HIGH POINT, N.C., March 15, 2015 – Zaki Khalifa, owner of Zaki Oriental Rugs in the city of High Point, was honored with the prestigious Order of the Long Leaf Pine award at High Point University today.
The Order of the Long Leaf Pine is awarded by the Governor of North Carolina to a person for exemplary service to the state of North Carolina and their community that is above and beyond the call of duty. This person has also made a significant impact and strengthened North Carolina.
High Point University president Dr. Nido Qubein presented the award on behalf of Gov. Pat McCrory to Khalifa.
“Here at High Point University, we are passionate about men and women who make a difference in our world,” said Qubein, who received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine award in 2005. “Zaki has been a person who has promoted the kind of values that are noble and precious to each of us, and that shows us what we believe in America is important and worthwhile.”
Khalifa is a dedicated business leader in the city of High Point. He has gifted his former showroom spaces for Zaki Oriental Rugs to house the High Point Chamber of Commerce, the High Point Convention and Visitors Bureau and High Point Community Against Violence.
“I am most grateful for this award,” said Khalifa. “I am reminded of an influential resident of High Point for telling his first-year students, ‘Stop seeing and start observing. Stop hearing and start listening. Most importantly, try every day to reduce ignorance, arrogance and prejudice.’”
The resident Khalifa spoke of was HPU professor Dr. Carl Wheeless, who devoted himself to helping immigrants go to college and start new lives in America. He helped Khalifa settle in the city, attend High Point University (then High Point College), and eventually go on to open his successful business, Zaki Oriental Rugs on North Main Street.
Previous honors for Khalifa include the BB&T Distinguished Citizen of the Year and Small Business Advocate of the Year from the Chamber of Commerce. He has been selected as one of the top 50 Asian-Americans in business in our nation from the Asian American Business Development Center. He has received the Torch Award for Ethics in Business from the Better Business Bureau, the coveted Brotherhood/Sisterhood Citation award from NCCJ, Congressional Recognition from Congressman Howard Coble and recognition from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Other recipients of the Long Leaf Pine award include Maya Angelou, Dale Earnhardt, Michael Jordan, Dean Smith, Andy Griffith and Billy Graham.