Mighty Eighth wins WeddingWire award

WeddingWire, an online wedding marketplace, has named National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force as a winner of its Couples’ Choice Awards 2016 for wedding venues in Savannah.

The awards recognizes the top 5 percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire Network who demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism. They are given to top local wedding vendors in more than 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding florists, based on their professional achievements from the previous year.

The awards are based on reviews from newlyweds and their experiences working with the Mighty Eighth.

As a Couples’ Choice winner, the Mighty Eighth is highlighted within the WeddingWire Network, which comprises more than 400,000 wedding professionals globally.

For more information, go to weddingwire.com/NationalMueumoftheMightyEighthAirForce.

Indian motorcycle outlet opens in savannah

Friendship Enterprises, a 23-franchise automotive business based in Bristol, Tenn., has opened Indian Motorcycle Savannah at 6 Gateway Blvd. West, directly

off Exit 94 on Interstate 95.

“This is our second Indian Motorcycle dealership and we couldn’t be more excited to be in such a great biking destination area,” said Mitch Walters, owner of Friendship Enterprises. “We love Indian motorcycles, and we look forward to sharing our passion with our new friends in Savannah.”

The new dealership was scheduled to open Monday in the building that formerly housed Savannah’s Harley-Davidson franchise, which has moved to a new structure at 1 Fort Argyle Road.

A grand opening celebration for the Indian Motorcycle dealership is expected this spring.

Home Depot to hire more than 80,000 workers

Atlanta-based Home Depot, the nation’s largest home improvement chain, said Wednesday it is hiring more than 80,000 workers nationwide for its busy spring season, the same level as in recent years. The retailer estimates that more than half of the temporary workers stay on for permanent employment.

The part-time and full-time jobs include sales, operations and cashier positions across all departments in stores as well as jobs at its distribution centers.

Home Depot said in December that it expects its annual revenue to surpass $100 billion in 2018 and backed its earnings and revenue outlook for the latest fiscal year that ended last month.

Officials also said that sales at stores opened at least a year — a key measure of a retailer’s financial health — would rise 4.9 percent for the fiscal year that just ended.

In March 2015, the Georgia House of Representatives made it easier for victims of childhood sexual abuse to file lawsuits when the legislature passed House Bill 17 with overwhelming support.

Georgia previously had a relatively short statute of limitations on childhood sexual abuse claims. As a result, many victims were unable to bring charges against their abusers later in life. The law, which went into effect in July 2015, extends the window of time for child sex-abuse victims to file a lawsuit and seek damages.

The new law provides a two-year discovery rule, which allows a survivor of child sexual trauma to file suit from the date they discover a sexual assault, which can be important in cases of repressed memory.

This provision is designed to address the fact that many individuals repress these traumatic experiences until they are adults when therapy can bring these incidents to light. Now, these individuals can gain access to sealed criminal investigations in which they were the victim.

According to the Hidden Predator Law, individuals who have already missed both the statute of limitations and the new two-year provision can now act on a one-time retroactive window of opportunity to file a civil suit against the perpetrator. The window opened on July 1, 2015, and will close on July 1, 2017.

In addition, if the perpetrator was a volunteer or employee of an organization that owed a “duty of care” to the victim — or the abuser and victim were engaged in some activity over which such entity had control — the victim can be awarded damages against the organization when there is evidence of gross negligence or knowledge of the abuse.

Under the new law, a suit has been filed against a Georgia karate school owner who is accused of sexual abuse by seven former Taekwondo Junior Olympic medalists, who are now in their 30s.

The seven plaintiffs also are suing the Amateur Athletic Union for continuing to allow their alleged abuser to enter tournaments with children as recently as 2015 even though a Georgia district attorney found evidence of “multiple acts of sodomy, aggravated sodomy, aggravated child molestation and sexual battery.”

Another case filed under this new Georgia law claims that a statehouse lobbyist abused a boy he worked with as a youth leader at a Toombs County church “hundreds of times over the course of several years.”

The plaintiff, who is now in his early 30s, said in the suit that he met the perpetrator through the church’s youth group while in the seventh grade. The defendant, who was a volunteer and later became a youth pastor, allegedly invited boys from the youth group to his home for sleepovers, showed them pornographic material and engaged in sexual acts involving minors.

Fortunately, Georgia’s new Hidden Predator Law makes it easier to seek retribution for individuals who have been victims of childhood sexual abuse. Child predators, as well as the organizations that may have enabled or ignored their behavior, must be held accountable for their actions.

If you or someone you know has been the victim of childhood sexual trauma in Georgia, contact an attorney who specializes in abuse cases. By filing suit under the state’s Hidden Predator Law, you may be entitled to compensation and to seek justice through the state’s legal system.

Stephen G. Lowry is a partner with the law firm of Harris Penn Lowry LLP who has handled numerous abuse claims. He can be reached at steve@hpllegal.com or 912-651-9967.

Documented in Savannah’s earliest years by Salzburger Philip von Reck, the community’s ginger growing roots date back to 1736, but Verdant Kitchen is helping to usher them into the 21st century.

What started quietly in 2012 as an agricultural experiment at Savannah businessman Howard Morrison’s Lebanon Plantation in West Chatham County has grown into a thriving company built on thousands of years of history and culture.

“We’re here talking about business and entrepreneurs, but (ginger and turmeric) built empires. Fortunes were made, wars were fought over these. People fell in love with these spices, and people fell out of love with these spices,” Verdant Kitchen CEO Ross Harding said on Wednesday during the Business in Savannah Luncheon held in the Savannah Morning News auditorium.

From their Ginger Mint Green Tea and Chocolate Coated Ginger to Ginger Sauce, Harding touts the deliciousness of the products along with the wellness benefits. Between the two of them ginger and turmeric offer numerous health benefits, including reducing inflammation, motion sickness, improving circulation and reducing nausea.

“We didn’t invent these things, We didn’t invent ginger and turmeric, we didn’t invent what they do. What we’re trying to do is find a way to present these products that bring joy and wellness,” he said.

“These products have been used for food and wellness for millenniums, and there’s a reason why and it’s because they work and they’re delicious.”

The company, which began sampling products to regional farmers markets in 2014 and wholesaling in early 2015, now sells about 20 different products, but things really took off after their Ginger Infused Honey and Ginger Syrup landed on Oprah Winfrey’s “Favorite Things” 2015 gift guide.

“Above the waterline you try to look really serene, but below the waterline you’re thrashing around like crazy,” Harding said of landing a spot in “O, the Oprah Magazine.”

In the weeks leading up to the release of the “O” list on Amazon and “People” magazine, Harding said, the company prepared the best they could for what they expected to be an influx of orders, but for a very short while nothing happened.

“I was so sad for about 15 minutes. I was so sad even ginger wouldn’t have helped. We had about five people on the site, then 15, then 500 and then 1,000,” he said.

“We’ve been very blessed, and we’ve got great friends in Savannah. That’s where our roots are. I think we’ve got a great future and a great team.”

Now with a large presence on Amazon, a new website and the products making their way around the country, Harding said, it’s been a challenge to find the balance between being a small local business and a thriving company.

“There’s a valley of despair that you have to go through. You’re too large to be doing things on a craft basis and you’re too small to do things on a very large basis and navigating through that is the hardest thing to do,” he said.

“At some level you have to say, it’s going to work because I’m going to make it work, and I’m going to do what it takes to make it work.”

Harding is optimistic about the future and hopes to seize the many opportunities that have come with the company’s sudden fame, including expansion.

“I think we’ll continue to grow the business,” he said.

“We’re just starting. We’re just little, and there is a global market out there.”

ON THE WEB

For more information about Verdant Kitchen and their products, go to www.verdantkitchen.com.

When he announced his resignation Wednesday, ports director Curtis Foltz pointed to a number of things that have made the Port of Savannah exceptional.

At the top of that list were its people. But Foltz wasn’t just talking about the 1,100 GPA employees. There is another group — also more than 1,000 strong — that the port couldn’t function without.

“Our employees are known for their dedication to customer service, and we work hand-in-hand with our partners in the International Longshoremen’s Association to make sure everything runs smoothly,” he said recently. “I’m confident that you could go to any port in this country and you won’t find the kind of working relationship we have with our ILA locals.

“They just get it.”

Conversely, the port’s management understands and respects the vital role the union plays in a smooth-running port, said Tommy Stokes, president of ILA Deep Sea Local 1414, the largest and most physical of the three locals operating at the port.

“Since I took over 1414 two years ago, Curtis and I have developed a relationship based on mutual respect and a common desire for this port to be the best it can be,” Stokes said Thursday. “He meets quarterly with the leadership of all three locals to give us a mini ‘state of the ports.’ He shares numbers and projections to let us know what’s coming so we can be ready.”

“And he always asks what he can do for us.”

But as good as his relationship is with Foltz, Stokes said his relationship with incoming port director Griff Lynch is even stronger.

“Curtis and I get along great, but he travels a lot, so I’ve dealt a lot more with Griff on a day-to-day basis,” he said. “He’s going to be great for the ports and great for my administration. Like Curtis, he understands that our relationship and staying on the same page is a critical component of this port’s success.”

But don’t take Stokes’ word for it. Just look at the tenuous relationships administration and labor have at other ports and the damage that can do.

Just last Friday, a one-day wildcat strike by several ILA locals at the port of New York/New Jersey likely cost shippers and terminal owners hundreds of thousands of dollars while creating a 200-truck, half-mile line outside the gates of the Port Newark and Maher terminals.

While there was no official reason given, the Journal of Commerce said multiple sources attributed the walkout to the ILA’s problems with hiring rules of the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor. Union spokesman James McNamara told The Associated Press issues also included the administration’s possible outsourcing of work as well as automation of other work.

For more than a year, East Coast ports have benefitted from the protracted labor disputes on the West Coast, which resulted in cargo diversions as retailers hedged their bets on getting their merchandise to market.

Even after the ILA’s counterpart union on the West Coast ratified its new contract, a lot of shippers opted to keep moving at least part of their cargo through the East Coast.

This was particularly true for Savannah — the only major container port that handled the extra cargo without delays or congestion.

While infrastructure — a single terminal with two miles of continuous berthing, expanding truck gates, two Class I railroads on site — plays a critical role, it’s the people who make it all work, Foltz said.

Ricky Deloach, president of the 800-member Clerks and Checkers Local 1475, agreed.

“It’s definitely a ‘we’ mentality, not an ‘us and them’ way of thinking,” Deloach said, adding that he credits Foltz with establishing open communication and a sense of mutual respect.

“We — both labor and management — are very customer-oriented,” he said. “We talk on a regular basis and work together to resolve any issues before they become problems. It’s rare and it’s something that doesn’t go unnoticed. On a national level, the ILA uses Savannah as a model for how labor and management can work together for the success of the port. And customers, too, appreciate the fact that we work well together.”

Indeed, U.S. East Coast ports toppled the U.S. West Coast in international containerized ocean volume and market share for the first nine months of 2015, handling 47.1 percent of the 24 million TEUs moving through the U.S. to the West Coast’s 44.5 percent and the Gulf Coast’s ports handled the remaining 8.3 percent of containerized volumes, according to a report issued Wednesday by the Journal of Commerce.

Georgia Ports were ranked second on the East Coast for both imports and exports, with market shares of 18.3 percent and 19.8 percent respectively. On the export side GPA was narrowly edged out for first by New York/New Jersey at 21.4 percent market share.

No accident there, Stokes said. It’s what happens when good leaders communicate.

Senior business reporter Mary Carr Mayle covers the ports for the Savannah Morning News and savannahnow.com. She can be reached at 912-652-0324 or at mary.mayle@savannahnow.com.

Following are the ships expected to call on Georgia Ports Authority’s Garden City and Ocean terminals this week. Schedules are supplied by GPA and are subject to change.

TERMINAL VESSEL ETA

GCT MSC KLEVEN Today

GCT MSC MICHAELA Today

GCT CMA CGM DON GIOVANNI Today

GCT ZIM VIRGINIA Today

GCT NINGBO EXPRESS Today

GCT NEVZAT KALKAVAN Today

GCT OSAKA EXPRESS Today

GCT MAERSK WAKAYAMA Today

GCT MAERSK WEYMOUTH Today

GCT MAERSK COLUMBUS Today

GCT BENEDICT SCHULTE Today

OT GRANDE SENEGAL Today

GCT CMA CGM JAMAICA Saturday

GCT BARGE PENN 410 Saturday

GCT MUSCAT SILVER Saturday

GCT NORTHERN MONUMENT Saturday

GCT NORTHERN MAGNITUDE Saturday

GCT ARGOS Sunday

GCT HANJIN BALTIMORE Sunday

GCT SANTA LAURA Sunday

GCT JADRANA Sunday

GCT OOCL TIANJIN Sunday

GCT PHILADELPHIA EXPRESS Sunday

GCT AUGUSTA KONTOR Monday

GCT MAERSK MEMPHIS Monday

GCT VANCOUVER EXPRESS Monday

GCT POMERENIA SKY Monday

GCT WEHR HONG KONG Monday

GCT APL OREGON Monday

OT FIDELIO Monday

GCT LESSOW SWAN Tuesday

GCT MAERSK KARLSKRONA Tuesday

GCT ZIM TEXAS Tuesday

GCT CAP HATTERAS Tuesday

GCT YORKTOWN EXPRESS Tuesday

GCT UASC UMM QASR Tuesday

GCT HANJIN RIO DE JANEIRO Tuesday

OT FREEDOM Tuesday

OT ULTRA WOLLONGONG Tuesday

GCT YM UNICORN Wednesday

GCT ARIAN Wednesday

GCT MAYSSAN Wednesday

GCT MSC VANESSA Thursday

GCT MAERSK KAWASAKI Thursday

GCT NORTHERN GRACE Thursday

GCT HALIFAX EXPRESS Thursday

GCT MSC BUSAN Thursday

GCT DOLPHIN II Thursday

GCT MOL MARVEL Thursday

OT BAHRI YANBU Thursday

Alabama firm takes over management of local Holiday Inn

LBA Hospitality, a Dothan, Ala.-based hotel management, development and consulting firm, assumed management of the Holiday Inn Savannah Historic District on Jan. 1.

The Holiday Inn’s addition marks the second property under management in an agreement with Miami, Fla.-based ownership group Key International.

“We’re excited to again partner with Key International to maximize this hotel’s potential,” said LBA president Beau Benton. “Its prime location in Savannah’s historic district and other strong attributes make it an ideal choice for corporate and leisure travelers.”

The 127-room hotel at 520 West Bryan St. was renovated in June 2015 and re-flagged as a Holiday Inn with contemporary suites and guest rooms that include Wi-Fi, a flat-screen TV, coffeemakers, mini-fridge and desk. Hotel amenities include an outdoor pool, ballroom, meeting space accommodating up to 160 people and full-service restaurant and bar.

Founded in 1973, LBA Hospitality manages more than 61 properties in 10 states. For more information, go to www.lbahospitality.com.

Monthly small business chamber meeting scheduled

The Small Business Chamber of Savannah will host its monthly breakfast meeting Tuesday, Feb. 9.

This month’s topic is “Get Crazy Productive.” Melissa Gratias, a productivity psychologist, will discuss ways to find the optimal productivity tools for your personality, preferred work style and professional environment.

The session will be from 7:45 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. at the Coastal Georgia Center, 305 Fahm St.

This cost is $5 for members, $10 for guests and free for first-time visitors. For more information, go to Facebook.com/SBCSavannah or email SBCofSavannah@gmail.com.

Coffee talk business connection scheduled

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — The Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce will host Coffee Talk: Connecting Business in Bluffton from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9, at Jim ‘N Nicks in Bluffton.

Guest speakers will be newly elected Bluffton Town Councilmen Harry Lutz and Dan Wood, who will discuss the ideas they bring to the town council.

Remarks will begin at 8:30 a.m. There is no cost to attend. To register, go to hiltonheadblufftonchamber.org.

Nominations for Golden Broom Award sought

The Savannah Development and Renewal Authority (SDRA) is accepting nominations for the first quarter Golden Broom Award.

The Award is given to a downtown Savannah business that goes above and beyond to maintain a clean and litter-free area or storefront or a business that has made a significant effort to beautify their property.

Nominations will be accepted through Monday, Feb. 15. Nominate a business by emailing Katherine Williams, program coordinator, at katherinew@sdra.net.

WASHINGTON — Consider looking past January’s so-so job growth.

At first glance, Friday’s government report on U.S. hiring was a downer — 151,000 added jobs, well below the pace of the previous few months.

Yet once you take a fuller view, a brighter picture of the job market emerges: A sub-5 percent unemployment rate. Healthy pay raises. And a stream of people who grew confident enough in the job market to start looking for work.

“The January report is a solid report in disguise,” said Douglas Holtz-Eakin, a former director of the Congressional Budget Office and president of the conservative American Action Forum.

That seems especially true given that the job gains come at a delicate time for the U.S. economy. Analysts have warned that the economy faces a growing risk of another recession within a year or two after having recovered only gradually from the Great Recession. Economic weakness overseas and reeling financial markets have slowed growth and squeezed manufacturers.

Last month’s pay raises and the addition of retail jobs suggest that consumers have the resilience to bolster growth. Average hourly wages have jumped 2.5 percent over the past 12 months, evidence that years of steady job growth are finally helping generate pay raises for more Americans.

The strong fundamentals in the jobs report could make the Federal Reserve somewhat more likely to raise rates again this year — a prospect that likely contributed to a sharp sell-off in stocks. The Dow Jones industrial average tumbled 211 points or about 1.3 percent.

“The wage numbers were the most encouraging bit of news all around,” said Carl Tannenbaum, chief economist at Northern Trust.

Tannenbaum said the figures gave him “extra comfort that the expansion wasn’t sliding toward an untimely conclusion.”

With the unemployment rate now 4.9 percent — its lowest level since 2008 — many workers have managed to gain raises because their employers have had to offer better incentives to compete for talent. The unemployment rate dipped in January even though a sizable 502,000 more people began hunting for jobs.

That reversed a trend in which the unemployment rate had been dropping for a discouraging reason: Jobseekers had stopped looking for work and were no longer counted as unemployed.

Wage growth is a crucial indicator for the Fed, which is weighing whether to raise interest rates in the face of global risks that could imperil broader economic growth. The Fed wants to see earnings accelerate after years of sluggish gains.

In December, the Fed boosted rates from record lows. But investors have largely dismissed the likelihood of a rate hike at the next Fed meeting in March. The January jobs report, with a slowdown in job growth but a pickup in wages, complicates the outlook for the Fed.

“Nobody really knows what to do with this jobs report — and ultimately for the Fed it may not matter because we’ll get another jobs report before the March meeting,” said Megan Greene, chief economist at Manulife Asset Management.

January’s hiring, though modest, followed robust job growth of a seasonally adjusted 280,000 in November and 262,000 in December. Last month, companies shed education, transportation and temporary workers but stepped up hiring in manufacturing, retail and food services.

The number of people working or seeking work rose last month, while the number of unemployed slipped from 7.9 million to 7.8 million, which caused the unemployment rate to dip from 5.0 percent.

January’s income growth meshed with retailers hiring a seasonally adjusted 57,700 workers. Restaurants and bars added 48,800 jobs in a sign of robust consumer demand.

With low gas prices leaving more money in people’s wallets and borrowing costs low, most economists expect Americans to spend at a decent pace this year and provide support for economic growth that offsets any global headwinds.

Adam Xavier, CEO of Los Angeles-based RoadLok, which makes motorcycle locks, says it plans to add three sales account managers to its headquarters staff this year.

With consumer confidence rising, “people are starting to ride more,” thereby boosting sales, Xavier says.

Manufacturers hired a solid 29,000 workers last month, even though other indicators show factory activity weakening as the rising value of the dollar and the sluggish economies of major trade partners have squeezed exports of U.S. goods.

The health care sector added a sturdy 44,000. But other areas sputtered. Education services, an area sheltered from the global economy, shed 38,500 workers after gains in prior months.

The most notable decline was in temporary workers, whose ranks fell by 25,200 in January. The decrease may indicate that companies are wary that the economy can continue its 6½-year-old expansion at its previous pace. Corporate profits are declining and goods are piling up on warehouse shelves.

Those trends have elevated concern that a U.S. recession may loom in the next year or two. Most analysts say that while the economy may slow this year compared with 2015, an outright recession remains unlikely.

Economists at Bank of America Merrill Lynch have put the odds of a recession within the next 12 months at 20 percent. While still low, that estimate is up from 15 percent last year.

NEW YORK — On May 2, Ed Bastian takes over as the new CEO of Delta Air Lines, replacing the retiring Richard Anderson. Bastian has been Anderson’s close deputy, helping to turn around the airline from bankrupt carrier to one of the world’s leading airlines, one whose playbook is often copied by others.

Bastian has been with Delta — except for a brief break — since 1998 and has held various leadership roles including chief financial officer and his current post as president.

Wall Street analysts expect Bastian to continue running Delta with the same general strategy as Anderson. They did, after all, work side by side on most of the changes.

The Associated Press interviewed Bastian by phone following his appointment. The incoming CEO explained the need to still invest internationally, improve the airline’s regional jet service and continue its efforts to make passengers want to fly Delta because of the experience, not the ticket price. The answers have been edited for length and clarity.

Q: Low fuel prices have caused other airlines to irrationally set prices and routes. How do you defend against that?

A: There’s always going to be a low-cost competitor in our marketplace. The answer about how it is different today, compared to how we’ve competed in the past, is that we’ve got the staying power. We’ve got the cash returns that we’re investing in the product, service and our people. Price is always an important part of a travel decision. But we’ve been very clear that we don’t see our product as a commodity. We’re out to break the commoditization cycle.

Q: Are increased labor costs a problem?

A: Our people need to share in the success of the airline. We’re paying out bonuses equal to 21.4 percent of annual salaries, across the board. But we’ve got to stay disciplined. When we look back at our fourth-quarter results, we retained about two-thirds of the fuel savings to the bottom line. Some of it went, as it should, to improved employee profit-sharing and compensation, some of it went to lower fares, which were down 5 percent on average.

Q: What is the role of regional airlines?

A: They play an important role but less than they have in the past. The regional fleet is smaller. Four or five years ago, we were at over 700 regional jets and we’ll get down close to 400 by the time we’re done with the fleet changes we’re making. But they’re still a very important part of the product. What are the things Delta needs to do to improve in the future? I would say the space with the greatest opportunity still for improvement is the quality of the regional experience.

Q: You have a stake in Brazil’s GOL. Any concerns?

A: Brazil is in a tough place. There’s no question about it. It’s a tough place from the economy, from a political situation, from a currency perspective, commodity prices are really hurting the local economy there. But it’s also the most important market in Latin America. We own about 10 percent of GOL currently and we are assisting in its restructuring, in terms of trying to raise additional liquidity because the next two years will be tough. We do think that GOL, over time, will have the staying power and strength. We’re very impressed with the quality of the product and service.

Gulfstream G500 passes latest flight test

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. has announced the Gulfstream G500 has completed flutter testing — the effects of vibration on the structure of the aircraft — to achieve what the company is calling another milestone in the new aircraft’s flight-test program.

The first G500 test aircraft, T1, performed the tests over the course of more than 50 flights.

“The G500 has accomplished a great deal since we launched the flight-test program in May 2015,” said Dan Nale, senior vice president of programs, engineering and test. “With three aircraft in flight, the program has surpassed 430 flight-test hours over more than 105 flights.”

Since T1 took its first flight on May 18, 2015, the aircraft has surpassed more than 320 flight hours. It has reached a maximum speed of Mach 0.999 and a maximum altitude of 53,000 feet. T1’s longest flight to date lasted more than five hours.

The second and third G500 flight-test aircraft, T2 and T3, both took their first flights on Nov. 20.

Local food bank receives ‘superior’ audit score

America’s Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia has received a rating of “superior” in its first American Institute of Baking International (AIB) audit.

AIB is the food industry’s monitoring organization that measures the highest and strictest standards for distribution center operations and professionalism.

“Families and individuals receiving food from Second Harvest should know that providing safe and nutritious food is one of our top priorities,” said Executive Director Mary Jane Crouch.

The food bank scored 960 out of 1,000 for Savannah and 950 out of 1,000 for Brunswick.

“We hold our facilities and staff to the highest standards,” said Jamie Kendall, chief operations officer for America’s Second Harvest. “The results of the audit are validation of the hard work and dedication that our staff puts into ensuring we deliver safe and nutritional food.”

Business barter group to have lunch and learn

NuBarter of Savannah is inviting the business community in Coastal Georgia to a lunch and learn: “Everything You Always Wanted to Know About NuBarter But Were Afraid to Ask” will be 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, at the Gingerbread House, 1921 Bull St.

Gary Field, founder of NuBarter, will explain the various facets of how their barter system works.

RSVP at rosalind@paradiseeventsent.com or 478-808-5447 or gary@nubarter.com, 912-631-6808.

NuBarter is a network of businesses that participates in alternate electronic currency by exchanging goods and services.

Over the past 12 months, floods in different parts of the country have been in the news. Many people don’t realize that floods are the most common natural disaster in the United States.

In a coastal region such as ours, it is especially important for all property owners — business and residential — to know their risk of flooding. From 2003 to 2012, total flood insurance claims averaged nearly $4 billion a year. In high-risk areas, there is at least a one in four chance of flooding during a 30-year mortgage.

However, losses from flooding are not covered under typical business and homeowners’ insurance policies. Floods can result from hurricanes, tropical storms, heavy rains or simply a clogged storm drain.

Over the past few years, there have been numerous changes in the flood insurance program. In 2014, the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014 became law. It resulted in modifying and repealing certain provisions of the 2012 Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act.

What does this mean to you as a policyholder?

Changes resulting from the affordability act include a new surcharge that is added to all flood insurance policies. This surcharge is to offset the subsidized policies to achieve the reform act’s financial goals.

Since the affordability act, we have seen increased premiums, higher policy fees and added surcharges. Most of these fees are based on the occupancy of the property.

A dwelling that is an insured’s primary residence will have a $50 fee, whereas secondary residences, rental and commercial properties will have a $250 fee. In addition to this surcharge fee, you will also have a reserve fund Assessment fee, which is based on 15 percent of the annual premium along with the overall rate increase of 8 to 25 percent.

If you have commercial property, be sure to know your occupancy type. The affordability act has established the surcharge as a flat fee based on an insured property’s occupancy type. Rate increases are lower on “other non-residential,” which, for example, includes schools and nonprofit organizations, while “non-residential” applies to small businesses and other uses.

It is good to know that there is a bright side to the affordability act. Although it and the earlier reform act brought about increases, the reforms also require new flood maps.

New flood maps should be released in the first quarter of 2017.

From the preliminary drawings, it appears that moderate wave action is being taken into account. Because Georgia’s coast sits farther back than other states, we have less wave action. This may not be ideal for surfing, but it works great with these new flood maps.

From meetings with the Floodplain Management Department, we are seeing a lot of V zones being moved to AE zones. This is a positive move because V zone is higher risk, has no base-flood elevation and can be a velocity hazard (“wave action”). The AE zone is an area inundated by 100-year flooding (a 1 percent annual chance flooding), which has an established base flood elevation.

We are also seeing some of the AE zones being moved to the X zone. Again, this is positive because the X zone includes areas determined to be outside the 500-year floodplain. In addition to these possible flood zone changes, the base flood in some areas is also being lowered.

This is good news for property owners. If your property moves to a better flood zone, or if the base flood is lowered in your area, you could see a significant reduction in your flood premium.

If you get an opportunity to see the preliminary flood maps for your area, you should do so and see how it will affect your flood rates.

Chris Butler is with Bernard Williams & Company. Contact him at 912-234-4476 or cbutler@bwcco.com.

By Chris Butler

Savannah firm to have job recruitment

Bramli USA Inc., a producer of housewares and industrial containers, will try to recruit 20 workers for its facility in Savannah next week.

The recruitment will be from 10 a.m. to noon Friday, Feb. 12, at the company, 300 Telfair Road.

Bramli will be hiring injection mold technicians, material handlers and warehouse workers. All applicants must be at least 18 and have at least one year of experience.

State labor department staff will be at the event to assist applicants in the screening process.

Job seekers planning to attend this recruitment are encouraged to go to www.employgeorgia.com to create an account and upload or create a resume. Having an Employ Georgia account expedites the interview process.

For more information, contact Emily Brinson at 404-217-3108.

New Navy Federal branch to open Monday

HINESVILLE — Navy Federal Credit Union will celebrate the grand opening of its 278th branch at 10 a.m. Monday at 730 South Main St. in Hinesville. This is the fourth branch in what it considers the greater Savannah Market with more than 20,000 members.

Branch features will include teller pods that allow for more personal interaction between members and tellers, tablets for member use, a free coin machine and drive-through service.

During the event, Navy Federal will make a donation to the Mary Lou Fraser Foundation, whose mission is to enrich the lives individuals and families through professional counseling, community education and emotional support.

Jesup restaurant wins Goodwill award

Goodwill of the Coastal Empire has launched the Goodwill Ambassador program to each month recognize a local business that is hiring people with disabilities or barriers and encouraging individual development through the power of work.

The first award was presented to Terry Nickell, owner of Western Sizzlin’ restaurant in Jesup, who has hired eight individuals through his partnership with Goodwill over the past year.

Barbara Curry, an employment specialist with Goodwill who has worked with Western Sizzlin’, presented the award to Nickell.

“We wanted to thank Mr. Nickell for giving people second, third, and fourth chances,” Curry said. “He has truly made a difference in people’s lives. The individuals hired were able to work towards self-sufficiency through the power of work.”

Western Sizzlin’ employs 54 people, and Nickell has owned the restaurant for 17 years.

Business owners and managers who would like more information about Goodwill partnerships should contact Jennifer Tucker at JTucker@goodwillsavannah.org or 912-354-6611 ext 10228.

With so much news at the beginning of the year, I neglected to devote a column to some of the bigger questions facing Savannah in 2016. So here it is, a little late.

We are all wondering if the new mayor and aldermen will impact the direction of the city, but the first concern is obviously about crime.

What will happen to crime trends in 2016? Will new strategies and better police staffing lead to measureable declines?

With only about three weeks of data available, 2016 looks a lot like 2015. Using numbers through Jan. 23 and comparing this year to last year, we have had the same number of murders (2), the same number of aggravated assaults with guns (16) and slightly more robberies (33 to 26).

But it’s really early in the year, and it’s worth keeping in mind that crime surged in the latter half of 2015. If the numbers for the first few months of 2016 match the numbers from 2015, that’s probably a positive trend.

Savannah isn’t going to change from a high-crime to a low-crime city in a year, but we could plausibly hope that crime rates return to their long-term trends, at minimum. And that means significant declines, especially in violent crimes and in auto thefts.

Who will be our new Savannah city manager? Will the process be as contentious as it was during the search that resulted in the hiring of Rochelle Small-Toney? Will we hire someone with the right skills, knowledge and vision?

With few signals so far about the impending search, I have no idea if we will have a productive search, and I have to assume that some potential candidates would be scared off by the city’s recent political volatility.

I’m hoping for the best from the city manager search process, but I can’t say more than that at this point.

And what does the rest of 2016 hold for Broughton Street, which has become so important to Savannahians?

There are some key spaces still available in the Broughton Street corridor, and 2016 might be the real test of the breadth of demand for high-priced retail in downtown generally.

But it seems certain that there will be more investment on Broughton Street. We just don’t know how much.

I have some cynical readers who think Broughton will collapse like a house of cards, but I don’t think those folks clearly understand that major corporations do their homework and are in a position to weather rough patches.

Gap and Banana Republic have been on Broughton for over 15 years. A newcomer like H&M isn’t going to construct a massive new building and then vacate quickly.

As we all now know, the major corporate investments in Broughton Street have pushed some local business owners into other parts of the Historic District and even into other neighborhoods. Bull Street between Park Avenue and Victory Drive has changed dramatically in recent years, and interest in the corridor is still growing.

But what about the broader economy? Will the Savannah economy continue to grow through 2016?

For what it’s worth, I agree with economists who see steady growth through the remainder of the year.

But it’s obviously worth noting that, by some historical measures, the U.S. economy is overdue for a recession.

There have been 12 recessions in the United States since 1945 — approximately one recession every six years. Sometimes recessions came in quick succession, but sometimes we had a full decade between them.

The so-called “Great Recession” ended in summer 2009, so the calendar warns us that we should expect another recession soon, almost certainly before the end of this decade.

Or not.

Maybe the sheer depth of the recession that began in 2007 changed the equation. Even though the economy started growing again by summer 2009, it took several years before key sectors returned to their pre-recession levels. So perhaps the slow recovery will buy us some extra time before the inevitable next contraction.

When the next recession does arrive, I doubt the local economy will be decimated like it was the last time.

Before the 2007-2009 recession, Savannah’s real estate market had lost contact with the fundamentals, and investors here continued to make risky bets even as markets in other cities were crashing. It was crazy to watch.

I don’t see evidence of such reckless speculation today, so in theory the next recession should not devastate household wealth like the last one did.

These are just a few of the trends that I’ll be watching and covering in 2016, which is shaping up to be an especially important year for the city.

City Talk appears every Tuesday and Sunday. Bill Dawers can be reached via billdawers@comcast.net. Send mail to 10 East 32nd St., Savannah, Ga. 31401.

By Bill Dawers

Average retail gasoline prices in the Savannah area have fallen 4.2 cents a gallon in the past week to $1.74 a gallon on Sunday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 262 gas outlets in Savannah.

The national average has fallen 5.2 cents a gallon in the last week to $1.74, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.

Prices Sunday in the Savannah area were 34.3 cents a gallon lower than the same day one year ago and are 21.5 cents a gallon lower than a month ago. The national average has decreased 24.6 cents a gallon during the last month and stands 43.4 cents lower than a year ago.

According to GasBuddy historical data, gasoline prices on Feb. 8 in Savannah have ranged widely over the last five years:

• $2.08 a gallon in 2015;

• $3.21 a gallon in 2014;

• $3.51 a gallon in 2013;

• $3.48 a gallon in 2012; and

• $3.04 a gallon in 2011.

Average gas prices in the region include:

• Jacksonville — $1.72 a gallon, down 2.2 cents from last week’s $1.74.

• Augusta — $1.63 a gallon, down 4.2 cents from last week’s $1.67.

• South Carolina — $1.56 a gallon, down 2.8 cents from last week’s $1.59.

“Gasoline prices continue to plunge coast to coast as refiners continue to churn out winter-spec gasoline that will soon need to be purged,” said Patrick DeHaan, GasBuddy senior petroleum analyst. “While crude oil prices have held above recent lows, gasoline fundamentals continue to be remarkably weak as refiners continue to churn out winter-spec gasoline, incentivized by cheap crude oil.

“This has put retail gasoline prices under tremendous pressure as gasoline inventories rise to their highest January level since records started in 1990. Refiners will continue selling any winter spec gasoline at bargain basement prices to rid themselves of it before specifications change heading into summer.”

This seasonal “clearance sale” should continuein days ahead, leading to lower prices in most areas,’ DeHaan said.

“Don’t get too relaxed,” he said. “The shift in specifications will lead to an eventual lift in prices once winter gasoline is gone.”

For live fuel price averages, visit http://media.gasbuddy.com.

S.C. Chamber:
Kinder Morgan eminent domain
ban ‘shortsighted’

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Pointing to an eminent domain conflict over a rail terminal in North Carolina, the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce is warning against the effects of legislation that would bar pipeline giant Kinder Morgan from condemning private property against the wishes of South Carolina landowners.

Today, the S.C. Senate Judiciary Committee will take up S. 868, a bill intended to preempt any ability the pipeline company may have to force property owners to accept the sale of their land. Under the bill, the use of eminent domain would be off limits for a private, for-profit pipeline company, including a publicly traded for-profit company that isn’t classified as a public utility.

While the Savannah Riverkeeper and other conservation advocates hailed the proposal last week, South Carolina’s business leaders are urging caution.

“We feel this amendment is shortsighted and sets a precedent that could have unintended consequences,” said Ted Pitts, president and CEO of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, in a statement.

“Today this negative attention may be directed at one specific industry, but look no further than our neighbors in North Carolina to see that it can filter over into other areas of commerce and infrastructure.”

He was referring to the proposed Carolina Connector intermodal rail terminal planned for Johnston County, N.C. Last month Americans for Prosperity North Carolina issued a press release urging passage of a bill to limit eminent domain powers to projects for public use. However, support for the hub is reportedly welling up elsewhere in the region, creating a dilemma for state leaders and economic development proponents.

If allowed to proceed, Kinder Morgan’s $1 billion, 360-mile petroleum pipeline would move up to 7 million gallons a day of gasoline, diesel and ethanol from Belton, SC., through Geor­gia and to Jacksonville, Fla. In Georgia, hundreds raised objections to the company’s threat of eminent domain to secure easements through some of the 400 private properties in the path of the pipe.

Georgia’s transportation chief denied the company’s request, and the matter awaits a court decision.

Kinder Morgan joined the S.C. Chamber of Commerce’s “President’s Circle” last year, a membership tier that correlates to a $25,000-$49,999 “yearly investment” with the business group, and the second-highest listed on its website. The pipeline company has been a member of the S.C. Chamber since 2007.

Kinder Morgan has local memberships, too, including chambers in North Augusta and Aiken.

An earlier version of Sen. Tom Young’s bill, S. 868, would have created an approval process through the Public Service Commission and the state environmental agency.

That version was scrapped last week in favor of the current, tougher bill.

Gas prices drop in metro Savannah

Average retail gasoline prices in the Savannah area have fallen 4.2 cents a gallon in the past week to $1.74 a gallon on Sunday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 262 gas outlets in Savannah.

The national average has fallen 5.2 cents a gallon in the last week to $1.74, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.

Prices Sunday in the Savannah area were 34.3 cents a gallon lower than the same day one year ago and are 21.5 cents a gallon lower than a month ago. The national average has decreased 24.6 cents a gallon during the last month and stands 43.4 cents lower than a year ago.

According to GasBuddy historical data, gasoline prices on Feb. 8 in Savannah have ranged widely over the last five years:

• $2.08 a gallon in 2015;

• $3.21 a gallon in 2014;

• $3.51 a gallon in 2013;

• $3.48 a gallon in 2012; and

• $3.04 a gallon in 2011.

Average gas prices in the region include:

• Jacksonville — $1.72 a gallon, down 2.2 cents from last week’s $1.74.

• Augusta — $1.63 a gallon, down 4.2 cents from last week’s $1.67.

• South Carolina — $1.56 a gallon, down 2.8 cents from last week’s $1.59.

Doctor expands vascular surgery services to Pooler

Dr. Lee Yates, founder of Savannah Surgery Center and Medical Director of Vascular Surgery at St. Joseph’s/Candler, has expanded his practice into Pooler.

Yates is seeing patients at the St. Joseph’s/Candler Physician Specialty Center, 105 Grand Central Blvd., Suite 106. He specializes in the treatment of arterial and venous disorders using minimally invasive techniques.

To schedule an appointment or for more information, call 912-354-8331.

Organization seeks to honor administrative professional

The Small Business Assistance Corp. in Savannah, a local nonprofit economic development organization, is looking to award the T. McCoy Cornerstone Award to a local administrative professional for their hard work.

Nominations must be in 500 words or less, telling SBAC why the person deserves the award and must include the nominee’s name, title/position, company and contact information. Submissions should be sent to Kelly at knguyen@sbacsav.com, including the nominator’s contact information.

The winner will receive a plaque and $500. Deadline for submissions is March 31.

The SBAC provides loans and technical assistance for new and existing small businesses in the city of Savannah, southeast Georgia and the Lowcountry of South Carolina.

Savannah city officials recently released yet another draft of the proposed alcohol ordinance rewrite.

Before reading my take on the new ordinance, you might want to check it out for yourself at http://www.savannahga.gov/alcohol.

The latest version has the same key concepts and provisions that were in the summer 2015 draft, but the language has been streamlined. It appears about one-third of the words were trimmed from the previous draft.

And it seems to me we have a document that, at long last, looks pretty good, although I could certainly have missed some problematic details.

One of the most important, necessary and welcome changes from our current ordinance is the inclusion of new classes of license holders.

The new ordinance would include licenses for caterers, manufacturers and brewers, retail sellers, package sellers, wholesalers and complimentary service. The inclusion of that final category would finally give salons, stores and other types of businesses a legal way to provide complimentary wine and beer to customers.

The new ordinance also has provisions for event venues that are not open on a daily basis.

Retail license holders that host “live entertainment performances” — a definition that excludes karaoke, by the way — can apply for an underage permit, which allows 18- to 20-year-olds to be in the establishment for the duration of the performances.

I’m sure there will be some public debate about this change, but, as I have documented extensively in previous columns, the proposed new ordinance would simply allow Savannah entrepreneurs and young adult residents the same rights they would be afforded in cities across the Southeast.

A 2014 draft detailed especially rigid rules for security at bars, even those with no history of problems, but the current draft takes a more common sense approach. All bars will have to submit public safety plans, and a variety of guidelines will give officials leverage to ensure establishments do not become public nuisances.

That 2014 draft also proposed extending the to-go cup boundary slightly southward along the Bull Street corridor to include Forsyth Park.

In recent drafts, city officials have abandoned that proposal, so there would be no change to the current to-go cup boundaries although the new ordinance does include language that would make it legal to drink alcohol in Forsyth Park during some official events.

I strongly favor extending the to-go cup zone to areas south of Forsyth Park along the Bull Street corridor, but that’s a discussion for another day — or another year.

Mid-year implementation of the new ordinance could be problematic, but some folks have already been waiting a long, long time for key elements of the draft to become law.

City Talk appears every Sunday and Tuesday. Bill Dawers can be reached via billdawers@comcast.net. Send mail to 10 E. 32nd St., Savannah, GA 31401.

SEA ISLAND — Gov. Nathan Deal kicked off the 2016 Georgia Foreign Trade Conference on Monday morning with high praise for the Georgia Ports Authority and its outgoing director Curtis Foltz.

“For 12 years, he’s done a great job in raising the value of the port, increasing its worth to the state and literally putting the Port of Savannah on the world map,” Deal said, noting that 2015 was another record-breaking year for the GPA.

“From total tonnage and container tonnage to container volume and intermodal freight, 2015 pushed the bar even higher,” Deal said. “Container volumes grew an astounding 17 percent to a record 3.7 million TEUs.

“Overall, the Ports Authority has enjoyed 28 consecutive months of year-over-year growth and will continue to grow as we move through this year,” Deal told maritime executives from around the country who gathered at the Cloister for the two-day conference.

“Ours is the No. 2 container port on the East Coast, after the Port of New York/New Jersey, and if it continues to grow in the fashion it has recently, I believe it may eventually be No. 1,” he said.

For its part, Deal said, Georgia’s Statewide Strategic Transportation Plan includes the widening of Interstate 16 between Interstate 516 and Interstate 95 — a heavy truck corridor into and out of the ports — as well as the establishment of truck-only lanes on Interstate 75 from Macon to Atlanta.

And the Jimmy DeLoach Parkway will be complete by the end of this year, providing direct access into the port from the interstate and taking trucks off secondary roads.

Port growth is expected to ramp up with the opening this year of the expanded Panama Canal, making the ports’ deepening project even more critical, he said.

“We as a state made the commitment to do our part in funding this major project, and over the last three years, we’ve put in some $266 million, which is the state’s portion,” Deal said.

“We’ve led the way. Now we’re going to continue to insist the federal government live up to its end of the bargain.

“I’m saying we need $90 million from appropriations in this next federal budget cycle in order to keep this project on track and on schedule,” he said. “I recognize that there are many ways to come up with that $90 million, and I really don’t expect it to be in the president’s upcoming budget announcement.

“But I do expect that the Corps of Engineers will have money allocated in a bucket for those construction projects that are shovel-ready. We’re more than shovel ready, we’re dredging. We should be at — or very near — the top of that list,” Deal said, looking directly into the audience to find Brig. Gen. C. David Turner, commander of the South Atlantic Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“Gen. Turner and I have talked, and I know the general is going to work with us to do as much as possible to reach our goal,” he said. “It’s a multi-year project, but we can’t afford to fall behind.”

President Obama is expected to release his proposed budget today.

Turner said the remainder of the Corps’ construction allocations for fiscal 2016 will be released simultaneously.

In Monday’s keynote address, Oscar Bazán, executive vice president of planning and business development for the Panama Canal Authority, said the multi-billion-dollar canal expansion was 96 percent done as of the end of December.

“Right now, we’re looking at eight to 10 weeks to completion,” Bazán said. “We expect to begin vessel testing around the end of April or beginning of May and open the new locks to commercial traffic early in the second half of the year.”

President Barak Obama is seeking $42.7 million in the next fiscal year to continue the deepening of Savannah’s busy shipping channel, according to budget documents released Wednesday.

A disappointed Gov. Nathan Deal said that’s less than half the funding the project needs to ensure construction, which began last fall, continues without delays in fiscal 2017.

“I will be calling once again on our partners in the Congressional delegation, who have advocated tirelessly for SHEP funding,” Deal said in a statement. “I’m confident they will do everything possible to prioritize funding for the Army Corps of Engineers’ SHEP construction to ensure the project stays on track for completion within five years. The federal government gave Georgia its word and must do more to uphold its obligations.”

Return to savannahnow.com or see Wednesday’s Savannah Morning News for more information.

Banks kickstart business loan fund for community development

The Small Business Assistance Corporation (SBAC) has been approved to receive $250,000 from the Savannah Regional Small Business Capital Fund operated by four local banks.

Ron Weller, chairman of the capital fund, said the partnership with SBAC that will achieve maximum community reinvestment for the banks.

Wells Fargo, BB & T, Bank of America and SunTrust Bank will expand a fund to make small business loans in the Savannah region. The loans will be made to area start-ups and expanding small businesses that will in turn create jobs for the local economy.

The fund enables banks to make equity and special debt investments for small business development. The capital fund’s mission is to drive community development activities such as job creation, business modernization, diversification of the economy, neighborhood commercial revitalization and special projects with significant community development impact.

For more information, visit www.sbacsav.com.

Savannah firm buys Macon apartment complex

Kole Management Co., a Savannah-based apartment management and investment firm, has acquired Legacy at River Crossing, a 200-unit apartment community in the north Macon neighborhood of Arkwright.

It’s adjacent to a 296-unit apartment community KMC bought last year, and both are across the street from The Shoppes at River Crossing, an open-air retail, dining and entertainment center.

Legacy, built in 1987, offers one-, two- and three-bedroom units, and KMC says the firm plans a number of improvements, including remodeling the office/clubhouse and installing a new playground.

KMC owns and operates 13 apartment communities, including nine in the Savannah area, two in Macon and one each in Charleston and Augusta. For more information, call 912-232-3555 or visit Kolemc.com.

Company among ‘best fleets to drive for’

TLD Logistics Services, Inc., an over-the-road transportation company with offices in Savannah, was one of 20 transportation companies to win the 2016 “Best Fleets to Drive For” award from the Truckload Carriers Association and CarriersEdge.

Companies have to be nominated by one of their drivers to take part.

The final step of the process requires CarriersEdge to survey a percentage of drivers where they are asked questions regarding their experiences with the company. Driver responses weigh significantly in the company’s final score.

“TLD emerged from the pack with a combination of strong programs and a driver satisfaction rate above 90 percent”, said CarriersEdge CEO Jane Jazrawy. “With numbers like that, it’s easy to see why their driver turnover is so low.”

For more details about Best Fleets to Drive For, visit www.BestFleetsToDriveFor.com or www.TLDLogistics.com.

The calendar invitation chimed quietly somewhere under the table.

Looking down at my phone I saw it was for the upcoming ecosystem lunch hosted by The Creative Coast.

After ensuring my schedule was clear, I checked the green box to attend, thinking, finally I get to see what this ecosystem lunch is all about. I have been working as an intern at The Creative Coast for a little more than six months now, and I’ve taken great liberty to get my feet wet in all the programs put on by The Creative Coast.

Here was the chance to dive into yet another exciting experience.

So what is an ecosystem lunch? Think of it this way: King Arthur had his Knights of the Round Table, filled with advisors, planners and strategists to formulate how to run a kingdom.

Well, Savannah has its own knights, a committed group of 10-20 community leaders who gather over lunch to discuss and share current happenings in their respective fields. Each individual represents a local non-profit, governmental or university related organization dedicated to growing businesses in our region.

These people work to mentor, train, support and otherwise help build companies and create high paying innovative jobs.

Once every two months these knights gather to support each other, collaborate and combine resources. I am refreshed to know all the oars are paddling in the same direction.

I like to think of ecosystem lunches as a gathering of 15-20 movers and shakers who are dedicated to the entrepreneurial and startup community as well as growing companies.

Key players in attendance at the recent lunch included Patrick Bentley, from the Savannah Economic Development Authority, which launched these gatherings in 2013.

Patrick shared his excitement for the upcoming South By Southwest (SXSW) Conference in Austin, Texas, where SEDA is partnering with several local businesses to showcase Georgia’s leading innovative companies and bring awareness of Georgia’s tech talent.

Patrick hopes to collaborate with local pioneers to show off Savannah’s potential for the emerging generation of techies.

Also joining in the discussion was Emily McLeod, programs manager for The Creative Coast. Emily shared her enthusiasm about the upcoming FastPitch event to be held Friday, March 4. Two dozen entrepreneurs will present three-minute pitches in a competition for cash and service prizes. FastPitch is open to the public, and tickets are on sale now for $12 and include lunch and happy hour.

Another knight at the table was Katherine Williams from Savannah Development and Renewal Authority. She shared details of SDRA’s upcoming Savannah Speakers Series event to be held Thursday, Feb. 25, at Savannah Station.

The topic is “The Dollars & Sense of Urbanism,” and guest speakers include Chuck Marohn of Strong Towns, Joe Minicozzi of Urban 3 and other presenters.

SDRA is also partnering with Better Block Foundation to help revitalize Savannah’s urban areas by promoting the growth of vibrant neighborhoods. They hope to transform declining areas of Savannah into healthy and stimulating hubs for new businesses and jumpstart the communities they serve.

The Technology Association of Georgia’s representative Casey Herrington announced TAG’s Georgia Technology Summit, where 40 innovative companies will be recognized for their leadership in this area.

The summit reinforces the importance of technology and innovation in Georgia and is expected to have more than 1,500 people in attendance. Casey is also initiating TAG Tech Talks, a new monthly series at The Creators’ Foundry where a local tech leader will share their venture and answer questions.

The program kicked off last month with Savannah local Ian Nott of Aetho as the featured speaker.

This is what Savannah needs: people invested in stimulating the community with invigorating projects and events.

I am signing up for their newsletters and making sure I am connected via Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to the organizations highlighted above as well as SCORE, Georgia Southern’s FabLab, Savannah State College of Business Administration, ATDC and Armstrong Small Business Institute.

Do you want to learn about the innovative projects and initiatives underway in our beautiful city? Then get connected.

Jennifer Hunter is a business major at South University currently interning with The Creative Coast. Jennifer can be reached at 912-447-8457 or jennifer@thecreativecoast.org.

Sea Island Bank supports St. Andrew’s fundraiser

St. Andrew’s School has announced plans for its 31st annual Live Auction and Gala on Saturday, March 5, at the Hilton Savannah DeSoto with Sea Island Bank as the platinum sponsor for a second year.

Money raised goes to support students and teachers in the classroom at St. Andrew’s School, a pre-K through grade 12 independent school.

Last year’s event included more than 200 guests and netted more than $110,000.

“The evening is a lot of fun for all in attendance and the dollars we raise ensure a bright future for the school,” said Carrie Stillwagon, auction chair.

Tickets are $150 and include dinner and an open bar. To buy tickets for get more information, go to www.saintschool.com/giving.

Kentucky bank CEO to address Hinesville banquet

HINESVILLE — Pedro Bryant — the chairman, president and chief executive officer of Metro Bank in Louisville, Ky. — will deliver the keynote address March 19 at the 22nd Eleven Black Men of Liberty County Banquet.

The banquet will begin with a reception 6:15 p.m. followed by dinner at Fort Stewart’s Club Ballroom, 1020 Hero Road, Building 405, at Fort Stewart.

Bryant, a Hinesville native and first president of the Eleven Black Men, is a graduate of the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking at the University of Delaware.

“It’s a wonderful feeling to know that the commitment made 25 years ago in Liberty County remains strong with the men who now carry the torch,” Bryant said. “Every child needs to know that they are loved and supported.”

Tickets are $40 each, and semi-formal dress is required. Sponsorships opportunities are also available. For ticket and sponsorship information, call Mitchell Boston at 912-977-6841 or visit The Eleven Black Men of Liberty County, Inc. on Facebook.

Tickets are available, to, at the Liberty County Chamber of Commerce, 425 W. Oglethorpe Highway, Hinesville.

Parker’s opens new Statesboro store

Parker’s convenience stores have opened a new retail location — the company’s 44th convenience store and the fifth in Statesboro.

The new store at 12399 U.S. 301 near Veterans Memorial Parkway offers 12 fueling positions, selling gasoline as well as diesel fuel.

“Due to customer demand, we are expanding our footprint in Statesboro and will continue to drive gas prices down by increasing competition in the area,” said Greg Parker, company president and CEO.

Parker’s operates store throughout Georgia and South Carolina and is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.