SALISBURY — A group of community partners will hold a job fair featuring about 40 employers on Thursday from 2-6 p.m. at West End Plaza at 1935 Jake Alexander Blvd.

The fair, which is open to the public, will give job seekers a chance to engage with a number of companies currently offering employment opportunities in Rowan County. 

Attendees are encouraged to dress professionally and bring copies of their resumes. Registration is strongly encouraged and can be completed by visiting: forms.office.com/r/CA1qhDxFLx.

Salisbury Transit will offer free rides to and from the West End Plaza during the job fair. Tickets are not required. Attendees should inform the driver of their destination.

While around 40 employers are already scheduled to attend, those interested in participating should visit forms.office.com/r/v0YS0MBWCw to register for a business booth. There is no cost to register. The deadline to register for a business booth is Wednesday.

A list of participating employers:

Team Auto Group

The City of Salisbury

Hexagon Agility

Texas Roadhouse

Rowan Chamber of Commerce

LKQ Keystone Automotive

Gildan Yarns, LLC

Clayton Rockwell

BAYADA Home Health Care

Ikes Construction

The Resource

OFS

SAS Retail Services

Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office

Chewy

Salisbury Rowan Community Action Agency

Oxi Fresh Carpet Cleaning of the Piedmont

ADUSA-Food Lion Distribution

S&H Youth and Adult Services Inc.

McDonalds

Kiddie Land Child Development Center

Spectrum/Direct Sales

Granges Americas Inc.

Hire Dynamics

Novant Health

Trinity Oaks

Conveying Solutions

NC Transportation Museum Foundation

Industrial Supply Solutions

Brookdale Salisbury

The Bradley Group

United States Navy

MaxLife Industries

Carvana

Ahold Delhaize corporate

Ahold Delhaize Food Lion stores

For more information, contact NCWorks Career Center-Rowan at 704-639-7529 or visit www.centralinaworks.com.

Talent attraction agency delivers optimistic report on Rowan County, highlights areas for growth

SALISBURY — Results of a talent attraction study commissioned by the Rowan Economic Development Council contained an “abundance of optimism” for the future of Rowan County

With workforce shortages becoming more commonplace, the Rowan EDC enlisted RoleCall, a talent attraction agency, to help the organization develop a talent attraction strategy. RoleCall co-founders Tim Carty and Winona Dimeo-Ediger visited in September to take a deep dive into employment in Rowan County.

The co-founders recently delivered their follow-up report to the Rowan EDC, indicating that the county’s assets include a strong workforce ecosystem in which the Rowan EDC, Rowan Chamber, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, Rowan-Salisbury Schools, NCWorks and more are already in place and working together to improve the workforce.

Rolecall also noted a local “appetite to grow,” and significant assets to attract newcomers, like affordability, opportunity, community, natural areas and proximity to larger cities and airports.

Opportunities for improvement highlighted in the report include talent-specific marketing campaigns for non-Rowan residents, growing the county’s entrepreneurial focus, operationalizing talent attraction efforts and creating a talent attraction portal.

“We are always curious about the communities we’re working in, but we have never encountered a community as curious about our work as Rowan County,” RoleCall noted in the report. “There is a hunger and enthusiasm here for growth and progress that is so special and so rare. This is a place that’s poised for evolution and success. And everyone’s ready to help.” 

New executive director appointed for VA’s Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network

Paul Crews has been appointed executive director of the VA’s Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network, of which the Salisbury VA Medical Center is a part. 

Crews has more than 30-years of healthcare experience and most recently served as the executive director of the Durham VA Health Care System for the previous three years. Crews led the system through two COVID-19 surges while expanding care for more than 70,000 veterans throughout northeastern North Carolina. He advanced strategic planning and budgetary responsibilities for an approximate $850 million operational budget at ten care sites within a 27-county area, attributing to almost 1 million patient encounters annually.

“Mr. Crews led his employees and Veterans through one of the most challenging and crucial times in history while continuing his commitment to patient-centered care,” Renee Oshinski, assistant undersecretary for Health for Operations for the Department of Veterans Affairs, said in a news release. “We are excited to bring Mr. Crews on board as the new VISN 6 Network Director. His sound leadership qualities and proven experience will be valuable assets for VISN 6, the employees and volunteers, and most importantly, for the Veterans we are honored to serve.”

The VA Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network has 46 sites of care in North Carolina and Virginia, including seven VA Medical Centers and 32 associated Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs), five Health Care Centers and two free-standing dialysis clinics.

The network has an operations budget of $4.7 billion dollars, 20,000 employees, 4,000 volunteers, and serves 415,000 Veterans annually. 

“It has been my honor to serve Veterans in northeastern North Carolina,” Crews said in a news release. “I am proud of the work we have accomplished and the many advances in medical care we have been able to incorporate over the years that demonstrate our dedication to serving Veterans. As I transition into my new role, I look forward to remaining in the Durham area and continuing my relationships with our Congressional delegates and community partners in North Carolina and Virginia and having broader oversight on the quality care provided to Veterans.”

Prior to serving as the executive director for Durham VA Health Care System, Crews served in leadership positions throughout VA in western New York, San Francisco and the Tennessee valley. Before VA, Crews was the vice president of the Virginia Rural Health Association and chair of the state’s Rural Health Workgroup on Quality. 

 Crews holds a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration from Texas State University and a master’s degree in Public Health in Policy and Management from Texas A&M University. He is a member and mentor of The American College of Health Care Executives and was awarded the North Carolina Chapter’s 2020 Regent’s Senior Healthcare Executive Award. He currently serves on the Veterans Health Administration Regents Advisory Committee and is a coach for VHA’s premier leadership development program for new up-and-coming VA executives. 

 He is a proud Navy Veteran who has been married to his wife Mary Lou for more than 20 years.