In August of 2007, Ronald (Ron) D. Payne received the appointment and currently is serving as director of Upper School bands at Charlotte Latin School. He was named Latin’s music department chair in December of 2007.

In July of 2006, Payne retired with 31 years of credited service in the North Carolina public schools, most recently from Providence High School, where he served as director of bands and fine arts department chair. Bands throughout his career have been consistent grade VI “superior” bands. Under his baton, bands in 1987 and 2003 from two different high schools were selected as featured performers at the North Carolina Music Educators Association In-Service Conference. He was conferred the status of nationally registered and nationally certified music educator by the Music Educators National Conference in September of 1991.

Payne is active as a clinician, adjudicator, and performer in the southeast and is a past-president of the North Carolina Bandmasters Association. He has served many years and in numerous capacities on the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Music Educators Association, most recently for a two-year term as a member-at-large. Peers have honored him by electing him as the state chairman of the American School Band Directors Association and colleagues in NCBA awarded him the Award of Excellence for outstanding achievements and contributions to public school bands in 1993. In June of 2006, he received the Citation of Excellence from the National Band Association, and in May of 2007 he was presented one of 19 Star Teacher Awards for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System. He considers his selection by his NCBA peers to serve as the 2009 High School All-State Honors Band clinician to be the highlight of his career.

Payne received his initial music training in the Kings Mountain School System from Joe Hedden and Donald Deal. He received both his M.M.E. and B.M.E. degrees (cum laude) from East Carolina University, where he studied euphonium with George Broussard and David Lewis and conducting with Robert Hause. His professional memberships include: A.S.B.D.A., M.E.N.C., N.C.M.E.A., Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Kappa Lambda, and Phi Mu Alpha.