The NC Chamber will honor two distinguished North Carolina leaders at its 84th Annual Leadership Dinner and Awards Celebration, recognizing their exceptional leadership, service, and contributions to the state. 

Lynn J. Good, former chair and chief executive officer of Duke Energy, will receive the NC Chamber Distinguished Citizenship Award. Paul J. Cozza, former executive director of the North Carolina State Ports Authority, will receive the NC Chamber Distinguished Public Service Award. 

 

Each year, the NC Chamber presents these awards to individuals whose leadership reflects an extraordinary commitment to strengthening North Carolina’s communities, economy, and future. 

“These awards recognize leaders whose careers have made a lasting impact on North Carolina,” said Gary J. Salamido, president and CEO of the NC Chamber. “Lynn Good and Paul Cozza have each demonstrated the kind of vision, service, and leadership that strengthen our state’s communities and competitiveness, and we are proud to honor them.” 

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. 

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. 

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.  

Read more about the 2026 award recipients here.

The NC Chamber’s Annual Leadership Dinner and Awards Celebration brings together business leaders from across the state to recognize outstanding leadership and celebrate the collective successes of North Carolina’s vibrant business community.