Greater Fayetteville Business Journal - September 20, 2024 issue
n Tuesday, Sept. 10, history was made as the official groundbreaking ceremony of the Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine (SOM) took place.
Gathering SOM leadership, faculty, staff, donors, partners, community organizations and many more, this event officially kicked off construction, and marked the beginning of a changing landscape of healthcare providers in the greater Fayetteville area for years to come.
JULY UNEMPLOYMENT
Source: N.C. Department of Commerce
Cumberland Hoke Harnett Sampson Robeson Bladen Moore
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By the time you read this, Jerome Powell, chairman of the Federal Reserve and the rest of the Federal Reserve board will have undoubtedly lowered the federal reserve borrowing rate by at least 25 basis points or a 1/4 percent. Some expect it to be a higher cut, and it is highly likely that it will be lowered 75 to a full 100 basis points before the end of the year.
The reason the markets are already reacting to this inevitability is the signals being given from Powell himself stating that the inflation target is pretty close to its goal at 2.5% versus the 2% fed target. The poor jobs performance in the last month may keep the initial rate cut down a bit, but a rate cut is coming nonetheless.
But many of you might be asking the question, ‘If inflation is coming down significantly, why are prices still high?’
It’s a fair question, and one that I didn’t know the answer to completely, so I asked AI to help me answer the question. If you’re not sure what AI is by now, you may have been asleep for the last two years, and it’s time to wake up! Of course, AI stands for artificial intelligence, and here’s what AI says, regarding the question that I posed:
‘While inflation has been slowing, prices are still high because a decrease in inflation means prices are increasing more slowly, rather than falling.
Here are some reasons why prices are still high:
Previous price increases are still being felt.
Previous periods of price increases are still factored into current prices. For example, if a product cost $1,000 in year one and inflation was 9%, the price would increase to $1,090 in year two. If inflation then decreased to 6% in year two, the price would increase to $1,155.40.
Rent is still increasing.
Rent is a key component of inflation,
and while it's not rising as fast as it once was, it's still increasing.
Consumers are still trading down.
Consumers are switching to discount retailers and replacing brand-name goods with generic items.’
I actually looked over many of the articles that this information was sourced from, and it appeared to be accurate, assuming the articles themselves are accurate!
The reality is, although manipulating the federal borrowing rate up brings inflation rates down, competition also has a significant long term impact on inflation. Once again, I asked AI to define how competition affects inflation and this was the answer below:
PRICE MODERATION
Competition can help moderate prices by encouraging companies to lower prices, and by increasing supply and production efficiency.
ECONOMIC FLEXIBILITY
A competitive economy can adapt more easily to changes, which can help minimize the impact of shocks on price stability.
PRICE FORMATION
Competition can help price formation processes function better, which can help inflation persist for less time.
ECONOMIC RESILIENCY
Promoting competition can help strengthen the economy’s resiliency.
In a nutshell, my take on all of this is we need a fiscal policy that promotes entrepreneurship by lowering corporate taxes to incentivize investment and growth. This will increase competition. A lower federal borrowing rate will help businesses invest in supply and inventory. This will help lower prices. A lower rate will also help businesses invest in employment growth. These are key elements to promoting competition and lowering inflation.
Either way, cheers to a lower borrowing rate! Keep it up Fed! Now, on to promoting competition among everyone else.
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
PHOTO CREATED IN CANVA
BUSINESS EDUCATION
Entrepreneurship as a method
INSTILLING AN ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET IN THE NEXT GENERATION OF BUSINESS OWNERS AND EMPLOYEES
Entrepreneurship is now an official department in Fayetteville Technical Community College's Business Programs curriculum. Students can earn an associate degree in Entrepreneurship that will help ground them in the vital skills and knowledge they will need to move forward in the business world as both business owners and employees.
“[Entrepreneurship education] has application beyond just people that want to open a small business. It’s definitely more in line with creating entrepreneurs instead of creating entrepreneurial situations and outcomes, because we think one leads to another as opposed to the other, the old way of doing things,” shared Dr. J. Scott Keen, Chair of the Department of Entrepreneurship.
The department of entrepreneurship was officially created about a month and a half ago. The faculty already have great expectations and goals for the department.
“We have an opportunity to focus on building a community of entrepreneurs…having more or less a hub of educational resources where students can come and drill down into certain aspects of entrepreneurship and walk away with not just one skill, they’ve experienced a conglomerate of skills, and that’s what we wanted, to centralize, to bring in the community aspect…that’s the essence of entrepreneurship, it’s community,” shared Dr. Corey O. Fair, Division Chair of Business Programs at FTCC.
FTCC’s entrepreneurship program focuses on relevance, innovation, partnership and tangible value for students. One of the keystones of the program is promoting an entrepreneurial mindset.
“‘Entrepreneurship as a method’ is one of the hot phrases, but it basically just means approaching things in a problem solving and micro experimentation, iterative manner. So everything that we do is going to be focused on solving problems, meeting needs and refining that through constant improvement,” shared Keen. Keen shared that he aims to see the success of his students through beyond their degree program into their career.
“One of the things that I want to really make sure that the program
FTCC has an existing partnership with Maseno University in Kenya and intends
business students additional opportunities for learning through practical experience.
handles is connecting people that finish with us to those resources where they can actually put their plans and their dreams into action,” stated Keen.
SOME OF THE INITIATIVES THAT THE PROGRAM IS TAKING TO REACH NEW HEIGHTS MOVING FORWARD INCLUDE:
⸱ Reenvisioning entrepreneurship for both FTCC curriculum programs and short-term training
⸱ Growing entrepreneurship application to Career & Technical Education fields
⸱ Building new resource networks focused on outcomes and further integrating with FTCC’s community based Small Business Center
⸱ Providing students with international business experience and exposure–specifically through collaboration with a university in Kenya
“Whenever we're talking about how to really expand entrepreneurship from just small business ownership, it’s looking in that problem identification, opportunity recognition, pursuit of a solution and then the process of testing, revising, implementing, testing, revising, implementing...And so if we teach people at the base level, think like
an entrepreneur, it doesn't matter if you’re working for yourself or somebody else, if you’re working in a department and you see an issue and you can identify the issue, chart it out, plan it out, figure it out, then that’s only going to help in the long run, no matter where you’re planted,” shared Keen.
Part of expanding the department’s reach includes implementing a cross-disciplinary overlay. From the skilled trades to tech to independent contractors, it is helpful for new professionals to have a basic understanding of business operations.
“Too often, entrepreneurship was looked at as just the department and the isolated program that you could get into and maybe get a certificate or a degree. But a lot of what I saw [in my research] was taking that and applying it cross-disciplinary,” explained Keen.
As the department grows, Keen intends to maintain consistent communication with local businesses and local entrepreneurs to learn what it is our specific community is lacking in to help design their programming and offerings in response to the community.
“One of my goals over the next year is to actually get out and talk
with a lot of the business leaders, business owners, resource providers, ecosystem members, to find out, ‘What are your needs? Are we meeting those needs? How can we meet those needs better?’” said Keen.
FTCC is an agile, community-based institution and the Department of Entrepreneurship is no exception to that. By fostering stronger entrepreneurship education the department is helping ensure the longevity and success of the local economy.
“One of the things that’s great is the trustees, Dr. Sorrells, everybody in our department, we’re all in on this…We’re all in on it because we want economic mobility, stability, people meeting their dreams, everything like that. We just want to be able to say, ‘Let us provide the ecosystem that will help you in any way that you need,’” remarked Keen.
To learn more about the programming offered by FTCC’s Department of Entrepreneurship visit www.faytechcc.edu/ academics/business-programs/entrepreneurship.
PHOTO BY NATASHA BROWN, FTCC MEDIA SERVICES
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From FUTURE, page 1
“Isn’t it amazing to think that before long, we'll be welcoming our first class of medical students right here in this very spot?” said Cape Fear Valley Health CEO Michael Nagowski to the crowd gathered at the groundbreaking. “This project is going to physically transform this campus, but more important than that, it will physically transform our region, because we’re going to be able to recruit and retain desperately needed physicians.”
Located on the Cape Fear Valley Health Owen Drive campus, this new medical school will address a critical need in the area for experienced healthcare providers. By 2034, the Association of American Medical Colleges projects nationwide shortages of up to 48,000 primary care physicians and up to 77,100 non-primary care specialty physicians.
The new Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine will positively impact healthcare and economics in local communities and regional communities now and for generations to come.
SOME OF THESE IMPACTS INCLUDE:
$72 million increase in annual regional spending (Walden Economic Consulting)
$9.6 million in annual tax payments to all governments (Walden Economic Consulting)
837 expected local jobs generated for 2030 and beyond (Walden Economic Consulting)
The Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine (SOM) is projected to create more than 250 new jobs and graduate more than 100 doctors each year. The school will combine the expertise
Exterior rendering of the future Methodist
and resources of both institutions to provide students with educational and clinical experience while creating opportunities for students to learn in a collaborative and innovative environment, with access to cutting-edge technology in the brand-new facility.
“Our partnership shows that when two important organizations get together and they bring trust and commitment to that relationship, great things will happen in this community,” shared Methodist University President Stanley Wearden.
Through the generosity of the Golden LEAF Foundation, the new SOM recently received an $8-million gift to support instructional equipment.
“Golden LEAF is honored to be
a part of this project because it is going to have generational impacts on this region, and that’s what we are about at Golden LEAF,” said Golden LEAF President/CEO Scott T. Hamilton. “The School of Medicine is an opportunity to create more jobs.”
Research from the Association of American Medical Colleges shows that 67% of physicians who complete both medical school and residency in an area stay in that area for practice.
The class size for the incoming class is expected to be approximately 80 students. By 2032, the class size plans to grow to 120 students per year – for a total of 480 students at a given time. Students will be able to access all aspects of Cape Fear Valley Health across eight hospitals and more than 90 outpatient clinics in Southeastern North Carolina.
“Our purpose is singular. It’s to recruit students from our region, our middle schools, our high schools, our community colleges, our universities to be our medical students who will then populate our primary care and specialty residency and fellowship training programs to graduate to become our physicians who will compassionately and masterfully serve the patients of our region, improve access to health care and improve health outcomes. This will be a school completely dedicated to the health care needs of our region, and it’ll be a school that will be accountable to the social needs of our region, and will engage the community in all
of its activities,” remarked Founding Dean of the new SOM Dr. Hershey Bell.
The Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine was first announced in February 2023 with the mission of preparing graduates to be socially accountable, community-engaged, evidence-based, compassionate, equity-focused physician leaders who will contribute to mitigating health disparities and improving health outcomes.
The Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine already has a growing list of faculty and staff, with senior leadership including:
⸱ Founding Dean: Hershey Bell, M.D.
⸱ Associate Dean for Academic Affairs:Stephanie Mann, M.D., M.S., HPEd
⸱ Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Faculty Development: Elza Mylona, Ph.D., MBA
⸱ Associate Dean for Finance & Administration: John Worth, MBA
⸱ Associate Dean for Student Experience: Kimberly Vess, Ed.D.
⸱ Chief of Staff: Scott Bullard, MBA
The school’s faculty are already developing the curriculum for anticipated LCME accreditation in 2025. With accreditation, the goal is to welcome the first cohort of students in 2026.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY METHODIST UNIVERSITY
University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine.
PHOTO BY GFBJ
Dr. Hershey Bell with Dr. Robert Rich pictured in front of a rendering of the future school of medicine courtyard.
ACHIEVERS
Stewart receives statewide committee appointments
DR. TONI STEWART, Vice Chairwoman of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners, has been selected to serve in leadership roles in two statewide organizations related to human services.
Dr. Stewart has been elected as the Region 6 Director for the North Carolina Association of County Boards of Social Services (NCACBSS).
This role involves representing nine counties—Anson, Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Lee, Montgomery, Moore, Randolph and Richmond—by advocating for improved public policy and developing educational programs for social services boards. For more details, visit ncacbss.org.
Additionally, Dr. Stewart was named to the Health and Human Services Steering Committee of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC). Some of the committee’s stated goals are support of the expansion of Medicaid, Women and Children’s Health Services Block Grant funding and legislation to restore state funding of accreditation of local health departments.
The NCACC serves as the collective voice for North Carolina’s 100 counties, providing advocacy, research, risk management and leadership training. More information is available at ncacc.org.
“I am deeply honored by these appointments and grateful for the opportunity to contribute to these vital statewide organizations,” said Dr. Stewart in a press release. “These roles will allow me to work closely with colleagues across the state to enhance our collective efforts in supporting vulnerable populations and improving public health services.”
Dr. Stewart began her tenure on the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners in 2020 as a District 2 representative. Her previous roles include serving as Chairwoman in 2023 and Vice Chairwoman in 2022.
Fayetteville native Alex Biermann promoted to principal of VentureSouth VentureSouth, one of the largest angel investment groups in the country, is pleased to announce that
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.”
has been promoted to principal.
Biermann joined VentureSouth in 2021 as Portfolio Manager. In that role, Biermann has been responsible for monitoring the performance of VentureSouth’s investments, gathering information from the companies and keeping their investors fully informed. He has also provided invaluable services helping the portfolio companies in many areas, serving as one of the key conduits between the 550+ members of VentureSouth and the companies they seek to assist.
With this promotion, Biermann has expanded his role to include supervising the due diligence efforts on new investments being considered by VentureSouth members and funds. Supported by the rest of the VentureSouth team, Biermann now serves an important dual role in the evaluation and support of portfolio companies, from entering the portfolio to exit.
Matt Dunbar, Managing Director of VentureSouth, stated in a press release: “Alex has been a major contributor to the VentureSouth team over the last three years, serving both investors and companies as a conduit of information and ideas. We are excited about expanding Alex’s challenges and look forward to his continued success.”
Biermann began his career on the development team of a national nonprofit based in Washington, DC, before transitioning to finance. He earned a Bachelor’s in Government from Patrick Henry College and his MBA (with a concentration in Corporate Finance / Investment Banking) at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. Biermann lives in Fayetteville, N.C.
Library director Faith B. Phillips named new assistant county manager
Cumberland County Manager Clarence Grier has announced that Faith B. Phillips has been appointed as assistant county manager for environmental and community safety effective Oct. 1, 2024. Phillips has served as the director of the Cumberland County Public Library since May 2021.
“I am excited to serve Cumberland County Government and the County’s residents in my new role and look forward to continuing to enhance the quality of life for people across Cumberland County,” said Phillips in a press release. “I have deeply enjoyed serving as the County’s Public Library director and look forward to continuing to serve in this new capacity alongside so many dedicated County employees.”
Under Phillips’ direction, the Cumberland County Public Library System has experienced significant growth and program development, enhanced community outreach, expanded library services, implemented innovative digital resources, been awarded numerous grants and received local, state and national awards.
“Faith has shown exceptional leadership, blending competence with compassion and effectively advancing the library and its place in our community,” said Grier in a press release. “Her track record of managing large-scale projects and her commitment to improving County services were just a few of the reasons I believe she
is the right person to fill this assistant county manager position and I look forward to seeing her continued growth within the County and working with her as part of the County’s executive team.”
Phillips brings a wealth of experience to her new role, having previously served in various capacities with the Wake and Durham County Public Library systems. In Durham County, she managed the Main Library, during its renovation and transformation. Her tenure included roles such as Youth Services Humanities Coordinator and Teen Librarian. Phillips has also been instrumental in securing and managing several grant projects, including the award-winning Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Project Grant for Practicing Inclusivity. Her work, particularly in creating inclusive environments for individuals with special needs as well as her work with youth, earned recognition from the National Association of Counties (NACo) in 2020 and in 2017.
A native of Roanoke Rapids, N.C., Phillips holds a bachelor’s degree in History and Religion from Duke University and a master’s degree in Library Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Fayetteville PWC receives four Public Power Awards
The Fayetteville Public Works Commission (PWC) is one of 17 public power communities across North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia to receive 2023 Public Power Awards of Excellence.
Presented by ElectriCities of North Carolina, the awards reflect PWC’s commitment to continuously providing outstanding electric service to the community. Public Power Awards of Excellence recognize public power providers for developing a future-focused mindset, strengthening public power, providing superior power, providing customer-centered innovation and prioritizing their people as their greatest asset.
ALEX BIERMANN
Phillips
Biermann
Stewart
From ACHIEVERS, page 8
PWC received public power awards in four categories:
The STRENGTHEN PUBLIC POWER AWARD celebrates communities that build public and political support for public power.
The PROVIDE SUPERIOR POWER AWARD highlights communities that deliver reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity.
The CUSTOMER-CENTERED INNOVATION AWARD recognizes public power providers that innovate and invest to serve their communities better.
The PEOPLE AWARD distinguishes cities and towns that leverage their people as their greatest asset.
“I am proud of the dedication of our employees as these four awards reflect their steadfast commitment and the pride they take in doing outstanding work,” said CEO/General Manager for PWC Timothy Bryant in a press release. “Every
day, they consistently provide safe, reliable and affordable utility services for our community. The benefits of a public power utility like PWC goes beyond providing value for our customers, it enables us to provide reliable service, create local jobs, and deliver exceptional customer service.”
PWC is honored to be Fayetteville’s hometown utility providing reliable electric and water services with rates that are among the lowest in the state. Their 650+ employees’ commitment to their customers and community is recognized across the state and nation.
“This year’s Public Power Awards of Excellence recipients are shining examples of the value of public power,” said ElectriCities CEO Roy Jones in a press release. “These outstanding communities prioritize local needs and put their customers first as they develop innovative solutions to provide safe, reliable power with superior service,” said Jones.
“We’re honored to celebrate these communities, and we’re grateful for all they do to provide value to their customers.”
Cumberland County Schools earns spot on Forbes Best-in-State Employer List for second year
Forbes has released its Best Employers By State list, naming Cumberland County Schools (CCS) as one of North Carolina’s best employers for a second time.
Ranked #47 out of 100 in-state employers, CCS is one of only two school districts on the list, joined by Buncombe County Schools.
Forbes gathered the data by surveying over 160,000 employees from companies with a workforce of at least 500 people across the United States. Survey participants were asked how likely they were to recommend their employer on a scale of zero to 10, and Forbes ranked the 1,294 employers that received the highest scores.
ACHIEVERS
“In Cumberland County Schools, we are committed to building strong talent pathways through professional development, career advancement opportunities and ensuring our premier professionals are set up for success,” said Superintendent Dr. Marvin Connelly, Jr. in a press release. “Being recognized once again as an outstanding workplace is truly an honor, and it reflects our dedication to investing in our people.”
CCS is the second-largest employer in the county, surpassed only by the military. With over 6,000 fulltime staff, including more than 3,000 certified teachers, the district works collaboratively to create a safe, engaging and unique learning environment for nearly 50,000 students.
HEALTH CARE
Medical Assessment and Readiness System
WOMACK ARMY MEDICAL CENTER HOSTED MARS SYSTEM SETS A NEW PACE FOR MILITARY CLINICAL RESEARCH
AWomack Army Medical Center (WAMC) based clinical research team has received federal and nation wide recognition for their outstanding contribution to military clinical research. On Aug. 26, the team behind the Medical Assessment and Readiness System (MARS) was recognized with the Outstanding Research Accomplishment award at the 2024 Military Health System Research Symposium (MHSRS) in Kissimmee, Florida.
Six members of the team were able to accept the award in person for their work titled, “Big Data and Machine Learning for Full Spectrum Military Health Readiness, Performance, and Care,” which delved into the key impacts of the MARS.
The system itself is the result of years of research and partnerships dedicated to furthering research on the readiness of the nations warfighters, and changed many hands before becoming the main responsibility of the current eight person core team at WAMC.
MARS became fully functional at WAMC located on Fort Liberty, NC in January 2020. The original database was created by the Army Office of the Surgeon General (OTSG) in 2011 at the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine.
Its primary purpose was to provide medical readiness data in the form of the Medical Readiness Assessment Tool (MRAT), which later became embedded into the Army’s Medical Operational Data System to allow providers and commanders to see a soldier’s medical readiness to deploy. It thus became the first predictive analytics solution to service member medical readiness forecasting.
In 2016, subsequent OTSG personnel assigned to maintain the MRAT program were not well-positioned to conduct the requisite clinical research activity needed to validate and enhance the system. This began a four-year process of regulatory approvals for WAMC to acquire this database with the support of their partner, The Consortium for Health and Military Performance (CHAMP) of the Uniformed
Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, MD.
MARS is now a repository continually updated to capture longitudinal sociodemographic, clinical and administrative statuses. It has two fully dedicated research servers, full system access clearance for its database managers and data scientists, complete Institutional Review Board and HIPAA approval and fully executed data sharing agreements with the Defense Health Agency and other Department of Defense (DoD) organizations.
It is a massive database. Currently we have over 4 million soldiers in it over approximately 20 million observation years of data”
— Y. Sammy Choi, MD, Senior Advisor, Department of Clinical Investigation, WAMC “
In an informational video about the MARS system released by the Military Health System Research Symposium, the WAMC’s MARS team was able to provide an overview of the barely tapped potential of the system.
“It is a massive database. Currently we have over four million soldiers in it over approximately 20 million observation years of data,” said Y. Sammy Choi, MD. Dr. Choi serves as senior advisor within Department of Clinical Investigation for WAMC. “It is a system that incorporates official data from DHA and DoD. We have complete data sharing agreements,” he continued.
The longitudinal datasets permit retrospective observation of health and military career trajectories for over 15 million person-years of active service. Over 100 variables are available for analyses to include demographic and anthropomorphic data, body composition and vital signs, diagnostic and procedure codes from direct and purchased care, complete health record data to include laboratory and imaging results, deployment history, military occupational specialty, unit assignment, promotion history, medical profile data and standard testing such as physical fitness and weapons qualification scores.
“We can look at trends and patterns over time. We can look at the effects of policy changes. We can look at how treatment interventions in subpopulations have changed and improved our return to duty rates,” said senior scientist for the Department of Clinical Investigation at WAMC Dr. Jessica White-Phillip. “What we’re looking at is, are our
soldiers ready? What are the factors that impact soldier readiness, resiliency and return to duty?”
ACCORDING TO THE MHS AWARD SUBMISSION WRITE UP PROVIDED BY THE MARS TEAM, SPECIFIC IMPACTS OF THE SYSTEM INCLUDE:
⸱ The ability to produce rapid analysis for senior leaders.
⸱ Rapid turnaround for short research deadlines for learners.
⸱ Large data analytics that are deemed “exempt research” thereby bypassing months of regulatory requirements.
⸱ Proven high potential to affect policy and procedure.
“It provides business analytics. As an example, I can determine the outcomes of care and how much we pay if you’re in the Fort Liberty region. But it also can compare Womack to other MTFs (Military Treatment Facilities) or Womack to other regions. So there's a lot of policy that comes out to the DoD, and of course to the DHA. But we think we can provide a data driven approach. We have the ability to change procedure and maybe more importantly, change policy,” shared Dr. Choi.
“We’re looking at the potential in the near future for large scale combat operations. And one of the things that makes the most difference for combat power is returning soldiers to duty after injury. And MARS is a huge database that has millions of records of soldiers who have been injured, what their treatment was and what their eventual return to duty status became,” shared COL. Tyler Harris, chief of the Department of Clinical Investigation at WAMC.
During the 2024 Award cycle for the MHSRS, data from the MARS has been used in numerous studies, student research, publications and oral and poster presentations on Fort Liberty and beyond.
The research team at WAMC remains dedicated to using the MARS to further enhance the skills of military medical professionals to maintain soldier readiness, improving patient care and returning soldiers to duty faster, better and stronger.
PHOTO BY ROBERT HAMMER, DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY
Dr. Lester Martinez-López, assistant secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, presents Dr. Y. Sammy Choi, and the rest of his Medical Assessment and Readiness System Team, with the Outstanding Research Accomplishment award at the 2024 Military Health System Research Symposium in Kissimmee, Florida on Aug. 26.
Partners for education
Fayetteville State University has been selected as an education partner for Amazon’s Career Choice program, providing Amazon’s hourly employees access to bachelor’s degrees and certificate programs to learn new skills for career success.
“We’re excited to offer Amazon employees the opportunity to pursue bachelor’s degree and certificate programs to elevate their career success,” said Vice Chancellor of Strategic Enrollment and Student Success
Pamela Baldwin, Ed.D. in a press release. “With a brand-new Amazon facility on Bragg Boulevard that will create more than 1,000 jobs in Fayetteville, this collaboration supports our mission in a multitude of ways as we work to enhance the lives of our students and community members.”
Amazon’s Career Choice program is an educational benefit that empowers employees to learn new skills for career success at Amazon or elsewhere. The program meets individual learners where they are on their
education journey through a variety of education and upskilling opportunities including pre-paid college tuition, industry certifications designed to lead to in-demand jobs and foundational skills such as English language proficiency, high school diplomas and GEDs. In the U.S., the company is investing $1.2 billion to upskill more than 300,000 employ-
ees by 2025 to help move them into higher-paying, in-demand jobs.
Amazon has had over 4,000 participants in Career Choice in North Carolina since the program launched 10 years ago, with more than 2,000 participants just last year alone. To date, the program has invested $14 million in skills training and education for employees in the state. The most popular Pathways field of study in North Carolina has been technology. There are currently over 15,000 Career Choice-eligible employees in North Carolina who can participate in these programs.
and training they need to grow their careers, whether that’s with us or elsewhere. We have intentionally created a partner network of third-party educators and employers committed to providing excellent education, job placement resources and continuous improvements to the experience. Today, over 200,000 Amazon employees around the world have participated in Career Choice and we’ve seen first-hand how it can transform their lives.”
— Tammy Thieman, Career Choice Global Director, Amazon
“We’re looking forward to Fayetteville State University coming on board as an education partner for Career Choice, adding to the hundreds of best-in-class offerings available to our employees,” said Tammy Thieman, Global Director of Career Choice at Amazon, in a press release. “We’re committed to empowering our employees by providing them access to the education
For more information on Amazon’s Career Choice, visit: www.aboutamazon.com/ news/workplace/career-choice. For more information on Fayetteville State University, visit: www.uncfsu.edu.
PHOTO BY GFBJ
The new Amazon Fulfillment Center located along Bragg Blvd in the Military Business Park. The facility employes more than 1,000 workers in full and part-time positions who can now access higher education opportunities through FSU.
The gift of nutrition
UNCP’S ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE UNIT ADDS NUTRITION STATION THROUGH KAREN L. AND KELVIN SAMPSON GIFT
Officials at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke announced Friday, Sept. 13 that, as a result of the continued philanthropy from Trustee Karen L. and Kelvin Sampson, the newly installed Athletics Nutrition Station has been named in their honor.
The Sampson's investment will create a hub for nutrition, education and resources for student-athletes looking to get the most out of their athletics experience, as well as create lifelong healthy eating habits.
“Karen and Kelvin know firsthand the demands that are placed on student-athletes,” said Chancellor Robin Gary Cummings in a press release. “They understand that in order to compete on the court, students need to be well prepared off the court and that includes proper nutrition, well-
ness and balance in life.”
“Karen and Kelvin have been at the forefront of the nutrition expansion at the Division I level over the past 10 years,” said Director of Athletics Dick Christy in a press release. “Their investment and vision will provide an enhanced experience for all UNCP student-athletes. One that we hope will not only be a competitive advantage but also set the stage for healthy lifestyle and healthy eating education that will serve our students throughout their lives.”
Trustee Karen L. Sampson has served on the UNC Pembroke Board of Trustees since 2018. A 1976 graduate of Pembroke State, Karen graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree in early childhood education. She was active in various student activities, including the Indianhead
PROVIDED BY UNCP
UNCP Trustee Karen L. Sampson (left) and her husband UNCP Alumnus Kelvin Sampson (right) stand inside of the new nutrition station.
Yearbook and marching band. A 1978 graduate of Pembroke State, Kelvin Sampson was a member of the men's basketball and baseball team. Sampson served as
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team captain for the Braves on the basketball team. The Pembroke native was inducted into the UNC Pembroke Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998. Sampson has been the men’s basketball coach at the University of Houston since 2014.
“One thing that I have always thought was important and I tell every kid that I coach is don’t forget where you come from, be proud of where you come from,” said Kelvin Sampson in a press release. “No matter where we have been, Pembroke has always been with us. I am blessed to have been raised in this town. Pembroke is a special place.”
In addition to being long-time Braves Club members, the Sampson family established the John W. (Ned) and Eva B. Sampson Endowed men's basketball scholarship.
PHOTO
New Nursing Education Annex
FAYETTEVILLE TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE UNVEILS NEW NURSING EDUCATION ANNEX; CELEBRATES WITH RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY
The Defense Alliance of North Carolina (DANC), a novel non-profit trade association focused on improving the defense-related business environment for North Carolina companies, has come to the difficult conclusion that it is no longer able to support this critical aspect of the state’s economic growth. The Alliance’s Board voted in early August to discontinue its operations and dissolve the organization.
Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC) unveiled its Nursing Education Annex with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held on Monday, Sept. 16.
The 6,000-square-foot building, which is connected to the College’s Nursing Education & Simulation Center, provides office space for faculty, staff and the Dean of Nursing.
The annex is the second of a two-phase project to expand Nursing facilities on FTCC’s Fayetteville campus as the College strives to meet regional workforce demands in healthcare.
“Today marks another milestone in the college’s ongoing commitment and investment to partner with our community leaders from government as well as the healthcare sector to address the pressing need for more nurses and more highly skilled workers in our county and in our region in the healthcare industry,” FTCC President Dr. Mark Sorrells said in an address to those gathered.
The Nursing Education & Simulation Center, which opened in January 2023, includes 32 hospital beds in spacious state-of-the-art simulation labs as well as study rooms and meeting spaces, all on the first floor. Classrooms are located on the second floor.
While students enjoyed the new facility upon completion, Nursing faculty and staff retained offices in the program’s former home in the Healthcare Technologies Center across campus. The Annex allows faculty and staff to work in close proximity to their students.
As a result of the expanded facility space, FTCC was granted permission from the N.C. Board of Nursing to increase its Associate Degree
Dignitaries gather for the ribbon-cutting. Holding the scissors from L-R: Dr. Larry Keen, former president of FTCC; Rep. Diane Wheatley of Fayetteville and also an alumnus of FTCC’s nursing program; and Dr. Mark Sorrells, current President of FTCC. Also pictured, L-R: Nursing Dean Sharon Gallagher, Susan Dees of Cape Fear Valley Health, FTCC Senior Vice President Murtis Worth, FTCC Trustee Charles Koonce, FTCC Foundation President Jay Dowdy, FTCC Board of Trustees Chair Bill Hedgepeth, Cumberland County Commissioners Vice Chair Dr. Toni Stewart, FTCC Trustee Charles Bullard and former N.C. Sen. Kirk deViere.
Nursing enrollment capacity from 280 slots to 400, the second-highest cap in the state. FTCC also has a Practical Nursing diploma program capped at 83 students. The combined total makes FTCC the third-largest overall Nursing program in the state.
The Nursing Education & Simulation Center required a $2 million renovation of an existing building, while the Annex was built as a new $3.9 million project.
FTCC has worked hand-in-hand with key healthcare partner Cape Fear Valley Health (CFVH) to grow the program, identify local workforce needs and develop specific training to meet those needs.
“This partnership with Fayetteville Tech has made the biggest difference to us,” CFVH’s Chief Nursing Officer Susan Dees said. “It has made a difference in the care we provide our patients and that’s what
it’s really all about. I will take every one of those 400 nurses that you have,” shared Dees.
The growth of FTCC’s Nursing program began during the tenure of former president Dr. J. Larry Keen, who retired in 2022. It was Keen who responded to Cape Fear Valley’s call for a larger pool of nurses, setting the wheels in motion to increase the number of students in the program.
“It is an economic boon to be able to expand programs like this,” Keen said.
Both Sorrells and Keen emphasized the role collaboration played in expanding the Nursing program. Funding for the project came from multiple sources, including bipartisan legislative support, as well as philanthropy generated by the efforts of FTCC’s Board of Trustees and FTCC Foundation, Inc.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY FTCC
PHOTO PROVIDED BY FTCC
The crowd attending the ceremony included numerous students in FTCC’s nursing program.
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
L. B. Corporation LLC
9447 Buddy Cir
Fayetteville Agent: Paul D Lovett
Hope for Living 439 Westwood Shopping Center Suite 345
240 Post Oak Dr Apt 1014 Fayetteville Agent: Beatriz HERMIDA
Cape Fear Pediatric Speech Therapy Services PLLC
633 Larkspur Drive
Fayetteville
BIZ LEADS
Agent: Christian Danielle Carver
Aasla Corp. 6720 Jacobs Creek Cir Fayetteville
Fayetteville Agent: Rajvinder Kaur Aasla
Rest Assured
Enterprises LLC 2812 Ramsey St
Fayetteville Agent: Octavia Powell
Family Builders of Parkton LLC 109 Shads Ford Boulevard
Fayetteville Agent: Christopher Mark Mabe
A Gentle Touch HomeCare LLC 225 Green St.
Fayetteville Agent: Germaine Viola Brown
Warrior Water Works LLC 7798 Dragonhead Rd
Fayetteville Agent: Eric Norman Dion
ENC Solutions LLC 5075 Morganton Road STE 10C1403
Fayetteville Agent: Olympus Tax Solutions LLC
Chateau Leza LLC Hay Street Ste 503
Fayetteville Agent: Abundant Living Consulting
Corporation LLC
MYMEDBUSINESSCOMMUNICATION LLC
924 BRIGHTON ROAD
FAYETTEVILLE
Agent: CYNTHIA MCKOY
ALOSCREATION LLC
111 Lamon Street Suite 204
Fayetteville Agent: Amy Balderas
PM JUNK REMOVAL LLC
2471 IRRIGATION
EASTOVER Agent: PEDRO MARTINEZ TOVAR
Royalty Vape and Tobacco LLC 6023 Yadkin Rd
Fayetteville Agent: Zaid A Alsaidi
DoriYon Customer Services LLC
6711 Water Trail Drive Apt. 102
Fayetteville Agent: Dorian Lavon Spain
Coming Home to New Beginnings PLLC 1310 Raeford Rd Suite 1
Fayetteville Agent: Ebone Rocker
Chase Manufacturing Inc.
3224 Cedar Creek Rd
Fayetteville Agent: Andrea Montoya
LIST
Colleges & Universities
Colleges & Universities
1
3
2
5
6
Dublin N.C. 28332 910-879-5500 5,331 9:1
7 CAMPBELL UNIVERSITY 143 Main St. Buies Creek, N.C. 27506 800-334-4111
910-879-5500
8 METHODIST UNIVERSITY 5400 Ramsey St. Fayetteville N.C. 28311 910-630-7000
13:1
12:1
Associate in Arts, Associate in Applied Science, Associate in Arts in Teacher Preparation, Associate in Engineering, Associate in General Education, Associate in General Education Nursing, Associate in Science, Associate in Science in Teacher Preparation, Certificate, Diploma
Undergraduate (Certificate, Associate's, and Bachelor's), Graduate (postBachelor's Certificate, Master's, including Master of Physician Assistant Practice, and Doctoral, including Doctor of Ministry and Doctor of Health Sciences), and Professional Practice (Law, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Doctor of Pharmacy, Doctor of Physical Therapy)
Dr. Amanda Lee, President 1967
9
CAROLINA COLLEGE OF BIBLICAL STUDIES 817 S. McPherson Church Road Fayetteville N.C. 28303 910-323-5614 346 4:1
and institutions' websites.
Dr. J. Bradley Creed, President 1887
Associate in Arts, Associate in Applied Science, Associate in Arts in Teacher Preparation, Associate in Engineering, Associate in General Education, Associate in General Education Nursing, Associate in Science, Associate in Science in Teacher Preparation, Certificate,
Undergraduate (Certificate, Associate's, Bachelor's in programs such as Biology, Nursing, Psychology, Engineering, and nearly 100 others), Graduate (Certificate, multiple Master's and Doctoral programs including MBA, Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy). On-Campus and 100% Online degrees offered.
Dr. Stanley T. Wearden, President 1956
(Certificate, Associate's, and Bachelor's), Graduate (postBachelor's Certificate, Master's, including Master of Physician Assistant Practice, and Doctoral, including Doctor of Ministry and Doctor of Health Sciences), and Professional Practice (Law, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Doctor of Pharmacy, Doctor of Physical Therapy)
Undergraduate: Associates of Arts in Biblical Studies, Bachelor of Arts in Apologetics, Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Counseling, Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies. Graduate: Master of Arts in Theological Studies, Master of Arts in Bible Translation, Master of Divinity, Advanced Master of Divinity
Dr. Chris Dickerson, Provost; Dr. Bill F. Korver, President 1973
Undergraduate (Certificate, Associate's, Bachelor's in programs such as Biology, Nursing, Psychology, Engineering, and nearly 100 others), Graduate (Certificate, multiple Master's and Doctoral programs including MBA, Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy). On-Campus and 100% Online degrees offered.
J. Bradley Creed, President 1887
1956
Dr.
Dr.
Dr. Stanley T. Wearden, President
Dr. Chris Dickerson, Provost; Dr. Bill F. Korver, President