strander READY, SET, GROW! FastTrac GrowthVenture WHAT S INSIDE CVB Insider CVB Insider Fall advertising campaign in full swing.

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1 GRA RAND strander ISSUE 675 SEPT T HE O FFICIAL NEWSLETTER O F THE MYRTLE BEAC H AREA C HAMBER O F COMMERCEE READY, SET, GROW! FastTrac GrowthVenture rogram coming to Grand Strand The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce is artnering with Clemson University Institute for Economic and Community Develoment to bring a nationally recognized business growth rogram for Grand Strand business owners. Targeted secifically to entrereneurs who have exerience running their businesses, FastTrac GrowthVenture focuses on the issues you need to: Make critical decisions about your business vision and strategy. Investigate next-stage growth and oortunity. Plan for strategic growth. Build and maintain a cometitive advantage. Lead with clarity. Maximize cash flow for future rofitability. What is FastTrac GrowthVenture? FastTrac GrowthVenture is an 11-module educational rogram designed to hel you look at your entire business. Delivered by seasoned entrereneurs in the community, along with certified facilitators, FastTrac GrowthVenture s hands-on rogram uses your business as a case study, giving you the oortunity to ut roven business ractices to work for you. Business coaching enables you to access one-on-one inut with issues as varied as: Business erformance and lanning. Strategic marketing. Emloyment issues. Financial backing and suort. Growth readiness. The fall rogram will take lace over the course of 10-consecutive weeks every Wednesday evening from 6-9.m. from Set. 16- Nov. 18 at Chain Memorial Library. Due to state funding, the $895 rogram is being offered for $245, which includes all books, class materials and refreshments. Register at ChamberAcademy.com by Set. 11. Sace is very limited so register soon. For more information, visit FastTracSC.org or contact Blakely Jenkins, membershi & community rograms manager, at Blakely.Jenkins@VisitMyrtleBeach.com or (843) AAA stos in Myrtle Beach during a satellite media tour to romote the affordable, fun beach town as the ultimate road tri destination. See Page 10. WHAT S INSIDE 3 Sonsor Networking Event Generate low-cost ublicity for your business. 9 GrandStrandGoodNews.com Are you tired of hearing bad news? CVB Insider CVB Insider Fall advertising camaign in full swing. 16 U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small business members can enjoy free U.S. Chamber membershi.

2 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chairman of the Board Brant Branham E. F. Hucks & Associates, Inc. Immediate Past Chairman Steve Chaman Island Vista Resort Advertising/Publicity Committee Chair Bob Barenberg Hilton Hotels Vice Chairs Nate Anderson Divine Dining Grou Billy Huggins WPDE NewsChannel 15 Business Ethics & Standards Committee Chair Frans Mustert Oceana Resorts Vice Chair Debbie Harwell Adobe Palm Communications Member Julie Alford A&I Restoration, Inc. Convention Bureau Committee Chair Charlie Bradshaw Alabama Theatre Finance Review Committee Chair/Treasurer Franklin Daniels Nexsen Pruet, LLC Fulfillment Committee Chair Phil Vassar Catain s Quarters Resort & Hotel Blue Vice Chair Nate Anderson Divine Dining Grou Legislative Policy Council Chair Buzz Freeman Conway National Bank Vice Chairs Richard Singleton Coldwell Banker Chicora Greg McCollum M. Greg McCollum, PA Membershi Committee Chair Sara Boling CENTURY 21 Boling & Associates, Inc. Vice Chair Wayne Morris The Printing Port North Strand Council Chair Bill McGonigal Best Western Ocean Sands Small Business Council Chair Wayne Morris The Printing Port Vice Chair Julie Alford A & I Fire and Water Restoration South Strand Council Chair Tommy Bouchette South Carolina Bank and Trust Vice Chair Bob Jewell Brookgreen Gardens Young Professionals Council Chair Shannon Cam The Jackson Comanies Marketing Council Chair Ryan Swaim Dunes Realty Vacation Rentals & Sales Vice Chair Woody Crosby Jordan Proerties GRAND strander WHAT S ONLINE MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com CHAMBER EVENTS 4 1/2 QUESTIONS 4 1/2 Questions asks, Why become an ambassador? This month we checked in with Alex Naish with Nilson Van & Storage, who is a new ambassador of only six months. MEMBER ANNIVERSARIES What s the secret to long-term success in the business community? Establishing lasting and ersonal relationshis with other rofessionals through membershi in the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. During Setember, 161 members will be celebrating their chamber anniversaries. Read the Grand Strander Online and discover which business has been a chamber member for 34 years. BENEFIT OF THE MONTH Did you know that if an individual calls your Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce for a business referral we always refer our members first? MBACC makes business referrals every day from tourism referrals to rofessional referrals, via our Web business directory or by the oldfashioned telehone and sto-in method. Although we are aware of the many terrific businesses in the area who are not members of the chamber, we are most loyal to our 2,400 members. For more information on member referrals, contact JoAn Whitaker, Call Center suervisor, at (843) or Joan. Whitaker@VisitMyrtleBeach.com. RIBBON CUTTING Tidelands Hosice Resale Sho recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Check out the hoto in the Grand Strander Online. NEW MEMBER OF THE MONTH Plantation Storage 2100 Carolina Forest Blvd. Myrtle Beach, SC (843) lantationstorage.com 30 second commercial Plantation Carolina Forest is a state of the art self storage facility located In the heart of the Forest at 2100 Carolina Forest Boulevard, between highway 501 and River Oaks Drive. The roerty has a comuterized and Search For quick access to all of the great features mentioned below, just go to MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com and click on Grand Strander at the to of the age. EDUCATION PROGRAMS Grand Strander Online MARKETING STRATEGIES MEMBER RESOURCES GOVERNMENT RELATIONS monitored gate and multile surveillance cameras located throughout the site. Plantation Storage oened in May 2008 and received national recognition as New Facility of the Year by Mini Storage Messenger, an industry trade ublication. A variety of unit sizes in both climate control and nonclimate are available for residential and commercial customers. Additional roducts and services include ackaging and shiing sulies for both customers and the general ublic. We shi and receive letters and ackages via UPS. Proane tank exchange and sales are available on site as well. The sacious office includes a full Business Center including a conference room and fax/coy services. Use of the Business Center is free to existing customers and local civic organizations. Plantation Storage is oen seven days a week. Our rofessional storage consultants, Tim Retter and Michele Giddens, welcome folks to sto by for a visit and tour or to relax and have a free cu of coffee or bag of ocorn!

3 GRAND strander D iscove r mo re ne t wo rking eve nt s a t My r t le B e a c h A re a Cha mbe r.co m CHAMBER Events Set. 10 7:30-9:15 a.m. Sringmaid Beach Resort Conference Center 3200 S. Ocean Blvd., Myrtle Beach CONNECTIONS MARKETPLACE Set a.m. CHAMBER ACCESS YOUR ALL ACCESS PASS TO THE CHAMBER MBACC Boardroom, 1200 N. Oak St., Myrtle Beach Make more business contacts in less than two hours than most eole do in six months! Particiants are each given one minute to introduce themselves and their comany to other members at the table. You then move to the next table and begin again. Bring a minimum of 75 business cards to exchange and dislay on the share table a table for your business cards, brochures, roduct samles, etc. Plus you ll want to dro a card in the drawing for either a 1/4 age free advertisement in the Grand Strander or a free Chamber Academy class and the chance to make a secial five-minute resentation at the end of Connections Marketlace. $15 er member (includes breakfast). No rescheduling or refunds. This is a members only event. All members must reregister online. Register at MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com Registration Deadline: Set. 8 Questions? Call (843) Set. 24 4:15-7.m. Bay Watch Resort 2701 S. Ocean Blvd., North Myrtle Beach BUSINESS AFTER HOURS Connect with hundreds of other MBACC members at the Set. 24 Business A er Hours being held at oceanfront Bay Watch Resort. This event rovides an oortunity to increase referral networks, gain visibility and strengthen relationshi skills. Sto by for great food, sirits and fun. Be sure to bring lenty of business cards. Don t forget to dro a card in the drawing for 1/4 age free advertisement in the Grand Strander. Free, value-added benefit of chamber membershi Register at MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com All members must reregister online. Registration Deadline: Set. 21 Chamber Access offers new members, new emloyees of existing members and even longstanding members an oortunity to learn about the many benefits of chamber membershi. Member orientation will familiarize you with the roles of chamber staff and inform you of the best way to maximize the benefits and services of chamber membershi. Particiation is the key to making your membershi work for you. Learn how to take advantage of your MBACC membershi through Chamber Access Your All Access Pass to the Chamber. Free, value-added benefit of chamber membershi Register at ChamberAcademy.com Registration Deadline: Set. 28 Questions? Call (843) Showcase your business... Host a Business A er Hours Thinking about a way to romote your business? Here s an idea host a Business Before, During or A er Hours. Your Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce is acceting alications for host locations for This is an excellent oortunity to showcase your roducts and services. The event sonsor is featured on the chamber s Web site, in the Grand Strander and on romotional materials sent to chamber members. If you re interested in hosting as many as 400 otential customers at your location for one fun-filled event, contact Shannon Haswell, membershi rograms & services coordinator, at Shannon.Haswell@VisitMyrtleBeach.com or (843) or visit MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com and click on Marketing Strategies. By the way, if your facility is too small to host one of these events, consider being a co-host. You can contact another chamber member with a larger facility or the chamber will ut you in touch with other members interested in co-hosting the event. Or, the chamber will be hay to work with you in sonsoring a smaller networking grou event with a more intimate environment. Now, all of our members have an equal chance to sotlight their business during a Business Before, During or A er Hours.

4 CHAMBER Academy GRAND strander Register for classes at ChamberAcademy.com Classes for the Chamber Academy are held in the boardroom (unless otherwise noted) at the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, 1200 N. Oak St., Myrtle Beach. Register at ChamberAcademy.com. Payment due at time of registration. No refunds or rescheduling. To learn more, contact Blakely Jenkins, membershi & community rograms manager, or (843) Discover more educational oortunities by signing u for the Education Udates e-newsletter at MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com, click on Sign u for enews SERIES TOPIC PRESENTED BY DATE/TIME COST SIGN UP BY Business Series Maximizing Your Sales Results Carl Elliott, C.E. Elliott & Associates Set a.m.-12.m. $10 for members $40 for nonmembers 09/14 DESCRIPTION: Back by Poular Demand! This session sold out last year, so register early! Everyone in the comany is involved in selling, just at different levels with different customer contact. In addition to taking care of the customer s request, we must identify oortunities to market other roducts and services. In this seminar you will learn: *The Art of Selling *Communicating With Your Customers *Understanding Behaviors *Establishing the Needs of Customers *Bringing Value to the Sales Process *Identifying and Resolving the Customers Objectives *Cometition and Your Sales Strategy *What Makes Saleseole Successful SERIES TOPIC PRESENTED BY DATE/TIME COST SIGN UP BY Business Series Hot Toics in Emloyment Law Nexsen Pruet LLC Set. 24 8:30-10:30 a.m. Free for members and nonmembers DESCRIPTION: South Carolina Immigration Insections: Is LLR Going too Far? Since July 1, 2009, rivate emloyers in South Carolina with 100 or more emloyees have been subject to audits by the South Carolina Deartment of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR) to check comliance with the South Carolina Illegal Immigration Reform Act. Seakers Melissa Azallion, Cherie Blackburn and Molly Cherry from Nexsen Pruet LLC will cover hot toics in emloyment law in South Carolina. Included in this session: *SC Illegal Immigration Reform Act... The Latest With LLR and Random Audits *Federal and State Immigration Enforcement Initiatives... Prearing Your Business for an Audit. This session will fill u fast, so register now! 09/ SERIES TOPIC PRESENTED BY DATE/TIME COST SIGN UP BY Hositality Series Revenue Strategy Summit NAVIS Set a.m.-3.m. Free for members and nonmembers 09/28 DESCRIPTION: The NAVIS Revenue Strategy Summit is designed to hel indeendent resorts and vacation rental management comanies increase their revenue. The Revenue Strategy Summit is your chance to learn from exerts in data, reservations and marketing in the resort lodging industry. You will learn basic rocesses for increasing reservation call conversion rates such as what to listen for in a call, how to score your agents, and incentive rograms that hel drive revenue. Plus, you ll learn about advanced analytics techniques that will hel you create loyalty lists and redictive modeling for more targeted marketing. If you re an owner, general manager, oerations manager, revenue manager, reservations manager or marketing manager, this is the one event you don t want to miss. LOCATION: Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Center Hotel, 2101 N. Oak St., Myrtle Beach

5 GRAND strander SERIES TOPIC PRESENTED BY DATE/TIME COST SIGN UP BY Technology Series Basic Excel Horry-Georgetown Technical College Oct a.m.-12.m. $25 for members $45 for nonmembers 10/12 DESCRIPTION: If you only take one Excel class this year, this is the one to take! Learn how to set u a basic sreadsheet and basic formulas. This class will not only hel the beginner get started but is a good review for the advanced user. LOCATION: Horry-Georgetown Technical College, Grand Strand Camus, 743 Hemlock Ave., Myrtle Beach. Turn into the backgate of the former Air Force Base and travel aroximately two miles and turn right on Meyers Street. The Conference Center (room 603) is the building on the le at the end of Meyers SERIES TOPIC PRESENTED BY DATE/TIME COST SIGN UP BY Business Series Financial Choices That Matter Most HOME BASED BUSINESS WORKSHOP Yes, you can be your own boss, work at home, and at your own ace. Discover how at the Set. 17 Home-Based Business Conference. If you are a member of the chamber with a home-based business, have a home-based business on the side, or are thinking about starting one, don t miss this morning of free educational workshos aimed secifically at homebased business entrereneurs. Accomlished home-based business owners will share marketing and social media tis that will hel your business grow. You ll uncover home-based business tax write-offs and how they work. And, learn about the successes and struggles of owning a home-based business. When: Set. 17 from 8:30 a.m.-noon Where: Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce Boardroom 1200 N. Oak St., Myrtle Beach Cost: Free Jeff Gronde, The Prudential Insurance Co. of America Oct a.m. $10 for members $45 for nonmembers DESCRIPTION: Life has many financial choices; family, home, education, retirement, caring for arents and others. In Financial Choices That Matter Most, Jeff Gronde of The Prudential Insurance Comany of America will hel you identify the choices that matter most to you. Toics include: *How do you become wealthy? *How does your money work for you? *What is your biggest asset and how do you kee it? *Is tax deferral good? *How can you rotect your investments? *How can you manage risks? 10/13 Agenda 8:30 a.m. Light Breakfast and Networking 9 a.m. Welcome 9:05 a.m. Home-Based Success, resented by Eileen Soisson, The Meeting Institute 10 a.m. Doing the Numbers and What s Tax Deductible, What s Not? resented by James W. McIlrath, CPA, Duncan, Farmer, Munden, McIlrath & Cobb PA 11 a.m. Social Media: Getting the Word Out, resented by Sue White, Internet-Business-Suort.com 11:45 a.m. Wra-U For questions or to register for this free event, contact Pam Wright, MBACC business sales manager, (843) or Pam.Wright@VisitMyrtleBeach.com. Or you can register online at MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com. There is limited seating so register early.

6 GRAND strander SMALL BUSINESS ADVANTAGE Advertising on a small business budget By Blakely Jenkins, membershi & community rograms manager In November 2009, the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce rolled out the Small Business Advantage with Big Advertising on a Small Business Budget: The Co-o Way. The MBACC Small Business Advantage is for all chamber members that are small business, meaning with 50 or fewer emloyees. The MBACC Small Business Advantage is an advertising cooerative camaign aimed at giving small business chamber members advertising oortunities on their budget. One of the biggest concerns we hear from small businesses is that their business has declined. Most eole cut their marketing budget before anything else, and that doesn t have to be the case! With the Small Business Advantage, media outlets tailor an advertising ackage to fit the small business needs on a small business budget. GET READY for a five-star annual membershi meeting We ve got a great story to tell and we re telling it in a five-star way. Come and exerience how a five-star chamber uts on an annual membershi meeting. This year s annual meeting is being lanned for Oct. 28 from 8 a.m.-2:30.m. at the Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Center Hotel. The five-star event will bring together the leadershi and membershi of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce to celebrate the accomlishments of the ast year and launch new chamber initiatives. The following media are articiating in the rogram: Myrtle Beach Herald, The Sun News, Sasee Magazine, The Carolina Forest Chronicle, Alternatives Magazine, NextMedia, Easy 105.9, Yes 94.5, Quantum Radio Grou, NextMedia Outdoor, WBTW News 13, WMBF News, WPDE TV-15, Time Warner Cable and WFXB FOX TV. You can visit MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com and click on Small Business Resource Center to get more details and contact information for each media artner. Don t miss out on this oortunity to advertise in a big way on a small budget. You must be a small business to articiate in the cooerative. For more information contact Blakely Jenkins, membershi & community rograms manager, at (843) or Blakely.Jenkins@VisitMyrtleBeach.com. The morning will be filled with an insiring oening session followed by informative educational sessions looking at social media, enhancing your abilities to imrovise in a way that will imrove your business (and ersonal) skills, and how the news media can hel romote your business. At the awards luncheon, we will take a look back at our five-star year and salute 11 outstanding businesses and individuals for their excetional services to our community. And to to it off, we ll have encore sessions of our engaging educational workshos. For more information, including cost and registration, visit MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com.

7 GRAND strander FROM My Desk MYRTLE BEACH HITS HOME RUN with sorts marketing Swimming, biking, running, owerli ing, judo these sorts and more are being layed in Sortstown USA. Nicknamed Sortstown USA by Sorts Illustrated magazine and the National Recreation and Park Association back in 2004, the Myrtle Beach area is scoring oints as a big-time layer in the remier sorting event arena. Last month the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce announced that the USA Triathlon selected the Grand Strand as the site for the USA Triathlon National Chamionshi Festival to be held November 2010 with subsequent events taking lace the first weekend in November 2011 and November The first national chamionshi held by an Olymic governing body in the Myrtle Beach area is exected to attract between 2,000 and 3,000 athletes and several thousand sectators. The Grand Strand also has scored several other high rofile events, including AAU World Powerli ing Chamionshis in November 2009, which is exected to bring in 200 articiants, families and sectators; U.S.A. Senior Nationals- USA Judo in May 2010, which is anticiated to attract 1,000 athletes lus families and sectators; and the AAU East Coast Summer Sort Games over Memorial Day weekend in 2010 with more than 3,000 articiants. To bring in these chamionshi sorting events, the chamber has taken a team aroach by creating a sorts marketing task force; investing in two studies, one to gauge the otential of sorts marketing here and the other to evaluate our facilities; and making the MBACC sorts manager osition full time. Last summer, Roy Edmondson joined the Myrtle Beach Area CVB as the sorts/smerf sales manager (SMERF: social, military, educational, religious, fraternal). Since that time he has been actively selling the Grand Strand as a recreational destination to the United States Olymic Committee, Amateur Athletic Union and other sort associations, including our winning score with the USA Triathlon. This fall he will be traveling throughout the United States itching the area as a location for gymnastics, badminton, taekwondo, baseball, golf and even table tennis. Recognizing the great otential of sorts tourism, we have increased our investment in this arena and elevated Roy s osition to full-time sorts marketing. This move, combined with the continued commitment of grou sales and marketing, will enhance our ability to bring in more grou business, esecially during the times of year when we need it the most. The aeal of the sorting events segment Investment in sorts tourism suorts the only segment of the travel industry that resists economic downturns. These events are booked in a short window of time, usually around two years out vs. larger conventions which are booked out five years or more. And sorting events are becoming an increasingly effective way to deliver economic imact through new sending. Traveling teams and their families roduce new dollars in the market through their sending at hotels, restaurants, shoing centers, car rentals and attractions. Sorting events also tend to attract an above-average number of first-time visitors. At the same time, national and regional events attract ublicity, which elevates the aeal of our destination. The sorts marketing task force is made u of business leaders, local officials, and Horry County Schools, college and university members. The task force looks at contentions that need to be addressed to enable the Grand Strand to continue to bring in sorting events. The sorts travel market is relatively resistant to economic downturns. Tournament tris are becoming mini-vacations offering relaxation and fun in addition to the cometition. Studies reveal that the Myrtle Beach area has excetional uside otential for sorts marketing that will be limited only by facility develoment and/or availability. According to a recent sorts facilities study, Myrtle Beach and Horry County have everything but enough sorts facilities for certain events, such as soccer, or multi-court cometition facilities. Tourism is the engine that drives our local economy. Increasing our investment is a good business decision that has already begun to ay off. Brad Dean President & CEO

8 GRAND strander MBACC AMBASSADORS: Friendly, informative and helful The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce s ambassadors are members who volunteer their time to rovide a crucial link between the chamber and its members. They ensure that all members receive the maximum benefit from their investment. Ambassadors are in the center of business activity for the community. They enjoy the rewards of making new contacts, strengthening relationshis and accessing a wealth of information and resources. Their rimary resonsibilities are to hel in the retention of members and recruitment of new members. Why become a chamber ambassador? A s an ambas s ador, you w ill gain busine s s e x osure by being the first to meet chamber members IS THIS YOUR SPOT? In tough economic times, businesses need to trim their budgets. They are faced with how to romote their business for less money. One way to do this is to advertise in the Grand Strander, the chamber s rint and online newsletter. The hard coy Grand Strander reaches aroximately 2,400 chamber members as well as elected officials. The exanded online version is checked out by more than 120 viewers and the numbers continue to rise. and ut your comany s name in the forefront. By volunteering at chamber events and attending the monthly ambassador meetings, your business is ket current on what is going on within the chamber and community. As an added bonus, you and your comany are eligible for monthly and yearly award recognition. Join today If you are interested in becoming a chamber ambassador, visit MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com and click on Member Resources, Ambassador Program. Or you can contact Pat Creed, membershi rograms manager, at (843) or Pat.Creed@VisitMyrtleBeach.com. Ambassadors of the Month Congratulations to Jenafor Braley with O3 World Weight Management, who earned Ambassador of the Month for July. Braley is serving her fourth year as an ambassador. Alause to David Powers with Ocean Breeze Awnings & More, who earned the second highest total oints for July. Powers is serving his second year as an ambassador. Advertise on the ages of the Grand Strander and you ll be utting money back in your ocket for a full year this 1/4 age ad sot costs only $200 a month. So send a little, reach a lot... just ask Verlon Wulf, owner of Carolina Cool. The Grand Strander is a very effective tool to market Carolina Cool, Wulf exlained. We ve been advertising in the newsletter close to two years and new customers still continue to say they saw our ad in the Grand Strander. There s a rice ($200-$800) and an ad size (1/4 age to full age) for all members. To reserve your lacement in the Grand Strander, contact Scott Head, advertising sales manager, (843) or Scott.Head@ VisitMyrtleBeach.com.

9 GRAND strander ARE YOU TIRED OF HEARING BAD NEWS? So are we! GrandStrandGoodNews.com is a lace where you can find news to brighten your day, make you smile, and even chuckle a bit. The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce is artnering with NextMedia Grou to launch GrandStrandGoodNews.com. Geared to li sirits and insire lives, the Web site is a clearinghouse for the gathering and disseminating of ositive news stories from around the Myrtle Beach area. It s not a site to romote your business but rather a age where businesses, nonrofit organizations, schools, civic and religious grous and other community-oriented grous can ost news about honors, romotions and other accomlishments. It s about celebrating the good things going on in the Grand Strand CHAMBER VOLUNTEER CELEBRATION The success of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce includes the suort of the numerous committee members, ambassadors and other countless volunteers that selflessly contribute their time and energy each year. On Tuesday, Oct. 6, we will be celebrating the sirit of chamber volunteerism and the many accomlishments it affords our organization. There are around 400 volunteers that we will be alauding during the 2009 Chamber Volunteer Celebration. The event will take lace from 5:30-8.m. at the Myrtle Beach Marriott Resort at Grande Dunes. Volunteers will be receiving invitations. This is the one oortunity each year when the chamber can show our utmost areciation for the myriad of volunteers that hel make our organization continue to raise the bar whether it be in our boardroom each month or at the Beach, Boogie & BBQ Festival, their sacrifices don t go unnoticed, said Brad Dean, MBACC resident and CEO. A Volunteer of the Year will be recognized during the celebration. The honoree demonstrates the true sirit of service by heling the chamber romote, rotect and imrove the Grand Strand. Nominations were solicited on the chamber s Web site. The 2009 Chamber Volunteer Celebration is resented by Everybody needs a little bit of good news to brighten u their lives each day. So hel us make others smile by sending in your good news stories. Maybe your business had a blood drive or donated food to a local shelter. Perhas your comany was named business of the year. Maybe a student at your school made it into the state chamionshi for a sort or received to academic honors. Does your church or civic grou feed the homeless or mentor young eole? Everyone has something good haening. Go to GrandStrandGoodNews.com and start sreading good news. JULY 2009 To Five States for Relocation Inquiries 1. Pennsylvania 2. New York 3. North Carolina 4. New Jersey 5. Ohio LEGISLATIVE POLICY COUNCIL Join the Legislative Policy Council for an informative discussion on health care reform and real estate legislation. All meetings are held in MBACC's boardroom at 1200 N. Oak St. starting at 9 a.m. If you would like to attend a meeting, register at MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com. Sace is limited, register early. Set. 25 Health Care Reform Guest Seakers: Bruce Bailey, CEO, Georgetown Hosital System Phili Clayton, CEO, Conway Medical Center Dr. Kenneth DeHart, resident & CEO, Carolina Health Secialists Tom Keegan, office of Congressman Henry Brown Reresentative, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Nov. 6 "Point of Sale" Real Estate Legislation Guest Seaker: Steven Neeves, Government Affairs director, Coastal Carolinas Association of REALTORS

10 PR Hotsot GRAND strander AAA ENDORSES MYRTLE BEACH during Satellite Media Tour visit by Kimberly Miles, ublic relations manager The Second Avenue Pier was abuzz with activity on the morning of June 29 as AAA sokeserson Heather Hunter taed a satellite broadcast media tour lugging Myrtle Beach as a destination erfect for vacationers looking to lan a summer road tri. In keeing its marketing strategy to align the destination with third-arty brands and organizations that extend the reach of the Myrtle Beach message, the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce and its ublic relations agency M Booth & Associates arranged the artnershi and media tour with AAA in an effort to increase awareness of the destination in advance of July 4th and the remainder of the summer travel season. Hunter taed more than 20 interviews from the beach with morning television and radio broadcast stations in local markets across the country including such major national outlets as ABC Radio; a secial focus on local markets imortant to the destination was emhasized in segments booked. Throughout the interviews Hunter offered tis for road tri lanning, which included choosing an affordable, fun, and diverse locale like Myrtle Beach as the ultimate road tri destination. In addition to Myrtle Beach s resence in the broadcast segments, AAA showcased Myrtle Beach as its feature destination on its road triing blog. AAA Carolinas also laced a link to its Myrtle Beach hotels content on its home age in an effort to drive hotel bookings. In total the Satellite Media Tour reached and estimated audience number of 4,103,498 and garnered an estimated $42,645 in ublicity value. What would you like to learn or see in a future PR Hot Sot? Want to be involved in this area s ublic relations efforts? Have a PR related question? You can reach Kimberly Miles at (843) or Kimberly.Miles@VisitMyrtleBeach.com. Print and Online Publicity Values July 2009 Newsaer Articles 45 Nondaily Newsaer Articles 6 Consumer Magazine Articles 7 Trade Magazine Articles 7 Web Articles 403 Total Circulation 205,553,850 Publicity Value $2,309,559 Year-to-Date Ad Value for Myrtle Beach Travel News $18,146,467 The Satellite Media Tour roduction crew reares for a live interview by AAA sokeserson Heather Hunter (right) on the beach near 2nd Avenue Pier.

11 Myrtle Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau INSIDER Setember 2009 FALL ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN in full swing by Scott Schult, executive vice resident of marketing The 2009 fall advertising camaign is well underway ositioning the Myrtle Beach area as the erfect choice for an affordable fall vacation getaway. Coming off a very strong summer camaign led by a very successful TV comonent, we are leveraging a new 60-second TV sot to continue to showcase the destination as a diverse area. The TV sot features a variety of exeriences to target a broad range of otential visitors, including emty nesters, golfers, retirees, coules, singles, families and more. This will be the largest and most geograhically diverse fall camaign that we have ever imlemented. We aim to feature the Myrtle Beach area as the right choice for a weekend getaway, a vacation with friends, girlfriend getaway, golf tri or family weeklong tri; research has demonstrated that families will remove school-aged children from their classrooms for a family getaway. Airing in more than 40 markets that began in mid-august with a duration of six to eight weeks, the camaign is ositioned to reach visitors in the best drive markets (six hours or less) as well as significant direct flight markets. In addition to TV, a fully integrated online advertising effort is under way. With targeted online lacements in key TV markets that include local news Web sites, we are able to exand our reach and imrove our overall results. Through geotargeted ay-er-click ads on Google, Yahoo and MSN/Bing, internal and external artner distribution, and online dislay lacements on regional sites, we are aiming to create incremental awareness and stimulate demand for fall travel to the Myrtle Beach area. We will kee you udated on our rogress and will soon turn our efforts to creating a regional holiday camaign to romote the destination through the end of the year. We look forward to featuring our incredible live entertainment venues, unique shoing and diverse restaurants in this camaign. Please stay tuned for additional information and ucoming ublic meetings that we are lanning to hel you stay informed on all that we are doing. As always, lease contact me with any thoughts you may have as we work hard to generate visitation to the market Scott Schult, executive vice resident of marketing, Scott.Schult@VisitMyrtleBeach.com or (843) VisitMyrtleBeach.com Setember 2009

12 $1,500, % $1,125,000 $750,000 $375, % 30% HORRY COUNTY ADMISSIONS TAX -26.8% -4.5% 1.8% -0.2% -18.4% -10.9% -30.6% -3.5% -25.5% Percentages Shown Are Percent Change From Previous Year $0 Jun 08 Jul 08 Aug 08 Se 08 Oct 08 Nov 08 Dec 08 Jan 09 Feb 09 Mar 09 Ar 09 May 09 $1,252,890 $1,396,305 $1,458,563 $556,258 $617,133 $621,607 $366,849 $300,112 $347,932 $678,792 $987,078 $675,239 $200,000 $150,000 $100,000 $50, % -38.5% 16.8% -27.2% GEORGETOWN COUNTY ADMISSIONS TAX 4.5% 19.9% -25% -4.4% -0.3% -15.1% % -5.7% $0 Jun 08 Jul 08 Aug 08 Se 08 Oct 08 Nov 08 Dec 08 Jan 09 Feb 09 Mar 09 Ar 09 May 09 $63,804 $44,241 $70,375 $61,920 $116,165 $76,208 $36,563 $46,605 $72,635 $116,329 $142,985 $110,496 Convention & Visitors Bureau HORRY COUNTY ACCOMMODATIONS TAX COLLECTION $4,000, % $3,000, % 13.5% 2,000, % -21.4% 1,000, % -7.3% -7.6% -24% -29.5% 3.5% -18.2% $0 Jun 08 Jul 08 Aug 08 Se 08 Oct 08 Nov 08 Dec 08 Jan 09 Feb 09 Mar 09 Ar 09 May 09 $2,592,125 $3,344,604 $2,658,074 $933,300 $669,689 $456,076 $256,469 $269,683 $395,972 $662,891 $1,019,581 $1,149,159 GEORGETOWN COUNTY ACCOMMODATIONS TAX COLLECTION $400,000 $300, % -8.0% 6.4% $200, % $100, % 9.5% -1.7% 18.3% 110.2% -14.4% -18.2% -31.8% $0 Jun 08 Jul 08 Aug 08 Se 08 Oct 08 Nov 08 Dec 08 Jan 09 Feb 09 Mar 09 Ar 09 May 09 $257,285 $324,617 $284,645 $91,491 $56,834 $40,974 $67,004 $17,539 $24,612 $37,800 $70,163 $99,400 Percentages Shown Are Percent Change From Previous Year HORRY COUNTY GROSS RETAIL SALES $1,100,000,000 $825,000,000 $550,000,000 $275,000, % 0.2% 2.3% -20.3% -11.3% -9.9% -16.2% -18.1% -10.5% -15.1% -19.6% -11.3% Percentages Shown Are Percent Change From Previous Year $0 Jun 08 Jul 08 Aug 08 Se 08 Oct 08 Nov 08 Dec 08 Jan 09 Feb 09 Mar 09 Ar 09 May 09 $937,117,351 $1,094,705,034 $918,607,616 $672,118,686 $563,572,991 $540,606,805 $562,613,878 $422,772,834 $517,358,684 $584,583,550 $615,868,513 $668,172,831 GEORGETOWN COUNTY GROSS RETAIL SALES $160,000, % 9.2% -2.6% $120,000, % 1.9% -0.1% 1.0% -6.9% -7.1% -15.1% -24.8% $80,000, % $40,000,000 $0 Jun 08 Jul 08 Aug 08 Se 08 Oct 08 Nov 08 Dec 08 Jan 09 Feb 09 Mar 09 Ar 09 May 09 $158,176,300 $152,022,635 $124,347,100 $111,954,396 $97,503,863 $90,491,183 $93,967,746 $70,648,740 $82,686,714 $94,619,533 $91,775,263 $109,328,268 For more information regarding additional research conducted by the chamber, contact Wendy Bernstein at Wendy.Bernstein@VisitMyrtleBeach.com Sources: S.C. Deartments of PRT and Revenue Setember 2009 VisitMyrtleBeach.com

13 700, , ,000 UNIQUE User Sessions ,000 $0 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY ADVERTISER Referrals ,000, , , ,000 $0 JUN JUL JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL Jan Feb Mar Ar May Jun Jan Feb Mar Ar May Jun % Change 23.95% 31.85% 39.09% 11.52% 2.32% 42.12% % Change 17.01% 28.37% 38.07% 3.88% 3.76% 27.62% , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,952 Jul Aug Set Oct Nov Dec Jul Aug Set Oct Nov Dec % Change 69.30% % Change 53.25% , , , ,973 For more information, contact: Bill.Rosenthal@VisitMyrtleBeach.com YEAR OVER YEAR YTD Referral Click % Change* Category % Change Lodging % Amusements +4.97% Theaters +9.62% Dining % Shoing % Watersorts % Weddings % Golf % Additional Services % * Jan. 1 - July 31 Convention & Visitors Bureau OCCUPANCY PERCENT PER ROOM WEEK* (June 28, Aug 8, 2009) AVERAGE DAILY RATE PER ROOM WEEK* (June 28, Aug 8, 2009) MAY AIRPORT ARRIVALS 100% 82.70% 83.78% $150 $ $ ,000 75% $120 60,000 PERCENT 50% 25% DOLLARS $90 $60 $30 ARRIVALS 40,000 20,000 0% Jan Feb Mar Ar May Jun % 40.09% 49.82% 52.82% 50.13% 67.79% % 49.96% 55.21% 54.75% 45.91% 65.42% % 53.01% 64.18% 69.10% 60.85% 74.59% $ Jan Feb Mar Ar May Jun 2009 $55.45 $67.68 $81.07 $97.33 $91.73 $ $58.54 $73.02 $82.28 $99.05 $89.34 $ $55.95 $71.90 $83.84 $98.29 $ $ Change Arrivals 79,198 70, % Jul Aug Set Oct Nov Dec Jul Aug Set Oct Nov Dec % 73.73% 52.17% 55.87% 39.88% 25.22% % 75.78% 62.40% 54.25% 39.86% 24.74% 2008 $ $ $83.14 $77.98 $69.80 $ $ $ $93.15 $76.80 $68.82 $59.20 *Dr. Taylor Damonte, Director Clay Brittain, Jr. Center for Resort Tourism Coastal Carolina University tdamonte@coastal.edu Source: Horry County Deartment of Airorts HELP US HELP YOU Provide data to CCU By sending in your weekly numbers, you will be roviding valuable data that hels us to kee udated information. For more information, lease contact Dr. Taylor Damonte, director of Clay Brittain, Jr. Center for Resort Tourism at Coastal Carolina University, tdamonte@coastal.edu. VisitMyrtleBeach.com Setember 2009

14 2009 SEASON OF CELEBRATION holiday guide Convention & Visitors Bureau Time is running out to secure ad sace in the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce 2009 Season of Celebration holiday guide. Details Myrtle Beach Holiday Guide 4/4 color guide 8 x 10 60# coated stock First come, first serve. Limited sace available chamber members only. More than 1.1 million coies distributed as a newsaer insert in strategic markets in NC, SC, TN and VA, within drive-time distance of Myrtle Beach. REGISTER TODAY Distribution: November 2009 Chamber Member Ad Details Full-color, 3.75 wide x 4.5 high Ad Cost: $3,800 Ad Sales Close: Set.10 Artwork Deadline: Set. 17 All Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce/CVB members are invited to attend the Marketing Council luncheon and meeting on Wednesday, Set. 23 at noon at the Crown Reef Resort Conference Center, 2913 S. Ocean Blvd., Myrtle Beach. John Pelletier from Equation Research will rovide a resentation on research that gauges fall travel trends. Taylor Damonte from Coastal Carolina University will rovide an economic udate on the summer tourist season. Following the resentation there will be a question and answer session. Register online at MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com, click on Events Calendar at to of age. For more information on this and many other advertising oortunities, contact Visit Media at (843) or (843) Where in the world is the CVB? Aug. 28- Set Student Youth Travel Association Norfolk, VA Set Affordable Meetings National Washington, D.C., Set. 16 PYM Live Event Atlanta, GA. (Plan Your Meetings) CVB-Grou Sales is busy this month welcoming 18 grous with 1,905 attendees. Myrtle Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Insider is ublished monthly by the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, 1200 N. Oak St., Myrtle Beach, SC If you have story ideas or questions, lease contact Pat Creed, membershi rograms manager and CVB member liaison, at Pat.Creed@VisitMyrtleBeach.com or (843) Printed by Inlet Printing Co. Setember 2009 VisitMyrtleBeach.com

15 GRAND strander BROCHURE RACK dislay and distribution service CO OP CORNER The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce advertising co-os rovide an oortunity to take advantage of negotiated discounted rates in order to stretch ad budgets. The range of co-os available include a variety of online romotions, blasts, magazines and newsaer inserts. Also, the chamber will rovide online creative suort if needed by articiants. To learn more about these exciting oortunities and to find the right fit for your marketing rogram, contact Lynne Boykin, The Brandon Agency, at (843) or Lboykin@thebrandonagency.com. For a comlete list of co-os, go to MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com and click on Marketing Strategies. Sace is limited for each oortunity and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. To secure the discounted rates, each co-o must sell out in order for it to run. Earlier this year, your Convention and Visitors Bureau/ Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce offered a brochure rack service free of charge to articiants in the chamber s out-of-market advertising camaign cooerative. The rogram is roving to be a success with 97 lodging members suorting their nonlodging CVB artners by lacing the racks at their roerties. And there s more good news in that several hotels have recently asked to have racks installed, increasing the resence the CVB can offer to the advertisers, noted Scott Head, MBACC advertising sales manager. We anticiate a 12 ercent to 15 ercent increase in distributions in 2010, Head exlained. Sea Mist Oceanfront Resort is one of 97 CVB members articiating in the brochure rack dislay and distribution service. These beautifully cra ed wood brochure racks save sace while allowing guests easy access to literature. The dislay racks exhibit brochures in an orderly and attractive manner. Clear lexiglass front rotects literature while offering full visibility. The racks come in two styles: wall mounted or floor standing. Coastal Distribution Service services and maintains the racks. Only brochures of non-lodging members articiating in the out-of-market advertising camaign cooerative will be laced in the racks. This will assist the chamber in growing the rogram and collecting additional outof-market advertising dollars to romote the Myrtle Beach area. To learn more about the brochure rack dislay and distribution service, go to MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com and click on Marketing Strategies. Travel Weekly Ultimate Hotel Guide Now more than ever, it is imortant to romote your business. Travel Weeklys Ultimate Hotel Guide is the industry s most comrehensive travel guide. More than 150,000 travel agents refer to UHG throughout the year to find hotel listings, destination information, editorial insight and more. Plus bonus circulation at the 2010 US Travel Association POW WOW. Circulation: 150,000 travel agents Material Deadline: Set. 28 Ad Cost: 1/4 age, 4-color $3250 1/2 age, 4-color $5745 Full age, 4-color $10,820 Ask about the Ultimate Package and Exanded Online Listing

16 GRAND strander A BROAD LOOK at emloyment trends in the City of Myrtle Beach In last month s column, I took a ste back from the current economic downturn and focused instead on more broad and long-term emloyment trends in Horry County. For this month s column I will rovide a similar broad view with a focus on emloyment trends within the City of Myrtle Beach. In 2008, the labor force within the City of Myrtle Beach was estimated at 18,889. This reresents the number of Myrtle Beach residents who were either working or actively seeking work. This reresented a 37.5 ercent increase over the 2000 labor force estimate of 13,738. Of the 18,889 Myrtle Beach residents in the labor force in 2008, 16,597 were emloyed while 2,292 were unemloyed. This resulted in a city-level unemloyment rate of 12.1 ercent in From 1990 to 2005, Myrtle Beach s unemloyment rate was nearly identical to Horry County s unemloyment rate. Over this eriod, the jobless rate in the City of Myrtle Beach was an average of about 0.2 ercentage oints above the county rate. However, from 2006 to 2008, Myrtle Beach s jobless rate rose sharly against Horry County s rate. By 2008, the city s jobless rate of 12.1 ercent was 5 full ercentage oints greater than the countywide average. The increase in the city s unemloyment rate since 2006 was caused by ongoing growth in the size of the city s labor force couled with essentially flat emloyment levels. It is imortant to note, however, that city-level data on unemloyment can be subject to otentially large revisions that could alter these recent trends. Emloyment and unemloyment in Myrtle Beach is highly seasonal as it is countywide. Seasonal hiring trends tyically lead to swings in the city s unemloyment rate of roughly 6 ercentage oints between the winter and summer seasons. A relatively new data source made available through the Local Emloyment Dynamics (LED) rogram of the U.S. Census Bureau allows for a more detailed look at industry-level emloyment for even very small areas. With these data, it is ossible to form a comrehensive view of the sector-level distribution of jobs located within the city limits of Myrtle Beach. These data are currently available for 2002 through In 2002, there were a total of 36,473 jobs within the City of Myrtle Beach. As of 2006, the job count had increased to 40,664. These job totals reresent the total number of ositions within the city, whereas the figures given earlier relative to emloyment and unemloyment reresent the status of city residents regardless of where they work. Here, these job counts reresent ositions within the city regardless of where the workers live. In 2006, the largest sectors within the city included Accommodations and Food Services with 35.4 ercent of all jobs, Retail Trade with 12.9 ercent of jobs, and Construction at 8.3 ercent. Horry County s economy is heavily dominated by tourism, retail and construction activity. Myrtle Beach is the center of the area s tourism sector, and as such is even more reliant on tourism-related jobs as a major source of economic activity, emloyment, sales and income. Another way to consider industry-level emloyment is to look at emloyment trends of city residents. That is, the revious data summarized the tyes of jobs located within the Myrtle Beach city limits, but it also can be useful to consider the emloyment atterns of residents of Myrtle Beach regardless of where these residents work. According to the LED data, 14,305 city residents were emloyed during Generally, similar atterns emerge from these data. The to three sectors emloying Myrtle Beach residents are Accommodations and Food Services (29.4 ercent), Retail Trade (14.3 ercent), and Construction (7.5 ercent). The LED data also allow for a breakdown of emloyment by different earnings levels. Secifically, the distribution of jobs within Myrtle Beach can be analyzed for three earning ranges: $1,200 er month or less, $1,201 to $3,400 er month, and more than $3,400 er month. Of the 40,664 jobs located within Myrtle Beach during 2006, 16,834 jobs (41.4 ercent) generated earnings of less than $1,200 er month. Another 17,429 jobs (42.9 ercent) rovided earnings between $1,201 DON SCHUNK is a research economist with the BB&T Center for Economic and Community Develoment at Coastal Carolina University. He develos and maintains a database of regional economic indicators and ublishes economic forecasts; serves as a liaison with the area business community and state and local governments; and writes a monthly column for the Grand Strander.

17 GR and $3,400 er month. Meanwhile, there were 6,401 jobs (15.7 ercent) in the highest range of more than $3,400 er month. Consider the city s largest emloying sector, Accommodations and Food Services. Of 14,384 total jobs in this sector, 8,685 (51.6 ercent) have total earnings of less than $1,200 er month. Another 5,012 jobs (28.8 ercent) in the sector have earnings of $1,201 and $3,400. Meanwhile, 687 hotel and restaurant jobs (10.7 ercent) fall in the highest earning category of more than $3,400 er month. Next consider the role of manufacturing and government (ublic administration) jobs within the City of Myrtle Beach. In total, manufacturing makes u just 3.4 ercent of all jobs, and government jobs account for another 3.2 ercent of all ositions in the city. However, when looking at the highest aying jobs in Myrtle Beach, the manufacturing sector accounts for 8.7 ercent and ublic administration makes u another 6.7 ercent. Taken together, these two sectors account for 6.6 ercent of total emloyment in Myrtle Beach, but they are resonsible for 15.4 ercent of the highest aying jobs in Myrtle Beach. The same attern also holds true for the Finance and Insurance and Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services sectors. These data may do little more than confirm the emloyment atterns most eole already susect are true for the City of Myrtle Beach. But, it is imortant to be able to backu susicions with actual data, and this month s column rovides a short examle of the tyes of data that are readily available for those hoing to better understand the local economy. ECONOMIC Indicators RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION PERMITS MAY 2009 LOCATION Myrtle Beach Unincororated North Myrtle Beach Surfside Beach Georgetown County Single Family Units Single Family Units Cost $577,373 $10,511,656 $2,277,485 $155,535 $3,327,871 Multi-Family Bldgs Multi-Family Units Multi-Family Bldgs. Cost $0 $0 $3,566,038 $0 $0 RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION PERMITS MAY 2008 LOCATION Myrtle Beach Unincororated North Myrtle Beach Surfside Beach Georgetown County Single Family Units Single Family Units Cost $3,393,285 $25,748,070 $3,393,285 $225,000 $6,284,641 Multi-Family Bldgs Multi-Family Units Multi-Family Bldgs. Cost $0 $1,144,000 $5,794,811 $0 $421,429 ADDITIONAL ECONOMIC INDICATORS Monthly statistics for the following economic indicators can be found in the CVB Insider secial section of the Grand Strander: Accommodations Tax Collections Admissions Tax Airort Activity Gross Retail Sales Sources: Bureau of the Census, S.C. Emloyment Commission

18 New Members GRAND strander A Plus Pest Control Pest Control-Pest Management Jeff Covington 4335 Dick Pond Rd., Ste. 409 Myrtle Beach, SC (843) Asen Grille Restaurant-Fine Dining Curry Martin 5101 N. Kings Hwy. Myrtle Beach, SC (843) asen-grille.com Bar Harbor Motor Inn Hotel-Motel Randy Howell 100 N. Ocean Blvd. Myrtle Beach, SC (843) (800) bar-harbor.com Bellacino s Pizza & Grinders Restaurant-Pizza Heather Boettger 7223 N. Kings Hwy. Myrtle Beach, SC (843) bellacinos.com Bike Doctor of the Carolinas, Inc. Bicycles Kelly Dennis 315 Sea Mountain Hwy. North Myrtle Beach, SC (843) (800) Bob Evans Restaurant Restaurant-Family Walter Boswell 3384 Waccamaw Blvd. Myrtle Beach, SC (843) BobEvans.com a a a r t r t r t Hositality a Hositality n e n e n e Hositality r s h r s h r s h i i i Hositality r t n e r s h i Bob Evans Restaurant Restaurant-Family Cynthia King 175 Brookton Cir. Myrtle Beach, SC (843) BobEvans.com Cabana Shores Hotel Hotel-Motel King Martin 5701 N. Ocean Blvd. Myrtle Beach, SC (843) (800) CabanaShores.com CCA, Inc. - Ronn Huggins Develoment/Building Contractors-General Ronn Huggins 750-E Howard Ave. Myrtle Beach, SC (843) ronnhugginsllc.com Coastal Youth Ballet Theatre Organizations/Clubs Liza Mata 3554 Old Kings Hwy., Ste. B Murrells Inlet, SC (843) coastalyouthballettheatre.org Crystal Lee Photograhy Photograhers Crystal Kiser 917 Marshfield Cir., #205 Myrtle Beach, SC (843) CrystalLeePhotograhy.com First American Title Insurance Comany Real Estate-Services Misty Shaffer 200 Center Point Cir., Ste. 250 Columbia, SC (803) (800) firstam.com a a r t Hositality r t n e n e r s h Hositality r s h i i First Bank Banks C. Renee Cummins 1232 Farrow Pkwy., Ste. 100 Myrtle Beach, SC (843) FirstBancor.com Grand Strand Law Grou, LLC Attorneys Angie Knight 522-C Broadway Myrtle Beach, SC (843) grandstrandlawgrou.com Indigo Pool & Sa, Inc. Contractors-General Jonathan Baiden 5335 N. Kings Hwy., Ste. 112 Myrtle Beach, SC (843) indigooolandsa.com Local Ad Link Advertising-Secialties Kevin Clay 4001 N. Ocean Blvd.. Unit 2D North Myrtle Beach, SC (704) localadlink.net/krockrocks Mike Jeffreys Consulting, LLC Consultants Michael Jeffreys 659 Bluebird Ln. Murrells Inlet, SC (843) mikejeffreys.com Myrtle Beach Ritides Swim Team Sorts-General James Smith th Ave. N. Myrtle Beach, SC (843) teamritides.com MyrtleBeachResorts.com Vacation-Packaging Patrick Norton th Ave. N. Myrtle Beach, SC (843) MyrtleBeachResort.com NAVIS Technology Bill Schlosser 40 N.W. Greenwood Bend, OR (541) (800) Night Time Golf Golf-Services Jim Driver 108 Furman Cir. Conway, SC (843) R&S Food Safety Training, LLC Hositality-Training Program Robert Adams PO Box 140 Cassatt, SC (803) rsfoodtraining.org Rooter Exress/Legrande s Plumbing Plumbing-Contractors Latana Grainger 209 Labonte St. Conway, SC (843) legrandesrooterexress.com SC Chater Community Associations Institute Organizations/Clubs Kati Segar PO Box 3592 Myrtle Beach, SC (843) cai-sc.net a Hositality r t n e r s h i

19 GRAND A D GRAND strander Business Bulletin Sticky Fingers Rib House Restaurant-Casual Renae Ahring 2461 Coastal Grand Cir. Myrtle Beach, SC (843) StickyFingers.com SuerCous of the Grand Strand Advertising-Agencies/Consultants Beth Cosey 4758 Harvest Dr. Myrtle Beach, SC (843) suercous.com System Oerations/Fareless.com Travel-Agencies Cheryl Holowacz 827 Clarion Ct. Myrtle Beach, SC (843) fareless.com/contactbox.html The Meeting Institute Training Eileen Soisson 4929 Southgate Pkwy. Myrtle Beach, SC (843) themeetinginstitute.com Wheels of Yesteryear Museums Carol Cummings 413 Hositality Ln. Myrtle Beach, SC (843) musclecarsandmore.com a a Hositality r t n e Hositality r t n e r s h r s h i i ON THE WEB GrandStrandOnline.com and arent comany, Loggerhead Marketing LLC. announced the launching of a new Web site for Brian Peters of Grand Strand Merchant Services. Peter s Web site can be seen at GrandStrandMerchantServices.com. INSIDE TRACKS RE/MAX Southern Lifestyles welcomed Christine Smithson Clark to their team of agents. CONTINUING EDUCATION RE/MAX Southern Lifestyles agents Mike Best, Jeff Casterline, Kristy Kulcsar, Doug Procter and Darren Woodard recently comleted 100 Days to Greatness a comrehensive business develoment and ersonal growth rogram. 100 Days to Greatness teaches the fundamentals of working by referral and shows real estate rofessionals how to rovide excellent customer service before, during and a er every transaction. RE/MAX Southern Lifestyles Realtors, Darren Woodard and Matt Harer, have earned the Certified Distressed Proerty Exert designation, having comleted extensive training in foreclosure avoidance and short sales. ON THE LEADING EDGE Ocean Lakes Family Camground, a subsidiary of The Jackson Comanies, has launched a new rogram aimed at heling reduce the environmental imact of the camground and its guests, called the icare Program. The unique aroach uses the slogan Action and Awareness Count, and encourages guest resonsibility and education. The icare Program comliments the efforts of Horry County Storm Water Management and focuses on et waste (et ollution), litter and recycling. Guests checking in to the camground are asked to use the icare Kit to ick u a er their ets. The icare rogram also encourages guests to hel clean u beach litter. Gloves and secially marked bags are available at the icare stations. COMMUNITY SERVICE As art of the firm s 25th anniversary, Collins & Lacy P.C. recently made a donation of 25 books to the Chain Memorial Library. The Chain Memorial Library, together with the firm, selected a variety of books relating to legal subject matters, as well as South Carolina history. CHEERS McNair Law Firm P.A. announced that Henrietta Golding Labor and Emloyment Law, and Lynn Gatlin Stevens Real Estate Law, were selected by their eers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America Best Lawyers is based on an exhaustive eer-review survey in which more than 24,000 leading attorneys cast almost three million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their secialties. The Waccamaw Community Foundation has announced that Blakely Jenkins, membershi & community rograms manager and gsscene liaison with the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce is the 2009 Myrtle Beach reciient, Young Professionals Award. The Young Professionals Awards, sonsored by Smith, Sa, Bookhout, Crumler & Calliham, recognize individuals for their hilanthroic and civic-minded endeavors. Waccamaw Media Inc. has been selected to roduce 20 new career videos for US Careers Online/Tillman School of Business, Mount Olive College, Mt. Olive, N.C. Targeted for young high school students as they reare to make decisions about their careers, the video series will offer in-deth looks at each career and the otential for emloyment in that field for the future. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Broadcasting & Cable magazine covered the first year anniversary of WMBF News. Raycom Media launched WMBF on Aug. 8, an NBC affiliate it built from scratch. The article noted that the hectic first year included everything from troical storms to harrowing wildfires. NEW LOCATION Carolina Trust Federal Credit Union recently celebrated the grand oening of its new Holmestown Road branch at 4254 Holmestown Road across from The Gates community. SHARE YOUR NEWS Send in your comany s news for the monthly Business Bulletin. This section recognizes new emloyees, staff romotions, relocations and exansions, awards, class and convention at tendance, new Web sites, and year-end accomlishments for to real estate roducers/sales. Send udates (under 75 words) by the 5th of each month to Kori.Hie@VisitMyrtleBeach.com.

20 CHAMBER ACCESS KEY TO SUCCESS GRAND strander Chamber Access gains you entry to all your member benefits it s the total access ass. This informative orientation rogram is for new chamber members, new emloyees at member businesses, and longstanding members that would like an udate on their benefits. Here s your chance to meet chamber staff, introduce your business/organization, and familiarize yourself with chamber benefits. Join us at the Set. 29 gathering (See Page 3) and discover the key to getting the most out of chamber membershi. Register at MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com, click on Education Programs. The following members attended the July member orientation recetion: (Back Row, Le to Right) Lillian Krieger, Zonta Club of Myrtle Beach; Kelly O Neill-Bagwell, Zonta Club of Myrtle Beach; Kimmie Tomlinson, Events on the Half Shell; Emily McFadden, Atlantic Eye Associates; Debbie Idol, Events on the Half Shell; Elise Angell, CentraArchy Restaurant Management Comany; Shayla Livingston, The Lowcountry Food Bank; Tim Retter, Plantation Storage; Norma Jean Knobel, Jani King of Myrtle Beach; David Lowe, Jani King of Myrtle Beach. (Front Row, Le to Right) Iris Dian, What s Shakin; Ann Smith, What s Shakin; Donna Riser, Peertree Ocean Club; Elizabeth Taylor, Harry & David. U. S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE As a small business member of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, you can enjoy comlimentary membershi in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce it's a value-added benefit of MBACC membershi. Your U.S. Chamber benefits include: Small Business Center A library of resources is at your fingertis. Members enjoy unlimited, 24-hour access to more than 10,000 ages on the U. S. Chamber s online Small Business Center, including membersonly section containing business forms and documents, financial toolkits and tis on taxes. Plus there s a section on greening your small business. uschamber.com/sb uschamber.com Weekly What's in it: Small business news, economic reorts, toolkits, and analysis of the issues that are imacting you and your bottom line. Every week, the inside scoo just for you. What are you waiting for? uschamber.com/ublications/weekly Issues & Actions Resources include grassroots alerts, olicy riorities, litigation center and more. uschamber.com/issues Discounts on Programs and Services Offered Through the U.S. Chamber's Affinity Partners Avis, Budget, FedEx, Monster and Sam s Club. uschamber.com/member/benefits Use your U.S. Chamber member number to access the benefits and log into the Small Business Center at uschamber.com/sb. If you did not receive your U.S. Chamber membershi number via , lease contact the U.S. Chamber customer service at (800) or CustSvc@USChamber.com. Thanks to BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina for roviding refreshments for the recetion.

21 GRAND strander NETWORKING ONE ON ONE by Blakely Jenkins, membershi & community rograms manager, gsscene liaison gsscene UPCOMING gsscene EVENTS (Register at gsscene.com) Does anybody really like to go to a big arty and not know anyone? Yes, there are those few eole that are the social butterflies of the grou. They talk to everyone, even if they have never met! But for most eole, it s not that simle. gsscene realizes that it s not always easy to network in large crowds and it can be uncomfortable joining a grou where you know no one. So we have created two rograms to ease our members into networking. The first one is Morning Rush Small Networking Grou. This bimonthly event is always held at Croissants Bistro & Bakery and is limited to 30 gsscene members. And beware if your late, you will miss out! Attendees are asked to arrive at 7:45 a.m. Everyone gets to enjoy an amazing breakfast reared by Croissants. At 8:15 a.m. shar the Morning Rush begins. Each erson is given a number and must sit in numerical order. Attendees are sat at long tables facing another erson. A bell dings and you have two minutes to get to know the erson across from you and talk about yourself. A er the time exires everyone shi s to their le. The urose is to give everyone one-on-one time with all the attendees. No awkward aroach, no large crowds. The second rogram falls under the Membershi Committee. All members of this committee will be given the name and contact info of a new member that joined in the ast month. For the next month the old gsscene member initiates contact with the new member, invites them to gsscene functions, and gives the new member a familiar face when they arrive at events. The membershi committee likes to think of themselves as the Welcome Wagon for gsscene. Set. 9 7:45-9 a.m. Morning Rush Small Networking Grou Croissants Bistro & Bakery, Myrtle Beach gsscene realizes that it s hard to network, esecially at the large socials! So we created Morning Rush a networking event limited to 30 eole where you learn a whole new way of getting to know other young rofessionals. The event will take lace at Croissants Bistro & Bakery where members can enjoy breakfast comlimentary of Croissants. Please note you must arrive on time to articiate in this event. Set. 19 8:30-11 a.m. Community Service Project Beach Swee Myrtle Beach State Park-Shelter B2 The Beach Swee/River Swee is South Carolina s largest one-day volunteer cleanu event of its kind. Last year, gsscene had 45+ articiants and collected more than five cans of recyclable materials, one dumster full of trash and 10,000+ cigarette butts. With such ast success gsscene decided to hel clean u the beach again! Both rograms were created to give gsscene members what they asked for: More networking in a more comfortable setting. Thanks to our generous gsscene sonsors: Log onto gsscene.com to learn more about these rograms or to register for Morning Rush. Boling & Associates, Inc.

22 HOSPITALITY Partnershi GRAND strander MBAHA LAUNCHES Green Clean Safe certification rogram The Myrtle Beach Area Hositality Association has launched the ilot rogram for its Green Clean Safe certification rogram at Staybridge Suites. Staybridge Suites and Hilton Garden Inn, the two lodging roerties in the rogram, will benefit from the ilot rogram grant, funded through the Waccamaw Regional Council of Governments. The certification sets standards for the three areas imacting the quality and reutation of local businesses and the Myrtle Beach destination. Green travel can also mean staying at a green lodging roerty. Secifically, the certification rogram addresses the following toics: Green Being environmental friendly and becoming more aware of avenues to reduce water, fuel and energy consumtion. Also recycling and taking stes to rotect the environment by ongoing imrovements to structures and roerty. Clean Cleanliness of businesses not just restaurant and lodging roerties. Becoming roactive to revent outbreaks of bed bugs, flus and viruses. Safe Taking a roactive aroach from harmful activities and andemic flu to name just a few. Also, taking the necessary stes to rotect visitors and residents from hazards on the roerty, working with local olice to rovide hysical safety and to develo emergency lans to include rocedures for informing guests of local dangers and evacuations during hurricanes or fires. A er rogram comletion, the business can romote the certification to customers, who o en consider these factors when choosing to do business or visit the Grand Strand. The business will be given a Green Clean Safe certificate and static decal to dislay, the logo for their Web site and other marketing uses and lael ins for staff. To learn more about the Green Clean Safe rogram, contact the Myrtle Beach Area Hositality Association at (843) a Hositality r t n e r s h i SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN Reserve your Christmas Towne booth today by Julie Sluss, festivals & secial events manager Christmas Towne, Horry County s remier free community holiday event, will take lace Dec. 13 from 1 to 7.m. at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center outdoor events laza. In an effort to exand the event, Christmas Towne will now be on Sunday with extended event hours. The event will carry on the tradition of roviding a wide variety of free activities and entertainment for families and children during the holiday season. There will be lots of booths with free children rojects, free refreshments, free hotos with Santa and free musical entertainment. And of course, we ll have the official lighting of the city s Christmas tree to get everyone in the holiday sirit! Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce members have an oortunity to urchase a 10-by-10 romotional sace at Christmas Towne for $50 without electricity or $75 with electricity. Due to sace limitations, only 25 booth saces will be available. All members need to do is agree to rovide a meaningful activity for children in their dislay area. Members are allowed to dislay signage or romotional material in their sace, but are not allowed to sell goods due to the free community nature of the event. This benefit is limited to select members that are aroved for articiation by an event committee. To articiate, go online to ChristmasTowne.com and fill out the dislay sace alication and return by Nov. 6. This is one of many great oortunities rovided to our membershi to show community suort during the holiday season. Sonsorshis are available for an affordable rice. With more than 8,000 in attendance last year and the extended hours this year, this will rovide your business with valuable romotion and a substantial return on investment. Visit ChristmasTowne.com for more information.

23 GRAND strander SEPTEMBER OCTOBER Calendar Date Time Event Learn More May-Oct Varies 56th Annual Grand Strand Fishing Rodeo GrandStrandFishingRodeo.com Se 4-5 Varies Beach, Boogie & BBQ Festival BeachBoogieBarbequeFestival.com Se 8 8 a.m. Myrtle Beach Ambassadors Pat Creed, Se 8 9 a.m. Small Business Council Shannon Haswell, Se 8 9:30 a.m. Grand Strand Fishing Rodeo Committee Julie Sluss, Se 9 7:45-9 a.m. gsscene: Morning Rush Small Networking Grou gsscene.com* Se 9 8 a.m. South Strand Ambassadors Pat Creed, Se 10 7:30-9:15 a.m. Connections Marketlace MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com* Se 10 8:30 a.m. North Strand Council/Membershi Mixer MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com* Se 10 4.m. Young Professionals Council Blakely Jenkins, Se 15 9 a.m.-12.m. Chamber Academy: Maximizing Your Sales Results ChamberAcademy.com* Se 15 2:30.m. Finance Review Committee Shirley Landry, Se 15 3:30.m. Board of Directors Kate Miles, Se 16-Nov m. Chamber Academy: FastTrac Growth Venture ChamberAcademy.com* Se 17 8:30 a.m.-noon Home-Based Business Worksho MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com* Se 19 8:30-11 a.m. gsscene: Community Service Project Beach Swee gsscene.com* Se a.m. First Year Member Recetion Pat Creed, * Se m. Marketing Council Luncheon Meeting MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com* Se 24 8:30-10:30 a.m. Chamber Academy: Hot Toics in Emloyment Law ChamberAcademy.com* Se 24 4:15-7.m. Business A er Hours at Bay Watch Resort MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com* Se 25 9 a.m. Legislative Policy Council Kate Miles, Se 29 9 a.m. Chamber Access MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com* Se 29 9 a.m.-3.m. Chamber Academy: Revenue Strategy Summit ChamberAcademy.com* Oct 6 2:30.m. CVB - Grou Sales Committee Michelle Schollmeyer, Oct 6 5:30-8.m. Chamber Volunteer Celebration Kema Faulk, Oct 8 7:30-9:15 a.m. Connections Marketlace MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com* Oct 13 8 a.m. Myrtle Beach Ambassadors Pat Creed, Oct 13 9 a.m.- 12.m. Chamber Academy: Basic Excel ChamberAcademy.com* Oct 13 9:30 a.m. Grand Strand Fishing Rodeo Committee Julie Sluss, Oct 14 8 a.m. South Strand Ambassadors Pat Creed, Oct a.m. Chamber Academy: Financial Choices That Matter Most ChamberAcademy.com* Oct 20 2:30.m. Finance Review Committee Shirley Landry, Oct 27 3.m. Chamber Access MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com* Oct 28 8 a.m.-2:30.m. Annual Membershi Meeting MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com* Oct 29 9 a.m.-12.m. Chamber Academy: Basic Excel ChamberAcademy.com* For the most current meeting/event dates and times, go to MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com. GRAND STRANDER Kori Hie Member Communications Manager Kori.Hie@VisitMyrtleBeach.com Diana Greene Executive Vice President Membershi Programs & Services Grand Strander Issue 673 July 2009 (ISSN ) is ublished 12 times a year by Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, 1200 N. Oak St., Myrtle Beach, SC Periodical ostage aid at Myrtle Beach, SC POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Membershi Division, Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 2115, Myrtle Beach, SC Check us out on the Web For more information about member benefits, ucoming events and business udates, visit us online at MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com. Advertising Inquiries Reach more than 2,500 business leaders by advertising in the Grand Strander. Scott Head advertising sales manager (843) or Scott.Head@VisitMyrtleBeach.com Member Services Area Code: (843) General Information: Membershi Sales: or 7220 Advertising Sales: Public Relations: Marketing: Research: Festivals & Events: Executive: CVB-Grou Sales: gsscene: Leadershi Grand Strand: Hositality Partnershi: Grand Strander is rinted by Inlet Printing Co.

24 GRAND strander AMBASSADORS Ambassadors are a grou of dedicated volunteers from various businesses throughout the Grand Strand community. Their mission is to welcome current members and recruit new chamber members. Ambassadors serve as goodwill reresentatives at various chamber functions and aid in the suort of members. This month, the Grand Strander took a moment to check in with Alex Naish, an ambassador with the chamber for only six months, to find out why he enjoys being an ambassador. To learn more about becoming a chamber ambassador, visit MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com and click on Member Resources/Ambassador or contact Pat Creed, membershi rograms manager, at (843) or Pat.Creed@VisitMyrtleBeach.com. 4 1/2 QUESTIONS WITH ALEX NAISH Alex Naish Nilson Van & Storage, Mayflower Moving Consultant/Sales How long have you been an ambassador? Six Months Q. What romted you to volunteer as a chamber ambassador? A. I volunteered as a chamber ambassador to increase my networking within the business community and to meet fellow business associates. Q. What do you like most about being a chamber ambassador? A. What I like most is the access that you get to other businesses in the area and the networking. Q. How has the investment of time as a chamber ambassador advanced your career or business? A. It has advanced my business by being able to get in front of others who may need my service that may not have otherwise known about us. Q. What is your best advice for making the most of chamber membershi? A. My best advice would be to devote your time and listen to what others in the community have to say because it could hel you. Q. Give us your 30 second elevator seech about your business. A. We are a local and long distance moving and storage comany secializing in household goods and office relocation. We also offer storage, acking and international relocation.

25 GRAND strander RIBBBON CUTTING CEREMONY Your Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce conducts ribbon-cutting ceremonies as a value-added benefit included in your membershi investment. We bring the camera, oversized scissors and, of course, the ribbon. A grand oening, an exansion, an anniversary or a move to a new facility is made more secial with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Plus, it s a great way to introduce your business to the community and fellow chamber members. If you re a home-based business, give us a call and we ll hold a secial ceremony here at the chamber just for you. Your event can be as simle, informal, extravagant or ceremonious as you want it to be. It's your event and should reflect your comany's values and ersonality. Ribbon-cutting announcements are included in the Grand Strander, which is mailed to our 2,400 lus members, and hotos aear in the online edition of the oular newsletter. The chamber s ambassadors attend ribbon-cutting ceremonies on behalf of the members. Having ambassadors at the ceremony rovides an excellent networking and ublicity oortunity. Tidelands Hosice Resale Sho 1139 N. Fraser St. Georgetown, SC (843) tidelandshosice.org