Brian Fulk, Economic Development Director, Lancaster County

In an interview with Invest:, Economic Development Director Brian Fulk detailed Lancaster County’s economic transformation, citing a record $4.7 billion GDP as of early 2023. He emphasized infrastructure improvements, global outreach, and sustainable growth as central to Lancaster’s strategy. Confident in the County’s future, Fulk envisions Lancaster as a thriving hub for innovation and opportunity.

What do you see as the greatest opportunities for Lancaster County’s economic development, and how are you positioning the county to capitalize on them?

Lancaster County’s vision is to be a network of thriving communities offering the highest quality of life in the Carolinas.

I believe Lancaster County’s economic growth is on track, and right on target. The US Census’ Gross Domestic Product data shows Lancaster hitting another record at $4.7 Billion dollars as of the beginning of 2023.

Lancaster County has transformed from being highly reliant on one industry, to now being seen as a magnet for new industrial investments involving diverse industries. We are also a great location for office-based service companies. Home to several headquarters, we are seeing renewed interest in our larger existing office buildings.

We are positioning the County in at least four ways. First, we are making ongoing improvements to our county-owned industrial parks. We want to make sure that we have shovel-ready sites available in our industrial parks. Second, we are marketing the county’s assets using multiple paths…focusing on Lancaster’s quality of life, its access to the 15th largest city in the United States, Charlotte, NC, and more. Third, the county has staffed its zoning and permitting functions with highly qualified individuals to help with the tremendous growth we are seeing in various retail service offerings, stores of all types, restaurants and entertainment, in addition to the industrial growth we continue to attract. The fourth area, in terms of positioning, is making sure that existing industrial businesses are being properly supported. In Lancaster, most investments into new facilities are done by existing businesses that have found success and need to expand. This is a group we want to keep happy.

Given your background in international trade, how are you positioning Lancaster County on the global stage to attract foreign investment and innovative industries?

Investments in industrial properties and office space can come from anywhere. In a past economic development role, I experienced, first-hand, a slowdown in new domestic investments while investments from overseas countries continued unabated.

I was the Head of Structured Trade Finance, helping exporters of all sizes, for a large national bank for over a decade. During my career, I also spent a great deal of time, both in the US, and while living abroad in Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Brazil, recruiting industrial investments into the United States.

Either directly representing Lancaster County, or as a Board Member of the South Carolina I-77 Alliance, I enjoy meeting new people, seeing new ideas, and I continue to call on prospects in the United States and abroad. We are seeing international investments growing in the county, along with the important new domestic investments. Today, we have over a dozen countries represented in the County with headquarters, production facilities or other operations.

Regardless of where a company is headquartered, Lancaster County is a perfect spot for innovative industries to flourish.

With the Panhandle driving much of the county’s expansion, how are infrastructure and housing being aligned with this rapid growth?

Our infrastructure, as with any growing and successful area, continues to improve and expand to accommodate the growth we are experiencing. The reality is that with rapid residential growth, road congestion follows. This is apparent across the globe, and there is little that can be done beyond the widening of roads, when feasible. Just to reveal some perspective, when I lived in Sao Paulo, a city of 22 million people, it took me over one hour, each way, to go to and from Banco Wachovia S.A. where I worked. The drive was only 5 miles!

One of the biggest infrastructure needs is public and private schools to support residential growth. That is an ongoing challenge, but it is being addressed. And, there are a number of new private school proposals to help with the public education offered.

While I am not directly involved in the housing discussion, there is clearly a recognition that housing growth must be well-planned. Our leadership is aware of this, and this is reflected in the actions taken by the County Council. In the last couple of years, a significant number of residential development projects have been denied due to a desire to prevent further overcrowding and traffic congestion in some areas.

What is your team’s strategy for revitalizing Greater Lancaster’s underperforming areas and addressing population declines?

As a whole, Lancaster County is growing. Today, Lancaster ranks in the top 2% nationally in terms of percentage population growth. From my observation, most areas of the County are experiencing growth. The County has grown, doubled in size, from about 50,000 residents in 1990 to over 105,000 today. Any declines seen in an isolated smaller location within the County are not particularly impactful, or not likely to be a future secular trend. Lancaster County has several small towns that are seeing new residents locating.

The City of Lancaster is seeing growth and is undergoing a transformation. In addition to the use of government funds to support a new farmers’ market event center, private organizations and individuals are investing in the City. New townhomes are being built on Gay Street, and homes are being renovated across from the Cultural Arts Center. Clearly, there are smart and visionary investors already investing in the City anticipating the coming demand for shops, restaurants and hospitality needs.

How is Lancaster County balancing rapid development with the need to protect its natural and cultural resources?

Lancaster County’s citizens and government leaders value the County’s natural and cultural resources, and have done, and will continue to do, a good job in protecting these assets. In fact, a recent ordinance was passed that further protects areas within one mile from the Catawba River by not allowing certain activities. For county-owned industrial property, before development, one of the first studies we perform is a Threatened and Endangered Species Study.

For the foreseeable future, the many farms that we have throughout the County will continue to produce important agricultural products, many of which are also exported abroad.

As for our many cultural resources, I think the best way to protect them is to make them more visible and known.

We continue to have good community stewards through the Lancaster County Society for Historical Preservation, the Arras Foundation, our local governments, and many others, including private citizens that are investing in Lancaster County’s future.

Lancaster County is an integral part of the Olde English District (oldeenglishdistrict.com). The website provides for some suggested travel itineraries depending on your interests.
As it states on the district’s website, “one can enjoy small-town charm, outdoor recreation, unique shopping opportunities, wonderful eateries, fun family adventures, and so much more. It’s also a fantastic place to simply relax and recharge, disconnecting from the rigors of everyday life.”

How do you plan to leverage Lancaster County’s proximity to Charlotte while fostering a distinct and sustainable identity for the county?

The County’s proximity to Charlotte is a fantastic asset. And with this, in Lancaster County, one has many housing and lifestyle choices. Older adults can find interesting residential communities targeting this growing demographic. Young professionals can find numerous affordable homes and apartments. Or, move to the exurbs in Lancaster County, and enjoy the rural scenery and slower pace of life. And, at the same time one is less than an hour from the amenities only found in a large and growing city.

The Greater Charlotte Region, which includes Lancaster County, is clearly a magnet for new investments. And people want to live here. Most everything you could want is within a short drive. Additionally, one has a less than 3-hour drive to the mountains or to the coast. And, you will have a hard time finding more beautiful beaches than the South Carolina coast.

Lancaster has a closeness and history that one should experience, and a core community spirit that will withstand any amount of Charlotte growth. If you drive along some of the byways in Lancaster, you can quickly see and imagine that most of the rural landscape is likely to remain unchanged for the foreseeable future.

What’s your outlook for Lancaster County over the second half of this decade in terms of economic growth, and what are the key drivers for this vision?

Lancaster is, and will also be in the future, a fantastic spot for enterprises of all sizes seeking office space. And, manufacturing companies are finding great talented and skilled employees in the region. With expected new investments by right-fitting companies, more and more interesting and higher paying jobs will be available.
Overall, Lancaster County will become even better-known as a favored location to live, work and play.

Good planning now underway, the enforcement of ordinances, and the help of all citizens working together for a brighter future will drive us forward.