MeckGOP Elects New Leadership

Matthews, North Carolina – Over two hundred Republicans gathered at the MeckGOP County Convention today to select the next generation of MeckGOP leaders.

As a result of today’s election, the following leaders will serve until 2013:

Gideon Moore - Chair
Pat Murray - Vice-Chair
Andrea Arterburn - Treasurer
Anne Clifford - Secretary
Josh Davey - General Counsel
Jack Brosch - Precinct Organization Chair
Julie McKinney - Headquarters Chair
Pam Baetz - Special Events Chair
David Romero - Campaign Chair
Ed Barnes - Recruitment Chair
Bettie Ann Fry - Voter Registration Chair
Jacqueline Schaffer - Public Relations Chair

The delegates assembled for today’s election also received reports from Raleigh from NCGOP Chairman Robin Hayes and Speaker Thom Tillis. Chairman Hayes aptly explained that North Carolina needs CPR -- “conservative principles restored” -- and that it’s time to bring integrity back to the voting process. In his own report, Speaker Tillis emphasized the importance of sending a clear message to North Carolinians that Republicans have every intention of fulfilling their campaign promises and that they won’t deviate from the plan to infuse life into our recessed economy. Delegates walked away with the strong message that now is the time to rally together and get to work to restore conservatism within the state and across the Nation.

Immediate past chair Rob Bryan said, “I very excited about the new team elected today. I am convinced that they will build on the work of the past two years and create the strongest MeckGOP in memory.”

“We leave this convention more unified than ever and ready to work to build the grassroots organization necessary to battle the Obama machine for every vote in Mecklenburg County in 2011 and 2012,” stated MeckGOP Chair Gideon Moore.

MeckGOP Vice-Chair Pat Murray said, “We elected a strong team of leaders today who are committed to doing the hard work necessary to win in 2011 and 2012.”

For more about the MeckGOP, please visit www.meckgop.com or call (704) 334-9127.

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BIOGRAPHIES

CHAIRMAN: Gideon Moore - Gideon is a business and finance attorney with FSB FisherBroyles LLP, where he is also Managing Partner of the Charlotte and New York offices. A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke Law School, where he was founding editor-in-chief of the Duke Law & Technology Review. Gideon has been active in North Carolina politics since 1994 working in multiple Republican campaigns at the local, state and federal levels.

In 2009, Gideon became the MeckGOP’s first Technology Chairman. He overhauled the website and launched the MeckGOP’s presence on multiple social media sites. He grew the MeckGOP’s following from scratch on both Twitter and Facebook to be the largest of any County Party in North Carolina (and among the largest in the southeast).

In early 2010, Gideon became the MeckGOP Public Relations Chair and shifted his focus to the MeckGOP’s “Race to the Polls” GOTV (“Get Out The Vote”) effort. The Race to the Polls GOTV plan played a direct result in the Mecklenburg Republicans significantly outperforming their registration numbers and reversing a disturbing trend in which Democrats had owned Early Voting. Additionally, the 2010 Voter Guide that Gideon designed in his capacity as Public Relations Chairman was widely credited in assisting in the election of numerous Republicans in non-partisan races (including all judicial races and soil and water commissioner)

Gideon is a proud member of CAUTION, the Christian Legal Society and the Federalist Society. Gideon and his wife Anne are active members of King of Kings Anglican Church and reside in Matthews, NC.

VICE CHAIR: Pat Murray - Pat’s involvement with the MeckGOP started in 1999 when she joined the efforts to help elect George W. Bush as President. In 2000 she became a member of Mecklenburg Evening Republican Women’s Club and served as the Secretary of the organization for one term. Pat was the chairman of her precinct and was elected as the APO for District 1 until she resigned in 2006 to return temporarily to South Carolina to help care for her parents.
In 2008, Pat once again became involved with the MeckGOP at the grand opening of the “Victory 2008 McCain/Palin” satellite office in Cornelius. As a result of the work at the victory office, Pat and three of her friends recognized the need to better organize Republicans in North Mecklenburg County.

These four ladies began their organizational meetings sitting around a kitchen table in February of 2009. During the weekly meetings, by-laws were written and charter members were invited to be a part of starting this new organization. Eventually, this group of ladies grew to ten at which point they charters the North Mecklenburg Republican Women and elected Pat as the first President of the NMRW.

Under Pat’s leadership, the NMRW (i) became the first and foremost Republican activist group in North Mecklenburg, (ii) hosted events that drew in hundreds of local voters to meet Republican candidates, (iii) formed alliances across the county and state with like-minded voters, (iv) provided numerous volunteers for candidate campaigns, and (v) became very active in leadership positions in the MeckGOP and the MeckGOP precinct organization. 

SECRETARY: Anne Clifford - Anne became involved with the MeckGOP during the 2008 election and has served as Precinct Chair and Supervisor in north Mecklenburg. In 2009, she helped organize North Mecklenburg Republican Women with three friends and served as NMRW Secretary. She is currently the Assistant Secretary of the MeckGOP.

A native New Yorker, Anne held elective office as a village trustee in Nassau County. Her professional background is in marketing and communications, including fifteen years with an international media company. Anne heads her own firm with clients in North Carolina and New York City.

TREASURER: Andrea Arterburn - Upon obtaining an education in math and physics, Andrea began her career as a software developer and a quality assurance engineer. She furthered her experience in office operations, and most recently retired from the insurance industry. She continues to hold her Property and Casualty Insurance license as well as her notary license.

Andrea has been a Republican for 35 years and, inspired by the CAUTION club, her active political interests began in 2009. She became a CAUTION board member and volunteered as campaign manager and assistant treasurer for Lee Ann Patton’s 2010 bid for Board of County Commissioners. Andrea was certified in Campaign Finance by the NC State BOE in March, 2010 and has recently completed the campaign finance training again as a refresher.

Andrea presently holds a board position on the Mecklenburg Evening Republican Women’s Club. She is also an associate member of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Republican Women’s Club and the North Mecklenburg Republican Women’s Club.
Andrea retired three years ago, volunteers weekly for the Matthews Help Center, and is involved in Bible study. She has been married to Jon for 27 years, and enjoys traveling and spending time with her two daughters and her two young granddaughters.

GENERAL COUNSEL: Josh Davey - Josh is a graduate of Northwest University and Harvard Law School, and now practices as a commercial litigator in the Charlotte office of McGuireWoods LLP. After graduating from law school, Josh also worked as a law clerk to Fourth Circuit Judge Dennis W. Shedd. Josh has served as the MeckGOP’s General Counsel since 2009, assisting the party with a range of legal issues. Josh has also served as a poll observer and as a volunteer lawyer with the John McCain campaign. Originally from Washington State, Josh moved to Charlotte after law school and lives in South Charlotte with his wife Mari and their three children.

PRECINCT ORG CHAIR: Jack Brosch - Jack has owned his own computer consulting business for 26 years specializing in data import/export and analysis, as well as sales force administration. He is a trainer in online activism and grassroots organizing for American Majority, and has been serving as Chair of the MeckGOP Precinct Organization since summer of 2010.

HEADQUARTERS CHAIR: Julie McKinney - Born to and raised by conservative parents, Julie is Republican by choice (and proud to say that her first presidential vote was cast for Ronald Reagan) and considers herself a “born-again Patriot” since becoming politically active in April 2009. Having grown up in northeastern Pennsylvania, she has been in North Carolina since 1985 and settled in Charlotte in 1994. Julie holds a BA in Economics from Wells College (Aurora, NY) and has background experience in retail, insurance, advertising production, and real estate. Committed to making a difference in Mecklenburg County politics (as well as state and national), she saw the position of Headquarter Chair as a great fit for her organizational skills and attention to details. Additional associations include Charlotte Mecklenburg Republican Women, North Mecklenburg Republican Women, Smart Girl Politics (NC State Coordinator) and founder of Metro Charlotte Patriots.
 
SPECIAL EVENTS CHAIR: Pam Baetz - Pam currently works as a Broker/Realtor with Keller Williams Realty and is licensed in both North & South Carolina. She is also founder and owner of "EVENTZ by Baetz," an event planning company specializing in Corporate and Political events. Pam graduated from Liberty University with a double major in Psychology and Communications. After graduating, Pam worked as a Regional Vice President & Asset Director with several large companies including ING, Lend Lease Residential and Boston Financial. During her 21 year career in property management, Pam gained extensive experience in planning corporate and social events throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions. Pam currently serves on her Homeowner's Association Board and is active in her community. She is married to Ed Baetz, Jr.

CAMPAIGN CHAIR: David Romero - David is a graduate of Providence Day School and Auburn University. He is employed as a benefits consultant with Rutherfoord, a Marsh & McLennan Agency in their Charlotte office. David has been involved with several campaigns, volunteered with the MeckGOP and was even a candidate for City Council in 2007. David is married to Heather and they have two dogs and two cats.

RECRUITMENT CHAIR: Ed Barnes - Ed, a resident of Charlotte since 2000, serves as Executive Director of Westminster Ministries Foundation. Previously, Ed practiced corporate law in the Charlotte office of Kennedy Covington Lobdell & Hickman.

Ed received a B. S. in Physics-Engineering from Washington & Lee University, graduating magna cum laude, and a J. D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law, where he served as Managing Editor of the Law Review. Ed is a founding board member of the Charlotte Chapter of the Christian Legal Society. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

Ed and his wife, Wallace, are members of Uptown Christ Covenant Church (PCA) where they serve in various capacities. Ed and Wallace both grew up in Rock Hill, South Carolina, experiencing the advantages of conservative upbringing and a pro-family, pro-business state and local community. They have that same desire for their son and two daughters here in Charlotte.

VOTER REGISTRATION CHAIR: Bettie Ann Fry - Originally from Saint Albans, West Virginia, Bettie Ann has lived in Charlotte since 2001. She currently works as risk specialist for Compliance Concepts, a third party labor/management mediation firm. Bettie Ann has always had an interest in politics, and has received Political Science and Sociology degrees from Marshall University. She would like for every American to be excited about voting, and has volunteered with MeckGOP, and Rock the Vote, as to help in educating the public on the electoral process. Additionally, Bettie Ann actively organizes efforts in local assisted living facilities to ensure the resident's information is current in the county voting registry.

PUBLIC RELATIONS CHAIR: Jacqueline Schaffer - Jacqueline is an attorney with experience in public policy as well as First Amendment, immigration, and employment law. A graduate of Charlotte Christian School, Jacqueline returned to Charlotte two years ago. Prior to that, Jacqueline worked as a government affairs attorney with the American Center for Law & Justice in Washington, D.C. She now serves as corporate counsel for executive search firm Schaffer Associates, Inc.

For more information about the MeckGOP, please visit MeckGOP.com

1515 Mockingbird Lane, Suite 111
Charlotte, North Carolina 28209

This release was published on openPR.