2021 Annual Report by Greensboro Chamber of Commerce

WE KNOW AND GROW GREENSBORO

Whether you’re looking for ways to connect within your community, needing guidance for your local business, or wanting to get your next big idea off the ground, no one knows the ‘Boro better than us. And we’re here to help.

www.greensboro.org

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To the 1,200+ members and investors of the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, we thank you for your support. We continue to be in awe of our strong, connected business environment who truly steps up to create opportunities for all. With your unwavering commitment to our organization, we continue to grow a future bright with possibilities for our community. 2021 was different than we had hoped, but that didn’t hold us back from continuing our mission. As we entered into the second year of virtual meetings and hybrid events, we are grateful, more than ever, to be a part of your lives and this community. We declared 2021 “The Year of the Small Business” - continuing to highlight the resilience of our small business owners and entrepreneurs, guiding 228 entrepreneurs through the often treacherous waters of starting and growing their companies. We also hosted our first ever Intracity Visit focusing on East Greensboro, growth post-COVID, and historic and ongoing barriers to economic prosperity. With a focus on talent and workforce development, the Boomerang Greensboro program has welcomed more than 40 families back to their roots - each a reflection of our talent community. And this is just scratching the surface!

WE KNOW AND GROW GREENSBORO

A message from the team

Closing out the year was long-awaited, incredible news for our community. After more than 10 years of development, marketing, visits, and negotiations, the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite will now be the home of Toyota Battery Manufacturing North Carolina - bringing an initial investment of 1,750 jobs and $1.3 billion in capital investment, making it the largest project announcement in North Carolina history. If you aren’t familiar with the years of hard work that went into this project, we encourage you to flip to Page 8 of this report - it is a story of true collaboration.

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A M P L I FY I N G G R E E N S B O R O - C E N T R I C AG E N DAS

Advocacy and Legislative Agenda On November 18, 2021, a comprehensive state budget for FY2021-23 was signed into law that has more than $400 million in funding for Guilford County, including the priority items below. Eastern Triad Workforce Initiative: $4.5 million to continue and expand youth programming, launch adult apprenticeship programs, as well as provide adult and incumbent worker training.

Greensboro-Randolph Megasite: Up to $320 million in economic development incentives for Toyota investing more than $1 billion and hiring more than 1,750 workers at the megasite.

Ready for School, Ready for Life: $1.2 million to be invested by the State in early childhood development to help fund: new data analytics technology to improve decision-making and outcomes; and the implementation of model work standards in pilot early care and education centers to improve care quality and education for infants,

Piedmont Triad International Airport Megasite: A Job Development Investment Grant of $106.7 million for high-yield airplane manufacturer Boom.

toddlers, and preschoolers. Six Pilot Career Academies: $2.0 million to fund industry-standard equipment and technology in the pilot Innovative Signature Career Academies of Guilford County Schools.

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$2.109BN IN NEW CAPITAL INVESTMENT 5-Year Goal:

$8.79MM

$700MM

$1.105MM RAISED FOR NEW VENTURES through our

NEW MINORITY BUSINESS REVENUE

new seed fund, First Launch Capital Fund

5-Year Goal:

$2.5MM

$10MM

385

NEW COMPANIES

helped to start or grow through programming at Launch Greensboro 5-Year Goal:

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GOAL MET

6,592 NEW JOBS

5-Year Goal:

7,500 JOBS

752

chronically vacant positions filled and college talent retained through workforce initiatives

400 COMPANIES

Featured Greensboro in 3 national or regional publications to help tell the story of our community. Yearly Goal: 8-10 PUBLICATIONS

The coverage of Toyota commitment to the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite totaled 1,811 traditional media hits and 1.63 billion impressions with an additional 712 social hits and 5.67 million impressions.

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Jobs Update

S Y N G E N TA R E TA I N S U . S . C R O P P R O T E C T I O N H E A D Q UA R T E R S I N GREENSBORO In March, Syngenta, the leading global provider of agricultural science and technology, chose to keep its U.S. Crop Protection Headquarters in Greensboro after a nationwide search. A reinvestment of $68,000,000 to establish a world class 70-acre campus, the plans include a complete renovation of laboratory facilities to support 750 employees. “The Syngenta family in Greensboro has been part of the fabric of this community for many decades, and it’s our goal to remain so for many years to come,” said Vern Hawkins, president of Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC. “Our new facilities will enable us to have our Greensboro colleagues on this campus working together in modern, efficient facilities, enabling better collaboration and focus to meet our customers’ needs.”

G U E R R I L L A R F E X PA N D S E X I S T I N G O P E R AT I O N S I N G U I L F O R D C O U N T Y Guerrilla RF, which provides high performance monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) to wireless Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM), has been headquartered in Greensboro since its inception in 2013. The company is relocating and expanding its operations to a 50,000-square-foot facility and investing $6,000,000. This expansion will result in 50 new jobs. “Guerrilla RF is excited to expand its operations within Guilford County – and Greensboro in particular,” said Ryan Pratt, founder and CEO of Guerrilla RF. “We are growing at an incredible pace, and the facility on Pisgah Church Road fits in exceptionally well with our ongoing expansion. Building upon our existing roots here in Greensboro is only natural given the Triad’s importance as a worldwide epicenter for semiconductor design and manufacturing.”

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NUMBER OF RFIS

120 100 80 60 40 20 0 2021

L T A P PA R E L G R O U P S E L E C T S G R E E N S B O R O F O R N E W S TAT E - O F T H E - A R T FA C I L I T Y

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

R F I S BY I N D UST RY S EC TO R DECEMBER 2021

LT Apparel Group, a New York based leader in design, marketing, manufacturing, and distribution of branded childrenswear apparel, has selected Greensboro and Guilford County as the location for its new state-ofthe-art 800,000-square-foot distribution center at the Reedy Fork Corporate Park. LT Apparel Group will invest a minimum of $57,000,000 in capital investments and create a minimum of 116 new jobs at the facility. “We are extremely excited to grow our footprint here in Greensboro.” said Alfred J. Sutton, Vice President of Supply Chain Operations and partner at LT Apparel Group. “We looked at sites across three different states in the Southeast for this distribution operation and continued to come back to the Greensboro community. We have had a design and merchandising team in Greensboro since 2004; the familiarity of this community, along with the support we received from the City of Greensboro, Guilford County, and the other organizations made this a perfect location for our company.”

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140

MANUFACTURING - 73% SUPPLY CHAIN - 4% N/A - 10% AVIATION - 5% LIFE SCIENCE - 6% SPECIALIZED BUSINESS - 4%

NUMBER OF SITE VISITS 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

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TOYOTA BATTERY

MANUFACTURING NORTH CAROLINA The story of Toyota’s decision to locate its new battery manufacturing facility at the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite in North Carolina was the culmination of a decade of planning, preparation, and perseverance. It’s a story of collaboration, the likes of which is rarely seen in the ultra-competitive economic world. It’s a story of having a vision and committing to making it happen despite the inevitable obstacles and naysayers encountered. In the end, a powerful recipe for success won out. VISION Nearly a decade ago, the Piedmont Triad Region of North Carolina was reeling. An economy once based in tobacco, textiles, and furniture, had withered. Job losses in those industries numbered in the tens of thousands, lost to the tidal wave of offshoring in the 1990’s. Community leaders throughout the region worked to find answers to stem the losses. One organization, the Piedmont Triad Partnership (PTP), noted North Carolina

had not participated in the automotive manufacturing boom of its neighboring states in the Southeast. It set out to see if the region could get the attention of automotive companies throughout the world as their expansion trends continued. The Piedmont Triad Partnership (PTP) envisioned a large manufacturing site in the region and set about finding the perfect location for it. Also, knowing the State of North Carolina’s reputation for not being supportive of such large projects with state resources, it also worked to gain a commitment from state leaders. PLANNING Commissioned by the PTP, Timmons Engineering began scouring the area for what would be its first megasite. After months of work, it finally settled on a site in Randolph County, approximately 20 miles from downtown Greensboro – sandwiched between a mile of Norfolk Southern rail frontage adjacent to the site on its northern boundary and a mile of four-lane highway

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“Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.” -J OEL A. BAR K E R

The City of Greensboro quickly stepped up to say that it would provide the water and sewer service to the site, despite the fact that it was out of city limits and in a neighboring county (Greensboro city limits are wholly in Guilford County to the north). Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas were fast partners as well, pledging their full support to the effort at what was then referred to as the Liberty Megasite, after the nearby town of Liberty, NC. While most megasites have large land tracts owned by a single landowner or a handful at most, this megasite would require the assembling of 90-plus parcels with 70-plus different owners. A daunting task to say the least. But while many other communities would have thrown up their hands and looked for another site, this one was resolved that this was the best site in the region, and it simply would find the way to make it happen. AC T I O N Randolph County, led by county commission chairman Darrell Frye, purchased the first parcel of land as owners were offered two and a half times the assessed value of their properties.

Greensboro had been part of the megasite discussions from the very beginning and became a partner in the land assembly with Randolph county. Mr. Bryan, a former executive with the Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Company in Greensboro, left his estate to the community to support economic development efforts. The North Carolina Railroad Company (NCRR), led at the time by Scott Saylor, also joined the effort to acquire land for the megasite. A private company formed in the mid-1800s by the State of North Carolina to spur the formation of rail lines critical to the development of the state, NCRR became a huge supporter of state and local economic development under Mr. Saylor.

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frontage adjacent on its southern boundary, US Highway 421.

It would take several years to assemble the 1,825 acres that would become the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite, with many doubters lined up to call it a fool’s errand or worse. The three owners moved forward with incredible resolve, undeterred by those who could not see the vision of what would one day locate on the site: a transformative manufacturing facility that would employ thousands from throughout the community, once again establishing the region as the finest manufacturing area in the Southeast. A team was assembled to build the site into one that could compete and win in the economic development world.

Jim Melvin of the Joseph M. Bryan Foundation of Greater

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Economic developers from the Randolph County Economic Development Corporation, the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, and NCRR worked to market the site worldwide and to make it shovel ready. Civil and environmental engineers performed the due diligence on the site and readied the permits that would be needed for its development. Randolph County rezoned the entire property for industrial use, clearing the way for a future user. The City of Greensboro, with assistance from NC’s Golden LEAF Foundation,

Meanwhile, JLL, Mazda, and Toyota officials visited the site on numerous occasions, examining the due diligence and challenging the megasite team to prove its development timeline would meet the project’s aggressive goal to quickly construct two automotive assembly plants. While questions were answered and the team worked through the holidays to finalize permits and

began the design and installation of water and sewer lines for the site. Meanwhile, Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas identified the land corridors necessary to serve the site and began acquiring that right-of-way. This team of economic developers, engineers, government officials, and utility providers met monthly, ticking off to-do list items and readying for the day when a prospective company would arrive to look around. That day came in 2017. P ROJ EC T N EW WO R L D Project New World arrived in North Carolina – and several other states – Summer 2017, led by the industrial site selection team in JLL’s Chicago office. At the time, property assembly was still in process at the GreensboroRandolph Megasite, with expedited negotiations to accommodate the project’s need for a 1,000-acre pad for development. Ultimately, the owners gained control of 1,825 acres, allowing for the development pad and buffer, and keeping the site in the running for New World. Plans for extending utilities were put on high priority, and the environmental team worked quickly to engage state and federal permitting entities to secure a path to clearing

and grading the site. Land surveys, geotechnical studies, and natural resources investigations became close to five years’ worth of work done in five months.

state and local incentives for the project, the disappointing call would come in January 2018: the project was going somewhere else. In the end, another site near Huntsville, Alabama, was chosen for the ToyotaMazda project, dashing the hope of the GreensboroRandolph Megasite team. While it hurt at the time, the loss of Project New World wasn’t the death blow some naysayers said it would be. The loss might have put an end to the ownership group’s grand plans. Instead, the group recommitted to the megasite, pouring additional resources into the project to make it more development-ready with each passing day. Land purchase options were exercised, giving the ownership group simple title to the entire 1,825-acre site. Construction of water and sewer lines was begun, laying “dry lines” without a customer identified. Right-of-way purchases continued for the electric and gas lines. The economic development team worked diligently to market the site, traveling across the globe to visit with large-scale manufacturers that might have an interest in constructing a new facility. Then came another call from friends made during Project New World.

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P R OJ EC T DA R W I N In early June 2021, JLL called the megasite team and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina. The company had been engaged on another large manufacturing project – and JLL officials had not forgotten the hard work and resolve shown by all involved in the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite four years prior. This project came with another familiar name: Toyota, which was now looking for a manufacturing facility for batteries to power its electric vehicles for decades to come. The megasite team was absolutely resolved it would not let this project out of its grasp this time. Due diligence studies were updated. An aggressive grading plan was developed by the North Carolina Department of Transportation, complete with an identified contractor at the ready. The NC Department of Commerce worked with the state General Assembly to develop and approve one of the most competitive incentive packages in state history. Nearly four years after suffering an incredible disappointment, the vision for the Greensboro-Randolph

Megasite would be realized in the form of 1,750 jobs and a $1.3 billion investment at the largest project announcement in North Carolina history on December 6, 2021. And that’s just for phase one of the Toyota Battery Manufacturing North Carolina project. Another potential phase would bring 2,125 jobs and $2.5 billion in investment. The next four years are bright – with a groundbreaking for the facility in early 2022, construction through late 2024, and an expected facility open date of 2025. THE POWER OF VISION AND C O L L A B O R AT I O N This is ultimately a tale of perseverance and belief. Of a region that had been hit hard by globalization not giving up by investing in a vision and itself. Of an incredible team that collaborated across county lines, political parties, and public and private organizations. Of a group not defeated by setbacks, but resolved to make something happen on the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite that would anchor the community’s economic future for decades to come.

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E N GAG I N G O U R M E M B E R S H I P

Membership Update

A N N UA L M E E T I N G We hosted the 2021 Annual Meeting virtually on January 27th, with over 600 views. We were incredibly excited to collaborate with Greensboro’s own award-winning filmmaker, Harvey Robinson, to highlight some of the incredible stories of community collaboration in 2020. Each annual meeting ticket included a $25 gift card to a local restaurant as the Chamber commits to supporting local business in the continuing pandemic. We were excited to also match ticket sales and donate 400 gift cards from local restaurants to our heroes working the Guilford County Vaccination Site. https://bit.ly/3JcDRsb

I N T R AC I T Y V I S I T In June 2021, the Chamber hosted an Intracity Visit. Rather than traveling to explore another place like we do for our biannual Intercity Visit, this two-day event focused on our own city — specifically east Greensboro. Approximately 100 business and civic leaders learned about their own community through tours, interactive presentations, community visioning discussions, and social connection.Topics included economic recovery, growth post-COVID, and historic and ongoing barriers to economic prosperity in east Greensboro. Based on feedback from participants, we identified three areas of focus to tackle as a community: workforce training and education; transportation; and minority business support and advocacy. https://bit.ly/3ovePMX

Key Numbers

NEW MEMBERS

CURRENT MEMBERS

S I G N AT U R E E V E N T S

118

1207

Over

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4,000

attendees present at our virtual and in-person networking events in 2021.

E N GAG I N G O U R M E M B E R S H I P

I M PA C T. We hosted the second annual impact. Leadership Conference on October 27th in a hybrid format. Some of our top sponsors used the hybrid option to engage remote employees across the country, with attendees in Colorado and Texas, and an international presence in Spain. We established a new partnership with Sharpe Pursuits, a graduate of the inaugural class of our new Scale to Excel Program. All Guilford County Schools educators received the recorded version of the conference, and over 75 attended in person. This one-day leadership conference directly engaged Greensboro to develop and grow impactful leaders committed to inclusivity, collaboration, and positive change in their community and their world. For 2021, impact. moved away from the buzzwords of 2020 and introduced some new words into our everyday vocabulary: genuine, real, authentic. Authenticity provides the stability we all crave. Focusing on connection and authenticity, we had honest, hard conversations about what it means for a leader and a company to be authentic, the barriers to full authenticity, and tactics to step into that authenticity as we reconnect with our colleagues and our community. https://bit.ly/3B58ehm

S TAT E O F O U R C O M M U N I T Y This year’s State of Our Community centered around the latest on talent and recruitment. We focused on trends for Greensboro’s talent, recruitment, and retention efforts with a major reveal of the Boomerang campaign. State of Our Community was planned and sold as a return to in-person events. The Delta variant hit national news the week before showtime, and we moved into a hybrid model. We hosted the first, large-scale in-person event, with roughly 150 people at Koury Convention Center. We take pride in our success at creating a safe, energizing event that showed the community how to move into our new normal.

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E N GAG I N G O U R M E M B E R S H I P

2021: Year of the Small Business According to the Small Business Association, small business drives the U.S. economy by providing jobs for over half of the nation’s private workforce. In addition, the Office of Advocacy funded data and research shows that small businesses create 75% of the net new jobs in our economy. The Chamber unofficially named 2021 the “Year of Small Business.” 86% of our membership is made up of small businesses, and small business recovery has been the focus of many initiatives:

S M A L L B U S I N E S S AWA R D S Greensboro is a vibrant community filled with growing businesses. The dreamers and the risk takers. Now, more than ever, it is critical that we celebrate those who choose to start, sustain, and succeed in our community. The Small Business Awards serve as a showcase of small businesses and their supporters who, in 2020, rose to new heights in building community, creating cultures of inclusivity and equity, adapting to new challenges, and transforming to remain on the cutting edge.

This year’s Small Business Awards were held virtually and reached over 300 views. We renamed the award categories this year and the winners were as follows: Culture Creator: Chez Genese (accent over middle e) Goal Setter Award: Haeco Americas People’s Choice Award: Greensboro Science Center Pivot Pro Award: Out of the Garden Project Small Business of the Year: United Maintenance Group

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NEIGHBORHOOD SMALL BUSINESS NEEDS ASSESSMENT

E N GAG I N G O U R M E M B E R S H I P

The Chamber launched the first Neighborhood Small Business Needs Assessment in March. The purpose of this assessment is to identify the needs of neighborhood restaurants, retail businesses and other small businesses in order to advocate for additional and continued support of our small business community. The Greensboro Chamber of Commerce’s process consisted of two types of assessments: a community survey and focus groups consisting of priority populations and key stakeholders. The results were categorized into themes, which helped identify small business needs in the community. The key themes are: Communication and Awareness, Intentional Support of Minority-Owned Businesses, Resources for Team Members, Financial Management and Marketing & Communications, and COVID Impact. WAT C H M O R E

A preview of the Small Business Video Series bit.ly/34NztBi SMALL BUSINESS VIDEO SERIES Presented by Go Greensboro in collaboration with the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. Additional initiatives: • Launched the restaurant council for all restaurants in the community to gather and discuss issues and needs to find solutions and resources • Partnered with Lamar Advertising on a “Shop Small, Shop Local” campaign for 4 weeks on the best four billboards in Greensboro • Developed and shared a vaccine resource page for small businesses to share with their teams • Hosted Coffee and Conversation topics specifically built for small businesses • Ran a 3-week #looklocalfirst #triadtogether campaign starting March 22nd leading to Small Business Awards • Focused our Intracity visit on the state of small business in East Greensboro/Eastern Guilford County

32 RIBBON CUTTINGS

Danny Brown-Spectrum Reach Award bit.ly/3GAP6cp

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E N GAG I N G O U R M E M B E R S H I P

In recognition of the challenges small businesses continue to face during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce launched a Pay It Forward Fund in 2021. Eligible businesses have their membership dues covered for one year, allowing them to continue accessing the resources, connections, education and legislative advocacy provided by the Chamber. The fund is supported by community contributions. We have also received local media attention including Yes! Weekly, The Rhino Times, and WXII.

LEADER

A L LY

OTHER

Wayne Young, Allen Tate Relators

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Accelerate Greensboro

Accelerate Greensboro hosted the online Carolinas Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council (CVMSDC) Piedmont/Triad RING meeting on September 15th. Niketa Greene gave a presentation on Accelerate Greensboro and our new Scale to Excel program. Four recent graduates of the inaugural Scale to Excel cohort also gave insight on their experiences in the program and its impact on their businesses. Dr. Channelle James, the program’s instructor, also presented her reflections on the program year. A video of the RING meeting is available on CVMSDC’s YouTube Channel. Marvin Price hosted an online meeting with the Accelerate Greensboro portfolio companies on August 26th. Marvin gave an update on economic development activity, talked about the economic development pipeline, and provided suggestions on how to stay tapped into new and existing industries.

WAT C H M O R E Geoff Foster, Core Technology Molding Corporation bit.ly/3gz88VP Richard Fuqua, Office Pride Cleaning Solutions bit.ly/3GIhvxm David Small, Skyline Video Pros bit.ly/3GBeIpm Scale to Excel bit.ly/335rf6O The Scale to Excel inaugural cohort graduated on August 18th. A class celebration, held at Union Square Campus, honored the cohort, their families, and members of the business community. Class participants shared their stories of growth and success. The inaugural cohort received a year of Chamber membership at no cost as they became the next members of the Connections Cohort, established in 2019 in memory of Kathi Lester, the Chamber’s Executive Vice President of Member Engagement. The cohort will receive continuing education, personalized coaching, and access to resources to ensure their success in scaling their businesses. Their strategic business plans will continue to be monitored for two years as part of the Scale to Excel program.

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E N GAG I N G O U R M E M B E R S H I P

Accelerate Greensboro hosted a Supplier Networking event on May 26th at The Historic Magnolia House. Many minority-owned portfolio companies attended the event. Other industries who joined to meet our minority suppliers included CPL, Forsyth County Housing Authority, VF Corporation, City of Greensboro, and Barnhill Construction.

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Launch Greensboro Launch Greensboro, the entrepreneur initiative of the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, provides education, mentoring, and access to capital to current and aspiring entrepreneurs in the Triad. Our work encourages and supports an expanding pipeline of innovation, the formation and growth of high-potential emerging businesses, and a vibrant entrepreneurial community to create new jobs and increase the tax base of the City of Greensboro and Guilford County. Here’s a look at three ways we help businesses succeed: 1 . E D U C AT I O N 2 . M E N TO R S H I P 3 . A C C E S S T O C A P I TA L

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Courtesy of Shawn Straub.

employment law, effective management strategies, and creating company culture.

She becomes the companies’ cheerleader, just like the Launch Greensboro team did for her. Lou Anne Flanders-Stec, executive vice president for entrepreneurship, remembers when Shawn brought in a cake. “It dawned on me, Shawn promised to bring in cake when she signed her first contract, and there she was. We celebrated that morning with her!” 2 . M E N TO R S H I P Natalie Pass-Miller has transformed The Historic Magnolia House from a restaurant-only operation to an event venue, living museum, and a hotel.

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“Human resources is incredibly complicated,” Straub said. “A lot of small businesses fail because people get frustrated and they don’t know how to move forward.”

She credits the shift in her business model to her LaunchLab Growth mentors, Bret Mazzai and Caro Everts.

1 . E D U C AT I O N Starting a business was overwhelming for Shawn Straub, the founder of ALT HR Partners. “I felt very, very lost, like I was swimming and I couldn’t find anything to hold on to,” she said. When she signed up for the LaunchLab Growth program in 2018, she found solid footing and a community of likeminded people. Three years later, she’s running a successful human resources consulting firm -- and finding time to give back. Straub is one of several local business experts who volunteer their time as session leaders for Launch Greensboro’s LaunchLab accelerator programs.

“Without the mentors I had, I don’t know that I would have thought about strategy and our business model,” Pass-Miller said. The Historic Magnolia House is a former Green Book site — one of just six still operating in North Carolina. Owned by Pass-Miller’s family since 1995, she moved home from Atlanta to run the business in 2018. Pass-Miller participated in the LaunchLab Growth program in 2020. One of the primary components of the program is matching entrepreneurs with mentors who provide an outside perspective and access to a broader network.

LaunchLab 101 is a five-week accelerator program for entrepreneurs moving from an idea to a business entity and creating a plan for a successful launch.

The matching process is based on experience, personality and the startup’s needs. Pass-Miller said the Launch team’s attention to detail during the matching process is the key.

Existing businesses move on to the LaunchLab Growth program, which meets for 14 weeks of training, support and mentorship, culminating in a Demo Day pitch event.

“Be sure that the mentor you’re assigned to is where your weaknesses are in your business,” she said.

Straub educates LaunchLab Growth entrepreneurs on

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Kendra Knight Photography/Made in Greensboro

Lunches to its offerings and put up exhibits on its ground floor explaining the history of the site as a hotel for Black travelers during the Jim Crow era.

Shortly after winning the Capital Connects competition in 2013, the Guerilla RF team was awarded an NC IDEA grant.

In December, it reopened its guest rooms for the first time in years.

“Those two things, they ended up being firm proof points for the investors we were talking to,” Pratt said. “It gave us a lot of credibility.”

3 . A C C E S S T O C A P I TA L One of the Triad’s fastest-growing companies was once a startup pitching at Launch Greensboro’s annual Capital Connects competition. Running for more than 20 years, Capital Connects serves as a bridge between investors and entrepreneurs seeking capital for their companies.

They leveraged their new network with enormous success. Guerrilla RF was recently named No. 489 on the Inc. 5000 list, a guide to America’s top private companies published by Inc. Magazine, and the Triad Business Journal named it one of the 50 fastest-growing companies in our region.

“The real value for me that night was networking,” said Ryan Pratt, founder and CEO of the technology company Guerrilla RF, which makes computer chips used in devices such as wifi access points, cell towers and automobile antennas. “There were so many people there - investors, advisers.” The Launch Greensboro team helps entrepreneurs craft and refine their pitches weeks before the event, ensuring the presentations are top-notch by the time judges and investors see them. The winners, chosen by a panel of expert judges, receive both cash and in-kind services. Pratt said the connections entrepreneurs make with each other and investors often prove to be the most valuable part of the experience. Odyssey Images/Made in Greensboro

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I saw a network of people who wanted to help me. As a young entrepreneur in college, I couldn’t ask for anything more than that. The most important thing I’ve learned as an entrepreneur is that people want to help you succeed-they want to see you grow. With the connections I’ve had and the networking I’ve done through Winston Starts and Capital Connects, it’s been phenomenal to see the amount of people who want to see me succeed.” - LEAH WYRICK, CEO AND FOUNDER, THREE STRANDS RECOVERY WEAR

32 43 31

LAUNCHCAMP

97%

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“I can’t even imagine the opportunity I’ve gotten with Capital Connects. I love to fit every little detail into two minutes, and I worked with my pitch coach to nail down what to include, the most important aspects of my company. It helped me see what the most important things are that can make me stand out, help me finance my company, and help get my product out on the market.

LAUNCHLAB 101

91%

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LAUNCHLAB GROWTH

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Leadership Greensboro

WAT C H N O W

On January 14th, Leadership Greensboro presented its first virtual New Year Reception and Awards on Facebook and YouTube. The program has had over 450 views on both platforms. The Leadership Greensboro Service Medal was awarded to two recipients: Altina Layman of The Fellowship Hall and Zithobile Nxumalo of Deftable, LLC. The Leadership Greensboro Connector Medal was awarded to Anthony Banks of the Greensboro Housing Authority. The Denise E. Maleska Leadership Impact Award is awarded to one leader with over twenty years of impactful service to the community. The recipient was John Cross, Corporate Attorney and Partner at Brooks Pierce.

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Our alumni are experts on Leadership Greensboro. Listen to Jasmine, Kelly, and Marcus as they share everything you need to know about the ‘LG’ experience. https://bit.ly/3gyUMZK

AFTER COMPLETING T H E 2 0 2 1 F E L LO WS PROGRAM:

Campus Greensboro’s 2021 Fellows Program included 75 interns, 32 partnering companies and organizations, and 46 community mentors. In an effort to continue the development of higher education to business partnerships, Campus Greensboro hosted a Cybersecurity Challenge from Monday, November 8 - 16. The program was a virtual, week-long event in which college students studying computer science, information sciences, analytics, engineering, and law/ethics worked collaboratively and intensively on a community-minded challenge. The challenges were in partnership with the City of Greensboro and Guilford County, and the program was sponsored by VF Corporation, Lincoln Financial Group, Old Dominion Freight Line, and Kontoor Brands. Sixty students representing 13 colleges and universities, participated in the statewide challenge. The two winning teams represented GTCC, Guilford College, App State and UNCG. Twenty-five community volunteers served as pitch coaches and cybersecurity experts supporting the student teams. Three industry-led workshops were held for student participants and the community at large– Outfitting Yourself for Cybersecurity with VF Corporation, Threat and Vulnerability Management with Old Dominion Freight Line, and Eating the Elephant with Kontoor Brands. 170 people participated in the online workshops and presentations.

87% of student participants were interested in staying in Greensboro after graduation

89% of student participants built a network they believe will help them professionally

84% of student participants better understood which companies in Greensboro are in their desired industry

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Campus Greensboro

93% of student participants had a summer experience they believe will help them toward their career goals

93% of student participants felt more prepared to apply for job/internship opportunities

89% of student participants felt more confident to advocate for themselves and their needs as a professional

91% of student participants had more knowledge about diversity and inclusion in the workplace

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Campus GSO Profile: Allan Kuylen “Having a mentor was the most valuable part,” said Allan Kuylen, a 2021 participant of the Campus Greensboro Fellows Program. When Allan started his internship at The Brooks Group, a sales training company based in Greensboro, he felt like a fish out of water. He had recently graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology at UNC Greensboro and his new position as a Virtual Programs Producer required skills he hadn’t honed in school. The mentor Allan was matched with through the Fellows Program had connections at The Brooks Group and was able to provide Allan with another point of view on his professional development. “It was really nice to talk to someone outside of the company about things happening in the company,” said Kuylen. Allan had learned about the Fellows Program through spotlights at UNCG’s basketball games and from friends who had participated in the program previously. Before participating, he was aware of what the program provided, but he didn’t understand its full impact until he was a participant himself. “It was nice to be able to talk to other Fellows and see what their internships were about,” said Kuylen, “It was really neat to see them again downtown and already have a point of connection.” Beyond the mentorship and networking, Allan found the workshops on finance particularly helpful. He still uses information from those sessions now that he’s moved into a full-time role. Allan is currently a Senior Producer/Technical Project Manager at The Brooks Group. In this role, Allan is responsible for recruiting, training, supervising, and further developing the Producer team. Additionally, he works with client-facing technologies by providing support to clients and internal departments, as well as utilizing the media production experience from his internship to assist with marketing projects. Being a Fellow showed Allan how great Greensboro is for young professionals. “I’ve lived in a lot of places because my parents have occupations in law enforcement and the military,” Kuylen said, “Greensboro has felt the most like home. “It’s got a bit of everything,” he continues, “It’s the perfect size to have a bigger city feel but not too big to feel drowned out. The people are the nicest of anywhere I’ve lived. There’s lots of hidden gems that make me feel like there’s more to learn the longer I’m here.

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Other Voices The development of Other Voices Executive Program (OVEP) was created to rally the business community to advance diversity, equity and inclusion within the workplace. CEOs and C-Suite Executives drive business results through the effective and efficient management of their workforce. Research shows that diversity increases creativity and innovation, promotes higher quality decisions, and enhances economic growth. The inaugural class included 15 dynamic movers and shakers in our community. OVEP is a five-month program, with a half day session each month.

Other Voices is a transformational program that is a must for everyone. From dynamic speakers, interactive discussions and personal reflection, this program does not disappoint. I am grateful for the OV experience and the lasting connections created through this program.

Having the ability to engage with peers around a leader’s responsibility in ensuring a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace and community proved to be an invaluable and enriching experience. If we want to see a truly equitable community, we have to be willing to openly and honestly examine ourselves and our organizations and take the necessary steps toward creating the change. If the most senior leader is not leading in this area, in my opinion, it’s all lip service. The Other Voices Executive Program, provided fertile ground for planting and watering the seeds of change. It is certainly worth the investment of your time.

- NAKEISHA THORPE, Human Resources Director, Triad Adult & Pediatric Medicine

Other Voices allowed me to connect and learn from a diverse group of people in the Greensboro community. Through the program, I learned about our similarities and differences and received tools and information to be an agent of change. Not only does the program teach you about yourself, but OV also helps you become an advocate.

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Other Voices Class 28 is our first class conducted completely virtually. We had a great experience being able to see each other up close and personal. Each time we met it was after a significant event in our nation. The OV Gallery provided an opportunity for participants to have open and candid dialogue about their perspectives on the subject at hand. We also had great visitors to our gallery providing life stories and experiences to support the growth that members of the class came seeking. It was a great year with 32 voices exchanging their perspectives and experiences of being who they are in this society in 2021.

- RHONDA ANDERSON, CEO, YMCA of Greensboro

- SUSAN DAVIS, Director of Communications and Marketing, Greensboro Day School

Other Voices Class 2021, 28th class, graduated 32 OVers! G R E E N S B O R O C H A M B E R A N N UA L R E PO R T 2 0 2 1 |

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synerG synerG Young Professionals is committed to young professional attraction and retention programming, including leadership, professional and personal development, community engagement, and social networking for the city’s young professional community. Through both virtual and in-person opportunities, young professionals in Greensboro continued to learn, connect, and engage in 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic offered an opportunity for many young professionals to re-examine their career paths, specifically those who may have been laid off or furloughed. To address this issue, synerG continued the Career Seeker Cohort which was created in 2020. Career Seeker Cohort is open to any young professional seeking a new career opportunity in Greensboro. This career exploratory and skills-building program served as a platform for young professionals to navigate the job search together with the help of local experts. 59% of program participants found employment by the end of the program.

Educators Academy, a professional development program for young professionals in Guilford County Schools (GCS). This year, educators from Foust Elementary spent five weeks learning new skill sets and discovering the assets of our community. Participants will use their experience in the program to grow their careers within GCS and become better leaders in their classrooms. To reach the general young professional population, this year synerG continued to scale and diversify synerG’s engagement of over 3,800 young professionals. Each month, synerG offered a variety of ways to engage the young professional community through professional and personal development trainings, volunteer opportunities, and social networking. Larger events included Lead Your City, synerG’s annual leadership summit, which featured keynote speaker Morgan Radford. synerG also hosted a virtual Making Connections, an event focused on connecting young professionals to seasoned leaders.

synerG also hosted its fourth cohort of Young Professional

“When I moved to Greensboro, I got involved in synerG as a way to get connected to other young professionals. As a physician, I found my circle was mostly other healthcare workers. I knew synerG would expose me to new people in other fields. It’s done that and much more! It’s been an amazing experience to serve on the synerG Council where I am also the co-chair of the Marketing Committee. Highlights include the joy of working with an amazing co-chair, seeing our YP community grow through the pandemic and promoting interesting people and activities in the Triad. I love being a part of this city’s growth as a place YPs can thrive!” - STESHA DOKU

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To keep young professionals moving, synerG hosted seven Wellness Series sessions this year with businesses in Greensboro, offered a pickleball clinic, and participated in the city’s adult kickball league with Team BisKicks and Coffee. Lunch and Learns continued virtually in 2021 to amplify the reach into the young professional community. synerG

hosted 10 sessions this year ranging in topics like estate planning, pronoun usage, and home financing for young adults. To creatively and virtually brand and connect synerG to the larger Greensboro community, new marketing initiatives were implemented this year. YP Table Talk is a weekly, live Instagram interview series with community leaders that has collectively gained over 2,250 views. Meet the Council profiled all 30 synerG Council members on social media platforms and the synerG newsletter. Currently, synerG is collecting nominations for YP Spotlight, which will be a weekly feature of young professionals who are doing noteworthy work in the community.

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synerG members enjoyed opportunities to connect at monthly social networking events called On Taps. These drew around 50 young professionals each month and took place at venues across the city including places like Doggos, Bull City Ciderworks, Elsewhere Museum, and Lawn Service where synerG’s beer collaboration with Little Brother Brewing was featured.

CONNECTS TO OVER 100 MILES

ENVISIONED AND INSPIRED

is the first and only greenway encircling a downtown city in North Carolina.

of existing and 460 miles of planned greenways throughout the area. Serving as the hub of the greenway system.

by the Greensboro Bicentennial Commission as the signature project to commemorate the City’s 200th birthday.

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Innovation Cornerstone

FRIENDLY

ELM

Blandwood Mansion

Cultural Center

”Woven Works Park“

CHURCH

RAILROAD

Intl. Civil Rights Center & Museum

Greensboro Curb Market

Children’s Museum

Central Library

Elon University School of Law

E. LINDSAY

History Museum

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Cairn’s Course at WestWoods

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First National Bank Field

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D O W N TO W N G R E E N S BO RO

DOWNTOWN GREENWAY Downtown Greenway

Douglas Park

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Union Square Campus

Five Points

Freedom Cornerstone COMING 2021

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”Gateway of the Open Book“

The Historic Magnolia House

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Completed Sections (as of October 2020) Under Construction: Future Sections 2021 Public Art Cornerstones Connecting Trails & Greenways Parking

TAKE PART IN DOWNTOWN GREENWAY EVENTS. Visit www.downtowngreenway.org for listings. • fitness classes • biking events • running/walking events

• ribbon cuttings • groundbreakings • and much more!

To learn about all Greensboro Trails, visit: www.greensborotrails.org

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www.downtowngreenway.org

Plans continue for the stream restoration work on the College Branch stream that runs alongside the Western Branch. Funded by the North Carolina Land and Water Fund, and led by the Piedmont Conservation Council, the team conducted fieldwork, developed drawings, and began the permitting process with an anticipated construction start date in summer 2022.

12th Annual Run 4 the Greenway was held on October 23rd with over 400 people attending the run and block party. For the 9th year, the Downtown Greenway has partnered with the Bryan YMCA to offer 22 fitness classes with 450 participants in 2021. We offered 10 additional pop-up fitness classes, including Goat Yoga at Bragg/MLK, Hip Hop on Bragg, and Yoga at The Historic Magnolia House with Shoe Box Meals offered. The Downtown Greenway Running/Walking

D O W N TO W N G R E E N S BO RO

Three of the four miles of the Downtown Greenway are now open with the Murrow Boulevard section along the east officially opening in 2021. After a year of working through real estate issues, the Final Mile Section (now named Western Branch) is ready to go out to bid, and construction should begin in the first quarter of 2022.

Club kicked-off in March and about 10-15 participants meet every Thursday at 6:00pm at LoFi Park to run/walk the entire Downtown Greenway. Downtown Greenway golf cart tours offer residents a birdseye view and a personalized tour of the entire 4-mile loop. In 2021, 34 golf cart tours were taken with 160 people.

Several new works of public art were commissioned in 2021, including benches for East Market Street and the Dunleath neighborhood, and a mural for the Summit Avenue underpass. Radcliffe Bailey continued his work on the Freedom Cornerstone, and Thomas Sayre’s work, Cairn’s Course, was dedicated in May. 2021 was a very busy year with programming and volunteers. With a total of 68 virtual and in-person events, the Downtown Greenway hosted over 5,000. A Spring Nature Series and Fall Art Series offered events like Bird Watching with the Piedmont Bird Club at Morehead Park, Permaculture Gardening with the Greensboro Permaculture Guild at Meeting Place, and Paint & Sip with Darlene McClinton at Bridging the Gap. The Wheels on the Greenway spring event gave residents the opportunity to ride the entire 4 mile loop on bikes or other non-motorized wheels. The

A partnership with Safe States Alliance and UNCG created an evaluation framework that will be used for future evaluation of the Downtown Greenway’s effectiveness in the community around issues of public health, economic development, and community engagement. The Final Mile Campaign officially launched in September 2021 after a postponement from April 2020. This successful campaign exceeded its goal of $250,000 and raised more than $350,000 from 140+ donors. This campaign, its quiet phase, plus previous private fundraising efforts brings the private sector donations to the Downtown Greenway to almost $13 million.

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Made in Greensboro In 2021, Made in Greensboro brought on a new campaign photographer, Kendra Knight. We made a commitment to highlight Black leaders and tell their stories. We continued our partnerships with the City of Greensboro and the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce and developed a special project with UNCG for the NC Folk Festival. Profiles were showcased: on Greensboro Television Network; large-scale placemaking efforts; in economic development pitches; on the NextDoor app; TedX Greensboro; and local news media publications. Through our various social media platforms, Made in Greensboro has engaged with over 15K individuals through likes, shares, and comments.

From top to bottom: Glenn Gonzales (Jet It) Kevin Dorman (Prismatic Speech) Natalie Pass-Miller (The Historic Magnolia House)

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Boomerang Greensboro

The presence of young people in Greensboro is a direct reflection of our health and well-being, and these individuals and families fuel economic growth. Like many other mid-sized cities across America, we continue to make our community attractive to “young transitionals.” And, most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted interest to mid-sized communities for our quality of life and cost of living.

M A K I N G LO N G - T E R M CO N N EC T I O N S

Action Greensboro launched the Boomerang Greensboro campaign in late 2020. Boomerangs are people who grew up in Greensboro or went to college locally and then moved back after spending time away. Boomerangs are unique because of their familiarity with Greensboro, local roots with family and friends, and special appreciation for the growth our community underwent while they were living elsewhere.

Phase one of the Boomerang Greensboro Campaign was a targeted marketing effort to potential Boomerangs who were identified by members of the Greensboro community at-large. Since the launch in November 2020, the campaign has recruited and welcomed 40 families back to Greensboro. Each of Greensboro’s Boomerangs are a reflection of our talented community. Meet two of Greensboro’s new boomerangs who are fueling the jobs at two of Greensboro’s local businesses, Cone Health and Lincoln Financial. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CRfMlNeSGQ&t=27s

2020-21 Financial Capacity Study In 2019, leaders of the Greensboro area’s business, civic, and education community gathered under the sponsorship of Action Greensboro, with a common goal: to produce a data-informed report that would better inform our citizens on our local government financial health and inspire our citizens to use the data to make well-informed decisions for the common good. Since then, Action Greensboro worked diligently, with the support of researchers, advisors, and city/county staff to produce the 2020-21 Financial Capacity Study. The study was released to the community at-large, as well as in meetings with key stakeholders, including local elected officials and the board of the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. Over 200 people attended online presentations to learn about the report’s findings. The study is now guiding the strategic planning work for the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce’s next five-year strategic plan and other local strategy development efforts.

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Next City Vanguard In September, Action Greensboro hosted the Next City Vanguard Conference. Over 45 urban development leaders from across the United States came to Greensboro to learn about community strengths and challenges through an immersive, shared learning experience. Vanguards shared “big ideas” on downtown vibrancy, talent/workforce development, and housing at the finale of the conference. Among the Greensboro Vanguard cohort is Greensboro native Dillon Tyler, who works in numerous nonprofit and government roles in the city and state. Vanguards who toured the International Civil Rights Center & Museum will remember Tyler as the tour coordinator and an administrative assistant at this leading site along the U.S. Civil Rights Trail and an International Site of Conscience. Tyler takes a leading role in the museum, including fundraising, outreach, operations, exhibit design, bookkeeping, and community engagement. Within the community, Tyler is the vice chair of Guilford County’s Juvenile Crime Prevention Council and an alumnus of the New Leaders Council, which works to recruit, train, and promote young leaders, coming from elected office or business and industry. Tyler also serves as a Specialist within the North Carolina Army National Guard, where he is working to earn his commission as an Officer Candidate. Previously, Tyler had roles within the Walt Disney Company, the North Carolina Democratic Party, and UNCG. In his spare time, Tyler enjoys writing and acting. His story and projects have been featured in local news publications, The Guardian, and The New York Times.

What is a lesson from your recent work that you would like to share with other Vanguards? It was a pleasure to connect with individuals from across the country who felt so much solidarity with their work. As someone who lives and works in Greensboro, it was a powerful opportunity to have an outside perspective from subject experts who could cast a spotlight on what I like to call the “areas of opportunity” for Greensboro’s growth and longevity. With our five prompts placing an emphasis on sustainability, affordable housing, and vibrancy in the downtown cityscape – topics no doubt pressing in many

cities throughout the country – the universal challenge is of how to navigate sometimes disparate views, finite resources, and alternating timelines on what can dominate the development of the communities around us. One area of opportunity we found that Greensboro and other communities could benefit from is a renewed effort to mitigate the “silo effect” with organizations conducting similar work. While each city is a microcosm wherein overlapping – or gaps in – services may exist at differing levels, we encouraged increased communication and partnership with the government, nonprofit, and corporate entities that often were aiming to reach a similar goal in community development but were not regularly talking about their project markers or shared resources. As such, each organization’s overall efficacy was diminished, using assets that could otherwise be saved to serve historically disenfranchised communities or leverage other seed projects. Ultimately: lean on your community partners and act in good faith, recognizing your mission to better the place you call home. Invite others to the table, clean the slate of any past interorganizational tensions, and set a multi-year plan in motion with a cohesive city-wide vision.

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Telling Our Story For this year’s Annual Meeting, we had the exciting opportunity to collaborate with Greensboro’s own award-winning filmmaker Harvey Robinson to highlight some of the incredible stories of community collaboration in 2020. The documentary features several local businesses and organizations that pivoted on a dime and came up with brand new products to address the need for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Meeting the Moment was also a special feature at the 2021 online River Run Film Festival. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA0FFc6Qky4&feature=emb_title

M A K I N G LO N G - T E R M CO N N EC T I O N S

MEETING THE MOMENT

I M PA C T T H E B O R O : S E A S O N 2 2.9K STREAMS 36.9% INCREASE FROM SEASON 1 Top 3 Episodes: Greensboro’s Grammy Nominees https://impacttheboro.podbean.com/e/greensboros-grammy-nominees/ Transforming Entrepreneurship https://impacttheboro.podbean.com/e/transforming-entrepreneurship/ Greensboro-Randolph Megasite https://impacttheboro.podbean.com/e/greensboro-randolph-megasite/

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Kelly Office Solutions Staunton Capital, Inc. Ralph Lauren Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist