News and Announcements
WBD Joins Corning in Honoring Educational Innovation
December 7, 2015
Kelly Crowley, a 3rd grade teacher at Wilmington’s Pine Valley Elementary School, is the 2015 recipient of the Corning – WBD Award for Excellence in STEM Education. The award was given at the annual meeting of Wilmington Business Development on October 8th.
“Mrs. Crowley builds interest and excitement about STEM by demonstrating that science and math are a part of almost everything we do,” said Bob Trapp, engineering standards manager at Corning, Inc., who presented the ... Continue Reading
Annual Meeting Highlights Private Equity Investing and More
The 2015 Annual Membership Meeting of Wilmington Business Development drew some 200 participants to the Burney Center at UNC Wilmington. Held the evening of October 8th, members and guests listened to a series of speakers share insight on economic development and business topics.
Allen Thorpe, New York City-based managing director at Hellman & Friedman, LLC, delivered this year’s keynote address. Thorpe outlined current outcomes and expectations large private equity firms look for when investing in companies. ... Continue Reading
AAIPHARMA/CAMBRIDGE MAJOR LABORATORIES LAUNCHES MAJOR EXPANSION AT ITS WILMINGTON LABS AND CORPORATE HQ
December 1, 2015
Growth of Life Sciences Adds Diversification to Region’s Economy
November 20, 2015 (Wilmington, N.C.) – AAIPharma Services Corp./ Cambridge Major Laboratories, Inc. (AAIPharma/CML), the contract drug development and manufacturing provider, will invest $15.8 million in expanded lab operations and corporate headquarters space in Wilmington over the coming three years, Governor Pat McCrory announced today. The move will bring at least 37 new jobs to the Port City over the coming three years, with a total ... Continue Reading
13TH ANNUAL VERIZON INVITATIONAL DRAWS RECORD PARTICIPATION
June 30, 2015
1st Place: Bill Harrington, Courtney Faircloth & Steve Gunn
2nd Place: Steve Wilkinson, Bill Rhodes & Joel White
3rd Place: Bob Cherry, Ned Murchison & Josh Goldstein
4th Place: Tim Eldridge, Brian Rector & Tee Nunnelee (not pictured)
Clear skies and comfortable breezes greeted participants of the thirteenth annual Verizon Invitational Golf Tournament, held May 13th at River Landing Country Club in Wallace. Forty-six teams competed in this year’s event, which featured golf on Clyde Johnston-designed courses, food, beverages ... Continue Reading
EXISTING INDUSTRIES THE LIFEBLOOD OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Nationally, some 42 percent of job creation in a given community comes via expansions and growth of companies already there, according to a 2011 report by the Brookings Institute. Since its founding in 1956, Wilmington Business Development has supported existing industry as a cornerstone for the region’s economic strategy.
Along with our product and infrastructure development programs and corporate recruitment activities, WBD’s support for existing industry is systematic, ongoing and results-oriented. Regular site visits and dialogue ... Continue Reading
TRI-COUNTY COLLABORATION SHARPENS GLOBAL MARKETING
In today’s free-flowing global economy, business leaders have little concern for city limits and county lines. Today’s executives care more about access to adequate transportation systems, reliable utilities and abundant talent in drawing conclusions about the quality of a business destination.
That’s why earlier this year Wilmington Business Development (WBD) joined with the Brunswick County Economic Development Commission and The Southeastern Partnership in launching the Wilmington Regional Marketing Initiative. The collaboration seeks to effectively and efficiently showcase ... Continue Reading
Empire Distributors Proposes Purchase of 15 Acres at Pender Commerce Park
May 12, 2015
EMPIRE DISTRIBUTORS PROPOSES PURCHASE OF 15 ACRES AT PENDER COMMERCE PARK
Looks to Build Distribution Center
May 12, 2015 (Wilmington, N.C.) – Just as Acme Smoked Fish Corporation ramps up production at its major new facility in Pender Commerce Park, a second tenant is now unveiling plans there for a 160,000-sq.ft. warehouse and distribution center. On Monday, the Pender County Board of Commissions approved the proposed sale of 15 acres at the park to Empire Distributors of ... Continue Reading
The 2nd-best U.S. city to start a business is in N.C.
April 29, 2015
TRIANGLE BUSINESS JOURNAL ... Continue Reading
Economic Impact Data Affirms WBD Results
December 18, 2014
Greater Wilmington’s recent run of company expansions and relocations has real meaning in terms of job opportunities, business activity and funding streams for vital local government services. From March 2013 through September 2014, WBD’s project management efforts resulted in the announced creation of 835 new jobs and more than $200 million in annual payroll, according to an analysis by Dr. William “Woody” Hall, senior economist at UNC Wilmington’s Swain Center for Economic and Business Services. ... Continue Reading
2014 Annual Meeting Highlights
Over 200 WBD members and guests attended the organization’s annual meeting on October 9th at UNC Wilmington’s Burney Center. The gathering included valuable networking among attendees, as well as an engaging line-up of speakers addressing a variety of important subjects.
After watching a video that featured key business leaders, participants were welcomed by Dickson McLean, chairman of WBD. “The past year has been a very successful one,” he said, reviewing economic impact ... Continue Reading
