Lots of warm conversation and business cards have been exchanged by hundreds of NCCBI members during the networking portions of the Area Meetings held so far. And they've enjoyed eating together while getting educated on the higher education bonds — the association's latest challenge for the business community.

The audiences have listened attentively as university chancellors and community college presidents explained how money from the $3.1 billion in bonds will be spent to improve their campuses. Many speakers have told stories of shockingly bad facilities on their campuses, particularly in science labs and basic infrastructure. The educators knew down to the penny how much they will have available to spend, if the bond issue passes, and obviously had given a lot of thought to identifying priorities.

UNC-Greensboro Chancellor Pat Sullivan, a member of the NCCBI executive committee, pointed out that the seats in Aycock Auditorium on her campus, which recently hosted a tribute to John Phillip Sousa, are the same ones the audience sat in when Sousa himself played there.

Chairman Mac Everett of First Union in Charlotte has proven to be an effective and enthusiastic moderator at the regional membership meetings. He seems genuinely pleased to report that NCCBI is in great fiscal shape and is rapidly growing in numbers. Everett bragged on the hard work of Second Vice Chairman Jim Hyler of Raleigh, the First Citizens Bank executive, in this year's annual membership campaign, which to date has brought in 383 new members, raising membership to more than 2,200. That's the best campaign ever, with nearly half the year to go, Everett stressed in his remarks, evidence that NCCBI “is a very dynamic organization.”

Everett also has been a gracious host in welcoming the many candidates for statewide office who have attended the meetings as guests. He explained that NCCBI doesn't endorse candidates but does encourage business people to get to know the candidates so we can make intelligent choices in the voting booth.

President Phil Kirk is using his remarks to update members on political events in Raleigh. The association's seven policy committees are meeting regularly this fall and winter to develop positions on emerging legislation that may come up with the General Assembly reconvenes, Kirk said. Talking about the education bonds, Kirk said NCCBI members had contributed $2.1 million toward the cost of the campaign so far, with more pledged toward the $3.5 million goal set by the NCCBI-led North Carolinians for Educational Opportunity (NCFEO). Radio and television ads sponsored by NCFEO have begun airing, Kirk said.

Attendance so far has been a little more than usual at most stops on the 22-city tour, in part because of all the office-seekers, and because many members — as they were asked to do — have brought prospective members as their guests.

Kirk said polling data suggest that most voters look favorably on the bonds and planned to for vote for them, but he said NCCBI isn't taking any chances and is running the campaign as if we're 20 points behind.

MEMBERSHIP NEWS
New members that have joined NCCBI since Aug. 31 include:
Adcock Engineering, Raleigh;
America's Finest Service Co., Greensboro;
APAC Carolina, Inc./Highway Construction Division, Marston;
ATI, Taylorsville;
Barefoot's Auto Mart, Dunn;
Bleecker Olds-Buick-GMC Inc., Red Springs;
Blue Hill Group, Chapel Hill;
Brogden Mills Inc., Smithfield;
Carneal Downey Construction, Raleigh;
Century South Bank of the Carolinas, Waynesville;
Cherry, Bekaert & Holland, LLP, Raleigh;
Christ School, Arden;
CORESTAFF Services, Raleigh;
Dick Kelly Truck Sales, Winston-Salem;
Drum Funeral Home Inc., Conover;
Foreign Cars Italia, Greensboro;
Gamma Manufacturing, Morrisville;
Gates Truck & Auto Center, Franklin;
Hickory Cardiology Associates, Hickory;
Highland Furniture Shop Inc., Kinston;
Town of Holly Springs, Holly Springs;
Holt Oil Co., Fayetteville;
House-Autry Mills Inc., Four Oaks;
J. Q. Hart Inc., Kinston;
Jarrett House, Dillsboro;
Paul Keller, Duck;
Key Resources Inc., Greensboro;
Kinston Chrysler Dodge Jeep, Kinston;
Kinston Nissan, Kinston;
Ladd Architectural Wall Systems, Asheboro;
Lee Brick & Tile Co., Sanford;
LK Advertising, Southern Pines;
Market Center Inc., Arden;
Massey Motor Co., Kinston;
McDonald-York, Inc., Raleigh;
Molamphy & Associates, Rockingham;
N.C. A&T State University, Greensboro;
N.C. Center for Applied Textile Technology, Belmont;
New Century Bank, Dunn;
North Carolina Chapter AFCEA, Vass;
Plasticard-Locktech International, Asheville;
Walter Poole Realty Inc., Kinston;
Powell Industries Inc, Waynseville;
PRO Construction, Jacksonville;
Rowland Business Park Inc., Raleigh;
Roy's Lincoln Mercury Nissan, Kinston;
Scott & Stringfellow Inc., Raleigh;
Service Roofing & Sheet Metal Co., Inc., Raleigh;
Smithfield Chevrolet, Smithfield;
Specialty Systems Plus, Raleigh;
Springdale Country Club, Canton;
Stuart Walston Inc., Wilson;
Swink Quality Oil Co., Rockingham;
Tryon Palace Historic Sites & Gardens, New Bern;
Wallace, Morris & Barwick, PA, Kinston;
Webb Packaging, Morganton;
The West Co., Kinston;
White & Allen, P.A., Kinston;
The Wooten Co., Raleigh.

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