Notes from the President's Desk
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It's hard to believe December is here and 2018 is winding down. While it's hard to look past the excitement of the holiday season, the Chamber is already busy planning important events coming up soon in the new year. Two to note in particular are the 2019 Annual Business EXPO on January 31 at the Jekyll Island Convention Center, and the "Rising Sea Level Predictions: What They Might Mean For Glynn County" session on January 22 at the College of Coastal Georgia. More information about both events can be found in this newsletter.
A little sooner - December 14, to be exact - is the Annual Grits & Issues Breakfast at Epworth By The Sea. This important program features our local legislative delegation and is always a sellout. As such, we encourage you to register now.
The Chamber continually strives to bring relevant programs and services to our membership throughout the year, and the above events are just a sampling of the types of events you can get involved in as a Chamber member. As always, thank you for your support. The staff and I wish you a peaceful holiday season.
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M.H. "Woody" Woodside
President
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2018 Grits & Issues Breakfast
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Please join us at the annual Grits & Issues Membership Breakfast at Epworth By The Sea on St. Simons Island. Congressman Buddy Carter, State Sen. William Ligon, State Rep. Don Hogan and State Rep. Jeff Jones will be in attendance to discuss their views on current legislative issues.
Sign up now to attend - seating is limited for this popular event.
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Annual Grits & Issues Breakfast
Friday, December 14, 2018
8:30 AM
Epworth By The Sea
$35 Members | $30 Non-Members
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GOLD SPONSORS:
Brunswick Cellulose
Georgia Ports Authority
International Auto Processing
Southeast Georgia Health System
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SILVER SPONSORS:
Ameris Bank
Brunswick News Publishing
Georgia Power
Gulfstream
Hurt, Norton & Associates
McGinty-Gordon & Associates
Peachtree Pest Control
South Coast Bank
SunTrust Bank
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BRONZE SPONSORS:
Gilbert Harrell Sumerford & Martin, PC
iHeart Media Brunswick
PrimeSouth Bank
Rich Products
Sea Island
Seaboard Construction
Synovus
United Community Bank
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Vote in Tuesday's Runoff Election
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Your vote is important! The runoff election for Secretary of State and Public Service Commission will take place on Tuesday, December 4. Polls will be open from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM on election day. To view more information, go to the Glynn County Board of Elections
website
.
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Exhibit at 2019 Business EXPO
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Early Bird Exhibitor Rates Won't Last Long!
Thursday, January 31, 2019
5:00 - 7:30 PM
Jekyll Island Convention Center
Business EXPO, Glynn County’s largest annual business trade show, is just around the corner! This signature Chamber event attracts more than 600 attendees, so sign up early to exhibit. As an exhibitor at this year’s Business EXPO, you’ll interact one-on-one with potential clients to showcase products or services and generate lucrative business leads. We're enhancing this year's Business EXPO with live musical entertainment by the duo Chrispy & Coco and "pop up" small business counseling by SCORE's small business mentors. With an anticipated 100+ booths, sign up early for the best rates and for guaranteed participation in EXPO.
Exhibit at Business EXPO:
•
Maximize your business exposure
with influential decision makers
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Build new one-on-one business relationships
& make connections
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Introduce new products
to the marketplace and
generate publicity
• Take advantage of EXPO’s powerful platform to
make on-site sales
•
Offer special incentives and giveaways
to attendees
•
Network with hundreds of people
in a casual business setting
Don't let the holidays sneak up on you...
Early Bird Exhibitor Rates end soon!
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SILVER SPONSOR: The Brunswick News
MEDIA SPONSORS: Golden Isles Broadcasting (Magic 105.9, 104.1 The Wave, 92.7 SSI), 90.7 WAY Radio, WBQO 93.7 FM, Paramount Printing
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Rising Sea Level Predictions Session
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Join community stakeholders for an informational session on sea level rise predictions in Glynn County and ways our community can prepare and adapt.
RISING SEA LEVEL PREDICTIONS:
WHAT THEY MIGHT MEAN FOR GLYNN COUNTY
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
8:30 – 11:00 AM
College of Coastal Georgia Terry Thomas Auditorium
Experts from the Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Georgia, and the National Park Service, alongside the Brunswick-Glynn County Joint Water and Sewer Commission, Georgia Department of Natural Resources and United Community Bank will deliver information and reports tailored to Glynn County. The emphasis of all presenters will be on the meaningful steps individuals, businesses and governmental entities can take to plan for the risks and the effects of rising seas in the near, middle and long-term future.
The event will be hosted by the
Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation
, the
Brunswick-Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce
and the
College of Coastal Georgia
, and will feature the following presenters:
Rebecca Beavers
, Ph.D., Coastal Geology and Adaptation Coordinator, National Park Service
Kim Cobb
, Ph.D., Professor and Director, Global Change Program, Georgia Institute of Technology
Jill Gambill
, Ph.D., Professor and Coastal Community Resilience Specialist, University of Georgia
Jimmy Junkin
, Executive Director, Brunswick-Glynn County Joint Water and Sewer Commission
Jennifer Kline
, Coastal Hazards Specialist, Coastal Resources Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources
Mason Waters
, Regional President, United Community Bank
“We feel it is critically important for the Coastal Georgia Foundation to take a leadership role on the issues that impact our entire community and its ability to thrive,” said Paul White, President and CEO of the Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation. “Sea level rise and readiness touches anyone that has an invested interest in Glynn County’s being a great place to live and work. We are excited to convene the community and start an important discussion around this critical topic.”
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Have you shopped M2M Deals? Being a Chamber member pays off with our new member benefit program "M2M Deals," exclusive members-only discounts FROM Chamber members, FOR Chamber members. Let M2M Deals make your busy holiday shopping season a little easier...we have
over 50
M2M Deals waiting for you to redeem!
When you redeem M2M Deals, you:
* Support fellow Chamber members
* Shop local businesses
* Save $$$ & get great discounts
Let everyone know you're a Chamber member, and be sure to stop by participating Chamber businesses and request your M2M Deal today! Place your own M2M Deal on our website -- it's FREE! Contact the chamber for more information: 265-0620. Look for M2M Deals on the following categories:
coffee shops -
outdoor adventures & gear
- floral deals -
sporting events
- spa & beauty products -
book stores
- education -
gift shops
- women's apparel -
music lessons & instruments
- mortgage & banking -
restaurants
- hotel rooms -
automobile specials
- appliances -
bakeries
- graphic design -
consulting
- assisted living -
home cleaning
- moving & storage -
meeting space
- exterminators -
tent rentals
- attorney specials -
advertising
- health clubs -
insurance
- garage doors & storm shutters -
cleaning supplies
- photography -
business supplies
-
& MANY MORE
!
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BUSINESS EDUCATION SERIES:
Customer Service: the What, the How & the Why
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Back by Popular Demand!
Chef
Dave Snyder
, owner of Halyard's Restaurant Group, will present our December session "Customer Service: the What, the How, & the Why." Join us on Tuesday, December 11 to experience a motivational session that will enable you to inspire your team and raise the level of service offered to your customers.
No matter what business you are in, creating a positive customer experience is an important part of your job. Whether internal or external, satisfying and understanding your customers' needs is critical to the growth of your business. You will learn tips, best practices and skills from of the area's finest customer service leaders to help transform your approach to excellent customer service. This popular session always fills up quickly, so contact the Chamber today to sign up!
Customer Service: the What, the How, & the Why
Tuesday, December 11
8:30-9:30 AM
Chamber of Commerce Offices
$5 Members / $10 Non-Members
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Sponsored by Five Star Credit Union
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WWII Home Front Museum to Open Dec. 8
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Mark your calendars for an exciting event: the new World War II Home Front Museum opens its doors on December 8. The opening of this museum on St. Simons Island brings to life Coastal Georgia’s extraordinary contributions during World War II and recounts how this quiet coastal region was transformed when the United States went to war.
Developed by Coastal Georgia Historical Society and designed by Gallagher & Associates, lead exhibit designer at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, the Home Front Museum details this region’s multifaceted role during the war. Galleries of immersive exhibits recreate iconic home front scenes such as an A & P Food storefront and a military recruitment office. Interactive experiences allow visitors to try their hand at plane spotting, directing fighter pilot squadrons using radar technology, and building and joining the crew of a Liberty ship.
The World War II Home Front Museum is located in the Historic Coast Guard Station on St. Simons Island, a beloved community icon listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Don't miss the opening of this exciting addition to the Golden Isles.
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I'm a Chamber Member. Now What?
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Article Six in a Six-Article Series
Have you recently joined the Chamber? Maybe you're overwhelmed by the number of benefits. How do you go about exploring the components of chamber membership that are most beneficial to you and your business? What if there are things you could benefit from that you know nothing about? Or maybe you're wondering when you're going to see your first new customer...any minute, right? Over the next six MemberNets, we will explore different aspects of the chamber and ways you can maximize your chamber membership, in excerpts from an article by chamber expert Christina R. Green.
In addition to the goal-oriented benefits mentioned in prior "Next Steps" articles, chambers of commerce offer many more benefits. Our chamber offers:
- Online community calendar
- Sharing news and event announcements through social media and MemberNet
- Photo opportunities during events
- Members-only special deals program (M2M)
- Request For Proposals (RFP) opportunities
No matter why you joined the chamber, there are benefits to help you meet your goals. The best thing you can do for your investment is to get involved in a capacity that helps you advance your business. We've outlined some ideas in this series of articles, but these are only the beginning. In order to get the most out of your chamber membership, make sure the membership sales director understands your business goals. She can help put you on a path to get there and ensure you get tons of value from your membership.
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December Business After Hours
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Who says business can't be JOLLY??
Join us at
December's Business After Hours
at
Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers.
Bring plenty of business cards for door prizes - and don't forget to bring your friends and co-workers!
Mellow Mushroom
440 Kings Way, SSI
Thursday, December 13
5:30 - 7:30 PM
$7 members | $10 non-members
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Click on the names, below, to learn more about our newest Chamber members and welcome them. And thank you to our renewals...we appreciate your continued support!
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December Community Highlights
and Announcements
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During this busy holiday season, the Chamber reminds you to support our local retailers.
Think Local. Shop Local. Buy Local.
View our
Community Calendar
for the many holiday, cultural, charitable and business events going on in the month of December |
Details
Historic Downtown Brunswick
Holiday Events - throughout the month |
Details
Jekyll Island
Holiday Events - throughout the month |
Details
Boys & Girls Club of SE Georgia
Merry Mixer - Saturday, December 1 |
Details
Election Runoff Day
- Tuesday, December 4
One Million Cups
- Tipsy McSway's, Wednesday, December 5 |
Details
Hospice of the Golden Isles
Lights of Love - Thursday, December 6 |
Details
WWII Home Front Museum
Grand Opening - Saturday, December 8 |
Details
Coastal Georgia Community Action Authority
Voices of Success Gala - Saturday, December 15 |
Details
Keep Golden Isles Beautiful
Christmas Tree Recycling - Dec. 26-Jan. 6 |
Details
Glynn Visual Arts
Calendar
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Details
Golden Isles Arts & Humanities
Calendar |
Details
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Need a little inspiration in your professional or personal life? Check out this motivational commencement speech from Notre Dame icon Lou Holtz. (Video approx. 6 1/2 minutes)
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Ameris Bank
BHHS Hodnett Cooper Real Estate
Georgia Power
Gulfstream Aerospace
iHeart Media
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McGinty-Gordon & Associates
Peachtree Pest Control
South Coast Bank & Trust
SunTrust Bank
The Brunswick News
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STAKEHOLDER:
AT&T
Gilbert, Harrell, Sumerford & Martin
Hurt, Norton & Associates
PrimeSouth Bank
Rich Products
Seaboard Construction
Sea Island
Synovus Bank
United Community Bank
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EXECUTIVE:
Allgood Pest Solutions
BB&T
BrandMortgage
Edward Jones-Jeff Jones Advisor
First Coast Benefits Solutions
First Glynn Bank
GEM Cars
Henshaw Companies
ServiceMaster Restoration & Clean by A1
The Salvation Army Brunswick
Turner & Associates
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