Greater Fayetteville Business Journal - July 26, 2024 issue
North Carolina Defense Technology Transition Office (DEFTECH) is taking every possible opportunity to help prepare businesses for the Third Annual Federal Technology Symposium (FTS), returning to the Fayetteville Technical Community College campus at the Tony Rand Student Center on Aug. 6, 2024. Formerly known as the Defense Technology Symposium, the FTS will highlight the advanced technology needs of major military commands in North Carolina and give local
PHOTO PROVIDED BY DEFTECH
Symposium (FTS) is hosted by the Office of US Senator Thom Tillis, the Office of US
Center
Cumberland Hoke Harnett Sampson Robeson Bladen Moore
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.
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On most Sundays around 10:45 a.m., you’ll find me in Room 2209 at Village Baptist Church. I have the privilege of leading an adult lifegroup (or Sunday school for those of you born before 1980) and we are reviewing the impact and importance of some “sidekicks” of the Bible.
Britannica Dictionary defines sidekicks as: a person who helps and spends a lot of time with someone who is usually more important, powerful, etc.,
Wikipedia’s definition is more accurate, however. A sidekick is a slang expression for a close companion or colleague who is, or is generally regarded as, subordinate to those whom they accompany.
Sunday’s lesson primarily came from Exodus 17, where Moses enlisted the help of some of his sidekick’s, Joshua, Aaron and Hur to defend the Israelites against the Amalekites. Aside from the cool spiritual lessons unpacked in this chapter of the power of prayer
and faith, it’s an amazing story of leadership, support and succession planning!
Joshua was charged by Moses to lead the fight, and although he had never been in a battle, much less led an army, he followed Moses’ direction. Aaron and Hur were charged to stay with Moses and assist him in praying for victory by literally holding up the tiring arms of Moses. The Israelites defeated their enemy, and it was because everyone played a significant part in the battle.
How many battles have you won on your own? Probably not many. How many successes have come your way without someone else being willing to roll up their sleeves and do the work with you and sometimes for you? Again, if we are honest, the answer is none.
This lesson really resonated with me, especially this past week. My wife and I were out of the country for two weeks, celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary and I
was able to disconnect from the office and really be refreshed. I was only able to do this because of the phenomenal team at Greater Fayetteville Business Journal! As they have prepared this issue focused on government contracting, we will hear some interesting stories of teamwork, collaboration and leadership.
I’m no Moses, but I count it as a huge blessing to work alongside talented people who you can depend on. I’m hoping that over the years, I can continue to assist them and others to develop their skills and knowledge in leadership.
God bless you and yours!
MARTY V. CAYTON is the publisher of the Greater Fayetteville Business Journal. 910-240-9697, Ext 101 • martyc@bizfayetteville.com
>> By Faith Hatton
Initiate Phase III
FAYETTEVILLE REGIONAL AIRPORT MOVES FORWARD WITH PHASE III OF AIRPORT RENOVATIONS AND EXPANSIONS
Fayetteville Regional Airport is continuing its mission to improve the flying experience for passengers, guests and military by continuing its multiphase renovation plan.
Phase I of Terminal Renovations, completed in 2020, added four new jet bridges, a complete demolition and rebuild of Concourse A, and a new restaurant along with utility upgrades and improvements to PWC transformers.
Terminal Renovations Phase II began in early 2020 and included a new terminal entrance canopy, enhanced security checkpoint area, reconstruction of the rental parking lot and upgrades to Concourse B along with other improvements.
The City of Fayetteville held a grand unveiling of its completed Phase II of terminal renovations in December of 2022. The more than $37 million budgeted in safety, security and experience-focused renovations were made possible through grants from the Federal Aviation Administration, State of North Carolina and Airport Fund Balance. No tax-based General Fund Dollars were used to fund the project.
Now, construction is in progress for Phase III of renovations. Estimated to cost $3.4 million, Phase III will focus on extending Concourse B for passengers and include regulation safety improvements for when they board.
“For Phase III, behind the construction wall, we are extending the concourse out 200 square-feet to accommodate for larger airframes,” shared Interim Airport Director and Deputy Airport Director Deontae Watson. “American [Airlines] was exclusively using this, however, the passenger boarding bridge that’s needed has reached its useful life. Like any product, you want to replace it so that's a $1.5 million project in Airport Improvement Program funds to replace the passenger boarding bridge. That will increase safety for passengers boarding the aircraft from this concourse.”
In that same concourse, Phase III includes a new and improved freight elevator with upgraded security which will be used to bring in a higher amount of bulk goods which will
be featured in the airport restaurant and general store.
Downstairs and outside, construction is underway for a project specifically for airport employees who currently work outdoors handling outbound baggage.
As bags leave their owners and head towards their specific flights, the carousel heads outdoors for bags to be sorted and loaded. Currently,
this all takes place outdoors, but within Phase III are plans to extend the canopy that currently provides cover, as well as adding heating and air conditioning to provide relief for workers. Additionally, plans are in place to add an airline lounge to the same area to provide more comfort and shelter for employees during rough or inclement weather. Inside on the first floor, Fayette-
ville Regional Airport is also preparing to welcome in new airlines with the addition of 700-square feet of new office space currently under construction.
So far, the Airport has invested around $52 million in renovations for the facility. Fliers in and out of the airport will be able to enjoy the new Phase III amenities before the end of the year.
“They’re about 85% complete and actually, the entire project is ahead of schedule,” shared Watson. “They’re projecting the entire project should be completed Dec. 20 of this year. That will allow us to have a newer style terminal and hopefully another air carrier pretty soon,” said Watson.
A recap on the projects’ progress and current project updates can be found on the Fayetteville Regional Airport website at www.flyfay.com.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY GFBJ
Currently blocked by a protective wall, construction has begun to expand Concourse B (pictured) an additional 200-square feet to accommodate for larger airframes.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY GFBJ
An outside view of Concourse B. Fliers in and out of the airport will be able to enjoy the new Phase III amenities before the end of the year.
From KEY, page 1
businesses and contractors the opportunity to fill those needs with their products or services.
To help businesses prepare, DEFTECH has been utilizing their Coffee Call Series to prepare businesses on the best way to present themselves and their services to potential government buyers.
The DEFTECH Coffee Call series is an in person and virtual way to engage with experts, expand your network and gain insights with themed speakers that takes place every Friday.
July 12 marked the first in the “Road to War” series, an informative series of Coffee Calls being used as a “roadmap for catalyzing defense innovation and optimizing your engagement with the federal government” during this year’s FTS and beyond.
“Before each event for about a month, I'll do a ramp up to the actual event. We’ve seen in other places they focus so much on just the event that when the event is over, you’re like ‘Oh man, it’s over. Now what?’ Well, not only do we have a ramp up to the event to build awareness, to answer questions, to build marketing and integration of different organizations, but also we’ll have a debrief afterwards along with a Warfighter Experience,” shared DEFTECH Director Bob Burton.
Upcoming parts of the “Road to War” preparation series include an in person Coffee Call on July 26, celebrating the event's fourth anniversary and a Tech Protect Workshop at Fayetteville Technical Community College taking place on Aug. 5 a day before the symposium.
“We're going to have a workshop; the Patent and Trademark Office, the National Security Innovation Network, the Army, DEVCOM, a lot of these players will be in town. We asked them to come in just a little bit early, attend this Tech Protect Workshop, where we’re going to lay out ‘What are the threats?’ And ‘What are the things that we can do across the state of North Carolina to protect our intellectual property, our cybersecurity and then understand the counterintelligence threat landscape,’” said Burton.
During all of these events, the DEFTECH team (now expanded, see pg 13) has been working to utilize their technology scouting program called TIDE: Technology, Innovation, Demonstration and Experi-
The FTS will highlight the advanced technology needs of major military commands in North Carolina, the Department of Defense (DoD), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), along with the correlating capabilities of the innovation ecosystem in North Carolina and the Southeast.
mentation. The TIDE Program is used as a scouting mechanism to recruit booths at FTS and for this year’s symposium Shark Tank event. Businesses can also use it in general when approaching government contractors.
The program features a “One Page White Paper” approach outlining intricate details of a company or business quickly and cleanly such as: operational relevance, capability description, impact, technical approach and more. It also uses a four block ‘Scout Card’ to break down a problem and offer details of a potential solution.
using, a prize competition or a broad agency announcement. That’s what they want. They want to be clear on the government problem you're solving, how you solve it, what is your commercial and dual use application? We’re getting ahead of the requirements.”
All of this preparation will be put to the
test during the actual FTS. The full day will include networking opportunities, vendor booths showcasing technology, breakout sessions and Lieutenant General Christopher Donahue, Commanding General and Senior Mission Commander, XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Liberty as the Keynote Speaker.
“There’s going to be booths that folks can set up, we’re down selecting those as well, based upon emerging technology requirements that the DOD has. We want to showcase the most critical technologies that the DOD is looking for right now,” said Burton. “We’ve gone out and scouted for those technologies and then we're going to present them on the floor, just to open a discussion. The intent is not to make a sale. The intent is to inform requirements for the government, and then also for our companies to have that feedback with the warfighters.”
According to Burton, one of the most invaluable events for attendees will be the Joint Force and Installation Modernization Shark Tank. This will be an opportunity for companies to receive feedback on their proposals to actual problems experienced by government buyers from the potential buyers themselves.
“We’re in final down select for our Shark Tank session. These companies are going to benefit tremendously because they get a chance to pitch in front of the government and in front of the audience, their technology quad charts and receive some feedback, which is really essential feedback that they otherwise would not receive if they had just gone as an attendee,” said Burton.
“The TIDE Program is a continuous tech counting methodology for the state of North Carolina. It is a whole lifecycle technology scouting approach that we run in cycles,” shared Burton. “The reason why we use the quad chart and a One Page White Paper is because that’s the baseline for any government submission. Whether it’s through a scouting platform that the government’s
The intent is not to make a sale. The intent is to inform requirements for the government, and then also for our companies to have that feedback with the warfighters.”
— Bob Burton, Director, DEFTECH “
Anyone interested in learning more about the full scope of events before, during and after the FTS is encouraged to go online to www.defense.ncmbc.us to learn more.
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY DEFTECH
ACHIEVERS
Cape Fear Valley Medical Center nationally
recognized for
commitment to providing high-quality stroke care
Cape Fear Valley Medical Center has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke GoldPlus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability.
Stroke is ranked as the number five cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and accelerating recovery times.
Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide. Get With The Guidelines - Stroke is an in-hospital program for improving stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death.
“Cape Fear Valley Medical Center is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said Michael Ruzek, Chief Quality Officer, in a press release. “Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which studies show can help patients recover better. The end goal is to ensure more people in our region can experience longer, healthier lives.”
In addition, Cape Fear Valley Medical Center received the American Heart Association’s Target: StrokeSM Honor Roll Advanced Therapy award by meeting specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment to remove the clot causing the stroke.
The hospital also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes™ Honor Roll award. Target: Type 2 Diabetes aims to ensure patients with Type 2 diabe-
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.”
tes, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most upto-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to stroke.
Cumberland County Schools Communications and Community Engagement Department receives national recognition
Cumberland County Schools’ (CCS) Communications and Community Engagement Department has once again received national recognition for excellence in school communications. The National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) recently announced that CCS earned three prestigious awards in the 2024 Publications and Digital Media Excellence Awards category. NSPRA’s Publications and Digital Media Excellence Awards recognize outstanding education publications and marketing/informational materials.
CCS has been honored with the following NSPRA 2024 awards:
CCS' Communications and Community Engagement team received the 2024 NSPRA Award of Merit in the Special Purpose Publication category for "United for Student Success: 2023 End-of-Year Report to the Community." Aligned with The Cumberland Commitment: Strategic Plan 2026, this report celebrates CCS' accomplishments throughout the school year.
CCS also received the 2024
NSPRA Award of Merit for "Family Ambassadors: United for Student Success." This video highlights the district's innovative Family Ambassador Program and its impact on student achievement and family engagement. It features testimonials and interviews that illustrate CCS' collaborative efforts with families and community partners.
Additionally, CCS received a 2024 NSPRA Honorable Mention for “CCS High School Seniors Graduate Confident, Competitive, Life-Ready.” This video celebrates the achievements of the Class of 2023 and underscores CCS as the premier choice for education in the region.
“These awards underscore the dedication and expertise of our small but mighty Communications and Community Engagement team at Cumberland County Schools,” said Dr. Lindsay Whitley, associate superintendent for Communications and Community Engagement, in a press release. “Each team member plays a crucial role in crafting and delivering these award-winning communications that effectively inform and engage our stakeholders.”
Award winners will be officially recognized at the 2024 NSPRA National Seminar during the Annual Meeting and Celebration of Achievement on July 14 in Bellevue, Washington. Dr. Whitley will be present to accept the recognition on behalf of Cumberland County Schools, acknowledging the Communications and Community Engagement team's hard work and commitment to excellence.
Fayetteville State University inducted into the National Academy of Inventors
The National Academy of Inventors (NAI) bestowed the honor of member institution on Fayetteville State University during their 13th Annual Conference, Unlocking Innovation: Keys to Societal Solutions, hosted by North Carolina State University in Raleigh in June.
Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation and Chief Research Officer Ganesh Bora, Ph.D., accepted the award on behalf of FSU at the Conference. He was also conferred as an honorary member recognizing his achievements and accomplishment to the innovation ecosystem.
“Being a member of the NAI will bolster our efforts to create and develop solutions for [the] world,” said Dr. Bora in a press release. “This is a tremendous accomplishment as FSU continues to enhance research opportunities for our students, particularly encouraging undergraduate students to engage in campus research projects.”
Joining Bora as FSU representatives at the conference were Leslie Evelyn, Ph.D, director of the Office of Sponsored Research and Programs and executive director of the FSU Research Corporation and Bhoj Gautam, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Chemistry, Physics and Materials Science.
Fayetteville State University currently has four active patents, with research ongoing toward developing new patent-worthy products and ideas. “Inducting FSU is evidence of the NAI expanding its efforts to include more HBCUs as members to provide increased exposure to the innovative technologies being developed among them,” concluded Dr. Evelyn in a press release.
North Carolina ranked in Top Three States to Do Business for fifth year in a row by CNBC
PHOTO PROVIDED BY FSU
Dr. Ganesh Bora (center), associate vice chancellor for research and innovation and chief research officer at Fayetteville State University, accepted the certificate of member on behalf of FSU at the NAI Conference in Raleigh from NAI officials.
From ACHIEVERS, page 8
On July 11, CNBC named North Carolina as the second best state to do business and in the top three for the fifth year in a row thanks to its well-trained and diverse workforce, booming economy and strong business environment. In 2019, North Carolina ranked third; in 2021, the state ranked second; and in both 2022 and 2023 North Carolina ranked first.
“Investing in our people makes our continued success possible,” said Governor Roy Cooper in a press release. “Thanks to our highly-skilled workforce built by our strong public schools and thriving economy with major investments from companies across all sectors, North Carolina continues to be a top destination for business.”
“CNBC again ranking North Carolina as one of the top states for business in the nation is a testament to our state’s competitive advantages,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders in a press release. “Successful states stay laser focused on improving their education systems, upgrading their infrastruc-
ture and paying attention to critical quality of life issues like childcare. I’m confident we’ll continue to do the work that’s required to bring economic prosperity to all North Carolinians.”
The CNBC study looks at 128 metrics in 10 ten categories of competitiveness. North Carolina ranked #3 in workforce and highly in the economy, business friendliness, education and access to capital categories.
“North Carolina continues to be a powerhouse for business,” said Gene McLaurin, chair of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina’s (EDPNC) Board of Directors in a press release. “Thanks to strong collaboration between Governor Cooper, the North Carolina Department of Commerce, EDPNC and other public and private partnerships, we are bolstering North Carolina’s economy to make sure companies continue to grow and thrive in our state.”
Cumberland County awarded for technology practices
Cumberland County has been recognized by the National Association of Counties (NACo) for providing a top-notch digital experience for citizens.
The County’s Innovation and Technology Services (ITS) Department won second place for its population category in NACo’s 2024 Digital Counties Survey Awards.
Cumberland County officials accepted the award during the NACo annual conference held from July 12 – 15 in Hillsborough County, Fla.
“This award is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our ITS team. Their innovative efforts and commitment to enhancing our county's digital infrastructure are truly commendable,” said Chairman Glenn Adams in a press release.
“Using technology to effectively engage our residents is among the Board of Commissioners’ top priorities and we are extremely proud of our County management team and departments for moving that priority forward.”
Cumberland County made a significant jump in this year’s survey moving up five spots to finish second among counties with a population
ACHIEVERS
of 250,000 – 499,999. The honor from the Center for Digital Government (CDG) and NACo places
Cumberland among a distinguished group of counties that have worked hard to improve their digital, citizen and government experience through technology and leadership.
“This award truly reflects our team’s unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation and pushing the boundaries of technological achievement,” said Cumberland County ITS Director Keith Todd in a press release. “This recognition motivates us to continue forging a path towards a more intelligent future.”
PHOTO PROVIDED BY FSU County leadership receive the 2024 Digital County Surveys Award during the annual NACo Conference.
TECHNOLOGY
The perfect match
MASSIVE LEAD GENERATION PLATFORM MATCHAWARDS HELPS BUSINESSES CONNECT FOR SUCCESS
It’s no secret that Fayetteville is a military town. With that status comes an even higher number of local businesses seeking out opportunities through government contracts. MatchAwards is a platform that helps make that process easier.
About seven months ago, Advanced Internet Technologies, Inc. (AIT), a leading technology innovator, debuted MatchAwards.com, a powerful AI-driven Social Economic Platform that aims to reshape how organizations, government entities, businesses, investors and employees connect and succeed in our changing economy.
“It is a massive lead generation platform,” explained AIT CEO Clarence Briggs. The platform allows connections for a number of transactions such as G2B, government-to-business; B2B, business-to-business; B2E, business-to-employee; and B2I, business-to-investor. Anybody can register on the platform.
Briggs went on to explain that there are two basic beneficiaries. One is what his team refers to as “EDOs,” economic development organizations. Those include chambers of commerce, trade associations, universities and other organizations of that nature. The second group that benefits is the members of these organizations. Businesses, both for profit and nonprofit, can find opportunities and connect with other businesses that are targeted to their field of work.
“Most platforms measure success by ‘How long can we keep people logged into our platform, using our platform,’ right? That’s not us. It’s how short a period of time can you spend on this platform, generating meaningful leads that you can then go out and basically capture and put to use and make money. Ours is the more money you make in a shorter period of time, that is the metric for success here,” shared Briggs.
Users can sort leads by opportunities and narrow their search by using NAICS codes, zip codes and keywords. There are currently 21 signed EDOs that are featured on the MatchAwards homepage, and each EDO invites its community of businesses to utilize MatchAwards dynamic offerings.
Users can utilize MatchAwards Ar-
tificial Intelligence, also referred to as MAI. MAI has four “sub-personalities” and can be used as a teambuilder, a consultant (reserved for EDOs), a recruiter and a political advocate.
The teambuilder feature sorts through leads and analyzes whether or not opportunities are a good fit for a business. The AI political advocate gives EDOs connections to elected officials providing them with political clout and influence that they didn't have before. AI recruiter has not yet been deployed but it will be used to help grow an organization.
“I think the recruiter, when we get that thing going it’s going to be pretty powerful. We’re going to put a
dot on a map, draw a circle around it, and it will actually build a chamber. It’ll go out and recruit for a chamber or a trade association or whatever [organization] and bring members in and do it in a very non-invasive way” explained Briggs.
One of the most recently added EDOs is Fayetteville’s very own chamber of commerce. The Greater Fayetteville Chamber has partnered with MatchAwards to help their members unlock countless opportunities tailored specifically for their business.
.... the more money you make in a shorter period of time, that is the metric for success here.”
— Clarence Briggs, AIT CEO, MatchAwards “
“When we do a partnership with an economic development organization, primarily a chamber, we create for them a co-branded link where they can direct their users to sign up and create those accounts in MatchAwards so their individual users, business users, can then have a profile and get matched to relevant leads…once they have that account created and get those relevant matches for government contracting opportunities, or say micro loans, grants, then those business users can start taking advantage of being informed and following up and pursuing those opportunities to grow their business,” shared Chief Operations Officer at AIT Mike Noble.
Through partnerships with these EDOs, MatchAwards is able to serve
a greater number of businesses. The EDOs help get the word out about the platform and the MatchAwards team provides the assistance to the EDO directly.
“We do onboarding and training. We walk them through the platform–understanding the dashboards, the reporting, the tracking and then how to actually use the platform day to day,” explained Noble.
GovTide serves as the AI engine on the back end of the MatchAwards matching. Additionally, the team uses a patented search engine called TyBit to serve relevant ads into the MatchAwards platform based on NAICS codes. There will be a link for users and EDOs to click to create ads to be served in the MatchAwards platform.
“That’s where our opportunity, based on our partnership, comes in to where we can monetize the platform ourselves: relevant ads to relevant businesses based on business needs,” stated Noble.
An exciting development on the horizon is the introduction of cryptocurrency into the MatchAwards platform. The team is looking at trying to add the crypto element at some point this calendar year.
“We are building our own token and we’re actually tying our token to the contract grant and financing value inside of the MatchAwards platform,” explained Briggs.
EDOs already have a crypto wallet tied to their accounts to track the organization's registered users where all registered users are counting for a one for one credit in their wallet.
Once the Initial Coin Offering (ICO) is live and there’s monetary value that’s recognized for the organization they can share that with their partners.
“As we move forward and the crypto wallet gains value, we're basing the value of the cryptocurrency not on something arbitrary, but basically on the value of the platform itself and the economic development opportunities generated for that particular EDO,” added Noble.
For more information about MatchAwards or to create an account visit www.matchawards.com.
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY MATCHAWARDS
BUSINESS PROFILE
N3 meets your needs
N3 GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS WORKS TO PROVIDE SOLUTIONS FOR INFORMATIONS TECHNOLOGY, LOGISTICS AND MORE
Fayetteville born, family owned and Veteran operated N3 Government Solutions (N3GS) has spent the past 11 years serving all levels of government to provide program management, information technology, system analysis, logistics support and more.
Founded by a husband and wife team in 2013, N3GS is a combination of Founder and President Nicole Nelson’s experience in managing multimillion dollar IT operations of various sizes and complexities and Co-Founder and Vice President Nicholas Nelson’s experience in government contracting after leaving the military.
“Nick [got] out of the military before I did and was working as a government contractor already. He was put over projects almost immediately because of his leadership and so he was able to gain really great insight into contracting, learn the proposal writing process, like the ins and outs of contracting,” shared Nicole. “When I got out of the military, he was already really familiar with the contracting process and I was eligible for what would be a Woman Owned, Service Disabled Veteran owned type company. So together we thought it would be a good idea to just try and see how that would work. And in the proposal writing process, getting awarded contracts right away, we realized that we would need both of us doing the job.”
Together, the two Veterans of the U.S. Army Signal Corp have worked to create a company focused on continuing to meet the various needs of clients on a case by case basis.
N3GS core capabilities focus on information technology and logistics operations. Their customers and areas of expertise include:
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY:
• Software Development
• Network Administration
• System Administration
• Information Assurance
• New Equipment Fielding
• Helpdesk
• Database Administration
• Infrastructure Support
• Cyber Security Training
N3GS is a combination of Founder and President Nicole
operations of various sizes and complexities and Co-Founder and
government contracting.
LOGISTICS OPERATIONS:
• Warehouse Operations
• Asset Visibility
• New Equipment
• Fielding Site
• Property Accountability
• STAMIS Support
• Functional
• Administration
• Technical
• Lifecycle Replacement
The Nelsons have worked to grow and expand their offerings as needed to meet the demands of their clientele.
“I’d say half of our business is IT. I was warned early on that as you go into business, it kind of leads you where the need is. So, quickly we went in chasing IT contracts and we found ourselves doing a lot of logistics management contracts, because that's where the need was,” shared Nicholas. “We always like to joke, we have a lot of government customers that ask ‘What do you do?’ and we say, whatever you’ll pay us to do as long as it’s not illegal, unethical or immoral, we’ll do it.”
N3GS prides itself on their proven
ability to provide high quality, low cost support to partners with a focus on efficiency. They are able to achieve this through a fluid business model that allows them to work remotely and hire employees on a contract by contract basis.
“Our business is directly proportional to the contracts we have and some contracts are larger than others.
As they come and go, we have gone up to over 50 employees, down to three employees and back up. It just goes back and forth. It just depends on the needs of the customer at any given time,” shared Nicholas. “We don’t carry a large overhead.”
— Nicholas Nelson, Co-Founder and Vice President, N3GS “
....we went in chasing IT contracts and we found ourselves doing a lot of logistics management contracts, because that's where the need was.”
With a client list that includes the United States Army Reserve Command (USARC), the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) and The General Services Administration (GSA), N3GS will continue to accept contracts and be of service to the government and their present and future clients.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY N3GS
Nelson’s (left) experience in managing multimillion dollar IT
Vice President Nicholas Nelson’s (right) experience in
DEFTECH developments
DEFTECH TRIPLES OPERATIONAL STRENGTH TO SUPPORT DEFENSE INDUSTRY
The North Carolina Military Business Center (NCMBC) has significantly reinforced its Defense Technology Transition Office (DEFTECH) to help North Carolina businesses and academic entities leverage Department of Defense (DoD) current, emerging and urgent requirements for advanced technologies.
DEFTECH has connected industry- and academia-based research and development capacity with DoD and other federal R&D requirements since 2016. However, this month the NCMBC nearly tripled DEFTECH’s operational strength, equipping it to leverage an anticipated explosion in DoD demand for dual use (military and commercial) technologies to support America’s warfighters.
The DEFTECH team includes:
BOB BURTON
Formerly DEFTECH Senior Manager since 2020 and Interim Director, Burton became the DEFTECH Director in May 2024. Burton is a retired Army Command Sergeant Major with over 30 years of executive leadership and operational experience in special operations worldwide. Burton works from the First Flight Venture Center in RTP.
THOMAS “TJ” GILROY
A former Marine attack helicop-
ter pilot and published author, Gilroy has over 20 years of experience in developing, patenting, marketing and selling tactical equipment to DoD. Gilroy transitioned from NCMBC business development to DEFTECH as Program Manager in July 2024, working from the Sandhills region near Pinehurst.
JAYCIE BEAM
With an MBA degree in Innovation and Change Management and experience in the Community Colleges’ Small Business Center Network, Beam joined the DEFTECH team as Program Support Specialist in July 2024. She anticipates working from Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute in Hudson.
TODD FERRY
A 30-year, retired Marine helicopter pilot and base commander, Ferry brings extensive Marine
Corps experience to DEFTECH as a part-time Program Manager. Ferry is based near Havelock in eastern North Carolina.
NCMBC Executive Director Scott Dorney explained the reasons for significantly augmenting DEFTECH. This DEFTECH expansion will:
Position the state to leverage imminent expansion in DoD efforts to acquire and rapidly field advanced technologies. In the FY2024 DoD budget, the Defense Innovation Unit – now a direct reporting office to the Secretary of Defense – received a nearly $800 million increase in its annual budget (from $191 to $983 million) to rapidly expand technology transition from commercial sources. This growth will almost certainly continue in FY2025
Enable the NCMBC to identify, recruit, engage and connect the R&D and innovation capacity in our uni-
versities and industry with DIU, other DoD rapid capabilities entities and their current and emerging technology requirements – and help them win
Establish groundwork for operationalizing the proposed, NC Commerce-led Defense Innovation Network, designed to significantly increase NC engagement in DoD-related research and development in North Carolina
North Carolina has the capacity and - with an expanded DEFTECH – some of the tools in place to leverage urgent DoD needs for advanced technologies to grow the innovation ecosystem, help businesses grow jobs, expand the defense economy and improve quality of life in the state.
For more information about DEFTECH, visit www.Deftech.nc.gov. For the NCMBC, visit www.ncmbc.us.
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY DEFTECH
The new DEFTECH team includes DEFTECH Director Bob Burton, Program Manager Thomas “J” Gilroy, Program Support Specialist Jaycie Beam and part-time Program Manager Todd Ferry.
Ready for flight
HARNETT COUNTY CELEBRATES RENOVATED HARNETT REGIONAL JETPORT FACILITY WITH A RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY
Staff, municipal leadership and members of the Harnett County community all celebrated the newly completed Harnett Regional Jetport (HRJ) building with a ribbon cutting ceremony held on Tuesday, July 16, at 615 Airport Road in Erwin.
Under construction since February 2023, the newly completed 7,000+ square foot, two-story terminal is now the home to Harnett Regional Jetport operations and will serve as the new office space for Harnett County Economic Development which, according to leadership, is a further commitment to fostering continued growth. Across the road from the Jetport, 50 acres of land has been sold for future Jetport and commercial development projects still in early development.
“This strategic move will undoubtedly enhance our efforts to attract new businesses and industries to our area. We are fortunate not to be landlocked anymore. A local farmer and adjoining neighbors sold us some land so that we can continue to develop our corporate area to attract new business,” shared Jerry Milton, chairman of the Harnett Regional Jetport Advisory Board in his address to the crowd. “It increases our potential for industrial expansion. This geographical advantage, combined with our new terminal, positions us favorably to bring new industry, create jobs and stimulate economic growth.”
Construction on the new terminal was completed in May of 2024 with Jackson Builders serving as the architects behind the project.
The new terminal includes a number of new amenities to service businesses and private flyers including conference/ training rooms, lounge areas, a 24-hour pilot’s lounge complete with a full shower and a 2nd-story observation deck overlooking HRJ's midfield.
The completion of the terminal will allow Harnett County to potentially bring a piece of the more than $72 billion in revenue, generated annually by North Carolina’s public airports, to the area.
“Today, North Carolina is the third most attractive state for aerospace manufacturing. There are over 280 leading aerospace companies
across the state and another 450 that are supply chain companies to this industry. Since 2013, there's been a 20% growth increase within this industry itself,” shared Harnett County Economic Development Director Stephen Barrington. “North Carolina is known as having the largest manufacturing workforce in the South.”
Barrington shared some aviation statistics to give an idea of the impact of aviation and aerospace workforce throughout the state which could soon be part of Harnett County’s economic makeup:
There are over 40,000 aerospace and aviation workers in North Carolina
2,600 aerospace related certificates and credentials are conferred annually
Over 1,300 service members exit Active Duty annually with skill sets in the aerospace area
“From a state perspective there are four areas in which they look to recruit and expand. One is aerospace manufacturing, another is maintenance, repair and overhaul, the third is drones, unmanned systems and the fourth is aerospace and defense contracting,” shared Barrington. “Today we can see what Harnett County values and is proud of. In our department, we strongly believe that investments in the Jetport are going to yield great successes in our economic development efforts.”
North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Division of Aviation Director Rebecca J. Gallas was able to join the Harnett County government for the event. She spoke on how the 72 general aviation airports around the state, like HRJ, are critical to the multimodal transportation network as well as the economy.
“General Aviation in North Carolina supports a rich ecosystem of aviation activities and businesses as you can see here at Harnett Regional Airport. From freight and cargo, to manufacturing and emergency services, general aviation airports
connect North Carolinians to critical services, goods and jobs” shared Gallas. “HRJ alone generates $147 million in economic impact (according to the NCDOT’s North Carolina: The State of Aviation report released in 2023). The Jetport also supports more than 670 jobs in the airport and in the region through both direct and indirect impacts. And importantly, HRJ activity returns nearly $6 million in tax revenues to state and local governments annually.”
The event held on Tuesday, July 16, featured only a ribbon cutting ceremony. The Jamboree (fly-in) event originally scheduled to take place in May of 2024 has been rescheduled for this fall. More information on that event will be coming soon.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY GFBJ
Local, regional and state leaders all gather to cut the ribbon on the newly completed 7,000+square foot, two-story terminal.
BIZ LEADS
Reader’s Guide
BizLeads is a collection of information gathered from greater Fayetteville courthouses, state government offices and information websites. The listings are intended to help the business community find new customers and stay on top of happenings with current customers, vendors and competitors.
New Corporations lists firms from the Greater Fayetteville Business Journal region that were recently incorporated in the State of North Carolina.
CUMBERLAND COUNTY
King Project and Repair LLC
6838 Timbercroft Lane
Fayetteville Agent: Anthony Mark King Jr
Groundup Solar & Electrical LLC 1210 Snowy Egret Drive Fayetteville Agent: Maurice John Duren
Psych Solutions PLLC
3900 Chadbourne Drive Fayetteville Agent: Cheryl P. Norris
KWFM Services PLLC
5212 Walnut Dr Fayetteville Agent: Kimberly Sue Wiest
JAAD Custom Designs LLC 2223 Gray Goose Loop
Fayetteville Agent: Jaalien Allen
Unico Mechanical Corp. 429 Person St.
Tout Bel LLC 131 Donaldson St Fayetteville Agent: Precise Process
Vision Auto Graphics & Collision Inc 6743 Vaughn Rd
Fayetteville Agent: Malik Jones
Busy Hive Cleaning LLC 100 Hay Street Ste 704
Fayetteville Agent: Kyra Paige Waring
Baywood Terrace Owners Association Inc 2148 Rim Rd Ste 104
Fayetteville Agent: Mohler Investments LLC
La Catrina Express LLC 3920 Black Bridge Rd Hope Mills Agent: Gabriel Celestino Macas
Abundant Living Home Care LLC
3509 Town St
Hope Mills Agent: Angel Monika Baynes
Covenant Love Admin 420 Dunn Road
Fayetteville Agent: James A Brice
Ready Set Calm Solutions LLC
2501 Bragg Blvd. PMB 175
Fayetteville Agent: Theresa Pina
MAK Homebuilders LLC
2709 Thorngrove Court
Fayetteville Agent: George Armstrong
Eluvate Partners LLC
4422 Narrow Pine Court
Parkton Agent: Mark Levane Brady
See Deep LLC
3206 Melba D
Fayetteville Agent: Cheryl Denine Perry
Investor Alliance
Property Management LLC
860 Danish Drive
Fayetteville Agent: Brentley Adam Tessier
Glenn Sutton
Yard Sale LLC
515 Blaney Ct
Hope Mills Agent: Glenn Sutton
Defense Contractors
Coming to Cumberland County TRANSLOADING COMPANY STRATEGIC
Strategic Transload Services, LLC (STS) has announced the opening of a new subsidiary in Cumberland County. Strategic Transload Services, LLC was established in April 2020 in Athens, GA and specializes in the transportation of chemicals. STS of Fayetteville adds the corporation’s eighth location in the Southeast.
Through the CSX Rail line, the company will provide direct rail connectivity from ethanol plants in the Midwest to the fuel depot located off Murchison Road, which supplies the vast majority of Fayetteville.
“Supplying the terminal with direct rail will displace two hundred and fifty trucks per month coming into the Fayetteville market, making this a safe and more secure process for fuel transportation,” said Von
TRANSLOAD SERVICES, LLC OPENS FACILITY IN CUMBERLAND COUNTY
Operations at the new Cumberland County facility are
roads.
Friesen, Principal of STS in a press release. “The FCEDC staff was extremely helpful with securing the right location for our expansion.”
The property where STS of Fayetteville will operate is part of an idle landfill. “We were able to
repurpose a piece of land, add a new customer to CSX’s Class 1 Rail network, and create a more economical channel for ethanol customers,” stated Executive Vice President of FCEDC Rob Patton in a press release.
SAFE. SOUND. SECURE.
“We are pleased to welcome STS of Fayetteville to our community,” said FCEDC Board Chair Kathryn Cox in a press release. “Their cost-effective procedure is a great fit and will continue to strengthen the rail business.”
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