A founding Board Member, President and lifetime Trustee of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, Nancy Susan Reynolds believed people should take risks, have the patience to make mistakes, learn from these experiences, and strengthen their resolve and skills for the benefit of North Carolina.

When Nancy Susan Reynolds, daughter of R.J. Reynolds and Katherine Smith Reynolds, died in 1985, the Foundation’s Trustees established the Nancy Susan Reynolds Awards for exemplary and often unrecognized leadership in North Carolina communities.

The Nancy Susan Reynolds Awards recognize the unsung heroes of North Carolina whose vision, determination, resourcefulness and strength of character have caused them to make a positive difference in the state.   Often, these contributions come at great personal and/or professional sacrifices, and this award seeks to honor those sacrifices in a small way.

Up to three awards are presented annually, one in each of the following categories: Advocacy, Personal Service, and Race Relations.  Selection of the award recipients is made by the Foundation’s State Advisory Panel based on nominations from individuals across the state. 

Each award is accompanied by a grant of $25,000, of which $5,000 is awarded to the recipient and $20,000 is distributed to tax-exempt, charitable, North Carolina organizations selected by the recipient. 

The awards are presented at a luncheon held each November in different locations around the state as determined by the Foundation.