The NC Chamber’s Annual Leadership Dinner & Awards recognizes exceptional leaders and achievements in North Carolina’s business community. Recipients of the Distinguished Citizenship and Distinguished Public Service Awards are honored for their lasting contributions to our state and communities.
Lynn J. Good
Distinguished Citizenship Award
The NC Chamber Distinguished Citizenship Award recognizes a private-sector leader who embodies an approach to citizenship that is distinctly North Carolinian — one marked by humility, generosity, hard work, and a deep commitment to community. Lynn Good’s leadership at Duke Energy reflected those qualities throughout a transformative period for one of the nation’s largest energy companies. She retired in April 2025 after serving as chair and chief executive officer, where she led the company’s efforts to meet rapidly growing energy demand and position North Carolina for long-term growth and competitiveness.
Paul J. Cozza
Distinguished Public Service Award
The NC Chamber Distinguished Public Service Award honors an individual whose service in the public sector has brought meaningful and lasting change to the state and reflects a lifelong commitment to serving others. A graduate of the United States Military Academy, Cozza built an accomplished career in global logistics before joining the North Carolina State Ports Authority as executive director in April 2014. Over six years of Cozza’s leadership, container volumes through the Port of Wilmington increased 25 percent, and general cargo across the ports of Wilmington and Morehead City climbed 58 percent, strengthening the state’s competitiveness and connecting North Carolina to global markets.