Oliver Max Gardner (22 March 1882 -- 6 February 1947) was the Democratic governor of the U.S. state of North Carolina from 1929 to 1933. Prior to becoming Governor, Gardner was elected as a state senator from Cleveland County, North Carolina and as Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina (1917-1921). We invite you to learn more about this great man of North Carolina by exploring this web site.

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May 2008
Dr. Myron S. Cohen, one of the world’s leading authorities on the transmission and prevention of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, on Friday received the O. Max Gardner Award from the University of North Carolina Board of Governors...read more

-Read The News & Observer Article
- Read The University of North Carolina Press Release

FACT:
Former North Carolina Governor O. Max Gardner, a native of Shelby, is the only person to serve as captain of both the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and N.C. State University football teams. He served as captain at State as an undergraduate and as captain at UNC while in law school.  His only stipulation at Chapel Hill was that he would not have to play in the annual and heated State v UNC football game.  Gardner was also an All Southern All Star (Center and Linebacker) at both schools.