Republican Party selects Wilmington lawyer to fill vacant board of commissioners seat

New Hanover County’s Republican Party has selected a Wilmington lawyer to fill a vacant seat on the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners.

The seat was left open following the sudden death of Commissioner Deb Hays last month. On Thursday evening, the county’s Republican Party announced in a statement on social media that Dane Scalise has been selected to serve out the rest of Hays’ term, which runs through 2024.

Scalise, who was unanimously selected by the party’s executive committee, is a “respected small business owner with a strong track record in our community,” according to the announcement.

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He serves on the board of directors for the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, Wilmington Downtown Inc. and the New Hanover County Bar Association. Scalise also served as deputy commissioner of the North Carolina Industrial Commission from 2016 to 2020, according to the party’s announcement.

In 2020, Scalise was named one of Wilmington's 40 under 40. Scalise holds a Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in English and history from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Scalise will be formally appointed at the board’s next meeting at 9 a.m. on April 17, according to the party’s statement.

Reporter Emma Dill can be reached at edill@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Dane Scalise named to vacant seat on top New Hanover County board