Gov. Perdue in NYC to recruit financial firms and jobs

Gov. Bev Perdue is visiting New York City today and tomorrow, but it's not a tourist trip. She's trying to sell financial firms on the merits of relocating to the Tar Heel state.

During the day, Perdue is meeting with officials at several financial services companies that spokeswoman Chrissy Pearson declined to identify. And tonight she'll work the room at a reception hosted by the N.C. Department of Commerce for site selection consultants who work with financial clients.

"Her sole reason for being there is to recruit businesses to this state," Pearson said.

As North Carolina's jobless rate of 10.8 percent remains well above the national average, Perdue and other officials are eager to win new expansions and jobs. Pearson said that since taking her position, Perdue has made hundreds of recruitment phone calls and held dozens of meetings with prospective companies.

Commerce secretary Keith Crisco has said, only half joking, that before he accepted the job, he made Perdue promise that she would play an active role in recruiting.

And financial services is one industry that's an important target for North Carolina, especially as firms look outside of Wall Street for cheaper offices and strong workers.

While Charlotte has long been a major banking hub, the Triangle has attracted some big financial firms in recent years, including Fidelity Investments and Credit Suisse. In August, Deutsche Bank announced it would build a technology center in Cary that will create more than 300 high-paying jobs.