The freezing temperatures didn’t stop North Carolina Treasurer Janet Cowell from laying out her take on the state of the economy, or prevent a crowd, including many local notables, from showing up to hear, and ask questions. She praised Asheville’s strong economy and “human capital” but noted challenges with infrastructure and state revenue. Photo by Alicia Funderburk
On Nov. 15, AdvantageWest hosted its fall economic summit, featuring a panel discussion that included North Carolina State Treasurer Janet Cowell, N.C. Institute of Emerging Issues Director Anita Brown-Graham and banking expert Austin Adams. Here’s what some of the panelists — and observer Asheville City Council member Gordon Smith — said afterward.