State Treasurer Moore To Speak At VGCC’s Summer Graduation

A native son who has been successful in state politics will deliver the commencement address at summer graduation ceremonies Monday, Aug. 5, at Vance-Granville Community College.

State Treasurer Richard H. Moore will speak at the ceremonies that begin at 6 p.m. in the Civic Center and which will see about 230 men and women receive degrees, diplomas and certificates.

This will be the second of two graduations held annually at Vance-Granville. On May 11, the college graduated 360 students.

Richard Moore was born and reared in Granville County and lives with his family today near Kittrell in Vance County, near the intersection with Granville and Franklin counties. He is an honors graduate of Wake Forest University and the Wake Forest Law School, and he holds a graduate degree in accounting and finance from the London School of Economics.

As state treasurer, Moore oversees more than $60 billion in public monies and state investments, oversees the pension funds for nearly 600,000 public employees, and is responsible for the management of the public debt of state and local governments. In addition, he serves on many boards and commissions, including the State Board of Education and the State Board of Community Colleges.

Treasurer Moore has been recognized for national leadership in the fight to protect shareholder rights in the wake of Wall Street corporate abuses. He is the author of investment protection principles that have been adopted by pension fund managers across the country.

Through partnerships with groups representing all ages, Moore works with North Carolinians to assist them in gaining the knowledge necessary to make sound financial decisions for themselves and their families.

Before being elected state treasurer, Moore was chief executive of the Department of Crime Control and Public Safety, and during that time he led the state’s response to, and recovery from, two major winter storms and five hurricanes, including the state’s most destructive storms in the 20th century, Hurricanes Fran and Floyd.

Treasure Moore has also served in the North Carolina House of Representatives and as a law clerk with the U.S. District Courts and as a federal prosecutor.

Moore and his wife, Noel, have two sons, Will, 11, and Charles, 7, and a daughter, Mary Eleanor, 4.

At the Aug. 5 graduation, John K. Nelms, chairman of the Vance-Granville Community College Board of Trustees, will introduce Moore. Trustee D. Bernard Alston will offer the invocation, Trustee Marion J. Church will welcome families and visitors, Trustee Clarence Lemons will present Bibles to each graduate, and Trustee Grace W. Vickery will offer the benediction.

VGCC President Robert A. Miller will also make brief remarks and will award degrees and diplomas.

Fred H. Wilson Jr., VGCC vice president, will present the candidates for graduation, assisted by Marsha Nelson, dean of curriculum, and Leo Kelly Jr., dean of Continuing Education.

Student marshals for graduation will be Teresa R. Dover, Kristen E. Edwards and Michael D. Kromer of Henderson, Betty A. Barker, Jamie Spencer and Ann D. Taylor of Oxford, Robert G. Gagnon Jr. of Franklinton and Katherine E. McNamara of Wake Forest.

A reception for graduates and guests will be held in the student lounge following graduation.