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

UNC student reflects on overcoming two bouts of cancer
Days away from his 25th birthday, Derrin Mallory is set to mark another major milestone this year. 2025 marks ten years since he first heard...
Sun Jan 11, 2026

Educator, Historian and UNC Statistician Freddie Kiger Inducted Into Order of Longleaf Pine
A Chapel Hill institution and longtime community contributor was recent recognized with the highest civilian honor in North Carolina. Members of the East Chapel Hill...
Sat Jan 10, 2026

90-year-old Triad neurosurgeon ‘finally’ earns UNC undergraduate degree
Dr. David L. Kelly Jr. says this moment is a dream come true. “I’m finally getting my undergraduate degree because I lacked one course by...
Tue Jan 6, 2026

UNC School of Pharmacy retains No. 1 ranking for external research funding
The UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy has retained its No. 1 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy ranking for external research funding among U.S. schools...
Mon Jan 5, 2026