Hilton Head Monthly Voice Voice of the Lowcountry 
ATLAS SURVEYING AND ITS EVER-PRESENT ORANGE TRUCKS ENJOYS GROWTH
As a professional land surveyor, Billy Gray was skilled at sizing up projects large and small — from farms to neighborhoods, and office buildings to shopping centers.
But his business found its true direction when he took the measure of his leadership and corporate culture.
What he determined, Gray says, was that his company needed to expand, and his management style needed to evolve to attract and retain top talent.
YOUNG CULINARY ARTIST LAUNCHES IN-HOME HILTON HEAD BAKERY
Italian-meringue buttercream cakes, sweet cinnamon rolls, key-lime-pie cupcakes, triple-chocolate chunk cookies, delicate brioche, and more scrumptious treats are made-to-order and ready for delivery or pick up from Sea Pines’ new Hearthwood Hull Bakery.
Katie DeVries, chef and 23-year-old owner, has been creating toothsome standards and delicious surprises from her home-based kitchen since August of 2020.
BLUFFTON WOMAN’S BATTLE WITH BREAST CANCER INSPIRES BURGEONING BUSINESS
Angie Evangelista was in a dark place in early 2019. She was recovering from surgery and going through chemotherapy after being diagnosed with breast cancer just before Christmas.
The surgery removed a piece of her physical being, but it took a greater toll on her emotional well-being.
REBUILT MARINA IS AN INSPIRATION TO BUSINESS OWNERS, AREA RESIDENTS
In the quiet calm of the early morning, before the sun rises, Leslie Stewart drives to her business at Palmetto Bay Marina and is guided by the light.
“The landscaping is all lit up,” said Stewart, who owns Palmetto Bay Sunrise Café and often arrives at the popular eatery at 5 a.m. “It’s beautiful. I can’t even describe the difference.”
SPARTINA 449 EXPANDS ITS OFFERINGS TO CLOTHING COLLECTIONS
When Kay Stanley decided to get into the accessories business in 2009, she took her cues from her surroundings: the laid-back Lowcountry lifestyle of Daufuskie Island, where she had recently come —supposedly—to slow down in early retirement.
Spartina 449 is named for the lush sea grass that grows along the South Carolina coast. Stanley’s brand of upscale designer handbags, accessories and now clothes flourished, quickly becoming popular in the Lowcountry and beyond. Her plan for a life of leisure evaporated as quickly as a puddle on a Lowcountry summer day.
ENTERING A ‘CORE MARKET’
Eric Breon first visited Hilton Head Island about 15 years ago with his family. The island —especially its broad, flat beaches — made quite an impression.
MAHIEU LEADS RESORT RENTALS INTO THE FUTURE
Gerard Mahieu got where he is today by thinking outside the box. As the president of Resort Rentals of Hilton Head Island, he’s always known that his customers want the best bang for their vacation buck — but these days, the deals they think they’re getting on the internet from his competitors aren’t always so hot. Mahieu, who honed his business skills at a leading advertising agency in Paris, knows that many websites’ claims of outrageous bargains on rental accommodations are hogwash—but what could he do to fight back?
Ten years ago, you could have counted on one hand the number of women in construction or “nontraditional” jobs — occupations in which women make up 25 percent or less of the total workforce, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Today, however, that’s changing — which is not only great for women, but great for businesses throughout the Lowcountry and beyond.
DEMONSTRATES FLEXIBILITY OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND'S REVISED LMO
Blues, food, drinks and laughter now fill a former warehouse in a blighted section of Hilton Head Island widely known for its deteriorating vacant buildings.
Ruby Lee’s South, a restaurant locally owned by former Hilton Head Island High School football coach Tim Singleton, is now firmly ensconced in the former warehouse at 19 Dunnagans Alley, thanks to a major renovation of the structure that likely would have been impossible several years ago.
SINGLE MOTHER ENSURES FAMILY AND BUSINESS GO HAND IN HAND
Dianne Kosto is a successful entrepreneur, overseeing six locations of BrainCore U.S.A. in three states. But the reason she entered the neurofeedback industry was to help her with her ultimate goal, which had nothing to do with business yet is still her biggest accomplishment: Raising her two boys.
