Phail Wynn became Duke's new vice president for Durham and regional affairs on New Year's Day, with many plans to enhance the partnership between Duke and the Bull City.
"I will be working to broaden and expand Duke's role as a partner and advocate for economic development, community development and downtown revitalization, as well as to increase Duke's engagement with the Research Triangle Park and remainder of the region," Wynn said.
Wynn has been collaborating with John Burness, senior vice president for public affairs and government relations, leading up to Burness's retirement June 30.
"I am working closely with Wynn in this transition period before my retirement to be sure he gets off to the best start possible here," Burness said. "I intend to wake up early every morning, go online and read The Chronicle so I know what I don't have to worry about."
Wynn will be responsible for local community affairs, and Burness's position has been altered to focus on federal and state relations programs throughout the next few months, Burness said.
Before the University hired Wynn, Burness was responsible federal, state, Durham and Duke affairs.
Burness added that he has appreciated working closely with Wynn for the past few weeks, an experience that he noted was not unfamiliar to him.
"Working with Wynn is great," Burness said. "I've known Wynn for 17 years, since I first came to Durham, and we have worked together on many projects."
In 2001, the Durham Board of County Commissioners approved a referendum to provide $74 million which included new and renovated public schools, an expansion of the Museum of Life and Science, a new county emergency medical services facility and a new senior center in downtown Durham.
Burness and Wynn cochaired the citizen's advocacy group for the bond referendum, which the voters of Durham County overwhelmingly supported, Burness said.
Wynn's position was created in May to improve the Duke-Durham relationship and address community issues.
Wynn retired as president of Durham Technical Community College Dec. 31 to assume the role at Duke. He said his long-standing relationship with Durham and past position at Durham Tech, which he held since 1980, have prepared him for his new position.
"Certainly in my previous position I worked with local government, community groups, public schools, [North Carolina Central University] and all of the employers in Durham County and in the Research Triangle Park," Wynn said. "Here in this new role I will essentially be working with the same constituency, but with different and broader goals in mind."
Wynn said the contacts he made during his 30 years at Durham Tech would be very beneficial in his plans to extend Duke as a partner and advocate of the region.
During his time at Durham Tech, he was involved in economic development and workforce development on a significant scale in the two-county area of Durham and Orange counties, Wynn said.
He worked to provide a wide range of programs and opportunities to enable those who might not have received a high school diploma, to help displaced workers gain skills, to provide the first two years of a baccalaureate degree and to make available a wide range of noncredit continuing education opportunities.
Wynn explained that through these programs, he and Durham Tech served more than 25,000 residents every year.
Mayor Bill Bell said he is happy with the prospects the new arrangement brings to Durham.
"I think it's a great appointment," Bell said. "Wynn will do a great job. I know him personally-socially as well as from a political standpoint-and I know that he is enthused about this new job and looking forward to it."
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