Be sure to review the resources and tackle the assignments below before the February 10th start of the Duke Energy Economic Development session. The “Homework” section is required. Many additional resources are also included below.
Economic Development Session Homework–Required
- “What Is Economic Development?” Watch this short video before the start of session
- Explore the list of vendors at the end of this page
- Review your assigned scenario linked below in prep for an activity during session
- Learning Teams 1 – 3 (Invisible Strings, Metro Merge 85, and Common Threads) “Bringing Food to the Desert”
- Learning Teams 4 – 6 (Shockwaves, The Rolling Scones, and The 6-Pack) “Get a Room and Some Art, Too”
- Learning Teams 7 – 9 (Beach Trail Dogs, The Cardinals, and Team MM) “Removing the Rubble”
Economic Development Session Resources–Recommended
Tuesday, February 10, 2026
- B/S/H Home Appliances Corporation
- Governor Stein Announces a $11 Million Expansion for BSH Home Appliances in Craven County, Adding Nearly 200 Jobs | NC Commerce
- Commission House | Tryon Palace
- Our History | Tryon Palace
Wednesday, February 11, 2026
Setting the Stage
- About Us | Craven 100 Alliance | Craven County, NC
- Welcome to New Bern, NC
- Expertise in Action | Dan Gerlach LLC
Fireside Chat: Driving Economic Development in NC
- Rural RISE NC **Note: Secretary of State Marshall plans to reference RISE and some of these resources during her remarks**
- Secretary of State highlights business climate during visit | News | newbernsj.com
- Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina
- North Carolina Department of Commerce
- About Our Mission & Impact | Carolina Small Business Development Fund
Rural Economic Development
-
- North Carolina Community College SBC
- Small Business Center – Wayne Community College | Goldsboro, NC
- Craven County Community College Small Business Center
- About NCSE | North Carolina’s Southeast
- North Carolina Farm Bureau – Advocating for Farm and Rural Families Since 1936
- NC Rural Center
- Smart Growth in Small Towns and Rural Communities, US EPA
- Small Business Center Network
- North Carolina Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC)
- NC IDEA
Entrepreneurial Impact
- About – NC Courage
- About Us | Greenlight | Digital Health Research & Clinical
- ABOUT – NC IDEA
- About | CED – Center for Entrepreneurial Development
- All Business Resources | nc.gov
- North Carolina Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Map
Thursday, February 12, 2026
NC and the Global Economy
- About Us | North Carolina Biotechnology Center
- North Carolina Global TransPark: History
- How Important is International Trade to North Carolina? | NC Commerce
- North Carolina | United States Trade Representative
General Economic Development Resources
- “Economic Opportunity: How Should We Expand Opportunity in Our Community?”
- Developing Regional Economic Connectivity – Key Factors and Strategies for Urban and Rural Communities
- US Economic Development Administration
- ncIMPACT Initiative
- North Carolina’s Nonprofit Arts & Culture Sector Delivered $2.23 Billion in Economic and Social Impact in 2022 | NC DNCR
- NC Arts Nonprofits: $2.23 Billion in Economic Impact – Arts North Carolina
- Community & Economic Development | NC Arts Council
- Milken Institute – “2025 Best-Performing Cities: Mapping Economic Growth Across the US”
NC Resources
- NC Dept. of Commerce Strategic Economic Development Plan for North Carolina
- NC Outdoor Economy Office | NC Commerce
- NC Main Street & Rural Planning
- NCWorks Career Centers | NC Commerce
- NCGrowth’s Field Guide to Blueways: Leveraging Natural Assets for Economic Development
- NCEDA Economic Development Handbook
- NC County Tier Designations Map
- North Carolina 2026 Economic Development Guide
- NC Chamber Vision 2030 Brochure
- Carolina Population Center
- VisitNC
- UNC Libraries North Carolina Collection
- UNC Libraries Southern Historical Collection
- North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services | Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund
Inclusive Economic Development
- McKinsey & Company Report: The Case for Inclusive Growth
- A Better Wake: Dismantling Systemic Racism
- Inclusive Economies
- Brookings Institution Evaluation of Inclusive Economies in Metropolitan Areas (Metro Monitor)
- Fostering Inclusive Economies–Resources Collected by Forward Impact
- National Institute for Minority Economic Development
Vendor Fair Participants
New Bern
Session Follow-Up Materials
For completion AFTER the Economic Development Session
- Economic Development Session Evaluation–Due February 20
- March HHS Session Attendance Survey–Due February 20
- Economic Development Session Learning Team Calls: Prompts and Recording Form–Due March 4
- Hold your Learning Team calls and have your call recorder submit call notes through the form linked above by March 4
- Coaching Opportunity
- Info session February 24, 4:30 – 5:15 pm (registration form on page linked above)
- Request a coach by April 10 (sign-up form on page linked above)
- Stanley Frank Class Award Nomination Link
- Consider nominating one of your classmates for the Stanley Frank Class Award by April 17.
- Planning Committee Preferences Survey
- Submit your survey by April 17 to indicate your preferences for the role you will play in planning content for Class 34.
- Anyone interested in Program Chair should submit their survey by March 20.
