Blog

 By Aolani Donegan
 Social Media Specialist
 The News & Observer Publishing Co.



The Young Professionals Network programs committee is a brave group. They continue to push the envelope with program ideas that make YPN exciting, but the vision needed to execute this idea that included more than a hundred people, moving and meeting each other in a speed-dating type of way, was outside of most conventional boxes, and it was fabulous.

Keynote speaker Phillip Frye spoke about the importance of networking to build relationships. His tips included suggestions for tomorrow's leaders. How do you become a super-connector? Well, if you follow Phillip's tips and arrive early, do your homework, and look for connections, you will be well on the path to building lasting relationships.

His presentation pumped up the audience. We had our stack of business cards; but, wait, what? You're telling me we have to move two seats to the right every two minutes? Whose crazy idea was this?

As the noise level rose and people leaned in to learn about the person sitting across from them, a beautiful thing occurred. People were connecting and sharing an experience that was unique and memorable. As we took notes and collected business cards, it was easy to see that we are more alike than we are different. We all have these interesting stories about how we got to the table and where we hope to go. One of Phillip's tips to keep your business cards in one pocket and the ones you collect in another suddenly made perfect sense. Who wants to shuffle through a deck of business cards? Oh, these tips were like liquid gold. I saw people engaging in a way that was so exciting! The experiment worked! Hats off to the programs team!

One of Phillip's tips is to follow up. My hope is that everyone follows up with an email or invitation for coffee after each program, but especially after networking roulette. Your network grows as you water each connection. You never know who your connection knows and how that relationship will impact your future growth.

My hope is the programs committee will do a "Networking Roulette" workshop every quarter. Despite losing my voice, I couldn't help but look around to recognize that the room was filled with leaders that are making a meaningful impact on their community at work and by attending YPN events.

The Raleigh YPN Facebook page is a great place to connect and share your stories after each program.

By Joe Milazzo II
Executive Director
Regional Transportation Alliance



Last year our region launched a second transatlantic flight and passed dedicated funding for a bold and flexible transit plan in our region's largest county. In 2017, the Regional Transportation Alliance will focus on accelerating 540, funding the RDU Master Plan, and creating a FAST Mobility Fund, along with advancing the other priorities listed below.

Top Priority: Accelerate 540
The regional business community's top priority will be to accelerate the construction of 540 in southern Wake County to I-40. The draft state TIP was released last week, and it contained both good and challenging news for 540, with some segments accelerated to 2020 and other portions delayed to 2020.

For more information about 540, read NCDOT's response to a letter we wrote last spring in cooperation with the Southern Environmental Law Center regarding anticipated costs, revenues, and time savings associated with the proposed freeway.

Fund RDU Master Plan
RDU has created a solid Master Plan for the next 25 years to guide the growth of our hometown international airport—now we need to fund that plan to complete essential improvements including reconstructing our primary runway. 

As RDU CEO Mike Landguth says, "Air service development is economic development," and nearly 50 nonstop flights, including two daily transatlantic flights, provide essential connections for commerce and tourism. If we want to continue that momentum for our growing region, RDU needs to grow right along with us, and that will require a sustainable funding mechanism.

Create a FAST Mobility Fund to Accelerate Simpler Improvements
As I mentioned during our annual meeting last month, we are seeking a faster way to fund lower cost projects. A "FAST" mobility fund would focus on accelerating smaller projects to provide congestion relief in a timely manner. 

The Strategic Transportation Investments law has removed politics from transportation prioritization, and that has advanced a number of major projects for our region and state. A FAST mobility fund (or similar) would complement the success of STI for smaller projects, such as advancing potential rapid intersection improvements to the Multimodal 54 corridor between I-40 and Chapel Hill and various roads and streets regionwide.

Other Focuses of the Regional Business Community
We heard three terrific presentations on the future of mobility at our annual meeting last month—if you want to relive them, you can download them here. In 2017 we will continue to support solutions that will move our region forward and improve our multimodal future:

• We will push for a successful launch this year of North Carolina's first on-ramp signal system on 540 westbound on-ramps in North Raleigh.
• We will lobby to advance a pilot express shoulder lane on 540 in North Raleigh. This project scored well in prioritization and we will push to refine, fund, and accelerate it.
• We will focus on advancing enhanced regional transit with a terrific customer experience to maximize our community's investment. Areas of focus include the creation of an enhanced frequent network, five new bus rapid transit lines, regional commuter rail between Durham and Raleigh and accelerating the Durham-Orange transit corridor between Durham and Chapel Hill.

2017: Another Vital Year for Mobility
We have had a great story to tell since 2002, and with the help of our current members and new investors we will continue to move the region forward.

See the full RTA 2017 Action Plan here.

Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Chair Greg Winkler announced today that President and Chief Executive Officer Tim Giuliani has tendered his resignation to accept a leadership position with Central Florida’s newly created economic development/chamber of commerce group in Orlando. Giuliani will serve in his current role until Friday, March 3. The Chamber Board of Directors has begun actively searching for a successor.
 
“The board regretfully accepts Tim’s decision, and we are truly grateful for his forward-thinking vision and guidance over the last year and a half,” said Winkler. “He has led our team in strategic economic planning and development with a unique and innovative approach to fostering a thriving business community. We wish him and his family all the best as they return to their home state of Florida, and he pursues an opportunity of a lifetime. The Greater Raleigh Chamber looks forward to carrying on initiatives he helped to establish.”  
 
“This was a tough personal decision to make; it has been my privilege to serve the community of Raleigh and the Triangle region,” said Giuliani. “I enjoyed partnering with the dedicated staff, members, and directors at the Chamber, and I know that a great future lies ahead for Raleigh.”
 
Since joining the Chamber as president and CEO nearly two years ago, Giuliani was instrumental in the passage of the Wake County Transit Plan referendum and the creation of 7,762 new jobs and $632 million of new capital investment across the region.
 
Giuliani will become the president and CEO of a new organization that will combine the Orlando Economic Development Commission and Central Florida Partnership, which includes Orlando, Inc. (Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce).

Press contact:
Greg Winkler
919.881.6442
Greg.winkler@raleighchamber.org

Blog post courtesy of Greene Resources

It was our tremendous pleasure to sponsor the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce’s 2017 Economic Forecast on Thursday, January 5th.  The Economic Forecast provided insight on the direction of both our regional and national economy in the upcoming year.  A video of the discussion, led by Mark Vitner and John Graham, is available here, courtesy of WRAL.

Mark Vitner is a Managing Director and Senior Economist with Wells Fargo.  Mark’s responsibilities include tracking regional and national economic trends.  He is a regular contributor to Wells Fargo’s Monthly Economic Outlook as well as the Weekly Economic and Financial Commentary.  Mark’s slideshow presentation from the Economic Forecast is available online.
 
John Graham is the D. Richard Mead Jr. Family Professor of Finance with the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.  He also serves as the Director for Duke University’s Global Business Outlook, a quarterly CFO survey that assesses the business climate and topical economic issues around the world.  John’s slideshow and survey results from the Economic Forecast are also available online.
 
As a native Raleigh business, Greene Resources cares deeply about the growth and development of North Carolina.  As experts in recruiting and hiring, we monitor hiring trends as they develop and use this information to help advise our customers as they consider their recruiting needs.  According to Mr. Vitner and Dr. Graham, here are some of the trends to expect regarding the local and national economy.
 
Local Facts and Figures

• Raleigh’s employment rates are expected to grow, with an estimated 12,000 new jobs coming to the Triangle.
• Raleigh has the second highest GDP growth across all metro hubs in the nation.
• Job growth has steadily gained momentum across North Carolina, specifically in professional services, construction, retail, and the leisure and hospitality sectors.
• The IT sector in the Triangle is growing 1% faster than the rest of the United States.
• Jobs in manufacturing are growing at a slower rate, but are expected to continue growing, especially within in the aviation industry.

 
Predictions and Trends for 2017

• The era of low interest rates is coming to an end; interest rates are predicted to rise twice in 2017.
• Economic policies are expected to be focused on economic growth.
• When surveyed in the past quarter, CFOs in the United States are more optimistic about the national economy than any other quarter surveyed in the past 15 years. North Carolina’s optimism index is even higher than the US average.
• Wages are expected to rise 3.1%.

 
Potential Concerns for Employers and Businesses

• The two greatest concerns of United States and North Carolina businesses are economic uncertainty followed by the cost of benefits.
• Another concern continuing to climb up the list is the difficulty in attracting and retaining qualified employees. As the economy improves, it becomes harder to attract and retain employees as more and better opportunities become accessible to job seekers.
• 70% of businesses surveyed were not sure how the recent election will impact their business with regards to corporate tax policies or regulatory policy changes.

 
Overall, optimism in the economic climate has jumped significantly in the past year with economists anticipating improvements in the regulatory and tax environment as well as continued employment growth.  Even if significant changes or improvements are made to the economy, the actual impact it will have on businesses and individuals will be delayed and it will take some time before the effects are felt.
 
Much like the optimistic outlook shared at the Economic Forecast, at Greene Resources, we approach every day and every experience with optimism. Our vision is to connect people and companies in such a way that jobs become purposeful, impactful, and long-term careers.  It’s not about filling a job opening.  It’s about finding the one person who will make a lasting impact on your company’s team and culture as well as feel accomplished through their work. We would love the opportunity to work with you and are optimistic that we can help your business attract, locate, and land top talent in 2017.

This blog originally appeared here.