State Board of Examiners
Each of the individuals appointed to the Board or employed by the Board is personally committed to fulfilling the Board’s purpose of protecting the health safety and welfare of the public by carrying out the duties and responsibilities that the Board is charged with.
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Board Members
Board Office Staff
Board Field Staff
Board Legal Counsel
Board Members
Board Members are appointed by the Governor to fill seven year terms as one of seven member positions established by the North Carolina General Statutes.
| M.R Strother Chairman |
Mr. Strother was appointed to the Board in 2019 as the Fire Sprinkler Contractor Member. He holds Plumbing Class I and Fire Sprinkler Installation Contractor licenses from the Board which he obtained in 1991 and a Fire Sprinkler Inspection Contractor license which he obtained in 2004. He owns and operates a successful fire sprinkler contracting business. |
| P.K. Selby Secretary- Treasurer |
Ms. Selby was appointed to the Board in 2021 as the Public member. She brings a vast amount of knowledge and experience as a Board member, having previously served in this capacity from 1999-2013. |
| R.J. Long, Jr. Board Member |
Mr. Long was appointed to the Board in 2024 as the Heating Contractor member to complete the unexpired term of the late T. A. Worrel. He holds a Heating Group 2 & Group 3-Class I license from the Board which he obtained in 1992. He and his brother own and operate a successful mechanical contracting business that has been family-owned for decades. |
| R.A. Nunez Board Member |
Mr. Nunez appointed to the Board in 2019 as the School of Engineering member. He holds a Professional Engineer license from the North Carolina Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors. Mr. Nunez currently serves as a senior faculty member of NCSU’s Construction Engineering Program. |
| D.H. Edwards Jr. Board Member | Mr. Edwards was appointed to the Board in 2023 as the Air Conditioning Contractor to complete the unexpired term of the late W.H. Sullivan III. He holds a Heating Group 1-Class I, Group 2 and Group 3-Class I license from the Board which he obtained in 1995, and operates a successful HVAC and Plumbing contracting business. |
| J.C. Farlow Board Member |
Mr. Farlow was appointed to the Board in 2024 as the Plumbing Contrator member. He holds a Plumbing Class I license which he obtained in 1992, as well as Heating Group 1, 2 & 3 licensure. |
| T. Rowland Board Member |
Mr. Rowland was appointed to the Board in 2025 as the Inspector member. He has many years of experience as a State Certified Code Enforcement Official and holds Level 3 Standard Certificates in Building, Electrical, Mechanical, and Plumbing. In addition, he holds a Heating Group 3-Class I license from the Board which he obtained in 1999. |
Board Office Staff
| Dale Dawson Executive Director |
Mr. Dawson joined the Board Staff in December, 1992 as an Administrative Officer, and served in the roles of Senior Administrative Officer and Assistant Director before being appointed by the Board to his current position in October, 2007. He is responsible for all aspects of the Board’s operation and is charged with running the organization as effectively, efficiently, and economically as possible, breaking the molds and stereotypes of ‘state government agencies’. Mr. Dawson is actively involved in numerous trade associations and maintains healthy relationships with other regulatory agencies with interests paralleling those of the Board. He holds a Plumbing Class I license from the Board, which he obtained in 1983. His previous career experience includes supervision in the plumbing trade prior to joining the Board. |
| Eric Hall Business & Technology Manager |
Mr. Hall joined the Board Staff in September 2004 as an Administrative Officer, and assumed his current role in December, 2007. He is responsible for the daily operations of the Board’s office, as well as the management of the Board’s information technology systems and services. His previous professional experience includes a career of twenty-five years where he served in a number of roles including code enforcement official, investigator and chief with a municipal fire department prior to joining the Board. |
| Sharon Pittman Legal Coordinator |
Ms. Pittman joined the Board Staff in July, 2001. She is responsible for overseeing the complaint process from initial receipt until final disposition, including preparation of files for review, resolution conferences, formal hearings, or court proceedings, and hearings, monthly reports for the Board, and serves as the point of contact between the Board and legal counsel. |
| DJ Soltys Licensing Coordinator |
Ms. Soltys joined the Board Staff in February, 2009. She is responsible for processing all licensing renewals, trade name changes, sublicensee, and other forms. She manages the online renewal program and also serves as Executive Adminstrative Assistant to the Board’s management team. Her previous career experience includes business and human resources management. |
| Kerry Waldroup Complaint Coordinator |
Ms. Waldroup joined the Board Staff in March, 2014. She is responsible for receiving all complaints, entering information into the database, and assigning cases to Adminstrative Officers. In addition, she prepares completed investigation files received from the Administrative Officers for review by the Executive Director and is the responsible for contacting licensees required to attend Resolution Conferences. Her previous career experience includes customer service in the field of retirement investment management firms. |
| Marielle Warren Probation Coordinator |
Ms. Warren joined the Board Staff in September, 2018. She is responsible for monitoring, receiving and reviewing probationary documents and corresponding with licensees regarding requirements, and a variety of other office tasks. |
| Ashley Tipton Administrative Assistant |
Ms. Tipton joined the Board Staff in August, 2021. She is responsible for assisting applicants with examination applications, processing all examination and licensing applications for review, and corresponding with applicants throughout the process. |
| Maria Hozza Receptionist |
Ms. Hozza joined the Board Staff in August, 2023. She is responsible for assisting telephone callers and walk-in visitors, as well as mail processing, order fulfillment and other office tasks./td> |
Board Field Staff
The Board’s field staff consists of five Administrative Officers assigned to geographical regions of the state. Their primary duties are the investigation of complaints, assisting licensees, and participating in local trade meetings, conferences, expos, and workshops.
| Tom Johnston
Senior Administrative Officer |
Mr. Johnston joined the Board Staff in January, 2007 and is assigned to the North Central Region of the State.
He holds HVAC Technician certification and worked in the trade prior to his employment with the Board. |
| David Boulay Administrative Officer |
Mr. Boulay joined the Board Staff in February, 2008 and is assigned to the Western Region of the State.
He is an Air Force veteran and holds a Limited General Contractor license from the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors. His previous career experience includes ten years as an investigator for the Judicial District Courts. |
| Kevin Thibodeaux Administrative Officer |
Mr. Thibodeaux joined the Board Staff in September, 2015 and is assigned to the Coastal Region of the State.
His previous career experience includes many years as a loss prevention investigator for several major retailers throughout the nation. |
| Scott Bilsky Administrative Officer |
Mr. Bilsky joined the Board Staff in January, 2016 and is assigned to the Eastern Region of the State.
His previous career experience includes many years in law enforcment at the local and federal levels. |
| Jonathan Yerkes Administrative Officer |
Mr. Yerkes joined the Board Staff in October, 2016 and is assigned to the South Central Region of the State.
His previous career experience includes many years in law enforcement at the local level. |
Board Legal Counsel
The Board has a well established and long standing professional relationship with the law firm of Young Moore and Henderson, PA, which has provided the Board with an outstanding father-son team. Services provided include advising the Board on all legislative and legal matters, handling formal proceedings for cases involving licensees, and court cases involving unlicensed individuals.
| John N. Fountain Attorney |
Mr. Fountain has worked in many areas of law and has vast expertise in administrative and business law as well as mediation, and he works extensively with occupational licensing boards. He has numerous awards and achievements to his credit, including the Award of Merit from the State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors, for whom he has given fifty years of dedicated and exemplary professional service to the Board. |
| Reed N. Fountain Attorney |
Mr. Fountain has been with the firm since 1996 and specializes in administrative and businees law as well as mediation, with a focus on occupational licensing boards. He has numerous awards and acheivements, and is very active in both professional and civic organizations. |