College of Art and Design and then went off to Ethiopia to find her roots. She was very aware. She is in love with this city, but she also hates the neglect of the real history of Savannah. There is always that profound mix. I just wanted to talk about these women like Jaq who are going to create the Savannah of the future — and why I feel fairly confident that it’s going to be a great city.

CM: In the novel, Morgana is a member of a book club named for Flannery O’Connor, though the other members generally dislike O’Connor’s “grotesque” and “miserable” stories. I wonder if her book club would read “The Kingdoms of Savannah”?

GDG: This is a good question. I think the ladies would read it because it’s a contemporary thriller, and because it’s about Savannah.

I don’t think they would have quite the same problems that they had with Flannery. Flannery, as you know, is very, very dark. “The Kingdoms of Savannah” has some darkness in it, but it’s interleaved with a lot of humor and lightness and beauty. And it’s also a thriller. There’s a big mystery.

Some readers are taken aback a little at the beginning,

when they say, “This isn’t like the thrillers that we normally read. This is about real history.” But, for the most part, I think people really do engage with it.

I have this great book club here in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, which is really old Brooklyn. When you think of Brooklyn women, these are the women of Bay Ridge. [The club is] a group of women, mostly in their 50s and 60s, who have been meeting for years and years at this book club, and their response to “The Kingdoms of Savannah” was hilarious. They would talk about Morgana and her political struggles in Savannah, and they seemed to grasp it very well. I think it felt a little bit to them like the Brooklyn that they remembered.

CM: The characters in your book speak in a variety of dialects. Given your experience with The Moth and vocal storytelling, did you have some particular opinions about how the audiobook was recorded?

GDG: I didn’t record the audiobook because it’s obviously very delicate. I can’t go around imitating voices, so I was glad they hired actors.

Now, I do wish I had recorded some of it. I love to read the book, and sometimes I will make an attempt to do Morgana’s accent.

I didn’t move down to Brunswick, Georgia, until I was 12 years old. We had lived in a bunch of little towns up north, and then finally my mother prevailed. She is the old Georgian, and she finally said we are going to move back down south.

So, I don’t really have a Georgia accent. I don’t really have a Yankee accent either. I’m sort of someone who is stuck in my own strange voice. But I do love those voices. And if you give me enough Madeira, I will sometimes venture to do a Savannah voice.

Morgana’s voice is, of course, based on my grandmother’s accent. I still hear it in my head.

Those are beautiful voices, and we’re losing them a bit, aren’t we? There isn’t a sense of the old guard anymore. The community of the old guard is always mixing with the new folks who have moved down from New York or Atlanta, so you don’t hear too much of that perfect, non-rhotic accent anymore. And that’s a real loss.

CM: Other than the storytelling and the accents, what do you miss most about Savannah when you’re away?

GDG: The thing that makes Savannah so beautiful is a real sense of community. When you go to the great cafes of Savannah like Foxy Loxy or The Sentient Bean, you instantly have this sense of this community.

Go into the courtyard at Foxy Loxy. I sit out there to work, but friends come up all day long — all these folks that I know — and that’s a beautiful thing. ...

I will always keep coming back to Savannah.

CM: Congratulations on 25 years of The Moth! How are you celebrating this impressive milestone? What stories are you telling next?

GDG: It has been fun! As you know, The Moth has grown to be a global phenomenon. Somebody once said, maybe it was the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Moth was the first global movement to come out of Savannah since the Girl Scouts.

We are everywhere now. There is a Moth or a Moth clone, something inspired by us, in every capital of the world. Last year, we had about 200 million downloads of our podcast.

Now, from mid-May to mid-June, I will be going up and down the coast of Georgia collecting great personal true stories on video and audio. [The project] is for a group called One Hundred Miles, a conservation group along the coast. We will be going with a team of some fabulous people — just collecting stories.

The people whom I love [to talk to] the most are the 90-yearolds who can remember how things used to be. But sometimes you get great stories out of 12-year-olds. You just never know.

We really do tell better stories here than anywhere else, in my experience. And that is probably all mixed up with the darkness of our history. Southern Gothic comes out of inequality. There are just so many different strains of culture that go into our storytelling prowess.

Radio Hour, as well as have inspired more than 50,000 stories told at 6,000-plus live events since 1997. Of which accomplishment are you the proudest?

GDG: I’m proud when I write a page that I feel good about. There are certain moments — I guess for every writer — when you go back to a book that you’ve written and certain pages seem to flow. There is just some connection between the characters that you dreamed up and some sense that they really live, or deserve to live. If they aren’t living, they should be. Those are the moments when I feel most proud.

But I’m also very proud of the communities that we’ve built from The Moth and the other storytelling organizations that I’ve been involved with.

Once, I brought a bus full of folks — great storytellers like Neil Gaiman were on the bus — and we went to the little towns in the South where there are still independent bookstores to tell stories, and crowds of people turned out. We had a huge crowd in Savannah. There was that real sense of community of people listening to stories.

We all understand the power and the necessity of our electronic media, but I think I’m proudest when I’m at some event and a whole audience is electrified by the connection between a storyteller and the people hearing the story.

But I do think that South Georgia is the capital of stories. Almost anywhere that I’ve been, people love to hear the stories of South Georgia.

The greatest raconteur living is Edgar Oliver, one of our great Moth storytellers, who grew up in Savannah. You should listen to his stories about his mother and his sister. They had a profound impact on me. When we do the storycollecting project, I think I’ll bring Edgar down as well.

Also, Aubergine is a poet living in the city who is a brilliant raconteur and a bit of a recluse. I was able to coax him out one evening back in July, just to tell an incredibly moving story.

It’s amazing how much talent there is. It’s not just Flannery O’Connor and John Berendt. There is a lot of genius in this city.

CM: Speaking of genius, you’ve created New York Times Bestselling books that have been adapted to major motion pictures and the Peabody Award-winning Moth

To learn more about the author, visit georgedawes green.com.

“I’m proudest when I’m at some event and a whole audience is electrified by the connection between a storyteller and the people hearing the story.”

— George Dawes Green

DR. DEW IS AN ARTIST. MY TEETH LOOK NATURAL— THEY ARE PERFECT. I CAN’T WAIT FOR OUR NEXT FAMILY PHOTO!

Joy Fuller, Avid Golfer & Dental Harbor Client

From left: Kelley J. Boyd, Chelsea Dye, Christina Harley, Kristin Russell, Caroline Brennan, Betsy Hunter Hughes, Kelsey Bucci and Raye Carr

Going the Distance

Savannah’s leading health-focused entrepreneurs share what wellness means to them — and how to stay the course

Written by FEIFEI SUN // Photography by KATIE MCGEE

ONCE FOCUSED ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY on diet and physicality, the wellness industry has evolved in the last decade to encompass a more holistic view of health. No one understands that evolution more than these local female founders whose own lived experiences have inspired them to create healthier, more mindful options in exercise, home products, nutrition and beauty — strengthening their businesses and inspiring others along the way.

Kate Doran, owner and teacher, Savannah Power Yoga

Before opening Savannah Power Yoga in 2011, Kate Doran worked in the software industry in California for many years. “While my bank account benefited, my physical health and personal relationships did not,” she says. “As a workaholic, I spent a lot of the money that I earned paying for visits to luxury spas to try and get a quick fix before diving back into 60-hour workweeks.”

When Doran moved to Savannah in 2004, being a remote employee gave her the time to practice yoga every morning before the workday started on the West Coast.

Today, the mission of her studio is to provide a welcoming space and community to share the consistent practice of yoga. “Wellness is about balance in mind, body and spirit,” she says. “When all three are aligned and given equal measure, I feel strong, grounded and compassionate.”

Raye Carr, founder of Raye Carr Hypnotherapy

Raye Carr had tried everything to quit smoking, from using a patch and meditating, to working one-on-one with a doctor. So when she heard a commercial about a local hypnotherapy class focused on smoking cessation, she thought, “Why not?

I’ve tried everything else.”

On the drive home from that hypnotherapy class, Carr noticed something astounding: she didn’t feel the need to smoke. Nor did she later, when she went to dinner. “It was so surreal,” Carr says of the experience, which prompted her to open her practice in 2016.

“Ultimately, wellness is being in the position to choose, day to day, the things that make you feel whole and bring you closer to your ultimate goals,” she says. “I use hypnotherapy as a way to help people heal and feel better, so they can make that choice.”

“Wellness is about balance in mind, body and spirit.

When all three are aligned and given equal measure, I feel strong, grounded and compassionate.”

— Kate Doran

COURTESY KATE DORAN

Kate Doran, owner and teacher at Savannah Power Yoga

Allison Falkenberry, owner of otium Savannah and otium Eastern Wharf

Allison Falkenberry’s career in crisis communications in the health and wellness space, which included working on books by actress Jessica Alba and former vice president Al Gore, meant keeping up on the latest trends and news in the industry. But she was also personally dedicated to wellness, including a longstanding yoga practice, as a way to stay centered and calm. In 2018, Falkenberry opened her first ōtium studio location on Liberty Street to provide others with the same opportunity to find their Zen.

“My career throughline was health and wellness, and I saw a need for more contemporary classes here — a place where fitness and wellness could be more lifestyle,” she says. Falkenberry recently added a second location at Eastern Wharf. Her studios are designed to be dedicated, intentional spaces where her clients can enjoy the benefits of physical movement and connectivity, as well as emotional and spiritual growth.

For Falkenberry, wellness increasingly means self-actualization.

“Wellness is as much emotional agency as it is moving mindfully,” she says. “There’s a real power in setting a better boundary, showing more empathy, changing a pattern or keeping all of your commitments. We’ve seen so many examples of how success doesn’t have to look the same for everyone, and that also applies to wellness. … It’s also being kind to yourself and to others.”

Kristin Russell, owner of Brighter Day Natural Foods Market and The Sentient Bean

“If I want to think that I am anything other than blobs of molecules hurtling about space, then I’m going to want some purpose for my life — and I’m going to want that purpose to feel good,” says Kristin Russell.

“In the simplest terms, I want my life to add good into the world.”

She’s done just that as co-founder of The Sentient Bean, the beloved parkside coffee shop that offers fair trade and organic brew, which opened in 2001.

Nearly two decades later, in 2020, Russell also became the owner of longtime local favorite Brighter Day Natural Foods Market, located next door.

For Russell, wellness means feeling good. “It’s not about how you look, and it’s certainly not about how other people perceive you,” she says. “It’s about having energy, clarity and confidence.”

Caroline Brennan, owner of Pure Barre Savannah and Pure Barre City Market

Pure Barre came into Caroline Brennan’s life in 2012 after the birth of her third child. She had always been physically active and even went on to study exercise and sports science in college before working as a physician assistant for 14 years. But there was something different about her Pure Barre experience.

“When class was over, I felt so great, recharged and truly felt capable of handling anything for the rest of my day,” she says. “I immediately rebooked my next class so I could feel that feeling again.”

Brennan became a Pure Barre owner five years ago, and she describes the studios as a “fitness family” that

MARIO DONALDSON

Allison Falkenberry, owner of otium studio

TEAM SAVANNAH

SAVANNAH: 1115 Lexington Ave. 912.354.4813

RINCON: 604 Towne Park West 912.354.4813

TEAM SOUTHEAST GEORGIA

BRUNSWICK: 3025 Shrine Rd., Ste. 450 912.264.6133

JESUP: 111 Colonial Way, Ste. 2 912.588.1919

TEAM

SOUTH CAROLINA

BEAUFORT: 16 Kemmerlin Ln. 843.524.2002

BLUFFTON: 16 Okatie Center Blvd. South, Ste. 100 843.706.9955

BRYAN KRULL, D.O.

WILLIAM G. GRUBB, M.D.

JAMES BAZEMORE, M.D.

DANA KUMJIAN, M.D.REBECCA SENTMAN, M.D.

ERIK D. BERNSTEIN, M.D.

JESSICA COLEMAN, M.D.

MIKHAIL NOVIKOV, M.D., PHD.

RAFAEL DAVID RODRIQUEZ, M.D.

welcomes, encourages and celebrates one another.

“I wanted to make sure we not only continued to produce an excellent physical class experience, but were equally as supportive from a mental and emotional standpoint,” she says about her approach to becoming an owner. “Wellness is a practice, not a static state. Life is difficult, stressful and challenging, but it can also be fun, joyful and satisfying all at the same time.”

Kelsey Bucci, founder of Paris Laundry

The personal is professional for Kelsey Bucci, whose breast cancer diagnosis fueled her to create Paris Laundry, a brick-and-mortar and e-commerce health and beauty shop.

“It was truly born out of a need in my own lifelife,” Bucci says. “I started out wanting to create a place for other people that found themselves on the other side of hearing the words ‘you have cancer.’”

Bucci’s search for safe and clean personal care products throughout treatment led to endless hours of ingredient research. Now, she wants customers to be able to come into Paris Laundry or shop online and know that everything in the store has been vetted by her, each product personally tested and the ingredients carefully researched.

“I want to inspire wellness in every aspect of my customers’ lives, which is directly rooted in my personal wellness vision as well,” Bucci says. Beyond curating goods for her shop, Bucci also shares insights from her personal health journey, from workout routines to breast cancer education, on Instagram.

Betsy Hunter Hughes, founder of CORE Pilates and Health

What does wellness mean to Betsy Hunter Hughes? “In one word, it’s balance,” she says. “It’s the synchronization of mind, body and spirit — and also having the time to invest in self-care and self-love.”

Hughes, who opened CORE Pilates and Health in 2019 after a nearly two-decade career teaching Pilates, tries to help her clients achieve this balance through a series of private and small-group reformer and mat classes at her Starland studio.

Hughes also offers nutrition education and coaching, believing that it sets the foundation for total-body health. “Wellness is health from the inside out,” she says. “You can exercise every day and still struggle to feel good if you’re not looking at nutrition.”

Nicole Ware, founder of Heal Acupuncture

After studying medicine in college, Nicole Ware worked a high-paced job that quickly led to health challenges.

“My job was exciting, but I began to have severe neck, jaw and carpal tunnel syndromes,” says Ware.

Her dentist recommended a mouthguard, and also encouraged her to address the root cause: stress. Ware was already practicing yoga and exercising regularly, but her dentist suggested adding acupuncture into the mix.

“It was tremendously helpful, so I decided to go back to school and study acupuncture and herbs,” she says. “I’ve never looked back.”

Today, at her acupuncture practice, Ware works with patients to help them feel solid. “Like a four-legged stool that allows for stability, it’s important to sleep well, digest well, move physically and feel calm mentally,” she says. “If those four legs are stable, then we can withstand a lot of stressors or challenges that life throws at us.”

KEN SCOTT

Nicole Ware, founder of Heal Acupuncture

Chelsea Dye, founder of Blend + Press Wellness Bar

After years of providing freshly squeezed grab-and-go fruit and vegetable juices at Blend + Press Wellness Bar, founder Chelsea Dye recently made a pivot to focus on more tailored client work, from custom weekly juice subscriptions to oneon-one nutritional counseling.

“There’s been a real shift in the consumer mindset, in part because of COVID-19, to focus on autoimmune disorders and inflammation, and talk about those topics in a meaningful way,” she says. “It used to be somewhat taboo to talk about gut health, but we’re finally starting to understand that wellness is [holistic].”

Dye understands that well. When working with clients, she tries to remind them that holistic health also means habits that are enduring — and enjoyable. “I tell clients that the best plan is the one that works for their life and is fun.”

Christina Harley, founder of Christina’s Healing Hands

Before founding her massage practice, Christina’s Healing Hands, Christina Harley would practice on colleagues at her corporate brokerage job. “They always joked that massage was my true calling,” she says. In 2016, she decided to take the leap to start her business after the devastating loss of her son. Harley found healing from his passing through massage and other holistic wellness practices, like meditation. And she aspires to bring this same healing to her clients.

“Wellness means healed — your mind, body and soul are healed,” she says. “It’s about the physical and mental. Whenever I start a massage, I always remind the client: ‘Relaxation starts with your mind.’”

Kelley J. Boyd, founder of Savannah Yoga Center

“Wellness to me is self-awareness and personal habits that incorporate physical, mental and spiritual well-being,” says Kelley J. Boyd, founder of Savannah Yoga Center and its adjacent store, Ordinary Magic. “Not all of these aspects are, or can be, in balance and harmony 100% of the time. I try my best to turn off the autopilot and be as present as I can in each moment and live life fully.”

Boyd brings this same ethos to her yoga center, which celebrated its 20th anniversary earlier this year and offers a number of different styles of practice, from Yin to Vinyasa, for all levels.

“The ripple effects of how we each live our lives reach far and wide, and this is what I strive to share with my yoga students and people that visit my shop,” says Boyd.

Savannah’s leading ladies are setting the pace in everything from banking and beauty to real estate and retail. Read on to meet the female entrepreneurs and executives who are propelling Savannah forward.

Photography by ELEVATED COASTAL PRODUCTIONS, ANDREW FRAZIER, TIFFANY GOGGIN, CHRISTINE HALL, ANGELA HOPPER, KATHERINE IVES, KAYLEY SAVANNAH PHOTOGRAPHY, SARAH KOHUT,

Tammy Jo Long

WHAT SETS US APART: As Savannah’s oldest vacation rental management company, Luxury Living Savannah strives to provide our property owners with a level of service that transcends our impressive occupancy rates and exceptional housekeeping. We provide superior full-service property management with a focus on the preservation of the real estate for our select group of luxury properties. By staying small and nimble we can react quickly to the constantly changing dynamics in the travel industry and deliver results.

YOU’D NEVER GUESS THAT: I also own a FedEx linehaul trucking company with 21 semi trucks hauling freight throughout the South and Midwest.

I’M THANKFUL FOR: The privilege to work with the most talented, hardworking and

dedicated group of women. They are the reason why Luxury Living Savannah has been the premiere vacation rental management company in Savannah and Tybee Island for more than 20 years. We are 100 percent female-owned and -operated.

I’M PROUD OF: My son, Robby. The Army Reserves recently pulled him out of college and deployed him overseas to serve our country in the area of military intelligence.

OUR SECRET TO LONGEVITY: Any vacation rental management company can get reservations. We all use the same tools. Out-of-town and even local owners need to know that their valuable asset – the real estate – is being maintained for appreciation. My team and I have construction, renovation and preservation experience.

OUR MISSION: At BankSouth, banking is about you! We strive to build communities through personal and business banking solu ions o el i ou fin n i l nee s s you build your best life.

HOW WE HELP OTHERS: We are a small business, so we understand that small and growing businesses have never been more vital than they are today. This is why people nee s on fin n i l ne .

THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH: Relationships within the community, with clients and with each other.

OUR TOOLS OF THE TRADE: We believe we have a duty to our customers, our community and each other to deliver the best banking services possible. It’s your business, your

family, your life, and we are here to help you build what matters most to you!

WE HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: Join us in helping our community become even stronger by getting involved to help make a difference. We are involved i non ofi o ni ions s ools n o ession l o ni ions e making a difference in the lives of people throughout our community. A strong sense of community truly ties us together in the most positive way.

THE LATEST IN BANKING: We are continuously investing in digital technology and platforms that better enable us to e efine e b n in e e ien e o ou customers, bringing the bank to them wherever and whenever they need it.

From left: Lisa Harrington, Linda Rice, Heather Peloquin, Laura Moore, Kay Ford, Connie George, Jasmine Robinson and Kelli Fant

Abby L. Dew, DDS

DENTAL HARBOR

BY ABBY DEW, DDS

912.480.0804

50 Meeting St., Suite B Skidaway Island

dentalharbor.com

MY MISSION: o le onfi en ssion e n i l s ille e m o i es b o ou o s l ommuni n eli e s e ie es n m in ins e l smiles in lm n in i in en i onmen .

CLIENTS CHOOSE OUR PRACTICE BECAUSE: en l bo is i e n in e en en l o ne o e in o l l ss en l e lose o ome. e s e i li e in o o n is li n smile m eo e s n om e ensi e e o om le e en l ellness. i meni ies li e ille elle ino me bl n e s n le s i noise n ellin e ones en l bo is om i l en l o fi e.

I’M MOST THANKFUL FOR: mil n m en l bo e m. e e e se e s o m su ess.

I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: o e ei o n s oosin o o e e in .

I LEAD BY: i in o be se n le e o m e m. o e e e se i s n s n ol e e m membe in lu in m sel oun ble i em .

THE BEST BUSINESS ADVICE I EVER RECEIVED: e o s o in o ou sel is be e n e bes o in o someone else. m no su e o fi s s i i bu i e s me ou e en e ou es o s s sm ll business o ne .

THE SECRET TO HAVING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS: eli e o u o se i e o l in bou . o o mou is b e bes m e in o business in ou e .

The Landings Company Real Estate

912.598.0500

1 Landings Way, North thelandings.com

OUR MISSION: To strive to be the leading real estate company at The Landings and to always exceed our clients’ expectations.

WE BELIEVE: There’s nothing more exciting than meeting new people, hearing their stoies n el in em fin e e e ome.

THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS: Being good neighbors creates good business. We know that relationships always come fi s e e ul i in ne business o in e o lon ime lien s n ien s. At The Landings Company, we work to be great Savannah neighbors. We support and sponsor initiatives that help the Savannah ommuni . e ni e o e o s l Empire, The Landings Landlovers, The Club Car Championship, Savannah Challenger and i nis lub o i e us e .

WE ARE PROUD TO BE: ou o o ession l n is in uis e business omen o e e e s in ll s e s o e Landings community, including its real estate, li es le n o l l ss eso s le meni ies. We know The Landings better than anyone because it’s the only community that we e esen n mos o us e o un e enough to call it home.

WE CHOOSE TO WORK HERE BECAUSE: We are passionate about marketing a ommuni o e s e e ion l e l es e n emen ous li es le ombine i sm ll o n eel i in be u i ul n o s l Waterway community. The mission, advanced marketing strategies and investment by The Landings Company in attracting buyers and supporting our sellers provides excellent ne in o o uni ies o ou e m.

From left, front row: Skyler Frazier, Wendy Reed, Christy Johns, Gail Toler, Candice Parsons, Ashley Gold, Suzanne Andrews, Angela Sauers; back row: Stephanie Giorgio, Ginna Carroll, Cathryn O’Neill, Pat Ewaldsen, Katie Hart, Eileen Galves, Jill Brooks, Judy Green, Linda Novack; not pictured: Susan Connelly, Liz Giddens, Mary Beth McInerney, Christy Moore, Peggy Utley

Daniel Ravenel Sotheby’s International Realty

Savannah: 300 Bull St., Suite 101 • 912.234.3323

Bluffton: 49 Boundary St. • 843.836.3900

danielravenelsir.com

OUR MISSION: To provide unmatched real estate service along the Lowcountry coast. n o embe eli unn o eb s International Realty merged with Daniel Ravenel Sotheby’s International Realty. Our shared commitment to high ethical and professional standards made the partnership n i e l fi . o un e e niel enel Sotheby’s International Realty name, our lien s benefi om n e n e e u the coastline to Charleston, South Carolina. e e ou o be lu u b o e e fi m not only because we represent some of the fines omes in e e bu lso be use e treat each listing with the same elevated care. After all, true luxury is a level of service, not a price point.

WHAT MAKES US PROUD: Savannah! As part of the Sotheby’s International Realty

From left, back: Ruthie Lynah Whitlow, Annie Rockwell, Corinne Brown, Mary Beckmann, Catherine Cooper, Missy Kolgaklis Taylor, Betsy Kingston Myers, Kelli Weis, Jess Mikell, Laurie Ross and Ruthie Ravenel

network, we have the distinct pleasure of introducing newcomers worldwide to our beloved city. Savannah’s enduring beauty and friendly residents never fail to charm our clients and fellow agents. Last September, we hosted a four-day in-person experiential workshop for elite real estate agents from Sotheby’s International Realty fili e o fi es oun e oun . o surprise – they can’t wait to return to the Hostess City of the South.

THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH: Following the Golden Rule –to treat others as you wish to be treated. The business of real estate is, at its core, the business of relationships. Prioritizing and cultivating relationships involves treating everyone – clients, associates, other agents – with integrity, consideration

and respect. Furthering this culture in the Savannah business community strengthens all of our opportunities for success and, ul im el m es ou o mo e ulfillin . After 40 years in the Savannah real estate industry, we know shortcuts might get you where you want to go quickly, but longterm achievement is built on a foundation of kindness and integrity.

THE LOCAL WOMAN WE MOST ADMIRE: Celia Dunn, of course! Despite the merger and name change, she is still very much an active part of our brokerage fi m. i ou e ilbl in m n o us would not be where we are today. Her passion for helping others and her drive to build a business with honesty n om ssion e e fi m aligned perfectly with the core values of

Daniel Ravenel Sotheby’s International Realty of Charleston. Celia’s vision and perseverance have allowed us to offer our luxury level of service to a larger area, successfully helping even more people with their real estate needs.

WE ARE EXCITED TO: el ome lien s into our newly opened 5,000-squareoo o fi e s e in e e o o building. Just across Madison Square from our previous address, we still call the same neighborhood home where Celia Dunn established a strong foothold in the luxury real estate market for over four decades. The new location is deeply rooted in Savannah, just like our real estate experts, with the modern touches and leading technology we are known for.

From left, back: Emily Trust, Lavinia Strong, Carolyn Ezelle, Susan Meyers, Emily Salzer, Jean Stacy, Louisa Daly, Therese McMillan, Lucy Hitch, Celia Dunn, Rachel Umbreit and Helen Johnson

Visit Savannah & the Savannah Area Chamber

WE ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: Are hardworking, collaborative and authentic. Women who create an environment of celebrating individual talents and contributions, allowing all sorts of work s les o ou is . – Angela Westerfield, VP of Marketing and Communications

I’VE LEARNED THE HARD WAY THAT: Consistency, hard work and resiliency will get you a seat at the table, but it’s not owed to you. – Brittany Howard, Content Coordinator

WE’RE PROUD OF: The accomplishments we have achieved with a small but mighty team. It’s never easy pitching crazy ideas or thinking outside the box to do things others haven’t, but we are proud when we turn a small, crazy idea into a huge, successful accomplishment. – Ansley Connor, Content and Social Media Manager

From left: Erica Backus, Jennifer Davenport, Andrea Sims, Lizette Arnold, Genesis Leggett, Marissa Guarneiri, Kim Webster-Liebgott, Tasha Singleton, Courtney Martin, Angela Westerfield, Tara Reese, Delaney Mulcahy, Ginger McCoy and Tina Mock

WE ENJOY: Highlighting our local businesses to show the world how wonderful they are and help them to be successful.

– Kim Webster-Liebgott, Marketing Manager

YOU’D NEVER GUESS THAT:

The team loves music, and we tend to start off every marketing staff meeting with a “pump-up jam.” – Erica Backus, Director of Public Relations and DEI Strategy

When the sun goes down, I turn into a realli e os un e os ee en s ou ll fin me with my paranormal team investigating haunted homes, businesses and buildings.

– Mindy Shea, Director of International Sales

MY MOTTO: “Don’t wait; book the trip as tomorrow is not promised!”

– Anjuli King, Domestic Group Tour & Entertainment Sales

BEST BUSINESS ADVICE:

“Ditch perfectionism.” (Forbes) Reducing the focus on perfection makes room for creativity.

– Brittany Wilson, Social Media Coordinator “Your smile is your logo, your personality is your business card, how you leave others feeling after having an experience with you becomes your trademark.” I do not remember who said this to me, but it has stuck. – Tara Reese, Member Relations Manager “Always take the high road. The view is better, and you’ll appreciate it.” (The Honorable Louisa Abbott) – Jennifer Davenport, VP of Community A airs and In-House Counsel

THE SECRET TO A GOOD BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH:

Being able to attract both locals and visitors. If you’ve done that, you’ve hit a gold mine.

– Courtney

Martin, Sales Associate

Begin every interaction with Savannah hospitality. I interact with visitors from all over the world, and the one thing that stands out the most to everyone is how kind and hospitable Savannahians are.

– Kelli Lee, Gift Shop Manager

WE’RE THANKFUL FOR: All the small businesses and locals who make Savannah a truly exceptional city to call home and whom we spend our days marketing to the rest of the world.

– Pamela Knowles, Director of Content Strategy

I HOPE THAT: As a society we take a critical look at how we measure women’s successes, as the current metrics fall short in capturing the entire range of societal impacts.

– Frida Bahja, Research Manager

From left: Tanvi Chauhan, Anjuli King, Dee Ann Geeslin, Ansley Connor, Pamela Knowles, Shelina Vinson, Kelli Lee, Mindy Shea Frazier, Lauren Cleland, Frida Bahja, Stephanie Muehlher, Brittany Wilson, Brittany Howard, Mava Byrd, Mayra Smith and Kristyn Smith; not pictured: Angie Frye, Conni Reynolds, Jen Huling, Jennifer Thompson, Kellie Linder, Lonnie Burch and Liz Hood

The Savannah Tribune

912.233.6128

Shirley Barber James: 912.655.7081

Tanya Milton: 912.658.2813

Tirany Reeves: 478.491.0545

1805 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

savannahtribune.com

OUR MISSION: For the past 148 years, The Savannah Tribune (est. 1875 as The Colored Tribune) has served as the medium of communication, instruction and advocacy for civil rights, justice and equality, as well as the journal that chronicles the advancement, contributions and achievements of African Americans in the Savannah area and throughout our country.

MY MISSION: To help you grow your business. – Tanya Milton

I’VE LEARNED THE HARD WAY THAT: I must take time to recharge to be able to show up as my full self in any professional or social capacity. After neglecting my mental and physical health for the myriad of tasks I e on e le ne mus fill m o n lungs before breathing life into someone else. – Tirany Reeves

MY MOTTO: Live, learn and pass it on. I like to build relationships with young people, especially those in whom I see potential that they don’t see in themselves. I let them know I expect them to replace me, so I take advantage of opportunities to pass on what I have learned as we trust, share, encourage and teach each other. – Shirley Barber James

I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: Are smart, strong in decision making and feminine in delivery, honest and trustworthy, compassionate and forgiving. – Tanya

Milton

I HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: Chase their wildest dreams. In many cases, as a woman, ou oul be e fi s o be e e u in you are wanting to do. Don’t let the lack of a blueprint stop you from building your own path. – Tirany Reeves

From left: Tanya Milton, Vice President and Advertising Director; Shirley B. James, Publisher; and Tirany Reeves, Senior Graphic Designer

Realty One Group Inclusion

WE ARE: A dynamic group of real estate professionals with an innovative and supportive real estate brokerage behind us. Together, we deliver unsurpassed conciergelevel service to all our clients. We empower our buyers and sellers by utilizing cuttingedge tools and advanced technology needed to adapt in this evolving marketplace.

WE ARE PROUD THAT: From Savannah to St. Simons Island and South Carolina, we embody inclusion in both our diversity of agents and our representation of all consumers. We are knowledgeable o ession ls o n onfi en l ui e n service the novice homebuyer, the luxury market of both buyers and sellers and the seasoned real estate investor. Above all else, we represent all our clients with integrity.

OUR VISION: Take risks, be bold, seize the day and respect others and the world around us. Remember, your circumstances will change, people will change, and you will change. So be open to it, embrace it, live it. Everyone matters — everyone’s voice, everyone’s dreams. We all have one life to live, one chance to make it mean something and one opportunity to live with no regrets.

WE ARE THANKFUL FOR: Our coastal cities that we get to live in and represent as ambassadors to clients from around the world every day. We are grateful to be able to showcase our hometown or adopted city and its unique personality n el ou lien s fin e e e l e to call home.

From left: Quin Peterson, Emilie Nelson, Beth Vickers, Cathy Rodgers, Celi Tambon, Susan Dailey, Kathleen Linzey, Heather Hammond Filgate, Logan Fox, Laura Acker, Anne Gantt, Melissa Strudgeon, Chelsie Taroli, Jodi Clark, and Elizabeth Gantt

Georgia Eye Institute

912.354.4800

4720 Waters Ave.

912.352.7941

Ophthalmology Associates Location, 2 E. Jackson Blvd.

Other locations in: Pooler, Richmond Hill, Statesboro, Hinesville, Jesup, Vidalia and Bluffton, South Carolina gaeyeinstitute.com

MY MISSION: To provide the best medical and surgical eye care to our community. – Piros

MY MOTTO:

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”

(Maya Angelou) – Bromley

Better vision for a better life. – Piros

TOOLS OF THE TRADE:

My amazing staff and administration and my incredible friends who step up to help me with my children when I’m stuck at work! – Bromley

n li e i ou m o fi e s n m operating room. – Piros

MY HEROINE: My sister Betsy von Trapp, who owns von Trapp Animal Lodge. She

n e e m us eleb e ei fi birthday! – Bromley

BEST BUSINESS ADVICE I EVER RECEIVED: Treat everyone with respect and have a great banker. – Piros

YOU’D NEVER GUESS: I won the Judge’s Top Choice and Top Fundraiser in the Savannah’s Dancing with the Stars. – Piros

I’M PROUD OF: My children. They challenge me and teach me new things every day. – Bromley My Hungarian heritage. – Piros

I HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: e i o n onfi en e. – Piros Realize that they have the power to change their own lives. – Bromley

From left: Judith Piros, MD, and Jennifer Bromley, MD

Fiduciary EDGE Advisors,

MY MISSION: To give my clients peace of mind on the journey to and through retirement.

MY MOTTO: Err on the side of kindness.

I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: Share their time, talents and gifts without being asked.

MY TOOLS OF THE TRADE: Morning coffee i e m l o e o fi e le s ee days a week and a serious laugh daily.

I’VE DISCOVERED: As much as I want to, you can’t trust everyone to do the right thing.

MY REAL JOB DESCRIPTION: Teacher, advocate and problem-solver.

MY LOCAL HEROINE: Stephanie Kaple, the executive director of the Interagency

Council on Homelessness for the City of Savannah. She’s a problem-solver who makes an impact every day – and she’s funny!

WHEN I AM NOT IN THE OFFICE: I’m hiding out on Foxy Loxy Cafe’s back patio, eating tacos and listening to a local musician.

BEST BUSINESS ADVICE I EVER RECEIVED: “Ask why every chance you get.” – The Power Of Why by C. Richard Weylman

I’M THANKFUL FOR: My fun, smart, sassy, beautiful daughters, Rosie, Olivia and Sophia, and my sort of adopted daughter, Meagan.

I HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: Take charge o ei fin n es.

–Answers provided by Jayne W. Di Vincenzo

From left: Meagan H. Keatts; Jayne W. Di Vincenzo AIF, CEP, ChFC; Jeri L. Bice; Caroline E. Chappell; and, not pictured, Olivia E. Di Vincenzo

C. Grant

OUR MISSION: To become your most-loved solution for on-demand health care. At ExperCARE, we synergize high-quality health care and award-winning service to deliver a health-care experience for your whole family that works with your busy schedule.

MY MOTTO: “Whatever you do, work at it with all of your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” – Colossians 3:23

THE BEST BUSINESS ADVICE I EVER RECEIVED: There is little competition at the extraordinary level.

I’M MOST PROUD OF: Our incredible ExperTEAM! Their dedication to excellence, each other and those we serve while embracing learning, growth and innovation is truly inspiring. I am so grateful for the

opportunity to work with so many smart, talented team members who are committed to being the change they believe in as we shape the future of on-demand healthcare.

OUR VISION: Health care on your terms. Whether your need is urgent or routine, access to top-quality health care is readily available to you – no appointment needed! Gone are the days of waiting weeks for an appointment and waiting hours to be seen. As a wife and mom of three girls, I know how precious time is. It is time for health care to evolve and innovate towards a model that works for today’s families. On-demand health care is that solution.

I HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: Think big, lean into their God-given gifts and share them with the world!

Catherine Grant, Founder and CEO

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

BAY STREET REALTY GROUP

912.233.6000

Offices in: Savannah and Skidaway Island; Beaufort, Fripp and Harbor Islands, Coosaw Point and Dataw Island

BayStreetRealtyGroup.com

WE ARE YOUR: Forever agents! Finding your forever home is more than just a transaction; it’s a relationship of trust. We represent you not just as a real estate agent but as partners and trusted advisors. No matter if it’s your fi s ome o ou fin l es in ion e ill l s be e e o ou.

OUR NETWORK: Spans the globe. With mo e n en s n o fi es e u ou ome on e lob l m e . No matter if you are moving to the greater nn e o oss e oun o lobe e n onne ou o e i us e ne o s ou bes in e es in min .

WE CHOOSE TO WORK HERE BECAUSE: BHHS Bay Street Realty Group helps us provide outstanding service to our clients i lob ll us e b n o l l ss

m e in e ellen su o n non om e in b o e o loo s ou o ou bes in e es . e s i e provides tools and resources to our clients that no one else can offer.

WE ARE PROUD OF: o e l s o years being in the Elite Circle – the Top o e es o e s i e ome e i es o l i e. e lso on o o e o e om o o commercial real estate.

WHEN OUR NAME GOES ON A SIGN: me ns some in . s omise o us in e i s bili lon e i n e i es s n o o . e o no e omise li l . s ou ll see ese lues e e e in e e o fi e e e en and every interaction.

From left, front row: Staci Fordham, Lauri Provenza, Liza DiMarco, Marlene Dobbs, Kristine Compton, Heather Booth, Lara Byrnside, Traci Wells, Mary Christy Macdonald; middle row: Marianne Schutz, Chrissie Burriss, Heather Hoyt, Kristy Valdez, Shelley Smith; back row: Ann Nash, Jetti Hearne, Savannah Rubio, Reba Laramy, Patti Lawton, Brandyn Reagan, Carie Kuhn

I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: Support each other. We have so much to gain from each other, and it is amazing what you can do with the support of others cheering you on.

OUR CLIENTS TO DO BUSINESS WITH US BECAUSE: We care. We truly want to make sure that your experience is as great as it possibly can be. We are always asking for feedback on how we can improve, and we are constantly striving to be better than we were yesterday.

I’M MOST THANKFUL FOR: Our team. We have an amazing group of incredible artists.

WE STAY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY BY: Being involved as often as we can. If there is ever a cause or an event that we can support, we are there.

OUR REAL JOB DESCRIPTIONS: I may be the owner, but Kelley is the ring leader in our circus – she truly holds us all together.

THE SECRET TO HAVING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS: Have the right team beside you. I have learned that you have to lean on others. You cannot do it all by yourself and be effective. We have to support, appreciate, encourage and inspire each other.

I LEAD BY: Being transparent and not being afraid to admit when I am wrong. This year I am focused on being a better leader. We have to keep pushing ourselves to learn more and to keep growing. I love this quote: “When you are green, you are growing; when you are ripe, you will rot.”

–Answers provided by Michelle Rouzer, owner

From left: Kelley Davis, manager, and Michelle Rouzer, owner

Morgan Bryant

MORGAN RAE BOUTIQUE 912.658.4259

301B W. Broughton St. (Upstairs) morganraeboutique.com

WHEN I’M NOT IN THE OFFICE: I enjoy s en in ime i m m in fi n is n ou o s mbo n ie. is summe m loo in o o m bo s l nnin ou e in n elin .

ONLY EXPERIENCE COULD TEACH ME: nin business is ull ime ob. oose o be e emel in ol e n n s on i m business e o e e o be e e. i e m sel on n sele in e e sin le ie e o me n ise in m bou i ue lon i s lin us ome s il unnin ou so i l me i oun s os in bi ee l li e s les i i in in ommuni e en s me n isin e bou i ue bein osi i e in uen e n ole mo el o m

e i e e m o em lo ees n so mu mo e. e lis is ne e en in bu m o is o e elmin l e in . oul e ommen n one o is on em l in o enin sm ll business o e n e on ou sel n us o i

TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH: ou mus be in ol e in e ommuni em si e i in b s mu s ossible n o i e e bes e e ien e n se i e o ou us ome s. oose o io i i e un isin o lo l i ies n su o in e o ls o o e omen in business. e o n e e m oes bo e n be on o ou us ome s n e enuinel lo e m in o e s eel im o n onfi en n be u i ul.

AHAS Doctors of Audiology

OUR MISSION: To provide quality hearing healthcare by educating on the importance of hearing and the long-term effects of untreated hearing loss.

WE ADMIRE: Our team of women at AHAS who are expertly trained to care for those with hearing loss. The audiologists each have risen to the top of their professions by earning Doctorate of Audiology degrees. The empathy and patience they show to each of their patients is second to none. They are s on n onfi en omen is proud to have as caring hearing providers.

WE REALIZE THAT HEARING LOSS CAN BE: A very frustrating experience for the entire family. We take time to listen to each patient’s individual needs and concerns so that we can create a successful experience

and hearing treatment plan. We assess a ien s e in efi i s s ell s o e hear speech in a noisy situation and listen to the problematic hearing situations in their life. Treating hearing loss is not a cookie-cutter approach. It takes programming the devices, giving the patient needed time to adapt to hearing again and the patient then experiencing the real world in order to get that right combination of science and art to get the best resolution to their communication needs.

THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH: Service! We give each person individualized attention and over-the-top e. e llo l in oin men s fi e days a week for problems in addition to the scheduled appointments for problems, device cleanings or to stop in for a cup of coffee and our favorite Byrd’s Famous Cookies.

From left: Susan Timna, AuD., CCC-A; Cori Palmer, AuD., CCC-A; Casey Allen, AuD., CCC-A; Sara King, AuD., CCC-A; and Katy Laws, AuD., CCC-A

FAVORITE PART OF MY JOB: I love that every day is completely different and each transaction requires me to pull something different from my skill set. Real estate is not simply showing someone a house; you have to truly listen and be a matchmaker. It’s so satisfying when you are able to translate your client’s wants and needs into a house, and they walk in and say, “This is the one!”

I’M MOST KNOWN FOR: My level of real estate competency and being pleasant to work with. These two qualities have helped me win my clients over in multiple-offer situations more times than I can count simply because the agent on the other side knows the professionalism and likeability that I bring to the table. There is so much more that goes into a transaction once you go under contract. I am always thinking 12 steps ahead and have

a million different scenarios playing through my head so that I am always prepared if we have a roadblock or bump in the road.

ON DEALING WITH STRESS AND MAINTAINING A WORK-LIFE BALANCE: The biggest change I made was hiring an assistant! I had to learn to delegate and let go of certain tasks and trust that someone else could do them. Having someone to work alongside me and hold me accountable has helped me tremendously with prioritizing and managing stress.

THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS: Don’t burn any bridges! Savannah is just a big small town. Maintaining positive business relationships are extremely important in not only making yourself successful, but also in better serving your clients.

MY MISSION: To empower women –one tan at a time!

MY MOTTO: If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not taking risks, and that means you’re not going anywhere. The key is to make mistakes faster than the competition, so you have more chances to learn from and win.

I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: Build each other up and focus on community rather than competition!

THE SECRET TO GROWING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS IS: Stay involved with the community and be aware of what is going on so you can evolve your business and contribute to local demands.

I LEAD BY: Staying authentic to my true self and what I believe in. I’ve learned to trust my instincts while delegating tasks to my team and know how to ask for help when I need it.

THREE THINGS I MUST HAVE: A trusted team/staff, my calendar and my community/support system.

THE BEST BUSINESS ADVICE I EVER RECEIVED: Do not follow where the path may lead, go where there is no path and leave a trail.

YOU’D NEVER GUESS THAT: I had a beet tattooed on my shoulder long before I knew that I would have a product made from beets. My son loved beets as a toddler, and years ago I put a heart-shaped beet there for him.

Cecilia Russo Turner

HOW I GOT STARTED: In 2008, I was hired to handle the publicity and event planning for Tour de Georgia, a U.S. professional road cycling stage race across our state. I never looked back! I was determined and prayerful. Since then, I am grateful to have worked with a multitude of businesses and philanthropic organizations, providing strategic communications, marketing, fundraising and public relations counsel.

TO CELEBRATE OUR 15TH ANNIVERSARY: in om e o m fi s lien men ever received, I am offering three Cecilia Russo Marketing Entrepreneur Grants for $5,000 each for new small business owners in the State of Georgia – awarding $15,000 total to commemorate 15 amazing years! Grants will be awarded in November. Learn more about the application process on our website.

I’M GIVING OUT ENTREPRENEURSHIP

GRANTS BECAUSE: With a lot of hard work, many prayers and true lasting relationships, I’ve seen my business grow more than I could have ever imagined. It feels good to recognize this milestone by paying it forward to a business owner who’s in the same situation I was in when I started.

ADVICE I WOULD TELL ANY NEW

ENTREPRENEUR: No grit, no pearl! Work hard, dream big, say your prayers and always be honest and kind. Small business ownership taught me when to let go and fearlessly pursue my passions. You have a choice of whom to work with, so choose to invest your time and energy in those with the same aspirations, integrity and trustworthiness.

Colleagues & Lovers & Savoy Society

COLLEAGUES & LOVERS

912.999.6582 • 4523 Habersham St. colleaguesandloverssavannah.com

SAVOY SOCIETY

912.662.6665 • 102 E. Liberty #109 savoysociety.com

MY LOCAL HEROINES: My mother, Marilyn, is so youthful, energetic and adventurous. She’s the blueprint. Anything I wanted to do she always supported. My sister, Clara, and my mother owned Cafe Metropole together when Clara was only 23 years old. Seeing my sister open a successful business so early in her career really inspired me to do the same.

THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH: Hire amazing people and treat them with respect and be good to your locals. They are who make the city go ‘round.

MY MOTTO: It’s 9 o’clock somewhere.

MY FAVORITE BAR: The Tile Bar in the East Village in New York City. Low frills, unassuming, but tons of personality. Excellent jukebox. Whenever I stop in for a drink, it feels like home.

TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE: I was raised by hippies in Omaha, Nebraska; I got my undergrad in fashion marketing; and I went to an all-girls school, which I was politely asked to leave.

ON MY DAYS OFF: I like to hit a yoga class, cook with local ingredients, make myself a gin martini and watch “Gossip Girl.”

–Answers provided by Jane Fishel, owner

From left, front: Ema Sampey, Jane Fishel, Maia Boboia and Salana Colaprete; back: Alexis Cooper, Ashely Simeone, Gina Berchin, Kiana Ortega and Anna Fleming

OUR CORE VALUES: Competence, exclusivity and passion. There is a single vision shared by the professional women who represent Engel & Völkers: to link the aspirations of discerning individuals around the world, be it in a private or business context, with total passion.

OUR PREMIER BUSINESS: A comprehensive residential real estate brokerage, we proudly serve Savannah and its neighboring coastal communities. Engel & Völkers is an esteemed global real estate company established in Europe in 1977, boasting more than 1,000 shops across 38 countries. By joining forces i n el l e s ou bou i ue fi m n market homes on a global scale, broadening exposure to an elite international audience.

OUR REFINED BRAND: Engel & Völkers proudly unveils an elevated visual identity,

seamlessly merging heritage with modernity. Our sophisticated logo, innovative marketing materials and harmonious network assets showcase our commitment to exceptional service and future growth. Embracing a digitalfi s o ou efine b n in s ens our competitive edge in luxury real estate.

OUR ENDURING COMMITMENT: “Opening the Door to the Coastal Empire for Over 50 Years.” As a trusted real estate partner, we have been guiding clients through their journey in Savannah and the surrounding coastal communities for more than half a century. Our dedication to exceptional service, local expertise and global reach continues to set us apart as we help unlock the treasures of the Coastal Empire. Although our team has grown to more than 50 advisors, our commitment to our community remains the same.

From left, front center: Farrell Click, Jessica Kelly, Lana Sanders; back center: Sarah Pounders, Kelly Bittinger, Julia Evans, Melody Rodriguez, Kimberly Miltiades, Danni Evans; back row: Natalie Schroder, Anna Grace Crawford, Teo Doms, Nadia Pidgeon, Ramona Minter, Thabo Bailey Hall, Ann Boese, Victoria Turner, Caitlin Carter, Ashley Behkle, Nazira Waldo, Carson Anderson, Kelly Mitchell

Kellie Hu & Lauren Hetzel

MY MISSION: To help as many people as possible live a longer, healthier life so they can pursue their purpose and make this world a better place. – Hu

MY FAVORITE QUOTE: “My mom said to me, ‘You know sweetheart, one day you should settle down and marry a rich man,’ and I said, ‘Mom, I am a rich man.’” (Cher) – Hetzel

I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: Work to uplift all women. We talk about uplifting the women around us in business, and we often seek out opportunities to mentor women coming up in the space in which we work. However, I think there is still a disconnect once we leave our “team.” I admire women who are kind and uplifting to all women around them, especially the ones who hold strong differences or are a competitor. – Hetzel

ONLY EXPERIENCE COULD TEACH ME: If a person’s words and actions are not in alignment, the truth is found in their actions. – Hu

I’M MOST THANKFUL THAT: I grew up in an environment where I didn’t see any difference between what I would be able to do in my career and life and what the boys I grew up with would be able to do. That’s because of the women trailblazers in the generations be o e o ul s ifi e o le el is l in fiel bu i s lso be use o in u I had a mother who owned businesses as my direct role model. – Hetzel

I HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: Bring their children into their businesses. Volunteer o obs e e ei il en see fi s n that their parents are contributing to their community. – Hu

From left: Lauren Hetzel and Kellie Huff

WE ARE: A successful group of professional women who are experts in real estate in nn oole i mon ill fin m County and areas beyond. We are your trusted advisors with unparalleled integrity and local market knowledge, all combined with the advantage of the global Coldwell Banker brand and the unprecedented marketing power behind it.

WE PROVIDE: Results by creating strategic marketing and pricing strategies that maximize your home’s marketability, aimed at selling your home in the shortest time possible at the most favorable price. Coldwell Banker is there for you in all aspects of the home sale process. Our primary services ensure you’ll receive complete ssis n e om s o finis i in ou one-stop-shop convenience.

WE KNOW: For many people, buying ome is one o e l es fin n i l transactions they’ll make. When purchasing, we guide you every step of e o fin e ome o ou e ms by helping you negotiate the best terms and conditions that meet your real estate goals. We are committed to your complete satisfaction, and will represent your interests with the utmost care, honesty, integrity and discretion.

CLIENTS CHOOSE TO DO BUSINESS WITH US: Because we are experienced, loyal, trustworthy agents who are a part of Coldwell Banker Access Realty with 12 o fi es in ou olin n eo i . e are well-equipped to provide exceptional support and unsurpassed marketing tools in real estate.

From left, standing: Lyn McCuen, Arnetta Gibert, Kim Kersey, Jill Poole, LaSherry Willis, Karen H. Thomas, Kappy Chisholm; sitting: Lauren Camara, Sharon Darley, Jane Beare, Cricket Walton, Joan Johnson

Gay Fortson & Libby Miller

OUR MOTTO: Good friends deserve great coffee and delectable food.

ONLY EXPERIENCE COULD TEACH ME THAT: Employees will respect leaders and business owners when they feel respected. Our staff feels like family to us, and our customers feel this great vibe.

OUR REAL JOB DESCRIPTIONS: Libby has worked for the Savannah-Chatham County Board of Education for 30 years. In her off time, she crunches numbers for the shop and spends time with her mother. Gay, the face of Friendship Coffee, works with the staff, creates the menu and mingles with customers.

OUR INSPIRATION: We started Friendship Coffee because of Libby’s brother, Scott Miller. Scott, who owned Ogeechee

River Coffee Company in Statesboro and then Habersham Village, passed away unexpectedly in 2012. Libby wanted to continue providing Scott’s great coffee to the community, so we started as a wholesale coffee provider. In 2015, we opened a brickand-mortar to warehouse our coffee and newly created cold brew coffee served in a bottle. Once opened, we became interested in creating a hub for the community to gather for freshly made foods, delicious coffees and to meet friends. We began selling meals in 2016, and this year we celebrate 10 years!

MOST PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED WHEN THEY LEARN: In 2009, we were guests on the “Rachel Ray” talk show with our umbrella cockatoo, Coco, and cat, Lucky. Subsequently, our pets were featured on Animal Planet, in a book and plush toys on Amazon.

From left: Gay Fortson and Libby Miller

BANKSOUTH MORTGAGE HAS BEEN: Serving the Savannah community since 2015 and is committed to providing excellent service. We recognize the importance of women in business and actively promote their involvement, as the success of women-led businesses can have a positive impact on the community. This can lead to economic growth, job creation and an overall thriving community. The BankSouth Mortgage team includes many inspiring women who are making a difference in their community.

WE HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: Believe in their strength and beauty. – Kelli Causey

ONLY EXPERIENCE COULD TEACH ME: That mistakes are a fact of life. It’s the response to error that makes the difference.

– Carol Schretter

MY FAVORITE QUOTE: Albert Einstein said, “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” – Mandi Macklin

WE ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: Show strength and positivity with compassion and empathy. – Katie Patronis Hold themselves to a higher standard and show kindness to others. – Ivy Eilerman

I BELIEVE: Being a positive example encourages others to be successful.

– Jill Elmgren

WHEN THEY’RE NOT AT WORK: The women of BankSouth Mortgage are actively involved in their community. Katy Kirby enjoys spending time with her family by the pool or at the golf course, as well as volunteering at her children’s school.

From left, sitting: Katie Patronis, Carol Schretter, Katy Kirby; standing: Ivy Eilerman, Mandi Macklin, Carla Estep and Jill Elmgren

MY MOTTO: Never stop learning. “Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow.” – Anthony J. D’Angelo

MOST PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED WHEN THEY LEARN: I am a high processer. I thrive on analyzing data to manage risk and bringing order to anything I do by following systems and processes to make them consistent and repeatable in the future. If a process doesn’t exist, I’ll create it!

WHEN I’M NOT IN THE OFFICE: I like to listen to books, watch podcasts or spend time in my garden with my two dogs.

THE BEST BUSINESS CONNECTION I EVER MADE: Larry Janesky – a friend, business partner and mentor. Through the School

of Entrepreneurship and coaching, he has provided me the opportunity to mature and grow as a leader. I am forever grateful.

I’M MOST THANKFUL FOR: My husband and best friend, Rob. Our talents and abilities are completely opposite, but they complement each other, and we make one another better. With 25 years in business, being married to your business partner has not always been easy. We’ve had to learn to trust and respect each other’s role, emb e o u i e on i o sol e bi issues, then choose to be a united front once a decision is made. Rob is my biggest cheerleader in life. I’m so thankful for the time and passion he has poured into our business and for the opportunity for us to do life together.

WE OFFER : An enlightened approach to aesthetics. Glow MedSpa makes you feel your best by providing beautiful and natural results – elegant, exclusive, artistic and unforgettable. We love to help others feel, think and do better.

WE’RE SO EXCITED BECAUSE: Our femalefounded and woman-owned business celebrates its 17th anniversary in June!

OUR FOCUS IN 2023: Every year our team o s o e e o se s e ifi in en ion n focus on improving the patient experience.

THE SECRET TO OUR SUCCESS: Our patientfi s o us n obsessi el i s n o consistently achieving extraordinary results

have been the guiding principles behind everything we do at Glow MedSpa.

WHAT’S NEXT: We are in rapid expansion mode right now! We are about to begin construction on our addition next door to our Midtown location. Due to the overwhelming response to the Glow and Go walk-in services we offer Monday through Saturday, we will launch our newest concept GlowBar. We are thrilled to announce we will be opening Glow Richmond Hill in Fall 2024 and then Glow Bluffton in early 2025. Our plan is to open another 10 Glow MedSpas across the Southeast in the next 10 years.

WE HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: Remember to take time for themselves.

Glow MedSpa owner and founder Courtney Victor, front center, with members of the Glow Midtown team. Glow MedSpa is proud to have been winner of Savannah magazine’s Best of Savannah for 15 years in a row.

Hancock Askew & Co.

ACCOUNTANTS AND ADVISORS

912.234.8243

100 Riverview Drive

Offices in Geor ia and Florida

hancockaskew.com

OUR CLIENTS DO BUSINESS WITH US BECAUSE: We are the oldest and largest oun in fi m in nn n e s ill e e lien i e s me en usi sm n es e s e i e fi s lien . e buil e son l onne ions i ou lien s n e l s s i e o em o e ou lien s o e ei fin n i l o ls.

WE VALUE: ein us e ssion e en e n e bes e o e e .

THE KEY TO OUR LONGEVITY: We are ommi e o oin s bes o ou lien s ou em lo ees n is ommuni . e e losin si o ou o e lues is ou se e s u e. e e l s inno in ou se i es so e n e o e mo e ime o se in s us e iso s o ou lien s.

OUR TOOLS OF THE TRADE: Our un men ls ou milies n in un u i m un men ls o me nin ul e i ion u o e s fi s e . e e e o e e e ision e m e. u milies ee us oun e n e eleb e ou su esses.

WE’RE PROUD OF: e ou fi m n em lo ees i e b o e ommuni . u e m se es on bo s un ises n s onso s non ofi e en s su o ou nei bo s n s en en ou ommuni .

YOU’D NEVER GUESS: e n o s e omen i u e e e in lu e n i e e ne ol e e i e o i len e oo o e o me isne l n em lo ee e o e ennis l e n e fi s em le o m i ul e mou olle e.

From left, standing: Aya Maeda, Susan Clifford, Kate Haslam and Kristine Pendilla; seated: Kristi Lowenthal, Carolyn McIntosh and Michelle Lewis

OUR MISSION: To provide the right care in the right place at the right time for anyone in our area who needs help.

CLIENTS CHOOSE TO DO BUSINESS WITH US BECAUSE: We have a reputation for providing exceptional care to patients and their families during their time of greatest need.

WE STAY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY BY: Collaborating with leaders in Chatham, n ibe n fin m oun ies. e have always had a reputation for identifying the unmet needs of the community and implementing new programs to improve the lives of others even if they aren’t terminally ill. A perfect example of this was in 2020 when we opened several COVID clinics throughout the area to ensure that our neighbors had access to vaccines in a timely manner.

MOST PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED WHEN THEY LEARN: More than 80% of the care we provide is in the comfort of the patient’s own home. Most people are also surprised when they learn that most if not all the cost of hospice is paid through their Medicare benefi e i i i e insu n e o ou self-pay.

ONLY EXPERIENCE COULD TEACH US: Taking care of the terminally ill is an art form. Each patient is unique, and each patient has a different story.

ONE OF OUR LOCAL HEROINES: Our oun e n fi s e e u i e i e o nne

K. Stewart. Without her vision and tireless dedication to caring for the terminally ill of our community more than 43 years ago, Hospice Savannah would not be in existence.

From left: Deneice Knowles, RN, Vice President of Clinical Services; Kathleen D. Benton, DrPh, President/CEO; Hayda T. Perdue, MD, Medical Director of Hospice; Terri Collins, RN, BBA, MA, VP Business Development & Strategy; Ilyce Brinn, MS CCC-SLP, Vice President of Operations and Employee Development; Eiko M. Watanabe Ballarta, MD, Associate Medical Director (not shown)

Lesley Francis

PEOPLE DON’T ALWAYS REALIZE: Our website development, digital media, social media and SEO business has grown m i ll in e en e s. is fi s i ou long-standing expertise in traditional public relations. Our new branding communicates that LFPR is a full-service marketing agency offering media relations, copywriting, strategic input, reputation management, issues and crisis management, digital design, graphic design, branding, event management, advertising and website, online marketing and social media services.

I AM MOST PROUD OF: My team of nine dedicated, hard-working, talented women. Not only do we all have our own areas of expertise, but we also take pride in working together effectively, respecting and understanding each other’s strengths and knowledge base.

I’VE DISCOVERED: There are no short cuts, n one si e oes no fi ll. e ul e e tive marketing program must be individually ilo e o mee e s e ifi nee s n budget of each client. We work hard to build initiatives that “punch above their weight” to give the best possible return on investment. Unlike old-fashioned PR and marketing programs, we always take an integrated approach and measure our performance on tangible and documented results.

HOW I STAY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY: I have been very blessed. Having sold my PR agency in London, I came to Savannah in 2009 determined to “pay it forward.” We donate 20 percent of our bill ble ime o non ofi o ni ions.

–Answers provided by Lesley Francis, owner

From left: Allie Robinson, Account Director; Shelby McKee, Vice President of Digital Design; Lesley Francis, Founder and CEO; and Kristyn Beasley, Vice President of Marketing; not pictured: Chloe Davis, Account Executive; Catherine Kilburg, Digital Media Coordinator; Julia Shin, Website Developer; Mary Thompson, Blog and Copywriter; Heather Ryerson, Website Designer; and Misty Faucheux, Digital Marketing Specialist

Dale Parker

I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT: Pickleball, a nice bottle of wine and a great restaurant.

MY LOCAL HEROINE: My sister Cindy Robinett. Cindy is a fantastic mother, wife, a very successful businesswoman and my best friend.

I’M THANKFUL FOR: J. Parker’s continuous success for more than 50 years, our loyal customers and my family and friends.

MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT SAVANNAH: Living on the coast and being on the boat or at the beach.

THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS IS: Loyalty, friendship, treating everyone with respect and offering great products and customer service. We spend a lot of time at

m e n e s o s bu in s e ifi ll for the Savannah market.

I LEAD BY: Having a strong work ethic and staying involved in the community. I serve on the boards of the Savannah Waterfront Association, Downtown Business Association, Greater Savannah Athletic Hall of Fame and am a member of Rotary Club of Savannah.

THE BEST BUSINESS ADVICE I’VE EVER RECEIVED: Comes from coaching basketball, the business that I truly know – you miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.

THE SECRET SAUCE: Surround yourself with good people. A great network of people you can trust and lean on at work and in your personal life is invaluable.

Goodwill Southeast Georgia

GOODWILL SOUTHEAST GEORGIA IS: A complex and diverse social enterprise. We support our mission to help individuals overcome barriers to sustainable employment through revenue generated from our unique business programs including donated goods retail stores, advanced manufacturing program and AbilityOne contracts. We’re proud of the women who lead across our organization.

OUR MOTTO: Changing lives through the power of work.

MY MISSION: To empower and inspire people to achieve their greatest personal and professional potential. – Laura Villegas

I LEAD BY: The principles of servant leadership. I believe that we have the

responsibility to encourage and lift others up to make the biggest impact. – Jessica Penny

I HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: Stay strong through life’s journey and don’t let anyone tell them that they are not great. – Valarie Wiles MY TOOLS OF THE TRADE: Perseverance, accountability, a work-life balance and a good cup of coffee. – Veronica Styron

I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: Don’t minimize their accomplishments, but rather celebrate them and the success of others. – Meredith Champagne

I’M MOST PROUD OF: My bachelor’s n m s e s e ees s m e fi s generation in my family to attain a college degree. – Laura Villegas

From left: Veronica Styron, Vice President, Mission Services; Meredith Champagne, Vice President, Strategy; Valarie Wiles, Vice President, Information Technology; Jessica Penny, Vice President, Donated Goods Retail; not pictured: Laura Villegas, Chief Human Resources and Compliance Officer

Jones & Bull

912.228.8851

1 W. Jones St., Suite 1B

jonesandbull.com

OUR MISSION: To provide a uniquely curated shopping experience that inspires our customers to visualize the creative possibilities of their own living and working s es usin fine ob e s n u ni u e.

MOST PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED WHEN THEY LEARN: We both started our careers s e u o s. obin u elemen n special education for years before dabbling in in e io e o in . ie u o fi e e s e e men o e ense u ion i i s ool in n u e n en se e l mo e e s in on on.

WE KNEW WE WANTED TO HAVE A HOME DÉCOR SHOP: en e i ou fi s ome s in n e o in obs o e e in . esi es bein n e se o n s o obin s l e o e s ie e e

for many of the clients who wanted custom ie es o ei ne l e o e omes. e o e o e e u in ie s olle e b e s n summe ions e .

WE’RE MOST THANKFUL FOR:

My mom for teaching me to sew when I was e oun . el e me l un m fi s business se in us om e ies i snowballed into home staging and interior e o in . – Robin Napoli

My parents for supporting my decision to m o in n m i s o e me some in ne e e . – Katie Napoli-Freeman

CURRENTLY, WE’RE COLLABORATING ON: ll e esi es sellin ie s o n ee in s in ou s o e e l nnin o e line o us om illus e ll e i s oul be il ble b is summe .

Katie Napoli-Freeman, left, and Robin Napoli

Mary Katherine Alexander

I’M MOST PROUD TO: Be a native Savannahian — my family has been thriving here for six generations. I absolutely adore Savannah. What a majestic place to call home!

MY MISSION: As a Realtor, my No. 1 goal is to be honest and give you the best information possible. You make the choice to in lu e me in e e i in o ess o fin in your next home, and I want that to be a choice you would make over and over again!

ONLY EXPERIENCE COULD TEACH ME: No two transactions are ever alike, and they all come with their own obstacles.

MY ADVICE TO SOMEONE SELLING THEIR HOME: Price it right. If you price a home too high, it will sit. Price it right, and you’ll draw multiple offers to drive that number up.

I HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: Invest in real estate. Think about the tax breaks, equity buil in s o n o on n on

I STAY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY BY: olun ee in . ou n o en fin me my daughter’s school, Blessed Sacrament Catholic School, hosting a teacher appreciation dinner or donning a costume for some fun fundraiser.

AN EXCITING SALE: I recently listed a home for sale on Suncrest Boulevard that is now under contract for $920,000. The seller was downsizing after losing her husband and wanted a home in a neighborhood with no available inventory. I sent a letter to every home asking for interest in selling. Someone was! My seller was thrilled and closed on her new home last month for $420,000.

MY MISSION: To change the way people feel about insurance. That means doing things differently, with the highest standards and being client-focused.

FAVORITE THOUGHT ON LEADERSHIP: “Leaders don’t lead because they want recognition or enemies. They lead because there is something they must do, build, create, transform and change. They lead because it’s who they are and what they are meant to do. Positive leadership doesn’t mean you won’t be criticized. It means you have the grit and belief to overcome it.”

– Jon Gordon, Ignore the Critics

I’M THANKFUL FOR: My clients. So many have been with me for my 25-year journey and were integral in LUCENT’s creation. I appreciate them immensely.

THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH: Trust. Do the right thing and do things right.

MY HEROES: My parents, CDR O.C. Fowler Jr., USN, Ret. and Leslie B. Fowler. Both taught me to be independent and to always live by the Golden Rule. They helped shape my life with positivity, purpose and passion.

I GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY: Through Shine Bright like a “Diamond” – Causeway Cleanup. I started a volunteer group with Bill McBride to clean litter from the Diamond Causeway. We continue to gain volunteers and help protect our marshlands (facebook.com/ diamondcausewaycleanup). I also support the Navy League of the U.S., Savannah Council, which assists active-duty sea-service members and families (savannahnavyleague.us).

Jen Byers

MYSTIC

311 W. Broughton St., Floor 3 mysticapothecary.com

MY MISSION: To encourage and empower the spiritual side of individuals through holistic methods, spiritual readings, mentorship and manifestation.

MY MOTTO: There is magic in all of us. MY CLIENTS DO BUSINESS WITH ME BECAUSE: I offer a unique Savannah spiritual experience through ghost tours, psychic, tarot and palm readings and Mystic Apothecary. Mystic Apothecary is a metaphysical shop with hand-crafted herbal remedies, teas and spiritual items from my apothecary and other local mystic makers. I carry a large selection of curios and herbs for all paths. My clients range from seasoned local witches and hoodoo practitioners to people who are here for bachelorette parties e in ei fi s o e in .

MOST PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED WHEN THEY LEARN: I have eight children. My oldest is 22, and the youngest is 1 – and seven of them have shown that they have spiritual gifts.

I’M MOST THANKFUL FOR: The support of my loving husband and psychic medium, Brian Byers. He always knew my talents and abilities and let me blossom at my speed.

I’M MOST PROUD OF: My daughter Anya who, despite having epilepsy, continues to be a strong and powerful woman and doesn’t let anything get in the way of her dreams.

MY LOCAL MENTOR: Mama Kay, owner of Big Bon Bodega, taught me the importance of family and balance and was a wealth of knowledge when starting my business.

NAWIC

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION COASTAL GEORGIA CHAPTER #380

nawiccoastalga.org

OUR MISSION: To support women in the construction industry through professional development, business opportunities, community outreach and mentoring programs.

OUR MOTTO FOR THIS YEAR: “Envision Equity.”

WE ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: Forge their own way and bring others along with them.

YOU’D NEVER GUESS THAT: Our local chapter is one of 115 chapters across the United States. We are the face and the voice of women in construction. The National Association of Women in ons u ion is n in e n ion l non ofi organization of more than 7,000 women

in hundreds of chapters worldwide providing education, networking, legislative awareness, industry collaboration, community involvement, business and personal development and lifelong friendships.

WE HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: Join us in the construction industry. Women in the United States earn, on average, 82.9 percent of what men make. The gender pay is si nifi n l sm lle in ons u ion occupations – with women earning on average 95.5 percent of what men make.

OUR TOOLS OF THE TRADE: According to our NAWIC pledge, are the agility of our hands, the ability of our mind and the integrity of our hearts.

From left, front row: Jordan Hardy, White Electrical; Laura Skellie, Balfour Beatty; Robin Grenchik, Custom Cabinets by Williamson Millworks; Erin Clay, W Projects; Ashley Field, Alair Homes; and Sherry Reed-Schaff, Comfort Systems USA, Southeast; back row: Jessica Leavitt Ouattara, Alair Homes; Dee Froehlich, The Greenery, Inc ; Jessica Edenfield, Alair Homes; Kristina Giles, Contractor’s Depot; and Jenna Watkins, Parker Scott Properties

Refine Savannah

OUR MISSION: To improve the quality of life of our patients by building their onfi en e ou s e n e e i e aesthetic procedures.

WE ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: Create space and paths for other women to blaze through. It’s no secret that women can be successful, but it often takes a trailblazer to show others that it can be done. Because our foundation is in nursing, we were accustomed to being in a woman’s world. In the business world, you often have to prove to others that you can – whatever your “can” is! Watching that in other women can be empowering.

WE’RE PROUD OF: Our team! Our team at efine s o n in o n m in ou o women with as much skill and passion for what they do as us. We love being in an

industry dominated by female providers and patients. Our mission is providing treatments ins ill onfi en e in omen so e e e onfi en e o s o u o e o l as the woman they want to be, not who they’re supposed to be.

WE HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: Embrace doing the things that make them feel like their best selves. The stigma of cosmetic treatment is fading. We have seen what can en en omen in onfi en e it has a ripple effect that impacts every ounce of their life in a positive way.

WE’RE THANKFUL FOR: Spouses who have supported our mission from day one. Being women in business is one thing, but when we have working spouses and kids, it requires a ton of extra effort and time.

From left: co-owners Martina Kolovich, MSN, AGNP and Janie Futch, BSN, RN

OUR MISSION: To deliver what research and common sense tell us kids need – healthy beginnings, positive interactions with caring adults, age-appropriate learning activities and plenty of time for fun and making friends.

MOST PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED WHEN THEY LEARN: I was raised in the country o i i lo e o s i e n oo in trapeze classes.

MY LOCAL HEROINE: Malena Stone. Hands down, she is the most inspirational person in Savannah. She motivates and inspires us all o s e u n fin o mee e nee s o ose in ou ommuni . ou ill fin e at PACK Savannah on Waters Avenue making sure thousands of kids in Savannah have food every week, toys for Christmas and basic necessities all year.

THE BEST BUSINESS ADVICE I EVER RECEIVED: “The business of business is people.” – the late Herb Kelleher, American billionaire airline businessman and lawyer. Everything in business is relational, whether that is building or leading a great team, caring for children or offering superior customer service to families.

I’M MOST THANKFUL FOR: The more than 60 remarkable, compassionate, professional women I work alongside every day. They show up in big and small ways consistently to provide excellent care and positive experiences for children and their families. They make providing exceptional care to more than 250 children look like an easy task.

OUR MISSION: To provide comprehensive services to promote independence with i ni n onfi en e o ose o e blind or visually impaired.

OUR MOTTO: To serve everyone in our 29-county area who needs help with their vision loss. We work closely with area ophthalmologists and optometrists to ensure ei lien s in nee o blin o lo ision skills training receive the help they need.

WE ARE PROUD OF: Our serene and beautiul s ul u e en e e b ou s u en s and built with love by Autumn and Josh Gary. u s onso s o i e lo in su o n e could do nothing without them.

HOW WE HELP: Once a client has been e e e o us b ei ision s e i lis e

do an evaluation to ascertain what type o el n in i i u l m nee . e e orientation and mobility instructors who e eo le o el s el n e e i e use o i e ne. e e the latest in assistive technology and ommuni ion ools in lu in om u e skills and how to use GPS on their cell phones. We teach blind people how to m s e e e ouse ol o o s ool o e i onfi en e. e el eo le with vision loss return to work or school n o e ounselin o el us o blindness. Our Low Vision Department i s in ob inin m nifi ion n ne and distant devices to enhance their vision. e e ision s eenin s oun e i o e i be es m in en n e l sses n el s ool il en us o ei s ool or neighborhood environments.

From left: Leslie Eatherly, Director of Development; Anika Futch, Director of Services; Deborah Desilus, Receptionist; A.J. Walker, Orientation & Mobility Specialist; Dr. Emerson Brown, Low Vision Optometrist; Cecilia Emery, OTR/Occupational Therapist; Kaleena Coyle, Special Projects Coordinator; and Lois Modell, Executive Director

MY MOTTO: “Happiness is not just a mood — it’s a work ethic.” (Shawn Achor) Happiness comes from developing discipline and e in e l ou ines buil onfi en e. These things are based on the amount of effort and work you put forth in getting where you desire to be.

THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS: Always fin s o inno e. e e on inuousl improving who we are and what we do in order to better serve our community and help people achieve their optimal dental and overall health.

I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: Have the courage to make a difference in this world – those individuals who leave their mark and march to their own drum. Sometimes that can be incredibly intimidating. You will always

receive push-back and have those who doubt ou. o e onfi en e in ou sel o o something extraordinary isn’t easy, but, as they say, nothing worth doing is easy.

YOU’D NEVER GUESS: I chose to become a dentist based on my own personal experience with trauma as a young child. I’ve always been adventurous and, as a result, when I was young, I had dental trauma that could have affected my journey to be e bes mos onfi en e sion o m sel . Luckily, I had a dentist who was so kind, caring and highly skilled in esthetic dentistry. I wanted to return that to the world and take e o o e s be use no onfi en smile is so important to our self-esteem. I love treating both children and adults. There is so much we can do developmentally to help children develop a beautiful smile.

Savannah Magazine

Editorial: 912.652.0297

Advertising: 912.652.0294

Marketing/Circulation: 912.652.0293

6602 Abercorn St., Suite 202

savannahmagazine.com

OUR MISSION: To celebrate the new and enduring voices of our city’s culture, commerce and creative community.

OUR REAL JOBS ARE BEING: Curators of Savannah culture. Natives and newcomers on our staff are all avid, active ambassadors of the unparalleled Savannah lifestyle.

WE ARE PROUD OF: Being Savannah’s premier city magazine for 34 years. Each year, we publish six Savannah magazines, four HOMES issues, our annual Southern Coastal Weddings and a variety of publications for the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce.

OUR FAVORITE DAYS: When we hear from readers and partners who say someone pointed them out in a story or turned to them after seeing their advertisement. Or

when an article or cover is shared or tagged on Instagram. Or when a transplant calls for a recommendation for a doctor, restaurant or interior designer and wants a copy of our annual Best of Savannah reader surveys. Long before social media, Savannah magazine was n em ins e e l nn in uen e .

MOST PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED WHEN THEY LEARN: We helped create the best-selling o o eo ol s e e m. n ono o ou 25th anniversary, we teamed up with Leopold’s to create “Savannah Socialite.” Naming this concoction of chocolate, bourbon-infused caramel and pecans was as fun as the taste tests!

WE HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: Buy local. By supporting local shops, restaurants and business professionals and services, you are investing in on our community.

From left, front: Melanie Schmermund, Jill Strauss, Catherine Wooditch, Lane Pelliccione and Rebecca Hrizuk; back: Anita Hagin, Andrea Burg, Jane Townsend, Morgan Crolley and Colleen McNally; not pictured: Holly Todd

MY MISSION: To expand access of endocrinology health-care services in the Lowcountry area, improve health and wellbeing in our community and care for patients with long-term health conditions. Hormones l i i l ole in efinin ou biolo n affect our health throughout our life. My goal is to provide chronic disease management, slow down the progression of diseases n el ien s fin s o on ol ei symptoms, allowing them to enjoy their lives. We empower our patients through education and demonstrating the importance of knowledge, nutrition and exercise.

I LEAD BY: Vision and direction. My extensive knowledge in chemistry, medicine, research and training in hormone interpretation allows me to distinguish human variation from disease.

MY TOOLS OF THE TRADE: Daily exercise, a balanced diet and a good night’s sleep. And I try to live life with determination and purpose.

I LOVE WHAT I DO BECAUSE: I help my patients gain a better understating of ei e l n fin s o im o e ei quality of life. At Savannah Endocrinology, we empower our patients to live their best life. Endocrinology involves caring for the person as well as the disease, which oftentimes is a lifelong condition. I value the long-term relationships with my patients and their families.

I’M THANKFUL FOR: My life journey, my loving and supportive family, my caring staff and our patients who entrust us with their care.

Ismary De Castro, MD

Savannah Station

OUR MISSION: To provide a fun, safe, relaxed and beautiful environment for celebrations of all kinds, big or small.

WE’RE EXCITED THAT: Savannah Station is celebrating its 25th year in business this year!

MY MOTTO: Learn something new every day.

I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: Believe in themselves.

I’VE LEARNED THE HARD WAY: Sometimes you have to say no. Extending oneself past what is feasible produces a lower quality of work. Quality over quantity wins every time.

THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS: Create long-lasting and healthy relationships with other businesses, vendors and organizations.

I LEAD BY: Example. I don’t ask anything of anybody that I wouldn’t do or have not done myself.

BEST BUSINESS ADVICE I EVER RECEIVED: Don’t sweat the small stuff.

YOU’D NEVER GUESS THAT: I danced competitively for many years.

I’M THANKFUL FOR: My life! I have been very fortunate. I have been working in this space for 25 years in August. I have an amazing, supportive husband. I still have my wonderful parents. My children, staff, friends are what drive me.

I’M PROUD OF: My children and weight loss.

–Answers provided by Theresa Rose Reed

From left, standing: Tina Andrews, Sarah Davis, Diane Parks, Emily Szynaka, Amber Smith and Wendy Todd; seated: America Welch, Theresa Reed and Muriel Harper

OUR MISSION: To create a culture of compassion for our patients and each other, driven by purpose, innovation and a desire for exceptional patient outcomes and experiences.

I HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: Realize nothing makes a woman more beautiful than the belief she has in herself.

– Barbara L. Davies, MD FACS

MY CLIENTS DO BUSINESS WITH ME

BECAUSE: I am honest and meticulous. I study their faces and take the time to understand their facial movements and shapes. I utilize my background in art to provide natural, balanced, beautiful results.

– Karen Bouchard, PA-C, Aesthetic Physician Assistant

MY TOOLS OF THE TRADE: All the injectables, including Restylane, Juvederm,

Botox/Dysport, Sculptra, Radiesse, multiple laser platforms and medical-grade skincare.

– Bouchard

I’VE LEARNED THE HARD WAY THAT: Life doesn’t get easier; you just get stronger. – Davies

WE ARE THANKFUL FOR: All the patients who have believed in the practice and our physicians and have been a part of a “New You.” This summer we will be unveiling a “New Us.” Along with providing the latest technology, we are the only practice in Savannah to offer CoolSculpting Elite, a noninvasive fat reduction method with the most advanced CoolSculpting technology. Given that, along with our radio-frequency multiple procedures and surgical and nonsurgical procedures, 2023 has never looked better.

From left: Barbara L. Davies, MD FACS, and Karen Bouchard, PA-C, Aesthetic Physician Assistant

Sound View Wealth Advisors

912.239.4630

1 Skidaway Village Walk, Suite 201 svadvice.com

OUR MISSION: To help you navigate ll s e s o ou fin n i l li e. e e fi u i ies o e le ll n e i ll obli e o u ou lien s bes in e es s e o ou o n. e sole o us o oun ie e l iso s is ou lien s fin n i l ell bein .

MOST PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED WHEN THEY LEARN: u e m is ull o o in moms. u o e nine l ies on ou e m se en e o in mo e s. olle i el e e il en n oun in o e o ou oun ie mil

WE HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: on inue o oin e fin n i l se i es in us . n fiel s e omin n l been m le omin e e e been e i e o see mo e n mo e omen

en e in e s e e e . i in e l s e e e e ou m in omen o ou oun ie e m.

OUR PERFECT DAY IN SAVANNAH: e innin ou u i o e i e e in o. en e in o e o ollins u e o s o b un n i in e lo l bou i ues o n o n. en e lose ou e i bo uise o e l o o inne .

THE MOST EMPOWERING PART OF OUR JOB: e bili o el buil oun ion o soun fin n i l u u e o ou lien s. e mul i ene ion l onne ions n bili o ssis in ilo e l ns o milies is one o e bes s o ou ob.

From left, front: Leah Martens, Crystal Montoya, Melissa Bouchillon, Jaime Kelly, Molly Lanier and Danika Weeden; back: Noelle Gauthier, Nina-Kate Brackett and Rebekah Hoffman

Britnee Kinard

MY MISSION: To be an advocate and supporter for our veterans, military e i e s um su i o s fi s es on e s and special needs families. I founded SD unne un non ofi o i es se i e n e o s o e eo le o nee em mos . lso e m o n onsul in business e e o e s e in engagements and lead business compliance o s o s n inin bou se i e o laws and regulations.

I’VE LEARNED THE HARD WAY: e importance of self-care and setting boun ies. sn un il i b e in oin n e e ien e bu nou is o e e e lue o ele ion n oll bo ion. us in o e s n o in o e e n ie e mo e n e e oul on m o n.

MY REAL JOB DESCRIPTION: I’m a proud i e n mo e o o bo s ssion e il n o is n n o e o um survivors and military caregivers. Between bein mom o o oun s e s bein e im e i e o m usb n e in ou ee se i e o s o oun less e oin men s n unnin non ofi n business li e is bus bu e oul n e i n o e

I’M THANKFUL FOR: e on e ul community members, volunteers, businesses ien s n mil o on inue to believe in and support our mission. We oul no be e e e e o i ou e el o so m n e i e su o e s o e ssion e bou se in ou lo l mili milies il en i is bili ies n fi s es on e s.

Jennifer Ochoa

TIMS BIKES, BEACH & DISC GOLF

912.786.TIMS (8467)

North Shop: 1101 U.S. 80

South Shop: 1510 Butler Ave.

Tybee Island

timsbeachgear.com

I’M PROUD OF: Cultivating and enhancing an existing business to help it blossom into its next phase. We like to say that we’re delivering memories one beach bike at a time. Our ultimate goal is to take stress out of the logistics for vacations (or staycations!) so our customers can focus on what really matters. We’re also welcoming more locals through our doors with the addition of fun retail shops with unique beach accessories and disc golf gear.

THE BEAUTY OF A SMALL BUSINESS IS: Seeing the creativity in daily business operations. With a small business, you have mo e e ibili o ne enues n en o e n efine s nee e . ou se no all decisions turn out to be the best, but that is also part of the adventure.

WE ARE CONNECTING TO LOCAL SCHOOLS THROUGH: A new disc golf program for students. We are teaching the next generation a skill that will keep em i e ou oo s n onfi en in their own abilities.

I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: Go for it. There is never going to be the one perfect time o o o uni . n e li omen o en fin themselves putting others’ needs above their own when making larger decisions. Sometimes you just have to take a deep breath and jump into the deep end.

MY JOY IN LIFE: My beautiful new daughter, who was born in August. I cannot wait to guide her to be as strong as each of the women on these pages.

Kathryn White

SOUTHERN TAN AND WELLNESS

912.556.7829

213 East Broad St. southerntanandwellness.com

MY MISSION: To help clients of all ages enhance their appearance and gain overall ellbein n onfi en e ou e l tanning and restorative spa treatments.

MY MOTTO: l s olo i ons ien e. e one loo s be e i n s lon s i s e l n.

I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: Don’t obsess o e in s e n n e bu on inue o s i e o be e bes e son e n be.

ONLY EXPERIENCE COULD TEACH ME: o m e in is e imen l o n ne business. ou n e elo s ell business l n bu e l es e ui men n esi n e e e s e bu ese in s me n li le i no one u ll sees ou e om lis e .

I KNEW I WANTED TO OWN A TANNING AND WELLNESS SALON WHEN: I moved to Savannah and noticed e numbe o b elo e e n e in ies in e i . ese omen e e so o ous n e e su n u o un. I wanted to be a part of promoting this l ul mos e e.

THE BEST BUSINESS ADVICE I EVER RECEIVED: elie e in e u li o ou o u n on be i o no le e e lue ou b in o ou o ession. s ou e n om n e o en el un om o ble e oun in on m om lis men s bu s e in e e i o e lo l business omen e ome o e li e onfi en e in ou bili oesn me n ou e b in i us me ns ou no ou o .

Barrel & Board Design

678.997.0777 barrelandboard.com

AS A DESIGNER: I was destined to fall in love with this city. The architecture, the city design, the history and the lore that paints the beautiful city of Savannah spoke to me long ago. I am truly blessed to be here now and in a position where I can help others make the most of these beautiful structures.

I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: Are strong, bold, independent, kind, loving and nurturing.

I’M THANKFUL FOR: My husband and my children who incessantly roll their eyes behind my back and whisper, “Here we go again!” but never for a minute do they show me anything but their love and continual support.

MY FAVORITE QUOTE: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer

of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming.” – Theodore Roosevelt

YOU’D NEVER GUESS THAT: I am also a life coach, a property developer and a recruiter. The life coach part usually throws people for a loop, but it has helped me immeasurably in my interior design business. After all, as a designer my job often entails working with two people with different ideas about one space trying to come together with one plan and look. Also, in my free time I attend dog shows and show my Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.

From left: Shannon Taylor and Savannah Schilling

–Answers provided by Shannon Perry Taylor

The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa

912.201.2000

WHAT SETS OUR TEAM APART: The women who make up The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa sales and marketing team are a melting pot of diverse women who range in ages, backgrounds, career experiences and titles. is oes no efine o e e i u ll is m es us uni ue. b in in together a group who is so different in e e e e in li e n ee llo s us to be true supporters of one another. A seat and a voice is set at the table for us all to show up and be our authentic selves. e en ou e i e en es in o inions is is o e o n e ol e i e our business and client needs continue to grow and evolve. We thrive on watching the growth of each other’s careers and supporting each other’s success ahead of our own.

OUR MOTTO: i e is be e en ou e laughing. Laughter is the best medicine, n e e il ose. is e m s es su ess n ilu e o enl n le ns om each other. Our willingness to laugh at our mistakes and learn from our failures is what allows us to grow, and the bond that e e e lin e m in m el s us s rooted to the goal of where one goes we all o. s ou om n s i m n me i us . ill io emin s us u ess is ne e fin l n is e m is us e in s e .

WE ARE: The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa, a four-diamond resort and golf lub on e nn i e e e l os in meetings, conferences, weddings and leisure ele s o ne l e s. u mission is o o i e m ou e n os i li n n unforgettable Savannah experience.

From left, sitting: Jaliah Johnson, Curry Epley; standing: Sarah Aliff-Baez, Dana Ciccarelli, Sissy Livingston, Pamela Morgan, Dawn Ryan, Reilly Williams, Amy Taylor

I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: Honestly, I just admire women. Unconditionally.

OUR CLIENTS CHOOSE TO DO BUSINESS WITH US BECAUSE: We really do care about the customer experience and making sure everything is right.

ONLY EXPERIENCE COULD TEACH ME THAT: You should never second guess your gut. I’ve never regretted following my gut, but I’ve regretted not doing so many times.

MY REAL JOB DESCRIPTION: The reinforcement. With a growing business (and family), we have a lot going on and so many issues that pop up day to day. With any goal, need or concern, I’m basically the oubles oo e o ies o fin esolu ion or create a plan. I love a good plan.

I’M MOST THANKFUL FOR: Our o fi e m n e e s . e o e s e me on i s us me in e o fi e and I was absolutely drowning trying to keep on top of everything. She is an absolute godsend.

I’M MOST PROUD OF MY: Family. I’m really in awe of all of them. From appreciating what my husband and I have overcome and accomplished through the years to witnessing our daughters grow into such cool people. When my husband, Kyle, and I decided to start this business we were told the fi s ou le e s oul be ou . e had no idea how true that statement would be. Despite the challenges, it has made me appreciate how brilliant, capable and hardworking he is.

From left: Betsy Portune and Kelley Hagemes

Bolch & Amanda Williams

WHERE WE’VE BEEN: In the 28 years since I founded THA Group, we have provided clients and families a full continuum of quality care as they age. We discovered early on that people wanted to remain at home and die peacefully within their homes. Our mission was, “Health Care. For Life. At Home.”

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE: We are concentrating our efforts on the consumer of the future. Attributes of this customer include need for control, demand for the highest level of information and medical technology, the freedom of choice and convenience. The customer of the future desires health and the means to achieve it through a healthy lifestyle.

OUR TRANSFORMATION: On April 1, THA Group merged with Extended Family Support Home Services led by PhD Gerontologist

Amanda Williams to become THA Concierge Care. This unique model offers holistic packages of services custom-designed around the client. THA tries to keep people in their own homes, but sometimes it’s not possible. Our new gerontologist has relationships with continuous-care retirement communities and memory-care and assistedliving facilities. She makes recommendations for the best aging-in-place solutions like home care, home hospice care or palliation.

OUR NEW MISSION: “Your Health. Your Choice. Your Home.” Our concierge care offers continuous support for clients in their homes, including patient-care attendants, e ifie nu sin ssis n s e is e e dietitians, advanced nurse practitioner and physician house calls, music therapy, pet therapy and urgent care at home.

From left: Ellen B. Bolch, President, and Amanda Williams, Senior Vice President and CEO

MY MISSION: To make maritime history great again!

MY TOOLS OF THE TRADE: Speaking candidly, having an open heart and mind and bringing as many people as possible along on this journey.

EXPERIENCE HAS TAUGHT ME: Sometimes the hard days give you the most rest.

MY REAL JOB DESCRIPTION: Champion of three magical beings – one adult, one man-child, one pubescent. I love them so!

I KNEW I WANTED TO WORK IN A MUSEUM WHEN: I visited New York City o e fi s ime in olle e n e li e e power, glory and humility a museum could instill in a person.

THE BEST BUSINESS CONNECTION I EVER MADE: A man asked for my help to get access to his dissertation materials when I worked at The Metropolitan Museum in New York City. I married him!

I HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: Collaborate with me at Ships of the Sea!

MY PERFECT DAY: The Hub for an early exercise class, having my favorite Blend + Press smoothie for breakfast, buying veggies at the Forsyth Farmers Market and ending the day with dinner at The Wyld or Sea Wolf.

WHY YOU SHOULD COME TO SHIPS OF THE SEA: We will take you on a maritime adventure, telling the untold stories of Savannah that make us a dominant port city, from the 1700s Age of Sail to today!

Shoshanna Walker

NOURISH NATURAL BATH PRODUCTS

Downtown: 202 W. Broughton St. • 912.232.3213

Midtown Savannah: 5501 Abercorn St., Suite C • 912.777.5479

River Street: 219 W. River St. • 912.417.4582

Pooler Marketplace: 483 Pooler Parkway • 912.737.2013

nourishsavannah.com

WE CREATE: A luxurious line of natural and organic skin- and body-care products that are made in small batches in Savannah. We have retail stores in Savannah, Hilton Head Island and Greenville, South Carolina, and Melbourne, Florida.

I’M THANKFUL FOR: My Mom! She began making soap as a hobby, and here we are 26 years later with this wonderful product that so many people get to enjoy. If she hadn’t wanted to create this amazing bar of soap, Nourish would not be here. Thanks, Mom!

THREE THINGS I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT: My team (the wonderful people who give our customers an amazing experience every day), our customers (their loyalty to our company and brand and their feedback is what allows us to continue to grow) and my

cell phone. As a mom of three active kids, I need my phone to stay connected to work, even when I am spending time with them at s ool un ions fiel i s n olun ee in in the classroom.

MY LEADERSHIP STYLE: Is positive and encouraging. I love to work closely with my team. If and when there are mistakes, we talk about how we can learn from those situations. They are never presented as a failure or something that I get upset about; it’s just an opportunity to learn and grow. I am a hands-on business owner because I love what I do. I have a big commitment to work-life balance. No one on our team is ever expected to work more than 40 hours a week. This allows them to have time to spend with their loved ones, pursue their hobbies and travel.

MY MISSION: Not to retire! After all, e i o o fis in .

MY CLIENTS DO BUSINESS WITH ME BECAUSE: e been su ess ul e bo in o m n e s n e e u ion o ones n in e i . lien s no o o ensu e eo le e un on e e i e e e fis o no e ll i s bou e lu e o e se.

MOST PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED WHEN THEY LEARN: en e m s ool i is e e su ess ull le ne o ie s i e en s.

I STAY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY BY: oin s e in en emen s. lo e ellin m mos in e es in s o ies bou m e

o s m ie ei imes n i limon o mo e n 4 e s o e o l one n lun i i el s o e o i in l e o o o el o n o n ou li e o e e n ll e in e es in eo le e me ou m m n e s.

I’M MOST THANKFUL FOR: ein ble o e e li e e n s ill be ble o emembe i .

I’M MOST PROUD OF: ee in lus e s o e son ll o umen e fis e o s. no e e ese fis e e e be o e e e en e e e.

I HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: e ome unnin li e o see e e in le l li e bbi n en nee e be ble o s i e li e ob

MY MISSION: o be osi i e in uen e in e m ss e e n ellness ommuni .

MY MOTTO: el ion is in e min .

WHEN I’M NOT IN THE OFFICE: I love to es e e n en o ou be u i ul i . m oo ie so en o in i e en uisines om ious es u n s n oo u s.

I STAY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY BY: us e in in ol e su o i ine es n . i el s ou omeless nei bo s n o e lo l o ni ions su s on l on l ouse i ies o e o s l m i e n os i e e o e o oun . m lso i e in e e e oole e mbe o omme e n isi o s u e u e e nn l mbe o omme e n u u e in s n .

THE SECRET TO SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS: nn i ns en o o i in li n os i li . l s b in s em b .

I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: ue o emsel es. en ou s ue o ou sel ou e u en i n mo e el ul in ou business o o ession.

I’M MOST THANKFUL FOR: oo e l . m ble o on inue o o n be e om o m u e be use m e l n ole om e insi e ou .

MY CLIENTS CHOOSE TO DO BUSINESS WITH ME BECAUSE: u en i ll s o u o e lien in i i u ll . e ssion o o n no m u ose so m ble o i e e eu i ou om in e o ll lien s.

Ashley Scott

SDG CONSTRUCTION SERVICES INC.

912.940.7345

sdgconstructioninc.com

MY MISSION: To provide high-quality ons u ion se i es b eli e in os e ficient, on-time and under-budget commercial infrastructures for our clients. We strive to establish an effective end-to-end process through the use of modern collaboration and project management techniques to deliver projects safely and successfully.

MY MOTTO: No one said it was going to be easy, but stick with it, because it will be worth it!

WE ARE: A general contracting, construction project management and consulting fi m. s e i li es in ll se o s i in e construction market. Our team has extensive experience working with commercial and government clients on projects ranging from $100,000 to more than $1 billion.

MY REAL JOB DESCRIPTION: Wife and mother of two beautiful little girls. I strive to be a leader not only in my construction business, but also for my girls. I want them to see me in action managing construction and working on projects. I want them to be proud of me and motivate them to be able to do anything they want to do.

BEST BUSINESS ADVICE EVER RECEIVED: Make your own path, observe others’ styles of leadership but stay true to who you are.

I HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: Not be afraid, pursue their dreams and never let anyone destroy their spirits. Road to success is not always easy, but it will be worth it. Keep going, keep striving and know in your heart that the light at the end of the tunnel will appear.

Nora Fleming Lee

COASTAL HERITAGE SOCIETY (Savannah History Museum, Savannah Children’s Museum, Georgia State Railroad Museum, Old Fort Jackson, Pin Point Heritage Museum and Harper Fowlkes House)

912.651.6840

303 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. chsgeorgia.org

OUR MISSION: To provide educational experiences for the public through the preservation and presentation of the historic resources of coastal Georgia and adjacent regions. Our six historic museums serve more than 140,000 people from around the world each year, offering unique perspectives on regional history while emphasizing interactive programming. We provide formative learning experiences to children in Savannah and beyond and take pride in our resolve to increase access to museums for the local community.

I LEAD BY: Being on the ground and being adaptive. When running six historic museums, each day is different. Whether I am signing business contracts, checking guests in at special events such as Savannah Santa Train or planning exhibits of Revolutionary War-era

cannons, I truly believe in working side-bysi e i m s n s in e ible o mee whatever the day brings us with positivity.

MOST PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED WHEN THEY LEARN: m n i fis e om n. I grew up on the water and am happiest when on a boat, casting a line and spending the day relaxing with family on Savannah’s beautiful local waters.

I HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: Continue to s e in o le e s i . en fi s s e had no intention of becoming CEO and was content being behind-the-scenes. However, as both my experience and passion for my work grew, I realized that I had evolved into a leadership role. I hope more women will be onfi en in u suin o e lo e you never know where it will take you!

Charlene Gardner

FOUR CORNERS FINE ART AND FRAMING

843.757.8185 • fourcornersgallerybluffton.com

1263B May River Road • Bluffton, South Carolina

MY MISSION: To educate my customers about locally made original art so they can add style and vibe to their art collections. Our showings and artist receptions are made special by the cultivation of friendships and the sharing of common interests through the arts.

MY MOTTO: Be grateful! As a cancer survivor, I appreciate my ien s em lo ees n is ns o fill m li e i m n love. I appreciate where I live and the 25 years I have been in business! I give a faithful nod to our Lowcountry lifestyle and heritage every time the opportunity presents itself.

I STAY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY BY: Exposing youth to the arts. Growing Bluffton as an art destination has paid off after years of dedication and working with other galleries to promote us regionally.

MY HEROINE: Is my Mom. She taught me I could do anything!

Heather Murphy

Real Estate Group

912.335.3956

329 Commercial Drive, Suite 100 heathermurphygroup.com

OUR MISSION: o eli e fi s l ss e e ien e o ou lien s e less o e i e oin o ei u se o s le. e e e l es e m m e s enuinel e bou ou lien s n im o e ee ei e e ions.

WE ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: e le nin b se o o le e s i n io i i e in e i em n ob e i i .

WE STAY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY BY: i in b o lo l uses o use on omen n il en. e en o os in e en s lo l es u n s n enues ee e e one onne e o e ulse o nn .

WE HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: eel em o e e o e on osi ions o le e s i .

ONLY EXPERIENCE COULD TEACH US: o o n le ll e i e en se sons n u s n o ns o e e l es e m e .

Caroline Freeman

SAVANNAH FAMILY EYE CARE

912.235.2798 • 513 E. Oglethorpe Ave., Suite F savannahfamilyeyecare.com

MY MISSION: To make a positive impact on Savannah’s families, one eye exam at a time.

MY MOTTO: To be family-focused. We provide boutique-style care and stylish, practical eyewear to patients of every age.

I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: Fearlessly pursue their aspirations.

BEST BUSINESS ADVICE I EVER RECEIVED: You can’t be e e in o e e bo so fi u e ou ou o ell n expand upon it. At Savannah Family Eye Care, we double down on warmth, humor and good conversation.

YOU’D NEVER GUESS: I am a small-time baker and a die-hard college football fan. I can whip up a mean croissant, and I live and die by my Georgia Bulldogs!

Amanda Everard

EVERARD AUCTIONS & APPRAISALS

912.231.1376 • everard.com

MY MISSION: o el eo le n le e s le o ei fine and antiques in a professional manner. Whether you are the executor of a large estate or are downsizing, I try to make the process as simple as possible and achieve the highest value for you through our online auction house with global reach.

THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH: To do a great job for people, because word of mouth goes a long way. Most of our business comes through client referrals.

I’M PROUD OF: My involvement with “Antiques Roadshow.”

It is a great experience traveling to different cities throughout the country and appraising interesting objects. It also gives me access to a distinguished network of appraisers who are helpful throughout the year in my business.

Nancy DeVetter

DEVETTER LAW FIRM

912.388.0254 • 1111 Bull St. devetterlaw.com

MY MISSION: To use the legal system to help people address i fi ul issues. e s e i li e in o e s el in eo le ess ol imin l e o s m be limi in ei e son l o n el in eo le e lo e one s sse o s be ome in i e lso no n s ob e .

ADVICE I’LL NEVER FORGET: ou n o le se e e one sell i e e m. s uo e om bee o i le essions o emembe e e .

I KNEW I WANTED: o s m o n l fi m u in e n emi . m o e e esi n ion o o e s o e li e e n e be e em lo men si u ion o emsel es n en ou n oun i o in m se e e i .

I STAY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY BY: e in on bee i oun il n o e in ee mon l lini o eo le o nno o ou le l se i es.

Christie Wallace-Bergen

SALT MARSH REALTY

912.298.0776 • 10 W. State St. saltmarshsavannah.com

OUR MISSION: As an independently owned local real estate brokerage, our mission is to assist everyone with their real estate needs including real estate sales and long-term and short-term property management.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE: In every Realtor’s car should be toilet paper, measuring tape, a screw driver, bottled water and shoes that can get dirty.

THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH: Be helpful to the best of your ability. The little things you do to help your clients make a big difference in setting you apart from your competition. Our agents go the extra mile to make the real estate process easier for our clients.

WE ARE PROUD: To be one of the few locally owned real estate fi ms in e e . e o us no onl on sellin e l es e bu lso on the people and businesses that make Savannah so unique.

From left: Malory Batchelor, Christie Bergen, Sydney Nishizaki and Bethany Harris

Stephanie Ebers

LE MACARON FRENCH PASTRIES

904.738.5612 • 204 W. Broughton St. lemacaron-us.com/savannah • @lemacaronsavannah

MY MOTTO: All you need is love and macarons.

MOST PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED THAT: In my spare time, I love planning and organizing over-the-top special events, like family reunions for 40 or weddings for 75. It’s very relaxing to me.

WHY WE CHOOSE TO DO BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH: We chose to put our second store in Savannah because we love this fabulous city and its variety of residents. No other city has such history and traditions that make it so unique. We are so happy to be part of the fabric that makes up the Hostess City.

I’M MOST PROUD OF: The little macaron empire that Reggie n e buil . s ou sli e o e en. u fi e s o es e their own personalities and are successes in each of their own neighborhoods. I’m proud of the friends and business associates we have made and the causes near and dear to our hearts that we are able to support.

Miranda Marchant & Stacia Deloach

MARCH MARKETING, LLC

912.508.2075 • miranda@marchmark.com marchmark.com

WE ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: Pick a passion and then do that. The most fearless thing anyone can do is make a conscious decision to follow their dreams and follow through on them. Whether in their personal or professional life, making a choice to be happy and going after that thing is inspirational.

THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH: Meet everyone you can and use your network. Savannah is big enough to have plenty of opportunity, small enough to build a solid and far-reaching network and friendly enough to know that helping each other is good for everyone. After all, a rising tide does lift all boats!

I’M THANKFUL FOR: The support system that has been encouraging me on this journey since day one. I am thankful for those who said “You can” when I wasn’t sure I could. This has been the most critical part of the business owner journey for me.

From left: Miranda Marchant, owner, and Stacia Deloach, account manager

Karen Gaston

DR. KAREN GASTON

912.944.9230 • 920 E. Victory Drive drkarengaston.com

MY MISSION: To allure you to transform your life by design with discretion.

I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: Have conviction, are direct and get things done.

WHEN I’M NOT IN THE OFFICE: I spend time with my youngest u e n o o s i e fi ion n o o le b .

I STAY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY BY: Working on philanthropic efforts for my daughter’s amazing private school, the Savannah Legacy Academy.

MY LOCAL HEROINE: Florence Martus, better known as “The Waving Girl,” because of her persistence, dedication and love.

I HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: Find the courage to learn what they truly want and manifest the lives of their wildest imaginations!

Kayak Kafé

Midtown: 5002 Paulsen St. • 912.349.4371 Downtown: 1 E. Broughton St. • 912.233.6044 eatkayak.com • @kayakkafe

OUR MOTTO: Eat real food! Kayak is a healthy oasis in the land of Southern cooking. We pride ourselves on serving fresh, healthy and sustainable food that caters to all diets.

OUR MISSION: After operating for 17 years, we have become a popular destination for healthy food in Savannah. We are proud of the quality of our food and the people who create it. Our employees are essential to Kayak’s success, and being a womenled company has allowed us to prioritize their development and growth. Our aim for the next 17 years is to keep building a company where our employees thrive, feel empowered and enabled to build a long-lasting career with us.

ONLY EXPERIENCE COULD TEACH US: To continuously strive for more. During the past three years, our catering business has e e ien e si nifi n o i ul l in o i in i e se menus of nutritious food options that cater to various dietary needs and preferences. We can’t wait to cater your next event!

From left, standing: Melissa Roper, Lane Danielson, Monique Silén, Mary Reagan; seated: Mary Jones, Casey Mohs, Hannah Stokes, Logan Danielson

FORSIGHT UNIQUE EYE CARE & EYE WEAR

912.483.6600 • 350 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. forsighteye.net

I’M PROUD TO: Offer the highest quality products and elite customer service. Your eyes deserve the best. Seeing well is essential for all aspects of life, and I believe that starts with a thorough eye exam and eye wear that provides the best vision and comfort.

MY TOOLS OF THE TRADE: Include an exceptional team and unique eye wear. ForSight features a collection of eye wear that has grown over time, and each pair of specs can complement n ou fi . e l sses e m e el . oul no o i e e bes eye care without seeing and looking my best. Lastly, a clean and o ni e o fi e is essen i l o m men l ellbein .

THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH: Be genuine. My team and I would never grow our business if we looked at o e s s us n o o uni . e see e e one s o en i l el ions i el ions i is benefi i l o bo ies whether that’s mentally, physically or monetarily.

Kathleen Miller

PLANTED IN SAVANNAH, LLC

912.504.0919 • 7360 Skidaway Road, A2 @plantedinsav • plantedinsav.com

MY MISSION: To inspire other women who might want to work for themselves someday. If I can do it, they can, too!

WHAT SETS US APART: Along with common and rare plants, Planted features a permanent makers market for more than 20 local artists to showcase and sell their creations.

I’M PROUD OF: My ability to plan and execute on ideas successfully. I’m also proud to be leading a woman-owned and -operated business.

I’M THANKFUL TO: Be living in Savannah, where I have always dreamed of living, and for Planted to have the continued and widespread support of locals!

Dr. Erika Morrow MS, OD

Savannah Downtown Business Association

912.644.6459 savannahdba.com

OUR MISSION: To be an advocate for our downtown businesses and be a name and a face that business owners can pick up the phone and call and know they are being heard.

THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH: Networking, relationships and doing what you say you will do.

WE LEAD BY: Supporting and encouraging those around us. Sometimes women have doubts about their capabilities, and sometimes it takes a little supportive pushing for us to reach great heights.

BEST BUSINESS ADVICE WE EVER RECEIVED:

You can’t be told no if you don’t ask! I think sometimes my dad regrets telling me that now – Brooke Goth Never do anything out of spite and think before you speak.

– Marianne Ganem Poppell

Kristi HofstadterDuke, PhD

SAVANNAH BEHAVIORAL PEDIATRICS LLC

912.436.6789 • 310 Eisenhower Drive, Building 5 savannahbehavioralpediatrics.com

MY MISSION: To partner with Lowcountry families in order to provide unparalleled psychological testing and therapy so that children and adolescents can boldly and skillfully build a life of meaning, intention and competence.

I WISH MORE PEOPLE KNEW: Psychological assessment and therapy are not designed to simply identify and treat disorders. These are the tools of understanding human be io n buil in o ile n ulfillin li e. e challenges of life as a human being are universal, and every il oles en n mil oul benefi om e e understanding and direction.

I’M THANKFUL FOR: My amazing team of psychologists and e is s. i e is fille i ul em ble n talented group of women who are passionate about helping children and families.

From left: Brooke Goth and Marianne Ganem Poppell

Jan Womble

SAVANNAH LOGISTICS GROUP

912.966.1151 • 32 Minus Ave., Garden City slgsav.com

I LEAD BY: Example and compassion. At work and home, I strive to love like Jesus and treat others accordingly.

YOU WOULD NEVER GUESS: I hate to shop! I would much e be un in o fis in e sus s o in n o e ee . ou nee me ll be in m mo

MY TOOLS OF THE TRADE: My relationship with God and having a strong husband who is a visionary and who supports me ou mil n ou om n . oul n be su ess ul i ou ese o i i l in s n onsi e m sel lu n blesse o e em. n s on u o everyone I meet.

MY REAL JOB DESCRIPTION: Mama! With my children at ome lus ou o mil o o o i e ll m people a supportive and encouraging environment.

Savannah Logistics Group

912.966.1151

32 Minus Ave., Garden City slgsav.com

WE ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: Aren’t afraid to jump in and make an impact in a predominantly male environment. Our company has such a great culture and a diverse working environment where we are all encouraged to grow and make each other successful.

WE ARE THANKFUL FOR: Working with a company whose primary focus is employee support and empowerment. The culture here supports the whole person at work and at home. This balance is critical for women in the workforce.

WE HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: Find the right environment n su o s s em so e n o ulfills em n not be afraid to take on whatever task or job they want, no matter the obstacles!

From left: Kirsten Burgess, accountant/auditor; Nona Kim, customer service manager; Jan Womble, owner; and Chalain Logan, Director of Human Resources

Erica Herndon Timmons

STATE FARM AGENCY

912.354.6464 • 3228 Skidaway Road ericaSF.com

MOST PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED WHEN THEY LEARN THAT: State Farm agents are small business owners, and each location is independently owned. We are backed with a national brand and fin n i l s en bu en i omes o ou e m e e lo l n give back to the local community.

TYPICAL DAYS IN THE OFFICE: Don’t exist. No two are the same. I enjoy meeting with my customers to make sure that e e fin n i ll o e e in e e en o l im. ou m think that’s my job, but most consumers do not know what their o e e limi s e on ei oli ies. e o e i e ie o o u s n se i es o mee onsume s nee s u o fi e li e health and bank.

I AM THANKFUL FOR: Our customers and my team who allow me to do what I love every day. Helping people is my passion, n is o ession llo s me o o .

Stephanie Hoey

STEPHANIE HOEY INTERIORS

478.455.3018 • stephaniehoeyinteriors.com

MY MISSION: To create a space that you love and want to show off. You should be excited when a guest asks to use your powder room or when you have an out-of-town guest staying with you. Your home should represent your personal style and who you are.

MY REAL JOB DESCRIPTION: Mom, wife, home renovator, in e io esi ne n non e ifie s olo is . mil e en l bou ou o n fi e u e n e e oin ull eno ion li le b li le. ne mi in m o e is on ile oin o e s o se e l lien s. e le ne so mu oin through this process personally that I feel like it has made me better at my job and better understand the emotional toll it can take on a family.

MY BIGGEST TIP FOR CLIENTS: Have some fun! Rooms that are bland and safe can still be pretty. But why not throw in some fun ll e n bol s emen li in ou ll ne e be m ou en o i . ou ll be mo e u se i ou i n .

Cristina Carata

SHOWCASE KITCHENS

912.401.9217 • 205 E. Montgomery Cross Road savannahbestkitchens.com

MY MISSION: The most important thing I can do is give my clients what they want, not what I want. When they are in a room, they need to feel like they designed it. If you ever wonder what your client wants – ask them, don’t tell them.

MY MOTTO: Never forget what design really is. It’s not just what something looks and feels like. Design is how something works. You can have a beautiful, spacious kitchen. But if it’s not functional, you will end up hating it.

THE BEST ADVICE I EVER RECEIVED: To open my own business. I was frustrated because I couldn’t make a difference working for someone else. Henry Ford once said that a business that makes nothing but money is a poor business. Helping people was the main reason I wanted my own business.

WE FOCUS ON: Designer kitchens, bathrooms, turnkey projects n e fines bine in e in us .

Dawn Kutchey & Kristen Patterson

THE MINT GREEN TAG SALE COMPANY

912.232.1039 • 3025 Bull St., Ste. 220 themintgreentagsalecompany.com

OUR MISSION: To treat all our clients and their homes with care, dignity and respect. We go the extra mile, whether that means cleaning items we’ve pulled from attics or cabinets, disposing of things in a respectful manner or safely storing personal belongings accidentally left behind. We work as long as necessary to get the job done to the standards your estate deserves.

WE ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: Love what they do and do it well. The estate sale business is hard work – lifting, loading, clearing, cleaning – but we love it, and that makes it fun. We enjoy the creativity of working in a different location with different things each week. We love arranging normal, everyday items into i e i ne es o el em fin ne omes.

THE BEST BUSINESS ADVICE: Don’t lose sight of your old customers as you work to gain new ones. We work just as hard to keep our loyal shoppers happy and maintain good relationships with past clients as we do to attract new clients and shoppers.

From left: Dawn Kutchey, Emma and Kristen Patterson

Suzanne Kirk SHRM-SCP, SPHR

EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES, INC.

912.663.5781 • P.O. Box 10145 • Savannah, GA 31412 kirkhr.com

MY MISSION: To bring a practical approach to the people side of business by helping companies of all sizes navigate the complexities of human resource matters.

MY MOTTO: “Therefore … So what?” – continually reminding ourselves why we do what we do and prioritizing what’s important by considering our intent, actions and outcomes.

MY CLIENTS CHOOSE TO DO BUSINESS WITH ME BECAUSE: I help them connect the dots between the needs of their business, their compliance requirements and taking care of their people. From HR basics to strategic planning facilitation, I help translate the external brand promise into the employment experience.

THE SECRET TO HAVING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS: Relationships. That means helping people connect without having a personal agenda and taking the time to listen to understand the nee s o o e s so e n fin s o su o e o e .

Kim Watson

THE HUB SAVANNAH

4505 Habersham St. thehubsavannah.com

MY MISSION: To create a community where people sweat, smile and get sore while providing a class for every BODY.

MY MOTTO: If it doesn’t make me happy, healthy, wealthy, wise or free up my time, I say no!

I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: Work hard and are independent, honest and morally sound.

MY PERFECT DAY IN SAVANNAH INCLUDES: Coffee, a boat ride and dinner outside.

I'M MOST THANKFUL FOR: My husband, for supporting my “part-time” gig and my entire family.

I HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL REALIZE: That we can do it all –be a mom, have a career, run a business and volunteer.

From left: Molly Hannis, Kim Watson and Jena Hall

Urshita Bhagat

UB HENNA & CO.

478.420.0253

ubhennaco.com

MY MOTTO: Let love leave its mark; let henna tell your story.

I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: Unapologetically take up space.

MY CLIENTS CHOOSE TO DO BUSINESS WITH ME BECAUSE: I am a dependable and skilled henna artist, committed to using onl e fines n u l in e ien s. i een e e o e il n n bili o b in n b i e s ision o li e m ou o o e o ession l n e son li e e e ien e.

MOST PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED WHEN THEY LEARN THAT: I was a choir geek throughout elementary school, danced om e i i el in i s ool n u o n in e n ion l n e om n in olle e. lso e e ee in n o m ion s ems Management and Public Relations.

I’M MOST THANKFUL FOR: mil .

Lisa Hall

VINTAGE BARBERS 912 912.777.2052 • 4511 Habersham St., Suite 301 vintagebarbers912.com

OUR MISSION: We are rooted in the love of the past, present and future of barbering. Vintage Barbers 912 combines music, sports, cars, military – whether today or 50 years ago. When you visit us, you will see some unique conversation starters. We cater to everyone, and everyone is family when you walk in our doors.

BEST ADVICE I EVER RECEIVED: Dream big and chase that dream hard. Also, respect others and maintain your integrity and character.

I’M MOST THANKFUL FOR: My family – for all their support, love and for always believing in my dream to own a barbershop. My clients – for all their continued support and referrals. My team of barbers – for their professionalism and help in achieving my vision of an old-fashioned barbershop atmosphere and for their amazing talents that help our clients look and feel wonderful. My community – for all the support and being so welcoming when we opened our doors in Habersham Village.

O cial Guides of Savannah

OFFICIAL GUIDES OF SAVANNAH PROVIDES: Local visitor information through brochure distribution that highlights attractions, museums, shopping and restaurants. Our brochure displays can be found in area hotels, transportation centers, visitor centers and attractions. These displays guide visitors to great experiences, which leads to happier guests.

RESEARCH SHOWS: Happy guests will return, stay longer and will become ambassadors for your destination.

WE ALSO PROVIDE: A digital format Info-to-Go that allows visitors to explore Savannah on their own with a click on their phone. The Lobby List is a visitor-centric event calendar located on ou ebsi e s ui es. om lobb lis so isi o s n fin un things to do while they are here.

WE HELP: Our clients target visitors, and OGS ensures our tourism partners have quality information to give their guests.

Convention Consultants

CONVENTION CONSULTANTS HAS HELPED: Savannah visitors immerse themselves in our Lowcountry culture since 1976 by guiding them to the city’s exceptional offerings by providing curated tours, experiences and itineraries based on their interests.

WE PROVIDE: Event planning and itinerary-building services with attention to detail. Incentive groups, tour organizers, convention visitors, independent travelers and businesses have experienced exceptional services and true Southern hospitality, which is the foundation of our company. Our specialized tours are perfect for those looking to explore a particular aspect of Savannah’s rich history or culture, whether it be architecture, food, art or even gardens. Our VIP experiences are designed to give you an unforgettable taste of luxury, with access to exclusive locations and experiences that are not available to the public. No matter what type of experience you are looking for, Convention Consultants has the expertise and local knowledge to help you make the most of your time in Savannah.

912.238.5565 • 2219 Rowland Ave. savguides.com

From left: Jeanne McMillan and Laura Simpson

912.234.4088 • 117 W. Perry St. savtours.com

From left: DeAnne Mitchell and Caroline Speegle

Tracey Tollison

TOLLISON & COMPANY CONSTRUCTION

O: 912.777.7394 • C: 912.856.6222

5728 Skidaway Road • tollisonandcompany.com

MY MISSION: To get to know my clients and allow them to get to know me. Personal connection is one of the foundations of my company, and cultivating those kinds of relationships allow for a more meaningful, stress-free, on-time and on-budget experience.

THE SECRET TO GOOD BUSINESS IN SAVANNAH: Relationships and humility. Getting to know clients, communicating expectations clearly and continuing to learn and grow as a professional creates a ripple effect for the business to grow. Word of mouth is a powerful marketing tool.

I’VE DISCOVERED THAT: Even after all these years, I learn something new every day. If you take that lesson, good or bad, and apply it going forward, you are headed in the right direction.

Morgan York Smith

THE BROW BAR SAVANNAH

912.312.0829 • 2424 Drayton St. thebrowbarsavannah.com

MY MISSION: To enhance my clients’ natural beauty so they can feel their best self. I offer an array of services, but I’m known for my permanent makeup services: powder brows, microblading and shaping and tinting.

MY CLIENTS DO BUSINESS WITH ME BECAUSE: I am relatable. I may be a business owner, but at the end of the day, I’m a mother and wife with a busy life! I am transparent with my clients, and I try to show others that it’s not always picture perfect.

WHEN I’M NOT IN THE OFFICE: I try to stay active. I recently started playing pickelball. I started doing Pilates about a year ago, but soon after learned I was pregnant with baby boy No. 2. So I’m often hanging with my boys.

MY IDEAL DAY: Working for a few hours, picking up the boys early from school, grabbing a snack, then heading to Forsyth Park. lo e e e ibili o bein business o ne .

Peg Schwing

ALPHAGRAPHICS SAVANNAH

912.355.9001 • 5 Mall Terrace alphagraphicssavannah.com

MY MOTTO: Always do more than is expected of you. I believe in going beyond customers’ expectations, offering superior service. In a world where they have many in-person and online choices about where to spend their money, providing a better experience than they imagined will set us apart from other printers.

MY TOOLS OF THE TRADE: A warm smile, whether in person or in my voice on a phone call; a great team of professionals working together to produce the best products and services; technology in all forms: computers, phones, digital printers …

I’M THANKFUL FOR: I have been blessed with the most supportive family! When I wanted to become a teacher, my husband and children were my biggest cheerleaders. Since taking over the business after my husband passed away in 2021, my children have never doubted that I could do it — even when I did.

Betsy Hunter Hughes

CORE PILATES & HEALTH

912.200.8882 • 3131 Bull St. corepilatesandhealth.com

MY MISSION: To empower others through Pilates and other low-impact movement approaches, nutrition and healthy lifestyle choices. Enhancing health through holistic means is important to me. Improving quality of life is my mission.

I’M THANKFUL FOR: My faith! It has been a foundation for me in times of uncertainty. In a chaotic world, my faith is calming and consistent. It allows me a unique approach to life: faith over fear. I am eternally grateful to my parents for instilling that faith and I am thankful that my husband and I are able to pass it on generationally.

I HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: Begin to look at beauty from a i e en e s e i e om n in e n l ie e sus su e fi i l one. n o s so ie e e in uen e b e ensi e in si e n is osme i o e u es. u e l on e insi e is e e e on the outside. Self-love, self-acceptance, embracing aging, healing holistic remedies, a strong mind, body and spirit all lead to beauty and most important: QUALITY OF LIFE.

Nikki Petitt

SAVANNAH BLINDS SHUTTERS AND SHADES

912.224.0459 • 5500 White Bluff Road savannahblinds.com

MY MISSION: To offer the best window-covering experience to our clientele. We believe purchasing your window treatments should be a full package inside and out, and the service should only elevate the luxury products you are purchasing for your home.

WHEN I’M NOT IN THE OFFICE: lo e o o bo in n fis in . I enjoy our great coastal waters and taking in nature’s beauty.

I STAY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY BY: Engaging in local events and groups. I’m heavily involved in our neighborhood community and various local networking groups such as the Home Builders Association of Savannah.

I HOPE MORE WOMEN WILL: Enter the home-construction industry. It’s great to see the growth of women in this industry over the past few years. I’ve been proud to recently chair the 2023 membership drive for the local chapter of Professional Women in Building of the Lowcountry in Bluffton.

ESSENTIAL ME (Formerly Aldrjoy Hydration)

912.921.9562 • 5102 Paulsen St., Building 8A essentialmespa.com

MY MISSION: o buil sel onfi en e omo e e im o n e o e l n ellness in e e li e n en ou e m ommuni o o in s m e em eel n loo oo .

MY MOTTO: o m es ou ou e essen i l. ou eel oo ou e essen i ll be e e son ll e oun .

WHEN I’M NOT IN THE OFFICE: m bein om unnin m ou i s oun om one i i o e ne n in o s en li le u li ime i m usb n .

THE SECRET TO HAVING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS: l s u o fi s bsolu el lo e ou o n ne o

I’M MOST THANKFUL FOR: su o i e usb n o un e s n s m i e n u ose o buil in le o ou il en.

Aldreka Campbell RN, BSN

Dogtopia of Thunderbolt

912.217.4229

2391 Downing Ave., Thunderbolt dogtopia.com/savannah-thunderbolt

MY MISSION: To enhance the joy of dog parenthood and enable dogs to positively change our world.

ONLY EXPERIENCE COULD TEACH ME: To trust my heart. If I do the right thing for someone, it will always come back to me.

MY REAL JOB DESCRIPTION: Teacher and mom. Caring for dogs is just like teaching school. Know every dog’s name, love them like your own, know each one is capable of great things and don’t take your eyes off of your class.

MY PERFECT DAY IN SAVANNAH: I like to patron the great restaurants close to my business – Coach’s Corner, Finches Sandwiches & Sundries, Tubby’s Tank House and Erica Davis Lowcountry. Thunderbolt is such a cool area, and the business owners here love dogs!

-Answers by Kelly Diamond Wolfsheimer, owner

Marvee McKenzie

Sherry’s Honey Pot Fabric, manager/designer

MY REAL JOB DESCRIPTION IS: e ifie mul i s e . mos e in ob is bein mo e o o s ee n s un i ls n i e o e m n. oles in lu e esi nin in i in s es i be u i ul b i s lon si e m mo e e s one o b i e en l nnin i some m in n ene ous nn n i es n o in e s ee es n mos len e ee le e s lon si e m sis e o ne li e le i s.

Sherry Saferight

Sherry’s Honey Pot Fabric, owner • 912.777.4532

MY MOTTO: in n. in n. –The Little Engine That Could I ADMIRE WOMEN WHO: u o e o e n ei businesses ile buil in ei milies. i ls e e e e ei o n businesses i n ee e e in nn n else ie mes o. in i son o olin n n lin ennessee. ei in e ible o e i n e o ion o mil e some o e m n e sons m so e ou o em

Shazi Edmonds

Crowned Elite Athletics, owner/cheer professional; FIT Gym Savannah and Train Me 24/7, co-owner; DanceCheerMove, owner/choreographer • 912.308.5719

MY REAL JOB DESCRIPTION: om o one o e ooles s ee es len e e ol s no . e n lo e in e o . m lso i e o on e ul usb n n e . s o n m o ne i m usb n e e on mo e l ole o mo e n le es s ell. ein mo e is e bes ob e e e n e i e in il

From left, standing: Kylee Borell, Gabby Riley, Kelly Wolfsheimer (owner), Jenny Hill; kneeling: Sydney Culver, Brooke McKay, Cass Bernard; dogs: Buddy, Dobby, Bambi, Loki, Sesame

From left: Marvee McKenzie, Sherry Saferight and Shazi Edmonds

Show off your usiness profile with a high uality archival keepsake pla ue

It ships to you ready to hang, no framing necessary. Choose from four edge colors. Acrylic stand-off and glass plaques are also available.

OTHER OPTIONS: Article and Cover Reprints | Advertisements

AWARDS: Best of Savannah | Best of Doctors Best of Homes

For pricing and ordering details, visit savannahmagazine.com and click on “BUY.”

DISTINGUISED SALES SOCIETY AWARDS

In March, members of the Savannah Area Realtors gathered to celebrate the Distinguished Sales Society, Realtors who had $1 million or more in sales, a minimum of eight transactions and participated in at least two community service efforts. What followed was a totally radical time!

MONIQUE ALLEN

CASSANDRA SCOTT ANDREWS

ELAINE BURNETT

ALYSON BEASLEY

KAYLA BAZZLE

MCKENZIE BURNSED CAROLINE CHANEY

NGOANATHABO BAILEY HALL

JENNIFER DAVIS CHRISTI COOK

JODI HARSTINE BROOKLYN HAUGE

CHEROKISTA JACKSON ABBIE HUGHSTON

HANNAH HOWELL

PRESENTED BY SAVANNAH AREA REALTORS

JAY MASSEY

MARY BETH MCINERNEY

BRITTANY MIKES

KATHY MESCLIER

JOHN MCPETERS

TOM OXNARD JENNIFER PISCOPO

LESLIE J. SCHADLER

KRISTEN REDDING

BRANDYN REAGAN

DIANN WMS. SCOTT BONNIE SCURRY

JEFF STRAUSL

NASHIRA STERLING

MONET SMALLS

CELI TAMBON ABRAM TAYLOR

STEVEN FISCHER FIRST YEAR COMMERCIAL

KELLY LAUREN WILKERSON

IMANI S. TOLBERT

ROSE JORDAN KRISSIE LAIRD

BROCK LOVE

REBECCA LOEHR

DEBORAH LESLIE

PRESENTED BY SAVANNAH AREA REALTORS

DON GOLDEN

AFFILIATE OF THE YEAR ELEVATED COASTAL PRODUCTIONS

2 4 YEARS

NICOLE RAWLS

Glenda Ganem, Tommy Danos and Rodney Rawls

GANEM

RICHARD G. MOPPER

R. Cline Wooten

SAVANNAH MULTI-LIST CORPORATION PRESIDENT’S AWARD R. CLINE WOOTEN

Richard G. Mopper, Sabriya Scott and Rodney Rawls

PHILIP M. HEIDT AWARD SABRIYA SCOTT

Matthew Buck, Sharon Miller and Rodney Rawls

Michele Gutting, Scott Golden and Rodney Rawls. Scott received the Charles F. Fulton Award in honor of his father Don Golden (deceased).

CHARLES F. FULTON AWARD

Kevin Schwartz and Priscilla Waldburg

Thank you, 2022 SAR Board of Directors! Nicole Rawls and Rodney Rawls

SAVANNAH AREA REALTORS PRESIDENT’S AWARD

THE SAVANNAH AREA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Rodney Rawls and Karle Ansara-Milbaugh

DON GOLDEN LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP KARLE ANSARA-MILBAUGH

AREA REALTORS

39 YEARS

Cathy Butler Gregory

Deborah Padilla

35 YEARS

Michael Steven Fischer

Helen A. Miltiades

32 YEARS

Robin Lance

27 YEARS

Tommy Danos

26 YEARS

Judith F. McDougal

25 YEARS

Janice Hoffman

Lyn McCuen

24 YEARS

Sharon D. Miller

Bill Miltiades

23 YEARS

Jessica Pettigrew

Jennifer Scroggs

21 YEARS

Jane Beare

Carmen Cribbs

Sheila Doney

Steffany Farmer

Anastasia Mamais Phillips

Leighel Savanna Snyder

19 YEARS

Rebecca M. Hadwin

Karen Hewitt

Ruthie Seese

YEARS

CONTINUING MEMBERS

18 YEARS

Jessica Kelly

Alicia D. Novak

Rodney Rawls

Sabriya Scott

17 YEARS

Jenny Hearn

Melanie Kramer

Beth Cribbs Larson

Cindy Meyer

Heather Murphy

Janie Sandefur

Mary Ann Sinclair

Mary H. Smith

Traci Wells

Amber Williams

16 YEARS

George Cohen

Sandra B. Davis

Christina L. McIntosh

Ronald C. Melander

Vicki C. Mitchell

Wendy Reed

15 YEARS

Sue Anderson

Tina Boaen

Monica Cerrone

Teresa Cowart

Darla Davis

Patricia Ewaldsen

Cindy Knight

Lee Ann Marsh

Michael O’Connor

Melissa Stanford

14 YEARS

Johnny Odom

Becki Patterson

13 YEARS

Beth Forkner

Kelly B. Johnson

Mark D. Jones

Tara Robinson

12 YEARS

Beth Quigley Ferencsik

Helen Williams Johnson

Isia D. Orr

Nancy Stanley

11 YEARS

Matthew L. Buck

Toni Hardigree

Brandy Jenkins

Mary Mosher

Dena C. Rodewolt

Scott Shippy

Angel B. Williams

2-9 YEARS

Donna K. Abbott

Janet Adams

Mary Anderson

Jessica Arledge

Daphne Baron

Monica Beadleston

Courteney A. Boles

Jade Bone

Kimberly Bousquet

Jill W. Brooks

Sharon Brookshire

Berthenia M. Brown

Rich Brown

Eden Browne

Monika Bryant

Laura Celaya

Kappy Chisholm

Nicole L. Christie

Jodi Clark

Farrell Click

Molly Cohen

Kenisha Coleman

Quintin Cowart

Jenefer Crim

Jennifer Lee Crumpton

Trudi Dockstader

Butch Durrence

Katie Durrence

Destiny Eberhardt

Lindsae Echols

Michelle Edwards

Kathrin Egner

Ricky Eilerman

Steve Ellis

Christine Estridge

Kathy Fairchild

Monica A. Farnsworth

Amy Feith

Heather Hammond Filgate

Sam V. Florance Jr.

Connie V. Gallo

Eileen Galves

Anne Gantt

Nicholas Garner

Susan Tran Garrison

Andrea Gines

Ashley Gold

Ali Graham

Brooke B. Graham

Jimmy Grayson

Amy Gutting

Realtors who had $1 million or more in sales, a minimum of eight transactions and participated in at least two community service efforts.

Julie Hales

Tasha Hall

Stephanie L. Hamilton

Lisa A. Harris

Katie Hart

Kaitlyn Hartsock

Carol Anne Hazelman

Shannon Hornick

Tari Hornick

Tamika Y. Houston

Jennifer M. Johnson

Nicki Johnson

Stephanie Kirchner

Melissa Kobi

Carie Kuhn

Sharita Lal

Nicolette Leasa

Boomer Lee

Mertha Maddox

A. Joseph Marshall

Monica Martinez

Marilyn McDonald

Tomeca McPherson

Duane Miller

Karen Miller

Kimberly Miltiades

Christine Moncrief

Anny Montenegro

Andresa Mueller

Brandy O’Neill

Becky Orsi

Lisa Ortiz

Yolanda S. Owens

Paulette Parker

Milap Patel

Kimi Pelletier

NeColette Pinckney

Jill Poole

20 YEARS

Sarah Joy Pounders

Ashley Brooke Powell

Linda Proctor

Jenn Rabon

Jeffrey Rayno

Randi Rhine

Suzanne Roberts

Cathy Rodgers

Lana Halta Sanders

Jill Sapp

Ivan Shalavuta

John Sheahan

Leslie Clifton Shinn

Paul Stanford

Scottie Starling

Allen Stone

Aubrey Storie

Shelley R. Stringer

Michael J. Stubbs

Trey Swain

Karyn Thomas

Kevin Thomas

Tracie S. Tomlinson

Kristy Valdez

Beth Lynah Vickers

Eddie Warren

Rebecca Wayman

Kelli Weis

Marge Wester

Ruth Lynah Whitlow

Jeanie L. Williams

Monica M. Williams

Renee B. Williams

Sean Williams

Aimee Wine

Tiffany Wolfe

R. Cline Wooten

Elsie Yu

10 YEARS

Maureen O’Connor Simmons

Sonny Wright Joel Solomon

Debra W. Smoak Cynthia Coney Sinclair

Craig A. Simpson Tonya Lynn LaBonte

Bonnie M. King Joseph Iannacone

Kristin Brown

Christine Q. Durrence

Keith L. Gay Judy Quinney

BRONZE FRIENDS

THANK YOU, SPONSORS

OUR AFFILIATES AND SUPPORTERS ARE TOTALLY AWESOME!

TASTE SEEN

FEB. 25

Telfair Ball

Photo by ADAM KUEHL PHOTOGRAPHY LLC

Savannah’s art-inclined elite gathered in Forsyth Park for the 43rd Telfair Ball benefiting Telfair Museums. Chaired by Dale C. Critz Jr. and designed by Leslie Hall, Telfair Museums’ director of events, and Tara Skinner Weddings and Events, every detail dazzled the guests, from the living topiary escort cards to the tent design inspired by a historic Savannah home.

Courtesy TELFAIR MUSEUMS //

Telfair Ball

Lori Judge, Katherine Sandoz and Susan Laney

Dale Critz Jr.

Dale Critz III and Hagood Coxe

Photography by ADAM KUEHL PHOTOGRAPHY LLC

Harry Santa-Olalla

Dale Critz Jr., Josh Keller, Swann Seiler and Ben Simons

Lillian and Kerry Breitbart

Sarah Barry and Kevan Jackson

Courtesy TELFAIR MUSEUMS //

AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION

Southern Coast Heart Ball

MARCH 10

The 26th annual black-tie affair was held at the Marriott Riverfront Savannah and honored survivors while raising funds to support the health-focused mission of the AHA. Williams Johnson, a leading agent at Daniel Ravenel Sotheby’s International Realty, served as the chair.

Vinny and Tonda Smith

Terri Hubbard, Maggie Meeks, Amanda Stewart, Savannah Lancaster and Liz Fiegle

Makenzie Kitchen and Matthew Corn

Lisa and Kenny Wilson and Morgan Brodmann

Salita and Adam Hill

Photography by DOUG WINTERS

Gaye Reese Holt and Rusty Holt

Sarah Ferguson, Virginia Edenfield and Summer Landrith

Caitlin and Dallas Brummell and Alex and Zach Echols

Joseph and Tori Lewis

Wister and Lynn Lewis and Steven and Linda Novack

CURE CHILDHOOD CANCER

Catie’s Gathering

FEB. 25

Sponsored by Coastal Electric of Georgia and held at the Trustees’ Garden, the Savannah iteration of this significant event — where each table dresses in a distinct theme raised , for the fight against childhood cancer.

Josef and Erin Cummins

Ashley Woodhouse, Ashley Brigdon and Heather Seibert

Michael and Barbara Lariscy

Peighton Capwell, Hailee Snow and Jessica Brown

Trey Levie, SaMiha Williams, Krista Hinchey and Phillip Strickland

Martina Kolovich, Kristen Hoover, Katie Bird, Janie Futch, Crystal Carter, Ariel Futch, Mackenzy Galbreath and Paula Orr

Tracy Less, Anne Shealy, Stacie Shidemantle, Kathy Bellios and Brooke Griffin

Brigette Harley, Melissa Nguyen, Amy Kaminsky and Teresa Harris

Back: Julie Seckinger, Monica Paez, Donna Jepson, Liane Willard, Amy Davis and Karen Infinger; front: Jennifer Parker and Shannon Register

Photography by ALEXANDER NEUMANN

SAVANNAH ANTIQUES AND ARCHITECTURE WEEKEND

Fabulous Fête

MARCH 10

The annual gathering at the Green-Meldrim House included cocktails, food, live jazz music and a viewing of the Inspired Art Exhibition with Chuck Chewning.

Ronnie Gooch, Lindy Mueller and Marti Jessup

Robert Daniels and Mary Ham

Carl Pedigo, Kathy Horne and Karen and Jim Pannell

Photography by ALEXANDER NEUMANN

Mark Narsansky, Cuffy Sullivan and Phillip Mitchell

Chris and Nita Ann Klein

John Jackson, Fiona Nisbet and Joyce Wallace

Ann Merritt and Pam Lee

Peggy and David Chiarella

Swann Seiler, Elezabeth Ford and Julia Hodges

Samantha Thompson, Anastasios Tomazos and Betty Youles

PIN POINT HERITAGE MUSEUM

Art & Oysters

MARCH 23

Guests enjoyed an oyster roast, silent auction and meet-and-greet with artists on the Moon River marsh while supporting Pin Point Heritage Museum.

Photography by ALEXANDER NEUMANN

Pat Bigazzi, Michelle DiBiase and Jane Stout

Corliss Sprung, Jennifer Nolan, Stephen Sprung and Bernard Nolan

Stephanie Rose and Buck and Faye Buckner

Margaret Mulligan, Anne Gillans, Katie Bradley, Addie Bradley, Maureen Bailey and Kathy Brown

Sarah Sewell and Lisa Puhala

Liz Thompson and Carol Coppola

Mary Strickler and Lashonda Greene

Dave and Lindsay Kiefer and Chelsea and Cromwell Reeves

Hanif Hayes shucks an oyster.

Chefs & Chocolate

MARCH 4

Inside Kehoe Iron Works, guests indulged in delicious bites while helping inspire positive change during the 13th annual edition of this sweet event.

Missy Squires, Susan Ingram and Shazi Edmonds

Da’Henri and Antoinette Thurmond

Sally Perkins, Jason Pedigo and Drew and Adria Wilkes

Sean Squires, Drew Edmonds and Jim Anderson

David Ashley and Katrina Cooper

Photography by DOUG WINTERS

Jowand Brown, Jamil Jackson and Sonja Robinson

Carlton White and Carole Cornett

Olivia Fulton, Matthews Powell and Anna Grace Crawford Ryon and Joanna Poston

Ansley Cheshire, Sallie Beckwith and Lauren Schoettle

Nothing Compares 2 U:

Savannah in the Summertime

Written by ANDREA GOTO

MY HUSBAND AND I — just newlyweds at the time — relocated to Savannah in 2000. In late-August. And if you’re already giggling to yourself, then you know where this story is going.

When we arrive at the downtown rental we found sight unseen, I hop out of the car and get hit smack in the face with a wall of heat and humidity. It’s difficult to even breathe, like the air is something I should chew instead of inhale. Before I even make it to the sidewalk, I’m bitten by a mosquito the size of a Pterodactyl (still have the scar) and a thousand somethings I can’t even see. A needle-sharp arm of a plant that initially appeared neighborly, violently sticks my thigh.

I begin to bleed.

I begin to cry.

I knew we were moving south; I just didn’t realize we were moving to Hades.

Summers in Savannah are polarizing. There are the folks who cocoon themselves in their house, wearing a personal mini-fan/water spritzer around their neck, and don’t emerge again until the end of summer — better known as Halloween.

Then there are the sun salutationers, whose bodies seem to suck up vitamin D like a chilled glass of sweet tea from a straw. They’re the ones you see running during the hottest time of the day, and you look to see what’s chasing them. They seem oddly at ease with the sweat that runs down their backs, faces and teeth. (These are the same folks who can barely pull themselves out of bed on an overcast day — of which we have about five, annually — and mope around whining, “I just can’t,” over and over and over again.)

My first encounter with a Savannah summer felt like a near-fatal experience, but it didn’t take long for me to become that latter person — the one who spends November through May anxiously itching for the weather to “finally warm up,” even though some seem to think 80 degrees in March is hot enough. As if.

You see, there’s just something about summers in Savannah that overshadow — or maybe scorches? — the other paltry seasons. Each day holds a kind of promise and potential that the cooler days just don’t seem to provide. Work somehow feels lighter, like it’s secondary to the pursuit of leisure. Summertime is about late nights, cookouts, family, beaches, boating, pools and vacations. And, most importantly, my birthday.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt that because I teach college, I have summers off. This does, however, hurt my neighbor very much. I know this because he gives me the “onefinger salute” as he heads off to work each morning. But just across the fence, I know he’s also living his best summer life when I hear music playing and his kids splashing around in the pool, the smell of steaks on the grill laced with Citronella.

And where is that once-newlywed husband of mine during these roasty months? He’s either inside, mashing the thermostat to 65 degrees while changing out the batteries for his personal mini-fan/water spritzer or fully immersed at the deep end of the pool while I glide along the surface, fully exposed to the sun on an inflatable. To each his own.

But the point is, no matter how you look at it, nothing compares to summer in Savannah. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

and Judy!”

—COURTNEY VICTOR, OWNER OF GLOW MEDSPA, SAVANNAH MAGAZINE READER SINCE MIDDLE SCHOOL

Photo by Molly Hayden, at Perry Lane Hotel