Charlotte alliance to expand Burke's business reach

Burke's business opportunities are about to get a much bigger spotlight.

Burke County is joining the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, a move local leaders say will boost the visibility of the county for companies looking to relocate or expand into the Southeast.

The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance (CLT Alliance) represents different areas across the Charlotte region, with a goal of promoting economic growth through business recruitment, talent acquisition, and collaboration.

“The state used to run off business alliances,” said Brandon Ruppe, president and CEO of Burke Development Incorporated (BDI), a public-private nonprofit organization focused on bringing capital investment jobs to Burke County and increasing the standard of living.

“We’ve been one of the few regional areas in the state that doesn’t have some sort of larger regional representation. The CLT Alliance helps meet that need for us in terms of collective marketing, branding, community awareness — those sorts of things.”

Ruppe said the CLT Alliance is part of a much larger strategic outlook for the county. Instead of competing for attention on its own, Burke will now be marketed alongside the Charlotte region to corporate site selectors and manufacturers.

He explained that currently, Burke is surrounded by the Mountain West Partnership, covering the westernmost counties; NC Carolina Core, covering areas like Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and Fayetteville; and the CLT Alliance, covering 15 other counties from Alexander County at Burke’s northeast edge down to Lancaster County in South Carolina.

According to county officials, the location of Burke makes the area optimal for industrial interest.

“For years, Burke County has benefited from its unique position between the Charlotte metropolitan area and the mountains of Western North Carolina,” Burke County Manager Brian Epley said. “Joining the Alliance allows us to leverage that advantage more effectively by increasing our visibility among site selectors, business leaders, and investors evaluating locations across the Southeast.”

The added benefit of the county’s proximity to the railway system, the county’s location on I-40, and the approximate hour drive to Charlotte Douglas International Airport and Asheville Regional Airport marks Burke as a prime location for incoming and outgoing goods and supplies.

“Burke County brings tremendous assets to the Charlotte Region — most notably a manufacturing base with over 100 operating establishments and 7,000 jobs across food, furniture, and textile sectors," said Tracy Dodson, Chief Operating Officer of the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance. "Additionally, Burke has taken an aggressive, forward-thinking approach to product development, investing in sites that are ready to meet the needs of today’s manufacturers.”

Burke’s place in the CLT Alliance won’t be completely directed by officials. Ruppe said there are plans for community input sessions to determine which route the county takes.

Read more about the CLT Alliance and Burke’s place in business in Saturday’s edition.