Hilton Head Business Profiles

Piece by piece, evidence has begun to accumulate that after four years of lackluster performance, the U.S. economy is on track for stronger growth than many people had expected. The Great Recession of 2007-08, the steepest downturn since the 1930s, has been followed by a slow and steady recovery. Now is the time to formulate your financial game plan for the future. Like finding the perfect mate, finding the right financial team can be tricky, especially if you lack experience. Monthly proudly presents the following financial experts of the Lowcountry.

PHOTO BY ROB KAUFMAN

ERNST BRUDERER HAS ALWAYS VALUED LEARNING AND EDUCATION.

As a seasoned business leader, Bruderer has found a way to learn and to pass on his expertise as a chapter chair of Vistage International in Savannah and Hilton Head.

Vistage International is an organization aimed at connecting chief executives of mid- and small-sized companies together to increase leadership effectiveness. With more than 16,000 members throughout the world, the group is considered a top organization for CEOs.

Each group has about 16 members, Bruderer said, and each member represents a company that does not compete with other group members’ companies.

“All the members of the group are from non-competing companies, so you can be open about what’s going on,” he said. Larger markets, such as Atlanta, have many Vistage chapters to accommodate the people who want to be involved.

KROGER WILL OPEN IN JANUARY; SERG GIVES DETAILS ON POSEIDON RESTAURANT

Select details are emerging as construction continues on the $76 million Shelter Cove Towne Centre, and folks involved in the mid-island redevelopment project envision a finished product worthy of lingering attention from visitors and islanders alike.

“Ultimately we’re trying to make this a place that truly lives up to it name,” said Roni Allbritton, general manager for Blanchard & Calhoun, the commercial developer partnering with Kroger Co. on the 42-acre site featuring fresh shopping, dining and leisure options. “We want this to be a place where people can spend all day playing and having a good time.”

Mike Ritterbeck started taking photographs at sporting events several years ago during his son’s high school soccer match.

“I’m one of those parents that has a tendency to yell in the stands,” Ritterbeck said. “My wife told me I needed to find something else to do during the games.”

The professional photographer grabbed his camera and headed to the sideline. Rather than just snapping photos of his own son, Ritterbeck followed the action, taking high-quality shots of all players on the field. It didn’t take long for parents to start heckling the former referee heckler for the images he took of their children.

Did you know?

1. Employers must notify all employees that the new Health Care Exchanges are opening Oct. 1, 2013.

If you are an employer, it is required that you give each of your employees a notice that the new Health Care Exchange will be opening October 1, 2013. The Department of Labor has prepared a model notice for employers to deliver to each employee.

STEVE TANGER AWARDED ORDER OF THE PALMETTO

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley presented Steve Tanger with the Order of the Palmetto on Aug. 19, the highest civilian honor the state can give.

“This award is in recognition of his extraordinary work and dedication to the citizens of our state,” Haley proclaimed.

Tanger Factory Outlets owns and operates five shopping centers in South Carolina: two locally, two in Myrtle Beach and one in Charleston. The centers have created an estimated 6,000 jobs and approximately $246 million in retail sales tax to the state.

Children need nutrition to concentrate, learn, and participate in school activities. A growling stomach is a real distraction. Healthy school lunches are another way to show your children that you love and support them and that you are thinking of them during the day.

Aging facility crowded and in need of facelift

“The rec center was built with ATAX money. But there are so many demands on that money that I’m not sure how we could justify that today as a tourism component. “

The Island Recreation center was once a jewel of Hilton Head.

But that jewel has long been tarnished.

Now, however, the center may get long-needed and long-awaited updates.

NOT ONLY DO FARMERS MARKETS GIVE LOCAL GROWERS A PLACE TO SELLTHEIR HARVEST, THEY ALSO SERVE AS AN INCUBATOR FOR SMALL BUSINESSES WITH BARGAIN-BASEMENT START-UPCOSTS

At Bluffton, rent is $15 per market for farmers, $25 for specialty food vendors. At Port Royal, it’s just $20.

Vendors get immediate focus groups for their products as they hand out samples and watch people’s facial expressions and jot down initial comments.

With more than 120 farmers markets in South Carolina, the state Department of Agriculture created the S.C. Specialty Food Association and S.C. Farmers Market Association. They offer education, tips and networking to help makers and managers make a go of it.