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

Executive Vice President (EVP), CFO

Emily received her Bachelor’s Degree in Accountancy from Elon University in 2007. In college, Emily was a Jefferson Pilot Business Fellow and worked as an intern at a local CPA firm where she continued full time upon graduation. She was elevated quickly to Senior Accountant where her clients were primarily contractors in the Triangle. Chuck Wilson invited Emily to join CT Wilson in early 2015 as Controller. By 2019 she was promoted to Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Just a few years later, CT Wilson announced that Emily would be filling the Executive Vice President (EVP) position as second-in-command to third-generation owner, Charlie Wilson. She is now responsible for leading the executive management team, which is comprised of departmental heads from Preconstruction, Project Operations, Field Operations, and Administration. This role provides critical support for Charlie’s position as the company’s President and visionary by creating the structure and processes necessary to make the vision a reality. Since taking on her new role, Emily has already filled the executive leadership team and has made noticeable improvements to the company’s organizational structure. When she is not working, Emily is active in her church and provides support to the local fire department and Bahama* Ruritan club. Above all, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Brian, and two kids.

Patrick Cummings

Vice President of Project Operations

Patrick has managed projects – and teams on projects – ranging from $1,600 to $2,000,000,000. He loves building teams and buildings. He has been involved in all aspects of a construction project in various roles throughout his career including client, developer, engineer, and builder. Patrick grew up in Florida and went on to obtain his BS and MS in Civil Engineering from the University of South Florida. He has active Professional Engineering licenses in Colorado, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida. His work at other large, commercial construction, engineering, and manufacturing firms has taken him across the US and out of the country, where he oversaw the construction of the Wa’ad Al-Shamal Phosphate Project in Saudi Arabia. Patrick left his position as a branch VP of a national engineering firm to join CT Wilson as head of Project Operations in 2022. Patrick is responsible for overseeing all project management operations to ensure quality control, budget and schedule adherence. In his spare time, Patrick coaches his son’s baseball team while serving as treasurer for the Hillsborough Youth Athletic Association.

Craig Herndon

Vice President of Field Operations

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.