Ellis Hankins is an Emeritus Member with Mercer Group Associates. He currently serves as the Chair of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority Board.  Ellis was a county and municipal attorney and taught as a Visiting Professor in public policy and management programs at UNC-Chapel Hill, NC State and Duke University.

He served from 1997 until 2014 as Executive Director of the North Carolina League of Municipalities, the statewide municipal association, and previously as General Counsel. He has practiced law with four law firms.

Ellis earned B.A., Master of Regional Planning and Law degrees from UNC-Chapel Hill. He is licensed to practice law in North Carolina and in federal courts.