Weston Seegars is president of Seegars Fence Company in Goldsboro, the state's largest fence seller. The company has eight offices throughout the eastern part of the state and installs over one million feet of fence yearly.
The manufacturing industry provides over thirty percent of the gross state product and twenty-five percent of its jobs. Textiles rank first, followed by furniture, industrial machinery, electronics, food, apparel, and chemicals.
In November, 1997, the Cherokee Indians will open a gambling casino in Cherokee, the county seat of Swain County. It will employ over 1,100 people with an annual payroll of $29 million. Revenues will fund tribal programs and help the region's economy.
The N.C. Teaching Fellows Program is marking its tenth anniversary. The program recruits top high school graduates for teaching programs and provides a $5,000 scholarship a year to qualifiers. To date, 1,290 fellows are teaching in 91 counties.
Southeastern North Carolina's thriving movie industry, which is based in Wilmington, contributes approximately twelve percent of the local economy. To date, 128 features, mini-series, and movies of the week have been produced.
The Lower Cape Fear's tourist attractions, including Wilmington, the movie industry, and Battleship North Carolina, contribute millions to the region's economy. For example, tourism spending in New Hanover in 1996 was over $235 million.
With strong tourism and shipping-based industries, in addition to manufacturing and movie production studios, Wilmington is a major contributor to the economy of the southern coastal region.