2026 Board of Directors

Hot Deals Member To Member Deals
David Allen
Johnston County Public Schools
Executive Director of External Partnerships
Lamar Armstrong III
Armstrong Law Firm, P.A.
Attorney
Brandon Barker
KS Bank, Inc.
Commercial Relationship Manager, SVP - Smithfield
Lee Byrd
KS Bank, Inc.
Internal Auditor, VP
Adam Carroll
Johnston County Government
Alexis Carter
Town of Selma
Town Manager
Bryan Chadwick
Town of Archer Lodge
Town Administrator
Jodi Cobb
BigBoys Truckstop
General Manager
Jeffery Hamilton
Rudy Theatre
Marketing & Sales
Live@The Rudy is the number one live variety production in Selma, North Carolina and we have been WOWing audiences for 25 years. 2023 marks our 25th year anniversary. We feature four unique shows that are all family friendly
Easter Jubilee March through April
Throwback Sounds of Summer -  May through July
Classic Country Jubilee - August through October
Christmas Jubilee - November and December
Pam Harrell
Johnston Community College
Ron Hester
Barbetta LLC
Manager
We are a small commercial property management company.  We have properties across the state of North Carolina.
Jeff Holt
Town of Pine Level
Mayor
Jill Homan
Javelin 19
Caleb Johnson
JD Beam
Business Development & Marketing Manager
Michael King
Town of Princeton
Town Administrator
Mark McDonnell
AdVenture Development, LLC
Vice President
Scott Nunn
Novo Nordisk Pharmaceutical Industries, LP
Facilities Engineer
Jeff Parlier
First Citizens Bank
Area Executive - Eastern Piedmont
Area Executive for the Eastern Piedmont Area of First Citizens Bank that encompasses Johnston, Harnett, Lee, Sampson, Wayne, Wilson, Warren, Halifax, Vance, Franklin, Nash counties in Eastern NC.  
Jaime Pearce
UNC Health Johnston
Corporate Health Consultant
Jeremy Pearce
The Insurance Shoppe of North Carolina, Inc
President
David Pearce
Johnston County Public Schools
Superintendent
Chandler Pernell
Call Pernell, Inc.
Ann Rizzardi
Rizzardi Real Estate
Broker and Advocate
I consider myself an Advocate with a Broker license. Professional and personal experiences allow me to work with individuals/families with real estate while they are dealing with personal challenges. Specialize in: Healthcare/Death/Dying/ADA/Special Education& Exceptional Children program/Domestic Violence/Autism Society/Hydrocephalus Assoc./Relocations. Prioritizing quality of life guides my every decision. My career journey began in hospitality, then to healthcare for 13 yrs. in Hospice, then received my Real Estate Broker License. I pride myself on building relationships based on trust, integrity, ethics & core values. Transactions can be overwhelming, but I can help provide clear communication, transparency and a supportive presence. Through experience I have gained skills that I apply to all types of situations. I put my client’s needs first while being their biggest advocate.
Kelly Wallace
Triangle East Chamber of Commerce
President & CEO
Kelly joined the Triangle East Chamber of Commerce team in 2002.  She received her Bachelor of Arts in Industrial Technology from East Carolina University in 1992.  Kelly is a 2003 Leadership Johnston graduate, of which she served as program director for over 16 years. Kelly is a graduate of the US Chamber Institute of Organization Management (2011) and Business Leads Fellowship (2022).  When they are able, Kelly and her husband, Mark, enjoy long weekends "glamping" in their travel trailer. Originally from Charlotte, Kelly and her family call Clayton, NC their home.
Stephen Wensman
Town of Smithfield
Planning Director
Alicia Whitehurst
Wintergreen Hospitality
General Manager
Leighanna Worley
Town of Wilson's Mills
Town Administrator

Leighanna Thompson is a Johnston County native. She began her career in Municipal Government in 2001 working for the Towns of Pine Level and Selma until April of 2006 when she was appointed Town Clerk for the Town of Wilson’s Mills. Leighanna currently serves as the Town Administrator and Municipal Clerk. Leighanna graduated in 2009 from the Clerk's Institute at the School of Government at UNC Chapel Hill. She received her designation for Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) from the IIMC and UNC School of Government in 2011, Master Municipal Clerk Certification (MMC) in 2016, and NC Certified Municipal Clerk designation (NCCMC) from the NC Association of Municipal Clerks in 2012. Leighanna serves on the Board of Directors for the Triangle East Chamber of Commerce. In her spare time, Leighanna enjoys cooking, playing music, and going camping with her dog, "Copper," in the mountains of North Carolina.