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Gov. Roy Cooper has appointed Gene McLaurin of Rockingham as chairman of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina.

McLaurin, who is a former state senator representing Stanly County, has served on the board since 2017 and previously served as the vice chairman.

He is the president of Quality Oil Company with offices in Rockingham, Laurinburg, Wadesboro and Lumberton. McLaurin has served eight consecutive terms as mayor of Rockingham and one term in the North Carolina State Senate. McLaurin has also been president of both the Richmond County Chamber of Commerce and the Rockingham Rotary Club and was named Richmond County Citizen of the Year in 2014.