October 2024
On October 3, 2024, the Golden LEAF Board of Directors awarded $13 million through Golden LEAF’s Economic Catalyst Program to Wilson Community College for training equipment that will be used to support the location of a major biomedical manufacturing company, Johnson & Johnson, in Wilson County.
Johnson & Johnson will create 420 quality jobs, paying an average annual wage of over $108,000, and make a capital investment of over $1 billion.
“The Golden LEAF Board was proud to provide funding for the training center operated by Wilson Community College,” said Golden LEAF President, Chief Executive Officer Scott T. Hamilton. “The center will provide the knowledge and skills needed to work for Johnson & Johnson and other employers in the region. This announcement is a major win for eastern North Carolina.”
The planned opening of the new biotechnology workforce training center is in June 2026. The State of North Carolina also appropriated $30 million in total funding for the center.
“Wilson Community College is honored to have been selected for this award,” said President Jami Woods. “This investment from the Golden LEAF Foundation will provide state-of-the-art equipment to ensure that the biologics training center will offer a wide and diverse range of training and education.”
Along with Johnson & Johnson, there have been announcements from other major pharmaceutical companies that they will be locating in Wilson.
“The new center further increases our capacity to prepare a workforce that will serve the ever-expanding life sciences sector in the eastern region of North Carolina,” said Wood. “We are extremely grateful to the Golden LEAF Foundation for supporting Wilson Community College and the region.”
Through the Economic Catalyst Program, Golden LEAF considers applications to assist eligible state, regional, and local economic development entities with funding to support permissible activities in projects in which a company will commit to creating a specific number of full-time jobs in a tobacco-dependent or economically distressed area. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Golden LEAF staff to discuss the potential projects and conditions that may be applicable prior to submitting an application.
Learn more about the Economic Catalyst Program.