I've been a homeowner in Big Canoe for a little over 10 years, first as a weekender and for the last six years as a permanent resident.

My community activities include volunteering at Good Samaritan Wellness Center, mentoring a seventh grader at Jasper Middle School, serving on the Board of the Pickens County Child Abuse Program, serving as an instructor for Homeland Security's Community Emergency Response Team,  singing in Chapel choirs and occasionally writing a guest column for Smoke Signals. I'm a 2007 graduate of the Leadership Big Canoe program.

As an "Army brat" I've lived all over but my deepest roots are in Georgia and Virginia. I'm a 1958 graduate of The Hill School in Pottstown, Pa., and a1964 graduate of The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va. I served in the United States Army from 1959-1965. Most of my business career was spent in the insurance brokerage business where I served as president of two regional firms and managing vice president of the state offices of two international firms. Concurrent with my working career I was a member of the Board of the Graduate Business School at W&M, a member of the Rebel Chapter of the Young President's Organization, chair of the Deacons at North Atlanta Community Church, a vestryman for St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Richmond, and over the years I have volunteered with the Boy Scouts, Pee Wee Football, as well as worked with the United Way and other similar fund raising organizations.

My wife is Cynthia Aiken (professional name) who owns and operates a store in the Foothills Shopping Center and who is a well known Georgia interior designer doing work in Big Canoe and greater Atlanta.

My goal, if elected, will be to work with others to enhance the quality of life in Big Canoe.