North Carolina's Northeast Region Economic Development Guide 2011

8/4/2019 North Carolina's Northeast Region Economic Development Guide 2011

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Ro SolrsNew R&D facility

revs up auto sector

Plowing Nw GrounFarmers harvest high-tech crops

Innovion SorsRegions aviation, aerospace industry takes off

ncnortheasterneconomicdevelopment.com

NORtheaSt ReGION ecONOmIc deeOPmeNt GIde

north Carolinas

SPONSORed b NORth caROINaS NORtheaSt cOmmISSION


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http://www.ncnortheast.com/


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Corporate executives and consultants have providedus a clear understanding of the site selection factors

most important in their decision making.

q Strategiclocationwithexcellenthighwayaccessibility

q Highlyreliableandcost-wiseutilities

q Favorablecorporatetaxratesandincentives

q Dependableworkforcewithcompetitivewagerates

q Superiorsiteswithminimalacquisitionand developmentcosts

q Proximitytourbancenters,airportsandoceanports

q Customizedcommunitycollegeworker trainingprograms

q Railfreightservicewithdirect-to-port

intermodalcapabilities

q Professionallocal,regionalandstatedevelopment

teamtoassistprojectplanning,permitting anddevelopment

Again,wehaveaclearunderstandingofthoseimportant

factorsstronginfrastructure;solidworkforce;superiorsites

andtransportationsystem;favorablebusinessclimateandincentives; anda professional team at thelocal, regionalandstatelevelsreadytoassistthegrowthandsuccessof

businessclients.

Situated on Interstate 95 at the North Carolina/Virginiaborder,Northampton County has longbeen a crossroads

for commerce along the U.S. east coast. Today, we arehome to the well-established, successful manufacturing,

processing,distributionandindustrialserviceoperationsofcompanies large and small some multinational, others

homegrownallimportant.

Northampton County is known for some of the mostproductive farms in America, small towns with neighborlyfolks, gracious living on pristine lakes, and great hunting

and fishing. Congested traffic, outrageous prices, badattitudes and accordion lounges are hard to find here.

Opportunityisnot.

We look forward to working with you.

Contact:GaryBrown

NorthamptonCountyEconomicDevelopmentCommissionPostOfficeBox685Jackson,NC27845(252)534-1092

[email protected]

Northampton Countyn o r t h c a r o l i n a

www.northamptonnc.com
http://www.northamptonnc.com/http://www.northamptonnc.com/


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http://www.nccar.us/


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N c N O R t h e a S t e R N e c O N O m I c d e e O P m e N t . c O m 5

All or part of this magazine is printed with soy ink on

recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.

Please recycle this magazine

Worksyl

Ro Solrs 22

New R&D fc re p ecr

Plowing Nw Groun 26

Frer re g-ec crp

Wr Innovion Sors 30

Regn gn en n n, erpce

Sing tir Sis hig 34

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fr nn erge degnn

InsigOvrviw 13

aln

businss cli 18

Gllry 40

enrgy/tnology 43

trnsporion

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euion 55

iviliy 58

eonoi Profl 63

troug ns 64

26

34

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north Carolinas


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6 N O R t h c a R O I N a S N O R t h e a S t R e G I O N a e c O N O m I c d e e O P m e N t G I d e

North CaroliNas

Northeast regioNiN aCtioN

Dont just take our word for it see for

yourself how great North Carolinas

Northeast Region is in our quick videos at

ncnncnmcdvpmn.cm,

highlighting a little bit of everything thatNorth Carolinas Northeast Region has

to offer.

ncnncnmcdvpmn.cm

2011-12 Edition, volumE 1

ProjEct managEr Emily mcmaCkiN

ProofrEading managEr RavEN PEtty

audiEncE dEvEloPmEnt dirEctor DEaNNa NElsoN

contEnt coordinator JEssiCa WalkER

Staff WritEr kEviN litWiN

coPy Editor Jill Wyattcontributing WritErS CaRy EstEs. JohN FullER, Bill lEWis,

kaREN sChWaRtzmaN, BEtsy Williams

mEdia tEchnology dirEctor ChRistiNa CaRDEN

SEnior graPhic dESignErS lauRa GallaGhER,

JEssiCa maNNER, JaNiNE maRylaND, kRis sExtoN, vikki Williams

graPhic dESignErS RaChaEl GERRiNGER, tayloR NuNlEy

mEdia tEchnology analyStS BECCa aRy, ChaNDRa BRaDshaW,

laNCE CoNzEtt

PhotograPhy dirEctor JEFFREy s. otto

SEnior PhotograPhErS JEFF aDkiNs, BRiaN mcCoRD

Staff PhotograPhErS toDD BENNEtt, aNtoNy BoshiER

WEb contEnt managEr JohN hooD

WEb ProjEct managErNoy FoNGNaly

WEb dESignEr ii RiChaRD stEvENs

WEb dEvEloPEr iyamEl hall, NEls NosEWoRthy

WEb account managEr lauREN EuBaNk

ad Production managEr katiE miDDENDoRF

ad traffic aSSiStantS kRystiN lEmmoN, PatRiCia moisaN

i.t. dirEctor yaNCEy BoNDi.t. SuPPort tEchnician DaNiEl CaNtREll

SEnior accountant lisa oWENs

accountS PayablE coordinator maRia mcFaRlaND

accountS rEcEivablE coordinator DiaNa GuzmaN

officE managEr/accountS rEcEivablE

coordinator shElly millER

ExEcutivE intEgratEd mEdia managEr suzi mcGRuDER

SalES SuPPort coordinator alEx maRks

color imaging tEchnician alisoN huNtER

chairman GREG thuRmaN

PrESidEnt/PubliShEr BoB sChWaRtzmaN

ExEcutivE vicE PrESidEnt Ray laNGEN

SEnior v.P./SalES toDD PottER, CaRla thuRmaN

SEnior v.P./oPErationS CasEy hEstER

SEnior v.P./cliEnt dEvEloPmEnt JEFF hEEFNER

SEnior v.P./buSinESS dEvEloPmEnt sCott tEmPlEtoN

v.P./ExtErnal communicationStEREE CaRuthERs

v.P./cuStom PubliShing kim holmBERGv.P./viSual contEnt maRk FoREstER

v.P./contEnt oPErationSNatasha loRENs

v.P./SalES ChaRlEs FitzGiBBoN,

hERB haRPER, JaREk sWEkosky

v.P./travEl PubliShing susaN ChaPPEll

controllEr ChRis DuDlEy

contEnt dirEctor/buSinESS PublicationS

Bill mcmEEkiN

contEnt dirEctor/livability.com lisa BattlEs

markEting crEativE dirEctor kEith haRRis

diStribution dirEctor GaRy smith

ExEcutivE SEcrEtarykRisty DuNCaN

human rESourcES managEr PEGGy BlakE

rEcEPtioniSt liNDa BishoP

North Carolinas Northeast Regional Economic DevelopmentGuide pbed nn b Jrn Cncn inc. nd

drbed rg Nr Crn Nre Cn.

Fr derng nfrn r drec qen r cen

b e gne, cnc Jrn Cncn inc.

(615) 771-0080 r b e [email protected].

FOR mORe INFORmatION, cONtact:

Nr Crn Nre Cn

119 W. Wer s. Edenn NC 27932

Pne: (888) 872-8562 [email protected]

viSit North CaroliNas Northeast regioNal

eCoNomiC DevelopmeNt guiDeonlinE at

ncnorthEaStErnEconomicdEvEloPmEnt.com

Cprg 2011 Jrn Cncn inc.,

725 C sprng Bd., se 400, Frnn, tN 37067,

(615) 771-0080. a rg reered. N prn f gne

be reprdced n we r n pr w wren cnen.

meber te ac n f mgne med

meber C Cnen Cnc

meber Nr Crn Nre Cn


north Carolinas
http://www.ncnortheasterneconomicdevelopment.com/http://www.ncnortheasterneconomicdevelopment.com/http://www.ncnortheasterneconomicdevelopment.com/http://www.ncnortheasterneconomicdevelopment.com/http://www.ncnortheasterneconomicdevelopment.com/http://www.ncnortheasterneconomicdevelopment.com/http://www.ncnortheasterneconomicdevelopment.com/


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cONNectIONS

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Ro SolrsNew R&D facility

revs up auto sector

Plowing Nw GrounFarmers harvest high-tech crops

Innovion SorsRegions aviation, aerospace industry takes off

ncnortheasterneconomicdevelopment .com


north Carolinas

SPONSORed b NORth caROINaS NORtheaSt cOmmISSION


north Carolinas
http://www.ncnortheasterneconomicdevelopment.com/http://www.ncnortheasterneconomicdevelopment.com/http://www.ncnortheasterneconomicdevelopment.com/http://www.ncnortheasterneconomicdevelopment.com/http://www.ncnortheasterneconomicdevelopment.com/http://www.discoverec.com/http://www.ncnortheasterneconomicdevelopment.com/


10/70Photo courtesy of Megan Lane Photography and Southern Dreams Gallery

Overlooking Bulls Bay and the Albemarle Sound, the Eastern

4-H Center hosts groups year round for corporate retreats,

eambuilding, trainings and more. The center is a full-service

facility with on-site dining, accommodations and meetingrooms, including its new LEED-certified conference center

with a capacity of more than 500 guests.

Tyrrell County Located on the Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula,

Tyrrell County offers a unique combination ofSouthern living and economic opportunities.

U.S. Highway 64 serves as a convenient access

to Interstate 95 for transportation needs to area

markets of the Outer Banks, Raleigh Metro and

Tidewater, Virginia.

Tyrrell County is a rural

community that values its culture

of living from the land and water.

This tradition continues today with

a diverse seafood industry and

more than 66,000 tilled acres

operated by corporate and family-

owned farms devoted to both

agriculture and viticulture.

Year-round outdoor recreational

activities are enhanced through

Tyrrell Countys active eco-

tourism partners. Cultural and

artistic efforts are supported bya local folk art school, a museum,

galleries and a growing

community of artisans.


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Tyrrell County a winning environment for business success with low operating costs,

convenient access to markets, high-speed Internet, natural gas, water, sewer and other

necessary infrastructure amenities. Continuing education opportunities for a trainable

workforce are made available through collaborative efforts of Beaufort County

Community College, the board of education and the chamber of commerce.

living in the balance with business and nature

For more information, contactTyrrell County Government

(252) 796-1371

Tyrrell County Visitors Center

(252) 796-0723

[email protected]

www.visittyrrellcounty.com

U.S. Highway 64 corridor land availability

Vast spaces for potential energy projects

Deep water access to the Albemarle Sound

and the Intracoastal Waterway

Endless recreation opportunities birding, fishing,

camping, hunting and boating

Home of NC Schools of Distinction

Within the University Health Systems ofEastern Carolina service area
http://www.visittyrrellcounty.com/http://www.visittyrrellcounty.com/


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http://www.halifaxdevelopment.com/


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http://www.visithalifax.com/


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http://www.portofvirginia.com/


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Overview

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HALIFAX

HERTFORD

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Hatteras

Corolla

Washington

Williamston Plymouth

Edenton

Ahoskie

Kill Devil HillsWindsor

Hertford

ManteoColumbia

Halifax

Gatesville

Belhaven

Scotland Neck

Aulander

Garysburg

Southern Shores

Gaston

Robersonville

Murfreesboro

Kitty Hawk

Nags Head

Aurora

Swanquarter

Englehard

MoyockRoanoke Rapids

Elizabeth City

17
http://www.ncnortheast.com/http://www.ncnortheast.com/http://www.ncnortheast.com/http://www.ncnortheast.com/


16/70

Martin Community College

1161 Kehukee Park Rd.

Williamston, NC 27892(252) 792-1521 tel

(252) 792-0826 ax

www.martincc.edu

Students can take college transfer courses or earn

a certificate, diploma, or an Associate Degree

Associate in Arts, Associate in Applied Science, and

Associate in General Education). They can choose from

more than 25 fields of study, including, but not limited to:

AR CNNN, HAN & RfRRAN

A HAH AMv CHN bN

CMMRCA RfRRAN CMPR CHN

CRCA/CRNC qN*

NRA M CHN

only two-year program on the East Coast

MCC Also Provides Training for Workforce Development

bN & NR RANN CARR RAN CRfCA

CMz RANN Jb PRfN

CCPANA RANN MANAMN RANN
http://www.martincc.edu/http://www.martincc.edu/


17/70

SIte OF the FIRSt FIGhtThe sunsets here are the prettiest Ive ever seen. Orville Wright

uttered those words as he stood on the banks of Kitty Hawk, where

he and his brother, Wilbur, launched the worlds first flight on Dec.

17, 1903. Today, the Wright Brothers National Memorial marks the

spot where aviation history began, celebrating the dream of flight

that brought the bicycle mechanics and self-taught engineers to

North Carolinas Outer Banks, where the wind and sand were ideal

for conducting the first flight tests. Visitors can tour exhibits of early

flight contraptions or climb Kill Devil Hill to view the 60-foot granite

pylon the site where the brothers conducted their glider

experiments and where the first plane left the ground.

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http://www.visitncne.com/http://www.visitncne.com/http://www.visitncne.com/http://www.visitncne.com/


18/70

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Crn se hre n 2010. NatIONS taeStIGhthOSeStretching more than 70 miles from south Nags Head to

the Ocracoke Inlet, Cape Hatteras National Seashore

encompasses a trove of natural and cultural attractions,

including historical sites, museums and lighthouses.

The 208-foot Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is the tallest

lighthouse in the nation, and one of the most distinctivewith its black-and-white spiral-striped pole and light

that has warned sailors for centuries of submerged

and shifting sandbars along the treacherous Diamond

Shoals. The barrier islands along Cape Hatteras are

also rich in maritime history. Italian explorer Amerigo

Vespucci visited them in the 16th century, and

Blackbeard the pirate once terrorized the shipping

industry on Hatteras Island from his base in Ocracoke.

The Cape Hatteras shore was recently recognized as

one of the nations top 10 beaches by Dr. Beach.



19/70

exPOReb PaddeLike to kayak or canoe?

Explore more than 35 paddle

trails covering 200-plus miles

along the Lower Roanoke

River and its tributaries.

Flowing through the coastal

plain on its way to the

Atlantic Ocean, the Roanoke

passes through the largest

bottomland hardwood swamp

forest east of the Mississippi.

Under a canopy of 1,000 bald

cypress and tupelo trees, you

can spot black bears, otters,

white-tail deer, bobcats,

beavers, minks, birds and,

if youre lucky, a bald eagle.

Fifteen camping platforms are

located along the trails. Visit

www.ronokrivrprnrs.orgto

plan a paddle trip.

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KeePINGIt GReeNWhats so great about renewable

energy? Kids in North Carolinas

Northeast get the chance to

experience the power of solar

and wind energy for themselvesthrough a traveling kiosk

equipped with solar panels,

a wind turbine and a weather

station that tracks current

conditions and produces real-

time data from any location.

Operated by Sprout Energy,

the interactive kiosk travels

to schools across the region,

promoting environmental

awareness and education to

a generation sure to be seeing

plenty of green in their future.



20/70


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21/70


With its highly skilledworkforce, low costs andcentral location near

major ports, North CarolinasNortheast region is emergingas a powerhouse in automotiveresearch, food technology andbiotechnology, sustainable energy,manufacturing and aerospace.

Our long-term focus is tocreate opportunities for new jobsand new wealth, to create niches

where we can compete withanyone around the world, saysVann Rogerson, president andCEO of the North CarolinaNortheast Commission.

The fruits of that focus aregrowing throughout the regions16 counties, where traditionalindustries and newer arrivalsare thriving. All of them find aquality-conscious workforce many with high-tech military

training, thanks to the U.S. CoastGuard Base in Elizabeth City andnearby defense commands inVirginia and a high quality oflife that combines the best of ruralexperiences and urban amenities.

The international perfumeindustry has long beaten a pathto Northeast North Carolina toobtain key ingredients from AvocaInc., whose purchases of clarysage from local farmers boost

the agricultural economy. Morerecently, independent automotivecompanies have arrived to testtheir products and ideas on theNorth Carolina Center forAutomotive Researchs trackand other state-of-the-artfacilities in Garysburg.

RIPe FOR INNOatION

Resers Fine Foods Inc., a WestCoast-based food manufacturer

of gourmet foods and salads,recently expanded its East Coastoperations in Roanoke Rapids,investing $62 million andannouncing plans to create500 jobs over the next five years.

With technology licensed fromNorth Carolina State University,newly formed food-processingcompany Empire Foods isproducing fruits and vegetablesthat stay fresh without refrigeration.

The company, which receiveda $400,000 grant from the OneNorth Carolina Fund for theproject, is investing $2.5 millionin a 35,000-square-foot facilityin the Halifax Corporate Park,where it is creating 200 jobs.

We are pleased that we are ableto keep this technology in NorthCarolina where it was created, incooperation with North CarolinaState University, says Empires

OpporuniyKnoksFrom automotive & d to iote, ivere inutriefouri in Nort caroina Norteat

sr b Bill Lewis

Pgrp b Todd Bennett

clokwis ro op: a C Grd crewn pr Pqn Rer n Ebe C; Drbn re n e regn n inere 95; PCrp-arr, ne f e regn rge eper, ne ppe re ner e Pc Rer.

Business Climate


22/70


founder, Greg Hatem. Locatingthis project in North Carolina,

we can look forward to continuedcollaboration with the universitysFood Science department.

One of the regions mostrecognized employers, Domtar,responded to changing worldmarkets by investing $73 millionto repurpose its papermanufacturing facility inPlymouth. The state and theGolden LEAF Foundation, whichpromotes economic growth inNorth Carolinas tobacco-

dependent regions, providedfinancial incentives.

Domtars decision preserved 350direct jobs and those of thousandsof loggers and truckers whosupply the facility. It also openedthe door to new opportunities inIndia, China and other emergingmarkets, where demand isgrowing for disposable personalhygiene products made withDomtars fluff paper.

Their demand is rising astheir standard of living rises, saysStefan Nowicki, the companys

manager of communications andgovernment relations.

The facility, which previouslyproduced office paper, nowmanufactures 440,000 tons offluff paper per year. Made fromsustainably harvested loblolly pinetrees grown on tree farms acrossthe region, fluff paper is used tomake disposable diapers and otherpersonal products.

taPPING INtO ceaN eNeRG

In addition to contributing tohigher standards of living around

the world, North CarolinasNortheast region is helping tolead the way to a cleaner energyfuture. Enviva is expanding itssustainable biomass facility inHertford County, which produceswood pellets for shipment toEurope via nearby ports, wherethey are used as a cleaneralternative to coal.

The demand for solidrenewable fuels like wood

pellets is taking off, andEnvivas manufacturing footprintis growing with it, says Chairman

and CEO John Keppler.Iberdrola is investing

$750 million to develop thefirst commercial-scale wind farmin the Southeast near ElizabethCity. The project will include150 wind turbines capable ofgenerating 300 megawatts ofelectricity. Large offshore windfarms are also being considered,says Rogerson, who also seesopportunities for wind turbinemanufacturers in the region.

Industries such as aviation,aerospace and marine trades,

along with tourism, continueto flourish along the coast. Theregions transportation network,including I-95 and easy accessto the Port of Virginia, alsoencourages business investment,Rogerson notes.

We believe the Port of Virginiawill be the No. 1 port on the EastCoast in coming years, Rogersonsays. A Southern transportationcorridor is building up in this

region via highways 17 and 64from southeast Virginia toInterstate 95.

Fro l: te regn n nd erpce ndr cnne grw ng e c; Fd prceng cpn Epre Fd prdcng nnperbe fr nd egebe n hf Cn, neng $2.5 n nd creng 200 jb n e regn.


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Emily McMackin
http://www.thinkcurrituck.com/


24/70


Fs trko Grow

Ne & d faiit rev u NorteatNort caroina automotive etor

sr b Cary Estes

Pgrp b Todd Bennett

In NASCAR, when things aregoing well and a car is steadilypicking up speed, the driver

often says he is dialed in.The gears are turning just as

smoothly in North CarolinasNortheast region these days, asthe area becomes dialed in inthe f ield of automotive researchand development. Led by a newauto test facility, the region is on

the fast track to being a leader inthe industry.

NccaR, NOt NaScaR

In 2010, the North CarolinaCenter for Automotive Researchopened on a 620-acre sitein Garysburg near I-95 inNorthampton County. Thehighlight of the facility is a2-mile road course that canbe used by auto manufacturers,

suppliers, researchers andinventors to physically testcar designs and equipment.

We are where the vehicle meetsthe road, NCCAR chief operatingofficer Simon Cobb says. Weallow engineers and drivers totest vehicles in a controlled andsafe environment.

The state-of-the-art centeralso provides affordable R & Dto smaller, independent automanufacturers and supplierswho lack the resources of theindustrys global conglomerates.

NCCAR is patterned aftersimilar facilities in Ohio (theTransportation Research Center)and England (the Motor IndustryResearch Association). Cobb saysthose initiatives were created tostimulate automotive developmentin their regions, and that NCCAR

can produce a similar rippleeffect in North CarolinasNortheast region.

We want to make this aviable, ongoing stimulus forthe automotive industry, Cobbsays. The idea is if you createan intellectual and activity-based hub, you will attract othercompanies that want to locatenearby and benefit from thepeople and facilities at that hub.You end up developing a cluster.Thats exactly what we plan forNCCAR.

Cobb was working for LotusEngineering in Detroit whenthe company was approachedabout designing the NCCARperformance and handling track.Cobb eventually joined NCCAR,and is working with severalcompanies to create a research

clokwis ro op: Cr e dre e 2-e cre e Nr Crn Cener fr ae Reerc; te e-f-e-r cener ced n 620-cre e ner i-95 n Nrpn Cn; NCCaR cqred n -eecrc Prce e fc.


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and development center onthe campus.

Approximately one-fourthof NCCARs land has beendeveloped. In addition to the2-mile test track, the site hasa 2-acre vehicle dynamics area(VDA) and six private clientgarage/office suites that can beleased from an hourly to long-term basis. On-site engineeringand tech support are

supplemented by a highbandwidth wireless networkand video-camera coveragethroughout. Future plans includethe creation of 2.5 miles ofadditional track features, plusexpanded VDA areas.

Were quite pleased with whatwe achieved from a constructionperspective, and even morepleased with the response wevehad from clients, Cobb says.

With its close proximity to theEast Coast, the regions engineeringschools and Research Triangle Park

in Durham, NCCARs location isideal for innovation. Down theroad, plans for the facility includepowering advances in automotivetechnologies, fuel efficiency, andalternative fuels and propulsionsystems.

JmP-StaRtING the

eR IGht caR

NCCARs first client wasautomotive-design company

Edison2 out of Virginia. Thecompany used NCCAR to testits Very Light Car before entering and winning the 2010Progressive Automotive X Prize,a competition to build a vehicle thatgets more than 100 miles per gallon.

Without NCCAR, I dont knowhow we would have done it, saysBrad Jaeger, an engineer and testdriver with Edison2. NCCAR wasthe perfect development facility. It

allowed us to get the cars on the roadthe day after we had them runningin the shop. It gave us information

we needed to be confident that thecars were going to run well whenwe got to competition.

mIcROce Paed the Wa

NCCARs launch came threeyears after Raleigh-based Microcellopened an 80,000-square-foot fuelcell production facility inRobersonville. That decisionhelped rev the engine for the regionsmove into the automotive industry.

Weve had an unbelievableamount of support from the localcommunity, Microcell senior vicepresident Beth Rehbock says. Itsbeen much more than just goingthere, opening a facility and hiringemployees. Its actually beenbecoming a part of that community.

Having something likeNCCAR that is going to draw avariety of different companiesto it will attract more high-tech

companies to this area. It will bringnotoriety here, and from there wewill see the snowball effect.

Fro l: a nfcrer nd pper e NCCaR cre e new cr degn; one f e eng b be fr cen NCCaR; mcrce pened fe ce prdcn fc n Rberne ree er befre NCCaR nc, epng p e regne ndr frwrd.


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http://www.outerbanks.org/


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Plowing NwGrounFarmer, reearer in Nort caroina

Norteat arvet i-te ro

sr b Betsy Williams

Pgrp b Todd Bennett


29/70


the fusion of agriculture andbiotechnology is creatingan innovative and fertile

landscape for North Carolinas16-county Northeast region.

Many of the nations firstfarmers came from this scenicand bountiful part of the state,and centuries later, those whopower the regions $74 billion(and growing) agriculturalindustry are among the mostsophisticated crop growers in

the country.What this means for NorthCarolina are jobs and prosperity,while preserving a landscape thatfor generations has put food onthe table, says Norris Tolson,president of the North CarolinaBiotechnology Center. Its fusingour old economy with our neweconomy to increase our qualityof life here and also aroundthe g lobe.

North Carolinas biotechnology

focus led to the states initialsuccess in the pharmaceuticalindustry; today, agriculture inNorth Carolinas Northeast regionis a major player in that field,plowing new ground in biofuels,medicines, nutraceuticals,pesticides and higher-yieldcrops designed to meet an ever-increasing world food demand.

FaRmeRS, PhaRma

cOmPaNIeS PaRtNeRWith more than 3,000 farms

and 1 million acres of farmland,the Northeast regions farmers arepartnering with greenhouses anduniversity and private researchlabs to produce patented plantspecialties for commercialization,thus growing its reputation asa global leader in agriculturalbiotechnology. At least 90 percentof row crops grown in the region

are of biotech varieties.Cherry Farms Seed CompanyInc., a 22-year seed germinationcompany in Columbia, isexpanding its focus from atraditional commodity seedbusiness to one that is involvedin germinating and testing newseed varieties geared to specificcustomer needs, with a new seed-cleaning and storage facility.

Were like a manufacturingbusiness in agriculture, explains

Brian Ashford, manager and part-owner of the company. We takewhat comes from the research andcreate a seed that is going to plantfor commercial purposes.

That might include developinga seed for specialty oil that offersdifferent fatty acid content for acookie maker, Ashford says, or itmight mean seeds that are heat-,

: Cerr Fr seed Cpn n Cb gerne nd e new eed ree.

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drought- and sa lt-tolerant, orare more geared toward biofuelor pharmaceutical usage.

tOOS aNd SKIS Ied

NeW OPPORtNItIeS

Local farmers are embracingtools such as GPS-guided precisionfarming to increase yield. Theregions globally known networkof university and field researchscientists at entities such asPlymouths Vernon James Researchand Extension Center perform

applied research in crop science andagriculture, while biotechnologyprograms at local communitycolleges supply the region withstudents experienced at workingin labs and processing facilities.

The regions highly skilledworkforce and universitypartnerships helped lureCalifornia-based VentriaBiosciences, which grows andprocesses rice containing a proteinthat reduces infant deaths fromdiarrhea. Avoca Inc. in Merry Hill

has been working for decades withlocal farmers as the worlds largestsupplier of clary sage, an extractused in the perfume industry.

The marketplace is segmenting,as opposed to one big commoditywhere one size fits all, Ashfordsays. North Carolinas Northeastregion is fortunate in that wevehad financing and leadership tograb the opportunities. This isan exciting time for agriculturein our region, and the futurekeeps getting brighter.

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virtual market for locally grown food

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http://www.farmersfreshmarket.org/http://www.farmersfreshmarket.org/http://www.farmersfreshmarket.org/http://www.farmersfreshmarket.org/


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Kevin Litwin
http://www.archesson.com/


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30 N O R t h c a R O I N a S N O R t h e a S t R e G I O N a e c O N O m I c d e e O P m e N t G I d e 2 0 1 1

Firs in Fligviation, aeroae ain momentumin Nort caroina Norteat

sr b Bill Lewis

Pgrp b Todd Bennett

In the place where the Wrightbrothers flew the first airplane,the spirit of discovery lives on

in a region that has become oneof the countrys top spots foraviation manufacturing,maintenance, repair andeducation.

With assets that include askilled work force full of manyretired military personnel, collegeand university aviation trainingand degree programs, theElizabeth City Aviation Researchand Development Commerce

Park, the U.S. Coast Guardslargest aviation facility and 11private airports, North Carolinas

Northeast region is at theepicenter of aviation development.

Employers who have discovered

the region include LSA America,which manufactures a new typeof light aircraft for civilian pilots;DRS Technologies, whichperforms heavy maintenanceof U.S. Coast Guard aircraft inElizabeth City; and TCOM, whoseElizabeth City facility is the onlyone in the world devoted to aerostatand airship manufacturing,assembly, flight test and training.Telephonics has a facil ity adjacent

to Elizabeth City PasquotankCounty Regional Airport forrepair of radar systems for aircraft

operated by the Coast Guard.Were developing a culture

of aviation, says Wayne Harris,

director of the AlbemarleEconomic DevelopmentCommission.

a tRadItION OF exceeNce

That culture, and the provenability of state and local officialsto help aviation businessessucceed, attracted LSA Americato Halifax County. The company,which qualified for job creationincentives from the One North

Carolina Fund, is investing$400,000 and creating 34 jobsto produce the Allegro Light


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embry-riddleaeronauticaluniversity Theworldslargestfully

accrediteduniversity

specializinginaviation,

Embry-Riddle

AeronauticalUniversity,offerstrainingatthe

ElizabethCityCoast

Guardbasein

partnershipwith

theCollegeofthe

Albemarle.

TheElizabethCityCenter

providesCoastGuard

personnelwiththe

opportunitytotrainfor

aviationjobseitherin

themilitaryoraspart

ofthecivilianworkforce.

Embry-Riddlehasmore

than150worldwide

locations.

Coursesaretaughtby

expertswithreal-world

experiencewhoare

leadersintheirfields.

Theuniversityhas

flexiblescheduling,

onlinecoursedelivery

andEagleVision

technologyaWeb-

basedvideo

conferencingplatform.

Sport Aircraft.The history of aviation in

North Carolina and the helpwe have received from NCDOT(Department of Transportation)Aviation were a factor in makingthis region home, LSA Americapresident Douglas Hempsteadsays.

The availability of a labor forcewith a strong work ethic alsoplayed into the decision, he notes.

Good people are a must,Hempstead says.

WORK FORce tRaINING PeRKSThe support of Halifax

Community College was anadded perk for LSA America,Hempstead says.

Training programs at areacolleges and universities,including Elizabeth City StateUniversity, the College of theAlbemarle and the ElizabethCity Center of Embry-RiddleAeronautical University, ensure

that workers have the skillsthey need, Harris says.There is a lot of sk illed labor,

agrees Vann Rogerson, presidentand CEO of the North CarolinaNortheast Commission. Thereare a lot of opportunities foraviation facilities in the future.

The Elizabeth City AviationResearch and DevelopmentCommerce Park is helpingaviation companies envisiontheir future in the region.Connected by a C-130-classtaxiway to a 7,200-foot-long

runway shared by the CoastGuard and Elizabeth CityPasquotank Regional Airport,

DRs tecnge, wc recen cqred re ngr pce fr fre grw, repr u.s.C Grd rcrf.


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Karen Schwartzman

the facility has sites availablefor large businesses, whichmay qualify for incentives. TheCollege of the Albemarle andElizabeth City State Universityoffer their programs on-site.

One of the regions major

aviation employers, DRSTechnologies, overhaulsCoast Guard aircraft in two80,000-square-foot hangarsand a 10,000-square-footmachine shop at the ElizabethCity Aviation Research andDevelopment Commerce Park.The company has leased otherhangar space for future growth,Harris says.

Elizabeth City AviationResearch and Development

Commerce Park is addingadditional land to preparefor new business arrivals.

If someone is interestedin coming, we can get it all doneand break ground in six months,Harris says.


sden ebe ce rpne den e Cege f e abere arcrf

mnennce tecng prgr nEbe C.


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Singtir

Sis higNort caroina Norteat uefor nationa eritae eination

sr b Kevin Litwin

Pgrp b Todd Bennett

attention, history buffs and curiosityseekers. Heritage tourism is evolvinginto a substantial economic engine

in Northeast North Carolina, and it isgrowing even stronger.

North Carolinas Northeast Commissionhas begun a push to get the 16 countiesin the Northeast region designated asa National Heritage Area by the U.S.Congress. The commission is partneringwith eastern and southeastern partnershipsin the state to designate the entire coastalNorth Carolina corridor as a NationalHeritage Area.

Our 16 counties in the northeast,along with another 24 in eastern and

southeast North Carolina, will make up40 counties that will hopefully becomethe nations 50th National Heritage Area,says Anita Johnson, North CarolinasNortheast Commission vice president

of product development. The corridorwill pretty much be everything eastof Interstate 95, and having nationaldesignation simply puts a powerfulstamp of approval on all the historicsites we have.

a tROe OF cOONIa hIStOR

Johnson says the heritage designationshould be a given considering that upuntil 1750, more than 90 percent of theU.S. population lived within 50 miles of

Edenn e n rc e (p dde) nd ndr fr e Cn er, ncdng eCwn Cn Cre (p ef), e Brer he (p rg) nd e Cp he (b).


38/70



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the coast. Northeast NorthCarolina alone is home to dozensof Civil War and RevolutionaryWar attractions, includingHalifax, where the HalifaxResolves were signed as the firstofficial action recommendingindependence from England.

The region is also home toBath, which was the first

incorporated town in NorthCarolina, and Edenton, which wasthe first capital of North Carolinaduring Colonial times, Johnsonsays. I work in Edenton,and Colonial homes here dateback as far as the 1700s.

80 attRactIONS IN 40 cONtIeS

To pursue the National HeritageArea designation, Golden LEAFFoundation funds were used tohire a private consulting firm

Hanbury Preservation Consulting to conduct a feasibility studythat will ultimately help with thedesignation drive.

Unannounced, my consultingteam visited 80 sites in the 40counties, showing up like regulartourists to evaluate the heritage

: Cnnn fr e Edenn BeBer de bc e C Wr

aov: te Wrg Brer Nnmer n k De h cere

e wrd fr fg.
http://www.martincountyedc.com/


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A Tasty Gift for Any Friend, Relative, Businessor Client ANY TIME OF THE YEAR!

Shop Online We Ship!

Bertie County PeanutsPOwE & STOkES INC.

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tourism sites and see how they are run ona regular basis, says Mary RuffinHanbury, owner of Hanbury PreservationConsulting. Well finish our feasibilitystudy by February 2012, all the whilesuggesting what improvements need to bemade at historic sites to have everythingready for the push for federal designation.

Once the study is complete and hasbeen presented to the commission, it will

go to the U.S. National Park Service forreview before heading to Congress.

dIeRSe SIteS FOR heRItaGe tORIStS

The National Heritage Area designationshould be granted because the listof historic sites along coastal NorthCarolina is almost too large to compile,Hanbury says.

Attractions like The Lost Colony,

historic lighthouses, waterways, religiousproperties, historic homes, museums, FortRaleigh, Wright Brothers National Memorial the entire region is amazing, she says.

Nancy Nicholls, director of theChowan County Tourism DevelopmentAuthority, says that having a prestigiousNational Heritage Area designation willattract many more tourists to the NorthCarolina coastline.

Personally, I think most visitors toour region are heritage travelers lovinghistory, culture and natural beauty,Nicholls says. Water and land are stillwhat keep us going with fishing andagriculture, but for us here in tourism,heritage travel is our market, and mostof our visitors enjoy small-town charm,beauty, attractions and relaxation.

bringingtouriststo northcarolinasnortheastNortheastTourism(NET)

workswithNorthCarolinas

NortheastCommissionto

markettheregionto

visitors.Duringthepast

year,tourismdirectorsfrom

16countiesvisited118

grouptouroperatorsto

encouragethemtoplan

motorcoachtoursacross

theregion.NETsHub

&Spokemarketing

approachencourages

groupsvisitingtheregion

totakedaytripstosmaller

townswhilestayingin

largertownsnearby.

The Lost Colony, ne f e nn nge-rnnng pnc dr, prr e r f e Br cn n Rne ind er dppered.

Ph

oto

CouRtEsy

oF

thE

lost

ColoNy


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an arin lg rps r ollowing

Four o July lrion in enon.

Poo y to bnn

Gallery


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Wrig brors Nionl moril

Poo y to bnn



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Did you know ?

Hertford County, North Carolina has abundant resources for renewable energy production.

The county, served by Dominion NC Power, connects with the PJM energy market,one of the largest energy markets in the U.S.

Hertford County welcomes

North Carolinas Regional Energy Hub

Energize Your Businessin Hertford County

KEEP IT GREEN!

William S. Early, Executive Director

Hertford County Economic Development Commission

PO Box 429 Winton, NC 27986

252-358-7801 252-358-7806 Fax

[email protected] www.hertfordcounty.com

a leader in biomass-fueled

boilers providing value-added

renewable energy

for Perdue Farms

a leading manufacturer

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Energy/Technology

Nort caroina Norteat emerin

a aternative ener oeroue

With its long coastline,favorable winds andabundant sunshine,

the future is looking promising

for alternative energy in NorthCarolinas Northeast region.Several projects utilizing wind,solar and biomass technologieshave been announced in theregion over the past year, andenergy experts predict thatmore are on the way.

ReGION Idea FOR ONShORe,

OFFShORe WINd

North Carolinas Northeast

is considered one of the bestlocations for wind turbines alongthe U.S. East Coast. Iberdrola

Renewables Inc., one of theworlds foremost developersof wind energy, is planningconstruction of a 150-turbine,

300-megawatt onshore windfarm on 20,000 acres of farmlandin Pasquotank and Perquimanscounties near Elizabeth City.Known as Desert Wind Power,the wind farm is expected tostart up late in 2011 and generate750,000 to 950,000 megawatthours of power annually enough to power as many as70,000 homes. The $600 millioninvestment will create direct

and indirect construction andpermanent jobs for the area.The wind resources of the

region appear highly favorable, saysPaul Copleman, communicationsmanager of Iberdrola Renewables.

One of the key factors in the

wind farms location is compatibilitywith the regions agriculture andthe community overall.

We are looking forwardto being a long-term neighbor,Copleman says.

The winds off the regionsOuter Banks also hold potentialfor offshore wind energydevelopment.

There is a great deal ofopportunity and benefit for

the region from offshore windenergy, says Brian OHara,president of the North Carolina

Fvorl Winssr bJohn Fuller

510nn prde r energ fr 1.4-egw pc r fr ner Gn.


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Offshore Wind Coalition.Northeast North Carolina ispositioned to be an important

player in the industry.OHara says both offshore andonshore projects could mean more

job growth as wind projects gearup and attract turbine andcomponent manufacturers.

SOaR POWeR, bIOmaSS

OFFeR OPPORtNIt

Solar power projects are alsoheating up in the region. 510nanoInc., a Washington, D.C.-basedsolar company, has signed a

15-year agreement with DominionPower to provide solar energyfrom a 1.4-megawatt photovoltaicsolar farm near Gaston. The farm,the largest solar-powered facilityadded to Dominions electric grid,is expected to produce enoughpower to supply electricity to160 households annually.

510nano officials say they arelooking for additional sites to locatesolar farms in North Carolina,

including the Northeast region.We have enjoyed developingour project here and working with

our partners, Dominion andNorthampton County, saysReginald Parker, president of

510nano.In Hertford County, Duke Energyis heading up the construction ofa 37-acre, 6.4-megawatt solar farmnear Murfreesboro the largest inthe state. Capable of generatingenough electricity to power700 homes, the 20,000-panelMurfreesboro Solar Project,acquired by Duke from SunPowerCorp., will use global positioningtechnology to track the sunsmovement during the day

and increase the amountof sunlight captured.

Enviva, a leading producerof processed sustainable woodybiomass fuel, is investing$52 million to construct awood pellet processing plantin Ahoskie, with plans to builda second location in NorthamptonCounty. The wood pellets will beshipped overseas to Europeanutilities for energy generation.

The demand for solidrenewable fuels like woodpellets is taking off, and Envivas

manufacturing footprint isgrowing with it, says JohnKeppler, chairman and chief

executive officer of Enviva. Ourplans for expansion in the regionwill ensure a compelling, stablesource of economic growth to thelandowners, loggers and haulersin this region.

Perdue AgriBusiness recentlypartnered with High Point, N.C.-based Wellons Energy Solutions,LLC to open a biomasscogeneration facility at itssoybean crushing facility andfeed mill in Cofield. Capable

of producing more than 40,000pounds of steam per hour, theboiler is designed to burn woodwaste products, such as wholetree chips, peanut hulls and otherwoody biomass, to generate steamto power the plant.

And more is on the horizon.In Camden County, officialshave announced plans to developa business park to attractcompanies in the green industry

and provide them with easyaccess to the regions dif ferenttransportation options.

staFF

Photo


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1000 Jackson St.

P.O. Box 308

Roanoke Rapids, NC 27870

(252) 537-9137

Fax: (252) 537-3064

www.rr.rg

Delivering Safe Drinking Water

While Providing for Environmental

Water Quality for 80 Years

Roanoke Rapids

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Transportation

PotashCorp-Aurora relies on the regions transportationassets to supply products to global markets.


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Norteat Nort caroina fuee

to-not tranortation aet

by land, sea or air, North

Carolinas Northeastregion boasts a robusttransportation network, movingpeople and products efficientlyto anywhere in the nation andaround the world. Interstate 95is the main highway along theU.S. East Coast, and federalhighways 17, 64, 158, 168and 264 have been markedlyimproved to make the regioneasily accessible to the rest of

the country. The area is withina days drive of 75 percent of theU.S. population.

RaI aNd PORt acceSS

More than 60 motor freightcarriers serve the region,including Southern Ag Carriers,based in Albany, Ga., whichrecently announced it wouldbuild a new trucking terminalin Edenton. Southern Ag is amajor shipper of agriculturalproducts, serving food processorsalong the East Coast.

We do a lot of shippingfor the peanut industry, says

Hugh Nall, president and chiefoperating officer of SouthernAg. Locating in Edenton and

Gri orGrow

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PotashCorp-Auroras rail complex is connected

by a 32-mile spur to a major rail systemthat travels throughout U.S. markets.


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North Carolina is a great fitfor us and helps us serve ourcustomers bet ter.

The reg ions well-connectedhighway and rail system hasattracted major distributioncenters, including Lowes

Mid-Atlantic Distributionin Northampton County andPepsi Bottling Ventures inElizabeth City. Anns Houseof Nuts, one of Americas largestnut distributors, has a majorproduction and distributionfacility in Robersonville.

The region is served by CSXand Norfolk Southern, alongwith several short-line railroads,including NC/VA Railroad,Chesapeake and Albemarle

Railroad, and Carolina CoastalRailways. Amtrak also hasnearby stops at Rocky Mountand in southern Virginia.

Businesses in the region benefitfrom excellent access to majorports, including the Port ofVirginia in Hampton Roads,which is the third-busiest porton the East Coast. Two NorthCarolina deep-water ports arealso nearby in Wilmington and

Morehead City.

SPPIeR ReIeS ON NetWORK

One of the regions largestemployers, PotashCorp-Aurora(PCS Phosphate) relies on thesetransportation assets to supply

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International Trucks Case IH Farm Equipment

Trailers New and Used

SALES, LEASING, PARTS & SERVICE

Toll-free: (800) 682-6746 www.lilleyinternational.com

Serving Transportation and Agriculture for 58 Years

Strategically located to serve the Northeast

WILLIAmSTN RCkY mNTSCTLAN NECk GATES

PotashCorp-Aurora is one of several regional companies

that ship products from Morehead Citys port.

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fertilizer to agriculture, animal,nutrition and industrial chemicalmarkets around the world. Thecompany mines phosphate oreat its Beaufort County plant,adjacent to the Pamlico River,and is the largest user of theport at Morehead City, shipping

approximately 1 million tons ofproducts through the port. Anaverage of 700 rail cars, 800trucks and 30 barges of productleave PCS each month.

The plants extensive railcomplex is connected by a 32-mile

spur to a major rail system thattravels throughout U.S. markets.Since the mining operation islocated on navigable tidewater,product barges, propelled bythe PCS fleet of tugboats, movedown the Pamlico River to theMorehead City port. Additionally,

about 10 percent of PCSemployees take the Bayview-Aurora Ferry to work each day.

Service and delivery are asimportant to our customers asthe basic quality of the productswe provide, says Steve Beckel,

general manager of PotashCorp-Aurora. Were known forshipping and delivering on time.North Carolinas transportationassets help us to do just that.

Commercial air service is alsoeasily accessible to local businessesthrough Raleigh-Durham

International Airport, Pitt-Greenville Airport, RichmondInternational Airport and NorfolkInternational Airport, and charterand corporate services are offeredthrough 11 general aviationairports.

PotashCorp-Aurora

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POTENTIAL LOANS:

NCEMC Business DevelopmentLoan Fund

Upto$400,000

7years,0%interest

USDA Rural Economic

Development Loan Upto$450,000

10years,0%interest

ADDITIONAL SERVICES:

Assistancewithsiteand buildingidentifcation

Energyauditservices

Assistancewithmarketresearch

Flexibilityinratedesign

Powerqualityservices

Loanandgrantassistance

Demographicanalysis

TouchstoneEnergy

Electric Cooperatives Paving the way to a brighter futureFOR MOREINFORMATION ONTHESE PROGRAMS,CONTACT:

Brady MartinHalifax ElectricMembership Corporation208W.WhitfeldSt.Enfeld,NC27823(252)445-5111www.haliaxemc.com

Eddie StocksEdgecombe-MartinCounty EMC679N.C.Hwy.33E.Tarboro,NC27886(252)823-2171www.ememc.com

Marshall CherryRoanoke Electric Cooperative

PostOfceDrawer1326518NC561WestAhoskie,NC27910(252)209-2236www.roanokeelectric.com

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eient an eai fin uttin-ee are

Residents in Northeast NorthCarolina can find qualityhealth care close to home,

thanks to a strong network ofcommunity hospitals that offerdependable care, surgery options,

rehabilitation services andoutpatient facilities.

Top medical centers range in sizefrom the six-bed Bertie MemorialHospital in Windsor to theUniversity Health Systems of EasternCarolina, which oversees eighthospitals and 15 clinical locations.

We are not-for-profit with$1.5 billion in annual net revenue,and we invest $80 million backinto capital improvements each

year, says Dave McRae, CEO ofUniversity Health Systems ofEastern Carolina. All eight

hospitals in our system haveeither been recently expandedor soon will be.

hNdRedS OF PhSIcIaNS

UHS has 10,000 employees,

including 6,000 at its flagshipPitt County Memorial Hospitalin Greenville. There are also300 physicians under the UHSumbrella.

Pitt County Memorial alsopartners with the Brody Schoolof Medicine at East CarolinaUniversity, with many of theirmedical students completing theirresidency at Memorial, McRaesays. Im happy to say that 70

percent of Brody School doctorswho complete their residencyremain in North Carolina for

private practice.

cttING-edGe techNOOG

Besides the expansions at UHShospitals, McRae says more than$100 million has been spent

during the past five years oninformational technologyupgrades throughout the system.

We plan another $85.6 mill ioninvestment in the next five years,he says. One example of our ITsuccess occurred recently when aphysician at The Outer BanksHospital in Nags Head performeda CT scan on a patient, then theimage was instantly sent to aradiology specialist at Pitt County

Memorial. The radiologistimmediately analyzed it andsent recommendations to the

Posiiv Prognosis

sr b Kevin Litwin

Halifax Regional Medical Center

Health


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Health

Outer Banks physician withinminutes. That is what 21st-centurymedicine is all about at UHS.

a heath NetWORK

Other top medical centers in

the UHS system include ChowanHospital in Edenton and Roanoke-Chowan Hospital in Ahoskie. Alsoeasily accessible to residents isAlbemarle Hospital in ElizabethCity, which also oversees IslandMedical Center in the OuterBanks as well as Gates CountyMedical Center, plus an outpatientsurgery facility at RegionalMedical Center in Kitty Hawk.

As for the city of Roanoke

Rapids, its population is well-served by Halifax RegionalMedical Center, which treats

40,000 emergency room patientseach year. And WashingtonCounty Hospital, a 49-bedcritical access acute care facility,serves residents in Plymouth.

We have a staff of 280, of whom

200 have more than 10 years ofexperience caring for patients,says Will Mahone, HalifaxRegional Medical Center president.Our hospital now offers servicesthat include a Cardiac andVascular Center, Digestive HealthCenter, Wound Center and a JointCare Center where 2,000 jointreplacements have been performedsince opening in 2005.

Halifax Regional has 1,000

employees and sees patientsprimarily from Halifax andNorthampton counties.

We also have patients fromVirginia who come over the border,Mahone says. Our advancementsmake it an especially exciting timeto be in the medical field.

Other hospitals in the region

include Beaufort Regional HealthSystem in Washington, recentlyacquired by the UHS system,which operates a 142-bed acutecare facility with more than 50physicians skilled in more than20 specialities, and Martin CountyHealth Systems in Williamston.

A new $1.76 million VeteransAffairs clinic is expected to openthis fall in Elizabeth City. Theclinic will ease the burden for

thousands of veterans whocurrently travel to HamptonRoads, Va. for medical care.

exPert health-care accessAlongwithaccesstoquality

communityhealthcare,

residentsinNorth

CarolinasNortheast

regionbenefitfromliving

nearexperthealth-care

providersthroughoutthe

state,including:

DukeUniversity

MedicalCenter

EastCarolina

UniversitysBrody

SchoolofMedicine

PittCounty

MemorialHospital

ChildrensHospitalof

theKingsDaughters


56/70
http://www.albemarle.edu/


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Education

loa univeritie, oee train tuent for

Nort caroina Norteat reion to inutrie

e

mployers searching foreducated, skilled graduates

should look no further thanNorth Carolinas Northeast region.The area is home to severalvocational schools, communitycolleges and four-year universities,and produces graduates trained towork in the regions fastest-growingindustries, including health sciences,green technology, computertechnology, aerospace, biotechnologyand pharmacy.

The College of the Albemarle,

which is celebrating its 50thanniversary this year, has built areputation for getting its graduates

employed in a variety of industries.The Elizabeth City-based two-year

college offers 30 programs of study,ranging from health sciences andbusiness technology to technicalprograms such as machining,law-enforcement training andculinary arts.

One of our newest programs isan aviation sheet metal coursethat has welcomed 134 studentssince it began in November 2009,says Lisa Johnson, College of theAlbemarle director of marketing

and communications. In fact,that popularity has prompted usto work with Currituck County

commissioners who are providingus with land and an eventual

30,000-square-foot buildingto introduce an FAA-certifiedaviation systems technologycurriculum. The regional aviationand technical training buildingis set to open in January 2013.

Besides its main campus, thecollege serves students in Camden,Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates,Pasquotank and Perquimanscounties via satellite campusesin Edenton and Manteo, and

a new campus coming toCurrituck County.With 3,800 full-time students

Sools o tougsr b Kevin Litwin

Pgrp b Todd Bennett

te regn e n cege nd nere rn grde fr e fe-grwng ndre, ncdng e cence.


58/70

and 7,700 part-time students, our

college offers affordability andcloseness to home, Johnson says.

aIatION, PhaRmac PROGRamS

Another nearby highereducation institution, ElizabethCity State University, offers aDoctor of Pharmacy degree as abranch campus for the Universityof North Carolinas EshelmanSchool of Pharmacy.

We are known for outstanding

signature programs pharmacyand aviation, says WillieGilchrist, ECSU chancellor. Aswe continue our mission, theuniversity, region and state willcontinue to elevate higher andemerge stronger in both fields.

aN aRRa OF hIGheR ed OPtIONS

Northeast North Carolina isalso home to several Christian

universities, including Chowan

University and Mid-AtlanticChristian University. ChowanUniversity has 63 academicprograms, and Mid-AtlanticChristian University, which isknown for being military-friendly,offers degrees for students interestedin ministry as well as scholarshipsfor military students and veterans.

The region also boasts a strongcommunity college network thatincludes Beaufort County

Community College, HalifaxCommunity College, College ofthe Albemarle, Roanoke-ChowanCommunity College and MartinCommunity College, which isknown for its two-year equinetraining program.

Students in Northeast NorthCarolina have a lot of greatacademic options, College ofthe Ablemarles Johnson says.

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Quality Service On-Time Delivery

P.O. Box 29 518-C Coke Ave. Edenton, NC 27932

(252) 482-7925 T (252) 482-2990 F

www.johnebassettinc.com

This is our unwavering commitment to you; a simple, yet effective

plan that equals a successful project every time.

Contact: Dave Goss [email protected]

Half mile from U.S. Route 17

One-hour drive to Port of Virginia/Hampton Roads

Site includes 70-acre state-owned Marine Industrial

Park on Perquimans River

Qualifying projects may be eligible for

North Carolina and local incentives

200+ acres still available

Perquimans County Commerce Centre

MarineIndustrialPark

A student works on repairing an

airplane in the College of theAlbemarles Aircraft Maintenance

Technology program.

Elizabeth City State University is a

branch campus for the University

of North Carolinas Eshelman School

of Pharmacy.
http://www.johnebassettinc.com/http://www.johnebassettinc.com/


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Nags Head is one of several communities

along the Outer Banks that attract visitorswith its relaxed waterfront lifestyle.


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utoor fun, oreou eae an reae

atmoere entie tourit, neomer

attracting a wide range ofpeople with varying interests both residents and tourists,

young families as well as retirees Northeast North Carolinas appealcontinues to grow.

According to Anita Johnson, vicepresident of project development

for North Carolinas NortheastCommission, its because of thelifestyle the region offers.

Because we dont have a densepopulation, we get to avoid traffic

jams, so we have less stress in ourdaily routine, she says. Living ina small town, you see people overand over again, which enhancesthe sense of community andcreates personal connections.

ROOm tO Ie aNd Pa

Affordable, beautiful homes,located on the water or on one of

the many golf courses in the area,lure newcomers. The regionsproximity to I-95 makes it apopular stop for snowbirds andfamilies headed to Florida, andmany who visit the area end upmoving into one of its residentialcommunities, including Albemarle

Plantation, Scotch Hall Preserve,The Pines at Elizabeth City andKilmarlic Golf Club.

They are tucked away, so youdont always notice them fromthe highways, says CharlotteUnderwood, tourism director forthe Elizabeth City Area Convention& Visitors Bureau and chair ofNortheast Tourism (NET). Peoplecome from all over to live in ourneighborhoods.

In addition to gorgeous viewsalong rivers, sounds and theAtlantic Ocean, the water provides

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the ouer Banks are bes knwn fr heir wrld-class beaches (p) and quain islands like ocracke (bm).

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63/70

the opportunity for fun activitiesthat cant be enjoyed just anywhere.

You can jet ski, canoe, kayak,sail, fish or dive, Underwood says.Whether you prefer freshwater orsaltwater, we have plenty of thingsto do on the water.

the OteR baNKS

With the water comes beachesand islands, both of which theOuter Banks are famous for. Oneof its most popular attractions isOcracoke Island, known as thePearl of the Outer Banks.

People on Ocracoke Islandare very relaxed, and when yougo there for a vacation, youbecome relaxed also, Johnsonsays. Its not crowded, and its

a little less populated. You dontsee skyscrapers or big hotels; its

just natural landscaping andbeautiful scenery.

Some of the best board surfing,fishing and beachcombing on theEast Coas

Documents

North Carolina's Northeast Region Economic Development Guide 2011