Pete Brunstetter

Submitted by ryanteaguebeckwith on December 4, 2008 - 3:43pm.
Tags:

Office District Status
N.C. Senator N.C. Senate 31 Incumbent
Party In Office Since Term Ends
Republican 2006 2010
Level of Government  
N.C. Senate  
Date of Birth Birthplace Now Lives In
February 28, 1956 San Francisco, CA Winston-Salem, NC

Synopsis

Pete Brunstetter is a Republican state senator from Winston-Salem. A corporate attorney with the white-shoe law firm Womble Carlyle, he served as the chairman of the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners for 10 years. In 2006, he was appointed to the state Senate seat formerly held by Sen. Ham Horton, who died in office. In 2008, he unsuccessfully challenged Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger for a leadership position. 

Trivia

He rides motorcycles and flies planes. 

Endorsements

Biography

Marital Status
Married
Spouse
Jodie
Children
Sons Pete, Dan, Tim; daughter Bekah

Pete Brunstetter is a Republican state senator from Winston-Salem and former Forsyth County commissioner.

Early Life and Education

Peter Samuel Brunstetter was born Feb. 28, 1956, in San Francisco, Calif., to Richard and Roberta Brunstetter. His father was a psychiatrist; his mother, a real estate agent and publisher of a Jewish newspaper.

He went to Redwood High in Larkspur, Calif., and Benjamin Franklin High in New Orleans, but did not graduate.

After his junior year in high school, he left early for college.

He earned a bachelor of arts in political science from Tulane University in New Orleans in 1977.

He earned a law degree from the University of Virginia in 1984.

Military Career

After undergraduate college, he joined the U.S. Navy, serving on active duty as a commissioned officer on the U.S.S. Briscoe until 1981, leaving with the rank of lieutenant.

He then served in the Navy Reserves on and off until 1990, leaving with the rank of lieutenant commander.

Professional Career

From 1984 to 1985, he practiced corporate law with McGuire Woods and Battle in Richmond, Va.

In 1985, he moved to Winston-Salem to work for the predecessor of white shoe law firm Kilpatrick Stockton. He worked there until 2007.

In January of 2007, he began working for Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice.

Political Career

Brunstetter ran unsuccessfully for the Winston-Salem Board of Alderman in 1989. 

He served as chairman of the Forsyth County Board of Elections from 1990 to 1991. 

In September of 1991, he was appointed to the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners to fill a vacancy created by the death of Commissioner Forrest Conrad.

He was elected to the position in 1992, 1996 and 2000, and served as chairman from 1994 to 2004, a time of a major economic transition in the Triad. At the end of 2004, he left the board after deciding not to run for another term.

In 2006, he was appointed to the state Senate seat formerly held by Sen. Ham Horton, who died in office.

In 2008, he unsuccesfully challenged Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger for a leadership position.

Research and reporting by Ryan Teague Beckwith. 

Occupation

Attorney
Womble Carlyle






Community Involvement:
Not specified.

Contact Info



Education

bachelor of arts
Tulane University
Graduated: 1977		 juris doctorate
University of Virginia
Graduated: 1984

Military

Years of service:
1977-1981		 Branch:
Navy

Links










N&O Profile:









You must be logged in to post a comment on this blog. If you already have an N&O online user account, click here to log in. Otherwise, click here to register (it's free!).