My name is Nick Lofthouse and I am running for one of the two open seats for District 2 on the Board of Commissioners because I want to make sure Macon County remains a place where my children—and other families—can build a life worth living. With a career in public service, experience as a small business owner serving Western North Carolina, unique insight as a county employee, and a heart for volunteering to make our community better, I would be honored to represent you on the Board of Commissioners.

I grew up in the Echo Valley community on land owned by my grandparents, Phil and Maysel Hazazer. I was raised by my mother Kate, who as a single mother I credit for instilling in me a fierce work ethic that she demonstrated on a daily basis by working long hours as a lineman for Verizon and a dental hygienist. I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to call many corners of Macon County home, living on the Eastside of town and attending East Franklin Elementary School before moving across town to Skeenah when my mother remarried where I finished out elementary school at Union Elementary. I am a proud product of Macon County Youth Sports, plating soccer, football, and baseball in the county rec leagues and spent my summers at the community building for summer adventure camp. I attended Franklin High School and was proud to represent the Panthers as a member of the Future Business Leaders of America, a member of the Football Team and as a Wrestler. I have always has a love for finding out how things are engineered to work, which lead to me attended college in Florida where I completed technical training in electronics and earned my journeyman certification. I returned home to work in communications technology, including positions as a repair technician and later with a local two-way radio communications company.