Board of Trustees

North Carolina State University is a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina (UNC) system. According to the UNC Code, NC State shall have a board of trustees composed of 13 persons: eight are elected by the UNC Board of Governors; four are appointed by the General Assembly, two upon the recommendation of the president pro tempore of the Senate and two upon the recommendation of the speaker of the House of Representatives; and the president of the student body serves an ex-officio member. Read about the most recent appointments to the Board of Trustees.

The Board of Trustees shall promote the sound development of its institution within the functions prescribed for it, helping it to serve the people of the state in a way that will complement the activities of the other institutions and aiding it to perform at a high level of excellence in every area of endeavor. Each board of trustees shall serve as an advisor to the Board of Governors on matters pertaining to its institution and shall also serve as advisor to the chancellor concerning the management and development of the institution.

Members:

Stanhope A. Kelly, Winston-Salem, N.C., Chair (2015-2023)

Stan Kelly is the CEO and president of Piedmont Triad Partnership. He graduated from NC State’s Poole College of Management, earning his Bachelor of Arts in business management in 1980. In addition to his service on the Board of Trustees, Stan is director on the Board of Glen Raven Inc. and was previously president of Wachovia Wealth Management and Wells Fargo Carolina’s community banking. He was also a member of the NC State University Foundation Board, a member of the Park Scholars Selection Committee, chair of the Poole College of Management Achieve! Campaign Steering Committee, a member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors and chair of the Winston-Salem Foundation. In 2005, he received the Poole College of Management Alumnus of the Year award and, in the same year, was granted an honorary lifetime membership in the NC State Alumni Association.

Robert F. “Chip” Andrews III, Raleigh, N.C. (2015-2023)

Former chairman and CEO of FMI Corporation. Member of Poole College of Management’s Advisory Board and formerly served on the Board of Visitors, as chair of the Graduate School Board of Advisors, as founding member and president of the Gallery of Art & Design, as chair of Friends of the Gregg Museum and as a volunteer leader for the Campaign for NC State Students. Member of the Dabney Giving Society. B.A. in economics from NC State.

Erik L. Dixon, Wake Forest, N.C. (2021-2025)

Former vice president at Broadcom Limited and CEO of LVL7 Systems. Spent over three decades running businesses and developing end product, semiconductors and software in the networking equipment industry. Currently a strategic advisor for AccessOn Networks, which is helping to provide advanced networking technology to the rural areas of North Carolina. Member of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Hall of Fame, former member of the Board of Visitors, former part-time lecturer in the NC State College of Engineering and former member of the NC State MAE Advisory Board. Holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School (1998) and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from NC State University (1988).

Ann B. Goodnight, Cary, N.C., Secretary (2015-2023)

Vice president, community relations, SAS Institute Inc. Founder and board member of Cary Academy. Member of the Trustees Board of the YMCA of the Triangle and the Board of Directors of myFutureNC. Previously served on the UNC Board of Governors, the NC State Board of Trustees, the NC State Board of Trustees of the Endowment Fund, Achieve! Campaign Steering Committee, CHASS Dean’s Advisory Board, Chancellor Search Committee and Campaign for NC State Students. Recipient of the William C. Friday Award in 2008, the Menscer Cup in 2007 and the CHASS Alumna of the Year award in 2000. Endowed multiple professorships as well as the Goodnight Scholars program, and is a member of the Holladay Giving Society. B.A. in political science in 1968 from NC State.

James A. “Jim” Harrell III, Raleigh, N.C. (2017-2025)

Member-manager in the real estate development firm of Chatham Banks Development Group LLC and a partner in the law firm of Bode & Harrell LLP. Former member of the North Carolina House of Representatives, former member of the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center Board of Directors, former member of the Appalachian State University Board of Visitors and current North Carolina House of Representatives appointee to the North Carolina Outdoor Advisory Council. B.A. from Hampden-Sydney College and Juris Doctor from Emory University School of Law.

David Dee Herring, Lillington, N.C. (2021-2025)

David Herring is vice president of Hog Slat Inc., a family-owned business engaged in turnkey construction of confinement-type hog units, manufacturing and distribution of hog equipment and production of live hogs. He is a 1981 graduate from the NC State Agriculture Institute with an associate’s degree in livestock management. David currently serves on the U.S. Meat Export Federation executive committee and the USDA ATAC committee. David is a former president of the National Pork Producers Council and a former president of the North Carolina Pork Producers Council. David and his wife, Lisa, live in Lillington, North Carolina. They have three children: Maggie, Mary Ellen, and Billy and the grandsons.

Timothy L. Humphrey, Raleigh, N.C. (2021-2025)

Timothy Humphrey is currently IBM’s Chief Analytics Officer. He is also the senior state executive for IBM in North Carolina and senior location executive for IBM in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, one of the company’s largest sites. Active in the community, Tim serves as a board member for many local nonprofit organizations and is a mentor to over 30 global professionals, students and youth. In 2019, he established the Timothy L. Humphrey Women and Minority Engineering Initiatives Award and the Timothy L. Humphrey Inclusion, Equity and Diversity Award. Tim graduated from NC State University in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering and is a member of the NC State Electrical and Computer Engineering Hall of Fame. Tim is a North Carolina native and currently resides in Raleigh.

Ven Poole, Raleigh, N.C. (2018-2025)

Ven Poole is the former chairman and CEO of Waste Industries USA and now serves on the Board of Directors of GFL Environmental Inc. following their merger. Ven also serves as trustee and treasurer for the Environmental Research and Education Foundation and as trustee and treasurer for St. David’s School. He has served on multiple NC State committees, including the Entrepreneurship Initiative Advisory Board and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences Dean’s Advisory Board. Poole earned a B.S. in aerospace engineering in 1985 from NC State.

Perry R. Safran, Raleigh, N.C. (2020-2023)

Founding partner of Safran Law Offices. Chair of the University Development Coalition political action committee. Appointed vice chair of the North Carolina Turnpike Authority. Appointed inaugural and current member of the PNC Arena, Centennial Authority. Former chair of the School of Public and International Affairs Board of Advisors. Former president of the NC State Alumni association. Former Raleigh City Council member. 2019 recipient of the Meritorious Service award from the NC State Alumni Association. Member of the Peele Giving Society and the Pullen Society. B.A. from NC State, MBA from Wake Forest University, and J.D. from Campbell University.

Edwin J. “Ed” Stack III, Morehead City, N.C. (2019-2023)

Ed Stack is vice president of administration and development for Jarrett Bay Boatworks in Beaufort, North Carolina. He was previously the associate executive director of the NC State Student Aid Association, where he worked for 16 years. As vice president of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, Ed has served as their representative on the NC State University Foundation Board and the NC State University Investment Fund Board. Ed graduated from NC State’s Wilson College of Textiles with a Bachelor of Science in textile apparel and management in 1992, and he served two terms as student body president from 1990 to 1992.

Dewayne N. Washington, Wake Forest, N.C. (2015-2023)

Managing partner, D. Washington Group LLC, a construction and development company based in Durham, North Carolina. Former member of the NC State Board of Visitors, the NC State University Foundation Board, the NC State Alumni Association Board of Directors and the Varsity Club. Established the Dewayne and Adama Washington Scholarship Endowment and the Washingtons Multipurpose Room Fund at NC State. Member of the Dabney Giving Society. B.A. in interdisciplinary studies from NC State. While at NC State, Washington was a member of the football team from 1990-1993; he was drafted in the first round by the Minnesota Vikings in 1994 and retired from the NFL with 12 years of service.

Edward I. “Ed” Weisiger Jr., Charlotte, N.C., Vice Chair (2017-2025)

President and CEO of CTE in Charlotte. Served as a member of the NC State University Engineering Foundation, the Student Aid Association Board of Directors and the W.H. Page Lifetime Giving Society, and is an honorary lifetime member of the NC State Alumni Association. Recipient of the ISE Distinguished Alumni Award. Established the Edward I. Weisiger Professorship in the area of construction engineering and management and Carolina Tractor & Equipment Co. Endowed scholarship with his father in 1997 to aid students from western North Carolina enrolled in mechanical or civil engineering. B.S. in industrial engineering from NC State and MBA from Harvard University Graduate School of Business.

McKenzy Heavlin, Spruce Pine, N.C. (2022-2023)

McKenzy Heavlin (he/him) is a graduate student studying electrical engineering and serves as the NC State student body president. As president, he serves as the primary voice for NC State students and works to better the campus. McKenzy has previously served as student body vice president and vice president of media and marketing for the Inter-Residence Council. Outside of Student Government, McKenzy works with the NC State Engineering Career Fair team to plan and manage the fall and spring Engineering Career Fairs, and he enjoys hiking and camping during his free time.