Monday, May 16, 2011

Chief Executive Magazine Ranks North Carolina No. 2 Best State for Business Praised for Workforce, Quality of Life

RALEIGH
May 16, 2011
For the second consecutive year, North Carolina was ranked No. 2 on Chief Executive Magazine’s list of best states for business. North Carolina received five stars for living environment and four stars each for workforce quality and taxation and regulations in the rankings compiled from surveys of 550 CEOs from across the country. The CEOs considered the factors most critical to an environment where business can thrive.



“These CEOs recognize that North Carolina has what their business needs,” said Gov. Bev Perdue. “Our transition from industries like furniture, textiles and tobacco to knowledge-based jobs in banking, high-tech and pharmaceuticals is possible because our workers are well-educated and well-trained. There is no doubt that if we continue to make education a priority, we will continue to lead the south - and the country - out of this recession.”



Business leaders graded the states on a variety of categories that included workforce quality, taxation and regulation and living environment. In addition, what CEOs often seek are areas with consistent policies and regulations that allow them to plan, as well as intangible factors such as a state’s overall attitude toward business and the work ethic of its population.



“North Carolina workers are 10 percent more productive than the average U.S. worker,” said Secretary of Commerce Keith Crisco. “Combine that with leadership that makes strategic investments in infrastructure and technology and it’s no surprise that we land at the top of the list time and time again.”



North Carolina is home to international corporations including Bank of America, Lowe’s, Goodrich and Reynolds American. In the past two years, companies like Electrolux, Siemens Energy, Caterpillar and IBM have announced new or expanded operations in the state. Since January 2009, companies have committed to creating more than 64,000 jobs and investing more than $13.7 billion in almost 350 projects throughout the state.



Chief Executive Group, LLC publishes Chief Executive, a bi-monthly magazine for CEOs, presidents, chairmen, vice-chairmen, and other top management executives that reports on the successes and failures of CEOs, as well as provides ideas, strategies, and tactics for top executive leaders seeking to build effective organizations. ChiefExecutive.net features CEO briefing centers on various topics, including leadership, strategy, talent management, boards and directors, risk management, healthcare/benefits, technology, CEO liability, legal/compliance, shareholder relations, reputation/crisis management, and corporate expansion.



See the full list of state rankings at: http://chiefexecutive.net/best-worst-states-for-business



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