Economic Development

NEWS - Economic Development

Armstrong’s First Quarter Economic Monitor released

June 10, 2013 – At the close of 2012, the Savannah-area economy appeared poised to maintain its forward momentum into 2013. While the expected growth did not come to fruition during the first quarter of 2013, the economy did not falter, but rather, held steady in the face of faltering consumer confidence, reports Armstrong Atlantic State University’s latest Coastal Empire Economic Monitor. The forecasting index for the region remains strong, however, and was boosted by gains in the housing and labor markets, thus suggesting that the economy will regain its footing and reset into a growth pattern through the remainder of the year.

The first quarter Economic Monitor was released yesterday.

“The local economy demonstrated resiliency in the face of flagging consumer confidence in the opening quarter of the year,” said Michael Toma, Fuller E. Callaway Professor of Economics and the Director of Armstrong’s Center for Regional Analysis. “Despite the headwind, the bedrock foundation of the economy remains strong, recording growth in employment, tourism and port activity. Further, the housing market appears to be gathering greater strength while the labor market continues its slow heal.”

Highlights of the increases include:

• Growth in employment, electricity sales and port activity buoyed the economy in the first quarter.

• The region’s employment level is only 2 percentage points shy of the pre-recession peak of 2007.

• 800 workers were added in the first quarter, leading to a five-year-high of 158,000 jobs (seasonally adjusted).

• The forecasting index has been on an upward swing for five consecutive quarters.

• The housing market is poised for its best year since 2008.

• While first-quarter tourism was weaker compared to the strong fourth-quarter finish in 2012, March hotel/motel sales-tax receipts tied the single-month record set in March 2012.

Although the regional economy saw little growth, the outlook for 2013 is one of the more optimistic since the financial crisis and 2007-09 recession. The housing market is gaining ground, with a 23 percent increase in building permits from the previous quarter. The unemployment rate has fallen and is the lowest quarterly unemployment rate in four years. As these factors indicate, the momentum is building and is expected to continue through the rest of the year.

The Coastal Empire Economic Monitor presents quarterly economic trends and short-term economic forecasts for Savannah’s Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The quarterly report measures the heartbeat of the local economy, based on the analysis of economic data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, the City of Savannah, Georgia Power and the three counties in the MSA—Chatham, Bryan and Effingham. The report presents a short-term forecast of the region’s economic activity in the next six to nine months and is available free by electronic mail. To subscribe, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Armstrong’s Center for Regional Analysis, housed in the university’s economics department, meets the applied research needs of Savannah's business and community organizations. Areas of concentrated research include regional economic forecasting, economic impact analysis, economic development and business expansion, tourism development, survey-based research and specialty reports on topics of state, regional and local interest.

NEWS - Economic Development

May 9, 2013  – World Trade Center Savannah announced that it has received official notification from the Foreign Trade Zone Board that World Trade Center Savannah is now the new grantee of Foreign Trade Zone 104. The reissuance of the grant which was previously held by the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport is effective immediately.

The Foreign Trade Zone program offers costs savings to businesses importing materials and equipment for manufacturing operations or warehousing products for distribution.  Foreign Trade Zones are restricted access sites that are within the geographic limits of the United States but are considered outside of U.S. commerce and customs territory.  Companies that operate in FTZs can defer, reduce or eliminate customs duties on foreign products admitted into zones for storage, assembly, manufacture and exhibition.  The basic purpose of the Foreign Trade Zone program is to encourage international commerce and provide jobs for Americans. Foreign Trade Zone 104 was created in 1984 in Savannah and is available to companies in the region.

World Trade Center Savannah sought the license after being approached by the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport.

“The decision to re-issue the grant of Foreign Trade Zone 104 from the Savannah Airport Commission to World Trade Center Savannah was not an easy one,” said Patrick Graham. “The Airport Commission has operated the zone very successfully for many years. However the purpose of the zone is to create economic activity, so for the betterment of the community as a whole World Trade Center Savannah is better positioned to accomplished the goal.”

World Trade Center Savannah president and CEO Trip Tollison praised Graham and the Airport Commission’s board of directors.

“The Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport has been an excellent steward of Foreign Trade Zone 104. The vision and leadership that Patrick Graham and the board of directors have shown should be commended and we are grateful to them for entrusting us to guide Foreign Trade Zone 104 into the next phase,” said Trip Tollison, World Trade Center Savannah President and CEO.

Leigh Ryan, Director of Trade Services and Foreign Trade Zone for World Trade Center Savannah said that Foreign Trade Zone aligns with the mission and goals of the organization.

“Everyday World Trade Center Savannah works with businesses in our region to explore the possibilities and opportunities that can help their business expand and grow. This is one more economic advantage that we can promote and to offer businesses in our region.”

World Trade Center Savannah chairman of the board of directors Eric Johnson agreed. “As World Trade Center Savannah works to attract foreign investment and expand area businesses into foreign markets, having a foreign trade zone is a wonderful tool.”

There are many advantages for businesses looking at a Foreign Trade Zone.

“First of all, it is a cash flow benefit,” said Ryan. “Businesses can hold imported goods in inventory until they are ready to be shipped into U.S. commerce and no customs duties are paid on merchandise exported from a foreign trade zone.”

Active foreign trade zone sites in the area include Nustar Energy, Tumi Luggage in Vidalia, Mitsubishi Power Systems Americas, John Deere in Augusta and Firth Rixson in Liberty County. Other designated zone sites include Crossroads Business Center, Tradeport East and West in Liberty County, Interstate Center in Bryan County, and Ocean Terminal and Garden City Terminal at Georgia Ports Authority.

The transition, to World Trade Center Savannah from the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport has been in the works for several months.

For more information about Foreign Trade Zone 104 and World Trade Center Savannah visit wtcsavananh.org.

NEWS - Economic Development

By Lou Phelps

May 29, 2013 – Melissa Yao, chief marketing officer of the Savannah Chamber of Commerce and Visit Savannah, the City’s convention and visitor’s bureau arm, has left her post to found her own Savannah-based advertising and marketing firm.

Yao served 13 years as the Chamber’s vice president of communications before being promoted last year to the position of chief marketing officer, and is well-known nationally in the destination marketing industry.

Her departure was not a surprise to Bill Hubbard, president and CEO of the Chamber, or Joe Marinelli, president of VisitSavannah. “I gave them months of notice,” said Yao. “This has been a dream of mine for many years, and the time was right.”

Motherhood was also a motivation, she adds. Her twins are entering first grade in the fall, and “I wanted to spend a little more time with them, pick them up from school, and have some time with them in the afternoon versus being tied up in an office 9 to 5,” she explained.

Her new company is My Agency Savannah, and has leased 3,000 sq. ft. on Chatham Parkway in the same building that houses her family’s popular West Chatham eatery, the Sunrise Restaurant. The space is being built-out, with completion anticipated by the end of July. She will also be launching a Web site for the firm.

My Agency Savannah will be a full-service advertising, public relations and marketing agency, according to Yao, and will also provide social media strategies and web development.

“I already have some PR clients, some social media branding clients and am building a couple of Web sites,” she said, “but I’m being very selective with my time…slow to take on new clients until the office is ready.” No employees have been hired, as yet, though she is now working with a summer intern.

“I loved it,” at the Chamber, she made clear. “I feel like I have been there for years, but it was the right time. It was time for a new challenge.”

VisitSavannah has begun a national search to replace her, according to Bill Hubbard, using the Searchwide of Minneapolis, MN, the same firm he used to find Joe Marinelli, president of VisitSavannah. “They are experts in finding executives for destination marketing organizations.”

The title of the position “may be adjusted, going forward,” Hubbard added, but the skills needed are clear. And hard to find in one person. “There are a number of people out there with traditional marketing, PR and billboard experience but we also need to find someone who has the social media and digital experience,” which has been a hallmark of driving business to Savannah, Hubbard explained.

While he was hesitant to discuss the salary range, Hubbard said that the Chamber and VisitSavannah are going to have to be very competitive. “You want to be sensitive to the budget, but if you don’t get the right person who can do the job, you end up hurting the budget,” he explained.

They have already begun to conduct interviews with some of the top candidates Searchwide has identified.

NEWS - Economic Development

ThincSavannah Launches ‘ThincLocal’ Monthly Showcase Featuring Local Entrepreneurs, Products, Artists and More

April 23, 2013 – ThincSavannah, a creative and collaborative work space located in historic downtown Savannah, recently added “ThincLocal” to its ongoing collaborative efforts to promote local entrepreneurs, businesses and economic development in Savannah.

“Each month ThincLocal will feature a new entrepreneur, product, artist and a range of unique locally owned and operated businesses at ThincSavannah,” said Summer Teal Simpson, creative and social director at ThincSavannah. “We are passionate about building awareness for businesses within the community and will continue to enhance our efforts to support the buy-local philosophy.”

For the month of April, ThincLocal will feature Lovelane Designs, a local boutique of handmade creations that includes tea towels, totes, reusable bags, as well as a full line of eco-friendly luxury home goods. Lovelane Design products will be on display and for sale at ThincSavannah.

Lane Huerta, founder of Lovelane Designs, ventured into screen-printing while working with a graphic designer and poster artist in San Francisco. Her combined love of sewing and appliqué design was enhanced with the screen-printing technique and the foundation for her trade was born. Lovelane is committed to sustainability and “upcycling” by creating products made with eco-friendly, water-based inks and dyes on organic and regional materials. Lovelane also prints on vintage fabrics finds from flea markets around the world.

“I loved watching how the layers of colors create an image,” said Huerta, founder of Lovelane Designs. “I quickly ran out and bought a small start-up kit and eventually taught myself. I’m still learning every day.”

After moving to Savannah in 2006 with her husband, Patrick, she has been able to spend more time honing her skills and reconnecting with her Southern roots. A little country, a little rock n’ roll, her work blends refined style with purpose. Lane finds inspiration in the quirkiness of everyday life in Savannah.

“It’s wonderful to find an old grain sack or vintage piece of cloth while traveling and to use it in one of my printed pieces,” she said.  “It creates a one-of-a-kind piece with a history.

For more information about Lovelane Designs, please visit www.lovelanedesigns.com or call 415-378-4474.

ABOUT THINCSAVANNAH:
ThincSavannah, located in the heart of Savannah’s downtown historic district at 35 Barnard Street – Suite 300, is Savannah’s first coworking facility, a creative and collaborative work environment offering prime office space to entrepreneurs, freelancers and small business owners in search of a flexible leasing package customized to their business needs. With 8,100 square feet of office space with panoramic views of the city, ThincSavannah offers a wide range of venue options including a traditional conference room, private office space, a contemporary meeting space and an event space perfect for focus groups, book signings, seminars, training or celebrations. Membership levels include one day passes, month to month memberships and  annual contracts. Rates start as low as $100 a month. For more information, please visit www.ThincSavannah.com or contact Summer Teal Simpson at 912.544.1200 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

NEWS - Economic Development

April 16, 2013 - Savannah’s newest free-standing Chick-fil-A® restaurant will open April 25 bringing 70 new jobs, according to the company, owned by Ann Collins, franchise operator.

The grand opening will feature the chance for 100 adults to win free Chick-fil-A meals for a year and also a cross-promotion to benefit the America's Second Harvest Food Drive. On Wednesday, April 24, with the donation of 5 food items, contributors can earn a coupon for a free chicken sandwich and chicken biscuit. The collection will run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

People are also encouraged to camp out at the store location as part of the grand opening celebration, and the first 100 campers will also be engaged in a contest on that drive to further increase the donations. Chick-fil-A’s “First 100” event, which began as a way to celebrate the first free-standing Chick-fil-A in Arizona in 2003, immediately became the cornerstone of every Chick-fil-A grand opening when the first person arrived more than 18 hours the day before, wondering where to get in line. Others soon followed and by the time the restaurant opened for business the next day, more than 100 were waiting.

Humbled and surprised by the dedication of its fans, Chick-fil-A quickly implemented the “First 100” at every grand opening and in the past 10 years has given away more than $18 million in free food at almost 700 grand openings. An additional $2.5 million is slated to be given away at 102 grand openings this year.

The new Savannah restaurant, located at the intersection of E. Victory and Skidaway at 2111 E. Victory Dr., will be the scene of the latest Chick-fil-A grand opening celebration. The first 100 adults, ages 18 and older with identification, in line when the doors open about 6 a.m. on Thursday, April 25, each will win a one-year supply of free Chick-fil-A® Meals (52 coupons with each consisting of a Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich, medium Waffle Potato Fries™ and a medium drink) – a total of nearly $30,000 in free food. The line officially opens at 6 a.m., Wednesday, April 24, with the free meal cards being awarded Thursday, April 25, about 6 a.m. The restaurant will open for business immediately thereafter. If there are more than 100 people by 6 a.m. on Wednesday, April 24, all 100 spots will be determined by a raffle held that morning with those selected needing to camp out to secure their spot. Complete rules are available at Chick-fil-A First 100 Promotion on the company’s website.

“Our focus on freshly prepared food, personal customer service and community involvement is as central to our new restaurant as it was the day Truett opened his first Chick-fil-A location,” said Collins. “That commitment continues for me and my team members at our new Savannah restaurant where we can’t wait to welcome and serve our guests and are excited to use our grand opening to bring the community together to help Second Harvest meet the needs of others.”

Collins has moved her family from Memphis, Tenn. to run the new Chick-fil-A location. She studied business and political science at Coastal Carolina University and her background includes working as a manager in a dental office.

Savannah’s newest Chick-fil-A restaurant features the chain’s latest interior and kitchen design along with dual drive-thru ordering lanes to expand its award-winning drive-thru service. Two drive-thru lanes with separate menu boards will welcome motorists who will place their orders at the separate screens and then merge into a single lane to pay for and pick up their food. With a majority of customers at Chick-fil-A free-standing restaurants choosing drive-thru, the ability for two drivers to simultaneously order should mean quicker service.

The new restaurant has indoor seating for 106 with an additional 20 seats outside.

The chain opened the area’s first Chick-fil-A location in April 1969 in Oglethorpe Mall, only two years after the very first Chick-fil-A restaurant opened. The last free-standing opening in the market occurred 10 years ago in Pooler and the newest opening will bring the number of locations to six within a 20 mile radius of Savannah.

This year Chick-fil-A plans to open 102 new restaurants, and to take the chain across the country in 2013, creating more than 6,200 new jobs.

NEWS - Economic Development

April 15, 2013 – World Trade Center Savannah, in collaboration with UPS, will host the Savannah Export Symposium: Breaking Down Barriers to Exporting, May 23, from 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m., at the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center, 1 International Dr., Savannah.

During this half-day symposium, attendees will have the opportunity to gain timely, relevant and insightful information on what it takes to conquer international markets.

The seminar will include:

• Panel Discussion: Local companies share their experience entering global markets, led by Todd Gerken, Director, U.S. Commercial Service

• Breakout Sessions

• Logistics of Exporting, presented by Mike McDonald, International Manager, UPS

• Trade Finance, presented by Xianqin (Lisa) Wallace, Marketing Director, UPS Capital

• Finding Profits in Exporting with a Focus on Canada, Europe, and Germany, presented by Kathy Oxford, Senior International Trade Manager, Georgia Department of Economic Development

• Screening and Selecting Effective Foreign Representatives, presented by Dimitris Kloussiadis, Consultant International Trade Center, The University of Georgia, Small Business Development Center

• Website Design for the Global Marketplace: A Non-Technical Overview, presented by Jorge Arce, U.S. Commercial Service, in Jacksonville Fla., U.S. Department of Commerce

Cost of attendance is $35 per person and includes a lunch and networking reception. To register, please visit http://savannahexportsymposium.eventbrite.com/. For additional information, please contact Tory Grubbs, manager of trade services and programs, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 912-447-9704.

NEWS - Economic Development

SBJ Special Report

April 11, 2013 - ePals Corporation (TSX VENTURE: SLN), an education media company and the world's leading Global Learning Network, announced recently that it has commenced operations of its platform and media businesses in China through its NeuPals joint venture, and in collaboration with Neusoft Publishing. The president of ePals International division is David Merideth of Savannah, GA.

The launch of both platform and media businesses comes after fourth quarter approval of business licenses by Chinese authorities, followed by successful completion of initial technology transfer, product adaptation and localization, and establishment of facilities in Dalian, Shanghai and Shenyang.

NeuPals technical operations have been successfully established within China in collaboration with NeuEdu Co., Ltd. NeuPals has been capitalized by its partners, ePals and NeuEdu, and a seasoned management team is on board, led by CEO Tao Wang, who brings 15 years of experience working with international and language learning companies, as well as a Masters in Computer Science from University of Massachusetts and a Bachelors from Wuhan University.

On March 17, 2013, NeuPals launched an initial pilot of its localized, Mandarin-language version of ePals' safe and secure Global Community for use in Chinese classrooms and seamless connection to classrooms throughout the Global Community (www.neupals.com).

The new service provides safe collaborative learning experiences tailored for Chinese schools and classrooms, as well as direct pairing between classrooms in China, and ePals classrooms in 200 countries and territories around the world. The focus of the NeuPals community is initially on English language learning. Through ongoing exchanges and interactions with native English language students around a wide variety of subjects and activities, NeuPals will provide students in school and at home with a unique opportunity for authentic language learning and reinforcement within the context of first-person cultural exchange. NeuPals intends to begin selling paid subscription language learning services in China later this year.

This initial offering has been carefully designed to align with the Chinese Ministry of Education's (MOE) Medium and Long-term National Educational Reform and Development Plan (2010-2020), a strategy to strengthen the internationalization of the Chinese education system, and promote global awareness to the younger generation, according to the companies.

This 10-year initiative will impact more than 200 million Chinese students from primary through secondary levels representing a market that Deloitte estimates at approximately RMB 960 billion (approx. USD 160 billion). The plan also encourages private organizations to play a greater role in the education system. According to The Blue Book of Education: Report on the development of China's education market 2012 published by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the e-learning market is growing by 150% in China annually.

"This launch reflects nearly a year of research with users, and Chinese teachers in our pilot are excited to participate in the sister classroom program. Their students will develop international skills through collaborative exchanges and will have access to award-winning global educational content from leaders such as The Smithsonian Institute," says Tao Wang, CEO of NeuPals in recent press release.

"NeuPals anticipates expansion of our value added service to ultimately include participation from teachers and students in both city and rural areas across all Chinese provinces and metropolitan areas which can be supported by the highly-scalable ePals platform."

The pilot matches "sister" classrooms in China with classrooms in the United States interested in participating in collaborative project-based learning experiences, cultural exchanges and language practice over the course of the semester. The pilot service includes over 20 customizable projects for teachers to choose from, as well as online activities and forums that feature leading international education content such as the ePals' Smithsonian Institution Learning Center. Teachers outside of China can find out more about the pilot program and express interest to join at http://bit.ly/ChinaPals.

"The Mandarin localization of ePals' collaborative pedagogy, high-quality content and social learning network provides an important first step in building a robust nationwide Chinese learning community that functions as a contributing member of the global ePals network of learning communities," says David Meredith, President of ePals International. "We are enthusiastic about the response from both Chinese classes and their partner classrooms from around the world, and for the opportunity to responsibly grow an important, large-scale media business around this unique service."

In addition to the recent launch of the NeuPals service through its joint venture, ePals has also launched production of Mandarin-language versions of its award-winning children's books and magazine content in partnership with Neusoft Publishing. Neusoft Publishing is creating authentic, Chinese-language versions of ePals Media publications such as Babybug, Ladybug, Spider, Click, Appleseeds, and Ask. The first of these products debuted at the Beijing Book Fair this year and Neusoft Publishing anticipates beginning distribution of these products in China in April. ePals Media plans to commence distribution of physical and digital versions of these Chinese language products throughout the rest of the world later in 2013.

These products satisfy a significant and growing market both inside China and around the world for "hybrid" physical and digital versions of culturally appropriate, Mandarin language versions of high quality children literature. In addition, it is expected that NeuPals will be using portions of the localized publishing content threaded through the projects for the sister classroom pilot in support of structured language learning practice activities for teachers and students.

About ePals Corporation

ePals Corporation (TSX VENTURE: SLN) is an education media company and the leading Global Learning Network. Focused on the K-12 market, ePals offers elementary and secondary school administrators, teachers, students and parents worldwide a safe and secure platform for building educational communities, providing quality digital content and facilitating collaboration for effective 21st century learning. More on the company is available at www.epals.com.

NEWS - Economic Development

By Clark Byron, SBJ Staff

April 9, 2013 – World Trade Center Savannah a division of the Savannah Economic & Development Authority, approved a new board member at its monthly meeting today.  He is Daren Pietsch, Director of Business Development for Par Marine, a Brunswick-based division of the Minnesota-based Par Systems. Par Marine provides various marine systems for the military, commercial marine and off-short platforms applications.

“We’re starting to have some discussions with some of the logistics companies that are involved in port operations, so the timing for me has been excellent for me,” said Pietsch. “It gives me an opportunity to be in Savannah more, and also meet with some of our other future partners.” The Glynn County Economic Development Authority recommended Pietsch to WTCSavannah.

World Trade Center Savannah was created in 2011 to help develop an international business platform specific to the greater Savannah region. The international arm of SEDA, World Trade Center Savannah offers the region a professional, proactive international strategy to develop and optimize international networks and opportunities for measurable business results that can drive economic growth in the region, and operates with a separate board of directors and operating budget from SEDA.

Other actions and announcements from the meeting included a report by WTCSavannah president Trip Tollison on the March 23 Consular Corps in Atlanta where WTCSavannah hosted an international delegation of government and educational representatives. “We were responsible to bring the leaders of the house and the senate,” said Tollison. “It was a great event.”

And, Tollison announced that he and board vice chairman Scott Center will travel to Mumbia on April 19 for the World Trade Center Association General Assembly which meets annually.

He also plans to travel to Munich, Germany in early June for the Transportation and Logistics Conference, and to attend the WTC Association official annual meeting in New York in October.  

To expand the impact of WTCSavannah, the organization needs to be regional in scope, Tollison told board members, including reaching out to possible partners in South Carolina. He said that he and other WTC representatives will meet with the mayors of Hilton Head Island, Beaufort, Bluffton, and the county commission chairman of Beaufort County to start the process.

Brynn Grant, Vice President & COO of WTCSavannah reported that WTCSavannah is exploring the opportunity of becoming the EB-5 Regional Center. The United States Immigration and Citizenship Services administers the Immigrant Investor Program, also known as EB-5, which was created by Congress in 1990 to stimulate the U.S. economy through job creation and capital investment by foreign investors. Grant said that becoming an EB-5 Regional Center is not an easy process, but that research indicates it is a worthwhile endeavor.

Other upcoming WTCSavannah news and events include:

- Southeastern United States – Canadian Provinces Alliance meeting in Savannah on April 24. According to the SEUS-CP website, the alliance works to promote trade and investment opportunities between and among its member states and provinces.

- The WTCSavannah Mid-Year Trade Report will be published, May 7.

- SEDA and WTCSavannah Luncheon and Savannah Export Symposium, May 23.

- May SEDA and WTCSavannah board meetings are scheduled for May 14 at Woodville Tompkins Technical & Career Institute at 151 Coach Joe Turner St. Savannah, GA 31408.