seda annual report 2024
seda annual report 2024
For more than 10 years, World Trade Center Savannah (WTCSav) has evolved to meet the needs of our partners and Coastal Georgia but our mission still stands true:
2024 was a year full of doing business with new and familiar faces from countless parts of the globe. The team welcomed our Irish counterparts and took a trip across the pond to continue the momentum, supported a city-wide effort to host the King and Queen of the Netherlands, and led an inaugural delegation to India for the World Trade Centers Association Global Business Forum. In every place and with every guest, the bottom line remained the same: to forward its mission of creating jobs and attracting investment by helping to facilitate investment opportunities for the Southeast Georgia region.
The year’s first quarter kicked off with a monumental event. World Trade Center Savannah assisted the City of Savannah in facilitating its historic city-to-city partnership agreement ceremony with Accra, Ghana. The agreement outlined a shared vision for a sustainable, inclusive and diverse future through the exchange of information. The signing ceremony took place via Zoom with leadership from both countries present. Thanks in part to the relationships formed during the 2023 delegation to Accra as well as the efforts of the Greater Savannah Ghana Alliance, this signing ceremony came to fruition.
In early March, WTCSav led the first outbound trade mission to Bengaluru, India, the host city for World Trade Centers Association’s 54th Global Business Forum. The event attracted more than 300 individuals across 36 countries around the globe. While there, WTCSav was honored to receive two global awards: the North America Regional Member of the Year Award and the Champion Award for Reciprocity and Network Support.
In mid-March, the team welcomed three business delegations from Ireland, right in time for Savannah’s 200th St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Twenty-two visitors from County Wexford, County Limerick and Ireland’s diplomatic sector enjoyed a mix of both business and enjoyment during their stay. Individuals in the delegation had the opportunity to meet with Mayor Van Johnson, tour Georgia Ports Authority and Georgia Southern University and meet with several Savannah-area businesses.
The next months of the year only continued with excitement as WTCSav led the welcome of the inaugural visit of H.M. King Willem-Alexander and H.M. Queen Maxima of the Netherlands to Savannah in June. The team acted as a liaison and provided strategic protocol briefings and hands-on support throughout the planning and hosting of the Dutch Royal Couple’s visit which included local stakeholders from Georgia Ports Authority, the City of Savannah and Savannah State University.
In August, WTCSav, in partnership with the State of Georgia, the Metro Atlanta Chamber and Georgia Southern University, led a trade mission to Ireland which included visits to Dublin, Wexford and Limerick. The visit built additional momentum for TradeBridge, which aims to create new trade opportunities between Southeast Ireland and Southeast Georgia and shepherd partnerships with and around businesses in Southeast Ireland
To conclude the year, WTCSav assisted the Greater Savannah Area City Officials’ trade mission to South Korea in December. Mayor Van R. Johnson II, City Manager Joseph A. Melder, Savannah Economic Development Authority and WTCSav President and CEO Trip Tollison and other regional leaders facilitated bilateral meetings with key Hyundai stakeholders to advance international relations and economic development within Southeast Georgia.
Of course, there were far more delegations throughout the year (19 in total) including guests from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Gabon, Mexico, Nigeria, the United Kingdom and Vietnam.
Trade service requests remained steady with a total of 112 projects and an 18% increase in hours worked with a total of 507 hours in 2024. Requests always keep the team on their toes. This year, they ranged from research on VAT tax requirements for Georgia companies doing business with the European Union, outlining HazMat training and certification requirements in Georgia, and assisting local companies with information and connectivity to better understand the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
World Trade Center Savannah serves as the grantee of Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) 104 which covers a 17-county region in Southeast Georgia. World Trade Center Savannah supported 23 companies operating within FTZ 104 in 2024. An exciting surprise for the year, WTCSav won the 2024 Catherine Durda Marketing Award for an informational video regarding U.S. FTZs and how FTZ 104 can help regional businesses. The award was presented to WTCSav Vice President Leigh Ryan at the National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones conference in September.
The FTZ program expedites and encourages foreign commerce by lowering the costs of U.S.-based operations engaged in international trade thus providing a secure, efficient and profitable way to compete effectively in domestic and global markets.
World Trade Center Savannah successfully hosted 10 Global Education Programs with a total of 800 attendees in 2024. “TradeBridge Ireland: A Gateway to the European Market for U.S. Businesses” proved to be a new successful program of the year as a way to market the TradeBridge program to local businesses in partnership with Georgia Southern University and TradeBridge Ireland. Another new event – the Savannah Operational Logistics Value Exchange (SOLVE) – was presented with Georgia Southern University and the Georgia Center of Innovation for Logistics and brought together regional experts to speak on global supply chain resilience, risk management and innovation strategies.
Royal visits, global awards, new destinations and countless hours of meaningful work contributed to the success of 2024. Regardless of the project, the WTCSav team found a way every day to ensure their contributions brought value to their 73 partners across 24 counties in Southeast Georgia.
Brunswick Cellulose has served generations of families here in Brunswick as one of our largest employers in Glynn County. The staff not only make an impact within Georgia-Pacific, but as a part of our local community as well. I’m incredibly proud that Brunswick Cellulose calls the Golden Isles home.
– CEO Ryan Moore, Golden Isles Development Authority President and CEO
In May, World Trade Center Savannah (WTCSav) announced that Georgia Pacific’s Brunswick Cellulose was the recipient of the 2024 World Trade Center Savannah International Business of the Year award.
Given annually, the World Trade Center Savannah International Business of the Year award recognizes companies that excel in international trade and acknowledges the importance of trade to the region’s economy.
Throughout its history, Brunswick Cellulose has remained consistent as one of the largest employers in the area, employing 650 individuals locally. Georgia-Pacific is among the world’s largest recyclers of paper, metal and plastics. The company, headquartered in Atlanta, operates more than 150 facilities and employs approximately 30,000 people directly and creates more than 80,000 jobs indirectly. The award was presented by Georgia Southern University President Dr. Kyle Marrero.
“Brunswick Cellulose has served generations of families here in Brunswick as one of our largest employers in Glynn County,” said Golden Isles Development Authority President and CEO Ryan Moore. “The staff not only make an impact within Georgia-Pacific, but as a part of our local community as well. I’m incredibly proud that Brunswick Cellulose calls the Golden Isles home.”
This year’s award was sponsored by Georgia Southern University and is presented to encourage and recognize exemplary corporate leadership for international business or trade that advances relations between the U.S. and other nations as well as creates quality jobs in the region. The award was given during the fifth annual Prosperity Through Trade Luncheon that featured diplomat, senior government leader, economic developer, business executive, consultant and ordained pastor Chris Young as the keynote speaker.
