Aaron Nelson has served as the President and CEO since 2001. In his role at the Chamber, Aaron serves a membership network of more than 600 enterprises employing more than 95,000 people throughout the Research Triangle region. Aaron is also Executive Director for the Chamber’s economic and community development affiliate, the Partnership for a Sustainable Community.  Prior to the Chamber, Aaron worked at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as their Coordinator of Local Relations.

A Leadership Chapel Hill-Carrboro Fellow and a Ford Foundation Fellow for Regional Sustainable Development, Aaron has deep roots in and a commitment to his community. Aaron has served on the Board of Directors of more than 25 local, state, and national organizations and currently serves as the Chair of the national Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy which he cofounded in 2011. A national and international speaker on economic and community development strategy, Aaron is most animated by local and regional collaboration that helps keep the Chapel Hill-Carrboro community one of the best places in the world to live, work, play, and raise a family. A 1997 graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill with a degree in Philosophy, Aaron also served as the elected student body president. Aaron leaps at each day enjoying all Greater Chapel Hill has to offer with his wife, Sonja, and their children, Maxwell and Atlee.