Mack McLamb of Carlie C’s Receives 2026 Luther T. Moore Excellence in Government Relations Award

RALEIGH, NC (November 5, 2026) – Last week, the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association honored Mack McLamb of Carlie C’s with the 2026 Luther T. Moore Excellence in Government Relations Award, recognizing years of advocacy on behalf of the state’s retailers.

McLamb has worked at Carlie C’s for 57 years. His parents, Carlie C. and Joyce McLamb, opened a small country store in Johnston County in 1961 which would be the beginning of a strong regional chain. The company had 14 stores when his father died in 2015 and has grown to 33 locations under McLamb’s leadership.

“Mack goes all in to advocate for North Carolina grocers and retailers, and he moves the needle when he does,” said NCRMA President Andy Ellen.

In 2021, McLamb met with the ABC Commission, shared his story with legislators in the receiving area of his store and served as a lead plaintiff in litigation over split-case fees, which wine wholesalers charged retailers that did not buy an entire case. The retailers prevailed in Wake County Superior Court.

This past year, McLamb worked to maintain funding for SNAP beneficiaries, a lifeline for independent grocers and the rural communities Carlie C’s serves. He hosted meetings at his corporate headquarters, met with legislators virtually, and welcomed lawmakers into his stores. He also explained how limiting the items SNAP benefits can buy would affect retailers.

In addition, Carlie C’s was recently named IGA’s U.S. Retailer of the Year during that organization’s 100th anniversary celebration in Atlanta.

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About the award: Created in 2017, the Luther T. Moore Award honors an individual who goes above and beyond to support NCRMA’s advocacy efforts. The award is named in honor of longtime NCRMA member, board member, and past chairman Luther Moore who spent 44 years working at Belk Store Services.

About the organization: The North Carolina Retail Merchants Association is a well-respected, highly effective, non-profit association representing retail business interests in North Carolina for 125 years. NCRMA serves both small, independent retailers and large, chain retailers to ensure North Carolina is one of the best places to do business.