W. Louis Bissette

Industries for the Blind, serving the Winston-Salem community since 1936, the Asheville community since 1991, and the Mayaguez, Puerto Rico community since 2006, provides employment and services for people in the local blind communities. The company produces high quality, value priced products ranging from custom-made mattresses and military clothing to prescription eye glasses for consumers in the local community and across the nation as well as for military personnel and their families around the world. Industries for the Blind provides meaningful employment with competitive marketplace wages and benefits for a segment of the population that national statistics indicate might not otherwise be employed. The firm is widely known for their quality workmanship, teamwork and dedication. Its mission is to provide opportunities for persons who are blind or visually impaired in need of training, employment and services. The mission is accomplished through creating a state of the art work environment with work processes and training programs custom designed to meet special needs. The company's agency has been recognized locally, regionally and nationally as a provider of choice for jobs, products and services. Industries for the Blind has provided employment for thousands of visually impaired people since its inception. It is currently the largest employer of the blind in North Carolina with over 200 (and over 350 blind employees in total) blind employees and 80 million dollars in sales. Industries for the Blind is a self-supporting not-for-profit organization that has won many prestigious awards over the years, most recently received national recognition by the company’s industry for having the highest growth in blind jobs for an unprecedented three out of four years. Industries for the Blind is proud to be a strong builder of social, capital and an economic contributor in the Winston-Salem and Asheville communities.

Forest Commercial Bank provides banking services. Its helps businesses, professional firms and individuals achieve their financial goals and serves Western North Carolina from offices in Asheville and Hendersonville and have recently opened a loan production office in Charlotte. The firm's customers appreciate a refreshing experience with a small bank that provides thoughtful financial solutions while observing exceptional standards of professionalism and service. The company was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Asheville, NC.

McGuire, Wood & Bissette, P.A. is a private company based in Asheville, NC.

Carolina Alliance Bank engages in providing commercial banking services to its customers. It is engaged in the business of accepting demand and time deposits and providing loans to individuals and businesses. Its business is limited primarily to Spartanburg and adjacent counties in the northwestern area of South Carolina. It offers online, personal, professional, Leasing, and business banking. Carolina Alliance was founded in January 2007 and is headquartered in Spartanburg, SC.

Part of GlobalConnect A/S, UNC Systems AB is a Swedish company that merged with Triggerfish, a web agency. The company is based in Upplands Väsby, Sweden. The company built portal solutions and websites using their proprietary tool, Publisher CMS, which was later replaced by WordPress. Triggerfish specializes in WordPress projects, offering services such as analysis, web design, technical production, operation and management, and ongoing digital marketing. UNC Systems was founded in 1996 and primarily served unions, plumbing companies, and newspapers associated with these organizations. In 2009, Triggerfish acquired UNC Systems and integrated it fully into their operations. UNC Systems was acquired by Nocom Networks AB, part of GlobalConnect A/S from May 31, 2006, on July 04, 2005.

CAB Financial Corp. operates as a holding company of Carolina Bank. It provides banking services to individuals and businesses. The company was founded by John S. Poole in 2017 and is headquartered in Spartanburg, SC.