Key Successes
Recruitment
For a variety of reasons both strategic and economic, many companies face difficult decisions around relocating their current operations or starting up new operations. The Foundation gives the state a strong competitive advantage against other states vying for these opportunities by coordinating the efforts of our top state leaders, industry partners, academia and regional developers in order to support a company’s requirements and exceed their expectations for success. Below are three examples of companies who chose to establish a presence in North Carolina due to the Foundation’s leadership. Collectively, these projects will add over 600 jobs to the state.
BAE expands in North Carolina, to create 176 jobs in Charlotte U.S.
Meeting the Needs of the Military through Innovation
Motorsports
North Carolina’s world-class motorsports industry is uniquely positioned to meet the military’s existing and emerging requirements. As the market demands for new vehicle systems declines – in parallel with a motorsports industry interest in diversifying their revenue – there will be greater opportunities to modify and recapitalize existing military vehicles.
In just under two years, the Foundation established relationships between the state’s motorsports industry and the military and also created business opportunities for the motorsports industry to increase the size and scope of their support to the military. The work has particularly focused on supporting the requirements of the U.S. Marine Corps and the unique needs of the U.S. Special Forces community. U.S. Senator Hagan, who is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Institute for Defense and Business are all actively promoting this Foundation initiative.
Robotics
Unmanned Systems – are critical to the U.S. Department of Defense’s goal to generate efficiencies and reinvest these savings into high priority capabilities like Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). While North Carolina is not at the forefront of this market, the potential for the First in Flight state is significant and timing is critical.
The challenge faced by North Carolina (and most other states eager to compete in this emerging market) is the lack of airspace for companies to design and test their unmanned systems.
This market potential led the Foundation to develop a proposal to study the ways in which UAV’s could be integrated into the state’s airspace. NextGen Air Transportation Center in Planning at North Carolina State University is under contract to perform the study as funded by the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
If North Carolina can integrate UAVs into its airspace, it will dominate the skies. Join the Foundation’s Facebook page and/or sign up to receive the Foundation’s e-alert to receive regular updates regarding the study.
Institute for Homeland Security Solutions
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was increasing their capacity to conduct research in the Human Factors technology area, a particular strength for North Carolina’s universities. In fact, by 2007, it was becoming increasingly evident that DHS needed additional strategies to better counter terrorists’ tactics; and that North Carolina was capable of providing some answers.
Working with U.S. Representative David Price and researchers at RTI International, Duke University, and UNC-Chapel Hill, the Foundation spearheaded efforts to create a new institute to conduct a wide range of social science and policy-related research to strengthen homeland security. On September 8, 2008, the Foundation joined Rep. Price, Governor Bev Perdue and U.S. Undersecretary of Homeland Security Jay Cohen to announce the Institute for Homeland Security Solutions (IHSS):
“This new institute will help make the Research Triangle and North Carolina a national leader in homeland security applied research." – U.S. Representative David Price
Last year, IHSS announced than more than $13 million has been invested in Institute research focused on human factors, biometrics and cyber security.
Landing the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter
The U.S. Marine Corps had a very difficult decision to make on where to host the new F-35B Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) platform between North Carolina and South Carolina, and how many JSF's to put in each state. "Be prepared and be proactive," the Foundation's mode of operation, was fully evident during the state's campaign to secure the maximum amount of JSF operations at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point.
In addition to successfully advocating for an economic assessment of the potential basing of the JSF and the state's strengths and weaknesses to anchor the efforts, the Foundation worked at the Congressional, state and local levels to help resolve key concerns of the Marines and the community.
Upon notice of the Department of the Navy's Record of Decision to bring eight F-35 B squadrons to the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, U.S. Senator Kay Hagan issued the following statement:
"Over the past year, I have been leading an effort with the Governor's office, NC’s Commerce Secretary, and the North Carolina Military Foundation to ensure North Carolina was selected to host and base the Marine Corps Joint Strike Fighter," said Hagan. "...This decision supports tremendous job growth and economic development in our state -- up to 128 planes and as many as 1,194 additional military personnel are headed for Cherry Point."
Building Partnerships
Though North Carolina's growing military footprint and excellent University System offered tremendous opportunities for collaboration, these relationships had just not flourished. General James J. Lindsay, USA (R), a founding member of the Foundation and the first commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, thought this needed to change.
In November 2010, U.S. Senator Kay Hagan, then-President Erskin Bowles (UNC) and Colonel Richard Anders, Marine Special Operations Support Group, joined the Foundation to highlight five partnerships between the University of North Carolina and the Army and Marine Corps Special Operations Commands. These partnerships augment military training across the world, increase access to education, provide unique research opportunities and support the Foundation's strategy to grow the state's defense economy through increased collaboration between the military, government and academia.
To date, Memoranda of Agreement exist between UNC and:
- Fleet Readiness Center – East
- U.S. Army Special Operations Command
- Marine Corps Special Operations Command
- Marine Corps Installations – East
- Maritime Civil Affairs and Security Training Command
