As we turn the calendar for the new year, we at Integrated Media Publishing are pleased to introduce our new monthly print and digital magazine, B2B: The Grand Strand.

It joins our family of Greenville, Columbia and Charleston business magazines dedicated to helping you understand, analyze and learn from business and community leaders. In raising our profile, we want to continue shaping South Carolina’s business narrative.

As the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism notes, the term “Grand Strand” comes from an old definition of “strand” meaning the area of land that borders a body of water. Myrtle Beach lies right in the middle of this famously spectacular crescent of beach that runs from Georgetown County almost to the N.C. state line.

Department officials also note that the illustrious magazine Sports Illustrated was founded in Myrtle Beach, at Pine Lakes Country Club in 1954 by Henry Luce. A placard celebrating the magazine’s start can still be found there.

With B2B: The Grand Strand, we’ll address issues affecting South Carolina’s business ecosystem, including workforce shortages and rapidly evolving technology. We’ll report on the Grand Strand’s business trends that continue to have a profound impact on the region and the state.

We’re excited to launch B2B: The Grand Strand with our 50 Most Influential awards. In this issue, we’re profiling Grand Strand business leaders who have impacted their professions, as well as being recognized for their valuable community contributions.

So thank you for reading, and for your support! We’re excited about what is ahead.

Lori Coon

Publisher