ROCKY MOUNT — The Carolinas Gateway Partnership’s Board of Directors named Robert B. Pike (Bob) as its new President/CEO, effective Sept.1. Pike succeeds E. Norris Tolson, who has led the organization for the past seven years. Tolson will remain with the organization for an interim period as he assists with the transitioning of leadership and the overseeing of special ongoing projects.
Established in 1997, the Carolinas Gateway Partnership is a public-private partnership dedicated to the creation of community wealth through the retention, creation, and expansion of business opportunities in Edgecombe County, the City of Rocky Mount, and the Town of Tarboro.
“Norris Tolson has done a tremendous job serving the Carolinas Gateway Partnership over the past seven years. Under his leadership, we have attracted many new industries into our region and have seen a lot of existing industry expansion and job creation. He was instrumental in bringing the CSX Carolina Connector Intermodal Terminal to our region, and it serves as a building block that will lead to much success in the future,” said Michael Bryant, chairman of the Carolinas Gateway Partnership’s Board of Directors.
“This is an opportunity for us to come back and serve a community that has meant so much to me and my family over the last 30 years. The potential is immense to make a difference in people’s lives by helping to bring well-paying jobs to our community,” said Pike.
Pike, a native of Maryland, is already familiar with the Twin County region as he lived in Nashville and was employed by Braswell Foods for 17 years. A graduate of the University of Maryland with training in Agricultural Business and Engineering, Pike is married with four children and six grandchildren. He and his wife, Cindy, will be moving to Rocky Mount from his current home in Statesville.
