Skim Jam Competition at Edgewater Beach Resort

You’ve skimmed a long way baby! The 11th Annual Zap Pro/Am Skim Jam is going down Friday, April 17 through Sunday, April 19, 2009 at Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort, a property of The Resort Collection of Panama City Beach. There have been 10 events before but, this year’s competition might be the best yet.

The first competitive skim event was held behind Pineapple Willy’s in 1998, hosted by Tony Johnson owner of Mr. Surf’s Surf Shop. Back then the event consisted mostly of locals, but boasted nearly 80 competitors. The event proved an instant hit and was later taken over by Skim USA, becoming a full-on tour with Panama City Beach being the tour’s favored destination.

“What’s unique about this event here in Panama City Beach,” Tony Johnson said, “is the city itself. After the first competition, all the Pros showed up and had never seen anything like Panama City Beach. They’d never seen the white sand or experienced an atmosphere like this. Just the same, all the kids who came out, witnessed the guys they saw in magazines shred their beach. The weather was great, the event was competitive and it just blew up from there. They love PCB because its organized, its friendly and we’ve got an awesome beach.”

Nearly 100 competitors are expected to vie for this year’s title. With the weather report projecting sunny skies, the turnout is expected to be high as well. Admission is free. Proceeds from the event will go to various non-profit organizations like the Boys & Girls Club and Skim USA.

Though always a competition, this year’s event intends to expand upon the teaching. The reigning Zap Pro/Am Skim Jam champion, Morgan Just, will come early to the beach and host a skim camp on Friday morning. Everyone is invited to come out and learn how to skim. Global Surf Industries and Surftech’s Surf will host stand-up Paddleboard Demos and Regattas throughout the competition.

There will be cash prizes for the winners, but everyone who enters will get more than just sport. Tony Johnson said, “Every kid will feel like a winner. Grab bags will go to those who enter into the competition. We want it to be competitive, but we want to really create a fun vibe.”

Meet and greet the skimboarding pros at pre-check-in on Friday, April 17. The annual Zap Pro/Am Skim Jam Contest will begin on Saturday, April 18 at 8:30 a.m. and will run until 4:00 p.m. A treasure hunt in the sand for kids 11 and under called Panama Jack’s Lil’ Sandiggers Treasure Hunt will be held at 1:00 p.m., along with other fun-filled family activities on the beach. Sunday’s events will begin with Church On The Beach, a non-denominational praise and worship service, from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. before the Skim Jam Finals begin at 9:00 a.m.

The day will culminate with an awards ceremony for the competition’s winners.

To sign up for Morgan Just’s skim camp, contact him directly at mojust88@yahoo.com

16th Annual Business Expo in Panama City Beach

The Panama City Beach Chamber’s 16th Annual Business Expo is Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at Edgewater Beach Resort, from 3:00 to 7:00 pm. Business Expo 2009 is presented by Pier Park and sponsored by Comcast, Knology, the News Herald, Edgewater Beach Resort, Barefoot Beach Club/By the Sea Resorts, Innovations Federal Credit Union, Waste Management and Regions Bank. Media sponsors include Beach TV, WMBB News 13, WJHG News 7, Magic Broadcasting, Beach 95.1 Radio, Clear Channel, Viamedia, Panama City Radio Group and Lamar Advertising.

Business Expo serves the business community with a comprehensive B2B tradeshow displaying wide-ranging trades and industries. It entertains thousands of locals and families with a fun theme (“The Nature of Business”), decor, costumes, music, a “Best Booth” competition, food and a cash bar. It’s an opportunity for consumers to get out and take note of hundreds of area businesses showcasing their newest, most innovative products and services. Over three thousand people attended the last Business Expo.

This year the Chamber is proud to present four Green workshops. These “mini-presentations” will run every 45 minutes throughout the event and take place in the Green Room, a specially designated area set aside for businesses showcasing their green/sustainable products and services.

3:15 – 4:00 “What is LEED?”
John Toppe, Founding President of U.S. Green Building Council, Florida Gulf Coast Chapter

4:15 – 5:00 “Green Overview: What Footprint will YOU Leave?”
Tammy McDaniel, Fort Walton Beach Chamber

5:15 – 6:00 “Energy Efficient Home Performance”
Tim Welch, Peaden Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing

6:15 – 7:00 “Introduction to Ecotourism in Bay County”
John D. Tobe, Ph.D., Director of Ecological Restoration and Conservation,
Ecological Resource Consultants, Inc.

More information on these workshop topics will be available at Thirty Days of Green and the Bay Green Expo on May 16th at Gulf Coast Community College (www.baygreenexpo.com).

This year the Expo is charging a $1-per-person Admission Fee, which will go to the Chamber’s Education Foundation helping local schools. For more information call the Panama City Beach Chamber at (850) 235-1159.

11th Annual Zap Pro/Am Skim Jam Competition at Edgewater Beach Resort

Surf’s up! Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort, a property of The Resort Collection of Panama City Beach, announced they will host the 11th Annual Zap Pro/Am Skim Jam Friday, April 17 through Sunday, April 19, 2009. Edgewater was the accommodations host for this competition last year, and anticipation for this year’s event has grown so much that Edgewater is already booked to capacity. Because of this, The Resort Collection is offering special rates for Edgewater’s sister property Long Beach Resort.

Located less than a mile away from Edgewater along 1,300 feet of emerald water and sugar-white sand, Long Beach Resort offers luxurious suites, private amenities and breathtaking waterfront views. Guests can enjoy oversized balconies, the tropical Lagoon Pool, two all-weather tennis courts, seasonally heated Polynesian pools and whirlpool spas at a 15% discount, with rates starting at just $110 per night when they book online with the promotional code: SKIM.

“Skim Jam is always an exciting event at Edgewater. We are proud to be the accommodations sponsor for this fun-filled, family-friendly competition,” said Paul Wohlford, vice president of sales and marketing at The Resort Collection.

Skimboarding enthusiasts from near and far are getting ready to put on their gear, wax their boards and prepare for the most thrilling skimboarding competition of the year. Skim Jam has truly made its name in the record books and features the best pro and amateur skimboard talent in the world. This nationally recognized sporting competition, organized by Tony and Lib Johnson of Mr. Surf’s Surf Shop, offers free admission to observers. Net proceeds from contestants’ entry fees go to benefit the Boys & Girls Club at Frank Brown Park and Skim USA.

Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort is offering a weekend full of exciting events, beginning with Global Surf Industries and Surftech’s Surf/ Stand-up Paddleboard Demo and Regatta, plus a chance to meet the pros of skimboarding at pre-check-in on Friday, April 17. The annual Zap Pro/Am Skim Jam Contest will begin on Saturday, April 18 at 8:30 a.m. and will run until 4:00 p.m. A treasure hunt in the sand for kids 11 and under called Panama Jack’s Lil’ Sandiggers Treasure Hunt will be held at 1:00 p.m., along with other fun-filled family activities on the beach. Sunday’s events will begin with Church On The Beach, a non-denominational praise and worship service, from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. before the Skim Jam Finals begin at 9:00 a.m. The day will culminate with an awards ceremony for the competition’s winners.

2009 Business Expo at Edgewater Beach Resort

It’s that time again…for the Panama City Beach Chamber’s Annual Business Expo, and this year Panama City Beach’s first family entertainment complex, Pier Park, is presenting the event. On Tuesday, April 21, 2009 the 16th Annual Business Expo will be held at Edgewater Beach Resort, from 3:00 to 7:00 pm. Hundreds of area businesses will be showcasing their newest, most innovative products and services. Over three thousand people attended the last Business Expo.

For 2009, Business Expo explores the world of GREEN, with “The Nature of Business” as its central theme. While not distinctively a “save the planet” event, the Panama City Beach Chamber hopes to engage in ‘sustainability’ and ‘going green’ increasingly, and promote those practices in all of its events. Exhibitor Booths cost $250 for Chamber members and $450 for non-members. Double and Triple Booths are also available.

Resort Collection Accident Free for 800 days

The employees of The Resort Collection of Panama City Beach passed a huge milestone on Tuesday, Dec. 2 with 800 days accident free on the job. Currently The Collection employs 395 associates; however during peak months the resorts have over 500 employees combined.

By continuing to work safe and accident free, with no major injuries or time lost, the Collection will save more than 20% on its 2009 worker compensation premiums.

“This is a huge accomplishment.” Said Judy Johnson, director of human resources, “We started our safety program with a goal of one year with no lost time but lost the effort 10 days short of our goal. So we started over. We reached one year, then two years and now we are at 800 days.”

To celebrate the new record a safety luncheon was held on Tuesday for all Resort Collection employees to show appreciation for their hard work. During the luncheon employees entered a drawing to win game systems, a flat screen television, cash and days off with pay.

“Not only does hitting 800 days accident free affect our bottom line, it allows us to build awareness and morale among our employees.” Said Tom Sparks, general manager of The Resort Collection. “Especially in this climate of bad news and economic concerns, it’s important to show our staff that what they do matters and we appreciate them.”

Edgewater gets new Conference Center

Beginning this week, the Edgewater Beach and Golf Resort conference center is undergoing a $250,000 plus facelift. This is the first of several phases of renovations to the resort property which will take place between now and the beginning of 2009.

As one of the largest conference center properties in Bay County, the Edgewater conference center has more than 32,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space. The conference center was constructed in 2000 to accommodate the growing demand for meeting facilities in Panama City Beach and currently hosts more than 2,000 meetings, conferences, weddings and sporting events each year.

“Since 2000, our conference center has been utilized by locals and national clients,” said Tom Sparks, general manager of The Resort Collection of Panama City Beach. “We are excited about the completion by the end of November.”

Other renovations on the horizon for Edgewater Beach and Golf Resort include a kid’s pool and water feature, sports complex to include a basketball, batting cages, kids playground, resurfacing of the current tennis courts, exterior improvements to the resort towers and new landscaping.

“The additional features we are adding to the resort property will add more value to our guests,” said Paul Wohlford, vice president of sales and marketing. “The renovations will allow us to maintain a competitive edge in the vacation and meetings market.”

I’ll be here all week, in and out, shoot timelapse of the whole thing – sweet!

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Resort to Quality Education Program gives over $1k

Panama City Beach, Fla. (October 15, 2008)—The Resort Collection of Panama City Beach announced the first award presentation to a participating school in their Resort to Quality Education (RQE) program, which began in the spring of 2008. The RQE program was created in an effort to promote the vacation properties within the Resort Collection while supporting education and contributing to schools.

Any school may participate in the program simply by informing parents, teachers and school supporters about the RQE offer through flyers, posters, school web sites or any other appropriate means of communication. Every time a teacher, student, parent or school supporter makes a reservation with any Resort Collection property and gives the name of the participating school, a 20% discount will be given off the room rate. The Resort Collection will then give 5% of the total room revenue accrued under that school’s name back to the school every quarter.

Recently, The Resort Collection awarded the first RQE program check. On October 10, 2008, The Resort Collection’s Business Development Manager and local Director of RQE, Heather Walsh, presented a quarterly check for $1195.60 to Jim Arrington, headmaster of Macon-East Montgomery Academy, located in Cecil, Alabama.

President of the RQE program, Mike O’Malley, said, “I am honored and blessed to be involved in the development of the RQE program that offers schools the opportunity to fund future educational programs in a creative way. For years, our resort properties have witnessed families enjoying our accommodations and this program gives us the ability to send a little of us home with them. We can’t wait to see how these funds are used by the participating schools and how we can further expand our participation in promoting quality education.”

Resort Collection Educates the Tourism Industry

This has been discussed in the past, and the Resort Collection of Panama City Beach has taken the lead in paving the way to provide education to those involved in the tourism industry in our area.

“This is an opportunity to raise the bar among our employees and give them the tools to reach and exceed the expectations of our visitors.” Said Tom Sparks, general manager of The Resort Collection, “We are proud to be the leading hospitality organization in this program, it is our commitment to make Panama City Beach the premier destination of Northwest Florida Gulf Coast.”

By instilling some form of formal training for employees of the local tourism industry, a standard can be easily set for what is expected in order create a great customer experience for tourist of Panama City Beach.

The Resort Collection of Panama City Beach has partnered with Gulf Coast Community College (GCCC) to create the first of its kind hospitality education program for Bay County.

During a planning session last week, members of The Resort Collection and GCCC laid the foundation of what will become the Hospitality Corporate Culture training and education program.

This twenty hour course which is part of the college’s Lifelong Learning department, will provide the hospitality and tourism businesses in our community with a consistent industry wide training program to increase customer service standards and the customer’s experience while visiting our destination.

This Hospitality Corporate Culture program will officially launch before the end of the year. Sparks said, “The program will be open to employees at all levels of the hospitality industry and will prepare us to better serve our domestic and international travelers as our destination grows.”

The program is being facilitated and managed by John Hamati, president of Vie Hospitality LLC. Hamati has a successful history in the hospitality business and has helped create this initiative to fill the gaps in local training.

“The Hospitality Training Program has been a hot topic for the Greater Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce and for Gulf Coast Community College for over two years now. Finally, with the assistance of the Edgewater Beach and Golf Resort, The Resort Collection along with Gulf Coast Community College, we are now able to launch this new training in Panama City Beach.” Said Hamati, “we thank Tom Sparks, general manager of the Resort Collection, and the Edgewater Beach and Golf Resort team as well as Gulf Coast Community College in stepping forward and making this training a reality.”

Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort Named “Best of the South”

Honor bestowed by Meetings South Magazine

Panama City Beach, Fla. (July 23, 2008) – Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort has recently been voted as one of the best meeting facilities in the Southern United States for 2008 by the readership of Meetings South magazine. This acclaimed distinction is regarded as a great achievement since the voting readers make up most of the top national meeting planners. The prestigious “Best of the South” awards will be published in the September issue of the trade’s premier magazine.

“We are thrilled to be recognized for our facilities, value and customer service with such an impressive award,” said Paul Wohlford, vice president of sales and marketing for The Resort Collection of Panama City Beach, which manages Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort. “Our 32,000-square-foot state-of-the-art conference facility offers meeting planners great flexibility as well as a beautiful backdrop for their groups to enjoy. In addition, I think our corporate climate of customer service and attitude towards excellence made favorable impressions with the meeting planners who voted, giving us an edge over our competitors.”

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Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort Hosts Grand Lagoon National

Saltwater Fishing Enthusiasts Flock to Resort for Big Catch

Panama City Beach, Fla. (July 23, 2008) – Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort is the official host resort for the 2008 Grand Lagoon National, scheduled for August 20-24. The tournament, billed as “America’s Saltwater Fishing Tournament,” consists of eight separate tournaments appealing to every kind of saltwater fishing enthusiast.

“We are pleased to host the Grand Lagoon National fishing tournament,” said Paul Wohlford, vice president of sales and marketing for The Resort Collection of Panama City Beach, which manages Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort. “The event is a great opportunity to showcase our beautiful resort and amenities to fishing enthusiasts and their families.”

The $1 million purse is enough to attract more than one thousand anglers, hundreds of boats and healthy onshore crowds.

As official sponsor and host, Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort will offer two VIP packages starting at $99 per night to include deluxe accommodations in studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom condominiums complete with fully-equipped kitchens, and washers and dryers. For more information on the Angler VIP package and the Spectator VIP package, call (800) 874-8686.