Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/27670
CHAMBER UPDATE Ch haSpireaks Community Sees Growth News of our census results were announced over the last few weeks. Te news of Cumberland County’s growth over the last 10 years is a reminder that the region’s economic growth prospects are not headed in one direction. Over the last 10 years, North Carolina’s population grew at a rate of 18.5%. Several North Carolina coun- ties that are home to our largest metro experienced solid growth. Wake County grew at an outstanding 43%. Durham, Forsyth, and Guilford counties all grew between 15% and 20%. Te rate of growth of Cumberland County grew at a little over 5.4%. To be fair, some of our region’s growth was discounted due to how the census numbers are tabulated. Deployed soldiers are counted as residents of their hometown and not as residents of the posts where they are assigned. Tis news is offset by some of the accolades our community has recently re- ceived in the national media, the tremendous growth in our local Real Estate market, our large jump in per capita income, and several positive economic development announcements. Yes it is true, the impacts of the 2005 BRAC announcements are only start- ing to occur and it’s also true that there are several measures of progress that are more efficient than population growth. However, the census news is a reminder that we live in a competitive world and our community’s growth is not 100% certain. As a business community, we will have to continue to put our best foot forward to advocate for policies that are important to busi- ness growth. We will have to continue to do everything we can to make our community an attractive place to raise a family. Finally, our community will have to make important investments into our infrastructure to attract and sustain our future growth. Your Chamber welcomes the challenge to continue to lead our community’s growth in these and other important areas. We always welcome your in- volvement and input. Your input will help us create a Program of Work that will go a long way in helping our Chamber of Commerce leverage the op- portunity that is currently at our doorstep. Chris Bostock 2010-2011 Board Chair Business sinessSpotlight Second Annual National GREEN Business Conference Join us for the Second Annual National GREEN Business Conference, Creating business opportunities in a green economy, on March 30, 2011, from 9 AM to 3 PM at Holiday Inn Bordeaux. Tis event is hosted by the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Cham- ber of Commerce and the Fayetteville State University Center for Entrepreneurship. Learn the best green practices from national and regional experts in the field of sustainability that will discuss a range of topics in three separate session tracks. As an attendee, you will learn about green business and construction, green job opportunities, have lunch with green power players and listen to keynote speaker Ms. Laura Turner Seydel (right), Green Activist and Chair, Captain Planet Founda- tion, and daughter of Ted Turner. Tis conference is a wonderful opportunity for you to be a part of a growing green economy here in Fayetteville and Cumberland County. Visit us at www.faygreenconference.org for more information and to learn how you can register. 10 UCW MARCH 23-29, 2011 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Te Te