RALEIGH, N.C.  – Gov. Beverly Perdue has appointed the chief executive of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center to serve on the North Carolina State University board of trustees.

Norris Tolson will fill the seat that former board chairman McQueen Campbell left open when he resigned amid scrutiny of the university’s hiring of former first lady Mary Easley.

Tolson leads the nonprofit biotechnology center that helps develop the industry within North Carolina. The 69-year-old from Pinetops has worked under two previous administrations and served as part of Perdue’s transition team earlier this year.

Federal investigators have subpoenaed records about Mary Easley’s job at N.C. State and her husband’s travel as governor.