Greensboro, High Point, Guilford County, North Carolina
Phone: (336) 273-1415 | Toll free fax: (866) 903-1301 | Email: vaughanlaw@aol.com

  
 

  • About Don Vaughan
  • Don's Resumé

Don’s life in Greensboro and North Carolina


Lindley Junior High - 1963

Don was born in 1952 at St. Leo’s Hospital in Greensboro to Ray and Kitty Vaughan. His dad worked for Western Electric Corporation and Kitty worked for Prago-Guyes, a downtown Greensboro department store, and later was credit manager for the Greensboro News and Record.


Don presents his Eagle Scout pin to his mother - 1967

Don attended Lindley Elementary and Lindley Jr. High. At the age of 9, Don’s father passed away leaving his mother to raise him as her only child in their home on Mayflower Drive near UNC-G. He became an Eagle Scout and captained his high school tennis team. He worked his way through high school for the City of Greensboro as a summer playground director and at Belk Department store “on the square” and at Friendly Shopping Center. He graduated from Grimsley High School in 1970.


UNC Cheerleader - 1971

Don entered the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and was the first person to be awarded highest honors in speech in 1974. Following graduation, he received a Lectureship to the School of Government and Public Administration at American University in Washington to teach undergraduate political science and attend graduate school. Looking for a job to help pay his way through graduate school, he sat on the doorstep of then - United States Senator Sam Ervin, hoping to be the first person to get a job when the new United States Senator from North Carolina arrived in 1975.

Senator Robert Morgan hired Don as his legislative clerk, where he served two years before returning to law school at Wake Forest University School of Law. He made the Wake Forest Law Review and received a North Carolina scholarship. Following graduation he was hired by Governor James B. Hunt’s economic advisor to work as an attorney to the Governor’s small and large business councils.

In 1982, he returned home to Greensboro to become Vice President of Stedman Corporation, a North Carolina based textile and apparel manufacturer. A strong advocate of our free enterprise system, he helped enact laws in 10 states to require teaching of the constitution and founding documents in the public schools. He was awarded at the North Carolina Court of Appeals the George Washington Freedom Medal for his legislative efforts.


Greensboro City Council - 1997

Don has since practiced law in Greensboro from his downtown law office. He was first elected in 1991 to the Greensboro City Council, serving two terms as Mayor Pro Tem. He married the love of his life Nancy Mincello in 1999, also a member of the City Council. Their daughter Catherine was born in 2000 and she is entering the second grade this year. Don has two step sons, John, 26 and Michael, 24. He was elected to the North Carolina State Senate in 2008.

EDUCATION
Greensboro Public Schools, 1970
UNC- Chapel Hill, B.A. with Highest Honors, 1974
American University, Master in Public Administration, 1976
Wake Forest University, Juris Doctorate, 1979

Member, Wake Forest Law Review, 1977-1979

ELECTED EXPERIENCE
Greensboro City Council, 1991-2005 (Seven Terms)
Mayor Pro Tem, 1996-2000
North Carolina State Senate, 2008 - Present

APPOINTED EXPERIENCE
North Carolina State Banking Commission, 1998 – Present

PROFESSIONAL
Private Practice Greensboro North Carolina representing corporate and individual clients

Member: Greensboro Bar Association 1982 - present

North Carolina Bar
North Carolina Bar Association
North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers
District of Columbia Bar
Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals
United States Supreme Court

Town Attorney – Town of Pleasant Garden, 1998 - Present

North Carolina Association of Municipal Attorneys

Vice President- Stedman Corporation, 1981- 1991

Board- North Carolina Textile Manufacturers Association
Board- North Carolina Citizens for Business and Industry
Board and Founding Member – NC FREE
National Association of Manufacturers
United States Chamber of Commerce

GOVERNMENTAL EXPERIENCE
United States Senator Robert Morgan, Legislative Clerk, Washington
Office of the Governor's Economic Advisor, Attorney, Governor Hunt
Revenue Laws Study Commission, N.C. General Assembly
National Association of Attorneys General, Writer
North Carolina Attorney General's Office, Summer Clerk
North Carolina Department of Human Resources, Summer Researcher

CIVIC INVOLVEMENT
Board of Visitors – University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Board Member- Greensboro Merchants Association
Board Member- Greensboro Chamber of Commerce
Board Member- North Carolina Association of Realtors Management Committee
Board Member- Court Watch
Board Member- Greensboro Housing Coalition
Sunday School Teacher - Westminister Presbyterian Church
Greensboro Rotary Club
Greensboro Sports Council
Member- Triad Leadership Network
Fellow - Institute of Political Leadership

TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Adjunct- School of Public Affairs, University of North Carolina Greensboro
Master of Public Affairs Program (Two Semesters)
Lectureship – American University – Washington, D.C.
Undergraduate Political Science (Four Semesters)
Teaching Assistant – University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
School of Public Health (Two Semesters)

PUBLICATIONS
North Carolina Bar Quarterly
North Carolina Magazine
National Association of Attorneys General