SJS News

Ben Mayo Boddie Sr., (Class of 1949) was inducted posthumously into the Charles A. Cannon Free Enterprise Hall of Fame in a ceremony at his family’s historic home, Rose Hill Estate, in Nashville, N.C. on May 16.

The Free Enterprise Hall of Fame was established in 2001 to recognize the accomplishments of a select group of American leaders who directly impacted our country through their free enterprise efforts. This is a significant honor as there are only 16 members. Other inductees include textile magnate Charles A. Cannon, department store founder William Henry Belk, retailer John William Pope, clothing manufacturer E.A. Morris, and Ruddick Corp. co-founder Alan Dickson.

What an honor it was for my brothers and me when we learned that our father had been chosen to be a member of the Cannon Free Enterprise Hall of Fame,” said Bill Boddie, chairman and CEO of Boddie-Noell Enterprises. “He would have never expected to be included among the other great Americans who have been inducted.”

Mayo and his brother Nick, and their uncle, Carleton Noell, co-founded Boddie-Noell Enterprises, Inc. in Rocky Mount, N.C. in 1962. Starting with four Hardee’s franchises, the company now operates nearly 330 restaurants in four states in the southeast along with BNE Land Development and other ventures, making it one of the county’s largest privately-held food services companies.

Under Mayo’s leadership Hardee’s developed made-from-scratch biscuits, was the first to offer drive-through service, operate 24-hour restaurants, and develop hand-breaded chicken tenders.

After serving many years as President and CEO of Boddie-Noell, Mayo served as Chairman of the Board for the last 25 years of his life. In business, Mayo enjoyed taking a calculated risk and took pleasure in seeing his endeavors flourish and learning lessons from those that didn’t. Nothing pleased him more than seeing others grow, prosper, and succeed. The motto he chose for BNE was “We Believe In People.”

Mayo graduated from Rocky Mount Senior High School as a member of the Class of 1948, did a post graduate year at Saint James School and then attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He married his high school sweetheart, Jean Carolyn Cockrell, in 1950. The couple was married 69 years until Mayo’s death on March 31, 2020.

“I met Mayo and Jean Boddie very early in my time here. Mayo had decided to do a post-grad year here with his best friend, Jimmy Thorp ‘49, and the two of them were very devoted to Saint James and to Dave and Betty Barr as they both played football,” said Father Dunnan. “He was tremendously helpful to me when I was a young headmaster. I would stop to see Mayo and Jean whenever I was in North Carolina, and he always gave very good advice.”

Mayo was a generous philanthropist and was always seeking the betterment of his community and causes important to him, including Boy Scouts of America.

Mayo and Jean were avid supporters of Saint James, making one of the first gifts in the Make A Difference Campaign. They contributed to the basketball gym, to be named in memory of Dave and Betty Barr.

"He was a truly remarkable man who built a tremendous business himself and was a wonderful citizen of the state of North Carolina and a civic leader in Rocky Mount,” said Father Dunnan. “He remained incredibly loyal to the School, and I am very grateful to him and to Jean for the great gift of our friendship."