King named Honorary Chairman

Kelly S. King, of Winston-Salem, N.C., has been named the honorary chairman of the 2009 Wyndham Championship. King is the chief executive officer of BB&T Corporation.

King is the third consecutive Honorary Chairman from outside Guilford County, emphasizing the Wyndham Championship’s increasing regional impact. As the honorary chairman, King is serving as an ambassador for the PGA TOUR event which provides important economic benefits for the entire region and the state. As the Wyndham Championship evolves, the honorary chairman leads the charge to promote Piedmont Triad regionalism through the PGA TOUR event.

“Bringing the Piedmont Triad together is particularly important during this difficult economic time,” King said. “The Wyndham Championship is the perfect vehicle to help bring all parts of our region together so that we can all experience growth. The proceeds from this event go to charities so we are helping people. With the economy the way it is, everything we do should be about what we can do to help others, and this needs to be a Piedmont triad effort. It’s an honor to chair this event, help our region grow and assist our Piedmont Triad citizens at the same time.”

King was named as BB&T's chief executive officer effective Jan. 1, 2009. He joined BB&T’s Management Development Program in 1972. He has served in many roles, including chief operating officer and president of BB&T Corporation, banking manager for BB&T’s branch network, manager for the Central and Metropolitan regions, Raleigh city executive, Charlotte business services manager, Statesville consumer loan department manager and Statesville marketing officer. King also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Branch Banking and Trust Company.

A native of Raleigh, N.C., King is the chair of the Piedmont Triad Leadership Group, immediate past chair of the United Way Tocqueville Leadership Campaign and the United Way Tocqueville Leadership Society, and a board member of the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce.

The 70th Wyndham Championship is set for Aug. 17-23, 2009 at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C.