Golden LEAF Foundation Names Its Fourth President: Ted Lord Succeeds the Retiring Scott T. Hamilton
The Golden LEAF Foundation, based in Rocky Mount, Nash County, North Carolina, announced on October 29 that its Board of Directors has selected Ted Lord as the foundation's fourth President and Chief Executive Officer. He will assume leadership following the retirement of the current president and CEO, Scott T. Hamilton.
Lord joined Golden LEAF in 2005 and currently serves as Senior Vice President and General Counsel, overseeing the foundation's grantmaking, guiding its funding priorities and programs, and helping lead major strategic initiatives. Before joining the foundation he practiced law in Greensboro, clerked for U.S. District Judge James A. Beaty Jr., and was a fellow at the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. A native of Winston-Salem, he holds a law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law and a bachelor's degree from Swarthmore College, and lives in Nash County with his wife.
Board Chair Brian Raynor said Lord brings more than 20 years of institutional knowledge, extensive economic development experience, sound judgment and the strategic vision to guide Golden LEAF into its next chapter. 'Golden LEAF has a unique role in helping communities identify and take advantage of opportunities through targeted investments that support long-term economic advancement,' Lord said. 'I look forward to working alongside our Board of Directors, staff, and partners to build on the strong relationships we have, respond to emerging needs, and identify new opportunities that will position rural North Carolina for long-term economic success.'
Golden LEAF is a nonprofit organization established in 1999 to receive a portion of North Carolina's funding from the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement with cigarette manufacturers, and works to transform the economies of rural, tobacco-dependent and economically distressed communities. Since 1999 it has awarded $1.5 billion to support 2,412 projects across North Carolina in job creation, workforce preparedness, agriculture and community capacity. In fiscal year 2025, the foundation helped create 1,300 jobs, more than $54 million in new payrolls, and more than 1,900 workers trained or retrained for higher wages.
The selection followed a comprehensive executive search led by a committee of board members and facilitated by the Raleigh-based Nautical Group. Hamilton, the foundation's third president, has served since 2019, and the board expressed its appreciation for his leadership and service.
Golden LEAF Foundation official announcement
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 北卡罗来纳州 Rocky Mount 的车站（资料图，Golden LEAF 基金会总部所在地）。DanTD 摄，CC BY-SA 3.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / The Amtrak station in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, home of the Golden LEAF Foundation (file photo). Photo by DanTD, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
