Charlotte Regional Partnership honors Belk, workforce boards for economic impact

Jobs are the number one priority of most Americans, and the 2012 recipients of the Charlotte Regional Partnership’s annual economic development awards are creating jobs and helping people develop the skills to fill them. 

Belk, Inc. is being honored with the private-sector Jerry Award; Charlotte Works, Pee Dee Workforce Investment Board and the Centralina, Gaston County and Region C workforce development boards are being recognized with the public-sector award. The Jerrys will be presented during the Partnership’s May 10^th luncheon at the Charlotte Convention Center. The Region C Workforce Development Board includes Cleveland County; Pee Dee Workforce Investment Board includes Chesterfield County in South Carolina; and the Centralina Workforce Development Board includes Anson, Cabarrus, Iredell, Lincoln, Rowan, Stanly and Union counties.

“Both Belk and these workforce development boards understand the fundamental key to success: Know your customers and meet their needs,” said Ronnie Bryant, president & CEO of the Charlotte Regional Partnership. “Because these organizations put their customers first, they are successful. And because they are successful, the 16-county Charlotte region is more economically resilient and competitive.”

The Jerry Awards are named in honor of the first recipients, Carolina Panthers owner and founder Jerry Richardson and Jerry Orr, aviation director at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, who recognize that regionalism benefits the economies of all 16 counties and the businesses within Charlotte USA.

For nearly 125 years, Belk has put people to workand contributed to the betterment of the communities it serves. Growing from one store in Monroe to 303 stores in 16 states, Belk, Inc. has had, and continues to have, a significant and growing impact on our regional economy. The privately held company employs more than 900 in its Charlotte corporate headquarters, 30 full-time and 150 contract employees at its Pineville eCommerce fulfillment center, and about 1,600 full- and part-time associates in its17 regional stores. Additionally, Belk provides jobs indirectly by hiring local landscaping, advertising/PR, food and beverage companies, and many other service providers. But Belk contributes to our community in another important way. Each year, the company returns 2.5 percent of its pretax income to nonprofit organizations across its footprint. In 2010, the company and its employees contributed over $1 million to Charlotte region charities, and Belk’s Charity Sale days raise more than $300,000 annually for Charlotte-area nonprofits. As the new title sponsor of the Charlotte Collegiate Football’s championship tournament, Belk helped generate positive national exposurefor Charlotte. The 2011 Belk Bowl attracted both media attention and thousands of visitors who patronized local businesses, substantially impacting our economy.

The wealth of regional assets gives the 16-county Charlotte area a leg up on the competition. However, a skilled and talented workforce often is the deciding factor in whether companies decide to come – and stay. With these companies as their customers, Charlotte Works and the Centralina, Gaston County, Pee Dee and Region C workforce development boards partner with educational institutions, community organizations and the workers themselves to ensure that our labor pool has the skills that employers and our region need to be the location of choice. These workforce development boards listen to their customers both to keep current employees’ skills up-to-date and to direct the unemployed to the training they need to take advantage of new opportunities in high tech companies in growing industries, such as energy, biotech and aerospace. Additionally, the workforce development boards provide local residents with assistance in transitioning to new jobs and help companies find skilled workers for key positions. As part of the Competitive Workforce Alliance, these organizations are driving solutions to workforce and business issues in the Charlotte region.

Additional information about the Charlotte Regional Partnership May 10 Annual Awards Luncheon and details about sponsorship opportunities are at http://crpawards.com/.