Raleigh Named One of Top 10 Cities for Growth Potential

Raleigh, NC, May 30, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Ken Atkins, executive director for Wake County Economic Development (WCED) (www.raleigh-wake.org), has announced that Raleigh was named one of the top 10 U.S. cities for growth potential by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. For its 2009 Best Cities list, the publication examined trends in population, unemployment, income and cost of living among U.S. cities that have “solid employment opportunities and the talent to create new, well-paying positions.” Analysts looked not only at the number of jobs, but also the quality of those positions and the ability of cities to hold on to them when the economy softens. Raleigh’s high ranking was based largely on an economic base created by North Carolina State University, Duke University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Research Triangle Park. For the complete Kiplinger story, visit www.kiplinger.com/magazine/archives/2009/07/best-cities-2009-where-the-jobs-are.html.

The top 10 cities on the list included: Huntsville, Ala.; Albuquerque, N.M.; Washington, D.C.; Charlottesville, Va.; Athens, Ga.; Olympia, Wash.; Madison, Wis.; Austin, Texas; Flagstaff, Ariz.; and Raleigh.

“We are honored to be recognized by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance as the 10th best place for growth potential,” Atkins said. “Raleigh is a great city with the strength to not only survive these hard economic times, but thrive as well.”

About Wake County Economic Development:
Wake County Economic Development (WCED), a program of the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, is the primary economic development organization for Wake County and its 12 municipalities. WCED hosts clients evaluating Wake County for possible facility locations each year and facilitates dozens of corporate expansions, resulting in new jobs and capital investment for Raleigh and Wake County. Services available to companies that are considering relocating or expanding in Wake County include economic and demographic research, site and building inventory searches, visitation itineraries, community tours, corporate executive and employee briefings, employee relocation assistance, and post-relocation services. In both 2002 and 2003, Site Selection magazine recognized WCED as one of the top ten economic development organizations in the United States. For more information about WCED, please visit www.raleigh-wake.org.

Patty Briguglio
MMI Associates, Inc.
(919) 233-6600
patty@mmimarketing.com
PR Firms Raleigh, NC

###