Wilkes EDC held its November 21st monthly board meeting at the Samaritan’s Purse Training Center, where board members, partners, and guests gathered to review key updates and hear from the Wilkes EDC.
As part of the agenda, Wilkes EDC staff shared several important updates, including the announcement of the Fall 2025 Entrepreneur Grant winners and marketing of the Blue Ridge Outpost in Business North Carolina’s 2026 Economic Development Guide, which highlighted Wilkes County’s marketing efforts and notable accolades. This includes ECMD and Window World being listed in North Carolina’s Largest Private Companies: $500 Million to $999 Million. Additional items were discussed as part of the Board’s monthly business.
The meeting also included an update from Ron Wilcox, Executive Advisor to the CEO and COO of Samaritan’s Purse and a Wilkes EDC board member. Ron shared the scope of Samaritan’s Purse’s continued growth in Wilkes County, now home to over 500 employees, up significantly in just a few years. He highlighted the organization’s expanded campus along N.C. 268 East, including the recently opened Dr. L. Nelson Bell Building, which houses world medical mission staff, equipment, and supplies. This department has grown to support up to six field hospitals and mobile clinics deployed across the United States and abroad.
Ron also shared insights into ongoing disaster relief and humanitarian responses worldwide. Recent deployments include major recovery efforts following Tropical Storm Helene in western North Carolina and extensive support in Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa, where Samaritan’s Purse teams established a field hospital, mobile clinics, and delivered vital supplies by air. The organization’s expanding aviation capacity, including the newly dedicated Boeing 767, continues to strengthen its ability to respond rapidly when crises arise.
The Board additionally heard from Dr. Mike Rodgers, President of Wilkes Community College, who provided an update on the local myFutureNC education attainment plan, outlining efforts to increase workforce readiness and educational outcomes across the county.
Following the meeting, guests were invited on a tour of the Samaritan Inn, a 27-room facility supporting staff and volunteers in training, as well as the Nelson Bell Building, offering a firsthand look at the mission-centered work taking place on campus.
Wilkes EDC extends its appreciation to Ron Wilcox and the Samaritan’s Purse team for hosting the November meeting, providing breakfast, and sharing their continued commitment to serving communities both locally and around the world.