Contributed to the Telegram
The Tar River District of the East Carolina Council of the Boy Scouts of America hosted its annual Distinguished Citizen Award Dinner recently at Rose Hill Conference Center to celebrate its fund-raising achievements for the year as well as to recognize Samuel Johnson and Velma Johnson as the recipients of its 2008 award.
Garry E. Hodges/Contributed photo |
Mike Hancock presents Sam and Vel Johnson their plaques as part of their recognition during the Distinguished Citizen Award banquet hosted by the Rocky Mount Area of the East Carolina Council of the Boy Souts of America recently at Rose Hill.
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"The Rocky Mount Area raised over $105,000.00 to support programs and projects for the scouts in Edgecombe, Halifax, Hertford, Nash and Northampton Counties," commented Mike Hancock, chairman of this year's fundraising campaign. "What made our evening also special was the salute we gave Sam and Vel Johnson as our Distinguished Citizen Award recipients."
Hancock noted that the Rocky Mount Area of the East Carolina Council of Boy Scouts was one of the most active in the Council's 20 county region in the past year. Over 1/3 of the Council's Eagle Scouts in 2007 were from just this district alone. The district has about 1,900 Boy Scouts on its roster.
The Johnsons were roasted and toasted by longtime friends Tom Betts, retired insurance executive and civic leader, and Dr. Gaylord Lehman, retired pastor of Lakeside Baptist Church. As residents of Rocky Mount since 1972, the Johnson's have been active leaders of a wide range of business, civic, educational and charitable organizations since that time. Sam Johnson is a native of Hamilton NC and Vel Johnson is a native of Williamston. Both are graduates of Duke University. He has an A.B. degree in History and is also a graduate of the Duke University School of Law.
Vel Johnson holds a B.A. degree in Religion and had taken additional course work in the Duke Non-Profit Management Program.
The couple has two children. Henry S. Johnson and his wife live in New York City with the Johnson's first granddaughter, Sydney Gray Johnson, while their daughter Katherine H. Johnson is a lawyer practicing in Atlanta.
Sam Johnson was singled out for his accomplishments in the legal profession. He has practiced law in Rocky Mount since graduation from law school in 1972 and was first associated with Biggs, Meadows & Batts which later became Meadows, Johnson & Spinks. Johnson joined Poyner & Spruill LLP as a partner on Jan. 1, 1987, and has remained with that firm since then.
He engages in a general corporate/ business practice representing a range of clients in mergers/acquisitions, entity formation, contracts and commercial real estate. Johnson is a member of American, North Carolina and Nash-Edgecombe Bar Associations and he is admitted in state and federal courts. He has successfully argued in the North Carolina Supreme Court.
Among his accomplishments Sam Johnson has served as a director and chairman, Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce; trustee and chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Thomas H. Braswell Memorial Library; board member and chairman, Friends of Rocky Mount Arts Center. He was a board member and chairman of Meals on Wheels; director of the Twin County Education Foundation; director of the Rocky Mount YMCA; chairman of the Downtown Council of Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce; co-chairman with his wife, Vel, of A Day for Wesleyan; director and chairman, with his wife Vel, of the 2000 Rocky Mount United Way.
Sam Johnson also was director and chairman of the Rocky Mount City Club; member of the Redevelopment Commission of City of Rocky Mount; member of the city of Rocky Mount Train Station Advisory Task Force and member of the North Carolina State
Historical Commission.
Sam Johnson serves on the Advisory Board of the NorthEast Entrepreneurial Roundtable (NEER); member of the Chamber Community Reinvestment Committee; member of the Futrell-Mauldin/Rocky Mount Community Fund Advisory Board; member of the Rocky Mount Advisory Board for RBC Centura Bank; director and secretary-treasurer of Downtown Renaissance; Director and Past President of the Historic Preservation Foundation of North Carolina, Inc. As a member of Lakeside Baptist Church, Sam Johnson has served in the choir as well as chairman of the music and finance committees and past chairman of the boards of deacons and finance.
In recognition of his achievements, Sam Johnson was previously presented the Distinguished Service Award in 2006 by the Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce.
Vel Johnson also was recognized with the Distinguished Citizen Award for her many achievements and accomplishments. Her business career has included serving as a regional representative for the Easter Seals Foundation, a social worked with the Durham Department of Social Services, a social worker and consultant with the Edgecombe-Nash Mental Health Center and executive directory of the Mental Health Association of Nash-Rocky Mount. She is a partner in the event planning company of Johnson & Pittman Associates.
Vel Johnson has also been involved in a wide variety of volunteer activities in the area. She has been a member and president, Rocky Mount Junior Guild; board member and president of the Rocky Mount YWCA; member of the board of the YMCA; director and president of Friends of the Rocky Mount Arts Center Inc. and member of the board and chairman of the United Community Ministries. She served as a member of the Board of Trustees of Rocky Mount Academy.
