Senator Jim Perry

Jim Perry, born around 1972, is a dedicated and influential member of the North Carolina State Senate. He represents the 2nd District and has been serving since January 31, 2019. Perry was appointed to the state Senate by Governor Roy Cooper, replacing Louis Pate, who resigned due to health reasons.

Early Life and Education

Perry is a native of Kinston, North Carolina, and was the first person in his family to attend college. He paid his own way through college with the help of a GI Bill, student loans, and a Pell Grant. He is a graduate of Lenoir Community College and later transferred to North Carolina State University, where he received his Bachelor’s Degree. Perry continued his education while working full time and earned an MBA from Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Career

Perry enjoyed a successful career with a focus in the Health Care Sector. Early in his professional career, he worked as a recruitment professional with a primary focus on Surgical Services and Cardiac Programs. His recruitment background led him to the Dental Industry, where he worked with Dental Service Organizations for two decades and developed skills in Operations, Process Improvement, and Analytics. As his career steadily advanced, he eventually became Chief Operating Officer of an organization with 240 locations in 40 states, and roughly 2,700 employees under its umbrella. He has completed multiple private equity transactions during his career, and served on various boards.

Political Career

In January 2019, Perry was selected to replace N.C. Senator Louis Pate who retired due to health reasons. As a strong advocate for eastern North Carolina, Senator Perry was honored to take on the responsibility of following in Senator Pate’s footsteps and serving as a voice for the people of Eastern NC in the General Assembly. Perry soundly defeated a primary challenger in 2020, winning 85% of the vote and every precinct in his home county. He came within 252 votes of winning every precinct in his opponents home county.

Senator Perry is an outspoken supporter of agriculture/agribusiness, our military, and economic development in our rural communities. As our state’s urban-rural divide continues to grow, he believes it is critical that we have strong and effective leaders in Raleigh that will fight for our rural areas. Senator Perry believes in building relationships with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, and working to find common ground when able to do so.

Leadership Roles

He was chosen as Majority Whip for the 2021-2022 Biennium. He is Chairman of Healthcare, Chairman of Appropriations on Health and Human Services and Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Storm Related River Debris and Damage. Additionally, he serves on Finance, Appropriations ’ Base Budget, Rules and Operations of the Senate, Redistricting and Elections, and Pensions/Retirement.

Contributions

In 2023, Perry sponsored a bill to allow concealed carry on school property. Perry’s work ethic, candid communication, and proven track record have all led to a broad base of community support. He was elected to serve in Senate leadership during his first full term, when his colleagues unanimously voted for him to serve as Majority Whip of the NC Senate.