The 11 counties comprising North Carolina’s Southeast Region offer an eclectic mix of vibrant cities and quiet rural communities — of pristine Atlantic shoreline, pine-covered Sandhills and the U.S. Army’s legendary Fort Bragg. The region’s diverse industrial base blends Old Economy with New, with companies across a wide array of industries finding their place in the global economy. Firms there enjoy success amid a unique menu of natural and man-made assets that include:

 

• Redundant, multi-modal transportation systems, including the Port of Wilmington and future North Carolina International Port (set for operation in 2015);
• Enviable mid-Atlantic geography that puts firms within two days' drive of Miami or Maine;
• Pioneering universities and community colleges;
• A large, diligent and trainable workforce with minimal unionization rates;
• Ready-to-go industrial properties and infrastructure attuned to 21^st century business needs;
• A pro-business leadership that includes elected officials from the municipal through Congressional level;
• Modest business costs, affordable real estate, utilities and property-tax rates;
• An enviable quality of life built around a comfortable climate and widely available coastal recreational opportunities.

 

Established by act of the North Carolina General Assembly in 1993, the Southeastern North Carolina Regional Economic Development Commission (“North Carolina’s Southeast Commission”) is the lead regional marketing organization for the 11-county area. It promotes the region through an aggressive program of trade shows, consultant visits, outreach to commercial real estate brokers, direct marketing and an information-rich Internet presence. The Southeast Commission maintains two private non-profit organizations that complement its state-supported marketing efforts with the application of private and philanthropic funds for technology upgrades and job-creation grants.

 

The Southeast Commission is governed by a 15-member board of directors appointed by the Governor, Lt. Governor, Speaker of the House and Senate President Pro Tem. In 2007, the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) offered its Citizen Leader of the Year Award to Commission chairman Jane W. Smith. A year earlier, Ms. Smith was recognized by the N.C. Economic Developers Association (NCEDA), which presented her with its Economic Developer of the Year Award for 2005.

 

North Carolina’s Southeast Commission
P.O. Box 2556
707 West Broad Street
Elizabethtown, NC 28337
Phone: 800-787-1333 or 910-862-8511
Fax: 910-862-1482

www.ncse.org