The Civitas Institute, Inc. ( Civitas ) is a Raleigh, North Carolina –based conservative think tank .
70-570: Civitas was incorporated on March 9, 2005. Initial members of the board of directors included the first president of the organization, R. Jack Hawke; businessman Robert Luddy; and Art Pope , a businessman, political figure and philanthropist. Pope resigned from the Civitas board in December 2012 to serve as Deputy Budget Director in the administration of Governor Pat McCrory . The organization's name honors Art Pope's father, John William Pope, also
140-600: A University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill freshman, Pope filed a complaint under the code of student conduct against Algenon L. Marbley , President of the Black Student Movement, for shouting down David Duke of the Ku Klux Klan during a campus speech. Pope explained that while he condemned the Klan and thought it was a horrible organization, he was defending free speech for everyone. Pope co-founded
210-546: A North Carolina adaptation of Caylee's Law after receiving unanimous consent in the General Assembly. Caylee's Law had been enacted by several state legislatures in response to the verdict in the Casey Anthony trial, which garnered national attention. The law makes a parent/caregiver who deliberately fails to report their child missing guilty of a Class I Felony, among other felonious acts such as concealing
280-425: A Sidewalk Policy, which required sidewalks in every new subdivision and provided funding for sidewalks in neighborhoods without them, in order to encourage walking. He also worked to integrate bike lanes into the city's transportation policy, establishing 42 miles of bike lanes throughout the city. In 2003, McCrory received the national Homeownership Hero Award, recognizing his work in leading Charlotte to have one of
350-632: A background check in the E-Verify system. Both vetoes were overridden by the General Assembly in September 2013, meaning that both bills became law. In June 2014, McCrory vetoed a bill because of a provision altering the makeup of the Division of Employment Security Board of Review. On May 28, 2015, McCrory vetoed a bill that would have allowed magistrates with religious objections to refuse to perform same-sex marriages. The next day, McCrory vetoed
420-645: A bipartisan committee to evaluate and recommend relief and recovery measures from Hurricane Matthew . On June 25, 2020, the North Carolina Senate elected Art Pope to the University of North Carolina Board of Governors , by a vote of 32-15, for a term beginning July 1, 2020. All Republicans voted for Pope, as well as some Democrats, including the Democratic Senate Minority Leader, Senator Dan Blue . In 1975, as
490-546: A businessman and conservative philanthropist. In late 2012, Civitas commissioned a study on the effects of lowering or eliminating state income taxes. In July 2013, the legislature passed and the governor signed into law lower corporate and personal income tax rates. The organization has also called for elimination of North Carolina's state corporate income tax . A Civitas study of the State Board of Elections led Civitas to call on top state officials for an investigation of
560-543: A centerpiece of the 2010 Republican takeover of the North Carolina Legislature, McCrory worked closely with Senate Leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Thom Tillis , both of whom hail from the Charlotte area and are close friends of McCrory's. Governor Bev Perdue declined to seek re-election in 2012. McCrory then announced his candidacy for governor on January 31, 2012. On May 8, 2012, he won
630-740: A modified flat-tax system for the state by specifying a single income-tax rate and a larger standard deduction but eliminating the personal exemption. It also repealed North Carolina's estate tax. In August 2013, McCrory signed into law the Regulatory Reform Act of 2013. The legislation, according to the bill, was "an act to improve and streamline the regulatory process in order to stimulate job creation, to eliminate unnecessary regulation, to make various other statutory changes, and to amend certain environmental and natural resource laws." The law requires all previous rules and regulations not mandated by federal law to be reviewed over ten years by
700-786: A monthly lunch series to announce poll findings and offer commentary on issues. The Civitas Institute publishes a monthly newspaper, the Civitas Capitol Connection , an internet magazine, the Civitas Review and the Civitas Blog . The Civitas Institute has published a number of pieces online critical of the Moral Mondays protests. In one article, William Barber Rakes in Taxpayer Dollars Leads Moral (no it is) Money Mondays!
770-608: A new method of grading schools. The Raleigh News & Observer reported that McCrory would declare adding $ 2.2 million in the second quarter, totaling $ 4.4 million available for campaign spending, with 98 percent of the donors from North Carolina. For 2012, the North Carolina Board of Elections required second-quarter campaign-finance reports to be filed by July 11. In the first-quarter campaign-finance reports, McCrory showed that his campaign added at least $ 1 million more to its bottom line than Dalton's campaign. In
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#1732801740999840-464: A run for governor in November 2007, shortly after his seventh mayoral re-election victory, but well after other Republican gubernatorial candidates had begun campaigning. A 2007 Rasmussen Reports poll had McCrory leading both major Democratic candidates, Bev Perdue and Richard H. Moore , by three points each. The Raleigh News & Observer reported on January 9, 2008, that McCrory had filed
910-472: A second term as North Carolina's governor in the 2016 gubernatorial election , conceding to Democrat Roy Cooper a month after the election but continuing to make voter fraud allegations. Court injunctions blocked his attempts to limit Cooper's power during a lame-duck special session. In 2022 , McCrory ran for the U.S. Senate and lost the Republican primary to U.S. Representative Ted Budd . McCrory
980-567: A special lame-duck session, after having conceded defeat in the 2016 election, McCrory signed legislation into law that would reduce the power of the North Carolina governorship, including his ability to appoint the majority of the members to the State Board of Elections. The editorial board of the Charlotte Observer critiqued the bills as an egregious power-grab, citing former governors of both parties. On December 30, 2016,
1050-471: A state judge temporarily blocked the law from going into effect, and a panel of judges extended the block on January 5, 2017. McCrory issued his first veto as governor in August 2013, of a bill that would have required people applying for welfare benefits to pass a drug test. He later also vetoed a bill that extended from 90 days to nine months the amount of time that an employee could work without undergoing
1120-411: A variation on an " ag-gag " bill. Both of these vetoes were overridden by the legislature. McCrory signed the largest education budgets in North Carolina history in 2013 and 2015. A number of education changes were included in the state budget enacted in 2013 and 2016. McCrory supports merit-based pay in some cases. McCrory entered office in 2013 with teacher pay ranked 47th in the nation, and by 2016,
1190-640: Is an American businessman, attorney and former government official. Pope is the owner, chairman and CEO of Variety Wholesalers , a group of 370 retail stores in 16 states. He is also the president and chairman of the John William Pope Foundation . He previously served in the North Carolina House of Representatives and recently served as the Budget Director for North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory . He founded
1260-511: Is finally our turn. This legislation will spur economic development at all levels of our economy, not just the energy sector." Once the state completes its regulations, the law will allow for permits to be issued without additional approval. The bill also criminalizes the disclosure of chemicals or substances used by oil and gas companies during the fracking process. The legislation also bans local governments from interfering with oil and gas exploration, development, and production activities. During
1330-480: The 2007 mayoral election , he defeated seven-term Democratic state Rep. Beverly Earle , 61 to 39 percent. McCrory announced in late 2008, shortly after his gubernatorial campaign, that he would not seek an eighth term. McCrory is the city of Charlotte's longest-serving mayor. McCrory helped develop Charlotte's 25-year transportation and land-use plan. Working closely with U.S. Senator Jesse Helms , McCrory made efforts to secure $ 200 million in federal funds for
1400-999: The 2016 North Carolina gubernatorial election was dismissed in December 2016, but the organization subsequently renewed its litigation. Civitas commissions live-caller opinion polling of North Carolina voters. Civitas also advocates for increased school choice for students in North Carolina. The annual Conservative Leadership Conference offers conservative speakers and workshops on relevant issues. CLC speakers have included Charles Krauthammer , Arthur C. Brooks , Rudy Giuliani , Fred Barnes , Stephen Moore , Elizabeth Dole , Michael Barone , Bob Novak , Grover Norquist , and others. The 2013 CLC featured speakers such as U.S. Senator Ron Johnson , Michelle Malkin , former U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint , former U.S. Rep. Artur Davis , U.S. Reps. Renee Ellmers and George Holding , talk-show host Jason Lewis , The Heritage Foundation 's former president Edwin Feulner , and Lt. Gov. Dan Forest . Civitas hosts
1470-790: The American conservative North Carolina think tank the Civitas Institute and co-founded the John Locke Foundation and the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal . Pope's family foundations contributed millions of dollars to conservative causes, both nationally and in his home state. Pope was born May 5, 1956, in Fayetteville, North Carolina , to John W. and Joyce Wilkins Pope. He spent his early childhood in
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#17328017409991540-584: The Democratic nominee. McCrory was again the Republican nominee in the 2012 gubernatorial election and won with 55 percent of the vote. McCrory became the first Mayor of Charlotte to win the state's highest office, as well as the first Republican to win the governorship of North Carolina since 1988 . In 2016, McCrory came to national attention after signing the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act ("HB2"), sometimes called
1610-697: The Libertarian Party of North Carolina as a college student in 1976. According to the News and Observer , Pope "has invested millions in a network of foundations and think tanks, and advocacy groups, both in North Carolina and nationally, that are designed to further conservative and free market ideas." In 2005, Pope was a founding member of the NC Coalition for Lobbying & Government Reform. He joined former Democratic state Senator Wib Gulley from Durham, North Carolina, in calling for reform of
1680-503: The 2007 start of the Great Recession . In addition to cutting maximum weekly unemployment benefits by 35%, the state reduced the maximum number of weeks of assistance to between 12 and 20, down from 26. The cut prevented 170,000 North Carolinians from benefiting from federal emergency extended benefits, which require a minimum of 26 weeks of state support, but also allowed the state's unemployment fund, which had become bankrupt over
1750-495: The 21st century. A member of the Republican Party , he previously served as the 53rd mayor of Charlotte from 1995 to 2009. While serving as mayor of Charlotte, McCrory served on the U.S. Homeland Security Advisory Council from 2002 to 2006 under President George W. Bush . He was the Republican nominee for governor of North Carolina in the 2008 general election and was defeated by Lieutenant Governor Bev Perdue ,
1820-632: The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department initiated "Gang of One," an after-school gang-prevention and intervention program that works to keep children from joining gangs or helps lead them away from gang life. McCrory has served as the honorary chair for the Charlotte chapter of the Alzheimer's Foundation and the Arthritis Foundation. McCrory reportedly commissioned a poll to test the waters for
1890-689: The Civitas Institute criticized Rev. William Barber, head of the state's NAACP, because a non-profit overseen by Barber's church received federal support. Barber responded, stating "People know I'm a volunteer, even with the NAACP. Other work I do, I volunteer. I am a pastor." The Civitas Institute also released a web page which compiles data on protestors arrested in the course of the civil disobedience actions, which includes demographic information and comments on their voter registration status. Art Pope James Arthur Pope (born May 5, 1956)
1960-672: The North Carolina State Goals and Policy Board from 1985 to 1989. He also served on the North Carolina Capital Planning Commission. Pope was first elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives in 1988 to represent House District 61. He served four complete or partial terms in office, winning elections in 1988 and 1990, being appointed to fill a vacancy in 1999, and winning another election in 2000. He
2030-422: The Republican primary with 83.40% of the vote. McCrory went on to defeat Democratic Lieutenant Governor Walter Dalton in the general election, 55%–43%. It is the largest margin of victory for a Republican in an open-seat race for governor since Reconstruction . When asked in a debate what further abortion restrictions he would sign into law if elected, he answered, "None." McCrory publicized his positions on
2100-569: The Republicans complete control of state government for the first time since Reconstruction. McCrory's election marked the first time that Republicans controlled both houses of the General Assembly as well as the governorship since 1870. From taking office, McCrory had signed into law a number of bills promoting conservative governance. He signed legislation which made North Carolina the 8th state to cut unemployment benefits since
2170-658: The Rules Review Commission through a three-step process. In June 2014, McCrory signed the Energy Modernization Act of 2014 into law. The bill allows hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," in the state, and criminalizes the disclosure of fracking chemicals, lifting a 2012 moratorium that blocked fracking permits. "We remain intensely focused on creating good jobs, particularly in our rural areas," McCrory said. "We have watched and waited as other states moved forward with energy exploration, and it
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2240-607: The U.S. Whitewater Center were opened during his term. In 2005, Money magazine listed Charlotte in its Top 3 Best Places to Live and Reader's Digest named it one of the 20 Cleanest Cities in America. McCrory has also been involved in many national organizations, having served as president of the Republican Mayors and Local Officials (RMLO) organization; chairman of the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) Committee for Housing and Community Development; six-term Chair of
2310-816: The USCM Environmental Committee; and founder and inaugural chairman of the North Carolina Metropolitan Coalition. McCrory was also the only elected official to serve on the national board of the Afterschool Alliance and was a featured Mayor in Harvard University 's Faith-based Executive Session. In 2002, President George W. Bush appointed McCrory to the U.S. Homeland Security Advisory Council alongside Mitt Romney , Sonny Perdue and Lee H. Hamilton . As mayor, McCrory spearheaded
2380-541: The ads as "shameless, inaccurate, and negative". Perdue and McCrory remained closely competitive, with the two often polling in a statistical tie in what was the tightest race for governor in the nation. The McCrory campaign spent $ 3.4 million, and an independent expenditure funded by the Republican Governor's association assisted McCrory with a further $ 6.2 million in spending for attack ads on Perdue. Perdue ran slightly behind her opponent in polls released
2450-541: The board and its ties to a lobbyist. In 2013, Civitas launched a website to attack the Affordable Care Act , portraying the health care reform legislation as an assault by elites against middle-class North Carolinians. Civitas has repeatedly sued the State of North Carolina over the same-day voter registration process, which Civitas opposes. A suit filed by Civitas seeking to halt the final count of votes in
2520-590: The city's new Lynx Light Rail system. The plan helped expand bus service in Charlotte as well as bringing light rail to the city. The light-rail line has been cited as McCrory's biggest achievement as mayor. During McCrory's tenure (1995–2009), Charlotte's population grew by 20%, and the population of Uptown Charlotte increased to over 13,000 people. McCrory led the effort to recruit such companies as TIAA-CREF, General Dynamics Armament, The Westin Hotel, and Johnson & Wales University . The Charlotte Arena and
2590-481: The closest gubernatorial election in the United States in 2008. McCrory failed to win even in Charlotte, where he had been mayor for 14 years. Following his defeat in the 2008 gubernatorial election, McCrory announced that he would not seek a record eighth term as Charlotte mayor in 2009. Having retired from Duke Energy after 29 years of service in early 2008 to run for governor, McCrory decided to return to
2660-610: The company to run full-time for governor. In January 2009, McCrory was named a partner with Charlotte-based McCrory & Company, a sales consulting firm. In January 2010, he was named a Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives for Charlotte-based law firm Moore & Van Allen PLLC. He is a 2014 Young Leader Alumni member of the American Swiss Foundation . Since 2017, he has hosted the "Pat McCrory Show with Bo Thompson" on WBT 1110AM in Charlotte, NC. McCrory began his political career in Charlotte in 1989 when he
2730-407: The cost of attending private schools. Teacher tenure has been replaced with a contract system. State funding for Teach for America has been increased to $ 6 million. In a nationally broadcast radio interview with conservative talk-show host William Bennett , McCrory made a series of comments on the future of higher education in North Carolina that generated controversy. McCrory stated that "some of
2800-650: The course of the recession, to become solvent three years sooner. The move was criticized by some for passing up federal support and weakening the government safety net when the state had the nation's 5th-highest unemployment. In March 2013, citing concerns about the sustainability of the program, McCrory signed a bill that opted the state out of the expanded Medicaid program of the Affordable Care Act of 2009, which would have provided healthcare coverage to 500,000 North Carolinians. He also proposed managing Medicaid accounts, by enrolling patients in managed-care programs run by private companies. In May 2013, McCrory signed
2870-481: The death of a child under the new law. McCrory signed into law a bill repealing the state's controversial Racial Justice Act of 2009. The law was unique in that it allowed inmates facing the death penalty to use broad statistics to challenge their sentences on the basis of alleged racial discrimination. Prior to repeal of the Racial Justice Act, nearly every death row inmate, regardless of race, used
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2940-568: The economy and education in two white papers. One was called "The North Carolina Comeback" and focused on economic recovery. In it he stated that he would work to get the unemployment rate below South Carolina's and also to restructure the North Carolina's tax codes. The other paper, "A Passion for Education," advocated several areas for reform: more classroom technology, such as virtual courses and hand-held technology; teacher merit-pay systems; and expansion of charter schools. McCrory also suggested stopping social promotion of some students and creating
3010-496: The educational elite have taken over our education where we are offering courses that have no chance of getting people jobs," and later responded to a comment Bennett made on gender studies courses by saying: "That's a subsidized course. If you want to take gender studies, that's fine, go to a private school and take it. But I don't want to subsidize that if that's not going to get someone a job." Several bills signed into law by McCrory and multiple pieces of proposed legislation were
3080-540: The effort with local business leaders, local officials, and NASCAR teams to bring the NASCAR Hall of Fame to Charlotte. On March 6, 2006, Charlotte beat out Atlanta , Daytona Beach , Kansas City , and Richmond, Virginia , to be home to the Hall of Fame. McCrory established a Residential Tree Ordinance in 2004, which required developers to save 10% of the trees in every new residential development. He also established
3150-409: The election of judges, Pope stated he supported the appointment of judges by the governor with confirmation by the state legislature. Pat McCrory Patrick Lloyd McCrory (born October 17, 1956) is an American politician, businessman, and radio host who served as the 74th governor of North Carolina from 2013 to 2017. McCrory is the only Republican elected as governor of North Carolina in
3220-517: The firm of Skvarla, Boles, Wyrick and From in Raleigh, from 1982 through 1984. In 1984, Pope took a leave of absence from the firm to work as the director of organization for the North Carolina gubernatorial campaign of Jim Martin. Pope served as special counsel to Governor Jim Martin in 1985. Governor Pat McCrory appointed Art Pope State Budget Director in 2013. Pope served as State Budget Director from 2013 to 2014, and then stepped down to return to
3290-418: The first quarter McCrory reported outraising Dalton by more than $ 1 million. He also reported raising nearly $ 3 million more than Dalton for the election cycle to date. McCrory reported having $ 3.1 million cash on hand, and Dalton reported $ 670,356.14. McCrory took office on January 5, 2013, the first Republican Governor of the state since James G. Martin left office on January 9, 1993. His swearing-in gave
3360-726: The future of the state's public universities. Pope was also a member of the Electoral College in 2012 , casting one of North Carolina's electoral votes for Mitt Romney . In November 2012, it was announced that Pope would serve as a co-chair on North Carolina Governor-Elect Pat McCrory 's transition team, and in December Pope was announced as the state's chief budget director in the McCrory administration. In October, 2016 Governor McCrory appointed Art Pope, along with former Democratic Governor Beverly Perdue, to serve on
3430-424: The high taxes and large debt accrued in Charlotte while he was mayor. McCrory countered with negative ads against his foremost opponent, Sen. Fred Smith, inaccurately accusing Smith of running up state debt while in the legislature. In the general election, Democratic lieutenant governor Bev Perdue raised $ 5.6 million and ran attack ads against McCrory, criticizing him on various issues. McCrory later referred to
3500-491: The highest homeownership rates in the country. McCrory founded the Mayor's Mentoring Alliance in 1995 and has personally served as a mentor to two youths. In 2005, Charlotte was named as one of the '100 Best Communities for Youth' by America's Promise. The Mayor's Mentoring Alliance has grown to include 40 youth-serving and mentoring organizations, among them Time Warner Cable's "Time To Read" program. An additional partnership with
3570-514: The law as a basis to file an appeal. The delays caused by those appeals still persist today. The state of North Carolina has not executed an inmate since 2006. He signed legislation to require voters to present government-issued photo identification in order to vote, repeal same-day voter registration, and reduce the number of days of early voting. In July 2016, a three-judge panel of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down
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#17328017409993640-535: The names Roses , Roses Express, Maxway, and Super 10, in sixteen states. Sales for Variety Wholesalers, Inc., a privately held company, are estimated to be at least $ 700 million and up to $ 1 billion. The company headquarters is located in Henderson, North Carolina , with a distribution center in Henderson. Pope first joined Variety Wholesaler in 1986. Before entering business, Pope was an associate attorney with
3710-406: The necessary paperwork with the State Board of Elections to run for governor. He announced his candidacy in his hometown of Jamestown on January 15, 2008. In the primary election on May 6, 2008, McCrory defeated four opponents, including State Senator Fred Smith , to win the Republican nomination for governor. During the primary, McCrory was criticized for lacking conservative credentials and for
3780-401: The photo ID provisions, finding that they targeted African Americans "with almost surgical precision" and that the legislators had acted with "discriminatory intent" in enacting the strict election rules. McCrory said the three-judge panel had a liberal makeup, and that 33 states have enacted some form of voter ID requirement . In July 2013, McCrory signed tax reform legislation that created
3850-533: The private sector. In 2017, Art Pope became chairman of the Bradley Foundation , a conservative charitable organization. Pope is chairman and president of the John William Pope Foundation , which he founded with his father, John W. Pope, in 1986. The foundation has donated to Campbell University , the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the John Locke Foundation (for which Pope
3920-495: The private sector. He went on to work for his brother's consulting firm, and also joined the law firm of Moore Van Allen. McCrory also began to pave the way for a possible 2012 gubernatorial campaign by remaining active in the North Carolina Republican Party . He spoke at numerous GOP county and district conventions and dinners, as well as the 2009, 2010 and 2011 state GOP conventions. After being
3990-461: The state regarding HB2. Over 100 corporations voiced their opposition to HB2, notably to the elements that limited protections for LGBT individuals. In 2017, economists estimated that HB2 had negatively impacted GDP in the state of North Carolina by an amount between $ 450 and $ 630 million, or 0.1% of the state's annual gross domestic product. HB2 was partially repealed on March 30, 2017, after McCrory's reelection loss in 2016. McCrory lost his bid for
4060-458: The state's lobbying laws. Pope has been a long-time supporter of legislation to establish an independent nonpartisan redistricting commission. In 2019, Pope spoke on behalf of a bipartisan coalition to support a constitutional amendment, sponsored by both Republican and Democratic legislators, to end gerrymandering in North Carolina. He has advocated doing away with the public financing of judicial elections in North Carolina. As an alternative to
4130-496: The state's ranking moved up 41st in the nation. McCrory signed the largest teacher pay raise in the nation in 2016, which led to average teacher pay rising to $ 50,000 per year. The rankings for year 2017 will account for the 2016 pay raises. Those yet-to-be-released rankings are expected to move North Carolina up several slots. School districts are authorized to give $ 500-per-year raises to up to 25% of teachers. Low-income students are now eligible to receive vouchers up to $ 4,200 toward
4200-748: The state, which typically endorse Democrats. McCrory's candidacy for governor was endorsed by the Raleigh News and Observer , the Charlotte Observer , the Greensboro News & Record , the Winston-Salem Journal , and the UNC-Chapel Hill Daily Tar Heel . Even so, Perdue squeaked out a win with 2,146,083 votes (50.27%) to McCrory's 2,001,114 (46.88%), in what turned out to be
4270-463: The target of ongoing "Moral Monday" civil disobedience protests during his tenure, organized in part by local religious leaders including William Barber II , head of the North Carolina chapter of the NAACP at the time. Cited reasons for the protests included proposed changes to Medicaid, changes to voting regulations, school vouchers , and tax reform. McCrory criticized the protests as unlawful and
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#17328017409994340-533: The town of Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina . He moved with his family to the capital city of Raleigh, North Carolina , in the early 1960s. Pope graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1978 with a B.A. with honors in political science and went on to earn his J.D. from the Duke University School of Law in 1981. Pope is the chairman and president of Variety Wholesalers since 2006. Variety owns and operates 370 stores under
4410-548: The transgender bathroom bill. Among other provisions, HB2 prevented local governing bodies from establishing their own anti-discrimination statutes. It declared that in government buildings, individuals may use only the restrooms that correspond to the sex on their birth certificates, preventing transgender people who have not altered their birth certificates from using the restroom consistent with their gender identity . The United States Department of Justice , in addition to several private citizens, filed lawsuits against McCrory and
4480-480: The week before the election. Pundits speculated that Perdue was hurt by belonging to the same party as the increasingly unpopular incumbent Governor Mike Easley , and by McCrory's efforts to tag her as part of corruption in Raleigh . Consultants also mentioned Perdue's "difficulty of being the candidate of continuity in a change election." In October 2008, McCrory received the endorsement of most major newspapers in
4550-528: Was active in the Student Government Association and was part of a conservative backlash to the growing "hippie" culture at Catawba in the mid-1970s. In 2001, McCrory gave the graduation keynote address at his alma mater, Catawba College. The college awarded him an honorary doctorate of legal letters. He has served as a member of Catawba College's board of trustees. In January 2008, after 28 years with Duke Energy , he retired from
4620-437: Was appointed to the board of directors for Golden LEAF (Long-term Economic Advancement Foundation), a nonprofit grant-making organization whose mission is to spur economic development in tobacco-dependent areas of North Carolina. Pope had previously criticized some Golden LEAF funding decisions. Pope was among several business leaders appointed in September 2012 to serve on a UNC system advisory group tasked with helping to shape
4690-694: Was born in Columbus, Ohio , the son of Audrey Mona (née Herzberg) and Rollin John McCrory. His family moved to North Carolina when he was a child. He was raised Presbyterian and his family attended First Presbyterian Church of Greensboro . He graduated in 1974 from Ragsdale High School in Jamestown, North Carolina . He attended Catawba College in Salisbury, North Carolina , where he received degrees in political science and education in 1978. McCrory
4760-589: Was elected Republican Joint Caucus Leader during the 1991–1992 session. Pope was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine , the state's most prestigious award for public service, in 1992 at age 36. Pope vacated his House seat to run for the office of Lieutenant Governor in 1992. After winning a three-way Republican primary in May 1992, Pope lost the general election to Democrat Dennis Wicker . In June 2011, Pope
4830-418: Was elected an At-Large City Councilman . He was re-elected in 1991 and 1993; McCrory served as Mayor Pro Tem from 1993 to 1995. In 1995, he was elected mayor of the city of Charlotte, succeeding Richard Vinroot , who ran unsuccessfully for the 1996 Republican gubernatorial nomination. At the age of 39, McCrory was the city's youngest mayor. McCrory gained a reputation as a very popular, affable mayor. In
4900-725: Was the founding chairman), The Heritage Foundation , the Cato Institute , and other organizations. Pope has been active with the Republican Party since the late 1970s, serving in a variety of roles ranging from precinct chairman to chairman of the North Carolina GOP State Convention. Pope has also served as a delegate to the Republican National Convention on three occasions. Pope was appointed to serve on
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