{"id":4773,"date":"2022-03-14T12:03:20","date_gmt":"2022-03-14T16:03:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazine.alumni.ncsu.edu\/?p=1340"},"modified":"2024-02-01T16:26:37","modified_gmt":"2024-02-01T21:26:37","slug":"a-sign-off-full-of-nc-state-spirit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazine.ncsu.edu\/2022\/a-sign-off-full-of-nc-state-spirit\/","title":{"rendered":"A Sign-Off Full of NC&#160;State Spirit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"is-style-lead\">Alumni Association Executive Director Benny Suggs \u201969\u2009\u2014\u2009who became known at alumni gatherings and university events for a \u201cGo PACK!\u201d that sounds more like a command than a cheer\u2009\u2014\u2009will retire later this year after nearly a dozen years in the job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBenny Suggs has made a huge impact on NC&#160;State,\u201d says Chancellor Randy Woodson. \u201cUnder his leadership, we\u2019ve seen an increase in the number of Alumni Association members, and the finances of the organization are in much stronger shape than when he came.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-ncst-pullquote has-red-400-text-color\"><div class=\"pullquote-container\"><p class=\"pullquote-content\">Benny Suggs has made a huge impact on NC&#160;State. \u2014Chancellor Randy Woodson<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>A native of Columbus County, Suggs enrolled at NC&#160;State as the first in his family to go to college. After majoring in psychology, he was selected for flight training in the U.S. Navy and flew attack and fighter jets off multiple aircraft carriers. He commanded Attack Squadron 55, the supply ship USS San Diego, the aircraft carrier USS America, Carrier Group Six and Battle Force Fifth Fleet. In 2000, he retired from the Navy as deputy commander in chief of U.S. Special Operations Command as a rear admiral. Suggs then moved to the corporate world as a senior executive with Harley-Davidson where he led the Harley Owners Group with 1.2 million members worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Suggs returned to NC&#160;State in 2010 to lead the Alumni Association. Under his tenure, life memberships have quadrupled, support for the Caldwell Fellows has increased, and the organization has won numerous awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-sandwich-narrative with-image\"><div class=\"ncst-sandwich-narrative\"><div class=\"sandwich-narrative__image-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"888\" height=\"843\" class=\"sandwich-narrative__image wp-image-1347\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/magazine.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/BennySuggs-e1647273647843.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/magazine.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/BennySuggs-e1647273647843.jpg 888w, https:\/\/magazine.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/BennySuggs-e1647273647843-300x285.jpg 300w, https:\/\/magazine.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/BennySuggs-e1647273647843-768x729.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 888px) 100vw, 888px\" \/><\/div><div class=\"sandwich-narrative__text-container\"><h2 class=\"sandwich-narrative__heading\">A Letter From Benny<\/h2>\n\n<p><strong>Benny Suggs &#8217;69 reflects on how NC&#160;State alumni have inspired and energized him.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-ncst-collapsible-more ncst-collapsible-more\"><div class=\"collapsible-more__collapsed-content-container collapse panel-collapse \" id=\"collapsible-more-0\" aria-labelledby=\"collapsible-more-heading-0\">\n<p>Later this year, I will wrap up my time as executive director of our Alumni Association. As I look back on the 12 years since I was Chancellor Randy Woodson\u2019s first hire at NC&#160;State, so much runs through my mind. So many Red and White Weeks, oyster roasts, numerous ring ceremonies, and more than a decade of Legacy Luncheons. When I think of those times, I have to give a big thanks to my wonderful staff who has helped make my job easy along the way. The Alumni Association\u2019s engagement, communications, membership and Caldwell Fellows&nbsp; teams have all helped define my time here with their hard work, creativity, dedication and love of NC&#160;State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What also stays with me is you, the alumni. It\u2019s funny, I think back to when I came to Raleigh as a freshman from Columbus County, N.C., in the mid-1960s and how the university seemed so big to me. Campus itself seemed like a big city. It didn\u2019t take long, though, for NC&#160;State to feel like a small town that embraced me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I came back in 2010 to lead our Alumni Association, the Wolfpack community felt familiar and warm all over again. That\u2019s because of alumni I got to work with and laugh alongside here. I think of the handshakes and smiles at tailgates at Carter-Finley. I value the chats with you at Alumni Association events. And I appreciate the passion of our alumni and student leaders that I saw take pride in NC&#160;State\u2019s homecoming weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I share that passion. It\u2019s the one thing I run on. And some of what kept that passion burning in me the last 12 years was meeting new alumni. I loved getting to hear about the cool work you were doing in areas like business, architecture, engineering, science, technology and education. And almost all of you were innovators, outside-the-box thinkers and leaders in your fields. As cool as some of your jobs were, what was even more impressive was hearing about what you were doing after hours and on weekends outside your jobs. To see your commitment to service in your local communities throughout the country and around the world has been inspiring, and it embodies the land-grant mission that defines the people\u2019s university. You\u2019re making a positive difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That said, it\u2019s been an honor to stand alongside you and be part of your Pack. That\u2019s sincerely how I think about you all. When I was a young Naval Aviator setting out for one of my 12 extended deployments, my mother gave me a copy of Richard Bach\u2019s <em>Illusions<\/em>. And on its opening page, she inscribed a message referencing a passage in the book. It read, \u201cThe link that bonds one\u2019s true family is one of love, beauty, joy and respect in each other\u2019s lives.\u201d That\u2019s what NC&#160;State means to me\u2009\u2014\u2009family. Always wear the red and white proudly, and be sure to know, when I have it on, I\u2019m thinking of you all. I\u2019ll always be part of the Wolfpack family. So one last time: Let\u2019s go, Wolfpack!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Very respectfully,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Benny Suggs \u201969<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alumni Association Executive Director<\/p>\n<\/div><a class=\"collapsible-more__interaction-cta collapsed\" href=\"#collapsible-more-0\" id=\"collapsible-more-heading-0\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-target=\"#collapsible-more-0\" aria-controls=\"collapsible-more-0\"><span class=\"collapsible-more__expansion-indicator\"><span class=\"ncst-plus-minus-toggle\"><\/span><\/span><span class=\"collapsible-more__text\">Expand to read more<\/span><span class=\"collapsible-more__text-collapse\">Collapse<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/aside>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI love Benny, and what a difference he has made for us Wolfpackers,\u201d says Perry Safran \u201971, past president of the Alumni Association and a current member of the Board of Trustees. \u201cBenny has one speed: Fast and fast, whether it is in the air, on the ground or with the Alumni Association. We are all better off because of Benny and his incredible service.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Woodson added that he will miss being introduced by Suggs. \u201cHe always called me the Alpha wolf,\u201d Woodson says. \u201cWe\u2019ll certainly miss his passion. No one has more NC&#160;State spirit than Benny Suggs.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":"<!-- wp:ncst\/dynamic-header -->\n<!-- wp:ncst\/default-immersive-post-header \/-->\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/dynamic-header -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph {\"className\":\"is-style-lead\"} -->\n<p class=\"is-style-lead\">Alumni Association Executive Director Benny Suggs \u201969\u2009\u2014\u2009who became known at alumni gatherings and university events for a \u201cGo PACK!\u201d that sounds more like a command than a cheer\u2009\u2014\u2009will retire later this year after nearly a dozen years in the job.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cBenny Suggs has made a huge impact on NC State,\u201d says Chancellor Randy Woodson. \u201cUnder his leadership, we\u2019ve seen an increase in the number of Alumni Association members, and the finances of the organization are in much stronger shape than when he came.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/pullquote {\"value\":\"Benny Suggs has made a huge impact on NC State. \u2014Chancellor Randy Woodson\"} -->\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-ncst-pullquote has-red-400-text-color\"><div class=\"pullquote-container\"><p class=\"pullquote-content\">Benny Suggs has made a huge impact on NC State. \u2014Chancellor Randy Woodson<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/pullquote -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>A native of Columbus County, Suggs enrolled at NC State as the first in his family to go to college. After majoring in psychology, he was selected for flight training in the U.S. Navy and flew attack and fighter jets off multiple aircraft carriers. He commanded Attack Squadron 55, the supply ship USS San Diego, the aircraft carrier USS America, Carrier Group Six and Battle Force Fifth Fleet. In 2000, he retired from the Navy as deputy commander in chief of U.S. Special Operations Command as a rear admiral. Suggs then moved to the corporate world as a senior executive with Harley-Davidson where he led the Harley Owners Group with 1.2 million members worldwide.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Suggs returned to NC State in 2010 to lead the Alumni Association. Under his tenure, life memberships have quadrupled, support for the Caldwell Fellows has increased, and the organization has won numerous awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/sandwich-narrative {\"heading\":\"A Letter From Benny\",\"imageID\":1347,\"imageURL\":\"https:\/\/magazine.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/BennySuggs-e1647273647843.jpg\",\"imageAlt\":\"\"} -->\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-sandwich-narrative with-image\"><div class=\"ncst-sandwich-narrative\"><div class=\"sandwich-narrative__image-container\"><img class=\"sandwich-narrative__image wp-image-1347\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/magazine.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/BennySuggs-e1647273647843.jpg\" \/><\/div><div class=\"sandwich-narrative__text-container\"><h2 class=\"sandwich-narrative__heading\">A Letter From Benny<\/h2><!-- wp:ncst\/text-heading-section -->\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Benny Suggs '69 reflects on how NC State alumni have inspired and energized him.<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/text-heading-section -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/collapsible-more {\"instanceID\":0} -->\n<div class=\"wp-block-ncst-collapsible-more ncst-collapsible-more\"><div class=\"collapsible-more__collapsed-content-container collapse panel-collapse \" id=\"collapsible-more-0\" aria-labelledby=\"collapsible-more-heading-0\"><!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Later this year, I will wrap up my time as executive director of our Alumni Association. As I look back on the 12 years since I was Chancellor Randy Woodson\u2019s first hire at NC State, so much runs through my mind. So many Red and White Weeks, oyster roasts, numerous ring ceremonies, and more than a decade of Legacy Luncheons. When I think of those times, I have to give a big thanks to my wonderful staff who has helped make my job easy along the way. The Alumni Association\u2019s engagement, communications, membership and Caldwell Fellows&nbsp; teams have all helped define my time here with their hard work, creativity, dedication and love of NC State.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>What also stays with me is you, the alumni. It\u2019s funny, I think back to when I came to Raleigh as a freshman from Columbus County, N.C., in the mid-1960s and how the university seemed so big to me. Campus itself seemed like a big city. It didn\u2019t take long, though, for NC State to feel like a small town that embraced me.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>When I came back in 2010 to lead our Alumni Association, the Wolfpack community felt familiar and warm all over again. That\u2019s because of alumni I got to work with and laugh alongside here. I think of the handshakes and smiles at tailgates at Carter-Finley. I value the chats with you at Alumni Association events. And I appreciate the passion of our alumni and student leaders that I saw take pride in NC State\u2019s homecoming weeks.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>I share that passion. It\u2019s the one thing I run on. And some of what kept that passion burning in me the last 12 years was meeting new alumni. I loved getting to hear about the cool work you were doing in areas like business, architecture, engineering, science, technology and education. And almost all of you were innovators, outside-the-box thinkers and leaders in your fields. As cool as some of your jobs were, what was even more impressive was hearing about what you were doing after hours and on weekends outside your jobs. To see your commitment to service in your local communities throughout the country and around the world has been inspiring, and it embodies the land-grant mission that defines the people\u2019s university. You\u2019re making a positive difference.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>That said, it\u2019s been an honor to stand alongside you and be part of your Pack. That\u2019s sincerely how I think about you all. When I was a young Naval Aviator setting out for one of my 12 extended deployments, my mother gave me a copy of Richard Bach\u2019s <em>Illusions<\/em>. And on its opening page, she inscribed a message referencing a passage in the book. It read, \u201cThe link that bonds one\u2019s true family is one of love, beauty, joy and respect in each other\u2019s lives.\u201d That\u2019s what NC State means to me\u2009\u2014\u2009family. Always wear the red and white proudly, and be sure to know, when I have it on, I\u2019m thinking of you all. I\u2019ll always be part of the Wolfpack family. So one last time: Let\u2019s go, Wolfpack!!<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Very respectfully,<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Benny Suggs \u201969<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Alumni Association Executive Director<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/div><a class=\"collapsible-more__interaction-cta collapsed\" href=\"#collapsible-more-0\" id=\"collapsible-more-heading-0\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" data-target=\"#collapsible-more-0\" aria-controls=\"collapsible-more-0\"><span class=\"collapsible-more__expansion-indicator\"><span class=\"ncst-plus-minus-toggle\"><\/span><\/span><span class=\"collapsible-more__text\">Expand to read more<\/span><span class=\"collapsible-more__text-collapse\">Collapse<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/collapsible-more --><\/div><\/div><\/aside>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/sandwich-narrative -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cI love Benny, and what a difference he has made for us Wolfpackers,\u201d says Perry Safran \u201971, past president of the Alumni Association and a current member of the Board of Trustees. \u201cBenny has one speed: Fast and fast, whether it is in the air, on the ground or with the Alumni Association. We are all better off because of Benny and his incredible service.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Woodson added that he will miss being introduced by Suggs. \u201cHe always called me the Alpha wolf,\u201d Woodson says. \u201cWe\u2019ll certainly miss his passion. No one has more NC State spirit than Benny Suggs.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->"},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Benny Suggs &#8217;69 to retire after over a decade of leading the Alumni Association.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":1370,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"views\/single-immersive.blade.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"source":"","ncst_custom_author":"","ncst_show_custom_author":false,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"ncst\/default-immersive-post-header","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"{\"showAuthor\":true,\"showDate\":true,\"showFeaturedVideo\":false,\"backgroundColor\":\"red_400\",\"subtitle\":\"Benny Suggs '69 to retire after over a decade of leading the Alumni Association.\",\"caption\":\"\"}","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[137,977],"_ncst_magazine_issue":[],"class_list":["post-4773","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-benny-suggs","tag-randy-woodson"],"displayCategory":null,"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4773"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/32"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4773"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4773\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5107,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4773\/revisions\/5107"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1370"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4773"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4773"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4773"},{"taxonomy":"_ncst_magazine_issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/_ncst_magazine_issue?post=4773"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}