1967–1970
Thurman Horney, Edgecombe Technical Institute’s first president, served from March 1,1968, until September 1970. 
Dr. Moses Ray, trustee of Edgecombe Technical Institute from 1968 until 1977, with Bernice Pitt, local business woman. Pitt was a member of the Edgecombe Community College Board of Trustees for 20 years and serves as vice president of the Edgecombe Community College Foundation Board. 
Charlie Harrell, who recently retired as vice president of administrative services, was a college employee for 45 years. He was the first instructor hired in 1968. Hired to teach business courses, on his first day at work, Harrell found himself helping to tear down the guard towers around the newly renovated prison building. He served as the college’s chief financial officer from 1973 to 2017. 
Edgecombe Technical Institute’s first African American instructor was C. Rudolph Knight. Hired in 1969 to teach business education, Knight retired in 1997, having been director of special programs for most of his 28 years at the college. 
The first task the founders of Edgecombe Technical Institute faced was converting the old prison cell block from “a place of protection of society to an aid to society.” After an extensive renovation was completed in August 1968, the building served as the Tarboro campus’ sole facility until the construction of the J.F. Havens Building in 1970. 
Cosmetology was among the first courses offered at Edgecombe Technical Institute. Early classes were held in the 1920s-era post office building until 1987 when the old Production Credit Building was renovated and the cosmetology department relocated to the new facility. 
The 1970 ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new vocational training facility – the J.F. Havens Building – at Edgecombe Technical Institute. Pictured left to right: Jack F. Havens, chairman of the board of trustees; Charles McIntyre, president; R.D. Armstrong, trustee; Peyton Berry, vice president of TEDCO; Dr. Moses Ray, trustee; Zeb Brinson, chairman of the Edgecombe County Board of Education; Berry Anderson, county commissioner; and Hassell Thigpen, chairman of the county commissioners. 
The Learning Laboratory was among the earliest facilities at Edgecombe Technical Institute. Today the program is known as College and Career Readiness and is open to anyone 18 years of age and older. The program is designed to help adults improve literacy skills.
