The North Carolina Department of Commerce was formed in 1971 by the North Carolina State Government Reorganization Act. The department is headed by the Secretary of Commerce, who is appointed by the Governor of North Carolina. The Secretary is part of the Governor's Cabinet. The chief function of the department is to connect businesses with locations, workforce and infrastructure in North Carolina that businesses need to succeed. The department also connects local communities with grants and funding sources to attract new business to North Carolina. The department also staffs and receives policy guidance from: the North Carolina Board of Science, Technology, and Innovation; the NCWorks Commission; and the Rural Infrastructure Authority.
History The North Carolina Department of Commerce was created in 1971 by the North Carolina State Government Reorganization Act, specifically General Statute 143B, Article 10, Paragraph 143B-427: "There is hereby recreated and reconstituted a Department to be known as the Department of Commerce, with the organization, powers, and duties defined in Article 1 of this Chapter, except as modified in this Article."
The Reorganization Act was part of an effort to reduce the number of state organizations and improve efficiency in government. The Department of Commerce is headed by the Secretary, who is selected by the Governor, and serves during the governor's tenure. The Secretary is one of the members of the Governor's Cabinet.
The department was activated as a functional agency on January 25, 1972. In its early history, the Department was simply an administrative umbrella providing support for a number of different regulatory agencies, each of which exercised its authority independently.North Carolina Manual, 1975, p. 561. In 1977, the North Carolina General Assembly transferred the state Division of Economic Development from the Natural/Economic Resources department into the Commerce department, among other changes.North Carolina Manual, 1977, p. 299.
Secretaries The Secretaries of the Department of Commerce have included: SecretaryTermGovernorGeorge Irving Aldridge1972–1973Robert W. ScottTenney I. Deane, Jr.1973–1974James HolshouserWinfield S. Harvey1973–1976James HolshouserDonald R. Beason1976–1977James HolshouserLauch Faircloth1977–1985Jim HuntHoward Haworth1985–1987James G. MartinClaude E. Pope1987–1989James G. MartinJim Broyhill1989–1990James G. MartinEstell C. Lee1990–1993James G. MartinS. Davis Phillips1993–1997Jim HuntE. Norris Tolson1997–1998Jim HuntRick Carlisle1998–2001Jim HuntJames T. Fain, III2001–2009Mike EasleyJohn Keith Crisco2009–2013Bev PerdueSharon Decker2013–2015Pat McCrory John E. Skvarla, III2015–2017Pat McCoryAnthony M. "Tony" Copeland2017–2021Roy CooperMachelle Baker Sanders2021-2025Roy CooperLee Lilley2025-presentJosh Stein
Included organizations The following state organizations are included in the Department of Commerce: Banking Commission Credit Union Division Division of Employment Security (formerly the Employment Security Commission) Division of Workforce Solutions (which supports the network of NCWorks Career Centers)Workforce Solutions Division Industrial Commission Labor & Economic Analysis DivisionLabor & Economic Analysis Division Marine Industrial Park Authority Public Staff of the Utilities Commission Rural Electrification Authority State Savings and Loan Commission Travel & Tourism Board North Carolina Utilities Commission
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