Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009

Coastal Business | New leader named at New South

Coastal Business

CONWAY

New leader named at New South

The chief financial officer has taken the helm at New South Companies Inc.

Douglas J. Warstler, who joined New South as CFO in 2000, has been named president of the wood products company, which is part of the Canfor Co. Before joining New South, Warstler worked in public accounting at PriceWaterhouseCoopers in Charlotte for 11 years and in private industry in Atlanta for seven years.

Mack Singleton, who led New South for 37 years as chief executive officer, retired earlier this year. He remains on the Canfor board of directors.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Four Waldenbooks to close in state

Borders will close 200 of its Waldenbooks stores nationwide, including four in South Carolina, as part of an initiative to bolster the embattled bookseller.

The S.C. stores that are slated to close: Columbiana Centre in Columbia; Haywood Mall in Greenville; Greenwood Mall in Greenwood; and Mall At Shelter Cove in Hilton Head Island.

The stores will remain open through the holidays, closing by the end of January.

Gift cards bought at the stores can be used at any Borders or Waldenbooks location or borders.com. There is no change for customers who joined the Borders' customer-loyalty program at the closing locations.

The move, which will leave about 130 Waldenbooks stores under the Borders umbrella, will shave 1,500 jobs nationwide.

Borders and its brick-and-mortar competitors, such as Barnes & Noble and independent retailers, have struggled to remain afloat as the book industry faces intense pressure from Internet sales and e-books. Borders has been aggressive in its efforts to retool.

MYRTLE BEACH

Tourism marketing discussed today

A national expert and local leaders will talk about promoting the Grand Strand to potential tourists during a forum today.

David Sheatsley, the director of marketing research for the U.S. Travel Association, will give an overview of travel trends and how they may affect local marketing plans, as well as an outlook on how tourism will shape up in the coming months.

Leaders with the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce also will give a roundup of how this year's marketing programs went and a look at what's on tap for 2010.

The program starts with a continental breakfast at 8 a.m., with the presentations starting at 9 a.m.

The event, sponsored by the chamber, will be at the Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Center Hotel, at the corner of Oak Street and 21st Avenue North in Myrtle Beach.

Visit TheSunNews.com after 1 p.m. today for updates.