A newly appointed board focusing on jobs in North Carolina has a high-tech component.

Jim Whitehurst of Red Hat will serve as vice chairman of the North Carolina Economic Development Board.

Cree Chairman and CEO Chuck Swoboda joins the group as well.

Lenovo’s Tom Looney also is selected.

In all, Gov. Pat McCrory named a slate of 22 business executives, most of who are also campaign donors, to the group.

The 37-member board, which will hold a meeting on Wednesday, “oversees state economic development research and planning and makes policy recommendations to the secretary of commerce, the governor and the General Assembly.”

As a group, McCrory’s appointees contributed more than $72,000 to his 2012 run for office, WRAL News reported. It is not unusual for governors to reward campaign backers with appointments to key policy-making bodies.

John Lassiter, president of Carolina Legal Staff, will chair the board. He is a former Charlotte City Council member and adviser to McCrory. Campaign finance records showed he gave $2,000 during the 2012 campaign cycle.

Campaign finance records showed Whitehurst gave $4,000 to McCrory during the 2012 cycle.

Swoboda is leading Cree’s efforts to capitalize on global demand for energy efficient lighting.

Looney is Lenovo North America Vice President. Lenovo recently passed HP to become the world’s No. 1 PC seller.

“By moving at the speed of business, we can focus on economic growth in all 100 counties,” McCrory said in a statement.

Looney spearheaded a drive to bring PC manufacturing jobs to the Triad.

“His strategic thinking coupled with Tom Looney’s knowledge of our state and the international economy will be a solid asset,” McCrory said. “This strategic plan will produce economic growth through the creation of 21st century jobs for North Carolinians.”

Looney is a 39-year veteran of IBM and Lenovo. He joined Lenovo when it acquired IBM’s Raleigh-based PC division in 2005.

“I’m a passionate believer that private-public partnership drives economic development, and provides opportunity for the citizens of North Carolina,” Looney said. “And I’m proud that Lenovo has been a leader in creating jobs, including bringing PC manufacturing back to the U.S. with our recent expansion in Whitsett. We are investing in North Carolina, and we are committed to growing our North America business with the talented resources right here in North Carolina.”

Other appointments with information provided by the governor’s office:

  • Vimal Kolappa (Beaufort County) – Kolappa is principal of East Coast Builder’s Group and manager of Ayyappan LLC. Kolappa also began his own hospitality company, East Coast Hospitality LLC. He will serve as an at-large member of the board.
  • Charles Creighton (Chowan County) – Creighton is the CEO of Colony Tire Corporation, one of the country’s largest regional tire dealerships. Modern Tire Dealer Magazine named him Tire Dealer of the Year in 2007. Creighton will serve as an at-large member of the board.
  • Terry Hutchens (Cumberland County) – Hutchens is a lawyer at the firm Hutchens, Senter, Kellam & Pettit P.A. He is a recipient of the Long Leaf Pine Award, one of the highest state honors. Hutchens will serve as an at-large member of the board.
  • Jeff Turner (Duplin County) – Turner is executive vice president of Murphy Family Ventures LLC. He also serves as a director for Vidant Health Inc. Turner will serve as an at-large member of the board.
  • Chuck Swoboda (Durham County) – Swoboda is the president, CEO and chairman of Cree Inc. He has served as president since 1999 and CEO since 2001. Swoboda will serve as an at-large member of the board.
  • Eric Pike (Forsyth County) – Pike is the chairman, CEO and president of Pike Electric Corporation. He is a third-generation leader of the company. Pike will serve as an at-large member of the board.
  • Madhu Beriwal (Durham County) – Beriwal is president and CEO of IEM Inc., a homeland security and emergency management company. She founded the company and has more than three decades of experience in disaster management. Beriwal will serve as an at-large member of the board.
  • Bob Singer (Guilford County) – Singer is a partner at the law firm Brooks Pierce. Singer is on the Board of Trustees of the North Carolina Center for Banking and Finance of UNC-Chapel Hill. Singer will serve as an at-large member of the board.
  • Melanie McNamara (Guilford County) – McNamara is the owner of Absolute Style Furniture, a furniture manufacturer that supplies assisted living facilities. McNamara previously worked at Weiman/Preview. She will serve as an at-large member of the board.
  • Bill Shumaker (Iredell County) – Shumaker is CEO and chairman of the board at Kewaunee Scientific Corporation. Shumaker recently relinquished his title as president. He will serve as an at-large member of the board.
  • Fred Smith (Johnston County) – Smith is a former state senator and founder of the construction firm Fred Smith Company. He is also CEO of C.C. Mangum, a road building company. Smith will serve as an at-large member of the board.
  • Glenn Sherrill (Mecklenburg County) – Sherrill is president and COO of SteelFab Inc., a steel fabrication company. SteelFab is a family business that was founded by Sherrill’s father. He will serve as an at-large member of the board.
  • Pat Corso (Moore County) – Corso is a franchisee/partner for Pinehurst Donuts, LLC (Dunkin Donuts). He previously helped start Moore County Partners in Progress and now serves as its executive director. Corso has been appointed to a seat designated for a county economic development representative.
  • Thomas Skains (Mecklenburg County) – Skains is chairman, president and CEO of Piedmont Natural Gas. He is the second-vice chair of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce. Skains will serve as an at-large member of the board.
  • Harry Smith Jr. (Pitt County) – Smith is chairman and CEO of Flanders Corporation, an air filtration company. Smith held several positions within the company before becoming CEO. He will serve as an at-large member of the board.
  • Bill Graham (Rowan County) – Graham is a partner at the law firm Wallace & Graham, P.A. He serves on the Catawba College Board of Trustees. Graham will serve as an at-large member of the board.
  • John Kane (Wake County) – Kane is chairman and CEO of Kane Realty. He is a member of the Chief Executives Organization. Kane has been appointed to a seat designated for a county economic development representative.
  • Kelly King (Forsyth County) – King is the CEO and president of BB&T Corporation, a holding company of BB&T Insurance Services Inc. He is chairman of the Piedmont Triad Partnership, a nonprofit economic development organization. King has been appointed to a seat designated for a representative of a nonprofit organization involved in economic development.