ROCKY MOUNT - Dan Gerlach, a top economic adviser to Gov. Mike Easley, today was named president of the Golden LEAF Foundation.
At a meeting in Rocky Mount, the foundation’s board approved hiring Gerlach, with a goal of having him take over Oct. 1, Jonathan Cox reports.
"He's the kind of person that's very energetic and very well-attuned to getting things done," said Tommy Bunn, Golden LEAF's chairman.
Foundation officials said they were attracted to Gerlach because he has experience in rural areas, understands the legislature and economic development.
Gerlach interviewed for the job today in a closed session. He was one of five final candidates, after Golden LEAF received about 300 applicants.
The Rocky Mount-based foundation, created in 1999, administers installments from the national legal settlement that states reached with the major tobacco companies. The money, ultimately totaling more than $2 billion, is designated to help tobacco-dependent and economically distressed communities.
The board began looking for a new president earlier this year when Valeria Lee announced she was stepping down.
Senate leader Marc Basnight said in June that Easley asked him to encourage Golden LEAF board members to consider Gerlach for the post.
Comments
Re: Gerlach lands at Golden LEAF
September 5, 2008 - 10:23am — j1c2kpCronyism is alive and well in NC.
Re: Gerlach lands at Golden LEAF
September 5, 2008 - 9:22am — mickiepDoes anyone notice a longtime trend here...Democrat, Erskine Bowles leaves Clinton administration, given job as president of the University of North Carolina System, Democrat, Mary Easley's high paying position at NC State for which no one else could possibly be qualified, and now Dan Gerlach, a top economic adviser to Democrat, Gov. Mike Easley, named president of the Golden LEAF Foundation. High paying positions for the well connected....under the guise of "public service"....and the beat goes on.
Re: Gerlach lands at Golden LEAF
September 5, 2008 - 12:28am — tangozI guess the pay to play continues. Now we have a Easley man in charge of the Golden leaf. I hope he does a better job than the Easley administration has done with many other issues in NC. Like corruption, closed government, roads, mental healthcare, and education.
Paul Terrell III
http://terrellforhouse33.blogspot.com