Governor McCrory Announces Appointments | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    Raleigh, N.C.     The Office of North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory announced the following appointments:

North Carolina Mining Commission

    Brian North (Guilford County): North currently is the Division Environmental/GIS Land Manager for Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. North has worked for Martin Marietta Materials since 1994. He has previously worked as Manager of Engineering Services and Senior Environmental Engineer. North worked at the North Carolina Department of Environmental, Health and Natural Resources from 1986 to 1994. North received his BS in Civil Engineering Technology and Master of Science in Engineering Management from UNC-Charlotte.

    Robert Conner (Henderson County): Conner is the Corporate Environmental Director of Hedrick Industries. Conner is responsible for all geology, environmental, and fixed assets for all Divisions of Hedrick Industries. Conner previously worked as the Western Division Environmental Director; and Land Resource Assistant. Connor received his Bachelor of Science in Geology from UNC-Chapel Hill. He currently serves on the NCAA Environmental Committee (Chairman) and the North Carolina State University Minerals Research Lab Board.

    Samuel Bratton (Wake County): Bratton is the President of Wake Stone Corporation. They own and operate 5 quarries in North Carolina and one in South Carolina. Bratton has served as the Past President of the North Carolina Aggregates Association and has worked in the mining industry practically his whole life. Bratton's company has received awards such as the North Carolina Land Trust - Conservation Award of the Year; NC Wildlife Federation - Governor's Conservation Achievement Award and the Land Conservationist of the Year (1997); and the National Stone Association Lifetime Achievement Award.

    Corey Viers (Davidson County): Viers serves as the District Operations Manager for Vulcan Materials Company. Viers received his Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering from Virginia Tech University in 2001. Under his leadership, Vulcan Materials has gone seven years without an accident at East Forsyth and Stokesdale Quarries. Also, they have received zero environmental citations in his 12 years as Plant Manager for all three operations.

Oil and Gas Commission

    Victor Gaglio (Union County): Gaglio is a Senior Vice President for Piedmont Natural Gas. He has been with the company since February 2012 and previously worked as the Senior VP of Operations for Nisource Gas Transmission and Storage. Gaglio has a Engineering Science and Mechanics degree from Virginia Tech.

    Dr. Randall Williams (Wake County): Williams is an obstetrician/gynecologist from Raleigh Gynecology and Wellness and Deputy Secretary of Health Services for the Department of Health and Human Services. Williams has been engaged in both taking care of patients in North Carolina and in public health for the last 26 years. A native North Carolinian, he graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with honors with a double major in History and Zoology, and went on to the UNC School of Medicine where he was a Holderness Fellow and co-founded the Students Teaching Early Prevention initiative. He then served as Administrative Chief Resident in Obstetrics and Gynecology at North Carolina Memorial Hospital.

    Sanford D. Baird (Wake County): Baird is a partner in the Raleigh office of K&L Gates and focuses his practice on environmental matters, including litigation and regulatory matters, and environmental aspects of real estate, lending, and mergers and acquisitions transactions. Baird regularly advises manufacturing clients regarding environmental regulatory and compliance matters. He routinely negotiates with state and federal environmental agencies on behalf of private parties, handles administrative appeals, enforcement defense, and permitting matters, and oversees environmental due diligence and clean-up activities. Baird also counsels stakeholders regarding the development of shale gas resources. He is also honored as one of Environmental Law's Best Lawyers from 2007-2014. He serves on the North Carolina Bar Association (Environmental Law Section Council) was the City of Raleigh Environmental Awards, Chair from 2008-2010 and the City of Raleigh.

Environmental Advisory Board from 2006-2010.

    Charles Taylor (Lee County): Taylor is a Global Market Manager at 3M in Sanford and also serves on the Sanford City Council. He was first elected to the council in 2007. In addition to his service on the council, Taylor is also involved with various local community groups in the Lee County area.

    Ronda Jones (Stokes County): Jones is the owner of Aboutface Electrology in Kernersville which has been in business for over 20 years. She also serves on the Stokes County Board of Commissioners. Jones is a graduate of NC A&T University.

State Board of Community Colleges

    Brian Brown (Pitt): Brown is the President and CEO of Rex Hospitality in Greenville. He has been with the company since it started in June 2007. He also served one term in the NC House from 2013-2015 and was a chairman of the Health Committee.

    Bob Stephens (Wake): Stephens served Chief Legal Counsel for the North Carolina Governor's Office from 2013-2016. Prior to taking that role he was a senior partner at HSSM law firm in Charlotte. He has spent his entire professional career in Charlotte after serving as a first lieutenant in the United States Army, Judge Advocate General Corp, 1970 - 1972.

Golden LEAF

    Lee Roberts (Wake): Roberts is the Managing Director of SharpVue Capital. He has also held that title for Piedmont Community Bank Holdings (2010-2014), Coley Capital/Oaklane Capital (2008-2010), and Cherokee Investment Partners (2006-2008). Roberts also served as the State Budget Director for North Carolina from 2014-2016.

    Thomas Stith (Durham): Stith has served as Chief of Staff for Governor McCrory since January 2013. Prior to serving North Carolina in this role, Stith was the Economic Development Program Director for the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprises. He earned his MBA from NC Central University.

• Contact: McCrory Communications
•     govpress@nc.gov