Delia named to lead RDI

Albert A. Delia, a Greenville resident and economic development specialist, has been selected to head the East Carolina University Regional Development Institute.

Delia will join the ECU staff on Dec. 1 as the associate vice chancellor of Regional Development. The position was previously held by Janice Faulkner who resigned earlier this year to accept the appointment of Secretary of Revenue in Gov. James B. Hunt’s administration. Prior to accepting the ECU post, Delia was the associate state director of the N.C. Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC) in Chapel Hill since 1990. He was director of the SBTDC regional center at ECU from 1986 – 1990.

James L. Lanier, vice chancellor for Institutional Advancement, announced the appointment of Delia to the post today. The selection follows a national search that began last summer. At ECU, Delia will serve as the chief administrator for the Regional Development Institute and for two other outreach programs at ECU—the SBTDC and the Center for Applied Technology. The institute and the two centers play major roles in ECU’s efforts to provide outreach services to the region and promote economic development.

“We are at the heart of the public service outreach programs of East Carolina University,” said Delia.

He said he wants the institute to work cooperatively with ECU faculty and with other programs on campus to help the eastern region identify and solve problems.
Delia is graduate of Drew University in Madison, N.J. His degree is in political science. Prior to coming to eastern North Carolina, he directed development and marketing for the Greater Camden Development Corporation in Blackwood, N.J. from 1982 – 86. While enrolled in college, he helped coordinate political campaigns for two prominent New Jersey politicians—Congressman Dick Zimmer and Gov. James Florio.

Delia was born in Tripoli, Libya. He spent a total of 11 years with his parents in Libya, North Africa and Italy. He attended high school in Rome. He also lived in Chevy Chase, Md. He moved from New Jersey to Greenville about eight years ago. Delia is president of the Entrepreneurial Development Council of Eastern North Carolina and an ex-officio member of the board of directors of the N.C. Downtown Redevelopment Association. He is also a member of the Health Care Coalition with the Pitt County Medical Society.