Greater Fayetteville Business Journal - January 27, 2023 Issue

THE GREATER FAYETTEVILLE BUSINESS JOURNAL is taking a look at the economic developments in the past, present and future in the county seats throughout our seven county coverage area. Whether it’s new constructions, renovations and buildings being added to a downtown skyline, there is something to look forward to coming soon to the county seats in your community.

Elizabethtown, Bladen County

Founded: 1773

The town of Elizabethtown is in the middle of a boom in development in the downtown area. In December of 2022, it was announced that two grants had been awarded for the development of a new 11,000 square foot community center and to improve the streetscapes on Martin Luther King Drive. The facility is expected to include a new playground, indoor event space, multipurpose full-size playing surface with bleachers, locker rooms, commercial kitchen, meeting offices and substantial parking. The grant totaling $2,575,000 was awarded to the town in conjunction with engineering consultant Paul Mattox, Libby Smith and E.L. Robinson Engineering. Elizabethtown Planning Director Rusty Worley will serve as project lead for the community center with site prep and the design, bid, build, and construction is planned to begin in February 2023. Town staff say the community center will be built on the current location of the Martin Luther King Park.

Before that the town was already working on utilizing a Community Development Block Grant for neighborhood revitalization in the form of improved sidewalks and the addition of decorative lighting.

Also in December of 2022, the town was given another opportunity for development after being awarded a portion of $6.8 million in T-Mobile Hometown Grants to improve their Cape Fear Farmers Market Space. According to a press release, improvements will include “A covered stage for events, information center and local murals to support small businesses and promote family gathering.”

Starting off the new year strong, in early January of 2023, Elizabethtown joined a state initiative focusing on increasing tourism in rural commu-

nities. Bladen county was one of four southeastern North Carolina counties to benefit from a partnership with the UPLIFT program.

According to Elizabethtown

- White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Terri Dennison, the town, branded as “Mother nature’s playground,” hopes the program “Will help us strengthen the tourism product, develop our strategies and focus on the impact of tourism on our economy and quality of life.” According to Dennison, the town has seen an increase in visitors to the area, and over the next year UPLIFT will work with the town to develop multi night itineraries to help keep visitors longer, enhance tourism experiences offered in the area, strengthen the tourism economy and tell the stories of the region. With just over 3,500 residents, the town will be celebrating its 250th anniversary in 2023 with a Founders Day Parade and Revolutionary war scheduled for March 4.

Picture: 1 Elizabethtown Town Council with conceptualization of new community center.

Picture 2: Downtown Elizabethtown covers several blocks of West Broad Street, South Poplar Street, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.

Fayetteville, Cumberland County

Founded: 1739

The year 2022 was a major year in economic projects across the City of Fayetteville. From the near completion of the nearly 1.3 million- square-foot Amazon fulfillment facility in Fayetteville’s Military Business Park off of Bragg Blvd, to the establishment of a social district opening up a new era of hospitality in Downtown Fayetteville, the changes to the area are expected to continue thanks to ongoing growth on Fort Bragg, their 7,000 service members, and their families, leaving the armed forces and joining local work forces

and the work of the economic driver partnerships located throughout Fayetteville.

Fayetteville Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation

Executive Vice President Robert Patton spoke with the Greater Fayetteville Business Journal about the state of development in 2022. Patton said that a majority of the growth wasn’t just connected to large projects but primarily to the smaller achievements like bringing The Geneva Foundation to its CORE Innovation Center and businesses such as the PLATEAU GRP to the area.

had several significant project visits this year already. This month has been extremely busy for Project visits, and we are being looked at for some very cutting edge, high tech, high paying projects that would really be meaningful to this community.”

Downtown Fayetteville can also expect to see changes as efforts that began late last year go into full effect in 2023. In November of 2022, following final approval from the Fayetteville City Council, a temporary Downtown Social District officially launched on Dec. 1 encompassing 26 addresses throughout downtown Fayetteville that will allow open carry. The social district will remain on a temporary/ trial basis for the next year where council members will revisit the social district and examine the results of the past year before voting to make it a permanent fixture for the area.

“The second Amazon 1.3 million facility fulfillment center, that was our largest project last year, but we had a lot of smaller [projects]. We had a really good balance last year, in my opinion of some of the smaller ones like you know, the Fort Bragg Research Institute, ChenMed was a little bit smaller but, whew, big impact,” said Patton. “When we brought in Fortuna last year, they’ve really taken off now to the point that they had an office in our space but grew so big and so fast that they now have offices and another facility,” shared Patton. “Of course, Plan C crypto came in last year hard, they’re doing well, they are growing right now. So, we’ve had some really good wins. So, when you compare Amazon to those companies, they’re smaller, but the impact is equally if not more important on that small scale, because we’d like to see those companies grow.

Patton said that successfully laying the groundwork for new business last year will help bring in bigger projects moving forward.

“We had some really good wins across the board. I think as we crossed from 2022 into 2023, a lot of that, what I’ll call blocking and tackling, a lot of the basics we did, we are looking at the potential for a very strong 2023,” said Patton. “We’ve already

Expanded real estate is also in the works with a 9,000 square foot multiuse commercial building currently under construction on Donaldson Street. A 150,000 gross square foot apartment building that will include 212 apartments is also expected to continue progress this year, and 12 new condos are also under construction at 111 Maxwell St. in the Kress building. These expansions to downtown have been in the works for the past few years and are expected to be the fruit of more than $210,000,000 in private investments.

Clinton, Sampson County Founded: 1784

The City of Clinton is currently in the process of several major revitalization efforts in their historic downtown area. Designated as a Main Street Community in 1982, Clinton was one of the first 10 Main Street communities in the state of North Carolina. Today, the city

PHOTO PROVIDED BY: AMAZON

PHOTO PROVIDED BY: CITY OF CLINTON

PHOTO PROVIDED BY: TOWN OF ELIZABETHTOWN

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

6.1%

6.3%

3.7%

3.5%

LABOR FORCE (NOVEMBER) BY INDUSTRY (FAYETTEVILLE MSA) Source: NC Department

4424 Bragg Blvd, Fayetteville, NC 28303 910-240-9697

bizfayetteville.com

PUBLISHER

Marty Cayton martyc@bizfayetteville.com

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Faith Hatton faithh@bizfayetteville.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITER/REPORTER

Stephanie Meador stephaniem@bizfayetteville.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Charity Brandsma

Kate Griffin

Diana Hansen

Kathie Harris

Suet Lee-Growney

Jenna Shackelford

Eddie Velazquez

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

MARKETING CONTENT

Stacie Borrello

SALES CONSULTANT

Tim Hinton marketing@bizfayetteville.com

CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER

Samantha Lowe samanthal@bizfayetteville.com

ACCOUNTING

Priscilla Nelson billing@bizfayetteville

The Greater Fayetteville Business Journal is published twice a month throughout Fayetteville and the Cumberland County region. News related to the region’s business sector is posted daily at bizfayetteville.com.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Your free trial of Greater Fayetteville Business Journal is ending soon.

To subscribe, call 910-240-9697 or visit bizfayetteville.com/ subscribe. Subscriptions cost $9.95 per month or $95 per year.

REPRINT

For article reprints, plaques and more contact Faith Hatton at 910-240-9697.

ADVERTISING

For advertising information, please email us at marketing@bizfayetteville.com or call 910-240-9697.

© Copyright 2022

Greater Fayetteville Business Journal

A year of growth

If you’re reading this, let me just say, “Thank You.” In our world of over stimulation and information overload, it is our honor to have you take any of your time to learn more about the businesses, organizations and people we write about at Greater Fayetteville Business Journal.

2022 was our first full year of operations and it was a resounding success. Our founding and corporate sponsors, advertisers and superb staff made all of this possible, along with the blessings from the good Lord! It also doesn’t hurt that our business community is growing and becoming more accustomed to sharing their stories.

Our mission at Greater Fayetteville Business Journal is to provide actionable business news and information to our readers in Fayetteville/

Cumberland County, as well as Harnett, Hoke, Moore, Robeson, Bladen, and Sampson Counties. We offer online and print business news/information, in addition to compelling in person events.

And speaking of events, I am excited about our next POWER BREAKFAST ON FEBRUARY 28TH (SEE PAGE 5 FOR MORE DETAILS.) I have heard Ted Abernathy speak twice now and what I enjoy most is his ability to take complex data and make it easy to understand. This skill of Ted’s is truly a gift, and you will not want to miss this next Power Breakfast.

I am also pleased that Ted is coming to our area through a collaboration with Fayetteville Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation. When we began the Greater Fayetteville Business Journal, one of our goals was to look for

opportunities to team up with organizations that promote the wellbeing and growth of the business community, and we are optimistic about the future growth of this aim.

In closing, I would like to invite you to consider becoming a subscriber. You can do this by going to BizFayetteville.com/subscribe. With your subscription, you will receive unlimited access to stories on www. BizFayetteville.com. You will also receive our printed Business Journal which comes out twice per month and the annual Book on Business.

I look forward to hearing from you in 2023!

God bless you and yours!

THE GFBJ INVITES YOU TO CELEBRATE A FULL YEAR OF OPERATIONS AT OUR FIRST POWER BREAKFAST

OUR ECONOMIC FUTURE

TUESDAY,

In the past nine years, Abernathy and his team have worked on 146 projects in more than 20 states and internationally. He currently serves as economic advisor to the Council of State Chambers and previously held a similar position to the Southern Governor’s Association.

The Ralph and Linda Huff Orangery Cape Fear Botanical Garden Fayetteville, NC 28305

Ted Abernathy, a nationally respected economic strategist based in North Carolina, will talk about the Fayetteville region’s competitive strengths and weaknesses as well as how the changing landscape in global trade, technology and demographics will impact our community in 2023 and beyond.

TED ABERNATHY Managing Partner Economic Leadership

Ted Abernathy is the Managing Partner of Economic Leadership, which helps communities and other clients analyze competitiveness, develop strategies and reimagine the future.

>> By Faith Hatton

From COUNTY, page 2

is working on new projects through the Clinton Main Street Program. Two buildings within the Downtown district are undergoing extensive rehabilitation projects. One building located at 308 College St. is currently being renovated and will be the new home of local shop Matthew’s Gifts which is moving from a strip shopping center on Hwy 701 to Downtown. The second rehabilitation project on the horizon is the Henry Vann building located at 100 Fayetteville Street. The two story, 22,000 square-foot brick structure located at 104 Fayetteville St. is one of the largest buildings in Downtown Clinton.

According to City of Clinton Planning Director/Main Street Director Mary Rose, the building was built around 1911 for Henry Vann and occupied by Vann Motor Company a former automobile dealership, and current plans are being considered for a mixed-use development with a taproom on the first floor and approximately five residential units on the second floor.

“With the out migration of businesses to strip malls in the 70s and 80s, we are pleased to attract this business to Downtown and consider it confirmation of the efforts of our Clinton Main Street Program and the work being accomplished to create Downtown Clinton as a vibrant destination within our community,” shared Rose.

Rose said the Clinton Main Street Program and City Planning staff are also working with engineers to design a Phase IV Downtown Revitalization Infrastructure project. The project has been in the works since the early 2000s with the first phase being completed in 2002. Over the next decade, phases two and three were also completed, receiving statewide recognition with the 2004 NC Main Street Award for Best Public Improvement Project for Phase I. Phase IV is projected to begin construction in FY 24-25 and will be an extension of the Phase I project which originally focused on the courthouse square in Downtown Clinton. The final phase IV will include Lisbon and Wall Street infrastructure improvements. Aesthetic improvements to the downtown area are also being made,

such as the completion of a wall mural project by the Clinton Main Street Program Design Committee. The mural, by Kinston artist, and PBS North Carolina Weekend producer, Seraphim Smith is identified as the largest dogwood mural in the state at 94’ in length. According to Rose, this mural project falls under design and involves creating a vibrant Downtown which aids in attracting investment.

“In 2022, the Clinton Main Program Promotion Committee installed the first phase of our first Downtown speaker system as another tool to create a vibrant Downtown. The first phase included the 100 block of Main Street on the courthouse square and included the installation of 20 speakers which play a variety of music along the sidewalks for pedestrians to enjoy,” said Rose. “The Promotion Committee is now working on plans for three additional phases of this speaker system which will eventually encircle the courthouse square.”

Carthage, Moore County

Founded: 1796

Eleven small businesses in the Town of Carthage have received a major economic stimulus after being awarded a portion of $24,500 in Carthage Downtown Revitalization Grants from the Duke Energy Foundation. The Carthage Century committee, a nonprofit group of local business people dedicated to the local level of economic development, awarded the grants with individual grants ranging from $1,300 to $2,345. Recipients are able to utilize the grants to cover the cost of modi-

According to Tommy Phillips of the Carthage Century Committee, the Committee has been partnering with the Moore County Partners in Progress to help make their economic development goals a reality.

“We organized with the Department of Commerce and the Town of Carthage organized a committee during 2021 during the pandemic. We talked about what the future of Carthage might look like, and what things might need to be done, and we're beginning to try to implement some of that. Some of it will probably be the things that the town will do, we have been trying to organize a business association and we hope to have that up and running within the next quarter,” shared Phillips.

According to Phillips, the grants are going towards much needed renovations for business owners downtown. “They had already received a letter from the selection committee that they would be funded and had been selected. And this lady said ‘I promise you I'm not going to cry, I did when I got the letter.’ So there were a lot of people that expressed real joy in receiving the grant. I also had one business that said, after putting together their proposal for the grant, they decided that it was something they should do and they have already put in motion purchasing they needed to do their project,” said Phillips. “So they were beginning to move along and that's kind of the thing we hoped would happen, that people would get the applications and would think ‘What can I do for 2023 that will enhance our business and our ability to serve the customers that we have?’”

county Courthouse.

“This is a big deal, four stories, 120,000 square feet. It's a $53.1 million courthouse. said Executive Director of Partners in Progress Natalie Hawkins. “This is going to be an addition to the existing courthouse, so it's going to expand the facility so it’s not replacing it’s an expansion.”

Downtown patrons will also be able to experience the first microbrewery in Downtown Carthage with the addition of Southern Pines Brewing Co. coming to the Tyson Jones Buggy Building thanks to an appropriation of funds from the state totaling $600,000 to help with renovations.

Raeford, Hoke County

Founded: 1901

The City of Raeford can expect a new building in the near future. Construction is set to start on a new county courthouse in 2023. According to Raeford/Hoke Economic Development Director William Wright, after some debate, Main Street in Downtown Raeford was the chosen site by county commissioners for the estimated $30 million building. Wright said that foot traffic generated by the government building will help downtown businesses to flourish.

fying or renovating the inside of their stores, acquiring new technology; installing awnings and blinds; painting storefront exteriors; and installing new signage and lighting.

Some of the grants will be going into the revitalization of an anchor for businesses in the downtown area: the Tyson Sinclair building. Previously owned by someone who lived out of town, the building had fallen into a state of disrepair. Now, businesses are moving in and helping to bring the building back to life.

A major construction project is also underway in downtown Carthage as streets have already begun closing for the new addition to the

Two new housing developments have also started construction on the outskirts of the city and in an existing subdivision to help the city meet housing demands.

See COUNTY, page 13

PHOTO PROVIDED BY: TYSON SINCLAIR BUILDING

PHOTO PROVIDED BY: TYSON SINCLAIR BUILDING

PHOTO PROVIDED BY: HOKE COUNTY

ACHIEVERS

Fayetteville State University appoints senior advisor to the chancellor

Fayetteville State University appointed STANLEY J. ELLIOTT, PH.D., senior advisor to the chancellor, effective Jan. 3, 2023.

In his new role, Elliott serves as a senior advisor to Chancellor Darrell T. Allison, J.D., offering his unique expertise to help move the university’s strategic goals forward and improve the overall educational experience for students, faculty, and staff.

“I am excited to welcome Dr. Elliott to FSU’s leadership team helping us guide our university to the next level of excellence,” Allison said in a press release. “He brings a wealth of experience in higher education from his previous senior leadership positions at other four-year institutions, as well as his service as president of one of our 58 state community colleges. I have full confidence

that Dr. Elliott will contribute significantly to FSU effectively executing our newly developed strategic plan and achieving our short-and long-term goals. We truly have a veteran leader in Dr. Elliott upon whom we will heavily depend.”

Elliott comes to FSU from Lenoir Community College in Kinston, North Carolina, where he served as vice president for student services and institutional effectiveness/Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges liaison since July 2020.

“I am honored to join Chancellor Allison and FSU to support and advance higher education initiatives for students across eastern North Carolina, especially our non-traditional and military-affiliated students,” said Elliott in a press release. “Fayetteville State has established itself uniquely in our state as a hub for learning, community engagement, entrepreneurship, and service. I am excited to work alongside the chancellor and the leadership team to help open doors for our students.”

Kauffman joins Pinehurst Medical Clinic electrophysiology team

FirstHealth Cardiology – Pinehurst Medical Clinic is excited to announce the expansion of its electrophysiology team in Pinehurst with the addition of LAURA KAUFFMAN, NP. She joins the established team located at FirstHeatlh Cardiology - PMC – East, which is

What are you and your peers achieving? Have you reached a new goal? Have you acquired another business? Maybe your business has a new hire you would like to highlight.

Greater Fayetteville Business Journal wants to hear from you and your business to shine a spotlight on your accomplishments.

To nominate someone for GFBJ’s Achievers section, email editor@bizfayetteville.com with the subject line “Achiever.”

composed of three board-certified cardiologists.

Kauffman earned her Master of Science in Nursing from Duke University School of Nursing, her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, her Bachelor of Arts in International Business from Eckerd College and an associate degree in nursing from Sandhills Community College.

After almost 10 years of clinical experience, Kauffman has developed a care philosophy that encompasses her patients’ complete health and well-being. “I enjoy providing care to the entire person and am passionate about cardiology,” shared Kauffman in a press release. “I believe that many things affect a person’s health – their physical health, environment, support systems, mental health, diet and exercise all play roles, and I love helping a patient identify ways to improve their health in a way that fits into their lifestyle.”

FirstHealth and PMC are happy that Kauffman has decided to stick around after experiencing the culture of the organization through several clinical rotations she did throughout her education. Kauffman expressed that the providers’ commitment to delivering the best care for their patients and the support they gave her made it an easy choice to continue her career in the electrophysiology department.

Campbell University’s biochemistry program, earns ASBMB accreditation

Campbell University’s biochemistry program and the pre-med track of the program received accreditation from the American Society for Biochemistry

and Molecular Biology, the College of Arts & Sciences. Campbell becomes just the second school in the state to earn ASBMB accreditation.

“The program includes rigorous coursework in both biology and chemistry,” said Dr. Evan Reynolds, assistant professor of chemistry and physics, in a press release. “An advantage of our program is the high faculty-to-student ratio, meaning our faculty are able to provide individualized attention to each student. There are many opportunities for students to engage in research both inside and outside the classroom, through participation in course-based research labs or independent research under the guidance of a faculty member.”

Student research in the program often results in presentations at the regional and national level and publication in respected journals, added Reynolds.

“The rigor of our program — paired with the dedication and supportiveness of our faculty — ensures that our students are highly successful in achieving their goals after graduation,” Reynolds affirmed in a press release. “Receiving ASBMB certification is a significant honor that highlights the fact that our graduates are well-trained and well-prepared to excel as they go on to graduate school or the workforce.”

Students within the newly accredited program are eligible to sit for the 2023 certification exam, to be offered in April.

Methodist University recognized in Higher Education Digest

Higher Education Digest, an independent higher education magazine, recently promoted Methodist University as one of 10 “must-watch” North American colleges and universities in 2022. MU was the only university from North Carolina on this list.

“MU is honored to be featured on this well-respected list,” said Minnu Paul, director of MU’s Global Education, in a press release. “Our University is constantly working to create an experience that engages, enriches, and empowers our students’ lives. The strong leadership from MU has led to a stout educational system that supports all of our students, especially our international students. This ranking solidifies the fact that we are a globalized campus.”

The magazine’s writers highlight some of MU’s most notable assets and achievements, including its thriving city atmosphere, MU’s ranking as the most diverse university in North Carolina, the more than 80 types of undergraduate and graduate programs, and the top 16 percent ranking nationally in The New York Times for overall economic mobility.

The Higher Education Digest article identifies why Methodist University is known as one of the top institutions for international students. Currently home to students from more than 50 countries and six continents, MU provides a dedicated Global Education staff who can support international students’ unique social and financial needs. The article goes on to recognize the University’s Campus Engagement Office and One Stop as additional staff resources for international students.

“Plus, non-international staff and people in the Fayetteville community are welcoming and supportive of international students,” said Paul. “They

Elliott

PHOTO PROVIDED BY: CAMPBELL UNIVERSITY

Campbell University is the second school in NC to earn an ASBMB accreditation.

Kauffman

PHOTO PROVIDED BY: METHODIST UNIVERSITY The Methodist University Health Sciences Building. MU was the only university from North Carolina featured on the 2022 “Must watch” list.

ACHIEVERS

From ACHIEVERS, page 8

donate in kind, monetarily, they pick up students from the airport, and they provide a home away from home in various ways.”

Fayetteville PWC Presented with award for safe water for 20th year

Fayetteville Public Works Commission is continuing a winning streak that now spans across two decades.

The PWC Board was presented with the 20-Year Director's Award from the Partnership for Safe Water in mid-January. According to the company's LinkedIn post celebrating the award, PWC was the first utility company in the state to receive the Directors Award, beginning in 2000, and is now the first to have earned it for more than 20 consecutive years, an honor achieved by less than 200 water utilities across the country.

The award recognizes PWC’s efforts and proven ability to treat water in a manner which meets or exceeds current regulatory practices.

The Director’s Award is presented to water systems who have completed a successful review in the Partnership’s

Self-Assessment and Peer Review phase, a phase in which utilities examine the capabilities of their treatment plant operation and administration and then create a plan for implementing improvements.

The award is presented annually by the Partnership for Safe Water, a voluntary initiative for enhancing water treatment to provide higher quality drinking water, which was developed jointly by the Environmental Protection Agency, American Water Works Association, utilities, and other water organizations.

Highland Roofing Company names four to new Master Technician Program

Highland Roofing Company is celebrating the skills of their staff after four of their employees were named Master Technicians.

ALEX MENDEZ, LUIS MARTINEZ, JEFF GREBOS and JOHN PERSONS received their new title after being initiated into the newly formed Master Technicians Program created to reward top skill level technicians with additional performance-based compensation for outstanding service, quality control, and work to train new technicians.

John Persons and Luis Martinez each have over 25 years of commercial roofing experience and Jeff Grebos and Alex Mendez each have over 15 years of experience in commercial roofing.

“Alex, Luis, Jeff and John are experts at their craft and have demonstrated strong leadership that enables us to provide the highest level of service to our clients,” said DJ Dean, Ser-

vice Manager at Highland Roofing Company in a press release. “We could not be more excited to launch a program that rewards them well for their efforts.”

Highland Roofing Company plans to expand the Master Technician to additional technicians as they each progress in their career paths and take on future leadership roles.

“Highland’s success is driven by our people, and it is important for us to ensure our compensation programs reflect Highland’s culture and values,” said Jeanette Omdalen, President and Owner of Highland Roofing Company in a press release.

Highland Roofing Company is a woman-owned, HUB-certified commercial roofing contractor with offices in Fayetteville, Wilmington and Raleigh, NC.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY: FAYETTEVILLE PWC

The PWC Board of Directors was presented with the Director's Award from the Partnership for Safe Water in mid-January.

Mendez

Martinez

Grebos

Persons

Cybersecurity: Cautious not paranoid

LOCAL IT PROFESSIONAL OFFERS ADVICE ON KEEPING YOUR DIGITAL DATA SECURE

Security is of the utmost importance for creating and operating a successful business and establishing trust among clients. As tax season kicks into full swing, it’s extra important for businesses to take precautions when sending out sensitive documents for their employees and clients.

President of the Fayetteville branch of Team Logic IT Jaron Cayton shared advice for protecting your business’s data and avoiding cyber attacks.

When presented with the question of whether or not certain months out of the year prove to yield a higher risk for cyber attacks, Cayton offered this response: “Businesses are always at risk and really should be vigilant throughout the year. I will say months where businesses are compiling a lot of reports and delivering a lot of things to employees like W-2 information, especially sensitive information like W-2s and 1099s, that’s always an opportunity for a social engineer to write up an email that looks like it’s coming from someone’s internal team and it’s really not and it’s an opportunity for them to click on a link because they’re expecting documents from their employer, things like that. So, I guess maybe that falls in line with the February timeframe with tax season, but I would encourage everyone to be vigilant year round.”

With the knowledge that businesses are always at risk of being targeted by social engineers, it is important that they take precautions to educate themselves and their staff to avoid falling victim to one of these attacks.

“There’s some basic things you can do and you can talk to your cybersecurity team or your IT provider to ensure your systems are secured and up to date,” shared Cayton. “And then there’s some higher level things you can do in terms of monitoring your systems and how they communicate, as well as training your staff. That’s probably the most overlooked one is when we put all these great systems in place, but if my staff opens the back door or the back door [is] unlocked, it makes it very easy for someone to take advantage [even] with really complicated, complex systems in place.”

For anyone just starting out with

One of the most important security measures a company can take is to ensure their employees are educated about the risks of cyber attacks and navigate their systems with caution.

their business or looking to increase their security measures, Cayton offered some suggestions for resources to consider. “There’s a lot of good information out there about the NIST framework, which is the National Institute for Standards and Technology and at a real high level that’s going to talk about how to control information within your business or within your organization. And then I would look to the big trusted brands out there. Microsoft has really solid products around Office 365 that come with kind of purpose built security implemented already or are able to turn on pretty easily.”

Additionally, it is always a good idea to speak with a trusted advisor. GFBJ’s 2023 Book on Business, which comes out Feb. 28, includes a list of managed IT firms located in Fayetteville and surrounding areas. Companies such as those that made the ranked list work with clients every day to help them develop cybersecurity plans.

If plans are compromised or something slips through the cracks, there are necessary steps to be taken

PHOTO PROVIDED BY: GFBJ

to reset and combat a cyber attack. Cayton shared some insights into what this process can typically entail.

“You have to kind of do a deep dive first and make sure you understand the scope of the attack. And that’s

usually done with your IT provider or your IT partner. They need to talk with their insurance company. There’s likely some requirements for notification to clients or to vendors, and just follow those steps accordingly, but you’ve got to understand the scope of it first.”

It can also be tricky to spot the onset of an attack. “It’s not always obvious, a lot of times attacks will lay dormant. They’re either collecting information to launch a greater attack later or they’re kind of waiting to see where the vulnerabilities are. So it’s difficult sometimes to detect if you don’t have the monitoring systems in place ahead of time,” remarked Cayton. “Usually key indicators that it’s an active attack is somebody sending emails or impersonating you from an account that is yours. Somebody’s taking control of your machine or has encrypted files and has left a message on your computer that says I’ve encrypted your files, that’s typically ransomware.”

Monitoring tools assist in identifying symptoms of foul play on your devices.

“Cybersecurity is going to continue to be top of mind even more probably than, certainly more than physical security, but even more than efficiency and usability, some of these things are going to be sacrificed on the altar of cybersecurity. I think in general, you’re going to see defense get better, but it’s not going to go away, right? And things are going to be more automated and relying on a computer to check rather than a human, but it’s always going to come down to people knowing what to do and responding correctly. Not clicking on links, not sharing information. That’s still the easiest way to attack a business is by hacking a person, right? Social engineering and not trying to access their systems directly,” concluded Cayton.

One of the most important security measures a company can take is to ensure their employees are educated about the risks of cyber attacks and navigate their systems with caution.

TIMA MIROSHNICHENKO/PEXELS

It's not always obvious, a lot of times attacks will lay dormant. They’re either collecting information to launch a greater attack later or they're kind of waiting to see where the vulnerabilities are.”

Jaron Cayton President, Team Logic IT Fayetteville Branch

TechNet Fort Bragg 2023

THE BIGGEST EXPO ON FORT BRAGG RETURNS FOR ANOTHER YEAR

The North Carolina Chapter of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association is hosting a local conference Feb. 9 and 10. TechNet Fort Bragg 2023 will take place at the Iron Mike Conference Center, on Fort Bragg. They are anticipating 900 attendees, including military, civilian, and industry partners, as well as an 80-table industry exposition.

AFCEA NC President Gerald “Marv” Gordner spoke with GFBJ to share additional details about the upcoming conference. Though he has been involved with the event as a member of the AFCEA NC Board for about 15 years, this is Gordner’s third year leading the event.

Gordner shared that TechNet is the biggest such expo on Fort Bragg every year. “It’s a good representation of all the commands on Fort Bragg and the area…So there’s a four star command called FORSCOM, The US Army Forces Command, three star command called JSOC

Joint Special Operations Command, three star command called US Army Special Operations Command, three star command called 18th Airborne Corps and many others honestly, 82nd airborne, the special warfare training school. The point is, they all come to TechNet.”

The first keynote speaker for day one of the event is Peter J. Tragakis from US Special Operations Command in Tampa. Tragakis is the CIO in J-6. Following that, attendees will split up into 15 different breakout sessions with topics ranging from artificial intelligence to lessons learned from the Ukraine conflict.

There will be a different keynote speaker for day 2. The individual has not been announced yet, but the organizers have confirmed it will be another “heavy hitter.”

They’ve got 80 plus exhibitors including big companies such as Booz Allen Hamilton, Raytheon and General Dynamics.

The theme for this year’s confer-

ence is “Unifying Communications on the Battlefield.” Technology in the military community is challenging, changing at a rapid pace, and essential for mission success. Their aim is to host a practical conference, providing the right forum to highlight solutions and a way-ahead, leveraging emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud, cyber, and data management, to solve the toughest issues facing our diverse technical community and our military.

The event is free for military and civil servants, but there is a fee for industry and academia. However, Gordner shared that they have a volunteer option for small businesses where you work for an hour or two, and then you get in for free.

Gordner shared that this conference provides invaluable opportunities for networking and education.

“You can have six months worth of conversations in a couple of days here. Or what I’m saying [is], it would take you six months to have

elsewhere, just on your own on the phone or in person or virtually,” shared Gordner.

The conference website is available at www.technetfortbragg.com. It includes the conference agenda, a registration portal and additional information.

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY: TECHNET

Topics focus on specific areas of Mission Command and address the hard-hitting issues facing the C4 community over the next 12 to 18 months.

A new association, The Downtown Raeford Business Association, also known as: DRBA is also working to help encourage people to come to the downtown area.

By organizing and hosting events, the DRBA has been able to attract new businesses to the area. Wright said that the efforts of the group has paid off and within the past year a bakery, new restaurant, and coffee shop, among other small businesses that now call Raeford home.

“I say that it has primarily been the efforts of that group. Just actively recruiting people and most of these, most of these were small businesses, like the restaurant had a big island another restaurant that

Development Channing Jones, a new $15 million industrial park is coming soon to the county thanks to a partnership between the City of Lumberton and Robeson County. Leaders are wrapping up the finalities for future anchor tenant Zurn Elkay Water Solutions will have their southeastern distribution center there near Lumberton

“It’s about a $42 and a half million investment, and the creation of approximately 90 jobs at that location, very proud of that. We’ve had investments in Rempac foam of about $3.9 million with an additional 40 new jobs,” said Channing.

was out in the county out between right for bed and it was just a matter of convincing them that the downtown was here, and they would do just as good a business downtown,” shared Wright. “We’ve really seen our Main Street blooming this year. They’re not huge businesses, they’re employing tons of people, but they’re keeping our buildings open. They’re keeping our buildings looking nice. We get lots of comments from people walking down Main Street and saying ‘God, it looks great, everything’s open, we can shop downtown!’ and it’s been a really good year for downtown Raeford.”

Lumberton, Robeson County

Founded: 1787

A number of large industrial projects are making their way to the Lumberton area as Robeson County continues to expand its offering in manufacturing, distribution and warehousing jobs that currently employ 17.6 percent of the county’s workforce.

According to the Executive Director of Robeson County Economic

But that is just the tip of the iceberg regarding upcoming developments in the area. Other incoming businesses that have been finalized within the last 16 months include: · APS Air Production Services, with a $3 million investment into the Lumberton area and created about 14 new jobs.

CREWBOSS and industry specializing in making fire retardant materials moved into Lumberton last year with about a $4 million investment creating 55 jobs.

Asbury Graphite of North Carolina Inc., leading producer of graphite for metallurgy batteries, fuel sales, refractories, general lubricants, rubber compounds and various other polymer systems committed to a $17 million expansion creating 41 new jobs.

Barnhill Construction Company is completing their construction on a $14 million asphalt facility in Lumberton which will lead to 55 new jobs.

“The most recent announcement was BioPhil Natural Fibers. They’re going to process hemp for industrial hemp so they are using fibers from the hemp plant that goes into automotive and building materials and then create 41 new jobs and it’s about a $11 million investment,” shared Channing.

Channing said that attributes leading to Robeson County being such an attractive area for businesses are

its geographic location which allows for easy distribution by road and by port, and a trade heavy workforce with about one out of every six people working in manufacturing, distribution or warehouse jobs throughout the county.

“That’s a large percentage of our workforce, and so we want to make sure that it’s healthy, that it’s growing and that we’re providing the right training and opportunities for the next generation of workforce to take advantage of those employment opportunities,” said Channing.

Lillington, Harnett County

Founded: 1855

The Town of Lillington is in the final stages of development for their “Downtown Lillington Master Plan, with one of the most important stages, community feedback, being completed in the beginning of January 2023 with the Downtown Redevelopment Community Meeting.

downtown, the plan included policies to improve the appearance and safety of streets downtown, outlines for intersections on some of the busiest roadways, safe and accessible sidewalks meant to encourage outdoor dining, seating and displays.

According to Lillington's Administrative Services Director Alicia Gregory the meeting was a success, with residents and business owners showing enthusiasm about the changes to come.

“The citizens are ready to get their Downtown back. There was abundant support for the 10th Street by-pass and the pedestrian improvements to Downtown Lillington. The citizens desire to be able to safely maneuver downtown,” said Gregory. “There has been a great deal of interest in Downtown since the Town has taken the initiative to revitalize downtown. Properties surrounding the identified revitalization area have been purchased by investors and developers.”

Changes in the downtown aesthetic are also included, with policies for art and lighting, landscaping and better looking streetscapes.

The town has been working on their downtown redevelopment plan since March of 2019, adopting the final version of the plan on March 10, 2020.

The meeting was held on Jan. 5 and provided a two hour long forum for residents to give their feedback and ask questions about any aspect of the current plan. With the goal of creating a more pedestrian friendly

The future of Downtown Lillington is also stated with plans to protect and enhance the character of the buildings, promote the downtown area to potential businesses, and revitalize underused passages such as alleys and courtyards.

“The revitalization efforts have been an on-going effort and the Town has received feedback from the constituents along the way. This was the final Community Meeting before they will see construction start,” said Gregory.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY: DRPA

PHOTO PROVIDED BY: RCED

PHOTO PROVIDED BY: TOWN OF LILLINGTON

PHOTO PROVIDED BY: TOWN OF LILLINGTON

Rentals in demand

THE FAYETTEVILLE HOUSING MARKET SEES A COOL DOWN FOR HOME BUYERS, WHILE RENTAL PROPERTIES REMAIN IN DEMAND

As the housing market in the Fayetteville Metropolitan Area continues to experience a cool down following COVID-19 supply delays and finally seeing a slowdown in demand after two years, increased interest in affordable rental properties, housing vouchers and the demand for affordable rental communities have been in discussion in City Council meetings throughout 2022. To look a little further into that demand, the Greater Fayetteville Business Journal spoke with the Greater Fayetteville Apartment Association to examine the state of the Fayetteville rental market. Established in 2016, the Association serves six counties including Cumberland, Hoke, Moore and Robeson.

GFAA President Heather Gonzalez offered her insight in the rental business in our area.

What does the Fayetteville rental market look like? Are we high on supply, low on demand, etc.?

A high majority of apartment communities in the Fayetteville market are full or operating off a waitlist. Demand for rental homes has been constantly increasing the last number of years. As the population has grown in the region, the supply for new housing has not kept up. Additionally, more Fort Bragg soldiers are living in communities off base. Fayetteville’s residential rent rate has been right around the national average. The current US average residential rent rate is around $1,350. In the Greater Fayetteville market, a one bedroom is around $1,070 and $1,260 for a two bedroom [unit].

What are some of the factors that affect the number and pricing of rental properties in the area?

A recent study commissioned in part by the National Apartment Association found that delayed marriages, an aging population, and international immigration are increasing the pressing need for new apartments.

Generally speaking, breaking down $1 of rent is as follows:

FROM THE EXPERTS

· 39 cents – Pays for the mortgage on the property. Roughly two-thirds of the apartment industry has private lenders and are ineligible for federal mortgage forbearance via the CARES Act. This is a critical expense, as mortgage foreclosures put all residents at risk of losing their housing.

· 27 cents – Payroll expenses, including paying employees who operate and maintain the property, ongoing maintenance, utilities, insurance, and the like.

· 14 cents – Property taxes, which in turn supports the communities through financing for schools, teachers, emergency services, and other local needs.

· 10 cents – Spent on capital expenditures, including roof and HVAC replacement and other important repairs that help ensure quality housing for America’s approximately 40 million rental housing residents.

· 9 cents – Returned to owners, including the many apartment owners

who are themselves small businesses and rely on this revenue to make ends meet, and investors, which include public pensions and 401Ks, on which many Americans rely—whether or not they reside in rental housing.

What trends, if any, are property owners seeing in the demand for rentals in this area?

As the cost of housing increases in the surrounding cities and work at home becomes more prevalent, it is not uncommon to see residents moving from the Triangle and Raleigh area. The median cost for a two-bedroom apartment home is $1,480 in Raleigh, $1,590 in Garner, and $1,390 in Wilmington.

How do property owners try to meet demands with limited available housing?

There are a good number of new construction projects in the pipeline for 2023. We are also seeing existing communities expanding by building more buildings and housing units.

What are some factors that could lead to an increase in rent on a property?

Property revaluations and property tax increases are one of the significant factors for increasing rents. In addition, rents have been greatly impacted by general inflation and increases in cost of living and doing business.

What are some factors that could lead to property owners decreasing the rent in their properties?

The Fayetteville housing market is closely tied to Fort Bragg and our local military residents. Historically the housing market has adjusted dramatically with the increase and decrease of military residents at Fort Bragg.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY: GFAA President Heather Gonzalez of the Greater Fayetteville Apartment Association serves over six counties including Cumberland, Hoke, Moore and Robeson.

CURTIS ADAMS/PEXELS

Most rental properties in the Fayetteville market are either completely full or are operating off of a waitlist when contacting new tenants.

New medical institute

CAPE FEAR VALLEY HEALTH CELEBRATED THE OPENING OF

NEW $33 MILLION BUILDING READY TO WELCOME STUDENTS AND PATIENTS

Cape Fear Valley Staff, founders and employees came together Friday to celebrate the grand opening of the health care provider’s new Center for Medical Education and Neuroscience Institute. The $33 million project was completed during a three year campaign and is expected to add more than 900 new jobs and generate almost $600 million in economic impact across the region over the next decade. Along with new features in the facility, leaders said the educational impact will benefit the region by offering residents and attendings top notch medical training.

“The data is clear, wherever you have robust physician residencies, the population health automatically improves. It's just the way it works,” shared Cape Fear Valley Health CEO Mike Nagowski. “In the past, our region has had to go elsewhere

for best in neurology, the best in neurosurgical care, that's no more the case. The clinicians and their teams have best in nation skills and equipment, and now they have the facilities to match as clinical program development continues to expand, the Neuroscience Institute on the fifth floor of this building will be a

THEIR

centerpiece of that.”

The new five-story building is located on the Cape Fear Valley Medical Center campus and spans 120,000 square feet. Features of the facility include an auditorium with seating for 500, a food court, faculty offices and classrooms; a state-of-theart Simulation Center complete with

bizfayetteville.com

artificially intelligent patients to help medical residents experience real life medical scenarios and surgeries.

The Neuroscience Institute, located on the fifth floor, will be utilized for both Neurology and Neurosurgery physicians to provide care.

As part of the grand opening ceremony, guests were treated to tours of the facility and were able to interact with AI equipment. According to Nagowski, every dollar to fund the project was raised through philanthropy and grants; no hospital revenue was needed for the facility.

Stingers at the Crown

THE FAYETTEVILLE STINGERS ARE THE NEWEST TENANT TEAM COMING TO THE CROWN ARENA IN MARCH OF 2023

The city of Fayetteville is continuing to expand their indoor sports offerings with a new basketball team coming to the Crown Arena. The Fayetteville Stingers are the newest tenant team coming to the city and are “dedicated to enhancing the game of basketball throughout the region and becoming a community asset.”

Team leaders including Assistant Coach Don Gardner, General Manager Ray Phillips and former Duke standout now Head Coach Robert Brickey held a press conference Tuesday announcing the team would be starting their first season on March 3rd and the first home game is scheduled for March 10, 2023.

“The thing I'm looking forward to in 2023 is the ability to bring the community together in a positive way far, far beyond basketball. I'm looking forward to seeing the community

rallying behind those guys to make the final team. I'm excited about being in these Fayetteville streets seeing people with Stingers gear on,” shared Phillips.

The team represents the newest market now a part of The Basketball League.

Fayetteville is the 4th team in the Carolina’s joining Charlotte & Raleigh in North Carolina and Columbia SC.

“I coached the Raleigh team in the TBL if you're not familiar with TBL, when I coached in Raleigh in 2019, there were 10 teams in the League and somehow during a pandemic they managed to add 43 teams to the league including three teams in Canada, so this league has really grown and has a strong imprint for basketball across the area,” said Brickey.

“There's a lot of entertainment bang for your buck at these games. It's a

great place to come even for non basketball fans there’s a lot of dancing. Our dance coaches here just met and we'll have a live DJ, it's a fun event. The team is scheduled to have 27 regular season games. Within the season, 12 of these are home dates and 15 away games.

Ticket prices for single-game

You can learn more information and find the full schedule of events online at www.fayettevillestingers.com.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY: CFVH

Features of the facility include an auditorium with seating for 500, a food court, faculty offices and classrooms; a state-of-the-art Simulation Center and the new home of Cape Fear Valley’s Neuroscience Institute, which includes physician offices, exam rooms, nurses’ stations and patient waiting area.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY: GFBJ

The Fayetteville Stingers leadership came together to announce the new team. (Pictured left to right: Crown Complex General Manager Seth Banalt, General Manager Ray Phillips, Assistant Coach Don Gardner, and Head Coach Robert Brickey)

tickets range from $15 and $20 for the upper and lower levels to $350 full season tickets, and $960 courtside.