N.C. Senate District 41

John Aneralla, 49,

Huntersville - Birkdale

Republican

Education: Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of Georgia, Master of business administration from Hofstra University

Political experience: Meck GOP Chairman, 2004 to 2007; 9th Congressional District GOP Chairman 2007 to 2010; 2010 GOP nominee for State Senate

Other qualifications: “I am a husband, a father, a small businessman, and a community leader. I’m a Sunday school teacher and an active member of the Lake Norman Kiwanis Club. I have served our community as past president of North Meck Soccer Club and as a youth sports coach.”

Job: Owner and founder of Bulldog Asset Management Inc., an investment advisory firm as well as small business consulting.

Details: www.electjohnaneralla.com, contact@johnaneralla.com

Jeff Tarte, 55, Cornelius

Republican

Education: studied economics at University of Illinois, studied executive management at Fuqua School, Duke University

Political experience: Cornelius mayor - elected three terms; Metropolitan Transit Commission – in fifth year; Red Line Task Force; Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation Commission – in seventh year; Advance work Republican National Convention for sitting President; Congressional Intern; President College Republicans University of Illinois.

Other qualifications: Co-Founder and Executive ARA National Health Care Consulting firm; Former Partner Ernst & Young; Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools Leadership Team (my kids attended CMS K-12); Cannon School Visitor Board; AVOB Advisory Board (company based in Paris, France); Genesis Lake Norman Transportation Commission; Created CMUD Water Task Force; Life member NRA and RNC; Member Chamber of Commerce

Job: Management consultant, mayor

Details: www.jefftarte.com, Jefftarte41@gmail.com

Troy J. Stafford, 46, of Cornelius

- The Peninsula

Republican

Education: Bachelor’s degree in political science from Louisiana State University, 1986; Juris Doctor from Campbell School of Law - N.C.

No political experience

Job: Attorney (partner) with DeVore Acton & Stafford, PA in Charlotte, N.C.

Details: TroyStaffordforsenate.com, troy@troystaffordforsenate.com.

Major issues: Improve our education system; cut wasteful government spending; promote business growth in our district

“I’m running for State Senate because we need to convince government that you don’t spend what you don’t have.  I’m running because we must get North Carolina back to work.  Cutting waste, reducing taxes, and offering a better education is a good way to start!”

N.C. House of Representatives District 92

Robin Bradford, 48,

Huntersville

Democrat

Education: Bachelor’s degree in communication/political science

Political experience: Concerned citizen, grassroots advocate; ran for District 1 School Board in 2009; worked on various campaigns; NAACP board member, Black Political Caucus member; appointed to the Adhoc Committee for county redistricting.

Other qualifications: Being a concerned citizen who works in the community gives me a real perspective of what fellow residents are feeling and saying. With my prior and current political experience I have a very keen sense of what’s right and how to represent all citizens in my district. I will be a full time Representative because I am committed to serve the district as a whole.

Job: retired consultant, small business owner, advocate.

Details: www.robinbradfordnc.com,
robin@robinbradfordnc.com

Tom Davis, 66, Mountain Island Area

Republican

Education: Professional Military Education: Air War College – Associate Program (Grad); Air Command and Staff College (ACSC); Squadron Officers School, Air University

Civilian Education: University of The State of N.Y. - Bachelor’s degree in business; UNC Charlotte  – business; University of Maryland - political science; Gaston College - Associate of Arts - business/accounting; Gardner Webb College

Political experience: Pentagon Air Staff – Legislative Issue – Secretary of Air Force; Governor Jim Martin’s School Building Solutions Committee  member. North Mecklenburg High School - School Leadership Team chair 2004; Status of Veterans Initiatives Mecklenburg County N.C.; Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Bond Oversight Committee co-chair; various Yellow Corporation Political Action Committee committees, school and church committee positions.  Education Budget Advisory Committee; Boys Scouts of America (Troop 51) Cooks Memorial Church co-chair

Other qualifications: Introduced the Balanced Scorecard of Accountability to the Mecklenburg County Staff and Char-Meck School Board with resultant implementation of the county’s current Managing for Results (M4R) Strategic Planning tool of accountability. Facilitator for the development of the Air Force Strategic and Long Range Plans in Washington, D.C. Innovative approach to strategic business plan accountability became the mandate for the 21st-century Air Force.

Job: Strategic Planning coach for government entities, schools, and small business owners.

Details: www.electdavis.com, info@elect
davis.com

Charles Jeter, 38,
Huntersville -

Wynfield Forest

Republican

Education: Bachelor’s degree in business economics, 1995

Political experience: four-term Huntersville town commissioner

Other qualifications: Track record of creating jobs as a business owner and an understanding of how to get things done within a government system

Job: President of a supply chain management company

Details: www.votejeter.com, cjeter@votejeter.com

Board of County

Commissioners District 1

Keith Bradford, 48,

Huntersville

Democrat

Education: New York City school system high school graduate

Political experience: Concerned citizen and grassroots advocate

Other qualifications: Perspective of what fellow residents are feeling and saying. Head, Bread of Life Ministry; attend county commission, city council, town, Huntersville Business Connection and Huntersville School Advisory Board meetings.

Job: Senior Systems Analyst, TIAA-CREF for 27 years

Details: www.votekeithbradford.com, keith@votekeithbradford.com

Leonard Richardson, 31, Charlotte - Highland Creek

Democrat

Education: Bachelor’s degree, UNC Charlotte; associate degree in business administration, Central Piedmont Community College.

Political experience: long-time political follower with a desire to represent the people.

Job: fifth grade math and science teacher at a Title I school in Charlotte.

Details: www.voteforrichardson.com, voteforrichardson@gmail.com

Board of County

Commissioners At-large

Michael Hobbs, 54,

Charlotte – Compton Court

Republican

Education: high school graduate

Political experience: first time candidate

Other qualifications: past president, Olde Providence Civic Association; PTSA and School Leadership team at Olde Providence Elementary and Myers Park High.  Led effort to develop Stanleigh Hobbs Memorial Outdoor Classroom at Olde Providence Elementary in honor of late wife. Thirty-year sales professional and skilled in negotiation. Manufacturing background and understand what manufacturing needs to grow and keep jobs.

Job: Area manager for Blaser Swisslube, Inc.

Details: www.electmichaelhobbs.com, Michael@electmichaelhobbs.com

Trevor M. Fuller, 44,

Charlotte -

Whitecastle Court

Democrat

Education: Bachelor’s degree, Hamilton College; law degree, Georgetown University.

Political experience: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Citizens’ Review Board.

Other qualifications: Board of Directors of the Mecklenburg County Bar; Board of Governors of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice; former member of the Board of Directors of Community Link, a nonprofit agency devoted to taking people from homelessness to homeownership.

Job: attorney

Details: www.votetrevorfuller.com, info@votetrevorfuller.com

Adam W. Geremia, 37, Charlotte -

South Park

Democrat

Education: Bachelor of Arts in history from UNC Charlotte

Political experience: none

Other qualifications: Mecklenburg County citizen.

Job: banking, real estate experience

Details: awgeremia@hotmail.com

Major issues: education; property revaluations; coyotes. “Our local representatives need to listen and find workable solutions to help the citizens of our county.”

Robert L. Hillman, 48, Charlotte - Cotswold

Democrat

Education: Stuyvesant High School Brooklyn, N.Y.; Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

Political experience: Mecklenburg Democratic Party precinct vice chair and State Executive Committee. Local, state and national campaigns, including Anthony Foxx for Mayor, Patrick Cannon and David Howard for City Council, Bev Purdue for Governor and Barack Obama for U.S. President.

Other qualifications: The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation, combined with 20+ years in the financial services industry, demonstrates my ability to fully understand the complex financial decisions the county commission makes.

Job: President of RLH Consulting LLC, an investment advisory firm.

Details: www.voteforhillman.com, ElectRobHillman@gmail.com

Craig Madans, 60,

Charlotte -

Providence Plantation

Democrat

Education: Bachelor of Science in Textile Technology, N.C. State

Political experience: Chairman, CharMeck Tree Commission; Adhoc Committees; former Charlotte mayoral candidate, spearheaded committee to save Independence Arena. Aided the police department, succeeded in getting 9mm pistols and bulletproof vests as mandatory equipment instead of being donated by Dominos Pizza. Improved communication system to remove dead zones.

Other qualifications: Business owner, entrepreneur, international marketing and sales, consulting, manufacturing, and job locating services.

Job: President and Founder of HOCOA- The Home Repair Network.

Servicing more than 30,000 homes in Mecklenburg County and Franchising across the U.S.

James Peterson, 40, South Charlotte

Republican

Education: Charlotte schools; bachelor’s degree from UNC Charlotte; Executive MBA from Queens University’s McColl School of Business.

Political experience: Native Charlottean.

Other qualifications: Financial services industry for more than 13 years, industry consultant. My decisions are based on the core community needs and not just the latest big-ticket items.

Job: financial services

Details: www.ElectJamesPeterson.com, James@ElectJamesPeterson.com

Wayne Powers,

Charlotte

Republican

Education: Bachelor of Arts in American history/political science from Webster University.

Political experience: Politically active; first campaign

Other qualifications: outspoken advocate for the people of Charlotte/Mecklenburg County for 19 years – from Op-Ed and Forum Charlotte Observer pieces, to testifying before city council and county commission, to four years as a regular guest host on WBT radio.

Job: Small business owner: www.tearex.
com; national voice over talent: www.waynepowers.com.

Details: www.ElectWaynePowers.com, www.facebook.com/ElectWaynePowers, wayne@ElectWaynePowers.com

Pat Cotham, 61,

Charlotte - Kilmonack Lane

Democrats

Education: Bachelor of journalism from the University Of Missouri-Columbia

Political experience: DNC Member; three-term president of the Democratic Women; 11-year chair of the Uptown Democratic Forum; NCDP Executive Council; precinct leader; 2012 winner of the “Grassroots Democrat of the Year” from the Mecklenburg County Democratic Party; Advisor to local and state campaigns; Host Committee for Charlotte in 2012

Other qualifications: broad business experience; strong business relationships in Mecklenburg County; history of giving information to people about issues; president of a small business; longest serving trustee of the N.C. Blumenthal Performing Arts Center; strong knowledge of nonprofits and how they help the community.

Job: employment advocate for people with a criminal record in Mecklenburg County

Details: www.patcotham.com, pat
cotham@gmail.com

Jason Bateman, 35,

Charlotte - Third Ward

Libertarian

Education: Bachelor of Science in finance and economics from UNC Wilmington; MBA in finance and accounting from Vanderbilt University

Political experience: four years on the N.C. Libertarian Party executive committee

Job: banking sector

Details: www.electjasonbateman.com, #electjbateman on Twitter, jasonb@elect
jasonbateman.com

Paul M. Brown Sr., 50, Charlotte - Camp Greene Community

Democrat

Education: Master of public administration, Master of business administration from Strayer University; Bachelor of Science in criminal justice from Benedict College.

Political experience: member of Student Government Association at Central Piedmont Community College

Other qualifications: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Access Corporation Board of Directors.

Job: Supervisor at Stadium Clean. Producer/Host of “The Paul Brown Show.”

Details: www.wix.com/electpaulmbrown/home, Omega_paul_brown@yahoo.com.

Marc Gustafson, 37,

Charlotte - Dilworth

Democrat

Education: Monroe High School; Bachelors degrees in education, political science and history from UNC-Chapel Hill; law degree from Indiana University.

Political experience: Keep Charlotte Beautiful Committee, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board for the Central Park District and the Public Art Commission.

Other qualifications: Helped found Guys Read, an after-school program funded by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library for young men at the West Boulevard branch. UNC Board of Visitors; Association of Fundraising Professionals 2009 Emerging Philanthropist; 20011 Super Lawyers Rising Star.

Job: Partner at Essex Richards, PA, a law firm

Details: www.MarcForMeck.com, marc@marcformeck.com

Kim Michele Ratliff, 43, East Charlotte

Democrat

Education: Independence Senior High School; Bachelor’s degree in political science with a concentration in public administration and a minor in history from North Carolina Central University, two years of leadership school and one year of labor leadership school.

Political experience: Democratic candidate campaigns in Charlotte since 1994; lobbied at the local, state and federal level as an area vice president for Communication Workers of America Local 3603; worked for worker’s rights as a member of A. Philip Randolph Institute and Labor Council.

Other qualifications: Young Democrats, Black Political Caucus and the Democratic Women; former precinct chair and vice president of neighborhood association.

Job: private, local in-home health care service provider.

Details: www.kimformeckcounty.com, Votekimratliff2012@gmail.com

Harry Taylor, 67, Charlotte - Briar Creek

Democrat

Education: Bachelor of Arts from Colgate University; professional classes; CCIM designation in the commercial real estate profession.

Political experience: “I have never held political office, but ran for U.S. Congress in 2008.”

Other qualifications: Environmental and social activist; have worked with more than 60 kids, mostly male, most of color – at Big Brothers, Communities In Schools, Habitat, Youth Homes and N.C. Outward Bound.

Job: commercial real estate broker, selling and leasing warehouses, offices, and vacant land.

Details: www.harrytaylorforcountycommission.org, harry@harrytaylorforcounty
commission.org

Dan Barry, 46, Weddington

Republican

Education: Myers Park High School; Bachelor of Arts from College of Charleston.

Political experience: Mayor Pro Tem of Weddington; financial services; provided expert testimony to the SEC and FINRA regarding rulemaking under the job-killing Dodd-Frank legislation, pertaining to fiduciary standards.

Other qualifications: Worked with members of Congress to reinforce the message from business owners that we need to simplify the tax code and lower taxes. As a businessman, I understand the financial environment we’re in, and have a plan to grow North Carolina’s economy.

Job: Regional vice president at Principal Financial Group.

Details: www.electdanbarry.com, dan@electdanbarry.com

Robert Pittenger, 63, Charlotte

Republican

Education: Bachelor’s degree with a double major in political science and psychology from the University of Texas at Austin

Political experience: Chairman of Taxpayer Protection Caucus- Americans for Tax Reform; three-term state senator; Republican nominee for Lieutenant governor 2008

Other qualifications: Legislative record demonstrates commitment to cutting spending, reducing taxes and eliminating debt; small business owner.

Job: land investment

Details: RobertPittenger.com, info@robertpittenger.com

Ric Killian, 47,

Charlotte

Republican

Education:  Bachelor of Science from West Point; Master of strategic studies from U.S. Army War College

Political experience: N.C. State Representative, 2007 - Present

Other qualifications: Military:  Colonel, U.S. Army Reserve, Afghanistan & Iraq War Veteran, Bronze Star Medal; Business:  15 years experience in the homebuilding industry, held leadership positions in private and public companies

Job: Real Estate Investor; U.S. Army Reserve

Details: www.killianforcongress.com, ric@killianforcongress.com

Ken Leonczyk, 34,

Charlotte

Republican

Education: J.D. from Yale Law School; M.A.R. Yale University; Bachelor of Arts from University of the South (Sewanee); Charlotte Latin School

Political experience: Former counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Committee.

Other qualifications: “I will quote the Charlotte Observer: ‘Ken Leonczyk worked in the wreckage of ground zero, helped defuse a hostage situation in New Orleans and preached the Bible in war-torn Sudan.’”

Job: Ordained Minister, Evangelist, Attorney

Details: www.VoteKen2012.com, ken@voteken2012.com

Richard Lynch, 58,

Belmont

Republican

Qualifications: “I have studied the Constitution and understand: words have meaning!”

Job: businessman, inventor, golf instructor

Major issues: Strict adherence to the Constitution; Pass the Fair Tax and abolish the IRS; Change the election process

Details: Lynch.GOOOH.com, GOOOH
forlynch@yahoo.com

Jim Pendergraph, 67, Charlotte

- Steele Creek

Republican

Education: Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government courses for state and local officials; Associate’s degree in criminal justice; Graduate of the FBI National Academy and FBI National Executive Institute

Political experience: Mecklenburg County Sheriff, 1994-2007; Mecklenburg County Commission, 2010-present (currently vice chair)

Other qualifications: Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer for 24 years rising to the rank of Deputy Chief; elected sheriff of Mecklenburg County for 13 years; currently serving second term on the Mecklenburg County Commission as vice chair; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security

Job: security consulting

Details: jimpendergraphforcongress.com, jimpendergraphcampaign.com

Also running for N.C. Senate district 41 are Robby Benton and Donald Copeland. Also running for Board of County Commissioners at large are Angelique Diaz Landry, Jyoti Friedland, Gregory Hunt and Oronde McLean. Also running for the U.S. House of Representatives District 9 are Michael Steinberg, Jon Gauthier, Edwin Peacock and Chris Campbell.