May 2014 Features

  • If Medient is in a Financial Mess, Is the StudioPlex in Effingham County at Risk?

    May 28, 2014

    Medient has virtually no revenue, zero cash on hand and a stock price that is less than a penny. Yet the company has convinced Effingham County to lease 1,500 acres for a $700 million mega studio development. Meanwhile, several highly acclaimed developers turned down Medient for the role of General Contractor. Medient settled on a developer with a cloudy past and no experience with major projects. What’s really going on here?

  • City Council Gives Kessler Big Thumbs-Up

    May 22, 2014

    Mega-hotel developer Richard C. Kessler requested last Thursday to have the City Council approve a text amendment to an existing height restriction ordinance that limits the height of new structures in Savannah’s Historic District. Kessler, president of the Kessler Corporation, is building a $200 million luxury hotel, restaurant and retail complex on the far west end of River Street, an area that Mayor Edna B. Jackson referred to as “blighted.”

  • Georgia Primaries Bring Expected Congressional Runoffs

    May 21, 2014

    Tuesday’s primary election results brought runoffs for candidates for both houses of Congress.

  • Broughton Street Project Exposes Arcane City Ordinance

    May 19, 2014

    The much-publicized mixed-use redevelopment plan for Broughton Street has hit a major snag. The $72 million+ project of Atlanta-based Ben Carter Enterprises exposed an arcane city ordinance that limits the project’s mixed-use capacity.

  • World Trade Center Savannah launches long-awaited EB-5 Regional Center

    May 15, 2014

    At Tuesday’s meeting of the World Trade Center Savannah board of directors, a revolutionary project took a giant step closer to becoming a reality. The WTCSavannah board under the direction of Chairman Eric Johnson last November approved a plan to move forward to hire a consultant that will lead the effort to establish an EB-5 Regional Center in Savannah. Arnold “Arnie” Sherman was selected as the expert consultant on the EB-5 initiative.

  • CooperCraft, Now ISNetworld Certified and Ready for Continued Growth

    May 14, 2014

    CooperCraft made the move from Sylvester to Tifton December 2011, and the transition has treated the company well. The easy access to I-75, continued growth of Tifton, and larger office space have all led to increased productivity and volume for the statewide company ran by childhood friends Jerry Cooper and Darrell Powell, who lived three houses apart since elementary school while growing up in Sylvester.

  • When the Boss Calls After Hours

    May 12, 2014

    We shouldn’t laugh too hard about the agreement announced last month in France that sought to protect employees from after-hours texts and emails but confused a lot of people. Here in the United States, where we are known for our relentless work ethic, we are ignoring this issue and letting confusion govern what is expected from employees after they leave work.

  • Captain Chris Desa, President of Jonaro Technomar, Consults on All Facets of Cargo Ship Safety and Security

    May 09, 2014

    Chris Desa began his maritime career in 1973, right after graduating high school in Bombay, India. He went to sea immediately as a direct entry cadet in the Indian Maritime Service. “I worked my way up through all five levels of licensing,” said Desa. “After four years, I could qualify for my first license, which was second mate, which required another 18 months at sea.” Desa sat for what he describes as a very tough exam at the Maritime Engineering College in Bombay. “Even after passing it, you didn’t get promoted right away, necessarily,” he said. However, he was promoted to the rank of captain at the age of 28.

  • Georgia's Tourism Industry Impact Hits Record High With $53.6B

    May 08, 2014

    Georgia Tourism, a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), announced Thursday that tourism demand generated $53.6 billion in business sales including direct, indirect and induced impact in 2013, up 4.5 percent, according to the U.S. Travel Association and Tourism Economics.

  • Self Employment Continues to Decline, Despite the Recovery

    May 07, 2014

    The recently released Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity (KIEA) shows that pace of entry into self-employment declined last year. The media has put a positive slant on the news. Because many people go into business for themselves out of necessity when the economy is doing poorly and they have few employment alternatives, this decline is okay, the reporters say. It means that the jobs market is doing better.

  • The JCB Mud Run is Back and Muddier then Ever! Register Now!

    May 05, 2014

    The JCB Mud Run is back in 2014 and bigger and muddier than any before. This year’s race, that benefits The Lady Bamford Center for Early Childhood Development will be held on Saturday, June 21, 2014 at JCB North American Headquarters in Pooler, GA.

  • SunTrust Finds Business Leaders Rank Companies Stronger Than Economy

    May 01, 2014

    Business owners and top decision-makers are more optimistic about their own businesses in 2014 than they are about the overall U.S. economy, according to an annual survey sponsored by SunTrust Banks, Inc.

  • Talk to the Hand, Cause the Face Ain’t Listenin’

    May 01, 2014

    When I was in the fourth grade, I had a crush on Jill. It was a one-sided relationship, but as Valentine’s Day came closer I decided the best way to wow her was to walk to Lintner’s Drugstore and buy her a heart-shaped box of Russell Stover chocolates. It took about 6 weeks allowance to be able to afford that purchase, but to me Jill was worth it.