Col. Kirk Warner
Chairman
- Duke University and University of Toledo, J.D.
- NC State University, M.A., M.B.A.
- Army War College, M.S.S., Strategic Studies
- The Ohio State University, B.S.
- Deputy Legal Counsel, Joint Chiefs of Staff
- Commander, 12th JAG Detachment, Operation Iraqi Freedom
- Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, V Corps, Iraq
- Senior Litigator and Partner, Smith Anderson LLP, Raleigh
G. Russell Laing
- North Carolina State University. BS Business Management
- 30 years Vice President/Dealer Principal - Cooper Kenworth and Cooper Leasing
- 5 years Region Vice President - Murphy Hoffman Company
- Kenworth Dealer Management Association - Member 15 years
- North American Leasing Association - Co-Founder 12 years
- Paccar Leasing Executive Committee - Chairman 4 years
Chris Judy
Treasurer
- East Carolina University, BSBA, Accounting
- Managing Partner, Thomas, Judy & Tucker, P.A.
- Member, American Institute of CPAs
- Member, North Carolina Association of CPAs
- Director, Triangle Area Chapter, American Red Cross
- Trustee, Raleigh-Wake Leadership Foundation
- Founding Member, Raleigh Young Entrepreneurs Organization
Marilyn Avila
- Georgia Southern College, BS in Chemistry
- Five-Term North Carolina State Legislator, 40th District
- Policy Advisor on Health and Human Services Issues to the Speaker Pro Tem, NC General Assembly
- Event Coordinator/Finance Manager, John Locke Foundation
- Owner, Command Performance/Focus One Hairstyling Salons
- Chemist, Hanes Brands, Inc.
Col. David Hayden
- U.S. Military Academy – BS, Engineering
- NC State University, MBA
- University of Texas School of Law, J.D.
- Judge Advocate Generals Corps
- Engineering Company Commander, Ft. Bragg
- Deployed to Afghanistan, 2002-03
- Federal Prosecutor; Practicing attorney, Smith Anderson, Raleigh
Garret Tripp
- Partner at PwC, Raleigh, NC
- B.S. Accounting, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
- Board of Advisors, NC Tech Association
- Certified Public Accountant – Illinois, North Carolina
- Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE)
- Veteran of the Illinois Army National Guard, Military Policy Corp
Mike Mitchell
- Partner, Smith Anderson, LLP
- Co-chair of the law firm’s Business Litigation practice
- Co-Chair of the law firm’s Intellectual Property Litigation group
- Commissioner, Chief Justice’s Rules Advisory Commission
- Executive Board Member, North Carolina Business Committee for Education
- Board member, Wake County Economic Development
- Past Commissioner, North Carolina General Statutes Commission
- Past Commissioner, Chief Justice’s Commission for the Administration of Law and Justice
- Wake Forest University School of Law
- Wake Forest University, B.A., English
Brett Watkins
- BA Political Science/Pre Law, University of North Carolina-Asheville
- Professional Researcher Certification (PRC), Insights Association
- Multiple award winner for entrepreneurial growth (Triangle Business Journal 40 under 40, Business Leader)
- CEO, L&E Research Inc. 19 years
- 15x growth since acquired in 2004
- Inc. 5000 award winner
- Top 50 market research firm in US according to size as measured by the Insights Association
- Member of the Insights Association, American Marketing Association and Qualitative Research Consultants Assoc
- Former Board Member, Junior Achievement of Eastern NC
- Former Board Member, Entrepreneurs Organization, RDU Chapter (including former Chapter President)
