Dr. George Wang, who has been a beloved professor and mentor in the ECU community since 2007, has been named the first Gregory Poole Equipment Company Distinguished Professor. Dr. Wang serves as the Department Chair of Construction Management and teaches courses such as Construction Capstone, Structural Analysis, Quality Control Systems and Construction Surveying.

Gregory Poole began building an endowment to recognize a distinguished construction management professor in 2012 and this year was the first time the honor had been given. Eddie Williford, Group Vice President of Gregory Poole said, “The goal of the endowment is to help attract and educate ECU professors on the current trends in the construction industry.”

According to East Carolina’s News Services, Wang has expressed, “His goals are to provide leadership in the department, promote effectiveness in teaching, sustain scholarly work, provide professional service, promote the construction management program and enhance relationships with industry. Those relationships include visits to advisory board members and connections with alumni working in the industry.”

When prompted to speak on his professorship Dr. Wang stated, “Teaching is an action of love. The motivation for teaching comes from passion and love. I display my own enthusiasm in class for the issues contained in the courses. Passion can remove stress. My reward is that my students will remember the lessons they have learned long after graduation.”

Gregory Poole Equipment Company strives to continue to make opportunities such as this professorship possible through generous donations and a desire to serve the community who aids in building North Carolina.