north carolina's eastern region economic development guide 2013 14
DESCRIPTION
The 13-county Eastern Region of North Carolina is an economically diverse area, with key clusters that include advanced manufacturing, aerospace and defense, value-added agriculture, life sciences and tourism, health care and higher education. The region offers a highly skilled workforce, a favorable labor environment, low cost of living, ample developable land and building sites, world-class transportation assets, a central location, and a robust network of colleges and universities.TRANSCRIPT
SponSored by north Carolina’S eaStern region | 2013-14
businessclimate.com/nc-eastern
Sailing AheadRegion’s dedicated, skilled workforce propels growth
region invests in supporting, funding tech-based firms
local restaurants, attractions draw attention from travelers and tourists
CAROLINA ’sNORthEastErn rEgion Economic DEvElopmEnt
Offices in:WILSON • RALEIGH • KINSTON
Toll-free: (877) 641-8848 • www.cauleypridgen.com
Statewide Law Practice Focused on Transactions and Litigation Involving Business, Utilities, Government and Land
BUSINESS UTILITIES GOvERNmENT LANd
businessclimate.com/nc-eastern || 5
2013-14 Edition | VolumE 3
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Education
Today’s sTudenTs, Tomorrow’s LeadersWorkforce training programs and STEM initiatives help the Eastern Region’s students get career ready.
BusinEss climatE
saiLing aheadDedicated, skilled workforce propels business growth in North Carolina’s Eastern Region, creating new jobs and strengthening the area economy.
advancEd manufactuRing
a weLL-oiLed machineThe region builds expertise in industrial machinery production thanks to strong ecosystems and training programs.
tRanspoRtation
corridor for growThRoadways, rail carriers, airports and deepwater ports make the region a thriving logistics and shipping center.
conTenTs
CAROLINA ’sNORthEastErn rEgion Economic DEvElopmEnt
6 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
Business ClimateRead more about the competitive advantages of North Carolina’s Eastern Region.
EducationExplore workforce development and training programs offered by area educational institutions.
Transportation
Learn more about logistics and transportation infrastructure in the region.
Photo Gallery & VideosOur award-winning photographers show you the unique faces, spaces and places of North Carolina’s Eastern Region.
Keep updated and informed on the latest real-time news, developments and information.
Demographics
Drill down on the numbers behind the region’s powerhouse economy with a full set of statistics and data.
Top Industries
Learn more about the key industry sectors and top companies that make the region work.
TabletTake the region with you with a digital edition optimized for tablet viewing.
TrendsLearn more about what’s shaping the region’s business climate.
Top EmployersFind out who the major players are in the region.
LivabilityArts, culture, recreation, entertainment, education, health care and all the things that make the region an outstanding place to live.
Site GuideLinks to comprehensive data on available land and buildings.
Cool CompaniesMeet more innovative, fast-growth businesses finding success.
what’s on businessclimate.com/nc-eastern
Online
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22lifE sciEncE
The righT formuLaPartnerships give regional life science firms an innovative edge and support industry growth in the area.
26dEfEnsE & agRicultuRE
Joining forcesRegion’s agriculture industry seeks to fill food and fuel needs for local military installations.
30EnERgy & tEchnology
energizing sTarTupsRegion invests in supporting and funding entrepreneurs and tech-based firms.
44touRism & hospitality
dishing iT ouTLocal restaurants, establishments draw a heaping of new business from travelers and tourists.
48livaBility
sTay awhiLeRelaxed lifestyle, cultural gems and family-friendly attractions make the Eastern Region a top destination.
54hEalth caRE
heaLThy reTurnsAdvances in health care keep Eastern North Carolina on the cutting edge.
All or part of this magazine is printed with soy ink on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste. pleaSe reCyCle thiS magazine
on the CoverWater is an integral part of the culture in North Carolina’s Eastern Region. Located on the Trent River, the New Bern Grand Marina is home to 225 boat slips. Photo by Brian McCord
conTenTs
9 overview
11 discover
43 economic profiLe
60 gaLLery
22
44
30
26
203 S.W. Greenville Blvd. • Greenville, NC 27858 (252) 355-8300 • www.cityhotelandbistro.com
Amenities• Complimentary hot breakfast buffet for hotel guests in the Ivy Room
• City Bistro Restaurant in our hotel offers a variety of menu options with nightly entertainment
• Outdoor pool
• Exercise room offering a variety of equipment
• Extra-large business-class king hotel rooms with sofas
• Junior suites and a Presidential suite
• News and Observer papers in lobby Monday-Saturday
• Same-day valet service (except weekends)
• Free parking for our hotel guests
• Safety deposit boxes available
• Copy machine and fax service available
• 185 hotel rooms, seven luxury suites, four stories with interior corridors, electronic keyless entry for all guest rooms
• Corporate boardrooms and meeting facilities available for groups of 10-500 people
• Complimentary wireless high-speed Internet access at the lobby, pool, restaurant/lounge and meeting rooms, provided by Suddenlink.
• New guest coin laundry facility
Call (877) 271-2616 for reservations.
businessclimate.com/nc-eastern || 9
Welcome to North Carolina’s Eastern Region, a 13-county
area of more than 1 million people. The region offers a favorable labor environment, low cost of living, developable land and sites, world-class transportation, a central location to market, and colleges and universities. A signature development in the region is the 5,700-acre Global TransPark near Kinston, which combines space for industrial development with an airport offering an 11,500-foot runway and one of the region’s two Foreign Trade Zones. The Port of Morehead City sits just four miles from the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean and handles break-bulk and bulk cargo.
The North Carolina Community College System’s 11 campuses that serve the area give the region a powerful set of tools for developing labor skills, and brand-name manufacturers have invested here including Mt. Olive Pickles, Moen, Bosch/Siemens, Lennox, General Electric, Electrolux, Sara Lee, the Cheesecake Factory, Spirit Aerosystems, AAR and Honeywell.
With its proximity to the Research Triangle, the region has crafted a life sciences sector employing more than 5,000 people in pharmaceuticals, medical device manufacturing, marine sciences and nutrition, and advanced biofuels. East Carolina University, a major research center, includes a medical campus
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C A R T E R E TD U P L I N
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WAY N E
G R E E N E P I T T
W I L S O N
E D G E C O M B EN A S H
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Morehead City
Mount Olive
Washington
Tarboro
Nashville
Snow Hill
Kenansville
Trenton
Bayboro
Oriental
AT L A N T I C O C E A N
Havelock
New Bern
Kinston
Goldsboro
Wilson
Jacksonville
Greenville
Rocky Mount
Raleigh
1370
Delivering the ‘Wow’ FactorNORTh CAROLiNA’S EASTERN REgiON iS AN iNviTiNg PLACE TO iNvEST, WORK AND LivE
ovERviEw
with schools of medicine, nursing, allied health sciences and a new school of dental medicine.
Playing on North Carolina’s high national ranking in areas like sweet potato, cucumber, hog, poultry and seafood production, more than 20,000 people in the region work for some 160 value-added agriculture facilities.
The Eastern Region is not all business. From the earliest Colonial settlements to the African-American experience, the region embraces its history. It offers spectacular natural assets, world-class culture and top-rated beaches. Music and entertainment
options coupled with a moderate temperatures, safe neighborhoods, unique locally owned shops and shorter commute times provide an unparalleled quality of life.
Whether it’s coastal living or larger city amenities, the Eastern Region delivers a sophisticated, multi-faceted economy that will make you want to work where you want to live. north carolina’s eastern region 3802 highway 58 n. Kinston, nc 28504 (800) 474-8499 www.nceast.org
nor th carolina’s eastern region
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the eyeS have itScenic wonders dot North Carolina’s Eastern Region, from sightings of wild horses along Shackleford Banks in Beaufort and white sea turtle exhibits at the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores to historic lighthouses and fishing villages along Cape Lookout National Seashore. Other must-see attractions in the area include:
whirligig park: Opening in November 2013, the downtown
Wilson park will showcase more than 30 eclectic windmill-styled sculptures created by late local folk artist Vollis Simpson. The park will also include an amphitheater, an interactive water feature and picnic seating.
css neuse: Used by the Confederate navy during the Civil War, this ironclad gunboat draws Civil War buffs to Kinston. Visitors can check out the new CSS Neuse Civil War Interpretive Center to see the historic vessel.
croatan national forest: Filled with pine trees, black bears, bogs, saltwater estuaries, raised swamps and wading birds, this Havelock preserve is the only true coastal forest located along the East Coast. Blackwater creeks and saltwater marshes run through the 160,000-acre forest, attracting canoers and kayakers. Visitors also enjoy bicycling, hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, picnicking and wildlife viewing.
Discover North Carolina’s Eastern Region
things to do
one of the region’s top attractions is the north Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores.
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Sweet SucceSSOne of the most popular wineries in the Southeast happens to be in the Eastern North Carolina community of Rose Hill. Known for its premier sweet red wine, duplin winery was founded in the early 1970s and is the oldest operating winery in North Carolina. Forty employees work at the 1,800-acre winery, producing and shipping more than 1.4 million gallons – which fills about 300,000 cases – each year. Duplin Winery welcomes 100,000 visitors annually to free tasting events Monday through Saturday at its 40-foot bar, and on-site banquet facilities for weddings, celebrations and corporate functions are also available. In addition to its popular Magnolia wine that has been featured as a summertime favorite in Martha Stewart Living magazine, the winery’s menu includes Hatteras red, scuppernong, blush, fruit, seasonal, specialty, champagne and non-alcoholic bottles. Thanks to its steady growth and success, Duplin Winery has also been honored with a Hot Brand award from Impact magazine, as well as a Fast Track award from Beverage Information Group. For more information about the winery, visit www.duplinwinery.com.
Cooler than everEastern North Carolina is home to two of the nation’s leading cold storage manufacturers, both of which have operated in the region for several years. frank door company in Newport manufactures cold storage doors and traffic doors installed in coolers, freezers and refrigerated warehouses. In operation since the late 1980s, the manufacturer was the first to introduce a choice of color in cold storage doors. Its doors can be found in hospitals, supermarkets, convenience stores, restaurants, universities and processing facilities. Another industry leader is Bally refrigerated Boxes, which makes walk-in coolers, freezers and refrigerated buildings in Morehead City. The company has been producing iceboxes since the 1930s – back when they were actually cooled by blocks of ice – and is known for pioneering the use of non-ozone-depleting panels in cold storage doors, reducing ozone damage from its products by 90 percent.
Where pepSi WaS bornNew Bern is known as the birthplace of pepsi, thanks to pharmacist Caleb Branham’s invention of a concoction he called Brad’s Drink in the late 1800s. Since 1898, the drink has been marketed as Pepsi-Cola, and the drugstore where it was invented is open to the public, known today as The pepsi store. Owned and operated by Ayden-based Minges Bottling Group, the store opened its doors on the cola’s 100th anniversary. Visitors who stop by can enjoy a Pepsi served from an old-fashioned soda fountain and browse through memorabilia and Pepsi-themed souvenirs.
480K+people make up the
Eastern Region’s thriving workforce, which
includes more than 34,000 business
establishments in a wide variety of industries
cool companiEsfast fact
signatuRE BusinEss
madE hERE
65miles of white-sand
beaches are located in North Carolina’s Eastern
Region and stretch across Carteret, Craven
and Onslow counties
fast fact
the area is home to north Carolina’s oldest operating winery.
North Carolina’s 13-county Eastern Region traditionally ranks among the state’s top five areas in which to do business and for good reasons, says John Chaffee, president and CEO of North
Carolina’s Eastern Region Development Commission. “We’ve made infrastructure improvements, and
we have the backdrop of highly regarded universities and community colleges,” he says. “We’re globally minded, and we have excellent logistics and location, with the transcontinental interstate I-40 connecting our region to California and the East Coast ‘Main Street’ Interstate 95. During the recession, we continued to grow, and our average salary went up.”
Chaffee says his office strives to provide local companies with every advantage possible.
“We are doing what we can to spur economic growth,” he says. “We’ve worked with the U.S. Commercial Service and North Carolina International Trade Division to promote exports and have identified where companies can go to receive assistance to manage international trade. We’ve also formed partnerships with East Carolina University to help entrepreneurs.”
Workforce Powers Region
Leading all of the region’s growth is its top-notch workforce, Chaffee says.
“We’re a relatively rural region,” he says. “We have five small metro areas, but not one that exceeds a 200,000 population. Our rural area means we have a strong work ethic on the part of residents.”
sailing Ahead
BusinEss climatE
DEDiCATED, SKiLLED WORKFORCE PROPELS BuSiNESS gROWTh iN NORTh CAROLiNA’S
EASTERN REgiON
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draka Elevator Products recently expanded its Rocky mount operation in nash County, investing $3.1 million and adding more than 67 jobs to the workforce. the facility creates specialized cable for cellular communication towers.
High-school graduation rates are higher than state and national averages, and several of the region’s high schools offer STEM programs to prepare students for future careers in science, technology, engineering and math. The region also has 11 community colleges, five of which offer advanced manufacturing and machining programs.
“Businesses are often looking to recruit graduates who have applied science degrees,” Chaffee says. “They need people who can build components for medical devices, appliances, auto parts and industrial machinery. Our schools offer training programs that feed directly into those industry segments.”
Chaffee notes that the region also leads the state in promoting WorkKeys and Career Readiness Certificates, a program that matches people to jobs.
“Local companies enter job profiles, and we can
match candidates who have those skills,” he says. “It accelerates the hiring process because companies look at only the most qualified employees. We have over 40,000 individuals in our region with career readiness certificates and more than 135 companies that do job profiling. Our employers are saying that it’s a great tool, lowers their hiring cost and reduces turnover. That has a huge impact on our business environment.”
industries, Businesses Grow
North Carolina’s Eastern Region is home to a diversified economy that supports an array of industries, including defense, aerospace, logistics, life science, automotive production and value-added agriculture. All of these clusters are growing.
“One of our largest clusters is the aerospace
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north carolina’s eastern region: By the numbers
Employment by Sector:
Rising High School Graduation Rate
Services
297,723
education and health
94,664
goods production
83,098
trade, transportation
and Utilities
74,114
manufacturing
49,697
Region
Per
cent
age
State National
2011-122009-102007-082005-06
85
75
80
70
65
60
Growth in Population:
2000 2009Estimate CensusCensus
2010 2014Projection
Percent Change from 2009 to 2014: 9.8%
916
,141
1,0
02
,771
1,0
35
,50
2
1,10
1,3
99
REgional assEts
11 campuses of the North Carolina Community College System
40,000 workers with Career Readiness Certificates, or CRCs
5,700-acre Global TransPark, which includes a Foreign Trade Zone and an 11,500-foot runway
Access to the transcontinental I-40 as well as I-95, known as the East Coast’s “Main Street”
20+ top manufacturing companies including Georgia-Pacific and Kidde Aerospace
Per Capita income: nCERnorth Carolinaunited States
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
316
56
50000
45000
40000
35000
30000
25000
20000
15000
10000
5000
3250
8
3327
6
3336
4
346
01
3512
2
3489
3
3494
1
359
93
16 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
[industry], with 12,000 people employed,” Chaffee says. “The life science sector is also strong, with about 6,000 people employed.”
Several area companies have experienced recent growth. Wire and cable manufacturer Draka Elevator Products completed a $3.1 million expansion and added 67 jobs to its Nash County facility, where it makes specialized cable for cellular communication towers. Hospira, a medical device manufacturer, just embarked on a $270 million expansion and modernization of its Nash County facility, while metals processor and distributor Joseph T. Ryerson & Son Inc. added 44 jobs to its Wayne County fabrication facility and increased its square footage to 90,000. In addition, EastCoast Packaging Corp. relocated its custom-packaging operation to Nash County, investing $1.5 million in the area and creating nine new jobs.
“Our area is very diverse,” Chaffee says. “We have continued to grow, providing job opportunities for our residents and growth opportunities for our area businesses.”
Story by Stephanie Vozza Photography by Brian McCord
read it online or on your tablet and quickly share articles with friends.
digital magazinE
East Carolina university is one of the region’s many higher education institutions.
Hospira is investing $270 million in an expansion of its nash County facility.
N orth Carolina’s 13-county Eastern Region traditionally ranks among the state’s top five areas in which to do business and for good reasons, says John Chaffee, president and CEO of North Carolina’s Eastern Region Development Commission.
“We’ve made infrastructure improvements, and we have the backdrop of highly regarded universities and community colleges,” he says. “We’re globally minded, and we have excellent logistics and location, with the transcontinental interstate I-40 connecting our region to California and the East Coast ‘Main Street’ Interstate 95. During the recession, we continued to grow, and our average salary went up.”
Chaffee says his office strives to provide local
companies with every advantage possible.“We are doing what we can to spur economic growth,” he says. “We’ve worked with the U.S. Commercial Service and North Carolina International Trade Division to promote exports and
have identified where companies can go to receive assistance to manage international trade. We’ve also formed partnerships with East Carolina University to help entrepreneurs.”Workforce Powers RegionLeading all of the region’s growth is its top-notch
workforce, Chaffee says. “We’re a relatively rural region,” he says. “We have five small metro areas, but not one that exceeds a 200,000 population. Our rural area means we have a strong work ethic on the part of residents.”
Sailing Right Along
BUSINESS CLIMATE
DEDICATED, SKILLED WORKFORCE PROPELS BUSINESS GROWTH IN NORTH CAROLINA’S EASTERN REGIONDraka Elevator Products recently expanded its Rocky Mount operation in Nash County, investing $3.1 million and adding more
than 67 jobs to the workforce. The facility creates specialized cable for cellular communication towers.High-school graduation rates are higher than state and national averages, and several of the region’s high schools offer STEM programs to prepare students for future careers in science, technology, engineering and math. The region also has 11 community colleges, five of which offer advanced manufacturing and machining programs.“Businesses are often looking to recruit graduates
who have applied science degrees,” Chaffee says. “They need people who can build components for medical devices, appliances, auto parts and industrial machinery. Our schools offer training programs that feed directly into those industry segments.”
Chaffee notes that the region also leads the state in promoting WorkKeys and Career Readiness Certificates, a program that matches people to jobs.
“Local companies enter job profiles, and we can match candidates who have those skills,” he says. “It accelerates the hiring process because companies look at only the most qualified employees. We have 35,000 individuals in our region with career readiness certificates and more than 135 companies that do job profiling. Our employers are saying that it’s a great tool, lowers their hiring cost and reduces turnover. That has a huge impact on our business environment.”Industries, Businesses GrowNorth Carolina’s Eastern Region is home to a
diversified economy that supports an array of industries, including defense, aerospace, logistics, life science, tourism and value-added agriculture. All of these clusters are growing.
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14 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development review
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A WELL-OILED
MAChINEREgiON BuiLDS ExPERTiSE iN
iNDuSTRiAL MAChiNERy PRODuCTiON ThANKS TO STRONg ECOSySTEMS
AND TRAiNiNg PROgRAMS
STuDENTS hAvE ACCESS TO STATE-OF-ThE-ART
EquiPMENT AND CAN iNTERN WiTh AREA COMPANiES FOR
ON-ThE-jOB ExPERiENCE
LOW COSTS, PRiME LOCATiON AND OThER
ADvANTAgES SERvE ThE REgiON’S ADvANCED
MANuFACTuRiNg CLuSTER
COLLEgES AND uNivERSiTiES TRAiN
STuDENTS TO ENTER ThE WORKFORCE AT LOCAL MANuFACTuRiNg FiRMS
advancEd manufactuRing
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nACCo materials Handling Group, the operating subsidiary of Hyster-Yale materials Handling, inc., makes industrial equipment in Greenville for a range of industries.
A semi carrying a load of pharmaceuticals down the highway has deep roots in North Carolina’s Eastern Region.
That semi is likely powered by a Cummins diesel made in Rocky Mount, the pharmaceuticals were probably packed by machines made by Aylward Enterprises in New Bern, and the truck may have been loaded using materials
handling equipment produced by Greenville’s NACCO Materials Handling Group, the operating subsidiary of Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc.
These are just a few of the companies that power the region’s advanced manufacturing cluster, which is developing a growing niche in the production of industrial machinery. Another company based in Wilson, Industrial Automated Systems, designs and builds control systems for automation and information applications used to power many manufacturing operations.
Ecosystem offers Competitive Edge
Several advantages make the region a competitive location for manufacturers in this niche, including: low taxes and
costs; financial incentives for job creation, investment, and research and development; a central location along the East Coast and multimodal transportation network; and a skilled workforce with CNC-machining expertise and, often, military training.
A growing ecosystem like this offers manufacturers a support base that promotes excellence.
“The benefits of having other industrial machinery manufacturers here include opportunities to benchmark other facilities and grow our knowledge of best-in-class processes and procedures,” says John Angster, Vice President of Human Resources, NMHG Americas.
These firms draw on a rich pool of regional talent, as well as training programs offered by area colleges and universities to prepare workers for this field.
To support its production of diesel engines for industrial and marine applications, Cummins Rocky Mount Engine Plant has partnered with North Carolina Wesleyan College to provide management education to its employees. Workers seeking to enhance their skills or complete their college degrees can enroll and attend in a location adjacent to their workplace, and courses such as Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management are available.
NMHG has partnered with Pitt Community College in Winterville to offer customized technical and leadership training to its workers.
“Also we have utilized East Carolina University and North Carolina State University to provide training on more specialized topics, which include supply chain management, and quality tools such as Value Stream Mapping for several of our more complex internal processes,” Angster explains.
Bringing Workers up to Speed
The demand for skilled positions at area manufacturing firms is growing all the time, and the N.C. Advanced Manufacturing Alliance at Edgecombe Community College equips students to fill those needs. With campuses in both Tarboro and Rocky Mount, the school
Advanced manufacturing students get hands-on training at Edgecombe Community College’s tarboro campus.
20 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
offers programs that are geared toward recent high-school graduates as well as experienced workers looking for skills to help them advance or pursue a new career. The college offers a variety of certification programs to help workers meet national standards.
“Our focus is training machine integrators to be able to set up a complex network and to automate the manufacturing process, and maintain and troubleshoot that network,” says Dr. Paul Petersen, project coordinator at Edgecombe Community College.
The U.S. Department of Labor recently awarded the N.C. Advanced Manufacturing Alliance $18.8 million to help train workers in the manufacturing industry. Edgecombe received $1.2 million of that grant and used it to add new equipment, including computer-controlled vertical milling machines and lathes, robots to service the lathes, and a robotic welder. Along with state-of-the-art training equipment, the college allows students in the program to intern with area companies to gain on-the-job experience – and
Read more about advanced manufacturing in the region at businessclimate.com/nc-eastern.
possibly future employment.“Students know when they
come out of the program they will have the technical background they need, and the internships give the company and the potential employee a chance to work with each other before they’re hired,” Petersen says.
Story by Gary Wollenhaupt Photography by Brian McCord
businessclimate.com/nc-eastern || 21
industry size: More than 13,000
workers in the region produce
aircraft fuselages, precision tools, fuel systems,
electrical components, signal testing instruments and more.
leading firms: Spirit
Aerosystems, AAR Mobility
Systems and Eaton
Along with makers of industrial machinery, a diverse group of advanced manufacturers call North Carolina’s Eastern Region home. Some of the area’s fastest-growing niches within the industry include:
industry size: Sixteen firms in
the region employ 1,400 workers in operations involving the production of
precision tools, electrical and signal testing instruments.
leading firms: honeywell,
Kidde Aerospace and Aylward
industry size: The region is home to a growing group of companies that
manufacture heating and cooling
equipment and related products, as well as more than
40 machine shops capable of
providing parts and support services
to hvAC manufacturers.
leading firms: Mestek,
Field Controls and Air Systems
Components
industry size: Nearly
4,000 employees in the region
make consumer durable goods, from cabinets
and wood components
to commercial appliances and
household products.
leading firms: Weyerhaeuser,
BSh, Electrolux, Moen,
MasterBrand and Lenox
industry size: Approximately
2,700 employees in more than
40 firms throughout the
region are involved in the manufacturing of engines and engine parts.
leading firms: Cummins Rocky
Mount Engine Plant, Stanadyne, ASMO, Cooper Standard and Bridgestone/
Firestone
Aerospace Automotive Components
Household Goods HVAC Equipment Precision Instruments and
Equipment
advanced manufacturing in north carolina’s eastern region
the Right
Formula
lifE sciEncE
PARTNERShiPS givE REgiONAL LiFE SCiENCE FiRMS AN iNNOvATivE EDgE AND SuPPORT iNDuSTRy gROWTh iN ThE AREA
North Carolina is ranked the third-largest state for life science companies
and its 13-county Eastern Region is a big reason why. From international firms to homegrown startups, the region is a magnet for biotech and pharmaceutical innovators as well as medical device manufacturers.
Proximity to North Carolina’s Research Triangle and leading hospitals, universities and
research centers are reasons life science companies choose to locate in the area. Other draws of the region include its low operating costs, skilled workforce and customized programs through the North Carolina Community College System to train workers for the field.
Pharmaceutical manufacturer Hospira, a leading provider of injectable medicines and infusion technologies, is expanding its operations in Nash County, investing up to $270 million over the next three years and creating an additional 200 jobs.
Spinoff firms launched by higher-education institutions like East Carolina University (ECU) are also thriving.
“Relative to where we’ve been, the life sciences are exploding (in this area), but we’re still developing,” says Dr. Samuel Sears, partner at QOL-Apps Inc. in Greenville and director of cardiac psychology services at ECU’s East Carolina Heart Institute.
QOL-Apps creates phone applications that help patients adjust to implanted defibrillators. These defibrillators sense when a patient’s heartbeat becomes too
“Relative to where we’ve been, the life sciences are exploding (in this area), but we’re still developing.”
Dr. Samuel Sears, partner at QOL-Apps Inc.
22 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
the East Carolina Heart institute at East Carolina university is a leader in cardiac research.
22 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development bUSineSSClimate.Com/nC-eaStern || 23
fast and send a high-energy shock to the heart to prevent the patient from going into cardiac arrest.
Living with a device like this can be a difficult adjustment on many levels, including psychologically and emotionally. QOL-Apps’ app helps patients develop strategies to overcome their issues with the device. The app is currently on the market, and Dr. Sears hopes to develop more apps for other health
conditions, such as chronic pain and insomnia.
innovative Partnerships
QOL-Apps exemplifies the business-university partnerships that give the region’s life science industry an innovative edge.
Cutting-edge technology is also being developed through ECU’s Training for Optimal Performance Biofeedback Program, which helps wounded
warriors manage traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), among other potential problems, such as cardiac conditions.
“Primarily, it’s an educational training program around brain waves, heart rate or any physiological variable,” says Dr. Carmen Russoniello, director of ECU’s Psychophysiology Lab and Biofeedback Clinic. “Patients learn how to change in relationship to
distribution of region’s Life science assets
JAC K S O N V I L L E M O R E H E A D C I T Y
WA R S AWT R E N T O N
B AY B O R O
N E W B E R N
K I N ST O N
G O L S B O R O
S N OW H I L L
G R E E N V I L L E
W I L S O N
TA R B O R O
R O C KY M O U N T
N A S H V I L L E
university or Federal lab
R&D
Biopharma mfg.
Medical products mfg.
Life science suppliers and service providers
Other Bioscience mfg.
24 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
Key companies in eastern North Carolina’s life science
industry include:
alderon biosciences: Conducts research and development
for point-of-care diagnostics
bd (becton, dickinson & Co.): Develops, manufactures and sells
medical devices, instrument systems and reagents
Carolina medical products: Makes dermatological products
Ctmg: Manages clinical trials
dSm pharmaceuticals: Manufactures
biopharmaceutical drugs
goldsboro labs: Makes animal vaccines
hospira: Produces injectable medicines
and infusion technologies
merck: Makes medicines, vaccines,
biologic therapies, and consumer health and animal products
metrics: Provides analytical services, drug development and manufacturing
purdue pharmaceuticals l.p.: Produces oral solid dosage tablets
for paint management
rti Surgical: Specializes in tissue regeneration,
biopolymer research and development
Sandoz (novartis): Manufactures oral-dosage generic pharmaceuticals
West pharmaceutical: Services syringe plungers/
iv system components
REgional BiotEch lEadERs
the stimulus that affects them.”Biotech innovators in the region
also thrive on each other’s ingenuity. Greenville-based MxBiodevices LLC is working on a product to treat diabetic foot ulcers based on wound care technology licensed and developed by another area biotech firm, Pioneer Surgical. Dr. Ronald Hill, managing partner for MxBiodevices, says the company hopes its technology will receive approval in Europe in 18 months and
FDA approval in about three years.“For Mx, eastern North
Carolina is the perfect location,” Dr. Hill says. “We get great support from the North Carolina Biotech Office in Greenville. If we can grow this cluster and increase the employment base, people can move from one company to another or expand their businesses along with their ideas.”
Story by Kelly Kagamas Tomkies Photography by Brian McCord
businessclimate.com/nc-eastern || 25 24 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
Joining Forces
REgiON’S AgRiCuLTuRE iNDuSTRy SEEKS TO FiLL FOOD AND FuEL NEEDS FOR LOCAL MiLiTARy iNSTALLATiONS
A jet is displayed at the Havelock Police department near marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point.
26 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
Whether it’s promoting renewable energy, feeding the armed forces or
preserving land around military installations, the agriculture and military sectors in North Carolina’s Eastern Region are working together in ways that could give the area a huge economic boost.
The region’s agriculture and defense industries are its biggest economic contributors by far. The military has more than a $6.6 billion economic impact on the region and is its largest employer, supporting more than 83,000 jobs. Agriculture is the largest contributor to the region’s gross domestic product and accounts for more than 20,000 jobs.
military, Agriculture Synergy
“There is a synergistic relationship between the agriculture and defense industries in the region,” says John Chaffee, president and chief executive officer of North Carolina’s Eastern Region Development Commission. “We are working on several fronts to improve the connectivity between these two important sectors.”
Having a strong, stable agricultural sector not only helps the region preserve farming-related jobs, it also ensures the military has viable land to use for their training and related activities, Chaffee explains. This is vital considering Eastern North Carolina has the third-largest concentration of military installations in the nation, including Camp Lejeune, two Marine Corps air stations – Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point and Marine Corps Air Station New River – and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.
Having a healthy agricultural industry offers other strategic advantages, too. The region is among the nation’s largest
dEfEnsE & agRicultuRE
producers of turkeys, chickens and hogs as well as a major grower of sweet potatoes, cucumbers and soybeans. Food producers in the region include well-known names like Butterball, Sara Lee, Smithfield Foods, Mt. Olive Pickles and the Cheesecake Factory.
With such extensive food production taking place nearby, the region’s leaders are working to get more locally produced food products on the tables of area military installations.
Food, Fuel for Forces
One formal partnership between the region’s agricultural and military communities is the Food & Fuel for the Forces Program (FF4F). Regional leaders involved in the program are working to gauge precisely what type and amount of food production is required locally to match the consumption of area military forces, says George Miller, who manages FF4F for the region. Once that determination is made, steps can be taken to better align the supply and demand.
As a result, “growers in the Eastern Region should see increased financial opportunities,” Miller says.
A marine tackles an obstacle course at Camp lejeune in Jacksonville.
REgion is a top pRoducER of
Chicken
hogs
turkey
businessclimate.com/nc-eastern || 27 26 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
A change of command ceremony takes place at Stone Bay, a satellite facility of marine Corps Base Camp lejeune.
military mightMore than 84,000 active military personnel serve at four major bases located through North Carolina’s Eastern Region, and nearly 7,000 are discharged from these bases annually. These transitioning military personnel have expertise in the following areas: engineering, logistics, simulation, iT service, food preparation, engineering, truck driving, heavy equipment operation, and aircraft, engine, vehicle, facility and electrical maintenance.
28 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
The military is also undertaking major efforts to reduce its dependence on foreign oil and use more renewable fuels, or biofuels setting a goal of using 50 percent biofuels by 2016.
Helping the military achieve that goal could significantly benefit the Eastern Region, which is working with the Biofuels Center of North Carolina in Oxford to increase biofuel production in the area. Known as the Eastern Gain biofuels project, the initiative draws upon growers, producers and the military to meet strategic needs for both renewable fuels and preservation of land around bases. Its goal is to build infrastructure to produce 50 million gallons of advanced biofuels per year for the military and other users by 2015.
“Eastern North Carolina perfectly merges rich agriculture, vital bases and this new biofuels vision,” says the Biofuels Center’s Director of Eastern and Military Partnerships Terry Carter.
The region is full of crops and trees that serve as primary sources of feedstock for biofuels, and developing production facilities in the area capable of converting this feedstock into biofuels for the military is a future possibility for the region.
In July 2011, Camp Lejeune received its first shipment of biodiesel fuel that was grown, processed and blended in North Carolina.
“This represented the first fruit of our efforts to get homegrown biodiesel to our military forces,” Miller says.
Story by John Fuller
A mV-22 osprey receives user maintenance on board mCAS new River.
the Food & Fuel for the Forces Program (FF4F) is working to sustain both the defense and agriculture industry within the region.
Discover more about the region’s agriculture and defense industries at businessclimate.com/nc-eastern.
= 5,000 jobs Source: North Carolina’s Eastern Region
number of military jobs in the region: 84,000
number of agriculture jobs in the region: 20,000
businessclimate.com/nc-eastern || 29 28 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
ENERgIzINg stARtups
REgiON iNvESTS iN SuPPORTiNg AND FuNDiNg ENTREPRENEuRS
AND TECh-BASED FiRMS
EnERgy & tEchnology
Entrepreneurs have an ally in North Carolina’s Eastern Region. A wealth of regional initiatives and partnerships give startup firms, especially those in advanced manufacturing and other high-tech
fields, the support they need to bring their ideas to fruition and get their ventures off the ground.
One of those support systems is the Center for Strategic Economic Growth, a $1.6 million center launched by the University of North Carolina’s Kenan Institute to back high-growth businesses and entrepreneurial ventures in Eastern North Carolina.
“We are currently developing a model that will efficiently allow us to identify companies in Eastern North Carolina that have the highest potential to expand and add jobs, finding out what those companies need to grow and mobilizing community resources to assist them,” says Dennis English, coordinator at the center.
The center has worked with the Carolinas Gateway Partnership, which serves Nash and Edgecombe counties, to develop a road map for expanding economic activity, broadening the tax base and increasing job opportunities for residents.
“Our grant timeline indicates that direct assistance to entrepreneurs and growth businesses will commence in year two; however, we have already begun some outreach in this regard,” English says. “For example, we have facilitated business consulting services to assist businesses exploring franchising. We have corralled other regional resources, experts in helping business owners develop franchises and the industry’s leading franchise consultancy, providing a free executive franchise service for outplacement firms and career coaches.”
Another new collaborative initiative led by the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center is working with local and regional groups to provide educational and business development
30 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
the Kinston Enterprise Center is a small business incubator that comprises 30,000 square feet in the city’s downtown area.
30 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development businessclimate.com/nc-eastern || 31
opportunities to current and future entrepreneurs in Lenoir, Greene, Wayne, Wilson, Edgecombe and Pitt counties. Its focus includes spurring growth among area aerospace and automotive manufacturers and their suppliers.
East Carolina university’s Entrepreneurial initiative
In Greenville, East Carolina University’s Entrepreneurial Initiative matches up resources with firms in need.
“Our foremost mission is to create an investment community for entrepreneurs,” says Director Marty Hackney. “Most entrepreneurs are interested in funding, and our investor network has provided money for companies in different stages.
“The second thing an entrepreneur looks for is mentoring,” she continues. “We have a network of more than 100 people who are experienced in entrepreneurial and commercialization pathways. Some are investor advocates; not only is that person willing to write a check, but they roll up their sleeves and work alongside the entrepreneurs. Many of the companies we’ve helped have investors serving on their board.”
Hackney says her offices also provide support in grant funding, market analysis and business models. She has a team of MBA students who help write
business plans, perform market research and complete grant applications.
“We work with those in emerging technology,” she says. “We look for companies on a rocket growth path, which creates a high return on investment.”
ECU’s Entrepreneurial Initiative has assisted several companies, Hackney says, including Greenville-based Clinical Trial Management Group, which has grown from zero to 40 employees in just a few years.
The outlook for more entrepreneurial activity is positive. Other seed funds like the Inception Micro-Angel Fund (IMAF) East in Greenville and in Rocky Mount have been created in the region to serve startup companies.
Business incubators are also prevalent throughout the region in cities like Greenville, Goldsboro, Kinston and Wilson. Offering low-rent space to startups in Kinston and Lenoir County, the Kinston Enterprise Center helps with writing business plans, developing marketing strategies and funding proposals, and can accommodate as many as 30 office suites. In Pitt County, the Technology Enterprise Center of Eastern Carolina offers office, laboratory and light manufacturing space for technology-based companies.
Story by Stephanie Vozza Photography by Brian McCord
The Eastern Region has a wide network of incubators where entrepreneurs can find resources to help get their startups off the ground.
Upper Coastal plain business development Center
Kinston
Trenton
Morehead City
Warsaw
Goldsboro
Wilson Fountian
Farmville
Rocky MountBattleboro
Greenville
incubators in eastern north carolina
Kinston enterprise Center
edgecombe County industrial incubator
Jones County business Center
Farmville Small business incubator
Westpark business tech Center and eastern Carolina Food ventures incubator Kitchen
rmeCdC industrial and retail incubator
technology enterprise Center of eastern Carolina
West ridge Center
32 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
While playing basketball at Lehigh university in Pennsylvania, vincent McCaffrey was a dedicated student athlete, but he often found himself at a disadvantage to his non-athlete friends.
“When employers came on campus looking for potential hires, i was always at practice or traveling for a game,” he says. “i later realized that this was an unfortunate circumstance other athletes experienced, too. Working in the business world, i’ve had a chance to hire and work with many individuals, and i’ve found that former student athletes make great employees.”
McCaffrey’s experience inspired him to found game Theory group, a greenville-based tech startup that helps student athletes transition into the workforce.
“Everyone i talk with tends to have anecdotal experience about working with former athletes,” McCaffrey says. “Employees like these tend to be goal-oriented, have good time management skills and work well with teams. They also handle feedback well, having been on the receiving end of a coach’s direct criticism.”
Through its website, gametheorygroup.com, the company works with college athletic departments, student athletes and potential employers to match employees with companies. The site also helps athletes prepare for their future careers by offering Web-based learning modules that focus on building a network, job search skills, resume development and interviewing skills. Students can also use the learning modules to improve academic performance, focusing on study skills and goals, and career placement services are available.
“We work with 17 schools across the country, including North Carolina State, university of Kentucky, university of Michigan and Michigan State,” McCaffrey says. “We’re growing rapidly, with plans to start working with high schools.”
McCaffrey says his company has
helped place student athletes with companies such as Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals inc., goldman Sachs and Teradata.
“The greenville area has been fantastic,” says McCaffrey, who operates out of the Technology Enterprise Center
of Eastern Carolina. “We’ve worked with the local economic development authority and received consulting services from the Small Business & Technology Development Center. This is a great place to launch a business.”
– Stephanie Vozza
Courting AthletesTECh STARTuP hELPS STuDENT AThLETES gET iNTO ThE jOB gAME
succEss stoRy
businessclimate.com/nc-eastern || 33 32 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
the Port of morehead City is situated four miles from the Atlantic ocean.
34 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
tRanspoRtation
Corridor for growth
ROADWAyS, RAiLWAyS, AiRPORTS AND DEEPWATER PORTS MAKE ThE
REgiON A ThRiviNg LOgiSTiCS AND ShiPPiNg CENTER
Logistics and distribution companies are going places in North Carolina’s Eastern Region,
due in large part to the region’s diverse multimodal transportation network.
The 13-county region offers convenient east-west access along Interstate 40 as well as north-south access via I-95. Other key routes running through the region
include I-795 and U.S. Highways 64, 264 and 70, along with U.S. 17, 117 and 258, and NC state routes 11, 24, 55 and 58.
Many road upgrades and expansions are also in the works, including U.S. 70 bypasses around Havelock and Goldsboro that will boost access to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina Global TransPark, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point and the Port of Morehead City. A U.S. 17 bypass of New Bern is also under
construction, as well as several projects in and around Jacksonville, which is home to USMC Camp Lejuene.
“The strong highway system in the Eastern Region is vital to us because we have warehouse and distribution facilities in Tarboro, Rocky Mount and Plymouth,” says Harold Hobgood, business development manager at Kanban Logistics trucking company, which hauls products throughout North Carolina and southern
businessclimate.com/nc-eastern || 35
Virginia. “We also have a rail spur and a Foreign Trade Zone at Rocky Mount. The FTZ allows companies doing international business to store goods at our warehouse and avoid several customs duties, government taxes and cargo examination policies.”
Besides Rocky Mount, in the region are located at the North Carolina Global TransPark business complex in Kinston and
the deepwater ports of Morehead City and Wilmington.
developments at Ports, Airports
At Morehead City and Wilmington, the North Carolina State Ports Authority is planning to construct wood-pellet handling
facilities. Together, the two projects will cost an estimated $120 million, making them the most expensive expansion project in the port system’s history. Adding to the region’s export capabilities are Panamax-ready ports within a two-hour drive away at Hampton Roads in the Norfolk area.
Air access is also plentiful in the region. Regional airports in
Greenville, Jacksonville and New Bern offer daily flights to the major cities of Atlanta; Charlotte; Washington, D.C.; and Philadelphia, and a new terminal is slated for the Albert J. Ellis Airport in Jacksonville. Both Raleigh-Durham and Wilmington international airports are also
within proximity of the region.Complementing air cargo
service at regional commercial airports is the Kinston Regional Jetport, the centerpiece of the 1,500-acre Global TransPark, which features a 11,500-foot runway – the longest commercial runway between Washington, D.C., and Atlanta.
more Access Ahead
A newly completed Norfolk Southern rail spur at the Global TransPark gives companies direct access to the Port of Morehead City and Midwest and West Coast markets, along with a connection to the future I-795 bypass.
“Connecting the TransPark to more transportation corridors is a key way to improve overall connectivity in the Eastern Region,” says J. Mac Daughety, chairman of the Lenoir County Transportation Committee.
“Transportation is a major economic factor in the Eastern Region, especially since millions of acres of open land are still available at very reasonable prices to business and industrial prospects,” Daughety says. “Quick access to moving goods in and out via roads, ports, rail and air – that’s what Eastern Region transportation is all about.”
Story by Kevin Litwin Photography by Brian McCord
In December 2012, CSX Corp. designated the Kingsboro industrial site in Edgecombe county as a select site, signifying that Kingsboro is a top location for manufacturers and distributors that need to utilize rail service. The CSX Select Sites program reviews land along the CSX railroad network, identifying top sites for potential new investments and job creation for companies. the Kingsboro site is north carolina’s first recipient of the csX select site designation and, in addition to its rail accessibility, it was noted for being adjacent to an interstate highway.
standout sitE
Rail carriers CSX and norfolk Southern transport goods throughout the region.
Continue learning about the region’s transportation network at businessclimate.com/nc-eastern.
36 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
Eastern Region’s Proximity to Major Markets
New York City
Philladelphia
Washington D.C.
Richmond
Columbia
CharlestonAtlanta
New Orleans
Dallas
Memphis
RaleighLouisville
ChicagoDetroit
Orlando
250 mi.
500 mi.
80
95
95
10
59
2020
2030
65
77
Cincinnati
40 CharlotteNashville
85
24
85
80
Houston10
St. Louis70
40
36 || North CaroliNa's EastErN rEgioN ECoNomiC DEvElopmENt
tODAy’s stuDENts,
tOMORROW’s LEADERs
WORKFORCE TRAiNiNg PROgRAMS AND STEM iNiTiATivES gET ThE EASTERN REgiON’S STuDENTS
CAREER READy
SECONDARy SChOOLS ARE FOCuSiNg ON STEM
EDuCATiON AND gROWiNg RELATiONShiPS BETWEEN
BuSiNESSES AND TEAChERS
ThE REgiON iS SPEARhEADiNg A
WORKREADy COMMuNiTiES iNiTiATivE TO BOOST CAREER
READiNESS SKiLLS
CAREER READiNESS CERTiFiCATES CAN BE
EARNED AT ANy OF ThE REgiON’S 11
COMMuNiTy COLLEgES
Education
38 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
Leaders throughout North Carolina’s Eastern Region are taking a smart approach to developing a competitive workforce.
The region is spearheading a WorkReady Communities initiative whose goal is to boost the career readiness skills of the area workforce. Having workers certified as WorkReady has the potential to attract more technology-based companies and better serve employers, local leaders say.
“The WorkReady initiative is an education effort to ensure that our workers have the best skills and training so we can guarantee that area businesses have the talent they need to succeed,” says Kathy Howard, vice president of workforce and client development for North Carolina’s Eastern Region. “More than 135 employers in the region are already committed to ultimately hiring certified WorkReady individuals.”
People looking to be certified as WorkReady can earn a Career Readiness Certificate, or CRC at any of the region’s 11 community colleges. This initiative began in 2007 through the creation of ASPIRE (Assessing Skills for Performance in a Rebounding Economy), a network lead by North Carolina’s Eastern Region.
“Having a CRC tells employers that you are qualified for the jobs you seek, and to date, more than 40,000 individuals now possess a CRC within the Eastern Region,” Howard says. “The CRC gives job seekers proof of their workplace skills and gives employers the information necessary to plan, screen, select, train and promote appropriate candidates for their companies. It saves employers time and money in recruiting new employees and can dramatically reduce turnover.”
Schools Emphasize StEm
The region is also backing an initiative called STEM East that emphasizes students learning science, technology, engineering and math in schools by developing relationships between businesses and educators.
“High school technically starts in the seventh grade nowadays – due to North Carolina’s alignment of college pathways at the 11th and 12th grade level,” says Steve Hill, executive director of the STEM East Initiative. “We are working toward STEM Centers being installed in all middle schools throughout the region and building upon these with teacher internships, regional planning events, conferences and education programs, so students can start learning about careers in the STEM fields and the avenues to those careers. In fact, they are
StEm East focuses on integrating more science, technology, engineering and math into schools.
“More than 135 employers in the region are already committed to ultimately hiring certified WorkReady individuals.”
Kathy Howard, VP of workforce and client development for North Carolina’s Eastern Region
businessclimate.com/nc-eastern || 39 38 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
specifically learning about what is happening career-wise at the many businesses and industries within the Eastern Region.”
The region has even received national recognition for its STEM initiative, Hill adds. That includes a visit from the U.S. Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education to a STEM Center designed to get students
excited about engineering at Havelock Middle School as well as to Contentnea-Savannah K-8 School to observe how the school is working to integrate real-world relevancy into math.
“Another area project initiated by regional county schools is a North Carolina Global Schools Network program occurring in Onslow County Schools, Greene County Schools and Duplin
County Schools,” Hill says. “That program focuses on developing critical thinking, creativity and cultural literacy while utilizing STEM and teaching in two languages beginning in kindergarten. All of these various initiatives are in place throughout the Eastern Region so that every student will graduate high school ready for college, careers and life.”
Story by Kevin Litwin
stEm schools in EastERn noRth caRolina
STEM East emphasizes science, technology, engineering and math education in schools across Eastern North Carolina by developing collaborative relationships between businesses and educators. School systems currently engaged in expanding the STEM network include:
Craven County Public Schools
Duplin County Public Schools
Edgecombe County Public Schools
greene County Public Schools
jones County Public Schools
Lenoir County Public Schools
Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools
Onslow County Public Schools
Pitt County Public Schools
Wayne County Public Schools
Wilson County Public Schools
A student works in the StEm laboratory at Contentnea-Savannah K8 School in Kinston.
40 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
Colleges, universities and public school systems in Eastern North Carolina deserve high marks for their roles in STEM training for students.
Barton College is teaming up with Margaret hearne Elementary School to boost math, reading and science achievement scores, while Wayne Community College is presenting an automotive technology program that enables regional high-school students to earn a one-year college certificate in engine performance. At East Carolina university, the school is partnering with Lenoir and Pitt community colleges to enhance engineering career tracks.
“The popularity of engineering is growing in the Eastern Region – ECu currently has 450 students enrolled in
the program and plans to have 750 within the next couple of years,” says hayden griffin, chairman of the ECu Department of Engineering. “Several of those students will get their first two years of engineering education at Lenoir and Pitt community colleges.”
ECu is also working with Lenoir Community College on a curriculum in health sciences and nursing.
“ECu has partnered with four community colleges – including us – to introduce a RiBN program, an acronym for Regionally increasing Baccalaureate Nurses,” says Alexis B. Welch, LCC dean of health sciences and nursing. “The RiBN initiative involves attracting top high-school graduates with excellent ACT scores to enroll at LCC in the ECu
A Team EffortSChOOLS PARTNER uP TO PROMOTE STEM STuDiES
stEm Education
nursing program.”Welch points out that high-school
nursing students can save money by taking their first two years of classes at LCC toward an eventual BS in a nursing degree at ECu.
– Kevin Litwin
East Carolina university
40 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
businessclimate.com/nc-eastern || 43
ECONOMIC pROFILE
goods Producing
10.9%Natural Resources & Mining
1.3%Construction
3.0%
Cost of Living Index
greenville
98.3 jacksonville
94.6 Kinston
95.1
Largest Cities
greenville
87,242Jacksonville
69,220rocky mount
57,136
Population (2012 estimate)north Carolina’s eastern region: 1,050,032 Craven County: 104,770 Carteret County: 67,632duplin County: 60,033edgecombe County: 55,954greene County: 21,429Jones County: 10,275lenoir County: 59,227nash County: 95,708onslow County: 183,263pamlico County: 13,074pitt County: 172,554Wayne County: 124,246Wilson County: 81,867
This secTion is sponsored by
Manufacturing
6.5%Services
39.2%Trade, Transportation, utilities
9.7%
Sources: North Carolina’s Eastern Region, U.S. Census Bureau
Educational Attainment
Employment by Industry
23.5% 31.4% 28.5% 16.6%NCER 2000
18.8% 31.7% 32.6% 17.0%NCER 2011
high School Diploma
Less than high School
Bachelor’s Degree & Above
Associate or Some College
tourism continues to evolve across North Carolina’s Eastern Region, as restaurant and hospitality businesses expand their offerings to cater to visitors and locals alike.
Three of the region’s counties – Carteret, Onslow and Pamlico – are oceanfront, and growing as popular destinations for people traveling for business and pleasure. Historic sites and towns throughout the region continue to draw their share of heritage tourists. Additionally, road, rail and air capabilities in the area are piquing the interest of businesses and industries that are coming to Eastern North Carolina to explore relocation and expansion opportunities.
Quality dining has always been a hallmark of the region; a tradition that continues in new, innovative
ways as award-winning restaurants experiment with local cuisine and garner rave reviews for their original cuisine.
“We love good food in Eastern North Carolina,” says Steven Pearce, marketing and communications coordinator for North Carolina’s Eastern Region. “Local cuisine is a part of our heritage and our roots, but just as much an important aspect of our future. Our region offers restaurants that are destinations in their own right.”
In Tarboro, On the Square boasts a 500-bottle wine list, while SoCo Farm and Food in Wilson is one of North Carolina’s few farm-to-table restaurants. Faison’s Southern Exposure was recently spotlighted in Southern Living magazine for its Southern/soul fare and eclectic atmosphere.
The shifts in local cuisine have raised the region’s
Dishing it Out
touRism & hospitality
LOCAL RESTAuRANTS, ESTABLiShMENTS DRAW
A hEAPiNg OF NEW BuSiNESS FROM TRAvELERS, TOuRiSTS
44 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
profile for corporate travelers who are used to fine dining and now can find it here, says Ben Knight, general manager of Chef & the Farmer in Kinston.
“The community’s goal is to put in place amenities that attract people not only to visit, but also to relocate,” Knight says. “We opened in 2006, and have always worked to make sure that what people can get here is better than what they might find in their own town. And the more unique we are, the more we can bring to them.”
Peter Edgar is doing the same thing at Quince, which he opened in Wilson in early 2008.
“We have filled a niche in the Eastern Region in terms of artisanal or craft food production,” Edgar says. “Restaurants around here are working at the next level, and people are very receptive.”
Diners will soon have more locally sourced beer to
go with their meals with the opening of Beer Army, a brewery in Trenton, which will complement other breweries in the region, including Duck Rabbit in Farmville and Mother Earth in Kinston. Beer Army organizers hope to pump $2.7 million into Jones County over the next five years and create more than 20 jobs at the brewery, which will offer weekend tours and include an on-site store.
Building a Buzz
Lodging in Eastern North Carolina is on the upswing as well. A Georgia developer recently bought the Sheraton Atlantic Beach for more than $4 million with plans to renovate and reopen it. Shuttered in September 2011 due to damage from Hurricane Irene, the nine-story hotel, once the largest in Carteret County, was known for its direct
Chef & the Farmer in downtown Kinston works with more than 15 small farms in the area and serves fresh, innovative dishes.
businessclimate.com/nc-eastern || 45 44 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
Chef Peter Edgar opened his Southern bistro Quince in Wilson in 2008.
46 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
beach access and spacious meeting rooms. Its redevelopment could boost business and investment around the Atlantic Beach area, according to Pearce.
The tourism market is even picking up in the region’s smallest towns. In 2012, Budget Travel readers tapped Beaufort as the No. 1 Coolest Small Town in America, highlighting its “Southern charm with a dash of salty seaside spirit.” The town, which recently celebrated its 300th anniversary, is home to the North Carolina Maritime Museum, which showcases artifacts of the infamous pirate Blackbeard’s Queen Anne’s Revenge.
“Tourists and visitors want to visit unique places that tell stories about how people of that region live and survive,” Pearce says. “I can’t think of many places that offer such a raw, authentic and inviting scene which caters well to visitors from all walks of life.”
Story by Joe Morris Photography by Brian McCord
on the Square in tarboro serves creative entrees and more than 500 wines.
the Beer Army brewery in trenton serves locally sourced beer.
eastern north carolina food incubator helps grow region’s culinary sceneExpanding the size and scope of Eastern North Carolina’s already-bustling restaurant scene is the mission of the eastern Carolina Food ventures incubator Kitchen in Warsaw.
This regional, shared-use commercial incubator is designed not only to help food entrepreneurs gain their footing, but also to offer workforce development and support to help new and existing food-based businesses grow. A joint effort of james Sprunt Community College, Duplin County and Pender County, the incubator is located in Warsaw’s West Park Business Technology Center.
businessclimate.com/nc-eastern || 47 46 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
stAy AWhILE
livaBility
48 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
relaxed liFeStyle, CUltUral gemS and Family-Friendly attraCtionS maKe the eaStern region a top deStination
businessclimate.com/nc-eastern || 49
the Colonial-era tryon Palace in new Bern is one of many historical attractions in the region.
50 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
In North Carolina’s Eastern Region, the livin’ is easy. Residents enjoy short commutes, a low cost of living and affordable housing.
Historic destinations, cultural stops and unique attractions keep locals and tourists coming back for more.
The region’s convenient location makes it a top spot for both business and pleasure. Cities across the 13-county area such as New Bern, which is located the confluence of the Trent and Neuse rivers, as well as other communities offer easy access to big cities as well as plenty of relaxing escapes.
“We are centrally located,” says Melissa Riggle, tourism and sales service executive for the New Bern-Craven County Convention & Visitor Center. “You can get to the beach quickly, and we’re close enough to large cities like Raleigh.”
Exceptional schools and educational programs also make the area attractive for families.
The region boasts 11 STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) centers, as well as East Carolina University and 13 campuses associated with 11 institutions of the North Carolina Community College System.
Eastern North Carolina’s laid-back lifestyle and friendly
communities also draw visitors and often turn them into residents, according to Riggle.
“We have a lot of people come to visit who end up relocating,” she says. “We always hear guests are blown away by the warmth and friendliness here.”
Artsy Attractions, theaters
In Rocky Mount, the Imperial Centre for the Arts & Sciences draws more than 100,000 tourists annually with its array of offerings and activities.
“The Imperial Centre is an exciting facility, combining galleries, theater, a children’s museum and educational opportunities in a single cultural complex,” says Maureen Daly, the Imperial Centre’s cultural arts administrator.
The 135,000-square-foot facility includes a permanent collection of more than 400 works, most created by artists from the state and region, as well as rotating exhibitions. The Centre’s theater entertains audiences with musicals, dramas, comedies and other acts, while the Rocky Mount Children’s Museum and Science Center offers hands-on, interactive exhibits.
Located in a former Vaudeville theater, the Edna Boykin Cultural Center is a favorite attraction in downtown Wilson. The venue includes a 650-seat theater where live performances and an annual film series are held, as well as a gallery featuring rotating exhibits.
Downtown Greenville’s art and cultural scene draws visitors, too,
“We always hear guests are blown away by the warmth and friendliness here.”
Melissa Riggle, tourism and sales service executive for the New Bern-Craven County Convention & Visitor Center
the north Carolina maritime museum keeps the state’s coastal culture alive.
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the imperial Centre for the Arts & Sciences showcases more than 400 works.
52 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
with sites such as the local artist venue Emerge, Greenville Museum of Art and the new GO-Science Center, the first phase of which is opening this year. All of these complement the university’s multiple events.
The city’s downtown area hosts outdoor concerts weekly from June through September on the Town Common. In the fall, concerts are also held on the Fifth Street Plaza every Friday evening before home football games for the East Carolina University Pirates.
Historic destinations, museums
Along with the region’s wealth of cultural gems, Eastern North Carolina cities are rich in history. One of the area’s top historic sites is Tryon Palace in New Bern,
which includes a reconstructed governor’s palace, homes built in the 1700s, the state’s first publicly chartered school and 16 acres of gardens. Tryon Palace is also home to the North Carolina History Center, where visitors can learn about the state through multimedia displays,
performances, interactive exhibits and activities.
Located less than an hour away, Beaufort features the North Carolina Maritime Museum, which includes exhibits that focus on the state’s seafood industry, lifesaving stations and lighthouses, and sailboats and motorboats. The museum is also home to artifacts from Blackbeard’s famed ship, the Queen Anne’s Revenge.
Known as the “Friendly City by the Sea,” Swansboro’s historic downtown district comprises more than 100 homes and buildings constructed over the past three centuries. Jacksonville, which is also nearby, offers many interesting sites, including several tied to the community’s U.S. Marine Corps history.
For visitors traveling through the region, other must-see stops include the North Carolina Baseball Museum at Wilson’s Fleming Stadium, which features memorabilia from several of the state’s baseball stars, including members of the former Negro Baseball League, and the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum & Heritage Center on Harkers Island, where telltale signs of British heritage are reflected in the speech patterns of the locals.
Story by Jessica Walker Boehm Staff Photos
the north Carolina Baseball museum displays items from the state’s baseball stars.
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how sweet: The Carolina Chocolate Festival in Morehead City has contributed more than $350,000 to designated charities during its 11-year history. Along with its monetary contribution, the annual two-day February celebration attracts thousands of visitors who indulge in chocolate pearls, chocolate tortes, truffles, fudge, chocolate pudding and chocolate wine.
North Carolina’s Eastern Region is known for its many eclectic festivals, which generate revenue for local communities and bring curious visitors to its borders.
Morehead City also hosts the North Carolina Seafood Festival, which celebrates a valuable part of the regional economy: seafood. The event attracts about 150,000 visitors, who sample clam chowder, shrimp burgers, calamari, marinated eel and charcoal mullet. Nearly $2 million has been dispersed to Carteret County nonprofit groups since the festival began in 1987.
Another banner event in the Eastern Region is Kinston’s BBq Festival on the Neuse, a four-day get-together each May that first began in 1981. Touted as the largest barbecue festival in North Carolina, the event offers tons of food served along with entertainment, “beach music” and nightly fireworks.
in Mount Olive, the North Carolina Pickle Festival has been a staple each September since 1987, with thousands of visitors jamming the downtown business area. Live entertainment, an antique car show, carnival rides, petting zoo, vendors and lots of pickles to eat keep the crowds coming back.
in Ayden, the Ayden Collard Festival has been a mainstay since 1975. Now scheduled during the first week of September following Labor Day, it features a large street dance, parade, rides, beauty pageants, a road race, art show and collard-eating contests.
– Kevin Litwin
Getting FestiveLOCAL FESTivALS DRAW REvENuE, viSiTORS TO REgiON
fEstivals
north Carolina Pickle Festival
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Vidant medical Center in Greenville is the flagship hospital for Vidant Health, which operates several hospitals in the region.
healthy Returns
hEalth caRE
ADvANCES iN hEALTh CARE KEEP EASTERN NORTh CAROLiNA ON ThE CuTTiNg EDgE
In North Carolina’s Eastern Region, the health-care industry is continually progressing. Advances range from major building
expansions to breakthroughs for groundbreaking treatments.
Greenville-based Vidant Medical Center recently opened a new children’s emergency department and will open a new $48 million Children’s Hospital later this year. It also added new robotic technology for patients recovering from neurological injuries. Its cardiac center, the East Carolina Heart Institute, received the maximum three-star rating for cardiovascular surgery by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and its Chest Pain Center earned full accreditation with the American College of Cardiology.
“We perform 1,000 open heart surgeries annually and recently had a $3 million upgrade to our
operating room with the addition of advanced imaging and robotic surgery equipment for cardiac procedures,” says Dr. W. Randolph Chitwood Jr., director of the East Carolina Heart Institute. “The institute has also been perfecting a new method for replacing worn-out heart valves that uses a mini-incision into the tip of the heart through the left chest. This procedure promises less pain and faster recovery times.”
Veteran-Focused Care
Another top medical facility in the Eastern Region is Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, which broke ground in late 2012 on a $78 million construction and renovation project. It is the first major renovation since the hospital was built in 1983 to provide medical services to Marines, sailors, family members and retirees.
Construction will include a new
outpatient wing in the hospital and expansions of six clinics – Dermatology, Family Medicine, Ophthalmology and Refractive Surgery, Orthopedic, Physical and Occupational Therapy, and Ear, Nose and Throat. The emergency department will also increase from 10 to 16 beds, with all phases of construction scheduled to be completed by the end of 2014.
A new 100,000-square-foot U.S. Veteran’s Administration health-care center is also under construction in Greenville. Set to open in 2014, the clinic will provide primary and specialty care to area veterans.
Expansions, Accolades
Other hospitals in the region known for their excellence include Onslow Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, which has earned accolades for its stroke program, and Nash Health Care Systems, whose Nash Breast Care Center
businessclimate.com/nc-eastern || 55
has been designated a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology. Rocky Mount’s Nash General Hospital recently added a nine-bed neonatal unit and is nearing completion of a $57 million expansion that will unveil a new emergency department and heart care center.
CarolinaEast Medical Center has received accreditation for cardiac and cancer programs as well as recognition for infant care, while Carteret General Hospital recently welcomed a new wound care center and a cancer care partnership. It also has embarked upon a $53 million expansion project.
“The expansion will strengthen the hospital’s ability to attract patients as well as qualified physicians and other health-care professionals,” says Dick Brvenik, Carteret General Hospital CEO.
The 30-month construction project will result in a new three-story specialty pavilion housing a cancer center, women’s health center and enlarged emergency department. Other project plans include the expansion, relocation or remodeling of departments specializing in behavioral health, cardiac rehab, sleep lab, surgery, central sterile processing and imaging.
Story by Kevin Litwin
read it online or on your tablet and quickly share articles with friends.
digital magazinE
dr. Joseph nutz, md serves as interim vice president of medical affairs for Carteret General Hospital, which is undergoing a $53 million expansion of its 135-bed facility.
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A recent discovery by an East Carolina University professor has the potential to boost the safety of vaccines for patients with weakened immune systems. in 2012, dr. Rachel Roper received a patent for discovering and characterizing an immunosuppressive gene called the a35R poxvirus gene. Pharmaceutical companies can now use Dr. Roper’s procedure to develop better vaccines for diseases such as monkey pox, HIV, tuberculosis, cancer and severe acute respiratory syndrome. this is the second patent for dr. Roper, who serves as an associate professor of microbiology and immunology at Ecu’s Brody school of medicine. She received her first patent in 2011 for a SARS genome sequence and its use for therapeutic or vaccine purposes.
vaccinE-Boosting BREaKthRough
Healthy Returns
HEALTH
ADVANCES IN HEALTH CARE KEEP EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA ON THE CUTTING EDGEI n North Carolina’s Eastern Region, the health-care industry is continually progressing. Advances range from major building expansions to breakthroughs for groundbreaking treatments.Greenville-based Vidant Medical Center recently opened a new children’s emergency department and will open a new $48 million Children’s Hospital later this year. It also added new robotic technology for patients recovering from neurological injuries. Its cardiac center, the East Carolina Heart Institute, received the maximum three-star rating for cardiovascular surgery by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and its Chest Pain Center earned full accreditation with the American College of Cardiology.
“We perform 1,000 open heart surgeries annually and recently
had a $3 million upgrade to our operating room with the addition of advanced imaging and robotic surgery equipment for cardiac procedures,” says Dr. W. Randolph Chitwood Jr., director of the East Carolina Heart Institute. “The institute has also been perfecting a new method for replacing worn-out heart valves that uses a mini-incision into the tip of the heart through the left chest. This procedure promises less pain and faster recovery times.”Veteran-Focused Care
Another top medical facility in the Eastern Region is Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, which broke ground in late 2012 on a $78 million construction and renovation project. It is the first major renovation since the hospital was built in 1983 to provide medical services to Marines, sailors, family members and retirees.
Construction will include a new outpatient wing in the hospital and expansions of six clinics – Dermatology, Family Medicine, Ophthalmology and Refractive Surgery, Orthopedic, Physical and Occupational Therapy, and Ear, Nose and Throat. The emergency department will also increase from 10 to 16 beds, with all phases of construction scheduled to be completed by the end of 2014.A new 100,000-square-foot U.S. Veteran’s Administration health-care center is also under construction in Greenville. Set to open in 2014, the clinic will provide primary and specialty care to area veterans.Expansions, Accolades
Other hospitals in the region known for their excellence include Onslow Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, which has earned accolades for its stroke program, and Nash Health Care Systems,
Cutline cutline cutline cutline
Vidant Medical Center in Greenville, the flagship hospital for Vidant Health, features a new children’s emergency department.
businessclimate.com/nc-eastern || 55
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1341 S. Glenburnie Rd.New Bern, NC 28562(252) 636-6901 www.ecwdb.org
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businessclimate.com/nc-eastern || 59
Schools and faculties in Eastern North Carolina are working to improve health-care programs and services throughout the region and across the nation.
A total of 41 faculty members at East Carolina university’s Brody School of Medicine were named 2012 Top Doctors by U.S. News & World Report. The magazine also ranked the Brody School of Medicine, along with ECu’s College of Allied health Sciences’ rehabilitation counseling program, among the best graduate programs in the u.S.
Starting in fall 2013, ECu will begin offering a master’s degree program in health informatics and information management, and the university recently opened a $68 million School of Dental Medicine.
“This school will hopefully ease the statewide shortage of dentists, especially in Eastern North Carolina and rural areas,” says Dr. greg Chadwick, dean of the ECu School of Dental Medicine. “North Carolina is the fifth fastest-growing state, yet ranks 47th in dentists-to-population ratio.”
ECu has also opened its first two School of Dental Medicine Community Service Learning Centers in the rural communities of Ahoskie and Elizabeth City. Additional centers to serve rural patients will also be built in Lillington, Spruce Pine, Sylva and Davidson County.
health-care curriculumPitt Community College is helping
shape health-care technology training standards through its leadership role
with the Community College Consortia Program, a consortium of community colleges across 13 states whose goal is to get more students interested in becoming professionals in health information technology, or hiT.
“Estimates based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate a shortfall over the next five years of about 50,000 qualified hiT workers required to meet the needs of hospitals and physicians as they move to electronic health-care systems,” says Kay gooding, hiT program director at PCC. “To remedy this shortfall, community colleges throughout the Consortia Program are now looking to train more than 10,500 highly skilled health iT specialists per year.”
– Kevin Litwin
Help WanteduNivERSiTiES, COLLEgES WORK TO FiLL DENTAL, hEALTh iT NEEDS
hEalth-caRE tRaining
expLore hisToric BeauforTThe Beaufort Historic Site covers nearly two acres in downtown Beaufort and comprises 10 historic buildings, including three restored homes, the Carteret County Courthouse of 1796, the Carteret County Jail, an apothecary shop and doctor’s office, and the historic Rustell House.
gallERy
60 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
ride greenviLLe’s greenwayFormerly crossing over the tar River and once known as the Greene Street Bridge, Greenville’s pedestrian greenway bridge has been relocated and now serves as an entrance to the South tar River Greenway.
businessclimate.com/nc-eastern || 61
admire arT in rocKy mounTThe Imperial Centre for the Arts & Sciences, located in downtown Rocky mount, includes the “Particle/Wave” sculpture created from steel and rocks by Karl Saliter.
62 || north carolina's eastern region economic Development
enJoy a pepsi in new BernThe Birthplace of Pepsi in downtown new Bern is a major tourist attraction where visitors can learn about the soft drink’s history, browse gifts and souvenirs, and sip a fountain Pepsi.
businessclimate.com/nc-eastern || 63
Ad Index 37 AlbertJ.ellisAirport
43 CArolinAs GAtewAypArtnership
1 CAuleypridGen
8 Cityhotel&bistro
58 CoAstAlCArolinA CommunityColleGe
52 CrAvenCommunityColleGe
C2 CrystAlCoAst tourismAuthority
C4 eAstCArolinAuniversity
58 eAsternCArolinA workforCe developmentboArd
64 edGeCombe CommunityColleGe
2-3 eleCtriCitiesof northCArolinAinC.
59 Greenvilleutilities
64 Greenville-pittCounty Convention& visitorsbureAu
13 JACksonvilleonslow eConomiCdevelopment
53 lenoirCommunityColleGe
42 lenoirmemoriAlhospitAl
10 northCArolinA GlobAltrAnspArk
4 northCArolinA’s eAsternreGion
41 pittCommunityColleGe
56 pittCounty developmentCommission
C3 vidAntheAlth
33 wAyneCommunityColleGe
52 wilsonvisitorsCenter
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media teChnology direCtor | ChRiSTiNA CARDEN
photography direCtor | jEFFREy S. OTTO
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North Carolina’s Eastern Region Economic Development Review is published annually by journal Communications inc. and is distributed through North Carolina’s Eastern Region. For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact journal Communications inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by email at [email protected].
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