C-100 to provide incentives to Spirit employees

In addition to the millions of dollars worth of incentives Spirit AeroSystems has received from the state, county and city, the company can also draw on another incentive from a local business development group.

The Lenoir Committee of 100, a nonprofit organization of business leaders, elected officials and citizens that funds economic development initiatives, has put together an incentive package to encourage Spirit employees to settle in Lenoir County.

"What we were trying to do was welcome them with open arms and give them an incentive to locate in Lenoir County," Ely Perry, C-100's past president, said Thursday.

Perry, who stepped down in early October after his two-year term ended, worked on the package with committee members in the local banking, legal, automotive and moving company sectors. The Kinston Country Club also helped with the package.

Spirit employees who buy houses in Lenoir County will receive discounts on services from participating providers. In addition, the first 20 employees who buy a house worth $200,000 or more receive $1,000 each for their moving expenses, Perry said.

"As a company, we certainly consider it a generous offer to be made to our employees," said Ken Evans, Spirit spokesman.

Evans said company officials were "very pleased" with the incentives offered by all local partners in North Carolina.

He said members of the executive team that will oversee Spirit's Kinston operation have been looking for housing in the community and are also introducing themselves to local businesspeople and citizens.

"They're getting to know their way around Eastern North Carolina," Evans said.

Spirit's main focus now is on getting its Global TransPark manufacturing plant built - construction began in September - and making sure all operating equipment is in place before the majority of employees are hired and trained in early 2010, he explained.

"We're in the early stages but things are going very well," Evans said.

Executives who have visited so far - such as North Carolina Site Operations Director Rick Davis, who spoke to the Evening Rotary Club on Tuesday - have urged people to be patient with the long process of getting the factory built and ready to make aircraft components.

Evans also noted that executives who have visited the region so far are giving it "glowing reviews, primarily focusing on the people of North Carolina and how welcoming everyone has been, and patient, in getting to know who we are and what we're about in terms of building the building and getting ready to ramp up manufacturing in 2010."

David Anderson can be reached at (252) 559-1077 or danderson@freedomenc.com.