Candidate Biography (submitted by candidate):

I was born and raised in Catawba County by modest, hard working parents. I graduated from St. Stephens High School and received degrees from Western Piedmont Community College and Gardner-Webb University, as well as numerous other educational awards and recognitions. My wife Gwen and I reside in the St. Stephens community and are members of Woodlawn Baptist Church. I have two grown daughters and five beautiful grandchildren. I enjoy hunting, fishing, hiking, camping and am an avid reader.

I have more than 37 years of law enforcement & public service experience, beginning my career under Sheriff T. Dale Johnson, later joining the Hickory Police Department as a law enforcement officer, finally moving to the Conover Police Department where I served as Police Chief for the last 12 years. I am proud of the work we accomplished, becoming one of only 45 departments within the state with full accreditation; playing an instrumental role in obtaining a gang prevention grant from the Governors Crime Commission; and, establishing and maintaining excellent working relationships with business leaders, City Managers, School Officials, State and locally elected officials, and most importantly - the citizens of Catawba County.

I believe that we have a moral responsibility to act with service to our neighbors. And, that in doing so, we improve the quality of life for everyone. Especially in these tough economic times, we need a Representative in Raleigh who believes in service and makes the good people of our communities his special interest- not some PAC or political party.

Our greatest resource is our people and we must stimulate the economy and put them back to work. Unemployment in Catawba County is reported to be 12+% the highest unemployment rate of the States urban areas. This number represents 9,000+ citizens seeking a livelihood to support their families and pay their mortgage and bills. This number is an economic barometer that may not reflect the true numbers as many people have exhausted their unemployment benefits and have become frustrated and are no longer seeking employment opportunities; thus removing them from the official reporting numbers. State and local governments must create an environment that encourages and attracts new businesses and encourages existing companies to expand their current operations. Our unemployed are not just numbers they are our neighbors, our church members, and even our family.

Our future in Catawba County is the education of our children. We must protect our greatest natural resource by providing the best educational opportunities to assure all students have the ability to succeed at the highest level possible. Not all students will strive for a Masters or Doctorial degree, so we must insure those students have the necessary skills to perform in a technical or service oriented society. An educated workforce is critical to attracting new industry and economic development.

My entire career has been driven to improve the quality of life for all citizens by providing a safe neighborhood in which to live and raise a family. Our families are impacted by gangs, fraud, identity thefts, drugs and other crimes. These issues cannot be ignored.

We must restore jobs, educate our children and improve our quality of life. Tough times require tough decisions. We must all band together as parents, workers, business owners, and citizens of Catawba County.