NC emergency management leader Mike Sprayberry retiring

Mike Sprayberry, who has helped lead North Carolina through storms and a pandemic, will retire this year.

The state public safety department announced Friday that Sprayberry would retire Aug. 1 after more than 42 years. He has been the executive director of the N.C. Division of Emergency Management since 2013 and also leads the N.C. Office of Recovery and Resiliency.

At briefings on the coronavirus pandemic, Sprayberry frequently appeared alongside Gov. Roy Cooper and Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen.

He was known repeating a similar reminder to viewers at each briefing. “As always, don’t forget to look out for your family, friends and neighbors,” Sprayberry said at one briefing, The News & Observer reported. “And call your loved ones daily. I guarantee you they’ll appreciate it. With kindness and cooperation, we’ll all get through this together as one team, one mission and one family.”

In a prepared statement included in the news release announcing his retirement, Sprayberry said: “This has been the most satisfying opportunity of my career. It has been an incredible honor to serve the people of North Carolina throughout the years facing many hazards and threats together, to include over a year of responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic. It’s now time to enter the next phase of my life with my family who has provided me with such great love and support.

“I have enjoyed working alongside outstanding professionals, including both the agencies I have had the privilege of leading as well as our local, state, federal, volunteer and private sector partners. They are responsible for our successes and I am so thankful for all of them. I am especially appreciative of our local county partners who have always been there for us. Our motto remains to always ask ourselves each day, “What have you done for the counties today?”

Sprayberry, a Charlotte native, served in the U.S. Marine Corps and the N.C. Army National Guard.

Cooper and Public Safety Secretary Erik Hooks both praised Sprayberry in the release, calling attention to the many disasters that have faced the state during his tenure.

“Mike Sprayberry has served our state with distinction, keeping North Carolinians safe through unprecedented natural disasters and a global pandemic,” Cooper said.

“Over the last four years we have faced major hurricanes, winter storms, earthquakes, and a global pandemic, yet Director Sprayberry has been steadfast in his passion for the people of North Carolina and his commitment to strong partnerships across all communities and levels of government,” Hooks said.

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