A Publication of the Randolph County Economic Development Corporation
October 2025
Field of Honor and Veterans Day Parade
Started in 2016, the Asheboro Field of Honor is a celebration of the heroes in our lives. Four hundred US flags, in perfect rows and columns, represent the individuals that have given of themselves to others: service men and women, Veterans, first-responders, parents, grandparents, teachers, coaches, pastors, friends... The field is a visible display of our caring community and our appreciation for those who make it so rich and vibrant.
Opening Ceremony: Saturday, November 8 at 12:00 noon Closing Ceremony: Tuesday, November 11 at 12:00 noon
All proceeds go to the Rotary Club of Asheboro Foundation and the Asheboro/Randolph Chamber Foundation.
Veterans Day Parade from 4:00pm to 5:00pm
This one hour parade draws a large crowd every year to Downtown Asheboro. The parade will take place down parts of Church Street and Sunset Avenue.
Rhinoleap Productions Gala FREE to all!
As a thank you for all the years of support, we’re closing down North St and making this year’s gala free for everyone! Come downtown to experience live performances centered around a baby grand piano in the middle of the street! Savor cocktails and food from special menus offered by Taco Loco, Black Lantern, Bold Coffee, and Full Moon. Jump into our raffle for a chance to win an overnight camping experience at the North Carolina Zoo! And for the auction-lovers: don’t miss your chance at a week-long getaway to Turks & Caicos, plus other one-of-a-kind experiences.
Seagrove Pottery Celebration
The Celebration of Seagrove Potters show features 28 Seagrove pottery shop booths, gala, live pottery auction, demos, food trucks and more in the newly renovated Luck Comer Lail Center (Historic Luck’s Cannery). There are also 29 shops participating in a self-guided tour. Gala tickets for Friday evening are $65 and include a catered reception, entertainment, the opportunity to shop early and bid in the live auction. General admission tickets for Saturday and Sunday are $8 at the door. The self-guided tour is free. The Celebration of Seagrove Potters is one of the biggest events of the year, and is the only time that pottery enthusiasts can visit several Seagrove potters in the same location. Programs and maps available at the Luck Comer Lail Center.
Fifth Annual Forklift Rodeo – Celebrating Industry Appreciation Month!
We had an incredible time at this year’s Forklift Rodeo, held right here in beautiful Randolph County! Thirteen skilled drivers stepped up to represent their companies in a thrilling display of precision and power.
A huge congratulations to all our competitors—you made this event a true highlight of Industry Appreciation Month!
Special thanks to our dedicated board members:
- Shannon Morrow – Rheem
- Daniel Morris – Movement Bank
Thank you to our gift sponsors-Randolph Electric Membership Corp., Graham Personnel Services, Energizer, Clapps Nursing Home, PEMMCO Manufacturing, Technimark, SFX, Allen Machine Fabrication, Elastic Therapy, and Post Consumer Brands. Cone sponsers, City of Asheboro, City of Randleman and NC DOT. Forklift sponsor ACT Forklift and Venue sponsor, Hughes Furniture.
We’re proud to celebrate our local industries and the hardworking individuals who keep them running. Here's to another successful year and many more to come!
Local News and Announcements
Randolph County to Host Election Viewing Party:
Ok not really a party but bring your own pizza and have pizza and politics. On Tuesday, Nov. 4, the public may watch the municipal election results come in from 7:30 p.m. until completed at the Randolph County Historic Courthouse, 145 Worth St., Asheboro.
This viewing opportunity lets the public see the results of the 2025 municipal elections for Asheboro, Franklinville, Liberty, Ramseur, Randleman, Seagrove, Staley, Thomasville and the Asheboro Board of Education.
Randolph Community College’s Small Business Center (SBC) has been awarded a $5,000 grant from Bank OZK to support expanded outreach and technical assistance for entrepreneurs and small businesses across Randolph County.
“We are grateful for Bank OZK’s continued partnership and investment in Randolph County’s economic future,” RCC President/CEO Dr. Shah Ardalan said. “This funding aligns perfectly with our Strategic Plan Imperatives of Access, Connection, Experience, and Success. By expanding technical assistance and outreach, we are supporting small businesses, helping to build stronger communities and creating opportunities for longterm economic growth.”
"That's the neat thing about banking. It lets you do a lot of different things. So I've seen a lot," he said. "I'd say there are as many stories in the high-net worth wealth business that are unusual as in the repossession business. And there are actually some corollaries. They have some of the same issues; just let me put it that way."
Seeing the financial lending side of the economy likely also contributed to Kelly’s second and complementary career in regional economic development, where his success contributed greatly to his selection of Triad Business Journal's 2025 Power Players Legacy Award.
High Point Market organizers say some key numbers look promising, despite plenty of economic uncertainty.
Much of the talk at Market is around the impact of new U.S. tariffs on imported furniture, especially upholstery, and how they will impact buyers, High Point Market Authority President and CEO Tammy Covington said.
“I would say there’s mixed emotion in this industry ..., and a lot of that depends on where you’re manufacturing.”
Everything Under the Bun is now serving Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The business held a grand opening on Oct. 10 by serving free burgers and fries to anyone who came into the business at 1517-A Zoo Parkway.
Najm Ata has partnered with his brother-in-law, Sammy Rashami, to reopen Under the Bun.
Rashami was owner of the restaurant and left management to someone else while he ran his three service stations. When the business became troubled, Rashami chose to close it.
Now that it’s been reopened, Ata will manage the restaurant. He said he’s found a chef and restored the building. He has a modified menu, similar in some respects to the previous one.
That's one takeaway from the Robert Half 2026 Salary Guide, which found many employers are paying higher salaries and offering larger raises to workers with niche talents — even as the broader salary market is pulling back.
“Specialized skills are the currency of today’s job market,” said Dawn Fay, operational president of Robert Half.
About 84% of hiring managers said they would offer higher salaries to candidates who possess specific, in-demand skills.
China's shipbuilding industry now leads globally, producing more commercial tonnage than the U.S. has since WWII, signaling a decline in American industrial dominance.
Skills gaps, cumbersome procurement processes and restrictive policies limit innovative companies' ability to contribute to defense and industrial modernization.
Regional initiatives like Philadelphia's Navy Yard demonstrate models for workforce development and technological integration that can be scaled nationally.
Accelerating AI adoption and streamlining government contracts are crucial steps to rebuild America's manufacturing prowess and secure future economic and military strength.
The future of Wolfspeed’s plant outside Siler City — said to be the largest silicon carbide materials facility on the planet — remains uncertain. Aerial photos of the site taken on a recent Wednesday show near-empty parking lots at a facility spanning more than 1 million square feet and designed to produce next-generation semiconductor materials for electric vehicles and power grids.
2025 was supposed to be the year that production ramped up at the factory — the Durham company had said it would eventually create 1,800 jobs, a figure that likely would've been transformative for rural Chatham. But that was before the financial woes that led Wolfspeed to fire its CEO late last year and later file for bankruptcy restructuring with billions in debt.
Recent Renewals
Thank you to the companies below which recently renewed their support of the EDC and the Randolph Rises campaign. Your contribution continues to make our service, reach, and impact felt across the county.
If you are interested in becoming a Randolph Rises investor, please click the button below.
