2009 - 2011 Board of Commissioners' Biographies

Mayor

Alan Holden

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Captain John "Alan" Holden, GRI, CRS, CRB, ABR, RRS, CLHMS, BIC, SRS

Alan Holden was the first baby born to a Holden Beach resident and is a seventh generation Holden of the Holden Beach Holdens. He and his brother, Lyn, have lived on Holden Beach for over 120 years combined. Mayor Holden's resident son, Shane, and Shane's children Curren, Morrea and Kealani are the eighth and ninth generations.

Mayor Holden taught school in Shallotte in the 1970's after graduating from Methodist College. During the summer he owned and operated seasonal businesses on the island. He soon gave up the teaching as the businesses grew to require full time attention.

Today the most visible businesses are Alan Holden Vacations and Re/Max at the Beach. Professional awards, such as the North Carolina Realtors' Association Hall of Fame, the Re/Max Hall of Fame and the North Carolina Realtors' Community Service Award are among the awards he received.

Captain Holden holds a 100 ton license, qualifying him as a knowledgeable seaman. He fishes locally and on the Southern Kingfish Association  Professional Tour for Fountain Boats.

His public service record includes a long list such as: Holden Beach Chapel Trustee, Brunswick County Hospital Trustee, Brunswick Community College Foundation Board, Methodist University Board of Visitors, Brunswick County Tourism Development Authority, North Carolina Travel Council Board of Directors, Board of Directors Bank of North Carolina (Brunswick County), Bank of America Board of Directors (Brunswick County), Board of Directors Bank of America (Eastern Carolina), Brunswick County Health Department Advisory Board, Holden Beach Property Owners' Association President, Mayor Pro Tempore Holden Beach, Holden Beach Commissioner, Holden Beach Planning & Zoning Board, Holden Beach Board of Adjustment, Holden Beach Director of Emergency Management, Tri-Beach Fire Department Volunteer Fireman, West Brunswick Boosters Club President, President of Toastmasters (local), founding member of Holden Beach Merchant's Association, President of the South Brunswick Islands Chamber of Commerce/ Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce, etc.

Professionally, Mayor Holden has served in numerous capacities including President of the South Brunswick Island Board of Realtors and the Brunswick County Association of Realtors. He was the founding President of the North Carolina Vacation Rental Managers' Association, Governor for the North Carolina Association of Realtors Property Management Division and Chairman of the North Carolina Association of Realtor's Professional Standards Committee. The National Association of Realtors chose Alan to serve on the founding committee and to develop the vacation property management division.

No one has more experience in the government of Holden Beach than Alan Holden. No one knows Holden Beach better than what decades of residency and involvement has taught Mayor Holden. His love for his lifetime home of Holden Beach is unsurpassed.

Mayor Pro Tem

Don Glander

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Mayor Pro Tem Glander married his high school sweetheart, Nydia. Corporate management moves with RCA and Zenith took the Glander family to Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and back to North Carolina where they eventually retired to Holden Beach. The Glanders have two married children residing in Charlotte, NC.

Mayor Pro Tem Glander is a member of the Holden Beach Turtle Patrol, the Holden Beach Chapel and is a Director of the Friends of the Library, Brunswick County. Additionally, he enjoys crabbing, fishing, reading, writing, daily walks, sharpening his culinary skills and listening to his jazz and classical music recordings. As time permits, he works on the sequel to his novel "Beyond Borders" published in 2007.

Commissioner

Ray Lehr

842-4583

Twenty years of Commissioner Lehr's career, starting immediately after graduation from college, was spent with Central Soya Company in Indiana. During the years, he was employed by Soya, it was the second largest soybean processor and fourth largest feed company in the U.S. His experience was in the feed divisions sales/ marketing and management positions.

Commissioner Lehr left Central Soya when he was Western Regional Manager to join Pennfield Corporation in Lancaster, PA. He was employed there from 1982 until 1998 when he retired as Senior Vice President. Other responsibilities during this period include: National Chair of the American Feed Industry Associations Marketing Committee, Chairman Lancaster Chamber of Commerce Agricultural Committee, Director of PA Pork Producers Council, President of PA Livestock Association and Director of PSU Stockman's Club.

Commissioner Lehr and his wife, Carol, have owned property at Holden Beach since 1984 and presently live at 150 Yacht Watch Drive. Their extended family includes six adult children and their families. Commissioner Lehr is "the Chief" to eleven grandchildren. He and Carol enjoy RV motorhome travel and collect vintage John Deere tractors. They are members of the Holden Beach Chapel where Commissioner Lehr serves on the Finance Committee and as a Trustee.

Commissioner

Ken Kyser

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Commissioner Kyser is 60 years old and has been married to his wife, Sue, for 40 years. They have two daughters and one dog (Jaxx). The Kysers bought land in Holden Beach in 1994, purchased their home in 1996 and lived here part-time from 1997 until they moved here full-time in 2000 from Sanford, NC.

Commissioner Kyser served for 10 years in the U. S. Navy as a nuclear submarine electrician. He retired after 25 years with Progress Energy (formerly CP&L), where he was Supervisor of Plant Operations and Maintenance. Commissioner Kyser was also the Planning Supervisor at Shearon Harris Nuclear Plant and held a Senior Reactor Operators License. For 10 years he was Operations Shift Supervisor.

Commissioner

Sandy Miller

842-7691

Commissioner Miller was born in High Point, NC. She first came to Holden Beach on the ferry. Most of Commissioner Miller's adult life was spent in Richmond, VA. She is currently serving her fifth term on the Holden Beach Board of Commissioners.

Commissioner Miller is a member of the Holden Beach Chapel, Holden Beach Beautification Club and the Holden Beach Chapel Ladies Fellowship. Commissioner Miller is also the Executive Secretary of the Holden Beach Property Owners Association. She has two daughters and four grandchildren. Her grandson is serving in the Army and is currently stationed in Iraq.   

Commissioner

Sheila Young

846-1878

Commissioner Young was born and educated in upstate New York. She received her BS degree in Education from SUNY Oneonta and her MS + 30 hours from SUNY Albany. She taught elementary education for 24 years and later spent seven years as a Labor Relations Specialist representing teachers and school related personnel in various parts of the state.

Commissioner Young has a son and a daughter, each having a son and daughter. She has traveled extensively in North America and other countries. In 1993, Commissioner Young spent a month in Poland with other teachers, educating high school students on the ways of American teenagers.

In the fall of 2000, Commissioner Young moved to Holden Beach as a retiree. She has been a member of the Board of Adjustment, the Holden Beach Beautification Club, the Planning & Zoning Board and served as the Chair of the Shoreline Protection Committee and on the Holden Beach Property Owners' Association's Board of Directors.

In her spare time, Commissioner Young likes to fish and bowl with friends.