Bert Bennett, UNC alum and political power broker who helped shape NC’s moderate reputation, dies

Posted Jul 18, 2018
Bert L. Bennett Jr., who for 40 years was North Carolina’s most important Democratic Party power broker helping shape the state’s reputation for moderation, died Monday at age 97 in Pfafftown. Bennett, a Winston-Salem businessman, used his extensive statewide network to elevate Democrats Terry Sanford and Jim Hunt to the governor’s office. (Raleigh News & Observer)

Related: Campus Connections

To UNC's Freshmen — Trust Your Gut
You may or may not know your major. You may or may not stick with your original choice of study. A freshman at Stanford joined...
Sun Aug 23, 2026

These UNC summer camps bring the wow
Oooohs from kids crouching eye-to-eye with a praying mantis or studying salamanders in a creek. Aaaahs of children holding a space rock or trying to...
Sat Aug 22, 2026

Tar Heels in the know give Dublin tips
Dr. Sinéad Loughran spent four years away from her native Dublin to attend UNC and play field hockey. Senior Wilson Weingast spent a semester studying...
Fri Aug 21, 2026

UNC Football's Trip to Ireland 'Much More Than a Game'
UNC Football kicks off its season in Dublin, Ireland, playing Texas Christian University on Aug. 29 in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. But the...
Wed Aug 19, 2026