In this episode of Coffee with Cool People, Chip Munn sits down with Matt Pivarnik, CEO of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, to talk about leadership, collaboration, and what it means to be a “community developer.” A self-described “hope, help, happiness, and prosperity dealer,” Matt’s mission is to make lasting, positive change for residents and businesses alike, work that, in his words, “will outlast my time on this earth.”
Matt’s road to Myrtle Beach wasn’t immediate. After leading community development in Tulsa and Topeka, he first received a call about the Myrtle Beach role in 2018 but wasn’t ready to leave mid-mission. When the opportunity came again years later, the timing, and his family, aligned. “We spent a few days here,” he said, “and as we drove out, my wife looked at me and said, ‘I could totally do this.’”
Today, he’s building on one of the strongest tourism economies in the nation, one that draws 18 million visitors a year and fuels everyday life for residents. “People don’t always realize,” he explains, “that tourism helps pay for our roads, supports our restaurants, and reduces the local tax burden.” His focus is on helping residents see that tourism’s success and community quality are deeply linked.
At the core of Matt’s leadership philosophy is radical collaboration. “If we can compete with the world instead of each other, the sky’s the limit,” he says. To him, power is less important than authenticity, trust, and teamwork. He practices what he preaches, sharing his own 360-degree reviews with staff to model vulnerability and growth. His approach is simple: “Be a little better every day.”
When asked which fictional character best represents him, Matt chose John Coffey from The Green Mile: a man who stayed kind and steady even in hardship. It’s a fitting reflection of Matt’s own leadership style, anchored in optimism, humility, and service. As he says of Myrtle Beach, “If we all row together, there’s no limit to how far this community can go.”
