Community works to keep Corning from leaving Hickory

HICKORY, N.C. — Efforts are underway to keep one of Hickory's largest employers from leaving.
 
City leaders said it is the outdated building where Corning Optical Communications Corporate headquarters is located in Hickory, which has the company looking to move.  
 
"This is my No. 1 priority," Hickory Mayor Rudy Wright said.
       
Wright said he is determined to keep that from happening. 
 
Hundreds of high paying jobs in an area still recovering from the recession are at stake. 
 
The Catawba County Chamber of Commerce recently started a Facebook page and Twitter named Hickory Corning Proud.  
 
They hope by using social media people can express how important Corning is to Hickory. 
 
The Facebook page has nearly a thousand likes.  
 
Channel 9 learned Thursday the building is nearly 40 years old and the company is determined to move. 
 
Consultant are studying the most cost effective location.  No one Channel 9 spoke with could say when a decision would be made or exactly who is competing with Hickory. 
      
Chamber of Commerce president Danny Hearn said Corning is a corporate giant for Hickory that gives back to the community. 
 
He hopes the community outreach will help sway their decision. 
 
"We don't want to sit around and wait for the phone to ring for an answer.  Every day that we don't hear something is another opportunity for us to get a message to Corning," he said.

WSOC