Rosie Binkley

The Neil Binkley Memorial Scholarship Endowment was established in 2001 by Mrs. Rosie Binkley, the wife of Mr. Neil Binkley. Mike Synyard, a wonderful friend of Neil’s, was a catalyst for establishing the scholarship.

Neil was born in New York City but grew up in Wilmington, NC where he delivered newspapers and played Little League Baseball. As a boy, it was rumored that he had the fastest go-cart in the neighborhood. Neil played basketball and football in junior high school and football in high school. He was a member of the ROTC, several academic clubs, and the Key Club. During high school his work career consisted of busboy, then waiter, band member (drums and back-up singer), and lifeguard at Wrightsville Beach. Neil graduated from New Hanover High School in 1965.

When Neil decided to attend NC State, his brother-in-law, who was a millwright at Riegel Paper, suggested that Neil enter the Pulp and Paper School. This began Neil’s long, successful career within the paper industry. Neil graduated from NC State in 1969. His first job was with Champion Paper Company in Pasadena, TX. During this time Neil joined the Army National Guard and was a member of an Airborne Special Forces unit. He worked as a Process Engineer for Champion for about two years before joining Betz Laboratories, Inc. as a Sales Representative in 1971. Neil’s ability to build strong relationships enabled him to form lifelong friendships with his colleagues within the chemical industry and the paper industries he called on.

Neil and his family lived primarily in the southeast: Mobile, Alabama; Jacksonville, Florida; and Wilmington, North Carolina were some of the cities they called home. While in Wilmington, Neil helped recruit students for the Foundation’s Pulp and Paper Scholarships. Neil also spent a couple of years as a manager in Singapore. He thoroughly enjoyed learning a new culture.
Upon returning to the US he and his wife spent almost three years in Memphis, Tennessee where he handled corporate accounts. Neil preferred working in the field, so when the opportunity arose he took a position in Portland, Oregon managing the Northwest District in a part of the country where he had not lived. As he began to approach early retirement he knew Oregon would be too far from grown children and friends. He managed a transfer back to Wilmington, North Carolina, his hometown.

Neil’s career was filled with many successes and awards. He was honored to receive three Eagle Awards, the most coveted award given by his company, and many other awards for excellence in sales and management. The Chamber of Commerce in Wilmington named him Boss of the Year in 1992. He loved it all—especially the friends he made along the way.
Neil was an avid golfer and sportsman. In 1990, Neil was a marshal at the British Open in St. Andrews, Scotland. He particularly liked bird hunting—turkey, pheasant, quail, and ducks were his favorite. He loved to be in the woods with his dog, Laddie. Neil has three grown children who live and work in Raleigh. Two of them are also graduates of NC State. Neil was a member of the Pulp and Paper Foundation and the NC State Alumni Association.

On March 14, 2001, within a year of returning back home to Wilmington, Neil passed away at home surrounded by his wife and children after battling pancreatic cancer. Neil would have liked to be remembered for his absolute love of life—and the people he met along the way. He would be extremely honored that a scholarship has been endowed in his name.