Meet Our Team
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Steve has been President of North Carolina's Southeast since 2009. He has led economic development programs and strategies at the local, state, and regional levels since 1994, including as Executive Director of the Columbus County Economic Development Commission, Sr. Developer and Regional Manager for the NC Dept. of Commerce, and as Marketing Manager for North Carolina's Southeast. He has been a leader in marketing, strategic planning, product development, fundraising, advocacy, and the creation of public-private partnerships in all positions.
He earned a B.A. in Political Science from Appalachian State University and a Master of Public Administration from the University of North Carolina — Chapel Hill. He is a Certified Economic and Community Developer; has been named to Business NC Magazine's list of most influential economic development leaders five time; and served as President of the North Carolina Economic Development Association in 2017-2018. He is proud of having achieved the rank of Eagle Scout when growing up in Albemarle, NC.
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Joe serves as the Vice President of North Carolina's Southeast Regional Economic Development Partnership. Joe has worked for over 17 years in the economic development industry including positions at North Carolina's Southeast, Michigan Economic Development Corporation, and Alliance Consulting Engineers, Inc. Joe was awarded the designation of Certified Economic and Community Development (CEcD) from the International Economic Development Council in 2018. He was recognized as one of North America's Top 50 Economic Developers by Consultant Connect in 2020 for outstanding leadership and innovation in the profession. Beginning in 2026, he will be represent North Carolina as the State Director for the 17 state Southern Economic Development Council.
He is a leader in global marketing, lead generation, product development, client and project management, strategic planning, global site selector and industrial broker engagement, and fostering partnerships with strategic allies.
M.A., Education Leadership: UNC-Wilmington
B.A., Psychology: UNC-Chapel Hill
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Megan Berquist serves as Director of Marketing & Project Management for North Carolina's Southeast, where she leads strategic marketing initiatives and manages regional recruitment and expansion projects across the organization's 20-county territory.
Since joining NC's Southeast in 2019, Megan has played a key role in promoting the region's competitive advantages to global audiences and coordinating with local, regional, and state partners to attract new investment. Her work bridges marketing, business development, and project management to help communities prepare and respond to company growth opportunities.
Before joining NC's Southeast, Megan served as the Existing Industry Coordinator with the Anson Economic Development Partnership and as Membership & Marketing Director for the Anson County Chamber of Commerce. In 2018, she was recognized as Young Professional of the Year in Anson County for her leadership and economic development results.
Megan holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. She resides in Sanford with her husband, who recently retired after 23 years of service in the U.S. Army; their two teenage children, Makaylah and Brayden; and their two pups, George and Henry.
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Patti Miller is the Finance & Office Manager for North Carolina's Southeast. She joined the North Carolina's Southeast team in 2016 and manages all financial planning and oversight for the organization. She also interacts and assists public and private investors that support North Carolina's Southeast.
A key part of her responsibilities is developing and generating graphics design of materials for external and internal marketing and communications. She received a B.S. in Computer Science and Finance from the University of Kentucky. Her credentials have equipped her to hold a wide variety of positions from computer systems analyst/ programmer to community college computer instructor to office manager and financial secretary.
Patti grew up in the Bluegrass of Kentucky. She spent 16 years living in South Carolina and for the past nine years she has resided in North Carolina. She enjoys travel and the outdoors.
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Kassie Emerson joined North Carolina's Southeast in 2023 as Marketing Communications Manager. In this role, she oversees the partnership's communications strategy, including media relations, press releases, and social media initiatives. A licensed drone pilot, Kassie also produces aerial footage and videos that highlight available industrial properties and regional assets. Before joining NC's Southeast, Kassie spent four years in broadcast journalism, where she developed a strong background in photography, videography, and graphic design. Her storytelling earned statewide recognition when she received the TV News Multimedia Journalist of the Year award from the Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas in 2022 for excellence in breaking news, investigative reporting, and feature storytelling.
Kassie earned her bachelor's degree in Multimedia Journalism from Virginia Tech in 2019. She relocated to southeastern North Carolina in 2021, where she met her husband. They now live in Wilmington with their dog, Benji, and cats, Max, Milo, and Cookie. Outside of work, Kassie enjoys playing volleyball in a local league and volunteering at her church.