At the Association of the United States Army’s Summit and Exposition in Fayetteville, Ret. Col. Willie Wright was honored with the Old North State Award on behalf of Governor Roy Cooper.
The award recognizes “dedication and service beyond expectation and excellence to the Great State of North Carolina.” People eligible for the award have served the state of North Carolina for 20 years or more.
Wright is a familiar face in the Fayetteville area. He is the past executive vice president and lifelong member of the Braxton Bragg chapter of AUSA.
President of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Braxton Bragg Chapter Ariel Aponte presented the honor to Wright. “I am truly honored to award Col (Ret.) Willie Wright from Fayetteville the Old North State Award on behalf of Governor Roy Cooper … Mr. Wright is a remarkable soldier for life in and outside the uniform,” Aponte said in a LinkedIn post prior to presenting the award.
At center, Chancellor Darrell T. Allison and Juanette Council, Ed.D., vice chancellor for student affairs, cut the ribbon to celebrate the grand reopening of Fayetteville State University's newly renovated Spaulding Building, joined by campus leaders
FCEDC has officially moved its staff and operations to 611 W. Russell St. The 35,800- square-foot center was previously home to Homemakers Furniture and Interiors. Renovations began in the fall of 2025 and are expected to be completed in the next six to eight months. Currently, FCEDC staff are working within an open 7,500-square-foot floor plan as initial improvements progress.
Inset: Systel’s first corporate headquarters was a small rental house turned office on Fort Bragg Road in Fayetteville in 1981. Large photo: The company’s new corporate headquarters reflects years of growth into a multi-million dollar company that pr
