Pavan Patel Dominates Fundraising In County Commissioner Race

"Pavan Patel has raised twice as much as his competitors for the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners race, according to self-reported campaign finance records for the first half of 2024. Patel has never held a political office before — but he’s raised more than $83,000 from Jan. 1 to June 30 this year. "

Here’s a breakdown of Pavan's campaign finances from Jan. 1 to June 30, 2024:

Pavan D. Patel, Republican

• Cash on hand at start: $0
• Contributions: $83,184.54
• Expenditures: $63,100.67
• Cash on hand at the end of reporting period: $20,083.87

READ FULL STORY HERE

Pavan Reveals Why He's Running

Pavan D. Patel, 33, is the founder and CEO of Willow Group Investments, managing director of Willow Equity and a franchisee of Tropical Smoothie Cafe.

He has lived in Cumberland County for 28 years and has also served on the Cumberland County Tourism Development Authority, Fayetteville Millennial Advisory Commission and Methodist University Foundation Board.

“I’m running because I believe in hard work and responsibility — not headlines or pats on the back,” Patel said. “For me, it’s about representing our community and making sure that the people of Cumberland County are heard. I’ve spent my life working to build something for my family and my community, and I understand the importance of fiscal responsibility, strong families, and common-sense leadership. I’m not here to dictate or seek attention — I’m here to get the job done.”

Patel said he’s spent years working and building relations in Cumberland County and is running to serve.

“I’ve seen firsthand how decisions at the county level affect all of us, and I believe we need leaders who are willing to roll up their sleeves and do the work, not just talk about it,” he said.

Patel said he believes at the end of the day, residents want the same thing, “a safe, thriving community where our kids can grow up and succeed.”

He said his background as a business owner and community leader has taught him the value of fiscal responsibility, accountability and hard work.

“I’ve been on the ground, working side by side with the people of this county, and I know how to bring people together to solve problems," he said.

He said the most important issue facing Cumberland County is ensuring it has a strong, sustainable foundation for future growth.

The core pillars of that foundation, he said, are fiscal responsibility, infrastructure and public services like schools and clean water.

“As a business owner and community leader, I understand the importance of making every dollar count," Patel said. "We need to invest in what matters most without overburdening taxpayers. This isn’t just about maintaining what we have, but about making smart decisions that prepare us for growth while protecting the resources we have today."

Read More HERE

Pavan Speaks On The Potential Relocation of E.E. Smith High School

Pavan Patel, who is running for a District 2 seat on the county board of commissioners, called himself “very much in favor” of the relocation. The commissioners vote on the school system's budget.

“We are going to save $60 million,” said Patel, who participated with five other commissioner candidates. “By doing that, we can build a larger, newer facility that is in this generation that allows our students to compete with the children that are in Wake, Durham, Mecklenburg county.” 

He added that savings generated by relocating would “also be able to fund over half a billion dollars of necessary maintenance that our 80-plus other Cumberland County Schools very, very much badly need.” "

Read full story HERE

Cumberland County Board of Commissioners District 2: Pavan Patel Candidate Questionnaire

Cumberland County Board of Commissioners District 2: Pavan Patel Candidate Questionnaire

Name as it appears on the ballot: Pavan D. Patel

Party affiliation: Republican

Previous elected offices held: N/A

Age as of Election Day: 33

Immediate family members:  Dr. Amruta Bahekar (wife); Dr. Divyang Patel (father); Mrs. Gira D Patel (mother); Ms. Shivani Patel (sister); Dr. Puja Patel (sister)

Occupation (employer, where you work, what you do): CEO & Owner, Willow Group Investments; Managing Director, Willow Equity

Website and campaign social media: electpatelnc.com, Elect Pavan Patel for County Commissioner 2024! and @pavanpatelnc on Instagram

1. What three projects or proposals will you present to the board, and to county residents, if you’re elected? And what (if any) projects or proposals would you seek to eliminate and why?

Support the county’s education goals by partnering with Fort Liberty to build a new high school. This will provide a much-needed, state-of-the-art facility for students. The partnership will save time and $60M, which can be reallocated to the other 80+ CCS schools.

The EPA has assessed only six “forever” chemicals, but I’ll promote policies to hold contaminators accountable for all chemicals affecting our community. We must ensure full accountability for the harm caused. My long-term focus will be on increasing Cumberland County’s value by engaging with N.C.’s booming economy. Too many opportunities pass by Cumberland for places like Wake, Durham, Mecklenburg and New Hanover. I aim to create higher-paying jobs by encouraging companies that want to bring value here while acting responsibly. The [Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health] Medical School provides a perfect chance to attract health care companies to Cumberland County.

One project I would cancel or postpone is the proposed downtown Fayetteville Crown Event Center. Its costs have skyrocketed, construction has been delayed and the original concept has been watered down. It does not bring value to the entire community, especially District 2, and will add a financial burden of over $60M+ from the originally planned $85M, plus an additional $30M+ for a parking deck. I believe strong, fiscally responsible leadership is needed, and while the center could be a highlight for the county, I don’t want future generations bearing the debt. Now is not the time to break ground on this project.

2. The two Republican commissioners, Jimmy Keefe and Michael Boose, will move off the board in December. They’ve said it’s difficult for Republicans to accomplish much on the board as it’s presently constituted. What’s your response to that, and how would you answer a claim that this board doesn’t promote bipartisanship?

In many ways I understand the frustration of the two commissioners that are not seeking reelection. I have a strong point of view of the role of county commissioners, which is to listen and represent the wishes and needs of our residents. The role requires that we work for the best interest of our community, not for the specific interest of my own political beliefs. When elected, I promise to listen, use common sense, and work with my fellow board members to do what is right. As a resident of Cumberland County, I believe we need to hold our elected representatives accountable for their leadership — this is a servant leadership role in our local government, the job is to do what our families, friends and neighbors are asking.

3. Discuss how you and this board would address PFAS contamination and the other environmental-related problems facing Cumberland County.

PFAS, GenX, and other contamination issues in our county are a hands-down travesty. The residents of Cumberland County deserve better.

As per the current issues that we are facing, we need to hold Chemours responsible. As a county commissioner, I will promise to work with our elected state and federal leadership, municipality leaders and community advocates to fight the legal battle. We need to send a clear message that the county and its residents will not pay for the clean up of the polluters’ senseless practices. We need to encourage all leadership to increase efforts to start the clean-up process and extend clean water throughout the county. For example, we are maybe another decade away from potentially having clean water in just our Gray’s Creek area. This is unacceptable, and the time wasted will continue to have negative health and quality-of-life effects on our residents.

When looking at new projects and businesses that want to come to our county to set up shop, we need a board of commissioners that is willing to hold those parties to their word, starting day one. Trust but verify, we need a board that is comfortable doing the needed due diligence and not one that enjoys the nice promotional headlines.

We need action.

4. Declining enrollment and the end of COVID-related federal funding present Cumberland County’s public school system with some significant fiscal challenges. How will the board of commissioners help mitigate those challenges?

My two grandfathers always said the same thing to me — no one can take your education away from you. In my personal opinion, education of our youth is the same as investing in our future. If you have a retirement account, pension fund, 401(k), a rental property or plan to take invest in yourself — you’ve taken the responsible steps to secure your personal future. In order to secure our community’s future, shrink the brain drain, increase student enrollment and attract more educators, bus drivers, teaching assistants, etc., the board of commissioners need to work hand in hand with the board of education, talk to teachers and parents, to first understand the real needs at the day-to-day level (what are students, families, and educators asking for?). We need to understand the inefficiencies that currently exist in our county budget, and find the wasted spending to secure our academic needs; while also working with our state and federal officials to secure needed funding. Every year that is not meeting the demands of what students require today is another year of obstacles instead of opportunities.

5. What role does the board have in cultivating better collaboration with the other governmental bodies in Cumberland County, such as the Fayetteville City Council, and what are some examples of synergy that could be produced with more collaboration?

It is important to me to keep at the front of mind, that we are all one large community. This is not NYC, Miami, LA, Chicago, etc. We are a tight-knit county with 330k+ residents — these are the folks that you call family, are friends and peers, the neighbors that you see walking in your neighborhood or shopping at the grocery store. We are in a position that when we align the goals of the individuals with the resources of the county and multiple municipalities, we will create a tremendous amount of value to our community. Proudly calling Fayetteville home since 1996, 28 of my 33 years on this world — I see the divided needs between the cities and towns, and the county. We need to seek leadership that cares enough, even when ideologies don’t align, to work for the betterment of all. Specifically speaking to the seat I hope to hold as representative of District 2, I need to see more collaboration and support between the county and the many other municipalities/neighborhoods from Hope Mills, Eastover, Gray’s Creek, Stedman, Vander, to Linden. If the county commissioners are doing their job right, we should have more engagement, involvement and support. I am running for this office to serve our county with a the priority of true servant-leadership.

Read Full Story HERE

Pavan debates County Commissioner Candidates

Pavan debates fellow County Commissioner candidates during the Fayetteville NAACP's Candidate Forum

WATCH video from the event below:

Pavan's Views on Healthcare

"Pavan Patel, a Republican candidate, said he would support medical professional retention to solve the county’s mental health access and other health care issues. Patel’s website states that “access to healthcare is a fundamental right” and that having more medical professionals and facilities will ensure “every resident can get the care they need when they need it.” 

If elected to the board, Patel’s term would overlap with Methodist University’s preparations to welcome its first cohort of medical students in 2026. The Fayetteville Observer reported that the medical school expects by 2027 to create 260 jobs, including positions at Cape Fear Valley Health to support the school."

FULL STORY: What are the Cumberland Board of Commissioners candidates’ health priorities?

Pavan (c/o 2021) Honored At This Year's Fayetteville Next 40 Under 40 Ceremony

After being selected to Fayetteville Observer's 40 Under 40 list in 2021, County Commissioner Candidate Pavan Patel finally received his Certificate of Excellence at this year's ceremony. 

READ Full Story: Fayetteville Observer's 40 Under 40 Class of 2021: Pavan Patel

Pavan visits The RayTHOMAS Variety Show Live® with Co-Host JoeBrown & “DA-INTERN” Keem Jones

CityView Professional Business Profile

'

"Pavan Patel — a devoted family man, business owner, and community advocate — has made significant contributions through various leadership roles on multiple county, city, and nonprofit boards and committees. 

Patel was born in New York City but has called Fayetteville, NC home since 1996 when he started kindergarten at Alma Easom Elementary. A graduate of Terry Sanford High School, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an MBA from Babson’s F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business. He shares his life with his wife of eight years, Dr. Amruta Bahekar, and their two dogs, Mika and Copper. 

Patel began his real estate career during his undergraduate years, purchasing a rental property in Cumberland County and obtaining his brokerage license. In 2013, he launched Willow Group Investments, where he serves as owner and CEO. His portfolio includes leadership roles in the hospitality industry with Hilton and Marriott hotels, as well as ownership of five Tropical Smoothie Cafes in the region and strong investment and development in the commercial real estate space —creating over 100 jobs in Cumberland County.

In 2020, Patel launched Willow Equity, a boutique investment and consulting firm which operates in the tech, finance, healthcare, and real estate sectors. 

A track record of servant leadership is evident in Patel’s accomplishments, such as earning the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America and being named to The Fayetteville Observer’s 40 Under 40 list at age 30. 

Patel’s commitment to community service has been steadfast since his youth. He has served on the Methodist University Foundation Board, chaired the board for Spring Lake United, and participated in the Fayetteville Millennial Commission (now Fayetteville NEXT). He has also been a member of the City of Fayetteville’s Zoning Commission for three years, currently serving as its chair for the second consecutive year. 

Additionally, Patel is vice chair of the Cumberland County Tourism Development Authority and is an active member of the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County’sboard of trustees, where he serves on the Executive Committee and as the organization’s treasurer. Patel’s cultural heritage is a priority, and he proudly serves as president of the Southeastern North Carolina Asian Indian Association (SENCAIA). 

Looking ahead, Patel states, “I feel a lifelong commitment to responsible servant leadership and sustainable community development, and I’m always eager to bring young entrepreneur’s talents to the table to continue investing in our county’s future.”

Travel and tourism: How Fayetteville's economy benefits from the dollars and decisions of visitors

Pavan's Comments about Tourism & Travel

Speaking with the Greater Fayetteville Business Journal...

"Hotel owner and Tourism Development Authority board member Pavan Patel has a unique perspective of our market. He offered some insights on how moving forward our community might continue to benefit from travelers connected to the military while also broadening our horizons to diversify our tourism market.

“Looking down the road, our market will always generate significant occupancy from military-related activity, there is room to diversify. We can look at other cities/counties/MSAs that are flourishing but have the same fundamental building blocks that align with ours. If we learn how to capitalize on the opportunities that are unique to us - our location on I-95, the numerous activities from kayaking on the river to zip lining over waterfalls or indoor parachuting, from a booming healthcare education system – we have the parts to aggregate to make this place we call home a destination,” explained Patel." 

A political wake-up call: More Fayetteville-area voters are abandoning political parties

Patel Wants Best for the County

Speaking with Sara Gleason with The Fayetteville Observer...

"Pavan Patel, a Republican running for Cumberland County Board of Commissioners in District 2, said his campaign has had to approach the campaign with an open mind since the beginning.  

“If I want a Republican perspective considered, need to be willing and have to be willing to talk and work with people outside of my party,” Patel said."

Where seven GOP candidates stand on E.E. Smith, PFAS contamination, working with Democrats

Pavan's Comments on Key Issues Affecting Our County

The PFAS/GenX drinking water contamination:

"Pavan D. Patel: “I really think that this has been a stain on our community,” he said.

The solution should not put a burden on the taxpayers, Patel said.

“I would say the ideal way probably to do it is work with PWC in trying to get the lines extended out there,” he said."

E.E. Smith High School:

"Pavan Patel: “As of now, if Stryker’s the best site, then I would rather get the school up and running so students can take advantage of it,” Patel said.

“If there’s due diligence that’s been accomplished and there are other sites that can promote what we need, then we can look at that, too. I mean, I think it’s important to take into consideration.

“But at some point we need to make a decision,” he said. “’Cause it’s the students that are suffering the most, unfortunately.”

The fate of Fayetteville’s E.E. Smith: Cumberland commissioner candidates show split

Pavan's Comments on the future of EE Smith

Speaking with Myron B. Pitts of The Fayetteville Observer, 

"Patel said: “I think we need to do what’s best for the students,” adding that each year spent waiting to give them a “proper facility” impacts their opportunities.

Also: “A new facility might entice teachers to come because they’ll have access to more resources — just a better facility.” 

Patel said he wants to hear more from parents of elementary school and middle school children, who would eventually be the students attending a new high school."

WIDU 1600AM Councilman Conversation

WIDU 1600AM Councilman Conversation with Deno Hondros and fellow County Commissioner Candidate Kirk deViere

Pavan Patel Interviewed By WIDU 1600AM's Myron B. Pitts

Candidate Pavan Patel sits down with Myron B. Pitts to discuss making it past the primary, current events affecting Cumberland County today, and more in this riveting new conversation.

Patel rounds out Republican primary for Cumberland County Board of Commissioners

Pavan's First Comments After Securing Primary Win

"Patel told CityView he believes voters resonated with his experience and his campaign issues, such as PFAS contamination in the water supply and growing Cumberland County’s infrastructure. 

“I’m not a politician; I’m an honest person who cares about the community,” he said. “I think if you look at the folks who have come out and volunteered, they’re from all sorts of backgrounds.”"

Pavan Finishes Top 3 In GOP Primary; Advances To The General Election!

Peter Pappas, Pavan Patel and Henry Tyson will advance to the Nov. 5 general election, where they will face three Democrats for seats on the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners, according to unofficial election results.

Three of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners District 2 seats are on the ballot this year. One of those is currently held by first-term Democratic incumbent Toni Stewart. Commissioners Jimmy Keefe and Michael Boose, who also represent District 2, have terms expiring in December and did not seek reelection.  

According to unofficial results from the North Carolina Board of Elections, Tyson led the votes with 7,080 or 23.49% of the votes, followed by Pappas with 5,409 or 18.24%. Patel came in third with 4,538 or 15.05%.

The winners

Tyson is a realtor whose previous bid for Fayetteville City Council was unsuccessful in 2017.

Pappas, who owns a chain of delis and serves on the Fayetteville-Cumberland Human Relations Commission, unsuccessfully ran for the Fayetteville City Council District 6 seat in 2022.

Patel is CEO of Willow Group Investments and has served on the Cumberland County Tourism Development Authority, Fayetteville Millennial Advisory Commission and Methodist University Foundation Board.

New Independent Conservative PAC Aims to Improve Leadership in Fayetteville, School Board Races

Campaign season is in full effect, with local primaries on March 5, Super Tuesday, and early voting currently open. The newly formed Independent Conservative Alliance PAC is hoping the candidates they back will be pulling in some wins.

For those unfamiliar with what a PAC is, it is a political action committee that dedicates time, resources, and funding to candidates it feels will best represent the ideology of the committee. While many of the core members of the PAC are Republicans, the PAC’s focus is more on the conservative approach than Republican ideology.

“It’s not so much the issues, although the issues are important. It’s the approach that you take to solve the issues. Are you going to rely on the government to solve all your problems or are we going to empower people to solve their problems? Are going to be a welcoming county for businesses or make it hard for them to do work? Are we going to raise taxes because that's the easy road or are we going to look at places where we can save money in county government and keep from having to raise taxes? Are we going to talk about problems until the cows come home or are we going to do something about it?” said John Szoka, one of the core members of the PAC.

The Independent Conservative Alliance or ICA PAC was formed by the core members of former State Representative, business owner, and retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Officer, John Szoka, former Senator Meredith Wesley, former Fayetteville City Council member from 2007-2017 Bobby Hurst, and Jackie Taylor, former Cumberland County Chair. The objective of the ICA PAC is to “recruit the best candidates in winnable races for the local, county, and state offices.”

The Independent Conversative Alliance is looking for members, “local officials, businesspeople, and community leaders wanting to bring positive change and improve the quality of locally elected leaders and actively recruiting candidates.”

“I served on the executive board of the Republican party and in my position, I actually created the recruitment committee for candidates to run for political office,” said Hurst. “That was really why I joined: to use that as an opportunity to recruit the best candidates to serve in public services. Then I got this group together and people from various backgrounds that have served, that know what it takes to win a campaign and a great group of people. We were going to focus on the county commissioners' race and endorse candidates, who we thought would be the best three for the three seats. Realizing the Plan of Organization says that the Republican Party can’t endorse candidates in the primary, I thought it best to step down from the Executive Committee and just focus on this PAC, and that's what we've done…. That's kind of the beginning of it.”

ICA PAC established criteria based on 8 key factors for candidates looking to seek endorsement.

Candidates have been vetted.
Candidates are knowledgeable of the issues facing the county.
Financially sound and fundraising in place.
A good work ethic and positive attitude.
A good base of support with a campaign team of volunteers.
Organized campaign plan.
Thoroughly replied to interview questions.
Ready to start work on day one!

ICA PAC is currently focused on the county commissioner race and on Thursday, February 1st, they conducted interviews with 7 commissioner candidates. They chose three to endorse based on the criteria the PAC has set, Pavan Patel, Henry Tyson, and Peter Pappas. ICA PAC has plans to begin recruiting candidates for Cumberland County Board of Education races coming up this year (filing opens on July 5, 2024) and the Fayetteville City Council races in 2025. For more information on the Independent Conservative Alliance, you can reach out to member Bobby Hurst.

PAVAN PATEL: Cumberland County Board of Commissioners candidate

Office sought: Cumberland County Commissioners, District 2

Party affiliation: Republican

Lives: Fayetteville

Age: 33

Works: Business Owner, Commercial Real Estate Developer/Investor, and Tropical Smoothie Café Franchisee.

What’s your motivation for seeking office? 

What uniquely qualifies you to serve?

Fill in the blank: The top three issues in my municipality/district are ____, ____ and ____; and I would promote positive change by _____. 

The three most important issues for District 2 are quality of life concerns, that are currently undermined by 1) the lack of access to clean water; 2) need for access to quality healthcare; and 3) creation of valuable economic opportunities.

I will provide fiscally responsible leadership that keeps our goal on investing in our future. To create a high quality of life, we need to make sure that the fundamental pillars of our county are indestructible. We need to fund K-12 so that our future generations are being properly prepared, educators are not handcuffed by a lack of resources, and our school facilities are a priority investment. A strong education system ensures a fruitful future, increased economic value, and quality of life.

We need to hold the leadership, both private and public, accountable for the contamination of our surface water, ground water, and lack of infrastructure. Residents have already paid too high of a price, and I cannot morally ask them to burden the costs to clean this up this mess. This is common sense; without clean water, we have tainted crops, animals, and air. This is not just a problem for “down river,” this is a problem that effects more facets of our lives than we can imagine – and we need clean water to support our rural areas, farmers, businesses, and economic growth. We need to participate in the valuable growth that NC is experiencing, but we simply cannot attract investment without safe drinking water. This is a major factor affecting our quality of life.

Our county is growing rapidly with our healthcare educational programs - doctors, physicians assistants, therapists, nurses, paramedics. Additionally, we are on the way to our first medical school, this will be a major boom to our county and aid in advancing the access to quality healthcare. We need to ensure these healthcare providers that train here, stay and live here. If we have enough providers to care for our community, it will raise the quality of the ERs, urgent cares, mental health facilities – contributing to a strong quality of life.

These are core fundamental, common sense issues that need to be addressed with a long-term vision in mind. I can provide the leadership that will make the right investments to increase the quality of life for our residents today and generations to come.

What new policies or practices would you bring to your municipality/district that do not already exist? 

For more:

WIDU 1600 AM Interviews Candidate Pavan Patel

Rewatch Pavan's recent interview on WIDU 1600AM where he shares his thoughts on a number of prevalent issues facing Cumberland County today and how he plans to improve them if elected County Commissioner. 

Community Leader & Entrepreneur Pavan Patel Announces Run for Commissioner

Contact: Pavan Patel
Phone: 910-273-6864
Email: pavan@electpatelnc.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 10, 2024

Fayetteville, N.C. – Local business owner and community leader Pavan Patel officially filed as a candidate in the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners District 2 race on Dec. 14, 2023, adding his name to a list of 11 other candidates. Patel’s campaign represents the first time he has run for political office, although he has served in various leadership capacities on multiple county, city, and nonprofit boards and committees.

In Patel’s official public announcement about filing–shared via a public post on his LinkedIn page–he stated, “As someone who has dedicated their career to fostering growth in the hospitality, healthcare, and real estate sectors, I am excited to share that I am expanding my professional journey into public service. I am announcing my candidacy for County Commissioner for District 2 in Cumberland County.”

Patel, 32 years of age, was born in New York City, but he has called Fayetteville, N.C. home for 28 years. A Terry Sanford High School graduate, Patel went on to earn his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and then his Master of Business Administration from Babson’s F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business.

Patel’s goal was always to return home to his family and to Fayetteville, though, where he now shares a life with his spouse of 7 years, Dr. Amruta Bahekar, and his two beloved dogs, Mika and Copper.

Patel’s first official moves as a real estate professional occurred during his undergraduate years at UNC, when he purchased a rental property in Cumberland County and earned his brokerage license. Then, in 2013, Patel launched Willow Group Investments, where he serves as owner and CEO.

In addition to extensive leadership experience in the hospitality industry for Hilton and Marriott hotels, his real estate portfolio today includes ownership of five Tropical Smoothie Cafes in the region. He has created 100+ jobs for Cumberland County citizens over the years.

Two accomplishments that reflect Patel’s track record of servant leadership throughout his youth and professional years are earning the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America program at approximately age 17 and being awarded The Fayetteville Observer’s 40 Under 40 distinction at age 30.

Patel has prioritized community service since he was a youth, but after returning to the Fayetteville area from UNC, he began to join and serve on several county, city, and nonprofit boards and committees.

In the past, Patel has served on the Methodist University Foundation Board, as chairman of the board for Spring Lake United, and on the Fayetteville Millennial Commission (now known as the Fayetteville NEXT Advisory Commission).

Patel also has served on the City of Fayetteville’s Zoning Commission for three years, and for the second consecutive year, he is serving as its chair.

Another role in the community Patel has taken on is as vice chair of the Cumberland County Tourism Development Authority, where he has been serving since 2016.

After joining the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County’s board of trustees more than two years ago, Patel served on the CEO search committee, and he currently serves on the executive and strategic planning committees, as chair of the finance and public arts committees, and as the organization’s treasurer.

Lastly, Patel’s cultural heritage and community is a major priority to him and his family, and serving as president of the community group Southeastern North Carolina Asian Indian Association (SENCAIA) is a particular point of pride for him.

In looking ahead to the possibility of serving on the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners for District 2, Patel shares, “This role naturally aligns with my lifelong commitment to responsible servant leadership and sustainable community development, and I’m eager to bring a young entrepreneur’s talents to the table to continue investing in our county’s future.”

Any person interested in joining The Committee to Elect Pavan Patel as a campaign volunteer or donor is encouraged to reach out to Andrew Henrickson at andrew@electpatelnc.com or 910-273-7120.

Photos for Media Use