The Secretary of Natural and Cultural Resources shall select and appoint a competent person in accordance with this section as Executive Director of the North Carolina Land and Water Fund Board of Trustees. The Executive Director shall be charged with the supervision of all activities under the jurisdiction of the Trustees and shall serve as the chief administrative officer of the Trustees. Subject to the approval of the Secretary of Natural and Cultural Resources, the Executive Director may employ such clerical and other assistants as may be deemed necessary.

The person selected as Executive Director shall have had training and experience in conservation, protection, and management of surface water resources. The salary of the Executive Director shall be fixed by the Secretary of Natural and Cultural Resources, and the Executive Director shall be allowed travel and subsistence expenses in accordance with N.C. Gen. Stat. § 138-6 The Executive Director’s salary and expenses shall be paid from the Fund. The term of office of the Executive Director shall be at the pleasure of the Secretary of Natural and Cultural Resources. (1996, 2nd Ex. Sess., c. 18, s. 27.6(a); 2001-424, s. 32.16(b); 2003-340, s. 1.3; 2013-360, s. 14.3(g); 2013-382, s. 9.1(c); 2015-241, s. 14.30(k1), (r1); 2019-32, s. 1(a); 2023-70, s. 9(e).)