James A. Gray III, a native of Winston-Salem, N.C., and a veteran fundraiser and communicator, was inaugurated as North Carolina Wesleyan College’s sixth president on Friday, October 23, 2009, during Homecoming Weekend. Gray assumed his role as president on June 1.

He brings to Wesleyan more than a decade of experience in higher education administration and fundraising, as well as a career in international business, communications and public relations that spans more than 20 years.

Most recently he served the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as associate dean for external affairs of the Kenan-Flagler Business School. Before that, he was associate dean for marketing and communications at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.

Prior to returning to his native North Carolina, Gray served for eight years in top management positions in New York. He was president of U.S. Operations for London-based Citigate Communications. He also served as president of public relations for Brouillard Communications in New York, the corporate division of J. Walter Thompson, and president of Manning, Selvage & Lee/U.S., the ninth largest public relations agency in the world.

A University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill graduate and Morehead-Cain Scholar, Gray launched his career in communications in his native Winston-Salem before spending 20 years in communications and public relations management positions in Atlanta.

Vel Johnson, vice chairman of Wesleyan’s board of trustees and chairman of the presidential search committee, said, “We are delighted to have Jim Gray join us at Wesleyan. He has proven leadership and fundraising skills and has already generated enormous energy and enthusiasm among those who have met him.”

Gray comes to Wesleyan with additional praise from others who know his abilities well. Among them is Dr. Michael L. Lomax, president and CEO of the United Negro College Fund and former president of Dillard University. Lomax spoke at Gray’s inauguration, recognizing his foresight and leadership, and praising him for his personal commitment to citizenship, diversity and community-building efforts.

Gray has served on the board of directors of a number of community-improvement organizations in Atlanta, New York and North Carolina. He also has been active as a member of The United Methodist Church and is a member of University Methodist Church in Chapel Hill and Duke Chapel in Durham.