Kannapolis Communications Director Annette Privette Keller Announces Retirement

Annette Privette Keller, the Communications Director for the City of Kannapolis, has announced her retirement after 30 years of service in public education and municipal government, according to kannapolisnc.gov.

The departure marks the end of a three-decade career defined by the strategic reshaping of how North Carolina municipalities engage with their residents. Keller’s tenure has spanned several key leadership roles in the region, including positions with the City of Concord, the Town of Matthews, and the Mooresville Graded School District.

Her work has frequently centered on the intersection of identity and economic growth. By implementing municipal branding initiatives in Kannapolis, Concord, and Matthews—strategies that remain in active use today—Keller helped establish the visual and communicative frameworks that these cities use to attract investment and residents.

“It has been an amazing experience to work in Kannapolis and this region,” Keller said, according to kannapolisnc.gov.

“I have been blessed to work with great teams in three remarkable cities as we worked to improve the lives of people in the region. We have succeeded beyond our expectations in creating strategic brands that have garnered national economic development recognition for our region and revitalized our corner of the world.”

The impact of Keller’s work extends beyond simple press releases. During her time in Kannapolis, she was a central figure in several high-profile community transformations. These included the revitalization of Downtown Kannapolis and the establishment of the Kannapolis Youth Council.

She also spearheaded public art initiatives and community wellness programs, such as Run Kannapolis and Loop the Loop, which sought to connect physical activity with civic pride. Her role often required balancing the immediate needs of emergency communications with the long-term goals of community engagement and strategic marketing.

Her influence on the professional standards of government communications is perhaps most visible in her foundational work for North Carolina practitioners. In 2007, she founded the North Carolina City & County Communicators (NC3C), an organization that has grown to serve hundreds of professionals across the state.

Keller also broke barriers at the national level. After being elected to the Board of Directors of the City-County Communications & Marketing Association (3CMA) in 2015, she eventually rose to become the organization’s President in 2025. This achievement made her the first North Carolinian to hold that specific leadership role.

Throughout her career, Keller has earned more than 70 state and national awards. Her accolades cover a broad spectrum of the communications field, including the Chris Coulson Award for Excellence in Communications, various N.C. Press Association Awards, and the ElectriCities Excellence in Public Power Communication Award.

Besides her professional duties, Keller serves in local government and community development. She currently holds seats on several influential boards, including:

The Kannapolis Education Foundation
The N.C. Open Government Coalition Board
The Rowan County Tourism Authority
The Mooresville Housing Authority

While her retirement shifts the leadership structure within the Kannapolis communications department, her influence remains embedded in the branding and organizational structures of the municipalities she served.

Keller said that she is looking forward to moving on to new challenges, opportunities, and adventures, adding, “I will miss the camaraderie, friendships, and positive energy as we all worked together to transform and position Kannapolis and our region into a revitalized area with promising opportunities.”

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