July 2022

Latest Announcements
FCEDC signed a proclamation of partnership last month with the U.S. Army Reserve Command’s Private Public Partnership Office. It was the first such agreement in the nation for an economic development organization and is designed to help Reservists and their spouses find meaningful employment in the civilian sector. P3O works to ensure that Army Reserve soldiers are succeeding in their civilian careers, which directly benefits the Army and the nation. More than 87 percent of Reservists integrate military service with civilian careers, providing the Army with professional skills, education, and expertise acquired in the private sector. But many Reservists are either unemployed or under-employed. Read more.
The Golden LEAF Foundation Board of Directors recently awarded $937,600 to Cumberland County to be used for clearing and rough grading a 30-acre portion of the Cumberland County-owned Sand Hill Road Site. “We are happy that our partnership with FCEDC continues to benefit our community,” said Cumberland County Manager Amy Cannon. “We look forward to building on this momentum and to the rewarding careers this opportunity will bring to our citizens.” Industrially zoned, the Sand Hill Road Site consists of 159 acres located between Interstate 95 and N.C. 87. Read more.
Cathy Johnson is pictured at FCEDC’s celebration of her service on June 22 with Brad Loase (left), owner of Express Employment Professionals, and Anthony Fox (right), general manager of NFI.
Cathy Johnson, Vice President of Existing Industry for Fayetteville Cumberland Economic Development Corporation, retired July 1 after an accomplished career in Fayetteville and Cumberland County economic development and as a champion of the local manufacturing community. FCEDC celebrated her three decades of service with a reception on June 22. “Cathy has been an incredible resource to me and continues to share her knowledge with new team members,” said Robert Van Geons, President and CEO of FCEDC. “She has made thousands of existing industry visits, assisted hundreds of companies, and leads our Plant Manager’s Association. We are all grateful for her service to Fayetteville and Cumberland County.” Read more.
FCEDC By The Numbers
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FCEDC turned its conference room into a celebratory event venue on July 14, hosting the 12th edition of The Fayetteville Observer’s 40 Under 40 reception. The annual event honors our community's best and brightest young professionals. A panel of judges selected this year’s honorees from a list of nominees who live or work in Bladen, Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Lee, Moore, Robeson, Sampson, or Scotland counties. This year’s class represents a variety of professions, but all have proven themselves as successful leaders who give back to their community. Read more.
Global Engagement: Driving Foreign Direct Investments
FCEDC at 2022 Select USA Summit with NCSE and EDPNC
FCEDC's CEO & President Robert Van Geons, CEcD, represented Fayetteville and Cumberland County at the 2022 Select USA Summit along with North Carolina's Southeast and The Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina. The high-profile event is dedicated to promoting foreign direct investment and provided economic development organizations an unparalleled opportunity to engage and interact with global investors and entrepreneurs.



Pictured with Robert Van Geons (right) are Phillip Shumaker (left), Director of Business and Economic Development, NCSE, and Megan Sellers (center), Director of Marketing and Project Management, NCSE
Van Geons is traveling internationally to promote Fayetteville and Cumberland County as prime locations for global business. Last week, he was at the Society of Industrial and Office REALTORS® International European Conference in Dublin. At the event, Van Geons networked with outstanding commercial brokerage specialists from all over the world. Currently, he is meeting with companies from aerospace and defense industries at the Farnborough International Airshow in London. The event aligns with FCEDC’s mission of helping drive the expansion of Fayetteville Regional Airport through the marketing of airport-adjacent development sites and by increasing awareness of our diverse community. Read more.
Due to the retirement of our longstanding leader of Existing Industry, we have begun our search for the mission-critical Director of Existing Industry position. Charged with continuing and expanding our award-winning program, this individual will serve as a liaison between our organization and local businesses, helping to troubleshoot issues, and assisting with opportunities for growth and expansion. Successful candidates will possess excellent communication skills and either a relevant degree or substantial and related work experience. Resumes may be sent to info@fayedc.com.
Check out the latest available, quality jobs in Fayetteville and Cumberland County, NC. We encourage you to share these opportunities with anyone who is looking for a new career.
#DidYouKnow?
North Carolina ranks No. 1 in America’s Top States for Business (CNBC, 2022)

A Message from FCEDC President & CEO
In this issue of our newsletter, we are happy to share several items of recent good news, including that FCEDC and Cumberland County received a second GoldenLEAF site development grant for a 30-acre tract between N.C. 87 and Interstate 95. Several other major initiatives are ongoing, and we look forward to announcing those soon. As always, we are grateful for the unwavering support of Cumberland County, City of Fayetteville, and private sector partners.

Sincerely,
Robert M. Van Geons, CEcD