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Jim Gibson among inaugural Triangle Business Journal C-Suite Awards winners

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC— The Triangle Business Journal recognized Jim Gibson, executive vice president and chief operating officer of RTI International, as a 2017 C-Suite Award winner.

Gibson helps drive strategy and operational excellence for RTI’s domestic and international-based businesses. He oversees the leadership of RTI Health Solutions and social, statistical and environmental sciences groups, as well as corporate facilities strategic services and RTI’s International Regional Offices. He also leads RTI’s focus on University Collaborations with Duke University, NC State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

“Jim’s generosity of spirit and commitment to our community are infectious,” said Wayne Holden, Ph.D., president and CEO of RTI. “He has created a lasting impact in the community through his efforts and leadership with other nonprofits. We are lucky to have him in RTI’s C-Suite.”

Gibson began his career at RTI in 2000, as chief financial officer. In this role, Gibson helped guide the organization during a period of unprecedented growth and success. He has ensured the maturation of RTI’s accounting and financial systems in ways that have met RTI’s needs and positioned the organization for sustainable growth in size, scientific stature and global reach.

From 2009 to 2013, in addition to his chief financial officer duties, Gibson served as executive vice president of RTI’s engineering and technology unit and as interim leader of discovery and analytical sciences and RTI. He merged these two units to become RTI’s discovery, science and technology group and led the group through the end of 2014. He was appointed to his current role as chief operating officer in 2012.

“Since joining RTI, I have sought to lead through innovation, foresight and care for our staff, the Institute and the people we serve,” Gibson said. “My goal has always been to enable all staff to better fulfill RTI’s mission, vision and values and to help position the Institute for growth.”

In addition to his executive leadership responsibilities, Gibson has made outreach across the Triangle one of his top priorities. He has served on many organization boards in the area, including the United Way of the Greater Triangle, the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce (Edge 5) and the Research Triangle Park Charitable Trust.

Last year, while serving on the board of the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, he brought the museum and RTI researchers together on a collaborative exhibit, The Secret World Inside You. From October 2016 to March 2017, the exhibit was attended by 22,746 visitors, an average of 170 per day.

Gibson helps oversee many of RTI’s corporate charitable sponsorships and RTI’s STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) outreach in the Triangle community.

Most recently, Gibson spearheaded RTI’s partnership with the Travis Manion Foundation, which launched in the Carolinas in June. The program inspires young adults to live with character, develops their values-based leadership skills and activates them to serve their communities in honor of our nation’s fallen heroes. Participation in the program provides an opportunity for RTI’s military veterans to “pay it forward” and to serve approximately 10 hours per year sharing a message of courage, integrity, leadership and service with young adults.

Gibson is among the inaugural class of C-Suite Award winners for the TBJ. The class includes individuals from a variety of industries, including higher education, technology, finance and real estate. The C-Suite Awards judges, composed of TBJ staff and Triangle-area business leaders, selected 12 award recipients.

“I am fortunate to work at RTI, whose mission is to improve the human condition," Gibson said. "RTI provides the opportunity to put that mission into action right here in the Triangle. It is an honor to represent RTI as part of this award.”

This year’s winners were recognized at an awards luncheon on Aug. 18 at The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary. TBJ profiled the winners in a special section that was published in the July 13 subscriber edition.

“The inaugural class of C-suite winners is impressive,” said Jason Christie, publisher of TBJ. “They represent the best of the best in corporate leadership in The Triangle. We’re proud of what they’ve accomplished and they have set the bar for others to follow.”