New Members Appointed to ECC’s Board of Trustees
(l-r) Leo Taylor, Dr. Patrick Heins and Jerry Spruell are being sworn in by the Honorable Carol Allen White, clerk of Edgecombe County Superior Court.
Leo Taylor, Patrick Heins and Joy Chafin were recently appointed to the Edgecombe Community College Board of Trustees. Jerry Spruell, board chairman, was reappointed during the board’s quarterly meeting.
Appointed to a four-year term by the N.C. House, Taylor is currently serving on the Tarboro Town Council with previous experience as acting mayor for the Town of Tarboro in 2016. He has served twice as mayor pro-tem, twice for two-year terms on the Upper Coastal Plain Council of Government, and is a board member of the Tarboro Development Corporation.
The Rocky Mount native’s career spanned over 30 years as a human resource professional. Taylor worked as a regional human resources manager, sr. field human resources manager and director of human resources for Hardees Food Systems, Inc. in Rocky Mount and Raleigh. Before retiring from the field, Taylor provided support to eight distribution centers in the MBM Corporation as a divisional human resources manager.
Taylor is a graduate of Rocky Mount Senior High School. Taylor and his wife, Crystal, have been married 47 years. They have three children and three grandchildren.
Dr. Patrick Heins, president of ECU Health Edgecombe Hospital, was appointed to the board by Edgecombe County Commissioners. He was also voted by the board to serve as vice chair. Heins previously served as a member of the ECC Board of Trustees from 2020 to 2023.
The 24-year United States Army veteran has a wealth of healthcare experience. Heins began his career as a nursing assistant, later advancing to ICU staff nurse and then manager. He also served as vice president of Patient Care Services at ECU Health Edgecombe Hospital. Prior to his current role, Heins was president at ECU Health Roanoke-Chowan Hospital.
A fellow of the Healthcare Advisory Board, Heins holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Maryland and a Master of Business Administration from East Carolina University. He also received his Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from East Carolina University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Maryland College Park.
In addition to being a member of the Rotary Club of Tarboro, Heins serves on the boards of Area L AHEC, Tarboro Edgecombe Chamber of Commerce and Strategic Twin-Counties Education Partnership. Before advancing in his healthcare career, Heins was awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart following multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.
Joy Chafin is being sworn in by White.
Appointed by the N.C. Senate, Joy Chafin will serve a four-year term on the board. She is a board member for the Edgecombe County Memorial Library, the Edgecombe Chapter of the NC Symphony and the Edgecombe Charitable Foundation-a local affiliate of the North Carolina Community Foundation. Chafin also works as an administrative coordinator at Eastern Carolina Interventional Pain & Anesthesia, PC. A 12-year resident of Edgecombe County, Chafin is also the owner of Cabin Branch Properties, LLC.
With a background in chemistry, Chafin previously worked as a research specialist at the Medical University of South Carolina. She received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Meredith College, and completed her post-graduate studies at East Carolina University.
Chafin and her husband, Brent, have been married for almost 24 years. They have five daughters ranging in age from 12 to 20.
Spruell, a trustee since 1994 and board chair since 2021, is director of the Edgecombe County Board of Elections. He was reappointed by Edgecombe County Commissioners for a four-year term.
“I am elated to see three community leaders with strong professional backgrounds join the ECC Board of Trustees,” said Spruell. “I am also enthusiastic about the unique perspectives and commitment I know they will bring to continue improving this college and community.”