Wilmington B iz MAGAZINE
A Tale of Two Bridges
It was last month I found out I’ve got just a touch of gephyrophobia (fear of bridges) mixed in with a smidge of acrophobia (fear of heights).
But Savannah’s Talmadge Memorial Bridge is one tall bridge. And driving over the apex, 185 feet above the Savannah River with treetops and roofs below, was enough to activate some white-knuckled, 10-and-2 driving.
And my next trip into the Georgia city might be even closer to the clouds.
State transportation officials plan to start work later this year on the bridge, which feeds into downtown Savannah, to raise it 20 feet higher. Meanwhile, long-term options have been discussed, including building an even taller replacement bridge or constructing a traffic tunnel under the river.
The reason for all the bridge talk? Shipping boats, same as Wilmington.
“As the fastest-growing port in the nation, the Port of Savannah is a significant economic engine for the Savannah region, Georgia, and the rest of the Southeast. However, potentially stifling future growth is the Port’s accessibility to larger ships,” a Georgia Department of Transportation project description states.
There are many parallels between Savannah and Wilmington – an active tourism economy, historic downtown river district, coastal ecology, ghost stories – so much that the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce organized its peer city visit last year to Savannah. There, Wilmington business and government officials heard about how their Georgian counterparts approached downtown redevelopment projects and a 3,000-acre Hyundai electric and hybrid vehicle plant that opened this year.
But the future of the two ports and how best to accommodate their growth while
balancing their downtowns’ needs is another common thread.
For context, Savannah’s port handled 5.6 million TEUs, 20-foot equivalent units, in 2024. The Port of Wilmington handles about 320,000 TEUs annually.
Studies are being done to look at potentially deepening Wilmington’s navigational harbor to 47 feet from its current 42 feet to accommodate larger ships. Similar deepening studies are taking place in Savannah, also potentially from 42 to 47 feet.
Above the river, the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge is now 65 feet tall when it’s down and 135 feet when lifted. This summer, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recommended at least 135 feet of vertical clearance for when the bridge’s replacement is built.
And as both coastal cities continue to move along the prolonged, multiyear processes for what happens above and below their rivers, they also share another thing in common: how to pay for the $1 billion-plus price tags for the projects.
It’s enough to give anyone chrometophobia.
VICKY JANOWSKI, EDITOR vjanowski@wilmingtonbiz.com
DARIA AMATO
DARIA AMATO is a native New Yorker and School of Visual Arts graduate. Amato has been recognized by The Society of Publication Designers and Graphic Design USA and received an Optima Design Award for best cover photography. She is an enthusiastic storyteller of moving and still images within lifestyle, food, and travel, alongside being a health foodie, yearning traveler, forever student and beach lover. Amato photographed food bank volunteers (PAGE 33), YogaSleep CEO Jimmy Sloan (PAGE 68) and Protocase co-founder Steve Lilley (PAGE 62).
EMMA DILL , a Wisconsin native, graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2019 with a journalism degree. In 2020, she moved to North Carolina for a job at the Wilmington StarNews and joined the Greater Wilmington Business Journal in 2023. Dill talked with Holly Sullivan about her global role with Amazon (PAGE 40), profiled Protocase’s new local operations (PAGE 61) and checked in on updates to the industrial corridor along U.S. 421 (PAGE 64).
MADELINE GRAY
MADELINE GRAY is a freelance documentary photographer based in Wilmington. With a master’s degree in photojournalism, her work is regularly featured in local and national publications. Gray photographed the issue’s cover and portrait of Amazon’s Holly Sullivan (PAGE 40), Cucalorus Film Festival screeners (PAGE 30) and Trask Family Farms for the Takeaway photo ( PAGE 72 ). madelinegrayphoto.com and @ madelinepgray on Instagram
RANDALL KIRKPATRICK
RANDALL KIRKPATRICK moved from New Jersey to Leland in March 2022 with his wife, a just-retired World History teacher. During his 20 years in the PR field, he also freelance wrote business stories for such outlets as The New York Times, Business Journal of New Jersey and NJ Biz. In 2006, he turned his serial volunteerism for nonprofits into a new career as a development director. Kirkpatrick interviewed film officials about the latest happenings with the industry in the region (PAGE 30).
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B iz B ites
PARK & PARTAKE Chow Town, Wilmington’s first food truck park, officially opened its doors in early August, bringing to life a community-oriented concept that has been two years in the making.
The brainchild of co-founders Zeke Nathans and Dynh Le, Chow Town, 1101 N. Fourth St., is intended to spotlight the city’s growing mobile food scene.
Nathans is a general contractor, and Le is an entrepreneur who got his start in the beauty business and now owns four Tap Tea Bar locations locally. They first met when Nathans did the construction for Le’s downtown Tap Tea Bar location.
Nathans said that while working on construction projects, he and his co-workers often look for food trucks to visit on their lunch breaks.
“I feel like they care the most about their food, because most of the time the people who operate the food trucks also own the truck,” Nathans said. “So, they like to have the best food they can, right? I’ve also been to food truck parks around the country, and I just figured Wilmington is a good place to do it.”
photo by MATT RAY PHOTOGRAPHY
BEHIND THE NUMBERS | SOUND OFF | THE DIGEST | C-SUITE CONVO
BEHIND THE NUMBERS
$70M
COST OF LATEST AIRPORT UPGRADES STARTED THIS SUMMER
WORK CONTINUES ON ILM UPGRADES
BY EMMA DILL
WILMINGTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
is embarking on the second phase of a $130 million project that aims to help boost the airport’s capacity for ongoing and future growth.
The project’s $70 million second phase, which broke ground in midAugust, will include the construction of a parking garage and a new rental car space, along with a new terminal entrance and upgrades to the terminal’s exterior. The project will also lengthen the airport’s terminal curb.
To accommodate ongoing work, the airport began rerouting traffic to a temporary curb front, said airport director Jeff Bourk. The temporary curb will be in place through March 2027, when work on the project is expected to wrap up.
“Long term, this is going to be such a major improvement,” Bourk said. “We’re going to have a modern rental car space, parking garage, terminal (and a) curb front that is capable of handling demand today and in the long term.”
Crews are currently working to demo and grade areas between the terminal and the airport’s parking lots to prepare for the project’s second phase. The upgrades are expected to increase the airport’s capacity to accommodate a growing number of travelers.
“Once this project is done, it’s really transformational, because it won’t be touched for another 30 years,” Bourk said. “This old terminal front was built in 1989 for 250,000 passengers. Today, we’re handling 1.8, 1.9 million, and it was never designed to handle that. So, this project that we’re doing can handle all of that, plus what we expect for future growth over the next 20 years.”
A report released this summer showed that ILM’s seat capacity increased by 66% over the past three years – the most growth of any major U.S. airport during that period.
The project is being funded through a combined $58 million in state and federal funds, according to Bourk. The rest of the funding is coming from the airport’s operating reserve and operating income.
The project’s main driver is a need to both straighten and lengthen the terminal curb, Bourk said, to accommodate the climbing number of dropoffs and pickups and improve traffic flow. The airport will also invest in an expanded rental car facility to provide for the changing needs of travelers moving through the airport.
“We don’t have a modern rental car facility today. Five years ago, Wilmington was 80% outbound business. We didn’t need rental cars,” Bourk said. “Today, we’re 65% leisure, and people want to come here and rent cars.”
SOUND OFF
BRIDGING THE GAP
HOW TO FUND THE CFMB PROJECT
THERE IS NO DENYING WHAT IS ON THE HORIZON. OUR AREA MUST ADDRESS A PIVOTAL INFRASTRUCTURE CHALLENGE: THE CAPE FEAR MEMORIAL BRIDGE (CFMB), A 55-YEAR-OLD STEEL VERTICAL-LIFT BRIDGE, NEEDS TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE THE REGION’S RAPIDLY GROWING TRANSPORTATION DEMANDS.
While the bridge remains structurally sound, it requires frequent maintenance, resulting in significant costs to taxpayers in both repair expenditures and traffic delays.
To ignore this looming infrastructure crisis is to court disaster: Short-term maintenance costs have expanded into tens of millions of dollars – and will soon carry a price tag of hundreds of millions of dollars – and the bridge’s capacity creates current and future safety risks, especially during storms when evacuation routes must be able to handle the traffic needs of our community quickly and efficiently. Simply put, doing nothing is not an option; however, doing something – thoughtfully and effectively – offers a generational opportunity to connect our coastal communities, boost the economic activity of Wilmington’s port and help secure Southeastern North Carolina’s future.
As of now, a new bridge is estimated to cost $1.1 billion. We have already secured $327 million – $85 million from state funding and $242 million from federal funding through the Bipartisan
LANDON
ZIMMER
Infrastructure Bill’s “Large Bridge” program. While the price of the new bridge is only an estimate, there is a roughly $750 million question looming: Where will the remaining amount of funding come from?
WHAT OPTIONS DO WE HAVE?
Such a large funding gap for such a critically important project requires an honest conversation about finances and an openness to embracing alternate revenue sources. Rest assured, other communities, like Raleigh and Charlotte, are currently wrestling with similar infrastructure needs and how to fund them. Current options that other areas of the state have used to fund finance gaps or are currently exploring include the following:
1. PENNY SALES TAX OPTION.
A penny sales tax is basically what it sounds like: It would allow for 1 cent per dollar of sales in the county –minus groceries – to go towards county infrastructure projects, like the CFMB replacement. This measure would require countywide ballot approval by the citizens during a general election vote. This option is desirable for larger cities because it is an efficient way to help pay for infrastructure for a fulltime population that also supports temporary populations, like tourists and college students. Population is a meaningful data point that is
used in North Carolina’s data-based calculations upon which projects get funded. Therefore, when these “shadow” populations that of course, use the community’s transportation infrastructure, are not comprehensively captured, full-time residents end up subsidizing the infrastructure costs of the area in a disproportionate way, to the disproportionately large number of tourists and students in the area. The penny sales tax would ensure that parttime residents help shoulder the burden of infrastructure projects that are used by all.
A recent study received by the Wilmington Metro Planning Organization showed that a penny sales tax would provide $123 million in 2025 for infrastructure projects in the area – $11.2 million from Pender County, $72 million from New Hanover County and $40 million from Brunswick County – and $7.2 billion for infrastructure projects over 25 years, including inflation and growth. The study reviewed other states and their funding mechanisms, in addition to a multitude of other potential funding mechanisms for our area. This penny sales tax option proved to be only one of two that meaningfully filled the gap in terms of revenue generation for infrastructure projects. The other is No. 2 below.
2. TOLLING OPTION.
Tolling is not a popular option by any means, but some consider it the fairest option in terms of usage – i.e., those who use the bridge the most will pay for it the most. Certainly, there are concerns about ensuring prices remain as low as possible to accommodate all of our citizens, while also making sure riders have other
available non-toll options – i.e., the Isabel Holmes Bridge and Interstate 140.
A toll option would likely land in the $3 or $4 toll fee range per vehicle and be built by the N.C. Turnpike Authority (NCTA), where the state sells bonds, and tolling pays off these bonds, and where the NCDOT builds the project. The NCTA offers a 50% discount for E-ZPass, which would cut the toll fee per vehicle to $1.50 or $2, which would certainly help, but is still not optimal. Note that most individuals who plan to use the toll frequently would likely go with the E-ZPass option, and more visitors or tourists would likely not.
A toll version of the CFMB could also be built by a private entity if one comes up with a “better” proposal. Since a private entity can forecast 50 years, whereas the turnpike only forecasts 30 years, a private option would allow for more time to pay off the project, thus reducing the toll price. A private company could also provide more flexible options unavailable to the turnpike, such as lower tolls for lower-income individuals.
IN CONCLUSION
Ideally, traditional funding mechanisms from our local, state and federal partners would be sufficient to fully cover the cost of the new CFMB. Unfortunately, that is not a realistic expectation. Escalating construction costs, combined with declining NCDOT revenues, mean fewer transportation projects are being approved and completed across the state. To move forward, we must continue to pursue innovative financing strategies that will allow us to build the infrastructure needed to sustain our region’s growth.
A Wilmington-based attorney, Landon Zimmer is a member of the N.C. Board of Transportation and sits on the Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s board.
CROWD SOURCING
READER POLL: WHAT RECREATIONAL FACILITIES (SUCH AS POOLS, BASKETBALL GYMS, ETC.) DO YOU THINK THE WILMINGTON AREA NEEDS MORE OF?
“THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT AND PRESSING NEED FOR POOLS for all members of the Wilmington community, from toddlers to students to adults to seniors, for lessons, therapy, recreation and competition. Given that the New Hanover public school system serves over 26K students and has no school pools, more pools are long overdue. Per the Red Cross, drowning is the #1 cause of death for children age 1-4, and the #2 cause of death for children age 5-14. As a coastal community, we owe it to our residents to assure that all learn the essential life-skill of swimming regardless of means, background or ability.”
– WILMINGTON AQUATIC CENTER
“AN AQUATICS CENTER that can host state and national events any month of the year.” – CHARLIE CLAY BLANTON
“DEFINITELY INDOOR BASKETBALL courts that are not the YMCA” –JEFF HILL
X POLL: @WILMINGTONBIZ
SOUND OFF
CHANGING SEASONS EMPLOYMENT
THE NEW HANOVER COUNTY ECONOMY CONTINUES TO GROW AND EVOLVE.
As of December, total employment in the county reached 131,482 jobs, with Education and Health Services emerging as the largest sector, employing 24,577 workers with an average weekly wage of $1,352.
Over the past five years, the county added 11,981 jobs, with nearly every sector experiencing growth.
The only exceptions were the Information and Local Government sectors. The decline in local government employment was primarily due to the sale of the county hospital, which resulted in the reclassification of those positions into the health care sector.
Despite this broader economic expansion, the county’s coastal location continues to attract a large number of visitors, and the Leisure and Hospitality sector remains an important part of the local economy. Room occupancy tax collections reached $12.3 million during fiscal year 2023 to 2024, reflecting the ongoing significance of tourism-related activity.
These revenues also highlight the seasonal nature of the sector. In July, collections were four times higher than
in January. July 2024 alone accounted for nearly 17% of the year’s total occupancy tax revenue, while the combined months of May, June and July made up 42% of the annual total.
Employment data also supports the importance and seasonality of the Leisure and Hospitality sector. In July 2024, the sector employed 20,986 workers, representing 16% of total employment in that month. Employment in the industry rises notably during the summer, with July levels nearly 15% higher than in January.
This seasonal increase in visitors and employment can create the impression that the local economy is heavily seasonal. However, the overall economy in January still operates at approximately 96% of its peak levels.
While the seasonal changes might seem significant to residents, 72 of the state’s 100
counties experience greater fluctuations in Leisure and Hospitality employment. Statewide, employment in the sector during January is 90% of what it is in July.
In New Hanover County, it is slightly lower at 87%.
Neighboring Brunswick and Pender counties show even more pronounced variation, with January employment reaching only 75% of July levels.
At the same time, the county’s economy has become increasingly diversified.
Sectors such as Health Care, Professional and Business Services, and Finance have experienced faster growth than Leisure and Hospitality and are expected to play a larger role in the local economy going forward. This shift points to a broader and more stable economic base, with less variation in employment from month to month.
Nonetheless, the increased activity around the area’s beaches, restaurants and attractions during the summer will likely continue to give the impression of a seasonal economy, even as its foundation becomes more balanced and resilient.
Mouhcine Guettabi is a regional economist with UNCW’s Swain Center and an associate professor of economics at UNCW’s Cameron School of Business.
INDEPENDENCE MALL GETS NEW OWNER
ndependence Mall and a nearby property changed hands in August for more than $50 million, according to deed records.
Florida-based 4th Dimension Properties purchased two parcels that encompass much of Independence Mall for $48.8 million from former owner Rouse Properties, according to a special warranty deed, effective Aug. 5. The purchase does not include anchor tenants Belk and Dillard’s, which own their buildings.
In a separate deed, 4th Dimension Properties paid more than $2.4 million for nearly an acre at 3750 Oleander Drive, a site that’s home to a Wells Fargo Bank branch.
Rouse Properties, a subsidiary of New York City-based Brookfield Properties, bought Independence Mall in 2017 after the previous owner defaulted on a $110 million loan. The firm reportedly paid $45 million for the portion of the mall that served as
collateral for the loan.
After buying the mall, Rouse Properties embarked on a “sweeping redevelopment,” which included adding grocery store tenant Lidl, updates to the mall’s interior and bringing in “upscale dining and retail options, and a multi-tenant building complex,” company representatives said at the time of the purchase.
Independence Mall has witnessed an uptick in new eateries and stores in recent years, both inside the mall and on nearby outparcels along Oleander Drive.
Several storefront spaces remain available for lease inside the mall, according to 4th Dimension Properties’ website.
Felix Reznick, principal with the new owner of Independence Mall, 4th Dimension Properties, said the company is already working to recruit new tenants and has plans to hold more events and update the mall’s hours.
Off the Hook Yachts filed with the SEC this summer to raise up to $29 million for an initial public offering.
The company will offer 5 million shares of its stock at a price between $4 and $6.
“As a public company, we’ll have the resources to grow faster, recruit top talent and form partnerships across the marine, technology and finance sectors,” said Jason Ruegg, the company’s president, founder and CEO.
Ruegg also said that Off the Hook Yachts aims to be the Carvana of the marine industry and that it wants to have a “fully integrated platform where customers can buy, sell, finance and store their boats, powered by AI pricing, transparent auctions and a national agent network.”
Annual amounts for commercial fishing in NC
42.7 MILLION POUNDS
$73.9 MILLION
C - SUITE CONVO
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
COMMUNITY
ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE PROVIDER VANTACA STARTED IN WILMINGTON IN 2017 AND HAS STEADILY GROWN ITS FOOTPRINT SINCE, BOTH LOCALLY AND WITHIN ITS INDUSTRY.
Founded by Dave Sweyer, the company now has 261 employees, with about 122 based in the area.
Vantaca recently landed on this year’s Inc. 5000’s list of fastest-growing privately held companies in the U.S. for the fifth consecutive year, this time ranking No. 1,575 with a 278% growth rate over three years.
In November, Vantaca acquired HOAi, a California-based AI technology provider. “This acquisition is a game-changer in our mission to build the future of community management," Vantaca CEO Ben Currin said at the time.
Currin talks about the company’s growth and future with AI in this recent Q&A. To read more coverage, go to WilmingtonBizMagazine.com.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE FUELED GROWTH IN RECENT YEARS (61% REVENUE GROWTH FROM 2023 TO 2024 AND REACHING NEARLY 6 MILLION HOUSEHOLDS NATIONWIDE)?
“We’ve grown by being laser-focused on what our customers need and not being afraid to innovate ahead of industry trends. Community management companies have realized that Vantaca isn’t just accounting software
BEN CURRIN CEO, VANTACA
or a back-office tool – it’s their operating system. It powers their teams to work faster, helps drive better results for their customers, and ultimately makes them meaningfully more profitable.
When our customers capture those results, they grow their business and expand with us. That creates a flywheel where customer success fuels our growth. Pair that with the continuous investments we’ve made in product and customer success, and it’s clear why the momentum has been so strong.”
HOW HAS VANTACA BEEN LEVERAGING AI SINCE ACQUIRING HOAI?
“We’ve had great ambition about what’s possible through AI in our industry for years, and the acquisition of HOAi has accelerated this into reality – not just for Vantaca, but for the entire industry. HOAi is delivering agentic AI that can supercharge management companies, handling back-office processes and homeowner interactions at scale.
This isn’t about AI that just answers questions – it’s AI that acts. Whether processing invoices, complet-
ing workflows, responding to homeowners and even handling calls with patience and empathy 24/7. The result is a step-change in efficiency, but just as importantly, it unlocks a higher level of service that management companies never had the time or bandwidth to deliver before.”
WHAT ARE EXAMPLES OF TASKS THAT COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT COMPANIES ARE USING THAT TECHNOLOGY FOR?
“This industry is the perfect application for agentic AI because so much of the work is process-based and repeatable. Today, AI is processing invoices, managing work orders and answering homeowner questions instantly. With HOAi Voice, it’s even handling phone calls around the clock – patiently walking a homeowner through inquiries at any time of day or night.
The impact is real and measurable: More than 600,000 routine tasks have already been eliminated across management, accounting and support functions. That’s over 46,000 hours of staff time returned to management companies and millions of dollars of labor costs saved. But what excites me most is what that unlocks – management company employees can now spend their time building relationships, strengthening communities and delivering a level of service that simply wasn’t possible before.”
WHAT DO YOU THINK IT WILL TAKE TO GAIN MORE OF THE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE MARKET FOR YOU ALL?
“This industry is at a crossroads. The management companies embracing modern technology and AI aren’t just growing – they’re growing beyond
what they thought was possible. Those slower to adopt are already feeling that competitive impact.
Our focus is simple: keep helping our customers grow, win and succeed. That means empowering them to deliver a better version of community management – more responsive, more efficient, more value-added. The more forward-thinking companies prove what’s possible with Vantaca, the more the industry reshapes itself around that future.”
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR OVERALL GOALS FOR VANTACA IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS?
“Our goals are to keep leading, keep innovating and keep delivering results that matter. That means expanding the platform, deepening AI capabilities and giving management companies the tools to run the most efficient, profitable businesses possible.
But it also means helping them deliver more for their customers. We want to elevate community management itself – making the living experience in these communities better. If we continue to innovate while relentlessly focusing on customer outcomes, both Vantaca and our customers will thrive.”
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR GOALS FOR THE COMPANY LOCALLY?
“ Wilmington is home – not just for Vantaca, but for me and my family. One of the most meaningful parts of building this company has been seeing so many of our team members succeed, both professionally and personally, right here in a place we love. Creating that kind of opportunity – where people can build great careers and great lives without having to leave Wilmington – is something I take very personally.
We’re proud to prove that you can build a world-class technology company right here in Wilmington, North Carolina. Just like other success stories that started in this community, our hope is that Vantaca inspires the next wave of growth. This city has given us so much, and we’re excited to keep contributing to its future.”
GARNISH
ON TOP
FROM MICROGREENS TO EDIBLE FLOWERS, MICHAEL TORBETT HAS CULTIVATED NUTRIENT-DENSE AND FLAVOR-PACKED ADDITIONS
BY JESSICA MAURER | PHOTOS BY MATT RAY PHOTOGRAPHY
Tucked away in the fertile landscape of Castle Hayne, Terra Vita Farm is a vibrant patch of color and innovation run by grower Michael Torbett.
Best known for its edible flowers and microgreens, Terra Vita Farm products have become a staple for chefs across the region who want to bring brightness, nutrition and a touch of the unexpected to their plates.
“We grow a bunch of different edible flowers,” Torbett said. “Violas, marigolds, snapdragons, gomphrenas and stocks, just to name a few.”
Terra Vita is a mainstay at the Wilmington Farmer’s Market at Tidal Creek Co-op, and they supply many area chefs with the perfect finishing touch.
Kim Lennert, of Spoonfed Kitchen, uses Terra Vita edible flowers to garnish everything from appetizers to salads and entrees on the buffet tables she creates for weddings. She also uses the flowers to garnish cocktails.
“They just give everything this incredible pop of color and a whimsical vibe,” Lennert said. “They’re just so beautiful.”
The rainbow of petals that leaves the farm each week,
however, isn’t just for show. Many of the blooms offer surprising flavor profiles from floral to spicy and minty, as well as serious nutritional value.
Packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, certain varieties even boast anti-inflammatory or immune-boosting properties.
Another local chef utilizing Terra Vita’s edible flowers is Lauren Krall Ivey, Olivero’s co-executive chef. She currently features a mix of them on a North Carolina fish crudo that’s served with charred cucumber gazpacho, serrano pepper and melon.
The flowers bloom nearly year-round, though Torbett notes the availability of certain varieties shifts with the seasons.
“They ebb and flow depending on weather, and we rotate varieties throughout the year,” he said.
But flowers are only part of Terra Vita’s magic.
Microgreens are another specialty.
Terra Vita offers both cut containers and living trays of microgreens to area restaurants, as well as at the Wilmington Farmer’s Market. These nutrient-dense greens are harvested at a young age when their flavor and nutritional value are at their peak.
Like herbs, which Terra Vita also grows, microgreens provide not only nutritional value and flavor but also the final flourish that brings a dish to life.
Terra Vita also launched an e-commerce site for its microgreens, flower garnishes, CSA subscription boxes and more on its website (terravitafarmnc.com/ shop).
Terra Vita’s signature mixes include Happy Heart, a mild, nutrient-rich blend of broccoli, kale, cabbage and amaranth; Spice It Up, a zesty, peppery combo of radish, arugula, mustard and nasturtium and Herb Garden, a fragrant blend featuring basil, lemon balm, anise hyssop and red sorrel.
Krall Ivey uses micro lemon basil to garnish Musakhan chicken thighs served with smoked eggplant, za’atar, tahini and cucumbers. She uses micro fennel to garnish Olivero’s coal-roasted North Carolina fish served with Basque piperade, butter beans, saffron aioli and espelette.
Lennert also uses corn shoots in many of her summer dishes, both for the visual effect and taste.
“They look like little yellow feathers, and people are always asking what they are,” Lennert said. “They’re so pretty, and they really do taste like fresh corn.”
What sets Terra Vita apart isn’t just what they grow, but how they grow it in collaboration with area chefs. Torbett is known for reaching out to chefs to find out what crops they wish they could source but can’t easily find. It’s these conversations that help Torbett plan for what is likely to sell to restaurants.
“We definitely need a large time window for this,” Torbett said, explaining that he usually starts the dialogue with chefs at the start of the year to allow time for planning, planting and growth.
When Torbett has a new variety available, he makes sure to send it to his network of chefs to give them a sneak peek as part of the ongoing conversation.
At Terra Vita, farming is more than a transaction; it’s a relationship with the land, the season and the creative minds who turn its bounty into culinary art. Whether it’s a sprig of lemon balm or a perfect purple viola, every leaf and petal is grown with intention.
For more restaurant news, sign up for the weekly Feast Unwrapped email newsletter. Subscribe at FeastWilmington.com.
Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina volunteer Fred Hammond lends a hand preparing meals in the Wilmington facility’s kitchen.
photo by DARIA AMATO
LATEST REVIEWS
FROM TRAINING TO INCENTIVES, AN UPDATE ON FILM IN THE REGION
BY RANDALL KIRKPATRICK | PHOTOS BY MADELINE GRAY
OVER THE PAST 40 YEARS, NORTH CAROLINA – LED BY WILMINGTON – HAS EARNED A REPUTATION AS A DYNAMIC CENTER THAT’S PRODUCED SOME OF THE MORE NOTABLE MOVIES DURING THAT CREATIVELY RICH TIME FRAME.
Starting with 1984’s Frank Capra Jr.-produced Firestarter , a decade-long run of movies –catalyzed by the N.C. Film Commission – helped initiate “Wilmywood.”
Since then, productions – and studios – have come and gone with varying degrees of success in the movie and TV industries.
Legislative changes over incentive and grant models for projects, the rise of streaming platforms and labor availability have been key issues over the years for Wilmington’s film industry – issues that continued on this year.
November will mark Cucalorus Film Festival’s 31st year, showcasing feature films, documentaries, slightly weird shorts, animated experimental films and films that spotlight previously unexplored elements of North Carolina.
Wilmington’s homegrown noncompetitive film festival was founded by a filmmaking collective called Twinkle Doon. Current director Dan Brawley, who joined four years into it, still runs it through the predictably unpredictable economic waters, like the recent downturn that kicked in in 2024.
“A connecting thread,” he said, “is that this is all storytelling, and these creative people are here coming together for an intense few days; it really makes Wilmington come to life.”
Brawley is level-headed when it comes to discussing the industry downturn that continued into 2025.
“Look, the industry always has ups and downs,” he said, “and the downs are happening everywhere … Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York. The nature of the business is it’s just very cyclical, just the nature of the process. You work four or five months on a project, and then you wait to find out if that show gets picked up again.”
This year’s Cucalorus will include a firstever conference focusing on the local film economy, keyed to indie filmmakers and the supporting vendor economy. The conference will feature interactive workshops and professional development sessions on independent filmmaking – including casting, lighting, fundraising, budgeting, stunts and more.
Brawley pointed out that the new conference would help filmmakers enhance their knowledge levels in a variety of areas.
“Overall, our goal is to cultivate a new generation of filmmakers, connecting them with the resources that we have here,” Brawley said. “And, in Dark Horse Stages, we have a major studio that is a great resource that young filmmakers may not yet know how to approach.”
That “major studio” is helmed by Kirk Englebright, president and CEO of Dark Horse Stages. “We’re a tremendous production resource,”
Judges for the annual Cucalorus Film Festival preview documentary films at Jengo’s Playhouse in Wilmington last month. Judges will comb through 1,600 submissions to narrow down the ones to be screened at the festival in November.
he said. “We also understand the huge benefit of the film industry on local economies. When George and Tammy was produced here in 2021, they employed 1,190 people; Dawson’s Creek was here for 10 years. Companies are now flat-out chasing incentives, and we’re not just competing with other U.S. cities but with Canada, Europe and Australia.
“Australia can offer 40% incentives, plus no unions,” he added. “The original I Know What You Did Last Summer was shot in 1995 in Southport, North Carolina, and the 2025 movie was shot in Australia. Incentives!”
In North Carolina, grants cap out at $7 million for a feature-length film, $15 million for a television
or streaming series and $1 million for “people costs.” The grants give productions rebates up to 25% on qualified expenses and with required minimum spending investments.
The state Senate’s proposed budget this year calls for increasing the caps in that Film and Entertainment Grant Fund to $25 million, said Sen. Michael Lee, R-New Hanover.
“This adjustment is designed to attract not only smaller productions but also larger projects that bring substantial investment and job opportunities to our state,” said Lee, who is also the Senate majority leader.
He said the Senate’s proposed budget also includes funding for
new Micro-Budget Productions. “By creating this new grant account, we provide funding and support for smaller films and projects while incentivizing North Carolina-based crews, boosting local jobs and communities,” Lee said.
As of press time, the legislature still had not passed a state budget as lawmakers negotiate through a budget impasse.
Changes to the film grant program have received bipartisan support, said Susi Hamilton, president of the Film Partnership of North Carolina.
“These particular proposals have been made for like four or five consecutive years in a row. The controversy seems not to be around
this particular language that’s in the budget bill, but there are broader budget issues that the General Assembly is grappling with that have nothing to do with them,” she said. “Language for this particular initiative is stuck in the budget. We’ll see what happens.”
The shuffle of tax incentives, or in North Carolina’s case grants, varies between states.
“Some are better than others; ours are better than some of them,” Hamilton said. “I don’t think Kentucky has one at all. And, you know, the ones in Georgia are really terrific. Then, there’s all sorts between.”
Production on streaming series, for example, has been up and down this year for activity in the area.
The Waterfront , the show set in fictional Havenport, North Carolina and filmed in Wilmington and Southport, had a fairly positive first season (coming in among Netflix’s Top 10 English-language series for five weeks), but the show was not renewed for a second season.
Meanwhile, Jonas Pate, co-creator of Outer Banks, premiered The Runarounds on Sept. 1. A group of high school graduates from Wilmington comes together to form a rock band, united by their “shared love of music and dream of stardom.”
Johnny Griffin, director of the Wilmington Regional Film Commission, said, “There are individual locales that are doing a little bit of business,” he said, “but the country as a whole is in a slump. The industry is going through a reset, though independent filmmakers are usually not the ones chasing incentives around the globe.”
Hamilton said the state’s film activity has been strong in the past five to seven years; however, “2025 is probably not going to be as good as 2024 was.”
“That’s happening nationally, and there’s a lot of activity … (with) domestically produced productions are going overseas,” Hamilton said. “I think with North Carolina, we’ve got a wonderful base of North Carolinabased producers.”
LOCAL PRODUCTIONS
Direct film industry spending in the Wilmington region 2014-2024
ON SET IN WILMINGTON
2024 credits/grants given to locally filmed productions, with the largest total spends
HIGHTOWN (SEASON 3)
TOTAL SPENDING: $35.6M
PEOPLE EMPLOYED: 1,195
COST OF STATE CREDITS/GRANT: $8.9M
UNTITLED JOSH & LAUREN PROJECT
TOTAL SPENDING: $25M
PEOPLE EMPLOYED: 1,132
COST OF STATE CREDITS/GRANT: $6.3M
WELCOME TO FLATCH (SEASON 2)
TOTAL SPENDING: $21.7M
PEOPLE EMPLOYED: 845
COST OF STATE CREDITS/GRANT: $5.4M
THE SUPREMES AT EARL’S ALLYOU-CAN-EAT
TOTAL SPENDING: $16.9M
PEOPLE EMPLOYED: 602
COST OF STATE CREDITS/GRANT: $4.2M
ZOEY 102 (AKA ELECTRIC LOVE)
TOTAL SPENDING: $13.1M
PEOPLE EMPLOYED: 875
COST OF STATE CREDITS/GRANT: $3.3M
Source: N.C. Film Office
photo c/o CITY OF WILMINGTON
The Food Network’s The Great Food Truck Race filmed an episode in Wilmington earlier this year.
FOOD BANKS FACE CUTS
TIGHTER FUNDING COMES AT ECONOMIC DOWNTURN FOR SOME
BY BETH A. KLAHRE | PHOTOS BY DARIA AMATO
THE LEGISLATION SIGNED INTO LAW BY CONGRESS IN JULY INCLUDES SUBSTANTIAL CUTS TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, THE FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM COMMONLY KNOWN AS SNAP OR FOOD STAMPS.
The program was established in 1964 as a federal aid program to address food insecurity among low-income households by providing a monthly benefit to help participants purchase food. SNAP benefits more than 1.4 million North Carolinians.
“Right now, in the Cape Fear region, there are over 80,000 people who are food insecure, meaning they do not have the resources in any given month to consistently keep food on the table,” said Jason Kanawati Stephany, vice president of the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina. “That’s an increase of more than 3,500 people over the prior year. One out of every
seven neighbors who we run into at the grocery store, gas station or doctor’s office is facing hunger. We have to go back to 2007 and 2008 to see anything close to what we are experiencing today.”
The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina has six branches located in Durham, Greenville, New Bern, Raleigh, Southern Pines and Wilmington. The nCino Hunger Solution Center in Wilmington serves five counties including Brunswick, New Hanover and Pender. Last year, the center distributed enough food to fuel 14 million meals. About 40% were fresh fruits and vegetables.
Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina production kitchen manager Kenneth “Chef” Pohlman, left, prepares meals with volunteers.
ECONOMIC IMPACTS 2025
Gone are the days of food pantries in dimly lit church basements handing out prescribed boxes of nonperishable items like lima beans and expired unhealthy options. Walking in the food bank today is like walking into a grocery store distribution center. The food is sourced from local farmers and retailers. It arrives by the bushel and pallet right from the ground. It’s cleaned, sorted and packaged by volunteer teams. About two-thirds of the products are fresh and frozen produce, meat, dairy and eggs that many families are not able to afford at grocery stores.
Most of the food is distributed through the food bank’s 140 local partners that include local pantries, no-cost markets, meal sites, delivery programs such as Meals On Wheels and shelters. “This distribution network is the backbone of our hunger relief network,” Stephany said.
In addition to this partner network, the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina operates the Market on Greenfield, an on-site, no-cost market, built in commitment to the community to restore the neighborhood grocery once located there that was destroyed by fire. The market is open five days per week and offers a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, pantry staples and ready-to-go meals as well as personal care products in a small grocery store experience.
The food bank also has an onsite production kitchen equipped to produce up to 5,000 ready-to-go meals every day in times of storm-related disaster. Outside of hurricanes, the year-round kitchen produces meals for local health and hunger relief organizations.
The market is accessed by thousands of people.
“We are already in the middle of the worst hunger crisis in a generation,” Stephany said. “So, at the same time that hunger has reached a nearunprecedented high and food banks are facing unprecedented losses in funding and food sources, the recent policy decisions could bring our hunger crisis
to a breaking point.”
Twenty percent of food bank products and one out of every four dollars raised can be traced back to government sources, support set to drop significantly over the coming year. In March, North Carolina lost $30 million to source fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy and eggs from local farms. In April, the food bank started to see massive disruption in food flow from the USDA. Over 80 truckloads of food and funding were canceled. While Stephany said there was talk that some might come back, it is not known what or when.
“When we cut back SNAP and local food purchase agreements with North Carolina farmers, the impact
Kathleen Hoolihan, the food bank’s nutrition program coordinator, is shown in the Wilmington branch’s warehouse.
is absolutely devastating,” Stephany said. “The policy choices and cuts are conscious decisions that will worsen the crisis. If the cuts are implemented as passed, we have real concerns that the hunger crisis will spiral outside of our control. We can’t meet these challenges through charity alone. We need government partners.”
SNAP cuts will impact children who receive free and reduced lunch since eligibility for these programs is often tied to SNAP and Medicaid. The majority of people who received SNAP benefits in 2022 were covered by Medicaid.
“That’s a piece of this issue that has not had much discussion,” Stephany said. “Not only will the cuts force
” When we cut back SNAP and local food purchase agreements with North Carolina farmers, the impact is absolutely devastating. The policy choices and cuts are conscious decisions that will worsen the crisis. concerns that the hunger crisis will spiral outside of our control.
JASON KANAWATI STEPHANY vice president of the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina ”
impossible choices for health care, it means more kids going to school hungry.
“All of our lives are touched by hunger in some way,” he said. “We have seen how community action can alter outcomes. At the peak of the pandemic, everyone came together – local, state and federal leaders. We met the crisis, we cut child poverty in half, we made sure food insecurity didn’t rise despite countless people losing jobs and loved ones. So, we know what works.”
“As long as it continues performing and customers continue showing up for it, we’re always looking for opportunities to do more everywhere,” Yealy said. “Wilmington is no exception to that.”
TRENDS TO WATCH 2
Alook at Wilmington’s economic development trends in 2025 shows companies selecting the region for their first U.S. facilities and progress on projects at the Port of Wilmington. Investment continues at Wilmington International Airport's business park. Local groups are pushing for new recreational facilities and industry leaders are advocating for workforce development.
1
U.S.
FOOTPRINTS
Companies are choosing the Cape Fear region to establish a footprint in the U.S. Building product manufacturer US MgO announced plans earlier this year to build a production facility in Leland. The company is expected to invest $5 million. Until the Brunswick County facility comes online, the company is making its magnesium oxide sheathing panels at its first U.S. plant in Wilmington.
One Banana North America, a company that grows and ripens bananas and plantains, opened its first U.S. facility in Pender Commerce Park in June to support its growing American market.
Canadian firm Protocase and its subsidiary 45Drives launched a local production facility this year for its data storage and computer servers. The company selected Wilmington for its first expansion outside of Canada last year.
The recent growth follows other first-time U.S. investment for several firms, including plans from India-based graphite manufacturer Epsilon Advanced Materials for a 1.5-million-square-foot facility in Brunswick County and a growing local footprint for Kesseböhmer, a German metal processor.
PORT PROGRESS
Amid recent uncertainty around tariffs, the Port of Wilmington is moving ahead with several projects that are expected to increase its capacity for years to come.
The port’s $22.5 million intermodal rail yard project broke ground last fall and is on track for completion in 2026. It will add four new working tracks to the port’s container terminal, with a combined length of 5,000 feet.
The project could expand the port’s intermodal capacity to more than 50,000 container movements by rail annually. It is currently capped at approximately 14,000 intermodal rail movements annually.
In recent years, Wilmington’s port has witnessed record intermodal rail volumes due to new and expanding programs that use express rail products such as the Queen City Express.
Work on a new north gate for the port’s general cargo facility is also underway. Relocating the gate to South Front Street aims to divert traffic away from nearby neighborhoods, reduce truck delays and traffic near railroad crossings and bring the entrance closer to the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge.
–EMMA DILL
Help wanted
3
AIRPORT BUSINESSES
Wilmington International Airport is set to become a growing hub of economic activity.
Frontier Scientific Solutions, a temperature-controlled storage and transportation company that serves the life sciences industry, announced plans last fall for a 500,000-squarefoot pharmaceutical warehouse inside ILM’s business park.
Frontier Scientific operates a direct flight that carries pharmaceutical shipments between ILM and a companion warehouse at Shannon Airport in County Clare, Ireland.
The local facility, which is under construction alongside the airport’s runway, will allow for more efficient product transfers from plane to warehouse. It’s the first of a multiphase development that the company has planned for ILM’s business park. Once complete, company officials have said the facilities could create hundreds of jobs.
The airport itself has had a significant economic impact on the Wilmington area. According to the State of Aviation report from the N.C. Department of Transportation, ILM generated an estimated $3.3 billion in economic impact in 2023, the most recent year with complete data available.
4
RECREATION INVESTMENT
Amid a slate of recreation facility proposals, the New Hanover Community Endowment wants to study recreation needs and access in New Hanover County.
This summer, the $1.6 billion endowment, created in 2021 from the sale of New Hanover Regional Medical Center to Novant Health, issued a request for proposals for a comprehensive assessment of the area’s recreational facilities and programs.
Several proposed large-scale recreational facilities, including Olsen Farm Recreation Village and Optimism Oasis, are in the development stages in New Hanover County.
Olsen Farm Recreation Village, slated for 135 acres in Murrayville, would include the Wilmington Aquatic Center and ACCESS Inclusive Recreation Center. It would have indoor and outdoor Olympic-sized pools, along with trails, green spaces and gathering areas.
Optimism Oasis is a proposed athletic and cultural center on Wilmington’s Northside. Conceptual plans for the project include a track, gym, swimming sportsplex and a cultural arts center and museum.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Partnerships between local institutions and industry leaders are putting a focus on workforce training.
The New Hanover Healthcare Career Partnership is a joint effort between the University of North Carolina Wilmington, Cape Fear Community College, New Hanover County Schools and the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce Foundation to recruit, train and retain health care workers in the Cape Fear region.
The multi-faceted program helps provide students with financial support, mentorship and wraparound services like free child care. It’s also helped to develop exploratory classes and health science academies for middle- and high-school students.
Other local industry-focused groups such as the Tech Talent Collaborate and the Cape Fear Manufacturing Partnership have formed in recent years. The groups, which meet regularly, aim to bring together companies and leaders within each local industry to address needs for workforce training, among other issues.
EXEC ECON
BY EMMA DILL | PHOTO BY MADELINE GRAY
HOLLY SULLIVAN’S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CAREER LED TO AMAZON AND NOW WILMINGTON
As Amazon’s vice president of worldwide economic development, Holly Sullivan’s job is to help guide the e-commerce giant’s investments and job creation.
Sullivan leads a team of about 60 people from her home base in Wilmington. Her team identifies and evaluates potential locations for Amazon, ranging from sites for fulfillment centers and corporate offices to device manufacturing facilities, studio production hubs and satellites.
Typically, Sullivan’s team is the first to meet with government officials in the areas Amazon is considering.
“My team goes out and meets with government officials, and we create that pathway to jobs and investment,” she said, “so whether it be land use hearings, permitting opportunities, negotiating financial incentives, it’s creating that path to launch and being that good corporate citizen along the way.”
Sullivan’s team led the planning of a 3.2-million-squarefoot robotics fulfillment center that broke ground last fall on the border between New Hanover and Pender counties. She said factors stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic had prompted the company to temporarily re-evaluate the project and where it would be located.
“That was a project that we
had looked at for years previously, and then things changed. When we resurfaced it, we needed to deliver to North Carolina and South Carolina residents ... and what do those different locations look like?” she said. “I will say that the forethought of Pender and New Hanover County, of having a developed industrial park with the infrastructure ready to go, really helped move the needle to ensure that this was the best location for us.”
The facility, which is expected to create 1,000 jobs, is slated for completion in mid-2026, Sullivan said.
Originally from Nashville, Sullivan began her career with the state of Tennessee, working with communities that couldn’t afford or didn’t need a full-time planning director. She helped local leaders review site plans and rezonings and coordinate with state transportation officials.
After that, she became the planning director for a county near Nashville. Eventually, she was asked to head up the region’s economic development organization, and she took the job.
“My parents and my mentors throughout my life have always said, ‘When a window opens, it’s good to walk through it,’” she said. “And so, I did, not really knowing what I was getting myself into. But it ended up really launching my career into economic development.”
After a stop leading economic development in another county just outside of Nashville, Sullivan landed in the Washington, D.C., area, becoming president and
CEO of the Montgomery Business Development Corp. in Montgomery County, Maryland.
The area was notorious for not being business friendly, Sullivan said, and it was tough work trying to build consensus around job creation and retention.
A few years in, a board member told her they believed a man could do a better job and earn more respect with local policymakers than she could. That was a turning point, Sullivan said, despite having worked in the maledominated world of economic development for years.
“I never really thought much of that because I was like, I’m just as smart, I’m just as good, I’m just as savvy,” she said. “But that led me to say, ‘I don’t think this is the job for me.’”
Sullivan updated her LinkedIn profile, letting recruiters know she was open to new roles. Within a few hours, she received a call from an Amazon recruiter, and soon she had joined the company as a senior manager of economic development.
After a few months at Amazon, Sullivan was tapped to lead the search for the company’s second corporate headquarters. Arlington, Virginia, was selected as the site for HQ2, a more than $2.5 billion investment expected to create 25,000 new jobs.
Sullivan also led Amazon’s development of an Operations Center of Excellence in Nashville, which is set to create 5,000 corporate and technology jobs, and directed the expansion of 18 North American tech hubs for the company.
Sullivan moved to Wilmington
full time with her husband and daughter two years ago. After years of living in the Washington, D.C., area, Sullivan and her husband bought a historic home near downtown Wilmington in 2014, traveling back and forth to the D.C. area for work.
True to her background in economic development, Sullivan chose to relocate to Wilmington only after comparing it to other potential cities and doing her research.
“We treated ourselves like clients,” she said. “I pulled the economic data. I looked at where had a community college or a major university, a historic district, an airport and water, not necessarily an ocean, but a large body of water.”
In August 2023, the timing was right to make the move permanent.
“My team was growing on a global scale, so as long as I (could) get to an airport,” Sullivan said, “I didn’t have a large concentration of my team in one location.”
Today, her role involves traveling regularly to meet with government officials or evaluate new regions for potential investment. She’s also a member of various business and industry boards in Tennessee and Virginia.
“We have a corporate responsibility, and it’s good to be at the table, as we’re having some of those challenging conversations,” she said, “whether it be around policy or whether it be around a different investment.”
Sullivan joined the New Hanover Community Endowment’s board of directors earlier this year and said she hopes to bring an “outside” perspective to the board. The $1.6 billion fund was created from New Hanover County’s sale of New Hanover Regional Medical Center to Novant Health in 2021.
“I have a different perspective I can bring about what’s worked, what hasn’t, what other communities are doing, what we’re doing and what other companies are doing,” she said. “Hopefully that adds some value and perspective that can be complementary to the other board members.”
Steadfast Intentional Momentum Integrity Preservation Impact
Together Charitable Time
Resilience
Ignite Light Impact Purpose
WOMEN WHO MEAN BUSINESS WORDS
TO LIVE BY
You don’t have to go it alone. These Women Who Mean Business are leading the way in their careers, teams, and lives and are here to share their vision and their stories with you.
R each out to connect, check out their businesses, and help us continue to build a strong business community!
P hotography: Aris Harding
JULIE GLEW-CROUCH Custom Home
YOUR WORD OF THE YEAR? Intentional
WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU OUTSIDE OF WORK?
Somewhere near the ocean, with my family!
WHAT IS SOMETHING SURPRISING ABOUT YOUR COMPANY?
About 25% of our employees work here with a family member of their own! We are a very family-oriented business.
BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB?
The daily opportunities to acquire new knowledge and engage in different aspects of the business create a dynamic work environment filled with unique challenges.
PROUDEST WORK MOMENT?
Observing employees who develop and work diligently to enhance their skills, allowing them to explore new roles within the company.
ShopCustomHome.com
Julie@ShopCustomHome.com 910-799-4010
@ShopCustomHome
APRIL JONES
April Jones Insurance
YOUR WORD OF THE YEAR? Steadfast
WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU OUTSIDE OF WORK?
Dining local, volunteering, and traveling with my children brings me joy.
WHAT IS SOMETHING SURPRISING ABOUT YOUR COMPANY?
We are a privately owned, scratch-built agency that scaled quickly through personal relationships, community trust, and smart technology.
BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB?
Building relationships that protect families, fuel local dreams, and create real peace of mind.
PROUDEST WORK MOMENT?
Building a scalable agency that’s thrived quickly and stayed strong through tough, shifting markets.
AprilJonesInsurance.com
April@AprilJonesInsurance.com 910-660-0215
@AprilJonesInsurance
ERIN FORD
Monteith Construction Corp.
MonteithCO.com Info@MonteithCO.com 910-791-8101
@MonteithConstruction
YOUR WORD OF THE YEAR? Momentum
WHAT MAKES YOUR COMPANY A GREAT PLACE TO WORK FOR WOMEN?
Monteith empowers women to lead and grow at every level, breaking barriers in a traditionally male-dominated industry.
WHAT IS YOUR COMPANY'S GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT?
Monteith’s workforce includes 24.5% women—more than double the industry average—reflecting our dedication to equality and representation.
WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT ERIN'S ROLE?
Erin helps lead Monteith’s SPOTLIGHT division with exceptional grit— overseeing 10+ complex, fast-moving projects from office to field.
JAMES E MOORE INSURANCE AGENCY
Sharon Murphy, Melinda Williams, Adrienne Moore, Erin Chitwood, Blair Bunting
JamesEMoore.com Info@JamesEMoore.com 910-256-5333
YOUR WORD OF THE YEAR? Integrity
WHAT MAKES YOUR COMPANY A GREAT PLACE TO WORK FOR WOMEN? We foster a positive environment where every individual is respected and supported in their professional growth.
WHAT IS YOUR COMPANY'S GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT?
For more than 71 years, we have continually pushed ourselves to grow and evolve. We are proud to serve generations of loyal customers.
WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT THIS GROUP OF WOMEN?
We genuinely value one another as individuals and appreciate the unique perspectives a multigenerational work force brings.
MEAGHAN DENNISON & SUSIE SEWELL The Forward Fund (TFF)
YOUR WORD OF THE YEAR? Impact
WHAT MAKES YOUR COMPANY A GREAT PLACE TO WORK FOR WOMEN?
Everything we do is predicated on collaboration, trust, and a single-minded focus on lowering barriers for students to thrive.
WHAT IS YOUR COMPANY'S GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT?
Launched North Carolina’s first pay it forward fund with more than $600,000 in loan volume in less than a year.
WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT THIS GROUP OF WOMEN?
Founded by women with a unique mix of nonprofit experience and a singular focus on improving wages.
TheForward.Fund Info@TheForward.Fund 919-607-2417
STEPHANIE BOLTON Patriot Roofing & Exteriors
YOUR WORD OF THE YEAR? Preservation
WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU OUTSIDE OF WORK?
Local music venues; Eagles Dare, Greenfield Lake Amphitheater, Rusty Nail
WHAT IS SOMETHING SURPRISING ABOUT YOUR COMPANY?
Over 50% of our team at Patriot Roofing are women—huge contrast to just ~ 5% of U.S. roofers nationally.
BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB?
Building a resilient, beautiful community that honors history and preserves its legacy for future generations.
PROUDEST WORK MOMENT?
Removing the blue tarp from the historic 1871 Giblem Lodge after Hurricane Florence, restoring its strength and legacy.
PatriotRoofer.com Info@PatriotRoofer.com 910-218-0600 @PatriotRoofer
UNITED COMMUNITY BANK
Sarah Beacham, Jennifer Merritt, Ty'kera Nelson, Adreanna Reyes, Jana Fazliu,
YOUR WORD OF THE YEAR? Together
WHAT MAKES YOUR COMPANY A GREAT PLACE TO WORK FOR WOMEN?
UCBI emphasizes a commitment to fostering a culture of diversity, inclusion, work- life balance and belonging while serving our communities.
WHAT IS YOUR COMPANY'S GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT?
With longstanding excellence, we're 11-time J.D. Power winner, for Customer Satisfaction, most recently in 2025 also ranking #1 in Trust and People.
WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT THIS GROUP OF WOMEN?
Diverse, Driven, and deeply rooted in the community-these women lead, serve, and uplift others making a meaningful impact together.
UCBI.com
Jennifer_Merritt@UCBI.com 910-376-0734
@UnitedCommunityBank
CINDY VILLARRREAL Impress Flooring
YOUR WORD OF THE YEAR? Fearless
WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU OUTSIDE OF WORK?
Find me at the beach with my kids or taking night walks under the stars, connecting with myself.
WHAT IS SOMETHING SURPRISING ABOUT YOUR COMPANY?
Clients are surprised by our quick, clean projects without compromising quality, and that we’ve grown mostly through referrals, repeat clients, not advertising.
BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB?
It’s guiding clients to the right flooring, making the process stress-free and seeing their excitement. It’s so rewarding!
PROUDEST WORK MOMENT?
In 2023, I partnered with other companies through the Professional Women in Building to build a home in just seven days for Habitat for Humanity.
ImpressHardwoodFloors.com ImpressFlooringNC@gmail.com 910-523-0923
@Impress_Flooring
BROOKE SKIPPER
Salt Air Heating, Cooling and Electrical
YOUR WORD OF THE YEAR? Time
WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU OUTSIDE OF WORK?
Spending time with my husband and our 1-year-old.
WHAT IS SOMETHING SURPRISING ABOUT YOUR COMPANY?
We recently celebrated 1500+ Google reviews with a 4.9 rating. This speaks volumes to the rockstar team we have here.
BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB?
Every day is different, and we genuinely get to help people while making a positive impact in our community.
PROUDEST WORK MOMENT?
Winning the WILMA Women to Watch Award for Business in 2024
SaltAirInc.com Info@SaltAirInc.com 910-777-3539 @SaltAirInc
JOAN
LOCH
Resource Business Brokerage
YOUR WORD OF THE YEAR? Charitable
WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU OUTSIDE OF WORK?
Enjoying time with friends and family.
WHAT IS SOMETHING SURPRISING ABOUT YOUR COMPANY?
Not surprisingly, we are thriving.
BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB?
Helping small business owners sell a brand that they put their heart, soul and money into growing.
PROUDEST WORK MOMENT?
Representing the investors who purchased 216-220 N. Front St. this year, with several aspects of the purchase.
RBBnc.com JoanLoch@RBBnc.com 732-691-7834 ResourceBusinessBrokerage
JESSICA HUMPHRIES Farrell Smith O'Connell Aarsheim Aprans LLP
YOUR WORD OF THE YEAR? Driven
WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU OUTSIDE OF WORK?
Playing tennis, at the beach/pool, traveling, spending time with friends, or spending time with my husband and two dogs
WHAT IS SOMETHING SURPRISING ABOUT YOUR COMPANY?
Our firm is a fun group of people who enjoy spending time together and practicing law in our interesting areas of focus - construction and maritime/admiralty law.
BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB?
Helping clients navigate difficult legal issues and figuring out creative solutions.
PROUDEST WORK MOMENT?
Becoming a leader of a team at my firm and watching a younger female attorney gain confidence in her abilities through my mentorship.
FSOFirm.com
JHumphries@FSOFirm.com 910-836-1752
KATIE MEDINA TOVA Wealth
YOUR WORD OF THE YEAR? Resilience
WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU OUTSIDE OF WORK?
On my porch with a good book.
WHAT IS SOMETHING SURPRISING ABOUT YOUR COMPANY?
Although we manage wealth, our greatest impact comes from deep client relationships built on trust, not just investment performance.
BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB?
Helping clients replace financial fear with clarity, confidence, and a sense of control.
PROUDEST WORK MOMENT?
Starting my own practice after 17 years. Trusting myself to better serve clients with the care they truly deserve.
TovaWealth.com
Hello@TovaWealth.com 910-408-5517
@TovaWealth
PREMIER STAFFING SOLUTIONS, INC
Olivia Martin, Krystine Hobson, Lauren Soto, Patricia Page
PremierStaffNC.com KHobson@PremierStaffNC.com 910-793-1010
@PremierStaffingSolutions
YOUR WORD OF THE YEAR? Evolution
WHAT MAKES YOUR COMPANY A GREAT PLACE TO WORK FOR WOMEN?
We prioritize transparency and empowerment. Women feel seen, heard, and supported; with strengths and differences genuinely valued and celebrated.
WHAT IS YOUR COMPANY'S GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT?
Our legacy AND our evolution. 25 years of impact. Now, a new era with fresh ideas, new passions, and transformation.
WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT THIS GROUP OF WOMEN?
This group of passionate, visionaries; is the most innovative, unstoppable, team I’ve ever had the privilege of working with.
CHERYL NABELL Hub International
YOUR WORD OF THE YEAR? Growth
WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU OUTSIDE OF WORK?
On the beach, traveling, or with my kids and grandchildren.
WHAT IS SOMETHING SURPRISING ABOUT YOUR COMPANY?
As one of the largest brokers in the world, Hub provides superior risk management resources and solutions yet maintains personalized, local service.
BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB?
I love working with business owners and individuals to provide expert advice and help them protect what they value most.
PROUDEST WORK MOMENT?
Leading our agency into a partnership with Hub which has provided growth for our team members and enhanced services for our clients.
HubInternational.com
Cheryl.Nabell@HubInternational.com 910-344-0323
TIFFANY WILLIAMS
Tiffany's Beach Properties
YOUR WORD OF THE YEAR? Boundaries
WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU OUTSIDE OF WORK?
Traveling and visiting my daughters in NY and LA.
WHAT IS SOMETHING SURPRISING ABOUT YOUR COMPANY?
I still answer every call and email myself, 25 years later. Personalized service is the heartbeat of my business.
BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB?
The freedom to shape my days, trust my gut, and create something lasting in a place I love.
PROUDEST WORK MOMENT?
Celebrating 25 years in business and being the first independent real estate professional allowed to open an office on BHI.
TiffanysBeachProperties.com
Tiffany@TiffanysBeachProperties.com 910-457-0544
@tiffbhi
JC LYLE, MBA
Elect JC Lyle to Wilmington City Council
YOUR WORD OF THE YEAR? Light
WHAT IS SOMETHING SURPRISING ABOUT YOU?
My campaign is based on more than aspirations. It’s built on my strong record of commonsense leadership and meaningful results.
BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB?
Asking workers from all industries about their challenges finding and retaining housing, then creating ways to make it better.
PROUDEST WORK MOMENT?
Making a difference in economic development by addressing workforce housing issues ~ through policy changes, innovative partnerships, and direct service.
ElectJCLyle.com
ElectJClyle@gmail.com 910-632-0923
@ElectJCLyle
Paid for by Committee to Elect JC Lyle
KATE EAMES
The Anchor Group Design & Build
YOUR WORD OF THE YEAR? Ignite
WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU OUTSIDE OF WORK?
At the gym, with family, really anywhere but the kitchen.
WHAT IS SOMETHING SURPRISING ABOUT YOUR COMPANY?
We built a house in one week! It was intense, wild, and the most rewarding experience on a job site ever.
BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB?
We don’t just build houses, we turn your dreams into a home that will hold your life, your stories, and your legacy.
PROUDEST WORK MOMENT?
Supporting others in discovering their inner fire and stepping into leadership is at the heart of my work. Through my retreat and my role with Professional Women in Building, I’m living out what I believe is my greater purpose.
TheAnchorGroupNC.com
Kate@TheAnchorGroupNC.com 910-620-4932
@TheAnchorGroupNC
JILL CLARK Coastal Home Store
YOUR WORD OF THE YEAR? Purpose
WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU OUTSIDE OF WORK?
On the beach as a proud member of the Topsail Island Turtle Patrol.
WHAT IS SOMETHING SURPRISING ABOUT YOUR COMPANY?
We aren't just a store. We have sourced furniture for many local businesses, rental properties, host special events, and sell Christmas trees from Western NC every year with a portion of the proceeds benefiting a local charity.
BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB?
The People. Having the opportunity to be a part of someone's home is our greatest joy. Our purpose.
PROUDEST WORK MOMENT?
When the community voted us as Favorite Home Decor and Favorite Indoor/Outdoor Furniture in 2024 Topsail's Top Choice Awards
CoastalHomeStore.com
CoastalHomeStore@gmail.com 910-821-1390
@CoastalHomeStore
JEANETTE COFER JCo, Organizational Strategy & Executive Coaching
YOUR WORD OF THE YEAR? Impact
WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU OUTSIDE OF WORK?
At the beach or playing pickleball & tennis.
WHAT IS SOMETHING SURPRISING ABOUT YOUR COMPANY?
While others teach leadership, JCo rewires how humans think, creating leaders who transform culture by simply existing.
BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB?
That I get to shape how organizations operate, elevate human potential and equip people with the mindset and strategies to achieve excellence.
PROUDEST WORK MOMENT?
When I ignite human potential and the ROI is that someone says "You've changed my life!"
JeanetteCofer.com
Jeanette@JeanetteCofer.com 910-338-9714
@Jeanette_LifeCoach
LELAND LOOKING @
CRAFTING THE TOWN’S DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
BY ERIC WILLIAMSON | PHOTO BY TERAH HOOBLER
Wilmington, home to the Battleship North Carolina, has obvious economic development firepower too.
But 10 miles away, there’s a small vessel that continues to tack with impressive agility: Leland.
“Leland is a lot of things to a lot of people,” Barnes Sutton, economic and community development director for the town of about 35,000, said.
“Because there is a lot more room in the northern Brunswick area, generally, the cost of living is lower here. Yes, we’re attracting retirees from the Northeast, but we’re also seeing a lot of young professionals and starter families moving into the area for the larger homes with a backyard.”
Commercial areas such as Leland’s Gateway, Town Center, The Villages at Brunswick Forest and Leland Village help ensure that the town remains more than just a bedroom community.
And that’s Sutton’s pitch. No matter whose asking, he can make a strong argument for not just space but accommodation – including financial accommodation.
Part and parcel to the small-
town economic success story is Leland Innovation Park, or LIP, the former industrial park that was reimagined in 2018, with revised zoning adopted in 2020. Sutton said the genius of the strategy devised by his predecessor, Gary Vidmar, and others was agreeing to cut through red tape with a “permitted by right” approach that combines light and heavy industrial uses.
“You can now come in with a site plan and go straight to technical review,” Sutton said. “That bypasses what would be two to three months in another jurisdiction. You don’t have to wait for regulatory review to get a bank loan. The goal is to remove all that uncertainty.”
Barring waste discharge outside of the facility, Leland officials take a mostly hands-off approach. But that doesn’t mean they’re pushovers.
“We’d rather get the right use for which the park was intended,” he said, “rather than one that isn’t the highest and best use.”
It’s worked. Factory jobs that pay $52 an hour, for example –that’s not something you see every day. While advanced construction panel manufacturer US MgO Co.’s permanent home in the LIP won’t be completed until 2027, the April announcement was just one of the latest causes for excitement.
That same month, Akron Pharma announced a $4.2 million
purchase of an existing warehouse facility at the LIP. The company joins like-minded neighbors MicroSolv and Flow Sciences.
“It’s all about the synergy in the area of life sciences and medical technology,” Sutton said.
Adams Beverages’ and CocaCola’s distribution centers round out the park, which is not yet at 50% capacity.
The development director said the city and the county are still courting sectors that may be an additional fit, including IT, marine biology, aerospace and renewables.
For instance, “We’re looking to see what spins out of the Epsilon plant,” he said, referencing the coming Mid-Atlantic Industrial Rail Park tenant in Brunswick County. Epsilon received an air permit in April for the manufacture of graphite anode components to the electric vehicle batteries the company produces.
Meanwhile, Sutton wants to amplify quality of life in Leland with more restaurants, hotels, nightlife and outdoor activities. The town doesn’t have a traditional downtown area, but mixed-use development at the gateway that’s already happening organically – notably Harrington Village –provides a template for what can be.
Sutton would like to give nature a nudge in hopes of seeing another Kinston, where he grew
up. Downtown Kinston’s businesscultural revival has “informed how we can bring energy into the Gateway district and get tourists interested in this area,” he said.
In that regard, Sutton has put forward a plan to add wind to Leland’s sails – or perhaps a cannon to its gun mount. He can’t predict the future, he said, but he’s hopeful that his inaugural economic incentive program will be approved.
“It might be façade improvement in front of a building or a shell building that’s never had a tenant, but the owners want to create a new establishment,” Sutton said of potential uses of the incentive. “We’re looking at ways to lessen that burden.”
For businesses investing in the LIP in particular, the proposal could mean a 10-year grant to receive 75% tax breaks. According to his memo outlining the proposal, the capital improvement would have to be in excess of $10 million and raise property tax assessment by 50% or more.
Sutton is optimistic. He anticipates adding a business developer to his office in the spring.
“Everyone is familiar with Wilmington; Leland has a lot of those same assets,” he said. “First, it was residents, and now industry and retailers have moved this way. But it’s so early on that the opportunities are still there. I don’t want anyone to think they’ve missed the boat on Leland.”
Barnes Sutton was part of last year’s WilmingtonBiz 100 as a Connector. This year’s group will be highlighted in the December issue of WilmingtonBiz Magazine.
A speaker panel, including Protocase co-founder Doug Milburn (second from left), presents during the 45Drives Creators Summit. The event brings together tech creators for a range of industry discussions and livestreams.
Making Case the
PROTOCASE SETS UP SHOP IN WILMINGTON
BY EMMA DILL | PHOTO BY DARIA AMATO
The idea for Protocase began as a solution to a manufacturing problem encountered by co-founders Doug Milburn and Steve Lilley. The two, who both have a mechanical engineering background, were working in separate industries when they got to know one another playing hockey.
“Doug and I met back in the mid-90s in Cape Breton (Island), introduced through some other folks,” Lilley said, “but it ended up that the two of us started playing hockey together – Friday afternoon scrub hockey, as we call it, or beer league hockey.”
One night, after the league, they began talking about how they both struggled to find a company to produce a low volume of custom metal parts.
“No one wanted to produce 10 of these things, and they wanted to take forever to make them, and they wanted to charge an arm and a leg,” Lilley said. “So, lo and behold, we
were chatting one day about our struggles over beer and hockey, and started to talk about, ‘Well, if you and I each had that struggle … maybe there’s a business to be built around this.’”
They did some more research, and Protocase was born. The company specializes in rapidly producing fabricated parts from sheet metal and other materials for clients in the technology, general innovation, defense and aerospace industries.
“We started with five employees in Sydney, Cape Breton, in 2001,” Lilley said, “and over 24 years we’ve grown it to a 500-person company that serves over 20,000 customers throughout North America, primarily in the U.S.”
Initially, the company specialized in electronic enclosures – the metal boxes that surround the electrical “guts” of a computer or another device, Milburn said. Eventually, customers asked if the company could make other custom parts, too.
photo c/o PROTOCASE
Steve Lilley, Protocase co-founder, is shown at the company's new Wilmington facility.
ECONOMIC IMPACTS 2025
Open cloud storage platform Backblaze approached Protocase and asked if the firm could build a server the company had designed. That was the start of 45Drives, a division that makes servers and other data storage hardware. It spun off from Protocase in 2012.
Protospace Mfg, another subsidiary that manufactures parts for the aerospace industry, formed in 2023. The aerospace and defense industry makes up about 25% of the company’s total customer base.
“All the big players in aerospace and defense, the Lockheed Martins of the world, the Boeings, the SpaceXes, all of those big companies buy from us,” Lilley said.
Clients had told the firm that it would be easier to conduct business if it had offices in the U.S., Lilley said, and company officials have talked about establishing a U.S. location for years, Milburn said. They settled on the Southeastern U.S. because of its strong business climate and proximity to Nova Scotia before selecting Wilmington.
Protocase set up an office on the fourth floor of the Skyline Center and launched an 11,000-square-foot manufacturing space in the Maritime North Business Park off U.S. 421. The production facility will support 45Drives customers in the U.S. and some of Protocase’s U.S. clients, according to Lilley. (To read more about the industrial growth of U.S. 421, turn to page 64.)
“This is the beginning of the manufacturing piece,” Lilley said. “I didn’t envision doing this for two to three years down the road, but we’re there now, and now it’s about scale.”
The company has ramped up its local operations faster than expected, in part, due to the current tariff environment. On Aug. 1, the U.S. imposed a 35% tariff on imports from Canada not covered under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. Tariffs have forced the company to raise prices on some products and look for inefficiencies that can be eliminated, Lilley said.
Milburn is also looking to expand his company, Advanced Glazings, into Wilmington with new sales hires and, eventually, a manufacturing facility. The firm makes translucent, insulated glass that helps moderate heat from sunlight and reduces glare.
Wilmington will also play host this fall to the 45Drives’ annual Creator Summit, which brings together technology creators and influencers for a multi-day event. The program includes a variety of speakers and will take place at various locations in Wilmington.
The event will be headlined by deadmau5, a Canadian producer and DJ, who worked with 45Drives to develop its 45 Studio line, which will launch during the Creator Summit. The product features ultra-quiet fans, which allow servers to sit in the studio alongside creators without excess fan noise.
The current footprint is just the beginning for Protocase’s manufacturing and office presence in the area. The company is currently looking for a site to build a local multi-building campus, Milburn said.
“We want to find our campus location,” he said. “Wilmington (will be) our center of growth in the U.S. for the foreseeable future.”
INDUSTRY MAPPING OUT
BY EMMA DILL | PHOTOS BY DARIA AMATO & MALCOLM LITTLE | ILLUSTRATION BY MARK WEBER
In the early 2000s, McKinley
“Ken” Dull looked out at the stretch of U.S. 421 that runs from downtown Wilmington to the New Hanover-Pender county line and saw potential.
When businesses came to Dull looking for a spot to build a new industrial facility, he’d take them to that stretch of U.S. 421 and ask them to keep an open mind. Dull is the founder of McKinley Building Corp., a Wilmington-based commercial construction management, general contracting and design-build firm.
“I just always thought that corridor was underutilized,” Dull said, “and being the civil engineer that I am, you look at a big four-lane highway that’s only six or seven minutes from downtown, and you’re trying to understand, why would this not be a great place for industrial development?”
At first, it was tough to get businesses to recognize that potential, Dull said, but the area gained momentum over the years as new roads and infrastructure were put in place. Dull said Mckinley has worked on 22 industrial projects in the corridor.
“Each step forward has been pioneering of sorts,” he said, “and over that long of a period of time, this is where it’s gotten you. You kind of see it in full bloom after 20 years.”
Today, the corridor is home to a range of businesses and manufacturers, making it an economic engine for the region. The area is poised for more growth in the future as other major projects, including an Amazon robotics fulfillment center and Wilmington Trade Center, come online.
The area has been a “primary industrial corridor” for the Wilmington area for decades, according to Wilmington Business Development CEO Scott Satterfield. Factors drawing business to the area include the corridor’s four-lane highway accessibility; sandy, compactible soils; and infrastructure upgrades installed over the years.
this
The completion of the final stretch of Interstate 140 loop in 2017 was a “putting the wind in the sails moment” for the corridor, Dull said, because it offered companies access to a major highway and broader transportation network.
Another “inflection point,” Dull said, was New Hanover County’s installation of water and sewer infrastructure. Up until then, businesses in the corridor operated on wells and septic tanks.
The $15.5 million project wrapped up in 2019, extending service to nearly 1,000 developable properties.
But it’s not just about water and sewer, according to Satterfield.
“Power, natural gas and fiber are also imperative,” he wrote in an email to the Business Journal. “That’s why we are constantly interfacing with our government and utility partners.
Our success, in many ways, is tied to their respective investments in infrastructure to keep up with growth along this corridor and throughout the region.”
As companies saw other businesses locate and succeed in the corridor, the area began to pick up momentum, Dull said.
“I think every time the next person moved in, and people saw that they were doing well in that location,” he added, “it just gave the next guy more confidence.”
YogaSleep, a company that manufactures sound machines and other sleep products, moved into a 64,400-square-foot building along U.S. 421 in 2023. Moving into the facility allowed the company to consolidate its offices, warehousing and manufacturing under one roof, said Terry Hollingsworth, YogaSleep’s
” Our success, in many ways, is tied to their respective investments in infrastructure to keep up with growth along this corridor and throughout the region.
SCOTT SATTERFIELD CEO, Wilmington Business Development ”
Amazon broke ground earlier
year on a fulfillment center on 170 acres.
photo by MALCOLM LITTLE
inside the company's warehouse on U.S. 421, which it moved into in 2023.
photo by DARIA AMATO
YogaSleep CEO Jimmy Sloan stands
chief operations officer.
Space was tight in the company’s former 25,000-square-foot facility on Capital Drive in Wilmington. Previously, YogaSleep leased warehouse space in Leland to accommodate its operations. Now, the company has the space it needs, plus about 20,000 square feet it uses to store and ship products for other companies.
“Right now, we are comfortable,” Hollingsworth said. “We have plenty of room for growth, but at the same time, we've left it such that if we needed to expand, we have options available.”
In the two years he’s worked in the corridor, Hollingsworth has watched new companies move in and other development break ground.
Recent additions to the corridor include German manufacturer Kesseböhmer and Canadian rapid manufacturing company Protocase. Kesseböhmer, a company that makes retail display and kitchen storage products, recently completed a 93,000-square-foot facility in the corridor, while Protocase brought a production space online in the area earlier this year.
YogaSleep is just south of Wilmington Trade Center, a master-planned industrial park developed by Edgewater Ventures in partnership with McKinley Building.
Once complete, the park will include 13 buildings, ranging from 84,000 to 1 million square feet. The first three buildings are complete and crews broke ground on the project’s second phase earlier this year, clearing and grading around 125 acres at the back of the site.
Chris Norvell, a principal with Edgewater Ventures, was looking for land to develop an industrial park when he met with Dull and Andrew Cooke, McKinley’s business development officer, over beers at Dockside in Wrightsville Beach. There, they laid out a vision for Wilmington Trade Center’s first three buildings and the “rest is history,” Norvell said.
“Wilmington just needed Class A industrial real estate, which really had not existed in the market before five years ago,” Norvell said, “and if you’re going to build Class A industrial real estate in Wilmington, we believe the 421 corridor is the best place to do that.”
Norvell said proximity to downtown Wilmington, the port and Interstate 140 as well as the corridor’s sandy soils were all a plus for the project’s development.
At the north end of the corridor, Pender County’s 330-acre Pender Commerce Park has created a hub for economic development. Planning for the park began in the early 2000s as the county looked to create an economic driver on its largely rural western side.
Pender Commerce Park welcomed its first tenant, Acme Smoked Fish, in 2015 and since then has recruited a slate of companies, including beverage distributor Coastal Beverage Company; FedEx Freight; Polyhose Inc., an India-based industrial hose and fittings manufacturer; and Maersk, a transportation company that leases a 300,000-square-foot cold storage facility in
Building Blue Clay from Scratch
American Rescue Plan Act money used to fund park infrastructure
ABOUT 13 MILES AWAY FROM PENDER COMMERCE PARK ON U.S. 421, NEW HANOVER COUNTY ALSO IS CREATING ANOTHER SITE TO ATTRACT BUSINESSES.
The first phase of New Hanover County’s Blue Clay Business Park is nearing completion.
Infrastructure for the 120-acre park, the first developed by New Hanover County, has been in the works for the past two years. The project’s first phase involved the installation of water and sewer infrastructure and the construction of Triumph Road and Logistics Way – two roadways inside the park, according to Jennifer Rigby, New Hanover County’s chief strategy officer.
Rigby stated, as of Aug. 14, that she expected the first phase of improvements to be operational by the end of August.
A monument sign for the park, located at 4101 Blue Clay Road, is set to be constructed in September. Proposed off-site improvements, including a turn lane to help with traffic flow, are nearing approval from the N.C. Department of Transportation, according to Rigby,
and then will be bid out. Work on those off-site projects is expected to begin this fall.
The county’s budget for the business park’s infrastructure is more than $9.1 million, according to Rigby. Nearly all of that funding will come in the form of grants adopted by the state legislature as part of its 2023 budget.
State funding provided $8.8 million for Blue Clay Business Park’s infrastructure and $29.1 million for the county’s Last Frontier project, which aims to bring new water and sewer infrastructure to the northern part of the county to accommodate increasing growth and development.
So far, two businesses have purchased land in Blue Clay Business Park – stone importer and distributor Francini Inc. and Coastal Millwork Supply Co., a firm that installs doors, trim, cabinets and more for residential builders.
Construction is underway on Coastal Millwork’s 62,000-squarefoot facility, with completion slated for this fall. Francini officials told the Business Journal this summer that the company temporarily paused work on its building due to soil issues but said they remain committed to moving ahead with the project.
According to the park’s
State legislature approves budget with funds for infrastructure
covenants and restrictions, once water and sewer infrastructure are completed, the companies have one year to begin construction and two years to finish construction of their projects, Rigby stated.
Approximately 65 acres remain available inside the park for future development, according to Rigby. The park’s second phase encompasses approximately 40 acres, with rail access at the back of the park.
The second phase will be developed based on market demand. Although covenants and restrictions require lot sizes of at least 5 acres, there isn’t a limit on the size of the parcel, meaning a larger user could purchase the 40-acre site, Rigby added.
Wilmington Business Development is leading business recruitment for the park. Its ongoing development aims to support the county’s economic growth, Rigby added.
“We want for New Hanover County to be a business-friendly community that promotes growth, agility and collaboration, so providing space for our businesses to grow and expand has been a strategic priority for New Hanover County,” she wrote in an email.
New Hanover County buys 120 acres off Blue Clay Road
Park’s master development plan completed; it’s selected for Duke Energy’s Site Readiness Program
Francini Inc. becomes first firm to buy inside the park
New Hanover leaders award infrastructure contract
Francini temporarily pauses construction
Millwork Supply buys land in park
Coastal Millwork’s facility is slated for completion this fall
the park.
Amazon will become the park’s final tenant. The company broke ground last fall on a robotics fulfillment center on 170 acres on the New Hanover-Pender county line. The fulfillment center will span more than 11 football fields with more than 3 million square feet in floor area across four-and-a-half floors.
According to Satterfield, the project’s announcement is “one of the largest single investments” in the region’s history and will be “transformational” for the economy. The facility, which is set to open next year, is expected to create 1,000 jobs.
A second Amazon project – a 142,000-square-foot delivery station facility – is in the works on another 54 acres inside Pender Commerce Park. The two Amazon projects fill out the park’s available land, according to Satterfield.
Once the park’s projects wrap up, Satterfield estimates there will be at least $1.5 billion in total capex investment, more than 3,500 jobs and approximately 4.5 million square feet under roof inside the park.
He said Wilmington Business Development sees more potential for more growth along the corridor’s northern stretches.
“We believe there will be continued opportunities further north on U.S. 421 as the necessary infrastructure continues to expand,” Satterfield wrote.
As the number of workers in the corridor climbs, Norvell said he sees demand for a new retail development with a gas station and fast-food restaurant. A prime spot, he said, would be at the intersection of U.S. 421 and I-140.
Convenience store chain Sheetz recently submitted site plans for a 6,800-square-foot store with fuel sales in the corridor.
Hollingsworth said he’s looking forward to seeing the area continue to grow in the coming years.
“We welcome the growth all around us,” he said. “I’m anxious to see what it looks like 10 years from now.”
FOUR YEARS IN, AND TRASK FAMILY FARMS IS CONTINUING TO REDEFINE its definition of a working farm. On decades-old, family farmland off Blue Clay Road, Trask Family Farms opened to the public as a produce and flower farm with an agritourism twist. Throughout the year, it offers up summer sunflower mazes, fall corn mazes, pick-your-own flowers, pumpkin patches and farm-to-table dinners held amongst the flower fields. “We needed as many reasons for people to come out to the farm as possible,” head farmer Graham Trask said, adding that the events help attract shoppers looking for experiences beyond grocery stores. “You’ve got to give them a reason to drive 10 more minutes.”
BLOOMING BUSINESS
PHOTO BY MADELINE GRAY
