Christopher L. Grayson, of Mount Carmel, has announced his bid as a Democratic candidate for Northumberland County Controller.
Grayson said he has lived most of his life in Mount Carmel, and his roots are firmly planted in Northumberland County and with its people.
He attended Holy Spirit Grade School, Mount Carmel Area and Our Lady of Lourdes Regional High School and earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting cum laude from the Weis School of Business at Susquehanna University.
Grayson went to work as a senior accountant-assurance for KPMG, an internationally recognized accounting firm. After two years of audit work, he was presented with an opportunity to purchase the family business, The Ye Olde Butcher Shoppe, at Fourth and Chestnut streets, Mount Carmel.
"I have evolved a portion of my business to accepting bill collections in order to better serve my community," Grayson said. "I have established successful relationships with numerous utility companies, including Verizon, Verizon Wireless, Sprint, Aqua Pennsylvania, PPL Electric, and UGI Central Penn Gas."
In 2005, Grayson was elected to the position of tax collector for Mount Carmel, and is currently in the final year of his second four-year term.
"I understand what it takes to operate a business and monitor expenses through turbulent economic times. Through my experience and education, I have created numerous checks and balances to enhance the integrity expected of a tax collector. I believe I can use these same tools as controller to monitor county expenditures in the best interest of the taxpayers. In addition, my audit and tax collection experiences uniquely qualify me for this position."
He is a member of the Anthracite and Clover Hose fire companies, the West End Athletic Club and Church of Our Lady. In October 2004, he married the former Jennifer Kornaski, a lifelong resident of Mount Carmel.
"I ask for the support of the taxpayers of Northumberland County and welcome any questions or suggestions," Grayson said.