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Federal Reserve Bank of
Richmond President Keynote of Economic Outlook Conference and Luncheon
The 2009 Economic Outlook Conference and Luncheon will be held Thursday,
March 26 at Charleston Place Hotel which includes the presentation of the
region’s economic forecast and a special keynote speaker with Dr. Jeffrey M.
Lacker, president, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.
Dr. Lacker will present the views of the Federal Reserve on the state of the
national recovery and the outlook for future economic conditions. His views
on the U.S. Economy and timing for recovery will be especially pertinent,
given the current economic climate. Dr. Lacker took office August 1, 2004,
as the seventh chief executive. Dr. Lacker serves as a voting member of the
Federal Open Market Committee and is the author of numerous articles in
professional journals on monetary, financial, and payment economics, and has
presented his work at several universities and central banks. He taught at
The College of William and Mary in 1992 and 1993, and in 1997 he was a
visiting scholar at the Swiss National Bank.
Developed in partnership with the College of Charleston and the Chamber’s
Center for Business Research, Dr. Frank Hefner, College of Charleston and
Mary Graham, sr. vice president, Public Policy/Regional Advancement with the
Chamber will present the 2009/2010 economic forecast for the Charleston
region. The forecast is developed by the Chamber’s Economic Outlook Board, a
panel of industry experts that lend their own knowledge and real-world
experience to the forecast.
Highlights of this year’s forecast program include an 18 to 24 month look
ahead at what is in store for the region’s key economic sectors including
housing, tourism, airport, port and more. Registration
includes a copy of the 2009 Economic Forecast book containing regional
forecast data and historical data for the Charleston region’s economy. In
addition, P. George Benson, president, College of Charleston, will also
speak about the challenges facing South Carolina and our ability to compete
in the global economy.
The Economic Outlook Conference and Luncheon will be held Thursday, March 26
from 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Charleston Place Hotel. The cost is $150
non-member, $95 Chamber members. Corporate tables are also available for
$1,500. For more information or to register for the conference
click here.
How Will
Economic Stimulus Package Impact Region
The American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was
passed and signed into law on February 17, 2009. In
February, the Chamber’s Developers Council discussed how
this will affect the Charleston region in terms of
infrastructure, housing and transportation and what the
region can expect to see from the $787 billion stimulus
package.
Clay Middleton, Lowcountry coordinator for Congressman
Jim Clyburn’s Office said that South Carolina is
projected to see $8 billion of the $787 billion total.
In particular, it is projected the $8 billion is
estimated to create or save about 50,000 jobs in the
state.
“This is not enough money or resources to get everyone
back to work at this time but it’s a pretty good plan to
help get things started,” said Middleton.
Middleton also noted that the funding should also help
150 schools, many along the I-95 corridor, with
building, rebuilding or improvements. Additionally,
nearly 58,000 families in the state would be eligible to
receive a $2,500 tax credit to make college more
affordable.
Alec Brebner, planning director, Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments (BCDCOG) told the group
that $54.9 billion has been marked for national
infrastructure projects and that South Carolina should
receive $565 million. The state would receive $463
million in highway spending, $41 million in transit
formula funding and about $60 million to address the
backlog of water infrastructure needs.
Money will flow to the state through normal channels and
must meet specified criteria to qualify. A majority of
the funding will be committed within 120 days. That is
why the legislation called for “shovel ready” projects.
Although Congressman Clyburn would be pushing from his
end to move the funds expeditiously, Middleton reminded
the audience that the states are required to obligate at
least half of the highway/bridge funding within 120 days
from the date of passage so that swift action on the
part of the community would be needed.
Tammie Hoy, executive director of the Lowcountry Housing
Trust, discussed the housing stimulus passed during the
Bush administration in 2008. There is an estimated $44
million allocated to South Carolina. Hoy explained that
in 2008 the Charleston region competed for this money
with the rest of the state through the State Housing
Finance Authority (SHFA). She expects the state to
receive an additional $78 million in federal affordable
housing emergency assistance under ARRA.
The Trust has identified seven corridors in the
Lowcountry with the most foreclosures and need for
affordable housing. Money can be used to purchase
foreclosed homes, repair and refurbish them and then
resell properties.
For more information on ARRA, the White House has
developed a website to track information, including the
flow of funding at
www.recovery.gov.
Creative Cluster Becoming Economic Driver
Creativity has been alive in Charleston for a long time.
It shapes the cityscape whether that includes downtown,
in the country or where you work. It fuels our
experience, output of services, products we make and is
the key to our future. Who is the creative cluster and
why it's important to the Charleston region?
Last month, ThinkTEC hosted its ninth Innovation Summit
with the focus on the creative cluster and the viable
relationship between business and creativity. Robert
Prioleau with Blue ION kicked off the Summit addressing
some of these questions. “It starts with creation,
affects quality of life, stimulates economy and allows a
creative place or sense of place,” said Prioleau.
The creative cluster was really identified in 2005 with
Forward Charleston, a report done by Angelou Economics
to generate a list of industry clusters for the
Charleston region to target and grow. The creative
cluster was one of five industries identified. The
creative cluster includes: preservation and restoration,
architecture, urban design, cultural heritage, culinary
arts, visual and graphic design, performing arts,
multi-media and film, digital media and design,
publishing and writing.
With its rich history, Charleston is fortunate to
attract talent to these niches. Since then, not only has
this group shown growth and continues to expand but it
has the benefit of driving higher wages to more than a
$40,000 mean annual salary nationally. New Carolina -
South Carolina’s Council on Competitiveness launched a
creative cluster for the Lowcountry in November 2008.
“We wanted to shine the light on the fact that creative
industries are a major economic driver in the Lowcountry,”
New Carolina Change Agent, Beth Meredith says.
“Companies in this non-traditional industry are
thriving, starting businesses that create jobs, and
attracting like-minded people to the area.”
Over the last several months, cluster organizers in the
Lowcountry have held a series of discussions and
planning meetings to determine how to build the right
infrastructure for creative industries firms. That
planning culminated in an event called Pecha Kucha Night
(PKN). Other creative formats are also being formed such
as Guerilla Cuisine and the Charleston Arts Coalition
which facilitates and encourage collaboration on
projects, exchange ideas, host special events and
promotes creativity in Charleston through advocacy,
outreach, promotion and educational programming.
The Charleston Regional Development Alliance, which is
focused on advancing competitive industry clusters in
the three-county region, has been instrumental in
identifying the creative industries as a main economic
driver in the Lowcountry.
“This region has a convergence of high-end expertise in
areas like urban design and architecture plus a number
of lifestyle attributes important to smart, creative
people,” says Stephen Warner, Charleston Regional
Development Alliance. “We wanted to learn how to better
promote the creative sector here, so we looked to other
communities that are successfully nurturing their
creative industries like London and Austin. Although
this is not traditional bricks-and-mortar industry,
creative businesses have a major and growing impact on
our local economy. We believe that the growth of the
Creative Industries Cluster could lead to higher wages
and greater economic sustainability.”
Charleston not only needs to attract the creative talent
but help grow and retain it as well. A sample of
institutions providing education and training
opportunities in the region include the Art Institute of
Charleston, Culinary Institute of Charleston, Clemson
Architecture Center, American College of Building Arts
and the Lowcountry Graduate Center.
For more information on the Creative Cluster visit
http://www.crda.org/industries/digital_media_design/.
Interested in
Importing/Exporting to Italy?
As sister cities, Charleston and Spoleto, Italy have had a special tie for
many years. Recently, the two cities have mutually agreed to establish
working committees to maintain this relationship. In doing so, the City of
Charleston created the Spoleto-Charleston Initiative to raise awareness and
strengthen the connections between the two regions and to foster
economic development activities.
The initiative will focus not only on establishing strong ties that increase
trade and commerce between the areas, but through established
sub-committees, it will also examine tourism, cultural, and educational
connections and interactions that can be both strengthened and/or
established. Its purpose is to help to provide the widest possible diversity
of exchanges and projects in order to achieve mutually agreed-upon goals
between the two cities. As a part of this initiative, the Charleston Metro
Chamber of Commerce is serving on the Trade and Commerce sub-committee to
help increase export and import between the two regions.
Although economic development typically engenders the thought of job
creation, business, trade, etc., this broad–based initiative will take a
more comprehensive approach to economic development and factors that
contribute to it due to the diverse opportunities that exist in Charleston
and Spoleto and their surrounding regions. This will be done through some
proposed activities such as, surveying of businesses in the cities, video
conferencing, website created for citizens interested in the initiative,
attending trade shows and educational exchanges to include internships,
sporting activities and traveling professors. The hope is to increase import
and export activities and increase cultural and tourism exchanges.
If you are interested in learning more about this initiative or would like
to increase import/export opportunities for this region contact Pennie
Bingham, vice president, Business Development/Innovation, Charleston Metro
Chamber at 843.805.3073 or
pbingham@charlestonchamber.org.
Women In Business Conference - Power Up!
Get Charged. Get Informed. Get Connected.
The Chamber and Center for Women have teamed up once again to present the
fourth annual Women in Business Conference, Friday, March 27 at the Francis
Marion Hotel. This collaborative conference will assist hundreds of local
business women advance professionally by providing networking opportunities
and timely topics. At this year’s conference, attendees will leave inspired
with tools to take their business to the next level during this economically
challenging time.
Breakout Session Topics:
Each workshop will be offered twice to allow participants to attend two
different sessions. Participants will have the opportunity to network before
both sessions.
Succeeding in an Economic Downturn: A CEO's perspective - Hear from
three CEOs, about their strategies for effective management and growth
during an economic downturn.
Speakers: Peggy Hines, president, Atlantic Bank & Trust; Cherie Tolley,
MA, CEO, Palmetto Behavioral Health and Loretta Graham, Girl Scouts of
Eastern South Carolina.
Career and Life Transitions – Learn how to leverage your abilities
and skills to adapt to the realities of the current economy and carve out
new opportunities. Explore the importance of personal resilience and coming
to terms with the emotional impact of change.
Speakers: Barbara S. Poole, MS, MCC, Success Builders Inc.; Erin Scheffer,
director of Human Resources, eThority Inc. and Faye Slater, MA, LPC.
The New Generation of Online Marketing - Three local communication
professionals will offer their insight on using the latest web technologies
to grow your online presence and your business. Learn how to use social
media, such as Facebook, blogs and Twitter and improving your search engine
ranking with optimized web copy.
Speakers: Lyn Mettler, president, Step Ahead Web Strategies; Kira Perdue,
executive vice president, Trevelino/Keller Communications Group and Michelle
Salater, owner, Michelle Salater Writing & Editorial LLC
“Stay Competitive in the Current Reality – Don’t Get in Your Own Way!” - Leadership is a science, an art and
an evolution. If you're looking for ways to evolve into an enlightened
leader in your personal and professional lives, Power Surge: A Conduit to
Enlightened Leadership (HRD Press) provides an opportunity to gain a new
and deeper awareness of what it takes to achieve and sustain leadership
greatness in today's complex world.
Speaker: Margaret Seidler, Author of Power Surge: A Conduit for
Enlightened Leadership
Refreshing Your Professional Image - Are you ready to become the boss
of your own career? Learn how to "Refresh Your Professional Image" from the
inside out.
Speakers: Shauna M. Heathman, AICI FLC, Mackenzie Image Consulting and
Angie Mizzell, Certified Life Coach and owner, Angie Mizzell Life Design
This year’s keynote presentation is from Pamela P. Lackey, president of AT&T
South Carolina. Lackey is responsible for the company’s regulatory,
legislative and community affairs activities in the state. She works closely
with state and community leaders to bring new technology and jobs to the
state, as well as improving the quality of life for all South Carolinians.
For the first time there will be a fashion show during lunch featuring women
of all ages, shapes and sizes with professional attire provided by Belk.
Also, back by popular demand there will be speed networking. Attendees will
meet 40 women quickly and effectively as they move from table to table. Each
woman will have the opportunity to introduce herself, her business and her
interests to everyone at each table in four 10 - 15 minute
rounds.
The conference is from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. The cost is $100 non-member, $75
Chamber, Center for Women and CYP member discount price before March 13 or
$50 students. To register for the Women in Business Conference
click here or for sponsorship opportunities contact Lindsey Pakkala at
843.805.3102.
Tough
Economic Times Never Last, Resilient Companies Do
Workforce development is an ongoing issue for all companies in today’s
nation and it is important to understand and keep-up-to-date with best
practices and new laws. The Chamber’s Labor Climate Network (CLCN) will host
the first workshop of its “Becoming a High Performance Organization Human
Resource Education Series - Tough Economic Times Never Last, Resilient
Companies Do!" on Thursday, March 19 at the Chamber. Industry experts will
teach attendees how to best manage their day-to-day human resource
operations given new challenges and discuss how to effectively communicate
internally and externally the changes that will occur.
The workshop will also educate businesses on how to keep people engaged and
motivated during hard economic times, organization design, new labor related
legislation and the impact of change in government leadership. Attendees
will walk away with the knowledge and resources needed to take a proactive
approach in educating their workforce on key issues facing both the nation
and our region.
The workshop is March 19 from 7:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. The cost is $125 non-member, $95
Chamber member. Human Resources professionals in attendance will also have
the opportunity to receive HR certification credit. To register
click here or for more information contact Emily Brown at 843.805.3042
or
ebrown@charlestonchamber.org.
Chamber 1773 Awards Recognize Excellence and Vision in Region
Now accepting nominations
Named for the year of the Chamber’s establishment, the Chamber has
established an awards program called the 1773 Awards to showcase the dynamic
businesses and industries that make up the Charleston regional economy and
best reflect the core values of the Chamber; Leadership, Relevance,
Integrity, Diversity and Innovation.
Honorees will be selected from the following sectors:
Communications
Construction/Real Estate
Educational Services
Finance/Insurance
Healthcare
Hospitality/Tourism
Manufacturing/Processing
Professional, Scientific/Technical Services
Retail/Wholesale Trade
Transportation/Warehousing
Public/ Non-Profit
Join this prestigious list of winners from last year!
Absolutely Charleston
Accuscribe Transcription Services
Alcoa
Chernoff Newman
CRG Engineering
Daniel Island Company
Johnson Controls
Half Moon Outfitters
Liollio Architecture
Lowcountry Graduate Center
Prudential Financial
MUSC
Kiawah Island Golf Resort/ The Sanctuary at Kiawah
Santee Cooper
In addition, awards will be given to companies that during the year have
been selected as winners in three Chamber programs: Area Business Council’s
Small Business of the Month, Sustainability and the When Work Works program
on workplace flexibility. The awards will be announced at the 1773 Awards
Luncheon on Wednesday, May 13. This event also provides an opportunity to
recognize and welcome new and expanding businesses in the region.
The winners from each category will be vying to be the finalist of the
prestigious 1773 Chamber Award of the Year which will be announced at the
Chamber’s Annual Meeting.
Nominate your company or other Chamber members that you think fit these
criteria. You can nominate up to two organizations in each category. Please
contact Chip Fell at
cfell@charlestonchamber.org for an application and return the completed
form by Monday, April 6.
Make your plans now to attend this special awards luncheon! To register
click here. For more information and to
receive sponsorship opportunities contact Chip Fell at
cfell@charlestonchamber.org.
Make Work Fun and See Your Business Succeed
An economic downturn challenges
organizations to tap into innovative strategies to still grow business while
providing the best customer service possible. And that doesn’t mean, as some
people think, that it results in not having fun at work or not having a
relaxed staff. The Chamber has teamed up with the Charleston RiverDogs to
present “Fun is Good”, April 17, for a one day conference that will show you how
to empower your workplace and help your business or organization achieve
success. No matter what your role is in an organization, you will learn that
laughter isn't only the best medicine-- it can be the key ingredient in
turning a floundering business into a profitable one or jump-start a stalled
career.
Mike Veeck, president and part owner of the RiverDogs, will discuss his
simple, no-fail formula for business success: make work fun and you will
create a culture where the best people will want to work and customers will
want to spend their money.
In addition Allen Fahden, author, corporate trainer, and former stand-up
comic will present his belief in appreciating what a team member can do and
not expecting them to do what they can’t has freed people to transform their
work, relationships and purpose. Fahden has spent more than two decades
working with Fortune 500 businesses to increase sales efficiency and morale.
What You Will Learn:
• Why customer service, the lifeblood of any business, suffers when
employees aren't having fun at work
• How a few people with the Fun Is Good attitude can transform a workplace
no matter the economic situation
• What companies should look for when hiring people and how employees can
forge a Fun Is Good career path
Fun Is Good will show you how to empower your workplace, whether you're the
CEO or lower on the totem pole. You will learn that laughter isn't only the
best medicine - it can be the key ingredient in turning a floundering
business into a profitable one or jump-start a stalled career. To register
click here.
TRC Sets
Goal and Off to Good Start
The Chamber officially kicked-off its tenth annual Total
Resource Campaign (TRC) at the Vue at Ripley Point,
February 5. The 12-week resource development effort is
intended to raise money in support of Chamber programs
and initiatives. This year’s theme is “Playing for
Keeps” which symbolizes playing for keeps in tackling
the challenges of improving our region, volunteers
playing for keeps in their work, in the campaign and the
Chamber’s determination to maintain its effectiveness at
levels that have earned national recognition.
“The programs and initiatives of the Chamber
significantly contributed to this region’s prosperity in
recent years, and what the Chamber does can help reverse
the current business downturn,” said Dick Elliott,
Maverick Southern Kitchens, chair of the 2009 TRC.
“Every business is facing hard decisions about
allocating limited resources. Providing resources to the
Chamber is a wise investment in a program of work that
positively impacts the Charleston business climate for
everyone.”
Over the next three months, close to 200 Chamber
volunteers in over 80 corporate teams will gather
resources to fulfill this year’s goal of $2,275,772
million through memberships, sponsorships, donations and
advertising sales. Investments in the Chamber
facilitated through TRC have a powerful and positive
impact on education, public policy, regional advancement
and many other areas of economic growth for the
Charleston region. This also includes the seminars and
programs designed to provide knowledge and practical
advice for businesses to survive through the economic
downturn.
“Obviously, we are sensitive to the fact that many
businesses are struggling in this economic climate and
acknowledge that this is an aggressive campaign goal,”
said Charles Van Rysselberge, president and CEO,
Chamber. “That is why we have set the goal only $1 over
the amount raised last year and not to take a step back
but rather to keep moving forward in our efforts to
serve as the catalyst for advancing our region's
economy, improving our quality of life and enhancing our
members' success.”
By week two the Chamber has raised $532,671. This is a
great business opportunity for you and your company.
Teams for the campaign can be comprised of one volunteer
or many volunteers and any size company can participate.
If you are a Chamber member and interested in
participating in this year's TRC contact Alex Glasgow at
843.805.3087.
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