Congratulations, Cody Taylor!
Recipient of the Thomas A. & Yolanda K. Stith Leadership Award
We’re thrilled to celebrate Cody Taylor, an outstanding NCGrowth analyst since 2022, for receiving the Thomas A. & Yolanda K. Stith Leadership Award. Cody’s dedication to equity, service, and scholarship has set a powerful example for all of us.
From leading research on supplier inclusion for the UNC System Board of Governors to helping craft a strategic plan that promotes the utilization of historically underutilized businesses, Cody’s work is rooted in inclusive economic development. His efforts have made a meaningful impact not just within our organization, but across communities in North Carolina and beyond.
While pursuing a PhD in Public Administration at NC State and serving as a Naval Officer in the U.S. Navy Reserves, Cody has continued to support economic recovery in Western NC post-Hurricane Helene—helping local businesses find stability and opportunity amid challenges.
It’s been a privilege to witness Cody’s growth and leadership. His moral compass, resilience, and pursuit of excellence embody the very spirit of the Stith Award.
About the Award
The Thomas A. Stith III and Yolanda Kaye Stith Award for Leadership is awarded each spring to a graduating graduate student who exemplifies moral integrity, scholarly excellence, and exceptional leadership. Named after the founder of NCGrowth and his wife—leaders in both economic development and public service—the award honors those committed to service, entrepreneurship, and community impact.
#FutureLeader #PublicAdministration #NCGrowth #CommunityImpact
On February 25, 2025, NCGrowth and the Kenan Institute for Private Enterprise hosted "Thriving in the Carolinas: Supporting Small Businesses and Communities" at the UNC Kenan Center. This drop-in style event attracted over 100 attendees, including entrepreneurs, community leaders, and students, all dedicated to fostering inclusive economic growth in the Carolinas.
Event Highlights:
This event was part of Carolina Engagement Week and was generously sponsored by Partner Community Capital, a Community Development Financial Institution supporting businesses and non-profits in underserved communities across Central Appalachia and the Southeast.
For more information on upcoming events and initiatives, visit NCGrowth's events page.
In early March, I joined members of the NCGrowth team (Mark Little, Christina Theodorou, Jessamyn Tracy and Belton Moore) and more than 4,500 attendees in Las Vegas for the 2025 Reservation Economic Summit (RES), hosted by the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED). As a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), it was an honor to be part of this dynamic gathering of Native entrepreneurs, tribal leaders, corporate executives, and government representatives. All focused on advancing economic development in Indian Country.
RES is recognized as the premier conference for Native American business and economic development. The summit also provided a unique opportunity for NCGrowth to come together with The National Center to strengthen partnerships and continue building momentum around our joint tribal tourism initiatives. Through the cooperative agreement announced in July 2024 between NCGrowth, The National Center, and the Office of Indian Economic Development (OIED), the Native Edge Tourism Technical Assistance Center (NETTAC) was launched to enhance tourism opportunities in Native communities. Attending RES allowed us to connect in person, share insights, and discuss the next steps for advancing tribal tourism efforts across the nation.
Throughout the conference, we attended a series of breakout sessions focused on the intersection of tourism and economic development. For me, learning about different practical strategies that tribal communities can implement to boost economic resilience was a highlight. It was valuable information that I can share with the tribes and businesses that I encounter moving forward. Some of the other standout sessions that we took part in included:
Each breakout session drew between 75 to 150 attendees, demonstrating significant interest in leveraging tourism as a tool for economic empowerment. The discussions were vibrant and thought-provoking, leaving me feeling empowered and inspired with many new ideas on how to develop tourism products that honor cultural heritage while fostering sustainable economic growth.
Overall, RES was an excellent experience, offering Christina, Mark, and I, countless opportunities to network with other professionals and, more importantly, share insights from our work at NCGrowth. I believe we all left the conference energized and motivated, with fresh perspectives and strengthened connections that will help us better serve Native tourism initiatives.
We remain committed to leveraging our resources as we continue working alongside The National Center and our regional partners to advance tourism opportunities that honor Native communities, cultures, and heritage.
For more information about the Native Edge Tourism Technical Assistance Program, visit: nativeedgetourism.org
NCGrowth is supporting long term economic recovery and resiliency in communities impacted by Hurricane Helene by providing consulting and technical assistance to businesses, local governments and other community organizations. As a member of several key recovery planning groups at the regional and state level, our team is leveraging our network to support needs in the region as they arise. NCGrowth Program Manager Stacy J Guffey is based in Macon County and has been active in leading response and recovery efforts since the storm hit including receiving and distributing supplies, search and rescue efforts, and resiliency planning and consulting on small business and economic recovery.
Learn about the Helene recovery efforts of a past NCGrowth client, Devil's Foot Brewing
We are excited to share NCGrowth's first annual report. This report encapsulates our work over the past 12 years, creating an economy with opportunities for all to prosper.
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 turned the labor market upside down. Job losses shot up and many businesses, if they were able to stay open, experienced significant drops in revenue. Today, the situation is the opposite. Businesses have experienced significant growth over the last two years and job openings currently surpass pre-pandemic levels. In fact, although the labor market started to cool in 2023, recent data from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce show that North Carolina, like so many other states, has more jobs than workers – 61 workers available for every 100 job openings.
In late November, attendees from across the eastern region of North Carolina joined the NCGrowth team in Bertie County. Attendees learned about our projects supporting businesses, communities, and local and Tribal governments including Pamlico County, Enc96radio, the Haliwa-Saponi Tribe, Town of Garysburg, and Slice 325. After lunch, the team and guests toured Indulge Aesthetics, the Cashie Treehouse Village, and the site of a developing park in Bertie County currently known “Tall Glass of Water”.
Located in Walterboro, SC, the LaTrice D. Ferguson School of Nursing Assistants (LDF CNA) has been training nursing assistants since 2016. Currently, the company's marketing is through simple social media posting and word-of-mouth; however, this is a barrier to future growth. LDF CNA engaged NCGrowth to help them develop a formal marketing campaign to reach more potential students with an interest in healthcare careers. The detailed marketing plan included market segmentation and a competitive analysis of the career opportunity.
TBA, CF/SG