Burke Development

What Burke Development does

Burke Development Inc. (BDI) is a nonprofit 501c3 economic development organization headquartered at 2128 S. Sterling St #150 in Morganton, North Carolina, serving Burke County. Established in 2010, the organization recruits target industries to Burke County, supports the expansion strategies of existing businesses, and coordinates with site selection consultants and government agencies to facilitate industrial location decisions. Its service portfolio covers site selection assistance, customized incentive package development, workforce training (notably the Project RENEW certification program delivered with Western Piedmont Community College), and community integration support for companies establishing or expanding operations in the county. BDI does not sell commercial products or technology services; there is no proprietary technology stack.

BDI's target customers are manufacturing enterprises across multiple subsectors — metalworking, food and beverage, textiles, and logistics — as well as existing local employers seeking to expand. Named major employers in the county include Continental, Gerresheimer, Leviton, Case Farms, Valdese Weavers, Seiren, SGL Carbon, Bimbo Bakeries, Parker Industries, and Toner Machining Technologies. The organization's value proposition rests on Burke County's physical assets: Interstate 40 with 14 interchanges, connections to Interstates 77/85/26/81/95, Norfolk Southern mainline rail, an 83-acre pad-ready Burke Business Park, and a labor shed of 178,000 workers within a 20-minute drive (650,000+ within 45 minutes), supported by 200+ undergraduate and 140 graduate programs at area colleges and universities.

The organization is funded through private and public sources — membership contributions, grants, and partnership investments — rather than commercial sales. Disclosed grants include a $75,000 Economic Innovation Grant from the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center (April 2011, with Opportunity Threads) and a $20,000 Duke Energy Foundation Powerful Communities grant (May 2019). BDI operates with a small staff of 1-10 employees led by President/CEO Brandon Ruppe (appointed March 2026), Vice President Hope Hopkins, and Director of Existing Industry Caleb Gardner. Board leadership includes Chairman Jeff Brittain, Vice Chairman Dr. Joel Welch, and Secretary/Treasurer Logan Shook.

Name

Burke Development

Legal name

Burke Development Incorporated

Website

https://burkedevinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Burke Development Inc. is a nonprofit 501c3 economic development organization serving Burke County, North Carolina, recruiting target manufacturers, supporting existing industries, and coordinating site selection, workforce training, and incentive programs for companies locating or expanding in the region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Morganton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Economic Development Services: As a nonprofit 501c3 organization, Burke Development is supported by private and public funding to accelerate economic growth in Burke County. Revenue comes from membership contributions, public funding, and partnership investments rather than commercial product/service sales.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Burke Development Inc. (BDI) is a nonprofit 501c3 economic development organization that recruits target industries to Burke County, North Carolina, and supports existing businesses with expansion. It connects companies with sites, workforce, incentives, training resources, and community relations, acting as a liaison between companies and government agencies to accelerate economic growth in the region.

Product overview

Burke Development Inc. (BDI) is a nonprofit 501c3 economic development organization that does not offer software products or technology services. BDI provides economic development services to Burke County, North Carolina, including business recruitment and attraction, existing business support, workforce development programs (such as Project RENEW manufacturing training), site selection assistance, incentive identification, and community development initiatives. The organization acts as a liaison between businesses and government agencies to facilitate economic growth in the region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Burke Business Park An 83-acre industrial park in Burke County offering pad-ready sites with available utilities and transportation access for companies locating or expanding in the region.
• Business Recruitment and Attraction Direct engagement with companies considering relocation or expansion, providing customized packages of sites, workforce, incentives, and community support to attract target industries to Burke County.
• Existing Industry Support Comprehensive marketing strategies and development of programs supporting Burke County's existing manufacturers and businesses, assisting with expansion, workforce development, and regulatory navigation.
• Project RENEW Workforce Training Manufacturing training program operated in partnership with Western Piedmont Community College that certifies workers and connects graduates with local employers in Burke County.
• Site Selection Assistance Assistance to companies and site selection consultants in evaluating Burke County sites, including Burke Business Park and other parcels, with information on utilities, transportation, and available incentives.
• Incentive Package Development Coordination with state, county, and municipal agencies to develop customized incentive packages for companies locating or expanding in Burke County, including access to grants and incentive programs.
• Celebrate Burke Business Program Monthly recognition events honoring local companies and their employees, partnered with the Burke County Chamber of Commerce to support and promote existing businesses.

Quantifiable outcome

• 350+ new jobs created in 2010-2011 fiscal year from 5 major announcements
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Western Piedmont Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey educational partner providing workforce training programs including Project RENEW manufacturing certification. WPCC offers customized training and support services for business and industry in Burke County.
• North Carolina Department of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner providing economic development resources, grants, and incentive programs for companies locating or expanding in Burke County.
• North Carolina Rural CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides funding and support for rural economic development initiatives including Building Reuse and Restoration grants and Economic Innovation grants.
• Burke County Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners on Celebrate Burke Business events and other initiatives to support and promote local businesses and industry.
• Burke County Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner working on workforce development initiatives including the Work in Burke program connecting students with career opportunities.
• Western Piedmont Council of GovernmentsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional planning organization providing administrative support and coordination for workforce development and economic initiatives.
• Economic Development Partnership of North CarolinamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level economic development partnership promoting North Carolina communities to businesses considering relocation or expansion.
• City of MorgantoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary municipal partner providing support for business attraction, incentives, and local economic development initiatives.
• Burke CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty government partner providing funding, incentives, and administrative support for economic development activities.
• Burke County Tourism Development AuthorityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports marketing efforts to attract visitors and businesses to the area.
• NC Works - Burke Career CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce services partner providing job training, placement assistance, and career development resources.
• Valdese Economic Development Investment (VEDIC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal economic development organization providing loan programs and business support in Valdese.
• Western Piedmont Workforce Development BoardmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOversees workforce development programs and coordinates training initiatives with employers.
• Thrive 22minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPrivate sector partner investing in Burke County economic development initiatives through the Thrive'22 Campaign.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Greensboro Chamber of Commerce: NC regional chamber/EDO serving Greensboro/Guilford County with similar manufacturing recruitment and workforce development focus. Competes for the same site-selection projects targeting NC-based manufacturing expansion.
• Land of Sky Regional Council (successor to AdvantageWest): Regional council for the Western North Carolina region. Administered the Certified Entrepreneurial Community (CEC) designation awarded to Burke County in 2010 and serves a similar regional promotion and incentive-coordination function for small/rural counties.
• Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce: Western NC regional EDO serving Buncombe County and the Asheville area with comparable economic-development mission to Burke Development. Both operate in the Western NC region and target similar manufacturing and lifestyle-driven employer recruitment.
• Cleveland County Economic Development Partnership: County-level EDO in Cleveland County, NC, with similar small-team structure focused on manufacturing recruitment and retention. Burke Development's incoming CEO, Brandon Ruppe, previously served as Director of this organization, providing direct operational comparability.
• Catawba County Economic Development Corporation: Adjacent NC county-level EDO focused on manufacturing retention and attraction in the Hickory region. Shares Burke County's manufacturing heritage and Western NC location, making it a direct geographic competitor for site-selection projects.
• Charlotte Regional Business Alliance: Regional EDO serving the greater Charlotte, NC metro area, attracting manufacturing and logistics investments to the Carolinas. Comparable economic-development mission and target employer profile as Burke Development, though operating at a much larger metro scale.
• Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce: NC regional chamber/EDO serving Wake County and the Raleigh metro. Competes with Burke Development for site-selection projects targeting NC, though operating at a much larger metropolitan scale with a different industry mix.

Others

• Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina: State-level public-private partnership that promotes NC communities to businesses considering relocation or expansion. Named as a Major partner of Burke Development, providing statewide promotion and lead-generation support.
• NC Department of Commerce - Rural Economic Development Division: State-level economic-development agency providing grant funding, incentives, and policy support to county-level EDOs like Burke Development. Functions as a strategic partner and funder rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BurkeDevelopmentInc
• Xx.com/burkedevinc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Burke Development