2009 Hall of Famers

The N.C. Halls of Fame, based in the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media, inducted two new members and presented the Next Generation Leadership Award on April 19 in a ceremony at the Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill.

William I. Morton, former chair and CEO of Jack Morton Worldwide and a leader in experiential marketing, was inducted into the N.C. Advertising Hall of Fame. Josh McCall, his successor at the company, introduced Morton at the ceremony.

Morton, a 1962 Carolina graduate, retired in 2003 after more than 25 years as chair and CEO. He transformed what was primarily a meeting and events agency to a global experiential marketing agency with more than 600 employees in offices around the world. Among other major events, the agency produced the opening and closing ceremonies at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

Journalist, author and adventurer Robert Ruark was posthumously inducted into the N.C. Journalism Hall of Fame. Bland Simpson, Bowman and Gordon Gray Distinguished Professor of English and Creative Writing, spoke about Ruark, and Ruark’s great grandson, Nicholas Keller, accepted the award on behalf of the family.

Ruark, a 1935 Carolina graduate, began his career at the Hamlet News Messenger and the Sanford Herald and later wrote for The Washington Post, The Washington Star and the Washington Daily News. He wrote a regular column for Field and Stream magazine. He authored 13 novels and drew frequent comparisons to Ernest Hemingway for his love of big game hunting. Ruark died in 1965.

Commercial illustrator Trip Park received the Next Generation Leadership Award. John Sweeney, distinguished professor in the school, introduced Park, who is a 1989 graduate and former student of Sweeney’s. Park’s illustrations are featured in children's books including “Gopher Up Your Sleeve” by Tony Johnston; “Trout, Trout, Trout!” and “Ant, Ant, Ant!” by April Pulley Sayre; and the Rotten School series by R.L. Stine. His editorial cartoons have appeared in the Greensboro News & Record, National Review and USA Today.

The Robert Ruark Society also presented its annual Robert Ruark Award in Creative Non-Fiction to Laura DeMaria, a UNC senior majoring in English.

The N.C Halls of Fame honor individuals who have made outstanding, career-long contributions to their fields. Honorees must be native North Carolinians, or must have made a significant contribution to the state. The Next Generation Leadership Award is given by the N.C. Halls of Fame to recognize individuals who represent the next generation of leadership in their fields.