The mission of Sampson County Economic Development is to serve as a catalyst and resource for business development and growth in Sampson County. Building upon that mission, Sampson County Economic Development is excited to host a Sampson County Demographic Forecast Forum on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.

The goal of the Sampson County Demographic Forecast Forum is to bring Sampson County’s business and industry leaders, government officials and community stakeholders together to share information that will lead to a better understanding of the demographic changes that will impact Sampson County’s residents in the future and how to work for positive economic prosperity across Sampson County.

Two speakers, who are experts in their respective fields, will share current data regarding the demographic trends, challenges, and opportunities that face Sampson County, the region and state. 

“This information will allow us to initiate informed and focused conversations among community leaders on how to help Sampson County grow, prosper and meet the ever-changing needs of the community while working to increase the non-residential tax base, meet and enhance educational opportunities  and develop a skilled workforce that can help sustain a healthy and vibrant economy for Sampson County residents,” stated Chuck Spell, Vice Chair of the Sampson County Economic Development Advisory Board, in a press release.

Session I, “Business Alert: Gale Force Demographic Wind Gusts Ahead.” 

In this session, Dr. James Johnson will share data regarding seven powerful demographic trends, analogous to gale-force wind gusts in an adverse weather event, that constitute potentially powerful disruptors of business, commerce, and education in the years ahead. Four of the gale-force demographic disruptors—slowing total and foreign-born population growth, white population loss and declining fertility—have evolved over the past several decades. The remaining three—deaths of despair, involuntary retirements, and declining labor force participation—are rooted in recent crises that have created a major demographic depression in the United States. Failure to address these forces has enormous implications for workforce development, a prime driver of U.S. business competitiveness in an ever-changing and increasingly diverse global marketplace.

Session II, “Impact Investing as a Strategic Imperative.” 

The second session will be led by Jeanne Milliken Bonds. Paralleling an emergent trend in the world of business, public entities across the U.S. are increasingly embracing triple bottom line (people, planet, & prosperity) sustainability as an antidote to a host of social, economic, and

environmental challenges and leveraging diverse sources of capital to address challenges resulting from changing demographics, legacy community disinvestment, and climate change. These factors are contributing to growing income and wealth inequality, structurally changing the workforce, and stymieing economic growth in both urban and rural communities. Making matters worse, gentrification-induced economic and residential dislocations in many areas are creating major housing, employment and transportation problems for some long-term residents, including civil servants and teachers, who can no longer afford to live in such communities.

Session III, “Strategic Thinking about Demographic Disruptors and Mobilizing for Impact Investments.”

The third session will be led by Johnson and Bonds. They will guide attendees in a facilitated group discussion addressing how impact investing tools and resources can be leveraged to promote and advance economic development in Sampson County.

The Forum is made possible through the financial support of the following sponsors:

Star Communications, Duke Energy, Four County Electric Membership Corporation, 

South River EMC, and the North Carolina Southeast Partnership. The Clinton 100 Committee is the sponsor of the Registration & Networking session and luncheon.

Registration is now open. The event will be held at the Sampson County Exposition Center, 414 Warsaw Road, Clinton, NC, on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m., with the program kicking off at 8:30 a.m.

There is a registration fee is $40* per person. (*Plus, ticket processing fees.) Tickets

are currently on sale. The deadline to register is Thursday, March 6, 2025. Seating is limited.

To purchase tickets, visit: www.sampsonedc.com. For more information, contact Ray Jordan, Executive Director, Sampson County Economic Development, at rjordan@sampsonedc.com or 910-592-8921.