The CEO of a bank; a long-serving prosecutor; and a prominent public face in the fight against addiction: all have been honored with Wilmington’s fourth annual Leaders in Service Awards, a release stated.

A project of the Wilmington Rotary Club, the awards will be presented May 13 to James S. “Chip” Mahan III, Ben David and Margaret Weller-Stargell.

"Leaders in Service recognizes leaders in the private, public and nonprofit sectors who are making Wilmington a better place to live, work and raise a family," according to the release. "Those honored have made outstanding contributions to the community in one or more of the seven Rotary Areas of Focus. They have also led their lives and conducted their organizations in harmony with the Rotary Four-Way Test and have demonstrated a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion." 

The awards presentation will be a gala evening at the UNC-Wilmington Burney Center. More than 400 guests are expected to attend the reception, dinner and awards ceremony, the release stated. The Rotary Club is soliciting sponsorships for this event, which will be the primary fundraiser for the civic organization.

Mahan is the founder and CEO of Wilmington-based Live Oak Bancshares, parent company of Live Oak Bank. The bank specializes in lending to small businesses. Mahan also manages a series of funds that offer venture-capitalist funding to financial technology companies. He was nominated for the award because of his corporate philanthropy and the community involvement he promotes among his employees.

According to the release, "Live Oak Bank, through its charitable foundation, has awarded numerous grants to aid education, healthcare and human services, with a focus on workforce development. That foundation has given many millions of dollars to dozens of non-profits. The bank itself has invested millions in affordable housing for low-income tenants. Each year, Live Oak Bank’s employees also contribute thousands of volunteer hours and over a million dollars of their own money to regional nonprofits."

David was elected district attorney for New Hanover and Pender Counties in 2004, after several years as an assistant DA. He resigned in late 2024 and took over leadership of the new Community Justice Center.

"The center is meant to be a one-stop shop for survivors of trauma and adverse childhood experiences, giving crime victims and witnesses easy access to nonprofit agencies in addition to police and prosecutors," the release stated. "During his time as the region’s chief prosecutor, David was a founder of the Blue Ribbon Commission on the Prevention of Youth Violence. ... On the national level, David has been a voice in favor of reforms in policing and prosecution to reduce both crime and incarceration rates. He has supported agencies that work to end unemployment and to integrate former prison inmates back into society."

Weller-Stargell is president and CEO of Coastal Horizons Center, where she has worked since 1985 and which she has led since 1995, according to the release.

"Coastal Horizons provides health services to people dealing with addiction and substance abuse, serving a wide swath of North Carolina. She has served on numerous boards and commissions, both public and private, concerned with health care and health equity," the release stated. "She is also president of the Willie Stargell Foundation, named for her late husband, the retired Pittsburgh Pirates left-fielder who died in 2001. That organization helps patients fighting kidney disease."