Asheboro, NC - The North Carolina Zoo Society's Board of Directors elected Asheboro businessman J. Keith Crisco to a three-year term on the governing board of the N.C. Zoo Society, the private, non-profit organization that raises money for the N.C. Zoo.
Crisco comes to the board after completing a four-year tenure as the Secretary of Commerce for Gov. Bev Perdue and serving for 20 years as president and chairman of Asheboro Elastics Corp, a company that he formed with partners in 1986. His corporation has offices in seven countries and operates manufacturing facilities in Central America and the United States.
"We are very pleased to have Keith join our board of directors," said Cheryl Turner, interim executive director of the Zoo Society. "He brings a wealth of knowledge and wisdom to the board from his successes as a businessman and from his broad experiences with the city, state and federal governments. He has also served well and long on a number of other boards. Keith is well-liked and well-respected in Asheboro, his home town, which makes us even more proud to have him as a member of our board," Turner concluded.
Crisco earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics and physics from Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer and a master's degree in business administration from Harvard University. After graduate school, the Stanly County native worked as assistant to the executive vice president for Burlington Industries. He worked for the company for 10 years, including stints in Chicago and New York City.
From 1970-71, Crisco served as a White House Fellow in Washington, D.C., as assistant to the U.S. Secretary for Commerce during the Nixon administration.
He has served on the Asheboro City Council, as chairman of the Pfeiffer University board of trustees, as chairman of the N.C. Center for Public Policy Research and as chairman of the National Elastic Manufacturer's Association. He also served as chairman of Globio, a children's educational Website based in Portland, Ore., that uses wildlife photos to create a dialogue to connect children around the world.
Crisco served on Randolph Community College's board for 16 years and as an active member of the UNC School of Public Health Advisory Council. He has been active with the N.C. Community Foundation, Action for Children North Carolina, and various land trust and environmental organizations.
The North Carolina Zoological Society is a private, non-profit organization that raises funds and engenders public support for the state zoo. The zoo is an agency of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, John E. Skvarla, III, Secretary; Pat McCrory, Governor.
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