Gov. Perdue hasn’t announced appointment, but Charlotte conservationist says he’s been tapped.
James W. Cogdell said he has been named by Gov. Beverly Perdue as the last of the new members to join the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.
Cogdell, a 70-year-old multi-millionaire and former founder and chairman of the board of the medical-office real estate investment firm Cogdell Spencer Inc. of Charlotte, said he was appointed in July. His appointment hasn’t been announced officially by the governor’s office.
Cogdell is expected to take his oath of office Aug. 25 to serve for the next six years as wildlife commissioner for District 6, which includes nine counties in the south-central piedmont, including Mecklenburg.
Asheville’s Martin Lewis, formerly a four-year at-large appointee of Perdue, was given a six-year extension as District 9 commissioner. Perdue didn’t announce Lewis’ appointment, but he was chosen vice-chairman by the commissioners at their July 7 meeting.
The governor did announce the re-appointment of Wes Seegars of Goldsboro as District 3 commissioner. He will serve another six years.
Senate leader Phil Berger’s appointments to two-year terms included Wendell Murphy Jr. of Duplin County (already on the Commission) and first-time commissioners Thomas Berry of Guilford County, Mark Craig of Guilford County and Doc Thurston of Mecklenburg County.
Speaker of the House Thom Tillis appointed John Litton Clark of Sampson County, John Coley of Wake County, Durwood Laughinghouse of Wake County and Mitch St. Clair of Beaufort County. Coley is the only new commissioner of the four.
Cogdell replaces former commissioner Randy Allen of Charlotte who resigned. Allen was caught up in a scandal with his brother, Gary, also a former commissioner, in an investigation of former Gov. Mike Easley that eventually resulted in the former governor being found guilty of committing a felony.
Part of the investigation focused on political cash donations and other considerations given to the governor and other politicians in exchange for being named to the Commission.
Cogdell, who said he’d been nominated in the past and not chosen, insisted he didn’t give money to Perdue in exchange for a seat on the Commission.
“I made no contributions to anyone, none whatsoever, and I made no promises,” he said. “I don’t play that game. I went through an ethics investigation (before being named a commissioner), and they asked me that question five different ways and I always had the same answer.”
However, Cogdell, who is a registered independent voter, said he was not sure how others were appointed.
“I don’t know if (other commissioners) is tied to (donations),” he said. “I talked to Nat Harris (District 5 commissioner), and we talked about that. In the business side of the world, people do fund-raisers (for politicians) … everybody gives dollars to all these individuals.”
A 2010 investigation by the Charlotte Observer revealed that 18 of 19 commissioners had made donations to the political campaigns of Easley, Perdue, the Speaker of the House and Senate Pro Tempore.
Cogdell has hands-on wildlife experience, working to improve the habitat of Stanly County’s Fork Farm, where he lives near Norwood. He manages his land for quality whitetail deer, upland game birds and waterfowl. He also is heavily involved in hosting youth hunting and fishing experiences and outdoor training along with world-class equestrian events.
Cogdell also is proud that Fork Farm serves as a training facility for local high school shooting teams.
“South Stanly (High School) trains here, and two years ago won the national championship,” Cogdell said. “Park Ridge and Graystone also train here.”
Cogdell said he has worked with the Commssion in “saving a gameland” in Bladen and Cumberland counties. He recently aided the North Carolina Wildlife Federation fund-raiser.
“My passions are children’s outdoor education and wildlife management and the use of open space for those activities,” he said. “I like what wildlife brings to children’s education because it gets them out of the living room and away from the TV and computers.”
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