Massey Awards for UNC Employees to Increase in Numbers, Dollars

One of the largest and most prestigious awards for UNC employees will become more valuable in 2004, the 25th anniversary of the honor’s creation.

Thanks to growth in the endowment, the C. Knox Massey Distinguished Service Awards for “unusual, meritorious or superior contribution” to the University will increase to $6,000 from $5,000 and the number of annual recipients will grow to six from four. Winners will be announced in April.

The award fund was started in 1980 by Durham advertising executive C. Knox Massey ’25. Massey founded his ad agency in 1930 and was considered one of the state’s advertising pioneers. Throughout his career, he donated time and resources to his alma mater. In 1941, he established a scholarship fund at the University. He served as a trustee for 25 years and, after his retirement in 1964, was a volunteer fund raiser in the Office of University Development.

In 1980, he created the C. Knox Massey Distinguished Service Awards for University employees, and in 1984, he joined the families of his son, Knox Massey Jr. ’59 and daughter, Kay Massey Weatherspoon in creating the Massey-Weatherspoon Fund. Income from this fund supports the Massey Awards as well as Carolina Seminars, which promote interdisciplinary thought, study, discussion and intellectual interchange on a variety of topics.

Chancellor James Moeser proposed the increases, which are made possible by growth of the $2 million endowment funding the awards.

To celebrate the silver anniversary of the Massey Distinguished Service Awards, past Massey Award recipients will be invited to join the 2004 winners at the annual recognition luncheon set to take place in April.