North Carolina Fisheries Association Gets New President

Jul. 29–NEW BERN, N.C. — If there’s one thing that will always stand out in Jerry Schill’s mind about North Carolina, it’s the state motto: To be rather than to seem.

It describes a trait Schill said he saw in himself prior to moving to New Bern 21 years ago, but that only got stronger in his 18 years at the helm of the North Carolina Fisheries Association, a trade group touting commercial fishing.

“One thing that was underscored living here was to speak what was on your mind in a gentlemanly way and let the chips fall where they may,” Schill said. “Don’t just tell people what the want to hear.” And it is a lesson Schill said he plans to take with him to the next part of his life in Forrest County, Pa., where he and his wife, Pam, plan to run a dairy farm as a Christian vacation retreat.

Today is Schill’s last day as Fisheries Association president. The new executive director, Sean McKeon, has been on the job since June 1 and has been gradually taking over Schill’s duties since then.

Schill’s daughter, Amy Willis, who served as vice president of administration, has also moved to the western part of North Carolina, and MeKeon has hired Julie Mylander to keep the books.

Schill said that while he has not always believed that politicians in Raleigh have lived up to the state’s motto, he does believe it is one of the better state mottos in the nation.

And he plans to insist his guests at his retreat abide by it, too.

“If there’s negative comments directed toward people or religions that we don’t think are warranted, we’ll let them know,” Schill said.

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