Sharecropper's Wisdom

General JR Gorham's passion for leadership began as a small child. Like most young leaders, he believed that leadership was all about him. Thankfully, he had Daddy-sharecropper Roy Gorham-who set him straight. Armed with the hard-earned character traits of humility, respect, service, faith, hope, endurance, and compassion-JR's peers and superiors consistently chose him to lead. At the age of 14, this freshman won the election to serve as vice-president of the Farmville High School. From that year forward, he stayed involved in student government. Then, at the age of 18, he joined the United States Army and later the North Carolina National Guard. Fast-forwarding, by the age of 55, JR Gorham was the first black officer to be commissioned as Brigadier General of the North Carolina National Guard. Simultaneously, he excelled in the banking industry and was ultimately promoted to vice-president of First Citizens Bank in Kernersville. Currently, General JR Gorham serves as Director of Special Projects in the N.C. Department of Public Safety. JR earned a bachelor's degree from East Carolina University, married his college sweetheart Barbara Jean Battle, and became Daddy to Tony, Jamie, and Joshua. He holds a master's degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College. His extraordinary wealth of personal experience and education, coupled with his warm, Southern charm, makes JR a favorite motivational and leadership speaker with young people and business leaders.