ROCKY MOUNT — The Golden LEAF Foundation, a nonprofit organization with a mission to increase economic opportunity in eastern North Carolina, has its new leader.
Scott T. Hamilton has been named president by the foundation’s Board of Directors. He succeeds Dan Gerlach, who is serving as interim chancellor at East Carolina University.
Hamilton is the group’s third president. The foundation has played a role throughout the region, including in Bladen County, since its creation in 1999 to receive a portion of North Carolina’s funding from the Master Settlement Agreement with cigarette manufacturers.
In a news release, Hamilton said, “I am honored to have been selected as the next president of Golden LEAF — to continue the important work the foundation was tasked with 20 years ago: providing rural North Carolina with funding for infrastructure, education and job training to give communities the needed support to educate their local workforce, attract jobs, and grow their local economies. Through the partnerships and programs already in place, I am excited for Golden LEAF to continue helping rural North Carolina create better futures for its residents in the years ahead.”
Hamilton comes to the Rocky Mount-headquartered organization from Boone, where he was executive director of the Appalachian Regional Commission. ARC is similar to the Golden LEAF, in that it has a mission “to innovate, partner and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia including 29 counties in North Carolina,” the release said.
Hamilton also was president and CEO of AdvantageWest, a nonprofit serving the western-most counties of North Carolina.
Randy Isenhower, chairman of Golden LEAF’s board, said, “During Golden LEAF’s 20 year history, we have seen North Carolina transform into a top-tier economy. Instead of leaving rural North Carolina behind, organizations like Golden LEAF and our many partners, have worked to ensure these communities are able to draw industries and create jobs. Scott joins Golden LEAF at the right time to help the organization continue our important work for North Carolina.”
In 20 years, Golden LEAF has awarded 1,775 grants worth $872 million. A number of them have come to Bladen County.