Two New Bern women named to governor's inaugural committee

Two New Bern women have been named to serve on the 24-member committee to plan inaugural activities for North Carolina's first woman governor.

Alice "Sissy" Chesnutt and Rep. Alice Graham Underhill were appointed to the committee to oversee planning for the 2009 inaugural activities, including the Jan. 10 swearing-in, inaugural parade, and open house at the Governor's Mansion.

Both have known Perdue for nearly three decades and have been involved in other gubernatorial inaugurations.

 The committee includes three appointees each by Governor-elect Perdue, Gov. Mike Easley, N.C. Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight, and N.C. House Speaker Joe Hackney. Council of State members-elect, the governor and the speaker of the House also serve on the committee as nonvoting members.

"We're so excited about Bev and so proud to be able to take part in the transition," said Chesnutt. She also served on the 2001 and 2005 committees that planned for Easley's inaugurations.

Chesnutt was a Perdue friend before becoming a political colleague and recalled helping to set up Santa for Perdue's children when they were young.

She said there is a lot of work to be done in a short time but "it is a happy time" and a will be part of the holiday this year.

"I am excited to see someone with her great energy, who has done such great things for our area, be in a position to spread it throughout the state," Chesnutt said.

She said the committee's work "is a joint effort with the Junior League of Raleigh, putting the final polish on the proposals for the inaugural ball, coming up with an attractive, appropriate, celebratory course of events. It will be three days this time."

Chesnutt works at Chesnutt, Clemmons, Peacock and Long law firm. She has served on the Tryon Palace Commission since 2001, served three terms on the American Health Association's Gala Committee, and was formerly on the N.C. Museum of Art's Art Society Board of Directors.

Underhill said, "I am thrilled to be appointed and excited that someone from my community is going to be the new governor."

She was appointed by the House speaker to help plan the inaugural events but recalls being involved in gubernatorial inaugurations as a child because of her late father's longtime service as N.C. commissioner of agriculture.

"I've known Bev for 30 years, the entire time I've been here," Underhill said. Their association began through contacts in the local medical community including Underhill's husband and Perdue's brother, both physicians.

"I've spent more time with her lately," Underhill said, referring to their work together in state government.

Perdue's other appointments to the committee include Eva Clayton of Lake Gaston, who served for 10 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, and Jill Dinwiddie of Charlotte, who has more than 25 years' service in higher education administration, government service and nonprofit leadership.

Other members include Dekhasta "Dee" Becton Rosier of Raleigh, Kaye Myers of Fairview, and Linda Wilson of Wilmington, Sen. Katie Dorsett of Greensboro, Sen. Vernon Malone, Sen. Tony Rand, Rep. Linda Coleman, and Rep. Margaret Highsmith Dickson.