In my first month as Secretary of Commerce, I’ve traveled to nearly a dozen cities and towns and met hundreds of people. It’s been quite an experience for a farm boy from Stanly County.
From my travels, I know that people are hurting. But I also know there is hope. I saw it in Statesville, when we honored 26 Main Street Program participants that have successfully revitalized their downtown business districts. I also saw hope in Governor Perdue’s recent announcement of Piedmont Aviation Component Services’ expansion, which will bring 120 well-paying jobs and an investment of $5.8 million to Kernersville (Forsyth County).
Finally, down at Lenoir Community College in Kinston during the N.C. Eastern Region’s annual meeting, I saw hope and excitement around Spirit AeroSystem’s progress on a ground-breaking project in the Global TransPark that will bring more than 1,000 jobs to some of our less prosperous counties.
Yes, this is a very difficult time for many people, and there are more challenges ahead. But I remain optimistic we will overcome these challenges and come out stronger and more innovative than ever. We’ll keep you posted on our progress, so stay tuned. And for more information about Commerce and our programs, please go to http://www.nccommerce.com.