Three Tar Heels were among a group given some of the state’s top honors Thursday by North Carolina Governor Josh Stein.
Stein and his office inducted eight North Carolinians into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine during a ceremony at the Executive Mansion in Raleigh. The order is North Carolina’s highest honorary society given to those who make “significant contributions to the state and their communities” through their public service, and features the recipient becoming an “Ambassador Extraordinary” to represent North Carolina.
The governor highlighted Jim Johnson, a distinguished professor in UNC’s Kenan Flagler Business School, for his years of research and outreach to underserved students. Johnson — who is also the director of the Urban Investment Strategies Center at the Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise — has published dozens of scholarly articles and written books on social entrepreneurship, or using business ideas and methods to help address societal needs. He also helped start and maintain the Durham Scholars Program, which uses UNC students as mentors to help middle and high school students graduate.
Former North Carolina Superior Court Judge and current City of Greensboro Deputy Attorney Lora Cubbage was also inducted into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine. She graduated from UNC’s School of Law before serving in a number of judicial roles before becoming a judge — like the assistant district attorney for Guilford County and assistant attorney general in the North Carolina Department of Justice.
Meanwhile, UNC field hockey head coach Erin Matson was one of two recipients of the Laurel Wreath at Thursday’s ceremony. The honor is granted to North Carolinians who have made outstanding contributions to sports or athletics. A five-time NCAA champion — winning four as a player and a fifth in her first season of leading the Tar Heels as head coach — Matson holds the distinction of being the youngest title-winning head coach in Division I. Stein recognized the 25-year-old alongside East Carolina baseball player Parker Byrd, who returned to play for the Pirates in 2024 after losing his right leg in a boating accident.
“North Carolina is full of outstanding individuals who have contributed to our state through careers in government, law, business, philanthropy, and sports,” the governor said in a statement through his office. “This group exemplifies the best of our state, and I am pleased to honor them today.”
Other North Carolinians inducted into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine on Thursday included:
- G.K. Butterfield, the former U.S. Representative
- Janice Cole, the recently-retired Hertford Town Manager and former U.S. Attorney
- Sue Henderson, the former regional managing director of the Triad West Region of Wells Fargo
- John Lucas, Sr., former principal of Durham’s Hillside High School (posthumously recognized)
- Steve Troxler, the current North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture
- Randy Woodson, the recently-retired Chancellor of N.C. State University
Featured photo via the Office of Governor Josh Stein.
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