President's Report from May 18, 2026

Last week, Megan Mullins and I had the opportunity to attend the Economic Development Summit in Washington, D.C., hosted by U.S. Senator Thom Tillis and Congressman Richard Hudson. The annual gathering brought together leaders from across North Carolina’s business, education, government, and economic development communities to discuss issues shaping our state’s future competitiveness.

Many of the same concerns we continue hearing from employers locally were also front and center at the national level, including inflation, workforce availability and skills development, housing affordability, and infrastructure development. One issue that emerged repeatedly throughout the summit was the growing impact of artificial intelligence and data centers on the future of the American economy.

Whether hearing from members of North Carolina’s bipartisan congressional delegation, U.S. Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon, officials with the U.S. Department of Energy, or representatives from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, conversations consistently returned to the workforce, energy, infrastructure, and policy implications tied to AI and data-driven industries. It was clear these conversations are no longer theoretical. They are actively shaping economic development strategy and will increasingly influence decisions at the federal, state, and local levels.

Back at home, the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners adopted a Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget this morning that maintains the current property tax rate of 30.6 cents per $100 of assessed value. We also appreciate the county’s continued partnership with the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce on our Small Business Retention and Expansion program.

Through this initiative, the Chamber conducts more than 100 business retention and expansion visits annually with local employers, helping connect businesses to workforce, training, and economic development resources that support growth and remove barriers to expansion. Since launching the program, these efforts have supported 70 business expansion or location projects, helped facilitate more than 585 expected jobs, and assisted in nearly $57 million in capital investment across our community.

We also appreciate the County Commissioners for continuing to move forward with the proposed $320 million bond for New Hanover County Schools. A public hearing will be held during the county’s June 1 meeting, and we encourage business and community leaders to attend and participate in the public comment process.