Public Sector Speaker's Biography

E. Ray Denny
Director of Business & Industry
N.C. Department of Commerce

Ray is a native of Moore County, North Carolina and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from North Carolina State University in 1968. After receiving his degree, Ray joined North Carolina’s economic development agency in September, 1968, serving initially in a management internship. Following management training, Ray worked as assistant director of the agency’s regional operations.

In October, 1971, Ray was named manager of the Business-Industry Division’s Western Regional Office in Asheville. After serving in this position for three years, he returned to Raleigh to assume responsibilities in the Department of Commerce’s International Division. In February of 1976, Ray was appointed Director of North Carolina’s European office in Dusseldorf, Germany. During the European assignment, he was engaged in the recruitment of direct investment to North Carolina as well as assisting North Carolina firms with export sales to Europe. Ray returned to the International Division in Raleigh during July of 1978, continuing his reverse investment activities until September, 1989.

After twenty-one years of service to the state, Ray worked in real estate development, concentrating in commercial and industrial properties. Private sector recruitment and development provided a broadened perspective and opportunity to more fully appreciate public/private sector partnerships.

Ray returned to the Department of Commerce in October, 1993, as Manager of the Business-Industry Division’s Western Regional Operations covering twenty-three counties. Duties included management of three offices, marketing and recruitment, community preparedness and principal liaison to AdvantageWest, the region’s economic development organization. In cooperation with AdvantageWest, Ray helped develop the state’s first Certified Industrial Site program, a comprehensive "due diligence" engineering report certifying that selected sites are ready for development.

Effective August 1, 1999, Ray was appointed Director of the Business-Industry Division, North Carolina Department of Commerce. His responsibilities include oversight of regional operations, national and international business and industry recruitment and the state’s reverse investment offices in Dusseldorf and Tokyo.

Ray is a member of the Industrial Development Research Council and the North Carolina Economic Developer’s Association. Ray and his wife, Jan, have been married since 1971, and have two grown sons, John and Jeff.

Return to 4th Annual N.C. Workers' Compensation Educational Conference Page

Return to 4th Annual NCWCEC Program Page

Return to N.C. Industrial Commission Home Page

Return to NCIC Alternate Home Page