RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK – Economic development and public policy veteran Charles Hayes has joined the Strategic Business Development team at WRAL Digital Solutions and WRAL TechWire as a business development advisor.
We are shining the LimeLight – WRAL TechWire’s newest feature – today on Hayes.
[LimeLight aims to provide the WRAL TechWire audience with meaningful ways to share praiseworthy news and updates statewide. Did one of your employees close a big deal? Give them some recognition. Did your team make a big impact in the community? Share the good news. Did your friend just launch a startup? Get the word out.]
Charles Hayes
Now, about Charles Hayes:
“A long tenured economic development leader and former member of the UNC Board of Governors, Charles was highly sought after for his visionary economic development leadership and understanding of business development,” says Manager of Strategic Business Development James Amato.
“Charles is a long time friend of Capitol Broadcasting Company and has been an inspiration to our teams approaches to marketing the many reasons why life, work, and play in North Carolina is second to none. As someone who understands the importance of marketing in economic development and possesses a great deal of trust and influence across the state, Charles is a tremendous asset to our team.”
His role with WRAL Digital Solutions is focused on new business and strategic partner development for the agency’s full spectrum of marketing and business intelligence services and it’s advertising capabilities on WRAL.com, WRAL TechWire, and Hometown Carolina.
Hayes served as president and CEO of the Research Triangle Regional Partnership for nearly 20 years, retiring in 2016. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award Winner in 2016 of TechWire’s former Full Steam ahead Awards.
Throughout his career Hayes has served in a number of positions including director of a local economic development agency, county manager, business owner, and community college instructor. Since 2016 he has served as co-managing director of Hayes Group Consulting, a role he shares with his wife Jan, a long time leader in the regional nonprofit community. The organization provides a number of critical strategic services with the mission of increasing the effectiveness of leadership teams and giving economic development efforts more focus.
Hayes is also a Senior Fellow with the East Carolina University Economic Development Academy. Offered in partnership with the ECU College of Business, Department of Political Science, Academic Outreach, and Continuing and Distance Education, the program provides practical knowledge concerning the practice of economic development in the State of North Carolina.
