About Bruce

Bruce and Joyce

I was born in this community, grew up here, make my living here and I am raising family here. I graduated from Reynolds High School in 1960 and married my high school sweetheart, Joyce, a year later. In 2009, we celebrated our 48th wedding anniversary.

In 1982, I started my own business building homes. My goal was to build safe, comfortable homes. Homes that enhance the community and respect our cherished mountain environment. Homes built on an individual basis, not as part of some master planned community. Homes built for specific families suited to their individual needs and lifestyle.

Bruce meets with Goforth Builders client Guy Ross.

Goforth Builders continues today with those goals in mind. It has also become a family business. Following their graduation from college, my two sons-in-law joined the business, allowing me to dedicate more time to serving the community.

In 1990, I was elected to the Buncombe County School Board for the first of two terms. During my tenure on the school board, we built or renovated 17 schools and instituted longevity pay. As a result, we had better school buildings, higher salaries for our teachers, and more competitive schools. Today, we have one of the best school systems in the state.

Since 2002, I have represented the people of District 115 in the North Carolina House of Representatives. Over the past seven years, I have championed bills protecting our children and improving public education, growing our economy and creating jobs, preserving our mountain environment, and making health care more affordable and accessible.

In 2009, my colleagues elected me as House Majority Whip. I also serve in leadership positions as the chairman of the Insurance Committee and the Appropriations Subcommittee on Capital and vice chairman of the Appropriations Committee and Commerce, Small Business, and Entrepreneurship Committee in addition to serving as a member on other committees.

Serving our community as a volunteer and in my elected capacity is my way of giving back to this community that has raised and supported me and my family.