Letter from Chamber Chairman, Diana Morrison

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for your Chamber membership and keep you in touch with what your Chamber has been doing since the first of the year. Despite starting the year with economic uncertainty, the Savannah Area Chamber has had a very busy and productive beginning to 2009. During these difficult times, members have asked for more opportunities to network and market their goods and services to others. These networking events have been more popular than ever, with an average of about 15% more members taking advantage of our great Business Connections. Our membership has continued to remain strong, as we have seen an 87% retention rate of members year-to-date. That is a 2% increase in member renewals, which is far better than most Chambers our size. Even though the national news reports doom and gloom, Savannah has been doing fairly well and better than many communities nationwide. The legislative session, statewide, offered mixed results. However, our Chamber was quite successful with our communities’ business legislative agenda. We were successful with legislation exempting sales tax on general aviation parts, a piece that helps Gulfstream. We received $4 million for the improvements of the Trade Center’s slip, better preparing us for new developments once the economy rebounds. Also, we added $23 million to trauma relief with the Super Speeder Bill and increased the Medicare reimbursements to local hospitals. I am sad to say that legislation failed to provide Georgia’s citizens with a comprehensive long term solution to creating a statewide trauma network. For more information on the results of the 2009 State Legislative Agenda, please click here. In addition to the SMART Lunch Series, the 2009 Small Business Council Chair, Jay Kelly, has implemented a new option for small business members, the Small Business Open Forum. Held the third Tuesday of the month in the Chamber Board Room, the Open Forum features topics of interest to small businesses and members to participate in round-table discussions. The Open Forums are an opportunity for small business members to learn more about what we do at the Chamber and what support we offer to all of our members. We are excited about the great attendance year-to-date! For more information on the SMART Lunch Series or the Open Forums, please click here. More than 350 people turned out for the Chamber’s Annual Armed Services Appreciation Luncheon on February 27. My personal thanks to Dr. Bill Cathcart as the Council Chair for his continued volunteer efforts in the Chamber’s support of our military. This year, the Commanding General of the 3rd Infantry Division, Major General Anthony Cucolo, gave the keynote address recognizing several area soldiers for their amazing accomplishments throughout this past year. For more information on the Armed Services Appreciation Luncheon, please click here. In Savannah, Manufacturing and the ports make up a large portion of our economic strength. Manufacturers continue to account for nearly 10% of our community’s jobs. During these trying economic times, we continue to support the Manufacturing sector of Savannah’s industry. Recently, the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf Tournament celebrated its 32nd year! This year the tournament was again very successful for the Savannah community. Besides the fun and great golf, our community derives tremendous benefits as millions of people worldwide see Savannah on CBS’s television coverage. I would like to offer special thanks to Tim Iley, PGA Tournament Director, as well as Al Kennickell, Tournament Volunteer Vice Chair, and the hundreds of great volunteers that made this year so successful. Liberty Mutual renewed its sponsorship with the PGA and now our Chamber staff and Mark Spadoni of the Westin will be working hard to secure the necessary contacts to keep this great event in Savannah. Speaking of highlighting the city, Savannah’s tourism numbers continue to be strong, despite this year’s economy. January and February started slowly, however March’s bed-tax proceeds rebounded and has our CVB on budget for the first quarter. CVB President Joe Marinelli and his staff are watching the visitor performance carefully and will adjust marketing strategies and expenditures as needed. In the meantime, Savannah has received many new accolades such as ranking among the “Top 10 Cities in the U.S. and Canada” by Travel + Leisure’s Magazine and making the list as one of “America’s Top 25 Arts Destinations” ranking 7th among mid-sized cities in AmericanStyle Magazine. The CVB has also been hard at work creating a new Web site to be launched this summer. Over the past decade, many dedicated volunteers supported the Chamber’s Total Resource Membership Campaign (TRMC) and led us to victory. The success the TRMC has experienced over the years would not have been possible without the active involvement from our volunteers and support of our membership. After careful consideration in the current economic environment we all face, we realized it would be prudent to take a careful look at the impact the TRMC has on our member companies. Through several meetings with key volunteers, our Executive Committee and the Chamber Board of Directors, it was unanimously decided that the best course of action would be to significantly alter the traditional campaign for just this one year and rely on the Chamber Board of Directors to assist staff with membership renewals and sponsorships renewals. We are able to pursue this option due to the strong financial position of your Chamber today. For more information on the changes to the Chamber’s Total Resource Membership Campaign, please click here. The first few months of the year have been busy and productive for your Chamber, especially in these uncertain times. Please know, our Board of Directors and I will do all that is in our power to keep the Savannah Area Chamber as the leading advocate for all small and large businesses alike! It is up to all of us to be prudent but to also stimulate the economy and keep our nation sound – we can make a difference. As I close, let me leave you with this thought, “We are the strength that fuels the American economy, we are business!” Hope to see you at one of our upcoming events.

The Cracker Queen comes to Savannah, GA.

Diana Morrison, along with many other Cracker Queen wanna be’s, attended The First Annual Day of the Cracker Queen here in Savannah GA at Blowin Smoke BBQ.  This event was one of many of Lauretta’s book tour stops throughout the Country.  The standing room only crowd roared with laughter as Lauretta read excerpts from her book on May 2, 2009.
Diana, the first Cracker Queen Hall of Fame inductee, wore her  hand glittered Cracker Queen sash and perfect CQ attire in honor of Lauretta,  THE REAL Cracker Queen. The first 12 people to purchase her book that day recieved a great promotional red tote bag imprinted with Laurettas favorite line, “If the Crown Fits”.  Many newcomers in attendance learned what it means to be a cracker queen and I am sure there are many new fans abrewin’.  To submit your story or just for a good laugh Log onto www.thecrakerqueen.com.

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