Grant Goings has led the City of Wilson as City Manager since January 2005, including the deployment of Greenlight, Wilson’s municipal fiber network, and the development of Innovate Wilson, guiding Wilson’s efforts to build a local innovation economy. During his tenure private investment in downtown Wilson has grown exponentially, from less than $1 million annually in the mid-2000s to a projected $61 million in 2018-2020.
Goings’ prior experience includes serving as the City Manager in Shelby, N.C., Town Manager for Elkin, N.C. and Town Administrator in Bethel, N.C. He holds a bachelor of science in political science from Appalachian State University with a concentration in city and council management and a minor in urban and regional planning. He is a graduate of the Public Executive Leadership Academy of the School of Government at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as well as the Municipal Administration Program.
Goings is a member of the International City Management Association and the North Carolina City/County Managers Association, where he currently serves as President. He also serves as a committee member for “Lead for North Carolina,” a new program designed to expose recent college graduates to careers in local government through two-year fellowships in local government service.
He is a member and past President of the Appalachian State University Local Government Alumni Association, and has been a guest lecturer with ASU’s MPA program.
Currently, Goings serves on many state and local boards including Wilson Forward, Wilson County Properties, and the Wilson Economic Development Council. He served on the ElectriCities Board of Directors for six years, including serving as Chairman in 2016.
