Special to IFN

Gov. Josh Stein on Wednesday inducted nine North Carolinians into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine for their contributions to our state.

“I am proud to honor this group of outstanding North Carolinians who have made important contributions to our state and its people,” Stein said. “They exemplify the best of North Carolina through their storied careers in government, education, and advocacy.”

2025 Honorees

The Order of the Long Leaf Pine honorees are as follows:

♦ Bobby Kimbrough – Forsyth County Sheriff;
♦ Maggie Kane – Founder and Executive Director, A Place at the Table;
♦ Karen Amspacher – Director, Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center;
♦ Otis Smallwood – Superintendent of Bertie County Schools;
♦ Reuben Blackwell – Former CEO of Opportunities Industrialization Center of Rocky Mount;
♦ Rev. Pauli Murray – Civil rights activist and author (Posthumous);
♦ Ricky Hurtado – Chair of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic/Latino Affairs and former North Carolina Representative;
♦ Chavi Koneru – Co-founder and Executive Director of North Carolina Asian Americans Together; and
♦ Phil Ford Jr. — Former UNC basketball player, NBA player, and UNC assistant coach