Derek Mobley is a native of the Piedmont Triad. After graduating from Chapel Hill, he moved to Guilford County in 2009 for graduate school at the Bryan School at UNCG. He has been happy to call Guilford home for over a decade, where he met his wife Penwan. They now have two children: Gregory and Jacqueline.
Derek works for Pinnacle Financial Partners as a Quantitative Analyst. His work background also includes senior positions with globally recognized and Fortune 500 companies such as the Volvo Group, KPMG, and BB&T.
Derek has been very active in the Guilford community. For example, he served as President of the North Carolina and Greensboro chapters of the Junior Chamber of Commerce. Further, he was elected President of the Bryan School of Business Alumni Association and served as an Assistant on the Executive Committee for the Wyndham Championship. Finally, the Triad Business Journal also featured him in their 2019 class of “40 under 40.”
Derek is passionate about education and economic development. For example, he enjoys participating in local organizations such as the Jaycees, Future Fund, Wyndham Championship and Junior Achievement. Derek also believes in the personal review of historical and literary classics as part of lifelong learning. For instance, his favorite classic is Nostromo by Joseph Conrad, and his favorite economist is Joseph Schumpeter.
Why I Am Running
As a child, I used to visit relatives in Guilford County and considered it the pinnacle of the triad. The science center has always held a special place in my heart, because it inspired me to study and think bigger. I moved to Guilford County in 2009 to continue my studies based on the recommendation of a Professor. Since that time, Guilford County has been very good to me. I've grown personally and professionally and consider it the best place for my children to grow up.
While I have experienced and benefited from a lot of the progress in Guilford County over the past decade, I have also seen its flaws and shortcomings: inefficient local bureaucracy, unproductive commissioners meetings, a lack of coordination and communication in economic development planning, and a fixation on flavor of the month initiatives with no follow through. These issues are costing all of our residents in terms of lost opportunities for jobs and investment. They have also diminished our relative standing compared to our neighbors. Finally, they are also large contributors to poverty, crime, and social frustration.
I strongly believe that I can help the Board of Commissioners set realistic and focused priorities that will raise the quality of life for all of our residents.
My Qualifications
My civic experience includes:
Tournament Executive Committee for the Wyndham Championship
Graduate of the 28th Class of Leadership North Carolina
2014 Graduate of the Greensboro City Academy
Chairperson of the Junior Chamber of Commerce
President of the Bryan School Alumni Association Board of Directors
Life Member of the Greensboro Future Fund
Member of the Guilford County Transportation Advisory Board
Member of the United Way Leadership Circle
My professional experience includes:
5 Years in Retail Development for Class 8 Heavy Truck Manufacturing
7 Years in Finance as a Senior Analyst in Quantitative Analytics
My Platform
Engaged and Excited Residents
The residents of Guilford County should feel empowered by and connected to their local government. Derek will promote increased opportunities to engage the diverse talent pool in our county through advisory commissions, feedback surveys, and public events.
What this means: Counties that thrive have trained and dedicated public servants, but they also have informed and engaged residents to hold them accountable. Our county officials need to create more opportunities for residents to engage in local government. They should use engagement surveys as tools for better staff incentives, and they should host more events at public venues around the county to raise awareness of all of our amenities.
Broad Economic Opportunities
The marketplace in Guilford County should allow workers, entrepreneurs, and investors to thrive in a global economy. Derek will support economic opportunities across the county by advocating for efficient services, sound finances, and minimal red tape.
What this means: The competition that our county faces for talent and capital funding has never been more fierce. Workers and investors are increasingly able to direct their time and money regionally, nationally, and globally as they see fit. Our county officials must work more frequently and directly with nearby counties, cities, and economic development organizations to ensure that we have a comprehensive strategy for bringing in and retaining talented workers as well as private investment. This strategy should market all areas of the county as potential assets, not just certain regions or zones. Further, they should be focused on minimizing disruptions and response times for key services such as water, sanitation, roadwork and permitting. Finally, they should also ensure our tax rates, debt ratios, fees, and expenditures compare well with peer cities during each budget cycle.
Safe and Vibrant Communities
The budget of Guilford County should focus on supporting a sustainably high quality of life to all residents. Derek will prioritize safe and vibrant communities by supporting front line workers and first responders and calling for equitable access to human services.
What this means: Our county officials should place a higher priority on public safety by supporting police officers, teachers, and other front line workers and first responders. They should also seriously evaluate our spending on services and infrastructure to make sure that projects and services benefit the county as a whole. Finally, they should ensure that our infrastructure and development planning are environmentally sustainable.
If you have any questions or concerns about my platform, please feel free to contact me at electmobley@gmail.com!
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