CRI Welcomes Clay Andrews as the Assistant Director for Corporate Partnerships

Research and Economic Development is pleased to announce that Clay Andrews joined the Charlotte Research Institute as the Assistant Director for Corporate Partnerships, effective Monday, March 2, 2015.

Mr. Andrews’ economic development career spans twenty-three years at a variety of levels. His work has been instrumental in attracting more than $400 million of new capital investment and more than 4,000 jobs for the communities where he has worked. He has also led the fund development functions for two of the largest regional economic development organizations in the Carolinas. This expertise will be an asset for the Charlotte Research Institute.

Prior to coming to UNC Charlotte, Mr. Andrews was the director of investor & public relations for the Upstate SC Alliance, a regional economic development marketing organization that promotes ten counties in the upstate of South Carolina. He has also served as the vice-president of investor relations for the Charlotte Regional Partnership, the business recruiter for the Cabarrus Regional Partnership and the executive director of the Rock Hill Economic Development Corporation. He has been recognized as one of the Charlotte region’s “Forty Under 40” by the Charlotte Business Journal. These are 40 individuals under the age of 40 (at the time) who are making major strides in their careers and having a positive impact on their communities.

As a recruiter with the Cabarrus Economic Development Corporation, Mr. Andrews helped recruit projects such as ACN, Connextions, FlyRight, Inc, Great Wolf Lodge & Resort, PreGel America and Windshear, Inc. He was also part of the team that helped with marketing the $1.5 billion North Carolina Research Campus.

Mr. Andrews earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master of Business Administration from Winthrop University. He is also a Certified Economic Developer through the International Economic Development Council. He lives in the Dilworth neighborhood of Charlotte and has been married for 25 years to Terri Andrews. They have one daughter who attends Coastal Carolina University in Conway, S.C.

Please join me in welcoming Clay to UNC Charlotte.

Robert G. Wilhelm, Ph.D.
Vice Chancellor for Research & Economic Development
Executive Director for Charlotte Research Institute
Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science