ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ will welcome new leader Diego H. Meeroff as Associate Vice President – Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) on Sept. 1.

With direct supervision over the marketing and creative teams within University Communications and Marketing, Meeroff will lead, plan and oversee the development of the University-wide brand and institutional marketing strategies. The CMO role is critical in elevating the University’s market positioning and directly supporting enrollment and retention, fundraising and development, community support, and research funding through industry-leading marketing tactics. 

“At ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥, I see an institution that has already cultivated a community of authentic, pioneering and thought-provoking people ready to be exposed to a larger audience,â€� said Meeroff.  “I am excited to bring my experience, vitality and vision to reshape the marketing organization and effectively define it to adhere to the University’s daring future plans.â€�

Meeroff, a creative leader, marketing executive and communications administrator has more than 20 years of experience both in and out of higher education. Most recently, he has served as the director of Marketing & Communications at Gulliver Preparatory School in Miami, as director of College Relations and Marketing at Palm Beach State College, and as director of Marketing for the Division of Public Affairs at Florida Atlantic University. Each role required building teams, launching campaigns and connecting with institutional leadership.

Outside of education, Meeroff has experience in the marketing, advertising and public relations industry. He has worked with both local and international companies such as Heineken, St. Regis Resorts and Residences, Royal Caribbean International and American Express Travel, among others, where he drove creative and marketing execution.

The Savannah Logistics Innovation Center (SLIC), a public-private partnership co-led by ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥, and Plug and Play, a Silicon-Valley based venture capital firm and corporate innovation platform that recently located an office in Savannah, have chosen the first cohort of startup companies for their accelerator program.

Startup accelerators programs support early- to-late-stage, growth-driven companies through education, mentorship and financing.

This program is offered through the SLIC, a public-private partnership led by ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ and the Savannah Economic Development Authority designed to establish Savannah as an innovation leader in the supply chain and logistics technology industries; create a supply chain and logistics accelerator program in the Savannah region to support and cater to the needs and demands of the local and regional logistics community; and drive business and growth opportunities for the local corporate ecosystem in supply chain and logistics startups. Additional partners include Georgia Ports Authority, Savannah State University, Georgia Power, Savannah Technical College, The Foram Group and the Georgia Department of Transportation.

“ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ is proud to partner with Plug and Play and the Savannah Logistics Innovation Center as we announce the first group of startup companies that will benefit from this accelerator program,â€� said Dr. Kyle Marrero, president of ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥. “The education entities in our region play a crucial role in furthering public-impact research and filling talent development needs across all sectors of the logistics and supply chain industry.â€�

As one of two cohorts that will be chosen each year, selected startups will have the opportunity for business development, mentorship, partnership and funding.

“The last few years have brought a lot of attention to ports and the importance they play in our global supply chains and economy at large,� said Saeed Amidi, CEO and founder of Plug and Play. “Our collaboration with the SLIC is an incredible opportunity to drive forward technology and innovation that can benefit all of us. We’re excited to work with the first batch of startups and our engaged partners to make Plug and Play Savannah one of the premier hubs of supply chain innovation in the world.�

Focus areas of the program include freight, warehouse operations, labor and supply chain optimization.

“Modern ports like Savannah are very efficient at the mechanics and information systems involved in moving cargo on-and-off terminal,� said Griff Lynch, Executive Director of the Georgia Ports Authority. “We are thrilled to see where the accelerator program takes this inaugural group of startups and the ways in which our systems and processes improve because of the solutions they discover.�

Bart Gobeil, executive director of SLIC, said this cohort of startups is incredibly innovative and sophisticated.

“The quality of these startups demonstrates how the Savannah region and Georgia in particular continues to lead and be at the forefront of our global logistics supply chain,â€� Gobeil said. 

These new startup companies could open up new partnership possibilities for students and faculty in ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥’s , where opportunities for internships, scholarships, certifications and experiential learning through site tours and student case competitions are embedded in the curriculum.

The startups selected include:

• SAWAKE.AI – A software platform company building an ecosystem for smart ports and shipping and accommodating seamless collaboration within the entire maritime logistics chain by sharing situational awareness and providing AI-supported predictions for future planning.
• CASI – Relays workforce shift changes and announcements between a management dashboard and the tolls that employees already have in place like text messaging and email.
• DATCH – The only voice AI technology engineered specifically for the industrial workforce to interface with enterprise databases.
• DRAY ALLIANCE – A company providing a container drayage trucking service powered by technology to drive reliability, transparency and connectivity for containerized freight.
• EINRIDE Unmanned transportation vehicles that are safe, cost-efficient and emission-free, enabling clients to reduce transportation costs along with creating a cleaner environment.
• QUALLE Software that helps with container triangulation to match import containers with exporters’ demand.
• REALLY VIRTUAL A unique workforce development platform that manufactures a scalable, cost-efficient and immersive forklift training simulator called the Real-Forklift Premium.
• REPOWR An open marketplace and community of private networks that allows logistics companies to lease and share assets in a single, integrated platform.
• RIDE-N-DOCK Self-balancing, speed limited vehicles that seamlessly move people safely in warehouses and other industrial facilities where covering large distances hinders productivity.
• SLIP ROBOTICS A solution that provides a frictionless robotic implementation while solving the biggest challenges faced in the trailer loading and unloading process.
• SPLICE A low-code automation platform connecting logistics and supply chain applications across customers and partners, automating workflows through a cloud-based environment.
• TIVE A leading provider of real-time supply chain visibility insights that help logistics professionals actively manage their in-transit shipments location and condition.

For more information about the Savannah Logistics Innovation Center (SLIC), visit . For more information about Plug and Play, go to visit .

Melanie Simón, a communications manager on the ÃÛÌÇÖ±²¥ Armstrong Campus, was recently named Best Writer/Author in Savannah by Savannah Magazine in its annual Best Of Savannah awards. Simón has written and published two books, La Americana: A Memoir and Leopold’s Ice Cream: A Century of Tasty Memories.

“I had no idea that I was even in the running or that I had won until a friend texted me, ‘Congrats on your Best of Savannah win!’� Simón said. “It’s a reader-voted award, which is what makes it so special.�

Simón has worked on the Armstrong Campus since May 2015. She began her career in publishing in New York City, and later returned to Savannah where she has served as a publicist and writer since 2003. Currently, she is partnering with producer Stratton Leopold on the book-to-film development of La Americana and will serve as a co-producer of the film.

Simón said she’s honored to have won the award.

“I was floored,� she said. “Savannah is loaded with creative talent, and to have so much support from my hometown is incredible.�