Greetings!

It's 2015 and at the chamber we have a tradition of kicking off the new year by honoring those in the Lowcountry who set the bar for what it means to make a difference.

One of the things I like most about the Chamber Ball, is that it's more than simply a gathering of the business community.  While it's terrific to have over 650 of our members gather for a great evening, the real focus of the night is shining the spotlight on others.  On January 31st, we will honor the Zonta Woman of the Year, the Organization of the Year and our Bluffton/Okatie Member of the Year.  We will also be recognizing one of our areas best teaching professionals as the Sue West Educator of the Year and of course, presenting the highest honor in our community, the Alice Glenn Doughtie Good Citizenship Award.

Over the years I've noticed the common denominator among the winners is their humility.  They aren't in it for the accolades; they do what they do to make life better for those around them.  It's what makes it even more rewarding that we do recognize their contributions.

Your invitation has arrived, so dust off your tuxedo and make your reservation for the 2015 Chamber Ball.  Put together a table of friends and business colleagues and enjoy the evening.  You'll be glad you did.

Here's to a great year ahead!


Sincerely,

 

 

 

Bill Miles, IOM, CCE

President & CEO

Follow Me on Twitter @MilesatChamber

 

 


Did You Know:

This past year, your chamber increased social media traffic for the destination's Facebook page by 167%, the Twitter account by 392% and Instagram by 545%.

SC Dept. of Innovation's Top 14 Projects of 2014 Names Don Ryan Center  For Innovation  

The SC Department of Innovation launched the Innovation Challenge this year with 14 financial investments in communities and programs leveraging state funds with their own to grow South Carolina's innovation, technology and entrepreneurial assets.

  

The Top 14 Projects of 2014 included the Don Ryan Center for Innovation.

The public-private innovation center supported by the Town of Bluffton and Clemson University's Technology Villages program currently supports seven business innovators.    

 

The center was chosen along with regional honorees including USC's Faber Entrepreneurship Center and the Duke Energy Center for Innovation. 



Chamber Ball 2015
Saturday, January 31
Hilton Head Marriott Resort & Spa, 6:30 p.m. 
Join Us for One of the Hottest Nights of the Year! 
 

Join us for a special evening of Fire & Ice glamour at the chamber's annual ball. It's an evening designed to honor the important contributors to our community at what has become the "Oscars" of the Lowcountry.

 

Enjoy fine dining, dancing and entertainment at the chamber's elegant gala, Saturday, January 31st at the Hilton Head Marriott Resort & Spa.

 

Reserve your seating now!  Individual tickets are $170, early bird $160.*

Couples tickets are $340, early bird $320.* Corporate Platinum Sponsors receive front row seating for ten for $3,500, premium wines and program notation. Corporate Gold Sponsorship offers preferred seating for table of ten at $2,400 with complimentary wine and program notation. A Patron Sponsor includes two tickets for $650 and program notation.  *Early Bird rates apply until January 16, 2014.

To reserve your seating contact Connie Killmar at (843) 785-3673 or via email: [email protected]
Business Bootcamp
Presented in partnership with SCORE
January 21-23 
8:00 a.m. - Noon
3 Convenient Locations: Hilton Head Island,
Bluffton and Beaufort 

Business Bootcamp:
Get ready to jump in and master the basics at the chamber's Business Bootcamp, presented in partnership with  Lowcountry SCORE. The half-day seminar covers hot topics  including:

* Customer Service
* Business Financials
* HR Understanding
* Corporate Culture
* Strategic Direction

This interactive seminar is ideal for new start-ups or established small businesses who want to grow.  SCORE professionals, certified small business counselors in specialized fields, will lead group discussions on various topics from human resources to financials.

The no-cost seminar, sponsored by Sam's Club, will be offered at three convenient locations: at the chamber's Hilton Head Island headquarters, in Bluffton and in Beaufort.



  • Jan 21 Session: Chamber Boardroom
  • Jan 22 Session:  Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites - Bluffton
  • Jan 23 Session: Ameris Bank, Beaufort
               
 

Business After Hours
Poseidon Coastal Cuisine & Rooftop Bar
Thursday, January 22
 5:30-7:00 p.m.  
On the Rooftop! 

 Business After Hours moves to the Rooftop for the special premiere after hours event at the Island's exciting newest hotspot, Poseidon Coastal Cuisine & Rooftop Bar.

Experience Poseidon's coastal cuisine and enjoy an evening of networking at its best, served up along with Poseidon's oyster bar and rooftop views of Broad Creek on Thursday, January 22nd from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.

Come enjoy Chef Rob Britton's signature cuisine, an exceptional sampling of coastal fare along with complimentary beer and wine and live entertainment. The cost to attend is $10 for chamber members and $20 for non-members.


What Business Can Learn from Disney's Success 

Disney chief Bob Iger has spent much of his time at Disney wearing an additional corporate hat: CTO.  The result? He has brought the coolest technology innovations from Lucasfilm, Pixar, Marvel, and ESPN into a single galaxy.

How good are you at moving your company's innovation forward? 
 Click here for more details in this report from forbes.com
Tech Tuesday: 10 Ways to Overcome Your 
Competition Via Facebook 
Tuesday , January 27 
Noon-1:  00 p.m. 
Chamber Headquarters 

Want to learn how to make your business stand head and shoulders above the competition?

Come learn how from digital marketing expert Robert Cecil, to market your business to its highest potential on Facebook at the chamber's next Tech Tuesday's no-cost workshop.

Tech Tuesday is a free series of classes, sponsored by the chamber's Small Business Council.
 
Advocacy in Action

This week your chamber will be attending the
following meetings on behalf of our members.


Monday, January 5

Beaufort County
Planning Committee Meeting
6:00-8:00 p.m.
Click here for full agenda

Tuesday, January 6

Town of Hilton Head Island
Town Council Meeting
4:00-6:00 p.m.
Click here
for full agenda

Beaufort County

Beaufort County School Board Meeting
6:00-7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, January 7

Town of Hilton Head Island
Planning Commission Meeting
9:00-11:00 a.m.
Click here for full agenda

Thursday, January 8

Beaufort County
Rural and Critical Lands Board Meeting
3:00-5:00 p.m.


Meetings are subject to change.
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 Quick Links
 






Chamber Calendar

January 6
Business Education
Partnership Committee
Hilton Head High School
8:30-9:30 a.m.

January 9
Government Affairs
Committee Meeting
Chamber Headquarters
8:00 a.m.

January 21-23
Business Bootcamp
Presented by SCORE,
Sam's Club Sponsor
8:00-Noon

January 22
Business After Hours
Poseidon Coastal Cuisine
& Rooftop Bar
5:30-7:00 p.m.

January 24-31
Chamber Restaurant Week
New Menus Added Daily
Click Here

January 27
Tech Tuesday
Topic: 10 Ways to Overcome
Your Competition Via Facebook
Presenter: Robert Cecil
Noon-1:00 p.m.
Chamber Headquarters

January 28
Chamber Young
Professionals Group
Corks, Bluffton
5:30-7:00 p.m.

January 31
Chamber Ball
Hilton Head Marriott
Resort & Spa
6:30 p.m.

Did you know...  

on the chamber website:  
You can link to the
Career Resources Center
for the latest job openings
Ribbon-Cuttings
New Members
Ribbon-Cuttings

Around Town...

Community Calendar



Community Calendar Highlights  

 

2015 Public Art Exhibition at Coastal Discovery Museum  

 

2nd Annual Chowder Challenge
and Silent Auction presented by Heather Trew Fdntn

SOBA Presents Art Outside the Box

Lowcountry Up Close Exhibit at Coastal Discovery Museum

The Jazz Corner All-Star Septet celebrates Jazz Icon Duke Ellington

 

Click Here for a full listing  

of what's happening this week

in the community:

 

Click Here to submit

your event to the Chamber Community Calendar:

 

Click Here to submit

your event to the  

Visitor & Convention

Bureau Calendar 

Reach Your Audience:

The Chamber Monday Morning Briefing and our
Chamber Business Monthly publication offer business members a great opportunity to reach their core audience. Sponsorship and advertising rates for these outlets are very reasonable.

If you'd like to find out more,
please contact Anne Feldman at