the raleigh telegram’sþ most interestingþ people of the yearþ
by randall greggþ
2010þ
All photos and text by Randall Gregg. Copyright 2011, The Raleigh telegram /Raleigh Publishing Co. For orders or prints of this book, call 919-760-3110 or email raleightelegram@yahoo.com. Printed in USA. $20.00 US
-- Randall Gregg,þ Editor & Publisher,þ The Raleigh Telegramþ
It’s always hard to pick people for a list,þ particularly when we have met so manyþ interesting and inspirational people this year.þ Those featured here include readers,þ advertisers, and people we met whileþ performing our news coverage here at theþ Raleigh Telegram newspaper. You’ll find aþ wide range of people across North Carolinaþ who are doing amazing things -- changing theþ world and the community around them. Whileþ it’s hard to find heroes in our society, we’veþ been able to find some folks who serve as roleþ models for us all.þ
THE EDITOR &þ PHOTOGRAPHERþ
In addition to having a cool name, Jake St.þ Peter (on the cover) is someone you’d considerþ a renaissance man. He runs CoalMarchþ Productions, a high tech design and web firmþ and when he’s not designing websites for bigþ name firms, he’s working as a bartender at theþ trendy Black Flower bar in downtown Raleigh.þ And he’s also a photographer who knows aþ thing or two about fashion glamour shots.þ Jake St. Peter, Raleigh’s resident cool guy.þ
THE COOL GUYþ
Sig Hutchinson is a motivational speaker but he is better known in the Triangle for hisþ environmental work. He is an avid off-road bicyclist who has been an advocate for greenwayþ trails in Wake County as well as mass transit. In 2010, Sig was pretty busy. In addition toþ traveling to China and Italy, he served on the board of trustees for the Triangle Transit Authority,þ which oversees intercity bus service in the area.þ
THE ENVIRONMENTALISTþ
It’s not every day that most people help defend the Constitution, but for First Amendment attorneyþ John Bussian of Raleigh, that’s what gets him up in the morning. Bussian represents newspapersþ and other media across the southeast in cases involving free speech. Recent cases haveþ involved the placement of newspaper racks at airports, comment sections on blogs, and evenþ lawsuit involving a Girls Gone Wild video where the press were asked not to mention the namesþ of witnesses.þ
THE FIRST AMENDMENT ATTORNEYþ
Former helicopter pilot Niall Hanley started out with one pub, The Hibernian, in Raleigh. Nowþ several years later, he has also opened the Diner, Solas nightclub and restaurant, and anotherþ Hibernian Irish pub in Cary. Niall’s hard work to launch the Hibernian on Glenwood Avenueþ predated all of the activity there, making him a visionary in terms of Raleigh nightlife. Even moreþ impressive is that through annual St. Baldrick’s Day events, Niall’s restaurants have raised moreþ than one million dollars for childhood cancer research.þ
THE RESTAURATEURþ
Rebecca Antonelli of Triangle PR has helped business owners meet members of the press through herþ popular Meet the New Media series, which bring in media professionals from print, television, radio, andþ website properties to speak. In addition, Rebecca has helped many local businesses relaunch theirþ brands, improve their marketing, and has served on the board of the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce.þ
THE PUBLICISTþ
Newspaper editor Cash Michaels is very busy making sure that The Carolinian goes to pressþ every week. However, in his spare time in 2010, he put together a documentary movie entitledþ “Obama in NC: The Path to History” which recounts President Barack Obama’s campaign effortsþ and visits in North Carolina in 2008. In addition to covering the campaign, Michaels’ movieþ includes interviews with such dignitaries as Kweisi Mfume, Dr. John Hope Franklin, Hillaryþ Clinton, Jim Hunt, Al Sharpton, and First Lady Michelle Obama. The movie has screened acrossþ the state and even at the film festival in Cannes, France.þ
THE FILMMAKERþ
Brewmaster Michael Morris has helped launch two breweries in the Raleigh area. After working atþ the Big Boss Brewing Company in Raleigh, he helped set up the brewing apparatus at the newþ Natty Greene’s brewery on Jones Street in Raleigh which opened its doors in 2010. At the newþ brewery, Morris has helped oversee the production of such beers as the Golden Ale, Natty’s Paleþ Ale, Buckshot Amber Ale, Old Town Brown Ale, and General Stout from start to finish.þ
THE BREWMASTERþ
When Andy Martin is notþ traveling to such far flungþ places as Greece or Alaska,þ he is half of DeepSouthþ Entertainment, which helpsþ book bands for such venuesþ as the brand new Raleighþ Amphitheatre which openedþ in 2010 to much fanfare.þ Andy is also a prolificþ photographer and his workþ has been published in theþ Raleigh Telegram on aþ regular basis. Martin hasþ been busy in the past yearþ -- he got married and alsoþ runs his new bar with Deepþ South business partnerþ Dave Rose.þ
THE BANDþ PROMOTERþ
Shawn Densmore, better known as “Dink” to his friends, works as a downtown Raleigh real estateþ agent who takes advantage of technology through blogs, Facebook, and other new media. Whenþ he’s not selling homes and condos, Dink can usually be found frequenting the music scene inþ downtown Raleigh.þ
THE REAL ESTATE AGENTþ
Raleigh Police Department spokesman Jim Sughrue is usually not far from the camera. Sughrue, aþ former television reporter himself, was busier than usual in 2010 with news coverage due to the highþ profile murder of North Carolina School Board member Kathy Taft. Sughrue’s office has also been busyþ with the move from downtown to new headquarters in north Raleigh.þ
THE POLICE SPOKESMANþ
After Peter Pagano returned from a stint of bartending in Belgium, he bought theþ TirNaNog Irish Pub and Restaurant in Raleigh. Now, several years later, theþ establishment is a hub of activity in the downtown area with local band and local beerþ night, a Monday night jogging club that draws hundreds of people each week, triviaþ night, and a packed house during special events such as the World Cup games and St.þ Patrick’s Day. It’s been a busy year for Peter, who also married bartender Katy in 2010.þ
THE PUB OWNERþ
North Carolina GOP chairman Tom Fetzer knows a thing or two about politics. He served as Raleigh’sþ mayor for three terms and before that worked for Governor Jim Martin and US Senator John East. Aþ political consultant before he ran for the chairmanship of the GOP in 2009, Fetzer helped engineer aþ Republican comeback in the November 2010 elections, resulting in the GOP gaining a majority in both theþ NC Senate and House for the first time in over 100 years. Fetzer said he will step down in 2011.þ
THE POLITICAL STRATEGISTþ
A real life Indiana Jones and one of the few people who we’ve met that specialized in Mesopotamianþ history, Stephanie Reed has studied at the University of Chicago and abroad. Her travels have taken herþ to the Middle East where she has worked on countless antiquities. When she’s not in London or Syria orþ Egypt, Reed spends time on the family sailboat down in the Caribbean in the winter months.þ
THE ARCHAEOLOGISTþ
First Sergeant Matt White (at right in photo above) a NC native who serves in the 82nd Airborne at Fort Bragg, has seen it allþ during his long career in the US Army. He has been sent to both Iraq and Afghanistan multiple times and has put himself inþ harms’ way countless times. Last year, we met Sergeant White during the Haiti earthquake humanitarian response, where heþ was leading efforts to get emergency food rations to the people in Port au Prince. During his deployment to the poverty-strickenþ country, he led nightly patrols through areas inhabited by armed gangs, arranged medical help at hospitals, orphanages andþ refugee camps, and made sure that the food brought in was literally put into the hands of those that needed it the most. Sgt.þ White just had surgery on his leg, but he’s recovered and preparing once again to go overseas again for his country.þ
THE VETERAN SOLDIERþ
Attorney Michelle Congleton (center above) practices law in Raleigh, but she has also launched aþ second career that that benefits the community. Congleton is one of the founders of Models Forþ Charity, which matches up local models with photographers and fashion designers and then donatesþ the modeling fees to local charities. In addition, Models For Charity also hosts their own fashionþ events to help specific out for specific causes.þ
THE LAWYER TURNED MODELþ
The Angus Barn is so much more than a restaurant, we hesitated to call it a steak house. The Raleigh institutionþ is one of those rare places that helps define a place and it’s unique to Raleigh. The driving force behind theþ restaurant is owner Van Eure. She not only provides Raleigh with a special place to celebrate any occasion, butþ takes part in many community projects and events in the area such as the Walk for Hope. Eure is theþ penultimate example of a business owner who cares about others.þ
THE STEAK HOUSE OWNERþ
A former journalist and curator of the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art in Winston-Salem,þ Lee Hansley has been operating the Lee Hansley Art Gallery on Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh sinceþ 1993. He has been showcasing to visitors the paintings, sculptures, photographs, and other works ofþ local artists who may not normally get attention here in the Triangle. The Raleigh area is lucky to haveþ Lee, who has been a constant force promoting the art scene in Raleigh.þ
THE ART GALLERY CURATORþ
Gentleman farmer Ben Davis is trying new organic growing methods on a farm near Washington,þ North Carolina that has been in his family for generations. Whether it’s flowers, legacy tomatoes,þ watermelons, or any of the dozens of the other crops, Davis is trying to bring locally grown freshþ vegetables to the public without the use of pesticides or other unnatural chemicals. When he’sþ not busy with his farm, he also runs an environmental company that includes the State of Northþ Carolina among his clients.þ
THE ORGANIC FARMERþ
North Carolina Senatorþ Phil Berger (at far left inþ photo) has been a stateþ senator since 2001,þ representing his nativeþ Rockingham County inþ central North Carolina.þ Losing his first run for theþ NC House, he could haveþ given up and returned toþ his law practice, but heþ kept at it and was motþ recently elected by hisþ peers as the President ofþ the NC Senate. At theþ forefront of a GOP waveþ in Raleigh, he is the firstþ Republican Senator toþ preside over the seniorþ house for decades.þ
THE NCþ SENATORþ
Running for the first time for political office, tech executive, lawyer, and entrepreneur Steve Rao of Caryþ took a shot at trying to land a seat as a Democrat on the Wake County Board of Commissioners inþ 2010. He didn’t win but a groundswell of support in the community and his experience at working onþ other campaigns like those for former Governor Mark Warner in Virginia, he says he will run again.þ
THE POLITICAL NEWCOMERþ
Along with fellow Red Hat alumnus Chaz Felix, Bronto founder Joe Colopy (above) has turned an ideaþ about providing email marketing as a subscription service into a multimillion dollar company withþ dozens of employees. The duo started their company in 2001, renting out office space in Durhamþ formerly occupied a failed dot com and eventually growing their company to new offices in theþ swanky American Tobacco office complex. A family man, Colopy has had to juggle managing hisþ company with spending time with his children, so needless to say the entrepreneur has been busy.þ
THE EMAIL MARKETERþ
After selling another company in the southeast, serial entrepreneur Rich Lee has recently arranged toþ sell his successful Internet hosting company, Hosted Solutions. In addition to his success as aþ technology executive, Lee has been involved in Raleigh charity groups including the Band Togetherþ organization which raises money for local charity projects through musical concerts and networkingþ events.þ
THE TECH ENTREPRENEURþ
It would be hard to find someone who loves animals more than Rebecca Lembo. Aþ networking technician and IT specialist for a consulting firm by day, the animal loverþ volunteers much of her free time for SPCA efforts in Wake County. She even posts photos ofþ animals up for adoption on her Facebook page, trying to find them a good home. Herþ selfless work has helped hundreds of animals get adopted over the years.þ
THE ANIMAL ADVOCATEþ
To paraphrase a razor commercial, James Grosslight loves cars he bought the company, a carþ restoration company that is. A lover of all things automobile, Grosslight owns a variety of vehicles fromþ the 1960’s including a Porsche, Thunderbird, Ford trucks, and more. James has had a tough year as heþ has battled cancer, but with the help of his friends and his passion for his beloved four wheeledþ classics, he has kept his spirits high and continues to look for new Detroit treasures across the state.þ
THE CAR COLLECTORþ
A journalist’s journalist if there ever was one, Allan Maurer has a long career in a business that has seen itsþ share of ups and downs. As the curret editor of the high tech publication TechJournal South, with hisþ penchant for fedoras, Allan has his foot in the past while embracing the future. In addition to his largeþ collection of sci-fi toys, Allan has also penned a book on lasers that you can find in many libraries.þ
THE HARD BOILED REPORTERþ
The head chef at TirNaNog restaurant and Irish pub, Bryan O’Hara has a flair for being a little different. Theþ tattooed head chef drives an ancient pickup truck and comes up with unique dishes that are unique butþ flavorful. In addition to creating the world’s largest chicken burger (above), Bryan’s creations includeþ shiitake mushroom sliders, a roast beef and pineapple sandwich, beer and barbecue braised ribs, aþ smoked shrimp empanada with a roasted beet and grapefruit relish, among others.þ
THE HEAD CHEFþ
When he’s not flying a big jet for AirTran Airways, pilot Greg Malley spends his spare time flying a Cobraþ attack helicopter for the US Marines reserve, complete with pilot activated machine gun and a bank ofþ missiles. Seen here at the Raleigh Durham airport, Malley is a graduate of the US Naval Academy and hasþ been flying choppers for years. He is also the recipient of a medal for saving a man from the side ofþ mountain, putting his own life in danger to save his fellow man.þ
THE HELICOPTER PILOTþ
the raleigh telegram’sþ most interestingþ people of the yearþ
2010þ
$20.00 USþ