Highlights from Harnett County’s 2025 Economic Development Update
Friday, November 14, 2025
Sharing insights, celebrating progress, and spotlighting the economic development projects and priorities shaping Harnett County’s future.
On Thursday, November 13, Harnett County held its Inaugural Economic Development Update, bringing together more than 100 community leaders, developers, workforce and education partners, real estate and industry professionals, and other key stakeholders. The event highlighted the County’s momentum in attracting investment, creating quality jobs, and positioning Harnett County as a competitive location for business growth.
Speakers shared updates on local, regional, and state economic development perspectives; retail opportunities and market insights; firsthand insights and advice from industrial developers investing in Harnett County; and an initiative from the Harnett Economic Development Corporation (HEDC) focused on creating, high-quality jobs and private investment in Harnett County.
Highlights from the event included:
Opening Remarks by Event Co-Hosts
Dr. William M. Downs, President of Campbell University, welcomed guests, provided an overview of the University, and offered an invocation to open the event.
Jerry Milton, Owner of Southeastern Interiors and Chair of the HEDC, then recognized all elected officials in attendance, celebrating their commitment to service in Harnett County. He shared the mission of HEDC, a private non-profit dedicated to promoting economic development in Harnett County and its municipalities. The organization supports this mission through real estate initiatives such as land acquisition, product development, construction of shell or speculative buildings, and property management.
Milton concluded his remarks by thanking attendees for participating in Harnett County’s Inaugural Economic Development Update, emphasizing the importance of continuing to invest in the County’s growth.
County Economic Development Update
Stephen Barrington, Harnett County’s Economic Development Director, shared the latest initiatives, focus areas, and opportunities in economic development, covering active projects, real estate and product development, business attraction, key state and regional partnerships, and support for existing businesses and industries - the foundation of any full-service economic development organization.
Barrington reiterated Harnett County’s key differentiators, including its rapidly growing population of more than 147,000; strategic location with access to major transportation networks and just 30 miles from downtown Raleigh; abundant access to clean water through Harnett Regional Water (HRW), the largest treatment facility on the Cape Fear River; Central Carolina Community College’s E. Eugene Moore Manufacturing & Biotech Solutions Center; a regional population of 2.3 million with a labor force of 1.2 million; and a competitive property tax rate of $0.591.
You can learn more about Harnett County’s Economic Development strategic focus in this July 2025 blog post.
State and Regional Economic Development Perspectives
Katy Parker, Director of Project Management and Support at the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC), shared the state-level perspective on partnering with Harnett County, emphasizing the importance of investing in the development of market-ready buildings and sites for companies considering North Carolina.
Loren Hill, Regional Economic Development Director with the NC Carolina Core, and Ryan Combs, Executive Director of the Research Triangle Regional Partnership (RTRP), each provided their insights from a regional perspective, emphasizing how continued partnerships across counties will help market our regions, attract investment, and drive job growth in Harnett County - both nationally and internationally.
Retail Opportunities & Market Insights
Two years ago, Harnett County began a partnership with Retail Strategies to identify potential retail sites and attract national brands and top-tier shopping center anchors. Joshua Davis, Portfolio Director with Retail Strategies, outlined how this partnership is shaping retail opportunities across the County, walking attendees through each stage of the process.
Partner Panel: Industrial Growth & Why Harnett County
Brian Hall, President of Real Estate for Samet Corporation, and Chris Norvell, Principal of Edgewater Ventures, participated in a moderated panel highlighting their industrial investments in Harnett County.
Samet recently broke ground on Building One at Harnett 95 Industrial Center (Harnett 95), a 175,500-square-foot speculative industrial building on nearly 15 acres in Dunn, with delivery anticipated in Q3 2026.
Edgewater Ventures’ MidPort 95, a 139-acre Class A+ industrial development located on I-95 in Dunn, is designed to accommodate up to 1,343,880 square feet of industrial space.
Both panelists shared why they chose to invest in Harnett County, offered critical advice on how communities can be more business-friendly, and provided guidance to county and municipal staff and elected leadership on supporting private-sector growth.
Closing: HEDC’s Jobs Campaign
To close the program, Jeff Whittington, President & CEO of First Federal Bank and Vice Chair of the HEDC, shared an overview of the Harnett County Jobs Campaign, an HEDC-led initiative focused on product development activities that spur private sector investment.
The goal of the Harnett County Jobs Campaign is to create 1,000 new jobs by the end of 2030, driven by job announcements at or above 125% of the County’s average wage from new and expanding companies, along with continued private-sector development and investment. Jeff emphasized why this work matters: to help retain more talent in Harnett County through strong job creation and bringing ready industrial sites and buildings to the market across the County. To date, the HEDC has raised $138,500 in support of this effort.
Thank you
A special thank you to HEDC and Campbell University for co-hosting this inaugural event. Collaboration is fueling growth and opportunity across Harnett County, and we are just getting started.
Help keep the momentum going! Stay connected and up to date with economic development in Harnett County at harnettedc.org.