We’re pleased to share that the Board of Commissioners has officially approved the resolution to join the North Carolina C-PACE Program. This means the program is now available to all commercial properties in the county, including those within town limits.

The post Board of Commissioners Approves C-PACE Resolution appeared first on Chatham County Economic Development Corporation.

“Chatham County has expanded eligibility for assistance to help residents attend college tuition and fee-free.

Adults in Chatham County who graduated from high school two years ago or more are encouraged to apply for the new Central Carolina Promise Plus scholarship program. Application is required to receive the assistance.

This is an expansion on existing assistance available for eligible recent high-school graduates attending CCCC, funded by Chatham, Lee, and Harnett counties for their residents. Chatham is the first of three counties to broaden eligibility to include less-recent high school graduates.

“Everyone must follow their own path in life, and sometimes that means we are better positioned to pursue higher education later in our journey,” said Chatham County Board of Commissioners Chair Amanda Robertson.

Mark Hall, CCCC’s Chatham County Provost, said that local employers and economic development partners have also shared excitement about the expansion.

“Their future workforce is going to be trained without any financial obstacles in the way,” he said. ”

Read more at Central Carolina Community College’s website.

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Prime Location and Unmatched Connectivity

One of Chatham County’s greatest advantages is its placement in NC. Nestled right in the center, between the Research Triangle and the Piedmont Triad, two of North Carolina’s most dynamic economic regions, Chatham provides easy access to major markets. Businesses benefit from proximity to Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) and major highways like U.S. 64 and I-85. This infrastructure allows companies to efficiently access key markets and attract top talent from surrounding regions. Companies also have access to smaller but still rather populated towns and cities, such as Sanford, Cary, Apex, Chapel Hill, and Carrboro.

A Thriving & Skilled Workforce

Chatham County boasts a growing labor force that is both skilled and adaptable. With access to top-tier universities such as the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, Duke University, and many more, businesses have access to a well-educated and abundant talent pool. Additionally, Chatham County’s partnership with Central Carolina Community College ensures workforce training programs tailored to the needs of local industries, particularly in advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, and clean energy.

Business-Friendly Environment

Chatham County’s pro-business environment makes it an attractive location for companies of all sizes. The Chatham Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) works closely with companies to streamline the expansion process, providing site selection assistance, workforce development resources, and access to state and local incentives. Additionally, 79 West, an innovation hub in Chatham County, provides entrepreneurs and businesses with collaborative workspaces, networking opportunities, and access to a growing ecosystem of startups and industry leaders, further strengthening the county’s pro-business appeal.

Quality of Life That Attracts and Retains Talent

Beyond business advantages, Chatham County offers an exceptional quality of life that helps attract and retain top talent. With a blend of charming small towns like Pittsboro and Siler City, outdoor recreational opportunities, and a vibrant arts scene, employees enjoy a balanced lifestyle. The county’s affordability, strong school systems, and close-knit community make it an ideal place to live and work.

Conclusion

Chatham County offers businesses the perfect combination of strategic location, skilled workforce, and a supportive business environment. With ongoing industrial investments and a high quality of life for everyone, Chatham County may become one of North Carolina’s major economic hubs. If your company is looking to expand, there’s no better place than Chatham County to build a successful future.

Are you ready to explore business opportunities in Chatham? Contact the Chatham Economic Development Corporation today to learn how we can assist and support your expansion plans. Visit our website or contact us at 919-542-8274.

The post Why Chatham? The Strategic Advantage for Business appeared first on Chatham County Economic Development Corporation.

“PITTSBORO, NC – Chatham County is dedicated to ensuring that all residents have equal and inclusive access to its resources. In November 2024, Chatham County proudly launched ReciteMe assistive technology on the County website, enhancing language access and promoting inclusivity for all residents while empowering individuals to personalize their browsing experience.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, more than 60% of adults in the United States live with a disability, which can pose challenges in navigating websites and limit their full engagement with the community. Additionally, more than 25 million individuals—over 8% of the U.S. population—are English learners, communicating in over 350 languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Arabic.”

For more, visit Chatham County’s website.

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”

FRONT AND CENTER

Chatham County is at North Carolina’s heart. Workforce, shovel-ready sites and a business-friendly approach, along with some geography, put it there.

[…]

MEETING IN THE MIDDLE

Chatham County  is at the center of many success stories such as CTI, literally and figuratively. The U.S. Geological Survey determined North Carolina’s geographic center is near Gulf, about 15 miles southwest of the county seat — Pittsboro. ‘We are grateful for our fantastic geography that puts us in the middle of the Triangle and Triad,’ says Chatham Economic Development President Michael Smith, who notes the proximity to Raleigh-Durham International Airport, where more than 350 flights head to destinations near and far daily, and Research Triangle Park, home to cutting-edge companies. ‘One of the things that’s fascinating is that if you’re standing in the northeast corner of Chatham County, you literally are in walking distance to RTP,’ he says.

Chatham Economic Development Business Development Manager Jack Pendergraph says it wasn’t long ago that driving to the state’s capital seemed like a journey. ‘Now, they’re right around the corner,’ he says. “Travel time from downtown Raleigh to Pittsboro is about 35 minutes. A 45-minute drive in any direction enables you to do all kinds of things, like see a show or go to a ballgame.'”

To read more, visit Business NC’s website.

The post Community close up: Chatham County appeared first on Chatham County Economic Development Corporation.

Enjoy a night of delicious food from local food trucks Bulkogi and Royal Cheesecake, craft brews from Havoc Brewing, live music by Thousand Ways, games, a raffle, and a special presentation highlighting the Carolina Tiger Rescue’s journey and what lies ahead.

This event is perfect for friends, family, and animal lovers alike–so come celebrate with the Carolina Tiger Rescue and enjoy an evening honoring fifty years of impact and dedication.

INFO: 

• Date: November 2nd
• Time: 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM
• Location: Havoc Brewing Company, Downtown Pittsboro

For more information, visit the Carolina Tiger Rescue’s website. 

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Governor Roy Cooper is encouraging donations to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund to help communities recover from catastrophic damage caused by Tropical Storm Helene.

“There is a massive effort underway to get help to the people of Western North Carolina including state and federal relief but we know there will be additional needs,” Governor Roy Cooper said. “If you’re able to give, please consider a donation to help North Carolinians as they clean up and recover from Helene.”

To donate to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund, visit nc.gov/donate.

Donations can also be mailed to:

• NC Disaster Relief Fund, 20312 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-0312.
• Or NC Disaster Relief Fund, c/o United Way of NC, 1130 Kildaire Farm Road, Suite 100, Cary NC 27511.

Donations made to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund will go to nonprofits working to meet the immediate needs of storm victims such as food and water, cleaning supplies and other emergency supplies. All of the donations made will go to disaster relief.

United Way of North Carolina is the fiscal agent for the Fund and will provide grants and reimbursement to nonprofits working in impacted communities.

“United Way of North Carolina is proud to partner with the Governor’s Office to manage the NC Disaster Relief Fund. We recognize the critical importance of delivering resources to communities for effective relief efforts. Together with the Governor’s Office, we are committed to ensuring that communities in western North Carolina affected by Hurricane Helene receive the support they need. This unprecedented situation calls for collective action to provide both immediate relief and long-term recovery assistance,” said Brittany Pruitt Fletcher, President and CEO of United Way of North Carolina.

Eligible non-profits can seek grants and reimbursement of up to $10,000 from the NC Disaster Relief Fund for efforts to meet immediate storm recovery needs via the United Way of North Carolina at https://www.unitedwaync.org/nc-disaster-relief-fund-helene.

If sufficient donations are collected to support long term recovery work, the North Carolina Community Foundation’s affiliate foundations and statewide grants committee will work to ensure that all remaining donations are distributed to nonprofits that can best serve unmet needs in affected communities.

Donations to the NC Disaster Relief Fund are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

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“State parks’ growth in visitation and acreage puts an exclamation point on an incredibly successful Year of the Trail in North Carolina,” said Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Reid Wilson. “Residents and out-of-state visitors came out to enjoy what the Great Trails State has to offer, and we are fortunate that Governor Roy Cooper and the legislature understand the rising public demand for outdoor recreation and responded with expanded investments in more land, trails, blueways, and greenways.”

For the second year in a row, Jordan Lake State Recreation Area was the most visited park in the system, welcoming more than 2.5 million visitors — about half a million more than last year. The park also broke the record for visitation to a single park unit, beating the record it set last year, when it became the first park to reach 2 million annual visitors. Five parks reached the 1-million-mark for annual visitation this year: Falls Lake, Fort Fisher, and Kerr Lake state recreation areas, and Fort Macon and Pilot Mountain state parks. Twenty-seven of 42 units saw an increase in annual visitation from 2022. Rendezvous Mountain, a satellite area of Stone Mountain State Park, more than doubled its visitation from the previous year. The largest visitation growth for a state park was 95% — at both Mayo River and Morrow Mountain state parks.

Continue reading on the NC Division of Parks & Recreation website.

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It is our great honor to host an overnight stop in Pittsboro for Cycle NC’s 2024 Mountains to Coast Ride. This incredible sports and recreation opportunity, now in its 25th year, has stopped overnight in more than 100 towns. Pittsboro-Siler City Convention & Visitors Bureau, Chatham Sports Alliance, and our many partners can’t wait to host an amazing event showcasing all that Chatham County offers.

The event will pass through Chatham County and stop overnight in Pittsboro Wednesday, October 9th and into the morning of Thursday, October 10th. Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center will serve as basecamp. The site will host camping, catered meals, yoga and wellness activities, a business center, vendors, food trucks, and entertainment (live music just for a taste, but follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates on more offerings). Chatham Transit will provide shuttles for participants to hotels in Pittsboro and Siler City (if you are interested in adding your business to the shuttle route, please contact us). Online registration is open at www.ncsports.org, and interested riders are encouraged to register early to avoid missing out.

We look forward to the months ahead and further collaboration with our visitor businesses and community stakeholders. Please make sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to Tourism CHITCHAT for the latest information on this event. All of this would not be possible without the help of our many partners across Chatham County: Chatham County Parks & Recreation, Chatham County Manager’s Office, Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center (CCACC), Chatham County Finance Department, and Chatham Transit.

The post Cycle NC 2024 Overnight Stop in Pittsboro – Pittsboro-Siler City Convention & Visitors Bureau appeared first on Chatham County Economic Development Corporation.

What do Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium, Fujifilm, VinFast and Wolfspeed all have in common?

The legal work on these massive N.C. economic development projects was overseen by one man: Bob Hagemann.

Hagemann, an attorney at Poyner Spruill in Raleigh, is now in his third year as the attorney for Chatham County’s governmental operations, and in that short span, he’s already made a huge impact — playing an instrumental role in bringing more than $9 billion and 9,000 jobs in economic development to the county this year and helping set the stage for decades of growth and change.

His peers would describe him as laid-back, humble. The kind of guy you’d enjoying catching up with over a glass of wine. But underneath Hagemann’s easygoing exterior is someone who knows how to get the job done, and whose skilled approach to the tasks at hand earned him the nickname — assigned by Michael Smith, the director of Chatham’s economic development office — “Billion-Dollar Bob.”

Continue reading on the Chatham News + Record website.

Featured image by Matt Ramey, Chatham News + Record.

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