In 2001, upon his wife's election as the first woman
Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina, he became the first Second Gentleman of North Carolina. When his wife was elected as the first woman
Governor of North Carolina in 2009, he became the state's first First Gentleman. Although Eaves's wife is a
Democrat, he is registered as an
Independent voter and was previously registered
Republican. In March 2009, he accompanied his wife on an official tour of Western North Carolina. In December 2009, Eaves attended a kick-off ceremony for Homes for Our Troops. In March 2010, he launched Carolina Helping Heroes, a program that connects volunteer organizations to military spouses who need support during their spouse's deployment. On February 24, 2011, Eaves commemorated the thirtieth anniversary of the N.C. Jaycee Burn Center at
UNC Medical Center with an official visit to the center, which opened on February 23, 1981. He was taken on a tour of the facilities by Bruce Cairns, the Burn Center Medical Director, Grace Schmits, the Burn Center nurse manager, and Anthony Meyer, the chairman of the
UNC School of Medicine's Department of Surgery. In July 2012, Eaves greeted over two dozen wounded veterans at the
North Carolina State Capitol who were on the third leg of the 2012 North Carolina Warrior Ride. Eaves served on the boards of the Public School Forum of North Carolina, the James B. Hunt Institute for Educational Leadership, the University of North Carolina School of Education Foundation, and
Meredith College. He spoke with a group of students from Centennial Middle School about the importance of education in relation to success in the workplace. == Personal life ==