For the first business article of our new TriangleBiz.org column, I had the pleasure of interviewing Adrienne Cole, President and CEO of the Raleigh Chamber, via virtual Zoom meeting. In each following issue, we’ll slowly expand our business articles and interviews within the Triangle business community to help chronicle and promote the amazing growth and success our area has experienced, specifically over the last two decades. This business column will help complement our existing articles on dining, things to see and do, arts, charities, and history that have filled the pages of the Downtowner since 2005. We hope these new stories on Triangle leaders, entrepreneurs, trailblazers, and executives will inspire, inform, and even entertain you. With low unemployment, deep talent base, wealth of universities, and a fortunate mix of government, healthcare, tech, and pharma, the greater Raleigh-Durham/RTP region has garnered a lengthy list of Best Of awards, including those for starting a business, for women entrepreneurs, raising a family, working from home, quality of life, friendliness, and many more. It’s no wonder we’re seeing the already high number of new residents moving here rise even more during the pandemic as people are leaving crowded metro areas in the northeast and west to join us here in our beautiful state.

There’s no better organization to help launch our TriangleBiz.org column than the Raleigh Chamber and no better interviewee than its leader and business community advocate, Chamber President and CEO Adrienne Cole. We chatted with Adrienne about the Chamber, their upcoming events, emerging from the pandemic, and more. The interview has been consolidated for space requirements, so please visit the Business section of our Triangle Downtowner website to watch the interview in its entirety for more information about the Chamber and Adrienne’s insights into the future of the Triangle and the Raleigh Chamber. www.raleighchamber.org