The Fayetteville community gathered together on Thursday, Aug. 29 for the return of the Greater Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce’s annual State of the Community event. The event provided a platform for some major organizations within the community to highlight growth, statistics and more happening in the community. 

Featured speakers included representatives from Methodist University, the Greater Fayetteville Chamber, the City of Fayetteville, Cape Fear Valley Health, Cumberland County Schools, Longleaf Pine Realtors and the Fayetteville Cumberland Economic Development Corporation.

Following lunch and an opportunity to network, Dr. Suzanne Blum Malley, provost at Methodist University, shared an update on the  Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine (SOM) coming soon to the Cape Fear Valley Health Campus. 

The SOM has been a collaborative effort between Cape Fear Valley Health and Methodist University and is set to begin recruitment efforts in July of 2025 and begin classes in July of 2026. (See more about the incoming SOM here and their recently announced leadership here.) 

Blum Malley also shared the latest news in education programs to be offered at Methodist University.

“Just yesterday (Aug. 28), we unveiled for the first time, a new and unique partnership to train Cape Fear Valley nurses to become expert educators of our nursing students in clinical education settings. In a partnership, there are always clinical education settings, but what we are doing to work collaboratively, to create a clinical setting for students in our nursing programs is truly unique. We also, are in the process of developing a certified registered nursing messages program, which we hope will help fulfill a deep need  for anesthesiology support in our health system and in the region,” shared Blum Malley.  (See more about that announcement here.) 

Following Blum Malley,  Greater Fayetteville Chamber President and CEO Nat Robertson and Chairman Brian Pearce shared some words about the progress and growth of the Chamber over the past year. 

“We have launched our Engage Magazine, we've created the Consumer Protection Division, which is our own business vetting mechanism, certifying businesses and protecting consumers from deceptive or unfair activities. That program has been endorsed by the State's Attorney General, the district attorney, local law enforcement and the chief judge. Your chamber has also created a way for the faith community to come together with the business community in our quarterly prayer breakfast, we have reinvented and stepped up the old oyster roast to the new Carolina Rockin’ Boil. That’s got oysters, barbecue and a low country boil coming in October,” shared Robertson. 

“Over the past year and a half, the Chamber has experienced tremendous growth,” shared Pearce. “Growth speaks not only for the receipts and determination of our business community, but also the incredible dedication of all of our members. I'm proud to announce that our membership has reached an 11 year high. That achievement is not just a number, it's a testament to the trust and value our members place in the chamber as your vital resource for advocacy, education and networking opportunities.” 

City of Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin took to the podium next to give an update on city operations and developments. After sharing a snapshot of Fayetteville in a new video (view here) highlighting the growth and developments in  FY 2024, Colvin shared his vision for the future to further that growth and keep the City moving forward. 

“We've come a long way. It is indeed, though, the urgency of now in determining where we go from here the next 25, or 50 years, as we move this community forward, forward thinking, long term thinking, visionary communities have taken their cities and their communities to the next level,” shared Mayor Colvin. “...No shade thrown to the past, but we know that there have been decisions that were made back then that have cost our community progress.” 

“...The fact of the matter is that we were named one of the fastest growing MSAs in the country, which includes Harnett, Cumberland and Hoke,” Colvin continued. “We know that infrastructure will lead the way. We know that you have areas that are primed for development if the infrastructure is granted. So today, as we look out at our partners at the Public Works commission and others, we have to find a way to lead with vision to bring infrastructure throughout our county so that we can experience the growth that we need.” 

Cape Fear Valley Health CEO Michael Nagowski spoke on the new additions coming to Cape Fear Valley Health including the soon to be complete building renovations (see here and recent progress here) which will bring 100 new beds to the Medical Center main building, the new hospice care facility (see here) and more. 

“Cape Fear Valley is an incredibly busy health system. Every single day, we have more than 600 patients in beds. We have the single busiest emergency department, not just in the state of North Carolina, but in the entire region, one of the busiest emergency departments in the nation. And that 100 bed expansion is really designed to do two things, one, to accept more of the patients that are being transferred to Cape Fear Valley, and the other thing that we really hope it will do is to help alleviate some of the wait times in our emergency department. You know, the emergency department, incredible people that work there on a daily basis, but until we can get a bed up on the floor available, we can't move out of the ED and that really results in some of our delays,” shared Nagowski. 

Following Nagowski, Dr. Marvin Connelly, superintendent of Cumberland County Schools was able to take time to thank supporters of the local school system. 

“Cumberland County Schools is making tremendous progress, aligned with our strategic plan, ensuring every student is prepared for success in college, careers and life. I’m proud to highlight the Class of 2024, where more than 3,500 graduates not only crossed the stage but are now poised to make their mark anywhere they choose—whether that’s Fayetteville State University, Princeton or countless other institutions across the country,” shared Connelly. “While we have much to be proud of, we also face significant challenges. Cumberland County Schools operates 86 schools, with 68 of them over 40 years old. We’re working closely with the county on a

comprehensive capital improvement plan to modernize our learning environments.

Included in highlights from the schools system: 

• Forty-five of CCS graduates earned their associate’s degrees from Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC) before even leaving high school, and many more earned valuable college credits.
• This year, CCS students earned 16,012 credentials, making us the second-highest earner in the state.
• The launch of SparkLab at Douglas Byrd High School is another testament to CCS’ commitment to innovation. (See more here.)
• For the fourth consecutive year, every CCS school received the N.C. Purple Star Award, highlighting their unwavering dedication to military-connected students.
• CCS’ focus on student well-being is stronger than ever, with the introduction of the Alongside mental health support app, providing 24/7 access to essential resources for students in grades 6-12.

“Nearly 50,000 students and 6,500 employees returned to our schools this week, and we’re off to a fantastic start to the new school year,” concluded Connelly. 

Other speakers included LongLeaf Pine Realtors President Megan Gerber who highlighted the current state of the housing market and the Fayetteville Cumberland Economic Development's President/ CEO Robert Van Geons hosting a Q& A session with Christopher Chung, CEO of the Economic Development Partnership of NC, who discussed the economic climate in Cumberland County compared to the state overall.