Meet The Candidate: Rich George For Soil & Water Conservation

CHARLOTTE, NC — In addition to voting for president and vice president of the United States in the Nov. 3 general election, voters in Mecklenburg County, will choose delegates for the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, the North Carolina General Assembly, county commission, as well as superior court and district court judges.

Rich George is a 61-year-old Democrat and chief brand strategy officer who is running for Mecklenburg Soil & Water Conservation District Supervisor.

As part of its coverage of the 2020 election, Patch has asked candidates in local races to fill out a questionnaire to describe why they think they're the best person to fill the job they're running for.

Are you running for office in Mecklenburg County? Contact Kimberly Johnson at kimberly.johnson@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Charlotte Patch.

Rich George

Age (as of Election Day)

61

Town/City of Residence

Charlotte

Office Sought

Local offices (including countywide offices and school boards)

If you are running for local office, or in a district, please specify. (District 1, Commissioner at-large, etc.)

Mecklenburg Soil & Water Conservation District Supervisor

Party Affiliation

Democrat (Nonpartisan race)

Family

Beau Duke (Standard Poodle), Tiger Lily (Domestic Short Hair), Clinique (Lynx Point Siamese)

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

Duke University, BS
Vanderbilt University, MBA

Occupation

Chief Brand Strategy Officer, Brandsymbol (Branding agency serving Fortune 100 Companies); 40 years experience in marketing & communication

Campaign website

https://www.facebook.com/richs...

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

None

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The most important issue facing Mecklenburg Soil & Water Conservation District (MS&WCD) is our rapidly worsening climate crisis. My “E*O*S: A NEW DAWN FOR MECKLENBURG’S ENVIRONMENT” strategic plan addresses this issue by defining, detailing and delivering:
1. EQUITABLE access to natural resources for everyone...No matter who you are, who you are with, who you love, or who you worship...No matter where you live in Mecklenburg, or where in the world you are from...No matter what you earn, what you owe, or what color you are.
2. OPTIMAL usage of natural resources for: 1) agriculture, from large rural farms to small urban gardens; 2) industry, from commercial office buildings to manufacturing plants; 3) housing, from affordable multifamily developments to diverse single-family homes; and 4) recreation, from greenways to waterways.
3. SUSTAINABLE resource management built on: 1) responsible land development and usage to provide food safety and security, especially in disadvantaged communities; 2) waterways protection to ensure free-flowing, fresh water free of unhealthy pollutants; and 3) expanded, carbon-capturing tree canopy to beautifully ensure healthy air quality.

Do you support Black Lives Matter and what are your thoughts on the demonstrations held since the death of George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake?

My passion for combatting our global climate crisis absolutely includes a commitment to economic, social and racial justice.

What are your thoughts on the campaign to "defund" the police?

Not applicable to MS&WCD

What are your thoughts on the state and national response to the coronavirus pandemic? Do you favor such measures as limiting operation of non-essential businesses or restricting indoor/outdoor dining? And do you favor a nationwide mask mandate?

While coronavirus response is not directly applicable to MS&WCD, food safety and security is an appropriate and essential MS&WCD priority since World Health Organization has identified global food supply as an urgent threat to human health. My extensive plan to reconnect people with their food will minimize the deadly threat posed by factory farms and wildlife markets.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

My unique expertise & passion focused exclusively on environmental protection drives me to serve for the first time: I WANT ONLY THIS OFFICE (MS&WCD Supervisor), to protect and promote Mecklenburg County natural resources. In contrast, other candidates cannot match my expertise & passion: THEY WANT ANY OFFICE, with 9 losses in 9 races (Charlotte City Council, Charlotte Mayor, CMS Board of Education, MS&WCD) in 10 years.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

I am running for an open MS&WCD seat, not challenging an incumbent.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

First, I am a passionate environmentalist running to protect the planet and its inhabitants from our life-threatening climate crisis. As a certified member of VP Al Gore’s Climate Leadership Corps, I am equipped with global expertise built on the leading and latest scientific research. As a 10-year Mecklenburg resident, I am energized to protect our local environment. As a tribute to my late fiancée, I am inspired to defend biodiversity, especially defenseless animals and plants.
Second, I am the product of my family’s small farms running to restore small-scale, urban agriculture. As someone who relied on the land to survive, I deeply appreciate fertile soil, fresh air, and clean water. As someone who grew up hunting animals, and growing plants, to eat, I clearly understand the importance of fresh, healthy food. As someone who saw countless farms disappear, I strongly support local agriculture struggling against global food conglomerates.
Third, I am a powerful, yet practical, change agent running to change change-resistant government agencies. As Brand strategist for Fortune 100 companies, I lead significant change by establishing group objectives that are clearly, consistently and compellingly communicated. As owner of three small businesses, I have served clients ranging from small NC mobile-home parks to multinational companies. As an effective team-builder, I optimize budgets to maximize impact.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

First, my tireless climate-crisis and animal-rights advocacy positions me to make a positive impact both globally and local. Recent volunteer activities include:
1. Certified member of VP Al Gore’s Climate Reality Leadership Corps, with extensive training on combating our global climate crisis and environmental/social/racial injustice
2. Active member of Mecklenburg non-profit organizations working to protect natural resources:
• Sierra Club: National Text Team (Biden GOTV); NC Climate Change Subcommittee
• Audubon Society: 2020 NC Legislature Virtual Advocacy Presenter
• NC Conservation Network: Mecklenburg County Delegation Presenter
• NC League of Conservation Voters
3. Volunteer with CharMeck Animal Shelter: Designed and donated wall murals for new kitten nursery; kitten foster
Second, my family-farming background uniquely equips and energizes me to help make healthy, affordable food available to Mecklenburg residents by reconnecting underserved communities with fresh food they grow themselves. Ideally, MS&WCD and partners will provide educational and financial support to help residents understand:
1. Where does my food originate? County residents know their food mostly comes from grocery stores, but many have little idea how it got there (e.g., bacon from hogs, avocados from trees, blueberries from bushes). Commercial food producers have increasingly exploited this knowledge gap for profit, often at the expense of consumers’ health.
2. Why is my food important? Poor diets lead to poor health, especially when County residents may not be aware that processed foods are loaded with fats and sugars. These overlooked additives are leading contributors to life-threatening obesity, while deadly zoonotic viruses (including COVID-19) grow from an overstressed global food supply chain.
3. How can I grow my own food? County residents, especially in food deserts, must be equipped with the necessary tools to grow fresh, healthy produce: micro-farming training and education, equipment and supplies, and access to neighborhood land. Naturally, this food production depends on MS&WCD’s existing soil health and water quality efforts.
Since healthy food depends on healthy soil and water, I will focus on our most dangerous contaminants: 1) single-use plastics that litter County land and streams; 2) nurdles, omnipresent pellets that form the basis for nearly all petrochemical plastic products; and 3) PFA forever chemicals, found in blood and organs of 99% of US residents.
Third, my professional expertise as a Brand strategist is ideally suited to complement MS&WCD’s work to-date. Specifically, these skills will allow me to define and deliver:
1. STRATEGIC PLANNING that drives MS&WCD activity by: a) defining a clear roadmap to success; b) developing a comprehensive database that combines existing information into a single, searchable resource to facilitate fact-based decisionmaking; and c) detailing stakeholder input needed to protect and promote Mecklenburg resources.
2. STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS that maximize MS&WCD funding and impact by: a) coordinating environmental plans with Charlotte to supplement SEAP carbon reduction; b) collaborating with stakeholders to solicit expertise and experience; and c) communicating clearly, consistently and compellingly, leading to common understanding and objectives.
3. STRATEGIC PRIORITIES that deliver MS&WCD goals, including: a) soil health needed to reconnect County residents with fresh, healthy food, especially in disadvantaged communities; b) water quality focused on single-use plastic and microplastics contamination and c) green infrastructure to stimulate job training & creation.

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office as a success?

Significant and measurable increases in: 1) small-scale urban architecture (with continued support for rural farms), driven by an expanded definition of farm: A farm is any establishment from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were sold or would normally be sold during the year; 2) water quality, with less plastic contamination (single-use and microplastics); and 3) green infrastructure that drives economic and job growth, especially in disadvantaged communities.

Why should voters trust you?

Voters can trust me, since I am driven to serve because of my unwavering commitment to:
1. SERVICE OVER SELF-INTEREST: Public service is correctly defined as actually serving the public, but currently defined as being served by the public…starting in The White House. I am a first-time candidate drawn to serve as MS&WCD Supervisor because I can make a positive, sustainable impact on our environment…my ONLY personal reward from the office.
2. PEOPLE OVER PROFITS: By definition, public servants must place the welfare of the public above the profits of the few. By the US Supreme Courts’ 2010 Citizens United ruling, unlimited spending by the privileged few is now allowed to overwhelm public welfare. “One person, one vote” is rapidly and regrettably being replaced by “one dollar, one vote.”
3. FACTS OVER FICTION: Our worsening global climate crisis demands that all public policy decisions consider critical environmental impacts. First and foremost, leadership must protect our planet with fact-driven decisionmaking based on science not speculation, to ensure environmental/economic/racial/social justice short-term, and human survival long-term.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the use of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?

CharMeck financial health is critical since MS&WCD receives funding from City & County stormwater fees. My professional experience will help: 1) obtain supplemental corporate grants & funding to increase MS&WCD budgets & impact; 2) ensure transparent and effective expenditures only on MS&WCD priorities; and 3) increase budget efficiencies.

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?

No

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Leave a place better than you found it. This challenge to be part of something bigger than yourself fuels my passion to combat our global climate crisis.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I hope to leave a legacy honoring my late fiancée Brooke Atkins. Ideally, she and I will be remembered for protecting our planet, and all its inhabitants, from the catastrophic effects of climate change. This effort will defend the defenseless and disadvantaged, both human and non-human. Our shared wish is outrageously ambitious…and just as outrageously worthy.
Looking ahead, successful stewardship of our planet is the only way forward to a future that is hopeful not hateful, intelligent not ignorant, and sustainable not self-serving. This will demand support for, and reliance on, scientific: 1) professionals, not politicians; 2) research, not rhetoric; 3) data, not distortion; 4) evidence, not emotion; and 5) methodology, not mania.

SEE ALSO:

• Early Voting To Begin This Week In Charlotte: 5 Things To Know
• 2020 Election: Absentee Ballot Requests Surge In Mecklenburg