Oates named 2011 Superintendent of the Year



Asst. Director of Prisons Ricky Anderson (l)
2011 Superintendent of the Year Ennis Oates
Director of Prisons Bob Lewis (r)

RALEIGH - Ennis Oates, superintendent of Neuse Correctional Institution in Goldsboro, has been named Superintendent the Year for 2011 announced North Carolina Division of Prisons Director Bob Lewis.

“Mr. Oates’ experience and ability to handle one of the more complex institutions in the Division of Prisons is indicative of why he is a worthy candidate and nominee for Superintendent of the Year,” Lewis said.

Oates began his 35-year career with the North Carolina Department of Correction in 1975 as a Correctional Officer at Central Prison. He was promoted to sergeant in 1981 at New Hanover Correctional Center and promoted to lieutenant in 1983 at Eastern Correctional Institution. He served as assistant superintendent for operations at New Hanover Correctional Center and superintendent at Wayne and New Hanover Correctional Centers. .

Oates has worked with at-risk youth and currently serves as a member of the Men of Distinction, a group of community volunteers consisting of business men, lawyers, judges, etc. who work with male high school students encouraging away from gang and drug related activities. He has participated in the One-on-One Program spending time reading to students in middle school.

He is a graduate of Smithfield Selma High School and served in the U.S. Army. He and his wife have two children.

Neuse Correctional Institution an 828-bed processing institution that processes all misdemeanor and some felon inmates into the North Carolina prison system and receives male inmates from all 100 counties. Over 7,500 inmates are processed each year at Neuse