Rural Perspective

Mar 19, 2019

First in Future: President and CEO of the NC East Alliance John Chaffee

Summary: This week’s First in Future guest, John Chaffee has a lifetime of stories about recruiting outside companies to relocate in eastern North Carolina. That’s what any economic developer does.… 

Mar 5, 2019

First in Future: Executive Director of AMEXCAN (The Association of Mexicans in North Carolina) Juvencio Rocha Peralta

Summary: In 1980, Juvencio Rocha Peralta became frustrated by the job opportunities in Veracruz Mexico, a town of about 500 people, so he took a big chance. At the age… 

Feb 26, 2019

First in Future: Director of Community and Economic Engagement at Elizabeth City State University Russ Haddad

Summary: As part of our ReCONNECT NC series, the Institute for Emerging Issues is identifying groups of communities where something remarkable is happening. The challenge for all of the communities is working… 

Feb 19, 2019

First in Future: Growing Outdoor Partnership Sophie Paulos & Noah Wilson

Summary: Today’s First in Future podcast guests Sophie Paulos, Graham County, economic development director and Noah Wilson, Project Manager, Growing Outdoors, Mountain BizWorks are all about changing the way you think… 

Feb 12, 2019

First in Future: North Carolina State University Dr. Mitch Renkow

Summary: Research shows that whenever a new economic development project is announced as bringing in jobs to a country, less than half of those jobs go to residents of that county… 

Jan 15, 2019

First in Future: Principal Founder of Community Food Lab Erin White

Summary: Agriculture is an $84B industry in North Carolina that supports more than 600,000 jobs. North Carolina has set a goal of growing that industry by 20% in the next few… 

Jan 3, 2019

First in Future: co-founder and partner at Plexus Capital Kel Landis

Summary: If you were looking to identify a poster child for citizenship, you could do a lot worse than Kel Landis, co-founder and partner at Plexus Capital. As we re-visit our… 

Dec 18, 2018

First in Future: Golden LEAF Foundation President Dan Gerlach

Summary:  In the late 1990’s, North Carolina leaders did something remarkable. As part of the national settlement agreement with tobacco companies, North Carolina was projected to receive an estimated $4.6… 

Nov 27, 2018

First in Future: Senior Policy and Program Manager at the Institute for Emerging Issues Sarah Langer Hall

Summary:  The idea that the rural and urban parts of our state seemed to be getting further and further apart, and this is on the minds of North Carolinians. This… 

Nov 20, 2018

First in Future: Explore Elkin Jeff Eidison

Summary:  What makes a small town thrive? Downtowns where people come together to see each other and do things. Their story and what makes their town special, and they’re proud…