A Scoop of Savannah Legacy, SSU Momentum, Small Business Advocate & Workforce Insights cover art

A Scoop of Savannah Legacy, SSU Momentum, Small Business Advocate & Workforce Insights

A Scoop of Savannah Legacy, SSU Momentum, Small Business Advocate & Workforce Insights

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 This episode of Savannah Chamber Connect features 2026 Chamber Business Awards Small Business Advocate of the Year - George Freeman of Kombative Academy of Traditional Martial Arts, who shares his Army background, networking advice, and leadership of the Chamber’s Ribbon Cutting Council, which helped increase ribbon cuttings from 85 in 2024 to 112 in 2025, along with his volunteer work and goal to train 100 women for free in self-defense and promote a June 6 Crimson Cocktail Block Party. In the Hot Seat, Savannah State University President Dr. Jermaine Whirl discusses his first-year priorities, strategic planning, executive team hiring, community engagement, and securing $42.8 million in state funding for campus facility projects, plus raising $400,000 at his gala and joining the Chamber board. Industry Council spotlights SEDA and RISE’s regional workforce efforts following the Hyundai Meta Plant project, addressing retention challenges and initiatives like Succeed in Savannah and Industry Insiders. Superstar Spotlight highlights film veteran and Leopold’s Ice Cream owner Stratton Leopold on filmmaking, community preservation, and maintaining original recipes. Events include Small Business Week (May 4 ribbon cutting, Eastern Wharf mixer), a May 13 small business job fair, May 28 federal contracting workshops, and a May 22 Savannah Steel game networking event. IMPORTANT LINKS: Learn more about the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce Explore upcoming events From Bert’s Hot Seat: Dr. Jermaine Whirl, President of Savannah State University From the Winners Circle: George Freeman Kombative Academy of Traditional Martial Arts Small Business Advocate of the Year What’s Up: Samantha Wilkins, Small Business & Events Manager, Savannah Chamber of Commerce Superstar Member Spotlight: Stratton Leopold, owner and operator of Leopold’s Ice Cream - producer, director and actor Industry Council Update: Zachary Ott, Director of Existing Industry, SEDA and Maria Whitfield Director of Employer Engagement, RISE MEET OUR PRODUCTION TEAM MEET OUR PRESENTING SPONSOR: STERLING SEACREST PRITCHARD Follow for updates: INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK FIND A FAVORITE SPOT IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Savannah Chamber Connect Intro 01:16 Small Business Advocate Spotlight 02:19 George Freeman Origin Story 04:47 Ribbon Cutting Council Impact 08:04 Community Giving And Referrals 10:30 Advice For Small Businesses 11:59 Hot Seat With SSU President 16:00 First Year Priorities At SSU 17:39 Winning State Funding For Campus 19:55 Investiture Weekend And Gala 23:29 Industry Council Workforce Focus 24:21 How Rise Was Launched 27:13 Employer Engagement Backgrounds 30:11 Retention Challenges And Regional Strategy 31:49 How Industry Can Get Involved 32:05 Rise Working Groups 32:40 Succeed in Savannah Brand 33:07 Industry Insiders Outreach 33:29 Magic Wand Fix 35:14 Superstar Spotlight Intro 36:31 Film Career Origins 40:08 Leopold’s Legacy 43:38 Quality Over Profit 44:49 Preserving Savannah 47:30 Favorite Films Stories 50:57 Breaking Into Film 53:25 Ice Cream Favorites 54:38 Legacy Business Advice 55:47 Small Business Week 57:19 Job Fair and Contracts 58:55 Savannah Steel Networking 01:00:01 Sponsor and Wrap Up
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