William Gaston Awards 2009

The 2009 recipients include:

Barbara H. Voorhees

Barbara H. Voorhees has served on the Gaston College Board of Trustees since June 2003.

Barbara has provided experienced leadership as the College developed the 2008-2011 Strategic Plan and updated its campus Master Plan. Her many years of experience in working2009 with non-profit organizations lends itself well in her role as Board Chair, a position she has held since 2007. She is a supporter of Gaston College in every true sense of the word. She doesn't expect anything of others that she isn't willing to do herself. She leads by example.

Barbara's sense of community has led her to serve on many other State and local appointed boards. Her leadership has been very evident in her church, the schools, and the arts.

Throughout her career, Barbara has worked in not-for-profit venues where she advocated for the needs of others. She is an intelligent, enthusiastic person that smiles her way right into your heart.

Jim Jones

Jim has been a member of the Economic Development Commission for more than 14 years and has served as its Chairman for more than 6-1/2 years. His contributions to the EDC have been many including:

  • Overseeing the expansion of the agency to include a larger marketing program funded by a new partnership with the Gaston Regional Chamber of Commerce, and
  • Working to reinstate and expand the Capital Improvement Plan that has acquired and developed business parks.
  • Under his leadership, Jim has been instrumental in seeking and guiding the relocation and expansion of many companies to Gaston County including Dole Fresh Vegetables, National Gypsum Corporation, DSM Dyneema and Desotech, Curtiss Wright, Parker Hannifin, AKsys, and many others.

Jim has always shown a sincere interest in the economic development of the entire county. He has been a very dedicated board member providing real estate expertise and leadership through the expansion of the program. Throughout Jim's lengthy service there have been many boom periods and recessionary times; he has always shown enthusiasm for the challenge regardless of the circumstances.

Being an active member of the community, Jim has served as past president of the Gastonia Rotary Club, past president of the Gastonia Jaycees, past president of the Gaston Association of Realtors, and an active member and former Elder of First Presbyterian Church.

Minor R. Adams, III

Chuck Adams began his initial service on the Gaston County Equalization and Review Board on December 14, 1995, where he remained for five years, before taking a break in service, and his subsequent return to the E&R Board on February 13, 2003, where he remains today.

Chuck is known as an individual who seeks no recognition and does not impose his thoughts or ideas on anyone. He is supportive of the common goal of the E&R Board to ensure that decisions made for appellants are with consistency, integrity, and equity for all county taxpayers. His knowledge of real property values and methods used to determine appropriate value opinions are relied upon by all E&R Board members in the deliberation process. Chuck is a quiet advocate of equity and a boisterous opponent of inequitable actions.

Chuck is a Gastonia native, a certified NC Real Estate Appraiser for over seventeen years, a member of the Rotary Club of Gastonia, past president of the Gaston Association of Realtors, and past president of the Gastonia Jaycees, and a member and past Elder of the First Presbyterian Church.