Four of Savannah’s local leaders were appointed to the 2018 Georgia Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. The new board of directors includes:

Jennifer Abshire - Owner & CEO, Abshire Public Relations

Jim Collins - Senior VP & Savannah Regional Director, Thomas & Hutton Engineering

Ruel Joyner - Owner & CEO, 24e Design Co.

Nick Puhala - Partner, Sterling Seacrest Partners

Abshire is Owner and CEO of Abshire Public Relations and is a minority owner of Lucky Savannah Vacation Rentals. Abshire Public Relations is in its 18th year of business having been named Best of Savannah consecutively for the past three years by Savannah Magazine. Abshire is a former chair of the Savannah Technical College Foundation and is a graduate and past program chair of Leadership Georgia, Leadership Southeast Georgia, and Leadership Savannah.

Collins, Senior VP and Savannah Regional Director for Thomas & Hutton Engineering, has 32 years of experience in land development and civil infrastructure design, permitting and construction. He earned a BS in civil engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and is registered as a professional engineer in Georgia and South Carolina. Collins is currently a member of the board of the Creative Coast and serves as chairman of Georgia Tech - Savannah’s advisory board.

Ruel Joyner is the owner of 24e Design Co., a small family business he and his father started in downtown Savannah. Ruel differentiated the business by immersing the brand into the world of custom design and manufacturing. His company was named Ga Retailer of the Year 2016 and was the recipient of the 27th Annual ARTS Awards Single location Furniture Store in the Nation. Ruel served as President of the Downtown Business Association and is Immediate Past Chairman of Leadership Southeast Georgia.  He is a board member of the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Leadership Council, and Visit Savannah and is a graduate of Leadership Georgia, Leadership Southeast Georgia, and Leadership Savannah.

Puhala joined Sterling Seacrest Partners as a partner in 2016 and has 16 years of designing and managing commercial insurance programs for middle market to large corporate clients as well as agency management and operations experience.  He is past president of the Propeller Club, past chairman of the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf Event Disability Services Committee, and a past member of the Downtown Rotary and Chamber CEO Council. He is a graduate of Leadership Savannah, Leadership Southeast Georgia, and was one of 2016’s Generation Next Rising Stars of Savannah business.