GE Capital and Slate's Roadshow for Growth Comes to Charlotte

Business Wirevia The Motley Fool
Updated

GE Capital and Slate's Roadshow for Growth Comes to Charlotte

-- 20-City Tour to Highlight Importance of Middle Market Businesses Nationwide --

CHARLOTTE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- GE Capital and Slate's Roadshow for Growth rolls into Charlotte today as part of a six-month, 20-city tour that will address the challenges and opportunities facing middle market businesses, a sector that generates $9 trillion in annual revenue in the U.S. and accounts for nearly 34% of total U.S. employment. According to new research released today by the National Center for the Middle Market (NCMM), mid-sized companies in the Charlotte area comprise only 1% of total businesses, yet generate 16% of total revenue and account for 20% of Charlotte's employment.*


Traveling in a branded bus, GE Capital and Slate's Roadshow for Growth started in Kansas City in May and has traveled to cities like St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland. While in Charlotte, the 10th stop on the tour, the NCMM will release new data that shows the importance of the middle market to Charlotte, including:

  • Consists of approximately 1,200 companies that generated roughly $64.5B in revenue in 2012

  • Grew revenue by 8.7% in 2012 and expects revenue to continue to grow at a rate of 7.8%

  • Employment grew by 4.6% in 2012 and is projected to continue to grow at a rate of 4.4%

  • Employs roughly 465,000

  • Services segment is the largest source of revenue and jobs, at approximately $28.8B and roughly 181,000, respectively

"When middle market companies do well, the economy does well," said Mike Pilot, chief commercial officer of GE Capital. "As the leading lender to the middle market and sponsor to a number of programs to help this critical segment of the U.S. economy grow, we think helping convene a dialogue around the needs of our customers is critical to driving economic growth and creating jobs. From the National Center for the Middle Market to the Roadshow for Growth, our goal is to help policymakers and job creators alike understand that the middle market is the market that drives America."

In Charlotte, the Roadshow for Growth will make several stops at middle market companies, convening a local dialogue on middle market issues. The roadshow will also host a customer event at the Nascar Hall of Fame with Joe Gibbs who will speak about competitiveness, his career as Hall of Fame Head Coach for the Washington Redskins and current owner of Joe Gibbs Racing.

After the Charlotte stop, the Roadshow for Growth will visit middle market businesses in Atlanta, Dallas and Los Angeles, among other cities. The tour will culminate in Columbus, Ohio at the third annual National Middle Market Summit in late October. At each stop, the Roadshow for Growth will host a variety of events, ranging from town hall discussions and conversations with city mayors to visits with select middle market businesses.

About GE Capital (www.gecapital.com):

GE Capital is one of the world's largest providers of credit and expertise. For more than 1 million businesses, GE Capital provides financing to purchase, lease and distribute equipment, as well as capital for real estate and corporate acquisitions, refinancings and restructurings. GE Capital is a leader in a number of industries, from airlines, healthcare and energy financing to fleet, franchise and middle market corporate finance. For approximately 80 million consumers, GE Capital offers credit cards and retail sales finance programs. GE Capital is an extension of GE's rich heritage of building and supporting growth, providing customers with insight, knowledge and expertise in addition to financing.

About Slate(www.slate.com):

Slate is a daily magazine on the Web that offers analysis and commentary about news, politics, culture, business, law, and technology. Slate's strong editorial voice and witty take on current events have been recognized with numerous awards, including the National Magazine Award for General Excellence Online and the Missouri Honor Medal for Distinguished Service in Journalism. Reaching 17 million unique visitors per month, Slate is the centerpiece of the Slate Group, an online publishing subsidiary of the Washington Post Co. (NYS: WPO)

National Center for the Middle Market (www.middlemarketcenter.org):

The National Center for the Middle Market is the leading source of knowledge, leadership, and innovative research focused on the U.S. Middle Market economy. The Center provides critical data, analysis, insights, and perspectives to help accelerate growth, increase competitiveness, and create jobs for companies, policymakers, and other key stakeholders in this sector. Stay connected to the Center by contacting middlemarketcenter@fisher.osu.edu.

*Note: estimates based on available data from Dun and Bradstreet and research conducted by the National Center for the Middle Market.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available:http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20130718005701/en/



Harbinger
John Legittino, 312-286-1526
legittino@gmail.com
or
GE Capital
Holly Colbo, 203-556-6552
Holly.colbo@ge.com
or
Slate
Alissa Neil, 646-495-4000
Alissa@alissaneilpr.com
or
National Center for the Middle Market
Kate Bernard, 202-822-1205
Hamilton Place Strategies
kbernard@hamiltonps.com

KEYWORDS: United States North America North Carolina

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:

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