Jeff Merritt, Alumnus

Jeff Merritt is the Executive Director of the Centennial Authority and has been since 2011. The Authority was created in the mid-1990’s by the North Carolina General Assembly to oversee operations of the PNC Arena.

Prior to coming to the Centennial Authority, Jeff was Business Development Director for Clancy & Theys Construction Company from 2007 until 2011; Eastern Regional Director for Government Affairs for KB Home from 2003-2007; and Vice President for
Government and Community Affairs for the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce from 1998 until 2003. He began his career in 1989 as a Press Assistant to then-North Carolina Governor Jim Martin.

Jeff is a graduate of Appalachian State University where he earned a bachelor’s in Political Science and North Carolina State University where he earned a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies. He is a Fellow of the North Carolina Institute for Political Leadership and The German Marshall Fund of the United States. He was recognized in 2001 as one of the Triangle Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” and is a recipient of North Carolina’s Order of the Long Leaf Pine.

He is a past Chairman of the Triangle Transit Authority Board of Trustees and is the agency’s current Secretary. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance, is Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors for Triangle Family Services, and a liaison to the Board of the Greater Raleigh Convention and  visitor’s Bureau. He sits on the Board of Advisors for North Carolina State University’s First Year College and Appalachian State University’s Department of Communication Professional Advisory Board. He is also on the Technical Advisory Committee of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Jeff was also profiled for the Spring 2013 issue of CHASS Accloades.