Rural Economic Development Institute (REDI)
The NC Rural Center undertakes a number of efforts to ensure that rural communities are equipped with skilled, committed, and informed leaders.
Since its inception, the NC Rural Center has recognized the vital importance of local leadership to the success of our state’s rural areas. The Center’s flagship leadership program, the Rural Economic Development Institute (REDI), has trained nearly 1,200 rural leaders. REDI offers participants collaborative leadership skills and rural development strategies to help them return home and make meaningful impact in their communities. In addition, graduates of the program become part of a larger alumni network of leaders. They also have the opportunity to participate in advanced training and continuing education. Each year REDI welcomes local, state, and federal government staff, nonprofit and faith-based leaders, business owners, elected officials, economic development professionals, and other community-minded people for nine days of intensive rural community economic development training.
REDI Graduation 2021
“REDI has been an amazing experience. I am more confident in my knowledge of what rural areas in our state need as well as what they have to offer. I have made lasting connections and a network of support as I move through my career.”
Presenting Sponsor:
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.98 trillion in assets. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, investment, and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance, through 7,400 locations, more than 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com), and mobile banking, and has offices in 31 countries and territories to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 263,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 30 on Fortune’s 2020 rankings of America’s largest corporations. News, insights, and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories.
Gold Sponsor:
Jordan Lumber is a family company that is 82 years young. Our company was founded in 1939 by RB Jordan, Jr. We now have 4th generation family members active in our companies. We have been named the third largest independent lumber producer in the Southeastern United States by Timber Mart South. We are FSC certified on all of our lands and at 4 forest products facilities. We practice complete sustainable forestry and have a timberlands base of over 70,000+ acres, most within a 50 mile radius. We have planted over 19 million trees over the past 20 years. We manufacture a very diverse product mix. Our products include high quality dimensional products, pallet parts, fencing parts and moulded products.
Scholarship Sponsors:
First National Bank
United Community Bank
Want to learn more?
Contact Bronwyn Lucas,
Senior Director of Leadership & Engagement
blucas@ncruralcenter.org