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Gene Truelove
Present
Position: In May 27, 1997 I was appointed by the Wake County Commissioners to a five (5) year term as director on the WakeMed Hospital Board. In May of 2002 I was reappointed by the County Commissioners to a second five (5) year term. WakeMed is a large regional hospital with several campuses in Wake County, North Carolina. You can obtain information about WakeMed at it's web site http://www.wakemed.org/. As a Fuquay-Varina municipal board member for approximately 5 and a half years, I was appointed mayor by the commissioners to complete mayor John Ellis' term, who stepped down to become Town Manager. When my term expired I did not seek re-election in order to take some time off from public service. Elected officials have a very challenging job, but it can also be very rewarding, and it was for me. I treasure the time I served as an elected official, the knowledge I gained, the friends I made, and the developing of relationships that will last a life time. In July of 1999 I sold SDM International, a computer software company, to Transaction Systems Architects, Inc. (TSAI stock symbol). I started SDM in 1980 along with three technology friends and my wife Nanette. I remained it's Chairman and CEO until the sale. At the end of September 2001 my two year employment transition agreement with TSA ended at which time I retired. In 1997 while town commission I was encouraged by current and past Wake County Commissioners to run for the Wake County Commissioner seat, and I did. It was an experience of a life time. Raising money was definitely a new experience for me. Wake County is large with a population of over 600,000, and 12 municipalities, with Raleigh being the capital of NC, and the largest municipality. In Wake County candidates run country wide making campaigning a grueling task. It is an experience I won't forget. Michael Weeks my opponent won the election by a small margin in a close race, and I am happy to say that he did a great job as commissioner. Retirement was an easy transition for me because I never stopped. I simply took on projects and work of a different kind being driven for the most part by my own schedule. My wife and I have really enjoyed our freedom, and really feel blessed to be able to spend most days together working in our home office or traveling. Nanette and I are RV'ers and enjoy traveling whenever we get the opportunity. Our longest trip included six or seven states going south west to visit distant Trueloves, descendents of Timothy and Lucy Avent-Truelove who lived near where we currently live in NC. |
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History and Genealogy My parents moved to Fuquay Springs (now Fuquay-Varina) around 1949. Prior to that we lived about 5 miles west in rural Harnett County. My wife Nanette and I moved to Fuquay around 1967 and except for a few years in Wilson, NC and Fairfax, VA we have stayed rooted in Fuquay. It is a great place to raise a family. My children, grand children, and a large extended family all live in and around the Fuquay area. You will find more information on SDM and me at "Gene's Background". The Trueloves moved to north western Harnett County (about 10 miles west of Fuquay) prior to 1777 (then Cumberland County). Timothy Truelove and Lucy Avent (wife) received a land grant of 200 acres on Parker's Creek, Buckhorn Township, Cumberland County (Harnett Co after 1854) in 1777. Timothy's brother-in-laws operated the Avent Ferry on the Cape Fear River. Lucy's family, including mother and father moved here from North Hampton County along with members of Timothy's family. North Hampton was originally part of Chowan County in the north eastern corner of NC. As the Truelove clan increased, so did their land holdings, which joined each other, and with some living near by. At the end of the civil war general Sherman's army camped near Avent Ferry plundering and pillaging the surrounding area for needed supplies. The lost of essential food, animal feed, horses, and their live stock put many of the Truelove families in a state of despair. Carpetbaggers and local opportunist took advantage of the situation buying up a lot of the land for very little money, causing Trueloves to sell part of their land in order to survive the winter. Many Trueloves migrated to other areas of NC, with some moving to southern states going west. There were earlier Trueloves that settled in Texas, in and around Bell County area were they had relatives. My great grand father William A. J. Truelove went to Texas during the civil war. See "Truelove Genealogy" below. |
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