Board Members

CHAIRMAN WES CORDER

Wes Corder grew up in Wilmington and is currently the president and CEO of Thomson, Corder and Co., a full-service civil construction firm providing services for custom subdivisions, industrial plants and commercial sites in the Wilmington area. Corder has worked in the field for more than a decade and is a licensed Professional Engineer in the state of North Carolina. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from North Carolina State University. Mr. Corder is a member of the Cameron Executive Network at UNCW and enjoys mentoring young students on ways to be successful in business. His current term expires in 2026.

VICE-CHAIRMAN DEANS HACKNEY  

Deans Hackney is a native of Wilson, NC, and has lived in the Wilmington area since 1987. He graduated from UNC-CH and holds an MBA from Wake Forest University. He and his wife Robin own Horizon Homes of Wilmington and build custom and semi-custom single-family homes. They have two adult sons. Mr. Hackney is a City appointee, and his current term ends in 2028.

Secretary JESSICA CANNON, M.D.

Jessica Cannon is a retired physician, homemaker and social policy entrepreneur. A native of Virginia, she received her undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Virginia, and then trained in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Medical College of Virginia. Before going to into medicine, she worked on Capitol Hill as a legislative aide. Since retiring from medicine in 2006, Dr. Cannon’s volunteer activities include advocacy around civic issues that affect the health and well-being of children and families in Southeastern North Carolina. She is co-founder of two citizen grassroots groups — Suit Up Wilmington and Clean Cape Fear. Together with their three sons, she and her husband Kevin Cannon, who is a Hospitalist with Wilmington Health, have lived in Wilmington since 2001. She was appointed to CFPUA in 2019, and her current term ends in  2026.

treasurer Bill Smith

William (Bill) Smith is a semi-retired civil engineer appointed by New Hanover County in 2023.  A native of coastal Virginia, he has lived and owned engineering firms in Virginia, Florida, and North Carolina, specializing in government consulting on water and wastewater facility rehabilitation.  Mr. Smith has served on numerous community advisory boards through his career.  He and his wife, Karen Phillips Smith, have five children and ten grandchildren.  Mr. Smith's current term expires in 2026. 

 Jennifer Adams

Jennifer Adams is the Environmental Leader for the Optical Fiber and Cable Division of Corning Incorporated. She is a licensed Professional Engineer in North Carolina and has worked in the environmental field for more than three decades. Ms. Adams holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from Georgia Tech and an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. She sits on several local and state boards, including the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority as Board Chairman and the North Carolina Manufacturers Alliance.  Her current term ends in 2028.

Leslie Hudson

Leslie Hudson has lived in Wilmington since 2007. She works at the University of North Carolina Wilmington as a member of the Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs leadership team, where she manages the University’s debt portfolio, unrestricted trust fund cash investments, and the University’s credit rating. Prior to moving to Wilmington, she was a Vice President at Ewing Bemiss & Company, a middle market investment bank focused on mergers and acquisitions in Richmond, Virginia. She holds an MBA from the Darden School at the University of Virginia and a BA in Political Science from Virginia Tech. She and her husband have two sons. Ms. Hudson was appointed to the CFPUA Board by the Wilmington City Council in 2024, and her term ends in 2027. 

Henry E. "Hank" Miller III 

Hank Miller serves as Mayor Pro Tem of the Town of Wrightsville Beach’s Board of Aldermen. Mr. Miller is the President of Miller Realty Associates Inc. and M&N Construction Supply, Inc., and Senior Vice President for Cape Fear Commercial LLC. He currently serves as Chair of the Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (WMPO), Chair of the Wilmington Regional Film Commission, and assistant treasurer of the Board of Directors of the Cape Fear Council of Boy Scouts. Mr. Miller was appointed to the CFPUA Board by New Hanover County, and his term ends in 2028.

COUNCILMAN CHARLIE RIVENBARK 

Councilman Charlie Rivenbark is a real estate broker for Cape Fear Commercial. and a life-long resident of Wilmington. He has been a president of Wilmington’s Azalea Festival. He is currently serving his fourth term on the City Council. He enjoys volunteering his time to read to school children. Mr. Rivenbark was appointed by the City in 2010. His current term ends in 2027.

Commissioner dane scalise

 Commissioner Scalise has been a member of the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners since 2023 and was appointed to serve on the CFPUA Board by his fellow Commissioners in December 2024. Originally from Morganton, he is an attorney and insurance broker. From 2016 to 2020, Mr. Scalise served as Deputy Commissioner of the North Carolina Industrial Commission. Commissioner Scalise has served on numerous boards and committees in the region, including the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, Wilmington Downtown, Inc., and as past President of the New Hanover County Bar Association. He lives in Wilmington with his wife and two sons. Commissioner Scalise’s term on the CFPUA Board will run through 2025.   

COUNCILMAN LUKE WADDELL, SR.

Councilman Luke Waddell, Sr. is serving his first term on the Wilmington City Council and was appointed by the City in 2022. Mr. Waddell is the CEO of Cadence Realty Corp. and serves on several other boards in his capacity as a City Councilman, including Chairman of the City’s Heart of Wilmington Committee. Mr. Waddell’s term runs until  2028.

Commissioner ROB ZAPPLE

Commissioner Rob Zapple and his wife, Michelle, have lived in the area for 21 years and have three children.  He is a licensed general contractor and owner of Rob Zapple Design and Build, Inc.  Mr. Zapple is active in several non-profit organizations serving New Hanover County and the City of Wilmington.  He was first appointed to CFPUA in 2015, and his current term ends in December 2025.