Red Ventures expansion at risk, CEO tells McCrory
The CEO of Red Ventures, a prominent Charlotte-area marketing and technology firm based in South Carolina, said he must “seriously reconsider” adding jobs in North Carolina in the wake of the state’s passage of House Bill 2.
Ric Elias posted a message Tuesday on Twitter to Gov. Pat McCrory. The company, based near the state line in Lancaster County, plans to invest more than $5 million and bring 500 new jobs to a site in Charlotte’s University Research Park.
“As a CEO who is committed to expanding our Charlotte presence by 500 people in 2016 and thousands after that, I am also forced to seriously reconsider adding more jobs in a state that tolerates discrimination and allows political interests to interfere with doing what is right for all citizens,” Elias wrote.
In response to a follow-up question about whether the company’s current plan to add 500 jobs in Charlotte is in jeopardy, Elias responded with a statement via email: “We’re hopeful HB2 is repealed because it’s the right thing to do. And if not, our long-term plans for aggressive expansion in North Carolina will change.”
Regardless of your stance on #HB2, we deserve leaders who play by the rules. @PatMcCroryNC: https://t.co/25cryhzQFX pic.twitter.com/uVyGwu0AUD
— Ric Elias (@RicElias) April 5, 2016
His open letter came on the same day PayPal said it is canceling plans to open a new operations center in Charlotte and bring 400 jobs to University City because of the state’s new law that limits protections for LGBT individuals. The N.C. General Assembly passed the law last month to overturn a Charlotte ordinance that added protections against discrimination for LGBT individuals.
Ely Portillo: 704-358-5041, @ESPortillo
This story was originally published April 5, 2016 at 10:06 PM with the headline "Red Ventures expansion at risk, CEO tells McCrory."