FoR ENC Promotes Inner Banks Area

Yesterday's program for this week's Windsor Rotary meeting was brought by Ned Heckstall, our Rotary Vice President. It was a great program. Ned had presuaded Jim Blount of FoR ENC to come explain their plans for the Inner Banks area.

Ned Heckstall Introduces The Program

Jim Blount, Vice President for the organization, presented their program in very persuasive manner, including a 15 minute video presentation that shows some of the companies they have already helped in our area.

Jim Blount, Vice President Of FoR ENC

For ENC is an interesting organization. They are the group that is promoting the new "Inner Banks" name for our area and they have trade marked the IBX logo to help with that promotion.

Jim Blount Brought A Very Professional Video To Explain The FoR ENC Program

Their literature explains their mission for our area; "Eastern North Carolina is fundamentally different from the rest of North Carolina. A number of scholarly studies and economic reports verify the disturbing facts, namely, that Eastern North Carolina, historically tied to the fortunes of agriculture and manufacturing, is now in a terrible economic state. The declining tobacco industry and the waning of the region’s manufacturing base as a result of international trade agreements such as NAFTA create a situation that is truly dire. Natural disasters—such as Hurricanes Dennis, Floyd and Isabel—occur all too frequently in the East and place new pressures on an already over-burdened system.

The Foundation of Renewal for Eastern North Carolina (FoR ENC) is a private non-profit corporation designed to serve as a catalyst for economic and entrepreneurial growth in Eastern North Carolina. FoR ENC inspires entrepreneurship by linking intellectual and financial capital to stimulate economic growth so as to offset the region’s entrenched dependence upon manufacturing and agriculture. This broad process of economic renewal includes identifying, developing, and energizing citizens and organizations across Eastern North Carolina to build a leadership base for the future of the region."

The FoR ENC Video Described Some Of The Changing Attitudes About Growth For The Inner Banks

One of the groups that they have been assisting is the group promoting the new Sandy Point Development near Edenton, funded in part by the very successful H. Wayne Huizenga. Check out their web site for some of the exciting plans for growth in our area, growth that will bring jobs we sorely need.

The FoR ENC plans for our area are truly exciting.