About Us

The Carolinas Gateway Partnership is a public-private industrial recruitment agency dedicated to the economic development of the Eastern North Carolina, specifically Edgecombe County, the City of Rocky Mount, and the Town of Tarboro. Through a collaborative effort between these counties, cities and towns, the Carolinas Gateway region offers an exceptional opportunity for companies experiencing growth and expansion or desiring relocation. The Carolinas Gateway Partnership works closely with a variety of new and existing industries, as well as educational institutions, to provide resources, programs and initiatives that will create new jobs and long-term investment.

Staff

Bob Pike

President & CEO

Norris Tolson

VICE President
of special projects

Oppie N. Jordan

Vice President

Tracy Crenshaw

Director of operations

Board of Directors

Officers

*Bob Pike, CEO/President

*Michael Bryant, Chairman

*Keith Rogers, Jr., Public Vice Chairman

*Jeff Tobias, Private Vice Chairman

*Robert E. Barnhill, III, Treasurer

*Eric Evans, Secretary

*Denotes Executive Committee Member

Public Directors

*Dr. Lew Hunnicutt., Nash Community College

*Evan Duff, North Carolina Wesleyan College

*Dr. Gregory McLeod, Edgecombe Community College

*Troy Lewis, Town of Tarboro Manager

*Keith Rogers, Jr., City of Rocky Mount Manager

*TJ Walker, City of Rocky Mount Councilman

*George Thorne, Edgecombe County Commissioner

*Tate Mayo, Town of Tarboro

*David Farris, Rocky Mount Chamber of Commerce

*Denotes Executive Committee Member

Private Directors

Randall Adams, Poyner & Spruill, LLP

Christopher Markelon, Cummins Engine, Rocky Mount Plant

Patrick Hein, Vidant Edgecombe Hospital

*Michael Bryant, Southern Bank

*Lee Isley, Nash Health Care Systems

Scott Roberts, Capital Broadcasting Company

*Bill Pruden, Steel Technologies, Inc.

Sonny Foster, Smithson, Inc

*Vince Andracchio, Guardian Holdings

*Mike Hancock, Boddie-Noell Enterprise, Inc.

*Justin Kurkiewicz, PNC Bank

Wynne Ellis, Draka Elevator Products

Brooks Williams, Rocky Mount Association of Realtors

Keith Warren, Truist Bank

H. D. Pope, Pope Funeral Home

*Jeff Tobias, Providence Bank

Gus Tulloss, Gus Tulloss Insurance

*David Farris,  Rocky Mount Chamber

Phyllis Cowell

*Richard Anderson, Anderson Farms

*Don Williams, Lewis Advertising

David Combs, Century 21, The Sterling Company

Adam Hodges, Crown LSP Group

Sandy Roberson, Mayor, City of Rocky Mount

Barden Winstead, Stifel & Nicholas

Charles Gilmore, Sara Lee Bakery

Van Smith, LS Cable Systems USA

David Catts, Hitachi Astemo

*Denotes Executive Committee Member

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Norris Tolson
Norris Tolson
CEO & President

252-442-6120
919-218-2360

ntolson@econdev.org

Norris Tolson is the CEO and President for the Carolinas Gateway Partnership. He joined the Partnership January 2016. Most recently Tolson served as a senior advisor for economic development with the Williams Mullen law firm. Prior to that he was president and CEO of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center from 2007 – 2014.

He has also served as both the North Carolina Secretary of Commerce and the North Carolina Secretary of Transportation. In 1999 Tolson served as the Chairman of the North Carolina Hurricane Floyd Relief Fund and in 2001 he was appointed to be the North Carolina Secretary of Revenue and stayed in this role until 2007.

Tolson was elected to the North Carolina General Assembly and served in the House of Representatives from 1994 until 1997 representing parts of Edgecombe, Nash, Pitt and Wilson Counties at the time. Tolson also served on the Board of Trustees of North Carolina State University where he was Vice Chairman and First Vice Chair of the executive committee.

He graduated from NCSU with a bachelor’s degree in crop science and agribusiness and has served his alma mater in many other capacities over the years. He received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the university in recognition of his outstanding career achievements and for his commitment to the land-grant principle of service to community, state and nation. He served in the U.S. Army Counter Intelligence Corps from 1963 – 1965.

Prior to his beginning his public service career, Tolson held various domestic and international marketing, research and sales responsibilities with E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. From 1965 until his retirement in 1993, he served the company’s agricultural products and electronics divisions and lived in Europe for several years during that time.

Tolson and his wife, the former Betsy Cobb also of Edgecombe County, live today in Pinetops. The couple has three children and five grandchildren.

Oppie Jordan
Oppie N. Jordan
Vice President

252-442-6224
252-442-7315

ojordan@econdev.org

Oppie Jordan has been Edgecombe County’s economic developer since 1996 to present. She began as President of the Edgecombe County Development Corporation and then Vice President of Carolinas Gateway Partnership with focus on Edgecombe County’s economic development.

Since coming to Edgecombe County, Oppie has been responsible for the locations of Keihin-Carolina System Technology, Air System Components, Nomaco, Focal Point, H C Composites (World Class Catamarans) and more recently, QVC. She assisted in the expansion of Glenoit, Ossid, Superior Essex, and in July 2016, the CCX, Carolina Connector Intermodal terminal announced which will be one of the most significant economic development opportunity in the Twin Counties. In 2017, Triangle Tire announcement brought $580 million in new investment and 800 new jobs to Edgecombe County making it the largest ever investment in rural North Carolina history. Corning also announced in 2017 to invest $87 million and 149 new jobs to the county. These new and expanding industries have generated approximately 3,200 new jobs and millions in investments for Edgecombe County and the region.

Oppie served on Rural Internet Access Authority and was Chairperson. She has completed the Leadership NC six month courses. She currently serves on the Advisory Committee of the NCEDP and a very active member of the Legislative Committee and a member of the North Carolina Economic Development Association.

Oppie has worked to assemble of the best Mega sites in Eastern North Carolina. This site as received the first CSX Select site award in North Carolina. Prior to working in economic development, she was the State’s Main Street Director and wrote state applications and was selected by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of the original 8 states to receive this National Recognition.

Tracy Crenshaw
Tracy Crenshaw
Office Manager

252-442-0114
252-442-7315

tcrenshaw@econdev.org

Tracy Crenshaw is the Office Manager for the Carolinas Gateway Partnership. She began her career in Office Administration in 1992 in Catawba County North Carolina. Throughout her administrative career she has had many responsibilities including Office Administrator for Regal Manufacturing Inc. in Hickory, NC, was instrumental in creating a Hazardous Communication program for Piedmont Foam, Inc. in Catawba County, lending clerical support to all levels of upper management, and various general clerical duties. Mrs. Crenshaw joined the Carolinas Gateway Partnership in 2013 as the Program Coordinator. While in that position she assisted both Vice Presidents and President with clerical support in the recruitment of new industry prospects. In the fall of 2014, she was promoted to Office Manager where she is responsible for all administrative tasks.

She is a graduate of NC Wesleyan College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. She also is a graduate of Edgecombe Community College with an Associate of Science degree in Office Administration. She is the co-founder, along with her husband, Pastor Overseer Michael Crenshaw, of the Tabernacle of the Kingdom Ministries in Wilson, NC. She also participates in a number of community outreach activities with other organizations as well.