How ready sites give economic developers a strategic edge

The latest episode of Golden LEAF Critical Conversations with Scott T. Hamilton, the Foundation's President and CEO, brings together three leaders driving economic development across North Carolina to answer a critical question: What does it really take to attract new industry to a community? Kenny Flowers, Chief Deputy Secretary with the N.C. Department of Commerce, shares how statewide coordination and strategic site readiness are essential to winning competitive projects and keeping North Carolina at the top for business. Brittany Brady, President of the North Carolina Economic Development Association and CEO of the Henderson County Economic Development Partnership, offers insight into what site selectors and companies are actually looking for—and why speed, infrastructure, and preparation can make or break a deal. McKinley Perkinson, Community and Economic Development Director for Warren County, provides a real-world perspective on how rural communities can leverage programs like the Golden LEAF SITE Program to transform raw land into market-ready opportunities. Listeners will gain a clearer understanding of why industrial site readiness is a team effort—and how preparation today can lead to economic opportunity tomorrow.