Nc outdoors hall of fame

Bob Barnhill is Chairman of the Board of Barnhill Contracting Company (“Barnhill”), headquartered in Rocky Mount, NC and one of the Southeast’s leading contractors. Bob was named President of the company in 1987, then Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer in 2000 until 2010 when his son, Rob, succeeded him. Bob has continued to provide a firm vision and legacy for the company. 

Bob is honored to have been recognized with the following awards: North Carolina Industrial Development Association’s Volunteer of the Year (1988), Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of Year (1993) Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s Living and Giving Award (2015), Champion for Children Award by the Boys & Girls Club of Nash/Edgecombe Counties (2015), North Carolina Business Hall of Fame Inductee (2015), Triangle Business Journal CEO of the Year (2016), Boy Scouts of America Distinguished Citizen Award – Tar River District (2017), Order of the Long Leaf Pine Award (2018), Lee Greenwood Patriot Award of the Helping Hero Awards (2021).

He served on the Wildlife Resource Commission in the late 80’s and early 90’s and two of those years he served as their chairman. As an avid hunter, he sponsors an annual dove hunt on his farm in Edgecombe County for the past 40 years, encouraging invited guests to have their children attend alongside them. He also hosts an annual youth duck hunt for children of employees as well as community youth. At both hunts, local NC Wildlife officers are invited to present on safety and hunting regulations and the skeet range is opened for teaching and practice. Through Barnhill’s children and grandchildren, as well as children in the community, there are many youth hunting and fishing each year. It’s rewarding to teach the next generation what it means to enjoy, fully experience, appreciate and be safe in the world of the outdoors. Mr. Barnhill is proud to be a part of that.

Richard Childress has grown Richard Childress Racing from a one-man team in 1969 into of the most-respected organizations in NASCAR. The Welcome, N.C., team has nearly 400 employees supporting full-time operations in the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series plus other special projects outside motorsports.  

Childress has more than 200 victories in NASCAR’s three national series, 16 championships, three Daytona 500 wins and three victories in the Brickyard 400. Six of RCR’s Cup championships were earned with Childress’ best friend, Dale Earnhardt, over a dominating eight-year span (1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993 and 1994).

Away from the track, Childress’ efforts as a conservationist were recognized by the Dallas Safari Club in 2023 when he was named recipient of the Peter Hathaway Capstick Hunting Heritage Award for the promotion of responsible hunting and wildlife conservation. Capstick stepped away from a successful Wall Street career to become a professional hunter and author. 

Childress enjoys spending his free time outdoors and has been an avid hunter and fisherman since he was a child. Having traveled to many parts of the world, he became an activist for the conservation of our natural resources. He is Chairman of the Board of the Congressional Sportsmen Foundation. Childress also supports the Boone & Crocket Club as well as non-government organizations like Ducks Unlimited, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the National Wild Turkey Federation. He is the former second vice president of the National Rifle Association. In 2021, Childress became the recipient of the National Wild Turkey Federation’s Lynn Boykin Hunting Heritage Award for his example, effort and support in preserving our rich hunting heritage.

Eddie Smith is the Owner, Chairman and CEO of Grady-White Boats, the premiere builder of outboard powered sport fishing boats, located in Greenville, NC.  He has held this position since 1968 when he purchased the company.

Some of his numerous industry and charitable affiliations include:  past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Marine Manufacturers Association and is in the National Marine Manufacturers Association’s Hall of Fame; past board member of the Recreation Roundtable; past board member of the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council; past board member of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation.  He is also a past member of the Board of Trustees of the International Game Fish Association; past board member of the Sport Fishing Institute; past president of the Shooters’ Council, Grand National Waterfowl Hunt.  Mr. Smith is also a past area Chairman of Ducks Unlimited.  He has been inducted into the NC Business Hall of Fame; was the first recipient of the American Sportfishing Association Lifetime Achievement Award; named the 1998 Ernst & Young Carolinas Master Entrepreneur of the Year; recipient of the NC Wildlife Resources Commission’s Lawrence G. Diedrick Small Game Award, the Billfish Foundation Rybovich Lifetime Conservation Award, and the NC Wildlife Federation Governor’s Sportsman of the Year award.

Mr. Smith is a lifelong hunter and angler and enjoys using his shooting pavilion at his farm to teach youth gun safety, shooting sports, and hunting opportunities.  Through his Eddie and Jo Allison Smith Family Foundation he has made significant investments, especially in eastern North Carolina, in preserving and increasing public hunting opportunities, protecting the rights of hunters and anglers, and vast fishing conservation efforts.