Joe Scott leads economic development board
By Steve Herring
Published in News on July 1, 2018 3:05 AM
Joe Scott
Mount Olive Mayor Mount Olive Mayor Joe Scott has been elected chairman of the Wayne County Development Alliance.
David Perry, owner of Goldsboro Builder's Supply, is the new vice chairman.
Scott is no stranger to economic development having served on the Committee of 100 in the 1990s.
He was instrumental in bringing Carolina Agri-Systems to Wayne County. Scott was the company's general operations manager.
His background has been in agriculture and, especially, in grain, pork and poultry industries.
Scott, who has served on the WCDA board and is an advocate for industry, said he has a very strong board that is diverse in the knowledge of Wayne County and its industries.
The first order of business is to hire an economic development director, who will also be the president of the WCDA, Scott said.
That position has been vacant since early May when Crystal Gettys resigned as WCDA president.
WCDA existing industry specialist Tiffany Leach is serving as interim president.
A joint closed session meeting between the WCDA and the Wayne County Board of Commissioners will be held at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 11, at the Maxwell Center.
The purpose of the meeting is to discuss a personnel matter.
Carol Bowden, clerk to the board of commissioners, was asked if the meeting would include consider hiring a new president.
"We cannot expand on personnel matters," she said.
The WCDA was formed in 2006 with Goldsboro and Mount Olive's committees of 100 coming together and building an alliance to work together building the common good in industry, Scott said.
The county came in as a public partner making the organization one of the elite organizations in the state, Scott said.
Having private and public funds make Wayne County more aggressive in recruiting industry, he said.
"We want to continue in the growth of bringing jobs to Wayne County, and at the same time, look after the industries we have here," Scott said. "This county is poised to become a major player in eastern North Carolina in aerospace and agriculture.
"We have done the groundwork with industries already here and with their support, we can grow and bring other businesses and industries here.
"I am excited about the future of economic development in Wayne County. Serving the next year, will be a new beginning for me as well as WCDA." has been elected chairman of the Wayne County Development Alliance.
David Perry, owner of Goldsboro Builder's Supply, is the new vice chairman.
Scott is no stranger to economic development having served on the Committee of 100 in the 1990s.
He was instrumental in bringing Carolina Agri-Systems to Wayne County. Scott was the company's general operations manager.
His background has been in agriculture and, especially, in grain, pork and poultry industries.
Scott, who has served on the WCDA board and is an advocate for industry, said he has a very strong board that is diverse in the knowledge of Wayne County and its industries.
The first order of business is to hire an economic development director, who will also be the president of the WCDA, Scott said.
That position has been vacant since early May when Crystal Gettys resigned as WCDA president.
WCDA existing industry specialist Tiffany Leach is serving as interim president.
A joint closed session meeting between the WCDA and the Wayne County Board of Commissioners will be held at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 11, at the Maxwell Center.
The purpose of the meeting is to discuss a personnel matter.
Carol Bowden, clerk to the board of commissioners, was asked if the meeting would include consider hiring a new president.
"We cannot expand on personnel matters," she said.
The WCDA was formed in 2006 with Goldsboro and Mount Olive's committees of 100 coming together and building an alliance to work together building the common good in industry, Scott said.
The county came in as a public partner making the organization one of the elite organizations in the state, Scott said.
Having private and public funds make Wayne County more aggressive in recruiting industry, he said.
"We want to continue in the growth of bringing jobs to Wayne County, and at the same time, look after the industries we have here," Scott said. "This county is poised to become a major player in eastern North Carolina in aerospace and agriculture.
"We have done the groundwork with industries already here and with their support, we can grow and bring other businesses and industries here.
"I am excited about the future of economic development in Wayne County. Serving the next year, will be a new beginning for me as well as WCDA."