David M. Powell '86 has been named Chief Executive Officer of the Piedmont Triad Partnership, one of seven regional economic development partnerships in North Carolina. PTP is the economic development organization representing the 12-county Piedmont Triad region.
“I am very excited to return to North Carolina and to champion the vision of the Piedmont Triad Partnership across the region, state, nation and world,” Powell said.
Powell had been serving as vice president, corporate and government affairs at NetJets, Inc. in Columbus, Ohio. He was previously executive vice president of the Columbus, Ohio, Chamber of Commerce and executive director of CompeteColumbus, a seven-county regional economic development organization headquartered in Columbus.
Powell has an extensive and diverse background in economic development, including positions in Greenville, S.C., and Durham, N.C., and with Verizon Communications in Research Triangle Park.
PTP Chairman Kelly King expressed his support for Powell.
“David has the right mix of economic development and corporate experience,” Powell said. “He has seen business from both sides, and he will do an excellent job leading the PTP as we transition into a new and exciting chapter in the history of the organization.”
Powell graduated from Elon with a bachelor’s degree in public policy. He has a master’s degree in public policy from North Carolina State University and a master’s degree in environmental management from Harvard University.