Meet Mike Forte
What an interesting life I have had. I grew up in Yonkers, N.Y. and attended school there. I then attended Fordham University with a major in accounting. In my teens I was a member of a rock & roll band and toured the country for 13 years. At 19 years old I owned a Carvel Ice Cream franchise in Bergenfield, N.J. where I was the owner/operator for 11 years. After the sale of the Carvel, my wife and I started Anchor Pest Control and grew that into one of the largest independent companies in New Jersey. I am the father of three terrific sons and two amazing grandchildren that my wife Leighann and I adore. At 49 years old I retired and moved to Brunswick County, N.C. to become the caregiver for my aging in-laws.
Retirement proved to be a little boring after a short while so I became involved as a volunteer in local charities. I was a Founder and President of the Cape Fear Italian Festival in Leland where every dollar made was donated to provide scholarship funding for needy students at Brunswick Community College. This gained me a seat as a board member of the Foundation of Brunswick Community College where I have served for over 15 years and have held the position of both Vice President and President. The college is something very near and dear to me as I believe every child should have an opportunity for a good education to prepare them for life. I am still very committed to that cause.
In 2011 I ran for and won a seat on the Boiling Spring Lakes City Council where I served for four years. Upon completion of my term as City Commissioner, I opted to run for the position of County Commissioner for District 4 and was again successful and now serve in that capacity. I hold this position with the highest regard and respect for the citizens of Brunswick County and I always approach every vote as what is best for the majority of all citizens. I endeavor to be fiscally responsible with every taxpayer dollar. We instituted the Brunswick Guarantee, whereby ALL BRUNSWICK COUNTY STUDENTS can attend Brunswick Community College FREE! We have also added onto the college with the new Allied Health Building for our future nurses and those going into other healthcare fields. We have built new parks in Southport and Ocean Isle Beach for all to enjoy. We have built three (3) new senior centers in Supply, Leland and Calabash. The Oak Island Jetport has grown by leaps and bounds during the last few years as we make significant investments in it. Our County is in good shape, and we've done this while maintaining a tax rate that is now the fifth lowest out of North Carolina's 100 counties.
Currently, I'm in my fourth year as Vice Chair of the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners. I also have the privilege of representing Brunswick County on a number of boards and committees. In our region, I serve as Chair of the Cape Fear Council of Governments, as a member of the Cape Fear Rural Planning Organization Transportation Advisory Committee, and as an alternate on the Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization board. Additionally, I am president and a board member of the Brunswick Community College Foundation and currently serve as a board member of Brunswick Business & Industry Development (BBID), our county's non-profit economic development organization. I also served on the N.C. Association of County Commissioners' Board of Directors as a District Director for the past four years and am a member of the NCACC Education Steering Committee.
I am proud of what my fellow Commissioners and I have accomplished since I joined the board, and I ask for your continued support and most importantly your vote as I run for re-election in 2024.