Chris Padgett was appointed Assistant General Manager/Chief Operating Officer for GUC in December 2025. He started his tenure at GUC as Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) in January 2015 and was later promoted to Assistant General Manager/CAO. Prior to joining GUC, he served as served as Assistant City Manager for the City of Greenville and previously served as the City’s Chief Planner. He also was employed as the Assistant Town Manager/Planning Director for the Town of Ayden from 2006-2011, and has 25 years of experience in urban planning, development, and municipal and utility administration.
He holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration and a Bachelor’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning, both from East Carolina University.
He is active in the community and is a past chair of the Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce. He has served on the Go-Science Board of Directors, the ECU Planning Program Advisory Board, and the Pitt County Coalition on Substance Abuse Board.
He currently serves on the ElectriCities of NC Board of Directors.