Business Images Catawba County, NC 2009-10

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CATAWBA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA

Right on Target Retailer rings up distribution center

Success Blueprint Tech campus designed to build new engineers

What’s Online ine ne Read more about Catawba County’s great outdoors.

Flavored With Culture SALT Block brings arts together in a concrete way SPONSORED BY THE CATAWBA COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE CATAWBA COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION | 2009

Mixing business and pleasure with style and ease is no problem for Crowne Plaza of Hickory.

1385 Lenoir Rhyne Blvd. S.E. Hickory, NC 28602 (828) 323-1000 Fax: (828) 322-4275 www.crowneplaza.com/hickorync

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contents BUSINESS ®

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OVERVIEW

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BUSINESS ALMANAC

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BUSINESS CLIMATE

Growth Spurt

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New investment, expansions keep Catawba’s economy rolling.

Calling Catawba

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EDUCATION

Thinking Big

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10

Lenoir-Rhyne is a small university with a large legacy of leadership.

TR ANSPORTATION & LOGISTICS

Right on Target

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Region scores with distribution for retail chain.

HEALTH

A Healthy Outlook

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Medical center puts weight behind fight against childhood obesity.

New Tools for the Fight

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LIVABILITY

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In Awe of Catawba

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Communities blend progress with preservation of the past.

Getting Ready for Work

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MANUFACTURING

A Durable Sector

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Catawba manufacturers invest in the future.

ARTS & CULTURE

Flavored With Culture

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Hickory’s SALT Block is a hub for arts, literature and learning.

TECHNOLOGY

Success Blueprint

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Tech center is designed to build new engineers.

All or part of this magazine is printed with soy ink on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE

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ECONOMIC PROFILE

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On the Cover PHOTO BY IAN CURCIO Patrick Beaver Memorial Library on Hickory’s SALT Block

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BUSINESS

contents

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LIFESTYLE | WORKSTYLE | DIGGING DEEPER | VIDEO | LINK TO US | ADVERTISE | CONTACT US | SITE MAP

CATAWB A COU N TY BUSINESS

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ONLINE C ATAW B A CO U N T Y

CONNECTIONS

An online resource at

IMAGESCATAWBACOUNTY.com

2009 EDITION, VOLUME 2

CU S TO M M AG A Z INE M ED I A

MANAGING EDITOR BILL McMEEKIN COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS ASSOCIATE EDITORS LISA BATTLES, SUSAN CHAPPELL, JESSY YANCEY ONLINE CONTENT MANAGER MATT BIGELOW

DIGITAL MAGAZINE >>

STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN CONTRIBUTING WRITERS PAMELA COYLE, SAM SCOTT DATA MANAGER CHANDRA BRADSHAW

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STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS, TODD BENNETT, ANTONY BOSHIER, IAN CURCIO, J. KYLE KEENER PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT ANNE WHITLOW CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS WEB DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR BRIAN SMITH ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN PRODUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS MELISSA BRACEWELL, KATIE MIDDENDORF, JILL WYATT

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Lifestyle A showcase for what drives Catawba Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s high quality of life

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SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER, KRIS SEXTON, CANDICE SWEET, VIKKI WILLIAMS LEAD DESIGNER ALISON HUNTER GRAPHIC DESIGN ERICA HINES, JESSICA MANNER, JANINE MARYLAND, AMY NELSON, MARCUS SNYDER WEB DESIGN DIRECTOR FRANCO SCARAMUZZA

Read Business Images Catawba County on your computer, zoom in on the articles and link to advertiser Web sites

WEB PROJECT MANAGERS ANDY HARTLEY, YAMEL RUIZ WEB DESIGN CARL SCHULZ WEB PRODUCTION JENNIFER GRAVES COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN TWILA ALLEN AD TRAFFIC MARCIA MILLAR, PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN

NEWS AND NOTES >>

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN

Get the Inside Scoop on the

SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN

latest developments in Catawba County from our editors and business insiders

SR. V.P./OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER V.P./SALES HERB HARPER V.P./SALES TODD POTTER V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER V.P./EDITORIAL DIRECTOR TEREE CARUTHERS MANAGING EDITOR/COMMUNITY KIM MADLOM MANAGING EDITOR/CUSTOM KIM NEWSOM

Workstyle A spotlight on innovative companies that call Catawba County home

SUCCESS BREEDS SUCCESS >>

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS

Meet the people setting the pace

ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, DIANA GUZMAN, MARIA MCFARLAND, LISA OWENS

for Catawba County business

RECRUITING/TRAINING DIRECTOR SUZY WALDRIP

PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY

DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR YANCEY TURTURICE NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR JAMES SCOLLARD

DIG DEEPER >>

Log into the community with links

IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE SALES SUPPORT RACHAEL GOLDSBERRY

to local Web sites and resources

SALES/MARKETING COORDINATOR RACHEL MATHEIS

to give you the big picture of

OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY/SALES SUPPORT KRISTY DUNCAN RECEPTIONIST LINDA BISHOP

Catawba County DATA CENTRAL >>

A by-the-numbers look at doing business and living in Catawba County

See the Video Our award-winning photographers give you a virtual peek inside Catawba County

GUIDE TO SERVICES >>

Links to a cross section of goods and services in Catawba County

GO ONLINE

Business Images Catawba County is published annually

by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Catawba County Chamber of Commerce.

For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by e-mail at info@jnlcom.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Catawba County Chamber of Commerce 1055 Southgate Corporate Park S.W. Hickory, NC 28602 Phone: (828) 328-6111 â&#x20AC;˘ Fax: (828) 328-1175 www.catawbachamber.org VISIT BUSINESS IMAGES CATAWBA COUNTY ONLINE AT IMAGESCATAWBACOUNTY.COM ŠCopyright 2009 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent.

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overview

TOP 10 REASONS TO WORK AND LIVE IN CATAWBA COUNTY 1. CENTER OF A 360,000-POPULATION MSA Catawba County Catawba possesses a diverse County economy, with strong retail and manufacturing sectors.

Outlook Americas ranked three Catawba County municipalities in the top five Best Manufacturing Small Towns in the Country, and Southern Business and Development ranked Hickory third in its small markets category for Top Deals and Hot Markets.

2. ACCESSIBILITY Catawba Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proximity to major interstates makes it a top choice for business.

Interstate 40 runs through the county, and Interstates 85 and 77 are easily accessible.

3. LOW COST OF LIVING Catawba County boasts low costs for living and doing business. MSNBC has recognized Hickory as the 14th Hottest Housing Market in the Nation, while Forbes magazine ranked Hickory as third in the nation for lowest business costs.

7. SCENIC BEAUTY Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Catawba County offers vast open spaces, lakes, parks and rivers.

8. HOSPITALITY City, county and economic development officials actively work together to address the needs of relocating businesses.

9. SHOPPING Catawba County is a retail shopping destination for the entire region. Its furniture showrooms draw shoppers from around the world.

10. AN IDEAL CLIMATE The climate is consistently mild, with an average year-round temperature of 68.8 degrees.

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4. QUALITY WORKFORCE TRAINING The region offers top education and workforce training institutes, including Appalachian State University, Lenoir-Rhyne University, the North Carolina Center for Engineering Technologies and Catawba Valley Community College.

5. LOCATION Catawba County is located within one hour of Charlotte; Asheville lies less than an hour and a half to the west; Winston-Salem and Greensboro lie less than an hour and a half to the east.

6. QUALITY OF LIFE Hickory was named the 10th Best Place to Live and Raise a Family by Readerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Digest and the Eighth Best City in the State for its quality of life by Business North Carolina.

The county boasts extensive and affordable retail

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developments, scenic beauty, arts and cultural destinations, and restaurants.

Hickory 40

Conover

Newton

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SEE VIDEO ONLINE | Take a virtual tour of Catawba County at imagescatawbacounty.com, courtesy of our award-winning photographers.

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business almanac

IN THE SWING OF THINGS For those who like their professional golf with just a touch of gray, the PGA Champions Tour makes a stop in Catawba County for the Greater Hickory Golf Classic, played at the 7,046-yard Rock Barn Golf & Spa in Conover.

The event, entering its seventh season, has raised some $600,000 for local charities and draws 80,000 to 90,000 spectators each year. R.W. Eaks has won the tournament in its last two years.

COUCHED IN RETAIL Catawba County boasts some 2 million square feet of retail space devoted to furniture and home accessories, that draws savvy shoppers by the thousands.

The 2009 tournament is set for Sept. 14-20.

For more information on the event, go to www.greaterhickoryclassic.com.

The four-level Hickory Furniture Mart features more than 100 outlets offering furnishings, lighting and other home accessories. The two-level Catawba Furniture Mall includes eight acres of showroom space for furniture and home decor.

The famed 20-mile stretch of stores along U.S. Highway 321 from Hickory to Lenoir includes numerous outlets for well-known furniture manufacturers such as Broyhill, Kincaid and Thomasville.

STUCK ON SUCCESS

P H OTO C O U R T E S Y O F D E B R A S L AT E R - M A N T E R

Hickory-based Shurtape Technologies is a world leader in foil and film tape, packaging tape, double-coated tape, cloth tape and duct tape. Since 1999, Shurtape has invested more than $50 million in new technology, equipment and expansion of its manufacturing space, and has created a research-and-development lab in North Carolina. For more, go to www.shurtape.com.

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THE CARS ARE THE STARS Hickory Motor Speedway has been a racing fixture in Catawba County for nearly 60 years.

The .363-mile “bullring” track lays claim as the oldest continually operated motor speedway in the country.

On Saturdays from mid-March through October, the track is alive with the sounds of roaring engines and roaring crowds to watch late-model stock cars, street stock, trucks and hobby cars race – and perhaps get a glimpse of a future NASCAR star. For more information, go to www.hickorymotorspeedway.com.

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AN ECONOMY HIGH IN FIBER Some 50 percent of all the fiber-optic cable made in North America comes from Catawba County. Major producers CommScope, Corning Cable Systems and Draka Communications have operations in the region that employ 3,000.

Catawba’s infrastructure, transportation access, quality technical schools and trained workforce make it a good fit for fiber production.

THE WAY IT WAS For a glimpse into Catawba County’s past, visit the Murray’s Mill complex along the banks of Balls Creek. The Murray family first operated a mill on the site in 1883.

Preserved intact are a 1913 mill, the 1890s-era Murray & Minges General Store, the 1880s-era wheathouse, used as an exhibit gallery, and the 1913 John Murray House, furnished to the period.

GEM OF AN ATTRACTION

The structures and surrounding land have been preserved and interpreted by the Catawba County Historical Association since 1980. Go to www.catawbahistory.org/ historic_murrays_mill.php for more.

The Emerald Hollow Mine in Hiddenite bills itself as the only emerald mine in the United States open to the public for prospecting.

Emerald Hollow boasts more than 60 types of naturally occurring gems and minerals.

Visitors can try their luck sluicing, creeking and digging to unearth emeralds, sapphires, garnets, topaz and other gems, along with an abundance of smoky and clear-quartz crystals. For more information, go to hiddenit.ipower.com.

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business climate

Growth

Spurt

IAN CURCIO

New investment, expansions keep Catawba economy rolling

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Calling Catawba

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rom two new call centers to a Williams-Sonoma offshoot, a major distribution facility and plant expansions, Catawba County’s efforts to create quality jobs are paying off.

Niagara Ventures, a real estate development company, picked Catawba County for its first spec project in the South, 48,000 square feet of Class A industrial space in the Claremont International Business Park.

The shell, which can be expanded to 100,000 square feet, was finished in October 2008; the project could grow to 350,000 square feet.

“What we found is a lot of interest in companies in dealing with smaller towns,” says Stephen Bollier, Niagara’s vice president of real estate. “An educated, manufacturing-based workforce is available. That’s one of the things that drew us there.”

New and existing businesses value the solid workforce in a region about an hour northwest of Charlotte.

An independent study commissioned by the Committee of 100, an advisory group to the Catawba County Economic Development Corp., provided even more ammunition. It found 95 percent of employers rated productivity as good or excellent and nearly half rated availability of skilled workers as good or excellent. One-third of the region’s available workers were willing to change jobs for $14.99 an hour or less; among those unemployed or underemployed, only 4 percent had less than a high school diploma or its equivalent.

That 2007 study was a turning point, says Scott Millar, development corporation president.

“The difference maker was workforce analysis, which reinforced the interviews that potential employers had,” Millar says.

In 2008, a year after the study, Poppelmann Plastics, a German producer of horticulture supplies, announced its second 60,000-square-foot building, also in the Claremont park. The campus is designed to hold nine buildings, and the

Scorecard CATAWBA COUNTY BY THE NUMBERS

359,856 Population in the HickoryLenoir-Morganton MSA

$39,213 Median household income

170,500 Labor force in the MSA

No. 3 Ranking on Forbes list of best MSAs in the country for business costs

city is putting in rail lines to accommodate the manufacturer.

Sutter Street, a division of WilliamsSonoma, which also owns Pottery Barn, announced a multiphase project and has already hired 175 people for its furniture-making, distribution and logistics operations that will be in Hickory.

The county saw 1,000 new jobs created in 2008 and commitments for 3,000 by 2012. A new Target distribution center is hiring 450 in 2009 alone.

“We’ve had some good stuff happen,” Millar says.

Turbotec, a Connecticut company that makes tubing for geothermal heat pumps, is locating a new plant in Hickory with 25 jobs to start.

President Sunil Raina says he may relocate much of the company’s operations to North Carolina, citing Connecticut’s high costs.

“We were looking for a ready-made workforce,” Raina says. “The other advantage is for us, most of our customer base is on the East Coast.” – Pamela Coyle

Stephen Bollier of Niagara Ventures is bullish on development in Catawba County.

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CUSTOMER-SERVICE CENTERS DIAL INTO THE REGION Two new call centers in Catawba County mean at least 1,200 new jobs and greater economic diversity.

Call-center giant Convergys, which serves at least two dozen Fortune 500 companies, considered several sites before giving Hickory the nod for the $4 million project.

Covation, a new company, also picked Hickory, where it plans to hire more than 900 people within three years and invest $5.5 million. Average pay is $34,500, above the average pay for the region. Convergys already has hired 500 people, more than its initial estimates.

Both companies cited a good supply of qualified workers as a factor in their decision to set up shop in Catawba County.

Covation plans its operations in McDonald Crossings Business Park. Convergys renovated the former Joan Fabrics corporate headquarters. It opened for business in October 2008.

“Convergys simply had to add the workstations and computers for the customer-service agents, as well as the technology systems to accommodate our business,” says Jill DiPuccio Giles, Convergys senior manager for economic development and government relations. “The first-class infrastructure was in place.”

The Catawba County Economic Development Corp. is now eyeing data centers as a new opportunity and has added that sector to its Plan of Work.

The agency lists available sites at www.datacentersites.com.

– Pamela Coyle

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education

Lenoir-Rhyne University offers 60 majors and is home to the Reese Institute for the Conservation of Natural Resources.

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Thinking

BIG

Lenoir-Rhyne is a small university with a large legacy of leadership

I

t wasn’t as if Lenoir-Rhyne was struggling as a college. It was just time to rise up.

For nearly 120 years, the Hickory school had earned a reputation that in recent times made it a familiar presence in the U.S. News & World Report ranking of the best Southern baccalaureate-degree institutions.

But with 50-plus majors, 17 intercollegiate teams, 1,500 students, a multimillion dollar expansion and a growing number of graduate degrees in areas such as athletic training, the feeling spread that Lenoir-Rhyne was getting bigger than its name.

“We were already acting like what most people would call a university,” says Mike Langford, Lenoir-Rhyne director of marketing and communications.

And so, on Aug. 23 2008, the college was reborn as LenoirRhyne University, a move that coincided with a new motto: “Rise up.”

The change had concrete consequences, including restructuring the school into four colleges: Arts and Sciences; Education and Human Services; Health Sciences; and Professional and Mathematical Studies, which includes the new Schort School of Mathematics and Computing Sciences.

By any name, the school has been adding to the region’s intellectual, cultural and academic heritage since 1891, when four Lutheran pastors created a one-room school.

Coeducational from the start, which was rare for that day, Lenoir-Rhyne has often blazed its own trail, through a variety of endeavors, such as its longtime emphasis on education for the hearing impaired.

Indeed, sign language is so common that many students often

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pick up the basics just by being around it, Langford says.

Hearing-impaired students may receive assistance through Support Services for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students, but otherwise are immersed in regular campus life.

More recently, Lenoir-Rhyne has added environmental programs to its offerings through the Reese Institute for the Conservation of Natural Resources.

The institute was founded in 2004 through a $3 million donation from Thomas Reese, a 1948 graduate, successful businessman and widely recognized conservationist.

Part of the institute’s mission is to help develop long-term solutions to environmental challenges inside and outside the university, such as helping Catawba County meet federal airquality standards.

In 2009, the university added another program to its community commitments. The Latino Partnership will help Hispanic students unable to enroll in higher education due to legal or financial issues take distance classes in Mexico.

So it’s no surprise that in 2007-2008, Lenoir-Rhyne students performed nearly 1,500 hours of community service. It’s part of the Lenoir-Rhyne way, Langford says.

“We are here to rise up and make a difference in our vocation and our commitment and our service to the world beyond,” Langford says.

– Sam Scott SEE MORE ONLINE Learn more about Catawba County’s education leaders at imagescatawbacounty.com.

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transportation & logistics

On Target

Right

Discount retailer’s distribution center is latest logistics success for Catawba More Insight IT MOVES THE GOODS Catawba County is intersected by east-west route I-40 and is in close proximity to I-77 and I-85, two major north-south routes. The region is within a day’s drive of 60 percent of the U.S. population.

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W

hen it comes to distribution, Catawba County is a prime spot from which to move goods along the Atlantic Coast and throughout the Southeast.

Among the county’s keys advantages is, in a word, location, says Scott Millar, Catawba County Economic Development Corp. president.

Catawba County is intersected by Interstate 40, a major east-west transportation route, and is within 30 minutes of two major north-south interstates – I-77 and I-85.

Being situated less than an hour from Charlotte and its hub airport, midway between Florida and New York, and within a day’s drive of 60 percent of the U.S. population doesn’t hurt either.

Despite national trends, the distribution

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industry that has boosted the county’s economy in recent years shows no signs of slowing down.

In fact, the county’s reputation as a distribution hub is getting extra oomph out of retail giant Target’s new 1.6 million-square-foot center, which opened in summer 2009 in Newton.

The Target project represents a $90 million capital investment in Catawba County, Millar says, and will be the largest such facility in the 16-county Charlotte region.

The building features 37 acres under one roof and contains 6 miles of conveyor belts. Initial employment is 450 workers.

The retailer chose to locate in Catawba County because of its accessibility to transportation, as well as the availability of a skilled workforce and

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IAN CURCIO

the quality of life in the area.

In addition, other distribution operations already located in the area are expanding, including FedEx Ground and Merchants Distributors Inc., a privately owned wholesale grocery store distributor that supplies more than 600 retail food stores in the Southeast.

FedEx Ground’s $5 million, 109,000-square-foot facility replaces an existing facility and will double its workforce to 120, Millar says.

Merchants Distributors plans to invest $50.5 million in an expansion that will add 260,000 square feet to the company’s existing distribution facility off U.S. 321 North in Hickory.

The project will increase the size of the facility to more than

1 million square feet and be the second expansion at the site since it was built in 1996. The expansion will add 200 jobs to the company’s 1,500-employee workforce in the region.

The upshot of all this is good economic news for Catawba County. The new and expanding distribution centers will provide much-needed jobs.

“It will mean an increase in demand for support services, such as fueling and truck repair, packaging services and cleaning services,” Millar says. “As this demand increases, we hope suppliers might be convinced to locate in the area as well. As word gets out, we expect to see an increase in companies considering Catawba County for their own distribution centers.”

– Carol Cowan

FedEx Ground is doubling its workforce in Catawba County with a 109,000-square-foot distribution facility.

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health

Healthy Outlook Medical center weighs in against childhood obesity

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obody, of course, wants to have to go to the hospital.

But people who live in the Hickory metro area have the comfort of knowing that if the need arises, they have one of the nation’s best public health-care providers in their backyard.

Catawba Valley Medical Center in Hickory, the region’s largest nonprofit community hospital, has received numerous distinctions for its quality of care, including twice being selected as a magnet institution by the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

In January 2008, CVMC was recognized by research firm J.D. Power and Associates as a Distinguished Hospital for an Outstanding In-Patient Experience, exceeding national benchmarks for overall satisfaction by a considerable amount. Only 20 percent of the nation’s hospitals qualified for that distinction.

The center has also been recognized recently for cancer treatments, which include cutting-edge technology such as RapidArc, which delivers radiotherapy to patients two to eight times faster than older technologies.

“Because we serve on the front lines every day, we are on a continual quest for better and better patient outcomes,” says J. Anthony Rose, CVMC president and CEO. In 2008, state regulators approved the 258-bed hospital’s request for its first major capital expansion since a $32 million upgrade in 1992.

Subject to financing arrangements, the envisioned project would add nearly 100,000 square feet of space, including private medical beds, surgical beds, oncology beds and labor and delivery suites.

The estimated four-year project would also renovate 50,000 square feet of existing space at the hospital, upgrade nursery and surgical inpatient units, and enlarge operating rooms and support space.

As good as its services are, Catawba Valley Medical Center is also adopting innovative techniques to ensure young people don’t have to rely on them.

The rate of childhood obesity has tripled in the past 40 years at the same time complications from being overweight have become one of the nation’s leading causes of preventable death.

The epidemic particularly affects poor and minority children, who face socioeconomic barriers.

Between 2004 and 2006, the rate of obesity in Catawba County children ages 5 to 11 increased 7.4 percent, according to the hospital. For those ages 12 to 18, it increased 6 percent.

In response, Catawba Valley Medical Center has started Healthy House, turning an old home on its campus into the

first regional facility dedicated to preventing and treating pediatric obesity.

The house offers a variety of programs from physical activity to nutritional guidance. In partnership with Catawba County’s Head Start, the program is open to all children and is overseen by Dr. Vondell Clark, medical director of the hospital’s weight solutions.

“The foundations of our Healthy House programs are built on family involvement,” Clark says. “A house as the site for our childhood obesity programs mirrors the program’s design and reflects an optimal healthy living environment for families.”

– Sam Scott

SEE MORE ONLINE For more on Catawba County health care, go to imagescatawbacounty.com.

Catawba Valley Medical Center has plans for a $32 million upgrade that will include enlarging operating rooms.

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9,300+

$59.1 M

Number of beds at Catawba Valley’s 400,000-square-foot main campus in Hickory

Annual admissions at Catawba Valley, whose emergency room treats 46,000 people a year

Annual payroll at Catawba Valley, which has a staff of about 1,450

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health

New Tools for the Fight FRYE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER INVESTS IN TOP TREATMENTS Frye Regional Medical Center has had its finger on the pulse of Catawba County’s healthcare needs since the hospital’s inception in 1911.

So it’s fitting that Frye Regional is renowned for taking care of the heart.

The 355-bed acute-care facility was named the best in the Charlotte region for overall cardiac care in 2008 by HealthGrades, a health-care ratings company.

The Tenet Healthcare Corp.owned hospital in Hickory received five-star reviews for overall cardiac care, treatment of heart failure and coronaryintervention procedures such as angioplasty.

“That’s a big award,” says Eddie Salyards, vice president, before adding it is just one distinction among many.

Indeed, the reward recognized just one aspect of Frye’s spectrum of specialties, which live up to the tag line: “Why drive farther when the health care you need is all right here?”

Frye also includes facilities for spinal care, orthopedics, bariatric surgery, patient rehabilitation, pediatrics, neuroscience, women’s care and cancer treatment, among others.

The hospital recently installed the region’s first high-field, open MRI, which offers a less-enclosed setup than traditional MRIs. The powerful technology combined with an open design provides quick service to patients, who can have loved ones nearby for reassurance.

The MRI began operation in winter 2009.

But the biggest recent step for Frye Regional may be expansion of its cancer

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treatment center, a move centered on the installation of a multimillion-dollar linearaccelerator imaging system that adds radiation therapy to the hospital’s oncology treatments.

Due to go into service in mid-2009, the equipment allows doctors to provide image-guided radiotherapy, a precise form of

treatment that uses multipleimaging techniques for ultra-accurate targeting of tumors, thus protecting healthy tissues.

“The device that we are installing is the latest and greatest that you can get,” Salyards says.

– Sam Scott

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livability

Aweof

In

P H OTO S B Y I A N C U R C I O

Catawba

Downtown Hickory blooms with shops and restaurants. Right: Newton offers a historic downtown and many cultural options.

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Communities blend progress with a preservation of the past

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laremont is a city of 1,100 residents, but the community balloons to a population of 4,000 people every weekday.

“About 3,000 people from surrounding communities drive into Claremont to work at the many jobs we happen to have here,” Mayor Glenn Morrison says. “There is plenty of industry in Claremont, which is especially impressive for a city of our small size.”

Larger employers in the city include Cargo Transporters, CertainTeed, CommScope, Draka Communications and Pierre Foods.

“Not only do these companies provide a good living for their employees, but they also substantially contribute to our tax base,” Morrison says.

The historic Bunker Hill Covered Bridge is in Claremont, and Catawba County is installing walking trails leading to it.

While it values its history, Morrison says, the city also is pushing toward the future with new projects. “We have a 67-home development that recently opened, as well as 91 condominium units.

We offer a nice quality of life here,” he says.

The city of Conover, in the geographic center of the county, is home to a number of quaint and thriving antique stores and eateries, as well as a planned passenger train stop that will link Asheville to Salisbury.

A staple of the community is the Conover Farmer’s Market, open Saturdays from late April through October. The market features vendors selling products grown and produced within a

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125-mile radius.

In the county seat of Newton, several parks and greenways grace the community, along with a historic downtown and a bevy of cultural and arts options.

The downtown district includes the city government complex, a historical museum and several residential properties.

The Catawba County Museum of History showcases the region’s heritage in the former Catawba County Courthouse, an imposing National Register Renaissance Revival structure built in 1924.

The city promotes and celebrates diversity through an annual Unity Day, says Gary Herman, Newton public information officer.

In Hickory, an unusual mix of specialty shops with local and imported merchandise has made the city’s downtown Union Square district a shopping and entertainment destination.

“I like to call it our living room because it is where we invite people to visit and relax on a regular basis,” says Connie Kincaid, executive director of the Hickory Downtown Development Association. “Not only are there many activities we schedule in Union Square, but historic buildings in the square’s park-like setting create a very interesting commercial district.”

Downtown Hickory also has a good selection of restaurants – from deli to pub fare to fine dining. “Those kinds of engaging attractions help make Hickory and all of Catawba County so interesting,” Kincaid says.

– Kevin Litwin

More Insight FEELING RIGHT AT HOME The Catawba River provides opportunities for boating and other outdoor recreation.

Catawba County is home to numerous parks, including BAKERS MOUNTAIN and RIVERBEND, that offer hiking, fishing and picnicking.

Rock Barn Golf & Spa in Conover is home to a PGA Champions Tour event, and the region boasts numerous highquality golf courses.

The CLASS A HICKORY CRAWDADS baseball team plays at L.P. Frans Stadium in Hickory.

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livability

Getting Ready for Work COLLEGE PUTS STUDENTS ON CAREER TRACK, SHARPENS SKILLS A key facet of Catawba County’s quality of life is the higher education options that help students transition to fouryear colleges, receive training to prepare them for careers or sharpen skills they already have.

In March 2010, Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory will open North Carolina’s largest

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simulated hospital, a 28,000-square-foot center dedicated to teaching the next generation of health-care professionals without imposing on the current crop of patients.

Students will tend to robots sophisticated enough to blink, to cry or to turn blue, but not, of course, to feel pain.

“If our nurses are drawing blood, they are able to mess up on a robot many times before they actually have to stick a real human,” says Dr. Garrett Hinshaw, president of the 6,536-student college.

It’s another example of the college’s overarching mission of workforce development, workforce training and meeting the needs of the region’s employers.

The college regularly collaborates directly with industry, helping to train new employees through its Workforce Development Innovation Center, mentoring growing businesses through its Small Business Center or developing new technologies.

The Center for Emerging Manufacturing Solutions, the school’s R&D facility, helped one business develop biodegradable socks out of corn silk, a product that generated more than $8 million in sales, Hinshaw says.

“We’re creating jobs here,” he says.

The college and three other higher-education institutions have formed a partnership that will expand degree programs offered in the region by Appalachian State University.

The new partnership is a successor to the Hickory Metro Higher Education Center, founded in 2003 to provide opportunities for students to earn four-year degrees through Appalachian State without having to leave the region.

– Sam Scott

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manufacturing

A Durable Sector Catawba’s manufacturers are investing for the future

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Cordova that removes chlorine, lead and other materials, which allows the company to use more grades of waste paper. The company also invested in new baling equipment that lets it take more scrap paper back to its mill for reprocessing.

“All of our paper is made from recycled fiber,” says Jon Thomson, von Drehle’s marketing manager. “We use no virgin fiber or trees.”

In Maiden, the company added a new highspeed bath tissue production line in addition to the folding equipment. Employment in Maiden has grown from 17 in 2002 to about 60 in early 2009, with more hiring expected.

“This is not a good time for a lot of people, but if you’re in the position and you have money, it is a good time for growth,” says Tim Bolick, Catawba County Economic Development Corp. administrative manager.

– Pamela Coyle

More Insight MADE IN CATAWBA COUNTY The Catawba region is home to more than 500 manufacturing operations employing more than 28,000 people and accounting for more than 30 percent of total employment.

Major manufacturers include: Century Furniture LLC Commscope Inc. Corning Cable Systems LLC Ethan Allen Inc. Getrag Corp.

HDM Furniture Industries Inc. Hickory Springs Manufacturing Co. McCreary Modern Manufacturing Pierre Foods Inc. Sherrill Furniture Co. IAN CURCIO

A

diverse core of manufacturers is expanding in an area once dominated by textile and furniture makers, building on a foundation that already accounts for nearly onethird of the jobs in the region.

Hickory-based von Drehle Corp., which makes paper towels and similar products for industrial and commercial clients, spent $5 million on new equipment in 2008. The company added 60,000 square feet to its plant in Maiden in 2007 and installed automated towel-folding equipment that went on line in December 2008.

Fiber-Line Inc. is adding 60,000 square feet to its Hickory facility and expects to add about a dozen jobs to its staff of 34. The company converts synthetic fibers for the fiber-optic, utility and composite materials markets. The $4.5 million project, the second expansion since Fiber-Line set up shop in 2002, broke ground in December 2008.

“This is very good location,” says Kevin Sennett, Fiber-Line general manager, who notes the region’s quality, dedicated employee base.

In upgrading equipment, Catawba County operations also are going green. Technibilt / Cari-All, which makes shopping carts in Newton, spent $3 million to create an industry first, a step that adds a protective coating that protects against rust. The production changes not only give the carts a longer life – the industry average is five to six years – but Technibilt “took a heavy green hand” in making them, says David Orfinik, executive vice president of sales and marketing. The company has reduced its annual water consumption by 2.5 million gallons, cut its treated wastewater by 2.1 million gallons and shrunk its solid waste production by 8.2 tons, he says. Technibilt makes 800,000 carts a year and hopes to grow to 1 million. “We have to be prepared from the manufacturing standpoint,” Orfinik says.

For von Drehle, major capital expenses have included a new de-inking process in nearby

Technibilt/Cari-All manufactures 800,000 shopping carts a year at operations in Newton.

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arts & culture

Flavored With

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Culture Hickory’s SALT Block is a hub for arts, literature and learning

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o matter what your taste, the SALT Block in Hickory offers so much variety, you’ll likely be licking your lips for more.

A focal point of culture, the SALT Block offers everything its acronym of a name suggests – Science, Art and Literature Together.

On one block sits the Catawba Science Center, the Hickory Museum of Art, the Hickory Public Library, the Western Piedmont Symphony, the United Arts Council of Catawba County and the Hickory Choral Society.

“It is just very unique,” says Kathryn Greathouse, co-executive director of the United Arts Council, likening the site to a small-town version of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City.

The block’s anchor is the iconic former Claremont High School, built in 1925 and transformed 60 years later into

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arts & culture

More Insight ON THE BLOCK Catawba Science Center Hickory Choral Society Hickory Museum of Art Hickory Public Library United Arts Council of Catawba County Western Piedmont Symphony

manager of the art museum, which is famous for its Southern Contemporary folk art. “We can follow on their coattails and bring their people to our side.”

The success of the SALT Block is widely heralded as both a cultural center and as an economic force that makes Hickory more attractive to newcomers. Each year more than 200,000 people visit the block, not counting those going to the library, Greathouse says.

The block is scheduled to grow further under a multiyear capital campaign to renovate the old West Wing building into offices for the organizations, classrooms for the science center and new rehearsal space for the symphony, Greathouse says.

“You have to keep offering new things to stay relevant,” she says. “This block has just done a great job of that.”

– Sam Scott SEE VIDEO ONLINE Tour the Catawba Science Center in our quick online video at www.imagescatawbacounty.com.

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Go to imagescatawba county.com for links to these organizations.

the 75,000-square-foot Arts & Science Center of Catawba Valley.

Science and art under one roof was a rare idea in the 1980s, but the concept caught on, with donations quickly exceeding expectations.

The center allows tenants such as the highly respected Hickory Museum of Art, the first museum of American art in the Southeast, to stay rent free, letting the organization focus on its primary cultural mission, Greathouse says.

In 1999, the city of Hickory received donated land on the northwest corner of the block that became the site of the Patrick Beaver Memorial Library. The state-of-the-art facility was another drawing card for the cultural corridor, and the “literature” addition resulted in the adoption of the SALT Block name.

Most recently, the block has grown again with the science center adding fresh- and saltwater aquariums and a 30-foot domed planetarium, which is equally good for movies that explore space or laser shows that are set to Pink Floyd.

“The science center typically brings in a younger crowd than the art museum normally caters to,” says Kristina Allen, communications

Kristina Allen talks up the Hickory Museum of Art. Left: The Catawba Science Center is a SALT Block anchor.

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City of Hickory, NC

Getting To Know...

CULTURAL CHOICES IN ABUNDANT SUPPLY IN CATAWBA Catawba County offers a rich tapestry of cultural treasures.

Here are just a few examples:

CATAWBA COUNTY HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION www.catawbahistory.org The association is the keeper of the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s major historical assets and oversees several historical attractions in the area, including the Harper House & Hickory History Center; the Catawba County Museum of History; Murrayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mill Historic District; and Bunker Hill Covered Bridge, one of only two original remaining covered bridges in North Carolina.

828.323.7400 www.hickorygov.com

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! THREE TIME !LL !MERICA #ITY COMMITTED TO DELIVERING HIGH QUALITY SERVICES THROUGH EXCELLENT AND ETHICAL COWORKERS FOCUSED ON INNOVATION

COMMUNICATION AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

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! #ITY WITH TWO STATE OF THE ART LIBRARIES AND A VARIETY OF RECREATION FACILITIES INCLUDING PARKS TWO POOLS SIX RECREATION CENTERS TWO SENIOR RECREATION CENTERS AND A SKATE PARK THAT PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR LIFELONG LEARNING SUPPORT FOR BUSINESS AND LIMITLESS LEISURE ACTIVITIES

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! #ITY WHERE PUBLIC SERVICES AND PUBLIC SAFETY ARE TOP PRIORITIES HOURS A DAY n WHETHER IT S A BROKEN WATER LINE OR A POLICE OR FIRE EMERGENCY

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! #ITY ON AN ECONOMIC UPSWING WITH ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESS AND RESIDENTIAL GROWTH THAT ASSISTS HOMEGROWN BUSINESSES AND LARGE INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES TO LOCATE EXPAND AND THRIVE IN OUR GLOBAL ECONOMY 4HE #ITY S PARTNERSHIPS WITH NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS ENHANCE (ICKORY S STRENGTH AND CHARACTER

CATAWBA VALLEY FURNITURE MUSEUM www.hickoryfurniture.com Located on the first level of the Hickory Furniture Mart, the Catawba Valley Furniture Museum features historical displays that celebrate the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rich tradition of furniture craftsmanship. The museum includes an authentic reproduction of an early Catawba woodworking shop and vintage furniture pieces.

THE GREEN ROOM COMMUNITY THEATRE www.the-green-room.org The Green Room Community Theatre produces six mainstage productions at the Newton-Conover Civic and Performance Place each season.

The season includes two major musicals, a family show, a youth production and a comedy or a drama.

The theater provides several programs for area youth.

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technology

Blueprint for

Success Engineering center provides conduit to four-year degree programs

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hen Appalachian State University took over administration of the fledgling North Carolina Center for Engineering Technologies in December 2007, the center was a renovated building – and little else. The furniture and equipment had yet to arrive.

But in short order, the center has taken big steps to back up its lofty title, providing students with hands-on training on more than $1 million worth of cuttingedge technology, such as a handheld laser scanner that reads objects to create exact 3-D duplicates.

“They have stuff there that will amaze you,” says H. DeWitt Blackwell, Jr., who is executive director of the Western Piedmont Council of Governments, a regional planning organization. “It made me want to go back to school, and I already spent eight years in college and graduate school.”

The center’s variety of labs boasts some of the latest-and-greatest engineering technologies, including the laser scanner, computer-controlled metal processing, the leading PC-based CAD programs, polymer molding and a state-of-the-art distance-learning lab.

The investment means that local

Learn more about the North Carolina Center for Engineering Technologies at imagescatawbacounty.com.

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SEE VIDEO ONLINE

Dr. Sidney Connor is director of the North Carolina Center for Engineering Technology, a key training asset.

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students now have the chance to earn four-year degrees in their own backyards from two participating public universities – Appalachian State and Western Carolina University, both of whose engineering program offerings are expected to grow with the continued development of the center.

The technology center’s classes are typically paired with those from local community colleges, which provide general education requirements.

Previously, the closest similar degree program was at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte – too far away for many students, who are typically older than the average college student.

“For many of the students, it’s impossible to leave their jobs and families to head out to UNC-Charlotte to take engineering classes taught predominantly in the daytime,” says Dr. Sidney Connor, center director. “They can drive here in a reasonable amount of time instead.”

And while that’s a boon for local students and potential employers, it’s also a major step forward for the community, which worked hard to make it happen.

Led by such notables as former U.S. Rep. Cass Bassinger and the Future Forward Economic Alliance, the community rallied to raise the money to start the center in a former Corning research and development facility.

The aim wasn’t just to train skilled workers at the center, Blackwell says. It was part of a strategy to lure a public college to the area with the intention of it growing into its own university.

Greater Hickory is one of the biggest metro areas in North Carolina without a public university, a fact many locals want to change. The Center for Engineering Technologies can help make that happen.

“It’s probably one of the most exciting projects we have been involved in for a long time,” Blackwell says.

– Sam Scott

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Ad Index 27 C ATAW BA CO U N T Y ECO N O M I C DEVELOPMENT CORPOR ATION 1 6 C ATAW B A VA L L E Y MEDICAL CENTER 2 5 C IT Y O F H I C KO RY C 2 & 2 C ROW N E P L A Z A H OT E L 2 8 FRY E R EG I O N A L MEDICAL CENTER 17 H I C KO RY FU R N IT U R E M A RT 2 0 H I C KO RY O RT H O PA E D I C C E N T E R 1 L E N O I R- R H Y N E U N I V E R S IT Y 2 M A N P OW E R C 4 N I AGA R A V E N T U R E S L LC C 3 TOW N O F C ATAW BA

ECONOMIC PROFILE BUSINESS CLIMATE

POPULATION (2006 ESTIMATED) Catawba County,153,784 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton MSA, 359,856

TOTAL HOUSEHOLDS (2006 ESTIMATED) Catawba County, 57,982 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton MSA, 135,237

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME (2006) Catawba County, $42,349 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton MSA, $39,213

PER CAPITA INCOME Catawba County, $21,351

Catawba County is in the western part of North Carolina in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and covers 405 square miles.

The county includes eight municipalities – Brookford, Catawba, Claremont, Conover, Hickory, Long View, Maiden and Newton.

Frye Regional Medical Center, Education/Health Services, 1,000+

MAJOR MANUFACTURERS

Catawba Valley Medical Center, Education/Health Services, 1,000+

Commscope Inc., 1,000+

County of Catawba, Public Administration, 1,000+

Hickory Springs Manufacturing Co., 1,000+

Walmart, Trade Transportation and Utilities, 1,000+

Century Furniture, 1,000+

Catawba Valley Community College, Education/Health Services, 500 - 999 Newton Conover City Schools, Education/Health Services, 500 - 999 Hickory City Schools, Education/Services, 500 - 999

Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton MSA, $19,864

Catawba Rental Co. Inc., Trade Transportation and Utilities, 500 - 999

LABOR FORCE

City of Hickory, Public Administration, 500 - 999

Catawba County, 74,672 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton MSA, 170,562

MORE EO ONLINE

Corning Cable Systems, 1,000+

HDM Furniture Industries Inc., 500 - 999

FOR MORE INFORMATION Catawba County Chamber of Commerce 1055 Southgate Corporate Park S.W. Hickory, NC 28602 Phone: (828) 328-6111 Fax: (828) 328-1175 www.catawbachamber.org Catawba County Economic Development Corp.

P.O. Box 3388, Hickory, NC 28603 Phone: (828) 267-1564 Fax: (828) 267-1884 www.catawbaedc.org

MAJOR EMPLOYERS imagecatawbacounty.com SOURCES:

(NONMANUFACTURING) Catawba County Schools, Education/Health Services, 1,000+

TOWN

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More facts, stats and community information, including links to business resources.

CATAWBA

A Natural Fit for Business

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Catawba County Chamber of Commerce, Catawba County Economic Development Corp.

visit our

advertisers Hickory Furniture Mart www.hickoryfurniture.com

Catawba County Economic Development Corporation www.catawbaedc.org Catawba Valley Medical Center www.catawbavalleymc.org City of Hickory www.hickorygov.com Crowne Plaza Hotel www.ichotelsgroup.com Frye Regional Medical Center www.fryemedctr.com

Hickory Orthopaedic Center www.hickoryortho.com Lenoir-Rhyne University www.lrc.edu Manpower www.us.manpower.com Niagara Ventures LLC www.niagaraventures.com Town of Catawba www.townofcatawbanc.org

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