NEWS

Town Manager Jamie Justice (left) and Mayor Rusty Knox. (News of Davidson photo)

DAVIDSON, NC - Town of Davidson Town Manager Jamie Justice has been awarded The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the State of North Carolina’s highest honor granted by the Governor for extraordinary service to the state and its communities. The award was presented during Justice's retirement reception on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, by Mayor Rusty Knox on behalf of Governor Josh Stein.

Established in 1963, The Order of the Long Leaf Pine recognizes individuals for exemplary service to the State of North Carolina and their communities that is above and beyond the call of duty and which has made a significant impact and strengthened North Carolina. Recipients become honorary “Ambassadors” of the state and are recorded on the official Roster maintained by The Order of the Long Leaf Pine Society. The Society, considered North Carolina’s highest honorary organization, preserves the award's history and promotes its core ideals of leadership, service, and accomplishment.

After nearly three decades of service in local government, Town Manager Justice announced on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, that he is planning to retire on June 30, 2026.

The Order of the Long Leaf Pine. (News of Davidson photo)

Since November 2015, Justice has led the Town of Davidson with a focus on strong financial management and budget excellence, transparent communication, and active community engagement. He has also prioritized succession planning to ensure continuity and stability in town government.

During his tenure, Justice has demonstrated exceptional leadership, advancing the Town’s affordable housing initiatives while prioritizing employee retention, mobility and infrastructure improvements, historic preservation, sustainability, and overall quality of life. He guided the Town through several significant milestones, including the sale of Continuum (cable company), adoption of the 2020 Comprehensive Plan, voter approval of general obligation bonds for parks, greenways, and roadways, and the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. He also oversaw major civic investments, including the renovation of the historic Davidson School into the Davidson Town Hall & Community Center, improvements to the Russell B. Knox Public Safety Building, and the rehabilitation of the historic Davidson School Gymnasium. Most recently, he worked closely with regional partners to advance the legislation authorizing the 1-cent transportation sales tax, which was approved by the NC General Assembly and ultimately by voters.

Justice began his local government career in 1997 as Town Manager for the Town of Troy, NC. He then served as Town Manager in Mooresville and Assistant Town Manager in Matthews before coming to Davidson in November 2015. He has a B.A. in political science from Methodist University and a Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) in city/county management from Appalachian State University.

Editor's Note: click here to the watch the News of Davidson video of the retirement ceremony and presentation of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine.