Candidate Biography (submitted by candidate):

Personal:

• Date of birth: July 27, 1946
• Wife, Julie H. Melvin
• Children, Patrick, Graham & Misha

Member:

• Village Baptist Church, Fayetteville, NC

Education:

• Tar Heel High School, Tar Heel, NC
• LaFayette Business College, Fayetteville, NC

Employment:

• President of Tire World of Fayetteville, Inc. and Fayetteville Tire, Inc.
• Ed's Tire & Auto Shop (1 location)

Military Service:

• United States Army 1966-1968
• Vietnam Veteran

Elected & Appointed Positions:

• Commissioner, Cumberland County: 1996-2000, 2003-2004, 2006-2010 (Chair 2000, Vice-Chair 1999)
• NC Advisory Commission on Military Affairs
• ABC Board
• City-County Liaison Committee
• Cumberland County Veterans Council
• Cumberland County Emergency Planning Committee
• Fire Chiefs Association
• Cumberland County Finance Committee
• Cumberland County Policy Committee
• Cumberland County Facilities Committee
• Cumberland County Personnel Committee
• Cape Fear Valley Health System Board of Trustees
• Cape Fear/Bladen County Hospital Board
• Mid-Carolina Council of Governments
• Southeastern Economic Development
• Civic Center Commission
• Chamber of Commerce 2000 Liaison
• Cumberland County Partnership for Children
• Dogwood Festival Committee

Memberships:

• Fayetteville Kiwanis Club
• Cumberland County Business Council
• Cumberland County Business Network
• Fayetteville, Hope Mills, and Spring Lake Chambers of Commerce
• Eastover Civic Club
• 82nd Airborne Division Association
• LaFayette Rotary Club
• Democratic Men's Club of Cumberland County
• Fayetteville Sports Club
• Board of Directors Better Business Bureau
• Cape Fear Regional Advisory Board
• Fayetteville State Small Business & Technology Development Center

Other Activities:

• Recipient of Methodist College Entrepreneurship Silver Spoon Award
• Sponsored a Scholarship at Fayetteville Technical Community College for 12 consecutive years through Cumberland County Assistant Teachers Association

Hobbies:

• Golf and Boating

I need your support to win a seat on the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners in the upcoming election November 2. I want to acquaint you with my views on the issues that are before this county, so when you do cast your vote for me, you won't be doing so blindly, but because you believe, as I do, that Cumberland County has great potential to provide an excellent quality of life for its resident. To do that, though, we need expert leadership by people who have demonstrated an ability to be fiscally responsible and realistic, and at the same time innovative and creative in our approach to problem solving. I am that leader.

I believe the next few years that Cumberland County faces are probably the most important in the history of the county and will provide us a great opportunity for growth and progress, as long as we have the right leaders in place. I believe I am that leader and would like to share with you some of what I think are the top issues that face Cumberland County today.

I am a strong proponent of law enforcement. I believe in providing law officers with tools they need to do their jobs. I support efforts to increase the number of law enforcement professionals in our community. Our residents deserve to feel safe, wherever they are as they travel through our county.

My beliefs about education are that we must work with the Board of Education to ensure that we use the local dollars that we contribute to that budget in a way that is most beneficial to students. The real magic of learning takes place in the classroom with what our teachers are able to accomplish each and every day. I believe we need to provide these teachers with the resources needed to meet the demands placed upon them with end-of-year testing.