Governor Jim Hunt Still Going Strong

When Jim Hunt burst onto the political scene in North Carolina 40 years ago, his relentless energy and his boundless optimism about North Carolina stood out.

The four-term former Governor may be older and grayer as he nears his 76th birthday but the drive, energy and optimism remain.

The word “retirement” remains foreign. Yes, 12 years ago he left the Governor’s Office. And yes, this year he left his full-time job at the Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice law firm in Raleigh. But he hasn’t retired. Some years ago, Governor Hunt and a friend were talking about a mutual acquaintance who had retired with a golden parachute at age 62. Hunt said, “I couldn’t imagine ever retiring.”

Why, his friend asked? “Because there’s a lot more to do. I couldn’t sit around doing nothing.”

One thing that always has kept the Governor busy is his family farm in Wilson County. It’s the same farm he grew up on. Today, he and his wife Carolyn – mostly Carolyn, he admits – stay busy raising cattle, mowing fields and putting out hay.

Even as Governor, he would return to the farm on weekends. While his aides and Cabinet members would unwind by playing golf or relaxing, the Hunts would be hard at work.

He and Carolyn also stay busy helping with their 10 grandchildren. Governor Hunt frequently can be seen with a grandchild in tow at an N.C. State football or basketball game.

Today, the Governor has relocated his office and base of operations to the spectacular new James B. Hunt, Jr. Library on NCSU’s Centennial Campus. The state-of-the-art library is a fitting tribute to a governor who pushed new industry, new technologies and a new economic era for North Carolina – and the Governor who envisioned the Centennial Campus and set aside the first land for it.

The library houses the Institute for Emerging Issues, which Hunt calls – not surprisingly – a “think and do tank.” It focuses on trends and issues that will shape North Carolina’s future, from health care to tax reform to manufacturing innovation to Generation Z.

These days, just as he has for years, Governor Hunt spends hours meeting with and counseling young people who are interested in public service or who want to follow his path into politics.

He understands, but regrets the cynicism many people feel about politics. “Politics is a way for people to come together and make the world better,” he says.

He peppers North Carolina’s elected leaders, no matter their party, with ideas and advice. He especially speaks up in support of his signature Smart Start program and other early-childhood programs. He and former Governor Jim Holshouser, a Republican who was governor when Hunt was lieutenant governor, often join forces to support reforms in the campaign finance system.

Fittingly for one of the nation’s premiere “education governors,” Hunt leads another “think and do tank” – the James B. Hunt, Jr. Institute for Educational Leadership and Policy in Chapel Hill. He focuses on educating elected leaders, especially newly elected governors and legislatures of both parties, about public education issues.

During his 40 years in public life, Jim Hunt left a lasting stamp on North Carolina – its economy, its education system and its government. For him, the work always goes on. And there is much left to do.

A Continuing Legacy

In 1985, Governor James B. Hunt, Jr., with NC State Chancellor Bruce Poulton, established the Emerging Issues Forum to focus attention on critical questions facing North Carolina.

Governor Hunt, however, did not want these conversations to end at the Forum, so in 2002, the Institute for Emerging Issues (IEI) was created to put those ideas into action.

IEI, still chaired by Hunt, is a think-and-do tank at NC State University that brings people together to work on issues that affect North Carolina’s growth. Focusing on education, health, economy and environments, IEI convenes leaders in business, higher education and government to address these issues and prepare for future challenges and opportunities.

From increasing high school graduation rates to improving energy technologies to creating job transition programs, IEI has had a strong impact across the state.

For example, students who developed promising school programs to reduce high school dropout rates have received financial awards through IEI’s Emerging Issues Prize for Innovation.

IEI commissioned a study on smart grid energy in the Research Triangle Park region. With this research, the Research Triangle Cleantech Cluster was launched and has raised more than $750,000 to focus on clean tech energy.

IEI also developed a program to transition rural, long-term unemployed into allied health careers. One of its partners, the Turning Point Regional Health Sciences Partnership, received a $100,000 grant to implement this project.

The Emerging Issues Forum, held each February, remains IEI’s signature event. It brings thousands of people together to talk about the issues, identify innovative solutions, and implement solutions at the local, regional, and state levels.

Today’s complex challenges require citizens who can work together, identify shared interests and act collaboratively to achieve common goals. The Institute for Emerging Issues remains one of the greatest legacies of Jim Hunt.

Governor Hunt chairs the Institute for Emerging Issues, which sponsors the Emerging Issues Forum every February, drawing over 1000 leaders from around the world to Raleigh to hear speakers like former President Bill Clinton, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, and New York Times columnist Tom Friedman. The Institute also sponsors leadership retreats, focus groups, working groups and community forums throughout the year.

Learn more about IEI at www.emergingissues.org.