Sandy McClamroch
Sandy McClamroch has spent his life serving the community he grew up in as both a political and business leader. The native son matriculated at UNC, majoring in business administration, and began his career as a building supplies salesman. But he didn’t like leaving his hometown and his growing family, so he founded WCHL in 1952 before the station was even on the air. He oversaw the Village Broadcasting Company’s growth and expansion from a single station into a national sports network, print media publisher, and cable
television provider. McClamroch made a key hire, bringing a young broadcaster named Jim Heavner to the station in 1961, and eventually selling him a stake in the business. Heavner made a name for himself and the station and is now a member of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro
Business Hall of Fame and the North Carolina Halls of Fame for Journalism, Advertising and Public Relations.
McClamroch helped other enterprises grow, too. He was president of the Merchants Association and was instrumental in starting the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, which he also led. His leadership created fertile ground for the eastward and northward expansions of the commercial sector from the central business district to Eastgate, Village Plaza, University Mall and Weaver Dairy
Road. Devoted to his hometown, McClamroch was deeply involved in local politics. He began a two-year term on the planning board in 1957 and was elected to the Town Council in 1959. In 1961, he mounted a successful campaign for mayor, serving four consecutive terms. McClamroch was instrumental in bringing town and gown together, eventually brokering an arrangement for the University to shoulder
some of the cost of public safety and emergency services, depending on the size of the student body. McClamroch lent his planning and
political expertise to two innovative projects. He served on the Research Triangle Regional Planning Commission, which did long-range land-use and infrastructure planning. Closer to home, he helped found the Carol Woods retirement community, which earned a national Pathways to Greatness award recognizing high-quality aging services organizations.
For his role in growing the local economy and his public service, we proudly induct Sandy McClamroch into the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Business Hall of Fame.
television provider. McClamroch made a key hire, bringing a young broadcaster named Jim Heavner to the station in 1961, and eventually selling him a stake in the business. Heavner made a name for himself and the station and is now a member of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro
Business Hall of Fame and the North Carolina Halls of Fame for Journalism, Advertising and Public Relations.
McClamroch helped other enterprises grow, too. He was president of the Merchants Association and was instrumental in starting the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, which he also led. His leadership created fertile ground for the eastward and northward expansions of the commercial sector from the central business district to Eastgate, Village Plaza, University Mall and Weaver Dairy
Road. Devoted to his hometown, McClamroch was deeply involved in local politics. He began a two-year term on the planning board in 1957 and was elected to the Town Council in 1959. In 1961, he mounted a successful campaign for mayor, serving four consecutive terms. McClamroch was instrumental in bringing town and gown together, eventually brokering an arrangement for the University to shoulder
some of the cost of public safety and emergency services, depending on the size of the student body. McClamroch lent his planning and
political expertise to two innovative projects. He served on the Research Triangle Regional Planning Commission, which did long-range land-use and infrastructure planning. Closer to home, he helped found the Carol Woods retirement community, which earned a national Pathways to Greatness award recognizing high-quality aging services organizations.
For his role in growing the local economy and his public service, we proudly induct Sandy McClamroch into the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Business Hall of Fame.