RALEIGH – North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory joined more than 170 Campbell University alumni who gathered at the Governor’s Mansion in Raleigh on April 16 to mark the first official Campbell University Wake County Alumni Chapter event in over 30 years.
It was the first ever alumni gathering in the Governor’s Mansion.
“Campbell University is a special place,” Gov. McCrory told the gathered crowd. “I remember basketball camps at Campbell, but I like what you’ve done with your law school in Raleigh and the new medical school. I’m just amazed, and that’s coming from a proud Catawba College grad.”
The evening opened with a reception in the public area of the mansion. Guests networked, shared old times and caught up with old friends in the first floor hall, ballroom, dining room and parlors. Campbell alumni toured the floor, took pictures and sampled hors d’oeuvres made from scratch in the mansion’s kitchen and bakery. Lee Ann Spahr (’77) and Angela Daniels Millenbaugh (’98) also performed for the group in the ballroom. Spahr played the piano and Millenbaugh sang the Martina McBride piece “Anyway.”
The evening concluded with a business session where McCrory spoke, President Jerry Wallace spoke and the Wake County Alumni Chapter was officially launched. Addressing the standing room-only crowd of Campbell alumni, McCrory welcomed the group to the Governor’s Mansion.
“Everyone here should be proud of Campbell, and North Carolina is stronger because of Campbell graduates who work across North Carolina and make vital contributions to our state,” McCrory said.
A beaming President Wallace thanked McCrory and recognized the large crowd on hand.
“I’m full of Campbell pride tonight,” Wallace said. “The orange and black is making a strong statement in downtown Raleigh. I’m grateful to Gov. McCrory and such a wonderful turnout of Campbell alumni.”
The evening concluded with adoption of a Wake County Alumni Chapter constitution. Officers, all residents of Wake County, were also elected. A group of 15 individuals, including six officers and 10 at-large board members, were elected by attendees. Additional volunteers presented themselves after the meeting desiring to serve on the Wake County Alumni Chapter leadership team. The inaugural Wake County Alumni Chapter Board leadership includes:
President – Paul Garrison (’65)
Vice President – Stephen Safran (’03, ’08)
Secretary – Kay Bissette (’79)
Treasurer –Brian LiVecchi (’11)
Membership Chair — Clay Leary (’11)
Young Alumni Chair – Malia Zaytoun (’11)
At Large Members include: Patricia Barnes (’92), Megan Boyd (’03), Rebecca Brock (’97, ’01), Jack Hyman (’06), Katie Jones (’11), Mike Little (’06), Jeff Wakefield (’93), David Warnick (’12), Taylor Wells (’08), David Werner (’12)
According to Doug Jones, assistant vice president for Alumni Relations, Wake County is home to more than 5,500 Campbell graduates, the largest population of Campbell alumni.
“We’re proud to reestablish an official alumni chapter in Wake County,” Jones said. “But we look forward to creating many more local chapters in the months and years ahead. These are exciting times at Campbell and among our alumni base.”
Event sponsors included Baccuhus Carver (’91, ’97), the Lundy-Fetterman School of Business and the Campbell University Alumni Association.