News

Chuck Edwards files for state Senate

Chuck Edwards

By Lightning Reports, Published: December 1, 2015

Chuck Edwards, a Hendersonville business owner and past president of the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce, on Tuesday filed for the  state Senate seat incumbent Tom Apodaca plans to vacate at the end of his seventh term.

Edwards graduated from West Henderson High School in 1978, and attended Blue Ridge Community College. In high school, at the age of 16, he started working behind the counter at McDonald’s. He worked his way up the management ladder, and now owns seven McDonald’s franchises and signs nearly 400 paychecks each month. He’s also a director of Entegra Bank, a publicly-traded bank with nearly $1 billion in assets.

A longtime leader in community organizations, Edwards is a board member for the Henderson Community Foundation, a conduit for community philanthropy which provides grants to area non-profit organizations and scholarships and aide to students in need. He serves on the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce, the local Boy Scout Council and various other civic groups.

“I’m not a politician and I’ve never run for public office,” Edwards said in a news release. “I’m a businessman who has balanced budgets and signed paychecks. I’ve seen first-hand the challenges working families and job creators face every day, and I want to make sure the same opportunities that were available to me are available to anyone who works hard and puts in their time. ... I’ve always believed in public service and tried to find ways to make a difference for our region. I believe I can do that by representing Henderson, Buncombe and Transylvania counties in the State Senate.”

Edwards lives in Hendersonville with his wife of 34 years, Teresa. They have two children.