NC Secretary of State Marshall to visit EC Monday for biz roundtable

North Carolina's secretary of state will be in Elizabeth City on Monday to discuss a new initiative to help connect small businesses and entrepreneurs to mentors, funding sources and other business-related resources.

Elaine F. Marshall, the state's secretary of state since 1997, will hold a small business roundtable at College of The Albemarle to discuss the Rural RISE NC initiative, according to a press release.

The roundtable, designed for small-business owners, small-business owners' advocates and area economic development agency directors in Pasquotank, Currituck and Chowan counties, will be held in Room 121 at the John Wood Foreman Technology Center, Monday at 1:30 p.m.

According to the secretary of state's website, RISE NC stands for Resources for Innovators, Start-ups, and Entrepreneurs, and the initiative is geared to helping businesspeople connect with mentors, business counselors, funding sources, and other community resources, many of which are free.

In addition to RISE NC, Marshall also will share data about new business creation in the area and discuss recent survey analysis of new business creators.

After the roundtable, Marshall will participate in a Main Street Walk at 3:30 p.m. in which she'll visit several local businesses. Her walk is scheduled to start at the Roots Plant Company at 114 N. McMorrine Street.