The Town of Leland is governed by a Council consisting of a Mayor, Mayor Pro-Tem and three other Council members. Elections are held every two years. The Mayor serves a two-year term; Council members serve staggered four-year terms.
The two candidates for Mayor of Leland in alphabetical order:
Brenda Bozeman, the incumbent, is a lifelong resident of the area and has worked as a full-time realtor for thirty years. She served for nine years on Leland’s Planning Board in the 1990’s. In 2003, she was elected to the Leland Town Council, and in 2005 she was chosen to serve as Mayor Pro-Tem. Bozeman was first elected Mayor in 2011 and is seeking her third term. She’s been married for 45 years to James; they have two children and four grandchildren.
Glen Thearling, the challenger, served in the U.S. Nuclear Navy, then worked at the Brunswick Nuclear Plant for 35 years as a Senior Reactor Operator and finally as a staff Senior Analyst. Working in the Licensing and Regulatory Affairs unit gave him a chance to work with state and federal agencies on the area’s environmental issues. He retired 2 years ago and continues to volunteer in various ways – including through his church and in his neighborhood. In the past, he has volunteered with Habit for Humanity, WARM, Medical Missions International, and foster children in Brunswick County. In his spare time, he enjoys building projects, furniture, woodworking, and the arts.
The three candidates competing for two open seats on Leland’s Town Council:
Michael Callahan served over 20 years in the U.S. Air Force and went on to provide professional contract services for engineering and consulting firms to other engineering firms and government agencies in the Washington, D.C. area for over 12 years. In his spare time, he volunteers as the Mass Care Lead for the American Red Cross – Cape Fear Chapter, as an appointed member of the Leland Parks & Recreation Board, and as a tour guide for the Historic Wilmington Foundation. Michael and his wife have lived in Leland for almost two years, moving from Alexandria, Virginia, in 2013.
Bob Campbell is the current Accounting Manager for the Health and Human Services Department of Brunswick County. He has worked for the County for more than eleven years. He was a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician for seven years in Franklin County, North Carolina, and he’s served on the Magnolia Greens Architectural Change Committee and the Recreation Committee. He volunteered on both the Board of Adjustments and the Code Rewrite Committees for the Town of Leland. He’s been married for over twenty years to Linda Campbell; they have a blended family of seven children and seventeen grandchildren.
Jane Crowder is the only incumbent running for another term on Council. She’s been a resident of Leland since 1975. She was in banking for 20 years -- most of that time in Leland. She later took a position as a payroll supervisor. She is currently employed as an Administrative Associate with Wilmington Funeral and Cremation Village Road Chapel in Leland. She is a member of the North Brunswick Unity Group, North Brunswick Kiwanis, Woodburn Presbyterian Church, and is a former member of the Founders’ Day Committee for Leland. She is married to John Crowder and has 2 children and 4 grandchildren.
