Delegates at the 35th Annual Convention of the State Employees Association of North Carolina elected officers for 2018-2020 over the weekend in Greensboro. The officers were sworn in on Saturday. Their two-year terms begin on Oct. 1, 2018, except for the EMPAC Chairperson, whose term begins on Jan. 1, 2019. The officers are:

• President — James “Jimmy” Davis of Forest City (District 4) retired as a probation parole officer with 29.5 years of state service and is a 29-year SEANC member. He served as First Vice President prior to the election. Davis has served at both the district and state levels including serving as State Bylaws Chairman for four years. He is a former District Chairperson of the Year recipient.
• First Vice President — Martha Fowler of Mebane (Distict 19) retired from state government after 33 years and is a 34-year SEANC member. She is currently Insurance Board of Trustees Chairwoman. Fowler has served as a leader in many capacities at both the district and state levels including SEANC General Treasurer. She graduated magna cum laude from N.C. Agricultural and Technical State University with a degree in social services. She was also the recipient of SEANC’s first Distinguished Service Award.
• Second Vice President — Kirk Montgomery of Burlington (District 25) has 22 years of state service and is a 20-year SEANC member. He is the LIMS Manager at the State Lab of Public Health. Montgomery is the current SEANC Treasurer. He holds an associate’s degree in civil engineering, a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in information systems.
• General Treasurer — Chevella Thomas of Durham (District 27) retired as an accountant with 33 years of state service with N.C. Central University’s Division of Administration and Finance and is a 33-year SEANC member. Thomas is currently Second Vice President. She holds bachelors’ degrees in accounting and management and a master’s degree in information sciences.
• Statewide EMPAC Chairman — Mark Dearmon of Raleigh (District 39) retired from N.C. State University Communications in 2016 after more than 39 years of service. He has been an active member of SEANC for more than 20 years during which he has led numerous committees at the state and district level. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and media communications from UNC-Chapel Hill and a master’s degree in education from NC State.

Stanley Drewery of Grifton (District 67) will continue to serve on SEANC’s Executive Committee as the Immediate Past President.

In addition to electing officers, SEANC recognized Rep. Nelson Dollar (R-Wake) and Rep. Darren Jackson (D-Wake) as recipients of the Lisa B. Mitchell Legislator of the Year award. Featured speakers at the event included State Treasurer Dale Folwell and State Human Resources Director Barbara Gibson. Convention delegates also contributed more than $15,000 to an emergency assistance fund for members and their families.