The World Trade Center Savannah board, meeting Tuesday at the World Trade Center building on Hutchinson Island, discussed its 2013 business plan, brought on several new partners and announced its board for the upcoming year.
With a mission to attract investment and create jobs, the WTC Savannah’s three-pronged approach is to help regional businesses expand internationally, identify more foreign direct investment opportunities for the region and generate revenue to support those activities.
Included in the board’s plan for this year is an annual review of target countries where WTC will focus its efforts, the recruitment of regional board members, the continuation of research in support of founding WTC partners, trade missions to Germany and Brazil, as well as the hosting of inbound delegations, branding both the organization and the building and a minimum of eight educational programs.
The first program, an innovation management seminar, is set for Feb. 5.
WTC has also selected its first group of college interns. The five students, who will begin next week, come from Armstrong Atlantic State and Georgia Southern universities, as well as the Savannah College of Art and Design. They will work in Trade Services, Marketing and Programs.
Board chairman Eric Johnson announced the number of WTC Savannah partners has grown to eight, with original partners Sesolinc, Peeples Industries and Hussey, Gay, Bell & DeYoung joined by the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce, Suntrust Bank, Pendleton Consulting, Colony Bank and National Office Systems.
In addition to Johnson, president of Hussey, Gay, Bell and DeYoung, executive board members for 2013 are vice chairman Scott Center, owner of National Office Systems; and Savannah City Attorney W. Brooks Stillwell III, secretary/treasurer.
Board members are Chad Barrow, president of Coastal Logistics Group; Sylvester Formey, president of Vanguard Distributors Inc.; Kent Harrington, chairman of the Greater Savannah International Alliance; Tommy Hester, Savannah market president of Colony Bank; Cliff McCurry, vice chairman of Seacrest Partners Inc.; Anthony Phillips of Advent Dental and state Rep. Ann Purcell, who didn’t run for re-election in November.
COMING SUNDAY
See Sunday’s Savannah Morning News for an in-depth look at “Savannah Touches the World,” the results of WTC Savannah’s first major research project designed to target those countries where the organization will focus its efforts in 2013.