Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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OCTOBER 28 - NOVEMBER 3, 2015 UCW 9 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Jean Stultz has been a pillar in the Fayetteville community for years. As the president and chief executive officer of Bragg Mutual Credit Union she gave a personal caring touch to an increasingly impersonal business. For her, the work at the credit union was much more than spreadsheets and account numbers, it was about helping real people make the best decisions for their future. She has done this work for over 40 years with a welcoming smile on her face. After so many years of tireless service, Stultz has decided to retire and enjoy some time with her family. "I am going to do a little traveling and probably spend some more time in Charlotte with my daughter and granddaughter there," she said. Stultz started working at Bragg Mutual Credit Union when it had only three employees. When the manager retired, she jumped at the opportunity becoming the President/CEO in 1980. Under her leadership, the credit union has grown tremendously — despite the added challenge of breaking into a male-dominated industry. In an age where women business leaders were hard to find, Stultz stood up to a system designed for good ole boys and climbed the corporate ladder, beating many of them to the top. Stultz attributes her success to her work ethic. "When it comes to being successful, you do a good job — and you become noticed when you are doing a good job. If you are honest with yourself and honest with people you are working with, it helps you get ahead, too," she said. While breaking through the glass ceiling Stultz also kept her priorities in line having a tremendous positive influence through community service. With a heart for the community, and love for people, it was just natural for her to reach out to the causes she holds dear. And she brought her passion for helping people and making change to every corner of the community. Her magnanimous personality and incredible drive make Stultz a boon to any organization. She's served on countless boards, organized events and supported many causes over the years. Some of the organizations she is most passionate about are the Professional Women of Fayetteville, the Cumberland County Business Network, which she helped found and the Association of the United States Army. Despite her decision to retire, she has no intention of slowing down. "I intend to stay on some of the boards I am serving on because I enjoy that and I look forward to continuing my activity in the community as much as possible," she explained. Perhaps one of the most important lessons to take away from Stultz's fantastic career and admirable contributions to the community is the importance of passion in every day life. Looking at her list of accomplishments, it seems impossible that a single person could do so much for the community, but when fueled by passion it all hardly seems like work, "You must love what you are doing. You are being unfair to yourself if you aren't doing what you love, said Stultz. I love the Credit Union and I love people. I had the opportunity to meet all kinds of people from all walks of life and I loved that. And I got to help people and I loved that, too." Jean Stultz plays such an important role in the communit y. Through her tireless work both at the credit union and in her various positions in communit y organizations she has positively touched the lives of many. It is exciting to see her transition into her next adventure and to speculate about the next great impact she will make. She shows no signs of slowing down, "I have enjoyed every phase of my career from working at the Credit Union to working with the communit y and I am looking forward to retirement but don't intend to stop doing things in communit y," Stultz said. And while no one would blame her af ter every thing she has given, why would we want her to? Stultz is the epitome of the very best in this communit y. Celebrating Four Decades of Success by ERINN CRIDER ERINN CRIDER, Staff Writer. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomin- gweekly.com. 910.484.6200. Cape Fear Regional Theatre's second production in the 2015-2016 season, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, is an adaptation of the well-known movie starring Spencer Tracy, Sidney Poitier and Katharine Hepburn. Set in the late 1960s, a young, white Joanna Drayton (played by Lauren Mae Shafer) brings home her beau, successful, charming and black Dr. John Prentice (played by Dwain A. Perry). Personal beliefs are tested as the play pits long-held family values against a changing culture. CFRT's Artistic Director Tom Quaintance is always looking for ways to engage the community in meaningful conversation. Last season's The Bluest Eye boldly shone a light on race and the many perspectives and cultural differences that communities, families and neighbors often grapple with. Director Kanisha Foster did such a great job with that production that Quaintance brought her back to direct Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. Foster brings a keen understanding of racial differences to the table. "My dad is black and my mom is white," said Foster. "When my dad met my grandmother, she had never seen a black person before. So this is my family's story. As an artist, so much of what I do is telling multicultural stories in an honest way." In a production with so much complexity, getting the right cast was important. With no shortage of talent in the Fayetteville theatre community, Foster is beyond pleased with the group dynamic and where the play is headed. Casting Perry in the role of Dr. John Prentice was an easy call. Foster worked with him before and knew he would be great for the part. "He is smart tenderhearted and can hold his own ground. We are thrilled to have him," she said. "It is a bit of a difficult part to cast. There are so many overlapping parts of the personality of this character. It is not just a love story. The character lost his wife and child eight years ago and was set on never loving again. It is hard to find someone who can do that role successfully but Dwain is perfect for it." Lauren Mae Shafer plays the part of Joanna Drayton. Shafer is new to Fayetteville and is quickly finding a home onstage at CFRT. The connection between Joanna's and her mother Christina Drayton (played by Raleigh native Linda Clark) is palpable and brings just the right intensity to the story. "Lauren and Lynda are perfect in these roles," said Foster. "That is one of my favorite things to watch in the show — their connection." Steven Minow is cast as Matt Drayton. James Dean plays the part of Monsignor Ryan with Ricardo Morgan as John Prentice Sr. Michelle Walker is Mary Prentice. Matilda Banks plays Sharon McNair and Libby Seymour is Hilary St. George. Backed by a solid cast, Foster is excited to tell this story and hopefully spark meaningful conversation about a topic that is just as relevant today as it was in the 1960s. To Foster this is not a play about horrible people who don't accept a man into their home. It is more about two families who love their children and really want the best for them and are living in a world where they haven't experienced anything like this before. "To me it is about change and how it happens," said Foster. "And how people love their children. It is also about first times — first times meeting people and first times having experiences." Guess Who's Coming to Dinner opens Oct. 29 and runs through Nov. 15. Information and tickets are available at http://www. cfrt.org. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner Opens at CFRT by STEPHANIE CRIDER STEPHANIE CRIDER, Editor. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomin- gweekly.com. 910.484.6200. Lauren Mae Shafer and Dwain Perry as Joanna Drayton and Dr. John Prentice in Cape Fear Regional Theatre's Guess Who's Coming to Dinner.