Name: Brian Raynor
City of Residence: Fayetteville, NC
County of Residence: Cumberland County
Employed by: Highland Paving Co., LLC
Appointed by: Speaker of the House
Appointment Date: March 2020
What are activities or leadership roles you provide to the community?
I am a lifetime resident of Cumberland County. I serve on the local Advisory Board for BB&T, now Truist Bank, and the N.C. Outdoor Heritage Advisory Council.
What is your connection to rural tobacco dependent or economically distressed areas?
The small town of Linden (Cumberland County) where I grew up is a tobacco community. My grandparents and parents both worked in the tobacco farming industry and my father-in-law is currently a tobacco farmer. I also lease several hundred acres of farmland to grow tobacco.
How does your personal and/or professional life compliment Golden LEAF’s mission and priorities?
I am co-owner at Highland Paving Co., LLC in Cumberland County. Our company helps provide individuals who want good paying jobs with the knowledge and skills they need, resulting in a dedicated and highly trained professional team. Our company’s philosophy mirrors Golden LEAF’s mission to increase economic opportunity in North Carolina.
What are you most excited about seeing happen in economic development in rural NC in the next 5-10 years?
I am excited to see Golden LEAF assist in building infrastructure that will allow job creation in rural North Carolina over the next 5 to 10 years.
What do you want people to know about the Golden LEAF Foundation?
I want people to have a clear understanding of Golden LEAF’s mission and of the history and many successes that the Foundation has provided to tobacco dependent communities.