At the second meeting of their newly formed Advisory Board, The Creative Coast Alliance (TCCa) announced that Brynn Grant, currently Director of Marketing for the Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA), will take over the helm of the organization on June 25th. This appointment follows the brief tenure of Chuck Stallworth, who recently returned to Atlanta.

"Brynn is the heart and soul of SEDA, but has been heavily involved with The Creative Coast (Alliance) since its inception," said Rick Winger, President of SEDA. "Much more than people realize, she has worked behind the scenes to support the organization, providing ongoing guidance, resources and assisting in direction. She's the natural choice." 

Brynn Grant has had a long creative career that started with a two-year stint as art director at an Athens newspaper during college.  It progressed to learning the ropes as an account executive at a local Savannah advertising agency before moving to Augusta to become director of advertising and public relations at the Metro Augusta CVB. Later recruited by the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame, she was the first full time employee of the statewide organization, where she managed all operations, from volunteer development and board relations, to marketing and fund raising. She helped secure $12 million in public and private commitments toward the development of a golf attraction in downtown Augusta and helped increase the annual operating budget from $25,000 to more than $650,000 in less than three years.

She served the Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA) as Director of Marketing and Public Relations – for the first time – from 1996 to 1999, when SEDA was named one of the top ten development groups in the country. After working as director of marketing and development at Savannah Onstage, which became the Savannah Music Festival, Brynn represented Savannah Technical College (STC) as director of development and executive director of the STC Foundation. She has since joined the STC Foundation board.

Brynn returned to SEDA in 2004. During her first term and her second, many of SEDA’s marketing programs and materials have been recognized nationally and internationally.

The Creative Coast Initiative (TCCi) broke into the Savannah scene in 2004, and quickly rose to prominence in the Savannah community. Officially chartered by SEDA, The City of Savannah and Chatham County, TCCi’s goal was to provide services and engage in activities to make Savannah better and assist the growth and attraction of smart, creative and technology-based businesses. Recently, the merger of TCCi with the Coastal Business, Education and Technology Alliance (CBETA), a membership organization focused on networking, professional development and recognition for local technology professionals, companies, and academic institutions, formed The Creative Coast Alliance. Merging the two entities affords more efficient use of resources while adding new capabilities. 

"I strongly believe in The Creative Coast vision for our community, a vision that has always been bigger than any one organization or entity. It's ultimately about quality more than quantity and vital to its realization is engagement and partnership with the whole community -- from big business to small business, from arts to education, local government to state government, and certainly community and economic development groups," Brynn said.  Adding, “I love SEDA. I love TCCa. Most of all, I love Savannah. I look forward to doing our part by helping to grow and nurture creative and technical businesses, and actively marketing Savannah as The Creative Coast.”