THE CEO INTERVIEW www.ceotodaymagazine.com 22 The bigger your business, the more expensive things tend to be. That’s partly why industry giants and Fortune 500 newcomers alike keep bringing their business to the Raleigh Metro in North Carolina. Joining the many domestic owned-companies, more than 700 internationally-owned companies have also set up shop here. The ease of doing business in the Raleigh Metro is one of the most desirable traits of the state and attracts highquality companies and talent. The Raleigh Metro has a pro-business regulatory environment and a low cost of living, making the metro a competitive place to live and work. Business costs are 5% below the national average and North Carolina has a AAA bond rating, making it one of only 10 states to earn this rating. In 2022, CNBC ranked North Carolina the top state for business. A longtime contender, NC took the #2 spot last year before ascending to the #1 position. North Carolina climbed the ranks this year, in large part due to sizeable investments made in the Raleigh Metro from household names like Apple and life science giants like Amgen and FUJIFILMDiosynth Biotechnologies. Also contributing to the ranking is North Carolina’s hub for technology and innovation, the Research Triangle Park. “Advance Auto Parts proudly designated Raleigh, NC as its headquarters in 2018. We made this move to take advantage of the area’s strong labour market and its deep bench of information technology and software development talent,” said Tom Greco, President and CEO of Advance Auto Parts. “Our Raleigh-based team members play an integral role in developing best-inclass technology, eCommerce and digital platforms that are important to our future success, and with Research Triangle Park and several large universities in the area, we look forward to having a strong talent pipeline for years to come.” It All Adds Up: Growth in the Raleigh Metro The Raleigh Metro is one of the fastest-growing metros in the United States, recently ranked #10 by Business Facilities Magazine. The metro is growing by 64 people every day. Of those 64, 21 are born here and 43 move here. We are also one of the most popular locations for millennials with a projected net migration growth in ages 15-34 in the next five years of 15.4%, compared to the US average of 2.6%.
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