state of business in wnc
lemonades , limeades , and ginger beer, Asheville’s Devil’s Foot Beverage Company’s new taproom, The Mule, is set to open in October. Also, Marshall’s Buchi kombucha has found its way into several major grocery retailers such as Whole Foods and Publix.
George VA Hospital in Asheville, Pardee UNC Health Care in Hendersonville, Appalachian Regional Healthcare System in Boone, and Broughton Hospital in Morganton.
According to the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, the area’s growing craft beverage industry accounted for 3,471 jobs, $168 million in labor income, $935 million in total economic contribution, and an estimated $115 million in state, local, and federal tax revenues from transactions such as taxes on production and corporate profits in 2019.
Galen College of Nursing, an affiliate of Mission Health, has announced a new campus in Asheville. This addition to nursing education in the Asheville area is designed to complement other area colleges and universities to provide healthcare workforce education.
Source: Riverbird Research
Manufacturing
Healthcare The Mountain Area Health Education Center expanded its Graduate Medical Education program earlier this year with offerings for additional family medicine and OB/GYN residency slots and new fellowships in maternal-fetal medicine, addiction, psychiatry, and sports medicine. Through early 2023, 185 physicians, dentists, and pharmacists will train in a variety of settings across the region including Mission Health, Charles
24 |
Source: MAHEC
Source: Galen College of Nursing
With operations set to begin this year, Pratt & Whitney’s new turbine airfoil production facility is bringing 800 jobs through a $650 million investment in WNC. Biltmore Farms, LLC sold the company a 100-acre property for $1, and in addition, the state awarded the company a performance-based Job Development Investment Grant of up to $15.54 million over 12 years. The county also approved economic incentives totaling $27 million over 10 years. Biltmore Farms Co. is responsible for
constructing the bridge across the French Broad River and roads inside Biltmore Park West with the help of a $12 million grant provided by Golden Leaf Foundation. A-B Tech is creating a customized training program to support talent acquisition. The college also plans to build a training center near the Pratt & Whitney plant in Biltmore Park West, which is envisioned to accommodate other companies as well. Sources: A-B Tech, EDPNC, Pratt & Whitney
Nonprofits WNC Nonprofit Pathways is a collaboration established to assist nonprofits in Western North Carolina. Similar to the idea of being a board of directors for area nonprofits, Pathways was put in place by organizations to help support the work of nonprofits across the region. In fiscal year 2021, 498 leaders in the region’s nonprofit industry participated in programs offered by WNC Nonprofit Pathways, learning new skills, networking, and identifying the next steps needed to implement new ideas to increase the success of their organizations. Pathways provides support by hosting training programs, providing coaching,
WNC BUSINESS Q4 2022