Ed joined the NC Chamber staff in November 2011 and was an important part of the leadership team until 2020. His career began in Kentucky and later included positions in Indiana and California, where each chamber experienced impressive growth under his direction.
Presently, Ed is a valuable advisor to the NC Chamber as it continually refines its approach to building its investor base. He has deep experience in the state chamber world and as a former entrepreneur. Ed routinely reaches out to North Carolina business leaders, helping us listen, learn, and grow.
He believes strongly that successful, profitable businesses positively affect families and communities – and therefore, should not be taken for granted.
Ed is active in Prison Ministry at the Hyde Correctional Institution in eastern North Carolina. He also serves as mentor and instructor for Inmates to Entrepreneurs, which is part of the Brian Hamilton Foundation.
As the founder and owner of a small business from 1994 to 2003, Ed has great appreciation for the challenges and pressures faced by CEOs, CFOs, and business owners. He understands that business leaders make decisions which influence whether they attract or lose customers. He knows those decisions affect the income statement, the long-term viability of the business and jobs of fellow employees and colleagues.
Raised in Long Island, New York, Ed graduated with a Bachelor of Science in marketing from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. He has three children, Nick, Ryan and Alayna, and his interests include college basketball, boating and fishing. He and his wife Debbie enjoy spending time on North Carolina’s Inner Banks along the Pamlico.