A N N U A L R E P O R T
2019
LOADING AWESOME
A N N U A L R E P O R T
2019
T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S
2019 Annual Report
Your Chamber
of Commerce
01.
02.
03.
04.
05.
Accolades
& Awards
Membership & Small Business Services
Chamber Champions
Visitor & Convention Bureau
T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S
2019 Annual Report
06.
07.
08.
09.
10.
Public Relations
Advocacy
Communications
Leadership
11.
Finance
Connect
& Grow
Mission
Envision and advocate the common interests of our partners and stimulate the regional economy while enhancing the quality of life for all.
Vision
Leading the Hilton Head Island Region, community and partners collaboratively in effective education, advocacy, and innovative programming ensuring tourism development and sustainable growth.
Values
The Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to serving as a professional, accountable and innovative organization for the community and our partners by being:
Professional
Accountable
Innovative
Pragmatic
Visionary
Fair-minded
Ethical
OUR MISSION, VISION & VALUES
Guiding Principles
Membership
Education
Advocacy
Connecting the Community
Helping Businesses Succeed
Working on your Behalf
our five pillars
Tourism
Research
The Backbone of Our Economy
Planning & Results
our five pillars
Source: Regional Transactions Concepts, LLC & USCB Lowcountry and Resort Island Tourism Institute, VERB Interactive.
BOARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2019
Hargray Communications
CHAIRMAN
CHRIS MCCORKENDALE
Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island
IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN
JAY WIENDL
McGriff Insurance
VICE CHAIRMAN,
BLUFFTON REGIONAL BUSINESS COUNCIL
STEVE STAUFFER
Hilton Head Regional Healthcare
VICE CHAIRMAN,
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
JEREMY CLARK
Retired
VICE CHAIRMAN, MEMBERSHIP
RAY WARCO
Faces DaySpa
VICE CHAIRMAN, SMALL BUSINESS
PATRICIA OWEN
Park Lane Hotel & Suites
VICE CHAIRMAN,
WORKFORCE & EDUCATION
SUSANA COOK
McNair Law Firm
GENERAL COUNSEL
DAVID TIGGS
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton
Chamber of Commerce
PRESIDENT & CEO
BILL MILES, CCE, IOM
Island Time Hilton Head
VICE CHAIRMAN,
VISITOR & CONVENTION BUREAU
DRU BROWN
Palmetto Dunes POA
VICE CHAIRMAN, FINANCE
Andrew Schumacher
BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2019
Hilton Head Area
Association of Realtors
JEAN BECK
The Sea Pines Resort
STEVE BIRDWELL
Prudential Insurance
CHRIS CORKERN
Shelter Cove Towne Centre
RONI ALLBRITTON
Savannah / Hilton Head
International Airport
GREG KELLY
Montage Palmetto Bluff
CASEY LAVIN
Burr Forman McNair
WALTER NESTER
Retired
TIM FREISEN
First Citizens Bank
JUSTIN RICE
Weichert Realtors Coastal Properties
KAREN RYAN
Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort
JEROME SMITH
University of South Carolina - Beaufort
DR. AL PANU
NAI Carolina Chapter
BAKER WILKINS
SERG Restaurant Group
ALAN WOLF
Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort
WARREN WOODARD
Coastal Plains Insurance
TERRY TADLOCK
YOUR CHAMBER TEAM
President & CEO
BILL MILES
Executive
Assistant to the President
CONNIE KILLMAR
Vice President, Communications
CHARLIE CLARK
Communications
Communications Manager
HALLIE MARTIN
Public Relations Coordinator
SHELBY WIELGUS
Controller
RAY DEAL
Finance
Assistant Controller
KELLY MCCALLISTER
Information Specialist
LINDA LANIER
Information Specialists
Information Specialist
RAKENYA SIDERS
Information Specialist
KATHY WININGS
Vice President, Public Policy & Programs
HANNAH HORNE
Membership, Workforce & Education
Senior Membership Executive
BEVERLY MALONEY
Events Manager
KELLI BRUNSON
Special Events & Project Manager
CATHY HAVENS
Membership Coordinator
JOAN DELOZIER
Workforce & Education
Program Assistant
LAURA HIGGENS
YOUR CHAMBER TEAM
Visitor & Convention Bureau
Vice President, Visitor & Convention Bureau
ARIANA PERNICE
Director of Sales
JACK REED
Senior Marketing Manager
KAYLA BOYTER
Senior Sales Manager
WES KITASHIMA
Sales Manager
KIM NELSON
Multi Media Sales Manager
ZACK SHEDD
Creative Manager
ALYSSA WHITEHOUSE
Research & Digital Marketing Coordinator
CRISTIAN SLATON
If there is one word that could describe 2019 in the Lowcountry, it’s “upward.”
Our reputation as American’s Favorite Island™ continues to rise. Hilton Head Island was named the No. 1 Island for the fourth consecutive year in the Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards, for the third consecutive time in Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards, and for the second time in a row in Southern Living’s Best of the South awards. We were also featured to millions of viewers on the Food Network’s “Great Food Truck Race” and HGTV announced that Hilton Head Island will be the location for the 2020 Dream Home.
Bluffton continues to be a community success story. Managing its growth with its quality of life is the hallmark of the community. The town won a municipal achievement award for its streetscape projects, and Montage Palmetto Bluff continues to win awards for its accommodations. In a testament to its growth, Bluffton got its own destination social media pages (@exploreblufftonsc).
We flew upward. The Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport added new routes and received a $4.2 million grant to expand its customs facility while its passenger numbers continue to soar. The Hilton Head Airport experienced triple-digit growth this year as it welcomed Delta Airlines and United as well as non-stop routes to Atlanta, New York, Washington DC, Chicago and more.
Our resilience was strengthened. Hurricane Dorian spared us physical damage, but the Hilton Head Island tourism sector alone had an estimated $19.5 million economic loss. We invested crisis marketing funds to let the world know that we are open for business. It speaks volumes that we continue to see a strong tourism sector, we’ve been named the No. 1 Island four years in a row, and businesses continue to grow and invest in our community.
We continue moving upward in finding solutions to our workforce issues. We have a seat at the table on the Hwy 278 Corridor expansion project and hosted another successful Unite Summit on workforce housing with experts who are respected nation-wide for facing this challenge head on.
We’ve celebrated business openings and ground-breakings as entrepreneurs and organizations invested millions into doing business in the Lowcountry. Our events and communication efforts continue to help you stay connected and informed.
As you will see in the following pages, it was another banner year for our members and our community. Upward!
Upward!
WILLIAM G. MILES, IOM, CCE
President & CEO
Hilton Head Island - Bluffton Chamber of Commerce
CHRIS MCCORKENDALE
Chairman of the Board
ACCOLADES
& AWARDS
02.
ACCOLADES & AWARDS
Travel + Leisure No. 1 Island in the Continental United States 4th Year in a Row
Southern Living’s “South's Best Beach Town” 2nd Year in a Row
Condé Nast Traveler’s No. 1 Island in the U.S. 3rd Year in a Row
Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport named among
Top 10 Domestic Airports
- Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards 2019
Montage Palmetto Bluff named among
Top 10 RESORT HOTELS IN THE SOUTH
- Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards 2019
Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport named among
THE BEST AIRPORTS
IN THE U.S.
- 2019 Readers' Choice Awards Condé Nast Traveler
The Inn & Club at Harbour Town
named among
TOP 20 RESORTS IN THE SOUTH
- 2019 Readers' Choice Awards Condé Nast Traveler
ACCOLADES & AWARDS
The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa named among
TOP 20 RESORTS IN THE SOUTH
- 2019 Readers' Choice Awards Condé Nast Traveler
Montage Palmetto Bluff
named among
TOP 20 RESORTS IN THE SOUTH
- 2019 Readers' Choice Awards Condé Nast Traveler
Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort
named among
TOP 20 RESORTS IN THE SOUTH
- 2019 Readers' Choice Awards Condé Nast Traveler
Hilton Head Island
#3 on the 2019 list of
best beach towns to visit this winter
- Southern Living
Bluffton voted
#8 SOUTH'S BEST SMALL TOWN
- Southern Living
The Sea Pines Resort
voted among
best places to stay in south carolina
- Southern Living's 2019 South's Best Awards
Coligny Beach
voted one of
AMERICA'S TOP
25 BEACHES
- Trip Advisor
ACCOLADES & AWARDS
Six Hilton Head Island & Bluffton
Golf Courses listed as
best resort
courses
- Golf Week
Montage Palmetto Bluff
voted among
best places to stay in south carolina
- Southern Living's 2019 South's Best Awards
Hilton Head Island
TOP 10 home
rental locations
- Forbes.com
for the July 4th Holiday
Hilton Head Island
named a Gold-level
bicycle friendly community
- League of American Bicyclists
for the 2nd time