Hilton Head Business

ENTREPRENEUR BILL WINANS BUILT HIS EMPIRE ONE OUTRAGEOUS PARTY AT A TIME.

We’ve all been there.

You want to throw an absolutely epic party for a few hundred of your closest friends that will include, but not be limited to: a live pirate ship, a complete sports bar fabricated onsite, go-kart races, Cirque du Soleil-style acrobatics and Hollywood-quality set pieces. And possibly a live-action samurai stunt show.

It’s hard to follow a healthy lifestyle during the hectic holiday season. During the “most wonderful time of the year,” we tend to overindulge in libations and leftovers and under-indulge in sleep. “Ho, ho, ho-ing” translates into “ho-ho-hoping” to stay jolly despite common holiday stressors like money and family. And as quick as we can say, “Happy Festivus for the rest of us,” it is January and we are all bloated, exhausted and asking ourselves, “Where did the past few months go?”

There are profound changes underway in our local and national economies that are being driven by both demographics and advancements in technology. Hilton Head Island is merely a microcosm of what is happening globally and in the United States. Developed nations are aging just the same way Hilton Head is aging, and as we age our spending habits and our hierarchy of needs change.

Photo: David Nelems, executive director of the Don Ryan Center for Innovation

Since its launch in May 2012, the Don Ryan Center for Innovation has been a leader in transforming our regional economic development

“Empowering innovators and accelerating innovation is our mission,” says David Nelems, the center’s executive director. “Creating primary jobs and a diverse economy is the true measure of success.” Indeed, every regional plan for the past decade has focused on primary jobs, diversity, knowledge and technology business formation.

Jack Morris (seated), David Leahey (left) and Ben Whiteside — the men behind Morris & Whiteside Auctions.

Men behind Morris & Whiteside Auctions celebrate successful longtime partnership

Morris & Whiteside Auctions’ annual Hilton Head Art Auction was more than a day late, but definitely not a dollar short.

Usually held in October, Hurricane Matthew forced partners Ben Whiteside, Jack Morris and David Leahy to postpone the 16th annual event until Nov. 5, but art collectors showed up as usual to take home some of the finest works from renowned artists from the Lowcountry and beyond.

In dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew, I realized that it is times like these that you really appreciate all that we have as a community. I, for one, was amazed at how seemingly effortlessly we all evacuated and that we only encountered a few bumps as we all began to return home. 

These are all the elections that are happening on Hilton Head Island and in Bluffton this year. For a sample ballot specific to your voting district, go to scvotes.org and click “Get My Sample Ballot.”

Three Hilton Head Island Town Council seats are up for grabs in November, with two of the three incumbents facing challengers.

John McCann, in his first term representing Ward 6, was facing a challenge from Kent Berry, but Berry decided Sept. 4 to drop out of the race.

After a tumultuous year for the Beaufort County Board of Education, many candidates have filed to try to win a seat to represent southern Beaufort County.

Most list restoring the public’s confidence in the board and improving community relations as their top priorities, following the controversy surrounding Superintendent Jeff Moss’ decision to change school district policy to hire his wife.