NC Chamber

I want to personally encourage you or someone from your team to attend an important upcoming event hosted by ASCENT on Friday, August 7th from 2:00–5:00 p.m. at Railhouse Brewery in Downtown Aberdeen I understand this falls during business hours, but your presence matters. This event provides an opportunity to connect directly with 25+ Special Operations Forces members who are completing the ASCENT Transition Workshop that week here at the Chamber offices or others who have expressed an interest in attending that may have previously engaged with this program. These men and women are preparing for their next career chapter, and many have already researched local employers, including yours. Even if you do not currently have open positions, your participation makes a difference. Conversations at events like this create awareness, connections, and pathways that often lead to future hires or collaborations. Most importantly, your engagement sends a clear message that Moore County businesses value and welcome transitioning service members into our workforce and community. RSVP Today! (see below for link)

Last week, NC Ag Leads Manager Sarah Grace Stone Lee Lee spoke at the annual NC Seedsmen's Association Conference, sharing an overview of #NCAgLeads, its current priorities, and the external pressures shaping North Carolina’s agricultural industry. Learn more about #NCAgLeads and its work to strengthen the future of North Carolina agriculture > https://lnkd.in/gv4KhV92

🚨 Last Chance 🚨 Registration for the NC Chamber’s 2026 Education & Workforce Conference, presented by Workday, closes today. Join business, education, and workforce leaders on Tuesday, Aug. 4, in Raleigh to discuss creating adaptable talent pipelines and strengthening North Carolina’s future workforce. The day will focus on practical strategies for using AI, strengthening employer leadership, making skills-first approaches actionable, scaling work-based learning, and designing new ways of working together that can keep up with the pace of change. Register now to be part of this important conversation. Register > https://lnkd.in/gwCTDtw #WorkReadyNC

#HurricaneHelene reminded North Carolinians that disaster recovery doesn't end when the floodwaters recede. Strong communities, and strong economies, depend on preparation long before a storm makes landfall. That's why the NC Chamber supports efforts to strengthen disaster readiness and modernize our nation's emergency management system. Last week, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce urged Congress to advance reforms through the FEMA Act, emphasizing that investing in preparedness helps protect businesses, workers, housing, infrastructure, and supply chains while accelerating recovery after disasters. For North Carolina, resilience is an economic competitiveness issue. The lessons of Helene reinforce the importance of building a disaster response system that helps communities recover faster and businesses reopen sooner. Read More > https://lnkd.in/evqfGEY4

#NCChamberFoundation Senior Director of Workforce Competitiveness Vincent Ginski has been appointed to the advisory committee for the state's Rural Health Transformation Program, a five-year initiative funded by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to transform rural healthcare delivery. Representing the business community, Vincent will offer real-world insight on access challenges, implementation barriers, and sustainability opportunities — with a particular focus on the health workforce, employer, and talent-pipeline issues at the center of the Foundation's work. The appointment reflects the Foundation's growing role in shaping how North Carolina builds and sustains its rural health workforce, and it deepens the Foundation's existing collaboration with the state on health workforce strategy. Learn More > https://lnkd.in/eeV8dCXN

NC Chamber Cornerstone member and NC Leads investor M&F Bank NC announced Wednesday that it will merge with Optus Bank to create the nation’s largest African American-owned financial institution. The combined institution will operate 10 locations across North and South Carolina. James Sills, president and chief executive officer of M&F Bank and former member of the NC Chamber board of directors, will serve as chief executive officer of both the combined holding company and bank. The partnership brings together two mission-driven financial institutions with more than 220 years of combined banking experience and a shared commitment to expanding access to capital, advancing economic opportunity, and strengthening underserved communities. Read More > https://lnkd.in/edRs5UVM

A new Triad Business Journal feature offers an in-depth look at NC Chamber Pinnacle member and #NCLeads investor Reynolds American Inc.’s flagship manufacturing complex in Tobaccoville, spotlighting how the company is navigating one of the most significant transitions in its 151-year history. The piece follows the NC Chamber’s #NCMFGTour stop at the Reynolds Operations Center earlier this year, where Reynolds American Vice President of State Government Relations and NC Chamber board member Tyler Burr reynolds underscored North Carolina’s central role in the company’s future. While cigarette production still accounts for roughly three-quarters of the 2-million-square-foot facility’s operations, Reynolds American is actively expanding its smokeless products as it works to become a predominantly smokeless business by 2035. The company remains the world’s largest buyer of U.S.-grown tobacco and emphasized that North Carolina's agricultural community remains a key part of its future. Read More > https://lnkd.in/enSHBz26

The NC Chamber's First in Defense initiative continues to gain momentum as Chamber leaders engaged with federal policymakers, defense industry partners, and military stakeholders this week. Vice President of Government Affairs Jake Cashion met with members of North Carolina's congressional delegation in Washington, D.C., to make the case for establishing the state as a top destination for defense manufacturing and technology. Members of the delegation expressed support for the effort and committed to continued collaboration across the federal and state levels to help North Carolina fully capture its defense opportunity.   Director of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Alyssa Morrissey joined U.S. Sen. Ted Budd Monday morning at Cornerstone member RTI International for a roundtable discussion on attracting defense and dual-use companies to North Carolina. Jake also visited Dracoe, a First in Defense coalition member, to discuss opportunities to grow the state's defense industrial base. Together, these conversations reflect growing collaboration among business and government to advance North Carolina's role in the nation's defense economy. Learn more > https://lnkd.in/egkZg3Mv #NCFirstinDefense

Senior Director of Government Affairs Debra Derr and Director of Partnerships and Engagement Isabelle Powell attended the North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs' Unlock Veteran and MilSpouse Advantage Roadshow on Wednesday at Champion member and NC Leads investor Lowe's Companies, Inc. Tech Hub in Charlotte. The event convened business, government, and military leaders to support employment opportunities for veteran and military spouses. James Banner, senior vice president of administration and safety at Insider member Pike Corporation and NC Chamber board member, shared how intentional hiring practices have helped grow the company's veteran and military spouse workforce from 2% to 10.5% in less than a decade. The NC Chamber is proud to support the NCDMVA Roadshow as part of its ongoing commitment to strengthening workforce pathways for North Carolina's military-connected community.

NC Chamber Foundation Senior Director of Workforce Competitiveness Vincent Ginski is in Washington, D.C., this week joining implementation teams from across the country to share best practices and strengthen employer-led career pathway strategies. The initiative, led by the #NCChamberFoundation in partnership with the North Carolina Business Committee for Education and the Careers Electric™ Coalition, will align K-12 career pathways with employer demand in the electrical sector while expanding career-connected learning opportunities for North Carolina students. Learn More > https://lnkd.in/erWT6RHg