Kannapolis Mayor Darrell Hinnant and Council Members Doug Wilson and Dianne Berry were sworn-in, to serve new terms on the Kannapolis City Council, and Jeanne Dixon was sworn in to serve her first term on the council during the Kannapolis City Council meeting Monday, December 13.
This is Mayor Darrell Hinnant’s third term serving as Mayor. He earned a BA and MAT in Chemistry from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and an Executive Management Certification from Duke University. He served as executive director of a state agency commission that addressed environmental concerns. Mayor Hinnant was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina’s highest public service award by Governor James Martin.
During his professional career, Mayor Hinnant has held executive positions in several national companies including Rollins Environmental Services, SouthEastern Labs, Radiator Specialty Co., and Executive Director NC Hazard Waste Commission in Raleigh. He also taught wastewater treatment operator classes for the State of North Carolina.
Mayor Hinnant is active in many community groups and teaches a weekly Sunday School class. When he is not serving the community, he enjoys time with his wife, Mary, his two children and seven grandchildren.
Council Member Dianne Berry is beginning her third term of office. A native of Kannapolis she is a graduate of King’s College. She recently retired from the Cabarrus Health Alliance after serving in public health roles for over 20 years including working in human resources and as the clerk to the board. During her professional career she was also employed for over 20 years with the Trull Clinic of Chiropractic, the N.C. Chiropractic Board of Examiners, and Kannapolis City Schools.
She is active in the Kannapolis Rotary Club, currently serving as a board member and Programs Chair. She also serves on the Cabarrus County Jury Commission and the CK Rider Transit Commission. She is currently an independent N.C. Medicare Insurance Producer.
She and her husband, Cecil Berry, Jr. have two sons.
Jeanne Dixon is the first African American female to serve on the Kannapolis City Council. For 30 years she worked for the Cabarrus County Department of Social Services before retiring. After retiring she decided to return to work and served as the Guardian ad Litem District Administrator for Cabarrus and Rowan Counties.
She hold a B.S. in organizational management from Barber-Scotia College and is a lifetime member of Price Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church where is she is active as the Director of Christian Education, the missionary society and choir.
For 25 years she has been a member of Sister in Partnership, a breast health community group through the Cabarrus Health Alliance. She serves as second vice president of the Cabarrus County Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Other organizations she has served include: Chair of the Annual Auction for CVAN, Concord Rotary Club, Community Free Clinic Board, Cooperative Christian Ministry Board, Cabarrus Head Start Policy Council Board, Rowan County Board of Elections Democratic Judge, Rowan Cabarrus Community College Board of Trustees, Cabarrus Partnership for Children Board, and the Cabarrus Free Clinic.
In Kannapolis she has served on the Planning and Zoning Board, the Diversity Newcomers Commission and graduated from the Kannapolis 101 and Kannapolis Police Citizens Academy.
Mrs. Dixon has received many honors for her work including the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the Delta Sigma Theta Citizen of the Year, Omega Psi Phi Citizen of the Year, the Vivian Duncan Christian Educator Award, and the NAACP Outstanding Year of Service Award.
She is married to Thomas and they have a daughter and two granddaughters.
This is also the third term for Council Member Wilson. A native of Kannapolis, he has served as a volunteer with the Cabarrus County Special Olympics, Meals on Wheels, Cannon YMCA Board of Managers and Youth Sports Advisory Board, and as a Youth Coach at the Cannon YMCA. He was the head women’s coach at A.L. Brown, Kannapolis Middle School and Concord First Assembly. He was the founder and club director of the Kannapolis Komet Girls Travel Basketball Club. He was awarded the South Piedmont Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year.
He has served on the City of Kannapolis Parks and Recreation Commission. He is president of the A.L. Brown Booster Club, a member of the Kannapolis Rotary Club, where he is a Paul Harris Fellow; a member of Trinity United Methodist Church where he is on the church board, the Sunday School president and teacher. A charter member of the Kannapolis Kiwanis Club, he is the current president elect.
He is also a recipient of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine. He and his wife, Cathy, have two daughters and three grandchildren.
Superior Court Judge Martin McGee administered the oath of office for Mayor Hinnant and Council Members Berry and Wilson. Attorney Vernon Russell, a family friend of Mrs. Dixon, administered the oath of office to her.
Council Member Ryan Dayvault will serve as Mayor Pro-Tem. Dayvault is a native of Kannapolis and works on the N.C. Research Campus. He is the Facility & Property Manager at UNC - NRI. He graduated from Catawba College with a B.A. in Political Science. He is married to Traci.
During the meeting outgoing Council Member Van Rowell was recognized for his service to the City Council. He served one four-year term on the council.
A U.S. Army veteran, he worked as a corporate engineer for Fieldcrest Mills, for over 20 years in the water/wastewater operations and environmental areas for the firm. He also worked as the branch manager for Dewberry and Davis Civil Engineering, the Water & Sewer Authority of Cabarrus County (WSACC) and was a small business owner.
His public service has included serving on the NC Hazardous Waste Technical Advisory Committee, Chair of the Rockingham County NC Health Department Board, City of Kannapolis Storm Water Utility Advisory Committee, and a WSACC Board Member.
He has two daughters, and four grandchildren.