Don Stewart leads what will soon become one of North Carolina's largest employers: Toyota Battery Manufacturing North Carolina in the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite. By the time its fully operational within the next few years, it will employ at least 5,100 people. In this episode, Stewart and Neill McNeill talk about some of the major issues/challenges facing the electric vehicle industry and the facility itself--which is not unlike a small city.

Not many in Central North Carolina have as complex a list of responsibilities as Don Stewart. He's the president of Toyota Battery Manufacturing North Carolina, Toyota's first big effort to make lithium-ion batteries in the United States for its cars and trucks. This operation in the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite in Randolph County consists of multiple large buildings (7 million collective square feet) and is a nearly $14 billion investment. It also plans to have 5,100 employees by the time its fully operational within the next 5 years. But what many don't realize is Stewart has a fascinating back story: much of which he shares in this episode with Neill McNeill.

He's had a front row seat to some of the largest economic development deals in North Carolina history. Mike Fox is the president and CEO of the economic development organization, The Piedmont-Triad Partnership. In this episode, Fox describes to Neill McNeill the history behind the organization, what it's doing today and what it was like to be a part of a couple of major local aerospace negotiations whose results included the largest project (in terms of announced jobs) ever in North Carolina!

It would be hard to find someone with a more complex list of professional responsibilities than Mike Fox. Attorney. North Carolina transportation authority. Economic developer. He does it all. In this episode, Fox describes to Neill McNeill his growing up in western North Carolina, the early days of his law career and his time as chairman of the North Carolina Board of Transportation during perhaps the most challenging time in the State DOT's history.

It would be hard to name two more important behind-the-scenes people in live entertainment than the father-son duo of Jim and Michael Brammer. Jim's the founder/CEO of The Concert Stuff Group. Michael's the chief strategy officer. Together they run a company that provides audio, video, staging, production and transportation services (among many others) for many of the world's top artists. In this episode, Jim and Michael describe to Neill McNeill the company's different components, their involvement in one of the largest concerts of its type in North Carolina history and a new project Jim's helping develop in downtown Winston-Salem. Jim also offers up a few words of wisdom that are well worth your time!

There's a good chance if you've attended a large live event featuring just about any major artist--from Billy Joel to Paul McCartney to Luke Combs among many, many others, there's a good chance you've experienced the work of the company Jim Brammer founded and still runs. The Concert Stuff Group is based in Davie County, North Carolina but consists of multiple businesses across the world that are leaders in live entertainment staging, lighting, audio, production and many other services. In this episode, Brammer explains to Neill McNeill how an encounter with the Rolling Stones started a love of music that led to him becoming one of the industry's pioneers.

They're among the largest economic development wins in North Carolina history: the Toyota Battery Manufacturing North Carolina complex in the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite and JetZero's announcement it'll bring its next generation aircraft factory and corporate headquarters to Greensboro: billions of dollars in economic impact, more than 20,000 announced jobs. And Marvin Price was a key figure in both. He's the Executive Vice President Economic Development for the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. In this episode, he tells Neill McNeill some of the back stories behind those recruitments and where he sees the city moving ahead in terms of attracting more employers.

He's among THE top economic developers in the United States. And during his half-decade as executive vice president, economic development for the Greensboro (North Carolina) Chamber of Commerce, Marvin Price has helped lead initiatives that have led to more than $20 billion in capital investment and well more than 25,000 announced jobs. (This includes the largest economic developmen "win" in North Carolina history.) In this episode, he talks with Neill McNeill about growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, what led him into this line of work and how a great "pitch" led him to come to Greensboro, a city--he admits--was never really on his radar!

When it comes to commercial building construction in Central North Carolina, it would be hard to find a more influential person than Mike Lancaster. From the new Care Tower at the Atrium Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, to the Qubein Children's Museum in High Point to the first phase of the Lenovo Center renovation in Raleigh, Lancaster has been heavily involved. He's the president and CEO of Blum Construction, a 100+ year old company based in Winston-Salem. In this episode, he discusses with Neill McNeill what it's taken to win and complete these projects, some of his industry's biggest challenges, his biggest mistake, and what he looks for when it comes to hiring people. If you or someone you know has ever had a desire to go into construction, this is like a master class.

When it comes to success, not many in North Carolina's Piedmont-Triad have experienced it quite like Mike Lancaster. He's the president and CEO of Blum Construction, a company based in Winston-Salem that recently celebrated its 100th anniversary. There's a very good chance you've seen or have spent time in a building locally that Blum has built and Lancaster's had a hand in building. In this episode, he and Neill McNeill talk about his leading the company through some challenging times, including COVID. He also talks about the company's history and his own inspiring story of reaching this point.