Our Region
ARCFI is approved as a Designated Regional Center for the entirety of the states of North Carolina and South Carolina. Located along the southern portion of the United States’ Atlantic Coast, the states of North and South Carolina contain a combined population of just over 15,000,000 and boast a diverse and expanding economy. Once driven by farming, textile manufacturing and furniture production, this region’s economy has transformed to include technology, medicine, finance, engineering and tourism.
Charlotte, NC has firmly established itself as the second largest banking center in the United States, and is home to both the global headquarters of Bank of America and the east coast operational headquarters for Wells Fargo. The Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina is home to Research Triangle Park, the largest research and science park in the United States and home to over 170 companies and governmental agencies. The region is consistently ranked among the top places to conduct business, and CNBC recently singled out North Carolina as the fourth best state in the nation for business in 2012. For further information on the business climate in each state, please visit: www.commerce.nc.gov and www.sccommerce.com.
World-renowned colleges and universities provide a fertile talent pool for the business community and exposure on an international level. Duke University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Wake Forest University, Davidson College, Clemson University, the University of South Carolina and NC State University are only a few of the prestigious institutions that call this region home. And with over 500 miles of coastline, beautiful mountain ranges, temperate climate, thousands of golf courses, and countless outdoor activities, the states of North and South Carolina are popular tourist destinations and provide their residents with an exceptional quality of life. For more information on recreational and tourist activities, please visit: www.discoversouthcarolina.com and www.visitnc.com.