Bob Eaves
{{short description|First Gentleman of North Carolina}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Bob Eaves
|image =
|order = First Gentleman of North Carolina
|term_label = In role
|governor = Bev Perdue
|term_start = January 10, 2009
|term_end = January 5, 2013
|predecessor = Mary P. Easley (as First Lady)
|successor = Ann McCrory (as First Lady)
|office1 = Second Gentleman of North Carolina
|lieutenant_governor1 = Bev Perdue
|governor1 = Mike Easley
|term_label1 = In role
|term_start1 = January 6, 2001
|term_end1 = January 10, 2009
|predecessor1 = Alisa O'Quinn Wicker (as Second Lady)
|successor1 = Lucille Dalton (as Second Lady)
|birth_name = Robert Wendell Eaves, Jr.
|birth_date =
|birth_place = Washington, D.C., U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Republican (until 1997)
Independent (1997-present)
|spouse = {{plainlist|
- {{marriage|Bev Perdue|October 2, 1997}}
}}
|children = 2
|education = University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| occupation = accountant
businessman
}}
Robert Wendell Eaves, Jr. is an American accountant and businessman. As the husband of Bev Perdue, he served as the Second Gentleman of North Carolina from 2001 to 2009 and as the First Gentleman of North Carolina from 2009 to 2013. Eaves's wife was the first female lieutenant governor and governor, making him the first second gentleman and first gentleman of the state.
As first gentleman, Eaves collaborated with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and the North Carolina Business Committee for Education to launch Students@Work, a program focused on raising North Carolina's graduation rate by providing students with workplace experiences. He also organized Carolina Helping Heroes, a program that connects volunteer organizations with military families in need of support.
Career
Eaves graduated with an accounting degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1958.{{cite web | url=https://www.meredith.edu/directory/robert-w-eaves-jr/ | title=Robert W. Eaves, Jr }} He moved to Atlanta, Georgia and worked as a Certified Public Accountant with Arthur Anderson & Co. After working as an accountant for three years, he began working in the retail gasoline and convenience store business. Eaves is the chief executive officer of The Right Stuff Food Stores.{{cite web | url=https://theorg.com/org/the-hunt-institute/org-chart/robert-eaves-jr | title=Robert Eaves, Jr. - Board Member at the Hunt Institute }} He was also an executive at Globe Oil, the parent company of the Starvin Marvin convenience store chain.
Eaves served as an officer in the United States Navy.
Public life
In 2001, upon his wife's election as the first woman Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina, he became the first Second Gentleman of North Carolina. When his wife was elected as the first woman Governor of North Carolina in 2009, he became the state's first First Gentleman.{{cite web | url=https://journalnow.com/perdues-husband-sure-that-he-doesnt-want-to-be-first-dude/article_ea0b3e8d-0e5b-5511-8a52-1b41b6ec275d.html | title=Perdue's husband sure that he doesn't want to be 'first dude' | date=26 December 2008 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.wral.com/news/local/politics/image/4282233/ | title=Beverly Perdue and husband Bob Eaves | date=9 January 2009 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.wfmynews2.com/article/news/local/beverly-perdue-sworn-in-as-first-female-governor/83-402723017 | title=Beverly Perdue Sworn in as First Female Governor | date=10 January 2009 }} Although Eaves's wife is a Democrat, he is registered as an Independent voter and was previously registered Republican. He accompanied his wife to her first State of the State address to the North Carolina General Assembly in March 2011.{{Cite web|url=https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2009/03/10/gov-perdue-says-hard-painful-decisions-ahead/30477386007/|title=Gov. Perdue says 'hard, painful decisions' ahead|first=GARY D. ROBERTSON Associated Press|last=Writer|website=Wilmington Star-News|access-date=2024-09-19|archive-date=2024-09-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240919162919/https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2009/03/10/gov-perdue-says-hard-painful-decisions-ahead/30477386007/|url-status=live}}
In March 2009, he accompanied his wife on an official tour of Western North Carolina.{{cite web | url=https://mountainx.com/news/031809buzz2/ | title=Local officials praise Perdue's WNC visit | date=18 March 2009 }} In December 2009, Eaves attended a kick-off ceremony for Homes for Our Troops.{{cite web | url=https://digital.ncdcr.gov/Documents/Detail/perdue-bev.-press-release-2009-12-03-first-gentleman-bob-eaves-to-attend-homes-for-our-troops-kick-off-ceremony/4574186 | title=Perdue, Bev. Press Release, 2009-12-03, First Gentleman Bob Eaves to Attend Homes for Our Troops Kick-Off Ceremony - North Carolina Digital Collections }}
In March 2010, he launched Carolina Helping Heroes, a program that connects volunteer organizations to military spouses who need support during their spouse's deployment.{{Cite web|url=http://savannah.newsargus.com/news/archives/2010/06/10/site_would_link_military_families_to_support_options/|title=Goldsboro News-Argus | News: Site would link military families to support options|website=savannah.newsargus.com|access-date=2024-09-19|archive-date=2024-09-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240919163343/http://savannah.newsargus.com/news/archives/2010/06/10/site_would_link_military_families_to_support_options/|url-status=live}}
On February 24, 2011, Eaves commemorated the thirtieth anniversary of the N.C. Jaycee Burn Center at UNC Medical Center with an official visit to the center, which opened on February 23, 1981.{{cite web|url= https://www.med.unc.edu/surgery/first-gentleman-eaves-visits-burn-center-on-30th-anniversary/|title= First Gentleman Eaves Visits Burn Center on 30th Anniversary|author= |date= February 25, 2011|website= UNC School of Medicine|publisher= University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|access-date= September 19, 2024|archive-date= August 19, 2024|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240819141839/https://www.med.unc.edu/surgery/first-gentleman-eaves-visits-burn-center-on-30th-anniversary/|url-status= live}} He was taken on a tour of the facilities by Bruce Cairns, the Burn Center Medical Director, Grace Schmits, the Burn Center nurse manager, and Anthony Meyer, the chairman of the UNC School of Medicine's Department of Surgery.
He hosted a reception at the North Carolina Executive Mansion on September 13, 2011 for the winners of the Best Dish in North Carolina competition.{{Cite web |url=https://www.commerce.nc.gov/sync-archive-09202011/open |title=Weekly Highlights from the North Carolina Department of Commerce |date=2011-09-20 |website=commerce.nc.gov}}
In July 2012, Eaves greeted over two dozen wounded veterans at the North Carolina State Capitol who were on the third leg of the 2012 North Carolina Warrior Ride.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wral.com/story/wounded-vets-bicycle-to-build-morale/11365332/|title=Wounded vets bicycle to build morale|date=July 27, 2012|website=WRAL.com}}
Eaves served on the boards of the Public School Forum of North Carolina, the James B. Hunt Institute for Educational Leadership, the University of North Carolina School of Education Foundation, and Meredith College. Eaves was also a member of the University of North Carolina's board of visitors and led fundraising efforts for a veterans memorial on campus.
= Educational initiative =
Eaves launched Students@Work, a program focused on raising North Carolina's graduation rate by providing middle school students opportunities to connect classroom learning with workplace experiences. He launched the program in New Bern in 2010, collaborating with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and the North Carolina Business Committee for Education. The program included over thirty companies across the state. On January 31, 2011, he visited the State Employees Credit Union Raleigh Centennial Parkway branch in Raleigh to launch the NC Business Committee for Education's Students@Work Week.{{cite web |url= https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-gentleman-bob-eaves-begins-studentswork-week-at-state-employees-credit-union-115755659.html|title= First Gentleman Bob Eaves Begins Students@Work Week at State Employees' Credit Union!|author= |date= February 10, 2011|website= PR Newswire|publisher= |access-date= September 19, 2024}} He spoke with a group of students from Centennial Middle School about the importance of education in relation to success in the workplace. Later that day, he spoke with students from Aycock Middle School at the State Employees Credit Union's branch on Summit Avenue in Greensboro. He spoke with students from West Millbrook Middle School at the State Employees’ Credit Union Stonehenge branch in Raleigh on February 28, 2012.{{cite web |url= https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120302005521/en/SECU-Welcomes-First-Gentleman-Bob-Eaves-During-StudentsWork-Week%21|title= SECU Welcomes First Gentleman Bob Eaves During Students@Work Week!|last= |first= |date= March 2, 2012|website= BusinessWire|publisher= Berkshire Hathaway|access-date= September 19, 2024}}
Personal life
Eaves was born in Washington, D.C.{{Cite web|url=https://htravis.weebly.com/in-the-news.html|title=In The News|website=Holly T}} His father, Robert Wendell Eaves Sr., was an elementary school principal and executive secretary of the Department of Elementary School Principals at the National Educational Association.
Eaves married Beverly Marlene Moore Perdue on October 2, 1997.{{cite web | url=https://www.ncpedia.org/perdue-beverly-eaves | title=Perdue, Beverly Eaves | NCpedia | access-date=2024-09-19 | archive-date=2024-07-18 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240718053309/https://www.ncpedia.org/perdue-beverly-eaves | url-status=live }} He is her second husband.{{Cite web|url=https://www.blueridgenow.com/story/news/2009/01/10/history-made-in-nc-with-1st-female-governor/28095227007/|title=History made in NC with 1st female governor|first=GARY D. ROBERTSON Associated Press|last=Writer|website=Hendersonville Times-News|access-date=2024-09-19|archive-date=2024-09-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240919162701/https://www.blueridgenow.com/story/news/2009/01/10/history-made-in-nc-with-1st-female-governor/28095227007/|url-status=live}} They own homes in Chapel Hill and New Bern. He and his wife owned a Tibetan terrier named Zipper while living in the North Carolina Executive Mansion.{{cite web | url=https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2013/02/08/zipper-former-first-dog-of-north-carolina-dies/30932131007/ | title=Zipper, former 'First Dog' of North Carolina, dies | access-date=2024-09-19 | archive-date=2024-09-19 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240919135820/https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2013/02/08/zipper-former-first-dog-of-north-carolina-dies/30932131007/ | url-status=live }}{{cite web | url=https://www.newbernsj.com/news/local/zipper-former-first-dog-of-north-carolina-dead-at-7/article_07c9e386-dbba-5473-8cc0-1b2d57f72b5f.html | title=Zipper, former 'first dog' of North Carolina, dead at 7½ | date=6 February 2013 | access-date=19 September 2024 | archive-date=19 September 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240919135820/https://www.newbernsj.com/news/local/zipper-former-first-dog-of-north-carolina-dead-at-7/article_07c9e386-dbba-5473-8cc0-1b2d57f72b5f.html | url-status=live }}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-hon}}
{{s-bef|before=Mary P. Easley (as First Lady)}}
{{s-ttl|title=First Gentleman of North Carolina|years=2009–2013}}
{{s-aft|after=Ann McCrory (as First Lady)}}
{{s-bef|before=Alisa O'Quinn Wicker (as Second Lady)}}
{{s-ttl|title=Second Gentleman of North Carolina|years=2001–2009}}
{{s-aft|after=Lucille Dalton (as Second Lady)}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eaves, Bob}}
Category:American chief executives
Category:Businesspeople from North Carolina
Category:First ladies and gentlemen of North Carolina
Category:Meredith College people
Category:North Carolina independents
Category:People from Washington, D.C.
Category:Second ladies and gentlemen of North Carolina
Category:Spouses of North Carolina politicians
Category:University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill alumni
Category:United States Navy officers