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Each year, the Charlotte Regional Partnership recognizes one public- and one private-sector individual or organization that has made a significant and ongoing impact on our regional economy. This year, we are honoring Belk, Inc. as the 2012 private-sector Jerry Award recipient, and five regional workforce development boards are being honored together with the public-sector award. They are Charlotte Works; the Gaston Workforce Development Board; Region C Workforce Development Board, which includes Cleveland County; Pee Dee Workforce Investment Board, which includes Chesterfield County; and the Centralina Workforce Development Board, which includes Anson, Cabarrus, Iredell, Lincoln, Rowan, Stanly and Union counties.

Please join us in congratulating Belk, Charlotte Works and the Gaston, Region C, Pee Dee and Centralina workforce development boards for putting people to work and making our region’s economy stronger.


Belk, Inc.
Private Sector 

For nearly 125 years, Belk has put people to work and contributed to the betterment of the communities it serves. Growing from one store in Monroe to 303 stores in 16 states, Belk, Inc. has had, and continues to have, a significant and growing impact on our regional economy. The privately held company employs more than 900 in its Charlotte corporate headquarters, 30 full-time and 150 contract employees at its Pineville eCommerce fulfillment center, and about 1,600 full- and part-time associates in its 17 regional stores. Additionally, Belk provides jobs indirectly by hiring local landscaping, advertising/PR, food and beverage companies, and many other service providers. But Belk contributes to our community in another important way. Each year, the company returns 2.5 percent of its pretax income to nonprofit organizations across its footprint. In 2010, the company and its employees contributed over $1 million to Charlotte region charities, and Belk’s Charity Sale days raise more than $300,000 annually for Charlotte-area nonprofits. As the new title sponsor of the Charlotte Collegiate Football’s championship tournament, Belk helped generate positive national exposure for Charlotte. The 2011 Belk Bowl attracted both media attention and thousands of visitors who patronized local businesses, substantially impacting our economy.

Centralina Workforce Development Board*
Charlotte Works
Gaston Workforce Development Board
Region C Workforce Development Board*
Pee Dee Workforce Investment Board*
Public Sector

Creating jobs is our country’s number one priority. With the wealth of regional assets, the 16-county Charlotte area already has a leg up on the competition. We have what it takes for companies to consider the region; a skilled and talented workforce gets them to stay. With these companies as their customers, Charlotte Works and the Centralina, Gaston, Pee Dee and Region C workforce development boards partner with educational institutions, community organizations and the workers themselves to ensure that our labor pool has the skills that employers and our region need to be the location of choice. These workforce development boards listen to their customers both to keep current employees’ skills up-to-date and to direct the unemployed to the training they need to take advantage of new opportunities in high tech companies in growing industries, such as energy, biotech and aerospace. Additionally, the workforce development boards provide local residents with assistance in transitioning to new jobs and help companies find skilled workers for key positions. As part of the Competitive Workforce Alliance, these organizations are driving solutions to workforce and business issues in the Charlotte region.
Register for Charlotte Regional Partnership 2011 Annual Awards Luncheon in Charlotte, NC on Eventbrite
* Centralina includes Anson, Cabarrus, Iredell, Lincoln, Rowan, Stanly and Union counties. Region C includes Cleveland County. Pee Dee includes Chesterfield County.