Cleve White, Cleve White Nissan is present an award from Mayor Otis Johnson Over 300 small business owners and others gathered in the ballroom of The Savannah Civic Center to attend the Mayor's Small Business Conference. Under the leadership of Mayor Otis Johnson, Tosca Owens and Maronda Lotson, this conference featured a panel discussion of small business owners. This year’s theme was “21st Century Business Success: Making a Profit in a Changing Economy”.

The annual conference is an initiative of the U.S. Conference of Mayors for member cities. It has two main goals: networking opportunities and business/economic development information. Presenters for this year’s conference included: Dara Barwick, Georgia Department of Economic Development; Terri Denison, Small Business Administration; and Christopher Hanks, Entrepreneur. A business roundtable included: Marjorie Young, Carriage Trade Public Relations; Roy Jackson, Jackson Brothers Enterprises; Lowell Kronowitz, Levy Jewelers, and Benjamin Polote, Jr., The Polote Corporation. Bert Tenenbaum, President of Chatham Steel, served as panel moderator.

This year’s area Business Spotlight was Cleve White Nissan of Statesboro, Ga. The conference is in its fourth year.