More than 150 business leaders, elected officials, academics, students, and young professionals gathered Wednesday at Fayetteville State University (FSU) for the inaugural Fayetteville Newsmakers.
The civic dialoguet—presented by CityView and the News Foundation of Greater Fayetteville—centered on a single question: Where is Fayetteville and Cumberland County’s next economy going to come from?
The two-hour program unfolded in three distinct parts: an opening conversation with a top state economic development official, a panel examining Fayetteville’s current economic standing, and a second panel focused on what the region’s “next economy” could look like. Between those segments, attendees participated in structured roundtable discussions designed to surface community priorities and sharpen the questions posed to panelists.
Across the event, a clear theme emerged: Fayetteville’s next economy will come from building on existing strengths, supporting innovators, leveraging the military, and investing in people—from entrepreneurs to students to rural communities.
FSU Chancellor Darrell Allison opened the program by casting the university as a central partner in shaping the region’s economic future. He highlighted FSU’s entrepreneurial hub, which has helped launch more than 240 new businesses and 1,000 jobs since 2022, telling attendees “this work is powerful, and it goes beyond mere data and metrics.”
Fayetteville, he said, is home to a premier military community, a growing entrepreneurial ecosystem, and residents “deeply committed to building a stronger future.” But, he cautioned, “one of our greatest challenges is ensuring that our story is accurately, authentically, and boldly told.”
The Newsmakers series, Allison told the crowd, is a chance “not only to tell our story but shape our future.”
‘Building Strong Communities’
The opening conversation paired Kenny Flowers, chief deputy secretary at the N.C. Department of Commerce, with CityView Editor‑in‑Chief Matt Hennie for a high-level look at how North Carolina’s innovation economy intersects with Fayetteville’s assets.
Flowers said the state’s strategy is rooted in “modernizing our infrastructure,” building resiliency, and leading in an “innovation economy” that spans life sciences, advanced manufacturing, aerospace, AI, and logistics.
“Building strong communities is the most important work we do—the foundational piece,” he said, adding that “our people” remain North Carolina’s greatest asset.
Asked how Fayetteville fits into that vision, Flowers encouraged the region to “lean into what you do best”—its military and national defense brand, strategic location, and higher‑education network. He also stressed the need to ensure rural Cumberland County isn’t left behind.
On the fast‑moving data center debate—in Fayetteville and across the state—Flowers acknowledged both the economic promise and the strain on local infrastructure. State leaders, he said, are still working to “figure out the equation” so communities can benefit from AI‑driven growth without being left “behind the eight ball” on limited resources.
‘We Have Not Really Diversified’
CityView’s Paul Woolverton moderated the first panel, featuring Mayor Mitch Colvin, County Commission Chair Kirk deViere, and John Hardin, executive director of the Office of Science, Technology & Innovation at the N.C. Department of Commerce..
Colvin tied Cumberland County’s lagging median income to its heavy dependence on government employment.
“Probably 60 plus percent of the people in our community are employed by the government,” Colvin said, adding “we have not really diversified.”
He said Fayetteville is only recently defining its economic niche in defense, cyber technology, and medical fields.
DeViere pointed to long‑standing gaps in infrastructure and schools but said momentum is building, citing the opening of the Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine and advanced manufacturing wins.
“We’re building the next generation of doctors right here that will stay here,” he said.
Quality of life emerged as a core economic development tool. Colvin noted more than $100 million a year in public‑safety spending and a 42% decline in violent juvenile crime, while deViere emphasized schools, mental health, and basic infrastructure.
Hardin offered a simple definition of innovation—“something new that adds value”—and reminded the audience that innovation isn’t limited to labs.
“Everybody out there who has a problem they’re trying to solve is an innovator,” he said.
Hardin said Cumberland County sits “in the middle or bottom of that second pack” of innovative counties but has room to climb.
Both Colvin and deViere argued Fayetteville must leverage its military presence not just for contracting but for research, technology, and dual‑use innovation. Colvin called for an innovation site near Fort Bragg; deViere pushed a broader defense innovation corridor linking downtown, FSU, Fayetteville Technical Community College, and the Military Business Park, which is a 200-acre site near All-American Freeway, Bragg Boulevard, Santa Fe Drive, and I-295.
Hardin cautioned against trying to replicate Research Triangle Park, calling it “a hard model to replicate,” but said Fayetteville has real building blocks if it sets realistic goals.
What Comes Next for Fayetteville’s Economy
CityView reporter Dasia Williams moderated the second panel, featuring Tom Snyder, executive director of RIoT and vice president at NC IDEA, and Latonia Parks, an Army veteran and local entrepreneur.
Snyder argued that young companies—not big corporate relocations—drive job creation.
“More than 95% of net new jobs are created by young companies,” he said.
With AI reshaping every industry, he said communities that support innovators and small businesses will benefit most.
Parks brought that argument home, describing small businesses as “a huge asset” and urging Fayetteville to “pour into those small businesses” with the right resources. She emphasized building strong teams and mentoring the next generation, noting her daughters now work in her businesses.
Both panelists stressed that economic development is built on relationships, not ribbon cuttings. Snyder said simple introductions can be “so impactful.” Parks urged people not to hoard connections.
“Take them as far as you can go, but let somebody else do the rest,” Parks said.
Snyder closed by reminding the audience that economic progress is “a patient game… not an election‑cycle game.” Parks urged Fayetteville to start earlier by exposing middle school students and up to entrepreneurial possibilities.
Newsmakers was made possible by support from the event’s anchor partners—Cape Fear Valley Health, Fayetteville Public Works Commission, Fayetteville State University, and Greater Fayetteville Chamber.
Government reporter Rachel Heimann Mercader can be reached at rheimann@cityviewnc.com or 910-988-8045.
