TBJ Economic Forecast Highlights N.C. A&T's Leadership in Triad Growth

The annual research-backed program hosted by TBJ seeks to provide data-driven insights from economists and business leaders, helping regional business owners and executives make informed decisions and navigate toward success in the year ahead. 

This year, the event featured Chancellor James R. Martin II as keynote speaker and an expert panel including Alfredo Romero, Ph.D., interim chair of the Department of Economics and professor in the Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics. 

Martin, an accomplished civil engineer, led engineering and STEM initiatives at three large public universities before becoming chancellor of the nation’s largest historically Black university in June. He said he expects N.C. A&T to navigate and adapt to emerging technologies while positioning students as both leaders in innovation and the knowledge economy. 

He said the university will maintain its competitive edge and equip students to excel across all sectors of industry by adopting a global perspective, creating an exponential university and remaining future-focused. 

Martin believes this will be achieved through diversified research, human-centered technology practices, strategic partnerships, and the sharing of research and advancements with both the local and global community. Through these objectives, he envisions A&T students leading the way into a new frontier with access to cutting-edge technology and necessary human-centric skills. 

"Our students are great at having resilience, grit, confidence, communication, the ability to solve problems, to bring people together,” Martin said. “That is the skill that I’m talking about in this relationship economy. We’re already set to do that. That’s what we’re building at A&T.” 

Based on economic data and analyses of the region, the panelists said the Triad is poised for success in the current political and socioeconomic landscapes. With a focus on East Greensboro, they see opportunities for growth in the labor market in sectors of artificial intelligence, biotechnology, precision medicine, advanced manufacturing and systems development. 

Romero, an internationally recognized economist who returned the A&T after a year serving on the U.S. Congressional Joint Economic Committee, based his forecast on both his extensive research and personal experience. 

“We saw the renaissance of the area happening when we were living here, enjoying the benefits of the loop now and things like that,” Romero said. “I expect great things to continue happening in the city because it's just a great place to have a job, it’s a great place to raise a family and it’s affordable.” 

With new industries moving into the Triad, such as the Toyota battery manufacturing plant in Liberty, Romero also expects the increase in the labor force to directly contribute to the increase of education levels, highlighting Martin’s commitment to fostering a higher learning model at A&T that promotes lifelong learning, beyond the typical college years.