Spotlight On: Christie Moser, President, Morrisville Chamber of Commerce
Key points:
- • Life sciences and advanced manufacturing are driving Morrisville’s business growth.
- • Partnerships are helping small businesses access resources and workforce support.
- • Strategic location and quality of life strengthen Morrisville’s regional competitiveness.
September 2026 — Invest: spoke with Christie Moser, president of the Morrisville Chamber of Commerce, about Morrisville’s business climate, small business support, and the partnerships shaping the town’s growth. “We always say that our chamber is interested in making meaningful connections,” Moser said.
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What changes have most impacted the Morrisville business community over the past 12 to 18 months, and how has the Chamber adapted its priorities in response?
I have been at the Morrisville Chamber for about 16 months, so that is an accurate time frame for me. I came from Cary, where I had been for 16 years prior, so I am not new to the Chamber of Commerce world, just to being in Morrisville.
Morrisville has been in a good position because the community has been strategic about planning for science companies, whether that is advanced manufacturing or life sciences. The town started thinking ahead and putting sites together that potential companies could come into, with spaces that were ready to go but also customizable.
The Chamber has tried to dive more into that community, particularly life sciences and advanced manufacturing, and figure out how we can better support them. We started a life sciences committee at the beginning of this year to hone in on that community, grow their visibility, and help address their needs in Morrisville.
How would you describe the current economic landscape in the region as it continues to grow?
The region is booming. It is wild to see. Personally, I have been in this area for 26 years. I am from North Carolina, but I came here for college and stayed. To see how the region has evolved and changed over that time is pretty crazy.
Everybody is navigating differently through challenges and through landscapes that change every year, but Morrisville’s location in the region is one of our biggest strengths. We say we are the central hub because we are right there in the middle of it all, with proximity to Research Triangle Park and Raleigh-Durham International Airport. Those are two things we are able to boast about, and that location puts us in a strong position.
It is a great driver for companies that are looking at this region. We also have the town of Morrisville, which is supportive. Tiffany McNeill, our economic development director, and the town have done a phenomenal job working with businesses, creating an atmosphere where they want to be here while helping them navigate challenges.
What key trends are you seeing among member businesses, from small companies to large employers?
As a chamber, we have a lot of small businesses, but we have a great mix. We have sole proprietors, businesses in the 10-to-20-employee range, and larger companies as well. The end goal for everybody is to be sustainable, thrive, and grow their business.
Morrisville has a lot of people who start as small businesses in their homes, and we try to help them grow outside of the home if that is of interest to them. We work with Wake Tech, which is one of the largest community colleges in the United States and a crown jewel for us.
Wake Tech has a program that we partner with every year called LaunchWakeCounty. It is for entrepreneurs who are looking to grow and gain more knowledge. They may have been in business for up to two years, but they are still startups. We try to help foster that growth, give them the tools to be successful, and connect them with mentors who have been in business and know how to launch their companies into success. Growth is really the overarching trend for everyone.
What programs or initiatives are helping businesses navigate challenges in a more complex operating environment?
We try to focus a lot on small businesses and help foster their growth. The town of Morrisville has a small business liaison in its Economic Development Division, and we work closely with her. Together, we partner on initiatives throughout the year to engage that community and help them navigate challenges.
We host speakers and Lunch and Learns that speak directly to small business challenges. We recently partnered with the U.S. Department of Commerce, its foreign trade division, the SBTDC, and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina on a program about expanding through exports.
That program is actually through the federal government, but it is offered locally in partnership with those agencies to help companies that are trying to enter the export world and grow their business. There are a lot of challenges and hoops to jump through in that area, so it is a wonderful resource. We are always trying to look ahead and see where we can tap into resources to help our businesses grow.
What workforce trends are shaping conversations with members, and what partners are proving effective?
Capital Area Workforce Development is here as well, and they are a partner we have had conversations with. We have not done a ton in that arena yet, but I would like to expand into it because workforce development comes up a lot in the conversations I hear. It is always one of the biggest topics.
Workforce is also one of the reasons we are attractive as a region. Being able to offer those resources to companies is one of the biggest things. Wake Tech does a great job, and they are continually looking for ways to improve and increase that for this area.
As the Morrisville Chamber, there are a lot of agencies here that we rely on as it relates to workforce development. We do not need to reinvent the wheel. We are a small staff of just two, including myself, so the more we can collaborate and partner, the better.
What quality of life factors influence business attraction and retention in Morrisville?
Quality of life is one of the biggest factors we have, not only in Morrisville but across the region, the Triangle, and Wake County in particular. Morrisville is a wonderful place, and what people love about it is the proximity I mentioned earlier, but also the small businesses. We have a lot of mom-and-pop businesses, and people really want to support them. It is one of the biggest attractions for our area.
We have fantastic schools, and transportation has also been a major focus. Joe Milazzo, who heads up the Regional Transportation Alliance, has been a friend and partner for a long time. They started thinking about transportation issues long before we had major transportation challenges, which helped the region get ahead.
We still have challenges because this area has grown so quickly, but they did a good job thinking ahead and trying not to become like some cities that have not been able to get out of transportation problems because they did not plan for them.
The town center is another major quality of life factor. Morrisville has greenways and parks, but one thing it has not had is a central focal point. We are excited because the town center has been a long time coming. The town was smart and intentional about what it would look like and how it would bring the community together. The whole community is excited for it.
How is the Chamber helping strengthen connections between businesses, policymakers, and the broader community?
One of our biggest roles is making connections. We always say that our chamber is interested in making meaningful connections. It is not just about making connections for the sake of it; we are trying to make meaningful connections for people.
We are a smaller chamber compared with some of the others in the region, but we boast that we are a more boutique-style chamber. You are going to feel welcome when you are there.
For me, it has always been about how I can help the business community by making those connections. Whether it is a policy issue and connecting a business to the planning director for Morrisville, or helping with an issue at the federal level, we try to help. We had a business reach out months ago about something at the federal level, and I knew someone in one of the senator’s offices. I called and asked them to talk to that business owner because it was outside my realm, but I could still help make the connection.
What opportunities do you see for Morrisville to further strengthen its position within the Research Triangle?
We have a lot of opportunity. Our biggest challenge right now is space and being able to focus on redevelopment.
We have been able to highlight ourselves in advanced manufacturing and life sciences, and I know the community would love to continue that. Supporting our small businesses, which are the backbone of our community, is also important. That is how we partner so well with economic development, by connecting big businesses with small businesses and putting them in the same room together.
As the Chamber, we are proud of our community and of how well we partner with the town of Morrisville. We are also excited about the opportunities ahead.
I am also planning to launch a Leadership Morrisville class, which several other chambers and municipalities have had in the past, but we have not. It will teach our business community about the community they live in, work in, or support. The more they know about this community, the more invested and engaged they become. That is important for our region.
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