Kristel Swayze

Questionnaire from The Chamber, Leading Business in Cabarrus

Note: The following responses are verbatim from the candidate and have not been edited.

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

I am a lifelong resident of Cabarrus County where I went to school at Shady Brook Elementary, Kannapolis Middle School and graduated from A.L. Brown High School. After graduation, I went to college at UNC-Chapel Hill where I graduated with a degree in Sociology with a Minor in History. After returning back to Cabarrus County, I met my husband, Ken, and we started our family in Concord. We are blessed to have 2 amazing children, Mary and William. Professionally, I own KS Image Solutions, a Promotional Products and Printing Company. We specialize in assisting our clients with their branding needs, ensuring we provide useful products that make them stand out at economical pricing. This year, we will celebrate our 24th year of providing quality products and services to clients here in Cabarrus County and throughout the US.

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.

About 25 years ago, I dipped my toe in politics to fight for my neighborhood when the builder behind us wanted to connect to our last two cul-de-sacs. It would have brought down home values and increased vehicle traffic between our neighborhood and another. Logically, it didn’t make sense. So I researched, I worked with planning and zoning, and I did home studies of our neighboring communities. That is how I met my dear friends, Scott Padgett, Dave Phillips, and our beloved Jim Ramseur. Later, Scott would tell me, " You came up there with facts, and you would sit down and smile at us." I knew that to be effective, I needed to be informed first and professional and friendly second. That’s what we need more of in this world. Passionate people who care about Cabarrus County and are willing to fight for it! I am a fighter, and I am more than willing to ensure I do what is right for every resident of Cabarrus County.

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.

First, I am a business owner of 24 years, which means I have survived the 2008 economic downturn and the COVID pandemic. I am a hard worker, and I take pride in my work. When I look at what I do for a living, it's not about making money off of my clients; it is about taking care of them and having pride in my work and my team. It is the same way I look at Cabarrus County, my clients, and employees are like family to me.  I was raised to take care of those around me in my private, professional, and personal life.

Secondly, as a business owner, I was blessed to be recognized by Business Today as one of their Top Women in Business in 2012. My business leadership and my ability to advocate for not only my business, but also other businesses in Cabarrus County have been something I am incredibly proud of.

Third, one of my greatest joys and life achievements, even over owning my business, has been to be a Boy Scout Leader.  I believe that the time I have spent over the last 11 years cultivating and leading our future generation has been among the most valuable commitments I have made as an adult. As my son completes his Eagle Scout in the next few months, I will have watched little boys become grown men. When you have an opportunity to help a young man soar, there is no greater joy!

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

For the past year, Cabarrus County has been in political turmoil. Especially regarding our County Commission, where we had a board that played political games with people's livelihoods, creating not one but two lawsuits.  One of my primary goals in my first six months will be to help bring stability, calm to our employee moral and work to rebuild a workplace that is employee focused.

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?

One of the most inspiring things about Cabarrus County has been the uniqueness that we hold and embrace.  As a five-municipality county with five very diverse communities, it is important to have a deep conversation and collaborate to understand each community's unique needs and understand how we can support their growth and opportunities. As a county commissioner, I will work collaboratively to support each municipality and community in ways that best meet their needs. All residents and communities in Cabarrus County need equal representation and a voice. What works well in Concord may not work the best in Midland. Concord has easy access to I-85, while Midland has easy access to the railroad. We need to examine the benefits of each community and assess how they envision their growth, as well as how we can best serve them.  As a county commissioner, I would support continued funding of the EDC and collaborative efforts between county leadership and each municipality.

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?

As a product of the Kannapolis City School system and the daughter of a 30-year educator in Cabarrus County Schools, I know the value of a quality education for every child. As your county commissioner, I will work to ensure our students have a safe place to learn and that our teachers are paid a competitive supplement. We can’t keep losing teachers to border counties that pay more. Regarding our Capital needs, we have been fighting an uphill battle for school construction for decades in both new builds and maintenance. I believe in collaboration, and I have already sat down to discuss with Dr. Kopicki and his team to ensure I am aware of their needs and how we can work better together to build a 10-year-plus plan, if possible. Growth and education are truly a multilayer process, and we all need to work better to ensure we are working on the same page if possible. When it comes to growth, many of those impacts stem from municipalities when developments are approved at their level.  Then it cycles back to the school system, which experiences an influx of students, making it a Cabarrus County issue to fund schools for school buildings, teacher supplements, and other needs. We will all have greater success if we collaborate on what the future looks like and how best to set ourselves up for success. The facts are simple: we need new schools and must retain good staff for our students. As a business owner and community advocate for 30-plus years, I feel that I would be a perfect fit on the commission, to ensure all decisions are based on fiscal responsibility and smart growth.

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?

One of the things that I find crucial in life is remembering your past, so you aren't bound to repeat it. When Pillowtex shut down in June of 2003, Kannapolis and Cabarrus County learned a very hard lesson that one would hope we would never experience again. Yet in July 2009, we were still there reeling from that when Philip Morris shut down.  With the Pillowtex shutdown, 4,800 Cabarrus County employees lost their jobs, and with the Philip Morris shutdown, 1,000 Cabarrus County employees lost their jobs.  In the span of six years, nearly 6,000 Cabarrus County employees lost their jobs. It was a ripple effect for many when you can't pay your bills, you lose your home, and you have to start over. When 6,000 people become unemployed overnight, where do you go to work when there are no other businesses hiring in your skill set?  Thankfully, Rowan Cabarrus Community College, county leadership, the municipalities, workforce agencies, and business leaders pivoted in a collaborative effort to help retrain these employees.  This time period showed the resilience of the people of Cabarrus County with a full hands-on effort. The story for many of those impacted employees and their families changed their financial lives and trajectory forever. But by witnessing my childhood friends' families go through that, I was forever changed.

I am a stronger business owner and community advocate because of it. I believe every resident of Cabarrus County should be able to make a livable wage with a job in Cabarrus County if they choose. I am fully in support of the wonderful collaborative work initiated during those tough years, which has now become workforce development within existing businesses and new corporations moving in to this day. A strong workforce enables families to provide for themselves, bringing generational change and a better future.  I would fully support the continued work of the EDC, our school systems, and RCCC as they continue their workforce development programs.  Last year, our community leaders did a Community Needs Assessment. It is collaborative projects and studies like this that are imperative for serving as a guiding force as we look at the present and future of Cabarrus County.  I am grateful for past and current leaders who have set the tone and had the foresight to ensure we are planning for the future. I will use that Community Needs Assessment as I make decisions for every resident of Cabarrus County.

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?

I believe Cabarrus County, our Chamber, and EDC have done a wonderful job of connecting current businesses and new growth opportunities here in Cabarrus County.  As we can see from the past, corporate and business economic growth can be a driving force for our county and community. If you look at Eli Lilly, for example, that parcel was previously slated for a 4,000-home development, but the water and sewer access was a problem. Thankfully, for our forward-thinking economic development plan, we were able to incentivize Eli Lilly to come to Cabarrus County, bringing jobs and a brighter future for so many of our residents. Had that same parcel been developed as a residential area, we would have had to build elementary, middle, and high schools at the taxpayers' expense. While Eli Lilly brought high-paying jobs, it increased our commercial tax base, reducing the burden on our residential taxpayers and reducing our long-term infrastructure burden. The tax dollars brought in from companies like will help pay for schools and infrastructure, and help Cabarrus County lessen the burden on our residents' tax bills. As a county commissioner, I would fully support continued efforts to bring jobs and economic prosperity to our residents. Our residents deserve to work, play, and stay in Cabarrus County without having to seek jobs elsewhere.

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?

Back in 2013, we had three county commissioners who basically said, "Cabarrus County is Closed for Business."  We had businesses looking to expand here, and they voted NO on their growth-expansion incentive requests. Those votes sent a statewide and national message that Cabarrus County was closed to business.  Our current 3-2 commission board is sitting on that same cusp and mentality.  The decisions made by our commissioners cycle down to our municipalities and the entire community. We need to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars while maintaining professionalism in our manner and decision-making. After looking back over the last 20 years, our residents deserve to go to work in the place they call home. I don't want any of them to be me at 21 years old, thinking, "There are no jobs for me in Cabarrus County," or the father of my classmate who lost his job at 60 years old. It is imperative that we look out for all residents and set our future up for success.  As your county commissioner, I will ensure I am looking at all decisions, looking out for the best interests of all.