Candidate Biography (submitted by candidate):

EDUCATION:

• Catawba College, Salisbury, NC, May 1970, AB Accounting
• Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, May 1973, JD Law
• Univ. of North Carolina-Wilmington, Wilmington, NC, May 1985, MBA Business

WORK EXPERIENCE:

• 1968 - 1973:  Accountant, Accounting Service, Winston-Salem, NC
• General Account, Bank Reconciliation, preparations of payroll and tax returns
• 1973 - 1980:  General Practice of Law, Kernersville, NC
• General Practice including criminal, real property, civil, domestic and corporate law
• 1980 - 1997:  Lead Paralegal Instructor, Cape Fear Community College, Wilmington, NC
• Started Program, taught six class per semester, developed curriculum and recommended all modifications, advised students, recruited instructors, presented the program to local bar,
• 1997 - 2009:  Department Chairman of Public Service Department, Cape Fear Community College, Wilmington, NC
• Taught one class per semester, oversaw a department with eight programs (18 full time and 21 adjunct faculty and 1 full time and 2 part time staff personnel), developed and began new programs in Film and Video, Cosmetology, Spanish Interpreter
• 2009 - Present:  Paralegal Instructor, Cape Fear Community College, Wilmington, NC
• Teach six classes per semester, advise students

CIVIC ACTIVITIES:

• 1983:  General Chairman of the Historic Wilmington Riverfront Celebration
• 1983 - 1985:  Chairman of the New Hanover County Republican Party Executive Committee
• 1994 - Present:  Four times elected to a four year term on the New Hanover County Board of Education,  1998 - 2002: Chairman of the Board, 2008 - Present:  Chairman of the Board

For 16 years I have supported neighborhood education for our children and opposed busing as a social experiment.  If elected will continue that position. Many of the students living downtown have issues that I wish families could address but for one reason or another they can't and it then falls on the school system.  I support afterschool tutorial, remediation and enrichment programs for each of our downtown elementary and middle schools to help lift these children. 

I favor expanding our vocational education programs in conjunction with Cape Fear Community College to provide training for students who want to learn a skill instead of attending a 4-year college.  I support providing programs to help site administrators and classroom teacher take each child where they arrived and move them forward at least one year.  Students must have a 21st century education.  To do this the school system must update and modernize its faculties.  This will required money. 

I will work with the county commissioners and other groups to seek funding and grants for these projects that are vital to maintain a quality educational system in today's world. Our community agree that while we may differ on our approach to education, we should do nothing to diminish a child's motivation to learn and that as a system we must remove the stigma of describing a school as a failing school and to speak in terms of opportunities for all children. 

Lastly, it is important to remember that the New Hanover County School System is a $250 million a year operation with nearly 4,000 employees, 24,000 students, over 3 million square feet of space under roof, more than 700 acres of grounds, food services and athletic operations and a fleet of nearly 300 buses operating each day. 

A board member must be someone who is prepared to make decisions that serve our students and efficiently manage our resources.  Consider this election as an application for this job.  I believe that my background in law, business and education, provides me the skills and experience for this position.