I am from the Southern Tier in Western NY!
Where it all started...Though my family's ancestry in this land can be traced back to the 1600's, my journey began in Broome County. I grew up in rural NY, with all the country-style living and friendships that go with it! Kids' sports, fishing, hunting, jobs on the dairy farm, paper routes, we had it all.
Now that I have been in Chautauqua County for the past seven years, my life is all about raising a family with my wonderful wife, Sarah, and our three young children. When I add them all up, I have five children and six grandchildren! We chose to settle in the Fredonia area, to be close to Sarah's family. Sarah and I know and can relate to that phase of life called parenting! We know the challenge of holding it all together while raising a family and working for a living!
I graduated from Broome Community College, and attended SUNY Geneseo and the Rochester Institute of Technology. Currently, I am a retired plant manager of food and beverage manufacturing, and also a manager of human resources. My wife Sarah is a Spanish teacher. Over the last 20 years of my career in private enterprise, I led teams to balanced budgets in excess of 150 million per year and achieved record/sustainable profits in every location. Together, we secured customer contracts with brand name companies through improved performance, by promoting workplace safety, product quality and environmental sustainability.
I began my career as a proud, union member. I have been at the negotiating table with the Teamsters and the UFCW. I have walked picket lines with our striking workers as a member of management, in order to find common ground with my union brothers and sisters. During my career, I was asked by the people of a striking union in Canada to bring the company, the union and the labor ministry together to resolve their strike. I learned that success comes from empathy and understanding the other side, not demonizing them and pitting worker against worker. No matter where I have worked, my experience has taught me is that 'we' are the same, that we share 'common ground' and that we can accomplish anything that we need to when we work together!
As a small business owner I learned how hard it is to make ends meet! Small business is the backbone of America! I will always work to improve the landscape for our family-owned farms and family-operated businesses, business people and entrepreneurs!
What the future holds for family, my friends and the people of the 23rd District, is my motivation to seek public office at this time. The competence and motivation of many of the members of Congress is at an all-time low. The worst and most extreme in the Republican party are doing most of the talking, and they are not legislating to make our lives better. These are self-serving people and my opponent Nick Langworthy, is an unfortunate part of this 'Do Nothing' congress.
I have been in challenging situations throughout my career and I know I can help the 23rd in a big way! When I say that I can 'help', I mean 'everyone'. Democrat, Republican, and Independents deserve better that what we have. We need to return to honest, respectful leadership - 'servant leadership' - that is not paralyzed by re-election politics and greed. I am ready to work for New York's 23rd Congressional District and help to move the ball forward! I will be the most effective congressional representative that the 23rd has ever seen!
All the Best,
Tom Carle
