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. 

2026 Annual Meeting Award Recipients

Nawwaf Said (Jasmin & Olivz) - Lifetime Achievement Award
Accepted by Yousef Said

Jasmin & Olivz Mediterranean is a family-owned fast-casual restaurant founded in 2005 in Raleigh, North Carolina by Nawwaf Said and Bayan Said. Rooted in Greek and Lebanese traditions, the brand was built on a passion for sharing authentic Mediterranean cuisine through time-honored family recipes.

What began as a single neighborhood restaurant near NC State University has grown into a multi-location concept across the Triangle, known for its bold flavors, scratch-made dishes, and commitment to quality.

Stevie Kimmet - NC State Employee of the Year
Pack Essentials Program Director, NC State

Stevie joined NC State in 2019, starting as a doctoral student in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. While working on her degree, she has conducted research, taught in her department, and worked in the Office of Outreach and Engagement. She served as the graduate assistant with Pack Essentials, starting in January of 2023 before becoming the inaugural Program Director in 2024.

Before relocating to Raleigh, Stevie earned a Master's in Social Work from the University of Washington and a B.A. in Sociology and Politics from Willamette University. Throughout her career, she has built experience across numerous impact-related fields such as adolescent mental health, school social work, interpersonal violence, and environmental policy.

Her current professional and research interests center around the advancement of educational opportunity and inclusion/belonging. When she's off the clock, Stevie loves to play bridge (yes, the old-timey card game) and walk with her posse of pups.

Mark Weldon - Government Employee of the Year
Small Business Development Manager, City of Raleigh

Mark Weldon leads the Small Business Development Division for the City of Raleigh, delivering new resources and tools for entrepreneurs and the storefront businesses that are the heart and soul of Raleigh. Mark has devoted the last 2 decades of his career to serving Raleigh’s small business community. He has private sector small business experience, along with non-profit work in small business promotion, advocacy, and service. After joining the City of Raleigh a little more than 6 years ago, Mark has been able to influence economic development policy, build a team, launch several small business initiatives, and work closely with community organizations like Hillsborough Street and West Raleigh.

Mark has been around long enough to remember the challenges of the Hillsborough Street district back before it was even a district. So much growth and so many infrastructure improvements have been built since then. It’s hard to imagine all of that happening without the ongoing collaboration between the City and the Hillsborough Street team, working closely with the surrounding community.

Mark is looking forward to the next chapter for both Hillsborough Street and West Raleigh.

For more information about the City’s tools and resources, please visit RaleighNC.gov, and search for “small business”.

Adam Zimmermann - Ambassador of the Year

Adam has been with the Hillsborough Street Clean & Safe Team for 12 years, helping build the program into the stellar force it is today. He leads a team of four ambassadors and manages all components of the program.