State of the District Award Recipient Announced | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    Uptown Greenville Announces Annual Award Recipients:

    Public Project of the Year:

    What is the Award:

        •  Designed to recognize the excellence in management and administration of projects made possible by public dollars


    Why it was chosen:

        •  Selected for its impeccable design and contributions to multi-modal transportation options

    The Butterfield Transportation Center is a centrally located transfer facility where all local and regional transportation services can connect. The Greenville Area Transit system (GREAT bus system), Pitt Area Transit (PATS), ECU Transit, and Greyhound each utilize the facility for connections along with taxis and the Amtrak Connector. Airport, medical, and hotel shuttles could also locate there with future rail service also a possibility.

    People's Choice Award:

    WHAT IS IT: We have places that are near and dear to us. The People's Choice Awards recognizes new businesses in Uptown Greenville and engages the community in a popular vote to select the recipient

        •  In 2018 over 2,700 people voted for this business - the largest amount of votes in our history

    Located in the newly restored Coca-Cola bottling plant with eye-popping architectural detail such as original brick and tile, this business features fresh and local ingredients creating a true dining experience.

        •  Luna Pizza Café, Welcome Chef and Owner Richard Williams up to accept the award

    Richard is a former professor at ECU who left a tenured job to open the business in 2018.

        •  He went to Italy to become a Pizzailoio (official pizza maker) and studied at the Bivero Pizza Academy and worked in the kitchen at Pizzeria ZeroZero in Florence Italy. His efforts earned him the title Pizzaiolio

    Visionary Award:

    WHAT IS IT: Great cities are built by People. The creators of industries, makers of place. Visionaries - for what's next.

    WHY MICHAEL:

    Michael has made significant moves in Uptown Greenville in the last few years.

        •  First - he purchased and renovated a building to house his real estate firm in Uptown bringing over 24 jobs with him

        •  He's got a commitment to building and design standards that goes above and beyond the building code requirements

    He understands the value of historic preservation in the context of economic development

        •  He's got a vision for where we go from here, for this place we call home.

    A little about Michael:

        •  Michael, a native to Greenville and Eastern North Carolina, is the owner of The Overton Group, LLC.

        •  Michael earned a degree in Business Marketing from East Carolina University.

        •  Michael is an NC General Contractor and holds a broker's license in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.

    With the help of an incredible team, together they have built one of the area's largest commercial real estate firms with agents in Greenville, Fayetteville, and Wilmington.

        •  He is a CCIM designee and has completed additional real estate courses through ICSC University at the Wharton School of Business.

        •      Michael was formerly on East Carolina University Board of Visitors, Pitt Community College Board of Trustees, and Pitt County Committee of 100.

        •  Currently, he serves as chairman of the Greenville Planning Board and also serves on the board for the South East Regional Commercial Alliance which oversees the MLS for commercial agents in Eastern NC and also serves on the advisory committee for the Pitt County Economic Development Partnership

    Contact: Uptown Greenville
         info@uptowngreenville.com