The King is Coming to Iredell County

Petty Enterprises Announces Move to Mooresville

Petty Enterprises has announced that it will be moving from its Level Cross shops to the Talbert Pointe Business Park in Mooresville. The building was previously occupied by Robert and Doug Yates who announced in September that his company was moving to Concord.

“The Petty family is highly regarded and much respected for all the knowledge, history, and fantastic fan following they bring to the sport,” Melanie O’Connell Underwood, executive director of the Mooresville-South Iredell Economic Development Corporation said.

The Yates Racing facility contains 115,000 square feet, which allows for more space compared to the 60,000 square foot facility in Level Cross.

“Level Cross will always be the home of the wins and championships that the Petty family build,” said Richard Petty. “At the same time, this is a very exciting time for Petty Enterprises. We are going to continue the heart and soul that is in Level Cross, (and go) to what now has become the center of the NASCAR world.”

The Centralina Workforce Development Board is proud to partner with the Mooresville-South Iredell Economic Development Corporation to help supply new and driving businesses in the region with a well qualified workforce. A qualified workforce is job one for the Centralina Workforce Development Board. For more information on the Centralina Workforce Development Board please contact David Hollars at (704) 348-2717 or by email at dhollars@centralina.org.

New Medical Facility in Statesville

$9 Million Medical Office Facility Planned

A $9 million medical office building that will be adjacent to the Iredell Memorial Hospital in Statesville will begin construction this month, according to a Charlotte developer.

First Colony Healthcare expects to have Colony at Brookdale ready for tenants next year, says Tommy Catone, principal at First Colony Healthcare.

The three-story structure totaling 45,000 square feet will be built at 633 Brookdale Dr., near the Oakdale Drive intersection. The building will be linked to the hospital by a covered walkway.
Please stay tuned to the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s monthly E-Newsletter for updates on this exciting development.

Goals that Lead to a Unified Partnership

Stanly County Business Leaders Outline Goals for 2008

In early November, the Stanly County Chamber of Commerce held its annual planning conference, where nearly 90 attendees gathered to discuss top priorities for 2008.

Community and business leaders stated that they would like to see the Chamber reach out to more small businesses, develop an improved strategy for business growth, retain positive momentum and establish a “business hall of fame.” Other goals included improving communication among businesses throughout the county, aiming to become more “business-friendly” and working with local establishments to promote quality hospitality.

The main objective the Chamber has been charged with for 2008 is working with the Stanly County Economic Development Commission (EDC) and Stanly County Convention and Visitors Bureau to locate together in a “commerce center” somewhere in downtown Albmarle.

Stanly County EDC Executive Director and Centralina Workforce Development Board member Robert VanGeons said the organizations should aim to work together to achieve the goals without competing initiatives and take “new steps forward to developing a truly unified partnership.”

The Centralina Workforce Development Board believes in partnerships that improve the region. The Board is a proud partner with the Stanly County Chamber of Commerce and is excited to see the community coming together and taking a positive direction to improve the region. The Board believes that partnerships within the community lead to improvement in the whole region. For more information on the Centralina Workforce Development Board please contact David Hollars at (704) 348-2717 or by email at dhollars@centralina.org.

GE Security Goes Into Operation

GE Security Opens its Doors in Lincoln County Industrial Park

GE Security, the largest supplier of security products, opened for business at the Lincoln County Industrial Park in Lincolnton last month.

“We’re excited because this company helps to diversify the economy,” said Barry Matherly, executive director for the Lincoln Economic Development Association (LEDA).

After the recent close of the GE facility in Catawba County, 200 workers at that location transferred to the Lincoln County plant. As time progresses, more job opportunities at the plant will be made available for Lincoln County residents.

GE Security, is a branch of the General Electric Company, and has been producing security equipment in more than 35 countries. GE Security has an annual revenue of $1.8 billion. The company has invested $10.5 million into its location in Lincoln County.

Lincoln County Plant Manager Phillip Wekenmann is seeing the benefits of this new facility. He is hopeful that his employees will be able to serve the needs of the consumer more effectively.

“The GE Security team is very excited to be in Lincoln County. We have received terrific support and a very warm welcome from our new neighbors,” Wekenmann said.

Please continue to look to the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s monthly E-newsletter and its website (www.centralinaworks.com) for up to date information on this exciting new development in the region.

Meeting the Growing Need For Health Care in Union County

CMC-Union Approved for ER Expansion

Carolinas Medical Center – Union (CMC Union) has received state approval to expand its emergency department in Monroe. The project, slated for completion in 2009, will cost $2.9 million.

Construction will begin in January and will be done in several stages so it won’t disrupt patient care. The project will triple the size of the facility and almost double the number of treatment rooms.

The refurbished site will feature 34 private treatment rooms, two trauma rooms, a CT scanner and other imaging equipment to expedite diagnoses. Every room will have advanced cardiac-monitoring equipment and computers with electronic medical records.

“With the growth of our community, it has become more challenging to manage the steady increase in patient volumes within the constraints of our aging facility,” says Missy Baker, director of emergency services at CMC-Union. “This expansion will allow us to better meet the diverse needs of the people we serve and go a long way toward reducing wait times.”

CMC-Union’s emergency department treats more than 44,000 patients per year in a facility designed to accommodate 25,000 to 30,000 per year. The expanded department will be able to accommodate 60,000 patients per year.

CMC-Union is a former Incumbent Worker Program grant recipient through Centralina WDB.

Please continue to look to the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s monthly E-newsletter and its website (www.centralinaworks.com) for up to date information on this exciting new development in the region.

$1 Billion Investment Planned for Iredell County

Local Leaders Discuss the Larkin Community

Mitchell Community College hosted a lunch meeting on November 14 for city and community leaders to discuss Larkin, a multi-pronged development planned for an area near Exit 45 off Interstate 77.

Tom Scott, of the developing firm GS Carolina, is the overseer of Larkin, which derives its name from the Scotch-Irish roots of people in the area. He said Larkin will likely reach 1,000 acres and involve a total investment of about $1 billion. “We develop communities, not subdivisions,” he said.

Scott compared Larkin to the Birkdale community near Exit 25 off I-77 or Ballantyne in Charlotte. Like these communities, Scott said, plans for Larkin include several different types of housing units, parks, walking trails, shopping malls, “a full-blown gymnasium,” an aquatic center and other amenities.

Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce President and CEO David Bradley said the Larkin project has had a positive effect on the efforts by many city leaders to revitalize Statesville’s central business district.

“We want to do to downtown what Tom (Scott) and his people are planning for Larkin,” Bradley said. “We have had a spark in downtown for years, and Larkin has turned that spark into a fire.”

Please continue to look to the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s monthly E-newsletter and its website (www.centralinaworks.com) for up to date information on this exciting new development in the region.

Break the Barrier!

Businesses Doing More to Assist Hearing Impaired

As business all over the nation continue to grow they are encountering more of a diverse consumer population. Businesses have had to evolve to continue to assist the public, and this includes adding new technology that wasn’t available before.

Recently in Rochester, N.Y. Ken Gan, who owns an auto repair shop had his staff telling him that they needed to find a better way of communicating with customers who were deaf. Ken searched for three months to find a piece of technology that would support the face-to-face communication in a situation such as a shop or office, and couldn’t find any technology out there to assist their situation.

So Ken designed and developed his own device, called the Interpretype. The small device with a keyboard and display hooks up to another Interpretype or a PC allowing a hearing person and a deaf person to type messages to each other. The improvement in his service to his customers was noticed drastically. He has had up to 30 deaf customers a month since installing the device, compared to the two to three per month before.

Ken’s Auto repair shop is just one of the many businesses in the nation that is experiencing servicing hearing impaired customers. You may not have the great resources that Ken had to develop your own device to solve an issue, but there is someone in your county who can assist you with this issue. Your local Vocational Rehabilitation office can offer services to your business for doing business with hearing impaired customers, among other customers. To find out more information on Vocational Rehabilitation in your county, please contact Emily Clamp at (704) 348-2732 or by email at eclamp@centralina.org.

A Local Business that Keeps it All in the Family

Turbyfill True Value
In Denver, NC

For Larry Turbyfill of Turbyfill True Value/Just Ask Rental, business is a family affair.“I came back to the family business about a year ago,” said Turbyfill of the Denver business his father Joe founded with brother Earl 32 years ago.

A native of east Lincoln County, Turbyfill says he worked in corporate America for 18 years before coming home to the business he’d been a part of since age 11. “I used to stand on a milk crate to run the register,” Turbyfill said.

In 1998, the store added the equipment rental side of the business, and in January the store will unveil its newest enterprise: a Taylor Rental franchise that will focus on party rentals like tents, tables, chairs and staging.

According to Turbyfill, the business has grown a lot thanks to the rental offerings. Now, he says, both the hardware and rental aspects of the company are booming.

“We’re very pleased with the growth,” said Turbyfill. “It’s directly related to the area we’re in. We kind of thrive on it.”

The Centralina Workforce Development Board is proud to see local family owned small businesses thrive in our region for 32 years and more! It’s the great workforce in the region that allows our home grown businesses to survive and grow in the global economy. For more information on the Centralina Workforce Development Board please contact David Hollars at (704) 348-2717 or by email at dhollars@centralina.org.

November'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 Brooks Food Group in Monroe, NC. Janet Hudson of Brooks Food Group completed and submitted the survey. We thank Janet for helping us with our continuous improvement feedback process! For more information about Brooks Food Group please visit www.brooksfoodgroup.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.

Union County JobReady Partnership’s Golf for Scholars Tournament

The Union County JobReady Partnership held its Golf for Scholars Tournament on October 31, which raises money to be put in a scholarship fund for qualified Union County Public Schools (UCPS) students to receive a two-year scholarship to South Piedmont Community College.

The JobReady Partnership is a non-profit organization that enhances school-to-work training for students of UCPS. It connects students with employers to make the transition to the workplace easier.

The inaugural tournament, held at the Monroe Country Club, was the brainchild of the management at JobReady and exceeded expectations. A group of 90 players split into 23 teams to raise more than $7,000 according to JobReady Chairman Rick Greene, who said they were expecting only about $5,000.

As this is the seventh year of the program, the first class of graduates is now in the first year at South Piedmont Community College. 17 of the original 100 students are enjoying their freshman year thanks to New Century Scholars. The Centralina Workforce Development Board and the Centralina Youth Council work closely with the JobReady Partnership and UCPS to make sure that each youth that goes on to South Piedmont Community College has the best chance at a successful future.

The Centralina Workforce Development Board and the Centralina Youth Council are strong supporters of the Union County JobReady Partnership. A well prepared and trained workforce is job one for the Board and the Youth Council. For more information on the Union County JobReady Partnership, please contact Linda Smith at (704) 292-2505. For more information on the Centralina Youth Council, please contact Natasha Pender at (704) 348-2725 or by email at npender@centralina.org.

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Iredell-Statesville Schools Receives Level Three Excellence Rating

Iredell-Statesville Schools has received recognition for its work with the Baldrige program from the North Carolina Awards for Excellence (NCAfE). The Baldrige program is a system for measuring progress, growth or lack thereof. The NCAfE is based on the statewide Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence. The program is a function of the North Carolina State University Outreach and Extension Department.

“Having an external audience look at your product helps us continuously to get better,” Susan Allred, chief academic officer said. “It’s good to have objective people look at the work you do.”

The district was judged on seven Baldrige categories including leadership; strategic planning; students; stakeholder and market focus; measurement; analysis and knowledge management; workforce focus; process management; and results.

NCAfE is a four-tier process, with the highest level having the most stringent process and requirements. According to NCAfE Program Manager Wayne Tindle, the district was recognized in 2005 at Level One, at Level Two in 2006 and Level Three this year. In most cases it takes an organization six years to get through all four levels.

The Centralina Workforce Development Board and the Centralina Youth Council are proud to have a State Recognized Level Three School of Excellence in the region. It’s the great educators in our region that prepare our youth for the workforce. A prepared youth today leads to a prepared workforce tomorrow. For more information on the Centralina Youth Council please contact Natasha Pender at (704) 348-2725 or by email at npender@centralina.org.

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Sometimes motivating youth to think about making a positive community change can be a difficult process. A wonderful resource is now available online that discusses engaging young people in community change and decision-making. A Webinar offered by United Way of America on September 27 touched on these issues and the archived session is now available online.

The Webinar offers core principles for engaging youth and stories from local efforts in Massachusetts and Texas. The core principles are drawn from a report that was released this past summer by the Forum for Youth Investment, aptly entitled Core Principles for Engaging Young People in Community Change.

The archived Webinar is available online by clicking here.  The Report is available by clicking here.

Action items in a recent Conference Board report echo many of the suggestions made in Southern Growth’s 2007 Report on the Future of the South (RoFS). The 2007 RoFS states that, “realizing the region’s full potential requires that all players convene, connect and commit to building a seamless unified knowledge system.”

Reflecting Southern Growth’s workforce recommendations, the Conference Board advises stopping “the blame game…it is time to move forward by developing a shared sense of responsibility around workforce readiness.”

The report, Workforce Readiness Initiative, summarizes key issues and action points emerging from a meeting to identify what business leaders can do to improve workforce readiness through education. The event involved representatives of Fortune 100 companies, public school teachers, community education/service organizations and local and federal government officials. Meeting attendees agreed, “Leadership is critical: Business possesses a bully pulpit and if it gets behind an issue, it can force real changes in behavior. Get businesses, and especially CEOs, behind this issue and change will come. It will take strong civic and business leadership to effect reform in an education system fraught with inertia.”

For more information on the Conference Board report visit this website (registration required).