Communities throughout North Carolina are collaborating and making necessary investments for job growth. We heard that loud and clear today in Greensboro at a breakfast we co-hosted with Business North Carolina magazine.
Darrell Frye, Chairman of the Randolph County Commission and representing the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite, Paul Cozza, Executive Director of the North Carolina Ports Authority, and Stephanie Cohen, Vice President of Strategic Planning for FedEx Ground, shared their perspectives on economic development and job growth with more than 100 local business and community leaders. Ben Kinney, Publisher of Business North Carolina, served as moderator.
The message we heard was simple: the Triad Region is open for business. And, the impacts of the activity underway in this region that we heard about today are noteworthy. Consider the following:
- Randolph County, the Joseph M. Bryan Foundation, the N.C. Railroad Company, and the City of Greensboro, all collaborated to create the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite—a site that can lead to transformational job creation for the region that will total in the thousands. After job losses in the region of more than 90,000 during the last decade, landing a major manufacturer on a site like this one will be a boon to the Triad.
- The N.C. Ports Authority represents a $14 billion impact to our state, and the millions invested by the Authority have helped make our state ports ready and relevant for the big ships and the logistical support required by major manufacturing—investments that will enable economic development in the Triad and beyond.
- And FedEx Ground, annually managing over 70 million packages coming in and out of North Carolina while supporting over 5,000 jobs here, has invested well over $100 million in the last five years to expand its hub footprint in the Triad. Why? Because people want to order anything, from anywhere, and at any time.
This is all great news and certainly something worth talking about, especially for a region that was once known worldwide as a place that made a whole lot of things. Success like this doesn’t happen on its own. It requires the collaboration, vision, and commitment from business leaders, elected officials, and the non-profit sector. Fortunately, the Triad and many other regions throughout North Carolina have that type of leadership. And as a result, people well beyond our borders are beginning to take notice and think differently about North Carolina and its infrastructure readiness.
Things are happening here. This activity—investments and partnerships—is helping make North Carolina attractive for transformative business growth, or as our friends at the N.C. Ports might say, “big ship ready.” And the Eckel & Vaughan team is excited to be a part of it.
