Candidate Biography (submitted by candidate):

Married 27 years to Renee
Two daughters one currently in college, the other with a Masters in accounting working for an accounting firm.
Born here in High Point,
Republican/Conservative All my life
Member of Oakview Baptist Church
I graduated from T W Andrews and my college consisted of attending Elon College and NCSU, my studies were in Accounting
I am a partner at S. E. Whitley and Son a company started by my Grandfather in 1946.
President of RCW International, Inc. opened in 1998 a commodities logistics firm.

Currently serving as the Council member for Ward 5. I was first elected in November 1992 for Ward 5, re-elected in 1995. I won the open seat for the Council At-large in 1997. First served as Mayor Pro Tem in 2000 and again in 2002. At the end of 2002, I left city government. In November 2003 I was again elected to Ward 5, re-elected in 2005 and 2008 unopposed. Served as Mayor Pro Tem in 2008 and serving currently in that position.

I have served on multiple Council committees included are Public Safety, Chairman of Public Services, Transportation, Chairman of Special and Planning, and I am currently the Chairman of the Finance Committee for the past 7 years. As for the liaisons committees, I have either served on most of the committees represented by city, and currently serve on the Museum and Economic Development Corporation.

I have also been active on the State and National level by serving on the NC League of Municipalities committee (formally named Transportation and Public Safety). I have been more active with the National League of Cities by serving on the Public Safety Policy committee and currently on the Information Technology and Communications Steering committee working on policy for the NLC to present to Congress.

My purpose for seeking re-election is to offer my 17 years of experience as the city is struggling through these tight budget years. As the finance chairman I personally believe that my fiscal conservative philosophy toward wasteful spending is exactly what is needed as the City works its way out of these budget revenue shortfalls.

The city has worked to expand the economic opportunities by increasing Capital improvements toward the upper part of I-40 / I-40 business. The income opportunities from water and sewer expansions as well as the shared tax revenue arrangements with Kernersville provide the city with an expanded industrial growth base.

The City will have to deal with revenue shortfalls next budget cycle and that will reduce the ability to improve needed street re-surfacing and capital improvement to vital city services. My experience is beneficial as the city has to prioritize purchases and improvements in order to maintain a Balanced City Budget.

In 2004 the county re-evaluated properties, I argued that their numbers were too high given what I had seen and heard from home and business owners. I continued to argue the percentages were off and as it appears based on the current real estate markets I seem to have been closer on target. I would like to opportunity to defend the home owners once again in this issue.

The most important point however is together we will work to create new jobs while maintaining existing jobs thus improving the city's quality of life to the standards High Pointer's deserve. I believe we share the same goals and dreams of lowering taxes and fees, maintaining Police, Fire, Parks and Recreation, Household Waste like garbage, recycling and yard waste.

Remember good jobs provide the city with a robust economy.