I am honored to serve as Business and Economic Development Strategist for "Forward Rabun" of Rabun County Georgia. "Forward Rabun" is a public-private partnership established to integrate tourism and economic development marketing under one organization with support and joint oversight by the county and city governments and the private sector.

American Consulting Group offers professional consulting services to public and private sector organizations throughout the United States in the areas of position advertising/recruitment, planning, economic/community development, commercial real estate evaluation, management, EDA Comprehensive Economic Development required updates, organizational strategic retreats, organizational chain-of-command studies, salary studies, market studies, business recruitment consulting, organizational budget analysis and cost saving studies, grant application procurement/administration, long/short range comprehensive planning studies (including infrastructure assessment), and tourism/marketing studies. Our “Guest Lecture Series” on “Best Public/Private Sector Management Practices“ has been presented and well received by key businesses, municipalities and county governments throughout the United States.

Owner/Broker-In-Charge/NC Real Estate Commission Certified Instructor. Duvall Real Estate has been a full service real estate office since 1980, specializing in Commercial, Residential, Lake Property, Farms, Foreclosures, and all types of Acreage (large and small). My real estate business has been instrumental in helping develop and maintain my real estate/project management abilities and customer service skills. I have also served as a certified real estate Pre/post Licensing Instructor for the NC Real Estate Commission since 1995.

I served as the Executive Director of the Mitchell County Economic Development Commission in beautiful Mitchell County North Carolina. My duties include the formulation of plans and procedures for retention of existing businesses/industries as well as attracting new businesses and industries to Mitchell County, NC. I also work to encourage the investment of local, regional and foreign capital in expanding local business and industry including developing incentive plans to encourage these investments. My director duties also include frequent visits and communication with local businesses and industries to ascertain their needs and to develop methods for the Commission to assist in meeting those needs. I attend all meetings of the Mitchell County EDC and report on current activities being initiated. My job includes working with regional partners as well as federal, state, and local granting agencies such as Federal Government Agencies (EDA & ARC), NC Department of Commerce (and their numerous funding programs and services), Governor's Office, Economic Development Partnership of NC (Northwest Prosperity Zone), Region "D", Community Colleges/Universities, and Chambers of Commerce to name a few.

I served as the Tribe’s Secretary of Commerce for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. My responsibilities include oversight of the entire commerce related operations of the Cherokee Nation. The Commerce Division includes three major divisions which are: Strategic Planning, Development, Administration and Retail Recruitment; Enterprise Business Development; Destination Marketing/Tourism. The Cherokee “One Feather” Newspaper and the Cherokee Bottled Water Enterprise also fall under the purview of the Division of Commerce. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is the primary economic engine in Western North Carolina operating two large resort casinos (Cherokee Harrah’s Casino and Hotel in Cherokee, NC and Valley River Casino Hotel and Resort in Murphy, NC). The Tribe employee’s over 6,000 people in the Western North Carolina Region, and Cherokee Harrah’s Casino Hotel with 1108 rooms is the largest hotel in North and South Carolina. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Qualla Boundary are gateway to the Great Mountains National Park (which is the most visited National Park in the US) and southern terminus of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Served as Region “D” High Country Council of Governments Executive Director and Chief Governmental Liaison. Executive and administrative oversight of HCCOG, which is the multi-county lead planning and development agency for the seven (7) Northwestern North Carolina counties of Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey (as well as the nineteen (19) municipalities encompassed in this seven county region. HCCOG is also a Local Development District of the Appalachian Regional Commission, and an Economic Development District of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Regional Organization for the seven counties designated by the Governor as the Local Area for administering the Workforce Investment Act. The HCCOG is a designated agency for regional Rural Transportation Planning (RPO). The HCCOG is involved in the communities of Northwestern NC from the care of older adults (Area Agency on Aging) to water, sewer, GIS services, transportation planning and workforce development. The High Country Council of Governments also provide profession management/consultation services to the twenty-six local member governments. The High Country Council of Government provides services and resources which might not otherwise be affordable or available to regional local governments including professional and technical services to individual member governments as well as regional services; serves as a “forum” for discussion of regional problems and interests and promotes good intergovernmental relations among member governments; facilitates effective communication among member governments; promotes the coordination with other regional public agencies within the seven county area to ensure public cooperation efforts to avoid duplication of services and efforts; promotes on a regional and statewide basis, the individual efforts of HCCOG member governments; serves as a “consensus voice” for Region “D” Governments on matters mutually impacting or affecting them.

Served as Pender County Manager, Clerk to the Board, Budget Officer, and the first Consolidated Health and Human Services Director for Pender County, NC. Pender County is one of the largest of eight coastal counties in North Carolina. My responsibilities included the supervision of all county operations including Budget and Finance, Economic Development, Crime Control and Public Safety, Public Works, Health and Human Services, Sanitation and Recycling, Federal/State Grant Procurement and Compliance. I directly supervised well over 400 employees, a FY Budget of almost $100 million dollars (including fund balances). During my tenure as County Manager, Pender County’s overall tax base exceeded $10 billion dollars annually. As County Manager of a coastal county, I became thoroughly trained in hurricane preparedness and FEMA disaster relief protocols. I am supervised the construction planning for a new Pender County Judicial/Law Enforcement Center and Department of Social Services Buildings. The total project cost will exceed $30 million dollars. Also, under my tenure as Manager/Chief Budget Officer, the overall financial condition of Pender County improved from an A- to AA+ Standard and Poor rating. *This was accomplished by introducing the first “Zero-Based Programmatic Line-Item Budget Process” to Pender County, NC along with the refinancing of nearly $30 million dollars in bond debt (which ultimately shorted the call date by 10 years and saved the county over $6 million dollars). This process was tied to the County Commissioner’s Mission Statement, Strategic Priorities, and Goals. *In 2013/14 I was chosen by the National Association of Counties (NACo) to serve on the NACo Finance and Pension Steering Committee. *I also served on the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners Justice & Public Safety & Public Policy Committees. Lastly, I was responsible for helping recruit RC Creations with 300 jobs (a seafood processing company) to Pender County.

As Graham County Manager, Chief Budget Officer and Economic Development Director my responsibilities included the supervision of all county operations including; Budget and Finance, Economic Development, Business Retention and Recruitment, Crime Control and Public Safety, Public Works, Sanitation/Solid Waste & Recycling, Federal/State Grant Procurement and Compliance. Also, I represented Graham County at all local Council of Government, North Carolina Association of County Commissioners and National Association of Counties events and seminars. I served as official representative to the N.C. and U.S. Legislative Delegations. During my tenure as Graham County Manager/Economic Development Director, I helped procure well over $10 million dollars in grants for the county including a new senior center CDBG grant, new transit facility ARRA grant, new cooperative extension building, and nearly $5 million dollars to build a new wastewater treatment facility. I was able to take the county’s overall undesignated fund balance from 3% to just under 15% in less than two years by introducing a “Zero Based Programmatic Line-Item Budget Process”. Lastly, I was instrumental in forming the first Economic Development Commission in the history of Graham County.

Senior Director/Primary Advisor for comprehensive economic development planning process for the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation. Responsible for direction, oversight and implementation of Tribal projects as well as Federal, State, and Local Grant initiatives totaling well over $750 million dollars annually. Provided short and long range strategic planning and oversight of the Cherokee Business Development Center with primary focus on entrepreneurial business development, recruitment of commercial businesses, oversight of the Tribe’s Grant Administration Program, Strategic Planning Program (C.E.D.S.), Marketing & Public Affairs, Project Coordination and Development Department, Native American Business Entrepreneurial Center (Advantage West-Certified Entrepreneurial Community Program Administrator), Grant Procurement and Administration Program, Tribal Geographic Information Systems Program, and the Cherokee Business Incubator Without Walls Program. I instituted the first Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal Commercial/Residential Real Estate Property Bank. Oversight and management of a $4.7 million dollar renovation of the primary Cherokee Downtown Business District which included a redesign/renovation/revitalization program for existing and future businesses emphasizing greater promotion and development of the current tourism industry. I worked closely with federal, state and local officials regarding yearly regional economic development, tourism and business recruitment conferences sponsored by the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation. *In January 2010 I applied for just over $46 Million in Federal Grant Funding and received nearly $32 Million including funds for the Tribe. This amount led the Western North Carolina region in overall Federal Grant Awards. My office was responsible for procurement of the largest grant award in Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian’s History ($18 Million Dollars to build a new Justice Center).

Served as Professor of Political Science and Public Affairs at Western Carolina University/University (a NC System of Public Colleges and Universities). *I also served as Interim and Associate Director of the Western Carolina University Public Policy Institute which is responsible for working with Federal, State and Local Governments in promoting, educating, and developing solutions for public policy issues. The WCU Public Policy Institute is paramount in promoting/organizing major policy conferences, summits and seminars throughout the Western North Carolina and the Southeast Region of the United States. These policy summits focused primarily on the needs and demands of Federal, State and Local Officials, citizenry-at-large, and student populations in the Southeast Region of the U.S. Speakers have included current Governors, Attorney Generals, U.S. House and Senate Members, Directors of Federal Agencies, Presidential Staff Members and a host of regional leaders from both the private and public sectors.

I was elected as Macon County Commissioner in 1996. I made a “campaign pledge” to serve only one elected term. Commissioner responsibilities include the oversight for the entire operation of the County Government. Responsibilities include representing the citizenry on issues of public policy and initiative, maintaining productive relationships with other Commissioners and County Employees, and working for the common good of Macon County. I also served on several NC Governor ‘s Committees and was appointed by my fellow Commissioners as voting Delegate Representative to the National Association of Counties Conferences in Washington, D.C. During my tenure as Commissioner our Board accomplished the following:-Completed the New Jail/Correctional Facility in Macon County, NC-Renovated Courthouse Annex-Constructed New Social Service Center Building-Constructed New South Macon School-Instituted New School Planning Program-Southwestern Community College classes moved to New Courthouse Annex -Finalized Airport Terminal Complex-Finalized Airport Runway extension and improvements-Enhanced E.P.A. Cert. Landfill Complex-Constructed County Agricultural Facility-Infrastructure Improvements including water/sewer and two (4) lane highways-Enhanced the E.O.C.-Hired Martin-McGill/Planning 4 Schools-Supported Business Park/Incubator-*Developed a High Tech Industrial Park and Business Incubator Facility attracting over 2,000 jobs.-Developed first satellite branch of Southwestern Community College in Macon County, NC

I served as Professor of all Political Science/Public Administration/International Studies courses offered by the college. Responsibilities included departmental budget planning and development of a curriculum that would meet Southern Association of Colleges and Universities approval criterion. I also taught several courses in the Business Department upon request.

I was responsible for initiating the first planning program in Macon County, NC. Conducted individual community input meetings to gain citizen’s ideas on how to improve quality of life issues as related to real property concerns. Responsibilities included administering an Appalachian Regional Commission Grant focused on gathering information regarding existing land uses and citizen ideas for possible future improvement measures. This program was implemented without protest or public outcry. The ARC grant I was working under expired in August 1992 at the completion of this very successful project.

I earned a WCU Master of Public Administration Degree with focus in City/County Management. I worked under the direction of the Macon County Manager. This experience enabled me to work and gain real hands-on experience in virtually every major department in Macon County Government. This experience was mandatory to meet requirements for the Master of Public Administration Degree (with focus in City/County Management) from Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC.