July 2018

318 319 the surrounding counties and be reflective of the general area the facility serves. “Craven County, as a facility name, was a little bit too exclusive for a truly regional airport,” says Airport Director, Andrew Shorter. “We wanted to make sure to include our surrounding counties that don’t have commercial service or even public airports. It was a good move, I think, to change the name to make it inclusive for all our coastal neighbors. Our Airport Authority has members from each of those adjacent counties and we wouldn’t want it any other way.” Since its opening, EWN has seen many changes, including runway extensions to accommodate larger aircraft, the addition of hangars, and a new commercial passenger terminal that was constructed on a new site in 1999. In 2008 the Airport’s new general aviation terminal was built thereby completing the modernization of both airport terminal facilities. About 50 percent of Airport traffic is business-related, a portion of it due to the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, which is 12 miles away. Leisure travel is responsi- ble for the remaining 50 percent, thanks to New Bern’s location near the beaches of North Caroli- na’s Crystal Coast. The area’s attractiveness to investors and its continuous growth are also generating traffic, says Shorter. “Our general aviation terminal is topnotch and it’s what we call the front door of the community that brings in the investors and new businesses looking to locate to our area. Those important businesses wouldn’t necessarily drive down the highway to investigate a potential new site but they will generally fly-in. So having a facility like EWN available for use is important right from the start”. In addition to the topnotch terminal and FBO that runs it, EWN also supports COASTAL CAROLINA REGIONAL AIRPORT International Paper is one of the world’s leading producers of fiber-based packaging, pulp and paper, with 52,000 employees operating in 24 countries. We create packaging products that protect and promote goods, enable worldwide commerce and keep con- sumers safe; pulp for diapers, tissue and other personal hygiene products that promote health and wellness; papers that facilitate education and communication. We are committed to strengthening our people and the communities where we live and work using all resources responsibly and efficiently, and ensuring our businesses are safe, successful and sustainable for generations to come. The New Bern Fluff Pulp Mill has been an integral part of the surrounding Eastern North Carolina community since 1969. Originally a Weyerhaeuser facility, the mill was acquired by International Paper in December 2016. We take pride in our people, products and resources to improve the communities where we live and work.