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we are very grateful for their support," Perko said. Since 2006, DSTA engaged 50 clients which, in turn, created some 150 jobs. Perry noted that those jobs had a median salary of $76,000 compared to the Cum- berland County norm of $44,000. Perry also estimates that PDI, its staff and the jobs created through DSTA pumped more than $38 million into the local economy. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT LAB The second major component of PDI's unique economic development approach is the Research and Development Lab (R&D Lab), a 10,000 square-feet state-of-the-art facility located in the All American Busi- ness Park off Santa Fe Drive, or as Perry says of the location, "a baseball throw from Fort Bragg." Basically, the function of the lab is to support research and devel- opment, education and programs that have defense and security applications. The R&D Lab works with the military, intelligence agencies, North Carolina uni- versities, and private industry in testing and fostering collaboration in developing new technology. The lab includes a program recruitment office in Raleigh, located on the North Carolina State's Centennial Campus. It also includes a satellite office at the Kim- mel School of Engineering at Western Carolina University. "We have access to labs, professors and to students in doctoral programs," Perry said. We also have access to national labs and test centers." Doug Fordham, a 22-year-Army vet- eran and former defense contractor, heads Fayetteville's R&D Lab. Among its offer- ings is the rapid evaluation, integration and testing of commercial-off-the-shelf and government-off-the-shelf technolo- gies for special operations applications. The lab can test to military specifications or to whatever specification a client may need. Fordham said the lab's environmental room holds three environmental chambers that can test how products operate in rap- idly changing and extreme temperatures, in extreme levels of humidity, and in ex- treme altitudes and their associated tem- perature extremes. NMLS# 64057 Pre-qualify online at www.carolina-mortgage.com CityViewNC.com | 23 Three Locations in Fayetteville: Cliffdale Road - 868-4300 Executive Place - 689-0418 | Yadkin Road - 826-3650 Right now, home refinancing rates are the lowest they've been in years. Find out how you can save hundreds on your monthly payment by clicking or calling Fayetteville's most trusted mortgage company. For our latest rates, visit us on facebook.com/carolinamortgage Carolina Mortgage Refinance Is Like Giving Yourself a The Money You Save With a experience is just around the corner The facility is also linked to the North Carolina Engineering and Research Net- work (NCREN) and to the Defense Research and Engineering Network (DREN) via a 100 megabyte Ethernet connection, according to Fordham. CHALLENGES Since their creation, DSTA and the R&D lab have received $5.7 million in state and $8.5 million in federal funding respectively. Perry sees that funding even- tually dwindling and believes PDI must become more self-sufficient. Perry says he may have to increase revenue in the R&D lab to pay for programs in DSTA. His greatest challenge at this point, said Perry, "is educating the community and military about what we can do for them. We are very unique to North Caroli- na and especially to Cumberland County," he said. CV

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