N.C. Prosperity Zones

Find the state's subject matter experts in your region using this directory page, from transportation and environmental topics to workforce development, community planning and liaisons to help existing businesses.

The State of North Carolina operates eight administrative regions known as Prosperity Zones. Each Zone features a one-stop, physical location, providing citizens and businesses the ability to interact with representatives from multiple state agencies, as well as to encourage better collaboration between the agencies themselves.

Just click on the map for the county or region you're interested in, and the list of contacts for that region will appear.  Also, you can access demographic information on each of North Carolina's 100 counties from the links in each Zone below.

| For answers on starting or growing a business in any North Carolina region: blnc.gov | 1-800-228-8443 toll-free 

Western Region Contacts

One-Stop Location

253 Webster Road
Sylva, NC 28779
Housed at the NC DOT Division 14 Office

 

 

Existing Businesses

April Riddle  
Regional Industry Manager  
828-772-9128  
april.riddle@edpnc.com

Community Planning Services

Ann Bass
ARC Community Economic Development Planner
828-508-0107
ann.bass@commerce.nc.gov

Workforce Development

Tim Mathis
NCWorks Regional Operations Director
828-245-9841
tim.mathis@nccommerce.com

Customized Workforce Training

Betty Silver
828-766-1367
silverb@nccommunitycolleges.edu

Apprenticeships

Charlie Milling
828-766-1367
millingc@nccommunitycolleges.edu

Transportation Issues

Wanda H. Payne 
828-586-2141 
whpayne@ncdot.gov

Environmental Issues

Travis Smith 
828-296-4698 
travis.smith@deq.nc.gov 

Western County Demographic Profiles

To access the state's profiles on each county, click the profile link and then re-select the county from our Area Profiles dashboard; Federal data is courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Northwest Region Contacts

One Stop Locations

468 New Market Blvd
Boone, NC 28607
Housed at the High Country Council of Governments

1880 2nd Ave NW
Hickory, NC 28601
Housed at the Western Piedmont Council of Governments

Existing Businesses

Bill Slagle
Regional Industry Manager
828 592-1029
bill.slagle@edpnc.com

Community Planning Services

Phil Boggan
ARC Community Economic Development Planner 
828 962-2805 
phil.boggan@commerce.nc.gov

Workforce Development

Felicia Setzer
NCWorks Regional Operations Director
828 755-5994
felicia.setzer@nccommerce.com

Customized Workforce Training

Betty Silver
828 766-1367
silverb@nccommunitycolleges.edu

Apprenticeships

Shelby McClain
828 455-9517
mcclains@nccommunitycolleges.edu

Transportation Issues

Dean Ledbetter
336 903-9129
dledbetter@ncdot.gov

Environmental Issues

Travis Smith
828-296-4698
travis.smith@deq.nc.gov 

Southwest Region Contacts

One-Stop Location

15 Concord Road
Albemarle, NC 28001
Housed at the NC DOT Division 10 District 1 Office

Existing Businesses

Melanie Underwood
Regional Industry Manager
980 256-0497
melanie.underwood@edpnc.com

Community Planning Services

Jeff Emory
Community Economic Development Planner
704 984-3666
jeff.emory@commerce.nc.gov

Workforce Development

Ronne Grantham
NCWorks Regional Operations Director
828 755-8219
veronica.grantham@nccommerce.com

Customized Workforce Training

Donald Huneycutt
704 216-3526
huneycuttd@nccommunitycolleges.edu

Apprenticeships

Eric Tillmon
919 219-6258
tillmone@nccommunitycolleges.edu

Transportation Issues

Marc Morgan
704 983-4360
mmorgan@ncdot.gov

Environmental Issues

Jesse McDonnell
704 235-2107
jesse.mcdonnell@deq.nc.gov 

Piedmont-Triad (Central) Region Contacts

One Stop Location

119 W Center Steet, Suite 200
Lexington, NC 27292
Housed at the Davidson County Economic Development Office

Existing Businesses

Tracy Dellinger
Regional Industry Manager
336 214-7283
tracy.dellinger@edpnc.com

Community Planning Services

Lizzie Morrison
Community Economic Development Planner
919 971-5744
lizzie.morrison@commerce.nc.gov

Workforce Development

Karen McIntosh  
NCWorks Regional Operations Director  
336-932-0393  
karen.mcintosh@commerce.nc.gov

Customized Workforce Training

Cathy Beeson  
336 625-6034  
beesonc@nccommunitycolleges.edu

Apprenticeships

Wanda Ramos-McPherson  
984 365-3331  
ramos-mcphersonw@nccommunitycolleges.edu

Transportation Issues

Pat Wilson
336 487-0000
pwilson@ncdot.gov

Environmental Issues

Paul Williams
336 776-9631
paul.e.williams@deq.nc.gov 

North Central Region Contacts

One-Stop Location

509 Ward Boulevard
Wilson NC
Housed at the NC DOT Division 4 Office

Existing Businesses

Harry Swendsen
Regional Industry Manager
919 703-5369
harry.swendsen@edpnc.com

Community Planning Services

Bruce Naegelen
Community Economic Development Planner
984 365-0279
bruce.naegelen@commerce.nc.gov

Workforce Development

Michelle Muir
NCWorks Regional Operations Director
984-236-4245 
michelle.muir@commerce.nc.gov

Customized Workforce Training

Sara Lloyd
252-738-3452
lloyds@nccommunitycolleges.edu

Apprenticeships

Tony McKnight
336 312-2282
mcknightt@nccommunitycolleges.edu

Transportation Issues

Jimmy Eatmon
252 237-6164
jeatmon@ncdot.gov

Environmental Issues

David Lee
919 791-4204
david.lee@deq.nc.gov 

Sandhills (South Central) Region Contacts

One Stop Location

558 Gillespie Street
Fayetteville, NC
Housed at the NC DOT Division 6 Office

Existing Businesses

Jennifer Holcomb
Regional Industry Manager
910 640-8287
jennifer.holcomb@edpnc.com

Community Planning Services

Grace Lawrence
Community Economic Development Planner
910-391-1298
grace.lawrence@commerce.nc.gov

Workforce Development

Victor Glover
NCWorks Regional Operations Director
919 414-6858
victor.glover@commerce.nc.gov

Customized Workforce Training

Amy Epley
919 815-8641
epleya@nccommunitycolleges.edu

Apprenticeships

Antwan Pippen
919 538-2185
pippena@nccommunitycolleges.edu

Transportation Issues

Steven D. Kendall, PE
910 364-0603
sdkendall@ncdot.gov

Environmental Issues

Johnathan Watts
910-433-3353
johnathan.watts@deq.nc.gov 

Northeast Region Contacts

One-Stop Location

1502 North Market Street, Suite A
Washington, North Carolina 27889

Existing Businesses

Sarah Bernart
Regional Industry Manager
252 343-2653
sarah.bernart@edpnc.com

Community Planning Services

Sharon Smith
Community Economic Development Planner
919 923-3212  
sharon.smith@commerce.nc.gov

Workforce Development

Larry Donley
NCWorks Regional Operations Director
252 204-3359
larry.donley@nccommerce.com

Customized Workforce Training

Lauren Dudley
252 940-6311
dudleyl@nccommunitycolleges.edu

Apprenticeships

Scott Panagrosso
984 365-0577
panagrossos@nccommunitycolleges.edu

Transporation Issues

Len White
252 775-2800
lenwhite@ncdot.gov

Environmental Issues

Lyn Biles
252-946-6481
lyn.biles@deq.nc.gov 

Southeast Region

One Stop Location

1099 Gum Branch Road
Jacksonville, NC
Housed at the Jacksonville Onslow Economic Development Office

Existing Businesses

James Wolfe
Regional Industry Manager
910 620-7981
james.wolfe@edpnc.com

Community Planning Services

Samantha Darlington    
Community Economic Development Planner    
984 365-5868 
samantha.darlington@commerce.nc.gov

Workforce Development

Wes Watson
NCWorks Regional Operations Director
910 777-3923
wes.watson@nccommerce.com

Customized Workforce Training

Lynn Creech
252-527-6223 Ext. 618
creechl@nccommunitycolleges.edu

Apprenticeships

Danny Boykin
910 512-9989
boykind@nccommunitycolleges.edu

 

Transportation Issues

Adrienne Cox
910-341-2000
amcox1@ncdot.gov

Environmental Issues

Cameron Weaver
910-796-7215
cameron.weaver@deq.nc.gov