On Aug. 12, Bank of America brought together business, community, and government leaders at the JW Marriott in Savannah for a comprehensive discussion on the state of business in Savannah and the economic outlook for the region throughout the second half of 2026.

Hosted by Sharon Miller, President of Business Banking at Bank of America, the conversation featured insights from Matthew Gomez, Federal Government Relations Lead at Bank of America; Shay Shearer, Southeast Region Executive, Business Banking, at Bank of America; Matthew Wirth, District Director for U.S. Representative Buddy Carter; and Victoria Saxton, CEO of the Small Business Assistance Corporation (SBAC). Together, the panelists explored key drivers shaping the region’s economic momentum, including workforce development solutions, expanded access to capital, business expansion strategies, technology adoption, and regional policy trends.

“Savannah is a growth engine for the Southeast,” said Miller. “Bank of America is investing alongside that momentum by bringing together leaders across sectors and providing business owners with the insights, connections and capital they need to grow. Together, we are committed to driving economic opportunity across the region.”

The panel conversation comes as new insights highlight optimism among local business owners compared to broader national trends:

• Savannah business leaders rate local business confidence at 8.7 out of 10, compared to 6.1 out of 10 nationally, marking one of the starkest confidence gaps in the country.
• 63% of local business leaders report plans to hire in 2026.
• The regional economy posted +1.6% employment growth in 2025.
• Manufacturing and logistics have now grown to become the 3rd and 4th largest employment sectors in the regional economy, respectively.

As Savannah continues to solidify its role as a key regional economic hub, Bank of America remains committed to fostering cross-sector partnerships that support local entrepreneurs, strengthen key sectors like manufacturing and logistics, and drive sustainable growth across the region throughout 2026 and beyond.