Meet Connie Molland

Hi, I'm Connie — And I'm So Glad To Be Running for Commissioner

If you're reading this and we haven't had a chance to meet yet, I hope this gives you a real sense of who I am — not just as a candidate, but as your neighbor.

My love for Madison County started long before I actually lived here. Back in 1977, my family drove through Asheville on a vacation, and something about these mountains just got into my bones. I never forgot it and made many visits to the area until I bought land in the Grapevine community. In 2008, my husband Rick and I made it official — we moved here for good. That wasn't a small decision after 25 years in Indiana, but it turned out to be one of the best ones we ever made.

Since arriving, I've tried to show up for this community in every way I could. I joined the Rotary Club of Madison County and eventually served as District Governor for District 7670, covering all of Western North Carolina. I helped create the Downtown Marshall Association and have stayed involved (now as Treasurer) ever since. I've served on the boards of the Madison County Arts Council, the United Way of Madison County, and the Economic Development Board. And back in 2010, I joined seven other local women artists to co-found Flow Gallery — I'm proud to say we're still going strong, 16 years later.

My professional background is in numbers and people — a combination I've found pretty useful over the years. I spent a decade in banking and finance, including a stretch as CFO of a $16 million statewide nonprofit. I worked in corporate community relations for a Fortune 500 company. And for the past 16-plus years, I've run a small business here in Madison County, connecting WNC artists and makers with customers (locals and tourists) who love what our region creates.

Running for County Commissioner feels like a natural next step — though it didn't happen overnight. My father served as a state representative in rural Illinois for 18 years, and I grew up watching him listen to his constituents and turn their concerns into real action. That fundamentally shaped how I see public service. When I moved to Madison County, I started attending monthly Commissioner meetings, just to understand how decisions are made that affect residents in what was then my newly adopted community. Over the years, I've agreed with decisions and disagreed with decisions, and more than once I've thought — I can do that.

Then came Hurricane Helene. Serving as Rotary District Governor during that time, I stepped into a leadership role in our recovery efforts, and what I saw reaffirmed everything I believe about this county: we are resilient, we take care of each other, and we deserve leaders who show up, listen, and get things done.

That's why I'm running. I'm a good listener. I do my homework. I believe in transparency, in fairness, and in treating every corner of this county — every community, every voice — with equal respect. And I genuinely believe that if we focus on what we have in common rather than what divides us, we can solve just about anything together.

You really can count on me. And I hope to earn the chance to prove it. I ask for your vote on November 3, 2026.

With gratitude,

Connie

Candidate for Madison County Commissioner