Tagged: Research Triangle Park

Research Triangle Park leaders have rolled out a new master plan to transform the business center into a more community-friendly atmosphere. 

Gurnal Scott: You may not realize that RTP has been around 53 years. Its foundation says it must look beyond its original vision of business innovation to grow in the next half century. CEO Bob Geolas says job growth is still a top priority.

The mood was a bit more up-beat at this year’s Economic Forecast Forum in Research Triangle Park.  In recent years, the gatherings have been more about the recession than the recovery.  But, yesterday’s annual forecast forum and luncheon brought out a mix of “optimism” and “reality” that seemed easier for state leaders in politics, banking and business to swallow.

Hundreds of people sipped on iced tea and nibbled on carrot cake as the speeches began  beginning with Governor Bev Perdue.

A data storage and development company in Research Triangle Park plans a major workforce expansion. 

Gurnal Scott: Governor Bev Pergue couldn't be happier about what NetApp is setting out to do.

Bev Perdue: Creating 460 new jobs and investing 75 million dollars for the next four years right here.

NetApp has a reputation nationally as one of the best places to work. Senior Vice President Denise Cox says that's mostly because they attract people motivated to succeed

Durham-based Quintiles has had a strong presence in China for 15 years. Now it is building a headquarters there to serve nearby Asian countries.

Leoneda Inge:  Quintiles is building a 14-million dollar regional headquarters in Shanghai. The bio-pharmaceutical services company that manages clinical trials already has a presence in Beijing and Hong Kong.  Phil Bridges is a spokesman for Quintiles.  He says it was time to significantly expand lab testing capabilities in China.
 

Business Leaders, economic developers and other stakeholders came out in the hundreds to hear yesterday’s State of the Research Triangle Region address.

Leoneda Inge: Charles Hayes is President and CEO of the Research Triangle Regional Partnership. He says in 2011 the region’s population grew by nearly two percent and wages grew by almost five-percent. But job growth is still slow. Hayes says since their economic plan was implemented in 2009 the 13 county region has added only 22,400 jobs.