When Advance’s Todd Poole was just a little boy, he recalls watching Ronald Reagan’s bid for the White House on television in 1980 at his great-grandmother’s house near Hickory.
He never dreamed that one day that he would be immersed in politics himself, but that has turned out to be the case for Poole, who was recently named the executive director of the N.C. Republican Party.
“My interest in politics was more of an interest in giving back to my community and helping build for a brighter future,” he said. “I never planned for a career in politics, but I always knew that I wanted to give back and be involved in my community.
That is why I was a member of the Dog Park at Tanglewood committee and have been involved in other charitable organizations.”
Poole, 38, remembers tuning in to the morning news on TV with his great-grandmother, Carrie Smart, in Hildebran, at an early age and talking to her about the Reagan’s presidential
campaign and other current events.
He ended up majoring in political science at Appalachian State, and after graduating from college, he landed a position on Senator Richard Burr’s staff in 1997.
“I was just interested in a paid job,” said Poole, who obtained his MBA from Appalachian in 2002. “I feel very blessed for the opportunities that I have been given, and I will always be thankful to Senator Burr for giving me my start in politics.”
He moved on in 2004 to become Congresswoman Virginia Foxx’s chief of staff. He calls it one of the best experiences of his life.
“I am grateful to her for blessing me with such a wonderful opportunity,” Poole said. “No one works harder for her constituents and is more concerned about providing top quality service than Congresswoman Foxx, and that work ethic and commitment to service rubbed off on me.”
He eventually co-founded the Red Dome Group, a political consulting and issue advocacy consulting firm, in Clemmons before the leadership position in the NC GOP presented itself in August.
In the meantime, he is working long hours in his new job. His job responsibilities include establishing a budget, hiring and managing the staff, and overseeing the operations of the party.
Of course, the ultimate goal is …