Recent News
The Chamber office will be closed on December 25 and 26 as well as January 1 in recognition of the holidays.
The Chamber hosted Joe McKeown, Vice Chairman, Charleston County Council, Daniel Davis, Chairman, Berkeley County Council and Larry Hargett, Chairman, Dorchester County Council to discuss the state of the region and regional collaboration including infrastructure. Click here to read more.
The Education Foundation, an initiative of the Chamber held a spectacular Principal for a Day on December 4. More than 140 executives spent the day with a principal in nearly all of the public schools in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester Counties. This represents a 600 percent growth in participation since the inception of the program in 2004. Business leaders meet the principal at the start of the first school bell to shadow them throughout the day. Principals are asked not to plan a special day but rather to let their executive see what the day-to-day work of a principal involves. The participants represented major sectors of the community including small and large businesses, major industries, the military, clergy and elected officials.
Principal for a Day programs have a long track record of success in many school districts across the country. Ultimately, it provides an opportunity to bridge the gap between schools and businesses and to help create a lasting relationship. Whether this includes specific resources and opportunities, or simply the commitment of the business community to help educate students to create a stronger workforce, all partnerships are appreciated. The next day there was a de-briefing breakfast where business leaders shared their experiences.
"I was reminded how it all begins: being prepared and on time, doing extra credit work, being rewarded or facing the consequences, pushing to excel…preparing us to be valuable and responsible contributors in life and business," Joyce Moffett, Coastal Hydraulics Inc.
Ultimately, Principal for a Day provides an opportunity to bridge the gap between schools and businesses and to help create a lasting relationship. Whether this includes specific resources and opportunities, or simply the commitment of the business community to help educate students to create a stronger workforce, all partnerships are appreciated.
"The Principal for a Day program provides a unique opportunity for the business community to experience the reality of the educational opportunities and challenges our schools face on a daily basis. It is one of the most rewarding and insightful days a business leader can spend and one they should mark on their calendar for next year," said Tripp Hays, The Mills House Hotel.
The Education Foundation is following up with each executive and their principal to see how relationships can be sustained and lead to long-lasting partnerships. Many executives expressed appreciation for what they learned about schools and want to continue to provide assistance in whatever ways that they can.
“Principal for a Day should be more than a one-day event – it is a golden opportunity for bridging the gap between the business world and the world of education,” said Brad Davis, chairman of The Education Foundation.
Three college teams from Charleston were named finalists for the Juicy Ideas Contest, where they created a new use of a “throw-away” item, which included a small glass medicine bottle while communicating a message of environmental responsibility.
Sponsored nationally by Google, and lead locally by the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, the Juicy Ideas contest challenged 12 student teams from Charleston Southern University, The Citadel, College of Charleston and Trident Technical College to tap their imagination, innovation and collaboration and create value out of trash. The teams had 10 days to work on their idea. Throughout the process the teams chronicled their experiences on video and upload to YouTube for judging. They were evaluated in five areas: originality and creativity, entrepreneurship and innovation, environmental responsibility, critical thinking skills, and team building and leadership.
The finalists include:
The Environmentalists, Trident Technical College - Floating Hydroponic System to grow bamboo in dead zones created by fertilizer run-off
Click here for YouTube demonstration
• Caroline Thomas
• Arianna Noble
• Justin Vail
Team AEOlus, Trident Technical College – Supplement ways of heating water with sun and bottles through re-convection system
Click here for YouTube demonstration
• Myles Dunn
• Kerry Cutler
• Michelle Tamasa
• John Nowocin
Team SKCRKM, College of Charleston – Custom painted shot glasses with 20% of proceeds goes toward the Go Green Movement
Click here for YouTube demonstration
• Caitlin Ross
• Kelly Mack
• Sarah Kelly
The three finalists won dinner with Santee Cooper Green Executives, tour of Noisette, team building experience and luncheon at The Inn at Middleton Place, scholarship to FastTrac Entrepreneurial training program, complimentary registration and special recognition at the ThinkTEC Innovation Summit, courtesy passes to any Charleston County Park and complimentary passes to the Holiday Festival of Lights.
Because Google is a sponsor of the contest, all areas with a Google data center were included to compete in the contest. The top three teams from Charleston will face the winning teams from North Carolina, Oklahoma, Iowa and Oregon from the region will advance to the national competition. The national winner will be announced in mid-December. The grand prize-winning team will receive an all expense-paid trip to Google headquarters in Mountain View, California in February.
For more information on the contest, visit http://www.creativejuicecompetition.com/.
The Chamber is delivering a series specifically for small business owners and entrepreneurs to ensure they can stay competitive during challenging economic times. The second session is this series focused on managing cash flow and account receivables in a business. Attendees leaqrned from small business owners that have been in a financial crisis and survived. Brian Moody, CPA, member in charge, Dixon Hughes; Ron Jones, attorney, Clawson & Staubes;
Scott Woods, CPA, CIA, MBA, president and CEO, South Carolina Federal Credit Union and Harry Gregorie, owner, GDC Home talked about tips and methods on managing your books before you get into a situation you aren't able to address and how to recognize the warning signs before bankruptcy. Click here to see news coverage.
The Chamber held it's annual Legislative Reception at the South Carolina Aquarium on November 20, where more than 300 people attended including 60 + legislators. This was a great opportunity for the community to meet their elected officials. The Chamber also released their legislative agenda for the 2009 session. Click here to read more.
Download Chamber's Federal Legislative Agenda
CYP is kicking-off its second mentor program in January. The goal of the CYP Mentor Program is to foster meaningful relationships between members of CYP and business leaders in the region. This six-month program gives mentees the opportunity to learn from business leaders and gain support and guidance, while offering mentors an opportunity to strengthen ties with the young professional community.
“I happily joined the CYP Mentor Program, because I really benefited from the experience of others when I was starting my career. I wanted to give back. But, I’ve enjoyed the tremendous added benefit of learning lots from my mentee. It’s such a win/win situation.” – Colleen Troy, owner of Touchpoint Communications
MENTOR BENEFITS
• Make a difference in the life of a young professional with similar professional interests
• Receive personal and professional satisfaction by contributing to the success and growth of your mentee
• Gain a fresh perspective and additional experience as an advisor, supporter, tutor and coach
• Network with other business leaders in the tri-county region
The session begins January 22 with a kick-off at the Harbour Club. Applications are due December 15. Click here for more information and to fill out an application.
Myra Reece, chief of the state Department of Health and Environmental Control's Bureau of Air Quality addressed the Chamber's Environmental Committee about air quality in Charleston. Click here to read more.
The Chamber’s Business Continuity Planning Council held a workshop on violence in the workplace. Steve Romano, a nationally recognized private consultant and trainer with more than 35 years experience in law enforcement and security provided the group with essential tools to survive workplace violence. There are two million workplace violence incidents reported every year which means a $30 million in loss of productivity.
“These situations take time to fester. Violence just doesn’t occur out of nowhere,” said Romano. “While most incidents don’t turn fatal, you must trust your instincts and report anything that makes you uncomfortable.”
Violence in the workplace can come in many forms including injury, property damage and impeding normal work with threats, assaults, harassment, bullying, stalking or domestic violence. To prevent it you must be aware and take action. Also take the time to listen to people especially with down economic times.
If you do encounter a shooting situation Romano gave some tools to survive:
- If you are in a group spread out
- Assume it’s a gunshot until otherwise
- Look at your work environment and how you will survive by locating exits, safe places to hide or rooms you can lock without getting trapped
- If you come face to face with the shooter you have to assume their intentions are lethal and convince yourself to survive
- Use an improvised weapon and be aggressive
Rev. Rob Dewey, senior Chaplain of the Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy talked about ways to cope with a workplace violence situation. He emphasized that taking care of employees is pertinent and that every business should have a partnership with some sort of employee assistance program.
For more information about the Business Continuity Planning Council contact Jill Galmarini at jgalmarini@charlestonchamber.org.
The Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce teamed up with IBM to offer the IBM SME Toolkit which was offered through the first workshop, as a part of a series to help small businesses manage through a crisis. The workshop focused on using innovative thinking and resources to drive business.
The IBM SME Toolkit is a free on-line program that enables entrepreneurs and small businesses to learn how to implement the sustainable business management practices needed for growth in areas such as finance, accounting, international business, marketing, human resources or legal. While small businesses generated between 60 to 80 percent of the new jobs annually in the U.S. over the past decade, they can be disadvantaged by the lack of access to resources such as skills, knowledge and information that larger businesses routinely use to grow and succeed. When the economic climate is challenging, the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) need every resource they can get to stay competitive.
Among the specially designed free tools are:
• online calculator that helps small businesses determine their readiness for financing,
• free software to build a website
• free business forms used for employee performance evaluations
• community tools such as online conferencing, blog capability, group calendars
• survey and quiz builders to help small businesses make decisions
• multilingual business directory to help small businesses link locally, regionally and globally
“The Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce is happy to utilize the IMB SME Toolkit and share this great information with our members and the community to help entrepreneurs build their business,” said Charles Van Rysselberge, president and CEO, Chamber. “Charleston ranks second in the country for best entrepreneurial environment for a mid-size city. What the IBM Toolkit can do for small to medium size businesses is help foster their growth in creating a successful company.”
