Gene McBryar – Candidate for County Commissioner, District 1
My name is Eugene (Gene) McBryar and I am announcing my candidacy for the County Commissioner from District 1.
I am originally from Dade County and grew up here. My parents, Clinton and Delilah McBryar were both from Dade County and I have a family history here that goes back five generations.
I went to North Dade Elementary, Dade Middle School and graduated from Northwest Georgia High. During those years, I worked on the farm where we raised cattle and I worked a part time job after school. After high school, I went to UTC and graduated with a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering. I worked during college to pay for my education and graduated without any debt.
I moved away from Dade County after college and lived in Whitfield and Catoosa counties. Since college, I developed my engineering skills and gained a lot of experience while working for Collins & Aikman, Shaw Industries, Technical Associates, Mohawk Industries, Tarkett, and McKee Foods. My positions at these companies included project engineer, staff engineer, maintenance manager, sr. project engineer, project manager and engineering group manager. Most of my work was within the corporate engineering department of these companies.
As I advanced in my career, my responsibilities grew in number, complexity, and financial management. I have designed equipment, written proposals, created budgets, negotiated contracts, managed on-site construction, conducted meetings, authorized spending, supervised employees and contractors, monitored progress, and performed audits. In almost every case I worked as a member of a team along with members from other departments and managers.
I’ve worked for public and privately owned companies; each type having their own culture and ways they worked. Some were very structured and others required a great deal of flexibility.
I am currently a member of New Heights Baptist Church. Earlier, I was an assistant youth teacher and deacon at Good Hope Baptist Church. I was also a member of the Ringgold Kiwanis Club. My interests include golf, watching sports, classic cars and cattle farming.
Even though I lived 36 miles from Dade County, I came home every week to see my parents and family. I have seen the growth and new development that has occurred in my community and countywide. As District 1 Commissioner, I want to be a part of the expansion of new jobs and affordable housing that go along with the prosperity of advancements in my county.
When the county population grows it impacts a number of areas including increased demand on utilities, increase in students, transportation, wear and tear on roads, and increased demand on emergency services. Therefore, I would encourage the development of new businesses. As a Commissioner, I would use my knowledge, skills, and abilities to promote growth in the county.
The citizens of the county expect their tax dollars to be used efficiently. Each department in the county has a responsibility to manage their budget wisely. I would welcome the opportunity to work with the various departments and the citizens of the county to determine their expectations and concerns.
I believe my experience in engineering and management would benefit the county if I am elected to serve as Commissioner from District 1. I would appreciate your support and vote in the primary election on May 19.