WilmingtonBiz Talk: Recent Episodes
Greater Wilmington Business Journal
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
The cover story for the June 17 Greater Wilmington Business Journal issue focuses on training and the workforce pipeline for the area’s manufacturing sector.
North Carolina, like many other states, faces a severe shortage of manufacturing workers as companies bring their operations back to the United States. The N.C. Department of Commerce estimates that the state will need nearly 500,000 more manufacturing workers by 2028 – almost 7,500 in the Wilmington area alone.
Officials working on that topic join us for today’s BizTalk. We’ll speak with Cape Fear Community College officials on training initiatives as well as local manufacturers about what they’re seeing in the market and how they’re planning for future needs.
Jon Barber, General Manager, JCC Outdoor Products Inc.-Wilmington Grill
Wilmington-based JCC Outdoor Products makes products for outdoor use out of heavy-duty stainless steel, including fire pits and tables. The company manufactures the Wilmington Grill line, which distributes nationally. Jon Barber’s family purchased the Wilmington Grill brand in 2011.
Erin Easton, Workforce Training Coordinator, CFCC
In her role at CFCC, Erin Easton implements, markets and coordinates workforce training. She partners with the local community organizations, K-12 schools and businesses to determine needs and viable training. Before this role, Easton spent 12 years in career college administration and worked as the business engagement manager at the Cape Fear Workforce Development Board and formed the Cape Fear Manufacturing Partnership, a group of area manufacturing executives that started meeting in 2020.
James Flock, General Manager, Blair-HSM
Jim Flock has lived and worked in the Wilmington area for seven years. He is the general manager of HSM Machine Works, a growing aerospace manufacturer, a member of the Cape Fear Workforce Development Board and the member of the Cape Fear Manufacturing Partnership.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
Memorial Day weekend has historically marked the unofficial start of summer tourism season for Southeastern North Carolina.
But like many things, the pandemic has changed business as usual.
On today’s BizTalk, the head of the area’s tourism efforts talks about what’s changed for the “on-season” and previews what to expect for this summer. Challenges remain from available labor to higher gas prices. What will that mean for the businesses that are prepping for a new wave of travelers?
Kim Hufham, president and CEO of the Wilmington and Beaches CVB, joins BizTalk to go over some of those topics as well as other hospitality trends heading into the summer.
Kim Hufham
President & CEO, Wilmington and Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau
Kim Hufham heads up the Wilmington and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau, where she has worked for 30 years. She led the bureau through the pandemic that initially devastated the tourism industry and advocated for the reopening of venues to attract visitors, overseeing three distinct marketing campaigns.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
The developers of a long-discussed mixed-use project in Southport joined BizTalk on May 19 to give an update on their plans.
In 2020, Bald Head Island Limited and East West Partners proposed a nearly 400-acre, $565-million development dubbed Project Indigo. Plans call for single-family homes, apartments, townhomes, duplexes and commercial space.
It would add onto the existing Indigo Plantation neighborhood and marina in Southport.
Earlier this year, the developers submitted a master plan and rezoning request to the city’s planning board, which is slated to meet June 16 to make its recommendation about the project. The board’s recommendation then goes to the city’s board of aldermen to weigh in on the plans, which also call for the city to annex the property that’s currently outside city lines.
Meet our Guests:
Chad Paul, CEO, Bald Head Island Limited LLC-Mitchell Family Corp
Chad Paul leads the entity that is the principal developer and resort operator of Bald Head Island, an island resort that’s 3 miles off the southern coast of Southport. Paul also currently serves as managing partner of Harbor Island Partners LLC, a private equity firm headquartered in Wilmington since 2000.
Roger Perry, Founder & President, East West Partners
Roger Perry heads up Chapel Hill-based East West Partners, which describes itself as having developed more residential real estate than anyone in North Carolina since its founding in 1983. East West developed River Place in downtown Wilmington.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
**The Wilmington region is seeing a growing number of companies significantly expand or move into our area. On June 2, we will talk with local business leaders about how our region is becoming a more fertile place to cultivate companies, future opportunities and their business growth stories.
Meet the panel:**
- Carolyn Aubitz, National Talent Acquisition Manager at MegaCorp Logistics
- Ben Currin, CEO at Vantaca
- Natalie English, President & CEO of Wilmington Chamber of Commerce
- Danielle Mahon, Founder & President of Topsail Steamer
The Power Breakfast series is a quarterly gathering of the business community and other community leaders to talk about issues of interest to our region. Each breakfast features a panel discussion or individual speaker focusing on topics of interest to local companies.
A federal agency has provisionally awarded the rights to plan two wind farms off Southeastern North Carolina’s coast to two companies that offered $315 million.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)’s auction happened Wednesday for two lease areas in the Wilmington East Wind Energy Area, totaling nearly 110,100 acres. One lease provisionally sold for $160 million to TotalEnergies Renewables USA, and the other lease went for $155 million to Duke Energy Renewables Wind.
If developed, the areas could generate up to 1.3 gigawatts, enough to power half a million homes, according to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
In February, BOEM tentatively awarded six leases at New York Bight, luring the highest offshore lease bids on record, with the companies bidding a combined $4.37 billion for 488,000 acres, or roughly $8,900 an acre.
Joining today’s BizTalk to discuss the leases and what happens next is Katharine Kollins, president of the Southeastern Wind Coalition, a nonprofit that advocates for renewable wind energy.
Our Guest:
Katharine Kollins, Southeastern Wind Coalition President
In her current role, Katharine Kollins manages Southeastern Wind Coalition’s programming across 11 states to promote land-based, offshore and imported wind power. She previously worked in finance for Boston-based developer First Wind, consulting with Vestas R&D to formulate a federal grant funding strategy, and a role as business development manager for The Wind Alliance.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
Hurricane season officially starts June 1 (and runs through Nov. 30), and emergency officials are preparing in Southeastern North Carolina.
Joining BizTalk today is Anna McRay, assistant emergency management director for New Hanover County. McRay will talk about looking ahead for this year’s season as well as issues area residents and businesses should be thinking about before a major storm arrives.
Anna McRay, NHC Assistant Emergency Management Director
Anna McRay is responsible for supporting New Hanover County’s emergency management team and is the primary point of contact for training and exercise resources as well as overall plan management for the county. She previously worked with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and served as emergency manager for Henrico County, Virginia, before joining the New Hanover County in 2019.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
New Hanover County recently released a review of the county’s economic development climate. The analysis by Greenfield Development Co. is the first formal look for the county since the Garner report in 2014.
To talk about what the review focused on and what county officials took away from it for future goals, Jennifer Rigby, the county’s chief strategy officer, joins today’s BizTalk.
Jennifer Rigby, New Hanover County Chief Strategy Officer
Jennifer Rigby was promoted to New Hanover County’s chief strategy officer role in June 2020 after serving nearly four years as the county’s policy and strategy coordinator. She began working for New Hanover County in 2013 as senior planner and project manager for the county’s first comprehensive plan.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
Following up on last week’s BizTalk with developers of the proposed Battleship Point project across from downtown Wilmington, two groups weigh in about their thoughts on developing the waterfront property.
Kemp Burdette, of Cape Fear River Watch, and Travis Gilbert, of Historic Wilmington Foundation, have raised concerns about the project ranging from questions of environmental impacts to potential damage to the area’s cultural, historical and archeological legacy.
While planners and elected officials from both Leland and New Hanover County sort out who will take up the property – an attempt to ask Leland to annex the land is on pause, developers said on last week’s BizTalk – more discussions are expected about the future for the river’s west bank.
Panel:
Kemp Burdette, Riverkeeper, Cape Fear River Watch Travis Gilbert, Executive Director, Historic Wilmington Foundation
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
This year, residents and officials have been focusing on the future of former industrial land along the Cape Fear and Northeast Cape Fear rivers.
On Point Peter, a jut of land across from downtown Wilmington, the partners in KJF Development Group hope to build tall towers with condos, apartments and commercial space, aiming to create an iconic project called Battleship Point. Their plans have met with opposition by some who fear environmental and cultural impacts.
Meanwhile, KFJ is pursuing a possible annexation by the town of Leland.
On Thursday’s BizTalk, KFJ partners James Lea III and Kirk Pugh discuss the status of the project and address some of the questions and concerns they’ve been hearing over the past several months.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
On today’s BizTalk, we’re talking about the latest issues around cybersecurity, particularly what businesses should be weighing.
The Biden Administration warned of the potential for cyberattacks from Russia because of the escalation of attacks in Ukraine.
Joining us today are two cybersecurity experts – Ulku Clark, professor and director of UNCW’s Center for Cyber Defense Education, and Geoff Stoker, assistant professor who teaches on cybersecurity.
Jeremy Tomlin, owner of Enfuse Technology Solutions, also joins us to talk about what small-and mid-size businesses should be doing to protect themselves from cybersecurity threats.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
WilmingtonBiz Talk with Mayor Bill Saffo on Wilmington's growth
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
On today’s BizTalk, we check on the latest buzz from Wilmington’s restaurant scene.
Joining us are Terry Espy, president of MoMentum Companies who has worked with a number of restaurateurs to open locally, and Daniel Hlusak, corporate chef of Floriana.
They’ll talk about the latest addition to the restaurant scene, the continued recovery with pandemic for chefs and owners, updates on supply chain and employees and other areas the industry is watching.
**Our guests:
Terry Espy, MoMentum Companies President
Daniel Hlusak,** Floriana Corporate Chef
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
Never miss an episode by subscribing to WilmingtonBiz Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and more.
**Our region has new leaders at several of our most important institutions, including the New Hanover Community Endowment, Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center and Wilmington International Airport. At this Power Breakfast, we get to know each of these leaders and learn about their organization’s goals, timelines and roles in the future of our community.
Panelists:
Jeff Bourk,** Director of Wilmington International Airport
William Buster, CEO & President of the New Hanover Community Endowment
Shelbourn Stevens, President of Novant Health NHRMC and the Coastal Market
The Power Breakfast series is a quarterly gathering of the business community and other community leaders to talk about issues of interest to our region. Each breakfast features a panel discussion or individual speaker focusing on topics of interest to local companies.
Sports tourism brings thousands of visitors to the Wilmington area each year for races and tournaments that require hotel stays and more spending.
A big example: The 12th annual Novant Health Wilmington Marathon weekend, which takes place Feb. 24-26. The event will bring more than 3,500 runners and features a full marathon, half marathon, marathon relay, downtown 5K and a kid’s 1-mile run.
On today’s WilmingtonBiz Talk, two local voices who watch the sports tourism industry join us to discuss the marathon and the topic: Kim Hufham, president and CEO of the Wilmington and Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Tom Clifford, event director for the marathon weekend.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
Last month, the city of Wilmington joined New Hanover County in creating a position to look at equity efforts within their government operations and services to the community.
Joe Conway started Jan. 18 as the city’s first chief equity and inclusion officer, coming from NHRMC where he had served as the hospital’s director of health equity and human experience.
In August 2020, Linda Thompson became the county’s chief diversity and equity officer.
Both join today’s BizTalk to share updates on their programs and goals in the area of diversity, equity and inclusion for the local governments.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
Monday, January 31 marked one year since Novant Health’s purchase of New Hanover Regional Medical Center officially closed.
The nearly $2 billion purchase – as well as additional commitments for future capital investments and an agreement with UNC’s medical program at NHRMC – set Novant, a Winston-Salem-based, not-for-profit health system, up to significantly expand its presence in Southeastern North Carolina.
On the heels of the one-year mark, two of the top local officials will be on Thursday’s weekly BizTalk to go over what’s changed in the past year, what hasn’t and what’s coming next.
The Panel:
Shelbourn Stevens, President of Novant Health's coastal region and Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center
Laurie Whalin, President & COO of Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
On today’s BizTalk we’re in good spirits. We’re talking with Shane Faulkner, co-owner of End of Days Distillery, about the growth of their operation and the industry in the state.
End of Days, maker of gin, vodka and rum, is based in the Cargo District neighborhood and opened its Castle Street distillery in early 2020.
Shane Faulkner, Co-Owner, End of Days DistilleryShane and Beth Faulkner founded End of Days Distillery in a 4,800-square-foot distillery with a cocktail bar, lounge, tasting room and event space is housed in a WWII-era Quonset hut on Castle Street. Its Port of Entry Series has been recognized in the SIP International Spirits Competition.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
On today’s BizTalk we’ll have a special double discussion about the latest spike in COVID cases.
First up is an update from health officials. Infectious disease physician Paul Kamitsuka and county public health assistant director Carla Turner share the latest numbers locally, whether omicron is showing signs of peaking, testing supplies and other issues.
With the variant impacting school classrooms and child-care settings, we also have a special guest from WILMA, the Business Journal’s sister publication, to discuss the continued concerns – and possible coping tips – for working parents. Audrey Goodson Kingo, former editor in chief of WorkingMother.com, spearheaded the brand’s book, The Working Mother Ultimate Guide to Working from Home.
The Panel:
Dr. Paul Kamitsuka, Wilmington Health Infectious Disease Physician
Carla Turner, NHC Assistant Health Director
Audrey Goodson Kingo, Former Editor, WorkingMother.com
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
Never miss an episode by subscribing to WilmingtonBiz Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and more.
Transformational projects led by New Hanover County are expected to make progress this year, including Project Grace, The Healing Place and the redevelopment of the county government complex.
Project Grace refers to the redevelopment of a county-owned downtown block to include a new main branch of the county’s public library and a new Cape Fear Museum. The mixed-use development, which is still in design phases, is a public-private partnership between the county and Wilmington-based Zimmer Development Co.
Construction for The Healing Place, a peer-led residential drug and alcohol recovery facility on Medical Center Drive, began in early 2021.
Another public-private partnership, the transformation of the county government complex to include new county facilities and private development, is also currently underway with GHK Cape Fear Development.
Joining WilmingtonBiz Talk are County Manager Chris Coudriet and Sara Warmuth, the county’s chief facilities officer, to discuss the status of the planned structures and those under construction.
The panel:
Chris Coudriet, New Hanover County Manager
Chris Coudriet serves as chief administrator of the county government and maintains responsibility for administering all departments under the general control of the five-member board of commissioners. He has been county manager since 2012.
Sara Warmuth, New Hanover County Chief Facilities Officer
Sara Warmuth is New Hanover County’s chief facilities officer and has served with the county since July 2018. She oversees the county’s fleet management, custodial work, maintenance of all county buildings and management of the county’s construction and renovation projects.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
In a special BizTalk hear from the New Hanover Community Endowment’s newly named president and CEO.
Endowment officials named William Buster as head of the more than $1.2 billion fund created from the sale of New Hanover Regional Medical Center to Novant Health.
Buster, who comes to Wilmington after serving as senior vice president of impact with Asheville-based Dogwood Health Trust, will help get New Hanover County's new endowment program and community grants process going. He starts in the new role March 1.
Joining Buster is the endowment’s board chair Spence Broadhurst and vice chair Hannah Dawson Gage to talk about the next steps for the fund.
William Buster, New Hanover Community Endowment President and CEO
William Buster starts as the New Hanover Community Endowment president and CEO on March 1. He is senior vice president of impact with Asheville’s Dogwood Health Trust, which was formed in 2018 after HCA Healthcare bought the nonprofit Mission Health System there. Buster earned a bachelor’s degree from N.C. Agricultural & Technical University and master’s degree in policy and practice of development from the University of New Hampshire as well as an executive education certificate in mastering negotiation from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
Spence Broadhurst, New Hanover Community Endowment Board Chair
Spence Broadhurst, president of the Eastern North Carolina region for First National Bank, served as co-chair of the Partnership Advisory Group assembled to work through the process of evaluating NHRMC’s future and ultimately negotiating to sell the system to Novant. A former mayor of Wilmington (2003- 06), he also previously served as N.C. Banking Commission commissioner.
Hannah Dawson Gage, New Hanover Community Endowment Board Vice Chair
Hannah Dawson Gage also served on the Partnership Advisory Group. Gage, a retired media executive and former owner of Cape Fear Broadcasting, served on the UNC Board of Governors for 16 years including as chair. She also has served as chair of the UNCW Board of Trustees.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
Power Breakfast Series: Wilmington's Most Intriguing People of 2021
The $1,296,033,525 Endowment with Spence Broadhurst and Hannah Gage
The New Hanover Community Endowment’s Chair and Vice Chair will talk about investments, grants and hiring.
The Power Breakfast series is a quarterly gathering of the business community and other community leaders to talk about issues of interest to our region. Each breakfast features a panel discussion or individual speaker focusing on topics of interest to local companies.
To learn about becoming a sponsor for this event, contact marketing@wilmingtonbiz.com This episode was recorded on December 14, 2021
Power Breakfast Series: Wilmington's Most Intriguing People of 2021
Investing in Growth with Brian Clark
Clark, Executive Director of North Carolina Ports, will talk about supply chain challenges and growth plans.The Power Breakfast series is a quarterly gathering of the business community and other community leaders to talk about issues of interest to our region. Each breakfast features a panel discussion or individual speaker focusing on topics of interest to local companies.
To learn about becoming a sponsor for this event, contact marketing@wilmingtonbiz.com This episode was recorded on December 14, 2021
Power Breakfast Series: Wilmington's Most Intriguing People of 2021
Coastal Health and the Blue Economy with Dr. Ken Halanych
Halanych, Executive Director of UNCW’s Center for Marine Science, will talk about how research informs societal needs in coastal regions.
The Power Breakfast series is a quarterly gathering of the business community and other community leaders to talk about issues of interest to our region. Each breakfast features a panel discussion or individual speaker focusing on topics of interest to local companies.
To learn about becoming a sponsor for this event, contact marketing@wilmingtonbiz.com This episode was recorded on December 14, 2021
Power Breakfast Series: Wilmington's Most Intriguing People of 2021
Becoming a Breakout City with Natalie English
English, President and CEO of the Wilmington Chamber, will talk about cultivating a new generation of entrepreneurs.The Power Breakfast series is a quarterly gathering of the business community and other community leaders to talk about issues of interest to our region. Each breakfast features a panel discussion or individual speaker focusing on topics of interest to local companies.
To learn about becoming a sponsor for this event, contact marketing@wilmingtonbiz.com This episode was recorded on December 14, 2021
Power Breakfast Series: Wilmington's Most Intriguing People of 2021
Tech Towns with Dave Sweyer and Will Mansfield
The executives from Vantaca and Suzy will talk about the opportunities and challenges for tech firms in our region.
The Power Breakfast series is a quarterly gathering of the business community and other community leaders to talk about issues of interest to our region. Each breakfast features a panel discussion or individual speaker focusing on topics of interest to local companies.
To learn about becoming a sponsor for this event, contact marketing@wilmingtonbiz.com This bonus episode was recorded on December 14, 2021
Now that the North Carolina’s legislative session has wrapped up for the year, we check-in with lawmakers on today’s WilmingtonBiz Talk.
Members from the area’s legislative delegation answer questions about the budget, including local items, key bills and redrawn election maps.
BizTalk Guests:
Rep. Ted Davis Jr.Davis, a Republican, represents New Hanover County in the state House’s District 20. A former New Hanover County commissioner, Davis was first appointed to fill a House seat in 2012 and has served five full terms. He serves as chair of the House Judiciary 1 committee and vice chair of the Strategic Transportation Planning and Long-Term Funding Solutions committee.
Sen. Michael LeeLee returned to the N.C. Senate after winning the District 9 seat representing New Hanover County. He was first appointed to the Senate in 2014 and re-elected in 2016. Lee, a Republican, chairs the Senate Education/Higher Education committee as well as the Appropriations on Education/Higher Education committee.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
The omicron variant is the latest COVID-19 update that public health officials are watching. U.S. officials said Sunday that while the variant is beginning to circulate domestically, early indications suggest it might not be as severe as the most recent delta variant spread.
David Howard, New Hanover County’s public health director, joins today’s BizTalk to go over what we know and don’t know so far about the omicron variant as well as details about a new pandemic operations team the county is forming.
Featuring:
DAVID HOWARD, New Hanover County health director
David Howard started as the county’s public health director in April after serving as New Hanover County’s interim public health director since the beginning of the year. Before that, he was the county’s assistant public health director, a role he held since 2017.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
Wilmington tech company Vantaca recently announced it plans a $5 million expansion and doubling of its workforce with about 100 new jobs. The company, which works with association management companies, has secured local and state incentives tied to the expansion.
**On today's BizTalk we discuss the company’s growth and those incentives with Vantaca CEO Ben Currin.
BEN CURRIN,** Vantaca CEO
Ben Currin started his career at Vantaca as executive vice president in 2018. Since then, he became chief operating officer and then CEO in July 2020. Before Vantaca, Currin was in the U.S. Navy where he served at the reactor/electrical office in the Nuclear Power Training Unit in Charleston.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
Some local efforts to support startups and small businesses have been focusing on minority- and women-owned business owners. To that end, Wilmington entrepreneurs Tracey and Girard Newkirk founded Genesis Block, a company that provides business development services.
They’ve also recently launched ANZA, a technology platform designed to support the growth and connection of minority- and women-owned businesses, and they’ve got plans to establish innovation corridors throughout the Wilmington area.
**On today’s WilmingtonBiz Talk, the Newkirks provide an update on Genesis Block and discuss their plans for growth.
The Panel:
TRACEY NEWKIRK,** Co-founder and President, Genesis Block
In addition to being one of the leaders of Genesis Block, Tracey Newkirk is chairwoman of the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce African American Business Council and serves on the boards of WARM (Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry), the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Business Alliance. Genesis Block was the 2021 Coastal Entrepreneur Award Winner in the Professional Services Category.
GIRARD NEWKIRK, Co-founder and CEO, Genesis Block
Girard Newkirk is an alumnus of the Google for Startups Black Founders Exchange and won the 2018 Regional Startup World Cup in Nairobi, Kenya. He serves on the boards of Cape Fear Museum, Wilmington Downtown Inc, Cape Fear Collective and Cape Fear Community College IT Advisory Committee.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
An FDA advisory panel voted Tuesday to recommend the COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 5 to 11. If the FDA and CDC approves emergency use of the pediatric doses for Pfizer’s vaccine, providers are preparing for distribution as early as the next couple of weeks.
Pfizer has released data from its clinical trial about the vaccine, which is a third of the dose older children and adults already have had access to.
Meanwhile, a recent Ipsos poll showed that two-thirds of parents surveyed said they were likely to vaccinate their child after approval comes. For the rest, concerns about side effects and long-term unknowns were their primary reasons for hesitancy, according to the poll.
Joining us for today's BizTalk are area public health and medical officials to discuss the vaccine for younger children, plans for distribution and questions they’re fielding from families.
They’ll also update how case numbers are looking locally with the delta variant and an upcoming health board meeting about potentially lifting New Hanover County’s recent indoor face covering mandate.
The Panel:
DR. PAUL KAMITSUKA, NHRMC chief epidemiologist/Wilmington Health infectious disease physician
DAVID HOWARD, New Hanover County health director
In recent years, efforts to aid military veterans in the pursuit of employment and in the creation of businesses have been on the rise in the Wilmington area.
For example, Bunker Labs, a nonprofit that provides resources for veteran entrepreneurs, launched a Wilmington chapter in 2019 to help military veterans and military spouses start and grow successful businesses.
On the Veterans Day edition of WilmingtonBiz Talk, veteran Avery Washington II, the city ambassador for the Wilmington chapter of Bunker Labs, and fellow veteran Chayse Roth, founder of the Veteran Business Collective in Wilmington, discuss their organizations and the plight of veterans seeking opportunities to start their own businesses.
The panel:
AVERY WASHINGTON II, City Ambassador, Bunker LabsAvery Washington II is the city ambassador for the Wilmington chapter of Bunker Labs as well as a real estate broker with Wilmington-based Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage’s Hampstead office. He is also the vice president of Suiting Warriors and a member of the board of Cape Fear Collective.
CHAYSE ROTH, President & Founder, Veteran Business CollectiveChayse Roth, who has started several businesses in various industries, founded the Veteran Business Collective in Wilmington and currently serves as president. The VBC has seen tremendous interest and growth from the veteran community with chapters open in New Bern and Asheville, and more openings scheduled throughout the Southeast.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
Two recent business announcements focused on the downtown Wilmington area.
Wilmington Downtown Inc. last week introduced officials with Parastream Development, which bought more than 7 acres in the historical Soda Pop District that includes the former Coca-Cola building on Princess Street. From the $8 million sale, the developers plan to add manufacturing, retail and residential space.
And market research firm Suzy said it will bring 40 jobs and open an office in the former Bank of America building on North Third Street, the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce announced. The chamber has created a new position for small business development and business retention, supported in part by funding from the county as part of its spending on economic development.
Joining us today are the heads of WDI and the chamber to share updates on those announcements and how they came together as well as their focus on economic development projects going forward.
The Panel:
HOLLY CHILDS, Wilmington Downtown Inc. President & CEOHolly Childs was named in December 2020 as the head of WDI, a public-private group tasked with promoting economic development and growth in the downtown district. Childs, who started in the role at the beginning of this year, moved from Morgantown, West Virginia, where she worked with a commercial real estate company.
NATALIE ENGLISH, Wilmington Chamber of Commerce President & CEONatalie English has been a chamber of commerce executive for more than 20 years. She began her role as president and CEO of the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce in 2017, after serving 11 years with the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, including as its chief public policy officer.
Wilmington-area stores and businesses are seeing the same impacts from supply chain bottlenecks as the rest of the country. Triggered by the pandemic, a ripple effect has hit a variety of sectors.
From waitlists for vehicles because of the chip shortage to fewer frozen turkeys ahead of Thanksgiving, supply chain disruptions have popped up in a variety of ways.
To explain what’s going on and when goods might loosen up – as well as reasons behind consumer price increases and business costs – experts from UNCW’s Cameron School of Business join this week’s BizTalk.
The Panel:
L. DREW ROSEN, Supply Chain Management Professor, UNCWL. Drew Rosen is the Duke Energy/Gordon Hulbert Distinguished Professor of Supply Chain Management in UNCW’s Congdon School of Supply Chain, Business Analytics and Information Systems. Rosen served as the Cameron School of Business MBA director from 1996 to 1999. He was also elected as the 2002 International President and CEO of APICS (Association for Supply Chain Management).
REBECCA SCOTT, Business Analytics Assistant Professor, UNCWRebecca Scott, an assistant professor of information systems and operations management and a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy Reserves, has experience in finance, marketing, contracts, logistics, inventory and supply chain management.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
On today's BizTalk, we’re covering significant state funding issues for transportation as well as the future of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge.
Our guests today are Chad Kimes, the area’s division engineer for the N.C. Department of Transportation, and Mike Kozlosky, head of the Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.
They’re talking transportation, including how the state agency plans to address budget shortfalls for future projects because of higher construction and land costs; a recent toll bridge proposal that was blocked to replace the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge; what’s next for the aging bridge; and other topics.
CHAD KIMES
NCDOT, Division 3 Engineer
Chad Kimes is the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Division 3 engineer, covering a six-county area that includes New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender. Kimes previously served as deputy engineer for the division and has worked for NCDOT since 1990.
MIKE KOZLOSKY
WMPO Executive Director
Mike Kozlosky joined the Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (WMPO) in 2004 and serves as its executive director, leading a staff of 12 people. At the WMPO, he has been responsible for completing many short- and long-range transportation planning efforts for the region.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
A month after a deadly shooting at the home of TRU Colors’ COO that killed two people, including one tied to the brewery that employs active gang members, the head of the company will be on BizTalk today.
On July 24, Koredreese Robert Tyson, 29, and Bri-yanna Emily Williams, 21, were killed in a shooting while at the house of George Taylor III, company COO and son of TRU Colors founder George Taylor. Last week in connection with the shooting, law enforcement officials announced the arrest of three people, all validated gang members who now face murder charges.
In 2016, Taylor began working on TRU Colors, a for-profit brewery hiring active gang members as an approach to addressing gang-related violence. This spring a partnership with national beverage company Molson Coors was announced, with plans to distribute TRU Colors’ first beer line. The launch of that product was delayed in early July.
Last Friday afternoon, a new abatement order went into effect requiring indoor face coverings in New Hanover County. That covers businesses, offices and other public spaces.
Meanwhile, the health rule around indoor masking is being considered by the county health board and is under a public comment period.
Joining us on this episode of BizTalk is New Hanover County Public Health Director David Howard and health board vice chair Kim Thrasher Horne to explain the order’s details, discuss how the mandate will work, including how it would be enforced, and answer questions about it.
DAVID HOWARD, New Hanover County Health Director
David Howard started as the county’s public health director in April after serving as New Hanover County’s interim public health director since the beginning of the year. Before that, he was the county’s assistant public health director, a role he held since 2017.
KIM THRASHER HORNE, HHS Board Vice Chair
Kim Thrasher Horne is a pharmacist and serves as vice chair of New Hanover County’s Health and Human Services board.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
This year's Coastal Entrepreneur of the Year Award winner, Topsail Steamer, is the realization of a dream for Danielle Mahon.
Topsail Steamer offers customers ready-to-cook low country boils in pots. Including two in the Wilmington region, the growing company now has six locations, with a seventh coming to Florida and more planned in years to come.
**To discuss being a successful entrepreneur and her company's growth, Mahon joins us for this week's WilmingtonBiz Talk.
DANIELLE MAHON
Founder, Topsail Steamer**
Danielle Mahon left a corporate career to start Topsail Steamer, a company that offers ready-to-cook low country boils in pots, in 2017. The company has six, soon-to-be seven, locations, including one on Topsail Island and one in Wrightsville Beach.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
The COVID-19 delta variant has prompted several recent changes locally, from health providers requiring employees to be vaccinated to renewed masking policies for many K-12 and higher education students.
**So, what do the numbers show? New Hanover County Health Director David Howard joins us for this week’s BizTalk to fill us in on where things stand locally with cases and which age groups are seeing the most impacts.
DAVID HOWARD, New Hanover County Health Director**
David Howard started as the county’s public health director in April after serving as New Hanover County’s interim public health director since the beginning of the year. Before that, he was the county’s assistant public health director, a role he held since 2017.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
A study released this week showed that only about half of the households in the U.S. donated to charitable organizations in 2018, down to the lowest point in decades. Giving from corporations and foundations, however, increased then, according to the annual Giving USA report.
With the latest national look, we’ll take the opportunity on today's BizTalk to check on the local landscape on giving trends and impacts on the nonprofit sector.
PATRICK BRIEN, Cape Fear Collective CEO, and SARAH DANIELS, the recently appointed director of UNCW’s Quality Enhancement for Nonprofit Organizations (QENO), share what they are seeing from their research and years of working with local nonprofits.
Dr. PAUL KAMITSUKA, infectious disease physician at Wilmington Health and chief epidemiologist at NHRMC, joins BizTalk today to talk about the COVID-19 delta variant.
Cases and hospitalizations have been dropping locally. Some parts of the country, however, are beginning to see spikes because of the delta variant, which is now the dominant COVID strain in the U.S. and causing hospitalizations and deaths largely among those who have not received vaccine doses.
**Kamitsuka updates us on what the region is seeing, what to know about how the variant is affecting vaccinated and unvaccinated people and what he’s keeping an eye on for the months ahead.
DR. PAUL KAMITSUKA, Wilmington Health infectious disease physician**
Paul Kamitsuka, an infectious disease specialist, graduated from Harvard Medical School and completed his internship and residency at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is board-certified in internal medicine and infectious diseases. Kamitsuka serves as chief epidemiologist at NHRMC.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
New Hanover County business owners in the hospitality, retail and service industries have until July 15 to apply for grants to help with COVID-19 impacts. The Wilmington Chamber of Commerce is in charge of administering the $4.5 million in grants – funding supplied from part of the city's and county’s portions of federal relief funds.
Ahead of the upcoming deadline, chamber president and CEO Natalie English joins us on today's BizTalk.
English also will discuss economic development plans and $181,000 the chamber received in the new county budget to start the first year of a three-year plan “for business retention, expansion and recruitment.”
Natalie EnglishNatalie English has been a chamber of commerce executive for more than 20 years. She began her role as president and CEO of the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce in 2017, after serving 11 years with the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, including as its chief public policy officer.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
Riverfront Park, the city of Wilmington’s 6.6-acre park and amphitheater, is slated to officially open July 4.
Ahead of its debut, Amy Beatty, community services director with the city joins us to talk about the path to build the downtown project, its potential impacts and the city’s deal with Live Nation to run the amphitheater.
The $35 million park is the focus of the latest issue of the WilmingtonBiz Magazine, out already to Business Journal subscribers and available online at WilmingtonBizTalk.com.
Here’s a look at the cover story on the Riverfront Park.WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
Manufacturing firms in the Wilmington area are facing workforce issues, including shortages of workers and the need for employees looking for a long-term career.
These issues and more led to the formation of the Cape Fear Manufacturing Partnership, a group of 27 manufacturing executives that started meeting last fall. The group represents the region’s varying industries and wide range of locally manufactured products.
Joining us for Thursday’s WilmingtonBiz Talk are two manufacturing officials involved in the partnership who will discuss the industry and its challenges.
The panel:
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Jim Flock, General Manager, Hsm Machine Works
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Steve Janz, Vice President of International Sales, Flow Sciences, Inc.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
On the heels of the WilmingtonBiz Talk about New Hanover County’s approved budget, this week we break down the city of Wilmington’s spending plan.
The Wilmington City Council on Tuesday passed the $242 million budget for the next fiscal year.
Like the county, it too includes a lower tax rate than before but carries expectations for slightly higher tax bills for property owners – on average $36 more – because of higher revaluations.
Joining us for this week’s WilmingtonBiz Talk is Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo to talk about the city’s spending priorities and projects.
It’s budget season, and local governments are deciding spending priorities for the next fiscal year, which starts July 1.
On Monday, New Hanover County Commissioners approved a $458 million budget for 2021-22. That included a property tax rate of 47.5 cents per $100 valuation, compared to last year’s 55.5-cent rate. That was not considered a revenue-neutral rate, however, because revaluations this year pushed up property values for many homeowners.
**Joining us for today's WilmingtonBiz Talk is County Manager Chris Coudriet to explain how and why that’s happening, as well as where the county’s money will be spent next year – from economic development projects to higher teacher pay.
Featuring:
Chris Coudriet,
New Hanover County Manager**
Chris Coudriet serves as chief administrator of the county government and maintains responsibility for administering all departments under the general control of the five-member board of commissioners. He has been county manager since 2012.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
This week marked the start of the Atlantic hurricane season. On the heels of an active season last year and forecasters’ prediction for another above-average season during the months ahead, we check in with the area’s top emergency officials on preparations.
We’ll talk about lessons learned since Hurricane Florence devastated the region in 2018, precautions against another major (or even) minor storm, where the greatest potential impacts might be, what they’re watching out for and how individuals and businesses can prepare.
Tommy Batson
Emergency Management Director, Pender CountyTommy Batson started as the county’s emergency management director in March. A Pender County native, he previously served as the county’s fire marshal and assistant emergency management director.
Edward Conrow
Emergency Services Director, Brunswick CountyEdward Conrow took over the head emergency services role in April 2019. Before moving to Brunswick County, he was the director of emergency services and public protection in Cumberland County, New Jersey.
Steven Still
Emergency Management Director, New Hanover County
Steven Still started in his current role at the beginning of 2017. He previously served as New Hanover County’s deputy director for Emergency Management/911, a position he had worked in since 2012.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
Cape Fear Community College's Wilson Center has been coming back to life after its pandemic hiatus, welcoming guests back this year for a performance in April and more events on the schedule.
On Thursday's WilmingtonBiz Talk, we chat with Shane Fernando, CFCC's vice president of advancement and the arts, about the Wilson Center's resurgence and its impact on the Wilmington area.
Memorial Day is around the corner and with it the unofficial start to the summer tourism season. But as visitors already start flocking to the area, area restaurants are navigating shortages in available workers, changes in COVID-19-related rules and additional SBA loan options for restaurant owners.
We talk to two local owners about those and other check-ins about the restaurant industry. Dean Neff, with the newly opened Seabird restaurant, and Jud Watkins, of Wrightsville Beach Brewery, join us for today's WilmingtonBiz Talk.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
The Wilmington Art Summit takes place next week with a focus on arts venues that are reopening or opening for the first time with new projects – all against the backdrop of easing COVID-related restrictions and with safety in mind.
Joining us for today's WilmingtonBiz Talk to preview the summit is Rhonda Bellamy, executive director for The Arts Council of Wilmington/New Hanover County. She’ll share updates on some of those reopening venues and galleries, the return of Fourth Friday, progress on the Wilmington Rail Trail project and more.
Click here to learn more about the Arts Council Wilmington.
This week the Wilmington City Council approved a $1.3 million naming sponsorship agreement with nCino for a proposed sports complex.
The complex is part of the city’s 2016 parks bond, and the $10 million project is expected to include multi-purpose fields for soccer, football, lacrosse, Ultimate Frisbee, rugby and more. The Cape Fear Soccer Park, off U.S. 421 and originally owned by the Wilmington Hammerheads Soccer Club, was offered by the organization to the city at no cost. In 2019, the city accepted 64 acres for the project from Wilmington Hammerheads Youth Soccer, which will also manage the complex.
Joining us for today's WilmingtonBiz Talk, Carson Porter, executive director of Wilmington Hammerheads Youth Soccer, will share an update on the project and its potential to draw tens of thousands of visitors to the area annually through regional youth sports tournaments.
Wilmington International Airport is in the middle of a $61 million, multiyear terminal expansion project – started before COVID-19 impacted the airline industry last year and slated to wrap up at the end of next year.
Joining us on this week’s WilmingtonBiz Talk is Granseur Dick, ILM’s facilities director, to share an update on the terminal project, other projects taking place on the airport’s property and the latest on where passenger levels stand as travelers return.
From retail to restaurants, Help Wanted signs abound in the Cape Fear region right now. And as the area gets ready for tourist season, the lack of people filling hospitality-related jobs could put a crimp on businesses.
On today's WilmingtonBiz Talk, we host a panel talk on jobs with representatives from the hospitality sector about what’s driving the drop in applicants and what might come next. Outreach from the local colleges might provide one solution.
The panel:
- Kim Hufham, President and CEO, New Hanover County Tourism Authority
- Diane Withrow, Hospitality Management Program Director, CFCC
- Tom Ullring, General Manager, Courtyard Carolina Beach Oceanfront hotel
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
With the announcement this morning that Thermo Fisher Scientific plans to buy Wilmington-based PPD for $17.4 billion, we’re hosting a special WilmingtonBiz Talk session today to look closer at the deal.
Deutsche Bank analyst George Hill, who follows PPD as well as the health care technology and services sectors, joins us to talk more about Thermo Fisher, why the Massachusetts-based company would be interested in acquiring contract research organization PPD, and growth in the CRO industry.
Today's guest:
- George Hill
Hill is a managing director, senior equity research analyst covering the Healthcare Technology and Services space for Deutsche Bank. Before his position at Deutsche Bank, Hill held similar positions at RBC Capital Markets, Citigroup and SVB Leerink. He has been covering the healthcare services, technology and drug supply chain spaces for more than 20 years.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
Never miss an episode by subscribing to WilmingtonBiz Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and more.
With North Carolina’s legislative session in full swing, we check-in with lawmakers on today's WilmingtonBiz Talk.
Members from the area’s legislative delegation answer questions about key bills, state budget priorities and the outlook on redistricting during which the GOP-led legislature will redraw political maps.
They also fill us in on measures with area impacts, such as film grant incentives and local spending, to changes to schools and health care.
The panel:
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Rep. Ted Davis Jr.Davis, a Republican, represents New Hanover County in the state House’s District 20. A former New Hanover County commissioner, Davis was first appointed to fill a House seat in 2012 and has served five full terms. He serves as chair of the House Judiciary 1 committee and vice chair of the Strategic Transportation Planning and Long-Term Funding Solutions committee
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Sen. Michael Lee
Lee returned to the N.C. Senate after winning the District 9 seat representing New Hanover County. He was first appointed to the Senate in 2014 and re-elected in 2016. Lee, a Republican, chairs the Senate Education/Higher Education committee as well as the Appropriations on Education/Higher Education committee.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
Infectious disease specialist and NHRMC chief epidemiologist Paul Kamitsuka joins WilmingtonBiz Talk to answer questions about the COVID-19 vaccines.
Starting April 7, anyone over the age of 16 who wants the vaccine will be eligible to sign up for appointments in North Carolina. As the pace of vaccine supplies picks up, and the state eases more gathering restrictions, Kamitsuka talks about the different versions of the vaccines and what is being seen with side effects.
We’ll also ask Kamitsuka about the latest guidelines for people who are fully vaccinated. How do they change workplaces and public outings? Can vaccinated individuals transmit the virus, and when is masking still appropriate or not? What’s the latest on developing a vaccine for children, and what might the hurdles be there?
DR. PAUL KAMITSUKA
Wilmington Health infectious disease physician
Paul Kamitsuka, an infectious disease specialist, graduated from Harvard Medical School and completed his internship and residency at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is board-certified in internal medicine and infectious diseases. Kamitsuka serves as chief epidemiologist at NHRMC.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
Today we talk with two commercial real estate brokers about the state of commercial real estate in the Wilmington area and how the office, retail and industrial sectors are faring more than a year after the pandemic began to affect them all.
For example, what will become of office space as some workers return and others don’t? Will shopping center vacancies caused by failed retailers ever fill up? And why are industrial properties so sought-after these days?
Brian Eckel of Wilmington-based Cape Fear Commercial and John Hinnant of Wilmington-based Eastern Carolinas Commercial Real Estate will weigh in on those questions and more.
This week we talk with the head of Brunswick County’s economic development efforts about movement on the county’s largest pieces of industrial park land.
Bill Early, executive director of Brunswick Business and Industry Development (Brunswick BID) shares an update about the International Logistics Park of North Carolina and the Mid-Atlantic Industrial Rail Park, which are each about 1,000 acres.
We’ll also ask Early about economic development efforts in Brunswick County overall, and whether the addition of new employers has or hasn’t been impacted by the pandemic.
About today's guest:
BILL EARLY, Brunswick Business and Industry Development Executive Director
Bill Early began in 2018 as executive director of BID, a nonprofit organization that is the lead group for promoting economic development in Brunswick County. He came to the job with nearly 30 years of experience in economic development, including in Hertford County.
After a promising start in early 2020, and then a bust when COVID-19 shut the film industry down in March of last year, activity roared back to Wilmington in the second half of 2020. Four productions are currently filming in the area and are slated to wrap up this month.
Joining us for today's Biz Talk is Johnny Griffin, with the Wilmington film commission, and Guy Gaster, with the N.C. Film Office, to give us the latest on where things stand for projects and what might be on the horizon.
The panel:
- Johnny Griffin, Wilmington Regional Film Commission Director
Johnny Griffin heads up the local group responsible for marketing the area to the production industry. He became director of the Wilmington Regional Film Commission in 1999. Griffin also sits on the Governor’s Advisory Council on Film, Television and Digital Streaming.
- Guy Gaster, N.C. Film Office Director
Guy Gaster directs the state’s film office, which falls under the Economic Development Partnership of NC. The office markets the state for filming, helps film production companies do business in North Carolina and connects productions to the state’s film and entertainment grant.
Construction on the city’s new North Waterfront Park in downtown Wilmington is slated to be done this summer. On today's Biz Talk, we’re joined by Amy Beatty with the city for an update on the $31 million project.
Along with other amenities, the park will feature an amphitheater for concerts and shows large enough to accommodate about 6,700 people. The first shows announced for the new stage are the Azalea Festival’s main concerts in August, rescheduled from last year when the festival got scuttled along with other major events during the pandemic.
N.C. Azalea Festival’s Alison Baringer English also joins us on Biz Talk about retooling the festival for 2021 and how it will roll out this year.
The panel:
- Amy Beatty, Community Services Director for the city of Wilmington
Amy Beatty, who moved to Wilmington in the early 1990s, has worked in different roles in the city government’s parks and recreation division. In her current position as community services director, she oversees the city’s parks and recreation, community development and code enforcement functions.
-Alison Baringer English, Executive Director of the N.C. Azalea Festival
Alison Baringer English became the N.C. Azalea Festival’s executive director in 2015, after the organization promoted her to the role. She first started working with the festival as its office manager and then coordinator.
The pace of home sales in the Wilmington area is such that some buyers are purchasing houses without even stepping foot in them. To hear more about the state of the housing market, we talk this week with two Realtors who are on the front lines of the real estate boom.
The Panel:
Ryan Crecelius, Principal broker at Nest Realty
Ryan Crecelius, principal broker for the Wilmington office of Nest Realty, began his real estate career in 2006 after graduating from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. In 2010, he built a unique startup brokerage that gained national attention by blending capitalism and philanthropy. He was also named the UNCW Young Alumnus of the Year in 2015, just after launching Nest Realty in Wilmington.
Kelsea Hertzler, Realtor with Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage
Kelsea Hertzler is a member of the Paul Allsup Group of Wilmington-based residential real estate firm Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage. After years of working in customer service and education, Hertzler became a real estate broker with the goal of helping people buy and sell their homes with all of the knowledge and understanding they need to make the best decisions for them. Originally from Wilmington, Delaware, Hertzler lived in Seattle for two years before ultimately settling down in North Carolina.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.
Construction hasn’t slowed for downtown Wilmington. To share updates on activity that’s happening and where projects stand, we talk this week with two of the players in the central business district, including WDI’s new leader.
The Panel:
Holly Childs
President and CEO of Wilmington Downtown Inc.
Holly Childs was named in December as the new head of WDI, a public-private group tasked with promoting economic development and growth in the downtown district. Childs, who started in the role at the beginning of the year, moved from Morgantown, West Virginia, where she worked with a commercial real estate company.
Lucien Ellison
Senior managing partner with East West Partners
Lucien Ellison has worked in real estate in the region since 2005. He is the Wilmington partner for the development firm and project manager for River Place, a 13-story, mixed-use building being built downtown. East West also rehabbed a historical building to turn into recently opened coworking space.
With the recent closing of the sale of county-owned New Hanover Regional Medical Center to Novant Health, about $1.25 billion from the purchase goes to benefit New Hanover County. Overseeing that staggering amount is an endowment and board responsible for how the money is managed and where grants from interest earnings will go into the community.
The heads of that new endowment board of directors join us for this week’s BizTalk to answer questions about what happens next, what an endowment of this size means for the Cape Fear region and the latest on a push to diversify the board.
Click here to visit the New Hanover Community Endowment website
The long-awaited COVID-19 vaccine doses have begun rolling out in the region, but like throughout the country, the process hasn’t been without issues. Questions about supplies, allocations and meeting demand abound.
To help shed some light on how it's working locally and what to expect next, several health experts join us today on our relaunched weekly BizTalk program.
Watch the Facebook Live conversation by clicking here.
The panel:
David Howard
New Hanover County interim health director
David Howard recently stepped into the interim health director role for the county with the departure of Phillip Tate. Howard previously served as assistant health director. Like other county health departments, New Hanover is receiving weekly doses from the state and creating systems to distribute to qualifying people.
Cris Harrelson
Brunswick County health director
Cris Harrelson has served as director of Brunswick County Health Services since 2015. He also has worked for Bladen County and the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. Elected officials from Brunswick County in recent weeks have appealed to the state for more doses because of the county’s large senior population.
Jeff James
Wilmington Health CEO
Jeff James joined Wilmington Health in 2008. As chief executive officer, he is responsible for the strategic vision and direction of Wilmington Health. Wilmington Health began receiving vaccine doses in mid-January to administer to the public.
Claire Corbett
NHRMC’s director of clinical excellence
Claire Corbett has worked for New Hanover Regional Medical Center since 2003, including as head of NHRMC’s stroke program. NHRMC has been vaccinating patients and frontline staff. It recently started utilizing the still-closed movie theater at The Pointe at Barclay for community clinics.
WilmingtonBiz Talk is a weekly interview program on Facebook Live, which is rebroadcast on YouTube and numerous podcasting platforms. The Business Journal newsroom selects guests based on current events so our community can hear directly from newsmakers.