Profile in Politics - Dan Hunsucker
Family: Wife, Kathy; children, John, Amanda and Brad
Education: Newton-Conover High School, North Carolina State University, Bachelor of Science - Animal Science
Occupation: Dairy/Beef Cattle Producer and crop farmer
Elected positions held: Catawba County Board of Commissioners, MD/VA Milk Producers Coop., North Carolina Farm Bureau Board of Directors, Catawba County Farm Bureau Board of Directors, Vice-president of St. John’s Lutheran Church of Conover
Notable information: Eagle Scout, Chairman of American Farm Bureau Young Farmer Committee, American Farm Bureau Board of Directors, Boy Scout Troop 312 Committee Member, St. John’s Lutheran Church Board of Deacons
For more information: Home (828) 465-2802, Fax (828) 466-3382
Why are you running?
1. I want to continue efforts (with the Catawba County Economic Development Corp., Catawba County Chamber of Commerce and Committee of 100) toward economic expansion through presenting our area worldwide and the many advantages we offer such as a highly productive work force, a favorable business climate and a great working relationship with local officials.
2. I want to continue to find funding for Catawba Valley Community College, the Hickory Metro Higher Education Center, the North Carolina Center for Engineering Technology and other educational opportunities for our citizens who are displaced or are looking to further their eduction.
3. I want to provide more county services to the Sherrills Ford area, building permit center, sheriff patrols and water and sewer.
What qualities make you the best candidate?
I have served as a commissioner for the past seven-and-a-half years and we have come through some trying times. I have worked with the other commissioners to broaden our economic base to avoid another catastrophic loss of jobs as we experienced the first part of this decade. I believe that this experience along with current and past leadership positions give me the ability to move our board and county into the future. I have worked over the years with people of various degrees of education and stations in life that range from the very poor to the very wealthy and realize we are all God’s children and should be treated as such.
What is the biggest issue facing Catawba County? What would you do to address it?
I believe that the biggest issue facing Catawba County is our economy, and that everything that we do as commissioners should keep our economy at the forefront. We continue to work to advocate our region through the EDC to promote our area that welcomes new business and industry with well paying and stable jobs. We need to also remember and work with our existing businesses to help them grow and keep them profitable.
It takes all of us, from the smallest business to the largest corporation, working together to keep our economic engine running.
How do you see Catawba County growing/changing over the next 10 years?
I hope that Catawba County can continue to grow and be a desirable place to live and work. At the same time, I hope we will maintain our own identity as a region of hardworking, resilient people who appreciate success and look out for our neighbor.
I do not want to see us become just another bedroom community for Charlotte. I would like to see our area remain a place where hard-working, strong-minded entrepreneurs can succeed as our ancestors have in the past.
