It has been seven months since Orangeburg County brought home the coveted title of 2005 All-America City.

The nationally recognized, longest-running civic recognition award is often touted by promoters as yielding economic benefits for the recipient city or county, including grants, improved bond ratings, increased tourism and greater development activity.

Locally, use of the designation and its high-profile logo by public and private groups has varied. Some use the logo to its maximum, others not at all.

Orangeburg County Administrator Bill Clark, a key player in winning the award in June 2005, said the county is ready for wholesale promotion of the All-America designation.

The logo has been incorporated in various county promotional items such as lapel pins, letterhead, stationery, envelopes, Web site, and on the 911 education program and materials.

And that is not all.

“We are in the process of having signage printed that will go at all the roadways making entry into the county,” Clark said, noting the signs should be in place in 30 days. “The logo is also being incorporated on the water tank design under construction presently in the County/City Industrial Park. This will be visible to all commuters.”

Clark said All-America exposure has meant more phone calls from both in and out of state. Economic activity has spiked since the award.

“We are seeing an unprecedented level of activity through the development commission and the number of prospect and project activity,” Clark said, noting he has not been able to determine if this is a “chicken and egg scenario” where development has come in because of the All-America award or if development has risen because of the same type effort that earned the award. “I think it is the latter. The successful partnership here has crossed over to affect into different applications.”

Marion Moore, president of Century 21 The Moore Group and owner of Carolina Regional Park near the U.S. 601 and Interstate 26 interchange, said the All-America designation is not something he has incorporated into promotion of the park or in the real estate business. The logo is advertised on the Century 21 Moore Group Web site and soon will be on company stationery.

“Any one of us probably needs to focus on that,” Moore said. “I am not sure private business has jumped on the bandwagon as it should. It is an impressive credential and we are fortunate to have it. It is a blessing that is sure to come down the road.”

Orangeburg County Development Commission Executive Director Gregg Robinson said the commission has incorporated the logo in its marketing pieces, presentations, press releases, stationery, Web site and business cards.

“It is part of every type of presentation we present to companies,” Robinson said. “It brings an instant level of validity and ability to be recognized with a nationally recognized symbol with our community.”

Robinson said in his work with industrial prospects, the general attitude has been one of impressiveness but “not surprise when they see what Orangeburg has to offer.”

Robinson said “with all things being equal,” the All-America designation does give the county an additional advantage — and “any advantage helps.”

The Orangeburg County Chamber of Commerce’s plasma screen display at its new headquarters proudly lets visitors to the Garden City know Orangeburg County is an All-America winner.

The display is just one of the ways the chamber is promoting the designation, President David Coleman said.

“It has raised us to another standard as well,” Coleman said. “It used to be what have we got to do ... but now it is, ’We are an All-American City, we can’t have this. It has raised us to a different level of expectation about how we are to progress and how we are to perform and how we present ourselves to the world.”

The chamber has spotlighted the logo in its prime two-year “Quality of Life” magazine, which came out immediately after the county received the award. The logo was also featured on the cover of the Business and Professional guide published by The Times and Democrat in October and will be used in chamber promotions for through the spring.

The chamber is also readying its new visitor’s guide and its new Web site to promote the logo.

Mac Burton, executive director of The Regional Medical Center Foundation, says the hospital has yet to heavily promote the All-America designation.

Burton said most hospital literature used in physician recruitment and placement, as well as other hospital promotional materials, were printed prior to the All-America designation. No new brochures and letterhead have been printed.

“But we will,” Burton said, about the future use of the logo.

Claflin University is actively using the All-America designation in its recruitment efforts and has encouraged its students to use the designation in their respective employment searches.

“There are a lot of potential students who want to know where Claflin University is, and we use the distinction that Claflin is in the Garden City and an All-America City,” said Helene Carter, university spokesperson. “That gets their curiosity up and it certainly helps.”

Georgetown County, also a 2005 All-America City winner and the only other county to bring home the award this past year, has done its fair share of marketing of the designation.

Beth Goodale, executive assistant to the Georgetown County administrator, said the county has worked and partnered with the Convention and Visitors Bureau in promoting the All-America City.

Goodale said banners and signs are being placed throughout the county and on many of Georgetown’s main roads and city welcome signs.

The county is also working with the local chamber of commerce to encourage businesses and hotels to promote the logo. In addition, Goodale said the county has utilized the local media by getting the word out in press releases. The county Web site also displays the logo.

“We are placing decals on county vehicles ... and on billboards around the county,” Goodale said. “We do hear comments. Everyone is proud of us doing it.”

Public celebrations were held immediately after the All-America City win as well as ongoing socials and barbecues, Goodale said.

It was only the second year Orangeburg County has participated in the contest.

In both 2004 and 2005, the county was named a finalist and qualified for the final round of competition in Atlanta.

Each year, hundreds of communities enter the competition. Thirty finalists are selected by a screening committee of leaders from the business, non-profit and government sectors.

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