Hillsborough Street Awards

Every year at the Live It Up! Hillsborough Street Annual Meeting, the organization honors the people and organizations who have helped move the district forward with their commitment to excellence. These individuals exhibit the best in customer service, performance, and lifetime commitment to the success of the Hillsborough Street Community.

Hero Award 
The Hillsborough Street Hero Award recognizes a person or organization, who has made a major contribution to the overall success of the Hillsborough Street Community.

Lifetime Achievement Award
The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes a business or organization within the Hillsborough Street District that has been established for a minimum of 10 years, contributes to the vitality of the District, demonstrates quality customer service, and goes above and beyond the duties of the establishment to promote the advancement of the District. 

NC State Employee of the Year
The NC State Employee of the Year Award is one given in gratitude for a person's exemplary leadership within NC State University and their continued efforts to make Hillsborough Street a distinct destination in Raleigh. 

Government Employee of the Year
The City Employee of the Year Award recognizes a city employee or team that shows leadership within the City and partners with the Hillsborough Street District to continue make it a Raleigh destination. 

Ambassador of the Year
The Clean and Safe Ambassador of the Year Award recognizes the Ambassador that has shown outstanding performance on and off the street. The recipient of this award has shown an eagerness to perform his duties, demonstrated a consistent high level of customer service, and takes initiative in keeping Hillsborough Street clean and safe.

Merchant Design Award
The Merchant Design Award recognizes a district merchant for their attractive business design and enhancement of the visitor experience. 

2025 Annual Meeting Award Recipients

Greg Brown - Hero Award
Owner, Sam & Bill's Hair Design

Greg moved to Raleigh in 1980 to attend NC State University, where he majored in Business Administration and Economics. After graduating, he worked for a start-up in the Research Triangle Park, providing services to companies like Nortel, IBM, and Cisco.

In 2003, Greg and his wife Sandy purchased Sam & Bill’s Hair Salon, a beloved establishment on Hillsborough Street since 1968. Together, they have successfully operated the salon, cherishing the opportunity to serve and engage with their local community.

Greg has been actively involved in community service, serving as the Community Gifts Chairperson for the YMCA’s We Build People program and as Board Chairperson for the Hillsborough Street Community Service Corporation.

Greg and Sandy are proud parents of three wonderful daughters: Carly, Elaina, and Gracyn.

Mahadev Prasad (College Beverage) - Lifetime Achievement Award
Owner/Operator, College Beverage & The Bliss Cafe

College Beverage I has called Hillsborough Street home since 1999. Owned and operated by Mahadev Prasad, they have been a staple of the Raleigh experience for a quarter of the century. They are known for their variety of local, craft, import and domestic beers, including keg rentals, but also offer a variety of fine wines, seltzers and more.

Mindy Sopher - NC State Employee of the Year
Assistant Professor, NC State

Mindy Sopher has been a dedicated advisor and mentor to students in Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and at NC State University in Raleigh, where she currently teaches Public Speaking, Interpersonal Communication, Nonprofit Leadership and Development, and advises communication majors. Despite her many honors, Mindy still dreams of coaching an elementary school girls’ basketball team named the Sopher Gophers.

Over her career, Mindy has received numerous accolades, including being named Outstanding Faculty in the Communication Department four times, the Association of Fraternity Advisors Distinguished Service Award, and the Robert H. Shaffer Lifetime Achievement Award. Her COM 466 Nonprofit Leadership & Development class has helped raise over $10.5 million and contributed 50,000 volunteer hours to local nonprofits. Her Kappa Delta Sorority established a graduate scholarship in her name, and she was recognized as the National Greek Advisor of the Year by Sigma Nu Fraternity. Other honors include the College of Humanities and Social Sciences Community Impact Award, "The Order of the Long Leaf Pine" from Governor Beverly Perdue, and having November 20 declared “Mindy Sopher Day” in Raleigh by Mayor Charles Meeker.

In her personal life, Mindy enjoys raising English Bulldogs, gardening, therapeutic coloring, and learning new things. A cancer survivor five times over, she hopes to complete her doctorate in Agricultural Extension and Leadership Education with a focus on Youth Leadership at NC State before retiring in July after 27 years of service.

Her roles at NC State included inaugural Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life, Academic Advisor for first-year and changing-major students, Faculty Academic Advisor in Residence, and adjunct faculty at Meredith and Peace Colleges.

Paul Kallam - Government Employee of the Year
Assistant Director of Transportation, City of Raleigh

Paul Kallam is currently an Assistant Director of Transportation leading the Infrastructure Services Division, which includes Mobility, Strategy and Infrastructure, Parking, and Traffic Engineering. Paul has worked in a variety of roles since joining the City of Raleigh in 2000 as a project engineer overseeing infrastructure improvements in private development projects. He’s served as Development Services Managers and has served as an Assistant Director for the past 6 years.

“I am excited to lead Raleigh Transportation into the future. We face several challenges serving our growing community, and Raleigh Transportation will continue to meet those challenges. Our team will continue to be great innovators and collaborators, and will continue to elevate safety, multi-modal transportation, and transit innovation for our community.”

In her personal life, Mindy enjoys raising English Bulldogs, gardening, therapeutic coloring, and learning new things. A cancer survivor five times over, she hopes to complete her doctorate in Agricultural Extension and Leadership Education with a focus on Youth Leadership at NC State before retiring in July after 27 years of service.

Her roles at NC State included inaugural Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life, Academic Advisor for first-year and changing-major students, Faculty Academic Advisor in Residence, and adjunct faculty at Meredith and Peace Colleges.In her personal life, Mindy enjoys raising English Bulldogs, gardening, therapeutic coloring, and learning new things. A cancer survivor five times over, she hopes to complete her doctorate in Agricultural Extension and Leadership Education with a focus on Youth Leadership at NC State before retiring in July after 27 years of service.

Her roles at NC State included inaugural Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life, Academic Advisor for first-year and changing-major students, Faculty Academic Advisor in Residence, and adjunct faculty at Meredith and Peace Colleges.Mr. Kallam holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from North Carolina State University. He also served 21 years in the US Navy Reserves, retiring with the rank of Lieutenant Commander, and was the 2019 awardee of the Downtown Raleigh Alliance’s Downtown Advocate Award.

Ricardo Kearney - Ambassador of the Year

Ricardo has been a crucial member of the Clean & Safe Ambassador team for several years. He has played an integral role in keeping our district clean of trash and debris, as well as assisting people navigate the area. He also seems to be the one around when someone needs a wallet retrieved or a car restarted, always there to lend a helping hand to our guests. His smiling face and positive attitude are just two of the many reasons he is an invaluable asset to the Hillsborough Street community.