Tolson to head N.C. Biotechnology Center
Published: Tue, Jun. 26, 2007 01:20PM
Modified Tue, Jun. 26, 2007 02:51PM
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closeThe N.C. Biotechnology Center this afternoon named Norris Tolson as its new top executive.
Tolson, 67, currently vice chairman of the biotech center’s board of directors, takes the helm of a state-funded, nonprofit organization that has been credited for helping North Carolina become a top ranked U.S. biotech hot spot. As the third president and chief executive since the biotech center was established in 1984, Tolson succeeds Leslie Alexandre, who resigned in January.
In the past decade, Tolson developed a reputation as the fix-it guy heading the state’s commerce, transportation and revenue departments.
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The former DuPont executive, who has a degree in crop science and agribusiness from N.C. State University, started making his mark in state politics in 1994 by winning the seat of former Speaker of the House Joe Mavretic.
In 1996, Gov. Jim Hunt tapped him as commerce secretary, a role he used to help make North Carolina more friendly to corporate investment. Two years later, he took on the job of overhauling the Department of Transportation, which had been racked by conflict-of-interest scandals.
He resigned after 18 months to run for governor. The winner of that election, Gov. Mike Easley, immediately turned to Tolson to straighten out North Carolina’s budget mess, naming him head of revenue.
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