ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

State and local officials charged with attracting and retaining businesses have a strong story to tell, based on the 174 corporate relocation and expansions, 24,000 pledged jobs and $10 billion in capital investment announced last year. The totals surpassed the previous two years. Site Selection magazine has ranked the state's business climate as tops in the nation the last two years.

KELLY ANDREWS

director | Pitt County Economic Development

Greenville

The East Carolina University MBA joined the development group in 2006 and became director in 2020. when she was named one of the nation's top 50 economic developers. She has helped promote the county's fast-growing lifesciences industry, highlighted by Thermo Fisher Scientific's plans for a $154 million expansion announced last September. She is a member of the N.C. Economic Development Association board of directors and the ECU Engineering Advisory Board. She earned a bachelor's at UNC Chapel Hill.

Pre-workday motivation: Coffee.

Key to industry success: Developing genuine relationships.

Best advice: Think before you speak.

Proud family accomplishment: My hardworking eastern North Carolina family roots. Both sides of my family have been here for generations. I serve the county where I was born and raised.

Favorite hobby: Treasure hunting at antique stores and estate sales.

BRENT CHRISTENSEN

president, CEO | Greensboro Chamber of Commerce

Greensboro

Christensen joined the Chamber in 2015 after leadership positions at Mississippi Development Authority and Greater Gainesville Chamber in Florida. He is a graduate of the University of South Florida and Duke University.

Pre-workday motivation: The opportunity to better people's lives through our work in job creation.

Key to industry success: Showing how our community can meet the needs of a business.

Best advice: Always be working to improve. When opportunity presents itself, it's too late to prepare.

Three people to share a meal: Warren Buffett, Oprah Winfrey and Mike Krzyzewski.

Proud family accomplishment: We re all living in the same state for the first time in years.

Favorite hobby: Golf.

Where to entertain a visitor: Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts.

CHRIS CHUNG

CEO | Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina

Raleigh

The Ohio State University graduate was named CEO of the state's public-private economic development agency in 2015. He leads 40 employees tasked with recruiting businesses, supporting existing ones and promoting North Carolina exports and tourism. He has received national awards reflecting North Carolina's strong record for attracting major corporate projects.

Pre-workday motivation: Both the every day is different' aspect that makes my job such a--mostly--fun one and the public service aspect of what we do at EDPNC to hopefully make a positive difference in North Carolinians' lives.

Key to industry success: What makes for success in our efforts to recruit businesses to North Carolina, for example, is different from what makes us successful in promoting the state as a tourism destination. Having a great 'product' makes a big difference, and we're very fortunate that our product--North Carolina--starts off in a much more advantaged position for business, tourism and overall quality of life than most states. If we do a good job of packaging and selling this product to our target audiences, then we ought to be achieving the results that are expected of us.

Best advice: Be humble. Never shy from asking questions if you don't understand something. And look for patterns and common themes in what you observe.

Three people to share a meal: Warren Buffett, Iordan Peele and U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts--though I'd settle for any of the justices.

Proud family accomplishment: How close we all are and have always been. There are sadly too many families divided by something much less important than the bonds of blood and kinship. I don't take this closeness for granted.

Favorite hobby: Entertaining our 2-year-old daughter. I don't have time or energy for anything else, and I can't imagine anything else would be as fun.

Where to entertain a visitor: I love showing off the natural beauty across North Carolina --from mountains to coast. In Raleigh, I'm partial to sharing outdoor spaces such as the North Carolina Museum of Art grounds. Umstead State Park and Lake Johnson Park.

ADRIENNE COLE

president, CEO | Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce

Raleigh

Cole became the group's first female CEO in 2017. She previously was executive director of the chamber's Wake County Economic Development. She has a bachelor's from Meredith College and a master's in public affairs from Appalachian State University.

Pre-workday motivation: Working with incredible people and feeling that I'm making a positive difference in my community.

Key to industry success: Collaboration and problem-solving, being willing to work across business, academic, public and nonprofit sectors to get things done.

Best advice: Be partial to action. You don't have to have all of the answers to begin working on a project or initiative. You can discover and adapt along the way.

Proud family accomplishment: Their uniqueness and the comfort they have in who they are.

Favorite hobby: Hiking in the North Carolina mountains.

Where to entertain a visitor: North Carolina Museum of Art.

KIT CRAMER

president, CEO | Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce

Asheville

The University of Florida graduate worked at the Charlotte Chamber and International Downtown Association before heading to the mountain post in 2010. The...