Jim Gardner

Jim Gardner is a determined entrepreneur and politician. Gardner and a classmate opened the second Hardee’s restaurant in 1961 in his hometown of Rocky Mount, later purchasing the ownership of Hardee’s.

Republican Barry Goldwater convicted Jim to get into politics and, at age 31, he ran against Congressman Harold Cooley. He lost that first election, but was elected the first Eastern Carolina Republican Congressman since Reconstruction.

Deciding not to seek re-election, Gardner ran and lost for Governor in 1968, 1972, and again in 1992. He was elected the first Republican Lieutenant Governor in the 20th century, earning him a seconding speech for Ronald Reagan’s presidential campaign.

His business career included starting a chain of motels, being owner of the ABA Carolina Cougars, barbecue restaurants, and land development. Many of his projects floundered and some flourished. He now enjoys time with his wife of 50 years, three children and nine grandchildren.

For his pioneering persistence we salute Jim Carson Gardner as an NC Notable.

Previous NC Notables
06.21.2007 Sylvia Hatchell
06.14.2007 Ralph Campbell, Jr.
06.07.2007 Bob Timberlake
05.31.2007 Richard Childress
05.24.2007 Fred Turnage
05.17.2007 H.G. Jones
05.10.2007 Juanita Kreps
05.03.2007 John Belk
04.26.2007 Meredythe Holmes
04.19.2007 Tom Lambeth
04.12.2007 Dean Smith
04.05.2007 Dr. Robert Bruck
03.29.2007 Anne Graham Lotz
03.22.2007 Wendell Murphy
03.15.2007 William Power
03.08.2007 Jesse Helms
03.01.2007 Dr. Rosemary DePaolo
02.22.2007 Arthur Smith
02.15.2007 Lauch Faircloth
02.01.2007 Charlie Gaddy
02.08.2007 Barbara Mulkey
02.01.2007 Charlie Gaddy
01.25.2007 Michael Jordan
01.18.2007 Hoover Adams
01.11.2007 Dr. Hope Williams
01.04.2007 Howdy Manning
12.28.2006 G.K. Butterfield
12.21.2006 Clyde Edgerton
12.14.2006 Phil Carlton
12.07.2006 Elaine Marshall
11.30.2006 Hugh McColl
11.23.2006 Robin Britt
11.16.2006 Terrance Mann
11.09.2006 Sheila Hale Ogle
11.02.2006 Dr. George Braswell
10.26.2006 Jim Holshouser
10.19.2006 Clay Aiken
10.12.2006 Dr. Charles Sanders
10.05.2006 Tim Valentine
09.28.2006 LeRoy Walker
09.21.2006 Robert Walter Scott
09.14.2006 Doc Watson
09.07.2006 Banks Talley
08.31.2006 Burley Mitchell
08.24.2006 John Pope
08.17.2006 Billy Packer
08.10.2006 Bishop Francis Joseph Gossman
08.03.2006 John G. Medlin
07.27.2006 Dr. Larry Wheeler
07.20.2006 Dr. Dianne Suber
07.13.2006 Dr. Kenneth Edward Peacock
07.06.2006 Ira David Wood III
06.29.2006 Betsy Bennett
06.22.2006 Phail Wynn
06.15.2006 Richard Vinroot
06.08.2006 Nicholas Sparks
06.01.2006 Robert Burren Morgan
05.25.2006 Howard Lee
05.18.2006 James “Mickey” Efird
05.11.2006 Franklin Graham
05.04.2006 William Barber
04.27.2006 Bob Hall
04.20.2006 Mack Pearsall
04.13.2006 Gail Goestenkors
04.06.2006 John Forlines
03.30.2006 Jerry Miller
03.23.2006 Maceo Sloan
03.16.2006 Terry Holland
03.09.2006 Lindsay Warren, Jr
03.02.2006 John Davis
02.23.2006 Jim Goodnight
02.16.2006 Norman Wiggins
02.09.2006 Philip Blumenthal
02.02.2006 Harvey Gantt
01.26.2006 Jerry Bledsoe
01.19.2006 Helen Powers
01.12.2006 Ty Boyd
01.05.2006 Erskine Bowles
12.29.2005 Henry Frye
12.22.2005 Gene Boyce
12.15.2005 Doris Betts
12.08.2005 Molly Corbett Broad
12.01.2005 John Hope Franklin
11.24.2005 Richard Petty
11.17.2005 Annabelle Lundy Fetterman
11.10.2005 James Baxter Hunt
11.03.2005 Maya Angelou
10.27.2005 Mike Krzyzewski
10.20.2005 Jim Broyhill
10.13.2005 Reynolds Price
10.06.2005 Kay Yow
09.29.2005 Van Eure
09.22.2005 Mary Semans
09.15.2005 John Dornan
09.08.2005 Eva Clayton
09.01.2005 Lois Britt
08.25.2005 Fred Barber
08.18.2005 Julius Chambers
08.11.2005 Martha Guy
08.04.2005 Nido Qubein
07.28.2005 Jeanette Hyde
07.21.2005 Billy Graham
07.14.2005 Lee Smith
07.07.2005 Ralph Ketner
06.30.2005 Thomas Hearn
06.23.2005 John Allison
06.16.2005 Jim Martin
06.02.2005 Darleen Johns
05.26.2005 Hugh Morton
05.19.2005 Bernie Mann
05.12.2005 Orrin H. Pilkey
05.05.2005 William Friday
04.28.2005 Annie Louise Wilkerson
04.21.2005 Martin Lancaster
04.14.2005 Shirley Caesar
04.07.2005 Carl Fox
03.31.2005 Bob Jordan
03.24.2005 Ann T. Denlinger