STATEWIDE Eastern Region
‘Project New Horizon’
That’s the code name state officials dubbed their bid for Chicago-based Boeing Co. to build its 777X jetliners in North Carolina. They pitched three sites, including 405 acres adjacent to Charlotte Douglas International Airport and a parcel at Piedmont Triad International Airport, outside Greensboro, but the plushest package pushed the North Carolina Global TransPark in Kinston. The Charlotte Observer reported officials considered offering up to $2.5 billion in state and local incentives, including tax breaks that required legislative approval, before trimming that bid to $683 million. After a brief competition, which drew bids from 54 sites in 22 states, Boeing did what most analysts expected: Wringing $8.7 billion of incentives from its native Washington state, it stayed close to home.
EDENTON — Standard Medical Acceptance Corp. will invest more than $552,000 and create 32 jobs in three years at a new operations center here. The New York consulting and financial-services company, which works with health-care providers, also will move its main data-processing center here. Jobs will pay an average annual salary of $63,906, double Chowan County’s $31,646.
WELDON — Flambeau Inc. will close its local plant by June 30, idling 120. The Baraboo, Wis., company, which makes molded-plastic products for arts-and-crafts storage, fishing-tackle boxes and other uses, is moving production to other locations.
GREENVILLE — Marilyn Sheerer, provost of East Carolina University since 2007, will step down Aug. 15. After a year’s sabbatical, the former dean of ECU’s College of Education will return to teaching.
WILMINGTON — MovieMaker ranked Wilmington the second-best small city (population 100,000 to 200,000) for those in the film industry to live and work. The Santa Monica, Calif.-based magazine cited its affordability, climate and state tax incentives. It’s where three of last year’s top-grossing movies (Iron Man 3, The Conjuring and We’re the Millers) were filmed. Asheville topped the list for towns with fewer than 100,000 residents.
WILMINGTON — nCino received $10 million from Boston-based Wellington Management Co. for expansion in the community-bank and credit-union markets. The software company, spun off by Live Oak Bank, provides a cloud-based operating system to small to midsize banks and credit unions.