Robert has been President and CEO of FCEDC since January of 2017. His Board and team have focused heavily on improving internal and external communications, proactive site / product development, and data-driven marketing. With the support of local leaders, in five years, these efforts have announced more than 5,000 new jobs and $1.6 billion in new investment. He is committed to assisting local industry, believing that successful communities prosper when the public and private sector work together. With 20 years of experience, Robert has assisted companies from a variety of industries, (including information technology, automotive, logistics, systems automation, specialty chemical, advanced composites, and energy production) successfully completing projects with businesses from across the US and more than a dozen countries, resulting in over $3.5 billion of announcements and more than 11,000 jobs. He received his Master of Science in Economic Development from the University of Southern Mississippi and completed his Bachelor of Arts at Catawba College. He has also earned his Certification in City/County Management from the University of North Carolina School of Government, is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute, and is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD). He is member of IEDC's Board of Directors, a 4X Business NC Power List honoree, NCEDA's 2022 Innovator of the Year, and was previously recognized as one of the "Top 50 Economic Developers in North America" (Economix 2017). He lives in Fayetteville with his wife Tara, two daughters, four cats, and 14 guitars. Specialties: Incentive Negotiations, Grant Writing, Intergovernmental Relations, Public Meeting Facilitation, Strategic Planning, Organizational Management