Anson Economic Development Corporation

I have a long and successful history working with North Carolina Community Colleges. Back in my consulting days, I spoke regularly on campuses like Blue Ridge CC and AB Tech, and my salary in Statesville was paid, in part, by Mitchell Community College as part of an innovative program to better engage the college in economic and community development.  When I came to Anson County in 2016 one of my first meetings was with Dr. Maria Pharr, then a candidate for South Piedmont Community College (SPCC) president who subsequently got the job. From that very first meeting we have largely seen eye to eye on economic issues and the role of SPCC in developing a workforce that will allow the county to compete for 21st Century jobs.  On October 23rd, I had the opportunity to hear Dr. Pharr share some of the accomplishments of the college over the past 18 months and assess critically where SPCC and Anson County are with regard to creating that modern workforce. The event was held ...

If you have driven past the intersection of U.S. Highway 74 and U.S. Highway 52 South in Wadesboro over the past few months, you have probably noticed the progress on the new Bojangles and perhaps thought, “that’s not like any Bojangles I’ve ever seen.” Well, that’s because it’s not. The new Wadesboro Bojangles, which opened this week is one of only two examples of a new store design the company is trying out. The other of this type is being built in Boone. The new store features “classic” brick exterior construction with understated signage and an upscale appearance that is more reminiscent of a fast service chain like Applebees or Chilis. On the interior, wooden tables and chairs and composite wood-look flooring create a warm, welcoming environment. behind the counter, the latest in food preparation and service technology ensure a fast and efficient customer experience. While the new store replaces an older one next door which will be razed to add additional RV and bus parking,...

AnsonEDP’s own Megan Sellers (right) was named Co-Young Professional of the Year, along with Plank Road Forestry’s Ashley Scarborough, at the Anson County Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting and Dinner on October 18th. Megan has served as Existing Industry Coordinator for AnsonEDP since December of 2016, and was instrumental in several major economic development announcements over the past 18 months. She was also one of the organizers of YP Anson, the young professionals organization that has taken a leading role in making Anson County a more appealing and vibrant place for young individuals and families to call home. “Megan is an exceptional individual and a real asset to the organization,” said John Marek, executive director of AnsonEDP. “It’s not often you come across someone who is able to pick up the nuances of the economic development profession in such a short time.” Marek says her abilities are best illustrated by a story from earlier this year. “We both attended the NCE...

On Wednesday, November 7th, and the first Wednesday of each subsequent month, the Burns Conference Room at the Anson County Chamber of Commerce will be transformed into a coworking space for the use of all Anson County-based businesses. CoWorking Wednesdays is a new initiative jointly sponsored by the Anson County Chamber of Commerce, Uptown Wadesboro and the Anson Economic Development Partnership. Coworking is a concept that has gained a lot of momentum in urban and suburban areas over the past few years, but is just now being tried in more rural areas. Basically, the idea is to create a community of entrepreneurs and small business owners who share space and services in an open and collaborative way; think of it as a cross between a Starbucks, a pack and ship store and key man offices. It acts as an incubator of sorts for the information and gig economy. As the economy has become more focused on knowledge, experience and information as commodities, there has been a p...

It’s been almost two years since John Marek came to Anson County as executive director of the Anson Economic Development Partnership (AnsonEDP), the county’s primary business recruiting and marketing agency, so we thought this would be a good time to check in and see how things were progressing. We caught up with him right after a dedication event for the new Anson 74 Rail Park, the latest in a series of positive announcements AnsonEDP has made over the past six months. Dressed in tan khakis and a denim shirt with the silver and chartreuse AnsonEDP logo — he typically eschews the more traditional coat and tie approach to public events — Marek shakes hands with the last of the two dozen elected officials and community and civic leaders who stopped by to learn more about the county’s latest success story and to be part of the new winning attitude that that has rippled through the community over the past year. The Anson 74 Rail Park announcement today was the most recent in a stream...