Governor Cooper appoints McLaurin chair of Economic Development Partnership

RICHMOND — Former Rockingham Mayor Gene McLaurin has been appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper to chair the governing board of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina.

The EDPNC focuses on business recruitment and expansion for the state of North Carolina, as well as promoting tourism. It was formed in 2014. McLaurin has served on the 17-member board since 2017 and has previously been its vice chair.

He said that the partnership has had a lot of success since its inception when he was a state senator.

“Even during the pandemic, North Carolina has had tremendous success in creating jobs,” McLaurin said. “I’m honored to be appointed to this role by Governor Cooper. It shows his commitment to rural economic development.”

McLaurin said that EDPNC is the first contact for individuals wanting to bring in a new industry or business. They also help existing businesses grow and find out what assistance is available from the state government to expand operations. Most of their funding comes from state government, but EDPNC is a true public and private partnership, and is a non-profit that receives funding from the private sector.

Previous chairs of the board were from larger cities, such as Charlotte. It’s the first time someone from rural North Carolina has been appointed as chairman.

“We just appreciate everything Gene has done for us in the past and look forward to continue working with him,” said Richmond County Economic Developer Martie Butler.

She said it’s nice to see the change in priority of having someone from a rural background in the position.

Mary Penny Kelley, executive director of Cooper’s Hometown Strong program tasked with helping rural communities throughout the state, congratulated McLaurin on his appointment.

“You are the perfect choice to move North Carolina forward during these difficult times and not miss out on opportunities to reshape our state’s economy as we rebuild from the impacts of the pandemic,” Kelley told McLaurin in an email.

McLaurin will continue to live in Richmond County and serve as president and CEO of Swink-Quality Oil Company, which has offices in Rockingham, Laurinburg, Wadesboro and Lumberton. He served eight consecutive terms as Rockingham’s mayor from 1997 to 2012 and one term in the North Carolina State Senate. His past appointments include president of the Richmond County Chamber of Commerce and the Rockingham Rotary Club. McLaurin was named Richmond County Citizen of the Year in 2014.

His new appointment is not a full-time position, but he will be spending more time on the road traveling across the state to help businesses expand.

“It’s exciting and a great opportunity,” McLaurin said. “I love North Carolina. It’s been my lifelong home. I’m excited about the chance to work with our staff and our board to promote and encourage economic growth all across our state.”