World Trade Center Savannah (WTCSav) announces the appointment of four new Board of Directors members, Georgia Exports Company owner Wilson Burns representing Effingham County; Georgia Department of Economic Development Senior Industry Engagement Manager of Logistics Malissa MacKay representing Effingham County; Seaboard Real Estate, Inc., owner and District 1 County Commissioner Kate Pontello Karwacki representing McIntosh County; and U.S. Intermodal Corporation owner Marty Hogan representing Chatham County.
New members of the Executive Committee were also appointed including BankSouth President Laura Moore as Chairwoman, Bonitz of Georgia CEO John Coleman as Vice Chairman, Girls Inc. former CEO and author Joyce Roché as Secretary/Treasurer, Georgia Ports Authority Director of Business Development and International Marketing John Petrino as Immediate Past President and National Office Systems owner Scott Center as Board President.
The new board members and Executive Committee join current board members:
• Savannah Bee Founder and President Ted Dennard, Chatham County
• Dwight Evans, Screven County
• NTG Enterprises President Nina Gompels, Chatham County
• City of Savannah Mayor Van Johnson, Chatham County
• Hugo Boss Director of International Logistics and Trade Compliance Yvonne Long, Liberty County
• Georgia Southern University President Kyle Marrero, Bulloch County
• Sterling Seacrest Partners President David Paddison, Chatham County
• Image Hotels President and CEO Kalpesh Patel, Chatham County
• Heritage Capital Group Principal Daren Pietsch, Brantley, Camden, Charlton, Glynn, McIntosh and Wayne Counties
• Register International Inc. founder and CEO Sean Register, Bryan County
• South Atlantic and Gulf Coast International Longshoremens Association Executive Vice President Willie Seymore, Chatham County
• Silver & Associates President Dr. Joseph H. Silver Sr., Chatham County
“We are pleased to announce the addition of four new board members this year,” said Moore. “I am thrilled to see how our new members bring fresh insight and new perspectives to the organization as we continue to accomplish World Trade Center Savannah’s mission of attracting investment and creating jobs in the southeast Georgia region.”
World Trade Center Savannah, licensed in 2011, is a proactive international business and trade development organization that exists to create jobs and attract investment by identifying foreign direct investment opportunities and helping regional businesses do business internationally.
In addition to announcing the 2022 WTCSav Board of Directors, the organization highlighted some of the achievements of 2021:
1. Hosted the second annual Prosperity Through Trade Luncheon attracting 500 attendees from across Southeast Georgia, featuring financial journalist and best-selling author Ron Insana.
2. Recognized Dorel Home Furnishings of Bryan County as the 2021 WTCSav International Business of the Year.
3. World Trade Center Savannah Board President Scott Center re-elected to the World Trade Centers Association Board of Directors and Executive Committee.
4. Led two delegations to Ireland in partnership with the Georgia Department of Economic Development and Georgia Southern University, continuing to expand TradeBridge, and shepherding Irish business partnerships with Enterprise Ireland and the counties of Wexford, Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary and Waterford.
5. Provided services and value to support economic development authority partners in 15 counties as well as the City of Savannah as our Founding Investor.
6. Hosted seven inbound business-focused delegations, including the Invest Quebec Virtual Trade Mission featuring nine companies, which resulted in 52 regional business matchmaking meetings.
7. Managed 54 trade service projects for partners for a total of 485 research hours to advance international business interests and promote growth in the Savannah region.
8. Offered 15 Global Education Programs and events with 251 participants.
9. Assisted the first yacht center in Georgia to join U.S. Foreign-Trade Zone 104.
10. Leveraged World Trade Centers Association network to expand target country relationships, collaborate on Global Education Programs and facilitate trade missions.
WTCSav is a member of the World Trade Centers Association (WTCA), an association of more than 300 World Trade Centers across the globe in nearly 100 countries. The WTCA network serves as an international ecosystem of global connections and integrated business development and trade services.