Ranked in the top 10 of Forbes’ recession proof cities, Charlotte is the second largest financial center in the U.S., behind only New York City. The Charlotte market boasts more than $2 trillion in assets and two of the nation’s largest banks, Wachovia and Bank of America, are headquartered there. This high concentration of financial assets enables Charlotte to provide a plethora of financing, investing and corporate banking resources to its businesses.
• Charlotte is the center of the nation’s fifth largest urban region.
• Money Magazine ranked Charlotte eighth on its list of the “100 best places to live.”
• The Charlotte-metro area is also a major force in manufacturing, education, transportation and distribution, international business, and utilities.
• The Charlotte-Metro area is home to 328 Fortune 500 facilities, including nine Fortune 500 headquarters, ranking it fifth in the number of headquartered firms in the U.S.
• Fortune 1000 companies headquartered in the Charlotte-Metro include Bank of America, Lowe’s, Wachovia, Corp., Duke Energy, Nucor, Sonic Automotive, Family Dollar, Goodrich Corp., SPX, Belk Inc., Ruddick Corp., Carlisle Cos Inc., Piedmont Natural Gas and Commscope.
Major Foreign Firms in the Charlotte-Metro area: Acetate LLC, Germany; Alcatel Cables & Components, France; AmeriSteel, Brazil; ASMO North Carolina Inc., Japan; Blyth Construction Inc., France; Celanese Clariant Corp., Switzerland; Continental Tire, Germany; Compass Group USA, Great Britain; Equitable, France; Food Lion Inc., Belgium; Freightliner LLC, Germany; Maersk Sealand, Denmark; Michelin Aircraft Tire Corporation, France; Pass & Seymour/Legrand, France; Royal & Sun Alliance USA, Great Britain; Siemens Westinghouse Power Corp., Germany; Stabilus, Germany; Vermont American Tool Co., Germany; Universal Manufacturing & Logistics, France.
Major Colleges and Universities in the Charlotte-Metro area: Art Institute of Charlotte, Davidson College, DeVry University: Charlotte, Central Piedmont Community College, Gaston College, Johnson & Wales University: Charlotte, Kings College, Johnson C. Smith University, Pfeiffer University, Queens University of Charlotte, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Wingate University.
UNC Charlotte Affiliated Research Institutions: Bioinformatics Research Center, Center for Applied Geographic Information Science, Center for Biomedical Engineering Systems, Center for Lean Logistics and Engineered Systems, Center for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education; Center for Optoelectronic and Optical Communications, Center for Precision Metrology, Center for Professional and Applied Ethics, Center for Real Estate, Center for Transportation Policy Studies, Charlotte Research Institute, Charlotte Visualization Center, eBusiness Technology Institute, Global Institute for Energy and Environmental Systems, Information Security and Assurance Center, Institute for Social Capital, NC Motorsports and Automotive Research Center, North Carolina Research Campus, Small Business and Technology Development Center, Urban Institute.
Major Employers: Adecco, Allen Tate Co Inc., Allstate Insurance Company, Alltel Communications, American Red Cross, AT&T North Carolina, Bank of America, BB&T, Belk Inc., BI-LO Food Stores, Bojangles Restaurant, Inc., Carolinas Healthcare System, Carolina Restaurant Group, Central Piedmont Community College, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Charlotte Pipe And Foundry Company, City of Charlotte, Coca-Cola Bottling Co Consolidated, Convergus Corp., Compass Group, CVS Pharmacies, Duke Energy, Eckerd/Rite Aid, Family Dollar Stores, Inc., Food Lion, Hewitt Associates, IBM Corp., Ingersoll-Rand Co, Kelly Services, Lance Inc., Maersk Inc., McDonalds, Mecklenburg County, Microsoft Corp., North Carolina State Government, Paramount's Carowinds, Presbyterian Healthcare/Regional Healthcare, Ruddick/Harris Teeter, Inc., Show Pros Entertainment Services of Charlotte Inc, Sprint/Nextel, Target Stores, The Charlotte Observer, The Vanguard Group Inc., TIAA-CREF, Time Warner Cable, United Parcel Service, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, US Airways, U.S. Government, Wachovia Corporation, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Weyerhaeuser, YMCA of Greater Charlotte.
Major Non-profits: Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, CFIDS Association of America, Foundation for the Carolinas, Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Central and Western North Carolina, National Kidney Foundation of North Carolina, National Multiple sclerosis Society: Mid-Atlantic Chapter, Push America, United Way of Central Carolinas, University Research Park, Inc.
Professional and Trade Associations: Better Business Bureau: Southern Piedmont/Charlotte, BIG Council, Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, Charlotte Regional Partnership, Council for Entrepreneurial Development, Council of State Retail Associations, Davidson County Home Builders Association, Entrepreneurial Council, Inc., Greater Charlotte Automobile Dealers Association, Home Builders Association of Gaston County Incorporated, Iredell County Home Builders Association, Lincoln County Home Builders Association, Metrolina, National Association of Women Business Owners: Charlotte, North Carolina Association of Educators/Rowan-Salisbury Association of Educators, The Accessories Resource Team.
