2022 Annual Report

2022 Annual Report

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Leadership Message

There’s a saying: “Punching above your weight.” It came from the world of boxing but has come to define an individual or organization that performs at a level of excellence that exceeds expectations. In 2022, your chamber has been doing just that on a number of fronts.

We were honored to once again be a National Chamber of the Year finalist alongside Dallas, Texas – a city of over a million residents – and Portland, Oregon. We didn’t earn it based on our size, but on our impact.

Being chosen as a finalist personifies what it means to punch above our weight. It’s an honor earned by those you see in the pages of our annual report: our members, the leadership of our board, our dedicated staff, volunteers and a community committed to setting the bar.

The following pages are filled with highlights from a body of work that has made a positive impact on how our community works and how we live.

Whether it’s launching the Kingdom Cup golf tournament, working with the TODAY Show to feature the best of the Lowcountry, supporting small business, or leading our 2.8 billiondollar tourism industry, our focus is always on ensuring our vibrant region continues to be a great place to do business and call home.

In 2022, you talked, and we listened. We annually ask thousands of our members and our residents in our community sentiment survey what matters. We use that input to continue shaping a positive present and future for our region.

We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished together in 2022 and are optimistic and positive about the year ahead.

Our community is the heart of who we are. Your partnership makes that possible. Thank you!

Our community is the heart of who we are. Your partnership makes that possible.

Mission, Vision & Values

OUR MISSION

Stimulate the regional economy while enhancing quality of life for all.

OUR VISION

A welcoming, world-class community embracing nature, culture and economic vibrancy for residents and visitors.

OUR VALUES

The Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce is a professional, results-driven and innovative organization for our partners and our community by being: Ethical, Accountable, Pragmatic, Visionary, and Compassionate.

Our 5 Pillars

MEMBERSHIP

Connecting the Community

EDUCATION

Helping Businesses Succeed

Working On Your Behalf

1,350+ Members strong

5-Star accredited Chamber of Commerce by the U.S. Chamber (in the top 1.7% of chambers nationwide)

3-Time National Chamber of the Year & 2022 finalist

Networking opportunities Seminars and workshop opportunities to learn and grow

Partnership with Apprenticeship

Carolinas to reinforce the workforce pipeline and hands-on education for students and young adults in the area

Seminars, workshops and programs designed to help your business grow

SCORE offers free and confidential business advice for new and existing businesses

Leadership program has been developing our community leaders for over 35 years

Small business toolkit - learn online about marketing, cash flow and how to hire and retain great employees

Advocate on the local, state and federal level for business-friendly policies

Act as the voice of the business community with lawmakers at the local, state, and federal levels, and meet with lawmakers on behalf of our membership

Formulate a Legislative Agenda annually that guides our advocacy efforts

TOURISM

The Backbone of Our Economy

RESEARCH

Planning & Results

2.8 billion in economic impact from tourism in Beaufort County.

36,919 jobs in Beaufort County generated by Hilton Head tourists in 2021, representing 34.1% of all jobs in Beaufort County

3.4 million website visitors in 2021 with 1.7 million website conversions/referrals to partners

$34.9 million net local revenue impact including hospitality tax, ATAX and beach renourishment fee

One-stop resource for economic impact indicators for our region

ThinkHiltonHeadIsland.org

ThinkBluffton.org

STR Monthly Reports

Destination Metrics

KeyData Reports

Partnerships with: USCB / LRITI Clemson/Regional Transactions Concepts, LLC and College of Charleston

Source: Regional Transactions Concepts, LLC & USCB Lowcountry and Resort Island Tourism Institute, VERB Interactive.

Guiding Principles

a voice and advocate for the business community. the highest ethical standards in all we do. preserve and enhance the prudent growth, of life and character of our region. programs for which there is funding and staffing resources. collaborative partnerships only in areas where the partnership accomplish that which our organization cannot do alone. decisions based on long-term perspective.

We help bolster the business community by connecting, educating, advocating, and facilitating research.

Hilton Head Island is the #1 Island in the U.S.

#1 ISLAND IN THE U.S. FOR THE 6TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR

Your Chamber

Board of Directors

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2022

General

CEO,

General

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Meet Your Chamber Staff

FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION

Membership, Advocacy & Services

&

3-Time National Chamber of the Year by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives

2022 Finalist for National Chamber of the Year alongside Dallas, TX & Portland, OR

5-Star Accredited Chamber of Commerce

We’re in the top 1.7% of 7,000 chambers nationwide in the U.S. that earn this distinction, according to the U.S.Chamber of Commerce

Small Business Week

We celebrated the return of our Small Business Week with Pork in the Parking Lot, a “How To Retain Workforce In An Unpredictable Market” workshop with Scott Beebe, Bluffton Block Party, and “Pop-Ins” to local businesses.

Small Business, Workforce & Education

Named a “Community Champion”

for Small Business Saturday by the U.S. Chamber and American Express.

Partnered with SCORE

to promote its Minority Small Business program.

Hosted over 24 meetings with Public Policy and Business Education Partnership Committees, as well as the Bluffton Regional Business Council.

Guests included students from the Ukraine, Beaufort County School District Superintendent Dr. Frank Rodriguez, Rep. Nancy Mace, Town Managers, and more.

Junior & Senior Leadership

LEADERSHIP

In the past seven class years, leadership classes have raised and invested over $128,000 into the community through class projects.

We welcomed 15 local professionals to the 2022-2023 class.

The class of 2022 graduated, and completed its project: The Bluffton Library Park, a passive park with rotating informational kiosks. In the past seven class years, leadership classes have raised and invested over $128,000 into the community through these projects including the Bluffton Library Park, sunscreen dispensers at Hilton Head Island parks, playground equipment at Oscar Frazier Park, Matthew’s Oak in Shelter Cove Towne Centre, “Follow the Fiddlers” in Old Town Bluffton, signage on Daufuskie Island, and more.

JUNIOR LEADERSHIP

We welcomed 41 students in our 2022-2023 Junior Leadership Class.

Students are from Bluffton High School, Heritage Academy, Hilton Head Christian Academy, Hilton Head High School, Hilton Head Preparatory, John Paul II Catholic School, May River High School, and Cross Schools.

The class of 2022 also celebrated the graduation of 37 students.

Advocacy

Advocacy

Our goal is to be a proactive voice for business and facilitate communication between government and the business community and encourage participation in the public policy realm at the local, state and federal level.

State of the Region

Hosted over 400 business and local leaders to hear from Ashlee Rich Stephenson, Senior Political Strategist at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, about the national landscape ahead of the 2022 Midterm Elections. Our local mayors and county chair also had an update on local issues that matter to you.

SC Chamber “Grassroots” Tour

Hosted the annual SC Chamber “Grassroots” meeting to help craft the upcoming state legislative priorities.

Election Information Hub

Adopt a Polling Place

Legislative Agenda

LOCAL

STATE

Support continuation of Hilton Head Island Real Estate Transfer Fees.

Monitor and work with the Town of Hilton Head Island to create an equitable short-term rental ordinance.

Monitor and encourage involvement and support of the Hwy. 278 Corridor Project.

Encourage regional workforce housing public/ private partnerships.

Support capital investment and expedient construction and permitting for Hilton Head Airport infrastructure improvements.

Enhance local business friendly climate by further streamlining the development process, including permitting costs and timelines.

Support infrastructure that eases workforce transportation and commute challenges.

Join state and regional partners in long-term support and sustainability for Parris Island.

Monitor legislation at the County level related to Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office staffing shortages and residential requirements.

Support lowering individual income tax and reduction of property tax burden on businesses -SC ranks 11th in the nation for the highest property tax burden on businesses.

Support workforce challenges via reskill initiatives, educational and retention support for healthcare workers and improving teacher recruitment and retention efforts.

Advocate for public/private partnerships for workforce housing attainability.

Support fair share liability legal reform.

Support state investment in high-impact tourism marketing by directing resources and support to local and regional DMOs.

AgendaFEDERAL

Support USCB capital investments.

Support for H3620 Hate Crimes Bill.

Monitor and support legislation that gives local municipalities oversight of short-term rentals.

Support funding for greater broadband and water quality infrastructure improvements via the ARPA grant program.

Support of funding for South Carolina’s commercial service airports for capital improvement needs.

Oppose anti-growth tax burdens that disproportionately increase the burden on businesses, especially the small business sector.

Support for expansion and enhancement of job-related Visa programs for seasonal workforce.

Support solvency of the Highway Trust Fund.

Support fiscal responsibility via deficit reduction and entitlement reform.

In partnership with the U.S. Chamber, support legislation that encourages competition in the marketplace without burdensome government interference in our freemarket economy.

Chamber Champions

“One of the reasons we became a Chamber Champion is because of the exposure that we get in the community. It’s the high visibility that it affords us, as well as advertising opportunities. We know that when first-time visitors are coming to the island, they’re likely to visit the Chamber’s website. It gives us exposure early on to potential customers.”

Visitor & Convention Bureau

VISITOR & CONVENTION BUREAU

The Visitor and Convention Bureau is the destination marketing division of the chamber. This division works to increase tourism through its marketing efforts cultivating leisure as well as meetings and group business. The VCB also strives to improve awareness and understanding of the economic impact of tourism to the region.

The chamber is the official Destination Marketing Organization for both the Town of Bluffton and the Town of Hilton Head Island, as well as southern Beaufort County. The VCB is accredited by Destinations International (DI), one of less than 200 accredited DMOs in the world.

It was held in October at Palmetto Oceanfront Resort. The tournament was a collaboration Hilton Head Island and the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport. It was a luxury golf promoted travel to the destination during the fall season.

Welcomed over 80 golfers and guests from two countries to the first annual Kingdom

from 15 states and Cup event.

collaboration between Kingdom Golf, golf and lifestyle event that

Condé Nast in the U.S.

2022 Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport Air Service

New Service: Avelo Airlines has weekly nonstop departures to New Haven, Connecticut.

Breeze Airlines introduced the first nonstop west coast flight, as well as nonstop departures to Columbus, Ohio; Hartford, Connecticut; Los Angeles; New Orleans; Norfolk, Virginia; Westchester, New York; and Providence, Rhode Island.

Our Community Partners

Hilton Head Island

The HiltonHeadIsland.org website is our virtual storefront. The website serves as the window to our destination and plays an integral part in the traveler’s decision making process. The insight and data taken from this platform allows for us to better serve our partners, anticipate trends, and react to consumer behavior.

2022

As a stand-alone website, VisitBluffton.org was launched on March 31, 2021. website has been finely tuned with imagery and a new video series as well as the addition of local advertisers to increase partner referrals and conversions.

Source: Google Analytics

Note: Through October 2022. Due to the launch of the website, data started for the site on April 23, 2021. Therefore, the date range used for YoY Comparison is April 23-October 31, 2022.

Advertisements

Public Relations

Seaside Destinations

10 Best Mother-Daughter Trip Ideas - From Road Trips to Wine Tasting

10 Best U.S. Resorts for your Honeymoon of 2022

13 Best Places to Retire for Golf Lovers Luxury Destinations for a Passport-Free Honeymoon

Tour a Dreamy Hilton Head Beach House

Island Life

Everything We’re Drinking This Sober October

The Best Places to Travel for Christmas

Through Guided Tours, Chef Sallie Ann Robinson Is Preserving Daufuskie Island’s Gullah Geechee History.

Keeping You Informed

The chamber continues to keep you informed of what’s happening in the business community and the chamber through its popular Monday Briefing, 3 Things To Know, and Lowcountry Lowdown e-newsletters.

Spotlight on Our Community

We shine a spotlight on the movers and shakers in the community with our 5 Questions podcast series, and help local owners share their stories through the Faces of Small Business video series.

Chamber Channel Podcast

NOW

Independent Audit Report

The accounting firm Holland, Bromley, Barnhill & Brett, LLP (HBBB) performed the chamber’s annual independent audit in August 2022 and presented the results of the fiscal year 2021-2022 findings at the September 27, 2022 board of directors meeting. The chamber again received an unqualified (clean) opinion from HBBB, which reported that the audit complied with generally accepted accounting principles and revealed no material misstatements, no reportable conditions, no disagreements with management and no management letter.

Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Budget

Budgeted for fiscal year 2023, revenues are $10,082,245 and expenses are $10,080,449, representing a change in unrestricted net assets of $1,796.

Financial Stability

Total cash increased from $2,634,931 to $3,080,888 during the fiscal year. The chamber’s long-term debt remained at $0 since the mortgage for the building was paid off in June 2018.

Transparency

Your chamber is committed to continuing to provide information about its mission, operations, revenue generation, plans and accomplishments in a completely transparent manner. This information, including independent financial audits for the past 10 years, is posted on our website, thinkhiltonheadisland.org.

Financial information is provided to town, county and state officials on an annual basis. Marketing plans are submitted for review and results are reported annually.

Detail as to how accommodations tax dollars are spent is provided each year to elected officials, thus further demonstrating our longterm track record of accountability.

Thank You To Our Members & the Community