The Greenville Eastern North Carolina (ENC) Alliance and Pitt County Economic Development partnered with the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) to celebrate Economic Development Week from Monday, May 12 to Friday, May 16, 2025.
“The future of economic development is centered around collaboration and partnerships,” said IEDC president and CEO Nathan Ohle. “Economic Development Week is an opportunity to celebrate and lift up the stories of economic development happening throughout the world. At the heart of this year’s Economic Development Week are stories of collaboration and partnership, and how the field of economic development works together to support, cultivate, and drive economic prosperity for places of all sizes, in every region in the world.”
Created in 2016 by IEDC, the largest international professional trade association for economic developers, Economic Development Week aims to increase awareness for local programs and organizations that work to make communities stronger.
“Every year, our organization is proactive in planning events to celebrate Economic Development Week. It represents an opportunity to shine a spotlight on all the interrelated activities that go into making Greenville and Pitt County a strong and growing economic hub,” said Josh Lewis, president and CEO of the Greenville ENC Alliance. “We want our citizens and partners to be aware of all the activities that contribute to providing career opportunities and creating a quality place for our families.”
Event Highlights:
Kickoff Breakfast and Mini Summit – Monday, May 12:
The week began with a kickoff breakfast and mini-summit hosted by the Greenville ENC Alliance and Pitt County Economic Development. Local leaders, economic developers, and stakeholders gathered to hear opening remarks from County Commissioner Benji Holloman and a proclamation from Mayor P.J. Connelly.
The program focused on two panel discussions on talent and talent development in Greenville-Pitt County.
“Readying the Workforce” with representatives from Pitt County Schools, Pitt Community College, and East Carolina University.
“Hiring the Workforce” with HR professionals from Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Boviet Solar, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and ECU Health.
A Rapid-Fire Q&A between two students, Alex Vanderburg from Pitt Community College and Whitley McCoy from East Carolina University, provided valuable insights into how they are navigating their educational and career pathways within the community.
Pints & Perspectives – Tuesday, May 13:
The Greenville ENC Alliance partnered with Pitt County Economic Development and the Young Professionals of Pitt County to host Pints & Perspectives at Pitt Street Brewing Company, a networking event aimed to foster meaningful connections between young professionals. The event created opportunities for talent to build relationships outside of the workplace, which is an important factor in increasing their sense of belonging and likelihood of staying and continuing to build their careers in Greenville-Pitt County.
The event featured a panel discussion with young professionals who recently relocated to Greenville-Pitt County to begin their careers. They shared personal stories about the importance of finding purpose, building their networks, and finding opportunities for involvement within the community. Their experiences highlighted how getting engaged outside of the workplace, through groups, volunteer efforts, social events, and mentorship, can enhance both their personal and professional growth.
Creating a space for peer-to-peer connection and open conversation, the event reinforced the message that Greenville-Pitt County is not only a place to work, but a place to thrive.
Pitt County Schools High School Visits – Wednesday, May 14:
Representatives and volunteers visited all seven Pitt County high schools to engage directly with students in Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. The visits focused on showcasing the wide range of career pathways available in Greenville-Pitt County across major industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, trades, and professional services. The goal was to help students see the potential for meaningful, long-term careers available within their community, reinforcing the value of growing and nurturing local talent.
Special thanks to our partners from Pitt County Economic Development, the Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Greenville Partnership, Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Pitt Community College, Executive Personnel Group, and the Inner Banks HomeBuilders Association for supporting this initiative and volunteering to speak with students about local job opportunities.
Existing Industry Downtown Scavenger Hunt – Thursday, May 15:
Now in its second year, the Downtown Greenville Scavenger Hunt served as a creative and engaging way to bring together professionals from a variety of local industries. Designed as a team-building and networking experience, the event encouraged participants to explore the many downtown small businesses and landmarks through interactive clues outside of the traditional workplace setting.
Following the scavenger hunt, the Greenville ENC Alliance partnered with Pitt County Economic Development to host a networking after-party at Crush Distillery, where industry professionals had the opportunity to build relationships and exchange ideas in a relaxed, social environment. The purpose of the event was to recognize the contributions of the many industries in Greenville-Pitt County and strengthen the bonds between sectors that drive our community.
The theme for this year’s Economic Development Week focused on talent attraction and retention in Greenville-Pitt County, in honor of the Greenville ENC Alliance launching its sub-brand, Grow in Greenville. Throughout the week's events, we established over 600 touchpoints with talent in Greenville-Pitt County.
For more information on talent attraction and retention initiatives in Greenville-Pitt County, please visit: GrowInGreenvilleNC.com.
