Aug. 29--HICKORY -- It's no secret that the state and region are going through tough economic times, but Gov. Bev Perdue made it clear Friday that she sees a bright future for Hickory and Catawba County.

She came to Hickory to address the N.C. Association of County Commissioners' annual meeting and took some time to address the current economic climate and this area's future.

She acknowledged the region has been hit hard by the departure of the bulk of area furniture manufacturing and the slowdown in the fiber optic industry, but said she has high hopes for its recovery.

Perdue said she has long admired the ability of people from the area to reinvent themselves and their industries to adjust to changing business climates.

Although she didn't have a specific prediction for how the Hickory Metro would recover, she did point to Maiden's new Apple data center as an example of the kind of positive change that could lead the region out of its doldrums.

"You're poised to come back and be dynamite," Perdue said. "There's nowhere in the world that could do it better than North Carolina."

Oil prices spiked about a year ago and they've been creeping back up. Perdue predicted that, if the trend continues, the increased cost of shipping and transportation of goods could reverse the migration of furniture manufacturing and send furniture work back to North Carolina.

She also praised the work the local school systems have done to stem the tide of high school dropouts and ensure an educated work force is in place as an additional draw for companies considering relocating to Catawba County.

Perdue singled out the Challenger School in recognition of a curriculum that allows high school students to take high school and college classes concurrently. That way, when the seniors graduate, they've earned their high school diplomas and a 2-year associate's degree.

"Every county in the state has been hit hard. We've never seen anything like this," she said in her address to the commissioners.

She said the latest unemployment numbers contained a glimmer of hope because the state rate had not increased and had increased a "teeny, teeny" bit in 59 of 100 counties.

"We will recover," Perdue said. "And as we do, we will do more with less and continue to tighten our belts."

She implored commissioners to contact her directly and let her aid them in creating jobs and bringing business to the counties they've been elected to represent.

"I will be your partner -- all you've got to do is pick up the phone and call me," she said. "You're the glue that holds North Carolina together."

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Copyright (c) 2009, Hickory Daily Record, N.C.

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