Dan Redding

Questionnaire from The Chamber, Leading Business in Cabarrus

Note: The responses below from the candidate have not been edited. 

Please provide demographic information about yourself to help voters (age, education, current occupation, where you live).

I am 41 years old and have lived in Cabarrus County for more than 17 years. I currently live in Harrisburg with my wife, 2 children, and foster dog. I am a native North Carolinian, and grew up in the Foothills of Caldwell County. I graduated from Wingate University with a Bachelor’s Degree in 2007, and have worked in technology sales since 2008 for various companies ranging from multi-billion dollar enterprises, to startups.

Why are you running for this role and why should voters pick you? Please share any experience in an elected role that would be relevant to voters.

I genuinely love Cabarrus County, and I am proud of the life I have been able to build for myself here. This county welcomed me and my young family with open arms in 2009. However, the circumstances that enabled me to buy an affordable home, live close to our immediate family, and have a short commute to work are seemingly few and far between in 2026. I am concerned that the opportunities that were afforded to me will not be there for my kids, or for many of the youth currently living in our community.

I am also worried about the current state of our democracy, and while there is little an individual can do to affect national politics, one person can make a difference at the local level.

I believe that Cabarrus County is ready for a new voice. One that is unapologetic about the issues facing the working class. Someone that will be the biggest cheerleader and supporter possible for our public schools. Someone who will not be afraid to stand up for the marginalized in our community.

This is my first time running for political office, and since I filed to run for County Commissioner last December, I have traveled thousands of miles all over the county, meeting hundreds of people, including numerous elected officials and government employees. I have learned much about how our local government works, and what our citizens would like to see from someone on the Board of Commissioners.

In many ways, the Board is the face of our local government, and I would take immense pride in helping determine who we are, and what direction we want to go as a county. Ultimately, we deserve elected officials that we can be proud of, not embarrassed by.

Tell us about 2-3 professional accomplishments you have achieved in your work experience (not limited to public service) that give voters a sense of your leadership style or skills.

In my most recent full-time position at Blancco (a software company), I led the efforts in signing-on a clinical device management company, and in turn creating a first-of-its-kind offering. The CDM company would use Blancco’s software to wipe their client’s devices (MRI machines, portable and bedside monitors, patient check-in kiosks - think anything used by the healthcare industry that has patient information) clean of any patient data. This company was managing more than half-a-million devices with thousands of customers in the US and Canada, and at the time, no other CDM company was offering that kind of service to their customers.

That is important to note, and because this was a unique offering, the process to close this deal was much more onerous than the average one. From our first conversation to when the contract was signed took close to 9 months (almost double the time of an average deal), and I spent just as much time coordinating meetings between our respective legal departments as I did the engineering, operations, marketing, and sales teams combined.

The deal almost fell apart multiple times, and what made it especially difficult was that our respective legal teams had very different views on multiple aspects of the contract. However, both of our companies had the same end goal in mind, and through hundreds of hours of calls and negotiations, we were able to come to an agreement that both parties were satisfied with.

This client is still working on the full rollout of this offering, but they have used Blancco software to clear thousands of devices of patient data, keeping that information out of the hands of potential bad actors, and are continuing to use those devices (instead of destroying them and sending them to a landfill).

Next, in the fall of 2019, I was hired to join an IT staffing firm as the first director of their Professional Services division in Charlotte. This separate division originated in Fort Lauderdale, and this was the first time they were offering these services in the Charlotte market. I spent the first 6 months attending as many meetings of existing staffing clients as possible, as well as attending multiple professional meetups and conferences per week. Then COVID arrived in March, and all of those meetings (along with everything else) either stopped or moved to virtual.

However, I had built relationships prior to the shutdown, and continued the conversations with numerous potential customers that Spring. Even during the shutdown, with all of the uncertainty in the market, I closed 5 deals - all with new customers. I am proud of how our internal teams collaborated and adjusted with the major changes, as it would have been easy to let the stress of those times affect how we went about our business. We showed that we could adjust, and continue to build relationships and push through the difficulties of that time.

What is one thing you would like to accomplish in the first six months if elected?

The first thing that comes to mind would be to make sure that, assuming the GO bonds are approved by the voters, the county gets the approval from the Local Government Commission (LGC) in Raleigh to start the projects for CCS, KCS, and RCCC. It’s important for voters to know that, even if both bonds are passed, the county still has to submit the proposal and get approval from the LGC before construction can start. However, if one (or both) of the bonds are not passed, it doesn’t mean the projects are not needed. Especially the projects with Cabarrus County and Kannapolis City Schools. Therefore, the Board of Commissioners, in collaboration with the requisite county departments, would have to determine a different path to get the funding for those projects. Regardless, the LGC has to approve of any proposal before the work can begin.

Any delays in getting the approval with the LGC will only bring increased costs and a worse experience for our students and teachers.

Cabarrus County includes both fast-growing communities and areas facing economic challenges. How would you guide county policy and investment decisions to support balanced growth and opportunity across the entire county?

The needs facing fast-growing areas, such as Harrisburg and West Concord, are different from the rural areas of Mount Pleasant and northeast Cabarrus. However, with the right planning and investment, we can keep the charm that is so valued by those rural communities, while ensuring they have the services and opportunities for employment that they deserve. The Board should work with the General Assembly in Raleigh, and the local municipalities, to make sure that we are properly preserving our farmland, and look at targeting commercial investment along underutilized corridors.

Also, we can better accommodate the influx in population by diversifying (and densifying) our housing options. It would be smarter, and cheaper, to increase our public transportation options and build housing near where people work (such as downtown and North Concord, and Kannapolis), than to turn every farm into a new suburb, and every blade of grass into a highway.

County government plays a central role in funding public school facilities and long-term capital needs. How would you approach decisions related to school capital investment to ensure facilities keep pace with growth, support student success, and remain fiscally responsible for taxpayers?

The Board of Commissioners must collaborate with the school boards, especially CCS’. That is non-negotiable. If the county is going to tackle these major building issues and do so as efficiently as possible, intentional partnership and collaboration is a must.

Along with the day-to-day operations and yearly budget discussions, focus must be put on planning 10, 15, and 20-plus years ahead. We live in one of the most desirable places to move in the country, and I don’t anticipate that growth will slow down anytime soon. Therefore, it’s that much more important that we plan for the next generation, because we owe it to our children and our future selves.

The Board of Commissioners would also have to communicate clearly and effectively to the public about what the needs are, and how we can pay for them. For example, the public must be aware that if the GO bond for KCS and CCS doesn’t pass, then the needs don’t go away. The work HAS to get done, and a GO bond is the route that is going to be the most cost-effective for taxpayers.

The Board also has a duty to work closely with our leaders in the General Assembly in Raleigh. Most everything when it comes to school facilities is mandated by the state, and it’s important for our elected officials in Raleigh to understand that there are major needs for our county, and that working together will be beneficial for all of those involved.

A strong workforce depends on more than jobs alone. It is shaped by access to education, child care, and community resources. How would you use the county’s role to support workforce participation and quality of life for Cabarrus County residents?

The quality of life for many in our county is something we should be proud of; it’s one of the reasons that we are one of the fastest growing counties in the state. However, for many in our county, reliable access to education, childcare, job opportunities, and the community resources that we value so strongly is challenging.

For example, access to dependable and affordable childcare is one of the biggest bottlenecks facing our local workforce. I attended a conference in July talking about this very issue, and learned that (per LEAD NC), childcare issues cost the Cabarrus & Rowan economies almost $142 million a year. That includes business activity, and the loss of state and local tax revenue.

Our county government has addressed this issue before. In 2020, the Board of Commissioners, along with the Cabarrus County Early Childhood Task Force Advisory Board, created a public-private partnership to open a child care center at All Saints Episcopal Church, for use by county employees and the community. If I am elected in November, I would immediately look to build on that kind of partnership, and get creative in tackling this problem.

Regarding public education, I would be the biggest advocate possible for our public schools. There are numerous ways in which the county goes above and beyond for our community in regards to CCS, but three that stand out are the Performance Learning Center, Program Choice, and the Exceptional Children’s Department. Much of the funding for those programs comes from the county, not the state or federal government.

Our county has chosen to make those areas a priority, and they all enhance the quality of life for our children and families. If you don’t believe me, then talk to the parent of a child that’s in one of those programs.

I am also a tremendous advocate for Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, and I think their R3 (Refocus, Retrain, and Re-Employ) Services are a wonderful asset for our community. I would ensure that RCCC gets the proper funding they need to continue those services, as well as any other offerings that would keep our workforce on the cutting edge of today's (and tomorrow’s) economic climate.

Economic growth is essential to maintaining a strong tax base, supporting public services, and creating opportunity for residents. How would you approach county-level policies and investments to ensure Cabarrus County remains competitive in attracting and retaining businesses while managing growth responsibly?

As attractive as Cabarrus County is, we are not the only ones competing for business relocations or facility expansions. Using incentives to attract businesses that will pay above market rate, treat their employees well, and invest in the community can be a good tool, but we must be judicious with that process. Not every major relocation or expansion deserves to have the maximum allotted incentive.

If elected, I would propose to return to fully funding our Economic Development Corporation. By working with them, the Chamber of Commerce, and relevant municipalities, we could offer attractive, yet reasonable incentives to certain types of businesses, while including strict protections (such as clawbacks or performance milestones). Diversifying the tax base (such as by bringing in medium and large businesses) in Cabarrus County is also a key way to lessen the burden of property taxes on residential homeowners.

The ongoing expansions of Muddy Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant and the Rocky River facility are a must, and will be a major factor in determining whether businesses will look to invest in Cabarrus.

Another crucial factor in the decision-making process for potential businesses is the quality of our school system, including both public school systems and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. The businesses that build in Cabarrus County pay property taxes too, and those taxes will directly fund the facilities and maintenance of our public schools and RCCC. The property taxes that businesses pay could have a significant impact for residential owners, and the more than $1 billion that is needed in new construction and maintenance for CCS over the next 10 years.

Transportation is another key factor for businesses and whether they will invest here. For our county and region to meet the needs of a rapidly growing population, as well as continue to be an attractive county for business growth, we must look at ways to expand, improve, and diversify our public transportation options. As things currently stand, the Board of Commissioners has very little say in the transit options in Cabarrus County. However, our elected officials throughout the county and region are going to have to figure out how to move people in a cost-effective and efficient way, otherwise there will only be more traffic on the roads and more strain on an infrastructure that is already stressed.

While counties do not regulate businesses in the same way as the state or municipalities, county policies can still influence the cost and ease of doing business. How would you consider the impact of county decisions on the business community?

I want all of our businesses in Cabarrus County to thrive. Whether it’s Eli Lilly, Atrium Health Cabarrus, or a small business out of a garage in Midland, it’s imperative that the county provide the necessary resources so that our businesses can focus on what they know best, not constantly worry about unnecessary regulations or whether our infrastructure can hold up.

I would commit to being an ear for our business community, especially our small businesses, and making sure that they know that the county government values their input and perspectives. If there are burdensome regulations that are slowing down operations, or there aren’t enough health inspectors to keep up with growing demand, then we need to know that so we can fix it.

I also want to be intentional about diversifying our local economy, and having businesses that are attractive for high school graduates who may not want to attend college, the recent college grad, or the middle-aged, working parent who wants a career change.