Brief Biography

Jeff’s connection with Craven County started after both parents graduated from East Carolina College and began their teaching careers. His father was a teacher and basketball coach at Dover High School before transferring to New Bern High School in 1959 where he was a math teacher and varsity baseball coach. His mother began as a business teacher at New Bern High, as well. By 1964, both had returned to Jones Central High School (JCHS). As Principal of JCHS, Jeter led the school through its initial integration efforts. In 1967, Jeter went to Columbus County as Associate Superintendent to integrate their school system. Within a year, he was then asked to go to Anson County to integrate Bowman Senior High School where he served as principal from 1968 - 1972.

Jeff was born in Kinston in 1961 and raised on the Taylor farm in Trenton, N.C. He left with the family in 1967 and was raised up in many townships throughout North Carolina. In 1973, the family settled down in Salisbury, NC where Jeff graduated from North Rowan High School. Jeff went on to receive his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Relations from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill in 1983. Upon graduation, Jeff was commissioned in the United States Air Force and rose to the rank of Captain. He served as Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Combat Crew Commander and Instructor at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. Jeff returned to North Carolina in 1989 and began his business career as a Training Manager for MacField, Inc. in Reidsville, NC. He later served as a Production Manager in Greensboro, NC and an Operations Manager in Omaha, Nebraska for New Breed Leasing Corporation, a large logistics firm.

In 1994, Jeff married the former Suzanne Liles of Middlesex, NC. After almost a decade of transfers and moves, the Taylors decided it was time to return home to Eastern North Carolina. In 2002, they moved from Washington, D.C. to New Bern where Jeff secured a position at BSH Home Appliance Corporation and Suzanne as a teacher with Craven County Schools. They have two daughters and now reside in Greenbrier.

Military Service (1983 – 1989) Jeff Taylor served his country for six years in the US Air Force, where he dealt successfully with a series of highly responsible assignments. Jeff commanded a combat crew assigned to the Alternate Command Post (ACP), the missile launch nerve center in the event of war. He directed 14 other combat crews, monitored the readiness and launch capability of 150 nuclear missiles, and was responsible for all support, security, and maintenance operations within the missile complex. As a missile launch instructor, Jeff was selected by SAC (Strategic Air Command) Headquarters to manage the largest software modification in the history of the ICBM missile program. He also took the lead in developing new classified software systems to simulate missile targeting and execution. In 1989, Jeff left the Air Force and returned home to North Carolina to pursue his career in business.