Many Faces of Raleigh North Carolina's capital city area is chock-full of notable personalities that transform this southern landscape into a dramatic epicenter of creativity. Tony Avent, Owner, Plant Delights Nursery at Juniper Level Botanic Garden Nationally-known horticulturist Tony Avent's plant expeditions take him near and far, in search of unusual, garden-worthy perennials to nurture in his five-acre Juniper Level Botanic Garden near Raleigh. The garden serves as a display area for visitors, a propagation area for his retail nursery, and a research garden to evaluate plants adaptability to the Southeastern climate. Through his research and breeding programs, Avent, who specializes in hostas, has yielded such introductions as Hosta "Elvis Lives" and Hosta "White Wall Tire." Dr. Betsy Bennett, Director, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Education activist, nature lover and museum director, Betsy Bennett spent her first 10 years at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences imagining a brand-new facility where children would enter and say, "Wow!" In April 2000, her wish came true! Since the grand opening of the new $70 million complex, the Southeast's largest natural history museum has awed millions of visitors with its rare Acrocanthosaurus, three-story waterfall, and live animals. From her days growing up canoeing on the Little River, combined with her experience as a science teacher and genuine passion for the outdoors, Dr. Bennett's vision for the new museum brings opportunities to appreciate North Carolina's vast natural treasures. Grant Llewellyn, Conductor, North Carolina Symphony By all accounts, Grant Llewellyn's energy is as unlimited as it is infectious. The Welshman was tapped in early 2004 to lead the North Carolina Symphony after a nearly three-year search that brought 11 candidates. The Symphony staff and musicians see Llewellyn as the artistic leader who will make a national name for the orchestra, and inspire increased donations and ticket sales. The vision is to add 20 musicians to the 64-member orchestra, raise the budget from $9 million to $12 million over the next five years and take full advantage of a new concert hall considered among the country's finest. Llewellyn, the father of four children, will keep his permanent address in Wales and, like many modern conductors who juggle more than one job, continue his work for the Handel and Haydn Society, a prestigious period orchestral and choral group in Boston. Dr. and Mrs. E.B. Palmer, Co-Founders, African American Cultural Complex On a three-acre backyard plot in Raleigh lies the answer to this question: what do a bottle of peanut oil, an eggbeater, a fire extinguisher and an ice cream cone all have in common? Answer: all the objects were invented by African Americans or include important components invented by African Americans. These are among the items on display in the "Palmer Collection" at the African American Cultural Complex. Dr. E.B. Palmer and his wife Juanita, both former educators who lamented the lack of African American history taught in schools, have devoted their retirement to collecting and displaying items created by African Americans. The nonprofit complex hosts visitors for free tours, and showcases a moving annual summer performance titled, "The Amistad Saga: Reflections." It is the only outdoor drama written, produced and performed by and about African-Americans in the U.S. The Palmers have plans that include a replica of the slave ship Amistad in the future. Ray Price, Owner, Ray Price Harley-Davidson Approaching his mid-60s, you may expect Ray Price to be contemplating retirement. Instead, he can still be seen going from zero to 200 mph in less than seven seconds on a 650-horsepower Harley-Davidson drag racing machine. Between races, Price has watched his Raleigh dealership transform from 30,000 sq. ft. to a glitzy $3 million facility of 85,000 sq. ft.—with enough space to show and service hundreds of bikes. The ground floor contains an expansive showroom with dozens of shiny motorcycles on display, alongside countless racks of accessories and clothing bearing the Harley logo. Price's racing team is headquartered at the state-of-the-art service area that is connected to the showroom. The second floor boasts the Legends of Harley Davison Drag Racing Museum, with bikes and leathers worn by racing heroes, including Price, an inductee of the National Motorcycle Hall of Fame. Raymond Rodgers, Owner, Chef Rameaux's School of Cooking & Louisiana Market In the midst of a career crisis as a university communications professor, Raymond Rodgers received a major inheritance. The Ph.D. Louisiana native decided to combine his two passions—cooking and teaching—and used his inheritance to move to Raleigh and start a cajun-themed market and cooking school. Today, Rodgers, a.k.a. "Chef Rameaux," occupies a renovated store in downtown Raleigh where he spreads the word about the "holy trinity" of Louisiana cooking (onions, celery, bell pepper) and sells such staples as crawfish, red beans and andouille sausage. Gordon Smith, Co-Founder, Exploris In the cornfields of India in the late 1960s, an idea was born that today opens children's eyes to the diverse cultures of the world and shapes the growth of downtown Raleigh. Why not build a children's museum that would encourage young people to respect differences, appreciate similarities and make connections with people around the world? The vision belongs to Gordon Smith III, whose work in the Peace Corps helped establish his view that Americans have little appreciation of other cultures. The museum is Exploris, opened in downtown Raleigh in October 1999 after Smith devoted years to selling the concept and directing an arduous public and private fundraising campaign to cover the $40.2 million price tag. From a long line of family of leaders: his great-grandfather, Gov. Charles Brantley Aycock, is known as North Carolina's education governor; and his grandfather, Clarence Poe, was the longtime editor of The Progressive Farmer magazine. Smith's influence, with Exploris, its IMAX Theatre and an affiliated middle school, are making history as well. Dr. Larry Wheeler, Director, North Carolina Museum of Art When Larry Wheeler was named "2000 Tar Heel of the Year" by The News & Observer, he was credited as being "the godfather of the Triangle's cultural boom." Maybe it was the way he pulled together a blockbuster Rodin exhibition that set all-time attendance records at the museum. Maybe it was the way he deftly returned one of the museum's prized paintings after it was found to have been confiscated by Nazis (in appreciation, the heirs sold the painting back to the museum at half of its appraised value). But likely it's because he continually strives to achieve more, and he pushes until he gets what he wants. Now Wheeler has a bold vision for an entirely new art museum, built from scratch on a 165-acre campus that will feature bike trails, art installations, walking paths and the existing museum's outdoor amphitheater, linking the campus to a new performing arts center that's planned. Sounds unrealistic? Larry Wheeler doesn't think so. Robert Weiss, Artistic Director, Carolina Ballet It may have seemed like an impossible mission, but Robert Weiss started a successful professional ballet company from scratch in Raleigh in less than two years. Weiss, a ballet veteran who danced for 16 years with choreographer George Balanchine and was artistic director of the Pennsylvania Ballet in Philadelphia, took a leap of faith when he moved from New York to Raleigh. He spent the first 18 months on the job leading fundraising efforts and community awareness initiatives before a single dancer was hired. By its inaugural season in 1998-99, Carolina Ballet sold 2,600 subscriptions and raised $1.2 million. The company made its debut with 21 dancers, recruited by Weiss from major cities and drawn to the opportunity to be part of the creation of a new company. Seven seasons later, Carolina Ballet now has 30 dancers, an elegant new home in Raleigh's expanded performing arts complex, strong ticket sales and is considered one of the Southeast's premier ballet companies. Ed Watkins, Owner, Big Ed's City Market Restaurant As farmland turns to suburb and downtown Raleigh bustles with sushi, wine bars and bistros, Big Ed's City Market Restaurant is an oasis of southern cooking among the trendy and the froufrou that characterize downtown Raleigh's restaurant renaissance. Proprietor "Big Ed" Watkins is decidedly un-froufrou, dressed in his daily attire of a red-checked gingham shirt and denim overalls as he patrols the crowd to make sure everyone leaves sufficiently stuffed. Having spent decades in the restaurant business, Watkins knows the recipe for success: his menu changes daily and features eight fresh meats and 12 fresh vegetables from the farmers market; and he uses ancestral recipes to create authentic traditional Southern staples like hot cakes (made from a pound cake recipe!), biscuits, chicken and dumplings, collard greens and country cured ham. If Watkins isn't available to offer a firsthand story about his rural heritage, the restaurant itself provides a healthy dose of Americana, with Big Ed's own collection of antique farm implements, baskets, tin signs and other nostalgia items on display. Ira David Wood III, Founder and Executive Director,
Theatre in the Park To offer an original twist to the familiar story of "A Christmas Carol" might be considered an accomplishment itself. But to write, direct and star in 30 annual productions—each one unique with timely humor and clever dialogue—is a distinction that belongs to Raleigh actor, director and playwright Ira David Wood III. Starring as Scrooge, Wood's production has been seen by more than one million people internationally, including descendants of Dickens himself. Many are repeat customers, because each year's performance is different, with Wood's improvised one-liners that leave the cast and audience in stitches. A native North Carolinian, Wood founded Raleigh's Theatre in the Park in 1972.
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