Staff
John D. Chaffee - chaffee@nceast.org
President/CEO
Planning, fiscal management and leadership of the thirteen county economic development commission. Business, product and program development. NCPED Executive Council. Legislative liaison. Community relations. B.A. and M.A. from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.
Leonard D. Kulik - kulik@nceast.org
Senior Vice President
Substitutes for the President/CEO as requested. Markets the region and is the primary staff member charged with managing key NCER relationships, partnerships and overseeing strategic initiatives. Other duties include project manager, analyst and economic developer. Thirteen years in economic development. Thirteen years at NCER. Former Board Member, North Carolina Economic Developers Association-NCEDA. ED Basic and EDI. BA Industrial Design, University of Illinois. MA Business Management/ Personnel Administration, Central Michigan University. Department of Defense Systems Management College programs for US and International Program Management.
Kathy P. Howard - howard@nceast.org
Vice President, Workforce and Client Development
Coordinate and strengthen relationships between NCER and private business sector, local governments, educational institutions and systems, non-governmental organizations and other groups through collaboration and partnering. Primary Duties include project manager staff person responsible for economic development projects. Responsibility also includes the Region’s Workforce Development initiative, and delivery of products including grants, programs and events stemming from this partnership. Organizes committees, workgroups and workshops to promote partnering. Twelve years in Economic Development. Former Existing Industry Specialist & Economic Developer for the North Carolina Department of Commerce. ED Basic and EDI. BS Business & Marketing, Meredith College.
Sylvia Nesbitt - nesbitt@nceast.org
Chief Financial Officer
Manage commission budget, loans, grants and trust fund. Supervise commission meeting agenda preparation, correspondence, records, audits and reports. Manage retiree attraction initiatives. Sixteen years in economic development. Sixteen years at NCER. ED Basic and EDI.
Administrative Services Coordinator
Answer phones and greet visitors. Database management, copy/collate, file, records maintenance, office maintenance, financial accounting, purchasing, organize meetings and events, computer system back-up. Responsible for inventory and stocking of supplies. Reconciling staff and Commission travel. AAS Business Administration, Lenoir Community College. BS Management and Organizational Development, Mount Olive College.
Steven Pearce - pearce@nceast.org
Marketing & Communications Coordinator
The Marketing and Communications Coordinator works with the President/CEO, Senior Vice President, and Vice President for Client and Workforce Development to create public interest and awareness for North Carolina's Eastern Region. Investigates marketing and advertising opportunities that best meet NCER goals and objectives. Develop and maintain relationships that forward the goals and objectives of NCER. Identify, faciliatate and support efforts to promote tourism in the region. Coordinates design, input, and maintenance of all websites created for/by North Carolina's Eastern Region. Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentraion in Marketing from East Carolina University.
