THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, January 17, 1996 TAG: 9601170366
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: By MASON PETERS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: Short : 33 lines
More than 80 Albemarle leaders and legislators will get a crystal-ball look at the future today during a meeting of the Northeast North Carolina Economic Development Commission at Elizabeth City State University.
State Commerce Secretary S. Davis Phillips will be the principal speaker. The commission operates as a $1-million-a-year semi-autonomous adjunct of the state commerce department. Its goal is to increase business opportunities in the Albemarle area.
The noon lunch session in the Kermit White Graduate Center also will include the presentation of a report from the Leak-Goforth team of economic analysts that was hired by the commission to examine business opportunities.
Robert Leak, head of the Raleigh-based business survey organization, will discuss his group's findings.
Several weeks ago, the commission hired Leak-Goforth for a $126,000 preliminary fee to explore the commercial future of northeast North Carolina and examine the possible benefits of greater cooperation with Virginia's Hampton Roads.
Pasquotank County Commissioner Jimmy Dixon, chairman of the commission, said he expects many state legislators to attend the meeting, along with community and business executives from the 16 northeastern counties that the commission serves. by CNB