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Thursday, November 7, 2024

State, Moore County leader George Little dies at 82

This story originally ran in The Pilot, a sister publication of Business North Carolina.

George Little, a man whose 6-foot-6 frame and outsized role across Moore County belied his last name, passed away in the early-morning hours Friday. He was 82.

Born in Pinehurst and raised in Southern Pines, Little attended college at UNC Chapel Hill before coming back, starting an insurance business and initiating leadership roles that transcended local politics, philanthropy, economic development, education and even shag dancing.

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Wanda and George Little

Though he ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2004 — he came in last in a six-candidate Republican primary — Little’s greatest success in politics was always behind the scenes as a fund-raiser, strategist and organizer. He helped his good friend Jim Holshouser in 1972 become the first Republican governor elected in North Carolina since Reconstruction.

Little went on to serve the Holshouser administration as secretary of what was then called the Department of Natural and Economic Resources.

In Moore County, Little left his mark as a tireless promoter, engager, fundraiser and leader of virtually every local philanthropic effort. Most notably, he joined the Sandhills Community College in 1981 and has served ever since. He served as its chair from 1985 until a year ago, the longest such tenure in the nation of anyone serving as chair of a community college board.

Larry Caddell, who took over as SCC board chair from Little, called him a friend of more than 40 years. They faced each other on the football field first, when Caddell played for Carthage High and Little served as a referee.

Caddell called Little the “epitome of a public servant,” saying if you looked up that term in Webster’s Dictionary, it would have a picture of Little there.

“George spent a large part of his life doing something for other people,” Caddell said.

One achievement Caddell said Little was very proud of was the SCC Foundation, which grew from about $500,000 to more than $52 million in his time, providing the opportunity of a college education for those who cannot afford it.

“I don’t think Sandhills would have been what it is today if it hadn’t been for George Little’s influence,” Caddell said.

Little won virtually every civic award there is to be had in Moore County, everything from Kiwanis Club of the Sandhills, the United Way to the Boy Scouts.

State Sen. Tom McInnis worked with the man he called “Mister Republican of Moore County” in various endeavors for more than 50 years. While it’s hard to imagine now, Moore County and, indeed, all of North Carolina, was once heavily dominated by Democrats. Little changed much of that around.

George Little

“I first worked with George on the Holshouser campaign over 50 years ago. It is because of his leadership and support that the Republican Party of North Carolina is in the majority position that it is today,” McInnis said.

“He is truly an iconic figure in the election of conservative Republicans from Manteo to Murphy. While today is a sad day for our county, our state and our nation, we can all be confident that his legacy will remain forever in our hearts and minds. My deepest sympathies go out to Wanda, his children and extended family.”

Little previously served as president of the North Carolina Association of Community Colleges. He was also a board member for the Association of Community College trustees from 1997 to 2003, including one year as chair, and served on the N.C. Association of Community College’s executive committee.

Little was president of George W. Little & Associates, an insurance agency he founded in 1977. He also served on the board of directors for Moore County Economic Development Partnership and the local Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“Our community has lost a passionate leader in George Little,” said Kelly Miller, president of the Pine Needles Resort and Golf Club and current CVB board chair.

“I view George as the ‘founding father’ of the CVB and he was instrumental in the passage of the original legislation that created the county tourism authority.”

Natalie Hawkins, president of the MCEDP, has known Little since she first moved to Moore County in 1996. She said he was a founding member of the MCEDP, serving faithfully on the board since 2002.

“He was a champion of economic development. He had a heart of gold. He always made you smile,” Hawkins said. “He was very civic-minded and community-oriented a great leader for our community.”

Little’s extensive business and civic involvement includes seven years as vice chair of the N.C. Economic Development Board. He also served on the boards for Spring Mid-Atlantic Telecom, N.C. Citizens for Business and Industry, N.C. Free and Sanford Association of Financial and Insurance Advisors.

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