Earlier today, Fayetteville State University hosted a special lunch visit with Tom Barkin, president and CEO of Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.
Prior to joining the branch in Richmond, Barkin was a senior partner and CFO at McKinsey & Company, a management consulting firm, where he oversaw its offices in the southern part of the United States.
He stepped into this position in 2018 and earned his Bachelor and Master of Business Administration and law degrees from Harvard University.
Barkin is passionate about engaging firsthand with business, civic and community leaders in the regions served by the Richmond Fed to gain insight into how they are faring.
“We are two years into a recovery now with COVID-19 and my job is to go to places and figure out what is happening economically in these areas that I visit,” stated Barkin. “We have seen many things due to COVID-19 and many of them we could not have predicted but we are on the upside of this.”
One of the main points talked about during the lunch was Fayetteville being the third lowest in North Carolina on the scale for growing in employment in the last 10 years and how future businesses coming to town will help the community.
The university leaders, local leaders, and business community representatives joined together to discuss the topic of “Employment and Economic Growth.”
In attendance at the lunch include Glenn Adams, chair of the Board of Trustees at FSU and chair county commissioner; Dr. Marvin Connelly, Jr., superintendent of Cumberland County Schools; Dr. Stanley T. Wearden, president of Methodist University; Scott Hamilton, president and CEO of Golden Leaf Foundation; Bo Biggs, board member of Golden LEAF Foundation; Brian Raynor, board member of Golden LEAF Foundation; Mitch Colvin, Mayor of Fayetteville; Robert Van Geons, Fayetteville Cumberland Economic Development Corporation; Elaina Ball, Fayetteville Public Works Commission; Representative John Szoka; Representative Diane Wheatley; Senator Kirk deViere; Gen. Arnold Gordon-Bray, Sr., Advisor for Military Affairs; and Dean Ulysses Taylor College of Business and Economics at FSU.
Clark, a retired surgeon and businessman, is a longtime supporter of Methodist University with deep roots in theFayetteville community. Clark is also well known for his dominance on the basketball court as a center for the University of North Carolin
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To do their part, the North Carolina Military Business Center is monitoring federal, state and local government contracting opportunities to support Western Carolina and inform the businesses that can assist with the recovery and rebuilding effort. P
