tag:www.wncbusiness.com,2005:/categories/recognitions-awardsAwards & Recognitions | WNC Business Connect | Inform | Inspire2024-03-27T15:16:09-04:00urn:uuid:b50d8efc-e787-4f7c-81a5-77b03e994be72024-03-27T15:16:05-04:002024-03-27T15:16:09-04:00Mission Hospital named 2024 Patient Safety Excellence Award™ Recipient by Healthgrades2024-03-27 15:16:04 -0400WNC Business<span><p>ASHEVILLE – Mission Hospital has been recognized as a 2024 Patient Safety Excellence Award™ recipient by <a href="https://www.healthgrades.com/">Healthgrades</a>, a consumers resource for finding a hospital or doctor. This achievement, along with Mission Hospital’s accomplishments as American's 50 Best Hospitals from 2020 through 2024 from Healthgrades, reflects Mission's commitment to delivering safe, high quality care. </p><p>Healthgrades evaluated risk-adjusted complication and mortality rates for approximately 4,500 hospitals nationwide to determine this year’s top-performing hospitals for patient safety. During the 2020-2022 study period, nearly 170,000 potentially preventable safety events occurred among Medicare patients in US hospitals, with four patient safety indicators accounting for close to 75% of these incidents.* Healthgrades’ analysis revealed that patients treated in hospitals receiving the 2024 Patient Safety Excellence Award have a significantly lower chance of experiencing one of the four leading safety indicators than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals: </p><ul><li><p>In-hospital fall resulting in fracture (approximately 52% less likely)</p></li><li><p>Collapsed lung due to a procedure or surgery in or around the chest (approximately 56% less likely)</p></li><li><p>Pressure sores or bed sores acquired in the hospital (approximately 67% less likely)</p></li><li><p>Catheter-related bloodstream infections acquired in the hospital (approximately 71% less likely)</p></li></ul><p>*Statistics are calculated from Healthgrades Patient Safety Ratings and Excellence Award methodology which is based primarily on AHRQ technical specifications (Version 2023.0.1) to MedPAR data from approximately 4,500 hospitals for years 2020 through 2022 and represent three-year estimates for Medicare patients only.</p><p><b><i>About Mission Hospital:</i></b><br><i>Mission Hospital, located in Asheville, North Carolina, serves as the regional tertiary and quaternary care center in Western North Carolina and the adjoining region. Mission Hospital is licensed for 853 beds and is the region’s only Level II trauma center, comprehensive stroke center, Level III neonatal intensive care unit, and includes the only children’s hospital in Western North Carolina. Mission Hospital is also a Magnet® designated hospital for nursing excellence. For more information, please visit M</i><a><i>issionHealth.org</i></a><i> or </i><a href="https://twitter.com/MissionHealthNC"><i>@MissionHealthNC</i></a><i>.</i></p><b><i>About Healthgrades:</i></b><br><a href="http://www.healthgrades.com/"><i>Healthgrades</i></a><i> is dedicated to empowering stronger and more meaningful connections between patients and their healthcare providers. As a leading platform for finding a doctor and a leader in healthcare transparency, Healthgrades helps millions of consumers each month find and schedule appointments with their healthcare professional of choice and prepare for their appointments with best-in-class, treatment-focused content.</i><br><br><i>Source: Mission Hospital</i><br><div><br></div></span><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.wncbusiness.com">WNC Business</a></small></p>urn:uuid:58d46560-f529-42c1-89af-eb15759602162024-03-22T09:56:59-04:002024-03-22T09:57:03-04:002024 ATHENA Leadership Award nominees announced2024-03-22 09:56:58 -0400WNC Business<p>Facilitated by the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce, the ATHENA Leadership Award in Henderson County is presented at the Professional Women’s Luncheon each May to an exemplary leader who has achieved excellence in their business or profession, served the community in a meaningful way, and actively assisted women to achieve their full leadership potential.</p><p>The 2024 ATHENA Leadership Award nominees include: </p><ul><li><b>Anna Conner</b>, Nominated by Lauren Wilkie</li><li><b>Brett Hulsey</b>, Nominated by Anonymous Community Member</li><li><b>Corrine Illes</b>, Nominated by Jen McDonald</li><li><b>Elizabeth Willson Moss</b>, Nominated by Sharon Tirrell</li><li><b>Gale Hoots</b>, Nominated by Marcia Cunningham</li><li><b>Gloria "Glo" Nock</b>, Nominated by Julie Huneycutt and Morgan Grindstaff</li><li><b>Jennifer Balkcom</b>, Nominated by Melanie Fridal</li><li><b>Michelle Cervantez</b>, Nominated by Amy Cervantez</li><li><b>Peggy Allen</b>, Nominated by Harriett Hilton and Julie Huneycutt</li><li><b>Sonya Jones</b>, Nominated by Leslie Carey</li></ul><p>These nominees are individuals who actively support the ATHENA Mission of supporting, developing, and honoring women leaders as well as inspiring women to achieve their full potential. They should demonstrate excellence in their business or profession, provide valuable service to improve the quality of life for others in their community, and they must also live or work in Henderson County.</p><p>Brett Hulsey is the first male nominated in the 17 years Henderson County has been hosting ATHENA Award events.</p><p>Founded in 1982 by Martha Mayhood, ATHENA International is a women’s leadership organization that supports, develops, and honors women leaders through the programs it administers. ATHENA’s flagship program, the ATHENA Leadership Award, has honored about 8,000 women leaders from 48 states and 11 countries since its inception.</p><p>Vanessa Y. Mintz brought the ATHENA Leadership Award to Henderson County in 2008. She embodied the values underlying ATHENA International's philosophy of incorporating the talent and expertise of women into the leadership of our businesses, communities, and government.</p><p>Award nominees are recognized for their professional excellence, community service, and actively assisting women in their attainment of professional excellence and leadership skills. Anyone can obtain a nomination form from the Henderson County Chamber’s website or an ATHENA Committee member.</p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.wncbusiness.com">WNC Business</a></small></p>urn:uuid:42826d79-1b9b-4865-bbda-260c239b6e892024-03-21T20:35:31-04:002024-03-21T20:35:36-04:00Alison Garrett named CTE Teacher of the Year2024-03-21 20:35:31 -0400WNC Business<span><p>HENDERSONVILLE — Henderson County Public Schools announced Alison Garrett, the dynamic Marketing teacher at West Henderson High School, as the district’s North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching’s Career and Technical Education Teacher of the Year. </p><p>Garrett's unparalleled dedication and innovative approach to education have distinguished her as a true "force of nature" within the educational community. Since joining West Henderson High School's faculty two years ago, Garrett has propelled the Falcon marketing program to new heights, demonstrating exceptional leadership and commitment to student success. </p><p>Expressing her gratitude, Garrett stated, "I am truly humbled by this award. I work with the most outstanding educators, and to be recognized among them is an honor. Together, we strive to provide the best possible opportunities for our students, and I am grateful to be a part of such a supportive and inspiring team." <br></p><p></p><p>In addition to her work with DECA, Garrett is credited with initiating the service learning event, the Mr. WHHS pageant, which has become a beloved tradition at the school. This event not only showcases the talents of West Henderson students but also fosters a sense of community and philanthropy within the school. At the November 2023 pageant, DECA raised over $21,000 to support HCPS families facing adversity. </p><div><span>Furthermore, Garrett's commitment to mentorship extends beyond her classroom. She actively mentors a younger CTE teacher, sharing her expertise and fostering professional growth within the department.<br><br> </span><span>NCCAT’s CTE Teacher of the Year program offers district-level nominees the opportunity to engage in professional development through NCCAT in Cullowhee, where Garrett will be competing alongside teachers from other districts for the honor of NCCAT CTE Teacher of the<span> Year. <br></span></span><br><i>Source: Henderson County Public Schools</i></div></span><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.wncbusiness.com">WNC Business</a></small></p>urn:uuid:73fc6530-9b2f-4add-a791-328622febd492024-03-13T18:45:07-04:002024-03-13T18:45:11-04:00Semper Fi Custom Remodeling recognized by NCHBA 2024-03-13 18:45:06 -0400WNC BusinessSemper Fi Custom Remodeling of Black Mountain received the National Association of Home Builders award at the recent <span>NAHB Remodeling Awards celebration.<br><br></span><span>The Asheville builder won in the category of Entire Home Renovation - Aging In Place for Bowen Aging in Place, Montreat. This was first place for best whole home CAPS renovation in the nation. <br><br>This </span>honor reflects Semper Fi's dedication to providing top-quality home remodeling services in North Carolina. <br><br><i>Source: Semper Fi Custom Remodeling</i><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.wncbusiness.com">WNC Business</a></small></p>urn:uuid:72463443-614d-4afc-959e-a59676aff1fc2024-03-11T19:25:31-04:002024-03-11T19:25:36-04:00Caldwell Chamber announces award recipients2024-03-11 19:25:30 -0400WNC BusinessCaldwell Chamber of Commerce recently hosted their Annual Dinner and Awards ceremony, recognizing several outstanding individuals and businesses from Caldwell County.<br><br><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn3.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/1102175/fill/700x0/unnamed_20_94_.jpg?timestamp=1710199058"></div><p>2024 Torch Bearer Awards: Ashli Kemo (received by Ben Kaufman), Leslie Gray, Jim Engleman Sr., Donald Duncan Jr., and Bill Parrish</p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/1102176/fill/700x0/unnamed_20_95_.jpg?timestamp=1710199110"></div><p> 2024 Non-Profit of the Year: Sadie and J.E. Broyhill, Caldwell County Senior Center</p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn3.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/1102177/fill/700x0/unnamed_20_96_.jpg?timestamp=1710199170"></div><div><table><tbody><tr><td class="wysiwyg-text-align-center"><table><tbody><tr><td class="wysiwyg-text-align-left"><p>2024 Outstanding Business Woman of the Year: Kathryn Woods, Heritage Valley Farm</p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/1102178/fill/700x0/unnamed_20_97_.jpg?timestamp=1710199260"></div><p> 2024 Community Impact Award: UNC Health Caldwell</p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn3.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/1102179/fill/700x0/unnamed_20_98_.jpg?timestamp=1710199307"></div><p> 2024 Small Business of the Year: Happy Valley Filling Station</p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn3.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/1102180/fill/700x0/unnamed_20_99_.jpg?timestamp=1710199351"></div><p> 2024 Visionary Award: Cathy Swanson</p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn3.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/1102181/fill/700x0/unnamed_20_100_.jpg?timestamp=1710199391"></div><p> 2024 Female Dysart: Jennie Deal</p><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/1102182/fill/700x0/unnamed_20-_202024-03-11T192402.807.jpg?timestamp=1710199470"></div><p> 2024 Male Dysart: Skip Downs</p><p><br></p><p><i>Source: Caldwell Chamber of Commerce</i></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><br></div><table><tbody><tr><td class="wysiwyg-text-align-center"><table><tbody><tr><td class="wysiwyg-text-align-center"><table><tbody><tr><td class="wysiwyg-text-align-center"><img width="5" alt="" src="https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/meips/ADKq_NbYco5TDl68n7kjjOH7U0EBgq6saBflvwCphxSGYnu0eMitij3D8cEjOfTeSVAjKE6d4WBQh44faB_zqtDlcUMwjUjyXKcC7wvN-Elf8cBcTs-tg12RajEkju8=s0-d-e1-ft#https://imgssl.constantcontact.com/letters/images/1101116784221/S.gif" height="1"></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><br><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.wncbusiness.com">WNC Business</a></small></p>urn:uuid:11778d91-eb12-42a2-b3fd-3e0d7c142de12024-03-04T19:42:47-05:002024-03-04T19:42:51-05:00Mission Hospital awarded 3-star rating from STS2024-03-04 19:42:46 -0500WNC Business<span><p>Mission Hospital has earned a three-star rating from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons for its patient care and outcomes in aortic valve replacement combined with coronary artery bypass grafting. Additionally, Mission Hospital also earned this distinguished three-star rating from STS for its patient care and outcomes in isolated coronary artery bypass grafting procedures and Lobectomy for Lung Cancer.</p><p>The three-star rating, which denotes the highest category of quality, places Mission Hospital among the elite for AVR., CABG, and Thoracic surgery both individually and combined in the United States and Canada.</p><p>“We have a culture of excellence in our cardiovascular surgery program at Mission that offers the highest level and safety of care delivered compassionately by our team. Our community and region should feel reassured Mission cardiac surgery achieves quality metrics in the top of all heart programs in the United States,” said Mark Groh, Chief of Cardiac Surgery, Mission Hospital.</p><p>The STS star rating system is one of the most sophisticated and highly regarded overall measures of quality in health care, rating the benchmarked outcomes of cardiothoracic surgery programs in the United States and Canada. The star rating is calculated using a combination of quality measures for specific procedures performed by an STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database participant. </p><p>Historically, approximately 4%–7% of participants receive the three-star rating for AVR+CABG surgery. </p><b><i>About STS:</i></b><br><i>The Society of Thoracic Surgeons is a not-for-profit organization that represents more than 7,300 surgeons, researchers, and allied health care professionals worldwide who are dedicated to ensuring the best possible outcomes for surgeries of the heart, lung, and esophagus, as well as other surgical procedures within the chest. The Society’s mission is to enhance the ability of cardiothoracic surgeons to provide the highest quality patient care through education, research, and advocacy.</i><br><p><b><i>About Mission Hospital:</i></b><br><i>Mission Hospital, located in Asheville, North Carolina, serves as the regional tertiary and quaternary care center in Western North Carolina and the adjoining region. Mission Hospital is licensed for 853 beds and is the region’s only Level II trauma center, comprehensive stroke center, Level III neonatal intensive care unit, and includes the only children’s hospital in Western North Carolina. Mission Hospital is also a Magnet® designated hospital for nursing excellence. For more information, please visit </i><a><i>missionhealth.org</i></a><i> or </i><a href="https://twitter.com/MissionHealthNC"><i>@MissionHealthNC</i></a><i>.</i></p><p><i>Source: Mission Hospital</i></p><div><br></div></span><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.wncbusiness.com">WNC Business</a></small></p>urn:uuid:6ec77af6-c4dd-4859-846e-50dc49780af52024-02-29T20:58:12-05:002024-02-29T20:58:18-05:00Living Roofs, Inc. recognized as Sustainable Business of the Year 2024-02-29 20:58:11 -0500WNC Business<span>Living Roofs, Inc. was recognized as Sustainable Business of the Year at the North Carolina Sustainable Business Council’s 7th annual Business Sustainability Awards Luncheon. <br><br>The NCSBC Awards recognize exceptional businesses in North Carolina dedicated to making a positive impact on people, the planet, and profit through innovative practices, products, and services. Living Roofs, Inc said they felt honored to receive this award.<br><br>LRI began in 2006 with Emilio & Kate </span>Ancaya’s vision that green roofs were key to a sustainable future in the southeast. Throughout 18 years and hundreds of projects across the region, LRI is an team of professionals designing, constructing, and maintaining beautiful, resilient, high-performance vegetated roofs and landscape on structure projects. <br><br>As the company has grown, they've built a team of innovative thinkers and skilled professionals, proud of their team working across the southeast to design, construct, and manage resilient infrastructure.<br><br><i>Source: Living Roofs, Inc.</i><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.wncbusiness.com">WNC Business</a></small></p>urn:uuid:ee745df7-a862-41ee-8be8-485699eee8a82024-02-29T13:29:03-05:002024-02-29T13:29:08-05:00Asha Oakes receives DAISY Award2024-02-29 13:29:02 -0500WNC Business<span><p>HENDERSONVILLE – AdventHealth Hendersonville announced Asha Oakes, BSN, RN, IBCLC is the winner of the DAISY Award for her remarkable display of dedication and compassion for an elderly patient.</p><p>Asha is a nurse at The Baby Place at AdventHealth Hendersonville, and recently spent time providing support to the nurses and patients on the medical surgical floor. She was providing care to an elderly patient who was recovering from surgery for a hip fracture and unable to attend to their own needs. Asha graciously cared for the patient with a gentle and attentive approach. </p><p>Asha’s loving, compassionate care was appreciated by the medical surgical nursing team and caught the attention of the Director of Medical Surgical Nursing, Larissa Bright, RN, BSN, who nominated Asha for this award. Larissa says, “Asha went above and beyond the call of duty, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to meeting the unique requirements of a patient who was unable to advocate for themself.”</p><p>Asha’s gentle care met the patient’s physical needs, and provided emotional support, creating a comforting and reassuring environment. The patient who started out confused, and in pain, was soon holding conversations and even smiling. </p><p>Larissa and her team are grateful for the support and care Asha demonstrated for her patient. “This exemplary display of care serves as a testament to Asha’s extraordinary commitment to providing wholistic, patient-centered care, leaving a lasting impact on our health care team, because Asha made this patient matter. Thank you, Asha!”</p><p>AdventHealth Hendersonville is honored to recognize Asha Oakes as the new DAISY Award winner.</p><p>The DAISY Award was created by the family of J. Patrick Barnes in 1999 to thank the nurses who cared for Patrick and for them as he battled an autoimmune disease. Patrick lost his battle, but his family realized the impact his nurses had on the final days of his life. For that, they wanted to create an opportunity for all families who experience the benefits of the extraordinary care of nurses to show their appreciation.</p><p>If you know of an exceptional member of the AdventHealth care team you would like to nominate for one of our awards, please visit AdventHealthNC.com/Nominate.</p><b><i>About AdventHealth Hendersonville: </i></b><br><i>Founded in 1910, AdventHealth Hendersonville is dedicated to meeting the health care needs of our growing communities, providing high-quality, compassionate, not-for-profit care in a Christian environment. </i><br><div><i>Source: AdventHealth Hendersonville</i></div></span><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.wncbusiness.com">WNC Business</a></small></p>urn:uuid:f766d4ff-5cfc-43f1-89ea-903f836fe8af2024-02-01T19:42:37-05:002024-02-01T19:42:53-05:00Four Seasons recognized as home care leader2024-02-01 19:42:37 -0500WNC Business<p>Four Seasons announced that our Home Care Team received the distinguished 2024 Best of Home Care –Top 100 Leader in Experience Award from Home Care Pulse, the leading firm in experience management for senior personal care, placing 6th in the nation. </p><p>The Top 100 Leader in Experience Award is the highest recognition awarded by HCP and is only awarded to 100 home care businesses in North America. Recipients must consistently rank among the very highest in 10 or more quality metrics. As a Top 100 Leader in Experience Award recipient, Four Seasons Home Care is recognized among the very best home care providers participating in the nationwide HCP Experience Management Program.</p><p>Four Seasons Home Care was further awarded the following for the 6th year in a row:<u></u><u></u></p><ul><li>Employer of Choice<u></u><u></u></li><li>Leader in Experience<u></u><u></u></li><li>Provider of Choice</li></ul><b><i>About Four Seasons:</i></b><div><i>Since 1979, Four Seasons has maintained a commitment to exceptional serious illness and end of-life care.</i><br><br><div><b><i>About HCP:</i></b></div><div><i>HCP’s vision is to partner with the long-term and post-acute care industry, providing mission-critical applications to improve outcomes for all stakeholders in the care continuum, enabling the delivery of exceptional experiences.</i><br><br><i>Source: Four Seasons</i></div></div><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.wncbusiness.com">WNC Business</a></small></p>urn:uuid:5f2f878e-d60f-4a51-8c8c-4e2a3d84a7f32024-01-30T21:27:47-05:002024-01-30T21:28:55-05:00The Industrial Commons wins US National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engine Award2024-01-30 21:27:46 -0500WNC Business<div>Morganton - Economic development organization The Industrial Commons and its partners have been recognized by the US National Science Foundation and selected as a Regional Innovation Engine. The organization will lead the “North Carolina Textile Innovation and Sustainability Engine” alongside several textile related institutions and educational partners. The award, which can be up to $160M over 10 years, will bolster sustainability in the textile sector throughout North Carolina, upstate South Carolina, eastern Tennessee, and southwestern Virginia.</div><div><br></div><div>“On behalf of The Industrial Commons, we are amazed, honored and excited to receive an inaugural NSF Engines award,” said Molly Hemstreet, TIC Co-Executive Director. “Although this industry has seen its fair share of challenges, we see so much potential for it to drive economic change in our region. This award will allow us to build on our legacy industries and depth of innovation to create opportunity for workers and our communities. We are indebted to our amazing Engine partners that made this possible and we look forward to scaling our impact and strengthening our industry.”</div><div><br></div><div>The Engine will advance the nation’s capacity for innovation in textiles through a lens of environmental sustainability and with an eye toward circularity, positioning the engine as a global leader in the sector. Through research and development, translation of innovation to impact and workforce development efforts, the Engine aims to disrupt the $96B textile industry.</div><div><br>"North Carolina's textile industry bolsters our economy, brings good-paying jobs to the state and is a big part of the reason why North Carolina is the manufacturing hub of the Southeast," said Governor Cooper. "This award will support The Industrial Commons and their critical work leading cross-industry collaboration to develop an innovative and sustainable approach to textile production that will move North Carolina and the country toward a clean energy future."</div><div><br>The Industrial Commons has teamed up with several textile, workforce and entrepreneurial support organizations for the program. Core Partners, which will be critical to the program’s success and will receive funding from the award include: NC State University, Wilson College of Textiles, the Manufacturing Solutions Center at Catawba Valley Community College, Gaston Textile Technology Center at Gaston Community College, and Western Piedmont Community</div><div>College. In addition to the Core Partners, the Leadership Team also includes the NC Department of Commerce Office of Science Technology and Innovation, NC IDEA, and RTI (Research Triangle</div><div>Institute). RTI will lead the Engine’s evaluation efforts.<br><br></div><div>“The inaugural NSF Engines awards demonstrate our enduring commitment to create opportunity everywhere and enable innovation anywhere,” said NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan. “Through these NSF Engines, NSF aims to expand the frontiers of technology and innovation and spur economic growth across the nation through unprecedented investments in people and partners. NSF Engines hold significant promise to elevate and transform entire geographic regions into world-leading hubs of innovation.”</div><div><br></div><div>With a potential NSF investment of nearly $1.6 billion over the next decade, the NSF Engines</div><div>represents one of the single largest investments in place-based research and economic development in the nation’s history - uniquely placing science and technology leadership as the central driver for regional economic competitiveness and job creation. The announcement delivers on the bipartisan priorities outlined in the “CHIPS and Science Act of 2022,” which</div><div>authorized the NSF Engines program with a focus on market-driven research and development,</div><div>innovation, translation, and workforce development.<br><br></div><div>In addition to pioneering innovative research in the sustainable textile space and translating</div><div>that research through commercialization, the North Carolina Innovation and Sustainability</div><div>Engine will explore the intersections of the textile sector with other adjacent sectors including</div><div>aerospace, automotive, defense, agriculture and clean energy. The Engine will focus on inclusive</div><div>and community-based economic development while also positioning the US textile sector to be</div><div>more globally competitive in the emerging textile circular economy. For TIC, this represents the</div><div>largest single grant the organization has ever received. It builds on a 2023, $10M investment</div><div>from the Appalachian Regional Commission’s ARISE program, which was funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.</div><div><br></div><div>The Engine will offer several on-ramps for additional government and education partners as well as private sector companies to propose projects and become involved in the Engine. These will include: a Strategic Growth Fund, designed to provide low interest loans to entrepreneurs; a Research and Development mini-grant program, to fund new sustainability related Research & Development projects; and a Translation Trial Match Fund; to support scaling brands as they move through manufacturing readiness levels to integrate sustainable products into their offerings.</div><div><br></div><div>The Engines application and award process has taken nearly 18 months. The Industrial Commons first submitted a concept note in June 2022. After submission of a complete Letter of Intent and Proposal, TIC was advanced to the Semi-Finalist round, which included 32 organizations and a virtual site visit held in June 2023. TIC then advanced to the Finalist round, where they became one of 16 organizations to host an in-person site visit. The site visit, held in October, brought together over 85 individuals to share in TIC’s collective vision of a reinvigorated and revitalized textile sector representing 14 government and economic development organizations, eight education institutions, and 25 private sector companies.</div><div><br>The award will officially begin in March 2024. The Engines program commits funding for the first two years of up to $15M with the possibility of an additional $145M over the remaining three to 10 years of the program. The Engine and its partners will be expected to leverage NSF’s investment to spur additional private and public investments into the Engine and its activities. The Engine will conduct a search to name a CEO who will lead the entity alongside a Governance Board, to be established in the near future.</div><div><br></div><div>The Industrial Commons was supported by countless partners, organizations and individuals during the Engines process. They have deep gratitude to the members of the Leadership Team and everyone who attended the in-person site visit. They also express appreciation for the Just</div><div>Transition Fund, which provided critical grant funds to offset the costs of grant and site visit</div><div>preparation and execution.<br><br></div><div>Those interested in learning more or getting involved with the North Carolina Textile Innovation and Sustainability Engine (Proposal ID 2315305) should visit NCTISE.org.</div><div><br></div><div><b><i>About The Industrial Commons:</i></b></div><div><i>The Industrial Commons is a 501(c)(3) founded in 2015. Their mission is to rebuild a diverse</i></div><div><i>working class based on locally rooted wealth. They do this by founding and scaling employee</i></div><div><i>owned social enterprises, creating industry networks and delivering a suite of workforce</i></div><div><i>development and youth engagement programs. To learn more about TIC, visit</i></div><div><a href="http://www.tTheindustrialcommons.org"><i>TheIndustrialCommons.org</i></a><i>.</i><br><br></div><div><b><i>About NSF Engines:</i></b></div><div><i>Launched by the NSF Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships in May 2022, the</i></div><div><i>NSF Engines program uniquely harnesses the nation's science and technology research,</i></div><div><i>development enterprise and regional-level resources. For more information, visit the NSF</i></div><div><i>Engines program website.</i></div><div><br><i>Source: The Industrial Commons</i></div><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.wncbusiness.com">WNC Business</a></small></p>