Rick Weddle
Legislative and Policy Chair

Rick Weddle is President and CEO of the Research Triangle Foundation of North Carolina, owner and developer of the renowned Research Triangle Park. The Research Triangle Park was established in 1959 and is the largest high-technology park development in North America, covering 7,000 total acres. Today, the Park is host to 145 organizations, employing 39,000 knowledge workers in a diverse set of industries.

Mr. Weddle was tapped to lead the Research Triangle Foundation in July 2004. In addition to overseeing Park operations and development, Mr. Weddle is setting the strategic direction for the Park’s next 50 years. Under his leadership to date, the Park has surpassed its historic performance. In two years, the Park has generated development projects with capital investment of over $330 million and created 4,100 new, high quality jobs.

Mr. Weddle’s career encompasses over twenty-five years of successful leadership and organizational change management. Previously, he led various regional economic development organizations, including the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, the Toledo, Ohio Regional Growth Partnership, and others. During his tenure, these organizations created a combined total of 32,000 new jobs and over $3.4 billion in capital investment.

An active speaker and participant in numerous economic development organizations, Mr. Weddle was elected as the first Chairman of the Board of the International Economic Development Council in 2002. In addition, he has served on numerous gubernatorially appointed task forces and working committees. Mr. Weddle has also been an instructor since 1986 at the Economic Development Institute, an extension of the University of Oklahoma.

Mr. Weddle holds a bachelor’s degree in political science (public administration) from the University of Oklahoma. He completed a five-year management program and received his Economic Development Executive (EDE) certification from the University of Oklahoma College of Continuing Education.

Mr. Weddle and his wife Ginger reside in Cary, NC. They have three children: Ryan, Emily and Meredith.