The Legislators Club

by John Durham

They are about as diverse a group of alumni as can be found anywhere in North Carolina. Or outside North Carolina for that matter.

They come from classes as recent as '77 and as veteran as '53. They are men and women, Republicans and Democrats. They include bankers, a periodontist, a psychologist, and an educator. They live by the ocean and by the mountains. And within their club, they have a distinct division (along chamber lines, not party lines).

They are the 10 East Carolina alumni now serving in the North Carolina General Assembly. And, while the size of the ECU delegation is nowhere near that of, say, Chapel Hill's, its members have a good bit of clout. (A great deal of clout if they include Marc Basnight, president pro tempore of the Senate, and a recent recipient of an honorary alumnus award from ECU.)

Sen. Ed Warren '53

on the ECU campus,

with the new entrance to

Joyner Library in the background.

Photo by Tony Rumple.

Republican Carolyn Barnes Russell '65 of Goldsboro is speaker pro tempore of the House, and Democrat J. Richard Conder '57 of Rockingham is majority leader of the Senate.

Because the General Assembly is by far the university's largest financial backer, a strong presence in Raleigh is definitely important.

The ECU group has not yet had the need to establish a formal caucus, but if they do, there is little doubt who the chair will be. Democratic Sen. Ed Warren '53 of Greenville would likely be elected by acclamation.

Warren spent five terms in the House before being elected to the Senate in 1991, and he said some of his proudest legislative moments have come in supporting his alma mater. "My whole thrust has been to try to make sure that ECU gets its share from the state. It's been that way since I went to Raleigh 16 years ago," Warren said.

"I carry the word about ECU everywhere I go," he said. "I need to do that because Chapel Hill and State have people doing that.

"I take a lot of pride in the work I do for ECU, especially the medical school," Warren said. "My job is to try to make positive things happen. The medical school is a sleeping giant that's just going to get better. The national attention it is getting now is positive for all of us."

Warren also cites his accomplishments on behalf of the library and the recent additions of Chapel Hill and N.C. State to the football schedule as proud moments for him.

Sen. Conder said that when the Legislature is in session, he caucuses every day with Warren, although he may not see ECU alumni in the House very often.

"Being in the House and in the Senate is like being in two different countries," Conder said. "We (ECU graduates) don't have an organized group, but we see each other at lunch and at social functions.

"The university in the past has not had a lot of people in leadership positions to be able to do special things for the university," he said. That situation is changing now.

"ECU has an extraordinary friend in Marc Basnight," Conder said. "He is exceptionally supportive of the university."

Rep. John Nichols '71, a Republican from New Bern, agreed that the divergent schedules of the separate chambers make it hard for the ECU delegation to see each other a lot. "I may see the senator who represents my district more often than I see Ed Warren. We will have district problems to work on in common," Nichols said.

"But if an issue comes up that affects ECU, then we will certainly get together on that," he said.

Or, as Ed Warren said of keeping an eye out for his alma mater: "It's quite a challenge, but it's worth it."

The ECU delegation

Rep. Henry Aldridge '43 Republican. A periodontist from Greenville, in his first term.

Sen. J. Richard Conder '57 Democrat. A banker from Rockingham, in his fifth term.

Rep. Mary McAllister '77 Democrat. An agency director from Fayetteville, in her third term.

Rep. John Nichols '71 Republican. A mortgage banker from New Bern, in his second term.

Rep. Jean Preston '57 Republican. A retired educator from Emerald Isle, in her first term.

Rep. David Redwine '72 Democrat. A business-person from Ocean Isle Beach, in his seventh term.

Rep. Carolyn Russell '65 Republican. A former personnel director and psychologist from Goldsboro, in her third term.

Rep. Alex Warner '73 Democrat. A businessperson and educator from Hope Mills, in his fifth term.

Sen. Ed Warren '53 Democrat. An investor from Greenville, in his third term.

Rep. Doug Yongue '59 Democrat. A retired educator and general contractor from Laurinburg, in his second term.

Basnight named honorary alumnus, ECU Class of 1996

Sen. Marc Basnight (center) receives a certificate denoting his honorary alumnus status. With him are (left to right) Chancellor Richard Eakin and Jack Everton '50,'58, ECU Alumni Association president. Photo by Cliff Hollis.

Marc Basnight, president pro tempore of the North Carolina Senate, was named an honorary alumnus of ECU at a Shared Visions Leadership Dinner on March 22.

"Throughout his career in elected office, Marc has always been a strong advocate for the interests and needs of the people of eastern North Carolina and the university that serves them," said Jack S. Everton '50,'58, president of the ECU Alumni Association.

"I do not exaggerate when I say that ECU has seldom had a better friend than Marc Basnight," Everton said.

Basnight said, "I did not have the opportunity to attend college when I was young, but I have always recognized how beneficial a college education can be and how it opens up doors and opportunities.

"I strongly support ECU because it means so much to eastern North Carolina. It enriches our communities, provides health care for the sick, educates our children, generates ground-breaking research and serves as a valuable resource for our local economy.

"I am proud of the good work that the university does every day and I am honored to be recognized as an honorary alumnus."

Everton and other ECU officials presented the Honorary Alumni Award to Basnight. The award recognizes individuals who did not attend ECU but who have demonstrated exceptional loyalty and support to the university.

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