business images coastal georgia 2009-10

Making a Big Splash It’s full speed ahead for business expansion

Down-Home SuccessesCommunities earn kudos for vibrant town centers

Beacon of OpportunityPorts weather the economy, add capacity

See video of a Coastal Georgia company’s

instrumental success.

What’s Online

BUSINESS®

SPONSORED BY THE COASTAL REGIONAL COMMISSION | 2009-10

COASTAL GEORGIA

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See video of a Coastal Georgia company’s

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BUSINESS®

ON THE COVER The Tybee Island Light Station PHOTO BY BRIAN McCORD

WorkstyleBeacon of Opportunity 8Ports weather the economy, investin new technology, add capacity

Built To Last 10Transportation infrastructure, workforce give Coastal Georgia solid manufacturing base

InsightOverview 3

Business Almanac 4

Making a Big Splash 7

Transportation 15

Economic Profi le 20

LivabilityEducation 13

Down-Home Successes 14

Health 16

I M A G E S C O A S T A L G E O R G I A . C O M 1

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BUSINESS

COASTAL GEORGIA2009-10 EDITION, VOLUME 2

MANAGING EDITOR BILL McMEEKIN

COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS

ASSOCIATE EDITORS LISA BATTLES, SUSAN CHAPPELL, JESSY YANCEY

STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS PAMELA COYLE, MICHAELA JACKSON

DATA MANAGER CHANDRA BRADSHAW

REGIONAL SALES MANAGER CHARLES FITZGIBBON

INTEGRATED MEDIA MANAGER CHRIS KROESE

SALES SUPPORT MANAGER CINDY HALL

SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER BRIAN McCORD

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS, TODD BENNETT, ANTONY BOSHIER, IAN CURCIO, J. KYLE KEENER

PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT MANAGER ANNE WHITLOW

CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS

ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN

PRODUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS MELISSA BRACEWELL, KATIE MIDDENDORF, JILL WYATT

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER, KRIS SEXTON, CANDICE SWEET, VIKKI WILLIAMS

LEAD DESIGNER JANINE MARYLAND

GRAPHIC DESIGN ERICA HINES, ALISON HUNTER, JESSICA MANNER, AMY NELSON, MARCUS SNYDER

WEB IMPLEMENTATION DIRECTOR ANDY HARTLEY

WEB DESIGN DIRECTOR FRANCO SCARAMUZZA

WEB PROJECT MANAGER YAMEL RUIZ

WEB DESIGN CARL SCHULZ

WEB PRODUCTION JENNIFER GRAVES

COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN TWILA ALLEN

AD TRAFFIC MARCIA MILLAR, PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY

CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN

SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER

SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN

SR. V.P./OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER

V.P./SALES HERB HARPER

V.P./SALES TODD POTTER

V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER

V.P./EDITORIAL DIRECTOR TEREE CARUTHERS

V.P./CUSTOM PUBLISHING KIM NEWSOM

MANAGING EDITOR/COMMUNITY KIM MADLOM

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS

PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO

CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY

ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, DIANA GUZMAN, MARIA MCFARLAND, LISA OWENS

RECRUITING/TRAINING DIRECTOR SUZY SIMPSON

DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR YANCEY TURTURICE

IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE

SALES SUPPORT RACHAEL GOLDSBERRY

SALES/MARKETING COORDINATOR RACHEL MATHEIS

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY/SALES SUPPORT KRISTY DUNCAN

OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM

RECEPTIONIST LINDA BISHOP

C U S TO M M A G A Z I N E M E D I A

Business Images Coastal Georgia is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Coastal Regional Commission. For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by e-mail at [email protected].

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:Coastal Regional Commission127 F St. • Brunswick, GA 31520Phone: (912) 262-2800 • Fax: (912) 262-2313www.crc.ga.gov

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CONNECTIONS

LifestyleA showcase for what drives Coastal Georgia’s high quality of life

BUSINESS

ONLINECOASTAL GEORGIA

L IFEST Y LE | WORKST Y LE | D IGGING DEEPER | V IDEO | L INK TO U S | ADVERT I SE | C ONTAC T U S | S ITE MAP

WorkstyleA spotlight on innovative companies that call Coastal Georgia home

See the VideoOur award-winning photographers give you a virtual peek inside Coastal Georgia

NEWS AND NOTES >>

Get the Inside Scoop on

the latest developments

in Coastal Georgia from our

editors and business insiders

SUCCESS BREEDS SUCCESS >>

Meet the people setting the

pace for Coastal Georgia

business DIG DEEPER >>

Log into the community with

links to local Web sites and

resources to give you the big

picture of Coastal Georgia

DATA CENTRAL >>

A by-the-numbers look at

doing business and living

in Coastal Georgia GUIDE TO SERVICES >>

Links to a cross section

of goods and services in

Coastal Georgia

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Making a Big Splash It’s full speed ahead for business expansion

Down-Home SuccessesCommunities earn kudos for vibrant town centers

Beacon of OpportunityPorts weather the economy, add capacity

What’s Online

BUSINESS

SPONSORED BY THE COASTAL REGIONAL COMMISSION | 2009-10

COASTAL GEORGIA


SeeGeorgia company’s

instrumentalsuccess.

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COASTAL GEORGIA


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Overview

Coastal Georgia Gives You 10 Good Reasons To Live, Play, Stay1. Location Southeast Coastal Georgia is midway between New York and Miami, with more than 100 miles of coastline.

2. Transportation Coastal Georgia is in close proximity to infrastructure, including ports in Brunswick and Savannah, I-95 and I-16, rail lines, Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport, Midcoast Regional Airport and Brunswick Golden Isles Airport.

3. Skilled Work Force Coastal Georgia has a population of more than 620,000 and a regional labor pool of approximately 329,000. A free, nationally recognized, state-funded, locally offered training program called Quick Start is available to assist new and expanding companies.

4. Education Coastal Georgia is home to Georgia Southern University, Ogeechee Technical College, Armstrong Atlantic State University, Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Savannah State University, Savannah Technical College and the College ofCoastal Georgia.

5. Quality of Life Coastal Georgia boasts beaches, history, arts, culture, recreation including a variety of water sports, hunting and fishing, boating, bicycle trails, coastal living and mild winters.

6. Cost Plentiful and affordable housing is available in all price ranges and land costs are low.

7. Incentives Coastal Georgia can offer state job-tax credits, port tax credits, port tax-credit eligibility, tax-abatement programs, Foreign Trade Zones, industrial revenue bonds, Quick Start training programs and other programs to assist business.

8. Military/Law Enforcement Coastal Georgia is home to the Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Fort Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield and the world’s largest Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.

9. Health Care Coastal Georgia offers numerous high-quality health providers and medical facilities that have invested in the latest technologies and treatments.

10. Population Growth The region has become a choice locale. A Georgia Institute of Technology study in 2006 projected the coastal region of Georgia’s population will increase by 32 percent, from 558,350 in 2000 to 737,328 by 2015.

Take a virtual tour of all that Coastal Georgia offers at imagescoastalgeorgia.com.

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Almanac

THREE DECADES OF ARTS SMARTSThe Savannah College of Art & Design started classes in fall 1979 with seven faculty members and 71 students.

Today, the 9,000-student and 500-faculty SCAD is recognized as one of the nation’s top art-and-design universities.

Programs of study range from interior design to television and film to advertising design.

SCAD has rehabilitated more than 60 Savannah buildings crossing four historic districts. Among them is Arnold Hall, a former Chatham County high school that was refurbished into 80,000 square feet of space that includes a gallery and a technologically advanced, 607-seat auditorium for lectures and presentations. Go to www.scad.edu for more on the college.

ART POPS AT THIS GALLERYThe Soda Shop Gallery was established in August 2005 in downtown Sylvania.

The gallery showcases the talents of Screven County artists, who display and sell their works, which include paintings, stained glass, sculptures, photographs and turned wood.

The gallery is located in a renovated historic building on the downtown square in Sylvania and is staffed entirely by volunteers.

The gallery can be reached at (912) 564-7200.

FULL SPEED AHEADThe St. Marys Submarine Museum is in historic downtown St. Marys, where it fulfills mission to educate visitors about the “Silent Service.”

A wide variety of submarine artifacts, memorabilia and information are available for viewing, many of them from the decommissioned submarine USS James K. Polk.

The museum features a submarine helm station and a working periscope that juts out of the museum’s roof.

For more, go to www.stmaryssubmuseum.com.PHOTO C OURTESY OF U. S . NAV Y. PHOTO BY C HIEF JOURNAL I ST DAVE FL IESEN


HITTING A HIGH NOTEThe Savannah Music Festival was launched in 2003 and generates an annual economic impact of nearly $12 million.

For nearly three weeks each spring, the festival presents a celebration that promotes arts and music education and brings together a cross-section of artists and audiences.

The festival produces more than 100 programs for adults and children in theaters, schools and historic and intimate venues throughout the Savannah area.

More than 400 classical, jazz, blues, bluegrass and international artists, as well as dance, film and narrative programs make the festival a destination event. The 2010 festival is set for March 18-April 3. For more, go to www.savannahmusicfestival.org.

IT’S A GASA Coastal Georgia project will bring more natural gas to markets throughout the Southeast. The Elba Express is a 190-mile natural gas pipeline that will begin at a liquefied natural gas facility on Elba Island, five miles from downtown Savannah, and connect to other pipelines for transmission to East Coast markets.

In addition, a division of Houston-based El Paso Corp. is expanding its liquefied natural gas terminal on Elba Island, adding 8.4 billion cubic feet of storage capacity and 900 million cubic feet per day of send-out capacity, doubling the facility’s capabilities.

The first phases of both projects are slated to be done by mid-2010.

DIG THIS GARDENLeConte-Woodmanston Plantation and Botanical Gardens in Liberty County is a former inland swamp, rice plantation and once the home of Dr. Louis LeConte, a renowned scientist and botanist.

The 18th-century botanical gardens are being restored to their former glory and will include a combination of landscaped, structured and free-flowing gardens with native, exotic and historic plants discovered and cultivated by LeConte.

Current structures and features include a home site, a pavilion, a period tool shed, a gazebo, an office, nature trail and the Jean Clyatt Avenue of Oaks.

The expansion will feature a multipurpose chapel as well as a memorial brick pathway meandering through the gardens. For more on the gardens, go to www.leconte-woodmanston.org.


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Workforce

It’s full speed ahead for Coastal Georgia’s economic efforts

Story by Michaela Jackson

A f lagging national economy is not taking the wind out of Coastal Georgia’s sails.

“You can’t let up,” says Allen Burns, executive director of the Coastal Regional Commission. “Good enough never is, and that’s why you’ve got to keep moving forward.”

Moving forward is the name of the game for Atlanta-based developer IDI, which recruited the Canadian company Do It Right This Time, or DIRTT, to locate its first U.S. manufacturing facility at Crossroads Business Center in Savannah.

The company, which manufactures movable wall partitions for office buildings, expects to create 150 jobs over the next two years. Coastal Georgia’s accessibility to the rest of the country was a major factor in the decision, says Sean Fitzsimmons, vice president of national business development for IDI.

“Within a 500-mile radius, a one-day drive out of the Port of Savannah, you can hit all the way down to Miami, all the way north in Virginia, and well out into the central Midwest,” he says.

In addition to its work at the Crossroads Business Center, IDI is also developing a 300-acre industrial park on I-95 in Liberty County to attract manufacturers and distributors, most of which are looking for 250,000 to 800,000 square feet of space.

“Savannah still is getting a lot of interest from both large distribution users and, somewhat surprisingly and pleasantly, midsize manufacturing users,” Fitzsimmons says.

Coastal Georgia is a major tourism destination, and its hospitality segment is also investing in the future.

Jekyll Island has embarked on a major redevelopment plan that includes five new hotel projects.

Jekyll Island Beach Village, encompassing some $350 million in private investment, will include integrated shopping and dining, residential cottages, a 400-room hotel and a renovated and expanded convention center.

Military investment in the region is also proving to be a boon. Fort Stewart is a 280,000-acre Army installation that sprawls into parts of five counties. About 45 minutes away is Hunter Army Airfield, a 5,300-acre base that has the longest runway on the East Coast. Combined, the two bases generate annual direct federal expenditures of $1.2 billion and employ 4,300 civilian workers and 25,000 military personnel. Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in Camden County is home to more than 5,200 active duty personnel, 2,100 civilian employees and 1,700 contractors. The base has annual payroll of more than $500 million.

Savannah-based JCB Inc. began work at its Pooler facility in January 2008 to fulfill a $230 million U.S. Army contract for 800 combat-ready backhoe loaders, creating roughly 120 jobs.

“From a JCB perspective, the same factors apply today as they did 10 years ago when we chose to come here: We sit on the edge of a port that is essential to our business, both for imports and exports,” says John Patterson, chairman and CEO of JCB.

“Georgia is blessed with a number of first-class technical colleges that are extremely helpful from an engineering perspective in the recruiting of young engineers,” he says. “It has a quality of life that doesn’t exist in other areas inland.”

A Big Splash


Business Climate

Ports weather the economy, invest in new technology, add capacity

Beacon of Opportunity

Coastal Georgia boasted the fastest-growing U.S. port in 2008.


T he Georgia Ports Authority is adding capacity, buying massive $8 million cranes and boasting

what few if any of its peers can say about 2008 – a small gain in cargo volume over the previous year.

An even split between imports and exports helped the Port of Savannah sidestep the early months of the downturn as oversea markets continued to buy, says Robert Morris, the ports authority’s director of external affairs.

“You end up not having all your eggs in one basket,” Morris says. “We dodged many months of the recession due to strong exports.”

The Port of Savannah, with a 0.5 percent increase in volume, was the fastest-growing U.S. port in 2008. It now ranks second on the East Coast and fourth in the country in terms of volume, and is poised to grow even more.

The ports authority is pushing ahead with plans to expand its container capacity from 3.6 million to 7.5 million units by growing up rather than out. The 1,200-acre footprint will remain; instead, the facility is adding racks and

equipment so it can stack containers higher and deeper.

“It is a good thing to use every inch of terminal space,” Morris says.

A BIG DIGAll eyes are on 2014, the 100th

anniversary of the Panama Canal opening, when work to widen and deepen the canal will give larger container ships direct access to East Coast ports. To prepare, dredging will drop depth in Savannah Harbor from 42 to 48 feet, and the port will be ready.

“That will open up movement of cargo to the East Coast in an incredible way,” Morris says. “It will add lots of savings to delivery of cargo to the most populated region of the United States.” Clay, paper and poultry products are the biggest exports, and a strong import-export balance has distinguished Georgia for years, says Page Siplon, executive director of the Logistics Innovation Center at the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Savannah campus.

“This isn’t just a recent trend,” he says. “This is our history because of

focus and leadership at the state to create an environment that is different than other port communities.”

Georgia ports, including one in Brunswick and two inland facilities, are always looking at innovative ways to handle logistics, Siplon says.

In Savannah, four new super post-panamax cranes, named for the vessels that will use the widened Panama Canal, went on line earlier this summer, an investment of $32 million.

The authority opened an $11 million intermodal transfer rail facility at its Garden City operations in January.

Investments also include switching cranes and other equipment from diesel fuel to electric power, an annual savings of 1.1 million gallons of fuel.

Like its peers, Savannah saw double-digit drops in volume in early 2009, but Georgia’s ports are poised for better times. The capital investment, Morris says, “is a good sign we are in this for the long haul. We are focusing on the increases we have made in market share and bringing on additional services,” he says. “We see a light at the end of the tunnel.”

Story by Pamela CoylePhotography by Todd Bennett

STATS

MORE AT IMAGESCOASTALGEORGIA.COM

2008

2007

2005

2006

2004

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0

Port of Savannah Container Trade 2004-2008chart is in millions of twenty-foot equivalent units

Total Tonnage Port of Savannah, Port of Brunswickchart is in millions

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Source: Georgia Ports Authority


Built To Last

A Portuguese maker of power transformers will bring nearly 700 jobs to Effingham County and boost a regional manufacturing base already distinguished

for its diversity.EFACEC’s plant will open in October 2009 with 283

employees, eventually growing to 672, says John Henry, CEO of the Effingham County Industrial Development Authority.

The company is finishing up the first phase of a 470,000-square-foot facility on 55 acres in Effingham County Industrial Park, a $180 million capital investment and EFACEC’s only U.S. operation. The average job will pay $50,000 a year.

“It is tremendous for this entire region,” Henry says. “These are high-tech, high-skill jobs.”

EFACEC joins makers of paper, chemicals, and agricultural and food products, as well as aerospace, metal fabrication and plastics companies in a 10-county region.

Briggs & Stratton makes engines in Bulloch County. Oracal makes vinyl film for graphic design and printing in Bryan County; King & Prince and Rich-SeaPak serve up frozen seafood in Glynn County; and Bayer Crop Science formulates pesticide in Camden County.

Liberty County is home to three major regional players: SNF Chemtall, a French company that makes flocculants for wastewater treatment; Interstate Paper, a Lebanese company that produces small line board for cardboard boxes; and International Greetings, a British firm that manufactures gift wrap and other stationery products.

DEEP POOL OF LABORBayer Crop Science took over a Woodbine plant in 2002

and makes Temik, a pesticide for cotton, peanuts, soybeans, citrus and some potatoes. The plant has 86 full-time employees, including a dozen hired in recent months.

“It’s a good labor pool, a good caliber workforce,” says plant manager John Drew. “We’ve made major organizational

changes to remain cost competitive on a global level. The workforce has adapted very well.”

At least 40 percent of the pesticide is shipped overseas, to South America, South Africa, Asia and Australia. Good interstate access and the Port of Savannah, where Bayer has its own warehouse, are “very, very useful to us,” he says.

Coastal Georgia is close to the company’s U.S. customer base, and Drew says the region is attractive for personal reasons, too. “I think everybody who lives here loves living and working here,” he says. “Once they get here, they don’t want to leave.”

Ron Tolley, executive director of the Liberty County Development Authority, says the region’s diverse assets contribute to the mix.

Proximity to Fort Stewart and a steady stream of highly trained military retirees helped draw Elan Technology from New Jersey after the company looked at 30 spots in five states, Tolley says. Interstate Paper wanted access to timber, and the local business community helped locate willing landowners.

Access to distribution, logistics and a good labor force attracted SNF Chemtall; International Greetings relocated from Massachusetts because it wanted a building and space to grow. The company started with a 50,000-square-foot shell and now has more than 500,000 square feet in several buildings.

“They’ve been a wonderful company,” Tolley says.

Region’s assets craft a solid manufacturing sector

Story by Pamela CoylePhotography by Brian McCord

“Everybody who lives here loves

living and working here. Once they

get here, they don’t want to leave.”


What’s Online e Read more about all of Coastal Georgia’s manufacturing advantages at imagescoastalgeorgia.com.


It’s Not Just a Day at the Beach.

It’s your education. With four bachelor’s and

49 associate degrees, the College of Coastal

Georgia has the perfect program for you.

Small class sizes provide an intimate setting for

learning. In-state tuition and fees are among

the lowest in the Southeast. After a few hours

riding the crest of knowledge, soak in the sun

while you study to the soothing sounds of the

ocean. Experience how enjoyable learning is

at the College of Coastal Georgia.

Contact us at 912.279.5813 or 800.675.7235

Visit us at www.ccga.edu

Colleges keep the labor pool well stocked and well skilled

B usinesses considering a relocation to or expansion in Coastal Georgia don’t have to

wonder whether they’ll have enough skilled workers to get the job done.

An extensive education network includes multiple four-year schools, community colleges, tech schools and even high school career programs.

“The driver for this country in the future is the knowledge economy, and that needs a workforce that has skill sets, thinking, creativity, entrepre-neurship and problem solving,” says Valerie Hepburn, College of Coastal Georgia president.

The college’s Brunswick campus is making the transition from a two-year to a four-year school, further enhancing the region’s workforce training with degrees in business, education and health sciences.

Administrators hope the school, which currently has an enrollment of 2,900, will grow to 6,000 students by 2020 and ultimately to 10,000. The college also has a campus in Camden.

One of the reasons the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia backed the conversion was to give students additional access to a four-year state college. “To compete, you must be able to field a workforce that not only offers bachelor’s degrees, but the opportunity to earn master’s degrees,” Hepburn says.

Georgia Southern University in Statesboro offers more than 117 degree programs at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels in eight colleges.

The university, which had record

Building Bench Strength

Story by Michaela Jackson • Photography by Brian McCord

Georgia Southern University in Statesboro

student enrollment in fall 2008 of 17,748, is also a major economic force, generating an impact of nearly $750 million in 2007-2008.

Savannah State University’s enrollment is at nearly 3,500 students, the highest in the university’s 116-year history. The university offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in its College of Business Administration, College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, and College of Sciences and Technology.

Savannah Technical College, a leader in industry-driven continuing education, expects to move into a new 55,000-square-foot classroom building in January 2010 to accommodate steadily increasing enrollment.

Savannah Tech works closely with local business and industry leaders, tailoring programs specifically to meet

the needs of area employers.“Many things push that student into

the classroom, but it’s only the business community that’s going to pull them out of the classroom,” says Ken Boyd, vice president of economic development for Savannah Tech.

The college’s Hire Education program links students with the job market by guaranteeing that if they complete a set program of work, they will have an interview with a local company in their field.

The college also reaches into high schools, offering students the chance to take college courses before graduation.

“We’re constantly working on not only the current workforce but the future workforce, as well,” Boyd says. “I think that has a strong appeal for businesses coming into our area.”


Education

Coastal communities earn kudos for creating vibrant town centers

T he community of Darien – population 1,800 – has a lot going for it, including the distinction of having four individual rivers f lowing through it.

It is the second-oldest city in Georgia after Savannah, and a successful shrimping and commercial fishing destination. Numerous boats annually come up the Darien River to dock and unload there, taking advantage of the city’s location just eight miles from the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.

Darien also boasts an active downtown district – so much so that it has earned a 2009 Better Hometown designation by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Office of Downtown Development, one of several Coastal Georgia communities to earn praise for creating vibrant town centers.

The Better Hometown designation recognizes historic preservation efforts and downtown revitalization plans that include streetscapes and building façade renovations, says Frank Feild, community development director for the city of Darien.

Feild points out that Darien is home to the Altamaha Scenic Byway, one of only 12 scenic byways in all of Georgia.

“This beautiful byway and our four rivers are allowing us to develop an ecotourism industry, which I believe will become one of the hottest tourism sectors in the near future,” he says. “And having a Better Hometown designation certainly doesn’t hurt.”

Darien shares the Better Hometown designation with communities including Pembroke in Bryan County, Sylvania in Screven County and Woodbine in Camden County.

A number of other cities in Coastal Georgia have been awarded a Main Street designation.

The Georgia Department of Community Affairs oversees both the Better Hometown and Main Street programs.

To apply for a Better Hometown designation, a city must have a population under 5,000 according to the 2000 U.S. census, while a Main Street city must have a population between 5,000 and 50,000.

Brunswick in Glynn County, Statesboro in Bulloch County and St. Marys in Camden County are among Coastal Georgia communities that have received Main Street recognition.

Brunswick has earned Main Street accreditation every year since it first applied in 1986, says Mathew Hill, executive director of the Brunswick Downtown Development Authority.

“We must requalify every year, and we have successfully been reaccredited every year,” he says. “We are proud of our record – and our downtown.”

Brunswick generated public and private investment of $8.3 million in its 167-block district in 2008 alone.

“Being a Main Street program is prestigious, but a community has to work hard to become one,” Hill says. “Here in downtown Brunswick, we indeed work hard.”

Down-Home SuccessesStory by Kevin LitwinPhotography by Brian McCord

St. Marys Waterfront Park in the Camden County community’s historic downtown

What’s Online e See video of a walking tour of historic Savannah at imagescoastalgeorgia.com.


Livability

Transportation

Port, highways, facilities make region a hub for moving goods

C oastal Georgia’s bustling ports, solid rail and interstate access, and network of industrial parks are attracting national

companies that need distribution hubs for markets in the South, East and Midwest.

“Coming into Savannah gives you a broader market reach,” says Paul Michael, vice president of Atlanta-based TPA Realty Services. “That’s a key factor.”

TPA has partnered with the Development Authority of Bryan County, placing Kawasaki, silverware maker Oneida Ltd. and pressure-sensitive film manufacturer Oracal as major tenants in the authority’s Interstate Centre. TPA itself owns 500 acres across the street and is putting up its first spec building in the Interstate Centre II development.

Effingham County’s Industrial Development Authority and Nevada-based DP Partners are partnering on a $250 million, 1,700-acre park 15 miles west of the Port of Savannah. Called the LogistiCenter at Savannah, the development will accommodate up to 5 million square feet of industrial space. DP Partners will put up “spec-to-suit” buildings in phases. LogistiCenter is expected to create 2,500 to 5,000 jobs over the next 10 to 15 years in transportation, storage warehousing and other industrial categories.

Liberty County has five parks, including Tradeport East and Tradeport West, which together comprise about 5,500 acres. Retailer Target opened a 1.5 million-square-foot distribution center in Tradeport East in 2007, and Tire Rack has taken 240,000 square feet – with room to grow. Tradeport West is particularly attractive to customers needing rail access; a CSX line runs right through it.

“We have had some companies referred to us,

Distribution SolutionStory by Pamela CoylePhotography by Todd Bennett

Ralph Maggioni, Foreign Trade Zone 104 director

More InsightA nearly $600 million reconstruction project is under way that will widen a 30-mile stretch of Interstate 95 that runs through Coastal Georgia near Brunswick.

Nearly $200 million of that work will include widening nearly six miles of the major north-south interstate to six lanes and rebuilding four twin bridges to eight lanes to allow for future expansion.

The work, which is being completed in stages throughout 2009 and 2010, is part of the state’s $15.5 billion highway congestion relief program.

and we have referred some to another counties,” says Ron Tolley, Liberty County Development Authority CEO. “If we cannot get it ourselves, we’d rather have it in an adjacent county to us so our workforce can at least get a shot at it.”

The projects help boost the tax base with limited impact but for trucks on the roads and increased rail traffic.

The region also boasts a strong cadre of airports, including Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, which includes Foreign Trade Zone 104. The FTZ has more than 50,000 square feet of warehouse space, and a number of companies and entities operate as subzones of it, allowing them to take advantage of tax and duty deferments that FTZs offer.

MidCoast Regional Airport at Wright Army Airfield in Liberty County includes twin 5,000-foot runways. Brunswick Golden Isles Airport offers daily passenger service to Atlanta.

Savannah is a major port center. Container traffic has surged there in recent years and the Georgia Ports Authority is adding capacity.


Coastal Georgia offers a healthy roster of care providers

C oastal Georgia is canvassed by a comprehensive health-care system that includes state-of-the-art research

hospitals, award-winning care options and dedicated community involvement.

The two-hospital St. Joseph’s/Candler Health System, totaling 636 beds, draws on a long tradition of excellence.

Candler Hospital, which opened as Georgia’s first hospital in 1804, is the second-longest continuously operating hospital in the nation. St. Joseph’s was established when the Sisters of Mercy created St. Joseph’s Infirmary in 1875 to care for ill sailors. The two Savannah hospitals began operating jointly in 1997.

“Our faith-based philosophy and exceptional doctors have kept people coming to St. Joseph’s/Candler for more than 200 years,” says Paul P. Hinchey, president and CEO of SJ/C. “But we have also aggressively invested in the newest technology so residents don’t have to travel to other cities to get medical care.”

The system’s Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer and Research Pavilion is one of 10 organizations nationwide selected to participate in the National Community Cancer Centers Program pilot project of the National Cancer Institute.

A women’s hospital, a heart hospital and an institute for advanced bone and joint surgery are a few of the system’s other signature services. St. Joseph’s/Candler also features a newly renovated neuro-ICU – a program for remotely diagnosing and treating stroke patients – a da Vinci Surgical System and a groundbreaking treatment for chronic acid reflux disease.

Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah is a two-state health-care organization that serves a 35-county area in Coastal Georgia

and southern South Carolina.The system includes its f lagship hospital, a

530-bed academic medical center, as well as a primary and specialty physician networks, a major medical education program, and business and industry services.

Memorial houses the Curtis and Elizabeth Anderson Cancer Institute, and is noted for its children’s and women’s services, education programs and NurseOne, a 24-hour call center.

The Southeast Georgia Health System includes a 316-bed hospital in Brunswick and a newly renovated care center in Camden County with 40 beds.

Its Cancer Care Center is accredited by the M.D. Anderson Physician’s Network.

“We have what we consider, and what everyone else considers, a world-class cancer program,” says Jackie Weder, vice president of marketing and public relations for the Southeast Georgia Health Center.

New technology being utilized by the health system includes digital mammography and robotic surgery for partial knee replacements.

Camden County’s 90,000-square-foot expansion, which opened in March 2009, also includes a new ICU with five beds and 12 integrative labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum rooms for mothers and newborns.

The hospital is also opening a breast-care center, a joint-replacement center and a 20,000-square-foot medical building on St. Simons Island in fall 2009.

In April 2009, the hospital broke ground on a 6,550-square-foot expansion of the Miriam & Hugh Nunnally Maternity Care Center on the Brunswick campus. When complete, the center will feature 24 redesigned labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum rooms.

A Strong Pulse

Story by Michaela JacksonPhotography by Todd Bennett

More Insight• Memorial University

Medical Centerwww.memorialhealth.comOperates a 530-bed tertiary-care hospital in Savannah.Employs more than 4,600 people

• St. Joseph’s/Candler Health Systemwww.sjchs.orgOperates the 305-bed St. Joseph’s Hospital and the 331-bed Candler Hospital, both in SavannahEmploys approximately 3,300 people

• Southeast Georgia Health Systemwww.sghs.orgOperates 316-bed hospital in Brunswick and 40-bed hospital in St. MarysWorkforce of nearly 2,000 employees and 380 physicians


Health

DCA programs:

A. First-time home buyers counseling preparation to purchase

B. Low closing costs

C. Program assistance “PEN” & “CHOICE”

Building Affordable Housing in Your Neighborhood

Helping people to fulfill dreams

of homeownership

W.H. Gross Construction Company

In Good HandsHOSPITALS IN REGION’S SMALLER COMMUNITIES OFFER TOP-SHELF TREATMENT

When it comes to availability of quality health care, Coastal

Georgia’s smaller communities don’t take a back seat to more populous locales.

Residents of Statesboro and the surrounding areas turn to East Georgia Regional Medical Center, a state-of-the-art, 150-room hospital that includes specialty services in imaging and diagnos-tics, surgical, and women’s and children’s care.

Willingway Hospital in Statesboro is a facility founded by a local couple in the 1960s that special-izes in alcohol and drug addiction treatments. Willingway, the first Georgia hospital to specialize in dependency treatment, has cared for more than 20,000 patients.

Effingham Hospital and Care Center was named a Hospital of Choice Award winner in winter 2009 by the American Alliance of Healthcare Providers. The Springfield hospital was selected from among 400 customer-friendly, U.S. hospitals.

The 25-bed Screven County Hospital serves the Sylvania community’s primary-care needs.

Liberty Regional Medical Center in Hinesville is a 133-bed hospital that provides a full range of inpatient and outpatient services.

The hospital sees 25,000 patients come through its ER each year and is considering a sizeable expansion. It opened its current 70,000-square-foot facility in 1998.

Hospital leaders take pride in offering a quality of service that

many rural hospitals can’t claim.“We do the very best we can

so that we can say, ‘Yes, you can travel, but you won’t get any better service than what we offer here,’” says Scott Kroell, CEO of LRMC. “That has been our goal with any service we have, or anytime we add a service, to make sure that it’s as good or better than any in the area.”

– Michaela Jackson

BR

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CO

RD


ECONOMIC PROFILE

What’s Online e For more in-depth demographic, statistical and community information on Coastal Georgia, go to imagescoastalgeorgia.com and click on Economic Profi le.

CONFERENCE CENTER

visit ouradvertisersCoastal Georgia Regional Development Center www.coastalgeorgiardc.org

College of Coastal Georgia www.ccga.edu

Courtyard Marriott www.marriott.com/bqkcy

Four Points by Sheraton www.fourpointssavannahair.com

Glynn County Development Authority www.georgiasgoldenopportunity.com

Long County www.longcountyga.gov

Quality Inn Conference Center www.choicehotels.com

Southeast Georgia Health System www.sghs.org

W.H. Gross Construction Company www.whgross.com

BUSINESS CLIMATECoastal Georgia encompasses 10 counties – the coastal counties of

Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Glynn, Liberty and McIntosh and the inland

counties of Bulloch, Effingham, Long and Screven. A diversity of

economic opportunities, two major ports and two sprawling military

installations call Coastal Georgia home. The region has a diverse

economy that includes strong manufacturing, trade and transportation,

hospitality, military, education and health care.

POPULATION TRENDS (2008)

Bryan, 31,173

Bulloch, 67,761

Camden, 47,641

Chatham, 251,120

Effingham, 52,060

Glynn, 75,884

Liberty, 58,491

Long, 11,452

McIntosh, 11,455

Screven, 15,133

Region, 622,170

Georgia, 9,685,744

MAJOR EMPLOYERS

Memorial Health University Medical Center, 4,643

Fort Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield, 4,285 (civilian personnel)

St. Joseph’s/Candler Health System, 3,304

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, 3,047

City of Savannah, 2,500

Sea Island Co., 2,100

Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, 2,100 (civilian personnel)

Georgia Southern University, 1,825

MAJOR MANUFACTURERS

Gulfstream Aerospace, 6,024

Georgia-Pacific, 1,400

SNF, 1,065

Briggs & Stratton, 950

International Paper, 738

King & Prince Seafood, 600

Koch Cellulose, 600

Rich-SeaPak, 600

MAJOR EMPLOYMENT SECTORS

Education and Health Care, 21.8%

Retail Trade, 18.1%

Manufacturing, 14.9%

Government, 13.4%

Transportation, Warehousing & Utilities, 10.2%

Wholesale Trade, 6.5%

LABOR FORCE

Bryan, 4,575

Bulloch, 17,359

Camden, 8,980

Chatham, 121,161

Effingham, 7,090

Glynn, 32,736

Liberty, 10,266

Long, 449

McIntosh, 1,639

Screven, 2,892

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME

Bryan, $60,879

Bulloch, $34,861

Camden, $46,583

Chatham, $45,124

Effingham, $54,132

Glynn, $46,260

Liberty, $40,993

Long, $37,334

McIntosh, $36,026

Screven, $32,630

Region, $43,483


Ad Index C3 COASTAL GEORGIA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER

12 COLLEGE OF COASTAL GEORGIA

6 COURTYARD MARRIOTT

C2 FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON

6 GLYNN COUNTY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

C4 LONG COUNTY

20 QUALITY INN CONFERENCE CENTER

18 SOUTHEAST GEORGIA HEALTH SYSTEM

19 W.H. GROSS CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

Serving the 10 Counties and 35 Cities of the Coastal Region for 45 Years

Coastal Area Planning and Development Commission 1964-1989Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center 1989-2009

Now known as Coastal Regional Commission

Coastal Regional Commission127 F Street

Brunswick, GA 31520912.262.2800

www.crc.ga.gov

What Can We Do For You?CRC Services Include:

LONG COUNTY... where big opportunities

meet small-town hospitality

Discover Coastal Georgia’s Best Kept Secret

Experience Community

Coastal Georgia is well known for its Southern hospitality and

strong sense of community. Long County epitomizes that Old South

ambiance, while still welcoming and cultivating current and future

economic development and growth. Our access to Georgia’s

infamous barrier islands, coastal waterways, the Altamaha River,

hunting opportunities, and many other outdoor recreational

activities make Long County the ideal place to live and do business.

Experience Possibilities

Located in one of the fastest growing regions of the country,

Coastal Georgia’s Long County is situated in close proximity to

many of Georgia’s commercial transportation corridors. The ports

of Brunswick and Savannah, Interstates 95 and 16, railway access

and the Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport are all minutes

away from this expanding community.

Long County

Long County Development Authority

Long County Chamber of Commerce

Experience Long County www.longcountyga.gov

Ludowici, Georgia

business images coastal georgia 2009-10

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