According to the Center of Innovation for Logistics, Georgia companies rely on the state’s logistics infrastructure and services to handle and haul more than $900 billion of cargo each year—that’s billion with a B. And Colin McRae, an attorney at HunterMaclean in Savannah who specializes in transportation, logistics, and business litigation, says that with the support of state offices like the Center of Innovation for Logistics, it’s no wonder Georgia continues to rank as the number one state to do business. 

“It all comes down to great coordination with these industry stakeholders from the state level to local levels … government and private.” 

A big part of that coordination comes from sponsored events that bring together industry professionals in one space to collaborate on ideas and identify trends. For the third year in a row, HunterMaclean and the Center of Innovation for Logistics have partnered together to host a smaller scale luncheon in Savannah as an extension of the larger Georgia Logistics Summit held annually in Atlanta. 

This year’s Savannah Logistics Lunch will take place on July 19 at the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center. The program is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. with doors opening at 10:30 a.m. Tickets cost $25, and seats are limited. Click here to register. 

“HunterMaclean is extremely appreciative of the Georgia Center of Innovation for Logistics’ partnership in hosting this luncheon,” McRae says. “It gives us the opportunity to bring a portion of the valuable content presented at the Georgia Logistics Summit in Atlanta back to Savannah. The luncheon enables our area’s industry professionals to get a locally relevant view of what was targeted and trending at the Summit. It is a forum that provides a more localized perspective of our logistics industry.” 

In addition to the information shared during the panel discussion, connecting with others in the industry is a great benefit, and attendees are encouraged to participate in the pre-program networking opportunity. 

“This is an event where local logistics professionals can get to together in one place.” 

The lunch program will begin with remarks from Center of Innovation for Logistics Director Jannine Miller and Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson. 

The keynote panel will then discuss this year’s topic, Industry Disruptors. While disruptors may sound negative, McRae says industry disruptors are actually the positive game changers in the industry. 

“These are the people and companies who come up with new innovations that make the industry more efficient or bring a new angle to the industry,”  says McRae.

This year’s panel will include Derek Banta, Director of Digital Channel and Mobile Applications at UPS; Stephanie Crowe, Senior Director for Global Learning and Development at Manhattan Associates; Nagi Gebraeel, Associate Professor at Georgia Tech; and Bob Robers with Cushman Wakefield.  McRae says the panel will discuss trends in their respective industries and what they are seeing as industry disruptors.

“This luncheon is not just about providing updates to trends,” McRae adds. “It’s also about helping identify trends in an area that industry professionals may not know about. By identifying potential disruptors, we can help local businesses get in early and get in on the ground floor.” 

And McRae adds that he knows the information provided and the connections made are successful because HunterMaclean always receives positive feedback from industry professionals—and the event has continued to grow each year. 

“Generally, we have people thanking us for partnering with the Center of Innovation for Logistics to bring these highly-respected logistics professionals, as well as Georgia’s economic development and logistics leaders, to Savannah for a Savannah-focused presentation. The program is relevant to businesses here, and people are actively looking for ways to stay informed about changes within the industry. The partnership with the Georgia Department of Economic Development and the Center of Innovation for Logistics further demonstrates the state’s investment to the greater Savannah area as one of Georgia’s primary logistics communities.”