Grace D. Smith AICP, CZO is a Planning Supervisor for Durham

City-County Planning Department.  She has held this position since 2005 and supervises the Zoning Administration Division consisting of Zoning Enforcement and Site Compliance. Prior to employment with Durham City-County, she was the Planning Director for the City of Henderson. She is a proud graduate of East Carolina University with a BS degree in Urban and Regional Planning. Grace obtained her CZO certification in 1997 and her AICP certification in 2007. She has been on the NCAZO Board of Directors since 2007 and was a member of the Certification Committee prior to serving on the board. She has served as secretary, membership chair, and is currently the NCAZO Treasurer. In 2009 Grace was awarded the “NCAZO Zoning Official of the Year” making her the only member in the thirty (30) year history of the organization to win the associations two highest awards. She has assisted the Introduction to Zoning course as well as the CZO courses offered at the School of Government. She has co-chaired Winter-Workshops and was instrumental in negotiating and completing a multi-year agreement for Winter-Workshops with the Embassy Suites in Cary and Concord. Grace took the idea of online registration for workshops and conferences and made it a reality. She created the on-line form that was used for our 2011 Annual Conference registration and maintains responsibility for all workshop and conference registrations. She has updated numerous forms and documents that the association uses and is always thinking of ways to make the Board of Director’s jobs easier. All this has been accomplished while performing her duties as Treasurer for the organization. One of her best attributes and perhaps her greatest contribution to the NCAZO is her “can do attitude” and her willingness to take on or assist in any job that the association throws her way. Grace is married to Lowell Smith and has one son, Blake. She enjoys spending time with her family, taking care of her horse Kobi and cheering for the ECU Pirates. Grace Smith is truly a worthy recipient of the “2011 Outstanding NCAZO Member of the Year”.

Randy Guthrie AICP is the Development Services Director for the

City of Goldsboro located in Wayne County.  Randy was chosen as the 2011 NCAZO Zoning Official of the Year.  Randy was nominated by the City of Goldsboro’s leadership team for this award and selected from a field of nominees from around the state by the NCAZO Awards Committee.  Randy received his award on August 15, 2011 at a City of Goldsboro Counci lmeeting from Kevin Medeiros, NCAZO past president and Tasha Logan, Assistant City Manager. Randy is a graduate of East Carolina University and has been with the City of Goldsboro since 2004.  Prior to working for Goldsboro, Randy was a Senior Planner for the City of Cary and the Planning Director for Smithfield.  He has been instrumental in developing and implementing many of the City of Goldsboro’s development plans.  As Development Services Director for Goldsboro, he is responsible for Planning, Community Development, Inspections, Engineering, and Code Enforcement.  Randy and his wife Martha have two children, a son and daughter.  He is active with his alma-mater, ECU, assisting as a mentor to students in the Planning Department. His outside interests include cars and I have it from a good source, he is an avid professional wrestling fan.  Randy is great representative of his jurisdiction and his community and is truly deserving of the “2011 ‘Zoning Official of the Year” award.

Professor Richard Ducker is the recipient of the 2008-2010 Albert and Gladys Hall Coates Teaching Excellence Award from the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Established in 1998, the Teaching Excellence Award recognizes an individual faculty member of the School of Government for exceptional performance as a teacher. Professor Ducker is recognized and congratulated for his many years of excellent classroom teaching and dedication to the mission of the School of Government.

Visit Professor Richard Ducker's UNC Website