Archives: Leadership Team

Charlie Wilson

President & Owner

Charles T Wilson, III became the President of CT Wilson Construction Company in 2016. Charlie started in the field as a laborer early on in his life, spending summers working for the family business. Charlie received his Engineer in Training Certification after finishing his undergrad at North Carolina State University in 1993. The following year he completed his master’s degree at the University of Texas at Austin where he worked for a General Contractor specializing in medical facilities. In 1999, Charlie formally joined CT Wilson Construction. His current responsibilities include new client acquisition and managing existing client relationships. He enjoys leading an active lifestyle with his wife Fran and two kids, Anna Catherine and Charles T Wilson, IV.

Chuck Wilson

Owner

After graduating from North Carolina State University with a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Chuck served as a Damage Control Officer and Engineering Officer on two different ships in the US Navy before taking a management position at CT Wilson Construction. Charles T Wilson, Jr. has been the Treasurer of CT Wilson Construction Company since 1983. Chuck has held nearly every position within the company and currently oversees the company’s corporate operations. Chuck is active in his church and serves on numerous boards for both civic and industry-affiliated organizations as an advocate for education, minority participation, workforce development, and healthcare. He is a Durham native and a proud grandfather.

Emily Ellis

CFO

Emily received her Bachelor’s Degree in Accountancy from Elon University in 2007. Throughout college, she remained a Jefferson Pilot Business Fellow. She began working in 2005 beginning as a Corporate Tax Intern and Accounting Intern only to be quickly promoted to Senior Audit Accountant, Headquarters Accountant, and Senior Tax Accountant before coming to work for CT Wilson Construction in 2015. Emily is active in her church and the PTO at her children’s school. Her husband is a full-time firefighter for Durham County and works part-time for Bahama Volunteer Fire Department.

Chris Small

Preconstruction Director

Chris joined a large general contracting firm based in Raleigh upon graduation from Clemson University in 2006. There, he worked for three years as a Project Engineer where he was responsible for controlling project documentation and assisting the project team. Prior to joining CT Wilson as Vice President of Preconstruction, Chris worked 13 years in both preconstruction and construction roles. As a Construction Manager, Chris oversaw all aspects of construction, with a special focus on commercial manufacturing facilities. In Preconstruction, Chris performed value engineering, constructability reviews, budgeting, and scheduling services to provide the client with the best plan for successful construction. As the Vice President of Preconstruction for CT Wilson, Chris serves on the Executive Leadership Team and works closely with other departmental leaders to ensure we are providing our clients and our staff with the best project experience from the beginning.

Craig Herndon

Field Operations Leader

Craig enrolled in the apprenticeship program at Bryant Durham Electric after graduating high school. While attending East Carolina University he worked for a developer constructing service stations across Durham. After graduating from ECU with a bachelor’s degree in Construction Management in 1999, Craig joined CT Wilson Construction as a superintendent. From 2015 to 2017, Craig worked as an owner’s representative and construction manager for Dunhill Holdings, a real estate holding company, where he oversaw land acquisitions, zoning and permitting, designer and contractor qualifications, owner commissioning, and project closeout. Craig was promoted to Vice President of Field Operations in 2022. As the Vice President of Field Operations for CT Wilson, Craig will serve on the Executive Team as the field representative, overseeing all field operations. He will work closely with all the Executive Team Leaders to ensure successful project completion for the client and the company. In his spare time, Craig enjoys spending time with his family, listening to local bands, and volunteering as a cook at the Durham Rescue Mission.

Taylor Butler

Business Development Director

Taylor is a North Carolina native and graduate of Elon University. She brings decades of business development and marketing experience in architecture, engineering, and construction to the CT Wilson team. Taylor is responsible for driving business development activities and maintaining existing partnerships. In her spare time, Taylor enjoys being outdoors, cooking, and spending time with her friends and family.

Emily Herndon

Marketing Director

Emily interned for various companies in the AEC industry while studying Architecture at NC State University. In 2013, Emily obtained her bachelor’s degree in Architecture and came to work at CT Wilson Construction as a field laborer first before working her way up to Project Manager. In 2019, she transitioned into Marketing full-time. Emily is an active member of the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) Triangle Chapter and a past leader in the South Atlantic Region of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC.) In 2021, Emily completed a Graduate Marketing Certificate from the Jenkins MBA program at NC State University.