Jan
30
Written by:
Dan Besse
1/30/2007
"North Carolina is dealing with a dramatic boom in population and development," observed Besse. "We face the type of crisis that rightly translates as 'dangerous opportunity'. We must strike practical balances between the development needed to produce jobs and economic opportunity, and the steps required to protect our natural resources, human health, and the environment."
Besse notes that the challenges are most acute in education, water resources, transportation, and energy supply. "I have the practical experience to provide leadership in meeting those challenges in ways that will serve all our citizens," he said.
A North Carolina native, Besse has dedicated his career to public service. As an attorney and educator, he has worked for nearly three decades to promote social justice for the disadvantaged and to improve stewardship of our environment. Prior to moving to Winston-Salem, Besse grew up in Hickory, graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill, and spent most of a decade working as a legal aid attorney for poor families in eastern North Carolina.
As part of his hands-on experience in governing in our state’s third-largest metropolitan area, Besse serves on the board of directors of the Piedmont Triad Partnership – the Triad’s leading regional economic development organization. He chairs the stakeholders committee for the Piedmont Triad Early Action Compact, which plans and oversees the region's clean air plan. He also serves on the Winston-Salem Urban Area Transportation Advisory Committee – a regional planning entity for transportation systems and funding.
In addition to his understanding of business, urban planning and governance, Besse brings to his candidacy extensive state-level leadership in protecting public health and the environment, as well as promoting clean energy supplies and energy efficiency. His service has included the N.C. Climate Action Plan Advisory Group, N.C. Environmental Management Commission, N.C. Sedimentation Control Commission, N.C. Coastal Resources Commission, and the N.C. Emergency Response Commission.
More details on Besse's background and priorities are available on his website, www.danbesse2008.org.
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