Candidate Biography (submitted by candidate):

My name is David T. Rickard I Live in Thomasville and I am presently serving as your Davidson County Register of Deeds. I am a lifelong Davidson County resident.   My mother, Betty W. Rickard resides in Thomasville and my father Leon Rickard is deceased.

I am 51 years old and I am a member of First United Methodist Church in Thomasville. I am a member of the Fair Grove Lions Club and a life member of the Thomasville Jaycees. I have enjoyed many years of civic involvement in the Thomasville Area with the YMCA, Cub Scouts and various other groups.

I attended GTCC where I studied Industrial Management and have over 25 years of management experience. Our family owned and operated Thomasville Veneer Company from 1971-2004 when we closed. I have a Real Estate license with 6 years of experience in that field.  I also have a General Contractors license. I have attended all courses offered by the UNC School of Government related to the operations of the Register of Deeds office. In addition I have implemented an advanced training program for all of the department's employees.

When I was elected in 2006 the Register of Deeds office was in desperate need of upgrades in technology. We were using a DOS computer program that was 17 years old. I used the Automation and Preservation funds set aside for this department and invested in new up to date technology.

We started scanning documents in March of 2007 which greatly improved the quality of the public record.  In April of 2008 we installed the new software and converted 17 years of data into the new system. We also created a digital image of all the deed records and put them on a website that can be accessed free of charge on the Internet.

In December of 2008 we became one of a handful of counties who offer secure delivery of electronic documents. We have imaged most of the Birth, Death and Marriage records in our office. We are in the process of indexing them on the computer system to make searches easier. We now have one of the most advanced systems anywhere which will result in savings to the taxpayers of Davidson County.

When a document is recorded, we return it immediately which saves the county the expense of mailing the documents back.  Postage expense is down over $10,000 compared to 4 years ago. Taxpayers are no longer forced to drive to Lexington and pay to get copies of documents.  We will continue to look for new and better ways to serve the citizens of Davidson County.

I am asking for your vote so I can finish the job I started. I am a firm believer that in order to know where you are going you need to know where you have been. I believe I am the best candidate to finish this important job.

- Sincerely, David T. Rickard