‘It’s about the people’: Cabarrus County businesses show how relationships drive economic growth

From a neighborhood Italian deli to a homegrown manufacturer to Eli Lilly, the Cabarrus Economic Development Summit highlights the relationships behind business creation, expansion and recruitment.

Cabarrus Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Gretchen Carson with three local business leaders who shared their experiences during Thursday’s summit: Tom Cook, owner of Tutti’s Italian Market & Deli; Howard Bertram, founder and owner of Complete Design & Packaging; and Page Castrodale, senior director of state government affairs with Eli Lilly. Photo credit: Michael Anderson.

No man is an island — and neither is a small business.

That message came through repeatedly Thursday at the 2026 Cabarrus Economic Development Summit in Kannapolis, where local business owners and economic development leaders described the relationships, partnerships and community support that can turn an idea into a thriving business — and help convince major companies to invest in Cabarrus County.