David Powers

David Powers is the managing principal of Powers Strategies LLC, a full-service government relations firm in Raleigh, North Carolina. He has been involved in the political arena and at the highest levels of corporate government affairs. Powers spent over 20 years managing public affairs for Reynolds American, eight of those at the helm of the company’s state government relations efforts. After retiring from Reynolds American in 2015, Powers joined the Winston-Salem law firm of Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice as the senior government relations consultant before venturing out to form his own public affairs firm in 2017.

He is a member of the United States Business Associates, an organization of committed business and public affairs executives who work to foster stronger ties with European countries through spirited engagement with European business leaders on issues relating to education, commerce and public affairs. In 2011 the North Carolina General Assembly appointed Powers to serve on the UNC System Board of Governors, and he was reappointed to serve in that capacity in 2015 and 2019.

His current term will end in June 2023. During his time on the Board of Governors, he served as chair of the Committee on University Governance and the Committee on Strategic Initiatives. Powers graduated from NC State with a bachelor’s degree in economics and earned an MBA from Campbell University.