N.C. Commerce Secretary Sharon Decker traveled to Halifax and Warren Counties on Oct. 9 to meet with local economic developers, community leaders, elected officials, and other stakeholders. In Halifax County, Decker took a windshield tour of some of the county’s new industrial parks, certified sites and tourism attractions, and learned that the county is the “Rockfish Capital of the World.” She heard from Halifax County Economic Development Commission Executive Director Cathy Scott and Halifax County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau President Lori Medlin about the county’s investment in infrastructure and focus on the area’s unique assets.
“You are very well-positioned and have a competitive edge over many counties,” Decker told the community representatives at a luncheon. “You have forged a strong partnership among all the various economic development entities and everyone is working together with a common vision. That’s rare.”
Later that afternoon, Decker spoke to a group of economic development, business and non-profit leaders from Warren and Vance counties. State Senator Angela Bryant and N.C. Rep. Nathan Baskerville facilitated the meeting where Decker talked about her interest in bringing more focus and resources to rural North Carolina. She responded to questions from audience members who were interested in a variety of topics, many of them centered on reducing regulations and simplifying economic development processes at the state level.