Two Western North Carolina residents were among those recognized with 2026 Governor’s NCWorks Awards of Distinction for their contributions to workforce development.
Blayne Hemphill of Morganton and Josh McKinney of Hickory were honored Oct. 14-15 during the 39th annual NCWorks Partnership Conference in Greensboro.
Hemphill received the Outstanding Adult Award, while McKinney received the Bill Ragland Award for Outstanding Private Sector Workforce Development Board Member.
Hemphill first enrolled in workforce training services through NCWorks in fall 2022 and entered the Interpreter Education Program at Western Piedmont Community College.
While balancing school, employment, motherhood, care for her brother with special needs, and volunteer work, Hemphill graduated from WPCC with an associate degree, a 4.0 GPA, and honors distinction.
She learned American Sign Language, earned Braille certification, and became a certified support service provider for DeafBlind individuals. She also is proficient in ProTactile communication, a tactile language used within the DeafBlind community.
Hemphill has since started a business providing navigation and support services for DeafBlind individuals, including assistance with medical appointments, daily living tasks, travel, and community activities.
“Blayne’s journey is a powerful example of what determination, purpose, and community support can make possible. Since enrolling in NCWorks services in 2022, she has shown an unwavering commitment to her education and future—balancing coursework, employment, motherhood, caregiving, and volunteerism with remarkable strength,” said Charity Patterson-Hamber, director of the Western Piedmont Workforce Development Board.
McKinney, vice president at Peoples Bank, has served on the Western Piedmont Workforce Development Board for 15 years, including five years as chairman.
His work with the board has included strengthening relationships with employers, recruiting and mentoring board members, and helping shape regional strategies involving training priorities, hiring needs, economic development, and workforce pipelines.
”Josh McKinney has been an exceptional advocate for our regional workforce system. His dedication to recruiting and mentoring future board members has been a major asset to the Western Piedmont Workforce Development Board, helping ensure we have the leadership to drive our initiatives forward. His ability to build partnerships and his commitment to investing in people has had a real and tangible impact throughout the region,” Patterson-Hamber said.
Western Piedmont Council of Governments Executive Director Anthony W. Starr also credited McKinney’s work with strengthening regional workforce partnerships.
”Josh McKinney’s dedication to the strengthening of our regional workforce system has been absolutely invaluable. His commitment to partnership and collaboration continues to raise the bar on the work we do across the region,” Starr said.
The Western Piedmont Workforce Development Board, housed within the Western Piedmont Council of Governments, oversees workforce training and employment programs in the region and provides coordination and guidance to local NCWorks Career Centers.
The Governor’s NCWorks Awards of Distinction recognize individuals, employers, workforce organizations, and partnerships involved in workforce development across North Carolina. This year’s awards included five individual honorees as well as recognition for an apprenticeship initiative, a manufacturer, and a sector partnership.
ABOUT WPCOG
The Western Piedmont Council of Governments (WPCOG) is a voluntary association of local governments serving Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, and Catawba Counties, and the 24 municipalities within those counties. Organized in 1968, WPCOG is one of 16 regional councils in North Carolina formed under state law.
For more than five decades, WPCOG has been a stable and reliable regional partner, providing long‑range planning, service delivery, and technical assistance across a wide range of local, regional, state, and federal programs. Its mission is to provide professional, cost-effective support to all member governments and deliver excellent regional program administration.
— AKC
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