| Beaufort Regional Chamber Weekly e-Newsletter
April 9, 2012
|
|
From the President:
Last Tuesday, Beaufort City Council unanimously approved the purchase of the Beaufort Commerce Park. The purchase, along with the proposed annexation and rezoning of the property, should help streamline permitting for potential businesses in the park, and is a cornerstone of the City's larger plan to diversify our local economy.
Today, the Chamber is pleased to welcome two new employees. Renee Faucher joins us as our new Member Services Manager and Connie Hipp joins us as an Information Coordinator. Renee will immediately begin planning our Annual Meeting and Civitas Awards, along with all our other Chamber events. Connie is a familiar face to many of you as she has run Leadership Beaufort as a volunteer for many years under the Chamber umbrella. Leadership Beaufort will remain part of Connie's official responsibilities in her new role with the Chamber.
Speaking of Leadership Beaufort, we are now accepting applications for the Class of 2013. The Class of 2013 will be the 28th Leadership Beaufort class. Applications are available online by clicking here.
Be sure to join us this Thursday at Oldfield Club for April's Business After Hours. This month's BAH will feature an intercambio, or cultural exchange, and a menu of foods unique to the various Hispanic cultures represented in Beaufort County as part of our Hispanic business initiative. We hope this provides members with a new source of networking contacts in efforts to expand your businesses into this growing local market.
Blakely Williams
President & CEO
|
|
Tourism Update:
For our festivals and events contacts who joined us in March for our Quarterly Update meeting with guest speaker Kristin Pearson from SCPRT, the Tourism Advertising Grant submission deadline is this week, April 12th at 5:00 PM. We encourage our festivals and events contacts to submit applications to help secure more grant funding dollars to promote Beaufort, Port Royal & the Sea Islands!
We are excited to report that occupancy for February 2012 was up six percent over February 2011 - a trend we hope continues in the coming months as our peak season arrives.
Don't forget to mark your calendars for the Soft Shell Crab Festival held April 21 from Noon to 5:00 PM at Old Village Port Royal. For more information, click here.
|
|
Leadership Beaufort Accepting Applications:
Leadership Beaufort is entering its 28th year, and applications are now being accepted for the Class of 2013. For more information, please click here or contact Connie Hipp at connie@beaufortsc.org or 843.525.8523. Download the application here.
|
|
Government Affairs Update:
The South Carolina General Assembly was on furlough last week, and did not meet.
On Tuesday evening, the South Carolina Chamber hosted their annual Washington Night in South Carolina event. In attendance were: Sen. Jim DeMint, Rep. Tim Scott, Rep. Joe Wilson, Rep. Jeff Duncan, Rep. Trey Gowdy , Rep. James Clyburn, and nearly 200 members of the state's business community. The event featured a town hall style meeting where the panel discussed a wide variety of businesses issues including energy policy, education reform, and tax and regulatory policy.
|
|
Business Tip of the Week:
A good mentor can be a valuable resource for any professional. This article from Entrepreneur explains the qualities of good mentor. Click here to learn more.
|
Chamber Partners with La Isla Magazine to Provide Business Education Programming:
The Beaufort Regional Chamber has partnered with La Isla Magazine, USCB's Small Business Development Center, Mission Resource Group and NetOps to provide business educational programming aimed at Hispanic business owners and managers as well as non-Hispanic businesses interested in reaching the Hispanic community. All programs will be conducted in English. Please contact Jayson Gardner at 843.525.8526 or email jayson@beaufortsc.org to register. Below is a list of upcoming classes scheduled:
Monday, April 16 7-9pm, USCB Gateway Campus, Hargray Bldg, Room 160
Topics: Marketing & Customer Service
Monday, April 16 5-8pm, La Isla Magazine, 21F Dillon Rd, Hilton Head
Monday, May 7 5-8pm, USCB Beaufort Campus Sandstone Bldg, OLLI Room
Topics: The benefits of doing business with the Hispanic market, a profile of the Hispanic market, & how non-Hispanic businesses can market to Hispanic businesses and individuals
Monday, May 21 7-9pm, USCB Gateway Campus, Hargray Bldg, Room 160
Topic: Business Technologies.
|
Upcoming Events:
Business After Hours
When: Thursday, April 12, 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Where: Oldfield Club
130 Oldfield Way, Okatie
Cost: $10 for members
Business After Hours is our premier monthly networking opportunity. April's Business After Hours, hosted by Oldfield Club, will feature an intercambio, the Spanish word for "exchange", as part of our initiative with La Isla Magazine. We hope this will be the first step in helping your business reach an even larger network of businesses. Additionally, Oldfield is preparing a menu for the event that will span the many different segments of Hispanic culture.
|
|
|
Chamber Partners
Elite 
Premier
Supporting
First Citizens Bank
Regions Bank
Supporting Media
| | |
|
Quote of the Week
|
"Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion."
- Jack Welch
| |
|
|
|
|
