New Hanover County — N.C. Rep. Danny McComas will resign from the state legislature on September 2 to become chairman of the N.C. State Ports Authority (SPA) Board of Directors, the governor’s office has announced.
In an August 29 press release, Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue said her appointment of McComas, a long-serving Republican, “demonstrates my commitment to the continued success and growth of the North Carolina State Ports Authority. I want the best person in the job, no matter what side of the aisle he or she sits on.”
McComas, the 59-year-old New Hanover County resident who has represented the state’s 19th District for nine terms, or 18 years, announced long ago he would not seek re-election. In his new post, he will replace Gastonia’s Carl Stewart, a former N.C. House speaker, who left the SPA in August.
“I am honored to be given the opportunity to continue working to strengthen our state’s economy,” McComas is quoted as saying in the release from Perdue’s office. “The state ports service a vital economic need for all who choose to do business in North Carolina and it is imperative that we keep our state economically competitive.
“As chairman,” McComas continued, “I can continue my work in helping our state meet the demands of a global economy while improving the infrastructure needs of our state’s transportation systems.”
McComas, who currently chairs the House Committee on Commerce and Job Development, was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in finance from St. Bonaventure University in New York, according to the governor’s office.
He was the first Hispanic member of the N.C. General Assembly.
McComas, in light of his departure as a legislator and for his film industry support, received honors from the Wilmington City Council at its August 21 meeting.
In another recent change for the SPA, Thomas Bradshaw, a former Raleigh mayor and state transportation secretary, was named executive director this month while he continues his prior role as statewide logistics director.
A statement from SPA explained the appointment was part of the consolidation of transportation assets under one roof. “The ports and the N.C. Global TransPark were brought under the Department of Transportation in 2011,” the SPA said. “Bradshaw in January 2012 was named Statewide Logistics Director to manage the operation and development activities of those facilities in relation to other NCDOT transportation infrastructure.”
