EDC selected for Golden LEAF Site Identification Support

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 10, 2025

HENDERSON-VANCE COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION SELECTED FOR GOLDEN LEAF SITE IDENTIFICATION SUPPORT

Henderson, N.C. – The Henderson-Vance County Economic Development Commission is pleased to announce it has been selected to participate in the SITE Program - Identification phase to support industrial site development. The funding will bring in a third-party site consultant to assess and identify potential new industrial sites, strengthening the county's ability to attract businesses and jobs.

The Henderson-Vance County EDC recognizes the importance of having quality industrial sites available to attract new businesses and enable existing businesses to expand. This support from Golden LEAF is a crucial step in ensuring Vance County is well-positioned for future economic development opportunities.

"This project allows us to take a proactive approach to site development," said Ferdinand Rouse, Director of the Henderson-Vance County Economic Development Commission. "By identifying suitable locations, we're clearing the path for new businesses to come to Vance County and create jobs."

Golden LEAF's investment in Vance County underscores the importance of supporting economic development in rural communities. Initiatives like the SITE Program provide crucial resources that enable communities to compete for new businesses and create sustainable economic growth.

"The Golden LEAF Board of Directors established the SITE Program to help rural communities make sites available for development to attract new businesses and create opportunities for existing businesses to expand,” said Scott T. Hamilton, Golden LEAF President, Chief Executive Officer. “This project will help Vance County identify potential industrial sites for development."

The SITE Program offers resources to help communities identify potential sites for economic development, provides funding to complete due diligence on publicly controlled sites, and provides funding to extend public utilities to publicly controlled sites or to conduct clearing and grading of publicly owned sites. The Identification phase focuses on communities that need assistance in pinpointing potential quality industrial sites to market. Vance County will use the resources available to evaluate potential locations, ensuring they meet the criteria for future development.

About the Henderson-Vance County Economic Development Commission

The Henderson-Vance County Economic Development Commission is dedicated to fostering economic growth and prosperity in Vance County and the City of Henderson. As a liaison between businesses and local government, the Commission works to build a solid foundation that supports business recruitment, development, and retention. The Commission promotes Vance County's strategic location, lower costs, and access to lake assets, making it a prime location for investment.

About the Golden LEAF Foundation

The Golden LEAF Foundation is a nonprofit organization established in 1999 to receive a portion of North Carolina’s funding from the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement with cigarette manufacturers. For 25 years, Golden LEAF has worked to increase economic opportunity in North Carolina’s rural and tobacco-dependent communities through leadership in grantmaking, collaboration, innovation, and stewardship as an independent and perpetual foundation.

The Foundation has provided lasting impact to tobacco-dependent, economically distressed, and rural areas of the state by helping create 68,000 jobs, more than $780 million in new payrolls, and more than 98,000 workers trained or retrained for higher wages.

For more information about Golden LEAF and our programs, please visit our website at GoldenLEAF.org.

CONTACT:
Ryan Shaffer
Economic Development Specialist, Henderson-Vance County EDC
rshaffer@vancecounty.org