Стивен Врей Вуд: Американ саяхатшысы және қоғам қайраткері

American politician

Stephen Wray Wood (born October 6, 1948) is an American politician who served as a Republican member of the North Carolina General Assembly representing the state's sixty first House district, including constituents in Guilford county. Wood served eight terms in the State House from 1984–2005. November 8, 2022, Wood was elected to the Winston Salem Forsyth County School System Board of Education for a four year term, 2022 2026.

Earned degrees include a BA in history/religion, Asbury University (Wilmore, Kentucky); Th. B in Bible/Theology, John Wesley University, (High Point, NC); MA in History, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro; M. Div., Houston Graduate School of Theology (Houston, Texas); and D. Min from Luther Rice University (Atlanta, Georgia). Postgraduate studies include Princeton Theological Seminary,
Fuller Theological Seminary, and Earlham School of Religion. He is a member of the academic Phi Alpha Theta International Historical Fraternity. Before election to the NC House he served as professor of history and education and assistant academic dean at John Wesley College, High Point, North Carolina, (1975 1981). He also served as adjunct professor for Houston Graduate School of Theology and Luther Rice University.

During his 16 year tenure in the North Carolina State House, Wood was elected Speaker Pro Tem, 1997–1999, becoming the second Republican elected to that post during the 20th century. Wood developed a reputation as a fiscal and social conservative sponsoring legislation to reduce the size and scope of government, lower tax burdens, and promote pro life issues. In the Legislature, he became the first Republican Chairman of the House Education Committee in 1995, leading the legislature to establish landmark Charter School legislation and reduce the size of the State Department of Public Instruction bureaucracy by nearly half, as well other educational reform measures including Lateral Entry for Teachers from the military, higher education, business and non governmental entities, and the proposal for the first online public school academy. As part of the Japan Learning Group with the Public School Forum in 1995, Wood traveled to Japan, consulting with educational and political leaders in that country regarding educational reform and school choice. In 1999, Wood was selected a member of the Oxford International Roundtable on Education convened at Oxford University presenting a paper on School Choice, Charter Schools and Tax Credits. In 1992, Governor Jim Martin presented Wood the Order of the Longleaf Pine, the highest civilian award given by the state of North Carolina. Wood is a US Army veteran, (1970–1971). He served as a Veterans Service Officer for the State of North Carolina Division of Veterans Affairs, (1987–1989). He was elected as Vice Chairman of the Guilford County Republican Party, (1980–1984), and served on the North Carolina Republican Party Executive Committee. President George W. Bush appointed Wood to the Selective Service Commission in 2001, where he continues to serve.