Jim Weeks
Contact: (336) 334-5371
Posted 5-4-11
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Two UNCG Bryan School of Business and Economics administrators were honored Tuesday, May 3, on behalf of Gov. Beverly Perdue with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine award. Linda A. Carlisle, Secretary of the NC Department of Cultural Resources, presented the awards to Dean Jim Weeks and Senior Associate Dean Don McCrickard during a ceremony at the Alumni House on campus.
In presenting the award, Carlisle referred to the two administrators as the “dynamic duo” and said honoring them with the most prestigious award presented by the Governor of North Carolina was “a great privilege.”
“The hallmark of Jim’s and Don’s years is their collaborative outreach efforts throughout the Triad to engage the business community,” Carlisle said after the ceremony. “They strived to understand the needs of businesses and then positioned the Bryan School to prepare students to meet those needs. This has placed UNCG in a strong position of influence in helping to improve the economic development of the state.”
The Order of the Long Leaf Pine award, created in 1965, is bestowed to individuals who have a proven record of extraordinary service to the state.
Contributions to their communities, extra effort in their careers, and many years of service to their organizations are some of the guidelines by which recipients are selected for this award.
Both Weeks and McCrickard are retiring in June, after 35 and 36 years respectively with UNCG. Weeks first came to campus as an assistant professor of operations management in 1976. He was an early proponent of ‘just in time’ management – now an accepted business practice – and consulted with numerous regional, national and international companies to help them adapt new strategies to enhance their competitiveness.
Weeks was appointed associate dean in 1982 and then dean in 1991, a post he has held longer than most public institutions’ department heads. Throughout the years, one of Weeks’ strengths was his ability to forge steadfast links between students, faculty and the regional business community while striving to make sure the Bryan School curriculum meets the needs of the region.
He also served on many local and state civic boards, committees and councils throughout his career.
Don McCrickard
McCrickard, who was hired by UNCG in 1975 as an economics instructor, was named associate dean in 1991 by Weeks when he was appointed as dean. A strong researcher, McCrickard found his niche in administration, first as director of graduate studies in 1981.
One of his most notable achievements has been his work to internationalize the Bryan School’s curriculum and developing the international exchange program. Today, the school is recognized for the globalization of its curriculum and its agreements with business schools across the world to allow both student and faculty exchanges.
Originally, the Order of the Long Leaf Pine was a symbolic honor for visiting dignitaries, but later it became an honor for notable North Carolinians. A state employee can be awarded the Order if the employee has contributed more than 30 years of dedicated and enthusiastic service to the state of North Carolina.
