This is the third installment of a series chronicling the political activities of members of the UNC-system Board of Governors.
G. Leroy Lail
Positions on the Board: Lail is vice chairman of the University Governance Committee. Lail was recently announced as campus liaison for UNC-Chapel Hill, UNC School of the Arts and Winston Salem State University.
Connection to the System: Lail received his B.S. in Business Administration from UNC-CH in 1961.
Term: 2011-2015
Political Activity: Among his political donations in 2012, Lail gave $2,000 to Gov. Pat McCrory and $275 to Lt. Gov. Dan Forest. including $300 to Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry. He also donated to many races for the N.C. General Assembly, including $2,400 to N.C House Speaker Thom Tillis, R-Mecklenburg, $2,000 to Senate President Pro Tempore Sen. Phil Berger, R-Guilford, $950 to Sen. Tamara Barringer, R-Wake, $500 to Rep. Paul Stam, R-Wake, $200 to Rep. Andy Wells, R-Catawba, $100 to Rep. Mark Hollo, R-Alexander, $100 to Rep. Tom Murry, R-Wake, and $250 to Rep. David Lewis, R-Harnett. Lail has also given to Democrats, including $100 to N.C. Sen. Gladys Robinson, D-Guilford, and also gave $100 Linda McGee’s campaign for the N.C. Appelate Court.
John Fennebresque
Positions on the Board: Fennebresque is chairman of the Personnel and Tenure Committee.
Connection to the System: Fennebresque received a B.A. from UNC-CH in 1970.
Term: 2011-2015
Political Activity: In 2012, Fennebresque donated to Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s political action committee, Romney Victory Inc. He also donated $500 to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker to beat back a recall. In North Carolina, Fennebresque donated $8,000 each to Republicans Gov. Pat McCrory, Senate President Pro Tempore Sen. Phil Berger, R-Guilford, Sen. Bob Rucho, R-Mecklenburg, and N.C. House Speaker Thom Tillis, R-Mecklenburg, Rep. Ruth Samuelson, R-Mecklenburg, as well as State Treasurer Janet Cowell, a Democrat. He also donated to Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, $4,500 to Rep. Rob Bryan, R-Mecklenburg. He also donated $500 to Democratic gubernatorial candidate former Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton and $2,000 to Democratic State Auditor Beth Wood as well as $500 to Sam Ervin IV’s campaign for the N.C. Supreme Court.
Thomas Harrelson
Positions on the Board: Harrelson sits on the Audit Committee and is secretary of the University Governance Committee.
Connection to the System: Harrelson received his A.B in economics from UNC-CH.
Term: 2011-2015
Political Activity: Harrelson is the former secretary of the N.C. Department of Transportation under former Gov. Jim Martin and a former representative in the N.C. General Assembly. In 2012, Harrelson donated $1,000 to the N.C. Republican Party, and listed his profession as “lobbyist.” In 2010, he donated to Sen. Bill Rabon, R-Bladen.
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