Robert B. Jordan

{{Short description|American politician (1932–2020)}}

{{more citations needed|date=May 2017}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|image=Robert B. Jordan.jpg

|order=29th

|office=Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina

|term_start=January 5, 1985

|term_end=January 7, 1989

|governor=James G. Martin

|predecessor=James C. Green

|successor=Jim Gardner

|state_senate2=North Carolina

|district2=17th

|term_start2=January 1, 1977

|term_end2=January 1, 1985

|predecessor2=Mary Odom

|successor2=J. Richard Conder

|birth_date={{birth date|1932|10|11}}

|birth_place=Mount Gilead, North Carolina

|death_date={{death date and age|2020|02|16|1932|10|11}}

|death_place=Mount Gilead, North Carolina

|resting_place=

|birthname= Robert Byrd Jordan III

|nationality=American

|party=Democratic

|residence=

|profession=

|alma_mater=North Carolina State University (BS)

|spouse=Sarah Cole

|children=

|allegiance={{flag|United States}}

|branch={{army|United States}}

|serviceyears=1954–1956

}}

Robert Byrd Jordan III (October 11, 1932{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gUsIAQAAMAAJ&q=%22Robert+B.+Jordan+III%22+AND+%221932%22|title=The National Conference of Lieutenant Governors ... Biographical Sketches and Portraits|first=National Conference of Lieutenant Governors|last=(U.S.)|date=19 June 1987|publisher=National Conference of Lieutenant Governors|via=Google Books}} – February 16, 2020) was an American politician who served as the 29th Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina for one term (1985–1989) under Governor James G. Martin and who unsuccessfully ran for Governor of North Carolina in 1988.

Jordan, a native of Mount Gilead, North Carolina, graduated from North Carolina State University in 1954 with honors in forestry.{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/northcarolinaman1977nort/page/316/mode/2up|title = North Carolina manual [serial]}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ncsu.edu/facilities/buildings/jordan.html|title=Jordan Hall|website=www.ncsu.edu}} Prior to being elected lieutenant governor, Jordan ran his family's lumber company and served in the North Carolina Senate as a Democrat from 1976 to 1984.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}

In 1984, he defeated state House Speaker Carl J. Stewart, Jr. in a hard-fought Democratic primary, then defeated Republican John H. Carrington in the general election to become North Carolina's 29th lieutenant governor. He easily won the 1988 gubernatorial nomination but lost the general election to incumbent James G. Martin.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}

An advocate of education, Jordan has served on the North Carolina Board of Education, the state Board of Community Colleges, and the University of North Carolina System Board of Governors. On May 20, 2009, Jordan was elected chairman of the Trustees of North Carolina State University to serve the remaining term of McQueen Campbell, who resigned in conjunction with the investigation of Mike Easley.{{citation needed|date=May 2017}}

Jordan Hall at North Carolina State University was named after his family.

Jordan died on February 16, 2020, at his home in Mount Gilead, North Carolina.{{cite web| url = https://www.wral.com/ex-north-carolina-lt-gov-bob-jordan-dies-at-87/18956133/| title = Former Lt. Gov. Bob Jordan dies at 87| date = February 16, 2020| website = WRAL-TV| publisher = Capitol Broadcasting Corporation| access-date = February 16, 2020}}