Business Buzzzzzzzz

NEWS - Business Buzzzzzzzz

Jan 16 – Savannah Area Business Buzzzzzzzz

The Statesboro Herald, located in Bulloch County and owned by Morris Multimedia of Savannah, is getting ready to celebrate its 75^th anniversary, according to the company. The Statesboro Herald’s first form was as the weekly the Bulloch Herald. Randy Morton is the current publisher.   
“One of the projects I’m most excited about is a special hard-back pictorial book we’re putting together for release in November,” Morton said in a recent article in The Statesboro Herald.  “It will be called “Statesboro Through Our Eyes” and we need the help of all our readers to make it truly special,” he said.

Joe McGlamery is president of the Statesboro Herald.  Charles Morris of Savannah is president and CEO of Morris Multimedia.

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Monty Lee, who joined The Colony Bank in November, has returned to First Chamber Bank as of last week. He had been hired by The Colony Bank to grow the local Colony brand and market share.  Tommy Hester is the newly appointed president of The Colony Bank in the Savannah area, one of Georgia’s largest state-chartered banking companies.  Lee is a native of Hinesville.

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Four of five Republican candidates in the race for Georgia’s 12th District Congressional seat currently held by Congressman John Barrow, participated in a Bulloch County Republican Party forum last week.  Rick W. Allen, Georgia State Rep. Lee Anderson, Wright McLeod and Maria Sheffield were on hand.

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NEWS - Business Buzzzzzzzz

Jan 9 – Savannah Area Business Buzzzzzzzz

Cora Bett Thomas, one of Savannah’s most influential and ‘connected’ Realtors in the region. has announced plans to move Cora Bett Thomas Realty back to its roots, in the garden level of her home at 16 E. Jones Street in Savannah’s Historic District.  The company will close its current residential and commercial real estate office on Oglethorpe Street, but maintain its property management division’s office on E. York Street, as well as their real estate office in Beaufort County. Thomas is a member of the board of directors of the Savannah Economic Development Authority.

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News from around Georgia:  Daewon is bringing Jobs to LaGrange. The Seoul, South Korea-based Daewon America will open a manufacturing facility in the Troup County city, creating 100 jobs over three years. Daewon America manufactures springs and torsion bars for the automotive industry. The company will purchase and expand an existing facility in LaGrange, investing $14 million. Daewon is one of a growing number of KIA suppliers locating in the west Georgia region near the automotive manufacturer’s Georgia operation. The company is a direct supplier to KIA and Hyundai, and also supplies Mando, Powertech and Mobis.

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Raycom, owners of WTOC-TV in Savannah, has announced that the company will switch to

Rentrak’s StationView Essentials for local market household and demographics ratings versus Neilsen ratings service.  This more comprehensive service includes the integration of the Polk Automotive and Political Segmentation information that will allow Raycom to sell not only the size of its audiences, but also its “strength” of a particular auto purchaser or political segment, according to Rentrak and Raycom. “We believe Rentrak’s measurement can change the way our industry does business because there are significant advantages for both buyers and sellers of ad time,” said Paul McTear, Raycom president-CEO.  “We need to take the focus from measurement issues and put it back on the efficiency and effectiveness of local television.”

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Margaret “Meg” Heap will hold a press conference this week at The Mulberry Inn to formally announce her intention to challenge Chatham County’s District Attorney Larry Chisholm. David Simons of Simons & Associates, political consultants headquartered in Savannah, will manage her campaign. She spent 18 years in the D.A.’s office, primarily working under Spencer Lawton.  She resigned in Chisholm’s first year in office. Heap charges that 35 employees in Chisholm’s office have resigned or been fired in his first three years in office.  There are currently a number of lawsuits against Chisholm and Chatham County for various personnel matters pending in the courts. 

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Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. in Hilton Head has announced the opening of The Olive Garden restaurant as of today, January 9, in the Tanger 1 center. “The opening of an Olive Garden has been long awaited in our area,” according to LaDonna Shamlou, General Manager of the Tanger Outlet Centers in Hilton Head. “We are thrilled to be welcome this popular restaurant as an addition to our center for locals and vacationers to enjoy.”

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Hancock Askew & Co., LLP was recently named as one of the 2011 Best Accounting Firms to Work for. The annual list of “Best Accounting Firms” was created by Accounting Today and Best Companies Group. The Best Accounting Firms to Work for list is made up of a total of 100 companies, split into three groups: 50 small-sized companies (15-49 employees), 45 medium-sized companies (50-249 employees) and 5 large-sized companies (more than 250 employees). For the third year in a row Hancock Askew & Co., LLP has been named one of the Best Accounting Firms to Work for.  This year, Hancock Askew ranked #27 in the small firm category.

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The FDIC-insured institutions reported an aggregate profit of $35.3 billion in the third quarter of 2011, an $11.5 billion improvement from the $23.8 billion in net income the industry reported in the third quarter of 2010. This is the ninth consecutive quarter that earnings registered a year-over-year increase, according to a report issued by the FDIC on Monday, Jan 9, 2012.   Lower provisions for loan losses were responsible for most of the year-over-year improvement in earnings. Third-quarter loss provisions totaled $18.6 billion, almost 50 percent less than the $35.1 billion that insured institutions set aside for losses in the third quarter of 2010.

Editor's Note:  Join the Buzzzzzzzz.  Email Publisher Lou Pheps at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

NEWS - Business Buzzzzzzzz

Dec 19 – Savannah Area Business Buzzzzzzzz

Coastal Logistics Group of Savannah announced the arrival of the 500th rail car into its Sonny Perdue facility in Savannah this month. Rail service has only been in place for 8 months at CLG and the volumes are increasing daily, according to the company. CLG is owned by Chad Barrow, president and Richard Barrow, CEO. “There is still capacity to grow with existing infrastructure but with new customer’s coming on board each month, CLG anticipates adding a second rail spur to accommodate additional needs in 2012,” they state. Rail cargo remains strong throughout the Southeast.

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Phil Ivey, vice president for Georgia Power Co. told board members of the Georgia Department of Economic Development last week that they believe they are only weeks away from gaining permission to start to finish building the new nuclear power reactors at Waynesboro. GaDEC held its board meeting in Augusta, and then took a tour of Plant Vogtle. There are currently 1,800 people working on the new plant, which will eventually reach 3,500.

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Goodwill Industries of the Coastal Empire has used recent generous donations to help its Job Connections Center in Lyons, Georgia purchase a new SMART Board, creating the most modern classroom in the local Goodwill system. The interactive whiteboard helps improve learning outcomes by combining the simplicity of a whiteboard with the power of a computer. It allows the instructor to deliver dynamic lessons, write notes in digital ink, and save work - all with the simple touch of a finger, according to Jan L. Bass, Director of Marketing for Goodwill Industries of the Coastal Empire, Inc.’

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Liz Johnson of Statesboro has elected as a new member of the Democratic National Committee, representing Georgia. She is the owner of Brooke Insurance of Statesboro.

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The Savannah Downtown Business Association sponsored a toy drive over the past few weeks in order to bring Christmas to local children in need. The toys were presented on Saturday, and kids got an extra surprise when Santa made a special visit. “This will be the only gifts that some of these kids will receive this year. It’s important to give back this time of year,” said Ruel Joyner, president of the SDBA.

The SDBA would like to thank everyone who gave toys. Special thanks go to Shane’s Rib Shack for donating food for the event and Althea Street and Shante Brown for all of their hard work including wrapping all of the presents, according to Joyner.

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NEWS - Business Buzzzzzzzz

Dec 12 – Savannah Area Business Buzzzzzzzz

Foundation Financial Group, headquartered in Jacksonville, with a Savannah office, reports that the company grew its insurance business at a record pace in November, resulting in $30 million in new property, auto and life insurance policies in 30 days - a company record, according to CEO Mark W. Boyer. The company launched its insurance services in January 2011, offering property, casualty and life insurance to its customers. Since that time, the company has added tax and retirement services to its established mortgage services. This fall, Foundation Financial Group opened new branch financial services locations in Dayton, Ohio; Indianapolis; Kansas City, Mo.; St. Paul, Minn.; and Toledo, Ohio. The company also made the 2011 Inc. 500|5000 list.

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Savannah Daily News reported last week that while Georgia Tech plans to continue to operate its campus in Savannah, but acknowledge that it is a campus in transition.  The future of Tech’s satellite campus here has been the subject of conjecture by both students and faculty awaiting information on the plans of the Georgia Board of Regents about their future.  “We continue to work with individual students to make sure that their academic needs are being met. In fact, 33 students from the Georgia Tech-Savannah campus will be degree candidates for fall commencement that will be held next week,” according to Lisa Grovenstein, spokesperson for Georgia Tech in Atlanta, a small number by anyone’s measure.  The Board of Regents are currently conducting market research, she said, to determine the campus’ future, but one decision appears to have been made – to keep the campus open.

“As the focus of Georgia Tech-Savannah transitions from an undergraduate degree program to one that will eventually focus on a variety of programs ranging from professional and executive education to programs for the military, research is underway to determine the specific market needs. This is an ongoing process, and there are no results to share at this time,” Tech states.

“As we define the "Path Forward," Georgia Tech-Savannah will remain a campus. While its mission and programs are being further evaluated and defined, it will continue to be one of Georgia Tech's "global" campuses serving a vital part of the Savannah community.

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The Board of Directors of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) announced last week that they were cutting the regulatory groups operating budget by 15.4 percent due to a projected reduction in bank failures next year.  Good news, for sure. "It appears that the peak of the recent banking failures may have passed and the FDIC is now positioned to begin reducing budget and staffing levels while continuing to fulfill our mission and maintain readiness to handle remaining bank failure and supervisory challenges," said FDIC Acting Chairman Martin Gruenberg.  Over one-third of the FDIC's total staffing authorized for 2012 will be temporary hires to assist with bank closings; perform follow-on work related to the management and sale of failed bank assets; and support supervision of a continued high number of problem banks. There were 157 bank failures in 2010 and 90 to date this year.

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As reported last week by The Savannah Business Journal, remember that applications are still being accepted to nominate a Bryan County company as ‘Business of the Year’ by the Richmond Hill/Bryan County Chamber of Commerce. Applications are due at the RHBC Chamber office no later than Friday, December 23, 2011.  Applications are available online at www.rhbcchamber.org. The presentation of the award will take place during the RHBC Chamber’s Annual Meeting & Banquet on Thursday, January 12 at the Richmond Hill City Center.

NEWS - Business Buzzzzzzzz

Dec. 5 – Savannah Area Business Buzzzzzzzz

Kia Motors America (KMA) announced last week the company’s best-ever November sales of 37,007 units, a 39.1-percent increase over the same period last year and the company's 15th straight monthly sales record.  Kia is one of the fastest growing car brands in the U.S., having eclipsed 400,000 vehicles sold for the first time in company history in October, and year-to-date sales are up 35.7-percent.  Following the recent start of Optima production at Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG), the brand's U.S.-built(1) products – Sorento and Optima – were the top performers for the second consecutive month with 9,669 and 9,533 vehicles sold, respectively.  Kia's commitment to the U.S. market is represented by its U.S.-based manufacturing facilities in West Point, Georgia – KMMG – which is responsible for the creation of more than 10,000 plant and supplier jobs and recently added the critically acclaimed Optima midsize sedan(3) to its production line, according to the company.

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There’s going to be another new director of Georgia's Environmental Protection Division. Governor Nathan Deal; announced last week, nominating Jud Turner to replace Allen Barnes who has been in the position under two years.

Barnes was named head of EPD when Carol Couch announced she had decided to accept a faculty position at UGA. Barnes had been at the Atlanta office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 

Turner is a registered lobbyist and lawyer who worked as a legal advisor for Governor Perdue. His appointment must be approved by the board of the state Natural Resources Department which meets Dec. 7.  Turner has worked on Georgia’s legal case over water versus Alabama and Florida.  The AJC reports that he founded the “public affairs firm Georgia 360. His clients include the powerful Metro Atlanta Chamber, The Walt Disney Company and Honeywell, according to state records.”  The Atlanta newspaper reports he has no environmental experience.

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A new study by the 24/7 Wall Street LLC group compares the financial health and overall quality of life in 50 states. The group state that comparisons are difficult because “some states have abundant natural resources while others rely on service or innovation. State populations also can be more rural or more urban.”  To determine how well or how poorly a state is run, the group weighed each state’s financial health, based on factors including credit score and debt. And the group ranks states living standards, reviewing dimensions such as health insurance, employment rate, low crime and a good education.

GEORGIA:  # 32 overall.  State debt per capita: $1,378 (3rd lowest) Percent without health insurance: 19.7% (5th highest) Percent below poverty line: 16.5% (11th highest) Unemployment: 10.3% (9th highest)  In the fiscal year 2009, Georgia’s revenue amounted to $3,419 per person, the 17th lowest revenue in the country. However, the state spent $4,217 per capita that year, the second-lowest expenditure per capita across all programs. The state spent just $984 per person that year on public welfare, the third-lowest amount in the country. This lack of spending contributed to the state’s poverty rate of 16.5%, the 11th highest in the country — and the nearly 20% without health insurance, the fifth highest percentage in the country.

NEWS - Business Buzzzzzzzz

Nov. 28 – Savannah Area Business Buzzzzzzzz

Virginia College is on track to employ 125 employees to educate 800 to 1,000 students at its Savannah Campus at the Savannah Mall. The college invested more than $5 million in renovations, fixtures and lab equipment to completely transform the previously vacant store that been Steve & Barry’s retail building into its current state-of-the-art, 53,000 sq.-ft. campus, according to Reggie Morton, who heads the Savannah campus.

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Culled from a competitive field of twelve leading area real estate firms, Cora Bett Thomas Realty & Associates was named number one in customer satisfaction for relocation services by Gulfstream Aerospace. The annual award is granted to the real estate company that accrues the highest customer satisfaction score from Gulfstream employees who have recently relocated to the Savannah area. 

“We are always delighted to work with incoming Gulfstream employees who need and deserve the best in class service to ensure an efficient and satisfying transition into the Savannah area,” said Susan Kornegay, Director of Relocation Services for Cora Bett Thomas Realty.

Finally! Delta has introduced mobile baggage tracking, the first airline to do so. Customers can now download a Delta baggage app for their Smartphone that allows them to track checked bag even while inflight or on the tarmac using the number on their bag tag receipt.

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The Savannah company Living Independence for Everyone has announced a new address. The company is now located at 5105 Paulsen Street, Suite 143-B, Savannah, GA 31405. They’ll be without phone and internet service until at least Nov. 3. Local businesses are reporting an 11-day wait or more to get Comcast service for broadband, for example.

NEWS - Business Buzzzzzzzz

Nov 21 – Savannah Area Business Buzzzzzzzz

For the fifth straight year, Mercer University has reached a record fall enrollment. The University-wide student population is up 1.2 percent to 8,336 students. This also marks the third year in a row the University’s enrollment has been more than 8,000 students. This year’s enrollment increase is driven in part by a continuing expansion of degree programs, including doctoral programs, new programs in the health sciences, and the continued expansion of the Medical School campus in Savannah. Among the 11 colleges and schools those with the highest growth rates were the College of Continuing and Professional Studies, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Eugene W. Stetson School of Business and Economics and the School of Medicine.

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Kroger’s Atlanta division, which includes Georgia, South Carolina, Northern Alabama and Eastern Tennessee, raised more than $626,000 during the month of October from its customers and employees in support of breast cancer awareness, treatment and research.  “We are grateful to have such generous customers and employees support this important cause,” said Glynn Jenkins, director of communications and public relations for Kroger’s Atlanta Division. “We hope these donations will help bring us closer to finding a cure for the 230,000 American women diagnosed with breast cancer each year.” As of today, Susan G. Komen has invested $450 million in 1,736 research projects.

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Lender Processing Services, which has previously disclosed that since 2010 the company has conducted reviews of the processes used in the signing and notarization of documents used in foreclosure proceedings, including in Georgia. The company announced last week that they recently learned of an inquiry from the Nevada Attorney General into its document execution practices and expressed its willingness to fully cooperate with the investigation. The Nevada Attorney General has elected to charge two Lender Processing Services (NYSE:LPS) employees for document execution and notarization practices related to notices of default and deeds of trust filed in Clark County, Nevada from 2005 to 2008.  Based on the company's reviews, LPS acknowledges the signing procedures on some of these documents were flawed; however, the company also believes these documents were properly authorized and their recording did not result in a wrongful foreclosure. "I am deeply committed to ensuring that LPS meets rigorous standards of professional conduct and operating excellence," said newly appointed LPS President and CEO Hugh Harris. "I have full confidence in the ability of our leadership team and more than 8,000 dedicated employees to deliver on that commitment."

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Word is the Savannah Chamber of Commerce is still looking for speakers for its Small Business Council SMART Lunch Series for next year.  Contact the Chamber immediately to pitch your company.  Applications are open to all companies.  Business owners and employees attend the luncheon to network and gain information that is pertinent to the operation of their livelihood.                                                            

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The Coastal Bank’s 2011 USO Operation Phone Home Campaign is off to a great start, according to the company.  The bank will hold an Appreciation Day this Wednesday, Nov.  23 from 11:30 – 1 pm at our Johnson Square branch. For each $5 donation made you will receive a free Chick-Fil-A sandwich and a bottle of water while our brave troops will receive a few minutes of phone time with their loved ones.

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Several Savannah restaurants will featured on “Drinking Made Easy” on Nov. 23 at 8 p.m. on HDNet.  “Drinking Made Easy,” hosted by Zane Lamprey, is a national television show that travels around the country featuring specialty cocktail drinks unique to each city and airs at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday nights on the HDNet television network. The upcoming episode will feature several Savannah restaurants and establishments including The Crab Shack, Lady & Sons, The Rail Pub, The River House and Rocks on the Roof among others. The show will highlight various signature drinks made famous in the Hostess City.

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The Pooler Lions Club Christmas Tree Sale begins this Friday, November 25 at NEARLY NEW 112, West Highway 80, Pooler, across the street from the Pooler Police Department. The Sale dates and times are Friday, November 25, 9AM-8PM, Saturday, November 26, 9AM-8PM and Sunday November 27, 12 -8PM. All proceeds help pay for the Pooler Children’s Vision Program.

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NEWS - Business Buzzzzzzzz

Nov 14 – Savannah Area Business Buzzzzzzzz

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. is displaying three of its business jets at the Dubai Airshow this week in the Middle East at an aerospace event being held Nov. 13-17 in Dubai. The show will feature the wide-cabin, high-speed G150, the large-cabin, long-range G450 and the large-cabin, ultra-long-range G550, according to the company. In addition to the aircraft on static display, Gulfstream will have a chalet where it can host customers.

“Gulfstream has nearly 150 aircraft in the Middle East and Africa, a number that has grown consistently over the past decade,” according to Larry Flynn, president, Gulfstream. “Part of that growth is attributable to the efforts we extend during the Dubai Airshow, where we communicate our aircraft’s tremendous capabilities, their industry-leading dispatch reliability rates and the broad range of missions they can perform.”

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Dr. Cheryl Dozier, Acting President of Savannah State University, was at this morning's 'Critical Issues Forum' hosted by the HunterMacLean law firm of Savannah.   Congressman Jack Kingston was the speaker, outlining the top issues in Washington, and his positions.   During the question and answer period, Dozier was quick to ask him about his support for Federal Pell Grants, and reminding him and the audience how important they are.  (See our story on Kingston's speech.)

Dozier's contract as Acting President goes through May 2012 as she waits for the Georgia Board of Regents to make a decision on SSU's next president. The new Chancellor was just sworn in, so it will be awhile.  The application process has not even begun, according to Dozier, who is on leave as a professor from UGA.

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The National Weather Service has announced its schedule for improvements to its Doppler radars.  The radar serving North and Central Georgia is underway currently. The WSR-88D in Warner Robins, GA is scheduled to be upgraded in late February 2012, and the WSR-88D radar in Charleston, SC that covers the Savannah and Hilton Head area is scheduled to be upgraded in November 2012. These two are the most applicable radar devices for the Savannah area.  The latest dual polarization technology being used will give forecasters better information about heavy rainfall in flooding events, hail detection in thunderstorms, and even recognize whether precipitation is in the form of rain, snow or ice.

“This is the most significant upgrade to the nation’s weather radar network since Doppler radar was first installed in the early 1990s and is a significant step toward us becoming weather ready,” said Jack Hayes, director of the National Weather Service. “Dual polarization technology provides significantly more information and clearer pictures of current weather conditions, helping National Weather Service meteorologists provide more accurate and timely forecasts.” Installation of dual polarization technology in all 122 National Weather Service radars is expected to be completed in 2013. Thirty-eight other operational WSR-88D systems, owned by the Air Force and FAA, will also be enhanced.

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