Secure Your spot at Johnston County’s Premier 8th-Grade Career Expo!
SMITHFIELD, NC — Secure your spot at Johnston County’s premier 8th-grade career expo! Featured on WRAL, JOCO WORKS WOW (November 5–6, 2026) is an immersive experience where students explore career paths through hands-on activities with local employers. Led by the JOCO WORKS Collaborative, with the Triangle East Chamber of Commerce at the helm, this initiative directly helps build the local workforce pipeline. Participating businesses gain massive reach, connecting with more than 3,000 students over the
Triangle East Chamber Congratulates Carolina Packers and Bright Leaf Hot Dogs on National Southern Living Feature
The Triangle East Chamber of Commerce proudly congratulates Carolina Packers and its iconic Bright Leaf Hot Dogs on being featured in a recent article by Southern Living highlighting the story behind North Carolina’s beloved red hot dogs. The article celebrates Bright Leaf’s 85 years of tradition, community impact, and deep roots in Johnston County and Eastern North Carolina. As a longtime Johnston County manufacturer and community partner, Carolina Packers has helped put our region on the map through
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Triangle East Chamber of Commerce Honors 2025 Legacy Award Recipients and Nominees
SMITHFIELD, NC – The Triangle East Chamber of Commerce proudly celebrated its 2025 Legacy Awards on May 19, 2026. The event recognized exceptional leaders, businesses, and community advocates whose dedication and service continue to shape and strengthen the Triangle East region. As one of the Chamber’s most significant annual traditions, the Legacy Awards honor individuals who invest their time, talent, leadership, and resources into making Triangle East a premier destination to live, work, and grow.
Triangle East Chamber of Commerce Statement of Support for Baseball Stadium
Smithfield, NC - The Triangle East Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has thoughtfully reviewed and discussed the potential economic and business impact for Johnston County associated with the Smithfield Tobs Baseball Organization and the opportunity to develop a new stadium in Smithfield. Based on this evaluation, the Chamber offers its strong support for the Town of Smithfield’s investment in this project. The Board’s discussion affirmed that a modern baseball venue represents a strategic
Johnston Co. Business Leaders Confront Region’s $99.4 Million Child Care Crisis at Summit
ExCEL NC coalition deems child care “essential economic infrastructure” SMITHFIELD, N.C. (May 14, 2026) – Business leaders convened by the Johnston County Coalition of Chambers and ExCEL NC coalition this week warned that North Carolina’s child care crisis is hobbling workforce participation and slowing economic growth – costing the state $5.6 billion annually and the local region $99.4 million. The leaders also proposed data-driven solutions. During the Child Care Economic Summit hosted at the Johnston
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Triangle East Chamber Launches Business Resilience Program with Duke Energy
Triangle East Chamber Launches Business Resilience Program with Duke Energy Grant to Help Local Businesses Prepare for DisastersSmithfield, NC (April 2026) – The Triangle East Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Johnston Community College Small Business Center, is proud to announce the launch of the Johnston County Business Resilience Program, a three-part workshop series designed to help local businesses prepare for, respond to, and recover from unexpected disruptions. Funded through a grant
Customer Engagement Strategies Every Johnston County Small Business Should Know
Effective customer engagement means consistently showing up for your customers in ways that make them feel heard, valued, and connected to your business — not just at the point of sale, but before and after. For small businesses in Johnston County, where community trust and word-of-mouth carry real weight, strong engagement isn't just good practice: it's a competitive advantage. Research cited by Textellent shows that acquiring a new customer costs far more than retaining an existing one — up to 25 times
When Your Johnston County Business Hits a Financial Wall, Start Here
When a business faces financial distress, the fastest path back to stability starts with a clear-eyed look at the numbers — not a reflexive cut across the board. Most turnarounds follow the same sequence: identify the critical issues, reduce the burn, renegotiate what you can, and keep your team together long enough to recover. For Johnston County's 568+ chamber member businesses, those steps are real and achievable — but the order matters more than most owners expect.Read the Numbers Before You Act The
Small Budget, Big Turnout: Event Promotion Strategies for Dunn-Area Business Owners
Promoting a local event doesn't require a large marketing budget — the most effective channels are either free or nearly free, and the results can be substantial. Even though budget tops the challenge list for nearly one in three U.S. event organizers, 76% of them still planned to host more events that same year. For small businesses in Dunn, where relationships drive commerce and community turnout matters, strategy wins over spend every time.Start With a Written Plan Before you post anything or send a
Scaling Smart: How Small Businesses Can Manage Sudden Growth Without Losing Focus
When growth hits hard and fast, control becomes the first casualty. Whether you’re a local café that’s suddenly gone viral or a SaaS startup adding hundreds of new clients a month, scaling without structure can turn success into chaos. The key isn’t just growing faster — it’s growing in formation. TL;DR Rapid growth strains finances, team systems, and customer experience. Build scalable structures early — finance controls, team frameworks, and data visibility tools. Focus on governance
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Triangle East Chamber Names First Talent and Leadership Development Manager
Smithfield, NC – The Triangle East Chamber of Commerce has taken a major step forward in its five-year Triangle East Prospers initiative, appointing BriAnna Walker as the region’s first-ever Talent and Leadership Development Manager. The new role marks a significant investment in tackling one of Johnston County’s most pressing challenges: building a skilled workforce. Currently, 63 percent of area employers report difficulty finding workers with essential skills. Walker will lead the charge in developing,
Cracking the Code: How to Turn Local Intel into Business Strategy
You’re sitting on a goldmine and don’t even know it. Right outside your storefront, in the coffee shops and laundromats and food trucks humming a block away, are patterns, habits, and whispers that—if read right—can tell you exactly what your next move should be. Strategy isn’t just spreadsheets and quarterly forecasts, it’s how well you can read the room, especially when the room is your zip code. It’s not glamorous, but that’s the point. What works in Midtown won’t fly in Midtown South, and your biggest
Triangle East Chamber Announces Legacy Awards Celebration
Award Recipients to Be Honored on June 14th, 2022 SMITHFIELD, NORTH CAROLINA, May 5, 2022— The Triangle East Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce their first annual Legacy Awards celebration, an evening dedicated to honoring leaders who are investing their time, talent, and resources to impact our community. Four distinguished awards will be presented: the Lifetime Achievement Award, the Citizen of the Year Award, the Jimmy Creech Small Businessperson of the Year Award, and the Emerging Leader
LEADERSHIP JOHNSTON LAUNCHES CLASS OF 2022
SMITHFIELD, NORTH CAROLINA, January 15, 2022— A fully engaged Leadership Johnston program returns to Johnston County this year! The eleven-month program is designed for those who want to learn more about the county while developing and refining leadership skills. Through a variety of personal growth opportunities, individuals will gain a more in-depth understanding of the many facets of Johnston County, build crisis leadership and change management skills, and learn the skills necessary for effectively
Kelly Wallace Selected for U.S. Chamber Foundation Education and Workforce Fellowship Program
Fellowship Provides State and Local Business Leaders with Opportunities toEngage Nationally on Critical Education and Workforce Issues WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation today announced Kelly Wallace, Vice President & COO of the Triangle East Chamber of Commerce was selected to participate in the fifth cohort of its premiere business leadership program. The Business Leads Fellowship Program trains and equips leaders from state and local chambers of commerce, economic development
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Smithfield-Selma Chamber honors distinguished citizens at Annual Meeting
SMITHFIELD, North Carolina — The Greater Smithfield-Selma Area Chamber of Commerce culminated its 2016 year at its 47th Annual Meeting with a farewell bid to its President of 30 years, Rick Childrey; recognitions of members who earned special honors; and, a passing of the gavel from 2016 Board Chair Dr. Dwight Morris, Executive Director of the Johnston County Partnership for Children, to 2017 Board Chair Corina Knott, Senior Account Executive with Interstate Outdoor, Inc. Knott expressed excitement
