Business Perspective

Jun 22, 2021

First in Future: Role of Counties in Recovery with Rep. Dean Arp & Kevin Leonard and Paige Worsham with the NCACC

In this episode, we focus on the "Role of Counties in Recovery" with guests Rep. Dean Arp, R-Union; Kevin Leonard, Exec. Dir. NCACC; Paige Worsham, Assoc. General Council, NCACC. Pandemic financial relief is coming from the federal government. We discuss about how do we make sure we use it wisely to make a full recovery, and possibly even come back stronger than we were before the pandemic? 

Jun 8, 2021

First in Future: NC Small Business Recovery with Byron Hicks, Dr. Henry McKoy, and Kevin Price

In this episode, we focus on "Back to Business: The NC Small Business Recovery" with guests Byron Hicks of the Small Business and Technology Development Center, Dr. Henry McKoy of NC Central University and Kevin Price of National Institute of Minority Economic Development. 

Nov 17, 2020

First in Future: The Ties That Bind Us (part 3) – Zachary Barricklow

This is part three of a three episode series of First in Future, where we focus on community, specifically what people and places in North Carolina are doing to make the places we live special. In the final part of our special focus on what transforms a place we live into a true community, we talk with Zach Barricklow of Wilkes Community College about the regional approach Wilkes, Ashe and Alleghany counties are taking to build off of their collective assets (especially high speed internet) to hold on to young people, retrain adults and attract new residents to the area. 

Nov 10, 2020

First in Future: The Ties That Bind Us (part 2) – Dante Pittman

This is part of a three episode series of First in Future, where we want to focus on community, specifically what people and places in North Carolina are doing to make the places we live special. Small towns everywhere complain about "brain drain", young educated people who move away for college and don't come back. In the second part of our series on what makes the places we live special, we talk with Dante Pittman, who chose to move back home to Wilson, NC, with the help of a new effort called "Lead for North Carolina." And we explore the question: how do we retain and retrain and stop brain drain? 

Oct 6, 2020

First in Future: Jess George

One of the most complicated challenges of the coronavirus has been the need for more broadband. It has been a challenge that the Institute for Emerging Issues has been working on for awhile. We have been working with the state Broadband Infrastructure Office to get grants out to school systems, nonprofits, and communities. Our First in Future guest this episode is Jess George, who represents one of the critical private investors in infrastructure, Google Fiber. Jess is their government and community affairs representative. 

Sep 21, 2020

First in Future: Cecilia Holden and Jeni Corn

Three years ago myFutureNC looked at NC’s future economy and came to the conclusion that to meet the needs of the future, we need more people with some sort of meaningful credential beyond high school. The Institute for Emerging Issues has been looking at this issue over the past few months, and we’re bringing together a big discussion of all those issues in a few days. This episode features the head of the nonprofit myFutureNC, Cecilia Holden and their research director, Jeni Corn. 

Sep 15, 2020

First in Future: Sarah Hall

myFutureNC looked at NC’s future economy and came to the conclusion that to meet the needs of the future. This episode features IEI Senior Policy and Program Manager Sarah Hall, who’s been has been looking at this issue. 

Jul 21, 2020

First in Future: Chair for the NC School of Science and Math Tom Looney

Summary: The Institute for Emerging Issues is spending a lot of time focusing on the future of education and work. That is the main focus of the interview with this… 

Jul 14, 2020

First in Future: University Entrepreneur in Residence and a Professor of the Practice at UNC Buck Goldstein

Summary: Our US colleges and learning institutions are in unique situations with the uncertain times with safety and quality of education. Our First in Future guests on this episode is… 

Jun 12, 2020

Jumpstarting Tourism

Summary: Leslie Boney, Director of the Institute for Emerging Issues, hosts a series of virtual conversations discussing the impacts of coronavirus (COVID-19) and some of the ways our state is…