This is the birth of a gun at the Sturm, Ruger & Co. plant in Mayodan and part of one of North Carolina’s fastest-growing, least-noticed and most paradoxical industries.

Small-town guys with big-city experience, Mike Mayer and Richard Moore are turning First Bank’s sights on urbanites.

Rick Callicutt has worked for BNC Bancorp since it was started in Thomasville in 1991, serving as chief operating officer until becoming CEO in June 2013.

Marc Schaefer has been CEO of Winston-Salem-based Truliant since 1995. He was president and CEO of the FDIC Employees Federal Credit Union (now The Partnership FCU) from 1986-94.

Scott Custer worked for Wachovia, First Union, Centura and RBC before joining Yadkin predecessor Piedmont Community Bank Holdings Inc. in 2010.

Kelly King has worked for BB&T for 43 years, serving as president from 1996 to June 2004 and chief operating officer from 2004 to 2008. He became CEO in January 2009 and chairman in 2010.

Wilmington-based Live Oak Bank’s success relies on software that has aided its climb in a struggling industry.

Mast General Store owner John Cooper is campaign chairman of the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country, tasked with renovating the downtown Boone theater.

Charlotte’s Crescent Communities is planning a massive project in one of Mecklenburg County’s last pockets of serene, undeveloped land.

In April, Hanesbrands announced its eighth acquisition in six years and its largest deal ever, an $800 million bid for Aussie underwear and intimate-apparel company Pacific Brands.

PrecisionHawk, a drone technology startup, is flying high with an updraft of new investment its signature software program, DataMapper.

Investors have big plans for breathing life back into the Prince Charles Hotel that has served as a shining jewel of downtown Fayetteville.

North Carolina’s pro franchises — the Hornets, the Carolina Panthers and the Carolina Hurricanes — each charge less for tickets than the league average.

Waxhaw, near the South Carolina border is a hotspot amid Charlotte’s sprawling growth.

A protectionist streak runs wide this summer, causing harm long after election season is over.

Sealed Air’s Ilham Kadri shines a spotlight on the unsung heroes of offices and hospitals.

Tryon International Equestrian Center expands, proving North Carolina is more than a one-horse state.

A rare mix of humor, candor and vision has made Tom Drew one of our state's more colorful characters.

It’s annual meeting and proxy time, that season when public companies are forced to disclose salaries of their five highest paid executives. We’ll leave the grousing about excessive CEO pay to [...]