Huntersville businessman receives North Carolina’s highest civilian honor

A Huntersville businessman has received North Carolina’s highest civilian honor for leading the state’s apprenticeship efforts for a decade.

Walter Siegenthaler, executive vice president of custom machine maker Daetwyler USA, was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine for chairing the N.C. Apprenticeship Council since 2006. A state effort called NCWorks Apprenticeship helps manufacturers start programs that train students on the job, pay for their college and guarantee them work after graduation.

Daetwyler has been a longtime leader in apprenticeships, having helped found the Charlotte area Apprenticeship 2000 program in 1995.

The Order of the Long Leaf Pine honors residents who have significantly impacted and strengthened the state. Past recipients include Maya Angelou, Dale Earnhardt, Billy Graham, Andy Griffith and Michael Jordan, among numerous others.

This story was originally published October 25, 2016 at 1:33 PM with the headline "Huntersville businessman receives North Carolina’s highest civilian honor."