Z.V. Pate has appointed Hew Fulton its new president, the company recently announced.

David Burns stepped down as president earlier this month to make way for new leadership at the Laurel Hill company.

Fulton, 47, is a Scotland County native who recently served as vice president of professional services at Scotland Memorial Hospital.

Z.V. Pate is the parent of Scottish Food Systems, South East Farm Equipment and Quality Oil and Gas. The company also has considerable land holdings in and around Laurel Hill, such as agriculture, timber sales and retail.

“I am so pleased to have Hew join our company," Burns said. "I have known him well for many years and worked with him on several projects in the past. Hew is an ideal fit for us and he certainly has the abilities to lead ZV Pate, Inc. into the future. I am confident he will do an outstanding job.”

The former president has been with the company for 35 of its 103 years, starting in agriculture. Burns said he has seen significant change in his 26-year tenure as president.

"I've seen a lot of growth in all of our subsidiary companies," said Burns. "The biggest change has been in agriculture with the genetically modified crops."

As an example, he pointed to cotton that is resistant to insects because DNA from microbes was engineered into the crop.

He added that farm equipment technology has changed tremendously while he has been there.

Burns will stay on as CEO through the remainder of the year as Fulton learns the job and will remain company chairman for the foreseeable future.

"It is certainly an honor [to be named president of Z.V. Pate]," Fulton said. "David Burns has done an outstanding job leading ZV Pate and the company itself has strong values and operational skills and it will be important in my leadership role to build on those... The company has a strong history as a successful business and one of the corner stones of the Scotland County community. My objective is for the company to able to continue to successfully adapt to changes in the economy and to ensure that its current enterprises continue to grow and that we also pursue new opportunities that are consistent with the mission of sound business principles and good citizenship here in the local community...My goal is to work in conjunction with the company’s leaders to build on this foundation and to enhance the organization’s vitality as an investment, an employer and a community asset.”

Fulton received his MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. Fulton served as president of two companies, McNair Investment Company and Utilicon, Inc. before joining the hospital.

A life long resident of Laurinburg and the son of Hewitt and Catherine Fulton, Hew is married Martha and the couple has three children, Mary, Joe and Sam. They attend Laurinburg Presbyterian Church, where Hew’s grandfather once served as pastor.