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Tuesday, 12 March 2024
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Written by Bill Bowman
What a difference a year makes! Every vibrant municipality needs a successful Chamber of Commerce. I have written countless articles about the amazing opportunities available in Fayetteville and Cumberland County for businesses, organizations, and entrepreneurs if only we had more competent and engaged civic, business, and governmental leadership. Effective leaders are defined by their work ethic, integrity, and active and ongoing engagement in the community.
Below I have published a letter that Brian Pearce, Chairman of the Board of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce sent to their nearly 800 members reviewing the first 12 months of the Chamber’s performance and progress. The letter congratulates overwhelmingly Nat Robertson, Fayetteville’s former mayor and current Chamber President/CEO on his achievements and overall stellar performance. This letter is the near-perfect example at the type of aggressive and dedicated leadership needed to propel businesses and the Fayetteville community into a state of profitability and respectability in the 21st century.
Dear Greater Fayetteville Chamber Members,
As we turn the pages of our collective journey, it is with immense pride and a profound sense of community spirit that we commemorate a significant milestone - the one-year anniversary of Mr. Nat Robertson's tenure as CEO of the Greater Fayetteville Chamber. In the span of a year, Nat has not only embodied the values and vision that our Chamber stands for but has also propelled us toward new heights with unwavering dedication, innovative strategies, and a deep commitment to fostering business growth and prosperity in our beloved City and County.
Under Nat's leadership, our Chamber has experienced remarkable achievements and milestones. His strategic vision has paved the way for enhanced member services, expanded networking opportunities, and impactful advocacy efforts that have not only benefited our business community but also reinforced the economic foundation of Fayetteville and the area. His approachable leadership style and open-door policy have fostered a culture of inclusivity, collaboration, and shared purpose among our members, staff, and the wider community.
Nat's tenure has been marked by significant initiatives aimed at addressing the needs of our diverse membership, from small businesses to large corporations. His commitment to leveraging technology for better engagement, education programs, and promoting sustainable business practices reflects his forward-thinking approach to chamber leadership. Moreover, his efforts in strengthening partnerships with local government, educational institutions, and other stakeholders have been instrumental in creating a more business-friendly environment in our area.
As we celebrate this milestone, we also look forward to the continued journey under Nat's leadership. The roadmap ahead is filled with ambitious plans and exciting prospects that promise to elevate our Chamber and our community to even greater heights. We are confident that with Nat at the helm, supported by our dynamic team and you, our valued members, the Greater Fayetteville Chamber will continue to thrive and make a lasting impact in our region.
On behalf of the Board of Directors and the entire Chamber staff, I extend our heartfelt congratulations to Nat Robertson for a successful year as CEO. We are incredibly grateful for your leadership, vision, and unwavering dedication to our Chamber and community. Here's to many more years of success, growth, and achievements together!
Thank you, each and every one of you, for your continued support and commitment to the Greater Fayetteville Chamber. Together, we are making a difference in Fayetteville, and it is a privilege to embark on this journey with you all.
Warmest regards,
Brian Pearce
Chairman of the Board, Greater Fayetteville Chamber
To add substance and details to Pearce's letter for a better understanding for our readers, I have taken the liberty of documenting a few of the Chamber's achievements under Robertson’s leadership that Pearce refers to.
Robertson’s success during this past year is the near-perfect example of how putting the right person, in the right place, at the right time, produces the right results.
Robertson's Chamber of Commerce achievements:
• Recruited 300+ new Chamber members.
• Organized and Executed five (5) successful and “Sold Out” Business/Community events.
• Created and staffed the Consumer Protection Division.
• Revitalized the Military and Governmental Affairs committees.
Revised ENGAGE Magazine as the Chamber's Official Business Journal.
• Created: The quarterly Non-denominational Chamber Prayer Breakfast
• Implement bi-monthly member Success Seminars and Speaker Series.
• Assembled an enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and talented staff.
Looking Ahead
In Robertson’s own words, “…. I’m excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for the Chamber and the Fayetteville community. I am confident in our ability to continue making a meaningful impact for our members and the Fayetteville area. The Chamber team remains committed to delivering even more value to our members, fostering a dynamic business environment, and contributing to Fayetteville's economy and overall success.”
The successes of Nat Robertson in revitalizing the Chamber reflect the trust and leadership support he has received from the Chamber Board of Directors, his ability to recognize Fayetteville's potential, and his vision and talent for organizing and motivating a team of staffers and volunteers that also grasp the vision of supporting and nurturing healthy and dynamic businesses and organizations for the betterment of the entire Fayetteville and Cumberland County community.
Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.
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Wednesday, 06 March 2024
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Written by D.G. Martin
Coach Lefty Driesell died on February 17.
He coached successful basketball teams at Davidson, Maryland, James Madison, and Georgia State.
I wanted to honor him now, but I have written so many columns about him, I thought it might be a better idea to let him speak for himself.
I can do this now thanks to my friend, the late Julian Pleasants, who was a history professor at the University of Florida. Pleasants specialized in interviewing important people about their lives and careers.
Pleasants and I spent almost two days a few years ago recording hours and hours of Lefty’s recollections.
So, in honor of Lefty and Julian, I’m sharing a few of those stories.
In 1960, in his first game as a college coach, Lefty’s Davidson team beat top-ranked Wake Forest. Lefty shared his feeling that it might have been time to quit:
“Because I had a great record in high school. I was ninety-nine and fourteen, if you look up my record in high school, and so then I win my first college game. I told my wife Joyce I may as well quit. I was just teasing, I guess, but I sort of felt like it. I said I know I can coach now in college.”
Instead of quitting, he set about recruiting and now has a bag full of stories including one about future great Don Davidson.
“I really got along with his dad good, and his mother too, and so they brought him down for a visit and he liked it and we signed him because I told him–this is just like a little joke–I told him, I said, ‘Don, you go to Ohio State,–or some of the other people that were recruiting him–and they’ll put your name on the back of the jersey.’ I said, ‘I’m going to put your name on the front of everybody on the team.’”
His recruiting success brought his team national attention, and his fans wanted Davidson to play top-ranked Duke.
Driesell explained how Duke was persuaded to come to the Charlotte Coliseum to play Davidson in 1963.
“Oh, yeah. So, I called Vic [Bubas the Duke coach] up. See now, everybody plays guaranteed games, which I despise, but this wasn’t that kind of guaranteed game. We were playing the number two team in the country, and I said, ‘Vic, we’ll give you ten thousand dollars. I’ll send you the check today and you can give it to Eddie Cameron [Duke’s athletic director] or whatever.” So, I told some of [the big Davidson supporters] in Charlotte.
“They wrote me a check for ten thousand dollars, and I sent it to Vic, and I said, ‘Now this is upfront. You’re going to get fifty percent of the gate if we fill it up, and I said, ‘I know we’re going to fill it up, there’s going to be eleven thousand, six hundred, sixty-six people there at fifteen dollars a head,’–or whatever it was–‘but I mean something happens and we don’t fill it up, you’ve got ten [thousand dollars]. So, he said, ‘okay.’ That was the first game we ever played in the Charlotte Coliseum.
“Art Heyman played and Jeff Mullins and Jay Buckley. They had a great team. In fact, Art Heyman, who was, I think, probably one of the best players that ever played in the ACC. He was an animal. So, I think the score was tied or something or maybe we were up. No, we must have been up. So, he was dribbling the ball up the court for the winning basket and Barry Teague came up behind him and stole the ball like that, and Heyman: ‘He got me! He fouled me! He fouled me!’ I mean they didn’t call a foul, but Barry went to the free throw line later on and locked it up with a couple free throws.”
Davidson won 72-69.
Lefty told many more great stories.
Editor’s Note: D.G. Martin, a retired lawyer, served as UNC-System’s vice president for public affairs and hosted PBS-NC’s North Carolina Bookwatch.