The North Carolinian of 1953
Louis V. Sution. president of Caro¬
lina Power & Light Company, is
presented herewith as the North Caro¬
linian of 1953.
The committee of 12 judges, after
deliberating over a field of a score or
more nominations, selected Sutton for
his significant contributions to the so¬
lution of one of North Carolina's
greatest problems: The industrial and
commercial development of North
Carolina; and especially to that devel¬
opment in areas of greatest need.
His accomplishments included:
( 1 ) Acquiring a poorly equipped
and badly financed company (Tide
Water) and bringing an unlimited sup¬
ply of power, better service and lower
rates to an industry-deficient section of
southeastern North Carolina. Result
was a 30 per cent increase in consump¬
tion during the first full year of opera¬
tion after the merger.
(2) Building of CP&L's largest gen¬
erating plant near Wilmington, thus
boldly signalling to prospective indus¬
try the self-sufficiency of the area as re¬
gards electricity. This plant was part of
a program which in ten years is invest¬
ing $200,000,000 in the Carolinas, al¬
ready has doubled the productive
capacity of the company, and has kept
'r
available a reserve of power ready for
the industries sought for the territory.
(3) His company, in the face of in¬
flationary price increases, has held the
line on power rates, another factor in
some types of industrial expansion.
(4) He has directly and aggressively
participated, through his company's in¬
dustrial department, in the state's
promotion program, and has been re¬
sponsible for acquisition of several
plants.
(5) He launched a territory-wide
"Finer Carolina" program which has
stimulated community betterment, in¬
cluding industrial and commercial ex¬
pansion. civic improvements, and soil
and water conservation.
So much for the work of 1953 and
the years immediately prior to it. The
State agrees with the judges that few
individuals have done as much through
vision and courage to utilize their busi¬
ness for the good of the common¬
wealth.
But those who know Louis Sutton
also know that he had made other last¬
ing contributions. He took a small
utility out of the status of a holding-
company subsidiary and in five years
built it up into a great Carolina enter¬
prise. as indigenous in its operations
and attitudes as any company in this
state. In the doing, he demonstrated
that not only could an investor-owned
and privately managed utility ade¬
quately meet the power needs of a
state, but also that a great corporation
could be humanized, kept close to the
people, and be responsive to their as¬
pirations. Many other North Caro¬
linians have the enlightened view that
they will benefit through the general
economic good health of their neigh¬
bors. Louis Sutton long ago nailed this
motto in the pilot house of his ship:
"Our future is the future of the area
we serve."
THE STATE. Vol. XXI; No. JJ. Entered «econd-clai* manor, June I. 19JJ. *1 the
РоиоШее ас
Raleigh, North Carolina, under Uie act of
March J,
III».
Published by Sharpe PuMUhlng Co., Inc., Lawyer* Did*., Raleigh, N. C. Copyright, 1951, by the Sharpe PublUhlng Co., Inc.
