Biography
.Joe Hackney was elected speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives in January 2007 at the start of his 14th term in office. During his tenure, Speaker Hackney has been one of the General Assembly’s leading advocates for openness in government and ethics and lobbying reforms.
Prior to becoming Speaker, Hackney was House Democratic Leader for one term, House Majority Leader for one term and Speaker Pro Tempore for two terms. As House Leader, he helped win back the majority in 2004 and expand this majority in 2006. No Democratic seats were lost during his leadership of the caucus.
Speaker Hackney began his legal career as a clerk for North Carolina Supreme Court Associate Justice Frank Huskins. He worked as an assistant district attorney in Orange and Chatham counties from 1971-74 before entering politics as the campaign manager for North Carolina Congressman Ike Andrews.
Since 1974, Speaker Hackney has been a partner in the Epting & Hackney law firm in Chapel Hill, N.C. In addition, he and his brother continue to operate the family cattle farm in Chatham County where they grew up.
Hackney received a bachelor’s degree in political science and a juris doctorate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He and his wife, Betsy, have two adult sons, Dan and Will.
Speaker Hackney is the immediate past president of the National Conference of State Legislatures. In 2007, he received the group’s Excellence in State Legislative Leadership Award, the nation’s top honor for state legislators.
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