GREENVILLE, N.C.  — The City of Greenville Planning and Development Services Department has new leadership.

Les Everett, who has served as assistant director of the department since 2019, was recently promoted to director to fill the position vacated when Tom Barnett retired in November. Everett, a 26-year veteran with the City of Greenville, will oversee planning, inspections, community relations, and historic preservation in his new role.

"My professional career working with the City of Greenville has included many different roles," Everett said. "In each of them, I challenged myself to excel and to grow within the organization. From the time I started work with the City, I have poured my heart into public service."

Everett began his career with the City as a neighborhood services officer in the Planning Department. He moved on to become a building inspector, and eventually took on the role of chief building inspector. He was appointed to the role of assistant director of planning and development services in 2019.

"The past four years exposed me to many avenues of department level management and decision-making tasks," Everett said. "The experiences I have gained at this level definitely prepared me for the position of director in the areas of leadership, customer service, communication, and budget management."

Everett is a graduate of East Carolina University where he received a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology Education in 1995. He is a member of numerous professional organizations including the North Carolina Building Inspectors Association, the North Carolina Plumbing Inspectors Association, the North Carolina Mechanical Inspectors Association, the Council of Code Officials, the International Code Council, and the Pitt/Greenville Home Builders Association. In 2010, Everett was named the North Carolina Building Inspectors Association Inspector of the Year.