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State commerce secretary visits Statesville
Bruce Matlock photo
Reggie Silver (left) of Piedmont Health Care is shown with N.C. Commerce Secretary Keith Crisco on Thursday.
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Published: July 9, 2009
In between jokes about his alma mater, Pfeiffer University and cherry bombs and praising Gov. Beverly Perdue's participation in economic development, N.C. Commerce Secretary Keith Crisco said what's really built up Statesville and Iredell County's success is its hard workers.
Crisco told the Greater States-ville Development Corp. Committee of 100 at its quarterly meeting Wednesday that the All-America City recognition coupled with being part of the No. 1 micropolitan area will only build upon the area's momentum.
"Why are you No. 1?" he asked. "Why are you successful? You have good people who work here."
The state is well positioned to move forward as things improve despite the economic challenges the country is facing, Crisco said.
Crisco acknowledged the state's jobless rate has topped 12 percent.
"We are out of the free-fall," he said. "I think we are going to bounce up and down a bit."
The first six months haven't been easy for Perdue, he said, but she understands the importance of economic development and has worked to establish teamwork within her cabinet.
"She's never turned me down," Crisco said. " She's eager and willing to talk with prospects."
Crisco was with Perdue earlier this week when Apple announced its $1 billion data center in Maiden.
The state's new "12 in 6" program in which Commerce recovery funds will go to community colleges to support accelerated training in 12 high-demand careers in six months or less is one of the initiatives Crisco believes will help the state.
Crisco, who described himself as an old textile-elastic guy, said the state didn't fight globalization, but adapted to it.
"The issue isn't the number of projects," he said. "It's getting them home."
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