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Home My WebLink About09-22-2026 Meeting Agenda EDC Packet Date: September 22, 2026 Time: 4:00 pm Location: EDC Boardroom, 303 S. Morgan St., Roxboro, NC 27573 Regularly-Scheduled Meeting Agenda 4:00 :01 -Chairman :03 August 25, uarterly Update on Action Plan Interim Director :35 :45 :50 Interim Director Set for October 28, 2026, 4:00 pm, EDC The Honorable Sherry Wilborn Adjourn Action Requested 1803 N. Main St. Roxboro, NC 27573 Type of Space: Industrial Square Footage: 45,000 sqft Ceiling Height: 10-14 ft 601 N Madison Boulevard Roxboro, NC 27573 Type of Space: Commercial Square Footage: 19,509 sqft Ceiling Height: Unknown 4080 Durham Rd. Roxboro, NC 27574 Type of Space: Commercial Size: 40.10 Acres 1803 N. Main St. Roxboro, NC 27573 Type of Space: Industrial Square Footage: 45,000 sqft Ceiling Height: 10-14 ft 2300 Old Durham Rd. Roxboro, NC 27573 Type of Space: Industrial Square Footage: 138,458 sqft Ceiling Height: 18.90-28 ft 50 Providence Rd. Roxboro, NC 27573 Type of Space: Industrial Square Footage: 260,000 sqft Ceiling Height: 15 ft 385 Memorial Dr. Roxboro, NC 27573 Type of Space: Commercial and Industrial Size: 183.90 Acres Available Commercial and Industrial Properties 1444 Old Durham Rd Roxboro, NC 27573 Type of Space: Commercial Square Footage: 44,000 sqft Ceiling Height: 14 - 19 ft Building/Site Size Ceiling Height Natural Gas Electric Water Reasons 113 Existing Building 400,000- 500,000 SQFT 36'Not Required 25 MW Water: 633,613 GPD Sewer: 570,600 GPD DNS: Existing building size, ceiling height and interstate within 10 miles of site 114 Existing Building or Greenfield 3,000,000 SQFT or 500+ Acres 65-95 MMBtu/hr 50 MW Water: 500,000 GPD Sewer: 500,000 GPD DNS: Existing building and greenfield useable acres size 115 Existing Building 20,000 SQFT 28'-32'Domestic use .24 MW Water: Domestic use Sewer: Domestic use DNS: Existing building size and ceiling height 116 Existing Building 380,000- 450,000 SQFT 36'15,406 m3/ month 8 MW Water: 380,000 GPD Sewer: 190,000 GPD DNS: Existing building size, ceiling height and interstate within 10 miles of site 117 Greenfield 20-25 Acres 15 MCF/hr 3 MW Water: 110,000 GPD Sewer: 30,000 GPD DNS: Site size, rail on site and port access is preferred 118 Greenfield 15-25 Acres Domestic use 4.6 MW Water: 44,500 GPD Sewer: 18,000 GPD DNS: Site size and on-site rail spur preferred 119 Existing Building 150,000- 300,000 SQFT with 50-100 acres Domestic use 1-3 MW Water: 25,000 GPD Sewer: 25,000 GPD DNS: Building size on additional acres, outdoor storage and rail required September 2026 Project Request for the month of September: 7 Project Submitted for the Year 2026: 3 Departmental Report August 2026 – September 2026 • Kerr-Tar Summit Planning is progressing with final preparations being made over the next two weeks • Planning for Manufacturing Day with PCS CTE is progressing • Site identification with Duke Energy is progressing o Parker Poe is working with ED staff to identify sites and conduct research • Continuing to meet with real estate brokers and developers • Existing Industries Update o Voltage, CertainTeed, P&A, Louisiana-Pacific, North American Aerodynamics, Zachry, and Eaton are all hiring o CertainTeed is filling positions for the newly created 3rd shift • Attended Good Morning Coffee Hour with Person County EMS on August 26th and Good Morning Coffee Hour with Person County Veterans Council on September 9th • Attended the last Arts, Eats, and Beats for the summer on September 4th • Great turnout for the Person County Job Fair & Resource Expo on September 10th • Attended the Patriot Day for the new First Responder Memorial on September 11th • Attended the Ribbon Cutting at The Hillstead Farm & Attractions on September 12th Upcoming Events of Interest • Careers on Wheels at Oakland Elementary School on September 22nd , South Elementary on October 13th, and Woodland Elementary on November 17th from 8:30 – 11:30am • Person County Recycling Center Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event on September 26th from 9:00am – 12:00pm • Manufacturing Day on October 2nd o Person County CTE will be conducting site visits to manufacturers on Oct 1st and Oct 2nd • Manufacturing Week is October 2-9, 2026 • Personality Festival on October 3rd in Uptown Roxboro • Kerr-Tar Summit on October 8th from 10:00am – 3:30pm in Henderson, NC • Ribbon Cutting at House of PhyII Empowers on October 16th at 1:00pm • Save the Date: Person Family Medical Center – The 50 Shades of Cancer on October 23rd • Person County Leadership Summit on October 29th from 4:00 – 7:00pm • Person County CTE Career Fair on November 5th at Person High School from 8:15am – 12:00pm • Volunteer Appreciation Week is April 18-24, 2027 • Small Business Week is May 2-8, 2027 • Economic Development Week is May 3-7, 2027 • RTRP State of the Region on May 12th, 2027 EDC Minutes for August 25, 2026 Minutes of the PCEDC Regularly Scheduled Meeting Person County EDC Board Room 303 S. Morgan St., Roxboro, NC 27573 August 25, 2026 Voting Board Members Present: Dr. Claudia Berryhill- Secretary Mr. Kenneth Perry The Honorable Sherry Wilborn- Chair Ms. Allison Satterfield The Honorable Cynthia Petty Mr. Jay Poindexter Mr. Gordon Carver Mr. Jody Blackwell Mr. Phillip Allen- Vice-Chairman Ex Officios Present: Ms. Katherine Cathey, County Manager Mr. Brooks Lockhart, City Manager Dr. Kevin Lee, PCC President Dr. Rodney Peterson, PCS Superintendent ED Staff Present: Others Present: Mr. Bryan Eatmon, Interim Director Mr. TC Morphis Ms. Briana Whitt, Specialist (Minutes) Ms. Megan Pociask Ms. Julie Maybee Ms. Dana Blackwell EDC Welcome and Invocation: At 4:01 p.m., Chair Sherry Wilborn called the meeting to order. Mr. Phillip Allen gave the invocation. Approval of the Minutes: Chair Wilborn asked for the approval of the June 23, 2026, regularly scheduled meeting minutes. A motion was unanimously approved to approve the meeting minutes for June 23, 2026, regularly scheduled. Motion: Dr. Claudia Berryhill Second: Mr. Jay Poindexter 1 of 72 EDC Minutes for August 25, 2026 Ethics Training: The Commission received its annual ethics training from the County Attorney. The training provided an overview of the Commission’s statutory responsibilities, guidance on identifying and avoiding conflicts of interest, and a review of laws governing confidential information and misuse of public position. The attorney also summarized rules related to quasi-judicial proceedings, the appropriate use of closed sessions, and best practices for complying with the Open Meetings Law, including avoiding group email exchanges that could constitute an unlawful meeting. Members were reminded to seek legal guidance whenever questions arise regarding potential conflicts or confidentiality. Chair Report: The Chair reported on recent updates related to economic development activities, including improvements made to the EDC Boardroom and ongoing departmental work. The Chair summarized recent industry engagement, noting that CertainTeed plans to add a new shift following a productive facility visit, and that the Woodsdale Laydown Yard remains essential to their operations. The Chair also described the Commission’s field visit to Johnston County, which provided insight into airport development and local economic strategies. Additional updates included the delivery of a gas turbine to the Hyco Plant, multiple industries currently hiring within Person County, and operational changes underway at Southern States. The Chair highlighted a recent Furniture Today article detailing Polywood Furniture’s continued growth and contributions to the local economy. Broader statewide issues were reviewed, including the anticipated impacts of the corporate income tax phase-out, reductions in federal funding following HR1, and projected SNAP administrative cost increases for Person County. The Chair explained that these changes may create unfunded mandates and place added pressure on local revenue sources. The Chair also shared data from the 2026 County Data Book summarizing Person County’s population trends, job growth, unemployment rate, residential development activity, and education funding indicators. To conclude, the Chair noted increasing public scrutiny of economic development statewide and nationally, emphasizing the need for strong communication, transparency, and continued focus on building the County’s industrial tax base. Departmental Report: The Department provided an update on ongoing economic development activities. Staff reported continued coordination with regional partners on upcoming events, including the Kerr-Tar Regional Summit scheduled for October 8 and Manufacturing Day activities planned for October 1 and 2. Staff noted that the Duke Energy Site Identification and Readiness process is moving forward, with a kickoff meeting expected soon. Recent community engagements 2 of 72 EDC Minutes for August 25, 2026 included participation in Uptown Roxboro events and outreach to local industries. Staff also shared preliminary information received from Microsoft regarding its projected multi-phase development timeline. Several major employers in the county are currently hiring, and staff assisted Open Book Extracts following a recent reduction in workforce by connecting affected employees with available job opportunities. Additional updates included planning for job fairs, business networking activities, and ongoing collaboration with regional agencies on site development, biofuel assessment initiatives, and agricultural opportunities. Next Leadership Summit Discussion: The Commission discussed planning for the next Leadership Summit and agreed to hold the event on October 29, 2026. Members expressed interest in using the same facilitator from the previous summit, noting her availability and familiarity with the Commission’s work. Potential venues were considered, with S-100 identified as the preferred location pending confirmation. The Commission reviewed the priorities established at last year’s summit and discussed whether those priorities should be updated, including topics such as housing, industrial sites, workforce, and airport development. Members also identified potential new focus areas, including cost-of-services analysis and infrastructure-cost planning, which could support future budget considerations and strategic planning efforts. The Commission agreed to revisit these topics at the summit and continue preparations in coordination with staff. Member Comments: Members provided updates from their respective organizations. Piedmont Community College representatives reported on end-of-year operations, grant awards that will expand student access to workforce programs, and continued growth in training initiatives such as CDL and customized industry programs. Person County Schools representative described strong participation in summer career exploration activities and ongoing collaboration with local industries to strengthen workforce pipelines. City and County staff offered updates on current budget processes, ordinance review, water system management, and staffing stability. Agricultural representatives discussed drought impacts on crop yields, recent conservation funding awards, changes in grain purchasing operations, and emerging programs designed to assist farmers in maintaining productive land use. Additional updates covered local industry hiring trends, recent reduction-in-force assistance efforts, healthcare practice transitions, housing market activity, and continuing engagement between economic development staff and community organizations. Members expressed appreciation for active partnerships across the county and noted several upcoming community and economic development events. 3 of 72 EDC Minutes for August 25, 2026 Next Meeting: The next meeting is announced for Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. in the Person County EDC Boardroom, 303 S. Morgan St., Roxboro, NC 27573. Adjournment: A motion was made, seconded, and unanimously passed to adjourn the meeting at approximately 6:06 p.m. Motion: Mr. Phillip Allen Second: Mr. Jay Poindexter _____________________________________ ______________________________________ Date Approved Secretary 4 of 72 Date: August 25, 2026 Time: 4:00 pm Location: EDC Boardroom, 303 S. Morgan St., Roxboro, NC 27573 Regularly-Scheduled Meeting Agenda 4:00 :01 -Chairman :03 June 23, :05 Training :35 :40 y Specialist :55 Set for September 22, 2026, 4:00 pm, EDC The Honorable Sherry Wilborn Adjourn Action Requested 5 of 72 Person County Economic Development Commission Ethics Training August 25, 2026 T.C, Morphis, Jr. Person County Attorney 6 of 72 Overview of Presentation •Scope of EDC’s Work •Conflicts of Interest •Criminal Self-Dealing Statutes •Quasi-Judicial Procedure, Including Being a Witness •Closed Sessions 7 of 72 Scope of the EDC’s Work G.S. § 158-13 and Bylaws Article Two: •“Receive an economic development program” •“Formulate projects” for economic development. •“Conduct industrial surveys” •Advertise •“Furnish advice and assistance” •“Encourage the formation of private business development corporations” •“Carry on such other activities as may be necessary.” 8 of 72 Conflicts of Interest The EDC Conflict of Interest Policy 1.General Conflict 2.Financial Interest 9 of 72 Conflicts of Interest G.S. 160D-109(b): (b) Appointed Boards. – Members of appointed boards shall not vote on any advisory or legislative decision regarding a development regulation adopted pursuant to this Chapter where the outcome of the matter being considered is reasonably likely to have a direct, substantial, and readily identifiable financial impact on the member. An appointed board member shall not vote on any zoning amendment if the landowner of the property subject to a rezoning petition or the applicant for a text amendment is a person with whom the member has a close familial, business, or other associational relationship. 10 of 72 Criminal “Self-Dealing” Statutes NOTE: EDC members are “public officers.” G.S. § 14-234: Public officers benefiting from public contracts[.] G.S. § 14-234.1: Misuse of confidential information. G.S. § 14-234.2: Public Officer benefitting from public position. G.S. § 14-234.3: Nonprofit officials participating in contracts. 11 of 72 Quasi-Judicial Decisions in General •These decisions are made by applying the County’s Planning Ordinance to a unique set of facts and involve some discretion by the decision maker. •Quasi-judicial hearings are like miniature court hearings where the Board is the decision maker applying facts to a legal standard. •Due process rights must be preserved. •G.S. § 160D-406(j): “Every quasi-judicial decision shall be based upon competent, material, and substantial evidence in the record.” 12 of 72 Quasi-Judicial Procedure Conflicts of Interest G.S. § 160D-109: “A member of any board exercising quasi-judicial functions . . . shall not participate in or vote on any quasi-judicial matter in a manner that would violate affected persons’ constitutional rights to an impartial decision maker. Impermissible violations of due process include, but are not limited to, a member having a fixed opinion prior to hearing the matter that is not susceptible to change, undisclosed ex parte communications, a close familial, business, or other associational relationship with an affected person, or a financial interest in the outcome of the matter.” 13 of 72 Closed Sessions Exceptions for Closed Sessions: (1) To prevent the disclosure of confidential information; (2) The award exception; (3) Attorney-client privilege; (4) The economic development exception; (5)Instructions for the terms to acquire real estate or for an employment contract; (6) The personnel exception (7) Criminal misconduct exception; (8) School violence plans; (9) Potential terrorist activities; and (10) Police recording exception.14 of 72 15 of 72 16 of 72 17 of 72 18 of 72 19 of 72 20 of 72 21 of 72 22 of 72 23 of 72 EDC Chairman’s Report 08/25/2026 24 of 72 State Government Funding Sources: •Corporate Income Tax •6.9% in 2013  0% in 2029 •Individual Income Tax •5.8% in 2014  2.49% 2036 •State Sales Tax •Federal Grants •reductions from HR1 (Highway Fund is separate) State Government Funding Responsibilities: •Public Education •Health and Human Services •Justice and Public Safety •Infrastructure (Some funding and some responsibility passes to local governments.) 25 of 72 County Government Funding Sources: •Property Tax •Levy Limit on November Ballot •Local Sales Tax •State & Federal Grants •Present and Potential Future Reductions on previous slide (unfunded mandates) County Government Funding Responsibilities: •Public Education •Health and Human Services •Public Safety •General Government 26 of 72 Local SNAP impacts related to HR1 27 of 72 County Government Funding Sources: •Property Tax •Levy Limit on November Ballot •Local Sales Tax •State & Federal Grants •Present and Potential Future Reductions on previous slide (unfunded mandates) What is our best opportunity? * 2025 Values Top 10 9/10 Industrial Company Standalone Value Combined Value 2026 Preview Duke Energy $6.63M $6.8M TBD 9/1 USFC $670K $394 PSNC (Enbridge) $631K TBD 9/1 CertainTeed $423K $411K LP $359K $362K Spuntech $320K $323K POLYWOOD $291K $642K $636K PEMC $223K TBD 9/1 Eaton $220K $200K Admiral Prop $187K $186K28 of 72 •Publicly funded, competing with shrinking funding sources for mandated services. •Lack of product (24 requests in the last 3 months, only 3 submitted for the year) •Growing development opposition • farmland preservation (large numbers touted for ag economic impact aren’t understood to include manufacturing, etc., e.g, of $12.7B attributed to Tobacco and Related Products in NC, $12.2B is from manf./wholesaling/ retailing • conservation (example from recent BOC meeting) • social media opposition mindset • mob rule leadership What are our challenges? 29 of 72 30 of 72 https://indd.adobe. com/view/235be22 8-d90d-44f8-8700- 5e20ca68ca4c COUNTY POPULATION – 63rd (no change in placement from 2020) 31 of 72 https://indd.adobe. com/view/235be22 8-d90d-44f8-8700- 5e20ca68ca4c COUNTY POPULATION CHANGE – 1.9% INCREASE (59TH) 32 of 72 https://indd.adobe. com/view/235be22 8-d90d-44f8-8700- 5e20ca68ca4c COUNTY MEDIAN AGE– 52ND (42.2) 33 of 72 https://indd.adobe. com/view/235be22 8-d90d-44f8-8700- 5e20ca68ca4c COUNTY MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME – 42ND ($63,300) 34 of 72 https://indd.adobe. com/view/235be22 8-d90d-44f8-8700- 5e20ca68ca4c JOB GROWTH* – (-2.4% 2024 2025 RANK, 86TH ; #9063, 68TH ) *Does not include vacant positions. Currently 9110 from 9063 with unemployment of 3.2%. 35 of 72 https://indd.adobe. com/view/235be22 8-d90d-44f8-8700- 5e20ca68ca4c COUNTY UNEMPLOYMENT RATE – 19TH FROM 13TH IN 2025 36 of 72 https://analytics.nccommerce.com/area-profiles/# 37 of 72 NET GAIN OF 81 38 of 72 https://indd.adobe. com/view/235be22 8-d90d-44f8-8700- 5e20ca68ca4c MEDIAN HOME VALUE – 55TH IN 2024 FROM 63RD IN 2020 39 of 72 https://indd.adobe. com/view/235be22 8-d90d-44f8-8700- 5e20ca68ca4c K-12 EXPENSE FUNDING – 27TH FOR $/ADM 40 of 72 https://indd.adobe. com/view/235be22 8-d90d-44f8-8700- 5e20ca68ca4c TEACHER SALARY SUPPLEMENTS– 6TH FROM 11TH (PREVIOUS YEAR) 41 of 72 https://indd.adobe. com/view/235be22 8-d90d-44f8-8700- 5e20ca68ca4c PROPERTY TAX RATES* – 60TH FROM 65TH * Rolling due to reappraisal years. 42 of 72 https://indd.adobe. com/view/235be22 8-d90d-44f8-8700- 5e20ca68ca4c PRESENT-USE VALUATION (PUV) – 25TH HIGHEST FOR SHARE OF REAL PROP; 19TH HIGHEST FOR VALUATION DEFERRED 43 of 72 Leadership Summit 2025 44 of 72 45 of 72 Leadership Summit 2026 •Same facilitator? •Check progress on last year’s initiatives. •Discuss changes since last year. •Have priorities changed? •Strategies to be more effective. (messaging, focus committees, studies/data) •Other thoughts?•Infrastructure costs to airport area? 46 of 72 How Polywood built more than a factory in North Carolina More than 800 employees now work at Polywood's manufacturing and distribution operation in Roxboro, N.C. Ray Allegrezza// Editor Emeritus, Furniture Today//August 11, 2026 At a Glance: • Polywood grew workforce from 16 to over 800 employees • Piedmont Community College provided recruiting and customized training • NCEdge Customized Training supported advanced manufacturing skill development ROXBORO, N.C. — When manufacturers announce a major expansion, the story is usually told in numbers: Dollars invested. Square footage added. Jobs promised. But buildings don’t operate machinery. Incentive packages can’t run extrusion lines. And hiring hundreds of people in a community where a company has never operated takes more than posting a few help-wanted ads. It takes a workforce. And that takes some doing. When Polywood decided in 2018 to expand beyond its longtime home in Syracuse, Ind., and establish a manufacturing and distribution operation in North Carolina, the outdoor 47 of 72 furniture producer had an attractive building, an ambitious growth plan and a community eager to welcome it. Polywood’s Roxboro, N.C., facility What it lacked was an established local workforce or an employee on the ground to begin building one. That is where Piedmont Community College and the North Carolina Community College System’s NCEdge Customized Training program entered the picture. See also: • Polywood’s omnichannel product strategy pushes into new categories • From landﬁll to lawn, Polywood ﬂips the script on ‘fast furniture’ Ryan Zimmerman 48 of 72 The partnership helped Polywood grow from an initial workforce of 16 people to more than 800 employees, according to Ryan Zimmerman, vice president of human resources. The company’s Roxboro campus has also grown from approximately 500,000 square feet to nearly 1 million square feet. Today, Zimmerman said, Polywood is the largest employer in Person County. Path to expansion Those numbers make the expansion impressive. How the company reached them may be even more important. Polywood manufactures outdoor furniture using lumber made from recycled high-density polyethylene plastic. At the Roxboro campus, post-consumer material is processed and extruded into Polywood lumber. That material then moves into furniture production, where CNC equipment, robotics and employees cut, machine and partially assemble the products before they are shipped directly to customers. Building that operation required Polywood to recruit and train people for jobs and processes that were not necessarily common in the immediate area. Zimmerman said North Carolina attracted the company partly because of the building available in Roxboro and the growth opportunities surrounding it. But the willingness of the community and state workforce organizations to become active partners helped separate North Carolina from other possibilities. “We saw the partnership come together as we were starting to have conversations,” Zimmerman said. “The way the state of North Carolina works with the colleges, in partnership with businesses, is like we haven’t experienced in Indiana.” That model is built around NCEdge Customized Training, the state’s workforce training incentive administered through the North Carolina Community College System. Sara Lloyd 49 of 72 Sara Lloyd, regional director for NCEdge Customized Training, said the program differs from incentives that simply provide a company with money and leave it to ﬁnd and purchase training on its own. “We didn’t just give Polywood a check and say, ‘Here’s some money from the state. Go ﬁnd some training,’” Lloyd said. Instead, NCEdge funding is used through local community colleges to identify what a company needs, develop the training and connect the employer with additional workforce resources. Community college partner In Polywood’s case, Piedmont Community College became the local partner responsible for helping turn a manufacturing plan into an operating workforce. The ﬁrst challenge was recruiting. When Polywood began accepting applications, Zimmerman said the company received hundreds of responses. But it had no established human resources staff at the Roxboro location to screen applicants, evaluate skills or organize the initial hiring process. Piedmont Community College helped ﬁll that gap. Jody Blackwell Jody Blackwell, dean of technical & manufacturing programs at the college, said PCC assisted with recruiting, WorkKeys assessments and applicant screening. By the time candidates met with Polywood, the company had organized information and test results it could use to make hiring decisions. “We brought people into the room, and they had their WorkKeys scores and everything ready to go,” Blackwell said. “Polywood could interview them.” For Zimmerman, the arrangement required trust. 50 of 72 Polywood generally handles its recruiting internally and makes limited use of outside recruiters or contract labor. In Roxboro, however, the company needed a local partner capable of understanding the positions, identifying the necessary skills and screening applicants accordingly. “We had to build the trust with the college that they were screening the way we wanted them to screen and ﬁltering people into the positions and skill sets we were looking for,” Zimmerman said. That relationship became particularly important during the ﬁrst six months, when Zimmerman and Blackwell sometimes spoke almost daily. But hiring the initial workforce was only the beginning. Expanded list of resources As Polywood’s Roxboro operation grew, the role of Piedmont Community College and NCEdge grew with it. What began with recruiting and WorkKeys testing expanded into forklift instruction, maintenance training, leadership development and technical programs supporting robotics and other advanced manufacturing equipment. When Polywood added extrusion operations, the company needed employees with a skill set that was not widely available in Person County. The partnership helped connect Polywood with the Polymers Center in Charlotte for specialized plastics and extrusion training. “The relationship went from assisting with the hiring process to more in-depth technical training,” Blackwell said. “We customize it to their needs.” That is the key word: customize. The college was not attempting to ﬁt Polywood into an existing, off-the-shelf training program. As the company’s equipment, processes and workforce needs changed, the training changed with them. The approach also allowed Polywood to develop much of its management and technical talent from within. Zimmerman said a signiﬁcant number of employees hired during the company’s ﬁrst year in Roxboro remain with the company. “We’ve got a large population that we hired in the ﬁrst year that is still there,” he said. “They’ve moved up into more leadership roles, and we’ve 51 of 72 taken the training the college provided and developed it internally for the betterment of the company.” Careers and community That ability to create career paths has been especially important in a rural market. Lloyd said the success of customized training cannot always be captured by simply counting the number of employees trained or the number of classroom hours delivered. The more meaningful measurement is what happens afterward. In Person County, that means people ﬁnding careers close to home, developing new skills, moving into higher-paying positions and seeing manufacturing as a profession with room for advancement. “The metrics don’t tell the whole story,” Lloyd said. “It is the impact on the company, the employees and the community.” Blackwell sees that impact from two perspectives: as a college administrator responsible for workforce development and as a member of the Person County community. Polywood’s growth has created jobs paying livable wages while giving local residents opportunities that might otherwise have required leaving the area. “When they are providing great, livable wages, it changes people’s lives,” Blackwell said. “That is exactly our college mission. Polywood ﬁt into the college mission of changing and transforming lives.” The relationship has not been one-sided. Blackwell said Polywood employees have participated in college panels, assisted with student interviews and supported work-based learning opportunities. The company has contributed products to college events and helped PCC connect students in industrial systems, mechatronics and other technical programs with real manufacturing careers. Even seemingly small requests demonstrate the depth of the relationship. When Polywood wanted food and dessert trucks for an employee appreciation event, company representatives called Blackwell. Because PCC is rooted in the community, the college knew whom to contact. That may sound far removed from workforce training, but it illustrates what Lloyd and Blackwell say makes the system work. The college does not disappear after a class ends or the initial group of employees is hired. It remains available as the company and community grow together. 52 of 72 Zimmerman believes that support contributed directly to Polywood’s ability to expand so rapidly. “If we didn’t see success in building out this location and getting the resources we did through this partnership, I don’t know that we would have grown this rapidly,” he said. “Going from zero to over 800 employees in six or seven years is pretty signiﬁcant. A lot of companies don’t experience that over a lifetime.” His advice to other companies considering a North Carolina expansion is equally direct: Find out what workforce resources are available and do not assume everything must be handled internally. “It is understanding what your resources are, determining how you can leverage those resources and not being afraid not to do it on your own,” Zimmerman said. A lesson about people For the furniture industry, the Polywood story offers a lesson that extends beyond one company or one North Carolina county. Manufacturing expansions are often treated as real estate and capital investment projects. But buying a building and installing equipment may be the relatively easy part. The harder job is ﬁnding people, teaching new skills, developing supervisors, retaining employees and creating a workforce capable of growing with the operation. Polywood brought the product, processes, investment and opportunity. NCEdge brought the statewide training structure and funding. Piedmont Community College brought local knowledge, recruiting assistance, technical training and a continuing presence in the community. Together, they created something none of the three could have built as effectively alone. The lesson is simple: Square footage can be bought. Machinery can be installed. Incentives can help close the deal. But none of those things builds a successful operation; people do. And when a company and a community are supported by a local college and a statewide workforce partner such as NCEdge, they do more than create jobs. They create opportunity, stability and a future that can be shared. Tags: Polywood, Workforce training, NCEdge, extrusion, Manufacturing, Outdoor furniture, Person County, Piedmont Community College, plastics, advanced manufacturing 53 of 72 Visit North Carolina · Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina Page 1 of 3 V I S I T N O R T H C A R O L I N A · E C O N O M I C I M P A C T O F T R A V E L Visitor Spending by County — 2025 North Carolina — All 100 Counties $37.2B Total visitor spending 230,997 Tourism employment $1.39B State taxes generated $1.33B Local taxes generated $243.67 State/local tax savings per resident Counties ranked by spending growth, 2025 vs. 2024 (high to low). Dollar figures in $ millions, except Tax Savings per Resident (dollars per resident). * Lodging includes second-home spending. ** Transport includes ground and air travel. County Lodging* F&B Recreation Retail Transport** Total Spending Share of State (Spend) Spending Growth (2025/2024) Employment Share of State (Jobs) Personal Income State Taxes Local Taxes Tax Savings per Resident Cherokee $31.83 $36.51 $13.80 $10.03 $24.50 $116.67 0.3% 13.9% 631 0.3% $23.45 $3.61 $4.76 $276.30 Macon $97.16 $117.94 $58.68 $33.78 $78.43 $386.00 1.0% 11.1% 1,810 0.8% $96.16 $12.83 $20.67 $1,520.51 Richmond $13.77 $22.60 $10.50 $5.26 $14.03 $66.15 0.2% 9.7% 438 0.2% $17.49 $2.62 $1.86 $106.24 Chatham $19.66 $33.53 $12.97 $7.98 $19.45 $93.59 0.3% 8.9% 721 0.3% $28.70 $3.89 $3.54 $88.22 Bertie $7.34 $8.02 $3.45 $2.12 $6.53 $27.47 0.1% 8.8% 99 0.0% $4.33 $1.02 $1.08 $126.05 Johnston $70.03 $119.49 $46.03 $28.58 $73.17 $337.30 0.9% 7.2% 2,180 0.9% $89.51 $13.98 $10.65 $96.99 Caldwell $16.75 $27.21 $9.53 $6.20 $21.50 $81.20 0.2% 6.5% 489 0.2% $19.16 $3.12 $2.80 $72.26 New Hanover $311.46 $383.10 $154.08 $89.89 $267.57 $1,206.11 3.2% 5.8% 7,250 3.1% $316.97 $40.21 $45.13 $344.60 Burke $40.27 $57.10 $21.72 $12.44 $31.35 $162.88 0.4% 5.6% 970 0.4% $35.61 $6.25 $4.91 $123.82 Yancey $18.87 $23.12 $11.25 $7.20 $16.19 $76.64 0.2% 5.5% 343 0.1% $15.99 $2.45 $3.80 $333.84 Montgomery $13.10 $17.64 $8.93 $5.25 $15.14 $60.06 0.2% 5.2% 259 0.1% $11.84 $1.93 $3.77 $217.03 Jackson $115.60 $149.16 $76.59 $42.40 $103.10 $486.85 1.3% 5.1% 2,643 1.1% $130.92 $15.99 $16.46 $726.74 Hoke $3.33 $4.02 $2.28 $1.35 $4.91 $15.88 0.0% 5.0% 101 0.0% $3.87 $0.65 $0.43 $19.11 Franklin $8.20 $16.38 $6.39 $3.20 $9.93 $44.10 0.1% 4.9% 228 0.1% $10.92 $1.72 $1.22 $35.30 Moore $228.23 $269.19 $133.96 $78.29 $191.74 $901.41 2.4% 4.9% 6,528 2.8% $274.18 $34.20 $30.19 $578.68 Cleveland $38.53 $61.18 $24.83 $14.11 $39.99 $178.64 0.5% 4.6% 1,016 0.4% $43.46 $6.91 $4.36 $112.98 Ashe $32.87 $36.29 $19.95 $12.18 $27.59 $128.88 0.3% 4.0% 598 0.3% $25.47 $4.20 $5.03 $353.47 Pitt $70.63 $122.95 $41.59 $24.88 $72.43 $332.47 0.9% 3.9% 2,132 0.9% $77.68 $12.40 $10.19 $122.52 Henderson $103.69 $148.17 $64.24 $36.70 $100.54 $453.34 1.2% 3.6% 2,813 1.2% $126.69 $16.27 $18.13 $278.38 Catawba $74.96 $130.81 $49.58 $28.71 $79.35 $363.42 1.0% 3.5% 2,551 1.1% $90.77 $14.58 $12.89 $161.56 Union $45.50 $82.47 $29.71 $17.34 $52.91 $227.92 0.6% 3.3% 1,397 0.6% $51.99 $8.78 $5.77 $53.44 Caswell $2.39 $7.83 $3.30 $1.85 $5.14 $20.50 0.1% 3.3% 94 0.0% $3.66 $0.67 $0.94 $73.64 Surry $38.02 $57.35 $17.55 $13.30 $39.83 $166.05 0.4% 3.2% 936 0.4% $42.20 $6.71 $4.88 $162.38 Tyrrell $1.73 $2.23 $1.05 $0.72 $1.49 $7.22 0.0% 3.1% 30 0.0% $1.33 $0.23 $0.41 $185.04 Watauga $143.80 $160.11 $75.27 $44.64 $107.97 $531.78 1.4% 3.1% 2,984 1.3% $134.88 $17.78 $19.56 $666.65 Craven $42.44 $68.41 $27.06 $14.90 $36.17 $188.97 0.5% 3.1% 1,315 0.6% $47.93 $7.28 $5.55 $119.04 Avery $60.99 $83.37 $40.66 $22.27 $51.69 $258.97 0.7% 3.0% 1,569 0.7% $72.02 $8.64 $9.58 $1,028.12 Guilford $407.13 $550.45 $232.20 $133.03 $523.81 $1,846.62 5.0% 2.9% 12,080 5.2% $568.53 $68.00 $55.10 $220.45 54 of 72 Visit North Carolina · Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina Page 2 of 3 County Lodging* F&B Recreation Retail Transport** Total Spending Share of State (Spend) Spending Growth (2025/2024) Employment Share of State (Jobs) Personal Income State Taxes Local Taxes Tax Savings per Resident Iredell $106.21 $140.90 $66.76 $31.99 $95.52 $441.37 1.2% 2.8% 2,564 1.1% $101.29 $16.19 $14.38 $143.39 Carteret $204.72 $237.53 $110.62 $63.75 $147.32 $763.93 2.1% 2.8% 3,921 1.7% $157.00 $23.00 $30.78 $744.30 Jones $1.46 $1.85 $0.80 $0.53 $1.75 $6.37 0.0% 2.5% 30 0.0% $1.47 $0.26 $0.21 $50.82 Wake $903.17 $1,020.60 $697.66 $602.99 $402.44 $3,626.86 9.7% 2.4% 27,470 11.9% $1,006.95 $167.88 $180.38 $276.32 Rowan $49.84 $78.56 $30.01 $17.78 $63.84 $240.03 0.6% 2.2% 1,579 0.7% $58.85 $9.37 $8.54 $115.54 Stokes $4.31 $23.64 $7.75 $5.76 $17.88 $59.35 0.2% 2.1% 303 0.1% $12.92 $2.17 $1.98 $90.70 Graham $13.99 $16.84 $6.53 $4.53 $10.58 $52.47 0.1% 1.9% 307 0.1% $11.31 $1.58 $2.57 $521.21 Wilson $32.08 $56.42 $20.01 $11.58 $38.97 $159.05 0.4% 1.9% 1,024 0.4% $36.99 $6.44 $4.33 $132.77 Stanly $10.91 $44.95 $21.35 $11.04 $29.49 $117.74 0.3% 1.6% 678 0.3% $24.70 $4.63 $3.79 $124.39 Robeson $37.34 $60.25 $21.45 $14.44 $37.01 $170.48 0.5% 1.6% 1,058 0.5% $39.36 $6.89 $5.01 $100.91 Gaston $89.62 $128.64 $47.73 $26.88 $102.35 $395.22 1.1% 1.6% 2,487 1.1% $95.79 $15.66 $9.91 $103.06 Granville $13.24 $21.31 $9.64 $4.76 $13.64 $62.59 0.2% 1.5% 333 0.1% $14.72 $2.56 $1.98 $73.78 Mecklenburg $1,535.92 $1,923.44 $872.60 $443.79 $1,691.92 $6,467.67 17.4% 1.5% 38,380 16.6% $2,193.28 $225.21 $205.17 $353.00 Pasquotank $17.94 $35.29 $11.22 $8.51 $19.65 $92.61 0.2% 1.3% 545 0.2% $20.78 $3.71 $2.81 $156.27 Brunswick $306.29 $383.71 $185.40 $113.57 $256.91 $1,245.89 3.3% 1.3% 6,035 2.6% $259.28 $37.91 $52.61 $509.37 Northampton $7.35 $8.23 $3.82 $2.52 $6.34 $28.26 0.1% 1.0% 98 0.0% $4.45 $0.80 $1.50 $140.87 Durham $242.28 $324.59 $144.78 $73.91 $384.60 $1,170.15 3.1% 0.9% 7,779 3.4% $319.31 $41.14 $41.25 $239.06 Camden $0.88 $1.35 $0.56 $0.35 $0.98 $4.12 0.0% 0.8% 25 0.0% $1.03 $0.14 $0.22 $32.83 Halifax $30.42 $45.09 $17.19 $10.74 $29.38 $132.83 0.4% 0.8% 756 0.3% $32.04 $5.54 $4.40 $215.38 McDowell $23.77 $32.32 $14.03 $8.46 $31.01 $109.60 0.3% 0.7% 648 0.3% $28.03 $3.87 $4.07 $204.72 Lincoln $22.61 $39.05 $12.54 $8.07 $23.49 $105.75 0.3% 0.7% 643 0.3% $26.33 $4.21 $3.34 $77.11 Mitchell $10.33 $14.09 $6.74 $3.69 $10.51 $45.36 0.1% 0.5% 232 0.1% $10.46 $1.42 $1.59 $206.09 Transylvania $45.59 $58.08 $26.64 $17.35 $40.35 $188.01 0.5% 0.5% 1,138 0.5% $47.52 $5.57 $7.64 $391.24 Cabarrus $167.84 $225.38 $111.66 $51.95 $125.98 $682.81 1.8% 0.5% 5,069 2.2% $186.44 $26.55 $17.94 $177.88 Pender $51.17 $63.98 $31.11 $17.68 $39.14 $203.08 0.5% 0.4% 1,051 0.5% $44.11 $6.64 $9.48 $230.46 Chowan $6.64 $10.67 $4.50 $3.07 $6.75 $31.63 0.1% 0.4% 182 0.1% $7.50 $1.16 $1.69 $207.30 Alamance $58.87 $106.26 $34.47 $23.49 $60.82 $283.91 0.8% 0.4% 1,889 0.8% $66.42 $11.44 $7.23 $99.46 Davidson $23.69 $115.94 $48.26 $27.38 $100.55 $315.83 0.8% 0.3% 1,651 0.7% $73.72 $12.30 $10.02 $123.52 Haywood $89.55 $109.54 $48.19 $30.49 $80.51 $358.29 1.0% 0.3% 2,202 1.0% $93.36 $13.09 $12.42 $396.77 Bladen $8.90 $19.89 $8.55 $4.96 $13.96 $56.27 0.2% 0.2% 269 0.1% $11.19 $2.27 $1.87 $140.79 Perquimans $4.23 $9.44 $2.77 $1.77 $3.38 $21.58 0.1% 0.2% 98 0.0% $4.20 $0.70 $1.35 $150.91 Onslow $97.57 $137.47 $51.32 $27.50 $100.87 $414.74 1.1% -0.1% 2,413 1.0% $95.31 $14.52 $14.80 $134.68 Hertford $5.98 $11.11 $4.38 $2.46 $8.34 $32.27 0.1% -0.3% 195 0.1% $7.40 $1.33 $1.08 $126.53 Gates $2.57 $2.91 $1.43 $0.89 $2.18 $9.98 0.0% -0.3% 44 0.0% $1.73 $0.42 $0.34 $76.17 Madison $18.45 $22.98 $10.53 $7.36 $20.75 $80.06 0.2% -0.3% 382 0.2% $16.40 $2.73 $2.90 $265.54 Wayne $43.31 $71.21 $26.16 $15.88 $50.01 $206.57 0.6% -0.4% 1,251 0.5% $46.92 $8.68 $5.15 $115.61 Hyde $16.90 $19.48 $8.01 $5.40 $11.36 $61.15 0.2% -0.4% 378 0.2% $12.71 $1.93 $2.50 $967.71 55 of 72 Visit North Carolina · Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina Page 3 of 3 County Lodging* F&B Recreation Retail Transport** Total Spending Share of State (Spend) Spending Growth (2025/2024) Employment Share of State (Jobs) Personal Income State Taxes Local Taxes Tax Savings per Resident Warren $18.91 $22.68 $11.22 $6.19 $16.68 $75.69 0.2% -0.4% 249 0.1% $12.40 $2.04 $3.71 $304.78 Orange $64.61 $100.57 $40.91 $20.36 $52.11 $278.58 0.7% -0.5% 1,999 0.9% $76.04 $10.55 $8.64 $124.25 Dare $556.12 $647.25 $295.82 $184.37 $404.00 $2,087.56 5.6% -0.6% 12,073 5.2% $465.63 $68.11 $79.26 $3,808.98 Greene $2.28 $3.99 $1.59 $0.97 $2.28 $11.11 0.0% -0.7% 67 0.0% $2.61 $0.44 $0.44 $42.91 Currituck $273.23 $120.49 $61.22 $37.15 $85.53 $577.62 1.6% -0.7% 2,435 1.1% $99.45 $15.85 $22.49 $1,163.76 Forsyth $208.51 $345.57 $132.85 $79.50 $316.42 $1,082.86 2.9% -0.8% 6,524 2.8% $264.82 $43.98 $29.73 $183.67 Clay $7.38 $9.80 $4.03 $2.83 $7.03 $31.08 0.1% -0.8% 129 0.1% $6.27 $0.91 $1.99 $233.72 Edgecombe $5.33 $25.11 $10.52 $6.01 $24.52 $71.49 0.2% -1.1% 347 0.2% $11.99 $2.55 $1.77 $89.01 Davie $9.25 $15.63 $6.22 $3.53 $13.12 $47.75 0.1% -1.4% 335 0.1% $12.79 $1.83 $1.29 $68.69 Harnett $21.29 $45.55 $19.27 $9.71 $31.22 $127.04 0.3% -1.5% 799 0.3% $28.33 $4.92 $3.55 $57.90 Swain $82.14 $100.78 $46.63 $31.18 $75.92 $336.65 0.9% -1.5% 1,958 0.8% $91.35 $13.24 $8.92 $1,622.51 Pamlico $7.44 $12.58 $6.58 $2.89 $7.44 $36.93 0.1% -1.5% 193 0.1% $6.66 $1.09 $2.24 $252.23 Person $11.63 $19.63 $6.75 $4.60 $14.08 $56.69 0.2% -1.6% 314 0.1% $11.99 $2.22 $1.64 $97.52 Polk $12.41 $16.62 $8.07 $5.38 $13.28 $55.76 0.1% -1.7% 288 0.1% $9.97 $1.70 $2.27 $200.02 Nash $71.94 $113.58 $44.85 $26.02 $78.29 $334.69 0.9% -1.8% 2,518 1.1% $91.18 $12.87 $10.98 $235.43 Wilkes $28.46 $36.98 $14.34 $9.32 $25.66 $114.75 0.3% -1.8% 672 0.3% $26.77 $4.37 $3.53 $120.63 Yadkin $11.23 $17.33 $7.11 $4.68 $12.20 $52.55 0.1% -2.0% 375 0.2% $14.76 $2.06 $1.55 $95.18 Lee $21.28 $42.87 $15.35 $9.16 $23.59 $112.24 0.3% -2.1% 734 0.3% $29.23 $4.58 $3.14 $111.34 Buncombe $755.68 $712.01 $320.64 $487.54 $314.29 $2,590.15 7.0% -2.1% 17,211 7.5% $582.03 $113.19 $102.23 $764.50 Cumberland $128.47 $241.41 $84.42 $53.47 $174.84 $682.60 1.8% -2.2% 4,786 2.1% $176.59 $26.50 $19.97 $136.39 Vance $14.89 $23.93 $8.80 $5.88 $15.49 $68.99 0.2% -2.2% 427 0.2% $15.05 $2.72 $2.28 $120.25 Randolph $42.78 $68.75 $24.52 $16.60 $42.53 $195.19 0.5% -2.3% 1,167 0.5% $45.21 $8.48 $5.10 $92.16 Lenoir $22.47 $39.97 $15.57 $8.47 $24.94 $111.42 0.3% -2.4% 719 0.3% $27.15 $4.43 $3.02 $136.57 Duplin $6.87 $14.99 $4.55 $3.01 $14.27 $43.69 0.1% -2.4% 269 0.1% $10.41 $1.80 $1.64 $69.09 Beaufort $33.73 $50.37 $21.39 $11.50 $31.30 $148.29 0.4% -2.4% 760 0.3% $31.47 $5.50 $6.46 $269.63 Rockingham $17.87 $33.28 $11.96 $6.61 $21.31 $91.02 0.2% -2.5% 692 0.3% $24.37 $3.69 $3.07 $72.59 Columbus $11.16 $22.85 $7.61 $5.31 $13.84 $60.78 0.2% -2.8% 379 0.2% $13.74 $2.55 $2.10 $93.29 Anson $2.26 $9.59 $3.19 $1.78 $7.33 $24.15 0.1% -3.2% 175 0.1% $3.37 $1.00 $0.57 $71.85 Alleghany $11.35 $16.71 $7.69 $4.31 $10.34 $50.40 0.1% -3.8% 277 0.1% $11.31 $1.62 $2.25 $336.97 Scotland $10.39 $18.29 $7.15 $4.43 $13.95 $54.21 0.1% -4.4% 375 0.2% $12.85 $2.03 $1.33 $103.13 Sampson $13.29 $23.08 $8.74 $5.10 $15.18 $65.39 0.2% -4.5% 344 0.1% $14.66 $2.66 $2.29 $82.16 Washington $4.06 $5.54 $2.24 $1.42 $4.14 $17.39 0.0% -5.0% 83 0.0% $3.39 $0.65 $0.70 $129.28 Martin $7.30 $11.23 $4.05 $2.42 $7.34 $32.34 0.1% -6.1% 266 0.1% $8.94 $1.29 $1.11 $54.27 Alexander $4.96 $11.23 $4.00 $2.79 $7.56 $30.54 0.1% -7.5% 191 0.1% $7.05 $1.22 $1.16 $66.05 Rutherford $60.85 $83.32 $30.77 $22.43 $58.50 $255.87 0.7% -8.2% 1,559 0.7% $61.39 $10.33 $8.97 $296.37 State $8,926.07 $11,503.16 $5,224.90 $3,492.81 $8,077.48 $37,224.42 100% 1.3% 230,997 100% $9,848.17 $1,389.84 $1,332.30 $243.67 Source: Tourism Economics, 2026. 56 of 72 Visit North Carolina · Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina Page 1 of 3 V I S I T N O R T H C A R O L I N A · E C O N O M I C I M P A C T O F T R A V E L Visitor Spending by County — 2025 North Carolina — All 100 Counties $37.2B Total visitor spending 230,997 Tourism employment $1.39B State taxes generated $1.33B Local taxes generated $243.67 State/local tax savings per resident Counties ranked by total visitor spending, 2025 (high to low). Dollar figures in $ millions, except Tax Savings per Resident (dollars per resident). * Lodging includes second-home spending. ** Transport includes ground and air travel. County Lodging* F&B Recreation Retail Transport** Total Spending Share of State (Spend) Spending Growth (2025/2024) Employment Share of State (Jobs) Personal Income State Taxes Local Taxes Tax Savings per Resident Mecklenburg $1,535.92 $1,923.44 $872.60 $443.79 $1,691.92 $6,467.67 17.4% 1.5% 38,380 16.6% $2,193.28 $225.21 $205.17 $353.00 Wake $903.17 $1,020.60 $697.66 $602.99 $402.44 $3,626.86 9.7% 2.4% 27,470 11.9% $1,006.95 $167.88 $180.38 $276.32 Buncombe $755.68 $712.01 $320.64 $487.54 $314.29 $2,590.15 7.0% -2.1% 17,211 7.5% $582.03 $113.19 $102.23 $764.50 Dare $556.12 $647.25 $295.82 $184.37 $404.00 $2,087.56 5.6% -0.6% 12,073 5.2% $465.63 $68.11 $79.26 $3,808.98 Guilford $407.13 $550.45 $232.20 $133.03 $523.81 $1,846.62 5.0% 2.9% 12,080 5.2% $568.53 $68.00 $55.10 $220.45 Brunswick $306.29 $383.71 $185.40 $113.57 $256.91 $1,245.89 3.3% 1.3% 6,035 2.6% $259.28 $37.91 $52.61 $509.37 New Hanover $311.46 $383.10 $154.08 $89.89 $267.57 $1,206.11 3.2% 5.8% 7,250 3.1% $316.97 $40.21 $45.13 $344.60 Durham $242.28 $324.59 $144.78 $73.91 $384.60 $1,170.15 3.1% 0.9% 7,779 3.4% $319.31 $41.14 $41.25 $239.06 Forsyth $208.51 $345.57 $132.85 $79.50 $316.42 $1,082.86 2.9% -0.8% 6,524 2.8% $264.82 $43.98 $29.73 $183.67 Moore $228.23 $269.19 $133.96 $78.29 $191.74 $901.41 2.4% 4.9% 6,528 2.8% $274.18 $34.20 $30.19 $578.68 Carteret $204.72 $237.53 $110.62 $63.75 $147.32 $763.93 2.1% 2.8% 3,921 1.7% $157.00 $23.00 $30.78 $744.30 Cabarrus $167.84 $225.38 $111.66 $51.95 $125.98 $682.81 1.8% 0.5% 5,069 2.2% $186.44 $26.55 $17.94 $177.88 Cumberland $128.47 $241.41 $84.42 $53.47 $174.84 $682.60 1.8% -2.2% 4,786 2.1% $176.59 $26.50 $19.97 $136.39 Currituck $273.23 $120.49 $61.22 $37.15 $85.53 $577.62 1.6% -0.7% 2,435 1.1% $99.45 $15.85 $22.49 $1,163.76 Watauga $143.80 $160.11 $75.27 $44.64 $107.97 $531.78 1.4% 3.1% 2,984 1.3% $134.88 $17.78 $19.56 $666.65 Jackson $115.60 $149.16 $76.59 $42.40 $103.10 $486.85 1.3% 5.1% 2,643 1.1% $130.92 $15.99 $16.46 $726.74 Henderson $103.69 $148.17 $64.24 $36.70 $100.54 $453.34 1.2% 3.6% 2,813 1.2% $126.69 $16.27 $18.13 $278.38 Iredell $106.21 $140.90 $66.76 $31.99 $95.52 $441.37 1.2% 2.8% 2,564 1.1% $101.29 $16.19 $14.38 $143.39 Onslow $97.57 $137.47 $51.32 $27.50 $100.87 $414.74 1.1% -0.1% 2,413 1.0% $95.31 $14.52 $14.80 $134.68 Gaston $89.62 $128.64 $47.73 $26.88 $102.35 $395.22 1.1% 1.6% 2,487 1.1% $95.79 $15.66 $9.91 $103.06 Macon $97.16 $117.94 $58.68 $33.78 $78.43 $386.00 1.0% 11.1% 1,810 0.8% $96.16 $12.83 $20.67 $1,520.51 Catawba $74.96 $130.81 $49.58 $28.71 $79.35 $363.42 1.0% 3.5% 2,551 1.1% $90.77 $14.58 $12.89 $161.56 Haywood $89.55 $109.54 $48.19 $30.49 $80.51 $358.29 1.0% 0.3% 2,202 1.0% $93.36 $13.09 $12.42 $396.77 Johnston $70.03 $119.49 $46.03 $28.58 $73.17 $337.30 0.9% 7.2% 2,180 0.9% $89.51 $13.98 $10.65 $96.99 Swain $82.14 $100.78 $46.63 $31.18 $75.92 $336.65 0.9% -1.5% 1,958 0.8% $91.35 $13.24 $8.92 $1,622.51 Nash $71.94 $113.58 $44.85 $26.02 $78.29 $334.69 0.9% -1.8% 2,518 1.1% $91.18 $12.87 $10.98 $235.43 Pitt $70.63 $122.95 $41.59 $24.88 $72.43 $332.47 0.9% 3.9% 2,132 0.9% $77.68 $12.40 $10.19 $122.52 Davidson $23.69 $115.94 $48.26 $27.38 $100.55 $315.83 0.8% 0.3% 1,651 0.7% $73.72 $12.30 $10.02 $123.52 57 of 72 Visit North Carolina · Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina Page 2 of 3 County Lodging* F&B Recreation Retail Transport** Total Spending Share of State (Spend) Spending Growth (2025/2024) Employment Share of State (Jobs) Personal Income State Taxes Local Taxes Tax Savings per Resident Alamance $58.87 $106.26 $34.47 $23.49 $60.82 $283.91 0.8% 0.4% 1,889 0.8% $66.42 $11.44 $7.23 $99.46 Orange $64.61 $100.57 $40.91 $20.36 $52.11 $278.58 0.7% -0.5% 1,999 0.9% $76.04 $10.55 $8.64 $124.25 Avery $60.99 $83.37 $40.66 $22.27 $51.69 $258.97 0.7% 3.0% 1,569 0.7% $72.02 $8.64 $9.58 $1,028.12 Rutherford $60.85 $83.32 $30.77 $22.43 $58.50 $255.87 0.7% -8.2% 1,559 0.7% $61.39 $10.33 $8.97 $296.37 Rowan $49.84 $78.56 $30.01 $17.78 $63.84 $240.03 0.6% 2.2% 1,579 0.7% $58.85 $9.37 $8.54 $115.54 Union $45.50 $82.47 $29.71 $17.34 $52.91 $227.92 0.6% 3.3% 1,397 0.6% $51.99 $8.78 $5.77 $53.44 Wayne $43.31 $71.21 $26.16 $15.88 $50.01 $206.57 0.6% -0.4% 1,251 0.5% $46.92 $8.68 $5.15 $115.61 Pender $51.17 $63.98 $31.11 $17.68 $39.14 $203.08 0.5% 0.4% 1,051 0.5% $44.11 $6.64 $9.48 $230.46 Randolph $42.78 $68.75 $24.52 $16.60 $42.53 $195.19 0.5% -2.3% 1,167 0.5% $45.21 $8.48 $5.10 $92.16 Craven $42.44 $68.41 $27.06 $14.90 $36.17 $188.97 0.5% 3.1% 1,315 0.6% $47.93 $7.28 $5.55 $119.04 Transylvania $45.59 $58.08 $26.64 $17.35 $40.35 $188.01 0.5% 0.5% 1,138 0.5% $47.52 $5.57 $7.64 $391.24 Cleveland $38.53 $61.18 $24.83 $14.11 $39.99 $178.64 0.5% 4.6% 1,016 0.4% $43.46 $6.91 $4.36 $112.98 Robeson $37.34 $60.25 $21.45 $14.44 $37.01 $170.48 0.5% 1.6% 1,058 0.5% $39.36 $6.89 $5.01 $100.91 Surry $38.02 $57.35 $17.55 $13.30 $39.83 $166.05 0.4% 3.2% 936 0.4% $42.20 $6.71 $4.88 $162.38 Burke $40.27 $57.10 $21.72 $12.44 $31.35 $162.88 0.4% 5.6% 970 0.4% $35.61 $6.25 $4.91 $123.82 Wilson $32.08 $56.42 $20.01 $11.58 $38.97 $159.05 0.4% 1.9% 1,024 0.4% $36.99 $6.44 $4.33 $132.77 Beaufort $33.73 $50.37 $21.39 $11.50 $31.30 $148.29 0.4% -2.4% 760 0.3% $31.47 $5.50 $6.46 $269.63 Halifax $30.42 $45.09 $17.19 $10.74 $29.38 $132.83 0.4% 0.8% 756 0.3% $32.04 $5.54 $4.40 $215.38 Ashe $32.87 $36.29 $19.95 $12.18 $27.59 $128.88 0.3% 4.0% 598 0.3% $25.47 $4.20 $5.03 $353.47 Harnett $21.29 $45.55 $19.27 $9.71 $31.22 $127.04 0.3% -1.5% 799 0.3% $28.33 $4.92 $3.55 $57.90 Stanly $10.91 $44.95 $21.35 $11.04 $29.49 $117.74 0.3% 1.6% 678 0.3% $24.70 $4.63 $3.79 $124.39 Cherokee $31.83 $36.51 $13.80 $10.03 $24.50 $116.67 0.3% 13.9% 631 0.3% $23.45 $3.61 $4.76 $276.30 Wilkes $28.46 $36.98 $14.34 $9.32 $25.66 $114.75 0.3% -1.8% 672 0.3% $26.77 $4.37 $3.53 $120.63 Lee $21.28 $42.87 $15.35 $9.16 $23.59 $112.24 0.3% -2.1% 734 0.3% $29.23 $4.58 $3.14 $111.34 Lenoir $22.47 $39.97 $15.57 $8.47 $24.94 $111.42 0.3% -2.4% 719 0.3% $27.15 $4.43 $3.02 $136.57 McDowell $23.77 $32.32 $14.03 $8.46 $31.01 $109.60 0.3% 0.7% 648 0.3% $28.03 $3.87 $4.07 $204.72 Lincoln $22.61 $39.05 $12.54 $8.07 $23.49 $105.75 0.3% 0.7% 643 0.3% $26.33 $4.21 $3.34 $77.11 Chatham $19.66 $33.53 $12.97 $7.98 $19.45 $93.59 0.3% 8.9% 721 0.3% $28.70 $3.89 $3.54 $88.22 Pasquotank $17.94 $35.29 $11.22 $8.51 $19.65 $92.61 0.2% 1.3% 545 0.2% $20.78 $3.71 $2.81 $156.27 Rockingham $17.87 $33.28 $11.96 $6.61 $21.31 $91.02 0.2% -2.5% 692 0.3% $24.37 $3.69 $3.07 $72.59 Caldwell $16.75 $27.21 $9.53 $6.20 $21.50 $81.20 0.2% 6.5% 489 0.2% $19.16 $3.12 $2.80 $72.26 Madison $18.45 $22.98 $10.53 $7.36 $20.75 $80.06 0.2% -0.3% 382 0.2% $16.40 $2.73 $2.90 $265.54 Yancey $18.87 $23.12 $11.25 $7.20 $16.19 $76.64 0.2% 5.5% 343 0.1% $15.99 $2.45 $3.80 $333.84 Warren $18.91 $22.68 $11.22 $6.19 $16.68 $75.69 0.2% -0.4% 249 0.1% $12.40 $2.04 $3.71 $304.78 Edgecombe $5.33 $25.11 $10.52 $6.01 $24.52 $71.49 0.2% -1.1% 347 0.2% $11.99 $2.55 $1.77 $89.01 Vance $14.89 $23.93 $8.80 $5.88 $15.49 $68.99 0.2% -2.2% 427 0.2% $15.05 $2.72 $2.28 $120.25 Richmond $13.77 $22.60 $10.50 $5.26 $14.03 $66.15 0.2% 9.7% 438 0.2% $17.49 $2.62 $1.86 $106.24 58 of 72 Visit North Carolina · Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina Page 3 of 3 County Lodging* F&B Recreation Retail Transport** Total Spending Share of State (Spend) Spending Growth (2025/2024) Employment Share of State (Jobs) Personal Income State Taxes Local Taxes Tax Savings per Resident Sampson $13.29 $23.08 $8.74 $5.10 $15.18 $65.39 0.2% -4.5% 344 0.1% $14.66 $2.66 $2.29 $82.16 Granville $13.24 $21.31 $9.64 $4.76 $13.64 $62.59 0.2% 1.5% 333 0.1% $14.72 $2.56 $1.98 $73.78 Hyde $16.90 $19.48 $8.01 $5.40 $11.36 $61.15 0.2% -0.4% 378 0.2% $12.71 $1.93 $2.50 $967.71 Columbus $11.16 $22.85 $7.61 $5.31 $13.84 $60.78 0.2% -2.8% 379 0.2% $13.74 $2.55 $2.10 $93.29 Montgomery $13.10 $17.64 $8.93 $5.25 $15.14 $60.06 0.2% 5.2% 259 0.1% $11.84 $1.93 $3.77 $217.03 Stokes $4.31 $23.64 $7.75 $5.76 $17.88 $59.35 0.2% 2.1% 303 0.1% $12.92 $2.17 $1.98 $90.70 Person $11.63 $19.63 $6.75 $4.60 $14.08 $56.69 0.2% -1.6% 314 0.1% $11.99 $2.22 $1.64 $97.52 Bladen $8.90 $19.89 $8.55 $4.96 $13.96 $56.27 0.2% 0.2% 269 0.1% $11.19 $2.27 $1.87 $140.79 Polk $12.41 $16.62 $8.07 $5.38 $13.28 $55.76 0.1% -1.7% 288 0.1% $9.97 $1.70 $2.27 $200.02 Scotland $10.39 $18.29 $7.15 $4.43 $13.95 $54.21 0.1% -4.4% 375 0.2% $12.85 $2.03 $1.33 $103.13 Yadkin $11.23 $17.33 $7.11 $4.68 $12.20 $52.55 0.1% -2.0% 375 0.2% $14.76 $2.06 $1.55 $95.18 Graham $13.99 $16.84 $6.53 $4.53 $10.58 $52.47 0.1% 1.9% 307 0.1% $11.31 $1.58 $2.57 $521.21 Alleghany $11.35 $16.71 $7.69 $4.31 $10.34 $50.40 0.1% -3.8% 277 0.1% $11.31 $1.62 $2.25 $336.97 Davie $9.25 $15.63 $6.22 $3.53 $13.12 $47.75 0.1% -1.4% 335 0.1% $12.79 $1.83 $1.29 $68.69 Mitchell $10.33 $14.09 $6.74 $3.69 $10.51 $45.36 0.1% 0.5% 232 0.1% $10.46 $1.42 $1.59 $206.09 Franklin $8.20 $16.38 $6.39 $3.20 $9.93 $44.10 0.1% 4.9% 228 0.1% $10.92 $1.72 $1.22 $35.30 Duplin $6.87 $14.99 $4.55 $3.01 $14.27 $43.69 0.1% -2.4% 269 0.1% $10.41 $1.80 $1.64 $69.09 Pamlico $7.44 $12.58 $6.58 $2.89 $7.44 $36.93 0.1% -1.5% 193 0.1% $6.66 $1.09 $2.24 $252.23 Martin $7.30 $11.23 $4.05 $2.42 $7.34 $32.34 0.1% -6.1% 266 0.1% $8.94 $1.29 $1.11 $54.27 Hertford $5.98 $11.11 $4.38 $2.46 $8.34 $32.27 0.1% -0.3% 195 0.1% $7.40 $1.33 $1.08 $126.53 Chowan $6.64 $10.67 $4.50 $3.07 $6.75 $31.63 0.1% 0.4% 182 0.1% $7.50 $1.16 $1.69 $207.30 Clay $7.38 $9.80 $4.03 $2.83 $7.03 $31.08 0.1% -0.8% 129 0.1% $6.27 $0.91 $1.99 $233.72 Alexander $4.96 $11.23 $4.00 $2.79 $7.56 $30.54 0.1% -7.5% 191 0.1% $7.05 $1.22 $1.16 $66.05 Northampton $7.35 $8.23 $3.82 $2.52 $6.34 $28.26 0.1% 1.0% 98 0.0% $4.45 $0.80 $1.50 $140.87 Bertie $7.34 $8.02 $3.45 $2.12 $6.53 $27.47 0.1% 8.8% 99 0.0% $4.33 $1.02 $1.08 $126.05 Anson $2.26 $9.59 $3.19 $1.78 $7.33 $24.15 0.1% -3.2% 175 0.1% $3.37 $1.00 $0.57 $71.85 Perquimans $4.23 $9.44 $2.77 $1.77 $3.38 $21.58 0.1% 0.2% 98 0.0% $4.20 $0.70 $1.35 $150.91 Caswell $2.39 $7.83 $3.30 $1.85 $5.14 $20.50 0.1% 3.3% 94 0.0% $3.66 $0.67 $0.94 $73.64 Washington $4.06 $5.54 $2.24 $1.42 $4.14 $17.39 0.0% -5.0% 83 0.0% $3.39 $0.65 $0.70 $129.28 Hoke $3.33 $4.02 $2.28 $1.35 $4.91 $15.88 0.0% 5.0% 101 0.0% $3.87 $0.65 $0.43 $19.11 Greene $2.28 $3.99 $1.59 $0.97 $2.28 $11.11 0.0% -0.7% 67 0.0% $2.61 $0.44 $0.44 $42.91 Gates $2.57 $2.91 $1.43 $0.89 $2.18 $9.98 0.0% -0.3% 44 0.0% $1.73 $0.42 $0.34 $76.17 Tyrrell $1.73 $2.23 $1.05 $0.72 $1.49 $7.22 0.0% 3.1% 30 0.0% $1.33 $0.23 $0.41 $185.04 Jones $1.46 $1.85 $0.80 $0.53 $1.75 $6.37 0.0% 2.5% 30 0.0% $1.47 $0.26 $0.21 $50.82 Camden $0.88 $1.35 $0.56 $0.35 $0.98 $4.12 0.0% 0.8% 25 0.0% $1.03 $0.14 $0.22 $32.83 State $8,926.07 $11,503.16 $5,224.90 $3,492.81 $8,077.48 $37,224.42 100% 1.3% 230,997 100% $9,848.17 $1,389.84 $1,332.30 $243.67 Source: Tourism Economics, 2026. 59 of 72 60 of 72 61 of 72 Departmental Report July 2026 – August 2026 • Kerr-Tar Summit Planning is progressing • Planning for Manufacturing Day with PCS CTE is progressing • Site identification with Duke Energy is progressing o An update from Duke Energy regarding timeline has been requested • Attend Jingle in July & Touch a Truck with Uptown Roxboro Group on July 31st • Continuing to meet with real estate brokers and developers • Microsoft Update o The Person County Data Center development is projected to be constructed in three phases over a six-year period, beginning in 2028 o Phase 1: Grading, substation construction, and early site preparation o Phase 2: Vertical construction o Phase 3: Transition to full operations • Existing industries update o Open Book Extracts conducted a RIF on July 22nd impacting 20 employees o Voltage, CertainTeed, P&A, Louisiana-Pacific, North American Aerodynamics, Zachry, Eaton are all hiring o CertainTeed is adding a 3rd shift o Southern States is closing their Roxboro location  Consolidating operations to Creedmoor 62 of 72 Upcoming Events of Interest • Arts, Eats, and Beats in Uptown Roxboro on September 4th • Person County Job Fair & Resource Expo on September 10th from 10:00am – 2:00pm at Huck Sansbury Recreation Complex • Good Morning Coffee Hour with Person County EMS on August 26th and Good Morning Coffee Hour with Person County Veterans Council on September 9th at 8:00am • Manufacturing Day on October 2nd o Person County CTE will be conducting site visits to manufacturers on Oct 1st and Oct 2nd • Manufacturing Week is October 2-9, 2026 • Personality Festival on October 3rd in Uptown Roxboro • Save the Date: Person Family Medical Center – The 50 Shades of Cancer on October 23rd • Kerr-Tar Summit on October 8th from 10:00am – 3:30pm in Henderson, NC • Volunteer Appreciation Week is April 18-24, 2027 • Small Business Week is May 2-8, 2027 • Economic Development Week is May 3-7, 2027 • RTRP State of the Region on May 12th, 2027 63 of 72 64 of 72 You’re Invited to the Person County Job Fair & Resource Expo Join us to explore employment opportunities and community resources in Person County and the surrounding region. Bring your resume and dress for success. The event will be outside at Huck Sansbury Recreation Complex with inclement weather location at Huck Sansbury Gym. September 10, 2026 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Huck Sansbury Recreation Complex 303 S Morgan Street Roxboro, NC 27573 More Information Contact: NCWorks Career Center 252.598.5200 65 of 72 66 of 72 67 of 72 Drought Update: •Northern half of the county is still in an extreme drought situation. All crops are affected negatively. Southern half is much improved with multiple recent rains. •Corn harvest is still several weeks away but yield will likely be decreased. Soybeans are looking good. Tobacco looks good in the field but weight and quality will likely be affected some but that is still to be determined. •Tobacco harvest is also a little behind schedule so frost could become a factor with harvest. Pasture and hay fields are growing forages but so summer forage availability is improved and will likely be good. Hay harvest in fall, still to be determined, should have a higher yield compared to spring but not likely to be enough to supply typical winter needs. Ag Business Update: •Camp Chemical -not buying grains will affect some producers - likely the smaller producers. But there are other grain buying stations around -maybe not as close -so higher transportation costs for those producers. •Southern States -closing Roxboro (and other) locations. This will likely affect the smaller producers and general public more so than "large" producers as the larger ones likely deal in big quantities/large scale with input providers. •Not sure that this is the reason that Camp or Southern States made the changes they made, but decreased farms and farmers may have affected their bottom lines. Therefore, keep farmers on the farms and help them want to keep farming through increased farm profits. Extension Ag Programs: •The Great Southeast Pollinator Census was held this weekend and is a six-state citizen-science count. Volunteers were sent out to watch a blooming plant for fifteen minutes and record the insects that visit. Together, those counts build a long-term picture of pollinator health across the Southeast. •"Farming on Leased Land" Virtual Workshop will be this Thursday, August 27 at 5:00pm. This free webinar is for anyone who leases land to farmers or farmers who farm on leased land. Learn about strategies to find farmland to lease and best practices for leasing 68 of 72 69 of 72 One big win for agriculture was $46.91 million in one-time funding for the Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund. Additionally, the budget added $2 million in recurring funding for the program, which brings the annual funding up to $7 million. I consider this a win for the agriculture community and the many farmers and supporters who rallied at the legislature back in May for the very first Farmland Preservation Advocacy Day. I cannot thank you all enough for showing up, for meeting with your legislators and for sharing how important it is that we keep working farmland in production. Year after year, we have seen strong interest from farm owners who want to ensure their land remains in agricultural production, but funding would only go so far in protecting acreage. This one-time funding changes that. As long-time readers know, farmland preservation has been a top priority for me since my first day in this job. Farmland loss was a significant issue 20 years ago and it remains a big issue today. I feel an even greater sense of urgency to protect valuable farmland with the recent push to build data centers across the state. The American Farmland Trust projects that we could lose 1.2 to 1.6 million acres of farm and timberland by 2040. That puts us at number two in the country for risk of farmland loss. Our ADFP Trust Fund has been successful in permanently preserving 42,000 acres of working farm and forestland since 2006. We have accomplished that through the support of the N.C. General Assembly and partnerships with the military and non-profit land conservation organizations. Sometimes people overlook the broader benefits of agriculture and think funding for agricultural requests only helps farmers and agribusinesses. But agriculture and agricultural funding benefit us all by providing access to local foods and by helping keep our state green. Farm and timberland provide open space and green space that define our state and make it so attractive, provide wildlife habitat, plus sequesters carbon and provide other environmental benefits. 70 of 72 71 of 72 72 of 72