Harold Weinbrecht (born 1956) is an American computer programmer and politician who has been the mayor of Cary, North Carolina since 2007.[1][2]
Early life
Weinbrecht was born in Augusta, Georgia.[2] His family moved to Cary from 1957 to 1967.[2] His uncle was Fred Bond, Jr, the former mayor of Cary.[2]
He attended Augusta College and North Carolina State University, receiving a B.S. in both computer science and mathematics.[2]
Politics
In 1997, amid disputes between developers and citizens, Weinbrecht launched the website Citizens for Balanced Growth where he wrote about local issues and town council meetings.[2]
He became the chair of Cary's new Information Services Advisory Board in 1998.[2] In 1999, he was named to Cary’s Planning and Zoning Board.[2] That same year, Weinbrecht was elected to an at-large town council seat.[2]
Though his opponent spent six times more on advertising, Weinbrecht was elected mayor of Cary in 2007, winning approval on 58% of ballots cast over incumbent Ernie McAlister.[3] One of the key issues in the election was growth, with Weinbrecht proposing a balanced approach.[3] During his first term as mayor, Weinbrecht formed the Citizen Issue Review Commission and created a town sustainability manager position.[4] Weinbrecht was re-elected as mayor in 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023.[5] His current term expires in December 2027.[6][2]
Weinbrecht was endorsed by Indy Week in 2007 and 2011.[4] He started his political career as a Democrat, but now considers himself to be an Independent.[4][2]
Professional affiliations
Weinbrecht is a past president of the Wake County Mayors Association.[2] He has also served on the Wake County’s Growth Management Task Force and is chairman of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.[2]
Career
In 1994, he became a programmer for SAS Institute.[7][2] He was previously a simulations engineer.[2] He retired in 2022 after 28 years at SAS.[2]
Personal life
Weinbrecht married his wife Belinda and moved back to Cary in 1987.[2] They have two children.[2] He is a member of Cary Presbyterian Church where he teaches Sunday school.[7][2] He exercises two hours each day.[8]
