Executive steward leader with extensive, demonstrated, and verifiable record of public and private multi-state local government and business experience in leading teams and communities in transformative work, development, and growth including resolving complex real estate development and redevelopment, business, land use, regulatory, and taxation issues.
Strong interpersonal communication, deductive and inductive reasoning skills that are combined with a high degree of time and personnel management, sound judgment, and decision-making skill sets. I have led and managed businesses, led communities through vibrant and challenging times, as well as small to multi-state corporations to re-engineer business, design communities, and develop company strategies.
I have an extensive track record of making others better personally, professionally, and, in turn, their organizations and communities.
Key competencies include:
Proactive leadership in the form of making others better while also being a very good manager of people, organizations. Complex problem solving, critical and reflexive thinking, realistic visionary, deductive and inductive reasoning, exceptional mature steward leadership with referent power and motivation skills, team player, discreet active listener, seeks knowledge, acts and consistently delivers, polite and respectful, high general self-efficacy, commitment to steward principles.
Leadership Style:
Personally, and professionally, I daily aspire to be a balanced Newtonian Transformational Steward leader with adaptive, referent, storytelling, creative, anti-shadow traits developed and maintained through constructed knowledge. Stated shorter, I strive to do the best and enhance what I am entrusted with for communities and those I steward lead and serve.
Director of Development Services, Fayetteville NC (October 2017- present)
In this top position in the Development Services department, I oversee and am responsible for directing, managing, and supervising five distinct divisions of inspections, long and short-term planning, zoning, permitting, and code compliance activities, programs, and operations for the City of Fayetteville with a population exceeding 210,000. Fayetteville’s diverse population, elected council and mayor structure, and containing Ft. Bragg with its Army and Air Force personnel of over 50,000 active military requires an accomplished, proactive, executive leader who works closely with the city manager’s office in the dynamic work of coordinating the city’s growth and related issues.
Adjunct Professor, University of Charleston, West Virginia. (2016- present)
I teach and facilitate up to four undergraduate classes per semester in Organizational Leadership and Business programs of study. Many of my students are active military including the leaders and special forces personnel. The courses I teach primarily address human behavior and leadership. The classes taught include The Adult Learner, Introduction to Business, Organizational Development and Change, Practicum: Assessing Culture, Principles and Issues of Management, Organizational Behavior, Principles and Issues of Human Resources, Leadership, Action Research, and Human Resource Development. Since 2020, I have been teaching the last course in the undergraduate leadership program before they earn their bachelor's degree in Organizational Leadership.
By teaching these courses and interacting with these highly informed students, I not only am continually reminded of management and leadership issues, I bring the latest, tried and validated director and management actions to those with whom I serve and oversee.
Director of Licking County Planning and Development, Licking County Planning Commission Director, Licking County Subdivision Administrator, Licking County Floodplain Administrator, Executive Director of LCATS (a federally recognized Metropolitan Planning Organization MPO) (OH). (2011-September 2017)
These five distinct positions, generically referred to as Licking County Planning & Development Director, form this leadership position which guides, oversees, directs, supervises, and enforces multiple land use, planning, and development activities of a dynamically growing 165,000+ population county in Ohio. I work with over 40 separate local governments of the county, along with various boards, and state agencies in overall and specific new projects including roads, new businesses, developments, and the funding of various capital projects totaling between $3,000,000 to over $30,000, 000 depending on the year and projects. I oversee Ohio CHIP, US Dept. of HUD CDBG grant administration for the county. I provide deep and friendly guidance for all both elected and the development community.I work on constant quality improvements and infusing real value to the county’s quality present and future.
I dealt with complexity and collaborative activities while leading and managing a dynamic, professional staff and coordinating our work with others in the community. I led as an accountable steward leader of the department and the county.
Jerry Newton Real Estate & Development, Inc. and Property Tax Relief, Inc. (NC). (1999-2012 and 2008-2011)
As the owner of these two companies, I dealt with all types of items tied to and around the site design, development, and construction of projects for others and a few for myself. I was the professional consultant and used extensive knowledge, skills and applications of land use, design, zoning, transportation, building codes and inspections, regulations and permitting to assist local governments, businesses, property owners, attorneys and others in land use, development, small business consulting and property tax issues and related issues.
In addition to the above, I taught real estate brokerage as a licensed real estate instructor through the North Carolina Real Estate Commission (NCREC) during this time through this company. The courses included two that were written by me including one titled Site Selection. The other courses were those created by the NCREC.
Rowan Cabarrus Community College (NC). (2006-2009)
Instructor of North Carolina Real Estate Commission pre-licensing, post-licensing, and Broker-In-Charge courses at this community college.
Century 21 Cornerstone, Owner (NC). (2004-2008)
I grew several small independent and franchised real estate companies into a regionally significant, multi-million dollar, 70+ agent real estate, and full service brokerage firm. My wife and I sold that company after four years of continual growth to two other companies as the Great Recession hardened. I continued affiliation work with Coldwell Banker United, Realtors.
Shoe Show Inc. Director of Planning & Development (NC). (2000-2003)
I was an active participant and manager that permitted and designed over 150 retail stores throughout the United States. As project manager and the owner's representative, I oversaw the design and construction of the company's 80,000 square foot national office and 264,000 square foot national distribution center. I was responsible for construction and leasing of 18 freestanding and retail strip centers from New England to Louisiana. (Shoe Show is USA's largest independent shoe retailer, with over 1,100 stores.)
David Drye Company, Land Acquisition Manager (NC). (1996-1999)
I was responsible for state, town, and site selection and preliminary design of 24 apartment and hotel locations in North and South Carolina, representing nearly 3,000 units. During my time there the company quadrupled its business and I was responsible for bringing a new fully designed and permitted site to construction on the average of one new community every four weeks. Individually, I performed contract negotiations, full due diligence, construction budgeting, market analysis and proformas and eventually trained the company owner's son how to perform the work.
Cabarrus County Government, Planning and Development Area Manager (NC). (1990-1996)
I permitted then oversaw the construction of the county reservoir, authored innovative development regulations now used throughout North Carolina. I managed, budgeted, and provided oversight of the county's growth departments-planning, zoning, building inspection, transportation, and utilities. I developed site selection criteria and student population forecasting for local schools, located future roads, provided economic development and new business assistance for the community. I oversaw the local MPO staff and activities, created and directed the use of area plans to promote and design the county.
Boone County Planning Commission Director and Zoning Administrator (KY). (1984-1990)
I was hired as a planner/plans examiner and promoted to director of a high-growth, complex county home of Cincinnati International Airport. As a young adult, I managed the county-wide planning agency and personally reviewed or designed over 1,500 site plans for all types of business and development which is more than most planners so in a career. I performed site selection, wrote award-winning area and comprehensive plans, and coordinated all governmental planning, zoning, and subdivision work for four jurisdictions. Routine meetings with small property owners as well as a personal meeting with Sam Walton and other well-known businessmen are lasting memories that create the innovative, steward, collaborative leadership I have used for the past 30 years.
Research Specialist for Institute for Regional, Rural, and Community Studies, Western Illinois University, Macomb (IL) (1983-1984)
Associate Planner, Western Illinois Regional Council, Macomb (IL) (1983)
Recreation Planning Intern, Monroe Co. Planning Comm., Stroudsburg (PA) (1982)
Lab Assistant, Mathematics Department, East Stroudsburg State College (now University) (PA) (1979-1982)
Chaplain, Evergreen Lake Campground, Bath (PA) (1980)
Bachelor of Science, Recreation Management, East Stroudsburg University
Bachelor of Arts, Geography, East Stroudsburg University
Master’s Degree, Geography, Western Illinois University
Doctorate in Executive Leadership (DEL), University of Charleston
International Business certificate, CPCC
Municipal Administration, NC School of Government, UNC Chapel Hill
County Administrator, NC School of Government, UNC Chapel Hill
Strategic Planning and Conflict Management, Georgia Tech
American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP)
Former NC Real Estate Instructor licensed for BIC, Mandatory, electives (1399)
Former North Carolina Real Estate Broker (174692)
Former South Carolina Broker-In-Charge (60315)
North Carolina General Contractor, inactive (54253)
Access Management certificate, US Dept. of Trans., National Highway Institute (2012)
FAA Private Pilot - Airman Knowledge and Class 3 Medical (2015)
LeanOhio Boot Camp (2015)
Ohio Tourism Association, Leadership Academy, graduate (2015)
Ohio Environmental Leaders Institute, OSU (2016)
Lean Six Sigma, Green Belt, Baldwin Wallace University (2017)
Designing Pedestrian Facilities and Accessibility, Ohio Local Technical Assistance Program (2017)
George E. Walker Fellow, University of Charleston, Doctorate of Executive Leadership Program (2017)
FAA 333 Exemption Number 15835, First countywide Certificate of Authorization for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) (2016)
First Place, Ohio LTAP Center’s Build a Better Mousetrap Competition (2015)
20 People to Know in Government, Columbus Business First (2014)
Licking County Proclamation honoring Jerry Newton (2013)
Carolinas Leadership (1994)
Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Distinguished Faculty (1988, 1989)
Leadership Cabarrus, class then faculty (1991-1996)
Kentucky Colonel (1986-)
Gamma Theta Upsilon, Dr. Robert Guy Buzzard Award (Outstanding Geography graduate student in United States) (1984)
College Varsity Track, Letterman, ESSC (now ESU) (1980)
Eagle Scout, silver palm (1979)
International City/County Management Association (ICMA) (2018)
University of Charleston's George E. Walker Fellow (2017-present)
Urban Land Institute, Full Member (2016-present)
International Leadership Association (2016-2021)
Licking County Foundation, Scholarship Review Committee (2015- 2017)
Licking County Extension Advisory Committee, Ohio State University Extension (2015-2017)
Advisory Council for the Architectural Design Technology Program at Central Ohio Technical College (2014- 2017)
Grow Licking County Community Investment Corporation, Infrastructure Chair (2013-2017)
Explore Licking County (Convention and Visitor Bureau), Grant Committee chairman, OH (2013- 2017)
Ohio Tourism Association, Leadership Academy, graduate (2015)
Ohio Chapter, American Planning Association member (2012-2017),
Central Ohio APA Conference Committee (2016)
Pataskala Joint Economic Development District, OH, Chairman (2013-2017)
Central Ohio Technical College, Engineering Advisory Committee (2014-2017)
Licking County informal committee to World Heritage Ohio (2015-2017)
American Planning Association (APA) (1986-present)
American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) (1989-present)
Spring Hills Baptist Church, OH, member and Praise Team (2012-2017)
Concord Christian Church (now Connect Christian Church), NC, Elder, Deacon, Praise Team (2005-2011)
Hickory Grove Baptist Church, North Campus, Charlotte, NC, Deacon, Choir (1999-2005)
First Baptist Church, Concord NC, Deacon, Choir, Teacher, Personnel Committee-chairman (1990-1999)
Kanlacon Transportation Technical Committee (A federal MPO), NC, Chairman (1990-1996)
Greater Cabarrus County Economic Development Corporation, NC, Treasurer
Concord Cabarrus Chamber of Commerce, NC, Transportation Committee
NC Chapter of APA (1990- 2011, 2017-current)
Kentucky Chapter of APA (1984-1990)
Integrated and Steward Leading- Results, 2017 Quest for Success, The Partnership for Excellence, The Ohio State University Fawcett Center. (September 2017)
Community Stewardship for Effective Local Planning, Ohio Office of Community Development’s Community Development Conference (November 2016)
Income Stream: Water as a Community Asset Presentation, Summit on Sustainability, Columbus, Ohio (2016)
Communitarian (community) Stewardship, presentation of paper, Nexus on Leadership Conference, University of Charleston (2016)
Downtown Newark- Future and Past, Guest presentation, Environmental Citizenship, Ohio State University, Newark Campus (2016)
Economic Development in Licking County, Community Leadership of Licking County (2016)
MIT Boulevard- 16/37/161 Growth and Development Presentation, Joint Chambers of Commerce, Granville and Licking County, (2015)
Cherry Valley Interchange, TRAC Presentation, Ohio Department of Transportation. Resulting in $30 million interchange being funded and built ahead of schedule and under construction budget (2014)
Economic and Land Use, Local Leaders Breakfast, Economic Development Roundtable, Licking County Chamber of Commerce (2014)
Agriculture in Licking County’s value, Agricultural Breakfast Forum (2013)
Planning, Zoning, and Development, CLE International, Land Use Law Conference teacher (2005)
Site Selection, NC Real Estate Commission, author of approved continuing education course
Pricing Right, NC Real Estate Commission author of approved continuing education course
Newton, G. (1985) National Heritage Corridor Criteria: the Hennepin Canal as a Case Study, Thesis
Newton, G., Griffin D. (1984) History of the Hennepin Canal, Institute of Regional, Rural, and Community Studies, Macomb, Illinois
Professional, Practical, Technical Critical Thinking, Framing, and Complex Problem-Solving Skills from a Steward Leader of Breadth, Depth, Wisdom and Quiet Confidence.