SALISBURY — The Rowan County Chamber of Commerce will host speakers Eric Tillmon and Sylvia Jones at its November Power In Partnership program on Nov. 18 at 7:30 a.m. at Trinity Oaks.

The topic of their presentation will be the importance of apprenticeship and internship opportunities in the business community. The event is sponsored by Atrium Health.

Tillmon serves as the apprenticeship consultant for Apprenticeship NC. He also leads staff development and apprenticeship sponsor training programs for the organization. Jones serves as the apprenticeship coordinator for 10 counties in North Carolina and has been involved in workforce development for more than two decades.

The event is open to non-chamber members. The cost is $15 for members and $25 for non-members. The price includes the cost of breakfast and the program. The registration deadline is Tuesday, Nov. 16 by noon. 

Contact the Chamber for information on reservations or sponsorship opportunities at 704-633-4221 or info@rowanchamber.com.

The remaining schedule for the Chamber of Commerce’s Power in Partnership programs:

• Dec. 16 – Inspirational Speaker; Sponsor: Rowan Not-for-Profit

• Jan. 16 – 2022 Economic Outlook; Sponsor: Rowan EDC

• Feb. 17 – State Legislative Breakfast; Sponsor: Piedmont Natural Gas

• March 17 – Salute to Agri-business; Sponsor: F & M Bank

• April 21 – Health Care; Sponsor: Novant Health Rowan Medical Center

• May 19 – Leadership Speaker; Sponsor: Duke Energy

North Carolina ranks first in Site Selection Magazine’s Business Climate Rankings

North Carolina claimed the solo top spot in Site Selection Magazine’s Business Climate Rankings after being tied with Georgia for first in last year’s state rankings.

“Some of that [growth] speaks to the fundamental advantages North Carolina had prior to the pandemic, which haven’t changed during the pandemic,” Chris Chung, CEO of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, said in a news release. “North Carolina isn’t overwhelmingly dense or urban nor overwhelmingly rural. It’s that sweet spot both companies and individuals would be seeking out.”

The results are split between objective and subjective data, with North Carolina rating well in surveys among site selectors. North Carolina finished no lower than 12th in any of the eight criteria.

North Carolina has one of the lowest corporate tax rates in the nation at 2.5%, as well as one of the top talent pools.

The rankings also cited the projected growth in North Carolina, which is expected to add more than 302,000 new jobs by 2028 across nearly every occupation.

“Every new ranking shows just how good North Carolina is for business,” Rod Crider, Rowan EDC president, said in a news release. “With our strategic location between Charlotte and the Triad, and our wealth of assets available to businesses, we expect to capture a significant portion of the upcoming statewide growth right here in Rowan County.”

Kannapolis teams up with Cannon Ballers, local business to collect food for Veterans Day

KANNAPOLIS — The City of Kannapolis is partnering with the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers and Old Armor Beer Company to sponsor a food drive for Cabarrus and Rowan County veterans who are in need.

Canned food items can be dropped off in the carts at Kannapolis City Hall, 401 Laureate Way, at the ticket office at Atrium Health Ballpark or at Old Armor Beer Company by Friday.

There are approximately 27,000 veterans in Cabarrus and Rowan Counties and approximately 10,000 of these veterans seek assistance from the Cabarrus and Rowan County Veteran Services Offices annually.

Items that are needed the most are canned meats, peanut butter, jelly, spaghetti sauce, spaghetti noodles, canned fruit, pork-n-beans, and pudding cups. Individually wrapped snack cakes and cookies are also a favorite and much appreciated.

All the items will be taken to Cabarrus and Rowan County Veteran Services Offices who will distribute them to veterans in time for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

Kannapolis launches customer call center for residents

KANNAPOLIS — The city of Kannapolis has launched a customer call center to provide a simpler and quicker way to provide customer service to Kannapolis residents.

“We are constantly working to improve how we deliver services and respond to our residents and customers,” Kannapolis City Manager Mike Legg said in a news release. “As we grow, centralizing our customer service staff in order to better serve everyone is important. Our Customer Service are trained to answer questions and provide information on items related to all our services. If for any reason they cannot help you they will transfer you to the appropriate department to take care of your inquiries.”

Those that have questions about city services can now call 704-920-4444 or send an email to custserve@kannapolisnc.gov. The CARTology app is also available to provide information and assistance regarding city garbage, recycling, yard debris and more. The app can be downloaded for free from the Google Play store. The city’s website, www.kannapolisnc.gov, is also available as a resource for information and questions.

The one central telephone number, 704-920-4444 is available to connect residents to any city staff members. Customer service staff will take calls and work to resolve any city service or department questions or issues a person may have or transfer them to the correct staff person who can assist you. The call center is available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays thru Fridays. Any calls received after 5 p.m. will be answered by an auto attendant.

EGGER notches top sustainability awards

EGGER, a wood-based material supplier with a plant near Lexington, received two of the industry’s top awards for sustainability performance.

The two awards are for separate sustainability ratings. Egger earned “Prime status” in the ISS ESG Corporate Rating, a first for EGGER Group, and the EcoVadis silver medal.

“Sustainable management has always been the goal of the EGGER Group,” Ulrich Bühler, EGGER Group management sales and marketing, said in a news release. “We are very pleased about these awards because it means we are fulfilling our commitment to sustainability. At the same time, we take the analysis as a learning opportunity to identify how we can continually improve our sustainability performance.”

EGGER, based in Austria, started full production at its new facility in Davidson County last year. The company manufactures wood-based products such as particleboard.

ISS ESG is one of the rating agencies in the sustainable investment segment and follows a scientifically based rating concept. Non-financial information from the areas of environment, social affairs and governance is taken into account and rated on nearly 100 criteria specifically selected for each industry. Companies achieve “Prime status” if they meet or exceed the sustainability performance requirements defined by ISS ESG for a specific industry. The status is reserved for the best companies in their respective industries, based on data from 2019-20 sustainability reports. EGGER ranked in the top three of 46 companies in its industry assessed by ISS.

EcoVadis, one of the world’s largest providers of sustainability ratings, awarded EGGER the silver medal for the second time, putting the wood-based materials manufacturer among the top 25% of all companies evaluated industry-wide. The evaluation focuses on more than 20 criteria, which are subdivided into four areas: Environment, Labor and Human Rights, Ethics and Sustainable Procurement. EGGER was able to raise its overall rating compared to the last EcoVadis rating and is now among the top 5% of companies evaluated in its own industry.

All key sustainability topics can be found in the EGGER Group’s sustainability report at www.egger.com/sustainability.