Local names make Power List 2021

By Staff Report, posted May 7, 2021 on BizFayetteville.com

Several Fayetteville area business leaders made Business North Carolina’s inaugural Power List, which includes what editors there consider the state’s most influential business leaders.

According to the statewide business publication, the goal of Power List was to identify the people who lead North Carolina’s business community. You can find the complete Power List online at https://businessnc.com/power-list-2021/ .

The Greater Fayetteville Business Journal has selected the local business leaders below.

Robert Van Geons, President & CEO, Fayetteville Cumberland Economic Development Corporation. Van Geons, 45, has helped the region add $225 million in investment and 2,000 jobs since joining the group in 2017. He previously worked in economic development jobs for Rowan and Stanly counties. He has a bachelor’s degree from Catawba College and a doctoral degree in international development from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Breeden Blackwell, a retired school principal from Fayetteville, was elected chairman of the State Board of Community Colleges in 2019. A member of the state board since 2015, Blackwell previously served as a trustee of Fayetteville Technical Community College. He was a member of both the Fayetteville City Council and the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners. Blackwell retired as government relations director for the Cape Fear Valley Health System.

Mike Nagowski. Mike Nagowski currently serves as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cape Fear Valley Health System, an eight hospital, integrated health system serving four distinct markets with revenues in excess of $1 billion.

Nagowski has held his current position since 2008. Prior to joining Cape Valley Fear, Nagowski held executive healthcare positions at Buffalo General Hospital, Millard Fillmore Gates Circle Hospital, Erie County Medical Center, Hamot Medical Center and University at Buffalo School of Medicine.

Nagowski is adept at hospital financial planning and stewardship, hospital innovation and growth and development/implementation of quality care improvement initiatives. He is proud to have earned numerous quality care recognitions from U.S. News and World Report, Leap Frog, IBM Watson and Joint Commission, in addition to recognition as Best Place to Work. Looking ahead, Nagowski will continue to focus on Cape Valley Fear Heath System’s journey towards Academic Medical Center status, population health excellence and health system innovation.

Terry Hutchens, managing partner at Hutchens Law Firm in Fayetteville. Leading a 200-employee firm with more than 35 lawyers that he started 41 years ago, Hutchens focuses his practice on real estate matters. He is a graduate of N.C. State University and earned his MBA and law degrees from Wake Forest University.

Rick Glazier is the Executive Director of the North Carolina Justice Center. Previously, Rick served seven terms as a state representative from Cumberland County in the North Carolina General Assembly from 2003-2015.

Mary Holmes, joined Cumberland Community Foundation as Executive Director in 1997. A native of Fayetteville, NC, Mary received her Master’s in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill and her undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University.

Peter Pappas, president of Pappas Commercial Properties. Independent Commercial Real Estate Practitioner for nearly 15 years. Concurrently owns and operates a chain of restaurants in Fayetteville.

Mike Mayer, president and director of First Bancorp (North Carolina). Mayer is a businessperson who has been at the head of six different companies.

As president and director at First Bancorp (North Carolina), he also is president, chief executive officer and director at First Bank (Southern Pines, North Carolina, a subsidiary of First Bancorp (North Carolina). Mayer is on the board of The Boys & Girls Club of Henderson County, Henderson County Partnership for Economic Development, Advantage Carolina and Regent Schools.

Bill Prestage, CEO of Prestage Farms in Clinton. Prestage has received many accolades for volunteerism and distinction.

He was inducted into the North Carolina Poultry Hall of Fame in 2003 and the North Carolina Pork Hall of Fame in 2005.

He has served as President of the North Carolina Turkey Federation and the National Turkey Federation and on the Board of Directors for North Carolina Natural Gas and Smithfield Foods. The National Turkey Federation gave him their Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010.

Prestage has represented the meat production industry before many elected officials and regulatory bodies with honor and dignity.

He has corporately and personally contributed to countless civic and education construction projects, including his favorites Future Farmers of America, 4-H, and the Boy Scouts.

Murchison “Bo” Biggs in Lumberton, secretary-treasurer, K.M. Biggs, Lumberton. The business owns shopping centers, timberland, farms and other properties in more than a dozen Carolinas locations. According to Business North Carolina, Murchison, 66, is the fourth generation of his family to help lead K.M. Biggs, a holding company. The N.C. State University graduate and CPA is active in many statewide groups, including chairing the Rocky Mount-based Golden LEAF Foundation.

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