Lunch & Learn = Networking and Growth

Anson County JobLink Career Center Hosts Business Forum

The Anson County JobLink Career Center sponsored the Anson County Business Forum “Lunch and Learn” at South Piedmont Community College – Lockhart Taylor Center in Wadesboro on Tuesday June 10, 2008. Mr. Grady Kindley, Anson County JobLink Manager, emceed the event that included more than 40 individuals, mostly from Anson and Union counties.

The event was targeted to business owners and chief operators as an opportunity to make them aware of the services available to them in Anson County. Grady Kindley presented information on business services available through the Anson County JobLink Career Center/Employment Security Commission. Attendees also heard about services available through JobLink partners from Anson County Department of Social Services, Vocational Rehabilitation, South Piedmont Community College, New Ventures Business Development, the US Small Business Administration, and Dana Maness of the Anson Bank & Trust who encouraged businesses to seek the services of local agencies, organizations, and businesses as a means of keeping money in Anson County.

The presentations were followed by a question & answer session and each attendee introduced themselves and the services offered by their respective business or organization.

Based on feedback from attendees, the Lunch & Learn session proved to be more than worthwhile. Grady Kindley said he was “pleased to see all the networking and all the partnerships that are sure to be launched because of today’s program.”

Attendees received an Anson County JobLink Career Center packet that included brochures and contact information for all of the organizations that presented during the session.

For more information on the Anson County JobLink Career Center, its services and partners, please contact Grady Kindley, JobLink manager, at (704) 694-6551. The Center is located at 116 West Wade Street in Wadesboro. And, be sure to visit their website at www.ansonjoblink.com.

Lincoln Economic Development Association Honored

Charlotte Regional Partnership Presents 2008 Jerry Awards

At its annual award luncheon held on Thursday June 5, 2008, The Charlotte Regional Partnership presented the Lincoln Economic Development Association (LEDA) with the 2008 Jerry Award for the public sector.

The awards recognize significant contributions to the partnership’s 16-county Charlotte USA region by individuals and organizations from the private and public sectors. The awards are named in honor of its first recipients in 2007 – Jerry Richardson, owner and founder of the Carolina Panthers and Jerry Orr, aviation director of Charlotte-Douglas International Airport.

Lincoln Economic Development Association, the public-sector recipient, is a model of public/private collaboration. It spearheaded the Lincoln County Industrial Park, a cooperative effort among LEDA, the city of Lincolnton and Lincoln County. Tenants include national companies such as GE Security and national distribution centers for RSI Home Products, Crate & Barrel and Big Dogs Holdings Inc. as well as international companies such as Brazilian automotive supplier Sabo USA and Toyota owned Cataler North America, which coats catalytic converters.

LEDA’s 2007-2008 chairman, Pete Acker, accepted the award on LEDA’s behalf, thanking the Charlotte Regional Partnership for their assistance in marketing the county and region and added, “The partnership’s philosophy allows each member county to showcase its unique benefits and attributes while still respecting the overall strength that regionalism provides us in a competitive global market.”

The Centralina Workforce Development Board is a proud partner with Lincoln County Economic Development Association in the continued growth of businesses and the workforce. We appreciate LEDA’s hard work and efforts to build a diverse and dynamic economy in Lincoln County. Barry Matherly, LEDA Executive Director, and his entire staff are to be congratulated on this outstanding award. For more information on LEDA, please visit their website at www.lincolneda.org.

Racing Parts Firm Picks Cabarrus County

Motorsports Industry Partner Moves Closer to the Action

Carbotech Performance Brakes, a racing parts manufacturer, has bought a 16,000 square-foot building in Carpenter Industrial Park off of US Highway 29 in Concord. The company has nine employees and makes brake pads for a variety of vehicles, including sports cars.

Mike Puskar Sr., president of Carbotech, says he wanted to be closer to the NASCAR racing scene. “We can hear the roar of the cars on the track and the sounds of construction vehicles building the drag strip. We are in the middle of it.”

Please continue to look to the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s monthly E-Newsletter for updates on this developing story.

Tapping Into the Community to Create Jobs

Carolina Beer & Beverage Company Plans to Open Distribution Center in Mooresville

Carolina Beer & Beverage Company is planning a 300,000 square-foot distribution center in Mooresville that will create 20 new jobs. The new facility, which will cost $11 million to build, will be located a few miles from Carolina Beer’s brewery on the north side of Mooresville.

The Iredell Board of County Commissioners has approved $197,000 in incentives for the project, to be paid over five years.

Project plans call for the distribution center to be completed by August 2009, says Bob Palmes, vice president of G.L. Wilson Building Company of Statesville, the general contractor.

Please continue to look to the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s monthly E-Newsletter for updates on this developing story.

Rowan County in the Running

Rowan County Chamber of Commerce Seeking Prestigious Award

Chamber of the Year qualifiers are selected based on ACCE’s Annual Chamber Operations Survey information. Chambers that meet or exceed four of the seven criteria for their dues category are invited to complete the application for the Chamber of the Year Award.

This year, the Rowan County Chamber of Commerce exceeded five of the seven criteria in the areas of Member Retention-Dollars; Ratio of Assets to Liabilities; Ratio of Assets to Expenses; Net Gain in Total Income and Net Assets.

“Qualifying for the Chamber of the Year Award demonstrates a chamber’s mastery and application of the core principles and techniques used to a run a chamber of commerce,” Nicole Gentry of the ACCE said.

The Centralina Workforce Development is proud to recognize the Rowan County Chamber of Commerce as an outstanding business and workforce advocate. Best wishes go out to Chamber CEO Bob Wright and his staff. Please continue to look to the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s monthly E-Newsletter for updates on this developing story. For more information on the Rowan Chamber of Commerce, please visit their website at www.rowanchamber.com.

Cabinet Manufacturer Moves Production to Iredell County

Canac Announces its Move to Statesville Facility

Canac, a North America cabinet manufacturer is moving all of its production operations to its Statesville plant. The frameless cabinet manufacturer purchased its Statesville facility on Speedball Road in 2005.

With 670 employees, Canac is the largest manufacturing employer in Statesville. By consolidating into one location, the company expects to reduce its costs and improve delivery times for both Canadian and US customers.

Greater Statesville Development Corporation Business Retention and Expansion Coordinator John Marek said management at the Statesville facility has been preparing for the new jobs for about a year now.

“They’ve increased significantly over the past year,” Marek said. “There isn’t going to be a large-scale influx of people.”

Please continue to look to the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s monthly E-Newsletter for updates on this exciting development. Can’t wait for the E-Newsletter each month to get your up to date information on businesses in the region? Check out our website at www.centralinaworks.com for daily updates!

June's Business Survey Prize Winner is…

Each month, the Centralina Workforce Development Board holds a drawing from Business Surveys that area businesses have completed and posted on our website.

Centralina is pleased to announce that the winner of this month’s drawing is GraphiCal Creations, Inc. in Locust, NC. Donnie Long of GraphiCal Creations, Inc. completed and submitted the survey. We thank Donnie for helping us with our continuous improvement feedback process! For more information about GraphiCal Creations, Inc. please visit their website www.graphi-cal.com.

If you haven't completed the survey, you can do so now by going to our website. It only takes a couple of minutes and by completing the survey, it will guarantee your entry into our next drawing.

For more information on the Centralina Workforce Development Employer Survey and the business services available through the Board and our local JobLink Career Centers, please contact Vail Carter at (704) 348-2710 or by email at vcarter@centralina.org.

I-Care, Inc. Kicks off Summer Program for Youth

Iredell Community Action Research and Evaluation (I-CARE, Inc.) kicked off their Workforce Investment Act (WIA) summer youth program activities on Wednesday June 11, 2008 with a half-day retreat at the Statesville Train Depot. The day began with a welcome from I-CARE WIA Case Manager Monique Phoenix. Mrs. Phoenix stated that the theme for I-Care’s summer program is “The Gathering”. Over the summer there will be five “gatherings” in which youth will have the opportunity to learn some new and challenging ways to maximize their own personal potential.

The facilitators of the day were Eric Rowles and Miranda Thompson of “Leading to Change, Inc.” a Charlotte based training and consulting firm. “Leading to Change” has partnered with the Centralina Workforce Development Board and also the NC Workforce Development Training Center and has administered customized training to over 30,000 people nationwide.

Youth and the staff from I-CARE were all on hand for the retreat. During one part of the session, WIA youth participant Justin Imes said he “hopes to gain friends” over the course of the summer program. Others were hopeful that the experience would lead them to gainful employment and help them to take advantage of other opportunities.

There was never a dull moment during the opening session, as youth participated in several activities that required them to interact with one another and move around. It didn’t take long before the group was all laughing and talking as if they had all known each other forever!

The Centralina Workforce Development Board funds the WIA Youth services provided by I Care, Inc. In Iredell and Lincoln counties.

I-CARE’s summer program will conclude at the Statesville Train Depot on Friday July 18, 2008. The staff has prepared all year for an exciting, worthwhile and enriching summer program for the youth. WIA Case Manager, Deborah Ervin stated that the opening session coincided with a few public school activities, but that more of her youth were anxious to be involved in upcoming sessions. For more information on I-Care, Inc. please contact Bryan Duncan at (704) 872-8141.

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City of Salisbury Approves Mentor Partnership Leave Program

Exciting things are going on in Salisbury! City of Salisbury employees will be allowed to take up to 48 hours of leave per year to mentor young people. The Salisbury City Council, whose members are mentors themselves, approved the policy.

“I’m just very happy to see this finally in place,” Councilman William Kennedy said.

Mentoring is a key component of the Salisbury-Rowan United initiative against gangs and youth violence. A city employee can receive a maximum of 48 hours of leave each calendar year. He or she will have to submit a “Request for Mentor Partnership Leave” form provided by the city. It will have to be approved by a certified mentoring program partner and the employee’s department head.

“It is the city’s philosophy that mentoring provides opportunities to help young people develop and succeed,” states the new city policy, titled the Mentor Partnership Leave Program.

Councilman Mark Lewis said the city is setting a great example for the business community to follow.

The Centralina Workforce Development Board and the Centralina Youth Council are happy to see cities stepping up to bring awareness to the importance of mentoring young people. For more information on the City of Salisbury Mentor Partnership Leave Program or other mentoring programs in your county, please contact Natasha Pender of the Centralina WDB at (704) 348-2725 or by e-mail at npender@centralina.org.

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Rowan County’s Early College Program Prepares to Open

In August 2008, 71 students will begin Rowan County’s Early College program. The school, on the campus of Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, will offer students the chance to earn a high school diploma and an associate’s degree in four years.

The students who are enrolled went through an application process to get accepted. They will study the typical subjects – English, algebra, geometry, history, environmental science and biology. They will take humanities and physical education classes through the college.

But the learning process will be more hands-on, said Cindy Misenheimer, principal of the Early College.

The school’s four teachers will take a project-based learning approach, which means students will often do research in groups and make presentations about what they learn.

“If you walk into early college classrooms, they’re not quiet places,” Misenheimer said. “The teacher isn’t usually at the front of the room talking, talking, talking."

Rowan-Cabarrus Community College is working with the Cabarrus County and Kannapolis City school systems to create the North Carolina Research Campus Early College in 2009-20010. Administrators hope to house the school in RCCC’s developing research campus facility.

For more information on the Rowan County Early College program please contact Cindy Misenheimer at (704) 639-3013. The Centralina Workforce Development Board and Centralina Youth Council are excited about the start of another Early College program in our region. We look forward to following the development and the successful entry of the first Rowan County graduates into the workforce. For more information on the Centralina Youth Council, please contact Natasha Pender of the Centralina WDB at (704) 348-2725 or by e-mail at npender@centralina.org.

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Local Residents Help Start a “Girls on the Run” Program in Iredell County

Jennifer Summers of Iredell County recalls making some very poor choices in an effort to fit in with other youth. The pressures of growing up fast lead her to underage smoking and drinking. Summers says she had a great role model in her mother but she still went astray. Now 37 happily married for 15 years and the mother of a fifth-grade daughter, she wants her daughter and others to take their time growing up.

In an effort to help her daughter and other young girls, Summers is helping establish an Iredell County council of the Charlotte-based Girls on the Run (GOTR). With 160 councils in 41 states and Canada, the program is expanding into Iredell through the initial efforts of Summers and Max and Kelly James.

“The way I see it, we’re the single most important role models for our daughters,” Kelly James said following GOTR’s organizational meeting in Iredell. Ms. Summers, Kelly James and a dozen other women are devoting the next 12 weeks to mentoring and instructing early teen and adolescent girls on how to make smart choices and develop strong self-esteem.

GOTR, founded in 1996, is a nonprofit based on copyrighted material that describes the organization as a “prevention program that encourages preteen girls to develop self-respect and healthy lifestyles through running.” GOTR addresses “all aspects of girls’ development – their physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual well-being.”

Forty-two girls ranging from third through fifth grade and sixth through eighth grade will begin meeting for the 12-week spring bi-weekly training sessions.

Please continue to look to the Centralina Workforce Development Board for monthly updates on this exciting new development in our region. For more information on the Iredell County Council of Girls on the Run, please contact Natasha Pender of the Centralina WDB at (704) 348-2725 or by email at npender@centralina.org.

2nd Annual Centralina Youth Council Youth Summit

The Centralina Workforce Development Board’s Youth Council is happy to announce that the 2nd Annual Youth Services Summit “Turning Barriers into Bridges” will be held on Friday September 19, 2008 at the Charles Mack Citizen Center in Mooresville. The Summit will be held from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM.

The keynote speaker for the event is Adonis “Sporty” Jeralds who is the author of “The Champion in You.” Featured workshops include understanding millennial youth culture, music/video literacy and many more!

Last year the Summit had a great turnout and this year’s is guaranteed to be even bigger and better!  Be sure to add this save the date to your calendar so you don’t miss this great event!

For more information on the 2nd Annual Youth Services Summit please contact Natasha Pender at (704) 348-2725 or by email at npender@centralina.org.