J. Keith Crisco at the 145th Annual Meeting of the National Textile Association, October 17-19, 1999.

J. Keith Crisco

North Carolina Secretary of Commerce

J. Keith Crisco was appointed Secretary of Commerce by Gov. Beverly Perdue in 2009. He has 38 years experience in business and commerce. Since 1986, he has served as President and Chairman of Asheboro Elastics Corporation. For the 8 years prior, Crisco worked as President of Stedman Elastics in Asheboro, North Carolina.

After receiving his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School in 1968, Crisco took a job as Assistant to the Executive Vice President for Burlington Industries. During his ten-year tenure with the company he would be promoted to Account Manager in Chicago, Illinois and then National Accounts Manager in New York, New York. From 1970-1971 Crisco would serve as a White House Fellow in Washington, D.C. as Assistant to the Secretary for Commerce. Crisco, 65, has served 16 years on the board of Randolph Community College and is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council at the North Carolina School of Public Health.

EDUCATION

  • M.B.A. Harvard Business School, Boston, MA, 1968
  • A.B. Mathematics and Physics, Pfeiffer University, Misenheimer, NC, 1964

    CIVIC INVOLVEMENT

  • Board of Trustees, Former Chairman, Pfeiffer University (1981-2008)
  • City Councilman – City of Asheboro, NC (2003-present)
  • Chairman of Board, Globio, Inc.
  • Former Chairman, N.C. Center for Public Policy Research
  • White House Fellowship Regional Selection Panel (1980-2008)
  • Last Updated January 19, 2009.