The Greenville Eastern North Carolina (ENC) Alliance begins the new 2024-2025 Fiscal Year with a strong, engaged board of directors and executive leadership. Board members and executive committee members were approved during the May 30 board meeting. Drake Brinkley, a commercial real property attorney at Ward and Smith, P.A., will continue as chairman for a second term. He also previously served in secretary and vice chair roles.
"As we embark on a new fiscal year, we celebrate the many accomplishments of the Greenville ENC Alliance over the past 12 months. This includes Pitt County’s largest ever jobs announcement to date with the Boviet Solar foreign direct investment project, as well as several local industry expansions bringing new jobs and new capital investment and the development of a speculative building in Indigreen Corporate Park," said Brinkley.
Drake Brinkley will continue as chairman of the Greenville ENC Alliance Board of Directors for a second term. (Photo Credit: Ward and Smith, P.A.)
The Greenville ENC Alliance welcomes one new and three second-term private sector board members. Katie Holloman of Haystack Realty Group will fill a three-year term for the Bronze Level. Dr. Joshua Schwartz of East Carolina Anesthesia Associates (Platinum Level), David Philyaw of T.A. Loving (Gold Level), and Stan Armstrong of Kittrell & Armstrong (Silver Level) were re-elected to their private sector board member seats, each serving an additional three-year term.
“We are extremely fortunate to have prominent community leaders step up year after year to volunteer their time, energy, and resources to help lead and guide our organization. This level of interest and positive energy is not easily found in other communities. It is a testament to the power of a well-managed public-private economic development agency. We welcome our newest board members and thank them for their time and support,” said Josh Lewis, CEcD, president and CEO of the Greenville ENC Alliance.
For the public sector, the Village of Simpson will rotate into one of the municipal board voting seats with Mayor Rich Zeck serving in that role. Departing from this municipal voting seat is Town of Bethel Commissioner Ferrell Blount; however, he will remain on the board as an ex-officio member.
“With the support of more than 100 private sector investors, multiple municipalities, Greenville Utilities, City of Greenville, Pitt County, ECU, ECU Health, and our major industries, we are just scratching the surface of our community’s potential,” added Lewis. “The strength of this support system showcases clear support and mandate to execute the strategic objectives that our board developed last year. We look forward to working together to achieve our collective goals.”
In addition to Brinkley serving as chairman, board officers re-elected to serve include Aaron Driver of IIC Carolinas as vice chair, Michael Gregory of Hyster-Yale Group as treasurer, and Thomas Taft, Jr. of Taft Family Ventures as secretary. Town of Fountain Mayor Kathy Parker joins the committee as the new member municipality representative.
"It is a true honor to serve as the chairman of this organization as Greenville-Pitt County continues to enhance economic development throughout the entire region with business recruitment and retention, site and building development, marketing and promotion, and talent attraction and retention,” added Brinkley. “We look forward to great success ahead with collaboration from a skilled team of professionals, dedicated board of directors, engaged public and private partners, and supportive community members.”
The full list of the 2024-25 Greenville ENC Alliance Board of Directors is available by clicking here.
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Media Relations Contact:
Maria Satira Director of Marketing and Communications Greenville Eastern North Carolina Alliance satira@encalliance.com 252-414-2875
