Governor Cooper Announces Nominations to Boards and Commissions | Eastern NC Now

Press Release:

    RALEIGH: Today, Governor Roy Cooper announced nominations to five boards and commissions.

    "I appreciate these appointees serving on North Carolina boards and commissions to help strengthen our state and improve the lives of its people," said Governor Cooper.

    Gov. Cooper has nominated the following individuals to the North Carolina State Board of Education:

• Dr. Donna A. Tipton-Rogers of Brasstown as a representative of the 8th education district. Tipton-Rogers is the president and CEO of Tri-County Community College. She serves as vice-chair on the Legislative Committee for the NC Community College System Presidents Association and as co-chair of the North Carolina Task Force on Rural Health.
• J. Wendell Hall of Ahoskie as a member at-large. Hall serves on the Hertford County School Board and previously served as the interim superintendent for Northampton County Schools, Warren County Schools and Weldon City Schools. He also served as president of the NC School Boards Association and the NC Association of School Administrators.

    Gov. Cooper has nominated the following individuals to the North Carolina Industrial Commission:

• James C. Gillen of Hendersonville as a member representing employers. Gillen is currently a deputy commissioner with the North Carolina Industrial Commission. Prior, he worked at the Industrial Commission as a law clerk and as a special deputy commissioner.
• Representative Kenneth L. Goodman of Rockingham as a member representing employers. Goodman serves in the North Carolina House, representing District 66. He is the director of the Richmond Community College Foundation and former president and CEO of R. W. Goodman Co., Inc. He also formerly served as chair of the First Health Richmond Memorial Hospital Foundation Board and as a member of the Foundation of First Health Board.

    Gov. Cooper has nominated the following individual to serve as the Commissioner of Banks:

• Ray Grace of Raleigh. Grace has served as the North Carolina Commissioner of Banks since 2012. In his nearly 45-year career at the Office of the Commissioner of Banks, he has served as the chief deputy commissioner of banks, the director of bank applications, and a commercial bank examiner. Additionally, he was a member of the U.S. Marine Corps from 1966 to 1969 and served in the Vietnam War.

    Gov. Cooper has nominated the following individuals to the North Carolina Mining Commission:

• Jason Conner of Etowah as a mining industry representative. Conner is the vice president of land management and strategic development at Hedrick Industries. He serves on the Mineral Research Lab Board at NC State University.
• Corey Viers of Winston-Salem as a mining industry representative. Viers is the director of operation support at Vulcan Materials Company. He has been awarded the 2008 National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association's gold community relations award for the Stokesdale Quarry and the 2010 Union Cross Elementary business partner of the year award.

    Gov. Cooper has nominated the following individuals to the North Carolina Oil and Gas Commission:

• Dr. William Vizuete of Chapel Hill as a member with experience in matters related to public health. Vizuete is an associate professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering at UNC Chapel Hill. He participated in the National Center of Atmospheric Research visiting professor faculty fellowship program in 2016. Additionally, he is a member of the Air and Waste Management Association and the American Geophysical Union.
• Commissioner Diana Hales of Siler City as a member of a county board of commissioners of a county located in a region with oil and gas potential. Hales has served as Chatham County commissioner since 2014 and is a retired North Carolina government employee. She is a founding member of the Siler City Development Organization and also serves local environmental advocacy non-profits.
• Hugh Bailey of Raleigh as a licensed attorney with experience in legal matters associated with oil and gas exploration. Bailey is an attorney at Post Foushee Patton, focusing in general civil litigation and environmental law. He previously worked as an Assistant District Attorney in Johnston, Harnett, and Lee Counties.

• Contact: Ford Porter
•     govpress@nc.gov