Dave Plyler, Chairman, Forsyth County Board of Commissioners

Dave Plyler is a retired broadcaster who was first elected to the Forsyth County Board of County Commissioners in 1994.

Plyler, a native of Orange County, Calif. who now resides in Kernersville, grew up listening to the radio with his family.

“I would listen to all these programs and I thought, ‘Maybe, someday, I can be on the radio,” said Plyler.

Eventually his family moved to Greensboro where, at only 15 years-old, he began his broadcast career as a DJ at WCOG in 1953. He was so young his mother drove him to and from work. In 1955, he went to WGBG where he hosted a five-hour drive program. He then returned to WCOG as the morning and afternoon drive DJ. He continued his work in radio as he attended Guilford College. In 1960, he was one of only three reporters to cover the beginning of the 1960s Woolworth sit-in and helped to spread the story nationwide.

Also in 1960, he advanced to WSJS and then served in the Air Force for four years, where he worked in Air Command and Armed Forces Radio and Television. After being honorably discharged, he returned to WSJS, which became WXII in 1972, where he worked in the radio and television news division as a reporter, assignment editor and news/public affairs director. Along with his administrative duties, he either hosted or was responsible for 14 hours of news and public affairs television a week. During this time, he also attended Winston-Salem State University from 1974-1979, where he studied political science.

In 1983, he left WXII and became the vice-president and general manager of WTOB in Winston-Salem. He went on to work for Salem Media of NC and Truth Broadcasting, which owns numerous radio stations.

As a news director, he was familiar with county government and he became interested in running for county commissioner. After managing the winning campaign of Jerry Long for county commissioner in 1988, Plyler unsuccessfully ran for the board himself in 1992, but then won a seat as county commissioner during his second run in 1994. He lost reelection in 2006, but then won another seat on the board in 2008.

Plyler said he’s been proud of all the things he’s helped accomplish as county commissioner, like moving forward on the new courthouse, new libraries and school bonds.

“From my perspective, I’ve done what should have been done and I just happen to be here,” he said.

Plyler serves on the boards of Novant Health, YMCA of Northwest North Carolina and IFB Solutions. His past board service includes the Governor’s Task Force on Osteoporosis, Forsyth County Board of Public Health, National Association of Counties (NACo), N.C. Association of County Commissioners, the National YMCA Board, N.C. Energy Policy Commission, Crimestoppers, Blumenthal Jewish Home for the Aged, Inc and Kernersville Lions Club. He is a lifetime member of Oasis Shrine 32nd Degree Mason and the Kernersville Chamber of Commerce. He is also an active member of United Methodist Church in Kernersville.

Plyler is the recipient of the Abe Lincoln Award for Exceptional Broadcasting, the Humanitarian Award from the NC Association of Black County Officials, the Community Service Award from the Kernersville Chamber of Commerce and was recognized as Outstanding County Commissioner in 2003 by the N.C. Association of County Commissioners.