The guy needs a title, if First Gentleman won't do

No, he won't be called "First Dude."

Bob Eaves, husband of Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue, is honored and excited about his new role as the governor's spouse. He will not, however, assume the "dude" title chosen by Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's husband, Todd.

Perdue lightheartedly suggested a contest on the Internet to determine the title.

Eaves, 72, will be North Carolina's first First Gentleman.

"That might be a little stretch," he said of the term, chuckling.

Just as he is adjusting to the new title, Eaves -- and everyone else, for that matter -- is figuring out his new role.

"It's something that's going to evolve," Eaves said in a recent interview, a little guarded about the spotlight that has swung over to him.

The First Couple-to-be have read up on how other husbands of governors have focused their efforts. Michigan's First Gentleman Daniel Mulhern hosts a radio show and wrote a book on leadership. Gary Sebelius, in Kansas, is a former federal magistrate who prefers "First Dude" and helped expand the Sunflower State Games, an amateur athletic competition.

"Everybody has to find their own passion," Perdue said, when asked how Eaves would invest his time and energy. "I believe in my heart it'll be around education because that's where he's spent so much time volunteering."

Eaves has served as a Naval officer, helped build a multimillion dollar company and helped create the "Starvin' Marvin" convenience stores. Now he is the supportive mate, something North Carolina has never seen in male form.

He had plenty of warning of where he might end up. Barely a month into his and Perdue's courtship in 1996, they attended a party together and someone referred to then-Senator Perdue as the next governor.

"I thought that was far-fetched at the time," Eaves recalled.

A gift for compromise

He was a Republican then. Perdue is a Democrat. The Christmas after their wedding, Eaves gave her a small wrapped package containing his new voter registration card. He had switched -- to unaffiliated.

"He said, 'I love you, but there's only so far I'll go for you," Perdue recalled, a story she often tells audiences.

In the past, the state's First Ladies have taken on pet issues such as historic preservation and served as hostess for official functions and holiday festivities.

"It won't be quite the same," Eaves said, acknowledging that he won't be supervising cookie platters. "Bev says she'll have to hire a wife."

Former First Lady Dottie Martin, wife of Republican Gov. Jim Martin, helped promote the state's wildflower program to beautify roadways. The current First Lady, Mary Easley, championed an anti-underage drinking program, but she also is the first spouse to hold down a full-time job. She is an executive-in-residence and senior lecturer at N.C. State University.

Eaves said he's hesitant to jump into his wife's administration, wary of elbowing his way into somebody else's position.

As a former executive with Globe Oil, the convenience stores' parent company, Eaves said he could be a useful ambassador to the corporate world, perhaps helping to recruit business to North Carolina.

"But whoever's in charge of (the Commerce Department), I'm not going to go to him and say, 'This is what I'd like to do.' " Eaves said. "But if he asks me to help, I want to help."

Gordon Cope, his business partner, said Eaves can establish quick rapport with executives because he carries a wealth of knowledge from experience and speaks the same cost-cutting language.

"He could squeeze a dollar out of a penny," Cope said.