Eastern Carolina Manufacturing Company, LLC, a bulk barn manufacturer announced plans to begin operations in the former Farmtrac facility in Tarboro. The project will create 50 jobs and $2 million investment.
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AmerLink Ltd.. AmerLink Ltd., a maker of handcrafted custom-made and manufactured log homes, headquartered in Nash County, announces plans for an expansion that will create 50 new jobs and a $1.8 million investment over the next three years.
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Spongex, LLC, Nomaco, Inc., and its parent company, Noel Group, announced the selection of Tarboro as the future manufacturing location for Spongex, LLC, a new affiliated division of Nomaco. Spongex plans to bring 100 new jobs and a $7 million investment to Edgecombe County within the next three years.
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North Carolina ranked #1 in a 2008 study of The Pollina Corporate Top 10 Pro-Business States.
The study examines 29 factors relative to states efforts to be pro-business, and is the most comprehensive examination of states to date. The study is limited to factors over which state government has control. The list reflects state leadership that truly understands the importance of producing the best job opportunities available for their constituents. The state governments at the top of the list understand they must be very pro-active in the international battle to keep and attract jobs. The Pollina Corporate Top 10 Pro-Business States were selected based on those factors that are most important to corporate executives. Other states on the Top 10 list are: #2 FL, #3 VA, #4 SC, #5 WY, #6 SD,#7 GA, #8 AL, #9 UT and #10 KS.
Edgecombe and Nash County Schools Receive Bronze Medals for Achievement in Education.
Less than 1,600 high schools topped the U.S. News & World Report's list as the best in the nation. The Twin County area had two schools on that list. Northern Nash High School and North Edgecombe High School each received bronze awards, placing them in a select class of schools that the U.S. News & World Report stated was providing good education across the student body.
More than 18,000 public schools were analyzed for the first-ever America's Best High Schools list. The schools receiving bronze awards were judged on state reading and math test scores and the school's percentage of economically disadvantaged students to determine which schools performed better than their statistical expectations. Only 34 schools in North Carolina were tapped by the magazine famously known for its college rankings.
The Milken Institute Lists Rocky Mount MSA as "High-Tech Achiever."
The Milken Institute's report of the Best Performing Small Cities for 2007 ranked the Rocky Mount MSA as #1 as a high tech region among all small metro areas. The high-tech rating is due to the location in the area of companies such as Hospira, Honeywell, Keihin Carolina System Technology, and Embarq. In 2007, the Rocky Mount MSA ranked 106 in the Best Peforming Cities, compared to a ranking of 157 in 2005, a 32% increase.
The Carolinas Gateway Partnership and Rocky Mount MSA Recognized by Southern Business & Development Magazine
The July, 2006 annual rating issue of the Southern Business & Development Magazine recognized the Carolinas Gateway Partnership and the Rocky Mount MSA as ranking 2nd for 2005 in the small market of the year category.
According to John Gessaman, President and CEO of the Carolinas Gateway Partnership, the scoring system utilized by the magazine ranked only those projects announcing over 200 jobs and/or $30 million in investment. Mr. Gessaman said, "Over 2,000 new job commitments and almost $50 million in investments were announced by the Carolinas Gateway Partnership. This is the largest gain for any single calendar year since we began tracking job commitment announcements in 1997. The list includes a diversity of distribution, metal working, administrative and office, and food processing companies. This diversity is a key part of our overall strategy to diversify the area's economy."
Mr. Gessaman said, "We particularly want to thank our member-investors and the public sector sponsors of Edgecombe County, Nash County, the City of Rocky Mount, the Town of Tarboro, and the Town of Nashville. We would not have received this success without their commitment and support."
The Gateway Technology Center Officially Opens
Local and state officials, educators and business people gathered on May 25, 2006 for the grand opening ceremonies of the Gateway Technology Center, a state-of-the-art facility located on the campus of North Carolina Wesleyan College in Rocky Mount, NC. The opening was the culmination of a long process that partnered individuals involved in business, education, industry, and government to provide a facility that would offer advanced engineering, life sciences and business courses, and that would also serve as a distance education model for other North Carolina communities far from major research universities offering advanced degree and engineering programs. The overall goal was to develop a strong university and industry relationship to further economic prosperity in Eastern North Carolina by retraining and significantly improving the technical skill sets of existing and future workforces to meet the needs of the global economy.
North Carolina Wesleyan College President, Dr. Ian Newbould, said "This is a great day for Rocky Mount, Nash and Edgecombe Counties, and the entire region. It is a remarkable example of a partnership between the City of Rocky Mount, area leaders, and support from the state legislature, the federal government, North Carolina State University and East Carolina University. This Center will provide educational opportunities and economic aspirations in Eastern North Carolina. It will serve students from Wesleyan, NC State, East Carolina University, and employers of the region. We look forward to a continued fruitful relationship among the institutions."
East Carolina Chancellor Dr. Steve Ballard said projects like the Gateway Technology Center make a difference in North Carolina. "Great projects happen with great partnerships. In the east, we must be good partners as we transition the economy. East Carolina University is committed to workforce and economic development. Today's students face a daunting workplace and a daunting economy. We have an absolute obligation to prepare them so they will stay here and access good jobs." Chancellor Ballard said, "There will be challenges, but the university is ready to be the best partner it can be."
North Carolina State Chancellor Dr. James Oblinger said, "The Center is tied to partnership. That's what this is all about. Relationships have brought us to this day. It hasn't been easy. Today is a new dawning for Eastern North Carolina and its residents." Chancellor Oblinger said the Center will provide innovative, powerful learning opportunities for people. "We are more globally aware as a nation," he said. "The new educational opportunities here will be available to our citizens anytime, anywhere. The Center will make a real difference as it relates to people's lives and economic opportunities."
Carolinas Gateway Partnership President, John Gessaman, recognized and thanked the many people and organizations that contributed to the Center's development and success. He said, "We are here because of an historic partnership in the region. We will bring our region into the 21st century, and I would call this center the gateway to 21st century education."
The funding partners include The DeLeon Carter Foundation, the City of Rocky Mount, the e-NC Authority, the Golden LEAF, Inc., Honeywell, the Allan C. and Margaret L. Mims Charitable Foundation, Nash County, Nash Health Care Systems, the State of North Carolina, the U.S. Economic Development Administration, and Mr. Thomas A. Betts, Jr. for whom the Center was officially named. In making the naming presentation - The Gateway Technology Center Thomas A. Betts, Jr. Education Building, Dr. Newbould recognized Mr. Betts for his significant contribution to making the Center a reality by saying, "He is the person who tirelessly encouraged through his vision what this Center could be. Without his efforts, this project would not have come to fruition."