From staff reports
Beaufort-area up-and-comers in business braved the chilly midwinter weather on Wednesday, Jan. 8, flocking to Bay Street for the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Lowcountry Young Professionals’ (LYP) first social event of 2025.
The group’s first gathering of the year was sponsored by Rob Wynne with Sea Island Insurance and held at Lost Local in downtown Beaufort, and saw 89 of the area’s brightest and freshest faces in business – doubling the growing group’s attendance record.
“It was a packed house. What a great way for our group to kick off 2025,” said Jessica Mangano, Director of Member Services with the Beaufort Chamber of Commerce and manager of the LYP committee. “The year is off to a strong start, and we are so excited to keep this momentum going and keep building connections throughout our community. We’re excited to see what the year has in store.”
LYP holds a networking event monthly, with each social sponsored and hosted by a member of the Chamber. Chamber membership is currently not a requirement for a young professional to attend the networking events; professionals roughly between the ages of 21 and 45, no matter their business size or sector, are welcome to participate.
LYP’s mission is to grow young professional involvement and influence in shaping and showcasing the Lowcountry region to be more attractive to young, diverse talent. The group emerged in Spring 2024 as a community effort through the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce, offering young people in business a way to network, expand their professional horizons and learn more about the area where they live and work.
The group is led by a committee of up to eight young professionals who meet regularly to plan and track LYP efforts and growth within the community, hence the inclusion of an egret in their new logo. “We want Beaufort to be the place where our young professionals can spread their wings and fly,” said Megan Morris, President and CEO of the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce.
The next LYP social is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 6 at 5:30 p.m. at Magnolia Cafe at 703 Congress Street in Beaufort.
For more information on upcoming LYP events, join the Facebook group or email them at lyp@beaufortchamber.org.
