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The Economic Development Quarterly is a communication produced by the Harnett County Department of Economic Development and highlights the latest news and updates on economic growth and opportunity in Harnett County.

April 2024

News and Updates

Angie Stewart Receives the TBJ's 2024 Women in Business Award

Angie Stewart, Harnett County's Senior Economic Developer, was chosen by the Triangle Business Journal (TBJ) to receive this year's Women in Business Award.

Stewart has worked in economic development in Harnett County for 16 years. As Senior Economic Developer, she participates in and supports all areas of the team's business development efforts, including business recruitment, retention and expansion, and new product development across Harnett County.

Learn more about Stewart in this TBJ Women in Business Award feature.

The Harnett Regional Jetport Terminal - Photo by Greg Frank, HRJ Director.

Harnett County Economic Development is moving!

The new Terminal at the Harnett Regional Jetport (HRJ) is nearing completion which means our team will soon make the move to our new office space. Effective May 1, the Economic Development Department will be located at the HRJ. The new, 7,000+ square foot terminal offers a variety of amenities including conference rooms, a spacious lounge, a pilot's lounge with planning room, and a second-story observation deck overlooking HRJ's midfield.

Harnett Regional Jetport is a county-owned public-use airport in Harnett County. The airport is located four nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Erwin. It was formerly known as Harnett County Airport.

Keep up to date on operations and updates at the HRJ here.

Join us for the HRJ Terminal Ribbon Cutting & Jamboree!

Harnett County Government will hold the Harnett Regional Jetport Terminal Ribbon Cutting & Jamboree on Saturday, May 18, 2024 from 8:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Mark your calendars and join us for an official ribbon cutting, guided tours of the new terminal, vendors to include Harnett County departments, industry/education partners, food trucks, static aircraft displays, and more!

Economic Development Highlight

Pictured: (left to right) The Godwin Group's Corporate President Pat Godwin, Jr., HCS CTE Director Lindsey Hardee, The Godwin Group's Corporate Vice President Phyllis Godwin.

Workforce Development - The Godwin Group and HCS CTE

Workforce Development in Harnett County was put on display at the national level at NTEA - The Work Truck Association's Work Truck Week 2024.

On March 6, Godwin Manufacturing, along with Harnett County Schools' Career & Technical Education Program (HCS CTE), served on a Workforce Development Session panel at the annual event in Indianapolis, Indiana. The session titled “Exploring Ways to Maximize Your Talent Pipeline” focused on two unique approaches to workforce development and retention from industry leaders, The Godwin Group and TBEI.

Corporate Vice President of The Godwin Group, Phyllis Godwin, along with HCS CTE Director, Lindsey Hardee, and Triton High School Agricultural Mechanics Teacher, Andy Cole, spoke specifically about their partnership to develop the LEEPS Advanced Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) program at Triton High School. The trio also offered advice to those in the work truck industry who are interested in becoming more engaged with schools within their own communities.

Research Triangle Regional Partnership Engagement Opportunities

The Research Triangle Regional Partnership (RTRP) routinely provides opportunities for local economic developers across the region to engage with site selection consultants, North Carolina Department of Commerce leaders, and Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) professionals.

Continual connections with such professionals are incredibly valuable to our local communities. Below are recent events in which our team has participated:

Site Selection Dinner

RTRP provided a unique opportunity to economic development partners in our region to visit with more than a handful of site selection consultants who were in the area learning about The Research Triangle Region and the great wins that have recently occurred. North Carolina Secretary of Commerce, Machelle Baker Sanders, attended the dinner alongside local leaders of both VinFast US and Wolfspeed (Chatham County).

The two company leaders took time to share why North Carolina, and specifically, the Triangle Region, won their business.

Consultant Connect Forum

RTRP hosted a “Consultant Connect” Forum at Wake Technical Community College's RTP Campus where local government leaders, economic developers, and higher education professionals were able to gain insight from site selection consultants as to “why” North Carolina and “why” the Triangle Region. A subsequent panel of distinguished higher education leaders, including Central Carolina Community College President, Dr. Lisa Chapman, discussed the culture of collaboration that prevails among the region's educational institutions and how it has spurred innovative workforce development partnerships like AdvanceNC.

NC Carolina Core Site Selectors Trip to Greenville, South Carolina

Ten NC Carolina Core economic developers traveled to Greenville, S.C., to meet with representatives from five site selection firms. On this trip, the group had the opportunity to talk about our region's economic development momentum, amazing assets, and why their client companies should consider expanding in the Carolina Core.

NCEDA Spring Conference

The North Carolina Economic Development Association (NCEDA) Spring Conference took place March 5 & 6 in Pinehurst. Members our team attended the event to take advantage of opportunities to network with local and state-level economic development colleagues as well as learn from the program sessions to include an update on global marketing strategies from the EDPNC, insight on economic development from leaders in the North Carolina General Assembly, firsthand knowledge of the changing landscape of electric utilities in North Carolina, and more. The NCEDA's mission is to serve as the voice for North Carolina’s economic development community – providing professional development, networking opportunities and advocacy to secure the state’s economic future.

Campbell Engineering Tour

On February 28, Harnett County Economic Development partnered with Campbell Engineering to provide members of the Harnett County Economic Development Partnership and Harnett County Government leaders with a tour led by Dean of Engineering, Dr. Jenna Carpenter. The group received an in depth look at the Creek Makerspace, a state-of-the-art lab that provides students with the opportunity to design and create using 3D printers, embroidery, vinyl cutter, and design software; engineering classlabs where students have hands-on learning opportunities in addition to lectures; and the engineering shops equipped with professional-grade tools for metal and woodworking, industrial-level fabrication, water jet, and other metal working equipment. Harnett County is fortunate to have education partners - like Campbell Engineering - in our community.