NCEITA Award Winners State Auditor Ralph Campbell (left) chats with three SAS executives during the Sixth Annual North Carolina Electronics and Information Technologies Association awards banquet held Nov. 16 in Raleigh. With Campbell (from left) are John Sall, John Boling and Mary Musacchia. SAS received NCEITA's Corporate Education Award, and Campbell received the Public Leadership in Technology Award.

Names in the News

Johnston County school Superintendent Jim Causby, a member of the NCCBI Board of Directors, has been named superintendent of the year by the N.C. School Boards Association. Since he joined the Johnston schools in January 1994, Causby has won praise for a student achievement policy that has raised test scores. It was one of the first student accountability policies in the state.

  The state community college system presented its highest honors, the I.E. Ready Awards, to Phil Kirk, William F. Simpson and the late George B. Autry, . The ceremonies were Nov. 17 in Raleigh. Autry was the founder of the non-profit research group, MDC Inc., and led the Commission on the Future of the Community College System. The commission’s report, published in 1998-1989, has served as the basis for system planning and legislative action ever since. Kirk, president of NCCBI and chairman of the State Board of Education,  chaired the working committees for the successful statewide campaign for $2.75 billion in bonds for schools and roads in 1996 and the highly successful $3.1 billion higher education bonds referendum this year. Kirk also served for five years on the State Board of Community Colleges. Simpson served on the State Board of Community Colleges from 1985 to 1995 and was chair from 1989 to 1993. During his 44-year business career, Simpson owned and operated six successful businesses in retail and restaurants. 

Lynn D. Minges (left) was appointed executive director of the Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development in the N.C. Department of Commerce effective Dec. 1. Minges succeeds the retiring Gordon Clapp. "Lynn will bring a fresh perspective as the first woman appointed to this position," Commerce Secretary Rick Carlisle said in making the announcement. During eight years at the agency, Minges has served as deputy director of travel and tourism and director of human resources. She also coordinated and participated in various trade missions with Gov. Jim Hunt throughout Europe and North and South America. A native of Bladen County, Minges is a 1980 graduate of Peace College where she was an academic honors scholar. She graduated from N.C. State University in 1981.


Dennis Patterson (right), the Associated Press chief government correspondent in Raleigh who has covered the General Assembly for 16 years, resigns to join the staff of the state Auditor Ralph Campbell. Patterson's title will be audit publications coordinator; he will edit audit reports and work with the audit staff to produce consistent and well-written reports. He will also prepare the agency’s annual report, maintain and improve the Internet web site, and act as the first point of contact for media inquiries among other duties. Patterson is a native of Grove City, Pa, and a 1971 graduate of Wake Forest University. In 29 years as a journalist, he has worked with for the Winston-Salem Journal, The Charlotte News, the Fayetteville Times, the Boca-Raton News in Florida, The Bladen Journal and as editor of The Robesonian in Lumberton.  He joined The Associated Press in 1982 and covered his first legislative session in 1984. 

Wayne McDevitt, Gov. Jim Hunt's chief of staff, is joining the UNC System as vice chancellor for administration and financial affairs at UNC-Asheville. He will start in January. McDevitt is a graduate of UNC-A and his son is a senior there. He has been chief of staff since 1999, and before that was secretary of environment and natural resources and coordinator of intergovernmental relations for Hunt.

Jack Claiborne, UNC Charlotte's director of public relations since 1994 who formerly was a reporter and editor at the Charlotte Pbserver for many years,, will retire as of Dec. 31, but plans to return in January as a part-time writer of speeches and ceremonial scripts. Jeff Lowrance, assistant director of public relations since February 1997, will become interim director, beginning January 1, according to Tom Martz, vice chancellor for development and university relations.

Cong. Howard Coble (R-6th) received the Adam Smith Award from the Springfield, Va.-based National Right to Work Committee. The award, made on behalf of N.C. residents and right-to-work advocates Lewis and Annabelle Fetterman of Clinton, is presented annually to individuals whose efforts advance the right-to-work principle. Previous recipients include Sen. Jesse Helms and former Sen. Lauch Faircloth.


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