Top picture: Volunteer leaders of the regional organizations include (from left) Gordon Myers of AdvantageWest, General David Barker of the Global TransPark Region, John Atkins of the Research Triangle Regional Partnership, Charles Shaw of N.C.'s Northeast Partnership, Paul Chapman of the Carolinas Partnership and Commerce Secretary Rick Carlisle. Bottom picture: Executives of the regional organizations include (from left) Charles Hayes of the Research Triangle Regional Partnership, Dale Carroll of AdvantageWest, Tom Greenwood of the Global TransPark Region, Paul Butler of N.C.'s Southeast, Mark Heath Sr. of the Carolinas Partnership and Rick Watson of N.C.'s Northeast Partnership.


By Steve Tuttle

NCCBI and the state's seven regional economic development organizations always have had a lot in common and now they are drawing even closer by agreeing to consult on issues in the future.

The N.C. Partnership for Economic Development (NCPED) — the umbrella organization for the seven groups — invited NCCBI President Phil Kirk to be the keynote speaker at its quarterly meeting in Asheville on Nov. 2. In his remarks Kirk stressed NCCBI's 57-year history of supporting economic development, particularly its critical role in the passage of the Bill Lee Act in 1995.
Kirk concluded his speech by issuing a ringing endorsement of the Partnership and the state's regional approach to economic development.

State Commerce Secretary Rick Carlisle, who by his position is a co-chairman of the
Partnership, was at the meeting and reaffirmed the state's support for regional economic development efforts. Carlisle also applauded the commitment for closer ties between NCCBI and the Partnership.

Kirk observed that the two groups already are allies. All seven of the regional organizations are members of NCCBI and most of the volunteer chairmen of the regional organization's boards of directors also are members. Further, Gordon Myers of Asheville, the Ingles Markets executive who is chairman of the Advantage West organization serving 23 western counties, is this year's second vice chairman of NCCBI.

Myers, who is in charge of the annual NCCBI membership campaign, suggested that the seven regional organizations could be effective in helping NCCBI. John Atkins of Durham, the volunteer chairman of the Research Triangle Regional Partnership and the NCPED co-chairman along with Carlisle, spoke enthusiastically about NCCBI and endorsed Myers' idea of involving the partnerships in NCCBI's membership campaign.

In the discussion that followed, the executives of the regional organizations unanimously signaled their support for closer ties with NCCBI. They also agreed to help Myers in his recruitment campaign by strongly recommending NCCBI membership to new and expanding companies they come in contact with.

“This is a win-win situation for the NCPED and NCCBI,” Atkins said. “Helping NCCBI to grow in numbers will only strengthen North Carolina's commitment to economic development. And the leaders of our regional organizations are in a great position to know about new companies moving into the state and new businesses forming here that ought to belong to NCCBI.”

The regional executives met recently in Raleigh with NCCBI Director of Development Rosemary Wyche to organize a recruitment campaign. The regional executives expressed confidence that they could bring perhaps 300 new members into NCCBI.

“This can be the most successful membership campaign NCCBI has ever had,” Myers said. “And most of all I'm pleased that these two groups which have so much in common will be working even closer together in the future.”

The venture with NCPED is one of several new initiatives by NCCBI to increase membership. Myers and Wyche have staged successful membership recruitment receptions in Wilmington, Asheville and Cary. Also, NCCBI Executive Committee member Bradley Thompson, CEO of SouthTrust Bank in Charlotte, has committed his bank to this year's membership drive. SouthTrust will provide free rounds of golf at the Old North State Club in New London to 100 people whose companies join NCCBI or to existing members who upgrade their dues.

Further, NCCBI is planning membership recruitment receptions on Jan. 13 in Charlotte at White Oaks, the mansion estate of Duke Power founder James B. Duke, and on Feb. 8 in Raleigh at the Exploris center.

Kiplinger Update: NCCBI members are reminded that the special program with the Kiplinger Washington Editors is continuing in which members can subscribe to the nation's largest general circulation business newsletter at a deep discount.

For only $38 NCCBI members will receive 53 weekly issues of The Kiplinger Letter. Plus, half of that amount will remain with NCCBI as a gesture of support for the association. That agreement came after Kiplinger CEO Knight Kiplinger appeared as the dinner speaker at the NCCBI Annual Meeting last March.

To start you subscription, call 1-800-544-0155 to speak to a Kiplinger operator. Mention code “N9W-NCCBI” to get the special $38 rate reserved only for NCCBI members. And remember, $19 of that will remain with NCCBI.

New Board Member: Dr. James F. Causby of Smithfield, superintendent of Johnston County schools, has been named to the NCCBI Board of Directors to fill the unexpired term of Nicholas St. George, the Oakwood Homes executive who recently retired. Causby, who was North Carolina Superintendent of the Year in 1991 and again in 1998, is a native of Marion and was school superintendent in Polk County and Swain County before coming to Johnston County, which is the third-fastest growing school system in the state. He recently has led the county through two major successful bond issues.