About
North Carolina's Eastern Region Development Commission is the economic development agency for a 13-county region (Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Edgecombe, Greene, Jones, Lenoir, Nash, Onslow, Pamlico, Pitt, Wayne, and Wilson). The Commission offers confidential site location assistance and information to companies considering the Eastern Region for a business location or expansion.
The Eastern Region encompasses nearly 7,000 square miles, with a population of approximately 1,000,000 and a workforce of 470,000+. Several factors make the Region an excellent location for manufacturers, distributors and other business operations, including:
- Progressive business climate that fosters growth and success
- Highly productive workforce with a broad diversity of skills
- Nationally-recognized education and training resources
- Affordable labor, real estate, utility and living costs
- Large supply of quality industrial buildings and commercial sites
- Utility capacities to handle most manufacturing and service operations
- Centrally located for superior access to eastern U.S. markets
- Quality of life that perennially ranks among America’s best
NCER Mission
- Identifying economic development opportunities having immediate and/or transformational impact on the region's economy.
- Building regional capacity to support economic growth and wealth creation.
- Identifying and addressing barriers to economic growth.
- Generating regional strategies through collaboration to develop and implement plans for economic growth.
- Serving as the primary source of economic development data and expertise related to the region.
Board
Calvin Anderson, Chair
Whitakers
Retired, US Air Force
Appointed by Edgecombe County
Win Batten
Warsaw
Mayor of Warsaw
Appointed by Duplin County
John M. Bell
Goldsboro
Retired, NC Department of Corrections
Appointed by Governor
Wilbur "Andy" E. Anderson
Goldsboro
Col. (Ret.) USAF
Appointed by Wayne County
Thomas Lucas
Wilson
Owner, Thomas Lucas Plumbing Company
Appointed by Wilson County
Edward B. Bright
Grifton
Retired, Dean of Instruction - Pitt Community College
Appointed by Pitt County
Gary A. Keel
Oriental
Retired, Millennium Challenge Corporation
Appointed by Pamlico County
Paul Buchanan
Jacksonville
Director of BLET, Coastal Carolina Community College
Appointed by Onslow County
Larry Meadows, Assistant Treasurer
Trenton
Economic Development Consultant
Appointed by Jones County
Denny Garner, Treasurer
Snow Hill
City Executive, First Citizens Bank
Appointed by Greene County
George Graham, Vice Chair & Assistant Secretary
Kinston
Human Resources Director, Caswell Center
Appointed by Lenoir County
Douglas W. Harris
Atlantic Beach
Retired, Farm Credit System
Appointed by Carteret County
Robert E. Barnhill III
Tarboro
Senior Vice President, Barnhill Contracting
Appointed by the Governor
Robbie Davis
Rocky Mount
Nash County Commissioner
Appointed by Nash County
Mark Griffin
Dover
Owner, Quality Dental Laboratory
Appointed by Craven County
Ken Jones
Pine Knoll Shores
Mayor, Pine Knoll Shores
Appointed by President Pro Tem of the Senate
Michael Lazzara
Jacksonville
Appointed by President Pro Tem of the Senate
Mark Storie
New Bern
Appointed by Speaker of the House
