State Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry said Tuesday she will not seek re-election next year.
Known to some as the "Elevator Queen" because her picture appears on elevator inspection forms, Berry has overseen the state Department of Labor since 2001.
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She quoted a Rita Coolidge song in announcing her decision at the monthly Council of State meeting.
"Back in the '70s, there was a popular song with the lyric, “I’d rather leave while I’m in love,” and that is exactly what I am doing," she said. "I love my job, but most importantly, I love the people of North Carolina who have given me the greatest job I ever had. Now, it’s time for me to let someone else serve."
The Department of Labor also works to improve safety in private-sector businesses and government agencies, including testing the rides at the North Carolina State Fair and other events.
Berry said she was most proud during her tenure of the downward trend of on-the-job injuries and illnesses. She attributes the reductions to working with companies to help them achieve safe and healthy workplaces, rather than simply punishing them for violations.
"That's the way government and the private sector ought to work together," she said.
A native of Newton, the 72-year-old Berry owned a spark plug wire manufacturing business in Catawba County with her late husband and served in the state House from 1993 to 2001, when she helped overhaul the state's welfare system.
At the end of her term, Berry will be the longest-serving Republican on the Council of State.
"This is the only elected state office where your success or failure is measured in human lives and human limbs, so it's a very important job, and I want everyone to have the time to make the best decision," she said of announcing her plans 19 months before the 2020 elections.
Jessica Holmes, who chairs the Wake County Board of Commissioners, has already announced plans to be a Democratic candidate in the race.