NCBiotech Exec Randall Johnson Heads NCEDA
Randall Johnson, executive director of the NC Biotechnology Center Southeastern Office in Wilmington, has been named president of the North Carolina Economic Development Association (NCEDA) for the 2020-2021 term.
The 54-year-old association elected Johnson by unanimous vote at its first-ever virtual membership meeting on June 11.
NCEDA is one of the state’s leading membership organization for economic development practitioners, and their public and private allies and educational partners.
“Having worked with Randall for the past two years in a leadership position, I found him to be one of the most conscientious and detailed individuals in recognizing the need for and carrying out programs and initiatives for the good of the organization,” said Dr. Patricia Mitchell, NCEDA’s immediate past president, in a statement. “I’m excited to experience his leadership over the next year. It will bring good things to NCEDA.”
Johnson graduated cum laude from Wake Forest University with an undergraduate concentration in psychology and holds an MBA from the Babcock Graduate School of Management at Wake Forest University.
He serves on volunteer boards in the region and state, including Past Chairman of the Southeastern Economic Development Commission, Wilmington Rotary Club, and the Advisory Committee for Biotechnology in Southeastern North Carolina, which he helped found. Additionally, Randall is a graduate of Leadership North Carolina Class XV.
“I love NCEDA — the mission and the people — and am honored to serve in the leadership role for this statewide association of unparalleled economic development professionals who are so critical to North Carolina’s current and future economic vitality,” Johnson said.
“We are in a challenging time, but our organization is strong and well-positioned to weather the storm, while continuing to deliver high-quality professional development and policy leadership for our economic development community.”
Joining Johnson in the current class of NCEDA officers are John Nelms, senior economic development manager at Duke Energy in Raleigh, who will serve as NCEDA’s vice president, and Chris Plate, executive director of Monroe-Union County Economic Development, as secretary-treasurer. Members also elected three new directors who will serve three-year terms on the NCEDA board: Martyn Johnson, director of Beaufort County Economic Development in Washington; Jason McLeod, business development director at ECS Southeast in Wilmington; and Ryan Nance, Raleigh-based director of economic development at NC Electric Cooperatives.
Terms for new officers and directors commenced on July 1.
Founded in 1966, NCEDA works toward a mission of being “the voice for North Carolina’s economic development community — providing professional development, networking opportunities and advocacy to secure the state’s economic future.”
The organization is composed of about 700 professional economic developers at the state, regional and local levels, as well as educators, engineers, transportation experts, utility industry leaders, attorneys and other professionals. Based in Raleigh, NCEDA provides training, legislative representation, mentoring, news and information, and other services.