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John Chaffee is the director of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center Eastern Regional Office after retiring as the Executive Director of the Pitt County Development Commission. As the lead economic development official for the Greenville/Pitt County area for more than 22 years, companies created 10,000 new primary jobs and invested more than $1 billion in plant and equipment.
Chaffee received his bachelor's and master's degree in economic geography, with a specialization in industrial location and regional economics, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
He began his career with the Sampson County Planning and Development Commission in 1977, then moved on to work with the Henderson-Vance County Planning and Development Commission. He left the position to direct Pitt County's economic development program in 1983.
Economic Development Excellence:
During his 29 years in economic development, he was recognized as one of the Outstanding Young Men in America by the Jaycees and selected as one of the Outstanding Young Leaders in Geo-Economics by Site Selection Handbook. In 1994, Business North Carolina recognized Chaffee as one of the Top 12 Industrial Recruiters in the State of North Carolina.
Chaffee's trademarks have been the creation of comprehensive economic development "data books," the revitalization or creation of local development corporations and the formation of public and private partnerships to support local and regional economic development.
He has published several articles on economic development and served on several statewide committees including Economic Development Information Network and reviewing North Carolina's competitive position in economic development.
He was appointed to the North Carolina Economic Development Board in January 2002 and served on the Biotechnology Center Board from 2003-2005. | 