Regional economic development group refocuses mission

By WES WOLFE - Kinston Free Press 

KINSTON — As the state government moves funding from regional economic development groups and puts that responsibility under the Department of Commerce, North Carolina ’s Eastern Region moves forward to becoming a private nonprofit.
 
The organization, currently covering 13 Eastern North Carolina counties, is refocusing its mission as it makes those changes.
 
In a meeting with the media last week, NCER President and CEO John Chaffee said there had been some “mission creep” with NCER as it sought different methods for attracting commerce to the area.
 
In a meeting with state legislators, NCER was asked to promote filmmaking in the region, in the hopes it would lead to higher tourism. That’s one of the jobs the new private entity will not be pursuing. One of the main goals, Chaffee said, is to increase the work skills of the region’s residents and bring that knowledge base to prospective companies. More here.