A quick synopsis of what the Liberty County Chamber has been busy doing this past year to benefit the community. Get a briefing on who is involved, what we are involved in, how we function and what services we provide.

1. Liberty County
Chamber of Commerce

2. BOARD COMPOSITION
Karen Bell, Chairman
Roger Hutchinson, Executive Board
Jimmy Shanken, Executive Board
Susan McCorkle, Executive Board
Kathy Villafane, Executive Board
Levi Moody, Executive Board
Bobby Ryon, Canoochee EMC
Charlene Parlett, Seamless Business Coaching
Chris Ellison, The Heritage Bank
Dr. Vayla Lee, Liberty County Board of Education
Hasit Patel, LaQuinta
Kateland Arroyo, Ameris Bank
Jack Standard, South Georgia Bank
Jeff Ashmen, Savannah Technical College
Joe Ford, AUSA
Lee Burkhalter, CenturyLink
Derek Rozier, Liberty Regional Medical CEnter
Leigh Smiley, Coldwell Banker Holtzman, Realtors
Barbara Martin, GeoVista Credit Union
Chip Adams, Speros
Mitch Boston, Magnum Pest Control
April Burriss, VIP Office Furniture & Supply
Jeannie Worthy, ESG

3. MEMBERSHIP COMPOSITION
Membership
• 500 members
• Currently 52% minority owned/operated
• 72 new members in 2017 since January 1
• 68% minority owned/operated
• Our most valuable asset

4. SERVICES, WORKSHOPS & EVENTS
Events
• Hosting a workshop every month in FY 17
• Christmas 2016 (this was our 20th annual parade & 10th Christmas in the Park—moved
to Saturday)
• Business After Hours (12 hosted in FY16); 12 on the books for 2017; 2018 is full
• Progress Through People (10 hosted in FY16); 10 on the books for 2017
• Ribbon Cuttings 20 in 2017 so far; 2 more scheduled in next several weeks & more into
the fall
• Eggs & Issues, 3 in FY17 (Legislative Update, Diversity/Community Health & the
Armstrong/GSU Merger)
• Chamber specific events:
Low Country Boil & Oyster Roast
Golf Tournament
Annual Meeting
STAR Student/Teacher Luncheon (over 30 years)
• Leadership Training
Leadership Liberty, 14th graduating class graduates in June 2018
Young Adult Liberty Leaders (YALL) 12th class graduates in May 2018
• Enews
Weekly Enews Letter to 500+ member businesses & 8000+ employees

5. SERVICES AND WAYS WE SERVE
• Robust M2M Discount Program, with 90+ active discounts
• Liberty Magazine (every year)
• Liberty County Map (every other year)
• Pack over 4000 welcome packets/bags
• Host/manage SCORE appts in our offices
• Telephone/Welcome Center
Answered over 5000+ telephone calls in FY16
• Chamber/CVB Staff Serve on:
Boards: Keep Liberty Beautiful, Hinesville Area Arts Council &
Hinesville Design Review Board
Committees: Hinesville Downtown Partners, Liberty County
Gateway, Board of Education CTAE, Liberty County Proud &
Healthy, Liberty Transit TPD

6. Getting the Word Out
Getting the Word
Out
• The Chamber/CVB has
become a repository
for information in
regards to the
community.
• The community
calendar is robust and
filled with events
www.libertycounty.org There is a responsibility for folks to get us their event
info. They can do this by:
-phone
-email
-loading themselves on the website
-or at 2x yearly community calendar planning meetings

7. MAINTAIN
Facebook
Twitter/Periscope
Instagram
Pinterest
Google +
Our app
Our website

8. MILITARY/POLITICAL/INDUSTRIAL/
RELATIONS
• Strategic Planning on Fort Stewart.
• Hail/Farewell Events for Garrison and Command Leadership
• 3rd Infantry Division Day at the Capitol, organizers (March 2017)
• SPLOST 2016
• ESPLOST 2016
• Legislative Hearings on BRAC
• Strategic Planning with BOE
• Liberty Countywide Retreat & Mid Year Update

9. WEBSITE, APP & CO-OP MARKETING
• Website & app
App went live in September 2013. 1000+ downloads so far.
Combined website with the Liberty CVB went live in February 2014. Our time
on page is over 3 minutes.
• Shop Local, Shop Liberty
Social Media Classes (local classes will encourage local businesses to reach
out in the right way to their customer base to engage their consumer)
Marketing Classes
Photoshop Classes (also basic Word & PowerPoint)
Business Licensing, Planning Process (Entrepreneur Friendly)
• Other offerings
Inexpensive website design for members
Billboard marketing co-op

10. OTHER THINGS WE DO
• Free flyer design for community events
• Free marketing for community events w/proper notification (email,
call, website) such as the Blood Drives held by the City, Mayor’s
Thanksgiving Program, etc.
• Coordination of meetings w/incoming business owners with local and
state elected officials
• Letting businesses know when large groups are coming to town so
they can offer group discounts, etc.
• Conduct surveys for various county/city needs (TPD is the most
recent)

11. OUR MOST RECENT MEMBERSHIP
SURVEY
• 80 responses so far
• 46.75% said they have attended 1-5 Chamber events in the last year
• 68.57% feel that they get the most out of PTP lunches
• 39.74% have been members for 1-5 years and 32.05% for more than 10 years
• 66.67% of members were Highly Satisfied with the Chamber staff in their knowledge or
willingness to find an answer; 25.64% were Satisfied
• 80.77% believed that it is very important for the Chamber to help plan growth in the
City/County
• 83.12% felt it important that the Chamber support Workforce Development
• 84.26% felt it important that the Chamber be involved in improving quality of life for the
City/County
• 77.63% felt it important that the Chamber be active on pro-business local/federal
legislative issues
• 96.1% felt it very important that the Chamber should provide business, economic & visitor
information
• 49.33% Strongly Agreed that small business received as much attention as large business;
45.33% Agreed
• 49.33% Strongly Agreed that the Board of Directors is representative of the business
community; 41.33% Agreed
• 57.89% Strongly Agreed that the investment is worth the value received; 36.84% Agreed
• 75.64% are Very Satisfied with the level of service received; 21.79% are Satisfied

12. BIGGEST NEWS FOR 2017
We moved into the historic Bacon Fraser House in downtown Hinesville.

13. STAFF COMPOSITION
Membership Coordinator, Valerie Forrester
Administrative Coordinator, Carol Stone
Creative & Content Coordinator CVB, Erin Johnson
Public Information Coordinator Chamber/CVB, Claudette Schomburg
Coordinator of First Impressions, Mary Prince
Finance Coordinator, currently hiring
Chief Executive Officer Chamber/CVB, Leah Poole

14. OrganizationalChart

15. LIBERTY COUNTY
CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

16. BOARD COMPOSITION
Mayor Allen Brown, Chairman
Rep Al Williams, Vice Chairman
Chairman Donald Lovette, Treasurer
Councilman Palmer Dasher, At Large

17. THE MISSION
The LCCVB is the official destination marketing organization for
Liberty County, created in 2007 by the City of Flemington, City of
Hinesville, Liberty County Board of Commissioners & Liberty County
Development Authority and given final recognition with a resolution
passed by the State of Georgia.
Our mission is to actively market Liberty County’s assets and sell the
destination brand experience through targeted strategies resulting in
increased visitor spending and enhanced community well-being and
resident quality of life; maximizing economic impact, while providing
excellent visitor service. As well as to stimulate economic
development and growth, while internally ensuring our citizens have
the same opportunity to discover and explore locally.

18. WHAT WE DO
The primary function of the LCCVB is to actively market Liberty County’s assets,
including historical sites, museums, outdoor recreation, dining and accommodations.
Marketing efforts include writing and publishing blog posts, publishing on social media
platforms, maintaining a robust and comprehensive website in conjunction with the
LCCOC, facilitating group tours, enlisting engagement from travel writers and
photographers and networking and partnering with entities such as the Georgia Coastal
Travel Association and the Georgia Department of Economic Development.
Lead packets, containing information about Liberty County’s tourism assets are
requested and mailed throughout the U.S. on a regular basis, and brochures and the
Liberty County magazine are shipped to the Georgia Visitor Information Centers to be
put on display for travelers. The LCCVB also maintains a highly active and engaging
social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. Through the use
of social media marketing, the LCCVB has drawn greater attention to Liberty County’s
offerings of scenery, dining, accommodations, history, festivities and events.
The LCCVB also participates in various expositions and travel shows, including the
GDEcD hosted Georgia on My Mind Days and the Fort Stewart Travel Show. Promotional
products branded with the LCCVB’s tea jar logo and phrase, “the right blend” are given
to visitors and travel professionals to promote brand awareness.

19. BASICS FOR 2017
• State tourism numbers announced for FY15. $107.1 million in direct travel spending,
an increase of over $20 million since 2009. $4.2 million in state tax revenues and
$3.3 million in local tax revenues. Each household in Liberty County received $327 in
tax relief as a result of the taxes generated by direct travel spending.
• The Sunbury Crab Co is named one of the 20 Best Seafood Dives of all time in
Coastal Living
• South Magazine picked up our blogs on their website & social media shares (23,858
on FB and 10,000 on Twitter)
• Group Travel Leader feature & tours booked
• Regrammed twice by Southern Living Magazine
• South Magazine names Joe Maley and Mr. Garett 2 of the South’s Top Chefs
• VH1 films Scared Famous, $2.1 million economic impact
• Mary Prince receives a Stellar Service Award from GA Dept of Economic
Development, Tourism Division
• Georgia CVB Best Ideas Award for Best Digital Marketing Campaign
• Georgia Culinary Guide
100 Plates Locals Love: Loaded BBQ Fries, Rusty Pig
Food Truck: Margie’s Southern Cooking
Peach State Pig-Outs: Blues, Brews & BBQ