'This in no way reflects the financial health of the organization.'.

• Position: Charlotte - Geographic overview

--Part of a statement from the Charlotte-based Billy Graham Evangelistic Association accompanying the news that the nonprofit has laid off about 10% of its staff--around 50 workers--as part of a strategic reorganization. Annual revenue increased 6.9% to $91.6 million in 2011.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Dallas-based AT&T Inc. will invest about $200 million in a 475,000-square-foot data center in Kings Mountain that could be completed by 2014.

$935 million Direct and indirect economic impact over 10 years

100 Full-time jobs

1,000 Temporary construction jobs

30 Years AT&T won't have to pay city property taxes

7 The Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton metro's ranking on U.S. News & World Report's list of The 10 Worst Cities for Finding a Job, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors forecasts it will regain only 7.4% of the jobs it has lost since the start of the recession by year-end.

7-Eleven purchased 55 stores from Matthews-based Sam's Mart and plans to convert them by year-end. The Dallas-based convenience-store chain will hire 120 workers, increasing its Charlotte-area employees to 470. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

CHARLOTTE--XPO Logistics will open an operations center here, hiring at least 200 workers. The Buchanan, Mich.-based company specializes in third-party transportation logistics. The average annual wage will be $56,606. Mecklenburg County's average is $51,584.

SHELBY--Kendrion FAS Controls will expand its local operations, investing $7.3 million and adding 57 jobs to the roughly 200 it has within three years. The...