When most people think of Duke University and its Health System, they think of excellence in both academics and health care. Yet Duke is also a major economic engine whose activities dramatically contribute to its home town and state.

Just ask Dennis Lackey, owner of Statesville Stained Glass Inc., who has a contract to design glass for the new chapel in the Divinity School addition.

"We're absolutely elated," Lackey said. "It's probably the premier project we've done and we've done projects all over the world. To have our name associated with Duke University is going to be tremendous recognition for us."

Lackey is just one of many North Carolinians whose economic boats are rising on the tide created by Duke University and its health system. With more than 36,000 employees, Duke was the largest private employer in the Piedmont region in 2003 and the third largest private employer in the state (after Wal-Mart and Food Lion). While Duke ranks third in total number of jobs, it ranks first in wages and benefits paid to employees - $1.5 billion in 2004 - and creates significant tax revenues that support state and local economies.

In addition, Duke's powerful research engine continues to generate new jobs. The federal government estimates that for every million dollars provided in research funding, 36 jobs are created. Duke leads all North Carolina universities in funding from the federal government, garnering more than $492 million in 2003-2004. By the government's formula, Duke's success in securing research support was responsible for more than 17,700 jobs in North Carolina in 2003-2004, including desirable high-tech positions.

Duke University's economic impact is especially significant in Durham, a city no longer supported by tobacco and textile company money. In 2003, a report conservatively estimated Duke's financial impact on Durham alone to be approximately $2.6 billion a year. Thomas White, president of the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce, says chamber members view Duke as Durham's "number-one economic development asset."

"Duke is a widely recognized, world-class educational institution that not only excels in providing superior education and health care -- its core mission -- but also acts as a quintessential community development engine," White says. "A great deal of the impressive corporate investment that our chamber has helped attract to Durham sub-markets, such as Research Triangle Park, Treyburn and our downtown/central business area, has come here expressly because of Duke's presence."