Chip Payson named new Board Chair and President for Habitat for Humanity of Craven County
PRESS RELEASE: New Bern, NC
For Immediate Release: July 1, 2026
Information Contact: Tracey Lilly, tlilly@cravencountyhabitat.org, 252-633-9599
Habitat for Humanity of Craven County (HFHCC) has announced Chip Payson as its new Board Chair and President. Payson will step into the role being vacated by Pastor Charles Dudley, whose term ended on June 30.
Payson, an Iowa native and longtime resident of Massachusetts, moved to the area with his wife, Susan, in 2023. An attorney with experience working for both federal and state government, Payson is a member of the New Bern law firm Sumrell Sugg, which has a long history of supporting Habitat for Humanity and its mission. Members have served on the HFHCC Board of Directors and the firm handles legal work for the non-profit as well.
Payson joined the HFHCC Board as a member in the summer of 2023.
“When I first joined the firm there was an opening and I jumped at the chance,” he said. “I had known about Habitat for years just peripherally because of (President) Jimmy Carter, and I’ve always thought their mission was a good one and a necessary one.”
As the new Chair and President, Payson will guide the agenda for the HFHCC Board of Directors meetings.
“My role will be making sure that the Board is moving the organization forward according to our strategic plan, which we created and adopted several months ago,” Payson explained.
Payson said the challenges facing HFHCC are essentially the same ones Habitat has faced throughout its history.
“Raising money and building houses, that's kind of the meat and potatoes of what Habitat does and what it needs, whether it's through small donations, grants, sales at our ReStore, or expanding into larger dollar donations,” Payson said.
Payson said he believes the Craven County community has embraced HFHCC’s mission of providing safe and affordable housing.
“When I meet people and I tell them I’m involved with Habitat, there has never been anyone who has been less than enthusiastic,” Payson said. “I think it's a great mission and I think that there are a lot of people out there who need homes and who are not able to get into homes without Habitat's help.”
As the outgoing Board Chair and President, Pastor Dudley said he believes he is leaving the post in good hands.
“Chip is good people and he's very smart. He's on top of things and so I feel like we're leaving it to somebody who's very, very capable,” he remarked.
Dudley, who serves as the Senior Pastor at New Beginnings Ministry of Faith in Havelock, said he will continue to serve on the HFHCC Board.
“This is one of those things that you get to do where you actually get an opportunity to see the impact of your involvement,” Dudley said. “You got to see families that are going to be living here for years after these homes are built. This is something I love and I continue to encourage other people to be involved in, because you're impacting not just one family, but generations.”