Chamber, president work for Hilton Head

To the critics of the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce's efforts to promote tourism travel via the Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport, and especially to those who have unfairly implied that Bill Miles, chamber president and CEO, is overpaid, you need to take a moment to reflect on reality.

Conflicting interests never will allow the Hilton Head Island Airport to be expanded to serve the volume of visitors we need to support our local economy, so the chamber is justified in promoting the Savannah airport.

We also should be thankful that Georgia and South Carolina have created exits off Interstate 95 and extended U.S. 278 to I-95 to allow convenient access from the Savannah airport to Jasper and Beaufort counties. As a longtime resident of this area, I remember when the Savannah airport access was off Dean Forest Road and Interstate 16, which added at least 30 minutes to the drive from Hilton Head.

As for Miles' compensation, have any of the critics actually taken the time to evaluate his responsibilities and leadership or the positive impact he has had on our community during his time as chamber president?

My company is a chamber member, and I know Bill Miles. There is no question in my mind that he is worth the compensation he receives. We all should appreciate the job he does and the difference he and the chamber have made during the challenging economic times we have experienced in recent years.

Paul Daniels

Hilton Head Island