Charlie Beasley

A Short(ish) History of What Led Me Here:

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My connections to North Carolina run deep. My father was born in Sampson County, near Clinton, and I have extended family across the state. I grew up on a small cattle farm in Augusta County, Virginia, just outside Staunton. This upbringing cultivated in me a strong work ethic, an appreciation for nature, the ability to think critically, and encouraged me to become a man of integrity.

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After high school, I attended Radford University and graduated Magna Cum Laude. Upon graduating, I realized that, despite the love I felt for my family and home, I wanted to do something other than return home, work on the family farm, or work a 9-5 job. I wanted to pave my own way, so I moved to Atlanta, Georgia. While living in Atlanta, I worked two jobs, one as a Personal Training Assistant Manager, and another as a Construction Supply Salesman. After several months, I realized that I enjoyed neither and was eventually laid off during the economic downturn of 2008, an event for which I was ultimately thankful.

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Given a new opportunity to change the direction of my life, I began looking for work in a place that always felt like home, North Carolina. I found a new job in Charlotte as a machine shop worker at a materials testing company and married my college sweetheart shortly after moving. Over the next eleven years, I was promoted five times within the company, eventually becoming a multi-site Quality Manager. This new position offered many opportunities but it also became cumbersome, with a 50% travel schedule and the possibility of that travel time to gradually increasing.

 

In 2014 my wife and I started our family when our daughter, Elise, was born. My son, Lincoln, came along in 2017. Despite our growing family, my job travel wasn't slowing down. It left little time to spend with my wife and children, and one day I came home from an especially long trip...my then 8-month old son didn't remember who I was. He pulled away from me when I walked in the door...and my resume was polished and sent out for the first time in almost a decade the very next morning. My wife and I wanted our children to grow up in a similar fashion to how we were raised, so I realized, for the benefit of our family, a change needed to happen. For several months in 2018 I searched for my next career home, and in early 2019, we moved to Burlington. Just in time to welcome our third child, Selah, in early 2020.

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I have worked for a number of aerospace and aviation-related companies since 2008, and in 2021 I earned the role of Director of Quality at a general aviation manufacturer that has been located in Burlington and the surrounding area for almost four decades. In addition to advancing my career in aerospace, my wife and I took over ownership of a local bounce house rental business in 2020, a venture we are both excited to grow throughout Burlington and Alamance County.

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As we settled into our new home, COVID hit and upended virtually all of society. It was during and after this time that I realized better leadership, leadership that focused on people instead of politics, was sorely needed throughout the world. I became very active in the local community, attending school board, city council, and other local meetings. I emailed, called, and surveyed those who represented our constituency. Making my voice heard, as much as was possible, and ultimately led an unsuccessful run for Burlington City Council in 2021. A great and powerful learning experience to say the least.

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After my first attempt, I stayed involved, continuing to meet the community, attend meetings, and advocate with local leaders. I then applied for several of the city's boards and commissions, initially being added to the Board of Adjustment before being moved to the Planning and Zoning Commission in 2022.

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All this experience has provided me with the opportunity to travel throughout Burlington, and in doing so, I realized a change was needed in our city, and a renewed focus on growth. I have been able to see and interact with many different people and face first-hand the issues of our community, driving home my decision to run for Burlington City Council again in 2023.