Jonathan Barfield, Jr., Appointed to the NC Real Estate Commission and James Beaty, Jr., and Mel Black, Reappointed
Governor Josh Stein has appointed Jonathan Barfield, Jr., to the NC Real Estate Commission and reappointed James Beaty, Jr., and Mel Black, for terms ending July 31, 2028.
Jonathan Barfield Jr. was born in Columbus, Ohio and raised in Wilmington, NC. He has deep roots in both his community and the real estate industry. Married to his wife, Laura, for more than 36 years, Jonathan is the proud father of four daughters and grandfather of two grandsons.
A licensed REALTOR® since 1997, Jonathan is the Broker/Owner of Barfield and Associates Realty. He served as President of the Cape Fear REALTORS® Association in 2007 and has remained a dedicated leader in the profession ever since.
Following in the footsteps of his father, Jonathan was elected to the New Hanover County Commission in 2008, where he served for 16 years, concluding his tenure in December 2024. During that time, he held the roles of both chair and vice chair for multiple terms, while representing the County on a variety of boards and committees. These included the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, Wilmington Business Development, Health and Human Services, and the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority. He also recently completed nine years of service on the Cape Fear Community College Board of Trustees.
A U.S. Navy veteran, Jonathan served six years on active duty and in the reserves. Most recently, he contributed to Governor Stein’s Transition Team as co-chair of the Military and Veterans group, where he helped interview candidates for Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Military and Veteran Affairs.
Licensed as a minister since 2004, Jonathan enjoys reading, golfing, and relaxing with a good cigar. His career and community service reflect a lifelong commitment to leadership, service, and making a difference for the people of North Carolina.
James Arthur Beaty Jr. was reappointed to the Commission by Governor Josh Stein. He is a former Judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina.
Beaty grew up in Thomasville, North Carolina. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Western Carolina University in 1971 with Honors and a Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 1974. He entered private practice in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 1974, and in 1981 he became a judge of the Superior Court of Forsyth County, North Carolina, a position he held until 1994.
On August 25, 1994, President Bill Clinton nominated Beaty to fill a vacancy on the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina created by the retirement of Judge Richard C. Erwin. The United States Senate unanimously confirmed Beaty in a voice vote on October 7, 1994. Beaty became chief judge of that court in 2006. He is based in Winston-Salem. He assumed senior status on June 30, 2014, and retired from active service on January 31, 2018.
Mel Black was reappointed to the Commission by Governor Josh Stein. As a real estate and appraisal educator, Mr. Black develops and delivers real estate related curriculum for the Colibri Group. As an attorney in private practice with Gaskins Hancock Tuttle Hash, LLP, he focuses on administrative law, occupational licensing, and real estate related matters.
As a speaker, Mr. Black provides training to board members, investigators, and attorneys of national regulatory organizations on the proper conduct of occupational licensing boards. Mr. Black is a third-generation broker and second-generation appraiser in North Carolina. He has been licensed as a broker since 1988 and certified as an appraiser since 1991.
Mr. Black is the former Executive Director of the North Carolina Appraisal Board and former Education and Examination Officer with the North Carolina Real Estate Commission.
He has been elected to multiple national positions, including president of the Association of Appraiser Regulatory Officials, member of The Appraisal Foundation Advisory Council and its State Regulator Advisory Group, and member of the Board of Directors of the Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation. For his service to North Carolina, Mr. Black was inducted into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine in 2002.
Mr. Black was named Educator of the Year by the North Carolina Real Estate Educators Association and received the Larry A. Outlaw Excellence in Real Estate Education Award from the North Carolina Real Estate Commission.
He holds a Juris Doctorate from the North Carolina Central University School of Law, an Educational Specialist degree from Appalachian State University, a Masters of Education from Winthrop College, and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of the State of New York. Mr. Black and his two adult children are based in Raleigh.