If her name sounds familiar, there’s a reason for that. Catherine Ezzell Joyner serves as executive vice president at Ezzell Trucking, Inc., the family business which has become synonymous with Sampson County.
Ezzell Trucking has a long-lasting relationship with Sampson Community College that goes back several years. From providing scholarships and equipment to SCC to hiring drivers that have graduated from the college, Ezzell Trucking has always been a major supporter of Sampson Community College. It is no surprise that Joyner now proudly serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for the college.
“One of the things I love about Sampson County is its citizens’ commitment to making the county a great place to live,” she says. “It is a strong community whose members work together to overcome obstacles through their involvement in their churches, civic groups, and non-profit organizations.”
Ezzell Trucking was founded almost 70 years ago by Joyner’s grandfather, James Ezzell. He first got into trucking when he was pursuing a reliable trucker to haul his turkeys to the market; when he found none, he decided to do it himself. Once his neighbors saw what he was doing, they asked him to take their turkeys as well.
Over the years, Ezzell Trucking has hauled live turkeys, refrigerated, dry van, and bulk commodities, both regionally and cross-country. Today, it focuses specifically on wood residuals: chips, bark, shavings, and wood pellets. They service the forestry industry in the Carolinas and Virginia, and their customers include International Paper, Weyerhaeuser, Georgia Pacific, and Enviva. It is only natural that the company partners with SCC to benefit students and employees.
“The success Sampson Community College has had in recent years is due to the passion its staff and faculty have for making SCC’s vision of Begin Here, Go Anywhere! a reality for its students,” adds Joyner. “My family has been a part of this county for many years, and we are a strong advocate for the school, especially the occupational training programs. A few weeks ago, we found an old newspaper article of the founding of the school, then known as the Sampson Technical Institute, and to our surprise, my grandfather was pictured at the table.”
Joyner has held various positions within the company but also various positions within the banking industry as well to include community development compliance officer, compliance analyst and associate internal auditor.
She received her bachelor’s degree from UNC’s Business School and her master’s degree from Wake Forest, however she says it was her roots in Sampson County that brought her back to serve.
“I grew up in Sampson County, and moved back to Clinton in my late 20s to work in my family’s business. I am honored I can continue to assist in helping SCC in their mission of providing the community with an invaluable education in all fields.”