Ruffin and Nicole Prince of Belhaven have been selected as the Cooperative Council of North Carolina’s Outstanding Couple of the Year for 2012-2013.
They were selected from among four North Carolina couples attending the council’s annual Cooperative Leadership Conference at Pawley’s Island, S.C.
The conference, hosted by North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia cooperative councils, was attended by 25 couples, all members of cooperatives in their states. Sessions were led by a knowledgeable and impressive faculty of cooperative leaders discussing the importance of cooperatives as they pertain to each state and the individuals’ role in the future leadership of their organizations. Couples attending also enjoy networking with new people, and are able to enjoy free time to relax and visit the beach and surrounding area.
The Princes, sponsored by TriCounty Telecom, live in Belhaven where he is a farmer and owner of Ruffin Prince Farms, farming more than 6,000 acres of land, and where she is a cosmetologist at Shear Elegance Salon & Spa. He is a past president of the Young Farmers & Ranchers Beaufort County Chapter, and the Princes served on the North Carolina Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee.
The Princes are devoted to their cooperative memberships and heavily support the agriculture community in North Carolina. The couple holds memberships with several cooperatives, including Tideland Electric Membership Corp., Cotton Growers Co-op and their sponsor, TriCounty Telecom. The Princes will attend the 2013 Cooperative Leadership Conference to help lead activities and host the new group of participating couples.