DAVID GERCKEN
Cabinet Secretary
Sanford Lions Club
Lion David is a member of the Sanford Lions Club where he serves as the Club Secretary and on the History, Scholarship, and Publicity and Social Media Committees. As with most Sanford Lions, he is heavily involved in putting on the annual award-winning Lee County Regional Fair. He is a recipient of the William L. Woolard Partner-in-Service Award.
David is a retired Soldier. He served both stateside and overseas with multiple assignments and deployments. During the first half of his career he got to do fun Army activities like jumping out of airplanes and helicopters and blowing things up and the second half of his career as a Public Affairs Officer working extensively with international and national media, Congress, think tanks, both government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), social media outlets and strategic communications for the Army. He commanded an Artillery Battery and the 10th Press Corps Headquarters, the largest Public Affairs unit in the Army. He now teaches at the local community college and advises government and non-government organizations.
In addition to his Lions activities, David serves as an official for both the NCAA and USA Track and Field where he serves on the Officials Media Committee. He is a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, a member of the American Numismatic Association, and serves on the administrative board for the Sandy Creek Baptist Association.
He is a graduate, and passionate fan, of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A selection of his military education includes the Defense Information School, The Engineer Officer Advanced Course, The Defense Language Institute at the Presidio of Monterey, and the Henry Caro Non-Commissioned Officer Academy at Fort Benning, Georgia. He is married to his high school sweetheart Leigh Anne. They have four children and six grandchildren. The Gerckens enjoyed serving in their local communities wherever they were stationed and continue to do so since moving back to North Carolina.