Harold Weinbrecht
Harold Weinbrecht | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Mayor of Cary, North Carolina | |
| Assumed office December 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Ernie McAlister |
| Cary Town Council | |
| In office 1999–2007 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1956 (age 69–70) Augusta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic[1] |
| Spouse | Belinda Weinbrecht |
| Children | Audrey Weinbrecht Cara Weinbrecht |
| Residence(s) | Cary, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Augusta College North Carolina State University |
| Profession | Software programmer |
| Website | mayorweinbrecht |
Harold Weinbrecht (born 1956) is an American computer programmer and politician who has been the mayor of Cary, North Carolina since 2007.[2][3]
Early life
Weinbrecht was born in Augusta, Georgia.[3] His family lived in Cary from 1957 to 1967.[3] His uncle was Fred Bond, Jr, the former mayor of Cary.[3] He attended Augusta College and North Carolina State University, receiving a B.S. in both computer science and mathematics.[3]
Politics
In 1997, amid disputes between developers and citizens, Weinbrecht launched the website Citizens for Balanced Growth where he wrote about local issues and town council meetings.[3]
He became the chair of Cary's new Information Services Advisory Board in 1998.[3] In 1999, he was named to Cary’s Planning and Zoning Board.[3] That same year, Weinbrecht was elected to an at-large town council seat.[3]
Though his opponent spent six times more on advertising, Weinbrecht won the 2007 Cary, North Carolina, mayoral election, winning approval on 58% of ballots cast over incumbent Ernie McAlister.[4] One of the key issues in the election was growth, with Weinbrecht proposing a balanced approach.[4] During his first term as mayor, Weinbrecht formed the Citizen Issue Review Commission and created a town sustainability manager position.[5] Weinbrecht was re-elected as mayor in 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023.[6] His current term expires in December 2027.[7][3]
Professional affiliations
Weinbrecht is a past president of the Wake County Mayors Association.[3] He has also served on the Wake County’s Growth Management Task Force and is chairman of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.[3]
Career
In 1994, he became a programmer for SAS Institute.[8][3] He was previously a simulations engineer.[3] He retired in 2022 after 28 years at SAS.[3]
Personal life
In 1987, Weinbrecht married Belinda and returned to Cary.[3] They have two children. He is an active member of Cary Presbyterian Church, where he teaches Sunday school,[8][3] and maintains a daily exercise routine of two hours.[9]
References
- ^ "Harold Weinbrecht". carync.gov. Town of Cary, NC. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
- ^ "Harold Weinbrecht". INDY Week. 2011-09-14. Retrieved 2022-07-23.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Harold Weinbrecht", Town of Cary. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
- ^ a b "Weinbrecht's Balanced Growth Approach a Hit with Cary Voters". WRAL. 10 October 2007. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
- ^ "Cary: Our Endorsements". INDY Week. 2011-09-21. Retrieved 2022-07-23.
- ^ Brown, Trent. "Cary mayor re-elected, new council member elected, according to unofficial results", The News & Observer, October 8, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
- ^ Election Day 2023 Results: NC municipal races up for grabs in primary and general elections, ABC 11, 11 October 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ^ a b "Harold Weinbrecht". Town of Cary. Archived from the original on 5 May 2011. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
- ^ Kairis, Ashley (April 15, 2020). "Catching Up with Cary's Town Council". Cary Citizen. Retrieved 2022-07-23.