Copeland's calling: after years assistingompanies with site selection and corporate investment, lawyer Tony Copeland returns to lead a reorganized N.C. Department of Commerce.

• Author: Maurer, Kevin
• Position: NC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - Interview

If Commerce Secretary Tony Copeland gets his wish, North Carolina will once again be known as the "Dixie Dynamo," a nickname coined in a 1962 National Geographic story describing the state's newly prosperous economy.

"Just look at the talent pool here," the Hertford County native said in an interview from his Raleigh office. "From 1950, being the second-poorest state in the country, to ... Raleigh, now the second-most educated city in America," Copeland says, a reference to a 2014 Forbes report.

"That's an astounding change. We've done something right along the way. And I'd say education and vision and having some leaders with the ability to see and create the future has been the reason."

Gov. Roy Cooper tapped Copeland to lead the Commerce Department in January, and his appointment was confirmed by the state legislature in April. He inherits a strong deck of cards, with more than [dollar]4-4 billion in investment reported in the state in 2016 and more than 18,000 new jobs announced, according to the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina's annual Community Investment Report. The role of Commerce was diminished upon formation of the EDPNC during Gov. Pat McCrory's administration. Launched in October 2014, the public-private agency assumed many of the functions previously carried out by Commerce, including aspects of job recruitment and tourism promotion. After the General Assembly in December hobbled Cooper's ability to make changes to the EDPNC's 17-member board, the governor asked Copeland to evaluate the state's [dollar]17 million contract with the group. (By statute, the department must maintain regular oversight of and evaluate the EDPNC annually.)

For now, the two groups say they are working together effectively. Copeland says his staff collaborates daily with the EDPNC, including meetings and calls with partnership CEO Christopher Chung and other staff members. But the new structure, along with disruption related to House Bill 2 and proposed changes to the state's incentives program, created some uncertainty in the state's strategy regarding business recruitment, he says.

"I think my mission, the governor's mission, is to work with the legislature to bring some stability to economic development," Copeland says, "to put us back on the road to expansions and inward investment and jobs."

Comments were edited for brevity and clarity.

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