A longtime advocate for building and development across the region was recently tapped by New Hanover County commissioners to serve on the planning board.
 
Donna Girardot was unanimously appointed by county commissioners at their April 21 meeting to replace Andrew Heath on the planning board.
 
Heath recently resigned from the board citing personal reasons.
 
Girardot will begin her tenure with the board at its Thursday meeting, she said in a Monday email.
 
Unless reappointed by the commission, Girardot’s term ends July 31, 2017.
 
Girardot served as the executive officer of the Wilmington-Cape Fear Home Builders Association (WCFHBA) and CEO of the Business Alliance for a Sound Economy (BASE) for nearly 12 years – helping to guide and draft local, regional and state legislation to help area builders and developers.