July 1, 2026
RALEIGH, NC, JULY 1, 2026 – The North Carolina Economic Development Association (NCEDA) elected André Lennon, Engineering Group Manager with ESP Associates, Inc., as president for the 2026-2027 term. Comprising more than 1,000 members, this organization consists of economic development professionals, along with their allies and partners from the educational and governmental sectors. André was unanimously elected as its leader during the annual meeting held in Wilmington on June 19.
“André Lennon is a servant leader who is authentic and thoughtful in his approach to leadership. It has been an honor to serve beside him the last few years and I look forward to supporting him as President in the year to come. Our board has built an incredible foundation for the association and André is well positioned to take us to new heights.” said Brittany Brady, NCEDA’s immediate past president.
André leads multidisciplinary teams supporting economic development, infrastructure, and site development projects. Throughout his career, he has partnered with both public and private sector clients to help communities grow through strategic infrastructure investments and industrial development initiatives.
A longtime leader within NCEDA, André is passionate about strengthening North Carolina's economic development community through collaboration, professional development, and innovation. He brings a thoughtful, team-oriented approach to leadership and is committed to building on the strong foundation of the organization. André earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Auburn University and is a licensed Professional Engineer.
NCEDA members also elected Clark Duncan, vice president, and Julie Pruett, secretary-treasurer, for the coming year. Clark is the Executive Director of the Economic Development Coalition for Asheville & Buncombe County and Julie is the Development Manager at Marlboro Development Team.
There are three newly elected board members:
Ben Kinney – Publisher, Business North Carolina
Blake Moyer – President and CEO, Surry County Economic Development Partnership
David Ramsey – Vice President of Strategic Relationships, Landmark Builders, Inc.
Terms of office begin July 1.
